Do you or your middle schooler love books about magical schools and magical lands? Then I have the series for you!! Perhaps you are missing the release of new Harry Potter books. If so, this series is for you. Today I get to share with you a fantasy middle school series (trilogy) by Erika Lewis. It is The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts Series. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12. It has magic, mystery, friendships, new creatures, goddesses, and a never-ending war between summer and winter.
When does/did school start where you are? My school starts back today. On Friday we dropped Hazel off at her new boarding school for the arts. Steve and I have officially become empty nesters. A new school year can bring many different feelings for kids (and teachers). There is the excitement of what is to come and there is the fear of what is to come. Whether it is a new school or just a new class and teacher, most people experience some anxiety this time of year. And it isn't just the students and the teachers. I remember all too well the stress of leaving Hazel at school when she was younger. So, I thought in honor of my first day back with the students, I would share three picture books that have messages about controlling anxiety, overcoming fears, being true to oneself and also accepting differences. The first book I will share is How to Train Your Amygdala by Anna Housley Juster and illustrated by Cynthia Cliff. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8, although I know some high school students it might be good to share it with.
My Facebook newsfeed is full of back-to-school photos. Has school started where you live? We drop Hazel off at boarding school for the first time today! My classes begin on Tuesday though. It seems everyone is thinking back-to-school. Today I get to share with you a perfect book for this time of year. It is Willard DoGooder and the Trail of Friends by Jen Kirkley and illustrated by M. Brayer.
Today I get to share an online educational toy store with you. When Hazel was young, I loved getting educational toys for her and especially loved when they were made from natural materials. Today I get to share with you my experience and a toy from Alphabet Trains and Toys. I was approached to review a toy and share my experience with you.
Has school started where you are? Many schools near us start this week and our school begins after Labor Day. However, the teachers have been back for teacher training starting last week. Last week we had three days with experts in success counseling originally started by Dr. William Glasser and his choice therapy. It has been really interesting and was a tiring week. We literally were being taught to think and react in a different way. If you have time, check it out.
With the first day of school there is always some anxiety for students, teachers, and parents. Today I am sharing a new picture book that is meant to help children learn ways to deal with anxiety including the first day of school jitters. The book is The Worry Balloon by Mónica Mancillas and illustrated by Betty C. Tang. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 but could be used with older children to help teach some techniques to help fight anxiety.
We all have those embarrassing moments. We also have those family members who can be rather embarrassing. Do you remember having to go to school functions with your embarrassing family? Did you worry about them embarrassing you in front of your friends and teachers? Today's book is about just that. The book is Embarrassing George by Kimber Morgan and illustrated by Jessica Kwan.
With the start of school it seems appropriate to share these two picture books today. Both came out yesterday!! Each one reminds me of messages when sending Hazel off to school especially when she was young, so that is why I say it is the perfect time for them. Today's is Hazel's first day of school for the year. The first book is Born to Sparkle: A Story About Achieving Your Dreams by Megan Bomgaars and illustrated by Pete Olczyk. This book is recommended for ages 5 to 8 and although not multicultural per say Megan has Down Syndrome. I'll share more about her below.
Have you been watching the Olympics? This year is the first time I have really watched in a long time. I love watching the women's gymnastics but always hated how it was shown so late. I love the live streaming videos that I can watch any time. With the Summer Games in Tokyo and where spectators are not allowed, I thought it was the perfect time to explore Tokyo and Japan. Today I'm going to share some cookbooks to bring home a bit of the Japanese culture with food and it is food your kids may enjoy! These books are also perfect for getting ready for school lunches, parties and more! We will start with Ultimate Bento by Marc Matsumoto and Maki Ogawa.
It is hard to believe the end of the school year is upon us. We have been lucky this year. Hazel's small private school has been open all year so she has been in person since the day after Labor Day. When I was a teacher this was the time of the year where we were trying to cram in what we had left to cover and then get the kids ready for finals. As a student I hated final exams. There was just so much to learn and remember for them. And if you struggled with some topic it was sure to show up on the final exam. Today I am going to share with you three books from a series of books that are perfect for helping kids in middle school and high school ace hard classes. I have already shared the geometry one with you (since you know I'm a sucker for math books). Then Hazel's fifth grade teacher shared that she was using some of the middle school books to prepare lessons for her on-line classes and she loves the books. (She left the school and is only teaching on-line now.) I decided to give the books another look. Today I am going to share the middle school book on computer science and the high school books on biology and chemistry. All three books are really well written and explain the topics in simple terms that kids will be able to understand. I'm really hoping they come out with a physics one so I can really learn physics after awful experiences with it in high school and college.
