It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading.  For more information and to find out what other bloggers are reading check out the host blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.

What I've Been Reading...

A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider: The Story of E. B. White by Barbara Herkert

E. B. White's love of the world and words is captured beautifully in this poetic book. The book tells of the author's life, including the backstory of how White came to write Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web. The illustrations are stunning, too. This is a lovely tribute to an author whose books are well-loved by teachers and children.  

A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars by Seth Fishman

The author of this book uses gigantic numbers to tell facts about our planet earth. This is a book that will ignite reader's curiosity and wonder, but also show them how vast our world is. In the note at the end of the book, Fishman explains more about how he researched and estimated to determine the numbers in the book.

The Quest of the Cubs (Bears of the Ice #1) by Kathryn Lasky

Two polar bear cubs are left without their mother when she is taken captive by Roguers, bears who are putting the Northern Kingdom at risk of destruction. The cubs, who aren't sure where there mother is, decide to go in search of their father. Their journey becomes one of survival as they travel the frozen land of Ga'Hoole, facing the dangers of the arctic while also figuring out who they can trust. They learn that their search for their father is also a battle against evil. Readers who want to know more about the bear's quest to save themselves and their kingdom will have to read the next book in the series. This first book publishes in February.

A Professional Read

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

This is not a book written specifically for educators, but it is one that has relevance for those in education. The authors explore the elements that make moments meaningful providing insight into how we can create more of them for ourselves and others. Some moments are more meaningful and memorable than others. The authors give examples of moments from business, education, and life, in general, to show that elevation, insight, pride, and connection are the elements that give moments definition and make them those that we remember. This book made me think about both, my life and my teaching, and started me wondering about how I can make more meaningful moments. In the book, the authors state, "And that's the charge for all of us: to defy the forgettable flatness of everyday work and life by creating a few precious moments" (Heath & Heath, 2017, p. 265). Although some defining moments simply happen, creating them is also possible. It's the moments that stand out that bring meaning to our lives and our students and we can make more of these if we look for the opportunities.

Heath, C. & Heath, D. (2017). The power of moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. Simon & Schuster: New York.