For the Love of Literacy

  Readers will be instantly transported to the little town of Pigbone, with it's big hills and cottages. In the Dragon of Doom, characters, setting and events are very detailed and almost believable (If magic was real). Bruce Coville has created a plot that although not realistic, "what happens in the story is logically consistent within the story world" (Galda, 2017). Chairs can walk across the room whimpering, as Moongobble tries to improve his magic skills (Coville, 29, 2003). Katherine Coville's witty illustrations with Bruce Coville's whimsical and wacky word choice, makes for a fantastic novel that will cast a spell of delight on anyone who reads it.  Teachers can use this text: as a read aloud book club book as an anchor text for writing lesson on - setting, writing about fantasy, talking animals, using descriptive language, etc.  ------- Author: Bruce Coville Illustrator: Katherine Coville Year Published: 2003 Target Age/ Grade Level: Ages 6-10/ Grades 1-5...

  Something so magical is being able to dream. Being able to escape the day to day and connect with people and memories in our dreams is so precious. Sid Fleischman takes us on a fantastic journey about what one young girl does when her very dreams are stolen.  In this tale, fantastic characters and events are developed and believable, the language is rich and characters like, Susana and the Dream Stealer are multidimensional, growing and changing overtime.  "Save yourself , child! Run for your life!"  Susana thought that was a generous notion, except that she was caught between the Dream Stealer, stuck in the window, and the giant below, wriggling like a two-headed snake to free himself from the tight walls and pop through into the tower room.....\ "Don't be all a-flutter and a-tremble," the Dream Stealer burst out, clearly a-flutter and a-tremble himself. "Be Brave!" Teachers can use this text to: introduce conventions of writing integrate reading an...

In  Toy Dance Party, readers will fall so deeply in love with a courageous buffalo named Lumpy, an ever so bossy StingRay, and a little round ball named Plastic, that they will almost forget that the characters are not real people. "Children like to see animals dressed like people and believe in them readily. Young children often are willing to invest in any kind of creature or object with human characteristics" making this a perfect fantasy novel (Galda, 2017). Jenkins does a magnificent job weaving in relatable themes like friendship and the meaning of life, while connecting with any child who has ever had a deep connection to an inanimate object. Stingrays do not play cards and washing machines do not sing so it is very easy for young readers to decipher between fact and fantasy, while still enjoying this imaginative tale.  Teachers can use this text: as a "feel good" read aloud for students to connect with and enjoy to teach themes of friendship, imagination, an...