Print Motivation - Kristen Remenar (Page 3)

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Print Motivation

A collection of 66 posts

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

Halloween is coming, and do you know what is scarier than a pumpkin head floating all by itself? Seeing how much my book budget has been slashed for next year! AHHHHHHHHH! Perhaps you, too, have limited funds but an unlimited desire for good children’s books. In the next few

Can You Make a Scary Face?

Can You Make a Scary Face?

With Halloween approaching, I’m on the lookout for spooky stories, and this one caught my eye: Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas. It is the ultimate participation picture book, and your wiggly ones will love it. A big, goofy ladybug gets kids to stand up, sit

Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?

Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?

Before I rave about Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan A. Shea and Tom Slaughter, first I must rave about the public librarians in Washington. I just spent a day talking about great books and ideas with some of the most dedicated, hardworking, professional librarians I’ve

MINE!

When I first saw MINE! written by Shutta Crum and illustrated by Patrice Barton, I thought it’d be fun to use with my little ones in storytime. After all, it’s about two toddlers (and the cutest, drooly puppy) learning how to share a pile of toys. So, it’

Martha Doesn't Say Sorry

Martha Doesn't Say Sorry

“There are many things Martha does, but apologizing isn’t one of them.” Sweet, present-making, snack-sharing, hug-giving Martha does many things, but some of the things she does aren’t so nice. During those difficult moments (like when Martha plays her drum kit next to her napping baby brother), Martha

"Press Here" for fun!

"Press Here" for fun!

My dear friend’s daughter, Nora, turned one this month, and as a librarian, writer, and ardent-bordering-on-obsessive fan of children’s literature, I felt it my duty to include a book in her birthday bag o’ swag. Which book to choose? Press Here by Herve Tullet. Deceptively simple, it consists

The Question on Everyone's Mind

The Question on Everyone's Mind

It’s August, and there’s one big question everyone has been asking: Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? Thank goodness Audrey Vernick and Daniel Jennewein have made this fantastic book to help us find the answer. First of all, does your buffalo have a backpack? If so, your buffalo

Beat the Heat with Blackout

Beat the Heat with Blackout

One hot summer night, a little girl looks for someone to play with her. Everyone is too busy – Dad’s cooking, Mom’s on the computer, Sister’s on the phone – when suddenly, the power goes out. In the blackout, the city changes. The family goes up the rooftop to

Bubble Trouble

“Little Mabel blew a bubble, and it caused a lot of trouble… such a lot of bubble trouble in a bibble-bobble way. For it broke away from Mabel as it bobbed across the table, where it bobbled over Baby, and it wafted him away.” I double-dog dare you to pick

Perfectly (Im)Perfect Square

Color Knowledge

Perfectly (Im)Perfect Square

I fell in love with Perfect Square by Michael Hall when I first saw its vibrant, popsicle-colored pages. A square, with its four equal sides and four sharp corners, is perfectly happy, until it is cut into pieces and poked full of holes one Monday. But rather than groan about

Go Bananas!

Want a book that every kid in your class can read with expression and enjoyment? Try Ed Vere’s nearly wordless picture book, Banana! I love using wordless and nearly wordless books with young readers. (If you want the myriad of reasons why wordless books are great for building narrative

Chew on these great books

Chew on these great books

In a recent Remenar Seminar, a principal pointed out that I share lots of stories, but not a lot of non-fiction. That’s something I’m working on – I love fiction, but I know many learners really respond to informational text. So, I’m trying to pair up books on

The Red Hen

This is the kind of book that’s perfect for readers’ theater, a Storybox, or the dramatic play area. It has a straight-forward plot, few characters, and easy dialogue. The Red Hen by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley is a bright retelling of the classic folktale. This version is way

Potty Animals!

It’s time to potty! If you work with or have young children, you need Hope Vestergaard’s book “Potty Animals: What to Know When You’ve Gotta Go!”, illustrated by Valeria Petrone. One of the essential literacy skills kids need to become readers is “print motivation”. There has to

Dogs Don't Brush Their Teeth

Dogs Don't Brush Their Teeth

Dogs Don’t Brush Their Teeth by Diane deGroat and Shelley Rotner is the perfect beginning reader book. The text on each page is simple: “Dogs do” or “Dogs don’t”. The pictures are photos that have been digitally manipulated to show what dogs do (like howl at the moon)

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

“Do Your Ears Hang Low?” by Caroline Jayne Church is a great choice if you’re looking for a preschool “print motivation” book. The art is big and bright for group sharing, the text is short and simple, and because it follows the classic song, you can sing-read this book.