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Saturday

IMWAYR: The Dragon of the Month Club


Monday Linky from Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers and Kathryn from Book Date!

The Dragon of the Month Club



I love magic.  Bring on the wizards and witches because I love them.  This book is about the magic of a book.  Not magic because it metaphorically takes you away but this book actually has instructions on how to conjure dragons:  water dragons, steam dragons and more.

One day, Tyler and Ayana, who have recently become friends, are at the library. Ayana is really upset because some bullies destroyed her poems.  When she kicks at a bookcase, a thin book falls down into their laps.  They try to check it out but it's too late in the day and they end up stealing it.

These two meet in the library.  Ayana is having difficulty at school.  She's just moved there and is getting bullied at school.  Tyler comes upon her crying in the stacks.  Tyler is a timid kid who develops strengths as the book goes on and has a crush on Ayana.  Ayana is strong and always seems to be the one taking the lead. 

They are happily conjuring dragons when one day they end up making a mistake and they find themselves in a whole other world.  Luckily, they still have their book and are able to conjure dragons which help them in their adventures. These are amazing dragons that provide friendship and love.

I really liked most of this book.  However, I found the ending somewhat underwhelming.  Even if a book is part of a series, I need some closure and I felt like this one left me hanging.  One thing I really liked was the integration of other story settings like Sherlock Holmes and Grimm's Fairy Tales.

If you're looking for a book about friendship, bravery and a little bit of magic, you've come to the right place.  Find it here on Amazon.  


        

Sunday

My Top Five Christmas Read Alouds


Monday Linky from Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers and Kathryn from Book Date!

My Top Five Christmas Read Alouds


The Smallest Gift of Christmas by Peter Reynolds
I admit it.  I love anything by Peter Reynolds.  This is tale about Roland.  He runs down the stairs on Christmas morning to find the smallest gift of all.  He can't believe it!  But what he learns is amazing.


I have students create christmas gift tags from the heart.  You can use my form here.  The art is from preffy grafik designs.  They make beautiful clip art.  


Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco
Patricia Polacco always has the most beautiful art and messages.  The sacristy is leaking and Jonathan and his father the preacher need to find something to cover it.  They find a tapestry perfect for covering the wall.  Later they find out what makes this tapestry even more special.

For this one, I have students design a special tapestry that would have meaning for their family.


Home for Christmas by Jan Brett
Rollo, a little troll, runs away from home.  He finds many animals to take him in but he learns there is no place like home.


Here, I have students creat their own tale of living with a family of animals.  What animals would they choose to live with?  What makes it special or unique?


Olive, The Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh
OK so Olive isn't another reindeer...she's a dog.  But she gets confused while singing Christmas songs and decides she needs to go up to the North Pole to help out Santa!


I save this one for a crazy day (Holiday performances and parties!).  
I have my kids watch the cgi version!

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
This is a classic tale that sadly not every kid has heard all the way through!  It's a must read every holiday.


Here I buy some cheap plates and have kids design their own plate for Santa's cookies with puff paint!  It's fun.

I spend my last week reading a different tale every day and doing a different activity.  Hope some work for you!



Check out some December links for more ideas!!



        
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