A Fine, Fine School

Picture Book Month

Day 23 theme: School 

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A Fine, Fine School

Author: Sharon Creech

Illustrator: Harry Bliss

Publisher: Harper Collins

Imagine loving school so much that you would be willing to give up your weekends, summers, and holidays just to go to school and learn more. Principal Keene is just this kind of principal. He is so proud of his hard working students that he opens the school all year but even students who love to learn need a little break from school. Sometimes, it is the things we learn when we are not in school that are just as important. Read this wonderful book to learn how Tillie helps Principal Keene learn a lesson of his own. A terrific book to read to kick off a new school year.

Want a peek inside the book. Click here.

Fine, Fine School Discussion and Activity Guides

Live Oak Media Activity Guide

Bright Hub Education lesson plan

"A Fine, Fine School" Library Read Aloud by Bronx librarian, Ms. Revalis

Big Bugs

Picture Book Month Day 3 theme: BUGS

BIG BUGS 

by Seymour Simon

To kids, bugs will always be cool. They are magical and mysterious and sometimes kids kind of wish they could be a bug for a day. If you could be a bug, maybe you would choose to be a "BIG" bug like the insects in this informational picture book by the incomparable Seymour Simon. Each page is filled with photographs and physical descriptions of big insects. spiders, scorpions, wasps, and (yuckie) giant coach roaches. In the bottom corner of each page is an inlay graphic depicting the actual size of the real bug featured.

Seymour Seymour author's website

Insect themed Activities  

Going Bug-gy!       Scholastic's Teacher Guide "Teaching With Bugs" lesson plan unit

Child Care Lounge  crafts, songs, recipes, and finger-plays

Education Place       crafts and curriculum support activities

A great pairing with Big Bugs would be an introduction into The Diary of..." series by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Harry Bliss. These are kid favorites, in particular with first and second graders. The story follows a fly and her daily interactions with the world. Her friends Spider and Worm, from the first two books, pop up in her story.

Diary of a Fly

by Doreen Cronin

Publisher description:

This is the diary...of a fly. A fly who, when she's not landing on your head or swimming in your soup, is trying to escape her 327 brothers and sisters who are driving her crazy! Even though she's little-just like her best friends Worm and Spider_Fly wants to be a superhero. And why not? She walks on walls, sees in all directions at once, and can already fly!

Diary of a Fly Discussion Guide  by Scholastic Teachers

Play the Web of Friends game  by Harper Collins Children's based on "The Diary Of" series

Super Fly Activities from Harper Collins Children's

Interview with Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss