Serafina describes herself many times as a "creature of the night." What does that mean? What are other "creatures of the night" (both natural and supernatural)? What connotations does "creature of the night" have? Does Serafina's character align with those connotations?Why do you think the author chose to set the story in a real historical… Continue reading Serafina and the Black Cloak Discussion Questions
Category: Reading
The Secret of Goldenrod Book Club
Probably like many of you, our school year is looking a little - actually, a lot - different in 2020-2021, and our book club is among the elements of our learning plan that have changed drastically. We're no longer meeting at a cute little coffee shop and enjoying hot cocoa or a cookie as we… Continue reading The Secret of Goldenrod Book Club
13 Spooky Middle Grade Chapter Books
One of my favorite ways to celebrate Halloween is with a read aloud that helps us get a good spine tingle or step into a spooky atmosphere via our imaginations. Here are 13 middle grade book selections that fit the bill, all perfect for read alouds or independent reading. (This post contains affiliate links. Clicking… Continue reading 13 Spooky Middle Grade Chapter Books
What to Do After All About Reading
First of all, congratulations! I know from my own experience that completing the All About Reading program with a child is a huge accomplishment, both for the child and for you. That level 4 certificate represents countless hours of hard work and struggle that you and your child conquered. But now what? Especially for kids… Continue reading What to Do After All About Reading
My Top 10 Reads for Mama from 2019
When I set up this blog, I had every intention of making frequently updated book recommendations for young readers, teen readers, and mama readers. Sadly, the pages under those tabs have been "under construction" since I started this blog three years ago. Ahem. All signs are pointing to me not being capable of keeping up… Continue reading My Top 10 Reads for Mama from 2019
Get Your Kids Hooked on Books with Netflix
I know a thing or two about struggling readers, both as a classroom teacher and as a mom, and one of my favorite tools for helping kids delve into reading is offering it up as a way to get more interaction with a current obsession. Sometimes that means putting a car magazine in the hands… Continue reading Get Your Kids Hooked on Books with Netflix
4th Grade Read Alouds
This year my kids took on the work of bedtime reading themselves, so our count of read aloud books isn't what it used to be. I'm not too sad about it, though, because the fact that my kids have turned into people who require a book to read by the light of a bedside lamp… Continue reading 4th Grade Read Alouds
The City of Ember Book Club
I like to start book club meetings with a warm-up activity. It helps break the ice, helps get everyone's thoughts centered on the book, and sets the scene for a good time. This time we played a simple game of Who Said It? Warm-Up - Who Said It? To play Who Said It?, I wrote… Continue reading The City of Ember Book Club
How I Personalize All About Reading for Success with My Dyslexic Learners
When my kids were in 2nd grade, we reached what felt like a crisis point with reading. I was dragging them through All About Reading, but it felt entirely like dragging. Every day's reading time was miserable, and every day was frustrating to the point of meltdown. I was beyond overwhelmed, so I did some… Continue reading How I Personalize All About Reading for Success with My Dyslexic Learners
Discussion Questions for Restart by Gordon Korman
As I've shared with you before, this year I started a middle grade book club for kids in our homeschool community. We began by choosing our books for the year with a book tasting. This September we met for our first discussion meeting about Gordon Korman's Restart, the story of a notorious bully who falls… Continue reading Discussion Questions for Restart by Gordon Korman
The Language Arts Coach 