June: Favorite Picture Books!

Can you believe it's almost the END of June?! (Can you also believe I'm still in school for 2 more days ... never-ending month!) As always, I have selected a few favorite picture books/nonfiction texts to share with all of you! Many of these books make great read-alouds, as well as being great recommendations for your kiddos to pick up during summer from their local library! :) 

Let's get started!

1. "Bad Kitty" by: Nick Bruel

Available on Amazon here.

This book is HILARIOUS, plain & simple. 

The kitty in this story starts getting angry at his owners for the types of food they are trying to feed him. He goes on a rampage through the house destroying everything in his path (listing the items in A-Z order), until his owners come home with something delicious. He quickly tries to make-up for what he's done so that he can get a treat.

Super cute read-aloud and a great book for kindergarteners on up. 

There are also mini chapter spin-off "Bad Kitty" books that are great for 2nd graders +. 

2. "National Geographic Readers" {Multiple Authors}

Available on Amazon here.

I cannot say enough great things about these "National Geographic Readers" for kids. 

They are AMAZING! 

As I've mentioned before, I'm not someone who is drawn to non-fiction, I would pick a fictional story any day, but these books are awesome. They are filled with great nonfiction text features in an accessible format for kids of all ages. Even for our youngest kiddos, they can browse and explore the different photographs throughout each book. These are filled with facts and would be a great addition to any age classroom. 

Imagine all of the FANTASTIC nonfiction projects you could do with these! The opportunities are endless. Highly, HIGHLY, recommend this series.

3. "Elephant and Piggie" Series by: Mo Willems

Available on Amazon here.

Can we just talk about how much I LOVE Mo Willems for one second? 

A LOT.

You may know him from one of my previously talked about favs, "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" {mentioned here in my May Favorites post}.

These books are absolutely adorable and filled with simple, but effective illustrations to pair along with the text. "A Big Guy Took My Ball!" is one of my personal favs of the series, but I love them all. These are great for grades 1-3, but could be used as quick read-alouds for Pre-K/K students, as well. 

A co-worker of mine {1st grade teacher} had a student create her own Elephant & Piggie book after reading multiple books from the series at school, and using Mo Willems as a mentor author. 

How cool is that?! 

Definitely check this series out. Another hilarious set of books by my man, Mo.

4. "Scaredy Squirrel" by: Melanie Watt

Available on Amazon here.

My final favorite for the month of June has to be "Scaredy Squirrel" by Melanie Watts.

This book is hilarious for a number of reasons, the main one being that this squirrel is super paranoid about something bad happening to him if he leaves his tree. He goes through a number of 'plans' he has incase these different things happen to him, but finally decides to make a move one day.

Not only is this book an AWESOME read-aloud, it is also available on Tumble Books to watch! 

{So is one of the "Scaredy Squirrel" sequels}

There are a TON of "Scaredy Squirrel" picture books, if you find your students LOVE these books, you can fill-up a good section of your classroom library with them. 

If you have any books you think I should take a look at, please leave a comment below! :)

Happy Summer to all of my teacher friends out there!

Happy Reading!

- Kristen

May: Favorite Picture Books!

May is already quickly turning into June, it seems! My picks for "May: Favorite Picture Books" are books that are tried and true with kids of all ages. One factor that consistently comes into play when I am selecting children's books, is the quality of the illustrations. I love, love, love BEAUTIFUL hand-drawn illustrations in a book. They really help bring the words to life, as well as helping out struggling readers with some of the words through use of pictures and context clues.

That being said, here are my picks for this month's favorite picture books!

1. "A Story for Bear" by: Dennis Haseley

Available on Amazon here.

This has to be one of my all-time FAVORITE picture books. Not only are the illustrations beyond beautiful {created with acrylic paint and colored pencil}, but the message is just as beautiful. The book tells the story of a woman and a bear who are drawn together as friends over the love of a good story. 

I may or may not tear up while reading this one, but I absolutely love it.

Here's another illustration from the book: 

{Could you just die over the cuteness of this sweet guy?!}

2. "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" by: Mo Willems

Available on Amazon here.

 The "Pigeon" series by Mo Willems absolutely cracks me up. No lie, I die laughing every time I read one, especially aloud. These books have limited amounts of text, which is why I find them so fascinating. Through simple illustrations and speech bubbles, the author is able to convey the feelings of the pigeon and other characters, all while incorporating the reader into the story.

Other books in this series include: "Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late", "The Pigeon Needs a Bath!", "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog", "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy", along with a few other 'spin-off' versions. All are equally hilarious, but I love the original. 

3. "Roxaboxen" by: Alic McLerran

Available on Amazon here.

 This book is another tried and true all-time favorites. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful by the talented Barbara Cooney {illustrator of "Miss Rumphius", another great book}. 

The blurb on the back of the book really tells all you need to know about this amazing story:

"Marian called it Roxaboxen. There across the road, it looked like any rocky hill - nothing but sand and rocks, some old wooden boxes, cactus and greasewood and thorny ocotillo - but it was really a sparkling world of jeweled homes, streets edged with the whitest stones, and two ice cream shops. And all children needed to go there were a long stick and a soaring imagination."

The vivid imagery and description of this book, coupled with the amazing illustrations, makes for a fantastic read-aloud for any age. The events in this book are based on true events from the author's mother's life. 

This is a great book to use for any writing lesson to show how students can describe a place in a way that makes the reader feel like they are actually there.

4. "Bedhead" by: Margie Palatini

 Available on Amazon here.

If you're looking for a book to help teach word choice, imagery, small moments, or just a book filled with humor, this is a fabulous choice. The language in this story is brilliant, and perfectly paints a picture of a kid having a terrible hair day. When students claim they have nothing to write about, pull this book out and show that even having a bad hair day can turn into a picture book! The smallest moments make for the best stories, filled with lots & lots of detail. 

This book can be used with all ages!

That concludes the list of a few of my favorite picture books this month. 

Stay tuned for June's list, coming up in just a few short weeks! :)

As always, if you have any favorites you think I would enjoy 

{especially with BEAUTIFUL illustrations} 

please leave titles in the comments below!

Happy Reading!

- Kristen

Make-Ahead Meal: Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Although I try very hard to meal plan each week, and hit the store every Sunday morning to stock-up on the necessities, there are just some days where the last thing you want to do is make an elaborate meal. That's where my Crockpot and easy make-ahead meals come into play.

A family favorite at our house is this Cheesy Chicken Enchilada recipe from Campbell's. I have adapted it a little bit to better suit our taste. I generally prep this meal the day prior and throw it in the fridge, ready to heat up in the oven the next day for dinner, and provides leftovers for a day later in the week!

Photo from: The Lean Green Bean, since we gobbled ours up before one could be taken. ;)

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (I use 98% fat-free) 
1/2 cup sour cream (I use light)
1 cup Pace Picante Sauce 
2 teaspoons chili powder 
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I just boil 2 chicken breasts, then shred once cooked)
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 
6 flour tortillas, warmed 
1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup) (I use 1/2 a can of Wegmans Petite Diced Tomatoes)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Boil 2 chicken breasts until cooked, then shred. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, mix together soup, sour cream, picante sauce, chili powder, and diced tomatoes.
- In a separate bowl, mix together cooked chicken, cheese, and 1 cup of the soup mixture created beforehand.
- Divide the mixture among the tortillas, roll-up, and place seam-side down in a large baking dish.
- Pour the remaining soup mixture over the tortillas and cover dish with foil.
- Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. I always add a little extra shredded cheese on top to melt the last couple of minutes.
- Enjoy! :)

I like to serve my Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with southwest rice, corn, and some salsa.

Happy Cooking! 

- Kristen

The Best {Mostly-Indestructible} Puppy Toys

For those of you who know me, you know I am 100% OB-SESSED with my puppy, Sophie. Even if you do not know me personally, I'm sure you've picked up on that little tidbit just by following along on here! ;) My husband and I do not have {human} babies quite yet so our little furry girl gets all of our pampering & spoiling.

Sophie is just over six months old and is an F1 Goldendoodle {Mom is 100% Golden Retriever, Dad is 100% Moyen Poodle}. We are from the Rochester, New York area and purchased our doodle at Golden Beauties Driven to Doodles, LLC, if you're interested in a lovie of your own. She is a bundle of love & sweetness, but is also a wild woman CONSTANTLY on a mission to chew, destroy, & just be super naughty, overall. :)

Sophie Mae, 6-months old.

We are on Round 2 of Puppy Kindergarten ... we're working on it. 

Slowly, but surely. 

If I had to estimate how much money my husband and I have spent on toys, bones, treats, etc to entertain the chewing monster, I don't think I could even put a price-tag on it. Lets just say ... it's A LOT. I can't count the number of times I have brought home toys for her and they have been destroyed within MINUTES. So. Frustrating.

So, I set out to find some of the BEST toys for puppies that wouldn't need to be replaced constantly and were safe for our girly to have at home by herself during the day. Sophie was crate-trained until she was about 4 months old, and is now free in the house all day while we are at work. She has never chewed on anything {furniture, clothing, etc} while we are away, but is the ultimate sock-stealer and shoe-bandit, so we just know to keep these things out of her reach. We keep her toys in a wicker basket in the living room, and she knows how to pick out what toys she wants to play with.

{Now if we could just teach her to put the toys BACK when she's done playing ...}

We have A LOT of chewing toys at our house. Like I said, girlfriend has quite the powerful jaw and can take down almost any toy in 5 minutes flat. We have found these toys to be pretty indestructible for her and haven't had to replace them yet. While Sophie had a ton of plush toys when she was a baby, she is too irresponsible to have any at this point. Stuffing is all over the house within minutes ... are you noticing a trend here?!

I do have to say, the cutest thing EVER is that Sophie has ONE plush toy {a little KONG Lamb} that she will tote around gently by its ear to lay with once in awhile. It is the only plush toy she has had since she was a baby and that she will not shred. 
We call it her 'baby' and it is absolutely adorable.

KONG Cozie Tupper the Lamb, Available on Amazon Here

Sophie truly only used "puppy" specific toys until she was about 12-weeks old. She is going to be around 80 lbs. as an adult, so she is a large breed, and could handle tougher toys earlier on. I was always afraid she was going to choke on some of the little puppy toys because of how small they were in comparison to her mouth. Just something to keep in mind when you are purchasing toys for your dog.
*Note: Sophie has all of her adult teeth at this point, check with your veterinarian about which toys are best for your puppy if they still have their baby teeth.

Sophie's Favorite Toys:

Nylabone Durable Dental Dinosaur Chew Toy, Available on Amazon Here
Sophie LOVES her dinosaur and has had it since we first brought her home at 9-weeks old. While a lot of his little nubs and bumps have gotten worn down around his head and the end of his tail, this toy has definitely stood the test of time in our home. I may end up replacing him once she grinds down a little more of his texture, but for now he is still just fine. I highly recommend this one! 

Petstages Durable Stick, Available at Petco Here

Sophie has had her stick toy for about a month now and it still interests her! It has held up pretty well, minus the fact that the ends are {obviously} a little more worn down and losing their texture. This toy has a 'natural wood-like' smell so Sophie really loves it. She is the ultimate "dog": loves sticks, puddles, mud, fetch, digging, oh, and tried chasing cars when she was really little, that was fun ...

KONG Toy, Available on Amazon Here
I'm sure every dog on the planet has a KONG toy, but Sophie actually took awhile to warm up to this thing. We had a puppy-size KONG for her when she was a baby, and had to upgrade to the adult size fairly quickly as the puppy one is pretty small & a choking-hazard {in my neurotic opinion}. I posed the question on Facebook: Best things to stuff the KONG with, and got a TON of responses. One that Sophie LOVES is part of a mashed banana with cottage cheese and peanut butter. Gross, I know, but she loves it. She can't just have loose treats in the KONG or she picks it up with her mouth and flings it across the room over & over until everything falls out.
Super lazy or brilliant? Unclear.

PetSafe Busy Buddy Bouncy Bone, Available at Petco Here
The Busy Buddy Bouncy Bone is great for Sophie because it keeps her interest and entertains her! Although she's a stinker and gets the little treat rings off within ten minutes, she does spend time chewing this bone even without the treat rings on it. I recommend this one especially for younger puppies without as strong of teeth, you will have a babysitter for approx. 30 minutes while they try to get these off!

KONG Tugger Knots {Moose}, Available on Amazon Here
Alright, I can't say I really 'recommend' this toy because we had to toss TWO of them within a week due to destruction, I do think it is a good option for a smaller puppy without as strong of teeth, or for an adult dog with smaller teeth that needs something to chew. The whole toy has rope throughout it so your puppy can feel like they are chewing a rope, while having a plush toy on top. See that huge puffy moose nose? Yeah, that was ripped off and shredded in maybe 2 minutes. Sigh.

Chuck-It Bumper Toy, Available at Petco Here
We have really like the Chuck-It Bumper toy so far. We've only owned it for about 3 weeks now, but it has been great for playing outside. My husband plays fetch with Sophie in the yard almost every night and this toy has held up pretty well for that. She has shredded parts of the rope, which she does with all ropes, but the bumper is mostly still in the shape it was when purchased. We also liked this because it can go in water, so she will be able to use it in her baby pool this summer.

Nylabone Romp'n Chomp Bone, Available at Petco Here

Another recent purchase is the Nylabone Romp'n Chomp bone. Sophie has really liked this bone and will even chew it without a treat inside. The treats are kind of pricey {$10 for 6pk. or something like that}, but it does provide entertainment for at least 25 minutes, when snapped in correctly. I did not snap it in all the way one day and she swallowed the thing in about 45 seconds, after flinging it out of the bone using her paw. Brat. 

Rockin Treat Ball, Available at Petco Here

Last on the list is this Rockin Treat Ball that I found at Petco. You can change the level of difficulty based on puppy's age {or smarts} to make it more challenging or easier for them to access the treats. I started Sophie off on a lower-level until she figured out how the ball worked and then increased the difficulty. She really likes this, but barks at us to get it for her whenever it rolls under the table or near a chair, etc. which can get annoying. Also, make sure you really snap the ball together or your puppy may detach the entire thing while you are at work, eat all of the treats, and nibble on the plastic insert. Not that that would happen at our house ... just sayin'. 

While Sophie has other toys too {ropes, balls, etc.}, these are just a few favorites that I see her choosing most often and that seem to have held up the best. 

If you have a destructive puppy {GOD BLESS YOU} and know of any other toys that have worked well for your pup, please leave ideas in the comments section! 

I would love to find some new ideas for when these toys finally bite the dust.

Stay tuned for future puppy-related posts!

Have fun with your fur-baby!

- Kristen

{Favorite} Books for Baby!

It seems as though EVERYONE I know is preparing for their first {or second} baby, and I cannot WAIT to hold so many of them! While I'm not quite in baby-land yet, I love everything about babies and how much happiness they bring into the world.

One of my absolute favorite things to do with a beautiful baby is read to them while they're having tubby time and then rocking them to sleep with a book.

{How surprised are you? Oh, not at all? Because I'm obsessed with books? Okay.}

So often new parents are super well-prepared with diapers, clothes, toys, etc., but books should be just as high on the priority list! It is so important to start reading to your child as a baby to get them started on the path of loving reading! 

If you care to learn more about why babies need books and need to be read to, check out this article by Scholastic for more info.

Now, I understand that as a teacher {and soon-to-be literacy specialist} I am more apt to know what types of books are great for babies, and what they are interested in, so I have decided to compile a list of a few staple books that every baby should have in their little library. :) Keep in mind, as your baby and their interests grow, you can use this as a way to cater your book selection to topics they might like best. Find what your baby loves and it will help you with your selection of books.

Board books are just one type of book that are GREAT for babies! The pages are smaller for baby's little hands to help you turn the pages, and are made from a sturdier cardboard {in case baby is hungry for a little book snack}. These books are much more durable than traditional picture books, and are great for babies who are becoming more and more interested in helping with the read-along process. 

Here are some of my favorite {Books for Baby} that would be great additions to any nursery library:

We will start the list with a classic. You can't go wrong with Goodnight Moon. Baby will love to listen to this story before bedtime.
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version}

Next up, another classic. The Very Hungry Caterpillar will help baby learn different types of foods, the life cycle of a butterfly, and sequencing! All while being entertained by Eric Carle's AMAZING artwork.
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} 

I LOVE Karma Wilson, the author of Bear Snores On. Most of her stories are filled with repetition, as well a beautiful artwork by Jane Chapman. These "Bear Books" are a series and are available in many different formats.
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version}

We're Going on a Bear Hunt is a favorite of children from baby on up through second grade. This book is full of fun and adventure, matched with fairly simple illustrations. As baby gets older, go on your own "bear hunt" together through the yard!
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version}

One of my absolute favorite books would have to be Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Not only will baby have early exposure to the letters of the alphabet {and the sequence of the alphabet}, but they will love looking at the colorful illustrations filling each page. Other "Chicka" books in the series include: Chicka Chicka ABC and Chicka Chicka 123.
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version}

Another fun book filled with beautiful Eric Carle artwork is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This book is part of a series of books by Bill Martin Jr. This is a great book for introducing baby to animals, repetition, rhyming, and sequence. Other books in this series include: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?, Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version}

Alright, I'm slightly obsessed with Sandra Boynton's books. They all contain humor {most of which means Mommy + Daddy will be laughing, until baby is old enough to 'get it'}. I find her illustrations adorable and her writing simple enough for baby to be exposed to a few different animals/animal sounds, etc. Be sure to check out other books by Sandra Boynton, as well!
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version, $3.75? What a steal!}  

Well, this book is just about as ADORABLE as it gets. Guess How Much I Love You is a great book to read while snuggling your little babe in bed. The illustrations are just the icing on the cake with this one. I love it. Clearly.
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} 

Where the Wild Things Are is another classic tale to share with your little one. As baby gets older, you can have a 'wild rumpus' of your own, just as Max does with the wild things!
Available on Amazon here. {No Board Book version available} 

The Napping House, I cannot truly say enough great things about this one. This is the PERFECT bedtime story. Plain and simple. "There is a house, a napping house, where everyone is sleeping" is the line repeated over and over throughout the story, as everyone tries to get comfortable heading to bed. Be sure to read this story in your quietest whisper voice, you don't want to wake anyone up!
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} 

Next up on my list are these AH-DORABLE "Little Miss" books by Jennifer Adams. The great classics have been transformed into books for baby. How perfect would these be for a display shelf in baby girl's room?! *There are also a few that would be adorable in baby boy's room, as well! There are many other books in this Babylit series: Moby Dick, Sherlock Holmes, Wuthering Heights, Dracula, & Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, just to name a few.
Available on Amazon here. 

Okay, I had never heard of this one before my sister-in-law's shower, but it is absolutely adorable. If you're looking for a cute book to bring to a baby shower or gift for a mommy-to-be, this is it. The illustrations are just one more thing that makes this book quite possibly the cutest ever.
Available in Board Book Version only on Amazon here.

Giraffes Can't Dance is a book with an amazing message for little ones - nothing is impossible! All Gerald the Giraffe wants to do is to be able to dance. You'll have to check it out to see what happens!
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version}

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site is a perfect book for any baby boy {OR GIRL!} interested in different types of machines and things that go. This is a cute twist on a goodnight story, complete with adorable illustrations.
Available on Amazon here. {No Board Book Version available}

 Some of my favorite Alphabet books for baby include:

L,M,N,O Peas has got to be one of my favorite alphabet books. The illustrations are the cutest. Ever. And I really love the different aspects of the story: the peas are each have a different career or hobby, exposing baby to so many different things at once! There is another book by Keith Baker: 1,2,3 Peas introducing baby to numbers.
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version}

Alpha Oops is a cute and silly alphabet book where the Z goes first. My only word of advice with this book, is to overly emphasize just how 'silly' it is that the Z went first. Surround this alphabet book with other ones that have the letters in the 'correct' order so that baby learns to understand why this book is silly compared to the others.
Available on Amazon here. {No Board Book Version available} 

Alphabet Mystery is part of a three-book series, including: Alphabet Rescue and Alphabet Adventure. These books include fantastic illustrations coupled with the writing talents of Audrey Wood {also author of The Napping House}. Alphabet Rescue includes a visit to the fire station and Alphabet Adventure is pretty self-explanatory.
Available on Amazon here. {No Board Book Version available}

Saving one of the best for last, I absolutely adore The Sleepy Little Alphabet as the perfect bedtime ABC book. The little alphabet letters are getting ready for bed, but first they each need something from Mom or Dad before they can fall asleep. The illustrations are to die for.
Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book Version}

So, if you are a new mom or dad, mommy-to-be/daddy-to-be, grandma/grandpa {to-be}, aunt, uncle, cousin, friend, babysitter, ANYTHING, check these books out for the little one in your life! :)

Do you have any favorites for baby? Please share in the comments below!

Happy Reading!

- Kristen

Favorite {Read-Aloud} Novels: Part 1

If I was forced to pick my absolute favorite part of my day, I would say READ-ALOUD, hands down. I love everything about this time with my kiddos: relaxing, unwinding, quiet, all while enjoying a book together. I read aloud to my students every single day, at the same time each day, for about 20 minutes. More on a good day, never less. It is SO important to make time for reading aloud, but that's info for another post. ;)

It's nearly impossible for me to pick favorites when it comes to books {seeing as how I own approx. 11,657 of them}, but there are some novels that have really become tried & true favorites over the past 2 years. Last year, I taught third grade for part of the year and was able to try out a lot of fun novels with my class. This year, I was in fourth grade and chose to use a few of the same books, as well as trying out a few new ones.

This list contains {SOME} of my all time favorite read aloud novels. So, here we go!

1. The first book on my list of favorites has got to be "The BFG" by Roald Dahl. I mean, I even named my puppy Sophie after the little girl in the book. I love that this book is overflowing with humor that really gets the kids laughing, but also the fact that it is written with such vivid detail and imagination. Unfortunately, more and more kids are losing their sense of imagination and are unable to play unless they have concrete items. Sadness. This book really sparks the imagination with the description and outlandish characters. It's definitely my ultimate tried and true fav. I will even admit that I was not a Roald Dahl fan when I was younger. I didn't dislike him, I just never chose to read his books. 

{TIP: Make sure you have a lot of water/hot tea on hand when reading this book. You MUST perfect your giant voice and have a variety for the times the other giants speak. It's critical. My kids from last year still ask me to "say things in my BFG voice." All about the entertainment here.}

You can find "The BFG" here!

After reading "The BFG", we make frobscottle and snozzcumbers. If you don't know what those two words mean, you are simply missing out. I've used this frobscottle recipe with my kids and they love it. I always send home the recipe too, so they can try recreating it again and again! There are many snozzcumber recipes online, all of which I knew my kids would not eat. I just bring in cucumbers and dip and we call it a day. We always have a "BFG Celebration" after reading and even watch "The BFG" movie {it's not good, at all. GREAT win for teachers to show the book is usually better than the movie ;)}

And, as if I haven't proven enough already that this is simply a fantastic read-aloud, I gave my kids a copy of "The BFG" as one of their Christmas presents this year {$1 on Scholastic + bonus points = for free!} and they absolutely went crazy. You would've thought I gave them a check for $1,000,000. Seriously. It was adorable. I also made a cute little bookmark with a Roald Dahl quote on it for them to use in their book. This was a really special gift and I plan on giving something similar each year.

2. Now, I'm not sure if anything can really top my opinion of "The BFG" {clearly} so we will stick with the Roald Dahl theme for a minute. My next read-aloud novel pick is "Matilda" by, you guessed it, Roald Dahl.

You can find "Matilda" here!

"Matilda" is a classic and well-loved by my young readers! This was a favorite book of mine as a kid and I love sharing the excitement of this book with my kids. 

{TIP: Make sure you channel your inner Jersey girl, Fran Drescher, nasally voice for the mom. It makes all the difference.}

As with "The BFG", I always show the movie version of "Matilda" and let the kids decide which they like better. I was actually surprised that a lot of the kids like the book better because the movie cut a lot of parts from the book. 

{Teacher win, yay!}

3. My next favorite read-aloud novel would have to be "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis. Although this is technically the second book in the "Chronicles of Narnia" series, I like to jump right into this book because it is one of my favorites. 

You can find "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" here!

This is an EXCELLENT book and crowd favorite because of the action, humor, and plot twists & turns. Although this book requires multiple voices {all of which should be somewhat British} it is a really fun book to read aloud and the kids always enjoy it. This is the third, and final, book in my list that has a movie accompaniment that I show following our book. 

Keep in mind, this movie is fairly long, we split this up over a couple of "Fun Friday" lunches in the classroom. 

4. My next choice for {Part 1} of my fav read-aloud novels is "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio.
I don't even truly know where to begin praising this novel.
Every once in awhile you read a book that is life changing. This is that book.
This is one of those books that you read, cannot put down, and cannot stop thinking about once you've finished reading. The message sticks with you.

I have not read "Wonder" as a read aloud yet, it's another one I recently read to check out what the rage was about, but I definitely plan on reading it next year. It's an excellent book to get kids talking about empathy, sympathy, compassion, and acceptance. The book is extremely well-written and has received a full 5 stars on Amazon, from over 3,000 readers. 

You can find "Wonder" here!

5. My final choice is another that I haven't actually used in my classroom yet, but definitely look forward to using next year. I recently read this book myself {as it has gotten a TON of praise from various teachers/teaching blogs} and fell head over heels in love.

The book is "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate. It is the story of a captive gorilla in a shopping mall zoo, told from his point of view. It will warm your heart and break it all at the same time. Promise. It's beautiful. I love it. I want to go read it again right now.

You can find "The One and Only Ivan" here!

I think this book will be an excellent choice as a read-aloud and look forward to choosing it as one of my first books for next year!

Although I cannot possibly choose all of my favorites {it would seriously take me until three Sundays from now}, these are a few that have a special place in my heart, for one reason or another.
I hope you check them out and find that you love them as much as I do!
I find that when I read a book I'm truly passionate about, my kiddos soak it up and look forward to hearing me read aloud each day.

Have any favorite read-aloud novels you think I should know about?
Comment below and let me know! :)
I'm constantly searching for books to fall in love with.

Happy Reading!

~Kristen

Must-Make Dish: Summer Chicken Salad

As the weather starts to {FINALLY} warm up here in Western New York, I have started craving summer foods!

I had been scouring Pinterest for new summer recipes and came across a recipe for Summer Chicken Salad. I really like chicken salad, but don't always love the number of calories that can sometimes come with this delicious dish.

That is when I came across The Pioneer Woman's Summer Chicken Salad. I have actually just recently become a fan of The Pioneer Woman. I really like some of the meals she makes, but find that I need to adapt most of them to be a little lower in calories/fat/sugar.

I thought this would be the PERFECT recipe for a girls' night with my mom and sister to accompany our wedding planning. {My baby sis is getting married next summer, YAY!}

Please excuse the lack of step-by-step photos {FAIL}. I had been up for 6.5 hours the night before with Sophie, as she cried all. night. long. after her spay surgery. Poor baby. Therefore, due to pure exhaustion, I threw this thing together {sans} photos. My bad.

Summer Chicken Salad

*The following ingredient list/step-by-step directions are how I chose to adapt The Pioneer Woman's recipe. For her exact instructions/ingredients, please follow the link to her recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts {grilled} *Season with salt & pepper.
• 3 ears fresh corn on the cob {grilled}
• 3 tablespoons minced, fresh dill
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced *I recommend using a little less, if you aren't a huge onion fan.
• 1 cup blueberries
• Romaine lettuce leaves

For the dressing:

• 3/4 cup feta cheese *I used reduced-fat.
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill chicken until cooked through.
2. Grill corn on the cob, with husks on. My husband followed Bobby Flay's Perfectly Grilled Corn on the Cob Recipe, as it was our first time trying this.
3. Once corn is cool enough to handle, slice kernels off of the cob and place into a large bowl.
4. Dice up red onion, celery, and dill, then add to your bowl. 
5. Once chicken has cooled, slice into bite-size pieces. I sliced my chicken first, then shredded it slightly using two forks.
6. In a separate bowl, combine all of your dressing ingredients together.
7. Pour dressing over ingredients and combine well, folding everything in. 
8. Toss in blueberries and lightly coat with dressing and other ingredients.
9. Serve on romaine lettuce leaves. *Can also be served as a sandwich, or on crackers.

*Next time, I plan on using Greek yogurt as a substitute for some of the ingredients in the dressing {sour cream, mayo, & half-and-half}.

Everyone really enjoyed this {lighter} Summer Chicken Salad. 

It would be perfect for a baby or bridal shower, picnic, or even as a side dish at a cook-out.

Happy Cooking!

- Kristen