Category: 2018

Celebrate the Release of Bat and the End of Everything!

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For the 2018 Global Read Aloud, thousands of kids around the world fell in love with Bat and his skunk in the incredible book, A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold.  Imagine my sheer delight when Elana reached out to me to ask if I would mind celebrating the release of the third book in the series with her.  Absolutely!  Then imagine my even bigger delight and surprise when she said she would love to give away three free Skype visits in order to celebrate the book’s release.  So for the month of March, this giveaway will be open to the world.  Please read on to see how to enter.

On March 26, BAT AND THE END OF EVERYTHING will enter the world!

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Here is more about the book:

The third book in the funny and joyful series Katherine Applegate has called “tender and
important,” by National Book Award finalist Elana K. Arnold. 

Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat) has been the caretaker for Thor, the best skunk kit in the world…but the last day of third grade is quickly approaching, and Thor is almost ready to be released into the wild.

The end of school also means that Bat has to say good-bye to his favorite teacher, and he worries about the summer care of Babycakes, their adorable class pet. Not only that, but his best friend is leaving for a long vacation in Canada.
Summer promises good things, too, like working with his mom at the vet clinic and hanging out with his sister, Janie. But Bat can’t help but feel that everything is coming to an end.

National Book Award finalist Elana K. Arnold returns with the third story starring an
unforgettable boy on the autism spectrum.

Bringing Bat to the page over three books has been a joy. Greater still has been the joy of
connecting with kids who love Bat and Thor, his skunk kit.

To celebrate the publication of BAT AND THE END OF EVERYTHING, I’m giving away
three free Skype visits!
I want to thank everyone who has read the BAT books and shared them with kids, including
Pernille Ripp whose Global Read Aloud helped many more kids meet Bixby Alexander Tam.

Please enter the drawing, tell a friend about the BAT books, and cuddle an animal friend.
With Love,
Elana

To enter the drawing, simply enter in your information on this form and stay tuned.  Winners will be drawn on March 26th!

Final Video for A Boy Called Bat for Global Read Aloud #GRA18 #GRABat18

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With this final video from Elana, the Global Read Aloud is officially over.  Thank you so much to Elana and all the time she has taken in answering our questions. Thank you to all of you who have asked questions, shared your love of the book, and connected with others around the world.

Because of the blog’s limitations, I can only post a link to the video here and not the actual video.  So click the link, please.

TO SEE THE VIDEO, CLICK HERE

Also, if you will be at NCTE, make sure you go see Elana as she speaks and also does a signing for her newest book, Damsel.

WEEK 5 VIDEO FOR A BOY CALLED BAT – ELANA K. ARNOLD ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS #GRABAT18 #GRA18

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Another week has passed and as promised, here is Elana’s fifth video. Thank you so much, Elana!  Keep sending her your questions for next week’s video here 

Because of the blog’s limitations, I can only post a link to the video here and not the actual video.  So click the link, please.

TO SEE THE VIDEO, CLICK HERE

Also, if you will be at NCTE, make sure you go see Elana as she speaks and also does a signing for her newest book, Damsel.

WEEK 4 VIDEO FOR A BOY CALLED BAT – ELANA K. ARNOLD ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS #GRABAT18 #GRA18

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Another week has passed and as promised, here is Elana’s fourth video. Thank you so much, Elana!  Keep sending her your questions for next week’s video here Because of the blog’s limitations, I can only post a link to the video here and not the actual video.  So click the link, please.

TO SEE THE VIDEO, CLICK HERE

Also, if you will be at NCTE, make sure you go see Elana as she speaks and also does a signing for her newest book, Damsel.

Welcome to the 2018 Global Read Aloud!

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Dear Global Read Aloud participants,

It is hard to believe that as I write this, there are parts of the world just waking up to Monday, October 1st.  The day that marks the kick off to the 9th annual Global Read Aloud!  Over the next six weeks, more than 1.5 million kids will get to experience a read aloud.  From little kids who crowd around their teacher for story-time to all of those big kids who hope their teacher reads just one more page; soon our adventure begins.

I hope that every person involved will have a moment, a moment in their classrooms or homes where they get to sit and listen to incredible stories, hopefully, sit in the quiet and wonder, and then have meaningful conversations that maybe, just maybe, will help them see the world as filled with human beings who deserve our understanding, kindness, and support.

This year instead of selecting one charity to direct donations to, I encourage you to find a charity that speaks to the message of the books you are reading.  Even if your students and you can only contribute a little bit of time, money, or care, think of the difference that all of us together can make for others.  Let me know what you choose.

I hope that this journey is one that is worth your time.  That your children will love it as much as I have the past many years. Make it work for you, make it worth your time.  Don’t sweat the small things and just enjoy the ride.

A few things to note:

  • Elana Arnold’s videos will be posted on this blog for the world to see.  If you want to send her a question to have her answer it, go here to send them.
  • Aisha Saeed’s videos will be posted here 
  • The shared resources can be found here – please add your ideas
  • All information such as hashtags, wheat to read when and such can be found here 
  • My personal blog, including where I will be speaking and such is here 

Nine years ago I dreamed that the world would be a little smaller due to a shared read aloud.  Nine years ago I dreamed of the power of books and all that they could accomplish.  Now we find out if that dream can come true once again.  Thank you for believing in my dream and happy reading.

All of my best,

Pernille

Write About and Global Read Aloud 2018 #GRA18

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Authentic writing opportunities are an important part of the Global Read Aloud experience, which is why Write About is proud to offer 4 months of unlimited writing exclusively to GRA classrooms– a $60 sponsorship!

Easy Steps to Participate:

1. Submit your Write About upgrade form to get the coupon code.

2. Sign In on Write About to Upgrade with the coupon code.

3. Get your students writing!

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LINKS:
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SPONSORED ACCOUNT DETAILS:

Write About is sponsoring GRA teachers and students with access to a Classroom Monthly upgrade ($15/mo) from September – December 2018. This is available to the first 1,000 teachers who sign up before October 1st. After the project, teachers can downgrade their account to Free if they do not wish to continue Write About with their students. Otherwise, a $15/mo membership will automatically renew.

Win a Skype Visit from Elana K. Arnold #GRA18

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As we get ready to dive into the incredible book that is A Boy Called Bat written by Elana K. Arnold for the Global Read Aloud, I have more incredible news to share.  Not only is she going to be answering your questions on videos every week, she will also be giving 20 (!!!!) free 30 min skype visits to lucky classrooms!

All you have to do is enter on this form and then I will pull random winners on September 16th so that Elana has a chance to reach out to everyone.  This contest is open to the world, but just make sure that the timezone difference is not impossible for her to work with.

Please note that Elana also offers up longer Skype visits for a fee, as well as author visits.  She is an incredibly dynamic author who mesmerizes kids and adults alike with her storytelling.  She would be an incredible addition to your school year.

To see Elana’s website, go here

To contact her for more information, go here

To see all her amazing books, go here