Category: book choice

Global Read Aloud Choices 2024 #GRA24

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Picking this year’s selections has been a journey. Post it notes of configurations, of potential titles have littered my desk for months. The whispers of when is she going to release the lists have grown. I have read, discarded, revisited, pondered, and doubted. And yet, there were a few books that kept coming back to me. Long after I read them, who greeted me with their invitation to take another look, to dream once again.

A lot goes into being a Global Read Aloud choice. I don’t make these selections lightly. There are so many worthy books and stories waiting to be shared on a larger scale, I can’t choose them all, but I wish I could.

Since last year’s selections, I have less access to books, and the world around continues to show us the very worst of humanity. And yet, I also see dreams growing from rubble. Hope remaining even in the most horrific circumstances. I see people who were silent fighting back against hate, war, and the destruction of our planet. I see those who have been fighting for a long time continuing their fight. I see dreams bigger than those who carry them come into fruition.

And so the books I chose are about dreaming. About searching and working toward something that is more than what we are. About the strength of oneself, and also the strength of community. About dreams who carry us into the world, and those that bring us to new places.

About dreams who stop being dreams because of choice. What better time than now to consider which choices we make, who we want to be, and what we want to stand for.

So if you like the choices for this year, join me as we kick off the Global Read Aloud on October 7th, 2024. If you don’t like the choices, don’t join, it’s as easy as that, but I for one am already counting down the days until it kicks off.

There is no sign-up to join, just either pay attention here for more information or join the Facebook communities – I would recommend joining the main one and the one specific to the book (or creator) you choose:

Main GRA Facebook group

Picture Book Study Group

Early Reader Book Group

Upper Elementary/ Middle-Grade Book Group

Middle School Book Group

YA Book Group

Kick-off this year is October 7th and we run until November 15th.

You don’t have to follow the schedule, but please don’t read ahead and spoil the book(s) for others.

So drumroll, please…here are this year’s selections.

Picture Book Creator Choice:

This year’s chosen creator is Minh Lê

Since reading my very first Minh Lê book, I have never missed any of his creations. He has an incredible way of drawing us in to think about the connections we have with others and with ourselves. With every read aloud, I see kids think about who they are and what they do in their lives with others. His books are the very best invitations to be more than we are and to see others as more too.

Week 1:

Week 2:

Week 3:

Week 4:

Week 5:

Week 6: Your choice.

Just remember that the picture book creator study is open to all ages. It is a great way to participate if you don’t see your students often or have limited read aloud time.

EARLY READER CHOICE

Tola lives in an apartment in the busy city of Lagos, Nigeria, with her sister, Moji, who is very clever; her brother, Dapo, who is very fast; and Grandmommy, who is very bossy. Tola may be small, but she’s strong enough to carry a basket brimming with groceries home from the market, and she’s clever enough to count out Grandmommy’s change. When the faucets in the apartment break, it’s Tola who brings water from the well. And when Mr. Abdul, the tailor, has an accident and needs help taking his customers’ measurements, only Tola can save the day. Atinuke’s trademark wit and charm are on full display, accompanied by delightful illustrations by Onyinye Iwu. Too Small Tola evokes the urban bustle and rich blending of cultures in Lagos through the eyes of a little girl with an outsize will—and an even bigger heart.

As each book is three stories, we will dive into two books this year.

Reading Breakdown:

Week 1: Too Small Tola story 1

Week 2: Too Small Tola story 2

Week 3: Final story in Too Small Tola

Week 4: Too Small Tola Makes it Count story 1

Week 5: Too Small Tola Makes it Count story 2

Week 6: Too Small Tola Makes it Count story 3

MIDDLE GRADE/UPPER ELEMENTARY CHOICE

And then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps

Joe Oak is used to living on unsteady ground. His mom can’t be depended on as she never stays around long once she gets “the itch,” and now he and his beloved grandmother find themselves without a home. Fortunately, Joe has an outlet in his journals and drawings and takes comfort from the lessons of comic books—superheroes have a lot of “and then, boom” moments, where everything threatens to go bust but somehow they land on their feet. And that seems to happen a lot to Joe too, as in this crisis his friend Nick helps them find a home in his trailer park.

But things fall apart again when Joe is suddenly left to fend for himself. He doesn’t tell anyone he’s on his own, as he fears foster care and has hope his mom will come back. But time is running out—bills are piling up, the electricity’s been shut off, and the school year’s about to end, meaning no more free meals. The struggle to feed himself gets intense, and Joe finds himself dumpster diving for meals. He’s never felt so alone—until an emaciated little dog and her two tiny pups cross his path. And fate has even more in store for Joe, because an actual tornado is about to hit home—and just when it seems all is lost, his life turns in a direction that he never could have predicted.

Reading Breakdown:

Week 1: Pages 1-39

Week 2: 40 – 80

Week 3: 41 – 120

Week 4: 121 – 160

Week 5: 161 – 203

Week 6: 204 – end

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOICE/JUNIOR HIGH

Hands by Torrey Maldonado

Trev would do anything to protect his mom and sisters, especially from his stepdad. But his stepdad’s return stresses Trev—because when he left, he threatened Trev’s mom. Rather than live scared, Trev takes matters into his own hands, literally. He starts learning to box to handle his stepdad. But everyone isn’t a fan of his plan, because Trev’s a talented artist, and his hands could actually help him build a better future. And they’re letting him know. But their advice for some distant future feels useless in his reality right now. Ultimately, Trev knows his future is in his hands, and his hands are his own, and he has to choose how to use them.

YOUNG ADULT CHOICE

As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows by Zoulfa Katouh

A year ago, before the revolution, Salama watched her brother marry her best friend, Layla, and wondered when her own love story might begin. Now she works at the hospital – helping those she can, closing the eyes of those she can’t. Layla and her unborn baby are all Salama has left.

Unless you count Khawf. But he’s a hallucination; a symptom of the horrors she’s seen. Every day he urges Salama to leave. Every day she refuses.

Until she crosses paths with Kenan, the boy with the vivid green eyes, who wants to stay and risk his life for everything Syria could be …

Reading breakdown:

Week 1: Chapters 1 – 6

Week 2: Chapters 7 – 11

Week 3: Chapters 12 – 16

Week 4: Chapters 17 – 24

Chapters: 25 – 33

Chapters: 34 – end

TWITTER HASHTAGS FOR THE YEAR:

Picture book author study – #GRAJMinh

Future Hero – #GRATola

A Rover’s Story – #GRABoom

A Work in Progress – #GRAHands

Thirty Talks Weird Love – #GRALemontree

GLOBAL READ ALOUD SUPPORT:

T-shirts and other merchandise supporting the project can be found here

To join my Patreon and support the running of the Global Read Aloud plus get access to consultation, coaching, mini-PD and all my resources, go here

TO ORDER YOUR BOOKS:

Please consider ordering the books from Bookshop.org– an independent bookstore that partners with local independent bookstores to sell books. You can see the winner list here and support The Global Read Aloud at the same time.

If you need to order through Amazon, please order it through this affiliate link, the cents earned from it go to purchasing and shipping books to those who cannot get them.

FOR RESOURCES AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS

To find answers to the most frequently asked questions, go here – you will find ideas for how to do the project, as well as how you can share your reading.

To find shared resources and share your own, go here – you will find author resources and also created resources from others.

There you have it; another amazing year of connecting awaits. Read the books, share the books, and get ready for another opportunity to make the world smaller.

Love,

Pernille

Global Read Aloud Choices 2022 #GRA22

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There is never anything easy about picking the books and authors for the Global Read Aloud. How can there be when there are so many incredible books to choose from? So many different experiences waiting to be discovered?

I lose sleep. I try different configurations. I talk about it incessantly with my husband. I reach out to trusted friends to hear opinions. And yet, ultimately, it comes down to a gut feeling of what feels right for the moment we are in, for the way conversations are shaped around the globe. We are still in a pandemic, we are still navigating the continued heaviness and horror, and yet, in the middle of it all are stories of courage, of survival, of finding out how to navigate everything, and becoming your own hero.

And so I chose books that not only will hopefully allow for broader global conversations but also to personal realizations of strength, of can-do, of overcoming in a way that is unique to our experience.

So if you like the choices for this year, join me as we kick off the Global Read Aloud October 3rd. If you don’t like the choices, don’t join, it’s as easy as that, but I for one am already thinking about how this year’s choice for middle school will shape the learning experiences we will have in my own classroom.

There is no sign up to join, just either pay attention here for more information, or join the Facebook community:

Main GRA Facebook group

Picture Book Study Group

Early Reader Book Group

Upper Elementary/ Middle-Grade Book Group

Middle School Book Group

YA Book Group

Kick-off this year is October 3rd and we run until November 11th. You don’t have to follow the schedule, but please don’t read ahead and spoil the book(s) for others.

Global Read Aloud 2022 choices!

Picture Book Creator Choice:

Christian Robinson

This year’s chosen creator is Christian Robinson!

Christian Robinson is an illustrator, author, animator, and designer based in Oakland, California. He was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a small one-bedroom apartment with his brother, two cousins, aunt, and grandmother. Drawing became a way to make space for himself and to create the kind of world he wanted to see. He studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts and would later work with the Sesame Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios before becoming an illustrator of books for children. The Christian Robinson for Target collection, released in August 2021, includes more than 70 items across home and apparel for kids and baby. His books include the #1 New York Times bestseller Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt de la Peña, which was awarded a Caldecott Honor, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and the Newbery Medal, and the #1 New York Times bestseller The Bench, written by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. His solo projects include Another, which was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2019, and the New York Times bestseller You Matter. His latest collaboration with Matt de la Peña, Milo Imagines The World, received six starred reviews and was a #1 Indie Bestseller and a New York Times bestseller. He looks forward to one day seeing the aurora borealis.

Week 1 Book:

You Matter

Week 2 Book:

Another

Week 3 Book:

Milo Imagines the World

Week 4 Book:

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade

Week 5 Book:

Last Stop on Market Street

Week 6 Book: Free choice out of Christian’s many amazing collaborations.

Early Reader Choice:

Stuntboy, in the Meantime written by Jason Reynolds and illustrated by Raul the Third

Portico Reeves’s superpower is making sure all the other superheroes–like his parents and two best friends–stay super. And safe. Super safe. And he does this all in secret. No one in his civilian life knows he’s actually…Stuntboy!But his regular Portico identity is pretty cool, too. He lives in the biggest house on the block, maybe in the whole city, which basically makes it a castle. His mom calls where they live an apartment building. But a building with fifty doors just in the hallways is definitely a castle. And behind those fifty doors live a bunch of different people who Stuntboy saves all the time. In fact, he’s the only reason the cat, New Name Every Day, has nine lives.All this is swell except for Portico’s other secret, his not-so-super secret. His parents are fighting all the time. They’re trying to hide it by repeatedly telling Portico to go check on a neighbor “in the meantime.” But Portico knows “meantime” means his parents are heading into the Mean Time which means they’re about to get into it, and well, Portico’s superhero responsibility is to save them, too–as soon as he figures out how.Only, all these secrets give Portico the worry wiggles, the frets, which his mom calls anxiety. Plus, like all superheroes, Portico has an arch-nemesis who is determined to prove that there is nothing super about Portico at all.

Week 1: Pages 1 – 45

Week 2: Pages 46- 89

Week 3: Pages 90 – 145

Week 4: Pages 146 – 197

Week 5: Pages 198 – 232

Week 6: Pages 233 – end

Hashtag: #GRAStuntboy

Middle Grade Choice:

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj

While this incredible book is not out in the world until July 19th, I promise it will be a wonderful read aloud.

Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, though, even that access is threatened by severe water shortages and thieves who are stealing this precious commodity–an act that Minni accidentally witnesses one night. Meanwhile, in the high-rise building where she just started to work, she discovers that water streams out of every faucet and there’s even a rooftop swimming pool. What Minni also discovers there is one of the water mafia bosses. Now she must decide whether to expose him and risk her job and maybe her life. How did something as simple as access to water get so complicated?

Reading Schedule

Week 1: Chapters 1 – 7

Week 2: Chapters 8 – 16

Week 3: Chapters 17 – 22

Week 4: Chapters 23 – 31

Week 5: Chapters 32 – 37

Week 6: Chapters 38 – end

Hashtag: #GRAThirst

Middle School Choice:

Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame by Supriya Kelkar

India, 1857

Meera’s future has been planned for her for as long as she can remember. As a child, her parents married her to a boy from a neighboring village whom she barely knows. Later, on the eve of her thirteenth birthday, she prepares to leave her family to live with her husband’s–just as her strict religion dictates. But that night, Indian soldiers mutiny against their British commanders and destroy the British ammunition depot, burning down parts of Delhi. Riots follow, and Meera’s husband is killed. Upon hearing the news, Meera’s father insists that she follow the dictates of their fringe religious sect: She must end her life by throwing herself on her husband’s funeral pyre.

Risking everything, Meera runs away, escaping into the chaos of the rebellion. But her newfound freedom is short-lived, as she is forced to become a servant in the house of a high-ranking British East India Company captain. Slowly through her work, she gains confidence, new friends, new skills–and sometimes her life even feels peaceful. But one day, Meera stumbles upon the captain’s secret stock of ammunition, destined to be used by the British to continue colonizing India and control its citizens.

Will Meera do her part to take down the British colonists and alert the rebellion of the stockpile? Or will she stay safe and let others make decisions for her? It really comes down to this: how much fire must a girl face to finally write her own destiny?

Reading Schedule

Week 1: Chapters 1 – 5

Week 2: Chapters 6- 10

Week 3: Chapters 11 – 15

Week 4: Chapters 16 – 22

Week 5: Chapters 23 – 31

Week 6: Chapters 32 – end

Hashtag: #GRAFire

Young Adult Choice:

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity-and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki-near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be-not even Deka herself.

Reading Schedule

Week 1: Chapters 1 – 5

Week 2: Chapters 6 – 11

Week 3: Chapters 12 – 18

Week 4: Chapters 19 – 24

Week 5: Chapters 25 – 28

Week 6: Chapters 29 – end

Hashtag: #GRAGilded

TWITTER HASHTAGS FOR THE YEAR:

Picture book author study – #GRACHRISTIAN

Stuntboy, in the Meantime – #GRAStuntboy

Thirst – #GRAThirst

Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame – #GRAFire

The Gilded Ones – #GRAGilded

GLOBAL READ ALOUD MERCHANDISE:

T-shirts and other merchandise supporting the project can be found here

To get your free sticker, see this post

TO ORDER YOUR BOOKS:

There you have it; another amazing year of connecting awaits.  Read the books, share the books, and get ready for another opportunity to make the world smaller.

Please consider ordering the books from Bookshop.org– an independent bookstore that partners with local independent bookstores to sell books. You can see the winner list here and support The Global Read Aloud at the same time.

If you need to order through Amazon, please order it through this affiliate link, the cents earned from it goes to purchasing and shipping books to those who cannot get them.

For Resources and Any Questions

To find answers to the most frequently asked questions, go here – you will find ideas for how to do the project, as well as how you can share your reading.

To find shared resources and share your own, go here – you will find author resources and also created resources from others.

GLOBAL READ ALOUD CHOICE 2021: YOUNG ADULT CHOICE #GRA21

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Are you ready for the final reveal? So far I have shared the following choices:

In a world that is upside down, still, I have found myself reaching for fantasy books more and more. As a way to learn about our past and consider our future, the realm of fantasy allows us to escape, dig in, and dream of what can be. While the worlds may be unfamiliar, their messages are not and we can find comfort, hope, joy, even in the darkest parts of their stories. Our Global Read Aloud choices offer up hope in the most human way; tales of overcoming, tales of finding your own strength, tales or relying on community to come together in order to defeat a common enemy. It is what the world has shown us in the past year as well, it is what has kept many afloat, many alive. And so we shall gather around these books and continue to build community. We shall share these read alouds as way to connect across city lines, country borders, and oceans. We shall hopefully find similarities within the heroic journeys of the stories we read that let us see how we, too, can be heroes in our way.

WHAT IS INFORMATION YOU MAY WANT RIGHT NOW?

  • Kick off will be October 4th and the project will run for six weeks as usual, ending on November 12th. You can absolutely fall behind or start later, just don’t read ahead.
  • The official hashtag for the year is #GRA21, all other hashtags have been announced with their book selection.
  • The hashtag for this book will be #GRAElatsoe
  • Because the book is longer you can still choose to do a full read aloud or do it as a book study where you read some parts aloud and others are read in other ways. If the book is too long for you to fit into 6 weeks, you can always stretch it into further weeks or choose The Barren Grounds – the middle school choice – which would also be a great read for the young adult category.
  • For a comprehensive FAQ post, go here
  • To join the main Facebook group, please go here. To join the young adult Facebook group, please go here. This is where news will be posted for the most part. Following me on Twitter may also give you information.

SO WHAT IS THIS YEAR’S YOUNG ADULT BOOK….

Amazon.com: Elatsoe (9781646140053): Little Badger, Darcie, Cai, Rovina: Books
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger!

Elatsoe—Ellie for short—lives in an alternate contemporary America shaped by the ancestral magics and knowledge of its Indigenous and immigrant groups. She can raise the spirits of dead animals—most importantly, her ghost dog Kirby. When her beloved cousin dies, all signs point to a car crash, but his ghost tells her otherwise: He was murdered.

Who killed him and how did he die? With the help of her family, her best friend Jay, and the memory great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother, Elatsoe, must track down the killer and unravel the mystery of this creepy town and its dark past. But will the nefarious townsfolk and a mysterious Doctor stop her before she gets started?

A breathtaking debut novel featuring an asexual, Apache teen protagonist, Elatsoe combines mystery, horror, noir, ancestral knowledge, haunting illustrations, fantasy elements, and is one of the most-talked about debuts of the year.

I first encountered Elatsoe after all of the accolades had been heaped on it and after reading it I get why the book world was abuzz with excitement for this book. It has quickly become one of my most recommended titles in my classroom and to other teachers. It combines some of my favorite components; a strong main character who is grounded within tradition and family, the supernatural that needs to be defeated, the strong ties to history and the invitation to conversation about how our past defines our present. I promise this read will not disappoint.

THE READING CALENDAR WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:

Week 1: Oct. 4th – 8th : Chapters 1 – 6

Week 2: Oct. 11th – 15th: Chapters 7 – 12

Week 3: Oct. 18 – 22nd: Chapters 13 – 18

Week 4: Oct. 25th – 29th: Chapters 19 – 24

Week 5: Nov. 1st – 5th: Chapters 25 -30

Week 6: Nov. 8th – 12th: Chapters 31 – end

Don’t worry about falling behind, just don’t read ahead and if you need to start later, please do.

Please consider following Darcie’s work on social media and supporting your local independent bookstores with your book purchases. If you want to support the Global Read Aloud, please consider purchasing your books through the links placed here, the GRA gets a small affiliate percentage whenever books are purchased through Bookshop.org – a website that sends orders through local bookstores.  If your school requires you to go through Amazon, please consider using this link to purchase the book in order to support the Global Read Aloud.

I hope you like these choices, and if not, that’s okay too, then come back next year.

Global Read Aloud Choices 2019 #GRA19

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This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Global Read Aloud.  It is hard to believe that what started as such a small idea has grown into a truly global literacy initiative that has connected millions of kids throughout the year.  It is hard to believe that it has been ten years already.

Yesterday, I was asked what the Global Read Aloud means to me and I will admit, it was hard to answer the question.  Because in its truest form, the GRA is an invitation into a world that we can share together.  An invitation into a story that will shape our experience, that will help us speak books with one another in order for us to understand each other better.  Every year I see the connections being made and think of each of them as a small chip in the many walls that seem to surround us around the world, I see it as one more step toward a more empathetic, understanding, and activist society.

And so the books are at the center of it all which puts a lot of pressure on the selection of the texts.  Hitting publish on this post will once again mean me holding my breath, waiting for the reaction to unfold worldwide.  And yet, it also means that perhaps these books will change the way we think, the way we teach.  That these books and the creators behind them will become part of the language of books that we speak with our students.  I cannot wait for that to happen.

The books chosen this year were once again a combination of the winners of the voting rounds and my own selection.

So, starting on September 30th, what will we be reading aloud?

Picture book study

yuyimorales_3.jpg

The work of Yuyi Morales – creator extraordinaire.  Every time I pick up a book shaped in some way by Yuyi, it takes my breath away.  The scope of her work means that we not only get to t revel in the beauty of her art but also marvel at the stories she shares.

1st week:

Dreamers in English or Spanish

2nd week:

Just A Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book

3rd week:

Nino Wrestles the World

4th week:

Viva Frida

5th week:

Little Night/Nochecita

6th week:  Your choice

Early Readers

Stella Diaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez

Stella Diaz loves marine animals, especially her betta fish, Pancho. But Stella Diaz is not a betta fish. Betta fish like to be alone, while Stella loves spending time with her mom and brother and her best friend Jenny. Trouble is, Jenny is in another class this year, and Stella feels very lonely.

When a new boy arrives in Stella’s class, she really wants to be his friend, but sometimes Stella accidentally speaks Spanish instead of English and pronounces words wrong, which makes her turn roja. Plus, she has to speak in front of her whole class for a big presentation at school! But she better get over her fears soon, because Stella Díaz has something to say!

Middle Grade

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they’ve been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

Middle School

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

Life is harsh in Chennai’s teeming streets, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter–and friendship–on an abandoned bridge. With two homeless boys, Muthi and Arul, the group forms a family of sorts. And while making a living scavenging the city’s trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to laugh about and take pride in too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.

Young Adult

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Humanity has nearly destroyed its world through global warming, but now an even greater evil lurks. The indigenous people of North America are being hunted and harvested for their bone marrow, which carries the key to recovering something the rest of the population has lost: the ability to dream. In this dark world, Frenchie and his companions struggle to survive as they make their way up north to the old lands. For now, survival means staying hidden—but what they don’t know is that one of them holds the secret to defeating the marrow thieves.

 

There you have it; another amazing year of connecting awaits.  Read the books, share the books, and get ready for another opportunity to make the world smaller.

PS:  If you still need to sign up, please go here.

And the Winners Are…Global Read Aloud Choices 2018 #GRA18

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After incredible reading moments, thousands of people voting, countless hours spent thinking, and much discussion had, the moment is finally here….the reveal of the books we will read aloud and connect through.

The choices of these books were not done haphazardly.

Picking our books for the Global Read Aloud is never easy, in fact, I think it gets harder every year since we try to match the incredible experience from the year before.  Every year so far, we have been able to do so, and I hope this year is no different.

With an emphasis on perspective, on understanding others, on connecting and change, I feel that all of the books and picture book authors chosen will help us see the world in a new light.  Will help us make connections.  Will help us build community both within our own classrooms, but also with all the thousands of classrooms that will participate.  As usual, I hope you like them, I hope you read them, and I hope you read all of the amazing contenders as well.  Deep breath here.

Picture Book Author/Illustrator Choice

Julie Flett and Monique Gray Smith

For too long there has been too little focus on the voices and art forms of indigenous writers.  This is the year to change that.  The books that these two incredible writers create are sure to become heart books, books that stay with us long after the project is over.  All of the books here will lead us to be something more…

Week 1:  My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith and Julie Flett

Don’t let the format (board book) fool you, this book will elicit meaningful discussion for all ages.

Week 2:  Wild Berries by Julie Flett

Week 3:  You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Danielle Daniel

Week 4:  A Day with Yayah by Nicola I. Campbell and Julie Flett 

Week 5:  When We Were Alone by David Alexander Robertson and Julie Flett

Week 6:  Your choice!

Early Reader Choice

I first fell in love with Bat as I read the book and saw it for what it was; a story about a boy who loves a skunk and who wants to keep it.  As the mother of four children, it was as if Elana had been to our house and witnessed our weekly fights over what to do or which pet to have.  And yet, wrapped up in its simple storyline is also a story about a boy whom others would like to label different but who doesn’t see himself that way.  This is why I kept coming back to this book, because how many of us have been in this position or how many of us have inadvertently tried to label others that refuse to be labeled?  I promise A Boy Called Bat will not disappoint.

Upper Elementary/Middle-grade Choice

I know this book is not out until May 8th, but this is where I take a leap of faith and hope you will join me.  I read this book last fall and have not stopped thinking about it since, it is a book that pulls us in, invites the world in, and also takes us on a journey to learn about ourselves and the world.  This book deserves to be read, which is why it has been chosen this year.  And yes, it will be available in other countries as well.

Middle School/Junior High Choice

I don’t think any book has ever garnered so many votes for it to be picked and I am not surprised, after all, Refugee is one of my favorite books of 2017, as well as my students.  What I am excited about is how it is a conversation starter, inviting us into the world and to all that is happening and has happened, with people who have been displaced or had to flee their homes.  It is also an invitation to do more, to become more, and to learn more, which is why I am so excited to make it a Global Read Aloud choice.

Young Adult Choice

Love, Hate and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Once again the YA category had incredible books to read aloud, all with their own powerful message and yet Samira Ahmed’s debut kept coming up in my mind as a book that can be connected with no matter where you live, and that is important for a Global Read Aloud.  With its story about fitting in, finding yourself, and also being vilified, I know that this book will create amazing dialogue in our communities.

So there you have it.  6 authors, 4 books, and a lot of connections to be made.  I hope you are as excited for the project to kick off October 2nd as I am.

 

Reading Breakdown For #GRA17

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As the beginning of the Global Read Aloud 2017 nears, it is time to reveal when to read what.  Thank you for those who helped me break down the books!  Remember; it is okay to fall behind schedule – I do every year – just don’t read ahead.  Also, some schools due to holidays or all year schedules are choosing to start a little later – no big deal – please make it work for you!

The project starts October 2nd and runs until November 10th, 2017.

Fenway and Hattie

Week 1 – Chapters 1-3 (26 pages)
Week 2 – Chapters 4-6 (24 pages)
Week 3 – Chapters 7-9 ( 27 pages)
Week 4 – Chapters 10-12 (23 pages)
Week 5 – Chapters 13-16 (31 pages)
Week 6 – Chapters 17-20 (25 pages)

The Wild Robot

Week 1 – Chapters 1-19

Week 2 – Chapters 20-31

Week 3 – Chapters 32-44

Week 4 – Chapters 45-55

Week 5 – Chapters 56-68

Week 6 – Chapters 69-80

A Long Walk to Water

Week 1 – Chapters 1-3

Week 2 – Chapters 4-6

Week 3 – Chapters 7-9

Week 4 – Chapters 10-12

Week 5 – Chapters 13-15

Week 6 – Chapters 16-18

A Monster Calls – Illustrated or non-illustrated version

Week 1 – Through the chapter called “Three Stories”

Week 2 – Through the chapter called “Understanding”

Week 3 – Through the chapter called “Americans Don’t Get Much Holiday”

Week 4 – Through the chapter called “Could It Be?”

Week 5 – Through the chapter called “100 Years”

Week 6 – Through the end

Mem Fox Picture Books

Week one:

Week two:
 Week four:
Week five:

 

Week six:
Your choice – select any of Mem fox’s other books!

Which Mem Fox Books Shall We Read? #GRA17

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Mem Fox has quite a wonderful collection of picture books and so it is no small task determining which books shall be the ones we read together.  We do run into different distribution challenges depending on which country you are joining in from.  I am trying to work around it as much as I can.  So please take a moment to vote for your top 6 here.

And the Winners Are….Global Read Aloud Choices 2017 #GRA17

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I have been losing sleep weighing all of the incredible choices that have been submitted and proposed for this year’s Global Read Aloud.  Many conversations have been had, books have been test read aloud, and while a few are the books chosen by the most votes, some are not.

Picking our books for the Global Read Aloud is never easy, in fact, I think it gets harder every year since we try to match the incredible experience from the year before.  Every year so far, we have been able to do so., and I hope this year is no different.

With an emphasis on perspective this year, I feel that all of the books and picture book author chosen will help us see the world in a new light.  Will help us make connections.  Will help us build community both within our own classrooms, but also with all the thousands of classrooms that will participate.  As usual, I hope you like them, I hope you read them, and I hope you read all of the amazing contenders as well.  Deep breath here.

The chosen are…

Picture Book Author

Australian author Mem Fox has been a contender for a few years, so I am thrilled to have her be the chosen focus of our picture book study. With her enthralling storytelling, her many books focused on the ordinary and not so ordinary, and the perspective she brings her impact on the Global Read Aloud community promises to be profound.

Week one:

Week two:
 Week four:
Week five:

Week six:
Your choice – select any of Mem fox’s other books!

Early Readers

 I first fell in love with Fenway and Hattie after meeting the author, Victoria Coe, at ILA.  Her enthusiasm for Fenway and his perspective as a dog made me read this book the very next day.  Fenway and the story of how he sees the world is one that is bound to make us laugh but also see our world in a different view; what can happen when we simply change our perspective?

Upper Elementary/Middle Grade

 Every year this age group gets the most votes and every year this feels like one of the hardest decisions.  One book kept coming back to me night after night; the story of Roz and the perspective she brings to community, empathy, and the acceptance of others.  I hope that The Wild Robot by Peter Brown helps up all see the world for how similar we all are, rather than our differences.

Middle School

Again, a popular voting category and one that I hold dear to my own reading experience as this is typically the book I read aloud.  With a fear of others, of refugees, of anyone that does not look like us, supposedly does not think like us, I wanted to read a book aloud that will allow deep conversations, connections, and a collaboration between different subject areas.  While this A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is not new, it is still incredibly relevant for the perspective it brings to us as we uncover the story of Salva and the Lost Boys of Sudan.

Young Adult

I have read A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness aloud with a small class this year and have been blown away by their conversations.  This book, which has been made into a movie as well, is sure to make kids think, make them share, and also make them reflect on how they treat others.
So there you have it.  I hope you like them, I do, a lot.  This year’s project kicks off October 2nd, you can sign up right here on the website, and remember; the age designations are not set in stone – read the books and select the one you think will work best for your students.

And the Winners Are…Global Read Aloud 2016

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Surprise…a few days early, but I had to make the decision.  I have been losing sleep over which books to pick to make this the very best experience it can be for all involved.  Every year it seems to get a little harder, every year I get more nervous.  So although voting should not have closed for another day, I think it is time to reveal the chosen books and author for this year’s Global Read Aloud.

So with all that said, please read all of the books that were contenders and finalists because they truly all deserve to be chosen.  They all deserve to be shared.  They all deserve to be read aloud.  As always, I am so thankful for the incredible authors and illustrators that have created these works of art so that we now can connect on a global scale.

This year’s choices for Global Read Aloud 2016 are….

Picture Book Author/Illustrator:

Lauren Castillo

Lauren Castillo has been a true force to reckon with within the world of picture books.  She not only illustrates incredible books, but also writes them as well and spends a lot of time inspiring children to become artists themselves.  Lauren Castillo’s books are sure to start conversations, inspire kindness, and help us create connections.

Week 1:

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Nana in the City

Week 2:

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The Troublemaker

Week 3:

The Reader written by Amy Hest and illustrated by Lauren Castillo 

Week 4:

Product Details

Twenty Yawns written by Jane Smiley and illustrated by Lauren Castillo 

Week 5:

Product Details

Yard Sale written by Eve Bunting illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Week 6:

Your choice!  You decide which on of Lauren’s books you would like to end with.

 

Ages 7 and up (or whichever age group you decide)

Roald Dahl’s The BFG

I first read The BFG as a young child and the story remains  one of my favorite childhood books.  Something about the whimsical nature of the story, as well as how curious the main character was, stayed with me and inspired me to wonder more about the world (where there really giants?)  and also to have a little bit of courage when the world seemed scary.  As I reread it with my 7 year old daughter this year, she quickly told me that The BFG was one of the best books she had ever heard.  Strong praise coming from a child that has had many books read aloud to her through the years.  The BFG as a GRA choice is sure to inspire connections as it is widely available around the world.

Ages 9 and up (Or whichever age you choose)

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

I was told by many to read Pax and yet hesitated, not because I didn’t want to but more because I wasn’t sure what to expect from a book with a fox on the cover.  Yet, Sara Pennypacker has been a household favorite due to her amazing Clementine books (which were also contenders for GRA this year and last) and so I finally cracked the book open only to become wonderfully attached to it.   I have seen how 9 year old’s react to it, I have seen how teens react to it, and I have seen how adults react to it.  It is a book that deserves to be read aloud, to be shared, to be discussed and  I have a feeling it will stay with us all for a very long time.

Ages 12 and up (or whichever age group you choose)

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt

This book has turned some of my my most hesitant readers into children who share books with others.  Tattered and torn, our copies have traveled between students and staff; through word of mouth its audience has grown, with all coming back to say how much they love the book.  Orbiting Jupiter was my most favorite book read in 2015, I hope you love it as much as I do.

Ages 15 and up (Or whichever age group you choose)

All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds

This incredible dual perspective story of what happens when a police encounter goes wrong may be hard to read at time but needs to be read, shared, and discussed.  With the state of the world and all of its barriers between human beings, we cannot ever hope to overcome any of them if we do not start to have more hard discussions.  This book is a catalyst for change.

I hope you love the choices.  I know I do.  Happy reading, we kick off October 3rd.