Madi's Matching Books Blog

Welcome back, it's time for everyone's least favorite subject-math. But do not worry because I am going to share with you a book that will make you rethink your hatred of this subject. We all know that children can pick a certain character, topic, or series that they love and will want to talk to everyone. Whether that is Peppa Pig, Elmo, Cinderella, Catboy, or Spiderman, they gravitate to their special interests like magnets. Personally, I love the " Olivia " series books and the show that goes with it. I also know quite a few preschoolers who feel the same way. Searching for a math related book lead me to a gem: " Olivia Counts ."   This book features number one to ten with graphics on every page that can be counted. This is a short book so you can interact with your students on every page, such as having them count along with you. Early preschoolers need to be able to learn the counting skill and this book is a great way to introduce or practice ...

Hello everyone! Today I am introducing a book that could be part of teaching my very favorite subject, science. Teaching (and learning) science can be confusing at lower grade levels, so instead of giving your second graders a chemistry set, begin with a picture book. The book I found is called " Owen and the Tortoise ," written by Katie Knight. This story is based on actual events that occurred when a young hippopotamus named Owen was swept away from his mother by a tsunami. A park ranger rescued Owen and brought him to a wildlife park where he met a tortoise who reminded him of his mother. This book is short and has appropriate content for young ages, but it has some more complex vocabulary words which gears this book for second grade. Personally I would use " Owen and the Tortoise " during a lesson about animals, natural disasters, or even geography (even though that's not science). I recommend you take a look at this book and consider using it in a science l...

Good evening, future educators. Tonight I am going to share with you a true treasure of a book called “ Before She Was Harriet .” This book was written by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James E. Ransome. I was recommended this book when searching for a biography and I am thrilled that this was the selection offered. Harriet Tubman was an American hero in the way she saved and influenced many lives through the Underground Railroad. Everyone knows the name Harriet Tubman for that reason: the ringleader of the Underground Railroad. But what happened in her life before she was the ringleader and life saver? She wore many hats and played many roles, each serving a significant purpose. When you are teaching a social studies class or lesson, you always want to involve real life examples that the age group you are teaching can understand. This book is a biography because it has factual content about a woman who influenced history. I loved reading this book because the pictures wer...

Happy October! This month brings the cool weather, fall colors, and Halloween! I love October and everything that comes along with it. In  the preschool class I work with, we have been learning about fall themes. Since we use pumpkins a lot in the fall (picking, carving, eating, etc.), we integrated this fruit into our learning. Last week we read a cute story, watched a video, and even cut open a pumpkin to learn more about them. The story we read was a lovely book called " Pumpkin, Pumpkin " by Jeanne Titherington. As you can see by the cover, it is an illustrated book featuring a young boy. This story follows Jamie through the process of a pumpkin's life cycle. He picks a pumpkin, harvests the seeds, plants them, and watches his own pumpkin grow. Although this book is fun and illustrated, it is nonfiction because of the true story it tells. We call this literary nonfiction because it reads as a fiction storybook but also contains true facts. Reading this book in the pre...

"I'll huff and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!" Sound familiar? Of course, because everyone has read  The Story of the Three Little Pigs.  This classic was originally written by  James Halliwell-Phillipps and included in a book of nursery rhymes published in 1886 but has been retold countless times.  The Story of the Three Little Pigs  tells a cautionary tale of three pigs who leave their home to  experience  bigger things in life. The three pigs go their separate ways and build homes for themselves. The first pig carelessly built a house out of straw, the second built out of sticks, and the third out of bricks.  When a mean wolf came to find his next meal, he easily blew down the first and second pig's houses and ate them. When he got to the third pig, he was unable to blow his house down because the third pig worked hard to build a sturdy house. The wolf tried to climb in the brick house's chimney but was tricked and eaten by the thi...

Everyone loves going to the beach, right? The beautiful scenes and the salty air brings happiness to all. In Patricia Hubbell's "Sea, Sand, Me!" we read about the fun and beauty of the beach while enjoying accurate illustrations and poetic rhymes. In this short picture book, we follow a young girl who takes a trip to the beach with her family. This book is full of silly words and repetition, such as, "flippy-floppy," "wiggly-waggly," and "dig, dig, dig." The young girl built sandcastles, jumped over waves with her friend, played with her dolls, and bounced beach balls all ending in waving goodbye to the beach. I read this book and thought of how much the young children I work with now would enjoy it; the rhymes are fun and the pictures are bright. I would love to ask questions related to this book about life experiences, such as "have you ever seen the ocean?" When I was young, I loved to write poems along with reading them. I...