Read Aloud

Teaching The Lightning Thief in Grade 7: Themes, Triggers & What Teachers Should Know

5 Star, Book Reviews, Grade, Grade 7, Grade 8, Read Aloud, Teaching /

If you’re thinking about teaching The Lightning Thief in Grade 7, you’re probably asking: Is Percy Jackson appropriate for middle school? How violent is it? Will parents object? Is it still engaging in 2026? Short answer? Yes. It still works. Long answer? Let’s break it down so you walk in prepared. Why The Lightning Thief […]

Teaching The Lightning Thief in Grade 7: Themes, Triggers & What Teachers Should Know Read More »

Teaching The Giver in Grade 7/8: Themes, Triggers & What Teachers Should Prepare For

4 Star, 5 Star, Book Reviews, Grade, Grade 7, Grade 8, Read Aloud, Teaching /

If you’re planning on teaching The Giver in Grade 7, this post is your full teacher prep guide. When I reread The Giver as an adult preparing to use it in my classroom, I realized something important: This is not a simple dystopian novel. It’s emotionally heavy. Ethically complex. And yes — it contains scenes

Teaching The Giver in Grade 7/8: Themes, Triggers & What Teachers Should Prepare For Read More »

📚 Linked by Gordon Korman: A Powerful Classroom Read That Sparked Real Conversations

5 Star, Book Reviews, Classroom Library, Grade, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Highschool, Literature Circles, Read Aloud, Teaching /

Every so often, a book comes along that doesn’t just engage students—it changes the conversation in your classroom.For us, that book was Linked by Gordon Korman. I added Linked to our classroom library after hearing strong recommendations from other teachers—and I’m so glad I did. What started as just another reading option quickly turned into

📚 Linked by Gordon Korman: A Powerful Classroom Read That Sparked Real Conversations Read More »

The Proudest Blue – A Picture Book That Champions Identity, Family, and Resilience

4 Star, Black Authors, Book Reviews, Classroom Library, Grade, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Read Aloud, Teaching /

When I first read The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family, I knew it would spark meaningful classroom conversations. Written by Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad and author S.K. Ali, this picture book shares a touching story of pride, identity, and strength. The illustrations by Hatem Aly make it even more powerful. If you’re

The Proudest Blue – A Picture Book That Champions Identity, Family, and Resilience Read More »

There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom – L. Sachar

4 Star, 5 Star, Book Reviews, Grade, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Read Aloud, Teaching /

First off: What an amazing book! So many great lessons in here and written for a way that students in grades 3-5 can really understand. While the main character is in 5th grade, I think the lessons in here are better suited to at or slightly under audiences. I did use this with a  5/6

There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom – L. Sachar Read More »

The Boy in the Black Suit by J Reynolds

4 Star, Black Authors, Book Reviews, Classroom Library, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Literature Circles, Read Aloud, Teaching /

This story is one of a few i’m going to be reading to educate myself more on black lives, history, and stories. I realize that while i’ve always tried to offer a variance in my classroom library, it can be hard to find good books for tweens by black authors or about black characters; so

The Boy in the Black Suit by J Reynolds Read More »