While sorting through my bookcase of children’s books, I came across this gem that I used to read with my children. Every year we looked forward to certain holiday books, and this was one of them. The Night Before the Night Before Christmas by Natasha Wing has a humorous charm to which parents and children…
All posts by Jill M Smith
On My Bookshelf: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth has, admittedly, sat on my bookshelf for several years, and only recently have I been able to read it. It may be several more years before I fully grasp his meaning. If you keep a journal, as I do, you may discover that Tolle offers several points to consider in…
What I’m Reading: The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel is a welcome change from other novels I’ve been reading. It is narrative non-fiction – a true story written like a novel. I consider it a cross between The Thomas Crown Affair, and Catch Me If You Can. The hard part is deciding if Pierce Brosnan or Leo DiCaprio…
Teacher Tuesday: Tuck Everlasting
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Classic to Consider, A Classic to Consider, Summer Reading, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
I couldn’t resist creating another post about the children’s classic novel, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Writing about it last week reminded me of fun moments in my classroom when my sixth graders and I analyzed the novel. We drew a Ferris wheel on the chalkboard (yes, I’m that old) and placed the characters from…
Summer Reading: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
“The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning.” This is the first sentence from Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (1975 by Macmillan). A classic novel that grapples with the blessing or…
Bookstores & More: The Bear and the Books
On a recent excursion to the quaint town of Hopewell, NJ, I found a children’s bookstore called The Bear and the Books. Their motto is “Books to grow up with” and I find that to be so true – that the books we read as children become part of our identity (I’m channeling Kathleen Kelly…
Summer Reading: The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Kids looking for a classic fantasy adventure to read this summer will enjoy The Borrowers by Mary Norton. The first in a series, The Borrowers tells the story of tiny people living under the floorboards in an old house. One day they are discovered by a “real” boy who befriends them and gives them useful…
What I’m Reading: Closer Together by Sophie Gregoire Trudeau
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Bookstores & More, Care Givers, Teacher Inspiration, What I'm ReadingLeave a Reply
On a recent visit to the Strand NYC bookstore, I met Sophie Gregoire Trudeau who was signing copies of her memoir/self-help book, Closer Together. Sophie was easy to talk to, relatable, and kind. Readers will feel her warmth and compassion on every page of her book as she interviews professionals in various fields and combines…
What I’m Reading: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, is a fast-paced story about the formation of rock band in the 1970’s. The writing style is unique in that it is written interview style, similar to a script. There are no paragraphs of description or backstory, only testimony from the different characters. As a writer,…
Art in the Classroom: Norman Rockwell’s High Dive
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Art in the English Classroom, Teacher Tuesday, Writing InspirationLeave a Reply
Norman Rockwell’s High Dive is the perfect choice for a ‘back to school’ writing assignment. Writing prompts can be: what I did over the summer; when I did something I was afraid of; when I accepted a dare; when I did something because everyone else was doing it. The possibilities are endless. The boy’s expression…
