Barbara O’Connor is one of my favorite contemporary middle-grade authors. Her stories focus on relatable, likable characters who work together to achieve a goal, and there is often an animal involved. What’s not to love about that? In Halfway to Harmony, grief-stricken Walter Tipple, his new neighbor, Posey, and her rescue dog, Porkchop, discover a…
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Teacher Resource: Let the Glitter Settle by Stefanie Lachenauer
Stefanie Lachenauer is the 2025 New Jersey Teacher of the Year, with twenty years of classroom experience under her belt. In her newly published mindfulness guidebook, Let the Glitter Settle, Stefanie provides detailed instructions for teachers, students, or caregivers to learn the practice of mindfulness. She relates mindfulness to the daily stresses faced by students,…
A Gem of a Poem: “First Fig” & “Afternoon on a Hill” by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Gem of A Poem, Teacher Inspiration, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
Two poetic gems by American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay are “First Fig” and “Afternoon on a Hill.” Students may be familiar with the expression “burning the candle at both ends,” but even if they are not, a quick explanation will show them how relatable the expression is. Perhaps they can compare it to their…
Independent Reading: The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
The Year of Billy Miller is the first in a series about the Miller family, written by children’s picture-book author Kevin Henkes. Readers will follow Billy as he navigates second grade, with conflicts at school and at home that he must work through. Written for a young middle-grade audience, Billy’s day-to-day problems require him to…
Summer Reading: Painting the Game by Patricia MacLachlan
For the last weekend of the summer, I have a final suggestion for summer reading. Painting the Game by Patricia MacLachlan is a great choice if you’re running out of time and need to get one more book read. It’s a quick, action-packed, friendly book about a girl who wants to learn to throw a…
Summer Reading: The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glasser
Another summer reading suggestion for you this mid-August Friday: The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glasser. While set during the five days leading up to Christmas, this fun, family story will work nicely for a summer reading assignment. Five siblings, two parents, and a grouchy landlord make for one stressful week. The kids…
Summer Reading: Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt
Looking for another book to finish up summer reading? Consider a classic (published in 1981, so not too old) summertime story of four siblings walking across several states to their grandmother’s house, in hopes that she will let them stay. Cynthia Voigt’s Homecoming is a novel of resilience, self-reliance, loyalty, and belonging. Where is home?…
Writing Resource: Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
There is much to say about Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, but today I will focus on one specific detail: assembling the troops. In her novel-writing manual, Brody breaks down the grand finale into five beats, or moments, so that writers have a checklist of sorts to follow. The first of these…
Summer Reading: Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White
Whether your vacation includes swinging on a hammock or reclining under a beach umbrella, reading a classic novel is the perfect complement. Reading E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web is a vacation in itself from the troubles of the world today. Go back in time with Fern who saves Wilbur, the runt of the litter, from Papa’s…
A Classic to Consider: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
It’s the time of year for summer reading, and many schools will post lists of recommended books. I believe there is room on every reading lists for a few classics, and for middle school readers, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame is an ideal option. The friendship between Rat and Mole, the adventures…