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Book-School Year Tradition by Jen Vincent
The holidays are here and with them come traditions. I’ll never forget my son’s first Christmas. All of a sudden, I felt overwhelmed with the need to establish traditions that we would do every year. I looked back at my childhood and recognized great memories with my family that I was excited to give to my own kids through continued and new family traditions.
Nerdy Book Clubbers have shared some of their traditions before me. Like Teresa, our whole family gets new pajamas on Christmas Eve and last year we started the tradition of waking up to a book in your bed. Bridget shared how important read aloud is in her classroom and how they are always inviting others to come and read aloud books with them. My kids freak out if we aren’t home to read books before bedtime. This is something we do so consistently that I sometimes overlook it as a tradition, but it really is.
Matthew Holm grew up surrounded by books and shared how books are handed down in his family. My mother-in-law brings over book that my husband read when he was little from time to time. It’s fun to look at books from the 80’s and it will be exciting when my kids are old enough to read books I loved in high school. Finally, Jilian has shown us her top ten author signatures. Meeting authors and getting books signed is also a tradition we love. I’m hoping to be able to take my kids to at least one author visit a year. This year, it was like a birthday present when we met Eric Litwin, author of Pete the Cat, the week my son turned five.
When my little peanut went off to kindergarten in August, we bought him The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. My husband and I both wrote letters to him about starting kindergarten and how proud of him we are. He’s a sensitive little kiddo and as we read them to him he buried his face in his pillow. When I asked him if he was okay, he croaked out, “It’s really nice.”
Over the weekend, RJ Palacio was signing her book Wonder. Standing in line, the multiple copies I already own of the book came to mind. And then I realized I could buy two copies, one for each of my sons, and save to give to them when they start fifth grade. Now I had books to give to my kids on the first day of kindergarten and the first day of fifth grade…of course, I had to choose books for the grades in between.
The books I chose are all books that I love but also books that I feel have a common theme of trusting in who you are and being kind to others. Here’s what I came up with (not to say that it won’t change…but these are books that I adore and would love for my kids to have their own copies).
Kindergarten:
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
- First day of kindergarten – August 2012
First Grade:
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
Second Grade:
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
Third Grade:
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Fourth Grade:
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Fifth Grade:
Wonder by RJ Palacio
What books would you choose to give to a student at the beginning of the school year? I would love to hear what books stand out to you for different grades.
How about bookish traditions? Which book-related traditions do you celebrate in your house or in your classroom?
Jen Vincent taught as a hearing itinerant teacher for ten years. She currently works as a teacher leader in her district co-coordinating the Teacher Mentor Program. Her dreams of bringing her love of literacy to this new position are coming true. It’s one small step for this girl, but one giant leap towards Nerdy Book Club world domination. Jen blogs at www.teachmentortexts.com and is on Twitter as @mentortexts.
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Wow! What great questions. Your book choices are some of my favorites. I absolutely LOVE Ferdinand. Since I have a daughter, I might have given her Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters in 2nd, I’d stick with Ivan in 3rd and RULES in 4th (She has a younger brother with autism). She is in fifth this year and I really can’t think of a better book than Wonder. For middle school I like Faith, Hope and Ivy June and The Running Dream. I think it might depend on what interests her at the time.Great post Thank you.
If I had a daughter, I think I would have switched out Ferdinand for Molly Lou Melon…but I don’t have a daughter (and we won’t go down that road… ). I felt that I couldn’t go past 5th grade because books I would recommend after that would really have to be based on what they like. These just seemed like they would like..at least I hope! 🙂
Thanks, Jen. Great post. Yes, a book becomes more than a book when we give it as a gift. When we present a book to recognize an occasion, we are saying, “Here. This book and this occasion go together. At least, I think so. The occasion will end within 24 hours, but this book will always be a reminder of how we shared what we celebrate today.”
I first read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD when I was twelve or thirteen years old. Now I give it as a present when special people turn 13. I write a little note inside about how much TKAM has always meant to me and how I hope it means something to them too.
Thanks for sharing, Gary! I loved The Outsiders when I was in middle school and I always ask middle school students if they have read it. To me it’s a book that stands the test of time but also seems to reach readers. Actually, on the plane to Vegas, I sat next to two guys and they were remembering reading The Outsiders. They even remembered the characters’ names. That’s gotta say something. 🙂
I absolutely love this idea (and the post)! For my niece, I gave her Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss on her fist day of kindergarten, and then again when she graduated from college. I also think Charlotte’s Web belongs on the list- a story of being both a good friend and a good writer! Thanks again for a great post!
I received Oh, The Places You’ll Go from a friend when I graduated high school. It’s a perfect graduation gift. I can definitely see adding Charlotte’s Web to this list! Great suggestion!
Definitely a great post! We always give our daughters a book at Christmas, so that when they start their own homes and families, they’ll have a collection of Christmas books already established. Even though our daughters are now 11 and 16, we usually still select picture books for their beauty and simple messages.
I was thinking about how I wish I had books from my childhood. I just think we didn’t keep them when we moved or we outgrew books and we gave them away. I hope my kids hang onto the books we give them for specific and special reasons. I would love for them to have books from their childhood that they can have for their children some day.
Hi Jen – I love the way this post came together. It was fun hearing you talk about it and then to finally see what you selected. Your boys are so lucky to have you. Thanks for sharing.
Hi! Thanks! These just felt right to me…and they might change depending on my kids as they get older or new books that come out way(!), but these are all books I love right now.
Jen- love the post and the tradition of giving books at the beginning of each school year. Everyone in our family gets/gives books at Christmas, but a Back to School book is a wonderful idea. My 21 year-old now gives ME books that she has enjoyed and thinks I will too! Passing on a love a reading is a wonderful tradition!
What a great idea!!! What book for an eighth grader? Or ninth???
Books on the first day of school each year…aaaugh!! Why didn’t I think of that? 🙂
Well, my 15 year old “baby” has 2 more years to go. I’d better make them count!
Just saw this today – love this post; am forwarding to all my friends..books always make the best presents…