I have been following the Nerdy Book club since 2014 when I first read Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer. That book helped me define my philosophy of teaching reading, and has brought so many wonderful books to me and my students. I am an American and teach at an international school in Ukraine. I did […]
Author Archives: CBethM
January
27
Supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian Children in Our Classrooms by Diane Baima
posted by CBethM
January
20
Activism In and About Children’s Books by Ami Polonsky
posted by CBethM
In World Made of Glass, thirteen-year-old Iris’s dad is dying of AIDS. It’s 1987, and while the marginalized groups most impacted by the virus have been acutely aware of its presence for years, the general public is just starting to learn about it. As the book unfolds, Iris comes to understand that the government, pharmaceutical […]
January
17
Writing Poetry with Children by Laura Shovan
posted by CBethM
Twenty-three years ago, I left my full-time position teaching high school English and applied for my dream job: Visiting poet-in-the-schools for my state arts council. Surprise! Being a visiting poet required different skills than those I’d been growing as a classroom educator. Over the years, I’ve worked with thousands of young poets in all types […]
January
10
Carole Boston Weatherford & E. B. Lewis Discuss YOU ARE MY PRIDE
posted by CBethM
YOU ARE MY PRIDE is a powerfully written and beautifully illustrated picture book by award-winning author and illustrator team Carole Boston Weatherford and E. B. Lewis. In the story, Mother Africa addresses her offspring of all colors in all corners of the earth, reminding us of our timeless bond. Kirkus gave YOU ARE MY PRIDE […]
December
25
Best Young Adult Audiobooks for 2022 by AudioFile
posted by CBethM
AudioFile’s 2022 Young Adult Audiobooks include a brief but breathtaking story from Jason Reynolds, bone chilling horror audiobooks, a remixed classic, and beautiful contemporary fiction. Each audiobook comes to life with powerful narrations. For the full list of 2022 Best Audiobooks, visit AudioFile’swebsite. https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/best-audiobooks-2022/ AIN’T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT by Jason Reynolds| Read by Jason Reynolds, Nile Bullock, […]
November
28
Chapter Books to Middle Grade Novels: Stepping Up the Reading Ladder by Michele Knott and Victoria J. Coe
posted by CBethM
Imagine a newly-independent reader who’s ready for longer stories. Chapter books set them up for success, right? Think about it. Chapter books feature appropriate vocabulary, simple sentence structure, appealing characters, and a predictable storyline with a satisfying outcome. And they’re presented in short chapters with lively illustrations. Even better – they come in series! So […]
November
17
THE STORY UNDER THE CITY UNDER THE CITY by Dan Yaccarino
posted by CBethM
I’m so excited to share my new book, City Under the City! It’s unlike any book I’ve ever created. FORMAT I have a deep abiding passion for picture books,but have been thinking about the early reader/graphic novel format for quite some time. I’ve been telling stories using sequential images my 30-year career in books, but […]
November
12
A Menu of Mentors: Reading for Possibility by Lynsey Burkins and Franki Sibberson
posted by CBethM
“Educators ‘layer texts’ when they teach and learn from multiple powerful texts. These texts are print and nonprint and are intellectually compelling.” Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, Cultivating Genius Anyone who knows us knows that we love a good text set! There is nothing like curating a set of books that helps move children forward as readers […]
November
03
A Tale of Languages and Alphabets by Sam Winston
posted by CBethM
I didn’t realize that most languages have never appeared in books. It feels like a strange thing to say but when working on my latest picture book, One & Everything, I began to focus on the world’s languages, especially the ones with unique writing systems. 5 years in the making and incorporating over 50 different […]
November
02
Write What You Know by Erin Soderberg Downing
posted by CBethM
Controlled Burn is the book I’ve been wanting to write since I started my publishing journey more than twenty years ago, but it took almost fifteen years of writing other books before I truly believed I was a good enough writer to do this story justice. Even though this novel is a tribute to my […]
Nerdy Book Club 