• Book of the Month 2022-2023 School Year

     

    Weems Elementary School  is launching the fourth consecutive school year of our Book-of-the-Month program.  Each month, teachers will share one common picture book to unite our school community.  Picture books are an amazing resource for teachers to use to address so many topics and are written in a way that makes difficult concepts accessible to children.  The illustrations also provide opportunities for all students to connect with the text.  Book-of-the-month will deliver a common experience to build conversations between all students, teachers, parents, caregivers, and family members.

    Now that you know about our program, ask your child about the new book that is being read from the Book-of-the-Month.  Ask them to share their thoughts with you and your family!

     

    1. Our book for August 2022 is The Year We Learned to Fly by Jacqueline Woodson: Aug

    "On a dreary, stuck-inside kind of day, a brother and sister heed their grandmother’s advice: “Use those beautiful and brilliant minds of yours. Lift your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and believe in a thing. Somebody somewhere at some point was just as bored you are now.” And before they know it, their imaginations lift them up and out of their boredom. Then, on a day full of quarrels, it’s time for a trip outside their minds again, and they are able to leave their anger behind. This precious skill, their grandmother tells them, harkens back to the days long before they were born, when their ancestors showed the world the strength and resilience of their beautiful and brilliant minds. Jacqueline Woodson’s lyrical text and Rafael Lopez’s dazzling art celebrate the extraordinary ability to lift ourselves up and imagine a better world." -Amazon Review

     

    2. Our book of the month for September 2022 is The Notebook Keeper by Stephen Briseno. note

    "Based on true events, this inspiring story follows a mama and her daughter who are denied entry at the U.S. border, and must find the refugee in charge of “the notebook,” an unofficial ledger of those waiting to cross into the U.S. In this moving and stunningly-illustrated picture book, Noemi and Mama flee their home in Mexico, and head for the US border. There, they look for "The Notebook Keeper"-- the person in charge of a ledger for those waiting to cross, and they add their names to the book. "- Amazon Review

     

    3. Our book of the month for October 2022 is Sugar in Milk by Thirty Umigar

    "Lush illustrations and a strong message of hope and perseverance make this a standout title." --School Library Journal

    "A young immigrant girl joins her aunt and uncle in a new country that is unfamiliar to her. She struggles with loneliness, with a fierce longing for the culture and familiarity of home, until one day, her aunt takes her on a walk. As the duo strolls through their city park, the girl's aunt begins to tell her an old myth, and a story within the story begins."-Amazon Review

    4. The book of the month for November 2022 is With lots of Love by Jenny Torres Sanchez.  

    "A beautiful, lyrical story about a girl who moves from her home in Central America to the United States, and everything she leaves behind and longs for—especially her Abuela—as she makes a new life."-Amazon Review

    5. Our book of the month for December 2022 is Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty.  

    " Inspired by real-life makers Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, this beloved #1 bestseller champions STEM, girl power and women scientists in a rollicking celebration of curiosity, the power perseverance, and the importance of asking “Why?”   -Amazon Review

    6. Our book of the month for January 2023 is Change Sings, a Children's Anthem by Amanda Gorman. chan

    "In this stirring, much-anticipated picture book by presidential inaugural poet and activist Amanda Gorman, anything is possible when our voices join together. As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes—big or small—in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves."-Amazon Review

    7. Our book of the month for February 2023 is  It Fell From the Sky by Terry Fan. sky

    "From the creators of the critically acclaimed The Night Gardener and Ocean Meets Sky comes a whimsical and elegantly illustrated picture book about community, art, the importance of giving back—and the wonder that fell from the sky."- Amazon Review

    8. Our book of the month for March 2023 is Festival of Colors by Surishtha Sehgal. col

    "Learn all about Holi, the Indian Festival of Colors, in this lush picture book from bestselling mother/son duo Surishtha Sehgal and Kabir Sehgal. Spring is here, and it’s almost time for Holi, the Indian Festival of Colors. Siblings Mintoo and Chintoo are busy gathering flowers to make into colorful powders to toss during the festival. And when at last the big day comes, they gather with their friends, family, and neighbors for a vibrant celebration of fresh starts, friendship, forgiveness, and, of course, fun!" -Amazon Review