Last summer I was excited to participate in Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek’s 10 for 10 picture book event – choosing 10 picture books I simply could not live without. It was challenging, but fun, and I came away from the event with lots of new titles to check out. After compiling my list I noticed that it lacked nonfiction, and I have lots of favorites in that genre as well, so when I read that Mandy and Cathy were hosting this event with a focus on nonfiction, I knew I would have to participate.

So there I was, once again, faced with a challenge of picking only ten favorites. I decided for this event to focus on favorite nonfiction authors. I chose a favorite book for each of ten favorite authors (for most of these authors I have many favorites). Here are my picks in no particular order (although I saved my newest favorite for last). All of my choices are picture books:

The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons – Gibbons uses a unique opening structure by setting the scene before the title page, much like a movie; includes a timeline in the form of a monthly beekeeper’s yearbook.

One Giant Leap by Robert Burleigh – Burleigh’s compelling writing transports the reader to the surface of the moon to experience this historical event firsthand.

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins – A visual delight for readers of all ages!

One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies – Davies takes us on one turtle’s incredible journey, using text size and font to tuck in additional facts.

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors  by Joyce Sidman – This incredible book is a collection of poems paired with informational paragraphs that trace the evolution of many organisms and species.

Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart – Science writer Melissa Stewart has written many books for young readers that help them better understand the natural world. In this book, Stewart takes us through many different habitats to find out how animals survive in the winter.

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert – Books by Lois Ehlert are must haves for young readers. This book helps deepen understanding of butterflies through the use of inviting illustrations, simple text, and additional information.

Wings by Sneed B. Collard III – Sneed is an amazing author who writes for a variety of audiences. He has many books that utilize the structure of Wings – simple text that gives the main ideas with paragraphs that elaborate the idea presented on each page; includes a glossary and suggestions for further reading.

Wings of Light: The Migration of the Yellow Butterfly by Stephen Swinburne – Steve is another prolific nonfiction (and fiction) author who writes for a variety of audiences. This book tells the story of the migration of the yellow butterfly by focusing on one particular butterfly (can be compared to One Tiny Turtle for structure).

A Slash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant – This is my newest favorite! Together with the exquisite collages of illustrator Melissa Sweet, Jen helps us learn of the struggles and successes of Pennsylvania artist Horace Pippin. Historical Notes and suggestions of additional resources extend the learning.

Thanks Cathy and Mandy for hosting!

In the summer of 1993 I traveled by train from Philadelphia to Charlotte, NC. Along with my two middle grade children, I was armed with Regie Routman’s Invitations. I was just getting back to full time teaching, and this was a book I had on my must-read list for some time. I figured the train ride would provide the uninterrupted time I needed to delve into this hefty volume. By the time we reached Wilmington I was totally hooked, and it was not long after that when I completely ran out of post-its. Regie put into words the things I believed in ways that helped me understand myself better as a teacher and deepen my knowledge about how to help children grow in literacy.

For some time after that, Invitations was like a bible to me. I would often reread a section in the morning before starting my day. That thought, strategy, or piece of advice from Regie would stay with me all day as I went about working with students. It guided my reflections and helped me put into practice many of the things I was learning. Regie was my mentor, and reading Invitations and her subsequent books became the next best thing to having her by my side to guide me along the way.

This fall I was delighted to pick up Literacy and Learning Lessons From a Longtime Teacher, Regie’s latest publication. In this book, Regie has consolidated her thinking, reflecting, researching, teaching, and collaborating into about one hundred powerful lessons. She has given teachers what I did on my own so many years ago – short lessons to think about as you go about your day. So once again I find myself starting my day with Regie. Before turning on my computer or getting my coffee (well, some days I have to do that first), I let Regie’s thinking in to help me reflect more deeply about my teaching practices.

I found the thinking in these lessons so valuable that I wanted to share them with my colleagues. So, on Fridays I choose one idea from my week of reading, paraphrase it, and share it with my colleagues through a short email. Many teachers have responded with connections to their own teaching lives, and some have acknowledged that the idea caused them to think about a teaching strategy in a different way. We seem to have less and less time to think through ideas together as colleagues, but Regie’s lessons provide us with a common thought for the week. It is one more way we are growing as a professional learning community. Thank you, Regie!

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