To celebrate Children's Book Week, I asked teachers and librarians to respond to the prompt - "Books can take you anywhere..." Several of my favorite teachers stop by to share their thoughts on books.
Cynthia Alaniz, Teacher (and soon to be Librarian), TX -
"Books can take me anywhere. I've been to Malawi (LAUGH WITH THE MOON by Shana Burg), Maine (TOUCH BLUE by Cynthia Lord, and the Moon (THE MOON OVER HIGH STREET by Natalie Babbit). I have been to a WATER CASTLE (by Megan Frazer Blakemore) and seen THE DARK (by Lemony Snicket). I have done the HOKEY POKEY ( by Jerrry Spinelli) and visited THE 13-STORY TREEHOUSE (by Andy Griffith). I've learned to HOLD FAST (by Blue Baillett), write haikus (I HAIKU YOU by Betsy Snyder), appreciate the EXCLAMATION MARK (BY Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld), and work through A TANGLE OF KNOTS (by Lisa Graff). I've become friends with a STICK DOG (by TOM WATSON), a flamingo (FLORA AND THE FLAMINGO by Molly Idle), and a dog named HOMER (by Elisha Cooper). And along the way, I met a gorilla that brought me joy and also broke my heart (THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate). I wonder where I will go next! I wonder what I will do next! I'll find the answers in the next book I read!"
Follow Cynthia on twitter @utalaniz
Colby Sharp, 4th Grade Teacher, MI -
"Books can take me to any location both inside and outside of this world. They can also take me into the heads of children experiencing things that I never experienced."
Follow Colby on Twitter: @colbysharp
Jen Vincent, Teacher Leader/Teacher Mentor Program, IL -
"If only I had a passport filled with stamps from all the places I have visited as a reader over the years. It would be a magical passport that once opened, pages upon pages would burst out, flipping uncontrollably like an endless accordion. Books can take readers anywhere and my book passport would be a living testament to the extent of the possibilities that books give to readers. I've stood tall next to Molly Lou Melon, I've gone to school with Velma Gratch and her way cool butterfly, I've shopped at Ollivander's with Harry Potter. I've swam with alligators, spun webs with spiders, and watched the first Macy's parade when upside down puppets filled the sky. I've been around the world, in alternate universes, and out of this world without leaving my couch. Books have allowed me to stretch my imagination and take part in countless experiences that would never be even remotely possible in real life. And I'm a better person because of it. By visiting all these places and people, time periods and time zones, I have exponentially grown as a person and I love sharing books with kids and giving them a chance to add a stamp to their own book passports. It's exciting to imagine how many stamps I have in my passport and how many magical pages are yet to be filled. I can't wait!"
Follow Jen on Twitter: @mentortexts
Beth Shaum, 6th Grade Teacher, MI -
"Books can take you anywhere... doesn't just mean that the stories inside can take you to new places in your imagination, but in a more profound way, books can take you anywhere in life. Lifelong readers are lifelong learners and if you're a lifelong learner you can do anything."
Follow Beth on Twitter: @bethshaum
