Here's a cutie of a book: The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. The crayons are tired and upset and just can't take it anymore.... so they each pen a letter to their owner to explain their point of view. Creative, funny, a fabulous example of writing with "voice", this book will tickle your funny bone and motivate you to consider what your belongings would say to you....
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When researchers ask reluctant readers why they don't read more often, the response is often: "I have nothing to read." Granted, they may say this while sitting in a library with thousands of books at their disposal, but the truth is still the same. Kids (like adults) want to read something that interests them. It's not about the number of books available for your child - it's the interest level of the books available that really makes the difference. While my oldest son is drawn to a variety of topics and genres (and therefore needs little encouragement), my youngest will limit his reading to LEGO and football books for weeks and weeks and weeks unless I intervene. In fact, when introducing a new book, I often have to read a chapter or two aloud to prove that the new title is worth his effort. That's how I introduced my son to "My Side of the Mountain.' After just one chapter, he slipped the copy out of my hands and retreated to the living room couch. He soon finished the book and requested the sequel. From there - he moved on to the third book in the series... and the movie... and several non-fiction books about falcons, survival, and the outdoors.
Understanding a child's personality and interests can be the key to encouraging reading development. Have an active boy who loves outdoor adventure? Here's the series to fill the gap.
These Antoinette Portis are a cute read and have inspired many a teacher to incorporate literature, art, drama, and even music within their children's programs. These books ask the reader to imagine how a simple object (such as a cardboard box or a twig) can be transformed through their imagination.
For example.. a stick is transformed into a fishing pole!
Or.. the weights to be lifted in the competition for a gold medal! After reading the book, children can then try their own hand at 'transforming' the simple to the sublime. Here's a few examples of taking these story one step further...
Amy Krouse Rosenthal's Exclamation Mark tells the inside story of the most exciting punctuation mark around.
Read this to your kids and it will be the most pain-free lesson on conventions they'll ever have! 
I have never been a 'gardener'. However, I do love to view other people's work. Our neighborhood has an amazing neighborhood garden that I like to visit in the cool evenings of the summer. I enjoy sitting on the bench (as neighbors talk and kids squeal from the swing) and think about how this once empty lot has now become such a thriving oasis.
Three cheers for gardeners and the amazing folks
who bring them to our community! Working with young writers, I often hear myself encouraging students to break free from perfection. After all, the books on the shelves look so perfect--The spelling is correct; The pictures wonderfully drawn; The details and word choice so carefully polished. It's easy to imagine these books were written by an authors without struggles, without errors, without angst. In this recent find, Helen Lester tells her story of the road to author-hood: It was bumpy - it was long- it was frustrating - and it certainly wasn't easy. 
So, be sure to tell your young writers: If your paper is sometimes messy and often you aren't sure just what to say.. you are doing it right. Keep writing. You are doing it right!
 This recent find makes a cool gift for a second or third grade child. Package Calculator Riddles by David Adler with a simple calculator and you have a perfect mix of humor and math! Here's a sample:
Before my boy turns eight, I wanted to be sure to read this age appropriate book! 
It's Heaven to be Seven offers 12 great stories about kids who are this perfect age. Each story is actually a chapter adapted from another well known children's book. Think of it as a sample bar at the grocery store: Young readers can get a taste of several books- written be several different authors -- and then decide which books they want to read in entirety. All the main characters are age seven and (yes) sensational!
Reading this book is how my boy found Huey and I discovered the Green Kangaroo. What might you find? This past summer my favorite read was all about Punctuation! 
I know... that sounds a bit nerdy - even for me. But wait... no judging until you yourself have skimmed the pages of Lynne Truss' hilarious history of the power of punctuation. Half reference book, half commentary on language and culture - Lynne made me see punctuation in interesting new ways. She also helps young readers see how punctuation matters (and not in the old-school-diagramming-sentence-kind-of-way) in her series of children's books: First there is Eats, Shoots and Leaves: Why Commas Make a Difference! Oh, and they do. They do! 
Then there is The Girls' Like Spaghetti: Why You Can't Manage Without Apostrophes! The only book known to man that seamlessly integrates the subject of punctuation with second grade humor. 
And lastly, the marvelous Twenty Odd Ducks: Why Every Punctuation Mark Counts! Because honestly: "Let's eat, Grandma." and "Let's eat Grandma!" are two entirely different circumstances. 
My boys and I again enjoyed this read-aloud and followed it up with a viewing of both movies. Here are two of my favorite passages:
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