Today I'm excited because our PPBF has my heart turning cartwheels.
It's a bold and bright newcomer that you will not want to miss.
Title: Turning Cartwheels
Author: Amy Adeney
Illustrator: Amy Calautti
Publisher:PEK Books
Birth Date: February 23, 2021
Suitable for: ages 5-9
Themes: belonging, perseverance, friendship
Brief synopsis: Emma tries to belong to the Cartwheel Club so desperately that it makes her head spin, but instead hearing that she's not enough, could there be a safer, braver fit for her?
Opening page:
Every lunchtime, Carly and her Cartwheel Club meet up in the playground.
They twist and twirl, over and over, a blur of flying skirts and ponytails.
Resources: Visit the book's publisher {here}
Visit author Amy Adeney's page {here}
Watch the book's trailer:
Why I like this book: In this creative social story that can help our youngest leaders learn to forge their way even if their way isn't the direction that everyone else seems to be going, queen bee Carly has the power to decide not only who gets into her Club, but also how they spend their recess time each day once they belong. Sound familiar? Well, Emma does her level best to go along to get along, until she realizes that this Club may not be the best (or healthiest!) fit for her.
Mic drop moment!
So one weekend, instead of practicing her Cartwheels, she decides to create a Club of her own, the Can-Do Club, a place where everybody not only belongs, but also gets a voice and choices of their own.
Now doesn't THAT have your heart doing cartwheels?
I can see so many extension opportunities after reading this treasure aloud. Compare and contrast the Cartwheel Club with the Can-Do Club. What does it mean to be a member of each? Who gets to make the rules? In which one do you get to be more authentic with freedom to express yourself? Which one takes more courage? Why is that important?
Or compare and contrast Carly and Emma.
Which one would be a better fit for you as a friend?
What strengths does each bring to a friendship?
What might each of them benefit from working on?
Have you ever acted like Carly? How about like Emma?
Maybe you've been a bystander like the others?
Finally, chew on Carlys' inquiry: You're one of us, aren't you?
How do your students decide where they belong?
Use this question as a prompt for self-reflection
and maybe even identity work.
Who are they?
What are they good at?
What are they working on improving?
What are their core beliefs?
What do they dream about?
What do they hope for?
What is their family like?
How do they pick their friends?
Who helps them be who they are?
What values guide their decisions?
How do they know that they're enough?
So much food for thought; check out this gem, then head over
to Susanna Hill's blog for her perfectly precious pick.
I'm seeing all kinds of things here: Be careful what you want, you just might get it. Fitting in isn't necessarily fun. Being "frien-enemies" isn't the same as true friendship. And it's better to be kind than pretty much anything else, for kindness fosters kindness. Great book rec!
ReplyDeleteThis certainly is a gem! It is so hard to figure out where you fit in school and with friends. I loved your list of questions, which every teacher and parent should have. Fun video.
ReplyDeleteThis choice went straight into my shopping cart at my favorite book store! I attended your sessions at the South Carolina school counselor conference. I loved your idea of sharing calendars that you created. Our school has been doing a school wide inquiry into self care this year, and I have done several PD sessions for staff. It warms my heart to hear their success stories as they put this knowledge into practice! Would you consider tagging your posts with the term "calendar" when you have new ones to share? I modified one that you shared as a no-cost gift to staff for National School Counselor Week. Then I shared it with fellow counselors. Then I modified it again and shared it with families for our school newsletter. Your gift keeps giving and I'm so thankful!
ReplyDeleteJust tagged my existing calendars, so you can use the search bar or the Topics And Traits list under calendar to see what's there and find future calendars. Thanks for stopping by; I'm so grateful for your feedback and kind affirmations.
DeleteThanks for this quick response. As we head into March, I am going to revisit gratitude with a Lucky to Be Me theme.
ReplyDelete