This blog post was written by 起点传媒members Mandy Robek and Cathy Mere.聽It鈥檚 part of聽,庐聽an 起点传媒initiative focused exclusively on helping teachers build their book knowledge and their classroom libraries.聽Build Your Stack庐聽provides a forum for contributors to share books from their classroom experience; inclusion in a blog post does not imply endorsement or promotion of specific books by 起点传媒.
Each August there鈥檚 excitement in the air for us: hanging on to those last moments of summer, thinking about a new school year, and anticipating August 10th鈥攐ur annual celebration of Picture Book 10 for 10!聽It鈥檚 not an official holiday and yet we feel excited to see what will be unwrapped on social media platforms.
Picture Book 10 for 10 is a day when we encourage teachers to share their ten must-have picture books. If you are reading this, then you most likely love picture books as much as we do and understand the struggle in picking out just ten!
Mandy began blogging in April 2010; in July of 2010 she shared some thinking after reading Cathy鈥檚 professional book, More Than Guided Reading. Cathy saw the post and left a positive, thoughtful comment. Mandy was so surprised that the author, a mentor she looked up to, had discovered her little space! Each day that week Mandy shared one picture book that was new to her from Cathy鈥檚 book. Later in the week, Cathy messaged Mandy via Twitter and asked what her favorite must-have picture books were. If you鈥檝e ever been caught off guard with a positive surprise, then you can image the excitement felt by Mandy, the new blogger!
So that鈥檚 how we, Mandy and Cathy, started talking via Twitter. Before long we wondered if other teachers would want to join us, and they did.聽Each year the participation has grown. Each year the members who participate varies. There鈥檚 no signing up. There鈥檚 no commitment. There鈥檚 flexibility, with a day before and a day or two after for sharing. 聽For some participants the list represents all-time must-have favorites; others play around with a theme. It鈥檚 really become fascinating to see how and why people choose 聽the ten books for their lists.
With changes in technology, the way we have hosted the event has changed a bit over time. We currently take turns hosting the event on one of our blogs. We ask people joining to leave us a link and a short description in the comments section. We鈥檝e used the the hashtag #pb10for10 every year; a simple search can pull sharing moments from participants. A few years in, we were asked about hosting a Nonfiction Picturebook 10 for 10; we now do that six months later in February, using the hashtag #nf10for10.
There鈥檚 always so much chatter August 10th and February 10th, with library requests being filled, book budgets expanding, and shopping carts filling up fast. Pulling together a collection of ten picture books is quite a reflective process. It also opens us up to learn more about each other and about the things that are tugging at our heartstrings in the moment. It鈥檚 fun to see books that repeat and how many books are new to participants. It鈥檚 quite honestly a dangerous day or two of book love!
We hope you will consider joining us. Use the hashtag to discover new books for yourself and for the students you share a classroom with. Picture books are our coteachers; let鈥檚 discover some new best friends together!
Books for the First Two Weeks
Here we’re sharing Mandy鈥檚 聽blog post from this past August 2020鈥攁 list of books that seem perfect for the movement we鈥檝e been in experiencing this year with attendance models.
Today. I’m starting the year teaching in a hybrid model. I will have half of my students physically at a time and half of my students working virtually. In two weeks, I will physically be with my students five days. Last week I had my yearly physical and got some really sound advice from my doctor for returning to school and being safe. He also predicted we’ll be closed within two weeks. Yikes, I started my appointment with no anxiety. This whole season of life is strange and I have to say after I worked through my doctor’s point of view and brainstormed some ways to keep myself healthy I found a focus for my sharing this year.
I hope to be able to read these books in person with my students. I miss the natural responses in a group setting.聽 These are books I had at home and ones I feel could anchor our year together. It’s going to be a year of patience, grace, acceptance, flexibility, and like no other. I wish you all a safe new school year and hope you can use picture books to help you and your community come together.
by Miguel Tanco might be one of my new favorite books鈥攐h my goodness! A book about passions and how they are different for each other. It’s also about accepting a passion others may not always understand鈥攎ath! This is a wonderful book celebrating the ways we can see math in our lives.
by Alison Farrell will encourage readers to get outside, move, notice, and write. Yes, an activity we can do during these uncertain times and be safe.
by Jennifer Adams and Illustrated by Carme Lemniscates can be a wonderful guide for asking young readers to finish their own I Am statements.
by Grace Byers and Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo is a book celebrating the big possibilities of children. This is a beautiful book representing children from different backgrounds.聽 The author plays with words and empowers the reader.
by Sam Zuppardi shows readers how a worry can fester and grow, changing colors until we share it with someone. Talking to others is so important as we embrace new things.
by Sonia Sotomayor and Illustrated by Rafael Lopez created a beautiful book to help readers understand a variety of health concerns their friends or family members may have. Another wonderful book to help readers feel empowered.
by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and Illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin is the perfect book to help us focus on what happiness is for each of us. School is going to be different this year and we can still celebrate the things that make us happy.
by Lynnette Mawhinney and Illustrated by Jennie Poh is a gift for all children. A multiracial family shows readers how to focus on who we are; not what we are. Readers are introduced to the idea of a power statement. We all need a power statement.
by Cori Doerrfeld is a book about sitting with each other. It’s a book about waiting. It’s a book about subtle kindness and patience. We may not need quick solutions this year鈥攚e will need grace.
by Tom Percival lets readers know others have worries too and talking about them helps them diminish some. We can live with our worries.
Mandy Robek currently teaches second grade in Columbus, Ohio and can be found @mandyrobek on Twitter.聽
Cathy Mere is an elementary instructional specialist in Hiliard, Ohio and can be found @cathymere on Twitter.
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