Spotlight Friday - Be a Friend 1.01.16

Time to get ready for the weekend!

Kick up your feet and find a good place to read.

Sharing #booklove for your classroom or library.

Spotlighting a book or two because these books deserve the spotlight!

I am a big fan of Salina Yoon's work.  I have the Penguin and Bear books.  I love the simple stories that reach into young reader's hearts and make them love reading.  I love the bold lines and bright colors of each book.  Each book has a wonderful central message that makes it easy to teach children how important family and friends are to the world.

Salina has a new book coming out next week that is a departure from her Penguin and Bear books.  I caught my first glimpse of this book almost a year ago at ALA Midwinter.  Thankfully, Niki Barnes pulled me over to the Bloomsbury booth to view a mock up of Salina's upcoming book. I think this book is her best yet.  

Be A Friend

by Salina Yoon

published by Bloomsbury

Be a Friend is Dennis's story.  Dennis is a bit different from other children his age.  He stands out from other children, and for that reason, he feels lonely.  It's a timeless tale because, at some point, everyone experiences feelings of being different and/or feeling lonely.  It's how we handle those situations, whether the person feeling different and alone, or the person who approaches that person, that makes the true difference.

I think this is a book we're going to see read in generations to come.  It's timeless and it's told beautifully.  The illustrations are simply gorgeous.  Salina Yoon has outdone herself.

Need more reasons to own this book?  Here are some ways to use it in the classroom:

Mentor Text for Reading

• Explore the themes in the story - friendship and loneliness.  Talk about how they go together in this book, yet how they are opposites.
• Discuss the causes of Dennis's loneliness.  His feeling of being different is universal, students of all ages can relate and have input into a conversation about this topic.
• How can you help someone who might feel like this?  What can you do as a classroom community?  School community?  How can one person help?

Mentor Text for Writing

• Go back through the text and notice how Yoon takes a concept and writes minimally about it.  How does she tell the story?  How can you choose the best words to convey what you want to say?
• Notice the words that are highlighted on each page.  What can you tell about them?  The author chose those words for specific reasons, talk about why you think those were chosen.

Have you seen the book trailer for Be A Friend?  It's a must-see!

Be sure to read Mr. Schu's post as it includes a wonderful letter from Salina Yoon.

Did you see #sharpschu book club will be discussing Be A Friend at their next meeting on Feb. 10th at 8pm?  Check out the details here.

Be sure to get Be A Friend at your local bookstore or library on January 5th.  For me, it's a must own!