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!
Being courageous is a tricky thing. Courage can take on all kinds of meaning. It takes courage to do what is right. It takes courage to stand up to people. It takes courage to do what is hard, scary and tough.
What a great topic to continue to discuss at the start of the school year and carry on throughout the year, because it's always going to look different. Having courage and being brave looks different in different situations, so it really should be an ongoing discussion.
A new book you may want to use:
Jabari Jumps
by Gaia Cornwall
published by Candlewick Press
In this story, Jabari is getting ready to tackle a new situation - taking the leap off the high dive! While we know this to be a metaphor about many situations in life, kids will see it for what it is. Jabari enters the aquatic park full of confidence and excitement. Then we see the big ladder. I love the perspective Cornwall gives in the illustrations. We see how big everything looks to Jabari and understand his fears. But dad is there to cheer him on and encourage him. Jabari's little sister is there, too. Before Jabari can make the big jump, he comes up with plenty of excuses of what needs to be done first - stretching, thinking about the jump, being kind and letting everyone else go first, and thinking about is this something he really wants to do today! Young readers will understand those excuses! Dad is there with great advice, and builds Jabari's confidence up, enough that Jabari feels like he knows what he needs to do to conquer the jump.
Some discussion points:
- How did Dad's words help Jabari?
- What did Jabari need in order to jump?
- What did the author/illustrator do to help us understand Jabari's feelings?
- Talk about how Jabari changed throughout the book.
- Have you ever had an experience like this?
- What advice would you give Jabari?
- What did Jabari learn about trying something new? About having courage?
Keep the conversation going throughout the year. Add some of these books to your collection so you can use books as a springboard to your discussions.
Other books about being brave:
There Might Be Lobsters
by Carolyn Crimi
* courage to do what is hard
I Am (Not) Scared
by Anna Kang
* courage to face your fears
Little Fox in the Forest
by Stephanie Graegin
* courage to fight, run after, what is yours
Not Quite Narwhal
by Jessie Sima
* courage to be yourself
Green Pants
by Kenneth Kraegel
* courage to try something new
Dad and the Dinosaur
by Gennifer Choldenko
* getting advice about courage
I Don't Draw, I Color!
by Adam Lehrhaupt
* courage to think creatively
Flowers for Sarajevo
by Kristy Caldwell
* courage to stand up for what is right
Rulers of the Playground
by Joseph Kuefler
* courage to stand up for what is right
Happy reading, discussing and sharing!
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