I’ve long been a proponent of the Picture Book.

They are, for most kids, their first experience with reading. On the lap of a parent, the cover opens to a new world outside the nursery that lives in their emerging imaginations. Babies and toddlers are learning that reading isn’t just an action but an opportunity for exploration, bonding and understanding.

It is that opportunity for understanding that also makes the Picture Book a parenting tool. We can teach kids lessons through books that are hard to put into words but on the pages of a favorite story can be clear as day. As a parent, my children’s bookshelf is not only empowering them as readers but also teaching them (and us as parents) to handle life today. Here are a few examples:

• Exclamation Mark is one of my favorite books to come out recently and hits on a key message for both of my kids – It’s OK to be different.
• It is also no secret that we love Giraffe’s Can’t Dance. The lesson here is a simple one – Try! and Believe in Yourself!
• Sometimes I’m Bombaloo and Grumpy Bird have also been important tools to help my kids, at the headstrong ages of 1 and 2, to deal with emotions that can sometimes be overwhelming and hurtful. To know that others are, at times, grumpy or angry is comforting but also to see them learning to calm down or cheer up helps my kids do it themselves. (Lydia, like Bird, is very fond of ‘taking a walk’ when she’s frustrated these days.)
• I’ve also been very intentional in reading books to my kids that teach the value and definition of family. As a family with two dads, the books on my kid’s shelf reflect a diversity of families, from the traditional family (albeit with a big red dog) in the Clifford stories to the wealth of families show in Monday is One Day. We also, of course, love the book And Tango Makes Three as it reflects the formation of our own family (in penguin form.)
• Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born is another book that reflects my family situation as both of my children are adopted. Even though Exclamation Mark is teaching that it is OK to be different, it is also a powerful identity builder to know there are others who share your situation.

I am sure my list will grow with my kids. In the meantime, I remain, a huge fan of the picture book and would love to know what lessons you’ve taught (or have been taught) by them!

What does math have to do with fashion? A lot!

Students can learn about those connections in the premiere episode of our new free Math@Work web series, created to help make connections between math and the careers that students aspire to.

In this first episode, called “Math@Work: Math Meets Fashion,” Project Runway host Tim Gunn takes three students on a tour of legendary designer Diane von Furstenberg's New York City studio to learn about the mathematical thinking and problem solving required in this career. Along the way, Tim puts their math skills to the test as they discover just how much math and fashion go hand-in-hand.

At Scholastic's mathematics website, where the series lives, teachers can download Common Core lesson plans that pair with the webisode.

Happy viewing!

Every year we eagerly await the release of the spring online preview, a video that offers a sneak peek of what books will hit the shelves in the year to come. This year, our Trade division has outdone themselves, teasing 38 books in 38 minutes. That's got to be some sort of industry record, don't you think? The spring 2014 online preview compiles commentary from Scholastic editors and authors on new titles in the following genres: picture books, chapter books, middle grade and graphic novels, and young adult. You can watch the entire preview here.

Clearly this collection calls for an infographic. Check out this never-ending infographic that sorts all of the forthcoming titles into categories like "relationships & romance," "thrillers," "animals & humor," "families," and "fractured fairytales." 

If you want to learn more about how the epic online preview video is made, School Library Journal went behind the scenes to report on the ins and outs of the production process. You'll learn that it's a pretty big undertaking. And the video of Sharon and Rachel Robinson taken during some down time between filming will likely melt your heart. 

Enjoy!

As you have probably heard, Thea Stilton and the Blue Scarab Hunt, a title in the Geronimo Stilton series, published by Scholastic, includes a map that inadvertently omits Israel. Scholastic is immediately stopping shipment on this title, revising the map, and going back to reprint. We regret the omission which was in the original version of the book published in Italy and was translated by our company for English language distribution.

Thank you for your patience and understanding in this matter.

Each and every day at Scholastic, we are surrounding by brilliant works of art that were each created by teens through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned that and that’s because it is just so cool and unique! The Awards draw thousands of students from across the country to submit (call for submissions is open now by the way) and they come from every type of artistic background. We have public and private school students, home-schooled students, artists and writers from abroad, as well as students who find their artistic outlet through programs outside of school.

Afterschool and supplemental programs are an important supplier of the arts to many districts across the country. I’ve learned a bit more about them due to a study released this week from the Wallace Foundation, in partnership with researcher Next Level, and I wanted to share.  The study, Something to Say: Success Principles for Afterschool Arts Programs from Urban Youth and Other Experts, sought out what tweens in urban areas look for in such programs and what aspects keep them with it.  When asked, tweens were able to get specific about how they make decisions for their commitments and the researchers say that, interestingly, their preferences are in line with expert recommendations.

The report has ten principles to share. A few of the recommendations that I found the most interesting are:

-          Students want instructors that are professional, practicing artists. And they are looking for positive relationships with their adult mentors as well as peers

-          They want the workspace to be inspiring and a safe haven

-          Tweens look for the availability of tools they wouldn’t have otherwise and they want to showcase their work publicly

You can see all of the details here. Tell us what you think and if you’ve participated in a stellar arts program. 

In November 2010, we launched The First Thanksgiving, a virtual field trip to Plimoth Plantation that brought students into the heart of the Thanksgiving story while giving educators all the resources they needed for their classrooms.

Chock-full of presentations and interviews with Colonial and Wampanoag role players, The First Thanksgiving continues to be a huge hit with schools across the country -- such a hit, in fact, that we've reached an amazing milestone: the "Plimoth Plantation" virtual field trip has amassed 20 million views!

If you aren't one of those 20 million, i suggest you go check it out. Not only is the webcast informative, it's also super fun to watch, and the complete site sure helps get us in the Thanksgiving spirit! Plus, there are tons of other videos to watch, as well as great resources for classrooms.

Teachers, what kinds of lessons do you have planned for this Thanksgiving?

Another great guest post today from Maggie McGuire of the Scholastic Parents Raise a Reader blog! Today, Maggie shares some of her family's favorite word games!

My family loves to play games of all kinds but a few of our very favorites are word based games. Here are my top game picks that are fun and challenging and also boost language and literacy skills without anyone ever saying it!

1. At the top of the list is Balderdash.  My family LOVES this game – we play this frequently and it’s also a GREAT party game. In short, it’s the ultimate bluffing game. Each player takes a turn as the “dasher”. The dasher draws a card and reads an obscure word to the players – the words are not words used in everyday language (btw – you can use the dictionary to play this game too!). Each player writes as convincing a definition as possible – as they will attempt to win the round. All the definitions are collected and are then read aloud by the dasher.  This is the best part of the game. Ridiculous and super clever ideas spill forth from everyone. The dasher has to read each definition as though it were the real definition – so as not to give away the real answer. The dasher then asks each player which definition is the correct one, noting that player's choice on the slip of paper. At the end of the round, the players who chose the correct definition move ahead on the board. The players who received votes for their phony definitions move one space for every vote. And, if no player guesses the correct definition, the dasher moves forward three spaces on the board. For subsequent rounds, each player takes a turn as the dasher. This game is so much fun, and really hilarious. The game comes with 1,500 or so cards that have 5 categories: Weird Words, Peculiar People, Interesting Initials, Laughable Laws and Movies. The fun is in making up answers that are as silly or as serious as you want – but all with the aim of being as convincing as possible.  Most of the time we don’t even play using points or the board, we’ll pull out the cards and do a few rounds after dinner just for fun and a lot of laughs! We’ll go around the table, each of us will get a turn as the “dasher” and will get to pick the category we want for that round. I’ve saved some of the most outlandish and most convincing definitions we’ve come up with – because they’re just too good to throw away. When my kids were heading off to school this morning – my 8 year old said, “…and I’m ready for another round of Balderdash tonight! Yes? You in?” A big “Yes!” from me absolutely followed. Can’t wait.
2. Snatch-It! I was first introduced to this game by adult friends and have since introduced it to my kids. It’s a simple word game that is quick to learn and really fun to play! The game comes with 100 plastic tiles and players lay all of the tiles face-down in the middle of the table. Then players take turns flipping the tiles over one at a time. When a player sees a word three letters or longer, they shout it out and snatch it from the center, setting it in front of them. Players can then steal each other's words by adding a letter to them and making a new word. It’s really interactive and fast paced which kids love. You don’t have to “wait your turn” – what kids doesn’t love that! You can play with as few as 2 and up to 10-12 – or more! It’s great for parties. You can also level the play and make it age appropriate for littler ones (limit words to 3-4 letters) and level it up for older players (example: no fewer than 5 letter words).  A full game may only last 10 minutes or so – but it’s addictive, so be warned, you’ll want to play it over and over again!
3. Smarthmouth – I have given this game as a gift to lots of kids. It’s a fun, fast paced game of words where players race to make the best word in 60 seconds! The premise of the game is to quickly make a word from the two dispensed tiles that begins with one of the letters and ends with the other, e.g. "S" and "D" are dispensed you might say "stand".  The word has to be at least 5 letters. The player who calls out the first word and the player with the highest ranking word both collect a letter tile for the round. Once all tiles are gone, the player with the most tiles wins!

For the rest of Maggie's recommendations, check out the full post on Raise a Reader!

This week, we continue to highlight the gorgeous artwork from our Art of Read Every Day project. Comprised of 13 illustrations, the collection celebrates the joy and importance of reading, as seen through the eyes of some of our favorite children's book illustrators.

I've been counting down the days until it was time to highlight Kadir Nelson's work. Nelson is an award-winning American artist whose works have been exhibited in major national and international publications, institutions, art galleries, and museums. He is a New York Times bestseller, a two-time Caldecott Honoree, and a Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner.

His illustration for this project depicts a boy seated against a sky-blue background with an oversized book open in his lap. The book radiates light that surrounds and encapsulates his body in a soft, steadfast glow. "The idea is that the light of his mind is being brightened, illuminated by what he's reading," says Nelson, "by this great story." 

You can download this special piece of art for free at our Art of Read Every Day website. You'll also find a collection of companion resources to pair with it, including:

• A video interview of Kadir Nelson, where he discusses the inspiration behind his work ("my art is inspired mainly by great stories," he says).
• A video of Nelson reading aloud from Testing the Ice.
• Common Core-ready discussion guides for grades K- and 3-5. 

I hope you enjoy these resources as much as I do. Keep and eye on our social media channels this week—we'll be highlighting each resource as the week progresses!

First as a student and then as a history major, I spent many years studying the terrors and challenges of wars. While I may never be able to fully wrap my mind around the hows or whys of war, one thing is easy for me to understand: war veterans are heroes and their experiences personalize war in a truly powerful way. For this reason, I have always turned to books, both fiction and non-fiction, written by those with a firsthand knowledge of war or by authors whose research allows them to delve deep into the complexities of armed conflict to inform my understanding.

As today is Veterans Day, one way in which we can honor veterans is to read about different kinds of war and war experiences. A great resource is Scholastic’s “A Guide to Teaching and Talking About War with Books for Children and Teens.” This comprehensive discussion guide helps young readers explore the many difficult issues and themes inherent in war according to their age and level of understanding. It also provides a great opportunity to talk with kids about war.

Here are just a few recently published books featured in the discussion guide.

Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins, illustrated by James Proimos (Ages 4 and up): Based on her own childhood, award-winning and bestselling author Suzanne Collins creates a powerful and relatable portrayal of the effects of having a loved one at war in Year of the Jungle. The book is illustrated by Collins’s longtime friend and acclaimed picture book author-artist and television writer/animator James Proimos, whose bright and energetic artwork provides a friendly entry into a book that will speak to any child who has had to spend time apart from a loved one. (You can read a recent Q&A between the two of them here!)

I Survived #7: I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 by Lauren Tarshis (Ages 7 to 10): In the seventh installment of the popular I Survived series, Tarshis transports readers to one of the most significant battles of the Civil War.

Dogs of War by Sheila Kennan, illustrated by Nathan Fox (Ages 8 to 12): Based on the real-life roles of military dogs that served as Red Cross rescuers, searchers, messengers, and scouts, Dogs of Waris a full color graphic novel written by Sheila Keenan about canine military heroes of World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. Inspired by historic battles and real military practice, this collection of three fictional stories illustrated by Nathan Fox tells the adventures of a soldier and his service dog.

The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb (Ages 12 and up): Based on the adult bestseller Hunting Eichmann and illustrated with powerful photos throughout, The Nazi Hunters is a masterful work of narrative nonfiction for middle-grade and YA readers that chronicles the search for a notorious war criminal after World War II.

Hitler’s Secret by William Osborne (Ages 12 and up): Hitler’s Secret, which was longlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal in the United Kingdom, is the debut novel by British screenwriter William Osborne. Nonstop action and unexpected twists abound in this breathlessly paced tale about newly recruited spies on a deadly mission in Nazi Germany.

Invasion by Walter Dean Myers (Ages 12 and up): Invasion is the prequel to the classic books Fallen Angels and Sunrise Over Fallujah and once again explores the effects and horrors of war through young protagonists, this time set in World War II.

Click here to download the complete discussion guide.

OOM readers, what books do you turn to when you want to learn more about war?