By Lizzie Powers—Scholastic Book Clubs
Happy November, everyone! This cold weather has come out of nowhere, but we are trying to get the most out of our time spent indoors…perhaps with a hot cup of apple cider and our newest favorite books from the November flyers!
As always, our goal is to help you build the best library for you and your students. This month, we are offering a great selection of new seasonal and holiday books that will bring joy and happiness to readers of all ages. The Book Boys were live again on Facebook presenting their top picks for November (video)
Featured in Honeybee:
Share, Big Bear, Share! by Maureen Wright, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
Check out this sweet story with your students to teach the importance of sharing special things. The old oak tree tries to help Big Bear share with others, but each time he suggests what to share, Big Bear misunderstands him and hears something different. Does Big Bear ever learn how to share? While your students giggle throughout this read-aloud, they will also learn why it is kind to share with others.
Featured in Inchworm:
Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney
From one of our favorite series comes Llama Llama Gives Thanks—just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. Little Llama is grateful for all kinds of things, from pumpkin pies to blue skies. Read this sweet story about gratitude with your little Llama fans!
Featured in Firefly:
The Most Perfect Snowman by Chris Britt
This is a must-read for fans of classics like The Mitten and The Snowy Day. In this touching tale, we meet a very plain snowman named Drift who dreams of having dress-up clothes like the other snowmen. Most of all, he really wants to have a pointy orange carrot nose! Then one special, snowy day, Drift’s biggest dreams come true. Read this heartwarming winter story with your students and start a discussion about kindness and the importance of giving.
Featured in SeeSaw:
All My Friends Are Planets: The Story of Pluto by Alisha Vimawala, illustrated by Troy Nelson
This simple picture book tells the story of Pluto. It hopes to educate and inspire children and adults alike about our vast and expansive solar system, getting us all to look at the sky and dream of what else is out there. Check out this imaginative outer-space story to learn about the discovery of Pluto, the evolution of what it means to be a planet, and how it is okay to be different!
Featured in Lucky:
How This Book Was Made by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex
Have your students ever wondered what it takes to create a book? In short, it takes a lot of hard work… and you sometimes need to beware of some pirates and that angry, angry tiger. New York Times–bestselling creators Mac Barnett and Adam Rex offer this humorous story about making a book, from drafting and illustrating to printing. If your students are a group of budding writers and artists (which we’re sure they are!), this book will be a perfect addition to both your classroom library and your teacher toolkit.
Captain Awesome Has the Best Snow Day Ever? by Stan Kirby, illustrated by George O’Connor
For fans of Dog Man and My Weird School, Captain Awesome is a great beginning-reader chapter book series, especially for reluctant readers. In this story, Captain Awesome wakes up to a possible snow day. In fact, he hasn’t heard from his mom, his clothes aren’t laid out for school, and there are piles and piles of snow outside! Soooo…is it a snow day or not?! Your most reluctant readers will not want to put down this funny, easy-to-read chapter book. After seeing how it revs up students’ love of reading, you’ll want to stock your classroom library with the rest of the series.
Featured in Arrow:
Runny Babbit Returns by Shel Silverstein
Carefully chosen from Shel Silverstein’s archives, here’s a brand-new collection of never-before-published poems and drawings! Runny Babbit, a fan favorite, is at it again—gallivanting about with his woodland pals, speaking in a topsy-turvy language as they go on adventure after adventure. Fans of all ages will rejoice when the newest book of Shel Silverstein’s poems is added to their classroom library!
Featured in TAB:
Erth Dragons: The Wearle by Chris d’Lacey
From favorite New York Times–bestselling author Chris d’Lacey comes the first title in a new series about a society of both dragons and humankind. Most humans are fearful of their dragon rulers, but when disaster strikes and a baby dragon goes missing, one brave human boy named Ren rescues the baby dragon from more harm. Conflict is at an all-time high between these two species, but can Ren rebuild trust with the dragons?
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
One of the most beloved books by teachers and students alike, a major theme of R. J. Palacio’s breakout novel is the importance of kindness, because our actions—little or big—will always have an effect on others. Auggie is a fifth grade student with a facial deformity and, amid all the stares and mean whispers, he just wants everyone else to see him as he is—an ordinary kid. This story is a must-read for upper elementary and middle school students.
Featured in Teens:
All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
New York Times–bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater is most well known for her previous novel, The Scorpio Races. Her latest offering is a story about a family who grants miracles to everyone who makes the pilgrimage to their home in Colorado. But granting a miracle is never as simple as it seems. This magical novel tests the bonds of family, the human desire for change, and the relationship between people and nature.
Featured in Club Leo:
Coco: Miguel y la gran armonía (Coco: Miguel and the Grand Harmony) by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Ana Ramírez
On the heels of Coco, the highly anticipated Pixar Studios feature, comes this beautiful original story based on the characters in the film. Disney-Pixar’s Coco presents the celebration of a lifetime, in which the discovery of a generations-old mystery leads to a most extraordinary and surprising family reunion. After you pick up the book, make sure you head to the theaters—the film opens on November 22.
Featured in Holiday Gift Books:
Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Storybook based on the story by John Hughes, illustrated by Kim Smith
A classic holiday tale is always a wonderful gift idea! For those of you unfamiliar with the story of Home Alone, here’s a quick recap: a couple of crooks want to get into a seemingly empty house over the holiday season. To their surprise, Kevin—a brilliant eight-year-old boy—was left home alone and is determined to not let any prowling crook get into his house. These bad men are no match for Kevin and his booby traps!
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