It’s National Teacher Appreciation Week from May 6 to 10, so in this edition of Throwback Thursday we’re spotlighting titles all about teachers!
With the topic in mind, I went exploring in the Scholastic Archive and came across a great selection of books. (In previous throwbacks, we’ve also looked at professional books for teachers and Scholastic Teacher™ magazine.)
A couple of the titles I found are from the 70s, which were published by Scholastic Book Services, a division of Scholastic Magazines, Inc. and the earliest version of Scholastic Book Clubs. I find it interesting that at the time, not only did Scholastic Magazines have 32 magazines—such as Junior Scholastic and Scope—they also printed books for mail order!
Let’s take a walk down memory lane and check out the biographies, mysteries, and stories about teachers below:
Hellen Keller’s Teacher by Margaret Davidson, 1965
“For twenty-year-old Annie Sullivan, life had been one hardship after another. All alone and half blind, she grew up in a poorhouse with only her pride and determination to sustain her.”
Teacher, Teacher by Ellison Carroll, 1971
I’d like just one student to work with. There wouldn’t be the pressure of large classes. And I need the job, Mr. Putnam. I am a very good teacher. It’s a chance to get back some confidence.
Thomas the Tiger Teacher by Robert Froman, pictures by Ronald Fritz, 1973
Thomas was walking home from school.
He was thinking about his teacher.
“It must be nice to be a teacher,” he thought.
A Hippopotamus Ate the Teacher by Mike Thaler, illustrated by Jared Lee, 1981
One day, Mrs. Jones takes her class to see the monkeys, the tigers, and the hippopotamus at the zoo. But when she leans too close to the railing while feeding the hippo a peanut, the hippo eats Ms. Jones instead. Who will teach the class now? The hippo, of course!
Teacher’s Pet by Richie Tankersley Cusick, 1990
“Why I was absolutely starved! Must be this fresh woodland air.” Miss Bunceton dabbed at her mouth with her napkin and heaved herself up from the table. “What about you, Kate? All geared for a creative day?”
Baby-sitters Little Sister #21: Karen’s New Teacher by Ann M. Martin, 1991
Karen loves her second-grade teacher. Ms. Colman never yells, and she makes school interesting. Karen’s class is learning about math by making pizzas!
Special thanks to Gina Asprocolas and the Scholastic librarians for their help with this series!
