Tag Archives: literacy

Guest Blogger Post, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Multilingual Educator: Teaching the Power of Community and Student Activism through Art and Children’s Literature

This essay by author Christy Hale originally appeared in the CABE 2023 Edition of Multilingual Educator. Christy is the author of Todos Iguales: Un corrido de Lemon Grove/All Equal: A Ballad of Lemon Grove. Her latest book, Copycat: Nature-Inspired Design Around the World, is available now!

Photo credit: Jenna Cole.

Christy Hale has illustrated numerous award-winning books for children, including Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building and several other titles for Lee & Low Books. As an educator, Hale currently teaches picture book writing at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She has also taught art and graphic design to high school students, and first learned about the Lemon Grove case at an in-service teacher workshop. Hale and her husband live in Palo Alto, California. You can visit her online at christyhale.com.

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Guest Blogger Post, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Multilingual Educator: The Journey Toward Literacy Begins at Birth: A Personal Narrative

DAD IS READING TO INFANT, Photo by infant’s mother Eva Lin Fahey (author’s daughter) and with permission of father, Nick Floyd 2/22

This essay by author Jean Ciborowski Fahey, Ph. D. originally appeared in the CABE 2023 Edition of Multilingual Educator. Jean’s picture book I’ll Build You a Bookcase has been translated into Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Jean Ciborowski Fahey author photo: A white woman with short white hair wearing a blue scarf

Jean Ciborowski Fahey is an author, parent educator, and speaker dedicated to promoting an early love of reading in children. She also consults for a variety of literacy initiatives and organizations and creates home literacy curriculum for parent-home visitors and early intervention specialists. She lives in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts with her husband, Tom, and dog, Indigo. Visit her online at readingfarm.net.

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Educator Resources

NEW RESOURCE: Summer of the Mariposas Reading Journal

By: Michelle Fuentes, Literacy Specialist at Lee & Low Books

The Lee & Low Books literacy team is thrilled to share the Summer of the Mariposas Reading Journal, a new and exclusive tool for educators created in honor of the 10th anniversary of Summer of the Mariposas (also available in Spanish as El verano de las mariposas). This journal was made by educators for educators and in collaboration with bestselling and award-winning author, Guadalupe García McCall. The journal is designed to be flexible and adaptable for all teaching needs, with a special emphasis on student creativity.

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Diversity, Guest Blogger Post

Word in Black Articles: Why Resources for Black Students and Black Books Matter

Senior Literacy Manager Katie Potter weighs in on how we can meet the needs of Black students and the importance of Black books in these two articles from Word in Black. Word in Black is a groundbreaking collaboration of the nation’s leading Black news publishers, and they strive to be the most trusted news and information source for, about, and by Black people. Discover excerpts of the articles below and click the links to read more!

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Book Lists by Topic, Diversity, Educator Resources

NEW RESOURCE: A Toolkit for Building a Diverse SEL Library

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How do we select the right book to teach SEL skills, competencies, and values that will guide our students through academic, social, and emotional development and challenges? While no one text can or should do it all, how can we be strategic in building a collection of books and read-alouds that explore your school’s SEL framework?  

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Educator Resources

3 Ways to Teach Writing with Bebop Books

Teaching writing to young students who have not yet mastered reading can feel challenging, if not downright overwhelming. However, lots of research recommends encouraging students to write as early as possible.

How can we inspire our youngest learners to write creatively without frustration and within the boundaries of their current abilities?

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Educator Resources

Bebop Leveled Readers for Older Students: A Diverse Booklist

All readers have different needs and deserve high-quality, engaging texts that are appropriate for their reading level and align with their interests. Pairing books with students, however, can be a challenging task, particularly if older students are reading at a lower level. Older students who are still in need of language support from lower-level titles often have limited selections that are outdated or babyish. The books in this list are high-quality, engaging nonfiction texts that are suitable for older readers who are working on building their fluency, vocabulary and background knowledge all while reading books that they can learn from and enjoy. To build your customized collection for your school, reach out to educators@leeandlow.com for more information.

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Educator Resources

Resources to Find Diverse Books for Reading Recovery®

In 2014, children of color became the new majority in America’s public schools, so now more than ever, it’s important that classroom books and materials reflect today’s students.

Particularly for beginning readers, literacy learning should include multicultural content that affirms identity for all students.

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Book Lists by Topic, Diversity, Diversity, Race, and Representation, Educator Resources, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

2022 Black History Month Book and Resource Roundup

For Black History Month, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite resources and books for readers and educators alike. Though this month is dedicated to uplifting Black history, culture, movements, and game changers, we must remember that Black history IS American history and should be celebrated all year round.

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Educator Resources, Guest Blogger Post, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

The Reality of Babies and Literacy: A Guest Post by Author Jean Ciborowski Fahey

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In this guest post,I’ll Build You a Bookcase author Dr. Jean Ciborowski Fahey shares practical strategies for caregivers embarking on their literacy journey with their little one.

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