Diana Loomans

First off I would just like to say: WOW! This book is simply wonderful. The illustrations are so exquisite which is appealing to anyone's eyes. This book is a compilation of children's bedtimes stories and story tales. I love that there are common stories like "the cow jumped over the moon" and others that you would'nt like simple phrases such as "Snuggley babies, Make happy ladies". I also like how these storytales are rewritten to promote the values of self-esteem, conflict resolution, lifelong learning, and innovative thinking. For example, after Humpty Dumpty's great fall, "All the king's horses and all the king's men helped to put Humpty together again."… (mais)

Personally, I think that a happy classroom is a learning classroom and I strive for that; granted they may not be picking up on my lesson exactly. Many of the strategies in the book used are fun and, more importantly, designed with kinesthetic learners in mind, which doesn’t always happen in strategy books and manuals. While not all activities will be useful for my middle-grade students, many are going to be a great supplement to what I’m already using in group exercises/activities. Additionally, it includes some real classroom scenarios that are solved in more positive, humorous ways. This will be a good go-to when I’m feeling things getting to stale and drudgery taking over.… (mais)