Special thanks to all of our Mystery Guest Readers this year,
who filled our Friday afternoons with mystery and excitement as we waited to see
who would come knocking on our classroom door!
On March 1st, Kat Larson surprised us with two special stories,
There's Snow Stopping Us Now! and Snow Wonder We're friends!
which were two perfect stories on a day with lots of snow still left on our playground!
On March 22nd, Elisabeth Walsh shared the Tale of Two Beasts,
which is a story about a little girl who rescues a "strange beast" in the woods
and carries him safely home. But the beast is not happy and escapes!
This is a funny and charming tale about seeing both sides of the story
from different perspectives.
On April 5th, Danielle Ledoux shared
What Do You Do with an Idea?
This award-winning book is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself.
This is a wonderful story for anyone who's ever dreamed big and had a big idea!
On May 3rd, Gillian Pechinsky surprised us and shared two wonderful books,
Toad Weather and Swatch. Toad Weather is a story about a young girl named Ally who sets out on an adventure with her mother and grandmother to see a remarkable, natural occurrence in an urban setting. This book sparked a great discussion, with the children sharing lots of stories about their own curiosity and adventures trying to catch toads!
Our final Mystery Guest Reader of the year was John Roberto, who surprised us on May 31st, sharing the book, The Bear and the Piano, which is a story about a young bear who stumbles upon a strange instrument in the forest. As time passes, he teaches himself how to play the instrument, and eventually the beautiful sounds are heard by a father and son who are picnicking in the woods. The bear goes with them on an incredible journey to New York, where his piano playing makes him a huge star. He has fame, fortune and all the music in the world, but he misses the friends and family he has left behind. The children loved listening to this story, which sparked a wonderful discussion about following your dreams and learning how to play a musical instrument, something that
Mr. Roberto always wished he had done. It also reminded us that it's never too late to learn something new! (I always wished I had learned how to play the piano too, just like Mr. Roberto). Perhaps some day we can find the time to pursue that dream! This story also highlighted the importance of friendship and family, as eventually the bear realizes that all the fame and fortune in the world can never replace the friends and family he has left behind.
Thanks to all of our Mystery Guest Readers this year who took the time to come into our classroom to share their love of reading and brighten our Friday afternoons by reading wonderful stories filled with humor, adventure, curiosity and inspiration!
