by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Lower Elementary (6-9), MFA
The Genius of Leonardo By Guido Visconti
Illustrated by Bimbi Landmann
eonardo da Vinci was one of the world’s most talented, brilliant, and ahead-of-his-time individuals in history. Leonardo writes, he draws, he thinks, he invents. Visconti chose to begin and end this book with reprints of pages from Leonardo’s manuscripts, which capture the reader’s attention […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Kindergarten, Lower Elementary (6-9), MFA, Primary (3-6), Science
Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World By Steve Jenkins
t our annual Barnes and Noble/NewGate Book Fair last weekend, I found this book that the teachers chose to place in the Lower Elementary box of books they wished to have in the classroom. When I sat down to read it and look at […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Early Adolescence (12-15), Lower Elementary (6-9), MFA, Sensitive Periods, Upper Elementary (9-12)
Bug Wars: Deadly Insects and Spiders Go Head-To-Head By Steve Parker
Illustrated by Simon Mendez T/dropcap]his insect book is full of information. I am not one to be captured by the study of insects. However, Steve Parker has done a terrific job putting together facts which, supplemented by incredible illustrations by Simon Mendez, look like they […]
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by Alexandra Wldokowski | Adolescence, Book Reviews, Later Adolescence (15-18), MFA, Montessori Middle School, Montessori Secondary / High School
Kensuke’s Kingdom Written by Michael Morpurgo Illustrations by Michael Foreman got so immersed and blissfully lost in Michael’s tale of survival in Kensuke’s Kingdom, a wonderful book by Michael Morpurgo with amazing illustrations by Michael Foreman. After having read Warhorse by the same author, I was inspired to read another one of Michael Morpurgo’s great […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Early Adolescence (12-15), Gender, Language, Language & Reading, MFA
By Naomi Shihab Nye
Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter itti’s Secrets is an older book that somehow just crossed my desk. I love it! Its contents are profound, heartwarming, and hopeful. The illustrations are lovely. It was published in 1997. Twenty years ago. Really? How could that be? This the story of a young girl who […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Gender, Language & Reading, MFA, Science, Upper Elementary (9-12)
Women in Science Written & illustrated
By Rachel Ignotofsky hese are two-page stories of women who were curious, inventive, smart, strong, and determined. They made their way in a field that has been thought of for centuries as a man’s field: Science. They contributed to our world in powerful ways. The illustrations are fascinating and detailed. […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Kindergarten, Later Adolescence (15-18), MFA, Montessori Family Life, Montessori Parenting, Montessori students, Primary (3-6), Upper Elementary (9-12)
By Shakta Khalsa s an educator and parent, I have always looked for ways to engage with children that model calm, focus, trust, respect, and cooperation. I learned early on that children are by nature more sensitive to and grounded in those characteristics than most adults. Khalsa writes, “When we look objectively at ourselves, we […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Lower Elementary (6-9), MFA, Montessori Parenting
By Amy Krouse Rosenthal
and Tom Lichtenheld his book contains almost poetry rather than a story. It could be a mom, dad, gramma, grampa, sister, brother, aunt, uncle or anyone who loves another person. It has a lovely sentiment within it. The wishes are mixed with life values and sweetness. The illustrations are clever and […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Family Resources, Infant, Language & Reading, MFA
By Phil Conigliaro and Tae Won Yu his is a sweet little board book that can be read to babies as early as six months old. It has pull tabs to make the signs for eight basic words that babies can use to express their needs and wants often before they can speak. Remember when […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Infant, Infant-Toddler (0 to 3), Kindergarten, Language & Reading, MFA, Montessori Parenting
By Audrey Penn Illustrated by Barbara L. Gibson his is a little board book with a whimsical story about a young raccoon who doesn’t want to leave his mommy and go to school. Mom kisses Chester’s palm and tells him that he’ll always have her with him. He can hold his palm to his cheek […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Autism, Book Reviews, Children with Exceptionalities, Communication, Empowerment, MFA, Montessori Family Life, Montessori Parenting, Montessori students, Psychology
I do in Autismland: Climbing Out of Autism’s Silent Person Written by Ido Kedar do’s essays have had a profound effect on me–as an educator, a parent, a friend of parents who have mute children with Autism, deafness, or Down Syndrome, and a daughter of a mute stroke victim. So many times, we make assumptions […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Infant-Toddler (0 to 3), Language, Language & Reading, MFA, Montessori Parenting, Primary (3-6), Writing
Around the World from A to Z By Christine Cheung & Han Tran
I Illlustrated by Tong Wu This is a different kind of alphabet book written by Montessorians with gorgeous illustrations and a preface on how to use Sandpaper Letters. On the left-hand page is a textured letter of the alphabet in cursive. On the […]
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by Jan Katzen Luchenta | Brain Development, Family Resources, Health / Nutrition, MFA, Parent Education
hen I began my career as a Montessori educator decades ago, I had no idea that what a child ate (or didn’t eat) for breakfast could dictate the difference between inattention, chaos, grumpiness, status quo, and excellence in classroom achievement. Nor did I know that my students would inspire me to change careers. Attention, learning, […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Infant, Infant-Toddler (0 to 3), MFA, Montessori Parenting, Primary (3-6)
Miss You Like Crazy Written by Pamela Hall Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell his is another nicely illustrated, fanciful story. The main characters are squirrels–a mother and child. They are dressed in human clothes, they speak as humans, and they do human things like going to work and going to school. The idea of the […]
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by Laura Bakosh, PhD | Family Resources, Health / Nutrition, MFA, Mindfulness, Montessori Family Life, Montessori Parenting, Montessori Teachers, Peace Education
oes it surprise you to know that sitting with eyes closed, focusing on inner experiences does more to promote well-being and inner peace than nearly any other activity? It surprises most parents and non-parents alike, yet study after study shows these outcomes. Many of us have embraced the culture of doing. We keep our children […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Communication, Language, Language & Reading, MFA, Montessori Parenting
Aardvark to Zucchini: Phonetic Alphabet Book Written by Joan A. Hentschel Illustrated by Suzanne M. Peyer Having taught in a 3-6 Montessori classroom for 15 years, I found that teaching children to read can be done in many ways. There is no one right way for every child. There are lots of good ways that […]
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by Lorna McGrath | Book Reviews, Lower Elementary (6-9), MFA, Montessori Education, Montessori Parenting, Science, Upper Elementary (9-12)
Evolution: Why Did Fish Grow Feet? By Anne Rooney Anne Rooney does a great job of explaining evolution from a scientific point of view. The information is clear and concise. The illustrations of plants and animals are large and colorful. This book could easily be used in Montessori Elementary classrooms as an accompaniment to the […]
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by Margot Garfield-Anderson | Family Resources, Infant-Toddler (0 to 3), MFA, Montessori Parenting, Outdoor Education / Resources, Primary (3-6)
Instead of spoiling your grandchildren with material things, try creating lasting memories by planning engaging activities and outings. What your grandchildren really need is your time, attention and focus. The special time they spend with you will create warm memories that will last a lifetime. he best times I have with my granddaughters are spent […]
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