Marcie Flinchum Atkins

Turn the pages of this luminous picture book to take a walk through the special moments between day and night, and discover a world full of secrets and surprises that unfold only in the twilight. When twilight comes, nature transitions: from night to day at dawn and from day to night at dusk. Inside our homes, we are getting ready to start our days or end them, but outside, crepuscular creatures—animals that are most active at dawn or dusk—are right in the middle of their days! This engaging nonfiction picture book shows familiar animals and beautiful flowers—skunks, white-tailed deer, fireflies, morning glories, evening primroses, and more—in a whole new light, focusing on the behaviors, adaptations, and activities that define each as a crepuscular creature or plant. The lushly illustrated pages demonstrate the interconnected interactions between critters and their environments, powerfully showing how each is essential to the ecosystem as a whole. From the first page welcoming the dawn to the last page beckoning us to venture outside during the magical in-between times, this mesmerizing book encourages young readers to compare and contrast the rhythms of the natural world with the rhythms of their own days, inviting curiosity and encouraging comfort with transition times.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection One Step Forward is a compelling debut YA historical fiction novel in verse about Matilda Young--the youngest American suffragist imprisoned for picketing the White House to demand women's right to vote. Raised in a politically divided family, Matilda wondered if she could be as courageous as her older sister who fought for suffrage. Joining the radical protest movement came with plenty of risk. Women were routinely scorned, harassed, arrested--and worse. And taking a stand for her rights could tear her family apart. Told in powerful verse, One Step Forward follows Matilda's coming-of-age journey as she takes her first step into action. Amid the backdrop of World War I, Matilda's story vividly highlights the extreme mental, physical, and emotional battles faced by the protestors leading up to the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. It also reveals the bravery, hard work, and spirit of the women who paved the way for future generations to use their voices and votes.

If you were dormant / waiting out the cold, the dry, the heat / you would pause. Captivating photos of animals accompany simple, engaging text to explain dormancy in nature. This highly curricular book teaches young readers about different kinds of dormancy and which animals do what. Featuring creatures like ladybugs, chickadees, squirrels, and even alligators, this book won't put curious kids to sleep "A refreshingly original exploration of a physical process both common and important in the natural world."--starred, Kirkus Reviews

If you were dormant / waiting out the cold, the dry, the heat / you would pause. Captivating photos of animals accompany simple, engaging text to explain dormancy in nature. This highly curricular book teaches young readers about different kinds of dormancy and which animals do what. Featuring creatures like ladybugs, chickadees, squirrels, and even alligators, this book won't put curious kids to sleep "A refreshingly original exploration of a physical process both common and important in the natural world."--starred, Kirkus Reviews

Kids learn how to protect their computers and themselves Rookie Get Ready to Code series gives early readers (Ages 6-7) a fun a lively introduction to computer science. Easy-to- understand text and colorful graphics help kids master the foundations of programming. Being safe online isn't just about protecting against viruses and hackers. In this book, kids will also learn what type of information needs to be kept private-and what to do if they feel unsafe on websites or social media-so that living in our digital world remains a fun and exciting experience.

Teach Haiku, Close Reading, and Cross-Curricular Learning with Riddle-ku Riddle-ku: Haiku for Very Close Reading makes teaching haiku to children easy with 30 American-style (5-7-5) haiku by award-winning poet Laura Purdie Salas (author of BookSpeak , Water Can Be..., and more). Each haiku speaks from the voice of a common object recognizable to kids from kindergarten age up. These riddle poems make excellent close reading passages, as students study images and text and make inferences to answer them. A Note from the Poet with each poem shares Laura's writing process. Vivid language and rich nonfiction content-along with a sense of wonder and a dash of humor-make these poems engaging and accessible. Extension materials by Marcie Flinchum Atkins, including close reading activities, share ideas for springboarding from these riddle poems/haiku into deeper learning across many content areas. Sample: This merry-go-round spins upside down: I'm singing the room full of breeze Answer: ceiling fan A Note from the Poet: Most haiku don't have a sing-song rhythm (da-DUM, da-DUM, etc.). But since a ceiling fan has a steady beat, I had fun trying to make this haiku have a beat, a rhythm. The 30 PAINLESS CLASSROOM POEMS series Are you uncomfortable with teaching poetry? Do you wonder what poems mean, how to meet Common Core poetry standards, and how to fit poems into your day? These are some of the issues educators face with teaching poems to elementary students. Let 30 Painless Classroom Poems make it easy Each book features 30 or more short poems for the classroom, Notes from the Poet, activities/lesson plans for teaching poems-written by an experienced classroom teacher, and tips for weaving poetry into your classroom. Terrific for National Poetry Month or everyday use See all of the 30 Painless Classroom Poems at 30PainlessClassroomPoems.com. NOTE: In the 30 Painless Classroom Poems books, some sections, such as Why Poetry Is Important and Classroom Poetry Tips, repeat from book to book. But the poems, Notes from the Poet, and activities and poetry lesson plans are unique in each book.