November Musings

November comes/And November goes/With the last red berries/And the first white snows. This is the first verse of a favorite poem (of mine) by Elizabeth Coatsworth. Poor November is often overlooked - sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas - the colorful fall leaves and pumpkins and the snow, greens, and excitement of the winter holidays. Still, November has its quiet charms. Cynthia Rylant would agree - In November is her tribute to the month.

At Bartlett School, the first graders that I work with are becoming reading pros, and the fourth graders are itching to move beyond their short, skills-based articles to real books - "How about Diary of a Wimpy Kid? or Fantastic Mr. Fox"? they suggest. Maybe, I mumble noncommittally. The old dilemma ... Do we read something hard but interesting? This year, the answer will be yes, at least some of the time. Motivation is a key piece to becoming a good reader. Speaking of motivation, if you are looking for a book to interest a young reader that you know, check out the website ReadKiddoRead.com. This is the website of novelist James Patterson, and it is sure to have suggestions that will tempt any child.