Month: September 2024

FREE Study Guide! Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant

This FREE guide is a great supplement to Cynthia Rylant’s classic story about a boy and his beloved dog. Ideal for early readers with plenty of activities including story questions, sequencing events, fill in the missing letter, actions and consequences, adjectives, match-up, sorting, and more! Download: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Henry-and-Mudge-by-Cynthia-Rylant-12188974

TPT Question #2: Do I Accept Study Guide Suggestions?

Of course! Although I have a personal list of guides that I’m creating, if there’s a book that you’re planning to use in your classroom that you don’t see offered, I would love to consider adding it to my store. Email your suggestions to info@thedustyjacket.com. Thank you for helping me make my store better AND for the chance to help you save time on lesson prep! www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-dusty-jacket

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater (J Fiction)

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Richard and Florence Atwater (J Fiction)

Mr. Popper is a painter who’s never left his little town of Stillwater. He loves his wife, has two wonderful children, and a nice little house that has been painted and papered more times than Mrs. Popper can count. But Mr. Popper dreams of being an explorer and traveling to see those cute penguins that he’s read so much about. His dream of adventure comes one step closer to reality when the famous Admiral Drake sends him a penguin straight from the South Pole. Little did Mr. Popper realize how one little penguin would begin an unforgettable journey that even Admiral Drake would envy.

Winner of the 1939 Newbery Honor Book award, Mr. Popper’s Penguins was devotedly finished by Florence Atwater after her husband Richard was too ill to finish his enchanting story about love, loyalty, selflessness, and family. A funny and quirky story about a man filled with regret who suddenly finds himself the caretaker of a colony of penguins. Even the fastidious Mrs. Popper can’t help but fall in love with this goofy and curious lot who quickly capture the imagination and adoration of their little town and the country.

It’s quite extraordinary to see how much life imitates art when you realize how, like Florence, Mrs. Popper steps up to see her husband’s dream realized. Although Florence Atwater might not have had to deal with the financial burden of a rookery of penguins, she did finish what her husband started and did so in spectacular fashion as the Atwater’s book continues to be a beloved children’s classic over eight decades after it was published.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins is more than just a story about penguins. It’s a beautiful ode to anyone who’s experienced true love. Mrs. Popper sacrifices her home, her life, and the family’s financial stability to support a husband she loves. In turn, Mr. Popper has to make a very difficult decision regarding his beloved penguins—keep them by accepting a lucrative Hollywood contract or release them back to the arctic and never see them again. Author Bob Goff wrote, “Selfless love is always costly; fear can’t afford it, pride doesn’t understand it and friends never forget it.” You can be sure that twelve little penguins won’t soon forget it either.

Rating: 5/5

Want to share Mr. Popper with your homeschooler or classroom? Download our study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Mr-Poppers-Penguins-by-Richard-and-Florence-Atwater-12118927

30 Picture Books to Help Prepare When…It’s Time to Go to Bed!

Sometimes going to bed is the WORST! Whether you don’t WANT to go to sleep because there’s still so much more to do OR you CAN’T sleep because spooky things hide in the dark, conquering fears and helping kids establish good bedtime routines are important. Combat and conquer wiggles, anxiety, or fear with these entertaining picture books to make sure you’re prepared when it’s time to go to bed. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/30-Picture-Books-to-Help-Prepare-WhenIts-Time-to-Go-to-Bed-12158275

Coming Soon! A Study Guide for The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Coming soon! A study guide to go with the book about survival, adapting, finding your place in the world, and forming a family. Get the study guide when it comes out so you can immerse yourself in this wonderful story before it comes to theaters! Follow us so you don’t miss out: www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/The-Dusty-Jacket

TPT Question #1: Do I Create My Own Study Guides?

YES! With the exception of any maze games or clip art images, all of the written content, creative activities, and learning exercises are created exclusively and solely by me, a former parent educator for eight years. NO AI-generated verbiage. NO third-party content. NO outsourced materials. Just me providing these resources to educators who want to spend MORE time teaching and LESS time preparing. Save time and visit my store at www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-dusty-jacket

FREE Study Guide! Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik

A mini version of our full-sized study guide, this FREE guide is a great supplement to Else Holmelund Minarik’s classic book about the special bond shared between mother and child. Ideal for early readers with plenty of activities to keep your young learner engaged as they spend the day with Mother and Little Bear.

Activities include:

  • Vocabulary
  • Story questions
  • Sorting objects
  • Sequencing events
  • Match-up
  • Counting
  • Drawing
  • Writing
  • Pretend vs Real
  • Fill in the blank
  • Answer key included


A great way to teach structured learning and encourage self-guided study! Download your FREE copy today: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Little-Bear-by-Else-Holmelund-Minarik-12136335