Current Book Review

TPT Question #8: How Often Do I Have a Sale?

I participate whenever TPT holds a site-wide sale, which is once a quarter and two times during the third quarter. As a seller, I can have a sale whenever I want so don’t miss out on these savings! Visit my store at www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-dusty-jacket and click on FOLLOW so you can save time AND money with my study guides.

$3 Study Guide! Magic Tree House #1

A great ELA supplement to Book #1 of Mary Pope Osborne’s popular historical fantasy Magic Tree House series. Short chapters and vivid drawings combine to make this a great classroom read with plenty of research and discussion opportunities. Only $3! Download: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-MTH-1-Dinosaurs-Before-Dark-by-Mary-Pope-Osborne-12404519

Study Guide: Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

A great ELA supplement to Astrid Lindgren’s classic story about an unpredictable, adventurous, and totally outrageous nine-year-old girl who shows everyone that big things really do come in small packages. Themes of bravery, honesty, generosity, kindness, determination, and friendship provide plenty of teachable opportunities. Share Pippi with your class today: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Pippi-Longstocking-by-Astrid-Lindgren-12389118

FREE Study Guide! Petunia by Roger Duvoisin

This FREE guide is a great supplement to Roger Duvoisin’s classic about a silly goose who soon realizes that owning a book doesn’t make you wise. Ideal for beginning readers with plenty of activities to keep a young learner engaged as they join Petunia in “helping” her friends solve their problems. And don’t forget to download the FREE Certificate of Completion that goes with this book when your students finish! Download the study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Petunia-by-Roger-Duvoisin-12382888

TPT Question #7: What grades do your study guides cover?

My study guides cover PreK – 8th grade. This is the age range that I’m familiar with and have the most experience developing content for, so I don’t foresee creating guides for high schoolers. If these are the grades that you teach too, check out my full catalog at www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-dusty-jacket to see how I can save you prep time!

30 Picture Books for Kids Who Love Fire Trucks

Clang, clang, clang! Wee-ooo, wee-ooo! Vroom, vroom, vroom! There’s SO much to see and do once the fire alarm sounds. These picture books celebrate the firefighters who put their lives on the line to keep us safe and spotlight the machines that allow them to do their jobs. A great list for a classroom discussion about Everyday Heroes. Download your FREE list today! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/30-Picture-Books-for-Kids-Who-Love-Fire-Trucks-12354668

The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

Most of the time John Midas was a very nice boy. Every now and then, of course, he broke a rule…

The Chocolate Touch

Patrick Skene Catling (J Fiction)

Most of the time John Midas was a very nice boy. Every now and then, of course, he broke a rule…

John Midas loves candy. He especially loves chocolate. In fact, John is candy mad, but worse is that John doesn’t share. Not one little bit. Not with his parents or with his little sister or even with his best friend, Susan Buttercup. Yep. John was greedy and he’s about to learn a very bittersweet lesson when he finds a strange coin on the sidewalk. A coin that unlocks John’s secret wish of wanting to eat chocolate all day, every day. A coin that would have John questioning whether you CAN have too much of a good thing.

Patrick Skene Catling gives readers a cautionary twist of the classic tale of King Midas and his golden touch. In this story, a selfish and greedy boy is suddenly given the ability to turn anything that goes into his mouth to chocolate. Toothpaste, tonic, eggs, orange juice, and eggs are suddenly chocolatey treats that easily and willingly go down his throat—much to the delight of his overly concerned mother who thinks that John is finally making good food choices. But John soon realizes the downside of his powers when the things most precious to him fall victim to his chocolate touch.

The Chocolate Touch is an excellent read-aloud book ideal for either classroom discussion or a shared bedtime story. Valuable lessons such as being careful what you wish for and happiness is not always found through material gain will be recognized by readers who will most likely predict what will happen next as John continues his chocolate transformations. There are plenty of opportunities to talk about actions and consequences, accepting responsibility, and placing someone else’s needs above your own to make this a funny and effective learning tool.

Author Thomas Harris wrote, “Nothing makes us more vulnerable than loneliness except greed.” John realized this lesson as his greed began to isolate him and ultimately cost him his dignity, health, friends, and even his beloved mother. Lucky for him, a good dose of humility—which may have been more unappetizing to digest than his daily tonic—ultimately saves him from a life that even Willy Wonka may have declined.

Rating: 4/5

Bring The Chocolate Touch to your class with our study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-The-Chocolate-Touch-by-Patrick-Skene-Catling-12313062

FREE Study Guide! Caps for Sale

This FREE guide is a great supplement to Esphyr Slobodkina’s classic book about a peddler, some missing caps, and a bunch of mischievous monkeys. Great lessons in cause and effect and position words for beginning readers as they shake and stamp along with the peddler to get his precious caps back.  

Download: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-dusty-jacket/category-free-study-guides-1326939

$3 Study Guides Coming Soon!

A brand-new study guide series is coming soon! I’m developing guides for Mary Pope Osborne’s popular MAGIC TREE HOUSE series. Guides will be priced at ONLY $3 each and are ideal for self-guided study and reinforcing key grammar and reading concepts. I’ll be covering the ENTIRE series so make sure to follow at www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/The-Dusty-Jacket so you don’t miss a single issue!