We can make our read-alouds do double— even triple—work, inspiring lessons in reading, writing and life. When we layer our academic and affective standards, books can plant the seeds for conversations that grow over time. Such powerful picture books can become our co-teachers for literacy and life lessons, and as “Heartprint books" they can have the potential to leave footprints on our hearts and lasting impressions on our learning communities.  The following selection includes books that invite conversations to nurture caring learning communities, opening hearts and minds with stories that affirm who we are and who we may become. Consider texts and the ways sharing stories can promote a love of oneself, a love of learning, and reflect limitless possibilities for both! Please enjoy a special discount of 15% off the titles of your choice using the code JoEllen15. Read More

Get into the Halloween spirit by checking out Jazzy’s latest bookshelf! Read More

Each year, lots of families carve jack-o’-lanterns to celebrate Halloween. But did you know that the first jack-o’-lanterns were carved from turnips, not pumpkins? In Ireland and Scotland people hollowed out turnips and gave them creepy faces to celebrate the feast of All Hallows’ Eve. Many years later, when immigrants from the UK arrived in North America, they discovered that the native pumpkin made a much better jack-o’-lantern, because it was larger and softer than a turnip.  Trick-or-treating would look quite different today, without those familiar orange faces glowing in the dark! Here are some wonderful, Halloween-themed books that will help get you ready to trick or treat: Read More

At SproutFive™, we believe it takes more than childcare and early learning to create a world where every child can grow to become a whole, centered, thinking, caring person. It takes a holistic approach. So, every day, while we give young children the care they need to develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically during those critical first five years of life, behind the scenes we do more. We support the people who support the children. The families. The teachers. The communities. We work relentlessly to become an empowering hub for accessible, quality, early childhood education. Please enjoy a special discount of 20% off the titles of your choice using the code SproutFive20. Below are some of Franki Sibberson's favorite titles for children in pre-school, pre-k and kindergarten. A portion of purchases of these titles will be used to support the wonderful work of SproutFive. What's new at SproutFive™?! As part of Black History Month, our littles at SproutFive participated in NCTE's African American Read-In. To find out more, click here. Read More

Here are some great books to celebrate National Cat Day on October 29, 2021! Read More

Cats sleep a lot. In fact, some cats sleep as much as 20 hours per day! But that doesn’t mean that cats spend all that time sound asleep. Most of the time, cats are just dozing and ready to jump up at a moment’s notice. Which is why we say that a person enjoying a quick, light sleep is taking a “cat nap.” :) To Celebrate National Cat Day, learn more about cats and spend time with some of your favorite cat characters, by exploring these great cat books, below. Read More

Some families have deep rooted traditions around food and breaking bread together. Some other families have their own ways of spending time outdoors, and some families try to figure out who they are in between places. These are just some of the topics that are explored in this list of picture books that honor the little details that make families’ experiences unique. Read More

 I often think through three questions whenever I select books for my students. The first question I ask myself is, can my students access the vocabulary and language across the book? Secondly, are my students’ appearances and/or cultures represented in the story? And lastly, could the story excite my kids to share their own stories with each other? In other words, I look at vocabulary, representation, and relatability. When a book meets all three components, my heart explodes. I’ve found a gem, a book that I might buy multiple copies of over the years because the kids might want their own copy to read and re-read. There’s nothing more special than a story that makes a child feel that they belong both in our classroom and in our country.  Read More

Here are some great books to help celebrate National Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month! Read More

In honor of National Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month, learn more about Frida Kahlo, the brilliant Mexican artist who painted her animal friends at Casa Azul in Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos, and explore other wonderful books that celebrate Hispanic and Latinx heritage. Read More