Dinosaurs and Reading Month – Frankenmuth School District

Did you know March is Reading Month?

And it’s too bad dinosaurs never got with the program.

But you don’t have to worry about FSD.

There’s no dinosaur-mindset here.

Inspiring a love for reading in our students is a big deal for us!

So, in celebration of reading, here are 14 staff members who were willing to share one their favorite children’s books with us.

I know they’ll trigger some good memories for you! (They sure did for me!)

Marla Hoffmann – Literacy Parapro, EFR Middle School

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

I can’t remember when I was first introduced to this book. But I love the rhyming and making light of real-life situations. There are wonderful lessons here.

Denise Roeske – Bridge Teacher, FSD

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

In elementary school our librarian read this book to my class. She read it with so much character and made it sound so much like us when we complained that I thought it was hilarious and fell in love with it. As an adult, I just totally relate to poor Alexander!

Ashley Morgan – FHS Chemistry & Yearbook Teacher

Are You My Mother?

I first discovered this book when I learned to read in kindergarten. I took quickly to the Dr. Seuss collection, and loved this book in particular right from the beginning. I remember reading it over and over again with my parents, and I am sure the color of the cover of the book influenced my decision to read it repeatedly. 🙂 Even as a young child, I felt empathy for the tiny bird who could not find his mother. I loved the journey the bird took throughout this story: asking many (sometimes silly) creatures if they were his mother, getting “captured” by a Snort, returned back to the nest, and finally meeting his mother. As I review the plot as an adult, I cannot help but smile. This book still brings me great joy!

Kristen Hecht – EFR Middle School Principal

Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car

I was 33 years old when I first started to enjoy this children’s book. It was my favorite book to read to my kids. They would laugh when I read the story using several different voices. Even when my kids are 18 and almost 20 years old they still like it when mom reads Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car by Eileen Christelow to them. (Okay, I obviously had to coax my senior son and daughter who is home from college on spring break into taking this photo, but they do remember the book!)

Wendy Yagiela – List Elementary Secretary

The Monster at the End of This Book

Sesame Street was very big in the 1970’s. This was one of my favorite books in 1st grade because my Mom would try to do the Grover voice.

Brad Jeske – FSD School Liaison

Where The Sidewalk Ends

I loved the whimsical wordplays and that it was easily digestible to a younger person. I first read Shel Silverstein books at my grandfather’s. He was a teacher and a big fan of his work and owned all of his books. It wasn’t until I was older, though, and reading these books to my own children I realized how profound Silverstein’s little poems are. I hope you enjoy “Listen to the Mustn’ts.”

Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,
Listen to the DON’TS.
Listen to the SHOULDN’TS.
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS.
Listen to the NEVER HAVES,
Then listen close to me…
Anything can happen, child.
ANYTHING can be.

Robin Roberts – FHS World History Teacher

Anne of Green Gables

I read this book series while I was in middle school. I adored the precocious main character and then followed along as she grew up and experienced different phases of life. Anne was always getting into trouble and drawn into melodramatic situations – something my middle school self perhaps made connections to. 🙂

Cameo Storey – List Elementary Literacy Aide

Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy Storybook

I think I was 5 or 6 when I was introduced to this series of books. I loved the adventures they went on – and I thought all the characters were “real” people! Naturally, I had both Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls, which were well loved and now long gone.

Emily Spaulding – 5^th Grade ELA Teacher at EFR

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

This book came out in 1997, and so it wasn’t until I was a middle schooler at EFR (2000-2004) that I began reading these books. Since then, I have read the Potter series multiple times, and watched the movies several more times. During lockdown in 2020, I was able to share the love of this book with my students. As we read the book together, we had fantastic art and creative projects to do while we read. This book changed my life. That is the power of books!

Julie Leach – Reading Specialist at List & English Language Learner Specialist for FSD

The Snowy Day

It’s simple. I love the illustrations and storyline in this book. When I read The Snowy Day it reminds me of being a child.

Jessie Bassett – FHS Teacher, Grades 9, 11-12

Don’t Forget the Oatmeal!

This was a Sesame Street Book in the series my grandparents bought for me. This book had all the items labeled and on display in the grocery store where Bert & Ernie went to get their groceries. I have since read it to my own kids, and I must say, I do a fantastic Cookie Monster voice!

Penny Wanless – 1^st Grade Parapro at List

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

This is a story about kindness, responsibility, trustworthiness, and tolerance. Ralph and Keith learn some tough lessons about friendship along the way.

Dan Wagner – 5th Grade Teacher at EFR

The Five Chinese Brothers

I must have been in 1st or 2nd grade when I read this book. I probably checked it out multiple times over that period. I was drawn to the theme of “good always overcomes bad”. In the story, 5 identical twins cleverly outwit the judicial system in a case against one of the brothers falsely accused of a crime. They solved a problem using their unique talents, and in the end, they were acquitted. Today, I realize there are morbid elements to the story, but I never once considered these as a child. I was simply intrigued by how a group of people could collectively and creatively work themselves out of a predicament – teamwork at its best!