Once a week our youngest students gather together for their own read-aloud during the school-wide reading time. Some of them are just beginning to learn to read. Others have developed some reading skills and are just beginning to read independently. They all enjoy listening to a good story together, sharing their thoughts and questions about it.

Our theme this year is about challenges. One of the first books we read was about something that may have been challenging for them as well, Chu’s First Day of School, by Neil Gaiman. Chu is worried. But after each student shares one thing that they love to do, including Chu’s unusual ability, Chu isn’t worried anymore.

Other books we have read this year include Truck Full of Ducks, by Ross Burach. When a dog with ducks to deliver loses the delivery instructions, they end up in the Deep, Dark Woods. We also read Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, by Melanie Watt. Scaredy Squirrel, who worries about everything, creates a plan to make a friend. Cinnamon, by Neil Gaiman, set in mythic India, is about how the talking tiger gets the princess to speak. In Dragon’s Halloween, Dragon ends up being scary and being scared in surprising ways.

We look forward to reading many more stories together in which we see how the characters overcome whatever challenges they face.