Hello Book Bums families!
'Tis the season for summer reading guides full of literary possibilities to carry with you to the beach, park, or porch swing. This one from Goodreads is unusual for organizing its recommendations by destination. Find books set on boats or trains, in the mountains or by a lake. What are you most looking forward to reading this summer? Reply to this email to let us know.
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Word of the Week
aloft (uh-loft) adverb/word answering how? when? where? in what manner? - in the air, overhead
At the busy graduation, my sister held a sign aloft so we could all find her in the crowd.
Literary Calendar
- On June 8, 1949, 1984 by George Orwell was published.
- This dystopian novel about a totalitarian society gives us the slogan, "Big Brother is watching you."
- Orwell also lends his name to the adjective Orwellian which refers to a situation or idea that is similar to his dystopian society and its rules.
"He who controls the past controls the future.
Who controls the present controls the past."
-George Orwell in 1984
From our Bookshelves
I really enjoyed reading The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer. It’s a fictional story that takes place in Poland during WWII as well as present day Florida. There’s the weaving of a story between time and place that’s moving in so many ways. It’s a story of family and survival and everlasting love.
It’s a good one.
Tips for Families
One day, as we were stopping by our local Fresh Market in West Chester, OH we saw the most gorgeous kites flying in front of the VOA park. We plopped right down on the grass, snacked on something we’d just purchased, and became absolutely mesmerized by the gorgeous creations flying high above us in the warm summer breeze.
This weekend, you can see them too, weather permitting, between 12 and 4 p.m. In fact, if the weather’s nice, the Pigs Aloft Kite Association fly their kites the second Sunday of each month, and you’re welcome to come enjoy them.
If you want your kids to really enjoy their time with the kites, you may want to purchase these ribbon wands. They’re less than $10 for a pack of six, and they’re an absolute hit with our kids in Little Letter Learners lessons!
We use them to talk about the shapes of letters. Kids wave their wands round and round, or up and down, or side to side. You can introduce terms like vertical, horizontal, and diagonal, because all of those lines are used in handwriting.
Speaking of parks, there is another program happening at Keehner Park; but registration is required, so you’d have to move on this one right away. The WOLF (World of Land, Forest and Friends) program is for children ages 5-12 and focuses attention on a specific topic related to nature and the environment. Your kids can meet for the WOLF program on Wednesdays in a morning or afternoon session. We’ve shared all the details below.
Time: 10:30 -11:30 a.m. and 1:00 - 2:00p.m.
Date: Wednesdays from June 25 through July 30, 2025.
Location: Keehner Park amphitheater, 7211 Barret Road
Registration: Registration is required for all programs and space is limited. To register, call (513) 759-7303.
Cost: This is a free event and there is no charge to participate.
Cancellation: Rain does not cancel the event. If an event is cancelled for any reason, participants will be notified.
Wordology Workshop
• The Greek root amphi means around, about, both.
• You can find it in the word amphitheater which is a round space where people can sit and hear from all sides.
• Amphi is also in the word amphibian which identifies animals that can live both the in water and on land.
Tips for Raising Readers and Writers
What’s the difference between a, an, and the?
A, an, and the are articles. A and an are indefinite articles; they are not specific. The, however, is specific. It’s not just any ol’ one, and it’s the definite article.
Kids with learning differences, especially, benefit from knowing meanings of words. When words offer little in the way of holding meaning, often the words are confused. When we notice, aloud, that these words are used differently, it can help kids to use them properly and write them correctly.
Hey! Did you know that we use the word an as an indefinite article and descriptor that begins with a vowel sound. Not a vowel, but a vowel sound.
That’s right. We don’t say I saw an United States official, even though the word United begins with a u. The sound for the word is /you-niform/. The initial sound is /y/. Think about the words honest and eucalyptus. Honest begins with a consonant, but the sound comes from the vowel - so we use an. Conversely, eucalyptus begins with a vowel, but not a vowel sound - so we use a.
Practical Grammar
Can you find all the errors?
News from Book Bums
We haven’t forgotten about the handwriting workshops, but we’re going to wait a bit before beginning them. We’ll aim for July and August to run our popular five days in a row handwriting classes.
I just love the logo for our handwriting curriculum! (If you’re a teacher and you’re hoping to make some extra money this summer, you can host some handwriting workshops like ours. We’ve got everything you need to host an outstanding workshop!)
Have I shared with you about our Foundations for Literacy logo? Here it is:
Did you notice that the book and the bookmark are my initials?
Now you can’t unsee it.
Tips for Teachers
I hear a lot of people talk about teachers. Sometimes we luck out and get an awesome teacher, and sometimes we say, “Well, the kids have to learn to deal with all kinds of people.”
I did a Google search inquiring about what makes a teacher a good one. The response was, “A good teacher possesses strong communications skills, empathy, adaptability, and a passion for helping students learn. They also exhibit patience, organization, and the ability to create a positive and engaging learning environment.”
Yes. Those things are certainly true. But there’s an x factor, isn’t there? I mean, what makes an extraordinary teacher?
I’ve hired lots of teachers, but as I work with my staff for the Summer Fun program at VanGorden Elementary School, I’m swept away by these incredible teachers who remember what’s most important for students. They’re kind, but they’re really kind. Not that fakey stuff. They don’t just try to make boring things fun. They’re really fun people who find fun wherever they are. They choose not to grumble when things aren’t going as planned, and they offer kind words of encouragement to one another.
I was buried deep in the abyss of incomplete permission forms, notes regarding changes for transportation, and students’ missing assessments. I must have looked discouraged. I remember saying, “The thing I love about this job is teaching. I need to hire a secretary.” Do you know what one of my assistant teachers said? He said, “I’m not sure what you’ve got going there, but I know you’re the one to do it well.”
I was hanging words in the hallways for the next day’s lesson, and I overheard teachers (staying late and not getting paid for their time) saying something like, “I love working here with you two. Typically, when I see someone teaching, I think I believe I’d have done that differently or something like that. But with you two, I’m really inspired.”
You know what makes a great teacher? Being a great person. I am so richly blessed because I hired good people.
If you want to see some great teachers in action as they strive to equip kids to be good readers and spellers, sign up to volunteer with us at VanGorden Elementary School this summer. Email Judy at judy@bookbums.com. She’ll get you started. I’m telling you, it’s something to behold!
Just for Fun
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