Teaching Ideas
Explore jumping-off points that deepen discussions, inspire reading interest, and support connections to books and authors. Easily share and include in your instructional plans, newsletters, and social media.
Poetry Month, Arab American Heritage, Earth Day, and more!
April is National Poetry Month!
Check out this activity guide on how to write a tricube poem!
Try our customizable Poetry Multi-Leveled Lessons designed to scaffold instruction and build connections to text in differentiated classrooms.
Explore poetry awards, such as the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, and resources for award-winning titles on this award page.
Find inspiration with these curated lists of poetry titles:
Listen to this Meet-the-Author Recording with Kwame Alexander for Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets.
Browse our entire Poetry Collection
April is Arab American Heritage Month!
Discover titles and resources written by and about Arab Americans honored by the Arab American Book Award.
Listen to this Meet-the-Author Recording with Jasmine Warga for Other Words for Home.
Read this interview and listen to this Audio Name Pronunciation with S.K. Ali, co-author of The Proudest Blue.
Listen to an audio excerpt from The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story by Aya Khalil and Anait Semirdzhyan.
Watch this author interview with Susan Muaddi Darraj, author of the Farah Rocks series.
Check out this Meet-the-Author Recording with Firoozeh Dumas for It Ain't So Awful, Falafel.
April 30th is El día de los libros / El día de los niños (Book Day / Children's Day)
El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), commonly known as Día, is a celebration of children, families, reading, and the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Check out titles on this commemorative list:
- El día de los niños / El día de los libros, 2013-2021 Titles recognized by this list highlight diverse children's books to honor the cultures and languages of all children.
Earth Day is Friday, April 22nd
Get inspired by titles and resources honored with the Green Earth Book Award, which honors books that focus on environmental stewardship.
Listen to the complete book reading and discussion for We Are Water Protectors with author Carole Lindstrom.
Share this complete book reading for Dear Earth...From Your Friends in Room 5, read by the author Erin Dealey.
Hear author Miranda Paul talk about One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia in this Meet-the-Author Recording.
Explore titles and resources on the Earth Day Biographies and Eco-Reading: Selected Books for Children and Teens about Our Earth and the Environment lists.
Check out these resources from authors with April birthdays!
Explore this Guest Blog Post written by Rita Williams-Garcia.
Watch this Meet-the-Author Movie with Sharon Draper.
Discover resources for 25 of Beverly Cleary’s books.
Read this interview with Gary Soto, author of Too Many Tamales, Help Wanted, Chato’s Kitchen, and more!