Time for you to go book shopping!

Yesterday was a super fun night of getting my counselor nerd on. The amazing author/illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka did a book reading, illustration drawing, and book signing in town. 

Some people swoon when they see a movie star and apparently I have the teacher version of that because I was a red, nervous wreck. 

Some of you might know Jarrett (yes yes I am pretending we are close friends now just like I did with Michelle) from his Lunch Lady series.  It's a great graphic novel about a Lunch Lady who happens to also be a super hero (aren't they really in real life too!) This is a book series that even your most stubborn readers will love. If you are looking for an amazing service learning project to go with the books  look no further- check out how my BIONIC teamed up to help our school librarian create an amazing luncheon for our staff. Need more inspiration check out this guide for using graphic novels in the classroom. 

So Jarrett just wrote and published a new picture book that is perfect for every school counselor. "It's Tough To Loose Your Balloon" is a wonderful way to talk to your students about feelings, cause and effect, positive attitudes, and mindset.  Check out the book trailer below.

Awesome right!! Here is how I plan on using the book in the classroom, small groups, or with an individual student:

1) Have students notice the hidden rainbow in the book! The end of the story ends with a rainbow, but if you notice throughout the story the pages of the book make up a rainbow. Have them notice the illustrations, patterns, and discuss the authors purpose for choosing these colors and the meaning behind the rainbow.

2) Look for the color pattern. This is one crafty author and there is so much symbolism in this book. Think of each color in a set of 3, so for example the book opens with a red balloon. The red balloon is the "thing" or event that causes a reaction from the character. On the next page this color is the background and represents the characters feeling about the thing or event. Then on the next page the color is used in words and represents the positive thinking instead of negative. Amazing right.

3) Connect this to CBT. Sometimes life just works in mysterious ways and today I have an inservice on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This book would be a great way to introduce to the students the concept of CBT or simplified the connection between events, thoughts, feelings and actions.

4) Have students create their own set of three on one or three pages. You could use this graphic novel template. Have them think of an event that was troubling for them and draw it. So if they made a bad grade on a test they might color the test blue. Then in the next square or page have them draw how they were feeling and choose a color that as the background. So for example they may color it blue because they were feeling sad and ashamed about it. Next have them write in that color a positive affirmation. Have them shift their thinking into a positive mindset.


How do you plan on using the book?

Oh PS  enjoy this gem of a picture to laugh at. Of course it's my only picture but at least it's memorable =)