​Looking to spice up your American Revolution unit? Check out Mara Rockliff’s Gingerbread for Liberty: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution and Barbara Kerley’s Those Rebels, John & Tom. Not only is the artwork in both biographies delicious, but the dynamic duo lends itself to a fantastic comparison of nonfiction text structures. Rockliff tells Christopher Ludwick’s tale using a problem/solution text structure while Kerley tells John Adams’ and Thomas Jefferson’s story using a compare/contrast text structure. Students will have plenty to compare and contrast after reading these two stunning texts.

For #PoemInYourPocketDay pluck a poem from Hypnotize a Tiger by @CalefBrown. Not only are his poems tons of fun, they’re chock-full of portmanteau, alliteration, and rhyme. From “the scores of peacocks and adorable pandas in Pandora’s box,” that make up a “Pandoradox” to “the cats upon the mountaintop” making “catsup for the town,” Hypnotize a Tiger invites readers to slow down and revel in the glory of imagination and word-play. To top it off, cheeky narrators provide commentary on each poem that will spark lively conversations in your class. Enjoy!