• Home
    • facebook
    • instagram
    • bluesky
    • goodreads
    • mail
    • ko-fi

Heise Reads & Recommends

A School Librarian Sharing Books & #ClassroomBookADay

  • Heise Reads & Recommends
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recommended Reads
  • #ClassroomBookADay
    • What is #ClassroomBookADay?
    • Getting Started with #ClassroomBookADay
    • #ClassroomBookADay Resources
    • #cbadSpotlight
    • #ClassroomBookADay Book Recommendations
  • Resources
    • Slides & Docs
    • Author / Illustrator Interviews & Guest Posts
  • Consulting
    • Published Works
    • Conference Sessions & Presentations
    • Workshops & Webinars
    • #ClassroomBookADay Presentations

Celebrating Our Reading Year

June 16, 2013

Another school year has wrapped up with one of my favorite days…book tally day! I work very hard to help my students increase their reading stamina, volume, motivation, and engagement when they are with me, and at the end of the year, we celebrate the reading we have done. I don’t ask my students to do anything I’m not willing to do myself, so we all keep track of the books we read throughout the year.

I did it this way: 

One of my favorite days of the year involves us celebrating our reading year by creating signs to show off the number of books we read for the whole school year. It’s one of my favorites because I invariably have students who, although they’ve been keeping track all year, when it comes time to write that number to show off, realize just how much they’ve really read, and that it’s much more than they ever could have imagined. As my students were making their signs, I heard comments like, “I can’t believe I read that many books!” “I read way more than the 40 you challenged us to read!” “I read 30 more books this year than last year!” “I’m going to read even more next year!”

The first step to helping students develop into stronger readers is to get them reading. A lot. My 7th & 8th graders do that. Here’s the record of our success and celebration.

«
»

Filed Under: Other, Teaching

Comments

  1. The Insouciant Sophisticate says

    June 21, 2013 at 5:06 am

    I see some big numbers up there-congrats to these kids! I hope they keep it up!

  2. Lili says

    June 16, 2013 at 3:57 pm

    This is so cute! I think this is a really nice idea, you're an amazing teacher! And I love your wall!

  3. Kate @Midnight Book Girl says

    June 16, 2013 at 2:35 pm

    Love this! Also, a great way to feature the kids and their achievements without showing their faces. You are really making a difference, and I guarantee you these kids will always remember you!

  4. Liza (WhoRuBlog) says

    June 16, 2013 at 2:10 pm

    You and your students are AMAZING! What inspiration. Mrs. Heise is the coolest teacher! 😀

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • bluesky
  • goodreads
  • mail
  • ko-fi

Search

select

shop

Subscribe

statement

Views expressed within these pages are personal & do not represent that of my employer.

Recent Reads

Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers
Mama in Congress: Rashida Tlaib's Journey to Washington
I Lived Inside a Whale
The Last Slice: A Three Kings Day Treat
Yusra Swims
One Wish: Fatima al-Fihri and the World's Oldest University
Dounia and the Magic Seeds
Nour's Secret Library
Swimming Toward a Dream: Yusra Mardini's Incredible Journey from Refugee to Olympic Swimmer
Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love
Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater
The Book That Almost Rhymed
I Am Odd, I Am New
Brody the Lion Sometimes I ROAR!: Helping children with autism, anxiety, and big emtions cope with transitions and changes
Arab Arab All Year Long!
My Brother Otto and the Birthday Party
How Are You, Verity?
We Are a Class
I Want to Read All the Books
The Brightness Between Us

Latest Resources

Instagram Posts

School's out for summer & the weather was perfect School's out for summer & the weather was perfect for reading outside this weekend. Couldn't resist choosing this YA romantasy touted as "Taylor Swift's 'Vigilante Sh*t' meets The Gilded Age" for my first summer break read!

#GildedInVengeance #LibraryLife #bookaday #HeiseReads
Finding moments of joy where I can. There are two Finding moments of joy where I can. There are two days left of this school year. A year that started with sitting in the corner crying due to the overwhelm of the massive task ahead of us to get ready for the first day upon walking in & seeing the state of the library after summer renovation work. A year of ups & downs & all arounds. All the way to today when we had the giddy joy of our brand new booktrucks being delivered. They are pretty & sturdy & glide smoothly & elevate the look of the whole library while making our lives easier. Farewell old, dented, wobbly, rusty, beige carts. IYKYK. Bahama blue, turquoise, teal, sundrop, & calming lavender are taking over. Thank you for the colorful options, helpful customer service, & quick response shipping before school ends @demcoinc!!

#LibraryLife
Iris season brings me joy.💜 There's just someth Iris season brings me joy.💜 There's just something about that shade of purple... #nofilter
The new-to-me podcast binge getting me through my The new-to-me podcast binge getting me through my commute these last few weeks of this school year. Thanks for the @everysinglealbumpodcast rec @thereadingzone_!🫶🏻

Thoroughly enjoying the ways in which @noraprinciotti & @nathanchubbard bring entertainment, thoughtfulness, care, & joy to these conversations & deep dives into @taylorswift's discography.
My view for most all of this long weekend - in whi My view for most all of this long weekend - in which I have to redact almost the entirety of the image.😅 #amreading for Caldecott 2026.

#ClassroomBookADay #LibraryLife #HeiseReads
Love this reminder of the power of children's lite Love this reminder of the power of children's literature from the introduction in Show & Tell: Exploring the Fine Art of Children’s Book Illustration! Reading it this weekend to continue building background knowledge for my work on the Caldecott Committee this year. 

"In this regard, we truly suffer from an embarrassment of riches. Children's books have never looked better or been more
important. They are one of the few quiet places left where a child can go to be alone, and to travel worlds past, present, and future. They are often the first place children discover poetry and art, honor and loyalty, right and wrong, sadness and hope. And it is there between the pages that children discover the power of their own imaginations. They are indeed a dress rehearsal for life."

#ClassroomBookADay #LibraryLife #KidLit #HeiseReads
Found this @taylorswift bio mis-shelved in the "my Found this @taylorswift bio mis-shelved in the "mythical creatures" bin. 😂 And I'm not even mad about it.🫶🏻

#LibraryLife #TaylorSwift
His & Hers homemade pizza halves. Tasty benefits o His & Hers homemade pizza halves.
Tasty benefits of the husband getting more serious about his meat grinding / sausage making hobby!
Not pictured: brats & burgers & breakfast sausage, oh my!
My favorite crabtree is flowering & the sun was sh My favorite crabtree is flowering & the sun was shining.
Refreshed & feeling my best.💉 Stopped in for on Refreshed & feeling my best.💉
Stopped in for one of the few things that helps limit my migraines & tmj pain (with some extra perks) yesterday. 
Thank you @refreshedby_injectorjess for always taking such good care!! 🫶🏻
Follow @heisereads on Instagram
Copyright © 2025 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs