A few months ago, I became a member of the International Reading Association. As a pre-service early childhood teacher, I have had a number of courses about literacy development, and it has become one of my major interests (hence, my membership to the IRA). Ever since I joined this organization, I have received many magazines and e-mails, all of which provide great resources that I can use when I begin teaching. One of my favorite elements of the IRA’s website, however, is their ‘Choices Booklists’ page. On it, the organization gives annotated lists of teachers’ and children’s favorite books for each year. I have found this page to be a great resource already in beginning to develop my growing stock of children’s books that I can include in my future classroom library (or the more kid-friendly term: “book nook”). After all, many teachers will tell you that when new teachers go into the field, they will be buying a great deal of materials out of their own pockets. Starting early and having resources to know what to look for can definitely help ease the financial strain of this when it comes time for you to start your first classroom. Hopefully, the IRA booklists can be some help!
