Must Have Picture Books-Linky Party.....and a BIG announcement!!!

Michelle over at The Teacher Wife is having a great linky called Must Have Picture Books....how perfect is that??So to link up, grab the button below for your blog and list your top 5 picture books.  Then go back and link up on The Teacher Wife's blog and check out all the other bloggers and their top 5 books...last check there were almost 100 linked up!!!

BEWARE: Reading and linking up may cause the sudden urge to go out and buy lots of new books for your classroom library. I have already taken precautionary measures and frozen my credit cards in a sold block of ice in my freezer (just kidding..who would do that during Back-To School shopping season?!?!?!?!?)

Okay, here are my top 5 (Do I really ONLY get to pick 5?):

1. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs: My students BEG me to read this multiple times through out the year. It is also a great book to use for teaching point of view.

2. Ron's Big Mission: Based on events that happened to Ron McNair a native South Carolinian, and NASA astronaut who perished in the fateful Challenger explosion  in 1986. I always get choked up when I read the last page which tells more about Ron's life and death.

3. Junkyard Wonders: I <3 Patricia Polacco books so much that by then end of the first month of school, my students know by heart, that she is my favorite author and that we will read pretty much all of them throughout the year....this one is one of my new favorites, and I cry when I read it too....I am a crier..especially when I read!!

4. The Relatives Came: Besides Patricia Polacco, Cynthia Rylant is my next favorite author and this book just warms my heart. I come from a big family, and we are stretched out all over the US, and this book makes me long for the next time we will all be together. 

5. White Soc Only: I have to admit..I cheat a bit with this book because I don't own a copy of it but it is on Storyline Online...and I let Amber Tamblyn read it to my students. It is a great story to use start a discussion about segregation, discrimination, courage, and standing up for what you believe in.

NOW comes my BIG news!! I have 100+ followers as of this morning so tonight at midnight, my 100 follower giveaway goes LIVE!! Check back and be sure to enter!!!!