Description: A timeless tale about the power of words.
Brief description: Adrienne Gear is a Vancouver-based teacher and instructional leader. For over twenty-five years, she remains grounded in classrooms, as well as providing workshops, demonstration lessons, and leadership training to teachers throughout North America. Her international experience includes speaking in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Sweden. Passionate about literacy and learning, Adrienne is the author of the popular 'POWER' series on reading and writing instruction.
Review Quotes: Some time ago, I was working in a Toronto-area school, providing teachers demonstration lessons on reading and writing practices. As I walked into one of the Grade 3 classrooms, something immediately caught my eye. There, in the front of the room, stood the picture book WORDS. I took a moment to speak with the teacher about my connection with the book's author, Lora Rozler. She shared that it was one of the most powerful books she had ever read - and I could not agree with her more.
In my career as a teacher, author and literacy consultant, I have read a lot of children's books - a lot. I use many in my classroom and recommend countless stories to teachers at workshops. I've found through my extensive experience with children's books that some stand out more than others; some for their beautiful illustrations, some make great read-alouds and others are perfect connecting books. Occasionally, I read a book that I refer to as transforming - a book that immediately takes up permanent residence in my heart and mind. Lora Rozler's WORDS is one of those books. It is quiet. It is important.
Every child, teacher, parent and school principal should read it and discover its universal message about belonging and bullying. It is a book that will stimulate rich, thoughtful, honest discussions about the words we choose to say and the impact on those we say them to. Words can hurt or heal, they can craft or hate. It is as simple and powerful as that.
I am enormously grateful to her for gifting us with her WORDS.
Adrienne Gear