Free Stuff

Quiz for kids! – What Kind of Summer Reader Are You?

Filed under: For Teachers,Free Stuff,Growing Up Artsy,Growing Up Reading,Printable Activities | May 13, 2024

Summer is SOOO close! And my daughters and I have already been curating our book stacks for the breezier months ahead.

My summer selections:

I’m diving into the deep end of graphic novels, stellar storytelling, and unique characters!


My 14-year-old’s summer picks:

This is teen girl bliss :)


My 10-year-old’s Summer stack:

She’s definitely into a certain type of book these days, and I love it!

Come June, I’ll be mailing out the Summer 2024 Issue of The Pencil Pusher to kids who receive it at their homes with several surprise vinyl stickers and an art contest!

The summer issue doesn’t get mailed to schools or classrooms (obviously), BUT I included a PDF of it below in hopes that you teachers/librarians will use it for some end-of-year fun with your students.

It’s a book-related personality QUIZ (a throwback to those magazine quizzes we all used to do for fun) called: “What Kind of Summer Reader Are YOU?” I had a lot of fun creating it and hope it helps start great, no-pressure conversations about maybe enjoying a book over summer break. I mean who doesn’t love a silly personality quiz, right?

Your students can also enter the contest by printing, cutting, and pasting these Pencil People to create a summer scene! Teachers/parents can submit the art to the contest at ShandaMc.com/PencilPusher.

Did you take the quiz yourself?

What kind of summer reader are YOU?

Three Printable Activities to go along with reading Nubby by Dan Richards and Shanda McCloskey

Filed under: A Picture Book & A Project,For Teachers,Free Stuff,Growing Up Artsy,Growing Up Reading,Illustration,My Books,Printable Activities | January 7, 2023

A Twisted Tale!

Filed under: Favorite Picture Books,For Teachers,Free Stuff,Growing Up Reading,Growing Up Writing,Printable Activities | August 22, 2022


According to (Creativity in the Class), Fractured fairy tales are a retelling of popular fairy tales but with changes to the characters, setting, or by changing the villain into the hero.

In fact, it was a fractured fairy tale at the book fair (when I was in third grade) that set me on a path forevermore to be in awe of picture books! That book was THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS.


I was absolutely delighted how the author turned this story on its head and wrote Wolf as a misunderstood victim instead of a villain. And the illustrations portrayed the pigs as just plain wolfists who judged Wolf without really knowing him! So, Wolf didn’t even have a chance when he asked his pig neighbor for a cup of sugar to make his dear old granny a birthday cake and then accidentally sneezed and knocked the pig’s house down.

Later in life I came across this cute story: LITTLE RED WRITING. The characters are pencils and pens and the big bad wolf is a pencil sharpener!


After I became a parent, I had a blast reading SLEEPING CINDERELLA AND OTHER PRINCESS MIX-UPS with both of my girls! These characters rewrite their own stories to suit them much better :)


After I experienced a major bout of depression (after some eye health stuff), this book resonated with me very much… AFTER THE FALL: HOW HUMPTY DUMPTY GOT BACK UP AGAIN.


And one of my dearest book friends (Shelli R. Johannes) just released this STEM/STEAM genius- PENNY, THE ENGINEERING TALE OF THE FOURTH LITTLE PIG.


And one of my dearest book friends (Shelli R. Johannes) just released this STEM/STEAM genius- PENNY, THE ENGINEERING TALE OF THE FOURTH LITTLE PIG.


Shop these fractured fairy tales here on Bookshop.org! (Sleeping Cinderella is not available on Bookshop but is available on Amazon).

Fractured Fairy Tales in the Classroom for all ages


Rebecca Kraft Rector says, “A fun and useful skill taught as early as kindergarten is to compare (what’s the same?) and contrast (what’s different?) a fractured tale with the original tale. Children can compare/contrast characters, setting, themes, and even illustrations.”

Rebecca and I put together some fracture fairy tale lessons and activities in the Little Red and the Big Bad Editor – Educator’s Guide! These lessons can be tailored to Kindergarten up to higher elementary.

Download the Educator’s Guide

Handwriting and Cursive Practice (Printable)

Filed under: For Teachers,Free Stuff,Growing Up Writing,Printable Activities | August 2, 2022

Legible handwriting is a basic communication tool. Cursive handwriting is also (and a signature can come in handy as well as the ability to read old letters and the Declaration of Independence). Practice writing in print and cursive with the printables below!

Critique Sandwich Graphic Organizer for Students (Printable)

Filed under: For Teachers,Free Stuff,Printable Activities | August 2, 2022

Read LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD WOLF to your class, then challenge students to write their own versions of a fractured fairy tale! Afterward, have students trade stories and read them. Last, students can be much better editors than Wolf by making their peers a “critique sandwich”!

How To Draw A Pencil

Filed under: A Picture Book & A Project,Art Lessons,For Teachers,Free Stuff,Printable Activities | July 22, 2022

Learn to draw Wolf’s pencil from LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD EDITOR by following these 5 simple steps!

LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD EDITOR coloring sheets and comics!

Filed under: A Picture Book & A Project,For Teachers,Free Stuff,Printable Activities | July 21, 2022

Have fun coloring and creating your own dialogue for the comics with these printable pages…

Educator’s Guide for LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD EDITOR!!

Filed under: For Teachers,Free Stuff,Printable Activities | July 19, 2022

Thanks for using LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD EDITOR in your classroom. Rebecca Kraft Rector and I (Shanda McCloskey) hope you will find something useful inside these activities to enrich learning for your students. This GUIDE includes …

Reading & Writing Activities (with Printables!!)

1, 2, 3! Sequencing!

Similes, Cool as Cucumbers

Story Predictions

Write a Thank You Letter

Fractured Fairy Tales – Compare & Contrast

Finish the Twisted Tale of “Slipping Beauty”

Write Your Own Fractured Fairy Tale

The Critique Sandwich

Complete the Comic (your way)

Artful Activities (with Printables!)

How To Draw a Pencil

Draw a Delicious Writing Snack

Handwriting Practice

Cursive Handwriting Practice

Make a Map of Red’s Journey

Coloring Pages

Join me for a special story time at the Computer Museum of America
July 1st, 1PM

Filed under: Doll-E,Events,Free Stuff,Growing Up Reading | June 27, 2022

Computer Museum of America
5000 Commerce Pkwy
Roswell, GA 30076

Tech Tales – Storytime for Young Explorers.

Each week, children will hear stories about computing, technology, creative problem solving, space, robots or famous people in tech. Following the story, children will dive into a fun (and shhhh…educational) hands-on activity. Plan to arrive earlier or stay later and visit the museum exhibits. Consider a membership and bring the kids for multiple Fridays. For group reservations from daycare centers, please email info@computermuseumofamerica.org in advance. Tech Tales, free with admission, starts at 1 PM and runs from June 17th through July 30th. Recommended for ages 5 – 10.

July 1, 2022
Doll-E 1.0 and T-Bone the Drone
Guest Reader: Shanda McCloskey, Author of Doll-E 1.0 and T-Bone the Drone
Author and illustrator of Doll-E 1.0 and T-Bone the Drone Shanda McCloskey will read her books and lead the activity this week. Problem-solving and technology go hand-in-hand as these protagonists save the day. This is Shanda’s second year reading at Tech Tales. She will teach youngsters how to draw her characters and then fly a drone. Participants will also fly mini indoor drones. (Shanda will have books available for sale.)

July 8, 2022
Computer Decoders
This week we are learning about ‘Hidden Figure,’ Dorothy Vaughn, who loved all things numbers! Computer Decoders delves into the life of a fascinating woman who was a highly respected mathematician. This story describes how Dorothy had to overcome many challenges with grace and perseverance. After the story, Children will learn how to convert a special date into binary code.

July 15, 2022
What Do You Do with A Problem?
Today’s book is What Do You Do With a Problem? This story is a heartwarming tale for anyone who has ever dealt with a problem. No one is too young to learn the importance of courage and persistence. Children will put on their engineering hats after the story and solve for how to grab something just out of reach.

July 22, 2022
One Giant Leap
One Giant Leap is this week’s selection and we’ll be reading near the Lunar Module replica in the Tribute to Apollo exhibit on the moon floor. Children will learn more about the 1969 moon landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. After the story, participants will create their very own moon rover.

July 29, 2022
Rosie Revere Engineer
We are wrapping up this summer series reading Rosie Revere Engineer. This story follows a young girl who has aspirations to one day become an engineer. Where some see rubbish, Rosie sees inspiration to create something great. After the story, children will become engineers for the day by building and then testing their own structures. Just how much weight can their creations bear?

Reading Poster and Matching Coloring Page

Filed under: Doll-E,For Teachers,Free Stuff,Growing Up Reading,Printable Activities | September 3, 2021

With schools starting back in-person all over, I wanted to share a “Read and Recharge” poster (with character’s from my first book, DOLL-E 1.0) that’s FREE for printing, laminating, and decorating your classroom! AND there’s a free matching coloring sheet so your students can also make their own poster!

Print Poster

Print Coloring Page

As always, I’d LOVE to see photos of your using these in your classroom :)

All My Best,

Shanda

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Shanda McCloskey, Children's Illustrator & Author