Muhammad Ali: Setting Goals + Achieving Greatness

Muhammad Ali: A Champion Is Born | Cavalier House Books

Image description: a hand holding a copy of the picture book Muhammad Ali: A Champion is Born by Gene Barretta

This week, we discussed the importance of considering what goals we might want to achieve in our lives. We read about how Muhammad Ali was inspired to begin his boxing career from an experience he had as a 12 year old child. Despite the mockery, prejudice, and injustice that he faced, Muhammad Ali trained and persevered and achieved so much in his lifetime! He was crowned the heavyweight champion of the world an astonishing 3 times, medaled in the Olympics, and, perhaps most importantly, was known as the “People’s Champion” because of his commitment to speaking out against injustice.

Take a look at the short memorial video, below, commemorating Muhammad Ali’s lifetime:

Spooky October Reads: Ms. Ward’s Recommendations

If you enjoyed Coraline by Neil Gaiman, I suggest trying out these other spine-tingling reads (check our classroom & school libraries for a copy)!

Nightbooks: Amazon.ca: White, J. A.: Books

Nightbooks by J. A. White is a nightmarish fairytale that takes inspiration from “Hansel & Gretel” and “1001 Nights”. When a young boy becomes trapped in a witch’s house, he must tell her a scary story every night to ‘earn his keep’. But will he be able to plan his escape before he runs out of stories? And who is the mysterious girl who is also a prisoner of the witch?

The Jumbies: Baptiste, Tracey: 9781616205928: Books - Amazon.ca

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste spins Caribbean folklore into a spooky story about the mysterious creatures, called “jumbies”, that lurk in the darkness of an island paradise. Corrine isn’t afraid of anything, especially not the stories of “jumbies” used to scare younger children! But when a mysterious woman emerges from the forest, Corrine must face her fears in order to save her family and her home.

The Witch Boy: Amazon.ca: Ostertag, Molly Knox: Books

The Witch Boy series by Molly Knox Ostertag blends fantasy, friendship, and the unknown in this graphic novel. Aster’s community has always had one rule: boys learn shapeshifting, and girls learn witchcraft. But Aster, even though he is a boy, is fascinated by the magic of plants and spells and must keep it a secret. A not-too scary story about identity, friendship, and courage.

The Witches: The Graphic Novel: Amazon.ca: Dahl, Roald, Bagieu, Pénélope: Books

The Witches graphic novel by Penelope Bagieu (story by Roald Dahl) is a colourful adaptation of the classic novel (and soon upcoming movie starring Octavia Spencer and Anne Hathaway). A young boy and his grandmother work together to try to stop the efforts of a coven of witches from their evil goal… to turn all the children in the world into mice! A great mix of action, fairytales, and spooky fun!