Grades
K - 12
One Teacher. One Best-Selling Author. One Very Special Surprise.
Discover the incredible story of how one ClassroomsCount™ teacher’s campaign led to a personal video message from Peter H. Reynolds.
There are so many inspirational teachers raising funds with ClassroomsCount™ right now to purchase books and other classroom resources through Scholastic.
But one teacher’s recent campaign caught the attention of a certain best-selling author.
Peter H. Reynolds has written dozens of beloved books — The Word Collector, Our Table, and Say Something! to name a few — but it’s his joyful reminder of the importance of being true to yourself, Be You!, that kindergarten teacher Brandi secretly gives to her students’ parents.
But why the parents? And why keep it a secret?
Brandi explains, “I tell the parents to keep the book a secret. The reason is that I put a note in there for the student and I have a letter in the envelope asking every teacher they have throughout school to also write a note or inspiring message for them. Then, when they graduate high school, their parents will give them the book with all of their teachers’ messages in.”
When Peter H. Reynolds got word of this wonderful concept, he recorded a special message for Brandi thanking her for choosing his book to bring the idea to life. You can check out Peter’s message for Brandi in the video below:
In addition to giving her students Be You!, Brandi also raises funds with ClassroomsCount™ to give her students one “keep-forever” book each month so they end the school year with at least 10 more books than they started with.
“My students get so excited to get their books and I hype up the day we get them so I'm excited as well,” says Brandi. “I even bought a self-inking stamp for the back of the books so that they know which books I gave them. It says, ‘This book is from Mrs. B! I love you!’ and it's so fun to stamp all of the books and show the kids!”
If you’re feeling inspired by Brandi to raise funds to get more books into the hands of your students, you can start your campaign in minutes right here.
Shop inspirational Peter H. Reynolds’ books below. Shop all books and resources at The Teacher Store.
This inspirational picture book reminds listeners and lap-sitters of the value of being themselves.
Emphasizing the joys of self-expression, this read-aloud spotlights Jerome, a little boy learning to delight in language.
With a simple, witty story and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark, and to follow where it takes us.
Combining the spareness of fable with the potency of parable, Peter Reynolds shines a bright beam of light on the need to kindle and tend our creative flames with care.
The sky's no limit as the author-illustrator winds up his Creatrilogy with a whimsical tale about seeing the world a new way.
When a young boy begins to play on his family's piano, reveling in the fun of plunking the keys, his father signs him up for lessons so that he can learn to play properly.
A go-cart contest inspires imagination to take flight in this picture book for creators of all ages, with art from New York Times best-selling illustrator Peter H. Reynolds.
The world needs your voice. If you have a brilliant idea...say something! If you see an injustice...say something!
This moving, tender story begins with a man building a table for his family.
In the Spanish translation of this beloved title, Vashti is convinced she can't draw, and to prove it to her teacher, she just draws a dot. Little does she know where that little dot will take her!
