Finding Mrs. Warnecke tells the inspiring story of Cindi Rigsbee, a three-time Teacher of the Year, and Barbara Warnecke, the first-grade teacher who had a lifelong impact on Cindi’s life. Cindi, an insecure child who craved positive attention, started her first-grade year with a teacher who was emotionally abusive and played favorites in the classroom. One month into the school year, her principal came into the classroom and announced that half the students were being moved to another classroom–a dank, windowless basement room, with a young and inexperienced teacher.  This change turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to Cindi.  Her new teacher, Mrs. Warnecke, made learning come alive for her students.  She went overboard caring for each child, made her classroom “magical,” and encouraged students to pursue their dreams.  Although Cindi was reluctant to explore her creativity as a student, Mrs. Warnecke encouraged her to read and write poetry, which became a lifelong passion.  The two kept in touch for several years but lost track of each other when Mrs. Warnecke moved out of state. Cindi spent many years trying to reconnect so she could thank Mrs. Warnecke for making such a difference in her life, but to no avail.  Eventually Cindi became a teacher herself, and thirty years later she has taught more than 2,000 children and been named as a finalist for National Teacher of the Year.  She later came to realize that all those years she wasnt really trying to track down Barbara Warnecke, but rather, she was trying to “find Mrs. Warnecke” within herself.  In Fall 2008 Cindi and Barbara were reunited on Good Morning America; the shows producers had tracked Barbara down and brought both women on-set for a tearful reunion.  Barbara was floored at this attention–she had no idea she could have made such an impact on a former students life.  As Cindi travels around talking with new and veteran educators, she is always approached by audience members who are moved to tears and want to share the story of the “Mrs. Warnecke” in their own lives.  Finding Mrs. Warnecke not only tells the story of this teacher who made a lasting impact on her students, it illustrates the importance of the teacher/student relationship in the classroom, and offers principles for other teachers to follow to make a positive impact in their own classrooms.

Donalyn Miller is a dedicated teacher who says she has yet to meet a child she couldn’t turn into a reader. In The Book Whisperer, Miller takes us inside her sixth grade classroom to reveal the secrets of her powerful but unusual instructional approach. Rejecting book reports, comprehension worksheets, and other aspects of conventional instruction, Miller embraces giving students an individual choice in what they read, combined with a program for independent reading. She also focuses on building a classroom library of high-interest books, and above all on modeling appropriate and authentic reading behaviors. Her zeal for reading is infectious and inspiring, and the results speak for themselves. No matter how far behind Miller’s students may be when they start out, they end up reading an average of forty books per year, achieving high scores on standardized tests, and internalizing a love for reading that lasts long after they’ve left her class.Travel alongside the author as she leads her students to discover the ample rewards of reading and literature. Brought to life with Miller’s passionate voice, The Book Whisperer will help teachers support students of all levels on their path to reading success. This book also includes a dynamite list of recommended “kid lit” to help parents and teachers find the books that students really like to read.