Meet Your Virtual School Teachers - Burnt Hills - Ballston Lake Central School District

Welcome to Fully Virtual School!

Our teachers are excited to meet you and get to know you this school year. Click on your teacher’s name below to learn more about him or her.

Ms. Barry (PE)

Hi! My name is Laura Barry, and I’m your Virtual School Physical Education teacher. I can be reached at lbarry@bhbl.org.

I’ve been teaching PE for 37 years. I love to work hard and play hard. I spent many years coaching varsity basketball, softball and field hockey. I took a few years off and have returned to coach BH-BL’s modified field hockey team. Go Spartans Go!

When I am not in school I am teaching my tuxedo cat, Fiona, how to laugh. I can also be found reading, cooking, eating, gardening, birding, pontificating and wandering around nature in total bliss.

I get the pleasure of teaching some online classes as well as live classes this fall. It will be challenging but we will make sure there is a ton of fun.

Ms. Bennice

Hello first graders! I’m Ms. Bennice (abennice@bhbl.org) and I’m excited to be a teacher in this year’s Fully Virtual School. I’m so looking forward to meeting all of you very soon! I’ve loved being a teacher at Stevens Elementary School for the past 24 years. I’ve taught first, second and fifth grade. Teaching first grade is a blast because of all the fun we can have while learning how to read! I can’t wait to learn all about each and every one of you! Be thinking of what you would like to share with your first grade class. I have some funny stories about my silly dog to share with you; I’ll have him come to our first google meet! Here are a few fun facts about me:

My favorite food is pasta.
My favorite movie is Secret Life of Pets. (Have you seen it?)
I have a Sheltie dog named Nico.
I love spending time with my family, and one of our favorite things to do is play games.
When I’m not teaching I like to go hiking.
My favorite color is purple.
My favorite books are the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems.

Mrs. Bowker

Hello students and parents! I’m Mrs. Bowker and I’m your Fully Virtual School second grade teacher. I can be reached by email anytime at mbowker@bhbl.org.

I hope all of you have enjoyed your summer! I am looking forward to meeting you on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020.

This year marks my 18th year of teaching. I am passionate about helping students learn and grow developmentally, academically, and socially through an exciting and enriching curriculum that incorporates multiple modalities, cooperative learning, and lifelong skills. Along with my students’ help this year, I look forward to creating a classroom community based on mutual respect, compassion, empathy, and encouragement while strengthening each other’s personal wellness through mindfulness and a positive mindset. Collectively I know we will work hard to challenge ourselves and support each other while remembering to foster the love of learning through fun and exciting activities.

I can’t wait to meet all of you and learn what each of you are passionate about! In the meantime I thought I would share a few fun facts about myself:

I am married and have two amazing daughters: Meagan and Sydney.
We love to spend time together as a family. You can find us boating, water skiing, tubing, paddle boarding, kayaking, and hiking in the warmer months. As soon as the weather turns colder, we love to go downhill and cross-country skiing as well as snowshoeing in the State Parks.
When I’m not teaching, I love to cook, garden, listen to music, follow my favorite sports teams, and take pictures.
I love to travel and explore new places.
I love all animals, nature, and the ocean is my “happy place.”
Some of my favorite foods are tacos, fajitas, and homemade guacamole.
Together my husband and I like to celebrate “Taco Tuesdays.”
Two of my favorite children’s authors are Robert Munch and Jerry Pollata. It was a dream come true when Mr. Pallotta visited Pashley Elementary School in the 2018-19 school year.
I believe in the importance of lifelong learning. Therefore I try to learn a new skill each year. This summer I learned the art of Tai Chi and I’m looking forward to teaching you all about it!

Have fun gathering all your supplies for the new school year. Be on the lookout for an invitation to our class Google Meet on Sept. 14, 2020. Congratulations you are officially a “Bowker Bear!”

Mr. Cohen (PE teacher)

Hello! I’m Mr. Adam Cohen. I am an elementary Physical Education teacher. I can be reached at acohen@bhbl.org. I’ve been teaching for 11 years and three of them at BH-BL. My favorite part of teaching is the energy the students bring to school, it is infectious in the right way. I love teaching students to work together cooperatively and I love when a student learns how capable they truly are. I want my students to know that I love to play and have fun. I am truly just a big kid. Until we meet, here are a few other fun facts about me:

I have a very crazy cat named Charlie (or Chuckie)
My favorite kids book is The Day the Crayons Quit and One Fish, Two Fish. My favorite book to read as an adult is River of Doubt, about Teddy Roosevelt and his adventure in the Amazon River.
I love all kinds of food but seafood and Mexican are my favorite.
I am a giant Disney fan and love almost everything Disney or Pixar makes.
When I’m not teaching, I like to go hiking and camping, and I like to build things.

Ms. Cotrupi

Hello students and parents, I’m Mary Beth Cotrupi (mcotrupi@bhbl.org) and I’m your Fully Virtual School Kindergarten teacher. I’m looking forward to meeting you on Sept. 14, but in the meantime here’s a little bit about me.

This school year marks my 30th year of teaching. My favorite part of teaching is helping children–I just love children, they are the best! I want my students to know that I care about each and every one of them and I will do my best to help them grow and learn.

I am really looking forward to teaching my new kindergarteners beginning reading skills. Learning to read is so powerful, and to see the children’s excitement when they begin to catch on to identifying letters, sounds and words is very rewarding.

Some fun facts about me are:

I have a nine-year-old Corgi named Koda. We call him “The Sheriff” because he doesn’t let anyone walk by our house without barking and running on his line to chase after them.
My favorite book is called “Bread and Honey” by Frank Asch. I hope to read it to all of my kindergarteners.
My favorite food is salad with salmon on top!
When I am not teaching, I am working on my painting skills. I love to paint!

If you are feeling a bit nervous about being a virtual kindergartener, that is completely normal! Guess what? I am a bit nervous about being a virtual teacher! I’ve never been a virtual teacher before but I am working hard everyday to get ready for our time together and I am confident we will all be just fine. I’m looking forward to meeting you all very soon.

Mrs. D’Angelo

Hi! I’ll be teaching first grade in the Fully Virtual School this year. If you need to contact me, please email me at sdangelo@bhbl.org.

This year will be my 24th year of teaching at BHBL! I love teaching first grade and I especially enjoy reading stories to my class. I’m really looking forward to meeting all of you! We will learn so much and have lots of fun together.

Here are some fun facts about me to help you get to know me better:

I have a little Yorkie dog named Bella! I love to snuggle with her and take her for long walks.
I love spending time with my family! I am married and have two children: Brandon, 18 and Ava, 15.
My favorite food is pasta!
My favorite movie is Beauty and the Beast.
My favorite color is blue.
I love reading Mo Willems books to my class because they make us laugh! My favorite ones are the Elephant and Piggie books.

Mrs. Dunbar

Hello! My name Mrs. Alicia Dunbar and I can be reached by email anytime at adunbar@bhbl.org.

I am teaching fourth and fifth grade special education this semester in Fully Virtual School. This will be my 16th year of teaching. I love helping students get excited about learning and enjoying it.

I am so excited to have a different perspective on learning this year and hope that we can make this year as fun as possible in the comfort of your own homes.

Here are some fun facts about me:

My husband is Officer Dunbar who teaches D.A.R.E.
We have four children that we absolutely adore and our fifth baby is on the way.
We have three dogs.
We love to camp together.
One of my favorite books is The Day the Crayons Quit.

Mrs. Engelhard

Hello Fully Virtual School Third Grader Students! I’m Mrs. Engelhard your teacher. I can be reached at sengelhard@bhbl.org if you have any questions.

Like you, this is my first year in a Fully Virtual School but I’ve been teaching for 20 years in BH-BL. I love teaching! In fact, my favorite part of teaching is working with students and helping them explore new ideas.

This year I am looking forward to using technology in fun and creative ways to help us learn. And, I am excited to get to know you and share new learning experiences together. Until then, here are a few fun facts about me to help you get to know me a little bit:

My household has many pets! We have three great danes, two cats, two rabbits, three chameleons, a leopard gecko and a few fish.
My absolute favorite book is “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White.
My favorite foods are pepperoni pizza and chocolate.
I love everything Disney, especially Disney movies.
When I’m not teaching I like to read, exercise, watch my children play sports and go on adventures with my family.

Mrs. Ferrie (PE)

Hi Everyone! I’m your Virtual Physical Education teacher, Mrs. Ferrie. I can be reached at kferrie@bhbl.org.

I have been teaching for more than 27 years and I LOVE teaching PE! My favorite part of teaching is making lifelong connections with my students and being a part of their health and fitness journey. This school year, I’m looking forward reminding our students that we can accomplish anything together.

Until we meet for the first time, here are a few fun facts about me:

I have two cats, one kitten, a Golden Retriever, and 16 chickens!
My husband is also a teacher (science) and I have three awesome children (one is in high school, one is a junior in college, and another one is out of college)
My favorite book The Dot, by Peter H Reynolds
My favorite food P I Z Z A!
My favorite movie is The Sound of Music.
When I’m not teaching I’m busy practicing Yoga, biking, hiking, spending time with friends and family, reading and spending time in the Adirondacks.

Ms. Fish

Hello students and parents! I am excited to introduce myself to you. I am one of the special education teachers for our Fully Virtual School. To get in touch with me, please email me at kfish@bhbl.org.

This will be my 17th year teaching, and ninth year at Burnt Hills. I have taught preschool special education through fourth grade special education over the course of my time teaching. Each student and each grade level brings its own uniqueness and I have loved working with and helping students learn in the best way for them. Getting to know my students, making connections, and learning their interests is one of my favorite parts of teaching!

This will be such a neat year ahead of us and I am so excited to work with you in the virtual setting! It may have its challenges, however, together we will navigate and make this the best possible experience.

Some fun facts about me:

I love to garden and grow vegetables, and use power tools to build, create, and fix things.
I love all things pertaining to health, wellness, and exercise.
I have five busy children: Kenadie (16), Kaelin (13), Madeline (11), Ellie (6), and Easton (6), and a wonderful husband named William.
I have several pets: a chocolate lab named Carson, a bernedoodle named Callie, an orange kitty named Sammy, and 26 chickens (some names are Beverly, Stella, Millie, Henry, Schyler, Lucile, Camille, Luna, Sprinkles, Sadie, Nugget, Spaz, Candy Corn).
I am busy so my new favorite thing is listening to audiobooks! But when I sit down to read books, my favorites are Pete the Cat books, and books by Kevin Henkes.
My favorite foods would be chocolate- peanut butter smoothies and nachos.

I am looking forward to meeting you and your family! Together, we will make this a great year!

Mrs. Goudey

Hello students & parents! Welcome to Fully Virtual School. I am your Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Goudey. I can be reached at cgoudey@bhbl.org at anytime!

I’m looking forward to teaching Fully Virtual School this year. I have been an educator for 24 years and specialize in reading. I LOVE being part of the process to help children discover that they really ARE readers. This school year is very different from any other years, and yet I’m so excited to being a major player in the beginning of the “formal” reading process with Kindergarteners because I have never worked with this grade level before. Please know that I will be here to help my students in any way that I can and help them feel comfortable with their first year of formal education. My goal is create an environment that helps kids fall in love with school and learning.

Remember, we are all in this together and we will share, support, have fun and learn together!

I’m looking forward to meeting my students in orientation and learning about each and every one of you! In the meantime, here are a few fun fact about me:

I’m an animal lover and I have two dogs, Mr. T and Stella, and a cat, Luna.
My favorite book is “That’s Good, That’s Bad” by Margery Cuyler.
My favorite food is Nachos!
My favorite movie is Babe.
When I’m not teaching, I LOVE to go camping!

Mrs. Guba | Mrs. Guba’s Website

Ms. Jankowski, Virtual Librarian

Hello Parents! My name is Erin Jankowski and I’m the Fully Virtual Librarian this year. I can be reached at ejankowski@bhbl.org.
I have been teaching for 17 years. My favorite part of teaching is getting to see all the kids and watching them grow over the years. This year I’m looking forward all of the new technology tools to get excited about! I am happy to help with anything–Not just library! I love technology and finding resources for kids, let me know what you need. I hope everyone has a great year. I am looking forward to meeting students from other schools. Until then, here are some fun facts about me:

I have no pets in my home, but my parents have dogs. I enjoy other people’s pets.
I love so many books that it’s too hard to choose just one to tell you about.
My favorite food is Mexican food.
My favorite movie is The Sound of Music and yes, I sing along!
When I’m not teaching, I love to cook and bake.

Mr. Jones

Hi, my name is Steve Jones and I have the pleasure to be your Virtual Physical Education Teacher this school year. I’ve been teaching and coaching for 20 years here at BH-BL, and I’m excited to get back in action.

A little about me: I am a proud father of three children in BH-BL (Katelyn, Mia, and Daniel) and love the fact that my wife and I are raising our family in the same community that I grew up in. GO SPARTANS!

I love teaching kids and watching them smile while they achieve success. Sometimes it takes hard work, and you may struggle a little bit, but it is so rewarding once you cross that finish line. The thrill of learning a new skill, accomplishing a tough task, meeting new friends, or helping others around you is so fulfilling. I’m looking forward to a great year and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with you. Can’t wait to see all your smiling faces!

FUN FACTS ABOUT COACH JONES:

Sports I’ve Coached: Volleyball, Wrestling, Soccer, Football, Lacrosse, Softball.
Favorite Sport: Wrestling
Favorite Teams: USA, Iowa Hawkeyes, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Dallas Cowboys
Favorite Events to watch: Olympics, FIFA World Cup, Wrestling, Football, Soccer
Favorite Music: All kinds, but I love listening to country music while I’m relaxing with family and friends.
Favorite Book: Where the Red Fern Grows
Favorite Movies: Action & Adventure
Favorite things to do while not in the gym or on an athletics field: Hanging out with family and friends, traveling, camping and being outdoors

Miss Karis

Hello students and parents! I’m Miss Karis and I’ll be teaching art at the Fully Virtual School and at Pashley this year. If you have any questions or concerns, you can email at akaris@bhbl.org.

This is my first year at BH-BL. My favorite part of teaching is helping students explore new ideas and express themselves through art. I am looking forward to teaching you about all of the different ways we can make art! I love to make art with all kinds of things, but my favorite way is to draw using my computer.

I can’t wait to learn more about you. Until then, here are some fun things about me:

I have a brown tabby cat named Timmy. He loves to snuggle, eat, and sometimes knock stuff over.
One of my favorite books is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
I love cookie dough ice cream!
When I’m not teaching, I love to paint and draw. I also like to read, cook, and spend time outside.

See you in art class!

Mr. Kopa | Mr. Kopa’s Classroom Website

Mrs. Malinowski

Hello second graders and parents! I’m Mrs. Malinowski and I’ll be teaching second grade in the Fully Virtual School this year. I’m looking forward to the upcoming school year as we take on the challenge of virtual learning together. I can be reached anytime by email at smalinowski@bhbl.org

This is my 27th year teaching at BH-BL. I’ve been a full-time teacher at Pashley where I started my career as a second-grade teacher. I have also taught grades three, four and five. I’m very excited to be returning to second grade this school year. I’ve been hard at work with the second-grade team preparing for an amazing school year together. I promise to make learning fun, exciting, and enjoyable for all no matter the circumstance. I can’t wait to meet you on the first day of school!

Here are some fun facts about me:

The most important thing in my life is my family! I am married and I have a daughter, a son, two dogs, and a grand-puppy.
I spend a lot of my time outdoors adventuring with my family and pups. We love boating, bike riding, and camping.
I’m a HUGE New York Yankees fan!
I’m obsessed with monkeys, especially chimpanzees!
I have two Labrador Retrievers, Jameson and Ginger. My daughter also adopted a rescue puppy this summer named Cooper. You will hear all about them and see them too.
I love exercising and staying healthy!
My favorite foods are lobster, tacos, and pizza.
My favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip.
I love Judy Moody books and just about any book that makes me laugh.

I’m so excited and can’t wait to meet you on Monday, Sept. 14–our first day of school! Bring your smiles and be ready to have a fun year in second grade with me. You’re officially a Malinowski Monkey!

Mr. Moore

Hello Everyone! I’m Mr. Robb Moore and I am a third grade virtual school teacher. I can be reached by email at rmoore@bhbl.org.

I love teaching and I loved working with students at every grade level I’ve taught. I have taught grades 1-5 as well as high school. It’s been a while since I’ve taught third grade and I am so excited to be back teaching at this grade level. Third grade is so much fun and such great learning takes place. It’s the grade where we make the switch from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” I am also thrilled to be teaching third grade virtually with Mrs. Engelhard and Mrs. Underwood.

Along with my students’ help this year, I look forward to creating a classroom community based on RESPECT. You will see that respect is something that I believe in for all people.

I am looking forward to getting to know my students and their families throughout this school year. Here are some highlights to let you know a little more about me:

I have twin boys. They are fifth graders. Their names are Adam and James.
I love to travel. I have been to 49 out of the 50 states. I have been to Canada and Mexico and I have been to Europe many times.
I like skiing in the winter (snow) and in the summer (water). I love being outside.
Spending time at the ocean is one of my favorite things to do. I have a special fondness for the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
Pizza and Mexican food are among my favorite things to eat.
I love to read. I like books of all levels. I have thousands of books. I always hope that some of my love of reading spills over to my students.

I know that virtual learning will have its set of challenges, but I believe that if we all give our best, we will be able to create a class community that will grow and learn together.

Specials classes will be taught through Google Meets each day.

Here is our Specials Schedule:

P.E. will be on Mondays from 10:10-10:55.
Music will be on Tuesdays from 10:10-10:55.
Art will be on Wednesdays from 9:15-10:00.
Library will be on Thursdays from 10:10-10:55.
P.E. will also be on Fridays from 10:10-10:55.
We’ll take a break for lunch from 11:40-12:40. We will not have any Google Meets during this time so that you can enjoy lunch at home and hopefully get outside for some fresh air.

Mrs. Neddo, Virtual Library Teacher | Mrs. Neddo’s Website

Hello everyone! I am Mrs. Neddo, your Virtual Library Media teacher. I can be reached at kneddo@bhbl.org.

This will be my 25th year as a library teacher with 22 of those years at Pashley Elementary School. I will be teaching in-person classes at Pashley and several virtual classes K-5. I am excited to try out new technologies as we set out to make new connections and explore new ideas.

Here are some facts about me:

We adopted a new kitten this summer. Her name is Luna. I have chickens too! Some of them are from Mrs. Ferrie, our PE teacher.
My husband and I just sent our son off to his junior year in college.
I can’t name a favorite book–t changes all the time! What I am reading right now, however is Beneath a Scarlet Sky, Chicken Little The Real and Totally True Tale and Night of the Living Ted.
I love to be outdoors–hiking, biking, and walking at the State Park and Battlefield.

Look forward to meeting you soon!

Mrs. Roberts

Mr. Somoza

I hope you’re having a wonderful summer! Don’t worry, it’s not over yet, but since school will begin in a couple of weeks, I thought I’d send you a letter to welcome you back. This is truly going to be a different experience for all of us, but I know we’ll have a great time together. Fifth grade is one of the best and most memorable years of school, and we’ll make sure that this year is a wonderful experience for you. The main thing will be to work on how we all communicate. I always want to know how you’re doing, how you’re feeling about school, and how I can help you. Even if we’re not together in a classroom, I want you to know that I’m always here for you – whatever you may need.

During the first days of school we’ll mostly do activities where you’ll get to know your classmates, and I’ll get to know all of you. Because of this unique virtual learning situation, you’ll be in class with students from other schools. We’ve never done anything like this before, and I think it’ll be a very positive way for you to get to know each other before entering middle school. In the first few days we’ll also talk about communication and technology and how we can use the tools around us to stay connected as a class.

I have to tell you that I absolutely love teaching fifth grade. This will be my 27th year of teaching, and almost all of my years have been in fifth grade. It’s such a great time in your lives when you’re transitioning from being an elementary school kid to a middle schooler. I’m so happy to be your teacher for this year and for this interesting new experience!

Since some of you don’t know me, so I’ll tell you a bit about myself:

I grew up in southern New Mexico. We were surrounded by hot, dry desert, and Mexico was only a short drive from our house.
In college I studied architecture and worked as an architect for several years before deciding to return to school and become a teacher.
My first teaching job was in Colorado, where I lived up in the mountains.
After that I got a job teaching at a private school in Brazil. I lived there for three years and got to travel all over Brazil and South America. There was another teacher working at that school who was from upstate New York. She and I got engaged and then moved to Japan, where we taught at another private school and got married.
After a year there we moved to Vermont, where I taught for three years, and our two sons were born. After a few years we moved to Burnt Hills, and I’ve been here ever since.
I’ve loved all of the places that I taught, but no place has been as great as Burnt Hills. This is truly such a special place with such wonderful families and such incredible kids. I feel so lucky to be a part of this special community!

As we start back at school, it’s always great to hear all about the exciting adventures that you’ve had over the summer. With that in mind, I’d like you to find one or two objects for the first couple days of school that you can share with the class when you introduce yourself. For example, if you wanted to talk about your love of baseball and tell us about a great camping trip you had this summer, you might bring in a baseball and a photo of your family in the Adirondacks. So it can be anything that will help you to tell about yourself or about your summer. Please don’t stress about it, it’s just meant to be a fun way to get to know each other at the start of school.

I’ve had a great summer – having fun with my wife and kids and getting out into nature whenever possible. I’ve also spent a lot of time planning ahead for a great year and meeting with our technology team to plan for new technology improvements in our district. I can’t wait to meet you and hear all about your summer adventures!

School officially begins on Monday, Sept. 14, but before that I’ll send out an invitation to Google Classroom and will share more information with you before then. On the Sept. 14, we’ll have our first Google Meet, and we’ll have regular meetings after that.

Here are a few pieces of information that may be helpful in preparation for school:

Specials classes will be taught through Google Meets each day.
Art will be on Mondays from 11:05-11:50.
Library will be on Tuesdays 11:05-11:50.
PE will be on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:05-11:50.
Music will be on Thursdays from 9:15-10:00.
We’ll take a break for lunch from 12:05-1:05. We will not have any Google Meets during this time so that you can have a nice and relaxing lunch and hopefully get outside for some fresh air.

If possible, please have your school supplies for the first day of class. I’ll also post a copy of it in Google Classroom. Just login to your Gmail account using your username and password from last year. Then go to Google Classroom and find Mr. Somoza’s Class 2020-21. I’ll have it attached there.

If you have questions about anything else between now and the first day of school, please feel free to email me anytime. Enjoy the rest of your summer! I can’t wait to meet you!

Mrs. Taylor (Art)

Hello Artists! I am Karen Taylor, an art teacher at BH-BL. I can be reached at ktaylor@bhbl.org. I am excited to be a part of the virtual school this year! I will be teaching K-5 in-person classes from Stevens Elementary, as well as many K-5 virtual classes.

This will be my 14th year of teaching. I have taught preschool through 12th grade and enjoy every level.

One of the best parts of my job is watching students grow into their own unique, creative selves. When I teach, I often start out introducing an artist or an art movement. I give examples and share demonstrations with the children. The students all begin at the same point. Then, I am amazed watching them take their experiences into many different directions. It is wonderful to see and is so fulfilling as an art teacher.

A few fun facts about me:

I have two sons at BH-BL High School, a senior and a freshman. They will be learning virtually too!
My husband is also an art teacher at the middle school in Saratoga Springs.
My family and I love to travel and explore historic places. (This summer we stayed close to home).
We just adopted a puppy this summer named Daisy.
I love to garden. I love planting flower and vegetable gardens.

I cannot wait to meet all of you! Get ready to have fun in art class!

Mrs. Underwood

Hi and welcome to third grade Virtual School! My name is Mrs. Underwood (aunderwood@bhbl.org). I am so excited to meet each and every one of you! Despite how different it will be to learn virtually, we are going to make this a great experience!

This year will be my 17th year teaching. I taught first grade for seven years (at Charlton Heights and Stevens) and I am entering my tenth year in third grade. I love teaching my students! My favorite part of teaching is just being around the children and hearing their thoughts and perspectives.

Here is some information I would like to share with you about me:

I am Pittsburgh Steeler fan and I love the fun conversations that happen with the class during football season!
I love to cook and I am always trying to learn about foods from different countries.
Mr. Underwood and I have a large vegetable garden each summer that keeps us very busy. I love to grow flowers too!
My favorite food is a potato…in any form. I love them mashed, baked, fried, boiled, etc. I absolutely love cheese and eggs too.
When I am not teaching, I am exercising, reading or learning to play the piano.
My favorite book is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane by Kate DiCamillo.