Gorgeous! I love this book! Teachers are so very often overlooked even though they are so very important. This book is a beautiful reminder of the many ways our lives are made so much better by the teachers in our lives. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. What a great book! Thanks #NetGalley #SourcebooksKids

I quite enjoyed this rhyming picture book honoring teachers. As a teacher, I know many teachers will love it, and the illustrations are beautiful.

Given the times that we are facing right now I am just curious as to which side of the fence post that Gregory E. Lang stands on. Although such a political viewpoint shouldn't matter it does bug me a bit since of the fact that he basically puts so much emphasis on teachers being the ones who teach the kids and introduces children to the world of knowledge when technically the very first teachers should be a child's parents, family or other guardians (although I do also understand there are some adults who may not quite be so proactive in teaching their own little ones).

Otherwise <i>Why We Need Teachers</i> is put into a rhyming context although with no flow thus the story seems to be a bit on the heavy side. As such the sentences that form these poems fluctuate in length, which may be a contributing factor.

What really makes this book, though, are the illustrations. They are brightly done, realistic and so adorable with each illustration showing the same species but in various forms of learning such as the wolf pup being taught music, the frogling to jump and to the sheep to color. Furthermore the book is what I would call inclusive of all genders if one is worried about that since the mallard, the buck deer and the bull moose are noticeably male while the other teachers' gender can be perceived as whatever the reader may want to.

In the end this would make for a great gift to a very special teacher for Teacher's Day and with an apple as a bonus to match all the apples presented to the teachers within this book.

**I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

This book was so adorable. My daughter loves animals and she couldn't stop talking about how cute the illustrations are. It had a very awesome message about just how important teachers are in this world.

Why we need teachers by Gregory E. Lang, would be a wonderful gift for a teacher. This book highlights the impact and importance teachers have on children, while also displaying adorable illustrations. I can easily see this book becoming a class/bedtime favorite and I highly recommend it for libraries and parents.

I teach kindergarten, and I was so excited to read this book! I enjoyed how the story was told through animals, and that the language emphasized a gentle and encouraging nature that teachers have. There is discussion about both academic and social emotional learning, which has become an increasingly larger need for students. I also found it very important to note that schools aren't the only places that teachers are found. They can be coaches, librarians, cousins, parents, and so much more. This is an important story!

What a really cute book with a great message.
It would do all of us good - adults and children - to appreciate teachers more. This book made me think of all the great teachers I have had in my life and where I might have been without them. Every life has been impacted by teachers, it is something that we all have in common.
The illustrations are just beautiful and so cute. The colors are so vivid. Each illustration makes the words that have been read come to life.
I think this would be a great gift book for kids. It would also make a great appreciation book for teachers. I will be buying some for gifts.

Get this book for a teacher in your life to show them some extra appreciation for what they do!
The book is about learning and about people who help us learn – teachers, about how special they are. It is beautifully written.
And the drawings! The drawings in this book are breathtakingly beautiful! I looked up the author and I have seen their work in other books, and it is so, so, so good!

Loved! This one melted my teacher heart. It is definitely a book that I would buy as a gift my children’s teachers. Very, very sweet.

Why We Need Teachers was adorable and provided much needed praise for teachers-- an extremely under appreciated group. While my daughters and I enjoyed this cute read, there were times when the rhymes didn't flow well- where the rhythm was off (seemingly for the sake of finding a way to make the rhyme work). The rhythm made it a little difficult as a read-aloud.

Why We Need Teachers by Gregory E. Lang is a very cute book about what teachers teach us. The back of the book says 4 and up. The beautiful pictures of the animals would be very enjoyable to children even three and up. I cannot wait to buy this book and read it to my three year old granddaughter.

I thought this children's picture book was super cute. I loved that it was an appreciation for teachers as well. The art was adorable and I liked how many different animals were shown. My 4 year old loves animals and the change of animals throughout would keep his interest. I personally would have liked the last line of each page to continue rhyming.

This book has a wonderful message, amazing illustrations, and creative writing style. An easy recommendation to give out to others.

This book lays out all the things that teachers help us learn to do. Whether it is adding and subtracting to learning to get along with others. They list things that some people may not realize that teachers do. Every dr or artist or world leader started in a classroom with a teacher.
Lovely artwork in this story of animals and baby animals.

The important message about how important teachers are to our every day lives and how they should be appreciated for everything they do and give to children is accompanied by beautiful photos of animals that adorn every page with the animals doing different 'learning' activities. My one year old loved looking at every picture getting a giant smile on her face at each one. This a book I could see reading to her over and over.

I think this would be a great gift for a special teacher in a child's life. The illustrations are beautiful, and the rhymes are cute. However, I think it sends a somewhat skewed message by divorcing parents from role of teachers. A schoolteacher didn't teach me how to count - my parents did. I learned how to do a LOT from my parents, not just my teachers. And with what I see coming from schools these days, we cannot all agree on some of these things like the book says. I was really hoping it'd say something about parents too, because that's where we learn some of the most important things about life, but it didn't.

As a teacher, I found this book to be sweet and heartwarming. It would definitely make a fantastic gift for that favorite teacher in your life! I really enjoyed the sweet sentiments and ways that teachers are helpful. There were also a few funny bits that made me laugh. The rhyming was beautiful, although a technique was used where the fourth line did not rhyme. The illustrations were beautiful and fit the book perfectly. I very much enjoyed this book and would highly recommend!

While young children will appreciate this animal-filled, rhyming picture book on why teachers are essential, Why We Need Teachers is much better suited as a gift to that special elementary-school teacher. At a time when teachers are being underpaid, attacked, vilified and overworked, what teacher wouldn’t adore this lovely paean to the teaching profession? Special kudos to illustrator Lisa Alderson for these lovely full-colored pictures.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Sourcebooks Kids and Sourcebook Wonderland in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what a book that was.
I read it to my son and he was very impressed.
He realized what he needed a teacher for.
He learned what he should do, being grateful for his work.
I must draw your attention to the illustrations, they are wonderful.
Every child should read this book.
My son answered the questions I asked correctly after reading this book.
The perfect book to read before bedtime.
This book entertains and teaches.


We recommend "Why we need teachers", mommy_and_books and son.


Our rating 10/10

As a teacher myself, I would love to get this book as a gift, especially with a personalized note inside. Along with sweet rhyming on each page, there are adorable illustrations of animals teaching baby animals. Teachers can always use more encouragement and this book gives it in spades!