Thank you Dav Pilkey

Wow! Dav Pilkey donated $1000 to our library! He presented at the University Bookstore on Friday, September 11th and left behind gift cards for two libraries. Our school was chosen on a very random basis- The mom of a woman who works at the store once tutored at our school! Yeah Dearborn Park International School, and thank you Dav Pilkey! The money will be used for books to support classroom curriculum.

 

The Power of Reading Choice

At the start of summer I was contacted by a friend who was concerned that her to-be first grader didn't want to do his summer reading homework. His homework was to read small "books" at his tested reading level. Early books intended for instructional purposes are boring. I suggested she not have him do his homework and instead take him to the library to select books he wanted to have read to him.

I suggested he curl up with her reading all his chosen books to make reading something to love. I did ask his reading level expecting it to be a very early stage level, but she answered "F". So I suggested she have him read Elephant and Piggy books by Mo Willems which are at that level and engaging and downright funny.

She sent this picture titled "Victory" from the library the next day.

 He started reading all the books they chose and quickly moved on to reading Frog and Toad books which are an even higher reading level.

Remember the if children find joy in reading they will choose to read. So come to the library with your child, check out a pile of books and read together.

I am happy to recommend some of my favorites. 

Free books for your child thanks to Dolly Parton

I just came across this article about an organization Dolly Parton founded that will send your child a book a month for 5 years. That's 60 free books for your child. 

She does this because there were 0 books in her house when she was growing up. In fact her father couldn't read and 

"Research shows that kids who just have books in their house (regardless of nationality, level of education, or socioeconomic status of the parents) reach a higher level of education than kids who grew up in homes without books."

Read the article here.  

I do not have a young child to sign up, but this is where you'd do it. Let me know if it works and if there are age requirements.

Happy Reading!

What to read next?

Looking for what to read next? Know that your child loves some books but won't last a page in another one?

Your Next Read.Com to the rescue. From this link you can click on the tab that interests you the most i.e. "Children" or simply type in the title of a well loved book. Some links work better than others, so try a few and see how it works for you.

Award Winners 2015

While most of the city was down and sad about the Seahawks' loss in the Superbowl, I was quickly distracted by the announcement of the Youth Media Awards. This is the equivalent of the Oscars for children's book lovers.
Here are the winners that we will soon have in our library.

The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:
The winner plus two honor titles.

The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Plus 5 honor titles!

 

Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing an African American author and Illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.

Writer- the winner and one honor title: 

 

 

 Illustrator- the winner and two honor titles.

Pura Belpré Illustrator Award honoring a Latino illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino Cultural experience.
The winner and three honor titles

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children.  

The winner and four honor titles.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for most distinguished beginning reader book.
One winner and two honor titles.

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody and artistic expression of the disability experience.

 If you'd like to see the complete list, click HERE.

Awards for our 4th and 5th Graders

Dearborn's 4th and 5th graders have been invited to participate in choosing two award winners this spring. Both the Sasquatch Reading Award and the Young Readers Choice award work the same way. A list of fabulous books is chosen by Washington State librarians in the spring of each year. Students then have the year to read all the titles that interest them. If they read at least two books on the list, the students are invited to vote for the winner.

Here are the lists for each award. Students will vote at the end of March.

Sasquatch Reading Award

Author	Title
Angelberger, Tom	Fake Mustache
Berlin, Eric	Puzzler’s Mansion, The
Harkrader, Lisa	Adventures of Beanboy
McMullan, Kate	Have a Hot Time, Hades!
Noe, Katherine Schlick	Something to hold
Palacio, R. J.	Wonder
Peacock, Carol Antionette	Red Thread Sisters
Preus, Margi	Shadow on the Mountain
Rodkey, Geoff	Deadweather and Sunrise
Sheinkin, Steve	Lincoln’s Grave Robbers
Stratton, Allan	Grave Robber’s Apprentice, The
Turnage, Sheila	Three Times Lucky

Young Readers Choice Award

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Ungifted by Gordon Korman
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket
Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski

Please note that both lists include Wonder and Three Times Lucky. If a child reads both of these book, he or she can vote for both lists.