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.

 

Towner Award for Informational Text

The Washington State Student Award for Informational Text

Third graders choose two books each week and their teachers insist one book is an informational non-fiction book. Non-fiction is a tricky term in the library. In class, teachers use it mean stories that are true or informational, but in the library non-fiction refers to any book that does not have a narrative form and a known author. This definition relegates fairy tales, poetry, and joke books to non-fiction. Clearly, these are not what teachers want when they tell their students to choose a non-fiction book. What they want their students reading is informational text.

Fortunately for all of us their is now a fine selection of new informational text titles to choose from. The Towner Award, now in its second year, provides students  with a list of ten fabulous information texts to read. Students in grades 2 -6 can vote in the spring for their favorite book. 

The first time winner was

.

I wonder which book will win this year? So far we've read...

 

The next title we'll read is also by Elizabeth Rusch.

Look here for the complete list.

CultureGrams and Primary Sources

"When used effectively, primary sources can open a world of possibilities in the classroom. When students have opportunities to approach sources as historians do, history becomes an art and a mystery — rather than a series of lifeless facts" http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/5316 

 
The second graders this year are delving into the study of buildings around the world with a focus on a different continent each month. In October they focused on Africa. As an educator and a curious traveler, I don't like how Africa is often spoken of as a country. It was important to me and the teacher, Mrs. MacIsaac, that students walk away with the knowledge that Africa is a diverse nation. During library time the first week in October, I used a lesson in Using Google Earth: Bring the World into your Classroom by Jo Bea Holt  that had students look at Africa and color in the land as it looked from space. This added depth to their conversations about materials used for traditional buildings.


 Many of our students are learning English and at the age of 7 resources for learning about the buildings of Africa were limited. I took at closer look at CultureGrams, the wonderful database I've used with 3 -5 graders for years, and discovered that the photo collections would be perfect for this study. Each country in Africa has a photo collection. With partners, students were able to select a variety of photos and fill the graphic organizer below.

 

We decided to use this graphic organizer over the traditional Library of Congress Primary Document Analysis Tool because we wanted the lesson to connect to their learning in the classroom. As they study about buildings in other continents, I'll teach them specifically about Primary Documents and how we can learn from photos.

The students were wildly engaged in the lessons. They had some deep and meaningful conversations about what types of buildings are a want or a need. Churches and Mosques were given much thought. Students saw skyscrapers, modern cities, traditional villages, dilapidated ghettos. All of those images led students to understand that all buildings in Africa do not look the same.

Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award

Every year twenty picture books are nominated for the Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award (WCCPBA). Children in grades K - 3 are invited to enjoy the stories and then vote on their favorite title in the spring.

I use these titles primarily with the first graders. They allow me to expose students to current and diverse titles that connect to the library in many ways.
This week first graders enjoyed the story Sophie's Squash which connected perfectly to their science unit on plant growth. It also made them giggle and think.

To take a look at all the nominees for 2015 award, click here.

So far we've read these three titles:

 If the students had to vote today, I'd say the winner would be Nugget and Fang. If teachers were allowed to vote, it might go to Sophie's Squash.

Shop the Book Fair

Our book fair will be in the school the week of October 20th. You can also shop for books online between October 12 and November 1. These purchase will be sent directly to the school once the online sale is closed.

Click here to shop.