STUDENT BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

As part of the library unit focusing on the Virginia Reader's Choice Awards, students in grades 3 through 5 have been writing their own book recommendations. I encouraged them to think of their favorite book, why they love that book, and why they would tell other students to read the book. Students are always coming into the library looking for book recommendations, and I love recommending books for them. However, I think it would be even more helpful if they could get recommendations from their peers.

I am in the process of typing up their book recommendations and putting them in a packet by grade. Then, these laminated packets will be available in the library for other students looking for book recommendations!

Although there were a LOT of book recommendations for Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Captain Underpants, and that's fine, there were lots of students that recommended different books as well. Their use of advanced vocabulary was impressive, and their descriptions were as well. Also, they recommended a nice blend of nonfiction and fiction books. All of the students did a GREAT job, and I put some examples below. Enjoy!

George Washington
By Lenny Hort
This book is fascinating, inspiring, and the author inspires me to read about history.

The Book of Elsewhere
By Jacqueline West
It is full of magic and suspense with jumping through paintings and talking cats and evil dead witches. This book will have you clinging to your seat.

Redwall
By Brian Jacques
It is packed with adventure and action with funny characters. It is full of suspense and is a long book series. There are many different settings. There are cool characters, cool weapons, and awesome fortresses.

11 Birthdays
By Wendy Mass
It's entertaining, fun, and sometimes very mysterious.

The complete packets of recommendations will be available, sorted by grade, by the end of the week.

VIRGINIA READERS' CHOICE AWARDS

They're BACK! It's time for the Virginia Readers' Choice Awards! In case you've never heard of them, the Virginia Readers' Choice Awards give student readers an opportunity to become better acquainted with a broad range of contemporary literature while voicing their opinions about said literature. The students are given a list of popular books, and they can vote on the books they like the best. A winning book is then determined from the list. Students are empowered by their active role in this process. Our library at Sycamore Park currently does not have all of the books on this list, but that will soon change.

Over the next few weeks, all of the grades will be introduced to all of the nominees and will have the opportunity to vote for the book they think deserves to win. I will be reading all of the book nominees to the K-2 grades, and I will be reading excerpts from the book nominees to grades 3-5.

As a part of this unit, I will be asking grades 3-5 to write their own book recommendations so that a packet of these recommendations can be created for use in the library. That way, students can get book recommendations not only from me but also from their peers if they are looking for something great to read. I will also be asking teachers about their favorite children's books, and I am hoping to display pictures in the library of teachers holding their favorite children's books! Exciting things on the horizon.

Here are the nominees for grades K-2:

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen
These Hands by Margaret H. Mason
A Zeal of Zebras: An Alphabet of Collective Nouns by Woop Studios
Pumpkin Trouble by Jan Thomas
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
Swirl by Swirl Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton
The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray

And the nominees for grades 3-5:

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel divided by 1 Dog = Chaos by Vivian Vande Velde
The Lemonade Crime by Jacqueline Davies

Star in the Forest by Laura Resau

My Invisible Sister by Beatrice Colin and Sara Pinto

Waiting for the Magic by Patricia McLachlan

Fractions = Trouble! by Claudia Mills

Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver

Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and the True Story of an American Feud by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain

Hound Dog True by Linda Urban

More info can be found on the website for the Virginia State Reading Association. 

MLK DAY ONLINE RESOURCES

I was looking for good online resources for MLK Day, but honestly the most powerful online resource I could find was the actual video of Martin Luther King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech. Not only are his words powerful, inspirational, and beautiful, but he is an excellent example for our students of how to give a speech. I guess he is just a great example all around. If you are looking for the famous "I Have A Dream" part of the speech and don't have time to listen to the whole thing, that part starts at around 12:20. NOTE: The video may be blocked on the school computers.

Here is a quiz to test your students' (and your own) knowledge of MLK.
QUIZ LINK

And The History Channel has lots of good videos about MLK and the Civil Rights Movement. This video is very kid-friendly and gives some background to the MLK "I Have A Dream" speech in under 3 minutes. There are lots of other videos as well.
VIDEO

The Seattle Times has a nice website about MLK, including some student-written essays about MLK. Here is the link to the essays, but you can find the rest of the website's content by using the drop down menus. They have some great photo galleries as well.
ESSAYS

CURRENT DISPLAY

As most of you know, this month we are celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. To prepare for this holiday on the 20th, the current book display as you enter the library contains books relating to Martin Luther King, Jr! All teachers and students are welcome to check these books out.

Every month, and during certain special weeks throughout the year, I plan on having a relevant display on the bookshelves as you enter the library. For example, in December we had a holiday display. In early January, we had a winter display. Now, we have a Martin Luther King display. After that, it will be a Valentine's Day/Love display. If you ever have any ideas or requests for a display, please let me know!

Also, I wanted to let everyone know that we have some great new titles centered around diversity that have just been added to the collection (thanks to Mrs. Jones for ordering the titles before she left). They are listed below. If you are interested in checking out any of the titles, please let me know and I can find them for you!

Diversity Titles

A Rainbow of Friends
By P.K. Hallinan

Who Is In Your Family?: A Celebration In Diversity
By Susan Bowman

I Am The World
By Charles Smith

Gorp's Dream: A Tale of Diversity, Tolerance, And Love...
By Sherri Chessen

It's Ok To Be Different
By Todd Parr

Can You Say Peace?
By Karen Katz

NEW NONFICTION TITLES

Sycamore Park Library has added a LOT of new and exciting nonfiction titles to the collection. Teachers, some of them might be relevant to your curriculum. Parents, some might help your children with homework. Students, you might find some fun to read and interesting. Check out the list below, and find the titles in the library.

ANIMALS
Therapy Dogs by Sara Green
Water Rescue Dogs by Sara Green
Frogs by Nic Bishop
Poodle by Jinny Johnson
German Shepherd by Jinny Johnson
Guide Dogs by Sara Green
Fire Dogs by Sara Green
Snakes by Nic Bishop
Himalayan Cats by Nancy Furstinger
Yorkshire Terrier by Jinny Johnson
Bulldog by Jinny Johnson
Calico Cats by Nancy Furstinger
Labrador Retriever by Jinny Johnson
Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins
Boxer by Jinny Johnson
The Deathstalker Scorpion by Lisa Owings

BEING A GOOD CITIZEN
Fairness by Lucia Raatma
Trustworthiness by Lucia Raatma
Responsibility by Lucia Raatma
Citizenship by Lucia Raatma

BIOGRAPHIES
Nelson Mandela by Sara Ridley
Pocahontas by Erin Edison
Malcolm X by Gail Fay
Sitting Bull by Ann Weil
Jane Goodall by Erin Edison
Medgar Evans by Ann Weil
Clara Barton by Erin Edison
Frederick Douglass by Sue Vander Hook
Rosa Parks by Erin Edison
Susan B. Anthony by Erin Edison
I Am Roberto Clemente by Jim Gigliotti
Barack Obama by Robin S. Doak

DRAGONS
Real-World Dragons by Matt Doeden
The Anatomy of a Dragon by Matt Doeden
Dragons in Mythology by Matt Doeden
Dragon Behavior by Matt Doeden

LIFE CYCLE/NATURE
What Happens Next?: Caterpillar to Butterfly 
What Happens Next?: Seed to Plant 
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman

ORIGAMI
Origami Wild Animals by Lisa Miles
Fold Your Own Origami Air Force by Mark Bolitho

I SPY
I Spy School Days by Wick Walter
I Spy Treasure Hunt by Walter Wick

SPACE
The Amazing Story of Space Travel by Agnieszka Biskup

HOLIDAYS
The Sound of Kwanzaa by Dimitrea Tokunbo
Cinco de Mayo by Leia Tait

MORE...
Army Rangers by Nick Gordon
Comanche Warriors by David Schach
Firefighters by Cari Meister
Army Night Stalkers by Nick Gordon
Doctors by Cari Meister
Big and Little Things That Go 

A NEW LIBRARIAN & A NEW YEAR

Hi all, my name is Christine Taylor (or Mrs. Taylor) and I am the new librarian at Sycamore Park Elementary School.

I am starting this position just as we start a new year, and I look forward to all of the positives that are coming the library's way in the new year. We have lots of new titles that are going to be added to the collection, we have some exciting program ideas on the horizon, and we have a new library blog. Lots of "new".

For those of you who are curious, I recently received my Master's in Library & Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. I also have my Master's in Social Work. I worked at the Carnegie Library in Oakmont, PA, as the Youth Services Assistant, and I currently work part-time at the Culpeper County Public Library as the Youth Services Assistant there as well.

I look forward to working with the students, parents, teachers, and community to make this year, 2014, the best year yet for the library.