I found this great book review resource on the Inky Girl site The Unfinished Angel is a book that is relatively new in our media center, but it’s a great one! This year, we’ve explored writing book reviews in a blogging format, but this review offers a comic-style way of writing reviews. If this style of writing reviews is something that interests you or your child, I would love to display some comic reviews in our media center and on our website. Just let me know!
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My mind is overflowing with new ideas for our media center. I’m at the AASL Conference in Charlotte, NC, and I’m in awe at the creativity & knowledge of my librarian colleagues from across the country. I’m also overwhelmed by the support that authors are giving to librarians and their role in creating sanctuaries for kids to come and access information and stories. Tonight, I heard Laurie Halse Anderson talk about censorship and how censorship is an evil brew made up of power, fear, and frustration. She continued by naming library budget cuts and cuts of library positions as a form of censorship.
Laurie Halse Anderson was not the only author who spoke of the importance of school librarians. James Patterson began the day by praising the work that librarians do to open doors for young readers. He stressed the importance of helping children have positive experiences with books. Kids should have access to the books that they want to read. Once they find a love of books, other books that adults want them to read can be sprinkled into the mix. I want to highlight James Patterson’s website Read Kiddo Read because it is a wonderful resource for finding new books to read whether you’re a student, a parent, a teacher, a friend, or a family member. Mr. Patterson includes many categories of books, including a section on supporting reluctant boy readers. Please check out his site and see what you find.
I invite you to include any thoughts in the comments section of this post about: censorship, librarians, how you find your own books to read, or resources you have to share.
It took me a long time to work up the courage to read Chris Grabenstein’s The Crossroads. I read the first few pages and got scared out of my wits. From the beginning, this book is filled with evil trees and ghost from beyond the grave. But once I got used to having ghosts as some of the main characters, I discovered that there’s really a great mystery to solve here.
Zack Jennings really wants to like his new stepmother. She seems nice enough, but Zack keeps wondering when she’s going to yell at him the way his mother used to before she died. When Zack’s family moves to a small town in Connecticut, he begins to realize that life might become really different for him after all. He gets a dog, starts to make a few friends… and a tree keeps trying to kill him. Fortunately for Zack, the pieces of the puzzle start to come together with the help of some local ghosts.
If you enjoy a good mystery, check this book out! In the beginning, you might think that all these characters are just random people, but pay attention! You never know who will have the key to unlocking the mystery…
Reviewed by Ms. Meghan Beshara
In Greetings from Nowhere by Barbara O’Connor, the reader is introduced to a cast of characters who don’t seem to have anything in common. There’s Aggie, whose husband has just died, forcing her to sell the Sleepy Time Motel when she can no longer take care it. There’s Willow, whose parents don’t love each other anymore and who doesn’t quite know what to do with herself now that her mother is gone. There’s Loretta, whose other mother just “crossed over to the other side” and left her a box full of mysteries. And then there’s Kirby, who is driving into the Great Smoky Mountains with his mother because he has attend a special school for boys. Kirby knows the real reason he’s going is because everyone hates him.
Eventually, everyone ends up at the Sleepy Time Motel and that’s when things really get interesting. While all the characters are different ages, they all learn something from one another as they gather around an emptied out old pool. The book is organized into chapters told from the point of view of a different character every time. Reading this book made me feel good all the way down to my toes.
Reviewed by Ms. Meghan Beshara
Last night at our PTA meeting, Georgia Collier gave a wonderful presentation on supporting readers from birth to into their independent years. One of the most amazing pieces of information that she shared was about the Wee Read program. This program is made possible through the Ferst Foundation, United Way Success by 6, and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Any child in Clarke County below the age of 5 can register. Registered children receive one book per month that is age appropriate. These books build a wonderful home library before children even begin school. In the media center, we have a table setup with information and forms to fill out if you want to register your child. I hope you will all take advantage of this great program. I know I’m signing up my child as soon as she arrives in December!
Today 3rd-5th graders were lucky enough to have a 45 minute session with author, Donny Bailey Seagraves. She is the author of Gone from these Woods, a book recently published by Random House. Donny’s talk included many details of how she uses her surroundings, memories, and acquaintances to inspire her writing. Students also had an opportunity to ask questions about being an author and about the writing process.
This author visit was made possible from funds from our recent book fair. Thank you for all you do to support our media center. Author visits always inspire students to go back to their writing notebooks and work on crafting great stories. In March, we will have author, Carmen Agra Deedy, who will visit with all students at Barrow.
Donny Seagraves’s book is available for checkout in our media center. It’s a great story for older readers that is a great book to share with a family member and have thoughtful discussions about real-world situations. Check out our pictures from today’s visit.
Barrow’s 2009 storybook parade is now history. We had a wonderful morning celebrating great books and dressing up as characters. Students paraded across the stage, received bookmarks, and had their names announced. After all students crossed the stage, we marched to 5 Points shouting “Read More Books!”. Our 5th graders stopped by Jittery Joe’s and enjoyed some hot chocolate. Thanks so much Jittery Joe’s for treating us like stars. Check out our pictures. It’s not too early to start thinking about what you would like to be next year. 🙂
Many of you have enjoyed reading Coraline and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, but did you know that he also writes picture books? We just received two new picture books in our media center, and I really enjoyed reading them. They have the same quirkiness and uniqueness that Gaiman’s novels have.
In Crazy Hair, Gaiman writes in rhyming text that tells the story of a man with crazy hair. When a girl comments that she thinks the man has crazy hair, he proceeds to describe just how crazy his hair really is. From tigers and bears to hot air balloons, there’s all kinds of things inside this man’s hair! The illustrations are full of life and take the reader on a journey through each strand of twisted, tangled hair. David McKean has a knack for creating illustrations that are curious and unique. A reader can enjoy simply flipping through the illustrations to see what he can find. Get lost in the maze of craziness by reading Crazy Hair.
In Wolves in the Walls, illustrator Dave McKean creates eery pictures that compliment Gaiman’s spooky story. Lucy and her family live in an old house that is full of noises. Lucy knows that there are wolves in the walls and her family knows that if the wolves come out, it’s all over. This is a great story to read in the dark or to read aloud. I loved how the text changes sizes because it helps you know when to make your voice really quiet or really loud if you are reading aloud. Even though this is a creepy tale, stick with it because you might just find out that having wolves in the walls isn’t so bad after all.
Stop by the media center and soon and take a look at these two new books.
Testing The Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson
By: Sharon Robinson
Illustrated by: Kadir Nelson
Jackie Robinson made history by breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. He is a national hero whose bravery helped pave the way for equal rights to African-Americans. One would think he could do anything, but Jackie held a secret from the world. He could not swim.
The story is authored by Robinson’s daughter, Sharon. She shares her memory of moving out of New York City to the countryside in Connecticut. She meets many new friends and enjoys her life there. The illustrations really bring the story to life. The perspective brings a feeling as if I’m right there at that moment in time! Kadir Nelson did a great job telling the story through his drawings.
The book goes into how Jackie entered Major League Baseball by telling the story to Sharon and her new friends. It is such an incredible story of courage. I can’t even begin to imagine all that he had to deal with in a time when segregation existed.
No one knew Jackie Robinson could not swim. While all the kids played in the lake by their house, Jackie always stayed close to shore. When winter arrives, all the kids want to ice skate on the frozen lake. Jackie sets out to ‘test the ice’ and in this moment, Sharon realizes he can’t swim. She realizes his bravery and correlates his actions on the ice to his courage to be the first African-American in Major League Baseball. It is a beautiful, interwoven story for all brave hearts to hear. It helps the reader realize how one must step into unfamiliar territory and move past one’s fears to achieve great things! I highly recommend this book.
Reviewed by Shelley Olin
Expect the Miraculous 