Makerspace

The 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders spent the week making stuff in the library as part of our Library Makerspace.  Ours was pretty low tech compared to some of the projects in Make Magazine but we had fun and stuff was made.  In honor of our making we will be giving away Makerspace Swag that was generously sent to us by the kind people at Make Magazine.  If you would like to win a cap, journal, tee shirt or bandana, simply comment on any of our blog entries (with relevant comments) and your name will be put into the drawing. 

Winners chosen randomly Friday March 28th. 

What are you making these days?

Battle of the Kids Books

So, when I talk about Battle of the Kids Books to other people I tend to get a little...overly excited.  I can hear my voice getting louder and I can feel my whole body speeding up.  Some might say I'm fanatical.  But isn't that my job?  Shouldn't I LOVE to read new books?  And really, shouldn't you???

Here we are already in round two of my favorite book battle and I haven't mentioned it here yet! The Battle of the Kids Books or BOB is the yearly fight between this year's best books published for all ages of kids. That's what makes it interesting, all ages, all genres.  I love book covers so I can't resist showing you all the covers even if that makes this post too long.  Also, I've linked to the judges websites so that you can try to guess which book they'll vote for by what they've written.  That doesn't really work though (because sometimes they do crazy things like toss a coin!) so just use it as a way to learn about new authors.  So, here's what we have coming up in round two...

The Animal Book  by Steve Jenkins 

vs Boxers & Saints by Gene Yang

 judged by Tonya Bolden

I love The Animal Book and I love Steve Jenkins.  You should read all of his books, they're so interesting and well done, the torn paper illustrations are amazing!  Boxers and Saints is a graphic novel.  I don't like graphic novels but I'm always impressed with the ones chosen for BOB.  This one was too rough for me.  So I hope The Animal Book will win and Tonya Bolden writes non fiction soooo....it probably won't.

M2: 3/24 Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell 

vs Far Far Away by Tom McNeal 

judged by Rae Carson

Eleanor and Park was my very favorite book last year.  I tried to make as many people (over the age of...12) read it.  I convinced a few.  It's the writing that's so lovely, the characters that are so vulnerable, the plot that has parts that took my breath away and made my heart hurt.  Far Far Away is the only book in this set I'm not done with yet.  Mostly because I'm scared.  I'm afraid because Mr. Grimm tells me I should be and I believe him.  I love the characters so far though and the writing is just great.  I'll finish before these two battle and I'll probably be sad no matter what the outcome.  


M3: 3/25 Hokey Pokey by Jerry Spinelli 

vs P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia 

 judged by Joseph Bruchac
 Hokey Pokey is the perfect book for those who "get" the other world quality of childhood.  I'm not sure that's children just yet.  I know my uncle Jon and my friend Angus would love this book for it's bike descriptions alone.  I'm not sure what kid is going to really "get" all this book is about.  The same can be said for P.S. Be Eleven, really.  I loved the girls though, these sisters who each had their own distinctly them personality and life.  The story is great and I hope there are more to make it a series.

M4: 3/26 The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata  

  vs True Blue Scouts of Sugarman Swamp  by Kathi Appelt 

judged by Katherine Marsh

I liked The Thing About Luck just fine.  I wasn't bothered at all by all the farm talk as some people were but I didn't LOVE it.  There was something missing from the main character for me that I wanted.  Some kind of extra depth that I needed to be completely pulled in. The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp was fantastic.  The racoons and their mission to protect the swamp, the car they lived in and how it all came together with the boy and his mother and their pies, oh sugar pies!  Can you tell I can't remember characters' names at all after I've read a book?

Okay, go read one of these or all of them and follow along!  It's great fun!

Mo Wilems Mo Humor

These are some of my very favorite read aloud books.  There are a plenty to choose from and each one has at least one page that always makes me laugh out loud.  The words are sparse so beginning readers can take a try reading to you!  The elephant is named Gerald and the Piggie is a GIRL, the kids will correct you when you say "she" but it's in there, she's a girl (this is a post on its own for another time, pronouns being male centered so often) and they are such great friends.  Their adventures are fantastic and fun to watch and everyone loves looking on the end pages for that sneaky pigeon.

Enjoy!

Non Fiction Chapter Books

"Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't." Mark Twain
The story of Amelia Earhart's life is fascinating and this book, Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming gives us more of the story than we've ever known.  The book is put together almost like a scrapbook with pictures from Amelia's childhood and clippings from newpapers and events as she grew famous.  There are quotes and real life accounts of what was said while in the air and trying to communicate.  It's a heart breaking story and a great read aloud for older kids 4th and 5th graders would love it.

Most kids (and adults) love to be read to.  It's so important to keep reading aloud even after the picture book stage.  What is better than a shared story?

Bomb the Race to Build - and Steal- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin reads like a spy novel.  Much of the book takes place right here in New Mexico and gives a great timeline of what was going on in the rest of the world while Los Alamos scientists were working away.  The details of the story are so interesting and Sheinkin makes it easy to follow and understand.

What's your favorite non fiction chapter book?

Jan Thomas

My first experience with a Jan Thomas book was Rhyming Dust Bunnies. 

I remember laughing out loud right along with the kids while reading Rhyming Dust Bunnies aloud to a class of first graders.  There aren't many books that make me really laugh out loud, I can pretend to laugh or exclaim, "Isn't that funny?" when the kids are laughing hysterically but with Jan Thomas' books I really laugh because they are FUNNY!

There are lots of opinions about what kids should be reading and what we should be reading to them.  I'm always of the opinion that kids should read books they like, books that make them want to read more, books that show them what the magic of reading can be because if we don't encourage a love of reading imagine what they will miss out on.

  



What books make you laugh?

Jason Chin

I usually pick fiction to read aloud much more often than non fiction but there are so many fantastic non fiction read alouds out there to mention.  Jason Chin writes about the fascinating world around us in his books, Coral Reefs, Island and

Redwoods.  The books make you want to get up and go visit these places as soon as you can get there.  The descriptions are vivid and the pictures add to the wonder of nature.