Beardecott Week 3

This week our picks are:

Title: The Dark
Author: Lemony Snicket
Illustrator: Jon Klassen

Title: The Beginner's Guide to Running Away From Home
Author:  Jennifer Larue Huget
Illustrator: Red Nose Studios

It's getting exciting the closer we get the the Caldecott announcement, who will take home the gold?!

Newbery 2014

I love to try to read as many contenders for the Newbery award as I can.  It's a great way for me to find out about all the new books and share them with the students.  I'm trying to finish up my list by the end of January when the winner is announced. So far I have read:

Doll Bones by Holly Black

Flora and Ulyses by Kate DiCamillo

Center of Everything by Linda Urban

Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

The Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kate Appelt

PS Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz 

Eruption!: Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives by Elizabeth Rusch 

The Real Boy by Ursula Ursu

Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

I'm hoping to finish The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata and Paperboy by Vince Vawter before the announcement at the end of the month.

It's so much fun to see the discussions and guesses going around.

What are you reading?

Week 2 Beardecott 2014

We all really enjoyed last week's selections.  It's going to be hard to decide who wins, most kids are giving high scores for each book they read.

This week our two books are:



Title:  Hello, My Name is Ruby
Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator: Philip C. Stead












 
Title: Parrots Over Puerto Rico
Author: Cindy Trumbore
Illustrator:  Susan L. Roth

Beardecott Week 1

This week the second and third graders will start the quest for the next Beardecott winner.  We have hard work ahead of us, it'll be fun though!  We are using modified Caldecott criteria to "grade" our books and pick the winner for our school.  Then we'll listen closely as the winners for the national award are announced at the end of the month.
Here are our books this week:

 Title: Mr. Tiger Goes Wild
Author:  Peter Brown
Illustrator: Peter Brown

Title: A Splash of Red 
Author: Jen Bryant 
Illustrator: Melissa Sweet
See all of the books we're going to read this month here.

Give Books, and get some with a giveaway!

I love to give books for the holidays.  It's a fun challenge for me to pick something that the recipient will truly love (and a whole different challenge to get them to actually read it!).  These are my two picks for elementary aged kids this year.

Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
by Bob Shea

This book reminds us that we all have wonderful qualities and it's a waste of time to be envious of what others are able to do, comparison is no fun at any age.  Unicorn and Goat also remind us to have fun and that we CAN be friends even if at first we didn't think we could.  The book is labeled as K-2 interest level but my 4th and 5th graders loved it too and got the meaning on a whole different level.  The book is hilarious and so is this book trailer.  Enjoy!

The Illuminated Adventures of Flora and Ulysses
by Kate DiCamillo

I love so many of Kate DiCamillo's books so I was super excited for a new release.  This book will not disappoint!  Flora is a self described cynic who comes into unexpected contact with a special squirrel, Ulysses.  Their adventures are sure to entertain and the added bonus of comics and illustrations makes this little book a true gem.  The reading level is 4th grade but I think kids (and adults) of all ages would enjoy reading this book or having it read to them.  See the trailer here.

What's your favorite book to give?  Leave your suggestion in the comments below and win a free book!  Winners will be chosen on Thursday November 21st.  May the odds be ever in your favor...

Spooky Books

This week we got in the mood of the season with picture books. The 2nd and 3rd graders learned about alliteration with the book Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds (Chicks and Salsa and Superhero School with super cool illustrations by Peter Brown (The Curious Garden and Kaline Klattermaster's Tree House).   Jasper the rabbit LOVES carrots, until they start stalking him.  How will he deal with the "creepy carrots"? 

The 4th and 5th graders worked on the idea of theme with the book Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs by J. Patrick Lewis (Once Upon a Tomb and Please Bury Me In the Library) Jane Yolen (Owl Moon and Meow, Cat Stories From Around the World) with illustrations by Jeffrey Stewart Timmins (Rapunzel and Cinderella the graphic novels) We had to put aside our love for animals in this "punny" book filled with silly epitaphs for animals we love.  My favorite is:

"Cooked Goose

He was Canada born

and Canada bred,

and here he lies--

Canada dead."

The kinder and 1st grade students read Spike the Mixed up Monster by Susan Hood (Little Red Cowboy Hat) with adorable illustrations by Melissa Sweet (Balloons Over Broadway and Schoolyard Rhymes).  Spike wants more than anything to be scary but all his friends keep telling him how sweet he is.  How will he save the day?

What's your favorite read for this time of year?

We Read Banned Books

This week the 5th graders and I discussed the idea of "The Freedom to Read" and how it relates to the First Amendment to the Constitution and our Bandelier Library.  I love to hear thoughts on this topic. It's interesting to hear from the students what they think should and should not be banned from schools.  They were mostly shocked at some of the books that made the list.  Freedom of Speech comes with responsibility and that was a main point of our discussion as well.
Go read some banned books!