Book Egg is about hatching.
Hatching out tips about terrific books to read.
Hatching out fun and informative activities to go with those books.
Hatching out ideas to help educators and families assist kids on their reading journeys.
Book Egg is about sharing because learning is sharing your knowledge.
It's Monday! What are you Readingis a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as
a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what
is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what
others are reading. I first learned about it from Jen atTeach Mentor Textsand Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers and have become a regular linked up blog. Thanks #PLN
My family celebrated a big event this week. My four year old grandson, Josiah signed up for his first library card. Of course we had to stop and take photographs and immediately send to everyone we knew. I was so disappointed in the librarian at the public library because she just shoved some papers to his mom and didn't make any fuss about it. If it had been me, I would have rang a bell and insisted everyone stop and clap for him. This, of course, is why I am a school librarian. We love to make a big deal out of our students reading successes and encourage them through their reading struggles.
Here are some of the books we check out and read and some that I bought to add to my library collection this week. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems The Pigeon has decided he wants and must have a puppy so after much begging, pleading, and throwing a fit, he gets a puppy but it not quite what he expected.
I am Invited to a Party! by Mo Willems Piggie is invited to a party and since Gerald knows parties he helps Piggie prepare for the best fancy, costume, pool party ever.
Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog by Mini Grey Josiah picked this out but it wasn't a favorite of either of ours. It's an Orange Aardvark! by Michael Hall Five carpenter ants wonder and worry what is outside their tree stump. What if it is a long tongue ant eating aardvark? There is only one way to find out. Drill a little hole and take a look see.
Frozen: A Sister More Like Me by Barbara Jean Hicks Pleasantly surprised by this title. I knew I needed a Frozen book in my library collection. There have been so many requests for one. Told in dual voice, the sisters share their admiration and affection with each other. I predict it will become the hottest check out in the library. ...and giving Frozen some serious competition in the check out line will be this adorable title. Ninja Boy Goes to School by N.D. Wilson Bright, colorful, and a favorite topic-ninjas. This book is sure to be a favorite among my students.
Blue Moon by James Ponti
I bought Blue Moon, a sequel to a very popular Texas Bluebonnet Award
nominee title-Dead City by James Ponti. I look forward to reading it
this week and know it will be a hot check out.
It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it from Jen atTeach Mentor Textsand Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers and have become a regular linked up blog. Thanks #PLN
I spent a good deal of time writing today's #IMWAYR post but then decided that I had just written what would make a better Nerdy Book Club post. So I am just giving the highlights of my reading week and will save my juicy blog post for another day.
I have been moving slowly through Flora and Ulysses because I have been highly distracted this week by other novels. This week, it gets my full focus so that I will be ready in time for #virtualbookclub on Feb. 17 at
9 p.m. EST.
I am very happy that one of our new Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees is the Newbery Medal winner this year.
Beautiful-informative-sad-and hopeful read of the week. Love how you have to hold the book vertically to read it. The book has so many excellent side trips into further researching.
Love the humor and creativity but fear the repercussions on my poor library books after my students experience this hilarious edited book. It would be best to introduce it through a lesson using the template for The Birthday Bunny that can be downloaded and offered to students to write their own versions.
Texas Bluebonnet nominee 2014-2015.
I have resisted really reading this book for the longest time. I saw the amount of text and how hard it was to see some of the words and images so I was not immediately taken by the creativeness of the book. Since becoming a Bluebonnet nominee, I purchased it and gave it a good read and did some brain storming on lessons. I think it will turn out to be a popular book with students. It's theme lends well to a Bluebonnet Celebration activity. I am already planning for next year.
Eric Kimmel is the King of fractured fairy tales with a Texas twist. Helen Ketteman is the queen. the Three Cabritos is a favorite as my students frequently talk about chupacabras. It is a fresh, fun twist on the Three Billy Goats Gruff story. Instead of a troll, el Chupacabra is the creature beneath the bridge and the billy brothers all play musical instruments to pay their toll across the bridge to Mexico.
I listened to the audio version of Graceling. A full cast reading which enriched the experience. I was at the point of thinking what a great book, why don't I have this in my library...and then came the part of why I am sure it to became a banned book. THAT PART where it got all hot and heavy and really unnecessary since it didn't enrich the reading experience. Well it did cause me to stop working and listen a little bit more carefully. Thank goodness I wasn't driving or I would have driven off the road.
Graceling is a fast paced fantasy novel full of interesting characters, exciting plot twists, and romance. Yes, quite full of unexpected romance.
My in-depth read of the week. This is the book that I am reading, listening to, and researching the backstory to gain a deeper understanding.
And that's a few of this week's reads. I hope you are enjoying your reading week as much as I am.
Once upon a time, American children couldn’t borrow library books. Reading wasn’t all that important for children, many thought. Luckily Miss Anne Carroll Moore thought otherwise! This is the true story of how Miss Moore created the first children’s room at the New York Public Library, a bright, warm room filled with artwork, window seats, and most important of all, borrowing privileges to the world’s best children’s books in many different languages.
Read this wonderful New Yorker news article entitled "The Lion and the Mouse" which details the influence of Anne Carroll Moore on children's literature.
I am thankful for children's literacy pioneers like Anne Carroll Moore who saw a need and found a way to satisfy it. Her efforts made a positive change in the world. What a great blessing.
Readers compare pairs of objects and decide which one has the attribute the questions asks to be answered. This concept book is simple and fun but offers a cute twist at the end of the book. Bright, happy read. Lots of fun.
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett has been one of my favorite Read Aloud books this year. Imagine a book about counting monkeys but the book itself is missing the monkeys! This book includes kids in on a joke that grownups don't see. Love it!
This week was Recycle Week for our city so I invited the Recycling Education representative out to share a storytime and tips on how to reduce, re-use, and recycle. Our kids loved it and they each received a canvas bag to take to the store in order to reduce the amount of plastic waste in our community. Here were the two books Dawn Stubblefield read to students.
Dawn Stubblefield gave an excellent presentation. She really knows kids and even when one kid tried to show off a little she expertly drew him back into the lesson. She incorporated multi-media, mnemonic devices, and showmanship to deliver an rememberable lesson.
Every student and parents who attended were each given a canvas grocery shopping bag to use in order to reduce the amount of plastic waste in our community.
Books I Read and Blogged about this Past Week:
Click on the image caption to see the review and activities for each book.
This week, we have been exploring the meaning of being thankful. Our good friend Bear helped us understand the concept of being thankful for friends, food, and home.
Below are some nice books to use for teaching Thankfulness
I also started reading YA Fiction Guitar Notes by Mary Amato.
I feel very blessed that my work environment is filled with amazing literature for young people. I feel like I am a key holder to the gates of the Kingdom of Imagination. "Come seek your fortune and fame here at my gates, rest your weary heart, grow your mind and spirit"-yesh, librarians can be really corny sorts of folks. What a marvelous job I have-children of all ages walk through my library doors and their eyes come alive with happiness or memories of books once read. The following are ten well presented books that capture our imagination and help us to understand what really goes on in the world of libraries and of the librarians who manage these magical worlds of books and resources. The information that follows comes from an article I wrote for BonBon Break, an online magazine for busy women.
Books are not presented in any particular order.
1 The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce.
Theme: Inspired by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz,
and a love for books, "Morris Lessmore" is a story of people who devote their lives to
books and books who return the favor.
Explore the book here
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
It is a simple story that is a highly imaginative and beautifully illustrated.
"Everyone's story matters, " said Morris. And all the books agreed. (Awesome line!)
I will introduce my students to The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore with this Academy Award winning short film.
2 Wild About Books by Judy Sierra
Illustrated by Marc Brown
Theme: A librarian introduces zoo animals to a love of reading.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
This rhyming adventure begins when librarian, Molly McGrew, mistakenly drives her bookmobile into the zoo and then decides to make the best of a unique opportunity. She launches into a read aloud that has all the animals stampeding to find out about something called reading. It is a fun read aloud and many classic children's book titles are sprinkled throughout. Many libraries adopted a "Wild About Books" theme when this title was first released into the wild.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
The story is humorous and contains a well crafted rhyme structure.
The story teaches us that we should look for opportunities even when we take a wrong turn like Molly McGrew did when she drove into the zoo.
All the animals become so excited about reading and listening to stories that they decide to turn their zoo into a Zoobrary.
Theme: A library mouse discovers his inner author and writes books for children to discover and read.
Sam is a mouse who lives in a hole behind a wall in the children's book section of a library. At night, he creeps out to read to his heart's content. Then one night, with a mind so filled with ideas and imagination, Sam decides to write and illustrate his own book and add them to the shelves. Children soon discover Sam's little books and love them. The librarians like them too and began to share them through read alouds. Everyone wants to meet Sam and the head librarian invites him to a "Meet the Author Day" but Sam is too shy so he sets up an alternative display to everyone's delight.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
Great illustrations that clearly show what a library looks likes and even highlights call numbers on the spines of a library book.
It is a fantasy tale that touches on types of literature genres.
Lets children know they can become authors too.
Awesome read aloud for teachers looking for ways to inspire kids to enjoy writing.
Terrific resources to build into a lessons on writing and authorship.
I will be copying Sam's "Meet the Author" tissue box display and let the kids think that Sam created it just for them. This will make for a good lesson prop.
4 Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora
Illustrator: Raul Colón
Theme: A lady librarian befriends and shares books with the son of migrant workers who in turn shares the stories with his family.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
Families are part of this reading experience. Tomás shares the stories that he reads with his family.
The role of a librarian as a reading advocate is well presented. Librarians are more than a providers of books-they are teachers, counselors, mentors, and good examples of how reading changes lives.
It is realistic fiction based on a true story of a librarian who inspired the boy who became Dr. Tomás Rivera, a national education leader. The library at the University of California at Riverside bears his name.
Theme: A pack horse librarian inspires a young boy to learn to read.
Every two weeks, a librarian on horseback trudges along rocky Appalachian trails bringing books to Cal's family. Although Cal's sister loves the books, he insists he doesn't care anything about reading, but is puzzled why this book woman travels so far on dangerous trails in bad weather just to bring his family books.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
The characters are interesting especially the librarian who rides on horseback.
This book is a good introduction into historical fiction and students can follow up with research on packhorse librarians or bookmobiles.
Theme: Bats explore the library at night after the doors have closed for the night.
Do you know what really happens when the library lights go out each night? Books and bats come out to read and play. At least author and illustrator Brian Lies would have you think so. In his beautifully illustrated, rhyming story, bats come out to read classic tales, splash in the drinking fountain, and celebrating the joys of reading.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
Are you kidding? What's cooler than bats reading books?
This fantasy story will motivate children to want to learn more about real bats.
The illustrations are rich and beautifully created.
The rhyme structure adds to the fun of the book as a read aloud tool.
Brian Lies has written a series of Bat books: Bats at the Beach, Bats at the Ball Park, and Bats at the Library.
Curriculum Connection Activities
Brian Lies "The Bat Wing" a collection of everything batty-photos, activities, and bat facts.
Bats in the Library Reading Guide
7 Waiting for Biblioburro by Monica Brown Illustrated by John Para
Theme: Teacher, Luis Soriano, brings reading education to children in rural Colombia on the backs of his donkeys, Alpha and Beto.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
Children are not only surprised to learn that a burro can deliver books but that some children are rarely or never exposed to books or libraries.
Spanish words are incorporated into the story.
Introduces children to other cultures and experiences.
The story is useful to compare and contrast with The Book Woman, Tomás and the Library Lady and stories other about libraries and librarians.
The story allows children to see that librarians will go to great lengths to put books into the hands of readers.
The story was inspired by a real person helping children in rural communities.
Curriculum Connection Activities
Watch this CNN video to see the real Bibliotecario who inspired this story.
8
Our Librarian Won't Tell Us Anything by Toni Buzzeo
Illustrated by Sachiki Yoshikawa
Theme: A librarian teaches children an important lesson in library research skills.
This colorful librarian won’t tell them anything because she
wants the students to learn how to find things themselves in the library
by using the catalog and learning how to access appropriate
information.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
The story is a good introduction into ways to conduct research.
The story demonstrates how librarians guide instead of telling students how to research.
Children learn that they can find answers by themselves with the right tools for learning.
Out Librarian Won't Tell Us AnythingCurriculum Guide:
Research Project for learning about Animals in the Natural Habitats.
9
The Wonderful Book by Leonid Gore
(This is a book about a read aloud but it must be included)
Theme: Animals discover a lost book in the woods and try to figure out what it is.
Deep in the woods, a rabbit finds a mysterious thing. “What is this?” asks the rabbit. “It looks like a wonderful house for me.” So he wriggles inside and there he stays until a big grumpy bear lumbers by. “What a beautiful hat,” says the bear..
A lost book in the woods is discovered by a series of animals trying to decide its purpose. Is it a home, a table, or a hat? A boy walking in the woods finds it and begins to read it aloud. The animals all gather around to hear the wonderful story.
What makes this a terrific read aloud?
Younger children will find the animals amusing as they try to figure out whether the thing they found is a hat, table, or a house.
The story evolves into a read aloud within the story.
It is a story that celebrates reading.
The story can serve as an introduction into learning what a book is and the parts of a book.
Curriculum Connection Activities
Parts of a book dictionary from School Home Link-a letter and activity for families to complete together.
10
What Happened to Marion's Book? by Brook Berg
Illustrated by Nathan Alberg
(currently out of print)
This is the book I use for Kindergarten-second grade library orientation. I purchased it with my Scholastic dollars earned through school book fairs.
What makes this a great read aloud?
Children connect well with Marion because they have also gotten books dirty or torn a page.
Marion learns that her librarian is an understanding and forgiving person.
It comes with lesson activities for educators and printable templates and a coloring page.
There are printable band-aid bookmarks and Marion finger puppets that will help children retell the story to their families of how Marion learned to take care of books.
The story supports library learning objects on care and treatment of library materials.
Curriculum Connection Activities
Here is the awesome "What Happened to Marion's Book" Library Lessons
Thank you to all the librarians in the world who work hard to make books a wonderful adventure for everyone.
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems
I am Invited to a Party! by Mo Willems
Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog by Mini Grey
It's an Orange Aardvark! by Michael Hall
Frozen: A Sister More Like Me by Barbara Jean Hicks
Ninja Boy Goes to School by N.D. Wilson
