Monday, February 27, 2012

5th grade presentation: March

The theme for March is books published before or shortly after 1900 (up to about 1910). There are several ways to find these classic books!

- We have a selection of about 15 titles in the school library for students to borrow

- The database ProQuest Learning: Literature has full-text access to tens of thousands of literary works including many full-length novels which may be read on your e-reader or home computer (login information is available on my Sharepoint page under Shared Documents)

-
The public library has a selected list of
classics for teens and elementary students (check date of original publication - some are modern classics!)

Of course, you can always ask a friend or relative for a recommendation! One of my personal favorites from this time period is The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald.

Monday, February 13, 2012

One Author Vista: Ken Mochizuki!


On February 3rd we were excited to welcome local author Ken Mochizuki to Vista as part of our annual One Author Vista program. For several months I displayed books by selected local authors and invited Vista students to read them and vote for the author they would most like to invite to our campus. Fortunately our winner, Ken, was eager to take us up on our invitation!

He talked eloquently about growing up in Seattle during the '70s as the grandson of Japanese immigrants, stereotyping of others by race, the historical background to his books about the Japanese American internment camps and the Holocaust, and much more!

Following his talk, he answered more questions from individual students and signed books! Parents: we have a few more signed books available for students who did not submit their pre-orders in time. There are titles for elementary, middle and high school students. Please contact me if you would like to purchase one!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Read your way through Black History Month!

February is Black History Month and it's a wonderful reason to pick up some amazing literature. Spend a lot of time in the car? Consider these audiobooks!

Do not forget the Coretta Scott King Award winners honored by the American Library Association (the same organization behind the Newbery and Caldecott).

Our local library system has great lists for elementary/middle school readers as well as teens.

Here are a few of my personal favorites:

Picture books - Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia C. McKissack, Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey, and Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Chapter books - Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis, Heaven by Angela Johnson and One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Poetry - ellington was not a street by Ntozake Shange and Visiting Langston by Willie Perdomo

For adult and high school readers, I highly recommend The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.