This month 5th graders will be reading a non-fiction book for Ms. Russell's class. In addition to their book report, they will be working on their research skills in library class by researching the topic of their chosen book using online databases.
Students will have time to select from non-fiction books in our school library. If you wish to borrow from the public library instead, you can check out some recommended authors and websites below. Make sure you evaluate all titles in terms of age appropriateness as well as whether they meet the parameters Ms. Russell has set.
Rhoda Blumberg
Russell Freedman
Sy Montgomery
Classic Non-fiction from the TeenZone at KCLS
The Sibert Medal, an award for exceptional non-fiction given by the American Library Association (which also gives out the Caldecott & Newbery Medals).
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 offers detailed annotated lists for those who enjoy science.
The Cooperative Children's Book Center has numerous reading lists, many of which focus on non-fiction. Select first by grade level, then by topic.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Happy Labor Day! Exploring Careers...
Welcome back to school! I hope everyone had a nice, relaxing (if rather rainy) Labor Day. Labor Day has been celebrated since 1882 as a way of honoring the many workers who contribute to the United States.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is one of the most common questions adults ask young people. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has put together a website called What Do You Like? which gives upper elementary and middle school students information about select career choices. It is a fun site to browse and helps remind students of the many exciting possibilities open to them in the future - as well as the relevance of all the hard work they do now!
Some books to explore include the Scientists in the Field series, In Their Shoes by Deborah Reber and, for younger readers, the What Can I Be? series by Muriel DuBois.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is one of the most common questions adults ask young people. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has put together a website called What Do You Like? which gives upper elementary and middle school students information about select career choices. It is a fun site to browse and helps remind students of the many exciting possibilities open to them in the future - as well as the relevance of all the hard work they do now!
Some books to explore include the Scientists in the Field series, In Their Shoes by Deborah Reber and, for younger readers, the What Can I Be? series by Muriel DuBois.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Meet Cornelia Funke & the producer of the Harry Potter films!
On Sunday, September 19th, acclaimed German author Cornelia Funke (Dragon Rider, Inkheart, The Thief Lord) will be coming to Seattle to promote the musical based on her new fantasy novel, Reckless.
She will be reading from her new book (to be released on September 14th), and talking to the producer of the Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes movies about what it's like to take a book and turn it into a stage production. You'll also get to hear a performance of one song from the musical and get your book signed by Cornelia.
Starting September 14th, two tickets are free with the purchase of Reckless from University Book Store! You can purchase the book in person or pre-order over the phone (206.634.3400 or 1.800.335.READ).
Read more about the event by going to the Showbox website. Check out the Get Reckless website for more on the book, the show, what fans are saying and details of a live video chat she's doing on the book's publication date!
Funke is a perennial favorite in our school library and one of the few authors in translation to make it big in the world of English-language children's fiction. If you haven't read her imaginative and beautifully written fantasies, don't delay - they are too good to miss!
She will be reading from her new book (to be released on September 14th), and talking to the producer of the Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes movies about what it's like to take a book and turn it into a stage production. You'll also get to hear a performance of one song from the musical and get your book signed by Cornelia.
Starting September 14th, two tickets are free with the purchase of Reckless from University Book Store! You can purchase the book in person or pre-order over the phone (206.634.3400 or 1.800.335.READ).
Read more about the event by going to the Showbox website. Check out the Get Reckless website for more on the book, the show, what fans are saying and details of a live video chat she's doing on the book's publication date!
Funke is a perennial favorite in our school library and one of the few authors in translation to make it big in the world of English-language children's fiction. If you haven't read her imaginative and beautifully written fantasies, don't delay - they are too good to miss!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Book blogs
I hope my students and their families are enjoying the last few weeks of summer break. We staff members head back to work on Monday and are so looking forward to seeing all of you again!
Do any of you read book blogs? Ones devoted to children's and teen literature proliferate on the Interent and they are a great way to keep up with the wondrously rich world of publishing. Below are just a very few I'd like to recommend. Have more suggestions? I'd love to hear them!
Kirby's Lane
Do any of you read book blogs? Ones devoted to children's and teen literature proliferate on the Interent and they are a great way to keep up with the wondrously rich world of publishing. Below are just a very few I'd like to recommend. Have more suggestions? I'd love to hear them!
A Chair, a Fireplace & a Tea Cozy
Good Comics for KidsKirby's Lane
Monday, August 16, 2010
Twins!
The non-fiction book Twin Tales: The Magic and Mystery of Multiple Birth by Donna M. Jackson is as popular in our school library with singletons as it is with twins! Twins also show up frequently in fiction such as the Children of the Lamp fantasy series by P.B. Kerr, Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith, Lost and Found by Andrew Clements, and many more.
Want to read about twins? Just do a library catalog search for Twins - Juvenile Fiction to find books for elementary through high school students. Here's a short reading list for middle and high school students to look at too!
Want to read about twins? Just do a library catalog search for Twins - Juvenile Fiction to find books for elementary through high school students. Here's a short reading list for middle and high school students to look at too!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Book Crush
Greetings from Finland, where I am visiting family including my newborn niece, Hilla! I hope everyone is having a lovely summer. It has been very nice to have extra time to read - on planes, while relaxing at my in-laws' house in the country, and so on. In case you are wondering what book to pick up next, keep reading!
Nancy Pearl is known to many as the first librarian to have her own action figure! This Seattle legend was the brilliant mind behind the "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book" program that rapidly spread around the country. She's also tremendously well read in a wide range of genres.
Nancy Pearl is known to many as the first librarian to have her own action figure! This Seattle legend was the brilliant mind behind the "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book" program that rapidly spread around the country. She's also tremendously well read in a wide range of genres.
Pearl has written several reading guides, including Book Crush, aimed at ages birth-18, as well as Book Lust and More Book Lust for adults. Organized by theme, they are not intended as exhaustive guides to all the "best" books, but rather as starting places for exploring literature. My own 13-year-old daughter likes to dip into Book Crush, choosing a section at random and sometimes even challenging herself to try books in genres she usually avoids. Whether you're stuck for reading ideas or not, you'll find plenty to enjoy in these books.
Monday, August 2, 2010
The joys of summer reading
What's on your summer reading list? My tottering piles of books represent only a fraction of my actual "to read" list! However, one of the joys of the slower pace of summertime living is sneaking in more opportunities to read - on a park bench, on an airplane, anywhere I find myself with a spare moment or two...
A book for parents that I'm currently reading is The New Global Student by Maya Frost. I've only just begun it, but am quite intrigued by her family's adventures abroad. I'm also in the middle of a suspenseful mystery novel for middle schoolers, Rescuing Seneca Crane by Susan Runholt. It's the second in the Kari and Lucas series about two very intrepid young women who find adventure in the most unexpected places.
School Library Journal recently asked a few notable children's and young adult authors what they're reading this summer. Check out their answers - maybe you'll see some books on their lists that you want to read too!
A book for parents that I'm currently reading is The New Global Student by Maya Frost. I've only just begun it, but am quite intrigued by her family's adventures abroad. I'm also in the middle of a suspenseful mystery novel for middle schoolers, Rescuing Seneca Crane by Susan Runholt. It's the second in the Kari and Lucas series about two very intrepid young women who find adventure in the most unexpected places.
School Library Journal recently asked a few notable children's and young adult authors what they're reading this summer. Check out their answers - maybe you'll see some books on their lists that you want to read too!
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