Monday, October 17, 2011

This Week in the Library...

We are continuing to explore biographies in all grades!

3rd Graders are listening to The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino. Here's a great book trailer for the book, featuring some of Dan Yaccarino's awesome illustrations!


4th Graders are continuing to listen to Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg. Click here to learn more about Annie Edson Taylor's heroic trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel!

5th Graders will be listening to excerpts of Prairie Visions: The Life and Times of Solomon Butcher by Pam Conrad, and will be learning about photographer Solomon Butcher, who documented Nebraska history when he traveled the prairie photographing pioneer families and their homes. Click here to learn more about Solomon Butcher and to see some of his photos. And here's a great documentary about Solomon Butcher and the people he photographed:

Monday, October 3, 2011

The Shadows

The Shadows
by Jacqueline West

Olive and her parents have always lived in very bland apartment complexes with plain white walls and no surprises. When they suddenly buy an old completely furnished house, Olive is curious to explore it. She
begins to discover very strange things including secrets in the basement and cats that are much more than they seem. Olive must confront her deepest fears as she races to protect her newfound friends from the darkness lurking inside the house. The Shadows is the first volume in the Books of Elsewhere series.
[Summary from Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]


Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse
by Marilyn Singer

Fairytales written
Up and down
Back and front
Characters good and bad
Reversed
Poetry unveiled.

Unveiled poetry
Reversed
Bad and good characters
Front and back
Down and up
Written fairytales.
[Summary from Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]


The Storm in the Barn

The Storm in the Barn
by Matt Phelan

Eleven-year old Jack Clark is beginning to think he may have dust dementia, a new disorder in 1937 Kansas where it hasn’t rained for so
long people are starting to see strange things. There is water and a presence in the barn that he cannot explain. Is his imagination playing
tricks on him? By combining history and fantasy, this original graphic novel explores the hardships of the Dust Bowl era in a distinctive magical way.
[Summary from Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]


Black Elk's Vision: A Lakota Story

Black Elk's Vision: A Lakota Story
by S.D. Nelson

“Everyone must choose to walk with the water of life or the weapon of destruction.” These are the words Black Elk receives from the Six Grandfathers to share with his people. Told from Black Elk’s point of view, S.D. Nelson vividly describes the plight of the Lakota and their struggles to maintain their way of life. His message of hope is further brought to life by historical photographs and dynamic illustrations.
[Summary from Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]


The Witch's Guide to Cooking With Children

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children
by Keith McGowan

So you think Hansel and Gretel is only a fairy tale, right? Meet Sol and his little sister Connie who have just moved into a suburban neighborhood curiously devoid of children. Their father and stepmother are acting very strange, meanwhile the next door
neighbor’s dog keeps digging up funny looking bones. With unique illustrations by Yoko Tanaka, this modern twist on the classic fairy tale is creepy fun.
[Summary from Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]

Louisa: The Life of Louisa May Alcott

Louisa: The Life of Louisa May Alcott
by Yona Zeldis McDonough

Louisa May Alcott loved to have strawberry parties with her sisters andenjoyed their frequent pillow fights. But, her first love was writing. She
spent the majority of her time outdoors where she composed poetry and stories that grew quickly in popularity. Discover little-known facts about
the well-known author of Little Women in this intriguing biography of Louisa’s complicated rags-to-riches story.
[Summary from Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]


Balarama: A Royal Elephant

Balarama: A Royal Elephant
by Ted and Betsy Lewin

Meet Balarama the Royal Elephant who is leading the celebration on the last day of Dasara in India. His debut as the specially selected chariot carrier is imminent. Will he be successful? Filled with vivid images and fascinating pageantry this book is an amazing tribute to these popular animals.
[Summary from Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]




The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)

The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)
by Barbara Kerley

According to Susy Twain, her father Mark is “perfect except he hasn’t extraordinary teeth.” And so begins this innovative biography partially written by thirteen-year old Susy. Complete with energetic illustrations and instructions on how to write your own biography, this book shows a whole other side of a beloved American author.
[Summary from Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]


This Week in the Library...

This six weeks, all grades will be exploring nonfiction texts, specifically biographies and autobiographies.

3rd Graders will be reading Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell, which tells the story of Jane Goodall. You can read about Me...Jane here. Here's a video about Jane:


4th Graders will be reading Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg, the story of Annie Edson Taylor, the first daredevil to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel!
Here's a slideshow of some pictures of Annie and her famous barrel:


If you'd like to know more about Niagara Falls, Annie Edson Taylor, or other famous Niagara daredevils, click on her picture below:



Here's a video of one of the daredevils who followed Annie's lead and went over the falls in a barrel. Can you imagine what it must have felt like on the inside of this barrel?

And finally, here's a video of the author/illustrator, Chris Van Allsburg, talking about his book, Queen of the Falls:



5th Graders will be hearing excerpts from Jon Scieszka's autobiography, Knucklehead. Scieszka is a funny guy, so be sure to check out his entertaining website! And here's an interview with Scieszka...