Bluebonnet Books

Last week in the library, we were introduced to some of this year's Bluebonnet Books.  Students who read at least five of these are eligible to vote for their favorite next year!

Click on the blue dot on any of the book covers below to watch a book trailer about that book.

 

This Week in the Library...

(and a little bit about what we did last week, too!)

Last week in the library, we learned more about how our library books are organized.  Third graders learned about alphabetizing fiction books by their authors' last names.  After the lesson, the students figured out what the call number for a book they had written would be and found where it would belong on the shelf.  Maybe some day I'll be able to put an actual book by one of these authors on our shelves!

I've also enjoyed catchings several of our kiddos reading throughout the day.  Here's Angelo reading at lunch:

And Mitchell reading during class:

I love that they are finding time to "read in the spaces," as Donalyn Miller would say!

This week, all of our grade levels will be introduced to this year's Bluebonnet Books.  Any student who reads at least five of these books can vote for their favorite in January.  You can read more about the Bluebonnet Books here.

This week, our fifth graders will hear from Zane and the Hurricane.

Our fourth graders will listen to The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus.

And our third graders will read Emily's Blue Period.

Have a great week!

This Week in the Library: Award Winners

This week in the library, we'll be talking about some recent award winners, including the winners of the Caldecott and Newbery awards, as well as the winner of the Texas Bluebonnet award.

Check out the winners in the slideshow below:

This Week in the Library...

This week, students will be learning about the Bluebonnet program.  Every year, the Texas Library Association chooses 20 books for the Bluebonnet reading list.  Any student who reads at least five of these can vote for their favorite on Bluebonnet voting day in January!

I'll be sharing these read alouds with the classes visiting the library this week:

Third Grade will be reading The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt.

Fourth Grade will be reading Lester's Dreadful Sweaters by K.G. Campbell

Fifth Grade will be reading excerpts from Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Don't forget, these are just a few of this year's excellent Bluebonnet nominees!

You can find out more about this year's Bluebonnet Books by clicking here.

Have a great week!

This Week in the Library...

This week we're reading about some of the history surrounding our Thanksgiving Day traditions.

Third and fourth grades are listening to Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet, which tells the story of Tony Sarg, the creator of the larger-than-life balloons that have come to represent the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Here's a glimpse into the book:

You can download a fun activity guide to accompany the book by clicking here.

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Fifth grade is reading Laurie Halse Anderson's Thank You, Sarah, which explains how Sarah Hale, in superhero fashion, made sure that Thanksgiving was a nationally celebrated holiday.  You can learn more about Sarah Hale by clicking here.

You can learn more about author Laurie Halse Anderson in the video below:

Enjoy next week's holiday!

Video of the Week: 2013 Texas Bluebonnet Winner

Last week, the results of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Vote were announced.  To find out which book won, watch the video below:

Book Talk Tuesday: Zita the Spacegirl

It's Book Talk Tuesday!  Today's book talk is one of this year's Bluebonnet Nominees!

Zita may not look like a hero, but when her best friend is transported to another galaxy, Zita has no choice but to come to the rescue! Transported to a strange new intergalactic world, Zita and her band of new friends (including an over-sized mouse and some misfit robots) must race to save Joseph before an asteroid destroys them all!

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Check out the Zita book trailer to learn more:


And visit the Zita website to learn more about Zita and her friends.

If you like Zita the Spacegirl, then try one of these books in our library:

• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
• Sardine in Outerspace by Emmanuel Guibert
• The Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi
• Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires

And the Bluebonnet Goes To...

Last week, this year's Texas Bluebonnet Winner was announced! About fifty students at Smithville Elementary voted in this year's contest, and chose The Strange Case of Origami Yoda as their favorite Bluebonnet Book. Kids all over Texas must have been in agreement, because Origami Yoda won the state vote as well!

Author Tom Angleberger was thrilled with the win. Here's a special video message from him to YOU! Check out what he had to say!

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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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Goal!

Goal!
by Mina Javaherbin

Soccer is played all over the world and brings people together in sport. In this picture book, set in a dusty township in South Africa, a group of boys gather to play with a new regulation ball. But danger lurks in a gang of bullies that roam the streets. Can they keep their ball and play their game?
[Summary from The Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]

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Amazing Faces

Amazing Faces
by Lee Bennett Hopkins

"The night is beautiful, so the faces of my people" says Langston Hughes in this multicultural collection of 16 poems by various well-known authors. The verses portray varied emotions and backgrounds, while the watercolor illustrations perfectly capture the differences and similarities within all of us.
[Summary from The Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]

Turtle In Paradise

Turtle In Paradise
by Jennifer L. Holm

Life for Turtle in 1935 is no day at the beach. Her mother's new job means that she gets shipped off to live with family members she has never met. Life in Key West, Florida is definitely not like those annoying Shirley Temple movies. Her new encounters and adventures help her come out of her shell. Photos and notes at the back of the book show what life was really like for author Jennifer Holm's great grandmother, whose memories inspired this humorous historical novel.
[Summary from The Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]

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Imogene's Last Stand

Imogene's Last Stand
by Candace Fleming

"I have not yet begun to fight!" quotes Imogene Tripp when the town Mayor wants to tear down the historical museum in order to build a shoelace factory. Imogene begins her own battle of presidential proportions to save the museum.
[Summary from The Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List]

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