Library Voices

Game Day!

2012-01-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

Forty six 1st and 2nd grade boys gathered in the library this week for lunch and to celebrate and discuss the book, Game Day by Tiki and Ronde Barber. The book emphasized team work and sportsmanship. Mr. Dewell joined us and told a little bit about his dad, Bill Dewell, who was an amazing SMU athlete and Chicago Cardinals player. After some book talk, a film clip of a Ronde Barber interception, and lunch, we even had a few minutes to pass around the football outside. It was fantastic to have such an enthusiastic group of guys gathered together by a book!

Little Red Riding Hood

2012-01-17T11:05:00.000-08:00

First grade is diving into their annual fairy tale study in the classroom. This month they will read tons of fairy tales and write their own. We are loving fairy tales in the library, too. Second graders have great memories of this, so it wasn't hard to find volunteers to read from Mary Ann Hoberman's You Read to Me, I'll Read to You Very Short Fairy Tales for a video to present to the first grade classes. It was the perfect lead-in to our two week look at some different versions of Little Red Riding Hood. This week we looked at several traditional versions. We read the Caldecott Honor winning book by Trina Schart Hyman.

Coming up next week... Little Red: A Fizzingly Good Yarn by Lynn Roberts and Carmine: A Little More Red by Melissa Sweet.

Panther Paw Activities

2012-01-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

The Panther Paw books are flying from one reader to the next! I love hearing the book talk! Here are some activities that you might enjoy exploring.

Panther Paw Activities

Panther Paw 2012

2012-01-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

It’s the ninth annual Panther Paw Book Contest! This year’s book list may be the best ever! See the Animoto slideshow here for a look at the 2012 titles. The Panther Paw contest is for all Parish students in kindergarten through second grade. Parents are welcome (and encouraged) to take part, too. The goal is to explore some of the best of the recently published children’s books from different genres. As in years past...any student, parent or teacher who reads or listens to at least ten books can vote for his/her favorite. Anyone who reads or listens to all twenty books will be eligible to enter a drawing for a chance to win a complete set of the Panther Paw books for his/her classroom. Parents may check out one Panther Paw book at a time for overnight or a weekend. It’s fun to see students and parents huddled up and reading together in the library, too! Be sure to take a look at the activities that your family might enjoy at home. We'll vote in March, and the winning book will be celebrated. Until then...happy reading!

Destiny Practice

2011-11-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

I love to watch the second graders working to use the online catalog to find books more independently. This is especially great when they come to the library to read and I'm busy teaching a class. We decided that it would be fun to practice using Destiny this week. A challenge was given to see how many books they could find in the time allowed (about 15 minutes.) Each class was divided into teams of two or three. Team members drew a card that had a picture of the cover of a book with the author's name hidden. They searched Destiny for the book title, wrote down the call number and the author's last name, found the book on the shelf, held its place with a marker, found the title page and illustrator's name, and replaced the book. They had heaps of fun, learned more about the library and catalog, and grew as collaborators and team players. It was definitely an unquiet library. All agree...we will do it again!

Ivy & Bean Day

2011-11-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

Ivy and Bean are best friends. The two young characters in the fun series by Annie Barrows didn't plan on being such good friends, but they discovered that their differences didn't get in the way of enjoying each other, having fun, and getting in trouble together. Twenty nine of our second grade readers celebrated Ivy & Bean Day with a book club lunch in the library. We found out that most of these girls think that their personalities are more like Bean's, but unlike Bean, many of these girls like to shop. (See the Wordle of favorite stores.) Gummyworm cupcakes were dessert (a reference to book one where real worms landed on Bean's sister.) Some of the girls have already read all seven of the books and are excited about the eighth, No News is Good News, which is brand new and will be here in the library soon.

Be Creative Every Day!

2011-11-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

Being creative is more than just using your imagination and having clever ideas. It requires action...making something. It is the way we learn and the way we maintain excitement about learning. In the library this week, first and second graders reminded each other of all of the different ways that we are creative...art, crafts, music, building construction, sports, science, invention, writing...and more. We enjoyed two new books written by Herve Tullet - PRESS HERE and THE BOOK WITH A HOLE. We also reread a favorite by Natalie Portis, NOT A BOX. The clever Draw a Stickman adventure website was the perfect partner for these inspiring books with its "Be creative every day!" message. We have a place in the library for creators to share their work, and we already have exhibitors! Be sure to check out the creations of our Parish readers. Be creative every day!

Batty About Books!

2011-10-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

Second grade boys...ALL OF THEM...gathered on the playground picnic tables for what surely should turn into the ANNUAL "Batty About Books" lunch. There was so much excitement about this event that was focused around reading and books. Everyone told about a book that they really like and recommend to others. There were some familiar titles and some that we don't have in the library yet. Some of these will be put on the next book order based on the recommendations of these readers. Watch for the bookmark with our Parish guys' good-reads suggestions.

Storybook Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

The invitation began with "Optional...just for fun!!" but a lot of Parish readers opted to fill a pumpkin patch with storybook characters. Some pumpkins were done by individuals, and some were the creations of collaborative groups of friends or family. The result...a real Halloween TREAT!

Storybook Pumpkin Patch - picture slideshow

Texas Book Festival

2011-10-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

I always put The Texas Book Festival in Austin on my calendar as soon as it's announced. It is a fantastic weekend for readers of all ages! I hang out at the children's tents most of the time. The greatest authors are there talking about their books. They take time to sign them and visit with readers, too. This is where the Texas Bluebonnet list for the next year is announced. I love being there to hear great authors unveil the list. This year I was so thrilled to see Eileen Christelow, Jack Gantos, Rosemary Wells, William Joyce, Emily Jenkins, Paul Zelinsky, Phil Bildner, Michelle Knudsen, Doreen Cronin, Marla Frazee, John Scieszka, and Keith Graves. Watch for some fantstic new titles signed by the author in our library.

Library Visit With Amanda

2011-10-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to visit with former Parish students. Today, the first and second graders were treated to a storytime with former student and newly published author, Amanda Havard. Amanda's young adult book, The Survivors, is her first published novel and the first in a five book series. Amanda chose to read Goodnight Opus by Berkeley Breathed to a very attentive young audience. The story has the message that "sometimes it's good that we look for a way to depart from our text and get carried away." Amanda realized, when she was a Parish first grader, that she loved to make up stories and write them down. She found something that she loves to do, and she isn't afraid to try new things and depart from the text in her own life. Inspiring!

Make a New Friend Challenge

2011-09-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

Collaboration was the key to the "Make a New Friend" challenge. Small groups pooled their efforts and worked together with so much excitement. It was super fun to watch. Some searched the online catalog for hints about unfamiliar book characters. Some teamed with a partner to roam the shelves. Others searched classroom libraries looking for familiar faces. Some devoted recess time to look for books. The teams that completed the challenge won books, but the REAL prize was working with classmates and finding some new friends in these books.

Biography

2011-09-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

A second grader was curled up reading in the library. When I walked by, she looked up and said that she loved reading biographies. I knew that she was the perfect ambassador for this sometimes forgotten part of our library. Maybe this will be the first of a series of commercials for our library. I love what she has to say!

Reading Rocks!

2011-08-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

We're back! What a great first week!
The PreK classes LOVED Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes! They sang and rocked along with Pete. Here's a trailer for the book that started our year in the library. Warning: This song will get stuck in your head!

Kindergarten, first, and second grade classes all received a "Welcome to the Library" gift of Byrd Baylor's Everybody Needs a Rock. The book gives tips on how to find a good rock...one that fits and feels good in your hand. We thought about what tips we could give for finding a good book. These Panthers had great ideas and advice.

If you haven't had a chance to see our giant list and slideshow of the "Best Book I Read This Summer," be sure to stop by in the library and take a look.
If excited smiling faces give a hint, I think that this will be the most fantastic year of reading ever.

Kindergarten Rocks!

2011-08-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

The first day of school is almost here. Everyone on campus is bustling around getting ready. Exciting times! There are some, though, who may have a little anxiety mixed in with the excitement about the first day. There may be a few "what if" questions that beg to be answered. Katie Davis must remember her first day jitters. Her book, Kindergarten Rocks!, is perfect reading for this time of year. Last May, some of our own kindergarten experts gave advice and words of comfort to those Pre-K II friends who are now coming to kindergarten for the first time. Listening to them, I know for sure that our Parish kindergarten rocks! Thanks to Mr.Shu for the inspiration!

Where Are Panthers Reading This Summer?

2011-07-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

Parish readers can be found with a book anywhere. Where are you reading this summer?

Summer Kick-Off at BooksmArt

2011-06-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

Parish readers were so lucky to have the chance to see and hear some of the very best children's authors and illustrators at the Dallas Museum of Art's BooksmArt Festival. The day was loaded with fun and activity for book and art lovers of all ages. Some of our Parish friends met David Wiesner, the author/illustrator of Art and Max. I was so excited to meet Jerry Pinkney, the illustrator of the Caldecott winning The Lion and the Mouse. I also was thrilled to meet Norton Juster who wrote the almost 50 year old beloved classic, The Phantom Tollbooth and my very favorite of all...Caldecott winner, The Hello, Goodbye Window.

Circulation Champs!

2011-05-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

These books were big favorites in our library! They were the top 10 most circulated on our campus. If you haven't read these, you will definitely want to give them a look! Happy summer reading...remember to send me your pictures!

Kindergarten Skype

2011-05-19T18:13:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Lee's kindergarten class met up with a kindergarten class in North Carolina via Skype today. Mr. Monaco joined us in the library as we visited with some of his old friends from Ravenscroft. The kinders shared some of the books that they had created in writing workshop. Both classes had written "All About" books and learned about illustrators' craft this year, so they had much in common. They practiced reading with their loud and clear "Skype voices" and listening to new friends hundreds of miles away. We saved some time for a few tricky and fun riddles, too!

First Grade Read-a-Thon

2011-05-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

It's Read-a-Thon Day! One morning in the spring of every year, the first graders race down the sidewalk to their classrooms juggling pillows or pillow pets and heavy bags of books. The day revolves around books, reading to self or listening to reading. This year, many of the readers made the library the site for part of their day. Every nook, corner, and cranny housed a first grader absorbed in a book. Fantastic!

The Gift

2011-05-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

When I saw the big beautifully wrapped box on the circulation desk I remembered that a second grade girl had casually mentioned that she brought something for the library. I found her on the way back to her classroom from chapel. She smiled and came with me to watch the opening of the treasure. Inside were dozens of books from her bookshelf at home that she had read, enjoyed, and chosen to share with others. She had sorted the books by series and tied them together with ribbons and bows. While we looked over the titles, she reminisced about reading them and the people who had given them to her. She clearly loves books, recognizes the gifts that they are, and wants to share the joy that they promise. I'm thankful for the gift for the library, and I'm so very proud that our young readers celebrate books with such gusto.

Book Fair

2011-05-01T02:50:00.000-07:00

I love the book fair. I know that it's a ton of work for the volunteers, and it always comes at a busy time, and the library routine is put on hold for the week, but the JOY on the faces of the shoppers is priceless. I love watching the kids find books that they can't wait to read. The ones with money in their pockets work so hard to build their book piles within their budgets. The ones without money are so focused on making a "wish list" to share with parents at home. The ones shopping with parents have the greatest conversations surrounding books. This week, we're back to our regular routine, but there is still much talk about the book fair and the books that are being read and loved.

Poetry Picnic

2011-04-24T18:36:00.001-07:00

I learn so much from reading other librarians' blogs and tweets. Franki, at A Year of Reading, had the terrific idea of having a poetry picnic in the library. The idea was to create a place for the kids to explore and get their hands on different types of poetry. I thought that sounded like a fun way to celebrate Poetry Month, so I tried out some of the activities that she described and added a few of my own. Here's what we enjoyed at our picnic:

Poetry TagTime was on my Kindle. It is an e-book only collection of 30 poems by 30 of the best children's poets. I love reading the connections that they make with each other's poems. This was a great way to try out the Kindle.

Poetry for two voices is so much fun! MESSING AROUND ON THE MONKEYBARS was a favorite on our Panther Paw list. The YOU READ TO ME, I'LL READ TO YOU books are also great fun. I loved listening to the giggles as friends read with friends.

The REAL giggling happened with the "Sing a Poem" takers. I'M STILL HERE IN THE BATHTUB had some very talented singers!

POETRY SPLATTER on RIF's website was enormously popular (Thanks, Franki!) Everyone had fun dragging over words to create and print their own poems. These were terrific collaborative efforts.
I put a shortcut to GIGGLE POETRY on our library computers. This was another picnic favorite!

Everyone still remembers A SOCK IS A POCKET FOR YOUR TOES and our visit with poet/author Liz Scanlon Garton earlier this year. We used some library pockets to experiment with making "pocket poems" We had long skinny paper available for list poems like those in Georgia Heard's book FALLING DOWN THE PAGE. Paper and markers were out for those who explored DOODLE DANDIES and other collections of shape poetry. Second graders examined AFRICAN ACROSTICS and SPRING and then made their own name acrostic poem.

One first grade girl said emphatically, "We should do this Poetry Picnic EVERY year!" I think she's right.

"One Read"

2011-04-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

Parish readers are amazing! Every year we have a "Hillcrest One Read." Jake Drake, Bully Buster by Andrew Clements was this year's pick. This book is not only a fun to read series, but the subject (bullying) makes for some great discussion. Eighty four...yes, 84 first and second graders and twenty six faculty and staff signed up for this after school meeting/celebration. Students and teachers had about three weeks to read the book, and we met in the library at the end of the school day this Wednesday. After stowing the backpacks away, we headed to the gym for "Bully Buster Cake." Next, two teachers teamed up with small groups of seven or eight readers to enjoy book related activities and to talk about the book. There was some excellent and enlightening discussion in these groups! We all met up in the library to end the afternoon with an unforgettable "Super Bully" performance co-starring two of our most talented friends from the Midway campus assisted by our amazing lower school counselor. I LOVED this celebration of reading, the excitement leading up to the event, the laughter, and the learning. I LOVED hearing teachers say to each other at the end of that l...o...n...g day, "I like doing this. It's fun!"

Panther Paw Winner!

2011-03-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

Students, parents, and teachers have been so busy since January reading and talking about the books on this year's Panther Paw list. Every student in K - 2nd grade and many parents voted this week for their favorite. I'm always so happy to see that all of the books receive votes. We had a fantastic list of books to read this year! THE WINNER - The Buddy Files: The Case of the Lost Boy is the first in a great series by Dori Hillestad Butler. There has been a huge interest in the other books in the series. I have notes from students who are so excited to find a new series to love.
Anyone who read all 20 books was eligible to put their name on a paw for a drawing. The winner got a copy of all of the books for their classroom. A lucky first grader was so happy to hear her name announced. Her friends in her classroom were happy, too!
Congratulations to all of our Parish readers!

Inventions

2011-03-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

Invention Convention is this week at Parish. It's always fun to read about people who think, collaborate, work through obstacles, and finally see their creations enjoyed by others. We have two great books about inventors and inventions on our Panther Paw list, and they both have a lot of fans! Pop! The Invention of Bubblegum by Meghan McCarthy was a fun read aloud in the library this week. First and second grade LOVED hearing the story while chewing some of Walter Diemer's delicious pink Double Bubble. There were some impressive bubbles!

Books We Love!

2011-02-17T13:23:00.000-08:00

The first grade girls gathered in the library for our annual "Books We Love" lunch. All of the girls came with a book that is one of their favorites. We just eat, chat, and share what makes this book special. It is so much fun to hear the thoughts and ideas. It's the perfect reading celebration for Valentine's Day!

Books We Love on PhotoPeach

Author Visit!

2011-01-27T17:41:00.000-08:00

You probably read about our visiting author, Susan Stevens Crummel in an earlier post. Wow! She sure knows how to captivate and inspire a crowd of young readers and writers! In three presentations, she described how she and her illustrator sister, Janet Stevens, and illustrator friend, Dorothy Donohue work together on their incredible, award winning books. Puppets and our own students helped make the stories come alive.
It was fun, fun, fun to have a library full of excited, laughing, and learning children!
Be sure to check out the notes our own Parish pets wrote to Mr. Mutt asking for advice. We LOVE that book!

Guys Read Alvin Ho

2011-01-24T14:49:00.000-08:00

For the second year, the second grade guys met for the Alvin Ho Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things Book Club lunch in the library. The book was a hit with this group and again inspired some fantastic conversation! The guys made their own list of things that others should know about them and things that scared them. They came up with their own superhero names. They made a connection with Alvin when he talked about the best time he ever had with his dad, and every boy told about a great time that he had shared with his own dad. We watched a quick advertisement for Johnny Astro, the toy that Alvin's dad loved when he was a boy. We also took a quick look at guysread.com where there are a lot of lists of books that might be particularly fun for guys. I'm hoping for some recommendations for future book club titles from the boys.

Mother/Daughter Book Club

2011-01-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin was the perfect book for our 2nd Grade Mother/Daughter Book Club! Our library rocked with excitement for an hour after school with 32 book lovers talking about the book's themes of connectedness and thankfulness. We snacked on peaches, eggrolls, springrolls, goldfish, mini goldfish cupcakes and green tea. Grace Lin's video of
the background and her thinking behind the book. We tested the net that tricked the monkeys (a basketball net was perfect!)
We took an online quiz about the book all together on the SmartBoard. We talked about how the meaning of Minli's name (quick thinking) suited her. Then we helped each other think of what name would suit us. We talked about The Old Man in the Moon's red thread and how we are connected as we tied the names together.
This group is an artistic bunch! The dragon creations are fantastic.

Take a look at what the girls had to say about the book.
Grace Lin has written many books that we have in our library. I bet they'll be well read this year!
Everyone went home with a dragon pearl, and (I hope) memories of a wonderful time spent reading together.

Susan Stevens Crummel is Coming!

2011-01-16T02:34:00.000-08:00

Susan Stevens Crummel is the author of over a dozen fabulous, award winning books. Two of her books(Cook-a-Doodle-Doo! and Help Me Mr. Mutt!) have won the Texas Bluebonnet Award. Help Me, Mr. Mutt and The Great Fuzz Frenzy were past winners of our own Panther Paw Award. Susan was here several years ago, and teachers and students fell in love! She's inspiring and fun. We are thrilled to have her visit us in our library on Thursday, January 27. She will meet with all of our K - 2 classes, and she'll talk about the importance of reading, writing, and storytelling. She will also focus on the creative process and collaboration with her sister, author/illustrator Janet Stevens.
I'm sure that many of you have some of her books on your library shelves at home. Susan is happy to autograph those. Her books are available at most major bookstores.
These are some of her books that we'll be reading in the library. You might enjoy reading some at home, too!

Welcome, Charlotte!

2011-01-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

Our library has so many books about tarantulas. Charlotte's hoping that you'll read all about her.

Panther Paw 2011

2011-01-01T03:27:00.000-08:00

It happens every year. The Panther Paw Book Contest is a fun, fun, fun reading program for Parish students in kindergarten through second grade. The goal is to encourage everyone to read and explore a variety of recently published books and to choose favorites. Take a look at the 20 fantastic titles on the 2011 Panther Paw booklist. Any student, parent or teacher who reads or listens to at least ten books can vote for his/her favorite. Anyone who reads or listens to all twenty books will be eligible to enter a drawing for a chance to win a complete set of the Panther Paw books for his/her classroom. Parents may check out one Panther Paw book at a time for overnight or a weekend. We'll vote in March, and the winning book will be announced. Until then...happy reading!

Panther Paw 2011 on PhotoPeach

Needs and Wants

2011-01-01T03:26:00.000-08:00

Christmastime seems like the perfect time to consider the differences between "wants" and "needs." That's what the second graders did as we read Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts. This is a thought provoking book about a boy who begins his story with, "I have dreams about those shoes. Black high-tops. Two white stripes." He deals with embarrassment and disappointment, but he demonstrates caring and generosity. After some discussion and thinking, each second grader added to a list of wants and needs, and that list was used to create a wordle. Interesting and FUN!

Mental Images

2011-01-01T03:25:00.000-08:00

Our library has many (16) retellings of Clement Moore's famous story of The Night Before Christmas. Different illustrators put their spin on the story. It is amazing how the illustrator can create a mood. The first graders listened with eyes closed to the familiar poem and then examined the illustrations. They chose the version that most closely matched their mental images of the story. Their conversation was fun to hear. I heard phrases like these:
"I think the reindeer look just like this. Do you?"
"My grandfather read this very same book to me on Skype."
"I was right...sugarplums look like candy."
You can see that Mary Engelbreit and Christian Birmingham most often matched visions with the first graders.

Pocket Books

2010-12-06T15:30:00.001-08:00

After Liz Garton Scanlon came to the library, some of our first graders jumped into writing "pocket books." Be sure to read some of these on the tall shelf behind the aquarium. A visit from an author is just so inspiring!

Recipe for Writing an Autumn Poem

2010-11-16T13:18:00.000-08:00

I was so lucky to see Georgia Heard, a gifted poet and poetry lover, two years ago at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual conference in San Antonio. Her new collection of list poetry, Falling Down the Page, was just about to be released, and she talked about the making of it. I knew that this was a book that we needed in our library. It's great for read aloud, and it is a wonderful mentor text for the writing workshop as students create list poems. This is one of Georgia's poems that appears in this collection.

RECIPE
FOR WRITING AN
AUTUMN POEM
by Georgia Heard

One teaspoon wild geese.
One tablespoon red kite.
One cup wind song.
One pint trembling leaves.
One quart darkening sky.
One gallon north wind.

We used Vocaroo to record the poem read by the second grader who also created the illustration.

Liz Garton Scanlon Visit

2010-11-15T18:21:00.000-08:00

Author visits are always exciting and fun. Some are inspiring and energizing. That's what we had when Liz Garton Scanlon came to meet with our kindergarten and first grade today. We were all looking forward to her visit, and we wanted to welcome her to Parish. We hoped that this "All the world is all of us" banner would let her know that we were thrilled to meet her.
Liz described her life as a writer. In her slippers, with her dog at her feet, sipping a cup of tea, she works hard doing the thing that she loves. She reminded us that sometimes it takes time and thought to make writing just right. She invited and encouraged the children to think, wonder, and share ideas. Hands were waving and heads were nodding as the children related to her message. Liz helped us notice details in the words and illustrations as she read All the World and A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes. She even gave us a sneak peak of her newest book, Noodle and Lou, which is scheduled to be out in the spring. It was a fabulous morning with an outstanding author.

Recycle a Book!

2010-11-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

We celebrated America Recycles Day with our first "Recycle a Book Day." All kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders were invited to bring a book that they had finished reading and that they thought a friend would enjoy. They traded for a book that they would enjoy reading. We set up tables in the gym, and students shopped for a new book during lunchtime. Everyone found something that they were excited to take home to read. Books are the perfect things to recycle! If you forgot to bring a book this time...don't worry. We'll plan more book recycling days this year.

Secrets of Droon

2010-11-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

We need to put Secrets of Droon books on speed dial on our library catalog. These books have been spinning on and off the shelves. Second graders are ready to meet the author, Tony Abbott on Wednesday. You can see for yourself...they have found a series that they like!

Authors are Coming!

2010-11-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

Charlotte Walker was the beloved great grandmother of Emory and Sydney, two of our Parish students. She was also a school teacher who shared her love for literature with the children she inspired. A generous donation given in honor of Charlotte Walker has provided us with the incredible opportunity to bring some fantastic authors to Parish this year.

Liz Garton Scanlon will visit with the kinders and 1st graders on Monday, November 15. She is the amazing author of All the World which was the 2010 Caldecott Honor Book, a New York Times Best Book of 2009, a Kirkus Best Book of 2009, a School Library Journal Best Book of 2009, and a Parent's Choice Gold Award winner. Her new book, A Sock is a Pocket For Your Toes promises to be a favorite read-aloud in our library.

Second graders have ALL been reading and loving books in The Secrets of Droon series. After the classroom teachers read the first book in the series aloud, the students each chose another book in the series to read and discuss with a Friday afternoon book club in one of the classrooms or in the library. The book talk has been very lively! The books are full of so much fun excitement and adventure. The author, Tony Abbott, will be at our Midway campus meeting with the 3rd - 6th grades on Wednesday, November 17. We will join the presentation and conversation via Skype from the Hillcrest library.

Susan Stevens Crummel, the author of Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!, winner of the 2001 Texas Bluebonnet Award, The Great Fuzz Frenzy, winner of 10 state book awards, and Help Me, Mr. Mutt! one of Time Magazine's Top 10 Children's Books of 2008 and winner of the 2010 Texas Bluebonnet Award is scheduled to visit with the kindergarten, first and second grades in January. Some students from the Midway campus may join that visit via Skype. Susan is an amazing author who excites and energizes children about books.

Visiting with authors makes a tremendous impact on readers. I can't wait!

Texas Book Festival

2010-10-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

If you're a book lover, the Texas Book Festival in Austin is the place for you! The Texas Book Festival began 15 years ago to support library literacy programs around the state. Every year, authors with new books from all around the world gather inside and outside the Texas Capitol. I spent my festival time in the children's "Read Me a Story" tent where I met three-time Caldecott winner, David Wiesner and listened to him read his newest creation, Art and Max and his incredible book, Flotsam. I loved meeting and learning from authors Keith Graves (Chicken Big), Sara Pennypacker (Clementine, Friend of the Week), Anna Dewdney (Llama Llama Holiday Drama), Bonny Becker (Bedtime for Bear), Chris Barton (Shark vs. Train), Tim Tingle (When Turtle Grew Feathers), and Peter Brown (Children Make Terrible Pets). A highlight for me was the 2011-2012 Texas Bluebonnet Master List Announcement Party led by brilliant authors Michael Buckley and Dr. Cuthbert Soup.
I bought a lot of new books for our library and the authors autographed them for our Parish Readers. Fun!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Little Mikey

2010-10-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

Little Mikey, the popular library pet tarantula, lived with us at Parish for over 15 years. Mikey died last week. Mikey had a VERY long life for a spider. Over the years, many, many Parish students watched Little Mikey quietly sit under his log and shivered when he occasionally climbed the glass to the top of his home. The children, teachers, and parents have been writing some of their thoughts and memories about Mikey in a book that we'll keep in the library. Little Mikey inspired wonder and fascination for years and years. He will be missed!

Surprise Skype Reader

2010-10-19T18:19:00.000-07:00

Our surprise reader was REALLY a surprise for one of our Pre-K friends. Her older sister, a student on our Midway campus, joined us in the library via Skype. The third grade sister had a spellbound audience as she told Mo Willems's story of Leonardo, the Terrible Monster. It was so much fun! I hope that we'll see many more of our Midway friends with us at story time back in the Hillcrest Library!

Illustration Study

2010-10-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

The kindergarten and first grade are immersed in an illustration study in writing workshop in their classrooms. They are learning about how an illustrator makes decisions about pictures and how it is very much like making decisions about words as a writer. In the library this week, we looked closely at Emily Gravett's books. We noticed some of the techniques that she uses in her illustrations to show time passing and movement through different spaces. Her pictures capture expressions and reveal so much more of the story than the words alone provide. Her books are just fun to see and read! I bet some young writers will experiment with some of the illustrator's craft that they noticed in Emily Gravett's books as they work on their own books.

Happy Birthday, Spot!

2010-10-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

There's always so much excitement around Blessing of the Animals at our school. I always look for favorite books about dogs and cats to read in the library. This year, Spot books by Eric Hill celebrate 30 years. The Pre-K loved looking at his books and exploring the Fun With Spot site on the SmartBoard. Happy birthday, Spot!

Boys Read

2010-10-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

There's so much excitement for reading happening with the second grade boys this year, and they are coming to me and initiating the most fun conversation about it! I keep hearing, "Mrs. Maher, have you ever read...?" As they describe in detail the series that they've discovered, their eyes twinkle, and it is obvious that they've found books to love. Here's what they're saying...

Trading Cards by BigHugeLabs

Destiny and Dinosaurs

2010-10-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

There's always something to celebrate in the library! This month it's dinosaurs. Did you know that our library has 210 books about dinosaurs on the shelves? Look for yourself. Our Parish libraries recently upgraded our software to Destiny. Click here and take some time at home to explore and look for books that you might want to read. The 2nd graders are doing a great job finding books in the library!

Tour of Our Library

2010-09-16T02:10:00.000-07:00

Months ago, an elementary librarian in Bangkok had an idea that I loved. She posted a tour of the library in her International School and suggested that other librarians do the same. I used our Flip camera in a walk through our library. I'm excited that other librarians and visitors might see this place where so much happens at our school. Thanks, Tara, for this great idea and so many others!

Bruce Coville and Story Book House

2010-09-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

I was so lucky to meet and chat with the talented and wildly successful author, Bruce Coville, this weekend at The Story Book House. Bruce has published more than 100 books. I loved visiting with this phenomenal author because he so obviously loves writing for and talking with children. His Moongobble and Me series is one of my favorites. Dragon of Doom is the first book in this fun-to-read series. Moongobble is a magician who has a lot of trouble casting his spells. Edward is a neighbor boy who works as Moongobble's apprentice. Together, they face the fearsome Dragon of Doom. This fast paced series has the magical feel of Harry Potter, but it is written for younger readers. Be sure to look for these and other Bruce Coville books in our library.

I have often dreamed of owning a children's bookstore and imagined what it would be like. The Story Book House is that bookstore of my dreams! Not only are they located in a wonderful 100 year old house that is home to a fantastic collection of children's books, they also have an amazing gallery of original illustrations from children's picture books. The owners have a commitment to literacy and so obviously share a love and excitement about reading. Their events calendar is full of fantastic author visits. You will want to plan a visit to this independent book store. You'll love it!

One Read-Aloud

2010-09-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ask anyone in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade about the book that they are listening to at read aloud time in their classrooms, and you'll hear all about a little boy's quest to rescue a baby dragon from Wild Island. Everybody's reading My Father's Dragon, the 1949 Newbery Honor Book written by Ruth Stiles Gannett. Having a common read-aloud at the beginning of the school year is really a fun way to build excitement and encourage conversation about reading. Does anyone know how chewing gum, toothpaste, and hair ribbons helped the boy get closer to the dragon? How could the boy use SIX magnifying glasses? Be sure to ask a Panther reader!

Baby Panthers Read

2010-08-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

Do you have a little Panther Cub at your house?
The Hillcrest Library is beginning to build a collection of books just for our youngest Panther Cubs (little brothers and sisters of our Pre-K - 2nd grade students.) Study after study reports the benefit of reading with our children from the time that they are babies. Check this PBS website for a great description of reading milestones for babies and toddlers. It’s never too early to begin to grow baby bookworms. Babies begin to show an interest in books at about four months. They might prefer chewing on them to listening to them at this age, but over the next few months they begin to enjoy the stories that they hear over and over again, and they especially begin to enjoy hearing the language and experiencing the closeness and routine of sharing books.

These happy baby booklovers drop their toys and come crawling to hear Charise Mericle Harper’s Good Night, Leo as part of their nightly bedtime routine. Making books a fun part of each day is the best way to encourage a lifelong love of reading.

I hope you'll find a comfortable spot to sit together and enjoy some of these new books with your little ones. Happy reading!

Audio Books and Literacy

2010-07-08T19:04:00.000-07:00

The road to becoming a reader begins with hearing stories and books read aloud. Research shows that when children listen to reading that it fosters the process of phonemic awareness and provides a model for fluent reading. It also provides an opportunity for the reader to be exposed to new vocabulary. Audio books can be a fantastic tool for developing literacy.
Today I cataloged and bagged over 40 new audio books for the library. These will be available for checkout when school begins. I know that the students will love being able to listen to reading and to read along with these terrific books. They'll be a perfect way to spend some of that driving and waiting time in the car.
Members of the Screen Actors Guild read books aloud to children at Storyline Online. You'll want to explore this site.
Our subscription to Tumblebooks is also being well used! Already, almost 800 books have been listened to or read! If you've missed seeing and checking out this resource, click here to go directly to the site:
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp

User name: parishreads
Password: tumble

Exciting New BooksFor Teachers

2010-06-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about these new books for teachers in our library. Take a look at them, and I know you'll be inspired by what you read!

Recently, several people have twittered or blogged about The Third Teacher: 79 Ways You Can Use Design to Transform Teaching & Learning. It's all about using imagination and creating the ideal learning environment for children. It asks what the school of the future will look like. Environment...that's "the third teacher." Get a taste of the book at the website - http://www.thethirdteacher.com/ I've started reading this book, and you're going to have to pry it from my hands.

The Cafe Book by "The Sisters," Gail Boushey and Joan Moser presents information about ways to integrate assessment into daily reading. It is the complement to The Daily Five, a book that has been read and dogeared by many of our teachers.

If you liked Reading With Meaning, you'll want to check out Debbie Miller's Teaching With Intention. Stenhouse wrote, "Teaching with Intention offers a compelling reminder that truly transformative teaching is built from the ground up, and is rebuilt every year, by every teacher, in every classroom, with every new group of students." She will have you thinking!

Katie Wood Ray says, "If teachers show children how an illustrator’s decisions about pictures are a lot like a writer’s decisions about words, they form a bridge of understanding that nurtures children as writers." Her newest book is "In Pictures and In Words: Teaching the Qualities of Good Writing Through Illustration Study." Katie is one of my favorite teacher mentors. We'll all be talking about this book...might need more than one!

Summer Reading

2010-05-17T05:16:00.000-07:00

Summer! It is the perfect time for reading! I've been building a pile of books for three months to savor this summer. We've been talking about setting reading goals for the summer this week in the library. The first and second graders brainstormed specific goals that they might work toward this summer. It may be to find a new book series or to try a new genre. It might be to read more books in a series that is already familiar and fun. This week all of the first and second graders will write one goal on a summer sun. I'll save the first graders' suns and pass the second graders' on to Mrs. Wilson, the librarian at Midway. It will be a perfect starting point for book talk in August and a great way to look back at our summer reading accomplishments.

Kim Maughan, the fantastic children's librarian from our neighborhood Fretz Park library, treated the first and second graders to a lively reading of Wild About Books, and then she described the summer reading fun planned at the Dallas libraries. There are many fun and free programs being planned for children.
Bookstores also offer incentives for young readers in the summer. Here are a few:
Borders
Barnes and Noble
Half Price Books

Our Parish summer reading lists are posted on our school website. Remember that these lists are only a starting point for ideas.

Parents, if you are looking for a summer reading challenge of your own, you might like to scan the new Lariat List of recommended adult fiction created by the Texas Library Association.

Happy summer reading!

TumbleBooks

2010-05-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Parish families now have access to TumbleBooks, a collection of online animated talking picture books. Have fun exploring all of the books, games, and features on the site. TumbleBooks are designed to be experienced in either automatic or manual mode. In automatic mode, the pages turn by themselves and are narrated. In manual mode, the narration is turned off and users turn the pages at their own speed. This might be a fun resource for summer reading for our children. Be sure to let me know your thoughts! Just click on the link below. Happy reading!

http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp

User name: parishreads
Password: tumble

Student Book Creations

2010-05-06T13:27:00.001-07:00

Don't miss reading some fantastic books created by our second grade writers and artists. The students took their learning about writing and combined it with their artistic creativity in the art room to produce wonderful books that are being read and enjoyed by many of the visitors in the library. Look for them on the tall shelf by the aquarium. You'll be delighted and amazed at the learning that has happened in the classrooms!

One Read

2010-04-28T00:33:00.000-07:00

Parish readers proved that books have the power to bring people together. NINETY FIVE first and second graders and twenty nine teachers and staff signed up to read and stay after school to talk about 7 X 9 = Trouble! by Claudia Mills. The meeting and celebration began on the playground with an ice cream cone similar to the ones that the book's characters enjoyed. Loads of book talk, fun, and reflection took place in small group breakouts.

We gathered together in the library with one of our extremely talented and beloved Parish seniors for a fantastic storytelling.

We unveiled an incredible new reading poster created by one of our amazing eight graders that will hang in our library.
The afternoon ended with a very special video created by author, Claudia Mills, just for our Parish readers. She congratulated them on their reading and gave them some of the background for writing this book. She also described the upcoming sequel.

Books have the power to bring people together. A community of readers and thinkers...that's what we are!

The Book Fair - Looking Back

2010-04-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind of a week! It felt like Christmas when the dozens and dozens of boxes and shelves full of books were delivered to the library on Tuesday. The volunteers, who are truly "friends of the library," spent hours sorting and arranging those books so that when the students arrived early Wednesday morning, they found a book wonderland. I loved listening to their conversations about the books. They encouraged each other to try new authors and gave reviews of books that they recommended to their friends. They delighted in finding familiar titles and showing them to their parents. They made many return visits just to browse and fill in wish lists. For me, this week offered the perfect chance to read new books that we could add to our collection. I bought several that are sure to be story time favorites. Next week, the young ones will meet Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. with its downloadable song. We'll be reading, singing, grooving and remembering that, like Pete says, "It's all good!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUubMSfIs-U

Book Fair - Looking Ahead

2010-04-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

This week is our Book Fair. The excitement starts on Tuesday afternoon when the books are delivered and the fabulous volunteers help set up. The shoppers arrive on Wednesday morning. The children's enthusiasm about books and reading fills the library. I can't wait! Hope to see you there.

I couldn't resist making this Google Search Story in anticipation of our Book Fair! Thanks to Mary Lee for the inspiration!

Poetry Month

2010-04-11T03:41:00.000-07:00

Our Children's Poet Laureate, Mary Ann Hoberman, has loved and written poetry for most of her life. She writes about everything...the simplest things...in fun ways. She emphasizes that poetry is really about thinking about words and playing with words and how they sound. Her poems are full of rhyme and rhythm, but she tells children to focus on the kind of poetry that they like, and poetry doesn't need to rhyme. She believes that when children memorize poems that they will have them for all of their lives and never lose them. We spent the week looking at this wonderful poetry ambassador's books and poems. We even got to watch parts of videos of her reading some of her poems. What a treat! Our students and teachers are sharing some of their favorite poems with each other on our bulletin board. Be sure to pick a poem for your pocket as you pass through the library this month.

Pirate Treasure!

2010-03-31T06:57:00.000-07:00

When you read aloud a book that you love, magic happens. The listeners are drawn in and become part of the story. That's what happened when Mr. Monaco shared one of his favorite Melinda Long/David Shannon books, How I Became a Pirate, with two of our PreK II classes in the library this week. Mr. Monaco must have some pirate ancestry because he really can create the look and sound of the mateys. What a treasure in our own backyard!

Jan Brett at the DMA

2010-03-31T06:10:00.000-07:00

Jan Brett is just amazing! Mrs. Roberts and I were so fortunate to have the opportunity to take four of our first grade girls to see her at the Dallas Museum of Art on Sunday afternoon. Jan talked about her life, her new book, The Easter Egg, and she described how she came upon the idea for the book. She even gave an art lesson on how to draw a rabbit. We were all mesmerized! Jan Brett books are always in children's hands. We now have a new title to add to our collection. Thanks to those first grade parents who purchased this event at our Gala!

"One Read"

2010-03-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

Our third annual "Hillcrest Reads One Book" is underway! This year's title is 7 X 9 = Trouble! by Claudia Mills. All first and second graders are invited to join the fun. We'll meet from 3:15 - 4:30 on Wednesday, April 28. Last year's book club had over 70 students and 25 faculty. I'm hoping that we're even bigger this year! We'll snack, meet in small groups to talk about the book, and celebrate our community of readers. The library will have several copies of our book, but they are also available for purchase at Barnes and Noble. Sign up in the library, and happy reading!

A Learning Buzz

2010-03-22T17:59:00.000-07:00

I love the buzz as second graders collaborate and explore specific websites in their search for interesting facts to include in their solar system information cards. It is so exciting to watch the growing independence and learning that is happening in our library!

Weeding Help

2010-03-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

Non-fiction books have a sneaky way of becoming outdated. New discoveries and new inventions change our understanding of the world, so it's important that our books relay accurate information. Our non-fiction collection was examined with a critical eye by one of our Parish eighth grade students who generously volunteered hours of his knowledge and time to the betterment of our library. Makes me proud! Thank you!

And the winner is....

2010-03-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

I am so proud to announce that 196 readers voted in our Panther Paw 2010 contest. That means that almost 200 people read at least ten of the books on this year's list. Every single title on the list received votes and was someone's favorite. The winner?...

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Everyone who read all twenty of the books on the list was eligible to put a PAW in the jar for a chance to win a complete set of the books for their classroom. We had a record-breaking 140 paws in the jar. The winning paw belonged to a book lover in Mrs. Jenning's and Mrs. Ketch's kindergarten class. CONGRATULATIONS to ALL of the readers who read or listened to reading of all of these fantastic books!

Matt Glover Inspires!

2010-03-07T05:26:00.000-08:00

The voices in our library this Saturday were the energized voices of teachers as they talked with, listened to, and squeezed every ounce of learning about nurturing young writers from our fantastic guest, Matt Glover. Matt has written and co-written several books about writing workshop with our youngest writers. Matt filled the day with examples of picture books from different genre that could serve as mentors for children as they make their own books in the classroom. Many of the books that he mentioned are ones that we already have in the library and are favorites of the children. Several others are titles that will be on our next book order. We were so lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from Matt, and we all left with new excitement about the possibilities and opportunities for our young Parish writers.

Skyping Yertle

2010-03-03T13:54:00.001-08:00

Today in the library, our second grade Grizzlies met Ms.Hennesey's fantastic second grade class from Sylvania, Ohio via Skype to celebrate LitWorld's Read Aloud Day. What a fun experience for our very first class to class collaboration! The two classes took turns reading pages from Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss (Happy Birthday!) They each shared a little bit of information about home cities. We agreed that we'd love to get together again soon.

Voting Time!

2010-02-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

The library has been so alive with readers for the past two months as parents and students have devoured the books on the Panther Paw shelf. It's finally time to cast your votes for your favorite. All students, parents and teachers who have read at least ten of the books on the list are eligible to vote. Circle your choice on the ballot. Students will get ballots in the classroom. Parents can pick up ballots in the library. Votes will be counted on Friday.

Be sure to check out the awesome campaign posters and paragraphs created by the second grade Grizzlies.

Home Run

2010-02-26T18:54:00.000-08:00

Ten second grade guys who read Home Run by Robert Burleigh shared their lunch and their thoughts about the story of Babe Ruth. What a lively book talk! The guys were amazed by Babe's sixty homers in one season, and they remembered details about Babe that were described in the book. The guys laughed while watching a quick video clip of Babe and Arithmetic filmed about eight decades ago. Babe, Yogi, and Pudge aren't the only guys with great nicknames. You might know these fantastic guy readers: "Big Shot," "Wild Thing," "Muser," "Jass," "Stitches," "Score," "Mashoo," "Thitter Flame," and "Stonewall Jackson."

Books We Love Lunch

2010-02-20T03:29:00.000-08:00

All of the first grade girls met for our very first "Books We Love" lunch in the library. Everyone brought their lunch and a book that they love to show to their friends. The lunch together was such fun, but the book sharing was even more exciting. The girls talked about much loved books that were passed on to them by other family members, books from series that they had recently discovered, books that connected to classroom studies, and books that tickled their funnybones. That wonderful half hour in the library just zoomed by!

2nd Grade Guys Read Alvin Ho

2010-02-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

Wow! Over 30 second grade guys met for the first Parish Guys Book Club lunch in the library. Alvin Ho Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things inspired some fantastic conversation! The guys made their own list of things that they were "allergic to." They talked about possible superhero names. We watched a quick advertisement for Johnny Astro, the toy that Alvin's dad loved when he was a boy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU5oZ1k2e0A

The guys made so many connections with Alvin, and it seems that everyone is sure that they want to read the new book in the series, Alvin Ho:Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters.
Wordle - Guys again: ""

This wordle shows some of the things that the guys find scary. The larger the word, the more often it was listed. Click on the wordle for a closer look!

Wax Museum

2010-02-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

Our library became the most fantastic Wax Museum this morning! The second graders chose biographies to read and to learn about a famous person. After gathering, organizing, and memorizing facts about the person, they dressed and became that person in wax. Visitors to the library/museum pressed a button and learned important facts about the life of the exhibit. Guests to the museum are always so impressed with the amount of learning that happens with this project. The second graders were amazing!

Wallwisher and Panther Paw

2010-02-06T18:17:00.000-08:00

This is Wallwisher. (Thanks, Tara!) Let's experiment with this application and see if we can build a wall of comments about the Panther Paw books. I can't wait to read about the books that you love the most!

http://wallwisher.com/wall/vKMGDAM56s

Panther Paw 2010

2010-02-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

Here are the Panther Paw 2010 books. Everyone who reads ten of the books is eligible to vote. That includes parents! If you read all 20, be sure to put a PAW in the drawing for a set of books for your classroom. Voting will begin on March 1. Happy reading!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Birthday Presents!

2010-01-28T06:06:00.000-08:00

Wow!
Our library sends a HUGE thank you to all who have celebrated their birthday with presents for Parish readers.

Check out the new books!

Off and Reading!

2010-01-17T19:03:00.001-08:00

Before school or after school...the library is humming with moms, dads, and children reading through the Panther Paw list. Join the fun!

Happily Ever After in the Library

2010-01-17T17:47:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there was a library full of fairy tale magic. First graders at Parish are diving into a study of these ageless stories, and we're loving them in the library, too! We're reading some traditional fairy tales, fractured tales, and different versions of familiar tales. I love reading these stories over and over, again. The excitement, nervous thrill, and awe that they create is on the face of every child.

Overheard from kindergarten student..."I keep looking at that word, 'fum.' Cool word...I like it!"

Mo Willems is Coming to Town!

2010-01-11T18:39:00.000-08:00

Everyone who spends time in our library knows that Mo Willems is one of my most favorite authors and illustrators. I love all of his books and characters....Elephant and Piggy, Trixie with her Knufflebunny, the Pigeon, Leonardo, Edwina....all of them! He is the author and illustrator of two of the books on our Panther Paw list(Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed and Watch Me Throw the Ball.) So, when I read on his blog that he will be at the KidFest Festival at the Angelica in Dallas this month, I started spreading the word to all of my friends. Mark your calendars for A Tribute to Mo Willems on January 23 at 3:00. I can't wait!

The Tribute to Mo Willems was such a treat! The audience got to take home a book by Mo, watch 60 minutes of Mo's animations, listen to Mo answer questions, and meet Mo for an autograph. Great day!

Guys Read Book Club

2010-01-07T13:42:00.001-08:00

All second grade guys are invited to join a book club. It's easy to join. The hard part is deciding which club to join. The guys have a choice. Home Run by Robert Burleigh is a terrific book about George Herman Ruth Jr....the Babe. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look tells the story of a boy who loves superheroes, who is trying to be a gentleman, and who is afraid of everything. Two great reads! Sign up and be ready for a fun lunch in the library one day in February to talk about the book. I'll bring dessert!

Dates for lunch meeting:
Home Run - Friday, February 12
Alvin Ho - Wednesday, February 17 - 2B, 2R, 2S
- Thursday, February 18 - 2Ga, 2Gr
See you then...I can't wait!

Panther Paw Kick Off

2010-01-04T08:58:00.000-08:00

The Panther Paw Book Contest is a fun, fun, fun reading program for Parish students in kindergarten through second grade. The goal is to encourage everyone to read and explore a variety of recently published books and to choose favorites. Many teachers will read ten or more Panther Paw books in the classroom, but parents will also want to join in the excitement and read some or all of these books together with their children at home.

There are 20 fantastic titles on the 2010 Panther Paw Booklist. Any child, parent or teacher who reads or listens to at least ten books can vote for his/her favorite. Anyone who reads or listens to all twenty books will be eligible to enter a drawing for a chance to win a complete set of the Panther Paw books for his/her classroom. Parents may check out one Panther Paw book at a time for overnight or a weekend. We'll vote in March, and we'll find out which book will be the winner. Until then...happy reading!

Happy Holidays!`

2009-12-16T13:22:00.000-08:00

Holiday books are so much fun! Kindergarten and second grades looked closely at the story and illustrations in Jan Brett's Wild Christmas Reindeer. Then, we watched the video on her website as she described what inspired her to write the book. The first graders considered the importance and impact of a book's illustrator as we compared five versions of Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas. They voted on the illustrator that most closely matched their mental images of the story. Jan Brett, who is very popular here at Parish, was the hands down winner!

The library rocked when the Pre-K classes danced the Santa Pokey decked out in jingling antlers.

Holiday Card Project

2009-12-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Barrett and the Broncos joined me in our first online project. This Holiday Card Project was organized by Jennifer Wagner. The students created 22 holiday cards with greetings and information about our school. We sent them to other schools in our group around the world. We have started receiving cards from those schools. Our group includes one school in Scotland, several in different parts of Canada, one in Hawaii, and others in various states in the US. It has been so much fun reading the cards and using online tools like Google maps to explore the areas around the other schools. We are hoping to find a class in our group to visit via Skype. This has been a fantastic way to learn about other people and places, and it may provide the beginning of a global conversation!

Holiday Card Project

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

Just Grace Book Club

2009-12-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

Thirty four second grade girls signed up for our very first Book Club Lunch in the library. Just Grace was a huge hit with this group! Super powers were discovered, big questions were discussed, and laughter was sprinkled throughout the meeting. Readers are clamoring for the other books in the series. Second grade boys are next...

Jessica Harper Visits on Skype!

2009-12-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

The first grade just had a great Skype an Author visit with Jessica Harper . She is the author of some fantastic books that we have in our library. We read several of them during story time. The first graders were very excited and prepared with questions for our visitor. Ms. Harper told us that her Cleo books are real stories about her own childhood. We loved Uh-Oh, Cleo and reading about "Stitches Saturday" when Cleo had to go to the hospital and get nine stitches. There will be a waiting list to check out Underpants on My Head which is about a family camping trip. We'll be watching for new Cleo books in the near future!
We send a big thank-you to Jessica Harper for donating her time to visit with us and fuel excitement for reading and writing!

A Place for Wonder

2009-11-06T04:40:00.000-08:00

When I heard Georgia Heard and Jennifer McDonough talk about their soon to be published book, A Place for Wonder, at the NCTE Annual Convention last November, I knew that it would be a fantastic reference book that the teachers would love. It is really inspiring me to try to find new ways to make our library a place that encourages curiosity, creativity, and exploration. First to make the "wondering" scene was a HUGE green caterpillar that spun a cocoon within an hour of rescue from the sidewalk and coming into our library. As the children ask questions, make observations, and look for answers about him, they will learn more about nonfiction reading and writing. Nic Bishop's new book, Butterflies and Moths, will be getting a lot of attention!
If you find items that you think your friends would like to wonder about, please bring them in.

Just Grace Book Club

2009-11-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

All second grade girls are invited to join the Just Grace Book Club. It's easy to join...just check out the book (we have 16 copies,) read it, and be ready for a fun lunch in the library one day in December to talk about it. I'll bring dessert! This is one of my favorite book series for girls. I just love Grace with her super power of empathy! Sign up at the check out desk, and be ready for a great read!

Mary Amato Visits Parish!

2009-10-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

Our Skype visit with Mary Amato was a fantastic treat for the second grade. She told us a little bit about her new book, Take the Mummy and Run. It's on our next book order, and there's already a waiting list to check it out. She described how her own childhood with her sisters provided the background for The Chicken of the Family, and she gave some wonderful and encouraging words about writing. The second graders surprised Mary with our own version of Please Write in This Book that was inspired by her original story. This was our first adventure using Skype, and we can't wait to explore other ways to open up the walls of our library!

Monsters!

2009-10-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner, and monster stories filled the library this week. Glad Monster Sad Monster: A Book About Feelings by Ed Emberley gave everyone in Pre-K I a chance to look out at their friends from behind a mask and express their ideas. We added in Emberley's Go Away, Big Green Monster! for a monstrously fun story time!

Guest Readers

2009-10-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting happenings in the library is when older students read to younger students! These second graders found that Mary Ann Hoberman's You Read to Me, I'll Read to You books are perfect for two voices. They give readers an opportunity to practice fluency and to read for an eager audience. Our new Flip video camera is getting a workout!

David Shannon's Birthday

2009-10-10T19:09:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite authors/illustrators, David Shannon had a birthday this week. We celebrated by reading some of his books in the library. The pre-k II and kindergarten enjoyed three of his finest and funnniest...Alice the Fairy, Good Boy, Fergus, and Duck on a Bike. The kindergarten practiced making tallies by voting for their favorite on the SmartBoard. Many were heard saying, "I can't decide. I loved them all!"

Skype an Author

2009-10-01T16:45:00.001-07:00

I have been reading a lot about Skype an Author, a network of authors who are willing to meet and visit with students for ten to fifteen minutes at no charge via Skype. We are so lucky to be meeting Mary Amato on October 28 on the SmartBoard in the library. We loved her book, Chicken of the Family, which was on our Panther Paw list last year. Please Write in This Book is another of her books that is sure to be enjoyed by second graders who like to read funny books. It's about a teacher who leaves a blank book in the writing corner and invites the students to write to each other in it. It is fun to get to know the students by reading their entries in the book. We'll be working on making a list of questions to ask Mary Amato. I can't wait to meet her!

Can You Make a Scary Face?

2009-09-29T14:20:00.001-07:00

Can You Make a Scary Face? is one of those books that I just love reading out loud. It's wild and crazy fun! Jan Thomas is the author. She has the funniest sense of humor, and all of her books are favorites for story time. Her illustrations are simple and bold. We're going to paint scary faces in the style of Jan Thomas for our October library bulletin board. Be prepared for a fright!

Guys Read!

2009-09-26T16:20:00.000-07:00

Jon Scieszka's Guys Read, is a fantastic web-based literacy program for boys. He says that his mission is to help boys become self-motivated life-long readers. I love his site! He includes lists of books that guys might be interested in, and several of the most popular and fun male authors list their own favorite reads. I'll be checking this list the next time I order books for our library!

Christoph Niemann and The Book-Toothed Dinosaur

2009-09-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

Last spring I noticed an article in the New York Times describing the renovation of some children's libraries in the Bronx. When I saw his "Book-Toothed Dinosaur," I e-mailed the artist, Christoph Niemann, to tell him that I loved his mural. He replied and offered to let us to make a print so that we could enjoy his work in our library, too. Long time Parish teacher, Marilyn Calwell, provided for the printing and framing as a retirement gift to the library. Perfect! You'll smile when you see this big dino...look closely!

Christoph Niemann has a great new book out. The Pet Dragon: A Story about Adventure, Friendship, and Chinese Characters will be a favorite read-aloud during story time this year. When the second graders begin their study of Ancient China, they will love rereading this book and looking closely at how the artist incorporates Chinese characters into his illustrations in a way that shows how they resemble the things that they symbolize. This book will make you want to learn more about Chinese writing and maybe even give it a try yourself!

Little Mikey

2009-09-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

Our library pet, Little Mikey, molted the day before school started. It was a difficult molt for a tarantula who is over 16 years old. After resting on his back for two weeks in the library office, he is on his feet and ready to entertain and amaze children. He was the perfect subject for a discussion of the differences between fiction and nonfiction books. Be sure to stop in the library to examine Mikey’s old exoskeleton and read a few of our favorite books about spiders.

Our Reading Roots

2009-09-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

In her book, The Book Whisperer, Donalyn Miller wrote about our reading roots. She included a quote from William Wordsworth.
What we have loved
Others will love.
We will teach them how.
Our back to school display in the library includes pictures of teachers and staff reading books that were important to them as beginning readers. It is fun to see what books led to the book lovers that we all became.