JANUARY JOYS!!!

Students in grade 2 are studying Australia and they were introduced to the great selection of non-fiction books about that continent by reading Look What Came From Australia by Kevin Davis and Australia- Letters from Around the World series by Margot Richardson.

Do you remember the story of The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen? Well, the students in K heard another version by Sebastien Braun and did a comparison of both books. This much loved tale is brought to life in a simple retelling expecially for the very young. They even voted for their favorite and stated reasons to support their vote. This is a wonderful bedtime story, and an invaluable addition to every child's first library.

Third graders played the game, "Guess who's Knocking at my Door" after reading biography books of famous people. They gave 3 clues to the audience and 3 guesses were made before the name of the person behind the door was revealed. This is a great way to get to know the individuals from the books as well as a fun way to learn the biography section of the library. Of course, prizes were rewarded to all correct answers as well as to the studens who wrote up the 3 mystery questions. We sure have fun in our library and learn lots, too!

Fiction and non-fiction books were discussed with the Alpha students. After listening to Dog's Colorful Day:a messy story about colors and counting by Emma Dodd, by Emily Gravett, and Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith, students decided what kind of books they were and discussed why. At check out time, some choose the non-fiction (tall shelves) books to take home.

Do you know the author Amy Krouse Rosenthal? If not, just ask a student in Jr. K to tell you about what Little Pea likes to eat, or what Little Oink likes to play. They listened to these two books during their library lesson and one of their teachers checked out Little Hoot to read to them in their classroom. They loved this author's twist on behavior....you need to read one real soon.

5th grade students will be meeting Dan Gutman and seeing a display of his many books during their lessons this month. Do you remember Honus Wagner? Did you know that his baseball card is the most sought after and one in poor condition can be worth $150,000-$200,000? It was one of 522 cards in a set produced by American Tobacco Company in 1909-10. The cards in this set are sometimes referred to as "white borders". This card is so valuable-legend has it- because Wagner was opposed to cigarette smoking and insisted the card be discontinued shortly after presses had begun to run. In 1996, a card in good condition sold for over a half a million dollars. About 60 are known to exist. Well, Dan Gutman's book Honus & Me is just one of his numerous fiction and nonfiction books for children of all ages up to about grade 6. Whether you love sports or not, you should give this author a chance