Evan is BACK! This time he's is raving about one of our favorites from 2016, Peter Brown's The Wild Robot.
"The Wild Robot was really surprising and full of twists and turns. Peter Brown is a really creative author because I don't think anyone else could think of this story of a robot breaking and showing up on this island. I don't think a lot people could think of that stuff. Like everyone thought Roz was different when she was really just trying to help them and everything. She would always try and communicate with them and they would run away because they thought she was a scary monster. Later in the story I felt better for Roz because the animals understood her more when she started talking to her. My favorite part was when Roz picked up Brightbill's egg and it hatched. I like birds and ducks a lot. This isn't part of the story, but my mom said that if I take care of our cat Dexter really well, she might get me a parakeet. I thought the ending was really creative and smart. I was surprised that the story felt realistic even though it was about a robot stuck on an island. Like the parts about the geese and the opossums. I thought that was really, really cool.
"The illustrations were simple in the beginning but I felt like they had more details towards the end. I love Peter's art. I don't like when authors go above and beyond with the artwork. Peter kept it basic and so simple. I loved it. I can seem some authors wanting to try and draw everything so detailed and he just did it basic and it turned out so well. That was really cool.
"My favorite character is Chitchat. I like Chitchat because she talks a lot, just like me!
"I love this book and I definitely think it should have won the Newbery award last year. The words were way more detailed than the pictures, which is what I like. Usually pictures tell the story, but in The Wild Robot the words tell the story."
So there you have it! We have another Wild Robot fan in our midst! AND another fan of the blog reviews. Stay tuned for more from Evan!
BTW: This is a great blog post from Peter Brown about the making of The Wild Robot.
From sunrise to sunset and beyond, this was a full day if I ever had one.
World Feast
Mrs. Yager's third graders have been working for weeks in preparation for our World Feast on Tuesday night. They have researched and taken notes on a country using Culturegrams, Britannica, World Book and print books. This week I am interviewing them as an 8 year old from that country in the library and in the classroom they are designing displays with information and pictures. At home they are working with their parents in finding a food to share from their country. I love this project!
Gala Kickoff
In less than two months, Caldecott medalist Matthew Cordell, will be walking through our Castleton Elementary hallways. What?! I still can't believe it's happening! It is very unlike me to do the same project two years in a row but we are. It's our #PictureAPoem Gala collaboration between fifth grade ELA, art and library. Today we kicked it off by talking about how illustrators and authors don't usually get together to discuss the book and how our students will be illustrating someone else's poem for our gala in May. I collected poems without names on them. Tomorrow they will "shop" for a poem that speaks to them written by a student from a different class. It will be glued into their sketchbook and the rest of the work will be completed in art. Mark your calendars--May 9 will be here before you know it! I can only hope we don't have to worry about the threat of snow then.
Pi Day
I love this day, 3.14...probably because it's an excuse to throw a party in the library, a place of many numbers. And boy did we party. Between PI cookies, pie, cookies and more, it was quite the dessert feast. We did watch the Brainpop video on "Pi" and started a 3.14 scavenger hunt. One thing I learned today: I want to visit Garden City, Georgia. They are home to the PI zip code.
Book Exchanges
Sadly, I don't have a library assistant and haven't for many years. But I more than manage with my three grandmother volunteers. Until one of them goes on vacation or calls in sick. That's what happened today. Fortunately, teachers are flexible and classes came in when I was able to help them. I do love book exchange. I love when kids find books by people we love.
Note: Both of these books are illustrated by Matt Cordell!
The Wild Robot Escapes
My third grade book WILD ROBOT group is chomping at the bit to begin a part II book group with the sequel. Arletta and I preordered the book so we are READY! Of course, I already have three books going on right now and adding a fourth might send me a little over the edge...
ReadOver/SleepOver Prep
Second and third graders were invited to sleep over at school Friday night. FUN! I got involved in this PTO event a few years ago and now invite an author or illustrator to be a part of it. No, they don't (and neither do I) have to sleep over. This year we are doing a Jigsaw Jones mystery themed evening starring our own local author, James Preller. Dewey Duty and Reading Ambassadors began working on welcome signs for Jimmy this morning.
Here's Mrs. Charsky checking out a Jigsaw Jones book to read aloud to her class.
NYLA Conference Call
Wait? What? This was a fun sight to see. I promise I was listening, just multitasking. I carried my phone around with me in the library as I picked up to get ready to go and listened in on our Continuing Education Committee meeting call. Don't worry! It was on mute when the custodian asked me if there was any pie left.
Music in Our Schools
This is a national month celebration, right? Anyway, our whole community comes out for an evening of performances by students from the elementary school, middle school and high school. We had second graders singing, middle schoolers rockin' out and high schoolers jammin'. It really was awesome. Yes, I had two performers in it but I did say more than once, you'll see me there in 2025 when I don't anymore. But that's getting just a little ahead of myself...
When the day was happening, I didn't think I would ever get horizontal tonight. But finally I see the light (or the dark if you want to be literal). All in all, a great day with so much going on. This isn't even all of it! Looking forward to see what tomorrow brings...
Of course, I wish I was in Phoenix right now at the AASL conference with all my national school librarian peeps. The exhibit hall just opened and I can almost feel the excitement all the way across the country.
However, I am home in Castleton reflecting on my week and thinking about the next couple of days that I will spend at the NYLA conference in Saratoga Springs:
I reunited with The Wild Robot.
Today I started a book group with five third graders. I've done this for many years with this particular teacher but never with this book. So far they love it and honestly so do I. There is nothing more satisfying to me than seeing kids excited about reading. Bonus--the sequel comes out SOON!
My Mock Caldecott has begun!
Our second grade "Committee" has met a few times already to discuss the award and examine books that have already won but on Tuesday we read our first contender, Dan Santat's After the Fall. They loved it. We will evaluate it next week and then dive into all the other beautiful contenders out there.
I attended my first official unofficial NYLA Council meeting.
In the spring I was elected to be a Councilor-at-Large for the New York Library Association (NYLA). All new Council members were invited to the meeting on Wednesday even though we don't become official until tomorrow night. It feels good to be a voice of the school librarians in New York. I asked everyone around the table to hug and embrace any school librarian they see at the conference this week.
Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth
This was our "book of the week" with Mrs. Yager's third graders. Sandow's story definitely fits with our school wide theme of "reach for the stars." Don Tate has some great resources on his website to go along with this book. We even had time to watch this video:
And did you know that Don is a Texan? All the more reason to be a fan!
We honored our local veterans and I exercised my right to vote.
Mr. Reischer is now calling this day his "favorite of the year." What a powerful presentation. This year five local vets from four different foreign wars shared stories, feelings, knowledge and experiences on what it's like to be overseas, return home, 9/11, patriotism, taking a knee and more.
Happy Picture Book Month!
My fifth grade Reading Ambassadors have signed up for different time slots throughout the month to read to younger kids in honor of Picture Book Month. So far Olivia and Sophia read The Chupacabra Ate the Candleabra to Mrs. Cook's kindergarteners and Zach and Olivia read Crown to Mrs. Longobardi's second graders. We have many more classes to cover before the end of the month!
Pirates, Lemmings, Mochi and More!
Mrs. Kosinski's first graders and I were busy the first half of this week! We read Salina Yoon's newest Duck, Duck, Porcupine book has a chapter about "Dress-Like-A-Pirate" day. So we made pirate patches, "arrrrggghhhh" away and had fun! Jasmine Toguchi. We're almost finished so next week we will make mochi!
The next day we celebrated the book birthday of Read the Book Lemmings. After lunch we continued with our read aloud of
Tune in soon.
Last week Washington Post reporter, Jacob Bogage, video chatted with the fifth graders to give them interview tips. This week students got their assignment: interview a family member on the history of coming to this country OR an adult on what it means to be an American. Wednesday is our "podcast party" as we begin listening to the interviews. If they are going to be anything like last year's, we're all in for a treat.
The balloons didn't pop.
In fact, they did the exact opposite! Last week Mrs. Yager's book of the week was Lighter Than Air: Sophie Blanchard, the First Woman Pilot. This totally became a cross curricular event lasting over a week. On Thursday we conducted a science experiment and observed how adding baking soda to white vinegar in a two liter bottle can blow up balloons. The kids did math (measurement), science, spelling, predicting and database research. Pinch me for this project was what you want all collaborations to look like.
Looking ahead.
Newbery Kickoff is Monday with a special video chat hangout in the afternoon. Yes! We are going to meet fifth graders from Fort Worth who have already begun their Mock Newbery project and can share what books they really love. I have a feeling this will be awesome! Book groups start on Friday!
I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and into the world of Physical Education next week when my mentee, Coach Biehler, and I attend the Association for Physical Education Recreation and Dance conference. I hear there's a lot going on between literacy and physical education. I look forward to wearing my yoga pants, meeting new people and learning A LOT!
Looking behind.
I've been busy. A couple of Saturdays ago I went to the Bank Street Book Festival. Well worth the drive from Albany to meet a listen to an incredible slate of fabulous authors and illustrators. Bonus: I had a bonding moment with Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann over Giant Squid and stories of my students.
Halloween was a blast dressing up as Stephen Savage's "Little Plane" and "READ Cloud" with Mrs. Kelliher.
I finished Allegedly. It was one of those books I couldn't stop reading but was kind of fuming about the ending. I'd love to chat with you about it. I also finished Orphan Island. Can we talk about that one, too? I have a ton of questions.
This post has gone on for too long. Sorry! I just like knowing that someone might read it and get ideas. Please email or comment if you ever want clarification or more details. Perhaps mochi or balloons are in your future...
Friends for 34 years, way before the "selfie" was invented!
My favorite part of the New York Times Style Magazine is the back page. That's where they ask someone famous to draw the answers to everyday questions. Every once in awhile I have a minute to scan through it to see if anything else draws my attention. Today, as I was just about to recycle the November magazine, I happened upon an article that touched me so deeply, about the old friends we can't let go of, whether they are gone from our lives or not: http://nyti.ms/2glYGoV
There are many that I think about that have left:
After third grade, one of my very best friends, Allison Zeith, moved to Staten Island from our haven in Briarwood, Queens. We saw each other a few times after that and then never again. I always wonder what happened to her. I have vivid memories of hanging out in her apartment, and watching old, black and white King Kong movies together.
Thanks to FaceBook, I am "friends" with dozens of my early childhood friends (ie, PS 117, JHS 217), so many of whom I haven't seen face to face in 30+ years and would love to meet for coffee some day to catch up. If you are reading this, can we make it happen in 2017? I don't make resolutions, but if I did this could certainly qualify.
There are many from Cardozo HS, Bayside, Queens I would love to see, too. Our 30th HS reunion is this year (oh my!) so if something is organized, maybe I will actually have the opportunity to do this. A lot has happened since big hair and Reaganomics.
What about my orchestra mates at SUNY-Binghamton. Would I even recognize you 25 years later?
I had a couple of housemates in graduate school that would be fun to connect with. It's a problem because I can't remember how to spell Matt K's last name so there is no way I can look him up. He owned the house but goodness knows those checkbooks with his name in it are long gone. Rick Mitchell, with a common enough name, makes him challenging to look up on social media.
But, I do have one true friend who I met at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires in 1982 and who has not left my side since. Back then Queens to New Jersey felt like an eternity apart. We counted long distant minutes on our rotary phones and mailed each other long tomes of who we liked but who didn't like us back (mostly me) and what crushes crushed us that week (again me). Today, in spite of the now 3000 miles separating us, we still remain very close. This post is dedicated to my BFF, Beth.
But because this is a library blog, I'm not just writing about my friends, but tying it all together by giving you a taste of five books published this year that I love, with a strong friendship theme:
Booked by Kwame Alexander
Two friends, Nick and Coby. They play some serious soccer. Throw some family issues in there and a girl, and this book touches it all--perfect for anyone from 9-99.
Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart
Screenshot from Overdrive
Two eighth graders you would never imagine to become friends, do, in a backdrop of Dunkin Donuts, plastic pink flamingoes, a special tree and family members you want to hug one day and shake up the next. A must read for every middle schooler.
Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
The Three Rancheros meet at baton twirling lessons. All have a different reason for wanting to win the "Little Miss Central Florida Tire Contest." When the friendship becomes solidified, you can't help but feel happy. People are wondering if boys will like this book. I can attest that they do as I had several in my book group who, not only liked it, but who were quite engaged in our discussions at our group meetings.
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
A giant book cover from our MOST event
From the alternating point of view Joe and Ravi, two fifth graders, this is their story of how they became friends after a week of school lunches. A must read for every upper elementary school class, even as young as third grade.
Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Three kids, three different stories, coming together in fifth grade while learning about 9/11 during the 2016-17 school year on the fifteenth anniversary and beyond.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
If you doubt that a book about a robot getting stranded on an island could have such strong themes about friendship, family and the environment, then you need to get a copy of The Wild Robot today. We are all surprised at how much we like the book, but the truth is, we do!
My "Wild Robot" book group with arcs thanks to Little, Brown
We Found a Hat by Jon Klassen
Yes, it's a picture book but that doesn't mean it can't belong here. I can't get enough of it--Two turtles, one hat. It could end up badly but the bond of friendship keeps it from going that way. Simple illustrations with a short but meaningful story.
Just a few where old friends were left behind when family came first...
Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin
Thyme moves across the country for her brother's health and struggles with missing her old friends and making new ones in the city.
Ghosts by Raina Telgeimer
Similar to Counting Thyme, in Ghosts, Cat and her family move down the coast of California to protect her sister's health. Little do they know that the new friends they make could be harmful.
Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eager
Boy is it hard to be away for the summer, discover things about your family and roots that you never knew and then go back home and start middle school with friends you haven't seen all summer.
Speaking of friends, here's a text from one after she read "Hour of the Bees."
Here's hoping you have a wonderful holiday season filled with lots of time with family and FRIENDS and maybe even a connection or two with ones that may be gone from your life but never forgotten.
"The illustrations were simple in the beginning but I felt like they had more details towards the end. I love Peter's art. I don't like when authors go above and beyond with the artwork. Peter kept it basic and so simple. I loved it. I can seem some authors wanting to try and draw everything so detailed and he just did it basic and it turned out so well. That was really cool.
