Book of the Week: Chomp

This post brought to you by student blogger Catherine. 

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

Are you ready for a fun adventure? Wahoo Cray and his father Mike Cray are working for a reality tv star Derek Badger. The Crays and the tv crew go to the Everglades to shoot scenes for the show. As they are shooting the show Expedition Survival, Derek mysteriously disappears, an angry gunman holds someone hostage, and a bat attacks someone. Can Derek survive being stranded in the Everglades?

Find out what happens to the characters by reading Chomp by Carl Hiaasen. 

Book of the Week: Rain Reign

This post brought to you by student blogger Mary. 

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She's thrilled that her own name is a homonym and she purposefully gave her dog Rain, two homonyms (Reign, Rein). Not everyone understand's Rose's obsessions, her rules, and the things that make her different -- not her teachers, not other kids, and not even her single father. 

When a storm hits their rural town, rivers overflow, roads get flooded, and Rain goes missing. Rose's father shouldn't have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find Rain, even if it means leaving her routines. Hope you read this book!

Book of the Week: The Crossover

This post brought to you by student blogger Jake. 

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Do you love sports? Do you love excitement? Then you should read The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. It is about a boy named Josh Bell who loved basketball and his brother Jordan more than anything. With his dad's heart problems, and his brother's new girlfriend, he has a lot to worry about. This book is written in verse and is easy to read. A book in verse means it's written like poetry. While playing a one on one game, his dad falls over and goes into a coma. Will his dad wake up? If he doesn't, what will happen? Find out in The Crossover. 

Library Happenings

We've been busy in the upper and lower campus libraries! 

• Kindergartners have been settling into the checkout routine and learning how to find books they are interested in. 
• First and second graders have been learning about library rules and book care. They have been very responsible with their library books! 
• Third graders have done some scavenger hunts to learn their way around the upper campus library. They are also beginning to learn how to do searches on our online book catalog. 
• Fourth graders listened to the story Our Librarian Won't Tell Us Anything! by Toni Buzzeo and did a Reader's Theater play of the story. 
• Fifth graders have been writing scripts for green screen book reviews and will film them next week!
• Middle schoolers have been researching Mother Teresa, now called Saint Teresa of Calcutta. They've been finding credible research sources and writing their notes in our own words. They'll use their facts to make an art project. 

Book of the Week: Saving Gracie

This post brought to you by student blogger Mackenzie. 

Saving Gracie by Carol Bradley

Do you like sad or nonfiction books? If you do, then Saving Gracie is the book for you!  This book describes the horrors of puppy mills. Why spend so much money on breeders, when you can adopt? Gracie, a puppy mill dog, is known to the breeder as Dog 132. All she is to him is a number. She fortunately gets rescued by a shelter, and goes to another. While at the shelter, this six year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is shy and scared of humans. One day that changes. She meets Linda Jackson, a potential adopter. Fortunately Gracie goes home with her and her family is amazed by her. Will she ever warm up? Read this book to find more information on animal shelter experiences, family stories, health problems, and jury cases. Go ahead and read this book!

2016-2017 School Year

Welcome to a brand-new school year! I am happy to be back at the Carondelet Library, Upper and Lower Campus. We have lots of new books to enjoy and new, exciting things to learn! 

Here are just a few of the great things we will do this year: 

Kindergarten: learn to use the library and how to checkout books! Read books by Mo Willems, Dr. Seuss, and other favorite authors. 

First Grade: Read books by favorite authors such as Eric Carle, Laura Numeroff, Dr. Seuss, and more! Learn research skills as we study presidents and ocean animals. 

Second Grade: Research leaders in America for our Hero Projects. Read chapter books!

Third Grade: Learn how to use our online library catalog, Destiny, and its interactive feature, Destiny Quest. Read Maud Hart Lovelace Nominees (Minnesota's Kids' Choice Book Award). Learn more about the way a library is arranged, and the basics of alphabetical and numerical order. 

Fourth Grade: Research a state for our state projects. Read the Maud Hart Lovelace Nominees. Do reader's theater, including scary reader's theater for Halloween!

Fifth Grade: Write our own book recommendations and record them in front of the green screen. Learn library words and check for mastery. Read the Maud Hart Lovelace Nominees and make videos about them. Read a Newbery award winner!

Middle School: Do a variety of technology and book projects including: introductions using the Tellagami app, green screen videos, research for National History Day, research for social studies projects, book trailers in iMovie, book promotional posters, book blogging, and more!

Book of the Week: Winning Balance

This post brought to you by student blogger Maggie. 

Do you love gymnastics? Then Winning Balance by Shawn Johnson is the book for you! This book takes you through the childhood of a 2008 Olympic gymnast who won a gold medal. America's sweetheart, who won four medals in Beijing and the coveted mirror ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars! Read the story about a Midwestern girl at heart, her journey, and the hard work it took to win three silver Olympic medals, one Olympic gold medal, and become the 2007 world champion.

This book has life lessons at the end of each chapter and it is a great book for girls ages 9-17! Enjoy!