Come On In!

Come on in! Welcome to the Library!

Twenty to thirty years ago, the role of a librarian was to check books in and out, and to continually "shush" the students. I personally experienced this in junior high and high school. Luckily that has changed over the years, and the expectations are now higher. I feel the most important service I provide my students is my ability to help them find reading material that suits them. I ask questions and learn things about them, and use that information to help locate books of interest for them. I also constantly remind them that if the book they check out is not one they like, that they need to come back to the library so we can find one that they DO like. There is nothing wrong with not liking a book. This helps to encourage reluctant readers especially. It helps me feel that I'm contributing to the good of the student and their current and future learning abilities. It helps the student overcome the stumbling block of reading by making it enjoyable and not a drudgery. It puts them in control of what they read. 

"The Pleasure Principle" by Nancie Atwell 

I Need My Own Country!

I'm not a political gal, but I'm thinking... there are days when I need MY own country!
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Author: Rick Walton    rickcreation.com

Illustrator: Wes Hargis   weshargis.com

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

175 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010 www.bloomsburykids.com

Hook: "There comes a time in all kids' lives when they need to create their own country."

Our cute main character is having issues with a brother =) she needs to create a space (country) all her own, complete with her own flag, rules, and national anthem. She prepares for civil unrest, visits from foreign dignitaries, and past invaders who now come in peace. 

I love that this story begins in the endpapers, and carries through the title page to the first actual page of the book. The darling illustrations tell even more of the story than the words, and my kids loved finding the funny-faced goldfish on each page (he's the Secretary of the Navy =)

rating:  (5 stars)

I Hate Picture Books!

I really don't - I LOVE picture books, but Timothy Young's "too cool for school" character Max "HATES" them! I can't even begin to imagine what that's like.

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Author: Timothy Young ihatepicturebooks.com

Illustrator: Timothy Young 

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

4880 Lower Vally Road Atglen, PA 19310 schifferbooks.com

Hook: "I HATE picture books!"

Cute (and frustrated) Max hates picture books. Mainly, because each time he tries to mimic something that a picture book character does HE gets into trouble. For example, after his mom read  Harold and the Purple Crayon to Max, HE drew on the wall and got sent to bed without dinner! When HE tried eating "green ham" he threw up all over the kitchen. I guess I can see where he's coming from =)

My favorite part of the story is when Max is retelling the story "Are You My Mother" and he says "So you know what this book made me do? It made me cry! Like where you think the 'snort' is going to eat the bird, but then puts it back in it's nest...I LOVE THAT BOOK! I MEAN I HATE THAT BOOK! It was the first one I threw away. Wait...I do love that book.
I GOTTA FIND THAT BOOK!"

Cute story, cute illustrations, cute idea.

rating:  12345 (5 books)

LOVE it!

Is this not the coolest rug?? It's perfect for that reading nook of yours (and mine =)

 

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The Miniature World of Marvin & James

The Miniature World of Marvin & James - The Masterpiece Adventures, Book 1

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Author: Elise Broach elisebroach.com

Illustrator: Kelly Murphy kelmurphy.com

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books  Henry Holt and Company LLC

175 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010  mackids.com

Hook: "Marvin is sad."

I would be sad too if my best friend was leaving me for a whole week! 

We met Marvin & James in Elise's novel, Masterpiece. I LOVED that book, so I was thrilled when I discovered this new little series! I say "little" because it's only 104 pages of large print and darling illustrations, just right for your "comfortable with reading" first grader, or your more reluctant second or third grader. This book does have chapters, so they can feel like they are reading a more "big kid" book, but at their vocabulary level. Cute story about friendship, missing important people when they are absent from your life, and the wonderful feeling you experience when they return. PLUS, you get a fantastic adventure inside a pencil sharpener! How can you beat that?

rating: (5 beetles)

 

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Disclaimer =)

Before I set out to "review" books for you, I feel I need to let you in on a little secret about me. I love books and reading. Ok, that's not the secret, but it's part of it. Because I love books and reading, it's hard to find a book I don't like in one respect or another. So...with that said, my "reviews" won't be full of technical lingo and book jargon. Either I love a book or I don't. I might love it because the illustrations are wonderful; I might love it because it reminds me of something from my childhood; I might love it because it's just cute =). If you are looking for technical reviews you've come to the wrong place. I'm just going to tell you I love it, and why. I read books for entertainment; if it's something I have to work to understand I will quickly put it down. Pretty easy and straightforward, right? That's what I hope to share with you.

I'll be working on my rating system...

New Chapter!

It's been quite a while since I posted on this fun blog of mine...lots of changes in my life have happened in the last year! After 11 years as a Media Specialist with a wonderful school district, I made the HUGE jump to university librarianship! I am currently part of the wonderful world of the Harold B. Lee Library on the campus of Brigham Young University! I've had quite the learning curve, and miss my elementary friends greatly, but all in all it's been a great move for me. I've discovered that I am missing children's books immensely, though, so I've decided to revamp the blog a bit and use it to keep myself up to date with what's happening in the realm of children's books. If others enjoy it as well then that's all the better!

Stay tuned for some updates on what I've read, how I liked it, and if I would recommend it to others. I am also working on my MLIS, so I'm struggling to find a balance between studying and reading for fun...bear with me as I slowly work my way into this new chapter of my life!

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There are posts on this blog that I would like to keep (fond memories) so I will just be building up the "new" blog around the "old" blog. Hopefully you find something here that will be of benefit to you.