Not that we need to be too cozy lately, as hot as it is… 
But thanks to the teacher grant from The Parent Group, we were able to purchase new furniture for our library! Bright turquoise floor pillows and a plush beanbag chair make lounging in the library a luxurious affair for our second graders…
A Big Thank You to TPG!
Cannon in the infamous orange chair
Every year TCPS students participate in the California Young Reader Medal program, where KIDS all over California vote for their favorite children’s books to receive an award. So many other medals for children’s literature are chosen by parents and educators… so this is a great opportunity for kids’ voices to be heard!
For the past few weeks, students have been reading the nominees for the 2012-2013 list in their classrooms or in the library. Middle school had the opportunity to read the books in their category over the summer and during the school year. The nominees this school year are:
PICTURE BOOKS:
Bats in the Library, by Brian Lies
We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems
The Sandwich Swap, by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah
Bedtime for Bear, by Bonnie Becker
Memoirs of a Goldfish, by Devin Scillian
PICTURE BOOKS FOR OLDER READERS:
The Junkyard Wonders, by Patricia Polacco
Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, A Marine, A Miracle, by Major Brian Dennis
Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero, by Marissa Moss
MIDDLE SCHOOL:
Invisible Lines, by Mary Amato
Out of My Mind, by Sharon M. Draper
Wild Things, by Clay Carmichael
Stay tuned in May to see what books receive the CYRM!
This book is about a young girl’s vacation to the beach where she goes every summer with her family. Will she spot a dolphin, or find a junonia shell this year? Alice soon discovers this summer is much different than the previous ones… has it all gone wrong?
Georgia in Hawaii: When Georgia O’Keefe Painted What She Pleased, by Amy Novesky
An appealing and slightly humorous portrayal of O’Keeffe’s artistic vision and determination, along with a peek at the Hawaii of over half a century ago.
Twelve Kinds of Ice, by Elen Obed and Barbara McClintock (Grades 3 and up)
With the first ice—a skim on a sheep pail so thin it breaks when touched—one family’s winter begins in earnest. Next comes ice like panes of glass. And eventually, skating ice!
Waterloo & Trafalgar by Oliver Tallec (All Ages)
Oliver Tallec portrays two characters, separated only by narrow walls, who watch each other ceaselessly through the seasons. Moving between day and night, long stretches at their binoculars, and mundane daily tasks, they fight their cold war, full of suspicion, never daring to bridge the gap between them. As time passes, a snail shows up, and then a bird, and one day, to their utter surprise, they come face-to-face in a different way, and they discover that their differences don’t make them enemies.
Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed From a Single Word, by Bob Raczka (All Ages)
Play with your words! A brand new poetic form that turns word puzzles into poetry. Part anagram, part rebus, part riddle–these poems capture a scene from a child’s daily life and present a puzzle to solve.
If You Lived Here: Houses of the World, by Giles Laroche
Step into unique homes from around the world and discover the many fascinating ways in which people live and have lived. If you lived in the mountains of southern Spain, your bedroom might be carved out of a mountain. If you lived in a village in South Africa, the outside of your house might tell the story of your family…
Where the Streets Had a Name, by Randa Abel-Fattah (Young Adult)
Hayaat believes soil from her ancestral homeland may save her dying grandmother. But, retrieving it requires a dangerous, illegal crossing of the wall dividing Jerusalem’s West Bank.
My Name is Mina, by David Almond (Young Adult)
Through the process of writing in her journal, Mina, a misfit, discovers herself.
The Scorpio Races, written by Maggie Stiefvater (Young Adult)
Hunger Games fans will love this…
A bloody, intoxicating horse race on the Island of Thisby is the backdrop for this atmospheric novel. The heart-pounding story pits two teens against death – to win is to survive.
Between Shades of Gray written by Ruta Sepetys (Young Adult)
In lyrical prose, Sepetys introduces readers to 15 year old Lina and her family as they are evicted from their home in Lithuania and transported to Siberia as prisoners during Stalin’s reign of terror in the 1940s. The journey is perilous; not all will survive. Lina is determined to document it all in her art and her journal. Sepetys shines a light on a corner of history not often seen in YA literature. The juxtaposition of lyricism in the midst of the horror underscores Lina’s indomitable spirit.
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (Young Adult)
Elisa has always felt powerless, useless. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king who needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could save his people. And he looks at her in a way no man has ever looked at her before. Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.
A Monster Calls, Patrick Ness (Ages 12 and up)
Set in present-day England, it features a boy who struggles to cope with the consequences of his mother’s terminal cancer; he is serially visited in the middle of the night by a monster who tells stories. Dowd suffered from terminal cancer herself when she started the story and died before she could write it.
Here, There Be Dragons, by James A. Owen (Young Adult)
(The first book in the Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica Series) The unusual murder of an Oxford professor brings together three strangers in World War I London: John, a soldier and the professor’s correspondence student; Jack, a young Oxford student; and Charles, an editor at the Oxford University Press. One rainy night they meet a curious man called Bert who tells them that they are the caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica, an atlas of imaginary lands. Forced to flee in Bert’s ship, the group sails to the Archipelago of Dreams, where a battle over Arthur Pendragon’s throne threatens to place the evil Winter King in charge.
Missile Mouse, Book One: The Star Crusher, by Jake Parker (All Ages)
Missile Mouse is a secret agent for the Galactic Space Agency who seems to have a talent for trouble. But when the Rogue Imperium of Planets builds a doomsday machine, only Missile Mouse can prevent the destruction of the whole universe.
Amazing Greek Myths of Wonder and Blunders, by Michael Townsend (All Ages)
From Hercules’ snake assassin slippers to Arachne’s wicked weaver rap songs, these are the mythic monsters and Hellenic heroes that have captured Western culture for centuries, but a whole lot more fun. Each story showcases the wondrous and blunderful antics of gods and mortals in bright graphics that rival the super-heroic action of The Lightning Thief, burst with the knock-yoursocks- off humor of Jeff Kinney, and still remain unerringly faithful to the original myth.
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, by Barry Deutsch (Middle School)
Welcome to Hereville, home of the first-ever wisecracking, adventure-loving, sword-wielding Orthodox Jewish heroine. A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, this fun, quirky graphic novel series will captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.
The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan (Grades 5 and up)
In Kansas in the year 1937, eleven-year-old Jack Clark faces his share of ordinary challenges: local bullies, his father’s failed expectations, a little sister with an eye for trouble. But he also has to deal with the effects of the Dust Bowl, including rising tensions in his small town and the spread of a shadowy illness. Certainly a case of “dust dementia” would explain who (or what) Jack has glimpsed in the Talbot’s abandoned barn — a sinister figure with a face like rain.
Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! by Geoffrey Hayes.
In this Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winner Benny and his sister Penny know it’s wrong to sneak into someone else’s backyard but their mysterious new neighbor – or is it a monster? – may be a thief. They go snooping and discover a lot about themselves and…a new friend.
One Times Square: A Century of Change at the Crossroads of the World, by Joe McKendry.
At the heart of the non-stop bustle of modern Times Square stands One Times Square, the former headquarters of the New York Times and the skyscraper — now all but invisible behind billboards — that gave the square its name in 1904. Around it, a once-humble district of carriage houses and coal merchants at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue evolved into “The Crossroads of the World.” Find out how it all happened!
Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust, by Doreen Rappaport
In a stirring chronicle, Doreen Rappaport brings to light the courage of countless Jews who organized to sabotage the Nazis and help other Jews during the Holocaust.
Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad, by Henry Cole
A young girl’s courage is tested in this haunting, wordless story.When a farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the barn, she is at once startled and frightened. But the stranger’s fearful eyes weigh upon her conscience,and she must make a difficult choice.Will she have the courage to help him?
Unspoken gifts of humanity unite the girl and the runaway as they each face a journey: one following the North Star, the other following her heart.
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane, by Russell Freedman
The first powered, sustained, and controlled airplane flight, and the men behind it.
As you start to spend more nights cuddled up indoors, you might want to check out these great picture books! Picture books are not only for younger readers– people of all ages can become inspired by a beautiful illustration or cleverly-told moral. All of these books are available at the TCPS library!
The Spider and The Fly, by Mary Howitt and Tony DiTerlizzi
This picture book won the Caldecott Honor in 2003. The story of the spider and the fly is a classic poem written by Mary Howitt in 1829. Tony DiTerlizzi adds his unique illustrations to this poem, inspired by horror movies from the 1920s and 1930s. A great book to share on Halloween!
A Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka
This picture book is the Caldecott Medal Winner for 2012. It also won the Best Illustrated Children’s Book Award in the New York Times Book Review. This story is told only in pictures! Both children and adults will relate to this touching story about the love, loss, and friendship. (It made Ms. Frazier cry!)
Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly, by Alan Madison and Kevin Hawkes
It’s fall, which means we’ll soon see monarchs migrating south for the winter! In Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly, Velma makes friends (perhaps too close) with a monarch butterfly while on a school field trip! This book was a favorite read-aloud last year. Check it out!
I Need My Monster, by Amanda Noll
A funny twist on the common fear of monsters under the bed, this story was another favorite read aloud last year! Ethan is a little boy who has always been okay with a monster under the bed- so long as it is his monster. When his goes missing, he realizes that no other monsters can replace the one he loves! A great read for Halloween.
The Eleventh Hour, by Graeme Base
Donated by Ms. Frazier to the libary, this book is a favorite from the 80s, but is still engaging for readers of all ages. Horace the elephant is throwing a birthday party and has invited all of his friends. Everyone brings a dish for a feast to be held at 11:00, but when the time comes, it appears that the feast has been all eaten up! Who did it? Look for clues, hidden messages, and solve anagrams and puzzles in the illustrations to solve the mystery. But beware… you could be looking at this book for eleven hours.
Leaf Man, by Lois Ehlert
Leaf Man is a beautiful picture book that tells the story of leaf man’s travels as he blows from place to place in the autumn air. Ehlert illustrated the book using copies of real leaves she had collecting on her travels throughout the country. Not only is the artwork beautiful, but it’s a great way to start a conversation about leaves and where they come from. A favorite with younger readers.
The House in the Night, by Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes
This Caldecott Honor book is based on an old nursery rhyme called, “This is the key to the kingdom.” Beth Krommes made these beautiful black and gold illustrations using hatching marks on scratchboard. This simple story attempts to show the relationship between light and dark- they might not be as separate as you think.
