Merry Christmas!

I was feeling nostalgic and digitized some of my photos from Christmas past.

Here I am with my cousins Jerry, Bob and Jim Olson in Christmas 1962 (or 1963).

We were all so young. And cute!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

Tentative Choices for Third Graders

The group has tentatively selected these books:

Miss Smith and the Haunted Library by Michael Garland
Gooney Bird Is So Absurd by Lois Lowry
Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes by Margie Palatini
Redwood by Jason Chin OR Tarra and Bella by Carol Buckley
Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix by R.L. LaFevers

The committee still needs to select four books.

Here are former nominees that I still especially like:

Spot the Plot by J. Patrick Lewis
Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison
Book Fiesta! by Pat Mora
Sir Lancelot the Great by Gerald Morris
Listen to the Wind by Greg Mortenson et al.
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
My Dog Is as Smelly as Dirty Socks by Hanoch Piven

Oops! It looks like I just listed all of them! :)

Tentative Selections for Grades 1 & 2

Our tentative choices for Grades 1-2 are:

Peace Week in Miss Fox's Class by Eileen Spinelli
Miss Smith and the Haunted Library by Michael Garland
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Not Last Night, But the Night Before by Colin McNaughton
Round Like a Ball by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison

We still need to select two more books.

Previous books being considered (that I still like) include:

Recess at 20 Below by Cindy Lou Aillaud
The Mighty Fine Time Machine by Suzanne Bloom
Tarra and Bella by Carol Buckley
Dogku by Andrew Clements
Spot the Plot by J. Patrick Lewis
Book Fiesta! by Pat Mora

Tentative Selections for Pre-K and Kdg

At this point, it appears that next year's books for Pre-K and Kindergarten are:

Peace Week in Miss Fox's Class by Eileen Spinelli
I'm a Turkey by Jim Arnosky
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems
Stretch by Doreen Cronin
Gobble It Up by Jim Arnosky
Birds by Kevin Henkes
Round Like a Ball by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Up Down and Around by Katherine Ayres

The committee still needs to select one more book. I dearly love Rhyming Dust Bunnies (hint hint hint).


Our "B" List selections include:

Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
Ned's New Home by Kevin Tseng

Tentative Selections for Grades 4 & 5

As previously stated, our committee was considering these choices for fourth and fifth grades:

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements
Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
Flight of the Phoenix (Beastologist, Book 1) by R.L. LaFevers

The Maze of Bones (39 Clues, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
Return of the Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
Zoobreak by Gordon Korman


So far, we have selected Extra Credit, Igraine the Brave, Odd and the Frost Giants and The White Giraffe for this age group. We still need four more books.

I'm rooting for A Crooked Kind of Perfect. (Yea Rah Boooooook!) I also think the students would enjoy The Maze of Bones, which is a fun read.

We're going to use Flight of the Phoenix for third graders. (But ooooooooh. Could it work for this age group? My fourth grader liked it....)

Flight of the Phoenix

I read Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix by R.L. LaFevers a month or two ago. What a fun book!

We've all read books where a recently orphaned child suddenly has to deal with new situations and obstacles, usually without adult guidance. But don't be too quick to think "oh how cliched." This book has some interesting twists - like the newly discovered aunt (great-aunt?) who is a beastologist, her talking pet dodo and the adventure upon which they embark almost immediately. The pair needs to go help a phoenix rise from the ashes just after it dies. Yes, a phoenix. As I said (or meant to say), this is not the typical adventure of a newly (possibly) orphaned child.

The book has enough "meat" to it to appeal to fourth and fifth graders, but is only 137 pages. What a deal, what a deal!!!

A Crooked Kind of Perfect

The child and I read A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban last summer.

We loved it so much that we wrote the author a fan letter! (And she wrote back and sent the child an autographed bookplate. Oh the joy!!!)

I suggested it to the Joliet Reads committee. So far, the other committee members have enjoyed it too. First of all, it's funny. It also has realistic characters and situations. And it's funny. The protagonist is a girl, but both her father and a male friend are major characters, so it would appeal to both genders. And it's funny!

Gooney Bird Is So Absurd

The child and I read Gooney Bird Is So Absurd by Lois Lowry earlier this week.

We just love Gooney Bird Greene! The child enjoys the books because they're funny and she likes finding out more about the well-developed characters she has gotten to know.

I also enjoy the books for those reasons, but appreciate that the books teach children how to tell a story (or write a poem, in this case) without the children catching on that they're learning something. They are kind of like a writers workshop in a book. This is the type of sneaky and devious educational method that I can appreciate! The books also encourage creativity and individuality. And the wearing of panties on one's head to assist with creativity, but we won't be trying that at my house.

A great choice for Joliet Reads!

Igraine the Brave

I just finished reading Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke.

What a great choice for Joliet Reads! Girls will love Igraine, a strong protagonist with a good heart. Boys will love the knights, battles and actual siege - which somehow all take place without any actual blood shed. (Though they won't notice that.) And, best of all, good triumphs over evil and nice people finish first.

Huzzah!

The Magician's Elephant

I tried to read The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo.

I really tried.

I wanted to read it at bedtime with my child, but she wasn't interested.

I tried to read it on my own, but I couldn't force myself to finish the book. I don't see kids enjoying the magical realism, and, more importantly, it just didn't grab me.

I might read it if it wins the Newbery. Or if everyone else on the committee thinks it would be an excellent choice for Joliet Reads. Or if I find myself snowed in without other means of entertainment. That would be if I'm snowed in for weeks.

Excellent new nonfiction

I am not sure that this book would work out for Joliet Reads, but it's definitely going on my list of favorite books of 2009!

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson tells about the fascinating life of former slave Bass Reeves.

Who was Bass Reeves, you ask? He served as deputy U.S. marshal in Indian Territory for 32 years, which was longer than any other marshal. He arrested more than 3,000 men and women, without ever being wounded, and only had to kill fourteen men in the line of duty. The author was not exaggerating when she described his life as remarkable!

School Library Makeover Contest

I just spotted this blurb on the Prairie Area Library System web site and HAD to share!!!

Win a Makeover for your School Library

Acer and Intel are sponsoring a contest which is open to K-12 public and private schools that will give away 10 notebook and 2 desktop computers.

This will give the winner a chance to transform their library into a 21st century learning lab. The entry has to be for an individual school not a district. The winner will receive Acer's Aspire Timeline laptops, valued at nearly $10,000. Nominations need to be received by January 18, 2010. More information about the contest is available at http://uyahmoo.notlong.com.

New title we should check out!

Just found out about Joey Fly, Private Eye by Aaron Reynolds on the Year of Reading blog.

Here's the link: http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-tour-with-author-and-illustrator.html

Talk about an enthusiastic review! I have enjoyed Aaron Reynolds' humorous picture books and graphic novels in the past, and Joey Fly sounds like another winner!

More info later....

New possibility for Preschoolers

PlanetEsme recently recommended a new book that the preschoolers might enjoy.

It's titled Ned's New Home and was written by Kevin Tseng. It is the tale of a worm who needs to find a new home when his current apple home begins to rot. He considers various fruit options (a pear, watermelon, blueberries) and ultimately finds a perfect new home. Very fun!!!

You can find Esme Raji-Codell's blurb at:
http://planetesme.blogspot.com/2009/11/neds-new-home-picture-book.html

Books That Were Definite NO's!

I heard great things about The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman. It was a fun book and reminded me a lot of Matilda by Roald Dahl.

HOWEVER, not many teachers want to read their class a book about children breaking into their evil teacher's house to steal something from a safe. And the villainous teacher is this story is truly despicable!

So-o-o-o, fun for individual students. Not good to require every teacher in a school district to read to his or her class!

Choices for Grades 4-5

Our committee is considering these choices for fourth and fifth grades:

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements
The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
Return of the Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
Zoobreak by Gordon Korman
Flight of the Phoenix (Beastologist, Book 1) by R.L. LaFevers
The Maze of Bones (39 Clues, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban


I'm not sure if we're considering this book due to its length, but various committee members have read:

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass


The greatest challenge of finding readalouds for fourth and fifth graders is finding recent books they will enjoy that are 200 pages or less. The chapter books for that age group have gotten so lengthy in recent years!

Third Grade Choices

Our committee is considering these choices for third graders:

Recess at 20 Below by Cindy Lou Aillaud
Tarra and Bella by Carol Buckley
Spot the Plot by J. Patrick Lewis
Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison
Book Fiesta! by Pat Mora
Sir Lancelot the Great by Gerald Morris
Listen to the Wind by Greg Mortenson et al.
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
My Dog Is as Smelly as Dirty Socks by Hanoch Piven

Choices for Grades 1-2

Our committee is considering these choices for Grades 1-2:

Recess at 20 Below by Cindy Lou Aillaud
Gobble It Up by Jim Arnosky
I'm a Turkey by Jim Arnosky
The Mighty Fine Time Machine by Suzanne Bloom
Tarra and Bella by Carol Buckley
Dogku by Andrew Clements
Stretch by Doreen Cronin
Round Like a Ball by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Miss Smith and the Haunted Library by Michael Garland
Egg Drop by Mini Grey
Spot the Plot by J. Patrick Lewis
Not Last Night, But the Night Before by Colin McNaughton
Book Fiesta! by Pat Mora
My Dog Is as Smelly as Dirty Socks by Hanoch Piven

Prekindergarten and Kindergarten choices

So far, our committee is considering these books for next year:

Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Up Down and Around by Katherine Ayres
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems
Round Like a Ball by Lisa Campbell Ernst
You Can Do It, Sam by Amy Hest
Babies on the Go by Linda Ashman
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
I'm a Turkey by Jim Arnosky
Stretch by Doreen Cronin

Maybe I'll broaden my focus....

This blog will primarily be about great readalouds.

However, it will also be about books I like that don't fit into the parameters for Joliet Reads choices and other things I'd like to mention.