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.