Belle Sherman Library

Award winning books!

2006-01-25T11:04:41Z

On Monday, January 23, the American Library Association announced the award winning children's books! The Newbery and Caldecott awards are probably the most famous, but there are several other awards as well. This year there is a new category: the Theodor Geisel Award for outstanding beginning reader books.

We are SO THRILLED that "our author," Suzanne Bloom, received a THEODOR GEISEL HONOR AWARD for her book A SPLENDID FRIEND, INDEED! Suzanne visited our school in November, and this book in particular is one of our favorites -- in part precisely because every kid feels that she can read it.

And of course, Cynthia Rylant should be the very first winner in this category (for HENRY AND MUDGE AND THE GREAT GRANDPAS -- we have it on order).

Ms. Groff has been reading the Caldecott winner THE HELLO, GOODBYE WINDOW by Norton Juster, illustrated by Chris Raschka, this week to all classes. She loves, loves, the nighttime spread with twinkly stars -- and the children have really enjoyed the art in this book. "It looks like a real drawing," one said, meaning like something he himself would have drawn. "Kind of scribbly," another noted, but not in a bad way; as if she were realizing that lines don't always have to be tight.

Check back for a full list of winners and notes on which ones we have in our library!

Pull out some poetry!

2006-01-06T22:17:10Z

Both libraries have some terrific poetry books! Ms. Groff wants students, teachers, and parents to use them!

Today a third grade class had a great time looking at poems.
Ms. Groff pulled piles of books and set them on tables before they arrived. And when the students came, they dived right in. Showing each other poems and funny pictures, reading things out loud.

Three boys who always want to move onto the next thing, any next thing, were utterly captivated by A POKE IN THE I. They stood up and while one read the popsicle poem, the other two pretend-licked in the background. Later a whole table of children were singing the La La La poem.

Poetry. Ms. Groff loves poetry! Come look through the collection and pick out something, or ask any of us for help.

Some New Books!

2006-01-05T02:13:52Z

New books!

In the main building library, we have WIZARDOLOGY, DRAGONOLOGY, and EGYPTOLOGY -- three very special books that students may look at in the library.

The new Magic Treehouse book, THE SEASON OF THE SANDSTORMS, has been very popular this week!

Ms. Groff recommends SKETCHES FROM A SPY TREE, a story told in poems; the recent National Book Award winner THE PENDERWICKS, as an old-fashioned family-on-summer-adventure story; and GILDA JOYCE PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR.

Meg enjoyed reading THE LITTLE GENTLEMAN and HANK ZIPZER: I GOT A D IN SALAMI. And the Chet Gecko series? It's a hoot!

THE GREAT GRAPH CONTEST and some SCIENCE SOLVES IT books will be terrific for second grade.

And who can resist POOP -- A HISTORY OF THE UNMENTIONABLE? Very funny and true!

The Annex will be getting books in soon.

Snowflake days

2005-12-20T09:46:45Z

Vacations are ... for reading!

We are letting the students take out an extra book this week. Families are welcome to stop in and sign out books too! We've got lots of audiobooks in the main library (and a few in the annex) so if you have a tape player, think about borrowing a book on tape. (Great for long car rides or wintry afternoons at home).

Some fun wintry web sites to explore:

http://www.janbrett.com -- Jan Brett is the author and illustrator of many beautiful books, and she has lots of activity pages (interactive or to print out) on her web site.

http://www.snowflakebentley.com/snowflakes.htm -- shows some of the original photographs of snowflakes taken by Wilson Bentley. (There's a terrific biography of him, SNOWFLAKE BENTLEY, by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian).

cutting snowflakes: http://www.montessoriworld.org/Handwork/foldingp/snowflak.html
Young children may need a lot of assistance, but after a few tries there's the magic of unfolding such a beautiful creation! If you have round paper coffee filters, they can work well for cutting (flatten first under a plate).

Stories

2005-12-02T09:42:25Z

The preK student was in the hallway with his father.
"I know you!" He pointed at me (the librarian). "You read STORIES!"

He was so excited about recognizing me, and gave such importance to my role in his classroom (I come into the preK room on Wednesdays, after lunch).

This week, we read PETE'S A PIZZA, by William Steig.

Berenstain Bears Update

2005-11-29T20:09:50Z

Earlier today, the Milky Way class visited the library, and two students asked for Berenstain Bears books (we have several on the picture book shelves!).

We just found out that one of the co-authors, Stan Berenstain, has died. Here is a link to his obituary.

We Keep on Learning

2005-11-21T12:53:57Z

Ms. Groff recently heard Katherine Paterson, author of LYDDIE and many other fine books, talk about writing historical fiction.

Katherine Paterson said that she doesn't write what she knows, she writes to find out. When she wrote LYDDIE, the story of a Vermont farm girl who goes to work in the clothing mills of Massachusetts, she had recently moved to Vermont and attended a one day conference on women in Vermont's history. She learned about diaries kept by a young woman who worked in the mills, and then she had to find out more.

While she's writing, she doesn't like to talk about her work. Even after her editor and others have assured her that it's great, Mrs. Paterson seems quite humble about her efforts.

She has a new book coming out next spring, but it doesn't have a title yet, so she's been calling it "baby girl Paterson." Ms. Groff can't wait to read it!

See The textile mills at Lowell, MA.

A brief summary of LYDDIE: Lyddie Worthen, an impoverished Vermont farm girl, is determined to gain her independence. Three years ago, her father left to earn money and has not been heard from since. Her mother, crazed by her obsession with an End-of-the-World religion, rents the farm and hires out Charlie(10) and Lyddie(13) into a kind of bondage while she goes to live with her sister with the youngest child, Agnes, who dies there. Lyddie, hired out to Cutler's Tavern, is befriended by the cook, Triphena. After observing the apparently successful life of a young woman factory worker who stopped at the tavern, Lyddie decides to go to the factories at Lowell, Massachusetts. The workers are exploited by the owners and bosses and those who agitate are dealt with harshly. Lyddie becomes friends with Diana Goss, Betsy and Brigid and adjusts to life in the mill. Eventually, Lyddie is dismissed because of her association with radical Diana and determines to make her own way to college.

Author Visit continued

2005-11-11T11:16:30Z

Suzanne Bloom inspired us.
A fifth grade boy went home and wrote a picture book that he also illustrated. He brought it in Thursday to show teachers! It's terrific.

A first grade student said I've written two more stories!

Suzanne Bloom awed us.
We liked watching her make drawings! She was sooo fast. "I've had a LOT of practice," she told us.

Suzanne Bloom entertained us.
We liked the song! (She had us sing along with her, "we keep a pig in the parlor," to the tune of "The bear went over the mountain.")

Suzanne Bloom intrigued us.
If the goose is an herbivore, and the polar bear is an carnivore, why doesn't the bear EAT the goose? a smart second grader asked about her book, A SPLENDID FRIEND INDEED.

Suzanne Bloom answered, "I like to keep a little tension between characters."

Author Visit!

2005-11-10T00:20:53Z

Belle Sherman welcomed author and illustrator Suzanne Bloom on Tuesday, November 8. What a special day!


Welcome author!

And here she is, reading a story!

Note the parade of piggies in the background -- created by a kindergarten crew!

New books!

2005-11-08T10:34:11Z

It's always exciting to unpack boxes of new books!

In the ANNEX we have a new Encyclopedia -- easy to read, with lots of pictures -- this will be a great resource. Audiobooks have arrived! New book/tape combos include POSSUM MAGIC, NOISY NORA and ANTARCTIC ADVENTURES. More books will be coming soon.

In the main building, new fiction recommended by Meg: FRIENDSHIP ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY, a school story told by the classroom pet hamster. Ms. Groff recommends PERMANENT ROSE, the third book featuring the Casson family of SAFFY'S ANGEL and INDIGO'S STAR.

We've also added copies of Suzanne Bloom's picture books NO PLACE FOR A PIG, PIGGY MONDAY, and a book illustrated by Suzanne, written by Eve Bunting: MY SPECIAL DAY AT THIRD STREET SCHOOL. She's coming to visit OUR school! Her newest picture book is A SPLENDID FRIEND INDEED, and it really is splendid -- a story about friendship great for all ages.

Library Night, Oct. 20

2005-10-26T10:52:17Z

library

When things were quiet...

Library night! Big thanks to Mike Comella for talking about flying. And thanks to all who came!

Ways to help

2005-09-07T04:37:12Z

Already students and teachers are talking about what we can do for people who've been affected by Hurricane Katrina. Our sense of community stretches as we come together to find ways to help.

At Belle Sherman, we are collecting new and gently-used paperback books for children. These will be sent to locations affected by the hurricane or that are in need of libraries for relocated families. We'll be working with the Texas and Louisiana Library Associations. Books may be brought to school; collection boxes will be in the big building and in the annex.

We'll also collect money to help buy new books and to pay shipping costs. Thanks for your help!

Happy New School Year!

2005-09-02T01:25:18Z

The libraries at Belle Sherman and the Belle Sherman Annex are getting ready for the new school year! Teachers have already signed out books for their classrooms, and the library clerks are sorting through boxes of NEW books! Come in and take a look -- we're sure you'll find something good to read.

Check back for lists of new books and more information on library programs!