What I am currently reading:

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein (FIC GRA) 

This book is about a group of kids who win an essay contest and get to spend the night in the new town library. This is no ordinary library. After the old library closed, the wealthy and famous Mr. Lemoncello is financing the new one (he is an inventor of amazing games). It has taken 12 years to complete and this group of kids will be the first to see it. 

Now I love libraries (I am a librarian!) but I bet you are thinking so what, why would these kids want to spend the night in one? What if I told you that it had holograms, video screens on the ceiling, a game room with all the latest electronic games, fiction shelves 3 stories high that require using a special magnetic hover craft to retrieve your book! Would you want to visit it now? I would.

I'm only halfway through this book and I don't want to put it down. The kids just found out they are trapped in the library and have to solve a puzzle to get out! 

This book is full of games, puzzles, books, action and humor. Even if the library is not your favorite place to be, I bet you'd want to get lost in Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. 

My Top 10 books

Here is a list (not in a specific order) of 10 books that influenced me. Many I read in middle and high school. 

1. Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle

2. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

3. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

4. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

5. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

6. The Bingo Palace by Louise Erdrich

7. Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

8. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

9. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

10. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Most Influential Books

Maybe you've seen your friends on Facebook posting their top 10 books. The ones that most influenced them. It turns out that the majority of books people include on their lists are YA books. The books you read in middle and high school make a lasting impression and can influence your beliefs and views of the world. So try a new genre, don't forget the classics, recommend books to friends and read a lot. You never know which book will be the one that inspires you! 

Have a list of top 10 books? Share it with me!

http://m.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2014/09/people-like-to-sleep-with-people-who-were-affected-by-great-books

Eating books

Cupcakes by How Sweet It Is (photo courtesy of A Mighty Girl).

What a clever idea! What book would you want on your cupcake? 

A librarians dream!

It is a good thing I am a librarian and can buy books for school and not just my home. I am always working on a list of books to buy! There are so many great new ones to discover. 

I wish I could buy books for ALL libraries and ALL families. If only I had a million dollars... I should buy a lottery ticket! 

Cool google tips

Google is a great search engine but it is so much more these days! Check out this list of fun and useful things google can help you with. 

http://www.lifebuzz.com/google-tricks/

Quote of the day

Summer book recommendations from Kate DiCamillo

A wonderful list of books for 8-13 years olds suggested by Newberry Award winning author, Kate DiCamillo.

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/23/315250144/kate-dicamillos-picks-for-summer-tree-house-reading?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20140525

Little or no money for books?

Don't have much money to spend on books? Here are some tips:

1. Go to a public library.

Portland is lucky to have one of the best public library systems in the country. The books are free to check out and they have so many other helpful services. Free wifi, computers, audio books, CD's and DVD's, eBooks. Every type of book you can imagine. You can easily put books on hold at the library or online and they are sent to your local branch. They also have classes, story times and events for kids and teens. If you are a student in PPS, you are automatically enrolled in the summer reading program. Read over the summer and win prizes! 

www.multcolib.org

2. Titlewave Bookstore

This bookstore is run by Multnomah County Library and is where they sell library books that are no longer needed. The books are still in great shape and most are very current. I have found some amazing books for $1.00! Most are hardbacks, so a dollar is a deal! They range in price up to a few dollars. 

216 NE Knott St, Portland, OR 97212

3. Goodwill

Each location has a slightly different selection of books but I have always been impressed. I consistently find great books ranging in price from $0.49 to $2. They have nice hardbacks, chapter books and early readers. You never know what treasure you might find. My son loves to go to Goodwill and buy a bunch of books for $5! The Goodwill super centers have larger book selections. 

I now use books as rewards. We pick out a bunch from Titlewave or Goodwill and I save them in a bag. Then when my son does his chores or something else that we are working on he earns a book. It's a cheap prize and it is good for him! He loves it and he has a huge collection of books. I read to him daily and he also chooses to spend quiet time in his room "reading" them to himself. 

Quote of the day - summer reading inspired

This came from Patricia Pollaco's Facebook page.

It is an excellent quote and reminder as we get close to summer vacation. One of the most important things you can do to help your child is read to him or her! Read picture books, chapter books, non-fiction, biographies, magazines, comic books, graphic novels, magazines, newspapers, blogs, fairy tales, humor, mysteries, award winners, classics and those cheesy summer time fun books! Anything and everything. 

Just READ! 

Multnomah County Libraries Teen Author Assembly with Sharon Draper

Today I was fortunate to be able to attend an assembly with my 8th grade students. We participated in the Teen Author Assembly put on by the Multnomah County Library. We heard Sharon Draper speak. Prior to the assembly we received class sets of one of her books, Battle of Jericho. We all read the book which made the assembly much more meaningful.

Sharon was a great speaker, engaging, funny and truth telling. She told a bit of her life story, as a teacher and how she became a writer. She talked about her first books, her inspiration, why she writes realistic fiction (primarily), she read aloud to us, gave us some tips and entertained us! The kids laughed and listened and hopefully were inspired! 

I was impressed by the 8th graders behavior and proud of them for reading her book and taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity to hear from a respected author.

Today was one of those days that makes me love my job. It's all about kids and books! Now time to put down my device and read a new book! Night all.

Fairy tales

There are so many fairy tales to share! The classics of course but recently there has been an increase in fairy tale variations. These fall into two categories: the traditional story with very different illustrations or a humorous change in the characters with the same plot line. Here are some examples of each: (All of these are available at the Astor Library!)

Classic fairy tales set in Africa by Rachel Isadora. Wonderful multicultural stories with beautiful collage illustrations.

Rapunzel

The Princess and the Pea

Hansel and Gretel

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

The Ugly Duckling

Variations that are humorous with a change to the characters:

Little Red Hot by Eric Kimmel

Jack and the Giant Barbecue by Eric Kimmel

The Three Little Tamales by Eric Kimmel

Jack and the Baked Beanstalk by Colin Stimpson

The Three Little Cajun Pigs by Mike Artell

The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

Goldilocks and the Three Hares by Margie Palatini

Cindy Ellen: a wild western Cinderella by Susan Lowell

There are many many more of these available in our library! Ask me about them and I'd be happy to share them all with you!

May the 4th be with you!

Favorite read alouds?

Reading to or with your child daily is so important and it is fun! Some of my favorite books to read to my son are:

Duck on a bike by David Shannon

How I became a pirate by Melinda Long

Where's my t-r-u-c-k? by David Catrow

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schaccner

Mice and Beans by Pam Munoz Ryan

Henry & Mudge by Cynthia Rylant

Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

Oh man, there are so many! I need to gather them together and take some photos.

What are your favorite books to read aloud with your children? 

Quote of the day!

I have been working on a large book order and it is so much fun! I wish I could spend all day tracking down the best books. I can't wait to have them all in the library! 

Quote of the day

Book Review - Flora & Ulysses

I just read the Newbery award winner for this year, Flora and Ulysses. It is by Kate DiCamillo, one of my favorite authors. 

I enjoyed this funny, fantastical tale of Flora and a very special squirrel, Ulysses. There is an unforgettable scene at the beginning of the book where a squirrel is accidentally vacuumed by a powerful outdoor vacuum. Then strange and amazing things happen. It includes short sections of illustrations in graphic novel format, Flora's favorite book to read is a comic. If you like superheroes, humor and adventure then you must read this book!!

Need an idea for a read aloud?

I love a good list of books and this one is great! This list is 38 books to read aloud with your kids. Some are picture books, some novels, some old, some new. All excellent! 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alannaokun/books-for-kids

Book Review - The Year of Billy Miller

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes won a Newberry Honor award this year. Henkes is famous for his picture books including Chrysanthemum, Lily's Purple Plastic Purse, Wemberly Worried, Kitten's First Full Moon (a Caldecott award winner) and many others.

The Year of Billy Miller is divided into four sections, each focusing on a different person in Billy's life. Billy is just starting the 2nd grade and worried about being smart enough. After a misunderstanding with his teacher, Ms. Silver, Billy tries to show her he likes her by bringing her silver gifts. This moment allows them to talk in private and eventually Billy shares his worries. His fears are forgotten when Ms. Silver tells him that he is smart. This book is full of touching moments between Billy, his friends and family. It would be an excellent read aloud to a younger child.

 

Quote of the day

I couldn't put it down!

I have always been a fan of natural disaster movies. I love to see what new way the planet will be destroyed and how humans will rally together to overcome these new incredible obstacles.

This book, Life As We Knew It, is the ultimate disaster book. It centers around Miranda, a 16 year old girl in Pennsylvania. An asteroid is headed towards the moon and everyone is planning to watch this historic event. Scientists believed it would crash into the moon, creating a new crater and because of its size people would be able to watch this event without a telescope. The asteroid is visible and crashes into the moon but then the moon gets bigger! It moves closer to earth and it's orbit is permanently changed. Immediately changes start happening on earth, flooding, power outages and eventually much worse. What starts out as an inconvenience turns into a struggle for survival. This is an amazing story that I could not put down!

Librarians Can Do It!

I saw this image, reminiscent of Rosie the Riveter and thought "yes, librarians can do it!" Now that the possibility of a teacher strike is over I can breathe a sigh of relief. Though part of me still wants to stand up and fight. It is hard to turn off that energy once it is flowing. So now I have to turn that desire to fight for what is best for students towards my library. It is time to... order more books! 

Quote of the Day

If Only

This book was recommended by a student who reads voraciously. Once it was finally back in the library I took it home to read. I started reading it without knowing anything about it and was surprised and hooked. The book focuses on Corinna, as summer is ending and 8th grade is starting. But this year is much harder for Corinna because her mother has recently died of cancer. If Only deals with the grief of a lost parent in an honest but touching way. Corinna struggles with how her mom's death is affecting her friendships, her new worries about her dad and just how to get through each day. Not many books deal with such a real topic in a truthful yet positive way. An excellent book!

FIC GEI - for middle school only

Quote of the day

From Julien Lennon

Quote of the Day:

In honor of the Caldecott, Newbery
and many other award winners:

Caldecott Winner Announced!

The Caldecott winner was announced yesterday. I was very excited to share the results of our Mock Caldecott award and of the real Caldecott award to the first graders today!!

They cheered as I told them the winners for their class and for all of first grade. It was a very close race! 

I showed them the sticker gold seal of the Caldecott award that I will place on the winning book:

Locomotive by Brian Floca! There were many cheers, especially from the boys! This is a non-fiction book about the creation of railroads across the U.S. and what early train rides were like. 

Next I showed them how at the Astor library I label all Caldecott winners with a special sticker on the spine so they can easily find other Caldecott books. I even placed stickers on the books. It was as if I was at an award ceremony, awarding each book it's label! I also announced the three Caldecott Honor books:

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

and Journey by Aaron Becker.

There were many more cheers. Another Honor winner was Flora and the Flamingo, a book that I did not purchase and we had not read. I said that we would get it in the library and we could read it at a later time.

I think our Mock Caldecott was a success, the students enjoyed it and announcing our winners with the true winner was a real treat. They were so excited! Perhaps one year our choice will also be the winner! I can't wait to do it again next year! 

Mock Caldecott Award

The first graders have been reading Caldecott books. I decided to try holding a Mock Caldecott award this year. I chose 4 books that had been highly praised to read to the first graders. We read:

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

Journey by Aaron Becker

Locomotive by Brian Floca

Last week each first grader voted Caldecott style. They gave their favorite book 4 points, their next favorite 3 points, then 2 and 1. I totaled them up and the Astor winners are:

1st place: Journey with 105 points! 

2nd place: Mr. Wuffles with 104 points!

3rd place: Mr. Tiger Goes Wild

4th place: Locomotive

Quote of the Day

Quote of the day:

Extra Yarn

I read this book to the Kindergarten classes today and they all loved it. One class applauded at the end! It warms a librarians heart when that happens!
 It is my new favorite picture book. Look for it and share with a friend. It will make you smile.


Everybody - E BAR

New in the readbox:

Check out these great new books! These are all Middle School only books.

Book Review:

Jasper John Dooley - Star of the Week

I LOVED this book! Jasper is excited because soon he will be the Star of the Week in his class and have special privileges. He brings his treasured lint collection in when it is Share Day but doesn’t get the response he was hoping for. Plus his best friend steals some of the attention when he shares about his new baby sister who won’t stop crying. Jasper decides he wants a new baby in his small family and even makes his own baby brother. Jasper is a kid you like right away and this story made me laugh out loud. It is all about family, friendship and being yourself. Lint collections and all.
I can’t wait to read more books in this new series! 


(For 1st-3rd grade, CHAP ADD)

Hooey Higgins

Hooey Higgins and the Shark

This chapter book (grades 1-3) is a funny story about Hooey and his friend Twig. After seeing a giant chocolate egg that they really want but costs a lot of money, they decide they need to make some money! What better way than to try to catch a shark so they can sell tickets to see it! In the process they discover something amazing that might help them get their chocolate. A fun book to read.

(CHAP VOA)

Sadie & Ratz

I just finished reading this book, Sadie and Ratz by Sonya Hartnett. This is a short chapter book about Hannah and her two mischievous hands, Sadie and Ratz. Sadie and Ratz like to do naughty things but Baby Boy begins to blame them for things they did not do. Hannah does not like getting in trouble all the time and has to help Sadie and Ratz figure out what to do. 
This short story was funny and has many nice illustrations.

 (CHAP HAR, for grades 1-2)

City of Bones

Mrs. Tomblin just finished reading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

If you liked Twilight, you will love this book! It has adventure, mystery, demons, friendship, action and romance all in one! 

This is the first book in a series, be sure to check them out!

(Red Label - Middle School Only - FIC CLA)

Catching Up

I've decided to use blogger so that I can show it to all my students while at school.

So I am going to copy over some of my old posts and put them here.

Here they come! 

Switching blogs??

I recently started an Astor Library on tumblr. I already use tumblr and found that I had lots to post about books and what was happening in my library. I decided to show it to some of my middle school students and discovered that tumblr is blocked by our school. I wrote to the IT department asking for my tumblr page to be unblocked. I learned that because tumblr is not CIPA complaint (and has material on it that is inappropriate for children) and our district has to maintain it's CIPA compliance. Understandably I do not want my student to inadvertently have access to inappropriate material. It was suggested I try edublogs or blogger. So here I am, testing it out. So far the app is simple and easy to use. I will try it for a while and if all goes well, share it with my students. There is not much point to making a blog if your audience cannot read it! 

Quote of the day