Dear Cabin Fever Book Clubs Members,

Below are some  possible titles for us to read in our book club.  Initially, I thought we could choose our favorite two titles and then you and your son or daughter could pick which one you wanted to read.  So, please make comments, and let's see if we can get it narrowed down to two titles.  One last thing, the way this blog is set up is I have to approve comments before they are made public, so if you comment and don't see your comment immediately that is why.  Please make any comments by Sunday, January 13th.  I'll be back in touch soon!  
Ms. Hendrix

Title/Author/ Cover Pic	Interest Level & # of pages	Summary	Link to GoodReads reviews (in case you want to read more)	My reasons for suggesting this title....
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart	Grades 3-6 492 pages	After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.	Good Reads Reviews for The Mysterious Benedict Society	I love that it is the beginning of a series and usually when students read it, they want to continue reading the series.  Also, it has strong boy and girl characters in it, and appeals to both.
They Candymakers by      Wendy Mass	Grades 3-6 453 pages	Four gifted twelve-year-olds, including Logan, the candymaker's son, are set to be contestants in the Confectionary Association's national competition to determine the nation's tastiest sweet, but nobody anticipates that a friendship will form between them.	Good Reads reviews for The Candymakers	Constantly checked out of the library.  Today a student proclaimed it is the best book ever.
Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce	Grades 3-6 272 pages	The Cunningham brothers literally have money drop in their laps when a bag of cash falls from the sky; however, the crooks who initially stole the loot are hot on the trail to retrieve it.	Goodreads reviews for Millions	I haven’t read this one, but I love his other books.
The Gold-Threaded Dress by Carolyn Marsden	Grades 3-6 80 pages	When Oy and her Thai American family move to a new neighborhood, her third-grade classmates tease and exclude her because she is different.	GoodReads Reviews for The Gold-Threaded Dress	I love this book.  It is a solid third grade book, very accessible for third graders to read independently.  Plus, it is a great story about peer pressure and wanting to fit in.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume	Grades 3-6 144 pages	Fourth-grader Peter Hatcher finds his demanding two-year-old brother an ever-increasing problem	Good Reads Reviews for Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing	Ahh, Judy Blume, a timeless classic...3rd grade is the perfect age to introduce kids to some of Blume’s magical stories.
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins	Grades 3-6 311 pages	When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving humans, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy.	Good Reads Reviews for Gregor the Overlander	Very popular fantasy series--popular with both boys and girls

I've been really bad about sharing my thoughts on the books I have read this year.  Since this book collection is new to me, I wanted to focus on reading as many chapter books as possible, so that I would have a lot of titles I could recommend to students, teachers and parents.  The first book I read this school year was...
I was skeptical and expected something a long the lines of a third grade Captain Underpants type story with the type of potty humor that makes parents question my sanity as a librarian.  I was completely surprised, and I'll be recommending this series to students, teachers as fun read alouds, and parents as a great series to get their kids hooked on reading.  This book is clever and witty.  Two brothers, full of spunk and adventure, make a plan to rescue a damsel in distress, trick their mother (who is also their school principal) and become mad scientists.    They play tons of  inventive games, and provide directions to recreate the games at home.  It is nice to see a series about two siblings that like one another and enjoy each other's company.

Early Elementary Research & Note Taking

I was thinking about the First Grade Common Core strand ELA Research to Build and Present Knowledge, which states students will:

• W.1.7. Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).
• W.1.8. With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

I've been trying to figure out why they would state it as “gather information from provided sources to answer a question.” As one teacher commented to me recently, "My kids can do so much more than answer one question!"

 I think maybe it goes back to this whole idea that with the Common Core we are supposed to “go deep”--what does that look like with this standard?  I think that by limiting the number of questions students are supposed to answer allows students to focus on other equally important things like extracting the appropriate information from the text, taking good notes, connecting what they learn to what they already know, organizing their information into creating a good product, thinking about spelling and handwriting, and avoiding anything that looks like plagiarism, time to reflect on the process, etc.  

I also keep pondering the subtle details nestled within the vertical alignment of this strand--sources are provided during research for grades K-2, students aren't asked to cite sources at all until 3rd grade when they are asked to "take brief notes on sources"

So, much to rethink.  Take a look at this Research to Build and Present Knowledge strand K-12 vertical alignment thingy.

Common Core Research Vertical Alignment from Georgia's Regional Education Service Agency

Here is the form I am hoping to use for small group research with our first grade classes.

Public Library/School Library Partnerships

The new NC School Library Media Coordinator's Evaluation Instrument is full of standards that address the need for external partnerships, partnering with other libraries and community organizations.  I've always known this was important, but I've always struggled with how to make this an authentic partnership (more than just calling them to let them know a class is researching a topic and to let them know families might come in looking for books on a specific topic).  It always seemed like there was more we could do to support each other's goals.  I've noticed in the morning there are lots of parents dropping off their children, who have younger kids as well.  So, we are partnering with Jesse, our Buncombe Co. Library Preschool Outreach Coordinator, to provide a monthly story time for Dickson families who have preschool aged children , toddlers or infants.  Today was our first event, with seven adults and ten children attending.  Our next event will be held on Friday, December 7th at 8:15 am. 

Public Library/School Library Partnership

I wanted to try something new, and I've been thinking about building partnerships with other organizations in our community.  There has always been that desire to have a stronger partnership with our public library, but I have always struggled with how to create a meaningful partnership (something more than just calling them to let the staff know we might have kids for books about a particular topic due to a research project happening at school.  I've noticed that there are a lot of parents at our school with toddlers and preschool age students dropping their school age children.  I wanted to explore what might happen if our school hosted a public library story time event.  Jesse, the Preschool Outreach Coordinator at Pack, was game to try it.  One thing she mentioned that caught my attention, was to include tips for parents of literacy type activities that an older sibling could do with a younger sibling.  I love that idea because as a mom, I am constantly thinking about what I can do to build positive sibling relationships. Our goal is to hold this type of event once a month...nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?  I think it will be a big hit!

Bulletin Board Fun

In the past I have approached bulletin boards with the same attitude as I have when looking at a broken laminator.  At Dickson, the library is centrally located, and a lot of students, teachers, and parents walk down the hall each day.  So, I am taking a new approach to bulletin boards (with a personal goal of updating it at least once a month).  I'm so in love with our new bulletin board.  I am even more in love with the awesome Frankenstein border I found on Ebay.  Now if I could only learn to love a broken laminator....

Digital Citizenship

We receive this special type of funding called e-rate funding, and attached to that funding is the expectation that you cover specific lessons on digital citizenship with each class.  I like the way the lessons build upon each other from one year to the next.  For example, eventually in the upper elementary school grades when students are using email and blogging, there is a specific lesson on cyber-bullying, but what it translate into at the kindergarten and first grade level are simple lessons about strategies to use if you are being bullied.  Enter one of my favorite books, The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill.  Mean Jean is the playground bully ("she's pushed kids and smooshed kids, / hammered 'em, slammered 'em, / kitz and kajammer 'em").  No one has ever stood up to Mean Jean before until a new kid, Katie Sue,  arrives at school.  What  I like about this book is that addresses many of the strategies kids need to use when dealing with a bully.  Katie Sue uses her strong voice, she walks away, and then finally she invites Mean Jean to play with her, and that is what does the trick.  Presto change-o a new friendship is born.  Yeah, I know, it wasn't that easy for me either when I had to share a bus seat with a bully on 20 mile bus ride every day from my elementary school to my house, but this book is still a great teaching tool.  At the end we always have a conversation that while Katie Sue and Jean solve this problem without adult intervention, it is never a good idea to keep bullying a secret, and that you should always tell an adult.  Here's one of my favorite samples of student work from the week. "I use my strong voice."