Fantastic Fall Book Fair!

A big "thank you" to everyone for your support of our fall book fair. Nothing beats the sight of rows upon rows and tables upon tables of new books just waiting to be read!  

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?

- Henry Ward Beecher

Our Grade Two's found exciting new authors to explore.

Picture books are for everybody!

A book is a device to ignite the imagination.

- Alan Bennett

Our Grade Three's dug into chapter books and comics.

Our Grade Four's were very satisfied customers.

Our Grade Five's piled up those new books.

Our teachers had fun exploring new series.

You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.

- Paul Sweeney

Storyteller Mr. Andy Wright

We were treated to four wonderful sessions with our visiting storyteller Mr. Andy Wright from New Zealand. 

We learned about the country and culture of New Zealand.

Nursery, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten enjoyed two stories and a song.  

 "One, Two, Three... BOO!"

Grade 1 and 2 were enthralled with the traditional English tale called 

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything and

 the traditional African tale called The Leopard's Spear.

Grade 3 was completely captivated with the traditional Australian tale of 

Koala and Kangaroo  and the African tale called Strength.

Grade 4 and 5 were rolling on the floor with laughter enjoying 

the traditional Maori tale of a naughty fairy.

Thank you, Mr. Andy!  We loved hearing your stories!

Just Right Books

chart credit: Becky Spence

How do you pick a "just right" book?

* interesting topic
* useful/helpful topic
* well written blurb
* attractive cover
* good print size and font
* attractive pictures
* passes the five finger test
* understandable
* favourite author
* favourite series
* favourite genre
* looks and feels good in the hands
* first sentence/paragraph hooks you into wanting to read more
* positive reviews by others

The Saturday Boy by David Fleming

"If I've learned anything from comic books, it's that everybody has one thing that can totally ruin their day without fail. For the wolfman it's a silver bullet. For Superman it's kryptonite. For me it was a letter.

With one letter, my dad was sent back to Afghanistan to fly Apache helicopters for the U.S. army.

Now all I have are his letters. Ninety-one of them to be exact. I keep them in his old plastic lunchbox—the one with the cool black car on it that says Knight Rider underneath. Apart from my comic books, Dad's letters are the only things I read more than once. I know which ones to read when I'm down and need a pick-me-up. I know which ones will make me feel like I can conquer the world. I also know exactly where to go when I forget Mom's birthday. No matter what, each letter always says exactly what I need to hear. But what I want to hear the most is that my dad is coming home." - Good Reads review

  

To learn more about the author, you can visit his website at http://www.davidflemingink.com/

What did you think about the story?  Send in your comments to the library and we will add them to this page.

Rump: the true story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

"In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end."
- Good Reads review

 

To learn more about this author, you can visit her website at http://lieslshurtliff.com/

What did you think about the story?  Send in your comments to the library and we will add them to this page.

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm

"Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer.

Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?

Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this pimply boy really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?"
- Good Reads review

To learn more about this author, you can visit her website at http://www.jenniferholm.com/

What did you think about the story?  Send in your comments to the library and we will add them to this page.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

"Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.

In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience."
- Good Reads review

 

To learn more about this author, you can visit his website at http://www.chrisgrabenstein.com/kids/escape-from-mr-lemoncellos-library.php

What did you think about the story?  Send in your comments to the library and we will add them to this page.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

"Starting at a new school is scary, even more so with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! At her old school, everyone in Cece's class was deaf. Here she is different. She is sure the kids are staring at the Phonic Ear, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Too bad it also seems certain to repel potential friends.

Then Cece makes a startling discovery. With the Phonic Ear she can hear her teacher not just in the classroom, but anywhere her teacher is in school--in the hallway...in the teacher's lounge...in the bathroom! This is power. Maybe even superpower! Cece is on her way to becoming El Deafo, Listener for All. But the funny thing about being a superhero is that it's just another way of feeling different... and lonely. Can Cece channel her powers into finding the thing she wants most, a true friend?

This funny perceptive graphic novel memoir about growing up hearing impaired is also an unforgettable book about growing up, and all the super and super embarrassing moments along the way." - Good Reads review

You can learn more about the author Cece Bell by visiting her website at https://cecebell.wordpress.com/

What did you think about the story?  Send in your comments to the library and we will add them to this page.

Storytelling... the art of painting pictures with words

Storytelling is the sharing of tales with one or more listeners through voice and gesture. This is the oldest form of education and it has numerous benefits including: 

• improved imagination
• improved listening skills
• increased love of language, reading and creative writing
• improved vocabulary, comprehension, sequencing ability, and recall/memory

In order to prepare for our New Zealand storyteller visit, we listened to professional storytellers share traditional tales: (http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/storyteller-videos).

PK-Grade 2 enjoyed The Little Red Hen. Grade 3 and 4 experienced The King and His Wish while Grade 5 appreciated the telling of The Magic Paintbrush.

As a follow up, in Grade 2, we made little red hens to help us tell the story to our parents.

Would you like to enjoy more stories?

Check out the Story Bee website to listen to professional storytellers from across America spin their tales. (www.storybee.org)