What's Happening at the BSS Library?

6th graders did a great job brainstorming what they knew about Benjamin Franklin.  We tried to predict what the author would choose to write about for each letter of the alphabet in relation to this Founding Father.  Some great ones they guessed were Bifocals, Electricity, Philadelphia, American, Key, Inventor, and Boston.  One student even guessed that the Franklin Stove would appear.  I was very impressed!  Someone else guessed Library correctly, knowing he started the first library.  Back then you had to pay a subscription to borrow books.  Aren't you glad that has changed? We learned a lot about this amazing and multi-talented man, including some of his famous quotes originally printed in his publication called Poor Richard's Almanack .  "No gains without pains" is a great one, as is: "Either write something worth reading or do things worth the writing."  A very informative book!

Not only did we “visit” 14 states around the U. S. A., but we also read many synonyms for the word “big” throughout this book by Wendell Minor.  Did you know that in Vermont and in other New England states, enormous pumpkins are turned into boats to race in a regatta? Or that the world record for biggest pumpkin was set at the Toppsfield Fair in Massachusetts? Could the most colossal pumpkin fill the Grand Canyon? Students had fun guessing the setting for each page, and recalled several of the synonyms for the word “big” from the book. View the book trailer here: https://youtu.be/w646799lLj8

I love everything about this picture book written by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Sophie Blackall. The premise, the history, the illustrations--all revolving around the oldest dessert in Western civilization. This dessert is called blackberry fool, made from fresh berries and cream.  The book describes families from four generation (1710 in Lyme, England, 1810 in Charleston, South Carolina, 1910 in Boston, and 2010 in San Diego, California) preparing this dessert.  The word “fool” originated from the French word “fouler” which means “to mash” or “to press,” which is what you must do to the berries in this recipe. I read this book to third and fourth graders, and asked them what they think might have changed over the years.  They came up with great answers, including their clothing and where they got the ingredients.  It was much easier for the family in 2010 to go to the store to purchase the berries and cream than it was in 1710, when the mother and her daughter had to pick th

This book is one of my favorites from the past few years.  It received a well deserved Newbery Award in 2013, and was on the Battle of the Books list last year.  Ivan the gorilla tells his story of being taken away from his family and placed in a small circus at the mall. There are no other gorillas, just an elderly elephant, a macaw, and a stray dog. As much as he loves his animal friends, he longs to see another gorilla, which he has not done since he was separated from his parents and twin sister. He adores the janitor’s daughter Julia, who shows Ivan how to draw and paint. He really enjoys creating his masterpieces, which are sold in the gift shop at the mall. When a baby elephant named Ruby joins the show, Ivan promises the elderly elephant Stella that he will somehow get Ruby out of there before she wastes her life away in a small, dirty cage. Ivan promises, but how in the world can he make good on this promise? There’s 305 pages in the book, but there’s lots of white space w

I have to admit, I’m a little fuzzy in my memories of the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  I vaguely recall seeing the movie, and I’m not even sure if I read the original story by Ian Fleming.  But I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this modern day follow-up to the original 1964 classic.  All three Tootings children, Lucy, Jem, and Little Harry, as well as their parents, were well drawn out and entertaining. After Dad loses his job, he really needs an outlet to nurture his creative side (otherwise all his inventions for the house will drive the family crazy!).  First he rigs the doorbell to not only welcome passersby  into the house, but invites them in for a cup of tea (which automatically boils itself).  But the people never leave, so he decides to rig up Little Harry’s toys to automatically play with him, but it scares the wits out of poor Harry.  Mom brings home an old beat up 1966 camper van and convinces him it’s a great project to keep him occupied (never thinking in a milli

When Zach learns his dad is killed in a plane crash, he is devastated. His father was a special advisor to the President of the United States, and he was often away on business. Zach didn’t really know much about what his father did for work, but things start to get strange after he is gone. First of all, his body seems to be changing: he is stronger and can run faster than he ever could, and he seems to have a sixth sense when something is about to happen. And people are following him, people who know all about his father. When Zach visits the site where his father’s plane crashed he meets a man named Mr. Herbert who tells Zach that he has magic within him, just like his father did. Zach realizes that his father had superpowers just like he does, and it is up to him to finish what his dad started. Hero is a departure from Lupica’s usual sports novel, and he is already working on a sequel.  A great action story that will appeal to middle school students.  I hope the middle school

What do your dolls do at night when you are sleeping? Bet you’d be surprised to know they come alive…just like in Toy Story!  The Doll family is made up of Mama and Papa, Uncle Doll, Annabelle, Bobby, Baby Betsy, and Nanny, who takes care of the kids.  Auntie Sarah used to live with the Dolls, but she mysteriously disappeared 45 years ago.  These porcelain dolls are over 100 years old, and live in Kate’s room. Very rarely do the members of the Doll family leave the dollhouse, afraid to break the Doll Code of Honor which states that the dolls must protect their secret lives from humans or risk becoming an “ordinary doll.” Afraid that Kate will see them moving, the family stays in the house and only talks and moves around at night when Kate is sleeping. But things get a little exciting when Kate’s little sister Nora gets a new pink plastic dollhouse. The Funmarts are a more modern family of plastic people who don’t seem afraid of getting caught breaking the Doll Code of Honor.  Annabel

This is a laugh-out-loud funny story about a boy named Rafe who is just beginning middle school and whose only friend is an artistic kid nicknamed “Leo the Silent.” In the beginning of the story, Rafe and all the students are forced to sit through the annual presentation about school rules, where the vice principal goes through every single page of the student handbook.  It takes forever and is pure torture. According to Rafe: “People always talk about how great it is to get older. All I saw were more rules and more adults telling me what I could and couldn’t do, in the name of what’s ‘good for me.’ Yeah, well asparagus is good for me, but it still makes me want to throw up.” Rafe thinks most of the rules are ridiculous, and when he looks over at his friend Leo he sees he has sketched a smiling boy wearing a hat, blowing bubbles, listening to an ipod while texting, carrying a weapon, and wearing his pants halfway down his boxer shorts. The caption: “Rules are Made for Breaking.”  R

Chicken Big by Keith Graves is a hysterical twist on the familiar tale of Chicken Little.  I read Chicken Big to first graders, and many of them were familiar with the original story.  They recalled how Chicken Little thought the sky was falling after being hit in the head with an acorn, and how his paranoia spread to the friends he met along his way to tell the king.  And who could forget how the tale ends, with Foxy Loxy tricking Chicken Little and his friends until they become his meal. Chicken Big is a silly story about an enormous chick who hatches from a humongous egg. The rooster and three small chickens that live in the itty-bitty coop don't know what to make of Chicken Big, and think he must be an elephant.  When an acorn falls on the smallest chicken's head, she thinks the sky is falling.  The other chickens run away, but the big chick informs them it's only an acorn, and proceeds to eat it.  After seeing the chick eat the acorn, they think the chick must in

Who knew that Superheroes were so into reading?!  Here's my bulletin board with some favorite Superheroes reading a few of the newest books in our collection.  BSS Students really are super!

This sign was fun to make and it has been even more fun to listen to students as they guess what books all these fictional places are from.  A nice way to welcome students as they enter the Library!

We had several students complete the A-Z Reading Challenge last year.  Students are encouraged to read 26 books from now until May 3rd, one for each letter of the alphabet.  The letter can come from the title, author, character, setting, or series name of the book.  For more information, visit the A to Z Reading Page on this blog. Download the A to Z Reading packet .