It's Wednesday! What's happening in the Sommer Library?

Our library is a busy place, even when classes aren't visiting!  Last Thursday, the Science Team hosted Science Fair Information Night.  Parents and students looked at project board examples, picked up judging rubrics, and checked out experiment books.  We still have more set aside if you need one for a project or to swap your books out for new ones.  These books count as extra checkouts; students may still get their usual limit for pleasure/ school reading.

Little and big kids are having fun listening to holiday books and coding by the fireplace this week!

We are reading Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera, Hanukkah Hop by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Steven D'Amico, and Santa Claus and the Three Bears by Maria Modugno, illustrated by Jane Dyer and Brooke Dyer.

Please turn in all overdue books and fines for lost/ damaged books this week!  Students and parents will not be allowed to check out items for winter break if their accounts are not clear.

The Bluebonnet reading program deadline is coming up next month!  Read five before January 19th to vote.  To attend our Bluebonnet Breakfast, third graders need to finish ten books, fourth grade twelve books, and fifth grade fourteen books.  Hope to see you at the breakfast in the spring!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I often pick books that have a quiet tone, one that makes me slow down for a bit and remember the joys of the season amidst the hassle.

I picked Julie Salamon's The Christmas Tree off my shelf this morning.  Sized to fit into your purse and only 128 pages, this tale begins with the search for the perfect evergreen for Rockefeller Center and becomes the story of a nun's childhood growing up with the tree.  Nine short chapters lends itself to a classroom read-aloud or serial bedtime story for third grade and above.

What are you slowing down to read this holiday season?

It's Wednesday! What's happening in the Sommer Library?

Our fifth author visit of the semester, that's what happened this week!

P.J. Hoover had our fourth and fifth graders enthralled with stories of her childhood, her family, and her pursuits of electrical engineering and authoring fantasy novels.  

Ms. Hoover codes games based on her books and shares them on her website!  Visit for more information about her books and background.

The other half of third and fifth grades are coding with Lightbot Hour, while the other half of fourth is adding EasyBib to their school Google accounts, practicing making citations, and getting reminders about plagiarism (don't do it!).

We are finishing up our two-week streak of unicorn books in the Book Nook!  You don't want a unicorn--trust me!  Just ask a K-2 student for several reasons to avoid unicorns--and dragons.

New books arrived in the library this week, including some of the recommendations from our Stallion Readers' Advisory Club!

Next week, we will be announcing our end-of-semester all-call for overdue books and fines for lost or damaged books.  Students must have a clear account to check out books for the winter break!  If you are withdrawing for an extended absence, please make sure your books are turned in!

READING PROGRAMS are now in full effect!  Six Flags reading logs were distributed last month, and Schlitterbahn reading logs will go home tomorrow.  Get rewarded for your fun reading with tickets to both parks!

Deadlines:  Bluebonnet Reading Logs       January 19th

                      Six Flags Reading Logs           February 9th

                      Schlitterbahn Reading Logs   February 19th

Our annual Library Volunteer Appreciation reception will be held in the library on Thursday, December 21st from 1030a to 230p!  Please RSVP to the emailed Evite to let us know if you are attending.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

At our monthly librarian meetings, we pick books to review and recommend.  I was fortunate to scoop up this one last month:

Red fox feels the first snowflakes coming down, and doesn't know what to do!  His creature friends have suggestions of all kinds, but none are right for fox; it takes one of his kind to remind him of his wintry pursuits.  Winter Dance has a lovely, poetic rhythm which begs to be read aloud; the illustrations by Richard Jones are filled with the lightness of the first snowfall.  Marion Dane Bauer's text touches on the many ways animals prepare for winter (storing food, hibernating in dens and mud, forming a chrysalis, migrating), making this book a great introduction to those topics for science.

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I'm still finishing up David Balducci's The Christmas Train, but pulled this gem from my shelves for a quick read:

If you grew up with Little Golden Books like I did, you may enjoy this trip down memory lane while reading about the hassles and happiness of the holidays.  Each page features illustrations from vintage Golden Books with new text by Diane Muldrow.  The captions may cause a gray hair or two to sprout, as you realize just how long these classics have been around!

It's Monday!  What are you reading?  Are you getting your to-read pile ready for winter break?