Click here for AR test information
NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY
Grades 3-5: Genre Challenge - click here to download/print parent slip
Third through fifth graders are invited to become Reading Explorers! In an effort to encourage the students to explore different types of books, I am challenging them to complete “Reading Passports”. The areas that we are exploring this year are realistic fiction, fantasy/ science fiction, historical fiction, adventure, poetry, biography/autobiography, mystery, non-fiction, and how-to.
The challenge is an optional activity for the students. If your child chooses to participate, I ask that you help me assure that he or she is reading books at an appropriate level. I strongly encourage the students to read Accelerated Reader books, but I realize that for some of the categories, this is difficult. There is a list of St. Mary Accelerated Reader tests available upon request at the front desk of the Derby Public Library. There is also a list of tests on the St. Mary web page, listed under “Resources”. Parents need to simply sign and return a form listing the student’s name, grade, book title, author, and genre. I “stamp” their passports when I receive the forms back in the library.
Those students meeting the challenge, by reading one book from each category before January 14, will be invited to attend a Challenge Celebration. The party will be held during their lunchtime. Students will bring money to purchase pizza. Drinks, salad, dessert, and door prizes will be provided. If you have any questions please contact Jean Schif at 788-3151 or jschif@stmarysderby.com.
AREAS TO EXPLORE:
REALISTIC FICTION – books that tell made-up stories, but everything in them could actually happen in real-life
SCIENCE FICTION – stories often include futuristic technology; a blend of scientific fact and fiction
FANTASY – books that have unbelievable or impossible situations, such as magic or talking animals
ADVENTURE – characters in these stories are consistently placed in exciting, often hazardous situations
MYSTERY – has an event, which is not explained, or a crime that is not solved until the end of the story
POETRY – verse written to create a response of thought and feeling from the reader
BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY – true stories about real people (Autobiographies are the stories of the authors’ lives.)
HISTORICAL FICTION – have made-up characters and situations, but they take place in a real time or setting from the past.
HOW-TO – non-fiction books that explain how to complete a particular task (They can be books about drawing, sports, cooking, origami, etc.)
NON-FICTION – true information (history, science, sports, religion, etc.)
Grade 4: Flat Stanley
The fourth grade classes are reading the book Flat Stanley, by Jeff Brown, during library time. Flat Stanley tells the story of a boy who was flattened by a falling bulletin board. He was then able to travel via the United States Postal System!
Since the fourth grade also studies states and capitals, we would like to send Stanley out to explore our country. Each student will have a Stanley to mail to a friend or relative. They will also have an explanation letter and a journal page to go along with Stanley. When he is returned to us, the student will share his journal and pictures, and we will mark the state that he visited on our map. I know that in our community people have connections all over the country, so I think Stanley will have many places to visit. If your family does not have an out of state contact, just let me know and I will share one of mine.
Thank you all for your help with this project. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 788-3151 or jschif@stmarysderby.com
Grades 5 & 6: Battle of the Books List 2010-2011
Carry-over titles:
The Homework Machine – Dan Gutman
Jackie’s Wild Seattle – Will Hobbs
The Old Willis Place: A Ghost Story – Mary Downing Hahn
Steal Away Home – Lois Ruby
Wenny has Wings – Janet Lee Carey
New Titles:
Airball: My Life in Briefs – L. D. Harkrader
The Circuit: Stories from the life of a Migrant Child – Francisco Jimenez
The Double Life of Pocahantas – Jean Fritz
Elephant Run – Roland Smith
How to Steal a Dog: A Novel – Barbara O’Connor
The Invention of Hugo Cabret: a Novel of Words and Pictures – Brian Selznick
Leap of Faith – Kimberly Bradley
Lost and Found – Andrew Clements
Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller – Sarah Miller
Red Midnight – Ben Mikaelsen
Running out of Time – Margaret Haddix
Schooled – Gordon Korman
A Single Shard – Linda Sue Park
Three Cups of Tea – Sarah Thomson (This is the Young Readers edition)
Woods Runner – Gary Paulsen
Grades 6-8: Middle School Book Club
This quarter’s book is Hoot by Carl Hiassen. The Book Club meeting will be held at the beginning of December.
Check out these links
Preschool- Age 8
Ahoyty-Toyty by Helen Stephens
The Magic Bed by John Burningham
Gaspard and Lisa Friends Forever by Anne Gutman & Georg Hallensleben
Halibut Jackson by David Lucas
Leo Lionni's Little Mice Tales by Leo Lionni
No More Kissing by Emma Chichester Clark
Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky
The Quigleys at Large by Simon Mason
Beginning Reader
The Daring Nellie Bly: America 's Star Reporter by Bonnie Christensen
Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Jumping Frogs by Donald Sobol
All about Sam by Lois Lowry
Honey Sandwich by Elizabeth Honey
Nate the Great on the Owl Express by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Mitchell Sharmat
Ages 9-12
All the Way Home by Patricia Reilly Giff
Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Donuthead by Sue Stauffacher
Downriver by Will Hobbs
Fish by L. S. Matthews
Holes by Louis Sachar
Swear to Howdy by Wendelin Van Draanen
True Blue by Jeffrey Lee
Ages 12 & up
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Haveli by Suzanne Fisher Staples
Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper
The Ropemaker by Peter Dickinson
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt
