To the Book Fair...and Beyond

Hooray! Our fall book fair is on the way and there are some major changes coming. For the first time ever, you are allowed to order books on line! So if the adults at home haven't had the time to come in and shop or if you have friends and relatives in other cities and states who might love the chance to buy you a book - Check out the online book fair and don't forget to visit the classroom wish list page!

Why I Read...

I Read by Richard Peck

I read because one life isn’t enough, and in the pages of a book I can be anybody;
I read because the words that build the story become mine, to build my life;
I read not for happy 
endings but for new beginnings; I’m just beginning myself, and I wouldn’t mind a map;
I read because I have friends who don’t, and young though they are, they’re beginning to run out of material;
I read because every journey begins at the library, and it’s time for me to start packing;
I read because one of these days I’m going
 to get out of this town, and I’m going to
 go everywhere and meet
 everyone, and I want 
to be ready.”

–Richard Peck, author
, Zihuatanejo, Mexico, 
1990

Your turn. Why do you read?

Chronicles of Harris Burdick

This is one I'm waiting for eagerly. Won't be here until November sometime but it will be worth the wait!

Heroes of Olympus

The second installment in Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series is scheduled to come out October 4th. We've already ordered our copies of Throne of Fire, but if you can't wait until next month, click here for a sneak peek at the first chapter!

Target Books for Schools

Target Rocks! Thanks to Julia Richards for submitting our name to Target's Books for Schools program. They have generously awarded us $500 in books from the First Book Marketplace. If you see the Richards kids on campus, Colt, Caleb and Paris, be sure to give them a big thanks!

We appreciate all that Walker families do to encourage the love of reading in our kiddos.

More book trailers from Mr. Miller's 5th graders

Click here to check out a trailer for The Orange Outlaw and here for The Unwilling Umpire. These are both great books from Ron Roy's A to Z Mysteries series.

5th grade Book trailer

Click here to see the first student created book trailer of the year. Thanks to Mr. Miller's 5th graders for starting us off and producing such great work!

Here we go...

Classes start coming to the library today and I am so excited to have the library full of kiddos again! We have a lot of new books to start the year with so make sure you take some time to browse around when you come in. We're open before school at 7:20 and after school until 2:30. Check with me about what days we're open for your grade at lunch. Can't wait to see you!

Working hard to get the library ready....

More Harry Potter!

JK Rowling is setting up a website called "Pottermore" that will include background and information about the series and characters that has never been shared before. The first 1,000,000 visitors get access on July 31st, otherwise you have to wait until October. It's a great time to read or reread one of the best series ever!

Click here for an article abou the site or here to see the Pottermore home page.

Why should you go to the public library this summer?

Follow this link to find out why some very famous authors (including Dr. Seuss) think the library is such an awesome place. Then go visit your public library and find reasons of your own!

2011 Spring Relay Winners

Almost left this year without posting the winners of our Spring Fiction Relay Race. Every team did a fabulous job and the times across the board were phenomenal. Can't wait to see what this year's fourth graders do next year! The top 5 teams were:

1. V/F: Reyna, Madison, Thoa, Justin, Sapphire and Natalie (35.16 seconds per book)
2. Cisco: Austin, Alex F., Quinlin, Angie, Adel, Alex V., Leonella, Briana (35.37 seconds per book)
3. V/F: Claire, Shanice, Mo, Jennifer, Diego (35.7 seconds per book)
4. Shivers: Devin, Georgie, Roman, Jayce, Sierra, Erik, Shivam (36.85 seconds per book)
5. Roberts: AnaKaren, Shelby, Justice, Darrell, Destinee, Nicole, Javier (38.25 seconds per book)

Congratulations to everyone who participated! We'll have our fall race shortly after school begins so spend some time at the public library to keep your Dewey knowledge fresh!

Summer!

What an amazing year I had! I want to thank everyone for all their hard work this year at Walker. We made a lot of changes in the library this year and I hope you all had as much fun as I did. We will miss our 5th graders going on to junior high but expect you to come back and visit often. Enjoy your summer and keep reading. Below are links to the summer reading programs we discussed in class:

Pima County Public Library
http://www.library.pima.gov/about/news/?id=3375

Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/

I'll keep posting over the summer so watch this spot for news and info. See you next year!

2010-2011 Top Checkouts

No real surprises on our top checkouts this year, but I think our Bone series will make it to the top 5 next year.

Top Chapter Books:
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Ugly Truth
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal
4. Franny K. Stein series
5. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series

Top Picture Books:
1. Up (from the Disney/Pixar movie)
2. Goldilicious
3, 4 &5. Spongebob Books

The top books from the Dewey section are a variety of I Spy books and Garfield books.

New Diary of a Wimpy Kid

It's coming in November! I bet you'll be able to pre-order it at the book fair. This is not the actual title or cover but we do know the book will involve the Heffly's being snowed in. Also, watch for an updated Do-It-Yourself book to be released mid-May.

Underneath My Bed by Marissa

When the lights go out, I pull the covers over my head.
Afraid that something is hiding underneath my bed.
I'm worried that those big claws will drag me down
or that those big teeth will chomp me up.
I'm shivering and shaking,
a bead of sweat is going down my head.
My closet door is closed
and underneath my bed, my mom said she checked.
But I still fear it will grab me by the neck.
I want it to be morning.
I want the sky to be blue.
But I'll just have to wait.
I have no idea what to do!
I close my eyes and pray for the best.
Now I'm hoping I can get some rest.

Poems by Shelby

Poetic ability
Of a writer
Even when on paper or
Memory

Reading is a thing that stays with you.
Reading is something that trends.
Reading is something you never know
can be one of your greatest friends.

Reversible Verse by Anakaren

As the wind moves the tree,
leaves begin to fall.
The wind rustles and howls
with the tree.
It's finally fall
and the wind is free.

It's finally fall
and the wind is free.
The tree howls and rustles
with the wind.
Leaves begin to fall
as the wind moves the tree.

Haiku by Rachel

Drinking hot cocoa.
Playing in the flaky wind.
White across the land.

Dolphins' seawings shine.
I love how they swim so fast.
They zip through the sea.

Poems by Mrs. Roberts' 5th grade class

My Summer Birthday
by Destinee

My summer birthday.
My dog wants to play.
I'm really hot.


I smile. I cry. I deny.
But the only thing I can't do
is lie.
By Anonymous

Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Mr. Krabs loves money,
don't you?
Squidward is light green,
don't you think?
Patrick is pink
but he doesn't think.
Spongebob is a good fellow
when he's yellow.
"Puff, puff!: goes Ms. Puff
when she is teaching Squarepants.
Gary the snail is a mail
By Demetrius

Mrs. Kurlander's Diamante Poem

Spaceships,
fast, big,
shining, speeding, riding,
ignition, astronaut, space, stars-
blasting, glittering, fascinating,
metallic, conical,
Rocket.

Poems from Mr. Miller's class

John Lennon

A heart of gold
with a rainbow of peace.
A sweet smile full of love.
A neverending song playing in my heart.
The delicious scent of apple pie.
The poem to the world
on a bright sunny day.
Lastly,
the hero of my being
when I'm feeling down.

Flowers

Flowers are the life of the earth,
the strawberry field of music.
Flowers keep peace alive
in the hearts of hippies.
Flowers keep love alive
in the strain of violence.
Flowers keep safe from
the dark lights of time.
Flowers are love and peace.

More poems from Mr. Miller's class

Warm

How do you get warm?
That is an easy question.
How you get warm is
getting in the blanket
with someone you love.
That's getting warm.
If you go outside in the hot sun
and if you relax right
under the sun,
that's how you get warm.
There are a million ways
to get warm
but I don't want to say
them all.
Just think about it and
you'll know more than me.
Does that answer the question?

Wind

Wind is what you need.
Wind is what you need to survive.
Wind surrounds us.
How wonderful!
Wind combines with the blue light sky.
How wonderful it is!
I think that is why the water comes with it.
To me, that is a sign of happiness.
What about you?
What does that mean?

Bad

I don't like my life.
I am May's slave.
I wish May was my slave
so I could have a life.
Instead, I clean her whole house.

Good

I remember when I was May's slave.
Now she is my slave.
I remember I was so mad and sad.
But now I am happy.
Now I can go to a party
and I can have friends and a family.

A Poem by Noah C. (Mr. Miller's class)

Flowers are growing,
snow is melting,
spring is coming.

Mr. Miller's class poems

We had a lot of variations on the classic "Roses are red, violets are blue..." poem. Most of these kids wanted to remain anonymous:

Some flowers are red,
some flowers are blue.
I sure am glad
to have a mother like you.

Roses are red,
violets are blue.
How I love
to sing with you.

Roses are red,
violets are blue.
Do you like bananas?
I do, too!

Roses are red,
violets are blue.
Bees are yellow
and black, too.

Clouds are white.
The sky is blue.
Stars are bright
and so are you.

Walls are white.
Books are bright.
Fuzzy things
like to fight.

Roses are red,
violets are blue.
How can I
be like you?
-To my sis Alicia
By Jeremy V.

Spiders: A Diamante Poem by Mrs. McCue's 2nd graders

Spiders.
Scary, creepy,
crawling, eating, spinning.
Webs, legs, Black Widow, eyes.
Clicking, biting, sleeping,
hairy, black
Arachnids.

AIMS by Melody

Aims test, we think you're so hard.
We study so hard with our flashcard.
It's done in a breeze,
we laugh and we tease,
until we see our report card.

Love: A Poem by Kelcie Bell

When people meet the right one
they feel mushy inside.
Animals feel the same way, too.
Dogs love humans.
Cats like mice.
You know when you like
someone special.

Fall Haiku by Cooper

Just let the leaves swipe.
Tall, brown trees say good-bye.
Crunch, crunch, crunch they go.

Haiku by Victor

Snowmen are out there.
The snowy owl eats mice.
It's December now.

"Tree Root" by Jonathan

How many times
have you fell on your knee
because of a root
that came from a tree?
I'm going to ask if
it can be cut down.
Listen, you tree,
you're making me frown.

A Poem by Karina C. and Clarissa N.

There was a leprechaun
named Jamie
who had a baby.
She had a bottle
that had a friddle.
She fell on it
and broke her leg.

Haiku by Taylon

Dodgeball, you hurt bad.
I hate you dodgeball. You hurt.
Just leave me alone.

A Poem by Ms. Kasen's 2nd graders

Ms. Kasen's kids wrote a diamante poem during their library time to celebrate Poetry month. It was a collaborative effort and we had a lot of fun writing it! Enjoy!

Robots

by Ms. Kasen's class

Robots,

creepy, smart,

beeping, humming, dancing.

Spaceships, factories, transformers, metal-

marching, speaking, blinking,

bald, funny,

machines.

Mr. Popper's Penguins Movie

Jim Carrey is starring in a movie version of Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater. Check the book out from the library and read it before you see it. Looks like it's going to be a good one!

New Dr. Seuss!

The image above is from a new book of Dr. Seuss stories that will be out in December. It includes 7 stories that were published in magazines in the '50's but never appeared in book form. Click here to read an article about the new book!

Judy Moody Movie coming this summer

All you fans of Judy Moody and her brother, Stink - get ready for the 1st every movie coming out this summer. Check out the trailer for Judy Moody and the Not So Bummer Summer:

Great news during Poetry Month

Shel Silverstein's family is releasing a collection of never-before-seen poems and drawings in September. Can't wait!

New Book from Maurice Sendak

It has been almost 30 years but Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are has a new book coming out! Bumble-Ardy debuts in September. We'll definitely need a copy for the library. Click here to read an article about the new book.

Walker School Rules!

The latest from the video club and probably my favorite. Best viewed full screen.

We LOVE the book fair!!!

Super Diaper Baby 2 - Finally!!

The next installment of Super Diaper Baby is set to hit stores June 28th. Check out the video of Dav Pilkey drawing the cover:

Buddy library class today! Mr. Moore's 4th graders hosted Mrs. Martinez's 1st graders. Fun!

Door Decorating Contest

Click here to view a slide show of all the amazing doors that were decorated for Love of Reading month. Thank you Mr. Miller for putting this together for us !

Congratulations to our winning classes:

Kinder - Mrs. Powers for their No, David door
1st - Mrs. Wary/Miller for their Dogzilla door
2nd - Mrs. McCue for their James and the Giant Peach door
3rd - Mrs. Wright for their Escaping the Giant Wave door
4th - Mr. Moore for their Harry Potter door
5th - Mr. Miller for their Found door

New beanbags!!

Attention Dav Pilkey Fans

Super Diaper Baby 2 is coming out on June 28th. Check out the trailer:

Love of Reading Video

Thanks to Mr. Miller for sharing this video about reading set to a Black Eyed Peas song. Very cool!

It's love of reading month! Thanks to my 5th grade helpers for making a great bulletin board!

A Force Returns: Amulet Announces Sequel to 'Origami Yoda'

If you liked The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, click below to read about the upcoming sequel Darth Paper Strikes Back:
A Force Returns: Amulet Announces Sequel to 'Origami Yoda'

And the winner is...

The Newberry and Caldecott medals were given out last week. The Newberry medal is given by the American Library Association to the book that they feel was the best children's book of the year. The Caldecott medal is given for the best picture book of the year. The winners for 2010 are:

Newberry: Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Caldecott: A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip and Erin Stead

I don't have copies of either of these in the library just yet but I hope to soon . I had the opportunity to read Moon Over Manifest last weekend and I couldn't put it down. It was an amazing book and a wonderful choice to win the Newberry.

Peacebuilding in the Library

In the wake of the tragedy on January 8th, Walker students are reminded of the power of kindness and peacebuilding. We have set up a bulletin board in the library reminding us of all the positive words and phrases we can use to encourage and uplift each other. The depth of our students' kindness and compassion continues to amaze and inspire me each day. Click the image above for a closer view.

1st week back

Our first week back was time for library review and a little bit of silliness. All grades took some time to go over expectations regarding library behavior. Rather than me lecturing them about the rules, each K-3 class was responsible to educate each other about the rules. They did a great job remembering everything from shelf markers to returning books on time to whisper voices. After we went over the rules, we read a short, silly book called Charlie's Superhero Underpants by Paul Bright.

The 4th and 5th graders played a game called Who Has... Each child was given a card with a library related phrase followed by a question. The person with the first card read a question such as, "Who has how long you can keep your books after they're checked out?" and the person holding the card that read '2 weeks' would hold up their card and read the next question. We worked our way through the library rules as well as refreshing ourselves on library vocabulary. It was fun to see the kids help each other and work as a team to get through all the cards.

I'm looking forward to a wonderful 2nd semester with all the children!