Tuesday October 27th, Dover Bay Secondary School 7-9 PM
Sunday, October 25, 2015
DEAR Drop Everything and Read
Monday October 26th is National School Library Day and Drop Everything and READ. Take 20 minutes today to stop all that you are doing and READ. Read for fun, enjoy a comic, read the newspaper or dive into a great novel. DEAR is a BC Teacher-Librarian Association event that celebrates the power of free reading, the joy of dropping everything around you and reading and the joy of literacy. #bctla_DEAR *Take a picture of you dropping everything and reading :) Send it to me vmartineau@sd68.bc.ca and I will post it on our blog.
Friday, October 16, 2015
New Books at L@H K-7 Library
Welcome back!
I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and are set for a great school year.
As the weather turns and fall begins to settle in, now might be a great time to curl up to a new book. Your L@H K-7 library has wonderful new selections to share with you.
Happy Reading <3 Val Martineau
Virtual Library Coordinator
The Swap by Megan Shull
Gr. 6/7 and up Multiple perspectives/ Character Driven
This was my favourite Young Adult (YA) read this summer has been the Swap by Megan Shull. 12-year-old Ellie was dumped by her best friend, is getting harassed at school and is feeling anything but good about herself. Jack is 13 and a hockey prodigy. He is pushed to the limit by the military style discipline of his father, where nothing he does is good enough for The Captain. Ending up in the nurse’s room for different reasons, both Jack and Ellie are wishing they had different lives. With the magic of a mystical, unfamiliar nurse the two switch bodies for the weekend. This fun, authentic, genuine story tells the tale of a boy and girl struggling to be themselves but realizing by being someone else they have a better perspective on who they are and what they can become. It is funny and awkward as they deal with puberty in bodies of the opposite gender. Friendships are formed, lessons are learned and best of all a realization that you are the best you, you can be. It’s a story of overcoming fear and shining from the inside out.
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Gr. 4 and up Autobiographical Graphic Novel
If you enjoyed Smile, Sisters and Drama by Rania Telgemeier you will likely enjoy El Deafo. Rated one of the top graphic novels of 2015, El Deafo is the autobiographical story of Cece who at four-years-old, contracts meningitis and loses her hearing. It’s a wonderful look at being deaf from the deaf child’s perspective. What is frustrating, what she likes, what drives her crazy and how she copes. Like Smile, it’s told with humour and compassion. El Deafo is a great read centering on acceptance, friendship and understanding. I really enjoyed Cece’s story.
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O’Connor Gr. 4-7
Realistic Fiction
Georgina lives in her car with her mom after her parents separate. Her mom is working two jobs just to feed the kids. Georgina is looking to do anything to help her mom. When she sees a poster with a $500 reward for the return of a lost dog, Georgina decides to take things into her own hands. After looking for the dog and not finding it, she decides to steal a dog to claim the reward. This funny, well written story tells an unconventional tale of love, family and a moral quandary. It is a great book to read and discuss.
Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
Gr. 4-7 Mystery Fast-paced
This face paced mystery takes 13-year-old Theo and her friend Bodhi on an adventure to find the truth behind a painting. Is it a real Raphael? As her grandfather lays dying he whispers to Theo “There's a letter… And a treasure" hidden "under the egg.". If you like mystery and adventure mixed in with a bit of humour and a quirky friendship this story is for you.
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Gr. 4-6 Mystery Plot Driven
Synopsis from Novelist K-8 Just after twelve-year-old Emily and her family move to San Francisco, she teams up with new friend James to follow clues in an odd book they find, hoping to figure out its secrets before the men who attacked Emily's hero, publisher Garrison Griswold, solve the mystery or come after the friends.
Gangsta Granny by David Walliams
Gr. 3-6 Humour
This funny book is another hit for David Walliams. Ben has to spend time with his really old Granny and soon learns she has a secret life. It’s funny, silly and overt the top ridiculous at times but its also about seeing someone for who they really are and realizing how important it is to get to know the person before judging them. Telegraph Magazine review: "An enjoyable read with an unexpected bittersweet ending" - The Sun "Hugely entertaining... a comic, touching and at times sad story" - Daily Express "This is possibly David's funniest book ever." - Heat "Anyone who thinks that all grannies do is wear mauve...will laugh out loud at David Walliams' new book"
Poison Ivy by Amy Goldan Koss
Gr. 7 -10* (some mature language)
Booklist review from Novelist K-8: What better way to explain government in action than to stage a mock trial, in this case a trial in which one unpopular girl, Ivy (aka Poison Ivy), seeks to bring three bullies to justice. Alas, the questionable ambitions of a teacher, the fearful power of popularity, and the sad truth of how losers are made combine to make things ugly. The trial unfolds through the alternating viewpoint of several students, each of whom has a distinctive voice: Marcus is penetrating and contemptuous; Ivy's is strangely cool; Ann's bubbles with cruelty. Sometimes the dialogue sounds candid and natural; at other times, it’s overly dramatized. And, unfortunately, because readers never see how Ivy is bullied (were just told its bad), the story lacks an emotional punch. The message is clear: beauty, popularity, and fear are the trinity by which girls rule, and although most teenagers aren’t cruel, many are indifferent to the suffering of their peers and are thankful they aren’t the ones in the spotlight. School stories like this aren’t rare, but they make compelling reading for teenagers in the trenches. -- Krista Hutley (Reviewed 02-15-2006) (Booklist, vol 102, number 12, p93)
As the weather turns and fall begins to settle in, now might be a great time to curl up to a new book. Your L@H K-7 library has wonderful new selections to share with you.
Happy Reading <3 Val Martineau
Virtual Library Coordinator
The Swap by Megan ShullGr. 6/7 and up Multiple perspectives/ Character Driven
This was my favourite Young Adult (YA) read this summer has been the Swap by Megan Shull. 12-year-old Ellie was dumped by her best friend, is getting harassed at school and is feeling anything but good about herself. Jack is 13 and a hockey prodigy. He is pushed to the limit by the military style discipline of his father, where nothing he does is good enough for The Captain. Ending up in the nurse’s room for different reasons, both Jack and Ellie are wishing they had different lives. With the magic of a mystical, unfamiliar nurse the two switch bodies for the weekend. This fun, authentic, genuine story tells the tale of a boy and girl struggling to be themselves but realizing by being someone else they have a better perspective on who they are and what they can become. It is funny and awkward as they deal with puberty in bodies of the opposite gender. Friendships are formed, lessons are learned and best of all a realization that you are the best you, you can be. It’s a story of overcoming fear and shining from the inside out.
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Gr. 4 and up Autobiographical Graphic Novel
If you enjoyed Smile, Sisters and Drama by Rania Telgemeier you will likely enjoy El Deafo. Rated one of the top graphic novels of 2015, El Deafo is the autobiographical story of Cece who at four-years-old, contracts meningitis and loses her hearing. It’s a wonderful look at being deaf from the deaf child’s perspective. What is frustrating, what she likes, what drives her crazy and how she copes. Like Smile, it’s told with humour and compassion. El Deafo is a great read centering on acceptance, friendship and understanding. I really enjoyed Cece’s story.
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O’Connor Gr. 4-7
Realistic Fiction
Georgina lives in her car with her mom after her parents separate. Her mom is working two jobs just to feed the kids. Georgina is looking to do anything to help her mom. When she sees a poster with a $500 reward for the return of a lost dog, Georgina decides to take things into her own hands. After looking for the dog and not finding it, she decides to steal a dog to claim the reward. This funny, well written story tells an unconventional tale of love, family and a moral quandary. It is a great book to read and discuss.
Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
Gr. 4-7 Mystery Fast-paced
This face paced mystery takes 13-year-old Theo and her friend Bodhi on an adventure to find the truth behind a painting. Is it a real Raphael? As her grandfather lays dying he whispers to Theo “There's a letter… And a treasure" hidden "under the egg.". If you like mystery and adventure mixed in with a bit of humour and a quirky friendship this story is for you.
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Gr. 4-6 Mystery Plot Driven
Synopsis from Novelist K-8 Just after twelve-year-old Emily and her family move to San Francisco, she teams up with new friend James to follow clues in an odd book they find, hoping to figure out its secrets before the men who attacked Emily's hero, publisher Garrison Griswold, solve the mystery or come after the friends.
Gangsta Granny by David Walliams
Gr. 3-6 Humour
This funny book is another hit for David Walliams. Ben has to spend time with his really old Granny and soon learns she has a secret life. It’s funny, silly and overt the top ridiculous at times but its also about seeing someone for who they really are and realizing how important it is to get to know the person before judging them. Telegraph Magazine review: "An enjoyable read with an unexpected bittersweet ending" - The Sun "Hugely entertaining... a comic, touching and at times sad story" - Daily Express "This is possibly David's funniest book ever." - Heat "Anyone who thinks that all grannies do is wear mauve...will laugh out loud at David Walliams' new book"
Poison Ivy by Amy Goldan Koss
Gr. 7 -10* (some mature language)
Booklist review from Novelist K-8: What better way to explain government in action than to stage a mock trial, in this case a trial in which one unpopular girl, Ivy (aka Poison Ivy), seeks to bring three bullies to justice. Alas, the questionable ambitions of a teacher, the fearful power of popularity, and the sad truth of how losers are made combine to make things ugly. The trial unfolds through the alternating viewpoint of several students, each of whom has a distinctive voice: Marcus is penetrating and contemptuous; Ivy's is strangely cool; Ann's bubbles with cruelty. Sometimes the dialogue sounds candid and natural; at other times, it’s overly dramatized. And, unfortunately, because readers never see how Ivy is bullied (were just told its bad), the story lacks an emotional punch. The message is clear: beauty, popularity, and fear are the trinity by which girls rule, and although most teenagers aren’t cruel, many are indifferent to the suffering of their peers and are thankful they aren’t the ones in the spotlight. School stories like this aren’t rare, but they make compelling reading for teenagers in the trenches. -- Krista Hutley (Reviewed 02-15-2006) (Booklist, vol 102, number 12, p93)
Monday, June 22, 2015
Summer Reading
The power of summer reading is ENOURMOUS! A Canadian literacy study shows that reading 20-30 min/day 4-5 days a week will not only maintain your reading level but will likely improve your reading and comprehension level over the summer. That means by reading your favourite books, learning about your favourite subject or by simply reading a magazine or newspaper, you will not only be enjoying yourself, you will be improving your reading skills. Yeah for that!
Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) is a great place to visit over the summer. The new Hammond Bay North, Wellington or Downtown Harbour libraries are perfect places to grab a book, curl up on the comfy chairs or listen to a story. There are a lot of great events throughout the summer. Be sure to check out http://virl.bc.ca
My pile for summertime reads is growing rapidly. What’s in your pile? Some great books you may want to consider over the summer:
K-2 Fiction
Elephant and Piggy books by Mo Willems (great stories for your little ones – enjoy the whole series)
Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty
My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not) by Peter Brown
If you Plant a Seed by Tom Lichtenheld
Red a Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
The Rabbit Problem by Emily Gravett (anything by Emily Gravett is wonderful)
Pete the Cat books by James Dean, Eric Litwin & Kim Dean
The Crocodile Who Didn’t Like Water by Gemma Merino
The I’m not scared book by Todd Parr (I love books by Todd Parr <3)
Primary Non-Fiction
Up In the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner
Butterflies by Melvin & Gilda Berger
One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies
The Emperor’s Egg by Martin Jenkins
Gr.3-4 Fiction
Babymouse (anyone in the series) by Jennifer L. Holm
Clementine (series) by Sara Pennypacker
Otherwise known as Sheila the Great by Judy Blume
English Roses (series) by Madonna
Gr. 4-5 Fiction
Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
Firegirl by Tony Abbott
El Deafo by Cece Bell (if you liked Smile, Sisters and Drama you will like El Deafo) *It is one of my most favourite books of the year)
Babysitters Club – graphic novels by Ann Martin and Raina Telgemeier (same author as Smile)
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (graphic novel)
Gracefall by Wendy Mass (anything by Wendy Mass is great)
Conspiracy 365 (series) by Gabrielle Lord – boys love this series
Brody’s Ghost (Vol.1-3) by Mark Crilley
Strange Case of Origami Yoda (series) by Tom Angleberger
Gr. 6-7 Fiction
The Swap by Megan Shull
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Running Dream by Wendy Van Draanen
The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
El Deafo by Cece Bell (if you liked Smile, Sisters and Drama you will like El Deafo) *It is one of my most favourite books of the year
Counting by 7’s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Conspiracy 365 (series) by Gabrielle Lord – boys love this series
Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz
Non-Fiction Gr. 4-7
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park (my favourite non-fiction book of the year)
The Six Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make: A Guide for Teens by Sean Covey (Gr. 7 and up) – on my summer list to read with my teenage daughters
When choosing a book for a great read remember to use your IPICK strategy
I – I choose my book
P – Purpose – Why are you reading it? For summer reading…read for pleasure
I – Interest – Do I like it?
C – Comprehension – Do I understand it?
K – Know most of the words (five fingers)
Have a safe and wonderful summer! Happy Reading Mrs. Martineau
Friday, April 17, 2015
New Books Now on Display
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| Gr. 4-7 New Books |
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| K-3 New Books |
It was so lovely seeing so many students in today. I was glad to see many of you stocking up on great books. The new books are now on display in the classroom in two bins – K-3 New Books and Gr. 4-7 New Books. Last week’s large order is on its way. Those books should be ready for borrowing in a few weeks. If you are reading a great book right now, I would love to hear about. Drop me a line and let me know what you like about it. vmartineau@sd68.bc.ca
Bookfest May 2nd ~ A great day to enjoy a visit with Great Canadian Authors
www.bookfest.ca
BookFest 2015 is taking place Saturday, May 2nd in downtown Nanaimo. The hub of activity will be in the Diana Krall Plaza, while the presenter sessions are held in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre and the Nanaimo Art Gallery’s Art Lab. Free Pre-school sessions will be held in the Nanaimo Museum and are available for children under 5 with an accompanying adult. Tickets are $10 per child for 3 sessions, to a maximum of $25 per family.
Read about our presenters and check out the BookFest schedule to choose your 3 sessions. Buy tickets online, over the phone or in person through The Port Theatre (250.754.8550).
Friday, April 10, 2015
Check out these new books!
We have added some great new books to our collection that I wanted to share with you. They are light and fun just in time for spring. The Horrid Henry series by Francesca Simon is a funny laugh-out-loud series about a young boy named Henry who constantly seems to be getting into trouble. It’s a great book for both boys and girls.
“The best children’s comic writer.” Amanda Craig, Times
“I love Horrid Henry books. They have lots of funny bits and Henry always gets into trouble.” Mia
“Wonderfully appealing to girls and boys alike, a precious rarity at this age.” Judith Woods, Times
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel is so popular that we have added more of the series to our collection including School Daze and Bad Kitty vs Uncle Murray.
For our younger readers we have quite a few new DK readers 1-3. Just in time for summer we have the ever popular Frozen series J and of course more from the Star Wars series that we can’t keep on the shelf. Please stop by and check out our new books.
Where to find these books:
Bad Kitty found in stacks F BRU (stacks are in the main library)
Horrid Henry series found in stacks F SIM
DK Readers found in bins on the primary side – DK readers 1, 2 or 3
This is just a small sample of new books coming in to L@H. Today we placed a large order and I am excited to share them with you when they arrive.
Happy Reading! Mrs. Val Martineau Teacher Librarian L@H
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