Children's books in the White House?

Milton Terrace South Elementary School in New York set out to find if there are any children's books in the White House library. Research showed them that there probably aren't any (though they couldn't be definitive), and so media specialist Susan Penney decided to see what she could do to fix the situation. She had the students and teachers all vote on their favorite titles, and organized donations of the winning books! Read the whole article here, complements of School Library Journal, and see the complete list here.

We have some of the books in the SCCS library, such as:
Click, Clack, Moo, by Doreen Cronin
The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo
Charlotte’s Web, by EB White
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson

Were some of the titles your favorites, too? Which ones?

What titles would you recommend for the Obama daughters? (They are aged 7 and 10, I believe.)

Jon Scieszka, our new ambassador

The Library of Congress has named Jon Scieszka National Ambassador for Young People's Literature! Scieszka (which rhymes with "fresca") is well known for books such as The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Stinky Cheese Man, and the popular Time Warp Trio series. We have these books in the library, if you'd like to come check them out.

The Library of Congress's press release on the naming of the new ambassador further explains post and responsibilities.

Scieszka has a fun website to check out, too!

Latin@ books for all!

Here are two great blogs that focus on Latin@ characters and experiences:

Latina YA

Cuentecitos

Check them out and see what they have to say. If you like the sound of any of the books in these blogs, please recommend them to Ms. Hanneman and we can purchase them for next year!

Also, if you're interested in what the library already has, here are a few titles to get you started:

Esperanza Rising, by Pam Ryan (we have it in Spanish and English)
Crazy Mixed-up Spanglish Day, by Marisa Montes
Party Girl, by Lynne Ewing
Honey Blond Chica, by Michele Serros
Haters, by Alisa Valdez-Rodriguez

There are a bunch more titles in the library, come see what we have!

Classic novel about Andean life

Have you ever heard of the book Secret of the Andes? It was the Newbery Medal winner in 1953 (the same year Charlotte's Web was published). I admit I just learned about it, but after having read it, I'm glad it came to my attention!

In Secret of the Andes a young llama herder is raised to carry out a secret mission, but must first decide if he is willing to do so. Cusi, the boy, is given the opportunity to live a normal life, but decides that the his foster father's Incan secret is more important to protect.

While this book was published more than fifty years ago, it has what appears to be a balanced perspective on Andean life. I really enjoyed reading about Cusi's first contact with Peruvians of Spanish and mixed heritage.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure or mystery, or to those who are interested in Peruvian and Andean culture.

Newbery winner, a good read

I'd like to continue with the new book thread from a few days ago. Here's another one I've just finished and really liked!

The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron and illustrated by Matt Phelan, is 2007's Newbery Medal winner. In this book Lucky Trimble, a young girl growing up in the California desert, searches for a higher power that will bring stability to her life after her mother dies. She plans for the day when her guardian, a French woman who loves parsley, will abandon her by preparing to run away. With a detailed and interesting cast of characters, Lucky's growth, humor and an unique setting, this book is definitely a winner. I would recommend this book to upper elementary students, or those in middle school. (Parents should be aware that there is a minimal amount of language in this book that not everyone will like, but that it's useful in context.)

Oh, and one of the characters in the book loves Are You My Mother? , by PD Eastman, a great read for younger students. It is a classic book that is both funny and cute. It is perfect for lower elementary students.