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.)

Veterans Day

Yesterday was Veterans Day in the United States. This holiday is a time for us to "honor all who served" in the military. War has a large presence in the literary world, many classic books have been written about both the glory and the horror of battle. The library has quite of few of these titles, and here are some general recommendations:

For younger readers a picture book called The Blue and the Gray, by Eve Bunting, has two young friends remembering the American Civil War. Good fiction books for adults on the Civil War include Cold Mountain, by Charles Frazier and The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara.

Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes is a Newbery-award winning book for middle readers based during the American Revolutionary War. Sarah Bishop, by Scott O'Dell and The Pox Party, by MT Anderson are two other books written about that era.

If you prefer non-fiction works, They Marched into Sunlight, by David Maraniss, is a great read about different fronts in the Vietnam War. This work is recommended for older readers. For middle readers, Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, is a fiction book about one young man's experience in the same war.

Please come to the library to find other books about war and veterans.

Odd one out, or in?

The new books I've discussed earlier in the blog were for older audiences. Today I'd like to highlight one aimed at our younger readers, One Green Apple, by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ted Lewin.

It's Farah's second day in a new school in a new country, and her class is going on a field trip. While she doesn't speak English, the class visit to an orchard is made sweeter by meeting new friends and adding her unique, green apple to the mix.

This picture book is especially interesting for our students as they struggle with language challenges and are often encountering new cultures. They may recognize some of Farah's thoughts as ones they've had themselves.

Eve Bunting has written a lot of other books, check out this website to see titles and information about her.

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.