Summer Reading List

Happy May Day!  Spring has arrived and most of us are looking ahead to summer.  My thoughts go to gardening and then relaxing with a book in my back yard with the chickens and my flower gardens.

I'm sure many parents are thinking of activities for the younger members of their families who will soon be out of school.  I hope you'll include lots of time for reading.

Congratulations Teachers, you're almost done for the year.  Even though you're ready for summer break, over the summer you will probably doing some planning for next year.  I hope you'll read some new books this summer to introduce to your students in the fall.

So this is going to be my activity over the next few blog posts:  Making a Summer Reading List of Children's Books for readers of all ages to enjoy. 

When searching for titles I want to read I often start with award winning books.  Here are some of this years winners.

The Newberry Medal Winner for 2012 is: Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos.  The Honor Books are:  Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai and Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin.

The 2012 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner is: Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson.  The Author Honor Books are: The Great Migration:  Journey to the North by Eloise Greenfield and Never Forgotten by Patrick McKissack.

These books all sound fascinating and are now at the top of my list.

I invite you all to help me build this list by sharing your favorite children's book titles.  It can be books you've read, want to read or titles your children or students love the most. 

  

Medieval Lesson for the family

I'm on a trip to Seattle, WA to visit my daughter. I checked out several audio books to listen to in the car. One was Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz.

This book is a series of 22 monologues written by Ms. Schlitz for her students. Each character tells a story about his/her life and are good portraits of what life was like in medieval England. I found it quite fascinating.

This summer as you vacation with your family, listen to audio books to help pass the time. The stories can provide opportunities for family bonding, laughter, discussions and education.

Travel safely.

John Newbery Awards

My friend James Burke, asked me "what is the John Newbery Award". This Wikipedia site contains a great explanation. It also includes a complete list of the Medal and Honor Award books, a wonderful reading list.

Even though the official Awards are decided upon by a panel of librarians, each year there are Mock Newbery Award events that ask for participation from readers in the general public to read and choose their favorite books.

Here are three Mock Newbery Award sites that you can participate in throughout the year to choose the Mock Award winners for 2011. Allen County Public Library for teachers, librarians and adults, goodreads, and Wake County Library, a student club that welcomes participation from children outside their county. This could also be a model for a club at your school.

These all provide wonderful opportunities for lovers of children's literature to read and learn about books published this year.

Happy reading.

Newbery Award winners

I'm working on a new goal. I want to read every book that has received the John Newbery Medal for excellence in children's literature. I recently finished Holes, by Louis Sachar. Now I'm re-reading Charlottes' Web by E. B. White.

How many have you read? What ones? What is your favorite so far?

Happy reading.