BOOK REPORT mable second grade teacher recommends grad season fav

We've gone with a patriotic theme for our Fairmont book report selections this month in honor of Memorial Day, so Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go! is something of a departure.  Consider it our one-and-only pick for graduation season.  You just can't find a more whimsical way to congratulate the new grad in your life or to motivate your little ones to keep up the good work as they approach their own big days.  As Summer Burbage, Mable second grade teacher says, "I believe every student has the ability to "move mountains!"

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing

BOOK REPORT citron suggests the pledge for memorial day read

The Pledge of Allegiance

By Scholastics Inc.

The Pledge of Allegiance pairs pictures of America with the words of the Pledge of Allegiance to help children better understand what the pledge means. The text of The Pledge of Allegiance is illustrated with stunning photographs of American landscapes, monuments, and flags. In addition to the inspiring pictures, at end of the book, the authors include historical facts about America that serve as a mini history lesson for students.  This is a great book to share with your children on all of the special holidays when we celebrate America.

Contributed by Elly, Citron campus

BOOK REPORT mable fifth grade teacher suggests historical fiction

The Year of the Hangman, by Gary Blackwood is a wonderful piece of historical fiction. In fifth grade, we study American history and the Revolutionary War. This book is a fictional story about what might have been had we lost the war. The story gives insight into what life was like during this time period and also provides an imaginative look at what life could have been like. This book is a page turner and very hard to put down! 

Contributed by Nicole, Mable campus

BOOK REPORT anaheim hills suggests inspirational american story

The Land

by Mildred Taylor 

Every year, my students enjoy reading The Land, by Mildred Taylor.  Set in the South after the Emancipation Proclamation, it tells the story of Paul Edward Logan, the son of a wealthy, white plantation owner and his black slave.  Although Paul’s mother is now free, she chooses to stay on the plantation and give her son the opportunity to know his father.  Paul’s father treats him like his own white children, until one day when Paul hits one of his white brothers.  Mr. Logan must make Paul understand that he is black and cannot hit a white man. The story takes the reader through Paul’s life, as he feels he does not fit in-—he is not accepted by the whites, because he is half black-- he is not accepted by the blacks, because he looks white.  In spite of many hardships, he perseveres to fulfill his dreams.  It is an inspirational story that brings to life an important part of American history.

Contributed by Nancy, Anaheim Hills campus

BOOK REPORT edgewood recommends poignant picture book

The Wall

By Eve Bunting

Illustrated by Ronald Himler

Appropriate for grades 1-4 or as a read aloud

A boy and his father have come to the Vietnam War Memorial to look for the boy's grandfather's name among those who were killed in the war. They find his name surrounded, but far from lost, in the rows of print that "march side by side, like rows of soldiers." "I'm proud that your grandfather's name is on this wall," says the boy's father. The boy agrees, adding, "but I'd rather have my grandpa here." Before this powerful book is half finished, readers will be deeply moved. Bunting's understated prose captures the meaning of the memorial to the American people, especially to those who lost loved ones, without being maudlin or heavy-handed. Himler's gauzy watercolors are a perfect accompaniment: impressionistic enough for the characters to appear as everymen. A sensitive and moving picture book, and a great discussion book as well. Review by School Library Journal from amazon.com

Recommended by Yvonne, Edgewood Campus

BOOK REPORT celebrating national poetry month

In honor of National Poetry Month, our Fairmont campuses are sharing poetry anthologies to pique your child’s interest in the rhymes and rhythms of poetic verse.  And, we’d like to go a step further and motivate our students to write their own original poems.  To get their creative juices flowing, may we suggest:

Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem

by Jack Prelutsky

Perfect for children in third-sixth grade, the former Children’s Poet Laureate uses comical anecdotes from his life and more than a dozen examples of his own poetry to inspire children to put pen to paper.  Prelutsky shows how kids can use their real life experiences—wacky things like playing with their food at the dinner table—as fodder for poetic writing.  In addition to tips and plenty of hair brained inspiration, he concludes the book with fun “poemstarts” to motivate even the most reticent to get writing.

We'd love to hear from our talented Fairmont poets.  Comment on this blog posting with your child's original poem!

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing

BOOK REPORT edgewood goes theatrical with practical cat pick

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

by T.S. Eliot

Every kid needs to meet Magical Mister Mistoffelees!  T. S. Eliot’s playful cat poems have delighted readers and cat lovers around the world ever since they were first published in 1939. They were originally composed for his godchildren, with Eliot posing as Old Possum himself, and later inspired the legendary musical Cats. Meet Mr. Mistoffelees, Growltiger, the Rum Tum Tugger, Macavity the mystery cat, and many other memorable strays. Even if you’re not a cat-lover, you’ll love this fun book of poetry for kids of all ages.  Read the book, then encourage your kids to stage their own theatrical production.  Or maybe they'll be inspired to write their own poems about the family cat!

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing

BOOK REPORT anaheim hills looks to nature for poetic inspiration

The Great Frog Race: And Other Poems

by Kristine O'Connell George

This book has garnered many awards including the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award.  Here’s an excerpt from the author’s website (www.kristinegeorge.com) where she shares what The Great Frog Race is all about in her own words:(and don't forget to check out the author's other great poetry collections)

“The Great Frog Race was my first book and these twenty-eight poems were written over a period of about five years. The poems in this collection celebrate memories of my childhood: tadpoles, shooting stars, and an old farm dog named Zeke.  There are poems about singing off-key, getting lost with Mom, and a drowsy day-dreaming garden hose.  When I share my book with children I often bring my (very elegant!) metal bucket with "props" from some of the poems:  One egg (plastic!).  A length of garden hose.  A well-preserved dragonfly.  A sprig of lavender.  Maracas.  A saltine cracker.  A monkey wrench...  In talking to students, I hope to demystify poetry and help them understand that poetry is all around them, even in the humble ordinary objects in our everyday lives.” 

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing 

BOOK REPORT citron makes poetry appealing to the younger set

Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young

by Jack Prelutsky

Poems about picnics, pretending, and puppies make this book the book to introduce little ones to poetry about the world around them. Jack Prelutsky, one of today's most respected children's poets, has selected more than 200 short poems--old favorites, traditional rhymes, and humorous verses--that will delight young listeners. The poems cover a wide range of experiences in a young child's life, from everyday events to special days to the world of the imagination.

Marc Brown, author and illustrator of the popular Arthur series, uses colored-pencil illustrations and borders to unify the poems, helping to create a pleasing, lively collection to carry children from their preschool years into the early elementary grades. As Jim Trelease tells us in his introduction to the book, "Unlike the toys we buy our children, poems cannot break."--amazon.com review 

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing

BOOK REPORT mable librarian turns kids on to a light in the attic

A Light in the Attic

by Shel Silverstein

This classic poetry anthology from celebrated children's poet Shel Silverstein is a must-have in your home library, recommended for ages 9-12 and as a read-aloud for younger kids.  Or, check it out from Ms. Lloyd or Ms. Abouabdo at the Mable library!

Last night while I lay thinking here
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old Whatif song:Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?...

Here in the attic of Shel Silverstein you will find Backward Bill, Sour Face Ann, the Meehoo with an Exactlywatt, and the Polar Bear in the Frigidaire. You will talk with Broiled Face, and find out what happens When Somebody Steals Your Knees. You get caught by the Quick-Digesting Gink and find out why a Mountain Snores and They Put a Brassiere on the Camel. From the creator of the beloved poetry collections Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up, here is another wondrous book of poems and drawings.--amazon.com review

Suggested by Ms. Mary Lou Lloyd, Mable Librarian

BOOK REPORT citron's read is an optical illusion

Duck! Rabbitt!

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

all ages

Looking for a fun read-aloud for the younger set that is just as amusing for mom and dad?  This clever take on an age-old optical illusion will really get your little ones engaged and will have them passionately defending what they think they see. Is it a duck or is it a rabbit?  This book is a chance for opinionated preschoolers and kindergartners to express themselves and, in the end, to discover it's okay to agree to disagree.  Oh, and it's a great gift to fill a certain Bunny's basket this spring!

Contributed by Danyelle, Marketing

BOOK REPORT mable mixes it up with math rhymes

The Best of Times 

by Greg Tang

Ages 4-8

The author of The Grapes of Math and Math for All Seasons, Greg Tang, continues his crusade to make math make sense by taking on the biggest of math bugbears: the multiplication tables! Greg Tang's proven methods--giving kids tools rather than rules and more memorization--pay off once again, as he uses rhymes and commonsense tricks to walk through the multiplication tables from zero to 10. For example, if you know how to multiply by two ("Two is very fast and fun, quickly double and you're done. What's that you say, be more precise? Okay then, just add it twice!"), then fours ("... please just always double twice!") and eights ("... doubling three times works just great!") should be a cinch. Some of the rhymes are even as clever as Tang's tips: Over a panda pool game, he advises, "Nine is faster to compute if at first you overshoot. Here's a very clever tack, do 10 times and then subtract! What is 9 x 9? It's ten 9's minus 9.... What is 9 x 7? It's ten 7's minus 7."--Amazon.com

This book is so much fun to read because it helps you learn how to multiply with rhyming words.  You also learn some tricks that allow you to multiply even faster.  This book has great illustrations and a different animal for each times table.  Plus, it gives you problems to try on your own! Do you know your multiplication facts?

Contributed by Kim, Mable campus

BOOK REPORT edgewood sets sail with The Wanderer

The Wanderer 
by Sharon Creech
Ages 8 and up

This Newbury-winning book is part mystery, part coming of age story, and part adventure. Thirteen-year-old Sophie is the only girl among the motley crew of The Wanderer, made up of her three uncles and two cousins. As the crew makes their way across the Atlantic Ocean from Connecticut to England, where Bompie, Sophie’s and her cousin’s grandfather lives, the sea calls to Sophie. However, the personal journey she takes brings her deep into a mysterious, forgotten past. Sophie's struggle to reclaim who she is inspires those around her,as the crew discovers the joys and trials of belonging to a family. All members of the crew have unrealized dreams they want to come true and relationships they need to mend. It takes a crisis at sea,and then a crisis on land, to resolve the problems of the crew members. Sharon Creech tells a literal and metaphoric adventure-filled story of a courageous girl's journey across the ocean and into the memories of her past.

Contributed by Yvonne, Edgewood campus

BOOK REPORT anaheim hills' pick pops a wheelie

The  Mouse and the Motorcycle

by Beverly Cleary

Ages 8 and up

"Pb-pb-b-b-b. Pb-pb-b-b-b." With these magic vocables, Ralph the mouse revs up a dream come true--his very own motorcycle. Living in a knothole in a hotel room, young Ralph has seen plenty of families come and go, some more generous with their crumbs than others. But when young Keith and his parents check in to the hotel, Ralph gets his first chance to check out. He has always fantasized about venturing beyond the second floor, maybe even outside. Curiosity overcomes caution, and Ralph must have a go at Keith's toy motorcycle. Soon, the headstrong mouse finds himself in a pickle, when all he wanted was to ride a motorcycle. Lucky for him, the boy understands how it is. When he discovers Ralph in his thwarted attempt to abscond with the toy bike, Keith generously encourages the rodent to ride. He even teaches him the simple trick of starting the motorcycle: "You have to make a noise... pb-pb-b-b-b." The subsequent situations Ralph motors into require quick thinking and grownup-sized courage. The team of Beverly Cleary and Louis Darling has been a great favorite for decades, introducing young chapter readers to Ramona, Beezus, Henry, and of course Ralph the mouse.--Emilie Coulter from Amazon.com

Contributed by Vicky, Anaheim Hills campus

BOOK REPORT anaheim hills suggests series for 4th-6th graders

If you'd like to get your kids "hooked" on reading, book series are the way to go.  They provide an extended storyline with compelling characters and plots that keep children engaged from book to book to book.  (Think of all the young readers hooked on the most most popular book series ever--the Harry Potter stories!) Here are a  few suggestions for 4th-6th grade students:

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
A Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket
The Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull
The Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo
The Warriors series by Erin Hunter

 
...and one of my personal favorites is the Uglies series by Scott
Westerfeld which is more aimed at the 6th grade level.

Contributed by: Victoria Romo, Anaheim Hills

BOOK REPORT edgewood's pick is a runaway success

What child hasn't daydreamed about running away from home to a life of adventure?  The two protagonists in this Newbery-award-winning book, do just that.  And what a time they have exploring the treasures in New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art. A read aloud for the younger set, this book is sure to pique the imagination of 2nd-6th graders.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
by E L Konigsburg

Twelve year-old Claudia Kincaid decides to run away from the life she finds boring and parents she thinks do not appreciate her. She chooses her younger brother to run away with her to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. One morning, they board the school bus carrying everything they will need to run away in Jamie's trumpet case. When everybody else gets off the bus, the brother and sister hide until the bus driver is gone. Then they sneak off the bus and use some of the money Claudia has been hoarding to board a train for New York City.

Once there, they walk to the museum. The museum guard takes them for members of a school tour and they make it inside the amazing museum. In the museum, they look around until closing time, when they go to the bathroom and hide in a stall, carefully keeping their feet up, so the guard will not see them.

Claudia and Jamie settle in at the museum, blending in with school groups on field trips during the day to learn more about the museum's exhibits. They bathe in the museum's fountain, picking up "wishing coins," and sleep on Marie Antoinette's bed. 

During their stay, they become fascinated with the newest exhibit: a beautiful statue of an angel, thought to be the work of Michelangelo. Researching the statue, they discover that a Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, from Farmington, Connecticut, sold it to the museum. They spend the last of their money traveling to Mrs. Frankweiler's house, where they discover the angel's secret, hidden in the much disorganized files in Mrs. Frankweiler's office. Afterward, she sends them home in her Rolls-Royce to their worried parents and siblings.

Contributed by Yvonne, Edgewood campus