Book Reviews

Next week, I will be talking to the students about how to do online book reviews, using the Destiny library catalog. Some students know how to do this from when I taught it to classes last year. This is such a great way for them to recommend great books and keep an open dialogue with their fellow students about literature. Students can write a book review about any book in our library by giving it a star rating (1-5), writing comments about the book and even adding a video to it (I video students reviewing the book and add it to their review). Not only does this teach students about using technology, but it strengthens their reading comprehension skills as well as their reading and writing skills.

My Favorite Halloween Book!

This is one of my FAVORITE Halloween stories to read with kids. It is so fun to do all the characters' voices! We read it at the last Family Story Night and I have been reading it with my kids for the last two years.

Horror genre

This next week, I will be recommending various books to students, 3rd-6th grade, in the genre of "Horror"- just in time for Halloween!

No picks will be too gruesome, but our students do love the Goosebumps books, so I will try to recommend some other choices that they might like as well. Here are a few of the books I will be book talking:

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by James and Deborah Howe (4th)

The Midnight Library: Voices by Damien Graves (4th)

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (4th)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (5th)

The Robe of Skulls by Vivian French (5th)

The Doll in the Garden: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing (5th)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (6th)

Tales of Terror and Fantasy by Edgar Allan Poe (6th)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (6th)

For more scary books that are appropriate for children (Pre-K-6th grade), you can visit the website Scary Book List for Kids at: http://www.monsterlibrarian.com/horrorfictionlistkd.htm

October Family Story Night

Last night’s Family Story Night was a HUGE success!
We had about 112 students attend with their families.
Everyone was dressed in their Halloween costumes and looked so cute!
The Coronado Dons Varsity Football team read a cute Halloween story and did a great job! It was so great to have them come back to their old school and say hello to our students and family. What a great community builder!
Thank you to EVERYONE who supported this event!
These are the readers. In the middle is Alex Buya, quarterback, and future model!


The next Family Story Night is on Thursday, Nov. 19th at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria with special guest reader Ryan T. Higgins, author of a funny children’s book called Twaddleton’s Cheese! J He is going to read his book and show the kids how he does his illustrations!
Stay tuned….

Cardinal Visit to Tonalea

We had a great treat yesterday afternoon here at school. Herman Johnson of the Phoenix Cardinals came to Tonalea, along with the Big Red Bird, and read some stories to 50 of our outstanding 5th graders! He discussed the importance of literacy to students, read some inspirational and funny books, and gave out cookies and milk to the students. Each student received an autographed book mark, and they were also able to get personal items autographed. A news camera crew came and interviewed a few students and the story aired on last night's news!

October Family Story Night!

The next Family Story Night will be on Thursday, Oct. 22nd at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria.

Special guest readers will be the CORONADO DONS VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM!!!

Players will be here to read a story with students and pass out a little Halloween candy!

Students are allowed to wear their Halloween costumes, however, costumes must be school appropriate (no fake weapons, appropriate coverage, etc.).

All students who attend will get to choose a free book!

See you then....

Realistic Fiction

This past week, I have been introducing students to the genre of Realistic Fiction. This is a really popular genre for students and young adults, especially, because the characters in these stories are people with real problems- school, family, friends, etc.- and so readers can really relate to the characters and the storylines. I have been book talking a lot of different titles to the different grade levels and classes this week, all within this genre. Some of the titles include (grade levels are simply the classes to which I recommended the titles):

• Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume (3rd, 4th grade)
• The Fudge series by Judy Blume (3rd, 4th grade)
• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (4th grade)
• The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes (4th grade)
• Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (5th grade)
• Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (5th grade)
• Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (5th grade)
• The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (6th grade)
• Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (6th grade)
• Flush by Carl Hiaasen (6th grade)

We have Fall Break this next week, but when we return, I will be discussing the genre of Horror with students, just in time for Halloween!

This past week...

It seems that I have been a bit remiss in keeping up with this blog! This past week, I have been discussing the genre of ADVENTURE with all of my students (grades 3-6) and have been recommending the following titles within this genre:
The End of the Beginning by Avi
The Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz
The Pirates of the Carribean series by Kidman
Geronimo Stilton books by Stilton
Magic Tree House books
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamilo