Burton Elementary: Two-Fer - Giddy Goat & Big Mean Mike

 This past week at Burton Elementary we read "Big Mean Mike" by Michelle Knudsen in library, and the week before we read "Giddy Goat" by Jamie Rix. Although they seem to be very different stories, one about a timid goat who is afraid of heights and has to learn to be brave, and one about a dog with a tough-guy persona who learns to be okay with having a bit of a soft side, they both teach good lessons about not making assumptions about who can be friends with whom.

If you can measure the popularity of a story by how many kids ask after the read-aloud if they can check the book out themselves, I would say both of these books were a hit with Burton kids. If you enjoy reading books out loud to kids, you can have a lot of fun with the timid goat voice of Giddy and the gruff personality of Big Mean Mike.

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Esta semana en la escuela Burton Elementary leímos el cuento "Big Mean Mike", por Michelle Knudsen, en la biblioteca. La última semana, leímos el cuento "Giddy Goat", por Jamie Rix. A pesar de ellos parecen ser cuentos muy diferentes, los dos ambos tienen buenos mensajes sobre no hacer suposiciones de quienes pueden ser amigos unos con otros.

- Dennis De Boer

  TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY by Pat Mora captured the attention of students at Stocking this week. Tomas is the son of migrant workers, who is befriended by the lady at the library after Papa Grande encourages him to start going to the library. Check out what stories Tomas likes and how he shares them with his family.

~ Deb

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

Join the witch and her cat, a dog, a frog, and a bird on a NOISY, bumpy, broomstick ride. A story of quick wits and friendship, full of humor and adventure.

Mary/ Coit Creative Arts Academy

Sibley     My Dad by Anthony Brown                      
A story that is told through a little boy's eyes. Dad is capable of anything;  fearless, powerful, strong, wise and loving. It pays homage to remarkable beings- Dads!!~ Mary Jo

SWCC is reading There was an old monster! by Rebecca, Adrian & Ed Emberley

Our Kindergarten class is having fun with this great book.

There was an old monster 
who swallowed a tick
I don't know why he swallowed that tick
'Cause it made him feel sick!

In this variation on the traditional cumulative rhyme, a monster swallows ants, a lizard, a bat, and other creatures to try to cure a stomachache that begin when he swallowed a tick.

LOS GATOS BLACK ON HALLOWEEN by MARISA MONTES

swcc is really enjoying this book!!

Now that is getting close to Halloween is a great book to read

 A cat's green eyes stare out from the book's cover. Inside, there are more of los gatos as well as las brujas (witches), los fantasmas (ghosts), and los esqueletos (skeletons looking like they have come from a Dia de los Muertos celebration. The pithy, rhyming text tells a frightening, if familiar, story. The ghosts and ghoulies are off to a Monsters'Ball at Haunted Hall, and though there's plenty of scary stuff around, the guests are most frightened by the children who come knocking at the door for trick-or-treat. Montes'evocative poem deserves exceptional artwork, and Morales obliges. Her soft-edged paintings glow with the luminosity of jewels, and her witches, werewolves, and corpses are frighteningly executed. Therein lies what may be a problem for preschoolers. These fiends aren't particularly kid-friendly; they are dead-eyed, Day of the Dead folk who scare. For slightly older children, however, this spookiness is what Halloween is all about. The Spanish is neatly integrated into the text, but for those who need clarification, a glossary is appended.

CREEPY CARROTS! by REYNOLDS AARON is what SWCC is reading

Fun book to read during this month of 

October!!!

Playing on the something-is-stalking-me-but-when-I-turn-around-nothing-is-there fears that have fueled countless scary movies, this goose-pimpler introduces a young bunny named Jasper who “couldn’t get enough carrots . . . until they started following him.” Tired of heart-racing, sleepless nights, Jasper concocts a master plan and builds an alligator-filled moat and sky-high fence around Crackenhopper Field to keep those nasty carrots at bay. Turns out, their plan to keep that nasty rabbit from eating their carrot buddies has a similarly happy ending. Brown’s charcoally black artwork is highlighted by deep oranges and delivers on the lighthearted thrills of Reynolds’ fright-night story.

Shawmut Hills is LOVING The Twits by Roald Dahl!

Dirty beards, ugly faces, glass eyeballs, awful pranks.... this book really keeps the attention of the 2nd through 5th graders at Shawmut.

Mr. and Mrs. Twit are horrid people, and while the students have laughed aloud at how extremely mean the Twits are to one another, the book also sneaks in valuable lessons like the following. 

It really is interesting to see the kids start thinking about this concept, and to hear their thoughts on kindness, and how people should treat each other. They all get it so well!

The Twits is a short chapter book (76 pages), and I anticipate finishing it with each group within 4 weeks. 

If you're a Shawmut parent reading this blog, I encourage you to ask your 2nd-5th grader about what we read in library this week! 

~ Mrs. Eitzen

First day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Jitters-excitement- butterflies: a jumble of feelings that go through a child's head as the new school year begins. Starting a new school can add  to all these feelings as well. Sarah Jane Heartwell is trying to build up courage as she embraces her new school. 
                             We can all sympathize with  with Sarah's feelings and laugh out loud when they read the surprise  ending!!  ~ Mary Jo /  Sibley

KNUFFLE BUNNY by Mo Willems

         KNUFFLE BUNNY

Trixie, Daddy, and Knuffle Bunny take a trip to the neighborhood Laundromat. But the exciting adventure takes a dramatic turn when Trixie realizes somebunny was left behind, Little Trixie (too young to "even speak words") does her best to get Daddy to understand. Daddy is clueless until Mommy greets them at home with the obvious question: "Where's Knuffle Bunny?" Using a combination of muted black-and-white photographs and expressive illustrations, this stunning book tells a brilliantly true-to-life tale about what happens when Daddy's in charge and things go terribly, hilariously wrong.

All for Pie, Pie for All   

by David Martin

The students at Stocking have found the story about family and sharing very light and entertaining. Read along to see who all enjoys the pie Grandma Cat has baked.

~ Deb

First Book of the New School Year

a girl and her gator

by sean bryan

illustrations by tom murphy

This is the story of a girl named Clair who has a gator in her hair.  Naturally, she was a little concerned about this, but with some convincing, she realized that's it not always bad to be a bit different.

This is a quick read,perfect for limited time for a library class.  It also offers an opportunity to discuss being different, gossiping, and worrying about what others think.  

It's a rhyming book which the kids really enjoyed. I would recommend this book for kids K-3.

Niño Wrestles the World, by Yuyi Morales

In honor and celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, last week at Congress Elementary we read a fun book called Niño Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales.  This award winning book has lovely color and illustrations as well as an array of Hispanic themed characters such as el momia de Guanajuato, la Llorona, la Cabeza Olmeca, el Chamuco and el Extraterrestre.  Like in the U.S., wrestling has a long history and is hugely popular in Mexico and in Latin America.   Read and enjoy as the stupendous el Niño takes on these contenders and a surprise duo...

         

~Georgine