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Gail Gibbons
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Award winning author/illustrator
Gail Gibbons visited students at Riverdale Heights and Pleasant
View in late October. Ms. Gibbons is the author of over 100
nonfiction books on a wide variety of topics. She gave
presentations to different class levels, showing slides and
explaining about her home, her career as an author, and her dog
Wilson. She also did some wonderful illustrations for us.
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Megan
McDonald
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Pretending to be a pencil
sharpener was Megan McDonald’s first experience as a writer. She
was 10 years old when she wrote the story for her school
newspaper. “Anything can become an idea for a story,” says
McDonald. “Even a pencil sharpener!” Megan has since written and
published twenty-five books for children, including the hilarious
Judy Moody adventures, which are largely inspired by her childhood
memories of growing up with four older sisters.
“I’m lucky to be a writer,
because I get to spend my days imagining. (And I get to go to work
in my pajamas!) I spend my days thinking like a hermit crab or a
little blue penguin or a girl who loves bugs.” |
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www.GailGibbons.com |
<http://www.meganmcdonald.net/> |
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Watch Out! By Jan Fearnley
Wilf
is a lively young mouse who loves to run, climb, skip, and jump
around. Matter of fact, he’s so busy that he doesn’t have time
to listen to his mother call, “Watch out, Wilf!” until -- CRASH
BANG WALLOP – it’s too late.
For information about the
author:
http://www.hungry-wolf.com/jan_fearnley_biog.html |
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Cock-a-doodle Mooooo! A Mixed Up Menagerie by
Keith DuQuette
An
imaginative blending of different animals to create wonderful new
hybrids such as a fluffy pink Squoodle (squid + poodle), a slow
racing Snorse (Snail + Horse), and the giant Mosquiphant (Mosquito
+ Elephant). The fun rhymes and clever illustrations make this a
great story starter for creative young minds.
For a short biography of the
author:
http://www.penguinputnam.com/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,0_1000009923,00.html |
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Ruby Lu, Brave and True by Lenore Look.
Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
Almost-8-year-old Ruby Lu loves her family, especially her baby
brother Oscar. She also performs magic shows in her backyard,
likes wearing reflective tape, attends Chinese school on
Saturdays, and decides to drive herself to class. A funny new
character along the lines of Junie B. Jones and Judy
Moody.
For comments and questions from readers, and a
response by the author:
http://www.simonsays.com/content/content.cfm?sid=183&pid=355071 |
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The World According to Humphrey
by Betty Birney
Humphrey's world consists
of Room 26, an elementary classroom, and the children's homes he
visits on weekends. Humphrey is wry-humored and big-hearted ...
for a hamster. He's also smart, having learned to spell in only
a week. As Humphrey says, "You can learn a lot if you
stop spinning and start listening."
To read a short review:
http://www.sonderbooks.com/ChildrensFiction/humphrey.html
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The Puppeteer’s Apprentice by D. Anne Love
Caught stealing food, a medieval orphan scullery maid named
Mouse runs away. Making her way to York in the company of a
minstrel and his companions, she falls under the spell of a
puppet show and begs the puppeteer to take her on as an
apprentice. But for Mouse, finding her place in the world takes
both courage and sacrifice.
For an excerpt and review:
http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0689844247.asp
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The Akhenaten Adventure by Philip Kerr.
When
twelve-year-old twins Philippa and John discover that they are
descended from a long line of djinn, their mother sends them
away to their Uncle Nimrod, who takes them to Cairo where he
starts to teach them about their extraordinary powers. First in
a new trilogy (Children of the Lamp) by a well-known mystery
writer.
For a review and interview with
the author
http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0439670195.asp |
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Read to Me: Raising
Kids Who Love to Read by Bernice E. Cullinan
This
is a quick read book that helps parents understand the
importance of helping your child enjoy reading and writing.
It contains chapters on getting started reading to your
children, tips for busy parents as well as chapters that focus
on every age of your child, preschool - twelve years old.
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Primary
Reading Tip:
Look and listen
Experts agree that reading
aloud is essential to a child’s learning. But on those rare
occasions when you’re too tired to read aloud, try listening to
a book on tape and turning the book's pages with your children.
You'll still be reading with them!
http://news.fen.com/article/0,1120,63-15229-1,00.html |
Read
Naturally :
www.readnaturally.com
Read
Naturally is being used district wide to develop the reading
fluency of students. Read more about it at this website.
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Intermediate
Reading Tip:
Let your kids see you read
Read the newspaper over
your morning coffee, take a magazine from the rack in a doctor's
office while you wait, and stuff a paperback into your purse,
pocket, or briefcase. Your kids will catch on to the fact that
reading is something you like to do in your spare time instead
of being in front of the TV or computer.
http://www.readingrockets.org/article.php?ID=129 |
Just Read Families:
www.justreadfamilies.com
This site gives some holiday
reading tips that are good throughout the year. It also
recommends books for all ages and some fun facts.
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Trelease-on-reading.com:
www.trelease-on-reading.com
This website covers all of
Jum Trelease's efforts in helping children make books into
friends, not enemies. Lots of informative links, as well.
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Parents' Choice
www.parents-choice.org
This website contains the
latest book awards, as well as links to new biographies, ways to
improve children's literacy skills and family writing activities
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Archived Issues of
Parents and Literacy:
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District Media Center
Links:
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