So Much Fun with Books!

Torn-paper mice inspired by Leo Lionni and created by kindergarten students

Winter days are made for reading, and Lakeside Lions are fortunate to have so many good titles at their fingertips! In the waning days of 2017, kindergarteners wrapped up their author study of Leo Lionni with Ms. O'Malley by creating their own torn-paper mice. Many Learning Commons visitors have been admiring their creations in our display case.

Before Winter Break, Ms. Doublestein book talked lots of tempting titles with our fifth-graders, highlighting both newer books in our space (books like Pax, The Year of Billy Miller, and graphic novel Secret Coders) and classics (titles like Bridge to Terabithia, Hatchet, and The Watsons Go to Birmingham). Then fifth grade students talked about what they hoped to read over Winter Break and made a plan for their vacation reading.

Since we've returned from break, the Learning Commons has been transformed once again; books about Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the New Year have been re-shelved in favor of fresh displays. Of course there are plenty of books about snow, winter poetry, Chinese New Year, cold-weather sports, Martin Luther King Jr., and other winter happenings. In addition, students are met with suggestions like "What to read next if you loved Wonder," books by the EGRPS author of the month Judy Blume, and a shelf full of classics by A. A. Milne, whose birthday is celebrated on January 18.

Fresh book displays for January!

First- and second-grade students continue to impress with their ability to navigate the space and locate books to love, aided by the signs they helped create that remind us where the picture books live: on "Everybody Street"! (Peek at a picture book spine label and notice it begins with E -- a great reminder to students of all ages that picture books are wonderful reads.)

"Everybody Street" reminds us where picture books live.

Learning Commons visitors looking for non-fiction are guided to the shelves that hold those books, as well.

Non-Fiction Way shows us where to find books about animals, sports, and famous people, among others.

And there's lots of fun stuff to come in the month ahead: every Lakeside classroom will begin delving into the March Book Madness books, trying to read as many as possible before voting begins. (The third grade jumped in by sharing the book Jabari Jumps with Ms. Doublestein last week.) For more on March Book Madness, an online bracket-style tournament that matches books in one-on-one "games," go here. And February will bring World Read-Aloud Day and the ALA awards, including the Newbery and Caldecott winners, which older Lakeside students have been discussing. Plus, we're the lucky recipient of a PTO grant that is putting lots of new graphic novels on our shelves, so watch for those to come home this winter.

Happy reading!