Caught Reading... in the garden!

I don't know about you, but for me summer is about good food.  My daughter has a fabulous garden and we eat out of it all summer.  I read all the food sections of the newspapers trying to find the best recipes and ideas for all of that zucchini and all of those green beens.  Yum.  I hope you are having a delicious summer too.

Caught Reading... on the beach

This is the beach I grew up going to in New Hampshire.  It is still one of my favorite places in the world, but oooh the water is so cold.  I was excited to be reading this book that just came out on Tuesday.  I'm going to try to finish it this week.  

Caught Reading... in the car.

I was parked and waiting in the car so what better thing to keep me busy while I'm waiting than to read a book. Don't tell, but I've never read Mr. Popper's Penguins before.  I love to read books with snow and ice on a hot day in the summer because it cools you off.  I hope you are getting caught reading too.

Get Caught Reading - Summer 2015

Where will
YOU
Get
Caught Reading?

Send Ms. J. a photo of you caught reading this summer somewhere different or unusual and she will include the picture in Upham's back-to-school bulletin board in September.

Email your pictures to Ms. J. at

jauniskiss@wellesleyps.org

photos from http://classblogs.dovercourt.edu.sg/mrsevett/2015/03/31/extreme-reading/ and http://davyhulme.primaryblogger.co.uk/literacy/world-book-day-challenge-extreme-reading/

How to find books that your child will enjoy reading?

Having a hard time keeping your Upham student in books?
Need some resources to help keep the great books coming so she keeps reading?

Sometimes the key is as simple as finding out what he is interested in and then locating books that are on those topics.

Here are some suggestions for great reading lists:

WPS Summer Reading List

Here's the link to the WPS Library Teacher's Summer Reading List. It is a librarian compiled summer reading list.  It will be available online in a mobile device friendly format and as a print document in the Upham Office and at the Wellesley Free Library.

Book Blogs

Here are a few that I like:

A Kids Book A Day at http://kidsbookaday.com/
This blog has a new review every day and is written by a school librarian.  It has a simple appealing look, highlighting the book covers and includes a summary and a rating.

Guys Read at http://www.guysread.com/books/
Jon Scieszka is a popular children's book author who has put together these list of books that will interest guys.  This is a fun website and has a lot of great reading suggestions.

A Book and a Hug at http://www.abookandahug.com/reading-levels
Lots of reviews of new books and you can browse by genre and age.

No Flying, No Tights at http://noflyingnotights.com/category/kids/
If you love comic books, this is your site. Stick with the Kids section for elementary-age books. Here you'll find lists of the best graphic novels and comics out there, links to comic book creators' websites, books to help you start cartooning and pretty much everything else you could want. One-stop-shopping.

Public Library Book Lists:

These are great resources with helpful lists of books that will appeal to a variety of young people.

The Newton Free Library Kids Booklists at http://guides.newtonfreelibrary.net/kidsbooks
Librarians have put together lists for kids with at least 7 lists of "If You Liked..." all genres, formats and reading levels are here

The Wellesley Free Library "What to Read Next: Reading Suggestions" at http://www.wellesleyfreelibrary.org/Childrens/Reading_Suggestions.html

The Boston Public Library Kids Booklists at http://www.bpl.org/kids/read/

Reading Aloud to our kids... it really matters

This amazing infographic from Scholastic illustrates how wonderful reading aloud to our children is and how much they enjoy it.  Keep it going... as long as you can.

You Choose the Next Newbery Award - a reading challenge for 4th and 5th grade

You Choose the Next Newbury is an optional reading challenge for any and all interested 4th and 5th graders.

Ms. J. put together a list of new books that are being discussed as potential Newbery winners.

Students who accept the challenge need to read at least 5 of the books on Ms. J.'s list by February 2nd in order to be entered in the raffle.





On February 2nd we will meet in the library for:

• lunch
• vote on the best book
• raffle off a gift certificate to Wellesley Books

The actual, official winner of the Newbery Award will be announced the morning of February 2nd and so we will have a chance to discuss if we think that was "the most distinguished contribution to children's literature" for 2014.

Flora & Ulysses by Cate DiCamillo won the Newbery Award last year.

Want to see which books have won in the past?  Here is a link to the ALA website with the official list: Newbery Medal and Honor Winners from 1922 to present

Some of my favorite books of all time have been Newbery Honor winners... those Honor books are worth checking out!