Reading Aloud with Gr. 6

For the past few weeks during library, Gr. 6's have been enjoying Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry as a read-aloud with Mrs. Torenvliet. Gooney Bird Greene is a unique and utterly loveable character. When she arrives for her first day of school in the second grade classroom at Watertower Elementary School, she is wearing a pink tutu with green tights and a polka-dot shirt (as seen on the cover) and requests a desk right smack in the middle of the room, because she likes to be right smack in the middle of everything. The class soon discovers what a great storyteller she is as she regales them with her "absolutely true stories."
This is such a fun book full of laugh-out-loud moments, and one of my favourites and I hope will also be a new favourite of the Gr. Sixers!

Thirty Days Has September: Cool Ways to Remember Stuff

New item in the library: Thirty Days Has September: Cool Ways to Remember Stuff
Written by Chris Stevens, Illustrated by Sarah Horne

If you've ever had trouble remembering how to spell Mississippi, how to figure out Roman numerals, whether to use effective or affective, the points of the compass, or your multiplaction tables, you'll love this book that is full of handy devices to help you remember.
Using mnemonic devices, acronyms, fun phrases, poems, and pictures, this book covers hard to remember tidbits relating to English, History, Geography, Math, and Science. Students can find ways to remember those tricky words or grammar rules, Teachers can find devices to help reinforce something they're teaching in class. Be sure to check it out!
One of my favourites is on how to spell library: "Living In Books Really Aids Reading Years."

Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown

New book in the library: Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown

In this beautifully written novel in verse, a young girl goes through a range of emotions when her depressed and bipolar mother leaves her and her father. As her and her father struggle to move on and learn to live without her mother, she discovers that her father is more tender than she thought.

I really enjoyed this book that explores the relationship between a father and daughter and how sweet and wonderful that can be.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

New book in the library: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick


This Caldecott winner is not your regular novel. The story is told not only in words, but also in beautiful black and white pencil drawings, combining elements of film, graphic novel, and picture book. Hugo Cabret is an orphan and thief living in a busy Paris train station in the 1930s. His father was a clockmaker working in a museum when he discovered an old and broken down automaton or robot. He gave it and a notebook containing information on how to fix it to Hugo before he dies. With this discovery Hugo's life becomes entwined with that of the grumpy old man who runs the toy stand in the station and the young, bookish girl he has often seen there.

Let's Get Guys Reading

It can sometimes be hard, especially for me as a female reader who could happily read only romance and princess books, to come up with good suggestions for books that guys would enjoy reading. If you're a guy having a hard time finding a book that interests you, or you know a guy who could use some ideas for books that are interesting to boys, check out this great website: http://guysread.com/. The site is created by author Jon Sciezka. He is the author of the Time Warp Trio series, the well known the True Story of the Three Little Pigs, and many others. This website gives some great recommendations for good guy books. You can also get recommendations from fellow guy readers like you and give your suggestions. There are also some great resources for those who want to help guys to love reading. Be sure to check it out!

Welcome!

Welcome to Mrs. Torenvliet's Library Blog!
I hope you will visit often. Here you will be able to find out more about new books that are in our library, read book reviews by me and other students, get tips on research, links to cool websites, and more!
If you would like to submit a book review for the library blog, that would be great! Stop by and talk to me in the library.

Currently reading: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart