Special Storytime On Tuesday

Has your toddler been to the dentist? Are they learning to brush and what to eat for healthy teeth?

Tuesday, November 24th at 11:30 AM Peggy Lockwood from a local dentist's office will be visiting story time. Peggy will share a book with the kids about going to the dentist's office. She, also, brings real tools and things they will see and wear in the dentist's chair to show them.

Whether your child hasn't been to the dentist yet and you want them to see what to expect or if they've been and were afraid, this is a great opportunity for them to learn about the dentist and how to care for their teeth.

All children will get a gift to take home.

Presley and Melody Concert

Finally! Here are the pictures I promised from our recent concert!
It has been busy here in the Children's Room and that is the only excuse I have for taking so long in getting the pictures up for all to see.

The Montessori Tenafly Academy has been in to visit; we've started registration for the 6-12 yr olds Cookie Decorating on Dec 5th; Fall storytime is still in full swing; and we always have a crowd after school for homework and socializing. Please keep your eyes on the upcoming programs, I'll be posting scheduled programs for January through May soon!

Library Monster Hunt

"This scavenger hunt/clue decoding activity helps build library research skills. Kids use the library catalog and the Dewey Decimal System to track down coded clues that help them find the monster's hidden lair. Together, they capture the monster and everyone receives a Monster Detective Badge."

Refresh library skills or lay a foundation with younger students in a fun way this September. Space in the hunt is limited so remember to register early! Registration starts Sept 8th. register by calling Latricia at 201-568-8680 or posting a comment to this blog *after* Sept 8th with the first name and age of the child you'd like to register OR email Latricia at markle@bccls.org

The Monster Hunt will take place on Saturday September 19th at 1:00 PM for children ages 7 to 12.

Circus Day is almost here!

Just one more WEEK!

Remember Circus Day at the Tenafly Public Library will be August 19th from 1 tp 4 PM.

We're kicking off the afternoon with Mr. Malcolm. He's one of our favorite storytellers and he's bringing some new circus stories to share with children of all ages.

Dolly and Colors are coming from 2 to 4 Pm for face painting.

There will be popcorn and maybe some other treats for snacking on and a suprise entertainer at 3 PM.

Come and enjoy this gift of the Friends of the Tenafly Public Library part of the afternoon or all afternoon.

Call all Tenafly Teen Artists

Love Reading? Love Art? Love your Library?!?

Calling all Tenafly Teen Artists ages 13 to 18!

Tenafly Library is looking for talented teens to design a logo for our new eco-friendly tote bags. Here are the rules:

1. You must be a Tenafly resident, aged 13-18.
2. All designs are to be ONE color only (to be printed on a contrasting color tote)
3. Designs must be no larger than 10" Wide by 8" High
4. All entries must be submitted to the library by October 15, 2009, 9:00 PM
5. All entries must include: name, library card #, and contact info on the back or attached to the design.

All entries will become property of the Tenafly Public Library and will be displayed in the library display cases in November. The winning design will be announced after the November Library Board meeting and will be printed on eco-friendly tote bags which will be on sale in the spring.

Fine Art in Nature - Presented July 22

Kids learned about different summer insects, how they protect themselves and the colorful artistic patterns they have on thier wings and bodies.
After watching a slide show, hearing recordings of the insects, and looking at examples of the real thing; children and adults both were able to create colorful bug tee shirts. Everyone went home with a one-of-a-kind original keepsake to remind them of the program!

Op-Ed Piece for Summer Reading in the NYT

I'm not sure I 100% agree with some of the opinions he expresses at the start of the piece stating that middle class parents push kids into summer classes while poor kids get little to no support. I do feel that kids with parents who are involved in their lives and encourage (force, cajole, bribe, or on some other way get them to) read over the summer do have an advantage.

This isn't a new thought on this blog. But check out this article to get yet another take on it and an interesting list of great summer reads for both kids and parents.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/opinion/05kristof.html?_r=2
**Just a note: Ialso have some issues with his order of difficulty. The level of a book has as much to do with its content and emotional impact as it does with # of words on a page and difficulty of vocabulary.

Also check out Nicholas Kristof's blog at
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/ for more of his thoughts and reader feedback.

Book List for Entering 6th Grade

READ-ALOUD LIST
These books are recommended by teachers from Tenafly and top
reading and writing experts. Recent award-winners have been included.
J FIC Almond, David. Kit’s Wilderness.
J FIC Almond, David. The Fire Eaters.
J FIC Avi. Poppy.
YA FIC Bloor, Edward. Tangerine.
J FIC Cottrell Boyce, Frank. Millions.
YA FIC Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts.
Colman, Penny. Rosie the Riveter: Women Working on the Home Front.
YA FIC DuPrau, Jeanne. The City of Ember.
Finklestein, Norman H. The Way Things Never Were – The Truth about the “Good Old Days”.
J FIC Ives, David. Monsieur Eek.
J POETRY Levy, Constance. A Crack in the Clouds and Other Poems.
Matthews, L.S. Fish.
Miller, Kate. Poems in Black & White.
Mochizuki, Ken. Passage to Freedom: the Sugiharana Story.
J BIO Hugh Osofsky, Audrey. Free to Dream: the Making of a Poet: Langston Hughes.
J FIC Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia.
J FIC Paterson, Katherine. Preacher’s Boy.
Paulsen, Gary. The Cook Camp.
Pearce, Philippa. The Little Gentleman
J FIC Taylor, Mildred. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry.
Turner, Ann. Mississippi Mud: Three Prairie Journal
(If a book is too difficult for your child to read, please begin by using it as a read aloud. Refer to the leveled book list to find more individual titles at your child’s June reading level)
POPULAR AUTHORS FOR STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 6 INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
Russell Ash
Kimberly Willis Holt
Louis Sachar
Avi
Johanna Hurwitz
Seymour Simon
Natalie Babbitt
E.L. Konigsburg
Jerry Spinelli
Betsy Byars
Kathleen Krull
Mildred Taylor
Andrew Clements
Lois Lowry
Yoshiko Uchida
Sharon Creech
Patricia MacLachlan
Wendelin Van Draanen
Kate Di Camillo
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Jacqueline Wilson
Russell Freedman
Katherine Paterson
Jacqueline Woodson
Ralph Fletcher
Lawrence Pringle
Betty Ren Wright
Mary Downing Hahn
Emily Rodda
Ruth White
Karen Hesse
Cynthia Rylant
INDIVIDUAL BOOKS FOR STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 6 TO READ
(If a book is too difficult for your child to read, please begin by using it as a read aloud. Refer to the leveled book list to find more individual titles at your child’s June reading level)
J FIC *Dutton Juvenile, 2003. This exciting mystery is about a thirteen-year-old boy, Ellsworth, who is on a mission to unearth family secrets and discover his ancestor’s treasures.
*Armistead, John. The $66 Summer, Milkweed Editions, 2000. This is a story of interracial friendship in a 1950s southern town. Thirteen-year-old George and two black friends stumble onto evidence of a violent crime.
J FIC *Armstrong, Alan. Whittington. Random House Children’s Books, 2005. This superior novel interweaves animal fantasy and family story with a retelling of the English folktale Dick Whittington and His Cat. A battered tomcat named Whittington arrives one late-fall day at a New England barn, where he gradually befriends the equally ragtag group of animals already adopted by the barn's taciturn but soft-hearted owner, Bernie.
J FIC *Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks. Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. The Penderwick sisters—responsible Rosalind, twelve; feisty Skye, eleven; creative Jane, ten; and shy Batty, four—along with their loving but preoccupied botanist father and a clumsy dog named Hound, spend their summer holiday in the Massachusetts Berkshires in a rose-covered cottage on the grounds of a mansion called Arundel Hall. Suffused with affectionate humor, this charming, old-fashioned story feels familiar in the way the best books seem like old friends. Nostalgic but never stale, this fresh, satisfying novel is like a cool breeze on a summer’s day. This book received the National Book Award.
J FIC *Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street. Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. Young reviewers encourage anyone who liked The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall to snatch this sequel off the shelves. Publishers Weekly states, “It has more charm than the original.” It seems that the Penderwick sisters are home on Gardam Street, and to their chagrin, are in the middle of an adventure that they didn’t expect.
J BIO BYR *Burleigh, Robert. Black Whiteness. Atheneum, 1998. This is an award-winning nonfiction book beautifully written in prose, about how Admiral Byrd battled the elements in Antarctica.
*Choldenko, Gennifer. Notes from a Liar and Her Dog. Putnam Juvenile Publishers, 2001. An eleven-year-old, Antonia, is feeling misunderstood in her family. Often she wants to be noticed, while at other times she wants to be invisible!
*Clements, Andrew. The Janitor’s Boy. Simon and Schuster, 2000. Jack, a fifth-grade student, finds himself the target of ridicule at school when it becomes known that his father is one of the janitors. Written by the author of Frindle.
J FIC *Creech, Sharon. Granny Torrelli Makes Soup. HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. This is the story of a wonderful relationship between twelve-year-old Rosie and her Italian grandmother. The School Library Journal states, “This is a humorous and endearing story about intergenerational relationships.”
*Crowe, Ellie. Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku. Lee & Low Books, 2007. Recommended by The Horn Book Guide! “Crowe’s respectful picture book biography brings to light a seminal figure in the history of surfing and Olympic swimming.” The author deals delicately with the issue of discrimination against the Hawaiian swimmer.
J FIC *Delaney, Joseph. The Revenge of the Witch (The Last Apprentice, Book One). Harper Collins Children’s Books, 2005. When so much recent neo-Gothic fiction seems to be written with tongue firmly in cheek (if not check), it is pure shivery pleasure to read a novel of the supernatural that is both admirably concise and genuinely frightening. Delaney’s storytelling is at once accessible to unseasoned readers and satisfying for confirmed genre fans.
*Ellerbee, Linda. Girl Reporter Stuck in a Jam. Avon Paper, 2000. This is the third book in the series. Casey is so busy trying to get a story about the victim of physical abuse that she neglects her friend Ringo, the school’s first male cheerleader.
J FIC *Erdrich, Louise. The Game of Silence. HarperCollins Publishers, 2005. This sequel to The Birchbark House is infused with elegy, as if young Omakayas is storing up the details of her Ojibwe family’s way of life as they prepare for a government-ordered “removal” to the West. Like Laura Ingalls Wilder, Erdrich uses a simple but lyrical style to convey the particulars of a historical context. Perfect for those who want to know the other side of the Westward Movement!
*Ferris, Jeri Chase. Demanding Justice: A Story About Mary Ann Shadd Cary. Lerner Publishing Group, 2003. This is a short biography about a woman ahead of her time who was born free and black in 1823. Mary Ann Shadd Cary worked to improve the social and economic status of black Americans, and she began the first weekly newspaper owned by a black woman.
*Fletcher, Ralph. Fig Pudding. Houghton Mifflin, 1995. This is a heartwarming story about how a family pulls together to cope with a very sad occurrence.
*Fletcher, Ralph. How to Write Your Life Story. HarperCollins Publishers, 2007. Recommended by The Horn Book Guide! The newest book by Ralph Fletcher helps students to draw on their own experiences when writing memoir. Wonderful interviews with memoirists are included as well as suggested lists of memoirs to inspire writers.
J FIC *Fletcher, Ralph. Spider Boy. Houghton Mifflin, 1997. Bobby, a seventh-grade student, misses his friends after moving to New York state. Because he withdraws by spending more and more time with his spiders, he is given the name “Spider Boy.” This is an excellent story that also includes information about spiders.
J FIC *Giff, Patricia Reilly. Pictures of Hollis Woods. Random House Children’s Books. 2002. This award-winning 2003 Newbery Honor Book features a twelve-year-old, Hollis Woods, who was abandoned at birth. Reilly masterfully takes the reader along on Hollis’s emotional journey of finding her real home. Beautifully-written story!
J FIC *Gordon, Amy. The Gorillas of Gill Park. Holiday House, 2003. This book is about a boy, Willy Wilson, who begins spending the summer with his unconventional aunt as a shy, sheltered boy. However, by the end of the summer he grows in ways that he never imagined.
*Harrah, Madge. Blind Boone: Piano Prodigy. Lerner Publishing Group, 2004. This is an award-winning book about a blind concert pianist, William “Blind” Boone, an African-American musical genius who toured the country after the Civil War. Numerous primary sources detail Boone’s life and career. Boone brought ragtime music to America.
J FIC *Henkes, Kevin. Olive’s Ocean. HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. This book is a 2004 Newbery Honor Book. Readers are amazed at how well Henkes has captured the thoughts and emotions of a twelve-year-old girl, Martha Boyle. While vacationing on Cape Cod, Martha realizes a bond between herself and a classmate who recently died. Martha also faces growing pains as she deals with adolescent issues.
YA FIC *Hiassen, Carl. Hoot. Random House Children’s Books, 2003. Publishers Weekly says, "Several suspenseful scenes, along with dollops of humor, help make this quite a hoot indeed." This book is about a boy’s attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.
*Jones, Charlotte Foltz. Accidents May Happen: Fifty Inventions Discovered by Mistake. Delacorte, 1996. Students love to read about how such household items as cellophane and liquid paper were invented. This book contains fascinating short stories about each invention.
*Kelley, K.C.. Hottest NASCAR Machines. Enslow Publishers, 2007. Recommended by The Horn Book Guide, and part of the Wild Wheels! series by Enslow Publishers…”These books provide insight into the high-speed world of car racing…Racing enthusiasts will appreciate the photographs and text boxes that expand the simple, but informative text.”
*Kurtz, Jane. Bicycle Madness. Holt Books for Young Readers, 2003. A young girl in the late 1800s who is coping with the loss of her mother and other family and friendship issues sees life differently through the eyes of feminist, Frances Willard. Willard learns how to ride a bike. Voting rights, child labor laws, and poor working conditions are skillfully interwoven in this award-winning novel about women’s history.
*Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The Story or Cesar Chavez. Harcourt Brace & Company, Orlando, Florida, 2003. This intriguing biography from the award-winning Krull begins with Cesar Chavez at age ten, when he and his family lived happily on their Arizona ranch and extends to Cesar at age thirty-eight. It highlights his peaceful protest against California Migrant workers’ miserable working conditions.
J BIO *Krull, Kathleen. Marie Curie. Penguin Group, New York, NY, 2007. An award-winning book about scientist, Marie Curie! This account is written in text that will interest children, as well as amaze them with details about a brilliant, driven woman’s life.
*Lewin, Ted. At Gleason’s Gym. Roaring Brook Press, New York, 2007. This book, written by award-winning author Ted Lewin, is recommended by The Horn Book Guide! It portrays the training of a nine-year old champion boxer, Sugar Boy Younan, 2006 National Silver Gloves Champion. Sugar Boy worked out at Gleason’s Gym, which is also the training place of Mohammad Ali.
J BIO LOW *Lowry, Lois. Looking Back: A Book of Memories. Delacorte Paper, 2000. A marvelous author uses photos from her life to recall stories and important events.
YA FIC *Martin, Ann M. A Corner of the Universe. Scholastic, 2002. This book is a 2003 Newbery Honor Book. The summer that Hattie Owen turned twelve in 1960 was a life-changing experience, as she learns what it is like to care for her 21-year-old mentally disabled uncle. A very touching story!
J FIC *McKay, Hilary. Dog Friday. Aladdin Paperbacks, 1994. Robin Brogan is determining to keep the dog he finds abandoned on the beach. This is the first in a series: entertaining, funny and thoughtful! Other books in this series are the following titles: The Amber Cat and Dolphin Luck.
J FIC *McKay, Hilary. Permanent Rose. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2005. The Casson family — parents Bill and Eve and their four paint-color-named children, Cadmium, Indigo, Saffron, and Rose — previously reported on in Saffy’s Angel and Indigo’s Star , has lost none of its sparkle in this third book. This is exemplary comic writing —buoyant, perceptive, subversive, and trailing a whiff of sadness. Read the others in this amazing series, if you love this one!
J FIC *Mills, Claudia. Trading Places. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006. Fifth-grade twins Todd and Amy realize that they have more in common than they thought. Amy is known as the family poet, a disorganized yet creative spirit who usually has her head in a book. Todd is the logical one, the engineer who keeps his room, his desk, and his life–up till now–running like a well-oiled machine. But when a class project forces the siblings to work outside their comfort zones, they begin to learn more about themselves and one another. Short chapters trade back and forth, telling the story from each sibling’s perspective. The realistic situations and characters will appeal to middle graders.
J FIC *Napoli, Donna Jo . The King of Mulberry Street. Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 2005. Drawing on her grandfather's experience, Napoli dramatizes a seldom-told bit of American history in this story of Italian Jewish young people in the 1890s. Beniamino, who lives in Napoli, is only nine years old when his beloved, poverty-stricken Mama bribes someone to hide him away on a cargo ship to America. His lively, immediate first-person narrative recalls the trauma of separation and the brutal struggle on the New York streets. The characters are drawn with depth, especially the three kids, and the unsentimental story is honest about the grinding poverty and the prejudice among various immigrant groups. Most moving is the story of letting go, as Dom confronts the fact that Mama sent him away, and America is now his home. This is a powerful story by an accomplished historical fiction writer.
*Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Almost to Freedom. Lerner Publishing Group, 2003. This book tells the unforgettable story of a young slave girl’s dramatic escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad. It is told with stunning pictures through the eyes of the girl’s doll.
J FIC *Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. Simon & Schuster, 1987. Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson has been left in the Canadian wilderness due to a plane crash. All he has left to help him survive is his hatchet.
J FIC *Paulsen, Gary. A Soldier’s Heart. Random House Children’s Books, 2000. Based on the life of a real boy, it tells the story of Charley Goddard, who lies his way into the Union Army at the age of 15. Charley has never been anyplace beyond Winona, Minnesota, and thinks war would be a great adventure. And it is--at first--as his regiment marches off through cheering crowds and pretty, flag-waving girls. But then comes the battle. Paulsen's storytelling is so psychologically true that readers will feel they have lived through Charley's experiences. A powerful read—graphic details might be overwhelming for some.
*Porter, Pamela. Sky. Groundwood Books, 2005. This simple tale elegantly showcases a girl's story of triumph over adversity. Georgia Salois, 11, lives with her grandparents in 1964 in Montana, near a Blackfeet Reservation. After a spring of record rainfalls, a local dam bursts and a flood completely destroys the family's house and barn. Georgia tells her story in a straightforward manner. Despite the troubles, she learns that caring for an animal can be a form of healing, too. None of the harshness of her life is diminished, from the extent of the flooding to her difficulties in school to the prejudice the family experiences because of their Indian heritage. Yet the heart of this story will remain with readers long after they close the book.
*Porter, Pamela. The Crazy Man. Groundwood Books, 2006. Written in prose-poetry that is as spare as the Saskatchewan prairie and yet rich in its yield of what matters – understanding, forgiveness, friendship and a faithful dog.
J P *Raven, Margot Theis. Night Boat to Freedom. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2006. This book received the Teachers’ Choices for 2007 award, and offers a fascinating and realistic account of the Underground Railroad. It was based on Slave Narrative Collection and features a twelve-year old boy who risks his life to help slaves get to freedom.
J FIC *Ray, Delia. Ghost Girl: A Blue Ridge Mountain Story. Houghton Mifflin, 2003. An eleven-year-old’s life is transformed in the 1920s when a school opens in her isolated Blue Ridge Mountain community in Virginia. There are many novels out about the lives of mountain children, but this excellent portrayal of four important years in a girl's life rises to the top. Based on a real school and teacher, this novel seamlessly incorporates historical facts into the narrative. April is an engaging character, always eager to learn but also struggling with her desire for her mother's approval.
*Riggio, Anita. Secret Signs Along the Underground Railroad. Boyds Mill Publishers, 1997. This is a story about a deaf boy passing secrets on the Underground Railroad.
J PAPER *Rodda, Emily. Deltora series. Scholastic, 2002. A student who reviewed these books exuberantly stated, “Deltora Quest will leave you spellbound and a bookworm. Emily Rodda is the next J.K. Rowling.”
J 523.48 Sco *Scott, Elaine. When Is a Planet Not a Planet?: The Story of Pluto. Houghton Mifflin Publishers, 2007. Recommended by The Horn Book Guide, this book captivates readers who want to think like scientists. Noted nonfiction author, Elaine Scott, explains complex ideas with a simplistic charm that makes sense to readers.
*Sheen, Barbara. Eating Right. Heinemann-Raintree. 2007. Part of the Real Deal series and recommended by The Horn Book Guide. “Sheen capably covers nutrition basics (the six groups of nutrients, the three kinds of fats) before setting her sights on convincing readers to eat well and offering menu suggestions for each meal.”
J FIC *Spinelli, Jerry. Crash. Knopf, 1996. Crash Coogan is a rough seventh grader who looks down at peers unlike himself. A problem ensues when Crash’s teasing goes too far.
*Thomson, Sarah. Astronauts and Other Space Heroes. HarperCollins Publishers, 2007. Over two dozen astronauts, cosmonauts, animals, and other travelers are introduced to readers. This award-winning book details their adventures in space and includes many facts and tidbits that are guaranteed to interest readers…
*J FIC Van Draanen, Wendelin. Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary. Knopf, 2000. Sammy and her friends meet Lucinda Huntley, who regales them with tales of the Wild West that still echo in the lives of her family members today. Another action-packed mystery in one of our favorite series!
J PAPER *Weeks, Sarah. Regular Guy. Harper Collins, 1999 Humorous and light summer reading
J FIC *Weeks, Sarah. Guy Time. Harper Collins, 2000. Humorous and light summer reading

Reading list for entering 5th grade

READ-ALOUD LIST
These book have been recommended by top national reading and
writing experts. Recent award-winners have been included.
J BIO FRA Adler, David A. B. Franklin, Printer.
J FIC Babbitt, Natalie. Jack Plank Tells Tales.
Barnwell, Ysaye M. No Mirrors in My Nana’s House.
Bateman, Robert and Rick Archbold. Safari.
Bierman, Carol. Journey to Ellis Island: How My Father Came to America.
Carson, Ben. Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.
J579.8 CER Cerullo, Mary. Sea Soup: Phytoplankton.
J578.77 CON Conlan, K.E. Under the Ice.
Conrad, Pam. Stonewords: A Ghost Story.
Cooper, Floyd. Coming Home: From the Life of Langston Hughes.
Coy, John. Strong to the Hoop.
J P Feiffer, Jules. Meanwhile.
Harness, Cheryl. Rabble Rousers: 20 Women Who Made a Difference.
Hehner, Barbara. Ice Age Mammoth: Will This Ancient Giant Come Back to Life?
J FIC Lewis, C.S. The Horse and His Boy.
J FIC Lewis, C.S. The Last Battle.
J FIC Lewis, C. S. Prince Caspian.
J FIC Lewis, C. S. The Magician’s Nephew.
J FIC Lewis, C.S. The Silver Chair.
J FIC Lewis, C. S. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Lewis, J. Patrick. BoshBlobBerBosh: Runcible Poems for Edward Lear.
J FIC MacLachlan, Patricia. Arthur for the Very First Time.
Miller, Debbie. Great Serum Race: Blazing the Iditarod Trail.
Moore, Lilian. Poems Have Roots.
Muirden, James. Seeing Stars.
J P Nunes, Susan. Coyote Dreams.
J FIC Paterson, Katherine. Flip-Flop Girl.
J POETRY Prelutsky, Jack. The Gargoyle on the Roof.
J591.56 RYL Rylant, Cynthia. The Journey: Stories of Migration.
J E Schotter, Roni. Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street.
J POETRY SIL Silverstein, Shel. A Light in the Attic.
J POETRY STE Stevenson, James. Candy Corn.
J POETRY STE Stevenson, James. Popcorn.
J P Thomas, Joyce Carol. I Have Heard of Land.
J FIC Williams, Carol Lynch. If I Forget, You Remember.
Williams, Karen Lynn. Discovering One Thing I’m Good At.
J POETRY Wor Worth, Valerie. Animal Poems.
Books for Students to Read
(If a book is too difficult for your child to read, please begin by using it as a read aloud. Refer to the leveled book list to find more individual titles at your child’s June reading level)
POPULAR FICTION AUTHORS: Fiction is shelved alphabetically by Author's last name.
Betsy Byars
Joanna Hurwitz
Jack Prelutsky
Matt Christopher
Kathryn Lasky
Jon Sciezska
Beverly Cleary
C.S. Lewis
Lemony Snicket
Joanna Cole
Lois Lowry
Jerry Spinelli
Roald Dahl
Patricia MacLachlan
William Steig
Paula Danziger
Patricia McKissack
Chris Van Allsburg
Paul Goble
Kate McMullan
Jane Yolen
Eloise Greenfield
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Bruce Hale
Barbara Park
NONFICTION – These books are shelved by subject so must be looked up individually.
These authors may have also written fiction, and they are especially well known for excellent nonfiction that stands alone or is embedded in a story.
Jim Arnosky
Jean Fritz
Sandra Markle
Russell Ash
Jean Craighead George
Steve Parker
Melvin Berger
Gail Gibbons
Seymour Simon
Robert Burleigh
Kathleen Krull
Stephen Swinburne
Matt Christopher
Kathryn Lasky
Joanna Cole
Ellen Levine
Individual Titles of Books for Students Entering 5th Grade to Read
*Adler, David. A Picture Book of Patrick Henry. Holiday House, 1991. An award-winning book! Children’s Literature reports, “Using Henry as a centerpiece, the author introduces the reader to historical events in a personal way.”
J E *Adler, David. The Many Troubles of Andy Russell. Harcourt, 1999. Award-winning author, David Adler, creates one problem after another for Andy Russell to solve in this book that is first in a series about a fourth-grade boy.
*Armstrong, Kristin. Lance Armstrong: The Race of His Life. Grosset & Dunlap, 2000. An inspirational account of a courageous athlete who overcame cancer and won the bike race of his life
J BIO *Ashby, Ruth. The Amazing Mr. Franklin: Or the Boy Who Read Everything. Peachtree Publishers, 2004. An award-winning book about a famous man in American history…Children’s Literature reviewers say, “This book offers an exciting version of Benjamin Franklin's life.”
J FIC *Atwater, Richard & Florence Atwater. Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Little Brown, 1938. This classic in children’s literature is a humorously written story about a house painter, Mr. Popper, who trained a group of penguins to perform.
*Baglio, Ben. Bunnies in the Bathroom. Scholastic, 2000. For anyone who enjoys reading about animals this book gets five-star reviews! It is part of a series by Ben Baglio entitled the Animal Ark Series.
*Bial, Raymond. Where Washington Walked. Walker & Company, 2004. This award-winning book beautifully combines engaging text with colorful photos and takes the reader on a journey from Washington’s childhood through his adult life.
*Biskup, Agnieszka. Understanding Global Warming with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Mankato, MN, 2007. This book is recommended by The Horn Book Guide. It intrigues readers as a Superhero scientist Axiom uses a comic-book format to detail the basics of global warming.
J FIC *Blume, Judy. Fudge-a-Mania. Puffin Books, Reissued 2003. A hilarious story about how Fudge, the human hurricane, continues to amaze readers with his escapades as he annoys his older brother, Peter.
*Bunting, Eve. Your Move. Harcourt Brace, 1998. This is a wonderful picture storybook that examines decision making in spite of family and peer pressure.
J FIC *Byng, Georgia. Molly Moon’s Hypnotic Time Travel Adventure. Harper Collins Children’s Books, 2005. In this exciting book, Molly Moon must rescue her beloved pug that is kidnapped by a stranger. It is another in the Molly Moon series of hypnotic time travel adventures. Students cannot wait to keep turning the pages, as the intriguing plot unfolds.
J BIO LEO *Byrd, Robert. Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer. Dutton Children’s Books, 2003. This award-winning picture biography stunningly details the genius’s life with outstanding text features that are accompanied by engaging text.
J E *Cameron, Ann. Gloria’s Way. Puffin Books, 2001. This entertaining book contains six stories about Gloria, a character audiences love to get to know.
*Christopher, Matt. Hard Drive to Short. Little, Brown & Company, 1991. A shortstop made several errors in a book that examines issues of friendship by a popular sports author.
J FIC *Clements, Andrew. Frindle. Simon & Schuster, 1996. This is a fascinating account of what happens when a fifth-grade student creates an unusual word, frindle. Will his teacher accept it?
J E *Cohen, Barbara. Molly’s Pilgrim, William Morrow & Company, 1998. Molly and her family came to the United States from Russia seeking freedom. However, life in the United States isn’t easy for Molly, since she worries about fitting in with her classmates.
*Cole, Joanna and Wendy Saul. On the Bus with Joanna Cole: A Creative Autobiography. Heinemann, 1996. This is a fascinating account of why Joanna Cole writes the Magic School Bus series.
J 593.6 COL *Collard, Sneed. One Night in the Coral Sea. Charlesbridge Publishing, 2006. The National Science Teachers Association gave this book an award and stated, "This book takes the reader on a Field Trip along the Great Barrier Reef”….and “contains beautiful illustrations and interesting information about this natural wonder.”
J FIC *Collins, Suzanne. Gregory the Overlander. Scholastic, 2005. The School Library Journal states, ”In this accessible, almost-cinematic fantasy, Gregor and his two-year-old sister fall into an amazing underground world.”
*Daniels, Lucy. Dolphin Diaries series, Hodder & Stoughton Children’s Division. This fascinating series has an environmental focus and features stories about a girl, whose parents are scientists, and the encounters she has with dolphins and other sea animals.
J E *Danziger, Paula. Amber Brown Goes Fourth. Scholastic, 1996. This is one book in the Amber Brown series. Amber Brown struggles with friendship and changes in her life.
*Donlan, Leni. Working for Change: The Struggle for Women’s Rights. Raintree Publishers, 2007. This book is recommended by The Horn Book Guide. “From Abigail Adams’s plea to “Remember the Ladies” to the passing of the women’s suffrage amendment in 1920, Donlan documents the struggle for women’s voting rights by looking at the lives and work of the movement’s leaders.”
*Draper, Sharon Mills. Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs. Just Us Books, 1994. The author has written an adventure story that weaves in African and Native-American history, as four boys solve a mystery about a hidden trunk.
*Florian, Douglas. Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars. Harcourt, Incorporated, 2007. Booklist recommend this beautiful book of poetry that “looks at astronomy through the magnifying, clarifying lens of poetry.”
*Frasier, Debra. Miss Alaineus – A Vocabulary Disaster. Harcourt, Incorporated, 2000. This award-winning book interests students in learning new vocabulary words in a very playful manner.
*Giblin, James Cross. The Many Rides of Paul Revere. Scholastic, 2007. Award-winning author, James Cross Giblin, highlights little-known historical facts about Paul Revere and weaves them into a captivating biography.
J FIC *Hale, Bruce. Chet Gecko’s Detective Handbook. Harcourt Children’s Books, 2005. One in the series of detective stories about Chet Gecko…Guaranteed to tickle the funny bone of mystery enthusiasts.
*Harris, Joan. The Least of These: Rescue and Rehabilitation of Wild Baby Birds. Westwinds Press, 2005. The National Science Teachers Association rated this book as outstanding! A science reviewer from NSTA states, “Each story in this book has the ability to capture the reader’s mind and heart and will likely instill a fondness for the natural world around us.” In addition, this book is one of the 2005 ASPCA® Henry Bergh Children's Book Award Winners.
J P *Hesse, Karen. The Cats in Krasinski Square. Scholastic, 2004. This award-winning book received very positive reviews. Kirkus Reviews state, “Hesse has found a little-known vignette that she treats with her customary modest but elevating free verse style, making a grave subject enormously accessible, gently humorous, and affectingly triumphant.” The story takes place in Warsaw in 1942, and it is the story of how children resisted the Gestapo. It is a story of bravery and ingenuity.
J E *Hurwitz, Johanna. Just Desserts Club. William Morrow & Company, 1999. Bored with your summer vacation? Why not start a cooking club, like sixth-grader, Cricket Kaufman did! Read to find out how she used her resourcefulness in creating delicious desserts that got rid of the excess zucchini that was in her family’s kitchen.
*Kalman, Bobbie & Heather Levigne. What is a Bat? Crabtree Publishing Company, 1999. This fascinating nonfiction book on bats is part of a great series by Crabtree Publishers called The Science of Living Things. All books in the series are clearly written with strong text features.
J E *King-Smith, Dick. Mr. Potter’s Pets. Demco Media, 1997. An easy-to-read, satisfying chapter book about how a pet can change a man’s life!
J PAPER *Lasky, Kathryn. The Siege (Guardians of Ga’hoole series). Scholastic, 2004. An action-packed fantasy novel that received five-star reviews from fans…Readers won’t be able to put this book down, as they follow the spine-tingling events as noble owls protect their resources.
*Lasky, Kathryn. Monarchs. Harcourt, 1993. The author shares information about monarch butterflies in a fascinating way.
*Leedy, Loreen and Pat Street. There’s A Frog In My Throat – 440 Animal Sayings A Little Bird Told Me. Holiday House, 2003. This entertaining book will help students understand how to use unique sayings for writing similes, metaphors, idioms, and proverbs, humorously comparing people to animals.
Ref J031.02 *Levey, Judith (Editor). The World Almanac for Kids. World Almanac Books, 1997. This book fascinates readers with helpful information in all subject areas.
J63.34 MAR *Markle, Sandra. Rescues! Lerner/Millbrook, 2006. Book Links recommends an exciting book by Sandra Markle! “In this full-color photo essay, she uses individual experiences of rescue and survival to bring each drama close, basing many accounts on phone interviews with those who were there.”
J BIO ATL *McCarthy, Meghan. Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas. Random House Children’s Books, 2007. This book is highly recommended by The Horn Book Guide!“This picture book biography gives readers context for the homage still paid to the bodybuilding champ and fitness guru…simple and light-handed narration.”
J FIC *McDonald, Meghan. Judy Moody Predicts the Future. Candlewick Press, 2003. Does Judy Moody really have clairvoyant capabilities? Judy becomes convinced that she does, as she amazes classmates with her special mood ring. This book is one in a humorous series about Judy Moody.
J PAPER *McMullan, Kate. Dragon Slayer’s Academy. Grosset & Dunlap. A popular fantasy series loaded with humor and adventure
J FIC *Mead, Alice. Junebug. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, 1997. Junebug is the story of how a ten-year-old boy deals with being in a small nuclear family and struggles with the pressures of his surroundings. This book is part of a Junebug series.
J FIC *Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Boys Rock! Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 2005. Readers will enjoy reading another book in the series of the Hatford boys and the Mallory girls. They will be interested in finding out why their lives are so contentious.
J FIC *Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Shiloh. Atheneum, 1991. Marty provides a safe haven for a dog that is abused by his owner. This book invites discussion about honor and doing what is right.
*O’Connor, Jim. Comeback! Four True Stories. Random House, 1992. The athletes selected by the author all overcame serious obstacles and made noteworthy comebacks: Wilma Rudolph, Catfish Hunter, Greg LeMond, and Bart Connor.
J PAPER *Park, Barbara. Skinnybones. Random House, 1982. “For the smallest kid on the baseball team, Alex Frankovitch has a major-league big mouth!”
*Phillips, Louis. Keep ‘em Laughing: Jokes to Amuse and Annoy Your Friends. Viking, 1996. Readers will be chuckling from the beginning to the end of this book!
*Platt, Richard. They Played What?!: The Weird History of Sports and Recreation. Two-Can Publishing, Inc. 2007. Recommended by The Horn Book Guide! A fascinating compilation of engaging facts about competitive sports activities played on land, water, and in the air. Beautiful, colorful pages surround the text.
J FIC *Rodda, Emily. Rowan of Rin. HarperCollins Children's Books, 2004. One in a very popular fantasy series about a shy and quiet boy named Rowan… He has to face amazing challenges in a dangerous journey to help the villagers in Rin. The School Library Journal states, “Traditional fantasy elements and setting are presented in a fast-moving and enjoyable tale that should be an easy sell to fantasy lovers.
*Roop, Connie and Peter Roop. Tales of Famous Americans. Scholastic, 2007. This is a collection of profiles on the accomplishments of seventeen famous Americans, ranging from George Washington to Mia Hamm. It is recommended by The Horn Book Guide.
J E *Sachar, Louis. Marvin Redpost #7: Super Fast, Out of Control! Random House, 2000. Award-winning author, Louis Sachar wrote another humorous story that is part of the Marvin Redpost series. Marvin copes with trying to ride his new mountain bike down a very treacherous hill.
J POETRY *Schertle, Alice. Keepers. Lothrop, 1996. This is a beautiful collection of poetry that inspires writers to view simple things differently.
J E *Scieska, Jon. The Time Warp Trio series. Puffin Books. A fantasy series that is full of wild adventure and fun
*Shreve, Susan. Josua T. Bates series, Knopf Paperback, 1997. “Joshua T. Bates is no stranger to trouble.”
*Simon, Seymour. Our Solar System. HarperCollins Publishers, 2007. *The Horn Book Guide recommends this updated book by award-winning nonfiction writer, Seymour Simon. Learn what is the latest and most interesting information!
*Sullivan, George. Helen Keller: Her Life in Pictures. Scholastic, 2007. A fascinating, award-winning collection of unusual photographs of Helen Keller, accompanied by intriguing biographical information that follows her life from infancy to age eighty
*Wagner, Heather Lehr. How the President Is Elected. Chelsea House Publishers, 2007. This book is recommended by The Horn Book Guide. “Archival photographs and paintings and sidebars combine with informative text to present a comprehensive discussion of the political parties and processes that define U.S. government.”
J P *Weatherford, Carole Boston. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. Hyperion Books for Children, 2006. This book won the 2007 Teachers’ Choice from the International Reading Association and the 2007 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration. This is a gorgeous poetic text that depicts Harriet Tubman’s plight when she escaped as an adult slave.
J FIC *Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House in the Big Woods. HarperCollins, 1932. This is part of the Little House series, which takes place on a farm in Wisconsin in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Readers learn of the hardships of Laura and her family.
* Yin. Brothers. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2006. This book is a Teachers’ Choices for 2007 award winner. A touching story about a young Chinese immigrant named Ming. “This is the rarely told story of the first Chinese immigrants and the timeless message of what happens when differences are put aside.”
*Zalben, Jane Breskin. Paths to Peace: People Who Changed the World. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2006. This book received the Teachers’ Choices for 2007 award. It describes the accomplishments of sixteen peacemakers who changed the world in some way. Beautiful quotes and multimedia artwork also make this book a winner.
Resources Consulted: Tenafly teachers and lists of national award-winning books

READING LIST FOR ENTERING 4TH GRADE

READ-ALOUD LIST
FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS ENTERING 4th GRADE
These books have been recommended by Tenafly teachers and top national
reading and writing experts. Recent award-winners have also been included.

J 917.8 ADL Adler, David. A Picture Book of Lewis and Clark.
Aliki. Marianthe’s Story: Painted Words and Marianthe’s Story: Spoken Memories.
J 578.77 ARN Arnosky, Jim. Parrotfish and Sunken Ships: Exploring a Tropical Reef.
J P Bunting, Eve. One Green Apple.
J 324.9 CHR Christelow. Eileen. Vote!
Collins, David E.B.White: To the Point
Cone, Molly. Come Back, Salmon: How a Group of Dedicated Kids Adopted Pigeon Creek and Brought It Back to Life.
J FIC Dahl, Roald. BFG.
J FIC Dahl, Roald. Danny the Champion of the World.
J FIC Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach.
J Poetry Dakos, Kalli. Mrs. Cole on an Onion Roll and Other School Poems.
J FIC Dalgliesh, Alice. The Courage of Sarah Noble.
J FIC DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Desperaux.
J Paper Dixon, Franklin W. The Hardy Boys series. **Shelved by Poetry
Feigenbaum, Aaron. American Alligators: Freshwater Survivors.
J Poetry Fleischman, Paul. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices.
J P Garland, Sherry. The Lotus Seed.
J 791.3 GER Gerstein, Mordicai. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers.
Giovanni, Nikki. Spin a Soft Black Song.
Graves, Donald. Baseball, Snakes, and Summer Squash – Poems About Growing Up.
J P Grimes, Nikki. Thanks A Million.
Heard, Georgia. This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort.
Heide, Florence Parry. The Shrinking of Treehorn.
Holiday, Laurel. Children of Israel, Children of Palestine; Our Own True Stories.
Janeczko, Paul See the Blue Between (Poetry)
J Poetry Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Extra Innings – Baseball Poems.
J Paper Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew series. **Shelved near Poetry
Kennedy, X. J. Knock at a Star: A Child’s Introduction to Poetry.
Landau, Elaine. Big Snakes: Alligators and Crocodiles: Hunters of the Night.
J Bio Lasky, Kathryn. The Librarian Who Measured the Earth.
J FIC MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall.
J FIC MacLachlan, Patricia. Skylark.
Marton, Jirina. You Can Go Home Again.
Michelson, Richard. Across the Alley.
J Poetry Myers, Christopher. Jabberwocky.
Nye, Naomi Shahib. The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East.
J FIC Peck, Richard. A Year Down Yonder.
Potts, Aidan. Uneversaurus.
J P Pulver, Robin. Punctuation Takes a Vacation.
Rushby, Pamela. Discovering SuperCroc.
Ryder, Joanne. Toad on the Road.
Siebert, Diane. Tour America: A Journey Through Poems and Art.
Silverstein, Shel. Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back.
J BIO Sis, Peter. Starry Messenger.
J FIC Steig, William. Abel’s Island.
Thomas, Patricia. Nature’s Paintbox: A Seasonal Gallery of Art and Verse.
J E Turner, Priscilla. The War Between the Vowels and Consonants.
J POETRY Viorst, Judith. If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries.
Williams, Vera B. Stringbean’s Trip to the Shining Sea.
Wing, Natasha. Jalapeno Bagels.
J FIC Wise, William. Christopher Mouse.
Yolen, Jane. Shape Me a Rhyme: Nature’s Forms in Poetry.
J P Young, Ed. Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China.
Books for Students to Read
(If a book is too difficult for your child to read, please begin by using it as a read aloud. Refer to the leveled book list to find more individual titles at your child’s June reading level)

Popular series and authors for Students Entering 4th Grade:
FICTION
Smith, Janice Lee - Adam Joshua Capers series
J R AND J E Paula Danziger – Amber Brown series
J E Donald & Rose Sobol – Encyclopedia Brown series
J E Betsy Duffey – Cody series
J E Jon Scieszka – The Time Warp Trio series
J E Mary Pope Osborne – Magic Tree House series
J E Patricia Reilly Giff - Polk Street Kids series
J E AND J FIC Matt Christopher – sport series books
J PAPER Bruce Colville – Alien series
J E Louis Sachar – Marvin Redpost series
BY AUTHOR Books by Eve Bunting, Beverly Cleary, Roald Dahl, DyAnne Di Salvo-Ryan, Lois Lowry, and Cynthia Rylant

NONFICTION – MUST BE LOOKED UP INDIVIDUALLY
David Adler – biography series
Smithsonian Oceanic Collection.
Rookie Biographies - series by Children’s Press
Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith - cultural biography series
Crinkleroot’s Nature Guides series by Simon & Schuster Publishers
National Geographic History Chapters series
A First Discovery Book – series by Scholastic Publishers
Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out - science series by HarperCollins Publishers
Step into Reading – series by Random House Publishers
The Water Cycle – series by Delta Science Readers
Scholastic Question and Answer Series – by Scholastic Publishers
Peter Reilly - Food Chains – series by Franklin Watts Publishers
Our Universe Series-The Planets, Solar System, and the Moon –Lerner Publishers
Who Was…(Einstein, Twain, etc.) –Grosset and Dunlap Series (biographies)


List of Individual Titles for Students to Read
J R *Alberto, Daisy. Pete for President. Kane Press, 2004. An award-winning book that introduces the reader to how voting works by using a third-grade class election for class president.
*Aldrin, Buzz. Reaching for the Moon. HarperCollins Publishers, 2005. This book won an award from the National Science Teachers Association. It is a fascinating portrayal of the life of Buzz Aldrin, featuring the goals that he set that eventually led him to his trip to the moon. He dared to dream, and his dreams came true.
*Arnosky, Jim. Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing the Birds. Simon & Schuster, 1992. This is part of the Crinkleroot’s Nature Guides. It is an informational text on birds that will fascinate and be easily understood by readers.
J 629.477 BRA *Branley, Franklyn M. Floating in Space. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. This book explains about astronauts in a space shuttle and their activities. It is part of a science series called Let’s -Read-and Find-Out.
*Brown, Don. Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. An award-winning book… The School Library Journal reports that Don Brown’s “well-crafted picture-book biography focuses on Einstein's hard-to-classify brilliance, which led to awesome scientific discoveries, but all too often left him a misunderstood outsider.”
J P *Bunting, Eve. Butterfly House. New York: Scholastic, 1999. A girl and her grandfather make a home for larvae and then release butterflies.
J E *Byars, Betsy Tornado New York: Scholastic, 1996. An amazing dog that survives after a terrible tornado.
J BIO *Carlson, Laurie. Boss of the Plains: The Hat That Won the West. New York: DK Inc., 1998. A picture book biography about hat-maker, John Stetson
*Cherry, Lynn and Plotkin, Mark. The Shaman’s Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest. San Diego: Harcourt/Gulliver Green, 1998. Based on a true story, a boy recounts how a shaman cures ailments.
J BIO *Christensen, Bonnie. The Daring Nellie Bly: America’s Star Reporter. Random House, 2003. This is an award-winning book about Nellie Bly, a woman ahead of her time, who became a well-known newspaper correspondent. Nellie was famous for doing things unheard of for women in the late 1800’s.
J FIC *Christopher, Matt. Sport series books, Little Brown. Many sports books are in the Matt Christopher collection.
J FIC *Cleary, Beverly. The Ramona series, Avon Books. Beverly Cleary’s entertaining Ramona books delight third-grade readers!
J 973.7 CLI *Clinton, Catherine. When Harriet Met Sojourner. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2007. Recommended by The Horn Book Guide, this book fascinates readers by portraying the exciting and noteworthy accomplishments of two famous African-American women.
J 621.3 COL *Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus and the Electric Field Trip. New York: Scholastic, 1997. This is a well-written text that offers students a humorous way to explore electricity and power plants. It is part of the Magic School Bus series.
J BIO *Cooney, Barbara. Eleanor. New York: Viking Penguin, 1996. This is a precisely written text about Eleanor Roosevelt.
J FIC *Creech, Sharon Love That Dog . New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. Jack doesn’t like to write poetry but while writing entries in his writer’s notebook, he learns the potential and power of the medium.
J E *Danziger, Paula. Amber Brown Is Not A Crayon. New York: Putnam Books, 1994. This book is part of the popular Amber Brown series. It the story about how a third-grade student copes when her best friend moves away.
J FIC *DeFelice, Cynthia. Weasel. William Morrow Publishers, 1991. An Indian fighter sent by the government to drive off the land, Weasel, has now turned on the settlers. Nathan, against the wishes of his family, decides to take the law into his own hands to protect them.
*Demi. Gandhi. Simon & Schuster Children’s: New York, 2001. A beautifully illustrated picture book detailing the life of Gandhi
*Gibbons, Gail. Marshes and Swamps. Holiday House, 1998. Gail Gibbons is a phenomenal nonfiction author who has captivated readers in this comparison/contrast text. This book contains elaborate and clear drawings.
*Griffey, Harriet. Volcanoes and Other Natural Disasters. New York: Dorling Kindersley/Eyewitness Readers, 1998. A number of natural disasters are explained in this informative text.
J POETRY *Grimes, Nikki. Thanks a Million. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. Award-winning author, Nikki Grimes received the Teachers’ Choice for 2007 Award from the International Reading Association for this beautiful collection of poetry about being thankful for small pleasures and simple things.
*J 636.75 GRO Grogan, John. Marley. San Francisco: HarperCollins West, 2007. A librarian in Tenafly told me that she cannot keep this book on her shelf! It is the story about a lovable Labrador retriever named Marley. This text makes readers roar with laughter as they witness shenanigans that get him into trouble.
*Guthrie, Donna, Nancy Bentley, & Katy Keck Arnsteen. Young Author’s Do-It-
Yourself Book: How to Write, Illustrate, and Produce Your Own Book. Millbrook, 1994. This book helps young authors learn how to write a story and/or informational piece from the beginning of choosing a topic to marketing the text.
J P *Hest, Amy. When Jesse Came Across the Sea. Candlewick, 1997. This is an inviting book about immigration that offers families the chance to discuss their roots.
*Hest, Amy Love You Soldier Puffin Books, New York, 1991. A child must cope with the absence of her father when he leaves to serve in World War 2.
J POETRY *Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Sports! Sports! Sports! A Poetry Collection. HarperCollins, 1999. This book offers readers an assortment of sports poems.
J 551.563 *Hopping, Lorraine Jean. Wild Weather: Tornadoes. New York: Scholastic, 1993. This is an informational text that explores how tornadoes affect America. It is an excellent opportunity to practice using nonfiction text supports, such as diagrams.
*Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Biography series. New York: Holiday Press. Ms. Hoyt-Goldsmith has written an entire cultural biography series in photo essays that feature different children and cultures in the United States.
J POETRY *Issa, Kobayashi, Today and Today. New York: Scholastic, 2007. This poetry book is recommended by Booklist. Beautiful poems follow a family across the year. A gentle, lovely book of poetry
*Jenner, Caryn. First Flight: The Story of the Wright Brothers. DK Publishing, 2003. This is an award-winning biography about the Wright Brothers that contains primary documents, authentic photographs, and sidebars that help the reader.
J 591.5 JEU *Jeunesse, Gallimard & Pascale de Bourgoing. Night Creatures. New York: Scholastic, 2004. This book is part of a wonderful series called A First Discovery Book. Children will love the design features in this text that allow readers to watch the night creatures change as they turn the pages.
J R *Kramer, S.A. To the Top! Climbing the World’s Highest Mountain. New York: Random House, 1993. This exciting book about a climb to Mount Everest is one of a popular series, called Step into Reading.
J BIO RUD *Krull, Kathleen. Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1996. This is a touching picture book biography about a world-class runner.
*Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. New York: Harcourt, 2003. An award-winning book with a clear message about the persistence of Cesar Chavez… He learned that by working together he could accomplish great changes.
*Kuskin, Karla. Dogs & Dragons, Trees & Dreams. New York: Harper Collins, 1992. This is a representative collection of Karla Kuskin’s poetry with introductory notes on poetry writing.
*Lattimore, Deborah. The Winged Cat. New York: Harper Trophy, 2003. Fabulous historical fiction short stories based in Egypt
J 398.2 LES *Lester, Julius. John Henry. New York: Dial Press, 1995. This is an African-American tall tale about John Henry that is beautifully written.
J FIC *Lowry, Lois. All About Sam. New York: Random House, 1988. A funny story from Sam’s point of view from birth to his toddler years
J FIC *MacLachlan, Patricia. Cassie Binegar. New York: Harper Collins, 1987. During the summer, Cassie learns to accept change and to find her own space.
*MacLeod, Elisabeth. Helen Keller: A Determined Life. Kids Can Press, 2004. An award-winning book...The Carter Woodson Book Awards report that “details beyond the well-known story of Helen Keller’s life create a full image for young students of her extraordinary life.”
*Makris, Katherine. The Eco-Kids. New York: Avon Books, 1994. A great series with the five cats who are concerned about the environment
*Manieri, Sarah A. The Water Cycle. Delta, NH:Delta Science Readers, 2004. An excellent nonfiction series based on the materials that third-grade teachers use in the classroom
J 595.7 MIC *Micucci, Charles. The Life and Times of the Honeybee. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. Noted nonfiction expert, Dr. Nell Duke enthusiastically says, “This book is a real treasure. Break it into pieces like a chapter book, or read it for general interest.”
*Moore, Terry. The Watchers. Author House, 2007. Tenafly teacher, Terry Moore, has done an outstanding job with this beautifully written and sensitive novel. It has been endorsed by the New Jersey Academy of Aquatic Sciences. “Terry Moore’s moving, timely story shows us the plight of the horseshoe crab, and their importance to the health of the planet, through the eyes of children.” Your child will love it!
*O’Sullivan, Robyn. Jackie Robinson Plays Ball. National Geographic Society, 2007. The Horn Book Guide recommends this wonderful book that details the personal strengths and athletic accomplishments of the legendary baseball player, Jackie Robinson.
J E *Pennypacker, Sara. Clementine. New York: Hyperion Books, 2007. This book is recommended by Book Links. It is a great book about a third-grader named Clementine, who is sure to win readers’ hearts as well as tickle their funny bones.
J P *Polacco, Patricia. Chicken Sunday. New York: Philomel, 1992. A famed author crafts a tale about her childhood with a theme of intergenerational understanding and friendship.
*Polacco, Patricia. The Keeping Quilt. Aladdin Publishers, 2001. A homemade quilt ties together the lives of four generations of an immigrant Jewish family, remaining a symbol of their enduring love and faith.
*Reilly, Peter. Food Chains. London: Franklin Watts Publishers, 1997. Another great series that supplements the units that third-grade students do in the classroom
*Ryder, Joanne. A Pair of Polar Bears: Twin Cubs Find a Home at the San Diego Zoo. New York: Simon Schuster, 2006. Award-winning author, Joanne Ryder, has done it again! This book is the recipient of the Teachers’ Choices for 2007 Award from the International Reading Association. It is a touching story of the rescue of twin polar bear cubs and chronicles their care at the San Diego Zoo. A poetic text and exquisite photos make this book a winner!
*Schanzer, Rosalyn. How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning. HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2002. This is an award-winning biography about Ben Franklin’s whimsical inventions that are portrayed with humorous illustrations.
*Scholastic Question and Answer Series. New York: Scholastic Publishers, 2001. Students are immediately intrigued to find out the answers to the interesting questions in this series. Each book is on a topic that interests third-graders, such as Can Snakes Crawl Backward? - a book by Melvin and Gilda Berger.
*Scieszka, Jon & Lane Smith. Squids will be Squids: Fresh Morals & Beastly Fables. New York: Viking Penguin Publishers, 1998. A series of quirky fables about responsibility, safety, table manners & self-importance
J E *Sciezska, Jon. The Time Warp Trio series. New York: The Penguin Group. A very popular humorous fantasy series for third-grade students.
J POETRY *Silverstein, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends. New York: HarperCollins, 1974. Students chuckle continually when they read this book of poetry.
J BIO DAR *Sis, Peter. The Tree of Life. Francis Foster Books, 2003. An exquisitely illustrated book on the life and theories of Darwin
J E *Smith, Doris Buchanan. Taste of Blackberries. New York: HarperCollins, 1988. A sudden tragedy forces a boy to question life and friendship. This is a difficult and sensitive subject that is treated with taste and honesty.
MULTIPLE *Smithsonian Oceanic Collection. Numerous nonfiction titles of books that are supported with beautiful illustrations on a variety of nonfiction topics
J E *Sobol, Donald & Rose. Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective Series. Bantam Doubleday Dell. This is a wonderfully written detective series which students love.
J 641.3 SOL *Solheim, James. It’s Disgusting – and We Ate It! True Food Facts From Around the World – and Throughout History. NY: Simon and Schuster Children’s, 2001. Nonfiction expert and author, Dr. Janice Kristo, recommends this fascinating book about the strange things that people from around the world enjoy.
J 398.2 STE *Steig, Jeanne. A Handful of Beans: Six Fairy Tales Retold. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. A funny retelling of six traditional fairy tales
J BIO *Stauffacher, Sue. Nothing but Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson. New York: Random House Children’s Books, 2007. This wonderful biography is recommended by The Horn Book Guide. “This spirited picture biography tells about the first black tennis player to win Wimbledon. Stauffacher’s colloquial tone and lively language are the ideal match for her subject.”
J BIO *Walker, Alice. Langston Hughes, American Poet. Harper Collins, 2002. An excellent extended picture book that captures the life, times and craft of Langston Hughes, a poet most accessible to children and adults – written by Alice Walker, a renowned poet herself
J FIC *Warner, Gertrude. The Boxcar Children: Mystery Behind the Wall. Albert Whitman Publishers, 1973. This is a mystery that is part of the Boxcar series. ** SHELVED BY POETRY.
*Whelan, Gloria Indian School. New York: Scholastic, 1996. An Indian child in a mission school in 1839 most cope with being forced fit into the white man’s culture.
*Wyckoff, Edwin Brit. The Man Who Invented Basketball: James Naismith and His Amazing Game. Enslow Publishers, 2007. A book recommended by The Horn Book Guide that explains how James Naismith invented basketball. It is part of the Great Inventor Biographies series.
*Yolen, Jane. Sleeping Ugly. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1981. This is a wonderful book that is a parody about a traditional tale.


Resources Consulted: Tenafly teachers and lists of national award-winning books

Reading list for entering 3rd Grade

READ-ALOUD LIST FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS ENTERING 3rd GRADE

J 797.2 Adl
Adler, David. America’s Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle.

J P
Adler, David. Mama Played Baseball.



Arnosky, Jim. All About Sharks.

J E
Asch, Frank. Pearl’s Promise.

J 612 Ber
Berger, Melvin. Why I Sneeze, Shiver, Hiccup, and Yawn.



Bogart, Ellen. Jeremiah Learns to Read.



Burleigh, Robert. Home Run: The Story of Babe Ruth.

J E
Blume, Judy. Freckle Juice. **Additional copies in J Paper and J Audio



Castaneda, Omar S. Abuela’s Weave.

J P
Choi, Sook Nyul. Halmoni and the Picnic.

J E
Cleary, Beverly. Ralph S. Mouse. **Additional copies in J Paper and J Audio



Cohen, Barbara. Molly’s Pilgrims.

J 599 Col
Collard, Sneed. A Platypus, Probably.

J P
Corey, Shana. Players in Pigtails



Esbensen, Barbara Juster. Tiger with Wings- The Great Horned Owl.

J BIO
Farris, Christine King. My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.



Fredericks, Anthony. Around One Cactus: Owls, Bats and Leaping Rats



Glaser, Linda. Wonderful Worms.



Guiberson, Brenda. Spotted Owl: Bird of the Ancient Forest.



Hodgkins, Fran. Between the Tides.

J P
Hong, Lily Toy. Two of Everything



Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Side by Side: Poems to Read Together.



Hopkinson, Deborah. Girl Wonder – A Baseball Story in Nine Innings.



Horacek, Petr. Silly Suzy Goose.

J E
Hurwitz, Johanna. Class Clown.



Johansson, Philip. The Seashore: A Saltwater Web of Life.

J E
Kline, Suzy. Song Lee in Room 2B.



Kortenkamp, Steve. The First Moon Landing.

J 595.78 Las
Lasky, Kathryn. Monarchs.

J 567.91 Lau
Lauber, Patricia. How Dinosaurs Came to Be.



Leaardi, Jeanette. Southern Sea Otters: Fur-tastrophe Avoided.

J Fic
Lewis, C. S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. **Additional copies in J Paper and J Audio



Lind, Michael. Bluebonnet Girl.



Lindbergh, Reeve. What is the Sun?

J P
MacLachlan, Patricia. All the Places to Love.



Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Birds.



Miles, Miska. Annie and the Old One.

J R
Parish, Peggy. Amelia Bedelia. **Some books in this series are J P



Parker, Steve. It’s a Frog’s Life: My Story of Life in a Pond.



Parsons, Alexandra. Amazing Spiders

J 599.88 Pat
Patterson, Francine. Koko’s Kittens.



Peterson, Cris. Clarabelle: Making Milk an So Much More.



Pigdon, Keith and Marilyn Woolley. Earthworms.

J P
Polacco, Patricia. Chicken Sunday.



Polacco, Patricia. Mrs. Katz and Tush.

J Fic
Polacco, Patricia. Thank You, Mr. Falke

J P
Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach.

J 745.5 Ros
Ross, Kathy. Step-by-Step Crafts for Gifts.



Rumford, James. Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing.



Ryder, Joanne. Snail’s Spell.



Simon, Seymour. Penguins.

J P
Soto, Gary. The Skirt.



Soto, Gary. Too Many Tamales.

J FIC
Steig, William. Abel’s Island.



Swanson, Diane. Safari Beneath the Sea: The Wonder World of the North Pacific.



Thomas, Jane. The Comeback Dog.

J FIC
Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji.

J P
Van Allsburg, Chris. The Wretched Stone.



Watts, Jeri. Keepers.



Wexler, Jerome. Everyday Mysteries.






BOOKS FOR STUDENTS TO READ
(If a book is too difficult for your child to read, please begin by using it as a read aloud. Refer to the leveled book list to find more individual titles at your child’s June reading level)

Popular Authors and Series for Students Entering 3rd Grade:

FICTION:

Lillian Hoban – Arthur series (This is the easier Arthur series.) J R

Norman Bridwell – Clifford series J R and J P

Crosby Bonsall – mystery series…The Case of the Cat’s Meow, and others J R

Jane Yolen – Commander Toad series J R

Marc Brown – Arthur series (This is a hard, longer chapter book Arthur series.) J R and J E

Judy Delton – Pee Wee Scouts series J R

M. Weinman Sharmat – Nate the Great series J R

Peggy Parish – Amelia Bedelia series J R

David Adler - Cam Jansen series J R and J E

Barbara Park – Junie B. Jones series J E

Suzy Kline – Horrible Harry series J E

James Howe - Pinky and Rex J R

Shelley Moore Thomas – Good Knight series J R

NONFICTION

** These books are shelved by Dewey number (Subject) so they much be looked up individually

Animal Wise series – Capstone Press

Bugbooks series – Creative Education

First Biography Series – Heinemann Raintree

First Start Biographies-Troll

I Can Read Book Series - Wildlife Conservation Society

I Like Reptiles and Amphibians series (Enslow Publishers)

My Own Science series – Lerner Publishing Group

Scholastic Biographies.

Sabrina Crewe - Life Cycles series of animals in the wild

Scholastic Science Readers, interesting topics in science for second-graders – Level Two

Stepping Stone True Stories series (Random House)

David Adler – biography series

Step into Reading series- Random House Books

Let’s Read and Find Out series

Nature’s Secret series – Reader’s Digest

Wonderful Water Biomes series – Enslow Publishers





INDIVIDUAL TITLES OF BOOKS FOR STUDENTS TO READ

J P
Appelbaum, Diana. Cocoa Ice. New York: Orchard Books, 1998.

This is an inviting book about how two girls, one from Santa Domingo, and one from Maine, explore what their families harvest.



*Arnosky, James. All About Deer. New York: Scholastic, 1996.

A wonderful nonfiction, informational text – excellent author.

J796 BAI
*Bailer, Darice. Great Women Athletes. New York: Random House, 2001. Each chapter in this reader-friendly Step into Reading text highlights a different woman athlete.

J 595.726 BER
*Berger, Melvin. Chirping Crickets. New York: HarperCollins, 1998.

Part of a Let’s Read and Find Out series – clear, concise information about crickets.



*Berger, Melvin and Gilda Berger. Dogs Bring Newspapers But Cats Bring Mice: and Other Fascinating Facts about Animal Behavior. New York: Scholastic Publishers, 2004. This intriguing book gives the reader many secrets about how animals’ behavior helps them to survive. Many color photos of animals are included.



*Betancourt, Jeanne. Ten True Animal Rescues. New York: Scholastic, 1998. Intriguing true stories about how courageous animals saved the lives of people

J P
*Borden, Louise. Goodbye, Charles Lindbergh. New York: McElderry Press, 1998. Charles Lindburgh gives Gil and his friend a pamphlet on his famous flight – based on a true story. (Flight, by Robert Burleigh is a wonderful follow-up.



*Bulla, Clyde Robert. The Chalk Box Kid. New York: Random House, 1987. This book is an “outstanding characterization plus a poignant story,” according to the School Library Journal.



*Byers, Betsy. Tornado. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. Tornado is a chapter book that offers an account of how a family helped each other survive a tornado by telling stories while they waited for the storm to pass.

J BIO
*Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Young Pele: Soccer’s First Star. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2007. This text is recommended by The Horn Book Guide! “This picture book biography details young Pele’s love of soccer, his team loyalty, and his speed, agility, and remarkable eye.” A beautiful book!



*Covert, Ralph, and G. Riley Mills. Sawdust and Spangles: The Amazing Life of W.C. Coup. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2007.

An award-winning biography of W.C. Coup, the man who built the New York Aquarium, who ran off to join the circus when he was a child, and later became one of the most famous circus leaders of all times!

J P
*Cronin, Doreen. Diary of a Worm. New York: Harper Collins, 2003.

Easily digestible facts about earthworms are tastefully written into journal entries by this award-winning author!



*Davidson, Margaret. The Story of Thomas Alva Edison, Inventor – The Wizard of Menlo Park. New York: Scholastic, 1990.

This biography is composed of short chapters about the life of Thomas Alva Edison. It is part of a series called Scholastic Biographies.

J 937.21 Dub
*Dubowski, Mark, & Cathy East Dubowski. Ice Mummy – The Discovery of a 5,000 Year-Old Man. New York: Random House, 1998. A true story about how hikers discovered a real ice mummy

J P
*Fisher, Amy. The Story Goes On. Roaring Brook Press, 2005.

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book that describes the cycle of life. Aileen Fisher describes the ongoing cycle of life of predators and prey, but does it creatively in verse.



*Fowler, Allan. Life in a Pond. New York: Children’s Press, 1996.

Wonderful description of life in and around ponds.



*Fowler, Allan. Simple Machines. New York: Children’s Press, 2000.

An interesting comparison of levers, pulleys, wheels, and ramps



*Gibbons, Gail. Penguins! New York: Holiday, 1998. This is a beautifully written text about penguins that helps readers understand how nonfiction works and learn all about penguins. Gail Gibbons is a superb author!



*Giff, Patricia Reilly. The Secret at the Polk Street School, Dell, 1987. This is an exciting story about how the Polka Dot Private Eye solves a mystery. It is part of the Polka Dot Private Eye series.



*Giff, Patricia Reilly. Today Was a Terrible Day. Viking, 1985. Ronald Morgan had a terrible day at school. It is part of the Ronald Morgan series.



*Heller, Janet Ruth. How the Moon Regained Her Shape. Mount Pleasant, SC: Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2006. This book won the Children’s Choices for 2007 award. It is a beautiful story that has been influenced by Native American folk tales. It offers an incredibly creative and entertaining explanation of the phases of the moon!

J P
*Hesse, Karen. Come On, Rain. New York: Scholastic, 1999. This text is a beautifully written celebration about the relief rain brings. It is written in poetic prose with particular word usage that appeals to the senses



*Jango-Cohen, Judith. Real-Life Sea Monsters. Lerner Publishing Group, 2007. Part of My Own Science series and recommended by The Horn Book Guide. “This book for independent readers introduces three legendary sea monsters – kraken, mermaids, and sea serpents – and compares them to actual sea creatures.”

J 636.8 Jef
*Jeffrey, Laura S. Cats – How to Choose and Care for a Cat. Berkley Heights: Enslow Publishers, 2004. This is part of the American Humane Pet Care Library. It includes clear tips for readers, interesting facts, and great photographs.

J Bio Seuss
*Krull, Kathleen. The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss. New York: Random House Children’s Books, 2004. An award-winning book by a noted author about the life of Dr. Seuss…

J P
*Lasky, Kathryn. She’s Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head. New York: Hyperion, 1995. This is a fascinating picture storybook account of how the Audubon Society began.



*Lauber, Patricia. An Octopus Is Amazing. New York: Crowell, 1990.

This is a wonderfully written, easy-reader nonfiction book about the life cycle of an octopus.

J E
*Look, Lenore. Ruby Lu, Brave and True. New York: Simon and Schuster Children’s, 2004. An award winner! The American Library Association states, “In this short chapter book, Asian American Ruby Lu, almost eight, is enthusiastic about her younger brother Oscar, about magic, and in the end, about everything.”

J 597.8 Mag
*Magloff, Lisa. Watch Me Grow Frog. New York: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2003. Clear photographs, creatively written text, and catchy facts show the life cycle of a frog.

J E
*Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. Grandmother Bryant’s Pocket . Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. This is a story about life on a New England farm that offers discussion about how eight-year-old Sarah has to overcome her fears.

J 599 Bats Mar
*Markle, Sandra. Little Lost Bat. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing Company, 2006. This book won the Children’s Choices for 2007 award. It is brilliantly illustrated by award-winning artist, Alan Marks. It portrays the sad and hopeful story about a week-old Mexican free-tailed bat that has to survive on his own.



*Mayer, Cassie. Tecumseh. Chicago, IL: Heinemann-Raintree, 2007.

Part of the First Biographies Series and recommended by The Horn Book Guide. “This book provides a useful, accessible, very basic introduction for young readers to Tecumseh’s life, his accomplishments, and legacy.”



*Parks, Rosa. I Am Rosa Parks. New York: Dial Press, 1997. Rosa Parks tells her own story.

J E
*Pilkey, Dav. The Paperboy. New York: Orchard Books, 1996. This is a story about a boy who follows through on his responsibilities.

J P
*Polacco, Patricia. My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Polacco’s writing craft is very visible in this tale of siblings.



*Schoenberg, Jane. My Bodyworks: Songs about Your Bones, Muscles, Heart, and More! Interlink Publishing Group, 2005. A wonderful collection of songs about how the human body works! Recommended by the National Science Teachers Association.

J Poetry Sidman
*Sidman, Joyce. Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. A 2006 Caldecott Honor Book that celebrates the animals, insects, and plants of the pond in beautiful poetic verse

J E
*Smith, Janice Lee. Adam Joshua series. New York: Harper Collins. Students enjoy reading about typical dilemmas in second and third grade classrooms.



*Stanley, George Edward. Wild Horses. New York: Random House, 2007. This book is recommended by The Horn Book Guide and part of a series called Stepping Stone True Stories. Short chapters offer supportive sentence structure, and feature an assortment of wild horses, such as the Assateague ponies.



*Thomson, Sarah L. Amazing Dolphins! New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2006. Sarah Thomson received the Children’s Choices Award for 2007 for this book from the International Reading Association. Exciting close-up photos accompanied by fascinating information about dolphins make this book a winner!



*Thomson, Sarah L. Amazing Snakes! New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2006. Sarah Thomson received the Children’s Choices Award for 2007 for this book from the International Reading Association. Kirkus Review stated, “This easy reader provides an engrossing introduction to a perennially fascinating subject.”

Reading List for students entering 2nd in Fall 2009

READ-ALOUD LIST FOR STUDENTS ENTERING 2nd GRADE
These books have been recommended by Tenafly teachers and top national reading and writing experts. Recent award-winners have been included.

PICTURE BOOKS
J P Ablow, Gail. A Horse in the House: And Other Strange but True Animal Stories.
Baines, Rebecca. Arctic Tale.
J 567.9 Bar Barner, Bob. Dinosaur Bones.
J P Bunting, Eve. One Green Apple.
J P Bourgeois, Paulette. Franklin in the Dark.
J P Cannon, Janell. Stellaluna.
Chancellor, Deborah. I Wonder Why Lemons Taste Sour: And Other Questions about Senses.
J P Child, Lauren. Charlie and Lola: But Excuse Me That is My Book. (Charlie and Lola series)
Cohen, Miriam. Any of the following books:
J P First Grade Takes a Test, It’s George, J P Jim’s Dog Muffins, Liar, Liar Pants on Fire, See You Tomorrow, Charles, J P When Will I Read? Bee My Valentine, Jim Meets the Thing
Cole, Barbara. Anna and Natalie.
Collard III, Sneed B. Animal Dads.
Cunnane, Kelly and Ana Juan. For You Are a Kenyan Child.
Davies, Nicola. Ice Bear: In the Steps of the Polar Bear.
Dorros, Arthur. Abuela.
Evans, Mark. Hamster – Pet Care Guides for Kids. (ASPCA Pet Care Guides for Kids Series)
Flanagan, Alice. Police Officers – Community Workers.
J P Fleming, Denise. Beetle Bop.
J P Fox, Mem. Where the Giant Sleeps.
Franchino, Vicky. Carpenters – Community Workers.
Fraser, Mary Ann. Where Are the Night Animals?
George, Twig C. Jellies – The Life of Jellyfish.
Gibbons, Gail. Bats.
Gibbons, Gail. Pigs.
J 523. 3 Gib Gibbons, Gail. The Moon Book.
Glaser, Linda. Spectacular Spiders.
J P Grey, Mini. The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon.
Guiberson, Brenda Z. Into the Sea.
Ham, David A. and Janice B. Sibley. The Magic Baseball Cap.
Harper, Anita. It’s Not Fair!
J P Henkes, Kevin. Chrysanthemum. (All books by Kevin Henkes are appropriate.)
Hinds, Kathryn. Rabbits. (Perfect Pets Series)
J P Hoberman, Mary Ann. You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You – Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together.
J 593.9 Hur Hurd, Edith Thacher, Starfish.
Jacobs, Paul DuBois and Jennifer Swender. NASCAR ABCs.
J 591.7 Jen Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page. I See A Kookaburra: Discovering Animal Habitats around the World.
Johnson, Dinah. Hair Dance!
J E Kingsmith, David. Lady Lollipop.
Klise, Kate. Why Do You Cry? Not a Sob Story.
J Poetry Larios, Julie. Yellow Elephant: A Bright Bestiary.
J P Loewer, Peter and Jean Loewer. The Moonflower.
Luxbacher, Irene. 1 2 3 I Can Paint!
Luxbacher, Irene. 1 2 3 I Can Scupt!
Markle, Sandra. Down, Down, Down in the Ocean.
J 598.47 Ma Markle, Sandra. A Mother’s Journey.
Markle, Sandra. Slippery, Slimy Baby Frogs.
Markle, Sandra. Tough, Toothy Baby Sharks.
McCarthy, Meghan. City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male.
J P Meddaugh, Susan. Martha series ( for example: Martha Speaks, Martha Talking, Martha Calling, Martha Walks the Dog, Martha Blah, Blah and others)
McKinney, Barbara Shaw. Water Words Rhymed and Defined.
Mitchell, Margaree King. Uncle Jed’s Barbershop.
J P Munsch, Robert. Thomas’ Snowsuit. (and other books by Robert Munsch)
J 599.88 Pa Patterson, Francine. Koko’s Kittens.
Polacco, Patricia. The Keeping Quilt.
J P Polacco, Patricia. Rechenka’s Eggs.
J Poetry Prelutsky, Jack. Me I Am!
Quiri, Patricia Ryon. Chefs – Community Workers.
Raatma, Lucia. Fire Fighters – Community Workers.
Raczka, Bob, Who Loves the Fall?
J P Rosen, Michael. Bear’s Day Out.
J 179.9 Ros Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons.
Ross, Kathy. Step-by-Step Crafts for Gifts.
Rowe, John A. I Want A Hug.
Ryder, Joanne. A Pair of Polar Bears: Twin Cubs Find a Home at the San Diego Zoo.
J P Rylant, Cynthia. The Whales.
J P Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. First the Egg.
Seuling, Barbara. Drip! Drop! How Water Gets to Your Tap.
Singer, Marilyn. City Lullaby.
Stein, David Ezra. Monster Hug!
J P Tafuri, Nancy. The Busy Little Squirrel.
J P Viorst, Judith. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
Walsh, Ellen Stoll. Mouse Shapes.
Waring, Geoff. Oscar and the Moth: A Book about Light and Dark.
Willems, Mo. Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!
J P Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity.
J P Yolen, Jane. Miz Berlin Walks.
Zolotow, Charlotte. William’s Doll.
CHAPTER BOOKS
Caseley, Judith. Chloe in the Know.
J Fic Cleary, Beverly. Ramona the Pest.
J Fic Dahl, Roald. Fantastic Mr. Fox.
J Fic Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach.
Dahl, Roald. The Minpins.
J E Gannett, Ruth Stiles. My Father’s Dragon, Elmer and the Dragon.
J E Hurwitz, Johanna. the Russell series.
J Fic Napoli, Donna Jo. The Prince of the Pond.
Packard, Mary. Talented Animals. (True Tales series)
J Fic Various authors. The American Girls Collections. (series)
J Fic White, E.B. Charlotte’s Web.
J Fic White, E.B. Stuart Little.

POETRY BOOKS
Dakos, Kalli. If You’re Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand: Poems About School.
J Poetry Sc Schwartz, Alvin. And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone.
J Poetry Pr Poetry by Jack Prelutsky.
J Poetry Si Poetry by Shel Silverstein.
Dotlich, Rebecca Kai. When Riddles Come Rumbling – Poems to Ponder.
J P Sidman, Joyce. Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry.

Books for Students to Read
(If a book is too difficult for your child to read, please begin by using it as a read aloud. Refer to the leveled book list to find more individual titles at your child’s June reading level)
Popular Authors and Series for Students Entering 2nd Grade

FICTION:
Cynthia Rylant - Henry & Mudge series. J R
Cynthia Rylant - Poppleton series. J R
Cynthia Rylant - Mr. Putter series. J R
Denys Cazet – Minnie and Moo series J R
Arnold Lobel – Frog & Toad series. J R
Else Homelund Minarik – Little Bear series. J R
Dav Pilkey – Dragon series. J R
Kate McMullan – Fluffy series.J R
James Marshall – the Fox series. J R
Jean Van Leeuwen – Oliver Pig series J R
I Can Read series – Harper Collins Children’s Books J R
Step Books series – Random House J R
Alyssa Satin Capucilli - Biscuit series J P and J R
Harder books that some grade one students read include:
J R James Howe – Pinky and Rex series.
J R Lillian Hoban – Arthur series.
J R and J E David Adler – Cam Jansen series

NONFICTION:
Various: Books by Gail Gibbons, Sandra Markle, Susan Canizares, Pamela Chanko, Melvin Berger (easier books)
Animals Q and A Series - Ideals Children’s Books.
Scholastic Science Series - Emergent Readers.
Scholastic First Discovery Books Series.
Backyard Bones series published by Kingfisher Books, a Houghton Mifflin Company Imprint (Are you an Ant? Are you a Bee? Are you a Butterfly? Are you a Dragonfly? Are you a Snail? Are you a Spider?).
I Can Read – Level 2 – Wildlife Conservation Society
I Wonder Why series (Kingfisher Publishers)
Let’s Read-And-Find-Out Science series, HarperCollins Publishers
(The Human Body series, Plants and Animals series, The World Around Us series, Dinosaurs series, Weather and the Seasons series, Space series, Our Earth series).
Living and Nonliving series – Heinemann
Nature: A Child’s-Eye View – Kane/Miller Publishers.
Perfect Pets series, Marshall Cavendish Publishers (Rabbits and other books).
American Museum of Natural History’s Very First Things to Know About Series, Workman Publishing Company.
Ready to Read: Wonders of America series
Scholastic Hello Reader Series- nonfiction titles.
Rookie Readers nonfiction – Children’s Press
Start with Science series – Candlewick Press

List of Individual Titles for Students to Read

J R *Baker, Keith. Sometimes. Harcourt Brace, 1999.
An alligator talks about the things he likes to do.
J R *Bauer, Marion Dane. The Statue of Liberty. Simon & Schuster Children’s, 2007.
“The story of how the Statue of Liberty came to the United States, who constructed it, and how school children throughout America contributed to the building of its foundation is told in easy-to-read sentences.”
J P *Bridwell, Norman. Clifford the Small Red Puppy. Scholastic, 1972 This is a classic tale about a huge red dog that continues to be loved
year after year!
*Cameron, Alice. The Cat Sat on the Mat. Houghton Mifflin, 1994. Children enjoy this easy reader about where the cat sat.
*Carle, Eric. Have You Seen My Cat? Scholastic, 1987. A boy seeks help while searching for his lost cat.
*Christelow, Eileen. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. Clarion, 1989. Mama cannot sleep because of the monkeys jumping on the bed.
*Cooper, Elisha. Bear Dreams. Greenwillow Books, 2006. This book won the Children’s Choices for 2007 award. What will happen to a bear who does not agree to take his long winter’s nap, as he should? Bear is afraid that he will miss out on all of the fun.
*Coren, Stanley. Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? Kids Can Press, 2006. This book received the Children’s Choices for 2007 award from the International Reading Association. It presents numerous questions that children might have about dogs, but also provides fascinating answers. Beautiful photos blend nicely with simple text.
*Cammuso, Jay and Jay Lynch. Otto’s Orange Day. Raw Junior, LLC, 2009. Recommended by Book Links, this is a comic-strip-type book for beginning readers about a cat named Otto who gets his wish to make everything orange, his favorite color!
J P *Durant, Alan. Burger Boy. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. This book won the Children’s Choices for 2007 award. It is a comical portrayal of a boy who loves to eat burgers so much that he turns into one. Amazing illustrations hold readers’ attention.
*Egielski, Richard. The Gingerbread Boy. HarperCollins, 1997. The familiar story is re-illustrated in an urban setting.
*Ellwand, David. Emma’s Elephant & Other Favorite Animal Friends. Dutton, 1996. Interesting alliterative techniques and black and white photos of animals captivate readers and reinforce beginning sounds.
J P *Fleming, Denise. Mama Cat Has Three Kittens. Holt, 1998. This is a story about a cat family. It encourages listeners to join in!
*Fleming, Denise. The Cow Who Clucked. Random House, 2006. This book won the Children’s Choices for 2007 award. It is a comical tale about a cow who lost her moo and how she discovers who has taken her moo.
J P *Fleming, Denise. Where Once There Was a Wood. Holt, 1996. An environmental picture book with lush textured paper pulp illustrations
*Fox, Mem. Hattie and the Fox. Bradbury Press, 1987. A classic story about a hen that spots danger and tries to warn others
*Gelman, Rita Golden. More Spaghetti, I Say. Scholastic, 1977 An old classic that delights audiences about a monkey who plays with spaghetti
*Ginsburg, Mirra. The Chick and the Duckling. Simon & Schuster, 1972. A story about how a chick imitates a duckling
*Guest, Elissa Haden. Iris and Walter and Baby Rose. Gulliver Books/Harcourt, 2002. Walter helps Iris see that being a big sister actually can be fun!
*Guest, Elissa Haden. Iris and Walter - The Sleepover. Gulliver Books/Harcourt, 2002. Iris is dying to go to sleep at her best friend’s house, but on the night of the big sleepover, everything changes for Iris. Walter, her best friend, helps her!
J R *Gutman, Dan. Babe Ruth and the Ice Cream Mess. Aladdin Paperbacks, 2004. Young readers are fascinated as they learn about the famous baseball player, Babe Ruth!
*Hall, Zoe. The Surprise Garden. Scholastic, 1998. A book about how three children enjoy planting a garden
J R *Hayes, Geoffrey. Benny and Penny in Just Pretend. Raw Junior, LLC, 2009. This book is recommended by Book Links. It is part of the Toon series. This is an easy reader in a comic book style about two mice siblings, Penny and Benny. The fun happens when Benny wants to act like a pirate, but is interrupted by his sister, Penny.
J P *Henkes, Kevin. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Greenwillow, 1996. A wonderful story about problem solving
J P *Hills, Tad. Duck and Goose. Random House, 2006. This book received the Children’s Choices for 2007 award. What will duck and goose do with something that they found that they think is a huge, spotted egg? Join in the fun and see how they protect it together.
J R *Hoff, Syd. Danny and the Dinosaur. HarperCollins, 1958. A classic story about a dinosaur and a friend named Danny
J P *Kellogg, Steven. Three Little Pigs. Greenwillow, 1997. A contemporary retelling of The Three Little Pigs.
*Leeuwen, Jean Van. Amanda Pig and the Awful, Scary Monster. Dial Books, 2003. A humorous book about Amanda Pig and the monster that she thinks is hiding in her room. All Amanda Pig Books: J P
J R *Leeuwen, Jean Van. Oliver the Mighty Pig. Dial Books, 2004. One of the newest books in the Oliver and Amanda Pig series…It’s a funny book about the work that a mighty pig named Oliver must undertake, as well as the superhero’s mishaps!
J R *Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Together. Harper Collins, 1971. Children love Frog and Toad! This book is part of a series.
J P *Lord, Janet. Albert the Fix-It Man. Peachtree, 2009. This new text is recommended by Book Links. It is a lovely story about how Albert, a man who helps others fix things, finally needs some help of his own. A wonderful message!
J P *Markle, Sandra. Finding Home. Charlesbridge, 2009. This exciting story is based on a true account of how a koala bear was homeless due to bushfires and explored a residential neighborhood as a new home. It is recommended by Book Links.
J P *McDonald, Megan. Insects Are My Life. Orchard Books, 1995. A funny, but informative book about insects
*Miller, Sara Swan. Three Stories You Can Read to Your Teddy Bear. Houghton Mifflin, 2003. A favorite of many children – by an award-winning author, Sara Swan Miller. This book contains three comical new stories about teddy bears.
*Morris, Ann. Work. Lee & Shepard, 1998. This is a wonderful photo essay about people involved in different types of work.
J P *Page, Gail. How to Be a Good Dog. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2006. This book is a Children’s Choices for 2007 award winner from the International Reading Association! It is a lively tale about Bobo, a dog who tries to be good, but learns that being good takes a little too much effort.
J P *Pitzer, Susanna. Not Afraid of Dogs. New York: Walker and Company, 2006. This book received the Children’s Choice for 2007 award! It features a boy named Daniel who is dreadfully afraid of dogs. However, he is very brave about everything else. It is humorously written and has a touching outcome.
J P *Rosenstiehl, Agnes. Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons. Raw Junior, LLC, 2009. This book is recommended by Book Links and is part of the Toon series. It is a cartoon-style book, written by a noted French children’s book author. Read different stories about Lilly, a spirited girl who adores the pleasures of every season.
J R *Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge: The First Book. Simon & Schuster, 1990. It is a classic tale about a puppy named Mudge who comes to live with Henry.
J R *Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of All. Macmillan, 1995. This is a wonderful story about Henry’s birthday, presents, and special favors for his big dog, Mudge. Children love the Henry and Mudge series.
J R *Rylant, Cynthia. Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea. Harcourt, 1994. This is a delightful story about an old man and a pet that become the best of friends.
*Siddals, Mary McKenna. Tell Me A Season. Houghton Mifflin, 1997. A wonderful description of the seasons
*Swinburne, Stephen. Guess Whose Shadows? Boyds Mill Press, 1999. Wonderful color photos show an assortment of shadows
*Thomson, Sarah L. Amazing Dolphins! HarperCollins, 2006. This book received the Children’s Choices for 2007 award. It is a nonfiction book from HarperCollins and has beautiful photos from the Wildlife Conservation Society. It is part of I Can Read – Level 2. This easy-to-read text for beginner readers will intrigue them with very interesting facts and photos of dolphins.
*Thomson, Sarah L. Amazing Sharks! HarperCollins, 2006. This nonfiction book is from HarperCollins and has beautiful photos from the Wildlife Conservation Society. It is part of I Can Read – Level 2. It is chocked full of unusual information about sharks, such as how some sharks can glow in the dark. It also offers some clear comparisons, such as how some sharks can grow as long as a fire truck.
*Thomson, Sarah L. Amazing Snakes! HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. This book received the Children’s Choices for 2007 award. It is a nonfiction book from HarperCollins and has beautiful photos from the Wildlife Conservation Society. It is part of I Can Read – Level 2. It has interesting facts about snakes with clear comparisons.
*Thomson, Sarah L. Amazing Tigers! HarperCollins, 2005. This nonfiction book is from HarperCollins and has beautiful photos from the Wildlife Conservation Society. It is part of I Can Read – Level 2. It includes many unusual facts about tigers that will surprise young readers.
J P *Wells, Rosemary. Noisy Nora. Dial, 1997. An updated edition of a classic tale about sibling rivalry
J R *Willems, Mo. My Friend Is Sad. New York: Hyperion Books, 2007. This 2007 chapter book by Mo Willems received a Starred Review from Booklist. Booklist feels that this book chalks up another success for Mo Willems. Guaranteed to please young readers, it is the story of how outgoing Piggie tries to cheer up Elephant.
J R *Willems, Mo. Today I Will Fly. New York: Hyperion Books, 2007. This 2007 chapter book by Mo Willems also received a Starred Review from Booklist. Piggie is determined to fly. Booklist says, “Accessible, appealing, and full of authentic emotions about what makes friendships tick!” This Elephant and Piggie series is a winner!
J P *Wilson, Karma. Moose Tracks. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2006. This book received the Children’s Choices Award from the International Reading Association. A fun-filled mystery about moose tracks that cover almost every surface!
J P *Yolen, Jane. Welcome to the Green House. The Putnam & Grosset Group, 1993. Beautiful book about rain forest ecology


Resources Consulted: Tenafly teachers and lists of award-winning books

Tenafly Library Call numbers in Bold: JP = Picture Book, JR= Beginning Reader, JE and J FIC = Chapter book fiction

READING LIST FOR ENTERING 1ST GRADE

The Tenafly Public School Lists went out this week so if your child hasn't brought one home yet, they should in the next few days. For easier access, I'll be posting each grade's school list here on the Tenafly Library Blog as I add our own call numbers to the lists.

Please keep in mind that these lists are a guildline and not required reading. Tenafly Public Library owns many of the books from the lists, but not all of them. If there is a book on the list you child wishes to read which we do NOT own, we can ILL (Inter-library Loan) the book from another libray in BCCLS or you can visit any nearby library in BCCLS and use your Tenafly Library Card there.

Here is the first of the lists:

(Suggested Books for Students Entering 1st Grade )

READ-ALOUD LIST
These books have been recommended by top national reading and writing experts. Recent award-winning books have been included. We urge you to read books that interest your child. Once you find an author or topic on this list that excites your child, read more books by that same author or on that same topic. Try to select an assortment of fiction and nonfiction titles, if possible. But, the key is for your child to want to read more and more. So, the final word is to read whatever your child wants and have fun!

Ahlborough, Jez. Hit the Ball Duck!
J P Allard, Harry. Miss Nelson Is Missing!
J 595.789 All Allen, Judy and Humphries, Tudor. Are You a Butterfly?
J 595.76 All Allen, Judy and Humphries, Tudor. Are You a Ladybug?
J 594.3 All Allen, Judy and Humphries, Tudor. Are You a Snail?
J 595.44 All Allen, Judy and Humphries, Tudor. Are You a Spider?
Baker, Jeannie. Home.
J P Barrett, Judith. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
J P Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline. (series)
Blanco, Alberto. Angel’s Kite.
J P Brown, Marc. Arthur books * now has chapter books as well J Fic Brown
J P Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
J P Chodos-Irvine, Margaret. Ella Sarah Gets Dressed.
J P Church, Caroline Jayne. Digby Takes Charge.
J P Church, Caroline Jayne. Little Apple Goat.
Cisneros, Sandra. Hairs/Pelitos.
J R Cobb, Annie. Wheels.
J 551.51 Cob Cobb, Vicki. I Face the Wind.
J Readalong Cooney, Barbara. Miss Rumphius.
Cooper, Elisha, Bear Dreams.
Cowley, Joy. Red-Eyed Tree Frog.
J 398.8 Nei Crews, Nina. The Neighborhood Mother Goose.
J 597.3 Dav Davies, Nicola. Surprising Sharks.
J P de Paola, Tomie. Strega Nona.
Deluise, Dom. Charlie the Caterpillar.
Dussling, Jennifer A. Stars.
Earle, Sylvia. Hello Fish! Visiting the Coral Reef.
J P Ehlert, Lois. Growing Vegetable Soup.
Ericsson, Jennifer. A Piece of Chalk.
J P Ernst, Lisa Campbell. The Turn-Around, Upside-Down Alphabet Book.
Falwell, Cathryn. Shape Capers.
Floca, Brian. The Racecar Alphabet.
Fox, Mem. Hunwick’s Egg.
Fox, Mem. Koala Lou, I Love You.
J P Freeman, Don. Corduroy.
J P Freymann, Saxton and Elffers, Joost. Fast Food.
French, Vivian. Growing Frogs.
J P French, Jackie. Diary of a Wombat.
Glaser, Linda. Wonderful Worms.
J 598.4 Gol Goldin, Augusta R. Ducks Don’t Get Wet.
Goodhart, Pippa. Three Little Ghosties.
Greenfield, Eloise. Honey, I Love.
J P Henkes, Kevin. Chester’s Way.
J P Henkes, Kevin. Kitten’s First Moon.
J P Henkes, Kevin. Lilly’s Big Day.
J P Henkes, Kevin. Sheila Rae’s Peppermint Stick.
J P Henkes, Kevin. Owen.
J P Hoban, Russell. A Baby Sister for Frances.
Hoban, Tana. I Read Signs.
Hoose, Phillip and Hoose, Hannah. Hey, Little Ant.
J P Hubery, Julia. A Friend for All Seasons.
Hurwitz, Johanna. Rip-Roaring Russell.
Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang.
Jackson, Ellen. It’s Back to School We Go! First Days From Around the World.
J P James, Simon. Little One Step.
J P Janovitz, Marilyn. We Love School!
J 573.8 Jen Jenkins, Steve & Page, Robin. What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
J P Juster, Norton. The Hello, Goodbye Window.
Kajikawa, Kimiko. Sweet Dreams: How Animals Sleep.
Keats, Ezra Jack. Regards to the Man in the Moon.
Klingel, Cynthia Fitterer and Noyed, Robert. Pigs.
Klingel, Cynthia Fitterer and Noyed, Robert. Pumpkins.
Lehman, Barbara. The Red Book.
J P Livingston, Myra Cohn. Calendar.
J P London, Jonathan. Baby Whale’s Journey.
J P Long, Melinda. How I Became a Pirate.
MacLean, Christine Kole. Everybody Makes Mistakes.
J P Carle Martin Jr., Bill. Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?
J P Martin Jr., Bill. Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?
J P Mayo, Margaret. Roar!
J 398.2 Mor Morales, Yuyi. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book.
Neubecker, Robert. Wow! City!
J P O’Connor, Jane. Fancy Nancy.
J P O’Connor, Jane. Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy.
Osborne, Mary Pope. Kate and the Beanstalk.
Polacco, Patricia. Babushka’s Doll.
Polacco, Patricia. Just Plain Fancy.
Raczka, Bob. 3-D ABC: A Sculptural Alphabet.
Ravishankar, Anushka. Tiger on a Tree.
J P Recorvits, Helen. My Name is Yoon.
J 599 Panda Ryder, Joanne. Little Panda – The World Welcomes Hua Mei at the San Diego Zoo.
Sayre, April Pulley and Sayre, Jeff. One Is a Snail Ten is a Crab: A Counting by Feet Book.
Schafer, Kevin. Penguins ABC.
Schafer, Kevin. Penguins 123.
Schwartz, David. Life Cycle series. - Wood Frog J597.89 SCH, Green Snake J597.96 SCH
J P Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Lemons Are Not Red.
J P Sierra, Judy. Wild About Books.
Sill, Catherine. About Reptiles: A Guide for Children.
Simon, Seymour. Wild Bears.
Simon, Seymour. Planets Around the Sun.
Stadler, John. Big and Little.
J P Steptoe, John. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters; An African Tale.
Swineburne, Stephen. Safe, Warm, and Snug.
Tokuda, Yukihisa. I’m a Pill Bug.
Urbigkit, Cat. Puppies, Puppies Everywhere!
J P Voake, Charlotte. Here Comes the Train.
J P Waber, Bernard. Lyle, Lyle Crocodile.
Wellington, Monica. Truck Driver Tom.
J P Whybrow, Ian. Bella Gets Her Skates On.
J P Willems, Mo. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
J P Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale.
Williams, Karen Lynn. Galimoto.
J P Williams, Vera. A Chair for My Mother.
J P Wood, Audrey. The Napping House.
J P Yolen, Jane. How Do Dinosaurs Go to School?
J P Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon.

**A Note on Call Numbers: J P = Picture books and are all shelved alphebetically by author, find them through the yellow arched doorways. J ###.# are nonfiction books and are shelved numerically on the taller shelves at the end of the Children's Room.

Mythological Fiction List

Do you have a 4th, 5th, or 6th grader who is mad for the Percy Jackson series and now for a loss for books since the end of the series? Here is a list for Percy fans and fans of Classic Myths in general.

“It’s All Greek to Me!”
Greek Myths with a Twist

Psyche in a Dress by Francesca Lia Block
A young woman, Psyche, searches for her lost love and questions her true self in a modern retelling of Greek myths.

Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs
When her mother suddenly gets married, Phoebe soon finds herself living on a remote Greek island, at a high school where the students and teachers are all descended from gods or goddesses.

Goddess of Yesterday by Caroline B. Cooney
Taken from her home on an Aegean island as a child, Anaxandra calls on the protection of her goddess while she poses as two different princesses over the next six years, before ending up as a servant in the company of Helen and Paris as they make their way to Troy.

Nobody’s Princess by Esther Friesner
Determined to fend for herself in a world where only men have real freedom, headstrong Helen learns to fight, hunt, and ride horses while disguised as a boy, and goes on an adventure throughout the Mediterranean world.
Nobody’s Prize

Snake Dreamer by Priscilla Galloway
Haunted by terrifying dreams of snakes, Dusa goes to a clinic in Greece where two mysterious doctors, the Gordon sisters, promise to cure her of her nightmares.

Troy by Adèle Geras
The story of the last weeks of the Trojan War, when women are sick of tending the wounded, men are tired of fighting, and bored gods and goddesses find ways to stir things up.

Ithaka by Adèle Geras
The island of Ithaka is overrun with uncouth suitors demanding that Penelope choose a new husband, as she patiently awaits the return of Odysseus from the Trojan War.

Andromeda: The Flying Warrior Princess by Laura Geringer (graphic novel)
Trained as a warrior and longing for adventure, the beautiful Andromeda teams up with Perseus to slay a horrible sea serpent that is terrorizing her kingdom.

Snakehead by Ann Halam
Perseus sets out to slay the terrible Medusa, accompanied by his beloved Andromeda, a princess with her own harsh destiny to fulfill.

Pandora Gets Jealous by Carolyn Hennesy
13-year-old Pandy is hauled before Zeus and given six months to gather all of the evils that were released when the box she brought to school as her annual project was accidentally opened.
Pandora Gets Vain
Pandora Gets Lazy

The Game by Diana Wynne Jones
Sent to a boisterous family gathering, orphaned Hayley discovers some secrets of her family’s past.

Lost in the Labyrinth by Patrice Kindl
14-year-old Princess Xenodice tries to prevent the death of her half-brother, the Minotaur, at the hands of an Athenian prince.

The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh
After 14-year-old prodigy Jack Perdu has a near fatal accident he meets Euri, a young ghost who introduces him to New York’s Underworld, where those who died in New York reside until they are ready to move on.
The Twilight Prisoner

The Minotaur by Tom Mason
While searching for clues to his dad's disappearance, Alex finds himself transported to a world of ancient myths. Sent to ancient Crete to be a sacrifice to the horrific Minotaur, Alex must defeat one of the fiercest creatures in all mythology.

Inside the Walls of Troy by Clemence McLaren
The beautiful Helen and the prophetic Cassandra describe the events surrounding the famous battle between the Greeks and the Trojans.

Waiting for Odysseus, by Clemence McLaren
The story of Odysseus’s epic journey told by the women who loved him: his faithful wife Penelope, the sorceress Circe, the goddess Athena, and his old nanny Eurycleia.

Aphrodite’s Blessings: Love Stories from the Greek Myths by Clemence McLaren
Atalanta, Andromeda, and Psyche, three female characters in Greek mythology, tell the stories of their marriages.

We Goddesses: Athena, Aphrodite, Hera by Doris Orgel
Three Greek goddesses, Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera, tell their own stories of love, war, loss, and triumph.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, 12-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan’s Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Last Olympian

Quiver by Stephanie Spinner
When her father commands that she produce an heir, the huntress Atalanta gives her suitors a seemingly impossible task in order to uphold her pledge of chastity, as the gods of ancient Greece look on.

Dusssie by Nancy Springer
At age 13, Dusie makes the horrifying discovery that she, like her New York artist mother, is a Gorgon – a Greek mythological monster sprouting snakes from her head and capable of turning humans into stone with one angry look.

The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu
13-year-old Charlotte and her cousin Zee set out on a quest that leads them to a not-so-mythical Underworld, where they face Harpies that love to rhyme, gods with personnel problems, and ghosts with a thirst for blood.
The Siren Song
The Immortal Fire

Odysseus in the Serpent Maze by Jane Yolen
13-year-old Odysseus, who longs to be a hero, has many opportunities to prove himself during an adventure that involves pirates and satyrs, a trip to Crete’s Labyrinth, and the two young girls, Penelope and Helen, who play a major role in his future life.
Hippolyta and the Curse of the Amazons
Atalanta and the Arcadian Beast
Jason and the Gorgon’s Blood
_________________

This list was prepared by:
Madeleine Wells
Young Adult Services
Charleston County Public Library

Summer Reading - A Word for Parents

The lists are starting to appear and the children (and parents) coming asking for books on level *. Most of our schools will be sending out lists of books they recommend that the kids read over the summer. Some of the classes even have lists of 'must read' books for the up coming year.

While keeping the kids reading through the summer is a good thing, keep in mind that this is their vacation and be a bit flexible. If it's a book of recommended and not required list for school, let your child pick what they want to read and stress yourself less about making sure it's a classic or that it's hard enough or challenging enough.

Definitely keep an eye on what your child is reading!! This is especially important for parents of middle grade children (ages 10-13 or so). Both boys and girls in this age group have the reading skills to read older novels which may contain content you'd rather they didn't read. Most kids are eager to grow up and want to read about older kids. Pre-schools like reading about elementary school, the 4th and 5th grades want to read able middle school, middle school wants to read about high school and so on. Around the middle grades that might mean that your tween wants to read books with issues you'd rather they didn't confront at this time. If you have questions about series, I'm happy to answer, but remember that all families have different values and comfort levels. You know your child best and your the best one to monitor their reading habits.

The following are a couple articles on reading on or above grade level. Being an advanced reader is a great thing, but keep in mind that there is more to reading than the technical skill or even the cognitive ability to understand what is read.

Jen Robinson's Book Page - Reading ahead of grade level, No not

All in the Timing, Why reading ahead of your grade level isn't necessarily a good thing

While I agree with much of what is in both of the articles above, the truth is that there are kids who are reading above their grade level and ARE bored by shorter and less complex books. If your child is one of those readers check out this list compiled by a group of youth services librarians for readers who are reading above their level:

Book List for Gentle Readers

(children reading above grade level)
Compiled by childlit listserv

Fantasy

Starting Readers :
Ruth Styles Gannett’s My Father's Dragon
Tony Abbot’s The Secrets of Droon series
Patrick Catling, The Chocolate Touch
Sid Fleischman, McBroom stories and others
Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House Series
Jon Scieszka’s Time Warp Trio series

Growing Readers:
L.M. Boston, The Children of Green Knowe
Frank L. Baum’s The Wizard of Oz series
Edward Eager, Half Magic (and others)
Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstockings series
Betty MacDonald, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series
E. Nesbit, Five children and It. series

Solid Readers:
Cornelia Funke, Dragon Rider
Lloyd Alexander’s Prydian Chronicles
Brian Jacques, Red Wall series
C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe series
J.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings series
Patricia Wrede, Dealing with Dragons series

Realistic Fiction

Starting Readers:
Judy Blume, Freckle Juice
Ann Cameron, The Stories Julian Tells series
Johanna Hurwitz, Russell Sprouts series
Barbara Park’s Junie B. Jones series
Cynthia Rylant, Coble Street Cousins
Louis Sacher, Marvin Redpost series

Growing Readers:
Beverly Cleary’s Klickitat series
Judy Blume, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Double Fudge
Eleanor Estes, both Pye and Moffat Family series
Arthur Ransome, The Swallows and Amazons series
Margaret Sidney, The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew series
Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House series (These books mature with the heroines)

Solid Readers:
Frances Burnett, The Secret Garden / A Little Princess
Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks
Barbara Robinson, The Best School Year Ever
Johanna Spryi - Heidi
Mark Twain, Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Johann Wyss, Swiss Family Robinson

Adventure & Mystery

Starting Readers:
Patricia Reilly Giff’s Minnie and Max series
James Preller’s Jigsaw Jones series
Ron Roy, A to Z mysteries
Marjorie Sharmat, Nate the Great
Alexander McCall Smith’s Akimbo series

Growing Readers:
Gertrude Chandler Warner’s Box Car Children series
John Erickson’s Hank the Cowdog series
Bruce Hale, Chet Gecko series
James Howe’s Bunnicula series
Laura Lee Hope’s Bobbsey Twins series
Donald Sobol, The Encyclopedia Brown series

Solid Readers:
E.L. Konisburg, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Jean Craighead George, Missing ‘gator of Gumbo Limbo
Kate Klise, Regarding the Fountain series
Ellen Raskin, The Westing Game
Willo Davis Roberts, View from the Cherry Tree

Animal Tales

Starting Readers:
Roald Dahl, Fantastic Mr. Fox
Richard Atwater, Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Shel Silverstein, Lafcadio, The Lion Who Shot Back
Randall Jarrell, Animal Family

Growing Readers:
Michael Bond, A Bear Called Paddington
Avi, Poppy
Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux; The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Dick King-Smith, Babe and other books
George Selden’s Cricket in Times Square series
William Steig, Abel's Island

Solid Readers:
Walter R. Books, Freddy the Pig series
Walter Farley, Black Stallion series
Carl Hiasen, Hoot, Flush

A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh series
Dietlof. Reiche’s I, Freddy series
E,B. White, Charlotte’s Web (beware the sadness factor) and others

Above all remember that reading, especially in the Summer while or while on vacation should be a thing on enjoyment. When your helping your child pick out some good books for their vacation, don't forget to pick up one or two for yourself!

Be Creative@Your Library

Summer Reading 2009 is almost here!

As always, Tenafly Public Library will be buzzing with activity in the summer. Our Summer Reading Club kick off and start of sign ups for Tenafly students is scheduled for June 24th at 3:00 PM. Tenafly students from K through grade 5 can sign up for the Summer Reading Club and Tenafly families with pre-K children can sign up for the family summer reading club.

For the Family Summer Readers Club, the family will get a 'game board' with activities to do together. For every five activities that are completed, the toddlers/pre-schoolers in the family can come in an receive a small prize. There are also story times and craft hours planned throughout the summer for pre-K aged children.

For the Summer Reading Club, students who join are asked to keep track of the time they spend reading. For every 5 hours of reading, students can receive a prize from the treasure chest. Students are limited to no more than 2 prizes a week. Students may pick any books, magazines, papers, or graphic novels they like with parental approval. The club will continue through August 21st.


Children of all ages are invited to come and stretch their creativity with master storyteller Jonathon Kruk on June 24th at 3:00 PM. Jonathon will share stories appropriate for all ages.

Looking for something to do?

On Sunday, June 14th
BCCLS and the Paramus Public Library will be hosting BOOKSNJ 2009 a day devoted to books and authors.

There will be 90 authors, illustrators, and poets there as well as activities for the whole family.
There will be crafts for kids, storytimes, panel discussions about books, and time to meet with your favorite authors.

Check out the web page for specifics on which authors will be there and a schedule of events.
www.booksnj2009.org

Hebrew Storytimes

Tenafly Public Library will be celebrating National Children's Book Week with our first Multilingual Storytime featuring stories in Hebrew. Stories will be read in Hebrew for pre-school aged children Wednesday, May 13th at 11:00 AM.

A local volunteer Miss Talia will be selecting and reading the children's stories and children will get a chance to do an activity after the stories are read. All children are welcome, fluency in Hebrew is not required. Come to keep your language alive for your children or bring them to learn and explore a new language.

Please watch here or call Latricia for information on more Multilingual storytimes.

Read Across America (delayed slightly by Snow!)

Have no fear! Though snow may have delayed our favorite Dr. Seuss storyteller, Mr Malcolm of Twilight Productions will be visiting the library on March 19th at 2 PM to deliver our Read Across America program.

Dressed as the Cat in the Hat, Mr. Malcolm will delight children of all ages with his retelling of some favorite Dr. Seuss stories. Children in the audience will get a chance to join him at center stage and help retell these classic stories. So parents come armed with your cameras these are images you will want to remember for a long time to come!

All ages are welcome and the program is a gift from the Friends of the Tenafly Public Library.

DVD Limit Raised!

Due to our growing collection and space limitations, Tenafly Public Library will be raising its DVD limit to 10 per family/household!

We still ask that patrons be considerate of each other. This means:
1. Please remember to return your DVDs ON TIME!
2. Please remember DVDs are easily scratched. They are not children's toy, pet toys, or Frisbees.
3. If you borrow a VHS, please rewind it before returning it.
4. Please do not leave VHS or DVDs in your car as heat and extreme cold can damage both.
5. Please return the DVD you borrowed IN its case with ALL the material it had when checked out.
6. Please do not check out 10 HIGH DEMAND titles at once.

We do our best to keep our collection up to date and in good condition. We appreciate your help with this! If a DVD is scratched to the point that there is difficulty viewing it, please alert the circulation staff when you return the DVD so that we may clean or repair it before it goes out damaged to another patron or gets any worse.

Thank you!

There are still a few spots left!

Hey Parents!

Looking for something for your 7-10 yr old to do over the school break? We still have a few slots open for our Art Class with Sharon Gross. The class will begin promptly at 3:00 PM on Monday, December 29th and will be approx an hour and a half. Children will come away from the class with a couple projects and a beginners understanding to the art of printing.

Call the Tenafly Children's Department to reserve one of the remaining places in this class!
201-568-8680

***Remember the library will close at 12:30 PM on Dec 24th and reopen on Dec 27th at 10:00 AM.***

Special Note: If your afraid that you missed out on some of the best children's or YA books of 2008, stop in the Children's Room and look through our copies of Kirkus Reviews' The Best Children's Books of 2008 and The Best Young Adult Books of 2008. Both are available at the Children's Reference Desk for parents to look through and both are annotated with Tenafly Public Library's call numbers for the books.

Cookie Decorating - December 2008

Last week a small group of enthusiastic 3 and 4 yr olds gathered in the John M. Wilcox Children's Room to decorate holiday cookies. This was the first time we attempted this at the library and a great time was had by all!

It was such a great time (and the kids were so great about keeping the decorations on the cookies!) that we are looking forward to repeating this program again. Check out the pictures below to see some of the masterpieces created this time!

Keep watch here for a posting on the next cookie decorating program we host. Our local lepechauns and a white bunny are currently arguing over who gets to be the focus of the next one.

Holiday Extravaganza - Dec 30 1:00 PM

Come join magician Mark Zacharia and his "Holiday Extravaganza" program!

Here, we'll demonstrate the gift of giving, trim an imaginary tree and light an imaginary menorah, and explain what a magician would do if he didn't have enough cash for the holidays! At the end of the performance, everyone will get a kazoo to participate in our show-stopping Kazoo SymPhony!

All children in attendance also receive a Jumbo Library Card that teaches a magic trick on the back! (Inexpensive souvenir wands and magic booklets will be available for sale after the performance.) Make this holiday season one of the most memorable you'll ever have with your family.

Mark your calendars so that you don't miss out on this fantastic show!
Admission is free and a gift of the Friends of the Tenafly Public Library.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30th 1:00 PM

National Children's Book Week

National Children's Book Week (November 17-23)

Don't forget to celebrate National Children's Book Week with your kids! Whether you come to the library with your Kindergärtner and get their first library card, attend one of our three story times, or come to Presley and Melody's children's concert please stop in at the Tenafly Public Library's Children's Room this week!

Our weekly story times are open to all children ages 3 to 5 with their caregivers. Older and younger siblings are welcome to attend as well, but be aware that books and crafts are chosen with the 3-5 yr age range in mind. Story times happen on Mondays @ 6:00 PM, Tuesdays @ 11:00 AM and on Thursdays @ 2:00 PM.

Presley and Melody (http://web.mac.com/presley2/Site_One/Childrens_Concerts.html) have a passion for music and connecting with families through their music. Their style is explosive and charismatic as they perform age appropriate music for family entertainment. Pre-school and elementary age audiences along with their families are invited to join in an interactive show which will captivate them with Presley & Melody's unique sound and innovative style.

On November 24th, local poet and author Judith Natelli McLaughlin (http://judithnatellimclaughlin.com/) will be visiting our Monday evening story time. Judith will be reading some poems from her book Ode to Veggies and talking to children and parents about poetry. Everyone is welcome.

Dog Days about to begin!

Many people call the hot days of summer the "Dog Days", but here at the Tenafly Public Library "Dog Days" don't start until September!

Beginning September 22nd and continuing through the school year, our popular Read to Dogs program will be active again. We have some new volunteer dogs and some veterans returning this fall in a slight change of format from years past.

This year our Read to Dogs program will be open to all students from K through 5th grades. We are not restricting to Tenafly residents and we are not requiring pre-registration. Our volunteers will be in the library from 3:30-4:30 on Mondays and from 4:00-5:00 PM on Thursdays. Students may call or come in and reserve a 20 minute time slot for one of those days or they can come in and see if there is open time available on the day the dogs are there.

Students taking part in the program ARE still required to READ to the dog at least 3/4 of the time they spend with the dogs. So plan to bring books, or pick out library books, to read to for 15 mins. Also, this is a program designed to be one-on-one. One child and one dog! This means parents are asked to LEAVE the child alone to read with the volunteer team. This also means that bringing a friend, sharing time with a sibling, etc. are discouraged. Consecutive time slots can be reserved.

This is a great program for kids who need help and practice with reading. It is also great for kids who are confident readers, but have problems with reading aloud, public speaking, or are shy. The interaction with the dogs gives the children confidence and practice reading aloud to an audience who is not critical. In this case, the experience is more important than getting things perfect.

Call Tenafly Library's Children's Dept. if you have any questions or wish to reserve time! 201-568-8680

Circus Day at the Library

All the popcorn has been swept up and the face paint washed off and all that remains of Tenafly Public Library's Annual Circus Day is the memories and the pictures!



This year we had some bumps and some scheduling changes, but all reviews so far have been good. Miss Cheryl from Currier's Magical Mania started our day with a Balloon illustrated storytime featuring a pirate story and followed by popcorn popped by her lovely assistant!



Colors the Clown (AKA Alicia Metz) and Emily from Basic Design worked their magic for the next two hours and the children of Tenafly were turned into fierce tigers, adorable puppies, cute kitties, or adorned with tattoos of butterflies, dragons, abstract art, or hearts. Check out many of the great designs in our slide show below. Colors even turned me into a Tenafly Tiger to the delight of many adults and children present.



The day wrapped up with a concert by Kurt Gallager. Kurt kept the kids dancing and the adults amazed with the number of different instruments he brought as well as the fun songs. The audience was even invited up to sing solos and we were treated to a number of different renditions of "Twinkle Twinkle little star." Each and every one of them was wonderful!

Until Next year, enjoy these pictures of Circus Day 2008:

CIRCUS UPDATE!

Our Circus Day schedule has changed, but the show will go on!

Doors open at 1 PM, with stories by Cheryl from Curriers Magical Mania. Cheryl visited the library back in February and held a fabulous storytime illustrated with balloons and sent everyone home with balloons of thier own. This time around, she will be entralilng the audience with stories about pirate adventures to start our circus at the library.

For children and adults alike, we will have popcorn snacks and drinks from 1 -3 Pm. After the storytelling, there will be coloring activities for young children. Facepainting will start at 2 PM with talented face painter, Alicia Metz and her friend from Basic Design, Emily! Emily and Alicia will be busy painting faces from 2 til 4 PM.

At 3 PM, Tenafly Public Library will be happy to introduce Kurt Gallager. Kurt has multiple CDs out and is always a popular musical guest in the libraries of Bergen County. Due to a conflict, the Flea Circus which was schedule to appear had to cancel and Kurt will be capping our Circus day off with silly songs and a rockin' good time.

Everyone is welcome and no registration is needed for any of these activities. The day is a gift from the Friends of the Tenafly Library. Any questions, call Latricia Markle at 201-568-8680.

The Circus is coming to the Library, the FLEA CIRCUS that is!

Children of all ages are invited to Tenafly Library's Circus Day. This will be our 5th annual Circus Day and we will be celebrating with face painting, popcorn, stories, and coloring for children.

Our Circus Day will start at 1 PM with circus stories read by Children's Librarian Latricia Markle. Following the stories there will be coloring and popcorn. Our favorite clown, Colors the Clown, and one of her friends will start painting faces at 2 PM and will continue until 4 PM.

The Flea Circus will begin promptly at 3 PM will be floor seating ONLY! Please be advised it will be first come first seats.

A Great intro to Classical Music

CityWinds will be visiting the Tenafly Public Library on July 31st at 1:00Pm. Music fans of all ages are invited to listen to them play "Flight of the Bumblebee" in honor of our Summer Reading Theme "Catch the READING Bug @ the library." In addition to a live performance, the audience will be given an oportunity for hands on exposure to musical instruments and movement and art related to the music.

City Winds Trio educates young children through their program Musical Innovations. Musical Innovations is an educational program that introduces young children to classical music and the instruments found within an orchestra. This program is presented throughout the East Coast at Public Libraries and schools.

Miss Spider Tea Party

On Tuesday, July 15th at Noon young fans of Miss Spider are invited to join us for a Tea Party.
At noon there will be a Miss Spider storytime followed by a craft and a tea party.

We will be serving ICED tea and all sorts of goodies. If your interested in attending please RSVP to Children's Librarian, Latricia Markle by July 14th at 5 PM.

Summer Story Times

Our Summer Story Times will follow an irregular schedule this summer in an effort to make them available to the widest range of Tenafly families. All story times are listed on our Google Calendar as well as on schedules available at the library's circulation desk. A link to the Google Calendar can be found at the top of the Upcoming Events list at the top of this page.

Summer Story Times are aimed at families with children from 2 yrs to 5 yrs of age. Younger or older siblings may find the stories either too complicated and long or too young for their taste. Please keep this in mind when you plan to attend story time.

We are have tried to keep a schedule of 3 story times a week (all have the same stories and craft), but there are a couple weeks where three story times just would not work. Feedback on the schedule is welcome and will help us to determine what fixed schedule we will set in September.

Fancy Nancy, Anna Smudge, and Uglies Authors on WABC-TV

Got an email from Sandra Solberg at Toasted Coconut Media about "Hot Tips from Cool Authors: How to Keep Kids Reading this Summer".

No sound on library computers so I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but can't wait to hear what Scott Westerfeld has to say as well as the other authors featured.
The link is below and is a WABC-TV segment that aired on Sunday morning (6/8). Whether your kids are fans of Fancy Nancy (3-6), Scott Westerfeld (13+), or anywhere in between check it out for ideas for keeping them reading through the summer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ8talx7vmE

And if you need more ideas, MAC has a lot more creative tips for summer reading on her blog at http://MACismy.name

Thanks to Sandra for sharing!

CATCH the READING BUG @ Your Library

Catch the Reading Bug @ Tenafly Library

Our Summer Reading Club (SRC) will beginning on June 27th for all Tenafly students from K-5th Grade. This year our SRC will be a little bit different from years past. In an effort to be as fair as possible to as many children as possible, we will be recording time read rather than books or pages. In years past, it was debated if faster readers had an advantage or if students who enjoyed longer books were hurt by a system which counted books.

As always we stress that this is NOT a competition against other students. The SRC is a way to have fun reading through out the summer and keep literacy skills from being forgotten or growing weak while not in school. Students or parents may set goals independently to work towards over the summer.

Sign up will start on June 27th at 11:00 AM at our kick off party for the SRC. Stevens Puppets will be performing their rendition of Sleeping Beauty to help start a summer full of stories. When they sign up, students will receive a reading log. Each block on the reading log is equal to 30 Mins reading. For every 5 hours reading, students can earn a prize up to two prizes a week.

Other benefits of the SRC, include weekly craft classes. The classes vary in time and days of the week in an effort to make them assessable to as many members as possible. Due to limits on Space, time, and materials all craft classes much be registered for the week prior to the actual class. All craft classes are held in the Friends Room of the Tenafly Public Library.

The SRC run through August 20th, when Mark the Magician will be performing at our end of Summer celebration which is open to anyone who participated in either of our Summer Reading Clubs (Catch the Reading Bug or Inch Worm Readers).

As soon as school reading lists are given to the library, I will be posting them to this blog and we will have them available to refer to at the children's desk.