It's that time of term - please return your books.

Please can you start to return all library books so that we can get all our little darlings back before the end of term. Thank-you!

Forgiveness

Our virtue of the week is Forgiveness. Nelson Mandela embodies forgiveness. We have a new book in the library told, "in poignant verse and glorious illustrations" (back cover). You'll find it on the quick picks stand on the issue desk. 

New Lego and Star Wars books coming soon to a galaxy near you!

If I had a dollar for every time a young boy asked me if we have any Lego / Star Wars books, well I'd be rich. Bearing that in mind, I try to select a few new ones every time we get to pick new Scholastic books through the lucky book club, and I also purchase them selectively. These are great hook books - and I don't like to cast gender stereotypes - but boys especially love these books. 

I am busy cataloguing the following books - so once they've been stickered, taped and covered, they will soon be available for borrowing. I also have three new Thea Stilton chapter books, a new Geronimo Stilton, an Adventure Time Encyclopedia, a Minecraft book and an exciting new series called Spirit Animals and the latest Freak Street. Five new Where's Wally books are being processed, plus Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson, Tuck Everlasting, Skulduggery Pleasant (for those who like something a little scary) and an excellent non-fiction book titled "Maori in New Zealand". 

Look out for "The Church Mice at Christmas" by Graham Oakley. This series was my absolute favourite as a child and I still love them. The characters are ironic but lovable, the humour is dry, and sometimes outright hilarious and the illustrations are just amazing. If you ever have any books that you would like me to purchase, pop in and see me or leave me a note in the library office. 

May the Force be with you.

Transportation of the future

We have a Timeline of Transportation pegged up in the library that begins in 3500 BC and ends in 2004. It needed to go on into the future so I curated some videos, pics and articles on futuristic transportation on Scoopit and today we checked them out in the library at lunchtime. I gave the children blank paper, crayons and pencils and they came up with some incredible innovations. I love seeing how creative children's minds are!

Here is the link to some of the exciting forms of futuristic transportation. http://www.scoop.it/t/futuristic-transportation

PS - Happy Happiness Day.

Storytime at lunch times

In celebration of World Read Aloud Day, I played a read-aloud story at lunchtime (www.storylineonline.net) on the 'big' screen. This was a popular draw-card for the library, with children peeking their heads around the door, quietly wandering in and making themselves comfortable to listen to the story, many of them browsing through books at the same time. 

The next day the children asked if I could play another story, which they all enjoyed, so this may become a frequent event at lunchtimes in the library.

I'm also excited to tell you that I have just ordered some awesome books after getting feedback from children and teachers and I can't wait for them to arrive!

World Read Aloud Day

Happy World Read Aloud Day! It is the 5th of March in the USA, South America, etc, so we are still celebrating this special global initiative. As it was the 5th March in New Zealand yesterday, books were read aloud at our little school; here, there and everywhere. Room 9 took some delightful pics of children reading aloud ... Thanks for sharing!

In the library at lunchtime yesterday I read Precious Little aloud, surprisingly chosen by a junior. It is a sophisticated picture book with a deep message that those who do the mundane everyday work are indispensable - told through a visually awesome cosmic adventure: 

What are your read-aloud suggestions?

Celebrating World Read Aloud Day

Today is the day. 5th March is World Read Aloud Day. 

Imagine a world where everyone can read...

World Read Aloud Day takes action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. In support of this awesome global initiative, I'll read a story aloud at lunch time today, and I will play a few online videos of authors reading aloud to play on the 'big screen' in the library, every day this week. That brings me to another reason to celebrate ... the amplifier in the library has been repaired - so from now on I will be able to play book trailers, authors reading aloud and have all sorts of interesting story time happenings at library lunchtimes.

Would you like to get involved? Go to http://litworld.org/worldreadaloudday for a multitude of ways that you can get behind this special day.

I know our teachers read aloud to their classes frequently, and to celebrate that I will ask them at morning tea to try to get videos or pics taken to show that they have supported this initiative. 

Parents, you can get involved too. Read aloud - send me the pics or videos and I will possibly upload them to this blog. 
My email:library@woodlandspark.school.nz 

Children - it would be really cool if you could read a story to little siblings and get your mum or dad to send me the video.

If I get enough vids, I may even start a flipgrid. Check this one out:

http://flipgrid.com/#f4ad9b3e

Go to twitter and type in #wrad or #wrad14 to see how people are getting involved around the world.

  This would also be a good week for us to share our favourite read aloud books. You can comment below, drop me an email or come and tell me your favourite read aloud book.

Have fun!