Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.  I hope that everyone is enjoying a day of family and great food.  Below you will find some great Thanksgiving resources along with some great books.

A very cool Thanksgiving site is Plimoth Plantation's you are the Historian. This interactive exploration of the First Thanksgiving between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans is worth exploring even if you have visited the site in the past. The primary sources that are displayed remind us of how important it is to learn what we can from original sources. Many Thanksgiving stories we love to read aren't rooted in enough facts for them to be considered a reliable source. This historical investigation of that 1621 event clears up several popular misconceptions about the first Thanksgiving such as its length, number of guests, and foods that were eaten.

If you would like to continue to explore the First Thanksgiving, Scholastic's interactive experience includes Virtual Field Trip Videos hosted by reenactors. You can see the Plimoth village, a Wampanoag home, and learn about the Pilgrims trip on the Mayflower.

For current cultural celebrations our focus is often on family, food, and entertainment. The books displayed here are a mixed of fiction and nonfiction to help us celebrate the day!



Happy Reading & Happy Thanksgiving!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

My Favorites From National Picture Book Month

I hope that everyone has been enjoying National Picture Book Month, I know I have been.  I've been rereading some old favorites and a few new ones.

On November 2nd the theme was ABC or 123 books.  I picked up a new alphabet book called ABC Zooborns by Andrew Bleiman.  I just loved all the pictures of the baby animals in this book.  I loved at the end how it gave information about all the animals that were featured in the book.

On November 17th the theme was robots, so I got to reread two of my all time favorite picture books:  Robot Zombie Frankenstein by Annette Simon and Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman.  I just LOVE both of these robot books.  Boy + Bot is a great story about friendship.  Robot Zombie Frankenstein is a funny story with all kinds of shapes and costumes.  I'm so excited for Annette Simon's newest book Robot Burp Head Smartypants.  It is due to be published on February 25, 2014.

Today, November 25th the theme is frogs, but it is also nonfiction Monday. So I'm going to be reading Nic Bishop's Frogs.  I just love anything that Nic Bishop does, well maybe not the books about snakes and spiders.  The information that is provided in the text is presented in such a easy to understand manner.  The photographs, taken by Nic Bishop, that are featured in the book at absolutely incredible, even the snakes and spiders.  

I hope that everyone has been enjoying focusing on picture books during November.  If you have had any standouts, please share in the comment section.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter!  My Twitter handle is : @HESMediaCenter.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Happy Veterans Day!!

Happy Veterans Day!!  Thanks to all who have served.  In honor of Veterans Day I've got some great book suggestions.  

These first three a pictures books that are good for any child.  Picture books are not just for the younger readers, there is lots of ways for older readers to interact with them.  The first picture book is Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins.  Click here for a description on Goodreads.  The next is Hero Dad by Melinda Hardin.  Click here for a description on Goodreads.  The last picture book is Love Lizzie: Letters to a Military Mom by Lisa Tucker McElroy.  Click here for a description on Goodreads.  

The next three that I'm listing are chapter books, these books are good for those readers in Third Grade and above.  The first is Piper Read: Navy Brat by Kimberly Willis Holt. Click her for a description on Goodreads.  This is actually a series.  The next book is 100 Days and 99 Nights by Alan Madison.  Click her for a description on Goodreads.  The last book is Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reily Giff.  Click her for a description on Goodreads.  This book was a Newbery Honor winner in 1998.

All of these books are available at the Leonardtown Public Library.  At the Hollywood Elementary School Library Media Center we have all of these books available for check out, except Year of the Jungle.  I'm hoping that we have a copy of that book soon.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter!  My Twitter handle is @HESMediaCenter.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Military clip art used above is from

 

National Picture Book Month

November is National Picture Book Month. This celebration is a recent one for schools, libraries, authors and readers to promote literacy at all ages. Many times in the library we hear these words, "I want to check out a chapter book!" Chapter books are certainly wonderful, but often students want to rush to chapter books because they think picture books are too easy. 

In reality, many picture books are written for older readers at high reading levels. Books with illustrations working together with text can give readers a better understanding of challenging concepts. For example, Carole Boston Weatherford's book Freedom on the Menu tells the story of the Greensboro Sit-in. Doreen Rappaport's biography Eleanor, Quiet No More chronicles the First Lady's transition from childhood to the White House. Photographs like Nic Bishop's in his book Frogs capture wildlife in action-an experience many children don’t have.

Reader understanding of all of these topics are enhanced because of their illustrations. The picture book format provides the right balance to make the topic more accessible for students. 

During November I hope you'll challenge yourself to read a few picture books and enjoy the work of both authors and illustrators!  You can print this calendar in color or black and white with picture book suggestions. Let's read, share, and celebrate the power of picture books!

If you are reading any great picture books, please share with me!

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda

Back to School Night Library Card Sign-Up!

I was so happy to have Miss Jill from the Leonardtown Public Library come to HES for Back to School Night.  It was a perfect, since September is National Library Card Sign-Up month (see my post below).  Miss Jill's table was busy because 18 students/parents walked away with a brand new library card!  I was so impressed that we had that many sign up for a library card!    

If you or your children don't have a library card, click here to visit the library card page of the Public Library website.  It gives you a few options on how to apply for a card.  You can apply online or in person.  If you want to apply in person there is also a form that you can download, so you can fill it out before you go.

Click here to visit the St. Mary's County Public Library Homepage.  You can find all kinds of helpful information on this site.  I know that I'm on their site a lot, searching for books, using their resources, and many other things.

In the picture, on the right, is Ayden (a proud owner of a brand new library card), his mom, and Miss Jill.  I can't wait to hear about all the wonderful books he checks out using that new card!

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda