All Aboard for Book Week!

Teaching Pre K-8, Nov/Dec 2004 by Meagher, Sandy

Great ideas abound when it comes to finding ways to celebrate Children's Book Week

The library has been my home for 20 years and each year, our staff tries something new for Children's Book Week, a project sponsored by the Children's Book Council. This year, the dates are November 15-21. Here are some of the ways we've taken this opportunity to inspire readers.

The theme scheme

The use of themes such as, "Reading is Dino-mite" or "Books are Bear-y Special" has always worked for me. I ask the kids to read a book with a dinosaur or a bear in it - so it could be fiction or nonfiction. For example, nonfiction readers might choose Bear by Lisa Magloff, from the "Watch Me Grow" series (DK Publishing, 2004, ISBN: 0-7566-0194-0). The book has clear, easy-to-read factual information with excellent photographs. Fiction readers will like Don't Forget I Love You by Miriam Moss (Dial, 2003, ISBN: 0-8037-2920-0), which has bears as the main characters and a loving message for children.

Dinosaur lovers will enjoy the fiction T-Rex at Swan Lake by Lisa Carrier and Lenore Hart (Dutton, 2004, ISBN: 0-525-471774). This hilarious book has T-Rex leaving the Natural History j Museum to become a ballerina! Of course we have lots of books about nonfiction dinosaurs, our favorite being Dinosaurs (Know-It-Alls) by Jay Johnson and Greg Harris (Learning Horizons, 1999, ISBN: 0-768-10067-4).

More projects

Students then fill out a form with their name, title of their book and their teacher's name and enter a drawing for a free book. Teachers added to the themes by creating different projects across the curriculum, such as the dinosaur eggs made in art class or the photo display on bears that children created with pictures they found in magazines and through research and art projects.

So cool for school

We had a lot of fun with students reading books about school and made a collage of school activities and then listed the titles of books around it. Some great new school titles are, Tripping Over the Lunch Lady and Other School Stories edited by Nancy Mercado (Dial, 2003, ISBN:0-803-72873-5), No Messin' With My Lesson (Katie Kazoo Switcheroo) by Nancy Krulik (Grossett & Dunlap, 2004, ISBN: 0-448-43357-5), Gaspard and Lisa's Ready For School Words by Anne Gutman (Knopf, 2004, ISBN: 0-375-82890-7). I especially liked an easy project from the book 131 Ways to Use Film Containers by Donna Whyte (Crystal Springs Books, 2004, ISBN: 1-884-54856-3). Save film containers and ask the children to fill in a brief book review form that fits in the container. Children can use these to help choose books to read in the library.

The principal checks in

One Book Week project that was successful was inviting school staff to read a favorite story. Many times I sent two or three books to the person and they chose the one they liked best. Students always love to have the principal read to them. Mr. Tallo, our school principal, chose Flying Jack by Kathye Fetsko Petrie (Boyds Mills Press, 2003, ISBN: 1-563-97971-3). Mr. Tallo chose the story because he knows that children dream of becoming pilots, astronauts, etc. and this story allows children to realize that they should not give up on their dreams, just as the character in the story realizes his dream after overcoming many obstacles. Don't forget to take pictures and use in a display.

Visitors from the community

Community careers always interest students. Just what do insurance representatives, bankers, realtors and journalists do during their work day? Inviting a variety of people who tell a little bit about their career and then read a related story always interests children. The young business owner of our local pet shop, "Fins and Feathers," is always willing to share some of his live creatures along with a book. One I could suggest is Lunchroom Lizard by Daniel Kirk (Putnam, 2004, ISBN: 0-399-24178-7). Your students will be fascinated by lizards, geckos and anoles thanks to this laughable story.

The book a community member reads doesn't have to be related to his or her profession. My husband, who is a real estate broker, read the book Naughty Little Monkeys by Jim Aylesworth (Dutton, 2003, ISBN: 0-525-46940-0). The children loved it.

Other voices, other cultures

Anyone who is from a different culture or who has visited a different country holds great information for students. Inviting these people to read and share their personal history is invaluable. Since a diverse public is what we are all about, inviting these people will accomplish more than just providing interesting books for the children to read. Two new nonfiction series that tie into this perfectly are Abdo's Boys and Girls Around the World and Do Something About It series. Be sure to go to www.ab dopub.com to check out their terrific books.

Listen up

This year I also plan to offer a listening area where students can listen to an audiobook and follow along with the print book. This can be done in school or at home. Go to www.listeninglibrary.com to see the excellent selection available. Many times readers aren't able to read a longer book such as Artemis Fowl by Eoin Golfer (Miramax Kids, 2001, ISBN: 0-786-80801-2) and they really want to try it. They want to be able to talk about it with their friends. A way to accomplish this for some students is to use cassettes. This allows everyone to become involved in the excitement. During Book Week, using a book on tape should be allowed!