Summer Reading

Last year our library director gave us a reading challenge for the summer. It provided me an opportunity to read a number of books I would not have normally chosen for my summer reading pleasure. I found that I really enjoyed a number of the books from the various genres in the challenge. This year we have been given another challenge. There are not as many books inn the challenge this year, but that does not make it any less of a charge. I have almost completed reading my selections for this summer. I have one book remaining. However, this does not mean that I have finished reading for the summer. No, I have lists of books in a number of different places (online and off) of books I want to read. You see reading takes me away to places that I may otherwise not be able to go in my lifetime. This morning I was listening to the news and I heard this quote from Nora Ephron....(post from Goodreads.com).

Nora Ephron

5/19/1941 - 6/21/2012

author, blogger, director, filmmaker, journalist,
novelist, playwright, screenwriter

“Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I've accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on. Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it's a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it's a way of making contact with someone else's imagination after a day that's all too real. Reading is grist. Reading is bliss.” 
― Nora Ephron, I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman


...and I could not agree more. Her words moved me and that is what reading, and actually writing, are all about. I don't know a better way to explain to someone how important reading is in my life. I have never been much of a writer, but over the past few years I have forced myself to become a writer through my blogging. By writing about the books I read I not only validate the author's word, but also the time I have invested in reading those words. I can put into words my own thoughts on the characters, plot twists, setting, etc. Through reading I have become a writer. 


I guess my point is, although most of our students are not reading when they leave our doors, they have been exposed to great books, stories, and authors, through story times, library lessons, classroom read alouds,  and  individual and family checkout. I hope these experiences have made an impact on each and every one of their lives. I hope our students can find the bliss Ms. Ephron describes through the pages of a book this summer and every day after.


Happy Summer Reading!

Scholastic Book Fair

Next week, May 14 - 18, we will be having a Scholastic Book Fair. Our book fair is sponsored by Irving Reads! Every child in the school will receive a voucher for a FREE book (valued up to $7.99). Titles include current and previous Texas 2x2 Reading List books the children have enjoyed checking out from the library this school year, as well as new favorites, like Pete the Cat. I know the children are going to have a wonderful time look at the books, and probably have some difficulty narrowing their selection down to just one title. We will have the book fair open Thursday evening from 3:00 - 700 for parents to come and purchase any additional titles you would like to add to your home library. A book plate will be placed in the front of the book your child selects as their free book in order to identify the new owner. We hope you enjoy sharing these books together for years to come.

Internet Safety

Do you know how to stay safe on the Internet? During story time for the next three weeks we are going to be talking about how we can stay safe while surfing the World Wide Web.

On the library webpage under Library Activities - April, I have posted links to a number of sites with information and online games you and your children can access together in order to talk about being safe on the Internet.

This Thursday evening at 6:00 PM the Kinkeade PTA will be having a program on Internet Safety.This will be an informative session on Internet safety tips for parents. After the presentation computes will be available to fill out the online criminal history checks for parents to go on upcoming field trips.

If you have any questions about helping your child stay safe on the Internet, please feel free to come to the library and I will provide you with additional resources.

Families Reading Together Program

The Families Reading Together Program is in full swing. I have been working hard to get all of the reading logs entered into the computer. Please forgive me if it takes a little more time to get the free books back to your child. If you do not have a reading log to record the book's title and author, please feel free to write them on any sheet of paper. You can also go to our website and print a reading log.

I am very excited with the number of students participating this year. I have already distributed 221 books to students. This is wonderful. It means our students have listened to at least 2210 books since the beginning of February. (This number only includes the recorded reading logs I have received. I'm sure there are parents who are reading to their children, but choose not to participate in the program.)

I love seeing all of the families who come into the library on Thursday evenings. The children are so excited to get to show their parents around and choose books to take home and read together. Please remember our school library is open every Thursday we have school until 7:00 PM. I look forward to seeing you in the library.

Our NEW Website

If you have not looked at our new website, you should go check it out! I have been adding content to the new site for the past couple of weeks. It is a work in progress. I hope you find some helpful and useful information for you to assist your child in their literacy development. If there are any links or information you don't see that you think would be helpful to other parents, please let me know and I will do my best to add it.

The library page has our Twitter feed, library hours, our blog address, a link to the online catalog, parent library card information, tips for taking care of library books, and a link to the Families Reading Together Program.

From the Library link on the left you can access monthly activities, district winning Media Fair submissions from Kinkeade, Recommended Reading Lists, and our library Schedules.

Information for the Families Reading Together Program and reading logs are also available.

I have created a section entitled Literacy Activities. At this time I have Listening and Writing Activities you can do with your child. Some of these activities are online and some can be done without a computer. I hope to add additional activities in the near future.

You can also find additional online resources under Internet Resources. There are links for Language, Math, Science, Social Studies, as well as Parent Links and other resources you might find helpful.