Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom

Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom is a very good book. It's about these two girls named Violet, Rose, and their mother. Her mom has been recently divorced from her husband, who is a huge movie producer. He has gone away to LA, with a new girlfriend. They had twins together. Now her Mother has been dating men off of a online dating service. None of the men, so far, are very nice, until she meets a guy named "Dudley Weiner". Violet hates him. She tries to break them up. This book is full of practical jokes, underwear flushing and George Clooney.

I majorly recommend this book to anyone!

By Aura S.

DECEMBER 2010 NEWS

December has been a busy month at the Florence Meares Library. Read and Relax is well underway and students have been escaping the cold on Fridays during 2nd Break on Fridays. Our Battle of the Books teams have started training for our spring competitions. A huge thank you to Ms. Hammill and Ms. Porter who make Battle of the Books happen at Florence Meares. Our Grade 4 students from Ms. Markuci, Ms. Ghai, and Ms. Decker-Such's classes have been enjoying creating video Book Trailers about a variety of pictures books. Stay tuned to the F.M. Library website for their completed videos.

A huge thank you goes out to our December Birthday Book Club participants: Eric D., Grace W., Jack W., Andrew M., Victoria H., Raiya., Dylan R., Jacob M., Alex M., Katie S., Liam M., Marvin J., Ellie R., Martin P., and Elizabeth M.. Belated Birthday Book Club thanks go out to: Jamie W. (Sept. birthday), Sydney W. (Oct. birthday), Hannah W. (Nov. birthday), Skylar G. (November birthday), and Ben M. (November birthday). Your continued support of the Birthday Book Club program allows us to purchase many new books for our school Library!

You'll notice a new menu link our school and library websites called "Homework Help". Information for online Mathematics homework help, available to Grade 7 to 10 students, is provided, as well as, information about our very own "FMS Homework Help" conference on CHATT. Thank you to Jordan W. who is providing student leadership to this initiative. If you have any questions please send me an email.

Finally, I wish everyone a fun, happy and safe holiday season. Be sure to sign out a book for over the holidays. We'll see you in 2011!!

Harvey

From time to time I read a book that completely blows my mind. This is one of those books. Harvey is a children's graphic novel which deals with the subject of the death of a close family member through the eyes of a child. The brown pencil illustrations are the perfect compliment to the text, which resonates with the voice of a young boy in the playful endeavours of childhood. At the end of this story one is faced with a tremendous sense of loss and pain. This book speaks to young and old alike and will resonate clearly with anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Harvey is not to be missed.

Alexandria of Africa by Eric Walters

Alexandria of Africa is a book about life changing lessons, exploring beyond your comfort zone & not to take anything for granted. This book is a great read for anyone who wants to try different genres, that is a big fan of Eric Walters books or anyone who just wants a page turner with lots of exciting reading events. The main character, Alexandria Hyatt, who shoplifted, but didn't want to go to jail, will take you through her journey of stretching out of her Beverly Hills prime time mansion, into a scenery with lions, elephants & people she would never thought of meeting. I liked that this book is exciting at the beginning, & won't stop you from placing your bookmark at anytime. I recommend this book to anyone in the intermediate grades, but the 5's and 6's will enjoy as well!

By Alexandria

TTYL by Lauren Myracle

Mickey Mouse and Becca-Boo have signed in

Mickey Mouse: Hey Rebecca, WAZ UP????

Becca-Boo: Hey Michaela.

Mickey Mouse: Man, I am so bored these days. I need something new 2 read.

Becca-Boo: Have you read the AWESOME book called TTYL?

Mickey Mouse: No. Tell me about it!!!!!! :O

Becca-Boo: It’s about 3 girlz and their rollercoaster, which is 10th grade!

Mickey Mouse: Uh, that’s a very VAUGE description. Tell me more or ima LEAVING!

Becca-Boo: Okay, okay already! It’s about 3 girls who just start 10th grade (p.s. they're BFFs by the way) and they talk about all of their problems in school. Oh, and its all done on a chat, just like we are doing now!

Mickey Mouse: Cool! Where can I find it?

Becca-Boo: Well, you can find it at our F.M. Library or (I’m SURE) at a bookstore.

Mickey Mouse: Is there, uh, any foul language in it (cute little girl face)???? 

Becca-Boo: Yes, there is. I REALLY wouldn’t recommend this book for people under the age of 13.

Mickey Mouse: ‘Kay, thanks 4 the tip!

Becca-Boo: No problem!;)

Mickey Mouse: g2g, my moms calling me. TTYL!

Becca-Boo: TTYL!

By: Rebecca S. and Michaela C.

PERCY JACKSON BOOK #4 IS AMAZING!

The Battle of the Labryinth is a great book. It is the 4th book in the series "Percy Jackson". This book is about a boy called Percy Jackson and his friends Grover and Annabeth, and how they go on a mission into the labryinth trying to find a special string before their enemy Luke does. This book is exciting, thrilling, and a brain twister. I really loved reading this series.

By: Mackenzie E.

Wemberly Worried

The start of a new school year can be a stressful time of year. New teachers, new classrooms, and new friends can raise our stress levels. In "Wemberly Worried", Kevin Henkes creates a character we can identify and empathize with. Wemberly clutches her stuffed rabbit Petal at the beginning of the story for comfort. Our primary friends enjoyed sharing fond memories of their favourite stuffed animals. In spite of all her worries and fears, Wemberly goes on to thrive in her new surroundings as she makes a new friend.

It has been wonderful this month getting to know our new Kindergarten friends @ FM. "Kindergarten Rocks" by Katie Davis highlights all of the awesome things about Kindergarten. The Library did get a tad noisy as we all chanted "Kindergarten Rocks" at the end of the story.

Laurie Keller's lighthearted book about manners is a hilarious reminder about the importance of etiquette in everyday life. Our Grade 3 and 4 students were left groaning and smiling at "cheesey" joke after cheesey joke. Through humour and vivid illustrations Keller reminds us that manners are still important in our day to day interactions with each other.

It's rare I have to say "Don't Try This at Home!" before I read a book. This hilarious look at sibling rivalry is written like a "How To" guide. For me, this story, reminded me of how important family is and how special they are.

UPCOMING BPL EVENTS!

We are very lucky here at Florence Meares Public School to have an awesome Public Library in Burlington. They put on many great events and programs that directly benefit our school community. Here are a few programs that you might want to check out.


Check out the 7Up Book Club happening on Thursdays.
Looking to work on those communication skills? Call BPL today to register.

Halloween is just around the corner!! Get spooked @ Tansley Wooods.

This might be of interest to some of our recent FM Grads.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

We have had an exciting start to the 2010/2011 school year. After a hot, sunny summer, it's been great to see smiling faces and hear about summer adventures.

All classes in the school have had an opportunity to visit the Library and sign out a book. Grades 1-4 have weekly scheduled visits to the library, while Grade 5 - 6 are invited to the Library during periods 1,2 and 1st nutrition break. Thank you to our volunteers who assist in keeping the books flowing smoothly in and out of the Library. You are a tremendous help!!

Hosting a game show has always been a bit of a dream of mine, I admit. This year my dream came true as I hosted "Library Jeopardy" with our Junior and Intermediate students. While some teams raked in the $$$$, it was clear we were all winners as we discovered amazing new things about our Library. Who knew our Library catalogue has a link to Award Winners. You can check it out here http://bit.ly/aLueD6. I'm for sure going to use the Award Winners page next time I'm stuck for a book to read.

I hope everyone has had a great start to the year and we'll see you all in the Library real soon:-)

Mr. Cann

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

If someone asked me what was the most popular book during the 2009/2010 school year, I would say Diary of a Wimpy Kid hands down.

This summer, I was determined to read the Dairy of a Wimpy Kid series. I quickly discovered why the students at Florence Meares Public School have been clamouring for these books all school year.

I found myself laughing out loud at the "Cheese Touch". This contagious disease runs rampant at Greg's school as student's avoid carriers at all costs. I chuckled to myself as I reminisced about the cooties when I was a little guy.

While the book is peppered throughout with episodes of hilarity, Dairy of a Wimpy Kid conveys and important message. Greg learns that to have a friend you have to be a friend.

After having read "Greg Heffley's Journal" I can't wait to read the next title in the series. I highly recommend this book to all readers young and old.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is an instant classic that leaves the reader wanting more!

FLORENCE MEARES SUMMER READING TOP TEN!

Summer is a fantastic time to kick back and read. To help you with your summer reading, here is the Florence Meares Summer Reading Top Ten list!!

10. Check out the FM library website, especially Library Links. There's lots of good stuff in there waiting to be discovered.

9. Get ready for new magazines @ FM. Did you know we have new subscriptions to: BMX Plus, Boy's Life, Discovery Girls, Girlworks, The Hockey News, Kayak, Zamoof and others !?!! The best part is that in September you will be able to sign out your favourite magazine. Check out the magazine online companion websites.

8. If you are a Primary student at Florence Meares be sure to participate in the "Florence Meares' Cuddle Up and Read Summer Reading Challenge 2010". Check out the final June 2010 newsletter for more details.

7. Visit the FM Battle of the Books section and get ready for the 2010 Battle of the Books:

http://chatt.hdsb.ca/~cannm/BattleoftheBooks

Thanks to Mrs. Hurley and Mrs. Hammill for all of their hard work!

6. Read to someone. Parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends love to hear stories. Take some time to read one of your favourite stories to someone you know.

5. Read to your pet. Pets love attention and they love stories too!! Spend some quality time reading to your pet over the summer.

4. Check out "Ms. Fink's Hot Summer Reads":

Mrs. Fink's Hot Summer Reads

Thanks Mrs. Fink!!!

3. Listen to a book. Did you know the Burlington Public Library has audio books you can download? Check them out here:

http://www.bpl.on.ca/internet/audiobooks.htm

2. Read a book online. The Burlington Public Library has some great links to Electronic Books that you can check out here:

http://www.bpl.on.ca/internet/electrbooks.htm

If you are a student in Grade 1 or 2 with the Halton District School Board be sure to use your Raz Kids account over the summer. Check it out here:

http://www.raz-kids.com/

1. Visit you local Library and sign out some books, magazines and videos. Our local Library, Tansley Woods, is fantastic. You can even order stuff online and have it delivered to Tansley Woods for pick up. Check out the Burlington Public Library Kids website here:

http://www.bpl.on.ca/bplkids.htm

I hope everyone has a fun, exciting and safe summer. Enjoy your time off and be sure to read some of your favourites over the summer. I want to hear all about your summer adventures in September. Send me an email if you have any questions and follow us on Twitter for the latest news @FMLibrary.

Mr. Cann

As we prepare for the holidays, we have taken the opportunity in the Library to read many stories about summer. Unfortunately for fans of "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" Santa Claus does not make an appearance. This humourous look at a family's vacation makes fun of all of the extra stuff that we take on vacation. Their vehicle is filled to near bursting. Author Natasha Wing reminds us that family summer vacations give memories that last a lifetime.

Floppy!!!

The book "Floppy" by Guido van Genechten is a good book. This is one of our Dual Language Books translated by Surinder Singh Attariwala. In the book Floppy, the rabbit has an ear that is floppy and he tries to straighten it but it doesn't work. Floppy goes to the doctor and the doctor says ears come in different shapes and sizes. Still, Floppy wants to make his ears straight because the other rabbits make fun of him. This book is available in 21 different languages. The Punjabi translation makes sense but it could have been better. Sometimes the word in Punjabi is the exact same in English. The book is fun to read with your family. If you can read Punjabi check it out today!

By, Simranjit

The Stanley Cup comes to Florence Meares P.S.!!!

Thursday, May 27th, 2010 is a day which will go down in Florence Meares Public School history.

A visit by the Stanley Cup provided a once in a lifetime opportunity to see, first hand, the Stanley Cup. Every class had a chance to see and touch the Cup.

The atmosphere in our large gym was electric as Mr. Pritchard, Keeper of the Cup, shared some of the history of the cup.

Did you know that each player on the winning team gets to spend a whole day with the cup? As a result, the Cup has traveled all over the world.

One player even ate Fruit Loops out of the cup. There are well over 2000 names engraved on the cup. Amazing!

You can hear more incredible stories about the Stanley Cup's adventures at the Hockey Hall of Fame website.

At the end of our time with the Stanley Cup, Mr. Pritchard donned his white gloves and carefully placed the Cup in it's protective case, ready for it's next adventure.


Take care Stanley! We will miss you!

A little piece of Florence Meares Public School will always be with you. Safe and happy travels Stanley:-)


A huge thank you goes out to Mr. Pritchard and the NHL for bringing the Stanley Cup to our school. This is an experience our students will never forget:-)

To learn more about the Stanley Cup check out Wikipedia, NHL.com and The Hockey Hall of Fame Stanley Cup Journal.

The Elves and the Shoemaker

The Elves and the Shoemaker is a story about a shoemaker who sells shoes. In the middle of the night, two little elves come and make the shoes so they are ready to be sold in the morning. The shoemaker tries to find out who is making these beautiful shoes so he can thank and reward them. This book is translated in Arabic. You can also find more story books in the library which come in different languages like Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and many more.

By: Misham

Dual Language Books @FM

The Dual Language Books come in a variety of different languages. There are many different story books which are very popular and everyone can enjoy them no matter what age. The translation of the English text into another language is very accurate and there is also a glossary at the back of the book which has the English meaning for some words used in the story. These books are very interesting and fun to read and everyone is sure to enjoy them.

By: Misham

A Bad Penny Always Comes Back

A big thank you goes out to the Rotary Clubs of Burlington for donating "A Bad Penny Always Comes Back". It's a true story of friendship between the Netherlands and Canada. Canadian food drops helped many Dutch people survive "The Hunger Winter of 1944". This story reminds us that the tulips that bloom on Ottawa's Parliament Hill are an enduring symbol of friendship between the Netherlands and Canada. Thank you to Stan Jones, the wireless operator on the "Bad Penny", who took the time to sign our copy. Be sure to come by the Library and check out this informative book.

Thank you Rotary Clubs of Burlington for your generous donation!

Are books still relevant to kids today? Have a look a this thought provoking video. Be sure to hang in there to the end!

Thanks to Ocoee Middle School in Florida for this great video. Enjoy!

This week our Primary friends enjoyed hearing The Rain Stomper by Addie Boswell. It is the day of the big parade and the clouds come rolling in and the rain starts pouring. Jasmine, the main character, is undettered and ventures out in the the soaking street to stomp and splash her way to a sunny day. Boswell's vivid text paired with Eric Velasquez's detailed illustrations create a compelling story. Be sure to check out this book if you haven't read it yet.

The Frog with the Big Mouth

Books have incredible power to transport us to different places. Teresa Bateman's "The Frog with the Big Mouth" sends the reader to South Africa and introduces many amazing creatures. Toco Toucan, Coatis, Capybara, and Jaguar are just some of the creatures Bateman shares in her action packed story. We had fun guessing the names of these unique creatures as the author left us hanging and guessing on almost every page. Bateman's true literary talents are revealed as she skillfully weaves her moral tale of the dangers of bragging with adventures through the forests of South America.

Raindrop, Plop!

Our Kindergarten friends had a chance to hear about all the fun we can have in the rain. In "Raindrop, Plop!" Wendy Cheyette Lewison reminds the reader of all the awesome things about rain: umbrellas, rubber boots, puddles, raincoats, etc.. Lewison reminds us that perhaps one of the best things about rain is that, eventually, the sun shines again. This book, about the joys of rain, is not to be missed.

"April showers bring May flowers" is how the poem goes. This year we have had a wonderful April with very little rain and lots of warm weather and sunshine. It's been more like May than April. This week we read some stories about rain and all the havoc it can cause. David Shannon pairs vivid illustrations with lively text to create a wet, chaotic and entertaining environment.

Old Black Fly

Sunshine, warm weather, green grass. These are the things that make spring such a great time of year. Along with all of these great things come flies as well. As people go about their day, Old Black Fly buzzes around and bugs everyone in sight. The surprise ending to this story and vivid illustrations do not disappoint. Fly lovers beware!

VANCOUVER 2010 + GOOGLE MAPS = AWESOME

We have all come to know and love Google Maps. Recently, Google has taken Google Maps to the next level. The Google snowmobile allows users to interact with the Vancouver 2010 terrain in a totally unique and fresh way. Click here for an interactive map. See below for an explanatory video.

Go Canada!!!

PODCASTING @ FM!

Our Grade 4 classes have been working very hard at creating some unique and interesting podcasts for everyone to enjoy. They have reviewed a variety of books and are sharing their impressions here. I've added a permanent link on the left. We hope you enjoy listening to our podcasts as much as enjoyed making them. We used First Class software and our CHATT email accounts to record our podcasts. Thank you to Mrs. Markuci, Mrs. Decker-Such and Mrs. Reilly-Scott for their computer expertise and willingness to try new things!

READ AND RELAX!

Want to escape the nasty winter weather? Come to the Library on Fridays for Read and Relax! Grades 5 to 8 are invited to the Library during the 1st half of the 1st Nutrition Break. Grade 1 to 4 are invited to the Library during the 2nd half of the 1st Nutrition Break. Remember to bring your books and get ready to read. Thank you to all our Library friends who help make Read and Relax so successful: Mr. Purcell, Mrs. DiMatteo, Mrs. Collet, Mrs. Dietrich, Mrs. LaCroix, Ms. McWhirter, Ms. Ferenac, Mrs. Jansz, Mrs. Guzzo, Mr. Dalgliesh, Mrs. Nakahara, Mrs. Lee, Mrs. King, and Ms. Rust.

FM BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 2010!!

Selection for the 2010 Florence Meares Battle of the Books team has begun. Our team will be meeting weekly to train in preparation for the Battle in the spring at the Central Public library.

For more information about this exciting program click here.

A huge thank you goes out to Mrs. Hurley, Mrs. Hammill and all of our parent volunteers who have made our FM Battle of the Books team possible.

Rough Weather Ahead for Walter the Farting Dog

Have you ever felt misunderstood or out of place? Well, this book is for you. William Kotzwinkle shares his creativity through Walter the dog.

Walter has a problem. Life handed Walter a lemon and he makes lemonade. Walter uses his special talent to help others. At the end of reading this story, we ask ourselves, what special talents and abilities do we have and how can we use these talents to help others.

Farley Follows His Nose

What do dogs love more than anything? Food! This week our Kindergarten friends met a new friend named Farley.

After an exhausting bath, Farley gets the munchies and smells some wonderful smells. Farley follows his nose to a child's birthday party where a boy gives Farley a hot dog. He has made a new friend. Farley's nose leads him to many other interesting places: a construction site, a pool, a garden, a campsite, and a park. In the park, Farley finds the boy from the birthday party. The boy is lost. Farley follows his nose once again and leads the boy home. A concerned Uncle Phil finally corrals Farley with his Farley's favourite food, pizza! A filthy Farley returns home ready for another bath.

The illustrations of the book will be immediately recognizable to fans of Lynn Johnston's comic strip “For Better or For Worse”. You can see more of Lynn's work here http://www.fborfw.com.

The Forest of Reading program has arrived at the FM Library. Next week our Silver Birch Express (Grade 4), Silver Birch (Grade 5 and 6), and Red Maple (Grade 7 and 8) groups will be meeting to exchange and discuss book. We will also be sending emails to our HDSB CHATT conferences about the books. Podcasting book review will also be something we are going to try as well. Stay tuned to this website for some upcoming, student created, podcasts that we will be posting here. Be sure to check the Library Calendar for exact meeting times. We look forward to a fun and productive time together.

For more information about the Forest of Reading program please visit the Ontario Library Association website here:
http://www.accessola.com/forest2010/

If you have any questions, please send me an email @ cannm@hdsb.ca.

We Love Hockey!!!!

Canadians love hockey and this week our Grade 3 students had the opportunity to enjoy a book from the Brady, Brady series. In Brady, Brady and the Great Rink, Mary Shaw takes an entertaining look at a true Canadian pastime. Chuck Temple's vivid illustrations remind one of Saturday morning cartoons. Brady reminds the reader to never give up and that hard work pays off. This book holds some neat life lessons for young and old alike.

January Rides the Wind written by Charlotte F. Otten and illustrated by Todd L. W. Doney is a book filled with vivid illustrations and language. The colours and words used in each page reflect the weather that experienced in our area (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) throughout the year. Our Kindergarten friends enjoyed hearing all the different months of the year and how each one is unique. This is a great book for learning about the months of the year and how each one is unique.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year everyone!

You might be wondering why Captain Underpants is smiling so much. Captain Underpants is smiling for 2 reasons: he's thrilled that it's 2010 and he also had a chance to check in some of the new books that arrived in our Library over the holidays.

Thanks to the wonderful support that everyone showed during the annual Florence Meares Book Fair and some book buying Mr. Cann did in October, hundreds of new books have been arriving in our Library.

Ms. Mills has been cataloguing and preparing books at record speed. Thank you Ms. Mills.

Enjoy the new books everyone and don't forget to say hi to Captain Underpants at the Circulation Desk!