September 2011

We've had a great start to our school year in the FM Library.

All of our Grade JK to 4 classes have been up for their weekly Library exchange and the books have been flying out the doors. Students are encouraged to return their Library books on a weekly basis so they can get new books.

Our Grade 5 to 8 classes have had their Library Orientation sessions and we have enjoyed playing Jeopardy and watching "The Girl Who Hated Books" by Jo Meuris which you can watch here http://t.co/02yDM9u.

Homework Club has started up for our Grade 6 to 8 students during 1st Break. A huge thank you to Ms. Rust and Mrs. Nakahara who make this happen! This is a great chance for our students to get some homework done in a supportive environment.

See you soon in the Library!

Bee-Wigged

Jerry the bee is misunderstood. People are afraid of Jerry. Jerry is a large bee. Our Grade 3 students enjoyed hearing the story of Jerry this week. Bee-Wigged written by Cece Bell is a story of ones longing to fit in. It's also a story of friendship and acceptance of differences. At the end of this touching story we realized that it's what's inside that counts. Bee-Wigged is an outstanding picture book that is not to be missed.

Buzz Visits Telling Tales!!

Our Library mascot, Buzz, had an amazing time at the Telling Tales Storytelling Festival on Sunday, September 18th. The weather was outstanding and Buzz had the chance of a lifetime to meet some famous authors!

The day started with a bus ride from the Rockton fairgrounds to Westfield Heritage Village. It was Buzz's first bus ride and you can tell by the smile on his face that he enjoyed every minute of it.
Buzz then visited the "Swapping Tales" Children's Book Swap where he exchanged some of his books for books he had never read before. The air was buzzing as people excitedly swapped books.

Next Buzz had the pleasure of meeting Mireille Messier author of "Luca". Written in French, "Luca" is vividly illustrated by Carl Pelletier and reminds us that going to sleep can be hard especially if you have an outstanding and creative imagination! Buzz was excited to bring back a copy of "Luca" to the FM Library!
Buzz was thrilled to meet Barbara Reid. Her new book "Picture a Tree" once again showcases her outstanding artistic talents using plasticine. "Picture a Tree" shows all the things a tree can be and the many ways a tree can be pictured. Barbara Reid even signed a copy of her new book which Buzz has brought home to the FM Library! Thank you so much :-)

Kean Soo's "Jellaby" books continue to be a popular Graphic Novel read here at FM. Our very own Paige W. has written a review of "Jellaby" which you can find here. Buzz had a chance to talk to Kean about his books and his unique artwork. Thank you Kean and we can't wait for your next book!
After visiting the many unique buildings at Westfield Heritage Village Buzz reclined in the sunshine to enjoy some popcorn and a reading of "Gifts" by Jo Ellen Bogart and Barbara Reid.

What a great day and a huge thank you to all the folks who helped to make the Telling Tales Festival happen. Make plans to attend next September.

For more information visit the Telling Tales website.

FM LIBRARY SUMMER READING TOP TEN

I can't believe another school year is almost over. The lending of Library materials at Florence Meares is over for another school year so that we can complete inventory over the summer (Thanks Ms. Mills!!). We have had a great year thanks to our awesome students and fantastic parent volunteers.

To help our students continue to develop their reading skills over the summer Here's the FM Library Summer Reading Top Ten for 2011:

10. Visit your local Library. Our very own Burlington Public Library is open all summer long and running a summer reading program called "SPLASHport to Summer Fun". You can even place holds on items over the internet and have them delivered to our neighbourhood Tansley Woods Branch! For more information go to the Burlington Public Library website.

9. Listen to an audiobook. Some free titles are available here and you can also check out many more titles at the Burlington Public Library.

8. Try one of "Ms. Fink's Hot Summer Reads":

Mrs. Fink's Hot Summer Reads

Thanks Mrs. Fink!!!

7. Participate in the Florence Meares' "Summer Reading Challenge". Students from SK to Grade 2 will be given booklets to record the reading that they do each day. At the end of the summer, students bring their booklets back to school. For each complete page in their booklets, students will earn one charm.

6. Read a book online. There are lots of great websites to be found in the "Find A Book" section of "Library Links" here.

5. Visit a Library while on vacation. Many small community Libraries are open over the summer months and offer unique services like loaning of fishing equipment!

4. Download an ebook. A wide variety of ebooks are available from the Burlington Public Library website.

3. Exchange favourite books with a friend.

2. Explore new book possibilities with Novelist K-8 Plus. Email Mr. C for login information.

1. Visit BookFlix. This subscription is new to Florence Meares for 2011. Email Mr. C for @ home login information.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun summer. Take some time to relax and enjoy a few good books over the summer. I am looking forward to hearing of all your summer adventures in September!

The Skin I'm In

The Skin I'm In is a great read about learnimg to accept different cultures and different people. The main character goes through many tough things like bullies, fitting in and helping her mom deal with the death of her father.It's a good book and I would recommend it.

By, Katelin

The Runaway Dolls is a great book. It really grabs you by the first page. It's all about dolls that come alive after a family has gone to England for a week. Best friends Annabelle (doll) and Tiffany have stumbled over an unexcpected doll named Tilly May. She arrived in a strange package from England. Find out more when you read The Runaway Dolls series!

By Sydney

Vampirates by Justin Somper

When Grace and Connor Tempest's father dies, they take the family boat to leave Crescent Moon Bay. Suddenly a storm hits and the twins are separated! Connor gets picked up by a pirate ship but, Grace gets picked up by a Vampirate ship! How friendly are Vampirates? Read this exciting series to find out!

By Camryn