BIS PRIMARY LIBRARY BLOG

Ms. Helle has read a book with a red bus on the cover. What is the title of the book?

TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION HIT THE COMMENT BUTTON BELOW, YOU WILL NEED TO INCLUDE YOUR FIRST NAME (NICKNAME) AND CLASS, ALONG WITH YOUR SCHOOL EMAIL, TO ENTER….
GOOD LUCK

AND THE WINNER IS: Lea 6ML

Julie Andrews’ colletion of poems, songs, and lullabies / selected by Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton; painting by James McMullan

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested Reading for KS1 to Upper KS2

From School Library Journal

Through sections entitled “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” “Accentuate the Positive,” and “Leisure” (the proper pronunciation rhymes with pleasure), Andrews relates her lifelong love of poetry and how she and her daughter, co-selector Hamilton, share this passion. Andrews and Hamilton also contribute several poems. The generous collection includes a nice range of old favorites by Robert Louis Stevenson, Rachel Field, and Christina Rossetti. Recent poets include Frank Asch, Nikki Grimes, and Jack Prelutsky. Many of the songs hail from theater and movie musicals: “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’!” and “My Favorite Things,” “Talk to the Animals,” and “Feed the Birds.” A CD featuring Andrews reading 21 poems is included. This is a warmly sentimental collection, leavened with humor and poignancy, and though it appears marketed toward adults who will purchase it for their home collections, educators and librarians will also embrace it for its sincere advocacy of reading aloud. McMullan’s lush watercolor paintings add to the overall appeal of this well-crafted anthology.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA END

Bad news for outlaws – the remarkable life of Bass Reeves, deputy U.S. marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson; illustrations by R. Gregory Christie.

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested Reading Lower KS2

Ramadan moon by Na’ima B. Robert, [illustrations] Shirin Adl.

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested Reading KS1 to Lower KS2

From School Library Journal

A girl describes the wave of excitement that spreads across the world when the Ramadan Moon is seen. She explains what happens throughout the month as people pray in mosques and listen to imams read verses from the Qur’an. The days are filled with good deeds, charitable offerings, caring, and politeness. The child tells readers that the greatest part of Ramadan is the Night of Power, a time of penitence, worship, and making wishes. The final days are counted for the coming of Eid-ul-Fitr. The story ends with the child sitting on a windowsill looking at the Moon and saying, “Please hurry back, my silver friend,/My beautiful Ramadan Moon.” Robert’s poetic style is captivating and enhanced by Adl’s appealing and colorful multimedia illustrations. Throughout the story, the artist depicts the Moon, showing its waxing and waning phases as a family is seen worshipping and rejoicing.—Fawzia Gilani-Williams, An-Noor School, Windsor, Ontario

I and I by Tony Medina; illustrated by Jesse Joshua Watson

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested Reading Lower KS2 to Middle years

Truckery rhymes by Jon Scieszka ; characters and environments developed by David Shannon, Loren Long, David Gordon

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested Reading Early years to Lower KS2

From the series of JON SCIESZKA’S TRUCKTOWN

From School Library Journal

This collection of lively truck-themed “Mother Goose” rhymes is filled with humor, although not all of them are equally nimble for reading aloud. Replacing the familiar lines for “Little Miss Muffet” are the words: “Little Dan Dumper sat on his bumper,/Taking his break for the day./Along came Pete Loader,/who revved his loud motor,/And frightened Dan Dumper away.” The words for “Three Blind Mice” change to: “Three LOUD trucks./Three LOUD trucks./See how they ZOOM./See how they ZOOM./They all jumped over/the muck and goo./They skidded and screeched/and their mufflers blew./Did you ever see/such a crazy crew?/As three LOUD trucks./Three LOUD trucks.” Fresh noisy lyrics for “The Wheels on the Bus” are great for singing exuberantly in storytime, “The siren on the truck goes whoop, whoop, whoop….” The digital illustrations are colorful, energetic, and playful: the vehicles have personality plus. One flashy spread shows all of them and their sound words from “The Wheels on the Truck,” and another picture shows the ice-cream truck parked on a moon made of ice cream. This effervescent picture book will zoom off your shelves.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

Benny and Penny in the big no-no! by Geoffrey Hayes

PER Primary Easy Reading

Suggested Reading for KS1 to Lower KS2

From the series of A Toon book, Benny and Penny

From School Library Journal

In Benny and Penny, the children are suspicious that their new neighbor has stolen Benny’s pail, so they sneak into her yard even though they know it’s a “big no-no!” Through many misunderstandings, they learn to apologize and make a new friend. The simple text uses basic vocabulary and repetition, making it accessible to emerging readers. Young children will love the graphic-novel format and the sweet, charming illustrations will draw them into the narrative. Fans of Geoffrey Hayes’ popular Benny and Penny: Just Pretend (Toon Bks., 2008) won’t be disappointed with this sequel.–Mari Pongkhamsing, St. Perpetua School, Lafayette, CA

Are you ready to play outside? by Mo Willems

PPF Primary Picture Fiction

Suggested Reading Early years to KS1

From School Library Journal

In a refreshing reversal of their usual roles, the often-despondent Gerald proves to be a valuable friend to exuberant Piggie when her own naturally sunny disposition fails her. Fretful about the sudden rain that threatens to ruin an afternoon of running, skipping, and jumping, Piggie declares emphatically that she is “not a happy pig.” Poor Gerald patiently weathers the rain and her brief tantrum and, as readers might expect, the pair soon make the most of the situation. Alive with movement and feeling, the illustrations tell the story, setting the tone and adding depth to the simple text. The words themselves are manageable for young readers, and these endearing and distinctly developed characters have great child appeal. With a cameo appearance by the Pigeon on the final endpaper, this is a winning addition to the author’s canon.—Neala Arnold, St. Francis Elementary School, MN

Moon over manifest by Clare Vanderpool

PF Primary Fiction

Suggested Reading Upper KS2 to Middle years

From School Library Journal

History and fiction marry beautifully in this lively debut novel. It’s as if readers jump off the train in Manifest, KS, in 1936 with Abilene Tucker, 12, the feisty, likable, and perceptive narrator. She is there to live with Pastor Shady Howard, her father’s friend, while her father works on the railroad back in Iowa. An equally important story set during World War I is artfully intertwined. Since her mother went off on her own 10 years earlier, Abilene and Gideon have been alone. Though their life together is unsettled, their bond is strong. Shady’s place is shabby, but he is welcoming. The mystery about Manifest and Gideon unfolds after Abilene finds a box filled with intriguing keepsakes. It includes a letter dated 1917 to someone named Jinx from Ned Gillen that has a warning, “THE RATTLER is watching.” This starts Abilene, with the help of new friends Ruthanne and Lettie, on a search to learn the identity of the pair. The story cleverly shifts back and forth between the two eras. Abilene becomes connected to Miss Sadie, a “diviner” who slowly leads her through the story of Ned and Jinx. Though the girl is lonely, she adjusts to her new life, feeling sure that her father will come for her at summer’s end. The Ku Klux Klan and its campaign against the many immigrants working in the coal mines and the deplorable conditions and exploitation of these men provide important background. This thoroughly enjoyable, unique page-turner is a definite winner.–Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJα(c)

Eidi by Bodil Bredsdorff

PF Primary Fiction

Suggested Reading for Lower KS2 to Middle years

From School Library Journal

In The Crow-Girl (Farrar, 2004), Bredsdorff introduces readers to a group of characters composed of tattered remnants of families that death or pain have dissolved. That background is missing here, leaving readers a bit puzzled as to how they are related, but it soon doesn’t matter as Eidi takes over the tale. The daughter of Foula, who has a new husband and a new baby, Eidi feels uncertain of her place in the household. She travels with a kindly neighbor, Rossan, to the city, where she finds a needy orphan, a young boy named Tink, cruelly mistreated by his stepfather. Eidi gradually grows to understand her own desires, abilities, and power as she nurtures Tink and fights for his survival and her own. The time and place are quite vague; the author brings to life a simply functioning world similar to that found in fairy tales—a place that is both specific and universal. Lyrically told, the narrative provides apt descriptions of events and of the natural world. Readers easily decode the motivations and inner thoughts revealed in the actions and words of the characters who are vividly and quickly delineated but possess lively complexities. An excellent follow-up for fans of the first book.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO

Art & Max by David Wiesner

PPF Primary Picture Fiction

Suggested Reading Early years to Lower KS2

From School Library Journal

Underlying this tale of a feisty friendship between two lizards is a thought-provoking exploration of the creative process. Readers first encounter Arthur rendering a formal portrait of a stately reptile, one of several reacting to the unfolding drama in the desert. Frenetic Max dashes into the scene; he also wants to paint, but lacks ideas. Self-assured Art suggests, “Well…you could paint me.” Max’s literal response yields a more colorful Art, but the master’s outrage causes his acrylic armor to shatter. His texture falls in fragments, leaving an undercoating of dusty pastels vulnerable to passing breezes. Each of Max’s attempts to solve Art’s problems leads to unexpected outcomes, until his mentor is reduced to an inked outline, one that ultimately unravels. Wiesner deftly uses panels and full spreads to take Max from his “aha” moment through the humorous and uncertain moments of reconstructing Art. Differentiated fonts clarify who’s speaking the snippets of dialogue. Wielding a vacuum cleaner that soaks up the ruined scales, Max sprays a colorful stream, à la Jackson Pollock, that lands, surprisingly, in a Pointillist manner on the amazed lizard. The conclusion reveals that his fresh look inspires the senior artist with new vision, too. Funny, clever, full of revelations to those who look carefully–this title represents picture-book making at its best. Wiesner’s inventive story will generate conversations about media, style, and, of course, “What Is Art?” It will resonate with children who live in a world in which actions are deemed mistakes or marvels, depending on who’s judging.Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

A bedtime for bear by Bonny Becker ; illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

PPF Primary Picture Fiction

Suggested Reading Early years to KS1

From School Library Journal

Bear and Mouse are back and charming as ever. Bear needs everything just so and perfectly quiet at night, so when his friend shows up for a sleepover, he is wary. All goes well until Mouse’s noises disturb him. Then Mouse falls asleep, and Bear hears something. Awakened by his worried friend, Mouse goes along with his host’s premise that it was he who was frightened and checks under the bed, etc., finally settling in for a bedtime story. Ultimately both fall asleep together. In a perfect marriage of illustrations and text, Becker and Denton portray Bear as skeptical, then irritated, and, finally, nervous. Unflappable Mouse, with his satisfied smile, is a perfect foil. With lines like, “‘I am here to spend the night!’ exclaimed Mouse with a happy wiggle of his whiskers,” and “‘You’ll want a bedtime story, I expect,’ said Bear. ‘For your nerves,’” Becker’s clever text imbues the characters with personality and the story with humor. Denton’s watercolor, ink, and gouache artwork brings them to life. With just a few lines, illustrations take Bear from annoyed to frightened and Mouse from sleepy to awake. In a combination of full-bleed spreads, full pages, and spot art, they draw readers through the story. For children who are frightened at night, trying to navigate the world of friendships, or facing new experiences, Bear and Mouse are the perfect companions.Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

Oliver who travelled far and wide by Mara Bergman, illustrated by Nick Maland

PPF Primary Picture Fiction

Suggested Reading Early years to KS1

Which two books by Grace Lin are on the blog? Give the exact titles.

TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION HIT THE COMMENT BUTTON BELOW, YOU WILL NEED TO INCLUDE YOUR FIRST NAME (NICKNAME) AND CLASS, ALONG WITH YOUR SCHOOL EMAIL, TO ENTER….
GOOD LUCK

AND THE WINNER IS: Mia 3KC

The boy who invented TV – the story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull; illustrated by Greg Couch

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested reading for Lower KS2 to Upper KS2

From School Library Journal

Endpapers featuring a photo collage of generations of televisions from the earliest oval-screened version to modern flat screens set the book’s context. Then, readers are asked to imagine life when there was no TV, radio was only for the military, news was hard to come by, and people studied the Sears, Roebuck catalog to make their purchases. Juxtaposing the staid images of farm life with fanciful ones depicting Farnsworth’s broadening vision, Couch draws, paints, and digitally enhances the story. To show the boy learning about inventors as he studies the stars, Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell appear among the constellations like ancient Greek heroes. While plowing a field, Farnsworth developed the idea for how television could work, inspired by those parallel furrows as a format to transmit an electronic signal. It is the inventor’s passion and genius that come through in this picture-book biography that follows him from the three-year-old who drew schematics of train engines, to the teen who automated the clothes washer so he would have more time to read, to the young man who celebrated his invention. Krull’s focus is on the boy genius becoming an inventor like his heroes, and only in a note does she mention his struggles with RCA and his bitterness later in life. The facts aren’t new, but with Krull building the story and Couch’s exceptional images, it’s one to inspire young audiences with the vast possibilities that imagination and diligence can accomplish.—Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library END

New and collected poems for children by Carol Ann Duffy

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested reading for Lower KS2 to Upper KS 2

If stones could speak by Marc Aronson

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested reading for Upper KS2 to Middle years

From School Library Journal

This title is not just an examination of recent breakthroughs at Stonehenge, but rather an essay on the process of archaeology and a hopeful reminder to future archaeologists that all the great sites are not yet dug or fully understood. In 2005, the Riverside Project, led by Mike Parker Pearson, made several significant discoveries that placed Stonehenge within a much larger Neolithic complex. Pearson began with a hypothesis, suggested by a retired archaeologist from Madagascar, that, as in Madagascar, the stone of Stonehenge was to honor ancestors and the dead, and that there would be a sister complex made of wood for the living. This idea was radically different from the previously accepted theory of Stonehenge being used as a temple. The ongoing work of the Riverside Project has revised the long-accepted dates of when Stonehenge was built and found much to support Pearson’s hypothesis. Aronson writes in a casual style and addresses readers directly, which effectively conveys the excitement of this research, although it does occasionally assume some background knowledge that seems unlikely. The story of how Pearson became involved in archaeology and came to work at Stonehenge gets nearly as much attention as the work currently being done there and underscores one of Aronson’s central themes—that we are constantly adding to our understanding of the past. Large, colorful photographs complement the text and several shots capture what archaeology-in-progress looks like. A useful, attractive, and highly readable book.—Caroline Tesauro, Radford Public Library, VA

How many baby pandas? by Sandra Markle

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested reading for Early years to Lower KS2

World War II fighting for freedom – The story of the conflict that changed the world 1939-1945 by Peter Chrisp

PNF Primary Non-Fiction

Suggested reading for Lower KS2 to Middle years

Benny and Penny in just pretend by Geoffrey Hayes

PER Primary Easy Reading

Suggested reading for Early years to KS1

From School Library Journal

Hayes successfully combines a comic-book format with effective easy-reader elements to introduce two delightful mouse siblings. Penny, clothed in pale-blue princess regalia, persistently seeks out her older brother’s company, though Benny, who is busy playing pirate, brushes her off repeatedly. Finally fed up, Benny calls her a dumb, bad little sister! and she dissolves into tears. After an offstage intercession from Mom, Benny suggests a game of hide-and-seek, hurries Penny into an outdoor storage bin, and tells her to stay put. Time passes without Penny making an appearance. Benny begins to miss her and is relieved when she finally turns up, explaining, I had to go pee-pee! After Penny proves her courage by shooing away a frightening dragonfly, Benny apologizes for his harsh words; the sibs share a huggy and then play pirates together. The simple language, brief sentences, and clean layout–with large text, easy-to-follow sequencing, and an uncluttered design–are appropriate for newly independent readers. The warm-hued panel pictures contain enough detail to provide visual clues and create a sense of place while briskly propelling the action forward. The characters have expressive features that reflect changing emotions, and the sibling relationship is sweetly and realistically portrayed. A fresh and fun choice for beginning readers–especially those discouraged by text-heavy pages–and for sharing aloud.–Joy Fleishhacker,

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon ; translated from the Spanish by Lucia Graves

PF Primary Fiction

Suggested reading Upper KS2 to IGCSE

Peace, Locomotion / Jacqueline Woodson

PF Primary Fiction

Suggested reading Upper KS2 to Middle years

From School Library Journal

Leaders of Locomotion (Putnam, 2003) will welcome the chance to revisit Lonnie’s world. Written as letters from Lonnie to his sister, Lili, who is in a different foster home, the story’s backdrop is the unnamed war in which his foster brother Jenkins is fighting. When war directly affects the family, the 12-year-old begins to hope and pray for peace and to grapple with its meaning. Mature readers will see, also, the steps Lonnie is taking as he moves toward peace with himself and his circumstances. While his confusion, pain, and loss are at times palpable, so too are the moments of comfort, love, and sheer joy. As Lonnie’s life becomes more and more interwoven with the lives of his foster brothers, his understanding of the meaning of family deepens and grows. The small details of his days drop readers into his Brooklyn neighborhood, surrounded by characters who seem to walk right off the page. Moving, thought-provoking, and brilliantly executed, this is the rare sequel that lives up to the promise of its predecessor. Serving as bookends to the body of the text are two poems in which Lonnie describes peace in everyday terms. In his words, “Peace is the good stuff/That happens to all of us/Sometimes.”—Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library District, Elgin, IL

Calamity Jack by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale and Nathan Hale

PF Primary Fiction

Suggested reading Upper KS2 to Middle years

From School Library Journal

The Hales follow up Rapunzel’s Revenge (Bloomsbury, 2008) with this fast-moving story focusing on Jack. It begins in the city of Shyport with his birth. Even as a child, Jack tends toward scheming, conning, and thievery with various accomplices, including Pru, a hat-fancying pixie. One scheme involving magical beans and the wealthy and corrupt giant Blunderboar goes awry, leaving Jack’s tenement and his mother’s bakery destroyed. Jack’s mother orders him to go, and go he does with a certain goose under his arm. After the events recounted in Rapunzel’s Revenge, Jack and Rapunzel head back to Shyport to set things right. They arrive to find that Jack’s mother is being held prisoner by Blunderboar, who is virtually running the city. They team up with Pru and Freddie Sparksmith, a young journalist, to save Jack’s mom and the day. Nathan Hale’s artwork again places the action in a fairy-tale version of the American West, now with the city as backdrop. His character sketches are delightfully expressive, and the book has the same rich palette as the previous story. It should satisfy readers who enjoy adventure, fairy tales, and anyone who loves a rogue. Some fans of Bill Willingham’s Jack of Fables series (Vertigo) may also enjoy this take on the Jack stories for a younger audience.–Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Mouse and Mole fine feathered friends by Wong Herbert Yee

PER Primary Easy Reading

Suggested reading for Early years to KS1

“The stories are light, with simple plots, and the lively and expressive watercolor illustrations add energy and detail. A worthwhile addition to easy-reader collections.”—School Library Journal

Trouble gum by Matthew Cordell

PPF Primary Picture Fiction

Suggested reading for Early years to KS1

From School Library Journal

Ruben Figg is older brother pig to bespectacled Julius, and one rainy day he decides to show his sibling how the big pigs chew gum. Grammy provides the bubble gum while Mom reiterates the ground rules (chew it, don’t play with it). After smacking the gum this way and that, Ruben accidentally swallows it and has to plead for a new piece. Grammy is happy to oblige while Mom halfheartedly agrees. Unfortunately, Ruben presses his luck and ends up getting a glob of gum stuck in a blanket Mom knitted. A repentant piglet is sent to his room, but the fun doesn’t stop there because Julius sneaks more gum from Grammy’s purse and the brothers wind up covered in sticky pink. Grammy and Mom scrub them clean, but there is still one last bubble blast in store. Humorous illustrations are best viewed one-on-one where the many mischievous details can be appreciated.—Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO