We get by with a little help from our friends…

In the LREI library, we do our best to read everything we can get our hands on in order to advise our recommendations to your children.  We can’t, however, read each of the 30,000 or so children’s titles that are published each year.  So what do we do?

We get some help from our friends.

Children’s Literature blogs are invaluable to librarians in the name of reader’s advisory, finding out what’s new, and exploring the titles that we have some how missed.  Here are some of the blogs that I use on a weekly basis to inform my own reading, and to keep up on the world of publishing.

100 Scope Notes

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian who has been blogging since 2007.  He reviews children’s books, reworks Newbery book covers, talks about happenings in the world of kidlit among other things.  A useful tab can be found on the top of his blog and is entitled “Best New Books”.  Simply click there for a round-up of the latest, greatest titles.

Jen Robinson’s Book Page

Jen is an engineer who just happens to love children’s literature.  She has been blogging about kid’s books for years and she breaks down her reviews, not only by the year in which the book was published, but also by age range, and she also includes links to timely articles about children’s literature as a whole.

Ms. Yingling Reads

I like this blog because Ms. Yingling is a straight shooter.  She will tell you in a quick and concise manner why a book works or why it doesn’t.  She reads a ridiculous number of books, and she has her lens honed on searching for books that will appeal to boys.

Please take some time to check out these blogs.  Nobody has time to read everything; we can all use a little help from our friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overdues!

Your children will be receiving their first overdue notices of the 2011-2012 school year today.  These serve as a gentle reminder that it is necessary to return their books.

Please note that there are sometimes errors with the system.  If your child has returned their book already, please let one of the librarians know.  If your child has lost a book, speak with one of the librarians.

 

Happy Reading!

The iPads are Here!

 

Third and fourth graders are part of a brave new world here in the Lower School.  They are the lucky participants in an iPad pilot program.

Teachers and specialists have been busily spending time finding ways that the iPads make sense as a tool for Lower School students.  While many schools (especially middle and high schools) have jumped in head first, we are taking our time and finding ways to utilize this latest technological tool in a developmentally appropriate way.

Integration is the key.

Third graders took part in an iPad scavenger hunt during library class last week.  Celeste came down, and she and I guided the students through a series of tasks designed to familiarize the students with the iPads.  From simply learning how to  lower the volume or work the case, to finding the best app for the task required, third graders excitedly got down to business.  ( A favorite task was finding their school and their homes in google maps ).

We will keep you updated on how our students are using the iPads in their curriculum!