These prestigious awards were announced last Thursday.

The Newbery Medal honors the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This book is written at about a fifth grade reading level and will appeal to students in grades 6-8.

I just listened to an interview with Mr. Gaiman on NPR and he said he wanted to write a book where the only scary things were alive. When he was a child, he was terrified of graveyards. There was a particular tombstone of a woman believed to be a witch that would scare him and his friends when they passed by. He has also written the last Batman comics that Marvel will ever release and has a new movie based on his book, Coraline, coming out soon.

For more information on Neil Gaiman, visit: http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Newbery Honor Books

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle
Savvy by Ingrid Law
After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

Caldecott Medal honors the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

The winner this year is The House in the Night by Beth Krommes (written by Susan Marie Swanson)

Caldecott Honor Books
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, written and illustrated by Marla Frazee
How I Learned Geography, written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, written by Jen Bryant

Geisel Award
honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished contribution to the body of American children’s literature known as beginning reader books published in the United States during the preceding year.

As a reading teacher, I am often asked by frustrated parents, “Where do you find good quality books on the first grade reading level?” Because there is only a span of a few months when children NEED to read at this level, the list of tradebooks at this level is pathetically short.

However, the Giesel award is a good indicator of books that are at a low reading level that beginning readers can read without sacrificing the richness inherent in good literature.  These books are far more rewarding to read than Dick and Jane and give our youngest readers a tantalizing taste of the world of fine literature.

Mo Willems is the winner for Are You Ready to Play Outside?

Geisel Honor Books
Chicken Said, ‘Cluck!’ by Judyann Ackerman Grant, illustrated by Sue Truesdell
One Boy, written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Stinky, written and illustrated by Eleanor Davis
Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell, with photographs by Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell

Enjoy,Rebecca

Online and paper orders are due by Wednesday night, December 3rd. There are some great gift giving books this month, and here is my list of recommendations:

Honeybee December:

57. Snowballs by Lois Ehlert, she is an amazing illustrator and this is no exception.

38. The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood is very clever. Can you find the bear in the story?

67. When Sheep Sleep, what a winning combination with Laura Numeroff and David McPhail!

71. Wonderplay, Too! for over 100 pages of fun family activities.

9. Bubbles, Bubbles looks like fun.

There are lots of classics like The Mitten and The Napping House and favorite characters too, such as: Arthur, Madeline, Dora, Curious George, and Julius.

Firefly December:

81. Wikki Stix are great fun and another hands-on manipulative to reinforce letter learning.

77. The Universe, I’m a sucker for transparent pages and real life photos to bring science concepts home to kids.

66. Shine with the Very Lonely Firefly, I puffy heart Eric Carle and 42. Jan Brett

See Saw December:

5. The Big Snowball is a rebus book for $1, which many beginning readers find helpful.

6. Biscuit Pack is great for kids reading at a first grade level.

27. I SPY books are good for building visual discrimination skills (not sure if the Wii version is so virtuous).

53. Planet Earth, a topic we’ll continue to study here.

51. Parts, Tedd Arnold makes me laugh out loud.

82. A classic for Jack Prelutsky fans

Lucky December:

46. I love Henry and Mudge (and anything by Cynthia Rylant)!

49. Another seasonal book of poems for Jack Prelutsky fans

58. Magic Tree house books are great read alouds for 5 year olds and up. Yeah, I’ve got ‘em all!

17 and 84 for science fans.

74. Pony Pals for my favorite little horse girl. She loves these books!

82. For my little nephew who feels the need for speed and 84 because he wants to decorate his room with the stickers!

Enjoy,

Rebecca

Not as many quality books in this catalog as in the others, but here are my top picks:

40. I spy a pumpkin, great for visual discrimination skills.

28. Fancy Nancy, one of my daughter’s favorite series.

49 and 50.A kiss goodbye, from the author of the beloved book, The Kissing  Hand.

51. Knuffle bunny too, an award winner.

62. Midnight Fright (tell time book)

87. Skippyjonjones (love the wacky Spanish humor and play on words, but not for everyone, I’m sure)

35. Henry and Mudge (LOVE Cynthia Rylant and this is a great series for beginning readers ready for simple chapter books)

66. Nate the great books are also good for 2nd grade level chapter books.

10. Biscuit pack is another good one for early readers, but it’s easier than Henry and Mudge.

63. Money skills and The coin counting book (money skills)

Everything in the Science and Nature section looks good — 95. weather station, 17. dinosaur kit, science vocab, 92. Usborne awesome animals, etc.

55. Let’s go apple picking, looks cute.

See the Scholastic page for ordering link and details,

Rebecca

Firefly is for pre-K children. Here are my picks:

9. Big book of the human body. Fun for those science loving kids out there.

11. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. My all time favorite ABC book!!

14. Cookie’s Week. Funny book about a naughty kitten that is very easy and patterned for beginning readers.

15. Corduroy. A children’s classic for $1.

16. Eric Carle pack. A great author/illustrator.

17. Fall Pattern Cards and Counters. These are great math manipulatives.

21. 5 Green and Speckled Frogs. Book of the popular children’s song for $1.

22. Five ugly monsters. Tedd Arnold is one of my favorite authors, although this is one of his more basic stories and is just a board book.

31. Happy Halloween, Stinky Face.  I love Lisa McCourt’s book,”I love you stinky face” and am hoping this will be equally as good.

37-39. I spy books, which are good for developing visual discrimination.

64. The shape of things. A fun book that plays with shapes.

72. Stellaluna. A super sweet story that also teaches about fruit bats, birds and friendship.

84. We are all special pack. Great stories about diversity.

87. You read to me, I’ll read to you, very short fairy tales. I’ve heard of this one and would like to check it out.

For some reason, you can’t order from this catalog online, so you’ll have to give your order to me.

Thanks and happy shopping,

Rebecca

This catalog is for toddlers to age 4. Here are some of my favorite books and authors that are on sale:

20. Eric Carle set. An award-winning author/illustrator.

21. Fall fun lace and trace. A good activity for fine motor skills/early sewing.

24. Family favorites library. Great prices for 8 great books.

29. Getting along set. These are all sweet stories.

34.If you give a … books. Sweet stories that follow the “logical progression” that happens when you give a mouse a cookie, etc.

36. Itsy Bitsy spider.  A new take on an old favorite.

38. Kitten’s First full moon. This book has the most amazing black and white artwork and charming story about a thirsty kitten who wants to drink the moon.

40. Leo Lionni duo. Love his books!

47. Make way for ducklings is a children’s classic.

65. Starting school set, with Chrysanthemum and Froggy goes to school. Both are about adjusting to school life.

For some reason, this catalog is not available online so the orders have to come directly to me.

Rebecca

Here is my order for the Lucky catalog:

I have these ones, but in case you don’t, you might be interested in:

24. Dragon of the red dawn, We love the Magic Tree House books!

52. The whole pack of Magic Tree house books for a great price.

35 and 36, we love Henry and Mudge.

44. Jake Drake pack, Andrew Clements is a very popular author for 4th and 5th graders.

74. Ramona friends and family pack. Beverly Cleary’s Ramona books are quintessential childhood reading.

25. E.B. White Treasury. Arianna adores these classic books.

65. Patricia Polacco Pack, another fabulous author.

63. Our Solar System. Seymour Simon is an amazing photographer and has some excellent science books for children.

Pretty good prices for some of my daughter’s faves!
To order online, go to the Web site below and enter our class’s personalized user name and password.

www.scholastic.com/parentordering

Class User Name: rebeccawolf
Password: books

Remember, placing your online order is completely safe and secure.  Your credit card payment is sent directly to Scholastic.

When you shop online, you can take advantage of exclusive online-only offers and choose from an expanded selection of books and software. Of course, you can always use the printed flyer instead and have your child hand in a Club order form and payment at school.

Thank you again for ordering and for continuing to help our classroom earn FREE books, software and learning materials. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Rebecca

Many parents ask me to help them find the reading level for books, so they can help children make selections that aren’t too easy yet won’t cause frustration. Here are some books from the See Saw Scholastic Catalog with the appropriate reading levels.

First grade readers include:
Absolutely Lucy,
Fiesta Fiasco and P.J. Funnybunny Camps Out.
Late First grade to early second grade readers include:
#2 Amelia Bedelia Pack
#23 Henry and Mudge Pack
#27 Junie B. Jones Mega Pack
#57 Ricky Ricotta Adventure Pack
#75 You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You Fairy Tales
#33 Magic School Bus library

Well-Loved Author Selections Include:
#49 Papa, do you love me?
#55 Ramona Pack
#12 and #34 Magic Tree House books
#41 My parents think I’m sleeping (poems)
#31 Leo Leonni trio
#24 Honey, Honey, Lion
#29 Knuffle Bunny Too

There’s a nice selection of non-fiction books on pages 1 and 2.

Enjoy,
Rebecca Wolf
Catalog 207300 June 2008 See Saw

P.S. If you want me to place your order, so it benefits the Learning Center and you can have easy pick up, just click on the Scholastic link in the top menu bar. Thanks a bunch for helping to support our program!