Bookworm Buzz

Dear Reader,
I have so many great books to tell you about-some I have just finished reading and some that I read during the school year but haven't told you about yet. I did a subject study with a group of readers on Snakes, and we read some great non fiction books together. All Aboard Science Reader, Snakes and National Geographic's Snakes. These books were very exciting, just right, and had many great text features. Learning about snakes helped us prepare for the book We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes, by Patrick Jennings. This fiction book is told from the point of view of a gopher snake who gets captured by a boy named Gunnar. This book would be a great book to read with a parent, as some of the vocabulary was confusing. In fact, our small group tracked vocabulary. I think Patrick Jennings is a new favorite author for many fourth graders. Make sure you check out his website!

Three great picture books are Hot Diggity Dog by Adrienne Syler, Just One Bite, by Lola Schaefer and The ABC's of Yoga for Kids by Theresa Anne Power. All three are non fiction, and have great information in them. They are all just right for fourth graders. Hot Diggity Dog is all about hot dogs and the history of hot dogs in America, yum! Just One Bite, by Lola Schaefer is about the actual size of a bite of food by certain animals, like a parrot and a squid. The ABC's of Yoga for Kids shows different yoga poses according to the alphabet.

For my older friends, Mockingbird, by Kathryn Erskine, is one of the best books I have read in a long time. This book won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2010. It tells the story of a young girl with Asperger's Syndrome and how her life changes after her best friend, her brother, dies. I couldn't put it down! If you are looking for a great book for summer reading, Mockingbird is it! Make sure you check out the author's blog, it is really cool! Also, Mrs. Merten has gotten me hooked on the Witch and Wizard series by James Patterson. James Patterson is one of my favorite adult authors,and his books for young adults are just as captivating. If you like fantasy, or you liked the Hunger Games trilogy, then the Witch and Wizard series is for you! Parents, I also just finished Now You See Her by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. Oh my goodness, it was a true page turner! I couldn't put it down; it is one of the best Patterson novels in recent years, right up there with Beachhouse and Judge and Jury. Treat yourself to this truly awesome thriller! Make sure you check out James Patterson's website, it has TONS of great information for kids and parents. There are even Apps that you can download to your phone, so cool!

I just finished Savy, by Ingrid Law. This book is a Newberry Honor Book. The genre is fantasy but the author's message is for everyone: Don't be a follower, follow your heart. This book is a favorite with many teachers in Franklin but it isn't one of my favorites. With that being said, I think many of you would enjoy it, it just wasn't for me. I may pick up the sequel, Scumble, but I'm not sure. If you've read Scumble, let me know, I would be willing to give it a try.

Right now I am reading the Newberry winner for this year, Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. It is a great story so far and I can't wait to finish it! It is just right for my older friends but would be a challenge for many incoming fourth graders. If you give it a try, let me know!What have you been reading? Leave a comment and let me know. This has been a long post, but I wanted to make sure I filled you in on some great books.

Read on readers,
Love,

Mrs. W