The end of 2012!

The 2011-2012 school year has ended at the West Hancock School. 
My HS library aide (Sybil) and I spent earlier May checking in Senior laptops as their final day was May 9th.  On May 10 & 11, Sybil and I went thru the rest of the laptops [grades 9-11] checking for damage and missing pieces.  Finally on May 22nd, grade 9-11 laptops were checked in. It sounds like it might have been a zoo, but the whole check-in process really lasted for about an hour and ran rather smoothly!
This past year really flew!  Here are a few highlights...
1. Mrs. Hildman's 4th Grade Class earned Library parties not once, but 2 times!  [The class returned their books 5 times in a row.]  This contest was open to Grades 1-4.
2. I participated in World Book Night in April where I distributed 20 free books at the JH Track Meet in Britt. Free books were given out in the United States, Ireland, England, and Germany. 

3. We celebrated Halloween in the elementary when I dressed up in a witch costume and read a Halloween story to each class.

4. We celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2nd with a Dr. Seuss story and I gave the students Dr. Seuss bookmarks.
5. Mrs. Shirley Olson worked with helping the Kindergarten students in remembering to bring back their books by awarding stickers.  After earning stickers, students made bookmarks.
6. Book bags were given to primary elementary students to use during the school year.
7. A Scholastic Book Fair was held in the Elementary Wing during Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Mrs. Olson hosted this book fair.

I hope you enjoyed the weekly updates on my blog page.  Don't forget to READ EVERY DAY!

Mrs. Theresa Reiter
K-12 Teacher Librarian

World Book Night 2012

World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books. To be held in the U.S. as well as the U.K., Ireland, and Germany on April 23, 2012. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks. World Book Night, through social media and traditional publicity, will also promote the value of reading, of printed books, and of bookstores and libraries to everyone year-round.
Successfully launched in the U.K. in 2011, World Book Night will also be celebrated in the U.S. in 2012, with news of more countries to come in future years. And thank you to our U.K. friends for such a wonderful idea! Additionally, April 23 is UNESCO’s World Book Day, chosen due to the anniversary of Cervantes’ death, as well as Shakespeare’s birth and death. Volunteer book lovers will help promote reading by going into their communities and handing out free copies of a book they enjoy to new or light readers, reaching them especially in under served places - and even some fun spots. The volunteers will share their books in locations as diverse as VA hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, ballparks, mass transit, diners, and more.
When I read about this event I applied to be a book giver volunteer. In February, I was notified that I had been one of the chosen! I will be distributing my books at the JR HIGH GIRLS' TRACK MEET on Monday, April 23rd in Britt. I chose Kindred by Octavia Butler. It is a teen/adult title. When I picked up my 20 books, I traded a few copies of Butler's book with other books givers so I have several other titles available also.
If you're a new or light reader, I hope you will stop by and visit with me at the track meet to get your free book on World Book Night!
For more information email april23@worldbooknight.org with your questions or go to www.worldbooknight.org, the official website.

This Tuesday, April 17th, I will meet with 2-Davoli where we will watch a DVD based on the book Bats in the Library written and illustrated by Brian Lies; 3-Zuehl where we will watch a DVD based on the book The Librarian from the Black Lagoon written by Mike Thaler; and K-Loeschen where we will watch a DVD based on the book The Boy Who was Raised by Librarians written by Carla Morris. On Thursday, April 19th, I will be in Kanawha at the Middle School.

Spreading the love of reading, Person to Person...
Mrs. T. Reiter

YOU Belong in the Library!

This is National Library Week [April 8-14]! This year's theme is "You belong in the library!" It's still not too late to visit your neighborhood public library or your child's school library. A library is more than just books! It's magazines, newspapers, computers, information, socializing, a quiet place, a place for all ages, a smiling face , and so much more! Plus a friebdly, helpful, and knowledgeable library staff ready to serve you.

YOU BELONG IN THE LIBRARY!

This week we will celebrate NLW with stories about reading, libraries, and librarians. On Tuesday, April 10, the first graders will watch the story The Boy Who Was Raised By Librarians written by Carla Morris and illustrated by Brad Sneed. On Thursday, April 12, K-Jass will listen to Bats in the Library written and illustrated by Brian Lies. 2-Tangeman will listen to The Librarian from the Black Lagoon written by Mike Thaler and illustrated by Jared Lee.

Looking ahead...

Seniors: Your books are due May 4, 2012

Grades K-11: Your books are due May 14, 2012

See you in the library!

Mrs. Reiter

K-12 Teacher Librarian

The World's Largest Library

Where is the world's largest library located? Right here in the USA! Located in Washington, D.C., the complex was established by an act of Congress in 1800 when President John Adams signed a bill that described a reference library for Congress only, containing "such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress."
In 1815, retired President Thomas Jefferson offered his personal library collection of 6,487 volumes, collected over 50 years, to replace the manuscripts and papers burned by the British in the War of 1812. A new building was authorized in 1873, and again in 1888, to house the growing collection.
Today, the complex, completed in 1897, is one of the grandest libraries in the world and is still being used by US Congress members. The collection contains 144 million items with 33 million cataloged books, and other print materials in 460 languages.
The public may visit the displays and use the interactive kiosks. Keith Bellows in National Geographic Traveler commented, "The library houses its share of quirky material," so have everyone find Alexander Graham Bell's first drawing of the telephone or the library's first-edition Barbie doll. New interactive kiosks lets visitors use touch screens to flip through the pages of George Washington's copy of the U.S. Constitution or to decipher Mayan hieroglyphs.
The Main Reading Room, "the heart of the library," is best viewed from the open second level, "which surveys the book-filled floor below and the gilded dome towering 160 feet above."
[Mr. Bellow's quotes taken from The Week. March 16, 2012. p. 30]

This week I will visit with 3-Bruns and 4-Kahsdorf. Both classes will use the computer lab to search the web site of the Library of Congress at http://www.loc.gov/. I will not be in the district on Thursday.

Have a great rest of the week!
Mrs. T. Reiter
K-12 Teacher Librarian

Children's Books Ireland

The United States isn't the only country to recognize the value of books and reading. Ireland, a small island country in Europe, has established the Children's Books Ireland organization.

CBI is the national children’s books organisation of Ireland. Through their many activities and events they aim to engage young people with books, foster a greater understanding of the importance of books for young people and act as a core resource for those with an interest in books for children in Ireland. Children’s Books Ireland was founded in 1997 as a result of the merger of The Irish Children’s Book Trust (ICBT) and the Children’s Literature Association of Ireland (CLAI). Both of these orgnisations had developed during the late eighties and nineties, a time of significant progress in Ireland for publishing and writing for children. The new organisation, Children’s Books Ireland, was established. CBI has continued to grow and now has a combined Irish and international membership of approximately 1,700.
The first chapter of CBI’s story has taken place at a time of extraordinary change in Irish society. Shifting arts, education and socio-economic landscapes have formed a dramatic backdrop to our first fifteen years. Significant lifestyle changes, along with increased immigration and urbanisation, have changed how people interact with the arts and, importantly, how children interact with books. Likewise, arts policy and infrastructure development have contributed to a positive relationship between the public and the arts. As an innovative and active arts organisation, CBI will continue to ensure that children’s books and the children’s books community are valued, cherished and supported. We look forward to Children’s Books Ireland making its contribution to the future vibrancy of the arts in a multi-cultural Ireland.
For More information about CBI, search their website at www.childrensbooksireland.ie.

This week I will only meet with two classes. On Tuesday, Mrs. Jass's Kindergarten class will listen to "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!" and "Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?"; both by Dr. Seuss. They will also receive Dr Seuss bookmarks from Mrs. Reiter. Mrs. Tangeman's 2nd grade class will watch the DVD, "Molly's Magic" based on the book by the same title written by Penelope Colville Paine and illustrated by Itoko Maeno.

Enjoy your Spring Break. See you next week!
Mrs. Reiter
K-12 Teacher Librarian

Eagles and Cats in the Hats

Good Luck to the West Hancock Girls' BB Team at the State Tournaments this upcoming week! Because they will be playing on Tuesday morning, classes have been cancelled at WHCS. I'll add to this blog if we have school on Thursday.

GO! E-GALS!

Friday, March 2nd, is Dr. Seuss Day. It is also sometimes called National Read Across America Day, a reading program sponsored by the National Education Association. Either way, it's a day to celebrate that well-known American writer, poet, and cartoonist, Theodor Seuss Geisel or, as we know him, Dr. Seuss. He also wrote under the pen names of Leo LeSieg and Rosetta Stone.

Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Throughout his career he wrote commercials, produced films during WW2, drew cartoons for periodicals and published 46 books, mostly for children. In 1954, William Ellsworth Spaulding, the director of the education division of Houghton Mifflin, challenged Theodor Seuss Geisel to "bring back a book children can't put down" using only 250 words that Spaulding felt every 1st grader should know. Nine months later Dr. Seuss returned with "The Cat in The Hat" using only 236 words.

Theodor Seuss Geisel died on September 24, 1991. In 1995, UCSD's University Library was renamed the Geisel library in honor of Theodor and his wife Audrey. In 2002 the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden opened in Springfield, MA.

Don't forget to wear your black, red, or white on Friday!

Mrs. T. Reiter
K-12 Teacher Librarian

Celebrate Black History Month

February is Black History Month. Below is a short list of books by and about black Americans:

1. Heart and Soul - Kadir Nelson
2. Ladder to the Moon - Maya Soetoro-Ng
3. Ninth Ward - Jewell Parker Rhodes
4. Giant Steps to Change the World - Spike & Tonya Lewis Lee
5. What Color is My World? - Kareen Abdul Jabbar
6. Chocolate Me! - Taye Diggs
7. Letters to a Young Brother - Hill Harper
8. My Uncle Martin's Big Heart - Angela Farris Walkins
9. Liberty Porter, First Daughter - Julia DeVillers
10. Teenie - Christopher Grant

This Tuesday, February 14, I will be in Kanawha. On Thursday, I will meet with 3 classes: K-Geelan will listen to Hokey Pokey: Another Prickly Love Story written by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by Janie Bynum; 4-Hildman will practice their keyboarding skills in the computer lab; and 2-Glawe will watch the video of Miss Rumphius based on the book written by Barbara Cooney.

Read! Read! Read!

Mrs. T. Reiter, K-12 Teacher-Librarian

How Do You "Read" A Book?

As I opened the Google search engine to access this blog, I noticed that the Google Doodle of the day was honoring Charles Dickens on the occasion of his 200th birthday. What would Charles Dickens say to the way we read today? Not just the printed word in books, periodicals, or hard copy, but by electronic means.
I don't own a Kindle or a Nook. I do read books downloaded on my computer, but rarely. (I just like to be able to say I have!) I like the feel of a real book in my hands. But then, I'm a passionate book lover!
Students at WHMS & WHHS have been introduced to NEIBORS, a free book and audio book download service provided by area public libraries that is available on their laptops. AEA 267 provides Tru FLIX and Book FLIX for K-12 students and staff of WHCSD, a service where users can read/view/listen to fiction and nonfiction books and videos. Several students, both elementary and older, own Kindles, Nooks, and other e-book reading devices.
How do you "read" a book?

This Tuesday, I will meet with K-Jass to listen to "Hokey Pokey: Another Prickly Love Story" written by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by Janie Bynum. Mrs. Tangeman's 2nd graders will listen to "If You'll Be My Valentine" written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Fumi Kosaka and make heart mobiles.
On Thursday, I will meet with 3-Bruns where we will continue our review of biographies and how they are arranged on the shelves and make our own collective biography. Mrs. Kahlestorf's 4th graders will review Iowa AEA online data bases in the computer lab.

Read Every Day,
Theresa Reiter
K-12 Teacher Librarian

I'm running behind this week. Maybe it's the crazy weather!

I would like to tell you about a special program that is happening in April. I know, that's 3 months away, but they need YOUR help now! This is from their website: www.worldbooknight.org. Go there for more info.....

Welcome to World Book Night
We need book-loving volunteers to fan out across America on April 23, 2012! Just take 20 free copies of a book to a location in your community, and you just might change someone's life. Please sign up by Feb. 1.
The goal is to give books to new readers, to encourage reading, to share your passion for a great book. The entire publishing, bookstore, library, author, printing, and paper community is behind this effort with donated services and time.
The first World Book Night was held in the UK last year, and it was such a big success that it's spreading around the world! Please volunteer to be a book giver in the U.S. Sign up now to be a book giver.
Go to their website (www.worldbooknight.org) for help in Britt or Kanawha or another location on World Book Night or for more information.

There is a new library contest for Grade 1-4. We would like to help students to remember to return their school library books on time. Each time everyone in the class remembers to bring back their library book the class gets a sticker. When a class has 5 stickers the class decides on a special activity to celebrate. This might be a themed day such as PJ Day or Hat Day, or watching a short movie, or having a Read-In Party with popcorn and juice. It's what Mrs. Reiter and the class choose. We started on Wednesday, January 25th as it was a Day 1. Your child should have brought home a notice telling about the contest. Contact me at the school if you have any questions.

This week I will meet with 3-Bruns (watch a DVD based on the book Abraham Lincoln Comes Home by Robert Burleigh as an introduction to biographies) and 4-Hildman (locate and use the True-FLIX database on Iowa AEA Online) on Tuesday. On Thursday I will meet with the first graders and we will watch a power point program about the Museum of World Treasures in Wichita, KS. (They wanted to see the real mummies that are housed in the museum!

Read Every Day!
Mrs. T. Reiter, K-12 Teacher Librarian

Some interesting facts....

Did you know...


• One-third of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
• 42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
• 80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
• 70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
• 57 percent of new books are not read to completion.


How do YOU fit into these facts?!?


This week I will meet with 3 classes on Tuesday. 2-Davoli will use magazines to find facts. 3-Zuehl will watch the DVD based on the book Abraham Lincoln Comes Home, written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Wendell Minor. K-Loeschen will listen to Chickens to the Recue, written and illustrated by John Himmelman and Max Cleans Up, written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells.
On Thursday I will be in Kanawha.

Happy Reading,
Mrs. T. Reiter, K-12 Teacher Librarian

New Year, New Books!

The new year [or really anytime of the year] is a good time to make a promise to yourself to read more. Whether it be books, periodicals, your e-book reader, your computer screen, to someone else, or your morning cereal box container - you can add more print to your life! Reading helps to improve fluency, vocabulary, and knowledge.

The Iowa Educators Consortium and the IASL [Iowa Assoc. of School Librarians] have once again sponsored the Iowa Book Award for 2012-2013. There are 4 age appropriate categories: Goldfinch, Children's Choice, Teen Choice, and High School Choice.

The purposes of the Iowa Choice Award are:
- to encourage children to read more and better books.
- to discriminate in choosing worthwhile books.
- to provide an avenue for positive dialogue between teacher, parent, and children about books and authors.
- to give recognition to those who write books for children.

The award is unique in that it gives children an opportunity to choose the book to receive the award and to suggest books for the yearly reading list.
Books chosen for the master list are those written by American authors within the last five years. Titles are fiction or nonfiction, with a wide range of interests and appropriate reading levels. No textbooks are included.

Below are the nominees in the Goldfinch [grades PK-3] division:

1. Louder, Lili by Gennifer Choldenko


2. Cat Secrets by Jef Czakaj


3. Bink & Golli by Kate DiCamillo


4. Best Friends: The True Story of Owen and Mzee by Roberta Edwards


5. The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee


6. Owen and Mzee: A Little Story about Big Love by Michelle Y. Glennon


7. Marley and the Kittens by John Grogan


8. Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill


9. Purpilicious by Victoria & Elizabeth Kann


10. Monsters Eat Whiny Children by Bruce Eric Kaplan


11. Otis by Loren Long


12. Hot Rod Hamster by Cynthia Lord


13. Pearl and Wagner: Four Eyes by Kate McMullan


14. Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughter by Barack Obama


15. Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypacker


16. Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein


17. The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich by Greg Trine


18. Watch Me Throw the Ball! by Mo Willems


19. Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends by Wong Herbert Yee

Encourage your child to take a look at these nominees!

This week I will meet with the First Graders on Tuesday. We will listen to the book, How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills. On Thursday, K-Jass will listen to Eloise and the Snowman by Lisa McClatchy and Max Cleans Up by Rosemary Wells. The 2nd graders, 2-Tangeman, will use magazines to find information and present a fact to the class. We will discuss using magazine for information and the difference between fact and opinion.

HAPPY READING!

Mrs. Reiter, K-12 Teacher Librarian