Back to school time is exciting for children, and with many children learning from home, it’s a great time to visit the library for books and resources. This month’s reviews are just a sample of what’s available at the Will Rogers Library.
For our youngest readers, Go Shapes, Go! by Denise Fleming is a fun introduction to shapes and textures. Fleming’s books are playful explorations of preschool concepts with lots of vocabulary expansion built in. A fun extension to this book would be to make a scrapbook of different shapes using recycled magazines or newspapers. Go Shapes, Go! can be found in the Early Readers section of the library.
Everybody Says Meow by Constance Lombardo is a fun, simple, and silly story about cooperation with friends. The illustrations are cartoonish and happy. This is a book that young readers will want to listen to over and over. Older readers might like to try to draw their own silly illustrations similar to Lombardo’s.
Finding materials for beginning readers can be challenging and one oldie but goody is the Dick and Jane series. This series was used as school reading material for many years in the 1960s. Simple stories with easy-to-read text make these successful for beginners. Some of the texts have been updated to include new characters and stories. This series begins with very few words and moves into more complicated reading. If you are working with a beginning reader at home, and working with sight words, you might want to give these books a try. They can be found in the Early Reader section of the Will Rogers Library.
The library has a great collection of books for children who are into chapter books. Everything from children’s classics to graphic novels can be found in the Juvenile section. Two will be highlighted here: The Kindness Club by Courtney Sheinmel is a chapter book for third to fourth grade level readers. Lucy Tanaka and friends form a Kindness Club at their school and together they test different acts of kindness at school, at home, and in their neighborhood. One day Lucy learns of a sad situation with a friend and the club is determined to help out. But as unexpected complications arise, the Kindness Club will be challenged to save the day. The Kindness Club can be found in the Juvenile Fiction section of the library. What acts of kindness could be inspired by this book?
Also in the Juvenile section is the series based on Star Wars characters titled Jedi Academy. This series by Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Amy Ignatow is written in a very engaging way similar to a graphic novel. Readers who love comics and Star Wars would enjoy these books! It’s also a great way to interest readers who are a little hesitant to try “chapter” books. The illustrations are really fun and the main character is Christina Starspeeder, a girl who’s on the move!
We hope to see you soon at the Will Rogers Library. We are open with a few restrictions, so be sure to check out our website for details. Check back often for craft kits, online storytime, and other programs available online. We are working to keep the library engaged as an important part of our community and a resource for students and parents alike. Happy reading!
-submitted by Will Rogers Library
