Now that the lazy summer days are over,  time to drop by the library and dive into some new books.  This year I am happy to introduce you to Mme Tanya Dysthe, my new teaching partner.  Mme Dysthe will be in the library on most Tuesdays.  Please come by and introduce yourselves.  I know she is looking forward to meeting you all.  Be sure to check out some of our new selections, we’re sure you’ll love them.  Many of the new series of chapter books have been re-organized into bins.  This should make things easier for you all.  Now if you happen to read this post, let me know when you drop by the library and you can be the first to choose from the new hot picks.  Looking forward to seeing you all.

Here is the Fraser Riverkeeper’s Flickr Photo Album for a more in-depth look.

Follow the CTV link as reporter Shannon Paterson takes a closer look.  The Vancouver Courier’s “Class Notes: Many Green Colours“ also reflects on our special project. 

Alevin Sky

Le 13 avril, Claude nous a rendu visite à l’école Hastings.  Il a presenté  ses illustrations merveilleuses et a presenté un atelier aux enfants de la sixième et septième année.

Pour savoir plus sur Claude lisez son bio qui suit et aussi visitez son Site Internet.

Claude a étudié les arts visuels à l’Université de Laval à Québec. Depuis qu’il a quitté les bancs d’école, il a travaillé dans les domaines du multimédia, du graphisme et de l’enseignement. Même s’il est surtout reconnu comme un illustrateur aux talents multiples: il passe avec aisance du dessin animalier au public jeunesse, de l’éditorial et du digital au dessin humoristique (où il s’éclate particulièrement!)

Comme si cela ne suffisait pas, il existe aussi un Claude Thivierge peintre animalier, qu’on a vu dans plusieurs galeries et expositions au Québec. Sa vision artistique reflète bien le respect qu’il a de la nature, chaque poil et chaque plume sont peints avec exactitude, harmonie de la couleur et de la lumière. En résumé… un délice pour les yeux.

Quelle que soit la technique qu’il utilise, on reconnaît toujours son style coloré, parfois franchement comique, toujours réaliste et attachant.

This April we also have 3 Author Visits who will be sharing their stories with you.  We welcome Claude for the French Immersion sixes and sevens; Fanny for the French Grade twos and Joanie for the French threes, fours and fives.

To find your favourite poems, check out the 811s in our non-fiction section.

Check out the following  link and begin searching for your favourite poetry books.  We have over 190 poetry books at Hastings School Library.

If you drop by the library with a Poem in your Pocket, and read it to Mrs. Renzullo, I will have a special surprise waiting for you.

HASTINGS SCHOOL POETRY BOOKS

February is Black History Month.  Come by the library to see our latest display of books.  We have also added to our collection by ordering the following titles which should  be in our shelves in 10 days.  A great thanks to L’Ecole Cedardale in West Vancouver for donating a $450.00 gift certificate from Kids Books to our library.  We have purchased these great titles recommended by Ms. Coulter:

• Under the Quilt of Night by Deborah Hopkinson
• A Blue so Blue by Jean-Francois Dumont
• Stichin and Pullin by Patricia McKissack
• A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson
• The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
• Down the Road by Alice Schertle
• Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
• The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson



A new addition to our Black History Collection is Underground by Shane W. Evans.  This book,  just released in 2011, is  about the journey on The Underground Railroad.  In few words and little colour, Shane Evans leaves us imagining the darkness, the terror, and for some, the relief of how it must have felt to experience such a journey.

A family silently crawls along the ground. They run barefoot through unlit woods, sleep beneath bushes, take shelter in a kind stranger's home. Where are they heading?

You will find this book in the non-fiction section:  973.7EVA, or ask Mrs. Renzullo to help you find it.

Black History Month (BHM) Afrikan History Month (AHM)   is held every October in Britain, and February in USA and Canada.

For a Black History Canadian Timeline, both in French and English, please visit Historica’s Black History Site.

For more Canadian Black History links, see Edselect’s choices.

For more information try out some great Black History Month Websites full of activities.

Check out these Book Reviews for more information on famous African-American Biographies.

As students get ready for the holiday break, many of them will reach for a good book.  Vancouver students are great readers, checking out library books more than 1.7 million times from our school libraries every year.  Your children can establish a lifelong love of literature alongside the information literacy and research skills VSB teacher-librarians deliver at every school. Talk to your teacher-librarian any time to learn what sort of great reads suit your child. School libraries interact with every member of the school community for a student’s entire learning life with us.  We encourage parents to visit our Webcat  with the student for reading and research needs.  Use our online tutorial to help students check for items to return to their library on library day by accessing their Accounts online. 

We hope in the busy-ness of the holiday season every member of the family can slow down and enjoy a good read.  If you wonder what might fill the bill, here’s a book selection list for you from the teacher-librarians of the VSB.  Happy Holidays.

Kindergarten:
Pete the Cat – Litwin, Eric
It’s Christmas David – Shannon, David
Merry Christmas, Splat — Scotton, Rob

Grade 1s and 2s
Olivia’s Christmas – Falconer, Ian
Miss Brooks Loves Books ( and I don’t) – Bottner, Barbara
Bad Kitty book series — Bruel, Nick
World According to Humphrey books – Birney, Betty G.
How to Save Your Tail – Hanson, Mary
Ivy and Bean series – Barrows, Anne
Iggy and Me series – Valentine, Jenny
Sisters eight series – Baratz- Logsted, Lauren

Grade 3s and 4s
Thomas and the Dragon Queen – Crum, Shutta
Castle Corona – Creech, Sharon
Odd and the Frost Giants – Gaiman, Neil
3 Good Deeds – Vande Velde, Vivian
Ctrl-Z - Noriss, Andrew (plus Unluckiest Boy in the World and Touchstone)
Strange Case of Origami Yoda – Angleberger,Tom
Masterpiece – Broach, Elise
Amelia rules! Series from Gownley, Jimmy

Grade 5s and 6′s
Running Wild – Morpurgo, Michael
My Life as a Book – Tashjian, Janet
Ranger’s Apprentice series – Flanagan, John
Milo; Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze – Silberberg, Alan
Red Pyramid – Riordan, Rick
The Puzzling World of Winston Breen – Berlin, Eric
Voyage of the Dawn Treader – Lewis, C.S.
Neil Flamber and the Marco Polo Murders – Sylvester, Kevin

Grade 7
Hunger Games Trilogy – Collins, Suzanne
Ghost of Spirit Bear – Mikaelsen, Ben
Maze Runner – Dashner, James
Out of my Mind – Draper, Sharon
Every Soul a Star – Mass, Wendy

Secondary school reads:
Brothers : a novel – Chen, Da
Graceling - Cashore, Kristin
Paper towns – Green, John
Fishtailing – Phillips, Wendy
The Recruit (Cherub Series) – Muchamore, Robert
Beat the Band and Swim the Fly – Calame, Don

I just completed the first major buy of the year.  There are many new books to choose from.  Be sure to check out the latest in the Graphic Collection, some beautiful new French picture books, all the new Red Cedar nominees and much more.

Red Cedar 2009

Graphic Novel Sample

For Schools and Teachers-French and English Resources

Play some Christmas Games

Learn about the Jewish holiday of Chanukah