What is the one Must-Read Nonfiction for High School Seniors title that pops into your head?

Emboldened by the interesting responses to my plea on Facebook for Must-Read Nonfiction titles for high school seniors, I'm going LARGE to reach my G+ and Twitter supporters. :)

Won't you weigh in with the one Must-Read Nonfiction for High School Seniors title that pops into your head?

Here are the Facebook comments so far. You should be able to add a comment, since the post is public.

Post by Linda J. Lindsay.

Aren't the responses eye-opening? I'll definitely be purchasing the titles we don't already have.

If you don't have a Facebook account or you would rather recommend privately, you can use the Google form below.


OR, you can leave a must-read title on Twitter. Simply add my Twitter handle @mauililbrarian2 to your post.

Thanks in advance for your input. Our Seniors will appreciate it very much!

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@mauilibrarian2
G+

Cross-posted to mauilibrarian2 in Olinda.

Our Library's Sixth Annual Keiki Christmas Storytelling Hour -- A Winter Wonderland of Fun!

My little group of student readers selected a Winter Wonderland theme for our library's sixth annual Keiki* Christmas Storytelling Hour, the last stop for the children at the Alumni Keiki Christmas Party.

Oh what fun it was! ☃

4 student readers and the librarian, with some of 

the student-made snowflakes in the background.

Aria reads The Polar Express. The keiki participated  

with silver bells they could take home with them. "Believe."

Faculty and staff keiki ♡

Group photo. Check out the scarves. Brrrr! ❄

Afterwards, a spontaneous mom-read of Winnie the Pooh's 

The Merry Christmas Mystery, with grandma looking on.

Mahalo to Aria, Sean, Mikhaila, and Patricia, for making the event extra special!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

(◕‿◕✿)

@mauilibrarian2
G+

*Keiki = children

Cross-posted to mauilibrarian2 in Olinda.

PHOTOS from our Inaugural Literary Character Costume Contest

Thanks to everyone who entered!

It was so difficult choosing the winners!

After much deliberation, a blinking pumpkin full of chocolate candies and gummy spiders went to:

Middle School Winner

Katniss of Hunger Games

Faculty/Staff Winner

Daisy Buchanan of The Great Gatsby

Upper School Winner

Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers

So much fun!

Be thinking about next year!

(◕‿◕✿)
@mauilibrarian2

G+

Need a Literary Character Halloween Costume Idea? 7 GREAT DIY Costume Sites to √ Out

Updated October 29, 2015

Looking forward to seeing what our students and teachers 

conjure up this year!

Here are the rules and judging criteria:

Stumped for ideas? Here are some DIY* websites to get your creative juices flowing:

Book Week Costume Explore collection from Pinterest

16 DIY Literary Costumes You Need To Wear This Year For Halloween from gurl.com

Book Character Dress Up Day, Pinterest collection by Marci Tate

21 Children's Book Characters Born to Be Halloween Costumes from buzzfeed.com

5 DIY Literary Halloween Costumes from bookriot

10 DIY Literary Costumes for Halloween from The Poets Project

Children's Book Character Costume Ideas, Pinterest collection by Lori Hancock

DIY* = Do NOT spend a lot of money :)

Yes, there will be photos to share.

(◕‿◕✿)
@mauilibrarian2

G+

Cross-posted on mauilibrarian2 in Olinda

And Our Next Middle School Book Club Read is ...... drum rol-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l ...!

Pano of the Club

Some GREAT suggestions! 

Here's the short list, alphabetically.

Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner 

The Giver by Lois Lowry 

The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton 

Every Day by David Levithan 

Measle and the Wrathmonk by Ian Ogilvy 

Slathbog's Gold by M. L. Forman 

The Swindle by Gordon Korman

And the winner is (no surprise, no surprise)...

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan! 

Check out the book description on the author's website here.

We'll be discussing the book on November 14, at 11:40 am, under the hala tree next to the library. :)

Several students have already borrowed and read the book, which just came out on October 7 -- a good sign!

Come by the library to borrow / reserve a copy!

"Reading is dreaming with open eyes." --YoYo

Ms. Lindsay

(◕‿◕✿) 

@mauilibrarian2

Our Middle School Book Club's First Read of the School Year: The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

We had a lot of fun talking under the hala tree about Lisa McMann's first book in a series by the same name, The Unwanteds.

One thing missing from the book? Food! 

So we chose our favorite ... chocolate. This time, it was brownie crunch nibbles (School Kine cookies, Hawaii-based company). Yum!

These are the questions we posed:

     •Who was your favorite character?

     •Which character do you identify with the most?

     •What was your favorite spell?

     •What was your favorite moment?

Lots of great answers to these questions!

Since the author favorited our tweet (we were so thrilled),

we felt like she was in close reach.

If Club members had the chance, they would ask her the following questions:

     •How did you come up with the idea of The Unwanteds?

     •How long did it take you to write the book?

     •What inspired you to become an author?

The library purchased the other books in the series, and a couple of students are diving into them enthusiastically. Hurray!

This was a great pick (recommended by one of the Club members) for our first read of the year.

I Googled it before the meeting, of course, and found the author's superb study guide. Very detailed, and perfect for classes looking for an interesting, plot-twisting read.

Now, what will the Middle School Book Club pick as their next read?

We'll find out on Friday, at 11:45 .... Be there!

"Reading is dreaming with open eyes." --YoYo

Ms. Lindsay

(◕‿◕✿) 

@mauilibrarian2

"A Hitch at the Fairmont" -- Best Book Trailer. Ever. And, Yes, I'm Ordering the Book!

What an animation and editing feat ala Hitchcock, and I love the message!

Thank you so much, Craig Lew and team!

And yes, I have to order this book for our library because I think our students are going to love it!... two copies, maybe three :) 

About the author and the book: 

A Hitch at the Fairmont by Jim Averbeck

(illustrated by Nick Bertozzi)

Mahalo to author +Terri Farley for sharing this gem of a trailer with me!

Post by Craig Lew.

If you like the trailer, leave a FB comment!

(◕‿◕✿) 
@mauilibrarian2

Come borrow books! The library will be open June 5 9-12 :)

The library will be open June 5 9-12 :) http://t.co/itexROQG62 Come and borrow books!

— Castle Library (@castlelibrary) June 2, 2014

Here are Our Middle School Book Club Picks -- Stay tuned for Video Reviews!

Our last Middle School Book Club meeting took a ver-r-r-r-ry interesting turn.

We just couldn't agree on a book to read!

Soooooo, we spent our last meeting picking out individual books, and at our next meeting on May 19 we'll be doing video book reviews. 

Here are some of the books picked:

• The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• Love (sequel to Star Girl) by Jerry Spinelli
• The Magician (Riftwar Cycle) by Raymond E. Feist
• Matched by Allie Condie
• The Maze of Bones (39 Clues) by Rick Riordan
• Molly Moon and the Monster Music by Georgia Byng
• The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
• The Sight (Warriors) by Erin Hunter
• World War Z by Max Brooks

Stay tuned for the video reviews :)

(◕‿◕✿)
@mauilibrarian2

7 More Series for Fans of Divergent -- Must have!

Thanks to +Mandi Ehman for this great board, and to +Jason Epstein for the pin.

Ms. Burton Shows Us How She's Creating a Children's Picture Book, and #WRAD14 Wrap-up

As part of our school's World Read Aloud Day celebration, professional artist and our Middle School art teacher Heather Burton did a presentation about she's creating a children's picture book.

Ms. Burton's son Conner, who is the main character of the book, read the latest draft of the book to us. How cool is that?

We learned a lot!

Ms. Burton was kind enough to allow us to record her presentation to the Photography class.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
The presentation topped off a week of World Read Aloud activities:

• A padlet wall answering the question: "What is your earliest and fondest memory of someone reading aloud to you?" [wall, blog post]
• A hangout with +Matthew Winner, creator of the WRAD14 Blogging Challenge, and Rosie Sutherland, a King Kekaulike student who didn't learn to read until she was 10. [hangout, blog post]
• A read-aloud to kindergarteners in Litchfield, Massachusetts. [video, blog post]

This was the first time we participated in World Read Aloud Day!

Will we participate next year? You bet!

Happy reading aloud!

(◕‿◕✿)

@mauilibrarian2
G+

Reading "Too Many Mangos" -- Sharing the Aloha with Kindergarteners in Litchfield, Minnesota

Dear Kindergarteners, 

I had a lot of fun reading Too Many Mangos* to you for World Read Aloud Day! 

Thank you for letting me record and share it.



I have been thinking more about your question about what mangoes taste like, and these are more words I would use to describe the taste of a mango.

The green mangoes are crunchy and slightly sour .

In addition to being juicy and succulent and sweet,  ripe mangoes have the texture of a peach.

Here are some photos about the things we talked about. 

This is what the eight islands of Hawaii look like on the map.

I live close to Kahului on the island of Maui.

Yes, we have coconuts.

Picking coconuts in Hana, Maui.

Yes, it does snow in Hawaii!

It snows on Maui. And on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii too.

Here's a website to find out how many miles there are between Hawaii and Minnesota.

Distance Calculator: How Far Is It?

I forgot to mention to you that I visited Minnesota a few years ago to attend a school librarians conference. How could I forget?

I love the trees in Minnesota!

Minnesota has something that Hawaii doesn't -- trees that change color in the fall. Gorgeous!

Thanks again for letting me read to you. And a very special thanks to Mr. Swenson for inviting me and for tweeting a picture of me reading to you.

Big thanks to @mauilibrarian2 for reading "Too Many Mangos" for #WRAD14. The kids loved learning about Hawaii! pic.twitter.com/wk2BGztUaJ
— Darin Swenson (@Swenson_N111) March 5, 2014

And I took a screenshot of Mr. Swenson and you in the hangout. :D

Happy reading!

As we say in Hawaiian, A hui hou! (until we meet again)

Mahalo,

Ms. Lindsay from Maui, Hawaii

(◕‿◕✿)

P. S. I tried the mango from South America and pickled it with shoyu and vinegar, just like Mr. Wong likes it, but with pepper instead of chili pepper water.

Half-ripe mango with shoyu, vinegar, and pepper

It's almost as good as a backyard Maui mango. 

I can hardly wait until summer, when mangoes will be in season. :)

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

*Too Many Mangos is written by Tammy Paikai and illustrated by Don Robinson.

["Raising Our Voices" 4th and last Blog Challenge for WRAD14] 

"What is your earliest or fondest memory of someone reading aloud to you?" SEABURY READS

For World Read Aloud Day, March 5,

Seabury Hall students, teachers, staff, parents, and alumni answer the question:


"What is your earliest or fondest memory  of someone reading aloud to you?"

Created with Padlet

http://padlet.com/wall/seaburyreadsWRAD14

Note to Seabury writers: 

     •Just your first name is okay.

     •You can add a link, image, or webcam photo to your post.

     •Your post will appear on the wall after approval.

     

(◕‿◕✿)

@mauilibrarian2
G+

Blogging Challenge for World Read Aloud Day, Week #3: A Snapshot of My Reading Life

These photos are of children in our library. 

The toddlers at the top are learning to love books and reading.

The sixth graders at the bottom love books and reading. 

These children give me hope for the future.

(◕‿◕✿)

@mauilibrarian2
G+

For #WRAD14, A Hangout with Matthew Winner & A Student Who Didn't Learn to Read Until She Was 10

We had two Firsts for our Google Rocks! Hawaii HOA last night -- an East Coast guest (who rocks the library world) and a student (who didn't learn to read until she was 10).

Guesting on tonight's Google Rocks! Hawaii HOA to talk about #WRAD14 7pmHST http://t.co/mHEFMLw3vm @litworldsays #TLChat @mauilibrarian2
— Matthew C. Winner (@MatthewWinner) February 26, 2014

Matthew Winner, aka The Busy Librarian, agreed to hang out with us, midnight Maryland time. We were thrilled! Matthew's enthusiasm for the idea of reading aloud to children and for World Read Aloud Day on March 5 is infectious.

Rosie Sutherland, a King Kekaulike High School Junior, joined us too. Rosie describes a childhood full of read-alouds. She didn't learn to read until she was ten. Rosie's favorite childhood book? Bottersnakes and Gumbles, written by S. A. Wakefiled and illustrated by Desmond Digby.

See for yourself how Matthew and Rosie inspired us to join the World Read Aloud Day celebration, March 5, and to spread the good word throughout the year about reading aloud.




Be sure to check out the hangout's Show Notes for celebration ideas mentioned and additional resources.

http://litworld.org/worldreadaloudday

On behalf of fellow Google Rocks! Hawaii panelists +Michael Fricano II, +Jody Brown, and +Michelle Carlson Colte, 

A big MAHALO to Matthew and Rosie for making a difference for children!

(◕‿◕✿)

@mauilibrarian2
G+

Also posted on mauilibrarian2 in Olinda.

Blogging Challenge for World Read Aloud Day, Week #2 - Adult and Child

http://litworld.org/worldreadaloudday

What fun! This week's Raising Our Voices blogging challenge for World Read Aloud Day on March 5 is to answer questions with a child.

I chose to do this challenge with my student Hana, who reads to her little brother often, and whose bookshelf consists of three deep shelves overflowing with books. Her mom thinks she should have a garage sale, but Hana disagrees. Hana also has books piled on her bed that she can choose from for bedtime reading.

So, here goes:

1. I think everyone in the world should read:

H: The Hobbit. "It's the best fantasy ever." It's got goblins, magic, everything.

Me: I just discovered the book Two Many Mangos, written by Tammy Paikai and illustrated by Don Robinson. It's about sharing, and captures the lovely spirit of Hawaii.

Post by Linda J. Lindsay.

2. If I could listen to anyone in the world read aloud to me it would be ...

H: J. R. R. Tolkien. He is amazing. The Hobbit was written for his children. Since I'm a child, I think that's really cool.

Me: I have to cop out on this question and not pick a particular person. However, I would say that listening to authors read their from own books in person is a very special experience for me. 


3. When I read aloud, my favorite character to impersonate is ...

H: Sadie Kane from the Kane Chronicles. She is so funny and her English accent is fun to impersonate.

Me: I have the most fun when I can impersonate with a British accent any professorial character in a book.


4. The genre or author that takes up the most room on my bookshelf (or e-reader) is ...

H: Fantasy!!!!!!!!!! Come on, people, it just rules!

Me: Children's books I treasure. They're part of my special cubby for reading knickknacks, and there are more in a covered wicker basket in my living room.


5. My favorite part about reading aloud or being read to is ...

H: Getting lost in the story. No explanation needed.

Me: Watching a child getting lost in the story. No explanation needed.

How would YOU answer these questions?

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Next week's challenge is sharing "A Snapshot of My Reading Life". 

Hmmm, I'm thinking that it's going to have to be a collage. :)

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Find out how you can participate in World Read Aloud Day at litworld.org/worldreadaloudday.

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(◕‿◕✿ ) 

@mauilibrarian2 

On G+