Books…Blog by Amy Sauls

amysaulsWould you like to travel, solve a mystery, learn more about historical places or people, play sports with the best athletes in the world, and visit with the most exciting people ever? If your answer is yes, then books are for you. It doesn’t matter if you do not really like to read or if you do not read well, there are books for everyone. As a librarian my most favorite thing to do is to read and share my favorite books. When I watch students read and their faces and expressions change based on what they are reading, it is the best experience.

At WCA we have an Accelerated Reader (AR) program. AR is a computerized program that tests reading comprehension. Students select books on their book level, read independently, and take an independent comprehension test on the computer. Each book the student reads is worth a certain number of points based on its length and book level. Using the website, www.arbookfind.com, parents and students can check to see if books they have at home, or books from the public library have an AR quiz available. There is also a way for you to monitor your students’ progress through Home Connect. Through this site, you can sign up to receive an email notification when your child takes an AR quiz at school. There is also a link to arbookfind here. If you need more information about Home Connect, please contact me (amysauls@wakechristianacademy.com). The AR program is often considered something that the really smart kids like to do or something that is “torture” for others.  I have heard parents and students talk about AR reading with excitement and dread. As students get older they feel that AR is something to be endured rather than something to be enjoyed. I think if we can make reading exciting and fun for students all through their elementary years, then when they are in middle and high school it will be natural for them, and something they want to do. If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books.” Roald Dahl

So here is my challenge for you as parents and students. Starting this Christmas, with the gift of a new book, find a way to make reading fun. In addition to the AR points your student can earn, think of a way to encourage reading. Maybe everyone in your family can read a book or a series of books together, maybe each person can give someone they love their favorite book as a gift, or start a book journal. A book journal is a neat way to keep a list of all the books you have read and the books you want to read. It is also a way to build confidence in students who do not like to read or may struggle with reading. They can look back over the book journal and see what they have accomplished. Over time they can begin to write their thoughts down about books they have read, the story and the ideas in the book. What they like and didn’t like about the book. Who knows,  a reluctant reader today may be the next bestselling author of tomorrow.

Following is a list of books that I would recommend for your students to read and are also great Christmas gift ideas. There is a mix in this list of old and new books and recent best sellers.

K5– Books by Dr. Seuss, books by Jan Brett, Berenstain Bear Books, Non-fiction books about weather, animals, insects, sea creatures, I spy/Can you see what I see? (Wick)

First grade– Frog and Toad series- (Lobel), Henry & Mudge-(Rylant), Young Cam Jansen-(Adler), Diary of a worm, fly, spider- (Cronin), Bear feels scared (& others)- Wilson, Karma

Second grade- Magic Tree House series (Osborne), Duck for President (& others) (Cronin), Cam Jansen series (Adler), Nate the Great series (Sharmat), Bailey School Kids series (Dadey). Calendar mysteries, A-Z mysteries (Ron Roy)

Third Grade- Magic Tree House, Research Guides- Non-fiction (Osborne), Who was…? Various authors, Boxcar Children series (Warner) Ramona series (Cleary), Geronimo Stilton series (Stilton)

Fourth Grade- James and the giant peach & others by Roald Dahl, 39 clues- various authors, Who was…?, What was…? Where is…? -various authors, Encyclopedia Brown series (Sobol), American Girl- various titles and authors, Carole Marsh mysteries- (Marsh)

Fifth Grade- Hatchet (& others)- (Paulsen), 39 clues-multiple series, various authors, Anne of Green Gables series (Montgomery), Baseball card adventures (Gutman), Nancy Drew series (Keene), Hardy Boys series, (Dixon)

Middle School- Chronicles of Narnia series (Lewis), Hatchet series (Paulsen), Horatio Hornblower series (Forester), The Royal Diary series-Various authors, Anne of Green Gables series (Montgomery), Theodore Boone series, (Grisham), Mindwar series, (Klavan)

High School- Agatha Christie novels, The Sackett series (L’Amour), Lord of the Rings series (Tolkien), Christy Miller series (Gunn), Redwall series (Jacques), Angels Walking series (Kingsbury), Gates of Heaven series (Lakin)

Let me know what you think about the books on the list. If you have suggestions share those too. Another benefit of reading is sharing the books you have read with others.

What is your favorite book? Why?

“A book is the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance.” Lyndon Baines Johnson

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