December Parent Teaching and Learning Newsletter 2014 by Lake Orion Community Schools

DECEMBER, 2014

Teaching and Learning Newsletter Early Reading Inter-

Message from Heidi...

2014 ~ 2015

Math Department

Dear Parents/Guardians,

3-5

English Learner

We have had a great start to the 2014-2015 school year. As usual, time is flying by and it does not help when there is snow in November that we would typically expect in December. We are hopeful that this winter is nicer to us than the last. Please take a few moments to read all the latest happening and updates in the Teaching and Learning Department.

Webinar information Standards Based

Grading ELA Department LOHS—Blended Learning

8 9-10

New State Test

As the holidays approach, I wish you health, joy and happiness and a wonderful 2015—2016 year.

NEWSLETTER

TEACHING AND LEARNING

vention

attachments 1. 10 Facts Parents Should Know About Reading 2. Young Adults’ Choices (reading)

Heidi Mercer Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning

3. Children’s Choices (reading) 4. MI Student Testing 5. Assessment Transition 6. Standards Based Grading

DID YOU KNOW???

We know that the right brain performs certain functions, and the left brain specializes in other

tasks.

But we also know that the right brain controls the left side of the body, and the left brain

regulates the right side.

So, what about our ears?

Are they exactly the same? Or do they hear

things differently? Scientists had long assumed that our ears were the same and that decoding sound took place entirely in the brain, with signals relayed to the appropriate side. processing starts at the ear.

For example, the right ear is geared more toward speech, and the

left ear is attuned more to music.

(Children with right-ear hearing impairment have more trouble

in school than those with left-ear loss.) you might want to put it in your left ear. earphone in your right ear.

But we now know that auditory

So if you’re listening to music with a single earphone, But for learning a language, it might help to keep the

Page 2

LAKE ORION CONTINUES TO EMBRACE EARLY READING INTERVENTION….. This is the third school year of our Kindergarten Early Intervention Initiative.

We continue to see amaz-

ing results. The graph exhibits student pre (beginning of school year light green) and post (end of school year dark green) reading skills achievement.

In Kindergarten, beginning reading skills focus on the awareness of sounds spoken in words and word parts (syllables/phonemes). According to research, the lack of phonemic awareness is the most powerful determinant of the likelihood of a student’s failure to learn to read. One activity to engage your child at

home, is to have your child “clap” or “tap” out a word (start with their name) to demonstrate how many parts are in the word.

Collaboration between home and school is a key to student achievement!

Teaching and Learning

Page 3

MATH DEPARTMENT NEWS Basic Math Facts: The Tortoise Wins the Race! Take yourself back to elementary school and sitting down to take a timed test. Can you feel the anxiety already building? Can you anticipate the bell going off or the teacher saying “pencils down?” It has been a long educational trend that to be fluent meant you had to be fast. This often meant that children had to memorize a long list of facts and be able to quickly recall those facts in a pre-determined amount of time, causing some children to “freeze up” even though they had a firm foundation of their facts. Recent research surrounding the topic of fluency has revealed that timed tests have a negative impact on students’ progress towards knowing and using facts (Boaler, 2012, Henry and Brown, 2008). Between anxiety and the fine motor skills of young children having to write quickly, the results of these timed tests do not reflect the fact retrieval or number sense of children. How is Fluency Defined? Fluency appears in the Michigan Standards in multiple grade levels with both basic facts and operations with multi-digit numbers (see figure 1). In the Standards for Mathematical Practice, fluency is defined as the skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently and appropriately (CSSI, 2010, p.6). Michigan Standards: Fluency for Basic Facts and Operations with Multidigit Numbers Kindergarten Fluently add and subtract within 5.

Grade 1 Add and subtract within 20 demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10.

Grade 2

 Fluently add and



subtract within 20 using mental strategies. Fluently add and subtract within 100.

Grade 3

 Fluently multiply and divide within 100. By the end of Grade 3, know from memory all the products of two one-digit numbers.

Grade 4 Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers.

Grade 5 Fluently multiply and divide whole numbers.

 Fluently add and subtract within 1,000.

Figure 1

A student is considered flexible in their procedural fluency if they can answer the fact 8 + 5 by thinking of using 8 + 2 is 10 and 10 + 3 is 13. This combines two strategies of decomposing the addend 5 into a 2 and 3 so that they can use the 2 to make a 10. Accurately is defined as having no errors. This still applies to fluency because there is only one right answer to each fact. A student is efficient when choosing the appropriate strategy. For example, when asked to find the product of 3 × 8, a student who counts by 3’s is not as efficient as a student who doubles 8 and adds one more group of 8 to get 24. In order to achieve fluency with basic facts, students start by learning the foundational facts (figures 2 and 3). Once these facts are mastered, you can use several strategies to derive the rest of the facts. Eventually, through practice and games, students become faster at the derived facts and automaticity is the result.

How is Fluency Assessed? In order to be considered fluent, students need to be assessed on all four parts of fluency and this cannot be determined by seeing how fast they can write random facts in one minute. Think about what it means to fluently speak a foreign language. Does it mean you can recall a list of words in a defined amount of time, or is it when you can actively engage in the language using both structure and meaning to communicate ideas? The same is true for mathematics, students are taught fundamental facts first (figures 2 and 3) and then those are used to help derive other facts. With daily practice and a focus on strategies, students become more efficient when having to recall facts.

Page 4

MATH CONTINUED

How is Fluency Assessed? (cont.) Teachers can assess a students’ fluency through games, observations, journaling, interviews, and short quizzes can be used to assess efficiency as well as strategy use. Figure 2

Figure 3

Addition & Subtraction Foundational Facts +1/+2 -1/-2 +0 -0

+10

Doubles Make a Ten

Students build on their understanding of counting by exploring 1 or 2 more and 1 or 2 less. Using their knowledge of the concept of addition, students explore what happens when they add or subtract nothing from a quantity. Adding 10 to a single-digit number results in a 2digit sum. Students explore adding 10 in order to build understanding and automaticity that will be needed later when exploring using a ten strategy. 7 + 10 =17 or 10 + 3 = 13 Students explore the concept of doubling and what it means to add two groups of equal size. Students explore all the combinations of single digit numbers that make a sum of 10.

Multiplication & Division Foundational Facts ×1/÷1

×0

×10/÷10 Squares ×2/÷2 (Doubles)

Mastering ×1/÷1 facts is quite easy, although the concept of 1as a group, or groups of 1 is a bit tough to visualize. × 0 facts are easy for students to commit to memory because the product is always zero, but this set of facts can be challenging for concrete thinkers. It is difficult to conceptualize a group of nothing. Even more difficult is understanding why 3 ÷ 0 ≠ 0. Students can us the multiplication relationship that 0 ÷ 3 = 0 because 0 × 3 = 0, but 3 ÷ 0 = 0 does not work because 0 × 0 ≠ 3. The understanding of 10 is foundational in our number system. This also allows for a better understanding of place value, decimals, fractions and percent relationships. This pattern in the multiplication table becomes extremely useful in middle years and allows students to derive other facts. Students need to double or half, recognizing the connection to skip counting or doubling. Students quickly recall 5 facts by skip counting by 5’s.

Efficiently Finding Sums or Differences Using the Above Facts

×5/÷5

Doubles +1

Efficiently Finding Sums or Differences Using the Above Facts

Doubles +2 Using a Ten

Students combine two strategies to quickly arrive at sums when they can decompose a number to make doubles and then add 1 or 2 more. 6 + 8 = 6 + 6 + 2 = 14 Students use their understanding of sums of ten to break apart addends to create a more efficient way to add. 7 + 9 = 6 + 10 = 16

Add/ Subtract a Group

Multiplying by 3 can be thought of multiplying by 2 and then adding 1 more group.

Doubling

Multiplying by 4 can be thought of doubling a double or multiplying by 6 can be thought of doubling a multiple of 3.

Decompose a factor

Multiplying by 8 means I can multiply by 5 and 3 and add the result together (ex. 6 × 8 can be thought of as 6 × 5 + 6 × 3).

How can I help my child be more fluent?

Free App for iPads, iPods, iPhone:

Based on the information above, do you feel like your child is not fluent in their basic facts? Start with the foundational facts listed in Figure 1 and 2. Make sure your child has automaticity with those facts by using a fact check game, on-line support or flash cards. Once the automaticity of the fundamental facts is present, begin to add in another set along with a strategy. For example, if your child is fluent in × 2 facts, bring in the × 3 by using the “add a group” strategy. Practice that set of facts using games, flash cards and fact checks until your child feels comfortable with the new set.

Help your students achieve computational fluency – an integral part of success in mathematics! Aligned to the Common Core, Door 24 provides targeted practice in the use of basic facts, number sense, and algebraic thinking. Students can work through 6 different levels and multiple problem sets as they help fix Robot Victor’s circuits and solve the mystery behind Door 24! This app provides practice in computational fluency across five grade levels, from grades 4 – 8 with content available for students who are working a level behind.

Print your own flash cards for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts http:// www.apples4theteacher.com/math/addition/ flashcards/

Math continued on page 5

Door 24

Teaching and Learning

Page 5 MATH CONTINUED

• An engaging narrative and a compelling reward system keep students motivated. • Multiple sets of problems are presented at increasing levels of difficulty. • Challenge sets require students to find all possible solutions to expand their problem solving skills. • Includes hints and Math Review screens to help students when they struggle. • Aligns with Common Core State Standards

Mastering the Basic Math Facts in Addition and Subtraction: Strategies, Activities & Interventions to Move Students Beyond Memorization http://www.heinemann.com/shared/onlineresources/e02963/oconelladd.pdf Mastering the Basic Math Facts in Multiplication and Division: Strategies, Activities & Interventions to Move Students Beyond Memorization http://www.heinemann.com/shared/onlineresources/e02962/oconnellmultweb.pdf References

Boaler, Jo. 2012. “Timed Tests and the Development of Math Anxiety.” Education Week. Online July 3, 2012. Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI). 2010. Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Washington, DC: National Goveners Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. http://www.corestandards.org/wp-content/uploads/Math_Standards.pdf Henry, Valerie J., and Richard S. Brown, 2008. “First Grade Basic Facts: An Investigation into Teaching and Learning of an Accelerated, High-Demand Memorization Standard.” Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 39 (March): 153-83. Kling, Gina, and Bay-Williams, Jennifer, M., 2014. “Assessing Basic Fact Fluency.” Teaching Children Mathematics 20 (April): 489-497. O’Connell, Susan, and SanGiovanni, 2011. Mastering the Basic Math Facts in Addition and Subtraction: Strategies, Activities & Interventions to Move Students Beyond Memorization. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann O’Connell, Susan, and SanGiovanni, 2011. Mastering the Basic Math Facts in Multiplication and Division: Strategies, Activities & Interventions to Move Students Beyond Memorization. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann

“MY

CHILD IS AN

ENGLISH

What does that mean?” This webinar is linked to our Lake Orion Schools website. Go to: www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us/content_page.aspx?cid=1034 The following questions are addressed in the webinar. You may view the webinar in either English or Spanish. 1.

What does it mean to be an English language learner?

2. How was my child identified as an English language learner? 3.

Will my child always be an English language learner?

If you have further questions after viewing the webinar, please contact your ESL teacher in your building or MaryAnne Thorndycraft, District ESL Coordinator, mthorndycraft@lakeorion.k12.mi.us

LANGUAGE LEARNER.” Samina Ata sata@lakeorion.k12.mi.us Carpenter, Orion Oaks or Webber Elementary schools Tera Schwartz tschwartz@lakeorion.k12.mi.us Waldon and Oakview Middle schools, Blanche Sims, Paint Creek Elementary schools Ivy Mitchell imitchell@lakeorion.k12.mi.us Scripps Middle School Jamie Fuss jfuss@lakeorion.k12.mi.us Pine Tree and Stadium Drive Elementary schools Carole Simpkins csimpkins@lakeorion.k12.mi.us Lake Orion High School

Page 6

STANDARDS BASED GRADING

2014 ~ 2015

Students Kâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;3 received their first

reporting that there is no doubt

Lake Orion standards based report

that the report cards took much

card for first marking period.

longer to fill out; however, the in-

With standards based grading, students and parents now have information to understand the expectations and their next steps toward

being on grade level. Standards Based Grading allows each content area to have its own standards on

formation that they were able to share was worth the time. Furthermore, teachers reported that they feel they know their students even more than in the past due to the

review of the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance on each content standard.

the report card which tells what

We have been looking forward to

students need to know and be able

this change and feel it is in the

to do at certain points in learning

best interest of students, parents

in these content areas.

and teachers.

As we continue SBG, we are confident that parents and students will

We thank you for

your continued support and patience with this change.

have more information that is useful

Attached in an article further ex-

and specific to student learning

plain SBG.

ATTACHMENT 6

than ever before. Our teachers are

From the Teaching and Learning Department Staff

Teaching and Learning Page 7

READING is a Lifelong Sport! As we watch our children learn to play baseball or soccer, we hear the coach say, “get the ball off your foot” or “level swing.” Coaches know that the more you practice, the better you get at something. The more opportunities you have to swing the bat, the better your swing will become. Likewise, once you learn, you don’t stop practicing but continue to practice in order to perfect your skills. We believe reading is no different. Some parents ask, “Why don’t students all read the same novel?” We believe students should read books they like and want to read. By allowing kids choice in their reading selections, we increase the chances that they will actually read the book and not try to coast through without engaging. Additionally, this allows learners of all levels to read books that they can read independently. When you are unable to read or comprehend a book, you are likely to abandon or pretend read the book but not actually read. Traditionally, when whole class novels are taught, it takes as many as four to six weeks for a class to work through one book. Using choice reading, our upper elementary and middle school readers read as many as one book a week. By reading this much, they have the opportunity for more “shots on goal.” We want them to see many characters develop, relate to many author’s intentions and determine the resolutions of many plots. Choice reading helps encourage these skills!

While students, read daily at school, research supports this is just not enough, students also need to read at home-even through their adolescent years. You can support your reader of any age at home by considering books as holiday gifts this season. Attached you will find several literacy award lists sponsored by the International Reading Association to support your book selection. We are all busy, but make time to read at home whenever you can. For younger readers, make reading aloud to your child a daily routine and keep doing it even when they are second graders and start to seem like they can read books independently. Try reading books with your older readers, you read a chapter aloud and they read a chapter aloud-have lots of conversations around characters, choices and what’s going on in the books. For middle school and high school readers, many parents find it helpful to read the same book as their child, allowing them to have meaningful conversations around the books they are reading. Adolescent readers also enjoy following reading a book with the movie version-consider making this a family event. There is no right way to encourage reading at home, what’s important is that we make it a priority and try our best to get our kids reading everyday. The more “hours they spend on the field,” the better player they will become!

Please see ATTACHMENT 2 and ATTACHMENT 3 For more great ELA ideas and information.

Page 8

BLENDED LEARNING AT LAKE ORION HIGH

2014 ~ 2015

Under the supervision of Principal Steve

students, offering a variety of educational op-

Hawley and Drew Towlerton, Coordinator of

portunities for Lake Orion students is an im-

Educational Opportunities, the high school is

portant step toward preparing them for future

continuing to expand opportunities for our

experiences beyond Lake Orion High School.

students by offering several classes in a blended learning format. Blended Learning,

Lake Orion administration has fully supported

as defined by the district, is “a method that

the development of blended learning classes by

combines traditional face-to-face activities with online education. A blended learning classroom uses technology to transform and improve the learning process. Blended learning classes can reach and engage students in a more customizable way. Students learn, at least in part, through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time, place, path or pace (this will vary from class to class and instructor to instructor). This may include the opportunity for students to work off-site during the blended class period provided requirements for off-site participation are met.” Blended Learning differs from Online

providing staff with ongoing professional devel-

Classes in that students meet regularly with

er Applications Course. He writes, "I am excited

their teacher receiving both instruction and

to start my first Blended Computer Applications class this term. I have spent a lot of time and effort preparing for this, so it is nice to finally see it come to fruition. It is exciting to be able to offer this unique method of learning to my students. I hope to eventually offer more classes in this format."

feedback online and face-to-face. Blended Learning is increasing at all educational levels but particularly at the high school and college level. According to a 2012 report by the National Association of

opment opportunities and guidance in the cre-

ation of blended learning curriculum. Staff members across the district have participated in courses to increase their blended teaching skills.

One such opportunity is a rigorous 60+

hour course for educators interested in using blended learning sponsored by the Michigan Department of Education entitled Blended

Learning in the Classroom . Several blended courses are being taught this year and many more will be introduced in the coming years. Business Teacher, Kevin Stone is

currently teaching a Blended Learning Comput-

State Boards of Education, the advances in educational technology have necessitated a

Modern Language teacher, Jen Howe taught a

reevaluation of traditional instructional meth-

blended German Conversation class last school

ods. Given the instant communication and

year and currently offers a blended learning

access to information currently available, the

option for her German 2 class. “My experience

educational experience of today’s students

with German Conversation was great; the students provided me with lots of feedback about what worked best for them. It was a first period class with 28 kids. We had 3 face to face days a week and 2 online days. During the face to face days, we did German songs, readings, vocabulary practice, and writing, brainstorming, and editing. On the online days, they submitted journal entries, surveys, projects, and speaking assignments.”

should reflect the world in which they live. Blended learning utilizes various online resources to provide students with the opportunity to personalize their learning experience and is shown to increase student engagement with instructional content. According to Heidi Mercer, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, while Blended Learning may not be the right choice for all

Page 9

BLENDED LEARNING AT LOHS (cont.)

NEW STATE TEST

These are a few of the blended choices that

In mid November the MDE announced its up-

our Junior and Senior students have, along

dated assessment system, called the Michigan

with English Teacher, Kelly Day who offers a

Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP).

blended Expository Reading and Writing class.

The M-STEP replaces the 44 year old MEAP

Later this year, Rick Messick from the

test which was not online and measured previ-

Math

Department will teach an Introductory Statistics blended class

and Russ Stowers from the Sci-

ence Department will teach a blended Zoology class. We look forward to providing more

blended learning opportunities for our students in the coming years. Reflecting on the continuing development of blended learning at LOHS, Drew Towlerton writes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lake Orion has worked hard over the

past few years to develop a blended learning program that provides a unique learning opportunity for students. Through our blended program, students are able to experience curriculum that is developed and delivered by Lake Orion staff. It has been vitally important to our team that we are consistent in our procedures, policies, and expectations as we have rolled out our blended program. Lake Orion has a rich tradition of providing unique, high quality educational experiences. Our blended program continues this rich Lake Orion tradition.â&#x20AC;?

ous state standards. Lake Orion has been expecting and preparing for this change.

Our district has been fo-

cused on teaching students to think critically, problem solve, and communicate and apply their knowledge.

These skills will prepare stu-

dents for any test type they will need to take, not just the new M-STEP, which will more than likely change slightly for the following year. Teaching skills, rather than teaching to a test, will better prepare our students for the world of today and the future.

Please be sure to

see the attached news release from the MDE for specific details.

Please see ATTACHMENT 4 and ATTACHMENT 5 MDE news release/M-STEP info

ATTACHMENT 1 you find in garage sales or thrift shops—has the same words as a brand new copy for $12.95. Reading families use the 3 B’s (to help the 3 R’s): Books, Bathroom, and Bed Lamp. Make sure there’s a box for books and magazines in the bathroom for idle or

captive moments, and add one near the kitchen table. Install a reading lamp near the child’s bed and allow the privilege of staying up 15 minutes later to read (or just look at book’s pictures) in bed. It might be the most important night-school he’ll ever attend. 8. THERE is a strong connection between over-viewing of TV by children and underachieving in school. Simply put: those who watch the most know the least. Research shows that up to 10 TV-hours a week has no impact on children’s grades but beyond that the grades decline. Sixty percent of children now have a TV in their bedroom. Oh-oh! A side-by-side comparison of third-graders’ math and reading scores tells it all in the chart below—scores of children with or without a TV in their bedroom. The average child spends 1,460 hours a year watching Impact of TV-in-bedroom on student scores

—Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2005

TV/DVD’s and playing computer games—equal to watching “Gone With the Wind” 392 times year. What about buying those computer programs or tapes you see advertised on TV that teach reading? Read on. 9. THE most economical device to teach reading is already in your home. Finland’s children have the highest reading scores in the world and they use this device more than any other country—and it’s free! It’s closed-captioning on the TV. Turn it on by using the “menu” button on the remote to reach the “cc” area. Children unconsciously absorb the sight of the words and their sounds, making connections to how print is used. It’s like having a free magazine subscription in the home. All print counts. What about recorded books—do they count? Read on. 10. WHILE a recorded voice is not as good as a live adult who can stop and explain something in the story, it’s better than nothing. It’s also a great assist for the parent who has a reading disability or for whom English is a second language. (Incidentally, reading to a child in a foreign language accomplishes many of the same things—feeds vocabulary and builds a bridge to the love of reading and books.) Public libraries have huge collections of audio books—all available for free.

For more details on these subjects, see Jim Treleaseʼs Web site www.trelease-on-reading.com. © Jim Trelease 2009. This brochure may be freely reproduced by nonprofit institutions with permission of the author (see Web site).

TEN FACTS PARENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT READING BY JIM TRELEASE

Author of the New York Times Bestseller

The Read-Aloud Handbook

1. READING is the most important subject in school. Why? Because a child needs reading in order to master most of the other subjects. It’s extremely difficult to do word problems in math if you can’t read the words. How can you answer the questions in social studies or science if you can’t read and understand the textbook? If it’s so important, how does a child “get good at it”? Read on. 2. ACROSS the world, children who read the most, read the best. And that includes all social levels—rich or poor, urban or suburban. Here’s a chart involving 250,000 Literacy scores by income level and how often students engage with print

teenagers in 32 countries. Starting with the left column (low engage.), we see students from three income levels who read the least, Maecenas pulvinar sagittis enim then those who read a moderate amount, Lorem ipsum those dolor sitwho amet,read ligula the suspendisse and finally most (also nulla pretium, rhoncus tempor placerat fermenthe widest variety of print—books, magatum, enim integer ad volutpat. Nisl rhoncus turpis zines, fiction, est, vel elit, conguenonfiction). wisi enim nunc Among ultricies sit,all incomes, magna tincidunt. the more Maecenas they aliquam read atmaecenas home, the ligula nostra, accumsanbut taciti. ipsumgain dolorfor higher they scored, theLorem biggest sit amet, ligulastudents suspendisse nulla pretium, rhonlow-income was when they entercus tempor placerat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, edligula thatsuspendisse “most engaged” category. So how do nulla pretium, Nisl rhoncus wecongue. get them to read more at home? Read on. 3. WE humans are pleasure-seekers, doing things over and over if we like it. We go to

favorite restaurants and order the food and beverages we like, not the stuff we hate. So if you want to ensure children visit “reading” more often, make sure they like it more than they hate it. How do we get them to like it that much? Read on. 4. READ aloud to them, even as infants. Initially, the sound of your voice is a beacon of calmness, conditioning the child to associate you and the book with security. As the child grows, so too does the time you should spend reading in one sitting, from a few minutes to at least 20 minutes, from picture books to chapter books. I can see the benefits for younger children but I thought my 1st-grader was supposed to come home and read to me. How can he get better at reading if I’m doing the reading? Read the next paragraph. 5. LISTENING comprehension comes before reading comprehension. You must hear a word before you can say it or read and write it. If you’ve never heard the word “enormous” in a meaningful way, you won’t understand it when it’s time to read or write it. There’s a kind of “word reservoir” in a child’s brain and one of the jobs of a parent is to pour so many words into it that it overflows into speech and then reading and writing. By age four, high-income children have heard 45 million words from their families and low-income children have heard just 13 million. That’s a 32 millionword difference equalling one year’s head-

Childʼs total words heard by age 4

—Meaningful Differences by Hart & Risley

start for the advantaged child. HUGE FACTOR: a child spends 900 hours a year in school and 7,800 hours at home. Who’s the most important teacher? At what age do you stop reading to a child? Read on. 6. CHILDREN usually read on one level and listen on a higher level. It’s usually not until eighth grade that the reading level catches up to the listening level. This means that first-graders can hear and understand third- and fourth-grade books they can’t read yet. These chapter books gradually introduce them to new words, new ideas, and the world beyond their neighborhood—and that, in turn, helps them better understand what they need to read in their school books. Simple sentences in Dr. Seuss books like “Hop on Pop” were written to be read by beginning readers to themselves; that’s why the cover label reads “I Can Read It All by Myself.” Six-yearolds are capable of understanding sentences that are longer and richer than “All Fall. Fall off the wall” but an adult must help by reading richer sentences like, “Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting out cabbages, but he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out, “Stop thief!” (The Tale of Peter Rabbit) What about families that can’t afford books? Read on. 7. THE top winter Olympians come from states where they have the most ice and snow. And reading research shows that children who come from homes with the most print—books, magazines, and newspapers—have the highest reading scores. They also use the library more than those with lower scores. Libraries have the most and best books in the world—all for free. Remember: a used book for 50 cents—like

ATTACHMENT 2

What Is the Young Adults’ Choices Project?

he 2014 Young Adults’ Choices list is the 28th that

U.S. teenagers (grades 7–12) have helped create. This project began in 1986, funded by a special grant given to the International Reading Association, and was supervised by the Association’s Literature for Young Adults Committee. The goals of the project are to encourage young people to read; to make teens, teachers, librarians, and parents aware of new literature for young adults; and to provide middle and

Young Adults’ Choices 2014

secondary school students with an opportunity to voice their opinions about books being written for them.

See page 7 for the

s Young Adults’ Choice 2014 Reading List bookmark!

Logo illustration © by Natalie Babbitt

The 5th Wave

Fallout

Rick Yancey. Penguin.

Todd Strasser. Candlewick.

Sixteen-year-old Cassie, her brother Sam, and her father are still alive after four waves of devastating attacks from aliens in this page-turning thriller. When Sam is kidnapped by the enemy, Cassie makes a promise to rescue him. Can she figure out what the 5th wave of attack is before it is too late?

Dogs of War

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die

Sheila Keenan and Nathan Fox. Ill. Nathan Fox. Scholastic.

April Henry. Macmillan.

A graphic novel that details three fictional stories about combat dogs that helped soldiers in World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. Based on true stories, Dogs of War is beautifully detailed and brings life to the heroisms of military dogs and the people they saved.

Lauren Myracle. Abrams.

James Dashner. Random House. Michael is a gamer on VirtNet, a virtual world that offers a totally integrated mind–body experience. To add excitement to his experience, he learns how to hack into the system. When another gamer finds a way to hold others hostage inside VirtNet, Michael is hired by the government to uncover the underlying scheme.

From Dogs of Wa r by Sheila Ke en an and Nathan Fox. Scholastic.

Yo u n g A d u l t s’ C h o i c e s • 2 0 14

Cady wakes up in a nightmare. She finds herself in an isolated cabin with two men who threaten to kill her. The trouble is compounded by her uncertain memories. As she flees for her life, Cady finds danger at every turn. As she slowly begins to reconstruct her past, she learns she must survive to rescue her family.

The Infinite Moment of Us

The Eye of Minds

What if a nuclear bomb had been dropped on the United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis? And what if your family was the only one in the neighborhood with a bomb shelter? This thoughtful, terrifying story is told in alternating chapters of sixth grader Scott’s life before and after the bomb.

It’s a hot summer in this steamy, whirlwind romance. Wren and Charlie are from two very different backgrounds, but when they meet through a chance encounter, their lives change forever. Through their relationship, Wren begins to understand what she really wants out of life, and Charlie begins to understand true love.

From The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry. Macmillan.

ment of Us by Lau From The Infinite Mo Myracle. Abr ams.

ren

Just One Day

The Lord of Opium

Gayle Forman. Penguin.

Nancy Farmer. Simon & Schuster.

Touring Europe, Allison meets Willem. She abandons her plans and explores Paris with Willem for a one-day adventure where she falls in love. She awakens alone in the morning and returns home brokenhearted. Allison now needs to truly find herself before she can search for him.

Leap of Faith

In this eerie sequel to The House of the Scorpion, Farmer questions the fine line between realism and science fiction. Matthew, El Patron’s surviving clone, encounters family greed from relatives and subtle bits of compassion from seemingly unlikely characters that lead him to question the misuses of opium and power.

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

Jamie Blair. Simon & Schuster. Faith has been traumatized by her distant and abusive mother. She decides to rescue her baby sister, Addy, from a similar, harsh future. Faith kidnaps Addy and moves to Florida. Under the assumed name of Leah, she meets Chris, who quickly becomes a romantic part of her life. Is a hopeful, happy future possible—or will she be caught?

Letting Anna Go

Katie Alender. Scholastic. On spring break, Collette goes on a class trip to France. In the midst of fashion, chocolate croissants, and cute boys, gruesome murders are being committed. As Collette tours Paris, she sees visions of a woman who remarkably resembles Marie Antoinette. With the help of a charming French boy, Collette finds suspense and danger connected to the mysterious past.

Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill

Anonymous. Simon & Schuster. Everything has its extremes—too fat...too skinny. Anna was an extraordinary athlete. She only wanted to lose a few pounds to look beautiful for her boyfriend. Searching for perfection because of her mom’s tragic experience, Anna becomes anorexic without noticing. Read her own thoughts in the diary she left behind.

James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts. Little Brown. Rafe is ready for fun at summer camp, but—oh no— it turns out he’s at summer school camp. No worries, though. Hilarious fun with friends ensues when Rafe and his bunkmate, a boy nicknamed Booger Eater, and their cabin mates fend off an attack from the boys in the “Cool Cabin.”

From The Lord of Opium by Nancy Farmer. Simon & Schuster. From Just One Day by

Gayle For man. Pengui

al Killer by Katie From Marie Antoinette, Seri tic. Alender. Scholas

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From Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland. Hyp erion.

From The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Hyperion.

Nantucket Blue Leila Howland. Hyperion. When Cricket decides to independently travel to Nantucket for the summer, she finds disappointing changes in her friendship with best friend, Jules. But Cricket soon discovers a world beyond her former expectations as she finds an internship with a journalist, newfound friendships, and, most important, a sweet and unexpected romance.

The Naturals Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Hyperion. Seventeen-year-old Cassie has a gift of being able to read people. She is asked to join the Naturals, an FBI classified program that uses an elite group of teens to solve cold cases. A killer strikes again, and no one can be trusted in this thrilling psychological whodunit.

Panic Sharon M. Draper. Simon & Schuster. Even though she knows better, Diamond accepts a ride from a man who claims to be a casting director. Instead of a step to stardom, Diamond finds herself in a desperate situation—held captive in mortal peril. As her worst nightmares come true, Diamond’s friends and family desperately await her return.

Prisoner B-3087 Alan Gratz and Ruth and Jack Gruener. Scholastic. This book follows the life of 10-year-old Yanek Gruener living in Nazi-occupied Krakow. He is deported to the Plaszow concentration camp, the

Yo u n g A d u l t s’ C h o i c e s • 2 0 14

From Panic by Sh Schuster.

aron M. Dr ap er.

Simon &

first of 10 camps that he will suffer through but survive. Based on a true story, this is a heartbreaking story of resilience and survival.

Prodigy: A Legend Novel Marie Lu. Penguin. The second in a series, June and Day arrive in Las Vegas where they join the Patriots, a rebel group who wants them to assassinate the new Elector Primo in hopes of saving the Republic. Plans change, however, as secrets are revealed, and all are not who they seem.

The Program Suzanne Young. Simon & Schuster. Teens are not allowed to express negative emotions associated with depression in this dystopian society. Sloane knows she must stay stoically brave to avoid the “treatment,” which involves turning victims into blank slates with no memories. With the love and help of James, Sloane embraces the future with wavering hope.

Proxy Alex London. Penguin. Syd’s job is to be rich boy Knox’s whipping boy (he receives the punishments for Knox’s mistakes). When Syd and Knox meet at a party, they realize they must work together to change a messed-up system. Proxy is a unique dystopian thriller that combines page-turning action with difficult moral dilemmas.

From Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Scholastic.

Grat z.

From Prodigy: A Legend Novel by Marie Lu. Penguin.

Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality

Scarlet Marissa Meyer. Macmillan.

Elizabeth Eulberg. Scholastic. Lexi is tired of being the funny girl with the great personality, especially when her sister, MacKenzie, is a 7-year-old pain-in-the-butt beauty queen. After a stunning makeover, Lexi must evaluate who and what is real in her life.

From Proxy by Alex

London. Penguin.

From The Progra m by Suzanne Yo ung. Simon & Schuster.

Intensity climbs in this gripping sci-fi series as Scarlet seeks her missing grandmother, the one stability in her life. Scarlet’s sheer will and determination force an entanglement with Wolf. Whether Wolf is a friend or foe is yet to be determined as Scarlet unravels a mystery connecting her grandmother, Cinder, Prince Kai, and the evil Lunar Queen Levana.

From Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg. Scholastic.

From Scarlet by Marissa Mey

er. Macmillan.

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Sick

Steelheart

Tom Leveen. Abrams.

Brandon Sanderson. Random House.

A deadly virus that turns humans into flesh-eating monsters strikes Phoenix Metro High School. Brian and his friends know they must rescue his sister and his ex, despite being on lockdown in the Theater Department. Surviving the horrors held within the halls will take every ounce of courage and character they can muster.

Eight-year-old David and his father are in a Chicago bank when it is attacked by the powerful Epic, Steelheart. His father—and everyone else—is murdered in the battle where he sees Steelheart bleed, the only one to ever do so. Now 18, David is out for revenge in this exciting, epic fantasy.

Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Universe

Smoke Ellen Hopkins. Simon & Schuster.

Tom Leong. Chronicle.

The continued story of Pattyn and her sister, Jackie, who struggle to recover from the violence and abuse they have suffered. Pattyn has lost everything; Jackie has been violated and beaten. Both girls are haunted by their father; how should one feel when she kills her abuser? The girls struggle to find the truth and stand up for what is just.

Splintered

Vibrantly illustrated, this book offers readers a unique look at the intricate storylines featured in comic books, while giving advice for understanding some of the most popular, longest running, and best loved comics and graphic novels. The most arbitrary and monumental characters, moments, and equipment of the world of comics are richly charted in detail.

Swagger

A.G. Howard. Abrams.

Carl Deuker. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Alyssa Gardner has a secret; she is able to hear the thoughts of animals and plants. Curiously, Alyssa is the great-granddaughter of the famous Alice in Wonderland. When Alyssa finds out that Wonderland is in need of a special human to reverse the woes that beset it, she tries to atone for the mistakes of her family. Dark fantasy lovers, rejoice.

From Splintered

ams. by A.G. Howard. Abr

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New to Seattle, Jonas becomes part of his high school’s basketball team. As Jonas’s friendship with fellow player Levi deepens, Jonas begins to realize that the joy of his new championship team is marred by a dark secret. Jonas faces an ethical dilemma as he decides whether to protect his future basketball career at the expense of revealing the difficult truth.

From Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. Random House. From Swagger by Car l Deuker. Houghton Mif flin Harcourt.

Joelle Charbonneau. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.



The Testing The last words her father told Cia were to trust no one. From day one, “the test” questions Cia’s intelligence, instincts, and ability to read people that would like to see her fail. Her choices could be fatal or determine the colonies future in this first book in a page-turning trilogy.

Vader’s Little Princess Jeffrey Brown. Chronicle. Darth Vader—Sith Lord and leader of the Galactic Empire—now faces the trials, joys, and mood swings of raising his daughter, Leia, as she grows from a sweet little girl into a rebellious teenager. Smart and funny illustrations by artist Jeffrey Brown give classic Star Wars moments a twist by bringing these iconic family relations together under one roof.

Winger Andrew Smith. Simon & Schuster. Fourteen-year-old Ryan attends boarding school and loves both rugby and Annie. After getting in trouble last year, Ryan must now live with the boy who has repeatedly bullied him. Smith captures the inner brain of a teenage boy in this alternately poignant and hilarious coming-of-age novel.

From Winger by Andrew Smi th. Simon & Schuster.

From Vader’s Little Princess by Jeffrey Brown. Chronicle.

Young Adults’ Choices 2014 Reading List The 5th Wave. Rick Yancey. Penguin. Dogs of War. Sheila Keenan and Nathan Fox. Ill. Nathan Fox. Scholastic. The Eye of Minds. James Dashner. Random House. Fallout. Todd Strasser. Candlewick. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. April Henry. Macmillan. Infinite Moment of Us. Lauren Myracle. Abrams. Just One Day. Gayle Forman. Penguin. Leap of Faith. Jamie Blair. Simon & Schuster. Letting Anna Go. Anonymous. Simon & Schuster. The Lord of Opium. Nancy Farmer. Simon & Schuster. Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer. Katie Alender. Scholastic. Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill. James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts. Little Brown. Nantucket Blue. Leila Howland. Hyperion. The Naturals. Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Hyperion. Panic. Sharon M. Draper. Simon & Schuster. Prisoner B-3087. Alan Gratz and Ruth and Jack Gruener. Scholastic. Prodigy: A Legend Novel. Marie Lu. Penguin. The Program. Suzanne Young. Simon & Schuster. Proxy. Alex London. Penguin. Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality. Elizabeth Eulberg. Scholastic. Scarlet. Marissa Meyer. Macmillan. Sick. Tom Leveen. Abrams.

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Yo u n g A d u l t s’ C h o i c e s • 2 0 14



Smoke. Ellen Hopkins. Simon & Schuster. Splintered. A.G. Howard. Abrams. Steelheart. Brandon Sanderson. Random House. Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Universe. Tom Leong. Chronicle. Swagger. Carl Deuker. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The Testing. Joelle Charbonneau. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Vader’s Little Princess. Jeffrey Brown. Chronicle. Winger. Andrew Smith. Simon & Schuster.

More About Young Adults’ Choices

Young Adults’ Choices Tha nk you to the 2013–2014 IRA com mittee members Com mittee and review teams. The Lisa Mor ris-Wilkey were Stephan ie Burdic (cochair), y Powers. Tea m (cochair), Bob Helm, and Kimberl e wer Leaders in the field test Car rie Bra ndon, Arizona n A rea 1—Stan Stei ner, Idaho; (Tra inee) ns, Maine; Anne Taylor, n A rea 2—Patr icia Mar tin Eva New Jersey (Tra inee) ida Area 3—Debbie Rem ing ton, Flor raska; Cheryl Cur tis, n A rea 4—Sherryl Sha nnon, Neb Nebraska; Cat hy Heller, Min nesota

y Area 5—Dav id Grossman, Kentuck ng Adults’ Choices list For more information on the You visit ww w.reading or to lear n how to become involved ultschoices.aspx. .org/resources/booklists/youngad

For over 50 years, the International Reading Association (IRA) has been the trusted provider of ongoing professional development for teachers. IRA is committed to advancing worldwide literacy by improving reading instruction, disseminating research and information about reading, and encouraging the lifetime reading habit. Additional information about IRA can be found at www.reading.org.

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ATTACHMENT 3

What Is the Children’s Choices Project?

ach year 12,500 school children from different

regions of the United States read newly published children’s and young adults’ trade books and vote for the ones they like best. These Children’s Choices, selected from more than 500 titles, can be counted on as books children really enjoy reading. This list, a project of a joint committee supported by IRA and The Children’s Book

Children’s s e c i o Ch 2

01 4

Council (CBC), is designed for use not only by teachers, librarians, administrators, and booksellers but also by parents, grandparents, caregivers, and everyone who wishes to encourage young people to read for pleasure. for the See page 15 n’s Choices

Childre g List 2014 Readin bookmark!

Beginning Readers (Grades K–2) ddddd *Alphabet Trucks

Amy’s Three Best Things

Samantha R. Vamos. Ill. Ryan O’Rourke. Charlesbridge.

Philippa Pearce. Ill. Helen Craig. Candlewick.

This great alphabet book uses different types of work trucks to get from A to Z. Children learn what each work truck does.

Amelia Bedelia’s First Library Card Herman Parish. Ill. Lynne Avril. Greenwillow. Is it possible to get in trouble on a field trip to the library? Amelia Bedelia does by accidently disposing her juice box in the book return. After an unfortunate accident with her library book, she learns that librarians are understanding and have a sense of humor! This is a perfect book to share with young readers on their first visit to the library.

From Alphabet Trucks by Sam Charlesbridge.

anth a R. Vamos. Ill. Ryan O’Ro

Young Amy bravely decides to spend three days away from home. Although she has fun during the day, at night she misses home. Luckily she packed three heart-warming things that reminded her of home.

*Bear and Bee Sergio Ruzzier. Disney-Hyperion. After a winter’s nap, Bear is hungry for honey. When Bear meets Bee, he thinks bees are monsters that hoard honey. Bee wants to be friends. Can Bear accept the offer? Children will enjoy the sweet tale of friendship.

urke.

From Bear and Bee by From Amy’s Three Best Things by Philippa Pearce. Ill. Helen Craig. Candlewick.

C h i l d re n’s C h o i c e s • 2 0 14

Sergio Ruz zier. Disney

-Hy perion.

A Big Guy Took My Ball

Charlie Goes to School

Mo Willems. Disney-Hyperion.

Ree Drummond. Ill. Diane deGroat. HarperCollins.

An elephant and piggy adventure takes a fun look at different perspectives of big and little. A perceived big bully whale is really a nice guy in search of playmates. Children will enjoy the clever ending that highlights the relativity of size.

A CatFish Tale

Charlie, the ranch dog, opens his own school to educate the other farm animals. Exhausted by his uncooperative students, Charlie abandons teaching and shifts his focus to his well-honed skill of napping. Children are charmed by this lazy, lovable hound.

Cheer Up, Mouse!

Kathy Brodsky. Ill. Cameron Bennett. Helpingwords. A read aloud about the endearing friendship of a penguin, a cat, and their fish. Children will find humor in the rhyming patterns and delightful illustrations. Discussion questions that address major themes from the book are provided.

*Chamelia and the New Kid in Class Ethan Long. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Chamelia, who loves being the center of attention, faces troubles when the new kid in class takes her spotlight. It’s up to her to decide whether to be the competition or learn to share the limelight. This is a charming book about friendship!

Jed Henry. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers. Mouse is feeling gloomy. His animal friends attempt unsuccessfully to raise his spirits by flipping, fluttering, wading, and climbing. In the end, all it takes is a hug. Sparse text and beautiful illustrations draw young readers into this heart-warming tale.

Cinderelephant Emma Dodd. Arthur A. Levine Books. The Warky sisters keep their cousin busy. They will not let poor Cinderelephant go to Prince Trunky’s ball. Furry Godmouse outmatches the warthog duo to help Cinderelephant. In the delightful classic tale twist, Cinderelephant dances her way into children’s hearts.

ffli nry. Houghton Mi Mouse! by Jed He From Cheer Up, rs. ade Re g un Yo for Harcourt Books

From A CatFish Tale by Kat hy Brodsk y. Ill. Cam eron Bennet t. Helpingwo rds. From Chamelia and the New Kid in Class by Ethan Long. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

C h i l d re n’s C h o i c e s • 2 0 14

From Dirty Gert by Ted

d Arnold. Holiday Hou

se.

From Friends by Eric Carle. Philomel.

Clark the Shark

Friends

Bruce Hale. Ill. Guy Francis. HarperCollins.

Eric Carle. Philomel.

A read-aloud with fun rhymes and lessons as well. Clark the shark loves life and is so enthusiastic until he realizes that his friends are shying away from him. With help he learns how to tone it down.

*The Day the Crayons Quit Drew Daywalt. Ill. Oliver Jeffers. Philomel. Duncan opens his crayons to find letters written by the crayons. The colors are all upset by the way they are always used. Some colors won’t speak to each other. Perhaps it’s time to find new ways to use color.

Dirty Gert So what if you eat dirt? For Dirty Gert it becomes a life saver with a bit of help from her parents. The large detailed pictures and patterned vocabulary make this book a special experience to read.

Emeraldalicious Victoria Kann. HarperCollins. With love as the major ingredient, a wand and a poem make Peter and Pinkalicious creators of something beautiful from the ugly. Creative ideas in pictures and words make this book a treasure for life.

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When a young boy’s best friend moves away, he is determined to find her. He braves the elements, crosses rivers and climbs mountains, and is finally reunited with his buddy. This is a story of friendship and perseverance.

I Spy Pets Edward Gibbs. Templar. This interactive book invites readers to use texture clues, visible through die cut holes, and an image of the animal’s eye to guess which pet will be revealed on the following page. Also featured are clues about the pets’ diets.

Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home

Tedd Arnold. Holiday House.

From Library Mo use: Home Sweet Home by Da niel Abram s Books for Kir k. Young Re aders.

Daniel Kirk. Abrams Books for Young Readers. What do you do when your house is destroyed? Two mice experiment with a variety of architectural styles as they try to rebuild theirs before finally returning to their true home. Any reader will create a home of this clearly illustrated book.

Lion vs. Rabbit Alex Latimer. Peachtree. Lion is mean to everyone! Various animals try to stand up to Lion, but fail. And then a rabbit arrives. Can such a small, gentle animal defeat Lion?

NO PIRATES ALLOWED! Said Library Lou

Rhonda Gowler Greene Illustrated by Brian Ajhar

From No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou by Rhonda Gowler Green. Ill. Brian Ajhar. Sleeping Bear.

From Mustache Bab Clarion.

y by Bridget Heo s. Ill.

Joy Ang.

From Peck, Peck, Peck by Lucy

*Mustache Baby

Peck, Peck, Peck

Bridget Heos. Ill. Joy Ang. Clarion.

Lucy Cousins. Candlewick.

When Billy is born with a mustache, his family wonders if it will be a good-guy or a bad-guy mustache. Realizing that anyone can have a bad day and thrilled by the surprise ending, children beg to “read it again!”

Woodpecker’s dad teaches him how to peck a hole in a tree. Thus, one hole appears in the book. The little woodpecker’s success becomes evident as the number of holes increase. Children can’t resist this sweet story of fatherly love.

My New Teacher and Me!

Splat and the Cool School Trip

Al Yankovic. Ill. Wes Hargis. HarperCollins.

Rob Scotton. HarperCollins.

Billy returns to delight readers in a quick-paced story. On the first day of school, Billy vexes his new teacher, Mr. Booth. To the delight of students, he spins stories as he and his teacher engage in creative word play.

No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou Rhonda Gowler Green. Ill. Brian Ajhar. Sleeping Bear. Pete wants to find where X marks the treasure. Library Lou insists he bathe, mind his manners, and learn his letters. A fun book inspiring any pirate to learn how to read and find a treasure in books.

Cousins. Candlewick.

Splat the Cat is excited for the field trip to the zoo. He’ll get to see his favorite animal, the penguin. But something happens that ruins his plans. Will a friend save the day?

The Tortoise & The Hare Jerry Pinkney. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Stunning illustrations! An Aesop favorite that shows how even the slowest tortoise can defeat the quickest hare. This amazing story provides the lesson that slow and steady wins the race. It shows how perseverance can out do confidence and ridicule.

Open Very Carefully: A Book With Bite

What If You Had Animal Teeth?

Nick Bromley. Ill. Nicola O’Byrne. Nosy Crow/ Candlewick.

Sandra Markle. Ill. Howard McWilliam. Scholastic.

When a crocodile hijacks a bedtime story, a gentle retelling of The Ugly Duckling turns in to an interactive and laugh-out-loud time.

Imagine eating with walrus teeth, cutting with bat teeth, or never brushing hippopotamus teeth! In a fun-filled manner, children explore different animal teeth. Facts help children learn about the importance of teeth and how to take care of their own.

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Young Readers (Grades 3–4) ddddd Adventures in Cartooning: Characters in Action!

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night

James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexi Frederick-Frost. First Second.

Lenore Look. Ill. LeUyen Pham. Schwartz & Wade/ Random House Children’s Books.

The knight and Edward the Horse meet the renowned director, Otto Aire, who has taken over the king’s castle to make a movie. Learn how to draw cartoon characters and tell your own story!

Albert Is NOT Scared Eleanor May. Ill. Deborah Melmon. Kane. Do you like amusement park rides that go up, down, across, around, right, left, under, or through? Albert doesn’t think he likes any of them until he finds just the right ride. Discover all of the fun directions you can go in this fun story about a mouse in an amusement park.

From Adventures in Cartooning: Ch aracters in Actio Andre w Arnold, n! by Jam es Stu Alexi Fre derick-Fr rm, ost. Fir st Se con d.

C h i l d re n’s C h o i c e s • 2 0 14

Alvin’s most recent adventures include something more frightening than talking in school, playing hockey, and the rash of burglaries in his hometown. His mother is having a baby! Alvin’s hysterical reactions, including a sympathetic pregnancy, are certain to amuse readers.

Amelia Bedelia Means Business Herman Parish. Ill. Lynne Avril. HarperCollins. Amelia wants a new bike; however, she must first earn the money. She decides to sell lemonade and encounters unexpected, humorous results. Despite mishaps and lemon-loving dogs, Amelia’s unique perseverance shines in yet another fun-loving Amelia adventure.

From Albert Is NOT Scared by Eleanor May. Ill. Deborah Melmon. Kane.

and to Babies, Burglars, From Alvin Ho: Allergic yen Lenore Look. Ill. LeU ht. Nig the in ps n’s Other Bum Random House Childre de/ Wa & tz war Sch Pha m. Books.

Amelia Bedelia Unleashed

Bean Dog and Nugget: The Cookie

Herman Parish. Ill. Lynne Avril. HarperCollins.

Charise Mericle Harper. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Amelia yearns for a dog and sets out to find her perfect canine companion. She helps with dog walking, grooming, and a dog show. The literal word play and humor make the book a must read for Amelia Bedelia lovers.

Animal Control Officers to the Rescue Meish Goldish. Bearport. From finding and catching a 10-foot boa constrictor to rescuing abused animals, animal control officers devote their careers to protecting animals and keeping people safe. This book tells true stories of what happens behind the scene.

Bad Kitty School Daze

*Bugs in My Hair! David Shannon. The Blue Sky. Caution: This book will make you itchy as it details what it is like for a child who gets head lice. The book shows that it can happen to anyone, and that no one should be teased because of it.

*Cougar: A Cat With Many Names

Nick Bruel. Square Fish.

Stephen Person. Bearport.

Kitty, a puppy, and a baby spell disaster! For Kitty, it means attending obedience school with dogs and an attention-seeking rabbit. Will Kitty learn manners and graduate from school? Follow Kitty’s antics in another delightful Bad Kitty story.

*Bean Dog and Nugget: The Ball Charise Mericle Harper. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Bean Dog and Nugget are playing a game of catch with a favorite ball. When the ball gets stuck in the bushes they must use their problem-solving skills to get their ball back.

From Bean Dog and Nugget: The Ball by Charise Mericle Har per. Kno pf Books for Young Reader s.

A story of the innocent shenanigans of two silly characters who banter about an invisible donut and how to share an odd number of cookies. Children will be attracted to the comic book panels, callouts, and open space that complement the storytelling.

Learn more about cougars: where they live, how they hunt, and how they grow. Cougars are one of America’s hidden treasures, and there are groups who are trying to save them from extinction. Color photos and facts about cougars are included.

Deadly! The Truth About the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth Nicola Davies. Ill. Neal Layton. Candlewick. Watch out! Don’t be an unlucky victim. Jaws, razorsharp claws, lethal speed, 500 volts of shocking electricity, toxic tentacles, and poison are what animals use to kill their prey.

Cat With Many Na From Cougar: A . ort arp Be n. Perso

mes by Ste ph en

From Bugs in My Hair! by David Shannon. The Blue Sky.

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From The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Mud-Slin Moles by Ma xw ging ell Eaton III. Knop f Books for Youn Re aders. g

From Hope’s Gift by Kelly Starling Lyons. Ill. Don Tate. Putnam.

Frank Viva . Little, Brow n Book

Extreme Baby Mouse

Hope’s Gift

Jennifer L. Holm. Ill. Matthew Holm. Random House Books for Young Readers.

Kelly Starling Lyons. Ill. Don Tate. Putnam.

In another great story, Baby Mouse is determined to master snowboarding without breaking any whiskers. Baby Mouse has snowy mishaps but finally realizes that a new skill takes time. She decides practice and hot chocolate is better than peer pressure.

The Flying Beaver Brothers: Birds vs. Bunnies After uncovering the scheme that caused the birds and bunnies to be at war, Bub and Ace literally blow a familiar villain off the island. Humor, intense action, and good prevailing over evil make this a quick and fun read!

On Christmas night, Papa wakens Hope and her little brother, Henry. He is leaving the plantation to join the war. Giving Hope a conch shell, Papa says to listen to the swoosh, swoosh to remember that freedom is coming soon. Hope keeps praying her Papa will come home safely, and then one day a soldier in a blue uniform with a bright smile comes walking up the lane. Freedom has arrived.

Michael Sandler. Bearport. This inspirational biography captures the transformation of a skinny kid into one of the world’s greatest wrestlers and an entertainment star. Referencing several prominent WWE wrestlers, this book fuels children who dream of someday being discovered by a talent scout.

A Long Way Away

The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Mud-Slinging Moles Maxwell Eaton III. Knopf Books for Young Readers. The Flying Beaver Brothers are at it again in this graphic novel. This time they uncover a plot to steal dirt from their island in order to make mole island bigger. Can the brothers save the island?

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s for Young

John Cena

Maxwell Eaton III. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

From A Long Way Away by Read ers.

Frank Viva. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. This book is cleverly written and is actually two stories in one! No matter which journey you decide to take, the octopus/alien takes the reader on a delightful adventure weaving through a maze of moons, astro-dogs, airplanes and sky divers or exotic fish, retro submarine, and deep sea divers. Although there are few words, there is plenty of meaning through the pictures that embellish the story.

From A Moose That Says Moo by Jennifer Hamburg. Ill. Sue True sdell. Farrar, Stra us and Giroux Book s for Young Read ers.

From Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams Books for Young Readers.

rises to Hide in Plain Sight From Sneaky Art: Crafty Surp k. lewic Cand lyn. by Mart he Joce

*The Matchbox Diary

Poppy the Pirate Dog

Paul Fleischman. Ill. Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick.

Liz Kessler. Ill. Mike Phillips. Candlewick.

An immigrant’s journey from Italy and his life growing up in America is tenderly related to his greatgranddaughter through his collection of mementos and matchboxes. Beautifully illustrated, this story relates the importance of learning to read and write.

Poppy wants to be a pirate. She gets her chance when she goes on a vacation to the ocean with her family. She has the right attire, but she needs to find the right boat.

Ringtail: Miner’s Cat Joyce Markovics. Bearport.

Memoirs of a Hamster Devin Scillian. Ill. Tim Bowers. Sleeping Bear. Seymour the hamster has it good—plenty of sunflower seeds, a wheel for exercise, and even yogurt drops from Little Girl. But when Pearl the cat convinces him to escape and go in search of the heavenly sounding Sunroom, he finds that the world outside is full of danger, with not a yogurt drop in sight. Will he ever find his way back to the safety of his cage?

A Moose That Says Moo Jennifer Hamburg. Ill. Sue Truesdell. Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers. A little girl imagines a zoo with no cages and animals that do amazing and silly things. See what happens when the animals’ antics start to get out of control!

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams Books for Young Readers. A thought-provoking story depicts hopes, obstacles, and dangers of illegal migrant farm workers. Pancho searches for his father along the perilous route el Norte. Child-friendly characters help raise awareness of social justice issues and humanize the complex issue of immigration.

A part of America’s Hidden Animal Treasures series, this book will teach readers more about ringtail cats such as they aren’t even really cats! Learn about where they live, what they hunt, and how they grow through colorful photos and facts about these amazing animals.

The Rock Michael Sandler. Bearport. This is an account of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s acting career and successful return to the wrestling ring in 2011 and 2012. Readers will be entertained by the photo-filled pages and straightforward text of this short biography.

Sneaky Art: Crafty Surprises to Hide in Plain Sight Marthe Jocelyn. Candlewick. Step-by-step directions guide readers through the creation of several art projects that can be made from easily accessible materials. Suggestions for publicly displaying these projects in playful and surprising ways inspire artists who delight in making people look and laugh!

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Soldiers’ Dogs Meish Goldish. Bearport. This informational text highlights the heroics and companionship of Military Working Dogs (MWD). True accounts of dogs finding hidden explosives, searching out enemy combatants, saving lives, and helping soldiers recover from post-traumatic stress will captivate the young reader.

Stink and the Freaky Frog Freakout Megan McDonald. Ill. Peter H. Reynolds. Candlewick. After Stink is licked by a mutant blue frog, he begins to exhibit frog tendencies. Readers will be unlikely to notice that they are learning about frogs and an important environmental concern as they laugh hysterically at Stink’s latest adventure.

Surf Dog Miracles Meish Goldish. Bearport. This latest in the Dog Hero series finds service dogs riding the ocean waves, helping people with disabilities and using their surfing skills to raise money for worthy causes. Children will enjoy reading about the amazing abilities of man’s best friend.

The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever H. Joseph Hopkins. Ill. Jill McElmurry. Beach Lane. When Kate sees the bare, dry hills of San Diego, she envisions planted trees of all kinds to make them beautiful. Her endless love of trees makes millions of people happy as she works to fulfill her dream.

Troy Polamalu Mari C. Schuh. Bearport. Young football fans will be inspired by defensive player Troy Polamalu. Quick on the field and an expert at making interceptions, Troy is an invaluable member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even his long hair is famous as he has starred in commercials for shampoo. Troy and his wife have established a foundation to build homes for families in American Samoa.

What Floats in a Moat? Lynne Berry. Ill. Matthew Cordell. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. The queen needs several barrels of buttermilk. How can Archie the goat get it across the moat? This fun story is also a science lesson in buoyancy.

From The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever by H. Joseph Hopkins. Ill. Jill McElmurry. Beach Lane. From What Floats in a Moat? by Lyn ne Berry. Ill. Ma tth ew Cordell. Simon & Schuste r Books for Youn Re aders. g

Frog Freakout by Meg an From Stink and the Freaky olds. Candlewick. McDonald. Ill. Peter H. Reyn

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Advanced Readers (Grades 5–6) ddddd 9 Lives of Alexander Baddenfield

Case File 13: Zombie Kid

John Bemelmans Marciano. Ill. Sophie Blackall. Viking Juvenile.

J. Scott Savage. Ill. Doug Holgate. HarperCollins.

Alexander, a horrible boy, has the crazy idea of transplanting the nine lives of his cat to himself. It is not until he has only one life left that he realizes he has been reckless with his other eight lives.

Three best friends, Nick, Carter, and Angelo, love monsters. In their zeal, Nick is turned into a zombie when he finds a cursed amulet. Carter and Angelo must try to help undo the curse.

A Dog and His Girl Mysteries #1: Play Dead

*Battling Boy Paul Pope. First Second. A young demigod leaves his home in the sky to prove his worth fighting monsters on Earth. Armed with a suitcase full of magical objects, Battling Boy takes on numerous villains and learns of his own powers to become the hero of Acropolis. This graphic novel is beautifully illustrated with clever details that will reward repeat readers.

Becoming Ben Franklin: How a CandleMaker’s Son Helped Light the Flame of Liberty Russell Freedman. Holiday House. Franklin’s biography begins in 1723 as a poor teenager in Philadelphia. Franklin is remembered as a publisher, scientist, community organizer, statesman, and writer. He helped write the Declaration of Independence and promoted abolishing slavery. Primary sources, paintings, and engravings included.

Bluffton: My Summers With Buster Keaton Matt Phelan. Candlewick. Tightrope walkers and exotic animals: Is there a better way for Henry and his friends to spend a summer? Henry gets to know the vaudeville performers and becomes friends with Buster Keaton.

Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines-Stephens. Scholastic Paperback. Twelve-year-old Cassie and her retired police dog, Dodge, relish a good mystery. When a millionaire is missing, the duo pursues the clues to find the truth. A new detective team is unleashed in a quick-paced story recounted from different viewpoints.

Far World: Air Keep J. Scott Savage. Shadow Mountain. The latest in the Farworld series traces the heroics and time travel experiences of Marcus and Kyja but ends with new uncertainty as Kyja must leave Marcus behind. Discussion questions prompt readers to apply story themes to their own lives.

Game On! Jennifer L. Holm. Ill. Matthew Holm. Random House Books for Young Readers. This fifth installment in the Squish series finds our amoeba hero obsessed with a new video game. Will he be able to put the game away long enough to focus on what’s really important? Children will love the simple illustrations and gross humor in this graphic novel.

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Half-Human Monsters and Other Fiends Ruth Owen. Bearport. This nonfiction picture book explores various unexplained sightings, from Bigfoot to the Mongolian Death Worm. Students who are intrigued by supernatural and paranormal explanations will love this, as while the author offers possible scientific explanations, she acknowledges that the mystery ultimately remains unsolved.

Hit the Road, Helen! Kate McMullan. Capstone. Did Helen truly launch the Trojan War? Hades explains the true story in a narrative of brotherly rivalry. Older readers will enjoy the modernized language and point of view as they meet the cast of characters from Greek mythology.

*Hokey Pokey Jerry Spinelli. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Hokey Pokey is the place where children can roam as they wish and live free! Bikes are sacred creatures and adults are nonexistent. Everything is safe for Jack until his bike, Scramjet, comes up missing. Now everything has changed.

It Can’t Be True! DK Publishing.

these pages, you’ll find out how many Earths would fit inside of Jupiter (1,320), how much the Great Pyramid weighs (over 5 million tons), and a host of other interesting trivia. It all comes with gorgeous layouts and beautiful full-color illustrations.

Janitors: Curse of the Broomstaff Tyler Whitesides. Shadow Mountain. In the third of the Janitors’ series, Spencer and the small group of rebels must stop the Bureau of Education Maintenance and destroy the source of Glop. Pursued by monster toxites, the rebels race to find the secret landfill.

*Lawless Jeffrey Salane. Scholastic. M. Freeman has spent her life being homeschooled and unknowingly trained to be a criminal. When her first real-world heist goes wrong, she wonders: Is there truly honor among thieves?

The Lost Boy Greg Ruth. GRAPHIX. In this graphic novel, Nate discovers a tape recorder and note addressed to him under the floorboards of his bedroom. With Tabitha, he tries to solve the mystery of the lost boy who went missing many years ago.

Full of the answers to questions you’d never even think of, this fact-filled volume is a ton of fun. In

From It Can’t Be True! DK Publishing.

From Half- Human Monsters Owen. Bear port.

From Janitors: Curse of the Broomstaff by Tyler Whiteside s. Shadow Mount ain.

and Other Fiends by Ruth

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Lost Cities

Mind Benders: Brain-Boggling Tricks, Puzzles, and Illusions

Natalie Lunis. Bearport. One might expect stories of flood, fire, and other disasters that caused the loss of 11 cities to be gloomy. Instead, exciting and bone-chilling tales invite readers to experience these crumbling ruins and the ghosts who may still lurk within.

The Meanest Birthday Girl

Readers can challenge their mind and body with this collection of brainteasers. Children will be drawn to the fun and maddening collection of puzzles that test their problem-solving skills.

The Misadventures of the Magician’s Dog

Josh Schneider. Clarion.

Frances Sackett. Holiday House.

Who would guess that life lessons can be learned with an innocent gift? On her birthday, Dana is given a white elephant and learns a lesson about treating people with kindness and how to be a good friend.

A Midsummer Night’s Scream R.L. Stine. Feiwel & Friends. Sixty years after the production of the movie Mayhem Manor was halted because of actors dying, Claire and her friends have the go-ahead to start filming again. But soon, talk of curses turns into a series of horrible accidents.

Midwinterblood Marcus Sedgwick. Roaring Brook. In 2073 on the island of Blessed, no one ages. When a visiting writer and a local woman are murdered, it mirrors the murder long ago of a king and his queen. This book is really seven stories twined together.

From The Meanest Birt hday Girl by Josh Sch neid er. Clarion.

DK Publishing.

Peter’s 12th birthday is tomorrow, and his mother is asking him what he wants. Mostly he wants things money can’t buy—like having his dad come home from his latest Middle Eastern deployment or not to be so lonely. For some unknown reason, Peter blurts out that he wants a dog. The dog that Peter adopts is no ordinary canine and leads him and his two younger sisters into wild and magical adventures involving a battle with an evil magician.

The Mouse With the Question Mark Tail Richard Peck. Ill. Kelly Murphy. Dial. A small mouse with an unusual tail shaped like a question mark finds himself on a quest to discover his identity. Rescued at birth by his Aunt Marigold, Mouse Minor breaks the two most important rules: running away from school and showing himself to a human while in uniform. The mouse finds himself in an audience with Queen Victoria and her words lead him to the truth about his heritage.

From The Misadventures of the Magician’s Dog by Frances Sackett. Holiday House.

Ma With the Question From The Mouse l. Kelly Murphy. Dia Richard Pe ck. Ill.

rk Tail by

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Mummy Lairs

National Geographic Kids Everything Pets

Michael Burgan. Bearport.

James Spears. National Geographic Children’s Books.

Spooky tales of 11 mummies who were uncovered from their secret resting places provide mysterious and shocking details about the complex process involved in preserving these corpses. Students discover how bodies dead for thousands of years can appear amazingly alive!

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2014 National Geographic Children’s Books. An almanac packed full of facts and short quizzes about animals, adventure, nature, science, history, geography, and more. Children will keep coming back to this quick reference for core information and interesting trivia.

National Geographic Kids Everything Money Kathy Furgang. National Geographic Children’s Books. Traces the history of money, its many forms across different civilizations, how it is made and protected, and how to earn it, save it, spend it, or steal it. Lots of brief and interesting facts hold the readers’ attention.

A photo-filled history of pets, from the scaly to the furry. Readers will learn fun and interesting facts about the unique characteristics of common and unusual pets and delight in the cute pictures on display.

National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! Emily Krieger. National Geographic Children’s Books. Everyone knows that pigs are filthy, or that it takes 7 years to digest a piece of gum—right? WRONG! Find out how the zaniest urban legends hold up to scientific scrutiny in this funny fact book.

*Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff Robert Paul Weston. Razorbill/Penguin Books for Young Readers. This is a fun story written in rhyme. Prince Puggly certainly does not dress like a prince! When he’s invited to a fancy ball, will he find a way to be accepted by lords and ladies?

From National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! by Emily Kreiger. National Geographic Children’s Books.

m of of Spud and the Kingdo From Prince Puggly uin ston. Razorbill/Peng We l Pau ert Rob by Spiff der s. Rea ng You for ks Boo

From National Geogra phic Kids Almanac 201 4. National Geogra phic Children’s Books.

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Soman Chaina. Ill. Iacopo Bruno. HarperCollins. The gray area between good and evil bewitches readers as they follow Sophie and Agatha on their surprising placements in The School for Good and Evil. Filled with heroism, romance, and humor, students find this reinvented fairy tale truly enchanting.

Smash: Trial by Fire Chris A. Bolton Ill. Kyle Bolton. Candlewick. Andrew, a fifth grader, inherits superpowers and becomes Smash. Will he learn how to control his own powers in time to stop the evil Magus? The comic book art and fast-paced story hooks readers in the first of a new series.

A Tangle of Knots Lisa Graff. Philomel. Cady’s talent is baking the perfect cake that matches a person. When a thief threatens to steal her talent and destroy her family, she learns how to handle fate. This charming story is interspersed with authentic cake recipes and told from multiple viewpoints.

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made Stephan Pastis. Candlewick. Timmy Failure and his assistant, a polar bear named Total, have formed a detective agency named Total Failure, Inc. Despite the obstacles of school, his mother, and his “idiot friend,” Timmy describes his self-proclaimed “brilliant” solutions to several hilarious cases. *Books that received the highest Children’s Choices team votes.

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The School for Good and Evil

Children’s Choices 2014 Reading List Beginning Readers (Grades K–2) *Alphabet Trucks. Samantha R. Vamos. Ill. Ryan O’Rourke. Charlesbridge. Amelia Bedelia’s First Library Card. Herman Parish. Ill. Lynne Avril. Greenwillow. Amy’s Three Best Things. Philippa Pearce. Ill. Helen Craig. Candlewick. *Bear and Bee. Sergio Ruzzier. Disney-Hyperion. A Big Guy Took My Ball. Mo Willems. Disney-Hyperion. A CatFish Tale. Kathy Brodsky. Ill. Cameron Bennett. Helpingwords. *Chamelia and the New Kid in Class. Ethan Long. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Charlie Goes to School. Ree Drummond. Ill. Diane deGroat. HarperCollins. Cheer Up, Mouse! Jed Henry. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. Cinderelephant. Emma Dodd. Arthur A. Levine. Clark the Shark. Bruce Hale. Ill. Guy Francis. HarperCollins. *The Day the Crayons Quit. Drew Daywalt. Ill. Oliver Jeffers. Philomel. Dirty Gert. Tedd Arnold. Holiday House. Emeraldalicious. Victoria Kann. HarperCollins. Friends. Eric Carle. Philomel. I Spy Pets. Edward Gibbs. Templar. Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home. Daniel Kirk. Abrams Books for Young Readers. Lion vs. Rabbit. Alex Latimer. Peachtree. *Mustache Baby. Bridget Heos. Ill. Joy Ang. Clarion. My New Teacher and Me! Al Yankovic. Ill. Wes Hargis. HarperCollins. No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou. Rhonda Gowler Green. Ill. Brian Ajhar. Sleeping Bear. Open Very Carefully: A Book With Bite. Nick Bromley. Ill. Nicola O’Byrne. Nosy Crow/Candlewick. Peck, Peck, Peck. Lucy Cousins. Candlewick. Splat and the Cool School Trip. Rob Scotton. HarperCollins. The Tortoise & The Hare. Jerry Pinkney. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. What If You Had Animal Teeth? Sandra Markle. Ill. Howard McWilliam. Scholastic.

Young Readers (Grades 3–4)

Were Made From Timmy Failure: Mistakes k. by Stephan Pastis. Candlewic

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From A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff. Philomel.

Adventures in Cartooning: Characters in Action. James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexi Frederick-Frost. First Second. Albert Is NOT Scared. Eleanor May. Ill. Deborah Melmon. Kane. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night. Lenore Look. Ill. LeUyen Pham. Schwartz & Wade/Random House Children’s Books. Amelia Bedelia Means Business. Herman Parish. Ill. Lynne Avril. HarperCollins. Amelia Bedelia Unleashed. Herman Parish. Ill. Lynne Avril. HarperCollins. Animal Control Officers to the Rescue. Meish Goldish. Bearport. Bad Kitty School Daze. Nick Bruel. Square Fish. *Bean Dog and Nugget: The Ball. Charise Mericle Harper. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Bean Dog and Nugget: The Cookie. Charise Mericle Harper. Knopf Books for Young Readers. *Bugs in My Hair! David Shannon. The Blue Sky. *Cougar: A Cat With Many Names. Stephen Person. Bearport. Deadly! The Truth About the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth. Nicola Davies. Ill. Neal Layton. Candlewick. Extreme Baby Mouse. Jennifer L. Holm. Ill. Matthew Holm. Random House Books for Young Readers. The Flying Beaver Brothers: Birds vs. Bunnies. Maxwell Eaton III. Knopf Books for Young Readers. The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Mud-Slinging Moles. Maxwell Eaton III. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Hope’s Gift. Kelly Starling Lyons. Ill. Don Tate. Putnam. John Cena. Michael Sandler. Bearport. A Long Way Away. Frank Viva. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. *The Matchbox Diary. Paul Fleischman. Ill. Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick.

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Advanced Readers (Grades 5–6) 9 Lives of Alexander Baddenfield. John Bemelmans Marciano. Ill. Sophie Blackall. Viking Juvenile. *Battling Boy. Paul Pope. First Second. Becoming Ben Franklin: How a Candle-Maker’s Son Helped Light the Flame of Liberty. Russell Freedman. Holiday House. Bluffton: My Summers With Buster Keaton. Matt Phelan. Candlewick. Case File 13: Zombie Kid. J. Scott Savage. Ill. Doug Holgate. HarperCollins. A Dog and His Girl Mysteries #1: Play Dead. Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines-Stephens. Scholastic Paperback. Far World: Air Keep. J. Scott Savage. Shadow Mountain. Game On! Jennifer L. Holm. Ill. Matthew Holm. Random House Books for Young Readers. Half-Human Monsters and Other Fiends. Ruth Owen. Bearport. Hit the Road, Helen! Kate McMullan. Capstone. *Hokey Pokey. Jerry Spinelli. Knopf Books for Young Readers. It Can’t Be True! DK Publishing. Janitors: Curse of the Broomstaff. Tyler Whitesides. Shadow Mountain. *Lawless. Jeffrey Salane. Scholastic. The Lost Boy. Greg Ruth. GRAPHIX. Lost Cities. Natalie Lunis. Bearport. The Meanest Birthday Girl. Josh Schneider. Clarion. A Midsummer Night’s Scream. R.L. Stine. Feiwel & Friends. Midwinterblood. Marcus Sedgwick. Roaring Brook. Mind Benders: Brain-Boggling Tricks, Puzzles, and Illusions. DK Publishing. The Misadventures of the Magician’s Dog. Frances Sackett. Holiday House. The Mouse With the Question Mark Tail. Richard Peck. Ill. Kelly Murphy. Dial. Mummy Lairs. Michael Burgan. Bearport. National Geographic Kids Almanac 2014. National Geographic Children’s Books. National Geographic Kids Everything Money. Kathy Furgang. National Geographic Children’s Books. National Geographic Kids Everything Pets. James Spears. National Geographic Children’s Books. National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! Emily Krieger. National Geographic Children’s Books. *Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff. Robert Paul Weston. Razorbill/Penguin Books for Young Readers. The School for Good and Evil. Soman Chaina. Ill. Iacopo Bruno. HarperCollins. Smash: Trial by Fire. Chris A. Bolton Ill. Kyle Bolton. Candlewick. A Tangle of Knots. Lisa Graff. Philomel. Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made. Stephan Pastis. Candlewick.

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Memoirs of a Hamster. Devin Scillian. Ill. Tim Bowers. Sleeping Bear. A Moose That Says Moo. Jennifer Hamburg. Ill. Sue Truesdell. Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers. Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote. Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams Books for Young Readers. Poppy the Pirate Dog. Liz Kessler. Ill. Mike Phillips. Candlewick. Ringtail: Miner’s Cat. Joyce Markovics. Bearport. The Rock. Michael Sandler. Bearport. Sneaky Art: Crafty Surprises to Hide in Plain Sight. Marthe Jocelyn. Candlewick. Soldiers’ Dogs. Meish Goldish. Bearport. Stink and the Freaky Frog Freakout. Megan McDonald. Ill. Peter H. Reynolds. Candlewick. Surf Dog Miracles. Meish Goldish. Bearport. The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever. H. Joseph Hopkins. Ill. Jill McElmurry. Beach Lane. Troy Polamalu. Mari C. Schuh. Bearport. What Floats in a Moat? Lynne Berry. Ill. Matthew Cordell. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

ices More About Children’sldreCn’sho Choices /CBC Chi Tha nk you to the 2013–2014 IRA teams. The project ew revi and ers, lead cochairs, team hair) and Sherily n Tucker members were Dia na Por ter (coc test were (cochair). Tea m Leaders in the field

Area 1—Ter ri Schmidt n Area 2—Dr. Phi lip Tucker n Area 3—An ita Her nandez

Area 4—Nancy Baumann n Area 5—Dia na Por ter

and IRA, or on how to For more information on the CBC Children’s Choices become involved in the IRA/CBC ildrens-choices/ or g/ch s.or project, visit ww w.cbcbook childrenschoices.aspx. sts/ okli /bo www.reading.org/resources

*Books that received the highest Children’s Choices team votes.

For over 50 years, the International Reading Association has been the trusted provider of ongoing professional development for teachers. IRA is committed to advancing worldwide literacy by improving reading instruction, disseminating research and information about reading, and encouraging the lifetime reading habit. Additional information about IRA can be found at www.reading.org.

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ATTACHMENT 6

Standards-Based Grading: What Parents Need To Know schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/10881-standards-based-grading-what-parentsneed-to-know As schools trend toward standards-based grading, their report cards are changing, too. It’s important to understand both. by Joanna Nesbit

Related Content For an increasing number of students, report cards with traditional letter grades are a thing of the past. Instead of A’s and B’s, their report cards might have 2’s and 3’s or unfamiliar letter grades like O and P. This new look is a result of standards-based grading, an approach in which students receive scores for both academic achievement and student work habits. Standards-based report cards have been most commonly used at the elementary level, but some middle schools and high schools are adopting them, too. In states that have adopted the Common Core State Standards, some school districts have moved to standards-based grading to show how students are meeting the standards. What Is Standards-Based Grading? Standards-based grading, sometimes called proficiency grading, is a method for teachers to measure how students are doing in meeting the learning goals for their grade as determined by their state’s standards. Learning goals, sometimes called learning standards, are the academic skills your child should know or be able to do for his grade level by the end of the school year.

Standards-based report cards give a grade for each learning goal, so students receive multiple grades in each subject area. In 5th grade math, for example, you’ll see the subject broken into several categories, such as operations/algebraic thinking and fractions. Under each category, you’ll see a list of math skills your child should be able to do, as well as a grade showing how your child is doing. Work habits—educators may call this learning behavior or success attributes—are graded separately to provide an accurate picture of your child’s academic achievement. Behavior includes aspects like completing tasks on time, going to class prepared, and contributing positively to class discussions. How Standards-Based Grades Differ From Traditional Letter Grades Providing grades for academic proficiency and work habits gives parents more information about the areas in which their child needs to improve than the traditional letter grading system. The traditional grading system combines many elements—test scores, quizzes, completed homework, classroom participation, coming to school on time, extra credit—and averages the semester’s work into a percentage that correlates with a letter grade. Miguel Boriss, an 8th grade science teacher in Bellingham, Wash., explains letter grades this way: “One student might bring home a B because she did all the work, turned in all her homework, and participated in class but didn’t quite understand the concepts. Another student might bring home a B because he aced all the tests and quizzes but didn’t do any of the homework and didn’t participate in class,” he says. “Each student earns the same grade but for very different reasons, and the grade doesn’t tell parents very much about what the student knows.” Because standards-based report cards separate the two, you can see if your child needs help with an academic concept or can’t remember to turn in homework. Both should be addressed. An overarching goal in education these days is to develop students who not only master academic content but also demonstrate attributes for successful learning beyond school. How Progress Is Measured Schools vary in their report card scales and terminology, but often they use a four-part scale to denote levels of achievement with descriptors such as:    

Excels (4) Proficient (3) Approaching Proficiency (2) Well Below Proficiency or Not Yet (1)

“The big switch with standards-based grading is we work by levels, not percentages,” says Ken O’Connor, independent educational consultant and author of A Repair Kit for Grading: Fifteen Fixes for Broken Grades. It’s more useful to know that your child has met a standard than that she has a B with 84 percent. Each grade on the report card represents a skill or knowledge

standard your child has had the opportunity to learn, so it’s a meaningful snapshot of academic achievement. For behavior, report cards often use numbers, plus signs, or minus signs. In some schools, it’s possible to earn top grades during the first grading period because proficiency is what is expected at the time of the report card. In others, students are measured against year-end standards and they mostly earn 1’s in the first grading period, 2’s during the second, and then the 3’s begin to appear as they master the learning targets. That grading approach is less common, O’Connor says. It’s important to ask your child’s teacher which time frame is being used. How Do You Know How Your Child Is Doing? The number of categories on a standards-based report card can make your head spin. To help parents understand them, many districts post frequently asked questions and sample report cards on their websites. Because districts vary, don’t be afraid to ask your child’s teacher to explain the grading and how your school defines behavior. Many schools using standards-based grading also allow quiz retakes and late homework, which can feel strange to parents, but the goal is for students to master the standards. Find out how your school works. If you’re confused by what the levels mean, you’re not alone. Keep in mind that a 3 or “proficient” isn’t the same as a B. It means your child has met state standards, and that’s good. (In some states, the new Common Core standards will be raising the academic bar.) Also, even top students can earn a 2 or “approaching proficiency” grade, which can be a shock for some families. But it’s more important to know if your child is struggling with a concept than to see a slew of top grades because of stellar work habits. On the upside, early low scores aren’t averaged into the final grade—so once your child masters the concept, her final grade shows that. Along the way, O’Connor suggests checking your school’s online reporting system and communicating with your child’s teachers before problems go too far. “The report card should never come as a surprise,” he says. Level 4, or the top level, may be the trickiest to understand. If your child earned A’s on traditional report cards, she may have received them for meeting the teacher’s requirements, not necessarily for excelling at or going beyond grade level according to state standard. In the new system, 4’s may be harder to come by (and 3’s should be celebrated). However, earning 4’s should be achievable in the classroom, O’Connor says, and it’s important that teachers’ lessons offer opportunities for students to excel and reach level 4. This is an area schools may be developing if they’ve recently adopted standards-based grading and are still determining standards for level 3. As the grading system becomes familiar, you’ll get more comfortable. The important thing is that your child is learning and making progress. Celebrate learning, and the grades will follow. Joanna Nesbit writes about education, parenting, and family travel for online, national, and regional magazines. She lives in Bellingham, Wash., with her husband and two children.