BNS/BCS Library Newsletter
Get Ready for Summer!
Our Top Teen Titles for Summer Reading
Catch up on what's hot in Young Adult literature while you sit poolside with a cool beverage of your choice. Read Long Way Down or anything by Jason Reynolds if you really want to be up what our students have been reading this school year. Our fantasy fans have kept up with The Red Queen series, and those with a penchant for dark, realistic fiction have eaten up Girl in Pieces.
LONG WAY DOWN
After 15-year-old Will sees his older brother gunned down, he sets out to do the expected: the rules dictate no crying, no snitching, and revenge.
RED QUEEN
Amid a war and rising civil unrest, a young thief discovers the shocking power within her that sparks a revolution.
GIRL IN PIECES
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Read With Me: A BNS/BCS Library Collaboration
It was am amazing day of reading joy when BCS 9th graders headed down to the 2nd floor for the kick-off of the collaborative BNS/BCS Read With Me initiative. After several library lessons on child development and the art of the read aloud, 9th graders were well-prepared to settle down in a cozy spot and read with their assigned "reading buddy." The pictures speak to the great experience the day was for all. Buddies will continue to read together twice a month.
Hooray For the Book Fair!
The annual Book Fair was a smashing success thanks to our tireless volunteers, our community of authors who so generously offered their time, and all the families, students, and staff who supported this school-wide event. BNS parent Abby Hanlon was here to sign copies and read from her latest Dory Fantasmagory book, while BCS parent and TOON books illustrator Trade Loeffler drew with kids and signed copies of his Zig and Wikki books. We are very happy to report that we were able to use our profits to provide BNS teachers and BCS ELA teachers with $100.00 to spend on books for their classrooms.
Personal Narrative Connects to Local History for 6th Grade ET
The library collaborated with the sixth grade ELA team to create a great day of learning and exploring. A celebration of personal narrative, students spent time learning about the history and people of Carroll Gardens. They looked at old photographs of the neighborhood then headed outside to see for themselves how things have changed over time. They discussed how our life experiences can inform our writing with author Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich. They toured the Carroll Gardens branch of the Brooklyn Public Library and checked out books with their new library cards. And finally, their day ended at the public library auditorium where students read their own work.
610 Henry Remembers 9/11 With Author Jewell Parker Rhodes
On September 11, 2001, staff and students, whose classroom windows faced the Manhattan skyline, had a disturbingly clear view of the tragedy unfolding across the East River. When author Jewell Parker Rhodes was approached about writing a 9/11 book for children, she recalled a conversation she'd had with our own Librarian Susan about that day, which turned out to be the springboard for her latest book, Towers Falling. On September 9th, Jewell presented and read from Towers Falling to 5th, 6th, and 7th grade classes. It was a moving day for all and opened up some important conversations for both children and adults.
We've Made a Connection With Brooklyn Connections
The library is very excited to be working with Brooklyn Connections, the school outreach arm of the Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Collection. This partnership will offer 6th grade ELA classes rare access to the public library's archival materials. Brooklyn Connections educators will also provide several skill-based lessons that will support the 6th grade's gentrification study. Check out this Brooklyn Collection photograph of the branch from 1966.
Jane Kelley Visits 4th and 6th Grades
Jane Kelley talked with BNS and BCS students about her latest work of historical fiction, Mary Jemison: Native American Captive. Part of the Based On a True Story series, it is about a 15-year-old girl who was captured by warriors during the French and Indian War and spent the rest of her life as part of the Seneca. Jane's other great books include Nature Girl, The Girl Behind the Glass, The Desperate Adventures of Zeno and Alya, and The Book of Dares For Lost Friends.
Caribbean Author Imam Baksh Visits 9th Grade
Guayanese author Imam Baksh visited the library to talk about "writing from your own life experiences" with Alie's 9th grade ELA students. Baksh is the author of YA novel Children of the Spider, which won the Burt Award for Carribbean Literature in 2015.
New BNS Social Justice Library Curriculum
The Library is revisiting its BNS curriculum this school year with an eye toward reframing our conversations around universal human rights. Using picture books as touchpoints, lessons will ask students to reflect on what it means to be a citizen and what responsibilities do we have to one another.
Having Fun Isn't Hard, When You've Got a Library Card!
Great news! Almost every BCS 6th and 9th grader is now in possession of a Brooklyn Public Library card! As part of their Expeditions to the Carroll Gardens branch, those students who filled out and returned their MyLibraryNYC applications received their cards and were able to check out books. We encourage everyone to get their public library card! Come see us in the library if you need an application.
Following Up on June's Focus Group with BCS Crews
The Library worked with BCS upper and lower grade Crews who volunteered to help us with an important project. Our student teacher, Amy, has been working on a long term assessment study of the library and conducted focus groups in which students shared their thoughts and perceptions about the library. This valuable feedback will help us continue to build the BCS library curriculum and plan programming according to student needs. We value everyone's opinion, so if you have a few minutes, please consider filling out the Library Survey here.