Tournament of Books
LIS 617
How will Tournament of Books Work?
- This year we will be doing a school wide book bracket.
- The book titles are released on March 1st.
- Teachers, Students, and Families are encouraged to read and discuss the books or watch the read alouds that are embedded in this document.
- Book Talks will be shared on the school morning news.
Classroom and Encore Teachers
- Classroom teachers are encouraged to share the videos or read aloud the books with their students. Think about including them as an independent station or a lunch video.
- Encore teachers are encouraged to pick one or more of the books and tie it into your lesson with students K-5.
- There are links for the books to help teachers and families think of ways to extend the book as they choose. Depending on the book some of the information you will find are Read Alouds, information about the author, project ideas, or background knowledge.
Voting and Voting Dates
We will send out a GoogleForm for Students and Staff to use for voting through Seesaw School Announcements. Voting will close at 3 pm on the day of voting.
- Elite 8: March 18th
- Final 4: March 26th
- Final 2: April 1
- WINNER: Announced April 5th
Check out the Books
- Boger Media Center
- NCKids:Overdrive
- Open Library
- GoogleSlides Read Aloud Choice Board
Theme: Illustrator Award Winners
We will focus on reading four illustrator winners from each the Pura Belpré Award and the Coretta Scott King award. Each award is explained in detail above the titles selected for that award. We chose the illustrator winners because the books are more accessible to for our audience grades PK-5 and because in choosing these awards we were providing an opportunity for our students to read more diverse titles and authors.
Pura Belpré Award
Dreamers
Description: Dreamers is a celebration of making your home with the things you always carry with you as you are embark on finding your way in a new place. Dreamers reminds us that when we are in an unfamiliar world to focus on the best parts of it. Most importantly, Dreamers it's a promise that you can make better tomorrows.
Supporting Resources:
- Read Aloud by Yuyi Moralas
- Book Talk: Mrs. Ramirez
- Yuyi Discusses Dreamers
- Seesaw Link: What is your Dream?
- Write Your Story with Write Reader
- Lesson Plans this book and other illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Drum Dream Girl
Illustrated By: Rafael Lopez
Description: Have you ever been reminded that you are unable to do something that you really want to do and even dream about? The Drum Dream Girl is a beautiful poem that is about a girl in Cuba that wants to be part of a band playing the tall congas and small bongos. Her father reminded her that only boys were allowed to play the drums in their culture. So the “drum dream girl had to keep dreaming.” Will the girl’s father change his heart by allowing the girl to get drum lessons? Read this book to find out if boys AND girls in Cuba are able to play the drums or if this is still Taboo.
Inspired by the childhood of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba's traditional taboo against female drummers, Drum Dream Girl tells an inspiring true story for dreamers everywhere
Supporting Resources:
- Read Aloud and Drum Along
- Book Talk: Mrs. Cuthbertson
- HMH Book Trailer: Drum Music and Art from the book
- Discussion Lesson Plan on Equality
- Musical MakerSpace Activities
- Origin of Afro-Cuban Percussion
- Interview: Beating the Drum for Women's Rights
Mango, Abulea. and Me
Illustrated By: Angela Dominguez
Description: Mia’s abuela has left her house near the sea to live with Mia and her parents in the city. Mia tries to share her favorite book with Abuela before they go to sleep and learns that Abuela can’t read the words inside. Mia helps Abuela learn English while the cook and by labeling items in the house. Abuela is still struggling to learn the words to tell Mia all her stories. Then Mia sees something from Abuela's home, a parrot. and has the perfecto idea for how to help them all communicate a little better.
Supporting Resources:
- Read Aloud
- Book Talk: Mrs. Zelando
- Teacher Interview: Bringing Student Culture into the Classroom
- Lesson Plan
- Seesaw Activity
- Learn to Speak Spanish
- Celebrate Diversity Activities
- Blog: Teaching Latin America Through Literacy
La Princesa and the Pea
Illustrated: Juana Martinez-Nea
Description: El príncipe knows this girl is the one for him, but his manipulative mother, the queen, doesn’t agree. The queen has a secret test in mind to see if this girl is really a princesa! The smitten prince who is aware that he can never please his mother might just have a sneaky plan, too . . .
Supporting Resources:
- Read Aloud with the Author
- Book Talk: Mrs. Tarlton
- Lesson Plan: K-2
- Coloring Pages and Word Search
- Juana Martinez-Neal Website
- National Geographic Kids: Peru
Coretta Scott King Award
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Written and Illustrated: Javaka Steptoe
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company
Description: The illustrations in this book are interpretative reproductions of Basquiat's work created by Javaka Steptoe painted on textured wood. This biography is about the struggles and gains that Jean-Michel Basquiat had in his life in becoming the man and artist he was. At the end of the book there are notes about Jean-Michel's life and a note form the author about writing and illustrating the book as well as describing some of the symbols in Basquiat's work.
Resources:
- Lesson Plan
- Book Talk: Mrs. Eller
- Video: Elements of a Biography
- Seesaw Activity
- Read Aloud
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Written By: Derrick Barnes
Illustrated By: Gordon C. James
Description: How do you feel when you get your hair cut? Does it bring you self-confidence? Do you feel like you could walk on air? This story has an upbeat rhythm that celebrates the self-confidence and pride boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair. This book reminds the reader that when people are confident in themselves the whole world will take notice.
Supporting Resources:
- Read Aloud
- Book Talk: Ms. Finkel
- Seesaw Link: 3-5th grade, personal connection, figurative language
- Responsive Reads: Lesson Plan
- Classroom Bookshelf: Lesson Plan
- Author Website
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters
Written and Illustrated By: John Steptoe
Description: Inspired by a traditional African folktale, this is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters. When the Great King decides to marry he invites the most worth and beautiful women of the land to appear before him. Mufaro decided to bring both of his daughters. On their journey to the Great King the daughters meet strangers along the way. Nyasha is kind and considerate and Manyara is selfish and bad-tempered. Will Mufaro learn the truth about his daughters? Who will the Great King choose?
Supporting Resources:
- Read Aloud
- Book Talk: Ms. Davis
- Story Only PDF
- Discussion Questions
- Scholastic Lesson Plan with Extensions for Art, Science, and Social Studies
- Reading is Fundamental Lessons and activities
- Seesaw Activity: Characters (3rd-5th grade)
- Author Website
Tar Beach
Description: In 1939, eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot, flies above her apartment-building rooftop, the 'tar beach' looking down on Harlem. This text is part autobiographical, part fictional, and filled with symbolic and historical references central to African-American culture.
Supporting resources
- Read Aloud by Faith Ringgold
- Book Talk: Mrs. Watkins
- MoMa Storytime with a Paper Story Quilt
- About Faith Ringgold
- Consider writing your own story using Write Reader
Boger Elementary School
This descriptions and resources are curated by Margaret Cuthbertson.
Members of the CEBES Reading Team helped make book talks to promote the titles. These book talks were shared on the CEBES morning news.
Website: https://www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/boger
Location: 5150 Dovefield Lane, Kannapolis, NC, USA
Phone: 704-260-6130
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homeoftheBeacons/
Twitter: @BogerBeacons