April in the Library
2019
National Poetry Month
April was National Poetry Month. Students and staff could pick up a poem from the bulletin board outside the library, then come in to browse the library's collection of poetry books and novels in verse.
Teacher Collaboration
In April, all English classes came to the library for Trimester III book talks. This time around we did a book tasting. Students sat at tables to try out a particular type of book before moving on to the next table. Students needed to share what their books were about in order to try to attempt a guess at what the characters in the books at each table had in common. Different tables included characters who were immigrants, identified as LGBTQ+, had physical disabilities and dealt with mental health issues, among others.
Book Reviews
Playing Atari with Saddam Hussein by Jennifer Roy
At the start of 1991, eleven-year-old Ali Fadhil was consumed by his love for soccer, video games, and American television shows. Then, on January 17, Iraq’s dictator Saddam Hussein went to war with thirty-four nations lead by the United States.
Over the next forty-three days, Ali and his family survived bombings, food shortages, and constant fear. Ali and his brothers played soccer on the abandoned streets of their Basra neighborhood, wondering when or if their medic father would return from the war front. Cinematic, accessible, and timely, this is the story of one ordinary kid’s view of life during war.
Over the next forty-three days, Ali and his family survived bombings, food shortages, and constant fear. Ali and his brothers played soccer on the abandoned streets of their Basra neighborhood, wondering when or if their medic father would return from the war front. Cinematic, accessible, and timely, this is the story of one ordinary kid’s view of life during war.
Life on Surtsey: Iceland's Upstart Island by Loree Griffin Burns
On November 14, 1963, a volcano fifteen miles off the shore of Iceland exploded under the sea, resulting in a brand-new island. Scientists immediately recognized Surtsey for what it was: an opportunity to observe the way life takes hold.
Loree Griffin Burns follows entomologist Erling Ólafsson on a five-day trip to Surtsey, where since 1970 he has studied the arrival and survival of insects and other species. Readers see how demanding conditions on Surtsey can be, what it’s like to eat and work while making the smallest impact possible, and the passion driving these remarkable scientists in one of the world’s most unique fields ever!
Loree Griffin Burns follows entomologist Erling Ólafsson on a five-day trip to Surtsey, where since 1970 he has studied the arrival and survival of insects and other species. Readers see how demanding conditions on Surtsey can be, what it’s like to eat and work while making the smallest impact possible, and the passion driving these remarkable scientists in one of the world’s most unique fields ever!