Ages 5-11
Blog Post
Check Out These Writing Books You Can Download!
by anthonyd
We have many books on how to write that you can download from home. Language Arts Explorer Junior: Writing Series offers fun lessons and activities to help improve your writing. You can learn to write a memoir, a comic book, a play or even a mystery! Your choice on what topic to learn about is the only challenge; there are over 20 titles to choose from!
To start downloading just log into your account and click the link 'Download a PDF of this item' on the book's online catalog page.
And if you submitted a story this year for the "Write On!" Short Story Contest the awards celebration for grades 3-5 is this Sunday, April 17 from 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm. Check the contest website for more info!
Blog Post
Meet “It’s All Write!” 2016 Judge #4: Todd Strasser!
by BugsAndSlugs
Todd Strasser is the author of more than 140 books for teens and middle graders including the best-selling Help! I’m Trapped In series, and numerous award-winning YA novels including The Wave, Give A Boy A Gun, Wish You Were Dead, Blood on my Hands, Kill You Last, No Place, , Boot Camp, If I Grow Up and Fallout .
Several of Todd's books have been adapted for television, and his novels The Wave and How I Created My Perfect Prom Date became feature films. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he has also written for television, newspapers such as The New York Times, and magazines such as The New Yorker and Esquire .
Learn more about Todd Strasser by reading his blog and don't forget to stay tuned for more information about the 2016 “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest Judges!
Blog Post
Toddler Play @ Malletts Creek - ASTRO SPACE
by ryanikoglu
Enjoy the toys and find some books to carry the Astro theme home.
You will find the following for imagining your scene:
ROCKET SHIPS - and books such as:
ZOOM ROCKET ZOOM
PELLY And MR HARRISON VISIT The MOON
ROBOTS - and books such as:
BOY + BOT
POWER DOWN LITTLE ROBOT
PLANETS - and books such as:
BRIGHT SKY STARRY SKY
GOING AROUND The SUN
MILKY WAY - and books such as:
LIGHT UP The NIGHT
SHOW ME SPACE: My First Picture Encyclopedia
ALIENS - and books such as:
SPOT The ROBOT In SPACE
The OTHER SIDE Of TOWN
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "G" is for GO ... but always be ready to stop.
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel did stories about “Go” this week at Malletts Creek Storytime.
A Mouse went on “A Journey” to his Mother's house for a visit … a story from MOUSE TALES by Arnold Lobel.
We rhymed props with the song A-HUNTING WE WILL GO ...
We practiced driving IN The DRIVER’S SEAT. It got pretty crazy at times.
For more stories with “GO” try these favorites:
GO! GO! GO! STOP! … the difference between “go” and “stop”.
DON’T LET The PIGEON DRIVE The BUS … don’t let him “go!”
RICHARD SCARRY’S CARS And TRUCKS And THINGS THAT GO and RICHARD SCARRY’S HOP ABOARD! HERE WE GO!
OK GO … you don’t need a motor to be able to “go”.
MOO! … look who’s driving!
NEW RED BIKE!
AND AWAY WE GO ... how many ways can you go?
You can choose more titles from the public list Planes And Trains And Things That Go
AND … you can check out 6 stories at once in the Stories To Go set on TRANSPORTATION.
Remember ... some times you need to read the signs ... and sometimes you need to STOP!
Be safe out there.
Blog Post
Learn to Write Fantastic Fiction!
by anthonyd
Whether you're thinking of an idea or just improving a story already written, Writing Fantastic Fiction has several tips to help you along the way.
In six chapters you will learn how to find story ideas, create characters and how to create a writing map! There's also really cool sidebars of information throughout the book. "Writers on Writing" offers inspirational quotes from well-known writers and "Learn from the Masters" shares tips from acclaimed authors on how they created their famous stories. In addition to famous writers giving their tips, there's also fun writing exercises to try!
Blog Post
Spring Forward with New Spring Books!
by manz
Nature’s Day: Discover the World of Wonder On Your Doorstep is a beautiful children's book with oversize pages illustrating painted birds, flowers, animals, insects, and more throughout the seasons. What happens during various seasons to our surroundings? What do the garden, the pond, the backyard, and the woods look like in summer vs. winter? This lovely books offers images and words for things to keep an eye out for as you explore the world around you.
When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons is another great new book on the seasons, this time explored through poetry! The sweet little poems from dates throughout the year are accompanied by darling illustrations.
Both of these children’s nonfiction books are great to get you thinking about SPRING!
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "E" is for EXCELLENT snow day!
by ryanikoglu
Snow is Exciting !! When it snows, there are Excellent new things to do !!!
TEN ON THE SLED … slid, swerved, sped, squirted out, popped up, flipped over ... down the hill.
Ms. Rachel and Banjo Betsy led the action song “This Is The Way We Play In The Snow”. We made snow angels, snow people, footprints and skated.
PERFECT DAY showed an entire day of snow play … until the lamps went on at dusk.
If you want to get more ideas from EXCELLENT snow stories ... try the following favorites:
RED SLED … an almost wordless book with a clear story to tell in pictures.
The SNOWY DAY … the day Peter goes for a walk in the snow.
INTO The SNOW … sensory joys of winter
BEAR & HARE: SNOW …friends Bear and Hare go out and play in the snow.
The LITTLE SNOWPLOW … reminiscent of The LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD.
KATY And The BIG SNOW SNOW …a classic story of a big snow day.
SUPER SNOW DAY SEEK AND FIND … find the clues in the pictures.
IF IT’S SNOWY AND YOU KNOW IT CLAP YOUR PAWS … you know this song.
KUMAK’S HOUSE … an Inuit story of too much noise in the house.
OVER And UNDER The SNOW … beautiful illustrations show where wildlife lives in winter.
The HAT … Jan Brett’s marvelous illustrated version of a classic tale.
UNDER MY HOOD I HAVE A HAT … a sequential winter story.
Be sure to honor winter with a family watch together of … The SNOWMAN on DVD.
This short animation film is appropriate for all audiences including very young children; it has beautiful music; and the best non-Disney animation ever.
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "D" is for DOGGIES!
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel and Banjo Betsy love doggies!
First Ragweed the Farm Dog gave advice from his book RAGWEED’S FARM DOG HANDBOOK.
We sang B-I-N-G-O and danced the Doggy-Pokey.
Then we met all the doggies from Sandra Boynton's board book called DOGGIES.
If you are a fan of dogs ... try the following favorites:
KATIE LOVES The LITTLE KITTENS
SNIFF! SNIFF! … follow the nose …
AMERICANINE: a haute dog in New York … “a beautiful book with a funny story and gorgeous illustrations. A wonderful book to read to a kid who is traveling to NYC.”
SIMON’S NEW BED
R Is For ROCKET: an ABC book .. Rocket creates his own alphabet.
SHEEP GO TO SLEEP … a new addition to the “sheep series" by the team of Nancy Shaw & Margot Apple
CRYBABY … there’s one member of the family who knows what the baby wants.
MISTER BUD WEARS The CONE and more “Mister Bud and Zorro”
UNDERWATER DOGS ... a story using real-life photos and rhyming text.
GREAT GRACIE CHASE ... a wild chase story.
Blog Post
LAST DAY to enter the "Write On!" Short Story Contest!
by krayla
Today is the last day for writers in 3rd-5th grade to enter a story in the "Write On!" Short Story Contest! Please make sure you have checked the guidelines, then send it by email to youngwrite@aadl.org or drop off a paper copy at the Youth desk Downtown. The story submission mailbox will close at midnight tonight. Happy writing!
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "B" is for BUNNIES
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel brought "Bunny" stories to Preschool Storytime @ Malletts Creek Branch.
Max and Ruby went shopping in ... BUNNY MONEY by Rosemary Wells.
Ms. Betsy accompanied with her ukulele for "Wheels On The Bus" ... since Max and Ruby took the bus downtown.
The BUNNIES ARE NOT IN THEIR BEDS ... a bedtime story. 'Nuff said! =)
For more Favorite Bunny stories try the following:
The HOUSE OF 12 BUNNIES ... another bunny bedtime story.
WOLFIE The BUNNY ... there's a new baby in the home.
TOO MANY CARROTS ... and time to share.
MUNCHA! MUNCHA! MUNCHA! and TIPPY-TIPPY-TIPPY, HIDE ... and Mr. McGreely's garden.
HERE IS BIG BUNNY ... a story of size and scale.
WONDERFUL HABITS Of RABBITS.
KNUFFLE BUNNY: a cautionary tale … the Knuffle Bunny series by Mo Willems ... stories of an essential member of the family.
The COMPLETE ADVENTURES Of PETER RABBIT and more Classic treasures by Beatrix Potter.
COUNTRY BUNNY And The LITTLE GOLDEN SHOES ... a classic by Dubose Heyward.
WIGGLE your nose, FLOP your ears, HOP your tail ... 'cuz that's what BUNNIES do too.