Parent Workshop Tuesday Oct. 5th

An exciting parent education workshop is coming up next week, brought to you by the Cragmont School Governance Council and PTA and the Rosa Parks School PTA:

Get the most out of reading with your child! Learn about the importance of reading together at home and pick up strategies about picking "just right" books.

-Tuesday, October 5th
-6-6:45 pm check-in and refreshments, 7-8:15 pm meeting
-Longfellow Middle School, 1500 Derby Street at Sacramento Avenue
-Workshop will be presented in English and Spanish
-Childcare will be provided

Hope to see you there!

Reviews of the Week: How a Book Feels

Sharing books is all about finding titles that are "just right" and that perfect fit can mean lots of things. One aspect of a book is how it feels, for example whether it is a funny book or a tender book. Sometimes, you are in the mood for a certain kind of read, something quiet to think about or something silly to lighten your afternoon. Today, I have reviews of very different types of books that are new to the Cragmont library, each with a very distinct “feel.”


The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow by Andy Griffiths, 2nd - 4th grades
Exploding cows are just one piece in this collection of short and very goofy stories perfect for readers moving to chapter books. There are tons of illustrations with lots of action but the book is a nice chapter-book shape and size, perfect for independent reading.



How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham, all ages
When Will finds a pigeon with a broken wing, he reaches out to help and with time, his compassion makes a big difference. The paneled, comic-like layout of this short and sweet picture book focuses attention on the progression of the bird's healing and the passage of time. A wonderful book about hope and patience.


Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman, 3rd – 5th grades
Fans of Percy Jackson will enjoy this shorter novel about Norse mythology and the Viking way of life. Odd is the son of a fallen Viking who encounters three Norse gods that have taken animal forms. Adventure ensues as the group braves the ancient Norwegian landscape. A quick read that is certain to make readers smile while learning a bit of history.

Welcome to the 2010-2011 School Year!

Welcome to the Cragmont Elementary School library blog for the 2010-2011 school year. Here I will be posting book reviews, information about using the library and details about special events in our beautiful space. My name is Mrs. Jackie Overlid and I am very excited about being your new librarian!

We are already in our third week of school and all our classrooms have visited the library and checked out books. We have shared classic books, new titles, oral folktales and stories told with help of our fingers. There are lots of new titles in the library and next week I will add some mini-booktalks about some of my favorites. A booktalk is like a movie preview for a book, a short description to share with someone to get them interested. This is a great way to practice talking about what we have read and articulating why we enjoyed a book, just be sure not to give away the ending!

Please feel free to come introduce yourself and say hello. I am looking forward to meeting many more members of the Cragmont community.