All Aboard for Book Week!
By Sandy Meagher

These dinosaur eggs were created as a fun art extension of Children's Book Week.

The library has been my home for 20 years and each year, our staff tries something new for Children's Book Week, a project sponsored by the Children's Book Council. This year, the dates are November 15-21. Here are some of the ways we've taken this opportunity to inspire readers.

The theme scheme
The use of themes such as, "Reading is Dino-mite" or "Books are Bear-y Special" has always worked for me. I ask the kids to read a book with a dinosaur or a bear in it – so it could be fiction or nonfiction. For example, nonfiction readers might choose Bear by Lisa Magloff, from the "Watch Me Grow" series (DK Publishing, 2004, ISBN: 0-7566-0194-0). The book has clear, easy-to-read factual information with excellent photographs. Fiction readers will like Don't Forget I Love You by Miriam Moss (Dial, 2003, ISBN: 0-8037-2920-0), which has bears as the main characters and a loving message for children.

Dinosaur lovers will enjoy the fiction T-Rex at Swan Lake by Lisa Carrier and Lenore Hart (Dutton, 2004, ISBN: 0-525-471774). This hilarious book has T-Rex leaving the Natural History Museum to become a ballerina! Of course we have lots of books about nonfiction dinosaurs, our favorite being Dinosaurs (Know-It-Alls) by Jay Johnson and Greg Harris (Learning Horizons, 1999, ISBN: 0-768-10067-4).

More projects
Students then fill out a form with their name, title of their book and their teacher's name and enter a drawing for a free book. Teachers added to the themes by creating different projects across the curriculum, such as the dinosaur eggs made in art class or the photo display on bears that children created with pictures they found in magazines and through research and art projects.

So cool for school
We had a lot of fun with students reading books about school and made a collage of school activities and then listed the titles of books around it. Some great new school titles are, Tripping Over the Lunch Lady and Other School Stories edited by Nancy Mercado (Dial, 2003, ISBN:0-803-72873-5), No Messin' With My Lesson (Katie Kazoo Switcheroo) by Nancy Krulik (Grossett & Dunlap, 2004, ISBN: 0-448-43357-5), Gaspard and Lisa's Ready For School Words by Anne Gutman (Knopf, 2004, ISBN: 0-375-82890-7). I especially liked an easy project from the book 131 Ways to Use Film Containers by Donna Whyte (Crystal Springs Books, 2004, ISBN: 1-884-54856-3). Save film containers and ask the children to fill in a brief book review form that fits in the container. Children can use these to help choose books to read in the library.

The principal checks in
One Book Week project that was successful was inviting school staff to read a favorite story. Many times I sent two or three books to the person and they chose the one they liked best. Students always love to have the principal read to them. Mr. Tallo, our school principal, chose Flying Jack by Kathye Fetsko Petrie (Boyds Mills Press, 2003, ISBN: 1-563-97971-3). Mr. Tallo chose the story because he knows that children dream of becoming pilots, astronauts, etc. and this story allows children to realize that they should not give up on their dreams, just as the character in the story realizes his dream after overcoming many obstacles. Don't forget to take pictures and use in a display.

Visitors from the community
Community careers always interest students. Just what do insurance representatives, bankers, realtors and journalists do during their work day? Inviting a variety of people who tell a little bit about their career and then read a related story always interests children. The young business owner of our local pet shop, "Fins and Feathers," is always willing to share some of his live creatures along with a book. One I could suggest is Lunchroom Lizard by Daniel Kirk (Putnam, 2004, ISBN: 0-399-24178-7). Your students will be fascinated by lizards, geckos and anoles thanks to this laughable story.

The book a community member reads doesn't have to be related to his or her profession. My husband, who is a real estate broker, read the book Naughty Little Monkeys by Jim Aylesworth (Dutton, 2003, ISBN: 0-525-46940-0). The children loved it.

Other voices, other cultures
Anyone who is from a different culture or who has visited a different country holds great information for students. Inviting these people to read and share their personal history is invaluable. Since a diverse public is what we are all about, inviting these people will accomplish more than just providing interesting books for the children to read. Two new nonfiction series that tie into this perfectly are Abdo's Boys and Girls Around the World and Do Something About It series. Be sure to go to www.abdopub.com to check out their terrific books.

Listen up
This year I also plan to offer a listening area where students can listen to an audiobook and follow along with the print book. This can be done in school or at home. Go to www.listeninglibrary.com to see the excellent selection available. Many times readers aren't able to read a longer book such as Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (Miramax Kids, 2001, ISBN: 0-786-80801-2) and they really want to try it. They want to be able to talk about it with their friends. A way to accomplish this for some students is to use cassettes. This allows everyone to become involved in the excitement. During Book Week, using a book on tape should be allowed!

Poster ideas
A great poster idea for Book Week is to pick a genre. Students can read any genre: biography, fiction, science fiction, nonfiction, mystery, historical fiction; you might also include adventure, superheroes, sports fiction or humor. A display of great new titles for each genre will help.

Science Fiction: The Transmogrification of Roscoe Wizzle by David Elliot, (Candlewick, 2001, ISBN: 0-763-11735-2), Danger Boy: Dragon Sword by Mark London Williams (Candlewick, 2004, ISBN: 0-7636-2153-6).

Fantasy: The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, www.randomhouse.com/kids

Sports: The Extreme Team Series by Matt Christopher, www.lb-kids.com

Mystery: Peg Kehret's Spy Cat (Dutton, 2003, ISBN: 0-14-240151-X).

Humor: Hank Zipzer, The World's Greatest Underachiever by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver (Grossett & Dunlap, 2004, ISBN: 0-448-43502-0).

Don't forget nonfiction
Whatever you do, don't forget the high interest in nonfiction. "Connections," Boyds Mills Press' book newsletter for teachers and librarians, had a great issue about where authors get their inspiration for nonfiction. This particular issue visits authors of such books as Steam Locomotives: Whistling, Chugging, Smoking Iron Horses of the Past by Karl Zimmerman (Boyds Mills Press, 2004, ISBN: 1-590-78165-1), How Dogs Came From Wolves by Jack Myers (Boyds Mills Press, 2001, ISBN:1-563-97411-8) and Bobcat by Stephen Swinburne (Boyds Mills Press, 2001, ISBN: 1-563-97843-1).

Alphabet books
Two picture books that I plan to use to begin Book Week are Read Anything Good Lately? by Susan Allen and Jane Lindaman (Millbrook Press, 2004, ISBN: 0-7613-2322-8). This is a wonderful alphabetical look at some different places and things to read – from an atlas at the airport to a zodiac at the zoo. Wouldn't it be fun to make your own Book Week alphabet books?

The other special Book Week book will be Wild About Books by Judy Sierra (Knopf, 2004, ISBN: 0-375-82538-X). What a riproaring adventure it is for librarian Molly McGrew, who accidentally drove her bookmobile into the zoo.

After-school stops
One of my favorite after-school stops is the local public library. They do a great job of providing after-school and weekend programs to encourage parents and their children to use the library and love books. During Book Week, our local public libraries have contests, language programs, authors, craft activities and many different enrichment opportunities for all. Always stop by and see what they're planning, you might be able to work with them or, as I always do, promote their programs. As a school librarian, my goal is to inspire lifelong use of the library. Book Week is a perfect time to set the ideas in motion!

SPECIAL SECTION
Getting Parents Involved
Parents are always willing to help. In the past, parents have shared their interests, hobbies and careers. A mom who was a great quilter read a chapter of The Quilt by Gary Paulsen (Random House, 2004, ISBN: 0-385-72950-2). Samples of quilts and a demonstration of quilting were of interest to the students and also gave them ideas for their own writing because, in the Paulsen novel, the quilt tells the truth about happiness, pain, courage, joy and loss in the life of a family.

Some moms who are great at crafts presented holiday crafts to make. A super new book is Nick Jr.'s I Made it Myself! Christmas: 38 Crafts and Recipes (Chronicle Books, 2004, ISBN: 0-811-84420-X). Third grade through fifth grade students took an interest in cooking on their own and making holiday gifts. Have your students bring in a craft they've made or teach the class to make a necklace (for girls or boys), knit a scarf or make some other treasure.

Have a wonderful celebration!

Sandy Meagher is the Library Department Chairperson and School Librarian in the Wayne Highlands School District, Honesdale, PA.