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First Chapter Friday 12/9
Looking for your next Sakura 2026 read. Come to the library during the Gr. 3-5 recess to hear the first chapter of A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga. “
In A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall a stolen painting leads to the appearance of a ghostly girl and a quest to solve the mystery of the stolen painting. Can Rami and his friend Veda prove that Rami’s mom is not the thief?
Trivia Tuesday – Winners
Twenty teams competed on December 9th in the first ASIJ ES Library sponsored Trivia Tuesday. Congratulations to Adalyn, Irene and Emma for knowing the most Guinness Book of World Record facts and to all of the teams and audience members who made this a truly special event!
Podium Winning Teams
NEW Trivia Tuesdays
On Trivia Tuesdays, teams of 2-4 team members may compete in a special library Kahoot created by Ms. Pretz. Each team will need one iPad and team knowledge of the Kahoot topic. Good luck!
First Chapter Friday 11/21
Looking for your next Sakura 2026 read. Come to the library during the Gr. 3-5 recess to hear the first chapter of Manatee Summer! Peter’s summer before middle school is full of challenges…his best friend is moving, his Grandfather is becoming more and more forgetful, and an injured manatee sparks Peter’s passion for wildlife conservation. This book is for fans of last year’s Sakura Medal book Odder by Katherine Applegate.
SAKURA MEDAL 2026
This year is the 20th anniversary of the launching of the Sakura Medal Program in Japan. For the past 20 years, students attending international schools in Japan have been reading the books selected by the Librarians of Japan at their annual May meeting. Read 3-5 books in each category and vote in April along with students from other international schools across Japan. Every May after Golden Week the winning books are revealed.
The mission of the Sakura medal award program is to create a community of lifelong readers in international schools in Japan. We aim for a diverse selection of fantastic and engaging books.
Major Themes
- Develop a lifelong love of reading
- Encourage reading, particularly outside the classroom setting
- Create a community of readers, both in our individual schools and in the wider international school community
- Highlight Japanese authors, setting, themes and culture
- Highlight new and lesser known authors
- Diversity of genre, author, countries, experiences, worldview, and underrepresented populations
- Expose students to fantastic books in multiple formats, including graphic novels and non-fiction books
After all of the votes from all participating international schools in Japan are counted, winning authors of the Sakura Medal are awarded a certificate, a Sakura medal, and an original piece of student art.
DREW DAYWALT WEARING THE SAKURA MEDAL
First Chapter Friday 11/14
Please join Ms. Pretz during Grades 3-5 morning recess this Friday. If you are looking for a fun, quick read, you will love Little Shrew by Japanese author Akiko MIyakoshi who lives and writes at the foothills of the beautiful Japanese mountains. This book is a collection of three short stories translated into English from Japanese. These unforgettable tales celebrate friendship, dreams of a better future and the little pleasures of daily life. Little Shrew is sure to be an unforgettable book for everyone who reads it this year!
Book Battle 2026
I would like to give a special thank you to all of the students who made suggestions for the 2026 Book Battle. After much debate the 2026 Battle Books are The Phantom Tollbooth and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If you are in Grades 4-5 and are interested in learning about this year’s Book Battle, please attend the morning recess meeting in the library on Wednesday, November 12!
Sakura 2026 Chapter Book Trailers
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga
Dogtown by Katherine Applegate
Greenwild: The World Behind Doors by Pari Thomson
Manatee Summer by Evan Griffith
Magnolia Wu by Chanel Miller
Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good by Louie Stowell
Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test byChristina Soontornvat
The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart
The Book that No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade
The Cursed Moon by Angela Cervantes
The Sherlock Society by James Ponti
The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee
The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh
The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen
Sakura 2026 Graphic Novel Book Trailers
Watchable by asij.ac.jp.
Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen
Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures by Jason Pammnet
Four Eyes by Rex Ogle and Dave Valeza
Speechless by Aron Nels Steinke
ASIJ ES LIBRARY 