Congratulations to our third grade Sakura Medal Reader Leaders who went above and beyond library reading goals and expectations and practiced reading their favorite 2016 Sakura Medal Nominee during recess. All of the Sakura Reader Leaders entertained students in at least one KG, first or second grade classroom with their fluent and expressive reading skills.
Tag Archives: Sakura Medal
Spotlight on Sakura
Space Case by Stuart Gibbs
Recommended for Grade 5 – This is a sci-fi/mystery set on Moon Base Alpha, the first colony on the moon. If you are looking for a good “who done it”, you’re sure to find yourself turning the pages to learn who killed Dr. Holtz. You won’t help but like clever, funny, twelve-year old Dashiell Gibson.
Luck Uglies by Paul Durham
Recommended for Grade 5 – Many years earlier, a secret society named Luck Uglies had fought the Bog Noblins, and now, neither monsters nor secret society members exist. Or do they? You’re in for a wild romp with Rye O’Chanter, a somewhat clumsy 11-year-old and her best friends Quinn and Folly. The first book in a trilogy. If you liked Luck Uglies, check out book #2 in the series, Fork Tongue Charmers, today!
Sakura Recommendations
Thanks to our generous PTA, the elementary library was able to purchase paperback copies of a few of our Sakura chapter books for classroom libraries. Listed below are the copies of books that each grade level received. If you only have time to read a few Sakura Chapter Books this year, here are my recommendations by grade level:
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Spotlight on Sakura
The Lion Who Stole My Arm by Nicola Davies
Recommended for Grades 2-5: This is a heart-pounding adventure with descriptive details that allow the reader to visualize the setting and action of the story. It makes for an excellent read aloud. The Lion Who Stole My Arm, is a story about bravery and life’s difficult decisions. I was hooked just five pages into the book when Pedru encounters the lion for the first time. Will Pedru join the conservationists in Mozambique who are trying to save the lions ? Or will he seek revenge?
Other books like The Lion Who Stole My Arm:
Spotlight On Sakura
The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart
If you only have time to read one Sakura Book this year, The Honest Truth, is a must read!
Accompanied by his faithful dog, Mark runs away from home, leaving behind his parents and best friend Jessie, to fulfill his dream of climbing Mount Rainer. This is a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your chair and your reading light on until the wee hours of the morning.
Author, Dan Gemeinhart asks, “What are the toughest decisions you have made in your life? If you were like Mark,could you have made the decision to get on the train and leave everything behind?”
More books like The Honest Truth:
Spotlight On Sakura
Chick-O-Saurus Rex by Lenore Jennewein
A bullied little chicken discovers his inner strength.
The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak
This book might not have pictures, but it is guaranteed to make you laugh!
2016 Sakura Medal Nominees
Chapter Book Nominees
Picture Book Nominees
Don’t Be A Chicken – READ!
It all began with Rosie’s Walk by Pat Huchins…Regardless of whether they’re picture books or chapter books, I realized when reading this recently published book this past weekend, that I can’t seem to get enough of books with chickens as main characters.
Sophie Brown, the main character of this book is memorable, but what I enjoyed most about this book was its format. Kate Klise started a trend with her Regarding the… and her 43 Old Cemetery Road series, Drew Daywalt continued the trend with the 2015 Sakura Medal Picture Book winner, The Day the Crayons Quit, and Kelly Jones successfully told the entire story from the point-of-view of Sophie Brown through the letters she writes. When Sophie and her family move from the city to her Great Uncle Jim’s farm she wants to raise some animals. Needless to say, she is in for a surprise when some very unusual chickens show up at the farm. I recommend Unusual Chickens for An Exceptional Poultry Farm by Kelly Jones as a second or third grade read aloud.
Don’t Be A Chicken…READ…Chapter Books you’ll love!
Don’t Be A Chicken…READ…Picture Books you’ll love!
***Note: Chick-O-Saurus Rex is a 2016 Sakura Medal contender and P. Zonka Lays An Egg is in the running for a Caldecott Medal.
Read of the Day
A new Amazon book order arrived the other day and this book is one of my new favorite reads. I’ve only read this book to a few classes, but I like it so much that it could be one of the picture books I advocate for at the Librarians of Japan meeting this coming May…this is the meeting where we will select the 2017 Sakura Contenders.
Read of the Day
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library won the 2015 Sakura Medal for Best Chapter Book. This award-winner reminded me of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but set in a library not a chocolate factory. Chris Grabenstein’s latest book, The Island of Dr. Libris, reminded me of Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke. Instead of characters being read into stories, stories come to life on Dr. Libris’ Island. Imagine coming face-to-face with Zeus, Hercules, Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Tom Sawyer, Jack and the Giant, The Three Muskateers and more. This is one romping, action-packed adventure that I could see coming to the big screen in the near future.
Coming January 2016…another adventure with Mr. Lemoncello.
ASIJ ES LIBRARY 