Maud Hart Lovelace Award: 2015-16 Winner and 2016-17 Nominees and Program

The Minnesota Youth Reading Awards announced the Maud Hart Lovelace Award winner at an evening event at the Red Balloon Book Shop in St. Paul. The third place winner was Summer of the Wolves by Polly Carlson Voiles. This book about a girl who doesn't fit in anywhere has a number of Minnesota connections from the setting to the author. The second place winner, full of humor and mystery, was Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander. And taking first place was Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. This book was raved about by the students. The plot is similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but with more modern elements such as video games all built into a library setting.

This year was the first year in a while that we have attempted to participate in the Maud Hart Lovelace Award Program. The students were very excited to read the books. This year the program consisted only of voting on the award winner. This meant students had to read 3 of the nominees in order to vote for a winner. You can read a little more about that here. In the end we had six students vote. One of the reasons we had so few students able to vote was the lack of books. With our minimal budget, we are only able to purchase 2 copies of each book. It was suggested to me to limit the program to 5th grade students, but I hate limiting any program that I know will be good for my students.

In the next school year (2016-2017), we will still only be able to purchase two copies of each nominee. We will be doing a few things to make this program more successful working with our limited number of books. First, I plan to read at least one of the Maud Hart Lovelace nominees to all of our 3rd-5th grade classes. We are also asking for parent support to order more books through DonorsChoose.org. (If you are able to help please do.).  Lastly, we are hopeful that by sharing the nominee list with parents, students will be able to get the books from the public library to read over the summer. (You can also purchase them from most book stores. Shop Amazon here to support Pinewood.) Below you will find a list of the 2016-2017 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominees and a brief description. (Descriptions are taken from the authors website or amazon.)


This year's nominees for Division 1 are:

Almost Home by Joan Bauer: Sugar Mae Cole doesn’t often get downhearted, but lately it’s been a struggle to keep up her spirit. Newly homeless, Sugar, her mother Reba, and her beloved rescue dog, Shush, have come to Chicago to make a fresh start.  But it seems like everything goes wrong. Pouring her feelings into letters and poetry, Sugar is honest about her fear and confusion while holding tight to her dreams for a normal life… and learns to reach for the best she’s got during the worst time in her life.

Army of Frogs: A Kulipari Novel by Trevor Pryce: For years, the frogs of the Amphibilands have lived in safety—protected by an elite group of poisonous frogs named the Kulipari and by the dreamcasting spell of the turtle king that cloaks their lands in mystery. Now the spell is threatened by the Spider Queen, a talented spellcaster, and Lord Marmoo, leader of the scorpions. With the Kulipari off training in secret, the Amphibilands have never been so vulnerable. Enter Darel, a young frog who dreams of joining the Kulipari, despite his utter lack of poison and limited fighting skills. With the help of a motley crew of friends, Darel has the chance to become the warrior of his dreams.

Ava & Pip by Carol Weston: It’s the first day of fifth grade, and Ava feels invisible in your own family. Her parents, Anna and Bob, are constantly worrying about her shy big sister Pip. It’s not fair! Sure, Ava feels bad for Pip, but she gets mad at her too. Ultimately, Ava decides to help her sister find her voice--and in doing so, she finds her own.

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin: Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six:
The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.
A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.
A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings.
But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school hallway. And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night.

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner: Anna, José, and Henry are complete strangers with more in common than they realize. Snowed in together at a chaotic Washington DC airport, they encounter a mysterious tattooed man, a flamboyant politician, and a rambunctious poodle named for an ancient king. Even stranger…news stations everywhere have announced that the famous flag that inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner” has been stolen! Anna, certain that the culprits must be snowed in, too, recruits Henry and José to help catch the thieves and bring them to justice. But when accusations start flying, the kids soon realize there’s more than a national treasure at stake. And with unexpected enemies lurking at every corner, do Anna, José, and Henry have what it takes to solve the heist?

El Deafo by Cece Bell:  Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear—sometimes things she shouldn’t—but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she’s longed for.

Escape by Night by Laurie Myers: Ten-year-old Tommy and his sister Annie are intrigued by the new soldiers arriving in their Georgia town. Since the Civil War started, wounded men waiting to be treated at the local church-turned-hospital have been coming in by droves. When Tommy sees a soldier drop his notebook, he sends his dog, Samson, to fetch it. Tommy soon meets the soldier and is faced with the hardest decision he's ever had to make: whether or not he should help a Yankee escape to freedom.

Five Lives of Our Cat Zook by Joanne Rocklin: In this warmhearted middle-grade novel, Oona and her brother, Fred, love their cat, Zook (short for Zucchini), but Zook is sick. As they conspire to break him out of the vet’s office, Oona tells the stories of his previous lives, ranging in style from fairy tale to grand epic to slice of life. Each of Zook’s lives have echoes in Oona’s own family life, which is going through a transition she’s not yet ready to face. Her father died two years ago, and her mother has started a relationship with a man named Dylan—whom Oona secretly calls “the villain.” The truth about Dylan, and about Zook’s medical condition, drives the drama in this loving family story.

Kizzy Ann Stamps by Jeri Watts: In 1963, as Kizzy Ann prepares for her first year at an integrated school, she worries about the color of her skin, the scar running from the corner of her right eye to the tip of her smile, and whether anyone at the white school will like her. She writes letters to her new teacher in a clear, insistent voice, stating her troubles and asking questions with startling honesty. The new teacher is supportive, but not everyone feels the same, so there is a lot to write about. Her brother, James, is having a far less positive school experience than she is, and the annoying white neighbor boy won’t leave her alone. But Shag, her border collie, is her refuge. Even so, opportunity clashes with obstacle. Kizzy Ann knows she and Shag could compete well in the dog trials, but will she be able to enter? From Jeri Watts comes an inspiring middle-grade novel about opening your mind to the troubles and scars we all must bear — and facing life with hope and trust.

​Nickel Bay Nick by Dean Pitchford: Eleven-year-old Sam Brattle is already having the worst Christmas ever – his dad’s bakery is going bankrupt, and his mom is spending the holidays with her new family. To make things worse, Nickel Bay Nick – the Good Samaritan who could always be counted on to anonymously distribute hundred-dollar bills around town every Christmastime, is a no-show. So this year the rest of Nickel Bay is as miserable as Sam.
When he stumbles upon the secret identity of this mysterious do-gooder, Sam is stunned to learn that he might now be Nickel Bay’s only hope. But before he can rescue his hometown, Sam has to learn the skills of a spy and unravel some even darker secrets that will change his life forever.


Secret Chicken Society by Judy Cox: When Daniel finds out that his class is going to hatch chicks as a science project, he is thrilled. He's sure that his parents will let him adopt Peepers, who is his favorite. But who ever guessed that chicks could run amok and get into so much trouble? This warmheated chapter book about an environmentally-conscious family's experiment with poultry farming will provided plenty of clucks and lots of chuckles for young readers.

Wild River by P.J. Petersen:When twelve-year-old Ryan reluctantly agrees to join his experienced older brother, Tanner, on a camping trip, he never dreams that it will turn into the most frightening day of his life.
Ryan admits he's no good at sports or outdoor stuff. He'd much rather be playing video games. But Tanner assures him it will be an easy trip. They'll kayak down the Boulder River, fish, and toast marshmallows at night.
When they set out, the river is higher than usual, and the kayaking is scary. Tanner keeps saying there's no reason to worry. But when he's badly hurt in a kayaking accident, Ryan is afraid he's not up to the challenge of saving his brother's life. The only danger Ryan has confronted has been in his video games. What good are those games now, when he's facing a real-life battle?

Why is it important to investigate and vote on your school's referendum?

There are times when our schools ask us to vote on their operating levies. Many times when we hear that the school is asking for more money, we grumble about raising our property taxes and the schools not handling money correctly. We wonder why they would need money for such silly projects. I'm just as guilty of doing these things, but this year I am working in a district that has an operating levy on the ballot. After walking through some of the schools, listening to the superintendent explain the needs (not wants) that the money would cover, and how taxes would not increase, I've changed my mind. I never got informed about the school levies I voted on in the past. I would consider the little bit of hearsay I had heard and vote based on that. I have voted yes, and I have voted no. Now that I have actually gotten some information on the levy in my current district, I have come to the realization that we need to be more informed when voting on these levies.

When you are considering whether to vote on a levy, it is important to gather some information: How will this affect my tax rate? What will the money be spent on? Is this a need or a want? Is this something I would support? What are the plans to accomplish the goals of this levy? These are all important questions to ask of the district officials and of yourself. To gather answers to these questions, visit your district website. More than likely they will have some information posted in regards to the levy. If they have information meetings regarding the levy, attend several to get the most information and best understanding. Talk to your neighbors and friends and get their thoughts. Finally, spend some time thinking about what your answer will be.








If you live in the Monticello School District, please vote yes for our operating levy. All of the items it would cover are needs. You can learn more here.

Pinewood Elementary Named a "Reward School"

The school I am now working at was just named a Minnesota Reward School! I am so excited to be working in such a great school! The designation of "Reward School" is given to Title I schools that score in the top 15% of the Multiple Measurements Rating. This means that our students have scored well on tests demonstrating exceptional student outcomes. This also means that the school has been successful in closing achievement gaps. There are a number of reasons that schools reach this achievement.

Title I is a federal funding program that provides funding to help provide for academic support for students that may be at risk for any number of reasons. This funding is mostly based on the socio-economic status of the area. Title I funds are used to purchase books for schools, provide trainings, and fund salaries for reading teachers. Title I teachers help the disadvantaged students to succeed. Title I was developed in 1965. These funds certainly help our students to perform better, but there are other factors as well.

In the week since I started working in the Monticello School District, I have seen how all the staff are committed to providing students with the best education possible. This starts with the very dedicated superintendent and goes all the way down to the cafeteria workers, custodians, and paraprofessionals. The district is determined to hire the only the best individuals. I think they have succeeded. This dedication to building a positive learning environment no doubt makes a huge difference in helping the students to achieve.

Other factors that I believe make a difference in schools includes various specialists carrying on the teaching from the classroom, a supportive curriculum director, lots of staff development, and community involvement.

ELL Collection

After attending the AASL Conference this fall, I have been working hard to put together a collection of books for my ESL/ELL students. The population of ELL students in my school are primarily Russian, Arabic, and Spanish. I have been ordering more Graphic Novels to help them out, and in turn have helped out my lower level readers. The graphic novel has grown so much this year that it barely fits in the section of shelves it is currently on. I have also moved the picture books from the teacher resource room to the Media Center shelves, and have seen those checked out. I have playaways of many popular titles, and have added titles as I have had funds. My final touches are going to be adding a collection of Orca and Stone Arch books, as well as books in the students native languages. I am having trouble finding good books in Arabic and Russian, but I will keep looking until I am satisfied. I have been working with the ESL/ELL teacher, and she is very excited to see these final touches. I have the principal on board and we are getting ready to submit a proposal to the district to see if we can get some extra funds from the ELL budget to start up this collection. I am really excited to see all my hard work paying off. What are some special projects you have undertaken this year? Do you have a native language collection in your Media Center? How did you start it, and how have you kept it up?

ELM Stories

ELM stands for Electronic Library for Minnesota. It is a collection of databases funded by the state of Minnesota which can be used by public library patrons and in the schools. These databases are particularly important for schools with limited budgets who cannot provide subscriptions to databases. I'm sure we have all used databases for projects in our own education, and we have used them while teaching our students how to perform research. We know students have become accustomed to using Google, Bing, and Yahoo as search engines. We also know that the websites they find can be inappropriate or inaccurate. This is why it is so important to have databases available to students. We must do everything we can to help them succeed. This means providing accurate and reliable resources such as databases.
So we know that databases are important, and that ELM provides them for free. I want to make sure that you also know the current status of these databases. They may become unfunded, and no longer be available to use in our schools! In order to ensure that they remain available we simply need to advocate to our state representatives and to our governor. But an even simpler help is to go to elm4you.org and click on the link to share your ELM stories. I have also provided a link to the ELM Stories form on the left side of my blog. ELM stories simply tell the people who fund ELM the various ways that you have used ELM. Share the best stories you can remember!
Have you shared an ELM story? What was it?