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I love summer. Who doesn't, right? But I love summer for so many reasons. No bedtime, no alarm clock, warm weather, long days, relaxation in abundance. My list could go on and on. One of my favorite things about summer is that I actually have time to read. I have a long list of books that I have seen or heard about that I write down on my "To Be Read List." Now is about the time I start prioritizing them. Which one am I going to read first? Which ones am I going to buy and which ones am I going to go check out of the library? Which ones are good beach reads and which ones are going to require a little more thought? The planning has already begun!
We began 2016 at River Bluff High School by kicking off our 2016 Reading Challenge. I am excited about this Reading Challenge because it gives all of us an opportunity to choose things we want to read. Sometimes the choices are so overwhelming it helps to have some ideas for how to choose books. In my stack of "To Be Read" books are several that fit into these categories. It's my goal to have at least half of the Reading Challenge done by the time I get back to school in August. I hope you will join me! Let's fill up those posters in the Learning Commons with titles of books that we just couldn't put down. I can't wait to hear all about your summer reading life. Happy Summer and happy reading! Celebrate your freedom to read during Banned Books Week at the Learning Commons!
September 24th – October 6th, 2015 Banned Books Week starts September 27th, 2015! Libraries all over the United States will celebrate the continuing support of librarians, educators, and other community members to provide access to all available sources of information. This annual event helps raise awareness of the fight on censorship of books that deal with controversial and unpopular topics and situations. Materials have also been targeted for the use of offensive language and stereotypes. Typically, the rights of children are most affected by banned and challenged books. Show that you appreciate the fight for intellectual freedom! Check out a banned or challenged book from the RBHS Learning Commons Banned Books Week display, which will be presented in the fiction section starting Thursday, September 24th. This unique display will include items that have been targeted for restriction or removal from classes and libraries all over the world. Each item included will be displayed with information about why they were targeted. Also, when you come by to grab a banned book make sure you enter the Banned Books Week Challenge! Look for the poster with clues to three popular books that have been banned or challenged somewhere in the United States, including in South Carolina. Take a minute to research the information given for each item. Once you think you have all three books figured out, write the names of the books on your slip of paper, and drop it into the available jar on the table underneath the poster. Make sure you include both your full name and school email address on the paper! There will be a drawing to determine the winner on the morning of October 6th, and the lucky reader will receive a bag full of goodies as a prize! To learn more about Banned Books Week and the fight for free access to information for all, go to www.ala.org/bbooks. The theme for summer reading this summer is "Every Hero Has a Story." Sometimes, I think we only think of superheroes when we think of heroes and stories. However, my hero with a story happens to be that of World War II hero, Louie Zamperini. His incredible story was documented in the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Mr. Zamperini's life story reads more like an action story as he competes in the 1936 Olympics, survives 47 days at sea in a life raft after surviving a plane crash and then spends years in a Japanese POW camp. Page after page, I found myself thinking how incredibly brave and strong this man had to be to endure the hardships that he endured. I also began to redefine my definition of a hero. It's not always someone with a superpower or the strongest or the most good looking. The heroes are the people living around us who survive despite hardships. They are those who do good just because. They are those whose stories inspire us. As part of summer reading this summer, we invite you to share your hero stories here. You can share about a really awesome literary character who is a hero, a real live person who is a hero and whose story you read, or you can share about a real person in your life who is a hero. Each student who posts their hero story here over the summer will receive a small surprise from the Learning Commons when we return to school in August. We can't wait to hear your stories! Welcome back to school! We are excited to have you back on campus and I am excited to hear about the awesome things you read over the summer! In a few weeks, we will be celebrating "Banned Books Week" and then a few weeks later, "Teen Reads Week." We will have lots of activities planned, so keep an eye out for what is going on in the Learning Commons. If you read any of the Teens Top 10 List this summer, please stop by and let me know. You will want to be a part of the voting that takes place during Teen Reads Week.
Also, we will be starting a book club in the next few weeks, so be on the lookout for more information regarding that as well. We are looking forward to an exciting new year in t This is the first truly scary story I read on my own. I loved everything about it. The contrast between the nerdy schoolteacher Ichabod Crane and the terror of the headless horseman. I loved the mystery behind Ichabod Crane disappearing. I loved the writing that kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the very end. I can still hear the wind whipping through the woods as Ichabod slowly plods along on his borrowed horse waiting to meet his nightmare in person. Years later, I have read many other truly frightening tales, but this is the one that I remember and revisit again and again. What book has made you want to pull up the covers and leave the light on? Celebrate Banned Books Week with us at the RBHS Learning Commons!
Over the years, many books have been banned in libraries across the country for a variety of reasons. The top 10 most challenged books of 2012 were:
Have you read any of these books? If so, tell me which one and why you think it was banned? Check out one of the banned books from our Learning Commons! They are on display at the circulation desk. Get reading! Let's talk about banned books! I'm Mrs. White, your library media specialist at River Bluff High School. I am excited to use this space to share our ideas about what we are reading. Please feel free to post about the latest book that you are reading or one you have already read. I always like to hear about new books and I like to read ones that have been recommended to me by people I know. So, feel free to post about books you've read, comment on books that you see other people have read that you'd like to share about or even make recommendations about books you would like to see in the Learning Commons!
Let's start talking about books! |
Mrs. WhiteMy favorite book is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I loved it so much, I named my dog Gatsby! Archives
October 2016
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