Doss Library

Did you know that Doss Elementary School has access to many electronic books (e-books) and databases? I want to be sure that you know how to access these from school as well as home. I cannot post passwords here, but will send that information through Living Tree so that students can read e-books and explore databases at home. Since there is a lot of information that I want to share, I am going to start with the two newest and will add a few at a time in subsequent posts. I think that this will make exploration of these sites fun and interesting, without being overwhelming. Most importantly, I want you to use them! So here goes.... 

I have found that the kids love the Capstone Interactive e-books that can be found at mycapstonelibrary.com There is a username and password required and many of the kids know it, but I will post them on Living Tree for those who don't. Many of the little ones ask for a DC Super-Pets book and while I do have print copies in the library, electronic versions can be found online in the Capstone library. Here's a sneak peek of what the kids like so much! There are eleven DC Super-Pets titles and I have purchased 262 other Capstone e-books that include fiction and non-fiction on a variety of reading levels. Check them out and let me know what you think!

I hope that everyone is having a great summer! I wanted to post some summer reading ideas for your kiddos. I hope that they are helpful and informative. I believe strongly in free choice, voluntary reading and encourage you to let your child pick books that are of interest to him/her. Allowing children to choose their own books is important to the process of becoming a reader. Of course, guiding your child can be a fun as well.



Judy Blume shared at BookPeople on Saturday that you can make suggestions and even give your child your old copies of titles that you loved, but a new cover sometimes go a long way. I had my personal copy of Are You there God, It's Me Margaret? in my bag that day and I must admit, it seemed absolutely perfect to me, but I know that the appeal isn't the same as the updated cover and I appreciate the new book and contemporary cover and can see the value is offering that to a student. In fact, I have gone through and purchased several new copies of old favorites and have seen the circulation increase immediately. I hope that the following links provide you with some ideas and inspiration for summer reading. If you have additional suggestions, please leave a comment. Enjoy!!!

You can't go wrong with these lists from the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.

No need to reinvent the wheel... The Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network has a thorough list of books organized by grade level from prekindergarten through twelfth grade. They've even archived lists from 1994-2014. Check them out here.

Scholastic wants to keep kids reading all summer long. Their challenge and booklists are located here. There's also a fun link to 65 Book Videos to Build Excitement for Summer Reading. I think that book trailers are a fun way to get kids excited about reading!

The National Science Teachers Association recommends these outstanding science trade books for grades K-12. This site has links to this year's list as well as lists dating back ten years.

The National Council of Teachers of English Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children can be found here.

NPR has some great suggestions and Reading Rockets lists the current award-winning books for kids.

Happy Reading!!!

Jenna and I had the pleasure of hearing Judy Blume speak at BookPeople yesterday. She signed her new adult book for us. Make sure to go the BookPeople's webpage to look for fun summer events and to participate in their summer reading program!

I hope that everyone is enjoying their summer. I am almost done reading my second book and am getting ready to pack for vacation. I wanted to let you know that if you're using an e-reader and want to know about e-book deals, you should sign up for BookBub.com. You will receive notifications of books that are on sale or discounted for the day and can select from a variety of genres and types of books to be notified about. Today, Mr. Cooper is Super! by Dan Gutman and Jim Paillot is on sale for $1.99 and Take the Dog Out! by Lynne Dempsey and Mandy Newham-Cobb is free! I hope to share some links to book lists and other fun soon.

If you're looking for a weekend activity- click her for information about Second Saturdays at The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria. This is a great summer connection to our amazing end of year Gallery Greats collaboration. The link is a bit old, but I have it on good authority that the activity for tomorrow involves making wire monsters. Enjoy your summer and check back here as I plan to post book suggestions and more.

If you don't already follow me on twitter and Instagram, please do! Look for dosslibrary- that's me!

This week I am collaborating with our fantastic Gallery Greats committee to bring art and history to the library. Gallery Greats docents will be on hand to guide classes through a tour of Gallery Greats art and artists. Activities will include art explorations using iPads (MOMA art lab and NGA kids) and computers (Tate Kids- Street Art). I am hopeful that this event will generate an excitement about art in Austin as well as in cities and countries far away. When I've traveled with my family, we've gone to many museums and have experienced beautiful art, unusual artifacts, and  interesting objects that create excitement and curiosity. We discuss history and places we'd like to travel in the future and search for information to enhance our new knowledge. I hope that our mini museum experience and hands-on activities do just that. I see great potential in this collaboration and look forward to expanding it in the fall perhaps with outreach to those of you who have a connection to art in the community and special talents that you'd like to share. Virginia Jones, RAD co-chair extraordinaire, has provided an amazing list of  links to locations and events that you can explore right here in ATX as well as links to fun websites and apps that you and your child may find interesting! Please add a comment and share! I look forward to hearing from you! Thanks for your support of the Doss Library and me! It has been an amazing year and I am already excited for the possibilities that lie ahead for the 2015-2016 school year. 

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