Visiting Authors March 11-22, 2018: Naomi Shihab Nye and Todd Parr

ASD Libraries are excited to welcome authors Naomi Shihab Nye and Todd Parr from March 11-22, 2018. During their two week visit, our authors-in-residence will engage our students, teachers and parents in a series of workshops and presentations. Please look out for news about the schedule of events and book sales in early March.

Naomi Shihab Nye, author and editor of more than 30 award winning volumes, uses her writing to attest to our shared humanity. Her books of poetry include 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East, A Maze Me: Poems for Girls, and Words Under the Words. She is also the author of Habibi, Baby Radar, Sitti's Secrets, and Famous. Her poetry anthologies for young readers include Time You Let Me In, This Same Sky, The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems & Paintings from the Middle East, and Honeybee. Her novel for children, The Turtle of Oman, was chosen both a Best Book of 2014 by The Horn Book and a 2015 Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and the 2015 Middle East Book Award for Youth Literature. Her new book is Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners. Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother and grew up in St. Louis, Jerusalem, and San Antonio.

Todd Parr is the author and illustrator of more than 40 books for children, including the New York Times bestselling The I Love You Book, The Earth Book, and The Thankful Book. Some ASD favorites include It's Okay to Be Different, It's Okay to Make Mistakes and Love the World. His books are available in over fifteen languages throughout the world. He is the co-creator of the popular children's television show ToddWorld as well as short films for Sesame Street. Todd has partnered with Target, SF-MARIN Food Bank, Stouffer's, People Magazine and several companies and organizations to help people, animals, and promote literacy. Todd's books have won several awards and his TV show, ToddWorld, was nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards. Todd lives in Berkeley, California with his three adopted Pit bulls.

K2 Students Inspire New Library Bags

A K2 student's persuasive letter.

Our K2 students care about their environment. They have been discovering how to reduce waste as part of their service learning in their classrooms. After learning about the negative impact plastic can have on the environment, students decided to write letters to the librarians and principals. Student wanted to help make a change. Why not replace our plastic library book bags with longer-lasting, cloth bags?

The librarians got to work designing a library bag. We wanted the bags to be easy to carry, to fit a range of different sized books and to last for a long time to prevent waste. We hope our students will use these bags for many years!

At a K2 assembly, Ms. Strate, Mr. Advento, Ms. Bello, and Ms. Pollock shared how they had read the students' letters. They were very impressed with the students' compassion and desire to take action to make a change to help our environment. The new library bags were revealed! Each K2 student received a bag with a special name tag.

Next year, all students in K1 and K2 will receive a library bag. And, our returning Grade 1 students will continue to use their bags. Any other student or family may purchase a bag for AED 30 from the Elementary Library.

Thank you K2 students and teachers for your initiative in helping to make a positive change and to set an example for all of our elementary school. Your voice has made a difference!

Memories for a Lifetime with Visiting Authors

Just when we thought it couldn't get more exciting - we continued with Week 2 of our Visiting Authors Celebration. Students were immersed in inspiring storytelling and drawing throughout the week. 

Students loved Matthew's sneak peaks of I'm Scared and I'm Silly. We also got to meet Babymouse as a Middle Schooler in the first volume of the series Tales from the Locker. And, we even got to see a glimpse of the new Squish animated TV series! Matthew drew all kinds of new Babymouse adventures -- she got to eat an ice cream stack as tall as the Burj Khalifa!

We were all in snitches with George's story of his real-life encounter with a Greek god. Ask any student in Grades 3-5 to explain how George learned his lesson when he declared, "I'm the son of Poseidon!" Our favorite of George's live drawings included Zeus riding on a triceratops and Poseidon battling against Captain Awesome and Super Turbo!

Victoria demonstrated and practiced drawing her famous characters Boomer, G.W., Bea and Astrid with our students. Each group then created an original story featuring an animal using both pictures and words. We had all kinds of stories from a cat who played ultimate frisbee to a bunny who battled a fox.

Students turned out in record numbers for our after school workshops. We had more than 60 students join in the fun for each of our three drawing sessions. Students drew some of their favorite characters right alongside some of their favorite authors.

Thank you to the parents who joined us for our Talk Tuesday session with our authors. Matthew, George and Victoria shared their views on the value of graphic novels and the importance of visual literacy. Our visiting artists encouraged parents to help their children understand that drawing and writing take practice. They also discussed the importance of developing skills in visual presentation, not just as an author, but across all professions. Most importantly, it is just good fun to read comics aloud with your kids!

We have learned so much about comics, story telling, drawing, and reading! Our students and teachers are buzzing with excitement. Students are drawing and writing everywhere they go! Although it is the end of our visiting authors visit, it seems that it is just the beginning of ASD's graphic fever! Keep it up ASD! 

It has been an honor to host Matthew, George and Victoria. ASD is one lucky school to learn from such talented, passionate and generous artists and authors. Our community has made memories to last a lifetime. 

A SUPER First Week of Visiting Authors

In case you weren't sure whether we had visiting authors at ASD or a group of rock stars - let's clear it up. We have rock star authors on campus! The first week was electric! You can feel the excitement, the energy all across the school. It is truly a privilege to Matthew Holm, Victoria Jamieson and George O'Connor at ASD. 

We kicked off the week with a welcome assembly in the Elementary School. Our student librarians introduced our visitors and showed them some big Falcon pride.

Matthew, Victoria and George were thrilled to meet Fadi the Falcon and the camel from Tut, Tut! 

Each Elementary grade level saw all three authors in the theater this week and several groups began their workshops. Middle and High School students experienced small group visits within their art and language arts classes.

Grades 3-5 loved George's dynamic run-through of the Olympians series. We passed the "geek test" by showing our knowledge of Greek mythology! K1, K2 and Grade 1 drew dinosaurs and superheroes with George and helped read Kapow with super loud sound effects. George also led a High School drawing workshop and Comic Con Flex Block encouraging our young artists to draw fast, practice every day and to share their work with each other. 

Victoria's story telling with K1, K2 and Grade 2 was fun and inspiring. The students wrote and drew stories together and worked on beginning, middle and end. Victoria also shared her process for creating Roller Girl including her writing notebooks and original ink drawings. Middle School Art students got a sneak peek of Victoria's new graphic novel and began to draw comics together.

Elementary students loved learning about the creation of Babymouse and Squish with Matthew. Our Grade 4 students were lucky enough to get a preview of the new Babymouse Tales from the Locker series and well as the sequel to Sunny Side Up, Swing It, Sunny. Matthew worked with Middle School and High School Art students explaining his process for planning and creating a graphic novel in collaboration with his sister, Jennifer L. Holm.

Don't miss the after school workshops and Talk Tuesday session for parents:

SUNDAY, MARCH 19 

• 3:15 - 4:00 p.m. ES Workshop with Victoria Jamieson ES Library | ES Students and Parents 

MONDAY, MARCH 20 

• 3:15 - 4:00 p.m. ES Workshop with Matthew Holm | ES Library | ES Students and Parents 

TUESDAY, MARCH 21 

• 8:15 - 9:15 a.m. Talk Tuesday: ​Reading is a Superpower: Graphic Novels and Literacy ES Library | K-12 Parents 

• 3:15 - 4:00 p.m. ES Workshop with George O’Connor ES Library | ES Students and Parents 

• 3:15 - 4:00 p.m. MS Workshop with Victoria Jamieson Room C309 | MS Students 

• 3:15 - 4:00 p.m. HS Workshop with Matthew Holm Room B301 | HS Students

Please note, that signed books will be delivered to classrooms by March 23. There are a few more books left to purchase or feel free to bring in your copies from home. We can't wait for more exciting learning next week! 

Family Opportunities to Celebrate Visiting Authors

The Visiting Authors celebration is a community-wide event and begins in just a few days!

Students from K1-Grade 12 will participate in presentations and workshops during the authors’ visit. Elementary students will engage in several grade level sessions with each author, middle school students will learn from the authors during their Language Arts classes and high school students will experience sessions within Art and other specific courses.

There are a number of workshops that include 
family participation. Parents, don’t miss the opportunity to engage with your children in these workshops with Victoria Jamieson, George O’Connor and Matthew Holm.

View the Family/Parent/Student Workshop Schedule

Read the ES Library blog to learn more about the Visiting Authors program at ASD from March 12-23.

ASD Gets Graphic: Author Books for Sale and Signing

Don't miss your chance to purchase books and have them signed by our visiting authors! Book sales will begin on Sunday, February 26 in the Elementary Library.

We have several titles available by each of our visitors, Victoria Jamieson, Matthew Holm and George O'Connor. Prices vary depending on format, so please stop by the make your selection.

Students and parents are welcome to come by the Elementary Library throughout the day. Typically, the books usually sell out within a week. First come, first served!

When you purchase a book, we will label it with the name for the dedication and the class section for delivery. All books will be signed by the authors during their visit and returned to students homeroom classes by March 23, before Spring Break.

Please note, your are also welcome to bring in your own copies of books purchased outside the library to have labeled and signed.

ASD Gets Graphic: Visiting Authors Coming Soon

We will celebrate graphic novels in our reading community with Victoria Jamieson, Matthew Holm and George O'Connor joining us as authors and artists in residence from March 12 - 24, 2017. Our students are getting ready, reading as many graphic as they can get their hands on! We can't keep the books on the shelves! Each grade level in the Elementary School is exploring graphics in both library class and in their classrooms. We are examining elements of graphic novels such an panels, gutters, captions, dialogue balloons, motion lines and more! Learn more about our talented visitors below and by exploring their websites.

Victoria Jamieson 

www.victoriajamieson.com

Victoria Jamieson is a children's book and graphic novel author and illustrator. Her works include Roller Girl, winner of the 2016 Newbery Honor, The Great Pet Escape, Olympig and Bea Rocks the Flock. She studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, and went on to receive her MA in Museum Studies at the University of Syndey. After living in Rome, Montreal, and Australia, she moved back to the United States, where she began working as a designer with a children's book publisher in New York City. She now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and young son. Along with writing and illustrating, she teaches children's book illustration at Pacific Northwest College of Art.

  

 


Matthew Holm

www.matthewholm.net

Matthew Holm is the co-creator of two critically-acclaimed and award-winning graphic novel series for children, Babymouse and Squish. Together with his sister, author Jennifer L. Holm, the pair created both graphic novel series, and raised the profile of the graphic novel in children’s literature, as well as proved how important graphic novels can be in getting children to learn to read. Babymouse and Squish have become staples on classroom and library shelves around the world, and have enticed even the most reluctant readers into reading for pleasure. Matt is also a professional graphic designer and the Consulting Creative Director for Hot Knife Design, Inc., of Boston, Mass. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and dog.


                         


George O’Connor

www.olympiansrule.com

George O’Connor’s first graphic novel, Journey Into Mohawk Country, used as its sole text the actual historical journal of the seventeenth-century Dutch trader Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, and told the true story of how New York almost wasn’t. He followed that up with Ball Peen Hammer, the first graphic novel written by playwright Adam Rapp, a dark dystopian view of a society’s collapse as intimately viewed by four lost souls. Now he has brought his attention to Olympians, an ongoing series retelling the classic Greek myths in comics form. In addition to his graphic novel career, Mr. O’Connor has published several children’s picture books, including the New York Times best-selling Kapow, Sally and the Some-Thing, and Uncle Bigfoot. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.


                           

Superhero Summer Reading

Reading is a super power! Elementary students are invited to join our Superhero Summer Reading Challenge. Students can build their power over the summer by reading some great books. The best part? Students decide what to read! The goal is to read across genres and formats.

Students will keep track of the books they read on the SUPER challenge card and turn into the Elementary Library by August 25. Students will receive a certificate and special recognition by Mr. Advento at the first ES Assembly of the new school year.

Students can read any genre or format including picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, information books, magazines, newspapers or ebooks. 

Challenge yourself, students, to complete one of the following achievement 
levels:

• Planetary Reader: Read 10 books

• Cosmic Reader: Read 15 books

• Ultimate Power Reader: Total Black-Out of 25 books

Parents are encouraged to support younger readers by reading aloud and completing the challenge as a family. Remember to explore the ES Library Summer Reading website for reading suggestions. And, visit the eResources page to access our ebook collection and research tools any time, any where.

Elementary parents are welcome to join us for a Talk Tuesday on summer reading on Tuesday, May 24 from 8:15-9:15 in the in the ES Library. Bring your devices with you and set up some reading tools to take home with you.

Happy Reading!

Click HERE to print out a Superhero Challenge tracking sheet or to create a Google doc to keep track of books read.

Please also visit our ES Library website for more information and suggestions for reading.

Image credits: http://revidevi.etsy.com

Visiting Authors Coming Soon

Excitement is starting to build in our library as we get ready for our long-anticipated Visiting Authors celebration from March 13-24. Jacqueline Woodson and Steve Jenkins will soon be joining our community of readers and we can't wait! All of our students from K1-Grade 12, faculty, staff and parents will have the opportunity to learn from these amazing storytellers. Our elementary students are already busy reading their books in classrooms and in the library.

All of our Grade 5 students are currently reading Brown Girl Dreaming, actively participating in our One School, One Book experience. Students are engaging in meaningful discussions as they learn about Woodson's childhood through her memorable verse. In library class, students are digging in deep to specific poems in the book and comparing multiple picture books by Woodson. Grade 4 will begin Brown Girl Dreaming later this month.

Students in our lower grades have been pouring over the mesmerizing pages of Steve Jenkins vast collection of science books. Students have read several books in small groups, shared fascinating facts and found common, unique features and techniques in the books. Students in Grades 2-4 are also writing book reviews in Destiny Quest on their favorite Jenkins books.

Make sure you are ready for our authors' visit by reading as many books as you can! Please see one of the librarians to discuss how you can participate in One School, One Book by reading Show Way and Brown Girl Dreaming.

Check out these cool videos to learn more about our authors:

Watch Steve Jenkins process for researching, planning and creating his amazing animal illustrations out of cut paper collage.

Listen to Jacqueline Woodson talk about her thinking behind Brown Girl Dreaming and some discoveries she made about her family as she researched her past.

Purchase Books for Author Signing

We will have a wide range of Woodson and Jenkins books for sale in both libraries starting from Sunday, February 21. Prices range from AED 25 - 100 and both hardback and paperback books are available. You may purchase your books from library staff throughout the day. You may choose to label the book with your name and grade level and we will have the books signed by our visiting authors. We will then deliver the books to students' classrooms.

Keep in mind, our supply of books for sale is limited. If you really want a book, don't delay! You are also welcome to purchase books elsewhere and then bring them to the library to label and have signed. We will accept signing requests up until March 17.