8 — The Atlanta Educator Winter 2010
The gift of reading Media specialists offer selection of student favorites By David Lee Simmons
Stumped for holiday gift ideas? Give students a chance to beef up their reading skills. Three APS media specialists offer a few fun suggestions. Brenda Street of D.H. Stanton Elementary Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale, written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Michael Austin Recommended for grades K-2 Street says: This story is well known in Cuba – a sort of famous fable. It’s very funny, and tells how Martina goes about choosing a suitable husband. It has a smattering of Spanish words in it, just for spice. The best part, for me and my students, is that we can laugh and sort of ‘adore’ a cockroach in this context. When I read the title to them at first, my kids all went, “Ew-w-w-w-w.” But we grow to love Martina! This book won the Pura Belpré Award for Latino authors, and is currently in the running for the Georgia Children’s Picture Book Award.
Kelly McQueen of Sarah Smith Elementary Intermediate Campus When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead Recommended for grades 3-5 McQueen says: This book won the 2010 Newbery Medal from the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and is highly recommended. Within the first few chapters of this
novel, the main character (Miranda) receives a note that reads, “I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter… .” With a twist like this, how can anyone not dive into this book and continue reading to the end just to see what happens. This novel interweaves the nottoo-distant past with fantasy, mystery and time travel, while telling the story of a latchkey sixth-grader who believes she holds the key to stopping a tragedy from occurring in the very near future. This is a great read for upper elementary and middle school.
Dr. Bruce Williams of B.E.S.T. Academy Spider-Man: Duel to the Death with the Vulture, by Daniel Quantz and Mark Brooks Recommended for grades 6-8 Dr. Williams says: The Marvel Age Spider-Man Graphic Novel 16 series features all new, easy-to-read, standalone stories. This is a great comic book to entice young boys to discover reading as they follow SpiderMan’s battle against evil villains. These books were created for young readers, and this particular book took me back to my childhood, watching Spider-Man episodes on television. What I like about these graphic novels is that they teach literary techniques such as plot, conflict, setting, character, and even foreshadowing and flashbacks. Most importantly, graphic novels are getting kids to read.
Community partner Kemie Nix (right), founder of Children’s Literature for Children, reads to students each week as part of Adamsville Elementary’s literacy program.
Students learn beauty of reading Partnership helps Adamsville Elementary make reading fundamental
and illustrators, it inspires them to write and draw as well. We just want to let them Thanks to a dedicated media specialist, know that they have opportunities that are students at Adamsville Elementary enjoy a limitless.” long-term love for literature. To set an example of the limitless “Our visiting authors interact with the opportunities in education, Williams children in a very fun way,” recently earned a master’s degree said Megann Williams, who in in Educational Media from Nova her third year as Adamsville’s Southeastern University in Fort media specialist has helped Lauderdale, Fla. She’s currently I used to read thin coordinate a visiting authors books, but now working on her educational I can read thick program with Children’s specialist degree. books like Harry Literature for Children. Her efforts to help Adamsville Potter! As a result of the students embrace reading is partnership, children’s authors bolstered by the consistent Kindell Lee, a such as Ashley Bryan, who fourth-grade presence of volunteers from student at is known for Coretta Scott Children’s Literature for Children, Adamsville King Illustrator Award-winner founded by Kemie Nix. Elementary Beautiful Blackbird, bring “The goal is to turn each child their words to life with help into a book lover,” Nix explained. from students. Instead of just “Each volunteer teacher sits at the reading aloud, Bryan encourages students same table each week and gets to know the to repeat lines so that they can appreciate children. They have a special bookmark the rhyme patterns. Sometimes students they keep at the table. If the children can howl with laughter after repeating the give a report on two books, the teacher rhymes. gives them a sticker on the bookmark.” “It shows them that reading doesn’t On a recent visit, volunteer Sylvia have to be formal; it can be enjoyable,” Crouch, a former Westminster teacher, said Williams, who attended Peyton Forest helped fourth-grader Kindell Lee review Elementary, Young Middle and Mays her previous books and select the next High before graduating from Kennesaw week’s selections. Lee selected a book State. “You can start owning the poem. from author Junie B. Jones. Kindell is When they see African-American poets See READING Page 17 By David Lee Simmons
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APS POINT OF PRIDE: APS cultivates students who are prepared to compete on a global playing field.