Not only do Mrs. Lee, library assistant, and Mrs. Denley, GUE librarian, think our library is one of the most beautiful, but they also think it exemplifies what a children's school library should do, serve the children and their teachers. With this philosophy in mind, Principal Teresa Jackson organized the library around a flexible schedule so that children can visit the library anytime except for librarian work day on Friday. Children have really been taking advantage of the improved situation by reading more, especially in the Accelerated Reading program which has recently been updated with several hundred new titles available soon on our website. Very popular is our new nonfiction, AR section, all color-coded so children can choose correct reading levels.
For the first time in many years, Harry Potter is not the hottest thing in print. Guess what is: Brian Selznick's Invention of Hugo Cabret! Half the book features delightful pen and ink drawings to correlate with the story about an orphan, an automaton, a notebook, and the first movie made, intermingled with lasting friendships. Other often requested titles include Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Lemony Snicket, Magic Tree House, the American Girl series, Paulsen, Sachar, Cleary, Junie B. Jones, How to Eat Fried Worms (Yes, the author is the son of the famous painter Norman Rockwell), and the Boxcar Children. Harry Potter does remain an important read.
To prepare our students for research, we have been focusing on finding materials in the library by having a Dewey Decimal scavenger hunt and completing computer-based OPAC searches. To add a little fun, everyone to finish the mission received an "eye" reminding them to keep their eyes on the prize in life. The next nine weeks will feature the Magnolia database and researcher rat. Oh, no, don't tell what the prize will be.
Heavily involved in promoting reading, the GUE library sponsored a Book Fair during Open House and enjoys working with the mentors and Reading-to-Read program. Encouraging students in all their worthwhile endeavors, the library staff proudly displays artwork from Ms. Collin's art classes and volunteers. Our display case from the U.S. Senate always features relevant Mississippi memorabilia.
Visitors are welcome. Remember, the GUE library is a children's "working" library: we will put you to work! You will love it, too! There is nothing more exciting and wonderful than a child...with a good book to feed the brain and nourish the soul.
If you liked Newbery-Award winning Christopher Paul Curtis's Bud Not Buddy, you will be delighted with his newest, Elijah of Buxton, a 2008 Newbery Honor book. Although the story takes place in a Canadian border town during the days of Frederick Douglas, the issues it deals with are timelesss: friendship, honesty, courage, duty, honor, integrity. The author tells a sad chapter in American history but he uses both dignity and humor as he speaks through his young character Elijah who learns to cope with all kinds of problems as the first free child in the "Settlement" just miles away from that place called America where its citizens were still struggling with slavery. This is truly a book for us all.
Another Newbery winner, Kate DiCamillo who gave us The Tale of Despereaux, has another book that our library has recently added to our AR program, The Miraculous Tale of Edward Tulane. What a treat this bunny story is! Imagine an arrogantly wealthy rabbit who is brought low by life's circumstances. Visualize an expensive china rabbit who must contend with poverty after having known great wealth, but oh, what life lessons he learns along the way as he goes from owner to owner. The reader will become enriched as Edward becomes poorer.
High in popularity is the Spiderwick Chronicles. Take a rundown, spooky old mansion and inhabit it with strange beings and a recently-divorced mom starting over with three children who have enough problems as it is. What do you have? Ingredients for a best selling series, books 1-3 already at theaters. If you want to read about Jared and his twin Simon as they confront both evil and good supernatural forces along with their own demons AND an older, sword-swinging sister (Mallory), just check out one of the five, small books that you can read overnight: The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone, Lucinda's Secret, Ironwood Tree, and The Wrath of Mulgarat.
If you like to read about Medieval days and ways, GUES library has the 2008 Newbery Medal winner, Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Through the voices of twenty-one characters representing the different levels of society in the 1200's, the reader gets a glimpse into a life that one was "born to."
Classrooms at GUES are helping to frame Mrs. Lee's Artwork.
Please let the school library know if you would also like to support in framing the artwork.
