School is really in full swing now! Classes are visiting per the weekly schedule, volunteers are signed up and trained, and students and parents are checking out books. Teachers and students are using the databases and other online resources that are funded for our use by the Pennekamp PTA and the California State Library. What I'm reading to classes can always be found on this website. I will be taking note of Constitution Day, which is observed on September 17. The fifth-grade teachers would like their students to mark September 11, so with fifth-grade classes I will read the level 1 version of that topic in Britannica School, as well as read a picture book related to the event, such as September Roses, The Survivor Tree, or The Man Who Walked Between the Towers.

So with all that in place, the remainder of this post is about some special upcoming community events.

Saturday, September 21, is the International Day of Peace, a worldwide holiday declared by the United Nations. This year's theme is "Climate Action for Peace." Come out this Saturday from 8:00 to 9:00 for "Stand in the Sand for Peace"! Participants will gather on the MB pier and arrange themselves on the sand to spell PEACE for an aerial photograph.
 
Dav Pilkey’s visit last year was a huge success, and I’m thrilled to announce that he will be appearing again in the South Bay this year! Dav is the author/illustrator of the Dog Man series, the Captain Underpants series, and many other books. {pages} bookstore and Scholastic are sponsoring his visit, which is part of Dav's “Do Good” tour. The event is Sunday, October 27, at 2:00 p.m., at the El Segundo Performing Arts Center. Also appearing will be Dan Santat, winner of the Caldecott Medal and illustrator of Dav’s series Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot; and Gale Galligan, cartoonist of the Babysitter’s Club graphic novels #5, 6, and 7. Tickets and more information about the event can be found at https://www.pagesabookstore.com/event/dav-pilkey-returns-south-bay-special-guests
 
It’s time for the County of Los Angeles Library’s annual bookmark contest. This year there is no specific theme; any original design is welcome, but designs cannot incorporate existing characters from print, television, film, or video games. The contest entry form can be downloaded and printed from the PDF link below. Student designs are judged by various age categories (so younger students are not competing against older students). Entries are due by November 1, 2019. Library winners will be notified November 15, and grand prize winners will be announced in February or March 2020. 
 
The Manhattan Beach public library branch is offering a Mock Newbery Book Club, a group activity for strong readers in grades 4 to 8. The Newbery Medal is a prestigious award that recognizes books written for young people. Every year before the medal is awarded, there is widespread chatter among book lovers about what might win. This is a chance to dive in to that conversation! Club participants will learn the criteria for the actual Newbery judging and engage in dialogue about books with other readers. The club meetings begin on September 24, and space is limited, so do not delay in signing up. A link to the flyer is below. Register online at bit.ly/2xZwHVR 

This is the last week of class visits to the library. Classes are visiting to hear my favorite end-of-year readalouds and to return books. I will be here next week, but classes do not visit the library. I will be plenty busy next week, seeing to the return of all the books and putting things in order for next year. 

All books are due on or before June 7. A hold will be placed on the report card of any student who fails to return or pay for his or her library books by the end of the school year. A hold will also be placed on a student's report card if his or her parent has unresolved library books at the end of the school year. Please return all library books OR pay for any that have been lost or significantly damaged. I can tell you the price of books for which payment must be made. Payment must be in exact change or a check payable to MBUSD.

The Pennekamp library is closed over the summer. Fortunately there are several great public libraries right nearby. The Manhattan Beach public library has a summer reading program including activities and cultural events for every age. There's a nice PDF of summer events just below this post. The best way to find out about everything happening there is to sign up for the library's electronic newsletter. I know many families like the libraries in Redondo Beach, Torrance, and El Segundo. All are great options to make sure everyone has exciting reading materials for the summer!

The district summer reading lists are a great source of pleasure reading suggestions. While the lists are organized by grade level, most students can find something of interest on any of the three lists, so I encourage you to take a look at all three. Lists for this year and from previous years are posted on this website. 

The summer is a great time to read! I hope everyone finds time to read every day.  It's a great habit to build, and one very enjoyable way to encourage your child's reading habit is to have a reading time of your own. Consider creating a cozy reading spot, too. Some people keep track of books or pages read over the summer--this can be fun and motivating. Or why not start a summer book club for your child and a few friends? Participants can meet every couple of weeks to discuss a book they've all chosen to read  (and you can provide the snacks!). Traveling this summer? It's likely there are children's books about or set in your destination. Bring books when you travel, or listen to a book all together on a family car trip. Check out the local independent bookstore in places you visit. Whether here or elsewhere, read aloud during the afternoon snack and of course at bedtime. Talking with your children about what they are reading (and what you are reading) improves comprehension and builds valuable social skills. Finally, the very easiest way to encourage reading is simply to have a changing variety of books and other reading materials around the house and in the car.

Thanks for all your support over the school year. I'm already looking forward to seeing everyone again when school resumes!

Poetry will be featured in May--the books on display and also some of the weekly readalouds. I love poetry; often picture books are like poetry in their economy of language and reliance on literary devices often used by poets, such as rhyme, alliteration, personification, and onomatopoeia. If I were to recommend one poetry book for a family's home library it would be A Child's Anthology of Poetry, edited by Elizabeth Hauge Sword and Victoria Flournoy McCarthy. 

There are some cultural events in May, including Ramadan, Mothers Day, and Memorial Day. I will be reading and displaying books on these as well.

May is Asian-Pacific Island Heritage month, so you can be sure books on the cultures of Asia and the Pacific Islands will also be in play.

The winners of the California Young Reader Medal have been announced: The Bear and the Piano (not PK's choice), Emmanuel's Dream (PK's winner), and The War that Saved My Life (PK's winner). Information about the contest and our voting results can be found here. 

On Wednesday and Thursday, May 8 and 9, PK's third-grade will have guest visits from the children's services librarian at the Manhattan Beach public library. She will be giving each student a public library card. There are some great library events coming up, including a Dodgers storytime. The public library's summer reading program starts on June 1, 2019.

The MBUSD summer reading lists for summer 2019 are now posted and can be found on this site. The three elementary lists of nonrequired books for pleasure reading were compiled by the five elementary library resource specialists. 

On Friday, May 17, the wonderful Julie Jones will be substituting for me at the library. I will be attending my son's law school commencement (proud mom here!). 

Friday, May 31, is the last day this year for students and parents to check out books from the library. The fifth-graders may even be a bit before that, as participation their special year-end events is conditional on having a clean slate in all school matters.

May 24 is the last meeting of the book club for grade 5. Our current book is The Real Boy, by Anne Ursu.

Can you believe it's the end of the year? Wow, time flies :-)

April 22 is Earth Day, a springboard for so many interesting readalouds. I plan to devote April largely to environmental issues: the nexus between humans and animals (4/8 to 4/12), food and water (4/15 to 4/19), transportation and energy (4/22 to 4/26), and consumerism and trash (4/29 to 5/3).

Also in April grade 2 takes a trip to the Natural History Museum, grade 3 heads to the California Science Center, and grades 4 and 5 participate in Pennekamp's science fair. I will definitely divert some time away from environmental topics to support these other science-themed events.

April is National Poetry Month, but at the Pennekamp library, we will venture into poetry in May.

The library will be closed on Thursday, April 11. I will be at a professional development event. 

There's a particularly great event happening at Pennekamp on the evening of April 18: the 23nd annual Richstone Feast. This is hands-down my favorite annual PK event. It is a fundraiser for the Richstone Family Center, which helps families in crisis to be safe, create stability for their children, and basically get back on their feet. There are two "feast" seatings, and the 5th-grade students handle all the set-up, serving, and clean-up. On top of the benefits to our community and to the participating students, this event is always just so much fun! Tickets can still be purchased from Mr. Warner in 3rd grade. I urge you--be a part of this outstanding community service tradition. It is Pennekamp, at its very best.
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There are a couple of great author events coming up! 

Seth Fishman visited Pennekamp a while back to share with us his first book: One Hundred Billion Trillion Stars. His new book--Power Up: Your Incredible, Spectacular, Supercharged Body--is sure to be terrific. Seth is a dynamic speaker who makes nonfiction content fun for children of all ages.
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Chris Van Dusen is the author-illustrator of many books for young readers, including The Circus Ship and Hattie & Hudson. He is the illustrator of the Mercy Watson and Deckawoo Drive series. His new picture book with Kate DiCamillo is A Piglet Named Mercy.

Pennekamp's Literacy Celebration 2019 has begun! From March 1 to 15, we will be enjoying a variety of literacy-themed events to fire up our Dragons' love of reading! 

The Super Literacy Quiz Bowls for grades 3, 4, and 5 will be played on March 11, 7, and 4 (respectively). An astounding 80 students from across these grades have signed up to compete! Information about the contests can be found on this website. The MC for the events will be Dr. Gerger, and parents are permitted to attend. 

For our younger Dragons, I'm pleased to announce the first-ever Night at the Library, which will be on Wednesday, March 6, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Parents and students in TK, K, 1st, and 2nd grade are invited to come in their PJs to Pennekamp's library after dark. We'll hear and read picture books and do a variety of fun things. Please note, each child needs to have a parent with her or him--this is not a drop-off event. It may be a bit rainy, but even if it is, the event will go as planned!

Reading logs were distributed to every student through his or her classroom, and reading logs can also be downloaded and printed out from this website (see just below this post). Students are to record every minute of reading from March 1 to March 15. Log sheets can be turned in starting March 15, and must be turned in no later than March 22 (no exceptions). Let's see how many minutes we can read! Every student who turns in a reading log by the deadline will receive a reward: an Islands restaurant gift certificate! (Thanks to our local Manhattan Beach Islands for donating these).

Mystery readers are a longtime PK tradition. During the Literacy Celebration (March 1-15), parents (or grandparents, aunts and uncles, and even siblings) choose a book to read aloud in their child's class. Most readers dress up to match the chosen readaloud, but that is optional. The time and duration of your appearance must be coordinated with your child's teacher--please be ready to accommodate our students' and teachers' busy daily schedules. The library is happy to help readers choose a book, but it's best if you have a costume or concept in mind first. 

The Literacy Celebration is a special Pennekamp event that results from the commitment and efforts of a great many people. First among these is Dr. Gerger, who advised on, supported, and encouraged every aspect of the Literacy Celebration. I'm so proud to be part of a community that puts literacy at the forefront, and that mindset starts at the top, with Dr. Gerger. I'd also like to thank the teachers for their support--for talking up the events, making time for students to prepare, and most of all, for building literacy day in and day out. Many thanks to Jason Marshall, Technology TOSA, for essential technical support with Kahoot! and the SLQB soundtrack. I'd like to give a tremendous shoutout to Jiyeon Im, chair of the Literacy Celebration, for making this huge event happen. Literacy Celebration 2019 exists because of her passion for reading, her creativity and diligence, and the hours of hard work she put in over many months. Thanks to the Pennekamp PTA for generous funding and support, and especially to Lorie McDonald, VP of Operations, for helping to coordinate the many moving parts, supplying extra assistance with the Night at the Library, and being a beacon of good cheer. Thanks finally to the parent and student volunteers, too numerous to name, whose help was crucial to the success of the SLQBs and Night at the Library. You are all absolutely wonderful!
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PK's Literacy Celebration begins on Friday, March 1! This is the start of the read-a-thon as well as many other fun literacy events.

Reading logs will be distributed to every student in his or her classroom, and reading logs can also be downloaded and printed out from this website (see just below this post).

Students record every minute read from March 1 to March 15. Reading logs can be turned in starting March 15, and must be turned in no later than March 22 (no exceptions, no reading logs will be accepted after March 22). Let's see how many minutes we can read! Every student who turns in a reading log by the deadline will receive a reward: an Islands restaurant gift certificate. Okay, Dragons, get ready to read!

All grades at Pennekamp are hearing the nominees for the California Young Reader Medal during February. All students will have a chance to vote during their class library visit time at the end of February or early in March. If you'd like to see the specific titles we're reading, visit the Weekly Readalouds page of this site. Students in grades 4 and 5 have a chance to vote on the chapter books nominated for the CYRM. The nominees in that category are Crenshaw, by Katherine Applegate; Fish in a Tree, by Linda Mullaly Hunt; and The War that Saved My Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Any 4th- or 5th-grade student who reads all three will be invited to a voting "pizza party" in March. 

Many students are also reading in preparation for the upcoming Super Literacy Quiz Bowl games. There's a lot of information about the SLQB right here on this website. The registration forms are now available and are due by February 15. The SLQB is part of Pennekamp's annual Literacy Event, which this year is from March 1 to 15.

For our younger Dragons, I'm pleased to announce a new Literacy Event activity: Night at the Library, which will be on March 6, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Parents and students in TK, K, 1st, and 2nd grade are invited to come in their PJs to Pennekamp's library after dark. We'll hear and read picture books and do a variety of fun things. Please note, each child needs to have a parent with her or him--this is not a drop-off event.

The Rotary Readers from the Manhattan Beach Rotary Club will be reading to our students during the week of February 25, 2019. The students always enjoy meeting these service-minded community members and hearing about their love of reading.

The book club for 5th grade is in full swing. Our current selection seems to be a big hit with the students: A Night Divided, by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Rain has affected our meeting schedule a bit, so the next meeting is February 27 at lunch/recess in the  library.

This morning the American Library Association announced its Youth Media Awards for 2019. Notable for PK's age group are the following:

John Newbery Medal: Merci Suárez Changes Gears, by Meg Medina
Newbery Honor Books: The Night Diary, by Veera Hiranandani; The Book of Boy, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Ralph Caldecott Medal: Hello, Lighthouse, illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall
Caldecott Honor Books: Alma and How She Got Her Name, illustrated and written by Juana Martinez-Neal; A Big Mooncake for Little Star, illustrated and written by Grace Lin; The Rough Patch, illustrated and written by Brian Lies; Thank You, Omu! illustrated and written by Oge Mora

See all the winners by clicking on the PDF below.