I was unusually pleased with the outcome of last Friday's book club for 5th-grade students! Club meetings are always fun, if sometimes loud; but I very much want to recognize the participating students for their respectful and insightful discussion of our last reading selection, A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz (or for those who had already read it, the sequel--In a Glass Grimmly). The book is a retelling of tales collected by the brothers Grimm, strung together as if Hansel and Gretel are the central characters of each tale. Its themes (as ably identified by the students) include forgiveness, duty, loyalty, and sacrifice. Next month's selection is a mystery: The Potato Chip Puzzles, by Eric Berlin. Some students (and parents) will be relieved to know it involves neither death nor destruction, and no blood or guts! The novel is about Winston Breen, a skilled puzzler, who is invited to compete in a logic puzzle competition for prize money to benefit his school; but in addition to the puzzles that make up the contest, another mystery arises when it begins to seem that someone involved with the event is not playing fair. I will have paperback copies to purchase (probably by Tuesday) at the discounted price of $6.00 (just to reimburse my cost), thanks to pages:a bookstore. The Potato Chip Puzzles can be used  for the November 5th-grade book report whether or not mystery is your child's assigned genre. Thanks to the 5th-grade teaching team for their support of book club.

During library visits this week we will be wrapping up Halloween and getting ready for next week's presidential election. In addition to our readaloud, grades 2 and 4 will see a short video from the awesome educational site BrainPOP/BrainPOP Jr. Pennekamp teachers, students, and families have access to BrainPOP through a subscription paid for by the Pennekamp PTA. BrainPOP login information will be given to second- and fourth-grade students this week on a handy bookmark. If you would like the login info, please email me at bbroka@mbusd.org. Grade 5 is hearing a short story involving a magical transformation: "Bored Tom," in the collection Strange Happenings, by Avi.

Please note that the public library's bookmark contest is no longer accepting submissions. Thanks to the many students who created terrific designs, and good luck to you all!

The library's schedule this week is affected by both the Monday staff development day, which was a day off for students as well as staff members without a teaching credential (such as me); and then by vision and hearing testing, which takes place in the library on Thursday, October 25. The library therefore is closed this week on Monday and Thursday. Also, Wednesday the library will close at 1:30. Not only do I have a districtwide meeting off campus, but the vision and hearing screeners need to set up in the library to be ready for the next day's testing. I apologize for any inconvenience.

A few classes have rescheduled their library visits for this week. Ms. Hooper's class will be Tuesday, from 9:30 to 10:00; Ms. Batavick's class will be Wednesday, from 8:40 to 9:10; Mr. Warner's class will be Friday, from 8:30 to 9:10.

Please note 5th-grade book club is THIS FRIDAY, during lunch recess, in the library. We will discuss A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz. 

This week is Red Ribbon Week, so grades K, 2, and 4 will be hearing about nutrition, fitness, and medicinal remedies from days gone by. DK/TK will be hearing several stories about Halloween, and grades 1 and 3 will hear books about pumpkins. Grade 5 will hear the beginning of a short story featuring magical transformations: "Bored Tom," by Avi.

Several events from last week continue this week: National Bullying Prevention Month, the County of Los Angeles Public Library bookmark contest, and playing Freerice.com to earn food donations to the United Nations World Food Program. Hispanic Heritage Month concludes (9/15 to 10/15), so several grades are hearing books that relate to Hispanic cultures--DK/TK, Ole at the Zoo, by Phillis Gershator; grade 3, First Day in Grapes, by L. King Perez; grades 4 and  5, Cactus Soup, by Eric Kimmel.

This week (October 7 to 13) is Fire Prevention Week. You can take this opportunity to discuss with your family what to do in case of fire. The website of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has ideas for talking with young people about fire safety. 

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. For more information on this project, please visit the website of PACER, which created the event in 2006. At the library during October classes will hear stories about kindness, inclusion, and standing up for others. This week these themes will be the focus for grades 1, 2, 3, and 5; in future weeks the topic will be featured in other grades, with most grades focusing on bullying prevention for two of our four October weeks.

The County of Los Angeles Public Library's bookmark contest is going on until October 26. All classes will hear about it and be offered an entry form. Entries can be turned in at the school office or Pennekamp library or at the public library (one day later--until October 27!). Please visit the public library's website for more information or a PDF of the entry form. All entries must be in blue or black ink only! Winner are honored before the city council, receive a prize, and have their bookmark design duplicated and distributed in the public library for the coming year! This year's theme is "It Came from a Book."