This week grades TK, K, 1, and 2 begin hearing the nominees for the California Young Reader Medal in the Primary category. Every year five books are nominated in the Primary category, and the winner is determined solely by the votes of young people who read the books or for whom the books were read aloud. We are starting now because it is a fun way to start the year, but also because this should allow the students to vote during Pennekamp's "literacy weeks," which are from February 22 to March 4.
Grades 3, 4, and 5 will hear stories that cover a big sweep of time. These are occasioned by the start of the new year.
The Manhattan Beach public library will be having one of its neat science events this week. This one is about astronomy and features a guest speaker, Richard Wade, on the topic "How Big Is Big, How Far Is Far?" When it comes to space, it really is hard to grasp these concepts! The presentation uses common objects to illustrate vast ideas. It is Wednesday, January 6, from 3:30 to 4:30. The program is for grades 2 to 8.
This week is the introductory meeting of our very own book club for students in grade 5. The initial meeting will be Thursday, January 7, in the library at lunch recess. Pre-enrollment is required, and forms can be obtained from me in the library or from your child's teacher. Club members eat lunch in the library on club days, and it's a bit easier to do this if a student brings rather than buys lunch. The first reading selection will be announced at the initial meeting, and the club will meet next on February 4 to discuss that book. In the event of rainy-day schedule, the meeting will be postponed to the next non-rainy day.
Excitement is building for the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards, which will be announced on January 11, 2016. The Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal are the most famous of them, but there are so, so many different awards, all recognizing excellence in literature for young people. You can study up by heading over to the American Library Association's website.