Extra! Extra! Read All About...

Summer is here! We typically close out HES library book checkouts in late May or early June to give everyone a chance to find books at home and return them to the library. Our school did a great job bringing books back, although its always hard to transition away from checking out school library books (for me, too!) During library classes, we discussed using our public libraries over the summer as an excellent resource to continue reading and discovering new books (for FREE). 

Speaking of summer, our summer book selection was a huge success this year. Every student chose a "new to them" book to take home and keep. I am enormously grateful for our community book donations, and have lots more books to continue to make available as a "free books pop up cart" during school events in the coming school year. I hope to continue this model for summer reading going forward! It's great way to give gently used books a second life and share more book love with new readers.

As a school library, we checked out and renewed books 3,320 times this year! That's more than twice the circulations of the 2024-2025 school year, which tells me that both students and teachers are using the collection more than ever. I hope to continue to build on this in the coming school year.

Thank you so much for your support of our library this year. I am looking forward to continuing to grow our students' enthusiasm for reading, information-seeking and media literacy, and their curiosity about our community and world. Wishing you all a very happy summer break!

Ms. Sowder's Recent Reads:

Holding on for Dear Life by Dusti Bowling
The School for Thieves by Peter Burns
Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor
Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson

May is our last “big” checkout month and it’s time for me to assess what books are overdue or may be lost. Please help your child proactively to collect any books that need to get back to the library. 

In PK-K we are reading books about spring, gardens and (soon!) summer activities. 

In grades 1-2, we are introducing basic internet safety discussions. 

In grades 3-5, we’re talking about good digital citizenship and healthy tech habits. 

In middle school, we’re learning about artificial intelligence and machine learning in a lesson co-taught with our technology director, Mr. Porter. 

Summer reading book selection is coming at the beginning of June - stay tuned for more details. Thanks to all who have donated books so far!

Ms. Sowder's Recent Reads:

The Canyon's Edge  by Dusti Bowling
Fireworks by  Matthew Burgess
Stalactite and Stalagmite: A Big Tale From a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer

Themes this month:
National Poetry Month
The moon and space exploration in honor of the Artemis II Mission
Spring and Earth Day (April 22)
National School Library Month

In PK-2, we are reading spring books and poetry for National Poetry Month. 

In Grades 3-5 students are finishing up their mini-research projects and moving into healthy digital habits. We’ll be discussing internet safety and learning about digital footprints. 

In middle school we are finishing a project to practice source citation, and then moving into digital awareness and understanding AI. 

As a school we have checked out over 2,600 books this year! In honor of National School Library Week (during our April break) I will be presenting the Golden Bookworm Award to the class (grades 3 and up) with the most checkouts per person at the end of the month. 

Thank you to all who have donated books for our summer reading pop-up bookstore so that we may provide a free choice reading book to every student. I still welcome donations, and will reach out in May for help sorting books in preparation for summer reading selection. 

Thank you for supporting your readers at home.

Ms. Sowder's Recent Reads:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Guess Who, Haiku? by Deanna Caswell
The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

Our theme this month: Perseverance
This month we celebrate Women's History and Read Across America.

We have now checked out more than 2,000 books as a school for the year - wow! I am so impressed by our eager readers. 

We are continuing with Chickadee Book Award nominee read alouds for K-4 and will be voting before April 1st on which book is our favorite. Students in grades 4-8 will also have the chance to vote in the Maine Student Book Awards! 

In Grades 3-5 we are working on a “Who would Win?” mini-research project to practice note taking and writing down our information sources. In middle school, we’re finishing up book talks this month and will be reviewing research skills before we move on to digital literacy in our final trimester. 

Please check your book shelves for titles that are no longer being read - we’d love to add them to our (free) pop-up bookshop for summer reading at the end of May. Books in excellent condition in all genres (fiction and nonfiction) for pre-readers through teens are welcome. 

Ms Sowder's Recent Reads:
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Jose Feeds the World by David Unger
Tricky Chopsticks by Sylvia Chen

Our theme this month: Respect
This month we read books about Black History, Valentine's Day and the Lunar New Year.

At the end of January, our kindergarten students checked out their very first library books (which will stay in the classroom), and first graders now have the opportunity to bring their library books home. Please help your student choose a special spot to keep their library books so they stay separate from other books at home so they don’t get misplaced. 

Pre-K and Kindergarten have been exploring nonfiction books, biographies and discussing kindness and respect, our themes for the month of January and February. First and second graders have been practicing parts of nonfiction books and discussing biographies. 

We’re exploring informational texts and asking research questions in Grades 3-5 and putting our learning to work with classroom projects. 

In middle school we’re learning how to “Zone” information and we’ll be looking at what makes a credible source and how to give credit in research projects. 

Book talks are ongoing in grades 5-8. I am enjoying hearing about students’ recent favorite reads!

Our theme this month: Kindness
This month we read books about all things winter, and discussed the Winter Olympics.

January will mark the beginning of our Chickadee Award nominee Read Alouds for grades K-4. Classes will cast a vote for their favorite in early April! 

Students in K-2 will be learning and reviewing how to read nonfiction books and ask questions about the content. In grades 3-5 we’ll review nonfiction reading skills, and introduce research strategies. Middle school will be honing research skills and practicing accessing a variety of credible sources with ethical use and citation. 

All students in grades 5-8 will be signing up to deliver a book talk presentation at some point this half of the school. Ask your student what book they will be sharing! 

Ms. Sowder is collecting gently used books in excellent condition for a free book “shop” she’ll be hosting in May/June for all students. Students will be able to browse and select a summer reading book. Please reach out if you have books you’d like to donate!

Congratulations to your readers for checking out more than 1,000 books as a school by the end of November! 

This month, students in PK-1 will be learning about changing seasons and winter holidays around the world. In grades 2-4 we’ll be exploring nonfiction texts and introducing how nonfiction is organized. 

Grades 3-8 are learning how to search our online catalog (you can, too, at hopeschool.follettdestiny.com) and are reviewing Dewey Decimal organization, too. All of this will set us up well for discussing research methods in the new year! 

Next week is our in-person BOOK FAIR starting Thursday, December 11 and running through midday on Saturday, December 13. Please come say hello and shop your holiday list! Proceeds from this fundraiser will support updating our nonfiction section and expanding our ever-popular graphic novel section. I hope to see you there!

Our first graders are our newest (and very excited!) library patrons, and they have been practicing taking care of their books in their classroom. 

Students in grades 3-8 have been practicing ABC organization and are exploring how there can be “mirrors and windows” in books that show us both familiar experiences and ones that are new or different than our own. 

In the lower grades we’re learning about different book formats and practicing finding stories that interest us. 

We will be sharing read alouds that celebrate Native American heritage and family traditions this month, as well as discussing what we’re thankful for. 

I am thankful for our great readers at HES! I’m challenging students to see if we can check out 1,000 books by the end of November - I think we can do it (we’re at 775 already for the year)!

We’ve been reading some great books together in library classes, and I have been learning about what students like for independent reading, too. 

This month, students in K-1 will be exploring the differences between fiction and nonfiction, as well as the foundations of ABC organization (we’ve been singing our alphabet song!) Grade 2 will be refining book choice strategies, bringing books back in a timely manner, and finding books in different areas of the library as we continue our Read Aloud of The Wild Robot. 

Grades 3-8 have been discussing fiction genres and sampling lots of “First Pages.” After a review of library organization, we’ll select books to recommend to peers. I recently added more than 70 titles to our collection with a focus on early independent readers. 

I am hoping to get 1st grade checking out books this month as they gain familiarity with how to browse and select books. Ask your student what they have been reading from the library recently!

Happy September! We’re doing some fun Read Alouds, discussing the value of shared library resources, and learning/reviewing good book care habits. 

Next up is how to choose “Just Right for Me” books at all ages, and learning or reviewing ABC organization. Book checkouts have begun in middle school and by October everyone in grades 2 and up will be checking out books. Kinder and 1st will start checking out as they show readiness.