BookBytes

Here's what's happening @ EHUE Library

Q3- 2024-25

by M. E. Shenefiel, Librarian

In This Edition of BookBytes:

Think Tank Fridays

Author Visit: W. Bruce Cameron

Battle of the Books

Library Lessons

sparking curiosity, creating connections, empowering learners

Think Tank Fridays

sparking curiosity

Eden Hall GATE students experience hands-on learning thanks to Think Tank Fridays, a dynamic program designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking in students. Running throughout the third quarter, this initiative alternates between Think Tank days and in-class work sessions, leading up to final project presentations in early April.

The project timeline is carefully structured to allow students time to brainstorm, plan, and bring their ideas to life. Each project begins with a two-part planning phase. Part One involves a complete project overview, while Part Two dives into the early design process: sketches, storyboards, technical drawings, or patterns depending on the chosen project. Students are then independenly responsible for bringing their creations to life.

Think Tank Fridays are more than just a break from the usual routine—they’re a launchpad for curiosity, creativity, and real-world problem-solving.

Students were able to select from a wide variety of project options, including:

Cricut Stickers
Crochet/Knitting
Maker Machines
Origami
Paper Circuits
Sphero
Stop Motion Animation
Tinker Cad

Author Visit: W. Bruce Cameron

creating connections

View the slideshow of Bruce Cameron's visit.

Author W. Bruce Cameron visited Eden Hall to speak with two groups of students about his latest book, Piper's Story. During the engaging sessions, he shared insights into his writing process and the inspiration behind the book, captivating the audience with his storytelling. Students who pre-ordered his book were able to meet the author and have their book signed. The visit was made possible by the Eden Hall PTO, with the help of Mrs. Fortier, and through the generous sponsorship of Riverstone Books.

Battle of the Books

creating connections

The annual Eden Hall Battles of the Books (BOB) took place in late February and early March. The battle has become an annual tradition at Eden Hall and this year proved to be one of the most successful yet! Over 300 students participated with a record number of 32 team in grade 4 alone.

BOB kicked off in December, with students forming grade-level teams, choosing managers, and reading the 8–10 selected books. The students also created team posters, planned outfits, and participated in workshops hosted by Northern Tier Regional Library to design t-shirts, and buttons.

On battle night, over three rounds, the teams answered trivia questions from each book and correctly spelled each book’s author. At the end of each grade’s event, the top three teams were announced, as well as the staff favorite poster. The first place winners claimed the coveted BOB Ducks.

The Battles of the Books bring together a multitude of Eden Hall stakeholders, including students, Eden Hall and Pine-Richland staff, the Eden Hall PTO, parents, and local businesses.

2025 Battle of the Books Winners

Grade 4

First Place: The Starbooks Squad

Second Place: Happy Family Time

Third Place: The Dart Frogs

Grade 5:

First Place: The Winning Bobliophiles

Second Place: The Book Warriors

Third Place: The Book Bears

Grade 6:

First Place: Starbooks (Rao)

Second Place: The Book Bandits

Third Place: Shelf Indulgence

View the slideshow of the teams that placed in the 2025 Battle of the Books.

Favorite Team Posters 2025

Staff favorite posters

Library Lessons

empowering learners

The third quarter each year is usually packed with library and literacy events and this year was no exception. In this quarter all classes in all grades participated in activities related to The ALA Youth Media awards, Read Across America, the book fair, W. Bruce Cameron's author visit, and John Schu's author visit.

Grade 4

Fourth graders have progressed from learning basic library skills and navigating the library to selecting and using reliable sources. They’ve been introduced to valuable research tools, including the online encyclopedia Britannica School and the POWER Library database, Gale Elementary. To wrap up the year, students will apply their research skills by completing a space-themed project.

Review our Grade 4 library lessons here.

Grade 5

This quarter, Grade 5 students have been honing their research skills by learning how to find and use reliable sources. We’ve explored what makes a source reliable and why that matters, especially when gathering facts. Using nonfiction text features like headings, captions, and glossaries, students have practiced choosing information that’s clear and useful. In the fourth quarter, they’ll put those skills to the test with an exciting short research project all about insects! Their learning will come to life through a creative poetry activity and a hands-on “Think Tank” project that lets them share what they’ve discovered.

Review our Grade 5 library lessons here.

Grade 6

To help Grade 6 students become smarter researchers, third-quarter library lessons focused on learning how to give credit when using information from books, websites, and other sources. Students practiced reading bibliographies to figure out where facts come from and why that matters. In the fourth quarter, we’ll continue building on these skills as students deepen their understanding of why it's important to show where information comes from.

See our Grade 6 library lesson page here.

Recommended Reads

2025 Youth Media Award Winners

Images and summaries from Destiny and MackinVIA

The Youth Media Awards, presented annually by the American Library Association, celebrate the best in children’s and young adult literature. These awards highlight outstanding books, audiobooks, and other media that inspire young readers and reflect diverse experiences. Honors like the Newbery Medal, Caldecott Medal, and Coretta Scott King Award recognize exceptional storytelling, illustration, and contributions to youth literature.

The following Youth Media Award winning titles are available or will soon be available through Eden Hall library. Note- not all award winners will be added to the collection. For a complete list of winners visit https://www.ala.org/news/2025/01/american-library-association-announces-2025-youth-media-award-winners.

John Newbery Medal

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly

When Ridge, a time-traveling teenager from the future, gets trapped in 1999, he befriends Michael, a lonely twelve-year-old boy, changing the course of their lives forever.

Randolph Caldecott Medal

Chooch Helped, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz, written by Andrea L. Rogers

Sissy's younger brother, Chooch, isn't a baby anymore, but everyone still acts like he is. Their parents always say he's "helping," but Sissy feels like he's always just making a mess and getting in the way. When she tries to make a clay pot, Chooch "helps," and she yells at him. Sissy soon feels bad and her parents explain that Chooch learns by watching and she's one of his most important teachers.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award

My Daddy Is a Cowboy, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, written by Stephanie Seales

While a young Panamanian American girl and her father share "just-us" time on an early morning horseback ride around their town, he tells her cowboy stories and she realizes she is a cowboy too.

The Schneider Family Book Award

Popcorn written and illustrated by Rob Harrell

Andrew's just trying to make it through Picture Day, which is easier said than done when it seems like the whole world is out to get him--from a bully to a science experiment gone wrong to a someone else's juice snot (don't ask). But as Andrew goes through the school day, and as one thing after another goes wrong, that little kernel of worry in his stomach is getting hotter and hotter, until it threatens to pop and turn into a public panic attack, his worst fear

Pura Belpré Award

Lola by Karla Valenti

When her brother, Alex, falls sick, and at the same time the enchanted tree in their Mexico City home starts being eaten away by some dark magic, ten-year-old Lola goes on an adventure to save them both. Visiting her local grocery store oracle, Lola is sent on a quest to follow the mischievous, invisible chaneques--invisible to all but her, that is--down their secret passages into a hidden world of magic known as Floresta, where myths, monsters, and marvels hide the key to healing her brother.

Robert F. Seibert Award

Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall, written by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Jason Chin

Explores how the death of a blue whale leads to new life as its body becomes home to a brand-new ecosystem. Includes color illustrations, a map, back matter on whales, and additional resources.

2024-25 Quarter 13

Library Stats at a Glance

Compare to 2023-24

Top 5 Titles

As determined by circulation statistics. Images from Destiny.

More 2025 BOB Photos

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