Newbery & Caldecott Award Winners

Flotsam by David Wiesner

The 2007 Caldecott Award winner is set on the beach and is another amazing venture into the imagination of Wiesner who brought us Tuesday. A young boy is there with his magnfiying glass and his microscope examining anything that washes up on the beach (flotsam). He finds a camera, has the film developed, and what does he see? Octopi relaxing and reading in armchairs, a city built of shells, walking islands of starfish, and more! This wordless picture book is wonderful for sharing with that special child as you move from panel to panel. The ending is unexpected and worthy of the tale.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

This year's 2007 Newbery Award winner is about young girl named Lucky. All her luck, though, is in her name. Long abandoned by her father, Lucky and her mother live in Hard Pan, CA, population 43. After her mother is electrocuted during a storm, Lucky's father calls Brigitte, his former wife, to come from France and take care of his daughter. Afraid that Brigitte will grow tired of Hard Pan and return to France, Lucky worries about who will love her. She has listened in on "anonymous people" - Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and Smokers Anonymous - and decides that she needs a Higher Power to help her deal with all her problems. Mean - spirited and big - hearted by turns, Lucky finally decides her only option is to run away into the desert and hope that someone will miss her. Things don't go quite the way she plans, but she discovers that Brigitte loves her, and begins to be able to deal with the death of her mother.

Teen Tech Week

Teen Tech Week was celebrated this week, and students in grades 6 - 12 entered a drawing by telling us what high - tech gadget they couldn't live without. The prize was a Zune, a super MP3 player made by Microsoft that allows its users to share music, videos, and photos. The winner was Brandon Pace, Ware Shoals High School. Congratulations to Brandon!

What were the gadgets most teens can't live without? XBOX and Playstation!

March is...Women's History Month

When Marian Sang is the story of Marian Anderson. Born in Philadelphia in 1897, Marian was the oldest of three daughters. She began singing in her church choir at the age of 3, and was noted for her beautiful mezzo-soprano voice. She enjoyed great success in Europe but was denied the opportunity to sing at Washington's Constitution Hall because of her race. Instead she gave a free concert on Easter morning on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In 1955, Ms. Anderson became the first African - American to be a regular member of the New York Metropolitan Opera.

Not For Ourselves Alone is the story of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and their fight for women's rights. Born in Massachusetts in 1820, Susan B. Anthony came from a long line of activists. She was an ardent abolitionist, and dedicated her life to fighting for equal rights for women.