Welcome to the
2009-2010 Blanton Elementary
Library Online!
The Blanton Library is open from 8:10 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.
Monday through Friday.
Students in grades PK-6 visit the library for storytime, skills lessons, and checkout each week.
Open Check Out is from 8:05 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. daily.
Any student with a library pass from his/her teacher may visit the library
individually during this time to check books in or out.
Additional books may be checked out for projects
or with teacher permission.
Library books are due in 7 days. There are no fines for late books; however, a student is required to return a late book
before checking out again.
Blanton Eagles are learning to be responsible for their library books.
Stains, torn pages, and minor damage result in a fine ranging
from $1.00 - $4.00. Lost book fines are equivalent to the original purchase price of the book.
"Fancy Nancy" (a.k.a. Miss Shepherd)
was spotted on International Literacy Day.
“I am very pleased to be returning to Blanton Elementary.
This is my ninth year as a librarian and my 30th year as a teacher.
(I have taught every grade from Kindergarten through ninth!)
I truly love discovering exciting books with kids of all ages.
It doesn’t matter what your circumstances or advantages have been.
It doesn’t matter if you are having a great day or a challenging day.
The minute you step into the library you have a free ticket to any country
in the world, a chance to talk to a famous person, an opportunity to travel in space, to peek inside a pyramid, or walk alongside a hero, or storm a castle. Your only limit is your imagination. Come explore with me!”
Miss Shepherd, Library Media Specialist
"The Internet Reading Corner"
“Do you love books? Do you love computers?
The Internet Reading Corner is the perfect place for you.
You can read or listen to your favorite books online, learn more about your favorite books,
and find out what’s new in the world of literature.
The best part is that you don’t have to worry
about your dog chewing the corner of your book or returning it on time
because it all happens in cyberspace.
Have fun reading!”
Nicholas was a perfectly normal boy when he went to bed, but he wakes up with whiskers and a tail! Find out what happens next in
"Me and My Cat" by Satoshi Kitamura, read by
actress Elijah Wood, courtesy of
BookPALS Storyline Online.
(for 1st through 4th graders)
Take Note of these Special Events:
On Grandparents Day we had a "Reading Picnic."
On International Literacy Day costumed readers visited classrooms. Mr. Terry, the Children's Librarian from the Arlington Public Library on New York Street read to kindergarten and first grade in the library.
Mr. Terry reads to first graders. Ms. Mathiews as The Giving Tree
Accelerated Reader Parties
Blanton students have an opportunity to accumulate points by taking an Accelerated Reader test over some of the books they read. If you have enough points, you can go to the Accelerated Reader parties during the school year. This is a picture of one of our Accelerated Reader parties where Mr. Rudy and Mr. B from Wildlife on the Move presented, "Pythons vs. Boas."
Research Links
(Note: These websites are not maintained by the Blanton Web Page)
The 2008-2009 Bluebonnet Award goes to:
"One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia De Felice."
The 2009-2010 Bluebonnet Nominee Books
(Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Graders read at least five books, then vote for their favorite in January.
These books are located in the southeast corner of the Blanton Library under a large bucket of bluebonnet flowers.)
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look. Alvin, who is scared of most things, takes his Personal Disaster Kit to school each day. Alvin speaks at home and on the bus, but has never said a word at school. Follow his antics as he hangs upside down from a tree in an attempt to grow taller, plays games with his therapist, and finally finds the friend he needs.
Frogs by Nic Bishop. Everything you always wanted to know about frogs. Bishop also explains how he takes his stunning photographs of frogs in the wild and trains frogs and spiders at home.
The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman. Gil's father has been falsely accused of embezzlement while working at the Golly Toy and Game Company. Gil grabs his chance to redeem his pride by getting the opportunity to compete in the Gollywhopper Games. Puzzle fans will enjoy the ride as Gil must solve puzzles with his sometimes not-so-nice team partners in this fast-paced adventure.
Help Me, Mr. Mutt! by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel. When humans have a problem they write Dear Abby; but the best help for the suffering canine is Mr. Mutt. Each troubled hound is given doggone good advice - all of which ends with a P.S. suggesting that the family cat is less than a worthy pet. Of course, Mutt's family cat, The Queen, comes back with her own thoughts on this. By the end of the book, Mr. Mutt and The Queen come to blows and our canine advisor must be rescued by his fans. There are plenty of laughs for both pets and their humans.
The Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff. Twelve-year-old Max is understandably startled when he sees a tapestry suddenly coming to life. That, however, is just the beginning: this means he is a Potential, a suitable candidate for Rowan Academy, the school of magic and mysticism. He has only a few days to decide whether to leave his father and dive headlong into this world about which he still knows little. Of course, he chooses adventure.
Lady Liberty: A Biography by Doreen Rappaport. There have been many children's books published about the Statue of Liberty but never one like this. Through free verse and illustrations that put the reader in the events, The Lady's biography is told. Each double page spread tells of people involved in the process of bringing her to New York Harbor - from the idea, to the creation of the statue, to the pennies sent in by children across the United States to pay for her base, to the celebration of her placement. The reader will look upon The Lady with new eyes, whether in New York viewing her or bringing her to the mind's eye.
The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster: A Tale of Picky Eating by A.W. Flaherty. Picky eaters unite! Katerina-Elizabeth dumps her daily oatmeal over the side of a ship, attracting a hungry little sea worm who develops into a big surprise!
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale by Carmen Deedy. Martina the Beautiful Coachroach is ready to take a husband, with the help of some advice from her Cuban grandmother. Beacause she is beautiful she will have no trouble attracting a boyfriend, but finding a suitable husband can be tricky. Abuela's "coffee test" works like a charm to reveal the true disposition of each suitor.
Maybelle in the Soup by Katie Speck. Maybelle the cockroach and Henry the flea live in the Peabody household where everything has to be just so. The two friends know the rules for survival: "When it's light, stay out of sight; if you're spied, better hide; and never meet with human feet." Henry is good at following the rules, but Maybelle gives way to temptation when the Peabody's have a dinner party. When she ends up on the spoon of one of the guests, the hilarity begins. Never has a cockroach been such a welcome diversion.
Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City by Janet Schulman. The Red Tail Hawk, known as Pale Male, does not have an easy time of it. The trials, tribulations, and final triumph of the hawk who nests on the ledge at one of New York City's most exclusive addresses is presented with a perfect melding of words and illustrations. Details of everything from the political battles fought to keep Pale Male at his home to Pale Male's fathering skills weave together into a story that all readers will enjoy.
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall. The Penderwicks are back. Aunt Claire shows up with a letter from their late mother encouraging Daddy to begin dating. The hilarious search is on for a new stepmother.
Piper Reed: Navy Brat by Kimberly Willis Holt. Piper Reed loves the Navy, although the frequent moves prove challenging to her dyslexia. It isn't easy being the middle child with a brilliant younger sister and an older sister who is almost an adolescent. The family's latest move to Pensacola, Florida is full of surprises, including a new puppy and the Blue Angels flight team. This is a charming story about the sister-to-sister bond.
Savvy by Ingrid Law. Everyone in Mib's family receives a special gift on their fifteenth birthday - learning what their "savvy" will be. Mib's brother Fish has a powerful effect on water. Her brother Rocket is electric. Great Aunt Jules steps back in time twenty minute each time she sneezes. Mib finds her savvy when her father is in a serious car accident.
Someone Named Eva by Joan M. Wolf. Milada celebrates her eleventh birthday happily with family and friends despite the hardships brought on by three years of Nazi occupation in Czechoslovakia. A few weeks later, German soldiers arrest the entire village. The men and women are separated and sent to camps, but Milada and one other village girl are not. Since both girls have the blonde hair and blue eyes of Hitler's Aryan ideal, they are sent to Germany to be retrained and adopted by loyal Nazi families. Milada struggles to remember her grandmother's words to her on her eleventh birthday, "Remember who you are, Milada. Remember where you are from. Always."
Surprises According to Humphrey by Betty Birney. Humphrey, the beloved class pet hamster, comes face-to-face with a cat named Sweetums, motivates seniors at a rehab center, and tries to avoid the stick-in-the-mud p.e. teacher - all while helping his beloved humans solve their problems.
Two-Minute Drill by Mike Lupica. Sixth grader Scott loves football, but football doesn't love him. His friend Chris, a terrific football player who struggles off the field, shares a secret which will lead to a lesson in cooperation and fitting in. The play-by-play game descriptions will be appreciated by football fans.
We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson. It's the illustrations which will first draw the reader to this book. Each page will be turned in admiration as one is introduced to the players, coaches, and teams of the Negro Baseball League. The narration is equally admirable. Nelson explains that the narrator is "a collective voice, the voice of every player, the voice of we." Readers feel as if they are sitting in their den listening to the stories being told. The pain of segregation and the joy of playing the game will be felt by all who board this Ship.
What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! by Barbara Kerley. Teddy Roosevelt once said he could either be President or control his young daughter Alice, not both. Read how spunky Alice terrorized the White House and charmed the nation.
Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli. Diana is happy in her life. She loves her house, her best friend Rose, and even her pesky little sister. To top things off, she has just won a poetry contest and the prize is enrollment in a poetry workshop. Her life couldn't be better - until her father (who always jokes) gets serious. He and her mother talk quietly together. She is afraid her parents are getting a divorce. The good news is that they are not, but the bad news is that her father lost his job Told in simple free verse, Diana experiences the feelings of loss and acceptance. It is appropriate that the first and last poems are both entitled "Where I Live."
Yum! MmMm! Que Rico! America's Sproutings by Pat Mora. 14 types of food, all originating in the Americas, are showcased along with a haiku, information, and unique artwork.
