It’s hard to believe that it is already time to talk Book Fair!  Are you excited? I certainly am. There are so many interesting titles at this year’s Fair. I can’t wait to get it all set up.  Here is what you need to know:

• Students get to shop during their library classes between March 12-16
• Students can now pay using Scholastic’s eWallet.  Visit http://www.scholastic.com/bf/sippicanschool1 to sign up. This is an easy way to provide students with a shopping budget (and no loose change to worry about, either!).
• We need volunteers!  Can you help? Sign up with this quick link.
• Our Family Shopping will be Tuesday and Thursday, March 13 and 15, from 3-5 pm. NEW THIS SPRING: You must RSVP if you plan to attend the Family Shopping. RSVP by emailing the names of those attending to jessicabarrett@oldrochester.org. Only individuals who have RSVP’d will be allowed to enter and shop. Thank you for helping us to keep our building a safe place!

Finally, did you miss the book trailers this week? With our storm day on Monday, and a PD half day today I missed a few classes.  Watch the videos here to discover new titles from the Fair:

It is Read Across America week at Sippican School, and classrooms are selecting favorite authors to celebrate. We will be enjoying some fun Dr. Seuss stories in most library classes, along with using Cat Cam and Seuss Color on the iPads.  Grades 3 and 4 will get to search Seussville for information about Dr. Seuss. Grade 5 is going to have our first ever Skype visit with an author – Chris Grabenstein!  We can’t wait.

We also have a ton of new books that are making their way out to all of our readers. Check out our new book display!

Our annual reading challenge has arrived! Beginning tomorrow, January 8, Sippican School will be participating in a “Reading Without Walls” reading challenge. All students, families, and staff are invited to read:

• Books about characters that don’t look or live like you
• Books about topics that you don’t know much about
• Books in a format that you don’t usually read for fun (graphic novels, a book in verse, a chapter book, poetry, etc.)

Every time you complete a challenge in one of these categories you can turn in a reading slip to the library! We’ll display them on the bulletin board just outside of the library. Which challenge will you accept first? I can’t wait to hear about it!

Links to the reading challenge memo and the reading slips are here (click the image):     

Looking to try something a little different? Check out this new tool from Made with Code and design a personalized emoji for the holidays!