Region 15 Media Specialists Share Their Favorite Books

          Region 15’s Media Specialists were recently asked to assemble a list of their favorite books for students grades K through 12.  For anyone still searching for that perfect holiday gift or simply making a resolution to read more in 2006, here are some recommendations for great reads this holiday season and throughout the New Year.

                According to Julie Luby, Pomperaug High School, English Department Chairman, selecting a book that will truly thrill an adolescent reader is usually best done by the reader.  “I believe that the best way to give the gift of reading to your son or daughter is to take him or her to the bookstore or library and choose a book together that you would both like to read,” said Ms. Luby.  With that said, Ms. Luby recommends both familiar classics as well as newer publications for high school students and adults:

                “A Prayer for Owen Meany” by John Irving; “Make Lemonade” by Virginia Euwer Wolff; “They Cage the Animals at Night” by Jennings Michael Burch; “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott; “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card and “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd. 

                Sharon Petti, Media Specialist at Memorial Middle School and Region 15 Media Specialist Coordinator, suggests using the New York Times Best Sellers List for gift giving ideas and popular reads.  “Reading to children is a true way to energize the spirit of the holiday season,” says Petti. 

                The New York Times list offers a variety of children’s books, chapter books, paperback books and series books for young readers.  The number one book on the list for the holidays is “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg.   “Do you still hear the bells ring?  The season truly becomes magical through the eyes of children when reading their favorite holiday stories,” says Petti.

                For middle school students, David Fildes, Media Specialist at Rochambeau Middle School provided some titles that inspired him as a young boy such as “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” by Jules Verne.

                 “I can trace my love of Science Fiction to reading Jules Verne,” says Fildes.  “His ideas were way ahead of their time.  The Sci Fi genre owes a debt of gratitude to Mr. Verne.”

                Other books that Mr. Fildes says are “too good to miss” include “Bridge to Terabithia” by Katherine Paterson; “The Complete Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis; “The Giver” by Lois Lowry; “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster; “Wringer” by Jerry Spinelli; “The Secret Garden” by Frances Burnett; “Call of the Wild” by Jack London and “War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells, just to name a few.

                For children at the elementary school level, Media Specialist, Heather Messina from Gainfield Elementary School offers these new titles:  Grades K – 3 “Traction Man is Here” by Mini Grey; Grades K - 1 “Leonardo the Terrible Monster” by Mo Willems; Grades 5+ “Chasing Vermeer” by Blue Balliett and “Peter and the Starcatchers” by Dave Barry.

                “Peter and the Starcatchers” is filled with unforgettable characters and loads of action.  As the prequel to “Peter Pan”, the book explains all those unanswered questions you may have from the classic story”, explains Ms. Messina.

                Making reference to the same title, Pat Smith, Pomperaug Elementary School, Media Specialist said, “One mom told me her son walked into the wall while reading this gripping prequel.  

                Ms. Smith adds the following gripping books to the list: Grades 4 + “The Underland Chronicles Series” by local CT author, Suzanne Collins and Grades K – 2 “Great Fuzz Frenzy” by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel.

                At Long Meadow Elementary School, Media Specialist Angie Groman didn’t truly discover books until college.  “I was not an avid reader as a child, in fact reading was difficult for me coming from a home with a foreign language as my main source of communication,” she explained.  College Literature Courses expanded her knowledge of children’s books and helped Ms. Groman choose her career. 

                “I am a believer of reading aloud to children no matter how old they are.  I still read to my children, ages 13 and 25, on special occasions,” she said.

                Some of Mrs. Groman’s favorite books to share with toddlers and up are “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown; “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle; “The Little Engine that Could” by Watty Piper; “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak; :  “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White; “Amelia Bedelia Series” by Peggy Parish; “The Keeping Quilt” by Patricia Polacco; “The Diary of Anne Frank”; “The Ramona Series” by Beverly Cleary and “Jumanji” by Chris VanAllsburg. 

                The following holiday oriented books are recommendations from Ms. Groman and Debbie Sanford, Middlebury Elementary School, Media Specialist:  Grades K – 3 “Hershel and the Hannukah Goblins by Eric Kimmel; “Latkes and Applesauce by Fran Manushkin; Santa’s Book of Names” by David McPhail; “The Chanukah Tree” by Eric Kimmel; Uncle Vova’s Tree by Patricia Polacco; “Snowmen at Christmas” by Caralyn Beuhner and “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Moore with illustrations by Mary Engelbreit; Grades 3 – 5 The Cobweb Christmas” by Shirley Climo; “The Tree That Came to Stay” by Anna Quindlin; “Apple Tree Christmas” by Trinka Hakes Noble and “Moosletoe” by Margie Palatini. 

                Whatever your selections, Region 15 hopes this list has inspired you to read more and share great works of literature at holiday time and any time of the year.