This summer, Library Media Specialist Mrs. Cifrodella and her family ventured to Niagara Falls, a scenic natural wonder that straddles the border between the United States and Canada.
Summer gives us the happy chance to spend time with favorite people, meet new people, explore new places and experience new things. And, happily, summer reading gives us a wonderful opportunity to be Dewey Decimal Daredevils... a chance to get into biographies and nonfiction on a variety of adventurous topics.
Let's get started with a message from Mrs. Cifrodella and her creative crew: a video postcard with a colorful view of the falls-- and tales of colorful daredevils who went over the falls!
A Daring Ride: Queen of the
Falls by Chris Van Allsburg (40 pages, RL 4.0). At the turn of the
nineteenth century, sixty-two-year-old Annie Edson Taylor, a retired charm
school teacher, seeks fame and fortune by performing a stunt that no one in the
world had ever done before—going over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel!
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| Mrs. Cifrodella and Daughter Julie Brave the Falls! |
Derring-Do Will Do! Women Daredevils:
Thrills, Chills, and Frills by Julie Cummins (48 pages, RL 6.5). This collective biography profiles fourteen women who defied convention and tradition of their times, working as entertainers and stunt performers-- and making a case for equality and freedom.
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| In the Summer I Like to... Visit Niagara Falls with My Family. -- Mrs. Cifrodella |
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| Leo, Rachel, Kennedy, and Julia Get into Biographies This Summer! |
Presidential Portrait: Jack’s
Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy by Doreen Rappaport (46 pages, RL
5.6). This beautifully illustrated biography describes how the popular president overcame childhood sickness, self-doubt, and tragedy to lead
the United States through turbulent historical times.
Famous First Lady: Eleanor,
Quiet No More by Doreen Rappaport (40 pages, RL 4.1). This picture book biography pays tribute to
the accomplished life of the prominent First lady, wife of Franklin
Delano Roosevelt. Raised in a stern but privileged Victorian household, young
Eleanor found solace in books and intellectual pursuits. Her compassionate heart and lively mind led
to work as a teacher, ambassador, and civil rights activist.
Profound Message: Martin’s
Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport (34
pages, RL 3.7). Collage art and quotes
from his own speeches explain the life story and legacy of the esteemed civil
rights leader.
Enduring Vision: Helen’s
Big World: The Life of Helen Keller by Doreen Rappaport (44 pages, RL 4.9). With informative prose and stirring
quotes, this illustrated biography captures the influence and innovative
thinking of a beloved heroine.
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| In the Summer I Like to... Go to My Grandma's House & Build a Treehouse.-- Finn P. |
Overcoming Challenges: Small Steps: The Year I
Got Polio by Peg Kehret (179 pages, RL 5.2). Celebrated
author Peg Kehret describes her childhood battle with polio and her efforts to
overcome the ongoing effects of the disease. Check out two book commercials for this Lafayette favorite:
Computer Pioneer: Who Was… Steve Jobs? by Pam
Pollack (105 pages, RL 5.0). From the popular Who Was…? series, this biography shares the life story of the Apple founder, whose business aptitude and creative vision transformed personal computing, communications, music sharing, and digital publishing.
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| Mr. Palladino Gets into a Who Was...? Biography. |
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| In the Summer I Like to...Write in My Science Journal. -- Sarah F. |
Video Game Trendsetter: Satoshi Tajiri: Pokemon Creator by Lori Mortensen (32 pages, RL
6.4). From the Innovators series, this concise biography
profiles Japanese video game designer Satoshi Tajiri, describing his gaming
magazine publication, his design work for Nintendo, and his diagnosis with
Asperger’s Syndrome.
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| Gabriel H. Gets into Biography with a Technology Twist! |
Digging for Facts: The Dirt
on Dirt by Paulette Bourgeois (48 pages, RL 5.9). Illustrations and text describe
where dirt comes from and its importance to the world around us. This summer-fun science adventure includes
instructions on how to make a cool fossil footprint and how to create a garden
playhouse!
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| Olivia H. Gets into Summer Reading Feet-First! |
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| In the Summer I Like to... Build Forts and Play in Them. -- Tommy M. |
Over the Falls in a Barrel of Laughs: Laugh-eteria: Poems and Drawings by
Douglas Florian (157 pages, RL 4.8). Sometimes silly and always clever, this collection of poems
and black-and-white drawings are perfect for reading fun-in-the-sun or rhyming
made-in-the-shade.
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| Daring and Damp: Mrs. Cifrodella and Daughter Jordan Enjoy the View! |
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| Matthew K. Gets into Poetry! |
Let's share a poem from Laugh-eteria:
Downsize
There was a girl who shrank and shrunk, not
only legs
but head and trunk. She shrank as small as any cup.
The sidewalk curb to her was UP. She wore the
clothing of her dolls. The faucet seemed
Niagara Falls. For company she had to
hug the nearest beetle, fly, or bug.
She always shrank. She never
grew—one day she
vanished
out of
view
And now this blog post will vanish out of view.
Read on, Dewey Decimal Daredevils!
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