Lexile Levels

OK, all you Greyhound Readers who have recently discovered lexile levels, here are three places to look for lexile levels for the books that you want to read.

1st - check the library catalog!  The library catalog can be accessed of the library information page (the one you used to get here!!!!)  If there is a lexile level, it'll be in the middle of the book listing.

2nd - Try Novelist K-8 or Novelist Plus.  These are part of the EBSCO-Host family of databases HISD provides for you to use.  Go the Online Resources link and look for Ebsco-Host, then choose one of the Novelist options.  This is also a great site to look for books that you might like to read.

3rd - Use Lexile.com: http://www.lexile.com/ .  This site has lexile levels for a large number of books, but you won't find everything.

NOTE:  You probably won't find every book your looking for, but if it is a book that interests you, read it!  Reading for pure pleasure is still reading and will help build your vocabulary and grow your brain!  All good stuff!!!!!

R U Bored? Do you like to write?

Hey, Greyhounds!  I was surfin' the web today (checking out bookstore websites :-)!) and came across a writing contest that is PERFECT for all you creative Greyhounds.  You could win a Nook Color (I'd be so jealous), a $500 Barnes & Nobles gift card (remember your favorite librarian), AND a chance to go to New York City (yup, the Big Apple!) to meet Peter Langris, one of the great authors of the 39 Clues series.

All you have to do is write your story (maximum length 20 pages) and submit it by August 21.  Here's the link to find out all the contest rules and details:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/tikatok-childrens-writing-contest/379002981

Better get busy on that story...there's only 20 more days until the deadline!

Feeling bored? Wishing August would get here quickly?!

I was just checking all the email that had accumulated and stumbled across Houston Public Library's Teen Page.  Oh, my gosh!  It is chock full of information ...fun workshops, movies, gaming events and of course, really cool new books!  Wanna learn to hip-hop?  There's a workshop!  Wanna watch free movies?  There are tons of times scheduled!  Wanna learn to draw manga?  Check out the workshops!  Here's the link: http://www.houstonlibrary.org/teens.

Also, I was tickled to learn that the sequel to Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs is out (it's a really fun read) and to find some new authors that I haven't read (I'll let you know when I find great books to add to our library).

Soooooo....quite whining about being bored and find yourself some fun things to do and great books to read! 

Summer Reading

Hey, Greyhounds!  Have you heard the news?  You've got a chance to be a MILLIONAIRE!!!

Sound good?!!  Maybe too good to be true?  Well, you're right...I'm not gonna give you a million $'s.  BUT you can give yourself the potential to earn a million dollars by participating in the Millionaire Club this summer.

Did you know that if every student enrolled in a HISD school read 5 books over the summer that would equal more than 1,000,000,000 books!  That's a lot of books!  I'm trying to imagine how much space it would take to house a million books.  The JMS library has about 14,000 books...so we might be talking about someplace the size of the Astrodome.  Wow!

Check back here for more information about what you have to do to become a Millionaire....coming soon!

What's going on?

Sorry it's been so long since I updated the blog!  There's been so many cool things happening in the library that I forgot.

For starters, we've added over 1600 books to the JMS library!  We've doubled the number of books in Spanish and the graphic novels.  We've added e-books!  You can find the link on the JMS library webpage..the User name is "Johnston" and the password is "greyhounds."

The Johnston Name that Book team won 2nd at the preliminary and DISTRICT rounds!  That's quite an accomplishment.  This team of 6 students collectively read over 2 million (that's right MILLION) pages and over 327 books!!  Stop by the Library and see the gorgeous trophy!!

Two of the media students, Steffannie and Zoe won the American Association of School Librarians' Video Contest with their 3 minute video entitled "Think, Create, Share & Grow the JMS Way!"  It was so much fun to work with these students and to see their hard work rewarded.  Because of them, we'll get to add more books to the library collection and the Media class gets another FLIP camera.  Check out their video on SchoolTube or at this link: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learning4life/involvement/studentvideo.cfm

Oh, I almost forgot!  Three students won books for their participation in the Library Web page "Secret Sports" object contest.  Congratulations to Cameron, Tasha, and Dominique!!

Listen to a Life Contest

Like to write?  Know somebody who's been around awhile?  Want to get a chance a winning a new computer?  If you answered "yes" to all of the above you should check out this great contest I just learned about.

You don't have very long to get your entry together...deadline for entries is March 31.  So hurry up and get to work!

Let me know if you decide to enter....I'll put your picture on the library TV....I promise!

Virtual Author Webcase - March 7, 4:00 p.m.

TEEN TECH WEEK is coming.....March 7-12!

Here's info. about one of the exciting events sponsored by the Houston Public Library.

If you've read Shiver or the 2nd book in the series, Linger, you'll definitely want to check out the March 7 virtual author visit with Maggie Stiefvater.  Come to the JMS library right after school on Monday and we'll connect and see what she has to say.  You may even have a chance to ask her questions.

Disclaimer:  Neither of these books is available at the JMS library due to content more appropriate for high school age readers.