Welcome to the Beast Quest Series!

This month a couple of 4th grade students have been reading books from the Beast Quest series by Adam Blade.

Last week, Luigi Rosolen finished book 59, Tecton the Armoured Giant and said "I really liked the book, it's a real page-turner. The main character is Tom and he has to defeat Tecton, a very dangerous monster. I recommend this series to anyone who likes adventure and mystery". He is now reading his 3rd Beast Quest book and always seems to be completely in the 'Reading Zone' during independent silent reading time.

But who is the author behind these series?

Adam Blade, the author of this series, was born in England and grew up surrounded by his  father’s paintings of historic English battles – which left a lifelong mark on his imagination. He was also fascinated by the ancient sword and shield that hung in his father’s office. As a boy, Adam would spend days imagining who could have first owned the sword and shield. Eventually, he created a character – Tom, the bravest boy warrior of them all. The idea for Beast Quest was born.

When Adam grew up and decided that he wanted to be a writer, he was stuck for ideas – until he remembered the old sword and shield, and the imaginary boy he had created when he was young. Adam decided to bring Tom fully to life so that readers could go on the kind of adventures that he always wanted to when he was that age... And still does, even though he’s grown up!

We have quite a few of these books in our 4th grade class libraries, you are all welcome to come and borrow them from us.

Find out more by checking out the official Beast Quest site- it's full of cool stuff! And let your beast quest journey begin...

http://www.seaquestbooks.co.uk/

Flat Stanley

This week Carol M. read:
Flat  Stanley by Jeff Brown

"In this story,Stanley becomes flat and his parents take him to the doctor, his brother uses him as a kite  and he gets stuck in a tree......"Carol

Amazing things begin happening to him. Stanley gets rolled up, mailed, and flown like a kite. He even gets to help catch two dangerous art thieves. He may be flat, but he's a hero!

http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Stanley-His-Original-Adventure/dp/0060097914

The question is, how did he become flat?

About the author             Jeff Brown

born

in New York, NY, The United States 

January 01, 1926

died

December 03, 2003

gender

male

website

http://www.flatstanleybooks.com

genre

Children's Books, Short Stories

About this author

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Jeff Brown had worked in Hollywood and as an editor and writer in New York before creating Flat Stanley, a hero for the youngest readers whose adventures, with illustrations by Tomi Ungerer, were first published in 1964. Flat Stanley became the star of a series of perpetually popular books. The last, "Stanley, Flat Again!," was published the year he died. All together, Stanley's tales have sold nearly a million copies in the United States alone. The character's life extended further, as schoolchildren mailed cut-outs of him to their friends. In translation, he traveled to France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Israel, among other places.

Moving Day

Ms. Nina's students (K1st) read this beautiful story to grade 5 students.

Meet the author.

Robert Kalan is interested in many different things. He has written a book about all kinds of fishes and a book about rain. He has even written a book about jumping frogs!

Other Books Written by Robert Kalan

• Blue Sea
  (illustrated by Donald Crews)
• Jump, Frog, Jump!
  (illustrated by Byron Barton) also available in Spanish (Salta, ranita, salta!)
• Rain
  (illustrated by Donald Crews)

What is a pseudonym?

Curious fact.

pseu·do·nym  [sod-n-im]  noun

A fictitious name used by an author to conceal his or her identity; pen name. 

Geronimo Stilton is Elisabetta Dami's pseudonym!!

Creepella von Cacklefur #4: Return of the Vampire . Another adventure

Lorenzo from Grade 5 read:

Creepella von Cacklefur #4: Return of the Vampire: A Geronimo Stilton Adventure Paperback

" A book with hilarious characters. A vampire that loves tomato juice! Grandpa Frankenstein

that has a bag full of monsters". Lorenzo

"A mysterious old friend of Grandpa Frankenstein shows up one night on the doorstep of Cacklefur Castle. He's a vampire . . . and he needs the von Cacklefur family's help. His ancient castle has been infested by strange and troublesome monsters and ghosts, and he's afraid he’ll have to move out because of them! Yikes! It's up to Creepella and her family and friends to help this vampire save his home."

(Amazon review)

About the Author

GERONIMO STILTON is the publisher of The Rodent's Gazette, Mouse Island's most famouse newspaper. In his spare time, Mr. Stilton enjoys collecting antique cheese rinds, playing golf, and telling stories to his nephew Benjamin. He lives in New Mouse City, Mouse Island.

Elisabetta Dami was born in 1958, Milan, Italy. The daughter of publisher Piero Dami (founder of Dami Editore in 1972), Elisabetta got her start in the world of fiction as a proofreader at the family publishing house. At the age of 19 she began to write her first stories. She has assisted sick children as a volunteer ever since she was young and this experience led to the idea of writing adventure stories featuring a mouse, Geronimo Stilton, as protagonist. The character became a hit both in Italy and abroad. It is thanks to this success that she is able to continue to help sick, orphaned and abandoned children.

She lives in Milan and in Sedona, but has been traveling around the globe to find inspiration for her books. Elisabetta Dami climbed the Kilimanjaro, did a marathon in the Sahara Desert.
She also ran twice the NYC marathon.

Thanks for sharing Lorenzo!

Reading is Choosing the Right Book.

Last week during our picture walk of Earthquake Terror ,we learned that reading is thinking. We know that good readers are always thinking about what the author is saying and about how you, the reader, is thinking, wondering, and feeling.

Readers think about the setting, the characters, the plot, the author's style and the choice of words.

This week during independent reading, notice if you chose the right book.

Talk to a friend about how you chose the book you are reading.

Let's help each other choose just right books!

Happy Reading

Reading is Thinking.

Last week in grade 5,

Anna Carolina read "Snow Tales" by Michael Morpurgo

In one of the tales a polar bear wants to be colourful but that wish comes with a high price! A beautiful tale with lovely images.

  

"Rainbow! Rainbow over my wild white wilderness. Beautiful and bright he was, more wonderful than anything I had ever seen before. I knew at once I had to catch a rainbow and make him mine. So I went after him. I went hunting for a rainbow." Snow Bear is so enchanted by the sight of a brilliant rainbow that he longs to soak up its colors for himself. But when his wish is granted, it brings great danger and sadness to his life. To save himself, he must become an ordinary snow bear once more—but how? It is a kind little boy who shows him the way.

MICHAEL MORPURGO’S 10 RULES FOR WRITING

1. The prerequisite for me is to keep my well of ideas full. This means living as 

full and varied life as possible, to have my antennae out all the time.

2. Ted Hughes gave me this advice and it works wonders. Record moments, 

fleeting impressions, overheard dialogue, my own sadnesses and 

bewilderments and joys.

3. A notion for a story is for me a confluence of real events, historical perhaps, or 

from my own memory to create an exciting fusion.

4. It is the gestation time, incubation time which counts. I write to no plan, just 

let it work itself out, trying not to force it.

5. Once the skeleton of the story is ready I can hatch it out. At this stage I begin 

talking about it, mostly to Clare, my wife, sounding her out.

6. By the time I sit down and face the blank page I am raring to go, longing to tell 

it. I tell is as if I’m telling to my best friend or one of my grandchildren. I 

write by hand.

7. Once a chapter is scribbled down rough – I write very small so that I do not 

have to turn the page and face the next empty one. Clare puts it on the word 

processor, prints it out and hands it back. Sometimes with her own 

comments!

8. When I’m writing well and I’m deep inside a story, living it as I write I honestly 

don’t know what will happen. I try not to dictate it, not to play God. I want 

my characters to develop and work it out in their own voice.

9. Once the book is finished in its first draft, I read it out loud to myself. How it 

sounds is hugely important.

10. With all editing, no matter how sensitive – and I’ve been very lucky here – I 

react sulkily at first, but then I settle down and get on with it, and a year later I 

have my book in my hand! My new baby. Woe betide then if anyone doesn’t like it!

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/uploads/kids/miscpdf/MICHAEL%20MORPURGO%E2%80%99S%2010%20RULES%20FOR%20WRITING.pdf