Feed(ing) the Mind and Body

Grade K-4 Readers

After his death in 1991, Dr. Seuss left several unfinished manuscripts. One of these, Hooray for Diffendoofer Day, was little more than a rough outline. The whimsical poetry of Jack Prelutsky and the experimental drawing style of Lane Smith were the perfect choices to complete this lesser known but still noteworthy book. Mr. Prelutsky, who was selected as the first U.S. Children's Poet Laureate (known today as the Young People's Poet Laureate) in 2006, matches Dr. Seuss's rhyming meter as he tells the reader of the wonderfully eccentric teachers of Diffendoofer school, the best (and only) school in Dinkerville. The faculty, especially the energetic Miss Bonkers, teaches the students the most important skill to learn: how to think. Mr. Smith, illustrator of The True Story of the Three LIttle Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man, combines his art style with that of Dr. Seuss's, as he brings the school to life while adding numerous subtle Easter eggs from Dr. Seuss's other books.

Available at the Malden Public Library and selected libraries of the Malden Public Schools.

Grades 5 and up

Mary Oliver, award-winning poet, lived in Massachusetts for many years. She wrote poems about many things, but mostly about nature that she loved. She wrote about birds, bears, the ocean and the ponds near her home on Cape Cod. Her collection of poems in House of Light talk about loons, hermit crabs, foxes and roses. One of her most famous poems, The Summer Day is in this book and it ends with the question, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" That is a wonderful question to think about no matter how old you are! Ms. Oliver wrote poems that anyone can enjoy and understand with her use of imagery and simple language. Kwame Alexander, author and educator, says that poem is "about hope and humanity". Ms. Oliver wrote over 30 books of poems, including her Pulitzer Prize winning book, American Primitive. Give her poems a try and see how much there is to enjoy and explore. Available from the Malden Public Library.

High School/Young Adult

A celebration of hope. An encounter with grace. A restoration of the heart. A healing of wounds. An anthem of freedom. All Along You Were Blooming is the ultimate love letter from the pen of popular Instagram poet Morgan Harper Nichols to your mind, to your heart, to your soul, and to your body.

Click here to access this poetry book through Hoopla.

Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912, is the oldest ball park in Major League Baseball history and one of the smallest ball parks in America. The ball park was give the name Fenway due to its' location near the Fenway neighborhood by its' owner, John Taylor. Within Fenway Park sits the Green Monster. This section inside Fenway Park is where line drives in other parks would be made into home runs. These same line drives at Fenway Park become wall ball doubles. The Green Monster used to showcase advertisements until it was painted over the with the iconic Green Monster color in 1947. Seats at the top of the Green Monster showcase the best viewing area, yet are the most expensive tickets to purchase. Click here to more about Fenway Park as part of the National Register of Historic Places.

The swan boats are coming, the swan boats are coming! This year on May 8, the swan boats will be coming back to the Boston Common. The swan boats were started by Robert Piaget in 1877. They are a paddle wheel type of boat that is foot propelled and the idea of the swan being on the boat was to cover up the operator of the boat. This is a nice relaxing ride through the Commons that you have to try at least once. Click here to learn more about the Swan Boats.

The Boston Marathon is run every year on the third Monday in April in Boston. It starts out in Hopkington and 26.2 miles later, finishes in the Back Bay in Boston. It is the world's oldest annual marathan that started in 1897 and continues today, though it had to be canceled in 2020 due to covid-19. Many people from around the world come to participate in this marathon. Click here for more information on runners of the Boston Marathon.

I am not my sister.

Words from the books curl around each other
make little sense
until
I read them again
and again, the story
settling into memory. Too slow
the teacher says.
Read faster.
Too babyish, the teacher says.
Read older.
But I don’t want to read faster or older or
any way else that might
make the story disappear too quickly
from where it’s settling
inside my brain,
slowly becoming
a part of me.
A story I will remember
long after I’ve read it for the second,
third, tenth,
hundredth time.

Click here to find out more about Jacqueline Woodson

Take one's adversity
Learn from their misfortune
Learn from their pain
Believe in something
Believe in yourself
Turn adversity into ambition
Now blossom into wealth

Click here to read more poetry from Tupac Shakur

Mother doesn't want a dog.

Mother say they smell,

And never sit when you say sit,

Or even when you yell.

And when you come home late at night

And there is ice and snow,

You have to go back out because

The dumb dog has to go.

Mother doesn't want a dog.

Mother says they shed,

And always let the strangers in

And bark at friends instead,

And do disgraceful things on rugs,

And track mud on the floor,

And flop upon your bed at night

And snore their doggy snore.

Mother doesn't want a dog.

She's making a mistake.

Because, more than a dog, I think

She will not want this snake.
Click here to read more poetry from Judith Viorst.

Mr. Abbatessa likes to keep himself informed of the latest cars.

Ms. Guesualdo thinks that the book Stamped From the Beginning is an essential read because Dr. Kendi educates the reader on where and how racist thinking came to be, so we can challenge our own thinking and the thinking of others to make our communities more equitable and inclusive for people of color.

Ms. Cutting is a fan of Robert Frost's poetry.

Ms. Beinkis and her daughter Nico love to read the story Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman.

Ms. Wentworth always has at least two books going. She is currently reading The Other Bennet Sister, Pride and Prejudice from the perspective of Mary Bennet. Her "other" book is Chess for Beginners. The plan is to eventually beat her son. Even reading can become competitive!

Mr. Rowley likes to read all about pirates. Aarrggghhh!

Mary Liberge is the Librarian at the High School. She has worked in Malden for sixteen years as a school librarian. She has been working at the high school since August of 2014 and was the K-8 Librarian at the Ferryway School from 2004-2014. Mrs. Liberge likes reading, camping, traveling, gardening and doing crafts.

mliberge@maldenps.org

Twitter: @librarygirl0727

Google Classroom:

Malden High School Library 2020-21

Code: prx3ixj

Stephen Nedell is the librarian for the Salemwood School and the Linden STEAM Academy and has been a librarian in the Malden Public Schools since 2017. Before that, he was the Reference, IT and Local History Librarian at the Malden Public Library for over ten years. snedell@maldenps.org

He is a huge fan of the Simpsons and can quote from almost any episode. Check out his read aloud stories on his Youtube channel by clicking here.

Google Classroom:

K-8 School Librarians 2020-2021 Nedell/Touet

Code: 75ar5qc

Maria Touet is the Librarian at the Beebe, Ferryway and Forestdale Schools. She has been working with MPS since August of 2019. Ms Touet has worked in school libraries for over 25 years. Besides reading, she likes photography, working in the garden, and she visits the ocean as often as she can.

mtouet@maldenps.org

Twitter: @BFFLibrarian

Google Classsroom:

K-8 School Librarians 2020-2021 Nedell/Touet

Code: 75ar5qc