Lower School Library News

Hello from the Lower School Library!

Here are some October highlights: PK students enjoyed exploring fall themes in picture books such as Penguin and Pumpkin by Salina Yoon, Kindergarten students expanded their knowledge of Central America with Kate Messner's book Over and Under the Rainforest (check out the whole series!), Grade 1 students explored nonfiction with the hilarious I'm Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton, Grade 2 students started the Global Read Aloud (focusing on author/illustrator Dan Santat), Grade 3 students created an ad for a reading buddy, Grade 4 students started researching an Asian animal (echoing what they are doing in the classroom), and Grade 5 students celebrated Banned Books Week (see below).

We had strong Lower School participation in the October Library Reading Challenge. Let's keep it up! The November Challenge is: Read a book that came out the year that you were born. Enjoy!

Ms. Rosellini

LGBTQ+ History Resources

Indigenous People's Month Resource List

Battle of the Books Kickoff for Grades 4 and 5!

Battle of the Books is back this year! Battle of the Books is a book trivia competition that runs from November-April in which 4th and 5th grade students form teams and compete against each other (and eventually other schools) to see who best remembers the details of 16 books (see photo). Students who decide to participate are each responsible for reading at least four books from the list and attending practice during recess once a week. Let me know if you have any questions!

Gift certificate winners!

At the Lower School Pep Rally on Friday, October 16, I announced the two winners of the summer reading raffle. All students who did at least one of the library summer reading challenges (created by the Massachusetts Center for the Book) were entered into the drawing. Ellie (Grade 2) and Oliver (Grade 5) each won a gift certificate to Hummingbird Books. Congratulations! (photo credit: Phelan Tinti-Kane)

Community Art Project for America 250

I worked with Lower School Head Kimberly Formisano on how to best adapt Brimmer's 250 Years: Many Voices, Building Community theme for our youngest learners. In the end, we decided to use a picture book from the summer community reads list to kick off the discussion. We the People Is All the People, written by Howard W. Reeves and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, begins with the Preamble to the United States Constitution and then beautifully showcases Americans representing a variety of identities. At the Lower School Share on September 25, the fifth graders read the book aloud and heard about Creative Arts Chair Kathryn Lee’s incredible vision of wooden quilts, which was inspired by American quilting traditions from different communities. Older students then met up with their younger buddies and supported them in decorating one wooden block inspired by the prompt: Use shapes, lines or patterns to represent the people in our community or the nature around us. The final designs were thoughtful and imaginative!

Upcoming Event: Newton Children's Book Festival (November 15)

The third annual Newton Children's Book Festival will take place on Sunday, November 15 from 11-3. This is a wonderful opportunity to see more than 100 authors for free. This year, the event has moved to a bigger location with more parking. I am planning on attending so hopefully I will see you there!

Grade 5 Spotlight: Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week is an annual event in October that promotes the freedom to read. In fifth grade, I began with a slideshow explaining the differences between a challenged book and a banned book as well as other terms such as censorship. Students then broke into small groups to do an analysis of a banned picture book, including such titles as Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss and All are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold.

Currently reading

One of my favorite titles from this year's Elementary Battle of the Books list is Is It Real? The Loch Ness Monster by Candace Fleming. Fleming, winner of the 2026 Children's Literature Legacy Award, puts the reader front and center as an investigator for the Black Swan Scientific Investigation team. A mysterious envelope, full of photographs and other accounts of the Loch Ness Monster, pulls the reader in immediately. Fleming explores sightings of the monster ranging from Saint Columba in 700 CE to a variety of sightings in the 1930s. The influence of the movie King Kong (1933) is also referenced. Fleming keeps the book moving and never talks down the reader, encouraging them to look at all of the evidence and draw their own conclusions.

Library Class Website

Support the library by donating a birthday book!

Contact Information

Email: arosellini@brimmer.org
Library website: https://www.brimmer.org/lower-school-library
Phone: 617-264-1430