Mock Geisel with Texas First Graders

Each January, the Theodore Seuss Geisel award is given to the author and illustrator of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers. This year we held a First Grade Mock Geisel, and in January 2011, the students shared their top five picks with a group of first graders from Coppell, Texas.


In preparation for the mock Geisel, first graders read a copious number of books and then chose 25 that they considered the most 'distinguished'. Their top five choices were (in no particular order): Ling and Ting by Grace Lin, Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Twister by Kath Hayden, Funny Lunch by David Catrow, and We are in a Book! by Mo Willems.

When the classes shared their top picks and which parts of the books were their favorite, they discovered that they had voted for many of the same books. Both sets of first graders seemed fascinated with each other and the Texans had many questions about how much snow falls in Brooklyn. As the Skype session came to a close, the children thanked each other and hoped that they could talk to each other again.

Author Visit: David Ezra Stein!

On April 25, 2011, author David Ezra Stein visited the Pre-K. NY Times bestselling author/illustrator David Ezra Stein recently won the 2011 Caldecott Honor for his book Interrupting Chicken. His Leaves won the Ezra Jack Keats Award. Other awards include Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year, a School Library Journal Best Book, and a Kirkus Review Editor’s Choice.

An interactive retelling of David's award-winning "Leaves".

Author Visit: Laura Vaccaro Seeger!

On February 17, 2011, BCS Kindergartners and First Graders met award-winning author Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Laura Vaccaro Seeger is a New York Times best-selling author and illustrator and the recipient of a 2008 Caldecott Honor, Theodor Seuss Geisel Honors for both 2009 and 2008, a 2007 New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award, and the 2007 Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Best Picture Book.

Laura with the Kindergarten.

Laura teaches the Kindergartners how to draw Dog.
First Graders created their own version of What If? stories inspired by Laura's Geisel-winning book What If?

Multimedia fun with PK4!

During the 2010-11 school year, several movies were created with the PreK4. Here are two of our favorites. Enjoy!

Our fall unit focused around learning about our favorite kinds of books and how we find them. We also learned how we can find more book recommendations.

PKM:Apples singing "Hi Ho Librario"

Multimedia fun with First Graders

During the 2010-11 school year, several movies were created with the First Grade. Here are two of our favorites. Enjoy!

The first grade created a video entitled, "Always & Never"
to demonstrate how to have a happy, safe and successful library class. Enjoy !

Throughout the year, First Graders learned to give book talks.
They then wrote and then filmed one another giving book talks:

New BC Library Google Site

The Berkeley Carroll Libraries Google Site is currently under construction, but please begin visiting now and continue to check back as you will notice new additions on exciting online links, author sites, and to gain insightful information about children and reading. You can also access our online library catalogs and the Carroll Street Library blog!

Welcome Summer Reading Lists 2010

The 2010 Berkeley Carroll Summer Reading Lists are now available online.

Visit our Amazon aStore, where you can purchase the recommended titles and a small percentage of the profit will benefit the BCS Libraries. You may also find these books at our local bookstores, such as Community Bookstore or Barnes & Noble, or you could check the books out from the Brooklyn Public Library.

The Berkeley Carroll School Library's online catalog has a fabulous visual search feature and the reading lists can be found there, as well. Students entering Second-Fourth can also login with their BCS computer login and password to save lists, print lists, review books and recommend books to their friends! Choose your library and click on the tab that says "Visual" and then "Summer Reading Recommendations" to get started.

Finally, you can find the annotated lists here on this blog by clicking below.
PreK-1st Grade List
2nd Grade-4th Grade List


Summer Reading Requirements

PreK-Second Graders: We know that you will find something in the suggested reading lists to enjoy this summer. Feel free to print our summer reading log and keep a list of the great books you read this summer! We'd love to see your reading log in September.

Third and Fourth Graders: Please arrive in September ready to share your favorite book that you read alone this summer as well as your favorite book that you read with someone else. There will be activities at the beginning of the year that will involve these books so be prepared!

Third and Fourth Graders are encouraged to use their library logins to post reviews and recommendations this summer. Directions for how to do so can be found here.

All families should remember to take a photo of their child reading this summer, whether it's in Prospect Park or Paris! These photos are used in the Summer Reading Assembly in September.