Sergeant Reckless by Patricia McCormick

This week in library we are reading about an animal war hero, Sergeant Reckless.  This is a great non-fiction picture book about this amazing race horse from the Korean War.  I have loved listening to the students talk about the different animals that have served in our military. We discussed our Veteran heroes and the sacrifices they have made to keep our country free.  I think the kids favorite part was hearing all the things this horse ate, peanut butter sandwiches, lots of chocolate, and even an ice cold Coca-Cola.  This is a fun, yet interesting look into one of our war heroes.  We respect our veterans and this was a great book to read right before Veteran's Day. 

Reading with Rik

I wanted to share a company that I think is amazing for encouraging reading. It is called Reading with Rik.  It is owned by one of our amazing librarians in Alpine School District.  She had put together kits that go with specific books.  These kits contain fun surprises the kids can open at certain chapters in the book.  As they read, it gives them incentive to keep going to get to the next surprise.  As a librarian I see many students that do not possess the stamina to finish a chapter book.  This program is perfect for engaging that type of reader.  We are using one of the Reading With Rik kits right now in our 6th grade lunch bunch.  This would make a great holiday gift for students of all ages.  Let's keep reading!