Moishe's Miracle

by Laura Krauss Melmed

On the night before Hanukkah, in the poor village of Wishniak, milkman Moishe's sharp-tongued wife, Baila, scolds him for being too generous with their hungry neighbors. Now they have no money to buy eggs and flour to make the traditional Hanukkah latkes. Moishe escapes to the cowshed to sleep in peace. When he awakens, he finds that his cows can speak to him: "MOO-oishe! MOO-oishe!" They inform him that he has been given a magical gift, a pan that, when set upon the fire totally empty, will produce as many latkes as he wishes. The gift comes with a warning, though. Only Moishe must use it. But what harm could it really do if Baila uses it just one time?

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Twas the Night Before Christmas

by Clement Clarke Moore

The classic Christmas narrative poem!

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Listen to the poem (animated video)

The Polar Express

by Chris Van Allsburg

Late one Christmas Eve, a boy boards a mysterious train that waits for him: the Polar Express bound for the North Pole!

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Listen to Lou Diamond Phillips read this story online

Visit the official Polar Express website

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

by Bob Barner

This book provides an animated and informational look at some of our favorite little insect friends.

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The Adventures of Marco Polo

by Russell Freedman

He claimed to have seen rocks burn, bandits command sandstorms, lions tamed with a look, and sorcerers charm sharks while divers gathered pearls on the ocean floor. Marco Polo shook Europe with descriptions of the world he'd seen on his epic journey to the court of Kublai Khan.

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Olive, the Other Reindeer

by Vivian Walsh

Instead of the lyric, ``All of the other reindeer,'' Olive the pup hears something else on the radio: ``Olive, the other reindeer.'' She concludes that she is to be Santa's canine helper, so heads up to the North Pole, to join the Christmas Eve flight.

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Listen to Gene Autry's original "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

A Light in the Darkness

by Aaron Zevy

Josh and Willy are next door neighbors and best friends. When a rock is thrown through the window of Josh's house while his family is celebrating Hanukah, it is young Willy who is able to rally the street in support.

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Letters About Literature

Psssssst...want to win a $50, $100 or $500 gift card from Target?? If so, read on...

Have you ever felt the power and lift of literature? Has one book - or perhaps one author - inspired you to change your view of yourself or your world? If so, the Center for the Book encourages you to enter this year's Letters About Literature writing competition! All you have to do is write a personal letter to an author, explaining how his or her work affected you. Consider one or more of these questions when writing your letter:

• Did the characters, conflict or setting mirror your life in some way?
• What strengths or flaws do you share with a character or characters in the book?
• What did the book show you about your world that you never noticed before?
• What surprised you about yourself while you were reading this book?
• Why was this work meaningful to you?
• As you were reading, what did you remember about yourself or something you experienced in the past?
• How did the book's characters or theme help you to understand that past experience?

Click on the title of this post to find out more about this exciting contest!

Ish

by Peter Reynolds

Ramon loved to draw. Anytime. Anything. Anywhere. Drawing is what Ramon does. It¹s what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes.

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The Dot

by Peter Reynolds

One little dot marks the beginning of Vashti’s journey of surprise and self-discovery.

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Take the quiz!

Helping Out is Cool

by Ellen Feinman Moss

Wondering how you can make a difference? Helping Out is Cool illustrates different ways that you and your family can volunteer and 'help out' in your community.

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I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!

by Karen Beaumont

When Mama catches her son "paintin' pictures on the floor/and the ceiling/and the walls/and the curtains/and the door," she sticks him in the tub and declares, "Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!" Fresh from his bath, the child rescues his hidden supplies...

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The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush

by Tomie de Paola

This vivid retelling of an old Texas legend reveals how the Indian paintbrush, the state flower of Wyoming, first bloomed, and how a young brave dreams of creating a painting that will capture the beauty of a sunset.

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The Art Lesson

by Tomie de Paola

A boy named Tommy loves to draw with his Binney & Smith Crayola crayons, and these pictures hang on his side of the room, in his mother's kitchen, at the barber shop where his father works, in the store of his Irish grandparents and in the home of his Italian grandmother Nana.

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Ralph S. Mouse

by Beverly Cleary



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Ida B.

by Katherine Hannigan



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Edward's Eyes

by Patricia MacLachlan



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Drumbeat In Our Feet

by Patricia A. Keeler and Julio T. Leitao

A journey into the deep-rooted traditions, artistry, and energetic spirit that make up the world of African dance, past and present.



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Requested Books

Hello students & parents,

Please comment on this post with the title and author of any books you would like to see included on the Book Blog. I will do my best to accommodate requests; however, I will include mostly classic or notable children's books. Please allow at least one week for a requested title for appear on the blog.

Thanks for your suggestions!
Ms. Whitney Gollman

4A Reading Reflections

Students, earn Responsibility hearts for your class by posting your reading reflections here! Follow the format Ms. Morton has given you in class:

1. Title
2. Author
3. Illustrator
4. Genre
5. Main Character(s)
6. Plot/What happens?
7. Did you like it? Why or why not?

Don't forget to include your name on your post! You can also reply to your classmates' posts as they appear; remember to address your reply to the appropriate classmate.