10/31/2010

JOIN THE READING FUN...

This month in the library we are shining a light on a wonderful award winning author...



 Richard Peck.

His books cover many genres but  most are filled with humor and touch a familiar chord in middle America, leaving us wishing they wouldn't end.  The library is giving away a beautiful brand new copy of  his book Seasons of Gifts.  All you have to do to qualify to win is to read any one of Mr. Peck's books and enter your name in our drawing.




You might just WIN this amazing book  For sure you will WIN by getting to know this author.

Click on the link Author of the Month to find learn more about Richard Peck and see the titles of the books we have in our library.
http://libraryfa.blogspot.com/p/author-of-month.html

10/29/2010

Don't just look... see!


ALPHABET CITY
by Stephen T Johnson





I was lucky enough to meet Stephen Johnson the summer of 2007 He was showing his artwork at the Provo City Library and talking about his 1996 Caldecott Honor book Alphabet City. In preparation for this book he spent months roaming the streets and bridges of New York City looking for architectural elements that had the shape of one of the letters in the alphabet. His work is magical and brings new light to the saying "looking but not seeing" Next week in the library we will be viewing a power point presentation of these paintings and talking about what architectural details we might not have noticed in our own school.

Click on  THIS WEEK IN THE LIBRARY to see all 26 of his paintings.



10/28/2010

NEW IN THE LIBRARY


Check out our new link  BEST READ ALOUDS.  You will find it under WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LIBRARY...




10/27/2010

IT WAS FUN!!

"SPOOKY NIGHT"

THE WITCH EXTRAORDINAIRE


Debi Richan is an amazing storyteller and kept us spellbound with her stories both spooky and hilarious. We will never think of chewing gum in the same way.
It was a delightful evening.








The "treats"


We sang the "13 Days of Halloween"






The Robisons


Eileen Alverez, Erin Bichsel and the Youngs


The chatwins




10/26/2010

IT'S SPOOKY NIGHT TONIGHT!!!

Join us tonight for
Freedom Academy's 2nd annual
"SPOOKY NIGHT IN THE LIBRARY"
Wear your pajamas and bring a pillow to sit on.
6:00 PM

10/25/2010

CHECK OUT OUR NEW POETRY LINK...


We've added a new link to our blog... POETRY (look under "What's Happening in the Library.) I hope you will click on it and enjoy the fun Halloween poems... some new... some very very old.


We're almost there...

more day until

"SPOOKY NIGHT"

10/24/2010

the countdown continues...

more days until...

"SPOOKY NIGHT"


10/23/2010

The countdown continues...

more days until
"SPOOKY NIGHT"




10/22/2010

The countdown continues...



more days until
"SPOOKY NIGHT"

10/21/2010

The countdown

more days until
"SPOOKY NIGHT"

10/20/2010

The countdown

more days until...

"SPOOKY NIGHT"


10/18/2010

DEJA` VU 
The experience of feeling sure that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previousl.


I spent Fall Break in Florida with my four oldest grandchildren. Of course we did Disney World, including the roller coaster ride to the top of Mt. Everest... NEVER AGAIN!

On my second day in Florida I had an amazing experience completely outside the realm of theme parks. We took a little side trip to visit the LDS Ranch in White Cloud. They run 44,000 head of premium Angus/Brahma cattle on 300,000 pristine Florida acres. It was beyond beautiful with huge oak trees dripping with moss, murky water holes filled with "gators" and whooping cranes, raccoons, and armadillos. Everywhere I looked the land seemed to be in it's natural state, untouched by humans.



I knew I had never been to Florida but I also knew that this was all strangely familiar. It was very deja` vu. After a tour of the outlying area we stopped at the ranch house, a small white framed cottage with a full wrap around screened porch. There was a 6' Diamond Back Rattlesnake skin tacked to the wall and a 13' taxidermy alligator named Gus living in the parlor.


I just couldn't shake the feeling I had seen this all before. Our guide, a sweet little woman, told us all about the 55 year history of the ranch and all of it's workings. She also was excited to tell us about the animals. After listing all the familiar species she mentioned the "white tail" deer. Unlike our mule deer they are tiny, about the size of a dog.


I made an audible gasp... I knew where I was.

I was watching a young boy named Jodi and a fawn named Flag run through the forests of central Florida with the freedom and naivete that only comes with childhood. I was standing in my favorite children's book... THE YEARLING by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (winner of the 1938 Pulitzer Prize.) I first read this book 35 years ago and was instantly drawn to the writing that is almost poetic and to the coming of age story that is touching and poignant.



Now I was smelling it and seeing it and feeling it.

 

Traveling is always a broadening experience. Some of us will do a lot of it and some won't venture too far from home. We all, however, can experience the world through books. "Faraway places, with strange sounding names" can become familiar haunts in the pages of a good book.

I often think of a quote coined by an English professor at my Alma Mater

"Literature will illuminate your life"


KEEP READING!

A HERO AMONG US...

This is the article as it appeared in the Daily Herald October 16, 2010
J.D. Grover's mother, Miriam, attaches the National Medal of Merit to his Boy Scout uniform. Grover performed a Heimlich manuever on a classmate during lunch and saved his life.
When 11-year-old J.D. Grover noticed that his friend Joseph Clarke wasn't laughing and talking with the rest of the boys at his lunch table at Freedom Academy, he turned to see what was up. What he saw was his friend gasping for air and turning purple.
"His face was purple and he had his hands around his neck," Grover said. "I asked him if he were choking, and he signaled with his hands that he was."
Just a few weeks earlier Grover had gone through some lessons in a Webelos Scout meeting on how to administer the Heimlich maneuver. "They taught me not to panic," Grover said. "I had practiced on people, but I had never had full contact."
With that fresh in his mind Grover went into action. He sent one of his friends to get the lunch lady, but she didn't pay attention. So, Grover grabbed his friend and started the Heimlich.
"I was kind of panicking at first, but then I remembered it was important to stay calm." Grover said. "I was taught if you panic while doing the Heimlich maneuver you could break a rib. I kept asking him [Clarke] if I was hurting him."
Clarke, 11, had been eating some chicken, and it was lodged in his throat. "At first a small piece came out, and after about 35-40 seconds a big piece came out and he started gagging," Grover said. "The color starting coming back to his face, and he was breathing again."
Clarke thanked Grover for doing that and for being there. Other people took notice of Grover's actions. According to Grover, that very afternoon his Scout troop was doing a refresher course on the maneuver.
"I told my Scoutmaster what I had done because that day we were reviewing the Heimlich," Grover said. That was on March 30. "I think back now and I never thought this kind of thing could happen."
On Sunday, Oct. 10, a National Court of Honor of the Boy Scouts of America convened in Provo to award J.D. the rare National Medal of Merit award. In 2009, 123 Medals of Merit were awarded nationwide.
The award was presented by representatives of the Boy Scouts of America, Gary Pocock, the Rock Canyon District Chair, and Gaylun Smith, the Rock Canyon District Commissioner.
A special Certificate of Recognition and commendation from the Utah State Senate was also presented by Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem and a friend of the family.
"I'm so impressed with this young man," Dayton said. "I was honored he asked me to be a part of the program. He's obviously a young boy that is focused and clear-thinking."
Dayton also said she wouldn't pass up a chance to eat lunch with him and would hope that Grover were around if anything like that were to happen to her.
"I'm impressed he had that much instruction in his Webelos den," Dayton said.
"I haven't been the best Boy Scout," Grover said. "I'm just kind of good."
He also said it's important to listen and be prepared to use what you learn in Scouts.





JD and Joesph are wonderful students and we are lucky to have them both at Freedom Academy.

10/08/2010


HAPPY FALL BREAK...
October 14 - 18

Don't forget to READ!

10/07/2010

FALL RAIN from the library window



Fall is the best time of year and watching it rain from the second story 40 ft window on the south library wall is a treat. Everything about the view screams build a fire, snatch a blanket and READ a "good book."

10/05/2010

Sand Sculpting!




The World Championship of sand sculpting has been underway in Federal Way, Washington since September 8, 2010, The artist work will remain on display until October 10th. This is the first time that this event has been held in the United States. The artists start by mixing the sand with just the right amount of water and shoveling it into huge wooden boxes. Then the fun begins. They break away the forms and begin sculpting with their hand tools. Their work is AMAZING!