Hello Lower School Families,

December has been flying by! Students are getting excited for vacation, but I still have a steady stream of visitors coming in to look for books throughout the day. I am expecting several large book orders to arrive over the next few weeks, and look forward to sharing the new books with students in January.

In library class, Pre-K has been exploring light and its role in celebrations around the world, Kindergarten has been doing a Jan Brett Author Study, Grade 1 has been reading about and practicing coding, Grade 4 has been researching animal facts (and recently shared "Two Truths and a Lie" animal slides with their first grade buddies), and Grades 2, 3 and 5 have been celebrating the "Hour of Code." Grade 2 also met a Canadian class via Zoom to wrap up their Global Read Aloud Author Study.

Just a reminder: the Library Reading Challenge theme for December is to read a fantasy book. Students can fill out a paper form from the library or online.

Happy Holidays!

Ms. Rosellini

Layaal (Grade 2) won the November Reading Challenge Raffle for the Lower School. The prize was a signed book!

If you are looking for a family activity to do during the upcoming break, check with your local library! Many public libraries have a Museum Pass program, which offers discounted tickets to a variety of popular museums, including the Museum of Science, the Boston Children's Museum, and more.

As an example, here is a link to the Newton Public Library, which offers over 30 museum passes!

Encyclopedia Britannica is a great resource to explore, as it has different levels that students can use throughout their schooling, including Britannica Elementary (Grades 3-5), Britannica Middle School, and Britannica High School.

Some Britannica Elementary highlights are: a special section for Pre-K-2 students (Britannica Fundamentals), interactive articles, text-to-speech options, a world atlas, and much more. Britannica Escolar is also an option for those who want to read/listen in Spanish.

If you have any questions, please send me an email!

I have been hearing buzz about My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More, and I'm glad I picked it up! Nonfiction children's books have come a long way since my childhood, and this is a prime example. From the start, Neri's enthusiasm pulls you in, from his pages of lists (Vehicles of Antarctica! Toilets of Antarctica!) to an anecdote about his laptop literally freezing during a video call home. The design of the book (a mix of the author's photographs, historical photographs and illustrations) keeps the reader engaged throughout.

Looking for some great books? Read at least 5 of the MCBA (Massachusetts Children's Book Awards) titles by March 2025 so you can vote for your favorite!

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