Adams Library
The Adams Library is a space where students and families receive support in developing literacy, learning methods of gathering information and where teachers find resources to assist in curriculum development.
About your Librarian
My name is Chris Oswald and I love working in the Adams Library! I am particularly happy to see such supportive and energetic involvement from the community. I was a high school teacher for 10 years , have a Masters degree in Library Science and and worked for two years as a librarian with the Seattle Public Library. This year I will continue to provide a comprehensive information literacy program for all grades, support classroom curriculum, and promote a love of reading in all students.
What's New in the Library
Summer Reading Lists for Grades K-6
Looking for a good book to snuggle up with this summer? Look no further! Click on the link to find grade appropriate books for students of all ages. Also included are titles we will be reading for next year's Young Readers Choice Award (2nd and 3rd grade) and Otter Award programs (4th and 5th grade).
Summer Reading Suggestions
2020 OTTER Award
The Otter Award – Our Time To Enjoy Reading – is sponsored by the Washington Library Association. Otter Award books are chosen for 2nd and 3rd grade students making the exciting transition to chapter books. Participating students can win raffle prizes (books from my prize shelf!).
- Two’s a Crowd (Pug Pals #1) by Flora Ahn (Scholastic)
- Mac Undercover (Mac B., Kid Spy #1) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Mike Lowery (Scholastic)
- Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters (The Questioneers, book #1) by Andrea Beady, illustrated by David Roberts (Amulet / Abrams)
- Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi, illustrated by Hatem Aly (Picture Window Books / Capstone)
- Rabbit’s Bad Habits (Rabbit & Bear, book 1) by Julian Gough, illustrated by Jim Field (Silver Dolphin Books / Hachette Children’s Group)
- Mr. Wolf’s Class (Mr. Wolf’s Class #1) by Aron Nels Steinke (Graphix / Scholastic)
Students will earn a star every time they read a book and write a short review. The class with the most stars will win a pizza party in the library!
2020 Young Readers Choice Award
Since 1940 young readers in the Pacific Northwest have been participating in the Young Reader’s Choice Award (YRCA). The YRCA is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Library Association and continues to be the longest-running children’s choice book award.
Adams students will be encouraged to participate in the program this school year. When a student finishes a book, they will complete a short book review. Book review forms will be available in the library. Participating students can win prizes, and the class that reads the most books will be rewarded with a pizza party in the library! In April, participating students will vote for their favorite title on the Pacific Northwest Library Association website.
- The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
- Refugee by Alan Gratz
- Restart by Gordon Korman
- The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
- The Pants Project by Cat Clarke
- The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell
- The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library by Linda Bailey
- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Announcements
Grade Level Resource Pages now Available!
Working on a class project and need to connect to resources for your topic? Curious about what kinds of research projects the other grade levels are working on? Come check out the new Grade Level Resources Section on the right side of this page! ------------------->
Click on the grade level you're interested in, and research away!
Put a book on HOLD!
Tired of waiting to get your hands on your favorite Calvin and Hobbes? Desperate to read the new Wimpy Kid? Put a book on hold. Here’s how it works: Tell Mr. Oswald what popular book you want and when that book is checked in Mr. Oswald will put it on the hold shelf. You will receive a Ready hold Notice in class. Bring the notice to Mr. Oswald and get your book. Easy Peasy! Holds are not available to students who have overdue books or outstanding fines.
Global Reading Challenge
Global Reading Challenge is a program that was started by the Seattle Public Library. (www.spl.org). All of Adams 4th and 5th grade classrooms participate. We can have a total of 10 teams with seven students on each of them. Teams are determined by the classroom teachers. There are ten Global Reading Challenge books. Ours have been generously donated by the Ballard Rotary Club. They have also provided books on CD if they are available. Each team member reads as many of the ten books as they can and at the end of February, there is an in-school “quiz- bowl” type competition. The team that scores the most points advances to the next level. This level competition is held at the downtown library where the Adams team competes against nine other Seattle Public school teams. There are two more levels of competition. For more information about the challenge and the books the students are reading, please visit the Seattle Public Library site.
Librarian Schedule
The library is open every morning at 8:30. Students are welcome to visit before the day begins to work on projects, finish homework, or relax with a good read. Come on by and say hi to Mr. Oswald!
Library Check Out Policy
Library classes are every week. Students check out books when they come to the library and, depending on grade level and class needs, these books may need to stay at school or may be able to go home. Students with late books will not be allowed to check out new books. Book that are more than two weeks overdue will be marked lost and parents will receive a notice with information on how to replace the lost book.
Favorite Author Websites
These are some fun websites by authors that Adams students love…
Dale Basye, Heck http://www.wherethebadkidsgo.com/
Jan Brett, The Mitten http://www.janbrett.com
Dave Pilkey, Ricky Ricotta http://www.pilkey.com/
Mary Pope Osbourne, Magic Tree House Series http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse/
Mo Willems, Knuffle Bunny http://www.mowillems.com/
Linda Johns, Hannah West http://www.lindajohns.net/
Peter Brown, Chowder http://www.peterbrownstudio.com/
Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson series http://www.rickriordan.com/
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter http://www.jkrowling.com/accessible/en/
Dr. Seuss, http://www.seussville.com/
Students love to read in the Adams Rain Garden