Library Buzz
April
My Time Machine Is Broken
poetry4kids.com/poems/my-time-machine-is-broken
I came here from the future
in my trusty time machine.
I flew almost a thousand years
from thirty-seventeen.
I thought it would be fun to see
the far-off distant past.
It never had occurred to me
this trip might be my last.
But now I’m getting worried.
It’s a serious concern.
My time machine has broken down
so now I can’t return.
I traveled too far back in time,
which now I quite regret,
since time machine repair shops
haven’t been invented yet.
— Kenn Nesbitt
Copyright © 2025. All Rights Reserved.
April is National Poetry Month: Let’s Get Poetic!
April is National Poetry Month, and it’s a wonderful time to celebrate creativity, wordplay, and imagination! Throughout the month, some classes will explore different styles of poetry, listen to poems read aloud, and discover that poetry doesn’t always have to be serious—sometimes it’s downright silly and full of laughter!
Why We Love Poetry in the Classroom
Poetry isn’t just enjoyable to read; it also offers tremendous learning benefits for children. It helps build early literacy skills by highlighting rhythm, rhyme, sound, and language patterns that support reading development. Poetry strengthens memory because so many poems and rhymes are short, catchy, and easy to remember. Many children gain confidence and reading fluency through poetry as well, since poems are often brief and feel less overwhelming to read aloud. Poetry also provides a meaningful way for children to express their thoughts, feelings, humor, and imagination. Most importantly, it encourages creativity and helps students see language as something playful, musical, and fun.
Explore at Home
If you’d like to spark some imagination at home, check out these fantastic, elementary-friendly resources:
Poetry4Kids: A playful site full of silly, clever poems and kid-friendly activities.
The Poetry Foundation (Children’s Section): A beautifully curated selection of poems that are easy for families to browse together.
Try a "Poem in Your Pocket" day! Write down a short poem and carry it with you to share with a friend or family member during dinner.
National Poetry Month is the perfect opportunity to curl up with a short verse, share a laugh, and celebrate the joy of language. Happy Poetry Month!
March
Operation: Book Rescue Has Begun!
With just three months left in the school year, it’s the perfect time for a little spring cleaning and a big library adventure! Many of our much-loved library books have gone “undercover” in homes around the community, and we need your help to bring them safely back.
If you suspect any overdue or missing library books may be hiding at home, it’s time to begin your search! Start the mission, locate those sneaky books, and return them to their library home!
Books have a clever way of sneaking into unexpected places—tucked into cozy corners, buried in backpacks, or blending in on busy shelves. So put on those search and rescue hats and see what you can uncover!
Why Join Operation: Book Rescue?
Save on Replacement Costs: Returning overdue or lost books helps families avoid replacement fees and keeps our library collection strong.
Build Responsibility: It’s a great way for students to practice responsibility and good borrowing habits.
Rediscover Reading: You might even enjoy a happy surprise—finding a forgotten favorite to read together one more time before returning it!
Thank you for helping us reunite these wandering books with their shelves. Together, we can make Operation: Book Rescue a huge success.
Mission Tip Sheet: Common Places Missing Books Like to Hide
- In the car or under car seats
- Beneath the bed
- In a sibling’s room
- Behind nightstands or dressers
- On family bookshelves, cleverly blending in
- At the very bottom of backpacks or school cubbies
February
With the school year well underway, this month is a perfect opportunity to highlight some of the newest children’s and youth book award winners. These recognized titles represent some of the best recent literature for young readers and can help students explore engaging and meaningful stories.
Land of Enchantment Book Award (LOE Book Award)
The Land of Enchantment Book Award encourages New Mexico children to read high-quality literature. A committee selects four age-appropriate lists of books (Roadrunner, Coyote, Lizard, and Black Bear), and students who read at least three books from a list can vote for their favorite online. Voting opens in the spring, and winners for each category are announced later in the year.
Major National Book Awards
John Newbery Medal
The Newbery Medal is awarded annually for the most distinguished contribution to American children’s literature. The 2025 Newbery Medal winner is The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. Four Honor Books were also named: Across So Many Seas (Ruth Behar), Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All (Chanel Miller), One Big Open Sky (Lesa Cline-Ransome), and The Wrong Way Home (Kate O’Shaughnessy).
The John Newbery Medal Winners
Randolph Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children. The 2025 Caldecott Medal winner is Chooch Helped, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz and written by Andrea L. Rogers. Several Honor Books were also selected.
Randolph Caldecott Medal Winners
Other Youth Media Awards
Pura Belpré Award
The Pura Belpré Award honors Latino/Latina writers and illustrators whose work best portrays Latino cultural experience. The 2025 Belpré winners include Lola by Karla Arenas Valenti (Children’s Author), The Dream Catcher by Marcelo Verdad (Illustrator), and Shut Up, This Is Serious by Carolina Ixta (Young Adult Author). Honor books in each category were also named.
Pura Belpré Award: Pura Belpre Award List
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
The Geisel Award recognizes the most distinguished books for beginning readers. The 2025 winners and Honor Books are listed on the ALA site.
Geisel Award: Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Sibert Medal goes to the most distinguished informational book for children. The 2025 Sibert Medal winner is Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle and Jason Chin. Sibert Honor Books were also named.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
January
As we kick off the new year, many students are working on building their reading stamina, the ability to stay focused and engaged with a book for longer stretches of time. Just like exercising a muscle, reading regularly helps children strengthen their attention and grow their confidence as readers. This skill becomes especially helpful as students begin tackling longer, more complex texts.
One simple way to support reading stamina at home is by creating a small “reading window” each day. This might be just 10–15 minutes of quiet, independent reading in the evening or whenever your family can consistently fit it in. The time doesn’t need to be long; the routine is what matters most. Over time, children naturally begin to stretch those minutes, especially once they find a story they can’t put down!
If your child has trouble staying engaged, offering choices can make a big difference. Graphic novels, audiobooks, magazines, nonfiction, or beloved family favorites all count as valuable reading. When children feel ownership and excitement about what they read, stamina grows naturally. Your support at home makes a big difference in helping students build strong, lasting reading habits.
December
Celebrate Reading This December!
“Every new book is a new adventure!”
Winter is approaching and it's getting chilly outside! December is the perfect time to grab a fuzzy blanket, sip some hot chocolate, and open a brand-new book. Did you know that December is Read a New Book Month? It’s the perfect time for children to explore different kinds of stories and discover something exciting and new!
Encourage your child to pick up a book that’s a little different from their usual favorites. Maybe they could trade adventure stories for a funny graphic novel, or explore a book about a child who travels the world.
If they love animals, they might enjoy reading about amazing pets, animal rescue stories, or how zoos help care for endangered species. Children who like to build or create might get inspired by books about young inventors, cool experiments, or stories that show how everyday things are made!
Make reading extra fun by connecting it to real-life activities.
*If your child picks a book about dinosaurs, make fossil imprints using clay or homemade playdough.
*Reading about weather? Create a mini tornado in a bottle or keep a weather journal for a week.
* Reading a mystery story? Set up a “detective day” and create your own clues around the house!
Parents, this is also a wonderful time to share a book you loved when you were a kid. Your child will love hearing one of your favorites and sharing the story together.
No matter what you choose to read, every new book is a doorway to imagination, discovery, and fun. Let’s make this December full of memorable reading moments!
Check out these helpful sites to find your child’s next great read:
- Common Sense Media – Best Book Lists
Find reviews and recommendations by age and topic.
- Scholastic Parents – Book Finder
Search by age, interest, or reading level. - Albuquerque Public Library
November
Junior Achievement (JA) Update
Our students are several weeks into the Junior Achievement program, which helps children understand how money, work, and community all connect in their daily lives. Through engaging, hands-on lessons, students are learning about making choices, working together, and building skills for future success. Here’s a quick look at what each grade level is focusing on:
Kindergarten: Students in JA OurselvesTM , are learning about choices, needs and wants, and the role of money in everyday life.
First Grade: JA Our FamiliesTM, students explore how family members work together, earn money, and meet needs and wants.
Second Grade: JA Our CommunityTM, teaches students about the jobs and services that keep a community running and how people depend on one another.
Third Grade: JA Our CityTM, students discover how cities operate, how businesses and workers contribute, and how entrepreneurs strengthen the economy.
Fourth Grade: JA Our RegionTM, students learn how entrepreneurs use resources to create businesses and how geography affects trade and jobs.
Fifth Grade: JA Our NationTM, introduces students to the U.S. free market system, showing how innovation, competition, and individual skills contribute to our economy.
October
I am excited to share that all grade levels will once again participate in the Junior Achievement (JA) program over the next six-eight weeks. This is our second year bringing JA to our school, and students truly enjoyed the program last year. Junior Achievement USA is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to equipping young people with the skills and knowledge they need for economic success. This program helps guide students as they plan for their futures and make informed academic and economic choices.
The focus of Junior Achievement includes three core areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Through engaging, hands-on activities, students will gain valuable insights into the realities of work and life in the 21st century, preparing them to explore the opportunities that lie ahead.
📚 Access Our Library Catalog from Home
Parents, you can access our school’s library catalog from home by clicking on the link below. There you can browse our school’s collection, search for books, and see which titles are available. You and your student(s) can also explore ebooks and audiobooks that were purchased by the district.
August & September
I'm so excited to begin another year with all of you! As your school librarian, I look forward to sharing the joy of reading and exploring new books together.
Library Visits & Book Check-Outs
Students will visit the library weekly with their class for 40 minutes. During this time, they can browse, check out, and enjoy our great collection of books. Students may borrow new books each week—just be sure to return or renew the previous week’s books. Renewals are available one week at a time if more time is needed.
Library Rules
The library is a fun and welcoming space—but also a learning space. To help keep it running smoothly, please review these expectations with your student:
- Be Kind and Respectful – Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.
- Walk and Use Quiet Voices – Help keep the library calm and safe.
- Use Time Wisely – Focus on reading, learning, and library activities.
- Take Care of Our Books – Handle books gently so they last for everyone.
- Help Keep the Library Neat – Pick up after yourself and treat the space with care.
Classes earn popsicle sticks for good behavior (based on student ratings each visit). Once a class collects 8 sticks, they earn a Free Choice Day filled with games, building, crafting, and reading!
Book Care
Please help your child care for books by keeping them away from food, drinks, pets, and younger siblings. Lost or damaged books must be replaced so all students can enjoy our full collection.
Returning Books
Books should be returned to the library or placed in the return bin just outside the library door. This keeps books safe and ready for the next reader!
Little Free Library
Our Little Free Library stayed active all summer! It's a fun, informal spot where families can take or leave books anytime. This is separate from our school library. If you'd like to donate a large number of books, please reach out to me directly.
I can’t wait to hear about what your child is reading this year. Here’s to a year full of stories, fun, and learning!