Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments school libraries

Just curious if other children are allowed to bring in books to read in school instead of picking them out of the library. DS5 is skipping K and starting first this year....and the school only goes up to 2nd grade. So I am worried about the library books as they will be WAY under the level that he is currently reading. I will ask the school if he can, but wanted to know what some of the rest of you have done if this has been an issue.

GS10 takes in books all the time, even Soduko & workbook type books. His teachers have always welcomed it. I try to keep informed about what he's studying in Social Studies & History and get some books related to those topics. The public library also has a bookmobile that visits all the public schools in our county, there is no restriction on what they check out.

shellymos -Is your K-2 center affiliated with a 3-5 center? Ours is, and they have a daily shuttle to bring things back and forth, including library books. Something to investigate, anyway.

DS 10 has always been allowed to provide his own reading material. However, he is still required to take out at least 2 library books each week from the school library. However, there is no requirement that he reads them So the library books stay at school and he takes in his own reading material and everyone seems content.

good to know. Our district has a k-2 and then goes up to 3-5. There is only one school per our whole district with those grades (meaning all the k-2 kids that live in the district are at that one school). There are like 10 classes per grade...but I don't now if they make trips from one to the other. I doubt it, but I will check into it. I guess he could just get one out and not read it. Not like he has never done that before.

I wouldn't assume all the books will necessarily be under his level. Many high quality picture books have a higher reading level than "early readers" or simple chapter books because they are meant for parents to read to children vs children to read to themselves. Also, the library probably has non-fiction, which can provide new content even if it is not necessarily advanced reading level.

I always find it interesting to see what my DD brings home from the school library (her school is K-6 though). Sometimes it is easy readers and simple chapter books and sometimes it is encyclopedias. She's gotten books on magic tricks, how the postal system works, cookbooks, etc.

She can bring in her own books from home as well, but she does not always think to take them out of her backpack.

True, I am sure he will find books that are quick reads and possibly interesting. I guess I really shouldn't worry about this as we will still make our own library trips for at home reading so he can get other books out there. He does still like to read easy silly stuff from time to time, mostly with his little sister (like Dr. Seuss). We like to get out some of the picture books at times because I think they are great!

We had a big problem with our school library last year. They had a very small section that the Kinder students were allowed to choose from. A HUGE library with literally thousands of books (A K-12) school. But the K kids were only allowed to choose from a handful of picture books. We talked to the librarian about our son's level and asked her to allow him to choose anything in the K-3 section. However, she said that was not allowed and he would have nothing to look forward to if we did that. So he got some books that he read in the 30 min car trip home.

Our NEW school librarian talked to DS yesterday. He starts 1st grade this week. She is holding a copy of Diary of Wimpy Kid #2 for him until his library day because he was so excited to see it on the shelf. They had a great discussion about books and what he likes to read. I expect this will be a fantastic year!

CAmom Congrats on the new librarian!

Can't even decide which face to make in response to that comment! That's just crazy talk...(by the librarian, not CAMom )!