2015 FOREST OF READING® PROGRAM BEGINS!
Humbercrest is once again participating in the Forest of Reading® award programs!
This special, voluntary, reading program sponsored by the Ontario Library Association provides a unique
opportunity for your child. The programs are designed to:
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promote reading for enjoyment (French & English)
increase awareness of quality Canadian literature
provide opportunities to engage in discussions about books at the library and at home
How the Program Works
Ontario youth read from a list of ten Canadian titles nominated in the category that corresponds to their age.
There are award programs for different grade levels - Humbercrest is focusing on Grades 3-8 (French &
English).
Readers read a minimum of five of ten nominated books to be eligible to vote, but may read with a buddy or
adult. The reader then votes for their favourite book in April. Only kids vote - no adults!! Based on voting
across the province, the winning author is honoured with an award at the Festival of Trees™ in May.
There will be no formal projects or “homework”; just discussions, games, activities, and fun around the books.
The main premise of the Forest of Reading® is to foster the love of reading and create lifelong readers.
Feel free to contact Kimberly de Witte at ketadw@sympatico.ca or 416-766-6647 if you have questions.
NOTE: FOREST OF READING® Kick-off is Monday, December 8 @ lunch hour
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Forest of Reading® 2015 Reading Program Sign-Up
Child’s Name:
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Child’s Grade/Teacher:
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Parent’s Name:
_________________________________________________
Parent's Email:
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□ I would like to donate towards the Forest of Reading® program (tax receipt for donations ≥ $20)
□ I would like to help out with the Forest of Reading® program (include contact info above)
Award Program (circle one)
Silver Birch
Express™
(Grades 3-4)
Silver Birch™
Fiction
(Grades 5-6)
Silver Birch™
Non-Fiction
(Grades 3-6)
le prix Tamarac
Express™
(Grades 3-4)
le prix
Tamarac™
(Grades 5-6)
Red Maple™
(Grades 7-8)
(Note: student may switch award program or participate in more than one if they desire)
Homeroom Teachers: Please forward to Library Mailbox
Ways You Can Help Us Succeed
Start Reading
A list of nominated books is attached. Please review the lists with your child and determine which list they
would like to read. A minimum of five books from one list must be read to qualify for voting.
Encourage your child to be part of the largest recreational reading program in Canada:
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Register using the tear-off sheet below – return to teachers by Friday, December 5
Check out the Forest of Reading® website at http://www.accessola.com/forest for book reviews,
contests, and other cool stuff;
Look at the nomination lists (attached) with your child and pick out books that seem interesting;
Reserve copies of the books from Toronto Public Library at http://www.tpl.toronto.on.ca/ to get a
head start before the Kickoff on Monday, December 8.
Encourage your child to read! (either with your help or on their own)
Contribute to the Program/A Book Set
Reading projects like these need books for circulation. Our library will purchase two copies of each nominated
sets for the permanent collection. Given the huge response to the program, additional copies may be needed,
but we will only keep two copies in the permanent collection - any other copies will be purchased through
donations. As well, we have a pizza party on Voting Day and other incentive items purchased throughout the
program that you can help fund with a donation.
Each set of nominated books costs between $115 and $130. Any donation over $20 will be tax deductible
(provide name and address; cheques made out to TDSB, subject line "Humbercrest Forest of Reading®
Donation").
Stay Informed
We would like to communicate Forest of Reading® updates electronically in an effort to save paper. All
communications will be available on the school website @ www.humbercrestps.ca (click on "Events"). Please
include your email address on the sign-up sheet to ensure you get any and all updates on the program
directly.
Volunteer
There are many different tasks involved in projects such as these. Kimberly de Witte, parent volunteer, is
heading this initiative, but other hands are definitely needed! Assembling the materials, contributing ideas for
keeping readers excited about the program, and assisting with in-library days are all ways to help. Parents are
needed for:
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Kickoff on Monday, December 8
Tuesday and Thursday lunch hours during January-April
Voting Day in April (final date TBD)
Please contact Kimberly at ketadw@sympatico.ca or 416-766-6647 if you can help in any capacity.
Happy Reading!
Silver Birch™ 2014 Nominated Titles
In addition to borrowing Forest of Reading® titles from the school library, you may also visit public
libraries, purchase some for your home library (great holiday gifts), or share with friends!
Silver Birch Express™ (recommended for Grades 3-4; shorter chapter books, less mature subjects)
1. Be a Wilderness Detective by Peggy Kochanoff
2. Every Day is Malala Day by Rosemary McCarney
3. The Fly by Elise Gravel
4. From There to Here by Laurel Croza, Matt James
5. The Great Bike Rescue by Hazel Hutchins
6. How to Save a Species by Jonathan Baillie, Marilyn Baillie
7. Kung Pow Chicken #1: Let's Get Cracking by Cyndi Marko
8. My Name is Blessing by Eric Walters, Eugenie Fernandes
9. Prove It, Josh by Sono Nis
10. Seconds by Sylvia Taekema
Silver Birch Fiction™ (recommended for Grades 5-6; longer chapter books, more mature subjects)
1. The Creature Department by Robert Paul Weston
2. Dial M for Morna - The Dead Kid Detective Agency by Evan Munday
3. The Hidden Agenda of Sigrid Sugden by Jill MacLean
4. The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis
5. Me & Mr. Bell by Philip Roy
6. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
7. Red Wolf by Jennifer Dance
8. Saving Houdini by Michael Redhill
9. September 17: A Novel by Amanda West Lewis
10. Striker by David Skuy
Silver Birch Non-Fiction™ (recommended for Grades 3-6)
1. 50 Body Questions: A Book That Spills Its Guts by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, Ross Kinnaird
2. Annaleise Carr: How I Conquered Lake Ontario to Help Kids Battling Cancer by Annaleise Carr,
Deborah Ellis
3. The Big Book of Hockey for Kids by Eric Zweig
4. Cat Champions: Caring for Our Feline Friends by Rob Laidlaw
5. Every Last Drop: Bringing Clean Water Home by Michelle Mulder
6. The Extraordinary Life of Anna Swan by Anne Renaud
7. From Vimy to Victory: Canada's Fight to the Finish in World War I by Hugh Brewster
8. The History of Just about Everything: 180 Events, People and Inventions That Changed the World by
Elizabeth MacLeod, Frieda Wishinsky
9. It's a Feudal, Feudal World: A Different Medieval History by Stephen Shapiro, Ross Kinnaird
10. Zoobots: Wild Robots Inspired by Real Animals by Helaine Becker, Alex Ries
le prix Tamarac™ 2014 Nominated Titles
This is a great way for your child to find some quality French titles that they might not have normally
picked up. Encourage your child to try reading some of these books and see if they can meet the
challenge!
la prix Tamarac Express™ (shorter chapter books, easier language, less mature subjects)
1. Le catalogue de robots by Jean-Pierre Guillet, Jessica Lindsay
2. Embrouilles à Embrun by Mireille Messier, Marc Keelan-Bishop
3. Guiby: Une odeur de soufre by Sampar (Samuel Parent)
4. Il m'énerve, ce William Parker! by Alain M. Bergeron
5. Julie et Alex le Trotteur by Martine Latulippe
6. Lucie Wan en danger by Agnes Grimaud, Stephane Jorisch
7. Mission… à donner le frisson! by Lili Chartrand, Mathieu Benoit
8. Moi, zèbre bouchard by Myriam De Repentigny, Yvan Deschamps
9. Pablo trouve un trésor by Andrée Poulin, Isabelle Malenfant
10. Tsuki, princesse de la Lune by Suzanne de Serres, Virginie Rapiat
la prix Tamarac™ (longer chapter books, more challenging language, more mature subjects)
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7.
8.
Victor Cordi (anomalie maléfique) by Annie Bacon
Cocorico! by Francois Gravel, Katy Lemay
La fabuleuse histoire de Jérémy Leloup by Gilles Tibo, Jean-Luc Trude
Le journal de guerre d'Émilio by André Jacob, Christine Delezenne
Max et la belle inconnue by Olivier Challet
Destination Monstroville 01 - Mocha Café by Nadine Descheneaux, Sophie Rondeau
Pas question que les criminels dormant by René Cochaux
La patate cadeau ou la vraie histoire de la poutine râpée by Diane Carmel Léger, Tamara
Thiebeaux-Hekalo
9. La plus grosse poutine du monde by Andrée Poulin
10. Quatre Filles de génies by Emmanuelle Bergeron, Caroline Merola
In addition to borrowing Forest of Reading® titles from the school library, you may also visit public
libraries, purchase some for your home library (great holiday gifts), or share with friends!
Red Maple™ 2014 Nominated Titles
The Red Maple™ Program is designed for students in Grades 7 & 8. The aim is to encourage
Humbercrest's Senior Students to read for enjoyment but with a critical eye.
The Red Maple™ nominations may include more mature subjects and themes. Each of these books
has been read by Kimberly de Witte. If you have concerns about subject matter in any of these
books, please contact Kimberly at ketadw@sympatico.ca.
Red Maple™ (Grades 7 & 8 - Longer books with more mature themes)
1. The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel
2. The Comic Book War by Jacqueline Guest
3. Dead Man's Switch by Sigmund Brouwer
4. How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied by Jess Keating
5. Outside In by Sarah Ellis
6. Rule of Three by Eric Walters
7. The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden by Philippa Dowding
8. Summer Days, Starry Nights by Vikki VanSickle
9. Unspeakable by Caroline Pignat
10. Zomboy by Richard Scrimger
In addition to borrowing Forest of Reading® titles from the school library, you may also visit public
libraries, purchase some for your home library (great holiday gifts), or share with friends!