Book Buzz is a video book talk series hosted by Round Rock ISD elementary librarians Kristen Fournier and Jamie Wright. These literacy enthusiasts share their earnest appreciation for the literary and visual art of children’s books they are loving for new, emerging independent, and independent readers.
The educator duo’s excitement comes through as they discuss their favorite and award-winning fiction and nonfiction picture and chapter books for students from Pre-K through grade 6, with relatable stories and characters.
Fournier and Wright sprinkle in easy tips and ideas to grow reading literacy with every book they share. Viewers learn about the book’s authors and are introduced to stories that explore friendship, teamwork and collaboration, problem-solving, dealing with change, self-expression, and new cultures, all in various family situations.
“It’s such a nice thing to shut off all the devices and to spend time together in stories,” said Wright. “It’s amazing what kinds of conversations can come up at other times, and you can compare and say ‘hey, that reminds me of when this character was doing this,’ and it brings people together because that’s the magic of stories.”
The sprightly twosome wrote and recorded a jazzy Book Buzz jingle and rave about their fan art. “I have been waiting my whole life to get fan art,” said Fournier.
Watch Book Buzz episodes on YouTube or the Round Rock ISD website to hear the historical and realistic fiction, action-adventure, sports, folktales, fairy tales, humor, graphic novels, thrillers books at the top of these librarian’s book piles.
Book Buzz: Episode 1 – Dandy, A Diamond in the Desert, Gaston, I Walk with Vanessa, Juana & Lucas, and Saturday.
Book Buzz: Episode 2 – Festival of Colors, Halfway to Perfect, Hector the Collector, Shaking Things Up, Song for a Whale, The Bridge Home.
Book Buzz: Episode 3 – Inside Out & Back Again, Rabbit & Robot and Ribbit, Sahara Special, Sulive, The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do, Zoey and Sassafras.
Book Buzz: Episode 4 – Blended, BunBun & BonBon, Donut the Destroyer, Don’t Worry BEE Happy, Layla and the Bots Happy Paws, Mr. Wolf’s Class, Owly, Stepping Stones, The Baby-sitters Little Sister, The One and Only Ivan, Twins.
Book Buzz Episode 5 – Among the Hidden, Christian the Hugging Lion, Go Big or Go Home, Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match, The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh, The Templeton Twins Have an Idea.
Book Buzz Episode 6 – Armadilly Chili, Biblioburro, Ellray Jakes Walks the Plank, Federico and the Wolf, Goat on a Boat, Grump, Masterpiece, Prince & Knight, The Cool Bean.
Book Buzz Episode 7 – Front Desk by Kelly Yang, Dragon’s Fat Cat by Dav Pilkey, I Am Every Good Thing By Derrick Barnes & Gordon C. James, i haiku you by Betsy E. Snyder, Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy and Ekua Holmes, & Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig. Special thanks to our fan art maker Chloe in 5th grade at Forest North Elementary, and our special guest for our “BEE-ing a Reader” segment, Michael Jones, who is the Round Rock ISD Textbook Warehouse Manager.
Book Buzz Episode 8 – Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall, Mira Forecasts the Future by Kell Andrews & Libby Marlin, The Underneath by Kathy Appelt, Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin, We March by Shane W. Evans, and You Matter by Christian Robinson. Special thanks to our fan art maker Elizabeth in 5th grade at Forest North Elementary!
Book Buzz Episode 9 – Drawn Together by Minh Lê & Dan Santat, Firebird by Misty Copeland & Christopher Myers, If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams, Petra by Marianna Coppo, What We’ll Build by Oliver Jeffers, Strange Birds: a Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers by Celia Perez, and How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander & Melissa Sweet.
Special thanks to our fan art maker Tayden in 5th grade at Forest North Elementary, our guest Amy Palermo, Wells Branch Elementary librarian, and our amazing, dedicated Transportation Department who encourage you to BEE a reader, every day!
Book Buzz Episode 10 – This episode, we feature “The Undefeated” by Kwame Alexander & Kadir Nelson, “Ohana Means Family” by Ilima Loomis and Kenard Park, “Locomotion” by Jacqueline Woodson, “Hey Water” by Antoinette Portis, “Snowflake Bentley” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Mary Azarian, and “When The Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop” by Laban Carrick Hill and Theodore Taylor III.
Special thanks to our fan art maker Dominic in 4th grade at Forest North Elementary.
Book Buzz Episode 11 – This episode, we feature “The Overground Railroad” by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome, “A Voice Named Aretha” by Katheryn Russell-Brown and Laura Freeman, “Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It” by Gail Carson Levine and Matthew Cordell, “Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie” by Julie Sternberg and Matthew Cordell, “Narwhal & Jelly” by Ben Clanton, and “Shaking Things Up” by Susan Hood, Sophie Blackall, et al.
Special thanks to our fan art maker Waylon & our special guest Nayeli Gonzalez from Callison Elementary!
Book Buzz Episode 12 – This episode, we feature “Ninja Princess Detectives: Froggy Fiasco,” written by Kyla Steinkraus and illustrated by Katie Wood, “Eyes That Kiss in the Corners,” written by Joanna Ho and illustrated by Dung Ho, “On Account of the Gum” written & illustrated by Adam Rex, “The Road to Paris,” written by Nikki Grimes, “Milo Imagines the World,” written by Matt de la Pena & illustrated by Christian Robinson, and “Sam & Dave Dig a Hole,” written by Mac Barnett & illustrated by Jon Klassen.
Special thanks to our fan art maker Ayla & our special guest Isabella, both from Forest North Elementary!
All these books and more are available at Round Rock ISD elementary school libraries. Students and families can reserve books online, request for their librarians to choose books for them, check out eBooks, have them delivered curbside and to the classroom.
Kristen Fournier is the librarian at Forest North Elementary School, and Jamie Wright is the librarian at the Joe Lee Johnson STEAM Academy.
“I hope you find something wonderful to read today and every day.” – Jamie Wright
