Librarian and Teachers' Comments
All Librarians Ordered the Set of 18 Another Sommer-Time Story™ Picture Books
(Currently we have 20 books)
Short Comments
(Read their entire testimonies below.)
- I haven’t seen this much reaction even with the Harry Potter books.
- The students love them. We can’t keep them in.
- They have been a big success. I was very pleased.
- The books are just flying out of the library.
- They don’t stay on the shelf very long.
- They’re great!
- Boy, these books! They have the kids in the palm of my hand.
- The pictures are very vivid and colorful.
- They are the most popular books in the library.
- The kids really liked the coloring sheets that went along with your books, too. (Free on our website.)
- Well developed, carried the theme through, and taught the lesson well.
- They’re easy to read, so that they can all enjoy them.
- I can’t keep them on the shelf. They’re very popular.
- The teachers and students are very excited about the character ed. books.
- I love the format, and love the illustrations. They are great!
- The students and the teachers both love them.
- I can’t keep them in the library long enough to have another class check them out.
- When I read a story to the children, they sit so quiet.
- They are beautiful books.
- They went over really well.
- The books stay checked out all the time.
- Several teachers are reading them, and they like them a lot.
- The kids just thought they were fabulous, and the teachers too.
- They loved the drawings, the stories, everything.
- They have been a HUGE success. I can’t keep them on the shelves.
Read Their Entire Testimonies
(Excerpts From Librarian Interviews and letters.)
Better Reaction Than Harry Potter Books
“They just love them. I can’t keep them in the library long enough to have another class check them out.’ Brockman, with over ten years experience as a librarian at the school, said that these books which she had for two months were the best series of books that she had ever received. said, “I haven’t seen this much reaction even with the Harry Potter books.”
Rhee Brockman, Librarian Media Specialist, Ophir Elementary School, Oroville, California.
Had to Separate Books Due to Demand
“We had to put those books separate from the rest of the books because the students were asking for them so much. Now that they are used to them, they just go to the shelf and get them, and they check them out two at a time, which is their limit on books. They love the books.
“The teachers love them because they have a moral to them. It’s really nice to have books with morals. They’re great! I think they’re wonderful!”
Jan Millet, Library Media Specialist, Harwood Elementary School, Rigby, Idaho
Books Are Flying Out of the Library
“The books are just flying out of the library. I can’t keep them in. When they see them, they just want to check them out. They really like them.”
Cindy Vandenberg, Librarian Media Specialist, Marks Elementary School, Dos Palos, California
Once Teachers Read Them, Then They Want to Read All the Others
“Once the teachers have read them, then they want to read all the others. They’re really great! They went over really well.”
Leslie Smith, Librarian Media Specialist, Hodson Elementary School, Owasso, Oklahoma
Librarian, Over 25 Years Experience, Hasn't Seen Anything Out There Like These Books
“It’s proving to be a real boon to our character development to what we would like to see happening in our school with our students, to assist our children in making wise and good choices. “We are very, very pleased. Thank you so much for having prepared this kind of a story that is so needed in our world today, to be able to teach the children in a non-threatening kind of way those values they need to have. “I haven’t seen anything out there that I think does the job in the same way than what you have done. I’ve been looking. We’ve been trying to find some things that would be good character development for our children. “The colors are bright and beautiful, the characters are fun for the children to identify. So I think there are a lot of real positive things in your books.”
Mary Smith, Librarian Media Specialist, Hope Elementary School, Carlsbad, California
Enjoys the Books and the Free Coloring Sheets From Our Website
“The kids are really checking them out. They really like to read them. It’s on their level. They like the stories, and I have a hard time keeping them on the shelf. “ I like the colorful pictures. The kids really liked the coloring sheets that went along with your books, too, because I went on your website and took some of the coloring sheets and gave them to the kids.”
Donna Royle, Librarian Media Specialist, Antonia Elementary School, Imperial, Missouri
Books so Interesting Librarian has the Kids in the Palm of Her Hand
“The staff at our school is pleased to have the books because they talk in story form about character. When I read a story to the children, they sit so quiet. I look at their faces and they are very interested in the pictures that are shown and in the story itself. Every single story that I read to them of the series, they just stop and listen. They sit attentively to listen to the story, and I can’t say that about every single book. I can tell there is interest there when their behavior and their actions are just so polite and so good. They are just waiting for me to turn the page. “I have commented to my staff that works with me, ‘Boy, these books! They have these kids in the palm of my hand.’ That’s not stretching the truth at all.”
Julie Spangler, Librarian Media Specialist, Cordova Primary School, Phoenix, Arizona
Students Love the Pictures and Vibrant Colors
“I was very impressed when I received your catalog because we stress character education in the Chicago school.
“ I try to read at least one book or two books a week to the smaller kids in grade K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and we discuss it. They love the pictures and the vibrant colors that are in the book.”
Shirley Silerman, Librarian Media Specialist, Carpenter Elementary School, Chicago, Illinois
Children Enjoy the Books/Gone Well With Their Character Education Series
“The series has been very well received. The children have really enjoyed them, and the teachers think they’re great. Also, they have gone very well with our character education series that we are doing.”
Cheryl Hodges, Librarian Media Specialist, Alpena Elementary School, Alpena, Arkansas
Not the Cheesy Type of Story/They are Well-Developed
“I myself thought the stories were great. They were not a cheesy type of story, but they were well developed, carried the theme through, and taught the lesson well. Also, Miss Missouri is going to be reading one today in the assembly to go along with our positive action.”
Kathy Jenkins, Library Media Specialist, Carl Junction Primary School, Carl Junction, Missouri
Not Cutesy Lessons/They Really Hit Hard
“I have a third-grade teacher that’s really into reading them. She’s reading them one a week, or one every few days. She said, ‘They are just the best books. It really teaches them a lesson. And they’re not cutesy lessons, they really hit it hard.’…
“Several teachers are reading them, and they like them a lot.”
Brenda Chambless, Librarian Media Specialist, Panama Elementary School, Bakersfield, California
Students are Very Excited About the Books
“The students are very excited about the books, and the books are fitting so well into our new study of character education. And they’re easy to read, so that they can all enjoy them.”
Linda Kelso, Librarian Technician, Lincoln Elementary School, El Centro, California
A Big Success
“We put them up on display with some other new books, and the kids found them right away, because they love the pictures and the colorful covers. So they know where they are on the shelf now, and they are being checked out a lot. They seem to really, really like them. They have been a big success. I was very pleased.”
Tenby Ihde, Librarian Media Specialist, Rolling Ridge Elementary School, Sterling, Viginia
Guidance Counselor Using Them for Character Education
“The students and the teachers both love them, and they are using them a lot, and the guidance counselor is also using them in the character education program.” The students are “taking them out and taking the accelerated reader tests on them.”
Nancy De Jongh, Librarian Media Specialist, Central Lyon Elementary-Middle School, Rock Rapids, Idaho
Books Stay Checked Out All the Time/Used in All Grades K-6
“The children love them. The books stay checked out all the time. We don’t shelve them with the regular books, we have put them in a special place where they are easily accessed. We keep them available, and we really love them.
“This year our system started a countywide Character Education program, with a different good character trait emphasized each month. The books that we purchased fit in perfectly with these traits and were used in all grades K-6. The students could not only enjoy the story, they could relate to what the story was saying and apply it to personal use. After Mrs. Peters [guidance counselor] starting reading the books to the classes, they were in high demand. In fact, several of the books have stayed on hold for the better part of the school year.”
Carolyn Pulley, Librarian Media Specialist, Lawrenceburg Public Elementary School, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
Pictures are Very Vivid and Colorful
“The teachers and the students are very excited about the character ed. books that we have received in our library. We teach the traits to our students here at the school, it is built into our curriculum. So when we got the order blank with the books we saw that those were great books that we could use. They really go well with our curriculum here at our school…The pictures are very vivid and colorful…Students love them.”
Shirley Tomlin, Librarian, Oakland Primary School, Sumter, South Carolina
Great Demand/Thinking of Buying a Third Set
“I had a wonderful response. I love the format, and I love your illustrations. They are great! The children love them. You’re keying into that morality that we are trying to foster in the building. I really enjoy them.”
Veronica Rubalcava, Librarian, Valle Vista Elementary School, Delano, California
Love the Format and Illustrations
“We put them up on display with some other new books, and the kids found them right away, because they love the pictures and the colorful covers. So they know where they are on the shelf now, and they are being checked out a lot. They seem to really, really like them. They have been a big success. I was very pleased.”
Paulette Autori, Librarian Media Specialist, Garfield Elementary School, Revere, Maine
They Stay Checked Out All the Time
“The students love them. We can’t keep them in. They stayed checked out all the time. They are beautiful books. The kids will come in and they’ll ask, ‘Do you have any of those books?’.”
Kitt Linsenby, Librarian Media Specialist, Cheraw Intermediate School (Grade 3-6), Cheraw, South Carolina
It's Hard to Find Character Education Books Like This
“We are all very pleased with them. One of the things we like is that they don’t have actual people in them, and the kids don’t feel like it’s really pointing fingers at them; but they can see themselves in the animals. So it’s not as threatening to them. The teachers really do like them.
“When we read them to the kids, the kids can really relate to them. It’s a good series. We’re doing six pillars of character: citizenship, responsibility, caring, fairness, trustworthiness, and respect, and these have them in there. It’s very easy to plug in when we’re talking about these seven characters. It’s hard to find character education picture books like this.
“I just had a teacher come and ask for something on responsibility. I could just go right to your series, and knew that I would find something that she would be able to use. She was very pleased. The teachers really appreciate the way the materials are presented in the books. It’s been very usable.”
Holly Diane Searson, Librarian Media Specialist, Lakeview-Solon Elementary School, Solon, Idaho
Books are Interesting and Engaging
“The teachers that used the books said they were very well received by the kids. They themselves liked the books. The books are interesting and engaging, and taught a really good lesson in a way the kids could really enjoy while they are learning.
“Character education in the form of books is really helpful, especially in the form of interesting stories. Both the teachers and the kids have really enjoyed them.”
June Wigglesworth, Librarian, Waipahu elementary School, Waipahu, Hawaii
Teachers Want the Whole Set in Their Classrooms
“The reaction at our school has been very positive. I suggested it to several teachers, and when they checked out one, they wanted to get the whole set of 18 books in their classroom. And the students want to check them out to. They don’t stay on the shelf very long.
“A student usually doesn’t come up and ask for an author, especially a young child.” But one of her students said, “I want one of those Sommer books.”
Miriam Hartman, Librarian Media Specialist, Lakeview Elementary School, Portsmouth, Virginia
Can't Keep Them on the Shelf/They're Very Popular
“The kids just thought they were fabulous, and the teachers too. They loved the drawings, the stories, everything. I like them too. I can’t keep them on the shelf, either. One brings them in, and another one in the same class wants to check it out. They’re very popular.”
Cindy Harris, Librarian Media Specialist, Lone Elementary School, Jackson, California
They Have Been a HUGE Success
“I am so thrilled to meet Carl Sommer at the Book Expo! I purchased his entire set of books, sight unseen—to support the character education curriculum. They have been a HUGE success. I can’t keep them on the shelves, and they are great teacher read-alouds.”
Marge Lawrence, Librarian Media Specialist, Roanoke Avenue School, Riverhead, New York