2021-2022 Information BLASTS!

We Have Braille Reading Books for Checkout!

AIM-VA is happy to announce for the 2022-23 academic year, that we are offering some reading books in Braille format! Now, your students who read and/or need to practice reading braille, have the opportunity read books you check out for them. These elementary school, middle school, and high school level books are in the UEB braille format.

To review all of the titles that are available:

• Log into the AIM-VA Ordering Portal
• Click on the Search for a Book icon on the HOME page
• At the FORMAT dropdown, select Braille.
  
• Change How many Results listed to 50
  
• Click the blue SEARCH button.
• All new Braille titles will be listed under the AIM-VA tab, on the left.



Until then…

Take a look at some of the titles below.

AIM-VA is now on Facebook, again!

Like and share our page with your colleagues and friends who are interested in our services- we’ll be posting about all things related to reading issues, accessibility tools and apps, special education, and more. We’d love to engage with more of you via social media so that we can all learn more about how to better serve your K-12 students in Virginia!

Comments or postings are welcome and encouraged.

We would love to see you online!

Summer is soon approaching, so this is a great time to help your students and their families get Summer Reading Ready! The past two years have brought on new challenges for everyone in our school communities. Moreover, for years many researchers have noted that during the summer months, students reading achievements (and other academic gains) regress. So, let’s try and help defy this loss.

School divisions and local public libraries have created summer reading challenges that can help encourage students to engage in fun reading activities that are new and exciting and help them maintain their academic achievement gains. Virginia Department of Education has compiled a list of resources that you can access here at VDOE Keep Learning Alive, and the AIM-VA Library is filled with reading books at reading and interest levels!

Here are some things to consider as you help your students and their families get summer reading ready:

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Get Reading Ready

• Compile reading lists related to the curriculum- help students revisit and retain what they’ve learned and see it through a different lens
• Find age/level appropriate reading materials- Help your families identify appropriate, fun, and exciting text.
• Visit the local library- encourage students to get a library card, and learn about local reading challenges.
• Send in your summer work packets/worksheets to AIM-VA to obtain accessible versions.
• Compile reading lists related to the curriculum- help students revisit and retain what they’ve learned and see it through a different lens.
• Find age/level appropriate reading materials- Help your families identify appropriate, fun, and exciting text.

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Thrive Inside or Outside

• Consider what technologies students have at home to help them access accessible text, digital, and/or audiobooks. Encourage parents to offer reading resources to students who have tablets or other digital devices.
• Designate a time, space/place that motivates young readers (e.g., a book nook, cozy corner)
• Encourage families to have older/budding readers read to younger learners.
• Connect books with movies- encourage students to read books that have become movies (or vice versa)

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Rock Out and Read

• Find some great titles here on the AIM-VA site, at the local library, and on various digital platforms.
• Educators can order accessible versions for their students to use.
• Are you teaching ESY? AIM-VA is here! Send in your request for accessible materials (e.g., work packets, books, etc.). If we don’t have what you are looking for, let us know we can still help.

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Elementary

Book: A Lion to Guard Us
Author: Clyde R. Bulla
Format: PDF: Accessible

Amanda Freebold doesn't know what to do. Her father left three years ago for the new colony of Jamestown, in America, thousands of miles away. All Amanda has to remember him by is a little brass lion's head he gave his family to guard them while he is gone. Now her mother has just died, leaving Amanda to take care of her younger brother and sister. As head of the family, Amanda finally decides to take her brother and sister to America to find Father. The ocean crossing is long and hard, and the children don't know whom to trust. But with the lion's head to guard them, Amanda Knows that somehow everything will work out fine.
(ablebooks.com)

Additional Resources for a Lion to Guard Us

• TeachingBooks | A Lion to Guard Us
• A Lion to Guard Us Resources Developed by Teachers
• A Lion to Guard Us Worksheets and Literature Unit

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Secondary

Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Format: PDF: Accessible

Khaled Hosseini returns with a beautiful, riveting, and haunting novel that confirms his place as one of the most important literary writers today. Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever-escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival. A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.
(khaledhosseini.com)

Additional Resources for A Thousand Splendid Suns

• Jigsaw, Word Search and Other Activities
• How to Teach A Thousand Splendid Suns
• A Thousand Splendid Suns - Resources Developed by Teachers

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Digital Tool of the Month

Tool: Snap&Read
Cost: Free for AIM-VA Students and DRMs
Access: Contact aimva@gmu.edu

Snap&Read provides text-to-speech support for PDF files. It also has voice preferences, voice rate, and synchronized highlighting as text is read. It allows the user to annotate and provides text simplification. This is a great tool for students who struggle with reading and need to hear the text read aloud, students with visual impairments, students who need the text in a simpler format without changing the meaning and provides organization supports for students with executive function issues. Snap&Read covers diverse reading needs.

For more information:

• Snap&Read Makes Reading Accessible to Every Student
• Snap&Read Tutorial
• How to Open a PDF in Chrome

Reading Tools Discussed so far:

September blog – Natural Reader
October blog – Immersive Reader
November blog – Read Aloud
December blog – Kami
January blog – Speechify
February blog – Read & Write
March blog – ReadSpeaker
April blog – Claro Read
May blog – Snap&Read

It’s National Library Week!

As you select book titles for your students, or your students visit the library, here are some cool accessible titles to consider.

Happy reading!

... Book Details ...

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The Time Machine

When the Time Traveller courageously stepped out of his machine for the first time, he found himself in the year 802,700—and everything had changed. In this unfamiliar, utopian age creatures seemed to dwell together in perfect harmony. The Time Traveller thought he could study these marvelous beings—unearth their secret and then return to his own time—until he discovered that his invention, his only avenue of escape, had been stolen. H. G. Wells’s famous novel of one man’s astonishing journey beyond the conventional limits of the imagination first appeared in 1895. It won him immediate recognition and has been regarded ever since as one of the great masterpieces in the literature of science fiction.
(abebooks.com)

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Dumplin'

For fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell comes this powerful novel with the most fearless heroine—self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson—from Julie Murphy, the acclaimed author of Side Effects May Vary. With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart. Dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom, Willowdean has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back. Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So, she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.
(amazon.com)

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The Story of Simone Biles: A Biography Book for New Readers

Simone Biles has been called the greatest gymnast of all time, winning five Olympic and 25 World Champion medals by age 22. Before she wowed the world with her incredible gymnastics skills, Simone was an energetic young girl who dreamed of becoming a top gymnast. She trained for hours every day and made many sacrifices to pursue her goals. Explore how Simone Biles went from being a kid growing up in Texas to an Olympic athlete who has won more gymnastics medals than anyone in history.
(amazon.com)

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Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

Take eleven-year-old Timmy Failure — the clueless, comically self-confident CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the nation. Add his impressively lazy business partner, a very large polar bear named Total. Throw in the Failuremobile — Timmy’s mom’s Segway — and what you have is Total Failure, Inc., a global enterprise destined to make Timmy so rich his mother won’t have to stress out about the bills anymore. Of course, Timmy’s plan does not include the four-foot-tall female whose name shall not be uttered. And it doesn’t include Rollo Tookus, who is so obsessed with getting into "Stanfurd" that he can’t carry out a no-brainer spy mission. From the offbeat creator of Pearls Before Swine comes an endearingly bumbling hero in a caper whose peerless hilarity is accompanied by a whodunit twist. With perfectly paced visual humor, Stephan Pastis gets you snorting with laughter, then slyly carries the joke a beat further — or sweetens it with an unexpected poignant moment — making this a comics-inspired story (the first in a new series) that truly stands apart from the pack.
(goodreads.com)

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Mr. Klutz is Nuts

Never before has school been this mixed up—or this much fun!

Principal Klutz was hanging upside down from the school flagpole! He kissed a pig on the lips and painted his bald head orange! And now he wants to bungee jump off the roof of the school dressed as Santa Claus!
(amazon.com)

Yay! Spring has sprung.
Let’s get out and have some fun!

There are many things to do and see in the Spring. Take a walk and talk about the budding leaves, play a game of baseball, or just curl up under your favorite tree and read a book. Needs some more ideas for your students? Here are a few accessible books available through AIM-VA to help them get you started:

Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?
Author: Eric Carle
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright Year: 2000
ISBN: 0439271495
PDF: Accessible
Grade Level: Pre-K/K

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Wake Up, Sun!
Author: David L. Harrison
Publisher: Random House
Copyright Year: 1986
ISBN: 0394882563
PDF: Accessible
Grade Level: Pre-K/K, Early Elementary

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Clifford Makes the Team
Author: Norman Bridwell
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright Year: 2011
ISBN: 9870545231411
PDF: Accessible
Grade Level: 1st grade, Pre-K/K, Early Elementary

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Buffalo Bird Girl
Author: S. D. Nelson
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright Year: 2012
ISBN: 0545708370
PDF: Accessible
Grade Level: Early Elementary

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Fish in a Tree
Author: Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Publisher: Penguin Group
Copyright Year: 2015
ISBN: 0399162593
Grade Level: Middle School

To celebrate and promote the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien, how about introducing The Hobbit to your students? The 1937 novel is the classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy.

“Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.” (amazon.com)

Follow your reading and study of Tolkien’s The Hobbit by watching one or all of its film series; An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Watching the film representation of a book your students have read can further engage them into the story; developing their analytical thinking skills and allowing them to consider the attitudes and perspectives of others.

The Hobbit is now available for download as a PDF in the AIM-VA Ordering Portal.

Celebrated in India and recognized by some in the US, February 28th is National Science Day!

This special day recognizes the wonderful world of science!

In India, people all over recognize the work of Nobel Prize winner Sir CV Raman who created what is known as the Raman Effect.

Schools and Universities participate in various activities that recognize what Science and Technology can do for the world. This year’s focus is on sustainability.

Want to share the world of science with your students? Visit the AIM-VA portal, click Search for a Book, and enter the Keyword: Science. We have several titles from the “Big Ideas of Science” series that you and your students may love. 

Happy reading!

References:

Demming, A. (n.d.). C. V. Raman. New Scientist. Retrieved February 28, 2022, from https://www.newscientist.com/people/c-v-raman/
Raha, I. (2021, November 22). 10 tips for your child on national science day- orchids. Orchids The International School. Retrieved February 28, 2022, from https://www.orchidsinternationalschool.com/blog/days-and-festival/national-science-day/

February is Low Vision Awareness month and in observance, AIM-VA has added 13 hard-cover Large Print versions of popular reading books to the Ordering Portal. Whether you have a 6th grader who wants to explore a newfound love of magic and fantasy-related books; such as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets or Wings of Fire: The Brightest Night, to a 9th grader who has an interest in the classic plays of Julius Caesar or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, take a moment to explore the new titles now available. Then, fill your students’ spring semester with books that not only promote reading growth but fulfill the delight that comes with personally discovering stories their peers are talking about!

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
~Stephen King

Elementary School

Because of Winn DixieM – Kate DiCammillo
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling
Tuck Everlasting – Natalie Babbitt
Where the Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls
Wings of Fire: The Brightest Night – Tui T. Sutherland

Middle School

Heroic Dogs: True Stories of Incredible Courage and Unconditional Love from Man's Best Friend – Lou Jefferson
Number The Stars – Lois Lowry
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton

High School

Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neal Nurston
The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien
Julius Caesar – William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare

The library is where I go to launch myself and fly.
I swoop and loop above the earth a thousand stories high.
~Ted Scheu

February is a National Library Lover's Month! There are many ways to observe this special occasion. One way is to log into your AIM-VA Portal and browse through our wonderful collection of novels, stories and texts. Find a book that will take you and your students through 'swoops and loops' of your own.

Title: Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?
Author: Eric Carle
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright: 2000
ISBN: 0439271495
Grade Level: Early Elementary
Format: PDF: Accessible

Beautiful illustrations show that animal babies, like human children, have mothers who love them!... have mothers who love them! The story, written in repetitive text using a question-and-answer format, that invites children and adults to read together. (scholastic.com)

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Title: Harold and the Purple Crayon
Author: Crockett Johnson
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright: 1955
ISBN: 0439132533
Grade Level: Early Elementary
Format: PDF: Accessible

One evening Harold decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. Armed only with an oversize purple crayon, young Harold draws himself a landscape full of wonder and excitement. Harold and his trusty crayon travel through woods and across seas and past dragons before returning to bed, safe and sound. Full of funny twists and surprises, this charming story shows just how far your imagination can take you. (amazon.com)

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Title: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
Author: Chris Grabenstein
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2013
ISBN: 9780375870897
Grade Level: Late Elementary
Format: PDF: Accessible

Kyle Keeley is the class clown and a huge fan of all games—board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the construction of the new town library. Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot as one of twelve kids invited for an overnight sleepover in the library, hosted by Mr. Lemoncello and riddled with lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route! (amazon.com)

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Title: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Author: William Kamkwamba
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright: 2013
ISBN: 9780545946032
Grade Level: Late Elementary, Middle, High
Format: PDF: Accessible, Fully & WORD

When fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba's Malawi village was hit by a drought, everyone's crops began to fail. Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library...and figured out how to bring electricity to his village. Persevering against the odds, William built a functioning windmill out of junkyard scraps, and thus became the local hero who harnessed the wind. This story will inspire many as it shows how, even in the worst of times, a great idea and a lot of hard work can still rock the world. (amazon.com)

For other great ways to observe National Library Lover's Month, Click here

Valentine’s Day is a week away so help your students* celebrate by downloading a digital book they can enjoy independently!

Here are 3 books of romance in the AIM-VA Portal that might be appealing ❣︎

Elementary School

He can't even think straight when she's around. When Frogilina smiles at him through the monkey bars, Froggy falls smack on his head-bonk! So, with Valentine's Day just a week away, Froggy gets busy making an extra-special valentine. The fifth book about the irrepressible Froggy, this is sure to keep children giggling with delight. (goodreads.com)

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Middle School

It all starts when Marisa picks up the wrong cell phone. When she goes to return it, she feels something she's never felt before, something a bit like . . . love. But Marisa and Rene aren't exactly a match made in heaven. For one thing, Marisa is a chola, and she isn't petite; she's a lot of girl, and she's not ashamed of it. Skinny Rene, however, gangles like a sackful of elbows and wears a calculator on his belt. In other words, he's a geek. So why can't Marisa stay away from him? (goodreads.com)

Award-winning author Gary Soto deftly captures all the angst, expectation, and humor that comes with first love in this swift, lighthearted romance.

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High School

Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her mom’s fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape. When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan. Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down. But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects… (amazon.com)

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* A student is eligible to receive AIM-VA services if they meet both of the following criteria:

1. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) that indicates the student may benefit from using alternative print materials for reading.
2. A print disability confirmed by a competent authority due to one of the following: Low Vision/Blindness, Physical Disability, Other Disability.

Recently, Texthelp® (TH) and Don Johnston (DJ) announced that they are joining forces to bring their EdTech concepts together. These two companies created the tools used by many to support students with print disabilities- such as Read&Write (developed by TH) and Snap&Read™ (developed by DJ). The various products brought to the merger by each company (e.g., Snap&Read, Read&Write, EquatIO, Co:Writer®, etc.) will all fall under the Texthelp® name.

With a vision to “help one billion people by 2030,” the companies have committed to offering a variety of tools that can provide a range of resources. Some of the immediate changes will be the inclusion of EquatIO in Snap&Read™ and Co:Writer®’s ability to work in OrbitNote.

To learn more about this exciting collaboration, click the link below:

DJ & TH FAQ Document

Welcome 2022

As the semester begins, don’t forget to provide your students with some pleasure reading titles now. A good book with some hot tea or cocoa sounds wonderful for staying cozy during the cold days ahead. Take a look at what is already in our AIM-VA Library. If you can’t find what you are looking for, send us a copy and we’ll make it accessible for you!

Some wintery titles to warm those cold days…

Early Elementary

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Book: Cam Jansen and the Snowy Day Mystery
Author(s): David A. Adler
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright Year: 2004
ISBN: 9780439798822
Tags: Adventure, Detective, Girls, Winter
Format: PDF Accessible

After nearly a quarter of a century, Cam Jansen remains a popular character, garnering new fans with each new title. In this newest Cam Jansen mystery, it's a very snowy day outside, so Cam and Eric are running late to computer lab. When they finally arrive, they realize that three computers are missing! There are only two clues—footprints in the snow outside and a locked window. This mystery seems impossible to solve, but with Cam Jansen on the case, the thieves don't stand a chance! (amazon.com)

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Book: Granite
Author(s): Susan Butcher, David Monson
Publisher: Trail Breaker Kennel
Copyright Year: 2008
ISBN: 9780975402924
Tags: Children's Literature, Dogs, Nonfiction, Sports, Sportsmanship
Format: PDF Accessible

Susan Butcher was a four-time champion of the Iditarod Trail sled dog race. Granite was her greatest lead dog, but he didn’t start that way. He was a shy, scraggly pup that the others pushed around, but Susan saw his potential. Together they worked until he became leader of the team. While they were training for the Iditarod, Granite became deathly ill. The veterinarians said he would never be strong enough to run the race. Granite refused to accept this, and slowly he started to recover. By the time of the race, he was strong enough to start, but Susan wondered if he could finish the entire thousand-mile race. Confidently Granite guided the team into the lead of the race, when suddenly they were caught in a raging Arctic blizzard. Now Susan and the whole team depended on Granite to get them through the storm. He had to call on all his inner strength and courage to save them—if he could. (amazon.com)

Late Elementary

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Book: My Life in Dog Years
Author(s): Gary Paulsen
Publisher: Yearling
Copyright Year: 1997
ISBN: 9780440414711
Tags: Animals, Dogs, Friendship
Format: PDF Accessible

Gary Paulsen has owned dozens of unforgettable and amazing dogs. In each chapter he tells of one special dog, among them Cookie, the sled dog who saved his life; Snowball, the puppy he owned as a boy in the Philippines; Ike, his mysterious hunting companion; Dirk, the grim protector; and his true friend Josh, a brilliant border collie. (amazon.com)

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Book: Julie of the Wolves
Author(s): Jean C. George
Publisher: Harper Trophy / Harper Collins
Copyright Year: 2003
ISBN: 0060540958
Tags: Animals, Dogs, Friendship, Winter
Formats: Large Print, PDF: Accessible, PDF: Fully Accessible, Word, ePub

While running away from home and an unwanted marriage, a thirteen-year-old Eskimo girl becomes lost on the North Slope of Alaska and is befriended by a wolf pack. Newbery Medal Book. (worldcat.org)

Middle School

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Book: Woodsong
Author(s): Gary Paulsen
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Copyright Year: 1990
ISBN: 1416939393
Tags: Winter, Dogs
Format: PDF Accessible

A LIFE AS EXCITING AS FICTION Gary Paulsen, three-time Newbery Honor author, is no stranger to adventure. He has flown off the back of a dogsled and down a frozen waterfall to near disaster, and waited for a giant bear to seal his fate with one slap of a claw. He has led a team of sled dogs toward the Alaskan Mountain Range in an Iditarod -- the grueling, 1,180-mile dogsled race -- hallucinating from lack of sleep, but he determined to finish. Here, in vivid detail, Paulsen recounts several of the remarkable experiences that shaped his life and inspired his award-winning writing. A School Library Journal Best Book A Booklist Editors' Choice (abebooks.com)

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Book: Phillip's Quest Book II
Author(s): Belinda Miller
Copyright Year: 2014
ISBN: 0986306800
Tags: Adventure, Dinosaurs
Format: PDF Accessible

Above the Stars is the second book in the series about an ordinary farmer gnome, Phillip Tuber, and his extraordinary adventures, from the peaceful village of Twistedoak to the land of "unbelievable beauty and unbearable cold"- Winterfrost. In Above the Stars, Phillip and his two companions, a squirrel named Edward and Stinky the dinosaur, arrive on the frozen plains of Winterfrost. They are chased by unusual flying creatures and befriended by others. They also learn some of life's most valuable lessons. Secrets are revealed in this book-secrets that the Red Witch cannot allow to escape. There is more magic in the castle than even she knows. Can the trio of friends escape the Red Witch's minions, or will one of them succumb to her evil ways? The story continues . . . (amazon.com)

High School

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Book: If on a Winter's Night a Traveler
Author(s): Italo Calvino
Publisher: Harcourt
Copyright Year: 1981
ISBN: 0156439611
Tags: Romance
Format: PDF Accessible

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler turns out to be not one novel but ten, each with a different plot, style, ambience, and author, and each interrupted at a moment of suspense. Together they form a labyrinth of literatures, known and unknown, alive and extinct, through which two readers, a male and a female, pursue both the story lines that intrigue them and one another. (amazon.com)

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Book: The Assault
Author(s): Harry Mulisch
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Copyright Year: 1985
ISBN: 9780394744209
Tags: History, Politics, Thriller
Format: PDF: Accessible

It is the winter of 1945, the last dark days of World War II in occupied Holland. A Nazi collaborator, infamous for his cruelty, is assassinated as he rides home on his bicycle. The Germans retaliate by burning down the home of an innocent family; only twelve-year-old Anton survives. Based on actual events, The Assault traces the complex repercussions of this horrific incident on Anton's life. Determined to forget, he opts for a carefully normal existence: a prudent marriage, a successful career, and colorless passivity. But the past keeps breaking through, in relentless memories and in chance encounters with others who were involved in the assassination and its aftermath, until Anton finally learns what really happened that night in 1945—and why. (penguinrandomhouse.ca)

Jack Frost is here and is ready to do some nipping. Why not create a reading wonderland in your classroom! Whether it’s a book nook, reading corner or a space for independent reading, we are here to help. Check out some of the winter wonderful titles we have ready here at AIM-VA! You can access these and more by clicking on the format type and logging into your portal account.

Don’t see what you are looking for? Submit a book request via your AIM-VA Portal and we will gladly get it ready for you.

Stay Cozy and Read On!

Title	Book Info	Format
	Title: Ready Freddy Author: Cynthia Rothman Publisher: Scholastic Copyright Year: 2010 ISBN: 0545282446 Grade Level: 1st grade, 2nd grade, Pre-K/K, Early Elementary	PDF: Accessible
	Title: How the Grinch Stole Christmas Author: Wendi Silvano Publisher: Scholastic Copyright Year: 2009 ISBN: 0545279755 Grade Level: Early Elementary	PDF: Accessible
	Title: A Snowman Author: Rose Kelbrick Publisher: Wright Group / McGraw Hill Copyright Year: 1996 ISBN: 0780265491 Grade Level: 1st grade, 2nd grade, Pre-K/K, Early Elementary	PDF: Accessible
	Title: Cam Jansen and the Snowy Day Mystery Author: David A. Adler Publisher: Scholastic Copyright Year: 2004 ISBN: 9780439798822 Grade Level: 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, Pre-K/K, Early Elementary	PDF: Accessible
	Title: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Author: Barbara Robinson Publisher: Harper Trophy / Harper Collins Copyright Year: 1972 ISBN: 0064402754 Grade Level: Late Elementary, Middle School	PDF: Accessible
	Title: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Author: C. S. Lewis Publisher: Unknown Copyright Year: 1972 ISBN: 0020442203 Grade Level: Late Elementary, Middle School	Large Print PDF: Accessible PDF: Fully Accessible Word ePub
	Title: The Family Under the Bridge Authors: Natalie Savage Carlson, Garth Williams Publisher: Harper Collins Copyright Year: 1986 ISBN: 9780064402507 Grade Level: Late Elementary, Middle School	PDF: Accessible
	Title: Life as We Knew It Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer Publisher: Unknown Copyright Year: 2006 Grade Level: Middle School, High School/Young Adult	PDF: Accessible
	Title: New Year’s Kiss Author: Lee Matthews Publisher: Underlined Copyright Year: 2020 ISBN: 9780593179857 Grade Level: Middle School, High School/Young Adult	PDF: Accessible
	Title: The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice Author: Carolyn McVickar Edwards Publisher: Marlowe & Company Copyright Year: 2000 ISBN: 9781569243602 Grade Level: Late Elementary, Middle School, High School	PDF: Accessible
	Title: The Seven Days of Kwanzaa Author: Angela Shelf Medearis Publisher: Scholastic Copyright Year: 1994 ISBN: 0590463608 Grade Level: Early Elementary, Late Elementary	PDF: Accessible PDF: Fully Accessible Word

“Autumn Means Harvest”
By Lenore Hetrick

Autumn means harvest, And grain in the bin.
Autumn means farmers Are bringing fruit in.
It means summer’s blooming Has given its yield.
Autumn means high tide in orchard and field.

Fall brings about change in a very colorful way. There are so many ways to express this in your classrooms. So much can be seen and expressed through arts & crafts, writing, cultural awareness activities, and more. We have several books that may go along well with your lessons. Check out some of the titles listed below or explore AIM-VA today to locate the books that are available to you.

Don’t see what you are looking for? Submit a book request via your AIM-VA Portal and we will gladly get it ready for you.

HAPPY FALL Y’ALL!

Title	Book Info	Format
	Guided Reader Author(s): Matt West Publisher: Scholastic Copyright Year: 2010 ISBN: 9780545282376 Grade Level: Pre-K/K Type: Supplemental Book Language: English	PDF: Accessible
	Author(s): Lois Ehlert Publisher: Harcourt Brace ISBN: 0152325808 Grade Level: 1st grade, 2nd grade, Pre-K/K, Early Elementary Type: Supplemental Book Language: English	PDF: Accessible
	Author(s): Mary P. Osborne Publisher: Random House ISBN: 0375806156 Grade Level: Early Elementary Type: Reading Book	Large Print PDF: Accessible
	Author(s): Wendi Silvano Publisher: Scholastic Copyright Year: 2009 ISBN: 0545279755 Grade Level: Early Elementary Type: Reading Book Language: English	PDF: Accessible
	Author(s): Christine Keighery Publisher: Macmillan / McGraw Hill ISBN: 0021926093 Type: Supplemental Book Language: English	PDF: Accessible Nimas RTF HTML ePub Daisy
	Author(s): Richard Sobol Publisher: Scholastic Copyright Year: 2010 ISBN: 0545668972 Grade Level: Early Elementary, Late Elementary Type: Supplemental Book Language: English	PDF: Accessible
	Author(s): Anne S. O'Brien Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Copyright Year: 2004 ISBN: 0618293353 Grade Level: Early Elementary, Late Elementary Type: Supplemental Book	PDF: Accessible Nimas RTF HTML ePub Daisy
	Author(s): Ron Jones Publisher: Random House Copyright Year: 1976 ISBN: 044022702X Grade Level: Late Elementary Type: Reading Book Language: English	PDF: Accessible
	Author(s): James L. Collier Publisher: Unknown Copyright Year: 2000 ISBN: 0769634303 Grade Level: Late Elementary, Middle School Type: Reading Book	PDF: Accessible PDF: Fully Accessible Word ePub
	Author(s): Margaret M. Bruchac, Catherine O'Neill Publisher: National Geographic School Publishing Copyright Year: 2004 ISBN: 0792261399 Grade Level: Middle School Type: Supplemental Book Language: English	PDF: Accessible
	Author(s): Jennine Capo Crucet Publisher: St. Martin's Copyright Year: 2015 ISBN: 1250094550 Grade Level: High School/Young Adult Type: Reading Book Language: English	PDF: Accessible

Have you ever heard or seen the acronyms NIMAS, NIMAC, and AIM and wondered how they apply to you? This AIM-VA Blast will offer a quick overview of what these important acronyms mean, will provide a bit of background information that we hope will help shine some light on how accessible documents came to be and serves as a guidepost for your future accessible design approaches.

NIMAS / NIMAC

In 2004, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act introduced the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and the NIMAC-National Instructional Materials Access Center (a repository with thousands of textbook/instructional material source files for eligible K-12 students). NIMAC offers authorized users access to source files that can be modified to form accessible instructional materials (AIM) to support the needs of students with print disabilities. Unfortunately, even with NIMAS and NIMAC in place, there were still concerns involving document alteration, dissemination, and copyright laws. Some copyright laws were making it difficult and, in some instances, impossible to obtain and modify published works.

MARRAKESH

Later, these issues and others were addressed by a global forum known as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which established a convention known as the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act (MTIA). This treaty was created to help “facilitate access to published works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.” Today, their primary goal remains the same. WIPO’s leadership and contracting partners (over 80 members from all over the globe) have formed guidelines that are focused on the exceptions and limitations of the copyright laws that were blocking individuals, with print disabilities, from accessing published materials (www.wipo.int)

Before the U.S. joined WIPO and began to recognize the MTIA, many individuals with print disabilities could access accessible formats of printed materials because of the existing copyright laws. However, on May 8, 2019, the United States amended its Federal Copyright Law and championed the guiding principle outlined in the MTIA. With these resources available and the laws to back the process, your eligible students now have access to even more resources.

To find out more about the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act and to get answers to commonly asked questions about NIMAS and NIMAC, click the links below.

Marrakesh Treaty
Q & A on NIMAS
NIMAS in IDEA

It’s October and that means pumpkins are everywhere! Let’s take this harvest theme and bring it into our classes for some reading fun!

This month AIM-VA is asking for you to have your students complete this really different book report with a partner or in small groups.

Have students select a book and read it together.

• Have a discussion on the characters of the story.
• Pick one character and create them on a small pie sized pumpkin.
• No need to carve. Just decorate it, paint it, glue things to it, and just get creative!
• Complete one of the accessible book reports.

Pumpkin Book Report 1
Pumpkin Book Report 2

Don’t have a book? Not a problem. Order one for your students from AIM-VA. There is a listing at the end of this article of Halloween books in our library just waiting for you to order!

When finished, display all of your pumpkins beside their books around the classroom so everyone can see. Or make a display in the hallway so everyone in the school can see the fun your class has been having.

You can even send them to AIM-VA! Just email the title of your students’ books, a picture of the pumpkins, and attach the completed book reports by October 30th to: aimva@gmu.edu

We’ll feature them in future AIM-VA Blasts if we have permission!

Books	Formats
Elementary - Middle School
Dinosaurs Before Dark	PDF:Accessible, Braille
Junie B Jones, Boo…and I mean it!	PDF:Accessible
The Hardy Boys #2: The House on the Cliff	PDF:Accessible
The Hardy Boys #44: The Haunted Fort	PDF:Accessible
Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask II	PDF:Accessible
Goosebumps: Zombie School	Braille
Goosebumps: Stay Out of the Basement	Large Print
Goosebumps: Welcome to Camp Nightmare	Large Print
Goosebumps: Escape from Horror House	Braille
Here’s Hank #5: There’s a Zombie in my Bathtub	PDF:Accessible
Pleasing the Ghost	PDF:Accessible, WORD, PDF:Fully Accessible, ePub
Time For Andrew: A Ghost Story	PDF:Accessible, WORD, PDF:Fully Accessible, ePub
The Last Kids on Earth	PDF:Accessible
Summer of the Woods: The Virginia Mysteries Book 1	PDF:Accessible
Midnight Howl	PDF:Accessible
The Dollhouse Murders	PDF:Accessible
Breaking Dawn	Large Print
Half Bad	PDF:Accessible
Haunted House	Braille
The Ghost Cadet	Large Print, PDF:Accessible, WORD, PDF:Fully Accessible, ePub, Braille
Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase	PDF:Accessible, WORD, PDF:Fully Accessible, ePub
The Ghost in Text 19	Braille
The Witch of Blackbird Pond	Braille
The Ghost's Grave	PDF:Accessible
Who Knew There'd Be Ghosts?	Braille
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets	Large Print & PDF:Accessible
Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban	Large Print & PDF:Accessible
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire	Large Print & PDF:Accessible
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix	Large Print
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows	Large Print
House of Dies Drear	Braille
High School/Young Adult
Four Great Plays	PDF:Accessible
Fever 1793	PDF:Accessible, Braille
Dracula	Large Print
Dracula's Guest	Large Print
Macbeth	PDF:Accessible, WORD, PDF:Fully Accessible, Braille
The Round House	PDF:Accessible
Slaughterhouse Five	Large Print, PDF:Accessible, WORD, PDF:Fully Accessible, ePub