tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64504803481696760572024-02-19T09:59:00.802-07:00Youth Services Interest GroupThis Interest Group blog is for Arapahoe Library District staff to discuss services, programs and more related to youth services.Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05342372042746551750noreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-67331087352890879652010-01-07T13:33:00.003-07:002010-01-07T13:59:51.702-07:00[Exits stage left]Happy New Year!<br /><br />After thinking over the holidays about this blog and my other responsibilities, I have decided to put it on hiatus.<br /><br />Instead I will begin to post youth services-related items to the <a href="http://aldprofessionaldevelopmentblog.blogspot.com/">Professional Development</a> blog as I come across resources, issues, trends, and information.<br /><br />I just posted there about <a href="http://aldprofessionaldevelopmentblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/katherine-paterson-is-new-ambassador.html">Katherine Paterson and her great new job</a>!<br /><br />As always, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact one of the youth services librarians!<br /><br />Thank you,<br />Melissa DepperMelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-62695962701755413352009-12-21T08:50:00.000-07:002009-12-21T08:50:00.335-07:00Our Caldecott Short List!Thanks to all the staff who voted off our "long list," we have our final dozen Caldecott Hopefuls. (We were shooting for a list of 10 books, but we just couldn't bear to make that many cuts!)<br /><br />This will be the list for our online poll, which goes live on December 26 on Tales' Treehouse. Voting will continue through January 17. On Monday, January 18, ALA will announce their media awards and we will annouce our winner too! <br /><br />Remember, the Caldecott Committee does not announce a short list. We have no idea which books they are seriously considering these last 6 weeks before making their decision! <br /><br />Last year, there was only one book that received a Medal or Honor sticker that we did NOT have on our online poll: River of Words, by Jen Bryant. How will we do this year? <br /><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1526581">The Lion and the Mouse</a><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1518458">The Curious Garden</a><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1517217">Red Sings from Treetops</a><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1533748">Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11</a> <br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1519615">Tsunami! </a><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1518383">Mermaid Queen</a><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1534991">All the World</a> <br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1525458">Higher! Higher!</a><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1531451">14 Cows for America</a><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1535664">Otis </a><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1535909">Eleanor, Quiet No More: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt</a> <br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1531422">Jeremy Draws a Monster </a>MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-83654068365485642802009-12-18T16:49:00.000-07:002009-12-18T16:49:00.291-07:00Holiday BeatsCheck out this <a href="http://www.zooglobble.com/archives/2009/12/a_sleighload_of_christmasholiday_cd.html">round up of children's holiday music</a> from Zooglobble!MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-12719442108493665382009-12-16T08:12:00.000-07:002009-12-16T08:12:00.419-07:00Finding Blog ReviewsWhen you're looking for commentary or reviews on a particular title, remember you can check our Syndetics information in the webpac to find some reviews published in professional journals, like School Library Journal or Booklist. To find this info, just click on the image of the book cover in the webpac. <br /><br />If you need or want to read further, a quick trick is to Google the title of the book in quotes, followed by the phrase: blog review. <br /><br />I tried that with <a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=b1517217">Red Sings from Treetops</a> like this:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us&q=%22Red+Sings+from+Treetops%22+blog+review&btnG=Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=">"Red Sings from Treetops" blog review</a><br /><br />Out of the first 10 hits, 7 were reviews from mostly major kidlit blogs; 1 was a round-up article from the New York Times that included this book, and the remaining 2 hits were from GoodReads and LibraryThing. Pretty good results! And since bloggers often have more time and space for reviews, they can be longer. <br /><br />This trick works best with recent titles. I tried it with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and got more random results, including merchandising links. A 2009 title without the current buzz of Red Sings from Treetops, City I Love, brought pretty good results as well. They improved when I tried "City I Love" hopkins blog review--adding in the author's name to the Google search.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-11814395993810006392009-12-10T14:34:00.000-07:002009-12-10T14:34:00.424-07:00Best of the Best for 2009Don't miss <a href="http://kidsite.arapahoelibraries.org/go2.cfm?pid=4342">this round up </a>from Alyson in Tales' Treehouse, with links to some of the year-end best-of-the-best lists for children's literature. <br /><br />If you're desperate for even more, the Chicken Spaghetti blog has <a href="http://chickenspaghetti.typepad.com/chicken_spaghetti/best-kids-books-09.html">an extensive list</a>, too.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-41268554117030908072009-12-07T14:20:00.003-07:002009-12-07T14:34:05.159-07:00Aesop PrizeEvery year the Children's Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society selects books for their <a href="http://www.afsnet.org/sections/children/">Aesop Prize</a>. This award looks for great folk stories that are respectful of the culture of the people who tell the story as well as being well documented for sources and annotations. <br /><br />In other words, this is a great list to share with teachers who are looking for materials to use in their classrooms with various units of study, since you know the stories on this list will be authentic, respectful, and well documented. <br /><br />There are three winners this year! <br /><br /><a href="http://aspen.ald.lib.co.us/record=bB1507434">Dance, Nana, Dance</a> (Baila, Nana, Baila). By Joe Hayes, Illustrated by Mauricio Trenard Sayago. Cinco Puntos Press, 2008.<br /><br /><blockquote>This colorful bilingual anthology of thirteen Cuban folktales has sabor, the flavor of the Caribbean, bringing the rich mixture of Spanish, African, and American influences to his readers. Cuban folkloric wisdom and wit fill these pages. There is a rhythmic quality to the linguistic expression in both the English and Spanish narratives, reminiscent of the importance of rhythm in the Cuban way of life. </blockquote> <br /><br />The Kalevala: Tales of Magic and Adventure. Adapted by Kirsti M�kinen. Illustrated by Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin. Translated by Kaarina Brooks. Simply Read Books, 2009.<br /><br /><blockquote>The Kalevala, the national epic poem of Finland, is presented in a hefty, lavishly illustrated prose narrative of twenty chapters, interspersed with poetic sidebars providing a more literal sense of the poetic form of the original. The narrative structure closely follows the fifty cantos, or runes, of Elias Lönnrot’s 1849 edition, which he pieced together from thousands of variant folk poems into a single epic format. This new prose edition, translated from the Finnish, makes the classic work available to a new generation of English-speaking older children and young adults, recommended for ages 10 and up. The richly detailed illustrations draw heavily on authentic artifacts of traditional Finnish material culture to give visual clarity to unfamiliar details of the tale.</blockquote> <br /><br />Naupaka. By Nona Beamer. Illustrated by Caren Ke’ala Loebel-Fried. Translation from the Hawai’ian by Kaliko Beamer-Trapp. Music by Keola Beamer. Bishop Museum Press, 2008. (Includes audio CD).<br /><br /><blockquote>Nona Beamer, an iconic figure of the Hawaiian cultural renaissance, skillfully retells the locally well-known legend of Naupaka, artfully enhanced by Caren Loebel-Fried’s stunning block print illustrations. The picture book, presented bilingually with parallel English and Hawaiian texts on the same page, tells of two lovers kept apart by the rigid strictures of traditional pre-contact Hawaiian social structure. Naupaka, a princess or member of the ruling ali’i class, falls in love with a commoner, Kau’i. Her parents tell her to consult the kúpuna, the village elders, to determine the lovers’ fate. They refer the decision to a distant kahuna, a religious leader, who defers to the judgment of the gods. When a lightning bolt signals that the lovers must be parted, they sorrowfully concur, with Naupaka remaining in the mountains and Kau’i returning to the seashore. The tale is told to explain the origin of two varieties of scaveola, a flowering plant known in Hawai’i as naupaka. An indigenous variety grows on the coast, in Hawai’i and elsewhere, while the mountainous variety is endemic, found only in Hawai’i. Each bears a white half-blossom, signifying the parting of the lovers.</blockquote>MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-59138499784937980182009-12-03T13:06:00.000-07:002009-12-03T13:06:00.324-07:00National Book Award WinnersThe National Book Award Winners were announced this month! They have a Young People's Literature category--it usually skews very YA, and this year is no exception. <br /><br />Winner: <br />Phillip Hoose, Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice <br /><br />Finalists: <br />Deborah Heiligman, Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith <br />David Small, Stitches <br />Laini Taylor, Lips Touch: Three Times <br />Rita Williams-Garcia, Jumped <br /> <br />All the books look like excellent choices for older teens. <strong>Claudette Colvin</strong> tells the story of the black teenager who was arrested for not giving up her seat to a white person--months BEFORE Rosa Parks did the same thing. <br /><br /><strong>Charles and Emma</strong> looks at Charles Darwin's process of writing The Origin of Species from a new angle: how his beloved wife's Emma's Christian faith affected how he wrote about his ideas. <br /><br /><strong>Stitches</strong> is a little controversial on this list because it was released as an adult title, not a YA; some people felt it was promoted as a YA book to the NBA committees because as a graphic novel, it had a better chance of winning in the Young People's category. The fact remains that it is a hard-hitting account of children's illustrator David Small's difficult childhood and emancipation as a young teen. <br /><br /><strong>Lips Touch</strong> is not yet in Prospector, but you can get it at Douglas County. 3 novellas, linked by their fantasy genre and their shared kissing motif. I stayed up way too late reading them.<br /><br /><strong>Jumped </strong>is a story about teen girl violence and the decisions that go into standing up--or not--to a bully. One girl decides to beat up another after school, and a third overhears. Should she warn the second girl? Should she get involved?MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-66132217688971235972009-11-30T16:38:00.001-07:002009-11-30T16:43:03.510-07:00CAL Session November 20I attended a CAL session called:<br />School Liaisons - Building A Partnership Between A Public Library and A School District<br />Presenter: Priscilla Queen, Douglas County Libraries<br />This was a very good boost for me as ALD has been trying to build relationships with schools for many years.<br />November 2008 the bond issues on the ballot for the Douglas County Schools and for the Douglas County Libraries failed. That crisis sent the schools and the public libraries looking for ways to make the most of the money each had. Priscilla Queen the Literacy Specialist at DCPL and Patrick, a technical services person with the Douglas County schools began meeting to find out how a partnership would be beneficial for each of their institutions.<br />After getting input by teachers and school personnel, they worked together to identify the most needed databases. At first the vendors insisted that the schools and the public library should each have their own licenses. But when Priscilla and Patrick explained close cooperation between the school and the library was essential, most companies were happy to have them as a single customer. <br />The school district was eventually able to connect directly to the IP addresses of all the library public computers . When the kids were working at school, they did not even need to use their library card barcodes to access the public library databases.<br />Priscilla assigned a librarian or paraprofessional at each branch to be the Library Liaison to each school in the Douglas County system. They received training and suggestions as to ways to contact people in their schools, and what they should bring to the attention of the school personnel. A monthly contact with the school through phone or email was the starting point. This was an excellent opportunity to remind students and teachers of the Homework Help connections available to students through the library website.<br />She also saw this as a great opportunity to refresh the call for Assignment Alerts from teachers so libraries could learn of assignments before the kids did and better serve the students. A direct email connection between the school and the Library Liaison made this easier for the teachers.<br />Priscilla already had a volunteer group she was working with called Spellbinders who told stories to groups at the libraries and schools. Now their visits can be set up through the Library Liaisons in each branch.<br />Many more advantages were realized by both the schools and the libraries once an individual from each institution was cooperating to mutual advantage. They see no end to the benefits that will be forthcoming.I sat next to a friend who is the Librarian at Lois Lenski Elementary School in the Littleton Public Schools. She has been working with librarians at Koelbel Library for many years. She got quite excited about the progress reported by Patrick and Priscilla and said she is now in a position to facilitate a better partnership with the Arapahoe Library District for LPS. <br />She asked who she should contact in the Arapahoe Library District to see how to strengthen and formalize the school outreach relationship. I told her that I would get back to her with the name of a person she can contact in ALD. I still am not sure exactly who that will be.<br />Virginia Brace, Youth Services LibrarianVirginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05342372042746551750noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-50046506709585845202009-11-30T09:30:00.000-07:002009-11-30T09:30:00.425-07:00Beyond the NewberyFYI, I'm teaching a class next week about children's and young adult literature awards. It's held on Wednesday, December 9 at Support Services. It's a fun class, and if you can't squeeze into this month's session, it is offered again on February 17, 2010.<br /><br />Award lists are great readers' advisory tools. Here's the course objectives:<br /><br />By the end of the training the learner will:<br />1. Be familiar with awards for fiction, picture books, non-fiction, poetry, and media <br />2. Be able to use award lists for professional development, collection development, reader’s advisory, and promotion <br />3. Be able to deal with issues regarding purpose, authority, inclusion, eligibility, quality, and availability <br />4. Be knowledgeable of booktalks of recent award winners <br />5. Be able to demonstrate how s/he can utilize useful resourcesMelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-78005612977864914372009-11-27T12:56:00.001-07:002009-11-27T12:59:19.587-07:00Them's Fightin' WordsAny Twilight lovers willing to take this on? <br /><br /><blockquote>All the flaws of Stephenie Meyer’s novel — the redefinition of conflict as prolonged miscommunication, the romanticization of obsession over affection, the passing off of incident as plot — are laid bare in this self-indulgent cinematic adaptation. </blockquote><br /><br /><em>Claire E. Gross is associate editor of the Horn Book Magazine. This quote is from her review of New Moon, which you can read <a href="http://www.hbook.com/resources/films/newmoon.asp">here</a>.</em>.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-50784658210882665352009-11-07T10:10:00.000-07:002009-11-07T10:10:00.607-07:00Evaluating Folk TalesThe School of Education at The University of Arizona has a cool blog called <a href="http://wowlit.org/blog/">Worlds of Words: Currents</a>, with very thoughtful posts on children's and teen literature. In September they did a super series about evaluating <a href="http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/09/">fairy tales for cultural accuracy</a>.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-22038968472530114282009-11-03T09:17:00.000-07:002009-11-03T09:17:00.797-07:00Heavy MedalWell, it's November, and for some of us that means serious Oscar season, but for me, it means it's time to get in gear and read a bunch of Newbery contenders! <br /><br />I try to keep on top of the <a href="http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/560000656.html">Heavy Medal blog</a> over at School Library Journal. Two bloggers, Jonathan Hunt and Nina Lindsay, sound off on what they're reading, what should win, what the Newbery rules are, all sorts of things. Jonathan is particularly opinionated which makes for pretty lively discussions in the comments. <br /><br />The Allen County Public Library has a vibrant Mock Awards program. Their <a href="http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/children/newbery_current.html">reading lists</a> are a great place to start if you're curious about what's getting that awards buzz so far. <br /><br />There's talk it's a really strong year for nonfiction with titles like Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice, Moonshot, Almost Astronauts, and Charles and Emma rising to the top. <br /><br />What did you love this year?MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-23222868668558790872009-10-31T09:00:00.000-06:002009-10-31T09:00:00.132-06:00Happy Halloween!A children's literature costume round up in honor of the holiday:<br /><br />From <a href="http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3750398">Scholastic</a>: Captain Underpants, Angelina Ballerina, Thing 1 and Thing 2, Very Hungry Caterpillar, Little Miss Spider, and a Wild Thing.<br /><br /><a href="http://childlitbookclub.blogspot.com/2008/10/happy-halloween-from-pigeon.html">The Pigeon </a>goes trick-or-treating!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kated/3345099995/">Wild Thing! </a>(Actually, Max.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com/coolest-homemade-thomas-and-friends-costumes-23.html">Thomas and friends</a> rolling along.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com/coolest-man-in-the-yellow-hat-from-curious-george-costume-2.html">Man in the Yellow Hat</a>, dude.<br /><br /><a href="http://familycrafts.about.com/od/charactercostumes/ig/Famous-Character-Costumes/Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom-Costum.-P9F.htm">Chicka Chicka...Boom Boom!</a><br /><br /><a href="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.46068802.jpg">Fancy Nancies!</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_15&listing_id=15258842#">Complete with mice?</a><br /><br />Plus <a href="http://www.stretcher.com/stories/09/09sep28d.cfm#">a helpful article</a> about building your own storybook costume. <br /><br />But my absolute fave isn't from a book, but from a videogame. Yup, it's <a href="http://www.happyseamstress.com/">a knitted baby Link outfit</a>.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-38459850467961391632009-10-29T16:36:00.000-06:002009-10-29T16:36:00.854-06:00Memory Box for StorytimeWe're almost done with our Narrative Skills month, but I wanted to tell you about a great idea I came across--maybe you can use it the next time we do Narrative Skills in storytime! <br /><br />Abby Librarian is a 20-something children's librarian who keeps a great blog. Recently she posted about how she uses <a href="http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/09/memory-box.html">a Memory Box</a> in storytime. <br /><blockquote>Each week we find a small object that appears somewhere in one of our storytime books. At the beginning of the storytime we ask kids to guess what's in the box and give them hints until someone guesses it. We ask them to be good listeners and good watchers and let us know when they see the object in one of our stories.</blockquote><br /><blockquote>Here are a few examples of Memory Box items we've used:<br /><br />A small plastic pig to go with the book Bark, George!<br />An envelope to go with I Am Invited to a Party!<br />A pie (made out of felt) to go with All for Pie, Pie for All<br />A kite to go with AlphaOops!: The Day Z Went First</blockquote><br />What a neat idea!MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-28423820602152595392009-10-25T14:38:00.000-06:002009-10-25T14:38:00.357-06:00Narrative SkillsWe still have a week left in October, and our skill of the month is Narrative Skills!<br /><br />Narrative Skills include describing things and events, telling stories, knowing the order of events (sequencing), and making predictions (what might happen next). <br /><br />Here are some ideas for promoting this skill in your storytimes:<br /><br /><ul><li>Talk with the children before and after storytime.</li><br /><li>Talk with the children about your theme for the day: What do you need for a birthday party? What would you take on a picnic? What would you wear if it were a cold, snowy day?</li><br /><li>Read a story and follow it with a puppet show (simply, so the children can retell the story at home with their stuffed animals).</li><br /><li>Share stories with a sequence.</li><br /><li>Invite the children and parents to repeat repetitive phrases.</li><br /><li>Have children help act out a story or nursery rhyme: Little Miss Muffet, Caps for Sale, etc.</li><br /><li>Share familiar fairy tales: Three Pigs, Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Little Red Hen, The Three Bears, etc.</li><br /><li>Share Mother Goose rhymes, story poems, fingerplays, and action rhymes.</li><br /><li>Some illustrations lend themselves to a dialogue with the children: What the Sea Saw by Stephanie St. Pierre is a joyous celebration of the sea and the shore with realistic, large pictures that make it perfect for sharing.</ul></li>MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-34425558845761203002009-10-23T14:42:00.000-06:002009-10-23T14:42:00.278-06:00More Fall MoviesWhere the Wild Things Are isn't the only movie based on a book to come out this fall! Cirque du Freak is out today! <br /><br />Here are a few more movies of interest to children and teens: <br /> <br />October 23: <a href="http://www.thevampiresassistant.net/">Cirque du Freak</a>. Who's read this? I keep meaning to but have never gotten to it yet. The whole series is pretty much checked out, but I don't know if that's because of the movie, or if it's been popular all along. (The first book came out in 2001.) We also have the first volume redone as manga, in our YA Graphic Novel Collection!<br /><br />November 6: <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/achristmascarol/">Disney's A Christmas Carol.</a> This story is all over the place in our collection, and Barbie and Sesame Street and the Flintstones and who knows who else all have their take! Many copies are in J, but if you're out and someone needs it, there are some books in adult fiction, too. <br /><br />November 6: <a href="http://www.weareallprecious.com/">Precious</a> is based on the novel Push, by Sapphire, which is in our adult fiction collection, but since it's about a teenage girl, there is crossover appeal to YAs. <br /><br />November 13: <a href="http://www.fantasticmrfoxmovie.com/">Fantastic Mr. Fox</a> I haven't read the book! I don't know the gossip about the movie! Anyone want to jump in here and save me? All I have is <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-mrfox11-2009oct11,0,1982318.story?page=1">this LA Times article.</a> It's stop-motion, not 3D, and has tons of big voice names. Are you going to see it?<br /><br />November 20: Ah, yes. A little picture based on a small book: <a href="http://www.twilightthemovie.com/">New Moon</a>. Fanboys and girls, it's time to speak up, because at this rate, I am never going to read the books or see the movies! Who's seen them? Who's going to this one? <br /><br />November 25: <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/">Disney's Princess and the Frog</a>. Okay, there's a lot of these stories out there--the search "(prince or princess) and juvenile and frog" brings back 45 items in J FIC, folktales, and picture books. This movie is noteworthy because it is a traditional 2D animation from Disney, and because it is the studio's first black princess. There is much discussion going on! Here's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/fashion/31disney.html?_r=1">an article from the NY Times</a>, from May, and <a href="http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2009/09/24/princess-and-the-frog-controversy/">one from Moviefone</a>, in September, for a quick overview of what people are saying. (My favorite comment, from the NYT: "We finally get a black princess and she spends the majority of her time on screen as a frog?") <br /><br />December 11: <a href="http://www.lovelybones.com/">The Lovely Bones</a>. Again, not a YA title, but one lots of high school girls have read. I think I'm one of the fourteen people who have not yet read this. But it's directed by Peter Jackson, so there is tons of buzz and Oscar speculation already, even though it's not out for another 2 months! <br /><br />December 25: <a href="http://sherlock-holmes-movie.warnerbros.com/">Holmes</a>. People are going to say Guy Ritchie is playing pretty fast and loose with the Holmes character, although 1) Ritchie has said, "There's quite a lot of intense action sequences in the stories, [and] sometimes that hasn't been reflected in the movies," and 2) people have been playing pretty fast and loose with Holmes since he was first written. Books are all over our collection ("Sherlock Holmes" as a keyword = 208 items), though what's in J is usually adaptations.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-23100021320599371292009-10-21T14:28:00.002-06:002009-10-21T14:28:00.542-06:00StorybirdLast week at Staff Day I had a chance to introduce a few staff to <a href="http://www.storybird.com">Storybird</a>, but I love it so much I wanted everyone to know about it! <br /><br />Storybird is a storytelling Web 2.0 experience accessible to the youngest kids. On Storybird, you can create your own stories using tons of great pictures from amazing artists. You just click and drag images onto your storyboard, and type in your text. You can make them as long or as short as you like, and if you want, you can post them to the site for everyone to see. You can read other people's Storybirds too!<br /><br />You can make a story without logging in, but if you create an account you can do the coolest thing: send an email invitation to someone else you know, who can then add their own parts to your story! The Storybirds are saved online at the site. <br /><br />I created a story with my 5 year old nephew in Chicago. I started a story, then emailed the invite to my sister. She got it opened up, showed my nephew how to click and drag and start a new page, and typed in what he dictated. They did a few pages--he did all the clicking and adding--and sent it back to me! We each took a few turns and had a great time. <br /><br />I think it's an awesome experience, totally age-appropriate to older preschoolers and up. It's very fun, satisfying, and builds language skills like crazy! <br /><br />It will always be free to make and save a Storybird, but premium, paid features are on the way, including printing your completed stories.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-23685913154155222272009-10-19T14:22:00.000-06:002009-10-19T14:22:00.730-06:00Tomas Rivera AwardI am so late to the party, since <a href="http://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/">Hispanic American Heritage Month</a> ended on Thursday, but here's <a href="http://www.education.txstate.edu/departments/Tomas-Rivera-Book-Award-Project-Link/Winners/2009-winners.html">the winners of this year's Tomas Rivera Award.</a> This award is specifically for authors and illustrators who write about and show the Mexican-American experience in their works.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-46353828711202889092009-10-17T13:53:00.002-06:002009-10-17T13:53:00.529-06:00Amie's Storytime Links!Amie Richter shared the following links at the last Storytime Practicum, and agreed to let me post them here so everyone has access! Thanks Amie for gathering these resources and sharing them with us. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Storytime Theme Ideas</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.perrypubliclibrary.org/Kids/Programs/storytime_themes.htm">Perry Public Library Storytime Themes</a><br /><a href="http://bayviews.org./storytime.html">The Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California Storytime Ideas</a><br /><a href="http://prekfun.com/">Pre-K Fun</a><br />Susan M. Dailey's <a href="http://susanmdailey.com/stfavorites.html">Favorite Sites</a><br />Wilma Flanagan's <a href="http://geocities.com/mystorytime/">It's Storytime</a><br /><a href="http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/other.asp">StoryPlace Pre-school Library</a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Printables and Activities</span><br /><br /><a href="http://makinglearningfun.com/">Making Learning Fun</a><br />Harper Collins Children's <a href="http://icanread.com/activities/downloadables.cfm">I Can Read</a><br /><a href="http://vrac-coloriages.net/english/coloring_pages.html">VRAC Coloriages</a> (character coloring pages)<br /><a href="http://dltk-kids.com/coloring.htm">DLTK's Crafts for Kids Coloring Pages</a><br /><a href="http://www.kiwimagonline.com/kiwikids/index.php">Kiwi Magazine KiwiKids</a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Holidays, Songs, Book Sites<span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://holidayinsights.com/">Holiday Insights</a> Holidays<br /><a href="http://kididdles.com/lyrics/alpha.html">Kididdles</a> Songs <br /><a href="http://www.guysread.com">Guys Read</a> Good boy books<br /><a href="http://arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx">AR Bookfinder</a> Accelerated Reader ListMelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-10433263902468704542009-10-16T14:04:00.006-06:002009-10-16T14:22:27.093-06:00Where the Wild Things AreSo are you going to the movie, or keeping your book experience unsullied by film? <br /><br />Alyson gave us <a href="http://aldyouthservicesig.blogspot.com/2009/06/where-wild-things-are.html">her take</a> back in June, when we also <a href="http://aldyouthservicesig.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-about-wild-things.html">posted some links</a> to interviews and blogs, including <a href="http://www.terribleyelloweyes.com">Terrible Yellow Eyes</a>, with awesome Wild Thing tribute art!<br /><br />And here's a blog that has gathered some <a href="http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/2009/10/where-the-wild-things-are-crafts-treats.html">cute Wild Things craft/art ideas</a>. <br /><br />Here's a <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/216997/page/1">fresh interview from Newsweek</a> last week with both Jonze and Sendak. <br /><br />One snippet from it to get you started! <br /><blockquote><span style="font-style:italic;">What do you say to parents who think the Wild Things film may be too scary?</span><br />Sendak: I would tell them to go to hell. That's a question I will not tolerate.</blockquote>MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-20003612108441508292009-10-14T14:57:00.001-06:002009-10-14T14:58:46.165-06:00A New Storytime SongHee hee. <br /><br />Thanks to Bridget, who sent me the link to <a href="http://shelf-life.ew.com/2009/10/13/jim-dale-cellphone-song/ ">Jim Dale's Cellphone Song</a>.MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-17009497918419850422009-10-05T09:27:00.001-06:002009-10-05T09:27:00.167-06:00New PoohAre you cheering or jeering over the new Winnie the Pooh adventure? Return <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Return-Hundred-Acre-David-Benedictus/dp/0525421602/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254504770&sr=1-1">to the Hundred Acre Wood</a>, the first authorized sequel to the original Milne books, is being released today!<br /><br />The author is David Benedictus, who made 2 adaptations of the original books for audio. They are illustrated by Mark Burgess, a children's book illustrator, working in what looks very much like the Shepard style. <br /><br />"The first Pooh book in 80 years?" you say. "What was all the Disney stuff, chopped liver?" Disney bought the television, film, and merchandising rights in 1961, but the Milne estate retained the rights to sequels. I'm not really clear myself on the difference, but my guess is that all those Disney books are considered "merchandising" of the various film and TV characters. <br /><br />And speaking of characters, the new book will introduce a new friend to the Wood: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8283255.stm">Lottie the Otter</a>. Are we ready for this? :)MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-30085211871014498072009-10-02T10:34:00.004-06:002009-10-02T11:26:30.669-06:00Banned Books WeekDid you have a good <a href="http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/">Banned Books Week</a>? <br /><br />Did you get a chance to see Ellen Hopkins' <a href="http://bannedbooksweek.org/BBWManifesto.pdf">Manifesto poster</a>? It's very moving, especially if you consider <a href="http://www.ncac.org/Kids-Right-to-Read-Project-Interview-with-Ellen-Hopkins-author-of-the-Banned-Book-Week-Manifesto">her struggles with challenges</a> to her own books which deal explicitly with tough issues. (see: Crank, Glass, Tricks, eg) <br /><br />However, Joe posted a great link over on the Professional Development blog that I'm stealing for here! The Wall Street Journal writes, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204518504574420882837440304.html">Finding Censorship Where There is None</a>, and asks, "Why do parents' public petitions constitute censorship, while librarians' hidden verdicts do not?" <br /><br />Are you ready? Here's a <a href="http://www.creativeanomalies.com/blog/2009/10/01/on-banned-books-and-censorship/">response to the WSJ article</a>, from the blog Creative Anomalies. They tackle why the parents' petitions to remove books are considered censorship: "Parents may determine what their own children read, but they do not now and never have had the ability to make the choice for any other parent."<br /><br />But the CA post doesn't address that "hidden verdict" issue. The truth is that some librarians, being human beings and all, do have biases and sometimes do use selection policies consciously or unconsciously to keep certain books out of their collections. And yes, WSJ, when that happens, they are censors too. But the truth is also that many librarians are actively working to put all kinds of books ONTO their shelves, while working within constraints of budget and space and also respond to their specific community's needs. <br /><br />If you've never read the classic "<a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/basics/notcensorship.cfm#">Not Censorship but Selection</a>" by Lester Asheim, or if (like me) you haven't read it for years, it's worth the time. He says, <blockquote>The aim of the selector is to promote reading, not to inhibit it; to multiply the points of view which will find expression, not limit them; to be a channel for communication, not a bar against it. In a sense, perhaps, it could be said that the librarian is interfering with the freedom to read whenever he fails to make some book available. But viewed realistically, the librarian is promoting the freedom to read by making as accessible as possible as many things as he can, and his selection is more likely to be in the direction of stimulating controversy and introducing innovation than in suppressing the new and perpetuating the stereotype.</blockquote><br />Happy Banned Books Week!MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-16308732595343502132009-09-28T13:18:00.001-06:002009-09-28T13:18:00.211-06:00CLEL NewsI apologize for having a slow month for YSIG posts! I have been very busy with projects for Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy, but will get back up to speed in a few days. <br /><br />Some of those projects:<br /><br />CLEL has a fresh look for <a href="http://www.clel.org">our website</a>! We are trying to gather as many resources for early literacy programs and services as we can. Please visit & tell me what is missing, so we can add what you need!<br /><br />We've also added <a href="http://www.clel.org/blog">a blog</a>. I know, I know: <em>another</em> blog. We're hoping to point towards national early literacy news and reports along with spotlighting early literacy programs and services in Colorado libraries. As we get going there will also be best practices and tips, book reviews, and other bits and pieces. <br /><br />We've created a <a href="http://www.hs.facebook.com/pages/Colorado-Libraries-for-Early-Literacy-CLEL/130804249882">Facebook page</a> and started <a href="http://twitter.com/CLELorg">Twittering</a>. <br /><br />Hope to see you around! :)MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6450480348169676057.post-78584579178583512812009-09-27T13:38:00.002-06:002009-09-27T13:42:06.153-06:00The Exquisite Corpse Begins!Here's an announcement! <br /><br />"The US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and author Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tale, Time Warp Trio, among others), is the first of what will be a number of noted authors to write a serial adventure story for publication by the Library of Congress ' new <a href="http://read.gov">read.gov</a> website. <br /><br />Co-sponsored by the Library's Center for the Book and the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is a free online serial targeted to kids and families. <br /><br />The initial installment will launch at the Library of Congress' National Book Festival , on Saturday, September 26, 2009. <br /><br />Other authors and illustrators that will contribute to The Exquisite Corpse Adventure include M.T. Anderson, Natalie Babbitt, Calef Brown, Susan Cooper, Kate Di Camillo, Nikki Grimes, Shannon Hale, Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), Steven Kellogg, Gregory Maguire, Megan McDonald, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, James Ransome and Chris Van Dusen."MelissaZDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14369351928572856256noreply@blogger.com1