CEO, July 17, 2008

Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 318, July 17, 2008

http://www.west-bendlibrary.org/mwflskids.htm
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com/

In this issue:
· Ruhama’s Reviews
· America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2008
· A Golden Exhibit
· Cultivating Readers/Cultivando el hábito de la lectura Brochure
· Lois Lenski Covey Foundation Grants
· Events This Week and Next
· Dates to Remember
· Website Faves
· And Finally…….


RUHAMA’S REVIEWS

Rash by Pete Hautman
http://tinyurl.com/5vrnak

Far, far into the future, safety precautions have become so prevalent that it's not longer the USA, but the USSA: United Safety States of America. Bo, our 16 year old hero, can't imagine running without all the protective equipment, being able to drive (you can't until you're 26) and eating French fries. Despite the drugs, trial system and penalties, though, Bo and the males of his family have anger management issues. Both his father and brother are in prison work camps, and Bo isn't too far behind, especially since Karhlos is making the moves on Bo's girlfriend. Things come to a head and Bo is sentenced to work at a pizza labor camp in the far north (Canada), where he joins the assembly line to make frozen pizzas. He does get a chance to reduce his sentence, though, when the Hammer (head boss) recruits him for the secret football team. But can their team prove themselves worthy of time off for good behavior?

Hautman has created another unique look at a possible future: what if we decided that being safe is better than anything else we hold near and dear? Bo's gramps is a bit of a holdover from the last millennium, and spends much of the book reminiscing about how it used to be, when you could drink beer, run without helmets, kneepads and spongy tracks and hunt for wild animals, and he provides the balance to Bo's perspective that all these safety measures are for humankind's own good. This also would provide great discussion of how much should the government control peoples' lives and well being? The title comes into play with the psychological effect someone can have on a group of people--Bo sarcastically claims to have caused a rash on Karhlos, and soon the whole school believes they have the rash, too. Bo has to be removed for the students' own good, and gets sent to the work camp. Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it would be great for a teen book group.


AMERICA’S CHILDREN IN BRIEF: KEY NATIONAL INDICATORS OF WELL-BEING 2008

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008. The annual report profiles the status of the nation's children and youth, presenting up-to-date federal statistics in one convenient reference. The National Center for Education Statistics in the Institute of Education Sciences is one of the 22 federal agencies that participate in the Forum and contribute to the report. The report documents that mathematics and reading scores of fourth and eighth graders have increased, but shows as well that the adolescent birth rate and the proportion of infants born at low birthweight have also risen. The report also includes indicators on child poverty, health care, housing, and at-risk behavior.

You can view, download, and print the report at http://www.childstats.gov/


A GOLDEN EXHIBIT

Remember those cute, colorful illustrations of Tootle the Train, Scuffy the Tugboat, and The Pokey Little Puppy? Well, you’ll be able to see them and other original artwork from Little Golden Books during an ongoing exhibit at New York’s Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) http://cmom.org/.

On display until August 28, Golden Legacy: Original Art from 65 Years of Golden Books features 60 illustrations and sketches—the most extensive public showing of art from the popular picture book series, which was launched in 1942 at 25 cents each.

Curated by Golden Books’ editorial director, Diane Muldrow, and children’s book historian Leonard S. Marcus, the exhibit boasts works from some of the most famous names in children’s literature, including Gustaf Tenggren, Hilary Knight, and Richard Scarry.

“I had about 20 or so Little Golden Books, and I would line them all up with the gold binding on the outside,” says Marcus, author of Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children’s Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon Along the Way (Golden Books, 2007). “At one point, as a child, I thought it was real gold! It was like having my very own block of gold, my own treasure.”

Marcus says his interest in Golden Books stemmed from the fact that they were initially ignored by librarians and the literacy world. Not so any more. Andrew Ackerman, executive director of the Children’s Museum, says he expects the exhibit to draw generations of loyal followers. “Grandparents, parents, and children will all be able to look at and recall these pictures together,” he says. (By Amrisa Niranjan -- School Library Journal, 7/9/2008, SLJ’s Extra Helping)


CULTIVATING READERS/CULTIVANDO EL HÁBITO DE LA LECTURA BROCHURE

The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) has released a new resource printed in Spanish in conjunction with El día de los Niños, the holiday that recognizes children as the center of the Latino family. The publication, Cultivating Readers or Cultivando el hábito de la lectura, provides activities for parents to support their child's literacy, language and reading skills. NCFL thinks the resource will increase school readiness for infants and toddlers, preschoolers and students from kindergarten through third grade.

The brochure gives some practical advice for parents to help in the development of their children's abilities. It is divided into sections so as to promote different kinds of habits for different age groups, 0-2, 3-5, and 6-8. It also includes a glossary of terms related to reading such as text comprehension, print awareness, phonemic awareness and more. Have some available as a handout for parents.

Go to http://www.famlit.org/site/c.gtJWJdMQIsE/b.3485129 for more information and to download the Cultivating Readers brochure in both English and Spanish.


LOIS LENSKI COVEY FOUNDATION GRANTS

The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Inc. is a charitable institute whose purpose is to assist organizations in their efforts to provide books to children who might otherwise lack access to children's literature. Lois Lenski, the 1946 Newbery medalist for Strawberry Girl, had a life-long concern that good books be available to all children. In pursuit of this goal, she established a foundation to provide grants to public libraries, school libraries, and non-profit agencies serving disadvantaged populations.

The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Inc. annually awards grants to rural and urban, public and school libraries serving at-risk children. The Foundation gives priority to applications from libraries and agencies with real need and limited book budgets. Funds are earmarked for purchasing books for young people, and are not intended for administrative or operational use. Previously awarded grants have ranged from $500 to $3000. Successful applicants have proposed purchases to update their children's book collections generally or to expand their holdings in specific areas.

An application form for the year 2008 downloaded in pdf by going to http://www.loislenskicovey.org/GrantApp2008.PDF. To qualify for year 2008 grants, completed application forms must be received no later than September 15, 2008. Grants will be awarded on December 15, 2008.


EVENTS THIS WEEK

Thursday, July 17
Canada's Parks Day
National Get Out of the Doghouse Day
Disneyland opens in 1955
National Peach Ice Cream Day
POW-MIA Recognition Day
Wrong Way Day

Friday, July 18
Phonograph Birthday
Sidewalk Frying Day
Cow Appreciation Day
National Ice Cream Day
National Caviar Day
Railroad Day

Saturday, July 19
Stick Out Your Tongue Day
Flight Attendant Safety Professionals Day
New Friends Day

Sunday, July 20
Moon Day (to clarify, Armstrong and Aldrin land on moon in 1969)
Chess Day
Ice Cream Soda Day
National Lollipop Day
National Nap Day
Sundae Sunday
National Tapioca Pudding Day

Monday, July 21
National Junk Food Day
National Tug-Of-War Tournament Day
National Creme Brulee Day
Make a Scarecrow Day
Cousins Day

Tuesday, July22
Lion's Share Day
Maple Syrup Day
Summer Leisure Day
Pied Piper of Hamelin Day

Wednesday, July 23
Mosquito Day
National Vanilla Ice Cream Day
Hot Enough For Ya Day


DATES TO REMEMBER

July 20 Riverport Chorus performs in Kenosha at Flower and Garden Festival, 3 PM
July 30 MWFLS Battle of the Books, Whitewater
November 4-7 WLA Conference, Middleton


WEBSITE FAVES

Animal Bytes
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/index.html

Teachers and students will be happy to find Animal Bytes. It offers information and a host of multimedia files on amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects that will support students reading, writing, and science skills. The animal records include quick facts (class, order, family, genera, species, etc.), fun facts, articles, photos, sounds, videos, iZoofari Chats (interviews with zoo workers), and more. Visitors to the site can also find descriptions of animal classifications, habitats and ecosystems, and where animals are found geographically including interactive maps and blogs. The texts include hyperlinks to the Zoo Glossary. Teachers will want to click on the “Education” link at the top of the page and scroll down to find the link to curricular materials such as Wildlife Wizards, Butterflies, and the Lifestyle of the Komodo Dragon, and classroom activities that cover a variety of topics. All materials include a suggested grade level. (Education World Site Reviews, 7/11/08)


Sound Junction
http://www.soundjunction.org/default.aspa

SoundJunction is a great multimedia site for anyone to learn about music. The content is divided into seven major sections where users can access interactive games, musical excerpts, interviews and videos to explore music, see how it works, learn about musicians, and of course listen to music. For the would-be composer there is a Composer Tool that allows users to create their own compositions. Navigating the site in Journey mode allows users to track their progress and suggest further steps or use the Learning trail forum for some step-by-step trails on particular subjects and issues. Music educators will find an enormous free music resource with around 1,000 pages of information and activities as well as curriculum materials such as packets of lesson plans, ideas for using the site with students, quick links for learning how to use features the site, and a forum for sharing learning ideas. This is one to bookmark for further exploration! (Education World Site Reviews, 7/11/08)


50 Best Ever Summer Holiday Books
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/06/21/nosplit/bohols.xml

This 2008 listing of summer reading suggestions "encompasses ancient and modern, fiction and non-fiction. All they have in common is that we're confident that if you take any one of these on holiday, you are in for a huge treat." Includes links to related lists of the best new books (UK publishers) and celebrity book picks. From the British newspaper The Telegraph. (Copyright 2008 by Librarians' Internet Index, 7/17/08)


AND FINALLY…………..

Congratulations to the Burlington Public Library, celebrating their 100th anniversary tomorrow!