Children’s
Event
Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
ISSUE 350!
October 29, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
One World, Many Stories
9th Annual International Children and Young Adult Literature Celebration
YSS Book Discussion at WLA
2011 Storywagon Schedule
Events This Week
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
How to Grow Up and Rule the World by Vordak the Incomprehensible
http://tinyurl.com/23plwy5
For anyone needing a handbook about ruling the world, hand them this tome of wisdom! Vordak the Incomprehensible has retired from being the Evil Ruler of the World and is willing to share his knowledge with those of us who would like to attempt to take his place. The very first thing he advises is to take his quiz to see how evil you truly are. Then he works through several steps towards being ready to Rule the World. Along the way he gives Commandments of Incomprehensibility, diagrams and helpful advice covering a myriad of subjects, from creating your secret lair to hiring henchmen.
Vordak is a fountain of wisdom when it comes to all aspects of evil geniuses ruling the world and will have you giggling through the book (but don't let him hear you). Each chapter has 'extra' humor added for adults, too, like when describing what a BLI (Beings of Limited Intelligence) is: "This group includes zombies, trained primates, and fans of the Jonas Brothers." Vordak, though claiming to be Incomprehensible, writes clearly and cleverly and makes good use of the illustrations included in the text. This is great for those who love Captain Underpants or any of the comic book superheros.
ONE WORLD, MANY STORIES
Dining Customs of Different Cultures
http://life.familyeducation.com/cross-cultural-relations/behavior/48976.html
Table Manners Across Cultures
http://www.videojug.com/interview/table-manners-across-cultures-2
Teach about Other Cultures Through Food
http://www.suite101.com/content/social-studies-cultural-unit-lesson-plan-a171552
9TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE CELEBRATION
Educators, librarians, students and children literature enthusiasts come together for an interactive workshop with award-winning authors on Saturday, November 20, from 8:30-5:00 in Room 325-326 Pyle Center, Madison. Authors will discuss the stories that they have written and other works to integrate into the classroom. The workshop will close with a reception and book signing. Participants will be inspired to continue to internationalize curriculum in their schools and communities.
The annual celebration is sponsored by the Wisconsin International Outreach Consortium http://www.wioc.wisc.edu/. Held in observance of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, the aim of this workshop - designed for teachers, school and public librarians, students and faculty of education and library science - was to encourage the internationalization of school curriculum by incorporating literature about cultures from around the world that depicts unbiased and educated information.
For more information, please contact Rachel Weiss at rweiss@southasia.wisc.edu or go to: http://www.wioc.wisc.edu/childlit/. (I’ll be giving the opening comments!)
YSS BOOK DISCUSSION AT WLA
Are you going to the WLA conference this year? Mark your calendars and start reading for a great program, you won't want to miss. The YSS Book Discussion will be held Thursday (November 4) at 4 PM. This is your chance to participate in a book discussion led by librarians from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC). Everyone attending should have read either Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper (Atheneum, 2010) or Bruiser by Neal Shusterman (HarperTeen, 2010) in preparation for this session. Participants will follow CCBC book discussion guidelines www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/discguide.asp. Please go online to Survey Monkey to indicate your book choice at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3NNRPHB
2011 STORYWAGON SCHEDULE
The 2011 Storywagon schedule for Lakeshores is set. We will have storyteller Janice “Mama” Baer, story-performer Chris Fascione, and the musical duo Fox and Branch. Storywagon will begin on Monday June 20th and run through Thursday July 21st.
“Mama” Baer – June 20-24 and June 27-30
Chris Fascione – June 27-July 1 and July 11-14
Fox and Branch – July 11-15 and July 18-21
The daily schedule will be the same as this year.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Friday, October 29
Frankenstein Friday
Stock Market Crash (1929)
Saturday, October 30
Checklists Day
Create a Great Funeral Day
Haunted Refrigerator Night
National Forgiveness Day
Happy birthday to my college roommate and cousin, Laurie!
Sunday, October 31
Halloween
Magic Day
National Knock-Knock Day
National UNICEF Day
Reformation Day
Monday, November 1
All Saints' Day
National Authors' Day
National Cook For Your Pets Day
National Family Literacy Day
Day of the Dead/Dia De Los Muertos
Tuesday, November 2
All Souls' Day
General Election Day
National Traffic Directors Day
Plan Your Epitaph Day
Wednesday, November 3
Cliché' Day
Sandwich Day
Thursday, November 4
Mischief Night
National Chicken Lady Day
National Men Make Dinner Day
Use Your Common Sense Day
Sterling North’s birthday
Friday, November 5
Guy Fawkes Day
Diwali
Saturday, November 6
Sadie Hawkins Day
Saxophone Day
John Philip Sousa’s birthday
Sunday, November 7
Daylight Savings Time Ends - Standard Time Resumes
Zero-Tasking Day
Monday, November 8
Abet and Aid Punsters Day
Tuesday, November 9
National Young Readers Day
Lois Ehlert’s birthday
Wednesday, November 10
Area Codes Day
Neil Gaiman’s birthday
Thursday, November 11
Death/Duty Day
Armistice Day
DATES TO REMEMBER
November 2 Election Day
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
November 14 Riverport Chorus Style Show, Radisson Hotel, Kenosha
November 9th Annual International Children and Young Adult Literature Celebration, Madison
November 20 Tellebration!, Monona Public Library
December 2 WLA Board meeting, Madison
December 3 WLA Leadership meeting, Madison
December 10 Lakeshores Youth Services Pot Luck and White Elephant Gift Exchange, LLS office
December 16 MidWisconsin Youth Services Pot luck and Gift Exchange, Beaver Dam
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
February 22 Library Legislative Day
WEBSITE FAVES
Giggle Poetry
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/
Giggle Poetry, as the name suggests, approaches poetry with a sense of humor. Poems from Bruce Lansky and other poets are archived for students to enjoy reading or to use as examples. Included are fill-in-the-blank poems, poetry contests, favorite poems, school poems, and more. Teachers will love the easy-to-follow instructions for writing limericks, nursery rhymes, and list poems. These could be used as a supplement to the writing curriculum. The site also provides poems to read and rate whether they should be published. A special poetry teachers section includes information on how to teach students to write poetry, poetry that students can perform in class, and fun activities to involve students. This site is sure to put a smile on your face and a giggle in your heart. (Education World Site Reviews, 10/19/10)
Universal Leonardo
http://www.universalleonardo.org/
Universal Leonardo covers a massive amount of information about the man and his extraordinary skills. First time visitors may want to begin with the Explore section where they will find interactive exhibits that look at Leonardo da Vinci’s work on the forces of nature, the human body, light and vision, and the natural world and learn how these things are all interconnected according to da Vinci. Alternatively, the interactive timeline at the top of the page provides a visual representation of the interconnectedness by linking related images. The Play section is delightful for all ages and includes online games and activities such as making a monster and making Mona Lisa smile as well as a few activities that can be downloaded and used in the classroom. The Discover section gives users the opportunity to learn about the scientific techniques used to analyze the “Madonna of the Yarnwinder”. Additionally, users can also browse through collections of paintings, manuscripts, inventions, and drawings and learn about the life and times of this celebrated artist. (Education World Site Reviews,10/12/10)
The Hoagy Carmichael Collection
http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/collections/hoagy/
As a secular saint of Tin Pan Alley, Hoagy Carmichael looms large in the world of American popular song. As a native Hoosier, Carmichael graduated from the Indiana University School of Law and went on to write hundreds of standards, including "Star Dust" and "Two Sleepy People". This digital tribute and archive to his work was created by staff members at the Indiana University Library. On the site's homepage, visitors can read a brief introduction about Carmichael and the digitization project. Next, the "Browse" section will give visitors access to photographs, correspondence, typescripts, publicity, and personal effects from the collection. The "Lyric Sheets" area shouldn't be missed as visitors can look at the music for "Always", "Air pollution blues", and several hundred other ditties. The "Photographs" area includes portraits of Carmichael as a young man and during his time on the Movie Time USA tour in the 1940s. Additionally, visitors can get help with research about Carmichael and also perform a more detailed search across the entire collection. (Scout Report, 10/29/10)
AND FINALLY……..
Seattle update: Trouble Clef came in 16th out of 20 at their quartet competition in Seattle last weekend. I was very happy with that and very proud of them, as they competed against many young women in their early 20’s. (all of the girls in TC are 14) They scored 11th in the showmanship category and 12th in the sound category. Next year’s competition is in Houston, and they are ready to try again!
This is Issue #350 of the CEO!!
See you next week at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells at the WLA conference!
Friday, October 29, 2010
CEO Newsletter, 10/5/10
Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 349; October 8, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
One World, Many Stories
9th Annual International Children and Young Adult Literature Celebration
Teen Read Week
2011 Storywagon Schedule
Events This Week
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
http://tinyurl.com/3yrkht7
Set in Texas at the turn of the 19th century, Calpurnia is the only girl in a family full of boys, which has recently started to become a problem, as Callie is starting to grow up and become a lady. To escape cooking lessons, sewing for hours and dressing properly, she develops a relationship with her standoffish grandfather. They both find they enjoy botany and science, Callie jumping in feet first to labeling, harvesting specimens and reading advanced books, one of which is by *the* Charles Darwin. In fact, Callie catches her grandfather's dream of wanting to find a new type of plant and they both throw all their resources into studying local flora.
I love Calpurnia's scientific mind (e.g. she explains her birth order by saying she's 'spliced midway between three older brothers... and three younger brothers') and how she bonds with her grandfather with the mutual interest. I also really enjoyed the snippets from Darwin to introduce each chapter: the author made sure to pair the appropriate statement with the events of that chapter. Callie's character development is consistent and her family isn't just flat secondary characters. Watching her relationships develop as she turns into a young lady is entertaining and painful (especially losing and regaining the friendship of her oldest brother). The story wraps up neatly (if not a little too perfectly) and leaves readers feeling satisfied.
ONE WORLD, MANY STORIES
Multicultural Children’s Literature
http://www.multiculturalchildrenslit.com/
Welcome to the wonderfully diverse world of children's multicultural literature, "literature that represents any distinct cultural group through accurate portrayal and rich detail" (Yokota, 1993, p. 157). Such literature appears in different genres which together present a multitude of perspectives about the lives, culture, and contributions of each cultural group to American society. This web site contains links to annotated bibliographies of children's multicultural books appropriate for the elementary grades (kindergarten through grade six). Cultural groups currently listed include: African Americans, Chinese Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans, Japanese Americans, Jewish Americans, Native Americans, and Korean Americans. Books are categorized by genre: realistic fiction, information (non-fiction), traditional literature, biography, historical fiction, poetry, and fantasy.
Multicultural Education Internet Resource Guide
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Multi.html
This guide to over 50 web sites was created to assist multicultural educators in locating educational resources on the Internet. World wide access to multicultural information and current events in other regions makes the Internet an important educational tool. Teachers through the internet have access to lesson plans, on-line photo galleries, stories, maps, virtual field trip, international radio programming, and e-mail pen pals. In the multicultural classroom these resources can be used to create thematic units. Other sites, such as those devoted to art and geography can supplement an existing lesson. Many of the sites listed are source sites with lessons, pictures, problems and quizzes on-line, and other sites are Index sites which provide extensive links related to a subject of interest. A listing of professional organizations for multicultural educators is also provided. Highly recommended sites are marked by an "*".
9TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE CELEBRATION
Educators, librarians, students and children literature enthusiasts come together for an interactive workshop with award-winning authors on Saturday, November 20, from 8:30-5:00 in Room 325-326 Pyle Center, Madison. Authors will discuss the stories that they have written and other works to integrate into the classroom. The workshop will close with a reception and book signing. Participants will be inspired to continue to internationalize curriculum in their schools and communities.
The annual celebration is sponsored by the Wisconsin International Outreach Consortium http://www.wioc.wisc.edu/. Held in observance of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, the aim of this workshop - designed for teachers, school and public librarians, students and faculty of education and library science - was to encourage the internationalization of school curriculum by incorporating literature about cultures from around the world that depicts unbiased and educated information.
For more information, please contact Rachel Weiss at rweiss@southasia.wisc.edu or go to: http://www.wioc.wisc.edu/childlit/.
TEEN READ WEEK
Teen Read Week is an annual celebration aimed at teens, their parents, librarians, educators and other concerned adults to encourage youth to read for pleasure and visit their libraries for free reading materials. Scheduled for October 17–23, this year’s event carries the theme “Books with Beat @ your library” and encourages teens to discover poetry, audio books, books about music and more. Schools and libraries can start planning now with the wide variety of resources available at the Teen Read Week Web site, including program ideas, planning resources, publicity tools, booklists and materials to promote the event. You can also download the Books with Beat @ your library reading list (PDF) in Spanish! Go to http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/trw/trw2010/home.cfm for more information.
2011 STORYWAGON SCHEDULE
I have finalized the 2011 Storywagon schedule for Lakeshores. We will have storyteller Janice “Mama” Baer, story-performer Chris Fascione, and the musical duo Fox and Branch. Storywagon will begin on Monday June 20th and run through Thursday July 21st.
“Mama” Baer – June 20-24 and June 27-30
Chris Fascione – June 27-July 1 and July 11-14
Fox and Branch – July 11-15 and July 18-21
The daily schedule will be the same as this year.
EVENTS THIS WEEK AND NEXT
Friday, October 8
Play Tag Day
Saturday, October 9
National Sneakers Day
Moldy Cheese Day
Sunday, October 10
National Angel Food Cake Day
Tuxedo Day
Monday, October 11
Columbus Day (Observed)
National Coming Out Day
National Kick Butt Day
It's My Party Day
Eleanor Roosevelt's Birthday
World Egg Day
Tuesday, October 12
Columbus Day (Traditional)
Freethought Day
International Moment of Frustration Scream Day
National Face Your Fears Day
Farmer’s Day
Wednesday, October 13
Emergency Nurses Day
International Top Spinning Day
National Bring Teddy Bear to Work Day
Thursday, October 14
Be Bald and Be Free Day
National Occupational Therapy Day
National FRUMP Day (Honors Frugal, Responsible, Unpretentious, Mature Persons)
national lower case day
National Take Comfort Day
Friday, October 15
National Boss Day
National Mammography Day
UN International Day Of Rural Women
White Cane Safety Day
Mushroom Day
National Grouch Day
Saturday, October 16
Dictionary Day
Fall Astronomy Day
Sweetest Day
UN World Food Day
Learn a Word Day
Sunday, October 17
Mulligan Day
UN International Day For The Eradication of Poverty
Gaudy Day
Monday, October 18
No Beard Day
Scary Black Cat Day
International Adjust Your Chair Day
Tuesday, October 19
New Friends Day
Evaluate Your Life Day
Wednesday, October 20
National Fruit Day
Suspenders Day
Electric Light Day
Thursday, October 21
Garbanzo Bean Day
Babbling Day
National Knee Day
Friday, October 22
Parachute Birthday
National Nut Day
DATES TO REMEMBER
October 17-23 Teen Read Week
October 21-24 Rhonda in Seattle, Sweet Adelines International Convention
November 2 Election Day
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
November 14 Riverport Chorus Style Show, Radisson Hotel, Kenosha
November 9th Annual International Children and Young Adult Literature Celebration, Madison
November 20 Tellebration!, Monona Public Library
December 2 WLA Board meeting, Madison
December 3 WLA Leadership meeting, Madison
December 10 Lakeshores Youth Services Pot Luck and White Elephant Gift Exchange, LLS office
December 16 MidWisconsin Youth Services Pot luck and Gift Exchange, Beaver Dam
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
February 22 Library Legislative Day
WEBSITE FAVES
Carnegie Hall Musical Adventures
http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/explore_and_learn/art_online_resources_listening_adventures.html
This fun and interactive site is a great way for students to learn about the orchestra and its instruments as well as the symphony and some history of Carnegie Hall. The Young Person's Guide teaches students about the four families of musical instruments and their place in the orchestra. Students go on a safari through the instrument filled jungle collecting all the instruments in a problem solving adventure. The Animated History introduces students to the history of Carnegie Hall, highlighting many of the artists and speakers who have appeared there. In Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" students listen to and view an animated version of the symphony while learning about the music, instruments of the orchestra, and the composer. I interactive activities are included along the way. (Education World Site Reviews, 9/28/10)
North American Mammals
http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/
This online database, based on the Mammals of North America by Roland W. Kays and Don E. Wilson, and The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals by Don E. Wilson and Sue Ruff, is a rich resource for teachers, students or anyone interested in biology or the identification of mammals in North America. The wealth of information is extensive from the printable and customizable field guide to the interactive Geographical Information Systems (GIS) maps of species distribution. Teachers or students will appreciate the ability to select and create a personal field guide for the animals that are specific to their study. Each page of the guide includes the location for which the information was collected, the animal’s scientific and common names, the species' image and distribution range, the descriptive information for the species, and a special area for notes. There are two types of maps; one that shows static distribution and the other that interactively offers a variety of overlays that include topography, states and province boundaries, cities, rivers, and US interstate highways. Additionally, users can make use of a variety of other search options such as; location and have the results displayed as a list or as a set of images; family tree to find all the taxa included within a group; conservation status to find the endangered species; and special collections of bones and teeth to help identify species or compare functional parts of the skull and skeleton. Any of these searches can be converted into a printable, personal field guide. (Education World Site Reviews, 9/28/10)
AND FINALLY……
I leave on the 21st for Seattle, where my daughter Bethany’s barbershop quartet “Trouble Clef” will be competing on the 23rd in the Young Women in Harmony Rising Star competition. Members of “Trouble Clef” are all 14 and from Burlington. They’ve been together for just over a year and have worked hard to reach their goal of going to the Rising Star contest. Their competition will be webcast at http://www.sweetadelineintl.org/webcast.cfm. The girls will be onstage at approximately 10:20 AM Pacific time. ☺
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 349; October 8, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
One World, Many Stories
9th Annual International Children and Young Adult Literature Celebration
Teen Read Week
2011 Storywagon Schedule
Events This Week
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
http://tinyurl.com/3yrkht7
Set in Texas at the turn of the 19th century, Calpurnia is the only girl in a family full of boys, which has recently started to become a problem, as Callie is starting to grow up and become a lady. To escape cooking lessons, sewing for hours and dressing properly, she develops a relationship with her standoffish grandfather. They both find they enjoy botany and science, Callie jumping in feet first to labeling, harvesting specimens and reading advanced books, one of which is by *the* Charles Darwin. In fact, Callie catches her grandfather's dream of wanting to find a new type of plant and they both throw all their resources into studying local flora.
I love Calpurnia's scientific mind (e.g. she explains her birth order by saying she's 'spliced midway between three older brothers... and three younger brothers') and how she bonds with her grandfather with the mutual interest. I also really enjoyed the snippets from Darwin to introduce each chapter: the author made sure to pair the appropriate statement with the events of that chapter. Callie's character development is consistent and her family isn't just flat secondary characters. Watching her relationships develop as she turns into a young lady is entertaining and painful (especially losing and regaining the friendship of her oldest brother). The story wraps up neatly (if not a little too perfectly) and leaves readers feeling satisfied.
ONE WORLD, MANY STORIES
Multicultural Children’s Literature
http://www.multiculturalchildrenslit.com/
Welcome to the wonderfully diverse world of children's multicultural literature, "literature that represents any distinct cultural group through accurate portrayal and rich detail" (Yokota, 1993, p. 157). Such literature appears in different genres which together present a multitude of perspectives about the lives, culture, and contributions of each cultural group to American society. This web site contains links to annotated bibliographies of children's multicultural books appropriate for the elementary grades (kindergarten through grade six). Cultural groups currently listed include: African Americans, Chinese Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans, Japanese Americans, Jewish Americans, Native Americans, and Korean Americans. Books are categorized by genre: realistic fiction, information (non-fiction), traditional literature, biography, historical fiction, poetry, and fantasy.
Multicultural Education Internet Resource Guide
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Multi.html
This guide to over 50 web sites was created to assist multicultural educators in locating educational resources on the Internet. World wide access to multicultural information and current events in other regions makes the Internet an important educational tool. Teachers through the internet have access to lesson plans, on-line photo galleries, stories, maps, virtual field trip, international radio programming, and e-mail pen pals. In the multicultural classroom these resources can be used to create thematic units. Other sites, such as those devoted to art and geography can supplement an existing lesson. Many of the sites listed are source sites with lessons, pictures, problems and quizzes on-line, and other sites are Index sites which provide extensive links related to a subject of interest. A listing of professional organizations for multicultural educators is also provided. Highly recommended sites are marked by an "*".
9TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE CELEBRATION
Educators, librarians, students and children literature enthusiasts come together for an interactive workshop with award-winning authors on Saturday, November 20, from 8:30-5:00 in Room 325-326 Pyle Center, Madison. Authors will discuss the stories that they have written and other works to integrate into the classroom. The workshop will close with a reception and book signing. Participants will be inspired to continue to internationalize curriculum in their schools and communities.
The annual celebration is sponsored by the Wisconsin International Outreach Consortium http://www.wioc.wisc.edu/. Held in observance of International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, the aim of this workshop - designed for teachers, school and public librarians, students and faculty of education and library science - was to encourage the internationalization of school curriculum by incorporating literature about cultures from around the world that depicts unbiased and educated information.
For more information, please contact Rachel Weiss at rweiss@southasia.wisc.edu or go to: http://www.wioc.wisc.edu/childlit/.
TEEN READ WEEK
Teen Read Week is an annual celebration aimed at teens, their parents, librarians, educators and other concerned adults to encourage youth to read for pleasure and visit their libraries for free reading materials. Scheduled for October 17–23, this year’s event carries the theme “Books with Beat @ your library” and encourages teens to discover poetry, audio books, books about music and more. Schools and libraries can start planning now with the wide variety of resources available at the Teen Read Week Web site, including program ideas, planning resources, publicity tools, booklists and materials to promote the event. You can also download the Books with Beat @ your library reading list (PDF) in Spanish! Go to http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/trw/trw2010/home.cfm for more information.
2011 STORYWAGON SCHEDULE
I have finalized the 2011 Storywagon schedule for Lakeshores. We will have storyteller Janice “Mama” Baer, story-performer Chris Fascione, and the musical duo Fox and Branch. Storywagon will begin on Monday June 20th and run through Thursday July 21st.
“Mama” Baer – June 20-24 and June 27-30
Chris Fascione – June 27-July 1 and July 11-14
Fox and Branch – July 11-15 and July 18-21
The daily schedule will be the same as this year.
EVENTS THIS WEEK AND NEXT
Friday, October 8
Play Tag Day
Saturday, October 9
National Sneakers Day
Moldy Cheese Day
Sunday, October 10
National Angel Food Cake Day
Tuxedo Day
Monday, October 11
Columbus Day (Observed)
National Coming Out Day
National Kick Butt Day
It's My Party Day
Eleanor Roosevelt's Birthday
World Egg Day
Tuesday, October 12
Columbus Day (Traditional)
Freethought Day
International Moment of Frustration Scream Day
National Face Your Fears Day
Farmer’s Day
Wednesday, October 13
Emergency Nurses Day
International Top Spinning Day
National Bring Teddy Bear to Work Day
Thursday, October 14
Be Bald and Be Free Day
National Occupational Therapy Day
National FRUMP Day (Honors Frugal, Responsible, Unpretentious, Mature Persons)
national lower case day
National Take Comfort Day
Friday, October 15
National Boss Day
National Mammography Day
UN International Day Of Rural Women
White Cane Safety Day
Mushroom Day
National Grouch Day
Saturday, October 16
Dictionary Day
Fall Astronomy Day
Sweetest Day
UN World Food Day
Learn a Word Day
Sunday, October 17
Mulligan Day
UN International Day For The Eradication of Poverty
Gaudy Day
Monday, October 18
No Beard Day
Scary Black Cat Day
International Adjust Your Chair Day
Tuesday, October 19
New Friends Day
Evaluate Your Life Day
Wednesday, October 20
National Fruit Day
Suspenders Day
Electric Light Day
Thursday, October 21
Garbanzo Bean Day
Babbling Day
National Knee Day
Friday, October 22
Parachute Birthday
National Nut Day
DATES TO REMEMBER
October 17-23 Teen Read Week
October 21-24 Rhonda in Seattle, Sweet Adelines International Convention
November 2 Election Day
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
November 14 Riverport Chorus Style Show, Radisson Hotel, Kenosha
November 9th Annual International Children and Young Adult Literature Celebration, Madison
November 20 Tellebration!, Monona Public Library
December 2 WLA Board meeting, Madison
December 3 WLA Leadership meeting, Madison
December 10 Lakeshores Youth Services Pot Luck and White Elephant Gift Exchange, LLS office
December 16 MidWisconsin Youth Services Pot luck and Gift Exchange, Beaver Dam
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
February 22 Library Legislative Day
WEBSITE FAVES
Carnegie Hall Musical Adventures
http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/explore_and_learn/art_online_resources_listening_adventures.html
This fun and interactive site is a great way for students to learn about the orchestra and its instruments as well as the symphony and some history of Carnegie Hall. The Young Person's Guide teaches students about the four families of musical instruments and their place in the orchestra. Students go on a safari through the instrument filled jungle collecting all the instruments in a problem solving adventure. The Animated History introduces students to the history of Carnegie Hall, highlighting many of the artists and speakers who have appeared there. In Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" students listen to and view an animated version of the symphony while learning about the music, instruments of the orchestra, and the composer. I interactive activities are included along the way. (Education World Site Reviews, 9/28/10)
North American Mammals
http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/
This online database, based on the Mammals of North America by Roland W. Kays and Don E. Wilson, and The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals by Don E. Wilson and Sue Ruff, is a rich resource for teachers, students or anyone interested in biology or the identification of mammals in North America. The wealth of information is extensive from the printable and customizable field guide to the interactive Geographical Information Systems (GIS) maps of species distribution. Teachers or students will appreciate the ability to select and create a personal field guide for the animals that are specific to their study. Each page of the guide includes the location for which the information was collected, the animal’s scientific and common names, the species' image and distribution range, the descriptive information for the species, and a special area for notes. There are two types of maps; one that shows static distribution and the other that interactively offers a variety of overlays that include topography, states and province boundaries, cities, rivers, and US interstate highways. Additionally, users can make use of a variety of other search options such as; location and have the results displayed as a list or as a set of images; family tree to find all the taxa included within a group; conservation status to find the endangered species; and special collections of bones and teeth to help identify species or compare functional parts of the skull and skeleton. Any of these searches can be converted into a printable, personal field guide. (Education World Site Reviews, 9/28/10)
AND FINALLY……
I leave on the 21st for Seattle, where my daughter Bethany’s barbershop quartet “Trouble Clef” will be competing on the 23rd in the Young Women in Harmony Rising Star competition. Members of “Trouble Clef” are all 14 and from Burlington. They’ve been together for just over a year and have worked hard to reach their goal of going to the Rising Star contest. Their competition will be webcast at http://www.sweetadelineintl.org/webcast.cfm. The girls will be onstage at approximately 10:20 AM Pacific time. ☺
Monday, September 20, 2010
CEO, 09/20/2010
Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 348; September 20, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
One World, Many Stories
Tellebration!
2010 Charlotte Zolotow Lecture
Events This Week
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
The Clock with out a Face: a Gus Twintig Mystery by Eli Horowitz
http://tinyurl.com/2eekhyz
Fans of Where's Waldo or books by Graeme Base will enjoy this mystery. It seems the jewel-encrusted hands of the Emerald Khroniker have been stolen, and it's up to Roy Dodge, private detective and his confidential assistant, Gus Twintig, to solve the case. Each page reveals a different level of the 13 floor building, with a brief bit of banter with each resident and a drawing of the apartment, which reveals clues to astute readers. As the pair progress down the building, each apartment dweller gives clues as well, and each states that they, too, have had something stolen. This is a clever (and sometimes frustrating) book, with great word-play and intricate drawings. In fact, like Where's Waldo, there are additional things on each page to seek (for example: a donut, a ladder and an eye). I'm hoping Gus will be able to provide us more mysteries to solve in the future (those that have read this will understand the probable difficulty with that).
The clock hand jewels are truly hidden around the United States, but I don't know how long that part of the mystery will last, as half the emeralds have been recovered. And note it takes quite a bit of sleuthing to figure this out! I peeked at the answer for one of them...
If you wish to search for the missing emeralds, be sure to follow the blog to see which have been recovered. Here's the first entry:
http://gustwintig.com/news/2010/3/21/the-emerald-khroniker-has-been-stolen.html
If you just want to find the answers, check out the wiki:
http://clockwithoutaface.wikia.com/wiki/The_Clock_Without_A_Face_Wiki
ONE WORLD, MANY STORIES
This is the first of the 2011 CSLP theme’s websites! Send me suggestions!
Magnificent Maps
http://www.bl.uk/magnificentmaps/
The British Library has a few maps in its collection, and it is an institution that is well-positioned to create an exhibition with the title "Magnificent Maps: Power, Propaganda and Art". This digital exhibit is meant to complement an in situ exhibit that explores these main themes through 80 different maps. On this site, visitors can look over four of these marvelous maps in exquisite detail, and also watch and listen as the exhibit's curators talk about each work. The maps include the Psalter World Map from 1625, which is most likely a copy of the lost map which decorated King Henry III's bedchamber in Westminster Palace. "The Island" map shouldn't be missed either, as it satirizes "the London-centric view of the English capital and its commuter towns as independent from the rest of the country." The site is rounded out by a blog maintained by the curators, and it is worth a look. (Scout Report, 9/3/10)
Hot Air Balloon
http://www.hotairballoon.com/
Here you will find a directory and calendar of hot air balloon festivals, rallies and events around the world.
Story Lovers Multicultural – Worldwide Stories
http://www.story-lovers.com/listsmulticulturalstories.html
This is a link from the Story Lovers website, includes a bibliography and web links of multicultural stories, myths, finger plays, songs and more.
Multicultural and Intercultural Games and Activities
http://wilderdom.com/games/MulticulturalExperientialActivities.html
From Wilderdom, which is known for team building resources. You’ll find many games and activities from other cultures for kids of all ages and adults.
CCBC’s Multicultural Literature Page
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/multicultural.asp
There is no single definition of the term "multicultural literature" as it is applied to books for children and young adults. The CCBC uses the term to mean books by and about people of color.
All children deserve books in which they can see themselves and the world in which they live reflected. Multicultural literature belongs in every classroom and library -- on the shelves and in the hands of children, librarians, and teachers. The challenge for librarians, teachers and others is identifying authentic, reliable books by and about people of color. This page is designed to provide resources to aid in that search.
TELLABRATION!
Guilds and storytelling enthusiasts all around the globe share their storytelling talents in concerts held in cities and towns to celebrate the art of storytelling. Locally, TELLABRATION! brings together each area’s most celebrated storytellers, to delight, captivate, and mesmerize audiences with their tales. This year’s Tellabration will be held Saturday, November 20 from 3:30- 5:00 PM at the Monona Public Library, 1000 Nichols Road, Monona.
This program is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome. Featured storytellers are Marge Loch-Wouters (2009 Lucy Beck Award Winner), Sadarri Saskill, Kay Elmsley-Weeden, and Karen Wendt.
Fore more information contact Karen Wendt at kmwendt@mononalibrary.org 608-222-6127. You can register at http://www.mononalibrary.org.
2010 CHARLOTTE ZOLOTOW LECTURE
Author Susan Patron will deliver the 13th annual Charlotte Zolotow Lecture on Wednesday evening, September 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Wisconsin State Historical Society Auditorium, located at 816 State Street in Madison.
Ms. Patron is the author of a number of highly regarded books for children, including The Higher Power of Lucky, winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal.
This free public lecture sponsored by the CCBC and the Friends of the CCBC is part of the 2010 Wisconsin Book Festival.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Back by popular demand, the “Events This Week” section of the CEO returns! See what you can celebrate at your library these next two weeks!
Monday, September 20
International Women's Ecommerce Day
National Woman Road Warrior Day
International Student Day
National Farm Safety Day
National Punch Day
Tuesday, September 21
UN International Day of Peace
UN Opening of General Assembly
World Alzheimer's Day
Miniature Golf Day
World Gratitude Day
Wednesday, September 22
American Business Women's Day
Autumnal Equinox
Fall Begins Northern Hemisphere
Dear Diary Day
Elephant Appreciation Day
Hobbit Day
International Day of Radiant Peace
Long Count Day
National Centenarian's Day
Spring Begins Southern Hemisphere
Sukkot begins at sundown
Emancipation Proclamation anniversary
Ice Cream Cone Day
Band-Aid Day
Thursday, September 23
Checkers Day
Harvest Moon
Innergize Day
The Jetsons premiered in 1962
Airmail Day
Friday, September 24
Hug a Vegetarian Day
Love Note Day
National Punctuation Day
F. Scott Fitzgerald birthday
Jim Henson birthday
Gall Bladder Good Health Day
Bullwinkle premiered in 1961
National Bluebird of Happiness Day
Saturday, September 25
Family Health and Fitness Day
Fish Amnesty Day (this is for all of my dad’s family)
National Hunting and Fishing Day
National One Hit Wonder Day
National Public Lands Day
R.E.A.D. in America Day
Shel Silverstein birthday
One Hit Wonder Day
National Comic Book Day
Sunday, September 26
Johnny Appleseed birthday
T.S. Eliot birthday
George Gershwin birthday
Shamu (aquatic entertainer) birthday
Rocky Horror Picture Show opened in 1975
Record Player Day
National Pancake Day
Good Neighbor Day
National Food Service Employees Day
Monday, September 27
Ancestor Appreciation Day
Family Day - A Day To Eat Dinner With Your Children
World Tourism Day
Fun and Fancy Free Day
Crush a Can Day
Tuesday, September 28
National Good Neighbor Day
UN World Maritime Day
Marshmallow Twisters Day
Read a Child a Book You Like Day
Wednesday, September 29
National Women's Health and Fitness Day
Stan Berenstain birthday
Blackberries Day
Broadway Musicals Day
Happy Goose Day
Thursday, September 30
Truman Capote birthday
Ask a Stupid Question Day
Chewing Gum Day
Safety Pin Invented
Friday, October 1
National Denim Day
National Diversity Day
World Smile Day
World Vegetarian Day
Homemade Cookie Day
Less Than Perfect Day
National Book It! Day
Saturday, October 2
Guardian Angels Day
National Custodial Workers' Day
UN International Day of Non-Violence
World Card Making Day
World Farm Animals Day
Name Your Car Day
Charlie Brown birthday (Peanuts comic strip debuted in1950)
Huckleberry Hound, Pixie and Dixie AND Yogi Bear premiered in 1958
Sunday, October 3
Country Inn Bed-and-Breakfast Day
Intergeneration Day
Captain Kangaroo first aired in 1955
Look at the Leaves Day
DATES TO REMEMBER
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
Sept 26 – Oct 1 Rhonda on vacation
September 29 Zolotow lecture, Madison
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
November 20 Tellebration!, Monona Public Library
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science
http://www.msichicago.org/online-science/
The Online Science website created by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is for those visitors who are too far away, too busy, or too wary of Chicago traffic to visit the Museum. There are "Videos", "Activities" and "Podcasts", which cover the cute, the gooey, and the awe-inspiring in science. The video of "Baby Chicks Hatching" is a minute-and-a-half of rooting for life, and it was filmed in the Museum's own baby chick hatchery. The "Activities" area may seem geared towards kids, but the timeless scientific concepts, and some new ones, will refresh and stimulate the memories of any adult. Visitors will love "Simple Machines", the tale of Twitch an adorable, lazy, red blob with legs, who has work to do at the Museum, but wants to use as little force as possible to do it. This game teaches about planes, pulleys and levers, accompanied by a charming soundtrack. The podcasts are lectures by people involved in and behind the exhibits at the Museum, and include topics such as the repairing the Hubble telescope, human longevity, tornado science, and the science workforce. (Internet Scout Report, 8/20/10)
StoryPlace
http://www.storyplace.org/
StoryPlace, presented in both English and Spanish, offers children the opportunity to view online stories, participate in interactive activities, and print activity pages. Five themes are currently available in the Pre-school Library: colors, teddy bears, crocodiles, animals, and monkeys. Each section features activities centered on the theme. For instance, in the teddy bear theme, children can choose to view and listen to the story 6 Little Teddy Bears, help Bella Teddy Bear choose the correct clothing for the weather, or print a teddy bear doll to cut out and put together. There is also an annotated booklist for each theme. The site developers plan to add an Early Elementary Library soon. (Education World Site Reviews, 8/24/10)
Literacy Center
http://www.literacycenter.net/lessonview_en.php
The simplicity of this site makes it possible for very young children to practice basic literacy skills that are so important to prekindergarten and kindergarten students. Children could easily do the activities independently after a brief orientation by an adult. Students can practice skills such as letters and sounds, numbers and their meanings, shapes, colors, writing, words, and keyboard. Each skill area has several activities from which to choose with some overlap that reinforces prior learning. For instance, the writing area shows learners the proper pencil strokes to make a letter, then says the letter name, or the pencil demonstrates how to draw a shape, then repeats the name of the shape. This site presents material in an appealing format that focuses on learning rather than bells and whistles. (Education World Site Reviews, 8/17/10)
Alphabet Soup
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/
This site contains information and ideas for the early childhood teacher or parent. Information is organized by themes such as Back to School, Apples, Insects, and Dinosaurs. In addition to the theme area, the site offers holiday pages, complete with ideas, activities, crafts, and links to e-cards. Printable resources are available, such as themed writing paper, bookmarks, and awards. The Parent and Teacher section offers Alphabites (alphabet-based activities), related Web resources, and Teacher Tools (printable activities). Other resources at this site include ideas for craft and art activities, book lists, and recipes. This site is definitely worth a look if you are working with young children. (Education World Site Reviews, 8/17/10)
AND FINALLY…..
Librarians on Wisconsin Public Radio!
On September 13th, Wisconsin Public Radio host, Kathleen Dunn, talked with two top Wisconsin librarians about the growth in library usage, and the future of libraries in the Digital Age. Her guests were Marge Loch-Wouters, Youth Services Coordinator, La Crosse Public Library (and WLA Librarian of the Year) and Erick Plumb, Interim Director, Monona Public Library (Monona is this year’s WLA Library of the Year). You can listen to the archive by going to this link www.wpr.org/kathleendunn or download the mp3 http://wpr.org/wcast/download-mp3-request.cfm?mp3file=dun100913e.mp3&iNoteID=92557. (IFLS NewsFlashes and Arrowhead’s Monday e-Memo)
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 348; September 20, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
One World, Many Stories
Tellebration!
2010 Charlotte Zolotow Lecture
Events This Week
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
The Clock with out a Face: a Gus Twintig Mystery by Eli Horowitz
http://tinyurl.com/2eekhyz
Fans of Where's Waldo or books by Graeme Base will enjoy this mystery. It seems the jewel-encrusted hands of the Emerald Khroniker have been stolen, and it's up to Roy Dodge, private detective and his confidential assistant, Gus Twintig, to solve the case. Each page reveals a different level of the 13 floor building, with a brief bit of banter with each resident and a drawing of the apartment, which reveals clues to astute readers. As the pair progress down the building, each apartment dweller gives clues as well, and each states that they, too, have had something stolen. This is a clever (and sometimes frustrating) book, with great word-play and intricate drawings. In fact, like Where's Waldo, there are additional things on each page to seek (for example: a donut, a ladder and an eye). I'm hoping Gus will be able to provide us more mysteries to solve in the future (those that have read this will understand the probable difficulty with that).
The clock hand jewels are truly hidden around the United States, but I don't know how long that part of the mystery will last, as half the emeralds have been recovered. And note it takes quite a bit of sleuthing to figure this out! I peeked at the answer for one of them...
If you wish to search for the missing emeralds, be sure to follow the blog to see which have been recovered. Here's the first entry:
http://gustwintig.com/news/2010/3/21/the-emerald-khroniker-has-been-stolen.html
If you just want to find the answers, check out the wiki:
http://clockwithoutaface.wikia.com/wiki/The_Clock_Without_A_Face_Wiki
ONE WORLD, MANY STORIES
This is the first of the 2011 CSLP theme’s websites! Send me suggestions!
Magnificent Maps
http://www.bl.uk/magnificentmaps/
The British Library has a few maps in its collection, and it is an institution that is well-positioned to create an exhibition with the title "Magnificent Maps: Power, Propaganda and Art". This digital exhibit is meant to complement an in situ exhibit that explores these main themes through 80 different maps. On this site, visitors can look over four of these marvelous maps in exquisite detail, and also watch and listen as the exhibit's curators talk about each work. The maps include the Psalter World Map from 1625, which is most likely a copy of the lost map which decorated King Henry III's bedchamber in Westminster Palace. "The Island" map shouldn't be missed either, as it satirizes "the London-centric view of the English capital and its commuter towns as independent from the rest of the country." The site is rounded out by a blog maintained by the curators, and it is worth a look. (Scout Report, 9/3/10)
Hot Air Balloon
http://www.hotairballoon.com/
Here you will find a directory and calendar of hot air balloon festivals, rallies and events around the world.
Story Lovers Multicultural – Worldwide Stories
http://www.story-lovers.com/listsmulticulturalstories.html
This is a link from the Story Lovers website, includes a bibliography and web links of multicultural stories, myths, finger plays, songs and more.
Multicultural and Intercultural Games and Activities
http://wilderdom.com/games/MulticulturalExperientialActivities.html
From Wilderdom, which is known for team building resources. You’ll find many games and activities from other cultures for kids of all ages and adults.
CCBC’s Multicultural Literature Page
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/multicultural.asp
There is no single definition of the term "multicultural literature" as it is applied to books for children and young adults. The CCBC uses the term to mean books by and about people of color.
All children deserve books in which they can see themselves and the world in which they live reflected. Multicultural literature belongs in every classroom and library -- on the shelves and in the hands of children, librarians, and teachers. The challenge for librarians, teachers and others is identifying authentic, reliable books by and about people of color. This page is designed to provide resources to aid in that search.
TELLABRATION!
Guilds and storytelling enthusiasts all around the globe share their storytelling talents in concerts held in cities and towns to celebrate the art of storytelling. Locally, TELLABRATION! brings together each area’s most celebrated storytellers, to delight, captivate, and mesmerize audiences with their tales. This year’s Tellabration will be held Saturday, November 20 from 3:30- 5:00 PM at the Monona Public Library, 1000 Nichols Road, Monona.
This program is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome. Featured storytellers are Marge Loch-Wouters (2009 Lucy Beck Award Winner), Sadarri Saskill, Kay Elmsley-Weeden, and Karen Wendt.
Fore more information contact Karen Wendt at kmwendt@mononalibrary.org 608-222-6127. You can register at http://www.mononalibrary.org.
2010 CHARLOTTE ZOLOTOW LECTURE
Author Susan Patron will deliver the 13th annual Charlotte Zolotow Lecture on Wednesday evening, September 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Wisconsin State Historical Society Auditorium, located at 816 State Street in Madison.
Ms. Patron is the author of a number of highly regarded books for children, including The Higher Power of Lucky, winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal.
This free public lecture sponsored by the CCBC and the Friends of the CCBC is part of the 2010 Wisconsin Book Festival.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Back by popular demand, the “Events This Week” section of the CEO returns! See what you can celebrate at your library these next two weeks!
Monday, September 20
International Women's Ecommerce Day
National Woman Road Warrior Day
International Student Day
National Farm Safety Day
National Punch Day
Tuesday, September 21
UN International Day of Peace
UN Opening of General Assembly
World Alzheimer's Day
Miniature Golf Day
World Gratitude Day
Wednesday, September 22
American Business Women's Day
Autumnal Equinox
Fall Begins Northern Hemisphere
Dear Diary Day
Elephant Appreciation Day
Hobbit Day
International Day of Radiant Peace
Long Count Day
National Centenarian's Day
Spring Begins Southern Hemisphere
Sukkot begins at sundown
Emancipation Proclamation anniversary
Ice Cream Cone Day
Band-Aid Day
Thursday, September 23
Checkers Day
Harvest Moon
Innergize Day
The Jetsons premiered in 1962
Airmail Day
Friday, September 24
Hug a Vegetarian Day
Love Note Day
National Punctuation Day
F. Scott Fitzgerald birthday
Jim Henson birthday
Gall Bladder Good Health Day
Bullwinkle premiered in 1961
National Bluebird of Happiness Day
Saturday, September 25
Family Health and Fitness Day
Fish Amnesty Day (this is for all of my dad’s family)
National Hunting and Fishing Day
National One Hit Wonder Day
National Public Lands Day
R.E.A.D. in America Day
Shel Silverstein birthday
One Hit Wonder Day
National Comic Book Day
Sunday, September 26
Johnny Appleseed birthday
T.S. Eliot birthday
George Gershwin birthday
Shamu (aquatic entertainer) birthday
Rocky Horror Picture Show opened in 1975
Record Player Day
National Pancake Day
Good Neighbor Day
National Food Service Employees Day
Monday, September 27
Ancestor Appreciation Day
Family Day - A Day To Eat Dinner With Your Children
World Tourism Day
Fun and Fancy Free Day
Crush a Can Day
Tuesday, September 28
National Good Neighbor Day
UN World Maritime Day
Marshmallow Twisters Day
Read a Child a Book You Like Day
Wednesday, September 29
National Women's Health and Fitness Day
Stan Berenstain birthday
Blackberries Day
Broadway Musicals Day
Happy Goose Day
Thursday, September 30
Truman Capote birthday
Ask a Stupid Question Day
Chewing Gum Day
Safety Pin Invented
Friday, October 1
National Denim Day
National Diversity Day
World Smile Day
World Vegetarian Day
Homemade Cookie Day
Less Than Perfect Day
National Book It! Day
Saturday, October 2
Guardian Angels Day
National Custodial Workers' Day
UN International Day of Non-Violence
World Card Making Day
World Farm Animals Day
Name Your Car Day
Charlie Brown birthday (Peanuts comic strip debuted in1950)
Huckleberry Hound, Pixie and Dixie AND Yogi Bear premiered in 1958
Sunday, October 3
Country Inn Bed-and-Breakfast Day
Intergeneration Day
Captain Kangaroo first aired in 1955
Look at the Leaves Day
DATES TO REMEMBER
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
Sept 26 – Oct 1 Rhonda on vacation
September 29 Zolotow lecture, Madison
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
November 20 Tellebration!, Monona Public Library
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science
http://www.msichicago.org/online-science/
The Online Science website created by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is for those visitors who are too far away, too busy, or too wary of Chicago traffic to visit the Museum. There are "Videos", "Activities" and "Podcasts", which cover the cute, the gooey, and the awe-inspiring in science. The video of "Baby Chicks Hatching" is a minute-and-a-half of rooting for life, and it was filmed in the Museum's own baby chick hatchery. The "Activities" area may seem geared towards kids, but the timeless scientific concepts, and some new ones, will refresh and stimulate the memories of any adult. Visitors will love "Simple Machines", the tale of Twitch an adorable, lazy, red blob with legs, who has work to do at the Museum, but wants to use as little force as possible to do it. This game teaches about planes, pulleys and levers, accompanied by a charming soundtrack. The podcasts are lectures by people involved in and behind the exhibits at the Museum, and include topics such as the repairing the Hubble telescope, human longevity, tornado science, and the science workforce. (Internet Scout Report, 8/20/10)
StoryPlace
http://www.storyplace.org/
StoryPlace, presented in both English and Spanish, offers children the opportunity to view online stories, participate in interactive activities, and print activity pages. Five themes are currently available in the Pre-school Library: colors, teddy bears, crocodiles, animals, and monkeys. Each section features activities centered on the theme. For instance, in the teddy bear theme, children can choose to view and listen to the story 6 Little Teddy Bears, help Bella Teddy Bear choose the correct clothing for the weather, or print a teddy bear doll to cut out and put together. There is also an annotated booklist for each theme. The site developers plan to add an Early Elementary Library soon. (Education World Site Reviews, 8/24/10)
Literacy Center
http://www.literacycenter.net/lessonview_en.php
The simplicity of this site makes it possible for very young children to practice basic literacy skills that are so important to prekindergarten and kindergarten students. Children could easily do the activities independently after a brief orientation by an adult. Students can practice skills such as letters and sounds, numbers and their meanings, shapes, colors, writing, words, and keyboard. Each skill area has several activities from which to choose with some overlap that reinforces prior learning. For instance, the writing area shows learners the proper pencil strokes to make a letter, then says the letter name, or the pencil demonstrates how to draw a shape, then repeats the name of the shape. This site presents material in an appealing format that focuses on learning rather than bells and whistles. (Education World Site Reviews, 8/17/10)
Alphabet Soup
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/
This site contains information and ideas for the early childhood teacher or parent. Information is organized by themes such as Back to School, Apples, Insects, and Dinosaurs. In addition to the theme area, the site offers holiday pages, complete with ideas, activities, crafts, and links to e-cards. Printable resources are available, such as themed writing paper, bookmarks, and awards. The Parent and Teacher section offers Alphabites (alphabet-based activities), related Web resources, and Teacher Tools (printable activities). Other resources at this site include ideas for craft and art activities, book lists, and recipes. This site is definitely worth a look if you are working with young children. (Education World Site Reviews, 8/17/10)
AND FINALLY…..
Librarians on Wisconsin Public Radio!
On September 13th, Wisconsin Public Radio host, Kathleen Dunn, talked with two top Wisconsin librarians about the growth in library usage, and the future of libraries in the Digital Age. Her guests were Marge Loch-Wouters, Youth Services Coordinator, La Crosse Public Library (and WLA Librarian of the Year) and Erick Plumb, Interim Director, Monona Public Library (Monona is this year’s WLA Library of the Year). You can listen to the archive by going to this link www.wpr.org/kathleendunn or download the mp3 http://wpr.org/wcast/download-mp3-request.cfm?mp3file=dun100913e.mp3&iNoteID=92557. (IFLS NewsFlashes and Arrowhead’s Monday e-Memo)
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
CEO, 08/11/10
Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 347; August 11, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!
2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book
Movie News
Celebrating a Decade of Judy Moody
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers
http://tinyurl.com/yd6s5ue
Nathaniel's parents have been lost at sea and now he's being sent to live with his only known living relative: cousin Phil A. Fludd. To his consternation, this cousin turns out to be a woman, a beastologist and ready to take off on an adventure the very next morning, and Nathaniel is expected to go with her! Phil explains the Fludd history as they fly to Arabia, telling Nathaniel that all Fludds are explorers, with one of their missions being to record strange and exotic beasts. This particular mission is to watch the phoenix die and be reborn. Complications ensue when Phil is taken hostage by Bedouins, who don't like her setting up camp on their land. It's up to Nathaniel to keep watch and protect the phoenix's nest and ashes.
This is book one of what I hope will be a long series of adventures for Nathaniel and his cousin. There are many questions still to be answered about the loss of Nathaniel's parents, several beasts to encounter and much that Nathaniel needs to learn about himself, including how his need to draw and sketch are valuable assets. The characters are all accessible, humorous and very likable. Illustrations complement the text and will encourage reluctant readers to continue to the end. A glossary at the end gives further description of terms used in the text. Give this to Judy Moody lovers, as well as those needing a little magical adventure in their lives.
THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!
Voiced by award-winning actor Martin Short, Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat guides friends Sally and Nick – with a little help from the Fish, Thing 1 and Thing 2 – on fun-filled expeditions where they make natural-science discoveries such as learning how bees make honey or why owls sleep during the day.
Filled with adventure and silliness, THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!™, based on the acclaimed The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library book series, will appeal to preschoolers’ natural curiosity and engage them in the process of scientific exploration and discovery.
THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!™ supports young children’s science learning by introducing scientific inquiry skills, teaching core science concepts and vocabulary, and preparing preschoolers for kindergarten and first grade science curriculum — all in whimsical style. The show premiers September 6, 2010. Go to the website at http://pbskids.org/catinthehat/.
2010 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK
Since 2000, Wisconsin has improved on five of the 10 key measures of child well-being included in the 2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a state-by-state analysis published each year by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Wisconsin’s ranked 10th best overall among the states in this year’s report, the same as a decade ago and the same as last year.
Wisconsin ranked among the top 10 states on four of the 10 indicators covered in this year’s Data Book. Wisconsin’s percentage of teens who are neither in school nor working is one of the lowest in the country, at 5% (5th best in the nation). Wisconsin also scored well on percentage of children whose parents do not have secure employment, ranking 7th best in the country at 22%.
The 2010 Data Book is based on data from 2007 and 2008, primarily the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). While this is the most recent data available for many of the measures, it does not capture the impact of the recent severe recession. In addition to the data included in the 2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book, information on hundreds of other measures of child well-being is available via the Kids Count Data Center, which offers tools for creating maps and graphs of the data at the national, state, county and city levels. The Data Center’s Wisconsin data is available at http://datacenter.kidscount.org/wi. The 2010 KIDS Count Data Book can be found online at http://datacenter.kidscount.org/DataBook/2010/Default.aspx.
CELEBRATING A DECADE OF JUDY MOODY
It's been 10 years since Megan McDonald's comically capricious and unfailingly endearing character first made her debut in Judy Moody (Candlewick, 2000), winning the hearts and loyalties of a wide spectrum of young readers. Since then, the forever-third-grader has taken center stage in eight more funny-bone-tickling adventures, including the latest, Judy Moody, Girl Detective (August 2010), and played a supporting role in several tales about her younger brother Stink, all humorously and heartwarmingly illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Judy Moody has become a mainstay with kids (13 million books have been sold worldwide), earned numerous awards, and even inspired a feature film (set for release in summer 2011). To mark this milestone, Candlewick has reissued the entire series with an attractive new cover design, available in both hardcover and paperback. In addition, the dedicated website, http://www.judymoody.com/ has been refurbished, offering colorful visuals and lots of "Way-Not-Boring Stuff to Do”. (SLJ’S Extra Helping, 8/10/10)
MOVIE NEWS
Well, yet another book getting its movie:
http://www.movies.com/hachi:-a-dogs-tale/m22720
Teaser trailer for Yogi:
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi737805849/
A new Muppets movie? As animation?
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i4c15c030a696fa14c0791f2acbc0e09b
Flipped as a historical fiction? The trailer's cute, though:
http://www.movies.com/flipped/details/m60238
(Thanks to Ruhama for this compilation!)
DATES TO REMEMBER
August 19 UW-Madison SLIS Alumni Board meeting
August 20 WLA Strategic Planning meeting
August 23-25 CSLP Board meeting, Chicago
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
Sept 27 – Oct 1 Rhonda on vacation (guess where?)
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
Reader's Almanac
http://blog.loa.org/
The Library of America's is known for offering up the best of "Classic American writers, classic American books", and their blog is a veritable trove of just that. The site offers a daily update, complete with links to special stories recently featured in their critical print editions, along with video features, interviews, and rare items of interest. Recent posts include an excellent bit of commentary on Zora Neale Hurston, complete with a rare movie clip of her conducting ethnographic work in Florida in 1928. Visitors can browse through past posts, and they won't want to miss their RSS feed and their excellent list of high-quality literary blogs. This site is a must for anyone with an interest in American literature and culture. (Internet Scout Report, 7/30/10)
Alaska's Digital Archive
http://vilda.alaska.edu/
There's a great deal of history up north in Alaska, and the Alaska Digital Library has done a lovely job of digitizing a number of items from a variety of area institutions. This project was initiated by the Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and the Alaska State Library in Juneau. The initiative has already digitized several thousand images, and many of them are organized into thematic collections here. Visitors might wish to start by looking at some of their 1,200 maps, which include an 1897 gold prospecting map and an early map of Hudson Bay from 1758. Moving on, the "Movement to Statehood" collection provides a fascinating host of materials related to the state's history, complete with photographs of the military presence in the Aleutian Islands. Also, visitors can create their own collections for future reference. (Internet Scout Report, 7/30/10)
Wordle
http://www.wordle.net/
If you've ever wanted to create a "word cloud", this application is the perfect way to do it. With Wordle, visitors just provide the text, and the application will generate these "clouds", which give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently. Users can tweak the clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. On the website, visitors can look at samples that use the US Constitution and other pieces of text. This version is compatible with all operating systems. (Internet Scout Report, 7/30/10)
Mosquito Mayhem
www.cbc.ca/kids/games/skeetersplat
Mosquitoes can ruin a picnic, a camping trip, and even a walk in the park. Kids spend most of the summer scratching their bites, so why not let them have fun getting a bit of virtual revenge by playing "Skeeter Splat," created by the folks at CBC television in Canada, which is home to even bigger mosquitoes than we get here in the States. "Skeeter Splat" was created especially for elementary to middle school-age kids-and it's super easy to play. All kids have to do is click on any of the mosquitoes that fly onto the screen. (Note: there are three different color "skeeters." The farther away they are from the skin, the more points they're worth). Don't let one land on the skin though because it'll bite and start to drain the "bite meter." When the meter's empty the game's over. There are other things to watch out for besides "skeeters." Don't click on any bees or spiders because they'll drain the meter even faster. Do, however, click on any blood drops that move across the screen to increase the "bite meter" level, and be sure to click on any lightning bolts, snow flakes, or bug spray cans you see to temporarily get rid of, or slow down, the attacking bugs. "Skeeter Splat" is easy to play, but it's a real challenge to rack up a high score. Consider holding a Mosquito Mayhem journey this August to find out who's your library's "splat champ". (Gail Junion-Metz in SLJ ‘s Extra Helping, 8/3/10)
The Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM)
http://www.thegateway.org/
GEM is a one-stop source for high-quality Internet lesson plans, curriculum units, and other educational resources for parents, teachers, and others involved in education. It currently contains 24,926 education resources. This extensive collection is categorized by subject area, grade level, and keyword. Each collection is reviewed and must meet certain standards to be included in the Gateway. Search results provide a comprehensive list of annotated links. Each record provides a "more info" option that provides the complete GEM review and gives a short description of the resource, including author, title, and location. This is one site teachers will want to bookmark and visit often! (Educational World Site Reviews, 8/10/10)
FREE (Federal Resources for Educational Excellence)
http://www.free.ed.gov/
Teachers will find this site to be a welcome one-stop source of educational resources from more than thirty-five federal organizations including the Library of Congress, NASA, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and others. Resources are available on thousands of topics in a variety of formats including teaching ideas, learning activities, photographs, maps, primary documents, and much more. The What's New section lists the newest additions to the site by date. (Education World Site Reviews, 8/10/10)
AND FINALLY…….
The cat plant is blooming! ☺
Trouble Clef Quartet and Riverport Chorus will be performing tomorrow, Thursday the 12th, in the Gazebo next to the Burlington Public Library during Burlington’s Farmer’s Market. Trouble Clef is my daughter Bethany’s quartet!
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 347; August 11, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!
2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book
Movie News
Celebrating a Decade of Judy Moody
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers
http://tinyurl.com/yd6s5ue
Nathaniel's parents have been lost at sea and now he's being sent to live with his only known living relative: cousin Phil A. Fludd. To his consternation, this cousin turns out to be a woman, a beastologist and ready to take off on an adventure the very next morning, and Nathaniel is expected to go with her! Phil explains the Fludd history as they fly to Arabia, telling Nathaniel that all Fludds are explorers, with one of their missions being to record strange and exotic beasts. This particular mission is to watch the phoenix die and be reborn. Complications ensue when Phil is taken hostage by Bedouins, who don't like her setting up camp on their land. It's up to Nathaniel to keep watch and protect the phoenix's nest and ashes.
This is book one of what I hope will be a long series of adventures for Nathaniel and his cousin. There are many questions still to be answered about the loss of Nathaniel's parents, several beasts to encounter and much that Nathaniel needs to learn about himself, including how his need to draw and sketch are valuable assets. The characters are all accessible, humorous and very likable. Illustrations complement the text and will encourage reluctant readers to continue to the end. A glossary at the end gives further description of terms used in the text. Give this to Judy Moody lovers, as well as those needing a little magical adventure in their lives.
THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!
Voiced by award-winning actor Martin Short, Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat guides friends Sally and Nick – with a little help from the Fish, Thing 1 and Thing 2 – on fun-filled expeditions where they make natural-science discoveries such as learning how bees make honey or why owls sleep during the day.
Filled with adventure and silliness, THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!™, based on the acclaimed The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library book series, will appeal to preschoolers’ natural curiosity and engage them in the process of scientific exploration and discovery.
THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!™ supports young children’s science learning by introducing scientific inquiry skills, teaching core science concepts and vocabulary, and preparing preschoolers for kindergarten and first grade science curriculum — all in whimsical style. The show premiers September 6, 2010. Go to the website at http://pbskids.org/catinthehat/.
2010 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK
Since 2000, Wisconsin has improved on five of the 10 key measures of child well-being included in the 2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a state-by-state analysis published each year by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Wisconsin’s ranked 10th best overall among the states in this year’s report, the same as a decade ago and the same as last year.
Wisconsin ranked among the top 10 states on four of the 10 indicators covered in this year’s Data Book. Wisconsin’s percentage of teens who are neither in school nor working is one of the lowest in the country, at 5% (5th best in the nation). Wisconsin also scored well on percentage of children whose parents do not have secure employment, ranking 7th best in the country at 22%.
The 2010 Data Book is based on data from 2007 and 2008, primarily the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). While this is the most recent data available for many of the measures, it does not capture the impact of the recent severe recession. In addition to the data included in the 2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book, information on hundreds of other measures of child well-being is available via the Kids Count Data Center, which offers tools for creating maps and graphs of the data at the national, state, county and city levels. The Data Center’s Wisconsin data is available at http://datacenter.kidscount.org/wi. The 2010 KIDS Count Data Book can be found online at http://datacenter.kidscount.org/DataBook/2010/Default.aspx.
CELEBRATING A DECADE OF JUDY MOODY
It's been 10 years since Megan McDonald's comically capricious and unfailingly endearing character first made her debut in Judy Moody (Candlewick, 2000), winning the hearts and loyalties of a wide spectrum of young readers. Since then, the forever-third-grader has taken center stage in eight more funny-bone-tickling adventures, including the latest, Judy Moody, Girl Detective (August 2010), and played a supporting role in several tales about her younger brother Stink, all humorously and heartwarmingly illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Judy Moody has become a mainstay with kids (13 million books have been sold worldwide), earned numerous awards, and even inspired a feature film (set for release in summer 2011). To mark this milestone, Candlewick has reissued the entire series with an attractive new cover design, available in both hardcover and paperback. In addition, the dedicated website, http://www.judymoody.com/ has been refurbished, offering colorful visuals and lots of "Way-Not-Boring Stuff to Do”. (SLJ’S Extra Helping, 8/10/10)
MOVIE NEWS
Well, yet another book getting its movie:
http://www.movies.com/hachi:-a-dogs-tale/m22720
Teaser trailer for Yogi:
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi737805849/
A new Muppets movie? As animation?
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i4c15c030a696fa14c0791f2acbc0e09b
Flipped as a historical fiction? The trailer's cute, though:
http://www.movies.com/flipped/details/m60238
(Thanks to Ruhama for this compilation!)
DATES TO REMEMBER
August 19 UW-Madison SLIS Alumni Board meeting
August 20 WLA Strategic Planning meeting
August 23-25 CSLP Board meeting, Chicago
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
Sept 27 – Oct 1 Rhonda on vacation (guess where?)
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
Reader's Almanac
http://blog.loa.org/
The Library of America's is known for offering up the best of "Classic American writers, classic American books", and their blog is a veritable trove of just that. The site offers a daily update, complete with links to special stories recently featured in their critical print editions, along with video features, interviews, and rare items of interest. Recent posts include an excellent bit of commentary on Zora Neale Hurston, complete with a rare movie clip of her conducting ethnographic work in Florida in 1928. Visitors can browse through past posts, and they won't want to miss their RSS feed and their excellent list of high-quality literary blogs. This site is a must for anyone with an interest in American literature and culture. (Internet Scout Report, 7/30/10)
Alaska's Digital Archive
http://vilda.alaska.edu/
There's a great deal of history up north in Alaska, and the Alaska Digital Library has done a lovely job of digitizing a number of items from a variety of area institutions. This project was initiated by the Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and the Alaska State Library in Juneau. The initiative has already digitized several thousand images, and many of them are organized into thematic collections here. Visitors might wish to start by looking at some of their 1,200 maps, which include an 1897 gold prospecting map and an early map of Hudson Bay from 1758. Moving on, the "Movement to Statehood" collection provides a fascinating host of materials related to the state's history, complete with photographs of the military presence in the Aleutian Islands. Also, visitors can create their own collections for future reference. (Internet Scout Report, 7/30/10)
Wordle
http://www.wordle.net/
If you've ever wanted to create a "word cloud", this application is the perfect way to do it. With Wordle, visitors just provide the text, and the application will generate these "clouds", which give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently. Users can tweak the clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. On the website, visitors can look at samples that use the US Constitution and other pieces of text. This version is compatible with all operating systems. (Internet Scout Report, 7/30/10)
Mosquito Mayhem
www.cbc.ca/kids/games/skeetersplat
Mosquitoes can ruin a picnic, a camping trip, and even a walk in the park. Kids spend most of the summer scratching their bites, so why not let them have fun getting a bit of virtual revenge by playing "Skeeter Splat," created by the folks at CBC television in Canada, which is home to even bigger mosquitoes than we get here in the States. "Skeeter Splat" was created especially for elementary to middle school-age kids-and it's super easy to play. All kids have to do is click on any of the mosquitoes that fly onto the screen. (Note: there are three different color "skeeters." The farther away they are from the skin, the more points they're worth). Don't let one land on the skin though because it'll bite and start to drain the "bite meter." When the meter's empty the game's over. There are other things to watch out for besides "skeeters." Don't click on any bees or spiders because they'll drain the meter even faster. Do, however, click on any blood drops that move across the screen to increase the "bite meter" level, and be sure to click on any lightning bolts, snow flakes, or bug spray cans you see to temporarily get rid of, or slow down, the attacking bugs. "Skeeter Splat" is easy to play, but it's a real challenge to rack up a high score. Consider holding a Mosquito Mayhem journey this August to find out who's your library's "splat champ". (Gail Junion-Metz in SLJ ‘s Extra Helping, 8/3/10)
The Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM)
http://www.thegateway.org/
GEM is a one-stop source for high-quality Internet lesson plans, curriculum units, and other educational resources for parents, teachers, and others involved in education. It currently contains 24,926 education resources. This extensive collection is categorized by subject area, grade level, and keyword. Each collection is reviewed and must meet certain standards to be included in the Gateway. Search results provide a comprehensive list of annotated links. Each record provides a "more info" option that provides the complete GEM review and gives a short description of the resource, including author, title, and location. This is one site teachers will want to bookmark and visit often! (Educational World Site Reviews, 8/10/10)
FREE (Federal Resources for Educational Excellence)
http://www.free.ed.gov/
Teachers will find this site to be a welcome one-stop source of educational resources from more than thirty-five federal organizations including the Library of Congress, NASA, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and others. Resources are available on thousands of topics in a variety of formats including teaching ideas, learning activities, photographs, maps, primary documents, and much more. The What's New section lists the newest additions to the site by date. (Education World Site Reviews, 8/10/10)
AND FINALLY…….
The cat plant is blooming! ☺
Trouble Clef Quartet and Riverport Chorus will be performing tomorrow, Thursday the 12th, in the Gazebo next to the Burlington Public Library during Burlington’s Farmer’s Market. Trouble Clef is my daughter Bethany’s quartet!
CEO, 072810
Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 346; July 28, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
Movie News
Storyblocks: A New Tool to Build Early Literacy Skills
Study Says Comics Are Key to Promoting Literacy in Boys
Read ‘Em Their Writes
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
http://tinyurl.com/282hnyb
Newbery Honor winner
Minli is very poor, but doesn't realize it thanks to all the stories her Ba tells her. This is how she learns the history of The Fruitless Mountain (where they live), the Old Man in the Moon and several other fanciful tales. Her Ma, however, sees these as worthless and a waste of time and often laments they don't have enough food or gold. As Minli grows older, she becomes aware of her mother's unhappiness and decides to set out to change their fortune, which can only be done by seeing the Old Man in the Moon. Along the way, she meets a dragon, who becomes a good friend and helps her travel. She also learns many more stories, sees much of the world and even meets a king!
This is a wonderfully woven story (with many stories) that explores some fun Chinese legends, history and ideas. The stories within the story are artfully done, changing the font and adding illustrations to indicate it's a separate tale from the main narrative. The intricacies come together delightfully, without hitting the reader over the head. Character development is superb, especially the growth of Ma and Ba, arguably secondary characters. Minli's childlike belief is refreshing and the friendship she has with Dragon is remarkable. The illustrations are beautiful, colorful and fit the imagery of the text, rather than forcing it. Overall, a quick read that will fit the bill for folk/fairy tale lovers.
MOVIE NEWS
The Avengers
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17973.html
The Hobbit
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/
The Haunted Mansion
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17977.html
Pirates 4 Trailer
http://www.moviestrailer.org/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides-movie-trailer.html
Tangled
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/tangled/?cmp=dcom_EMC_tangled_insider_100727_feat_promo_2__extl#/video/
Secretariat
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/secretariat/?cmp=dcom_EMC_secretariat_insider_100727_feat_promo_3__extl
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
http://www.walden.com/site/movie/the_chronicles_of_narnia_the_voyage_of_the_dawn_treader/?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter_July2010
(and who DIDN’T get teary at the end of Toy Story 3?)
STORYBLOCKS: A NEW TOOL TO BUILD EARLY LITERACY SKILLS
The Colorado State Library has announced the launch of www.storyblocks.org, an online video collection featuring one-minute songs and rhymes for babies, toddlers and preschool children in both English and Spanish. Filmed in partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS, librarians throughout Colorado share successful activities as well as literacy tips. Parents, child care providers and others will discover ways to engage very young children in fun and playful interactions that also build healthy brain development.
StoryBlocks.org is a project of the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL), an advisory group to the State Library. CLEL received a federal grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to create the videos and Web site. The goal is to build awareness and to encourage parents and others to engage with children from birth on early language and pre-literacy skills. The methods used in the videos are based on brain and child development research that show the impact that songs, rhymes and stories have on very young children.
Eight Colorado public libraries helped to fund the project: Arapahoe Library District, Denver Public Library, Douglas County Libraries, Fort Morgan Public Library, Lafayette Public Library, Salida Regional Library and Westminster Public Library. Donations also came from two non-profit organizations: Friends of Food for Thought and Library People and one anonymous donor.
Along with this grant-funded video project, CLEL offers book lists, activities and research information on early literacy at their Web site, http://www.CLEL.org.
For more information on StoryBlocks.org (www.storyblocks.org), contact Patricia Froehlich, youth services senior consultant at the Colorado State Library at froehlichp@cde.state.co.us or 303-866-6908.
STUDY SAYS COMICS ARE KEY TO PROMOTING LITERACY IN BOYS
A new report says comics and graphic novels may hold the secret to promoting literacy in young boys. Long dismissed as fluff by parents, educators, and even librarians, the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) reaffirms what researchers have long held to be true: girls are generally more inclined to read than boys. But it goes on to say that's partly because their literary interests aren't well represented in school libraries and classrooms.
Boys are more likely to enjoy reading science and nonfiction, informational texts, how-to manuals, fantasy, adventure stories, and stories that are scary or gross, along with books about hobbies and things they do or want to do. They also tend to prefer visual media, such as the Internet, newspapers, and magazines that focus on sports, electronics and video games.
CCL states in its Lessons in Learning article "More than just funny books: Comics and prose literacy for boys" that comics and graphic novels "hold untapped potential to address this disparity by promoting improved literacy among young males" and provides an overview of current research on the reading habits of boys and the potential for comics to boost their literacy. The report says comics serve as an effective gateway to reading prose-based works and contribute to visual literacy, as well as the ability to understand and respond to a visual image.
Comics also can help develop many of the same literacy skills as books, such as how to follow a sequence of events; connect narratives to the reader's own experiences, predict what will happen next, and interpret symbols. Even before children are ready to read text, comic books can give them practice in understanding material printed on a page, tracking left to right and top to bottom, and inferring what happens between individual panels in a story, the report says, adding that thanks to their strong visual element, they're a used as teaching aids for second-language learners and students with learning difficulties. (SLJ’s Extra Helping, 7/27/10)
READ ‘EM THEIR WRITES
Lakeshores Library System presents “READ ‘EM THEIR WRITES”, a continuing education opportunity on Tuesday, August 10, 2010. The workshop will be held at the Waterford Public Library, 101 North River Street, Waterford, WI. Registration will be 9:00-9:30 and we’ll begin at 9:30 and end at noon. The workshop will be presented by Gary Warren Niebuhr, the director of the Greendale Public Library and the author of several books on mystery and crime fiction readers advisory. He’ll provide information on starting mystery and crime fiction book clubs, how to elect books and recommend titles for discussion. To register, contact me at the LLS office at rpuntney@lakeshores.lib.wi.us or 262-514-4500 x67. Registration deadline is Friday, August 6th.
DATES TO REMEMBER
August 4 MWFLS Battle of the books, Watertown, 1:00 PM
August 10 “Read ‘Em Their Writes” workshop, 9:30-12, Waterford PL
August 19 UW-Madison SLIS Alumni Board meeting
August 20 WLA Strategic Planning meeting
August 23-25 CSLP Board meeting, Chicago
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
Sept 27 – Oct 1 Rhonda on vacation (guess where?)
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
The Robert Louis Stevenson Website
http://www.robert-louis-stevenson.org/
From his tales of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver to his verses for children, Robert Louis Stevenson remains a tremendous literary force well over a century after his death in 1894. This fascinating site provides resources for academics, young people, and people with a general interest in Stevenson's life and literary musings. Along the top of the homepage, visitors will find ten sections, including "Gallery", "Life", "Works", and "In the Footsteps of RLS". The "In the Footsteps of RLS" brings together Google Maps and information about Stevenson's many travels to give visitors an interactive way to track his journeys through France, Scotland, and the South Seas. Moving on, the "Gallery" area contains photos from every part of Stevenson's life, ranging from a photo of him at age 4 (wearing a cape) to his time as a married man living in the South Sea Islands. As for the "Works" section, visitors would do well to check out his 1878 travelogue, "Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes". (Internet Scout Report, 7/23/10)
Little Brown Downloads
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/kids_fun_downloads.aspx
Fun stuff to go with “I Don’t Want A Cool Cat”, “Smells Like Dog” and more children’s titles published by Hachette.
Introduction to Reading Music
http://datadragon.com/education/reading/
Learn about clefs, time signatures, types of notes, types of rests, basic counting, symbols and shaping. (Internet Public Library)
100 Geeky Places To Take Your Kids This Summer
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/07/100-geeky-places-to-bring-your-kids-this-summer/
Summer is petering out and school is getting closer, but there's still time to get in some trips. This site points you to places that will appeal to your kids' curiosity - science museums, living history towns, the Crayola factory, LegoLand, National Center for the History of Electronic Games, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and many others places you may not have known existed. And, Geek Dad points out, don't forget your local library. Includes local attractions like the Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, and several museums in Chicago. (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html, Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2010, 7/30/10)
AdViews
http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adviews/
"a digital archive of thousands of vintage television commercials dating from the 1950s to the 1980s." Since advertisers like to connect with people at a deep emotional level, these ads, many of them viewable on iTunes, could be a remarkable resource for understanding the concerns and values of Americans during this period. Note that the most prominent search box is for all of the digital collections from the Duke library; to search AdViews specifically, use the search box for Current Collection. . (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html, Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2010, 5/28/10)
AND FINALLY…….
Riverport is performing Sunday afternoon at the Taste of Wisconsin on the lakefront in Kenosha at the Snap On stage at 3:30! It’s free! For more info, go to http://www.tasteofwi.com/.
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 346; July 28, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
Movie News
Storyblocks: A New Tool to Build Early Literacy Skills
Study Says Comics Are Key to Promoting Literacy in Boys
Read ‘Em Their Writes
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
http://tinyurl.com/282hnyb
Newbery Honor winner
Minli is very poor, but doesn't realize it thanks to all the stories her Ba tells her. This is how she learns the history of The Fruitless Mountain (where they live), the Old Man in the Moon and several other fanciful tales. Her Ma, however, sees these as worthless and a waste of time and often laments they don't have enough food or gold. As Minli grows older, she becomes aware of her mother's unhappiness and decides to set out to change their fortune, which can only be done by seeing the Old Man in the Moon. Along the way, she meets a dragon, who becomes a good friend and helps her travel. She also learns many more stories, sees much of the world and even meets a king!
This is a wonderfully woven story (with many stories) that explores some fun Chinese legends, history and ideas. The stories within the story are artfully done, changing the font and adding illustrations to indicate it's a separate tale from the main narrative. The intricacies come together delightfully, without hitting the reader over the head. Character development is superb, especially the growth of Ma and Ba, arguably secondary characters. Minli's childlike belief is refreshing and the friendship she has with Dragon is remarkable. The illustrations are beautiful, colorful and fit the imagery of the text, rather than forcing it. Overall, a quick read that will fit the bill for folk/fairy tale lovers.
MOVIE NEWS
The Avengers
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17973.html
The Hobbit
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/
The Haunted Mansion
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17977.html
Pirates 4 Trailer
http://www.moviestrailer.org/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides-movie-trailer.html
Tangled
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/tangled/?cmp=dcom_EMC_tangled_insider_100727_feat_promo_2__extl#/video/
Secretariat
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/secretariat/?cmp=dcom_EMC_secretariat_insider_100727_feat_promo_3__extl
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
http://www.walden.com/site/movie/the_chronicles_of_narnia_the_voyage_of_the_dawn_treader/?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter_July2010
(and who DIDN’T get teary at the end of Toy Story 3?)
STORYBLOCKS: A NEW TOOL TO BUILD EARLY LITERACY SKILLS
The Colorado State Library has announced the launch of www.storyblocks.org, an online video collection featuring one-minute songs and rhymes for babies, toddlers and preschool children in both English and Spanish. Filmed in partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS, librarians throughout Colorado share successful activities as well as literacy tips. Parents, child care providers and others will discover ways to engage very young children in fun and playful interactions that also build healthy brain development.
StoryBlocks.org is a project of the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL), an advisory group to the State Library. CLEL received a federal grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to create the videos and Web site. The goal is to build awareness and to encourage parents and others to engage with children from birth on early language and pre-literacy skills. The methods used in the videos are based on brain and child development research that show the impact that songs, rhymes and stories have on very young children.
Eight Colorado public libraries helped to fund the project: Arapahoe Library District, Denver Public Library, Douglas County Libraries, Fort Morgan Public Library, Lafayette Public Library, Salida Regional Library and Westminster Public Library. Donations also came from two non-profit organizations: Friends of Food for Thought and Library People and one anonymous donor.
Along with this grant-funded video project, CLEL offers book lists, activities and research information on early literacy at their Web site, http://www.CLEL.org.
For more information on StoryBlocks.org (www.storyblocks.org), contact Patricia Froehlich, youth services senior consultant at the Colorado State Library at froehlichp@cde.state.co.us or 303-866-6908.
STUDY SAYS COMICS ARE KEY TO PROMOTING LITERACY IN BOYS
A new report says comics and graphic novels may hold the secret to promoting literacy in young boys. Long dismissed as fluff by parents, educators, and even librarians, the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) reaffirms what researchers have long held to be true: girls are generally more inclined to read than boys. But it goes on to say that's partly because their literary interests aren't well represented in school libraries and classrooms.
Boys are more likely to enjoy reading science and nonfiction, informational texts, how-to manuals, fantasy, adventure stories, and stories that are scary or gross, along with books about hobbies and things they do or want to do. They also tend to prefer visual media, such as the Internet, newspapers, and magazines that focus on sports, electronics and video games.
CCL states in its Lessons in Learning article "More than just funny books: Comics and prose literacy for boys" that comics and graphic novels "hold untapped potential to address this disparity by promoting improved literacy among young males" and provides an overview of current research on the reading habits of boys and the potential for comics to boost their literacy. The report says comics serve as an effective gateway to reading prose-based works and contribute to visual literacy, as well as the ability to understand and respond to a visual image.
Comics also can help develop many of the same literacy skills as books, such as how to follow a sequence of events; connect narratives to the reader's own experiences, predict what will happen next, and interpret symbols. Even before children are ready to read text, comic books can give them practice in understanding material printed on a page, tracking left to right and top to bottom, and inferring what happens between individual panels in a story, the report says, adding that thanks to their strong visual element, they're a used as teaching aids for second-language learners and students with learning difficulties. (SLJ’s Extra Helping, 7/27/10)
READ ‘EM THEIR WRITES
Lakeshores Library System presents “READ ‘EM THEIR WRITES”, a continuing education opportunity on Tuesday, August 10, 2010. The workshop will be held at the Waterford Public Library, 101 North River Street, Waterford, WI. Registration will be 9:00-9:30 and we’ll begin at 9:30 and end at noon. The workshop will be presented by Gary Warren Niebuhr, the director of the Greendale Public Library and the author of several books on mystery and crime fiction readers advisory. He’ll provide information on starting mystery and crime fiction book clubs, how to elect books and recommend titles for discussion. To register, contact me at the LLS office at rpuntney@lakeshores.lib.wi.us or 262-514-4500 x67. Registration deadline is Friday, August 6th.
DATES TO REMEMBER
August 4 MWFLS Battle of the books, Watertown, 1:00 PM
August 10 “Read ‘Em Their Writes” workshop, 9:30-12, Waterford PL
August 19 UW-Madison SLIS Alumni Board meeting
August 20 WLA Strategic Planning meeting
August 23-25 CSLP Board meeting, Chicago
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
Sept 27 – Oct 1 Rhonda on vacation (guess where?)
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
The Robert Louis Stevenson Website
http://www.robert-louis-stevenson.org/
From his tales of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver to his verses for children, Robert Louis Stevenson remains a tremendous literary force well over a century after his death in 1894. This fascinating site provides resources for academics, young people, and people with a general interest in Stevenson's life and literary musings. Along the top of the homepage, visitors will find ten sections, including "Gallery", "Life", "Works", and "In the Footsteps of RLS". The "In the Footsteps of RLS" brings together Google Maps and information about Stevenson's many travels to give visitors an interactive way to track his journeys through France, Scotland, and the South Seas. Moving on, the "Gallery" area contains photos from every part of Stevenson's life, ranging from a photo of him at age 4 (wearing a cape) to his time as a married man living in the South Sea Islands. As for the "Works" section, visitors would do well to check out his 1878 travelogue, "Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes". (Internet Scout Report, 7/23/10)
Little Brown Downloads
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/kids_fun_downloads.aspx
Fun stuff to go with “I Don’t Want A Cool Cat”, “Smells Like Dog” and more children’s titles published by Hachette.
Introduction to Reading Music
http://datadragon.com/education/reading/
Learn about clefs, time signatures, types of notes, types of rests, basic counting, symbols and shaping. (Internet Public Library)
100 Geeky Places To Take Your Kids This Summer
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/07/100-geeky-places-to-bring-your-kids-this-summer/
Summer is petering out and school is getting closer, but there's still time to get in some trips. This site points you to places that will appeal to your kids' curiosity - science museums, living history towns, the Crayola factory, LegoLand, National Center for the History of Electronic Games, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and many others places you may not have known existed. And, Geek Dad points out, don't forget your local library. Includes local attractions like the Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, and several museums in Chicago. (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html, Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2010, 7/30/10)
AdViews
http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adviews/
"a digital archive of thousands of vintage television commercials dating from the 1950s to the 1980s." Since advertisers like to connect with people at a deep emotional level, these ads, many of them viewable on iTunes, could be a remarkable resource for understanding the concerns and values of Americans during this period. Note that the most prominent search box is for all of the digital collections from the Duke library; to search AdViews specifically, use the search box for Current Collection. . (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html, Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2010, 5/28/10)
AND FINALLY…….
Riverport is performing Sunday afternoon at the Taste of Wisconsin on the lakefront in Kenosha at the Snap On stage at 3:30! It’s free! For more info, go to http://www.tasteofwi.com/.
CEO, 072110
Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 345; July 21, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Reviews
Design Squad’s Trash to Treasure Competition
Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read
Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival
Boosting Family Involvement through Better Policy Report
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez
http://tinyurl.com/39v3jcv
Told from two different perspectives, this is a story of immigrants from Mexico, half of which are illegal, and a Yankee farm family. Tyler lives on a dairy farm in Vermont, and they need help. His grandfather recently died, his father had a farming accident and his older brother is leaving for college. This leads to hiring Mari and her family, and thus begins a tale of friendship, freedom and understanding. Tyler and Mari are in school together, and discover they both enjoy stargazing, which often saves their friendship throughout the tumultuous events in the narrative. As the year progresses, Tyler learns more about Mexican culture, just as Mari learns more about life in Vermont. They both learn more about deportation, ICE and coyotes. A subplot throughout is the disappearance of Mari's mother, which gives Tyler a chance to be a hero.
Overall, this book was disappointing. I enjoyed Tyler's growth through the year, especially his struggle with being friends with an illegal alien. I also appreciated the overall struggle of following the law, but also recognizing many of the people affected by the law aren't criminal or in the United States with evil intent. The topic is unique and can spur discussion, especially as both sides of the story unfold. The format, however, is one of the weaknesses. Switching from third to first person was awkward, especially as how the story was told didn't change. Having Mari as an omniscient narrator was jarring, and some of her story feels forced as Alvarez squeezes information into letters just to keep the story moving. The use of Spanish (and the italics to indicate it) was also inconsistent and some of the translating felt weird. And the subplot of actually finding Mari's mother felt like it was resolved with too many gimmicks and was hurried.
DESIGN SQUAD’S TRASH TO TREASURE COMPETITION
Design Squad, the PBS engineering reality competition series, is offering kids a chance to get in on the action this summer. Complement your library's summer outreach efforts and increase the chances of someone from YOUR community appearing on the next season of Design Squad by encouraging kids to enter.
The 2010 Trash to Treasure Competition challenges kids, ages 5-19, to recycle, reuse, and re-engineer everyday materials into out-of-the-box inventions. Three winners will win a trip to Boston to see their designs built and appear on an episode of Design Squad. Twenty-five finalists will be featured on the series website and will receive a Design Squad t-shirt. Entries will be accepted through September 5, 2010 at pbs.org/designsquad.
To help share the excitement, the following resources are available:
1. Contest Flyer
Print, post, and distribute the promotional flyer. You can find a PDF on the Design Squad website.
2. Invent It, Build It Activity Guide
Explore the invention process with kids through fun, hands-on challenges from this award-winning activity guide.
3. Promotional Language
Include a message about the competition in your newsletters, announcements, and print pieces.
4. Logo and Images
Include a web button on your website linking to our contest page. Or, spice up your newsletters with some fun signature images.
BANNED BOOKS WEEK: CELEBRATING THE FREEDOM TO READ
Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States. It will be held September 25 - October 2 this year.
Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them. The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections.
For more information on getting involved with Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, please see Calendar of Events and Ideas and Resources. You can also contact the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4220, or bbw@ala.org.
SHEBOYGAN CHIDLREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL
An exciting new event for children, parents and anyone who loves children's literature is coming to the greater Sheboygan area this fall. The first annual Sheboygan Children's Book Festival, October 15-17, will bring exceptional children's book authors and illustrators to the community for a celebration of books, reading, writing and art.
The children's book festival, which includes the grand opening celebration for Bookworm Gardens, will be part of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center's “Sheboygan Shindig”, October 15-21. The “Sheboygan Shindig” is an arts and literary extravaganza that will feature the opening of the major exhibition, “Animal Instinct”. plus entertainment, live animals, art-making workshops, special tours and symposia and more.
Some of the outstanding and award-winning authors and illustrators scheduled to take part in the festival are: Avi, Kathi Appelt, and Wisconsin's own Lois Ehlert. Others include Calef Brown and David McLimans.
To learn more, visit www.sheboyganchildrensbookfestival.org. Author and illustrator biographies, book lists, and the event schedule will be updated as new information is announced. Visitors to the site can sign up for email updates or make a donation.
BOOSTING FAMILY INVOLVEMENT THROUGH BETTER POLICY REPORT
Available through SparkAction!’s website, the Harvard Family Research Project’s report, “Taking Leadership, Innovating Change: Profiles in Family, School, and Community Engagement” looks at ways to systematize policy efforts (currently often marginalized and piecemeal) toward achieving educational equity, and to help make family involvement more clearly seen as a major part of achieving educational equity. Research shows the importance of parent-school partnerships in education, and especially among disadvantaged families. Public libraries are not mentioned, which is disappointing, but typical. Go to http://sparkaction.org/resources/37790 to view the report in its entirety. (NCSET E-News, 7/19/20)
DATES TO REMEMBER
August 4 MWFLS Battle of the books, Watertown, 1:00 PM
August 19 UW-Madison SLIS Alumni Board meeting
August 20 WLA Strategic Planning meeting
August 23-25 CSLP Board meeting, Chicago
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
September 27 – October 1 Rhonda on vacation (guess where?)
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
Sandra Boynton Event Kit
http://www.workman.com/blog/boyntoneventkit/
Love Boynton? He’s a link to Workman’s new downloadable authorless event kit, which includes a poster and other goodies.
Astro-Venture
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/projects/astrobiology/astroventure/avhome.html
Students are sure to enjoy the interactivity of this adventure. They will be guided through four training modules as they learn how astronomy, geology, atmospheric science, and biology affect a planet's ability to support human life. After each training session, students are given a mission to complete, using scientific inquiry, to select a planet and star system that meets the requirements for human habitation. The final mission requires students to use all of the knowledge they have acquired to create a simulated planet that has all the characteristics in each of the four areas required to make it habitable to humans. Additionally, there is a Teacher/Parent section with lesson plans and suggestions for use, career fact sheets, and other related resources. This is a web site you don't want to miss. (Education World Site Reviews, 7/6/10)
The Gateway to Educational Materials
http://www.thegateway.org/
GEM is a one-stop source for high-quality Internet lesson plans, curriculum units, and other educational resources for parents, teachers, and others involved in education. It currently contains 24,926 education resources. This extensive collection is categorized by subject area, grade level, and keyword. Each collection is reviewed and must meet certain standards to be included in the Gateway. Search results provide a comprehensive list of annotated links. Each record provides a "more info" option that provides the complete GEM review and gives a short description of the resource, including author, title, and location. This is one site you will want to bookmark and visit often! . (Education World Site Reviews, 7/6/10)
AND FINALLY……
There’s a family of swans that resides in a small pond near the Lakeshores office. Often when I am heading to work in the morning they are sitting right along side the road. The parents are diligent and there’s been no undue loss of life. Eight of the cygnets have survived this year (which may actually be all of them), as compared to two last year.
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 345; July 21, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Reviews
Design Squad’s Trash to Treasure Competition
Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read
Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival
Boosting Family Involvement through Better Policy Report
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez
http://tinyurl.com/39v3jcv
Told from two different perspectives, this is a story of immigrants from Mexico, half of which are illegal, and a Yankee farm family. Tyler lives on a dairy farm in Vermont, and they need help. His grandfather recently died, his father had a farming accident and his older brother is leaving for college. This leads to hiring Mari and her family, and thus begins a tale of friendship, freedom and understanding. Tyler and Mari are in school together, and discover they both enjoy stargazing, which often saves their friendship throughout the tumultuous events in the narrative. As the year progresses, Tyler learns more about Mexican culture, just as Mari learns more about life in Vermont. They both learn more about deportation, ICE and coyotes. A subplot throughout is the disappearance of Mari's mother, which gives Tyler a chance to be a hero.
Overall, this book was disappointing. I enjoyed Tyler's growth through the year, especially his struggle with being friends with an illegal alien. I also appreciated the overall struggle of following the law, but also recognizing many of the people affected by the law aren't criminal or in the United States with evil intent. The topic is unique and can spur discussion, especially as both sides of the story unfold. The format, however, is one of the weaknesses. Switching from third to first person was awkward, especially as how the story was told didn't change. Having Mari as an omniscient narrator was jarring, and some of her story feels forced as Alvarez squeezes information into letters just to keep the story moving. The use of Spanish (and the italics to indicate it) was also inconsistent and some of the translating felt weird. And the subplot of actually finding Mari's mother felt like it was resolved with too many gimmicks and was hurried.
DESIGN SQUAD’S TRASH TO TREASURE COMPETITION
Design Squad, the PBS engineering reality competition series, is offering kids a chance to get in on the action this summer. Complement your library's summer outreach efforts and increase the chances of someone from YOUR community appearing on the next season of Design Squad by encouraging kids to enter.
The 2010 Trash to Treasure Competition challenges kids, ages 5-19, to recycle, reuse, and re-engineer everyday materials into out-of-the-box inventions. Three winners will win a trip to Boston to see their designs built and appear on an episode of Design Squad. Twenty-five finalists will be featured on the series website and will receive a Design Squad t-shirt. Entries will be accepted through September 5, 2010 at pbs.org/designsquad.
To help share the excitement, the following resources are available:
1. Contest Flyer
Print, post, and distribute the promotional flyer. You can find a PDF on the Design Squad website.
2. Invent It, Build It Activity Guide
Explore the invention process with kids through fun, hands-on challenges from this award-winning activity guide.
3. Promotional Language
Include a message about the competition in your newsletters, announcements, and print pieces.
4. Logo and Images
Include a web button on your website linking to our contest page. Or, spice up your newsletters with some fun signature images.
BANNED BOOKS WEEK: CELEBRATING THE FREEDOM TO READ
Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States. It will be held September 25 - October 2 this year.
Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them. The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections.
For more information on getting involved with Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, please see Calendar of Events and Ideas and Resources. You can also contact the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4220, or bbw@ala.org.
SHEBOYGAN CHIDLREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL
An exciting new event for children, parents and anyone who loves children's literature is coming to the greater Sheboygan area this fall. The first annual Sheboygan Children's Book Festival, October 15-17, will bring exceptional children's book authors and illustrators to the community for a celebration of books, reading, writing and art.
The children's book festival, which includes the grand opening celebration for Bookworm Gardens, will be part of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center's “Sheboygan Shindig”, October 15-21. The “Sheboygan Shindig” is an arts and literary extravaganza that will feature the opening of the major exhibition, “Animal Instinct”. plus entertainment, live animals, art-making workshops, special tours and symposia and more.
Some of the outstanding and award-winning authors and illustrators scheduled to take part in the festival are: Avi, Kathi Appelt, and Wisconsin's own Lois Ehlert. Others include Calef Brown and David McLimans.
To learn more, visit www.sheboyganchildrensbookfestival.org. Author and illustrator biographies, book lists, and the event schedule will be updated as new information is announced. Visitors to the site can sign up for email updates or make a donation.
BOOSTING FAMILY INVOLVEMENT THROUGH BETTER POLICY REPORT
Available through SparkAction!’s website, the Harvard Family Research Project’s report, “Taking Leadership, Innovating Change: Profiles in Family, School, and Community Engagement” looks at ways to systematize policy efforts (currently often marginalized and piecemeal) toward achieving educational equity, and to help make family involvement more clearly seen as a major part of achieving educational equity. Research shows the importance of parent-school partnerships in education, and especially among disadvantaged families. Public libraries are not mentioned, which is disappointing, but typical. Go to http://sparkaction.org/resources/37790 to view the report in its entirety. (NCSET E-News, 7/19/20)
DATES TO REMEMBER
August 4 MWFLS Battle of the books, Watertown, 1:00 PM
August 19 UW-Madison SLIS Alumni Board meeting
August 20 WLA Strategic Planning meeting
August 23-25 CSLP Board meeting, Chicago
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
September 27 – October 1 Rhonda on vacation (guess where?)
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
Sandra Boynton Event Kit
http://www.workman.com/blog/boyntoneventkit/
Love Boynton? He’s a link to Workman’s new downloadable authorless event kit, which includes a poster and other goodies.
Astro-Venture
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/projects/astrobiology/astroventure/avhome.html
Students are sure to enjoy the interactivity of this adventure. They will be guided through four training modules as they learn how astronomy, geology, atmospheric science, and biology affect a planet's ability to support human life. After each training session, students are given a mission to complete, using scientific inquiry, to select a planet and star system that meets the requirements for human habitation. The final mission requires students to use all of the knowledge they have acquired to create a simulated planet that has all the characteristics in each of the four areas required to make it habitable to humans. Additionally, there is a Teacher/Parent section with lesson plans and suggestions for use, career fact sheets, and other related resources. This is a web site you don't want to miss. (Education World Site Reviews, 7/6/10)
The Gateway to Educational Materials
http://www.thegateway.org/
GEM is a one-stop source for high-quality Internet lesson plans, curriculum units, and other educational resources for parents, teachers, and others involved in education. It currently contains 24,926 education resources. This extensive collection is categorized by subject area, grade level, and keyword. Each collection is reviewed and must meet certain standards to be included in the Gateway. Search results provide a comprehensive list of annotated links. Each record provides a "more info" option that provides the complete GEM review and gives a short description of the resource, including author, title, and location. This is one site you will want to bookmark and visit often! . (Education World Site Reviews, 7/6/10)
AND FINALLY……
There’s a family of swans that resides in a small pond near the Lakeshores office. Often when I am heading to work in the morning they are sitting right along side the road. The parents are diligent and there’s been no undue loss of life. Eight of the cygnets have survived this year (which may actually be all of them), as compared to two last year.
CEO, 071210
Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 344; July 12, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Reviews
Northwoods Children’s Book Conference
ALSC Announces Exceptional Websites for Children
Movie News
The Business of Children’s Publishing
National Indicators of the Well-Being of Children
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEWS
Maggie's Ball by Lindsay Barrett George
http://tinyurl.com/36up5zt
Maggie the dog has a bright yellow ball, but it gets lost! She searches through town trying to discover where it went. She visits the four shops on the circle, but no one has it. In the end, she not only finds her ball, but also a friend. Bright and colorful illustrations easily convey emotions and actions. Several pages can be used for I Spy or learning more about circles. Text is simple and works for younger aged storytimes.
What the Ladybug Heard by Julia Donaldson
http://tinyurl.com/2b7ctj4
Have you ever thought a ladybug would save the day? Because she's small and quiet, the ladybug overhears the entire plan of two thieves to steal the farm's prize cow. She immediately comes up with a plan to foil the robbers and keep the farm safe and breaks her silence for one day. The concept is neat, but has several aspects that fall flat. The rhyme is generally good, but the cadence is tricky and some of the text tries too hard. The illustrations also are generally good, but some of the mixed media is disconcerting and some pages are quite busy. Overall, an additional purchase.
Nibbles: A Green Tale by Charlotte Middleton
http://tinyurl.com/2g4kkvn
Nibbles loves dandelion leaves, as does his whole family, as does his whole town! These guinea pigs aren't careful, though, and eat the plants almost to extinction. But Nibbles will save the day with a garden and everyone can still enjoy their favorite treat. Adults will enjoy the irony of the guinea pigs' plight and children will appreciate the resourcefulness of Nibbles (and librarians will rejoice). The illustrations are mixed media, colorful and work well for storytime or a lap.
NORTHWOOD CHILDREN’S BOOK CONFERENCE
Northwoods Children’s Book Conference is pleased to announce Anita Silvey as the keynote speaker and presenter for this year’s conference to be held September 30 and October 1 at Lakewoods Resort in Cable, Wisconsin. Ms. Silvey is a nationally recognized author and advocate of youth literacy. She has devoted 35 years promoting books that will turn the young--and families--into readers. To do this she has appeared frequently on NPR, "The Today Show," "60 Minutes," and radio programs in the United States and Canada to talk about books for children and teenagers. As Publishers Weekly has said "It would be hard to find a more authoritative voice than Anita Silvey."
Anita Silvey has been in the book industry as an author, publisher of children’s books, editor of journals in the field, and reviewer/evaluator. In a unique career in the children’s book field, Ms. Silvey has divided her time equally between publishing and evaluating children’s books. But her lifelong conviction that “only the very best of anything can be good enough for the young” forms the cornerstone of her work. Ms. Silvey served for eleven years as Editor-in-Chief of The Horn Book Magazine, a publication many call “the Bible of children’s literature.” As Editor of Horn Book, she read several thousand books a year, hunting for those of exceptional quality that children return to again and again. Bev Bauer, of Redbery Books and a sponsor of the event says, “I have followed Anita Silvey from afar my entire career. It’s a real highlight to have her here for the conference.”
Silvey will be delivering the keynote address on Friday, October 1st, the title of which is also the title of her latest book, “Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book. In addition, she will present a three-hour workshop Thursday, September 30 titled “Like a Rolling Stone, the Changing Landscape of Young Adult Books.” In the spirit of her title, the conference will conclude at the end of the day with a fun-filled hour of presenters and selected attendees sharing thoughts on the influential children’s book that gave them everything they needed to know to prepare the for life.
More information and registration details can be found online at http://www.northwoodsbook.org/ or by calling Redbery Books, 715 798-5014. Sponsors include Northern Waters Library Service and Children’s Literature Network.
ALSC ANNOUNCES EXCEPTIONAL WEBSITES FOR CHILDREN
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has added recommended Web sites to Great Web Sites for Kids www.ala.org/greatsites, its online resource containing hundreds of links to outstanding Web sites for children. Great Web Sites for Kids (GWS) features links to websites of interest to children 14 years of age and younger, organized into diverse subject headings, from astronomy and space to zoos and aquariums, from games and entertainment to geography and maps. There is also a special section with sites of interest to parents, caregivers and teachers. Members of the ALSC Great Web Sites for Kids Committee review and evaluate potential sites for inclusion and vote on the sites to be included. They also regularly check the entire site to ensure currency and re-evaluate sites when necessary.
The newly added sites are:
Aaron Shepard’s Folktales - www.aaronshep.com/stories/folk.html
Academic Skill Builders - www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/
BAM! Body and Mind - www.bam.gov/
Book Worm for Kids - www.bookworm4kids.com/
Census in Schools - www.census.gov/schools/census_for_kids/
Chicos - www.chicos.net/
Cool Science for Kids - www.hhmi.org/coolscience/forkids/index.html
Dogo News - www.dogonews.com/
Enchanted Learning - www.littleexplorers.com/languages/spanish/Aisfor.shtml
Exploratorium Science of Gardening - www.exploratorium.edu/gardening/feed/index.html
Games for Change - www.gamesforchange.org
Genna’s World - www.gennasworld.com
If I Was King of the World www.ifiwasthekingoftheworld.com/
Jefferson Lab - http://education.jlab.org/
Lab TV - www.ndep.us/LabTV.aspx
MakeBeliefsComix - www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/
Math Apprentice - www.mathapprentice.com/
Mr. PicassoHead - www.mrpicassohead.com
Nourish Interactive - www.nourishinteractive.com/
NSA www.nsa.gov/kids/
Pat Mora - www.patmora.com
Plimoth Plantation - www.plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html
Smarty Games - www.smartygames.com/
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne extension - http://urbanext.illinois.edu/kids/index.html
US Mint for Kids - www.usmint.gov/kids/
Wacky Web Tales - www.eduplace.com/tales/
You Are Here www.ftc.gov/youarehere/
The complete listing of great sites with annotations and selection criteria can be found at www.ala.org/greatsites.
MOVIE NEWS
Sorcerer’s Apprentice
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0963966/
Loosely based on the brief segment in Fantasia….
Ramona and Beezus
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493949/
Looks like the focus of the film is not Ramona, but I could be wrong….
Hugo Cabret
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/
Jude Law added to the cast…..
Charlie St. Cloud
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1438254/
THE BUSINESS OF CHILDREN’S PUBLISHING
“The Business of Children’s Publishing” will be held October 1 and 2 at Carthage College in Kenosha at the Hedberg Library. The conference will be 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM both days.
Featured speakers include Ann Bausum (National Geographic), Kevin Luthardt (Peachtree), Quinlan Lee (Adams Literary). Anita Eerdmans (Eerdmans Publishing), and Scottie Bowditch (Penquin). The conference will focus on what different aspects are essential in children’s publishing, including what do publishers do, what does an agent do, what do an editor do and what does a marketing manager to? For further information, contact John Stewig at jstewig@carthage.edu or call (262) 552-5480.
NATIONAL INDICATORS OF THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released "America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2010." This report continues a series of annual reports to the nation on the well-being of children in the United States. The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences, in cooperation with 21 other federal agencies, contributes indicators to the report and supports its production.
According to the report's section on education, eighth graders’ average mathematics scale scores increased between 2007 and 2009, as did eighth graders’ average reading scale scores. Not all the report's findings were positive, however; the proportion of youth aged 16-19 who were neither enrolled in school nor working increased from 8 percent to 9 percent between 2008 and 2009.
The 2010 Childstats website includes 68 tables and 59 figures that describe the population of children and depict their well-being in the areas of family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health.
You can view, download, and print the report at http://childstats.gov/
DATES TO REMEMBER
July 13 Barbershop Music Appreciation Day ☺
July 15-17 Laurapalooza, Mankato, Minnesota
August 19 UW-Madison SLIS Alumni Board meeting
August 20 WLA Strategic Planning meeting
August 23-25 CSLP Board meeting, Chicago
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
September 27 – October 1 Rhonda on vacation
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
SunGuard Man
www.sunguardman.org
Now that school's out and summer's here, kids will be outside and exposed to the sun's rays. Make sure that they and their parents know how to be "sun smart." Start your tour by clicking on the red tabs at the top of each page. Kids can find out what UV radiation is and why they need to protect themselves from it, what their chances of getting skin cancer are, how to prevent skin cancer, why it's important to use sunscreen, the dangers of tanning beds/booths, and how to do a skin self-exam. Check out the "Games & Activities" on the navbar, where you can try your hand at shooting down some nasty UV rays in "Ray-Zin-Noma Attacks the Ballpark." The "Adventures of SGM" contains six animated cartoon episodes with cool sounds and music. Don't miss the "Teacher Resources," which include PDF handouts, flyers, a teacher's guide, and even a ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation. Finally find out what the current UV index is in your area of the country by clicking on the map at the bottom of the navbar. Kids can have fun in the sun if they're SunGuard Man smart! (SLJ’s Extra Helping, 6/8/10)
A Place of Our Own
http://aplaceofourown.org/index.php
The multiple award-winning PBS television series, website and outreach program, A Place of Our Own, and the Spanish language version, Los Niños en su Casa is aimed at child caregivers including parents, grandparents, daycare workers, and nannies. The goal is to give child caregivers a supportive and informative place to turn for help with the important task of caring for children of their own or someone else's. Visitors to the website will find that topics for the week, Monday-Friday, can be viewed and selected on the homepage. Each day there is a new topic covered, such as getting kids to share. The topic begins as question sent in from a child caregiver, and then answered by the show's host, someone in the medical community such as a pediatrician or a therapist, parents, or other caregivers. For more responses, visitors can join the discussion by going to the "Message Board". Visitors will find a helpful "featured activity" that relates to the topic, such as making box structures to encourage sharing among children. Sometimes a topic even has a "featured video", such as the video offered on separation anxiety. (Copyright 2010 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu, 7/8/10)
Laura’s Life
http://lauramitolife.blogspot.com/
Laura is 4th grader at Stonegate Elementary School in Zionsville, Indiana, and lives "in the middle of nowhere", rural Indiana. As a second grader she decided to read all the Newbery Medal winners before she got to middle school, which for her starts in 5th grade. She reached her goal with time to spare. At the ALA conference last month, Laura was able to meet Rebecca Stead, Rodman Philbrick, members of the ALA Executive Board and the ALSC board, and attend the Newbery Caldecott banquet and shared these experiences on her blog.
Digital Comic Museum
http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/
For well over a century, comic books have been the stuff of childhood pastimes. Some people never grow tired of comics, and this website might be just the tonic they are looking for. The Digital Comic Museum presents hundreds of unique comics in their original format, and visitors will need to complete a short registration form before they get started here. The works here were published decades ago by long-gone companies such as the Croydon Publishing Company and Key Publications. Visitors can make their way through 1950s classics like "Black Cobra" and other gems, including the war-time classic "Joe Yank" and "Sparky Watts", who was billed as the "World's Strongest Funny Man". Scholars of this commercial art form may also find the site quite useful, as it provides a look into a number of rather obscure comic book titles. (Copyright 2010 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu, 6/11/10)
TeensHealth
http://teenshealth.org/teen/
The non-profit health organization Nemours has developed a website that is just for teens and their health issues. The health issues covered on the site include growth and emotions, as well as other bodily health issues. The categories of health issues that are covered include "Food & Fitness", "Infections", "School & Jobs", and "Mind". On the homepage visitors will find several colorful boxes with different themes, such as "Hot Topics", "Expert Answers On...", a "Quiz", and "Featured Articles". Some of the "Featured Articles" are on golf safety tips, strength training, and smart snacking. The current "Quiz" question is about insomnia, and once the question is answered, visitors can click "Find Out More" and read about (or listen to) information on nine different sleep problems facing teens. (Copyright 2010 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu, 6/25/10)
AND FINALLY…..
Today’s photo of Posie was taken this morning before work. It was the first time I’d caught her in the kitty condo. It will probably be the only time. ☺
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 344; July 12, 2010
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Reviews
Northwoods Children’s Book Conference
ALSC Announces Exceptional Websites for Children
Movie News
The Business of Children’s Publishing
National Indicators of the Well-Being of Children
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEWS
Maggie's Ball by Lindsay Barrett George
http://tinyurl.com/36up5zt
Maggie the dog has a bright yellow ball, but it gets lost! She searches through town trying to discover where it went. She visits the four shops on the circle, but no one has it. In the end, she not only finds her ball, but also a friend. Bright and colorful illustrations easily convey emotions and actions. Several pages can be used for I Spy or learning more about circles. Text is simple and works for younger aged storytimes.
What the Ladybug Heard by Julia Donaldson
http://tinyurl.com/2b7ctj4
Have you ever thought a ladybug would save the day? Because she's small and quiet, the ladybug overhears the entire plan of two thieves to steal the farm's prize cow. She immediately comes up with a plan to foil the robbers and keep the farm safe and breaks her silence for one day. The concept is neat, but has several aspects that fall flat. The rhyme is generally good, but the cadence is tricky and some of the text tries too hard. The illustrations also are generally good, but some of the mixed media is disconcerting and some pages are quite busy. Overall, an additional purchase.
Nibbles: A Green Tale by Charlotte Middleton
http://tinyurl.com/2g4kkvn
Nibbles loves dandelion leaves, as does his whole family, as does his whole town! These guinea pigs aren't careful, though, and eat the plants almost to extinction. But Nibbles will save the day with a garden and everyone can still enjoy their favorite treat. Adults will enjoy the irony of the guinea pigs' plight and children will appreciate the resourcefulness of Nibbles (and librarians will rejoice). The illustrations are mixed media, colorful and work well for storytime or a lap.
NORTHWOOD CHILDREN’S BOOK CONFERENCE
Northwoods Children’s Book Conference is pleased to announce Anita Silvey as the keynote speaker and presenter for this year’s conference to be held September 30 and October 1 at Lakewoods Resort in Cable, Wisconsin. Ms. Silvey is a nationally recognized author and advocate of youth literacy. She has devoted 35 years promoting books that will turn the young--and families--into readers. To do this she has appeared frequently on NPR, "The Today Show," "60 Minutes," and radio programs in the United States and Canada to talk about books for children and teenagers. As Publishers Weekly has said "It would be hard to find a more authoritative voice than Anita Silvey."
Anita Silvey has been in the book industry as an author, publisher of children’s books, editor of journals in the field, and reviewer/evaluator. In a unique career in the children’s book field, Ms. Silvey has divided her time equally between publishing and evaluating children’s books. But her lifelong conviction that “only the very best of anything can be good enough for the young” forms the cornerstone of her work. Ms. Silvey served for eleven years as Editor-in-Chief of The Horn Book Magazine, a publication many call “the Bible of children’s literature.” As Editor of Horn Book, she read several thousand books a year, hunting for those of exceptional quality that children return to again and again. Bev Bauer, of Redbery Books and a sponsor of the event says, “I have followed Anita Silvey from afar my entire career. It’s a real highlight to have her here for the conference.”
Silvey will be delivering the keynote address on Friday, October 1st, the title of which is also the title of her latest book, “Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book. In addition, she will present a three-hour workshop Thursday, September 30 titled “Like a Rolling Stone, the Changing Landscape of Young Adult Books.” In the spirit of her title, the conference will conclude at the end of the day with a fun-filled hour of presenters and selected attendees sharing thoughts on the influential children’s book that gave them everything they needed to know to prepare the for life.
More information and registration details can be found online at http://www.northwoodsbook.org/ or by calling Redbery Books, 715 798-5014. Sponsors include Northern Waters Library Service and Children’s Literature Network.
ALSC ANNOUNCES EXCEPTIONAL WEBSITES FOR CHILDREN
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has added recommended Web sites to Great Web Sites for Kids www.ala.org/greatsites, its online resource containing hundreds of links to outstanding Web sites for children. Great Web Sites for Kids (GWS) features links to websites of interest to children 14 years of age and younger, organized into diverse subject headings, from astronomy and space to zoos and aquariums, from games and entertainment to geography and maps. There is also a special section with sites of interest to parents, caregivers and teachers. Members of the ALSC Great Web Sites for Kids Committee review and evaluate potential sites for inclusion and vote on the sites to be included. They also regularly check the entire site to ensure currency and re-evaluate sites when necessary.
The newly added sites are:
Aaron Shepard’s Folktales - www.aaronshep.com/stories/folk.html
Academic Skill Builders - www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/
BAM! Body and Mind - www.bam.gov/
Book Worm for Kids - www.bookworm4kids.com/
Census in Schools - www.census.gov/schools/census_for_kids/
Chicos - www.chicos.net/
Cool Science for Kids - www.hhmi.org/coolscience/forkids/index.html
Dogo News - www.dogonews.com/
Enchanted Learning - www.littleexplorers.com/languages/spanish/Aisfor.shtml
Exploratorium Science of Gardening - www.exploratorium.edu/gardening/feed/index.html
Games for Change - www.gamesforchange.org
Genna’s World - www.gennasworld.com
If I Was King of the World www.ifiwasthekingoftheworld.com/
Jefferson Lab - http://education.jlab.org/
Lab TV - www.ndep.us/LabTV.aspx
MakeBeliefsComix - www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/
Math Apprentice - www.mathapprentice.com/
Mr. PicassoHead - www.mrpicassohead.com
Nourish Interactive - www.nourishinteractive.com/
NSA www.nsa.gov/kids/
Pat Mora - www.patmora.com
Plimoth Plantation - www.plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html
Smarty Games - www.smartygames.com/
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne extension - http://urbanext.illinois.edu/kids/index.html
US Mint for Kids - www.usmint.gov/kids/
Wacky Web Tales - www.eduplace.com/tales/
You Are Here www.ftc.gov/youarehere/
The complete listing of great sites with annotations and selection criteria can be found at www.ala.org/greatsites.
MOVIE NEWS
Sorcerer’s Apprentice
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0963966/
Loosely based on the brief segment in Fantasia….
Ramona and Beezus
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493949/
Looks like the focus of the film is not Ramona, but I could be wrong….
Hugo Cabret
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/
Jude Law added to the cast…..
Charlie St. Cloud
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1438254/
THE BUSINESS OF CHILDREN’S PUBLISHING
“The Business of Children’s Publishing” will be held October 1 and 2 at Carthage College in Kenosha at the Hedberg Library. The conference will be 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM both days.
Featured speakers include Ann Bausum (National Geographic), Kevin Luthardt (Peachtree), Quinlan Lee (Adams Literary). Anita Eerdmans (Eerdmans Publishing), and Scottie Bowditch (Penquin). The conference will focus on what different aspects are essential in children’s publishing, including what do publishers do, what does an agent do, what do an editor do and what does a marketing manager to? For further information, contact John Stewig at jstewig@carthage.edu or call (262) 552-5480.
NATIONAL INDICATORS OF THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released "America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2010." This report continues a series of annual reports to the nation on the well-being of children in the United States. The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences, in cooperation with 21 other federal agencies, contributes indicators to the report and supports its production.
According to the report's section on education, eighth graders’ average mathematics scale scores increased between 2007 and 2009, as did eighth graders’ average reading scale scores. Not all the report's findings were positive, however; the proportion of youth aged 16-19 who were neither enrolled in school nor working increased from 8 percent to 9 percent between 2008 and 2009.
The 2010 Childstats website includes 68 tables and 59 figures that describe the population of children and depict their well-being in the areas of family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health.
You can view, download, and print the report at http://childstats.gov/
DATES TO REMEMBER
July 13 Barbershop Music Appreciation Day ☺
July 15-17 Laurapalooza, Mankato, Minnesota
August 19 UW-Madison SLIS Alumni Board meeting
August 20 WLA Strategic Planning meeting
August 23-25 CSLP Board meeting, Chicago
September 23-25 ALSC Institute, Atlanta
September 27 – October 1 Rhonda on vacation
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
January 6-11 ALA Midwinter meeting, San Diego
WEBSITE FAVES
SunGuard Man
www.sunguardman.org
Now that school's out and summer's here, kids will be outside and exposed to the sun's rays. Make sure that they and their parents know how to be "sun smart." Start your tour by clicking on the red tabs at the top of each page. Kids can find out what UV radiation is and why they need to protect themselves from it, what their chances of getting skin cancer are, how to prevent skin cancer, why it's important to use sunscreen, the dangers of tanning beds/booths, and how to do a skin self-exam. Check out the "Games & Activities" on the navbar, where you can try your hand at shooting down some nasty UV rays in "Ray-Zin-Noma Attacks the Ballpark." The "Adventures of SGM" contains six animated cartoon episodes with cool sounds and music. Don't miss the "Teacher Resources," which include PDF handouts, flyers, a teacher's guide, and even a ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation. Finally find out what the current UV index is in your area of the country by clicking on the map at the bottom of the navbar. Kids can have fun in the sun if they're SunGuard Man smart! (SLJ’s Extra Helping, 6/8/10)
A Place of Our Own
http://aplaceofourown.org/index.php
The multiple award-winning PBS television series, website and outreach program, A Place of Our Own, and the Spanish language version, Los Niños en su Casa is aimed at child caregivers including parents, grandparents, daycare workers, and nannies. The goal is to give child caregivers a supportive and informative place to turn for help with the important task of caring for children of their own or someone else's. Visitors to the website will find that topics for the week, Monday-Friday, can be viewed and selected on the homepage. Each day there is a new topic covered, such as getting kids to share. The topic begins as question sent in from a child caregiver, and then answered by the show's host, someone in the medical community such as a pediatrician or a therapist, parents, or other caregivers. For more responses, visitors can join the discussion by going to the "Message Board". Visitors will find a helpful "featured activity" that relates to the topic, such as making box structures to encourage sharing among children. Sometimes a topic even has a "featured video", such as the video offered on separation anxiety. (Copyright 2010 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu, 7/8/10)
Laura’s Life
http://lauramitolife.blogspot.com/
Laura is 4th grader at Stonegate Elementary School in Zionsville, Indiana, and lives "in the middle of nowhere", rural Indiana. As a second grader she decided to read all the Newbery Medal winners before she got to middle school, which for her starts in 5th grade. She reached her goal with time to spare. At the ALA conference last month, Laura was able to meet Rebecca Stead, Rodman Philbrick, members of the ALA Executive Board and the ALSC board, and attend the Newbery Caldecott banquet and shared these experiences on her blog.
Digital Comic Museum
http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/
For well over a century, comic books have been the stuff of childhood pastimes. Some people never grow tired of comics, and this website might be just the tonic they are looking for. The Digital Comic Museum presents hundreds of unique comics in their original format, and visitors will need to complete a short registration form before they get started here. The works here were published decades ago by long-gone companies such as the Croydon Publishing Company and Key Publications. Visitors can make their way through 1950s classics like "Black Cobra" and other gems, including the war-time classic "Joe Yank" and "Sparky Watts", who was billed as the "World's Strongest Funny Man". Scholars of this commercial art form may also find the site quite useful, as it provides a look into a number of rather obscure comic book titles. (Copyright 2010 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu, 6/11/10)
TeensHealth
http://teenshealth.org/teen/
The non-profit health organization Nemours has developed a website that is just for teens and their health issues. The health issues covered on the site include growth and emotions, as well as other bodily health issues. The categories of health issues that are covered include "Food & Fitness", "Infections", "School & Jobs", and "Mind". On the homepage visitors will find several colorful boxes with different themes, such as "Hot Topics", "Expert Answers On...", a "Quiz", and "Featured Articles". Some of the "Featured Articles" are on golf safety tips, strength training, and smart snacking. The current "Quiz" question is about insomnia, and once the question is answered, visitors can click "Find Out More" and read about (or listen to) information on nine different sleep problems facing teens. (Copyright 2010 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu, 6/25/10)
AND FINALLY…..
Today’s photo of Posie was taken this morning before work. It was the first time I’d caught her in the kitty condo. It will probably be the only time. ☺
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
READ AND WIN! SUMMER READING CHALLENGE AND EVENTS BEGIN JUNE 19
READ AND WIN! SUMMER READING CHALLENGE AND EVENTS BEGIN JUNE 19
Racine - The Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St, is launching is 2010 Summer Reading Challenge for ALL ages beginning Saturday, June 19 and running through Saturday, July 31. Registration may be done after June 19 at any public service desk at the main or mobile library, as well as on the library's website at www.racinelibrary.info . Participants of all ages, once registered, will be given a reading record and asked to complete a challenge: either to read a specified number of books or to read for a specific amount of time. Once the challenge is completed, reading records are turned in to the main or mobile library, and participants receive a gift and an entry into the library's grand prize drawing. A library card is not needed for participation in the reading challenge, although one is recommended so that full use may be made of the library's many resources. Library cards for all ages are available for free by completing a simple registration form. Forms may be obtained from any library information desk or at the mobile library.
In addition to the reading challenge, the library will be celebrating summer reading through its series of special events. The following programs will offer something of interest to all ages.
Early Childhood Storytimes begin June 22 and will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10am in the Youth Services Dept. Two different age appropriate programs are held simultaneously to accommodate different learning levels. Both programs are designed to teach crucial early literacy skills. Children ages 1-3 are invited to sit with their parents in a 20 minute storytime featuring songs, fingerplay, and short stories. Children ages 4-5 who are able to sit independently are invited to attend a longer preschool storytime offering more complex stories and activities. These are drop-in events and no registration is needed to attend.
Make a Splash! summer programs are designed for kids ages 5-10. The library is offering the following opportunities for kids to experience music, stories, and other fun activities. Some registration is required as listed below. For more information or to register call the Youth Services Department at 262.636.9245.
- Storywagon Series - This series of performances by professional entertainers is held on Thursdays at 10 am and 1:30 pm in the Youth Services Dept. Thursday, June 24 will feature the musical fun of Pint Size Polkas; Thursday, July 1 the library hosts dramatic demonstrations in "Get Excited About Science" with Steve Bellevue; on Thursday, July 15 Bassmeister Curt Strutz will send you into side-splitting laughter with his Fishing Comedy Show. All programs are free and no registration is necessary.
- Family Fun Nights - Special activity nights for families looking for some quality time together. Programs are held once a month on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm; registration is required. June 24 families will spend time with the Master Gardener's Club learning all about growing your own family garden. July 22, families are invited to participate in a game night with board games, Wii gaming, and some fun group games. August 26, the library will host a family "End of Summer Pity Party".
- Make a Splash Activity Days - Story and activity days are held weekly on Tuesdays at 2:30pm. Registration is required. Themes vary weekly with such topics as Water Science, Pirate Parties, and Outdoor Water Games.
- Ruff Readers - The library's award-winning read-to-the-dogs program continues over the summer. Kids ages 6-12 are invited to spend 15 minutes reading to one of our specially-trained listening dogs. This is a relaxed and fun way for kids to practice reading over the summer. Participants may drop-in during the reading times or may call 262.636.9245 to reserve a time slot. The following schedule begins June 21:
Mondays @ 10:30am : Dewey or Daisy
Mondays @ 4pm: Hobbs
Tuesdays @ 1pm: Lucy
Tuesdays @ 4:30pm: Bowie
Thursdays @ 4:30: Marshall & Epstein
Make Waves! is the library's series of activity days just for teens ages 11-17. These programs are held on Mondays at 2:30pm. Registration is required and space is limited for some of the events. Call 262.636.9245 for more information or to register. The following is a schedule of upcoming events:
- June 28 - Water Your Imagination with cool science experiments and creative art activities
- July 12 - Beach Bum Day - Join us for beach games, crafts, and a community service cleanup at North Beach.
- July 19 - (Tentative) Kayaking and Orienteering at REC on Sixth St. Space is limited.
- July 26 - Water Wars - Outdoor water games.
Water Your Mind! just for adults. Summer fun isn't just for the kids! The library has created some interesting and thought-provoking entertainment just for grownups. Some registration is required as listed below. Call the library at 262.636.9245 for more information.
- Watercolor Workshop - Thursday, July 1 at 10am. - Our friends from RAM will lead you through a hands-on mini watercolor project. Supplies provided. Registration is required as space is limited.
- Great Lakes Diving Adventure - Friday, July 2 at 11:15am and 3:00pm. - A presentation by a mother/son duo who have explored shipwrecks in many of the Great Lakes and throughout the world. They'll be introducing us to diving history, equipment, safety and what's to be found in our own watery backyard. No registration necessary.
- Protecting Our Local Waterways - Thursday, July 15 at 6:30pm (tentative)- A presentation by the Root River Environmental Center about water conservation, watershed projects, and the REC's role in the Root River revival. No registration necessary.
- Sierra Club Presentation - Thursday, July 22 at 6:30pm - This local environmental group presents intriguing and educational programs. Join us as they explore practical ways you can help to protect our valuable natural resources. No registration necessary.
- Wii Gaming for Adults - Tutorial Days on Thursday June 1 & July 8 at 10am; Game Days on Thursdays beginning July 22 from 10-noon. Come have some fun with this popular active video game experience in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere! Drop in only; no registration.
All of the above programs are free and open to all. Dates and times may be subject to change. Visit the library's website (racinelibrary.info ) or call 262.636.9245 to confirm events.
The library is also offering two free concerts for all ages.
Geneva Red Harmonica Blues Concert - Monday, June 21 at 6:00pm - World renowned Blues Harmonica player Geneva Red will give an introduction to America's Blues music through performance by her juke joint duo The Original Delta Fireballs. This is a hands on harmonica workshop for participants. Bring your own harmonicas if possible (a 10 hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C is needed); the library has a limited number available for use. Call 262.636.9245 if you plan on attending.
Comedy Juggler Steve Russell - Monday, August 2 at 6:30pm - In this slightly off-center variety show, you get all the laughs of a stand-up comedian with the added bonus of disappearing bananas, impaled potatoes and adeptly juggled luncheon meat. Lots of laughs, fun and surprises for ALL ages. Free; no registration necessary.
Racine - The Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St, is launching is 2010 Summer Reading Challenge for ALL ages beginning Saturday, June 19 and running through Saturday, July 31. Registration may be done after June 19 at any public service desk at the main or mobile library, as well as on the library's website at www.racinelibrary.info
In addition to the reading challenge, the library will be celebrating summer reading through its series of special events. The following programs will offer something of interest to all ages.
Early Childhood Storytimes begin June 22 and will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10am in the Youth Services Dept. Two different age appropriate programs are held simultaneously to accommodate different learning levels. Both programs are designed to teach crucial early literacy skills. Children ages 1-3 are invited to sit with their parents in a 20 minute storytime featuring songs, fingerplay, and short stories. Children ages 4-5 who are able to sit independently are invited to attend a longer preschool storytime offering more complex stories and activities. These are drop-in events and no registration is needed to attend.
Make a Splash! summer programs are designed for kids ages 5-10. The library is offering the following opportunities for kids to experience music, stories, and other fun activities. Some registration is required as listed below. For more information or to register call the Youth Services Department at 262.636.9245.
- Storywagon Series - This series of performances by professional entertainers is held on Thursdays at 10 am and 1:30 pm in the Youth Services Dept. Thursday, June 24 will feature the musical fun of Pint Size Polkas; Thursday, July 1 the library hosts dramatic demonstrations in "Get Excited About Science" with Steve Bellevue; on Thursday, July 15 Bassmeister Curt Strutz will send you into side-splitting laughter with his Fishing Comedy Show. All programs are free and no registration is necessary.
- Family Fun Nights - Special activity nights for families looking for some quality time together. Programs are held once a month on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm; registration is required. June 24 families will spend time with the Master Gardener's Club learning all about growing your own family garden. July 22, families are invited to participate in a game night with board games, Wii gaming, and some fun group games. August 26, the library will host a family "End of Summer Pity Party".
- Make a Splash Activity Days - Story and activity days are held weekly on Tuesdays at 2:30pm. Registration is required. Themes vary weekly with such topics as Water Science, Pirate Parties, and Outdoor Water Games.
- Ruff Readers - The library's award-winning read-to-the-dogs program continues over the summer. Kids ages 6-12 are invited to spend 15 minutes reading to one of our specially-trained listening dogs. This is a relaxed and fun way for kids to practice reading over the summer. Participants may drop-in during the reading times or may call 262.636.9245 to reserve a time slot. The following schedule begins June 21:
Mondays @ 10:30am : Dewey or Daisy
Mondays @ 4pm: Hobbs
Tuesdays @ 1pm: Lucy
Tuesdays @ 4:30pm: Bowie
Thursdays @ 4:30: Marshall & Epstein
Make Waves! is the library's series of activity days just for teens ages 11-17. These programs are held on Mondays at 2:30pm. Registration is required and space is limited for some of the events. Call 262.636.9245 for more information or to register. The following is a schedule of upcoming events:
- June 28 - Water Your Imagination with cool science experiments and creative art activities
- July 12 - Beach Bum Day - Join us for beach games, crafts, and a community service cleanup at North Beach.
- July 19 - (Tentative) Kayaking and Orienteering at REC on Sixth St. Space is limited.
- July 26 - Water Wars - Outdoor water games.
Water Your Mind! just for adults. Summer fun isn't just for the kids! The library has created some interesting and thought-provoking entertainment just for grownups. Some registration is required as listed below. Call the library at 262.636.9245 for more information.
- Watercolor Workshop - Thursday, July 1 at 10am. - Our friends from RAM will lead you through a hands-on mini watercolor project. Supplies provided. Registration is required as space is limited.
- Great Lakes Diving Adventure - Friday, July 2 at 11:15am and 3:00pm. - A presentation by a mother/son duo who have explored shipwrecks in many of the Great Lakes and throughout the world. They'll be introducing us to diving history, equipment, safety and what's to be found in our own watery backyard. No registration necessary.
- Protecting Our Local Waterways - Thursday, July 15 at 6:30pm (tentative)- A presentation by the Root River Environmental Center about water conservation, watershed projects, and the REC's role in the Root River revival. No registration necessary.
- Sierra Club Presentation - Thursday, July 22 at 6:30pm - This local environmental group presents intriguing and educational programs. Join us as they explore practical ways you can help to protect our valuable natural resources. No registration necessary.
- Wii Gaming for Adults - Tutorial Days on Thursday June 1 & July 8 at 10am; Game Days on Thursdays beginning July 22 from 10-noon. Come have some fun with this popular active video game experience in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere! Drop in only; no registration.
All of the above programs are free and open to all. Dates and times may be subject to change. Visit the library's website (racinelibrary.info
The library is also offering two free concerts for all ages.
Geneva Red Harmonica Blues Concert - Monday, June 21 at 6:00pm - World renowned Blues Harmonica player Geneva Red will give an introduction to America's Blues music through performance by her juke joint duo The Original Delta Fireballs. This is a hands on harmonica workshop for participants. Bring your own harmonicas if possible (a 10 hole diatonic harmonica in the key of C is needed); the library has a limited number available for use. Call 262.636.9245 if you plan on attending.
Comedy Juggler Steve Russell - Monday, August 2 at 6:30pm - In this slightly off-center variety show, you get all the laughs of a stand-up comedian with the added bonus of disappearing bananas, impaled potatoes and adeptly juggled luncheon meat. Lots of laughs, fun and surprises for ALL ages. Free; no registration necessary.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
CEO, 05/10/10
Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 342; May 10, 2010
http://www.west-bendlibrary.org/mwflskids.htm
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Reviews
One last “Make a Splash – Read” site……
Nancy Drew turns 80!
National Children’s Book Week
Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s Youth Literacy Grant
Free Shakespeare in the Park
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd
http://tinyurl.com/yzftvcs
Laura lives in England and is 16. Her life has just turned upside down because of climate change, the government deciding to do something about it and a family that is on the brink of collapsing. Severe weather has caused major changes around the British Isles and carbon rationing has been instituted: every family is only allowed so much fuel per week. This means a change in television watching, computer usage, eating, washing and every other habit you can think of. It also means Laura has to think about what she's willing to give up so she and her band mates can still practice (she plays bass for the dirty angels). Laura also has to deal with school (and flunking), the cute boy next door, her sister working in the black market and her dad deciding to go back to the land (he buys a pig and some chickens) in the middle of London.
Overall, I found this book to be disappointing. The love interests felt flat and more along the lines of a device to make her more of a teenager. The memorabilia 'taped' in the diary was hard to read and quite small. I never connected with the main character and just found her annoying (I liked the older neighbor Arthur better than Laura...). And despite the explanations of Britishisms in the back, this one was a little confusing to understand. As far as diaries go, though, this was written convincingly and felt like a girl writing entries. I also appreciated her band and the ups and downs that went with the territory. However, if you want a better 'end of the world' story, read Life As We Knew It. If you want a better 'school girl in England' story, read Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging.
ONE LAST “MAKE A SPLASH – READ” SITE……
These are too cute to resist!
http://www.ivillage.com/koi-pond-cupcakes/3-r-139108
NANCY DREW TURNS 80!
April 28th marked the 80th anniversary of the publication of the first three Nancy Drew titles. Here are a few sites to help you celebrate Nancy’s anniversary at your library!
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/yr/features/nancydrew/index.html
http://www.ndsleuths.com/
http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/
http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/nancydrewpresskit.html
NATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK
Celebrate books and reading during this week’s special celebration! Since 1919, Children's Book Week has been celebrated nationally in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs, private homes -- any place where there are children and books. Educators, librarians, booksellers, and families have celebrated children's books and the love of reading with storytelling, parties, author and illustrator appearances, and other book-related events.
It all began with the idea that children's books can change lives. In 1913, Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, began touring the country to promote higher standards in children's books. He proposed creating a Children's Book Week, which would be supported by all interested groups: publishers, booksellers, and librarians.
Mathiews enlisted two important allies: Frederic G. Melcher, the visionary editor of Publishers Weekly, and Anne Carroll Moore, the Superintendent of Children's Works at the New York Public Library and a major figure in the library world. With the help of Melcher and Moore, in 1916 the American Booksellers Association and the American Library Association cooperated with the Boy Scouts in sponsoring a Good Book Week.
In 1944, the newly-established Children's Book Council assumed responsibility for administering Children's Book Week. In 2008, Children’s Book Week moved from November to May. At that time, responsibility for Children’s Book Week, including planning official events and creating original materials, was transferred to Every Child a Reader, the philanthropic arm of the children’s publishing industry. Also in 2008, the Children's Book Council created the Children's Choice Book Awards, the only national child-chosen book awards program, giving young readers a powerful voice in their own reading choices.
For more information, go to http://www.bookweekonline.com/
DOLLAR GENERAL LITERACY FOUNDATION’S YOUTH LITERACY GRANT
Dollar General’s foundation provides funding to schools, public libraries and nonprofit organizations to help students who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading. The maximum grant amount is $3,000. Deadline to apply is May 21, 2010. Go to http://www.dollargeneral.com/dgliteracy/Pages/youth_grants.aspx for more information.
FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
This summer, for the first time ever in the Festival City, Milwaukee will add free Shakespeare in the Park to her summer festival retinue and you're invited! Optimist Theatre, in partnership with Alverno College and individuals and organizations from all segments of the city, will create and share a fully local, fully professional, and fully accessible production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Shakespeare’s masterpiece of magic, humor, forgiveness, and redemption will be completely free to the audience, but of the highest creative caliber: simple, fierce, and imaginative. The Tempest stars James Pickering as Prospero, fearsome sorcerer and loving father; Angela Iannone as Ariel, nimble and powerful spirit; Tom Reed as Caliban, vengeful monster and damaged soul; and Jacque Troy as Antonio, scheming sister and seductive conspirator.
Shakespeare in the Park is free for all to attend, but seating space is limited, so RSVP now. Show dates and times are:
Friday, June 18 at 12:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Saturday, June 19 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, June 20 at 8:00 pm
Thursday, June 24 at 8:00 pm
Friday, June 25 at 12:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Saturday, June 26 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, June 27 at 8:00 pm
To RSVP, email your date preference and the total number of people who will be attending to SSFry@OptimistTheatre.org. You’ll receive a confirmation with more details including directions, parking, info on food concessions and other entertainment. Closer to the date, you’ll be emailed a reminder.
For the latest news about Optimist Theatre, Shakespeare in the Park and The Tempest, there are three places to check:
Optimist Theatre’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/OptimistTheatre
Our blog at http://optimisttheatre.wordpress.com/
The latest addition, our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/OptimistTheatre
And, of course, the Optimist Theatre website at www.OptimistTheatre.org
DATES TO REMEMBER
May 10-16 National Children’s Book Week
May 21 Special Needs Consultants meeting, Madison
June 24-29 ALA Annual Conference, Washington, DC
July 15-17 Laurapalooza, Mankato, Minnesota
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
WEBSITE FAVES
Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/exhibitions/Matisse
This website is the online version of the current blockbuster exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC), Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917. The exhibition is a curator's delight - an in-depth examination of a specific, productive period in Matisse's long career. The exhibit is an opportunity to bring together works never seen before in the same place and many of the paintings in the exhibit were conserved before the show, dark varnishes removed, and colors brightened. Twenty-one works have been selected for the online exhibit, including Bathers by a River, one of Matisse's largest paintings. There is also a video of the installation of this large painting in the new modern wing at AIC, as well as a curators' overview. (Internet Scout Report, 5/7/10)
Neil Gaiman on Libraries - The Book Case
http://www.bookpage.com/the-book-case/2010/04/14/neil-gaiman-talks-about-his-love-of-libraries/
Gaiman explains why he believes that in these difficult economic times, despite the glut of free information from the net, "libraries are as important as they have ever been, and they may be more important than they have ever been." (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html, Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2009,4/23/10)
Road Trip Planning - Tips, Resources and Advice
http://roadtripamerica.com/
Offers advice on all aspects of road trip planning, including routes, destinations, road food, road trip gear, a fuel cost calculator, and lots more. Learn from other road trip adventurers and contribute yourself on the forum. (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html, Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2009, 4/23/10)
Ruhama’s Blog: C2E2 Evaluation
http://librariane.blogspot.com/2010/04/extravaganzaa.html
Jennifer Wharton, Sara Soukup, Ruhama and I attended C2E2 in Chicago last month. In addition the expo, several sessions of interest to librarians were presented that day. Here’s Ruhama’s blog entry about our day.
AND FINALLY…….
It looks like I’ll be returning to Seattle this fall, this time for the Sweet Adelines International convention and competition. My daughter’s quartet, Trouble Clef, will be competing in the Rising Star competition, which is for quartets comprised of young women under the age of 25. We’re all very excited!
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 342; May 10, 2010
http://www.west-bendlibrary.org/mwflskids.htm
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com
In this issue:
Ruhama’s Reviews
One last “Make a Splash – Read” site……
Nancy Drew turns 80!
National Children’s Book Week
Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s Youth Literacy Grant
Free Shakespeare in the Park
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......
RUHAMA’S REVIEW
The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd
http://tinyurl.com/yzftvcs
Laura lives in England and is 16. Her life has just turned upside down because of climate change, the government deciding to do something about it and a family that is on the brink of collapsing. Severe weather has caused major changes around the British Isles and carbon rationing has been instituted: every family is only allowed so much fuel per week. This means a change in television watching, computer usage, eating, washing and every other habit you can think of. It also means Laura has to think about what she's willing to give up so she and her band mates can still practice (she plays bass for the dirty angels). Laura also has to deal with school (and flunking), the cute boy next door, her sister working in the black market and her dad deciding to go back to the land (he buys a pig and some chickens) in the middle of London.
Overall, I found this book to be disappointing. The love interests felt flat and more along the lines of a device to make her more of a teenager. The memorabilia 'taped' in the diary was hard to read and quite small. I never connected with the main character and just found her annoying (I liked the older neighbor Arthur better than Laura...). And despite the explanations of Britishisms in the back, this one was a little confusing to understand. As far as diaries go, though, this was written convincingly and felt like a girl writing entries. I also appreciated her band and the ups and downs that went with the territory. However, if you want a better 'end of the world' story, read Life As We Knew It. If you want a better 'school girl in England' story, read Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging.
ONE LAST “MAKE A SPLASH – READ” SITE……
These are too cute to resist!
http://www.ivillage.com/koi-pond-cupcakes/3-r-139108
NANCY DREW TURNS 80!
April 28th marked the 80th anniversary of the publication of the first three Nancy Drew titles. Here are a few sites to help you celebrate Nancy’s anniversary at your library!
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/yr/features/nancydrew/index.html
http://www.ndsleuths.com/
http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/
http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/nancydrewpresskit.html
NATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK
Celebrate books and reading during this week’s special celebration! Since 1919, Children's Book Week has been celebrated nationally in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs, private homes -- any place where there are children and books. Educators, librarians, booksellers, and families have celebrated children's books and the love of reading with storytelling, parties, author and illustrator appearances, and other book-related events.
It all began with the idea that children's books can change lives. In 1913, Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, began touring the country to promote higher standards in children's books. He proposed creating a Children's Book Week, which would be supported by all interested groups: publishers, booksellers, and librarians.
Mathiews enlisted two important allies: Frederic G. Melcher, the visionary editor of Publishers Weekly, and Anne Carroll Moore, the Superintendent of Children's Works at the New York Public Library and a major figure in the library world. With the help of Melcher and Moore, in 1916 the American Booksellers Association and the American Library Association cooperated with the Boy Scouts in sponsoring a Good Book Week.
In 1944, the newly-established Children's Book Council assumed responsibility for administering Children's Book Week. In 2008, Children’s Book Week moved from November to May. At that time, responsibility for Children’s Book Week, including planning official events and creating original materials, was transferred to Every Child a Reader, the philanthropic arm of the children’s publishing industry. Also in 2008, the Children's Book Council created the Children's Choice Book Awards, the only national child-chosen book awards program, giving young readers a powerful voice in their own reading choices.
For more information, go to http://www.bookweekonline.com/
DOLLAR GENERAL LITERACY FOUNDATION’S YOUTH LITERACY GRANT
Dollar General’s foundation provides funding to schools, public libraries and nonprofit organizations to help students who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading. The maximum grant amount is $3,000. Deadline to apply is May 21, 2010. Go to http://www.dollargeneral.com/dgliteracy/Pages/youth_grants.aspx for more information.
FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
This summer, for the first time ever in the Festival City, Milwaukee will add free Shakespeare in the Park to her summer festival retinue and you're invited! Optimist Theatre, in partnership with Alverno College and individuals and organizations from all segments of the city, will create and share a fully local, fully professional, and fully accessible production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Shakespeare’s masterpiece of magic, humor, forgiveness, and redemption will be completely free to the audience, but of the highest creative caliber: simple, fierce, and imaginative. The Tempest stars James Pickering as Prospero, fearsome sorcerer and loving father; Angela Iannone as Ariel, nimble and powerful spirit; Tom Reed as Caliban, vengeful monster and damaged soul; and Jacque Troy as Antonio, scheming sister and seductive conspirator.
Shakespeare in the Park is free for all to attend, but seating space is limited, so RSVP now. Show dates and times are:
Friday, June 18 at 12:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Saturday, June 19 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, June 20 at 8:00 pm
Thursday, June 24 at 8:00 pm
Friday, June 25 at 12:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Saturday, June 26 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, June 27 at 8:00 pm
To RSVP, email your date preference and the total number of people who will be attending to SSFry@OptimistTheatre.org. You’ll receive a confirmation with more details including directions, parking, info on food concessions and other entertainment. Closer to the date, you’ll be emailed a reminder.
For the latest news about Optimist Theatre, Shakespeare in the Park and The Tempest, there are three places to check:
Optimist Theatre’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/OptimistTheatre
Our blog at http://optimisttheatre.wordpress.com/
The latest addition, our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/OptimistTheatre
And, of course, the Optimist Theatre website at www.OptimistTheatre.org
DATES TO REMEMBER
May 10-16 National Children’s Book Week
May 21 Special Needs Consultants meeting, Madison
June 24-29 ALA Annual Conference, Washington, DC
July 15-17 Laurapalooza, Mankato, Minnesota
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells
WEBSITE FAVES
Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/exhibitions/Matisse
This website is the online version of the current blockbuster exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC), Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917. The exhibition is a curator's delight - an in-depth examination of a specific, productive period in Matisse's long career. The exhibit is an opportunity to bring together works never seen before in the same place and many of the paintings in the exhibit were conserved before the show, dark varnishes removed, and colors brightened. Twenty-one works have been selected for the online exhibit, including Bathers by a River, one of Matisse's largest paintings. There is also a video of the installation of this large painting in the new modern wing at AIC, as well as a curators' overview. (Internet Scout Report, 5/7/10)
Neil Gaiman on Libraries - The Book Case
http://www.bookpage.com/the-book-case/2010/04/14/neil-gaiman-talks-about-his-love-of-libraries/
Gaiman explains why he believes that in these difficult economic times, despite the glut of free information from the net, "libraries are as important as they have ever been, and they may be more important than they have ever been." (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html, Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2009,4/23/10)
Road Trip Planning - Tips, Resources and Advice
http://roadtripamerica.com/
Offers advice on all aspects of road trip planning, including routes, destinations, road food, road trip gear, a fuel cost calculator, and lots more. Learn from other road trip adventurers and contribute yourself on the forum. (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html, Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2009, 4/23/10)
Ruhama’s Blog: C2E2 Evaluation
http://librariane.blogspot.com/2010/04/extravaganzaa.html
Jennifer Wharton, Sara Soukup, Ruhama and I attended C2E2 in Chicago last month. In addition the expo, several sessions of interest to librarians were presented that day. Here’s Ruhama’s blog entry about our day.
AND FINALLY…….
It looks like I’ll be returning to Seattle this fall, this time for the Sweet Adelines International convention and competition. My daughter’s quartet, Trouble Clef, will be competing in the Rising Star competition, which is for quartets comprised of young women under the age of 25. We’re all very excited!
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