CEO Newsletter, 3/16/10

Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 340; March 17, 2010
http://www.west-bendlibrary.org/mwflskids.htm
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

In this issue:
Ruhama’s Reviews
Make a Splash – READ!
Help Make Children Count Too
The Wimpy Kid Movie
2010 Best Books for Young Adults
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......


RUHAMA’S REVIEWS

King of the Screwups by K.L. Going
http://tinyurl.com/ydu36yu

Liam's mother, Sarah, is a model and famous boutique owner. His father, Allan, is a famous successful financial guy. Liam... well, he's very good at being popular. This often causes family arguments, especially when Liam's father struggles with his son getting bad grades, getting drunk and getting in trouble. Allan finally reaches the breaking point and kicks Liam out of the house, right before Liam's senior year begins. Sarah arranges for Liam to live with his Aunt Pete (named because he's gay) for a while. Liam is determined not to screw up again, even decided that he'd work towards not being the most likable guy in school. Unfortunately, that backfires and he's Mister Popularity almost from the start, which worries Liam and his plan to make his father like him again.

This is a touching story of a boy who really does want to make his dad proud and struggles through many poor decisions in doing so. Liam is a likable character (as he should be--he's one of the popular crowd, after all), though there were times I was frustrated with his obsession with trying to get the girl next door to like him. I appreciated the fact that he enjoys fashion and had a flair for setting a scene (which shows up when he starts to work for his uncle's friend at the upscale clothing store in town) and finally embraces it as a talent. I also enjoyed watching the relationship between uncle and nephew grow, as well as seeing the back story of Liam's relationship with his mom. The audience for this book could be limited, though girls will enjoy it, and the discussion of self esteem and finding what you're good at, not conforming to someone else's ideal, is a timely message for all, including parents.


MAKE A SPLASH – READ!

Wisconsin Dells Convention and Visitor Bureau
http://wisdells.com/

The self-proclaimed “Waterpark Capital of the World!” offers year-round opportunities to make a splash (and read)!


USA Swimming
http://www.usaswimming.org/usasweb/DesktopDefault.aspx

USA Swimming is the national governing body for the sport of swimming in the United States. USA Swimming is a 300,000-member service organization that promotes the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education. Their membership is comprised of swimmers from the age group level to the Olympic Team, as well as coaches and volunteers. USA Swimming is responsible for selecting and training teams for international competition including the Olympic Games, and strives to serve the sport through its core objectives: build the base, promote the sport, and achieve competitive success.


USA Water Ski
http://www.usawaterski.org/

Water Ski is the national governing body of organized water skiing in the United States. USA Water Ski is a member of the International Water Ski Federation (world governing body), the Pan American Sports Organization and the United States Olympic Committee. Affiliated with USA Water Ski as sport disciplines are the American Water Ski Association (AWSA), American Barefoot Club (ABC), American Kneeboard Association (AKA), National Collegiate Water Ski Association (NCWSA), National Show Ski Association (NSSA), National Water Ski Racing Association (NWSRA), United States Hydrofoil Association (USHA), USA Wakeboard (USA-WB) and Water Skiers with Disabilities Association (WSDA).


Snorkeling.info
http://www.snorkeling.info/

Snorkeling is a wonderful activity that can be enjoyed by almost anyone who has access to the ocean, a lake, river, pond or quarry. Snorkeling as an activity frequently lives in the shadows of scuba diving - another excellent pastime, but one that requires significantly more instruction, time and money. Most people who have snorkeled have done so only on group charters while on vacation, but snorkeling is an activity that can be done almost anytime, anywhere.


The Scuba Guide.com
http://www.thescubaguide.com/

Scuba (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) is an apparatus utilizing a portable supply of compressed gas supplied at a regulated pressure and used for breathing while swimming underwater. The apparatus is often called "scuba gear", a "scuba system" or simply "scuba". Scuba is also the common name for the sport (also called "diving" or "scuba diving") which uses the apparatus for recreational diving. Get the scoop here on diving, equipment, certification and more.


HELP MAKE CHILDREN COUNT TOO

Children have been undercounted in every census since the first one in 1790. Local communities rely on census information in planning for schools, child care, health, and other critical services. The Annie E. Casey Foundation is supporting the Census Bureau's efforts to ensure that parents and child care providers count their babies and young children on their 2010 Census forms so all children can benefit tomorrow from community services.

• Download the toolkit featuring Dora the Explorer, the popular children's cartoon character, to help spread the word among colleagues, members, and friends.
• Read the Casey report, Why Are Young Children Missed So Often in the Census?
Visit the KIDS COUNT data center to see how children are faring in your state or community. (Annie E. Casey Foundation March 2010 Electronic Newsletter)


THE WIMPY KID MOVIE

The stick-figure star of Jeff Kinney’s best-selling series of illustrated novels (Amulet/Abrams) is finally ready for his close-up. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (PG), a live-action family comedy from 20th Century Fox Pictures, premieres in theaters on March 19, 2010. Based on the first book in the sequence (2007), the film is directed by Thor Freudenthal (Hotel for Dogs) and stars Zachary Gordon as Greg Heffley, a wisecracking preteen who chronicles his experiences in middle school through a journal (“It’s not a diary!”) and hand-drawn cartoons. With his best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) at his side, Greg embarks on adventures that include interactions with oddball neighborhood kid Fregley (Grayson Russell), wrestling a tough girl named Patty Farrell (Laine MacNeil), dealing with Greg’s not-so-nice older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick), and avoiding the dreaded “Cheese Touch” (originating from a piece of cheese left moldering on the playground since last spring, this social pariah is passed, like Cooties, from one student to another).

Fans of the books and newcomers to Greg’s world alike can meet the characters (and check out the actors chosen to portray them) at the movie’s Web site. The options (a photo gallery, video previews, downloads, etc.) are cleverly arrayed against a notebook-page backdrop that includes some of Kinney’s recognizable artwork. Viewers can also play the “Cheese Touch Game” (a challenge that requires participants to place film clips in the correct sequence), test their knowledge of Wimpy Kid trivia, and design their own cartoon characters. A link to WimpyKid.com provides access to book info, an interview with the author, and a downloadable party kit and teacher’s guide. (SLJ’s Extra Helping, 3/15/10)


2010 BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) announced its 2010 list of “Best Books for Young Adults.” The list of 90 books recommended for those ages 12–18 meets the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens. The list comprises a wide range of genres and styles, including contemporary realistic fiction that reflects the diversity of the teen experience, nonfiction that brings to teens an awareness of the world they live in and its history, and fantastical stories told in both narrative and graphic formats. The complete list, including annotations, can be found on the YALSA website at http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/bbya. (Channel Weekly, 3/5/10)


DATES TO REMEMBER

March 24-27 PLA Conference, Portland, Oregon
April 1 Peggy’s retirement open house, 1-4, LLS office
April 6-10 CSLP Annual Meeting, Tacoma, Washington
April 15 Kevin Henkes at Rochester Public Library, 6 PM
April 16 C2E2, Chicago
April 22-25 Sweet Adelines Region 22 Competition, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
April 28-30 WAPL Conference, Blue Harbor Resort, Sheboygan
June 17-22 ALA Annual Conference, Washington, DC
July 15-17 Laurapalooza, Mankato, Minnesota
November 2-5 WLA Conference, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells


WEBSITE FAVES

Looking Glass for the Mind: 350 Years of Books for Children
http://content.lib.washington.edu/childrensweb/exhibit.html

The University of Washington Digital Collection of children's books starts off with a wonderful piece that touches on the beloved memories children's books bring back for so many, but also on the reasons why a university library would collect children's books. Several of the reasons given regard what children's books can teach us: printing and book illustration history, the "study of the gradual changes in familiar tales to reflect changes in societal acceptance and sensibilities," social and ethnic history, the historical role of women, and shifting views on education. After the homepage is the index to the exhibit with an introduction, a brief history of the first children's book publishers. To the left is the "Index" of topics that the books cover. Visitors will find a multitude, including "Fables", "Grammar, Spelling, Elocution & Rhetoric", "Math & Money", "Activity Books", and "Prejudice & Bigotry". Under the topic "Fables", visitors should check out The Baby's Own Aesop, illustrated by Walter Crane, who began an illustrating apprenticeship at the age of fourteen. (The Scout Report, 2/26/10)


NYPL Digital Gallery: Turn of the Century Posters
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/explore/dgexplore.cfm?topic=printing&col_id=212

Anna Palmer Draper collected hundreds of posters during her lifetime, and when she passed away in 1914, her will indicated that they would go to the New York Public Library. They did, and in the 1930s and 1940s Library staff members mounted the posters on card stock and bound them into large volumes, alphabetically by artist. Many of them are now available on this site, and they represent a broad pastiche of magazine, book, and newspaper posters from the 1890s into the early 20th century. Visitors can search through the collection headings, which include "Posters by Will Bradley", "American book posters", and "Newspaper posters". One good place to start here is the "Commercial Posters" area. Here visitors will find exquisite advertisements for Blue Seal birch beer, Sterling bicycles, and Arrow shirts for men. Students of illustration, design, and art history will find much to admire and enjoy here. (The Scout Report, 3/5/10)


Actorama.com
http://www.actorama.com/

Actorama.com just may make it easier for actors to break into the business. However, this website is not just a place to find acting parts as it also offers a database of monologues and scenes. Visitors can search for different types of monologues, by clicking on "Monologues and Scenes" on the menu at the top of the page. The monologues can be browsed by whether the role is for a man or woman, or whether it's comic, dramatic, or serio-comic. The search function gives a few more options by which to search, such as where it's from, "Film", "Play", "Television" or "Book"; or time period, such as "Ancient Greek", "17th Century" or "Contemporary". In order to "Upload" the "Scene" or "Monologue", visitors must sign in (it's free) and then they can upload summaries, comments, and videos for any scene or monologue they desire. The "Casting Calls" link at the top of the page allows visitors to view casting calls or to post one. The casting calls listed are in the "United States", the "U.K.", "Australia", and "Canada". Detailed contact pages are given for each casting call. (The Scout Report, 3/5/10)


AND FINALLY……..

I’ll be out of the office beginning tomorrow and will return on the 29th – better and back to my usual self!