CEO, January 26, 2011

Children’s Event Organizer

Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 353, January 26, 2011

http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com

In this issue:
Ruhama’s Review
One World, Many Stories
ALA Midwinter 2011 Updates
Super Bowl Programming Ideas
ALSC and YALSA News
Allison Kaplan Awarded Bechtel Fellowship
Arbuthnot Lecture
2011 Rainbow Awards
Dates to Remember
Website Faves
And Finally......


RUHAMA’S REVIEW

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher
http://tinyurl.com/32m6k3m

Ruby Jacinski lives in the Back of the Yards in Chicago with her mother and sister. It's a distinctly Polish neighborhood and embodies everything you imagine of an old-time street: nosy neighbors, wariness of the nearby neighborhoods, close-knit families and kids getting together at the corner drugstore. But Ruby is ready to leave it all behind, especially once her mother's arthritis forces her to quit her job. Ruby agrees to drop out of school and work in the stockyards, though she hates every minute of it. Her true love is dancing and she can't get enough of jazz and other 'modern' music. When heartthrob Paulie Suelze suggests she start working at the Starlight, a taxi-dance hall, Ruby decides to check it out. Telling her mom that she got a job as a phone operator, Ruby is thrust into a new world of adulthood, including falling hard for Paulie, who might not have honorable intentions.

I read this book with a feeling of imminent doom the entire time, which ruined it a little bit for me, but it also means I really connected with the main character and didn't want to see her get hurt. The character development of Ruby is believable and I enjoyed watching her become an adult, albeit she did it the hard way. And early--she's only 16 by the end of the book. Other characters didn't feel as well rounded as Ruby, though, and it was a little jarring to watch her and Betty (her sister) interact. Paulie did not elicit any emotions from me either, which was disappointing, as Ruby did fall for him hard and I had hoped to feel the same emotions Ruby did. I did really enjoyed the history and think anyone who has a connection with Chicago will fully appreciate all the details Fletcher has included on this little-known area of history. Older students or adults who read this book could be led to The Jungle by Upton Sinclair next for more on the stockyards or Since You Went Away edited by J.B. Litoff to capture the homefront feeling. For another overall worlds colliding read, direct readers to Summer of the War by Gloria Whelan.

And, as a side note, I think the paperback cover is unappealing and too modern. Blech.


ONE WORLD, MANY STORIES

Don’t forget the SRP workshop this Friday at the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha! Featured presenters are Marge Loch-Wouters and Leslie Peterson.

The entire Storywagon schedule has been posted to the Lakeshores calendar:
http://prem.calendars.net/lls


Flags of the World
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/

Flags of the World (FOTW), founded in 1994, is the Internet’s largest site devoted to vexillology (the study of flags). Here you can read more than 47,000 pages about flags and view more than 87,000 images of flags of countries, organizations, states, territories, districts and cities, both past and present.


Folktexts
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html

Features public domain folktales from many countries categorized by theme, topic, or event.


ALA MIDWINTER 2011 UPDATES

A few of us from the Lakeshores area (besides me) attended ALA Midwinter in San Diego, here are some comments:

From Kelly Jensen (Delavan):

While in San Diego, what I spent most of my time doing was wandering the exhibits. I got the chance to talk to many of the publishers about their favorite titles and the trends they've been seeing. I was lucky to be invited to a preview meal from Simon and Schuster and Disney, both of which gave me a really nice look at the range of youth titles coming out (and if anyone is interested, I have the packets from both publishers). But maybe Saturday night was my favorite: I got to have dinner with Lisa McMann (author of the "Wake" trilogy and the forthcoming "Cryer's Cross"), her editor and publicist, as well as about 10 other librarians. It was a great night of talking books and youth services with people from all over the country.

From Jennifer Wharton (Elkhorn):

I went to a couple publisher previews, the Neil Gaiman thing (he was interviewed by Nancy Pearl) and basically spent four days seeing how many books I could collect. I mostly went around the exhibits (and around and around and around). I did some networking with publishers.


SUPER BOWL PROGRAMMING IDEAS

Here’s a list of websites to help you plan your Super Bowl programming and storytimes (and to celebrate a Green Bay victory!):

http://www.packers.com/

http://www.steelers.com/

http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/45

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/super-bowl-sunday/printables/

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson096.shtml

http://www.dltk-kids.com/sports/superbowl.htm

http://www.theteacherscorner.net/seasonal/super-bowl/


ALSC AND YALSA NEWS

ALSC names 2011 Notable Children’s Recordings
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6117

ALSC announces 2011 Notable Children's Books
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6122

ALSC announces 2011 Notable Children’s Videos
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6116

YALSA names 2011 Fabulous Films for Young Adult
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6076

YALSA names 2011 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6102

YALSA names 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6101

YALSA names 2011 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6100

YALSA names 2011 Great Graphic Novels for Teens
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6094

YALSA names 2011 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6099


ALLISON KAPLAN AWARDED BECHTEL FELLOWSHIP

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has awarded two 2011 Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowships to Victoria Penny and Allison G. Kaplan. The Bechtel Fellowship is designed to allow qualified children’s librarians to spend a month or more reading and studying at the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, a part of the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida, Gainesville. The Baldwin Library contains a special collection of 85,000 volumes of children’s literature published mostly before 1950. The fellowship is endowed in memory of Louise Seaman Bechtel and Ruth M. Baldwin and provides a stipend of $4,000.

Allison Kaplan, a faculty associate at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will pursue her study, “Board Books: From Toy to Literacy Tool,” while at the Baldwin Library. Kaplan’s research focus is on special types of books, known as “board books,” which are printed on thick paperboard. These are often considered “toy and movable” books. “By exploring the collection of toy and board books in the Baldwin Library,” said Kaplan, “I hope to be able to better understand what led to the evolution of the board book from a simple toy to an important part of the literacy process.”

Victoria Penny, the early childhood services coordinator at the First Regional Library in Hernando, Miss., has chosen “Rediscovering Child’s Sense of Wonder: Depictions of Nature and Outdoor Play in Historical Children’s Literature” as her topic of study. Penny’s work will investigate illustrations from 19th and 20th century American children’s literature to determine the manner in which this reflects notions of childhood development at the time. “I have always had a personal love for and intellectual interest in nature and the outdoors,” said Penny. “On a professional level, I have recently become much more interested in the importance of outdoor play and green time to children’s development.”

ALSC, a division of the ALA, is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,200 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit ALSC’s website at www.ala.org/alsc.


ARBUTHNOT LECTURE

On Friday, April 15, 2011 bestselling children's author Lois Lowry will give the 2011 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture in St. Louis. The event begins at 7 P.M. and will take place in the Main Reading Room of the St. Louis County Library (SLCL). The event is free and open to the public. Tickets can be obtained by visiting St. Louis County Library's event registration page, http://www.slcl.org/arbuthnot/.

Lowry, two-time winner of the Newbery Medal, is an internationally acclaimed author whose career spans more than 30 years. Her two Newbery Medals are from 1990 for "Number the Stars," set in Denmark during World War II, and in 1994 for the eerily dystopian "The Giver" (both Houghton). She was also the recipient of the 2007 Margaret A. Edwards Award, which honors an author's contribution to young adult literature.

The May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture is sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The lecture title honors May Hill Arbuthnot, distinguished writer, editor, and children's literature scholar. Each year, an author, artist, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children's literature is chosen to prepare a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children's literature. This year’s committee was chaired by Shawn Brommer from the South Central Library System in Madison.


2011 RAINBOW LIST

The ALA 2011 Rainbow Project Committee proudly announces the 2011 Rainbow List. Created during the 2011 Midwinter Meeting at San Diego, California, these titles reflect significant gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans-gendered/queer-questioning (glbtq) experience for young people from birth to age 18.

Titles marked with a * are a Top Ten Title for the 2011 List.

*Agell, Charlotte. The Accidental Adventures of India McAllister. 2010. 1 60p. Henry Holt & Co. (9780805089028). Gr 5-8
An illustrated diary-like account of things that India McAllister loves like her dog Tofu, her best friend, Colby, and other things…well, she’s not so sure about, like Amanda the Rodent and Richard, her dad’s boyfriend.

Beale, Elaine. Another Life Altogether. 2010. 416p. Spiegel & Grau. (978-0385530040). Gr 9+
Due to challenges at home, Jessie’s family decides to move to Yorkshire for a “new start”, and she struggles to fit in and find her own voice in her new town. On top of all this, she must also figure out her confusing new crushes.

Bergman, S. Bear. The Nearest Exit May Be Behind You. 2009. Arsenal Pulp Press. (978-1551522647). Gr. 10+
A collection of personal essays from a transmasculine perspective, featuring topics such as coming out, family, identity and religion.

Boyd, Maria. Will. 2010. 304p. Knopf Books for Young Readers. (978-0375862090). GR 9-12
High school jock and all-around popular guy Will Armstrong moons a bus full of girls and is assigned community service, which includes joining the school band and helping out with the musical. While serving his time, he is befriended by a gay boy and is forced to reconsider his own stereotypical views of what it means to be a man.

Cohn, Rachel. Very LeFreak. 2010. 320p. Knopf Books for Young Readers. (978-0375857584). Gr 9+
With a playlist for every moment, and the need for her tech buzzing in her veins, can Very unplug enough to discover what her heart really wants before it's too late and take a chance at real love?

Cruse, Howard. Stuck Rubber Baby. 2010. 224p. DC Comics. (978-1401227135). Gr 10+
While fighting for civil rights in the 1960s South, Toland fights the realization that he is gay, and has to deal with the idea and the change in his own thoughts and personal identity.

de Rossi, Portia. Unbearable Lightness. 2010. 320p. Atria. (978-1439177785). Gr 9+
Coming to terms with coming out and the damaging perceptions of commercial beauty, she shares her story of recovery from her eating disorder and her self-acceptance.

Diaz, Alexandra. Of All The Stupid Things. 2009. 272p. EgmontUSA. (978-1606840344). Gr 10+
When Tara learns that her boyfriend may be gay, she is devastated. But then—when she finds herself attracted to a new girl, Riley—she is forced to examine her own sexuality.

Diersch, Sandra. Out. 2010. 136p. Lorimer. (978-1552774229). Gr 9+
Canadian teenager Alex must confront his latent homophobia when his younger brother comes out to him.

* Eagland, Jane. Wildthorn. 2010. 352p. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. (978-0547370170). Gr 9+
Louisa Cosgrove, a high-spirited young lady in nineteenth century England, loves her cousin Grace and longs to be a doctor.


DATES TO REMEMBER

January 28 2011 Summer Reading Program workshop, Country Springs, Waukesha
January 29 Diva Quest, Kenosha
January 31 CSLP Executive Board Meeting
February 4 LD&L Meeting, Madison
February 6 THE SUPER BOWL!!!!!!
February 9-15 Rhonda out of the office (tending to my dad after a surgery)
February 11 WLA Board Meeting, Madison (my first as WLA president!)
February 22 Library Legislative Day, Madison
March 3 MWFLS Youth Services Meeting, Horicon
April 5-8 CSLP Annual Meeting, Scottsdale, AZ
April 10-16 National Library Week
May 4-6 WAPL Conference, Madison
May 2-8 National Children’s Book Week
May 10-11 National Library Legislative Day, Washington, DC
May 20 Special Needs Consultants Meeting, Madison
June 20 First day of Storywagon
June 22-29 ALA Annual Conference, New Orleans
October 16-22 Teen Read Week
November 1-4 WLA Annual Conference, Milwaukee


WEBSITE FAVES

Young Adult Books Central
http://www.yabookscentral.com/

Young Adult (& Kid’s) Book Central is a place for people who love books. It features a large database of book reviews. Visitors to the site can find information on young adult and children’s books, along with more than 14,000 reviews, 200 excerpts, 182 author interviews, chances to win free books, forums, and much more. Teachers, students, and parents will appreciate the links to more than one hundred study guides, reader guides, and teacher guides. The site also gives parents, students, and teachers the opportunity to peruse the booklist to find appropriate reading material for their children or students. The book directory lists all the books that have been reviewed, identifies the genre, and gives an age range that is appropriate to interests and reading ability. Visitors to the site also are encouraged to write and submit their own book review. (Education World Site Reviews, 1/11/11)


Kids Know It Network
http://www.kidsknowit.com/

This site’s mission is “to create fun and interactive learning modules that can be utilized by teachers, parents, and home schoolers to enhance their learning environments, and increase the interest and attentiveness of their learners” and they have done it very well. Students will find homework help in a number of subject areas including astronomy, animals, biology, dinosaurs, geography, geology, history, math, memory, and spelling. Each subject area includes games and activities to keep students involved. When it’s time for just fun, students can head over to the game section to play games that are not found in other sections of the site. More than thirty free educational movies are available for teachers to use to supplement their lessons. The videos cover such topics as absolute values, adjectives, averages, eclipses, acceleration, biomes, hurricanes, and more. Each movie ends with an interactive online quiz. Additionally, a comprehensive database of educational songs can be used by teachers and students to enhance learning. The database can be searched by selecting any subject category. (Education World Site Reviews, 1/11/11)


The Art Institute of Chicago: Online Resources
http://www.artic.edu/aic/visitor_info/podcasts/video/education_videos/

The Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) recently redesigned their online resources site, and visitors new and old will find much that is compelling here. This particular set of videos on this site was designed for English and Spanish speakers who might be visiting the Institute in the near future, and all told there are nine different short films. The films include an introduction to the AIC, a film on how to teach and instruct students in the galleries, and a rather fine film on the Modern Wing (designed by Renzo Piano) and its green design. Additionally, visitors can slide on over to the "Podcasts" area for artist talks, curator commentaries, and other audio explorations. (From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2011. http://scout.wisc.edu/, 1/1/11)


AND FINALLY……….

My Sweet Adelines chorus has its 5th Annual Diva Quest show this weekend in Kenosha and my daughter is one of the Divas! Let me know if you’d like to go. For more info, go to: http://www.riverportchorus.org/divaquest.html. UW-Madison’s Madhatters, a men’s a cappella group, are the featured guests!