You have to be in it: The 2013 Samsung K–12 “Return on Intelligence” Gift Programs have been announced by Samsung Techwin, a manufacturer of document cameras. The Superhero Program competition encourages students to prepare a 1–3 minute digital video (camera phone quality is acceptable) in which they portray their favorite historical character. The deadline for entries is May 31. The contest is opened to students in grades K–12 and the video will be judged on presentation performance, character and content accuracy, and content quality. The winner will receive $500 and the student’s class will get a SAMCAM 760 document camera.

To enter the Scholarship Program, high school students must write an essay of no more than 300 words in response to the question: What do you think about technology advancements and how they will change the way we learn in the future? Is it for the better? The deadline for submissions is May 15. Essays will be judged on the basis of original thinking, relevance to the real world, and writing quality. All applicants must be sponsored by a teacher. Five winners will be announced on May 31 and will receive a $1,000 award.

Under its 2013 Grant Program, ten teachers will each have the opportunity to win a SAMCAM 760 document camera for use in school by writing a fun lesson plan of 100 words or less in which they use the camera. The deadline for submissions is May 1, The top 20 finalists will then have to submit a video showing their lesson in the classroom using the SAMCAM 760. Ten winners will be selected on June, and their school district will also keep the camera.

Freebies

Teaching guide: Hurry up and get your free copy of Brother Sam and All That: Historical Context and Literary Analysis of the Novels of James and Christopher Collier (Clearwater Pr., 1999) from AudioGO. The lessons compiled in this companion teaching guide provide teachers and librarians with information about how to use historical fiction in the classroom—just what the Common Core Standards require—and tips for teaching the novels by James and Christopher Collier. AudioGO publishes audiobook and ebook versions of more than 50 novels by James and Christopher Collier, including the classroom favorite, My Brother Sam Is Dead. The first 100 people to email michell.cobb@audiogo.com will receive this teaching guide at no cost.

Publishing News

Trade picture books: This spring, Capstone Young Readers, an imprint of Capstone, is launching a collection of fully illustrated picture books. “We are excited to introduce a range of picture books in both paper-over-board and trade paperback formats,” says Ashley Andersen Zantop, Group Publisher and General Manager. “We believe that quality illustrated titles provide an important stepping stone to reading and an opportunity to inspire imagination, creativity, and a love for good books.” The titles and series scheduled for publication in February 2013 are: Flood by Alvara F. Villa, “Princess Heart” series written and illustrated by Molly Martin, “The Other Side of the Story” series by Nancy Loewen (classic fairy tales), and Charlotte Gullain’s “Animal Fairy Tales” series.

And more picture books: Hank Finds an Egg (ages 3–8) written and illustrated by Rebecca Dudley will be published by Peter Pauper Press in May 2013 as their initial venture into publishing children’s trade picture books for children. The wordless picture book tells the story of a young boy who finds an egg on the forest floor, helps it return to its home in a tree, and is rewarded by his new forest friends. Three additional titles are scheduled for publication: Bruce Arant’s Sheep Won’t Go to Sleep! (Fall 2013), Digby Differs by Miriam Koch (Fall 2013), and Sarra J. Roth’s Not the Quitting Kind (Spring 2014). If you’re a picture book author, Peter Pauper Press is accepting unsolicited submissions online, or you can send your manuscript to Mara Conlon, Senior Editor, Peter Pauper Press, 202 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10601.

Peter Pauper Press has been publishing gift books, references, travel guides, children’s activity books, and other products for adults since it was founded in 1928.

Children’s Lit Conference

Digital Lit: Librarians, teachers, and others who love books are invited to attend e-Looking Glass: Children’s Literature in the Digital Age, a full-day conference to be held at Carthage College Hedberg Library in Kenosha, WI, on April 13, that will explore “how books are being reinvented to create visual and interactive experiences that printed books cannot provide.”  Topics will include the changing landscape of texts (interactive ebooks, book apps, learning products, and online communities), how to integrate this new technology into the classroom, and the design and development of these new types of books. Among the speakers are Brandon Oldenburg, award-winning illustrator and co-founder of Moonbot Studios; Umesh Shukla, animation director and founder of Auryn, a digital publisher of apps; Denise Johnson, author of The Joy of Children’s Literature; William H. Teale, Professor of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and others. Undergraduate continuing professional education credit is available. The cost to attend the conference is $65, and $40 for students. You can register online. The cost of one credit hour is $50; to view the syllabus, contact Marilyn Ward at mward@carthage.edu.

The album, inspired by their canoe trip down the Mississippi River, features original mostly folk, country, and bluegrass numbers enhanced by virtuoso performances on a variety of instruments, including accordion, auto-harp, rhumba box, fiddle, udu, drums, pots and pans, tuba, trombone, and many others. According to a recent review in School Library Journal, “this unique, outstanding musical performance should have a place in every library.”

The two childhood friends took a month-long journey on the Mississippi, but never dreamed that their voyage would take them to the Grammys. About to board a plane home to Minnesota, Mailander told SLJ, “We are thrilled that the recording academy chose our album to represent the quality music that’s being made in the children’s genre right now. All the nominees were deserving and we’re honored to be in such great company.”

Four other children’s albums were nominated for a Grammy this year by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences in the Best Children’s Album category: Bill Harley’s High Dive and Other Things That Could Have Happened (Round River); the JumpinJazz Kids’s A Swinging Jungle Tale (JumpinJazzKids), narrated by James Murray and featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Al Jarreau, Hubert Laws, and various artists; Little Seed: Songs for Children by Woody Guthrie (Smithsonian Folkways), re-imagined renditions of classic Guthrie favorites by Elizabeth Mitchell; and the Pop Ups’s (Brooklyn-based music duo Jason Rabinowitz and Jacob Stein) Radio Jungle (CDBaby.com).

American Indian Lit Awards: The American Indian Library Association, an affiliate of the American Library Association, has announced the winners of the 2013 American Indian Youth Literature Award in three categories—picture book, middle school, and young adult. The books selected “present American Indians in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts.” The top Picture Book award went to The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood (Holiday House, 2011) written by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and illustrated by Ellen Beier. The Honor awards in that category were nabbed by Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light (Cinco Puntos, 2010) written by Tim Tingle and illustrated by Karen Clarkson, Kohala Kuamo’o: Nae’ole’s Race to Save a King (2010) written by Kekauleleana’ole Kawai’ae’a and illustrated by Aaron Kawai’ae’a, Mohala Mai ‘O Hau = How Hau Became Hau’ula (2011, both Kamehameha Schools Pr.) by Robert Lono ‘Ikuwa with pictures by Matthew Kawika Ortiz, and I See Me (Theytus Books, 2009) by Margaret Manuel.

In the Middle Grade category, the award went to Free Throw (1999) and Triple Threat (1999, both Lorimer), by Jacqueline Guest, while Jordin Tootoo: The Highs and Lows in the Journey of the First Inuit to Play in the NHL (Lorimer, 2011) by Melanie Florence, and Awesiinyensag: Dibaajimowinan Ji-Gikinoo’amaageng (Wiigwaas Pr., 2010) by Anton Treuer et al. received Honors. Adam Fortunate Eagle’s Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Boarding School (Univ. of Oklahoma Pr., 2010) won in the Young Adult category, with Native Defenders of the Environment (7th Generation, 2011) by Victor Schilling (and others in the series) taking the Honor award.

Established in 2006 and given in even years, the award was created to honor the best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. Be sure to check out the evaluation criteria and previous winners of the award.

2013 Gryphon Awards: Jason Chin’s Island: A Story of the Galapagos (Roaring Brook, 2012) has received the 2013 Gryphon Award, sponsored by the Center for Children’s Books at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The book presents the story of the evolution of an island and its plant and animal life over six million years. The $1,000 award, given annually, recognizes “an English-language work of fiction or nonfiction for which the primary audience is children in kindergarten through grade 4. The title chosen best exemplifies those qualities that successfully bridge the gap in difficulty between books for reading aloud to children and books for practical readers.” Two Honor books were also announced: Little Dog Lost: The True Story of a Dog Named Baltic (Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Bks., 2012), written and illustrated by Monica Carnesi, and Kate DeCamillo and Alison McGhee’s Bink and Gollie: Two for One (Candlewick, 2012), illustrated by Tony Fucile.

Children’s Book Committee Awards: The Bank Street College of Education announced the winners of the 2013 Children’s Book Committee Awards. Wonder by R. J. Palacio (Knopf, 2012) was received the Josette Frank Award. Palacio’s memorable story about ten-year-old Auggie, a boy with facial abnormalities, who attends public school for the first time, shows how the experience changes him as well as all of those he encounters. The Award, given annually since 1943 (originally called the Children’s Book Award) honors an outstanding fiction title “in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally.”

The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award for a nonfiction title was given to Doreen Rappaport’s Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust (Candlewick, 2012), a chronicle of 21 courageous acts of defiance. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 2000 Poems with Photographs that Squeak, Soar, and Roar! by J. Patrick Lewis, “an exuberant celebration of the animal kingdom and a beautiful introduction to this genre of literature,” won the Claudia Lewis Award. Established in 1998, the award is given for the best poetry book of the year.

The Children’s Book Committee is a nonprofit affiliate of Bank Street College of Education. The Committee was founded 75 years ago to “guide librarians, educators and parents to the best books for children published each year.”

Scholarships

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA) is offering two scholarships to students pursuing a master’s or advanced degree in children’s librarianship. The ALSC Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarship, funded by Bound-to-Stay Bound Books, is an award of $7,000 that will be given to four candidates. The ALSC Frederic G.Melcher Scholarship, funded by contributions from librarians and others in the book world as a tribute to Melcher, consists of two $6,000 awards. Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence and leadership, be enrolled at an ALA accredited library school (U.S. or Canada) that offers a full range of courses in children’s materials and library services to children, must not have earned more than 12 semester hours towards an MLS/MLIS, and must take a position in the field of library service to children for at least one year after graduation. The deadline for applying for these two scholarships is March 1. Be sure to check out requirements and complete an application. The recipients will be announced at the ALA Annual conference in June.

Rare Books

First editions: The J.Willard Marriott Library’s Rare Book Division, Special Collections at the University of Utah has received first editions of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (1872) from an anonymous donor. The books are valued at $30,000. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson first made up the story of Alice’s adventures for Alice Liddell and her sisters and gave her the manuscript in 1864. His friend and novelist, Henry Kingsley, encouraged the author to publish the book. He expanded the manuscript from 18,000 words to 35,000 words and published it under the Lewis Carroll pseudonym. Four thousand copies were printed.

The continuing conversation about whether Dewey’s days are numbered (“Are Dewey’s Days Numbered,” Oct. 2012, pp. 24–28; “Summer Project: Kill Dewey,” Aug. 2012, p. 14) has been useful as I consider how to make my library’s collection more accessible. While I believe that Dewey still has its place, I’ve thought about fresh ways to meet the needs of my middle and high school students. As a result of the debate, I’ve added a lot more subject heading labels to my shelves, especially highlighting topics of high interest, and I’ve adjusted Dewey in the 800s section.

I abridged Dewey to 19 numbers in relation to literature, essentially eliminating the geographic/cultural separation of authors and literary eras, making this subject area an easy one for browsing. Instead of 810s for American authors, 820s for British authors, etc., all poetry by one author is under 821, and all collections of poetry are filed under 821.08, regardless of nationality or time period.

In addition, all literary criticism, without regard to the type of literature, is now shelved under 829 in the manner we file biographies, with the letters of the writer first, then the letters of the criticism’s author. A work of criticism on Elie Wiesel is now assigned the number 829 WIE BLO, with WIE placing all criticism on Wiesel together. BLO represents the critic’s last name. This book formerly was labeled 848.914 BLO. These changes make it easy for students to browse literary works by their author without knowing nationality or date, and to find literary criticism about Maya Angelou without deciding whether she is a poet or an essayist. Her poems are found with poetry, essays with essays, but all criticism about one author is shelved together.

I used the 820s because Shakespeare is too important to adjust. Shakespeare’s plays continue to be shelved under 822.33 SHA TEM (for The Tempest), and literary criticism for Shakespeare is shelved under 829 SHA and then the critic’s name.

A brief letter can’t describe the plan. We have 375 books in the 800 section, and it took seconds to reassign most books. Adjusting the online catalog records was also quick, but relabeling took longer.

Bill Fabian
Information Literacy Teacher/Librarian
McGinnis Middle School/
Buena Vista High School
Buena Vista, CO

Save Dewey redux

Sigh. I’m sure Scarlett Middle School’s library isn’t the only school library in Michigan in which the Dewey decimal system is used and taught. I wish Ms. LaPrise’s blanket statement (Letters, Dec. 2012, p. 10), “In Michigan, the students are frustrated because Dewey is not taught in their schools,” had been edited, as it is false.

Anne Colvin
Media Specialist
Scarlett Middle School
Ann Arbor, MI

Financial literacy and entrepreneurship: Are any of your students ages 7 to 16 budding entrepreneurs? Well, it’s time to encourage them to create a new business idea for the Second Annual Secret Millionaires Club “Grow Your Own Business Challenge.” There are ten questions and two optional questions that participants must answer such as: How did you come up with your business idea? Who will your customers be? What goods or services will your business sell? How much money do you need to set up your business and how will you raise it? How will you sell and market your goods and services? What makes your new business product or service different from other businesses out there? How can your business have a positive effect on a community? The competition is opened to individuals or teams of two to four students. Make sure to check out the contest’s rules and access the entry form. Entries must be submitted by February 15, 2013.

Four individual finalists and two team finalists will present their winning ideas to Warren Buffett and a panel of judges in Omaha, NE, in May 2013. A teacher who inspired the finalists in creating their business idea can join them and win up to $1,000. A grand prize of $5,000 will be awarded to one individual and one team.

The Secret Millionaires Club is an animated series featuring the voice of financial guru Warren Buffet mentoring a group of kids who encounter and solve financial and business problems. The series currently features 20 short online webisodes and two TV specials. The Secret Millionaires Learn & Earn Learn & Earn Program teaches financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The program offers materials for educators and parents to extend the financial lessons into classrooms.  In March 2013, there will be a new 22-epsode TV series launching on the HUB cable network.   

Minigrant Program

Programs that inspire: The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, established by the late Caldecott award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, is offering 70 minigrants of $500 each to teachers and librarians in public schools and libraries who submit proposals for a program that fosters “creativity, cooperation and interaction with a diverse community.” There’s a video tutorial and a gallery of past recipients that you can check out. Once you design and plan the program, there’s a short application form to complete and submit by March 15, 2013. Recipients of the grants will be notified beginning May 15th.

The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation supports arts and literacy programs in public schools and libraries across the country. This is the 25th year that the Foundation is offering the minigrant program.

Publishing News

Randomhousekids.com: Random House Children’s Books has redesigned and re-launched their website to help kids and their parents learn about dozens of Random House favorite brands and series (Dr. Seuss, “Magic Tree House,” “Junie B. Jones,” “A to Z Mysteries,” “Dragon Keepers,” “Five Ancestors,” etc.) as well as new books. The site also features author interviews, and kids can have fun with book-related games and activities.

The redesign incorporates two new features: “Book Finder” and “For Parents.” Parents and kids can search for books based on a variety of criteria—age, genre, subject, etc.—using “Book Finder, while the “For Parents” section includes blog posts on topics ranging from how to be a good storyteller to the use of audiobooks with reluctant readers. “It’s a fantastic resource for parents and a destination for their children to have fun interacting with our authors and books in a safe environment,” noted Linda Leonard, Random House Children’s Books’ executive director of digital marketing.

Children’s book publishing: The Book: The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children, published by The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is an updated edition of the SCBWI Publications Guide. The 300-page revamped book, an essential tool for children’s book writers and illustrators, features current articles about the children’s book publishing industry on topics such as maximizing social media, creating book trailers, independent publishing, and promotion. The “Market Survey” lists editors, art directors, and key personnel at all the publishing houses. There’s also “The International Market Survey,” “The Book Reviewers Directory,” “The Agents Directory,” and “Edited By,” a new feature that offers a history of editors’ recent acquisitions. The Book is available online and in hard copy to SCBWI members.

It’s Magic: Ruth Chew’s 29 tales of magic and fantasy, written in the 1970s for elementary graders, will be reissued by Random House Books for Young Readers beginning in the fall of 2013. According to the press release, Chew “made magic available to younger readers before any other author.” New cover art will be created, but the original artwork will be retained for the interior illustrations. Each season, two titles will be released in collectible hardcover and paperback editions as well as ebook versions. In time for Halloween 2013, No Such Thing as a Witch and What the Witch Left will be published. Each season, a collection of three stories will also be released. The first one, in fall 2013, will include The Witch’s Buttons, The Witch’s Garden, and Witch’s Cat. Looking ahead to spring 2014, The Trouble with Magic and Magic in the Park will be reissued.

Granted

Día grants: The February 1 deadline to apply for twelve $5,000 mini-grants to help libraries incorporate Día into their programs is fast approaching. The mini-grants, part of the Association for Library Service to Children’s (ALSC) Everyone Reads @ your library grant, are funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and are intended to help libraries start a Día Family Book Club Program. These awards will be given ‘to libraries that demonstrate a need to better address the diverse backgrounds within their communities.” In addition, ALSC will be able to use funds from these grants to create a Día Family Book Club Toolkit that libraries can easily access. Be sure to check out requirements and complete the application soon.

Día is “a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures.”

Author Lauren Oliver

You Have to Be in It…

YA writing contest: HarperCollins and Figment are sponsoring a young adult writing contest, and bestselling author Lauren Oliver (“Delirium” series) will be the judge. The contest’s theme is “Write a story in which love is dangerous,” and it’s open to 13 to 21 year olds. To enter, aspiring authors must visit www.figment.com (“a community where you can share your writing, connect with other people who love to read, and discover new stories and authors”) and register for free. They should post an original story of no more than 1,500 words by clicking “Publish Now.”

Entries will be judged based on quality, creativity, and relevance to the theme. All stories must be submitted by March 3, and one grand prize winner will be selected by May 1. The winner will receive airfare for two to New York and two nights in a hotel, a day at HarperCollins, have the piece published on Teen.com: a “teen and tween website and source for celebrity and entertainment news, freebies and giveaways, exclusive video interviews, red carpet style, TV recaps, movie reviews, new music, and funny viral videos,” and be offered a one-year unpaid columnist position with Teen.com.

Tech Award: If you are a media specialist in a primary or secondary school and have teamed up with a teacher to plan and execute a great collaborative project involving technology, you have until February 28 to apply for the SIGMS (Special Interest Group for Media Specialists) Tech Innovation Award. SIGMS is the special interest group for school library media specialists within ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). Make sure to check out the rules and the nomination form. Entrants must describe the collaborative technology innovation project, explain how the administration supported the project’s objectives, describe how the project could be expanded or improved in the future, and provide data collected on the impact of the project. Winners will receive complimentary registration and a traveling stipend to ISTE’s annual conference, $1,000 for the school media center, a $300 professional library, and more.

Nature writing contest: Big Universe is sponsoring a Nature Writing Contest for K–8 students in schools that subscribe to the company’s ebook reading, writing, and sharing platform. The focus of the contest is on the Common Core Literacy Writing and Literacy Language Standards. According to Big Universe, its “literacy website provides a ready-made library of cross-disciplinary informational and literary leveled texts from today’s best publishers with tools for self-publishing, sharing, assessment, and account management.” One of the aspects of the platform is an online writing and publishing tool—and that’s what students must use to enter the contest. Kids must create a book of no more than 200 words that includes some aspect of nature using the authoring tool on the company’s WRITE section. Entries are published to the teacher’s account for review and submission. All entries must be submitted by February 28 and will be accepted in three age groups: grades K–2, 3–5, and 6–8. A winner for each bracket will be announced on March 15, and their books will be published on the Big Universe website.

Sweepstakes tech package: The CDW-G and Discovery Education’s 2013 Win a Wireless Lab Sweepstakes is open to employees of accredited public, private, and parochial schools. Between now and May 3, participants can enter once every day to win some great technology for their schools: an Epson projector, a Xerox multifunction printer, or a Sony Notebook computer—or one of two grand prizes consisting of 20 notebooks or tablets, an interactive white board, three wireless access points, a notebook cart, a document camera, student response systems, and a printer from CDW-G as well as a $5,000 digital media grant from Discovery Education. The grand prize winners will be randomly drawn by May 9 from all eligible entries made during the entire term of the contest. Be sure to check out all the rules and go to the Win a Wireless Lab Sweepstakes page and click on the Enter to Win button. Educators can find out more about the sweepstakes by following Win a Wireless Lab on Pinterest, @WinWirelessLab on Twitter, or Facebook.

Recovery grants:

You Have to Be in It…

Free audiobooks: To promote its new distribution partnerships, Findaway World, the maker of Playaway, Playaway View, and Catalist Digital, is giving away three $1,000 Playaway starter collections to schools. Media specialists and teachers can visit the website, complete a short survey, and enter for the chance to win one of these great audiobook collections. One school will be selected to receive a starter collection each month, from March through May.

Playaway audio content comes preloaded in circulation-ready media players. Playaway’s new distributors include Mackin Educational Resources, Perma-Bound, Children’s Plus, Baker & Taylor, Classroom Library Company, Delaney Education, Bound To Stay Bound, Central Programs, and AV Café. Each distributor will offer various titles from Playaway’s collection of 17,000 titles. Findaway World will continue its longstanding distribution relationship with Follett Library Resources and Follett Educational Services.

Programming

Arts and humanities awards: Libraries are encouraged to apply for the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program (NAHYP) Award, an initiative of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The deadline is February 4. Be sure to check out eligibility requirements before completing the application. Twelve winners will be selected to receive a $10,000 grant. In addition, 38 finalists will receive a Finalist Certificate of Excellence. The award will be presented by First Lady Michelle Obama at a ceremony at the White House.

Programs should be in place for at least five years and “offer sustained and consistent out-of-school or afterschool opportunities for young people to engage hands-on with the arts or humanities.” After-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs sponsored by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations; educational institutions (e.g., preschools; elementary, middle, and high schools; universities; and colleges), arts centers, community service organizations, businesses, and eligible government entities can submit an application.

Industry News

Professional development: After recently acquiring the assets of Maupin House, a publisher of more than 200 professional resources on literacy topics for K–12 educators and administrators, Capstone has launched Capstone Professional. This new professional development service will include onsite and online training webinars, books, and ebooks. Among Maupin House’s bestsellers are “Caught’ya! Grammar with a Giggle” series by Jane Ball Kiester; Razzle Dazzle Writing  2001) by Melissa Forney; and the CraftPlus K–8 Writing Program, a curriculum aligned to the Common Core Standards. Capstone is a leading publisher of children’s books, digital products, and literacy programs.

Presidential inauguration: “Teaching the 57^th U.S. Presidential Inauguration” is an online conference series being launched by the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies. Participation is free, and it’s opened to students, teachers, and the general public. According to a recent news release, it will focus on “the historical and contemporary significance of the inauguration ceremonies” and it will offer “context and information for student groups that will be traveling to Washington for inaugural events as well as for classes that will be viewing these activities through various forms of media.”

There are two parts to the conference. On Monday, January 7, 2013 at 4pm EST, there will be a 50 minute teacher preview session during which educators at the Smithsonian will highlight relevant museum resources and discuss teaching strategies to prepare students to participate in the main online conference to be held on Thursday, January 10th starting at 1pm. These three 50-minute sessions will have a Q&A format with Smithsonian curators and a moderator providing information and answering questions sent to them by students.

The website also features a virtual exhibit hall that includes museum website links, interdisciplinary resources, and activities for students to engage in before, during and after the online sessions. Among those resources are a video, “The Curators’ Tour of Inaugurations Past,” and an online exhibition that examines the history of the American presidency, “The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden.” For more information and to register, visit the conference website.

I recently started a job as a middle/high school librarian at an independent school that realized it needed a stronger library program. One of the challenges I’m finding is trying to explain the balance that’s needed in technology education and how having a website is part of it—but having a good website and using the right tools at the right time is hard.

There are many administrators who are also older and so only see that we need technology and don’t understand the complexities of getting the right tool in the right place. It makes it tricky but not impossible. I’m sure I’m not the only one with this problem of trying to explain that having a website is only part of what’s needed.

“Soap Box: Not Fast Enough” (Extra Helping , Dec. 4, 2012) by Mark Ray, a response to School Library Journal’s tech survey, “The League of Extraordinary Librarians” (Nov. 2012, pp. 24–27) is a thought-provoking article, but I worry that you’re preaching to the choir at this point since sometimes, as school librarians, we can create and teach and explain. Yet teachers and administrators have to say, yes, we want this and will use it.

Kate Keith-Fitzgerald
Middle/Upper School Librarian
The Roeper School
Birmingham, MI

Listen up

“Now You’re Talking” (Nov. 2012, pp. 32–38) is a great list of must-have audiobooks for teens and tweens. Happy to see some titles I really enjoyed (Beauty Queens was hysterical) and some for my to-listen list. Of course, I have to put my two cents in for my hands-down absolute favorite audio this year—Mandy Williams’s narration of Seraphina (Listening Library) by Rachel Hartman—that wasn’t on your recommended list.

Geraldine Farmer-Morrison
Head of Children’s Services
Levittown Public Library, NY

Grammy nominations:  Five children’s music albums were nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award by the Academy of Recording Arts on December 6. The top contenders in the Children’s Album category are Can You Canoe (RedEye Dist.), performed by the Okee Dokee Brothers (childhood friends Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing); Bill Harley’s High Dive and Other Things That Could Have Happened (Round River); the JumpinJazz Kids’s A Swinging Jungle Tale (JumpinJazzKids), narrated by James Murray and featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Al Jarreau, Hubert Laws, and various artists; Little Seed: Songs for Children by Woody Guthrie (Smithsonian Folkways), re-imagined renditions of classic Guthrie favorites by Elizabeth Mitchell; and the Pop Ups’s (Brooklyn-based music duo Jason Rabinowitz and Jacob Stein) Radio Jungle (CDBaby.com). The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony on February 10.

Early Childhood Education

A learning initiative: What role should libraries and museums play in early learning? On December 5 leaders from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Campaign for Grade Level Reading hosted the first in a series of activities that will become the basis for a policy report that “will lay the foundation for decision makers at the local, state, and federal levels to fully use the capacity of libraries and museums in their early learning efforts.” The report is expected to be released in April 2013.

The meeting included representatives from the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Education, the National League of Cities, the National Governors Association, libraries, museums, public and private funders, and others. The topics under discussion included how libraries and museums are expanding early childhood learning in their communities, strategies to engage museums and libraries in early learning decision making, and ways to establish relationships with civic leaders, policy makers, and others to influence libraries and museums to help meet our nation’s early learning challenges.

Libraries and museums reach millions of children each year, and it is exciting to bring that capacity into focus,” said IMLS director Susan Hildreth. “I am delighted that we will be able to tap expertise nationwide so that libraries and museums can more effectively engage in early learning strategies at the community, state, and national level.”

The Campaign for Grade Level Reading is “a collaborative effort by foundations, nonprofit partners, states and communities across the nation to ensure that more children in low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career, and active citizenship. The Campaign focuses on the most important predictor of school success and high school graduation—grade-level reading by the end of third grade.”

Digital imprint: HarperTeen Impulse, a new digital imprint from HarperCollins focusing on young adult short stories and novellas, debuted on December 4. The first titles released include Breathless by Sophie Jordan, a companion novella to her “Firelight” fantasy series, and Stupid Perfect World, a futuristic novella by Scott Westerfeld. Four new titles will be available on the first Tuesday of every month through ebook retailers. Among the forthcoming titles are The Get Over by Walter Dean Myers, Cruisin’ by Sarah Mynowski, and Kiera Kass’s The Prince.

You Have to Be in It….

Book giveaway: Time is running out to enter The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance’s (NCBLA)  book giveaway. You have until December 10 to Like their Facebook page and automatically be entered to win a collection of fiction and nonfiction titles, picture books, and novels for young people of all ages worth more than $500. Some of the titles have even been signed by the authors. The collection includes works by award-winning authors and illustrators such as William Alexander, Natalie Babbitt, Calef Brown, Susan Cooper, Kate DiCamillo, Jack Gantos, Nikki Grimes, Steven Kellogg, Patricia MacLachlan, Patricia McKissack, Katherine Paterson, Lesa Cline-Ransome, James Ransome, Chris Raschka, Chris Van Dusen, and others. The randomly chosen winner will be announced on December 12.

Digital audio: Live Oak Media’s audio productions are being made available in digital format. There are more than 50 eReadalongs available, and additional titles will continue to be added to the list. An app that will allow access to eReadalongs from iPads will be offered in the near future.

Monkey business: Curious George Says Thank You and Curious George in the Big City, the first two titles in the “Curious George Multi-Touch Storybook and Activities Series” for the iPad, have been released by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Special features include embedded slideshows and animation, touch-responsive puzzles, and activities. Bonus activities include digital mazes and word puzzles. Every month for the next six months two new titles featuring the beloved monkey will be released. The titles are available in the Apple iBookstore for $3.99 each. “We wanted to create a digital storybook that didn’t distract children from the narrative, but instead allowed them to help the story along by completing activities that are closely tied to the plot,” said Cheryl Toto, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Planning. “Whether it’s helping George add stickers to his thank-you cards or helping him find his way back to the man with the yellow hat, these widgets bring his adventures to life and pull children directly into the story.”

On Exhibit

Charlotte: To celebrate illustrator Garth Williams 100th birthday and the 60th anniversary of E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA, will feature an exhibition of Williams’s artwork— “Some Book! Some Art!: Selected Drawings by Garth Williams for Charlotte’s Web”—from December 11 to April 22. The exhibition will feature 20 of William’s finished drawing and a selection of preliminary sketches. “There will also be a subset of works that explore the representation of Charlotte from the book to the initial animated film to the recent live-action film,” according to a press release from the Museum. HarperCollins Children’s Books provided support for the exhibit.

Call for Applications

Programming awards: Applications are being accepted through February 4 for the 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. Sponsored by The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the award is open to “after-school and out-of-school time arts and humanities programs sponsored by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, educational institutions, arts centers, community service organizations, businesses, and eligible government entities. The program must be run for children and youth outside of the school day, but after-school, weekend, or summer programs may have a school-based component or use school space.” The primary participants in the program should be underserved children and youth, and the program must have been operational since January 2009 for a minimum of five years. Be sure to check out all the eligibility requirements. Completed applications will only be accepted online. The 12 winning programs will each be awarded $10,000 by First Lady Michelle Obama at a ceremony at the White House in the summer of 2013.

Library Opening Supports Childhood Literacy

Books for low-income kids: The Homewood Suites Books for Kids Library at the Carole Robertson Center for Learning–North Lawndale in Chicago is a new library that has opened as the result of collaboration between Homewood Suites by Hilton and The Books for Kids Foundation, an early childhood education non-profit organization. The library was opened to “ensure that all of the more than 235 at-risk children from low-income and mostly single family homes served by the center will have access and regular exposure to new, age-appropriate books regardless of their parents’ or guardians’ schedules or means.”

“Reading aloud to young students, starting when they are pre-schoolers, plays an important role in helping these children develop fundamental language, listening, learning and literacy skills,” noted Dawn Koenig Vice President for Brand Support, Homewood Suites. “Our library at the Carole Robertson Center will provide a valuable resource for the community, which we hope will provide more children with the tools needed to improve literacy levels across the board.” During the past two years, Books for Kids libraries have been opened by Homewood Suites in Memphis, TN (2 libraries); Washington, DC; Irving, TX; and Phoenix, AZ.

The mission of the Books for Kids Foundation is “to promote literacy among all children with a special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool-aged children. Books for Kids creates libraries, donates books, and partners with literacy programs to develop the critical early foundation and skills which young children need to be successful in life.”

Looking for a great way to keep kids’ attention from wandering in class? We’ve got a solution: show them a film that’s so engaging, they’ll forget it’s part of the lesson. During the past year, we’ve reviewed nearly 300 DVDs aimed at the K–12 crowd. So how could we possibly select the 10 best? Well, it wasn’t as difficult as we thought. As we looked over our reviews, a pattern emerged, especially in light of the new Common Core standards.

Common Core, as you probably know, emphasizes the use of media in almost every area of the curriculum. Plus, it encourages kids to take advantage of primary sources and requires them to analyze various points of view and to “integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats.” A sure-fire way to achieve these goals is to incorporate films into your social studies and history lessons. In fact, many of the superb films that we’ve chosen are perfect for teaching students about the Civil War, Native Americans, the Cold War, segregation, and other complex topics.

While selecting the top 10 videos of the year was somewhat of a challenge, ranking them from one to ten was impossible. So, other than our number-one pick, the following titles are arranged alphabetically. Let us know what you think of these selections.

1. PROHIBITION (Paramount Home Entertainment, 2011), Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s tour-de-force, offers a fascinating look at one of our country’s most ill-conceived policies. Beginning with a close look at the early history of alcohol in America, this six-hour documentary examines the 19th-century temperance and progressive movements and the repeal of the 18th Amendment in 1933. Providing in-depth historical content, Burns’s collection of vintage stills and live-action films is marvelous. The documentary is narrated by Peter Coyote; offers commentaries by experts; features voice-overs by actors Blythe Danner, Tom Hanks, John Lithgow, and others; and has stunning background music. An impressive array of teacher resources is available at www.pbs.org. This intoxicating gem is not to be missed. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division.

2. THE FEVER OF ’57: THE SPUTNIK MOVIE (MDBb2b.com, 2012) recounts how Cold War tensions peaked with Russia’s surprise launch of the first satellite in 1957 and its dramatic effect on our military, government, and personal lives. Told with an amazing collection of vintage film footage, TV news clips, animated graphics, and interviews with individuals who worked in the space programs, this incredible documentary—ideal for upper middle and high school students—captures the tenor of that turbulent time.

3. Filled with historic photos and artwork, GETTING TO KNOW THE U.S. PRESIDENTS: ABRAHAM LINCOLN (Getting to Know, 2011) documents our 16th president’s lasting legacy. A cartoon Lincoln narrates the story of his childhood, education, and political career with warmth and humor. Information about the Civil War and slavery is also presented. Mike Venezia, who wrote the book on which this film is based, takes factual information and mixes it with hilarious illustrations and funny asides, which are perfect for the elementary school set.

4. JIM THORPE: THE WORLD’S GREATEST ATHLETE(Moira Films, 2012) is an outstanding biography of the Native American who was born in 1887. The film, which is tailor-made for middle and high schoolers, explains how Thorpe used his athletic ability to assert his American Indian identity at a time when our nation’s government was trying to stamp out Native culture. A satisfying blend of archival images, vintage film footage, dramatic recreations, oral history, and commentary depicts this fascinating man.

5. Using a rich variety of realistic recreations, vintage photos, crisp graphics, and scholarly commentary, LEE & GRANT (History, 2011) is an important documentary that follows these distinguished Confederate and Union generals from their extremely dissimilar upbringings to their eventual encounter, in 1865, at the Battle of Appomattox Court House. The personal anguish they felt as they witnessed the casualties in the Civil War’s bloodiest conflict is highlighted in this exemplary production for students in high school and college.

6. Narrated by actress Julianna Marguiles, NO JOB FOR A WOMAN: THE WOMEN WHO FOUGHT TO REPORT WWII (Women Make Movies, 2012) focuses on the lives of three reporters who were among the 141 ground-breaking female correspondents during the Second World War. Their fascinating stories are recreated by actors in period costume who read from the women’s writings, as well as through archival footage and stills. The film, suitable for high school students, emphasizes the legacy of these pioneers who changed the role of women in journalism.

7. In THE OTHER SIDE (Weston Woods, 2012), Clover, an African-American girl, lives on one side of the fence and Annie, a white child, lives on the other side. Jacqueline Woodson’s deceptively simple, yet powerfully evocative story for primary graders shows how children can test the boundaries of segregation. In a brief interview, Woodson provides thoughtful insights into the issues that the story addresses. E. B. Lewis’s wonderful watercolor illustrations are scanned and help bring the tale to life.

8. Want to be an armchair traveler? Then check out THE TRAVELLING TRIO(Red Hat Prods., 2011), a film that follows three young siblings as they travel around the world—trying new foods, soaking up foreign phrases, exploring kid-friendly locales, and learning about different cultures. Kids in grades three to seven will especially enjoy joining these dynamic globetrotters as they scout out caves, tour European castles, and have fun at a medieval fair—and learn about history, geography, and customs along the way.

9. UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: THE WILLIAM STILL STORY (PBS Dist., 2012) is a compelling documentary about the man who is often called the father of the Underground Railroad. Still helped more than 800 slaves reach freedom, and recorded the secret stories of the “impossible escapes, heartbreaking separations, and families reunited.” The stories of other brave Americans, such as Henry Brown and Harriet Tubman, are also documented. Nicely narrated, with period music, archival photos, and interviews with historians, this powerful film will provide high school students with valuable insights.

10. In WHITE WATER (Nutmeg Media, 2012), based on Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein’s picture book of the same name, a young African-American boy notices segregation’s inequities. He’s especially struck by the drinking fountains—one for whites and another for “coloreds.” Tony Fragale narrates this first-person story as the boy devises a plan to find out what “white water” tastes like. Inspired by actual events, the story brings home the reality of segregation for primary graders.

Hurricane Sandy benefit:

Literacy Campaign

Books for kids in need: Scholastic, The UPS Store, and Marine Toys for Tots are launching a holiday literacy drive that’s part of Scholastic’s literacy campaign, Read Every Day, Lead a Better Life. The aim of the campaign is to “help all children experience the love of reading and owning a book,” including those who lost books due to Hurricane Sandy that devastated the East Coast. There are a number of ways that families can help.

When you download Storia, Scholastic’s teacher-recommended children’s ereading app, you will receive five free ebooks. For every additional ebook you purchase on Storia through December 31, Scholastic will donate a children’s book to a child in need through Toys for Tots Literacy Program (they’ve committed to donating a minimum of 50,000 books).

You can also donate to the Toys for Tots Literacy Program by purchasing a donation card or donating online at The UPS Store Facebook page. Furthermore, the UPS Store that raises the most money during the holidays will get 500 books for families in their community.

Awards

Life changer: The chances are that you know a K–12 school district educator or employee who exemplifies excellence, positive influence, and leadership. Well, it’s time to nominate them for the Life Changer of the Year Award sponsored by National Life Group (National Life Insurance Co.). School employees and administrators can nominate full-time educators, teachers, principals, or any member of the school’s staff.

Winners will be selected on the basis of their ability to make a difference in the lives of students and their ability to positively add to the development of the school’s atmospheres. They must also be a leader in their activities at the school and/or district level, have a proven record of excellence at the professional level, and be committed to producing a nurturing atmosphere. Be sure to check out the official rules and complete the nomination form. Nominations can be made through January 25.

The grand prize winner will receive $5,000 with a matching award going to their school. The first runner-up will receive $3,500 with an equal amount awarded to their school. The second runner-up and their school will each get $2,500. There will also be seven LifeChanger awards—the employee and the school will each receive $1,500.

And the Winner Is…

Service to the community: Five libraries and five museums were presented with the 2012 National Medal for Museum and Library Service by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) at a ceremony at the White House on November 14. The Medal winners are selected from nominations of institutions nationwide that “demonstrate innovative approaches to public service, exceeding the expected levels of community outreach” and make a difference for individuals, families, and the communities. Anyone can nominate a library or museum for the National Medal, including the institutions employees, board members, community members, and elected officials.

This year’s honorees include Bootheel Youth Museum, Malden, MO; Contra Costa County Library, Pleasant Hill, CA; Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC; Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago, IL; Long Island Children’s Museum, Garden City, NY; Museum of Contemporary Art, N. Miami, FL; Naturita Community Library, CO; Pacific Science Center, Seattle, WA; Park View High School Library Media Center, Sterling, VA; and Shaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw, PA. Make sure to check out just how these institutions have reached out to the communities they serve. “By pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and embracing new ideas and approaches, these award winners have challenged the conventional notions of what a library or museum can and should be,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

Industry News

Infobase Learning has acquired Learn 360, an interactive media-on-demand service from AIM Education. The Learn360 platform is a subscription service used by more than 25,00 schools that offers digital video titles, video clips, speeches, images, songs, research articles, and more from over 60 educational producers. Infobase provides digital reference content to schools and libraries under brands such as Facts On File, The World Almanac, Chelsea House, and Films Media Group. “This acquisition greatly expands our existing reach within the elementary, middle, and high school markets,” noted Mark McDonnell, president and CEO of Infobase Learning. “Learn360’s extensive multimedia assets and virtual classroom platform complement Infobase’s award-winning digital reference products.”

On the move: Maria Modugno joined Random House as editorial director, picture books for the Random House and Golden Books for Young Readers Group on November 26. Modugo’s career includes numerous positions at Little, Brown Children’s Books where she published such classics as I Love You Like Crazy Cakes (2000 by Rose Lewis and Jane Dyers and oversaw Marc Brown’s “Arthur” series. She also was editorial director of children’s books at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. She is leaving her position as vice president/editorial director at HarperCollins Children’s Books where she acquired and edited books such as Victoria Kann’s Pinkalicious (2006) and Rob Scotton’s Splat the Cat (2008).

Author interviews: “Writers Speak to Kids” is a free series of 17 videos from NBC Learn that features interviews with popular and award-winning children’s books creators. The authors, responding to questions posed by NBC News correspondent Jenna Bush Hager, talk about their writing process and experiences. The series launched on September 17, with interviews of Peter Brown, Doreen Cronin, Jeff Kinney, Daniel Kirk, and Mo Willems. Gordon Korman, Ridley Pearson, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Philip Stead, Rebecca Stead, Clare Vanderpool, and Jacqueline Woodson are among the other authors that will be interviewed during the fall. The program is intended to inspire students and help them learn about creative writing techniques.

Mora Award Winner

Día celebration: The Lynden Public Library of the Whatcom County Library System in Washington has won the 2012 Estela and Raúl Mora Award for exemplary efforts promoting El día de los niños, El día de los libros (Children’s Day, Book Day). More than 250 people attended the festivities, and each child was given a book. The event featured craft activities led by bilingual teen volunteers, and had several storytimes that ended with a game of lotería (Mexican bingo) with books given as prizes. There was also a disc jockey, a piñata, and other games. The Lynden Public Library will receive $1,000 and a special plaque. “What resonated with the committee was the grassroots involvement of Lynden’s Día,” said Beatriz Pascual Wallace, Mora Award chair. “There was a strong sense of community connection with this event, of everyone coming together to plan, celebrate, and share.”

For the first time, three honor awards were given: the District of Columbia Public Library, King County (WA) Library System, and Sacramento (CA) Public Library each received $300. The award, presented annually in partnership with REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish speaking, was established in 2000 by author/poet Pat Mora and her siblings to honor their parents. The award will be presented during the American Library Association’s (ALA) Midwinter meeting in January 2013 in Seattle.

Common Core

Free writing rubrics: Turnitin, in partnership with the English Professional Learning Council, has made writing rubrics developed to align with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) available free to educators. The rubrics for argumentative, narrative, and informative essay assignments for 9th and 10th graders and 11th and 12th graders help instructors explain to students what is expected of them, assess student work, and track their progress. You can also watch a free video on the Common Core writing rubrics.

Early Learning

Digital content: Capstone’s myOn reader has expanded its collection of early childhood reading content with the inclusion of hundreds of enhanced digital titles from eight additional publishers: Bellwether, August House, Little Folk, August House Story Cove, Orca, Rourke, Speakaboos, and Sylvan Dell.

Launched in 2011, myOn reader is a personalized literacy program that offers access to an integrated library of digital books with reading supports, customized to a student’s interest and reading abilities. Teachers can monitor, track, and measure student reading growth. To date, myOn reader offers more than 2,500 books. These titles include reading supports such as an embedded dictionary, highlighting, and audio. “Reading proficiency is the foundational aspect of learning, so building students’ literacy skills early is critical to putting them on the path to success throughout school and beyond,” said Todd Brekhus, president of Capstone Digital. “The expanded collection of early childhood content available on myON reader combines a student’s love of technology with their innate curiosity and interest in learning.”

A Booklist for Teens

Best books: Sixteen school and public libraries have been selected by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), as official book groups for their Teens’ Top Ten, a booklist created by and for teens. Groups of young adults from these libraries nominate titles published during the 2013-2014 calendar year to create the Teens’ Top Ten nominations. Then, it’s up to teens across the country to vote for their three favorites. When the ballots are tallied, the Top Ten list is created. And that’s not the only job for these teen book groups. They also evaluate books for more than 30 publishers. New groups are chosen every two years.

The libraries that have been selected are: BHS Book Club, Barrington (IL) High School; Book Hook, Cecil County Public Library, Elkton, MD; Bookhype, Perry Branch Library/Perry High School, Gilbert, AZ; Bookmarked, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, Jefferson, LA; CCHS YA Galley Group, Concord-Carlisle (MA) Regional High School; Greene Teens Review Board, Springfield-Greene (MO) County Library; HCRHS Bookworms, Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Flemington, NJ; Interesting Reader Society, Poudre River Public Library District, Fort Collins, CO; McReaders, Oakridge Middle School, Clover, SC; Mount Carmel Academy Book Club, Mount Carmel Academy, New Orleans, LA; PPL Teen Book Club, Prescott (AZ) Public Library; Read, Read, and Read Some More, Milton (VT) Middle School and High School; The TABbler, La Vista (NE) Public Library; Teen Book Posse, TAB, and Q Club, Kitsap Regional Library, WA; Teens Know Best, Metropolitan State University and St. Paul (MN) Public Library; Young Adult Advisory Councils, Johnson County Library, Shawnee Mission, KS.

Granted

Literacy skills: Want to help teens in grades 10–12 learn news literacy skills like distinguishing between fact, and opinion and between propaganda and news? Public libraries and library consortia can apply for more than $50,000 in grant money from the News Know-how initiative. Funded by the Open Society Foundations and administered by the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF), students get training and support from librarians, journalists, and news ethicists.

Participating libraries select 12–15 diverse students from the 10–12 grades from their community. The students must attend about 25 hours of training during the summer 2013 and complete a team project that requires about 25 hours of outside work. All students who complete the project receive a stipend. Make sure to apply by December 8.

Book donations: Three Coretta Scott King Book Donation Grants are available for underfunded libraries, schools, and non-traditional organizations that provide educational services to children. Recipients of the grants will receive more than 100 titles submitted for consideration for the 2013 Coretta Scott King Book Awards as well as all the winning books. You have until January 31 to apply for the grant (make sure you click on Book Donation Grant after you log on). Winners will be notified in February.

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are presented each year by the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee of the American Library Association’s Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) “to encourage the artistic expression of the African-American experience via literature and the graphic arts.”

Books for devastated libraries:

Founded in 1992, First Book provides new books to children in need. To date, the organization has distributed more than 90 million free and low cost books in thousands of communities.

Fiction prize: Frank Cottrell Boyce has won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize £1,500 for his novel, The Unforgotten Coat (Candlewick, 2011), published in the UK by Walker Books. Established in 1967, the prize is unique because it is judged by writers. This year’s panel included children’s authors Tony Bradman, Cressida Cowell, and Kevin Crossley-Holland, and was chaired by Guardian Children’s Books editor Julia Eccleshare. The novel is the story of refugee brothers from Mongolia who live in Liverpool and examines the hard-hitting effects that immigration has on children. “With his brilliant depiction of two brothers from Mongolia trying to adapt to school in Liverpool while haunted by a fear from home, Frank Cottrell Boyce never preaches to the reader, and the judges felt that he writes with such credibility and warmth that his readers will be left wiser when they have finished the story,” said Eccleshare. A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle, Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, and The Abominables by Eva Ibbotson were shortlisted for the Prize.

Essay Contest

Intergenerational project: Kids can learn about real life from real people. The Listen to a Life Essay Contest gives students the opportunity to discover the past by interviewing a person over 50 years old (grandparent, mentor, neighbor, etc.—but not a parent) about “their hopes and goals through their life, how they achieved goals and overcame obstacles, or how dreams may have changed along the way.” Youngsters between the ages of  8 and 18  are eligible to write a 300-word essay based on the interview. The national contest, now in its 13th year, is run by the Legacy Project and the nonprofit Generations’ United in Washington, DC. Be sure to check out the contest rules, sample interview questions and interview tips. Applicants must fill out the online entry form. All entries should be be received by March 22, and winners will be announced by May 8.

Judging will be based on writing quality, content depth, and appropriateness of theme, particularly the ability to capture a timeless idea, insight, or theme based on real-life experience. The judges will take into account the age of the entrant in evaluating entries. The grand prize winner will receive a Lenovo ThinkCenter All-in-One Computer, an autographed copy of Dream: A Tale of Wonder, Wisdom & Wishes (Communication Project, 2004) by Susan Bosak, and a timepiece from Expressions of Time. Ten runners-up will receive an autographed copy of Dream, a framed award certificate, and a timepiece from Expressions of Time. All award-winning essays will be posted as part of the permanent Legacy Library.

“Generations are a living perspective, says Susan Bosak, Legacy Project Chair. “When you bring young and old together, you complete the circle. This contest gives young people and older adults the motivation to talk. As more people live longer, they can be a tremendous resource to enrich young lives and create a legacy to change the future.”

You Have to Be in It…

Make Lemonade: To coincide with the release of Jacqueline Davies’s The Candy Smash (Houghton Harcourt, 2013), the fourth title in “The Lemonade War” series, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is teaming up with the book’s publisher and author to challenge students in elementary and middle schools to take part in a lemonade war of their own to help fight kids’ cancer. Schools will compete to see who can raise the most money through a lemonade stand project or other event. Participants can register until April 1. Fundraising may not begin before February 14, and all money must be received no later than April 26. Winners will be contacted on May 3. Be sure to check out all the entry rules.

Davies will visit the school that raises the most money by May 17. The winner will also receive up to 100 autographed copies of The Candy Smash. Three runner-up schools will be awarded Skype sessions with Jacqueline Davies and audiobooks of The Lemonade War and The Lemonade Crime (both Recorded Books). To date, the Foundation, a registered 501 (c)3 charity, has raised more than $55 million.

Awards

African American literature advocate: Nominations for the 2013 Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award for Lifetime Achievement are being accepted through December 15, 2012 by the American Library Association (ALA). Librarians in public, academic, or schools; preK–12 educators; college or university faculty; and youth literature advocates are eligible for the award. Named in memory of children’s author Virginia Hamilton, the award is presented to a practitioner “for substantial contributions through active engagement with youth using award winning African American literature for children and/or young adults, via implementation of reading and reading related activities/programs.” Be sure to check out the selection criteria and complete the nomination form.

The recipient will be selected by five members of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement Committee of the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT). A medal and a check for $1,500 is presented to the winner during the Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast at the ALA Annual Conference. Named in memory of children’s author Virginia Hamilton, the award is presented to a practitioner “for substantial contributions through active engagement with youth using award winning African American literature for children and/or young adults, via implementation of reading and reading related activities/programs.”

Calling All Publishers

New Writer/Illustrator Book Awards: The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation and the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi is requesting submissions from publishers for the 13th Annual Ezra Jack Keats New Writer and New Illustrator Book Awards. Publishers have until December 30 to submit works by an outstanding new writer and new illustrator of picture books for children “who are committed to celebrating diversity through their writing and art.” Eligible books have to be copyrighted in 2012 and authors and illustrators must have published no more than three books. The selection committee includes early childhood education specialists, librarians, illustrators, and experts in children’s literature. The winners will each receive a $1,000 honorarium and a gold seal with a picture of Peter, the protagonist in Keats’s The Snowy Day, for the publisher to affix to the book. Be sure to read the submission guidelines for new authors and new illustrators.

App Challenge for Students

STEM app challenge: The Verizon Innovative App Challenge was created by the Verizon Foundation to ignite students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Hosted by the Verizon Foundation and administered by the Technology Student Association (TSA), groups of 5–10 students in middle and high school and their faculty advisers are given the opportunity to develop an original mobile app concept that incorporates STEM and addresses a need or problem in their school or community. Between October 15 and January 18, each team entering the contest must submit an essay of up to 1,000 words that describes the team and the process it went through to develop the concept, how it will address the problem, what STEM skills were used in the process, and its functionality and potential impact. Each team must also submit a three-minute video or other visual presentation describing the app concept and how it will function. Teams may create a video, use presentation software such as PowerPoint or Keynote, or utilize online tools like Animoto, Prezi, or SlideRocket. Be sure to check out the rules and guidelines.

During the week of February 21, a winning middle school and a high school team will be chosen from each state. From this group, five middle school and five high school teams will be selected as challenge winners on March 18. Each challenge winner’s school will receive a $10,000 grant to build the app and to enhance STEM education. Members from the team will receive a Samsung Galaxy wireless tablet.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Prolific author honored: Popular author Russell Freedman has won the Educational Book and Media Association’s (EBMA) 2012 Jeremiah Ludington Award. Named after the Association’s founder, the annual lifetime achievement award is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the “education book business.” Russell has written more than 50 biographies and other nonfiction books, and won the 1988 Newbery Medal for Lincoln: A Photobiography (Clarion, 1987). At EBMA’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, in January 2013, Freedman will receive a framed certificate and $2,500 will be given to the charity of his choice—the San Francisco Public Library. “The EBMA board and membership are thrilled to present this year’s Ludington Award to Russell Freedman,” said Gene Bahlman, EBMA president and vice president of Follett Library Resources, Inc. “His contributions to children’s nonfiction literature spanning over 50 years is unmatched and truly impressive.” Previous recipients of the award include Steven Kellogg, Jon Scieszka, Kevin Henkes, Judy Blume, and Richard Peck, among others.

Teens’ Top Ten

Best books: Divergent (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books), Veronica Roth’s debut novel set in a dystopian Chicago world, has been selected by teens as their favorite book in the annual Teens’ Top Ten vote sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). To come up with the top ten books, national teen book discussion groups created a list of 24 of their favorite books published between January 2011 and March 2012. Then, teens across the country voted for their top three favorites online between August 15 and September 15 to create the 2012 Teens’ Top Ten. You can check out a video announcement of the list.

The other winners are: The Fault in Our Stars (Dutton, 2012) by John Green, Legend (Putnam) by Marie Lu, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Quirk Bks., 2011) by Ransom Riggs, What Happened to Goodbye (Viking, 2011) by Sarah Dessen, Across the Universe by Beth Revis (Penguin/Razorbill, 2011), Cinder (Feiwel and Friends, 2012) by Marissa Meyer, The Scorpio Races (Scholastic, 2011) by Maggie Stiefvater, Where She Went (Dutton, 2011) by Gayle Forman, and Abandon (Scholastic/Point, 2011) by Meg Cabot. The winners will be featured on YALSA’s literature blog, The Hub: Your Connection to Teen Reads.

Awarded

Children’s book illustrations: If you’re in New York City between October 24 and December 22, you’ll have the opportunity to see The Original Art 2012, an annual exhibit celebrating children’s book illustration at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators. Founded in 1980 by illustrator and art director Dilys Evans, the exhibit showcases the original art from the year’s best children’s books that have been selected by a jury of illustrators, art directors, and illustrators. This year, 139 books were chosen from more than 550 entries submitted.

Awards in a number of categories will be presented at an opening reception on October 25 at the Society of Illustrators. Gold and silver medals are going to three books representing a variety of mediums and techniques. Laetitia Devernay won the Gold Medal for The Conductor (Chronicle, 2011). The Silver Medal winners are Jon Klassen for This Is Not My Hat (Candlewick, 2012) and Steve Jenkins for The Beetle Book (Houghton Harcourt, 2012). In addition, the Founders Award, given to the most promising new talent in children’s book illustration, is going to The Brothers Hilts for The Insomniacs (Putnam). The Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished accomplishments in the art of children’s book illustration was awarded to Tomie de Paola and the late Richard Scarry.

Best Practices

Cutting-edge recognition: Is your school or public library using cutting-edge technology? The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for InformationTechnology Policy (OITP) and the Library & Information Technology Association (LITA) are accepting nominations from libraries that have successfully implemented technological advancements. Submissions for best practices must involve the use of technology, must be a novel idea or implementation of a service, and must document the project so that it can be replicated. Nominations may be made for work in numerous areas, including application development, circulation, collections, community services, integration of Common Core Standards, open source, patron services, professional development, readers’ advisory, references services, web services, and many more. The applications must be submitted no later than November 6, 2012, and a joint committee of members from the Subcommittee on America’s Libraries for the 21^st Century and the Library & Information Technology Association will review the nominations. Winners will be announced at ALA’s Midwinter Meeting in January 2013.

“We want to showcase libraries that are serving their communities with novel and innovative methods and provide the library community with some successful models for delivering quality library service in new ways,” said Patty Saidenberg, chair of the Cutting-edge Technology in Library Services selection committee.

Digital Reference Update

Database update: A “Focus on History through Video” feature has been added to Infobase Learning’s African-American History Online. On the homepage, each time the site reloads, a new video will be shown. A gallery of all the videos in the database can be accessed by clicking on the link just below that video screen. To help students who are searching for video clips from a specific time period in African-American history, the video gallery can be filtered by era. “Booker T. Washington Is Enshrined in Hall of Fame,” “Joe Louis and Bill Conn Sign for the Title Bout,” and “Torpedo Boats” are among the new videos.  This footage from the time adds context and depth to students’ understanding of events in African-American history. The database also includes primary sources, images, time lines, biographies, maps, charts, subject entries, and more.

Elections around the world: ePals World Elections Center is intended to help students learn about global election processes, candidates, and issues by involving them in a wide range of interactive activities. The site, featuring projects and activities for whole-class and independent learning, includes videos on the recent French presidential inauguration, the 2012 Venezuelan presidential candidates, the U.S. Republican and Democratic Conventions, and more. In “Students Speak,” users can share their thoughts through their writing and artwork. Students can also make and upload a Presidential Minute” video in which they address their country’s leader with their concerns and advice. There’s a section where users can check out videos that were previously uploaded concerning past elections.  In the “Teachers’ Corner,” educators can find “Election Projects” such as “Romney–Obama Presidential Election” and “What Are Constitutional Governments?”

Kids can also research and share information about their country’s candidates with each other. In addition, there’s an international focus with fact pages for countries that have had or will have presidential elections in 2012, including the U.S., the Russian Federation, Taiwan, Mexico, Slovenia, Gabon, South Korea, France, Sierra Leone, and Venezuela. This section includes materials focusing on each country’s political structure, such as its form of government, election processes, terms of office, voting regulations, and more. Among the games available are “On the Road to the White House,” “Win the White House,”  “Get the House in Order–The United Kingdom,” “History Challenge Australia,” and many more.

“Every teacher understands the power of the teachable moment,” says Nina Zolt, ePals co-founder and chief learning officer. “The World Elections Center provides a terrific opportunity for students around the globe to explore, communicate with peers, and generally become involved in 2012 elections and issues around the world that will have a direct impact on their futures.”

Tell Me a Story

Literacy initiative: Storyline Online is a free streaming video site where members of the Screen Actor Guild (SAG) read children’s books with the goal of promoting literacy and inspiring the love of reading. Annette Bening is the latest volunteer actor to lend her talents to this project. She reads Avi Slodovinick’s The Tooth (Kane/Miller, 2010) while the illustrations by Manon Gauthier are scanned, with some animation added. In the story, a little girl goes to the dentist to have her tooth extracted and notices a homeless man on the street. When she leaves the dentist’s office, she gives him her tooth and tells him to put it under his pillow.

For each book, there are downloadable supplemental activities to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills. To date, there are 25 books in the program, each read by a different actor. They include Betty White narrating Gene Zion’s Harry, the Dirty Dog (Harper, 1956), James Earl Jones reading Evelyn Coleman’s To Be a Drum (Albert Whitman & Company, 1998), and Jane Kaczmarek reading Thank You, Mr. Falker (Philomel, 1998) by Patricia Polacco.