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The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is seeking applications for its third biennial “Bill Morris Seminar: Book Evaluation Training,” to be held on Friday, January 24, 2014, prior to the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. This invitational seminar supports and honors William C. Morris’s dedication to connecting librarians and children with excellent children’s books.
September 11 marks a difficult anniversary. To help children’s and young adult librarians navigate the challenging teachable moments that the day might raise and to guide those librarians working in universities and public libraries to address the potential research needs of their patrons, our editors have compiled these resources.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Learn about fall’s collection of new books for boys during this School Library Journal webcast event. From illustrated books to chapter books, and even audio books topics will range from superheroes to farmers, and then some! Attendees will learn some tips to promote and support genres that boys like, including comic books, graphic novels, sports, and nonfiction, as well as some ideas for creating reading role models and communities for boys grades K-12. If you want ways to get books in the hands of your guys this session will inspire you. Register Now!
When her parents are killed in an accident, 12-year-old Willow is taken in temporarily by her friend Quang-ha’s mother, who must stay ahead of Social Services, and becomes a catalyst for change..
Gale, part of Cengage Learning, and Library Media Connection magazine today announced the three winners of the TEAMS Award—Teachers and Media Specialists Influencing Student Achievement, a biannual honor recognizing the critical collaboration between teachers and library media specialists in promoting learning.
Amanda Ripley set off on a year-long “field trip to the smart-kid countries” to see if she could account for the success of the high achieving students around the world. What made these kids smarter than their American peers? The writer reports in ‘The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got that Way’ (S&S, 2013).
Making the reading-writing connection for students in the Common Core era requires models of good literature, a keen understanding of the text craft and structure, and solid skills in writing conventions. This season’s crop of writing guides provides students with all of the above.
Oblivion, the final book in Anthony Horowitz’s “The Gatekeepers” series, is read by Simon Prebbles who masterfully conveys the terror of a dangerous dystopian world. Read the starred review of this suspense-filled audiobook.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) has awarded the Round Rock Public Library System a grant of $49,500 to build Innovation Station, an after-school maker space and program that aims to engage middle schoolers in project-based science, technology, engineering, mathematics, art and design activities. The grant is part of a total $1.6 million in awards that TSLAC is distributing in fiscal 2014 to Texas library programs.
The Detroit Public Library (DPL), Forgotten Harvest, and the Chrysler Foundation have partnered to provide free nutritious snacks to school-aged children who attend after school reading programs at 20 DPL branches throughout the city. The snack packs—typically fruit, a drink, and a nutritious item such as yogurt—also are available to children on days when Detroit Public Schools are closed and during special DPL-sponsored programs.
In this companion to Jumping Off Swings (Candlewick, 2009), Knowles provides an intimate look at Josh a year after the events of the first book and an honest look at teen pregnancy from the male’s perspective.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services has awarded the International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG) a grant in order to help preserve and curate a significant portion of its collection of approximately 50,000 video games and related artifacts, one of the world’s most extensive public collections.
Later this month, cartoonists Jeff Kinney, Dav Pilkey, Lincoln Peirce, and Stephan Pastis will present “Drawn Together: Cartoonists Benefit Moore, Oklahoma School Libraries,” two fundraising events for the city of Moore, OK, in which the kid lit stars will discuss their inspiration and creative processes and answer questions from the audience.
Kadir Nelson’s evocative biography of Nelson Mandela receives stellar treatment in this exceptional DVD presentation from Weston Woods. Forest Whitaker’s rich voice reads the story with background music and crowd sound effects that draw viewers in. Be sure to read the starred review.
The arrival of fall marks the start of the literary awards season. Already Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is being touted as an odds-on favorite to win the Nobel Prize for Literature next month. But the cynic in me guesses that the always inscrutable Swedish committee of judges will bypass the best-selling author of 1Q84, Kafka [...]
Toni Morrison’s acclaimed novel The Bluest Eye—which tackles such difficult subjects as racism, incest, and child abuse—could become the latest in a wide range of books that have been officially challenged in Alabama’s 132 school districts in recent years, if State Senator Bill Holtzclaw, R-Madison, has his way. The legislator is calling for its removal from school libraries in the state, a position that has so far resonated with at least one local school board member.
Children’s book classics such as Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat and the Hat will be available in ebook format for the first time beginning on September 24. Fifteen of author/illustrator Dr. Seuss’s (aka Theodor Geisel) beloved titles will make their digital debut on that date, keeping the original layouts and iconic illustrations from their print editions, says publisher Random House Children’s. By November 2013, a total of 41 ebooks will be available for children, parents, and educators.
Hero on a Bicycle is set in Italy in 1944 presents the story of a 13-year-old boy and his encounters with the Partisans in Nazi occupied Florence during World War II. Narrator Simon Vance’s incomparable vocal style is a perfect fit for this intense and suspenseful work of historical fiction. Check out the starred review of this audiobook.
Beloit (WI) Public Library is celebrating September’s Library Card Sign-Up Month with a campaign that showcases staff members and patrons. Head of Adult Services Tina Kakuske helmed the project, which features eight downloadable posters and bookmarks that highlight the community’s needs and interests.
Combining an industry and educational standard in the field of aerospace with a recognized leader in the world of science and arts, the Air & Space and Smithsonian Magazine Archive Database is seamless in action and an excellent source for both papers and projects.
