If students are not familiar with nonfiction texts, they may assume that every nonfiction book serves the same function.
On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: More Outstanding Science Books for Elementary Readers
By on January 7, 2013 Leave a Comment
For outstanding science books that bring the subject to life in fun and fresh new ways, check out the latest On the Radar picks.
Life After Death: Susin Nielsen’s tenderhearted novel, ‘The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen,’ explores the aftermath of a school shooting | Under Cover January 2013
By on January 3, 2013 Leave a Comment
Canadian novelist Susin Nielsen talks about her novel The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, which explores the aftermath of a high school shooting.
Books to Build Connections to Latino Culture for K-10 | Libro por libro
By on January 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
As a librarian, I love it when I find books that relate to one another in terms of themes or content, which gets me thinking about potential program ideas. The titles selected for this first column of the new year are full of such connections. Starting with the idea of focusing on longer fiction, I found two semiautobiographical novels in verse, and both are historical fiction that deal with the protagonist coming of age.
Oh, Mama!: What to do when a parent wants to narrow her child’s reading choices | Scales on Censorship January 2013
By on January 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
As I was preparing a library card for a new student, she handed me a two-page list of books that her mother won’t allow her to read. Then later on, her mother called and told me she expected me to monitor what her daughter was reading. What should I do?
You need to tell the mother that it’s not your role to monitor students’ reading. If she has an issue with the titles that her daughter chooses, then she [...]
Books to Celebrate the Everyday Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement
By on January 1, 2013 4 Comments
Fifty years ago this May, people around our country turned on their televisions to the sight of children being viciously assaulted with fire hoses and snarling dogs by uniformed grown men, their faces twisted with hatred. The violence in Birmingham, Alabama, stirred a swelling of national conscience and raised questions demanding an answer: Do we really believe that “all men are created equal”? What would our country look like if we really did? What has to change to make that dream a reality?
Media Mania: Got Gamers? Books Tie-ins to Teen-Favorite Video Games
By on December 18, 2012 1 Comment
Tempt teens away from the screen and into the pages of a book with an appetizing array of offerings based on popular video games. You may even get them interested in history—the latest Assassin’s Creed is based on the American Revolution, set in the colonies in the mid-1700s.
2013 National Día Program Registry Now Open
By on December 18, 2012 Leave a Comment
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is inviting librarians to register for its 2013 El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) programs in the 2013 National Día Program Registry. By registering Día programs held throughout the year in the national registry, participating libraries contribute to a national database that showcases all types and sizes of Día programming. This allows other librarians and the public to learn more about Día programs happening around the country. Libraries that register will also receive Día stickers and bookmarks (while supplies last).
On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Award-Winning Science Books for Elementary Readers
By on December 18, 2012 1 Comment
Looking for great, original science books? Check out the following award-winners for thorough nonfiction that also incorporates art, poetry, and ideas for hands-on experiments.
From the Trenches: Parallel Universes
By on December 18, 2012 Leave a Comment
Wishing for everyday life to disappear and to be magically transported somewhere else does not always deliver on the promise of a happier ending. Parallel universes seem to be a popular trend these days, with quite a few books released in 2011 and 2012. For one, YA thrill-master Christopher Pike is back, veering toward fantasy with his trademark thriller plot thrown in the mix. And, in one of the most highly acclaimed books of the year, Every Day, David Levithan drops the main character into a new body, and therefore a new world, each morning. Some of the titles are serious, offering a look at how one might escape a bad home or school life. Others trend toward humor or fairy tale retellings. In all, the glimpse of “what might have been” provides readers an escape from their daily lives.
Why Did It Happen? Books to Help Kids Cope with Tragedy
By on December 17, 2012 12 Comments
While there are no books that specifically address the events that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, there are a few titles that will ease young fears and offer listeners hope. Here you’ll find a few recommendations from School Library Journal’s Book Review staff.
Global Issues, Digital Perspectives
By on December 11, 2012 Leave a Comment
Population growth, extreme weather, global warming—are all topics of interest to students and digital producers. Here’s a round-up of some recent apps that address these issues.
On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Books for a Winter’s Night
By on December 10, 2012 Leave a Comment
As winter approaches, students will enjoy fun wintry tales that include historical fiction, nonfiction, and picture books.
Book Reviews from Young Adults
By on December 4, 2012 Leave a Comment
OK, the column title isn’t exactly accurate this time. To pick up the Thanksgiving holiday slack, Elizabeth Kahn, the leader of our fine young adult reviewers at Bookmarked, has also contributed a review. Liz reviewed the debut novel Colin Fischer—and her write-up is a beauty. As is the review of Greg Takoudes’s When We Wuz Famous, due out March 2013. Our final review is a second take on Jessica Brody’s Unremembered, and like the original review, gives the novel a big thumbs up.
Amazing But True | Nonfiction for Reluctant Readers
By on December 4, 2012 Leave a Comment
Beyond those tried-and-true series entries there are many stand-alone titles with engaging texts and high-quality art to lure reluctant readers into informational texts.
Life Lessons from Aesop | Classic Connections
By on December 4, 2012 Leave a Comment
Attributed to a man who lived in fifth-century-B.C. Greece, Aesop’s Fables abound with simple wisdoms and useful truths.
Reaching Those Resistant Readers | Fun, Fast-Paced Fiction
By on December 4, 2012 1 Comment
When children and teens are ready to take a leap from those hybrid novels popularized by Jeff Kinney’s “Wimpy Kid” books into titles with a bit more text, where do they go? The books listed here will provide guidance.
On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Great Graphic Novels to Use in Your Common Core Classroom
By on December 3, 2012 1 Comment
These graphic novels that include tales of space travel, American history, and more, will entertain middle grade readers while also satisfying Common Core standards.
Healthy Lifestyles: A Balancing Act | Focus On
By on December 3, 2012 2 Comments
It seems as though not a day goes by without the media covering a story about children’s health. Fast-food restaurants decide to list the nutritional information of their entrees. School districts ban soft-drink vending machines in their cafeterias. Childhood obesity is at epidemic levels.
Clustering and the Common Core
By on December 2, 2012 1 Comment
Achieving the level of complex thinking in the classroom required by the Common Core standards can feel overwhelming, particularly when students will be reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing in this capacity throughout the day.
