The CBC Diversity Committee was established in 2012 as one of the committees created by the Children’s Book Council, the national nonprofit trade association for children’s trade book publishers. It strives to increase the diversity of voices and experiences contributing to children’s and young adult literature. Alvina Ling, executive editor at Little, Brown, is a founder and chair, and has edited titles by Grace Lin, Matthew Quick, Bryan Collier, Libba Bray, and Karen Healey.

Ling says that it is important for young readers to have access to books with diverse characters because “it helps foster acceptance and understanding of different people. These titles are for that child who is not seeing himself in the books he’s reading or a child from a different culture to have compassion towards people who are not like him.”

Stacy Whitman, editorial director of Tu, multicultural publisher Lee & Low’s young adult fantasy and science fiction imprint, agrees. She adds, “In our growing multicultural world, kids need to know what it is to empathize with people that are different. I think fantasy and science fiction does that best, because you’re already putting yourself in a setting that is already so different.”

Whitman cites recent projects such as Joseph Bruchac’s Killer of Enemies—a postapocalyptic Apache steampunk novel—and Karen Sandler’s conclusion to the Tankborn trilogy, Rebellion, as examples of non-Northwest European and Tolkien-influenced fantasies.

In recent weeks, #DiversityinSFF was a trending conversation on Twitter, of which Whitman was an avid participant. And though according to her it is very similar to the Race Fail 2009 discussion—in which fantasy and sci-fi fans lamented the lack of diversity in the genres—she hopes that this recent flare up will stir into action those with influence in the industry. “The recent Twitter conversation pushed agents to change their submission guidelines, encouraging people of diverse backgrounds to send their work. The publisher Tor also changed their guidelines. I hope others will do the same.”

And while Putnam editor Stacey Barney agrees that the clamor for more diverse books isn’t a recent one, she has noted a change in the discussion in recent years. “It’s creeping up to the top of more people’s agenda. The tenor in the conversation has changed in a positive way. It’s moved beyond ‘we need to have more black characters or black authors’ to ‘we need characters of color who are experiencing everyday events,’ not historical landmarks or in an urban setting.” She cites Crystal Allen’s How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy (HarperCollins, 2011) as a great example of this.

Barney, who has edited several books with diverse characters, such as Tara Sullivan’s Golden Boy (2013), about the albino killings in Tanzania, and Kristin Levine’s The Lions of Little Rock (2012, both Putnam), does believe that more can be done to market books and authors of diverse backgrounds.

“I think people miss the point when they argue that there should be more editors of color, which I think is true,” Barney says. “However, what we lack is an infrastructure that will support these books once they’re published. We’ll see more acquisitions when we have more success stories. We have to remember that this is a business. Editors want to acquire books that will get the best marketing launch possible. We just don’t have that in place yet.”

The desire to promote their books is what inspired Malindo Lo and Cindy Pon to start the Diversity in YA tour and website in 2011. The two authors discovered that they were both publishing Asian-inspired fantasies that year, and wanted to celebrate them and all diverse teen literature with this initiative. Relaunched in 2012 with a Tumblr account, Pon and Lo continue to promote books about all kinds of diversity, from race to sexual orientation to gender identity and disability.

And while Lo agrees that there’s been a recent explosion in the blogosphere about the subject, she’s also discovered that writers continue to struggle to get their LGBQT books to the public. “As I have talked to more authors, I have heard stories about many of them—published and unpublished—who have been blocked in their endeavors,” she says. “I’m getting this impression that we’re in this stuck point. I’m hoping that the continued discussion raises awareness of this issue, and that there will be considered effort to change that for the better.”

What can librarians do? Whitman suggests, “The last few years people have been talking about the need for diversity, but it’s time to put our money where the mouth is. Librarians have always had finger on the pulse of what their readers need, but these resources haven’t always been available to them.”

Responding to the point that Sun made during Summer Teen about the importance of diversity in YA book covers, one attendee asked how librarians should act in regards to cases of “whitewashing.”

Logo for Disability in Kid Lit website.

Klise, an author and a librarian replied, “I work at an urban high school in Chicago, and know that to engage my very diverse student population in reading for fun, I need to display books with faces they can identify with. We have to be aware of the [whitewashing] cases. It makes for really provocative conversation for my book club at school. The teens share my outrage—and outrage, when funneled into activism, is what makes the world change for the better.”

Whitman adds that librarians can make sure to include diverse books in their collection development budget, even if their communities are not diverse. “Look for awesome books no matter what the characters’ backgrounds may be. Even if your community isn’t diverse, the world is. Buy your books accordingly. Seek out resources to help you booktalk those titles. The resources are out there; become aware of them and use and share them with your colleagues.”

RESOURCES FOR FINDING DIVERSE BOOKS FOR TEENS AND KIDS

From School Library Journal:

Collection Development
Tamora Pierce’s Fantasy Novel Picks | SLJ SummerTeen
By Tamora Pierce

Straight Talk on Race: Challenging the Stereotypes in Kids’ Books
By Mitali Perkins

LGBTQ Lit: Speaking Out
By Megan Honig

From Diversity to Civil Rights | Nonfiction Notes
By Daryl Grabarek

Jackie Robinson: Remembering an American Hero | Watch and Read
By Joy Fleishhacker

Islam in the Classroom
By Lauren Barack

Books to Celebrate the Everyday Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement
By Rhona Campbell

Resources for Finding Latino Kid Lit
By Shelley M. Diaz

Kick-Starting a New Life | Recent YA Titles
By Mahnaz Dar

Our Bodies, Our Minds | Confronting Self-Image in YA Fiction
By Mahnaz Dar

YA Underground: Books for Teens You Might Have Missed
By Amy Cheney

Interviews
Between Violence and Tenderness: Aristotle and Dante Author Sáenz Talks to SLJ
By Karyn M. Peterson

Lesléa Newman Discusses her Novel in Verse About the Death of Matthew Shepard, ‘October Mourning’
By Mahnaz Dar

The “Radioactive Energy” of Bullies | An Interview with Meg Medina
By Jennifer M. Brown

The Power of Pictures: A Visit with Bryan Collier
By Rocco Staino

Andrea Cheng on Etched in Clay, Which Charts the Courageous Life of Dave the Potter
By Rick Margolis

Looking for Light: In Darkness Author Nick Lake talks to SLJ
By Karyn M. Peterson

News Articles
First Book’s “Stories for All Project” Lobbies for Kid Lit Diversity
By Karyn M. Peterson

Community Angered by Tossed Black History Collection
By Lauren Barack

Picture Book About Islam Ignites Twitter Battle
By Shelley Diaz

Librarians Sound Off: Not a Lack of Latino Lit for Kids, but a Lack of Awareness
By Shelley Diaz

Kid Lit Authors Discuss Diversity at NYPL
By Mahnaz Dar

Blog Posts/Opinion
2013 Middle Grade Black Boys: Seriously, People?
By Betsy Bird

America’s Changing Face | Consider the Source
By Marc Aronson

From The Horn Book:
A Very Good Question
By Roger Sutton

Young dreamers
By Christopher Myers

Indigenous protagonists and people of color
By Elissa Gershowitz

Horn Book Resources for Talking About Race
By Horn Book Staff

Other recommended sites:
Children’s Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States
CCBC Blog
As Demographics Shift, Kids’ Books Stay Stubbornly White from NPR
CBC Diversity (Maintains a Goodreads account with updated booklists of diverse books and resources.)
Stacy Whitman’s Pinterest Board on Diverse YA Fantasy
Disability in Kid Lit
The Brown Bookshelf
American Indians in Children’s Literature
Rich In Color (Reviews YA books that feature or are by people of color.)
Gay YA
De Colores Blog (Reviews books that feature Mexican American characters.)
Diversify YA (A collection of short interviews that focus on all sorts of diversity.)
Cynthia Leitich Smith has compiled resources on diverse books, including multiracial titles with biracial characters.
Forever Young Adult’s new series on diversity in YA
Articles on Diversity on YALSA’s Hub Blog
It Matters if You’re Black or White: The Racism of YA Book Covers
Lee & Low Blog (The multicultural children’s book publisher’s blog.)
First Book Blog (The organization’s commitment to diversity in children’s books.)
Crazy QuiltEdi (Promoting literacy for teens of color, one book at a time.)

Don Brown’s America Under Attack, published on the 10-year anniversary of September 11.

The link below is a PDF of SLJ‘s original news coverage about the fateful day that the World Trade Center and Pentagon were attacked by terrorists, pulled from our archives. On that day, librarians in the New York City and Washington, DC, areas rose to the challenge of serving their students and patrons amidst the chaos and confusion of the tragic event.

Andrea Glick’s “Responding to Terror: School Librarians in NYC and DC Cope with Frightened Students,” appeared in SLJ‘s October 2001 print issue and online the previous month.

SLJ and LJ did not go completely unscathed. Many staff members watched from our offices on 17th Street in downtown NYC as the the Twin Towers fell. Touch and Go editor and school librarian Daryl Grabarek’s school is located two blocks from the World Trade Center. In the days following September 11, the children of SLJ staff living in the city continued to be affected as their schools—some in close proximity to Ground Zero—dealt with the aftermath of the attacks.

From the SLJ and LJ archives, the varied list below includes recent feature articles, recommended book lists, and recommended digital resources on the history of September 11 for all ages (including books on helping young children explore hard topics), plus resources that explore the political landscape since that day for adults.

FOR CHILDREN

Not Fade Away: Ten years after 9/11
By Frances Harris. August 1, 2011. SLJ.
How do you teach kids about a tragedy they can’t remember?

Ten Years After: Interview with Don Brown
By Rocco Staino. September 7, 2011. SLJ.
SLJ talks to author-illustrator Don Brown about America Is Under Attack (Roaring Brook, 2011).

FOR ALL AGES

Straight to the Source
By Frances Harris. July 26, 2011. SLJ.
A collection of 9/11 resources for all ages, including official sites and archives.

FOR OLDER TEENS AND ADULTS

Pictures of 9/11
By Martha Cornog. August 17, 2011. LJ.
A dozen graphic novels exploring memories of the day, from a variety of viewpoints.

9/11 Resources
By Joyce Valenza. August 25, 2011. SLJ.
In this NeverEnding Search blog post, Valenza offers a host of digital resources.

Internet Archive Launches Site Dedicated to 9/11 TV News Coverage
By David Rapp. August 25, 2011. LJ.
“Understanding 9/11: A Television News Archive” offers television programming from that fateful day.

9/11 Ten Years On: 15 Titles
By Elizabeth R. Hayford. August 4, 2011. LJ.
This book list offers memoirs and other titles that look back on that fateful day and the years since.

For more, visit our September 11 resources page.

Back to reading

Bouncing Back to School: Great Books for Easing First Day Jitters
By Joy Fleishhacker
From what to wear to following rules to making friends, these engaging picture books address common beginning-of-the-year concerns with solid storytelling, genuine empathy, and upbeat resolutions. The list includes titles both new and tried-and-true that will reassure youngsters that their apprehensions are shared by others.

Books to Enhance Class Trips and Learning Adventures | Focus On

By Joy Fleishhacker

A mix of fact-filled offerings and fictional adventures, these titles give kids a break from the routine and encourage interactive learning experiences.

Joyce Valenza’s tech picks

Fall decorating: a round-up of smart (and free) posters

Meaningful, inspiring, attractive visuals to fill our display cases, grace our bulletin boards, and embed on our websites—and where to find them.

Your back-to-school letter

Valenza shares Doug Johnson’s suggestions for writing the back-to-school letter

Orientation inspiration

With help from the #tlchat community, Valenza crowd-sourced suggestions for making library orientations inventive, different, and fun.

For more, visit our Back-to-School resources page.

Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) continues to be an avid supporter of the country’s museums and libraries in the area of early childhood learning. It has an extensive database of awards that institutions can apply to annually.

The National Leadership Grants for Libraries supports projects that address the challenges faced by the library field in innovative ways, and that have the potential to advance practice at a national level. Successful applications are programs that seek innovative responses to the challenge(s) identified in the proposals, and will have national impact. The deadline for the next award is February 01, 2014. The prizes range from $50,000-500,000.

For libraries planning to create a brand-new program that will focus on early learning, IMLS’s Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries could be the right opportunity. These smaller awards encourage libraries to try out and evaluate specific innovations in the ways they operate and the services they provide. Sparks Grants support the implementation of promising and groundbreaking new tools, products, services, or organizational practices. Successful proposals address problems, challenges, or needs of broad relevance to libraries. The 2013 grants were already awarded, but the 2014 guidelines will be made available approximately 90 days before the deadline. In the meantime, interested applicants should use the 2013 guidelines as a reference. The prizes range from $10,000 to $25,000.

Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Celebrating 20 years of helping individuals learn to read, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has continuously partnered with schools and libraries. In addition to its relationship with the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) to provide aid to school libraries affected by natural disasters, the Foundation has also established Summer Reading and Youth Literacy grants.

The Youth Literacy award provides funding to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations to help students who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading. For libraries wanting to create new or expand existing literacy programs, purchase new technology to support early literacy initiatives, or acquire materials for literacy programs, this grant is available to institutions that are located within 20 miles of a Dollar General store. The 2013 Youth Literacy Grant recipients will be announced on August 21, 2013, and the guidelines for the 2014 awards will be available early 2014.

The Summer Reading grants provide funding to help with the implementation or expansion of summer reading programs. Programs must target Pre-K through 12th grade students who are new readers, below grade level readers, or readers with learning disabilities. The 2013 Summer Reading Grant recipients have already been announced, but the 2014 applications will be available January 2014.

Target Foundation

For libraries that are trying to maintain and build up their storytimes, even while facing looming budget cuts, the Target Early Learning Reading Grant can make a world of a difference. Each award is $2,000, and applications are accepted between noon CST March 1 and noon CST April 30 of every year. The Target Foundation aims to fund programs that foster a love of reading and encourage young children, preschool through third grade, to read together with their families.

LEGO Children’s Fund

LEGOs are a childhood staple, and are also useful tools in early learning play. Now the company has created the LEGO Children’s Fund, which provides quarterly grants for programs, either in part or in total, with a special interest to early childhood education and development. Winning programs should also place a strong emphasis on creativity. Interested applicants must complete an eligibility quiz, and then be approved and invited to submit a grant proposal. There are no restrictions on grant amounts, but typical awards are between $500 and $5,000.

Better World Books

Better World Books LEAP Library grants are awarded to institutions that present “Game Changing” ideas which help advance a compelling literacy project. The proposed program should address the literacy needs of underserved populations in the community. Each year, there’s a total of $30,000 in funding available, and the maximum grant amount per project is $15,000. Interested libraries can download the application form on this page, complete it, and return it per the instructions on the form. The 2013 applications were due by April 2013, and the guidelines for next year’s award are to be determined.

Ezra Jack Keats Foundation

Named for the acclaimed author/illustrator, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation offers minigrants of $500 to public schools and public libraries for programs that support literacy and creativity in children. The projects don’t have to be related to Ezra Jack Keats’s books, but they are welcomed. For inspiration and better idea of the types of programs it has funded, check out the Foundation’s website. Applications for the minigrants are usually due by mid-March.

Libri Foundation

Rural libraries often have limited budgets and staff, and not enough funding for new books for their collection, or to give away for family libraries. The Libri Foundation is a nationwide non-profit organization which donates new, quality, hardcover children’s books to small, rural public libraries. Qualifying libraries should be in a rural area, have a limited operating budget, and an active children’s department. In the past the books have been used for storytelling; toddler, preschool, and after-school programs; summer reading; “book buddy” programs; and early childhood development programs. For more information and to apply by August 15 deadline, visit the website.

First Book

First Book is a non-profit organization that also provides free or discounted books to educators working with low-income families. To see if your library is eligible and to apply for these resources, complete the online registration form available on the site.

Whether at a national, state, or local level, each of these awards require a thorough understanding of your community’s needs, a detailed description of how the funds will be implemented, and most importantly, why should your institution be selected. Rachel Payne, Brooklyn Public Library’s coordinator of early childhood services, suggested that IMLS’s new report on the role of museums and libraries in early learning would be a good starting point for libraries that are applying early learning grants. Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners cites dozens of examples and 10 case studies, and highlights 10 key ways libraries and museums support children’s early education and summer learning.

From the experts

Need a reminder about why Summer Reading Programs are an essential part of the public library’s mission? Carole Fiore and Susan Roman’s extensive study proves that they boost student achievement.

The significant decline in reading skills many students experience over the summer is no secret, but it’s particularly damaging for children in low-income neighborhoods. Curriculum Connections columnist Alicia Eames reviews Richard L. Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen’s The Summer Slide and the Rich/Poor Achievement Gap. In an interview with coauthor Richard L. Allington, Eames delves deeper into this important issue.

A new twist on summer reading

Some kids may not want to run at the sight of a book cover, and audiobooks just might be the thing to keep them interested. Listen In authors Sharon Grover and Lizette Hannegan have just the thing to beat the summer wipeout. For film buffs, librarians can easily pair audiobooks and films to spark discussion and writing.

For more, visit our Summer Reading resources page.

Powerpoint is second nature to my students, as they probably started using it in second grade! They recently graduated to Prezi, but its overuse, and rollercoaster transitions, is making my teachers sick! They are asking for the next best thing.

There are so many resourceful ways to do multimedia presentations now, folks need to pay attention. In my research and trials, there are many tools that educators should explore.

9Slides.com is a great resource initially designed for the business market, but it can work remarkably well for the education field. Available for handheld devices and online, this tool allows you to upload video on one side of the screen and PowerPoint, PDF’s or even SlideShare on the other side. At a recent in-service I taught, one elementary teacher thought it would be the perfect match for her beginning-of-the-year student writing samples. Students already read their work aloud but now it can be displayed while they narrate. What a great artifact to show parents at back-to-school night! I can see teary-eyed parents basking in pride as their child performs their personal narrative.

Thinglink.com has just published an application and upgrade that strengthens its utility. Thinglink has been a nice tool that adds text and hyperlinks on to images, à la Jennifer LeGarde in her April Librarian Month page. But now you can also place video pop-ups on the image, and a new app has been released for handheld devices. This is going to be a great tool for my library orientation. I’ll take a picture of my library and insert tags and videos explaining the resources available, such as the location of fiction, the short story collection, the computer lab, etc., along with the rules of engagement. Thinglink also tracks the number of user “hovers” and clicks so you can measure how effective it is.

Perhaps the coolest tool of the season is Mozilla’s Popcorn Maker.  You can download videos and edit and manipulate them using this online application to layer text pop-ups, Google maps, Wikipedia pages and other very interactive additions. Users may find it a more complex, but the end product is really worth it.

Teachers and students need to take advantage of new multimedia tools that make it easy to create presentations that are both strong and show the depth of our students’ learning. Summer is the perfect time to get acquainted with a few of these resources and enhance our teacher toolboxes.

Phil Goerner is teacher librarian at Silver Creek High School, Longmont, CO.

See also The Best Powerpoint Alternatives for Creating Great Presentations.

Teachers and parents alike are unsure about the topic, but it’s never been more important

Islam proved a tough subject for Coco Huguet when she went looking for resources to use with a fifth-grade global history class at the Hewitt School five years ago. “I looked all over the Internet for teaching material on [Islam] and couldn’t find anything,” says the English and history teacher at the all-girls school on New York’s Upper East Side. “Up until a few years ago, there was very little, especially for younger kids.”

But this fall, Huguet’s students will read the novels The Breadwinner (Groundwood, 2001) by Deborah Ellis and Andrew Clements’s Extra Credit (Atheneum, 2009), along with a National Geographic history reference, The Islamic World (2005)—as part of an attempt to enhance student understanding of the religion from an academic viewpoint and also provide a deeper context to the concerns permeating today’s headlines. “This year they’re going to be more aware,” says Huguet. “Some of these issues, especially Afghanistan and the division you see about the Mosque are coming to a head.”

Between recent threats by a Florida pastor to burn the Quran, our nation’s ongoing presence in Afghanistan, and protests at the planned site for Park 51, an Islamic community center and mosque set to be built two blocks from the World Trade Center site, the topic of Islam is a tricky one, especially in K–12 schools, say many educators.

For starters, it can be difficult to find appropriate materials to bring into media centers and classrooms. And then, parents can object to Islam being taught to their children, as protest groups across the Internet can attest. Of all major religious groups in the United States, Muslims trigger the most feelings of prejudice among Americans, according to a poll released in January by the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies. More than four in 10 Americans, or 43 percent, admitted to feeling at least “a little” prejudice against Muslims—as compared to 18 percent feeling similarly toward Christians, and 14 and 13 percent toward Jews and Buddhists respectively. And just 37 percent of Americans say they even know a Muslim American personally, according to a recent Time-Abt SRBI poll, with 46 percent believing that Islam actually supports the idea of its followers bringing harm to nonbelievers (http://bit.ly/dlchZy).

This prejudice can play out when organizations hear of Islamic culture being taught in schools, as Linda Tubach discovered when she launched a weekend professional development course for Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) teachers four years ago. “The Anti-Defamation League sent observers for a couple of years, and one person objected because [the class] was on the Jewish Sabbath,” says the retired high school social studies teacher, who runs the program through the interfaith group Fellowship of Reconciliation, which offers teachers salary point credit for the two-day course. “But that’s subsided, and our last class had no observers. People just seem to accept it at this point, and we feel very good about that.”

Participating teachers travel to the Helen Bernstein Professional Development Center in downtown Los Angeles to create lesson plans and review Internet sites for use in K–12 classes. They’re also treated to Middle Eastern luncheons and dancing. But the goal of the class is for educators to learn how to encourage questions and dialogue among K–12 students, specifically on the subject of Islam.

In a recent session, Tubach had two teachers role play—one assuming the role of an Israeli and the other a Palestinian—acting out a historic event from different viewpoints. The hope is that by addressing real history and potential stereotyping together, teachers will treat the subject matter with more confidence in a classroom setting. “People worry about backlash when they take on these issues,” says Tubach. “But we found you can handle that successfully if you design a class that meets high standards.”

But few students have an opportunity to take a class on world religions—let alone Islam. With budget cuts fairly standard across U.S. school districts, electives beyond the standard English, science, history, and mathematics courses are pretty limited. “Our school can’t afford to have more exotic classes because we’re already cutting back on others,” says Mithi Hossain, a senior at Stuyvesant High School in lower Manhattan. “We did have a college-level course on Arabic after school. But that’s a language. And it was cut.”

Hossain, who serves as vice president of Stuy’s Muslim Student Association (MSA), is very passionate about her Muslim identity. She’s worn a hijab since the fifth grade and wishes more students at her school—beyond MSA’s 25 members—understood details about Islam. While elementary school is a little early to introduce the topic, she says, she believes that certainly high school students should be educated in the nuances of world religions. “When you’re going out into the world, you can’t rely on stereotypes to make decisions,” she says. “I believe school is the right place to learn about these subjects like Islam, as long as it’s not biased. I know that’s a very difficult thing to do. But if it’s coming from a teacher who is well educated and not from a Muslim background, then sometimes it’s more acceptable. Sometimes people are more willing to hear from a person with a different background than what they’re teaching.”

Knowing how to craft such a lesson is key. For teachers who don’t have access to professional development programs like Tubach’s, guidance on how to structure lesson plans is available online. New York’s Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility has a “Teachable Moment” section on its site, which covers subjects from “Engaging the Muslim World” to a fairly topical one called “NYC Muslim Community Center: Why There? Why Not?”, which includes tips on how to guide a student discussion on U.S. and Muslim relations.

Schools across the country have accessed these lessons and have also been helped directly by Tala Manassah, deputy executive director of the Morningside Center, who believes that a properly constructed course can be effective in combating stereotypes. “You want to approach this from a historical side so they have some context,” says Manassah. “Because some of this squawking that goes on with controversial issues comes from ignorance.”

Nancy Gallin might concur. The history department chair at the Hewitt School for the past 15 years occasionally encounters queries from students that give her pause. “You’ll get the odd questions like, ‘Are Catholics Christians?’” she says.

But her students are taught about Islam through multiple disciplines and over many years to help stem that lack of knowledge. In the eighth grade, students learn how the Quran figures as a document of religious law, while ninth graders study the Crusades and the extension of Islam into Europe. By 10th grade, they’re prepared to examine the religion within a more current context. “My general approach is to note similarities between today and history,” says Gallin. “Because of the Muslim Community Center, I’ll talk this year about the fact that xenophobia goes back to the Alien and Sedition Acts [of 1798]. And I’ll connect that to the point that even though we live in a country with such an eclectic culture, some people think they’re more real of an American than others.”

Yet even a well-prepared teacher can watch a spirited conversation among students about burqas and the Five Pillars of Islam dissolve into a heated argument or even cross into proselytizing. Knowing not just how to present material, but how students may even respond, can make the difference.

Diane Moore helped pilot an online program, launched this fall through Harvard Divinity School, to turn public school teachers into peer scholars who can then teach the topic of Islam to fellow educators.

“One of the main things we’ll be working with is not just content, but how do you teach about [Islam] and what you should be attentive to,” says Moore, a professor of the Practice in Religious Studies and Education, and director of the Program in Religious Studies and Education at Harvard. “Content knowledge is not insignificant, but it is the how of teaching religion that is really critical. How do you introduce the subject to your students when they have their own misperceptions? So part of it is anticipating what your students already think about this.”

That kind of teaching may be imperative in helping teachers overcome concerns that prevent them from even broaching the topic of Islam or Muslims in class—even if they believe these are subjects that could be helpful for their students. “There’s a real consensus that public schools need to teach more about religious diversity and aren’t doing a better job because so many teachers are afraid of touching the topic with a 10-foot pole,” says Henry Goldschmidt, program associate with the Interfaith Center of New York, which runs professional development courses for teachers every summer.

For the two dozen or so educators who come for the weeklong program in New York, the Interfaith Center offers visits with community religious leaders including those from the Jewish, Santería, and Christian faiths, lectures from academic experts, and even field trips to different houses of worship—outings K–12 teachers can arrange for their own classes. The hope is that teachers will see religion as more a base of lived traditions and not just historical doctrines—and in that way make the subject more accessible and alive to K–12 students.

“That’s one of the reasons K–12 curriculum is reduced to historical facts and dates,” says Goldschmidt. “It’s simpler for students and teachers to get their hands around that. But while they may be able to recite the Ten Commandments, they may not have any understanding of the lives of Muslims, Buddhists, or Jews living in America today.”

But that’s not going to be the issue with Gallin’s students at Hewitt this fall. Every Thursday morning, the school holds a town meeting—usually filled with reminders for children to bring in permission slips, or about parent conferences. However, Gallin says she’s going to use the time to keep the school community more aware of the current issues surrounding Islam.

“I’m going to call people’s attention to what’s going on in downtown New York, in particular, with Islam,” she says. “I think if we’re assuming these young women are going to be citizens of the world, they should know what’s happening around them.”

Resources foR teaching about islam

Luckily, you can find a lot more material online today than in recent years. Many organizations offer K–12 curricular guides, and while it’s still a challenge to find content for younger grades, these resources are a good place to start:

Elementary School

Access Islam
Thirteen.org

Ten multimedia lessons for grades 4–8 about Islamic holidays, traditions, and cultures, from Ramadan to the Quran.

Children’s Book Study Guides: The Librarian of Basra and Alia’s Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq
Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility

A way to introduce the Iraq war to younger children by discussing the Library of Basra that burned.

Information on Islam
Woodland Junior School, Kent, England

Offers simple history questions for younger students complete with photographs and a multi-faith calendar.

Middle School

Extra Credit study guide
Andrew Clements

Guidance for teachers to help students discuss the story of two sixth graders, a young girl in Illinois and a boy in Afghanistan, who become pen pals.

Geometry and Islam
Asia Society

A student activity that incorporates Islamic textiles and architecture.

Teaching on Controversial Issues: Guidelines for Teachers
Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility

A teacher guide to presenting complicated and potentially controversial subjects.

High School

NYC Muslim Community Center: Why there? Why not?
Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility

Background regarding the proposed mosque and community center, with guidelines for conducting a discussion with students.

Islam, Empire of Faith
PBS Educational Resources

The first of five lessons aimed at students in grades 6–12.
The World of Islam
National Geographic

National Geographic story on Islam, with links to online forums, bibliographies, Muslim organizations, and a digital Quran.

SLJ‘s Recommended Titles

Picture Books

ADDASI, Maha. Time to Pray. tr. by Nuha Albitar. illus. by Ned Gannon. Boyds Mills. 2010. RTE $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-611-6.

Gr 1-4–During a visit to her grandmother in the Middle East, Yasmin learns about her religion and finds a way to pray at home, even though there are no mosques where she lives. A warm intergenerational story, told in English and Arabic, with  illustrations that feature Islamic geometric designs and Arab architecture and culture.

ADDASI, Maha. The White Nights of Ramadan. illus. by Ned Gannon. Boyds Mills. 2008. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-523-2.

Gr 1-4–When Noor, who lives in Kuwait, sees the almost-full moon rise, she knows it’s time to prepare for Girgian, a Muslim celebration observed mostly in the Arabian Gulf states during the middle of the month of Ramadan. The story underlines the importance of sharing, self improvement, and community welfare. Highlighted with moonlit hues, the attractive illustrations are done in a style that reflects one of many Muslim cultures.

JALALI, Reza. Moon Watchers: Shirin’s Ramadan Miracle. illus. by Anne Sibley O’Brien. Tilbury House. 2010. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-88448-321-2. LC 2009046324.

Gr 1-4–Shirin is disappointed because she is too young to fast, but her father encourages her to do good deeds. As Ramadan ends, the family prepares for Eid-ul-Fitr, and a big surprise awaits Shirin, a “miracle.” O’Brien’s watercolor illustrations depict a Persian-American family.

KHAN, Hena. Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story. illus. by Julie Paschkis. Chronicle. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8118-6062-8.

Gr 2-4–A seven-year-old Pakistani-American girl learns about the Islamic calendar and enjoys a special dinner with her family. Typical events follow, such as a celebration of the “Night of the Moon” at the community center. Then Ramadan is over, and the next day is Eid. Paschkis’s stunning paintings incorporate Islamic tile art, adding to an authentic sense of the culture.

MOBIN-UDDIN, Asma. A Party in Ramadan. illus. by Laura Jacobsen. Boyds Mills. 2009. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-604-8.

Gr 2-6–Leena faces a difficult decision when she wants to fast during Ramadan, but also wants to attend her friend’s pony party. She decides to do both, but finds that resisting the tempting treats isn’t easy. When it is time to end the fast, her friends come with cake, and her mother invites them to share the iftar dinner. This well-told story is a great resource for discussing choices and religious differences

ROBERT, Na’ima B. Ramadan Moon. illus. by Shirin Adl. Frances Lincoln. 2009. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-84507-922-2.

K-Gr 4–A girl explains what happens throughout the month as people pray in mosques, listen to imams read verses from the Qur’an, and perform good deeds. The language is poetic, and the art shows the moon’s waxing and waning phases as the family worships and rejoices.

WHITMAN, Sylvia. Under the Ramadan Moon. illus. by Sue Williams. Albert Whitman. 2008. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-8304-3.

Gr 2-4–In a lyrical text, Whitman describes how a modern family observes Ramadan. Soft pastels captures the events and family interactions, and show women in hijaab giving hugs and talking on cell phones.

For Older Readers

Fiction

ABDEL-FATTAH, Randa. Does My Head Look Big in This? Scholastic/Orchard. 2007. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-439-91947-0.

Gr 7 Up–Amal, a devout Muslim, decides to wear the hijab full time. She faces typical teen concerns and deals with  misconceptions non-Muslims have about her religion and culture. The novel deals with some heavy issues, but it’s also very funny. See also Randa Abdel-Fattah’s Ten Things I Hate About Me.

CLEMENTS, Andrew. Extra Credit. illus. by Mark Elliott. S & S/Atheneum. 2009. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-4929-9.

Gr 4-7–Illinois sixth-grader Abby Carson and Sadeed Bayat, the best English-language student in his Afghan village, become pen pals, but because it isn’t proper for a boy and girl to correspond with one another, he must pretend he is his sister.  He can’t keep the secret though, and the two become friends and learn about one another’s culture and connect through their shared love of Frog and Toad Are Friends.

ELLIS, Deborah. Parvana’s Journey. Groundwood. 2002. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-88899-514-8; pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-88899-519-9.

Gr 7-10–This heart-wrenching sequel to The Breadwinner (Groundwood, 2001) follows 13-year-old Parvana as she searches through war-torn Afghanistan looking for her mother and siblings who had disappeared in the tumult of the Taliban takeover. An unforgettable read about the will to survive.

STRATTON, Allan. Borderline. HarperTeen. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-145111-9; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-145112-6.

Gr 7 Up–Sami is bullied at school because he is a Muslim, and the administration doesn’t do anything to stop it. Then the FBI breaks into his house and takes his dad away, unjustly assuming that he is a terrorist. A fast-paced thriller with strong characterizations.  

Nonfiction

CALVERT, John. Divisions Within Islam. ISBN 978-1-4222-0533-4..

KAVANAUGH, Dorothy. Islamic Festivals and Celebrations. ISBN 978-1-4222-0534-1.

––––. The Muslim World: An Overview. ISBN 978-1-4222-0532-7.

LUXENBERG, Alan. Radical Islam. ISBN 978-1-4222-0536-5.

MELMAN, Anna. Islam in America. ISBN 978-1-4222-0535-8.

RADU, Michael. Islam in Europe.  ISBN 978-1-4222-1363-6.

RUBIN, Barry. The History of Islam. ISBN 978-1-4222-0531-0.

SKLAR, Tanya. Islamic-Jewish Relations Before 1947. ISBN 978-1-4222-1361-2.  

    ea vol: 64p. (World of Islam Series). Mason Crest. 2009. Tr $22.95.

Gr 6 Up–These titles clarify issues facing the Muslim world and show the diversity of opinions within the religion. They also show the diversity of thought and opinion within Islam, In order to get a broad picture of the Islamic faith, the books work best as a set.

ELLIS, Deborah. Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Groundwood. 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-88899-554-7.

Gr 7-9–Alternating accounts from young people between the ages of 8 and 18 show the devastating effect of war on their lives and how any sense of childhood has been stolen from them.

HAFIZ, Dilara & Imran Hafiz, & Yasmine Hafiz. The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook. Acacia Pub.. 2007. pap. $11.95. ISBN 978-0-9792531-2-6.

Gr 7 Up–A fine introduction to the basics of Islam. Quotes from teens tell what it’s like to be a Muslim in America, and the authors address dating, dancing, drinking, and drugs. The conversational style will appeal to teen readers, whether practicing the religion or wanting to know more about it.

 See also: Picture Book About Islam Ignites Twitter Battle

In this fifth and final installment in

It’s very difficult to select only  five children’s poets—there are many more whose work I enjoy and admire. The five collections that I picked just happened to call out to me when I looked at my bookshelves this morning. At another time I might have chosen five completely different ones. All of these poets have inspired me at various times in my writing life. Here are five titles, in alphabetical order by poet.

Out in the Dark and Daylight (HarperCollins,1980) by Aileen Lucia Fisher. The poet has a wonderful feel for nature and takes great delight in the world around her.

Exploding Gravy: Poems to make You Laugh (Little, Brown, 2002) by X. J. Kennedy, illustrated by Joy Allen. These poems tickle my funny bone. The poet knows how to make words dance.

Moon, Have You Met My Mother? The Collected Poems of Karla Kuskin (HarperCollins, 2003), illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier. [Kuskin] was one of the first children’s poets I read when I started writing my own poems. Many of her poems are deceptively simple.

Custard and Company: Poems by Ogden Nash (Little, Brown, 1980), selected and illustrated by Quentin Blake. There are quite a few poems I never wrote because [Nash] wrote them first. I still marvel at his wit and craftsmanship.

Laughing Time: Collected Nonsense. (Delacorte, 1990) by William Jay Smith, illustrated by Fernando Krahn. Not only has [Smith] written wonderful children’s poems, he was the U.S. Poet Laureate from 1968 to 1970. The poet turned 95 on April 22. Happy birthday!

In our next installment in

As co-host of the “Poetry Blast,” a reading by children’s poets, I have had the good fortune to read and to hear poems read by a wealth of wonderful poets, so it’s hard to select my favorite books. But here are five that my bookshelves can’t do without:

Master of “shaped poems,” Arnold Adoff celebrates the blues and its origins, painful and hopeful, in the stellar book, Roots and Blues: A Celebration (Clarion, 2011). When a book of poems about music sounds like music, it makes me want to sing.

I’ve always liked Edgar Lee Masters’s Spoon River Anthology, with its multiple narrators and their varied stories. Walter Dean Myers creates this tapestry of characters with distinct voices and tales and places them in the vibrant locale of Harlem in his amazing Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices (Holiday House, 2004). Quite a feat!

I really appreciate poets who play with form. When I read Bob Raczka’s Lemonade: And Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word (Roaring Brook, 2011), in which he takes a word and rearranges the letters to make new words that form a poem, I squealed with pleasure.

One of the best collections of poems about a single subject that I’ve ever come across is Alice Schertle’s How Now, Brown Cow? (Browndeer, 1994). How good is it?  Recently, Jane Yolen (another poet I greatly admire) and I, unbeknownst to each other, selected the same poem from it to illustrate how to write a perfect humorous poem!

I got introduced to Joyce Sidman’s poetry when I was one of the judges for the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, and I’ve loved her work ever since. That year, we selected the elegant Song of the Water Boatman & Other Pond Poems (Houghton Harcourt, 2005) as the winner.  It remains, for me, a classic example of wonderful poems combined with informative prose.”

Maggie B.’s Spine Poem from 100 Scope Notes

April is National Poetry Month, and School Library Journal has compiled a list of tools and creative ideas for celebrating. From poetry slam best practices to Common Core curriculum connections, this roundup is chock-full of ways to approach the poetic form with kids all yearlong.

Why Poetry?

National Poetry Month is upon us, but why limit the celebration of poetry to April? SLJ editor-in-chief Rebecca Miller speaks to the value of regular exposure to poetry.

Expert Opinions

Who better to discuss their perspectives on poetry than those in the know? School Library Journal asked several poets to share their favorite collections for children. Naomi Shihab, Doug Florian, and others list anthologies near and dear to their hearts.

And poet Joyce Sidman talks about the impact poetry has had on her life, as well as her teaching experiences.

Finally, author and poet Lesléa Newman discusses with SLJ how she used various poetic forms to

explore the intricacies of a tragedy–the murder of Matthew Shepard.

Poetry…and the Common Core?

Exploring the Common Core Standards doesn’t have to mean stripping poetry of its beauty or joy. SLJ’s e-newsletter Curriculum Connections lists a variety of poetry collections that will spark students’ imaginations while also providing them with a strong grounding in informational texts.

Poetry: It’s in the Details

Meeting the CCSS Through Poetry | Professional Shelf

Finding poetry collections may not pose a problem, but how to go about teaching students to read and analyze poems, or to produce their own works? This piece specifically tackles the CCSS and presents professional development titles that facilitate creating lesson plans and teaching units centered around poetry.

For more, visit our Poetry Month resources page.

Ogden Nash’s Zoo (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 1987) by Ogden Nash. Edited by Roy Finamore. Illustrations by Etienne Delessert. “Short and pithy poems about animals, real and imaginary, along with superb humorous illustrations by Etienne Delessert.I first encountered these when I was in the fifth grade.”

A Hippopotamusn’t (Dial, 1990) by J. Patrick Lewis. Illustrations by Victoria Chess. “Wonderfully witty hilarious poems with a wide variety of forms in rhyme and rhythm. The grotesque paintings by Chess add to the fun.”

Runaway Opposites: Poems (Harcourt, 1995) by Richard Wilbur. Illustrations by Henrik Drescher. “Poems that surprise and delight in unexpected ways. The collage paintings by Drescher are amazingly dazzling and truly compliment the zaniness of the verse.”

Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems (Houghton Mifflin, 2005) by Joyce Sidman. Illustrations by Beckie Prange. “Lyrical poignant poems and splendid watercolors paintings explore life in a pond with much depth and fluidity.”

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse (Dutton, 2010)  by Marilyn Singer. Illustrations by Josee Masse. “Inventive poems that inspire and ignite imaginations.”

COFER, Judith Ortiz. The Poet Upstairs. illus. by Oscar Ortiz. Arte Público Pr./Piñata Bks. 2012. ISBN 9781558857049. JLG Level: CE: City Elementary (Grades 2–6).

On Juliana’s first day of school, she is too sick to go. Upstairs, a typewriter click-clacks, and the poet stops her pacing to record the flow of words. While the soft sounds lull Juliana to sleep, she dreams of an island. On waking, the little girl decides to draw her vision and slides her picture under the neighbor’s door. The next day Juliana finds a drawing from the poet under her own door, which seems to be in invitation for a visit. A bond between writer and child/illustrator forms as the pair works as a team. As the poem develops, the city disappears, transporting them to a tropical river. But even dreams must end, and as the poet pulls the paper from the typewriter, she says “You can take her [your mother] and anyone else you choose back to the great river, and that river will always take you somewhere new.”

Ortiz’s gorgeous illustrations convey magical images, leading readers to truly “believe that words can change the world.”

DAVIES, Jacqueline. The Candy Smash. Houghton Harcourt. 2013. ISBN 9780544022089. JLG Level: A+ : Intermediate Readers (Grades 3–5).

Evan would never admit it, but hearing the Poem of the Day in his fourth grade circle time is his second favorite part of the day. The “poems that Mrs. Overton read were different. They were like music, and they made something deep inside of him go zing.” His sister Jessie is the complete opposite; she’d rather work on her classroom newspaper. As Valentine’s Day approaches, Evan finds himself in a quandary―does he have a crush on Megan? What love poem should he turn in for his assignment? Jessie’s problem is the lack of a lead story for her paper. When she decides to survey her class about their love interests, the two dilemmas collide, creating more conflicts than anyone could have predicted.

Fans of the “Lemonade Wars” series will be glad to see the return of beloved characters, though the title stands well alone. Teachers may also want to use the novel as a read aloud in conjunction with a poetry unit.

SINGER, Marilyn. Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems. illus. by Josée Masse. Dial. 2013. ISBN 9780803737693. JLG Level: I+ : Independent Readers (Grades 2–4).

In a collection of reverso poems, Follow Follow , a companion book to Mirror Mirror (Dutton, 2010), offers opposing viewpoints of classic fairy tales. Readers have an opportunity to hear two sides to every story. Aladdin wants “wealth without measure/it is true freedom,” but the genie says, “This is what I demand: true freedom? It is wealth beyond measure.” With the act of reversing the lines and a few changes in punctuation and capitalization, the real meaning of wealth is revealed for the two characters. Not an easy form to create, Masse’s acrylic illustrations mirror the two halves of each poem, providing readers with visual clues to unlock character perspectives.

An author’s note describes the writing process. A summary of the tales upon which the poems are based is also included in the back matter, providing background to readers who are unfamiliar with the original stories.

WISSINGER, Tamera Will. Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse. illus. by Matthew Cordell. Houghton Harcourt. 2013. ISBN 9780547820118. JLG Level: A+ : Intermediate Readers (Grades 3–5).

“For fishing tomorrow it’s just us two. Not Mom, not Grandpa, not Lucy.” On the night before a father and son fishing trip, Sam readies his supplies and dreams of the fish they will catch. Sister Lucy, however, has big ideas to join them. Sam wants no part of that―“but Dad. It was just you and me.” Lucy will be loud; she’ll scare the fish. When she promises “I won’t dance. I won’t squirm. I’ll be quiet as a worm,” Dad agrees to the threesome. The excited youngster is not quiet or still, yet she catches fish after fish. Will Sam catch even one fish before Lucy uses all the bait? Maybe fishing is just not his sport. Wait―is that a bite?

The story of a family fishing trip and sibling rivalry is told in verse, using many poetic devices―ballads to quatrains and dramatic poems for two (or three). Like a tackle box, she also provides a box of tools for budding writers in the extensive back matter. Wissinger’s debut novel, humorously illustrated by Cordell, is a gem of a poetry collection.

WORTH, Valerie. Pug: And Other Animal Poems. illus. by Steve Jenkins. Farrar. 2013. ISBN 9780374350246. JLG Level: I : Independent Readers (Grades 2–4).

Jenkins illustrates another amazing posthumous collection (Animal Poems, Farrar, 2007), of Worth’s animal poems with his trademark collages. “The Bengal tiger/Batters his cage:/His rage is thunder.” A snarling tiger growls at an unseen enemy. In Toads, a toad rests comfortably amongst the fallen leaves, marbles, and a lost tennis ball. For Mouse, the mouse that’s the “gift on the step” lies stiff with his feet in the air―a prize brought by the cat. Jenkins’ artwork will delight animal-loving readers of all ages.

For strategies about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Festival in My Heart: Poems by Japanese Children. Selected and translated by Bruno Navasky. Abrams. 1993. “Stunning, deeply imagistic and tactile fabulous poems by kids for kids—extremely stimulating as classroom writing prompts and delicious for all to contemplate.”

Fire in the Sea: An Anthology of Poetry & Art. Selected by Sue Cowing. University of Hawaii Pr. 1996. “More than 150 nourishing and dazzling poems from many Pacific islands as well as writers all over the world, mixed in savory fashion with artwork from the Honolulu Academy of Arts. You have a great classroom guide to poetry with this volume alone.”

Ten-Second Rainshowers: Poems by Young People. Compiled by Sandford Lyne, with illustrations by Virginia Halstead. S & S. 1996. “I fell in love with this book the first time I ever held it, the freshness and glory of its poems and images, and wish Sandy Lyne had lived forever. In the spirit of this book alone, he does.”

Strings: A Gathering of Family Poems. Selected by Paul Janeczko. Bradbury Pr. 1984. “Paul Janeczko’s anthologies of poems for young readers fill up a whole shelf but this remains one of my favorites, since writing about family is one of the most enduring and compelling topics for so many young poets.”

Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry. Selected and introduced by Billy Collins. Random. 2003. “This rich and lively poetry collection is terrific for middle school, high school, and adult readers. Every high school I work in, some kind teacher or another mentions that it changed his or her life and made the experience of sharing poetry so much happier.  There is also a sequel called 180 More: Extraordinary Poems for Every Day.”

There’s April in Paris. April is also School Library Month, National Autism Awareness Month, the start of a brand-new Major League Baseball season, and according to T. S. Eliot, it’s the cruelest month around. But what really gets us stoked is that April is National Poetry Month. (The Academy of American Poets launched it in 1996.)

To help celebrate this month’s versified event, we asked some of the bards whom we most admire to weigh-in on their five favorite collections for kids. We’ll be posting at least one new list each week of the month. And there’s no better way to kick off the series than with our nation’s current children’s poet laureate, J. Patrick Lewis. Here are Pat’s picks:

X. J. Kennedy and Dorothy Kennedy, eds. Talking Like the Rain: A Read-to-Me Book of Poems. Little, Brown. 1992 (pap. 2010). With impeccable selections by the Kennedys and delightful illustrations by Jane Dyer, this lavish anthology of children’s poems deserves pride of place in every elementary classroom and on every child’s bookshelf.

Ted Hughes and Seamus Heaney, eds. The Rattle Bag. Faber and Faber. 1982. For its most welcome verse surprises on virtually every page—most of them unknown on this side of the pond—The Rattle Bag remains the very best collection of poems for older children and young adults. And it is chugging along even after 30 years.

Jack Prelutsky, ed. The Random House Book of Poetry for Children. Random. 1983. A newer and shorter Prelutsky/Random House anthology, The 20th Century Children’s Poetry Treasury, 1999, is fine in its own right, but it does not surpass this bedrock miscellany of 572 “poems for today’s child,” evoked in Arnold Lobel’s signature illustrations.

Paul B. Janeczko, ed. Seeing the Blue Between: Advice and Inspiration for Young Poets. Candlewick. 2002. This unusual collection features children’s poems alongside commentary by the poets themselves. If you ever wondered what advice poets might have for beginning writers, Seeing the Blue Between is an invaluable primer.

Lee Bennett Hopkins, ed. Ring Out Wild Bells: Poems about Holidays and Seasons, Harcourt. 1992. No one should be asked to choose the “best” anthology by the indefatigable Hopkins, but Ring Out Wild Bells may be primus inter pares. Holiday poems—classics and some that bid fair to become classics—fill the pages of this excellent garland to the seasons.

The answer has to be testing! High-stakes testing! Advanced Placement testing! American College Testing or even the SAT! Students feel pressured to work hard to prove themselves in this world of achievement.

“When I took the practice ACT, I started out with a 24, but I’m hoping to get a 30!” one junior told me. Not all our students care this much, but there are those who do, and they are looking for great resources to help them prepare for the tests. Students are also looking for study assistance, and often checking out all of our ACT practice books and loading up on ACT flashcards. They’re also looking for online resources.

SHMOOP is a terrific homework site with loads of incredible resources for free. The site offers literature guides for almost every text taught by my school’s English teachers. Novels like Lord of the Flies and The Great Gatsby are among the hundreds that are featured. Even secondary novels, like Kafir Boy and The Awakening, are showcased in remarkable detail. Each is supplemented with snappy summaries, thoughtful themes, quintessential quotes, creative character analysis, quirky questions, and even quixotic quizzes and formidable flashcards. (OK, so maybe that was too much!) There’s even an essay prompt and a teacher area for each book.

Not only that, but SHMOOP has free learning guides for many other subjects, including algebra, calculus, biology, music, American history, civics, poetry, Shakespeare, mythology, best sellers, and even E\economics. Each section provides support for students working to increase their skills and abilities. From what I’ve seen, the materials are solid. But it’s free, so there are ads and pop-ups throughout.

Right now, my students really need ACT help. They are lucky because this spring our district is piloting the fee-based testing portion of the SHMOOP service. We introduced the ACT section this month and have been working with the teachers, too. So far, these testing support tools have been terrific for the students to diagnose their strengths and weaknesses in the four major areas of ACT. After identifying areas of weakness, they can drill and practice to build their knowledge and skills. Some students just need to practice their timing as they take the exams, which is facilitated by the automatic timer accompanying each tool. Finally, there are five practice ACT exams, which is great because research indicates that most folks raise their score each time they take the test. I think we’ll see good support for our students that is worth the cost of this portion of the site ($23/individual, district pricing variable).

This website isn’t the only answer. My students have other community resources at their fingertips, too. We have a terrific public library with 24/7 online services, including test preparation and skill strengthening. And thanks to their library cards, every student has the opportunity to use Learning Express, which has not only ACT test prep, but a plethora of study skills, job skill building, and career licensing practice exams. There are even citizenship exams that I have all my library student aids take for part of their world knowledge requirement.

So this spring, when your students are distracted by the birds and flowers, help get them back on track with some of these great community and online resources. With a bit of help, they’ll get into their college of choice, rake in the scholarships, and reap great rewards—and then, of course, come running to thank you for making it all possible!

Perhaps no poetic form relies on detail more than a well-crafted haiku. The Year Comes Round: Haiku Through the Seasons by Sid Farrar, illustrated by Ilse Plume (Albert Whitman, 2012: K-Gr 3) begins with an homage to winter’s artistry (“Each windowpane’s a/masterpiece, personally/signed: Your Friend, Jack Frost”), paired with a light-filled illustration worthy of cut crystal by Caldecott Honor artist Plume. A baker’s dozen of poems corresponds to each month of the calendar year, and concludes with a haiku on the Earth’s cycle. Several tap a humorous thread, such as this nod to an autumn tradition: “Waiting patiently/in the pumpkin patch for his/face: Jack O’Lantern.”

Two recent collections of animal poetry take different approaches to investigating animals, yet both inspire readers to look again at creatures they likely take for granted. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!, edited by J. Patrick Lewis (National Geographic, 2012; Gr 1-5), displays stunning photographs of the caliber that first established the publisher’s reputation.

A gorgeous spread of a caterpillar and chrysalis anchors three poems about a butterfly’s metamorphosis. Graham Denton’s poem “What’s a Caterpillar?” answers the title’s question thus: “Little/but a fly/in waiting, ” while David McCord’s comical and factual “Cocoon” takes readers through an entire life cycle, alongside a glorious image of a monarch about to burst from its transparent shelter.

At times, the images are so well matched that readers may wonder, which came first, the poem or the photo? For instance, the second stanza of Alice Schertle’s “The Bull” starts, “I’m striking a pose; I’m standing still/as a statue here on the top of the hill,” as the animal  in the photograph gazes out at readers, right front paw lifted, midway between statuesque and about to charge.

Place this poem and image alongside Valerie Worth’s “Bull,” from her posthumously published poetry collection Pug: and Other Animal Poems, illustrated by Steve Jenkins (FSG, 2013; Gr 3-5). Jenkins creates a collage of a great-horned brown woolly creature against a toreador-red backdrop, as Worth describes “the earth/[Shaking] forth/Great beasts/From its deep/Folds,” but the bull “Had to be/Hacked out,/Rough-hewn,/From the planet’s/Hard side,/From the cold/Black rock/That abides.” Both poems allude to the qualities of a statue, yet both also describe the pent-up, barely contained energy of the bull. The photo and Jenkins’s collage both play up the animal’s stillness, yet its eyes remain fixed on us—the interlopers.

Two poems about a tiger also beg for comparison. Worth’s “Bengal Tiger” uses thunder as a metaphor for its rage: “Sharp stripes flash/In his fur—/Is it too wicked/To wish/He would break out,/Fill the zoo/With storms,/Run his lightning/Into the world?” Its wide-open jaws in Jenkins’s collage seem to exhale thunder and lightning. The photo of the tiger in Lewis’s anthology, on the other hand, looks like a kitten with its tongue hanging out—a comical contrast to the anonymous limerick, which boasts of a “young lady from Niger/who smiled as she rode on a tiger.” Children can guess before the end what happens to her. Both pairings invite children to talk about not only the details that the poets focus on, but also to how the photo and collage each create specific moods.

The last pair of poetry books puts fairy tales through their paces, and will attract older readers as eagerly as younger ones. Start by reading aloud Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” then examine the poems inspired by it in Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist by Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illus. by Matt Mahurin (Boyds Mills, 2013; Gr 3-5), and also in Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems by Marilyn Singer, illus. by Josée Masse (Dial, 2013; Gr 3-6). Yolen and Dotlich describe the seduction of the sea in “Water Girl” (“I am a water girl./I love the feather curl/Of foam on tops of waves”) and also boats capsizing (“Sometimes I save a man”). They pair it with “A Mermaid’s Love” (“Little Mermaid/loved him so./Enough,/enough/to let him go”).

Singer, in her reverso poems, focuses on the moment of “The Little Mermaid’s Choice.” Will she stay in the sea, or give up her voice in order to gain a pair of legs and, hopefully, the man she saved? The same words in one direction lean toward one possible choice (“For love/give up your voice./Don’t/think twice”); the words in the reverse direction suggest the opposite choice: “Think twice!/Don’t/give up your voice/for love.” All four poems, taken together with both Mahurin’s and Masse’s evocative illustrations, will add up to a lively conversation among students about whether or not the Little Mermaid made the right decision.

While Singer uses the story of Thumbelina (“No Bigger than Your Thumb”) to explore the tiny heroine’s response (in one poem) to the mole’s proposal of marriage (in its reverso), Yolen and Dotlich create a pair of brief poems of both acceptance of her size in “Thumbelina: A Cinquain” (“what, pray tell, is/the choice of a little missy/at birth?”) and also of triumph over circumstances in “Little Bit: A Haiku”: “I am just a bit/Of a proper young lady,/Still I got my prince.” These poems that riff on the classic stories of childhood subtly ask young people to re-examine their tropes.

Discussion points and classroom suggestions above reference a broad range of CCSS. Some of these include:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.4 Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.6 Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.5 Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.6 Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Pug and Other Animal Poems (Worth)
©2013 by Steve Jenkins

The focus in Lynne R. Dorfman and Rose Cappelli’s Poetry Mentor Texts: Making Reading and Writing Connections, K-8 (Stenhouse, 2012) is on using poetry within the reading and writing workshop model, and the authors begin with a convincing “top ten” list of reasons to explain why teaching with poetry mentor texts works so well to broaden students’ reading and writing skills. However, they don’t limit the art form to a particular unit or time of day; the text incorporates a wide range of practical ideas for integrating poetry throughout the school year and across the curriculum.

With specific poems, samples of student work, ideas for reading and writing connections (e.g. vocabulary building, grammar conventions, and poetic devices), and complete sample lessons, five chapters model teaching strategies related to particular types of poems, such as list poems and poems for two voices. Finally, a “Treasure Chest” supplies a list of the mentor poems that appear throughout along with additional titles, providing a useful tool for collection development for both school and classroom libraries.

Intended for use in grades 7-12, Reflect & Write: 300 Poems and Photographs to Inspire Writing (Prufrock, 2013), compiled by Elizabeth Guy and Hank Kellner, is comprised primarily of work by teachers and students. Each page features one selection with a companion black-and-white photo; these are supplemented by a correlating quotation and four keywords. An accompanying CD contains printable files for each page of the book and for each photo, supporting the easy reproduction of pages for small group or individual work.

Writing prompts or questions to spur critical thinking are included for most, but not all, poems. A list of “12 Ways to Inspire Your Students” proposes teaching suggestions, how-tos for using these (or any other) selections to motivate student participation in and enthusiasm for comparing and contrasting, exploring points of view, scaffolding individual and group writing, and appreciating poetic techniques. As an added bonus, the authors recommend “10 Websites to Help Teachers in the Classroom” where educators will find full-text poems, lesson plan ideas, and online teaching communities along with “10 Websites to Help Students Get Published” that lead to writing advice and publishing opportunities in print and online journals.

Professionals designing Poetry Lessons to Meet the Common Core State Standards (Scholastic. 2013), will want to examine Georgia Heard’s book by that title. Heard, “a founding member of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project in New York City,” takes a close look at the expectations of the CCSS in relation to the teaching and study of poetry with grades K-5. With lesson plans built-in throughout (related reproducibles are included in an appendix), the author examines the role of poetry in specific standards while demonstrating how to make the art form come alive in the classroom.

The first chapter is chock-full of creative ideas for integrating verse into the fabric of the school day, from reading a poem aloud daily to celebrating “Poetry Fridays.” Subsequent chapters address the ways in which “to strike a balance” between the joy of reading poetry and the demands of the closer reading expected by the CCSS, and how to use the art form to build reading fluency. Additionally, there are grade-by-grade lessons on two specific anchor standards: Craft and Structure Anchor Standard 4, building word awareness, and Craft and Structure Anchor Standard 5, analyzing the structure of texts. Heard finishes up with a discussion of text complexity as it pertains to poetry and an overview of the types of poems referenced in the CCSS.

For a selection of titles on haiku to share with your students, read Joy Fleishhacker’s “Great Books for Poetry Month: Haiku for Young Readers.”

Basho and the River Stones. By Tim Myers. illus. by Oki S. Han. Marshall Cavendish. 2004. Trade $16.95. ISBN 978-0761451655.

Gr 1-4–Fooled by a wily fox into relinquishing his share of a cherry tree’s fruit, Japan’s most revered poet pens a haiku about the experience, an eloquent and affecting verse that prompts the now-ashamed trickster to set things right. Starring 17^th-century writer Matsuo Basho, this original story about the power of poetry reads like a folktale and is illustrated with detail-rich watercolors in shimmering hues.

Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys. By Bob Raczka. illus. by Peter H. Reynolds. Houghton Mifflin. 2010. Trade $14.99. ISBN 978-0-547-24003-9; ebook $14.99. ISBN 978-0-547-76945-5.

K-Gr 3–Whether kite-flying, stone-skipping, leaf-piling, or snowball-lobbing, a group of exuberant youngsters convey the outdoor pastimes, changing moods, and kid-loving essence of each season. Raczka’s amusing poems, wrought from accessible language and everyday images, pair perfectly with Reynolds’s lithe adventure-filled illustrations to create an enchanting volume that will captivate boys–as well as girls.

The Cuckoo’s Haiku and Other Birding Poems. By Michael J. Rosen. illus. by Stan Fellows. Candlewick. 2009. Trade $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-3049-2.

Gr 3 Up–In this nature lover’s delight, vivid verses and color-splashed artwork spotlight 24 common North American birds. There’s a flock of trumpeting splash-landing Canada geese, a pair of windowsill-nesting mourning doves, and a tree-trapezing kingfisher in search of prey. The imagination-stirring haiku are presented against stunning seasonal vistas that show the birds in their environments and expand upon the poems’ imagery, while close-ups and field notes provide additional detail.

The Hound Dog’s Haiku and Other Poems for Dog Lovers. By Michael J. Rosen. illus. by Mary Azarian. Candlewick. 2011. Trade $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-4499-4.

Gr 2-6–Filled with tail-wagging panache, these eye-and-ear-pleasing portraits showcase the physical characteristics, personalities, and perennial pastimes of 20 canine breeds. Whether describing a Parson Russell terrier “elbow-deep in dirt,” a dozing Pembroke Welsh corgi soaring across “cloud pillows,” or a “staccato sniffing” bloodhound, the dynamic verses and textured woodcuts root out essential canine elements–applicable to purebred and mutt alike–and entrance readers with clever wordplay and inventive imagery.

I Haiku You. By Betsy Snyder. illus. by author. Random House. 2012. Trade $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86750-7; Library Edition $12.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96750-4;ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98126-5.

K-Gr 3–Sweet-as-pie poems and cheerful sherbet-hued artwork celebrate ordinary moments, depicting instances of affection between family members and friends, favorite pastimes exuberantly shared, and enthusiasm for everything from snow angels to “sunshine” lemonade. Accessible and heartfelt, this small volume makes a fine starting point for reading and writing haiku.

If Not for the Cat. By Jack Prelutsky. illus. by Ted Rand. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 2004. Trade $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-059677-4.

Gr 1-4–Spare words and vibrant illustrations harmonize to introduce 17 different animals, both wild and domestic. Each beguiling selection touches upon its subject’s core while also posing a riddle about its identity: “If not for the cat,/And the scarcity of cheese,/I could be content.” The creatures–a mouse huddled in its hidey hole, a parrot posing playfully on a perch, or a rattler ready to pounce–are portrayed on glorious color-drenched spreads that echo each poem’s tone, from whimsical to majestic.

One Leaf Rides the Wind: Counting in a Japanese Garden. By Celeste Davidson Mannis. illus. by Susan Kathleen Hartung. Puffin. 2005. pap. $6.99. ISBN 9780142401958.

PreS-Gr 2–From one swirling leaf to ten carved stone lanterns, a winsome kimono-wearing youngster explores the marvels of a traditional Japanese garden. Each item is introduced with an accessible poem, depicted in the jewel-toned artwork, and placed in context by a brief descriptive paragraph. Infused with an air of tranquility and quiet discovery, this book makes a fitting first look at haiku and Japanese culture.

Wabi Sabi. By Mark Reibstein. illus. by Ed Young. Little, Brown. 2008. Trade $16.99. ISBN 978-0-316-11825-5.

Gr 2-5–A Kyoto cat goes on a quest across Japan to discover the meaning of her “hard to explain” name, questioning other animals and learning much about herself and the mysteries of nature along the way, and finally begins to understand the wonder of Wabi Sabi: “Simple things are beautiful.” A lyrical narrative, evocative haiku poems, and exquisite collage artwork make this complex concept of Japanese culture accessible to young readers.

Won Ton: A Cat Tale told in Haiku. By Lee Wardlaw. illus. by Eugene Yelchin. Holt. 2011. Trade $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-8995-0.

Gr 2-5–In terse first-person verse, a tough-talking charcoal-gray stray describes how he is plucked from the shelter, adjusts to the surprises and comforts of a new home, and finally reveals his true name to his cherished new boy (it’s Haiku, of course). Wardlaw’s series of senryu (similar in form to the traditionally nature-themed haiku, but focusing on the “foibles of human nature”–or, here–cat nature) unfold with flawless rhythm and heartfelt emotion and Yelchin’s endearing paintings are packed with personality.

The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons. By Sid Farrar. illus. by Ilse Plume. Albert Whitman. 2012. Trade $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-8129-2.

K-Gr 3–Expressive verses and delicately detailed artwork provide striking snapshots of the ever-changing mysteries of nature. Month by month, the commonplace becomes breathtakingly magical as frost artfully decorates a windowpane, “…rain bursts/dandelions from the earth like/countless little suns,” and “Like tiny fallen/stars, fireflies quietly blink/their secrets at dusk.” Readers will pause over each and every spread of this handsome volume, which is both understated and awe-inspiring.

The primary goal is to inspire kids to explore their own interests through a series of online activities and related incentive badges. The second goal is to enhance students’ cognitive capabilities by incorporating knowledge and skill building into the quests. The online conferences and quests are interdisciplinary in nature, offering students an opportunity to choose what they most care about. All quests will be reviewed and badges awarded by a team of Smithsonian experts. Register now to share the wonderful resources of the Smithsonian with your students!