We’ve all endured “death by PowerPoint.” It’s a painful experience for the audience and probably not all that fun for the presenter either. To help my students deliver effective presentations—free of those deadly bullet points—I have my go-to applications.

First, a good presentation begins with a clearly outlined story. Even presentations that are strictly fact-based can have a narrative. I always have students write outlines for the stories their presentations are going to tell, and I offer them a choice of outlining tools, including Text2MindMap, Penultimate, and that reliable standby, Google Documents.

To get started with Text2MindMap, students type their outlines on the provided “canvas.” When they click “draw,” a mindmap appears, illustrating the connections between the topics they provided. If the visualization doesn’t match what the students think are the connected items, they can edit their outlines and generate another mindmap.

Penultimate, a free iPad app, allows you to use a stylus to handwrite and draw in digital notebooks. Students can drag and drop pages into any order at any time during the outlining process. For the student who likes the long-hand approach, Penultimate is a nice blending of analog and digital processes.

After the outlines are done, we can begin creating slides. Telling a story with the aid of a slideshow is best accomplished with high-quality imagery. High-resolution pictures won’t become pixelated when you expand them to fill the slide. If students don’t have their own pictures, they can search for public domain (PD) and Creative Commons licensed images. Pixabay is an outstanding place to find images in the public domain. The Flickr Commons is another recommended source of PD content.

A free, beautifully designed application, Haiku Deck is the best presentation tool currently available for the iPad. Haiku Deck helps you find Creative Commons licensed images for your presentations. Each time you add a slide to your set, the application provides an image search button alongside it. Enter a search term and Haiku Deck will suggest high resolution images for you to use. You can also upload your own images from your iPad or import them from Instagram and Facebook.

When it comes to presentation software, there are plenty of alternatives to PowerPoint or Keynote. There’s Google Slides, which in the last year has expanded its theme options. Like Google Docs, Google Slides is a collaborative tool that students can use to create a presentation as part of a group project. Another benefit of using Google Slides is that as a teacher I can attach comments to specific parts of student slide shows, whether its calling attention to spelling mistakes or praising an especially well-designed slide. Two other worthy applications in this category are Empressr and Slide Rocket.

Empressr is a Web service for creating and sharing high quality online slide presentations—with a couple of features differentiating it from its competitors. First, Empressr gives you the option of embedding video from multiple sources into your slide show. Next is the editor feature, which allows users to draw, create, or edit images inside their slides.

Slide Rocket is similar to Empressr, with some very nice features such as 3-D transitions and a collaboration feature that enables other users to co-create presentations. Slide Rocket makes it easy to include video, images, or third party plug-ins. There’s also an option to sign in with a Google Account, which is why Slide Rocket has become fairly popular in schools that use Google Apps. Students can log in using their Google credentials, work on their projects, and save their work without having to keep track of a separate username and password.

Before my students stand in front of their peers to share their presentations, there’s one last thing that I require. And that’s to share their speaker notes with me so that I can provide some guidance if the images they’ve selected don’t match the spoken message.

A well-designed slidedeck is key, with the potential of making a good presentation into a great one. Have your students try these tools to help them do their very best work.

Three Sources of Images for Student Presentations from School Library Journal on Vimeo.

Hoose’s book describes a year in the life of a wild rufa red knot, a shorebird known as B95 and nicknamed “Moonbird” by scientists, since he has migrated the distance to the moon and part way back over the course of his estimated 20-year lifetime. The book was a finalist for YALSA’s nonfiction award and also a Sibert Honor Book this year.

The timing of the Moonbird sighting is serendipitous; Hoose, who lives in Portland, ME, is headed to the region this weekend to speak at a shorebird festival hosted by the Wetlands Institute on the Cape May Peninsula between the Delaware Bay and Atlantic beaches, the Inquirer reports.

Patience, or is it Fortitude? The two icons of the New York Public Library.
Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/zeldman

By Lauren Barack and Sarah Bayliss

Looking for some places to hang during downtime at Book Expo America (BEA)? We’ve compiled some of our favorite spots in Gotham—literary and otherwise—all within a few miles of the Javits Convention Center. We’ve thrown in some recommendations for good eats along the way. So lace up some sneakers or make like a New Yorker and hail a cab.

You may need some serious sustenance before starting your explorations. If so, stop by Daisy May’s BBQ on 46th Street off 11th Avenue for the “best barbeque in the city,” according to Zagat. You’ll find cafeteria-style dining with a cowboy-infused vibe; perfect for a crowd. Alternately, try one of New York foodies’ favorite storefronts, the Sullivan Street Bakery, at 533 West 47th Street, offering heavenly panini, pizza, and dolce. Eat at the counter or on a bench outside.

The Algonquin bar. Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/flickr4jazz

1. Now, on with the tour. Start with a drink at the fabled Algonquin Hotel, home of the infamous round table where New Yorker writers, including Dorothy Parker and Edna Ferber, held court. Reservations are recommended. The Algonquin’s Blue Bar features art by theater cartoonist and Algonquin regular Al Hirschfeld.(1.5 miles)

2. Care to transform into a live-gaming avatar? Head over to the Sony Wonder Technology Lab in midtown where visitors can control robots, record their own newscast, perform a virtual surgery, and program an animated avatar through motion detectors. While free of charge, reservations are a necessity. (2.2 miles)

3. Further uptown in the heart of Morningside Heights, home to Columbia University, Bank Street Bookstore is renowned for its broad selection of children’s books. After perusing the stacks, head across the street for gravy fries and a cheeseburger at Tom’s Restaurant, the iconic diner as seen in Seinfeld and a favorite of President Barack Obama while he was a student at Columbia. But bring cash—Tom’s does not take credit cards. (4 miles)

4. Walk one block east to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, a Gothic Revival church started in 1892 and still under construction. Author Madeline L’Engle worked as a volunteer librarian there in the 1960s, after the publication of A Wrinkle in Time (Farrar, 1962) and later as writer-in-residence. (4 miles)

5. Martinis at Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel: a must. Creator of the Madeline series, Ludwig Bemelmans and his family spent a year and a half as guests of the hotel as he painted the murals of picnicking rabbits and other Central Park scenes throughout the Art Deco space. The homemade potato chips are to die for. (3 miles)

The High Line. Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz

6. Central Park is rich with literary treasures from the Alice in Wonderland and Hans Christian Anderson statues (both near East 74th Street and Fifth Avenue) to the pond, formally known as the Conservatory Water where Stuart Little sailed his boats (3 miles). On Central Park South sits the Plaza Hotel, where Eloise held court with Nanny, Skipperdee, and Weenie. Recently remodeled, the food court downstairs offers nibbles. Or if you have some time, settle in for an afternoon tea in the Palm Court. Reservations strongly suggested. (2.5 miles)

7. E. L. Konigsburg’s Jamie and Claudia found refuge amidst great art when they ran away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in the park at Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street. Choose a Met blockbuster to suit your mood this week, whether it’s the fashion retrospective “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” the acclaimed “Photography and the American Civil War,” or “Birds in the Art of Japan.” You can grab a bite at one of two French bistros nearby: Pascalou at 1308 Madison Avenue and Le Paris Bistrot, up the street at 1312 Madison. Duck into the Corner Bookstore, an independent bookseller just on the corner for a great selection for adults and kids. (4 miles)

8. What visit to Manhattan is complete without a proper pilgrimage to Patience and Fortitude? The two majestic stone lions stand guard before the main branch of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, opened in 1911. The Stephen A. Schwarzman building, as the main branch is formally known, underwent a restoration a few years ago. Walk inside and upstairs to take in the Rose Main Reading Room, with its long oak tables and brass lamps. The Schwartzman building’s new children’s area is also home to the real Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed animal, on view along with Kanga, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. After your immersion in Milne, head outside to the library’s “back yard,” Bryant Park, where kiosks dot the borders offering sandwiches, soup, and salads, which you can enjoy at one of the cafe tables nestled under towering London plane trees. If you need a mini-workout, sign up for a free ping pong match at one of the outdoor tables set up during clement weather. Kids in tow? Walk over to the park’s Le Carrousel, then stop at the outdoor children’s Reading Room on the north side if the park, and flip open your laptop to surf the free wifi. (1.5 miles)

9. If you’re there for the weekend, bring your little one to the Morgan Library’s Spring Family Fair, with a circus theme inspired by the current Degas exhibit, on Sunday May 28. Expect clown-inspired crafts and activities, and circus-style snacks. (2 miles)The New York Times called Kinokuniya Bookstore (1073 Ave of the Americas aka Sixth Avenue) “the mother lode of manga” in both Japanese and English. Here, too, find Tokidoki, Hello Kitty, and a variety of gelpens.

10. The book lover in you will probably appreciate a stop at the Center for Book Arts on West 27th Street, an upstairs space where artisans exhibit their work from hand-bound books to letterpress novels. (1.5 miles) Kids will also love the new Museum of Mathematics at 11 East 26th Street, recently named the Best Museum for Kids by New York magazine. You’ll find engaging items like the Math Square, offering full-body math puzzles and games, and a square-wheeled trike.

Shake Shack classic Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/scaredykat

For a non-fussy al fresco lunch, meander to Madison Square Park and to Danny Myer’s original ShakeShack, which also has outposts along the east coast and internationally now. Don’t let the Shake Shack long line put you off; it moves fast. New Yorkers stand in the rain for the legendary burgers. (1.8 miles)

11. Time to head downtown to beloved children’s bookstore Books of Wonder, where you can find a carefully curated selection of new releases as well as collectible classics (kept in the back). Weekly storytimes run Fridays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm and Sundays from noon to 1:00. Cupcake Café, conveniently located inside the store, is famous for its buttercream-iced confections, which you can nibble after your purchases. Or head across the street to City Bakery for lunch or a snack, like one of their popular pretzel croissants, and yummy hot chocolate. (1.8 miles)

12. Continue downtown to Greenwich Village, a neighborhood rich in kidlit history. First, stop by the apartment where Robert McCloskey wrote Make Way For Ducklings (Viking Press, 1941), at 120 West 12th Street, #4C. A few blocks south, grab a treat from Magnolia Bakery—another cupcake? Why not?—or hit up L’Arte del Gelato and meander several blocks east to the farmhouse where Margaret Wise Brown wrote Goodnight Moon (Harper, 1947). Originally located at 71st Street and York, the house was moved to 121 Charles St. in 1967. (2 miles)

13. From the Village it’s a short walk to Soho, where you can grab some souvenirs at the Scholastic Store, which local parents refer to as the Clifford shop for its mechanical ride inside the main entrance. (Bring quarters.) And grab some lunch at another local favorite, Spring Street Natural for its organic options (and its vegan and allergen-friendly menu.) The French café Ceci Cela Patisserie at 55 Spring Street offers scrumptious croissants, tarts, and other pastries. But if you’re looking for something more posh, try Balthazar, a French bistro open from 7:30 am (think pre-BEA) to midnight. Consider heading west with your kids to the recently relocated Children’s Museum of the Arts, where the current portraiture exhibition, “Face to Face,” offers kids the chance to express themselves by making images in a media lab. Pictures are streamed into a photo montage that’s part of the exhibit.

Magnolia Bakery
Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/mihow/373411696

14. Pop by the Tenement Museum in the heart of the Lower East Side for an unusual offering of children’s books (and adult ones, too) about New York’s rich history and consider signing up for a tour of the neighborhood. Then grab some tacos at Barrio Chino a block away, or pop into Lucky Jack’s, a bartender’s bar for a cold beer and quick game of pool before heading back to the show floor. (3.5 miles)

15. Not tired yet? If you’re craving some fresh air and urban greenery, head far west and stroll north toward the Javits on the High Line, a 1.45-mile park located on former elevated freight train tracks running up Manhattan’s West Side from Gansevoort Street to West 30th street. Featuring grasslands and a wildflower garden, the High Line also offers public art, including the large, spiraling Caterpillar sculpture Carol Bove. Rest and refuel at one of many food vendors in the park, including the seasonal wine bar Terroir.

16. Back near the Javits, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, located on a former World War II aircraft carrier docked in the Hudson River at Pier 86 (12th Avenue and 46th Street), is always a fun stop with children. If you’re in town early and staying nearby, consider attending the panel discussion “African Americans in World War II,” with Tuskgegee airman Roscoe Brown and others who served in the segregated armed forces, on May 28 from 6:00 to 7:30 (free, but reservations required).

View BEA 2013 map in a larger map

Have more recommendations for the bookish community? Please share in the comments.

Gr 5-9–During the Holocaust, Nazi officials established the Lodz Ghetto in Poland, a desolate home to more than 245,000 Jews. Only 877 survived, including just 12 children. This story-in-verse (Amazon Children’s Pub., 2008) offers listeners a glimpse of the experiences of Syvia Perlmutter, Roy’s aunt, in the Lodz Ghetto from 1939, when she was just four years old, through 1945. Through Syvia’s eyes, we learn of the loving family who tried to endure unbelievable deprivations, seeing conditions deteriorate and neighbors disappear daily. Royrecreated these vignettes from her aunt’s taped narrative. Tavia Gilbert’s narration brings Syvia, her family members, and friends to life. While some pronunciations are questionable (Chelm-EH-no, Ha-VAH), the overall effect is authentic. Though Holocaust study is usually reserved for older students, this personal account serves as a rare foray into the perceptions and impressions of a little girl amidst grave realities.  Family love and support somehow overpower the heinous forces which would destroy all in the Ghetto, and Syvia manages to endure by cooperating with her courageous parents. Winner of several literary awards, this is a unique choice for understanding the dark years of Holocaust history, with a glimmer of hope emanating from one little girl who survived.–Robin Levin, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Teacher/Fellow, Ft. Washakie, WY

Teachers College

The gift creates a total of 24 fellowships of $35,000 each for students pursuing dual certifications in areas of high need in New York City public schools. The first O’Neill Fellows will arrive at Teachers College this fall to earn dual certification in key areas, such as science/inclusive education, elementary education/bilingual, or TESOL (the teaching of English to speakers of other languages). Through the fellowship program, these candidates will be able to graduate virtually debt-free.

“We’re tremendously excited about this fellowship program as it speaks to the very essence of the TC mission,” said TC President Susan Fuhrman at a luncheon earlier today, at which Mrs. O’Neill was honored for her support of education and Teachers College. “And we’re so grateful for Abby’s service as a trustee and for her wise counsel.”

O’Neill joined the TC board in 2004. Since then, the O’Neills have created a chaired professorship: the George and Abby O’Neill Economics and Education Chair, currently filled by Thomas Bailey, director of TC’s Community College Research Center and the National Center for Post-Secondary Research.  Abby O’Neill also has served as a member of TC’s President’s Advisory Council.

Rose and Margaux with Sara Kelly Johns at the NYLA SSL 2012 conference, after presenting a session together with Sara on advocating for your libraries by making a community connection.

In addition to their part-time positions at Freeport Memorial—where DelGuidice is a  youth services librarian and Luna is a bilingual reference librarian—these two powerhouses of the profession also hold full-time teacher librarian positions at Garden City High School and Freeport High School, respectively.

Since meeting in 2004 at a monthly meeting for school district librarians, the two have become close collaborators in their efforts to advocate for school libraries and for the public library in their community, and, more recently, to take their advocacy to the national stage through conference presentations, free webinars for their colleagues, and continued professional development.

In this ninth of a dozen planned interviews with the youth services librarians named as Movers & Shakers this year, DelGuidice and Luna share their inspirations and passions, their best practices for constructive collaboration, and their goals for the future of library advocacy.

How did you know that librarianship would be a good fit for you?
Margaux: Growing up I spent every free moment of my weekends and summers at the library. In college, I used to cut the classes to hole up in the library and read for hours on end. The library has always been a comforting place for me and continues to welcome and nurture me like the supportive arms of a best friend. After following my friends down a career path into the business world I realized that corporate America was not the place for me. I needed a job that had substance and soul, where my work would really help others and make a difference.

Rose: I have always been involved with and drawn back to the library…I actually attended my first ALA conference in NYC as a child, with my cousin, Mary Oppman. Mary was an amazing, pioneering librarian who exuded energy and excitement about the positive difference libraries could make in the world. I was also in the library club in fifth and sixth grade and my first job in high school was a page at our public library. While I was in college studying opera I was placed in a work study program in the college library. But I wasn’t convinced that I could be myself and be happy in a lifelong library career until I attended a REFORMA conference in Austin, TX. The REFORMA librarians were the coolest librarians I had ever met. They welcomed me, introduced me to people, and made me feel right at home.

Margaux holds a copy of her book with Rose, Make A Big Impact @ Your School Board Meeting, in her school library.

How do you take advantage of your dual positions to serve the kids in your community?
Margaux: One of the first things I did at Garden City High School was to reach out to the young adult librarian at the public library. Four years later, that same librarian has become a good friend and ally, as we fight for students to have the access they need to succeed in high school and beyond. This past October, she reached out to me and [my colleague] Lois Kuster to present at a joint Summit on the Common Core at the Garden City Public Library. This event never would have happened if there was not an organic and natural collaborative relationship in place between the two institutions.

Rose: I am better able to help our students and staff access information between both locations. I am also able to share school projects with the public librarians and share with our students and staff the great resources for them to use from the public library and online. It makes collaborating much easier. We have provided all incoming 9th grade students with library orientations—the public librarians come to our high school and make sure students have a public library card and recognize a familiar face so they are comfortable going to the public library. I can assist the public librarians in feeling comfortable at the high school and give them tips for presenting that information to our school.

Margaux and Rose deliver the keynote presentation at a recent joint conference at the Cervantes Institute in NYC. The conference was organized by REFORMA,s Northeast chapter.

What is a typical day or week like for you at your respective schools?
Margaux: I’m always juggling something; there is always meaningful work to be done. Each day brings new opportunities to make my role and my library visible: A teacher to collaborate with, a student to conference with on a paper, a research project to pull and create resources for, a college student’s paper to edit and an information literacy lesson to teach. On an average day, nearly half of the school passes through the physical walls of my library and numerous others connect via 24/7 access to our online resources. For a school that houses only 1150 students we have an astounding number of students that use the library on a daily basis. During the 2012–2013 school year we had over 12,000 students use the library during study halls and senior “off” periods and over 35,000 students sign-in to the library during their lunch periods, that is more people than the population of my town!

Rose: My high school has approximately 2000 students and on any given month we have 3500 to 4000 walk-ins plus another 1500 to 2500 for scheduled classes. So from the moment I walk into my library, I’m bombarded by requests and I must be able to deftly switch between the competing priorities. One minute I may be helping a student with a research project and the next setting up a temporary lab space with laptops for a full class lesson on our online databases. In order to meet the needs of our students I have taken the time to train library interns with running the circulation desk and clerical tasks while I teach. After school, I stay to keep the library open for students through a 21st Century grant. This has been a very successful program that really seems to help students complete their work and improve their level of overall achievement. At the public library, I also conduct an adult Spanish book club, called Grupo de Conversación de Libros Latinos, with native and non-native Spanish speakers.

Margaux and Rose at “ImaginOn,” the closing celebration at AASL’s conference in Charlotte, VA, in 2009, after presenting a concurrent session on advocacy.

How have you shaped programming over the years to reach your communities?
Rose: Prior to working in the school district I worked as an outreach librarian at Freeport. We had a lot of great programs, but I felt we needed to diversify them. Not everyone is interested in classical music, so I suggested we get a Mariachi group, gospel, etc. We also began to offer classes on the Internet in Spanish. We now have many wonderful programs due to the contributions of many people at the library. We also just had our first Spanish Language Resource Fair, which I collaborated on by connecting with our school district to bring in student performers and alumni. I even sang bilingual children’s songs to entertain children and their parents.

Margaux: Garden City High School is in a very exciting place right now. We have planned activities that help students combine their love of all things digital with reading for pleasure and self-expression. The purchase of 25 Nook eReaders has added to our programming options as we now have a Nook Book Club that consists of both students and teachers. When there is a high profile title that students are clamoring to read (like The Hunger Games) we meet as a group to discuss and debate. We have been fortunate to have some very gifted authors pass through our school [but] this year, the loss of instructional time due to Superstorm Sandy halted our options to host a big author assembly. We opted for an informal author chat and writing workshop hosted by Jen Calonita in the library after school. The coziness of that intimate meeting has remained with the students long after her visit.

What are each of you most proud of at Freeport? At your schools?
Margaux: I am so proud of the role that the library plays in this diverse community, my hometown. The entire village of Freeport was decimated by Superstorm Sandy, yet when I showed up to work two nights after the storm, the library was open, alive and buzzing. It was the literal calm in the middle of the storm. Additionally, the library has a truly wonderful, collaborative relationship in place with all of the K–12 schools and school librarians in the district. The school district librarians and many of the public librarians maintain constant communication. This type of an open relationship is unfortunately rare in the library world, yet it truly works to serve the students in this diverse community. At Garden City High School, I am extremely proud of the work that we have been doing to teach research and information literacy skills using content from almost every area of the high school curriculum.

Rose:  I am most proud of the progress we made in our school over the years. The library at the high school used to be closed often for various meetings and testing, but over the years we have communicated the importance of the library to our administrators. The library is now rarely used for testing or administrative meetings. The students get upset if we close! Our library has become an important place for research and collaboration.

Can you tell us more about your webinar series and your presentations?
Margaux and Rose: After presenting at three national conferences, giving one national preconference presentation and speaking at numerous state and local library associations on how to successfully advocate for your library position and program, we recognized that there was a need to reach even more librarians on this important topic. Webinars are a great way to reach librarians that cannot afford to travel or do not have the time to leave their jobs or homes for days at a time. We worked with the team at EasyBib and used their platform and contacts to give our first webinar and share our tools, tips and tactics. Since then we are working with Follett Software to give webinars on advocacy and the Common Core, and with other local BOCES organizations. We also know how important it is to reach those that are in a leadership position as administrators in school buildings and districts across the country.. we have plans to bring these advocacy webinars on the link between certified school librarians and student achievement directly to those key decision makers.

Margaux and Rose after presenting at a pre-conference session at AASL 2011 in Minneapolis, MN.

Do you have any advice for librarians seeking to improve outreach in their communities?
Margaux and Rose: You need to love what you do and have it show when you communicate with others. It is the one-on-one contact that makes the difference. A flyer or a newsletter will never be enough to draw people in without that personal touch. I find when doing outreach that so many do not realize all that great services provided by school and public libraries. We need to make people aware of the amazing resources available to them. It is important, as a school and public librarian, to make sure that you are getting out there and actually showing people. There have been many occasions where we have volunteered our personal time during the evening, and on weekends, to conduct outreach by speaking at community group meetings, or running programs. The benefits will be the payoff in the long run.

What are the big issues and challenges for youth services right now?
Margaux and Rose: Of course funding and public support are always the two biggest challenges to any library program, but I think it especially is important with regard to the support for youth library services and youth services programming. There is a misconception out there that just because children, tweens and teens can login to Facebook, or check their e-mail on a smartphone that they no longer need information literacy guidance or educational instruction. School librarians and youth services librarians are needed now, more than ever, to guide our students and patrons to be good digital citizens and to teach them how to effectively analyze, assess and utilize all forms of information.

We are both also frustrated by the pervasive amount of filtering that happens in schools, along with the policies in many school districts that do not allow students to use mobile devices for learning in the classroom. As librarians we are always looking to work with administrators to find feasible ways to rectify these situations. [For example, Margaux was recently appointed to a district-wide technology committee that is looking to address Social Media and BYOD policies and other technological issues.]

What do you think youth services should look like going forward?
Margaux and Rose: Youth services need to constantly adapt to the changing needs of our younger patrons to remain relevant in an increasingly digital society.  For example, delineations between “Children’s Rooms” and “Young Adult/Teen Areas” are so important. Young adults need to know that they have their own physical, and virtual, space at the library and that they will be respected for their unique ideas and perspectives as they move towards finding their way into the adult world.

A teen might come off the street and into the library because he heard that Friday night was XBOX Gaming Night and then may (as a result of this exposure), pick up a new book to read, gain some new acquaintances, and check out some of the other programs the library has to offer. Youth services should be the portal for tweens and teens into a safe world where they are able to express themselves, learn about new technologies, explore their hobbies and connect with others.

Rose and Margaux take a time-out at the 2011 Book Festival in Washington, D.C., after attending the 2011 School Library Journal Leadership Summit in Arlington, VA.

What’s on your career wish list? What would you love to do that you haven’t done yet?
Margaux: My dream is to write a New York Times bestseller, live off of the royalties, and pursue a career as a personal trainer or yoga instructor. However, if that does not work out, I think there may be a doctoral degree somewhere in my future. I currently work as an adjunct professor of academic writing and research; however I have always longed to educate aspiring teacher librarians and public librarians by teaching full time on the university level while also pursuing my other dream of writing.  I am an active member of SCBWI and have had some creative short stories published I hope that in the future I will be able to carve out even more time to devote to writing a novel.

Rose: A personal goal on my checklist is to put together a cabaret vocal performance at a venue in NYC, such as Don’t Tell Mama’s. I have taken cabaret performance classes with the 2013 MAC Award Winner for Major Duo-Barbara Fasano and Eric Comstock. I want to focus on improving my technology expertise and continue to help others integrate technology. On my wish list is attending ISTE, which I am very excited to be attending for the first time in June. I look forward to continuing to advocate for libraries, especially by communicating our message to administrators. We may do a webinar for School Leadership 2.0 in the near future.

What are the best professional development experiences that you have ever had?
Margaux: Mentors have always helped to pave a successful path for me and I have learned by their examples. I have been very fortunate to have some fabulous mentors over the years from my district provided mentor at my very first school library job (thanks Nancy!), to Sara Kelly Johns, who was my mentor when I was chosen as a GALE/Cengage SLJ  “New Leader” back in 2010. In 2011, I was a selected to be a member of the ALA “Future Perfect” Task Force. Through that appointment I was able to learn from the committee chair Brett Bonfield on how to make big changes happen in a meaningful and impactful  way. And of course Rose, who has been my unofficial mentor since that first district librarian’s meeting all those years ago.

Rose: I took an incredible course called “School Leadership and Human Relations Skills for the Proactive School Library Media Specialist” with Michael Keany, who is now the co-founder of Leadership 2.0, a site dedicated to providing/sharing the best practices in school leadership. This course played an essential role in my taking increased initiatives in advocating for school and public libraries and strategically thinking about the way I could gain a seat at the decision-making table. I have also followed Joyce Valenza’s blog for years and have learned so much from her.  I feel as if she is a virtual mentor and more recently I have also presented with Sara Kelly Johns. Singing in cabaret classes has also helped with presenting—another form of performing.

Here are some of our favorite comments.

On Facebook

SLJ’s Daryl Grabarek loves her library’s collection and beautiful atrium space!

On Twitter

RT @booksue: Overhearing "No, seriously dude, use the databases- they're easier than Google" #lovemylibraryjob #highschoollibrary

May 11, 2013 11:32 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

@sljournal

SchoolLibraryJournal

Today, as part of my job, I am apparently an interior designer. And a picture framing consultant. :D #lovemylibraryjob

May 15, 2013 6:06 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

@RFLong

Ruth Frances Long

A visit from a former teen volunteer who is now majoring in biochemistry at UT, and fondly remembers her library days. #lovemylibraryjob

May 9, 2013 6:44 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@angelina41

Angela Frederick

Book clubs, new tech, an awesome reason to read all the ya best sellers, and teens are truly the coolest people on earth #lovemylibraryjob

May 9, 2013 7:31 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@abbybrosche

Abby Brosche

I spend my days learning and teaching information literacy and iPads. #lovemylibraryjob

May 9, 2013 5:28 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@theCarrieMeeker

Carrie Meeker

I #lovemylibraryjob because students groan when the bell rings to leave!

May 9, 2013 2:26 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@SEMSLibraryLady

Mary Clark

It doesn't get better than that. RT @MrSchuReads: Quotation of the day: "Mr. Schu, I love you." -1st grader #lovemylibraryjob

May 9, 2013 10:33 am via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@CarolGSLIS

Carol Tilley

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Librarian Rita Meade says, “I #lovemylibraryjob because sometimes kids ask for things like this”:

K –5 teacher-librarian and blogger Mr. Schu also shares his thoughts in a video:

They may be young, but teacher Arturo Avina’s talented kindergarteners are already celebrities in their own right. Students at the Los Angeles Unified School District Olympic Primary Center are the stars of a short-film adaptation of Harry G. Allard Jr.’s beloved children’s classic Miss Nelson Is Missing (Houghton Mifflin, 1977). Over the course of two months, Avina directed the youngsters, filmed the scenes, and, with the help of the budding actors, edited the movie with technology available in most classrooms. The video uses songs by Garbage, Bjork, Blondie, and Madonna to emphasize the story’s montages, and the class can be heard on the background as part of the soundtrack.

Inspired by a similar experience from his elementary school years, Avina embarked on the project with a script he had written while working at a previous school. Each scene had to be shot separately, with the bulk of it being completed during recess and after school.

Even though there was a script already in place, the students had a large say in how each scene was filmed, what lines they chose to make their own, and how they wanted to portray their characters. “Even though I gave up all my breaks to work on this project, it was well worth it to see how their oral language skills improved, and how it gave them something to look forward to every day,” Avina tells School Library Journal.

The video was a collaborative effort, with support from the principal, teachers, students, and parents. “I would sometimes assign difficult lines as homework, or parents would have to stay after school until kids were done for the day,” Avina says. “Even in the editing process, I ran it by the kids each time. We would play with different camera views, effects, and filters. We would discuss how we wanted our story to begin and end. I tried to expose them to the process and let them give as much input as they could.”

The tools that Avina and his class used to create the film weren’t that out of the ordinary. With only a new video camera, the iMovie and Garage Band software found on any Apple computer, and his iPhone for recording the children’s singing voices, they created their musical production. Using Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and other social media channels, Avina promoted the film to networks of teachers and librarians. It caught the attention of the media and education leaders, such as SLJ blogger Besty Bird, and teacher-librarian Shannon Miller.

Miller contacted Avina via Twitter and arranged a Q&A Skype session between her own kindergarten students in Van Meter, IA, and his class. “One of the reasons why I reached out to him to connect with our class was because I wanted his kids to take ownership of their great accomplishment,” Miller tells SLJ. “It was really sweet to talk to them and how they worked together and thought of their ideas.”

Arturo Avina

Though the schools are almost 2,000 miles apart, the students shared much in common. “We’re a very rural school in the middle of cornfields, so many of my students haven’t ever been anywhere else,” Miller says. “And it’s the same thing for Art’s kids. Though they’re in a busy city like Los Angeles, they’re just as isolated as we are. He’s given a lot to his kids by connecting them to people on the other side of the country.”

The two classes have also done some collaborative brainstorming and storytime together, and they plan to exchange even more ideas via Skype, including a Tux Paint art project that Miller’s kindergarten class has already begun. She explains, “We have to continue to share and promote stories like this one. A story of how we as teachers can empower kids and help them find their voice and tools to connect with kids all over the world.”

Don’t miss this new video with outtakes and bloopers from Avina’s original Mrs. Nelson film.

Over in the Jungle (Dawn Publications, $4.99; PreS-K), sung to the tune of the classic children’s counting song, is sure to become a favorite of the preschool crowd. In addition to the rainforest setting, this version features outstanding design, vibrant art by Jeanette Canyon, realistic sound effects, supplemental nonfiction text, and a challenging game.

Each page of the rhyming text introduces a jungle animal and a number of offspring from one to ten. Ocelots, honey bears, howler monkeys, leaf cutter ants, and other rainforest animals make an appearance, offering children an opportunity to learn about creatures they may not have encountered before. Taps, swipes, and jiggles to the screen trigger movements and/or additional sound effects.

Users can choose to read the story themselves, have it read to them, or listen to it sung. As the words are voiced, the text is highlighted. Those choosing to listen to the song will be treated to the catchy tune that retains the narration’s expressiveness. A touch to the arrow that appears on every page will allow children to hear the text (or song) repeated. At the end of the story, viewers are invited to find the 55 offspring depicted in the story populating one final, colorful jungle scene. An icon in the shape of a leaf brings users to a menu page from which they can access animal facts and photos; author, illustrator, and publisher information; and other apps by the developer.

Over in the Jungle is a feast for the senses. From the authentic background sounds to the deftly crafted polymer clay animals, each page is a delight. This app is perfect for sharing one-on-one or in a storyhour.—Cindy Wall, Southington Library, Southington, CT

Interior image from ‘Dream Songs Night Songs from Belgium to Brazil’ (The Secret Mountain) illus. by Sylvie Bourbonnière

There are three titles in the “Lullabies from Around the World, Read-Along, Sing-Along Collection,” but it is difficult to consent that any singular title is complete as an iBook. Each enhanced production—Dream Songs Night Songs from Belgium to Brazil, Dream Songs Night Songs from China to Senegal, Dream Songs Night Songs from Mali to Louisiana (The Secret Mountain/Association of Canadian Publishers, iBooks, $7.99 ea.; PreS-K)—offers a flavor of dreamy music and some strong illustrations, but the stories by Patrick Lacoursière lack any cohesive structure and there are almost no interactive features.

When open, each book has two options: read aloud and turn pages. Automatic page turning with the read-aloud mode is probably the best choice, otherwise viewers may think their device is broken. Each page offers one music clip, which ends abruptly. The clips carry no continuity between pages, and listeners are likely to be disappointed by the truncated tunes. The stories are weak, although the China to Senegal is the strongest of the three. Each page turn has one line of text, which possibly can be viewed as a dream-like phrase, but doesn’t work as storytelling.

For example, four consecutive pages in the Belgium to Brazil read: “Follow in the footsteps of an old woman,/Towards a young musician and his talking accordion,/Under a sky drawn by your friends, the stars,/Where your parents’ parents have already traveled.” Viewers never see the young musician again, and as soon as the accordion is heard, the music fades away. The page turns, and a new piece of music begins.

The books offer some appeal: the illustrations by Sylvie Bourbonnière are warm and rich, and there are two full songs (with lyrics) at the end of each book. An iTunes link allows listeners to purchase all the songs, which is probably the best investment for those interested in multicultural music.—Pamela Schembri, Newburgh Enlarged City Schools, Newburgh, NY

Judy Blume and Tatanka Means on the set of Tiger Eyes. Photos by Lorey Sebastian/Run Lizard.

When you take into account the vast influence author Judy Blume has had over multiple generations of readers, it might seem absurd that none of her books have ever made the leap from page to silver screen. You may recall that the author’s “Fudge” series (Penguin) was turned into a Saturday morning television show in 1995, and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (Dutton, 1972) was produced as a TV movie (directed by Judy’s son, Lawrence Blume) in 1991, but a major motion picture has, until now, been sorely lacking.

Lawrence Blume with actors Willa Holland and Tatanka Means.

That changes on June 7 when Tiger Eyes (PG-13) hits select theaters nationwide and will also be released simultaneously on Video On Demand and iTunes. The movie stars Willa Holland as Davey Wexler, a teenager who is still reeling after the sudden and violent death of her father. Forced by her distraught mother to move from Atlantic City, NJ, to the town of Los Alamos, NM, Davey finds herself on unfamiliar terrain, an outsider who reveals little about her emotional turmoil. However, while out exploring the nearby canyons, she meets Wolf (Tatanka Means), a local Native American who seems able to see beyond her facade, and they forge a connection that will change her life forever. Co-written by Judy and Lawrence, who also directed, this film marks the second collaboration between mother and son.

Both Blumes took time out of their busy schedules to talk about the book, the film, and the advantages and disadvantages of independent filmmaking in the 21st century.

So why Tiger Eyes? You know, of all the Judy Blume books in this great, big, wonderful world, how did this become “the one”? 

JB: [Larry and I had] talked about doing Tiger Eyes for years if only we could find funding to do it, because it’s the most cinematic of my books. I mean, maybe Summer Sisters (Delacorte, 1998). But Tiger Eyes has that sense of place that’s so important. When you see it, you will see that there’s Davey and there’s Wolf, and there’s the New Mexico landscape, and that’s as important a character as any of the others. Everything that happens to Davey that has meaning happens in that landscape, in those canyons, going into the caves. It’s a life-changing experience for her.

Lawrence Blume: It’s certainly something we always talked about doing. It didn’t just pop out of the blue. But at this time, it wasn’t something that was on our front burner. So it was really lucky [that the opportunity came up], and the fact that we got to do it our way, for better or worse within a very limited budget.  But along with that limited budget came creative freedom. So it’s very personal.

 Of course, this is not the first mother-son collaboration of this sort that we’ve heard of. Katherine Paterson’s son, David, wrote the screenplay for the 2007 film adaptation of his mother’s Bridge to Terabithia (Crowell, 1977), and that worked out beautifully. The difference is that in this case you two collaborated together on the movie script. Have you had much experience, Judy, co-writing with anyone before, or was this the first time?

JB: [Laughs] I can’t say that I’ve ever co-written anything. I did work closely with some writers over the years who were hired by companies to turn one or another of my books into screenplays. Never worked, never happened. This was completely different. This was exciting and creative and happy. It was emotional and it was good.

LB: I’d say [it was] a very positive experience. Making this movie was pretty joyful even though it’s a sad subject. But the process of making it and trying to put the puzzle together was really incredibly rewarding and engaging, and I hope it comes through on the screen.

Judy on the set in Puyee NM.

JB: You know, we did Sheila the Great when we were kids. We were both kids then. [Laughter] At that point, I had never even been on a movie set. I know more now, and I’m more mature. And I think when you decide that [something will] be a wonderful experience—that goes a long way in making it a wonderful experience. Larry and I knew that we wanted it to be that way. I think that’s what came across for everyone on the set, even the Teamsters. We had these big guys crying at certain scenes.

We were also so lucky with our cast. I don’t know really how much a director ever knows, but we had to cast very quickly. I loved that process. And we lucked out. I mean, we have a little boy [Lucien Dale, who plays Jason Wexler] who was in second grade in public school in Santa Fe, and he is a real kid,… not a cutesy movie kid. He and Willa [Holland], who plays Davey, just bonded. She’s playing his big sister in a very troubled family story. He just adored her, and I think there was no actor that Willa was closer to than Lucien. When you have something like that it really comes through on the screen.

LB: We cast very carefully, and we saw 100 girls. But I think in the end there’s a leap of faith with your cast.

JB: Yes, we didn’t know [Holland] at all, which was so good for us. She’s just so Davey. You know she’s protecting herself, but you can see it all there on her face.

I remember Larry saying that he wanted it to feel as intimate as a first-person novel. And Willa is in every scene. The whole movie is from her point of view. And it’s very intimate.

The movie is being released in theaters as well as through Video On Demand and iTunes. Brave new world. How do you feel about these alternate forms of media that are now an option for films that, in the past, were relegated solely to theatrical releases?

LB: Well, I have mixed feelings, but generally I’m excited about it because unless you’re a big studio movie that’s coming out on 3,000 screens at once, or you have a smaller company with very deep pockets, it’s always sad when you release an independent film because you’re going to have a very limited theatrical release. And now thefilm is available in every town in America on June 7th. Whether you’re going to the theater to see it, or sitting on your sofa and clicking and buying it, or watching it on iTunes, it’s really exciting to me because that means the film has every chance of reaching the widest possible audience.

You seem to have the best of both worlds here.

LB: I think so. I mean, I love the idea of it being in theaters because it’s so beautiful to look at but I also love the idea of women getting together and having Tiger Eyes parties at their houses. I think the nostalgia audience has really helped get the word out about this. They’ve been great in tweeting and blogging.

Judy, I have one final question for you. It’s very important. Is Larry actually the inspiration behind Farley Drexel Hatcher, better known to the world as Fudge? This is what inquiring minds want to know.

JB: [Laughs] Larry, answer that.

LB: No, you answer it. She asked you. I don’t know.

JB: He is—he was the inspiration, yes. He never swallowed a turtle, but that’s because we didn’t have one.

So, had a turtle been within his reach it would have been an option?

LB: Probably.

JB: He was a very interesting child, and look, he’s an interesting adult. So there you go.

A first for the Navajo Nation:

Tapahonso has written five books of poetry and stories, as well as a children’s book—Songs of Shiprock Fair (Kiva Pub., 1999). Saánii Dahataal (1993) and Blue Horses Rush In (1997, both Univ. of Arizona Press) are two of her better known collections. In 1999 she was named Storyteller of the Year by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers.

Take the Challenge—Fight Obesity

Improve kids’ eating habits: A Day without Sugar, or Un Día Sin Azucar in Spanish, is a new initiative that has been launched by Arte Público Press, a U.S. publisher of Hispanic literature. The campaign challenges children to cut back on their sugar intake. Educators, community organizations, and families are encouraged to focus on the health risk of consuming too much sugar by challenging children to go through an entire day without any sugary drinks, candy, cookies, and other foods with added sugar. The initiative has provided free materials, such as a toolkit that outlines fun activities that can be used to teach kids about sugar, low-sugar recipes, coloring pages, fact sheets, and more.

According to an Arte Público news release, “nationally among children ages 6–11, roughly 30 percent are overweight and roughly 15 percent are obese. Among Mexican-American children, roughly 39 percent are overweight and roughly 24 percent are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If current trends persist, half of all Latino children born after 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes during the course of their lives.”

And the Winner Is…

South Asia Book Awards: The Rumor (Tundra; PreS–Gr 4), written by Anushka Ravishankar and illustrated by Kanyika Kini, and Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War (Groundwood; Gr 5–12), written by Deborah Ellis, have won the 2013 South Asia Book Award (SABA) for children’s and young adult literature. The award is given annually for up to two outstanding works of literature, ranging from early childhood to secondary reading levels, which “accurately and skillfully portray South Asia or South Asians in the diaspora, that is the experience of individuals living in South Asia or of South Asians living in other parts of the world.”

The titles recognized as Honor Books are: Chained (Farrar; Gr 4–7) by Lynne Kelly; The Elephant’s Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India (Candlewick; K–Gr 4) by Marcia Williams; The Wooden Sword (Whitman; K–Gr 5), written by Ann Redisch Stampler and illustrated by Carol Liddiment; and Same Sun Here (Candlewick; Gr 4–7) by Silas House and Neela Vaswani.

There were also five titles recognized as Highly Commended Books: Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth (Chronicle; PreS–Gr 3) by Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes; Michael Morpurgo’s Shadow (Feiwel & Friends; Gr 5–8); The Sweetest Mango (Tulika; PreS–Gr 3), written by Malavika Sherry and illustrated by Ajanta Guhathakurta; Tina’s Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary (Houghton Harcourt; Gr 9 Up), written by Keshni Kashyap and illustrated by Mari Araki; and Veera Hiranandani’s The Whole Story of Half a Girl (Delacorte; Gr 5–8).

The award ceremony will take place on October 19, 2013 at The Madison Concourse & Governor’s Club Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. The event, sponsored by the South Asia National Outreach Consortium (SANOC), is free and open to the public. Books will be sold at the ceremony and authors will sign copies at the close of the event.

Debut authors and illustrators: Author Karina Wolf and illustrators Ben and Sean Hilts are first-prize winners of the 2013 Marion Vannett Ridgway Award for The Insomniacs (Putnam, 2012). Established in 1993, the award is given each year to first-time children’s book authors or illustrators to celebrate the memory of Ridgway, an artist’s representative who worked in New York City’s publishing community for more than 40 years and encouraged new talent. The honor award was given to illustrator Christian Robinson for Harlem’s Little Blackbird (Random, 2012). The first prize recipient receives $800, while the honor award winner gets $200.

Designed to be an essential road map to the event, the guide aims to help library professionals navigate the more than 1,000 booths and the hundreds of author signings scheduled throughout the weekend. It includes publishers’ booth numbers, times and locations of book signings both in booths and in autograph areas, a list of ARC and book giveaways, and the buzz on a few hot new titles being featured this year.

The guide also includes previews and descriptions of all the new children’s and young adult book releases, making it a resource for non-attendees as well.

You can sign up here to receive your free copy.

DML5, administered by HASTAC and supported by the MacArthur Foundation, and in collaboration with the Born This Way Foundation and Mozilla, is calling for proposals that offer youth a chance to “Project:Connect” this summer. Proposals must be submitted by June 10, 2013, and the competition is open to all U.S.-based nonprofit learning development and civic engagement institutions and organizations, including libraries, after-school programs and museums. Selected programs, each eligible for awards of up to $10,000, will run July through September 2013.

Kids with Superpowers

MONTIJO, Rhode. Gum Girl! Chews Your Destiny. Bk. 1. illus. by author. Disney/Hyperion. June 2013. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-5740-3.
Gr 1-5–This is a fantasy adventure story with appealing graphic-novel type illustrations. The protagonist just happened to be a young Latina named Gabby Gomez. Spanish words and phrases are scattered throughout the story, but there are no other distinctly Latino cultural references. And I love it. Such a book recognizes a character’s cultural identity, but at the same time speaks to universally understood experiences of childhood. Gabby Gomez loves to chew gum, so much so that after having to use peanut butter to get gum out of her hair, her mother lays down the law: that there will be no more. On the way to school, Gabby finds one last piece of gum in her pocket and uses it to blow a huge bubble. When the bubble hits the power lines it turns Gabby into Gum Girl. “Now I AM gum!” Gabby realizes, and she learns that with her sticky superpower she can help fight crime. She also discovers that the can reverse the effect and become a normal girl again with peanut butter. As Gum Girl, she saves a plane that is going to crash because of a broken wing. As the story ends, she realizes that she has to find a way to tell her mother about her experiences, and readers learn that a villain is waiting in the wings. Kids who read this will definitely be looking forward to future adventures.

JULES, Jacqueline. Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Makes a Splash. Bk. 4. illus. by Miguel Benítez. Albert Whitman. 2012. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-9485-8.
Gr 1-4–Freddie Ramos has special shoes that give him “Zapato Power,” which is the ability to run faster than a train. In this fourth volume in the series, Freddie gets his powerful shoes stuck on some gum on the sidewalk, while at the same time he tries to retrieve a lost wallet that he sees lying there. He retrieves the wallet but it is almost immediately stolen by the Girl on the Green Bike, whose name readers later learn is Erika. Freddie has to use his superpowers to get the wallet back and then return it to its owner, but things don’t quite work out as planned. Then his white backpack, with his special zapatos in it, goes missing, and Erika is immediately the suspect. She is also suspected of leaving sticky wads of purple gum all over the park. The resolution is satisfying, and carries with it a subtle message about being nonjudgmental. This is a great book to pair with Gum Girl–Gabby is the gum hero, and Erika the gum bully. This book also makes for a great read-aloud, with opportunities for audience participation. The other books in the series include Freddie Ramos Takes Off (2010), Freddie Ramos Springs into Action (2010), and Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue (2011).

PILKEY, Dav. El capitán calzoncillos y el terrorífico retorno de cacapipí. tr. from English by Nuria Molinero. illus. by author. Scholastic en Español. 2012. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-545-48870-9.
Gr 2-5–Given the superhero theme, who can resist this translation of Capitan Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers? Molinero definitely shares Pilkey’s wacky sense of humor as evidenced by the fact that “cacapipí” can be literally translated as “poop and pee,” which works perfectly as an alternative Spanish name for the aforementioned Tippy. The thoughtfulness of the translation extends all the way to the illustrated comic-book sequences, which maintain the kids’ handwritten typography, and even George and Harold’s (Jorge and Berto’s, in this case) misspellings of commonly used words. This humorous title, along with the translations of all the other “Captain Underpants” books, is a must for Spanish-language collections, and demonstrates that bodily function references cross all cultural boundaries.

Here are a couple of backlist titles that would work great paired with the two newer titles reviewed above.

SANDOVAL, Jaime Alfonso. Confidencias de un superhéroe. illus by Jazmín Velasco. Ediciones Castillo. 2001. ISBN 970-20-0180-3.
Gr 4-6–What kid wouldn’t want to be a superhero like Batman or Superman or Ant Man? Ten-year-old Paco Godínez is about to find out being in a comic book isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. When he unexpectedly receives a superhero outfit with an accompanying instruction manual, he becomes Capitán Matraca, hero of his village San Bartolo Chico, and sets out to save cats and old ladies in danger. Paco’s first-person narration of his experiences as a superhero is marvelously funny and entertaining, as he learns that exciting as it might be, the superhero life is not for him. Among his adventures are a tussle with Mutant Vegetables that threaten the end of the world and all humanity, and the extermination of all civilizations. The artwork adds to the already high kid appeal. This is one of those lesser-known gems that should be known better; a highly imaginative book that is recommended for all collections.

GARZA, Xavier. Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller. tr. by Luis Humberto Crosthwaite & Carla González Campos. illus. by author. Cinco Puntos. 2011. Tr $12.95. ISBN 978-1-933693-98-9.
Gr 4-6–Garza has made a career of Lucha Libre stories, and nobody does them better. With their costumes, and the masks that conceal their true identities, Lucha Libre wrestlers are the real superheroes of Mexico. Maximilian’s hero is a wrestler known as the Guardian Angel. When the he comes to San Antonio to wrestle, Maximilian is beside himself. What he doesn’t know is how learning the Guardian Angel’s true identity will change his life and that of his family. Full of magical realistic touches that are one of the hallmarks of Latino literature, this book is an irresistable combination of action and mystery.

Scary Stories and Poems

GANGES, Montse. Pequeño Coco. illus. by Imapla. (Primeros Lectores Series). Editorial Bam bú. 2009. pap. $7.95. ISBN 978-84-8343-037-8.
K-Gr 3–There was a time when Big Coco (read: bogeyman) would terrorize bad children, but ever since parents began telling their children that he would visit them if they misbehaved he’s been retired. Big Coco and his wife and son, Little Coco, have sequestered themselves in their deep dark cave, far away from the light of the sun. For his eighth birthday, Little Coco asks that his parents allow him to go to the outside world for just one afternoon. But when he emerges into the light, it is not what he had imagined it would be. First, no one pays any attention to him. Through encounters with a witch who calls herself The Cat Woman and a little girl named Mimí, Little Coco learns more about the human world than he ever expected, and whether he has what it takes to assume Big Coco’s job. This book is an excellent choice coming out of Spain that I would really like to see get into the hands of U.S. Spanish-speaking readers.

LUNA, James. A Mummy in Her Backpack/Una momia en su mochila. tr. by Gabriela Baeza Ventura. illus by Ted Dawson and Giovanni Mora. Piñata. 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-55885-756-8.
Gr 1-3–Luna is an elementary school teacher and he speaks directly to the sensibilities of younger elementary school-age kids. When Flor returns from a trip to Guanajuato, Mexico, she discovers that a mummy named Rafa from the museum she visited has hitched a ride. Rafa is anxious to see the United States, but since he was born in 1884, everything is new to him, and he marvels at electricity and technology. When Rafa discovers that it’s almost time for the Day of the Dead, he realizes that he needs to go back home. Flor and her friend are then challenged to find a way to get Rafa back to Mexico, which they are able to do with the help of an understanding school custodian. The publisher has done a nice job with the illustrations and design of this “flip-the-book-over-to-read-it-in-another-language” edition. This short story will appeal to readers in either language.

MARTÍNEZ, Carmen Gil. ¡Qué miedo! illus. by Isabel Riera. Ediciones Aljibe. 2010. pap $13.80. ISBN 978-84-4970-0644-6.
Gr 2-4–This is a selection of scary poems about characters like Vampire Romero, the Monster in the Closet, Akila the Mummy and the Teresa the Witch. The illustrations are fun and whimsical, so they aren’t too scary. There are also riddles and incantations or spells at the end. All of the poems are great to read aloud, with fun rhymes and clever wordplay. With its appealing cover and short length, this is the sort of book that will be constantly checked out, no matter the season.

HAYES, Joe. Ghost Fever/Mal de fantasma. illus. by Mona Pennypacker. tr. by author. Cinco Puntos. 2004. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-0-938317-83-8; pap. $8.95. ISBN 978-1-933693-03-3.
Gr 4-6–Unlike some of Hayes’s other work, this book is one stand-alone story, presented bilingually, with the Spanish and English on the same page. The storyteller’s voice is its strongest asset: “This one happened way back in the 1950’s in Duston, Arizona, which is the town I grew up in.” Cole Cash is a shop owner in the community, who also makes money renting houses that are “across the tracks.” But there is one empty house that he probably shouldn’t have bought. Finally there is a taker, and when 14 year-old Elena moves in with her dad, she soon meets the ghost of one of the previous owners of the house, a young girl named Mariana Mendoza, who died in a tragic accident after stealing money from her parents for her quinceñera dress. After this encounter Elena comes down with a high fever and it’s up to her abuela to make things right. Luckily, her grandmother knows how to deal with ghosts.

Tim Wadham is the director of the City of Puyallup Public Library in Washington State. Email him at wadhambooks@gmail.com.

GOODMAN, Shawn. Kindness for Weakness. Delacorte. May 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780385743242.

Gr 9 Up—Kindness for Weakness follows the story of James, a teenager who has lived his whole life surrounded by a lost and broken family. With an alcoholic mother and an abusive stepfather, James turns to his older brother, a bodybuilder and drug dealer, for the role model that he’s never had. A quiet and intelligent student, he is now determined to be strong and unafraid of the terrors that have followed him. However, James will soon learn that physical strength and superficial courage mean nothing in the face of reality. He will have to choose whether to defend himself or be kind, despite the face of weakness.

Shawn Goodman has eloquently brought us to a part of our lives that is often hidden away—the inner turmoil of facing the cruel world with an open heart or a defensive stance. James is committed to get through a stint in juvenile detention, inspired by a list of books provided by his English teacher. He also has several adult figures to look up to, each showing him a different way to make that decision. Ultimately, through James’s challenges and suffering, we bitterly learn what that choice should be. An excellent read.—Abrania M. age 16

HOOVER, P.J. Solstice. Tor Teen. June 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0765334695.

Gr 8 Up—Piper lives in a world that has succumbed to the Global Heating Crisis. Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy Earth. Even worse, she lives with her overbearing mother who suffocates her more than the heat does. On her 18th birthday, though, her mother gets called on a mysterious errand and Piper jumps at her first opportunity for freedom. She discovers a world she never imagined—with gods and monsters—and realizes that her world isn’t the only one in a crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life begins to spiral out of control, and she struggles with a secret that has been kept from her since birth—her very identity.

Solstice by P. J. Hoover is about a world filled with mythological creatures. Hoover utilizes her unique writing style to create a beautiful world of disaster and chaos—and not just in the Underworld. Earth is in danger too, and I like how she weaves the possibility of future realities into Piper’s present. This story is anything but fast-paced—except maybe in the romances. Hoover takes her time to get to the ‘meat’ of the book. In the beginning, it felt as though the romantic relationships between Piper and two other guys was happening too fast, but as I kept reading and Piper’s secrets started to be revealed, I understood the author’s choice of pacing. Also, the whole love-triangle thing is a bit tired out, in my opinion, but that didn’t turn me off from this book. Actually, it was very essential to the story. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy world building and stories that are slowly revealed.—Kathleen M., age 16

TAYLOR, Kara. Prep School Confidential.  St. Martin’s Griffin. July 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 9781250017598.

Anne Dowling transfers to Wheatley Prep after being expelled from her old school for accidentally burning down the auditorium. A week after arriving at her new school, her roommate, Isabella Fernandez, is murdered, and the school is all too eager to cover it up. Anne, believing that the school is hiding something, decides to take it upon herself to find Isabella’s killer and bring him or her to justice. As Anne delves deeper into Isabella’s life, she finds that Isabella had many enemies, any of whom could have killed her and all with the money and power to cover it up.

I liked this book because it kept me guessing until the end. As soon as I thought I knew who did it, new evidence was revealed which made me suspect someone else. The book ended in a way that I never saw coming. It is a good and fast read that I would recommend to anyone who likes mysteries.—Alexandra M., age 15

As anyone who has followed our work in School Library Journal knows, Sue and I are advocates of clustering books (“Wondering How to Put Common Core into Practice? It’s Easier than you Think.” SLJ, Nov, 2012). But the focus on rereading short passages suggested a new idea: constellations. A constellation is a linked set of brief passages that librarians can select and offer to teachers as a course pack, or to students as an example of what close reading can yield.

It is one thing to juxtapose related materials such as books, databases, websites, and YouTube videos (as suggested in the above article), but quite another to choose and present excerpts, passages, and chapters that both link together and serve to support the kind of close reading and rereading that Common Core demands. While an experienced—or highly motivated—teacher can pull together such resources, clearly this sort of mining is within a librarian’s expertise. And it is this type of work that will become ever more important in the school environment as more print materials are available in e-formats. So, from a pure show-your-value-to-teachers-and-admins point-of-view, constellations are worth your time. Their real reason for being, though, is students.

Here are some examples of constellations:
For teachers: access a print of Dorothea Lange’s black-and-white photo “Migrant Mother (available free of copyright from the Library of Congress). Find a passage about the image from a series title about the Great Depression; juxtapose that text with the appropriate pages from Martin W. Sandler’s account of the photo in The Dust Bowl Through the Lens (Walker, 2009), Elizabeth Partridge’s Restless Spirit (Viking, 1998), Don Nardo’s Migrant Mother (Compass Point, 2011), and Albert Marrin’s Years of Dust (Dutton, 2009). These resources will provide at significantly different descriptions of how and where Lange took the photo and of the people portrayed in the photo, as well as distinct accounts of how (or whether) the image was retouched, cropped, and framed. This one constellation offers lessons in visual literacy, history, and historiography, and an opportunity for a close reading of texts and an image.

For students and teachers: Write down the first five words of the Gettysburg Address: “Fourscore and seven years ago.” Consider what those words mean, and why Abraham Lincoln chose them. Teachers can reference Gary Wills on YouTube discussing his Lincoln at Gettysburg (S & S, 1992), in which he masterfully analyzes that speech. For Lincoln’s listeners who knew their Bible, the word “fourscore” recalled Psalm 90:10: “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (King James Version)

Digging deeper, what does “fourscore” mean? Check your Oxford English Dictionary and you’ll discover that “score” as a 20-year period comes from the same root as to “shear” as a sheep, and to “mark or notch.” At one time, when counting his sheep, herders would score, or notch, a stick after the 20th creature passed by. “Fourscore and seven years ago,” closely read (and reread), offers links to the deep resonances of a famous phrase, a modern interpretation, and a trip into etymology.

To prompt thinking: Try this: open up Jim Murphy’s The Real Benedict Arnold (Clarion, 2007) and Steve Sheinkin’s The Notorious Benedict Arnold (Roaring Brook, 2010) and select passages where the authors each explain bad Ben’s motivations. Or, open up a random book on your shelves—I grabbed Russell Freedman’s Kids at Work (Clarion, 1994) and found this: “Boys began working as doffers when they were seven or younger. It was their job to remove the whirling bobbins when they were filled with thread and replace them with empty ones.” Link to definitions of “doffers,” “whirling,” and “bobbins, as well as books on Iqbal Masih,  or M.T. Anderson’s recent Op-Ed in the The New York Times on the Bangladesh clothing factory fire.

Get the idea? Find a passage or passages, a phrase or an image, and then search for related links that can be excerpted and/or highlighted. As you do so, you’re training young people to discover more in the starting place (thus close reading and rereading) and to follow what can be a endless—and exciting—trail of curiosity and inquiry. Let me know how it goes.

From the AP:

The state House of Representatives voted Tuesday 143-0 to pass a bill requiring the commissioner of consumer protection to report to the General Assembly on the issue by Feb 1.

The bill, which originally called on publishers to offer e-books to libraries at a reasonable price, was amended to reflect lawmakers’ concerns about the likelihood of lawsuits.

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[Our emphasis] The bill must pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to become law.

Read the Full Text Article

See Also: Read, Track House Bill 5614

See Also: Testimony Given at February 21, 2013 Hearing

See Also: Analysis of Bill