Professional Reviews: December 2011
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INTNER, Carol F. Homework Help from the Library: In Person and Online. 202p. diags. appendix. bibliog. index. Web sites. CIP. ALA. 2011. pap. $47. ISBN 978-0-8389-1046-7. LC 2010042096. KRASHEN, Stephen. Free Voluntary Reading. 90p. bibliog. index. CIP. Libraries Unlimited. 2011. pap. $25. ISBN 978-1-59884-844-1; ebook $25. ISBN 978-1-59884-845-8. LC 2011003414. LUDWIG, Sarah. Starting from Scratch: Building a Teen Library Program. 202p. (Libraries Unlimited Professional Guides for Young Adult Librarians Series). charts. index. notes. Libraries Unlimited. 2011. pap. $40. ISBN 978-1-59884-607-2; ebook $40. ISBN 978-1-59884-608-9. LC 2011020103. NAHSON, Claudia J. The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats. illus. by Ezra Jack Keats. 92p. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. index. CIP. Yale Univ./Jewish Museum. 2011. Tr $27.50. ISBN 978-0-300-17022-1. LC 201007880. NEL, Philip & Lissa Paul, eds. Keywords for Children’s Literature. 282p. bibliog. index. New York Univ. 2011. Tr $79. ISBN 978-0-8147-5854-0; pap. $25. ISBN 978-0-8147-5855-7; ebook $20. ISBN 978-0-8147-5889-2. LC 2010052514.
As libraries strive to reach out to patrons, and students turn to the library for help, developing a homework program becomes essential. With a step-by-step approach, Intner offers a wealth of ideas and suggestions in nine chapters that cover learning styles, amount of homework, literacy, parental involvement, planning a program, assessing needs, professional development, physical space, technology use in the library and remotely through library websites, interacting with students in answering homework questions, troubleshooting issues in maintaining a program, marketing, and evaluating it. Easy-to-follow, well-organized material, complete with bulleted lists; sidebars of additional web resources; tables; and appendixes that include review sources, references, and an index, create a useful resource for implementing successful programs.–Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE
This thin volume condenses research that Krashen has previously published. Through his discussion of the topic, he also addresses second-language reading, rewards for recreational reading, and web-based reading. Discussion between chapters would better connect the ideas, but the introduction does a sufficient job of piquing interest and framing the research. The conversational tone and the ideas shared in the introduction may initially appeal to casual readers, but this book is not necessarily the one for practitioners. It will more likely brief researchers on the latest in free voluntary reading. Readers must have some reference point in statistical analyses to access the information in one of the eight chapters. Overall, the information presented is useful and convincing, but the disorganization of the chapters and unfocused topic are a bit awkward to follow.– Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Being a new YA librarian can be difficult, especially if one is coming into a library in which serving teens is a new concept or has been an afterthought in the past. Ludwig provides plenty of real-world advice and ideas to invigorate and educate new librarians and reenergize those who have been working with teens for awhile. She gives great advice on how to start teen programs, from developing a department mission statement to what to do when no one shows up. Her well-thought-out chapters focus on the main points, starting from scratch with the space, and moving on to the collection, programming, outreach, the budget, and professional development. New technologies are also examined; social networking and gaming are represented throughout. Anecdotal examples are offered as well. This well-written and helpful book will be invaluable to both new and seasoned teen librarians as well as those thinking about pursuing a career working with teens.–Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR
In 1962, when Keats’s The Snowy Day landed on book shelves, it became an immediate favorite of children and adults alike, received accolades from critics and reviewers, and was awarded the 1963 Caldecott Medal. The first full-color picture book to feature an African-American protagonist, the title placed Peter in that heightened hierocracy of children’s book characters (Madeline, Eloise, Max) whose images need no further introduction. Nahson has brought together an inviting, informative, and charming (in all the right ways) book to coordinate with the exhibition, “The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats,” at the Jewish Museum in New York City. Accompanying Nahson’s preface and essay, “Bringing the Background to the Foreground, or the Poetry of a Trash Can,” is a piece by Maurice Berger, who traces Keats’s background, civil-rights advocacy, and influence on the children’s literature field. Thirty-one beautifully produced plates, which appear in the current exhibition, showcase Keats’s innovative and exemplary illustrations. Throughout, this offering reflects a choice of high-quality paper and care in the printing process. Following the New York show, the exhibition will travel to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA, the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, and the Akron Art Museum in Ohio. Handsome and readable, this volume is a joy from endpaper to endpaper. Libraries will want to have copies available for art and classroom teachers, students of children’s literature, parents, and youngsters themselves to browse through and explore.–Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA
Drawing on the expertise of scholars in many fields, this important book attempts to pull from various disciplines a shared vocabulary of children’s literature. Selecting 49 keywords deemed crucial to the field, each essay maps the history of the entry and explains how it came to be used. The editors maintain that the book is a snapshot of a vocabulary that is changing, expanding, and ever evolving. The essays are thought-provoking and are meant to spark further debate and conversation. Organized alphabetically, the volume is best read by selecting a keyword and then allowing the associations suggested by it to lead you to a related idea. For instance, “Innocence” might guide readers to “Audience,” which may steer them to “Young Adult.” This scholarly work will find the most use and value at institutions where the study of children’s literature and culture are supported. An extensive “Works Cited” section, an index, and brief information about each contributor are included.–Renee McGrath, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY
