From witches and monsters to haunted houses and headless horsemen, there’s something for everyone this Halloween season.
Ghouls, Ghosts, and ‘Frankenweenie:’ A Collection of Holiday Apps
By on October 25, 2012 Leave a Comment
Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Game On! Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph
By on October 25, 2012 Leave a Comment
Wreck-it Ralph, the newest 3-D animated release from Disney, takes audience into world of video games to tell a humor-filled tale of friendship, heroism, and self-discovery. Fans of Ralph will also enjoy exciting but accessible picture books and chapter books based on the film.
Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards Honor Interned Japanese Americans
By on October 24, 2012 Leave a Comment
Two books with historical ties to the Japanese American internment during World War II won the 59th Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, recognizing books promoting peace, social justice, world community, and equality of the sexes and races. The winners gathered at the Jane Addams Peace Association’s headquarters in New York City for the October 19 ceremony.
News Bites: Win Big with Verizon’s App Challenge
By on October 24, 2012 Leave a Comment
Verizon’s App Challenge is designed to increase student interest in STEM while offering a project-based experience that develops teamwork among students. Groups of 5-10 students are encouraged to develop an app that addresses a need or problem in their school or community.
NYPL Panel Offers Advice for Bullied Kids—and Bullies
By on October 24, 2012 1 Comment
In a New York Public Library Children’s Literary Salon on October 20 that coincided with National Bullying Prevention Month, authors Paul Griffin, Madeleine George and others came together to talk about bullying: strategies for ending it, their own personal experiences, and the positive effect their books have on their readers.
SLJ Summit 2012 | Tweet Chat Provokes Insight into the Future of Libraries
By on October 23, 2012 Leave a Comment
Where are libraries heading in the future? English teachers, librarians, and other educators voiced their opinions on issues ranging from technology to budget concerns in a Twitter chat hosted by Pam Moran and Ira Socol, “unkeynote” speakers at SLJ’s upcoming Leadership Summit.
INFOdocket: Top Resources for K–12
By on October 23, 2012
Looking for new, timely online resources for your K–12 students? Gary Price, an industry analyst librarian and editor of LJ’s INFOdocket, has selected the following recent posts for school librarians. Topics range from current and past presidential debates to German Jewish history. Price is also co-founder and editor of FullTextReports.com.
Sargent’s Intergalactic Classic ‘Earthseed’ Optioned for Screen, Spurring Reprints
By on October 23, 2012 Leave a Comment
Move over, vampires, and make way for genetically engineered teens. Earthseed, the first novel in Pamela Sargent’s classic sci-fi YA “Seed” trilogy, has been optioned for the screen by Melissa Rosenberg, who also brought the “Twilight” trilogy to Hollywood.
Libraries, Ebooks, and Beyond: Tablets in the Classroom
By on October 23, 2012
Ereaders and iPads are becoming integral parts of the school library because they foster creativity and encourage flexibility in learning. But are students using this technology effectively? Panelists from SLJ’s session, “Tablets in the Classroom: New Strategies, New Solutions,” discussed how to ensure that students are relying on these devices to truly make the most of their educational experiences.
Is Amazon Whispercast Enough?: Doubts Remain on Kindle’s Adoption by Schools
By on October 23, 2012
Amazon’s newest service, Whispercast, attempts to make Kindles more tempting to librarians by letting them control multiple Kindles from a single access account. However, many librarians have doubts, and there are remaining unanswered questions.
SLJ’s Resources on the Common Core
By on October 22, 2012 3 Comments
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have become the topic du jour in educational circles, and librarians are key participants in the conversation. School Library Journal’s Leadership Summit, “Advocacy and E-volution: Creating Stronger Schools Through Stronger Libraries,” taking place in Philadelphia October 26-27, will focus on how librarians and school media specialists can propel the dialogue and help teachers and administrators deliver on the full potential of the Common Core.
On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Creepy Crawly Nonfiction
By on October 19, 2012 Leave a Comment
In October eyes are usually drawn to ghosts, goblins, and things that go bump in the night, but reality can be just as scary. Wasps sting the brain of a cockroach, paralyzing it so that the predator can lay its eggs in the zombified body. Tarantulas liquefy their prey in order to suck up dinner with their stomach muscles. Crocodiles can grow 3000 teeth in their lifetime, but they can’t chew their food. Detection rats use their sense of smell to sniff out explosive land mines. Forest fire beetles can discover a conflagration more than 20 miles away. And there’s nothing more unique than the distinct about the shape of wombat poop.
Tweet What You Write
By on October 18, 2012 1 Comment
To expand how learners think about writing, national literacy and educational groups are asking teachers, librarians, writers, children and creators of all kinds to share what they write on Twitter on Friday, October 19, using the hashtag #whatiwrite.
Interview: Lesléa Newman Discusses her Novel in Verse About the Death of Matthew Shepard, ‘October Mourning’
By on October 18, 2012 1 Comment
Author Lesléa Newman has always felt an obligation to help the world remember Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming who was brutally beaten and left to die in October 1998. Shepard’s death brought national attention to the issue of homophobic bullying and helped galvanize anti-bullying awareness nationwide. With October Mourning, a novel in verse, Newman explores Shepard’s death in 68 poems. SLJ talked with Newman about how she came to write October Mourning, her use of poetic forms, and the challenges of writing about this painful topic.
Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Fairy Fanfare: TV’s Winx Club
By on October 17, 2012 Leave a Comment
Fans of all things fey will enjoy Winx Club, a TV series about a flight of stylish teenage fairies with an updated look and an array of magical abilities. In addition to dolls, dress-up accessories, and video games, the franchise also includes fun, fast-moving chapter books and graphic novels based on the TV show.
SLJ Talks to Legendary Book Editor Frances Foster
By on October 17, 2012 6 Comments
School Library Journal sat down with renowned children’s book editor Frances Foster to discuss her long, illustrious career working with children’s book stars like Roald Dahl and Peter Sís, her experiences coming across the manuscripts of a fourteen-year-old Polly Horvath, and how it felt editing the Newbery-award winner Holes.
News Bites: Involve Your Students in the Election Process with ePals World Election Center
By on October 16, 2012 Leave a Comment
Get your students interested in the electoral process in the United States and globally with ePals World Election Center. The site includes projects and activities to reinforce K–12 students’ critical thinking skills and cultural awareness by having them learn about candidates, government, and more. Kids have the opportunity to voice their opinions about issues affecting them at home and learn about the elections abroad.
DC Parents Demand School Librarians Be Restored
By on October 15, 2012 1 Comment
Parents in Washington, DC, are taking to the streets, advocating for more funding for their school libraries and librarians. The Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization (CHPSPO) has spent the past seven months pushing for Washington, DC, to open its coffers to school libraries to replenish shelves, upgrade library spaces and hire more librarians for K–12 students.
On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Sequels, Prequels, and Companions: Oh My!
By on October 15, 2012 2 Comments
As trends and genres continue to evolve, one thing remains consistent: the return of beloved characters and stories. Whether it’s a sequel, a prequel, or a companion novel that walks alongside the original, books that connect to each other continue to be fan favorites.
Librarians Flock to New York Comic Con
By on October 15, 2012 Leave a Comment
Digital comics, gaming, and, of course, costumes were among the draws for teachers and librarians who attended New York Comic Con’s (NYCC) Professional Day on Thursday, October 11, featuring panels by the American Library Association, among other organizations. Once again, as in past years, New Jersey librarians dominated as presenters at Professional Day, covering collection development, library programming, and the history of the science fiction and fantasy genres.
