940.5318 The Diary of Anne Frank: A Classic Retold

On April 11, 2010, Holocaust Remembrance Day, PBS and Masterpiece Theater will present a new version of the classic coming-of-age story The Diary of Anne Frank.

Click on the picture for access to a video preview.

The Great Books Foundation, a partner with WGBH, has created and gathered together all kinds of support materials to use in conjunction with this new production and the Holocaust in general.

One of the most interesting things is a VoiceThread where students, teachers, and others can go in and comment on the production and project. Voice Thread has given free access to this sample, but there is a registration involved to make comments.

Ciick HERE to go to VoiceThread.

Here is another brief preview through YouTube .

In researching this new production, I also came across the only know movie of Anne Frank herself. It is a brief few seconds of her in an upper window watching her neighbor's wedding departure. There is no sound!

And of course , with the recent death of Miep Gies (at age 100), the last survivor of the real-life members of the history-making event, there has been renewed interest in the story and will likely spill over to the new production. Here is a portion of an interview where she talks about the diary and giving it to Anne's father.

In our district, the book and the time period have always studied and discussed on several levels so we have some long-time resources that also will probably come to the forefront again with this new production. Check our "cool new"catalog for other resources.

The message remains timeless.

028.6 Cybil Awards: Round 4

The 4th set of Cybils Awards list is out.

For those who may be unfamiliar with this book award, all of these winners have been selected by a panel of bloggers who took extensive lists of nominated titles made by blog readers! All books were published with in the last year since the previous contest so these are the latest and greatest out there!

There are various catagories for different reading tastes and different ages. The groups include fiction picture book, nonfiction picture book, easy reader, early chaper book, poetry, graphic novel, fantasy and science fiction, middle grade fiction, YA nonfiction, YA graphic novel, YA fantasy and science fiction, and YA fiction.

Here is a list of the top nominees in each of the catagories for 2009. If you are looking for new additions to your collection you may want to take a look at these choices and see if they meet your needs.

Past winners for 2008, 2007, 2006

Artwork: used wth permission by Cybils

808.06 2.0 Book Reviews: "Rap" Your Brain Around This Idea

Want to try something new to promote books? Want to give kids an alternative to the worn-out version of a book report?

Go here to see what one of the librarians in my personal learning network has produced!
She has gone even further and issued the challenge to her students to one-up her!
Check out here what else she is doing to make the library a happening place!

Check out your "berry" cuz your visit's overdue!

028.6 Cybil Awards for the 3rd Time

The winning titles of the Cybil Awards for the 2008 year have been announced and can be reviewed here in detail.

I love the nonfiction picture book Nic Bishop's Frogs selection of course...in fact used it in a catalog class situation last week. It is a perfect example of why kids can't get enough visually-stimulating science books! Here is a podcast with the author of the winning book from the Just One More Book site!

The only other winner I am familiar with enough to even mention knowing is the haunting, somewhat disturbing, YA novel Hunger Games. So much to think about on many levels.

Information about past winners can be found here for 2006 and here for 2007.

Happy Reading!

741.5 Comic Book Generator: Check Out the Possibilities

I was introduced to a comic book generator and some online comics from a site called MashOn. Click on Spore on the menu bar to get to the generator. Click on comic strips to get one of 3 sets of strips: Chaotic, Holiday, or Urbaniacs. I have not checked yet (ok--I have forgotten!) to check and see if it is available in district, but it looks worthy of some time even if it is only available away from school. [Hurray! it is open in district!]

No I haven't actually made a comic...yet.

If you have noticed, I haven't had much blogging time either, but I did want to get this site out there so all you adventurous souls can try it out after the turkey dinner is eaten, your favorite football team has fallen in defeat, and the mall holds no interest on Black Friday.


I have be advised that it is kid-friendly. How young-friendly it is, I'm not sure. I am not even sure if registration is a requirement to creating something or added benefit to what you can and can not do on the site.

So, please go try it and see what you think...share what you think!

027.6 Definition of a Library: The "My Space" Version

That never-stops Joyce Valenza of Neverending Search has provided us with a video to use as food for thought once again. She had her students tell us about their library / the space as they see it!

My personal favorite--the very first description...especially where the narrator speaks with such reverence and adoration about the magnificent collection of American History "classics." Be still my heart! I recognized almost EVERY title and cover on every shelf. I can close my eyes and almost drink in the fragrance of wonderful friends and fond memories of the many hours spent with those books and the children who experienced them. Such fine times!

I think the students spent quality time talking about both their print and technology-related experiences, as well as the enjoyment they got out of the library for both scholastic and personal pursuits!

One tiny sad thought for a brief moment...several wonderful descriptions/tours are given with virtually empty "spaces"..but in the end, it became the lively place I knew it must be.

If we saw a narrated tour of your library, would we recognize it as a happening place like these kids do?

Enjoy!


Find more videos like this on TeacherLibrarianNetwork (hope this shows in district)

P.S. We gotta get some of those flippy cameras going in my circle of influence and see what kind of good stuff can come out of them!

P.P.S. Need to explore the ning as a source for parking space for videos and other large files! I forget about it. Can it be used thatway?

920 Author Interviews: Pulse Blogfrest

Want to know what is on the mind of 120 YA authors with regards to a series of 14 questions posed by teens?

Visit the Pulse Blogfest...sponsored by Simon & Schuster, it has been going on for about a week already (ok, better late than never!), but that's the beauty of the blog format...you can jump in today or start at the beginning!

Current question: What issues should teens be thinking about? Do they live thru their characters?
March 14th question: What would you be doing if you hadn’t made it as a writer? Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's response. Judy Blume's response.
March 17th question: How did you survive as a teen? Susan Cooper responds. Chris Lynch answers. Sharon Draper's response.

Feel free to comment back to your favorite authors on their thoughts!

384.5 Cell Phones: Novel Sources

Ok, I climbed outta my hole this morning and "discovered" cell phone novels...currently a huge hit in Japan...coming to your neighborhood bookstore...? My favorite light-weight news program CBS News Sunday Morning did a piece on the literary format.

First off, let me make it very clear...this is adult (very adult) reading entertainment for the most part, so I am not a supporter of its content! I do find the delivery system interesting and was wondering why I had not heard of it here. The main reason for that I quickly found out is...it is not here!

So I did my research and here is what I found:

This young lady is named Rin, currently 21 and her first best seller was "texted" when she was a senior in high school. The TV report indicated that at one point she was measured texting 1000 characters per minute.

From a NY Times article (Jan. 2008) I read that from Japan's 2007 10 best-selling novels, 5 started out as cell phone virtual novels. The growth of the industry is due to price structure change in text messaging...something we have experienced here, but just not for books! Although many writers actually "wrote" on their phones, one publsiher commented that one author's vocabulary increased and her sentences got longer...when she abandoned the phone for a computer keyboard & screen!

In the if book: Project for the Future of the Book article (Mar. 2005), serializing the stories (a la Dickens' original form) allows the author to change the flow if the readers aren't following. Apparently, this feature is the strength of the newly-developed genre. Wired AP article (Mar. 2005) carried many of the same statements.

Yes, there is a basic introductory article Mobile Phone Novels entry from Wikipedia which states the first cell phone novel was published in 2003 and went to sell 2.3 million copies when it went into print.

From an ABC News feature (Jan. 2008) came the interesting statement that Japanese trains are so crowded, no room for opening a book! Hence, the popularity of books on cell phones. As far as whether text novels will come to the English-speaking world:

For Japan, it's that intersection between a tech-savvy population, a
language written in characters and time \spent commuting that
make cell phone novels so popular to both read and write and why Americans will probably never see versions of the new novel form, said Paul Saffo, a Silicon Valley-based technology analyst.

Romance stories have made a small entry in the UK according to another ABC News report (April 2007), but the biggest drawback...no steamy, lustful voices a la i-pod upload!

In an article in ComputerWorld (Jan. 2008), the problem of decreased reading in the United States is discussed. Cell phone books are not necessarily seen as one of the solutions to the problem however even though in Japan that seems to be just the opposite. Among the several reasons why is the Japanese have learned how to make the books participatory--the readers tell whether they like the way the story is going or not. That idea is not available here...yet.

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So, I'm not behind the times now...at least on this topic. I'm sure there are many out there who will sigh and say "old news."

028.6 2007 Cybils: Nomination Finalists Part 2

The rest of the Cybils finalists were released today.

YA Fiction - 7 titles from 123 nominations!!

A lot of discussion about Twight title not being on this list (or even the sci fi/fantasy list of last week)...I know a librarian or two who will not like this result, I bet (but hey, the Meyer's books arewinners on their own!) The Absolutely True Story of a Part-time Indian is a particular favorite of mine based on a couple of book talks I witnessed and all the press I have been reading about this title.

Non- Fiction Picture Books - 7 selections from 45 nominations.

I "read" One Thousand Tracings in the bookstore over the holidays...made me cry!

Graphic Novels - 5 each for the high school level and the elementary/middle school level from 34 nominations

Middle Grade/YA Nonfiction - 45 nominations were narrowed down to 7 finalists.

O, BTW, the awards will be announced February 18th. And if you want to review Part 1 (4 other sets of finalists)

Here is a pdf file of all finalists...includes short description of title.

92 Jon Scieszka: the "Stinky" Kids' Ambassador

Jon Scieszka has been name the first Ambassador for Young People's Literature, a new position created jointly by the Library of Congress and the Children's Book Council. A panel of five made the selection.

A major portion of his responsibilities will be to visit with children AND parents about the value of reading and books in this time of emphasis on technology. Scieszka does take advantage of the 2.0 world to help promote reading and encourage kids through his Guys Read website and includes girls in the encouragement as well!

I really hope you are at least familiar with his books, if not a fan, as I am. There are currently 25 and many are in Spanish as well! His often illustrator Lane Smith is a kick too...I have never had the opportunity to be around Scieszka, but did get to facilitate Lane Smith's presentation at TLA a few years ago..and it was a hoot. no wonder their books are so much fun!

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The next two years surely should be interesting!

Other articles:

NY Times announcement - check out his "newer" photo!

Washington Post article

Voice of America audio version

DayLife a group of reports

From the Newsweek article...something I hope I can overcome as well!

Newsweek: Especially now that you're the children's laureate, we need
to make sure everyone gets your last name right. You tell people that it's the
Polish word for "path" and that it rhymes with Fresca. Does that usually do the
trick?
Jon Scieszka: That's a good start, but people still butcher it.

028.6 2007 Cybils: Nomination Finalists Part 1

The first four final nominations lists for the Cybils are out.

Science Fiction and Fantasy - 94 nominated books down to 10 finalists divided into 2 groups based on age level.

Fiction Picture Book - from 118 nominations down to these 7 finalists.

Poetry - these 7 were selected from 94 nominations.

Middle Grade Fiction - 8 finalists from a wide ranging group of 75 nominations

I hope you see some of your favorites listed here OR you find some great new titles to add to your collection.

The other four catagories will be released next week (and yes, I will put them up for you!)

The winners will be announced later...(February? March?...I have forgotten!)

P.S. If you are not familiar with the Cybils, take a look.

468.8 Spanish Language Reading Materials for Kids

I have been following La Bloga for some time now...covers all kinds of books by, for, and about Hispanics for all age levels.

Now they are supporting and promoting a Spanish language blog for young readers...includes stories, poetry, books...and more.

It will be a challenge for me and my basic skills in reading Spanish to follow everthing that is included, but I look forward to the challenge because it looks fun!

641.8 Cookies: 'Tis the Season!

So many choices! So little time! I see math problems, maybe? Tie in with When the Doorbell Rang?

P.S. There are lots more seasonal activities that can be used for a variety of reasons.

428.4 Readability "Test": A Fun Surprise?

Who knew? !

Put in the URL of your blog, your website, your "whatever you use or read" and find out the reading level. No explanation as to what is measured, etc. But hey, this is just for fun, remember!

Now I have to assess...did I intend to be so "scholarly"?

011.625 Children's Book Week: Have Some Fun

November 12-18, 2007 is National Children's Book Week which is sponsored by the Children's Book Council. This event has been celebrated during the week prior to Thanksgiving since 1919, but starting in May 2008, it will become a Spring event.

In reading about this event, I found an interesting tidbit about the poster that was issued in the early 1920s. A librarian was known to cut off the bottom of the poster because the books were scattered all over the floor and she felt that was a bad message to be sending her young patrons!

Although some folks in my sphere of influence don't believe it, I do enjoy children's books...especially ones with colorful illustrations and clever, humorous text. Every year our district holds a book exhibit of publishers' review books so that librarians and others can make selections to add to the campus library collections. There is always a title or two that jumps out and catches everyone's attention. We have a great time laughing over the book and sharing it with each other.

The book that seem to catch everyone's eye in 2006 was How to be a Pirate by Melinda Long. David Shannon's artwork reminded me so much of one my favorite nonsense songs, Ray Steven's The Pirate Song, that I enjoyed the book even more.

Then while working with some teachers recently, I realized this delightful book AND a companion title Pirates Don't Change Diapers are also available as e-books through TumbleBooks. If you are lucky enough to have this database, you can enjoy these two stories read aloud with fun music thrown in! There is even a little game available through TumbleBooks that comes from the original title.

Wouldn't it be a great lead-in to a "how-to" essays or even "how-to" speeches in high school? !!

This year's choice for group funny book was 17 Things I'm Not Allowed To Do Anymore written by Jenny Offill and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. I think the group consensus was that the funniest illustration was where the mischievous little girl stapled her brothers hair to the pillowcase. I do have to admit that a close second for me was the fly in the ice cube although that would be pretty gross if it were played on me!

And yes, I see writing prompt ideas with this one, too. don't you?

Another way I get to run into great books is through the librarians around me who are always sharing great titles. When a colleague put out a call for some book ideas for a presentation, she shared one that just hit my funnybone so much, it made me howl with laughter! Chicks and Salsa! Is that not just the greatest title? Written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Paulette bogan, it is about the farm animals and a fiesta of good eats. It is so clever and the play-on-word features make it extra special. I loved it at first sight and managed to work it into MY presentation as well! Thanks TH & LP for sharing.

Am I easily entertained? Yup, you bet!

I hope you have a great Children's Book Week and have selected some winners for your kids. Comment and share you ideas!

Need some ideas:
Grade level choices
2X2
Texas Bluebonnets
Book Buds
A Chair, a Fireplace, a Tea Cozy
Chicken Spaghetti
ALA ALSC Choices

028.5 Author Visit: Bringing a Bluebonnet to Life

Several schools in my sphere of influence enjoyed a visit from Obert Skye, author of one of this year's Bluebonnet nominees, Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo.



The book is a fantasy of the adventures of an Oklahoma kid named Leven and a neglected girl known as Winter Frore as they travel to the magical land of Foo.
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Part of the author's message included what he called secrets... Have Courage - Think Big - Be Great.
x

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He talked a lot about the writing process and especially the concept of brainstorming that one librarian reported was so important to the teachers present...they had been working on that very thing in class and how great to have it emphasized by the popular author. He also talked to the students about writing a draft and then improving on it.

Not even surprise visitors (plastic cockroaches!) could take the students attention away!

There was plenty of other fun, too...Skye held a game show and the students enthusiastically answered all of the questions correctly...they new the details of the story!...and won coveted T-shirts, etc. He signed books...personal copies and library copies, too. Some students enjoyed themselves so much, they wre making plans to visit the bookstore where he was appearing Friday night!

011.625 Good Book Lists: In Honor of Teen Read Week

Teen Read Week October 14-20

Know you have some displays of good reads for YAs...here are some lists with more title ideas to share with the teens who come to your library...or to use in collection development!

ALA What's So Funny

IRA Young Adult Choices

Duluth Public Library Funny books for Teens

Good Reads for High School Readers

Who Writes This Stuff? Who Reads This Stuff

YA Authors Cafe (reviews)

YA Nominations for 2007 Cybils

LOC National Book Festival Suggested Reads for Teens

TeenReads.com

Teri Lesne's YA Goddess

University of Texas Books R4 Teens

Contra County California Library StaffPicksWiki Books for Teens

National Book Award 2007 nominations

• Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Little, Brown & Company)
• Kathleen Duey, Skin Hunger: A Resurrection of Magic, Book One(Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
• M. Sindy Felin, Touching Snow (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
• Brian Selznick, The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Scholastic Press)
• Sara Zarr, Story of a Girl (Little, Brown & Company)

P.S. Vote for next year's theme here.

028.5 Get on Board for Reading: Si Puedo!

Last week I made a visit to a library in my sphere of influence where the librarian had a couple of his reading promotional "tools" up and running. He has an interest in model trains and a toy train (for a grandchild when it's not at school) that he shares with his students.



Last year the students "built"track and bridges for a model train based on how many books they read and other library activities. While I was visiting, some 5th graders had earned points for driving the train.



The art class even got into the act by painting the structure to look like a more realistic bridge.

The kindergartners were treated to the children's classic The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. As the "engineer" read the story, members of the class got to ride the rails and blow the whistle of the mini-marvel! The youngsters are the kings of the campus during this adventures because they are the only ones "small" enough to ride...and the older students stand around in awe...with a tiny amount of jealousy mixed in!

Since most of the children are beginners in English, the librarian and teacher used this story time to work on basic English vocabulary related to trains and travel and trying!

By the way, do you know the "history" of that particular book and its "author" Watty Piper? It came up in conversation that there are no other books written by that particular author...a kind of one-hit wonder. Actually it is a pseudonym used by the publisher of the 1954 version of a story that has several names and a history going back a 100 years.

92 Some of My Thoughts About Books

Don't usually respond on this blog to the various memes floating around, but this one that I saw over at Goddess of YA made me think a lot about books and I thought I'd share my thoughts...especially since some people out there suspect I don't "read" because all they ever see is me "on the computer"!!

1. Hardcover or paperback, and why?
Hardback because they are “real” books to me…do I practice what I prefer—no. Practicality does not allow me to do so…and many books are only available in paper now anyway. But if I could make a law…books would only be hardback with rich papers and beautiful tradtional covers…and they would not cost a gazillion dollars to be like this!

2. If I were to own a book shop I would call it…
The Book End…had a newsletter of the same name several years ago because the library was at the end of the hall…would want the shop at the end of the street or row of shops in the shopping center!

3. My favorite quote from a book (mention the title) is…
Can’t help it... 3–part answer!
A. The newest one from Gordon Korman’s recent book Born to Rock:
"There are two kinds of people in this world--those who have had a cavity search, and those who haven't. This is the story of how I wound up in the wrong category."
This is just so Korman…and so bizarre that it makes me laugh…a lot!

B. Another favorite from a few years ago…again humorous and made even more special because the author Gary Paulsen can NOT read these short stories from How Angel Petersen Got His Name without laughing out loud himself.
In talking about the extreme sports of his youth, he states:“I want you to remember two important facts— 1. We were quite a bit dumber then. 2. There wasn’t any safety gear.”

C. And one more that came from a life-changing book for me, The 7 Habits of Highly Efffective People where Covey states:
"We are free to choose our response in any situation, but in doing so, we choose the attendant consequence.”
A sort of “for every action, there is a reaction”…I have often thought about which set of consequences do I want to deal with when trying to make a decsion on which way to go.


4. The author (alive or deceased) I would love to have lunch with would be ….
Living: Frank McCourt…to talk with a “real” Irishman who also happens to be a teacher who tells such wonderful stories
Dead: Mark Twain and Louisa May Alcott and Harper Lee and…


5. If I was going to a deserted island and could only bring one book, except from the SAS survival guide, it would be…
a laptop or gigantic I-pod type device full of all the books I would want around me…1 book—you gotta be kidding me—impossible mission!


6. I would love someone to invent a bookish gadget that….
Can’t for the life of me think of anything I need unless it would be something even better to accomplish #6…and make the content “feel” like it was in a real book.

7. The smell of an old book reminds me of….
Wonderful memories reading books from my parents’ shelves, some which belonged to my grandmother. I know they are now considered unhealthy, but “old” books are like old friends.


8. If I could be the lead character in a book (mention the title), it would be….
Josephine March of Little Women...or one of the children from the original Boxcar children stories. I thought would have been cool to live in a boxcar…or Atticus Finch


9. The most overestimated book of all times is….
This one will probably get me in trouble…it is SUCH a classic, but, hey, we are entitled to our opinions aren’t we…Gone with the Wind.


10. I hate it when a book….
takes 90% of a book to draw out the story with great descriptions, wonderful character development and lots of action, only to have the author realize he/she only has “X” number of pages (as set by the publisher or page police) to finish everything up and so zooms thru to the end, forgetting to continue the great descriptions, wonderful character development and action to the last page. Can I think of a title as an example? not at this moment, but it happened to me so often, I have almost given up fiction because of it.


I welcome anyone to respond...looking forward to your selections!

098.1 Banned Books Week: Free People Read Freely ®

This week, Sept. 29th – Oct. 6th is the official week to reflect on the freedom to read and think about how to provide that right to those who come under our influence. ALA’s theme for the event this year is Free People Read Freely and as usual the organization’s website is full of all kinds of information.

It amazes me that in this day of fighting the battle of access to the Internet and its resources riches, that we as librarians still need to be sure our patrons have that same access to the printed word! When reviewing the list of the most banned books over the years I always find some of my very favorite books (To Kill a Mockingbird, Fallen Angels, The Face on the Milk Carton, On My Honor, Huck Finn)…some long-time authors…and as always some new titles -- HP!

I have always had to deal with this issue within the framework of the school setting…a little different perspective than a public or academic librarian. I always tell school librarians—
1. KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY and select materials that go along with the curriculum where you can. Have choice available so that all concerned can find something that fits their parameters, whatever they may be.
2. KNOW YOUR BOOKS and be able to explain the good (and bad) points of the books and the authors who wrote them. Keep up with the recommendations, both from professional reviewers and colleagues in our business…a huge benefit of the blogging world!
3. ENCOURAGE CHOICE and make sure the teachers you work with understand that concept. No child should have to read one particular book…or be singled out as the only kid not reading the “class novel.” Multiple choice just makes sense…groups reading various books just makes sense…and the benefit…kids are exposed to even more books thru group discussions, projects, etc. (And advise a teacher to be sure and READ the book(s) he/she wants to "teach"--YES, I have had to advise more than one teacher of this!)
4. BE PREPARED and have a procedure in place for those time when parents and others may question one of the books in your collection. Careful reconsideration policies usually can defuse a situation and bring about a solution that pleases all.

Some other places to check information about the freedom to read…
Kidspeak!
Judy Blume Talks about Censorship
As If – YA Authors Support Intellectual Freedom (includes YouTube video)
ALA’s Banned Book Week in Cyberspace – some of these sites will be blocked, but hopefully the general info won’t be…guess we will see
Celebrate the Freedom to Read post from Google blog
Banned books and the Presidents
Chicken Spaghetti's short observation
Fahrenheit 451: Banned Books blog