Great Books 2008 included an author talk by Bruce Coville, and three book discussions (picture book, juvenile fiction, and young adult books). At the first book discussion session this list of “Universal Book Discussion Questions” was distributed. I have shared this with several of my colleagues and they have found it very helpful, so I decided I would post it on the blog in hopes that it may be useful to others. It has given me some good ideas for leading a book discussion.
Universal Book Discussion Questions
What did you enjoy about the story?
What was your favorite aspect of the story and why?
What have you read or seen that is similar
Did you find this story a quick read? Why or why not?
What are your concerns about this book?
How did you feel about the main character? What is memorable about him/her?
Who was your favorite character? What did you appreciate most about him/her?
What did you think of the style of the author?
What made the story credible to you? What made the characters credible?
What are the flaws of the story?
What didn’t you like about the story?
Who would you recommend this title to?
Mary Jane Heinbuch
Olney Library
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Great Books Celebration
The Great Books Celebration is an excellent opportunity to share books with other children and young adult librarians from all over the state of Maryland. 2008 was the 25th annual conference sponsored by Baltimore County with committee members from a number of other counties.
The morning started with each age group committee-great picture books, great books for kids, and great books for teens-presenting a slide show of their choices for the best books of 2007 in their category. Then 2 sessions of book discussions were followed by a delicious buffet lunch. Bruce Colville delighted us with a funny and engaging speech about himself, writing, and the world of today’s authors. The day ended with a third book discussion session.
Each participant chose the 3 book discussions sessions they wanted to attend. There were 7 different sets of books for each age group to choose from. For pictures books I chose the Home Sweet Home section and Library Mouse by Kirk and Perfect Nest by Friend were my favorites. Actually I liked all 5 of these choices. I chose Opposites Attract for my kid’s session. My favorites of the 4 books read were Owen and Mzee: the Language of Friendship by Hatkoff and A Friendship for Today by McKissack. Secrets and Lies was the teen topic I chose. Of the 4 choices I only liked Leaving Paradise by Elkeles. I can see where A Lifetime of Secrets by Warren would appeal to some readers but it was not my cup of tea. Harmless by Reinhardt and Sara’s Face by Burgess were fairly universally not liked by my discussion group.
Opportunities to expand my reader’s advisory skills are appreciated. Discussing the books with other librarians made me aware of things in the stories that I missed. It was fun to share different ways we could use these books in our work. After a good discussion of what teens like and dislike, I feel I have a better understanding of what teens are looking for in their reading.
Meredith Smith Olney Library
The morning started with each age group committee-great picture books, great books for kids, and great books for teens-presenting a slide show of their choices for the best books of 2007 in their category. Then 2 sessions of book discussions were followed by a delicious buffet lunch. Bruce Colville delighted us with a funny and engaging speech about himself, writing, and the world of today’s authors. The day ended with a third book discussion session.
Each participant chose the 3 book discussions sessions they wanted to attend. There were 7 different sets of books for each age group to choose from. For pictures books I chose the Home Sweet Home section and Library Mouse by Kirk and Perfect Nest by Friend were my favorites. Actually I liked all 5 of these choices. I chose Opposites Attract for my kid’s session. My favorites of the 4 books read were Owen and Mzee: the Language of Friendship by Hatkoff and A Friendship for Today by McKissack. Secrets and Lies was the teen topic I chose. Of the 4 choices I only liked Leaving Paradise by Elkeles. I can see where A Lifetime of Secrets by Warren would appeal to some readers but it was not my cup of tea. Harmless by Reinhardt and Sara’s Face by Burgess were fairly universally not liked by my discussion group.
Opportunities to expand my reader’s advisory skills are appreciated. Discussing the books with other librarians made me aware of things in the stories that I missed. It was fun to share different ways we could use these books in our work. After a good discussion of what teens like and dislike, I feel I have a better understanding of what teens are looking for in their reading.
Meredith Smith Olney Library
Notes from PLA
Notes from PLA - Joe Ann Stenstrom
The bookends of the 2008 PLA Conference were the opening General Session featuring John Wood and the Closing Session featuring Paula Poundstone. Mr. Wood, founder and CEO of Room to Read, gave an inspirational talk on bringing education and reading to children in developing countries. He left a corporate career after learning of the lack of books and schools for the children of Nepal. Founded in 2000 the organizaiton has opened 440 schoos with libraries; 250 more are scheduled for 2008. By working with the local population who donated hours of labor, they have reduced the cost and given the people pride and ownership in the projects. Their goal is 20,000 libraries for 10 million children by 2020.
The last session brought to a satisfying close a week of examining closely the various aspects of public librarianship. Ms. Poundstone brought light-hearted humor to a look at our profession, poking good-natured fun at all our "sacred cow" - DDC and why we became librarians, etc., sending us on our way, proud to be public librarians.
In between the bookends, my focus was on teen service, readers' advisory and reference.
Teen concerns:
Teen programs dealt with volunteers, space, YA service and teens themselves. In recruiting teen volunteers, the need to know characteristics of teens was emphasized - (ie, long term can mean a couple of weeks to them; though multi-taskers, they often cannot accomplish more than one task at a time; they need clear and explicit explanations since they often do not understand expectations. The need to be flexible and play to their individual strengths was also emphasized. We were reminded that teen volunteers should be viewed as co-servers and must be given appropriate, meaningful work and training, giving them a sense of ownership in the job. Benefits to the teens include job skill training, learning to meet expectations and maintain time schedules, interpersonal relationships, learning respectful behavior. A well-planned program can provide opportunities for career ladders and social development. One teen leadership program grew into a successful internship program in partnership with Simmons College with a work/study which has led to career training and opportunities for participants.
Teens gave recruiting tips including word of mouth, personal contact, outreach to places teens are located. In addition, they gave tips for retaining volulnteers -- forgetting stereotypes, celebrating success, showing respect and giving meaningful activities. It was noted that librarians are not merely supervisors to teens, but mentors and role models.
In serving teens, we were encouraged to differentiate between disruptive and dangerous behavior, disruptive being normal and annoying and dangerous being abnormal, harmful to themselves and others and illegal. Disruptive behavior was described as being the result of ignorance (no one told them how to act in the library); developmental issues (attention seeking, competitive, opinionated and needing socialization); lack of sleep which makes them cranky, lacking in energy and prone to poor judgement; brain development - the teen brain is still "under construction" leading to poor impulse control, short term memory, risk taking, lack of moral control, excitability and, thus, loudness. Boundaries are needed with clearly stated consequences. Suggestions for combating behavior problems were: move around the library, build personal relationships, give teens space of their own, have lots of programs with meaningful participation and positive ways to expend energy. The admonition was given to remember that the behavior is nto personal and encouragement to learn to RAP - Remember what it was like to be a teen, Accept them for who they are and Project (they are our future and job security).
Teen service includes space. Three scenarios presented varying means of constructing space for teens. One made a study of teen bedrooms where everything is on display, personal, and always changing which could influence how we use space and display materials. The speakers advocating asking teens to help with displays using whimsy and playfulness with vibrant colors and strong forms. Moveable furniture was suggested with varying seating options to accomoodate the still growing bodies. While making space comfortable and inviting, definable parameters are still needed.
Readers' Advisory:
Tools for RA were discussed in several workshps highlighting ideas for different kinds of displays using connections between parts of the collection, not forgetting the older titles, "readers' maps", read-a-likes. To keep current on new materials, though not particularly new nor novel, the following ideas were presented: use of websites and blogs, library award announcements, and, of course, reviews. Beyond these obvious means, librarians were encouraged to really know their collections, making connections between old and new. In one workshop devoted to memoirs, a variety of subject areas were discussed from childhood and travel to sense of place, food and profession. Two intriguing ideas for display were "Lost in the 800's" and "Explore the 600's" for disease memoirs. How to access was deemed more important than how to catalogue since some fit multiple categories.
Genre studies for staff were conducted at individual libraries, for entire systems and in cooperation between three systems. These were as simple as a staff reading and discussing books from particular genres on a scheduled basis to entire systems conducting workshops with certification credits over periods of three to five years.
A lighthearted look at librarians in literature was presented by Michael Gannon, PG Co. Along with the look at "Superheroes to Serial Killers", a number of titles to use for RA were introduced.
Two luncheons and one workshop highlighted particular parts of RA. Luncheon speaker Pat Mora, children's author of TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY and DONA FLORA, discussed her work in terms of the optimism of spending our energy on the next generation. She spoke of the comfort of language, noting that 1 in 5 children in the US speaks a language other than English at home. She admonished us to acknowledge this with bilingual offerings. Raul Colon, illustrator for DONA FLORA, also spoke to this topic.
Luncheon speaker Nancy Pearl explained her path to becoming book reviewer for NPR and the books in which she has compiled suggestions from recommendations of children and teens, not from adults listing what children should read. She advocated validating what children read and being genuinely interested in order to raise kids who love to read. She thinks lists are artificial but serve the purpose of giving a reason to come to the library. Her comic recounting of the "perils of a life of reading" included never knowing the correct pronunciation of words and confusing the memory of events in one's life with those about which one has read. This was a delightful presentation that would send anyone to the book shelf and to NPR to hear her "Pearls of Wisdom" on reading.
Minnesota teen authors discussed writing for adults but being read by teens and vice versa with adults perhaps wanting to read the works before their teens. They spoke of the YA category as being artificially created and the nature of the teen market being gone before the book is out. All said that rather than writing for an age group, they strive to tell a good story. Some spoke of writing with a partner taking various forms, and said that absolute trust is essential whether alternating chapters and characters or any other pattern. One author spoke of sex in teen Science Fiction being not as acceptable as in realistic fiction. A Science Fiction and Fantasy author noted that these genres tend to have a socio-political meaning. A graphic novel writer said that to write these, the author must understand the comic book. Several titles in various genres for teens were discussed.
Reference:
The H. W. Wilson Co. presented new features of the website which include "1 click" searching giving more precise results from the more than 1,000 items entered each year. The following data bases were visually presented:
Art Image Gallery with 150,000 downloadables from art galleries and museums, including fine art, photos, architectural drawings, modern art, historical posters and political cartoons
Biography Reference Bank giving citations
Biography Reference Bank Select with full text only; 50 most recent citations on 236,000 individuals; includes chapter from Facts about Presidents and speeches of the presidents
Children's Catalog - graphic novels added to the core collection; can search by grade level and sub-genre; starred reviews and "best" lists; updated almost daily
Current Issues Reference Shelf Plus - useful for debate topics and explanations of issues
Current Issues in Health with full text and icons for searching
Nonbook materials added to the core collection - 2,000+ - audio, periodical, electronic, video, sound recordings
Readers Guide Retrospective 1890-1982
Readers Guide Full Text
Sears List of Subject Headings, 19th ed., on the web this year and can link; now in Spanish
In "What Does It Take to Be Good at Reference in the Age of Google?", the argument was presented that librarians can do what Google cannot yet do - namely, save the patron time and money. Google is not good at gathering nor selecting and evaluating information, yet. Google can search for the specific, orient the search, give breadth and it is free. Often patrons think that is "good enough". In conducting a good reference interview and knowing when to use Google and when not, we can help patrons find information more quickly and efficiently. We fit in by being reference librarians, conducting a good interview (done only half the time, according to the presenter), knowing the tricks of using Google and special features of the web, articulating our strength, letting people know what we can do and then building the tools to help people find information, such as pathfinders, easily understood names for services and tools, making it easy to find links. We need to position ourselves as time savers and be available where the patrons are, both physically and virtually and focus on what we can uniquely do in terms of quality, depth, instruction, tool building, literary knowledge, using all resources at hand. Instead of lamenting the constant use of the computer, we were admonished to be glad people are coming to the library for this service when it could just as easily be placed in any other public location like the Post Office, for instance. We were reminded to remember that ours is a profession first among equals, "keepers of the human record" and to make the library central to information needs for the lives of our communities.
The bookends of the 2008 PLA Conference were the opening General Session featuring John Wood and the Closing Session featuring Paula Poundstone. Mr. Wood, founder and CEO of Room to Read, gave an inspirational talk on bringing education and reading to children in developing countries. He left a corporate career after learning of the lack of books and schools for the children of Nepal. Founded in 2000 the organizaiton has opened 440 schoos with libraries; 250 more are scheduled for 2008. By working with the local population who donated hours of labor, they have reduced the cost and given the people pride and ownership in the projects. Their goal is 20,000 libraries for 10 million children by 2020.
The last session brought to a satisfying close a week of examining closely the various aspects of public librarianship. Ms. Poundstone brought light-hearted humor to a look at our profession, poking good-natured fun at all our "sacred cow" - DDC and why we became librarians, etc., sending us on our way, proud to be public librarians.
In between the bookends, my focus was on teen service, readers' advisory and reference.
Teen concerns:
Teen programs dealt with volunteers, space, YA service and teens themselves. In recruiting teen volunteers, the need to know characteristics of teens was emphasized - (ie, long term can mean a couple of weeks to them; though multi-taskers, they often cannot accomplish more than one task at a time; they need clear and explicit explanations since they often do not understand expectations. The need to be flexible and play to their individual strengths was also emphasized. We were reminded that teen volunteers should be viewed as co-servers and must be given appropriate, meaningful work and training, giving them a sense of ownership in the job. Benefits to the teens include job skill training, learning to meet expectations and maintain time schedules, interpersonal relationships, learning respectful behavior. A well-planned program can provide opportunities for career ladders and social development. One teen leadership program grew into a successful internship program in partnership with Simmons College with a work/study which has led to career training and opportunities for participants.
Teens gave recruiting tips including word of mouth, personal contact, outreach to places teens are located. In addition, they gave tips for retaining volulnteers -- forgetting stereotypes, celebrating success, showing respect and giving meaningful activities. It was noted that librarians are not merely supervisors to teens, but mentors and role models.
In serving teens, we were encouraged to differentiate between disruptive and dangerous behavior, disruptive being normal and annoying and dangerous being abnormal, harmful to themselves and others and illegal. Disruptive behavior was described as being the result of ignorance (no one told them how to act in the library); developmental issues (attention seeking, competitive, opinionated and needing socialization); lack of sleep which makes them cranky, lacking in energy and prone to poor judgement; brain development - the teen brain is still "under construction" leading to poor impulse control, short term memory, risk taking, lack of moral control, excitability and, thus, loudness. Boundaries are needed with clearly stated consequences. Suggestions for combating behavior problems were: move around the library, build personal relationships, give teens space of their own, have lots of programs with meaningful participation and positive ways to expend energy. The admonition was given to remember that the behavior is nto personal and encouragement to learn to RAP - Remember what it was like to be a teen, Accept them for who they are and Project (they are our future and job security).
Teen service includes space. Three scenarios presented varying means of constructing space for teens. One made a study of teen bedrooms where everything is on display, personal, and always changing which could influence how we use space and display materials. The speakers advocating asking teens to help with displays using whimsy and playfulness with vibrant colors and strong forms. Moveable furniture was suggested with varying seating options to accomoodate the still growing bodies. While making space comfortable and inviting, definable parameters are still needed.
Readers' Advisory:
Tools for RA were discussed in several workshps highlighting ideas for different kinds of displays using connections between parts of the collection, not forgetting the older titles, "readers' maps", read-a-likes. To keep current on new materials, though not particularly new nor novel, the following ideas were presented: use of websites and blogs, library award announcements, and, of course, reviews. Beyond these obvious means, librarians were encouraged to really know their collections, making connections between old and new. In one workshop devoted to memoirs, a variety of subject areas were discussed from childhood and travel to sense of place, food and profession. Two intriguing ideas for display were "Lost in the 800's" and "Explore the 600's" for disease memoirs. How to access was deemed more important than how to catalogue since some fit multiple categories.
Genre studies for staff were conducted at individual libraries, for entire systems and in cooperation between three systems. These were as simple as a staff reading and discussing books from particular genres on a scheduled basis to entire systems conducting workshops with certification credits over periods of three to five years.
A lighthearted look at librarians in literature was presented by Michael Gannon, PG Co. Along with the look at "Superheroes to Serial Killers", a number of titles to use for RA were introduced.
Two luncheons and one workshop highlighted particular parts of RA. Luncheon speaker Pat Mora, children's author of TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY and DONA FLORA, discussed her work in terms of the optimism of spending our energy on the next generation. She spoke of the comfort of language, noting that 1 in 5 children in the US speaks a language other than English at home. She admonished us to acknowledge this with bilingual offerings. Raul Colon, illustrator for DONA FLORA, also spoke to this topic.
Luncheon speaker Nancy Pearl explained her path to becoming book reviewer for NPR and the books in which she has compiled suggestions from recommendations of children and teens, not from adults listing what children should read. She advocated validating what children read and being genuinely interested in order to raise kids who love to read. She thinks lists are artificial but serve the purpose of giving a reason to come to the library. Her comic recounting of the "perils of a life of reading" included never knowing the correct pronunciation of words and confusing the memory of events in one's life with those about which one has read. This was a delightful presentation that would send anyone to the book shelf and to NPR to hear her "Pearls of Wisdom" on reading.
Minnesota teen authors discussed writing for adults but being read by teens and vice versa with adults perhaps wanting to read the works before their teens. They spoke of the YA category as being artificially created and the nature of the teen market being gone before the book is out. All said that rather than writing for an age group, they strive to tell a good story. Some spoke of writing with a partner taking various forms, and said that absolute trust is essential whether alternating chapters and characters or any other pattern. One author spoke of sex in teen Science Fiction being not as acceptable as in realistic fiction. A Science Fiction and Fantasy author noted that these genres tend to have a socio-political meaning. A graphic novel writer said that to write these, the author must understand the comic book. Several titles in various genres for teens were discussed.
Reference:
The H. W. Wilson Co. presented new features of the website which include "1 click" searching giving more precise results from the more than 1,000 items entered each year. The following data bases were visually presented:
Art Image Gallery with 150,000 downloadables from art galleries and museums, including fine art, photos, architectural drawings, modern art, historical posters and political cartoons
Biography Reference Bank giving citations
Biography Reference Bank Select with full text only; 50 most recent citations on 236,000 individuals; includes chapter from Facts about Presidents and speeches of the presidents
Children's Catalog - graphic novels added to the core collection; can search by grade level and sub-genre; starred reviews and "best" lists; updated almost daily
Current Issues Reference Shelf Plus - useful for debate topics and explanations of issues
Current Issues in Health with full text and icons for searching
Nonbook materials added to the core collection - 2,000+ - audio, periodical, electronic, video, sound recordings
Readers Guide Retrospective 1890-1982
Readers Guide Full Text
Sears List of Subject Headings, 19th ed., on the web this year and can link; now in Spanish
In "What Does It Take to Be Good at Reference in the Age of Google?", the argument was presented that librarians can do what Google cannot yet do - namely, save the patron time and money. Google is not good at gathering nor selecting and evaluating information, yet. Google can search for the specific, orient the search, give breadth and it is free. Often patrons think that is "good enough". In conducting a good reference interview and knowing when to use Google and when not, we can help patrons find information more quickly and efficiently. We fit in by being reference librarians, conducting a good interview (done only half the time, according to the presenter), knowing the tricks of using Google and special features of the web, articulating our strength, letting people know what we can do and then building the tools to help people find information, such as pathfinders, easily understood names for services and tools, making it easy to find links. We need to position ourselves as time savers and be available where the patrons are, both physically and virtually and focus on what we can uniquely do in terms of quality, depth, instruction, tool building, literary knowledge, using all resources at hand. Instead of lamenting the constant use of the computer, we were admonished to be glad people are coming to the library for this service when it could just as easily be placed in any other public location like the Post Office, for instance. We were reminded to remember that ours is a profession first among equals, "keepers of the human record" and to make the library central to information needs for the lives of our communities.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Great Books Celebration 2008, April 2nd
From Leslie Jarvis:
I attended the second day of the Great Books Celebration at the Sheppard Pratt Conference Center in Baltimore. The day began with a presentation of favorite titles from the three committees, Great Picture Books, Great Books for Kids, and Great Books for Teens. This was very informative, as a number of the highlighted books are not owned in the Montgomery County Library system.
Great Picture Book Committee Favorites:
Some Dog! by Mary Casanova.
After a new puppy is brought into the home, George, an old beloved family pet, finds his fear of losing his place in his owner's hearts, was all for naught. Ages 4 - 8. This title is not currently owned by MCPL.
The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend.
You may recall this title from our Notable Books meeting. A cat advertises the perfect nest in order to make a perfect omelet, but too many farm birds move in. Ages 3 - 6
The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice Harrington.
A tale of a young southern girl who has fun chasing her favorite chicken until she learns a secret. Ages 4 - 8
I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry.
A lovable giant squid boasts to everyone about his tremendous size until being swallowed by a whale puts his stature into perspective. Ages 3 -7
Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson by Sue Stauffacher.
"Althea Gibson was the tallest, wildest tomboy in the history of Harlem," begins this picture book biography. She transforms herself to become the first African-American tennis player, male or female, to win at Wimbledon. Ages 6 - 9
My Friend is Sad and Today I Will Fly! by Mo Willems.
Elephant Gerald and nameless Pig are true pals in these very funny easy reader stories about emotions and friendship. Ages 4 - 9
Every Friday by Dan Yaccarino.
In this heartwarming story, we join a father and son on their weekly walk to a local diner for breakfast. Yaccarino's simple but sweet story and illustrations are sure to inspire many families to start their own meaningful tradition. Ages 3 - 7. This book is on order for MCPL.
Great Books for Kids Committee Favorites:
Someone Named Eva by Joan Wolf.
It's 1942. The Germans seek blond, blue-eyed children to be retrained as perfect Germans in their Lebensborn program. Melida is taken from her home in Lidich, Czechoslovakia, becomes Eva, and is adopted by an important German family who live near the Ravensbruck concentration camp. Ages 10 -14 This title is not currently owned by MCPL.
Great Books for Teens Committee Favorites:
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron.
In a first-person narrative, 18-year-old Manhattanite James Sveck tells his story. While mature and urbane, James still deals with teenage concerns like loneliness and the difficulty of making emotional connections. Ages 16 and up
Before I Die by Jenny Downham.
After prolonged suffering, 16 year-old Tessa finally refuses chemotherapy in a bid to die on her own terms. With only a few months to live, she makes a list of all the things she would like to experience before her body fails her. Ages 14 and up
I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle.
A geeky valedictorian and his awkward sidekick have the adventure of their lives when a declaration of unrequited love kicks off a night of chases, rescues, escapes, and teenage tomfoolery. Ages 16 and up. This title is not currently owned by MCPL.
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville.
Two 12 year-old girls find themselves in an unusual situation, revealing UnLondon, the mirror image of the city where they live. Fantastical and mundane characters are encountered in their journey to save both places. Ages 12 and up
Freak Show by James St. James.
Meet Billy Bloom, absolutely fabulous teen drag queen in training and new transplant to Florida. Billy's personality targets him for escalating verbal and physical abuse at the hands of sadistic cheerleaders and thuggish football players, but he refuses to give in, mobilizing a troop of outcasts in his controversial bid for the homecoming queen crown. Ages 16 and up
The latest book from the PostSecret project is roughly chronological through life, with submissions from secret keepers from about age 8 to 80. Ages 12 and up
I attended the second day of the Great Books Celebration at the Sheppard Pratt Conference Center in Baltimore. The day began with a presentation of favorite titles from the three committees, Great Picture Books, Great Books for Kids, and Great Books for Teens. This was very informative, as a number of the highlighted books are not owned in the Montgomery County Library system.
Great Picture Book Committee Favorites:
Some Dog! by Mary Casanova.
After a new puppy is brought into the home, George, an old beloved family pet, finds his fear of losing his place in his owner's hearts, was all for naught. Ages 4 - 8. This title is not currently owned by MCPL.
The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend.
You may recall this title from our Notable Books meeting. A cat advertises the perfect nest in order to make a perfect omelet, but too many farm birds move in. Ages 3 - 6
The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice Harrington.
A tale of a young southern girl who has fun chasing her favorite chicken until she learns a secret. Ages 4 - 8
I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry.
A lovable giant squid boasts to everyone about his tremendous size until being swallowed by a whale puts his stature into perspective. Ages 3 -7
Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson by Sue Stauffacher.
"Althea Gibson was the tallest, wildest tomboy in the history of Harlem," begins this picture book biography. She transforms herself to become the first African-American tennis player, male or female, to win at Wimbledon. Ages 6 - 9
My Friend is Sad and Today I Will Fly! by Mo Willems.
Elephant Gerald and nameless Pig are true pals in these very funny easy reader stories about emotions and friendship. Ages 4 - 9
Every Friday by Dan Yaccarino.
In this heartwarming story, we join a father and son on their weekly walk to a local diner for breakfast. Yaccarino's simple but sweet story and illustrations are sure to inspire many families to start their own meaningful tradition. Ages 3 - 7. This book is on order for MCPL.
Great Books for Kids Committee Favorites:
No Talking by Andrew Clements.
The noisy fifth-grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth-grade girls to a "no talking" contest. Ages 8 - 12
Glint by Ann Coburn.
Ellie and her brother Daniel spent many summer days creating a world of dragons and socrcery, and an impetuous heroine named Argent. Now Danny has disappeared and Ellie must attempt her own quest to save him, as Argent struggles with returning a dragon hatchling to her mother. The stories are told in alternating chapters. Ages 9 - 12. This book is not currently owned by MCPL.
An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming by Al Gore.
Adapted from the adult book, Gore presents kids with information related to global warming. With the evidence paired against vivid, powerful pictures, this book acts as a call to action for all children, urging them to make changes for the planet. Ages 9 - 12
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor.
Living in the family car in their small North Carolina town after their father leaves them virtually penniless, Georgina persuades her younger brother to help her in an elaborate scheme to get money by stealing a dog and then claiming the reward that the owners are bound to offer. Ages 8 - 12
The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt.
This is a book I read for my discussion breakout session. See below for my group's reaction to it!
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.
The Caldecott winner for 2008--you all know about this one already!
Someone Named Eva by Joan Wolf.
It's 1942. The Germans seek blond, blue-eyed children to be retrained as perfect Germans in their Lebensborn program. Melida is taken from her home in Lidich, Czechoslovakia, becomes Eva, and is adopted by an important German family who live near the Ravensbruck concentration camp. Ages 10 -14 This title is not currently owned by MCPL.
Great Books for Teens Committee Favorites:
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron.
In a first-person narrative, 18-year-old Manhattanite James Sveck tells his story. While mature and urbane, James still deals with teenage concerns like loneliness and the difficulty of making emotional connections. Ages 16 and up
Before I Die by Jenny Downham.
After prolonged suffering, 16 year-old Tessa finally refuses chemotherapy in a bid to die on her own terms. With only a few months to live, she makes a list of all the things she would like to experience before her body fails her. Ages 14 and up
I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle.
A geeky valedictorian and his awkward sidekick have the adventure of their lives when a declaration of unrequited love kicks off a night of chases, rescues, escapes, and teenage tomfoolery. Ages 16 and up. This title is not currently owned by MCPL.
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville.
Two 12 year-old girls find themselves in an unusual situation, revealing UnLondon, the mirror image of the city where they live. Fantastical and mundane characters are encountered in their journey to save both places. Ages 12 and up
Freak Show by James St. James.
Meet Billy Bloom, absolutely fabulous teen drag queen in training and new transplant to Florida. Billy's personality targets him for escalating verbal and physical abuse at the hands of sadistic cheerleaders and thuggish football players, but he refuses to give in, mobilizing a troop of outcasts in his controversial bid for the homecoming queen crown. Ages 16 and up
The Arrival by Shaun Tan.
This wordless graphic novel depicts a man leaving his homeland for a new country. Beautiful, intricate illustrations allow readers to experience a universal immigrant's tale, filled with confusion and wonder. Ages 12 and up. This book is not owned by MCPL at this time.
The latest book from the PostSecret project is roughly chronological through life, with submissions from secret keepers from about age 8 to 80. Ages 12 and up
After the introductory presentation, we split into our discussion groups. I chose "Nature's Way" for my picture book group, and we discussed A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Aston, Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres, Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me by Ann Grifalconi, Living Color by Steve Jenkins, and Leaves by David Ezra Stein. All the titles were well received, and we discussed how best to use them in the classroom as complements to curricula, since most of the participants were media specialists. Up, Down, and Around is not owned by MCPL, and would be a good addition to the collection for its fun, cartoony story about vegetables that grow up, down, and around in a family garden. An excellent spring story program title! We own other titles by Steve Jenkins, such as Life Size, but do not currently have his wonderful Living Color. This book has huge double-page spreads of a variety of different animals, all arranged by color. So, a page of pink animals, another of blue animals, green animals and so on. This would be a great browsing title, and can be used on a number of different levels, from preschoolers on up to third or fourth grade.
My second discussion group was "War Torn," books with a war theme or setting for grades 3 to 6. Hitler's Canary is the coming of age story of a boy living in Denmark during the Nazi occupation. This title reminded the group of Number the Stars and might be a good choice for children who enjoyed that title or wanted more information about the Danish resistance. On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck is a quieter tale set on the home front in central Illinois. This story doesn't have as much action, but is an evocative portrait of what it was like to grow up at that time in America. Some of the discussion group participants suggested that this would be a great jumping-off point for an intergenerational book club; a chance for grandparents to share with their grandchildren their stories from World War II. The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt was one that some people had trouble with because the main character was not very believeable. Holling Hoodhood is in 7th grade, forced to read Shakespeare by his English teacher who doesn't know what else to do with him when all of his classmates clear out on Wednesday afternoons to attend either Catechism or Hebrew school. He really connects with the stories and even memorizes some of the passages from the plays. Our group thought maybe a high schooler might be able to do this, but not a seventh grader. Holling is a fun, charming character, though, and everyone enjoyed the book all the same. Our last title was The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis. This was a great favorite of the group and people praised the artwork, the writing, the way the book cleverly conveys the oppression that Sis lived through as a child and young man in Communist Prague. All felt this was a very valuable title that can open the eyes of a child to a world that is almost beyond a modern-day American's comprehension.
The third discussion group I attended was "An Element of Danger," books for the young adult reader. We found the most mixed reactions for these titles--none were universally liked by all the discussion group members. Epoch, by Timothy Carter, is a satirical fantasy story about the end of the world. Demons are on their way to scourge the Earth in 48 hours, and Vincent has to get his family and friends off the planet. There are pixies, fairies, and other fantastic creatures in this story, as well as some jibes at fundamentalist sects. Some discussion participants worried about how the fundamentalist aspects of the book would be viewed by their patrons. Some weren't even sure the book was supposed to be funny. I enjoyed it, and would recommend it to kids who like Artemis Fowl, Terry Pratchett and even the Percy Jackson titles. Another sci-fi fantasy story, Being by Kevin Brooks, has a terrific premise: a boy goes into the hospital for an endoscopy to check for ulcers, and the doctors discover strange, alien tubes, wires, and technology in his gut. Is he human? Is he cyborg? Just what is he? The boy runs away from the hospital and a bloody, desperate quest to stay free from his unknown captors begins. Unfortunately, the book is slow, repetitive, very violent, and frankly, quite boring. No one in the group enjoyed it, although one participant said she enjoyed other books that Brooks has written. Boot Camp by Todd Strasser is violent and chilling, but a compelling read about a 15 year old sent off to a behavioral rehabilitation camp for troubled teens. Garrett isn't a bad kid, but his parents did not approve of his girlfriend, a former teacher, so they shipped him off. Can he survive the physical, mental, and emotional abuse he receives at Camp Harmony? This would be excellent for a teen discussion group, ages 13 and up. The last book we talked about is Right Behind You by Gail Giles. At the age of 9, Kip's mother is dead of cancer and he's full of anger at his father who made the family move out to the middle of nowhere in Alaska before his mother got sick. A neighbor boy shows up and torments Kip, and in a fit of rage, Kip sets the boy on fire. This is the shocking beginning of the fascinating story of Kip's journey from a facility for violent juvenile offenders to a new life and a new name in Indiana. Kip struggles to comes to terms with his past and to make peace with himself. Again, another good novel for older readers that makes them think about such themes as forgiveness and redemption.
Bruce Coville's presentation was in the early afternoon. He was delightful; telling stories and jokes and giving some background on how he came to be a writer. I was impressed at how philosophical most of his talk was, touching on topics ranging from the dearth of male role models in teaching and library professions to the characteristics of the best examples of books that kids want to read (those books have a balance of what he referred to as male and female storytelling energy. Male energy has lots of action, things happen, the plot moves ahead. Female energy deals with character development and interaction. He said the Harry Potter series is an excellent example of books that combine those two energies well). I left the talk with renewed energy and enthusiasm for my chosen profession. It is always good to be reminded of how important our work is to all the children, teachers, and caregivers we interact with every day.
Overall, this conference was an excellent chance for me to read broadly and sample books that the county does not own at the moment. I found interacting with my peers from other library systems very stimulating and it is always useful to hear other's opinions on how books can be used in the classroom and beyond. All the new titles I was exposed to will be very helpful back at the branch for reader's advisory.
Notes from PLA '08
Lisa does PLA '08
I arrived on Wednesday Mar 26; unfortunately too late to hear John Wood talk about his foundation Room to Read. But I did make the New Member reception where I met librarians from all over the country, including a very nice woman from NYC who was born in Nepal where he had built libraries.
Presentation Sessions
3/27—Where’s a YA Librarian When You Need One? Teen Reader’s Advisory for the Library—In a light tone, 2 presenters discussed when to approach teens and when not to, the type of questions we should ask, how to actually talk to them. We were even given a little cheat sheet with questions on them and a space to list Sure Bets. There were
questions about how to talk to teens when a parent is there, or when the teen isn’t there and the parent is; when kids get out of line; if you’re concerned about their safety with the type of books they ask for; assignment issues; sensitive materials. All in all it was a very productive session with a little comedy thrown in.
This is very useful when talking to teens.
Three Successful Library Partnerships Serving Adult English Language Learners—three partnerships with Minneapolis Public Libraries—we heard from a rep from Minneapolis Public Schools, the Literacy Council and a Minneapolis Library staff person. Although these were actual classes (not conversation clubs) we did learn some pertinent information such as the recruitment of volunteers, how they get their funding, and how locating their classrooms in the library are beneficial to them.
Sexy Senior Programming @ Your Library—how to have interesting, intergenerational programming not only at your library but also in a senior facility, i.e. bring your story time to them. They love to listen to stories and watch the children be involved. Children can read to seniors. They have set up internet classes specifically for seniors. They have family gaming events where an older adult is required. And there is something which is called The Laughter Club which is designed to improve health and reduce stress while producing sounds of laughter combined with motion. We participated in this exercise and we all felt better and more energized after the session. This is a useful programming tool.
3/28—Murder Most Sweet: Mystery Book Groups as Readers’ Advisory Tools—this was a Talk Table which is more informal than a Presentation. We discussed how a library in Massachusetts set up a mystery book group where participants each read a different title in a subgenre, i.e. romantic mysteries and then discuss them. She essentially teaches them to book talk. They do not tell them which sub-genre they’re going to be discussing until 1 month before the next book discussion. We discussed advertising a new book discussion as well.
We also found out that there was one like this but in the Science Fiction genre. I also brought up my No Pressure Book Discussion where everyone just brings any book they like and discuss it. Other book discussions were brought up:
Book Club in a Bag: Each bag contains at least 10 copies of a title, discussion questions, discussion leader tips and a book sign-up sheet to help the leader keep track of the books. Everything you need to help you run your own book discussion group! It does cost $ though.
There is also another type of book club called “Slackers Book Club” where the participants meet online and “blog” or chat back and forth about the chosen book.
So there were lots of ideas about how to start a book club and what types of book clubs to start.
The Best in Mystery Authors Revealed!—Linwood Barclay, CJ Box, Laura Lippman, T. Jefferson Parker and Karen Rose all spoke about their craft in a light and engaging manner. I found some new mystery writers to recommend to customers as well as old friends to reread.
What’s the Big Idea? The Idea Store and the Future of Public Libraries—Britain’s answer to libraries, community centers, and adult learning centers set in a lower income area of London with a low literacy rate and large immigrant population. They have opened three Idea Stores so far, all completely “branded” which includes staff wearing uniforms. The key ideas are:
Location—must be located near a place where people go (grocery store etc.)
Hours—open 71 hours, 7 days a week
Lots of activities—family sleepovers, poetry workshops, book hunts, songs, classes
Liberal policies—food allowed
Looks like a retail store with seamless services at all branches
As a result customer attendance tripled from former library. I cannot say that MCPL will become an Idea Store but they certainly have some interesting thoughts to bring home. For more info see www.ideastore.co.uk Part of going to a conference involves finding out what other library systems are doing. This is where we get new ideas.
Off Your Seat and On Your Feet! Proactive Reference Customer Service—we’ve all talked about this for years. Now Columbus Public has gotten rid of the Reference Desk and staff finds the customer instead of vice versa. Biggest problem in setting this up was the staff buy-in. Here’s how they did it:
http://www.placonference.org/handouts/1013_177Korenowsky_Christopher__116074_Mar05_2008_Time_104804AM.pdf
And here’s one more pro: there are no more desk schedules because every morning, staff meets and crafts their day with each other. And there is a lot of centralized programming so no one is reinventing the wheel. Another new idea!
3/29—The Memoir: R.A’s Dream or Nightmare—definition of autobiography as linear, verifiable, subject is prominent, an exterior account. Memoirs are like poetry, there are textures, intensity, perceptions, interpretation, and subtle layers. It is subjective, with family involving legacy, secrets, community.
The scenes are set like novels and paced like fiction. Memoirs are the hottest type of Non Fiction. It’s a pain for libraries because they are shelved everywhere: cookery, sports, science etc. The role of the librarian is to keep looking for these and put them out on display or keep lists of them (Reader’s Café lists?)
The appeal is setting, time, times of life (illness, childhood, life-changing experience), character and obsession with something i.e. Grand Obsession: a Piano Odyssey by Knize
Several types of memoirs were discussed. This is the kind of RA that is always useful since memoirs are so popular.
Special Luncheons and Dinners
Arthur and Pauline Frommer—surprisingly candid comments and valuable travel information—where to find information that you can trust and where not to—these are all helpful when recommending guidebooks to customers
Audio Publishers Association—Author Jacqueline Winspear, narrator and actor Scott Brick and Books on Tape producer, Dan Musselman all spoke about their craft, which was fascinating. I am always looking for a new author and a new narrator for audio books (I am addicted to them).
Louise Erdrich—it was a special treat to listen to her since she spoke about her early life and how it influenced her writing. As she read the letters that her father wrote to her, we all wondered if she was going to publish them. I think we gave her something to think about. As an RA librarian, this was so useful to be able to speak about an author that I feel I know now.
All in all this was a wonderful learning and networking experience. I met librarians from all over and although many of us had the same problems, we all try to handle them a little differently. It is so important to get a new perspective on what we do everyday.
I arrived on Wednesday Mar 26; unfortunately too late to hear John Wood talk about his foundation Room to Read. But I did make the New Member reception where I met librarians from all over the country, including a very nice woman from NYC who was born in Nepal where he had built libraries.
Presentation Sessions
3/27—Where’s a YA Librarian When You Need One? Teen Reader’s Advisory for the Library—In a light tone, 2 presenters discussed when to approach teens and when not to, the type of questions we should ask, how to actually talk to them. We were even given a little cheat sheet with questions on them and a space to list Sure Bets. There were
questions about how to talk to teens when a parent is there, or when the teen isn’t there and the parent is; when kids get out of line; if you’re concerned about their safety with the type of books they ask for; assignment issues; sensitive materials. All in all it was a very productive session with a little comedy thrown in.
This is very useful when talking to teens.
Three Successful Library Partnerships Serving Adult English Language Learners—three partnerships with Minneapolis Public Libraries—we heard from a rep from Minneapolis Public Schools, the Literacy Council and a Minneapolis Library staff person. Although these were actual classes (not conversation clubs) we did learn some pertinent information such as the recruitment of volunteers, how they get their funding, and how locating their classrooms in the library are beneficial to them.
Sexy Senior Programming @ Your Library—how to have interesting, intergenerational programming not only at your library but also in a senior facility, i.e. bring your story time to them. They love to listen to stories and watch the children be involved. Children can read to seniors. They have set up internet classes specifically for seniors. They have family gaming events where an older adult is required. And there is something which is called The Laughter Club which is designed to improve health and reduce stress while producing sounds of laughter combined with motion. We participated in this exercise and we all felt better and more energized after the session. This is a useful programming tool.
3/28—Murder Most Sweet: Mystery Book Groups as Readers’ Advisory Tools—this was a Talk Table which is more informal than a Presentation. We discussed how a library in Massachusetts set up a mystery book group where participants each read a different title in a subgenre, i.e. romantic mysteries and then discuss them. She essentially teaches them to book talk. They do not tell them which sub-genre they’re going to be discussing until 1 month before the next book discussion. We discussed advertising a new book discussion as well.
We also found out that there was one like this but in the Science Fiction genre. I also brought up my No Pressure Book Discussion where everyone just brings any book they like and discuss it. Other book discussions were brought up:
Book Club in a Bag: Each bag contains at least 10 copies of a title, discussion questions, discussion leader tips and a book sign-up sheet to help the leader keep track of the books. Everything you need to help you run your own book discussion group! It does cost $ though.
There is also another type of book club called “Slackers Book Club” where the participants meet online and “blog” or chat back and forth about the chosen book.
So there were lots of ideas about how to start a book club and what types of book clubs to start.
The Best in Mystery Authors Revealed!—Linwood Barclay, CJ Box, Laura Lippman, T. Jefferson Parker and Karen Rose all spoke about their craft in a light and engaging manner. I found some new mystery writers to recommend to customers as well as old friends to reread.
What’s the Big Idea? The Idea Store and the Future of Public Libraries—Britain’s answer to libraries, community centers, and adult learning centers set in a lower income area of London with a low literacy rate and large immigrant population. They have opened three Idea Stores so far, all completely “branded” which includes staff wearing uniforms. The key ideas are:
Location—must be located near a place where people go (grocery store etc.)
Hours—open 71 hours, 7 days a week
Lots of activities—family sleepovers, poetry workshops, book hunts, songs, classes
Liberal policies—food allowed
Looks like a retail store with seamless services at all branches
As a result customer attendance tripled from former library. I cannot say that MCPL will become an Idea Store but they certainly have some interesting thoughts to bring home. For more info see www.ideastore.co.uk Part of going to a conference involves finding out what other library systems are doing. This is where we get new ideas.
Off Your Seat and On Your Feet! Proactive Reference Customer Service—we’ve all talked about this for years. Now Columbus Public has gotten rid of the Reference Desk and staff finds the customer instead of vice versa. Biggest problem in setting this up was the staff buy-in. Here’s how they did it:
http://www.placonference.org/handouts/1013_177Korenowsky_Christopher__116074_Mar05_2008_Time_104804AM.pdf
And here’s one more pro: there are no more desk schedules because every morning, staff meets and crafts their day with each other. And there is a lot of centralized programming so no one is reinventing the wheel. Another new idea!
3/29—The Memoir: R.A’s Dream or Nightmare—definition of autobiography as linear, verifiable, subject is prominent, an exterior account. Memoirs are like poetry, there are textures, intensity, perceptions, interpretation, and subtle layers. It is subjective, with family involving legacy, secrets, community.
The scenes are set like novels and paced like fiction. Memoirs are the hottest type of Non Fiction. It’s a pain for libraries because they are shelved everywhere: cookery, sports, science etc. The role of the librarian is to keep looking for these and put them out on display or keep lists of them (Reader’s Café lists?)
The appeal is setting, time, times of life (illness, childhood, life-changing experience), character and obsession with something i.e. Grand Obsession: a Piano Odyssey by Knize
Several types of memoirs were discussed. This is the kind of RA that is always useful since memoirs are so popular.
Special Luncheons and Dinners
Arthur and Pauline Frommer—surprisingly candid comments and valuable travel information—where to find information that you can trust and where not to—these are all helpful when recommending guidebooks to customers
Audio Publishers Association—Author Jacqueline Winspear, narrator and actor Scott Brick and Books on Tape producer, Dan Musselman all spoke about their craft, which was fascinating. I am always looking for a new author and a new narrator for audio books (I am addicted to them).
Louise Erdrich—it was a special treat to listen to her since she spoke about her early life and how it influenced her writing. As she read the letters that her father wrote to her, we all wondered if she was going to publish them. I think we gave her something to think about. As an RA librarian, this was so useful to be able to speak about an author that I feel I know now.
All in all this was a wonderful learning and networking experience. I met librarians from all over and although many of us had the same problems, we all try to handle them a little differently. It is so important to get a new perspective on what we do everyday.
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