Hootenanny

New Blog for Hootenanny

2010-10-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

Please visit http://www.waupacalibrary.org/hootenanny, the new Hootenanny blog site.
I will no longer be adding content to this site. See you there!
Sue

Struggles with Autism

2010-09-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

If you work with or know anyone with autism spectrum disorder, please read this book.... Anything But Typical, by Nora Raleigh Baskin. Told from the point of view of Jason, a high functioning sixth grader, we get a realistic peak into the day-to-day life of a "12-year-old living in a neurotypical world." I especially liked the way Baskin depicted Jason's parents and brother who are traversing their lives with a differently-abled child without a road map, but with a lot of love. Jason has great talent along with his challenges. He is a gifted writer and through online writing sites, like Storyboard, he meets PhoenixBird, ..... a girl. We see that Jason, along with his autism struggles, has the same issues of courage and confusion as any boy his age.

World Cup Cakes

2010-07-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Kids at the library made World Cup Cakes today as part of a Mission Amy project to have people across the nation make cupcakes to show support and appreciation for the US Soccer Team. Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Chicago author, will be a featured presenter at the Waupaca Book Festival on October 1 & 2, 2010. Check her out on the web at www.whoisamy.com.

Storytime Suggestion: Noisy Counting Book

2010-06-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Fuse 8 blogger Elizabeth Bird for this video on sharing The Noisy Counting Book at story time. I always enjoy watching how others share books. Hope you do too.

British Author for Middle Readers

2010-06-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

Just finished Canned by British author Alex Shearer. Heard a great book talk from a school librarian friend. She took some cans without labels to the students and told them about Fergal, the main character in this book, who was obsessed with collecting cans without labels. He loved the mystery of it all. His parents say, "Enough is enough!" and order him to stop collecting. He must dispose of a can if he gets a new one. As he opens one before he disposes of it, he finds something that is not a food item. The adventure and suspense begins. A little gruesome at times, but I think middle readers will love it!

Be a Model

2010-05-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

Reader, that is.

We all know that children love imitating adults. If a child sees an adult on the phone, taking pictures, using keys, etc. they want to do it too... hence the big market for toy phones, keys and cameras.

The same thing holds true for reading. If your child sees you doing it, they will want to do it too.

Here's a few things to ask yourself:

Is there a stack of books on your nightstand? When you want to wind down at night, do you read books or watch television?

Do you make reading look like work? Or do you read to relax?

Do you visit the library regularly? When you go, do you get a few books or a lot? Do you check out books not only for your children, but for yourself too?

Is reading the newspaper a part of your daily routine? Or do you get your news and information from the television or radio?

Do you subscribe to magazines and take time to read them when they arrive?

Do you bring reading material with you wherever you go? If there's a long wait at the doctor's office (and your children are miraculously occupied), are you reading or talking on your cell phone?

If you let your children see that reading is important to you, it will become important to them, too.

from: http://www.pbs.org/parents/booklights/

Margaret Wise Brown's 100th Birthday

2010-05-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

HarperCollins commemorates the 100th birthday of Margaret Wise Brown on May 23, 2010. Brown transformed the landscape of children's literature with such beloved classics as Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. What memories do you have of reading her books? Do you have a favorite?

NBC's Book Club for Kids

2010-04-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This month they discussed one of our favorites, 100 Cupboards by Nate Wilson. It's the first of a series that kids will want to read them all. Next month: Kiki Strike. I like the fact that the kids get to ask the author questions, too bad they get cut off.

Wall Street Journal and Diary of a Wimpy Kid

2010-03-28T18:47:00.000-07:00

Here's another boost for children's literature from an unlikely source, the Wall Street Journal. Have you seen the movie yet?

Great Book for Earth Day

2010-03-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

Just got a new book today. It's called Bag in the Wind by Ted Kooser. It is the story of a plastic shopping bag that is blown around by the wind, floats down a river, and gets picked up by many people and used in a variety of ways. Americans use 100 billion plastic shopping bags per year, which means that the average American - both kids and adults - uses between 350 and 500 bags per year! In a garbage dump, it might take anywhere from 15 - 1000 years for a plastic bag to decompose. A million birds and 100,000 sea turtles and other animals die every year due to ingesting plastic bags or getting them caught around their necks, wings, or legs.

I'm planning on using this book with kids when we talk about Earth Day. Be sure to reuse any plastic bags you have in your home. Donate them to the library! Take them with you when you go shopping so you don't have to use new plastic bags. Some areas are now recycling plastic bags. The best thing to do would be to stop using plastic bags all together. If you - just you! - use reusable cloth bags instead of plastic bags, you could save over 22,000 plastic bags all by yourself in your lifetime!

Here are some useful resources:
www.plasticbagrecycling.org
www.onebagatatime.com

3-D kids

2010-03-11T15:57:00.000-08:00

So, we had an early dismissal day in the Waupaca Schools yesterday and the library invited kids in Grades 4-8 to come for a 3-D showing of Neil Gaiman's Coraline. Thought these photos were pretty neat.

2010 Mystery Dinner

2010-03-08T15:11:00.001-08:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Thanks to everyone who came and played along at our very first Murder Mystery Dinner. As many of you know we are fundraising to host our very first Waupaca Book Festival in October. Not only did we all have fun, we raised $1000. Thank you!

Happy Valentine's Day - Read to Your Loved Ones

2010-02-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

Looking for Good Read-Alouds?

2010-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for good read-alouds for children? You should check out the 2009 E.B. White Read Aloud Awards. These awards, established in 2004, honor books that reflect the universal read-aloud standards that were created by the work of the author E.B. White in his classic books for children--Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. There are two categories: Picture Books and Older Readers.

Books are nominated for their universal appeal as a “terrific” book to read aloud. The Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC) receives a list of book nominations, which is pared down to a short list of four books in each category. A committee of booksellers, chaired by an ABC board member, then decides the winners. Here are the most recent winners and honor books:

E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Picture Books:
A Visitor for Bear
by Bonnie Becker
Ages 4-8
Bear's efforts to keep out visitors to his house are undermined by a very persistent mouse.

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken
by Kate DiCamillo
Ages 4-8
Longing for adventure, intrepid Louise leaves her comfortable nest and goes to sea, the circus, and a bazaar.

One
by Kathryn Otoshi
Ages 4-8
A number/color book reminding us that it just takes one to make everyone count.

Too Many Toys
by David Shannon
Ages 4-8
Although he finally agrees that he has too many toys and needs to give them away, there is one toy that Spencer absolutely cannot part with.

The Magic Thief
by Sarah Prineas
Ages 9-12
A young thief is drawn into a life of magic and adventure after picking the pocket of the powerful wizard Nevery Flinglas, who has returned from exile to attempt to reverse the troubling decline of magic in Wellmet City.

Masterpiece
by Elise Broach
Ages 8-12
After Marvin, a beetle, makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for James, a human with whom he shares a house, the two new friends work together to help recover a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Willoughbys
by Lois Lowry
Ages 6-10
In this tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, the four Willoughby children set about to become "deserving orphans" after their neglectful parents embark on a treacherous around-the-world adventure, leaving them in the care of an odious nanny.

Zorgamazoo
by Robert Paul Weston
Ages 9-11
Imaginative and adventurous Katrina eludes her maniacal guardian to help Morty, a member of a vanishing breed of zorgles, with his quest to uncover the fate of the fabled zorgles of Zorgmazoo as well as of other creatures that seem to have disappeared from the earth.

Happy Birthday Maisy

2010-02-10T08:41:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you, but Maisy is sure popular at our library. Today is her birthday! Here's a little information about her creator, Lucy Cousins, a mother of four young children who works from home. Kids can play games and read online stories about Maisy and her friends at http://www.maisyfunclub.com/

Lucy Cousins is one of today´s most acclaimed author-illustrators of children´s books. Her unique titles fascinate babies, toddlers, and preschoolers with their child-like simplicity, bold outlines, and crayon-bright colors. The winsome exploits of characters such as Maisy reflect the familiar adventures that young children have every day. "Maisy does things that children all over the world do," Lucy Cousins says of her superstar mouse. "The way she dresses, the way she acts, are typical of children all over the world."

Where does the prolific author-illustrator-- mother of four young children-- find the energy? "I´m quite disciplined," she says of her productivity. "If I´m having an 'ideas' day, I just sit at my desk and draw and write until I feel something happening-- though I admit that this is usually helped by a cup of tea, some lively music, and an abundance of sunshine." As for outside inspiration, she says she´s sometimes influenced by the work of other artists, especially if those artists are children. Says the author-illustrator, "I get more pleasure and inspiration from walking around a primary school than from any art gallery."

Lucy Cousins works from home in Hampshire, England.

Fox Cities Book Festival Announces Authors

2010-02-09T13:35:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a parent, students, or teacher, most likely you are a reader. Readers need to connect with authors and when they do, something magical happens to the way readers connect with books from then after. There are some authors of books for children and teens appearing at the 2010 Fox Cities Book Festival to be held April 11-18 in Appleton. I'm letting you know this so you can plan to bring your kids, family, class to one or more of the functions of the festival. Look for more information to appear on their website as details get ironed out.

I'm planning to definitely go see:
Gennifer Choldenko - author of Al Capone Does My Shirts (Newbery Honor Book) and Notes from a Liar and Her Dog.
Chris Crutcher - author of realistic fiction for teens, my favorites include Deadline and Whale Talk

2010 National Book Awards

2010-01-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

Announced yesterday at the ALA Mid-winter meeting in Boston:
John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children's literature:
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book: The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature: Going Bovine by Libba Bray

New London Library Going to the Dogs

2010-01-18T10:31:00.000-08:00

Great article in the Sunday, January 17th issue of the Appleton Post Crescent featuring the well received "Kids Reading With Canines" program held once a month at the New London Public Library. Children's Services Librarian, Jodi Leslie, comments, "The dog's not going to correct you. The dog's not going to pass judgment. The dog is just going to listen." What a great way for libraries to offer programs to build childrens' confidence in reading. Congratulations, Jodi and the New London Public Library!

Children's Books with Haiti connection

2010-01-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

With Haiti on the cover of every newspaper and magazine this week, here is a list of children’s picture books and novels set in that country:

TI JACQUES by Ruth Eitzen
UNCLE BOUQUI OF HAITI by Harold Courlander
THE MAGIC ORANGE TREE AND OTHER HAITIAN FOLKTALES by Diane Wolkstein
FRESH GIRL by Jaira Placide
A TASTE OF SALT by Frances Temple
TONIGHT, BY SEA by Frances Temple
PAINTED DREAMS by Karen Lynn Williams
ANACAONA, GOLDEN FLOWER by Edwidge Danticat
BEHIND THE MOUNTAINS by Edwidge Danticant
RUNNING THE ROAD TO ABC by Denize Lauture
TIP-TAP by Karen Lynn Williams
MARASSA AND MIDNIGHT by Morna Stuart

From Collection Children's Books Blog by Peter Sieruta

Mother-Daughter Book Club

2010-01-11T10:09:00.001-08:00

The Waupaca Area Public Library Children's Dept. hosts a monthly book discussion for mothers and daughters (could include any caregiver, not only mothers). The next discussion is this Saturday, January 16, when we will discuss Lauren St. John's The White Giraffe, beginning at noon in the lower level Children's Dept. Program Room. Participants are encouraged to bring their lunch along. The library will provide dessert and beverage. No registration is needed for this free program. Copies of the selections are available for check out in the Children's Dept.

The night Martine Allen turns eleven years old is the night her life changes completely. Martine’s parents are killed in a fire, so she must leave her home to live on an African wildlife reserve with a grandmother she never even knew she had. When Martine arrives, she hears tales of a mythical animal living there—a white giraffe. They say no one has ever seen the animal, but it does leave behind footprints. Her grandmother insists that the white giraffe is just a legend, but then, one stormy night, Martine looks out her bedroom window straight into the eyes of the tall silvery animal. Could it be just Martine’s imagination, or is the white giraffe real? And if so, why is everyone keeping its existence a secret?

February's selection is Bloomability by Sharon Creech. Discussion date is set for Saturday, February 20th. Hope you can come!

Shooting the Moon

2010-01-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

Just finished Frances O'Roark Dowell's book Shooting the Moon, historical fiction set in Vietnam era about 12-year-old Jamie and her military family. Having an Army colonel for a father and being raised on military bases around the globe, Jamie and her brother, TJ, are experienced in the "Army way." Hooah! What Jamie didn't expect was to discover a talent she had for processing film sent home by TJ and a friendship with Private Hollister at the base rec center, that turns her way of thinking about the Army completely around. Suggested for ages 9-12, but I would recommend for anyone, and encourage families/classrooms to talk about the many facets of military life.

2010 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

2010-01-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

The Storm in the Barn has been named the 2010 winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. This beautiful graphic novel tells the story of 11-year-old, jack Clark and his family and their experiences during the 1937 Dust Bowl in Kansas. As the book jacket reads, "Part tall tale rich in lore, part thriller, and part gripping historical fiction, this is an artful one-of-a-kind creation from debut graphic novelist Matt Phelan."

I Threw the Book Across the Room!

2010-01-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

Librarians don't often admit abusing books, even if they are rubbery paperbacks like this one was.

On recommendation of the CCBC in their 2009 Choices publication, I picked up the teen mystery Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks, author of other YA books like Martyn Pig, Candy, and The Road of the Dead. Brooks does a marvelous job of connecting the reader to the characters and has you drinking out of the palm of his hand immediately. Be prepared for surprises along the way and that unique British humor and twist.

In Black Rabbit Summer, we meet childhood friends who gather once more before they part ways to adulthood. They all have "moved on" from the days they spent building dens to hang out in. Realistic and at times brutally vivid, in the course of one night, one of their group goes missing and a classmate is murdered. Pete, whose dad is a policeman, tries to piece together all the clues and tries to discover what he needs to know about who his friends have become.
Hint: Get the paperback version from the library in case you need to throw it across the room too.

Welcome Madam Ambassador

2010-01-06T07:34:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Newbery Medalist Katherine Paterson was named the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The 77-year-old mother of four and grandmother of seven is the author of books like Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved. Her platform will be "Read for Your Life." Visit her website http://www.terabithia.com/

The post of children's ambassador was created by the Library of Congress, the Children's Book Council, and the Library of Congress's Center for the Book to raise national awareness of the importance of young people's literature.

Huzzah to Our Very First Ambassador

2010-01-04T17:34:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow the Library of Congress will annouce the name of the next Ambassador of Young People's Literature, ending the year of the very first ambassador named to that post..... Jon Scieszka, author of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Stinky Cheese Man, and most recently the TruckTown series and Robot Zot. Jon was a great choice for the very first ambassador and sets the bar pretty high. Besides touring the country promoting reading, especially with boys, he visited most network television talk and morning shows featuring children's books. He will be missed. Have you visited his Guys Read website..... I highly recommend it. Wonder who the next ambassador will be? Stay tuned...

The Ambassador Recommends Books as Gifts

2009-12-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

Our nation's very first Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jon Scieszka, author of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and Stinky Cheese Man, appeared onthe CBS Morning Show to share a few selected titles as great gift this holiday season. For a full list of great books to give this season, visit the Holiday Reads for Your Kids page. Personally, I'd like to give a kid Loren Long's tractor story, Otis. Check it out at your library.

Serious Mountain Climbing Adventure

2009-12-12T20:12:00.000-08:00

Just finished Peak by Roland Smith (c. 2007, Harcourt) and want to recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure stories that are quite realistic. In this story we meet, Peak, a 14-year-old who was just arrested for scaling a skyscraper in New York City. He is sent to live with his long lost father, Josh, who runs a mountain climbing expedition company. Readers will learn a lot about the political and cultural aspects of Nepal and Tibet as they are glued to the story of whether or not Peak will be the youngest person to reach the summit of Everest. Grade 5+

Come for the Science...Stay for the Love Story!

2009-12-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

Just finished reading this terrific book, Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith, by Deborah Heiligman. I was captivated right from the start and encourage you all to give it a try, especially if you like biographies. This nonfiction piece reads like fiction and opens with Charles making a "pros and cons" list to help him decide whether or not to marry. Marry he does, to Emma Wedgewood (English china company family), his cousin (quite common in Victorian days). What becomes a fascinating twist is the differences in faith that they overcome to become parents, constant companions, and soul mates. It becomes a sort of love story that one can't put down. Heiligman uses meticulous research to include the couple's letters, diaries, and notebooks as well as memoirs of their relatives, friends, and critics. The book is full of drama which makes it hard to put down. We actually see and care about the evolution of Charles Darwin's scientific thoughts and the conflicts he faces between science and religion. Through the love story, and the loving parenting of 10 children, we see that science and religion are not incompatible. Highly recommended (5 stars) to teens and adults.

Operation Military Kids

2009-12-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

Wisconsin has almost 15,000 military kids, and they live in every county of the state. Because they are geographically dispersed, these children often feel isolated. They feel that their peers do not understand what it is like to have a parent who is serving in another county. They worry about the safety of their parent, and the extensive media coverage of military operations creates daily anxiety. Operation Military Kids recently donated 20 books relating to the issues surrounding military deployment to area public libraries. The intent of this collection of books is to provide resources for families and children experiencing deployment and to build understanding about deployment and its affect on children among community members. Check for the following titles at your local library.

Birth-Kindergarten

My Red Balloon, E. Bunting
Alpha Bravo Charlie, D. Demarest
Captain Cat, S. Hoff
The Soldiers' Night Before Christmas, T. Holland
When Dad's at Sea, M. L. Pelton
The Kissing Hand, A. Penn
If You Listen, C. Zolotow

Grades 1-4

I Miss You!: A Military Kids' Book about Deployment, B. Andrews
My Red Balloon, E. Bunting
Mommy Don't Go, E. Crary
Alpha Bravo Charlie, D. Demarest
Pilot Mom, K. B. Duble
Captain Cat, S. Hoff
The Soldiers' Night Before Christmas, T. Holland
Love, Lizzie: Letters to a Military Mom, L. McElroy
When Dad's at Sea, M. L. Pelton
The Kissing Hand, A. Penn
The Impossible Patriotism Project, L. Skeers
If You Listen, C. Zolotow

Grades 5-8

I Miss You!: A Military Kids' Book about Deployment, B. Andrews
Mud City, D. Ellis
Ida B: and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World, K. Hannigan
The Soldiers' Night Before Christmas, T. Holland
Heroes, K. Mochizuki
Soldier Mom, A. Mead
On the Wings of Heroes, R. Peck
The Kissing Hand, A. Penn
The Impossible Patriotism Project, L. Skeers
Dicey's Song, C. Voigt

Grades 9-12

Mud City, D. Ellis
Parvanna's Journey, D. Ellis
Ida B: and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World, K. Hannigan
The Soldiers' Night Before Christmas, T. Holland
Under the Persimmon Tree, S. Staples
Dicey's Song, C. Voigt

Jumped is One You Can't Put Down

2009-11-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

Just finished this book and all I can say is WOW! The whole book takes place in the course of one school day at a urban school with a diverse student population. You will meet three very different girls whose paths interconnect in very surprising ways. Short chapters, each from a different girls perspective, keep the reader engaged right to the very last page. Reminded me a little of Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Our seemingly insignificant choices certainly have an impact on somebody.

Relationships Take Work

2009-11-29T11:39:00.000-08:00

Just finished Tasha Squires Library Partnerships: Making Connections Between School and Public Libraries. This was a timely read as our member public librarians who work with youth have loudly proclaimed that they want to know more about strengthening their network with school librarians and educators. Published in 2009, this book is filled with very easy and very difficult ideas. Chapter 1 opens with a quote from Kathleen Baxter and Susan M. Haggberg:

True collaboration is not spontaneous. It involves building a relationship - like a marriage, friendship or business partnership.

Good communication, diligence and patience are key ingredients. I highly recommend any librarian who would like to get some fresh ideas in strengthening the bonds between our two libraries read this book. (Hint: Keep a notepad close by!)

Mo Willems Fan Mail

2009-11-24T09:30:00.000-08:00

Want to have your kids connect with Mo Willems, author of the Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, Elephant & Piggie stories? Send your drawings to the Mo Willems Studio:

Mo Willems Fan Mail
c/0 Jennifer Crowell
Hyperion Books for Children and Pigeons
114 5th Ave 14th fl. New York, NY 10011

Please be patient, it takes a while for mail to be forwarded!

(Teachers: a cover letter including the grade you teach is appreciated)

Hoose's Claudette Colvin Wins National Book Award

2009-11-20T07:36:00.000-08:00

Author and historian Phillip Hoose’s true story about a brave African-American teen who defied Jim Crow laws in March 1955 by refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white woman in Montgomery, AL, is the recipient of the 2009 National Book Award in the category for Young People’s Literature.

Read my review on The Book Blog! I gave this book 5 stars! It reads like fiction. I love it when non-fiction wins awards!

Inspire Kids to Go Green with Fiction

2009-11-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

Caring for our planet is important to kids. Traditional environmental fiction features curious, creative, and concerned kids and teens who realize humankind's impact on the earth and aim to make a difference. Here are some great green reads available at the library (some terrific for read-alouds):

Highway Cats by Janet Taylor Lisle (Gr. 3-6) - three kittens miraculously survive after being abandoned along a busy interstate, join a group of feral cats and band together to ward off a development project.
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (Gr. 5-8) - middle-schooler, Roy, moves to Florida and teams up with a barefoot boy to save the burrowing owls on the future site of a pancake house. Newbery Honor Book, 2002
Jackie's Wild Seattle by Will Hobbs (Gr. 5-8) - 14-year-old Shannon and her little brothers work at a animal shelter for the summer.
Judy Moody Saves the World by Megan Mcdonald (Gr. 2-5) - Judy's creativitiy is sparked by a class environmental preservation project and a class recycling project.
Just Grace Goes Green by Charise Mericle Harper (Gr. 2-4) - fourth book in a series features Grace, a third grader, becoming a "superhero of conservation."
My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald (Gr. 5-8) - 12-year-old, Lucy, works to save her family's pharmacy that faces a giant chain store planning to move to town.
Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things by Wendelin Van Draanen (Gr. 5-8) - the cleve girl sleuth is on a Girl Scout camping trip when the group finds an injured condor and the brave search for the poachers is underway.
Toad Away by Morris Gleitzman (Gr. 4-6) - Limpy, an Australian cane toad, heads to the Amazon to learn how to coexist peacefully with humans. Full of toad facts and nonstop gross-out humor.

2 Boys and 3 Boxes of Books

2009-11-16T07:59:00.001-08:00

New Twist on Book Reports

2009-10-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

Readers of School Library Monthly share the following ideas for tweaking the book report:

Retell the story through a new lens: Take a minor character and make him/her much more important; change the point of view and retell the story.
Hold a classroom discussion or invite students to comment on a blog with the book as the topic.
Write an obituary (or job resume) for one of the major characters.
Create a character's scrapbook to include 5 "photos", drawn or from magazines, with captions; 2 letters to and from the main characters and their feelings; 6 momentos to reflect important aspects of the book.

More ideas at TheApple.com .

6th Grade Mindset List

2009-08-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

I’ve added a new link on the Blog roll on the right. It is a link to The Reading Zone. I’ve added this blog to my reader as they often have great ideas on promoting reading with kids. The following information was from their most recent post. My daughter went to Beloit College, home of the annual Mindset List (a list of facts pertinent to the incoming college freshman). The Reading Zone made a 6th Grade Mindset List. I hope you find it interesting.

1. Most students were born in 1998.2. Computers have always been able to beat humans. (Deep Blue defeated Gary Kasparov in 1996).

3. The Lion King has always been a Broadway musical, not an animated movie.

4. Mamma Mia has always been on Broadway.

5. Mother Teresa, Carl Sagan, Jonathan Larson, Princess Di, Ella Fitzgerald, Tupac Shakur, and the Notorious B.I.G. have always been dead.

6. Animal cloning has always been possible.

7. OJ Simpson has always been a suspected murderer, not a football player.

8. Women’s softball has always been an Olympic event.

9. There has always been scientific evidence of life on Mars.

10. Lance Armstrong has always been a cancer survivor.

11. Hong Kong has always been independent of Great Britain.

12. Harry Potter has always been in their libraries and bookstores.

13. Pokemon has always been a part of their pop culture lives.

14. Joe Camel has never been a part of Camel advertisements.

15. America has been involved in a war in Iraq for most of their lives.

16. The Chicago Bulls have never won an NBA championship.

17. The internet has always been available in their homes.

18. Cell phones are ubiquitous in their lives and always have been.

19. Animal Kingdom has been one of Disney’s parks for as long as they can remember.

20. Woodstock was a concert that happened in 1999.

21. The Euro has been legal currency for 90% of their lives.

22. Wayne Gretzky has always been retired.

23. Their parents have used digital cameras for most of their lives.

24. The country of Zaire has never existed.

25. Rap music has always been easily heard on mainstream radio.

26. High-stakes testing has always been part of their academic lives.

27. Cable TV has always had hundreds of channels.

28. Flat-screen TVs have always been readily available to the average consumer.

29. Movies have always been available on DVD.

30. Ebay has always existed.

31. There have always been 24-hour news stations.

32. The Grateful Dead have always been broken up.

33. Woolworths has always been defunct.

34. The Simpsons has always been on TV.

35. They have always been able to google information.

36. The world population surpassed 6 billion by their third birthday.

37. They’ve been downloading music from the internet since before they entered kindergarten.

38. Many of them own their own iPods and have since they were eight or nine.

39. The Human Genome Project was completed during their lifetime.

40. Tiger Woods has always been golfing.

41. Y2K did not cause the world to end.

42. George Bush was president for most of their lives.

43. September 11th is only a vague memory for most of them, as they were not even in school yet.

44. Wikipedia has always been their go-to for research.

45. They’ve been watching American Idol for most of their lives.

46. The know who Al-Quaeda are, but have never heard of the Cold War.

47. The watched the space shuttle Columbia disintegrate upon reentering the atmosphere but only know about the Challenger disaster from history books.

48. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a governor who used to be in movies, not an actor who became governor.

49. Hurricane Katrina and the 2006 tsunami are the greatest natural disasters they have experienced. They were able to watch live, 24-hour coverage of both on their televisions and computers.

50. Most of them have their own screen names, Myspace and Facebook profiles, and email addresses.

How to Read a Book You Don't Want to Read

2009-08-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Where was this tip when I was a kid? Check out this latest reading tip from Jim Trelease, author of the Read Aloud Handbook and other professional resources on kids and reading:

Jumpstart's Read for the Record

2009-07-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

How can you get Eric Carle's autograph?
The Answer: Pledge to read as part of Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign!
Every week for the next 10 weeks, Jumpstart will be giving away copies of The Very Hungry Caterpillar signed by the author himself, Eric Carle. It all leads up to the campaign day, October 8, where 1,000,000 children will read The Very Hungry Caterpillar in support of Jumpstart!
This annual Read for Record event started in 2006 as an international campaign to bring preschool children together with valued grownups in their lives to read the same book, on the same day, in communities all over the world. Last year nearly 700,000 readers shared the classic children's tale, Corduroy. Pledge to take part in the campaign by visiting the Jumpstart website.
Would be even a better idea to work with your school partners, teachers and librarians, to coordinate a school reading together that Thursday.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians, The Lightning Thief

2009-07-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

Another great book made into a movie to wait for. Just read the books first. Promise?

40th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing

2009-07-11T09:51:00.000-07:00

There are many new books for kids just published to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the July 20, 1969 moon landing by Apollo 11. Here's one that's definitely worth looking at: MOONSHOT: THE FLIGHT OF APOLLO 11, by Brian Floca.

Reading Reasons

2009-07-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

I know this is an older book, but certainly still pertinent to our work to improve adolescent literacy in our communities. Pick up Reading Reasons: Motivational Mini-Lessons for Middle and High School by Kelly Gallagher (Readicide). He talks about how teachers instruct kids on how to read in school, but what we sometimes fail to do is teach them the reasons why reading is a key component in their lives. He has nine reasons that he lists, and also includes mini-lessons for the classroom on each reason:

Reading is rewarding.
Reading builds a mature vocabulary.
Reading makes you a better writer.
Reading is hard, and "hard" is necessary.
Reading makes you smarter.
Reading prepares you for the world of work.
Reading well is financially rewarding.
Reading opens the door to college and beyond.
Reading arms you against oppression.

I give this book 5 stars!

Have Fun with Wordle

2009-07-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends. Visit www.wordle.net to get started. Our teen librarian took her laptop to a teen book discussion and typed in words from the conversation about the book. The teens enjoyed seeing the finished product at the end of the discussion. The word cloud is printable, too.

Listening Library Hosts Teen Video Contest

2009-07-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

From School Library Journal, July 2009
If your teens are into making videos, here's an opportunity to beef up your audiobook collection and for them to win an iPod Touch! The Fantasy Road Trip Contest, sponsored by Listening Library, invites kids ages 13-18 to submit short films based on an imaginary road trip with a character from a favorite audiobook series. Three winners will each receive an 8GB iPod Touch and a signed audiobooks set. Entries will be accepted until August 17 at www.fantasyroadtripcontest.com.

Remember Your Dads on Father's Day

2009-06-17T15:26:00.001-07:00

Lots of great dad books that make you say..... Awwwwwww.... Here's another.
Happy Father's Day everyone!

Duck! Rabbit! What Do You See?

2009-06-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

Amy Rosenthal has done it again! This book is great fun. Get it at your library today!

Let's Do Nothing!

2009-06-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

Summer's here and you have got to read this book!

Where the Wild Things Are Trailer

2009-05-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak's classic picture book, will debut as a full-length feature film in October 2009. The Warner Bros. film, directed by Spike Jonze, has gone through re-shooting and re-editing since it was screened last year to make it more child and family friendly.

History is something to do, not just read about

2009-05-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a great non-fiction title for the budding historian in all of us. Published by National Geographic, author Scott Reynolds Nelson details his quest to find the real John Henry in Ain't Nothing But a Man. In easy to understand language, Nelson explains that his search for primary sources often left him "stuck" and he shares with the reader his techniques for getting unstuck. In this story, he found a huge clue in a photograph that connected the facts of the story to unfold through the lyrics of the traditional song about John Henry. Marc Aronson adds a section in the back of the book to offer a step-by-step guide to becoming a historian yourself. I gave this book 5 stars.... I love this stuff.

New Statistics Needed on Teen Involvement

2009-05-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

The Institute of Museums and Library Services, which administers federal LSTA funding and collects annual statistics from all states, will begin collecting information on library programs targeted to Young Adults, beginning in 2010. Wisconsin will also begin to collect data for young adult programs and attendance for the Annual Report as well.

DPI will include this new data element in the 2009 annual report, but the information will be voluntary that first year. Children's programs will be defined as programs targeted at children up to age 11, and young adult programs are those targeted at ages 12-18 years of age.

You all may want to start tracking these young people just as we have the preschoolers for the annual report.

--from Barb Huntington's Posting May 2009

Earth Day Word Search

2009-04-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

Next Wednesday, April 22, is the 39th celebration of Earth Day!
Print and distribute the Earth Day Word Search from Library Sparks, April 2009 edition.

Develop Your Book Talking Skills

2009-03-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

Having young readers and teachers talk about books they've read and liked is a very powerful tool to use to inspire peer reading. Being comfortable doing book talks takes practice. The key is to give just enough information about the book to pique their interest, but not to be a "spoiler" and tell the whole story. You know how it is when someone tells you about a book they love.... you can't wait to try it yourself. It's contagious! If you want ideas on book talks, visit Nancy Keane's Booktalks - Quick and Simple. Nancy is featured in this month's Library Journal as a mover and shaker in the world of book talks. She is a media specialist from New Hampshire. There are short book talks for every age and interest. I've bookmarked the site and visit it often and I know you will too.

Happy 40th Birthday to the Very Hungry Caterpillar!

2009-03-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Eric Carle's classic picture book is celebrating 40 years of delighting young children and adults with its simple concepts and brilliantly colorful illustrations.

Young Readers at Penguin Books has created an activity kit in honor of the anniversary.

Scholastic has a great video of Eric Carle talking about how he created the book

Program Ideas from Random Lake

2008-12-15T14:12:00.000-08:00

Tammy Federspiel, Lakeview Community Library, Random Lake, WI, has shared two ideas for children's programming. Check them out....

STAR WARS PARTY (primarily a hit with elementary boy crowd)
As kids arrived they figured out a Jedi name by taking the first 3 letters of their last name and merging it with the first three letters of their last name, and the first 3 letters of their grandparent's last name with the first 3 letters of their hometown. They made light sabers, went through an obstacle course, played a meteor throwing game and Hot Lava (a variation of Hot Potato with Star Wars music). They ate Light Saber pretzel rods and "Wookie Cookies",and drank Yoda Soda Punch.

FANCY NANCY PARTY (primarily for elementary girls)
The HarperCollins website offers downloadable activities and nametags. Christmas garland cut into segments made sparkly white boas for everyone. They made butterflies using sparkly jewels and attached them to barrettes, pop-up butterfly cards, and tiaras. Fancy cookies and punch were served. Fancy walking was practiced with beanbags on their heads.

If you want or need more information, I'm sure Tammy will share.

Summary of Literacy Needs in Wisconsin

2008-12-09T12:54:00.000-08:00

The Fall 2008 edition of "Literacy Matters," the newsletter for Wisconsin Literacy, Inc., includes some interesting data on literacy needs in Wisconsin. The article summarized data submitted by forty-nine literacy agencies. Some of the highlights included:
* 24 of the 49 literacy providers have a waiting list of learners waiting for a tutor.
* There are currently 662 learners on the waiting lists.
* There are 3,299 active volunteer tutors.
* In 2007-08 the number of volunteer tutoring hours was 230,121.
* The literacy providers served 9,910 Adult Basic Literacy learners in 2007-08.
* The literacy providers served 5,363 English as a Second Language learners in 2007-08.
* The total number of learners served was 15,273.
* 1,059 learners advanced at least one level on the National Reporting System standards in reading, writing, speaking, listening, or math.
* 803 literacy students completed their GED or high school equivalency exams.
* 898 learners were able to keep their current jobs.
* 316 students got better jobs because of their improved literacy skills.
* 43 students went on to post-secondary training or education.
--from Barbara Huntington, Youth Services Consultant, WI Dept. of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning

What Do Kids Say ....

2008-11-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

A survey of thousands of students (K-12) asked students to respond to a checklist of activities and strategies that motivate them to read and here's what they found:
Younger Readers
1. Being allowed to choose any book you want to read.
2. Reading in a comfortable place in your classroom like on the floor, in a bean-bag chair, or in a rocking chair.
3. Being allowed to buy your own book through a school book fair.
4. Reading books for a contest.
5. Having the teacher read aloud in an exciting voice.
6. Having a classroom library.
7. Reading books to earn money for a charity.
8. Having the teacher read a book or chapter a day.
9. Having the teacher take you to the library.
10. Having the author come to the school.

Older Readers
1. Being allowed to choose any book you wanted to read
2. Seeing the movie or television production of the book
3. Having your teacher bring you to the library regularly
4. Having a classroom library with many books on different subjects and reading levels easily available to you.
5. Having the teacher read aloud a section or chapter from the book
6. Being allowed to read books with lots of pictures in them
7. Having the teacher read aloud a few interesting pages from a book which you can read for yourself later.
8. Having your teachers teach with books written especially for teenagers.
9. Having a teacher or librarians suggest a book for you based on your interests
10. Being able to buy your own books through book clubs or book fairs or a bookshop sponsored by your school.

Three common elements present themselves: hearing a book read aloud, allowing students some choice in selecting books to read, and being able to own books.

Study done by Karen Gibson and Vickey Giles, 2004-05, University of Houston, Houston, Texas; from Teri S. Lesesne's Naked Reading: Uncovering What Tweens Need to Become Lifelong Readers, 2006

Information on Homelessness

2008-11-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

Information packets on homelessness were distributed to all public libraries. The packets were prepared by Mary Maronek, the DPI Homeless Coordinator. Libraries can help raise awareness by putting up the posters and sharing the information with their patrons.

Remember:
On any given night, nationally, 1.3 million children and teens live on the streets.
17,000 children and teens are homeless in Wisconsin
Almost half of all children and teens are turned away from shelters each night because demand exceeds available space.
25% of children and teens who become homeless eat less than when they have a home.
Homeless children and teens have a higher incident rate of asthma, ear infections, diarrhea and show more signs of stress than do other children.

--From Barb Huntington's November 2008 Posting for Regional System Youth Services Liaisons

National Gaming Day @ Your Library

2008-11-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

We got a package this week from Hasbro Games..... their new game Pictureka! We only played a little bit to see how the game works. It was fun! It would be fun for all family members, readers and non-readers, and only takes 30 minutes or less to play. It also has English and Spanish text.

This game came to us (and maybe your library, too) for ALA's National Gaming Day @ Your Library on Saturday, November 15. Hasbro was to provide every public library in the US a free copy of Pictureka. Their goal is to set a record for the most number of people playing the game on the same day across the nation. Register to participate on the ALA Gaming Wiki.

Check the Reading Level of a Book

2008-11-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

Visit Renaissance Learning's Web site to check the reading level of a book. You can search by title, author and ISBN number. Get the reading level, word count and a brief synopsis of the book. They also have recommended book lists of award winners. I use this when doing book talks at school and also to help families find books at their child's reading level.

Books Discussion Guide Sites

2008-10-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

Help your educators, parents, book clubs, etc. find discussion guides. Please add the ones you use to this list.
Scholastic Discussion Guides
Multnomah County Library
Hennepin County Library
Young Readers at Penguin.com
Book Club Reader - Simon Says.com
Simon Says TEACH.com
Teachers at Random

2008-10-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Why Games & Libraries?

2008-10-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

At a recent NFLS workshop, Paul Waelchli of St. Norbert's, provided us with great insight as to how games are helping students meet the 21st Century Skills Initiative. Gaming skills include:

Problem Solving
Adaptation
Planning
Clear Goals
Practice of Skills
Monitored Practice
Continuous Feedback
Individual Adjustment
Motivation
Personalization
Infinite Patience

I learned this first hand, when I strapped on the Guitar Hero (beginner mode) and only half-way through the song my feedback was "You Suck, but you can keep trying!" Likewise, when we tackled a new game on the Wii, there was continuous encouragement and feedback. Isn't this what we expect from our education system, too? If you get a chance to attend a gaming workshop, please be open to the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of gaming and explore how our libraries can enhance a student's learning.

To help you and your families select appropriate games for your libraries and homes, visit whattheyplay.com. It offers reviews and ratings for all types of games.

Read more about gaming and its relationship with learning:
Don't Bother Me, Mom - I'm Learning by Marc Prensky
What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy by James Paul Gee
Everything Bad is Good for You by Steven Johnson

Books to Read to Children During a Financial Crisis

2008-10-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

A review of several American children's books that deal with tough economic times for families is included in a recent posting by Erica S. Perl at www.slate.com. Listed titles include:
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen
and two newer titles:
Spuds by Karen Hesse
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor (Sue's Pick of the List)

Wii Tournament

2008-10-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea to get teens from each of our libraries to interact with each other. What do you think about holding a library, then county, then system Wii Tournament. Each interested library could hold a local tournament to determine a team to represent them in a county-wide tournament. Then, the winners of each county could go head-to-head in an OWLS Wii Tournament to declare a Champion!! Comment here if you think your teens would like to participate.

YALSA's Top Ten

2008-10-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

The vote is in! More than 8,000 teens voted on this year's winners. The 2008 Teens' Top Ten is:

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Extras by Scott Westerfeld
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

About the Teens' Top Ten

Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! Nominators are members of teen book groups in fifteen school and public libraries around the country. Nominations are posted in April during National Library Week, and teens across the country vote on their favorite titles each year during Teen Read Week. Readers aged twelve to eighteen can vote right here, online, anytime that week.

Want to get teens at your library to vote? Download the button below, put it on your web page and link back to www.ala.org/teenstopten.

Swiss Army Librarian Blog - Check It Out!

2008-10-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

Check out this new blog I've found. Swiss Army Librarian Blog.
Talk about getting to the point of basic customer service issues! This guy really can capture how to engage readers with his blog. I hope you enjoy it and don't forget to add your comment here about what you thought about it too.

State Youth Services Liaison Meeting

2008-09-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

Just returned from Madison from the Wisconsin State Youth Services Liaison annual grassroots meeting. I'll be sharing tips from both the Utah National Institute trip and this state meeting with you over the next few weeks. Check in often so you don't miss anything. Here's just a tidbit to whet your appetite for more:

Marcia Sarnowski of Winding Rivers, Youth Services Section Liaison to the Wisconsin Library Association Board shared information about sessions at the upcoming WLA Conference in Middleton on November 4-7, 2008. Sessions of particular interest to youth services librarians can be found on their blog. This year's YSS luncheon will feature Catherina Gilbert Murdock, author of Dairy Queen, a young adult novel set in northwest Wisconsin.

While you are on their page, check out the other helpful links in the left column.

Are you planning on attending WLA? What day(s) are you going?

Blogs in General

2008-09-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back from Utah with lots of ideas for connecting readers with books. Watch here for some of the new ideas I've learned or discovered. For now, check out this young reader's blog:
http://beansbookbag.blogspot.com/. This young man (Beans) and his sister (Sprout) are sharing the books they love with all who read their blog. They use a fun rating system too. I'd like to get some of our Waupaca kids blogging books in their own quirky fashion. Any ideas on how to get started?

Yeeee-Haw!! Howdy from Utah

2008-09-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

I am at the ALSC National Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah. We are creating blogs in one of the sessions. I've learned how much fun blogs can be by seeing some cool examples from kids, authors and, yes, even libraries!