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By: [email protected] (Mark Blevis and Andrea ,
on 5/13/2009
Author: P.J. Bracegirdle (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 McElderry Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1416934162
Hard-core horror meets sumptuous simile in this gripping exploration of siblinghood, self-destruction and sanitized sameness.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.
By: [email protected] (Mark Blevis and Andrea ,
on 4/10/2009
Author: Linda Ashman (on JOMB)
Illustrator: S. D. Schindler (on JOMB)
Published: 2009 Roaring Brook Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1596431555
Humour, grimaces, gluttony and grime cleverly deliver a bonanza of not-soon forgotten feudal facts in this rhyming rundown of Medieval careers.
Other books mentioned:
Pop over to Carol’s Corner for today’s full menu of poetry offerings. Poetry Fridays are brought to us by Kelly Herold of Big A, Little A.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.
If you are feasting this holiday week, Bon Appétit!
By: Lori O'Dea,
on 3/5/2009
In the current economic climate, with unemployment rates rising, who worries about what math courses high school students take? One group, KnowHow2GO.org, is sponsoring an advertising campaign for--of all things--algebra. I saw this poster in my neighborhood and was puzzled: why would you advertise algebra, a required course for virtually all American high school students? It turns out that KnowHow2GO is concerned that students from low-income families, or who are the first in their families to pursue higher education, don't make it to college. Research shows that these students often lack the guidance they need to prepare for college.
The campaign, which started in January 2007 and is sponsored by the American Council on Education, Lumina Foundation for Education and the Ad Council , encourages secondary-level students to prepare for college by following these four steps:
1. Be a pain – Let everyone know that you’re going to college and need their help.
2. Push yourself – Working a little harder today will make getting into college even easier.
The algebra poster above illustrates Step 2: College-bound students should challenge themselves by choosing rigorous courses, including Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 & Trigonometry.
Advertising mathematics is not a new phenomenon, as illustrated by the WPA Federal Arts Project poster above (c. 1935), which points the way to a list of math-related careers that are still relevant today (though the title "calculating machine operator" has gone out of fashion.)
The American Mathematics Society maintains an excellent Web resource of careers for recent graduates who hold a Bachelor's degree in mathematics. Students who think that sounds totally boring should check out the "What Can I Do With a Math Career?"poster and the "Career Information for High School Students" brochure. Does being an animator, a pollster, an air traffic controller, an urban designer, or a climate analyst sound boring? (Comment below if it does.)
My last stop in this reverie about careers in mathematics was the job-search site Monster.com, which returned 4,209 postings for the key word "math."
By: Jessamyn West,
on 1/5/2009
US News and World Reports says being a librarian is one of the best careers, right up there with clergy, locksmith, veterinarian and 26 others. Unlike clergy, clocksmith and vet, the librarian article currently has 109 comments. [thanks mike]
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By: Pamela Ross,
on 12/23/2008
Am I the only one mistaken for a bookstore employee while "working" (ie, studying the books) the floor at Barnes & Noble?
Three people stopped me and asked for help Saturday night.
I Loved It.
One sad memory of my first job: I made a very good friend. I was working in mass market paperbacks. He worked in the music section. (Not CDs. Books about music.) We liked one another. We were young. He liked books. (A given.) He loved opera. And Bruce Springsteen. He went home one night and didn't come back. He died in his sleep. I never forgot him and I'm getting a little emotional thinking about him and all he could have been, all he missed.
"I don't know who you are or where you are, but someday, I'm going to own you." ;>
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By: Sara Lewis Holmes,
on 9/17/2008
We're thinking about colleges here at our house. Which leads to talk of college majors. Which leads to talk of careers.
And here's my guilty secret: I love career counseling books. Whenever I'm feeling unsure about my own work as a writer, I break out a career book and try to find another line of work.
I used to do this quite seriously and passionately, determined to find something I could immediately channel my frustration into, but now, I do it with amusement and the same guilty pleasure that I feel trying on shoes I know I'll never buy. Yeah, those olive green oooh shiny patent leather wow those make my legs look good heels make my heart quicken, and they would work for that one dress, but really...I go barefoot most of the day. And yeah, reading about being a film editor or legal mediator is exciting, but really...just thinking about those careers is enough. I don't have to actually buy them, take them out of the store, and wear them every day to get a jolt out of it.
Not so with the writing boots. The more I read about them, talk about them, see them lined up on the floor, the more I want to stick my feet in them and tromp around.
If you want to do a little guilty career shopping, Do What You Are, based on Myers-Briggs personality type, is one of my favorite books. Guess what it says is one of the secrets to my type's success? The right shoes.
Ha! No, it actually says: "Developing realistic expectations." But that's the same thing, right?
By: Mark,
on 9/10/2008
Author: Kathleen T. Pelley
Illustrator: Michael Chesworth
Published: 2006 Farrar, Strauss and Giroux (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0374336067
Snappy storytelling and lively illustrations convey how disorder and diversions inspire an oasis of creativity while a sterile environment can be like a desert for an inventive mind.
Other books mentioned:
By: Jill,
on 8/11/2008
When I Grow Up: A Young Person's Guide to Interesting and Unusual Occupations by Jessica Loy
Choosing a career path is quite a daunting task. Some people know from childhood what they want to do, but I think most people really don't know until later in life. Regardless of whether you know "what you want to be when you grow up" or not, it's always very interesting to learn about different jobs. Look at the success of Deadliest Catch and Dirty Jobs, two shows that fascinate me. I'm a little too squeamish to actually be a crab fisherman or one of the professionals on Dirty Jobs, but I'm interested in learning more about them, nonetheless.
Now, Jessica Loy has written a book that features people who have very interesting and unusual occupations. We meet the following people:
It’s June, season of commencements — the start of summer, the start of sunshine, and, if you are graduating from college, the start of the rest of your life. I remember when I completed my English degree, way back in the 20th century. Toward the end of the school year, employment recruiters came on campus. Many of my business major and engineering major friends knew where they would commence with their post-college careers even before graduation was at hand.
We English majors, though, we were not usually so definitive in our career plans. Editing the literary magazine or writing for the school paper was not likely to make an employer think you could be the next designer of yet another, smaller computer chip in furtherance of Moore’s Law. While an English major might do well with creative writing, he probably didn’t understand a thing about creative accounting. With a good working knowledge of Medieval Literature and fairly decent writing and analytical skills, we English majors were not really of use in the business world beyond writing advertising copy or technical manuals. No one recruited us.
Well, English majors, I’m here to tell you that although you probably won’t see us coming to recruit you at your local college campus: Antiquarian booksellers want you!
That’s right. There are simply not enough antiquarian booksellers, and antiquarian booksellers under age 40 are about as rare as Gutenberg Bible. That’s because, if you’re like me, you love books, but you simply may not know about the world of antiquarian books. Yes, I was an English major. I worked for a book store, a book publisher, and my university’s library during college, yet I was completely unaware of the existence of antiquarian books, which, let’s face it, are not often on display in publicly accessible places. If you don’t see them, you might not know they exist; or, if you know they exist but you don’t see them, you might not understand what’s so great about old books.
When you get involved with antiquarian books, you get involved with much more than a book. You learn about history, bibliography, and the importance of preserving primary sources. If you’ve seen movies like National Treasure, then you’ll already know that the occasional car chase and explosion will be a part of your career, too.
When I discovered the world of book collecting and antiquarian bookselling some years after college, I wondered why I had never known that antiquarian bookselling existed as a career.
Is antiquarian bookselling right for you? As the bibliophile John Hill Burton once said of antiquarian booksellers, “It is, as you will observe, the general ambition of the class to find value where there seems to be none, and this develops a skill and subtlety, enabling the operator, in the midst of a heap of rubbish, to put his finger on those things which have in them the latent capacity to become valuable and curios.” That description pretty much sums it up.
If you think antiquarian bookselling might be right for you, here are a few questions you might ask yourself: Do you like books? Are you especially in love with the physical beauty of old books? Do you revel in the arcane information to be found in some old tomes? Do you possess at least a few rudimentary business skills? Do you love to learn? Do you love to sell? Do you believe in yourself enough to build your own business even if no corporate recruiters came knocking at your door? Do you prefer autonomous self-direction over instructions handed down from a boss? Can you work alone, content with your books and yourself? Can you deal with the public, your customers? Can you withstand the physical injury of the occasional collapsing bookcase and numerous paper cuts without the benefit of a good workers’ comp program?
Does this describe you? If so, put down your Kindle and check out the world of antiquarian books.
Chris Lowenstein
Book Hunter’s Holiday
3182 Campus Drive #205
San Mateo, CA 94403
(415) 307-1046
[email protected]
http://www.bookhuntersholiday.com
Blog at: http://bookhuntersholiday.wordpress.com
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By: Just One More Book!!,
on 6/4/2008
Author: Bjorn Sortland
Illustrator: Lars Elling
Published: 1995 CarolRhoda (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1575053756
A swirling stew of settings, characters and literary greats drift between puzzling nested plots and enticing factual references to make this dramatically illustrated, dreamlike adventure an intriguing exploration of literature, censorship and the importance of storytelling and independent thought.
Other books mentioned:
By: Just One More Book!!,
on 5/28/2008
Author: Doreen Rappaport
Illustrator: Matt Tavares
Published: 2008 Candlewick Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0763625302
Stunningly warm, intimate illustrations and eleven candid first person accounts capture the crescendo of Lady Liberty’s creation, from idea to unveiling, and give us an enduring appreciation for the landmark, her creators and the many lives she has touched.
Other books mentioned:
You can learn more about the process of illustrating this book here.
By: Just One More Book!!,
on 3/15/2008
Author: Gloria Spielman
Illustrator: Matthew Archambault
Published: 2007 Kar-Ben Publishing (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0822570505 Chapters.ca Amazon.com
Uncommonly rich illustrations and detailed, yet accessible, early reader text relay the haunting, true story of Janusz Korczak — doctor, writer, educator and champion of children’s rights.
You can read more about Janusz Korczak here.
By: Just One More Book!!,
on 3/12/2008
Author: Andrea Beaty (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Pascal Lemaitre
Published: 2008 Margaret K. McElderry (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1416928200 Chapters.ca Amazon.com
Neither glares nor germs nor a principal’s rage can squelch the earnest examinations and ridiculous remedies of a well meaning young bear in this cheekily illustrated school yard lark.
By: Just One More Book!!,
on 3/6/2008
Author: Michael Bedard (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Les Tait (on JOMB)
Published: 1999 Tundra Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0887765734 Chapters.ca Amazon.com
Thoughtful, unhurried narrative and rich, enveloping art capture the clutter and compassion of two celebrated sculptors, a fledgling robin’s rescue and the birth of a life-changing friendship.
You can learn more about sculptors Frances Loring and Florence Wyle here. Read about the recently published adult book, And Beauty Answers: The Life of Frances Loring and Florence Wyle, here.
Aha! I found a photo of their studio church on Glenrose Avenue!
Tags:childrens book, Florence Wyle, Frances Loring, Les Tait, Michael Bedard, Podcast, review, sculpture, The Clay Ladieschildrens book, Florence Wyle, Frances Loring, Les Tait, Michael Bedard, Podcast, review, sculpture, The Clay Ladies
By: Just One More Book!!,
on 2/26/2008
Author: Kathryn Lasky (on JOMB)
Illustrator: David Clark (on JOMB)
Published: 2006 Charlesbridge (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1570915954 Chapters.ca Amazon.com
Surprisingly descriptive, thought-provoking text and a cast of goofy, grinning hooligans provide a peek into a career in nautical crime as a reflective rogue ponders pillaging — its logistical details, dangers and doldrums — and grapples with issues of greed, freedom, friendship and distrust.
Other books mentioned:
Tags:childrens book, David Clark, Kathryn Lasky, Pirate Bob, Podcast, reviewchildrens book, David Clark, Kathryn Lasky, Pirate Bob, Podcast, review
By: Just One More Book!!,
on 2/23/2008
Author: Bill Wise
Illustrator: Bill Farnsworth
Published: 2007 Lee & Low Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1584302690 Chapters.ca Amazon.com
This riveting roller coaster of taunts, talent and tenterhooks relays a true story of suffering and success and invites us to examine the troubling shadow of racism and the resiliency of those who rise above it.
Check out the full list of non-fiction picture books nominated for the 2007 Cybils Awards here.
Posted on 8/16/2007
Author: Simon James
Illustrator: Simon James
Published: 2004 Candlewick Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0763636827 Chapters.ca Amazon.com
Hilariously understated body language and text tell a tale of in utero education gone wild in this entertaining poke at the modern, ambitious parent.
Other books mentioned:
Tags:Baby Brains, childrens book, hothousing of child improvement, hurried child, Podcast, pressured child, review, Simon JamesBaby Brains, childrens book, hothousing of child improvement, hurried child, Podcast, pressured child, review, Simon James
Posted on 1/6/2007
I want to thank Jill for letting me know that Librarian is listed as one of the Best Careers 2007 in U.S. News and World Report in an article titled “Get-Ahead Careers for 2007” by career coach Dr. Marty Nemko. Kudos to Dr. Nemko who tells readers that librarianship is an “underrated profession” and to forget about the dated image of the librarian as “mousy bookworm” and refers to librarians as “high tech information sleuths.” This article is one of the few that gets it right about the profession in my opinion. For instance, I am currently working on a presentation in which I am using my library’s digital databases, microfilm collection, vertical files of newspaper clippings on local history, resources from our special collection room on New Jersey history, and the resources found in the Library of Congress’s “American Memory National Digital Library Program” available online. I couldn't fully tell my story without the computers AND the books AND the microfilm AND the newspaper clippings. Is it perhaps that today’s history was yesterday’s pop culture?
The only point that I don’t agree with Dr. Nemko on is that the work environment of a librarian is placid. The work environment may seem placid to some, but perhaps one may change one’s mind by reading Liz B’s previous post “What Does Library Mean?” And let’s not even get into the challenges of censorship and intellectual freedom that librarians encounter on the job. Rather than placid, librarians and libraries exhibit what Ernest Hemingway describes as “grace under pressure.” In an interview with Dorothy Parker, in the New Yorker (November 30, 1929) Parker asked the former World War I ambulance driver “Exactly what do you mean by ‘guts’?” to which Hemingway responded, “I mean, grace under pressure.” John F. Kennedy used this phrase of Hemingway to define courage in his Pulitzer Prize winning book “Profiles in Courage” published in 1955. I prefer courageous over placid.
Dr. Nemko also mentions that many computer-related jobs that were hot a few years ago did not make the list of Best Jobs 2007 due to the fact that many of these jobs have gone overseas. So, what happened to the blue-jean wearing, tech-savvy, dot-com’ers and webmasters with the big ideas and entrepreneurial attitudes? Well, I noticed there were quite a few in Library School with me from 2002 – 2004.
[...] librarian.net » Blog Archive » Best Careers 2009: Librarian [...]
[...] 7, 2009 · No Comments librarian.net just highlighted what US News and World Report have broken in their ongoing [...]
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Yes, it’s going to be a rough ride for a while…but there are some great free ways you can get an edge. One is to build a professional identity online - one free service is http://www.nuresume.com which lets you post what position you are looking for as well as get alerts for matching internships and jobs. Good luck!
I should have been a locksmith.
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