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This girl’s force is about to go to sleep but I thought I’d give you all an impression from the first day before I turn out the lights and pull open the hotel curtains so I can see that fabulous skyline of Boston that stretches across the full length of my window.

Here we are in the land of Harvard, MIT, the Charles River, Fenway, Top of the Hub and the Boston Tea Party.    You feel the whispers of the past as you walk and drive this city.   History lives in the mortar around here.

This whirlwind day has offered hints of our roots and handed me an opportunity to ascend a very steep learning curve in the land of Uber.  I needed Uber to get around today and Uber and I were just getting to know each other.

To get Uber moving for me required the help and savvy of two lovely employees at the registration desk at the Westin Boston Waterfront.  They didn’t blink an eye.  They just took my smartphone and went to work and conjured up Daniel in a Toyota Camry.

(Oh, and the awesome guy at the ALA registration who told me how to get my free ride by putting in the promo code Feeling22…. Worked like a charm.)

So Daniel and I zipped across town to Cambridge so I could meet with Maryanne Wolf, author of Proust and the Squid. We got a cup of tea together and talked about our shared passion for giving children the best chance at life we can imagine by opening them up to books.

She is one of the brightest lights I’ve run into in my life and it was an honor and a privilege to spend time with her.

We talked about the challenge we all face in managing screen time and young children. Even this neuroscientist says the research we have to guide us is piecemeal. We have no longitudinal studies at this point.

Next a lovely employee at Sofra Cafe and Bakery helped me figure out how to get past the block on my phone’s screen…turns out you have to rate the driver of the previous Uber ride and then you can get conjure up the next one.   I stood inside the Cafe watching out the window for Paul in a Honda Fit.

Paul and I zipped back across town and I listened to Paul describe his career “Portfolio.”  Seems that now instead of working one job…you work a portfolio of jobs.   Paul teaches ESL to au pairs and scientists and is also working on the Emergency Services plan and policies for Washington, D.C.  His GPS delivered me to the loading dock of the Westin but I assured him I could get back to my hotel via the Convention Center. You gotta laugh…this technology has almost, almost I say… got it right.

Back at the hotel I changed into something slightly sparkly and graduated to being able to call my own Uber…yayyyy….and Mark came to the rescue in an Infinity and careened across the city to the Candlewick Publishing event at a suite at Fenway Park. Talk about history and whispers.  Talk about authors…Matt Tavares, M.T. Anderson, Timothy Basil Ering, David Elliott to name a few…and looking at the Golden Glove Awards won by various Red Sox greats. There was the big green monster and there was Peter H. Reynolds.  Hallowed halls indeed.

By now I can get an Uber ride with one hand tied behind my back. Totally starting to get into this thing.  Hey, no money changes hands, right?  You just click on the little Uber icon and tell ’em where you want to go and they send someone in 4 minutes and off you go.

My fellow adventurer, a wonderful Texas librarian named Cynthia Alvarez, and I headed off into the night with Nasr in a Honda Civic.  Nasr I am sorry to tell you seemed to circle the block a time or two.  Let’s just say we kept passing the famous Citgo sign and I think maybe we should only have had that little treat one time.

Cynthia and I peered out the window as we got deep into downtown because Nasr’s GPS was getting a bit fitful. Finally we convinced him that we could see the Prudential Building so we got him to stop the car and let us out.  Then Cynthia and I had to figure out how to get up to the Top of the Hub. Then we had to show our ID to get up to the Top of the Hub.

The elevator ride to the Top of the Hub delivered us to the Simon and Schuster Dessert event where we found old friends and were treated to Cassandra Clare surrounded by a group of students who could not believe their good luck. There was cotton candy, fruit…(no one was eating the fruit)..some kind of blue martini looking beverage in fabulous long-stemmed glasses… fancy pastries and then….. at the far end of the room was the lovely lady making crepes.  I kid you not.  She cooked up the crepe and you added your raspberries, blueberries, vanilla sauce, raspberry sauce, chocolate sauce, whipped cream…yep ….it was the most fabulous way to end the evening.

There we were looking out over the city of Boston with all of its twinkling lights and its Revolutionary ghosts and an army of Uber drivers.

Cynthia and I headed back to the hotel via Uber and Miguel and his small car to be named later.   Miguel had been in the IT business and had lost his job.  His dream now is to move to Florida and invest in a business with his wife.  He has two small children…one is 2 1/2 and one is 4 months. He also has a daughter who is 22. We asked him if his daughter is in college and he said she tried it but after one semester she didn’t know what she wanted to do so she left.

Yep, typical day in the life of a librarian.  I think we pretty much have the same job as these Uber guys.  We meet all kinds of people and we help them get where they want to go.  It’s that part about the credit card that we need to iron out.  Can you imagine if every time we walked a library customer through their “trip” our phone was ringing up their credit card? I don’t know…this is starting to sound pretty good to me… I wonder what the Sons of Liberty would say?

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Micki Freeney, the chair of the 2016 Notable Children’s Books Committee, and the entire NCB committee, invite you to join them at their Midwinter discussions, taking place in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Room 162AB on:

Friday, January 8, 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 9, 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 10, 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Monday, January 11, 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The complete discussion list is below. Titles with an asterisk indicate that the book was already discussed at the Annual Conference last summer.

PICTURE BOOKS

*3, 2, 1, Go! by Emily Arnold McCully. Holiday House.

8: An Animal Alphabet by Elisha Cooper. Scholastic Inc,/Orchard Books.

A B See by Elizabeth Doyle. Simon & Schuster/Little Simon.

Ask Me by Bernard Waber. Illus. by Suzy Lee. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea. Disney/Hyperion

Bear and Hare Go Fishing by Emily Gravett. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

*The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf.

Beep! Beep! Go to Sleep by Todd Tarpley. Illus. by John Rocco. Little Brown and Company.

Big Bear, Little Chair by Lizi Boyd. Chronicle Books.

Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley. Roaring Brook Press/A Neal Porter Book.

*Click! by Jeffrey Ebbeler. Holiday House.

Counting Lions by Katie Cotton. Illus. by Stephen Walton. Candlewick Press.

Crybaby by Karen Beaumont. Illus. by Eugene Yelchin. Macmillan/ Henry Holt and Company.

Double Happiness by Nancy Tupper Ling. Illus. by Alina Chau. Chronicle Books.

Drive: A Look at Roadside Opposites by Kellen Hatanaka. House of Anansi Press/Groundwood Books.

*Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle. Illus. by Rafael López. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Families, Families, Families by Suzanne Lang. Illus. by Max Lang. Random House.

*Fetch by Jorey Hurley. Simon & Schuster/A Paula Wiseman Book.

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick. Illus. by Sophie Blackall. Little Brown and Company.

*A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Feast by Emily Jenkins. Illus. by Sophie Blackall. Random House/Schwartz and Wade.

Float by Daniel Miyares. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Fly by Petr Horáček. Illus. by the author. Candlewick Press

*Fly! by Karl Newsom Edwards. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf.

Friendshape by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Illus. by Tom Lichtenheld. Scholastic Press.

*Grandma in Blue with Red Hat by Scott Menchin. Illus. by Harry Bliss. Abrams.

*The Grasshopper and the Ants by Jerry Pinkney. Little Brown and Company.

Have You Seen My Monster? by Steve Light. Candlewick Press.

Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor. Illus. by Jean Jullien. Candlewick Press.

*How to Draw a Dragon by Douglas Florian. Beach Lane Books.

Hurry Home, Hedgehog! A Bilingual Book of Sounds by Belle Yang. Candlewick Press.

I (Don’t) Like Snakes by Nicola Davies. Illus. by Luciano Lozano. Candlewick Press.

I Yam a Donkey by Cece Bell. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books.

*If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray.

*In by Nikki McClure. Abrams/Appleseed.

In a Village by the Sea by Muon Van. Illus. by April Chu. Creston Books.

*It’s Only Stanley by Jon Agee. Penguin Group/Dial Books for Young Readers.

The King and the Sea: 21 Extremely Short Stories by Heinz Janisch. Illus. by Wolf Erlbruch. Translated by Sally-Ann Spencer. Gecko Press.

Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story by Reem Faruqi. Illus by Lea Lyon. Tilbury House Publishers.

*Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña. Illus. by Christian Robinson. Penguin/Putnam.

Lenny & Lucy by Philip C. Stead. Illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook Press.

Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett. Illus. by Christian Robinson. Chronicle Books.

Lillian’s Right to Vote by Jonah Winter. Illus. by Shane W. Evans. Random House/Schwartz & Wade.

Look! by Jeff Mack. Penguin Group/Philomel Books.

Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation by Edwidge Danticat. Illus. by Leslie Staub. Penguin/Dial Books.

Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina. Illus. by Angela Dominguez. Candlewick Press.

Maya’s Blanket/La Manta de Maya by Monica Brown. Illus. by David Diaz. Translated by Adriana Domingue. Lee & Low Books/Children’s Book Press.

*Meet the Dullards by Sara Pennypacker. Illus. by Daniel Salmieri. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray.

Miracle on 133rd Street by Sonia Manzano. Illus. by Marjorie Priceman. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

The Moon Is Going to Addy’s House by Ida Pearle. Illus. Penguin Group/Dial Books for Young Readers.

Moving Blocks by Yosuke Yonezu. Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd./Minedition

Mr. Squirrel and the Moon by Sebastian Meschenmoser. Translated by David Henry Wilson. NorthSouth Books.

My Cousin Momo by Zachariah OHora. Dial Books for Young Readers.

*My Pen by Christopher Myers. Disney/Hyperion.

My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald, iIlus. by Freya Blackwood. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

My Wild Family by Laurent Moreau. Chronicle Books.

The New Small Person by Lauren Child. Candlewick Press.

*New Shoes by Susan Lynn Meyer. Illus. by Eric Velasquez. Holiday House.

The Night World by Mordicai Gerstein. Little Brown and Company.

On the Ball by Brian Pinkney. Disney-Hyperion.

One Family by George Shannon. Illus. by Blanca Gómez. Farrar Straus Giroux/Frances Foster Books.

One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck. Illus. by Yasmeen Ismail. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon. Illus. by Mark Siegel. Roaring Brook Press.

Outstanding in the Rain: A Whole Story with Holes by Frank Viva. Little Brown and Company.

*P. Zonka Lays an Egg by Julie Paschkis. Peachtree.

The Plan by Alison Paul. Illus. by Barbara Lehman. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

* Poem in Your Pocket by Margaret McNamara. Illus. by G. Brian Karas. Random House/Schwartz & Wade Books.

Pool by JiHyeon Lee. Chronicle Books.

The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton. Scholastic Press/Arthur A. Levine Books.

The Queen’s Hat by Steve Antony. Scholastic Press.

Red by Jan De Kinder. Translated by Laura Watkinson. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

*Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall. Harper Collins/Greenwillow Books.

Roger Is Reading a Book by Koen Van Biesen. Translated by Laura Watkinson. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

*Should You Be a River: A Poem about Love by Ed Young. Little Brown and Company.

*Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson. Illus. by Sydney Smith. House of Anansi Press/Groundwood Books.

*Skunk by Mac Barnett. Illus. by Patrick McDonnell. Roaring Brook Press.

The Snow Rabbit by Camille Garoche, Enchanted Lion Books.

Special Delivery by Philip C. Stead. Illus. by Matthew Cordell. Roaring Brook Press/A Neal Porter Book.

*Spectacular Spots by Susan Stockdale. Peachtree.

Spots in a Box by Helen Ward. Candlewick Press/Templar Books.

Squid Kid the Magnificent by Lynne Berry. Illus. by Luke LaMarca. Disney/Hyperion.

Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer. Illus. by Holly Clifton-Brown. Chronicle Books.

*Stormy Night by Salina Yoon. Bloomsbury.

Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev. Illus. by Taeeun Yoo. Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books.

*Such a Little Mouse by Alice Schertle. Illus. by Stephanie Yue. Scholastic/Orchard Books.

*Supertruck by Stephen Savage. Roaring Book Press/A Neal Porter Book.

Thank You and Good Night by Patrick McDonnell. Little Brown and Company.

That’s (Not) Mine by Anna Kang. Illus. by Christopher Weyant. Two Lions.

This Is Sadie by Sarah O’Leary. Illus. by Julie Morstad. Random House/Tundra Books.

Tiptoe Tapirs by Hanmin Kim, translated by Sera Lee. Illus. by Hanmin Kim. Holiday House.

*Toad Weather by Sandra Markle. Illus. by Thomas Gonzalez. Peachtree.

Toys Meet Snow: Being the Wintertime Adventures by Emily Jenkins. Illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky. Random House/Schwartz & Wade Books.

Two Mice by Sergio Ruzzier. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books.

Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago. Illus. by Rafael Yockteng. Translated by Elisa Amado. House of Anansi Press/Groundwood Books.

Wait by Antoinette Portis. Roaring Brook Press/A Neal Porter Book.

Waiting by Kevin Henkes. HarperCollins/Greenwillow Books.

We Dig Worms! by Kevin McCloskey. Toon Books.

*Whale Trails: Before and Now by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illus. by G. Brian Karas. Henry Holt and Company/Christy Ottaviano Books.

*When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt. Illus. by Jill McElmurry. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Where’s the Baboon? by Michaël Escoffier. Illus. by Kris Di Giacomo. Enchanted Lion Books.

Where’s Walrus? and Penguin? by Stephen Savage. Scholastic Press.

The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The White Book by Silvia Borando, Elisabetta Pica and Lorenzo Clerici. Candlewick Press.

Who Done It? by Oliver Tallec. Chronicle Books.

Whose Tools? by Toni Buzzeo. IIllus. by Jim Datz. Abrams/Appleseed.

Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman. Illus. by Zachariah OHora. Little Brown and Company.

*A Wonderful Year by Nick Bruel. Roaring Brook Press/A Neal Porter Book.

Yard Sale by Eve Bunting. Illus. by Lauren Castillo. Candlewick Press.

Zen Socks by Jon J. Muth. Scholastic Press.

FICTION (INCLUDING FICTION, VERSE NOVELS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS)

Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr. Translated by Guy Puzey. Illus. by Kate Forrester. Candlewick Press.

All the Answers by Kate Messner. Bloomsbury.

Another Kind of Hurricane by Tamara Ellis Smith. Random House/Schwartz & Wade Books.

Appleblossom the Possum by Holly Goldberg Sloan. Illus. by Gary A. Rosen. Penguin Group/Dial Books for Young Readers.

*Audacity by Melanie Crowder. Penguin/Philomel Books.

Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola. Illus. by Emily Carroll. Candlewick Press.

The Bamboo Sword by Marge Preus. Abrams/Amulet Books.

*Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Little Brown and Company.

*Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly. Harper Collins/Greenwillow Books.

Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands. Simon & Schuster/Alladin.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. Henry Holt & Company/Christy Ottaviano Books.

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley. Illus. by Diana Sudyka. Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers.

Completely Clementine by Sara Pennypacker. Illus. by Marla Frazee. Disney/Hyperion.

*The Cottage in the Woods by Katherine Coville. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf.

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate. Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends.

Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge. Abrams/Amulet Books.

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. Henry Holt and Company.

Dear Hank Williams by Kimberly Willis Holt. Henry Holt and Company/Christy Ottaviano Books.

Detective Gordon: The First Case by Ulf Nilsson. Illus. by Gitte Spee. Translated by Julia Marshall. Gecko Press.

Detective’s Assistant by Kate Hannigan. Little Brown and Company.

The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon. HarperCollins/Greenwillow Books.

*A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder. Illus. by Mary GrandPré. Random House/Crown Books for Young Readers.

Dream On, Amber by Emma Shevah. Illus. by Helen Crawford-White. Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky.

*Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Illus. by Dinara Mirtalipova. Scholastic Press.

*Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks. Henry Holt and Company.

Finding the Worm by Mark Goldblatt. Random House.

Firefly Hollow by Alison McGhee. Illus. by Christopher Denise. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

*Fish in a Tree by Linda Mullaly Hunt. Penguin Group/Nancy Paulsen Books.

Flop to the Top! by Eleanor Davis and Drew Weing. Toon Books.

*Footer Davis Probably Is Crazy by Susan Vaught. Simon Schuster/A Paula Wiseman Book.

Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton. Penguin Group/Dial Books for Young Readers.

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar. Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press.

George by Alex Gino. Scholastic Press.

Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia. HarperCollins/Amistad.

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead. Random House/Wendy Lamb Books.

The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War by multiple authors. Illus. by Jim Kay. Candlewick Press.

Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon. Penguin Group/Dial Books for Young Readers.

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord. Scholastic Press.

Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson. Illus. by David Shannon. Abrams Books for Young Readers.

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz. Candlewick Press.

*Honey by Sarah Weeks. Scholastic Press.

*The Imaginary by A. F. Harrold. Illus. by Emily Gravett. Bloomsbury.

Juba! by Walter Dean Myers. HarperCollins/Armistad.

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste. Algonquin Young Readers.

The Lightning Queen by Laura Resau. Scholastic Press.

*Listen, Slowly by Thanhhà Lại. HarperCollins.

Listen to the Moon by Michael Morpurgo. Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends.

Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure by Nadja Spiegelman. Illus. by Segio García Sánchez. TOON Graphics.

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff. Penguin Group/Philomel.

The Lunch Witch by Deb Lucke. Papercutz.

Mars Evacuees by Sophia McDougall. HarperCollins Publishers.

The Marvels by Brian Selznick. Scholastic Press,

*Moon Bear by Gill Lewis. Illus. by Alessandro Gottardo. Simon Schuster/Atheneum.

Moonpenny Island by Tricia Springstubb. Illus. by Gilbert Ford. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray.

Murder Is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

A Nearer Moon by Melanie Crowder. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books.

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel. Illus. by Jon Klassen. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Nooks & Crannies by Jessica Lawson. Illus. by Natalie Andrewson. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Only Child by Guojing. Random House/Schwartz & Wade.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion .
Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. Candlewick Press.

*The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf.

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter. Illus. by Qin Leng. Knopf Books for Young Reader.

*Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale. Bloomsbury.

*The Question of Miracles by Elana K. Arnold. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

*Red Butterfly by A. L. Sonnichsen. Illus. by Amy June Bates. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

*Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson. Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers.

The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf.

Shadows of Sherwood: A Robyn Hoodlum Adventure by Kekla Magoon. Bloomsbury.

*Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum.

The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems. Illus. by Tony DiTerlizzi. Disney/Hyperion.

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer Holm. Illus. by Matthew Holm. Scholastic Graphix.

The Tale of Rescue by Michael J. Rosen. Illus. by Stan Fellows. Candlewick Press.

The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. Little, Brown and Company.

*This Side of Home by Renée Watson. Bloomsbury.

The Tortoise and the Soldier: A Story of Courage and Friendship in World War I by Michael Foreman. Henry Holt and Company.

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee. Penguin/G P Putnam’s Sons.

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones. Illus. by Katie Kath. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf.

*The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers.

The Way Home Looks Now by Wendy Wan-Long Shang. Scholastic Press.

We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielson. Random House/Wendy Lamb Books.

*Wish Girl by Nikki Loftin. Penguin/Razorbill.

Written and Drawn by Henrietta by Ricardo Siri Liniers. Toon Books.

INFORMATION PICTURE BOOKS

The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton. Illus. by Don Tate. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

An Ambush of Tigers: A Wild Gathering of Collective Nouns by Betsy R. Rosenthal. Illus. by Jago. Lerner Publishing Group/Millbrook Press.

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond. Enchanted Lion Books.

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. lllus. by R. Gregory Christie. Lerner Publishing Group/Carolrhoda Books.

A Chicken Followed Me Home! Questions and Answers about Familiar Fowl by Robin Page. Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane Books.

*Draw What You See: The Life and Art of Benny Andrews by Kathleen Benson. Illus. by Benny Andrews. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books.

*Earmuffs for Everyone: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs by Meghan McCarthy. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/A Paula Wiseman Book.

*Egg: Nature’s Perfect Package by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Illus. by Steve Jenkins. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

*Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson. Illus. by Sean Qualls. Random House/Schwartz and Wade.

*Flowers Are Calling by Rita Gray. Illus. by Kenard Pak. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Flying Birds by Eun-sun Han. Illus. by R. Ju-kyoung Kim. TanTan Publishing.

Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass by Doreen Rappaport. Disney/Jump at the Sun.

Game Changer: John McLendon and the Secret Game by John Coy. Illus. by Randy DuBurke. Lerner Publishing Group/Carolrhoda Books.

*Gingerbread for Liberty: How a German Baker Helped with the American Revolution by Mara Rockliff. Illus. by Vincent X. Kirsch. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Growing Up Pedro: How the Martinez Brothers Made It from the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues by Matt Tavares. Candlewick Press.

Hippos Are Huge! by Jonathan London. Illus. by Matthew Trueman. Candlewick Press.

The House That Jane Built: A Story about Jane Addams by Tanya Lee Stone. Illus. by Kathryn Brown. Henry Holt and Company/Christy Ottaviano Books.

How to Swallow a Pig: Step-by-step Advice from the Animal Kingdom by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

I’m Trying to Love Spiders (It Isn’t Easy) by Bethany Barton. Penguin Group/Viking.

*In Mary’s Garden by Tina and Carson Kügler. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle’s Journey to Alvin Ailey by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illus. by James E. Ransome. Simon & Schuster Books for Young People/A Paula Wiseman Book.

A Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston. Illus. by Sylvia Long. Chronicle Books.

The Nutcracker Comes To America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created A Holiday Tradition by Chris Barton. Illus. by Cathy Gendron. Lerner Publishing Group/Millbrook Press.

*One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul. Illus. by Elizabeth Zunan. Lerner/Millbrook Press.

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate. Peachtree Publishers.

Queen of the Diamond: The Lizzie Murphy Story by Emily Arnold McCully. Farrar Strauss Giroux/Margaret Ferguson Books.

*Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre. Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane.

Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & His World of Insects by Matthew Clark Smith. iIlus. by Giuliano Ferri. Two Lions.

Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder. Illus. by Julie Morstad. Chronicle Books.

*Swing Sisters: The Story of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm by Karen Deans. Illus. by Joe Cepeda. Holiday House.

Tree of Wonder: The Many Marvelous Lives of a Rainforest Tree by Kate Messner. Illus. by Simona Mulazzani. Chronicle Books.

*Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews. Illus. by Bryan Collier. Abram Books.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner. Illus. by Christopher Silis Neal. Chronicle Books.

Water Is Water: A Book about the Water Cycle by Miranda Paul. Illus. by Jason Chin. Roaring Book Press/A Neal Porter Book.

Woodpecker Wham! by April Pulley Sayre. Illus. by Steve Jenkins. Henry Holt and Company.

NON-FICTION (INCLUDING INFORMATION PICTURE BOOKS, POETRY AND FOLKLORE)

*28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World by Charles R. Smith Jr. Illus. by Shane Evans. Roaring Brook Press/A Neal Porter Book.

*Big Red Kangaroo by Claire Saxby. Illus. by Graham Byrne. Candlewick Press.

*Bird & Diz by Gary Golio. Illus. by Ed Young. Candlewick Press.

The Boy Who Fell off the Mayflower, or John Howland’s Good Fortune by P.J. Lynch. Candlewick Press.

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip Hoose. Farrar Straus Giroux.

Breakthrough! How Three People Saved “Blue Babies” and Changed Medicine Forever by Jim Murphy. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books.

*The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko. Illus. by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. Scholastic/Arthur A Levine Books.

Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War by Jessica Dee Humphreys & Michel Chikwanine, Illus. by Claudia Dάvila. Kids Can Press/CitizenKids

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Emu by Claire Saxby. Illus. by Graham Byrne. Candlewick Press.

*Enormous Smallness: A Story of E. E. Cummings by Matthew Burgess. Illus. by Kris Di Giacomo. Enchanted Lion Books.

Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Extraordinary People: A Semi-Comprehensive Guide to Some of the World’s Most Fascinating Individuals by Michael Hearst. Illus. by Aaron Scamihorn. Chronicle Books.

*Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Mary by Gail Jarrow. Highlights/Calkins Creek.

*First Flight around the World: The Adventures of the American Fliers Who Won the Race by Tim Grove. Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum/Abram Books.

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illus. by Jamey Christoph. Albert Whitman and Company.

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash. Candlewick Press.

Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks. Roaring Brook Press/First Second.

I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda, with Liz Welch. Little Brown and Company.

The Inker’s Shadow by Allen Say. Scholastic Press.

The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford by Suzanne Slade. Illus. by Jennifer Black Reinhardt. Charlesbridge Publishing.

Ira’s Shakespeare Dream by Glenda Armand. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. Lee and Low Books.

Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation: The Story of the Transcontinental Railroad by Martin W. Sandler. Illus. by Karen Minot (map illustrations). Candlewick Press.

Lincoln’s Spymaster: Allan Pinkerton, America’s First Private Eye by Samantha Seiple. Scholastic Press.

Mad about Monkeys by Owen Davey. Flying Eye Books.

March: Book Two by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin. Illus. by Nate Powell. Top Shelf Productions.

Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery That Baffled All of France by Mara Rockliff. Illus. by Iacopo Bruno. Candlewick Press.

The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea by Brenda Z. Guiberson. Illus. by Gennady Spirin. Henry Holt and Company.

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin. Roaring Brook Press.

The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk by Sy Montgomery. Photos by Keith Ellenbogen.

*Rad American Women A to Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped Our History… and Our Future by Kate Schatz. Illus. by Miriam Klein Stahl. City Lights Books.

Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip through the Motown Sound by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Roaring Brook Press.

Sand Swimmers: The Secret Life of Australia’s Desert Wilderness by Narelle Oliver. Candlewick Press.

Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU by Cory Silverberg. Illus. by Fiona Smyth. Seven Stories Press/Triangle Square.

Spidermania: Friends on the Web by Alexandra Siy. Illus. by Dennis Kunkel. Holiday House.

Steve Jobs: Insanely Great by Jessie Hartland. Random House/Schwartz & Wade Books.

Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights by Ann Bausum. Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press.

Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Tommy: The Gun that Changed America by Karen Blumenthal. Roaring Brook Press.

A Tower of Giraffes: Animals in Groups by Anna Wright. Charlesbridge Publishing.

*Tricky Vic: The Impossibly True Story of the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower by Greg Pizzoli. Penguin Group/Viking.

*Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery. Illus. by P J Loughran. Penguin/Dial Books.

The Underground Abductor: An Abolitionist Tale by Nathan Hale. Abrams/Amulet Books.

Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall by Anita Silvey. National Geographic.

Welcome to New Zealand: A Nature Journal by Sandra Morris. Candlewick Press.

A Year without Mom by Dasha Tolstikova. House of Anansi Press/Groundwood Books.

POETRY

Amazing Places. Compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins. Illus. by Chris Soentpiet & Christy Hale. Lee & Low Books.

Beastly Verse. Compiled and illustrated by JooHee Yoon. Enchanted Lion Books.

*Death of the Hat: A Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects. Compiled by Paul B. Janeczko. Illus. by Chris Raschka. Candlewick Press.

Flutter & Hum = Aleteo y zumbido: Animal Poems = Poemas de animals. Complied by Julie Paschkis. Illlus. by Julie Paschkis. Henry Holt & Company.

*Lullaby & Kisses Sweet: Poems to Love with Your Baby. Compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins. Illus. by Alyssa Nassner. Abrams/Appleseed.

My Seneca Village by Marilyn Nelson. Namelos.

National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry: More than 200 Poems With Photographs That Float, Zoom, and Bloom! Compiled by J. Patrick Lewis. National Geographic.

Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Compiled by Elizabeth Hammill. Illus. by multiple artists. Candlewick Press.

The Popcorn Astronauts: And Other Biteable Rhymes by Deborah Ruddell. Illus. by Joan Rankin. Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Sail Away by Langston Hughes. Illus. by Ashley Bryan. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books.

The Sky Painter: Louis Fuertes, Bird Artist by Margarita Engle. Illus. by Aliona Bereghici. Two Lions.

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illus. by Ekua Holmes. Candlewick Press.

**********************************************************************************

You might also be interested in looking at the 2016 Notable Children’s Sound Recordings discussion list which was posted on Tuesday and the 2016 Notable Children’s Videos discussion list which was posted yesterday afternoon.

The post Notable Children’s Books — 2016 Discussion List appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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Barbara Scotto, the chair of the 2016 Notable Children’s Recordings Committee, and the entire NCR committee, invite you to join them at their Midwinter discussions, taking place in the Renaissance Waterfront, Room Georges, at the following times:

Friday, January 8, 8:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Saturday, January 9, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Sunday, January 10, 1:30 pm – 9:00 pm

The complete discussion list is below:

A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans, 3 hrs 58 min, cd, $30.00, Listening Library, 9781101891582

A House for a Hermit Crab, 11 min, cd+bk, $12.95, Weston Woods, 9780545875004

A Plague of Bogles, 7 hrs 16 min, cd, $45.00, Listening Library, 9780553556261

All American Boys, 6 hrs 30 min, mp3, $17.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781442398672

All Around This World: Africa, 1 hr 24 min, cd, $18.99, CD Baby/Sugar Mountain

All Fall Down, 8 hrs 34 min, cd, $74.99, Scholastic, 9780545788342

Appleblossom the Possum, 3 hrs 39 min, cd, Listening Library, 9781101892374

Bayou Magic, 4 hrs 45 min, cd, $46.75, Recorded Books, 9781490694269

Best Friend Next Door, 4 hrs 44 min, cd, $25.99, Weston Woods, 9780545857710

Betty Bunny Wants a Goal, 12 min, cd+bk , $29.95, Live Oak Media, 9781430120087

Brother Hugo and the Bear, 14 min, cd, $14.99, Dreamscape, 9781681416236

Bugs in My Hair, 6 min, cd+bk, $12.95, Weston Woods, 9780545790154
Calling All Elephants, 38 min, cd, $14.98, Song Wizard Records

Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, 6 hrs 30 min, cd, $66.75, Recorded Books, 9781490664330

Circus Mirandus, 6 hrs 19 min, cd, $40.00, Listening Library, 9781101892336

Classic Songs and Traditional Tunes, 41 minutes, $14.98, Andyland Music

Cody and the Fountain of Happiness, cd, 1hr 54 min, $14.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781501215827

Completely Clementine, cd, 3 hrs 15 min, $30.75, Recorded Books, 9781490625225

Crystal, 5 hrs, cd, $51.75, Recorded Books, 9781470392963

Cuddlebug Parade, 37 min, cd, $12.00, Sweetly Spun Parade/D Baby.com, 889211153558

Dante of the Maury River, 7 hrs 7 min, cd, $22.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781501215834

Deep Woods Revival, 35 min, cd, $15.00, Red Yarn Productions

Dork Diaries 9: Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen, 3 hrs, $14.99, Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442370234

Echo, 12 hrs, cd, $79.99, Scholastic Audio, 9780545788373

Evil Spy School, 6 hrs, cd, $29.99. Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442382626

Finding the Worm, 7 hr 1 min, cd, $40.00, Listening Library, 9780553552447

Firefly Hollow, 4 hrs 45 min, cd, $46,75, Recorded Books, 9781490651101

Fish in a Tree, 5 hrs 45 min, cd, $35.00, Listening Library, 9781101890691

Galactic Hot Dogs 1: Cosmoe Wiener’s Cosmic Getaway 2 hrs, cd, $14.99, Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442385221

Glory Be, 4 hrs 27 min, download, $24,50, Scholastic Audio, 9780545735292

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs, 14 min, cd+bk, $12.95, Weston Woods, 9780545842709

Goodbye Stranger, 6 hrs 59 min, cd, $35.00, Listening Library, 9781101916315

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, 21 min, $14.99, Dreamscape, 9781681416724

Home, 37 minutes, cd, $19.99, Independent release

Hot Air, 38 min, cd, $16.99, Recess Monkey

Infinity and Me, 12 min, cd+ bk, $29.95, Live Oak Media, 9781430120049

Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla, 12 min, cd+bk,Weston Woods, 9780545879187

Jack: The True Story of Jack in the Beanstalk, 7 hrs 58 min, cd, $45.00. Listening Library, 9780553551259

Jazz for L’il Jumpers, 42 minutes, cd, $10.00, Independent release

Juba, 4 hrs 27 min, download, $15.00, Harper Audio, 9780062188304

Judy Moody and Stink: The Wishbone Wish, 1 hr 3 min, cd, $14.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781501200199

Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, 2 hrs 37 min, cd, $24.99, Brilliance Audio. 9781491502211

Kay Thompson’s Eloise Audio Collection, 1 hr 30 min, cd, 14.99, Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442391741

Look Both Ways in the Barrio Blanco, 6 hrs 12 min, $22.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781501215872

Magic Treehouse Super Edition #1: Danger in the Darkest Hour, 3 hrs 2 min, cd, $19.95, Listening Library, 9780553552652

Mark of the Thief, 8 hrs 28 min, cd, $79.99, Scholastic Audio, 9780545788564

Midnight Thief, 12 hrs, cd, $108,75, Recorded Books, 9781490651545

Mister Max: The Book of Kings, 10 hrs 15 min, cd, $50.00, Listening Library, 9780804122139

Most Dangerous, 7 hrs 52 min, cd, $45.00, Listening Library, 9780553552775

Ms. Rapscott’s Girls, 3 hrs 40 min, cd, $27.00, Listening Library, 9781101890653

Nooks & Crannies, 7 hrs 27 min, cd, $39.99, Dreamscape, 9781681410678

Nursery Rhyme Parade, 37 min, cd, $13.00, Furious Rose Productions

Nuts to You, 2 hrs 45 min, cd, $30.75, Recorded Books, 9781490651224

Old Wolf, 3 hrs 30 min, cd, $19.99, Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442389953

Once Upon a Timeless Tale, 1 hr 3 min, cd, $19.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781486263769

Orphan Army, 9 hrs 47 min, mp3, $17.99, Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442 389526

Papa Is a Poet, 18 min, cd+bk, $12.95, Weston Woods, 9780545842570

Paula Danziger’s Amber Brown Is Tickled Pink,1 hr 54 min, cd, $22.95, Live Oak Media, 9781430118923

Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures, 4 hrs 12 min, cd, $49.99, Scholastic Audio, 9780545838337

Pluto: A Wonder Story, 2 hrs 10 min, cd, $14.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781491524138

Ratscalibur, 3 hrs 36 min, $27.00, cd, Listening Library, 9781101915301

Saddlebottom, 1 hr 41 min, cd, $11.99, Brilliance Audio, 97814862473349

Sing-Along History, Vol.1: Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!, 35 min, cd, $10.00, CD Baby/Sugar Mountain

Smek for President!, 6 hrs, cd, $30.00, Listening Library, 9780553395686

Sophie’s Squash, 15 min, cd+bk, $15.75, Recorded Books, 9781490683409

Stella by Starlight, 6 hrs 30 min, cd, $24.99 Simon & Schuster, 9781442380394

Stolen Magic, 7 hrs 37 min, download, $19.99, Harper Audio, 9780067388544

Stradivari’s Gift, 37 min, cd, $12.99, Atlantic Crossing/Naxos of America, 701807997837

Switch, 7 hrs 26 min, cd, $40.00, Listening Library, 9781101925713

That Is Not a Good Idea, 5 min, cd+bk, $12.95, Weston Woods, 9780545875330

The Boy in the Black Suit, 7 hrs 45 min, cd, $77.75, Recorded Books, 9781490658827

The Boys in the Boat, 5 hrs 36 min, cd, $35.00, Listening Library, 9781101924874

The Cottage in the Woods, 12 hrs 46 min, cd, $55.00, Listening Library, 9780553556223

The Curse of the Buttons, 3 hrs 9 min, $24.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781491502143

The Eagles Are Back, 11 min, cd+bk, $29.95, Live Oak Media, 9781430117773

The Enchanted Files: Diary of a Mad Brownie, 4 hrs 58 min, cd, $35.00, Listening Library, 9780553552294

The Friendship Riddle, 7 hrs 45 min, cd, $77.75, Recorded Books, 9781490666778

The Hired Girl, 12 hrs 45 min, cd, $87.75, Recorded Books, 9781490632230

The Honest Truth, 4 hrs12 min, cd, $24.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781491519011

The Hope Chest, 7 hrs 9 min, cd, $55.00, Listening Library, 9781101915769

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Bk. 5: The Unmapped Sea, 9 hrs 40 min, download, $24.99, Harper Audio, 9780062397935

The Jumbies, 5 hrs 15 min, cd, $51.75, Recorded Books, 9781490664651

The League of Beastly Dreadfuls, 6 hrs 41 minutes, cd, $40.00, Listening Library, 9781101891667

The Lightning Queen, 8 hrs, 16 min, cd, $34.99, Scholastic Audio, 978054592117

The Mr. Men Collection, 59 min, cd, $10.00, Listening Library, 9781101891285

The Mr. Men Collection, #3, 53 min, download, $22,00, Listening Library, 9781101891438

The Mr. Men Collection, #4, 57 min, download, $22.00, Listening Library, 978 110 1891452

The Nest, 3 hrs 30 min, cd, $14.99, Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442391260

The Odds of Getting Even, 8 hrs 15 min, cd, $40.00, Listening Library, 9781101892411

The Terrible Two, 6 hrs 15 min, download, $30.00, Blackstone Audio, 9781481515306

The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones, 3 hrs 46 min, cd, $27.00, Listening Library, 9781101915400

The Wainscott Weasel, 4 hrs 30 min, mp3, $19.99, Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442383425

The War That Saved My Life, 7 hrs 38 min, cd, $40.00, Listening Library, 9780553556537

The Worst Class Trip Ever, 3 hrs 59 min, cd, $19.99, Brilliance Audio, 9781491585658

These Shallow Graves, 13 hrs 32 min, cd, $60.00, Listening Library, 9781101916261

This is the Rope, 9 min, cd + bk, $12.95, Weston Woods, 9780545790512

This Side of Wild, 3 hrs, cd. $14.99, Simon & Schuster Audio, 9781442389618

Timmy Failure, #3: We Meet Again, 2 hrs 15 min, cd, $25,75, Recorded Books, 9781490620879

Tombquest, Bk.1: Book of the Dead, 4 hr 37 min, cd, $49.99, Scholastic Audio, 9780545788403

Trollhunters, 7 hrs, cd, $66.75, Recorded Books, 9781490694320

Trouble Is a Friend of Mine, 8 hrs 49 min, cd, $49.99, Listening Library, 9781101892497

Under the Egg, 5 hrs 55 min, cd, $35.00, Listening Library, 9781101915509

Upside-Down Magic, 3 hrs 8 min, cd, $39.99, Scholastic Audio, 9780545881715

Vendetta, 6 hrs 45 min, cd, $77.75, Recorded Books, 9781490677477

We Are All Made of Molecules, 5 hrs 45 min, cd, $35,00, Listening Library, 9780553556308

Woof, 7 hrs 4 min, cd, $64.99, Scholastic Audio, 978054583835

***************************************************************************

You might also be interested in looking at the 2016 Notable Children’s Videos discussion list which will be posted tomorrow and the Notable Children’s Books discussion list which will be posted on Thursday.

The post Notable Children’s Sound Recordings — 2016 Discussion List appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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Last year I read over 500 picture books. I don’t think I’ve read quite that many this year, but I have kept up a steady pace. I certainly have changed the way I look at picture books. Spending a year on the Caldecott committee does that – I will never look at a picture book the same way again, and this is a good thing. For one, it has made it easier for me to share how to look at the art in these books. I have been working with our local school board to help teachers look more closely at picture books. I spent a week in early December with the Grade 1 teachers. I showed them what I saw in the books, and they shared what they saw. I was amazed that I was able to find something new in The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend. I consider all the books our committee chose as friends. I carry them in my car. They are lifelong companions. They are gifts.

Speaking of book gifts. This makes me so proud to be Canadian that I am shouting it from my virtual rooftops. IBBY Canada, Groundwood Books , Sydney Smith, and JonArno Lawson have banded together to give a gift to the Syrian refugees that are coming to our country. Along with a copy of Sidewalk Flowers, each book will contain a card inviting them to take a trip to their local public library. It makes my librarian heart melt, this does.

So whatever you are doing this day, be it celebrating with family, eating cookies, working, lounging by the fire, or just relaxing, enjoy a gift. Find a favourite picture book and read it aloud.

The post Picture books, the greatest gift appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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Among the standard review and professional journals to which my library subscribes, there are a few that are a little more unusual to find in a public librarian’s inbox. Literacy Today, the journal of the International Literacy Association (ILA), is one of these. I certainly had never encountered it before I started in this job, but I’ve come to look forward to each issue. While ILA members come from a wide range of disciplines, I particularly value the perspectives of classroom teachers that I get from reading Literacy Today.

A recent article on using challenging materials in the classroom resonated with me because of my work on the Intellectual Freedom Committee. More and more, the challenges to reading material for young people that we’re seeing across the country are coming from school libraries and class reading assignments more than from public library collections. As we consider ways in which we as librarians can support our schools in promoting the importance of challenging reads, I found the two differing opinions on navigating book selection in the classroom featured in this article to be truly thought-provoking.

ILA has generously allowed us to provide the article here, so I encourage you to take a few minutes to read and consider it.

I’m intrigued by the middle school teacher who whets her students’ appetites for challenging materials by using excerpts in class, but encourages them to seek out the full book outside of school in order to avoid parent complaints. It’s evident that this approach to potentially forbidden fruit gets teens excited about reading these titles.

At the same time, I understand the perspective of the high school teacher who worries that teachers deferring to outside pressure are diminishing their roles as professional educators. Additionally, as IF advocates frequently point out, no one can ever predict what someone else will consider “offensive” or “inappropriate.”

What do you think of these two viewpoints? Does the first suggestion offer an acceptable compromise for teachers looking to avoid reconsideration battles? Or does it give in too much to a “potential challenge” that may never come? Do you have other examples of ways in which teachers navigate the selection of classroom reading assignments? Please share your thoughts in the comments, and visit literacyworldwide.org for more information on Literacy Today magazine and the International Literacy Association.

Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Co-Chair ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee

Two Takes article from Sept/Oct 2015 issue of Literacy Today shared with permission of the International Literacy Association.

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By now, most publications have weighed in with their “Best Books of 2015” lists. While many find them to be great collection development tools, it can be disappointing when our favorite reads have been overlooked.  Let’s chat about our favorite reads for 2015 (2015 publication date only, please). If your favorites received tons of starred reviews and/or inclusion in many “Best of 2015” lists, please let us know! But if you have some favorites that you feel deserve wider recognition, this is your chance to let your fellow librarians know!

While these books are not the only books I would include in my favorites list, these are at the top of the list:

(image taken from Kate Hannigan’s website)

If you need an action-packed historical fiction novel with plenty of humor, gravitas, and a charming aunt-niece relationship, you should definitely read The Detective’s Assistant. Based on the real-life Kate Warne, the first female private investigator, this is a madcap read that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

(image taken from Macmillan’s website)

My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay  features Zulay, a bright and spirited African-American first grader. Zulay is working on mastering her white cane with the assistance of an aid; she very much wants to participate in field day races with her friends and fellow classmates. Based on an actual first-grader who is blind, this is an upbeat and realistic look that will inform and inspire readers.

(image taken from Hachette catalog)

Disney Lucasfilm Press launched a dizzying amount of Star Wars books for children this year, including a retelling of the original trilogy written by three fantastic children’s authors. If you think these are your standard junior movie novelizations, you need to investigate these books! Alexandra Bracken launched the trilogy with A New Hope, which looks at the events in the first movie from the points of view from Luke, Han, and Leia. Adam Gidwitz followed with The Empire Strikes Back, which address the reader directly on the Jedi training path and offers an honestly moving overview of Jedi philosophy. Finally, Tom Angleberger (of Origami Yoda fame!) concludes with Return of the Jedi, in which hilarious annotations offer unique insights into the events.

 

(image taken from Mitali Perkins’s website for the book)

Tiger Boy  is an eye-opening look at the delicate balance between wildlife and humans in a remote Bengal village. When a tiger cub goes missing from its nature reserve, young Neel joins the search in order to protect her from a corrupt real estate developer. Not only does Perkins highlight the conflict between animals and humans, but she also portrays the precious commodities of education in Neel’s village (Neel is studying for a scholarship at a prestigious boarding school, and his entire village is counting on him to win it).

What were your favorite reads in 2015 (published in 2015)? Let us know in the comments!

 

 

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Every year libraries and schools around the United States offer Mock Election programs in preparation for the annual Youth Media Awards. These discussions are a great opportunity for children’s literature aficionados to gather and talk about a topic they love and to learn more about some of the great, recently published books for kids.

We are developing a page on the ALSC Blog with many of the results from this year’s Mock Elections around the country. Check it out here. You can also find this tab on the homepage of the ALSC Blog.

So far, we have some results from:

• Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Eastern Shore Libraries
• Lane Libraries, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, and other nearby schools in southwest Ohio
• Massachusetts Library System

We’d love to include your Mock Election. If you are willing to have us post your results, just send off the names of your mock winner and honor titles to [email protected] with other pertinent information you would like to share, including the name of your library, your city/state, a url to your library and/or Mock Election site, the number of participants, and a contact name & email for further information.

We look forward to posting a wide variety of results. Check back often to see what titles libraries and schools are selecting this year in their Youth Media Award Mock Elections. And stay tuned to find out the real winners as they are announced at the Midwinter Conference on January 11, 2016 in Boston.

The post Mock Election Results appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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I just got around to reading Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015) and boy, was it awesome!

This great graphic novel for middle-grade readers follows twelve-year old Astrid, who is inspired to join a summer youth roller derby camp after her mother takes her to a Rose City Rollers derby match. Astrid immediately falls in love with the sport and aspires to be like the rad roller ladies, whose colored hair, witty names, and rainbow socks absolutely scream cool. Unfortunately, Astrid’s best friend Nicole doesn’t seem quite so impressed by the roller derby. Soon after Astrid discovers that her bestie will be spending her summer at ballet camp with one of her not-so-favorite people, Rachel. So begins Astrid’s summer of growth as she learns that sometimes friendships change and that skating is not quite as easy as it looks.

The story felt very authentic to me, capturing the sort of girl drama that can blossom between friends, especially during those difficult and emotional middle-school years. Jamieson herself is a roller girl, skating with the real-life Rose City Rollers under the name “Winne the Pow” (how cute is that?!). Jamieson’s personal experience provides readers with a realistic glimpse into the world of women’s roller derby, while her bright, colorful illustrations bring this world to life. This book just may inspire readers to seek out their local derby team and become roller girls themselves!

Roller Girl is a stand-out graphic novel and an impressive debut from Jamieson. I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next! This title is a perfect book to put in the hands of Raina Telgemeier fans or young tweens who may feel like outsiders looking for their own place to fit-in. I might even use this title for a future tween graphic novel book club meeting, as there is plenty to talk about and relate to for girls and boys alike.

The post Roller Girl Rocks appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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Let’s face it…we all have favorites. Favorite authors, favorite bits of curriculum, (favorite patrons…shhh!).  I am at a favorite point of teaching with my second graders right now.

We have been embarking on an American Tall Tale Study. I use Mary Pope Osborne’s American Tall Tales, as well as several stand alone picture books, including Osborne’s New York’s Bravest, and Isaacs’ Swamp Angel with the children.  We talk about geographical truths and wild exaggerations. We talk about humor and fear. We talk about who tells the stories and who is represented.

At the end of our study, I ask the children to create their own tall tale character who would fit into the world of Paul Bunyan.  Fun, right?

Turns out, in the past, it has been super hard for some students, and I figured out that I wasn’t being clear enough about world building.  7 and 8 year olds are sometimes a bit contrary, and the moment I tell them they get to create a tall tale character, the hands shoot up and inevitably I get asked, “Stacy! Can I make a character who is 5 inches tall?“, “Stacy! Can my character be from outer space?“, “Wait…does it have to be human?“.  This year, I really set the scene talking about setting, place and similarities with my students.  We spoke about the realities of the time period, as well as the fact that the characters don’t have super powers like we know super powers…rather they tend to have exaggerated human abilities (though of course there are exceptions).

When it came time to start designing their characters, the students had to think about things like age, gender and size.  But this year they thought more carefully about naming their character, and about where their character would live based on the special abilities they wanted the character to have.  One student even said, “I think my character would be better friends with Paul Bunyan than Davy Crockett because he’s a hard worker — not a bragger”. 

Sometimes it’s hard to remember we have to slow down and really set the scene for young readers.  When we do, the outcomes are often head and shoulders above what have come before.

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Wow! What great informational books for kids we’re seeing this year! You’ve been reading them too- what about that fabulous science book and that verse novel that actually teaches you something and the silly, silly tale about just how that tricky bit of of physics actually works? Oh, and don’t forget that one about the kid growing up a long time ago – and by the time you finished it, you knew some of the favorite songs of the era, how far the medical system had advanced – and why they called them – whatever. The Sibert Committee has been reading all these books too and would love to know which ones you want us to take a second, or third, look at. You’ll have to wait until January to hear our final decisions, but please send your ideas our way. While we won’t be breathing a word of our favorites, why not make sure your favorites have caught our attention? Send them along by November 15th to Elizabeth Overmyer, Chair, 2016 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Committee, [email protected].

If you’d like to refresh your understanding of the Sibert criteria, they are available here: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/sibertmedal/sibertterms/sibertmedaltrms.

Happy reading!

— Elizabeth Overmyer, Chair
2016 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Committee

 

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To learn more about a place, immerse yourself in the literature of that region. I want to take you on a journey to the Southwestern part of the United States through literature written for children. Here are some selected books for young readers to delight, learn, challenge, and inspire.

(Alphabetized by author’s last name)

Astorga, Amalia (as told by Gary Paul Nabhan)
Efrain of the Sonoran Desert: A Lizard’s Life Among the Seri Indians (Published by Cinco Puntos Press in 2001)
This book tells the story of the Seri Indians. Dr. Nabhan retells the story from Seri Indian Elder Ms. Amalia Astorga, and Janet K. Miller is the illustrator. Ms. Astorga’s story about her friendship and death of her pet lizard Efrain. Cultural and linguistic descriptions give the reader a deeper appreciation for the Seri Indians who are at-risk of becoming extinct with a population decrease to little more than 600.

Begay, Shonto
Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa (Published by Scholastic in 1995)
This is a book of poetry with paintings that depict Navajo life. Words flow together like songs. A treat for the eyes too with his beautiful illustrations. My favorite poem in this collection is one called, “In My Mother’s Kitchen.” This and the other poems take the reader into Mr. Begay’s world and life as a Navajo from the Southwest.

Bruchac, Joseph and James
Native American Games and Stories (Published by Fulcrum Publishing in 2000)
The father and son authors team up with illustrator Kayeri Akweks to share Native American tales and games. Contents include: (1) ball games and team sports, (2) bowl games and other games of chance, (3) games of skill, and (4) awareness games. This would be a great book for teachers or parents to use with children to have fun and gain a greater awareness of Native American culture.

Canales, Viola
*The Tequila Worm (Published by Wendy Lamb Books in 2005)
The main character, Sofia, is offered a scholarship to an exclusive boarding school in Texas away from the barrio and her family. Sofia is challenged when she is faced with having to learn how to survive in two different environments. A chapter book with 199 pages, The Tequila Worm has rich and relatable characters to interest tween readers.

Chavarria-Chairez, Becky
Magda’s Piñata Magic (Published by Piñata Books in 2001)
The tradition of the piñata is celebrated in this story of how a girl named Magda uses her imagination to create a joyful party. Full Spanish and English text is included in the book. Illustrated by Anne Vega with enchanting pictures of the characters and places. Here is an example of the rich description that accompanies the colorful images, “The children’s mouths fell open! It was a life-sized piñata of Gabriel, wearing his favorite outfit, too – a cowboy shirt, a fringed best, blue-jeans, and boots complete with toy spurs.”

Cisneros, Sandra
Hairs/Pelitos (Published by Dragonfly Books/Alfred A. Knopf in 1996)
In perfect unity, the author Cisneros and the illustrator Terry Ybañez tell the story of family diversity. Each family member has different hair. The book has English text at the top of each page, and Spanish text at the bottom of each page. A book has a beautiful message to celebrate what makes us unique.

Garza, Carmen Lomas
*In My Family/En Mi Familia (Published by Children’s Book Press in 1996)
Carmen Lomas Garza shows the many traditions she grew up with in the southwest. When you read this you will see that every time you turn the page you learn something about southwestern and Hispanic culture. A special treat is waiting for you at the end of the story where the author/illustrator answers questions from children.

Hayes, Joe
The Gum Chewing Rattler (Published by Cinco Puntos Press in 2006)
As someone who loves to chew gum, this story captured my imagination and interest. Mr. Joe Hayes tells the story of his beloved childhood past-time of chewing gum. Mr. Antonio Castro L. brings the characters to life with the brightly colored pages of a rattlesnake chewing gum and blowing bubbles. Hmmm, I wonder if the rattlesnake added peanut butter to make the bubbles bigger like they do in chewing gum contests?

Hoagland Hunter, Sara
The Unbreakable Code (Published by Cooper Square Publishing in 1996)
This is an incredible story about the Navajo Code Talkers. The author writes about the WWII contribution made by Navajo soldiers who created a secret code used to transmit sensitive information during war time. Ms. Julia Miner depicts John, the young boy, talking with his grandfather in earth tones and beautiful detailed pictures. Children will learn about an important time in our U.S. history, Native Americans and the Navajo Nation.

Hodgson, Mona
Bedtime in the Southwest (Published by Rising Moon in 2004)
Animals in the Southwest are getting ready for sleep in this visual and poetic treat. Ms. Renee Graef illustrates this picture book brilliantly. Each page has rhyming text written in the form of questions. It is a wonderful story to read with a child when they are going down for a nap, or getting ready for bedtime for the night. Challenging sleep behaviors are questioned as children learn about the diverse animals living in the Southwestern habitat.

Jimenez, Francisco
The Circuit (Published by University of New Mexico Press in 1997)
The Circuit is an auto-biography written by Dr. Francisco Jimenez who tightly weaves story after story from his years as a little boy moving from Mexico to California in the 1940s and 50s. The struggles and joy he faced are situations many of our children can relate to. My heart opened up! This is a tear jerker and love story written about family. Every teacher should read this book to gain a deeper understanding of what children facing learning dual languages and/or immigration issues.

Lund, Jillian
Way Out West Lives a Coyote Named Frank (Published by Puffin Books in 1993)
Frank is an adorable coyote living a carefree life in the southwest. He plays with his friends Larry and Melanie. The colorful illustrations show Frank surrounded by southwestern beauty in nature. He, along with his friends, encounter other animals of the desert. Children will enjoy Frank’s playful adventures.

Marsh, T. J. & Ward, Jennifer
Way Out in the Desert (Published by Rising Moon in 1998)
Kids will love finding the hidden numbers on each page cleverly illustrated by Mr. Kenneth J. Spengler. Ten Southwest animals and their habitat in the Sonoran Desert are presented. A glossary is provided the reader at the end of the book, along with a song called, “Way Out in the Desert.”

Momaday, N. Scott
Circle of Wonder: A Native American Christmas Story (Published by University of New Mexico in 1994)
Mr. Momaday tells the story of “Tolo” based on his own boyhood growing up in Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico. Vivid colors help tell the tale about a special Christmas. Circles, the center of circle, and light imagery are used. My favorite part of the book is, “Tolo knew then that he had been led to the center of the Holy Season. He thought again of his grandfather, who he know was near among the trees, and of his parents , and of the Christ child, who had come to live the twelve days of Christmas in his home” (p. 36).

Mora, Pat
*Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart (Published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2005)
Illustrated by Mr. Raul Colón, this story is about Doña Flor who is different from everyone else. Doña Flor is a giant towering over all the people in her community. She uses her difference to her advantage to benefit the town. This is a story that shows children that being “different” is a blessing.

Rabe, Tish
Why Oh Why Are Deserts Dry? (Published by Random House in 2011)
This book is part of the Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series and illustrated by Aristides Ruiz and Joe Mathieu. The colorful pages will seem familiar to children if they watch the PBS show or have read the Dr. Seuss classics. The science of the desert is explained in a fun way. There are also helpful descriptions of how Spanish words are pronounced. When discussing a specific type of woodpecker, Rabe gives the reader a tip through a character holding a sign saying “Hee-luh” for the “Gila” woodpecker. At the back of the book there is a glossary and further readings on books about the desert.

Roessel, Monty
Songs from the Loom: A Navajo Girl Learns to Weave (Published by Lerner Publications Company in 1995)
This non-fiction book that portrays the importance of weaving in the Navajo culture. In the preface of the book, Mr. Roessel explains his role in passing stories and traditions from one generation to the next. His photography is featured throughout the book, along with a rich description of Navajo fiber arts.

Sáenz, Benjamin Alire
*Grandma Fina and Her Wonderful Umbrellas/La Abuelita Fina y sus sombrillas maravillosas (Published by Cinco Puntos Press in 1999)
This is a story about Abuela/Grandma Fina. She has a broken yellow umbrella that she takes with her on walks through town where she sees many of her friends and family. On her birthday, they throw her a party. Everyone brings her an umbrella. What is she to do with ten umbrellas? Dr. Sáenz teams up with the talented illustrator Mr. Geronimo Garcia in this bright and colorful treat for both children and adults.

Sáenz, Benjamin Alire
*Perfect Season for Dreaming/Un tiempo perfecto para soñar (Published by Cinco Puntos Press in 2008)
The main character is Octavio Rivera who is 78 years old. It is summer time when he goes on a dreaming spree. Talk to children about the dreams in Perfect Season. Ask children to share their own dreams. Mr. Andrade Valencia captures the story with his dreamy illustrations. This would be a sweet story to read anytime, but especially in September for Grandparents Day.

Tapahonso, Luci
Songs of Shiprock Fair (Published by Kiva Publishing in 1999)
This story takes place in Shiprock, New Mexico. The author, Navajo Nation poet laureate Tapahonso writes about this special fair through the eyes of a child named Nezbah, while Mr. Anthony Chee Emerson breathes life into the vivid illustrations.

*This book won the Belpre award from the American Library Association
in honor of the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library.

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Today’s guest blogger is Dr. Marisa Macy, a writer from Las Cruces, New Mexico. She writes about early childhood topics. You can read more of her work at www.marisamacy.com. Her website is called, “Buttercup.”

Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

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October is one of my most favorite times of year for a variety of reasons. Crisp weather makes for perfect hiking, my scarf collection makes a triumphant return from the closet, and all things pumpkin can be found. The real reason October stands out for me though is the mysterious mood cast thanks to Halloween. As a fan of spooky stories of all sorts, this month provides the perfect opportunity to share some of my top picks for eerie and ghostly reads. The graphic novels highlighted below are not holiday specific, and would be great recommendations for readers year-round, but are especially fun during this season.

Cat Burglar Black by Richard Sala. First Second; 2009. This quirky title by the talented Sala has it all-  dangerous mysteries, weird characters, hidden treasure, and creepy settings. K was raised in an orphanage where the children were trained to be professional thieves and now finds herself at Bellsong Academy, a suspicious boarding school with barely any other students. I’ll be discussing this title with my tween graphic novel book club next week and I can’t wait to hear their thoughts!

Possessions: Unclean Getaway by Ray Fawkes. Oni Press; 2010. First in the Possessions series. Possessions is both laugh-out-loud hilarious and totally disturbing, in the most fun way.  In Unclean Getaway, readers meet Gurgazon the Unclean, a demon who has possessed a 5-year old girl and is now bent on destroying the world…if she could only escape the Llewellyn-Vane House for Captured Spirits and Ghostly Curiosities. This is an ongoing series with the most recent title, The Final Tantrum, published in February of this year.

Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow adapted by Blake A. Hoena. Stone Arch Books; 2014. Irving’s classic tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman is adapted for graphic readers in this colorful title. This version is great for readers who may be new to the story as it provides an introduction discussing the real Sleepy Hollow and how Irving may have stumbled across the legend, as well as a glossary of vocabulary words.

Hans Christian Anderson’s The Red Shoes and Other Tales by Metaphrog. Papercutz; 2015. The dark story of Anderson’s The Red Shoes is wonderfully retold in this graphic novel, along with Anderson’s The Little Match Girl and an original story titled The Glass Case. The sickly color palette exhibited throughout this book really gives these stories an extra layer of spookiness.

Johnny Boo: The Best Little Ghost in the World by James Kochalka. Top Shelf Productions; 2008. First in the Johnny Boo series. Johnny Boo and his ghost pet Squiggle take on the Ice Cream Monster in this introduction to the world of Johnny. This series is a good choice for young readers interested in something ghostly but not-so-scary.

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol. Square Fish; 2014. Anya’s Ghost mixes realistic young adult issues and a ghost story to make one awesomely scary graphic novel. Anya is part of a Russian family and is already having a hard time trying to fit in at school when she falls down a hole and finds herself face to face with a haunted skeleton. At first this ghost seems to be a friend to Anya, but quickly we learn that she is not to be trusted.

I suggest that these titles be read under dim lighting, while wrapped in a cozy blanket and sipping a mug of hot apple cider. Happy haunting!

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I wonder how many children’s librarians work for forty years without ever facing a challenge to a book in their collection.

I finally had one this summer, when a parent objected to the inclusion of Robie Harris’ much-acclaimed It’s NOT the Stork! on our list of suggested reading for children entering second grade. The parent, whom I’ll call “Dr. Z,” wanted the title struck from the list and also removed from the juvenile nonfiction shelves and placed in our Parenting collection. Dr. Z wrote that its inclusion on the reading list and its placement on open shelves “ignores cultural values of many families.”

As a member of ALSC’s Intellectual Freedom Committee, I felt pretty well-equipped to deal with this matter. Every challenge has individual peculiarities, of course, and I hope it will interest my fellow librarians to learn how it’s playing out here.

Dr. Z’s original complaint was voiced in an email to our Library Director, but I took the lead in responding to her:

1) I explained that the reading lists in question are produced in collaboration between the public children’s librarians and the school media specialists of our school district. There are over one hundred titles on each list and none of them are required reading. In compiling the lists we are careful to include a wide range of books on a variety of subjects, in a range of genres and levels. This is precisely because we feel that will allow individual families to make choices about what their children read. We expect and understand that not every book on the lists will be enjoyed equally by every child in the community. I mentioned that It’s NOT the Stork! had been on the suggested reading list for second graders for three years and that this was the first complaint that we’d received.

 2) I pointed to the starred reviews It’s NOT the Stork! had received in School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews and The Horn Book and that all of these professional review sources suggested that it be used with children in Kindergarten through 3rd grade and that Harris’ book was an American Library Association Notable Book for 2006.

3) I wrote that, since the reading lists are revised annually and titles are dropped and added every year, we librarians would take her concerns into account when drawing up the lists for the summer of 2016.

4) I further noted that because any child under the age of ten must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver when using our library, there is ample opportunity for vetting children’s selections, should the adult choose to do so.

In case my answers did not satisfy Dr. Z. and to ensure that she would know that we were taking her concerns seriously, I attached copies of our Materials Selection Policy as well as our Library Materials Reconsideration Policy and Library Materials Reconsideration Form. I also copied the email correspondence to the librarian at the elementary school Dr. Z’s child attends, so that she would be aware of the complaint before the school year began.

Our Library Director contacted ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom, to apprise them of the challenge. They offered to help, if necessary, in several ways—including enlisting Robie Harris herself an articulate defender of her own work.

It came as no particular surprise that Dr. Z. did file the Materials Reconsideration Form, again requesting that the book be removed from the reading list and moved from the children’s nonfiction section and into our Parenting collection. In a further email she wrote, “We felt that we deserved some apology for being put in distress for about a month now after a visit to our public library. While you are reasoning about the book’s awards I am left to deal with my son’s hysterical laughing spells…which are giving me insomnia.” Faced with this formal complaint, we proceeded to follow our library’s policies to reconsider the book.

In the meantime, the plot thickened when Dr. Z. informed me that her child’s school principal had promised that the book would be removed from the reading list. Since the school principals aren’t involved in drawing up the lists, I heard this news with some alarm. The school librarian had not contacted me regarding the emails I’d forwarded to her, but given that the original complaint arose at the end of August and that the busy school year had just begun, I understood the delay. But the principal’s promise called for an immediate consultation. We conferred by phone and I learned that Dr. Z. had confronted the principal during Back-to-School Night. In what was probably a defensive move, the principal had, indeed, promised that the book would be removed from the reading list. She knows full well that the lists are compiled by the librarians and was very clear that she doesn’t want to be involved in the process. She’d just made a mistake in the heat of the moment. Her promise did complicate the matter, however.

Back at the Library, we formed a committee of five members: the Library Director, a reference librarian who has two children in the school system, a former Library Board member who is the director of a local preschool, the Youth Services Coordinator of a neighboring library system (our own library system—alas—no longer has a Youth Services Consultant) and me, as Head of Children’s Services. All the members of the committee read the book, the email exchanges, the request for reconsideration, reviews of the book and ALA’s “Library Bill of Rights” and “Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors” in preparation for our meeting.

The committee discussed Dr. Z’s requests in relation to our philosophy and process in composing our suggested reading lists and the composition and function of our Parenting collection. Currently, this collection is comprised of nonfiction for adults concerning parenting issues, but it doesn’t contain any juvenile nonfiction. All of our books on human reproduction—offering a large and varied range of detail and specificity—are shelved with the juvenile nonfiction on open shelves. We talked about the possibility that parents might mistakenly interpret the reading lists as required summer assignments for their children. I assured them that when we visit each class at the end of the school year, as well as any time we help children using the lists during the summer, we stress that the lists are only suggestions and that we are happy to find other books for them if they don’t want to read what’s on the lists. I explained that we try to keep designated shelves stocked with titles from the lists during the summer, but that there are always more titles on the lists than can fit onto those shelves at one time.

The committee decided to advise Dr. Z. that the librarians would take her concerns into consideration when we meet to draw up the reading lists for 2016 and that our copies of It’s NOT the Stork! would remain shelved with children’s nonfiction rather than being relocated to our Parenting collection. Email and postal letters to this effect were sent to Dr. Z. last week. We have yet to hear a response.

How would you have handled this complaint in your own community? Are there reasons you would have approached the matter differently? Would you have come to a different resolution?

The post A Challenge of My Own appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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Gifting board books and picture books at baby showers is a wonderful way to start a new child’s home library, especially if this is a first baby for the family. Including classics in your selection is always a good idea, such as any Dr. Seuss or Eric Carle title, but why not gift some books that align with the chosen nursery theme? Parents can then display titles cover out on shelving and suddenly those books also double as wall art.

As it appears to be baby shower season in my corner of Ohio, I’ve noticed a theme recently when perusing registries for gifts. What is that theme? (Hint: It is also the title of this post!) Nautical nurseries are apparently all the rage this year judging by the number of adorable whale onesies and anchor-printed crib sheets I’ve come across. Inspired by these ocean themes, I began to think about great nautical picture books to share. Books depicting adventures on the high seas, beautiful marine creatures, and coastal settings all came to mind.

I’ve put together some spectacular books for little readers that I personally think would make wonderful additions to a nautical nursery library, and will be sure to please readers for many years after they are out of diapers. You’ll find many books depicting whales below, mostly because I’m partial to whales when it comes to my favorite sea creatures, and there are so many sweet whale-centric picture books!

• If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano; Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook Press. 2013. This beautiful book combines two of my favorite talents in the children’s publishing world while sharing a quiet story of patience. Readers will learn what to do, and what not to do, when attempting to catch a glimpse of a whale.
• Breathe by Scott Magoon; Simon & Schuster. 2014. A great read-aloud choice with bright, fun illustrations depicting an adorable whale as he experiences his first day out in the sea alone.
• The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond; Enchanted Lion Books. 2015. Another book filled with majestic illustrations, this nonfiction picture book would be great to gift as it is sure to be a sharable favorite full of interesting facts for readers up through elementary school.
• Storm Whale by Benji Davies; Henry Holt and Co. 2014. A lovely story about a lonely boy, his father, and the discovery of a beached baby whale.
• Following Papa’s Song by Gianna Marino; Viking Books for Young Readers. 2014. Little Blue and his Papa, two humpback whales, journey to their summer feeding ground together. Parents will especially enjoying sharing this special story of following and trusting Papa’s wisdom.
• The Rainbow Fish Marcus Pfister; North South Books, 1999. A modern picture book classic about friendship that is  also available in board book format and perfect for little hands and eyes.

I was surprised by how many awesome titles fit into this theme once I started to compile my list. Clearly, I’ve left off plenty of titles as one could easily compile a nautical nursery library entirely of pirate stories, which I tried to avoid. What are some of your favorite sea-worthy titles for young readers? Do you have a special go-to book that you always give at baby showers? I’d love to hear your responses in the comments below!

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Today’s guest blogger is Nicole Lee Martin. Nicole is a Children’s Librarian at the Rocky River Public Library in Rocky River, OH. You can reach her at [email protected].

Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

The post Whales Ahoy: Nautical Books to Gift and Share appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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In her latest work for young readers, Missing Millie Benson, author Julie K. Rubini discusses the influence of Nancy Drew’s most prolific author. Rubini also describes her family’s efforts to celebrate children’s books through Claire’s Day, in honor of Rubini’s late daughter. Recently, Ohio University Press sent a free Advance Review Copy of Missing Millie Benson to me in preparation for this blog interview.     

1.  Please share about your background as a writer of children’s books.  How have public libraries and reading impacted your professional and personal life?

I have loved both reading and writing since I was a child. As I lived out in the country, the Lucas County Public Library’s bookmobile was my gateway to worlds beyond my backyard. I would fill my bike’s basket up from the mobile collection every week. Reading encouraged my writing in a variety of forms, from essays, to short stories, newsletters, and eventually children’s books. Public libraries have always provided answers for me. Whether for personal enrichment and growth, for research, for a story, or for countless books shared and enjoyed with my children over the years, libraries offer guidance, entertainment and sanctuary.

2. What makes Nancy Drew so appealing to this day?  Why were you interested in capturing the life of Millie Benson, who wrote twenty-three of the first thirty books in this series?

Nancy Drew is independent, smart, and relies upon her own instincts to solve mysteries and to get out of challenging situations. I would like to think that we all aspire to be as such. I know I do. I was blessed to enjoy much of the freedom that Nancy experienced as a child. Sans the roadster! I’ve always admired Millie from a distance, and saddened that I never took the initiative to meet her. I loved her stories in The Blade, and tales I would hear from others about her. Writing and sharing her story offers readers, who, like me, never had the chance to meet her, come to appreciate Millie’s own independence and indomitable spirit.

3.  How did libraries shape your research process as you prepared to write this book?  What was the greatest challenge in finding your information?

I had great assistance from the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, both staff at Main Library, as well as the Maumee Branch. I have the advantage of knowing our awesome library staff through my work with Claire’s Day, the children’s book festival we established fifteen years ago in honor of my late daughter. However, even if I did not have that relationship, I’ve never met a librarian who isn’t happy to assist in a research quest! This was the case with the New York Public Library, where I had the opportunity to spend time in the Stratemeyer Syndicate records in the Archives and Manuscripts division. I literally pinched myself while I was there! I had this incredible feeling while researching, that I was doing exactly what I was meant to do as a writer. I am naturally resourceful (and I don’t mean to sound arrogant in the least bit!) and determined. The greatest challenge, if one would call it that, was how to access information. Source notes from previously published works related to Nancy Drew were very helpful, as was staff both in Ohio and NYC to bring the pieces of the mystery in researching Millie’s life together.

4.  What fun facts do you recommend children’s librarians share with young readers when they highlight this book in their collections? 

Great question!  I will offer them in chronological order:

Millie had her first story published when she was fourteen years old.

She was the first person to obtain a Master degree in Journalism from the University of Iowa.

Millie wrote twenty-three of the first thirty Nancy Drew Mystery Stories.

Her writing career included penning one hundred and thirty five children’s books, and serving as a newspaper journalist for fifty-eight years.

Millie loved aviation and obtained her private pilot’s license when she was sixty-two years old!

She applied for the Journalist in Space Program when she was eighty-one!

5.       Within Missing Millie Benson, “Did You Know?” sections add additional context to chapters.  “Extra Clues” includes even further information regarding Millie and this rich time period.  Why is it important to include this level of documentation in a work for younger readers?

The special sections included within Millie’s story hold true for each of the books in the Ohio University Press Biographies for Young Readers series. I am grateful that these sections are included within the text. I believe that readers will enjoy learning a little more in-depth information about Millie’s life. Perhaps all of the information contained within will spark interest in readers to learn even more about dime novels, Nancy Drew, the Gallup Poll and famous aviatrixes! I know when I read a book, content often encourages as such. After enjoying the novel, Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, I researched books on real American women involved in the French resistance. That’s just how my brain works.

6.       Please share more about Claire’s Day, the children’s book festival you and your husband founded in honor of your late daughter.  Why did you choose to highlight children’s books and what has been your proudest moment as this festival has progressed?

Claire was just ten years old when she died in 2000. She loved to dance, sing, play with friends, organize games with her younger sister and brother, swim and tell stories. Above all else though, she loved to read. She would often be late for dinner, as she had “just one more page to read” and tried to use reading as an excuse to get out of chores. Sometimes it worked. We felt compelled to remember her in a way that was true to her, and our thoughts always came back to books and reading. Six months after she died, while on a flight to a family wedding, I found an issue of Time in my seat pocket. I discovered an article about then First Lady Laura Bush (I’ve always been a fan!) and the Texas Book Festival. I loved that the festival featured Texas born authors and benefitted Texas libraries. I turned to my husband sitting across the aisle, and with tears in my eyes, I told him that I had discovered what we were going to create in Claire’s honor. Claire’s Day was born.

As Claire was a child, it was apparent we should focus on children’s book authors and illustrators. Initially we featured picture book writers and artists, and eventually expanded to include middle-grade and young adult. We are both proud that the organization merged with Read for Literacy this past year, which allows me to pursue writing opportunities and revisit several partially completed manuscripts. The merger will also support our continued growth established over our fifteen year history. Claire’s Day isn’t just a day any longer!  We support a week of literary experiences, including school visits by our participating authors, and Claire’s Night, a fundraising reception for adults the evening prior to the book festival. Most significantly, a highlight of the day is the C.A.R.E. Awards (Claire’s Awards for Reading Excellence) given to children nominated as being most improved readers in their schools. Each nominated child receives a certificate as well as a coupon to choose a book from the selection Barnes & Noble makes available by our guest authors and illustrators. In 2002 we gave 25 C.A.R.E. Awards. This past year we recognized 800 children!

7.       In your author’s note, you share that you invited Millie Benson to attend Claire’s Day. Please share more about your connection to this author.

I wrote to Millie, inviting her to attend our first Claire’s Day. She responded with a phone call. I was not at home when she left her message, but I recall her sweet, feeble voice on my answering machine offering her condolences, her admiration for what we were doing in Claire’s honor, her wishes for great success. She was in poor health and did not make any public appearances any longer, however, so would not able to join us. Millie died just ten days after our first Claire’s Day. As I learned more about Millie, I found myself identifying with her carefree childhood filled with reading, and her desire to write from a young age. I could relate to her pain through her losses, and her way of dealing with it all…by doing.

8.  Why is it important that children’s books are celebrated in this way?  How can public libraries ensure children’s books receive the recognition they deserve?

Children’s books and their creators should be celebrated, and I believe our avenue in doing so offers many learning opportunities to children, as well as adults. I’ve learned that children’s book authors and illustrators are just people too, incredibly talented mind you, but much like you and me. Successful children’s book authors and illustrators are as such because they dedicate every day to their craft. Writing and illustrating children’s books takes time, talent, and resources. Anything a library can do to support authors and artists, whether by featuring them in programs, or highlighting their books is always appreciated.

9.  Why did you decide to partner with your public library on Claire’s Day?  What guidance can you provide children’s librarians who may wish to recognize families who have lost a child?

We visited our Maumee library branch at least weekly when our children were young. I remember making a rule that each of our three children could borrow as many books as they could carry! We read to them every night before bed, and I would read with them during the day. As they each became independent readers, they read on their own quite a bit. It was only natural to consider the library as the setting for Claire’s Day. The library building is beautiful, the grounds are large and lovely, and the staff incredible. It was and is our library. Every year Claire’s Day has given $2500.00 to the library system, earmarked for books written or illustrated by our upcoming authors and illustrators. This way educators and families have access to the books prior to the festival. Every book purchased by the system through this grant notes that it is a part of the collection as a result of Claire’s Day, in honor of Claire. Purchasing books for the system in honor of a child gone too soon is a lovely sentiment for a family. Or, recognizing children who have worked so hard in improving their reading skills by giving them a book in honor of the child is pretty impactful too.

10.  What advice would you have for children’s librarians interested in beginning their own community celebrations highlighting children’s books?  What do you wish you knew when you began your work on Claire’s Day, almost 15 years ago?

Wow, great question. As Brad and I formed the organization and then approached the library, I’m not quite certain how to answer that. I will offer that without the assistance of our volunteer committee members, we would never have turned the page from concept to reality. I would look to community volunteers who are passionate about supporting the library and reach out to them to assist in organizing a community celebration. We have many organizational documents created throughout the years, including a task list should any libraries be interested!

It would be our hope that perhaps Claire’s Day, or even the C.A.R.E. Awards could be established in other libraries around the country. It could be fairly easy to do. Start small! Invite a children’s book author/illustrator to present a program and sign books following! What I didn’t know then was what an incredible impact we would have on children and families in the community. I’m humbled by the support of the community, and the recognition in various forms for our efforts. I’m not certain I would have wished for anything other than what I have received through this process. Deeper bonds with my family and friends, new friends who lent their time and talents to the cause, and ultimately connections with established children’s book authors and illustrators have helped guide me on my path as a published children’s book author.  Claire would be amazed and proud.

Thank you for sharing your writing process for Missing Millie Benson, your connection to public libraries, and your inspiration regarding Claire’s Day!

 

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Three years ago two 5th grade boys fist pumped after they watched the live stream of the Newbery award being announced Midwinter.  “Our book won! Our book won!” they screamed on that day and many days to follow.

Since then I can say confidently that I run a successful 10-week Newbery Committee project alongside my fifth grade team.  I had kids wishing so hard for The Crossover to win the Newbery, they had every joint in their body crossed.  Then when the weather forecasters announced we had a snow day on February 2, 2015, tears poured down their cheeks since it meant not being together to find out the real winner. They did manage to find the link to the live stream on their own!

This year I’m still doing Newbery but also ready to branch out.  Last Spring when I asked a first grade teacher if she would collaborate with me on a Caldecott project her face lit up.  Then I went to Annual (I had to see Kwame accept his award) and some very insightful librarian suggested that I should do a Mock Geisel.  Wouldn’t that be perfect for first graders?  YES!  But wait! Who was this masked person? Where are you when I need help?  I don’t even know where to begin.  I tried Twitter twice and luckily that’s how I landed here.  I am ISO of YOU to help me out!  Do you have a book list?  Would you like to work together?  Are you a Geisel junkie?

There are no Mock lists on Goodreads.  Google “Geisel Award” and you get taken to the ALSC Awards page.  So please, let’s connect!  Want to get our students reviewing books together?  I’m here.  Are you an author or illustrator who wants to Skype?  Let’s do it!  Did you just read a perfect contender for the Geisel award?  Please share.  I can’t wait to make this happen.

This January 11, not only do I want to be on the edge of my seat with my fifth graders waiting for the Newbery announcement, I want to be fist pumping my collaborating first grade teacher and our star studded 6 year olds after hearing that “our book won!”

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Today’s guest blogger is Stacey Rattner. Stacey — the “crazy leaping librarian” — loves to jump with her elementary school students at Castleton Elementary School in upstate New York.  You can find her thoughts about school, books, food, theatre and more @staceybethr or librarianleaps.blogspot.com or her doings and leaping in the library @C_ESLibrary. 

Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

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What distinguished 2015 picture book is going to join the ranks of Beekle, Amos McGee, Mirette, and those mosquitoes that buzz in peoples in ears and win the 2016 Caldecott Medal? The committee is just anxious to find out as you are! Did you know you can make the suggestions to the Caldecott Selection Committee? Yep, and we take your suggestions seriously. So if you opened a 2015 picture book and gasped at the breathtaking beauty on the page, let us know. If you marveled at the brilliant subversiveness when art plays against the expectations of the text, please share. If you have delighted in an illustrator’s exceptional technique in the service of storytelling or sharing information in a compelling way, do tell.

The 2016 Caldecott Award Committee is asking the ALSC membership to submit titles for consideration. The Caldecott Medal, along with Honors selected by the commitee, is presented annually to the to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in 2015.

You can read the complete terms, definitions, and criteria here, but please make sure the picture books you suggest demonstrate:

• Excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed;
• Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept;
• Appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme or concept;
• Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the pictures;
• Excellence of presentation in recognition of a child audience.

Please remember only books illustrated by an American from the 2015 publishing year are under consideration for the award. Also please note that publishers, authors, illustrators, or editors may not suggest their own titles.

And on One Fine Day in January, likely a Snowy Day, All the World will find out which book will shine on for Many Moons.

Please send suggestions to Rachel Payne (Caldecott Committee Chair) at [email protected]

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Today’s guest blogger is Rachel Payne, 2016 Caldecott Committee Chair.

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Now that 2015 summer reading programs are in the books, it’s time to turn our attention to National Library Card Sign-Up Month. My library is loving this year’s Snoopy campaign; we have a “Find the Snoopy” contest underway in order to promote the theme and library cards, as well as a display of our favorite library-themed reads. If you’re not quite ready to display the fall books yet, having a “books about libraries and reading” display should tide you over for a few weeks:

(image taken from Penguin Random House)

Sally Sutton’s books are must-reads for our construction/building story times, but Construction is my top favorite. If you’re familiar with the Sutton/Lovelock picture books, you know that they are filled with big, bright, and detailed illustrations with a rhyme scheme perfect for reading aloud. Construction is no different, but this time, the hard workers are building something very special–a new library!

(image taken from Penguin Random House)

Anna McQuinn’s Lola series is charming and authentic. Being a big sister comes with many responsibilities, including book-sharing time! Just because Lola is able to read to baby Leo doesn’t mean that she misses out on bedtime stories. Not only is Lola Reads to Leo an adorable story about reading, it’s a sweet and positive story about having a baby in the family.

(image taken from Simon & Schuster)

I hope Angela Johnson continues with her Lottie Paris series; Lottie Paris and the Best Place is the sequel (of sorts) to Lottie Paris Lives Here, which introduced Lottie Paris and her Papa Pete (possibly her grandfather). Lottie Paris and Papa Pete are off to Lottie Paris’s favorite place–the library! Lottie Paris finds awesome books and even makes a new friend. This would be a fine read aloud for preschool or kindergarten visits.

 

(image taken from Monica Brown)

Finally, Waiting for the Biblioburro is based on librarian Luis Soriano’s biblioburro work in Colombia. Focusing on a little book-loving girl named Ana, this is an uplifting look at a very different sort of library that features the hard conditions of Ana’s community in a sensitive manner.

Are you doing any special promotions/activities for Library Card Sign-Up Month? What are your favorite library/books/reading centered titles? Let us know in the comments!

 

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Goodbye Summer Reading!  Hello School Time!

My cape is tucked away and our library super hero readers are almost off to school!

Laura Purdie Salas’s poem captures the summer reading theme of “Every Hero Has a Story” with imagination and books just as our super readers return to class.

SuperReaders
Her cape is sewn from favorite pages
He battles bullies, beasts, and crooks
Their weapon is another world–
the world they choose–
inside of books

—Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

I picture students just like Salas’s poem with flying capes made out of book pages, backpacks filled with school supplies and lunches ready to eat.

Let’s start off the school year with some poetry noise. From Messing Around on the Monkey Bars: and Other School Poems for Two Voices by Betsty Franco to Shout!: Little Poems that Roar by Brod Bagert.  Sharing school poems is the perfect way to start the school year out.

Favorite school poetry books created on Riffle.

School Poetry Activities:

• Listen to Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s poem, “New School New Year.”  After record your own.  Start out with the same word, “School.” Have everyone say it together, “SCHOOL!” Then go around the classroom and have the whole classroom share one word.  Maybe it’s their favorite subject in school, maybe it’s what school smells like or maybe it’s a favorite time like recess.  Go around the classroom having each student share one word then again faster and louder.  End the poem with everyone saying the word “school” together.
• Create a School Poetry Display with your favorite school poems and school supplies. (If you have a school poetry display already created please share in the comments below.)
• Attach a long piece of butcher paper in the shape of pencil on the back of a classroom or library door.  Invite students throughout the day to write what the pencil might say if it could talk.  Then read the poem, “Things To Do If You are a Pencil” by Elaine Magilano.
• Write a school bus concrete poem or shape poem-Draw a HUGE school bus, add school bus noises and things students might say on the way to school.
• Write a separate poem on “How are you getting to school?” Read “The Very First Day of School” by Deborah Ruddell.  Have the students use their imagination and create their own vehicle or way to get to school.  Examples: Flying chair, jumping shoes, rainbow wings…
• Find an unusual object in the classroom and write a concrete poem.  Stuffed hedgehog, cuckoo clock on the wall, pink velvet chair—what unusual object do you see in the classroom? Describe it! Use butcher paper, crayons, pencils, markers and make it BIG or use colorful sticky notes and make a tiny concrete poem.  Display them around the room.
• Write a list poem about what the desk, chair or chalk board (smart board) are saying when children are in the room.  One word after the other-Ouch! Thud!  Write another poem about the same object but when the classroom is empty. What do they when everyone has gone home?
• Read “On Menu for School Today” by Rebecca Kai Doltish then write a quiet and LOUD poem about a pencil sharper and create new sounds! Thud! Clank!  The first word is in lower case and is quiet and then the second word is in all caps and is LOUD. Continue with one quiet word and then one loud word.
• Act out “Kids Rule” by Brod Bagert.  Everyone up!  Tell everyone, we are going to do three things (hold up three fingers) and we are going to do those three things three times.  The three things are Run, Chew and Read! (act out)  Practice the three things. Run three times while saying run, run, run.  Pretend to eat your lunch while saying chew, chew, chew.  Hold up your hands like a book and read, read, read. At the end of the poem, have everyone shout out together, “Kids Learn!” “Kids Rule!”  Ready?

Explore more school poems and poetry ideas with Laura Purdie Salas, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and Betsy Franco.

• 7 poems about school by Laura Purdie Salas
• School Poems from The Poem Farm by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
• Read Anatomy Class by Betsy Franco.
• Classroom tips from Messing Around on the Monkey Bars:  and Other School Poems Written in Two Voices by Betsy Franco

Enjoy and share, “The Very First Day of School” by Deborah Ruddell.   Check out her new book, The Popcorn Astronauts. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paige Bentley-Flannery is a Community Librarian at Deschutes Public Library. For over fifteen years–from Seattle Art Museum to the New York Public Library to the Deschutes Public Library-Paige’s passion and creative style for art, poetry and literature have been combined with instructing, planning, and providing information. Paige is currently serving on the ALSC Notable Children’s Book Committee, 2015 – 2017. She is a former Chair of the ALSC Digital Content Task Force and member of the ALSC Great Websites Committee.

 

 

 

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I have been absolutely devouring graphic novels this summer. Everything from epic adult space sagas, to tales of imaginary unicorns (who occasionally rock leg warmers), and everything in-between has graced my desk this summer. I was very happy to read some stand-out graphic novels for youth that depicted positive female role models, heroines and generally solid lady-centric narratives. Below are a few of my new favorites!

Cleopatra in Space: Book Two- The Thief and the Sword by Mike Maihack; Graphix. 2015. This fun book would be a great choice for the 3rd -6th grade crowd hungry for some sci-fi adventures with a brave heroine. I particularly enjoy the futuristic Egyptian setting. If you have readers who are loved Zita the Spacegirl and are looking for similar graphic novels, be sure to name drop Cleopatra.

Unicorn on a Roll: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure by Dana Simpson; Andrews McMeel Publishing. 2015. Phoebe’s best friend is a unicorn named Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. If that isn’t enough to make you want to immediately pick this book up and read it, there is an incident referred to as “Boogergate” in this book. Older grade-schoolers will giggle at this gem.

The Baby-Sitters Club: The Truth About Stacey by Raina Telgemeier; Based on the novel by Ann M. Martin; Graphix. 2015. I grew up reading the original Baby-Sitter’s Club stories by Martin and am so excited that one of my favorite youth comic stars, Raina Telgemeier, is adapting those classics for a new generation to enjoy. This second book in the series contains vibrant art, an accessible story and Telgemeier already has a devoted following after her prior hits Drama and Smile. A perfect pick for older school-age and tween readers.

Ms. Marvel: Vol. 3- Crushed  by G. Willow Wilson; Marvel. 2015. Kamala is back for Volume 3 of the new Ms. Marvel and I really can’t say enough good things about this series. I know, I know, you are tired of hearing about how awesome these books are…but seriously read this right away. I’m sure it will become a go-to recommendation for your teen patrons. It’s full of personality, great artwork, a diverse cast and relatable young adult issues amidst the superhero stuff.

I’m a little late to the party on this title, but I recently picked up Lumberjanes: Vol. 1-Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson and it has made me laugh out loud multiple times already and I’m not even to the halfway point! Exclamations like, “What the Joan Jett?” will appeal to young adults (and librarians such as myself) as will the Lumberjanes sarcasm and rad fashion sense.

If you are new to the world of comic books and graphic novels for youth, I urge you to check out the stellar graphic novel booklists ALSC has put together for readers of all ages. They provide great starting points for newbies and can be a nice place to refer to if you aren’t sure what to recommend to interested patrons.

You can find more great resources, like discussion guides, educational information, and booklists from ilovelibraries.org and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  Extra bonus, if you end up loving Ms. Marvel as much as I do, the CBLDF put together an awesome page for using Ms. Marvel for education that you can access here! Happy reading!

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Nicole Lee Martin is a Children’s Librarian at the Rocky River Public Library in Rocky River, OH. You can reach her at [email protected].

Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

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I first heard the term “everyday diversity” from Anna Haase Krueger. Everyday diversity books feature diverse characters doing everyday activities and in everyday situations. My favorite example to give people unfamiliar with the term is The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. The focus of the story is that Peter is enjoying the newly fallen snow and not that Peter is African-American.

[There are many more titles that are worthy of inclusion on a recent publications list and I’ve left several other booklists at the bottom of this post for further reading. This is by no means a comprehensive list — I know that there are titles and resources missing. A few of the books on this list feature large diverse casts without a main diverse character.]

15 Things Not to Do With a Baby by Margaret McAllister
An older sister welcomes a new sibling by learning all the things not to do with a baby — lose it in the garden, snuggle with an octopus — and all the things you can do with a baby. This story is perfect to share one-on-one with children expecting new siblings, but would also work in a preschool storytime setting. Expect lots of laughter.

Fire Engine No. 9 by Mike Austin
This book is absolutely perfect for toddler storytimes, full of sound effects to make and colorful illustrations. Firefighters are varied in skin tones (although I don’t remember any female firefighters) and the book is engaging for all involved. Bonus points for a vertical spread down the firepole.

It’s Tough to Lose Your Balloon by Jarrett Krosoczka
A picture book version of the saying “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade”. A reassuring title featuring lots of diversity and everyday kid stresses. Also, make sure to watch the adorable YouTube trailer where kids narrate Krsoczka’s pages: YouTube.

Juna’s Jar by Jane Bahk
After Juna’s best friend Hector moves away without saying goodbye, she turns to the kimchi jars that they used to collect treasures in to find comfort. What she finds is more adventures and maybe even a chance to come to terms with Hector’s disappearance.

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
CJ and his nana travel through their neighborhood every Sunday. CJ questions why they always have to take the bus and why he doesn’t have the latest gadget and Nana thoughtfully answers his questions. A great trip through an urban environment with a variety of colors, sizes, shapes, and status.

Music Class Today! by David Weinstein
One little boy is hesitant to join his more rambunctious classmates at music class. Lots of different skin tones are present in this fabulous book which will feel familiar for storytime librarians. An excellent read-aloud for large groups and one of my favorites of this year.

One Family by George Shannon
So much diversity is packed into this simple counting text. A great read for a storytime setting but also wonderful for one-on-one sharing to allow children to appreciate the details in each page spread. The last lines of the book are resonate and will (hopefully) remind children that we are all one family.

Say Hello! by Linda Davick
My new favorite toddler storytime book. Lots of children with a variety of skin and hair colors show how they say hello to each other in a rhyming text. The big vibrant colors and basic illustrations make this book ideal for sharing with a large group.

The Smallest Girl In the Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts
Best suited for an older crowd or a classroom read, this title is great because it includes a diverse classroom setting and also talks about size diversity. As a short person (5’2″), I’m always happy to see my height reflected in novels and stories. I know from experience that short kids feel the same way! Noteworthy: This book is written by children’s music superstar Justin Roberts.

Stella Brings the Family by Miriam A. Schiffer
This is the book that slightly toes the everyday diversity line, but it’s so wonderful that I had to include it. Stella has two dads and isn’t sure who to bring for her class’s Mother’s Day celebration. She finds a unique solution to the problem after talking with her classmates about what kinds of things moms do. The last few pages reflect a variety of family situations perfect for making kids of all families feel accepted.

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(Ten bonus older favorites: The Babies on the Bus by Karen Katz, Counting Ovejas by Sarah Weeks, Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler, I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison, Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn, Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match by Monica Brown, My Nose Your Nose by Melanie Walsh, Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora, Round is a Mooncake by Roseanne Thong, Say Hello! by Rachel Isadora)

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Additional Booklists:
Best Picture Books of 2014 That Celebrate Diversity, Kirkus Reviews.
Culturally Diverse Books Selected by SLJ’s Review Editors.
A Diverse Book List for the Under-Five Set by Lisa G. Knopp, published by School Library Journal.
Picture Books About Diversity and Acceptance, Storytime Standouts.
Multicultural Books, What We Do All Day.

ALA Awards:
Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Pura Belpre Award
Schneider Family Book Award
Stonewall Book Award

Resources:
ALA’s Día (Diversity In Action)
School Library Journal’s Resources for Diversity
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Diversity Resources
We Need Diverse Books & School Library Journal Booktalking Kit
We Need Diverse Books & We Need Diverse Books Guide to Where to Find Diverse Books

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So, which books or resources did I miss? Tell me in the comments!

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Katie Salo is an Early Literacy Librarian at Indian Prairie Public Library in Darien, IL and is writing this post for the Public Awareness Committee. You can reach her at simplykatie(at)gmail(dot)com or at Storytime Katie.

The post 10 Recent & Upcoming Picture Books Featuring Everyday Diversity appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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In your year of reading so far have you encountered a character who came to life on the page?  Has an author transported you to a vivid locale? Is there a book with a plot that has lingered in your mind? Perhaps you’ve read a book presenting information or concepts in an engaging and informative way for a child audience.  Maybe a book has done all of this and more. Did you know you can suggest that book to the 2016 Newbery Committee for consideration?

The 2016 Newbery Award Committee is asking the ALSC membership to submit titles for consideration. The Newbery Medal is presented annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published during the preceding year. Honor books may be named (although on three occasions no honors were named *gasp*).

Distinguished is defined as:

• marked by eminence and distinction: noted for significant achievement
• marked by excellence in quality
• marked by conspicuous excellence or eminence
• individually distinct

Please remember only books by an American author from the 2015 publishing year are under consideration for the award. Also please note that publishers, authors, illustrators, or editors may not suggest their own titles.

Please send suggestions to Ernie Cox (Newbery Committee Chair) at [email protected]

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Today’s guest blogger is Ernie Cox, 2016 Newbery Committee Chair.

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With the imminent arrival of my own new baby, I’ve had baby books on the brain these past few months. From the books we recommend to sleepless parents to the books about childhood and technology we give to the parents of savvy teens, librarians are sometimes intimately involved in the struggles of our patrons’ childhoods. Never is this more clear than when we’re asked for books about a new baby. A great new sibling book can help immensely in easing the transition from being an only child to being one of a group.

Kevin Henkes’s Julius, the Baby of the World is one of my favorite picture books, period, but it also is one of the best new sibling books I think I’ve read. I recommend it to parents all the time, and have the personal experience to back it up – this is the book my parents gave to me and my sister before the arrival of my much-younger baby brother. Children of all ages can identify with Lily’s excitement about her new sibling before he arrives and her horror at the way her life changes afterwards! The resolution, when it comes, is perfect. Of course Lily can say mean things about her brother, but no one else can!

Anxiety over a new sibling is a universal issue, which is why a book first published in 1967,  Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats, as relevant today as it was the day it was published. When Peter’s parents repaint his crib pink for his new baby sister, Peter is perturbed but willing to let it go. When they decide to paint his chair, however, Peter takes a stand. Again, Peter’s eventual acceptance of his sister’s place in his life shows a way forward for children hearing the story that is both natural and comforting. Life will change with a new sibling, but it doesn’t have to change for the worse.

What are you favorite books about new babies?

 

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The Rainbow Book List Committee, a committee of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT) of the American Library Association, is seeking suggestions from the field for the 2016 Rainbow Book List. Suggestions from the field will be accepted through September 30, 2015.

So what is the committee looking for? Excellent books for children birth through age 18 that reflect the LGBTQ experience for young people.

The Rainbow Book List Committee members are currently reading over 100 titles (and any that you suggest) and nominating the best of the best for inclusion on the list. The committee will meet at Midwinter to discuss all nominated titles and select those that will make the final list.

You can follow along with committee activities at the blog and see what titles have already been nominated. We would love to know about any great LGBTQ books for kids and teens that you’ve read that have been published since July 1, 2014! For more information about the Rainbow Book List Committee click here.

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Read any good new informational books for kids lately? The 2016 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Committee is delving into this year’s eligible titles and we’d like to know what titles the ALSC membership would recommend for consideration. The Sibert Award is presented annually to the author, author/illustrator, co-authors, or author and illustrator of the most distinguished informational book published during the preceding year. Honor Books may also be named.

Informational books are defined as those written and illustrated to present, organize, and interpret documentable factual material for children from birth through age fourteen. (Traditional literature and general poetry are not eligible, although poetry whose primary intent is to present factual information is.) Authors and illustrators must be U.S. citizens. For complete terms and criteria, please refer to the ALSC Robert F. Sibert Award web site.

The award will be announced at the ALA Midwinter Conference to be held in Boston, MA, January 8-12, 2016. The award will be presented at the ALSC Award Presentation and Membership Meeting during the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, FL in June, 2016.

The 2016 Sibert Committee invites all ALSC personal members to submit titles for consideration. Please remember that only books from the 2015 publishing year are eligible for the current award. Publishers, authors, illustrators, or editors may not nominate their own titles.

Send all suggestions to Elizabeth Overmyer, Chair, 2016 Sibert Committee to [email protected].

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Today’s Guest Post was written by Elizabeth Overmyer, Chair of the 2016 Sibert Committee.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

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