Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Chinese Proverb
Libraries are rethinking enforcing fines for overdue books. Patrons will still be responsible for lost or damaged materials. However, instead of fines, patrons accounts will be frozen and services will be suspended. These actions have had a better result of getting patrons to return library materials in a timely manner. This frees the libraries to focus on their mission of increasing literacy, information and community engagement.
Read the full article here: Rethinking overdue fines<a
Multicultural Picture Books:
Pink and Say. Patricia Polacco. New York, NY: Lectorum Publications, Inc. 1997. 48 pages. [Ages 4-8]
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match. Marisol McDonald no combina.Monica Brown. Sara Palacios(Illustrator). San Francisco, CA: children’s Book Press. 2011. 32 pages. [Ages 5-8]
The Circuit: Stories from the life of a migrant child. Francisco Jimenez. Boston, MS: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1997. 111 pages. [Ages 8-14]
The author shares a story of a migrant family living in California in the 1950’s based on his own childhood experiences. The story is told from the perspective of Panchito. The second child of a family of five children. His parents leave Jalisco, Mexico to work on the farms in California. The family journeys from crop to crop; from the grapes, to the strawberries, to the cotton. The circuit. Only after the picking season ended in November was Panchito and his younger siblings enrolled in school. His older brother Rueben helped in the fields upon arrival and did not attend school, but Panchito had to wait a few years until he could assist. Shared are personal stories of being forbidden to speak Spanish with other students, to the humiliation of getting beaten up for wearing a jacket given to him by the principal from the lost and found. Continually behind in school, he gets a break when a teacher spends his lunch hour providing the extra tutoring he needs to catch up in school. The brothers watch as their father is unable to work anymore due to a bad back from years of picking crops. The brothers vow to get themselves out of the circuit of migrant workers and work elsewhere. The older brother succeeds in finding janitorial work at the high school. This promising beginning is only shut down by the immigration that is avidly seeking undocumented workers. This is a story of hardship, family, hope, and hope deferred. Very enlightening to the challenges of the migrant workers and the sacrifices they make in order to survive.
Whoever You Are. Mem Fox. Leslie Staub(Illustrator). New York, NY: Voyager Books Harcourt, Inc. 1997. 32 pages. [Ages 2-6]
Goin’ Someplace Special. Patricia C. Mckissack. Jerry Pinkney(Illustrator). New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks Voyager Books Harcourt, Inc. 2001. 32 pages. [Ages 6-12]
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Mem Fox. Julie Vivas(Illustrator). La Jolla, CA: Kane/Miller Book Publishers. 1985. 28 pages. [Ages 5-8]
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge was a little boy with four names who lived next door to an old people’s home and knew everyone of them. Each character had a trait that he enjoyed; from Mrs. Jordan’s organ playing to Mr. Hosking’s scary story telling. But his favorite person was Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper because she also had four names like him. He told her all her secrets. Then one day he hears his parents lamenting poor Miss Nancy’s loss of memory. So Wilfrid sets out to help her find it, but first he must learn what it is. This is a sweet story that has a delightful set of characters. It intersects the very young with the very old and shows how both benefit from the interaction. The book shows its date from the term ‘old people’s home;’ otherwise the story is timeless and the watercolor pictures add humor to a potentially sad tale.
Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding. Lenore Look. Yumi Heo(Illustrator). NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 2006. 40 pages. [Ages 6-8]
Jenny’s thinks her Uncle Peter is the coolest dude ever. She’s his special girl. That is until his wedding day, where he will be marrying someone more special to him. Everyone is happy except Jenny. The family is celebrating through some cultural customs such as the bride’s family giving the groom gifts such as a pair of shoes so that he would go far and a wallet to wish him wealth. He picks up the bride at her house with a carload of children for good luck, but first he must pay up to show just how much he loves her. This includes money and anything the bridesmaids ask including stunts like cartwheels and singing a song. Once they return to his home, they honor their ancestors, have a tea ceremony, and share packets of lucky money. Jenny tries to foil the plans in hopes that it will prevent Uncle Peter from getting married. She fails to enjoy the celebration until the end when she is given a special task to perform making everything feel like a wonderful dream. The story is full of Chinese wedding traditions and illustrated in bright colorful pictures.
Hairs/Pelitos. Sandra Cisneros. Terry Ybanez(Illustrator). NY: Dragonfly Boooks. Alfred A. Knoph. 1984 (text) 1994 (illustrations). 24 pages. [Ages 5-7]
The story discusses all the differences in one family’s hair. Written in both English and Spanish, this simple story is supported by bright and vivid pictures. The descriptive language used will help young readers learn to describe objects using similes and metaphors. The artwork of Terry Ybanez is fanciful and magical.
Indian Shoes. Cynthia Leitich Smith. NY: HarperCollins Publisher. 2002. 66 pages. [Ages 6-9]
Ray Halfmoon has a special bond with his grandfather, Grampa Halfmoon. The two find themselves is some awkward situations. There was the the time Ray forgot his ring bearer trousers for their friend’s wedding and borrowed Grampa’s; problem solved. Then there was the time that Grampa thought he could cut Ray’s hair for his baseball game. It wasn’t as easy as he thought. They found a creative way to cover up a very bad haircut. Cynthia Leitich Smith recounts the story of these two characters using humor and love. These are touching stories that connect the generations and cross all cultures.
Thunder Boy Jr. Sherman Alexie. Yuyi Morales(Illustrator). NY: Little, Brown, and Company. 2016. 40 pages. [Ages 4-8]
Thunder Boy, Jr. is named after his father. His father is a large man and is called Big Thunder. Thus making him Litter Thunder, which he does not like. It makes him sound small and insignificant. He wants his own name. One that gives him his own identity and celebrates his accomplishments. He suggests names like, “Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth” because he once touched a wild Orca on the nose and “Touch the Clouds” for climbing a mountain, and many other fun names. Finally, his father decides to give him a name of his own. A name that is compatible with thunder, but with its own unique trait, that is…you need to read the book to find out. This children’s story comes from a well-known author whose humorous stories provide insight into the Native American culture. There are beautiful brightly colored illustrations by Yuyi Morales. The story is lovely, but it makes me wonder if there is a naming convention for children or if it simply based on parental preference. Also, does a person receive a name change after obtaining some significant event? A humorous, father-son story, that makes one smile.
Fifty Cents and a Dream Young Booker T. Washington. Jabari Asim. Bryan Collier(Illustrator). NY: Little, Brown, and Company. 2012. 48 pages. [Ages 4-8]
Booker T. Washington was born a slave, yet he dreamed of a time when he could read. The story walks through the various stages of Booker’s childhood, the challenges he faced, and his determination to learn. When he learned about the Hampton Institute, a place where Negros could study, he worked for over a year to save money to attend. It was nearly 500 miles away but he walked the entire way. He arrived with 50 cents in his pocket. While working his way through school as a janitor, he listened to his professors dreamed. The artwork of this book was done by watercolor and collage and is stunning. The book ends while he is a school and leaves the reading craving to learn more about this man, in much the same way that he was hungry to learn. This books provides a nice, brief introduction into Booker T. Washington, but does not give readers the reason why he is famous and why he should be studied. There are additional facts and dates of his life at the back of the books, but it still leaves readers with many questions.
The Colors of Us. Karen Katz. NY: Henry Hold and Company. 1999. 24 pages. [Ages 6-8]
Seven year old Lena wants to paint herself. Inspired by her French artist mother who teachers her to see the differences in different people skin tones, then teaches her which colors to mix to achieve the right result. Illustrated in bold colors and a variety of skin tones, this book shows the beauty of the different people. The one thing that I did not like so much was the stereotypical French-artist mother wearing a beret with matching dress. Overall, it overcame many of the stereotypes, but somehow managed to keep that one in.
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Chcotaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom. Tim Tingle. Jeanne Rorex Bridges (Illustrator). El Paso, TX: Cinco Punto Press. 2008. 40 pages. [Ages 6-12]
Martha Tom, a Choctaw Indian girl, crosses the Bok Chitto river one day to find blackberries for a wedding. She loses her way and discovers a church service beginning by the slaves that live on the other side. Little Mo was sent to lead her back to the river. The two establish a friendship that later changes the course of their lives forever. This is a powerful story of friendship, slavery, faith, trust, and the Choctaw Indian’s who help to free some slaves. The illustrations by Jeanne Rorex Bridges beautifully illustrate the dignity and strength of the Choctaw people and courage of the slaves who risked everything for freedom.
In Our Mothers’ House. Patricia Polacco. NY: Philomel Books a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 2009. 40 pages. [Ages 6-8]
Marmee and Meema are opposites in many ways. Marmee was tall and thin and could fix anything and organize everything. She was a paramedic. Meema was short and stout who loved to sew and cook. She was a pediatrician. Together they adopted three children: A beautiful baby girl, then a boy three years later (Will), and finally another girl (Millie). The eldest girl shares the memories of the family through the stories from home life; from dancing to old rock-n-roll songs, to sliding down the banister, to popping corn in the fireplace. She shares the laughter and even the confusion of a neighbor’s attitude towards her two mothers. The story covers the narrator’s life from her adoption at birth through her marriage,their children, and the death of both her mothers. This is a story that celebrates family with all its various members and the memories that bond people together. The strength of this book and illustrations is the diversity of the adopted children and the bond between all the family members. The disappointment,for me, was the end where all three children married a person nearly exactly like themselves, whether it was same race or characteristic. It seems that the message is to appreciate and accept diversity, and the wedding photos of the children sets back the main lesson of the story. Overall, a celebration of a mixed family and the love they share.
You are not a Cat! by Sharon G. Glake (Author), Anna Raff (Illustrator). Hanesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press, 2016. 40 pages. [Ages 3-7]
When Cat meets a confused duck who likes to meow like a cat and claims he is one, Cat has to explain what it means to be a cat. Duck is either a trickster or a great impersonator as he changes which animal he is from moment to moment. This drives Cat crazy. This is a humorous story told completely in dialogue. It is fun to read aloud and easy enough for emergent readers to enjoy on their own.
Boot and Shoe by Marla Frazee. (2012). NY: Beach Lane Books. [Ages 3-7]
Boot and Shoe are two dogs from the same litter. They do everything together. They share the same supper bowl, sleep in the same dog bed and even use the same tree for peeing, Boot spends his days on the back porch, while Shoe spends his on the front. Life is perfect until a squirrel comes one fine day to mess with them. They chase the squirrel all over, around, and in between places but end up confused on which porch is which. This is a humorous book that great for teaching prepositions to emerging readers.
The Magic Hat by Mem Fox (Author), Tricia Tusa (Illustrator).New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc., 2002. [Ages 3-7]
When a magical had blows into town one day, it plops down on the head of resident after resident, instantly transforming each person into an animal. Each time the hat lands, the refrain, “Oh, the magic hat, the magic hat! It moved like this, it moved like that! It spun through the air…” “Like a bounding balloon” and a flip of the page and the new hat-wearer becomes a baboon! Kids will eagerly join in the guessing game. Tusa’s watercolor illustrations are just as silly. A great rhyming read-aloud and helping students make make predictions. The Magic Hat as inspired many language lessons for educators.
Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett. (2007) NY: Simon & Shcuster. (2007). [Ages 2-7]
A story of a young girl and her toy monkey where imagination is key. She goes off to see penguins, kangaroos, elephants and monkeys and imitates their movement. She plays until she finally wears herself out. This will have the students moving about as they learn about the different animals. Good for perking the imagination and creating future thespians. Check out some P.E. activities and a book play on Emily Gravett’s site 100 Activities to go with Emily Gravett’s Books.
Click, Clack, Moo cows that Type by Doreen Cronin (Author), Betsy Lewin (Illustrator). NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2000. [Ages 5-7]
Farmer brown has a problem. His cows like to type. They begins typing messages to him with demands. First for electric blankets because the barn is cold at night. Refusing to meet their demands, the cows go on strike by refusing to give milk. The chickens are also cold so they also strike producing no eggs. Farmer Brown resolves the issue by sending a message of his own through the duck. The cows agree to give up their typewriter for the electric blankets. Now the ducks begin typing their own demands. Poor Farmer Brown! This is a hilarious read aloud that will be enjoyed by many ages, young and old alike. Create a play using this book with the attached study guide. Click Clack Moo Study Guide
Here are five picture books that I enjoyed. I think they make great read aloud books.
Doug Unplugged by Dan Yaccarino. (2013). NY: Alfred A. Knopf. 40 pages. [Ages 5-9]
Doug is a robot that gets plugged in every morning to learn his facts about the world. His parents want him to be the smartest robot ever. In this story, Doug plugs in to learn facts about the city, then unplugs himself to go and actually experience it. In his experiences he learns what a dove really sounds like, what the city looks like from the top of a skyscraper, and how waters feels on his feet. A similar story, also by Dan Yaccarino is Doug Unplugged on the Farm, where he learns about farm living. Doug Unplugged Activities.
Z is for Moose. Bingham, K. (Author). Paul O. Zelinsky (Illustrator) NY: Harper-Collins Publishers, 2012. 32 pages. [Ages 3-7]
Zebra has prepared an Alphabet play and everyone has a part. But somehow Zebra forgot to put his friend Moose in the play. Moose does everything he can to be integrated into the story, creating havoc for the play. In the end, Zebra cleverly finds the way to add Moose into the play. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky this is a fun an comical story. Z is for Moose Activities
The Day Dirk Yeller Came to Town. Mary Casanova (Author), Ard Hoyt (Illustrator). NY: Farrar Straus Giroux. 2011. 40 pages. [Ages 4-8]
Outlaw Dirk Yeller comes to town with cat scratch fever. He is sent all over town to find a solution, but he can’t find cure anywhere. That is, until it is suggested that he visit the library. The librarian, Miss Jenny, gives Dirk Yeller a book and he sits still long enough to read it and is cured of his cat scratch fever. He stays until closing promising to return to the library. After that, the library became the busiest place in town, especially for folks with curious, restless minds. A humorous read aloud full of fun lively language, good for a variety of ages.
Shark vs Train. Chris Barton (Author). Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator). NY:
“If you think Superman vs. Batman would be an exciting match up, wait until you see Shark vs. Train. In this hilarious and wacky picture book, Shark and Train egg each other on for one competition after another, including burping, bowling, Ping Pong, piano playing, pie eating, and many more! Who do YOU think will win, Shark or Train?” — Amazon Write up. This is a great read aloud that truly engages kids in the narrative. Shark Vs Train Activities
Diary of a Fly. Doreen Cronin (Author). Harry Bliss (Illustrator). US: Harper-Collins Publishers. 2007. 40 pages. [Ages 4-8].
The Day of Tears by Julius Lester is a book that has been on my reading list for some time. I decided to read it during Black History Month. This is a powerful story based on and actual event.
Lester recounts the true story of the largest auction of slaves in American history on March 2 and 3, 1859 in Savannah, Georgia. Over 400 slaves (429 or 436) that had belonged to Pierce Butler were sold to help pay off some of his gambling debts and stock market losses. Butler had been married to the English actress and abolitionist, Fanny Kemble. The couple divorced over the issue of slavery, and the two daughters Sarah and Frances were raised by their father who had custody of the two girls. These four characters, and list of real slaves and the prices they were sold for were woven into this story told by a variety of fictional characters.
The account starts with the rain that fell so hard for two days while the auction was in session. Mattie and Will, two black slaves, are in the Butlers kitchen discussing the rain. “The rain is coming down as hard as regret. “Will said, ‘This ain’t rain. This is God’s tears.'” (Lester, 2005, p. 1). The rain that pours in the story is like a collective of tears from the sadness and anger that came from the slaves that are being sold. The Day of Tears examines the thoughts of each character involved from the broken hearts of the slaves, the regret of the plantation owner, to the slave trader’s ambition. It encompasses perspectives from both sides of the issue. It brings to life characters that lived in the past and humanizes the slave experience. It shows both the good and bad of all the people involved. The story also tells of the whites who helped the slaves escape and gain freedom, even at the risk of breaking the law. This is a human story. One that is complex, but told beautifully through dialogue. And the rain, played an important part of this history as a metaphor for the sadness that is part of our American history.
Lester, J. (2005). The Day of Tears by Julius Lester. Los Angeles: Disney, Jump at the Sun.
Black History month is celebrated each year to honor African-Americans who deserve recognition. Dr. Carter Goodwin Woodson (1875-1950) is credited with founding “Black History Week” which later became Black History Month. He was a historian and educator who was committed to ensuring that African-American history was taught in schools throughout the United States. This provided opportunity for black historians and authors to share their rich history and experience. Thus, it is also a month to celebrate african-american authors. There are numerous authors that are noteworthy.
The Brown Bookshelf is an organization that highlights African-American authors and illustrators for young readers. It introduces the latest Picture books, chapter books, middle-grade and young-adult novels written and selected by African-American authors and illustrators. The Brown Bookshelf empowers children through literature by providing authentic stories, shared values, and ethnic pride to its readers. In their Declaration in Support of Children, they state that their purpose is ” to satisfy the need for information, to entertain curious imaginations, to encourage critical thinking skills, to move and inspire.” If you are looking for good recommendations for your children and teens during this month, the Brown Bookshelf is a great resource. Check out a great book at https://thebrownbookshelf.com/.
The annual collaborative Maker Mania held at Lanier High School was a huge success. Librarians from Lanier High School Library, Burnett Middle School, Cook Elementary School (ES), Guerrero-Thompson ES, McBee ES, Padron ES, Wooldridge ES, Wooten ES, Austin Public Library, Read Pre-K, along with Parents Support Specialists teamed up to make this event a huge success. The event was free and open to the community, and the community responded well by filling the library to near full-capacity.
Maker booths allowed all age groups from K-12 to participate, although the elementary and middle school students were the most active participants. Lanier High School students and teachers were there to assist. Everyone was glad to share what to do and how things worked at their individual booths. I may have missed a few booths, but here is the list of the ones I visited.
Additionally, there was storytime, free books, and a huge raffle at the end of the event. This was a huge success!
The Superbowl Game is around the corner and everyone has football on the brain. We often think of teams and rarely of an individual player, unless he’s the quarterback. There is one quarterback who is having an impact on his community. No, I’m not talking about Tom Brady, but Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. He’s a prolific reader and is encouraging youth to become readers as well.
Long before Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was reading NFL playbooks, he was simply reading. Bookworm or bibliophile – however you describe him – that was a young Andrew Luck. Now, because Luck is using his star power to encourage the young and old to read, some people are calling him the NFL’s unofficial librarian. Read the full story here:
Quarterback encourages reading.
source: CBS This Morning. (2018, January 20). Meet the NFL quarterback with his own book club. CBS NEWS. Retreived from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colts-quarterback-andrew-luck-nfl-quarterback-with-a-book-club/
Round Rock High School hosted its first ever Comic Con on December 2, 2017. The two head librarians received a Partners in Education (PIE) grant, and assistance and funding from other sponstors to have this event. I volunteered to attend my first Comic Con. However, due to a mix up in schedule, I did very little volunteering and enjoyed the conference, vendors, and other activities provided.
Author Nathan Hale presented at the Kid’s Con opening session illustrating his presentation. He shared how as a young boy he enjoyed drawing. One day while entertaining his friends with his drawing, his teacher asked him to create a drawing for the Halloween door decoration contest. He said yes, and did his best artwork possible. In middle school, an art teacher asked if he would help paint the background for the school play. He said yes and learned how to do it. In high school, the theater teacher needed help with stage sets, and he helped with that. That led to a job doing theater design in college. He kept saying yes which led to more experience and eventually into a job that he loves. Say yes! You never know where it may lead you. Nathan Hale is quite in demand to speak at schools. Any school wishing to have him present should book him far in advance.
The next presentation I attended for Kid’s Con was Dave Roman. He shared that he started Astronaut Academy Series and Teen Boat because he was more highly motivated when he illustrated about things he was truly interested in. He also contributed his talents to Goosebumps and other books. Pictured below is Dave Roman reading from one of his graphic novels. 
I also discovered Canadian graphic novelist Mariko Tamaki. Her graphic novel, This One Summer has been banned repeatedly for its LGBTQ content on two of its pages. For her session, she read from her newest unpublished work.
For the first time ever hosting an event of this magnitude, I was impressed by the quality of the presenters, the amount of vendors, food trucks, and all the great costumes. Round Rock High School plans to continue hosting this annually. I am certain that it will be an event that continues to grow and develop each year. I went to expose myself to the graphic novel/comic books that students really enjoy reading. This is a genre that I enjoyed as a middle school student. However, the quality of the stories is far superior to what I had read as a young adult. I am glad that students have access to comic books that they enjoy reading.
Each year Wooten Elementary School in Austin, Texas has an annual character walk that is based on various books that the students have read. This year I worked with the librarian, Lynn Cipriano, to video the event to enter into the Scholastic Book Parade Groovy Joe competition.
Here a few glimpses into the events of that morning.
Check out our video on Scholastic’s Facebook #bookparade #groovyjoe
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=scholastic%20book%20fairs%20%23bookparade%20%23groovyjoe
Today I attended the The Greater Austin Area Information Literacy Symposium (GAAILS) at the University of Texas Perry Castaneda Library. As a graduate student working towards an MLIS degree this seemed like a great opportunity to meet a wide range of librarians and learn about hot topics in this field. Besides it was free and included both breakfast and lunch.
The librarians that I met were from UT, Texas State, Meridian International School, a home-school educator-librarian, and Austin Public Library – St. John Campus. This is just a small representation of the attendees. The presenters were also greatly diverse. Presenters included a former English Teacher who transitioned into the university library setting, an archivist, an art historian, UT library staff, Texas State librarians, and K-12 public school librarians. The information presented was both practical and interesting. I have attached a schedule here to show the diversity of topics covered. GAAIL Conference Schedule 12 Jan 2018.
I think this event was worthwhile as I learned about the complications and controversies of trying to define literacy. According, to Dr. Kathleen Tyner, from the University of Texas, it is impossible to define. But it is also powerful. She developed the multiliteracy mandala as a tool to help visualize the complexity of literacy. Ultimately, she breaks it down to tools and text, which are both are needed to develop literacy skills. Tyner explained that without an understanding of the information that we digest and understanding how the audience interprets it, we cannot consider ourselves literate. We need to understand how the car works, not just how to drive it. That seemed like a bit too much for me. On one hand, most people who drive cars do not understand the electrical and mechanical components of a car, yet, they can drive. On the other hand, if you do know how it works, then you can fix it when it breaks down. A person who can read can probably regurgitate information without truly understanding what they have read. If they truly understood the implication of some ideas they could apply them to real life, which may have been what she meant when she said literacy is powerful.
Additionally, presenters provided great resources that schools can use through the Texas State Library and Archive Commission. Angela Hartman from Hutto ISD presented on Digital Literacy Using Teaching Tolerance and provided information about Teaching Tolerance, A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Laura Stiles, Round Rock ISD and Austin Community College shared how information literacy amongst the elderly decreases the risk of depression by 30% because the feel less lonely. A large problem amongst the elderly is social isolation that leads to loneliness which is just as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. (Institute on aging, 2017). Unfortunately, the elderly also tend to be targeted for scams (NCOA, 2017). They need to be aware of such scams and report it to the FTC. UT Archivist, Rachel Winston, demonstrated how her work archiving the Black Diaspora in Texas is an effective teaching tool. Carrie Cruce, UT Libraries, shared concept mapping for art history using CMAP, developed by Joseph Novak, concept mapping creator. She also recommend OMEKA for content management system, but also considered Google Analytics. Overall, this was a great place for a graduate student to learn from a variety of educator-librarians. I recommend it for fellow students and librarians overall.
Laura Lomas Tomlinson 