Tis the season for picture books and graphic novels

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I developed these two presentations for the senior center, but why not share more widely?

“Picture This: Picture-Perfect Gift Books“ for the 2023 holiday season (or whenever! Books are good 365 days a year).

With an older audience in mind, I focused on recent titles from our current golden age of picture books, from wordless wonders like Aaron Becker’s Journey to Caldecott winners like Sophie Blackall and Matthew Cordell, from nonfiction to humor to holidays. Does a kiddo in your life need a new picture book this month? Sure they do!

Humor slide from Picture Books presentation: The Big Cheese, Bathe the Cat, Gotta Go, A Very Cranky Book

“What Are Graphic Novels (and why are they so great)?“ is an attempt to introduce adult readers to a format that might be new for them, and to dispel the harmful idea that graphic novels aren’t “real” books. (Graphic novels ARE real books! If your kids/students are reading graphic novels, they’re reading! And they probably have better visual literacy skills than you do. While I’m up here on my soapbox, audiobooks are real books, too.)

"What is a graphic novel?" slide from GN presentation

Links will take you to Google Slides presentations. For both sets of slides, I used SlidesCarnival (shout-out to my grad school friend Becca for introducing me to this resource).

Readers, I hope you check some of these books out from the library, or buy (local if you can!). School and public librarians, feel free to copy and remix if that’s helpful to you; please give credit. Neither of these presentations is intended to be comprehensive – just some award winners and lots of my own personal favorites. Happy reading!

MLS Annual Meeting 2023

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This year’s Massachusetts Library Association (MLS) Annual Meeting was at Fort Devens, where I have been many times – but only to play in ultimate frisbee tournaments. The meeting involved no cleats, frostbite, or heatstroke, which was an altogether different experience!

After a brief welcome from MLS Executive Director Sarah Sogigian and MLS Executive Board President Anna Bognolo (also the director of the Greenfield Public Library, which has a beautiful new building!), reporter Matt Shearer delivered a morning keynote full of short, funny videos of hyper-local news stories, such as the famous (in internet circles) story of one of the three Market Baskets on Boston Road closing in Billerica, and the sad tale of the Dunkin Donuts-less town of Stow, MA. Matt’s approach to reporting is, “I show up in small towns and try to find something cool.” After much exploring, he has concluded, “It is the people who make these towns special.” He says, “I’m trying to find the things that aren’t getting covered, the people whose voices aren’t getting heard.” And he recommended, when creating content, to have fun with it, and people will find it engaging.

The way that people respond to Matt’s videos – locally and more broadly, as many of his videos have gone viral – makes me think of the decrease in local news coverage over the past few decades, as local and regional papers fold, and people are left to rely on social media (e.g. Facebook, NextDoor) or national papers like The New York Times. This has contributed to a lack of trust in the print media, as there can be such a great distance between the issues that have a real impact on peoples’ day-to-day lives and the issues that national papers cover. Matt’s use of humor helps, too, and his genuine curiosity about people’s lives.

The business meeting was short and sweet, followed by an update from MBLC Director James Lonergan. He urged everyone to continue contacting state representatives to support library budget lines, all of which have seen increases recently. The focus next year will be on continued support for State Aid to libraries, and a bigger increase for the Massachusetts Center for the Book. Lonergan also mentioned MLS’ partnership with Unite Against Book Bans (MLS, MLA, and MSLA are all partners).

UniteAgainstBookBansUniting against book bans tied in nicely to William Adamczyk’s update from the MLA Legislative Committee. There was a hearing on Monday, October 30 that was relevant to several different library interests (you can watch it here), including library access to e-books and digital audiobooks, freedom to read, and protection against book bans. MLA has been working closely with MSLA and with EveryLibrary to have a funded, effective school library program and a licensed school librarian in every school in the commonwealth (see “The Top 5 Reasons for having a Licensed School Library Teacher in Every School“). The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) is in full support of this effort. Another goal is for the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to designate a school library point person – someone who understands the importance and value of librarians in schools.

Title page of Evelyn Del Rey, with signatureAfter lunch, it was time for MEG MEDINA! Yes, she’s caps-lock-worthy: she’s the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, a faculty member of the Hamline MFA program, and the author of Merci Suárez Changes Gears, which won the Newbery Medal in 2019. She has written two sequels to Merci, as well as picture books Mango, Abuela, and Me; Tía Isa Wants A Car; and Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away. Most recently she has contributed to Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted series of biographies, with entries on Sonia Sotomayor and Pura Belpré.

Medina graciously answered questions from Christi Showman Farrar and Kristi Chadwick from MLS. Some excerpts from their conversation:

  • When did storytelling start for you? When did you decide to become a writer? Medina’s family moved to the U.S. in the 1960s, due to political turmoil in Cuba; she believes that her family “used story to deal with the trauma of loss of homeland.” She did not begin writing fiction until she turned 40.
  • How do you decide whether the story is a novel, a picture book…does the story tell you what it’s going to be or do you make that decision? A little of both. Tía Isa would have made a funny middle grade novel. “When you sit with a story for a second, your heart sort of tells you the piece of it that matters most, and that helps you navigate” what age to write it for. What matters to you the most in that moment about telling that story?Cover image of Merci Suarez, with Newber
  • When books are published simultaneously (or nearly) in English and Spanish, what is the translation process like? “We have all points of language” in Latino families, with some fluent in English, some in Spanish, some in both. Availability of books in both languages allow the family to experience the story together, in the language they’re most comfortable with. “More language is more people you can talk to.”
  • What was your involvement in the graphic novel adaptation of Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass? Medina said it takes her a while when she sees visual representations of her work, even book covers, because the artist’s representation is always different from what she sees in her head. “I feel about graphic novels the way I feel about movies….This is a new generation and it’s a different art form….[I’m] glad it’s coming to a new generation of readers.”
  • What was the research process like for Burn Baby Burn? “You think you remember everything accurately…you don’t!” It was fascinating to dig into the research, including the NOW archives at NYU, which covered the Women’s March in much more detail than The New York Times. She asked, “Who’s telling the story? And what was omitted?” and added, “That idea of not being erased is vitally important right now.”
  • Question from a school librarian: How do you help teachers who are attached to classics understand that there is so much new talent? You’re not throwing away the classics, but nothing can become a classic if no one reads it. Medina suggested shelf talkers that pair the classic with the new, like Little House on the Prairie with Linda Sue Park’s Prairie Lotus. “Give people a way to think about those books. Give them a way to preserve both, if they must.”

Other questions and answers covered what it was like to get “the call” (from the Newbery committee), what she does in her role as the National Ambassador (“Book friend to America’s children”), outreach to Latino populations, how to get kids passionate about stories, and challenges to youth materials (she spoke to both the Senate and the House).

Thank you, Meg, for coming to our meeting, and for everything you do for children’s literature!

Pajama Storytime

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When I started as the children’s librarian, I had to make one change almost right away, taking away the Monday morning storytime because I don’t arrive at work on Monday until 11:30 (then I’m here till we close at 8pm). However, I didn’t want to reduce the number of storytimes, so I decided to try offering an evening one – a pajama storytime! Also, it was a way of expanding access for families who can’t get here mid-morning on a weekday. I wasn’t sure if it would take off, but I spent a month talking it up, and attendance has been good so far!

Pajama Storytime happens in the Storytime Room, where we have a rug and some colorful, cozy bean bags. I brought in a string of twinkle lights and stuffed them into a clear glass jar (my “star jar”) and I put that on the table with the books. We start right at 6:30 and read till 7. Most attendees are older – first through fourth grade – but a few toddlers show up too, so I try to put the shorter, simpler books first in the lineup, and save longer ones for after the toddlers’ attention span is exhausted.

Not every book I read at Pajama Storytime is specifically bedtime-themed, but a lot of them are. Here’s what we’ve read so far:

AreYouAwake

Goodnight Veggies by Diana Murray/Zachariah Ohora
Are You Awake? by Sophie Blackall
Goodnight, Everyone by Chris Haughton
In the Night Garden by Carin Berger
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
Everyone’s Awake by Colin Meloy
Time for Bed by Mem Fox/Jane Dyer
Awake, Asleep by Kyle Lukoff/Nadia Alam

TellMeWhattoDreamAbout

Just Because by Mac Barnett/Isabelle Arsenault
How to Put Your Parents to Bed by Mylisa Larsen
City Moon by Rachael Cole/Blanca Gomez
Tell Me What to Dream About by Giselle Potter
Bedtime Monsters by Josh Schneider
Hoodwinked by Arthur Howard
There Is A Crocodile Under My Bed! By Ingrid & Dieter Schubert

KittensFirstFullMoon

The Yawns Are Coming by Christopher Eliopoulos
A Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall and Vera Brosgol
Night in the City by Julie Downing
Chicken Wants A Nap by Tracy Marchini
Every Dreaming Creature by Brendan Wenzel
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

SleepLikeATiger

Good Night, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
Windows by Julia Denos
A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker/Kady MacDonald Denton
The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld
Hank’s Big Day by Evan Kuhlman & Chuck Groenink
Sleep Like A Tiger by Mary Logue/Pamela Zagarenski

Books face-out on window ledge

As you can see, there’s a mix of longer and shorter ones, dreamy and goofy stories, rhyming and not, silly and soothing. I even had one parent thank me because no one had read a story to her in such a long time! (Children’s programming is important for the caregivers, too!)

Is there a Pajama Storytime at your library? What do you like about it? What would you change?

More storytimes, and rhyme time

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A month flies by! Storytime is always one of my favorite parts of the work week. Here are the books and art projects we’ve done for the past few weeks, and of course we look for Little Mouse every time (“Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the [color] house?”), and open and close with “Hello Friends” and “Goodbye Friends.”

September 28 Storytime

  • I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (with flannel board)
  • Carrot & Pea by Morag Hood
  • Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek
  • Craft: Coloring with crayons on butcher paper taped to the floor

Where is the Green Sheep? surrounded by felt board sheep

October 5

  • Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
  • Circle Under Berry by Carter Higgins
  • Perfect Square by Michael Hall
  • Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett
  • Where’s Walrus? by Steven Savage
  • Craft: Collage with tissue paper and glue sticks on construction paper

Book spines with Little Mouse

October 12

  • The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
  • Pirate Jack Gets Dressed by Nancy Raines Day (with flannel board)
  • There’s a Monster in This Book by Tom Fletcher
  • Mr. Scruff by Simon James
  • Some of These Are Snails by Carter Higgins
  • Craft: Decorating die-cut paper pumpkins with markers and crayons

storytimebooks

Pirate Jack flannel board

October 19

  • I Will Chomp You by Jory John and Bob Shea
  • Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty and David Roberts
  • Tickle Monster by Edouard Manceau (with flannel board)
  • Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins
  • Somewhere in the Bayou by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey
  • Craft: Flannel board play with different shapes, colors, and sizes

Picture book covers

October 26

  • Sam and Dave Dig A Hole by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
  • Maybe… by Chris Haughton
  • How do you say? = ¿Cómo se dice? by Angela Dominguez
  • Imogene’s Antlers by David Small
  • I’ll Wait, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
  • Craft: Dot markers, crayons, markers on butcher paper on the floor (collaborative)

Picture books, covers out, on window ledge

Storytimes I’d done plenty of before coming to SHPL, but Rhyme Time was a new program for me to lead. It’s kind of like storytime, but without books (although, I think I am going to start adding in one book each time). We do lots of songs, rhymes, fingerplay, and movement, followed by free play. I lead a lot of the songs and rhymes myself, but I also have a computer and speakers to play music. Soon, everyone will be singing and dancing along to Caspar Babypants’ “Butterfly Driving A Truck”!

I start every Rhyme Time with the same three songs:

  • “Hello Friends” song
  • Hello song (“We clap and sing hello…”)
  • The Name Song (“If your name is _____, jump up and down”). This is great because each child gets their moment in the spotlight (if they want it – some just sit on laps and that’s fine!) and it creates a sense of community, helping us all get to know each other.

Then we do a selection of these songs/rhymes with movement and fingerplay. Some of them are on my song cubes (homemade tissue-box creations with a different picture on each side, corresponding to a song, like a teapot for “I’m A Little Teapot” or a spider for “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider.” Because these are short little songs, we sometimes do them three times: regular/fast/slow or regular/loud/quiet.

We end with two goodbye songs:

If the weather is nice (or, okay, decent) and we’re outside, I bring out sidewalk chalk and balls for the kiddos to play with. If we’re inside, it’s parachute and bubbles. This gives everyone a chance to move around and socialize.

Toddlers drawing with chalk

Back to storytime!

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Child's legs and feet, standing on a smiling ladybug drawn in chalk

This month I returned to public libraries and am really enjoying being a children’s librarian again, serving kids and their caregivers with book recommendations, weekly storytimes and rhyme times, arts and crafts, and all those “did you know…?” hidden gems that the library offers, like the OpenDyslexic font built into Libby.

I’m especially thrilled to be doing storytimes again. I’ve modeled my current program on the “Step Into Storytime” I did at the Winchester (MA) Public Library, which was aimed at two- and three-year-olds and their siblings and caregivers. I don’t intentionally choose themes (although three of today’s five books involved elephants), and I lead off with the longest book, as attention spans tend to wane over time.

Here’s my storytime format, with today’s books and activities as an example:

  • Welcome, introduction
  • Early literacy tip: the five ECRR practices (TALK, SING, READ, WRITE, PLAY) all support children’s early literacy skills
  • “Hello Friends” (Jbrary) with ASL
    • Teach/review signs for “hello” and “friends” 
  • There’s A Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins
  • Oh, No! By Candace Fleming
  • A Kiss Like This by Mary Murphy
  • “Little Mouse” game with flannel board (“Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the [color] house?”)
  • A Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes with flannel board (today it just so happened that there were five kids, and I have five elephants! So they each got to hold one the whole time, and stick them to the board at the end)
  • Now by Antoinette Portis
  • “Goodbye Friends” (Jbrary) 
    • Teach/review signs for “goodbye” and “friends” 
  • Craft: Rubber stamps and stamp pads on construction paper 

Last week’s books were Mina by Matthew Forsythe, Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda, Pete’s A Pizza by William Steig, Matilda’s Cat by Emily Gravett, and Lots of Dots by Craig Frazier. Books that have interactive elements, like Huff & Puff, or can be made interactive (like pretending to roll out dough and sprinkle cheese for Pete’s A Pizza) are great for holding the attention of little ones and the engagement of adult caregivers as well, who can help the littles with the actions, improving large and fine motor skills. 

 

Picture books Mina, Huff & Puff, Pete's A Pizza, Matilda's Cat, and Lots of Dots in front of a flannel board set up with Little Mouse

Books we read the first week of September were The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson, Spots in a Box by Helen Ward, Triangle by Mac Barnett, and Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer. Both Jumperee and Triangle were checked out afterward, which I take as a mark of success; I always tell families that they are welcome to borrow anything I read aloud at storytime.

As it’s September, one batch of kids has just started preschool or kindergarten, so the storytime regulars are on the younger side; lots of them come to Rhyme Time also (more on that later). I’ve been pulling from my list of great books to share with two- and three-year-olds, as well as newer picture books (I made that list in 2019). I’ve also been keeping crafts basic and process-oriented: so far, we’ve used dobbers/dotters (“do-a-dot art sponge tip applicators”), glue sticks, and rubber stamps – all washable and nontoxic, of course.

What are your favorite read-aloud books to share with littles? Favorite arts and crafts?

Reading down the TBR piles

Jenny1 Comment

Cover image of The 500 Million Dollar HeistWhat does my fall reading lineup look like? Well, in addition to my usual reading (whatever I hear about from friends, see on library displays, or discover via publisher or bookstore emails), I’ve been working my way through this year’s MCBA books, because I’d like to help promote those titles at the library, and the best way for me to hand-sell a book is if I’ve read it myself. The Jones Library in Amherst gave out copies of a handy bookmark with all the titles; so far I’ve read 14 and a half of the 25 books.

Cover image of A First Time for Everything by Dan SantatI’m serving on the SLJ Best Books committee for Graphic Novels, which means reading…wait for it…more graphic novels! There are over 20 on the list and each of us will read at least 18. I’d already read several when the editors gave us the list, and I’m catching up on the others.

I’m also slated to write three picture book columns for the MSLA Forum this year, with the first one due out this fall. I’m deciding between picture book biographies and picture books that include recipes…stay tuned.

I’m still reviewing picture books, middle grade, graphic novels, and YA for SLJ and Kirkus; those don’t always appear on my LibraryThing account. And I just beta-read a short sci-fi novel for a friend (it was great! Hoping to see it in bookstores in the future).

TBR pile of 10 books

Last of all…it’s always last…my TBR pile, i.e. books I own or have been lent. These don’t have library due dates, so they have been sitting and waiting for some time (except for the two standing vertically in the photo – those I plan to re-read). But I collected them all in one place so that I’ll make an effort to get to them before the end of the year! (Especially as The 1619 Project was a holiday gift last year…or possibly two years ago…)

What’s lurking on your TBR?

MassCUE: Defining Digital Citizenship

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MassCUE offered a free summer webinar series on “defining digital citizenship.” Each of the four sessions had a different theme and different presenter. Because I won’t be working in a school library this year (I’m moving back to public libraries), I won’t be applying all of these ideas and resources right away, but I want to share them here.

Week One: Defining Digital Citizenship in the Modern Classroom, Jen Thomas (MassCUE) and Casey Daigle (CES)

Resources:

Advice:

  • Conversations are going to be awkward and imperfect, but show that you care, you’re trying, you’re learning. Model and make what you do in the classroom transparent. Where do your lesson plans come from? Cite all your sources and images.
  • Security: acknowledge passwords. Do you use a password manager? What are the best practices around tech? How often do you shut down or restart your devices?
  • Transparency: Using a voice assistant lets people around you know what you’re using your device for (instead of disappearing into “phone world”). State how long you’ll be using the device. Set timers.
  • Normalize these conversations. Ask students what they’re watching on YouTube, what games they’re playing, who they’re talking to in these games. Use school email to communicate and model the proper format for a professional email.

Week Two: Media Literacy Playground, Jenna Meleedy (Penn State University, News Literacy Ambassador)

Main ideas:

  • Critical media literacy is an essential life skill.
  • People go to the internet/social media when they’re stressed, or for entertainment – critical thinking skills are not engaged.
  • Cultivation theory: long-term exposure to media shapes how we view the world and ourselves.
  • Social media doesn’t want to inform, it wants to engage.
  • Technology/media is not inherently bad. The worst thing you can do is avoid the conversation altogether. Removing access to technology will never work. Teach responsible and safe use.

Resources:

Thinking emoji plus mind blown emoji equals mind blown thinking emoji (created with Emoji Kitchen)

Week Three: Copyright, Fair Use, Creative Commons in the Age of AI, Suzanne Judson-Whitehouse (CES)

This week was all about “supporting students to be responsible creators and consumers.” We reviewed intellectual property, copyright, the public domain, the fair use doctrine and the four factor test, copyright and AI (biiiig mess), Creative Commons, terms of service (Can you use your personal Netflix account to show something in the classroom? No), the Internet Archive, and more.

Resources:

Week Four: In Defense of Student Data, Ramah Hawley and Cynthia Tougas (The Education Cooperative)

Main ideas:

  • Educators use data to inform instructional practice. With benefits come risks: how are vendors using the student data they collect?
  • Schools are obligated to comply with three pieces of federal legislation: FERPA, COPPA, and PPRA to protect students’ personally identifiable information (PII). Third party vendors (e.g. educational software and apps) must also comply with this legislation.
  • How does each school district ensure vendor compliance with federal and state laws? There should be a Data Privacy Agreement (DPA). Student Data Privacy Agreements are legal and enforceable agreements that supercede Terms of Service (ToS).

Resources:

Thanks to MassCUE and all of the presenters and other attendees.

Mid-year reading round-up

Jenny1 Comment

I’ve read just over 280 books so far this year; here are the standouts in each category (extra-extra standouts are in bold). Hat tip to the Carle Museum for their incredible exhibits; that’s where I learned about Claire Nivola, and got to see some of Micha Archer’s work from Snow Horses up close. Many of the books below also received ALA Youth Media Awards medals or honors; I always add a lot of those books to my to-read list after the YMA at the end of January.

Key: GN = graphic novel, NF = nonfiction

Picture bookssomewhereinthebayou

  • Telling Stories Wrong by Giovanni Rodari, illus. Beatrice Alemagna
  • On This Airplane by Lourdes Heuer, illus. Sara Palacios
  • Three Little Vikings by Bethan Woollvin
  • Little Houses by Kevin Henkes
  • Somewhere in the Bayou by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey
  • Snow Horses by Micha Archer
  • A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis (NF)Cover image of Snow Horses
  • Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wild, illus. Charlene Chua
  • The Tower of Life by Chana Stiefel, illus. Susan Gal (NF)
  • My Hands Tell A Story by Kelly Starling Lyons, illus. Tonya Engel
  • Six Dots by Jen Bryant, illus. Boris Kulikov (NF)
  • Listen by Shannon Stocker, illus. Devon Holzwarth (NF)
  • The Little Ghost Who Was A Quilt by Riel Nason, illus. Byron Eggenschwiler
  • Dim Sum, Here We Come! by Maple Lamthatflag
  • Evergreen by Matthew Cordell
  • That Flag by Tameka Brown Fryer, illus. Nikkolas Smith
  • Locomotive by Brian Floca
  • We Don’t Lose Our Class Goldfish by Ryan T. Higgins
  • Nell Plants A Tree by Anne Wynter, illus. Daniel Miyares
  • Dogku by Andrew Clements (poetry)
  • The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton, illus. Tony Persiani (NF)
  • The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker (wordless)treeandriver
  • Night in the City by Julie Downing
  • Juneteenth by Van G. Garrett, illus. Reginald C. Adams and Samson Bimbo Adenugba
  • My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom, illus. Steph Littlebird
  • The Fire of Stars by Kirsten Larson, illus. Katherine Roy
  • A Bed of Stars by Jessica Love
  • How We Say I Love You by Nicole Chen, illus. Lenny WenCover image of A Bad of Stars
  • Elisabeth by Claire A. Nivola
  • Where Is Bina Bear? by Mike Curato
  • Whose Egg Is That? by Darrin Lunde, illus. Kelsey Oseid (NF)

Early readers

  • Arlo & Pips by Elise Gravel (GN)
  • Henry, Like Always by Jenn BaileyCover image of Henry Like Always

Middle Grade

  • The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander
  • Killer Underwear Invasion by Elise Gravel (GN, NF)
  • Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn (GN)
  • Squire & Knight by Scott Chantler (GN)
  • Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang (GN)
  • Wildoak by C.C. Harrington
  • Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson (Newbery Award Winner)simonsortofsays
  • Three Strike Summer by Skyler Schrempp
  • Three Thieves series by Scott Chantler (GN)
  • The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson
  • Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
  • A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat (GN)
  • Tuesdays at the Castle series by Jessica Day George
  • The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh
  • Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones
  • Finally Seen by Kelly Yang
  • The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noelle Weir (GN)
  • Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One by Maggie Horne
  • School Trip by Jerry Craft (GN)Cover image of Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One
  • Odder by Katherine Applegate (novel in verse)
  • Hoops by Matt Tavares (GN)
  • Mihi Ever After by Tae Keller
  • Elf Dog and Owl Head by M.T. Anderson
  • Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker, illus. Matthew Cordell
  • Bea and the New Deal Horse by L.M. Elliott
  • The Doll People by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin
  • Alone by Megan E. Freeman (MCBA winner)
  • Stand on the Sky by Erin Bowodder
  • Hidden by Loic Dauvillier (GN)
  • The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman
  • 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
  • Code Red by Joy McCullough

YA

  • Heartstopper by Alice Oseman (GN)
  • For Lamb by Lesa Cline-Ransome
  • All My Rage by Sabaa TahirCover image of For Lamb
  • When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb
  • Take Me With You When You Go by David Levithan and Jennifer Niven
  • We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra
  • Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester
  • Hidden Powers by Jeannine Atkins
  • Enter the Body by Joy McCullough
  • The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
  • Sunshine by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
  • One Last Shot by Kip Wilson
  • The Roof Over Our Heads by Nicole Kronzer
  • Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Adult

  • Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolverdemoncopperhead
  • Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
  • Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
  • Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley
  • Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
  • The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
  • A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung (NF)
  • Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
  • The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane

And that’s it for the first half of 2023. Which books are your favorites so far this year?

Success stories: great read-alouds for K-3

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There’s a big difference between reading a picture book to yourself, reading it with one other person, and reading it to/with a group. (If you frequently read aloud to children and you haven’t already read Megan Dowd Lambert’s Reading Picture Books With Children, I highly recommend it for making your storytimes more interactive and engaging.) Without further ado, here are some of the picture books that worked incredibly well at my school this year, for students in kindergarten through third grade:

  • Endlessly Ever After by Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat: Cover of Endlessly Ever AfterBecause this is a choose-your-own-adventure book, you can read it several times with the same group (and they will ask for it again and again!). Every time a choice comes up, I read both choices and ask them to vote. This works with upper elementary as well as with the younger grades.
  • Don’t Hug Doug by Carrie Finison and Daniel Wiseman: Cute, friendly, glasses-wearing Doug likes YOU, he just doesn’t like hugs, except under very specific circumstances (are you Doug’s mother? Is it bedtime?). Approachable Doug is the perfect character to deliver this important message about consent.
  • Dozens of Doughnuts by Carrie Finison and Brianne Farley: This is a rhyming delight, with the most delicious endpapers ever. Perfect for fall, just as bears like LouAnn are going into hibernation.
  • The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater: An autumnal, excellent execution of the buddy comedy featuring high-strung Squirrel and tolerant Bird is a funny story and a great way to explain what happens to leaves in fall. There’s a spring version, too (Don’t Touch That Flower!)
  • A Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall and Vera Brosgol: spoonful of frogsThe witch main character and the frogs she tries to add to her soup are perfect for around Halloween time, and “PUT the FROGS on the SPOON” may become a mantra.
  • Triangle/Square/Circle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen: These three books, as a group, worked beautifully when kindergarteners were learning about shapes, and they are just fantastic to read aloud; they don’t get old, and the characters’ feelings and dilemmas are easy for the kids to understand and empathize with.
  • That’s Not My Name by Anoosha Syed: thatsnotmynameThis is great for the beginning of the year when everyone is learning each other’s name. Most kids can relate to the experience of having someone mispronounce your name or call you the wrong name, and they know the feeling; this book encourages them to insist on being called the right name the right way, and take the time to do the same for others.
  • I Want My Hat Back/This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen: Yes, more Klassen, but these two books are brilliant for all ages. Ask the kids what happened at the end; their inferences may surprise you.
  • How to Apologize by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka: Straightforward, kid-friendly language and funny illustrations present an important lesson in a humorous and impactful way. A good one for the beginning of the year, or any time. Cover image of Hot Dog
  • Hot Dog by Doug Salati: This year’s Caldecott winner was popular not just during our Mock Caldecott unit in January, but kids have been asking me to borrow it since then – it clearly stayed with them.
  • Knight Owl by Christopher Denise: A Caldecott honor book that was also included in our Mock Caldecott unit (it got the most votes in our school), Knight Owl features absolutely beautiful art, an adorable hero, and a solution involving pizza.
  • Somewhere in the Bayou by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey: “Smack! Splash!” This book is built on pattern, repetition, onomatopoeia, surprise, and empathy. It was fantastically popular in our Mock Caldecott, and so fun to read aloud – it truly doesn’t get old.
  • How We Say I Love You by Nicole Chen and Lenny Wen: howwesayiloveyouThis has strong appeal on three levels: first, there’s the seek-and-find element (a heart on each page); next, the cultural representation; and finally, the way it opens a discussion of how we show love in our own families. Every single class I read this book with (first through third grade) came up with a whole list, with nearly every kid contributing, and some adding more than one idea.
  • Sam and Dave Dig A Hole by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen: Yes, Barnett/Klassen again. The kids absolutely freak out as Sam and Dave remain oblivious to the “spectacular” pink gems they bypass as they dig. Kids notice that the dog knows where they should be digging, though, and they love comparing the front and end spreads to spot the differences.
  • Bathe the Cat by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts: Cover image of Bathe the CatPure good fun; the kids catch on quickly as the family’s to-do list gets more and more ridiculous. Great representation, too, of a mixed-race family with two dads.
  • How Do Dinosaurs… by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague: These rhyming stories are classics for a reason. I like …Learn to Read and …Go to School for the relevant educational setting. Many kids will already be familiar with this series, if not these specific titles, and they’re usually happy to see and hear them again.
  • Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein: The idea and the execution are equally good, the humor is spot-on, and the two sequels maintain the quality of the original (when you store your cookies in a clock, it’s always cookie time!).
  • Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang and Charlene Chua: amywuperfectbaoKids identify with Amy’s problem, and even if the word “bao” is unfamiliar, nearly every culinary tradition has a version of dumplings (knish, empanada, pierogies, etc.). Amy finally figures out the solution to her problem, and her loving, supportive family (including pink-haired grandma and adorable white kitten) is right there with her.
  • A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis: I think this is what’s called “deceptively simple,” but it’s brilliant in its simplicity. It ties in with K/1st curriculum when they study plants, and there’s an opportunity to build in movement: start in a crouch as a seed, grow up toward the sky/ceiling, branch arms for leaves and blossoms, and gently fall back down.
  • The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat: caldecott-beekleThis Caldecott winner uses color effectively to show an (un)imaginary friend’s journey into the real world. (See also: Real to Me by Minh Lê and Raissa Figueroa)
  • Don’t Touch My Hair by Sharee Miller: A little Black girl loves her hair, but doesn’t love when other people touch it without asking. She tries running away from the problem, but eventually uses her voice to set boundaries.
  • Oh, No! by Candace Fleming: Effective use of repetition encourages students to participate in the chorus (“oh, no!”) as one animal after another falls into a pit, then cheer for their eventual escape as the meaning of the final “oh, no” shifts.

Do you have any knock-em-out-of-the-park read-alouds? Please share in the comments!

MSLA 2023: Gear Up: Moving Forward Together (Day 2)

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See the Sunday summary (Day 1 of conference) here.

MSLA President Jen Varney introduced Monday’s keynote speaker, the Director of Amherst College Libraries, Dr. Martin Garnar, who spoke about Fighting the Good Fight: Supporting Intellectual Fredom in Your Library. He asked, “What is intellectual freedom?” It is actually three freedoms: freedom of expression, freedom of access, and freedom from surveillance (i.e., privacy). Garnar handed out scenarios on slips of paper, and each table group considered how we would respond to, for example, a parent challenging a book from the school library collection and the principal removing the book to their office; or, for another example, a parent requesting a list of every book their child has checked out from the school library. (Pro tip: remind your administrators, public or private, that if they ignore their own school’s policy, they are open to lawsuits. Pro tip #2: Make sure you have a solid, up-to-date policy! More on that soon.)

“It’s not enough to have equal access, it has to be equitable access.”

After the keynote, Garnar offered another session: The Importance of Policies: Promoting Our Principles in Practice. There are six key policies for libraries to have in place:

  • Collection development and resource reconsideration
  • Internet use (required by law if the library receives E-rate or LSTA funding; can be a district-wide policy)
  • User behavior and library use (e.g. anti-bullying)
  • Privacy and confidentiality (FERPA and state laws)
  • Social media (if the library uses it)
  • Use of meeting rooms and exhibit spaces

Garnar went in depth on each of these types of policies (I won’t do that here), and also offered solid reasoning about why are policies are important. Well-written, board approved policies and up-to-date procedures based on those policies achieve several things:

  • Encourage stability and continuity in the library’s operations while reducing ambiguity and confusion
  • Demonstrate that the library is running a businesslike operation
  • Give credence to the library’s actions
  • Inform the community about the library’s intent, goals, etc. (e.g. equity)
  • Give the public a means to evaluate library performance and show that the library is willing to be held accountable for its decisions
  • Help disarm critics
  • Serve as evidence of the library’s normal practices

Policy resources:

Best Features of the Statewide Databases for school libraries, Tressa Santillo, Massachusetts Library System (MLS)

Tressa (on behalf of MLS and also Transparent Language) and representatives from Gale, Britannica, and PebbleGo described and demonstrated some of the features and resources of their respective databases. I’m so grateful that Massachusetts libraries (public and school) work cooperatively to share print and digital resources; all school libraries with a certified librarian have access to databases for students and staff to use. I’ve been guiding patrons and students through and around these databases for years, but there are more resources than I realized – like alignments to standards and frameworks from PebbleGo, and a media literacy guide from Britannica. (Also from PebbleGo: an axolotl coloring page.)

Resources:

Well, I was hooked by the axolotl coloring sheet, so I went to hear Dr. Kelli Westmoreland talk more about PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next: Databases for Elementary. (Also, the only other session was the MA Teen Choice Book Awards, and since I’m not working with a teen population right now, PebbleGo made more sense. You can see the MA Teen Choice Book Award Nominees here.) Dr. Westmoreland offered a tour of PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next, explained the importance of modeling digital literacy – especially given the increased amount of time students spend on screens – and spoke about the science of reading and the importance of nonfiction texts. She showed off some of the features of PebbleGo, like the randomizer and the question of the day, and gave examples of how it can be used to support classroom teaching (e.g. librarians can create text sets). She showed examples of simple graphic organizers for inquiry (Person/Action/Trait, It Says/I Say/And So, Somebody/Wanted/And/So).

Perhaps one of the neatest features is the correlation to standards: you can look up content by standard, or standard by content.

Screenshot of Grade 1 Reading Standards for Informational Text

My goal at every conference is to have at least one useful takeaway from each session, and that definitely happened this year! Plus, it was just lovely to see people in 3D. (Previous conference committees did an amazing job the past few years putting together virtual conferences full of engaging presentations from librarians and authors, and I definitely enjoy “attending” from home, but it was nice to mingle in person too, and even meet some people I’ve known for years now, but only via zoom!)

I’ve already put some of Liza’s ideas and resources about comics to use (is it possible to say enough good things about Liza Halley? I don’t think so), and I’m looking forward to adding some of the new books I picked up at vendor booths to my school library collection and seeing kids scoop them up off the New Books shelf. Thanks again to everyone involved in the conference – please leave a comment if I missed anything here, or if you want to share something about a different session you attended!