Ready to Read Grants • Mother Goose Goes Global • Imaginative Illustrations

Home , A Billion Hands Concert, Carla Hayden, Nursery Rhyme, Winkie Country, Zerna Sharp

CAL-2n3-cover.qxd 11/30/2004 5:29 PM Page 1 Children the journal of the Association for Library Service to Children Libraries & Volume 2 Number 3 Winter 2004 ISSN 1542-9806

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BIRMINGHAM, AL PERMIT NO. 3020 winter04-CAL_3p2.qxd 12/1/2004 3:47 PM Page 1 Table

Contents• ofVolume 2, Number 3 Winter 2004

Notes and Letters 30 Reading Pictures 2 Editor’s Note Searching for Excellence in Picture Books Gratia J. Banta Sharon Korbeck 35 2 Executive Director’s Note Conquering the South Pole and Malore I. Brown Beyond An Interview with Jennifer Armstrong 3 Letters to the Editor Megan Lynn Isaac Features 39 There’s No “ECT” in a Koala 4 Mem Fox and the Importance of Ready to Read in Oregon Reading Aloud Building Best Practice in Library Service Sharon Korbeck to Children MaryKay Dahlgreen 42 The Electricity of Story Rosemary Wells 11 How Tots Learn Lots Queens Borough Takes on Math 46 Award Speeches and Science Rosanne Cerny Batchelder Award Walter Lorraine 14 Literature and Technology Skills Carnegie Medal for Entry-Level Children’s Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Librarians Sibert Award What Employers Want Jim Murphy Denice Adkins and Linda Esser Departments 19 Growing Up Latino in the U.S.A. A Bibliography 40 Photo Gallery ALA Annual Conference 2004, Orlando 22 Playing with Clay 52 Crafting Images with Clay Seems Like Book Reviews: Play for These Illustrators Resources for Teachers Carol-Ann Hoyte Junko Yokota 54 Index to Advertisers 26 Rhyme Time 56 ALSC News How Mother Goose Speaks Many Languages 58 Index to Volume 2 Miriam Lang Budin 64 The Last Word 28 Story Times That Rock! Creating Successful Readers . . . and Attentive Listeners Sunny Strong

The Ever-Growing Beanstalk of Books Editor’s Note By Sharon Korbeck

Editor Do you have a beanstalk of books piled six high on your desk or cof- Sharon Korbeck, De Pere, Wisc. fee table? I need to know I’m not the only one with this habit. Editorial Advisory Committee Jeri S. Kladder, Chair, Columbus, Ohio Right now, in my queue, I’ve got the first book in the Lemony Rosanne Cerny, Jamaica, N.Y. Snicket series and Harry Potter #3 (OK, so I’m really behind!), two Patrick Jones, Richfield, Minn. Susan G. Link, Sugar Land, Tex. adult novels, one book of wedding poetry (my wedding’s next Gretchen Wronka, ALSC President, Ex Officio, Minnetonka, Minn. April), and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chess (my latest, albeit Sharon Korbeck, Editor, Ex Officio, De Pere, Wisc. unsuccessful, pastime). Next to that pile are the Modern Bride and Executive Director Vogue magazines and a stack of unpaid, but not late, bills. Malore I. Brown Division Coordinator Then there’s my nightstand—right now, it still holds the two-pound Laura Schulte-Cooper biography of Alfred Hitchcock being used more as a coaster than a Web Site sleep-inducer. www.ala.org/alsc

Reading is one of my greatest joys; it’s one of yours, too, I’d imagine. Circulation Children and Libraries (ISSN 1542-9806) is published three times per year by the American But can there ever be enough time to read all we want? I have Library Association (ALA), 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. It is the official publication of the friends who don’t read at all and that’s an enigma to me. Not read- Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of ALA. Subscription price: members of ALSC, $20 per year, included in membership dues; nonmembers, $40 per year in the ing would be like depriving me of air or water. I just wish I treated it U.S.; $50 in Canada, Mexico, and other countries. Back issues within one year of current issue, $12 each. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, and at additional mailing offices. POST- like that and had more time to consume! MASTER: Send address changes to Children and Libraries, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Members send mailing labels or facsimile to Member Services, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Nonmember subscribers: Subscriptions, orders, changes of address, and inquiries As winter thickens, cozy up to all those books you’ve been mean- should be sent to Children and Libraries, Customer Service—Subscriptions, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; 1-800-545-2433, press 5; fax: (312) 944-2641; e-mail: [email protected]. ing to read, and don’t forget to share one with a child. Happy new year! & Statement of Purpose Children and Libraries is the official journal of ALSC, a division of the American Library Association. The journal primarily serves as a vehicle for continuing education of librarians working with children, which showcases current scholarly research and practice in library service to children and spotlights significant activities and programs of the Association. (From Reading for All Seasons the journal’s draft “Policies and Procedures” document to be adopted by the ALSC board.) Production Executive Director’s Note ALA Production Services—Troy D. Linker and Angela Hanshaw; Stephanie Kuenn, Kristen McKulski, Karen Sheets, and Christine Velez, Production Editors. By Malore I. Brown Advertising Benson, Coffee and Associates,1411 Peterson Avenue, Park Ridge, IL 60068; (847) 692-4695; fax: (847) 692-3877; e-mail: [email protected]. The journal accepts advertising for goods or services of interest to the library profession and librarians in service to youth in particular. It encour- ages advertising that informs readers and provides clear communication between vendor and buyer. The journal adheres to ethical and commonly accepted advertising practices and reserves the right to reject any advertisement not suited to the above purposes or not consistent with the aims and policies of ALA. Acceptance of advertising in the journal does not imply As we prepare for the winter holidays, a new year, and Midwinter in official endorsement by ALA of the products or services advertised. Boston, the sunny 2004 Orlando conference seems like a distant Manuscripts memory. In this Winter issue, we share more highlights of Orlando Manuscripts and letters pertaining to editorial content should be sent to Sharon Korbeck, for those who were unable to attend and for those in attendance editor, 820 Spooner Ct., De Pere, WI 54115; (920) 339-2740; e-mail: [email protected]. Manuscripts will be sent out for review according to the journal’s established referee proce- who’d like one final look back. We present Rosemary Wells’ stirring dures. See the author guidelines in each issue for further information. talk, given at the ALSC Preconference luncheon, a recap of Mem Indexing, Abstracting, and Microfilm Fox’s preconference presentation, the Sibert, Carnegie, and Children and Libraries is indexed in Library and Information Science Abstracts and in Library Batchelder award acceptance speeches, and a photo spread of Literature and Information Science. Children and Libraries is indexed, abstracted, and available in full text through EBSCOhost. memorable conference moments. For more information, contact EBSCO at 1-800-653-2726. Children and Libraries is also available from ProQuest Information and Learning in one or more of the following ways: online, via the ProQuest information service; microform; CD-ROM; Also, as you plan your programming for the upcoming year, be sure and via database licensing. For more information, call 1-800-521-0600, ext. 2888 or online at to check out the articles on Oregon’s Ready to Read program, www.il.proquest.com. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Queens Borough’s Math and Science program, a multilingual Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, Mother Goose program, and “Story Times That Rock!” Enjoy these ANSI Z39.48-1992. Copyright ©2004 American Library Association articles and a whole lot more in this issue. Be sure that Children and All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be Libraries is among your beanstalk of reading materials! & photocopied for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other photocopying, reprint- ing, or translating, address requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.

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Letters to the Editor

Letters Guidelines

Children and Libraries welcomes readers to submit letters to the editor on topics of general interest to the profession or as comments on topics covered in our pages.

Letters should be no longer than 350 words and must be signed. The editor reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and space. Send letters to Editor Sharon Korbeck at [email protected] or via mail to 820 Spooner Ct., De Pere, WI 54115.

Special Thanks for Special Needs More Kudos

I was thrilled to read the article entitled Thank you so much for two wonderful I feel bolstered and encouraged by the “Autism, Literacy, and Libraries” by Lynn articles which have appeared in the past ideas expressed in these articles. Akin and Donna MacKinney (Summer/ two Children and Libraries, “Autism, Fall 2004). Libraries should, of course, be Literacy and Libraries: The 3 Rs=Routine, Thank you for choosing to highlight this ready to serve all patrons. Repetition and Redundancy” (Summer/ area of library life! As the editor of Fall 2004) and “All Kinds of Flowers Grow Children and Libraries, you have the I would, however, like to point out that Here: The Child’s Place for Children with opportunity to impact the children’s the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore Special Needs at Brooklyn Public Library” library world. I would like to applaud you has created programs for autistic children (Spring 2004). for emphasizing what we can do for chil- since the fall of 2000. We have worked dren and families with special needs. with a school for specifically autistic chil- As a children’s librarian, I have a special dren, as well as programming for children interest in special needs inclusion. I was Thank you and keep those great articles with developmental disabilities. Recently, terrifically pleased to read these con- coming! I have also been able to present programs science-raising, inspiring, and functional for deaf children. articles. The library is an ideal place to Liza Purdy, Children’s Librarian incorporate folks with special needs into Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Pittsburgh, Penn. We have been using many of the tech- the mainstream of daily community life. niques mentioned in the article in our programming for children with autism. For instance, I created a series of flannel board pieces, in conjunction with the teacher, that are used the same way activ- Correction to Last Word Essay ity schedules are used. I can say they certainly helped the children transition from A significant error appears in the conclusion of the “Last Word” essay in one activity to the next. the Summer/Fall 2004 issue. In the conclusion, the word “my” was mistak- enly changed to “her,” and it incorrectly reads as if the mentor identified I hope that this article, as well as the fact her own place. In Cheryl Wires’ original text, the mentor identified the pro- that library programs for autistic and spe- tégé/author’s place. cial needs children have been implemented, will encourage other librarians Below is the conclusion as it should have appeared: to create their own programs. I would be most happy to answer questions about “. . . Smuda inspired the choice of Rowling’s work for this project and, in an any of our programs and look forward to epiphany moment, identified the podium as my place. That is why, in hearing more about service to special telling this story, my first thought—and last word—are devoted to the late needs children. Janice Smuda and her inestimable blessings.”

Mairi Ellen Quodomine, We apologize for the error. Children’s Department, State Library Resource Center, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Md.

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Ready to Read in Oregon Building Best Practice in Library Service to Children

MaryKay Dahlgreen

The Ready to Read Grant program of the Oregon State Library tar- gets all state aid funds to “establish, develop, or improve public library services for children, from birth to fourteen years of age, with an emphasis on preschool children.” The program was created to help meet the Oregon benchmark of all children starting school ready to learn. Ready to Read Grants have been in place since 1993. In 2003, the Oregon State Library youth services consultant completed an evaluation of the impact of the program on library service to children in Oregon. This article provides a short history of the program, how it operates, the impact the program has had on library service to children, and the results of a review of the literature as it relates to basic services and best practices in children’s library service.

. . . as red as a happy heart ...... as purple as a love that would last forever . . . and public libraries to the goals established by the Oregon Benchmarks and Oregon Educational Act for the 21st . . . silver shoes shining like promises that are always kept . . . Century. . . . as green as a satisfied mind. —Julius Lester, Sam and the Tigers Recommendation 2(A) was: • Target the existing program of per capita state aid to public very children’s librarian would like every child in the libraries for purposes of improving services to children, with community to have access to the kind of language Julius an emphasis on reaching more preschoolers and their par- ELester uses in his picture book Sam and the Tigers.1 They ents with readiness-to-learn programs and resources. would like children to have opportunities to listen to, read, and talk about a wide variety of books. They would like parents to Oregon State Librarian Jim Scheppke, the Oregon Library have the resources and information necessary to be their chil- Association (OLA), and the Oregon State Library (OSL) Board of dren’s first and best teacher. Every children’s librarian wants Trustees saw the wisdom, both practical and political, of target- children to have access to high quality library services that ing state aid to public libraries on Oregon’s urgent benchmark provide information, recreation, and opportunity for growth. that all children should arrive at school ready to learn. A Fact In 1993, public libraries in Oregon were offered another tool to Sheet for House Bill 2056 prepared by the OSL Board of Trustees provide those services. points out: “Public libraries have the potential to reach every Oregon child with services that promote language, literacy, and A Joint Interim Committee on Education work group made a cognitive development.” report to the Oregon Joint Interim Committee on Education in November of 1992. Recommendation 2 was: MaryKay Dahlgreen is a youth services consultant at Oregon State Library in • Recognize the crucial role of libraries in the education of chil- Salem. She can be reached via e-mail at dren. Correlate state policies and actions concerning school [email protected].

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Ready to Read in Oregon

70% and occupies an area of 10,228 square miles. Our most populous county, Multnomah, has 60% 127,926 children ages zero to fourteen and occupies an area of 465 square miles. The applica-

50% tions are submitted by September 1, and the grant checks are mailed before the end of December each year. Each library is required to 40% Outreach complete a report on how it spent its funds, Collections which is compiled into a final report each year. Programs 30% The state library Web site includes final feports and other information about the project for the 20% last several years at www.osl.state.or.us/home/ libdev/r2r/r2r.html.

10% One objective of the Oregon State Library for the 2001–03 biennium was to evaluate the impact of 0% 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 the Ready to Read Grant program on children’s services in public libraries. In January 2002, we Figure 1. Spending by Program Category began that process. We analyzed how the funds had been spent from 1996 to 2002, if library service to children had increased, and how other local funds were leveraged by Ready to Read funds. We The Oregon Legislative Assembly, with the endorsement of the also wanted to assess the outcomes, but since it is very difficult Oregon library community, passed legislation to provide state to evaluate a program that encompasses so many libraries with aid to “establish, develop, or improve public library services to so many different projects, we examined the professional litera- children, ages zero to fourteen, with an emphasis on preschool ture dealing with early literacy and other aspects of library serv- children” during the 1992–93 Oregon legislative session. The ice to children, determined what were “best practices” in Ready to Read Grant program began in July 1993 with $692,767 children’s librarianship, and ascertained if library use of “best for the 1993–95 biennium. A consultant position was created in practices” had increased. Our thinking has been that best prac- the state library to administer the program and to assist libraries tice is defined by the research in the field and related fields. If we in planning their use of the Ready to Read Grant funds. could define best practices based on that research literature, we could use that information to determine if libraries were using The Oregon library community and the Oregon Legislative Ready to Read funds for best practice. If they were not, we could Assembly have been very supportive of the project, and in the use our report to encourage the use of these funds for best prac- 2001–2003 biennium, funding was $1 per child. Budget deficits tices and encourage libraries to use local funds to support the in the 2002–03 fiscal year reduced funding to eighty-three cents basic services for children in their communities. per child. Funding for the 2003–05 biennium remains eighty-six cents per child. Let’s look at how libraries spent their funds. For the purpose of the Final Reports, Ready to Read activities were divided into Every legally established public library in Oregon is eligible to three categories: outreach, collections, and programs. Within apply for the annual Ready to Read Grant; it is not competitive. each of those categories, the activities were broken into smaller To receive the funds, the proposed project must “establish, categories. For example, outreach was broken into preschool develop, or improve pubic library service to children from birth and school age; collections into preschool, school age, home to fourteen years of age with an emphasis on preschool chil- school, languages other than English, and parenting; and pro- dren.” It must also meet the Maintenance of Support require- grams (in-library programs) into preschool, school age, family, ments, which stipulate that the library’s operating expenditures parents, and other. A library could have spent money in each of for the year just completed cannot be less than one of the previ- these categories. We counted libraries that provided each of ous two years. This provision was included so that local govern- these activities. Figure 1 consolidates information gathered ments would not reduce a library’s budget because it was from the 1996–2002 annual reports. receiving state funds. If libraries do not qualify, the funds are redistributed to the libraries that do qualify. In 1996–97, 12 percent of the libraries reporting provided some kind of outreach activity with Ready to Read funds, and by Oregon has a relatively small population but a large land mass. 2001–02 that percentage had reached 20 percent. Interestingly, The funding formula was developed to take into consideration the number of libraries that used Ready to Read funds for collec- variations in population density and land mass. The grant tions decreased, while the number that used their funds for in- amounts are calculated at 80 percent on the number of chil- library programming increased. This is considered progress, as dren ages zero to fourteen in the library service area and 20 those libraries that did not have children’s services and were percent on the square mileage of the library service area. Our using their Ready to Read funds to “establish” library service for largest county, Harney, has 1,631 children ages zero to fourteen children were then able to provide local funding for basic serv-

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Ready to Read in Oregon ices and use their Ready to Read funds to “develop” and “improve” library services to children. 16,000,000

Some of the projects that have been underwritten with Ready to 12,000,000 Read funds have demonstrated a creative use of small amounts of money. In Athena, a very small town in eastern Oregon, with a child population of 298, the librarian used her $300 to pur- 8,000,000 chase picture books, then created a birthday club so that for each child’s birthday they got to pick one of those books and 4,000,000 have their nameplate put in it. The book was then placed in the collection. The Seaside Public Library, on the Oregon coast, uses its funding to provide giveaway books and information packets - to the family of every child born in Seaside, as well as to Head Start students. The Cedar Mill Community Library, in the 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Circulation Attendance Portland metro area, has expanded on an extensive child-care outreach project with its funds. The Jackson County Library, in Figure 2. Library Services to Children southern Oregon, has used funds in past years to provide book talks to third through fifth graders in twelve elementary schools. Statewide library services to children (circulation plus program The Spanish-speaking population of Oregon has increased dra- attendance) increased 19 percent from 1993–95 to 1995–97. The matically in the last ten years, and some libraries have used their most recent figure shows that, since the Ready to Read program funds to create a Spanish language collection. Others have hired began in 1993, library service to children has increased 80 per- Latino and Spanish-speaking staff to interact directly with the cent. Figure 2 shows that the Ready to Read program has been a Latino community. very important component in the increase in children’s services, although not the only factor. Each year the state library staff also selects a small number of outstanding Ready to Read projects. The selection is based on In addition to providing enhanced library services for children adherence to the original intent of the program, partnering with in local communities, the Ready to Read Grant has leveraged other community organizations, and creating an opportunity local dollars. While we don’t track where the leveraged funds for children to become lifelong learners and readers. Several originate, anecdotal evidence tells us that they come from local years of outstanding Ready to Read projects are presented on governments, county government, private nonprofits, and com- the OSL Web site. When a library is honored for an outstanding munity organizations. Due either to better reporting or project, the OSL development staff makes a presentation in the increased fund-raising savvy on the part of local librarians, the venue of their choice (City Council, County Commission, amount of local funds leveraged has increased significantly Library Board) to share the information about the grant and the since 1996. In 1996–97, for every $3 spent in state money $1 was excellent work their local library is doing. provided locally. By 2001–02 that ratio was $1:$1 (Figure 3).

To measure the impact of the Ready to Read program, juvenile To develop a list of basic services and best practices to assist in circulation figures from each public library in the state and the the analysis of the program, the youth services consultant devel- attendance at children’s programs in each public library are oped a reading list based on several other bibliographies. The added to determine “library services to children.” The state primary sources were the bibliography of the Oregon study library began using this measure during the 1993–95 bien- done by Keith Curry Lance and his associates about the impor- nium, the first biennium of the Ready to Read Grant. The tance of school librarians in the effectiveness of school libraries results were gratifying. as well as the bibliography of a report commis- sioned by the Pennsylvania Library $700,000 Association to evaluate the role of public $600,000 libraries in Pennsylvania in children’s literacy development.2 $500,000

$400,000 The list was expanded as other resources were discovered in the course of reading. $300,000

$200,000 The research literature of children’s librarianship is not as rich as some other disciplines. $100,000 Therefore, literature on early brain development and early cognitive development $0 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 research, research relating directly to library Figure 3. Local Funds Leveraged by Ready to Read Grant Funds service for children and families, and research on how children learn to read were included,

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Ready to Read in Oregon

followed by a look at the focused area of research $350,000 that examines the importance of access to reading materials and free reading time. Finally, the rela- $300,000 tionship between libraries and educational reform was reviewed. $250,000 As a result of that literature review, we compiled a

listing of basic services and best practices (see $200,000 Table 1).

The 1996–2002 reports submitted to the Oregon $150,000 State Library by the grant recipients were analyzed to determine if the library had used Ready $100,000 to Read funds to provide basic services or best practices, or both. Most libraries use their fund- $50,000 ing for several activities and were therefore counted both in basic service and best practice. Figure 4 shows the amount of Ready to Read $- 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02

funds used each year exclusively for basic serv- All Basic Services All Best Practices Both ices, exclusively for best practices, or for a combination of basic services and best practices. The Figure 4. Fund Distribution sidebar on page 8 shows the number of libraries

Basic Service Promotes 1. Interaction with children in the library Socialization, language play, independent reading, joy of reading, access to materials, recreational reading. 2. Child-friendly, literacy-rich environment Early/emergent literacy, motivation, joy of reading, access to materials. 3. Trained staff Knowledge of early childhood and books. 4. Story time for preschoolers Hearing language, being read aloud to, socialization, cognitive development for building later learning, modeling reading aloud and interaction for parents and caregivers, reading motivation, playing with language. 5. Summer reading program Access to reading materials, independent reading, recreational reading, reading motivation, enjoyment of reading, interaction during reading, playing with language, reading practice, building vocabulary, reading fluency. 6. Materials collections Access to reading materials, enjoyment of reading, reading motivation, independent reading, recreational reading, lifelong library use, frequent and intensive opportunities to read, reading fluency.

Best Practice Promotes 1. Story time for babies, toddlers, and their Hearing language, being read aloud to, socialization, cognitive development for building later parents and caregivers reading, modeling reading aloud and interaction for parents and caregivers, reading motivation, playing with language. 2. Giveaway books Access to reading materials, opportunity for parent/child interaction. 3. Parent training and mentoring Socialization, language-skill building, book selection, motivation, joy of reading. 4. Programming with families Lifelong use of library, motivation, parent/child interaction, independent reading, access to materials, early/emergent literacy. 5. Outreach to child-care facilities Reaching the unserved/underserved, access to low SES children, model for providers, access to materials. 6. Child-care provider training and mentoring Early/emergent literacy, book selection, motivation, joy of reading, playing with language. 7. Partnerships with community agencies Parental involvement, access to low SES families, access to nonlibrary users, early/emergent literacy, reading motivation. 8. Partnerships with schools Reading motivation, access to materials, independent reading, joy of reading, reading practice, fluency, recreational reading. 9. Materials in languages other than English Opportunity to build literacy in first language, then learn English.

Table 1. Basic Services and Best Practices

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Ready to Read in Oregon that used Ready to Read funds each year exclusively for basic References services, exclusively for best practices, or for a combination of basic services and best practices. 1. Lester, Julius. 1996. Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. New York: There are periods of time when Ready to Read funds are spent Dial Books for Young Readers. more heavily on basic services. That seems to coincide with 2. Lance, Keith Curry, Marcia Rodney, and Christine periods of economic downturn or the passage of tax limitation measures. In our case, 1997–1999 is an example. While Success Stories there has been some increase in use of Ready to Read funds for best practices, Harney County, in southeastern Oregon, is the largest county in area at most libraries still use their funds for 10,228 square miles. The total population is 7,609 and the population of chil- basic services or for a combination of dren ages zero to fourteen is 1,631. Two-tenths of 1 percent of Oregon’s basic services and best practices. population live in Harney County (Loy 2001, 26) and 20.9 percent of the children under age eighteen live in poverty (Loy 2001, 45). There are only a few Of course, as with any program that does towns, and the economy is based on agriculture (cattle ranching) and nat- not have a rigorous evaluation component ural resources. It is the only county in the state that has a state-supported attached to it, we cannot say that Ready to boarding school. There is a small Paiut reservation near the county seat of Read funds have caused these changes. Burns. In the last several years, as the summer reading program has grown in Other factors have contributed to the popularity, the librarian has allowed children to report their reading each increase in children’s library services. In week by phone since the distance to and from Burns is so great that fami- 1993, when Ready to Read Grants began, lies don’t make weekly trips. The longtime library director retired in 1999. The the state library created a staff position to new library director had experience in school libraries and an enthusiasm develop and carry out a youth services for children and libraries. The following progress, using Ready to Read funds consulting program. That program and other resources of the state library, has been made in Harney County: included a biennial institute for library • From 1993 to 2000, Ready to Read funds were spent on basic services. staff who do not have an MLS degree, which is the case with many who work • In 2000–01, 5 percent of Ready to Read funds were spent on best with children. The three-day institute pro- practices. vides training on both the philosophical • 2001–02, 22 percent of Ready to Read funds were spent on best and practical aspects of youth services. practices.

The Oregon Library Association • 2000 and 2002, staff from Harney County attended the Focus on Children’s Services Division has Children Institute. improved upon an already strong statewide summer reading program Years Children’s Children’s Children’s Program Circulation Programs Attendance (SRP) by joining the Collaborative Summer Library Program. A one-day 1996–97 5,444 28 1,400 workshop to share programming ideas is 2001–02 8,205 92 4,681 offered in two regions of the state, and when funding is available, libraries can Located along the Oregon Trail, on the border of Oregon and Idaho, Baker apply for grants to fund special summer County has a total population of 16,741, which is approximately 0.5 percent programming. of Oregon’s population (Loy 2001, 26). At 3,089 square miles, 3,226 children ages zero to fourteen live in Baker County,and 24 percent of children under The current research on brain develop- age eighteen live in poverty (Loy 2001, 45). The economy of Baker County is ment, the understanding of the impor- also based on agriculture and natural resources. In addition to the library in tance of the first years of life in laying a the county seat, Baker City,there are several branches in small communities foundation for learning, and the increased and a bookmobile. Baker County Library is a special library district serving emphasis on early literacy have impacted the entire county and independent of county government, with a very the way community leaders and policy energetic and forward-thinking library director. Staff from the Baker County makers view the need for support for pro- Library attended the Focus on Children Institute in 1993 when it was first grams that serve young children. Our next offered and again in 2002. Their Ready to Read funds have been spent on step for the Ready to Read Grant program outreach to child care, a best practice, since they began receiving funds. is to take the results of this analysis and The following progress has been made in Baker County. determine how to improve the program so Years Children’s Children’s Children’s Program we can continue to make progress toward Circulation Programs Attendance our goal of providing excellent library 1996–97 26,894 236 2,550 service to children. & 2001–02 30,549 648 5,941

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Hamilton-Pennell. 2001. Good Schools Have School Herb, Steven, and Sara Willoughby-Herb. 2001. “Preschool Librarians: Oregon School Librarians Collaborate to Improve Education Through Public Libraries.” School Library Media Academic Achievement. Salem, Ore.: OEMA. Celano, Research. Available at www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsand Donna, and Susan Neuman. 2001. The Role of Public journals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume42001/herb.htm. Libraries in Children’s Literacy Development: An Evaluation International Reading Association and National Association for Report. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Library Association. the Education of Young Children. 1998. “Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Additional Resources Young Children. A Joint Position Statement of the IRA and the NAEYC. “ Young Children 53: 30–46. Allan, Stuart, Aileen R. Buckley, and James E. Meacham. 2001. Krashen, Stephen. 1993. The Power of Reading: Insights from the Atlas of Oregon, 2d ed. Edited by William G. Loy. Eugene: Research. Engelwood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited. Univ. of Oregon Pr. Krashen, Stephen. 1995. “School Libraries, Public Libraries, and Birckmayer, Jennifer.2000/2001. “The Role of Public Libraries in the NAEP Reading Scores.” School Library Media Quarterly Emergent and Family Literacy.” Zero to Three no.3: 24–29. 23: 235–37. Bowman, Barbara, M. Susan Burns, and M. Suzanne Donovan, Kuhl, Patricia. 2001. “Born to Learn: Reading and the Brain of the eds. 2000. Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers. Child.” Presentation at the White House Summit on Early Washington D.C.: National Academy Press. Childhood Cognitive Development, July 26. Available at Bransford, John. 2001. How People Learn: Brain, Mind, www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2001/07/07262001- Experience, and School. Expanded ed. Washington D.C.: kuhl.html. National Academy Press. Library Research Service, Colorado State Library. 1998. “State Burns, M. Susan, Peg Griffin, and Catherine E. Snow, eds.1999. and National Data Link Circulation of Children’s Materials Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Reading from Public Libraries and Reading Test Scores.” Fast Facts: Success. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press. Recent Statistics from the Library Research Service no. 153. Cooper, Harris, Barbara Nye, Kelly Charlton, James Lindsay, and Available at www.lrs.org/fastfacts.asp. Scott Greathouse. 1996. “The Effects of Summer Vacation on Library Research Service, Colorado State Library. 1998. “Well- Achievement Test Scores: A Narrative and Meta-analytic Managed Library Media Programs That Cooperate with Review.” Review of Educational Research no. 3: 227–68. Local Public Libraries Linked to Higher CSAP Test Scores.” Cullinan, Bernice. 2000. “Independent Reading and School Fast Facts: Recent Statistics from the Library Research Achievement.” School Library Media Review, available at Services no. 150. Available at www.lrs.org/fastfacts.asp. www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/ McConnell, Scott, and Holly Rabe. 1999. “Home and slmrcontents/volume32000/independent.htm. Community Factors That Promote Early Literacy Dahlgreen, MaryKay. 2002. “Better Libraries Through Research: Development for Preschool-Aged Children.” Available at Using Research to Inform Library Practice.” OLA Quarterly www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/ no. 3: 2–9. DE7286.html#05. Di Loreto, Christina, and Lucy Tse. 1999. “Seeing is Believing: McQuillan, Jeff. 1998. The Literacy Crisis: False Claims, Real Disparity of Books in Two Los Angeles Area Public Solutions. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann. Libraries.” Public Library Quarterly no.3: 31–36. Michie, Joan, and Bradford Chaney. 2000. Assessment of the Dowd, Frances Smardo, and Judith Dixon. 1996. “Successful Role of School and Public Libraries in Support of Toddler Storytimes Based on Child Development Educational Reform. General Audience Report. Rockville, Principles.” Public Libraries 35: 374–80. Md.: Westat (ED 440 627). Elkins, Judith, and Margaret Kinnell, eds. 2000. A Place for Moser, Gary, and Timothy Morrison. 1998. “Increasing Students’ Children: Public Libraries as a Major Force in Children’s Achievement and Interest in Reading.” Reading Horizons Reading. British Library Research and Innovation Report no. 4: 233–45. 117. London: Library Association Publishing. National Reading Panel, 2000. Teaching Children to Read: An Evaluation of the [Los Angeles County] Public Library Summer Evidence-Based Assessment of the Scientific Research Reading Program: Books and Beyond...Take Me to Your Literature on Reading and Its Implications for Reading Reader! 2001. Submitted to the Los Angeles County Public Instruction. Available at www.nationalreadingpanel.org. Library Foundation. Los Angeles: Evaluation and Training Needlman, Robert, Lise E. Fried, Debra S. Morley, Sunday Taylor, Institute. and Barry Zuckerman. 1991. “Clinic-Based Intervention to Fehrenbach, Laurie, David P. Hurford, Carolyn Fehrenbach, and Promote Literacy: A Pilot Study.” American Journal of the Rebecca Grove Brannock. 1998. “Developing the Emergent Diseases of Children 145: 881–884. Literacy of Preschool Children Through a Library Outreach Nespeca, Sue McCleaf. 1995. “Urban Head Start Mothers: Their Program.” Journal of Youth Services in Libraries no.1: 40–45. Personal Reading Habits, Involvement in Sharing Books Fitzgibbons, Shirley. 2000. “School and Public Library with Their Children, and Perceptions of Their Public Relationships: Essential Ingredients in Implementing Library.” Journal of Youth Services in Libraries 8: 188–194. Educational Reforms and Improving Student Learning.” Neuman, Susan B. 1995. “Enhancing Adolescent Mothers’ School Library Media Research. Available at www.ala.org/ Guided Participation in Literacy.” In Family Literacy: ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/ Connections in Schools and Communities, ed. Leslie M. volume32000/relationships.htm. Morrow, 104–14. Newark: International Reading Association.

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Ready to Read in Oregon Neuman, Susan B. 1996. “Children Engaging in Storybook Reading: The Influence of Access to Print Resources, Opportunity, “Ryan’s sure-handed storytelling and Parental Interaction.” Early Child- and affection for her characters convey hood Research Quarterly 11: 495–13. Neuman, Susan B. 1999. “Books Make a a clear sense of Naomi’s triumph.” Difference: A Study of Access to Literacy.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review Reading Research Quarterly 34: 286–311. Neuman, Susan B., and Donna Celano. 2001. “Access to Print in Low-Income and Becoming Naomi León Middle-Income Communities: An Pam Muñoz Ryan Ecological Study of Four Neighborhoods.” Reading Research Quarterly 36: 8–26. Ages 9–12 • 256 pages Padak, Nancy, Timothy Rasinski, and Jennifer 0-439-26969-5 • $16.95 Fike. 1997. “Storybook Reading in Even Start Families.” In Exploring Literacy, ed. “ Ryan crystallizes the essence of Wayne M. Linek and Elizabeth G. settings and characters through Sturtevant, 109–18. Platteville, Wis.: potent, economic prose.... College Reading Association. A tender tale about family love Put Reading First: Helping Your Child Learn to and loyalty.” Read: A Parent Guide, Preschool Through —Publishers Weekly, starred review Grade 3. 2001. National Institute for “ With its quirky characterizations Literacy. Available at www.nifl.gov. and folksy atmosphere, this Put Reading First: The Research Building engrossing family drama...has its Blocks for Teaching Children to Read, own uniquely affecting emotional Kindergarten through Grade 3. 2001. core.” National Institute for Literacy. Available From the —The Horn Book Magazine at www.nifl.gov. award-winning author Ramos, Francisco, and Stephen Krashen. of Esperanza Rising “ Exciting...the quest is 1998. “The Impact of One Trip to the heartbreaking.” —Booklist Public Library: Making Books Available May Be the Best Incentive for Reading.” Reading Teacher no. 7: 614–15. “Sharp, tender....The family story is Razzano, Barbara Will. 1985. “Creating the Library Habit.” Library Journal 110: unforgettable.”—Booklist, starred review 111–14. Shonkoff, Jack, and Deborah Phillips, eds. 2000. From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington D.C.: National Here Today Academy Press. Ann M. Martin Smith, Courtney, Rebecca Constantino, and From the author of the Ages 10–14 • 320 pages Newbery Honor Book Stephen Krashen. 1997. “Differences in 0-439-57944-9 • $16.95 A Corner of the Universe Print Environment for Children in Beverly Hills, Compton and Watts.” Emergency Librarian 24: 8–9. “ With her ﬂ uidly accessible writing Snow, Catherine, M. Susan Burns, and Peg style, Martin evokes family and Griffin, eds. 1998. Preventing Reading school life in the early sixties to Difficulties in Young Children. Washing- perfection...compelling.” ton D.C.: National Academy Pr. —The Horn Book Magazine Teale, William H. 1995. “Young Children and Reading: Trends.” Journal of Education “ Poignant…Martin paints a well- 177: 95–129. articulated picture of the times, but Teale, William H. 1999. “Libraries Promote it is her memorable child and adult Early Literacy Learning: Ideas from characters that shine here.” Current Research and Early Childhood —School Library Journal Programs.” Journal of Youth Services in Libraries no. 3: 9–16. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

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Getting kids to love reading is one challenge. Want an even tougher one? How do you get kids—especially toddler age—interested in math and science?

That’s the challenge that faced the Queens Borough Public Library in Jamaica, N.Y. With a $20,360 grant from the New York State Library Division of Library Development, the Queens Borough Public Library bor- rowed some ideas and implemented their own program to allow tots to learn lots.

n 2002, one of our challenges was How Tots to design a program that would Ideliver maximum impact for our patrons with minimal staff disruption. Learn Lots The children’s librarians in our agencies were working with reduced staff Queens Borough and facing possible layoffs and restricted service hours because of Takes on Math and New York City’s financial difficulties Science following Sept. 11, 2001. Assistant coordinator Carol Katz and I By Rosanne Cerny had seen programs at professional conferences about the Vermont Center for the Book’s “Mother Goose We wanted to do as much of the addi- Meets Mother Nature” science and tional work in our office so our librar- math programs. We were intrigued ians could concentrate on program- and wanted to do something similar. ming. To that end, we convened a Since most of our children’s librarians librarians’ advisory group from the conduct regular toddler programs for branches to design the training, select children ages two-and-a-half to four, the books and storytelling aids, and we decided to simplify the Vermont develop the evaluation tools. These model. Instead, we encouraged our librarians were all interested in early staff to conduct more math and sci- childhood education. ence thematic programs based on their own book preferences under the The group met in person for several rubric of helping preschoolers enter hours over the course of a month and kindergarten “ready to learn.” by e-mail the rest of the time. Together, we decided on two in-service pro- The grant proposal was built around grams, one on each topic, which the following issues: would begin with an attitudinal survey • Training our staff of the staff. • Introducing basic math and sci- How did they feel about math and science concepts to young children ence as adults? Did they share the • Preparing a publication for parents common phobias of most liberal-arts- Rosanne Cerny is offering tips on creating math and trained people on these topics? Did coordinator of children’s science activities for their children they think young children had the services at Queens capability to learn math and science Borough Public Library in • Evaluating the program concepts? Did they use math or sci- New York. • Acquiring money for books and ence concepts in their current pro- storytelling aids gramming?

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How Tots Learn Lots We opened the first training session with early childhood programs and schools, • Predicting what will probably happen a simple game. As the coordinator out- most of the STEM (Science, Technology, (form a hypothesis) lined a typical early morning scenario, we Engineering, and Math) standards only • Experimenting, testing ideas and noted on a blackboard how many times address children in grade school or later. predictions math (M) or science (S) concepts cropped Interestingly, when researching the topic up. The following text gives a summary. a year later, we found a very useful book • Communicating information and ideas from NAEYC (The National Association • Designing and making models of The alarm clock rings to wake me for the Education of Young Children) actual things or inventions up (M). I go to the bathroom and called Guidelines for Pre-Kindergarten wash my face, I have to adjust the Learning and Teaching that included • Using simple scientific tools (e.g., water temperature (S), measure out standards for science learning. The full scales, magnifiers, etc.) the cereal (M) and, listen to the radio weatherman (S) to Thanks to grant funding, we decide how to dress. I select invited the education staff from pants, blouse, and a match- the New York Hall of Science to ing jacket (M). I wait for the demonstrate one of their early #44 bus (M) . . . childhood programs. The museum educators discussed The program continued with how they develop ideas for fam- a discussion of mathematical ilies to demonstrate specific sci- competencies taken from the entific ideas. Since many of our United States Department of librarians incorporate crafts or Education Web site. These other activities into their tod- competencies include prob- dler programs, they were lem solving, patterns and delighted with the museum relationships/sorting, num- educators’ presentation based bers and counting, shapes on the Dr. Seuss classic and spaces, and measuring. Bartholomew and the Oobleck! We reviewed psychological Using a cornstarch-based glop, and educational philosophy we were encouraged to play relating to math learning and with, experiment with, and displayed familiar books, then try to define what Oobleck nursery rhymes, and finger- was. It was a lot of fun! plays that illustrated math concepts beyond the obvious The other key components of counting books. Some exam- This brochure was used by the Queens Borough Public Library. the grant included new books, ples include Charles G. Shaw’s story aids like puppets and It Looked Like Spilt Milk flannel board sets, and publica- (HarperCollins, 1947), Margaret Miller’s text is downloadable from the Web site tions and booklists for parents. Then it Big and Little (Greenwillow, 1998), and www.ctb.com/prekstandards. was up to our public service librarians to Bruce MacMillan’s Eating Fractions tailor themed programs as part of their (Scholastic, 1991). The process skills needed to learn scien- regular presentations. tific principles led to a brainstorming ses- Other interactive activities added humor sion. We discussed topics that most Our publications began with revisions of and interest. For example, we asked interest young children, such as: three popular concept picture book lists: librarians to sort collections of miscella- “Colors, Shapes, and Sizes,” “It’s About • Observing and gathering information neous objects, and then explain their Time,” and “1,2,3, A,B,C.” Titles listed on method. We did a “tall and short” walk • Raising questions the bookmarks and books used in the dis- around the room, pointing out tall or high plays and demonstrations at the meet- • Finding patterns and relationships objects, and short or low objects. And we ings were ordered and put up for grabs so asked the librarians to suggest math and • Noticing change over time our librarians could select what they felt science programs they had already used. were most needed at their agency. These • Classifying and sorting information could be fresh storytelling copies or cir- (especially by groups) For the second in-service meeting, we culating copies as needed. Each branch discussed the basic principles of science • Measuring with numbers or got about eighteen books. For the training learning, which were more difficult to comparisons sessions, we prepared two lists of profes- research than the math standards. sional books and Web sites. • Estimating, using numbers or Although there were many suggestions categories for activities from various museums, Because of our multicultural population,

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How Tots Learn Lots we like to have the most commonly used line of the program(s) presented. We counting (11), shapes and related con- fingerplays and nursery songs in inex- asked how the programs were received by cepts (8), colors (7), animals, insects, etc. pensive publications that parents can the target audience and whether the (7), weather or seasons (5), and the body take home. Half of our population was librarians thought they would use them and senses (5). Less frequently used top- born abroad, so many parents are not again. These anecdotal reports were used ics were astronomy, transportation, familiar with the common American and along with two attitudinal surveys of the time, and plants. The combined atten- British rhymes used in our preschool pro- staff to prepare the final report on Tots dance at these programs was 1,004 chil- grams. We selected two brochures of Learn Lots. dren and caregivers. rhymes (Fingerplays You Can Count On and Discovery Rhymes). These were We were delighted with the results. There In a large system (sixty-three children’s printed in-house and will be stock items was actually a slight attitudinal shift in rooms) like ours, the grant was a definite indefinitely. our staff to a more positive view of math boon to planning and upgrading our tod- and science! They were pleased with the dler programming. But what’s even more Finally, we designed two attractive eight- training sessions and the books and impressive is how much our staff enjoyed page parent handbooks. They were pro- other materials selected for them, and learning new information, experimenting fessionally printed, and we even acquired their programs were well received by with new programs, and being able to publishers’ permission to illustrate the parents and children. Several librarians educate parents. handbooks with art from Shari Halpern’s noted that there seemed to be more What Shall We Do When We All Go Out? audience response from the toddlers to Even without the funds for new books or and Cathryn Falwell’s Feast for 10. activities that showed off counting skills, puppets, librarians anywhere can the ability to name animals, or the ability broaden their library’s educational Except for requesting raw attendance fig- to successfully match objects. impact on preschoolers by fostering and ures, we usually do not require librarians modeling math and science literacy as to file detailed program reports. Because The forty-seven programs reported on in much as print literacy. & we had stipulated that we would present detail were very creative, and most of the at least fifty public programs for the grant, staff plan on using math and science Editor’s Note: Samples of print materials we posted an evaluation form on our Web themes regularly. The topical categories are available on request from Rosanne. page, and asked staff to send us an out- broke down as follows: Numbers and [email protected]

Thanks to our Refs A big thanks goes out to all the referees nationwide who volunteered to read manuscripts submitted to Children and Libraries. We really rely on the expertise of library peers to help us get the best, most accurate stories in our publication. Referees for 2003–2004 included Cathryn Mercier, Linda Ward-Callaghan, Lynne Russo, Andrea Pavlik, Diane Scofano, Kathy Isaacs, Kathleen Odean, Pamela Baxter, Katie Odell, Sylvia Vardell, Kay Weisman, Elizabeth Timmins, Victor Schill, Betsy Hearne, Mary Smith, Judith Lechner, Kate Todd, Sue Abrahamson, Carole Fiore, Peg Burington,Anne Callaghan, Barbara Huntington, Rebecca Sheridan, Denice Agosto, Carrie Banks, Barbara Klipper, Jennifer Smith, Marcia Sarnowski, Anna Healy, Cindy Lombardo, KT Horning, Betty Marcoux, Kathy Latrobe, Ginny Walter, Kristen Anderson, Eliza Dresang, B. White, Genevieve Gallagher, Denise Matulka, Kim Olson-Kopp, Jeanette Larson, Ellen Riordan, and Kimberly Venzon. I think that’s all of you, but please accept my apologies if I overlooked your name. I look forward to working with you, and new referees, in the coming year!

—Sharon Korbeck

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Literature and Technology Skills for Entry-Level Children’s Librarians What Employers Want

By Denice Adkins and Linda Esser

Children’s librarianship has traditionally been geared toward children’s librarians were interviewed. Several research ques- connecting children and literature. In the late 1980s and early tions guided this investigation. 1990s, libraries started adding computer-based media. • Is knowledge of children’s books still an essential criterion Children’s services were seen as an area in which computer for new children’s librarians? technology was inappropriate, a “refuge of calm in a turbulent world.”1 However, children growing up in the twenty-first cen- • Has knowledge of technology in any way superceded knowl- tury multimedia world accept and embrace technology, some- edge of print sources as an employment criterion? times to the exclusion of books.2 For the children’s librarian, • When did technology skills start being required of children’s therefore, a question arises: is it more important to know books librarians? or to know computers? Do employers privilege knowledge of one over knowledge of the other? • How do employers measure candidates’ knowledge of the literature? The questions have implications not only for new librarians, but • How do employers measure candidates’ technology skills? also for their employers and library school educators. To determine how much emphasis employers placed on knowledge of children’s literature and knowledge of technology, an analysis of Literature Review children’s librarian job advertisements was performed, and library administrators from several libraries that advertised for Children’s librarianship is a relatively young field with its origins extending barely two centuries back.3 “Youth services librarianship began with specialized collections” of children’s literature Denice Adkins is assistant professor in the and with the women hired to take care of those collections.4 School of Information Science and Learning From the establishment of the Bingham Library for Youth Technologies, University of Missouri, Columbia, (Salisbury, Conn.) in 1803 to the middle part of the twentieth Missouri. She can be reached via e-mail at century, children’s librarians focused their efforts on books as [email protected]. the primary medium for transmitting information and culture. The “foremothers” of children’s librarianship have had a huge impact on children’s book production, through reviews, awards, Linda Esser is a clinical associate professor in and the promotion of quality children’s books, and they helped the School of Information Science and shape the children’s book publishing industry.5 Learning Technologies, University of Missouri, Columbia. She can be reached via e-mail at As children’s librarianship focused on literature as a vehicle for [email protected]. increasing children’s intellectual curiosity, the training of chil-

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Literature and Technology Skills

dren’s librarians has been more focused on children’s literature. reading, and library promotion. Course offerings such as A 1987 issue of Top of the News was devoted to the subject of “Electronic Resources for Children and Young Adults”20 and library education for youth services, and the teaching of chil- “Multimedia Texts for Young People”21 also suggest a broaden- dren’s literature was treated as an accepted educational norm. ing orientation toward technology as a purveyor of story. This One author mentioned an increased need for coursework in orientation is supported by the development of the audiovisual materials and computer software.6 In Melody Allen International Children’s Digital Library, a computer-mediated and Margaret Bush’s survey of youth services library education, source of children’s texts, and children’s CD-ROMs, which com- there were eighty-two references to literature courses being bine the features of a story and a game. Technology, as it relates offered, compared to forty-nine references to “services” to children and libraries, is story-focused. courses.7 Continuing education was also dominated by literature and storytelling courses, with thirty-eight offerings in these Method areas compared to eight continuing education courses on microcomputers.8 A later survey by Susan Steinfirst and Pauletta Two methods were used to gauge literature and technology Bracy also reported a majority of youth services courses dealt competencies for children’s librarians: a content analysis of job with literature.9 Almost half of all respondents to a 1996 survey change, and interviews with public library employers. The con- of library school alumni reported taking a course in children’s or tent analysis used 285 youth services job advertisements pub- young adult literature.10 This suggests that American librarians lished in American Libraries in five-year intervals, from 1971 to recognize the importance of familiarity with said literature. 2001.22 Ads for teen and young adult librarians were excluded Knowledge of children’s literature is valued internationally as from analysis, leaving 269 ads for children’s librarians. The job well. Respondents to an international survey about library and preferences or requirements of those ads were reviewed to information science (LIS) competencies desired moderate to determine whether the positions indicated that the incoming extensive coverage of children’s literature.11 An earlier survey of children’s librarian should have either knowledge of children’s LIS faculty in the United Kingdom found children’s literature literature or technological skills. covered at eight out of ten schools surveyed.12 After reviewing the advertisements, a follow-up study was con- While children’s books have been wholeheartedly embraced, ducted to determine the preferences of libraries currently hiring youth services librarians have not responded as warmly nor as for children’s librarian positions. In issues of American Libraries readily to computer technology for youth. Pauline Wilson sug- published between June/July 2002 and May 2003, twenty gested that the new “electronic utopia” would undermine chil- libraries advertised for children’s or youth services librarians. dren’s reading abilities and that library school students would be Library administrators and human resources staff from seven of too busy catching up on technological skills to take youth serv- those libraries were interviewed about their hiring preferences. ices classes.13 Respondents to Steinfirst and Bracy voiced a sim- Employers were specifically asked how important it was for their ilar concern by mentioning that youth services courses were new children’s librarian candidates to know children’s literature, getting short shrift in the attempt to maximize students’ techno- current technologies, and how such knowledge was assessed at logical skills.14 Nonetheless, computer technology has so per- the interview. To preserve the privacy inherent in the hiring vaded library services that one librarian wrote, “Whether the process, employers’ names and libraries have not been revealed. [LIS] graduate will be a cataloger, bibliographer, children’s librarian, systems librarian, or archivist, he or she will need to be Results comfortable using computers and knowledgeable enough to assist patrons in navigating multiple sources of computer-based Job Advertisements: Youth services advertisements in 1971 information.”15 Technology is here to stay, and technological were concise and to the point. In eighty-five words or less, they skills are essential for librarians. indicated the type of position advertised, salary, and community amenities. Frequently, the only special knowledge men- However, relatively little study has been done on technology tioned in 1971 ads was knowledge of children’s literature. The training for children’s librarians in the public library. Neither number of ads appearing in 1971 was relatively small; this Steinfirst and Bracy’s 1996 survey nor Allen and Bush’s 1987 sur- number has increased significantly in the past thirty years, vey reported on the presence of children’s technology courses. A starting with a low of thirteen ads in 1971, peaking at seventy- 1997 study of electronic resources reported that electronic nine ads in 1986, and settling at forty-nine ads in 2001. resources were covered in seven LIS youth services courses. Compared to a 1971 advertisement, ads from 2001 go into Four of those courses were related to children’s and young adult more detail about the traits and features of the ideal children’s literature.16 Additionally, records of course additions reported in librarian. In 2001, ads were likely to request interpersonal the Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report skills, love of children, ability to manage resources, and tech- indicate that such courses are becoming a part of the LIS cur- nology skills as well as knowledge of children’s literature. For riculum. Courses added have had titles such as “Children and most years analyzed, between 10 and 20 percent of ads appear- Electronic Media,”17 “Children and Technology,” “Evaluating ing each year request children’s librarians with knowledge of Digital Resources for Children,”18 and “Wonders of the WWW for juvenile literature. This percentage dropped to 7 percent of ads Youth Services.”19 While courses on children’s computer tech- in 1976, and shot up to 37 percent in 1996. Figure 1 indicates nology have been available, they are additions to a youth serv- the percentage of children’s services ads requesting knowledge ices curriculum already heavily oriented toward literature, of children’s literature and computer skills.

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Literature and Technology Skills From 1971 to 1981, all ads that requested 40%

knowledge of children’s literature specified 35% that as a required competency for children’s librarian candidates. “Sound,” “extensive,” 30% and “broad” were the terms used to describe the desired depth of knowledge. In 25% 1986, one advertisement out of fifteen indi- 20% Literature cated that knowledge of children’s literature Computers Percent was preferred; other ads required someone 15% with “substantial knowledge,” “a good understanding,” and “demonstrated knowl- 10% edge” of children’s literature. Only 12 per- 5% cent of ads indicated knowledge of children’s literature as a criterion for 0% employment in 1991, and only one ad 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 required knowledge of children’s literature. Year of Advertisement Other ads indicated that knowledge of children’s literature was “desirable,” and that the employer was seeking a candidate Figure 1. Percentage of children’s librarians ads seeking candidates with knowledge of children’s “interested” in children’s literature. literature, compared with percentage of ads seeking candidates with computer skills However, by 1996, all but three advertisements were requiring knowledge of juvenile literature and were again using terms like “comprehensive,” skills and basic applications. Technological skills seem to have “broad,” and “extensive” to describe that knowledge. The per- become as important as knowledge of children’s literature. centage of ads requesting knowledge of juvenile literature declined from thirty-seven to twenty by 2001, but only one ad Employer Interviews: While job ads present a précis of the job, indicated that such knowledge was preferred rather than employers control access to that job. To more fully investigate required. However, by this time, libraries were not asking for what employers want to see from children’s librarian candidates, comprehensive or broad knowledge, and only one ad requested seven public library directors and human resources personnel “solid” knowledge. were interviewed about what they expected from candidates and how they measured candidates’ skills. Employers were While knowledge of children’s literature has been consistently asked whether candidates were expected to have extensive requested, knowledge of computer skills is a more recent devel- knowledge of juvenile literature and how the employer assessed opment. The first mention of computers in children’s services that knowledge during an interview. Two employers indicated a occurred in 1981, when an ad indicated that the library had a desire for extensive knowledge of children’s literature; however, microcomputer club. However, that ad did not ask for computer the remaining five indicated that while extensive knowledge was skills from the children’s librarian. In 1986, three ads out of sev- ‘somewhat’ important, they were really looking for an enthusi- enty-nine said that the ideal candidate would have computer asm about children’s literature. Said one employer, “We’re look- skills; however, these skills were preferred rather than required. ing for someone that has a passion about children’s literature … Two of these three ads suggested that the need for computer to watch them get excited and passionate about a particular skills was motivated by the installation of an online public piece of literature or a bibliography they’ve put together is really access catalog (OPAC). Another ad mentioned the future instal- inspirational.” lation of an OPAC as a selling point for the library. Between 1986 and 1991, the percentage of ads requesting computer skills Employers’ emphasis on enthusiasm appears to rank that qual- increased by 18 percent. Even so, 1991 ads indicated that com- ity before extensive knowledge of children’s literature. However, puter literacy was a preferred qualification rather than a a candidate who is excited about children’s literature is not nec- required one. By 1996, 24 percent of ads asked for computer essarily conversant with the depth and breadth of books written skills. However, by this time, all but one ad specified that com- for children, even at the most basic level. Enthusiasm, tempered puter skills were required. While 1991 ads asked generally for by knowledge, implies the ability to critically assess both current computer knowledge, 1996 ads tended to be more explicit, indi- and previously published children’s literature for collection cating what kinds of knowledge were needed: “basic PC applica- development and reader advisory purposes. The enthusiastic tions,” CD-ROM skills, Internet, and specific library automation librarian can recommend a great book; the veteran children’s packages. The number of ads requesting computer skills librarian can assess the book’s potential for literature extension jumped another 8 percent between 1996 and 2001, and again, all activities, suggest how the book might affect children at differ- but one ad indicated that computer skills were required of chil- ent developmental stages, and compare that book to books for dren’s services staff. By 2001, children’s librarians were being similar age groups and on similar subjects. The growth or extent sought to provide computer instruction to youth, run children’s of that knowledge occurs over time as youth services librarians computer centers, select electronic materials for children, and become more experienced. Employers’ comments indicate that maintain library Web pages in addition to Internet searching being excited about children’s literature is at the top of the list of

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Literature and Technology Skills

candidate considerations. Nonetheless, employers want to Beyond children’s services, employers seek candidates who can know how much knowledge the candidate actually does have. operate effectively in an increasingly technology-based profes- Employers ask questions and pose problems that probe the sion. All employers sought people who could use office software depth of candidates’ knowledge about children’s books. such as word processing. During the interviews, five employers mentioned Microsoft products such as Word, Excel, and Employers use a variety of methods to determine the appli- PowerPoint. Three employers said they wanted candidates who cant’s knowledge of children’s literature. Four of the employers could search for information from online databases as well as indicated asking questions about children’s literature. They the Internet. Two employers mentioned that they sought famil- asked interviewees to name their five favorite children’s books iarity with integrated library systems, and one wanted a candi- published in the last year, their favorite authors, and which date with the ability to imagine how a database was structured. children’s books they have enjoyed. Some employers said they One employer mentioned special graphic design software, but asked open-ended, problem-based questions, such as, “A indicated that the library was willing to train an employee on teacher called and said, ‘Give me fifteen to twenty-five good that package. All employers sought candidates who were com- books for third graders.’ What do you put into the pile?” One fortable and confident in their abilities without being arrogant. employer recalled asking open-ended questions about the One employer shared a cautionary tale about an interviewee selection process to determine candidates’ understanding of who called the library’s platform choice “stupid.” That employee the principles of quality literature. Several employers acknowl- did not get the job. When assessing candidates’ computer skills, edged that they were recruiting people directly from library most employers said they relied upon asking the candidate school and were aware that “not everybody knows everything about her or his experience with computers. “We rely upon the about children’s literature.” To evaluate students’ knowledge of honesty of the candidate,” said one, “and if they don’t mention a children’s literature, these employers checked transcripts for [program or product] that we’re specifically interested in, we’ll previous coursework in children’s literature. Three employers ask.” However, another employer mentioned a brief computer asked the candidate to put together a story time presentation test at the interview stage, and a third questioned a candidate’s during the interview to assess the candidate’s ability to share technological skills upon receiving a typewritten resume. Based literature and to select literature appropriate for particular on these results, employers seem to want someone who can communities. “When I ask someone, ‘What book would you help patrons with their computer problems, work with their col- build a preschool story time around?’ and they say, ‘Tomie leagues who use e-mail and office automation products, and dePaola,’ well, I’ve got nothing against Tomie dePaola, but I’m who can apply their technological expertise to serving children. not sure that’s where I’d start if I wanted to make an impression on an African-American teacher in a school that’s 80 percent Conclusion black.” A sample of seven employers may not indicate a dramatic shift in the views of all employers, but these employers, For the aspiring children’s librarian, which is more important: at least, are seeking a balance between enthusiasm for and knowing children’s literature or knowing computers? In recent knowledge of children’s literature. lean economic years, this question takes on a new significance. A review of American Libraries shows why. While forty-nine pub- In addition to asking about employers’ preferences for knowl- lic libraries placed unique advertisements for children’s librari- edge of children’s literature, employers were also asked what ans in 2001, less than half that number placed ads between sorts of computer skills they sought and how they assessed June/July 2002 and May 2003. Empty public library positions are those computer skills. In general, the computer skills sought by being frozen and new hiring greatly reduced. These are the employers were fairly minimal. One library administrator said, places where children’s librarians are most likely to be “We’re not looking for [our children’s librarian] to be a com- employed. It becomes imperative for job candidates to present puter programmer or a network administrator, but it’s hard to themselves in the best possible light, demonstrating their imagine we would hire anyone who didn’t have basic Internet knowledge of the skills employers demand. In this case, it seems skills or the ability to use Microsoft software.” Another that employers demand basic computer skills and a solid foun- employer from a large metropolitan system said when youth dation in children’s literature, upon which a career can be built. services candidates discussed their computer hardware and software skills at great length, “it can be a flag that they’re not Knowledge of children’s literature has been a historic criterion going to be happy here because we don’t allow anybody to do for children’s librarians and remains highly desirable today. In that [i.e., install and configure computer technology]. We have the 1970s and 1980s, ads requested considerable knowledge of a separate department” for computer-related work such as children’s literature. These requests dropped off in the early installing software, setting up networks, and designing com- 1990s, but rose again in 1996 and 2001. However, employers puter interfaces. However, representatives from smaller indicate that they are recruiting applicants directly from libraries indicated that increased computer ability would be a library school, and they seem to realize that those applicants plus. Said one employer, “A children’s librarian who could come will not have the comprehensive knowledge of children’s liter- in and implement technology to improve service to kids, that ature that a twenty-year children’s services veteran might. would be a huge plus.” Employers see a connection between Because comprehensive knowledge of children’s literature is children’s services, professional librarianship, and technology hard to come by, employers indicated that they often look for skills. The professional children’s librarian, in their view, uses enjoyment of children’s literature and enthusiasm for sharing her technological knowledge to improve service to children. that literature with children.

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Literature and Technology Skills Based on published job advertisements, it seems that computer of books appropriate for particular audiences and review those skills worked their way into children’s services in the late 1980s lists before they are called to interviews. Employers want to see as a supplementary skill to complement the installation of inte- the candidate’s ability to creatively connect children with litera- grated library systems. Between 1991 and 1996, computer skills ture. Enthusiasm is good. The holistic application of children’s became a children’s services requirement rather than a supple- literature to the entire mission of children’s services is better. mentary skill. The introduction of the World Wide Web in 1994 probably spurred this new requirement. Children’s librarians In terms of technology skills, applicants should be their own best had always mediated the relationship between children’s mate- advocates during the interview. Most of the employers inter- rials and adult librarians’ understanding of those materials; viewed did not test for computer skills in the children’s services 1996 job ads suggest that they were also being required to medi- interview. Applicants should be ready to share information about ate the relationship between new technology, patrons, and staff. the software they have used and which applications can be adapted to youth services. The interview is not the place for false While one cannot say that knowledge of technology has super- modesty. The candidate may mean that she doesn’t know the seded knowledge of literature in terms of importance, some protocol structure by which packets are transferred across net- technology knowledge is now assumed from the population of works when she says, “I don’t know anything about the Internet!” children’s librarian applicants. What should the children’s librar- However, her potential employers will assume that she means ian know? Word processing, database searching, and Internet she knows nothing about accessing or searching the Internet. At search skills are considered mandatory by most employers. the same time, the applicant should demonstrate an interest in Knowing spreadsheets, presentation software, and integrated learning more about the software used at the library. The library systems helps to sweeten the deal. Some libraries look for employer who has just learned that his library’s platform choice experience designing Web pages and creating Internet applica- is “stupid” is not positively impressed with the applicant’s tech- tions, but this is generally not necessary for the children’s librar- nological skills so much as he is negatively impressed with the ian. Judging by several employers’ spontaneous mention of applicant’s arrogance. Basic technological skills are good. Microsoft products, the aspiring children’s librarian would do Connecting technology to children’s services is better. For both well to have some familiarity with Microsoft software. Even so, aspects of children’s librarianship, the desired goal is the candi- office software skills are transferable across platforms. date’s ability to apply skills and knowledge, in traditional and new ways, to the improvement of children’s services. & The results of this study inform various stakeholders in children’s services. Job seekers benefit from knowing what sorts of skills employers expect before they are interviewed. Knowing References the importance of computer and literature skills will help them prioritize their coursework, and will encourage them to play up 1. Barbara A. Ivy, “Developing Managerial Skills in Children’s the technological skills they may have thought were irrelevant to Librarians,” Library Trends 35 (1987): 449. youth services positions. This study also has implications for 2. Walter Minkel, “Information Leader-acy,” School Library practicing youth services librarians, employers, and library edu- Journal 47, no. 8 (August 2001): 36. cators who wish to maintain a relevant curriculum. Practicing 3. Christine A. Jenkins, “The History of Youth Services librarians and their employers benefit from knowing what skills Librarianship: A Review of the Research Literature,” are being sought from new candidates. Knowing what other Libraries & Culture 35, no. 1 (2000): 129. employers are seeking helps employers gauge the field and 4. Ibid., 109, 115. develop expectations for children’s services personnel. This 5. Betsy Hearne and Christine Jenkins, “Sacred Texts: What helps them assess the skills candidates possess when they inter- Our Foremothers Left Us in the Way of Psalms, Proverbs, view for youth services positions. Librarians who are changing Precepts, and Practices,” The Horn Book 75, no. 5 (1999): positions at this time learn which skills are expected from their 536–58. competition, the new library school graduate. Library educa- 6. Mae Benne, “Course Development: From a Gleam in the tors, particularly those who influence youth services curricula, Eye to a Full-term Product,” Top of the News 42, no. 2 (1987): also benefit from knowing what employers expect. They can use 182. this information to advise students, plan new courses, or refine 7. Melody Lloyd Allen and Margaret Bush, “Library Education curriculum from older courses. The ultimate goal of library edu- and Youth Services: A Survey of Faculty, Course Offerings, cation is to produce a product that employers want and that and Related Activities in Accredited Library Schools,” they will hire. Library Trends 35 (1987): 493–94. 8. Ibid., 502. Advice to the Applicant: Prospective applicants to children’s 9. Susan Steinfirst and Pauletta Bracy, “The Status of the librarian positions should be prepared for several questions Teaching of Children’s and Young Adult Literature and about children’s literature, including what they have read, what Services in Schools of Library and Information Science,” they have enjoyed, and what books they would recommend in Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 37, specific situations. Applicants would benefit from investigating no. 3 (1996): 231. demographics of the communities to which they apply, and reflecting on the children’s literature most appropriate to those continued on page 21 communities. Applicants might also want to create general lists

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The following bibliography was prepared by the 2003/2004 ALSC International Relations Committee. Members included Chair Susan Cooper, Stephanie Bange, Helen Kay Kennedy, Kathy LaRocca, Charlene McKenzie, Gina Moon, Andrea Pavlik, and Carolyn Phelan.

The Children’s Services Committee of Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) planned the program, which took place June 24, 2004, at the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. REFORMA, and PLA aided in the preplanning of the program. This bibliography offers a selection of recommended books related to the program’s theme.

Ada, Alma Flor. I Love Saturdays y empanadas que hacía la abuela. Domingos. Illus. by Elivia Savadier. Illus. by Alex Pardo DeLange. Atheneum, 2002. PreS–Gr. 2. Piñata Books, 2003. PreS–Gr. 2. Weekends are special for a young Illustrated with humorous exagger- girl who spends them with her two ation, this cumulative rhyme sets of grandparents: her grandma details the family tradition of bak- Growing Up and grandpa on Saturdays, her ing homemade empanadas. abuelita and abuelito on Sundays. Chambers, Veronica. Quinceañera Latino in the Alarcón, Francisco X. Angels Ride Means Sweet 15. Hyperion, 2001. Bikes and Other Fall Poems/Los Gr. 6–9. Though Marisol’s fifteenth ángeles andan en bicicleta y otros year brings financial and emotional U.S.A. poemas de otoño. Illus. by Maya struggles, it ends with a memorable Christina Gonzalez. Children’s coming-of-age celebration. Book Press, 1999. Gr. 1–3. This Cohn, Diana. ¡Sí, se puede! = Yes, We A Bibliography Mexican American poet recalls peo- Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A. Illus. by ple, places, events, and sensations Francisco Delgado. Cinco Puntos from his childhood in Los Angeles. Press, 2002. Gr. 2–6. Carlito’s wid- Alvarez, Julia. How Tía Lola Came to owed mother, who struggles to Visit/Stay. Knopf, 2001. Gr. 4–7. support the family on low wages, When Tía Lola comes from the helps to organize a strike that Dominican Republic to visit Miguel’s raises pay for herself and other family in Vermont, he has mixed janitors in Los Angeles. feelings about his colorful aunt. Dole, Mayra L. Drum, Chavi, Ancona, George. Barrio: José’s Drum!/¡Toca, Chavi, toca! Illus. by Neighborhood. Photos by George Antonio Eligio. Children’s Book Ancona. Harcourt Brace, 1998. Gr. Press, 2003. K–Gr. 2. Chavi disguises 2–6. This expressive photo-essay herself as a boy in order to play the spotlights an eight-year-old boy drums in Miami’s Calle Ocho festi- and his community, a barrio in San val parade. Francisco. Dorros, Arthur. Abuela. Illus. by Elisa Argueta, Jorge. A Movie in My Kleven. Dutton, 1991. PreS–Gr. 2. Pillow/Una película en mi almo- Rosalba and her grandmother take hada. Illus. by Elizabeth Gómez. an imaginary flight over New York Children’s Book Press, 2001. Gr. City while sharing companionship 3–6. Illustrated in bright colors, this and family love. autobiographical collection of short English, Karen. Speak English For Us, poems tells of a boy and his father Marisol! Illus. by Enrique O. leaving El Salvador as refugees and Sánchez. Albert Whitman, 2000. settling in San Francisco. Gr. 1–3. Bilingual Marisol helps her Argueta, Jorge. Xóchitl and the Spanish-speaking relatives com- Flowers/Xóchitl, la niña de las flo- municate with the English-speak- res. Illus. by Carl Angel. Children’s ing world around them. Book Press, 2003. K–Gr. 3. After Figueredo, D.H. When This World Was moving from El Salvador, Xochitl New. Illus. by Enrique O. Sánchez. and her family become a valued Lee & Low, 1999. K–Gr. 3. A recent part of their San Francisco commu- immigrant, Danilito dreads starting nity by growing and selling flowers. school where Spanish is not spo- Bertrand, Diane Gonzales. The ken, but his first experience with Empanadas that Abuela Made/Las snow helps quiet his fears.

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Growing Up Latino in the U.S.A. Galindo, Mary Sue. Icy Watermelon/ Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The finds her way through writing stories Sandía fría. Illus. by Pauline Rodriguez Story of Cesar Chavez. Illus. by Yuyi and poems. Howard. Piñata Books, 2001. Morales. Harcourt, 2003. PreS–Gr.2. Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Esperanza Rising. PreS–Gr.2. Three generations of a family This picture-book biography tells the Scholastic, 2000. Gr. 5–9. Coping with enjoy eating watermelon together story of Cesar Chavez, whose peaceful her father’s death, the loss of her fam- while Grandfather tells of selling mel- protests led to better working condi- ily’s Mexican estate, and her mother’s ons as a young man and meeting the tions for California’s migrant workers. illness, Esperanza finds the strength to woman who became his wife. Lachtman, Ofelia Dumas. Leticia’s Secret. endure the hard life of a California Garza, Carmen Lomas. In My Family/En Piñata Books, 1997. Gr. 3–6. Rosario farm worker. mi familia. Illus. Children’s Book resents the special attention that her Sol a Sol: Bilingual Poems. Written and Press, 1996. PreS-Gr.2. Through text cousin receives from their older rela- selected by Lori Marie Carlson. Illus. and illustrations, artist Carmen Lomas tives, until Leticia confides that she by Emily Lisker. H. Holt and Co., 1998. Garcia retells her childhood experi- has cancer. Gr. 1–4. Fourteen bilingual poems fol- ences growing up in a Mexican Lopez, Loretta. The Birthday Swap. Illus. low a Latino child and her family American community. Lee & Low, 1997. K–Gr. 2. After Lori through a single day. Herrera, Juan Felipe. Grandma and me at helps with preparations for her older Soto, Gary. If the Shoe Fits. Illus. by Terry the Flea/Los meros meros remateros. sister’s birthday party, she finds that Widener. Putnam’s, 2002. Gr. 1–3. Illus. by Anita De Lucio-Brock. her sister has turned the tables with a Rigo’s new penny loafers are a wel- Children’s Book Press, 2002. PreS–Gr.2. wonderful surprise. come change from his usual hand-me- When Juanito helps his grandmother at Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers.Ed. down clothes, but they provoke some a Southern California flea market, he Pat Mora. Illus. by Paula S. Barragán. unwanted attention. enjoys the friendship and camaraderie Lee & Low, 2001. Gr. 3–5. In this Soto, Gary. Petty Crimes. Harcourt Brace, he finds there. anthology, thirteen Latino poets cele- 1998. Gr. 6–8. Ten short stories vividly Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Migrant Worker: brate their mothers, their grandmoth- portray the lives of Mexican American A Boy from the Rio Grande Valley. ers, and their roots in Cuba, Mexico, teens growing up in California. Photographed by Lawrence Migdale. Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Stanek, Muriel. I Speak English for My Holiday House, 1996. Gr. 3–5. In a Mora, Pat. The Rainbow Tulip. Illus. by Mom. Illus. by Judith Friedman. Albert photo essay, Ricardo describes his life Elizabeth Sayles.Viking, 1999. K–Gr. 3. Whitman, 1989. Gr. 2–4. Pencil draw- as a fifth-grade student and migrant A little girl from a Mexican American ings illustrate the story of a young worker in Texas. family brings her Spanish-speaking Mexican American girl who acts as a Jiménez, Francisco. The Circuit: Stories and English-speaking worlds together translator for her mother and at times from the Life of a Migrant Child. at the school Maypole dance. dislikes the situation. University of New Mexico Press, 1997. Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15. Delacorte, 2003. Torres, Leyla. Liliana’s Grandmothers. Gr. 5–9. Told from the child’s point of Gr. 6–9. When Violet turns fifteen, her Illus. Farrar Straus Giroux, 1998. view, these short stories portray the Cuban grandmother’s hope that she PreS–Gr. 2. This picture book compares experiences of Mexican migrant- will have a traditional coming-of-age life on two continents by looking at worker families in the United States. celebration challenges her to learn Liliana’s two grandmothers, one down Jiménez, Francisco. La Mariposa. Illus. about her family, her heritage, and the street and one in Latin America. by Simón Silva. Houghton Mifflin, herself. Veciana-Suarez, Ana. Flight to Freedom. 1998. PreS–Gr.2. When Spanish-speak- Pérez, Amada Irma. My Very Own Scholastic, 2002. Gr. 6–9. In a fictional ing Francisco joins an English-speak- Room/Mi propio cuartito. Illus. by diary, thirteen-year-old Yara tells how ing classroom in first grade, the Maya Christina Gonzalez. Children’s her family fled Cuba for political rea- caterpillar in a jar beside his desk dis- Book Press, 2000. K–Gr. 3. A Mexican sons and struggled to understand their tracts him from the difficulties of his American girl tells of living with a large new lives in Miami. situation. family in a small house and longing for Wáchale! Poetry and Prose about Johnston, Tony. Any Small Goodness: A a little space to call her own. Growing Up Latino in America. Edited Novel of the Barrio. Illus. by Raúl Pérez, L. King. First Day in Grapes. Illus. by Ilan Stavans. Cricket Books, 2001. Colón. Blue Sky Press, 2001. Gr. 4–6. by Robert Casilla. Lee & Low, 2002. Gr. Gr. 6–10. Along with biographical Eleven-year-old Arturo and his 1–3. When his family moves to a accounts of the writers, this anthology Mexican American family begin to migrant camp to pick grapes, Chico provides stories, poems, and memoirs connect with their new community in finds the courage to stand up to bullies reflecting the experiences of young Los Angeles. at his new school. Latinos in the United States. Johnston, Tony. Uncle Rain Cloud. Illus. Rodríguez, Luis J. América Is Her Name. Wing, Natasha. Jalapeño Bagels. Illus. by by Fabricio VandenBroeck. Charles- Illus. by Carlos Vázquez. Curbstone Robert Casilla. Atheneum Books, bridge, 2001. PreS–Gr.2. After his fam- Press, 1998. Gr. 3–6. This picture book 1996. K–Gr. 3. With a Mexican mother ily moves from Mexico to Los Angeles, for older readers tells of a Mixteca and Jewish father, Pablo chooses a food Carlos wonders why his uncle has Indian girl who feels alienated from with elements of both cultures to take become so grouchy. her new community in Chicago, but to his school’s International Day. &

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continued from page 18

10. Lois Buttlar and Rosemary DuMont, “Library and Information Science Competencies Revisited,” Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 37, no. 1 (1996): 50. 11. Sajjad ur Rehman, Husain Al-Ansari, and Nibal Yousef, “Coverage of Competencies in the Curriculum of Information Studies: An Inter- national Perspective,” Education for Information 20 (2002): 206. 12. Helen Pain-Lewins, “The Education and Training One-Source Ordering of Public Librarians Working with Children and Teenagers,” Training and Education 6, no. 1 (1989): 3–14. for Children’s AV Titles! 13. Pauline Wilson, “Youth Services in the Information Society,” School Library Journal 31 (1985): 22–23. Over 5,000 titles to choose 14. Steinfirst and Bracy, “Status of the Teaching,” 242. from, and adding more artists 15. Kay E. Lowell, “Computer Literacy as a Formal every day! Visit us online at Requirement in Library Science Education,” www.KiddoMusic.com. Journal of Education for Library and Infor-mation Science 38, no. 3 (1997): 194. Free Shipping for 16. Ingrid Hsieh-Yee, “Teaching Online and CD-ROM standard delivery orders Resources,” Journal of Education for Library and over $30.00 Compact Discs Infor-mation Science 38, no. 1 (1997): 18. 17. Daniel D. Barron and Mary Logan, “Curriculum,” Fast, Friendly Service in Library and Information Science Education Our staff is always happy Statistical Report 1997, ed. Evelyn H. Daniel and to discuss your needs. Jerry D. Saye. Available from http://ils.unc. edu/ALISE/1997/curriculum97.pdf (accessed Nov- No minimum order! ember 27, 2003). Order 1 title or 100 We still carry Cassettes! 18. Daniel D. Barron and Kelly Blessinger, “Curriculum,” in Library and Information Science One-source ordering for Education Statistical Report 2000, ed. Evelyn H. Daniel and Jerry D. Saye. Available at http://ils. children’s AV titles unc.edu/ALISE/2000/Curriculum00.htm (accessed November 27, 2003). Rush shipping available 19. Daniel D. Barron and Christine Westbrook, “Curriculum,” in Library and Information Science Instant Terms for libraries Education Statistical Report 2001, ed. Evelyn H. & schools Daniel and Jerry D. Saye. Available from http://ils. unc.edu/ALISE/2001/Curric/Curriculum01.htm Save 10% with prepaid (accessed November 27, 2003). orders. 20. Ibid. VHS Video 21. Daniel D. Barron and Thomas B. Hubbard, Order your way! We gladly “Curriculum,” in Library and Information Science accept electronic, mail, fax Education Statistical Report 2002, ed. Evelyn H. or phone orders. Daniel and Jerry D. Saye. Available from http://ils. unc.edu/ALISE/2002/Curric/Curriculum01.htm Kiddo Music & Video (accessed November 27, 2003). 22. Denice Adkins, “Changes in Public Library Youth 42 Main St. Services: A Content Analysis of Youth Services Job P.O. Box 513 Announcements,” Public Library Quarterly 23, no. Antrim, NH 03440-0513 3 (forthcoming). 800-793-2075 [email protected] www.KiddoMusic.com DVDs

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by Carol-Ann Hoyte

This work by Amy Vangsgard was used on a Great Art for Great Kids poster.

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Playing with Clay

laying with modeling clay isn’t just doing so after the publication of The New stored in individual boxes to protect them for kids. Just ask grown-ups Baby Calf by Edith Newlin Chase from damage. When the book is com- PBarbara Reid and Amy Vangsgard, (Toronto: North Winds Press/Scholastic- plete, Reid and her husband spend a day two artists specializing in making picture- TAB Publications, 1984). or two photographing its pages onto book illustrations from clay. transparencies, which are then forwarded to the publisher. They belong to a small group of North American picture-book artists, including Reid believes that plasticine’s limitations Kim Fernandes, Stephanie Garcia, and also count as advantages. “Plasticine Victoria Raymond, who use this tech- gives my work a very identifiable, uniform nique. Prior to appearing in children’s look. The limitations of clay give the art- books, clay illustration had been used in work a naive quality that suits the sub- U.S. print advertisements. It’s uncertain jects I work with for children’s books,” she how long the art form has been featured said. One drawback common to creating in picture books, but clay illustration is an multidimensional artwork is photograph- easily recognizable style of art rich in kid ing it for reproduction. Luckily for Reid, appeal and easy and affordable to try at her husband, Ian Crysler, is a professional home, school, or the library. photographer.

Reid’s relationship with plasticine dates “I think a lot of the appeal of my work is in back to her childhood. As a girl, she used the medium. It is something that children the medium to construct a range of cre- are very familiar with, and it is pretty easy ations and complete school projects for them to look at the work and figure whenever she could. The Canadian illus- out how it was done. There are no secrets, trator finds an appeal to working with what you see is what it is. Plasticine is not plasticine. “It’s fun and easy to use and a at all intimidating to work with because it great medium for learning with as it is so is so easy to change, and working with it is easy to change and reshape until you get really like play. I am always thrilled to see the desired result. When I used it profes- artwork that students have done with sionally, it helped that aspect of my work plasticine.” stand out from the crowd; it was fun to look at,” she said. In classrooms, the only limit in creating plasticine artwork seems to be the imag- Barbara Reid (top) and Amy Vangsgard Reid explored illustrating with clay during ination of students and the initiative of her studies at the Ontario College of Art teachers. “When kids look at my work, and Design, where she graduated in 1980. they realize just how far they can go with With plasticine, she reproduced Plasticine, the tool of Reid’s trade, is a the clay, and the results I see are always Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” for an assign- nonhardening modeling clay which is outstanding. Sometimes older students ment that required her to re-create a minimally affected by temperature. freeze up and decide “I can’t draw,” Reid famous painting using a different said. But plasticine is so informal that medium. When she unveiled her piece, Before Reid starts illustrating, she famil- most of the barriers are lowered, and they her instructor and classmates laughed. iarizes herself with the manuscript and are nearly all able to produce amazing “For me, laughter is a great reaction. collects required reference material. She artwork. I have been very impressed at Later, I won a calendar contest in the works out characters, draws a storyboard the ways creative teachers and students same medium, and from then on, plas- for the book, and does full-size rough have used plasticine to great effect in ticine was part of my portfolio,” she said. drawings which must be approved. To many areas of the curriculum: art, lan- create illustrations, she first creates a guage, science, math, geography, etc. The Toronto-based artist, whose clay background by spreading out plasticine And I receive lots of pictures of plasticine illustration style is self-taught, counts with her thumbs into a thin layer on a Toulouse-Lautrec, Breugel, N.C. Wyeth, heavy illustration board. Then she mod- Carol-Ann Hoyte is Ernest Sheppard, Arthur Rackham, and els shapes by hand and attaches them to a Montreal-based William Joyce as some of her artistic the background. Finally, she adds texture library clerk and influences. by scratching, poking, or pressing the clay using various tools. freelance writer specializing in chil- Reid wasn’t aware of any children’s mate- dren’s literature. She rials featuring the technique. She had “Because each detail is an added layer, it is also a first-year seen some clay art from Britain, but it was takes some planning to build up the pic- Information and Library Technologies three-dimensional and very realistic. She ture in the right order, a little like print student at John Abbott College. works mainly with plasticine and began making,” Reid said. Completed pages are

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The Party by Barbara Reid

artwork from kids just doing it on their ects for several educational publishers. she enrolled in a few classes in traditional own.” Reid advises children interested in Though Vangsgard is a relative newcomer clay sculpting with live models at L.A.’s illustrating with clay to experiment with to the picture-book illustration world, she Otis College of Art and Design. plasticine. “Look hard at the clay illustra- is no stranger to working on other chil- tions you like, and see if you can copy dren’s publications. Her list of children’s Her material of choice is polymer clay. The them. All artists learn by observing, copy- magazine credits includes Sesame Street medium, in which she is mainly self- ing good examples, and then experi- Magazine, Disney Adventures, Boy’s Life, taught, is oil-based and doesn’t dry out like menting with their own techniques. It’s Club House Jr., Scholastic News, Let’s Find water-based clay. It can be baked which really just practice.” Out, and Time for Kids. prevents it from shrinking. Once baked, it can be decorated with acrylic paint. Reid’s book, Fun with Modeling Clay, con- “To me, all illustration is visual problem- tains most of the techniques she has solving. So my experience in these other For Vangsgard, sculpting is not the first learned as well as techniques and ideas areas has broadened and enhanced my step in creating her illustrations. First, she she has culled from children’s art she has abilities to solve visual challenges. For draws pencil sketches of the illustrations seen. Playing with Plasticine (Toronto: example, the work I’ve done in character on paper, which are then faxed or e- Kids Can Press, 1988), written by the artist, development for advertising and giftware mailed to her clients for approval. is another resource available to those keen has helped me to create new characters Second, she sculpts the illustrations from to try their hand at clay illustrating. for picture books,” she said. polymer clay into a relief and bakes them. Next, she paints the clay illustrations with Back in 1984, Vangsgard started incorpo- acrylics and places them onto painted, Another Clay Crafter rating some clay pieces in her work while masonite backgrounds. And then, if employed as an assemblage illustrator. She requested by her clients, digital photos of When Amy Vangsgard started working discovered that she enjoyed working with the illustrations are taken and e-mailed to with clay, Reid and Garcia were the only clay the most “because of its fluidity. I was them to check the work. Finally, the fin- artists she knew working with the able to create anything I could imagine ished clay illustrations are photographed. medium. Coincidentally, Have You Seen dimensionally. That was the joy of it.” Birds? illustrated by Reid, was the first Polymer clay allows Vangsgard the oppor- picture book she spotted featuring clay Vangsgard studied at Pasadena’s Art tunity to create illustrations that have a illustration. Center College of Design and graduated true dimensionality, with highlights and with honors in illustration in 1985. shadows. The method is more time-con- The Los Angeles-based artist is best known Although there weren’t classes offered suming, however, and illustrations take for and started her career creating clay art- specifically in dimensional or clay illustra- up more space when stored. work for the magazine, newspaper, adver- tion back then, she emerged with a strong tising, entertainment, and giftware background in drawing and painting, skills Clay animation has been and still is a industries. She has also worked on proj- that she employs daily in her work. Later, main source of inspiration for Vangsgard.

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Playing with Clay “Starting with Gumby when I was a child, then the California Raisins, and the great Books Illustrated by Barbara Reid work of the Ardman Studios, with Wallace and Gromit and then Chicken Run, when Allinson, Beverly. Effie. Toronto: ———. 1992, 2001. Zoe’s Rainy Day, they teamed up with Dreamworks. The Summerhill Press, 1990. Toronto: Zoe’s Sunny Day, Zoe’s Windy Day, Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim North Winds Press/Scholastic Zoe’s Snowy Day. Toronto: Harper- Burton has also been a great inspiration Canada Ltd. 1994. Collins, 1992. Toronto: Scholastic to me. Most recently, Disney’s Playhouse Canada Ltd. 2001. has several cartoon series, such as ‘Jo Jo’s Bogart, Jo Ellen. 1994. Gifts. Toronto: Circus.’” Other inspiration comes from North Winds Press/Scholastic ———. 1997. The Party. Toronto: North collecting children’s books, looking at Canada Ltd. Winds Press/Scholastic Canada. toys, cartoons, and advertisements to Chase, Edith Newlin. 1984. The New ———. 1998. Fun with Modelling inspire character development, and fine Baby Calf. Toronto: North Winds Clay. Toronto: Kids Can Press. art sculpture. Press/Scholastic-TAB Publications. ———. 1999. First Look Board Books: “Most children are familiar with clay, and Downie, Mary Alice. 1984. Jenny Acorn to Oak Tree, Seed to Flower, it is something that they can enjoy in a Greenteeth. Toronto: Kids Can Press. Caterpillar to Butterfly, Tadpole to Frog. Toronto: HarperCollins. hands-on experience. The educational Oppenheim, Joanne. 1986. Have market seems to recognize this and use You Seen Birds? Toronto: North ———. 2000. The Golden Goose. this familiarity with the medium as a way Winds Press/Scholastic Canada Ltd. Toronto: North Winds to reach children.” Press/Scholastic Canada Ltd. Reid, Barbara. 1987. Sing a Song of There are a handful of North American Mother Goose. Toronto: North Winds ———. 2003. The Subway Mouse. artists creating picture-book clay illustra- Press/Scholastic-TAB Publications. Toronto: North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada Ltd. tions, and an even smaller number of ———. 1992. Two by Two. Toronto: those who are well known. “The children’s North Winds Press/Scholastic Waterton, Betty. 1983. Mustard. book market has a strong history of using Canada Ltd. Toronto: Scholastic-TAB Publications. traditional illustration styles. Second, clay illustration may be perceived by publishers to be both time-consuming and more expensive, principally because of the Books Illustrated by Amy Vangsgard photography. Recent advances in digital photography will reduce these costs and Fun with Shapes by Tisha Hamilton.2004.Pleasantville,N.Y.: Reader’s Digest Bks. make clay illustration more accessible. Look Closer by Rozanne Lanczak Williams. Creative Teaching Pr.Forthcoming 2005. “Also, with the recent popularity of clay animation, we will see more demand for Mommy Frog. Mahopac, N.Y.: Stuart and Stuart. Forthcoming 2005 or 2006. clay illustration in picture books, and My Little Goldfish. Mahopac, N.Y.: Stuart and Stuart. Forthcoming 2005 or more notoriety for clay illustrators.” & 2006. Nuevos Comienzos. 2002. Minneapolis: Pillsbury Co.

Amy Vansgard designed these animals for use on greeting cards.

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Rhyme Time How Mother Goose Speaks Many Languages Miriam Lang Budin

ne morning about two years ago, I looked out at the chil- Gujrati rhyme about a child sitting on a stool in the courtyard dren and their caregivers assembled for a nursery rhyme while being bathed. Oprogram at the Chappaqua Library in New York and realized that, with the exception of Antarctica, every continent on It is not necessary for the librarian presenting the program to be the globe was represented in the room. Wanting to capitalize on a gifted linguist. In fact, I think it helps set everyone at ease this richness of cultural diversity, I proposed an experiment with when they hear me struggling to learn the simple rhymes. a new program called Multilingual Mother Goose. Our Multilingual Mother Goose is open to caregivers with chil- The structure of the program is simple: each adult comes pre- dren from birth to five years old—an age span wide enough to pared to teach the group a song or nursery rhyme in a language include as many foreign language speakers as possible. Of other than English. We sit in a circle on the floor with the chil- course, the older children participate more fully than the babies dren on our laps. Each “expert” foreign language speaker runs during the sessions at the library, but many of the adults report through the rhyme he or she has brought a few times, after that when they repeat the rhymes at home, their children join in. which the whole group tries it together. Because nursery songs As any librarian who presents programs for toddlers can attest, and rhymes are traditionally passed from one generation to the this is typical of some children attending English language pro- next through repetition and mimicking, they lend themselves grams, as well. perfectly to be absorbed this way. Songs with hand motions are especially popular, since they are easiest to learn and remember. We run the program as a series of four sessions given during suc- We move around the circle until everyone has had a chance to cessive weeks. Pre-registration limits the size of the group to a teach a rhyme. dozen couples. We produce and distribute a booklet of the rhymes and their translations for each couple to take home so While it is lovely to have numerous foreign languages repre- they can practice between sessions. Preparing the booklet sented, Multilingual Mother Goose would be very successful requires the foreign language speakers to give us written copies with rhymes in only two or three languages. The pleasure of par- of their rhymes a week before the first session of the series. If the ticipating stems from sharing the motherwit of various cultures. rhyme is in a language written in a non-Roman alphabet we It’s delightful to recognize the similarities between a fingerplay include it in its own alphabet along with a transliteration into from Uruguay and “Where is Thumbkin?” or the singularity of a Roman letters to help us learn to pronounce it.

We have been fortunate to have speakers of Ashanti, Dutch, French, German, Gujrati, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Miriam Lang Budin has been honing her Polish, Spanish, Tagalog, Turkish, Ukranian, Urdu, and Yiddish foreign language skills at the Chappaqua participate in the program thus far. Some rhymes have been Library in New York, where she is a contributed by grandparents, as well as by parents and babysit- children’s librarian. ters. As the population of children and their caregivers changes, we look forward to an ever-increasing number of rhymes in new languages to learn.

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Rhyme Time Photos by Susan E.Photos by Mosher

Fingerplay is a universal language! At right, Miriam Budin shares a finger rhyme with Caitlin Roth (held by her grandmother, Sally Roth).

Some of the popularity of the program might be attributed to This translates as: the stimulation it offers to adults as well as children. It can be “Knock-knock. enlightening to compare the social implications of similar ‘Who’s there?’ rhymes from differing cultures. Take “Where is Thumbkin?” and ‘It’s me! the Uruguayan “Tun-tun,” for example. Both are rhymes in Open the door.’ which fingers impersonate people who are greeting each other. ‘Hello [child’s name]! But how differently they behave! The well-known “Where is How are you? Thumbkin?” goes: Give me a little kiss and “Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin? then you can go.’ ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ (Kiss, kiss.)” ‘How are you today, sir?’ ‘Very well, I thank you.’ While adults are free to analyze the information such a compar- Run away! Run away!” ison can impart, the children simply enjoy the songs and rhymes for their own sake. Five-year-old Dana moved from Each of the other fingers—Pointer, Tall Man, Ring Man, and Israel last summer, speaking not a word of English. She was not Pinky—is called upon in turn. Each “converses” with its mate very pleased with the change to her life and was an unhappy, across a distance and then “runs away” behind the singer’s back. silent presence in our regular story hours for about a month Finally, they all come out and speak to each other, only to “run until her English comprehension began to grow. But when she away” again. attended Multilingual Mother Goose, she really came out of her shell. The program didn’t just level the playing field for Dana, it In the rhyme from Uruguay, the two hands are held with palms put her at an advantage. together, each pair of fingers meeting its mate and tapping each other in turn: Not only could she help us to learn “La Kova Sheli,” the Hebrew variant of “My Hat, It Has Three Corners,” she learned all the “Tun-tun. (Tap thumbs.) other languages and rhymes far more readily than most of the ‘Quien es?’ (Tap pinkies.) people in the room. ‘Soy yo! (Tap index fingers.) Abre la puerta.’ (Tap ring fingers.) Her mother recently informed me that she overhears Dana ‘Hola [child’s name] (Tap middle fingers.) singing “Arroz Con Leche” around the house. “I don’t know all Como te va? (Move middle fingers back the words,” Anat said, “but Dana certainly does!” & Dame un besito y and forth as if embracing.) Despues te vas.’ (Tap middle fingers together (Beso, beso.)” to make them kiss.)

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Story Times That Rock! Creating Successful Readers . . . and Sunny Strong Attentive Listeners ant success at your library instant approval and result in long- story times? term reflection and vocabulary W increase. Their content can be mined, By Sunny Strong not just enjoyed then forgotten. In Some people are naturals at program- other words, they are memorable. ming. They mix well with others, enjoy the spotlight, have a knack for When children beg to hear a book communicating with children, and again, they attest to its relevance. are wonderfully creative. Others con- Something has connected. Inspired duct story times as a requirement of by a familiar setting, character, or their job. feeling, the child relaxes into listening to “his” story. None of us delight in wasting time and energy. We enjoy the satisfaction of a Betsy Hearne’s study of “Perennial job well done. Let’s learn from the past Picture Books” identifies several char- and predict the future by selecting acteristics present in many memo- books that rock! Many of us are trained rable picture books.1 One can consider to recognize excellence in picture these characteristics when deciding books. Whether in academia or in which books to purchase and which of library workshops, we learn quality those to use in story time. Not all picture books are a perfect marriage of examplary picture books work well illustration and text. The words, if with a group. The size or style of illus- present, flow. The illustrations suit the trations must show well at a distance. story theme. The content is relevant to Religious books or those with a single its intended audience. The book political viewpoint are inappropriate design advances the intent of the in a public setting. author/illustrator. This article extends Hearne’s work by However, although we sense story time identifying success factors in books books should be quality titles with some relevance, we sometimes make an unconscious choice between wor- Sunny Strong is former Manager of thy and popular. The most successful Children’s Services for Sno-Isle story times are both crowd pleasing Libraries, Wash. and enriching. They benefit from

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Story Times That Rock! used in story times. When you or your Humor vocabulary. Give them words with which audience tire of your favorites list from to express themselves more specifically. graduate school, add books to your Children enjoy being in on a joke. By the When we talk with children, we do not repertoire that contain the following ele- time the peddler in Caps for Sale by construct our sentences as carefully as ments. Train new staff to select books Esphyer Slobodkina (HarperCollins, when we write. Notable authors use lan- based on children’s needs and past 1947) looks up into the tree, listeners guage skillfully. Hearing excellent prose delights. When a story is wildly success- already know what he will find. It is funny enriches children. ful, stop to consider why. Apply your to see the monkeys mimicking the ped- knowledge of child psychology and child dler without his knowledge. The Weaker or Younger Triumph development. Keep a log of quality crowd-pleasers. Embrace the comfort of The absurd situations that the title char- As they safely travel with the protagonist repeating these favorites in combination acter in Curious George by Margaret and through trials and on to resolution, chil- with different titles. Share the list with H. A. Rey (Houghton, 1966) experiences dren experience a comfortable smugness. your colleagues. amuse children. When he breaks a rule, When they know of someone with a prob- children relate. They know it is wrong to lem, they cheer to have the problem You can learn to be an expert regarding ride a hospital cart like a race car, but it is resolved. Peter Rabbit, although smaller your community’s needs. By identifying funny because it upsets everything. than Farmer McGregor, manages to out- additional components present in your wit him in The Tale of Peter Rabbit by successful story times, you will create a Children laugh at incongruity. When Beatrix Potter (Frederick Warne, 1901). guide for future program planning. Mrs. McNosh in Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Children relate to Peter’s wish to be Her Wash by Sarah Weeks naughty and to his vulnerability when (HarperCollins, 1998) hangs the furni- he’s caught in the gooseberry net. Story Time Success Factors ture on the clothesline, it is hilarious to them. Miss Nelson’s disguise in Miss Cautionary Notes Action and Plot Nelson Is Missing by Harry Allard (Houghton, 1977) tickles their funny Using a book you love can spread your Young children are creatures of the bones. The humor in cumulative tales enthusiasm as long as the book relates to senses. They need to move and run and like Audrey Wood’s The Napping House young children. Beware of wolves in talk. When we ask them to sit down and (Harcourt, 1984) and Bernard Waber’s sheeps’ clothing! Mood pieces, nostalgic listen, we must provide stimulating sto- Bearsie Bear and the Surprise Sleepover accounts, and art showcases may belong ries where the reader and listeners care Party (Houghton, 1997) is accessible to to an adult audience. Another pitfall is about the characters and what happens children as they can anticipate it. Jules choosing a dull or overly long book to them. Feiffer’s Bark, George (Harper-Collins, because it fits a theme. Focusing on the 1999) is a hit with all ages. However, child’s needs and interests should keep Look for picture books with action and preschoolers who have just learned us grounded. There is no substitute for suspense. Even after children have heard which animals make which sounds feel ongoing reading and observation. Adjust a book once, they still enjoy the anticipa- smart and included. Humor that bores the story time content when the com- tion in a well-told story. The term adults because it is blatant entertains munity profile changes. Begin the new “page-turner” applies to this type of children who may request a favorite season with excellent, but shorter books. picture book. book be read again and again. Gradually add longer books with richer vocabulary as the attention span grows. Resolution of the tension will comfort Repeated Phrases them. By age three, most children are New titles and formats abound. Be open empathetic. They nervously await the res- Repeated phrases invite children to be a to ongoing quality and relevance cue of Tikki-tikki tembo-no sa rembo- part of the story. Done with expression improvement. You will be rewarded by chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo from the and rhythm, they help train a child’s ear children who run to story time and com- well in Tikki-Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel to detect the cadence of speech and plain when you finish! & (Holt, 1968). music. Keeping time is a reading readiness skill. “Clickedy clack moo,” for exam- Although Umbrella by Taro Yashima ple, can be heard for days after children Reference (Viking, 1958), Harry the Dirty Dog (Zion, are introduced to Click, Clack, Moo: Cows 1. Hearne, Betsy. ”Perennial Picture 1956), and Chewy Louie by Howie That Type by Doreen Cronin (Simon and Books: Seeded by the Oral Tradition.” Schneider (Rising Moon, 2000) are Schuster, 2000). Journal of Youth Services in Libraries longer books, the tension in their plots (Fall 1998): 26-33. retains interest. We cheat children when Memorable Language we choose shorter books for every program. They need to develop longer Children benefit from hearing more com- attention spans. plicated sentence structure and a richer

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irst there were cave drawings, tures and to discuss them in class. The then illuminated manuscripts colorful illustrations by Eleanor Fand large paintings telling reli- Campbell were based on photos of real gious stories. Indian pictographs gave children doing real activities. Over directions. My grandmother told me time it is estimated that more than she used chalk to make drawings on eighty-five million children learned to the outside walls of her home to tell read that way. Whether they are called hobos she had extra milk for them. decorations, as they were in Now We Throughout history, pictures have Are Six when it was first published in been used to tell stories that change 1927, illustrations, or paintings, as people’s lives. All of these visual they are sometimes called in picture images were ways to communicate to books today, they form the visual sto- others without words. ries that continue to challenge, enlighten, excite, and satisfy me. Research shows that visual skills pre- cede verbal skills. Very young children From 1976 to 2001, as a professional Reading learn to read pictures well before they children’s librarian, I had the opportu- learn to read text. It has always been nity to share new picture books weekly easy for me to read pictures. When my with children. During that time, chil- Pictures mother read to me, before I could read, dren’s book publishing enjoyed an I memorized each subtle nuance of the explosion of creative changes in format Searching for pen-and-ink sketches by Ernest H. and printing along with huge increases Shepard that illustrate A. A. Milne’s in sales and number of titles. In 1969, Excellence When We Were Very Young and Now We Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar in Picture Books Are Six. I know I did this because when offered a then-radical format with I look at those sketches today they are cutout holes representing where the like old friends. They reassured me caterpillar had eaten. In the 1980s, Paul By Gratia J. Banta that all of my feelings were valid. Zelinsky’s spectacular pop-up song- book The Wheels on the Bus was so well Elizabeth Ann, in the poem “Explain- loved that my library could not buy ed,” has a question about God and enough copies to keep one on the shelf. Editor’s Note: This article originally “she would run round the world till appeared in The Newbery and Caldecott she found” the answer. Shepard draws Working in rural libraries, I quickly Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Elizabeth, her head held high, her hair found that book illustration could be Books (Chicago: ALA Editions, 2004). flying, her body in a spirited run, her used not only as an introduction to fists full of determination. The rabbits reading but also as an introduction to sitting by the side of the road and exploring the larger world of the fine watching Elizabeth can see that she arts. While serving on the 1988 has a question and that it matters very Caldecott Committee, I learned that much to her. I read the sketch to mean my lifelong love of reading the pictures that a young girl could go on an adventure. I have treasured that image, and my young heart’s belief in Gratia J. Banta it, for my entire life. Christopher served as a chil- Robin in “Sneezles” sits patiently in dren’s librarian bed with a cold, and I can see that for more than drawing clearly when I have to rest in twenty years. bed and it comforts me. She currently devotes her In the first grade, when I was taught to time to painting read using the Dick and Jane series, I and teaching visual literacy in was encouraged again to read the pic- nationally recognized workshops. tures. I was not alone. By the 1950s, 80 An ALSC member for eighteen percent of the first graders in the years, Gratia served on the 1988 United States were learning to read by Caldecott Committee and was the whole-word method instead of by recently elected the Caldecott phonetically sounding out words letter Committee Chair, 2006. Visit her by letter. We were asked to think about Web site at www.gratiaarts.com. the activities taking place in the pic-

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Reading Pictures would help steer other committee mem- liantly illustrated books in our reviews, • Cultivate a basic knowledge of art bers and myself to identify excellence in our selections, and our awards. While history. picture books while selecting “the most serving on the Caldecott Committee, I • Know the history of book illustration. distinguished American picture book for was asked to address adults about excel- children.” lence in picture book illustration, so I • Look at the original art of book developed a workshop called “Reading illustrators. By learning to read the pictures, we librar- the Pictures.” • Listen to book illustrators and read ians, parents, and teachers can: what they say about their own work. We librarians can train ourselves, as • Learn about cultures outside our adults, to think in pictures again. Such • Allow yourself time to do some of communities. thinking is called visual literacy. your own drawing or painting. • Excite our visual senses and challenge Developing visual literacy is much the our visual literacy. same as learning a foreign language. I To illustrate the elements of composition invite you to open a picture book as if you and design, we will compare Patience, a • Educate the eye and put illustration in were a child not yet able to read. Ignore painting by Balthus (see www.artchive. the context of all arts. the words and look only at the pictures. com/artchive/B/balthus/balthus_patien • Increase our enjoyment of the world This is the first step that needs to be taken ce.jpg.html), to the illustration in Bunny as a visual place. to identify exceptional book illustration. Cakes by Rosemary Wells (Dial Books, Second, read the text but continue to 1997), above the text “This time Max • Share a book on a visual level and notice the illustrations. Third, read both wrote ‘Red-Hot Marshmallow Squirters’ thus include reluctant readers and text and illustrations together, taking time in the most beautiful writing he knew.” In visual learners. to reflect and set aside any adult filters. the painting by Balthus, we see a young • Enjoy a book with a preliterate child. woman bent forward to read a book that When we have learned to read the pic- is opened flat and lying on a table. In the • Understand and respect the skills and tures, we can each find our own voice to Wells illustration, we see Max, a rabbit career of an illustrator. describe our personal reactions. The goal wearing a green striped jumpsuit with a • Extend the role of the arts in our is to determine if the illustrations and the purple T-shirt, leaning forward and scrib- communities. book meet the high standard of being dis- bling on a lined yellow sheet of paper. In tinguished and exceptional. We owe it to the design of each of their bending bod- • Expand the meaning of the written the book industry and especially to book ies, we feel a certain discomfort. In the word. illustrators to get beyond describing illus- painting by Balthus, it is about the sen- • Identify excellence in book design. trations as “pretty” or “interesting” and to sual strength of a pubescent teenager. In choose our words carefully. As Pablo the illustration by Wells, because Max The best, most rewarding reason is con- Picasso once said, “If you must insult me, cannot write, he is struggling to draw a tained in the Indian word rasa, which is at least get your terminology straight!” picture to explain what he needs. There is the moment of heightened awareness no unused space in either image; even the achieved when we perceive the ultimate How then can we best prepare to identify blank white space around Max’s frame reality of a work of art. It happens to the the most distinguished picture books? I and the dark curtain near the girl matter. viewer of the art. (A different delight recommend the following: Both figures fill the frame, and they seem occurs in the making of the art.) It is like to be exploding out of their boxes. The fig- • Learn the elements of composition the magical blooming of a flower, a flash ures are full of passion and energy, and and design. of light, an insight, the delight in learning, their compositions suggest that they are the sense of wonderment, the sense of the • Understand cultural context and on the verge of being changed forever. miracle of ourselves. For those of us who color. Both works are successful because they love looking at art, rasa is the reason we clearly tell us about the emotional states • Determine whether the text has been keep coming back for more. It is also the of their characters, and we are filled with enhanced or extended by the reason that we search for excellence in the energy of those characters’ youth and illustrations. painting and illustration. Once viewers a sense of their longing. experience rasa, they will no longer settle • Learn how to link book illustration for inferior work. Young and old search with the other fine arts. To better understand how color reflects a for rasa in the visual world and know and cultural context, view the contemporary • Recognize excellence in techniques cherish its feeling of joy. work of Xenobia Bailey in a provocative used in a wide variety of materials. article by Sharifa Rhodes-Pitt at www. By reading pictures with an educated eye, • Identify which materials work well africana.com/articles/daily/ar20040506x a sense of their intended audience, and a with a text. enobia.asp, and compare it to the illustra- heart open to the feelings they evoke, we tions in Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold • Identify excellence in bookmaking. can begin our search for excellence in (Crown, 1991). Textile artists like Bailey picture books. We can then share our • Develop a working knowledge of art use the bright colors of Africa. Similar col- findings by acknowledging the most bril- terms. ors are used in Tar Beach, a Caldecott

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Reading Pictures Honor Book, representing a celebration Again, Caldecott extends and enhances scale. The placement of the text is a sensu- of African heritage. In the 1980s, Faith the text, in this case giving credibility to ous feast for the eye. We are told on the end Ringgold used acrylic on canvas to make the rhyme. (For more, read Maurice pages that Raschka “matched the twelve paintings of quilts that told about her life. Sendak’s Caldecott and Co.: Notes on Books musical tones of the chromatic scale, e.g., The Purple Quilt (www.faithringgold. and Pictures [Farrar, 1988], and Ina Taylor’s do, re, mi, to the twelve color values of the com/ringgold/d02.htm) is an example. The Art of Kate Greenaway: A Nostalgic color wheel, then set paint strokes for When Ringgold turned to illustration, her Portrait of Childhood [Pelican, 1991]). notes and color washes for harmonies.” It sense of color became a cultural experi- looks and feels like the music of Monk ence for all to enjoy. She asked us to take Picture books can serve as a bridge to translated into colorful watercolor. The her primitive, or naive, art seriously, as if other arts. Film is a close cousin to picture book measures only six-and-one-half by to say, “This may not be familiar to you, books. In film and picture books, the seven-and-one-half inches, inviting small but it’s all about my culture, my family, images and scenes are repeated to carry children to hold it and enjoy the colors, my heritage, and my life as an artist,” and out a story. A distinction between the and perhaps to hear their own personal offering a lesson in understanding cul- media needs to be made. Films, like pic- rendition of the music referenced and to tural context. ture books, are composed of a series of know about its message before ever listen- images that form a story by following the ing to Monk’s “Mysterioso.” Illustrators employ many strategies in same characters through a variety of set- their effort to extend text. Words are few in tings in which the story unfolds. For Bridging from book illustration to poetry, Tuesday by David Wiesner (Clarion, 1991). example, all of the frogs Wiesner paints Angela Johnson was inspired by Tar Beach The entire text, spread over thirty-two remain the same kind of frogs, page after and wrote this poem. pages, consists of “TUESDAY EVENING page. A painting does not require this AROUND EIGHT,” “11:21 PM,” “4:38 AM,” sequence. Except in some narrative When it is a warm time and “NEXT TUESDAY, 7:58 PM.” Economy paintings, a painting is not about the in the evening of words forces the reader not to depend development of characters over time. In and my people are on the text for the story. This is, first of all, Wiesner’s Tuesday, frogs are painted in a laughing a visual story. The watercolor images are realistic style; they are not painted from and warm realistic, but their actions are not. Life is the imagination. But when he paints beside me, not what it seems, and we are the aliens. them flying on lily pads, it defies our sci- it almost feels like The ending picture features flying pigs. Is entific knowledge, which gives us the I can fly. Wiesner referring to the phrase “when pigs sense of being in a science fiction film. Above the city and fly,” asking us to suspend disbelief? Such everything mysterious questions extend the text and As we learn more about book illustration, I know. add to the excitement of the book. Years we will find sometimes subtle, sometimes —And I am happy in later, we can look back and say those flying direct references to the great artists. the coolness pigs foreshadowed Wiesner’s The Three Anthony Browne made references to as I am in the warmth, Pigs (Clarion, 2001). paintings in Willy the Dreamer because I can fly as (Candlewick Press, 1997). Browne free as I feel Perhaps illustrators who extend the text informs audiences that the painter Rene and watch my people draw on the work of Randolph Caldecott. Magritte is an influence and that he with love In his illustrations for Hey Diddle Diddle admires the writing of Lewis Carroll, so it from (George Routledge and Sons, 1882), the is no surprise that we can find connec- above. pigs seem to be wearing suits and dancing tions to Magritte and Carroll throughout to music, giving us more to enjoy about Browne’s work. In the second edition of the pigs than the text provides. On Willy’s Pictures (Candlewick Press, 2000), More examples of poems inspired by art another page, Caldecott draws the moon the referenced paintings are reproduced appear in Jan Greenberg’s Heart to Heart: so low on the horizon that a cow need not at the end of the book. New Poems Inspired by Twentieth- jump far for us to believe the rhyme. Century American Art (Abrams, 2001). “Look how the cow jumps over the moon! Some books are about music. Mysterious I wish I had such a clever mind!” Thelonious, written by Christopher To further our understanding of visual lit- exclaimed another brilliant and success- Raschka (Orchard Books, 1997) and dedi- eracy, museums offer the most excellent ful British illustrator, Kate Greenaway, a cated to editor Dick Jackson, is just such a examples of a wide variety of materials contemporary and a good friend of book. Its dust jacket, with grid pattern and and techniques used by artists. Labels Caldecott. The illustrator Maurice Sendak musical scale, sets the stage, and I can hear and exhibit catalogs provide more infor- writes about this illustration, noting the the instruments getting tuned up. The text mation. To develop a critical and edu- additional figure in the frame. “It’s is spread across several pages. The words cated eye takes some work over time. As Caldecott’s drawing of the milkmaid drop- “Oh so mysterious Thelonious, mysterious you learn to recognize the variety of ping her bucket that makes this even more Thelonious, mysterious Thelonious, mys- materials used, you might work in reverse exceptional, as in her reaction we learn terious, oh so” can be found swimming and imagine what stories they would that she sees what we see also,” he said. through Raschka’s fluid, floating musical complement. For example, the quilts

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Reading Pictures Faith Ringgold painted would work well 2000); and Ways of Telling: Conversations about other awards for illustration, such as in a story about an African-American girl on the Art of the Picture Book by Leonard S. the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the growing up in Harlem. In this way you will Marcus (Dutton, 2002). Kate Greenaway Medal, and the various be able to determine whether a certain Bologna international book awards. medium works well with a text. Go to Information about art materials and tech- “images” at www.google.com to search niques can be found in the Artist’s Each of us is connected with some piece for paintings and illustrations. Handbook of Materials and Techniques by of that history. For me it is the teacher’s Ralph Mayer (Viking, 1991), The Painters guides for my first readers, the Dick and To identify excellence in bookmaking, the Handbook by David Gottsegen (Watson- Jane series, which encouraged students to binding, layout, design, and overall look Guptill, 1993), The Oxford Dictionary of Art talk about the pictures in class. Reading of a book must be considered. To learn edited by Ian Chilvers and Harold Osborne experts Zerna Sharp and William Gray the terms that describe the parts of a (Oxford University Press, 1988), and, for and an editorial team including May Hill book, read ABC for Book Collectors, 8th more serious study, Secret Knowledge: Arbuthnot created a curriculum of read- edition, by John Carter and Nicolas Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the ing books that reflected a six-year-old’s Barker (Oak Knoll Press, 2003). View early Old Masters by David Hockney (Viking, activities and language. The characters of printed books on display in rare book col- 2001). It is also helpful to read journals that Dick and Jane represented Everyboy and lections. Examine books made by artists. focus on the communication arts, such as Everygirl and first appeared in a 1930s They help us see books as art objects and Print: America’s Graphic Design Magazine Elson Basic Reader pre-primer. Because I demonstrate the creative use of experi- and the basic art journals. was a visual learner, I was an active par- mental papers and bindings. Helpful Web ticipant in my first-grade class’s book dis- sites include Minnesota Center for Book To cultivate a basic knowledge of art his- cussions. As I read the pictures, I learned Arts, www.mnbookarts.org; the Center for tory, read H. W. Janson and Anthony F. that Jane wore dresses and Dick did Book Arts, www.centerforbookarts.org; Janson’s History of Art for Young People, things! I learned that Mom was usually in and the San Francisco Center for the 6th edition (Abrams, 2003). Enjoy Sister the kitchen wearing an apron and hold- Book, www.sfcb.org. Wendy Beckett’s The Story of Painting (DK ing the family together. The Dick and Jane Publishing, 1994) in book form or on books were retired when our concept of Once you have developed a working video. Study American Visions: The Epic the family changed, but, interestingly, knowledge of art terms, you can more History of Art in America by Robert baby boomers who learned by that deeply appreciate picture books and more Hughes (Knopf, 1997). View videos about method grew up incorporating pictures enthusiastically share them with children. individual artists such as Jackson Pollock into everything they did. For more infor- If you can write book reviews that include and Frida Kahlo. Attend lectures on art mation, read Carole and Marvin knowledgeable comments about illustra- history. Read children’s biographies, such Heiferman’s Growing Up with Dick and tion, you will help publishers, authors, and as Ann Kay Beneduce’s A Weekend with Jane: Learning and Living the American illustrators. Illustrators and art directors Winslow Homer (Rizzoli, 1996), John Dream (HarperCollins, 1996). read children’s book reviews and can Duggleby’s Story Painter: The Life of Jacob quickly spot a charlatan. And they know Lawrence (Chronicle Books, 1998), Russell There are now many opportunities to view that starred reviews and awards result in Freedman’s Martha Graham: A Dancer’s original book illustration. I saw a traveling stronger sales. There is, therefore, a great Life (Clarion, 1998), Paolo Guarnieri’s A exhibit of original art for the illustrations in need for responsibility in writing reviews. Boy Named Giotto (Farrar, 1999), Sandra the Dick and Jane series at the Norton Jordan and Jan Greenberg’s Frank O. Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Unfortunately, many good books about Gehry: Outside In (DK Publishing, 2000), Florida, and then again at the Osborne illustration are out of print, but you can Bijon LeTord’s A Bird or Two: A Story about Collection in Toronto, Canada. Special col- find them at the library. Sources for infor- Henri Matisse (Eerdmans, 1999), Elizabeth lections, such as the Eric Carle Museum of mation about illustration are: Art and Partridge’s Restless Spirit: The Life and Picture Book Art, are dedicated to educat- Design in Children’s Picture Books: An Work of Dorothea Lange (Viking,1998), ing the public about book illustration. The Analysis of Caldecott Award-Winning Deborah Kogan Ray’s Hokusai: The Man following Web sites provide more informa- Illustrations by Lyn Ellen Lacy (American Who Painted a Mountain (Farrar, 2001), tion on illustrators and their art: Library Association, 1986); Looking at and Diane Stanley’s Michelangelo (Harper • The Society of Illustrators, Museum of Picture Books by John Warren Stewig Collins, 2000). Three children’s fiction American Illustration, (Highsmith, 1995); Lotus Seeds: Children, titles that feature artists are Janet Taylor www.societyillustrators.org Pictures, and Books by Marcia Brown Lisle’s The Art of Keeping Cool (Simon and (Atheneum, 1986); Potential of Picture Schuster, 2000), Linda Sue Park’s A Single • National Center for Children’s Books: From Visual Literacy to Aesthetic Shard (Clarion, 2001), and Gloria Whelan’s Illustrated Literature, www.nccil.org Understanding by Barbara Z. Kiefer Homeless Bird (HarperCollins, 2000). • Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book (Merrill/Prentice Hall, 1995); Writing with Art, www.picturebookart.org Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Book illustration has a rich and global his- Children’s Books by Uri Shulevitz (Watson- tory, from illuminated manuscripts to lift- • Children’s Literature, reviews and Guptill, 1997); Picture This: How Pictures the-flap books to laser printing. As your interviews with illustrators, www.chil- Work by Molly Garrett Bang (Seastar, knowledge expands, you’ll want to learn drenslit.com

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Reading Pictures • Every Picture Tells a Story, online of Marilyn J. S. Goodman and Natalie K. Modern painters such as Rothko, gallery of original illustrations, Lieberman’s Learning through Art: The Motherwell, and Warhol deserve our www.everypicture.com Guggenheim Museum Collection (Abrams, attention because they have forged new 2001) to break the ice and get you started. territories and introduced us to new and • International Board on Books for An exercise I suggest in my workshop is to sometimes uncomfortable feelings. Young People, www.ibby.org look at Cassie in Tar Beach by Faith Museums have retrospective shows to • Picture Book, information about the Ringgold. Ringgold is concerned about honor their work. Similarly, an illustrator book industry, www.picturebook.com expressing how Cassie feels, not about fol- award for a body of work acknowledges a lowing rules of perspective. As you view lifetime of creative book illustration. • Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the illustrations, make a self-portrait Sometimes one of the books features a www.publishers.asn.au/book_fairs. depicting how you feel. Forget about any breakthrough design that can lead to cfm?doc_id=82 “right” way to draw. Show yourself flying even more exceptional work in the next over your favorite places. Put in enough book. An award for the body of an illustra- Also visit the individual Web pages of chil- details to make your rendering of you and tor’s work is the way to reward illustra- dren’s book publishers. your special places distinctive. Ask a friend tions that are experimental. In contrast, to read your picture. Based on your draw- when selecting a single book for an award In addition to exhibits, lectures by book ing, can your friend describe what you like for illustration, the collaborative nature of illustrators offer insight into their work. and what makes you unique? Then ask the book, the text, and the audience They help us understand the collabora- yourself, “How can I improve my drawing needs to be considered. Therefore, the tive process of making the book. We see a to say what I mean?” Then you will begin Caldecott Medal, in my opinion, is not book in a new way when we hear about to understand the challenge that illustra- exclusively for cutting-edge illustration. the process of creating it and learn about tors face. For more inspiration, read Mila the materials and techniques used. What Boutan’s Monet: Art Activity Pack Taking the time to really look at the pic- is more, visits and lectures by illustrators (Chronicle Books, 1996). Art packs are also tures in books, know the elements of can build the self-esteem of children who available for Cezanne, Degas, Gauguin, design, understand cultural context, and crave encouragement in the arts. Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Van Gogh. develop our visual literacy prepares us to Also take a look at A Book of Artrageous undertake our search for excellence. We Recently, in a program at the Portland Projects, by Klutz Press and the can then celebrate picture book illustra- Museum of Art, David Macaulay told an Metropolitan Museum of Art (Klutz, 2000). tion with our hearts and our heads. & enthusiastic audience of more than five hundred people about his process of working as an illustrator. He was able to show how drawings and ideas that do not quite work are as much a part of the creative process as those that do. Macaulay’s presentation reminded us that as children’s librarians, we need to be doubly responsible to the public when selecting award books. If our choices do not meet the highest standards of excellence, our profession and the awards run the risk of becoming trivial. Macaulay also reminded the audience that although a book for children might be playful, there is very serious work behind it. To learn more from illustrators speaking on their own work, read Julie Cummins’ Wings of an Artist: Children’s Book Illustrators Talk about Their Art (Abrams, 1999) and Leonard Marcus’ Ways of Telling: Conversations on the Art of the Picture Book (Dutton, 2002).

To enhance your visual literacy, do some of your own drawing or painting. Working with something as simple as a few crayons and a blank sheet of paper will break down your inhibitions. If we ask our children to do it, we can too. Use the workbook format

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Conquering the South Pole and Beyond An Interview with Jennifer Armstrong

By Megan Lynn Isaac

ennifer Armstrong retired from her career in publishing to school classrooms without suffering a single wrist cramp. With pursue writing full time. Clearly, she had an awful lot of ideas some prodding from her mother, she even taught herself to type. Jto develop because she was only But for a long time, she feared she lacked one twenty-three when she made this bold of the necessary qualities, worrying that her decision. Now, twenty years later, it is happy, well-adjusted childhood would pre- obvious that her daring was well war- vent her from ever achieving her dreams. She ranted! had fallen victim to the popular belief that Real Art is a product of suffering, or at least of The breadth of Armstrong’s work is a good deal of angst and hand-wringing. striking. She has written picture books Fortunately, not only for herself, but also for about a cat who fishes with his tail in her many and varied readers, Armstrong Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat (1993) eventually decided all she really needed was a and one featuring the Second Assistant good imagination, a healthy dose of sympa- Rotisserie Turner in Little Salt Lick and thy, and well-honed library research skills. the Sun King (1994). Her historical novels range from the prairies of South Once she had her craft firmly in hand, how- Dakota in Black-Eyed Susan (1995) to ever, Armstrong began to research and develop the gritty streets of nineteenth-century her own ideas more deeply. Soon, instead of Washington, D.C., in The Dreams of just winning over young readers, she began to Mairhe Mehan (1996). Her nonfiction impress the critics too. Her first independent invites readers to explore the South novel, Steal Away (1992), and her first picture Pole with Shackleton in Shipwreck at book, Hugh Can Do (1992), were both well Jennifer Armstrong the Bottom of the World (1999) and the received and won several awards. wrenching experiences of WW II Jews and those who protected them through the memoir In My Recently I had the chance to talk to Armstrong about how she Hands (with Irene Gut Opdyke, 1999). develops her projects and what readers can expect from her in the future: Armstrong knew she wanted to be an author by the time she was One of the most striking things about your body of work is its in first grade. Visiting the library was a weekly family tradition, variety. You’ve done picture books, historical fiction, nonfic- and Armstrong was on very good terms with Louise Fitzhugh’s Harriet, Madeline L’Engle’s Meg Murray, and Carolyn Keene’s Megan Lynn Isaac, a former college professor, lives in Auburn, Nancy Drew. She loved to write too; she could polish off an Alabama. eight-page note to her best friend a few desks away in her grade

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Conquering the South Pole and Beyond tion, and short stories. How do you decide what to do next? Are I wanted to hold my head up; I would have to go to Antarctica. there genres you would like to tackle or ones that still feel for- And I didn’t want to go as a tourist on a $10,000 cruise where you eign to you? get to look at Antarctica from the water; and I wasn’t going to go study so I could I suspect it’s not a very flattering go as an astrophysicist or electrician or answer. I have a short attention span. engineer. I had heard about the NSF I kind of hop from one thing to Artists and Writers Grants, so I had to another. Generally there is no grand come up with something they would design to my writing career. I think of consider worthwhile. And then if I was something and then I go do that. I going to go to all this trouble, I wanted to mean, for example, I recently did a go all the way to the South Pole. science fiction trilogy. It was like, “Oh, that’s a good idea.” It was never my I actually applied for the grant twice. plan. I don’t read science fiction. I had The first time the project was rather sci- an idea that intrigued me. Same with entific in nature, and they thought it was Shipwreck. I knew the story, and the interesting but that I wasn’t qualified to reason I wrote that book is that there write about science, and I couldn’t argue was some online forum, and someone with that. So they asked me to apply had posted a message asking if any- again. one knew a good version of the story for kids, and there was no response. I I had to figure out what they would find thought, “Oh I know that story; it’s a Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World me highly qualified to write about; and by Jennifer Armstrong great story.” I wasn’t even particularly my qualifications, if I have any, are from planning on writing nonfiction. writing about history. I had already done an explorer story and they aren’t inter- Are there any genres you avoid? ested in another book about penguins, so I had to think what else there had a his- Not by design. Four years ago, I would tory. So I came up with this idea of writing have said I have no interest in science about ice and using ice as a lens through fiction. I don’t generally come up with which to look at human and planetary fantasy-type novel ideas, so I haven’t history. So this is what I proposed. written any fantasy novels. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if one of It is a book about how ice has played a these days I come up with a fantasy role in our history. It has cosmogenic novel. It is a matter of what my imag- connections—the dirty snowball theory ination is occupied with. I spend a lot of bringing amino acids to earth, the of time reading history and thinking influence of ice sheets on evolution and about it. A lot of my work has a histor- human migration, the influence of and ical element about it, both fiction and availability of ice for food preservation nonfiction. If I spent more time read- and therefore the limits of commercial ing science, I would probably end up development. Ice in the imagination. Ice writing about science. in art and poetry. And then also ice as a matrix for scientific exploration and You’ve won acclaim for Shipwreck at inquiry; ice cores that give us information the Bottom of the World, a nonfiction about early atmospheric and climate account of Shackleton’s voyage on the What a Song Can Do by Jennifer Armstrong conditions on the planet. Endurance to explore Antarctica. I know it led you to make your own trip And then the piece de resistance is called to Antarctica on a National Science Foundation [NSF] grant. Ice Cube. It is what is referred to as Big Science. It’s a very large Tell me about that trip and the writing projects it spawned. and expensive project, an astrophysics project. A cubic kilometer of ice at the Pole is being drilled with a special hot water The project I proposed to the NSF so that they would consider drill to embed optical sensors in the ice starting at a kilometer sending me to Antarctica is intended to be a middle-school-age deep and coming up. What they are doing is looking down- nonfiction book about the history of ice. I kind of came to this in ward, and they are looking for a subatomic particle called the a backwards way; basically because of the attention that I got for neutrino. It is among the smallest particles that physicists are Shipwreck, people were constantly asking me if I had gone to thinking about these days. Every once in a while one collides Antarctica, and I said, “Oh God, no. I used the library.” They with a water molecule, sending off a little burst of radiation. I asked then, “Would you want to go?” and I said, “No! Have you said that I needed to see this project so I could get to see the read the book?” And it became sort of embarrassing. South Pole.

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Conquering the South Pole and Beyond

When should we look for this new book on ice? Jennifer Armstrong,a Select Bibliography It’s a rather diffuse subject, and what I have learned in my short career is that it is very important to me to have a narrative. I’m Picture Books trying to find the narrative form to pull together Mary Shelley’s Hugh Can Do. Illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken Root. Frankenstein and being on an ice breaker and all these strange Crown Books, 1992. things. How do I tie it all together? There has to be some organ- Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat. Illustrated by Mary izing reason. So that’s what I’m trying to work out. What is the GrandPré. Crown, 1993. pattern that it all fits into? Little Salt Lick and the Sun King. Illustrated by Jon Goodell. Crown, 1994. What was your experience like on the trip to the South Pole and That Terrible Baby. Illustrated by Susan Meddaugh. Antarctica? Tambourine Books, 1994. Whittler’s Tale. Illustrated by Valery Vasiliev. It was fascinating. It was very difficult in many ways. One of the Tambourine, 1994. things I was just not so prepared for—I hadn’t realized I was so King Crow. Illustrated by Eric Rohmann. Crown, 1995. shallow—was that everything is really ugly. I don’t mean the land- Wan Hu Is In the Stars. Illustrated by Barry Root. scape, which is magnificent but not inviting. It is not the kind of Tambourine, 1995. landscape that I can really warm up to, though it is grand and Pockets. Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Crown, 1998. dramatic. The built environment is squalid, beat up—prefab Pierre’s Dream. Illustrated by Susan Gaber. Dial, 1999. metal buildings with all this volcanic dust everywhere. I found it difficult to be without trees and green things. The population— Books for Beginning Readers though the people were fascinating—was very odd. It was odd to The Snowball. Illustrated by Jean Pidgeon. Random be somewhere with no children, old people, pets, or families, per House, 1996. se; there were some couples, but not other families. It was sort of Sunshine, Moonshine. Illustrated by Lucia Washburn. like being in college where everyone is more or less the same age, Random House, 1997. and you all live in a big dormitory. It was jarring to me. Nonfiction The challenge was really more about being away from home for Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The so long, and it was a funny place for a children’s book author to Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the find herself—a whole culture of scientists or support personnel. Endurance. Crown, 1998. The Century for Young People. Written with Peter Well, not only do you do unusually interesting research for your Jennings and Todd Brewster. Doubleday, 1999. books, you also use interesting words when you write them. I’m In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. particularly enchanted by the language in the picture book Written with Irene Gut Opdyke. A.A. Knopf, 1999. Pockets, about an unusually talented seamstress. It simply Spirit of Endurance. Illustrated by William Maughan. explodes with glamorous and exotic words—“bengaline, bra- Crown, 2000. bant, abbot cloth, sarcenet, batiste, and armozeen.” Where did A Three-Minute Speech: Lincoln’s Remarks at you come up with all of this? Gettysburg. Aladdin, 2003. For Pockets, there is a lot of amazing vocabulary, and I basically Fiction went to the library and got out a book about historical costume. Steal Away . . . to Freedom. Orchard, 1992. I don’t even know what half those words are. It is like opening a Black-Eyed Susan. Crown, 1995. jewelry box. I didn’t think it was important to know what they The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan: A Novel of the Civil meant; I just loved their sound. I wrote a lot of poetry in college, War. A.A. Knopf, 1996. and I’ve always been a very auditory writer. I don’t see pictures Patrick Doyle is Full of Blarney. Random House, 1996. in my head; I hear the sound of what I’m trying to say. I have to Lili the Brave. Random House, 1997. be able to hear what is happening in my head because I’m not Mary Mehan Awake. A.A. Knopf, 1997. describing what I see in my imagination. Theodore Roosevelt: Letters from a Young Coal Miner. Winslow Press, 2001. One of the things I frequently do is think about all the words that Thomas Jefferson: Letters from a Philadelphia Book are associated with a book I’m working on. I write them all Worm. Winslow Press, 2001. down, so I can see which of the words I can use. The Kindling. With Nancy Butcher. HarperCollins, 2002. The Keepers of the Flame. With Nancy Butcher. Which of your picture books do you think makes the best read- HarperCollins, 2002. aloud for library story hours? The Kiln. With Nancy Butcher. HarperCollins, 2003. Shattered: Stories of Children and War. (Editor) Knopf, Hugh Can Do; unfortunately, it’s out of print. It has a repeated What a Song Can Do: Twelve Riffs on the Power of line that kids pick up on. And Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat. Music. (Editor) Knopf, 2004.

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Conquering the South Pole and Beyond For many writers, one of the most rewarding things is discover- O’Dell’s Island of the Blue Dolphins.What are some of your cur- ing how readers react to their books. Do you have any favorite rent favorite books? experiences that have come out of fan letters or school visits? Ironically they tend to be fantasy writers. I like Philip Pullman, Gosh, I do, but they aren’t popping to mind. I do a lot of school Garth Nix, and Terry Pratchett. visits. I spend the spring most years talking to lots of kids. They always say wonderful things. I have had the experience a couple Collaboration often occurs with picture books. Do you have of times of sitting in on a book discussion group with, say, fifth much input or work much with the artists who have illustrated graders in a reading club, and the teacher or librarian has, in your picture books? anticipation of my visit, selected one of my books for them to read. That is where you hear much more interesting things than Every editor is different, and I’ve worked with so many editors just “Oh, wow! I liked your book!” You hear them being wonder- and publishers. Some editors may regularly ask for input or fully analytic and insightful. I don’t know if all writers feel this maybe they ask me now that I have more clout, I just don’t know. way, but as a writer I want to be able to communicate perfectly to I don’t feel any strong desire to participate in that decision somebody. I don’t know who it is, but there is somebody out there because I’m not visual. When I write a picture book, I’m not see- who will know exactly what I mean. Whenever I see a kid ing and don’t have any notion of what it ought to look like. I responding in ways that show me he got it, that is very gratifying. think this makes it a lot easier on the editor and illustrator, so I I actually succeeded. never say, “No, no, no! You got it all wrong.” I say, “So that’s what it looks like! I had no idea.” & On your Web site you list some of the novels you loved as a child, classics like Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time and Scott

What’s Developing? kets recalled to your memory your mother tearing old calico into strips for bandages. Some bullets sounded Photographs and videos have become so common- like nothing so much as the strike of a buggy whip place that it is easy to forget what a recent invention across a broad cabbage leaf; some screeched like a they are. What was it like when photography was first cat whose tail is trodden on. Tomorrow this engagement popularized? What was it like to be one of those early will be known in the papers by the name of the nearest photographers? Armstrong’s forthcoming nonfiction town, or the nearest creek or courthouse. The Federals exploration of these questions, Photo by Brady: A Portrait favor creek names for battles—Bull Run, Antietam—the of the Civil War, gives readers a new lens through which Rebels naming them for towns—Manassas, Sharpsburg. to view history. Armstrong is still working on the book, “But today, today the armies are preparing to move but here’s an early peek at what’s developing: on, to another field by another wood and another “Imagine that you are walking across a field the farmer’s house. Today, to you falls the task of photo- morning after a battle. The ground is littered with cast- graphing this field. You are one of Brady’s operators, and aside haversacks, muskets whose wooden stocks have over there by that wrecked artillery is your darkroom on been shattered by gunfire, forage caps, ramrods, the wheels, your What-Is-It wagon, and the mule that pulls it crumpled paper of used cartridges, a pocket Testament is whisking his tail at carrion flies. In the wagon are the trampled into the mud. With the toe of your boot, you bottles of collodion and silver nitrate, the racks of fragile turn over the little book; then squatting, you trace the glass plates, the heavy box camera on its tripod. Mr. lines of the stained page with one finger: ‘But whoso- Brady has mortgaged his successful New York studio to ever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the supply you with this equipment, has gotten permission other also.’ from Father Abraham himself because it must be “Which man was it who grasped this text in one hand recorded. It must be captured in pictures. Where will you while digging in his cartridge box with the other? That set up the camera? How will you record what hap- man there, his dead eyes staring at the sky? Both of his pened here? How will you show to the people back cheeks are black with gunpowder, from the frenzy of bit- home what terror existed on this field yesterday—the ing off the ends of the cartridges and tipping the pow- smell, the death screams, the generals gnawing their der down the barrel of his musket. . . . cigars to bits as they tried to follow the movement of “Yesterday, as the battle was waged, you waited in regimental flags through the smoke with their field the rear with the supply trains. But even at a distance, it glasses? How will you know if your picture shows more was obvious how quickly the air thickened with smoke, than just the grisly aftermath of battle, silent and still?” like a thundercloud lit by lightning flashes of artillery.You Find out more in Photo by Brady: A Portrait of the Civil noticed how grapeshot hitting the trees sounded like War when it debuts from Atheneum Books for Young hitting the side of a barn, and how the rapid fire of mus- Readers in 2005.

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em Fox learned from an early age the importance of Mher ears. That’s what the Australian author told attendees at the ALSC Preconference at the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando.

Her ears helped her embrace the importance of sounds—a task especially important, she said, in her twenty-one years of writing for children. “Writing picture books is mad- ness,” said Fox of the “fantastically Fox’s latest collaboration is Where is the difficult” task that takes up, in her esti- Green Sheep? with illustrations by Judy There’s No mation, 10 percent of her life. If it took Horacek up more time, she said, “It would be the death of me!” As an example, she said, one early “ECT” in draft had her using the word “perfect” Fortunately for her legions of fans— as an adjective in the beginning pages. a Koala both children and adults—the “mad- As she read those early drafts aloud, ness” hasn’t gotten to her yet. Fox emphasized how harsh that word Mem Fox and the sounded in the context of a story But back to those ears . . . where all the words were “round.” Importance of “There’s no ‘ECT’ in koala,” Fox said, In Fox’s case, she was a young woman explaining why Koala Lou became soft Reading Aloud of sixteen when she read a line from a and round rather than “perfect.” storybook out loud and it affected her profoundly. The line, Fox said, was Fox’s newest book, Where is the Green Sharon Korbeck “She sat beside me and quacked in flat Sheep?, is a collaboration with illustra- platitudes.” tor Judy Horacek. As she read several drafts aloud, attendees further under- Fox’s ability to craft picture books, she stood Fox’s thesis that “my best teacher said, is a result of what she learned was my ear.” directly by reading aloud that day. “Sounds in a sentence can paint pic- “It isn’t children’s eyes but their ears tures in words,” she said, using some that will help them on the road to liter- of her books as examples. Fox told the acy,” Fox said. & audience how she crafted and recrafted many drafts of her book Fox spoke at the ALSC Preconference in Koala Lou (Harcourt, 1989) to get just Orlando. It was her eighty-first trip to the right sounds. the United States.

Read Aloud International

Before signing books at the ALSC Preconference, author Mem Fox spoke of the importance of reading aloud. She’s not alone in this crusade. Fox spoke of a new group called Read Aloud International, com- mitted to, according to its brochure, “changing the world, one page at a time.”The group aims to make reading aloud to children a regular practice in every home, school, and childcare facility worldwide. For more information on the group, call (866) 822-5683 or visit www.readaloudinternational.org.

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2004 Annual Conference Orlando, Florida

A young Yuyi Morales beamed at receiving two mentions at the An exuberant Richard Jackson was pleased to have his picture Pura Belpré ceremony. taken with Pat Scales, chair of the 2005 Arbuthnot Committee. Jackson will deliver the Arbuthnot lecture next year at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Penn.

ALSC's hard-working Chicago staff includes, left to right, Meredith Parets, Linda Mays, Laura Schulte-Cooper, and Malore Brown. Then ALA President Carla Hayden poses with Newbery Award winner Kate DiCamillo at the Newbery/Caldecott Awards Banquet.

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Photo Gallery

Dancers from the Salsa Heat Dance Company set the stage and mood at the Fifth Biennial Pura Belpré Award Celebración.

Helen Raseroka of Botswana, president of IFLA, greeted ALSC members at the Preconference events.

Jean Hatfield of Kansas, left, and Joyce Laiosa of New York, were named Bechtel scholarship winners.

Author/illustrators Donald Crews and Lois Ehlert served on a panel discussion about picture books at the ALSC program “Attracting the Youngest Patrons: Books for Preschoolers.”

Lisa Paulo of Great Neck, N.Y.,left, and Karen DeAngelo of Burnt Hills, N.Y.,help a guest at the ALSC membership booth.

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hat a pleasure to be asked The only people who were actually to speak to you today. This there in Lincoln’s youth, and actually W happens to be the occasion talked about it later, were a certifiably of the publication of my one-hundred- crazy cousin and Lincoln himself, who and-twenty-fifth book for young peo- was so secretive that he never revealed ple. It is a good book to present a thing. All he ever said about his early because My Kindergarten is a personal years, quoting John Donne, was this: it Acropolis of the spirit and characters was that it was typical of the annals of of almost every Wells book that the poor. Once in a while he would preceded it. joke that he and his people were White Trash, which was a term very much in Before I introduce it to you, I wanted to use in 1860. say a word of acknowledgment to my audience. It is because of you that any What we actually do know about his of us, artist, author, agent, or publisher childhood is astonishing because of The comes to this convention. what happened after it. The general public and the politicians He was born on a dirt floor of a house who claim to represent them haven’t a with no windows. His family com- Electricity clue how passionately your hearts beat prised a wispy sister who did not live for our children and their personal and long, a mother who may have been a of Story intellectual growth, for our country’s wrestler who also did not live long, an future held in their little hands. abusive, randomly employed father, Rosemary Wells and an eventual stepmother. If you were properly appreciated, you would be paid like surgeons and your He lived in a shack with three sides. Rosemary Wells delivered this libraries would be stocked like the The open side was used for a fire speech during the ALSC Preconference larders of Louis the Fourteenth. This is because they couldn’t afford a chim- at the ALA Annual Conference in apparently not the ambition for which ney. His diet was a scurvy producer. He Orlando, Florida, in June 2004. our hugely rich government chooses had one set of clothing. He had only to spend its money. More power to nine months of formal schooling, you, then, for your unflagging commit- none of it consecutive, until he was ment to books and the children who eighteen years old. read them. You do this work because you love it, and it is a rewarding way to Think of these symptoms in a child of spend one’s life. today. And they abound, these desper- ately poor children, living unnoticed in I like to bring metaphors from history the house trailers of forgotten counties into my writing. I have found one con- and in our urban ghettos. What will cerning what you do for a living. become of them?

I’ve been reading extensively for ten If Lincoln had been born in this cen- years in all corners of 1860s American tury, he would be a three-times-over life for a novel on the Civil War. In the child at risk in a Title One school. He course of it, I have strayed into the inti- would have qualified for free lunch mate, such as it is knowable, child- and free morning milk. He would have hood of Abraham Lincoln. And yes, I a social worker assigned to him. will put this in a book of my own, but first I want to tell it to you. There is a What became of Lincoln and why? whole mythology about Lincoln. The How did this young man become our library book ruined in the rain and one American saint? paid for with rail-splitting pennies. The homemade coffin for the tragically How did he write and speak so stun- dead mother. The overturned shovel ningly that his words moved our coun- used as a slate. try safely to the opposite shore of a war that killed a million men and freed a I call them the Stations of the Cross. million more? Edifying as they are, most of them, alas, are anecdotal nonsense. Lincoln’s writing and his speeches

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The Electricity of Story were never equaled for eighty years fol- We use each other’s talents to perfection. to the Kevin Henkes airport!” lowing his death until the time of Without each other our hands are empty. Churchill and Roosevelt. How did this Who do you write for? I write for the pri- brilliance emanate from a little boy with The secret of sharing children’s literature vate individual child. I write for the no shoes, no school, and no dinner? is in your voices, which never tire of brightest star child, believing that this Goodnight Moon or Alice in Wonderland. bright star lives in a housing project in It was in Shakespeare, which he memo- D.C. or a third-hand mobile home in rized full bore. It was Pilgrim’s Progress and The secret of writing children’s literature Speedwell, Oklahoma. the Arabian Nights and later Blackstone, is that it is very difficult to write. You have Catullus and Virgil, Jefferson, Dickens, to have the voice for it. You must be able What do you say in your stories? There is Walter Scott, Emerson, Henry Clay, and his to write prose that stands up to five hun- only one message. It comes out in many favorite, Robert Burns, that voices, but it is always opened the door of Lincoln’s the same. astonishing mind. You are not alone. It was books. It was stories, poetry and drama, law, his- My books bleed with the tory, and exploration that insecurities of us all. drew him up like a force five Timothy cannot dress storm from poverty, igno- right no matter how he rance, and human depletion. tries. Benjamin suffers the overwhelming Tulip. Connecting the child to the Yoko must prevail book is what a gentle and against philistines who innocent stepmother did for hate sushi. Max ever him and exactly what you do scrambles out from in your careers. There are a under the superior million little lives that come Ruby. Edward will never into your reading rooms and be ready when everyone up to your desks. When you else is ready. Hazel is least expect it, one of them is rescued from bullies by going to borrow the Arabian the power of her Nights. Keep an eye on that mother’s love. Charles child! will forever be shy, My Kindergarten by Rosemary Wells despite his parents’ Need I add that had Lincoln incessant character been a child in 2004 instead of coaching. Claire, Felix, 1815, a child with no shoes, no school, and dred readings aloud because it touches and Robert are saved from life’s indigni- no dinner, he would have watched twelve the heart in a handful of words. Tell that ties and iniquities by Janet, Bunny Queen to sixteen hours of television a day, like to the movie star celebrity authors! of the Bunny Planet. almost all our children in extreme poverty. That statistic is according to The New York My Kindergarten is my one-hundred-and- These are the children we were and the Times Poverty in America survey. twenty-fifth book for children. I like to children who sat next to us in life’s first rite think of it as just the beginning. Nonethe- of passage, occurring every September. It Those twelve hours a day would, of less one hundred and twenty-five is a lot of is then that a dozen or so five-year-old course, have emptied his mind entirely. books, and I think it’s a good idea to try innocents are thrown together, as if Fortunately for us, Lincoln was born in and put a little perspective on this. strangers on a train, in the great random 1812. Lincoln’s life is a great motivator. He accident called kindergarten. was, above all, a lifetime reader. All authors are asked where do the ideas come from? No author can answer this. Kindergarten is the first watershed of It’s my job, if I do it right, to make lifetime childhood. My least worried and most readers out of the children in your story The ideas line up in the sky like planes in cheerful character is Emily. I made her so hours. My job is to provide you with sto- a landing pattern. They hit the runway because of the Kindergarten Ideal. What ries youngsters enjoy hearing and you one after another exactly two-and-a-half every teacher wants on that bright and love to read. I, the author, have the elec- miles apart. shining first day of school is a child who is tricity of a story in my hand. You, the ready to learn without fear, a child who librarian or teacher, take a little girl with a If I cannot accommodate them all, they trusts and respects others. Out of this hole in her dress from the back of beyond flap their aelirons and say over their loud- readiness comes the whole intellectual in the Ozarks and plug her in. speakers: “Give us a gate or we’ll fly away development of the rest of the child’s life.

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The Electricity of Story Out of the trust and respect comes a best its can also be little fascists when it friend, the first true step of the establish- comes to others toeing their personal ment of self. line. It’s all part of learning to control your control panel. These profoundly fundamental stages of development are achieved by parents So My Kindergarten does not stay only on with three simple and inexpensive com- the fruited plain. It takes us over the ponents: time, unconditional love, and mountains and through the valleys. books. Curriculum-based as it appears, this book is ninety-six pages of emotional In kindergarten, these components are content. split three new ways during the school day. The teacher gives time, the friend Now, I want to circle back to our job gives love, and the librarian gives books. together.

Emily’s class on Cranberry Island, We have an enormous children’s culture Maine, is only eight pupils big. There is in America. Billions of dollars are poured no TV. There are no shopping malls. But into it every year. In it is everything from these kids are going to make it just fine. theme parks to TV shows to video games, They have Mrs. Cribbage. They have the clothing, toys, and food. Rosemary Wells lauds the trials, tribulations, and joys of kindergarten in her new book, woods and ocean, books and music, and My Kindergarten. each other. We are all contributors to our current culture. It is us. They learn the seven basics of kinder- way too strong for even the most deter- garten curriculum: math, language, sci- An American icon comes to mind with mined parent to cross. It is very often vio- ence, art, music, community, holidays. these thoughts. She was a gracious first lent, pornographic, and materialistic. lady, but perhaps the best observation Parents can’t say no because someone’s So far so good, but this is a Wells book, Jackie Kennedy ever wrote on life and parents will say yes, and the shell of inno- and so it is not a flood of camp counselor children was this one: If you raise your cence is broken forever. This culture is all-together-now zeal. Kindergarten is a children right, nothing else matters. And like the air people breathe. sylvan, joyful, and free environment. It is if you don’t raise your children right, also a Petri dish of personal turmoil, nothing else matters. It is so easy for good people to do nothing worry, and competition. about what is happening to the children In our time, raising our children right has and country we love. I never forget that children with the become the most difficult thing a parent biggest, sweetest eyes and carefree spir- can face. The prevailing youth culture is We in the book community are a power- ful industry. We are good people. We have a huge professional stake in our children’s culture.

In real life, every classroom we remember, It does no good to be on the side of the although we were all in a hundred different angels if the angels’ wings are so clipped that they cannot fly. Read to Your Bunny classrooms, contained the bully, the terrified geek, cannot play in the same ballpark as MTV, gangsta rap, and Power Rangers. the crybaby, the beauty queen, and the boy who We must be more effective and more always smells a little of pee. Remembering this, appealing in the way we present our my stories are neither saccharine or cute. They product, books, to the public. We need dedicated campaigns to fill the cracks in are all nonfiction because it is the bumps and our children’s lives with books. Every kindergarten in the country should warts that make us laugh. That’s what grownups schedule its one class trip a year to the library to introduce it to children who enjoy reading aloud. That’s what children want to might never know of its world of wonders. hear about over and over. If this requires getting in the kitchen of the head of the Department of Education, so be it.

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The Electricity of Story America has thousands of Little League sports teams who wear baseball shirts advertising Vivian’s Diner and the Wells’ Impromptu Artwork Nets $500 Kiwanis Club. The local JayCees clean up miles of our highways and post their As Rosemary Wells approached the podium for her lunchtime speech, she signs proudly. Not all businesses can carried several napkins up with her. But the crowd soon realized they afford a Little League team. Books are weren’t just any napkins. cheaper. There is no reason why local merchants can’t support a bookshelf Wells had scribbed pictures of her famous characters Max and Ruby on library in each of their community’s five white linen napkins. She later colored the line drawings. The napkins classrooms. They only need to be asked. were auctioned after the preconference and the sale raised $500. For a couple hundred tax-deductible dollars their names can be proudly dis- All the money benefitted the Libri Foundation, a nationwide nonprofit played on a shelf of twenty-five books for organization that donates new, quality, hardcover children’s books to Mrs. Jenkin’s first grade. small, rural public libraries in the United States. For more information on the organization, visit www.librifoundation.org. Snapple and other drink manufacturers sponsor everything from new gyms to scoreboards. We could go far if we involve corporate America and even our politicians to sponsor children’s rooms in our libraries. “This bookshelf was donated by the office of Senator John Doe.” That would help the libraries. And it would help Senator Doe.

In this convention alone are a hundred writers and artists who can convey ideas with stunning talent to attract attention. Artists and writers also tend to be badly organized. Librarians, on the other hand, are brilliant, tireless organizers. So organize us. Let us use each other’s talents to turn this tide, and let us get to Hollywood and corporate board rooms with it.

For my part I try and present a gentler ments than children of today find gift. Barbara Barstow asked me, in children’s world in each book I write. The around them. But the emotional pitfalls September of 2002, to write a little piece kids from Cranberry Island, Maine, have a are timeless and universal. They are for one of the most sterling professionals childhood much like my own in a long meant to spark recognition in the child ever to fit into a pair of librarian’s shoes. ago America. in all of us. She was Jan Smuda of Cleveland. I wrote this for Jan, but I’d like to share it with you Here in a much simpler life, one lived in In real life, every classroom we remem- because I thought you would like to take harmony with nature and books, I hope ber, although we were all in a hundred it home. to remind my readers of the power of gen- different classrooms, contained the bully, tle behavior, of the uniqueness of each the terrified geek, the crybaby, the beauty I believe we are all put on earth to fulfill child, of the failure as well as the success queen, and the boy who always smells a some mission, and yours was one of the that makes up all of us. little of pee. noblest—the delight of children in the wisdom and brilliance of our best artists Emily and her friends are not rich. They Remembering this, my stories are neither and writers. Without this beginning step, grow their own vegetables and make their saccharine or cute. They are all nonfiction taking the book to the child and the child costumes by hand. They don’t own expen- because it is the bumps and warts that to the book, there is no culture, no further sive state-of-the-art electronic stuff make us laugh. That’s what grownups wisdom, and no art. The age of wilderness because life is sometimes better without it. enjoy reading aloud. That’s what children would settle in. want to hear about over and over. Emily’s world, Max and Ruby’s world, You are the holder and wielder of the light Yoko’s world are all simpler environ- In finishing I want to leave you with a tiny in the darkness. Thank you. &

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2004 Batchelder Award

WALTER LORRAINE BOOKS, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin, for Run, Boy, Run by Uri Orlev, trans. by Hillel Halkin

irst let me apologize for not personally attending this presenta- Ftion. I do sincerely respect the award and very much appreciate it being given to a Lorraine book. Some years ago, I did personally meet Mildred Batchelder, whom I found not only a force to contend with in literature but a Deep Impact most charming and gracious lady. I want to applaud the basic concept of Walter Lorraine the award for encouraging an interna- from one-dimensional. Orlev wanted a tional exchange of superior writing for balanced portrayal. Indeed, Hillel Delivered at the American Library children. Otherwise I would not have Halkin worked to make sure that bal- Association Annual Conference in had my long experience with Uri Orlev, ance was acheived and that the proper Orlando in June 2004. a most talented writer and winner of impression came across. the Hans Christian Andersen Award. I met the author first in a wonderful Without the sensitivity of Hillel Halkin, book titled The Island on Bird Street we would not be able to fully appreciate about a young boy and the ghettos of Orlev’s eye or voice. As an early reviewer World War II. Hillel Halkin also trans- stated, Halkin’s wonderfully idiosyn- lated that book. It too received a cratic translation captures perfectly the Batchelder Award in 1985. Halkin has vision of the story. It has been stated for years been a personal friend of that Halkin’s translation is so well Orlev’s and shares Orlev’s feelings blended with the author’s style that the about the war, the suppression of the text reads as if it were originally written Jews, and the Holocaust. in English rather than in Hebrew.

Over the years Orlev has written many Again, I repeat that even though Uri wonderful books, some of which I Orlev’s writings are based directly on have had the pleasure to publish. The fact—he himself is a survivor of the Man From the Other Side (1991), Lydia, ghetto—he neither demonizes nor glo- Queen of Palestine (1993), The Lady rifies his characters. His refusal to with the Hat (1995), and now, Run, Boy, exaggerate gives his writing unim- Run (2003). Hillel Halkin translated peachable impact. Readers here in the each and every one. With only the United States could not fully appreci- exception of Lydia, Queen of Palestine, ate those qualities without the sensi- they have all received a Batchelder tive translations of Hillel Halkin. Award for translation. So I thank first and foremost Uri Orlev One strength of Orlev’s writing rests for his writing. And I thank Hillel with its spareness. Orlev does not Halkin for his sensitive and brilliant waste words. He resists embellish- translation. And, most important, I ments. We learn what happens but we thank this Batchelder Committee and must construct our feelings about all Batchelder Committees in the those happenings for ourselves. His past—indeed, I thank the very concept work goes beyond racial issues of the of the award that has helped to bring Jews. There are often non-Jewish char- so much superior literature from the acters. The characterization of the international community to American German soldiers in Run, Boy, Run is far readers. Thank you all very much. &

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2004 Carnegie Medal him do all of Duck’s vocal sounds. And the music is the latest in a series of col- laborations with the brilliant team of PAUL R. GAGNE and MELISSA REILLY, Robert Reynolds and Scotty Huff, producers, for Giggle Giggle Quack, which began seven years ago when my Weston Woods Studios wife, Lynn, first approached Robert backstage at a Mavericks concert and Paul Gagne: asked if he’d be interested in doing music for children’s videos. Robert and hortly after receiving the phone Scotty have now done the music for call from Malore Brown giving us four of the five Weston Woods films the wonderful news that Giggle S that have been honored with the Giggle Quack had been selected to Carnegie Medal, which is a testament receive this year’s Andrew Carnegie to their talents. They bring something Medal, I had a phone conversation unique to every production. In the with one of our co-producers. She case of Giggle Giggle Quack, Scotty made the comment, “After five times, I made musical “duck” sounds by play- It’s Never imagine this must be old hat for you.” I ing some of the melody using only a immediately replied, “It’s never ‘old trumpet mouthpiece. And their hat’—I still get all choked up when I “Old Hat” Rodgers and Hammerstein parody for call my wife to tell her the news!” The Sound of Moosic is to die for. Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly I’m also very lucky in that the making The soundtrack elements were com- of each of our films is a completely dif- pleted by our sound editor, Steve Delivered at the American Library ferent experience, so it’s always fresh Syarto, who uses anyone and anything Association Annual Conference in and exciting. The Carnegie medals in the office in his search for the “per- Orlando in June 2004. we’ve been honored to receive thus far fect” sound. Here’s a bit of behind-the- have been for videos based on five dif- scenes Carnegie medal trivia for you: ferent books with five different cre- to create the sound Duck makes when ative teams and five different directors. he clamps the pencil in his bill, Steve took the wooden case for one of our Much of the credit for this production previous Carnegie medals and lightly and a special thank you must go to our snapped it shut! director Maciek Albrecht, not only for his superb animation, but also for the One of the things I like best about my wealth of truly original and inspired job is the group of people I get to work ideas he and his company, MaGiK with every day. We’re like a family. We Studio, bring to each production. genuinely like and support each other. Maciek is currently putting the finish- No one better exemplifies this than my ing touches on the animation for the co-producer, Melissa Reilly; so thank third film in the series, Duck for you, Melissa, for being both a trusted President, and it’s already shaping up and valued collaborator and a dear into the best one yet. friend. It has been a pleasure to watch your creative talents emerge over the We were also lucky to have a virtual past fifteen years, and it’s an honor for “who’s who” among country music me to now have shared this award artists on the soundtrack. Randy twice with you. Travis, of course, has been the narrator for each of the three videos in this I’d also like to acknowledge and thank series and did his usual great job. Jon our associate producer and another Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Carroll is best known as the keyboard dear friend, Leigh Corra, for all of her player in Mary Chapin Carpenter’s ideas and input throughout this pro- band, and it was during one of her duction; our vice president and gen- concerts that I first had the experience eral manager, Linda Lee, for the of hearing him sing the old Drifters’ guidance, creative freedom, and com- song “Under the Boardwalk” in a duck plete trust and support she provides voice. You haven’t lived until you’ve every day; our colleagues and associ- heard Jon Carroll sing “Under the ates at Scholastic, Inc., and especially Boardwalk” in a duck voice! We had Dick Robinson for his unwavering

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Award Speeches support. Once again, we owe a huge debt voice notwithstanding, I had been given a decided that it could be done, but we of gratitude to Morton Schindel, who cre- gentle reminder of the potential these needed to expand the story beyond the ated Weston Woods and set the standards stories have to be a positive influence on book to fill in those missing details for a for everything we do today. the lives of children and of why we make film audience. So, we assembled the these films to begin with. same creative team we had on Click Most importantly, I’d like to thank my Clack Moo and sat down for a brain- beautiful wife, best friend, and soul mate, Thank you again not only for this honor, storming session with Doreen, Betsy, Lynn, and our beautiful daughters, but for that gentle reminder, which gives and our animation director Maciek Melanie and Brianna, for their unselfish us something to continue to try to live Albrecht. In talking through the film, we love and support, and for the many ways up to. decided to add more hints that Duck was they influence and inspire my work and the culprit behind the rather unusual my life. My family was very excited about Melissa Reilly: vacation instructions Farmer Brown this award because I had been promising leaves for his clueless brother, Bob, and a all year that if I got to go to the ALA ood morning. Life is a puzzle, and bigger payoff at the end when Bob finally Conference in Orlando, they’d come and with every choice or road you realizes he’s been had. we’d all go to Disney World. As fate would Gchoose, you work toward com- have it, Melanie broke her ankle playing pleting the masterpiece. Well, the role of a I’d like to thank Doreen and Betsy for their on a trampoline over Memorial Day, producer is basically the manager of a valuable input during this session, which which required surgery and forced a post- puzzle. And as producers, Paul Gagne and really helped the film take shape, and for ponement of the family trip. (I just found I are in charge of bringing all the pieces their enthusiastic support throughout the out that the same trampoline has now together to create something special. productions of all of their films. Mostly I’d claimed another child’s arm!) So this one’s like to thank them and their publisher for you, Mel! I’d like to express my deepest Paul has shared with you the stories of the Simon & Schuster for giving us Duck and thanks to Malore Brown for that phone many people who have made up the such an amazing series. I think maybe call back in January, along with Pamela pieces of the Giggle Giggle Quack puzzle, there is a part of Duck in all of us. Barron and her wonderful Andrew but I’d like to add a few of my own. Carnegie Medal Committee, the Two other important people I also need American Library Association, and its At Weston Woods, the first piece of each to thank are Doreen’s agent Holly ALSC division for this very gratifying puzzle is a great book. We were first intro- McGhee and Betsy’s agent Dilys Evans. honor. duced to Doreen Cronin and Betsy Dilys and I have negotiated many deals Lewin’s wonderful series when we pro- over the years, and I’m not sure there are A few days after hearing the news of this duced our adaptation of Click Clack Moo. many people who can say how much award, I was shoveling snow from my From the start we were completely taken they enjoy working with agents, but I front walk before driving in to work one with Farmer Brown and his cows. I espe- certainly can say this about you. What morning, and I found myself wondering cially fell in love with Duck. How can you can I say about Holly McGhee? For those exactly what it was that Pam and the not root for Duck? The way he tilts his of you who know her, you know what a Carnegie Medal Committee had head? The way he holds that pencil in his great editor and agent she is, but to me responded to in Giggle Giggle Quack. We beak? The devilish look in his eyes? she is also a friend. Thank you, Holly, for like to think of each book we adapt to film all your support these years, personally as having a “core of meaning”—some When we finished Click Clack Moo, we and professionally. important lesson, moral, or value to con- felt quite ready to take on anything vey to children. It always struck me that Doreen and Betsy might come up with as An important piece of my life puzzle the book could serve as a great spring- a sequel. But to be honest, when we first turned up fifteen years ago when I walked board for creative writing exercises, even saw Giggle Giggle Quack, we weren’t com- into Weston Woods and found not only a a discussion about ethics—just because pletely convinced it could be adapted as a career but a second family. Paul Gagne is Duck can trick Bob into catering to his film. Whereas Click Clack Moo told its not only my associate and boss, but truly every whim, does it mean he should? And story in a pretty linear fashion that was a dear friend. I am extremely honored to I always felt that the book had great enter- easily adaptable from book language to be up here with him to receive this presti- tainment value. Sometime the most the language of film, Giggle Giggle Quack gious award. He has gently guided me all important thing you can do for children is was a book in which the text and illustra- these years to become the producer I am simply to make them laugh. But I have to tions told only part of the story. Much of today. Thank you, Paul, for everything confess that an underlying lesson or what happens in this book is implied, and you do. Another vital person in our work moral eluded me. And then it suddenly the story is complete only when the family is Vice President and General struck me: Duck never asks for anything reader’s imagination fills in the missing Manager Linda Lee. Linda has shown us for himself. Of course, later on a cynical details. all great support in allowing us to follow little voice in my head kicked in and said, our creative dreams but always keeping “Yeah, that’s because he doesn’t want to After several months of listening to our us on the business straight and narrow. take the blame for anything. Is it any colleague and California sales rep John continued on page 50 wonder he’s gone into politics?” Cynical Zick asking us to do the sequel, we finally

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2004 Sibert Award because of the story. A mysterious, killer disease with the charming nick- name “the Black Vomit”; mass panic in JIM MURPHY, author of An American the streets and the flight of over half Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the city’s population; the virtual col- the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793, lapse of the federal, state, and local Clarion Books governments; doctors—the few who stayed in town, that is—arguing in would like to begin by thanking the newspapers over the disease’s treat- American Library Association for ment and accusing opponents of mur- establishing, Bound to Stay Bound I der, all accompanied by the ominous Books for sponsoring, and the death of hundreds of cats and an even Association for Library Service to more unsettling celestial warning Children for administering the presen- when a meteorite crashed into Third tation of the Robert F. Sibert Street. I mean, what more could a boy Informational Book Award. (I hope I ask for? Drawn to got those credits correct.) I also want to express my appreciation the Story to Cathryn Mercier and the members of the Sibert Selection Committee not Jim Murphy only for picking my book out of so many other excellent and worthy Delivered at the American Library titles, but for their dedication and hard Association Annual Conference in work on behalf of nonfiction. Orlando in June 2004. An American Plague would not have happened without Dinah Stevenson at Clarion. Dinah was able to look past what many people might have considered an “old” and disagreeably gooey disease and appreciate its relevance for readers today (long before SARS made for a nervous ALA Annual Conference [in 2003], by the way).

Many other individuals at Clarion Jim Murphy helped me with my book, but I would like to single out Lynn Polvino for her fine editorial follow-through, Marjorie I was drawn into the story because of Naughton for the book’s excellent pub- the numerous firsthand accounts left licity and promotion, and, of course, behind by those who experienced the Trish Parcell Watts for her striking epidemic. In remarkably clear, remark- design. Writers and illustrators get to ably dramatic prose they described the take away the awards, but it takes a fever’s appearance and spread, the team of highly skilled and dedicated empty streets and abandoned sick. people to create the actual book. Several doctors described the illness in precise detail, then set about bad- And finally, thanks to my wife, Alison mouthing colleagues in colorful fash- Blank, for her constant support and ion; ministers speculated about the invaluable help in gathering research “real” cause of the disease, with the and illustrations for the book, and Reverend J. Henry C. Helmuth (I love most of all for putting up with those his name) summing up the prevailing all-too-frequent grumpy times when I opinion that, “After such a merry, sin- couldn’t get a transition to work. ful summer, by the just judgement of Nothing I do happens without you. I God, a most mournful autumn fol- love you, sweetie. lowed.”

I was initially drawn to the 1793 yellow Ordinary citizens, artists, editors and fever epidemic in Philadelphia printers, politicians, and priests wrote

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Award Speeches about those terrible months and their their attention. They even administered money for their services (a charge that words—their voices—ring as true and as the estates of the dead and established was proven untrue). emotional today as when set down on the city’s first home for orphans. paper more than two hundred years ago. Fortunately for us, Absalom Jones and As reward for their valiant service, they Richard Allen wrote a stirring account of I began to love this story because of the were made to repay all of the moneys their group’s work during the plague, heroes who emerged from the chaos. Real spent above the amount of donations that wickedly nasty when speaking about their heroes, not the kind manufactured by came in from other cities. No good deed detractors, but also stirring in its procla- today’s reality TV shows. Matthew goes unpunished, as the saying goes. mation of principle and self-worth. Clarkson, Philadelphia’s mayor, was the What’s more, when the fever struck the only elected official who did not abandon In 1793, the Free African Society was the city again in 1797, 1798, and 1799, the his responsibilities. He stayed at his post only group to volunteer to nurse the sick African-American community put aside despite illness and death in his own fam- and perform a number of other difficult any bad feelings they might have had to ily and despite the fact that he had no tasks for Matthew Clarkson’s committee. volunteer again. authorized power to act on his own. Even Absalom Jones, Richard Allen, and so, he organized a committee of twelve approximately three hundred of their fol- As you might be able to tell, I had a won- individuals mostly, as Clarkson himself lowers marched through the infected city derful time exploring this amazing mate- said, “taken from the middle ranks of life.” every day, even as they themselves took rial and searching for ways to present it to the disease and began to die. young readers. And this award seems These twelve shouldered the entire almost like too much of a bonus—but one responsibility of managing the city—from As reward for their truly heroic actions, I’ll happily take home and cherish always. collecting and burying the dead, to oper- they were often shunned as carriers of Thank you again. & ating the pest house, to bringing in food yellow fever, sometimes attacked physi- for the shunned city. No chore escaped cally, and even accused of extorting

It’s Never “Old Hat” continued from page 48

Thank you for being a great leader and that my first job was at age fifteen as a tantly, my friends. I thank you both. example for us all. library page at the South Huntington Public Library. I was very lucky to grow up So on this day I stand here in front of you Last but not least is our Associate Business with a library right down the street from all with my deepest gratitude. I would like Manager and one of my best friends, Kim my house. I could have never imagined an to thank Cynthia Richey, Malore Brown, Hayes. Kim and her fiancé, Tom, are here early interest in visiting other worlds Pamela Barron, the members of the today with me, because that’s what great through the joy of reading would help me Carnegie Medal Committee, the friends do, they support each other, and in my future career! But the most impor- American Library Association, and the you two are the best. You both have wel- tant foundation in my life has been my ALSC for honoring Paul and me with such comed me with open arms into your fam- parents. They are both here with me today a prestigious award. Two years in a row is ily, and for that I am truly grateful. and words can’t express how grateful I am a tremendous honor. I know this recogni- to them. They are not just my parents but tion will continue our inspiration and I started to think back about the begin- my advisors, guardian angels, admirers, goal of bringing books to life for children nings of my life puzzle and was reminded emotional supporters, and, most impor- everywhere. &

Guidelines for Authors

Visit the Children and Libraries (CAL) Web site for information on submitting article manuscripts for consideration. The Web site also includes information on the manuscript referee process and CAL policies and procedures. Visit www.ala.org/alsc and click on “Publications & Products” and then “Children and Libraries.”

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Tr 0-06-072825-6 • $16.99 Lb 0-06-072826-4 • $17.89 Also available from HarperChildren’s Audio CD 0-06-075838-4 • $27.95

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The sequel to The Oracle Betrayed

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Book Reviews

Findlay, Diane. Lend a Hand: Exploring Service-Learning through Children’s Literature. Guinn, Cindy, and Karen Simmons. Bags, Boxes, Buttons, and Beyond with The Bag Ladies: A Resource Book of Science and Social Studies Projects for K–6 Teachers, Parents, and Students. Piazza, Carolyn L. Journeys: The Teaching of Writing in Elementary Classrooms. Nespeca, Sue McCleaf, and Joan B. Reeve. Picture Books Plus: 100 Extension Activities in Art, Drama, Music, Math, and Science. Feber, Jane. Creative Book Reports: Fun Projects with Rubrics for Fiction and Nonfiction.

Resources for Teachers plates for organizing thoughts. Junko Yokota, Book Review Editor The ideas expressed in the book are thoughtful, well organized, and easy to follow. Adults who work with children Most professional book collections will likely find the book a helpful way to include books for teachers to use as get their students to develop empathy for resources in planning their teaching. others in their world and to engage them- Many are reference books that do not cir- selves in bettering their community. culate; others are like textbooks for education classes; some are more like “recipe Guinn, Cindy, and Karen Simmons. files” of practical ideas. Educators of all Bags, Boxes, Buttons, and Beyond with kinds rely on many varied resources. The Bag Ladies: A Resource Book of Public libraries find that professional Science and Social Studies Projects for book collections are used by parents who K–6 Teachers, Parents, and Students. are home schooling as well as by class- Illus. by Cindy Guinn. Gainesville, room teachers. In addition, educators Fla.: Maupin House, 2004. (ISBN 0- who work with children in religious edu- 929895-72-X). cation, clubs or scouting, and day-care Lend a Hand by Diane Findlay and after-school programs also find such Very often, teachers and other adults who books useful. In this issue, we examine a work with children collect everyday few of the newer samplings of the Safety, Natural Environment, Aging and objects for their potential usefulness. “The resource books that are available. the Elderly, Building Friendly Bag Ladies” are two teachers who have Communities, Literacy and Education, put together a book of ideas for creative Findlay, Diane. Lend a Hand: Exploring and Promoting Justice. Topics are sug- uses of those objects. Brown bags, cereal Service-Learning through Children’s gested that enable students to pursue fur- or pizza boxes, file folders, and empty CD Literature. Ft. Atkinson,Wisc.: Upstart ther research to develop understanding. cases provide the beginnings of each proj- Bks., 2003 (ISBN 1-57950-086-2). A resource section lists and annotates ect. Supplies needed include staples like approximately twenty to twenty-five scissors, glue, crayons, and markers. More While writing the earlier book, Character books, other media, and Web resources. A unusual (but still readily available) items with Character: Using Children’s section on “Service-Learning in Action” Literature in Character Education, describes successful experiences in Findlay realized the relevance of service- which other elementary students have Junko Yokota is a learning to developing character, noting engaged in service-learning, often professor at National- that it is based on understanding that including contact information for organ- Louis University in others are as important as you and the izations, and so forth. An activities sec- Evanston, Ill., where need for empathy for each other. In this tion suggests discussion prompts, she teaches courses volume, various social issues are games, creative expression, and research in children’s litera- explored, and ways of serving that are opportunities, among others. The final ture. She has worked appropriate for elementary school stu- section of each chapter suggests ways for on a variety of projects with school dis- dents are recommended. students to discover the needs of their tricts, governmental and nonprofit own community and opportunities for organizations, and foundations on issues Chapters include Hunger and the taking action. A few reproducible black- relating to literacy development. Homeless, Animal Welfare, Health and line masters vary from games to tem-

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Book Reviews like tennis ball tubes, survey tape, or wig- each chapter with valuable information gle eyes are also represented. Each project and quick reference. The first chapter sets description is contained within one dou- the stage by explaining the components of ble-page spread. Listed are materials a writer’s workshop: reading, composing, needed and potential ways of using the sharing, and continuous assessment. projects in social studies or science. Step- Each subsequent chapter addresses a dif- by-step directions are accompanied by ferent type of writing and then follows line drawings and, sometimes, photo- with narratives from teachers in grades 1, graphs of finished samples. 3, and 5 who describe how that type of writing is taught to children in classrooms None of the ideas is specific to a particu- and then share insights and tips along lar learning experience. Rather, they offer with actual student writing. opportunities for many different uses. For example, Two-Sided Accordion Pictures The text is dense with well-organized have the following listed: Social Studies— information that is easy to comprehend. map/scenic view, Science—animals One quality that makes the book engag- young/old. Some ideas are generic ing is the amount and variety of boxed enough for use across all areas of the cur- inserts, sidebars, and visual information. riculum. “Cereal Box” depicts a cover pic- Not only do they include student work, Journeys by Carolyn L. Piazza ture featuring the person being studied but they also provide samples of marked and a template for the back of the box to drafts that show teacher response to stu- organize information about the person, dent writing. Many sample checklists the end of each chapter have extensive while suggesting that side panels can be indicate ways students can independ- lists of professional resources as well as used to compare yourself to the person ently keep track of their progress, as well children’s trade books. This book is so researched. as show how teachers can efficiently packed with information that it is likely to manage the information that needs to be offer something for anyone who is inter- A sample project rubric and a list of gen- recorded. Throughout the book, lists of ested in the teaching of writing to ele- eral books related to science and social trade books that exemplify various mentary-age children. studies are also included. At the back of aspects of teaching writing are organized the book are black-line masters that can by topics and are included. Graphic Nespeca, Sue McCleaf, and Joan B. Reeve. serve as templates for some of the proj- organizers are shown filled in so that Picture Books Plus: 100 Extension ects. They are helpful but not necessary in readers can see how a student might use Activities in Art, Drama, Music, Math, order to create the projects. The more them to prepare for writing or to respond and Science. Chicago: ALA, 2003. than sixty projects are said to be “kid- to reading. (ISBN: 0-8389-0840-3). tested” and will appeal to teachers who are looking for creative ways to stimulate Examples of games that extend student Teachers, librarians, and others who work project-based learning. learning are shown. The bibliographies at with preschool children through early primary grades will discover a wealth of Piazza, Carolyn L. Journeys: The Teaching ideas in this book. In the introduction, of Writing in Elementary Classrooms. the authors explain how extension activ- Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/ ities enrich students’ understanding of Prentice Hall, 2003. (ISBN 0-13- picture books and motivate them to read 022144-9). more literature. Engaging children in the literature helps them “catch” the reading This is a comprehensive book on teach- habit. ing writing, one that is perhaps more typically used as a college textbook than a The first chapter introduces and empha- library book. Nevertheless, it has an sizes just how important picture books appeal as a reference book for those are and how children actually use them. interested in teaching writing, whether Young children “read” illustrations before novice or veteran teachers. Curriculum they learn to read printed words. Picture planners and workshop leaders will likely books aid young children’s language find this book useful, too. development, expose them to excellent art and literary elements, and increase Chapters include: The Writer’s Workshop, their desire to continue reading. Journal Writing, Personal Writing, Story Writing, Poetry Writing, Expository Since art is an integral part of a picture Bags, Boxes, Buttons, and Beyond with Writing, and Persuasive Writing. Tables, The Bag Ladies by Cindy Guinn and book, quality illustrations are critical charts, and samples of students’ work pack Karen Simmons when selecting books for new readers. To

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Book Reviews help adults evaluate picture books, Although the book is targeted for grades Nespeca and Reeve detail several key ele- four through eight, many of the projects ments that illustrators use in their art. are easily adapted to other grades. These include visual elements, various Directions are written for an entire class formats, and different types of media. reading the same book and completing the project, but can be adapted for small The remaining chapters describe various group literature circles or for individual innovative “how-to” instructions. Each students self-selecting books. The end section is based on one of the following goal for most of the projects is present- disciplines: art, drama, music, math, or ing to an audience in a variety of ways. science. Included are thorough descrip- Visual displays in libraries connect stu- tions of each discipline, philosophical dent learning from classrooms to reasons for using a particular subject for libraries. Oral presentations offer stu- extension activities, and the materials, dents opportunities to learn how to tools, and techniques necessary for plan- express what they learned. Projects are ning a successful program. organized alphabetically by names that describe the presentation media (e.g., Twenty different picture book titles, with award, brochure, postcard, Web site) and exciting extensions from the specific dis- Creative Book Reports by Jane Feber allow the projects to be applicable across many books and many subject areas. cipline, help summarize each chapter. report. This book of creative book reports Because the projects typically take one This is supported by brief story sum- explores thirty-nine alternatives for stu- or two class periods of twenty to thirty maries, materials required, procedures to dents to respond to their reading. In fact, minutes, it is possible for them to be follow, and other key recommendations. the title of the book is not as broad as the completed during library times as well as Each chapter focuses on hands-on activi- concepts explored within the book. ties so children can relate the literature to in classrooms. everyday experiences. Through the projects, students find ways The introductory matter includes a sec- of showing their understanding of the lit- tion on classroom management tips that Complete bibliographic citations for all erary elements, comprehension of the encourage students to take responsibility the picture books, musical recordings, concepts in the book, and the freedom of for planning and organizing their work in and resource books used in the exten- expressing their thoughts in creative ways. a methodical way. Each project has a sions appear at the end of each chapter. Students are encouraged to engage in crit- reproducible student page and a teacher Author/illustrator and title indexes at the ical and creative thinking, and are shown page; both are organized for easily follow- close of the book compliment the user- how to translate their thoughts into con- ing the step-by-step directions. Photo- friendly format of the book. crete, visible ways. Rubrics for assessment graphs of completed sample projects are are provided, both in print as black-line included on many pages. Feber, Jane. Creative Book Reports: Fun masters in the book and on an accompa- Projects with Rubrics for Fiction and nying CD that allows users to manipulate This book is likely to be useful to many Nonfiction. Gainesville, Fla.: Maupin the templates and customize them. teachers and librarians who look for ways House, 2004. (ISBN 0-929895-69-X). Rubrics provide ways for students to know to engage students in creatively showing what’s expected of them, and make objec- what they have learned in response to Teachers often want to find ways for stu- tive how their work will be assessed. They what they have read.—Linda Tiffany, dents to show that they understand what also provide specific information on what Children’s Librarian at Columbus (Ohio) they have read. Sometimes students are areas were clearly shown as well under- Metropolitan Library. & required to take a quiz or write a book stood, and what areas need improvement.

Index to Advertisers

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ALSCNews

2005 Slate of Candidates Tina Hubert, Lewis & Clark Library Tim Capehart, Dayton (Ohio) Metro System, Edwardsville, Ill. Library Vice-President/President-Elect Edie Ching, Saint Alban’s School, Caldecott Committee, 2007 Washington, D.C. Mary Furlough, Laman Public Library, K.T. Horning, Cooperative Children’s Carol Baughman, Kentucky Department North Little Rock, Ark. Book Center, Madison, Wis. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, Jean Hatfield, Johnson County Library, Sue McCleaf Nespeca, Kid Lit Plus Ky. Shawnee Mission, Kan. Consulting, Youngstown, Ohio Shawn Brommer, South Central Library Marilyn Hollinshead, West Tisbury System, Madison, Wis. (Mass.) Library Board of Directors Marci Davis, Multnomah County Library, Betsy Orsburn, Free Library of Jean Gaffney, Dayton (Ohio) Metro Portland, Ore. Philadelphia Library Linda Ernst, King County Library System, Jackie Partch, Multnomah County Marina Starr LaTronica, Four County Bellevue, Wash. Library, Portland, Ore. Library System, Vestal, N.Y. Mary Fellows, Upper Hudson Library Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette (Ill.) Public Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial System, Albany, N.Y. Library Library, Old Greenwich, Conn. Saroj Ghoting, Early Childhood Literacy Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Caroline Parr, Central Rappahannock Consultant, Moscow, Idaho Library, Belcamp, Md. Regional Library, Fredericksburg, Va. Patricia Gonzales, Los Angeles Public Sharon Salluzzo, Potomac, Md. Pat Scales, South Carolina Governor’s Library Martha Shinners, Washington State School of the Arts and Humanities, Swalena Griffin, Indian Trails Public Library, Olympia, Wash. Greenville, S.C. Library District, Wheeling, Ill. Margaret Tice, New York Public Library Susan Veltfort, King County Library Catherine Howser, Arkansas State Library, System, Issaquah, Wash. Little Rock, Ark. Sibert Committee, 2007 Helen Foster James, Consulant, San Diego Caldecott Chair, 2007 Richard Kerper, Millersville (Pa.) Melody Allen, Office of Library and University Information Services, Rhode Island Janice Del Negro, Dominican University, Debra Nelson, Prince George’s County Department of Administration, Graduate School of Library and Memorial Library, Upper Marlboro, Providence Information Science, River Forest, Ill. Md. Roxy Ekstrom, Schaumburg (Ill.) Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Angela Reynolds, Washington County Township Library Library, Minnetonka, Minn. Cooperative Library Service, Hillsboro, Diane Lettieri, East County Regional Ore. Library, Lehigh Acres, Fla. Newbery Chair, 2007 Mary Jane Wiseman, The Catholic Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library Kristi Elle Jemtegaard (formerly Kristi University of America, School of Maren Ostergard, Bellevue (Wash.) Thomas Beavin), Arlington County Library & Information Science, Regional Library (Va.) Library Washington, D.C. Penny Peck, San Leandro (Calif.) Public Jerianne Kladder, Columbus (Ohio) Library Metropolitan Library Newbery Committee, 2007 Melissa Rowse, Orange-Ulster Board of Roxane Bartelt, Kenosha (Wis.) Public Cooperative Educational Services, Sibert Chair, 2007 Library Monroe, N.Y. Kate Houston Mitchoff, Multnomah Beverly Bass, Leon County Public Library, Jewell Stoddard, Politics and Prose County Library, Portland, Ore. Tallahassee, Fla. Bookstore, Washington, D.C.

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ALSC News Save the Dates ments early literacy efforts. Language development, creativity, cognitive devel- 2005 Midwinter ALSC Meeting ALSC's preconference "Teachers, Parents, opment, and school readiness are all crit- and Librarians: Working Together So ical to academic success. HCL’s new Schedule Children Can Learn to Read" will be held “Birth to Six” Web site at www.hclib.org/ Thursday and Friday, June 23-24, 2005, at BirthTo6 is designed especially for par- Executive Committee the ALA Annual Conference. How are ents and caregivers of children age six Thursday, January 13, 2–4:30 p.m. children learning to read in 2005? and younger. The site includes early liter- Phonics, intensive drills, computerized acy tips, booklists, storytime information, AASL/ALSC/YALSA Jt. Exec. quizzes, and standardized testing seem to and links to many early literacy resources, Committee have taken over the process. How has the while also adding another dimension to Thursday, January 13, 4:30–6:00 P.M. public librarian's role in helping kids the library’s other interactive preschool become literate changed? Building on the programs. ALSC Past Presidents’ Breakfast successful 2004 "Great Beginnings" pre- Saturday, January 15, 7:30–9 A.M. conference, this year's preconference focuses on early literacy research, library On the Web Division Leadership programming, the roles of school and Saturday, January 15, 9:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M. public librarians in the process of learn- The Centers for Disease Control and ing to read, and bridging the literacy gap Prevention’s BAM! Body and Mind ™ All Committee Meeting I & II from preschool through middle school. Web site has launched a new issue Sunday, January 16, designed to help children between eight 9:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M. Join the Discussion and twelve years old deal with bullies, peer pressure, and other unpleasant sit- Planning and Budget Committee In September, ALSC introduced a new uations. Bullying has become a common Sunday, January 16, 9:30 A.M.– electronic discussion list: ALSCTCHLIT. and serious threat to children and their 12:30 P.M.; Tuesday, January 18, The forum focuses on the discussion of physical and mental health. Some high- 9:30–11 A.M. issues that relate to teaching children’s lights on the site include: “The Bully literature. For information on all of Roundup” game, which helps kids learn All Discussion Group Meeting ALSC’s discussion lists and to subscribe, how to identify a bully, what to do if bul- I and II visit www.ala.org/alsc and click on the lied, and how to avoid falling victim to a Sunday, January 16, 3:30–5 P.M. “Stay Connected” icon. bully; “Grind Your Mind,” an animated quiz on peer pressure; and the “Solve ALSC Board of Directors Your Problem Plan,” a guide to help kids Birth To 6 Resource Sunday, January 16, 2–4:30 P.M. resolve conflicts with family members Monday, January 17, 2–4:30 P.M. Hennepin County Library (HCL) has and friends. Visit the BAM! Body and Tuesday, January 18, 2–5:30 P.M. announced a new Web site that comple- Mind™ Web site at www.bam.gov.

AASL/ALSC/YALSA Jt. Youth Council Caucus Monday, January 17, 7–8:30 A.M.

ALSC Award Winners Press Conference Monday, January 17, 8:15–9:15 A.M.

Membership Reception Monday, January 17, 6–8:00 P.M.

For a complete list of ALSC meetings, including the “closed” award committee meetings, please visit the ALSC Web site at www.ala.org/alsc and click Children participate in a craft program during a NASA @ your library event at Houston on “Events & Conferences.” Public Library (HPL). The NASA @ your library Exhibit ran at HPL throughout the month of July 2004.

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Children and Libraries Who’s the Four-Legged Librarian? Upland Biography Today (Abbey), Sp04:46 Public LIbrary Trains a Guide Dog, Su04:44–47 Creative Book Reports (Feber), W04:54 ARBUTHNOT HONOR LECTURE Good Conversation! A Talk with Pam Index to Volume 2 Cheek by Jowl: Animals in Children’s Muñoz Ryan (video), Sp04:47 Literature (Le Guin), Su04:26–30 Journeys: The Teaching of Writing in Prepared by Janet Russell Jackson to Deliver 2005 Arbuthnot Elementary Classrooms (Piazza), W04:53 Lecture, Sp04:62 Lend a Hand (Findlay), W04:52 ARMSTRONG, JENNIFER Maker of Things (Fleming), Sp04:46–47 Sp04=No. 1 Spring 2004 Conquering the South Pole and Beyond: An Picture Books Plus (Nespeca & Reeve), Interview with Jennifer Armstrong, W04:35–38 W04:53–54 Su04=No. 2 Summer/Fall 2004 AUTHOR GUIDELINES Stories Never Ending (Irving), Su04:58 Get Your Name in Print: Submit an Article Storytime Action! (Bromann), Su04:58 W04=No. 3 Winter 2004 to Children and Libraries, Sp04:63, Su04:63 Ways of Telling (Marcus), Sp04:47 AUTISM BRAIN RESEARCH Autism, Literacy, and Libraries, Su04:35–43; Make Way for Dendrites: How Brain Letters W04:3 Research Can Impact Children’s A AWARDS, See also names of specific Programming, Sp04:12–20 Adkins, Denice and Linda Esser awards, e.g., NEWBERY AWARD Brand, Barbara Literature and Technology Skills for Entry- ALSC Seeks Award Applicants, Su04:60–62 Caldecott Committee Experience Offered Level Children’s Librarians: What Many Rewards (letter), Sp04:3–4 Employers Want, W04:14–18, 21 BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY (N.Y.) Akin, Lynn and Donna MacKinney B All Kinds of Flowers Grow Here: The Child’s BADOE, ADWOA Autism, Literacy, and Libraries, Su04:35–43; Place for Children with Special Needs at The Talespinner of Ghana: An Interview Letters W04:3 Brooklyn Public LIbrary, Sp04:5–10 with Adwoa Badoe, Sp04:38–40 ALA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, ORLANDO Brown, Malore I. Banks, Carrie 2004 Executive Director’s Note, Sp04:2, Su04:2, All Kinds of Flowers Grow Here: The Child’s Board of Directors’ Major Actions, W04:2 Place for Children with Special Needs at Su04:59–60 Budin, Miriam Lang Brooklyn Public LIbrary, Sp04:5–10 Photo Gallery, W04:40–41 Rhyme Time: How Mother Goose Speaks Banta, Gratia J. ALA MIDWINTER MEETING, SAN DIEGO 2004 Many Languages, W04:26–27 Board of Directors’ Major Actions, Reading Pictures: Searching for Sp04:60–62 Excellence in Picture Books, W04:30–34 Photo Gallery, Sp04:44–45 BARRON, TOM C CALDECOTT AWARD ALSC/AASL/YALSA Everyday Heroes: T.A. Barron’s Trail Leads Acceptance speech (Gerstein), Su04:11–13 Membership Bundling Studied, Su04:60 Youth to Find Their Own Strong Examples, Caldecott Committee Experience Offered ALSC BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS Sp04:36–37 Many Rewards (letter), Sp04:3–4 Major Actions: Annual Conference, BATCHELDER AWARD DiCamillo, Gerstein Take Top Honors, Su04:59–60 Batchelder Award speech, W04:46 Sp04:52–53 Major Actions: Electronic Actions, Sp04:60, Translated Hebrew Story Wins Batchelder CARNEGIE MEDAL Su04:59 Award, Sp04:54 2004 Medal Speech (Gagne & Reilly), Major Actions: Midwinter Conference, BECHTEL FELLOWSHIP W04:47–48 Sp04:60–62 Two Bechtel Winners Announced, Sp04:60 Carnegie Committee Thinks Ducks Are Roster, Su04:61 BELPRÉ AWARD Just Quacky!, Sp04:54–55 ALSC/BWI SUMMER READING PROGRAM Acceptance Speech (Alvarez, narration), Cerny, Rosanne GRANT Su04:13–16 How Tots Learn Lots: Queens Borough Long Beach PL Receives Summer Reading Acceptance Speech (Morales, illustra- Takes on Math and Science, W04:11–13 Grant, Sp04:58 tion), Su04:17–19 CHAPPAQUA LIBRARY (N.Y.) ALSC DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Morales, Alvarez Snare Belpré Award, Rhyme Time: How Mother Goose Speaks Walter Receives Distinguished Service Sp04:49–51 Many Languages, W04:26–27 Award, Sp04:55 BEST PRACTICES CHILD DEVELOPMENT ALSC International Relations Committee Ready to Read in Oregon: Building Best Make Way for Dendrites: How Brain Growing Up Latino in the U.S.A.: A Practice in Library Service to Children, Research Can Impact Children’s Bibliography, W04:19–20 W04:4–10 Programming, Sp04:12–20 ALSC News, Sp04:48–62, Su04:59, W04:56–57 Biden, Ann-Marie Why Are We Afraid of Our Boys? A ALSC/SAGEBRUSH EDUCATION RESOURCES Who’s the Four-Legged Librarian? Upland Psychologist Looks at Solutions, Sp04:26–30 LITERATURE PROGRAM AWARD Public LIbrary Trains a Guide Dog, Su04:44–47 CORE COMPETENCIES New Hampshire Media Specialist BING, CHRISTOPHER Literature and Technology Skills for Entry- Honored, Sp04:55,58 Casey, Sambo, and a Hooded Lass: The Level Children’s Librarians: What Employers ALVAREZ, JULIA Artistry of Christopher Bing, Su04:54–57 Want, W04:14–18, 21 Belpré Acceptance Speech, Su04:13–16 BOOK REVIEWS, Sp04:46–47, Su04:58, Morales, Alvarez Snare Belpré Award, W04:52–54 Sp04:49–51 Bags, Boxes, Buttons, and Beyond (Guinn D ANIMALS & Simmons), W04:52–53 Dahlgreen, MaryKay Arbuthnot Lecture: Cheek by Jowl: The Big Book of Stories, Songs, and Sing- Ready to Read in Oregon: Building Best Practice Animals in Children’s Literature, Su04:26–30 Alongs (Maddigan and Drennan), Su04:58 in Library Service to Children, W04:4–10

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Index to Volume 2

Diamant-Cohen, Betsy, Ellen Riordan, and Word), Su04:64 Correction W04:3 LATINO STUDIES Regina Wade HATFIELD, JEAN Growing Up Latino in the U.S.A.: A Make Way for Dendrites: How Brain Two Bechtel Winners Announced, Sp04:60 Bibliography, W04:19–20 Research Can Impact Children’s Hoyte, Carol-Ann LEGUIN, URSULA K. Programming, Sp04:12–20 Playing with Clay: Crafting Images with Arbuthnot Lecture: Cheek by Jowl: DICAMILLO, KATE Clay Seems Like Play for These Illustrators, Animals in Children’s Literature, Su04:26–30 DiCamillo, Gerstein Take Top Honors, W04:22–25 The Dictionary of Coolness: Why Fantasy is Sp04:52–53 The Talespinner of Ghana: An Interview Cool and Why Ursula K. Le Guin Rules the Newbery Acceptance Speech, Su04:8–10 with Adwoa Badoe, Sp04:38–40 Roost, Su04:31–34 DISCUSSION LISTS LIBRARY EDUCATION Join the Discussion ALSCTCHLIT, W04:57 Literature and Technology Skills for Entry- I Level Children’s Librarians: What Keep Connected by E-Lists, Sp04:49 INTERNET. See Great Web Sites for Kids Employers Want, 21, W04:14–18 Isaac, Megan Lynn LITERACY Casey, Sambo, and a Hooded Lass: The E From Grisham to Mother Goose: Who’s to Ekstrom, Roxy Artistry of Christopher Bing, Su04:54–57 Say What Kids Should Read? (Last Word), Libraries Should Consider Partnerships with Conquering the South Pole and Beyond: Sp04:64 YMCA (letter), Sp04:4 An Interview with Jennifer Armstrong, LONG BEACH (Calif.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Esser, Linda. See Adkins, Denice W04:35–38 Long Beach PL Receives Summer Reading Remembering a Legend: The Life and Grant, Sp04:58 Works of Robert McCloskey, Sp04:31–34 F Lorraine, Walter FANTASY Deep Impact: Batchelder Award speech, The Dictionary of Coolness: Why Fantasy is J W04:46 Cool and Why Ursula K. Le Guin Rules the JACKSON, RICHARD Roost, Su04:31–34 Jackson to Deliver 2005 Arbuthnot FOX, MEM Lecture, Sp04:62 M MacKinney, Donna. See Akin, Lynn There’s No “ECT” in a Koala: Mem Fox and JOHN COTTON DANA AWARD MCCLOSKEY, ROBERT the Importance of Reading Aloud, W04:39 Creative Quest Snares John Cotton Dana Remembering a Legend: The Life and FUNDRAISING Award for Halifax Public Libraries, Sp04:59 Works of Robert McCloskey, Sp04:31–34 The Library Corporation Donates $10,000 MORALES, YUYI to PLA/ALSC, Sp04:48 K Belpré Acceptance Speech, Su04:17–19 KEANE, NANCY J. Morales, Alvarez Snare Belpré Award, G New Hampshire Media Specialist Sp04:49–51 GAGNE, PAUL R. and MELISSA REILLY Honored, 58, Sp04:55 MORRIS, WILLIAM Carnegie Committee Thinks Ducks Are Korbeck, Sharon Morris Remembers ALSC, Sp04:49 Just Quacky!, Sp04:54–55 Beginning Again: Jane Breskin Zalben “The Last Civilized Man” Librarians Carnegie Medal Award Speech, Teams with Husband for Daring New Book, Remember Willliam Morris, Sp04:35 W04:47–48, 50 Su04:48–49 MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMS Gallagher, Genevieve Editor’s Note, Sp04:2, Su04:2, W04:2 Rhyme Time: How Mother Goose Speaks Untangling the Cobwebs: Choosing Great Everyday Heroes: T.A. Barron’s Trail Leads Many Languages, W04:26–27 Web Sites for Kids, Sp04:41–42 Youth to Find Their Own Strong Examples, MURPHY, JIM GERSTEIN, MORDICAI Sp04:36–37 2004 Sibert Award speech, W04:49–50 Caldecott Acceptance Speech, From Grisham to Mother Goose: Who’s to Tale of Plague Given Sibert Award, Su04:11–13 Say What Kids Should Read? (Last Word), Sp04:53–54 DiCamillo, Gerstein Take Top Honors, Sp04:64 Sp04:52–53 Perfection and Precision: The Surprising Gilmer, Lois Life of Pop-Up Book Creator Robert N NEWBERY AWARD What Eudora Welty Read: The Influence of Sabuda, Sp04:22–25 Acceptance speech (DiCamillo), Children’s Literature on One Writer’s “The Last Civilized Man”: Librarians Su04:8–10 Beginnings, Su04:50–53 Remember Willliam Morris, Sp04:35 DiCamillo, Gerstein Take Top Honors, Great Web Sites for Kids Committee There’s No “ECT” in a Koala: Mem Fox and Sp04:52–53 Great Web Sites City by NEH, Sp04:49 the Importance of Reading Aloud, W04:39 NOTABLE CHILDREN’S BOOKS Great Web Sites Now Even Better, Su04:62 2004 Notable Children’s Books, Sp04:50 Untangling the Cobwebs: Choosing Great L NOTABLE CHILDREN’S RECORDINGS Web Sites for Kids, Sp04:41–42 LAIOSA, JOYCE 2004 Notable Children’s Recordings, Two Bechtel Winners Announced, Sp04:60 Sp04:51 H Last Word (column) NOTABLE CHILDREN’S VIDEOS HALIFAX (Nova Scotia, Canada) PUBLIC Dining with an Oogaboo: Relating the 2004 Notable Children’s Videos, Sp04:54 LIBRARY Long-term Joys of Oz, W04:64 NOTABLE COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND ONLINE Creative Quest Snares John Cotton Dana From Grisham to Mother Goose: Who’s to SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN Award for Halifax Public Libraries, Sp04:59 Say What Kids Should Read?, Sp04:64 2004 Selections, Sp04:53 HARRY POTTER BOOKS Never Too Old to Summon an Owl: NURSERY RHYMES Never Too Old to Summon an Owl: Sharing the Pleasures of Potter, Su04:64 Rhyme Time: How Mother Goose Speaks Sharing the Pleasures of Potter (Last Correction W04:3 Many Languages, W04:26–27

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Index to Volume 2

O Riordan, Ellen. See Diamant-Cohen, Betsy Su04:44–47 OREGON LIBRARIES ROWLING, J. K. Ready to Read in Oregon: Building Best Never Too Old to Summon an Owl: V Practice in Library Service to Children, Sharing the Pleasures of Potter, Su04:64 VANSGARD, AMY W04:4–10 Correction W04:3 Playing with Clay: Crafting Images with ORLEV, URI Clay Seems Like Play for These Illustrators, Deep Impact: Batchelder Award Speech, S W04:22–25 W04:46 SABUDA, ROBERT Translated Hebrew Story Wins Batchelder Perfection and Precision: The Surprising W Award, Sp04:54 Life of Pop-Up Book Creator Robert Wade, Regina. See Diamant-Cohen, Betsy OZ Sabuda, Sp04:22–25 Wadham, Tim Dining with an Oogaboo: Relating the SCHÖN, NANCY The Dictionary of Coolness: Why Fantasy is Long-term Joys of Oz (Last Word), W04:64 Interview with Nancy Schön, Sp04:34 Cool and Why Ursula K. Le Guin Rules the Sciandra, Denise Roost, Su04:31–34 P Dining with an Oogaboo: Relating the WALTER, VIRGINIA PARTNERSHIPS Long-term Joys of Oz (Last Word), W04:64 Walter Receives Distinguished Service Libraries Should Consider Partnerships with SIBERT AWARD Award, Sp04:55 YMCA (letter), Sp04:4 2004 Sibert Award speech (Murphy), WALTER LORRAINE BOOKS PENGUIN PUTNAM BOOKS FOR YOUNG W04:49–50 Translated Hebrew Story Wins Batchelder READERS AWARD Tale of Plague Given Sibert Award, Award, Sp04:54 Penguin Putnam Awards $600 Grants to Sp04:53–54 Wells, Rosemary Four Winners, Sp04:58–60 SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN The Electricity of Story, W04:42–45 PICTURE BOOKS All Kinds of Flowers Grow Here: The Child’s WELTY, EUDORA Reading Pictures: Searching for Place for Children with Special Needs at What Eudora Welty Read: The Influence of Excellence in Picture Books, W04:30–34 Brooklyn Public LIbrary, Sp04:5–10 Children’s Literature on One Writer’s Story Times That Rock! Creating Successful Autism, Literacy, and Libraries, Su04:35–43; Beginnings, Su04:50–53 Readers ... and Attentive Listeners, Letters W04:3 Wires, Cheryl L. W04:28–29 STORY TIMES Never Too Old to Summon an Owl: PRESCHOOL CHILDREN. See TODDLER PRO- Story Times That Rock! Creating Successful Sharing the Pleasures of Potter, Su04:64 GRAMS Readers ... and Attentive Listeners, Correction W04:3 President’s Message (column) W04:28–29 Wronka, Gretchen ALSC Amazes and Awes (Wronka), Su04:6–7 Strong, Sunny President’s Message, Su04:6–7 Moving ALSC Forward (Richey), Su04:4–5 Story Times That Rock! Creating Successful PROGRAMMING Readers ... and Attentive Listeners, Y W04:28–29 Make Way for Dendrites: How Brain YMCA SUMMER READING PROGRAMS Research Can Impact Children’s Libraries Should Consider Partnerships with Creative Quest Snares John Cotton Dana Programming, Sp04:12–20 YMCA (letter), Sp04:4 Award for Halifax Public Libraries, Sp04:59 Yokota, Junko Q Books, Programming, and Readers (Book QUEENS BOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY (N.Y.) T Reviews), Su04:58 How Tots Learn Lots: Queens Borough Thompson, Michael G. Connecting with the Creators: The Lives Takes on Math and Science, W04:11–13 Why Are We Afraid of Our Boys? A and Works of Authors and Illustrators (Book Psychologist Looks at Solutions, Sp04:26–30 Reviews), Sp04:46–47 R TODDLER PROGRAMS Resources for Teachers (Book Reviews), How Tots Learn Lots: Queens Borough REID, BARBARA W04:52–54 Takes on Math and Science, W04:11–13 Playing with Clay: Crafting Images with Clay Seems Like Play for These Illustrators, Z W04:22–25 U ZALBEN, JANE BRESKIN REILLY, MELISSA. See GAGNE, PAUL R. UPLAND (Calif.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Beginning Again: Jane Breskin Zalben Richey, Cynthia Who’s the Four-Legged Librarian? Upland Teams with Husband for Daring New Book, President’s Message, Su04:4–5 Public LIbrary Trains a Guide Dog, Su04:48–49

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Get Your Name in Print Submit an Article to Children and Libraries

Children and Libraries (CAL) is the official “The Last Word” is an end-page feature references. Insert two hard returns between publication of the Association for Library that will run in each issue and highlight paragraphs. Number all pages. Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the brief, light, or humorous essays from Use a minimal amount of formatting in American Library Association (ALA). CAL is children’s librarians, such as: a humorous files. Specialized formatting may be lost in the vehicle for continuing education of story about a library experience; a short translation from one program to another; librarians working with children, which trivia quiz or puzzle about children’s lit- mark specialized formatting with text showcases current research and practice erature; a brief, creatively written insight instructions such as . Do not use relating to library service to children and on library service, children’s literature, or the automatic footnote/endnote feature on spotlights significant activities and pro- programming; a very short question- your word processing program; create end- grams of the Association. and-answer interview with a popular notes manually at the end of the article. author; a funny story about what kids are If sending a disk, label it with the first overheard saying in libraries. “The Last author’s name and all file names. Manuscript Consideration Word” will be a place for children’s librarians to share these stories and get their Submit manuscripts that are neither under Writing and Bibliographic Style name in print. Please send your ideas or consideration nor accepted elsewhere. Send finished stories to the editor. four copies of the manuscript to the CAL Children and Libraries follows the 14th edi- editor at the address below. (One copy if tion of The Chicago Manual of Style. Authors Attach a cover sheet indicating the title of sending by e-mail.) Editor will acknowledge are responsible for accuracy in the manu- the article and the full name, title, affiliation, receipt of all manuscripts and send them to script, including all names and citations. phone number, fax number, e-mail address, at least two referees for evaluation. Accepted Editor may revise accepted manuscripts for and complete mailing address of the first manuscripts with timely content will have clarity, accuracy, and readability, consistent author. Include a 200-word abstract. scheduling priority. with publication style and journal audience. Place tables on separate pages. Notations should appear in text for proper table and Manuscript Preparation figure placement (e.g., “insert table 1 here”). Address Provide a title and caption for each table and For information on formatting your manu- figure. Send correspondence and manuscripts to script, editorial style, guidelines for text and Supply charts and graphs as spreadsheet Sharon Korbeck, CAL editor, 820 Spencer Ct., art, and copyright forms, contact the editor programs or as graphics (TIFFs or high-res- De Pere, WI 54115, or via e-mail to at the address given. olution JPEGs). Camera-ready copy is also [email protected]. For citations, use endnotes as described acceptable. You need not provide graphs in in the 15th edition of The Chicago Manual of final form. If you prefer, you may provide a Style, sections 16–17. rough version, or even a sketch. If so, please Submit manuscripts and text (including mark all data points clearly. We will create references, tables, notes, and bibliogra- the graphic. You will have a chance to review phies) to the editor by e-mail as a rich text or the graphic when you review your Microsoft Word file attachment, copy the typeset pages during the text directly into the body of an e-mail proofing stage. message, or send on a CD. Illustrative Photos can material (such as high-resolution digital also be included images) MUST be sent via CD. CDs must be with manuscript. PC-formatted. Color or black and white photos are Full length features (e.g., scholarly,research acceptable. We also and “best practice” articles): fifteen to can accept digital twenty pages, double-spaced. images of at least 300 Short features (e.g., interviews with dpi resolution. (Pict- authors, librarians, or others involved ures from the Web are with library service to children): three to not of sufficient quality ten pages, double-spaced. for printed material The Last Word: 500–750 words, double- because their resolution spaced. is too low.) Photos will be returned to author(s) after Long and short features should be well publication. researched with themes relevant and of Submit either Microsoft interest to children’s librarians and all Word or WordPerfect files. those involved and interested in library Double-space the entire man- service to children. uscript, including quotes and

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FRIENDS of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) was created to ensure excellence FRIENDS OF ALSC in the Association's traditional programs and services and to support growth in new directions as our profession meets the exciting challenges of the 21st Help Raise century.

As a FRIEND OF ALSC you can choose to support a Nation one or more of these initiatives at the core of ALSC's mission: of Readers PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FRIENDS support opportunities for all members to grow through grants, scholarships,Web-based learning, and training through new technologies.

EARLY LITERACY PROJECTS FRIENDS support early literacy initiatives such as Born to Read, guaranteeing ALSC’s place at the forefront of our nation’s literacy campaigns.

INNOVATIVE CONFERENCE PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTES FRIENDS support creative, practical programs and institutes to meet the ever-changing needs of both new and veteran members.

21st CENTURY CHALLENGES FRIENDS support ALSC's efforts to attract and retain members, address intellectual freedom and equity of access issues, create public awareness campaigns, and pursue diversity in the membership and the profession. ALSC GIVE US YOUR SUPPORT TODAY! Association for Library Service to Children

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DINING WITH AN OOGABOO:Relating the Long-term Joys of Oz By Denise Sciandra

had dinner with an Oogaboo! The movie on TV became an annual fam- curious creature proudly identified ily ritual. Iherself when she sat down. No one else seemed startled. Was I the only one in Lisa eventually had a Wizard of Oz touch with reality? That’s the question I bedroom filled with books, dolls, and asked myself that fateful weekend in 2003 posters. Family trips took us on at a Winkie Convention in California. The searches for out-of-print books. Lisa convention is hosted annually by the read the fourteen-book series by L. International Wizard of Oz Club. Frank Baum and some of Ruth Plumly Thompson’s sequels in Del Rey paper- What’s an Oogaboo? After the laughter backs. It took a dedicated fan to read died down, I was informed that Oogaboos those unusually plain editions. live in a small northwestern corner of Winkie country in the land of Oz, so that I first read the entire series in 1990 for purposes of the convention, Oogaboos when I was bedridden while recover- come from Oregon and Washington ing from deep vein thrombosis. My Sciandra’s daughter was very daughter said, “Mom, I think you’d whereas Winkies live in California. young when she fell in love with Oz. really like these,” and then patiently I attended the Winkie Convention brought them to me two at a time until through my association with Angelica I had read them all. These Oz fantasies Carpenter, self-professed Oz nut, at the Arne Nixon Center were a welcome contrast to being for the Study of Children’s Literature at California State trapped in a hospital bed for two weeks with a life-threat- University, Fresno. She’s the curator for the center and is ening condition. the newly elected president of the Oz Club. Hanging out with Angelica and her Oz friends has been enlightening I’d like to introduce Lisa to the Winkie Convention and to and fun. But I’m concerned . . . they make dining with the Oogaboos, who are relatively unknown except to the Oogaboos seem normal. most diehard Oz fans. It may be a while before this happens though. She is a newly married law school student. The Oogaboo who dined with me appeared in the talent Her collection is neatly packed away in the attic, perhaps show where she stood on her head and played “Over the waiting to be discovered by a second generation Oz fan. Rainbow” on the kazoo. She later dressed as a snail when all the Oogaboos posed as Slow Pokes from The Royal Interested in meeting an Oogaboo yourself? The Book of Oz. Their slow-motion entrance while singing International Wizard of Oz Club was established in 1957 “Slow Down, You Move Too Fast” was unforgettable. for fans of Oz and L. Frank Baum. It now has more than thirteen hundred members. Find out more about them at Angelica has characterized me as a “crazed fan” of Beatrix www.ozclub.org. Potter. Even with these perhaps more pastoral tendencies, I did manage to raise an avid Oz fan. Denise Sciandra is the founding president of the Arne Nixon Center Advocates, the “Friends” group for the Arne Nixon In 1976, my then two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Lisa, Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at California State fell in love with The Wizard of Oz movie. She cried when University, Fresno. She established the Norelma Walker it ended, and before the days of VCRs, watching the Children’s Library in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno.

Got a great, lighthearted essay? A funny story about children and libraries? Books and babies? Pets and picture books? A not-so-serious look at the world of children’s librarianship? Send us your Last Word to Sharon Korbeck at [email protected].

64 Winter 2004 • Children and Libraries