All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address CBC COLUMN usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
“Laughter is indeed the best medicine,” she tweeted, “and thankfully we don’t need a vaccine to experience it.”
Connecting with Young Learners during the Pandemic (and a Thank You to School Librarians)
Debbie Ridpath Ohi
hen I first heard about the virus learning how to sew masks and to repeatedly pivot as quarantine Wnow known as COVID-19, I learning new tech skills. What also guidelines change. I saw so many felt for the residents of Wuhan. helped was that both skills could help posts by school librarians who were Back then, the word pandemic evoked me help others. finding ways to keep supporting their memories of dystopian novels as well young learners despite schools being as the name of a board game that my Educators were (and still are) facing closed and despite their own at-home husband and I enjoyed playing. It such a challenging time, having stresses. Researching how to create didn’t affect me or anyone I knew and edit videos of my creative process personally, not in any real-world to share with educators and their sense. students prompted me to find out I began hearing from more about lighting, audio, and live That changed, of course. streaming. educators, who sent me Everyone had their own way of Before publishers had started coping. Some were able to immerse photos and screenshots of posting their official online reading themselves in their work and were guidelines, I e-mailed Justin extra-productive. Some, like student work, along with Chanda, my editor at Simon & me, were the opposite. Early in Schuster Children’s, to ask if it was the pandemic, I found it nearly messages thanking me, okay for me to put together a cover- impossible to focus on my usual to-cover video reading of some of my creative pursuits. saying that their young books, for use by educators during the pandemic. He said yes, so in I found that the only activities that learners were excited about early March 2020, I put together could drag me away from doom- a video of me reading Where Are My scrolling and stressing about things my creative challenges. Books? aloud, did an art activity, and that were out of my control were
54 Knowledge Quest | Transforming Practice: School Library Success Stories in Challenging Times All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions. included the crowd-sourced related music video. Michael Ian Black offered to do video read-alouds of some of our books. I also began offering free, daily activities for those working with young creators at home, posting them online with the hashtag #KidsDailyDebbieOhi and encouraging them to share (via an adult) their art and writing with me. With their parents’ permission, I included some of these in the videos I had started posting on my YouTube channel, and compiled all of them in a resource for educators at
As many schools began to start me around and offer tips. I was e-learning, I yearned to reconnect moved by their generosity, especially with more young readers, but I since I knew they were all dealing Young readers needed humor wasn’t familiar with some of the new with so much already because of the books more than ever, some platforms. When I put out a call pandemic. to educators on Twitter asking for advice about Google Meets, teacher- Teacher-librarian Lara Ivey also said, to keep readers engaged librarian Susan Bowdoin volunteered responded and invited me to partici- during virtual learning. to help. She and a group of fellow pate in the Old Hundred Elementary New Mexico school librarians met virtual book fair with BBGB Tales for with me in Google Meets to show Kids. I did a read-aloud of I’m Worried, then invited the young readers at home to do an written by Newbery medalist Linda art activity with me and Sue Park, and I got to use found- gave them a sneak peek of object art in my book illustrations for my new picture book. the first time! During the pandemic, Launching a book during however, it felt weird talking about the pandemic was a our book when so many terrible challenge on multiple things were happening around the levels. In the beforetime, world. I had been hugely excited Talking with educators helped me about sharing this new be more at ease about Gurple and book. The story text of Preen posts. Young readers needed Gurple and Preen: A Broken humor books more than ever, some Crayon Cosmic Adventure was
Volume 49, No. 5 | May/June 2021 55 All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
said, to keep readers engaged Mexico librarians, and it was a joy Here are just a few of the things I have during virtual learning. One to speak with many of their students learned so far during the pandemic: educator thanked me and Michael during my virtual book tour. Ian Black for the I’m… picture • Doing things to help others gave me books (I’m Bored, I’m Sad, and I’m Afterward, the New Mexico perspective as well as a positive focus. Worried). “Laughter is indeed the librarians sent me this amazing • Being flexible is essential. Everyone best medicine,” she tweeted, “and thank-you gift: is coping as best they can, seeking out thankfully we don’t need a vaccine creative solutions. to experience it.” • Connecting book creators with young Simon & Schuster Children’s had learners is more important than ever. originally planned to send me on a physical book tour to help • The more I find out about what celebrate the launch of Gurple and educators have been doing for young Preen, but of course that had to learners during the pandemic change. My publicist, who was (through frequent pivots, challenges, working from home, asked if I risks, at-home stresses), the more I’m knew of any educators who might blown away. be interested in hosting me in virtual visits at their schools. I To the school librarians out there: put her in contact with the New THANK YOU.
Debbie Ridpath Ohi is the author and illustrator of Where Are My Books and Sam & Eva (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers). Her illustrations also appear in books by Judy Blume and Michael Ian Black, among others. Her newest book is I’m Sorry, written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by Debbie, launching from Simon & Schuster BFYR in August 2021. She offers virtual school visits through
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56 Knowledge Quest | Transforming Practice: School Library Success Stories in Challenging Times