Literature

=** Range of Literary Genres **= Children read books across a variety of genres, in both fiction and nonfiction areas.Readers typically begin with picture books and then progress to chapter books and more nonfiction text. Picture books fall into different categories, based on the goal of the text. Informational picture books begin with concept books such as Tana Hoban’s //Cones,Cylinders,& Spheres// or Ruth Heller’s //Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book about Adjectives.// Cynthia Rylant and Arnold Lobel write books that give early readers practice in decoding and learning to read, such as the //Henry and Mudge, Poppleton, Mr. Putter and Tabby,// and the //Frog and Toad// series. On a different level, there are many beautiful, high quality picture books that are recognized for their rich use of illustration and strong themes. For example, Eve Bunting publishes many picture books that can be used with children and young adults of all ages, such as //Smoky Night// about the race riots in LosAngeles. Cynthia Rylant also writes sensitive books, like //An Angel for Solomon Singer// about isolation and loneliness. Other authors and illustrators work to create beautiful works of fanciful fiction (//Flotsam// by David Weisner), retell or adapt favorite tales (//Rapunzel// by Paul O. Zelinsky or //Rapunzel’s Revenge//by Shannon and Dean Hale), or delve into historical areas like biographies (//Rosa// by Nikki Giovanni).

Young readers often begin with early chapter books that bridge the transition from picture books to more text, starting with authors such as Megan McDonald (//Judy Moody// and //Stink//), Mary Pope Osborne (//MagicTree House// series), Sara Pennypacker (//Clementine//),or Tony Abbott (//Secrets of Droon//). Once young readers have successfully crossed the bridge into chapter books,there are a wide variety of options available. Boys and girls frequently separate into distinct areas of interest. Girls often prefer realistic fiction, poetry, and even some fantasy and historical fiction. They are looking for books with characters and situations they can relate to. Boys tend to prefer the graphic novels, information text, humor, and science fiction, looking for action and fast-paced text that leaves the reader breathless with laughter or suspense.

Young adult literature encompasses a wide variety of materials, in efforts to provide a book for every reader ( S. R. Ranganathan, Five Laws of Library Science) Young adults are experiencing a period of rapid growth: physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually, and spiritually. The wide variety of books can serve as tools to guide them through this time of change. Much of what young people read today falls into the category of“Quick Reads”. These books “appeal tob oth proficient and less skillful readers.”(Action p.25) Young adults lead busy lives, so these books can be picked up and read in short sittings. This area includes: series books, short stories, graphic novels, comics, manga, poetry, verse novels, magazines and zines. A visit to the local bookstore shows that this is largely what is being marketed to teens. Some popular quick reads for young adults are the //Cirque du Freak// series by Darren Shan, the //Fruits Basket// manga series byNatsuki Takaya, //Twilight// by StephenieMeyer. Graphic novels are even being used to explore more serious topics, such as in Art Spiegelman’s //Maus: A Survivor’sTale//.

There are many additional options available for young adults that show the depth they are eager to explore as well. Powerful novels are being written in the areas of realistic fiction, fantasy, cultural diversity, and even information books. Young adults are being exposed to topics such as prejudice, homosexuality, sexual and physical abuse, and death. Fortunately there are well-written books by authors that expose them to these issues in thoughtful and provocative ways that challenge young people to question the status quo and explore multiple alternatives. Books like //Chew on This: Everything You Don’t Want to Know about Fast Food// appeals to young adults with its gruesome descriptions of chicken farms and how food dyes are created. They encourage young adults to question choices they have always made without much thought. Chris Crutcher writes about the teen experience, in //Whale Talk// he deals with racial prejudice, adoption, bullying, dysfunctional families, and the special treatment of football jocks. He writes about real issues, with characters that don’t always win in the end, yet learn in the process.

= **Varietyof Reading Promotion** = Reading promotion falls into two general categories: 1) promoting the library sothat it is a place children and young adults want to come and hang out and 2)actually exposing young adults to books and authors, to get them reading. Libraries are meeting the first challenge by making their library more “user friendly”, beginning with a basic look at thefurniture and layout – is it comfortable, “hip”, and inviting? Some schools areturning the library into more of a coffeehouse type environment, or perhaps aninternet café setting. While libraries are already filled with computers forpatron use, savvy libraries have WebPages that attract users, advertise comingevents, and provide book recommendations and links to useful sites. A librarian must stay abreast of technology…this might include blogging, FacebookTM pages, wikis, podcasts,e-books, iPodsTM and iPadsTM, and any other gadget thatwill bring students in to stay for awhile. The goal is interested, engagedstudents that can then be taught how to use these tools efficiently, safely,and responsibly. The photo artifact below shows how using the Elmo projectorcan make the experience of booktalking a graphic novel more powerful. Bookpromotion for visiting author Jarrett Krosoczka involved giving booktalks andcreating webquests for student use in the classroom and labs.Months later the students are still seeking out Krosoczka’s books, especiallyhis graphic novels.

A keyrole for librarians is to promote and expose students to books that they mightnot ordinarily discover on their own. This might involve highlighting certainsections of nonfiction books by simply choosing a few eye-catching titles andinteresting covers from a Dewey section and showcasing the books on a table tocatch student’s eye as they enter the library. Another promotion could entailplaying excerpts from audio books during lunchtime or before/after school, sothat students become interested in a book. Students use simple programs, suchas Animoto™ or Glogster™, to create their own book trailers or advertise booksthey are reading on digital picture frames strategically placed around the library.Creating posters of fun or intriguing poems by a poet and strategically placingthem around campus, then inviting students to the library to check out poetrybooks by the author could kick off poetry month in April. Students can beintroduced to a variety of books through “speed dating”, in which students aregiven a book to preview briefly and then pass around the circle. In a shortamount of time, students may preview 15-20 new books and select some they mightwant to read. Librarians could capitalize on the popularity of individual booksor series, by posting a list of “read-alikes”. Variety and novelty will keepstudents checking back to see what the library has to offer. Many authors for young adults aretaking advantage of technology as well; they are blogging, making video booktalks, podcasting, Facebooking, and using other Web 2.0 resources to promotethemselves and their books, in order to stay in touch with their readers.Librarians need to take advantage of similar resources for engaging youngreaders with books and authors. Of course, nothing beats a real-live authorvisit, but if that is not financially feasible, there are many authors that areexploring and utilizing SkypeTM visits. Please visit the page titled ReadingPromotions for more ideas to promote reading in your school.


 * Approachesto Readers’ Advisory **

Readers’ Advisory entails being aware of whatbooks need to be in a specific library. There are multiple resources availableto help a librarian make wise choices that are appropriate for the age- level,maturity, interests and needs of a school. A librarian needs to keep up to datewith the various award lists, many of which are sponsored the American LibraryAssociation (ALA) and the IRA (International Reading Association), plus thereare various multicultural and state-based awards. These books have been picked for a variety ofreasons and are well-reviewed choices for a school library, whenage-appropriate. //Booklist//, //Hornbook// and //School Library Journal// provide reviewsof books across a wide range of genres, plus providing genre-specific issueswhen one needs to “flesh out” certain collections. There are also genre-specific sources thatcan be beneficial, like the //Voice ofYouth Advocates (VOYA)// which focuses on fantasy, horror, and sciencefiction. (Action p.92) Oneresource our district provides annually is a conference with consultant PeggySharp, an experienced teacher and library media specialist []. Sheis a published author of books and articles for teachers and librarians. Hertrainings and resources review and recommend current books published in theprevious year, as well as offer ideas for book promotion and readingstrategies.


 * Figure 2 John Scieszka at Jan Paras Book Festival ||

Some specific resources that are useful for working with male readers are Jon Scieszka’s //Guys Write for Guys Read// anthology and his website [|www.guysread.com], and Michael Sullivan’s site www.talestoldtall.com. These sources expose adults, teens, and children to books that are written specifically to appeal to male readers. In addition, Scieszka is sponsoring a new series that focuses on genre specific writings, starting with //Guys// //Read: Funny Business//.

Readers’advisory must also include time spent talking with students about what theylike to read and what their interests are, so that one can match them with theright book. At the 2010 Jan Paris Book Festival in Corpus Christi, Laurie HalseAnderson shared with a group of interested teachers and librarians that shefelt there was no such thing as a reluctant reader, only very selective andreaders with deliberate tastes. Our responsibility as librarians is to valuethese particular readers and help match them with the right books to “hookthem” and get them back into our library asking for more. This is done best byknowing the reader and knowing the books that are available.


 * Significance of Book Illustration **

Illustrationsin a picture book must be accurate and consistent with the text, in fact, theyserve as a vital part of telling the story. For example, author and illustratorJan Brett uses her illustrations to keep the reader informed on events that aregoing on in other times and places, yet are integral to the understanding ofthe story. In her story, //The 3 LittleDassies//, which is an African retelling of the three little pigs, theillustrations in the sidebars help the readers keep track of the behaviors ofthe other Dassies and the lizard that is key to the story’s resolution. Rich,detailed illustrations in the main part of the page help the reader understandthe new vocabulary and essentially tell the story in pictures alone. An illustrator uses color, line, andshapes to help set the overall mood of a book. The bright “granny smith” greenof //An Apple Pie for Dinner// retold bySusan VanHecke sets the joyful and happy tone, and is further enhanced by theillustrators use of baked clay and mixed-media illustrations. Chris VanAllsburguses illustration to set a mysterious tone in his books, such as in //The Widow’s Broom// or //The Stranger//. Illustrations also help the reader know thecharacters, as evidenced by the whimsical expressions on characters such as //Clementine// and //Olivia//. They help the reader envision the setting as well, such asin //Miss Rumphius// by Barbara Cooney or//Planting the Trees of Kenya: the Story ofWangari Maathai// by Claire A. Nivola. This area has significance for young adultswhen you consider the rising popularity of graphic novels, comics, andmanga. Some of this genre, such asmanga, stick mainly with the black-and-white illustrations and have distinctphysical characteristics in their people, such as the large eyes, spiky hairand short skirts. The illustrations also include symbols that add to thedialogue and storyline, which are essentially a code unique to the readers thatfavor these texts. Other graphic novelsincorporate a limited range of color, such as the characteristic black andwhite scheme with added pink for the //BabyMouse// series. Traditional comic books with superheroes maintain the use ofa full spectrum of color. Informational books rely on significantillustrations to add to the overall appeal of the book. Both the Orbis Pictus Award and the Robert F.Sibert Informational Book Medal specify “excellent, engaging and distinctivevisual presentation” and a design with “attractive, readable, illustrations” tocomplement the text. (Action p.97). JimMurphy received the Sibert Medal in 2004 for // A //// n American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story ofthe Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. Thisbook strategically places photographs, charts, maps, and other authenticdocuments to help the reader visualize colonial Philadelphia and the vastimpact of the epidemic. //


 * Challenges of Controversial Children’s andYoung Adult Books **

The Library Bill of Rights states that “Booksand other library resources should be provided for the interest, information,and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because ofthe origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.” (ALACouncil, adopted June 18, 1948) A librarian holds the responsibility to ALL ofthe patrons, not just a few, vocal, highly-involved ones. In a school setting, this means the librarianis responsible for providing materials for her students that represent theirdiverse cultural and religious backgrounds; their varying emotional and socialneeds; the span of intellectual levels, and a variety of interests. A librarian has responsibility for upholdingthe freedom to read and providing the right materials for her vastconstituency. First of all, a librarianmust be informed of her district’s policy for selecting books and followit! The materials in a library should beappropriate for the age level/s served. One must also be aware of the district’s policy for when a book ormaterial is challenged. This knowledgeleads to preparation, having on hand the reviews and resources to back up yourmaterials selection. The ALA Office ofIntellectual Freedom (OIF) has resources available to support librarians at [|www.ala.org/alaorg/oif].Importantly, a librarian can be aware of the different levels of a challenge,ranging from casual inquiries to formal challenges. Challenged books often “include profanity,sexual references, drug abuse, violence, antireligious messages, andcontroversial ideas.” (Action p.144) These are subjects that are bombarding ourstudents in the media 24/7, a well-written book can provide a safe avenue forstudents to explore these ideas and consequences of actions both wise and unwise. TheAmerican Library Association posts a list of most frequently banned orchallenged books,[]. Some frequently challenged books at the elementary level are the //Harry Potter// books by J.K. Rowling, dueto concerns about witchcraft and wizardry; Judy Blume’s books about growing upthat contain sexual topics that some consider inappropriate for the age group; //And Tango Makes Three// by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson which suggestshomosexual relationships in animals; horror stories by R.L. Stine, and evennon-fiction texts like //It’s So Amazing: ABook about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families// by Robie Harris. At theyoung adult level, books like //TheChocolate War// by Robert Cormier, the //Alice//series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and //OfMice and Men// by John Steinbeck are all included in the top five for thepast decade. A librarian must be prepared to defend collection choices withreviews that back up controversial book choices, showing that they areappropriat e for the age group and worthy of beingincluded in the collection. A clear and well-thought-out protocol for dealingwith challenges, in writing, will support any librarian in protecting thereading rights of all students.


 * Importanceof Literary Awards **

Literary awards recognize high quality in children and young adultbooks and serve as a guide when building and promoting a library collection.These books serve as the “gold-standard” for school libraries. For authors andillustrators, they help establish a reputation that will follow them for therest of their careers. The Caldecott Award annually recognizes the most distinguished andexcellent American picture book, and has even been awarded to wordless picturebooks, such as //Flotsam// by DavidWeisner and //The Lion and the Mouse// byJerry Pinkney. A committee of librarians and other professionals chooses theaward winner and honor books. This award has recognized books that set trendsin literature, such as //The Invention ofHugo Cabret// by Brian Selznick, which is a unique book that meldsillustrations in a unique way with chapter book text. Since 1922, theNewbery Medal has recognized the best in American children’s literature,including one medal winner and several honor books annually (the majority of thembeing chapter books). Recent winners include //When You Reach Me// by Rebecca Stead, //The Underneath// by Kathi Appelt, and //Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village// by LauraAmy Schlitz. These three books alone show the variety of literature that havebeen recognized covering fantasy, poetry, and realistic fiction. In the nonfictionfield, the Robert F. Sibert Award sets the standard for high qualityinformational literature. This award recognizes the work of an author andillustrator who have made a significant contribution to children’s nonfiction.Recent medal winners include: //AlmostAstronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream// by Tanya Lee Stone and //We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro LeagueBaseball// by Kadir Nelson. The quality of children’s nonfiction text hasrisen sharply in the past ten years, and including distinguished works continueto raise the bar. Butthe importance of literary awards is more multifaceted than just recognizinghigh quality literature. Literary awardsencourage authors to write for certain audiences, and publishers to publish fordiverse audiences. For example, the Pura Belpre Award honors authors andillustrators of books with Latino/Latina role models that celebrate theircultural experience. Pam Munoz Ryan, anauthor for young adults, has been honored multiple times with her books,including //The Dreamer, Becoming NaomiLeon// and //Esperanza Rising.// Carmen Agra Deedy was honored for herhilarious and touching picture book // Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale.In 2006, Viola Canales received this award for her authentic portrayal ofvalley life in The Tequila Worm. // // Literaryawards also serve to encourage readers to explore an outstanding book that theymight not notice otherwise, which holds the same for teachers and otherconcerned adults. The Margaret A.Edwards Award recognizes the best young adult author. Their criteria specifythat it must be a living author who writes books that help young adults become“aware of themselves and to answer their questions about their role andimportance in relationships.” (YALSA) The 2009 recipient, Laurie Halse Andersonwas recognized for her contributions of novels that are “gripping andexceptionally well-written.” (YALSA) The books recognized were Catalyst, Fever1703, and Speak. Anderson’s books deal with issues both historical andcontemporary, such as incest, slavery, rape, and anorexia/bulimia. Young adultswill find an adult that writes in language they understand, about issues thatthey cope with or fear, and learn from the characters that undergo great changeand growth. Previous winners includehighly-recognized names such as: S.E. Hinton, Richard Peck, Walter Dean Myers,Judy Blume, Gary Paulsen, Chris Crutcher, and Lois Lowry. // // Anotherimportant recognition is the Michael Printz award, which recognizes books that“exemplify literary excellence”. (YALSA) This award is sponsored by Booklist, which is a publication of theAmerican Library Association. The 2010 winner is Going Bovine by Libba Bray,which takes main character Cameron on a “madcap road trip along with a punkangel, a dwarf sidekick, a yard gnome and a mad scientist.” (YALSA) The 2011 winner is Ship Breaker by PauloBacigalupi, a dystopian novel about Nailer, a scavenger for copper who meetsup with a rich girl that changes his life. // // Twoother award lists that I think are critical for librarians to be aware of isthe Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and Best Books for YoungAdults, both sponsored by Young Adult Library Services Association(YALSA). These lists are important asthey meet the needs of a large population of students. These are books picked for their appeal toyoung adults for leisure reading, and include both fiction and nonfiction.Current selected books in 2011 that may appeal to teens are Forge by LaurieHalse Anderson, Cosmic by Frank Boyce, Matched by Ally Condie, The Maze Runnerby James Dashner, and Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. //

"YALSA's Margaret A. Edwards Award." ALA | Home - American Library Association.ALA. Web. 02 May 2010.<http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/margaretaedwards/margaretedwards “YALSA's Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young AdultLiterature." //ALA | Home - American Library Association//. YALSA. Web.03 May 2010.


 * Diversity in Literature for Youth **

Children must be exposed to qualityliterature that reflects the great diversity of our world today. Many awardsare currently recognizing literature from different cultures, such as theCoretta Scott King Award which recognizes works of African American authors andillustrators, or the Pura Belpré Award and Tomás Rivera Mexican AmericanChildren’s Book Awards that honor Latino/Latina authors and illustrators.Beginning with books that have won these awards or received honors, one canbegin to build a collection that provides literature that honors differentcultural backgrounds and portrays and affirms the cultural experience of manystudents. When building a collection thatrepresents all cultures, a librarian must be careful to avoid books thatpresent cultural stereotypes. Books must present an authentic representation ofthe events and peoples involved. It is particularly important when gatheringhistorical fiction and informational text, that one evaluate books for theirfair representation of cultures as well as authentic, balanced coverage ofevents. Students must feel that when theyenter a library, they can find books that relate to their personal experience,in both informational and fiction areas. They must find role models withintheir reading that challenge them to strive for their very best. Readers mustalso be exposed to cultures beyond their own, to read and relate to persons ofother races and religions, in order to build tolerance and understanding ofdifferent viewpoints as well as see the continuity of all human experience. Books on diversity can also serve aspowerful discussion points when integrated into book clubs that invite studentsto explore uncomfortable, new, or unknown topics in a safe and accepting way.This spring, I partnered with my co-teacher, Elizabeth Quan, to offer a bookclub opportunity to our class of second graders. The class is a co-teachenvironment, with 6 out of the 22 students having disabilities, includingDown’s Syndrome, Autism (4 students), emotional disturbances, and medicalimpairments. This book club was offered as a proactive measure when severalbullying incidences had occurred involving classroom students as both victimsand instigators. The book chosen was //Rules//by Cynthia Lord, a Newbery Honor Award winner, as well as winner of many stateawards. The attached letter wassent home with students, and books were provided for all interested students.The success of this book club can best be measured by three anecdotal stories:
 * We recently had a field trip to anorthodontist’s office. Typically the special education students do not getchosen as “partners” for the field trip and end up being assigned by a teacher,or being the teacher’s partner. As students were selecting their partners,Joe*, a student with autism, was quickly chosen by two members of the bookclub. They watched out for him throughout the field trip, as he tends to wanderoff, and even attempted to engage him in normal childhood banter about thefield trip. Their interaction with the autistic student was genuine and wouldhave looked normal to any outside observer.
 * Dave* is a new student to our class, he joinedus half way through the year, and has had a difficult time finding his place inthe classroom. This has resulted in him often being the bully that attacks thespecial needs students, setting them up to be laughed at or bothering themuntil they explode in anger. He is particularly vicious in settings where he isnot closely observed by adults, such as lunch or recess. A recent incident atlunch showed that he is internalizing the conversations and lessons from //Rules.// At lunch he noticed that Joe* wasextremely upset and starting to cry. Rather than teasing him about this, heattempted to find out from Joe why he was so upset. He realized that Joethought he had not earned a reward party for his social skills group that wasscheduled for that afternoon. Joe was confused because the social skills groupusually met at lunch, and he thought he had missed it. Dave spent time tryingto explain to Joe that he hadn’t missed it, but when he was not successful hesought adult assistance to help Joe.
 * Figure 3 Cynthia Rylant Book Club - student led ||
 * Figure 3 Cynthia Rylant Book Club - student led ||


 * Figure 4 Harry Potter Book Club – student led ||

The final success has been that students are eagerly seeking out opportunities to form their own book clubs, as one can see from the pictures here. A group of boys that are Harry Potter fans has chosen to meet regularly to discuss what they are reading, they’ve even created their own posters to invite members as well as Glogs about their books. Another group has decided to meet regularly to read the same book and discuss it (note that the child with the ponytail has  Downs’ Syndrome has been included in the club, even though the book level is  above her current ability).

*studentnames have been changed
 * Range of Literary Genres **

Childrenread books across a variety of genres, in both fiction and nonfiction areas.Readers typically begin with picture books and then progress to chapter booksand more nonfiction text. Picture books fall into different categories, basedon the goal of the text. Informational picture books begin with concept bookssuch as Tana Hoban’s //Cones,Cylinders,& Spheres// or Ruth Heller’s //Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book about Adjectives.// Cynthia Rylantand Arnold Lobel write books that give early readers practice in decoding andlearning to read, such as the //Henry andMudge, Poppleton, Mr. Putter and Tabby,// and //Frog and// Toad series. On the other hand, there are many beautiful,high quality picture books that are recognized for their rich use ofillustration and strong themes. For example, Eve Bunting publishes many picturebooks that can be used with children and young adults of all ages, such as //Smoky Night// about the race riots in LosAngeles. Cynthia Rylant also writes sensitive books, like //An Angel for Solomon Singer// about isolation and loneliness. Otherauthors and illustrators work to create beautiful works of fanciful fiction (//Flotsam// by David Weisner), retell oradapt favorite tales (//Rapunzel// byPaul O. Zelinsky or //Rapunzel’s Revenge//by Shannon and Dean Hale), or delve into historical areas like biographies (//Rosa// by Nikki Giovanni).

Youngreaders may begin with early chapter books that bridge the transition frompicture books to more text, starting with authors such as Megan McDonald (//Judy Moody// and //Stink//), Mary Pope Osborne (//MagicTree House// series), Sara Pennypacker (//Clementine//),or Tony Abbott (//Secrets of Droon//).Once young readers have successfully crossed the bridge into chapter books,there are a wide variety of options available. Boys and girls frequently beginto separate into distinct areas of interest. Girls often prefer areas ofrealistic fiction, poetry, and even some fantasy and historical fiction. Theyare looking for books with characters and situations they can relate to. Boystend to prefer the graphic novels, information text, humor, and sciencefiction, looking for action and fast-paced text that leaves the readerbreathless with laughter or suspense.

Youngadult literature encompasses a wide variety of materials, in efforts to providea book for every reader ( S. R. Ranganathan, Five Lawsof Library Science) Young adults are experiencing a period of rapid growth:physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually, and spiritually. The wide variety of books can serve as toolsto guide them through this time of change.

Much of what young people read today falls into the category of“Quick Reads”. These books “appeal toboth proficient and less skillful readers.”(Action p.25) Young adults lead busylives, so these books can be picked up and read in short sittings. This area includes: series books, shortstories, graphic novels, comics, manga, poetry, verse novels, magazines andzines. A visit to the local bookstore shows that this is largely what is beingmarketed to teens. Some popular quick reads for young adults are the //Cirque du Freak// series by Darren Shan,the //Fruits Basket// manga series byNatsuki Takaya, //Twilight// by StephenieMeyer. Graphic novels are even being used to explore more serious topics, suchas in Art Spiegelman’s //Maus: A Survivor’sTale//.

There are many additional optionsavailable for young adults that show the depth they are eager to explore aswell. Powerful novels are being writtenin the areas of realistic fiction, fantasy, cultural diversity, and eveninformation books. Young adults arebeing exposed to topics such as prejudice, homosexuality, sexual and physicalabuse, and death. Fortunately there are well-written books by authors that areexposing them to these issues in thoughtful and provocative ways that challengeyoung people to question the status quo and explore multiple alternatives.Books like //Chew on This: Everything YouDon’t Want to Know about Fast Food// appeals to young adults with itsgruesome descriptions of chicken farms and how food dyes are created. They encourage young adults to questionchoices they have always made without much thought. Chris Crutcher writes about the teenexperience, in //Whale Talk// he dealswith racial prejudice, adoption, bullying, dysfunctional families, and thespecial treatment of football jocks. He writes about real issues, withcharacters that don’t always win in the end, yet learn in the process.

**Varietyof Reading Promotion**


 * Figure 1 Welcoming visitng author, Jarrett Krosoczka, to the Library ||

Reading promotion falls into two generalcategories: 1) promoting the library sothat it is a place children and young adults want to come and hang out and 2)actually exposing young adults to books and authors, to get them reading.

Libraries are meeting the first challenge bymaking their library more “user friendly”, beginning with a basic look at thefurniture and layout – is it comfortable, “hip”, and inviting? Some schools areturning the library into more of a coffeehouse type environment, or perhaps aninternet café setting. While libraries are already filled with computers forpatron use, savvy libraries have WebPages that attract users, advertise comingevents, and provide book recommendations and links to useful sites. A librarian must stay abreast of technology…this might include blogging, FacebookTM pages, wikis, podcasts,e-books, iPodsTM and iPadsTM, and any other gadget thatwill bring students in to stay for awhile. The goal is interested, engagedstudents that can then be taught how to use these tools efficiently, safely,and responsibly. The photo artifact below shows how using the Elmo projectorcan make the experience of booktalking a graphic novel more powerful. Bookpromotion for visiting author Jarrett Krosoczka involved giving booktalks andcreating webquests for student use in the classroom and labs.Months later the students are still seeking out Krosoczka’s books, especiallyhis graphic novels.

A keyrole for librarians is to promote and expose students to books that they mightnot ordinarily discover on their own. This might involve highlighting certainsections of nonfiction books by simply choosing a few eye-catching titles andinteresting covers from a Dewey section and showcasing the books on a table tocatch student’s eye as they enter the library. Another promotion could entailplaying excerpts from audio books during lunchtime or before/after school, sothat students become interested in a book. Students use simple programs, suchas Animoto™ or Glogster™, to create their own book trailers or advertise booksthey are reading on digital picture frames strategically placed around the library.Creating posters of fun or intriguing poems by a poet and strategically placingthem around campus, then inviting students to the library to check out poetrybooks by the author could kick off poetry month in April. Students can beintroduced to a variety of books through “speed dating”, in which students aregiven a book to preview briefly and then pass around the circle. In a shortamount of time, students may preview 15-20 new books and select some they mightwant to read. Librarians could capitalize on the popularity of individual booksor series, by posting a list of “read-alikes”. Variety and novelty will keepstudents checking back to see what the library has to offer.

Many authors for young adults aretaking advantage of technology as well; they are blogging, making video booktalks, podcasting, Facebooking, and using other Web 2.0 resources to promotethemselves and their books, in order to stay in touch with their readers.Librarians need to take advantage of similar resources for engaging youngreaders with books and authors. Of course, nothing beats a real-live authorvisit, but if that is not financially feasible, there are many authors that areexploring and utilizing SkypeTM visits.

Please visit the page titled ReadingPromotions for more ideas to promote reading in your school.


 * Approachesto Readers’ Advisory **

Readers’ Advisory entails being aware of whatbooks need to be in a specific library. There are multiple resources availableto help a librarian make wise choices that are appropriate for the age- level,maturity, interests and needs of a school. A librarian needs to keep up to datewith the various award lists, many of which are sponsored the American LibraryAssociation (ALA) and the IRA (International Reading Association), plus thereare various multicultural and state-based awards. These books have been picked for a variety ofreasons and are well-reviewed choices for a school library, whenage-appropriate. //Booklist//, //Hornbook// and //School Library Journal// provide reviewsof books across a wide range of genres, plus providing genre-specific issueswhen one needs to “flesh out” certain collections. There are also genre-specific sources thatcan be beneficial, like the //Voice ofYouth Advocates (VOYA)// which focuses on fantasy, horror, and sciencefiction. (Action p.92)

Oneresource our district provides annually is a conference with consultant PeggySharp, an experienced teacher and library media specialist []. Sheis a published author of books and articles for teachers and librarians. Hertrainings and resources review and recommend current books published in theprevious year, as well as offer ideas for book promotion and readingstrategies.


 * Figure 2 John Scieszka at Jan Paras Book Festival ||

Some specific resources that are useful for

working with male readers are Jon Scieszka’s //Guys Write for Guys Read// anthology and his website [|www.guysread.com], and

Michael Sullivan’s site www.talestoldtall.com. These sources expose adults,

teens, and children to books that are written specifically to appeal to male

readers. In addition, Scieszka is sponsoring a new series that focuses on genre

specific writings, starting with //Guys//

//Read: Funny Business//.

Readers’advisory must also include time spent talking with students about what theylike to read and what their interests are, so that one can match them with theright book. At the 2010 Jan Paris Book Festival in Corpus Christi, Laurie HalseAnderson shared with a group of interested teachers and librarians that shefelt there was no such thing as a reluctant reader, only very selective andreaders with deliberate tastes. Our responsibility as librarians is to valuethese particular readers and help match them with the right books to “hookthem” and get them back into our library asking for more. This is done best byknowing the reader and knowing the books that are available.


 * Significance of Book Illustration **

Illustrationsin a picture book must be accurate and consistent with the text, in fact, theyserve as a vital part of telling the story. For example, author and illustratorJan Brett uses her illustrations to keep the reader informed on events that aregoing on in other times and places, yet are integral to the understanding ofthe story. In her story, //The 3 LittleDassies//, which is an African retelling of the three little pigs, theillustrations in the sidebars help the readers keep track of the behaviors ofthe other Dassies and the lizard that is key to the story’s resolution. Rich,detailed illustrations in the main part of the page help the reader understandthe new vocabulary and essentially tell the story in pictures alone.

An illustrator uses color, line, andshapes to help set the overall mood of a book. The bright “granny smith” greenof //An Apple Pie for Dinner// retold bySusan VanHecke sets the joyful and happy tone, and is further enhanced by theillustrators use of baked clay and mixed-media illustrations. Chris VanAllsburguses illustration to set a mysterious tone in his books, such as in //The Widow’s Broom// or //The Stranger//. Illustrations also help the reader know thecharacters, as evidenced by the whimsical expressions on characters such as //Clementine// and //Olivia//. They help the reader envision the setting as well, such asin //Miss Rumphius// by Barbara Cooney or//Planting the Trees of Kenya: the Story ofWangari Maathai// by Claire A. Nivola.

This area has significance for young adultswhen you consider the rising popularity of graphic novels, comics, andmanga. Some of this genre, such asmanga, stick mainly with the black-and-white illustrations and have distinctphysical characteristics in their people, such as the large eyes, spiky hairand short skirts. The illustrations also include symbols that add to thedialogue and storyline, which are essentially a code unique to the readers thatfavor these texts. Other graphic novelsincorporate a limited range of color, such as the characteristic black andwhite scheme with added pink for the //BabyMouse// series. Traditional comic books with superheroes maintain the use ofa full spectrum of color.

Informational books rely on significantillustrations to add to the overall appeal of the book. Both the Orbis Pictus Award and the Robert F.Sibert Informational Book Medal specify “excellent, engaging and distinctivevisual presentation” and a design with “attractive, readable, illustrations” tocomplement the text. (Action p.97). JimMurphy received the Sibert Medal in 2004 for // A //// n American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story ofthe Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. Thisbook strategically places photographs, charts, maps, and other authenticdocuments to help the reader visualize colonial Philadelphia and the vastimpact of the epidemic. //


 * Challenges of Controversial Children’s andYoung Adult Books **

The Library Bill of Rights states that “Booksand other library resources should be provided for the interest, information,and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because ofthe origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.” (ALACouncil, adopted June 18, 1948)

A librarian holds the responsibility to ALL ofthe patrons, not just a few, vocal, highly-involved ones. In a school setting, this means the librarianis responsible for providing materials for her students that represent theirdiverse cultural and religious backgrounds; their varying emotional and socialneeds; the span of intellectual levels, and a variety of interests.

A librarian has responsibility for upholdingthe freedom to read and providing the right materials for her vastconstituency. First of all, a librarianmust be informed of her district’s policy for selecting books and followit! The materials in a library should beappropriate for the age level/s served. One must also be aware of the district’s policy for when a book ormaterial is challenged. This knowledgeleads to preparation, having on hand the reviews and resources to back up yourmaterials selection. The ALA Office ofIntellectual Freedom (OIF) has resources available to support librarians at [|www.ala.org/alaorg/oif].Importantly, a librarian can be aware of the different levels of a challenge,ranging from casual inquiries to formal challenges.

Challenged books often “include profanity,sexual references, drug abuse, violence, antireligious messages, andcontroversial ideas.” (Action p.144) These are subjects that are bombarding ourstudents in the media 24/7, a well-written book can provide a safe avenue forstudents to explore these ideas and consequences of actions both wise and unwise.

TheAmerican Library Association posts a list of most frequently banned orchallenged books,[]. Some frequently challenged books at the elementary level are the //Harry Potter// books by J.K. Rowling, dueto concerns about witchcraft and wizardry; Judy Blume’s books about growing upthat contain sexual topics that some consider inappropriate for the age group; //And Tango Makes Three// by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson which suggestshomosexual relationships in animals; horror stories by R.L. Stine, and evennon-fiction texts like //It’s So Amazing: ABook about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families// by Robie Harris. At theyoung adult level, books like //TheChocolate War// by Robert Cormier, the //Alice//series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and //OfMice and Men// by John Steinbeck are all included in the top five for thepast decade.

A librarian must be prepared to defend collection choices withreviews that back up controversial book choices, showing that they areappropriat e for the age group and worthy of beingincluded in the collection. A clear and well-thought-out protocol for dealingwith challenges, in writing, will support any librarian in protecting thereading rights of all students.


 * Importanceof Literary Awards **

Literary awards recognize high quality in children and young adultbooks and serve as a guide when building and promoting a library collection.These books serve as the “gold-standard” for school libraries. For authors andillustrators, they help establish a reputation that will follow them for therest of their careers.

The Caldecott Award annually recognizes the most distinguished andexcellent American picture book, and has even been awarded to wordless picturebooks, such as //Flotsam// by DavidWeisner and //The Lion and the Mouse// byJerry Pinkney. A committee of librarians and other professionals chooses theaward winner and honor books. This award has recognized books that set trendsin literature, such as //The Invention ofHugo Cabret// by Brian Selznick, which is a unique book that meldsillustrations in a unique way with chapter book text.

Since 1922, theNewbery Medal has recognized the best in American children’s literature,including one medal winner and several honor books annually (the majority of thembeing chapter books). Recent winners include //When You Reach Me// by Rebecca Stead, //The Underneath// by Kathi Appelt, and //Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village// by LauraAmy Schlitz. These three books alone show the variety of literature that havebeen recognized covering fantasy, poetry, and realistic fiction.

In the nonfictionfield, the Robert F. Sibert Award sets the standard for high qualityinformational literature. This award recognizes the work of an author andillustrator who have made a significant contribution to children’s nonfiction.Recent medal winners include: //AlmostAstronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream// by Tanya Lee Stone and //We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro LeagueBaseball// by Kadir Nelson. The quality of children’s nonfiction text hasrisen sharply in the past ten years, and including distinguished works continueto raise the bar.

Butthe importance of literary awards is more multifaceted than just recognizinghigh quality literature. Literary awardsencourage authors to write for certain audiences, and publishers to publish fordiverse audiences. For example, the Pura Belpre Award honors authors andillustrators of books with Latino/Latina role models that celebrate theircultural experience. Pam Munoz Ryan, anauthor for young adults, has been honored multiple times with her books,including //The Dreamer, Becoming NaomiLeon// and //Esperanza Rising.// Carmen Agra Deedy was honored for herhilarious and touching picture book // Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale.In 2006, Viola Canales received this award for her authentic portrayal ofvalley life in The Tequila Worm. //

// Literaryawards also serve to encourage readers to explore an outstanding book that theymight not notice otherwise, which holds the same for teachers and otherconcerned adults. The Margaret A.Edwards Award recognizes the best young adult author. Their criteria specifythat it must be a living author who writes books that help young adults become“aware of themselves and to answer their questions about their role andimportance in relationships.” (YALSA) The 2009 recipient, Laurie Halse Andersonwas recognized for her contributions of novels that are “gripping andexceptionally well-written.” (YALSA) The books recognized were Catalyst, Fever1703, and Speak. Anderson’s books deal with issues both historical andcontemporary, such as incest, slavery, rape, and anorexia/bulimia. Young adultswill find an adult that writes in language they understand, about issues thatthey cope with or fear, and learn from the characters that undergo great changeand growth. Previous winners includehighly-recognized names such as: S.E. Hinton, Richard Peck, Walter Dean Myers,Judy Blume, Gary Paulsen, Chris Crutcher, and Lois Lowry. //

// Anotherimportant recognition is the Michael Printz award, which recognizes books that“exemplify literary excellence”. (YALSA) This award is sponsored by Booklist, which is a publication of theAmerican Library Association. The 2010 winner is Going Bovine by Libba Bray,which takes main character Cameron on a “madcap road trip along with a punkangel, a dwarf sidekick, a yard gnome and a mad scientist.” (YALSA) The 2011 winner is Ship Breaker by PauloBacigalupi, a dystopian novel about Nailer, a scavenger for copper who meetsup with a rich girl that changes his life. //

// Twoother award lists that I think are critical for librarians to be aware of isthe Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and Best Books for YoungAdults, both sponsored by Young Adult Library Services Association(YALSA). These lists are important asthey meet the needs of a large population of students. These are books picked for their appeal toyoung adults for leisure reading, and include both fiction and nonfiction.Current selected books in 2011 that may appeal to teens are Forge by LaurieHalse Anderson, Cosmic by Frank Boyce, Matched by Ally Condie, The Maze Runnerby James Dashner, and Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. //

"YALSA's Margaret A. Edwards Award." ALA | Home - American Library Association.ALA. Web. 02 May 2010.<http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/margaretaedwards/margaretedwards

“YALSA's Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young AdultLiterature." //ALA | Home - American Library Association//. YALSA. Web.03 May 2010.


 * Diversity in Literature for Youth **

Children must be exposed to qualityliterature that reflects the great diversity of our world today. Many awardsare currently recognizing literature from different cultures, such as theCoretta Scott King Award which recognizes works of African American authors andillustrators, or the Pura Belpré Award and Tomás Rivera Mexican AmericanChildren’s Book Awards that honor Latino/Latina authors and illustrators.Beginning with books that have won these awards or received honors, one canbegin to build a collection that provides literature that honors differentcultural backgrounds and portrays and affirms the cultural experience of manystudents.

When building a collection thatrepresents all cultures, a librarian must be careful to avoid books thatpresent cultural stereotypes. Books must present an authentic representation ofthe events and peoples involved. It is particularly important when gatheringhistorical fiction and informational text, that one evaluate books for theirfair representation of cultures as well as authentic, balanced coverage ofevents.

Students must feel that when theyenter a library, they can find books that relate to their personal experience,in both informational and fiction areas. They must find role models withintheir reading that challenge them to strive for their very best. Readers mustalso be exposed to cultures beyond their own, to read and relate to persons ofother races and religions, in order to build tolerance and understanding ofdifferent viewpoints as well as see the continuity of all human experience.

Books on diversity can also serve aspowerful discussion points when integrated into book clubs that invite studentsto explore uncomfortable, new, or unknown topics in a safe and accepting way.This spring, I partnered with my co-teacher, Elizabeth Quan, to offer a bookclub opportunity to our class of second graders. The class is a co-teachenvironment, with 6 out of the 22 students having disabilities, includingDown’s Syndrome, Autism (4 students), emotional disturbances, and medicalimpairments. This book club was offered as a proactive measure when severalbullying incidences had occurred involving classroom students as both victimsand instigators. The book chosen was //Rules//by Cynthia Lord, a Newbery Honor Award winner, as well as winner of many stateawards. The attached letter wassent home with students, and books were provided for all interested students.The success of this book club can best be measured by three anecdotal stories:


 * We recently had a field trip to anorthodontist’s office. Typically the special education students do not getchosen as “partners” for the field trip and end up being assigned by a teacher,or being the teacher’s partner. As students were selecting their partners,Joe*, a student with autism, was quickly chosen by two members of the bookclub. They watched out for him throughout the field trip, as he tends to wanderoff, and even attempted to engage him in normal childhood banter about thefield trip. Their interaction with the autistic student was genuine and wouldhave looked normal to any outside observer.
 * Dave* is a new student to our class, he joinedus half way through the year, and has had a difficult time finding his place inthe classroom. This has resulted in him often being the bully that attacks thespecial needs students, setting them up to be laughed at or bothering themuntil they explode in anger. He is particularly vicious in settings where he isnot closely observed by adults, such as lunch or recess. A recent incident atlunch showed that he is internalizing the conversations and lessons from //Rules.// At lunch he noticed that Joe* wasextremely upset and starting to cry. Rather than teasing him about this, heattempted to find out from Joe why he was so upset. He realized that Joethought he had not earned a reward party for his social skills group that wasscheduled for that afternoon. Joe was confused because the social skills groupusually met at lunch, and he thought he had missed it. Dave spent time tryingto explain to Joe that he hadn’t missed it, but when he was not successful hesought adult assistance to help Joe.


 * Figure 3 Cynthia Rylant Book Club - student led ||


 * Figure 4 Harry Potter Book Club – student led ||

The

final success has been that students are eagerly seeking out opportunities to

form their own book clubs, as one can see from the pictures here. A group of

boys that are Harry Potter fans has chosen to meet regularly to discuss what

they are reading, they’ve even created their own posters to invite members as

well as Glogs about their books. Another group has decided to meet regularly to

read the same book and discuss it (note that the child with the ponytail has

Downs’ Syndrome has been included in the club, even though the book level is

above her current ability).

*studentnames have been changed