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Youthful Outlook

March 13, 2008

Simon & Schuster "Going Green"

Just saw in PW an article about a new series by Simon & Schuster. Here's the scoop:

Simon & Schuster is introducing a new line of eco-friendly children's books called Little Green Books. Titles in this series are aimed at parents and children who want to learn more about the environment.

The first four books will be released this fall in cloth and hardcover formats. Little Green activity books will follow.

The books, focusing on recycling, replanting, preserving habitats and creating awareness of endangered animals will be made from recycled materials and printed with soy ink.

Good going, Simon & Schuster!

Posted by sharon at 4:01 PM | Comments (0)

October 12, 2007

Lego Artist signs with Henry Holt

In the most recent issue of Publishers Weekly online, there was a short article on the signing of Lego (yes, Lego as in the toymaker) artist Sean Kenney with Henry Holt publishers. Plans are in the works to produce three 32-page picture books, one per season starting in spring 2009. Each book will have models designed by Kenney along with how-to instructions.

Kenney is one of six artists worldwide that are Lego Certified Professionals. He and others sculp, portaits and full-size models for public displays and private collestions.

The three titles include:
*Sean Kenney's Cool Lego Cars
*Sean Kenney's Cool Lego Spaceships
*Sean Kenney's Cool Lego Robots

Though aimed at five to ten-year-old boys, these books are for all ages. I personally can't wait!

Posted by sharon at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)

August 15, 2007

Digital Storytimes: Wish I had thought of that!

Yesterday, NSLS hosted a wonderful program on digital storytimes presented by Lauren Collen, former staff member of the Niles Public Library. What a great program!

During the presentation, Lauren demonstrated the International Children's Digital Library website where she selects her titles for her storytimes. An interface created by the University of Maryland's Human-Computer Interaction Lab team, provides and easy way to search for and access digital books. Visit www.icdlbooks.org for a closer look.

And don't miss Lauren's article, "The Digital and Traditional Storytime Research Project: Using Digitized Picture Book for Preschool Group Storytimes," which appeared in the Winter 2006 issue of Children & Libraries.

Posted by sharon at 1:56 PM | Comments (0)

August 7, 2007

Manga: The latest test-prep tool?

My colleague Kay (a lover of Manga) sent over an article, authored by Patricia Alex of The Record, discussing the lastest tool available for students preparing for the vocabulary portion of the SAT and ACT.

Publisher Kaplan has just released a new series of titles using a Manga format that will make test preparation more fun for students. According to Kaplan, "Manga is the fastest-growing segment in the publishing industry with sales jumping 22 percent from 7.8 million books in 2005 to 9.5 million last year." Hoping to engage these lovers of Manga, Kaplan has introduced the following titles, "PsyComm," "Warcraft," "Dragon Hunt," and "Van Von Hunter."

All titles are action-packed, downloable, utilize lots of vocabulary, and have a T-13 rating due to the "mild violence, mild gore, and moderate language" and are downloadble.

Great idea!

Posted by sharon at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)

August 2, 2007

What REALLY happens at an ALA Conference!

As I was scanning my online American Libraries Direct, there was a short article on filmaker Nick Baker. He is the creator of the short YouTube video entitled "March of the Librarians," --a glimpse into the world of Conference going.

I have to admit, I laughed out loud!

Enjoy this peek at ALA Midwinter in Seattle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td922l0NoDQ

I can't wait for Nick's next film.

Posted by sharon at 1:14 PM | Comments (0)

July 27, 2007

Information Literacy Game

University of North Carolina Greensboro librarians Scott Rice and Amy Harris are the co-creators of the Information Literacy Game. The free board game has questions about APA and MLA citation style, evaluating and finding sources, and investigating web sites. One to four players can play at a time and students can email their scores to instructors.

Those who are more intrepid can also modify all aspects of the game including questions and game pieces. The xml question files, css, html, & javascript source files are available for modification.

Here are just a few sample questions from the game.

Which is the proper format for a parenthetical citation in APA style?
a) (Smith, 24)
b) (Smith 24)
c) (Smith 2004)
d) (Smith, 2004)

The answer is d, Unlike MLA style, the parenthetical citation has the year, not the page number.

Which is the correct way to cite two authors in an APA works cited page?
a) Smith, Robin, & Dan Davis
b) Smith, R., and D. Davis
c) Smith, R. & Davis, D.
d) Robin Smith and Dan Davis

The answer is c, If you have the authors' middle initial, you should include that as well.

A scholarly article has:
a) Lots of pictures
b) Lengthy interviews
c) Cited sources
d) Advertisements

The answer is c.

Which search would you use in an article database to find articles about weight gain by first-year students?

a) Weight gain or First-year students
b) Weight gain first-year students
c) Weight gain and First-year students
d) Weight gain not first-year students

The answer is c, and is the appropriate search connector or Boolean term

Posted by sharon at 1:01 PM | Comments (0)

July 11, 2007

iPods in the Classroom?

Leave it to Gail Junion-Metz to write about Web sites that enhance the classroom experience by using an iPod!

Gail's article in the July 2007 SLJ mentions five different sites. Here's the scoop:

learninginhand.com/ipod/index.html
Provides a great overview as to what you can do with iPods in a classroom or library setting

school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalpodcast.html
Forms available to assist in evaluating books, videos, or Web sites--created by Kathy Schrock

userwww.sfsu.edu/~nshelley/index.html
Introducing podcasting in a simple classroom unit

edcommunity.apple.com/ali/search.php?collectionID=714
Best projects and lessons posted by teachers who are experienced iPod users

isp.ecu.edu.au/ipod/ideas.html
Outlines applications for iPods in teaching--specific information on using iPods in libraries

Looks like fun!

Posted by sharon at 4:18 PM | Comments (0)

June 28, 2007

Audiobooks in Kids' Meals

Wendy's Restaurants will be including an audiobook as a giveaway item with their Kids' Meals. This promotion, running from June 25th through late July, will be availabe in over 6000 participating restaurants across the country.

During the four week period, the Kids' Meal bags will feature the following CDs--
Arthur's Mystery Envelope by Marc Brown
Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed by Barbara Park
The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid by Geronimo Stilton

Kudo's to this wonderful partnership between Wendy's and Listening Library!

Posted by sharon at 4:16 PM | Comments (0)

June 22, 2007

And the 2006 Most Challenged Book was?

If you guessed And Tango Makes Three by Richardson and Parnell, you would be right. This is the true story of two male penguins parenting an egg from a mixed-sex penguin couple. Due to issues of homosexuality, this award winning title topped the list.

The Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC) just posted ALA's 2006 list of most challenged books. This list always amazes me! The Top 10 include:

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Gossip Girls series by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Macker
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) received 546 challenges last year. OIF defines a challenge as "a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school, requesting that materials be removed because of content or approriateness."

For more information, visit the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedoms Banned Books Web site at www.ala.org/bbooks. (Banned Books week--September 29 through October 6, 2007)

Posted by sharon at 1:37 PM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2007

NCLB legislation supporting school librarians

There is remarkable news in the June 2007 issue of School Library Journal!

Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) have been working hard drafting new language that will hopefully be included in the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). While acknowledgeing the contributions of school librarians and school libraries, this new language would place library media specialists in the "highly qualified" category along with classroom teachers, paving the way towards having a certified librarian in every school by 2010.

What will this new NCLB status mean for school librarians? Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the American Library Association's (ALA) Washington Office states, "If librarians are granted 'highly qualified' status, not only will their jobs be better protected, but they'll also qualify for any professional development money that's set aside for educators who belong to the coveted group."

It's understood that school districts will have until 2010 to comply and that some school districts that do not have a library or can't afford a librarian will apply for a waiver, but this is definitely a step in the right direction!

Posted by sharon at 2:51 PM | Comments (0)