Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Young Readers Center Opens at Library of Congress

Center Is First in Library's History for Young People

The Library of Congress, for the first time in its history, has a space devoted to the reading interests of children and teens in its historic Thomas Jefferson Building. On Oct. 23, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington welcomed a group of young people, parents, and others to the new Young Readers Center. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and her three children and Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) and his son helped open the new center.

M.T. Anderson, who writes books for both children and teens, was the special guest author. He is the writer of such acclaimed and popular books as "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing" and "Me, All Alone, at the End of the World."

Visitors to the Young Readers Center can choose to read a book from an up-to-date collection of noncirculating titles; they can browse the web’s kid-friendly sites; and they can attend programs especially designed for young readers. The center’s media room also provides an opportunity for visitors to view webcasts of young adult and children’s authors who have appeared at the National Book Festival.

"We want you and other young readers to have a place where you can gain an introduction to the wonders of your nation’s library," said Billington to the children gathered in the center.

The Young Readers Center is located in Room G 31, ground floor, of the Thomas Jefferson Building at the corner of First Street and Independence Ave. S.E. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and is closed on all federal holidays.

The new Young Readers Center is one of many programs administered by the Center for the Book. The Center for the Book also oversees the new LOC website www.read.gov, which provides reading resources especially for kids and teens, as well as adults, educators, and parents. A highlight of the site is the exclusive episodic story called "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure," a joint reading outreach project with the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance. A new episode and illustration from some of the nation's best authors and illustrators for young people (including M.T. Anderson!) are being posted on Read.Gov every two weeks. Coordinating educational and resource materials are available at: http://www.thencbla.org/Exquisite_Corpse/exquisite_home.html.


Photos courtesy of Barry Wheeler, Library of Congress.

Monday, November 2, 2009

The Exquiste Corpse Adventure Illustrations Inspire Kids to Create Their Own Art!

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure:
Talk Art with Calef Brown!

Use The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Illustrations to Introduce Young People to Art in the Classroom and at Home!

... and read a brand new, never before published poem by Calef Brown!!

This week we discuss Calef Brown's boldly expressive illustration for Episode Three of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, "The Found Clue by Newbery Award winning author Kate Di Camillo in the NCBLA's Exquisite Corpse Adventure Educational Resource Center. Besides relating Caleb's illustration to the fine art tradition that uses clowns as a subject matter, we offer discussion questions and art activities for kids to do at home and in classrooms. And Calef Brown unveils one of his previously unpublished poems so that you can share it with the young people in your life.


The "Talk Art" articles in the NCBLA's ED Resource Center are not just for art teachers- they are also for parents, homeschoolers, classroom teachers, and librarians, anyone interested in exploring art with children and teens, especially when art and music budgets are being cut in schools systems across the country.

In The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Educational Resource Center you will also find a wonderful "read more about it" book recommendations, classroom writing activities, and discussion questions brought to you by the faculty and graduate students at Dominican University's Butler Children's Literature Center!


Find the
NCBLA's The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Educational Resource Center, at:
http://www.thencbla.org/Exquisite_Corpse/exquisite_home.html

Talk Art Pages with Calef Brown, at:
http://www.thencbla.org/Exquisite_Corpse/exquisite_ep3.html#talkart_ep3

Talk Art Pages with Chris Van Dusen, at:
http://www.thencbla.org/Exquisite_Corpse/exquisite_ep1.html#talk%20art

Talk Art Pages with James Ransome, at:
http://www.thencbla.org/Exquisite_Corpse/exquisite_ep2.html#talk%20art%202

Find Dominican University's Butler Children's Literature Center, at:
http://www.dom.edu/butler

And be sure to ask for Calef Brown's new books-Flamingos on the Roof and Soup for Breakfast at your local library and bookstore!!