In Case You Missed It!

New York Times Article Explores the Birthplace of Dr. Seuss, Inspiration for His Books

In the New York Times article "Mulberry Street May Fade, but 'Mulberry Street' Shines On," journalist Michael Winerip visits Springfield, Massachusetts, the childhood home of author Theodore Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss!), in honor of the 75th anniversary of the publication of And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. 

Winerip writes, "Dr. Seuss has sold 600 million books, so I figured there had to be something going on Mulberry Street. Springfield is where Ted Geisel was born in 1904 and thought his formative thoughts, before going off to Dartmouth in 1921 and becoming Dr. Seuss. ...Dr. Seuss books aren’t primarily schoolbooks. They’re read-to-your-children-in-bed books. Christin LaRocque, a librarian at the Central branch in downtown Springfield, says Seuss books need to be replaced more often than any others — they wear out or disappear. Dr. Seuss is good for most anything that ails a child. To paraphrase Sylvester McMonkey McBean: He’s heard of your troubles, he’s heard you’re unhappy, but he can fix that all up, he’s the Fix-It-Up Chappie."

To read the article, click here. 

On ReadingRockets.org, you can watch a video interview with Audrey Geisel, Theodore Geisel's wife, in which she talks about meeting her husband, their life together, and his books. Click here to watch the interview.

Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt to Appear in PBS KIDS Show "Martha Speaks"

Animated PBS KIDS Show "Martha Speaks" Helps Kids Build Their Vocabularies 

February 20th Episode to Feature
Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt

The PBS Kids show "Martha Speaks" stars a family dog named Martha. When she eats alphabet soup, the letters go to her brain instead of her stomach and she speaks!

Actor Jon Hamm and writer/director/actress Jennifer Westfeldt will be appearing as themselves in a special two-part episode of "Martha Speaks" titled "Cora! Cora! Cora" on February 20. To watch a video from this upcoming episode, click here.

To learn more about how "Martha Speaks" engages kids and helps build their vocabularies, click here.

To check out some fun word games you can play with your kids featuring PBS Kids' characters , click here. 

For vocabulary-building games, click here. 

Presidential Trivia

Have Fun Learning About America's Presidents by Playing Presidential Trivia!

In honor of this year's presidential campaign, why not play some presidential trivia with the young people in your life?! Play in the car on your way to band practice or play while you're cleaning up the table after dinner!

A perfect resource for creating questions is the NCBLA's interdisciplinary anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, and it's coordinating educational website OurWhiteHouse.org! An incomparable collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, poetry, and a stunning array of original art, Our White House offers a multifaceted look at America’s history through the prism of the White House.

Here are a few questions to get you started:

1. Which president campaigned successfully in 1840 using the populist slogan "Log Cabin and Hard Cider?"
2. Before the passage of the 22nd amendment, presidential terms were not limited to two. Which president served FOUR terms?
3. Almost any adult American citizen is qualified to become president. Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution establishes the exact qualifications. What are they?

Answers and Links to Articles in OurWhiteHouse.org to Learn MORE!

1. William Henry Harrison. Harrison and his advisors brilliantly transformed a disparaging remark from a critic (“ . . . with a supply of cider and a pension, [Harrison] would happily sit by his log cabin for the rest of his days.”) into an effective campaign slogan: “Log Cabin and Hard Cider.” The down-to-earth slogan was well received by the public because it presented Harrison as a humble country boy whose “created” image contrasted well with that of his opponent, the incumbent Van Buren. To learn more, click here.
2. Franklin Delano Roosevelt won a second term by pledging to keep the U.S. out of World War II. He in fact signed the U.S. Neutrality Acts, a series of laws passed in response to the growing turmoil that led to World War II in an effort to prevent the U.S. from becoming involved. Later, after it became necessary to join the war, Roosevelt continued to be reelected because the people were unwilling to change leadership during wartime. Such circumstances and sentiment led Roosevelt to be the only president elected to serve four terms. To learn more, click here.
3. Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution establishes that anyone who is a natural-born U.S. citizen, at least thirty-five years old, and has lived in the United States for at least fourteen years can become president. To learn more, click here.

Our White House is available in both hardcover and paperback from Candlewick Press. Ask for it at a library or bookstore near you!

And be sure to check out the companion educational website, www.OurWhiteHouse.org, which provides expanded book content that includes additional articles, resources, activities, and discussion questions related to book topics as well exclusive resources and articles regarding the presidency, presidential campaigns, and presidential elections.

American Library Association Announces 2012 Youth Media Award Winners

Congratulations to All of This Year's
ALA Youth Media Award Winners,
Including Newbery Winner Jack Gantos and Caldecott Winner Chris Raschka!

The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Dallas. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. 

The 2012 award winners are:

The  John Newbery Medal, which recognizes the most outstanding contribution to children's literature was awarded to "Dead End in Norvelt,” written by Jack Gantos. The book is published by Farrar Straus Giroux. Two Newbery Honor Books also were named: "Inside Out & Back Again," written by Thanhha Lai and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; and "Breaking Stalin’s Nose,” written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, and published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

Jack Gantos is a contributor to the NCBLA's national reading and writing initiative The Exquisite Corpse Adventure. 

The  Randolph Caldecott Medal, which recognizes the most distinguished American picture book for children, was awarded to “A Ball for Daisy," illustrated and written by Chris Raschka. The book is published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Three Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “Blackout,” illustrated and written by John Rocco, and published by Disney · Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group; "Grandpa Green" illustrated and written by Lane Smith, and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership; and “Me … Jane,” illustrated and written by Patrick McDonnell, and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

The Michael L. Printz Award, which recognizes excellence in literature written for young adults, was awarded to “Where Things Come Back,” written by John Corey Whaley. The book is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Why We Broke Up,” written by Daniel Handler, art by Maira Kalman and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group; “The Returning,” written by Christine Hinwood and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group Young Readers Group USA; “Jasper Jones,” written by Craig Silvey and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.; and “The Scorpio Races,” written by Maggie Stiefvater and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

The Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award, which recognizes an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults, was awarded to Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans,” is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Two King Author Honor Book recipients were selected: Eloise Greenfield, author of “The Great Migration: Journey to the North,” illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist and published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and Patricia C. McKissack, author of “Never Forgotten,” illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon and published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Patricia McKissack is a board member of the NCBLA. She is also a contributor to the NCBLA's interdisciplinary anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, as well as a contributor to the NCBLA's national reading and writing initiative The Exquisite Corpse Adventure. 

The Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award was awarded to Shane W. Evans, illustrator and author of “Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom." The book is a Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership. One King Illustrator Honor Book recipient was selected: Kadir Nelson, illustrator and author of “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans,” published by Balzar + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

The Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Ashley Bryan. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton.

Storyteller, artist, author, poet and musician, Bryan created his first children’s book in first grade. He grew up in the Bronx and in 1962, he became the first African American to both write and illustrate a children’s book. After a successful teaching career, Bryan left academia to pursue creation of his own artwork. He has since garnered numerous awards for his significant and lasting literary contribution of poetry, spirituals and story.

The Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults was awarded to Susan Cooper. 

Cooper's books include: The Dark Is Rising Sequence: “Over Sea, Under Stone”; “The Dark Is Rising”; “Greenwitch”; “The Grey King”; and “Silver on the Tree.”

Susan Cooper is a board member of the NCBLA. She is also a contributor to the NCBLA's interdisciplinary anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, as well as a contributor to the NCBLA's national reading and writing initiative The Exquisite Corpse Adventure.  Cooper's most recent book is "The Magic Maker: A Portrait of John Langstaff and His Revels."

To read the complete list of winners, click here.  

ACTIVIST ALERT!

Call Your Congressional Rep and Ask for Support of the SKILLS ACT

Every child in America deserves access to
an effective school library program.

This week, U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ, 7th), along with Representatives Rush Holt (D-NJ, 12th) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA, 6th) introduced the Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLS) Act. The SKILLS Act, numbered H.R. 3776 in the House, is a companion bill of S. 1328 that was introduced in the Senate by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Thad Cochran (R-MS) back on July 6, 2011.

Both the House and Senate version of the SKILLS Act would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to do the following:

1. Defines an “effective school library program” to be staffed by a state-certified school librarian, have up-to-date materials including technology, teaches digital literacy skills, and finally, has regular collaboration between other education professionals over curriculum.
2. Replaces Improving Literacy Through School Libraries with Improving Literacy and College and Career Readiness Through Effective School Library Programs which would award competitive grants to underserved local schools and school districts to develop an effective school library program.
3. Allows school librarians access to professional development funds under Title II of ESEA.

H.R. 3776 was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. No further action has been announced for this legislation. S. 1328 was introduced as an amendment to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee mark-up of the ESEA reauthorization in October 2011. That amendment was unfortunately withdrawn due to lack of support on the committee, and ESEA was reported from the HELP committee without a library provision.

This legislation is critical to the future of school libraries. Please call your Congressional Representative today at the capitol switchboard (202.224.3121) and ask him or her to support the SKILLS Act! To find direct contact information for members of Congress, click here. 

For more information about how you can support literacy and libraries, visit the NCBLA's "Become an Activist" page.

The Horn Book Publishes Its 2011 Fanfare List

Check Out the Horn Book's 2011 Fanfare List of 30 Great Books for Children and Teens

The Horn Book's Fanfare list spotlights their reviewers' and editors' choices for the very best books published for children and teens in 2011. Books in the fanfare list are categorized into Picture Books, Fiction, and Nonfiction. More than a simple list, the fanfare includes a short description of each book, as well as recommended reading levels for each. 

To see the entire list on hbook.com, click here. 

Why not take advantage of a cold winter afternoon or evening to visit your local library and check out some of these fabulous books?!

Celebrate MLK Day with a BOOK!

Check Out These Recommendations About the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Reading Rockets!

 

Reading Rockets features tons of themed book lists to help parents, homeschoolers, guardians, teachers, and other adults make finding the perfect book at your local library or bookstore a piece of cake! Why not visit the library with your kids today and read about Martin Luther King and other civil rights activists together?

To visit the Reading Rockets' book list for recommendations about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., click here.

CONGRATULATIONS to Walter Dean Myers!

Author Walter Dean Myers
Inaugurated as
Third National Ambassador
for Young People's Literature

In a ceremony held in the Library of Congress' Jefferson Building yesterday, author WALTER DEAN MYERS was inaugurated as our nation's third National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Myers is the recipient of two Newbery Honors, three National Book Award finalists, the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the Michael L. Printz Award, and five Coretta Scott King Awards. His titles include We Are America, Carmen, Looking for the Easy Life, Kick, and Cruisers.

The position of National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature was created to raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education and the development and betterment of the lives of young people. For his two-year tenure as Ambassador, Myers has chosen to proclaim the message that "Reading is not optional." 

Students from area schools attended yesterday's ceremony to hear Myers speak and to participate in the inauguration. Following the ceremony and speeches, Myers chatted with students and signed copies of his books for the attendees.

Left to Right: Katherine Paterson, Walter Dean Myers,
and Jon Scieszka.

Myers succeeds Katherine Paterson, who served as Ambassador for the 2010-2011 term, and Jon Scieszka, who served as Ambassador for the 2008-2009 term. The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is named by the Librarian of Congress for a two-year term, based on recommendations from a selection committee representing many segments of the book community. The selection criteria include the candidate’s contribution to young people’s literature and ability to relate to children.

To learn more about Myers and his books, visit his website.

To learn more about the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature program, visit Read.gov.

All photos courtesy of Abby Brack, Library of Congress.

Activist Alert!

Help Ensure Every Child in America Has Access to an Effective School Library Program

Every child in America deserves access to an effective school library program. 

We ask that the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provide dedicated funding to help support effective school library programs. Such action will ensure more students have access to the resources and tools that constitute a 21st century learning environment. Reductions in school library programs are creating an ‘access gap’ between schools in wealthier communities versus those where there are high levels of poverty. All students should have an equal opportunity to acquire the skills necessary to learn, to participate, and to compete in today’s world.

To sign the petition asking the Obama administration to support this dedicated funding for effective school library programs, click here. 

Hint: If you experience difficulty signing in to the petition, please log out and try again. You might also want to try a different web browser or computer if possible. 

THANK YOU for supporting school libraries!

Help Kids Connect with the 2012 Presidential Campaign!

Our White House Book and Website Provide Resources to Help Adults Who Live and Work with Kids Connect Them with Current Events

All eyes are on New Hampshire this week as that state's voters go to the polls tomorrow to vote in their primary election for the Republican party's presidential nominee. Parents, homeschoolers, guardians, teachers, librarians, and other adults who live and work with kids can help our nation's children understand and connect with the presidential campaign using the award-winning anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out!

In Our White House, marvel at Calef Brown's painting "Freedom of Speech" and discuss the impact of this freedom on this year's presidential campaign with the young people in your life. Read Rocket Boys author Homer Hickam's account of meeting John F. Kennedy on the campaign trail in "The White House, the Moon, and a Coal Miner's Son." Read Natalie Babbitt's essay "Seven from Ohio," which ponders why so many presidents have hailed from that midwestern state and discuss the home states and experiences of each of the Republican candidates...are the candidates' states representative of the nation as a whole? How has each candidate's life, political, and private sector experiences prepared them for the presidency?

Check Out the Free Resources Available on OurWhiteHouse.org!

On the companion educational site OurWhiteHouse.org, you and the kids in your life can learn how long it took to expand the right to vote in "Who Gets to Vote?" and discover how the electoral college works in "Getting the Votes and Getting Elected: The Popular Vote vs. the Electoral College." Learn about our country's history of presidential campaigns in "Persuading the People: Campaigning for President." And have fun reading about the original campaign "button" in "From Buttons to Pins: Campaign Tokens Evolve."

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out is a masterpiece of poetry and prose, art and photography, created by over 100 of America's most gifted storytellers and artists as a project of the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance designed to encourage young people to read more about America’s rich history and culture; to think more about America’s future; to talk more about our nation’s leadership; and to act on their own beliefs and convictions, ensuring this great democratic experiment will survive and thrive. Our White House is available in both paperback and hardcover from Candlewick Press.

Ask for Our White House at a library or bookstore near you!

In Case You Missed It!

Author Katerine Paterson Shares Experiences and Insights Regarding Her Two Years as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

Fans of Katherine Paterson say good-bye and thank you next week as she hands over the reins of the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature position to newly named Ambassador Walter Dean Myers for the 2012-2013 term.

In the Huffington Post article titled "My Term As The National Ambassador For Young People's Literature," Paterson writes about some of her most moving moments as Ambassador:

"One of my best adventures was finding myself the prize of a national contest won by a tiny school in Sebago, Maine. A friend and I drove through a blizzard in the White Mountains of New Hampshire to get to Sebago, but it was worth it.

To introduce the day, the teacher picked up four books. "These were some of my best friends when I was growing up," she said. The first was a nearly worn out Little Golden Book. Her mother would take her and her brother grocery shopping and each week the children could take a turn selecting a book. They were to share the books. "But," she said holding up the book, "I must not have learned how to share, because, see, I've scratched out my brother's name and written my own."

Then she held up "Little House in the Big Woods," a book that taught her how people lived years ago and showed a shy child how good it was to be strong and independent. The third was a story book about Japan that made her long to go to Japan and to learn about the world outside her small home town. The last book was a book I had written: "Jacob Have I Loved." "This book," she said, "helped me understand how I felt because I was Louise. My mother saw how much I loved this book, and so she read it, and to my surprise, she thought she was Caroline. So I learned that two people can read the same book and learn very different things."

Click here to read Katherine's entire article.
 
To learn more about Katherine Paterson and her books, click here.
 
To learn more about Walter Dean Myers and his books, click here.
 
For more information about the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature program, click here.

Congratulations to Young Writers Inspired by "Exquisite Corpse Adventure" Authors and Illustrators

Winners of The Exquisite Prompt Redux Writing Challenge Announced

This past fall Reading Rockets challenged students across America to exercise their imaginations by writing the end to a cliffhanger, the review of a magical object, a poem in the voice of a Whinoceros, or the adventure of two time travelers...writing challenges inspired by the authors and illustrators who collaborated to create the progressive story game The Exquisite Corpse Adventure.

The creative efforts of several winners were recently selected by Reading Rockets from hundreds of entries. The NCBLA congratulates the creative efforts of  these young people and invites you to read these fabulous winning selections on ReadingRockets.org!

What Is The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is a progressive story game originally published on the Library of Congress' Read.gov website as the foundation of a national reading and writing initiative, created by The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is now available in paperback and hardback from Candlewick Press. It is also available on audio.

To learn more about The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, click here.

To check out the NCBLA's extensive online educational resources that support The Exquisite Corpse Adventure (including supplemental articles, classroom activities, reading lists, art activities, discussion questions, and more!), click here.

Ask for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure at a bookstore or library near you!

Happy New Year! Resolve to Read to the Kids in Your Life This New Year!

Reading to Children Has Long Impact, Says OECD Study

Children whose parents frequently read with them in their first year of school are still showing the benefit when they are 15, says an international study.

BBC reports that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development analysis examined the long-term impact of parental support on literacy. Discounting social differences, the study found children with early support remained ahead in reading. It found a strong link between teenage reading skills and early parental help. Click here to read the entire article on the BBC website.

Literacy Advice, Tips, and Resources

For authoritative and practical tips on making literacy a priority at home and helping your kids become life-long readers, check out these articles provided by the NCBLA:

"Parent and Guardian Literacy Basics" 

"Why Do Kids Need Books?" 

"I Will Read to My Kids...If I Ever Find the Time!" by Mary Brigid Barrett 

"Kids See, Kids Do! Become a Literacy Role Model" by Mary Brigid Barrett 

"Creating a Home Atmosphere That Supports Great Writing" by Mary Brigid Barrett

"Parent Tips for Encouraging Reading and Literacy Development" by Melanie Walski

New National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Named!

Congratulations to Walter Dean Myers!

Award-winning author Walter Dean Myers has been named our nation's third National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by Librarian of Congress Dr. James H. Billington! Myers is the recipient of two Newbery Honors, three National Book Award finalists, the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the Michael L. Printz Award, and five Coretta Scott King Awards. His titles include We Are America, Carmen, Looking for the Easy Life, Kick, and Cruisers.

Regarding the importance of reading and his plans for his term as ambassador, Myers said in a New York Times interview that he hopes to speak directly to low income minority parents, “I think that what we need to do is say reading is going to really affect your life. ... You take a black man who doesn’t have a job, but you say to him, ‘Look, you can make a difference in your child’s life, just by reading to him for 30 minutes a day.’ That’s what I would like to do.” Click here to read the entire interview.

Learn more about Walter Dean Myers and his prolific body of work at his website. And read more about the naming of Myers as ambassador in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature raises national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education and the development and betterment of the lives of young people. Visit Read.gov to learn more.