"Make sure this country lives up to our children's expectations...."

"I believe we can be better.  Those who died here, those who saved lives here – they help me believe.  We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us.  I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.

That's what I believe, in part because that's what a child like Christina Taylor Green believed.  Imagine: here was a young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy; just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship; just starting to glimpse the fact that someday she too might play a part in shaping her nation's future.  She had been elected to her student council; she saw public service as something exciting, something hopeful.  She was off to meet her congresswoman, someone she was sure was good and important and might be a role model.  She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted.

I want us to live up to her expectations.  I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it.  

All of us – we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children's expectations...."

President Barack Obama at the memorial for those slain in Tuscon, Arizona; January 12, 2011

 

ALA Announces 2011 Youth Media Awards

The NCBLA Congratulates All Winning Authors and Illustrators

Yesterday the American Library Association announced the winners of its prestigious series of awards that honor books, videos, and audiobooks published for children and young adults in the previous year.

The John Newbery Medal, which recognizes the most distinguished contribution to children's literature, was awarded to "Moon over Manifest,” written by Clare Vanderpool and published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

The Randolph Caldecott Medal, which honors the most distinguished American picture book for children, was awarded to “A Sick Day for Amos McGee,” illustrated by Erin E. Stead. The book was written by Philip C. Stead, and is a Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing.

 

The Michael L. Printz Award (for excellence in literature written for young adults) was awarded to “Ship Breaker,” written by Paolo Bacigalupi and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, 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“One Crazy Summer,” written by Rita Williams-Garcia. The book is published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

The Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award, was awarded to “Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave,” illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Laban Carrick Hill. The book is published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Congratulations to these talented authors and illustrators!

Read the complete list of awards and winners on the ALA website. 

Puzzled by the array of awards? Read "A Guide to Children's Books: Just What Do Those Awards Mean?" on the NCBLA's website, www.thencbla.org.

Helping Kids Cope With Tragic National News

Comforting and Reassuring Your Children in the Wake of the Tragic Events in Arizona this Past Weekend

The tragic news of the attempted assassination of a United States Congresswoman and esteemed public servant, Representative Gabrielle Giffords--violence that took the lives of innocent bystanders as well as the life of a beautiful nine year old girl--has dominated the media this past weekend and will continue to dominate the news in the forthcoming days. The NCBLA has been receiving inquiries from parents and concerned adults in Arizona seeking suggestions as to how they can comfort their children, help their children understand what has happened, and  move forward with hope. 

Children of all ages across the country will be hearing about this weekend's tragic event not only because of saturated media coverage,but because kids and adults will be talking about it everywhere, in their classrooms and schools, at the supermarket, at after school activities--  especially because amongst those that died as result of this deplorable violence was a young person nine years of age.

In the wake of September 11th, the Association of Library Services for Children, a division of the American Library Association, compiled a list of websites that contained very helpful information for adults to help children cope in the aftermath of that great national tragedy, much of which, in general terms, is pertinent to this current situation. (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/compubs/booklists/dealingwithtrag/websitesdealing.cfm )

The ALSC list includes, for example, from James Garbarino, professor of human development and co-director of the Family Life Development Center at Cornell University, advice to parents on how they can help their children cope with the news of tragic attacks.  He is a nationally recognized expert on child development and youth violence.  

• Children in general will need reassurance that they and their loved ones are safe . Young children particularly will need words and actions to communicate calm and safety rather than anxiety and fear. The evidence is clear that children cope best when adults avoid being incapacitated by fear and anxiety. Trying to restore regular routines is important to reassure children that normal life will resume.
• Children already coping with loss and fear will need special reassurance . Who are these children? They are children who have parents away from home, who are involved in a divorce, who are hospitalized, who have lost a loved one recently, or who in some other way are specially worried about issues of safety, stability and security. Everyone connected with these "at risk" children must make special efforts to offer physical, emotional and intellectual nurturing and support.
• Children will need a chance to ask their questions and get factual information to dispel misperceptions and rumors that will arise due to their immature reasoning and knowledge . Adults should make themselves available to children to listen and then respond rather than just lecturing them on what adults think is important. Hear and see the world through the ears and eyes of children to know what to do to help them.
• Parents and other adults will naturally tend to become preoccupied, anxious, and sad by the disaster, but they must guard against this where children are concerned. If adults are "psychologically unavailable," children will suffer. This is a major issue. The message to parents is clear: Don't become glued to the television and unavailable to your children when they need you most. 

And from the late Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood: 

HELPFUL HINTS:

• Do your best to keep the television off, or at least limit how much your child sees of any news event.
• Try to keep yourself calm. Your presence can help your child feel more secure.
• Give your child extra comfort and physical affection, like hugs or snuggling up together with a favorite book. Physical comfort goes a long way towards providing security. That closeness can nourish you, too.
• Try to keep regular routines as normal as possible. Children and adults count on familiar patterns of everyday life.
• Plan something that you and your child can enjoy together, like taking a walk or going on a picnic, having some quiet time together or doing something silly. It can help to know there are simple things in life that can help us feel better, both in good times and in bad.
• Even if children don't mention what they've seen or heard in the news, it can help to ask what they think has happened. If parents don't bring up the subject, children can be left with their misinterpretations. You may be surprised at how much your child has heard from others.
• Focus attention on the helpers, like the police, firemen, doctors, nurses, paramedics and volunteers. It's reassuring to know there are many caring people who are doing all they can to help in this world.
• Let your child know if you're making a donation or going to a meeting, writing a letter or e-mail of support, or taking some other action. It can help children know that adults take many different active roles...and that we don't give in to helplessness in time of crisis.

Sometimes, in the midst of coping with tragic news themselves, adults cannot find the words they need to reassure and comfort their children and teens.  Taking a moment to read a book together and discussing that book can often help both children and caring adults find the words they need to talk about difficult things. Those books may deal specifically with tragedy and grief; but they may not. Often times, a story that appears to be totally unrelated to events at hand is the one that provides sustenance and comfort to a child.  For example, the classic story Charlotte's Web, is a book that can provide a grieving grade school age child with a cathartic experience, allowing that child to express his or her own feelings and emotions about death and dying.

In addition to the website previously suggested , we offer additional websites below where adults will find lists of books and information that will provide help in initiating loving and caring conversations with your children related to dealing with tragic events. 

We express our most heartfelt sympathies to the families, friends, and colleagues of all the victims of this act of violence in Arizona, and will keep them, and all those injured, in our hearts and prayers. As a not-for-profit organization that actively links literacy to historical literacy and civic engagement, it is our hope that the past weekend's events to do not discourage young people from civic engagement and public service. It is our hope that young people, and the adults in their lives, decide to educate and inform themselves so that they can be agents of non-violent positive change in our society and culture, using their many gifts and talents to make our nation a better, and safer place, for us all.  

Mary Brigid Barrett, President of The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance

Websites that may provide further help for parents, guardians, educators, and professionals. Although dealing with previous national tragedies, much of this information is pertinent to this past weekend's event. When  possible we have provided direct links. If they do not link directly, please copy and paste : 

http://pbskids.org/rogers//parentsteachers/special/scarynews.html


http://pbskids.org/rogers//parentsteachers/special/scarynews-thoughts.html 

http://www.fci.org/new-site/par-tragic-events.html 

http://www.projectreassure.org/ 

http://www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas/disasterpreparedness/MisterRogersFINAL.pdf

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/37

http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/healthaz/Books-Using-Them-to-Help-Children-Cope.aspx?articleID=8703&categoryID=AZ5b

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/compubs/booklists/dealingwithtrag/booksseparation.cfm

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/compubs/booklists/dealingwithtrag/websitesdealing.cfm

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/compubs/booklists/dealingwithtrag/resourcesparents.cfm

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/compubs/booklists/dealingwithtrag/resourcesteachers.cfm

http://health.med.umich.edu/healthcontent.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=6&action=detail&AEProductID=hw_knowledgebase&AEArticleID=aa122262

http://www.fci.org/safe.html

http://www.fci.org/new-site/par-death.html

From the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance's Parent and Guardian Handbook:

Don’t over program your kids. Buck the trend and give your child unstructured time to play alone or with friends. 

Give the kids a room in the attic or the basement that they can call their own; a room that they can spill paint on the floor without you going nuts. Fill the room with simple things: all kinds of paper, crayons, paint, and markers; tape, scissors, and glue; wooden blocks; board games; puzzles; books; army men; small plastic zoo animals; a couple of big cardboard boxes; old clothes for dressing up; a boom box and CDs with a wide variety of music – country and western, show tunes, rock and roll, and even some opera!  And leave them alone in the room – for hours. Let them come up with ideas to entertain themselves. If you get worried, check on them once in a while – bring them lunch or cookies and milk. But let them create their own entertainment – let them do their own problem solving. Imaginations are like muscles; they must be exercised.

The NCBLA has been promoting imaginary play for children for well over a decade. Kids need non-electronic screen time to play, to entertain themselves, to think, to relax, to move, to imagine and form their own visual images independently instead of always having other's words and images in their brains. 

From  "The Movement to Restore Children’s Play Gains Momentum" by Hilary Stout" in The New York Times:

For several years, studies and statistics have been mounting that suggest the culture of play in the United States is vanishing. Children spend far too much time in front of a screen, educators and parents lament — 7 hours 38 minutes a day on average, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation last year. And only one in five children live within walking distance (a half-mile) of a park or playground, according to a 2010 report by the federal Centers for Disease Control, making them even less inclined to frolic outdoors. 

Behind the numbers is adult behavior as well as children’s: Parents furiously tapping on their BlackBerrys in the living room, too stressed by work demands to tolerate noisy games in the background. Weekends consumed by soccer, lacrosse and other sports leagues, all organized and directed by parents. The full slate of lessons (chess, tae kwon do, Chinese, you name it) and homework beginning in the earliest grades. Add to that parental safety concerns that hinder even true believers like Ms. Wilson."

For several years, studies and statistics have been mounting that suggest the culture of play in the United States is vanishing. Children spend far too much time in front of a screen, educators and parents lament — 7 hours 38 minutes a day on average, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation last year. And only one in five children live within walking distance (a half-mile) of a park or playground, according to a 2010 report by the federal Centers for Disease Control, making them even less inclined to frolic outdoors. 

Behind the numbers is adult behavior as well as children’s: Parents furiously tapping on their BlackBerrys in the living room, too stressed by work demands to tolerate noisy games in the background. Weekends consumed by soccer, lacrosse and other sports leagues, all organized and directed by parents. The full slate of lessons (chess, tae kwon do, Chinese, you name it) and homework beginning in the earliest grades. Add to that parental safety concerns that hinder even true believers like Ms. Wilson.

Read more about imaginary play and its importance to children today in "The Movement to Restore Children’s Play Gains Momentum" by Hilary Stout in The New York Times at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/garden/06play.html?_r=1&hp

For more NCBLA literacy and education parenting tips, go to: http://www.thencbla.org/PTMpages/parents/parentbasics.html

 Photo credit: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

In Case You Missed It!

In The Huffington Post: 

"I Read a Young Adult Novel. It Was Better Written and More Exciting Than Most Adult Fiction I See"

by Jeff Kornbluth   

"It started with Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project. She loved reading children's books and wondered if other adults did too. Very much, in fact. The Wall Street Journal reports that Rubin now has three Kidlit groups in New York, and many of the members are extremely respectable members of the publishing community who really seem to get off on Young Adult (YA) fiction. 

 

So I thought I'd have what they're having. 

I chose If I Stay, published in 2009, mostly because it is a monster success -- already available in 30 languages, sold to Hollywood. And on its website almost 1,900 readers have commented on Gayle Forman's genius and the book's gut-wrenching, life-changing appeal.

I rolled through 230 big-print, nicely spaced pages in a few hours. The novel pressed every emotional button I'm aware of. At the end, I was a mess -- limp, to be sure, but also thrilled, energized, renewed.

Read more at:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-kornbluth/i-read-a-young-adult-ya-n_b_804695.html

Resolve to Read to Your Kids This Year!

Daily Reading Makes a Perfect New Year's Resolution

The wealth and joys of reading cannot be made any clearer than in the words of beloved American poet Emily Dickinson:

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

 

Why not make a resolution this year to share the world with the young people in your life by reading to them every single day?! 

Reading aloud is an experience to be shared not only with toddlers and preschoolers, but also with infants, elementary school kids, and even teenagers. Blustery winter evenings provide the perfect opportunity for a family of all ages to snuggle together and take turns reading chapters from an engaging novel or stories from a favorite anthology of folktales. And fear not the "oppressive toll!" A world of books is available free of charge to all when you indulge in the stacks of your local library.

For reading lists and fun ideas to help the young people in your life become lifelong readers, be sure to check out the literacy resources available on the NCBLA's website, including The Parent/Teacher/Mentor Notebook.

The NCBLA wishes you and yours many happy reading adventures in 2011!

Happy Holidays from the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance. . .

Sing with Your Children Over the Holiday Season!
Words and Music Make Delightful Family Memories!

Here are the lyrics to a family holiday favorite and if you need help remembering the tune, Boston Celtic Shaquille O'Neal can help! He was recently the guest conductor at the Boston Pops- enjoy the Pops video below and sing along with your kids!

SLEIGH RIDE

(Leroy Anderson / Mitchell Parish)

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling,

ring ting tingling too

Come on, it's lovely weather

for a sleigh ride together with you

Outside the snow is falling

and friends are calling "yoo hoo",

Come on, it's lovely weather

for a sleigh ride together with you.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap,

let's go, Let's look at the show,

We're riding in a wonderland of snow.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, gidd yap,

it's grand, Just holding your hand,

We're gliding along with a song

of a wintry fairy land

Our cheeks are nice and rosy

and comfy cozy are we

We're snuggled up together

like two birds of a feather would be

Let's take that road before us

and sing a chorus or two

Come on, it's lovely weather

for a sleigh ride together with you.

There's a birthday party

at the home of Farmer Gray

It'll be the perfect ending a of perfect day

We'll be singing the songs

we love to sing without a single stop

At the fireplace while we watch

the chestnuts pop. pop! pop! pop!

There's a happy feeling

nothing in the world can buy

When they pass around the coffee

and the pumpkin pie

It'll nearly be like a picture print

by Currier and Ives

These wonderful things are the things

we remember all through our lives!

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling,

ring ting tingling too

Come on, it's lovely weather

for a sleigh ride together with you

Outside the snow is falling

and friends are calling "yoo hoo",

Come on, it's lovely weather

for a sleigh ride together with you.

It's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.

It's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.

Still Shopping? Gift Book Suggestions from Steven Kellogg

Author-Illustrator Steven Kellogg Recommends Two Books for Holiday Giving

Attention last minute shoppers! If you are looking for  gift ideas for the young people in your life,  consider two book suggestions from award-winning author-illustrator Steven Kellogg. Kellogg proclaims both The Amazing Bone by William Steig and The Maggie B by Irene Haas to be "wonderful."

In Steig's delightful picture book The Amazing Bone, it's a bright and beautiful spring day, and Pearl is dawdling on her way home from school. Most unexpectedly, she strikes up an acquaintance with a small bone. Pearl and the bone immediately take a liking to each other, and before you know it, she is on her way home with the bone in her purse, left open so they can continue their conversation. But the trip home turns out to be surprisingly treacherous. Can a pig and a small talking bone outwit a band of robbers and a hungry fox? The Amazing Bone is the winner of multiple awards, including American Library Association Notable Children's Books; Caldecott Honor Book, Picture Book; Boston Globe - Horn Book Award; New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Books of the Year. The Amazing Bone is available in both hardcover and paperback.

Read more about author and illustrator William Steig on the MacMillan website.

The Maggie B by Irene Haas is the story of a wish come true. Margaret Barnstable wanted more than anything else to sail for a day, "alone and free with someone nice for company" on a ship named after her. One night, she wished for it on the North Star, and when she woke up she was in the cabin of the The Maggie B, with her small brother James. It was a most wonderful day, with everything she needed. This sumptuously illustrated picture book  is
available in hardcover at a bookstore near you.

Author-illustrator Steven Kellogg has loved picture books ever since he was a child; the illustrations of Beatrix Potter and N.C. Wyeth were his early favorites. He grew up in Connecticut, drawing constantly and telling stories to his younger sisters. He has written or illustrated, or both, over 100 books for children and young people. Awards for his work include the prestigious Regina Medal for his lifetime contribution to children’s literature, as well as the Irma Simonton Black Award, the IRA-CBC Children’s Choice Award, the Parents’ Choice Award, inclusion on the ALA Notable Books lists, Booklist Editors’ Choice, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, and the Horn Book Fanfare.

His most recent book is And I Love You  written by Ruth Krauss and illustrated by Kellogg. 

Kellogg is a vice president of The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance. He is a contributor to the NCBLA's reading outreach projects, the art and literature anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, and the progressive story game, The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, available on READ.GOV. 

Learn more about Steven Kellog and his books on his website.

Last Minute Gift Book Suggestion from Author Nikki Grimes

Nikki Grimes Recommends The Underneath for Holiday Giving

If you are still looking for holiday gift book ideas, author Nikki Grimes would like to recommend the New York Times bestselling novel The Underneath by Kathi Appelt for readers ages 8 to 12. Here is what Kirkus Reviews has to say about The Underneath, "When fate separates them, an old hound dog and two foster kittens survive the dangers of the bayou to find one another. Seeking shelter, a homeless pregnant cat responds to the "bluesy" baying of a hound named Ranger who lives chained under the porch of a shack in the woods of the East Texas bayou. He happily shares the Underneath with the cat and her two kittens, Sabine and Puck. The kittens are safe from Ranger's evil master Gar Face as long as they remain hidden, but Puck ventures out "straight into the terrible hands of Gar Face," who does his best to drown both the curious kitten and his mother. Somehow Puck escapes after promising his dying mother he will find Sabine and free Ranger, but he's on his own in a bayou teeming with mysterious creatures. Aided by Small's lively illustrations, Appelt intricately weaves these animals' ancient stories into Puck's survival saga to produce a magical tale of betrayal, revenge, love and the importance of keeping promises."

The Underneath was a National Book Award Finalist and a Newbery Honor Book.  It also received the Pen USA Award, and was a finalist for the Heart of Hawick Children's Book Award.

  

Read more about Kathi Appelt and her books on her website.

Nikki Grimes  is a New York Times best-selling author and prolific artist who has written many award-winning books for children and young adults. Her works include the novels “Bronx Masquerade” (Dial), winner of the 2003 Coretta Scott King Author Award; “Jazmin’s Notebook” (Dial), a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and Bank Street College Book of the Year; “The Road to Paris” (Penguin), another Coretta Scott King Honor Book; the popular poetry collections “Danitra Brown, Class Clown,” “Danitra Brown Leaves Town” (HarperCollins) and “Meet Danitra Brown” (Lothrop), an ALA Notable and Coretta Scott King Honor Book; “Hopscotch Love” (Lothrop); “Oh, Brother” (Greenwillow); “What Is Goodbye?” (Hyperion); “Talkin’ About Bessie,” the 2003 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner and Author Award honor book; “Aneesa Lee & the Weaver’s Gift,” an American Bookseller Pick of the List (Lothrop); “From a Child’s Heart” (Just Us Books); “A Dime a Dozen; My Man Blue” (Dial); “Come Sunday” (Eerdman’s), an ALA Notable book; “At Break of Day” and “When Daddy Prays” (Eerdman’s). Other works include “Stepping Out with Grandma Mac,” a Notable Social Studies Trade Book; and “Shoe Magic” (Orchard); “A Pocketful of Poems” (Clarion); “Wild, Wild Hair” (Scholastic); “Portrait of Mary” (Harcourt Brace), a work of adult fiction; and NAACP winner “Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope” (Simon & Schuster).

Grimes' most recent book  is the young adult novel A Girl Named Mister.

Grimes is also a contributor to The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, available on READ.GOV, and the author of a moving poem about President Obama's inauguration, which was published in the recent paperback edition of the art and literature anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. Grimes is a member of the board of The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance.

Learn more about Grimes and her books on her website.

Last Minute Gift Book Suggestion

Author M. T. Anderson Recommends Newbery Honor Book by Grace Lin

Author M. T. Anderson suggests anyone looking for a gift book for young people add Grace Lin's award-winning Where the Mountains Meet the Moon to the top of their lists. About this New York Times bestseller Anderson says, "Grace Lin's Newbery Honor winning story of a brave girl's miraculous quest to save her village from starvation is a pip of an adventure story for younger readers. While it reads like a Chinese fairy-tale of adventure -- with dragons, disguised kings, and talking fish -- it is also a beautiful meditation on the way that, as we grow older, we come to truly understand the places we grew up."

In its starred review, Andrew Medlar of Booklist says, "In this enchanted and enchanting adventure, Minli, whose name means "quick thinking," lives with her desperately poor parents at the confluence of Fruitless Mountain and the Jade River. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. One day, after a goldfish salesman promises that his wares will bring good luck, Minli spends one of her only two coins in an effort to help her family. After her mother ridicules what she believes to be a foolish purchase, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, who, it is told, may impart the true secret to good fortune. Along the way, she finds excitement, danger, humor, magic, and wisdom, and she befriends a flightless dragon, a talking fish, and other companions and helpmates in her quest. With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. Lin's own full-color drawings open each chapter. "

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was featured on the December Today Show Kid's Books Club. Watch a video of Al Roker interviewing Grace Lin about the book. 

To learn more about author and illustrator Grace Lin and all her books, check out her website and read her blog. Her website includes a free downloadable Activity Book and Event Kit to help you enrich the reading experience of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon with the young people in your life.

M. T. Anderson has written stories for adults, picture books for children, adventure novels for young readers, and several books for older readers (both teens and adults). His satirical book Feed was a Finalist for the National Book Award and was the winner of the L.A. Times Book Prize. The first volume of his Octavian Nothing saga won the National Book Award and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Prize. Both the first and second volumes of that two-part series were Printz Honor Books. He has published stories for adults in literary journals like The Northwest Review, The Colorado Review, and Conjunctions. Anderson is also a contributor to Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out and The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, which is available on READ.GOV. Anderson is a member of the board of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance. You can learn more about Anderson and his books on his website.

Need Ideas for Book Gifts for Children? Check Out The Horn Book Magazine's "Fanfare" Best Books for Kids 2010!

From Roger Sutton, Editor-in -Chief, Notes from The Horn Book:  

"Every year, the Horn Book editors look back through the five hundred or so books reviewed in the Magazine — almost all highly recommended to begin with — to select the best of the best, so to speak. Reflecting changing demographics, the economy, and public funding, children’s book publishing goes in cycles, and right now hardcover fiction for ten-year-olds and up claims the biggest piece of the pie — and this list. Still, though, I think this year’s Fanfare list has something for just about everybody, and I hope you find some useful suggestions for your holiday shopping. Books are so easy to wrap."

 
Find books gift suggestions for kids and teens from The Horn Book's Fanfare list at: http://www.hbook.com/newsletter/index.html#links

Give Books for Christmas!

NCBLA President Mary Brigid Barrett Picks for Great Book Gifts 

New Favorites:




The Chiru of High Tibet by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Linda Wingerter (picture book)







 






Ting and Ling: Not Exactly the Same! written and illustrated by Grace Lin (early reader)



 


Marching for Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge ( nonfiction, for middle grades)

Old Favorites:

Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (middle grade novel)

 



Return to Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (middle grade novel)

A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman ( for the whole family!)





For Mom and Dad and Your Favorite Teacher!

 

A Family of Readers
The Book Lover’s Guide to Children’s
and Young Adult Literature

by Roger Sutton
and Martha V. Parravano
Foreword by Gregory Maguire (nonfiction, wonderful guide to help your kids become life-long readers!) 

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (fiction, because Mom and Dad should have a great fiction read at Christmas, too!)

Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff ( nonfiction for adults)

Christmas is a great time to give books to your children. The best gift of all is to help and encourage your children to become life-long readers!

In Case You Missed It!

A Sputnick Moment 

for Our Schools, Our Nation, Our Children? 

 "With China’s debut in international standardized testing, students in Shanghai have surprised experts by outscoring their counterparts in dozens of other countries, in reading as well as in math and science, according to the results of a respected exam. "


“Wow, I’m kind of stunned, I’m thinking Sputnik,” said Chester E. Finn Jr., who served in President Ronald Reagan’s Department of Education, referring to the groundbreaking Soviet satellite launching. Mr. Finn, who has visited schools all across China, said, “I’ve seen how relentless the Chinese are at accomplishing goals, and if they can do this in Shanghai in 2009, they can do it in 10 cities in 2019, and in 50 cities by 2029.” 

“We have to see this as a wake-up call,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in an interview on Monday.“I know skeptics will want to argue with the results, but we consider them to be accurate and reliable, and we have to see them as a challenge to get better,” he added. “The United States came in 23rd or 24th in most subjects. We can quibble, or we can face the brutal truth that we’re being out-educated.” 


"In reading, Shanghai students scored 556, ahead of second-place Korea with 539. The United States scored 500 and came in 17th, putting it on par with students in the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and several other countries." from "Top Test Scores From Shanhai Stun Educators" by Sam Dillon, in The New York Times.

The last time there was an orchestrated unified, national reading advocacy and education campaign was in the late 1950's in reaction to the "Space Race." And it was a successful campaign; literacy skill levels increased as well as leisure reading. Isn't it time for everyone interested in national literacy, in promoting and developing our kids' critical and creative thinking skills, to band together for a new national national education campaign that will give all adults who live with and work for children the skills they need to promote and teach literacy skills, and teach and expand our kids' critical and creative thinking in the arts, humanities and sciences? We all need to take collective responsible for all our children's education-- parents, family members, community leaders, youth leaders, educational professionals, politicians, government, business and corporate leaders, the media-- everyone!

 

"The cause of the racial gap in student achievement has nothing to do with the children, and everything to do with the values and priorities of the society in which we live." Pedro Noguera.

Read more at: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/education/07education.html?pagewanted=1&ref=general&src=me 

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/12/07/education/07education_graph.html?ref=education

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/world/europe/09education.html?ref=education

Celebrating the Holidays at the White House

The official Christmas tree was delivered to the North Portico of the White House in a horse-drawn carriage and presented to First Lady Michelle Obama on November 26. And on December 2 President Obama, the First Lady, and Vice President Biden hosted a Hanukkah celebration in the East Room of the White House in which the President remarked, "Let us give thanks to the blessings that all of us enjoy. Let us be mindful of those who need our prayers. And let us draw strength from the words of a great philosopher, who said that a miracle is “a confirmation of what is possible."

Learn More About American Holiday Traditions and White House History

The December holidays provide a fabulous opportunity to help young people learn about their own history and heritage, as well as the history, heritage, and traditions of others.  Following are some resources you can share with young people to engage their natural curiosity and introduce them to holiday traditions at the White House:

Watch a video of the delivery of this year's douglas fir Christmas tree from Lehighton, Pennsylvania to the White House on November 26.

Watch a video of the lighting of the menorah and the Hanukkah celebration at the White House.

Discover how the Christmas tree became a White House tradition and how farmers across America compete to grow the “Grand Champion” selected to adorn the White House each year in "Grand Champions of the White House" by guest writer Renee Critcher Lyons on OurWhiteHouse.org. Read on for an excerpt:

A tree has not always graced the White House at Christmastime. In fact, Franklin Pierce (1856), our 14th president, became the first to embrace the 500-year old tradition of bringing a tree into the home to celebrate the hope of Christmas morn. And, the practice did not become a yearly event until the 1880’s. Only one president since has frowned upon the use of an official White House Christmas tree, Teddy Roosevelt. Our 26th president (1901-1909), at a time before Christmas tree farms were prevalent, believed the harvesting of Christmas trees might deplete our national forests, and thus banned the practice from the White House.

Read about the history of the National Christmas Tree, which graces the Ellipse between the White House and the Washington Monument, in "Our National Christmas Tree" by Cheli Mennella on OurWhiteHouse.org. Here is an excerpt:

The magnificent blue spruce towers above the Ellipse, the ground between the White House and the Washington Monument. Throughout the year it is a silent reminder of yuletide pleasures and joy. Then in December the tree takes on new significance. Dressed in strands of colorful lights and trimmed with ornaments, the tree, our National Christmas Tree, becomes a beacon of beauty and brilliance.

Special Note: This year's National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held Thursday, December 9 at 5:00 PM.  Nightly musical performances will take place each weeknight between 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM and each Saturday and Sunday between 1:00 PM and 8:30 PM. Read more on the National Park Service website.

Read Newbery-medal winning author Susan Cooper's contrasting memories of the White House--one at a time of sorrow and another at a time of Christmas splendor--in "Memory of the White House" on OurWhiteHouse.org.

Discover More About the White House and American History in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out
For even more information and stories about White House holiday traditions, the presidents and first ladies, and American history, check out a copy of Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out from your local library and share the extensive fiction and nonfiction pieces and plethora of original art illustrations with the young people in your life.  To learn more about White House holidays, you might choose to read how the American hostage crisis in 1979 affected the lighting of the national Christmas tree during President Carter’s term in office in “From Christmas in Plains: Memories” by Jimmy Carter. 

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out is sold in hardcover and paperback at bookstores everywhere. LEARN MORE about this anthology at OurWhiteHouse.org.

In Case You Missed It!

Children's Book Champion 
Anita Silvey 

Picks Top Ten Children's Books of 2010 for The Boston Globe!

 

"Although I admired many books for young readers in 2010, these 10 exemplified “the unique factor.’’ All combine the highest standards of art and writing; when introduced by an enthusiastic adult, they connect with young readers. Children’s books that adults admire but that children also find meaningful have always been the most difficult to create. The authors and artists of these works accomplish that feat in very different and original ways." from "Top Ten Children's Books of 2010" by Anita Silvey, The Boston Globe.

For a full listing of Anita's choices, got to: http://www.boston.com/ae/books/gallery/toptenforchildren2010/

AND... 

Anita has also created a delight-filled and vital new blog of interest to parents, teachers, librarians-- everyone  who wants kids reading great books that entertain, inform, and inspire!

While you have your morning coffee, check Anita's "Children's Book-A-Day Almanac!" It will rev you up to meet your kids with enthusiasm much more than any morning caffeine! Hip- hurrah!!



Find Anita's blog at: http://childrensbookalmanac.com/




Anita Silvey is a children's literature expert and the author of 100 Best Books for Children and 500 Great Books for Teens.  Silvey has devoted 35 years to promoting books that will turn the young -- and families -- into readers. To do this she has appeared frequently on NPR, "The Today Show," "60 Minutes," and radio programs in the United States and Canada to talk about books for children and teenagers. As Publisher's Weekly has said "It would be hard to find a more authoritative voice than Anita Silvey." To find out more about Anita and her incredible body of work, go to:  http://www.anitasilvey.com