In Case You Missed It!

Newbery Medal Winner "A Wrinkle in Time" Turns 50 This Year

NPR celebrates the fantasy and science fiction classic A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle in its recently published article "The Unlikely Best-Seller: 'A Wrinkle in Time.'" 

Addressing the fact that most publishers turned down L'Engle's novel due to its complexity, L'Engle's granddaughter Charlotte Jones Voiklis, says, "Even if a young reader doesn't know all of the words, or know who all of the quotations are from, or if they can't grasp exactly what a tesseract is ... it sort of gives room for the reader and shows possibility and a place where you want to go and understand. [L'Engle] didn't think condescending to children was the right thing to do."

To read the article or listen to the podcast, click here.

To read The New York Times essay "'A Wrinkle in Time' and Its Sci-Fi Heroine" by Pamela Paul, click here.

Presidential Trivia of the Week

Learn and Have Fun Sharing Presidential Trivia with the Young People in Your Life

 

Are YOU playing presidential
trivia?! In honor of this year's presidential campaign, the NCBLA is posting three presidential trivia questions each week. Check out this week's questions and have fun sharing the questions and answers with the kids in your life!

 

This Week's Trivia Questions

1. Which president met with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to improve relations and negotiate a treaty to eliminate a substantial number of nuclear missiles?
2. Who was the first First Lady to sit in Cabinet meetings?
3. Which president was honored for his pioneering work in the discovery and study of fossils by having a species of mastodon named for him?

Interested in helping young people discover even more about American history, presidents, and civic life? Check out a copy of Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out at your local library or bookstore. 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. 

 

And for additional articles, resources, activities, and discussion questions, check out the NCBLA's coordinating educational website OurWhiteHouse.org!

 

Answers and Information for Learning MORE!

1. Ronald Reagan. During his second term, Reagan met with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Not only did Reagan manage to improve relations, he also negotiated a treaty to eliminate almost 2,700 intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Reducing the number of nuclear weapons was a first for any president and a significant achievement. Learn more about Reagan and his presidential legacy in the Presidential Fact Files on OurWhiteHouse.org.
2. Rosalynn Carter. Carter paved new roads for first ladies by not only campaigning extensively for and advising her husband, but also actively working to develop policy. She was the first first lady to sit in Cabinet meetings and also the first to represent the government in an official capacity while traveling abroad. Learn more about Rosalynn Carter and the other first ladies in the First Lady Fact Files on OurWhiteHouse.org.
3. Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was so fascinated by fossils that he studied bones dug up by William Clark on the floor of the East Room in the White House. In the article titled "Jefferson's Monstrous Bones" in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, author Barbara Kerley writes, "In 1822, four years after his death, scientists honored Jefferson for the pioneering work he'd done on Great Claw: they officially name the species Magalonyx jeffersonii." Be sure to check out a copy of Our White House at your local library or bookstore so you can read the entire article!
   

Activist Alert! Take Action for Libraries!

Ask Your Senators to Support Funding for Childhood Literacy and
the Library Services and Technology Act

It's officially appropriations season in Washington, D.C. and literacy and library funding needs your support! Please call your two U.S. Senators and ask them to sign two separate “Dear Colleague” letters that support funding for literacy and libraries. 

The first letter supports funding for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy Grant in FY13. This grant is crucial because at least half of it would go to low-income school libraries to help update their books and materials.  If your senator is a Democrat, ask him or her to contact the office of Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) to sign the childhood literacy letter. If your senator is a Republican, ask him or her to contact the office of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to sign the childhood literacy letter.

The second letter supports funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in FY13. LSTA is the primary source of funding for libraries in the federal budget. If your senator is a Democrat, ask him or her to contact the office of Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) to sign on to the LSTA letter. If your senator is a Republican, ask him or her to contact the office of Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) to sign on to the LSTA letter.

For more information, please visit the American Library Association's Legislative Action Center. You will also be able to find your Senators' phone numbers simply by typing in your zip code.

The deadline for signing these two letters is March 26, so please call before then.  Make sure Congress knows how important libraries are to your community!

In Case You Missed It!

Articles Discuss Trends in
Electronic Publishing

Anyone interested in the burgeoning trend of e-publishing should check out recent articles in The Horn Book Magazine and The New York Times.

Included in the March/April issue of The Horn Book Magazine, which is themed "Books Remixed: Reading in the Digital Age," publisher Stephen Roxburgh writes in his article titled "The e-Future," "There has never been a more exciting or vibrant time in publishing."

Other illuminating articles included in the special issue of The Horn Book Magazine include "From Touchstones to Touch Screens: The Evolution of a Book Lover" by librarian and writer Ann Dixon and "What Makes a Good Picture Book App?" by Horn Book marketing and editorial assistant Katie Bircher. 

And you can read about Kindle Singles, works of long-form journalism that seek out that sweet spot between magazine articles and hardcover books, in "Miniature E-Books Let Journalists Stretch Legs" by Dwight Garner in The New York Times.

Activist Alert!

Ask Your Representative to Support Funding for Childhood Literacy and
the Library Services and Technology Act

Appropriations season is now underway in Washington, D. C. It’s crucial that you call your U.S. Representative today and ask him or her to sign two separate “Dear Colleague” letters that support funding for libraries.

One letter, found here, supports funding for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy Grant in FY13. This grant is crucial because at least half of it would go to low-income school libraries to help update their books and materials. 

The other letter, found here, supports funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in FY13. LSTA is the primary source of funding for libraries in the federal budget.

For more information, please visit the American Library Association's Legislative Action Center.  You will also be able to find your representative’s phone number simply by typing in your zip code.

Please call your representative by March 14 to ensure that they sign on to these important letters. Make sure Congress knows how important libraries are to your community!

Reading Rockets Launches New Writing Challenge for K-12 Students

2012 Writing Challenge Prompts Inspired by Work of Edgar Rice Burroughs

The John Carter novel A Princess of Mars Is Available
to Read Online at Read.Gov

It has been 100 years since Edgar Rice Burroughs first introduced readers to his jungle hero Tarzan, as well as to John Carter, a hero whose Martian adventure hits the big screen this month in the new Disney film of the same name. 

Give K-12 readers the chance to learn more about Edgar Rice Burroughs and have a writing adventure of their own with the thought-provoking prompts in the Writer's Quest Writing Challange from Reading Rockets.  The leveled prompts for the Writer's Quest contest are inspired by Burroughs — his distinctive styles, themes, and influences. The prompts ask young writers to stretch their imaginations by designing their own bookplate or by writing a travel brochure for Mars, a scifaiku, or the history of their hometowns.

The contest begins March 9 and ends May 4, 2012. Prizes include a collection of books, "John Carter" titles, T-shirts, and movie posters.

To read Burroughs' first John Carter novel, A Princess of Mars, in a scanned book format on the Library of Congress' website Read.Gov, click here. 

Presidential Trivia of the Week

Learn and Have Fun Sharing Presidential Trivia with the Young People in Your Life

 

In honor of this year's
presidential campaign, the NCBLA is posting three presidential trivia questions each week. We encourage you to share the questions before starting the daily homework, while driving to soccer practice, or while cleaning up after dinner. Enjoy!

 

This Week's Trivia Questions

1. Which president was the first to live in the White House? 
2. Which president was the first to use electricity in the White House?
3. Which first lady worked with the Library of Congress to create the National Book Festival, an annual event first held on the Mall in Washington, D.C. in 2001 designed to celebrate the joy of reading?

Interested in helping young people discover even more about American history, presidents, and civic life?  Check out a copy of Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out at your local library or bookstore.   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.   

 

And for additional articles, resources, activities, and discussion questions, check out the NCBLA's coordinating educational website OurWhiteHouse.org!

 

Answers and Information for Learning MORE!

1. John Adams was the first president to live in the White House. He moved in when it was still unfinished on November 1, 1800. He wrote to his wife the next day, “I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.” These words are now carved in the mantelpiece in the State Dining Room. Learn more about President Adams and the other presidents in the Presidential Fact Files on OurWhiteHouse.org.
2. Benjamin Harrison was the first president to use electricity in the White House. However, he and his family were fearful of being shocked, so they refused to touch the light switches and simply left the lights on all the time. Learn more about President Harrison and the other presidents in the Presidential Fact Files on OurWhiteHouse.org.
3. Laura Bush. As first lady of Texas and a former librarian, Mrs. Bush established the Texas Book Festival and then worked with the Librarian of Congress to create a national festival when she became first lady of the United States. The National Book Festival is now an annual event held in late September that enables Americans to hear and meet with their favorite authors. To learn more about the history of the National Book Festival, you can read "Mrs. Bush Inspires a National Book Festival" by Dr. John Y. Cole in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out.  This year's Book Festival will be held September 22 and 23. For more information, visit LOC.GOV/bookfest. 

 Literacy + Historic Literacy = Civic Engagement!

Engage Your Kids with Seussical Activities

ReadingRockets.org, AdLit.org, and the NEA Offer Loads of Fun for
Reading and Learning with Dr. Seuss

"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child." -Dr. Seuss

The theme is green for a very special Read Across America celebration this year. NEA's Read Across America campaign is showcasing The Lorax book as well as NBC/Universal's movie The Lorax. 

Check out tree-themed art, science, and poetry activities in Reading Rockets' The Lorax Family Literacy Bag, all of which are great fun for sharing at home, in the K-2 classroom, a Scout meeting, or an afterschool program.

AdLit.org offers additional activity ideas and resources to help you bring Dr. Seuss into the secondary classroom and to celebrate Read Across America with older readers.  Also be sure to check out suggestions for making reading meaningful through public service.

And don't forget the  NEA's Read Across America digital toolkit overflowing with resources and materials to make the most of your own reading party, filled with downlable activities, stickers, poetry, reading sheets, and MORE!

Have fun READING America!

NCBLA Recomends: A Family Outing!

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance Encourages You to Take Your Children to the Many Great Museums Across the Country for Fun and to Broaden Their Worlds!

Every state has amazing museums that offer fascinating exhibits, great activities that will expand your child's universe-- and bring you closer together as a family! Be sure and check with your local library because many offer free family passes that will cover the admission costs to your local museums. 

A sampling of current museum shows across the country: 

The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

http://www.msichicago.org/ 

The U-505 Submarine Exhibit: 

On June 4, 1944, a German submarine known as U-505 was prowling off the coast of West Africa on a hunt for American and Allied ships, when depth charges from the USS Chatelain blasted the dreaded U-boat out of hiding. It was the end of a violent run for U-505, which had terrorized the Atlantic Ocean as part of a massive U-boat campaign that almost altered the outcome of World War II.

The Museum of Science and Industry invites you to step inside the real U-505—the only German submarine in the United States, and, now, a national memorial to the 55,000 American sailors who gave their lives on the high seas in WWI and WWII.

The San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art

http://www.sfmoma.org/

ArtGameLab

Imagine a selection of crowdsourced games designed by SFMOMA's community, for SFMOMA's community. Last summer the museum put out an open call for inventive but simple and low-cost game ideas. Visitors can view the results in the Koret Visitor Education Center, and pick up instructions for prototype games to be played in the museum's galleries and other public spaces.
You are invited to participate in this experiment. Do you have an idea for a fun and engaging new activity in SFMOMA's galleries? Add your voice to the dialogue by visiting the exhibition's game design station. Watch SFMOMA's social media channels for gaming-related activities at the museum. Come play!

Seattle Museum of Flight

http://www.museumofflight.org/

Space: Exploring the New Frontier

Imagine yourself at the beginning of the 20th century with visionaries like rocket pioneer Robert Goddard. Watch the launch of Russia’s Sputnik, the world’s first satellite, and see how it captured the attention of the entire planet. Bring the Space Shuttle in for a safe landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Land the lunar module on the Moon and join Apollo astronauts in an exploration of the moon’s surface. Share the experiences of astronauts from the Pacific Northwest and climb inside a full size replica of the International Space Station’s Destiny Research Laboratory. Discover how Mission Control works to keep astronauts safe, see the only Mars Viking lander left on Earth and so much more!

To learn more about the history of space exploration, check out our series of articles originally published in the Seattle Times in 2007, coinciding with the opening of Space: Exploring the New Frontier:

Houston Children's Museum 

The Invention Convention

http://www.cmhouston.org/

Step into a workshop of gadgets and gizmos where kids create, concoct and construct contraptions and use their imagination to become inventors! Dream-up and design in a workshop filled with half-finished contraptions, bins of spare parts, project tables, schematics and various instruments from floor to ceiling. Experiment with LEGO® bricks, propellers, magnets, batteries, switches and buzzers through facilitated, hands-on experiments and mini-workshops.

Massachusetts' 

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 

http://www.carlemuseum.org/Home

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson
December 3, 2011 - May 6, 2012
Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson, an educational consultant for Major League Baseball and vice chairman of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and illustrated by the award-winning Kadir Nelson is a story about her father, baseball legend Jackie Robinson. The original art for the book as well as numerous preliminary sketches will be on view in the museum’s Central Gallery from December 13, 2011 until May 6, 2012. It will complement the art, also by Nelson, for We Are the Ship, a history of the Negro Leagues, which will be in the East Gallery from February 7 until June 10, 2012.

The Tampa Museum of Art

http://www.tampamuseum.org/

Romare Bearden: Southern Recollections

January 28 - May 6, 2012

The Tampa Museum of Art is pleased to present Romare Bearden: Southern Recollections, an exhibition of approximately 80 works of art that span the career of this internationally renowned artist. Bearden (1911-1988) is widely regarded as one of the most important African-American artists who worked in the United States during the 20th century. He has been the focus of many solo exhibitions, including presentations at the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art. In 1987 he was awarded the National Medal of the Arts by President Ronald Reagan.

St. Louis  Museum of Transportation 
http://transportmuseumassociation.org/

ROADS, RIVERS, & RAILS
Transportation of the Civil War
Opening March 6, 2012

THE WHISTLE STOP - Presidential Travel by Train
 

Opens March 6, 2012
Runs through Inauguration Day - 2013

 

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance OUR WHITE HOUSE: The Best Book for President's Day!

Happy Birthday George!

Today we celebrate George Washington's birthday and what better way to celebrate it than by reading and sharing the NCBLA's book, Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out with your kids! The exquisite illustration of George Washington to your left, was done by Bagram Ibatoulline, and is just one of the many incredible illustrations of American Presidents and their families that appears in our book. 

This week, many kids across the country have a school break. In the midst of recreational  activities, you might want to consider taking a family field trip to one of the many presidetial historical sites throughout our country-- February is the month we celebrate our presidents, after all! To find out what presidetial historical site is nearest you, go to the NCBLA's Our White House website, and visit our presidential field trip page and click on the any state at: http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/fieldguidestate.html

Pack a lunch, take the kids, and have your own American history day! For tips on how to make the day a success go to:  http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/fieldguidefam.html.

In Case You Missed It!

Boston Globe Article Profiles This Year's Newbery Medal Winner Jack Gantos!

Author Jack Gantos in the Reading Room at
the Library of Congress in September 2011.
Photo by Richard Groth.

Journalist James Sullivan writes in "A Newbery winner at last, "Already the recipient of many honors for his books, which are favorites among educators and librarians for their ability to lure those coveted 'reluctant' readers, last month Gantos was awarded the Newbery Medal, the highest honor in children’s literature, for his latest book, Dead End in Norvelt. Several factors contributed to his Newbery selection, Gantos figures. Part of it could be his longevity; now 60, he’s been writing books since the late 1970s. Part of it could be the fact that he had already amassed quite a bit of 'swag,' as he calls it. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key (1998), the first book in that series, was a finalist for a National Book Award. In 2001, Gantos was a Newbery finalist for Joey Pigza Loses Control. The author also won several awards, including the Printz and Sibert honors, for Hole in My Life (2001), perhaps his most unusual book, in which he wrote frankly about a bad decision that landed him in prison in his early 20s. Mostly, though, Gantos believes Dead End in Norvelt, an oddball murder mystery involving a boy and a stack of obituaries about the town founders, is deserving of the award. 'I don’t feel like I just barely lipped it in over the rim,' he says with an impish grin."

To read the entire article, click here.  

To learn even more about Jack Gantos and all his fabulous books, visit his website. 

Did you know Jack Gantos is a contributor to The Exquisite Corpse Adventure? 

To learn more about this fun and engaging progressive story game, click here.

Presidential Trivia of the Week

Presidential Trivia Questions to Share
with the Young People in Your Life!

Copyright (c) 2008 Wendell Minor

Are YOU playing presidential trivia?!  In honor of this year's presidential campaign, the NCBLA is posting three presidential trivia questions each week. Check out this week's questions and have fun sharing the questions and answers with the kids in your life!

This Week's Trivia Questions

1. Which American president bred his own hunting dogs with French hounds that had been shipped to him as a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette?
2. In today's presidential campaigns, candidates are always traveling, and sometimes they may visit several states in one day in their efforts to reach voters. But presidential campaigns did not always involve such extensive travel. Which presidents won the election by campaigning from the front porches of their homes?
3. Which First Lady is credited with saving important papers and a portrait of George Washington from the White House before British soldiers arrived to burn it down in the midst of the War of 1812?

A go-to resource for discovering more about America's presidents 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.

 Answers and Information for Learning MORE!

1. George Washington. In "Presidential Menageries: George Washington, Hound Dogs, and Super Mules," Mary Brigid Barrett writes, "George Washington bred hunting dogs, and his papers at the Library of Congress note that he wanted to breed 'a superior dog, one that had speed, sense and brains.' In the mid-1780’s, aware of Washington’s intense interest, Marquis de Lafayette Washington’s French friend and ally during the Revolutionary War, sent him seven massive hounds. ... The French hounds were reportedly so fierce Washington assigned a servant to monitor their meals because they tore each other apart fighting over their food. He crossed these French beasts with his own black and tan hounds to create a new breed—the American Foxhound." To read the entire article on OurWhiteHouse.org, click here. 
2. James Garfield and William McKinley. The construction of railroads enabled presidential candidates to travel easily from state to state throughout the nineteenth century, but even with mass transportation widely available two candidates made the unusual decision to campaign from home. James Garfield welcomed hundreds of flag-waving visitors–many of them simply curious to see an actual presidential contender–to his home in Mentor, Ohio. From his front porch, Garfield spoke to the people while his wife served cold drinks on the lawn. Garfield won the 1880 election, so in 1896 fellow Ohio native William McKinley followed his lead and invited voters to his home in Canton. McKinley’s campaign was much more controlled, however. His staff insisted on evaluating potential visitors rather than allowing unpredictable crowds of Americans to show up in the front yard for a rowdy party. McKinley was also carefully briefed in advance regarding the topics he was to discuss with his pre-approved visitors of the day. The front-porch strategy was successful for McKinley even though his opponent made hundreds of speeches to millions of people around the country. McKinley’s win cannot be attributed simply to his staying at home, however. Many Republican leaders spoke around the country on his behalf. Plus, his campaign manager raised millions of dollars, which allowed them to produce substantial amounts of advertising, including flyers printed in several foreign languages so that new immigrants could read them. Learn more in "Persuading the People: Presidential Campaigns" on OurWhiteHouse.org. 
3. Dolley Madison. In "Dolley Madison Rescues George Washington" in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, Don Brown writes, "Dolley doesn't hesitate to show her grit. She has promised the president to protect important government documents housed in the president's mansion and is determined not to abandon them to the British. To the boom of nearby cannons, she packs the papers into the only carriage she can find. She is about to race away to safety when she remembers a portrait of George Washington." Be sure to read the entire essay in Our White House, and for more about Dolley Madison, check out "Primary Sources: Dolley Madison's Letter to Her Sister About the Burning of the White House" on OurWhiteHouse.org.

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, 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.

MORE Book Recommendations for Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month Throughout the Year with Books and Learning Resources

For parents, grandparents, homeschoolers, and other adults who live and work with children, finding the right book for your kids can be challenging. In honor of Black History month, we've rounded up a few authoritative reading lists and other resources to help you share African-American heritage with the young people in your life...in February as well as throughout the year!

The New York Times Black History Bookshelf recommends some compelling choices, including the picture book When Grandmama Sings by Margaree King Mitchell and illustrated by James E. Ransome, as well as Best Shot in the West: The Adventures of Nat Love by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack, illustrated by Randy DuBurke. To read the entire list, click here.

The Black History Month page on ReadingRockets.org provides not only recommended books, but also video interviews with authors, poets, and illustrators; activities for home and classroom; and other resources.

For older readers, check out the extensive themed lists on AdLit.org, which include Multicultural Stories, More Multicultural Stories, and the winners of the Coretta Scott King Awards, which recognize outstanding books by African American writers and illustrators.

For even more learning resources, check out the Black History Month page on Thinkfinity.org, which includes lesson plans, activities, and other resources, such as the NAACP Interactive Timeline and the Spotlight on African-American Scientists.

Conference for Teachers and Librarians to be Held at JFK Library

A Sense of Wonder:
Stories of Nature, Science & History
Scheduled for April 5

In 1962, astronaut John Glenn’s historic orbital flight captured the public’s imagination and spurred an ever-growing fascination with rocketry and outer space on the part of America’s youth. That same year, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring warned that overuse of chemical pesticides was endangering the web of life on planet Earth. Her book helped to launch an environmental movement, stirring young people’s interest in ecology and in caring for the natural world. 

As we recall these landmark events of 50 years ago, gather with other teachers and librarians to consider how stories of nature, science and history can be used to inspire today’s students with both a sense of wonder and conscientious stewardship.
Featured speakers will include Sy Montgomery, Anita Silvey, Catherine Thimmesh and Wendell Minor.

This conference is scheduled for April 5 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. It is presented by the John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.  

To download the conference brochure and registration form, click here.