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 modern president is credited with passage of the Family Medical Leave Act?
2. Who assumed the presidency upon President' Lincoln's assassination?
3. Which president, in the wake of 9-11, took time off from his duties at the White House to throw the first pitch at a Major League Baseball playoff game in Yankee Stadium to show his support for New Yorkers?

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. Bill Clinton. The Family Medical Leave Act requires companies to provide workers with up to three months of unpaid leave for family and medical emergencies. It was passed in 1993.  Learn more about Bill Clinton and his legacy in the Presidential Fact Files on OurWhiteHouse.org. 
2. Andrew Johnson. Johnson became president upon Lincoln's assassination. Interestingly, Johnson had not been Lincoln's first vice president. Hannibal Hamlin had served as vice president during Lincoln's first term, but was removed from the Republican ticket during Lincoln's reelection campaign. Johnson was selected to run as Lincoln's running mate for his second term because he was a southerner who had proven himself dedicated to healing the country. Indeed, he was the only southern Senator who opposed secession and also refused to relinquish his office as the southern states seceded. Learn more about Andrew Johnson and Abraham Lincoln in the Presidential Fact Files on OurWhiteHouse.org.
3. George W. Bush. In the Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out article titled "The First Pitch," author Stephanie True Peters writes, "A month and a half after the terrorist attacks, New Yorkers were still learning to cope with the tragedy that had struck at the heart of their city. For many, the upcoming match was a welcome chance to focus on something positive. A home-game victory by their beloved Yankees would give them a boost like nothing else. President Bush recognized how important this game was to the morale of New Yorkers, and to the world." Be sure to read the entire article in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out!
   

 

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.

 

In Case You Missed It!

Fiction Is Good for You!

New York Times Article Explores
How Stories Stimulate the Brain

If you ever needed "proof" that reading a good book provides more than an entertaining interlude in your favorite comfy chair, take a look at Anne Murphy Paul's article "Your Brain on Fiction" in The New York Times.

Here is an excerpt:

"[Reading fiction] is an exercise that hones our real-life social skills, another body of research suggests. Dr. Oatley and Dr. Mar, in collaboration with several other scientists, reported in two studies, published in 2006 and 2009, that individuals who frequently read fiction seem to be better able to understand other people, empathize with them and see the world from their perspective. This relationship persisted even after the researchers accounted for the possibility that more empathetic individuals might prefer reading novels. A 2010 study by Dr. Mar found a similar result in preschool-age children: the more stories they had read to them, the keener their theory of mind — an effect that was also produced by watching movies but, curiously, not by watching television."

To read the entire article, click here.

In Case You Missed It!

New Yorker Article Explores Massive Appeal of YA Dystopian Fiction

The greatly anticipated movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins' dystopian sensation The Hunger Games hits theatres this weekend. 

To learn more about why young readers are so attracted to The Hunger Games and other popular titles in this genre (such as Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series and James Dashner's The Maze Runner), check out The New Yorker article titled "Fresh Hell: What's Behind the Boom in Dystopian Fiction for Young Readers" by Laura Miller.

In comparing dystopian fiction written for younger readers as opposed to that written for adults, Miller writes, "Dystopian fiction may be the only genre written for children that’s routinely less didactic than its adult counterpart. It’s not about persuading the reader to stop something terrible from happening—it’s about what’s happening, right this minute, in the stormy psyche of the adolescent reader. 'The success of Uglies,' Westerfeld once wrote in his blog,' is partly thanks to high school being a dystopia.'”

To read the entire article, click here.

ALSO, parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and other adults who live and work with children, be sure to check out the Utopia and Dystopia section of "Pairing Texts with Movies to Promote Comprehension and Discussion" on AdLit.org. Here you can find discussion questions and activities for comparing the text and movie versions of classic dystopian books and movies, which also can be used to help you delve deeper into The Hunger Games book and movie adaptation with your teens!

Reviewers Speak Out on "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure"

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure
A Progressive Story Game Played by
20 Celebrated Authors and Illustrators

Amazon Reviewers Give It Five Stars

Have YOU Read The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?!

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is a progressive story game just like the one many families play on road trips, at camp, at parties, at home when there is a power outage. It is a game where one person begins a story, stops at a cliffhanging moment, and the next person picks it up, continuing on until everyone in the group has the opportunity to contribute. And just like in those game, in The Exquisite Corpse, characters spontaneously erupt out of our authors' imaginations; plot lines tumble forth, some realized, some lost; and we are often poised at the edge of a cliff with no logical solution in sight!

Originally published on Read.gov 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 available from Candlewick Press in paperback and hardcover. It is also available on audio.

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure authors and illustrators are: M.T. Anderson, Natalie Babbitt, Calef Brown, Susan Cooper, Kate DiCamillo, Timothy Basil Ering, Jack Gantos, Nikki Grimes, Shannon Hale, Lemony Snicket, Steven Kellogg, Gregory Maguire, Megan McDonald, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, James Ransome, Jon Scieszka, and Chris Van Dusen.

What Are the Reviewers Saying?

H. Sapp from Alexandria, Virginia writes on Amazon, "My kids LOVED this book.  Bought it for my 10 year old daughter, who is not an avid reader. She could not put it down. Once she finished it, I gave it to my 8 year old son. He loves it. He will bring it to us and try to read us passages from it, but it's difficult for him because he can't stop laughing! I recommend this book to anyone."

Nicola Manning from Ontario, Canada writes on Amazon, "An exciting, non-stop action, funny story with a sci-fi adventure theme and some fantasy thrown in for good measure. A really fun ride!"

Sarah Rachel Egelman of KidsReads of New York writes on Amazon, "The unexpected details, interplay of voices, and joyous momentum makes this story a fun read. ...The absolute best part of THE EXQUISITE CORPSE ADVENTURE may be that it will encourage readers to experiment with storytelling, both written and drawn, and to find pleasure not in the perfection of a completed and cohesive story but in the exquisite thrill of creative collaboration itself."

Publishers Weekly says, "As gleefully entertaining as it is preposterously ludicrous...Go with the flow and enjoy the ride."

And 8-year old Ty of Cambridge, Massachusetts says, "This book was awesome because each chapter had a different style of writing - like that game where one person starts a story and the next person continues it. I liked all of the chapters because the whole story continues a basic idea, yet it's kind of random. It's fun to figure out where the authors are leading you. On a scale of one to 10, I give The Exquisite Corpse an 11.”

Extensive Online Education Support Materials Available!
Discover a treasure trove of online educational support materials for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure on the NCBLA’s Exquisite Corpse Adventure Education Resource Center. Overflowing with supplemental articles, classroom activities, reading lists, art activities, discussion questions, and more, the Education Resource Center is designed for moms and dads, teachers and librarians, grandparents and guardians—all adults who live and work with young people and have a vested interest in helping kids read more, write better, and create stories and art that expand all of our universes.

Ask for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure
at a Library or Bookstore Near You!

Presidential Trivia of the Week

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

Illustration Copyright (c) 2008 Kevin Hawkes

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 was asked to aid a soldier who had lost a leg in battle by helping him get a job so he could support his family?
2. Which president took in a family of mice he discovered in his White House bedroom as pets?
3. Which first lady (who was often referred to as "Mrs. President" by her contemporaries) implored her husband to "remember the ladies" while he worked on the Declaration of Independence?

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. The companion educational website, OurWhiteHouse.org, 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.

 

Answers and Information for Learning MORE!

1. Andrew Jackson. During his presidency, a citizen asked Jackson to assist a soldier who had lost his leg in battle by providing a job for him as a postmaster so that he could support his family. The gentleman insisted on informing Jackson that the soldier had voted against him. Jackson replied, “If he lost a leg fighting for his country, that is vote enough for me.” Learn more about Andrew Jackson in the Presidential Fact Files on OurWhiteHouse.org.
2. Andrew Johnson. Heather Lang writes in "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Wild Animals at the White House," "When Johnson discovered a family of mice in his bedroom, he didn’t set traps like some people would. Instead he took care of them, leaving them a basket of flour by the fireplace every night. He told his Secretary William Moore, 'The little fellows give me their confidence and I give them their basket and pour upon the hearth some water that they might quench their thirst.'” Read the entire article and learn about other presidential pets on OurWhiteHouse.org.
3. Abigail Adams. Although Abigail was not formally educated, she was naturally curious and intelligent. She was an avid reader and took a sincere interest in politics. Abigail often gave her husband advice as he worked on the Declaration of Independence. She wrote in a letter to him in 1776, “Remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors! Do not put unlimited power into the hands of husbands.” Learn more about Abigail and the other first ladies in the NCBLA's First Lady Fact Files 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!

Coming Soon to a Bookstore and Library Near You!

Queen of the Track:
Alice Coachman
Olympic High-Jump Champion

Written by Heather Lang and
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Available in April from Boyds Mills Press

"It's my wish that every young person read this inspiring book. Alice Coachman is truly a hero, and her accomplishments remind us all to never give up when the odds are against us."

- Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medalist

The NCBLA congratulates our volunteer writer Heather Lang on the upcoming publication of her book Queen of the Track: Alice Coachman Olympic High-Jump Champion, available for preorder now and on shelves in bookstores and libraries in April!

Queen of the Track tells the inspiring story of Alice Coachman, an athlete who never took her eyes off the prize. When Alice Coachman was a girl, most white people wouldn't shake her hand. Yet when the King of England placed an Olympic medal around her neck, he extended his hand to Alice in congratulations. Standing on a podium in London's Wembley Stadium, Alice was a long way from the fields of Georgia where she ran barefoot as a child. With a record-breaking leap, she had become the first African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal.

A portion of the author's royalties will be donated to the Alice Coachman Foundation, which helps deserving and proven amateur athletes reach their full potential. 

Author Heather Lang remembers winning a blue ribbon in the high jump in sixth grade, clearing the bar at 3½ feet and landing on a cushy blue mat. A former attorney, she now loves to write about people who fought for their dreams, usually without the benefits of a cushy mat. She lives in Lexington, Massachusetts. Visit her at heatherlangbooks.com. And be sure to check out her articles "Presidents Are People Too!" and "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Wild Animals at the White House" on the NCBLA's educational website OurWhiteHouse.org.

Illustrator Floyd Cooper had a short-lived track-and-field career as a junior-high school student in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He can still hear the voice of his coach yelling, “Go! Push! Push!” as he trained in the southern heat. Today he is the acclaimed illustrator of more than seventy-five books for children. He is the recipient of the 2009 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration as well as three Coretta Scott King Honors, ten ALA Notables, and an NAACP Image Award, among others. He lives in Easton, Pennsylvania. Learn more about Floyd Cooper and his books on his website.

Ask for Queen of the Track at a bookstore or library near you!

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!