Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i Book Links

COLUMN Teen Links “But Are You a Parent?” There’s no right answer to this unwelcome question. by Heather Booth I’ve written about my kids in previous columns, so you likely already know my answer to the above question, but the library patrons who asked it of me, nearly every time I dealt with a book challenge, didn’t. In my first public library job, a patron noticed that my name tag read “Young Adult Librarian” and inquired how old one had to be in order to qualify for what she thought would have been a good volunteer job for her teenager. As a young woman in a public-facing role, I grew to expect that I’d be on the receiving end of these stigmatizing comments that minimize our professionalism, but it never stung…

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS Grades 1 to 5 Just Chapter Books The continuity and consistency of these chaptered series fiction titles can provide a comforting foundation for emerging and transitional readers. By Pat Scales I recently asked a second-grade boy what he likes to read. He replied, “Chapter books.” I asked him, “Do you like humor, adventure, or maybe superheroes?” “Just chapter books,” he said. “Well, all books have chapters, except for picture books,” I replied. “Just chapter books,” he said. I understand what this second grader was telling me: he had mastered the I Can Read books and was ready, and maybe even expected, to read longer books with a little more character and plot development. But it appears that this boy had been instructed to read by classification rather than…

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS Kindergarten to Grade 3 The Writing Process Picture books unpacking the process of writing and storytelling will inspire young writers and help them build critical skills. By Kristin Rydholm One of the best early childhood teaching tools I have encountered is the long-reach stapler. For those of you not familiar with this treasure of a tool, you can fold any standard-sized paper, staple the spine, and presto!—a book! In addition to teaching full-day kindergarten, I quickly became a part-time bookbinder; I created hundreds of blank books of every size, shape, and color. My writing center was always fully stocked, and my students became prolific author-illustrators, jamming their mailboxes with books to share. Though the writing process is clearly much more complicated than this anecdote would indicate, it is…

BOOK LINKS BOOK HOOKS Walt Disney Turns 100 By Angela Leeper Pencils, Pens & Brushes: A Great Girls’ Guide to Disney Animation. By Mindy Johnson. Illus. by Lorelay Bové. Disney. Gr. 3–6. 741. When Disney was planning a new animated series featuring a mouse called “Mortimer,” his wife Lillian didn’t like the name. Instead, she made history by suggesting the name Mickey! Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist. By Julie Leung. Illus. by Chris Sasaki. Random/Schwartz & Wade. Gr. 1–3. 700.92. After immigrating to the U.S. from China as a boy in 1919, Tyrus Wong created the backdrop for the movie Bambi. Disney loved his style, which was influenced by artwork from China’s Song dynasty. I Am Walt Disney. By Brad Meltzer. Illus. by Christopher Eliopoulos.…

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS Preschool to Grade 8 Books about Collections (From Buttons to Bugs) These books about collectors and the items they love will inspire young hobbyists while showing them how their interests might one day have a wider reach. By Angela Leeper Inspired by the tiny characters who secretly live in the walls and floors of an English house and “borrow” trinkets and unused items from the bigger humans in Mary Norton’s classic The Borrowers, I began to collect shells, empty spools, discarded chess pieces, and other odds and ends as a child. Like the Borrowers, I turned them into furniture and accessories for small animal dolls. A few years later I became enamored with post cards, especially old post cards, and the stories they told visually and in writing.…

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS Kindergarten to Grade 12 Starting a Virtual Graphic Novel Book Club Launch—and optimize—your own online graphic novel book club with this list of practical tips. By Adam Kullberg Photo by deberarr/Adobe Stock. Today more than ever, virtual learning is a central part of students’ lives—and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. The good news is that graphic novels offer numerous ways to build inclusive and engaging virtual experiences for youth. By launching a virtual graphic novel book club, you can provide exciting new ways for students to express their creativity, connect with their peers, learn new skills, and discover new perspectives on the world around them. As graphic novels become an increasingly integral part of our daily lives, it’s important that educators learn how to harness…