Common Core IRL: Baseball books for beginning readers (grades K-2)

Today marks the first time I'm participating in Common Core IRL (In Real Libraries), a blog hop featuring outstanding librarians and bloggers Mary Ann Scheuer at Great Kids Books, Alyson Beecher at Kit Lit Frenzy, and Cathy Potter and Louise Capizzo at The Nonfiction Detectives. I'm joining the ranks to add an additional perspective to what the Common Core State Standards look like in real libraries.

I should say that the Common Core State Standards are controversial here in Missouri, and it's unclear how much longer they'll be part of the state curriculum. Many of the principles within the CCSS, however, remain excellent for thinking about sharing excellent books--especially non-fiction--with young readers, so I have no qualms about continuing to use the CCSS as a lens to think about the readers' advisory I do in my public librarian job.

This week's topic for Common Core IRL is that quintessential American springtime activity: baseball. I'm talking about non-fiction baseball titles for beginning readers, but you can find other baseball titles for other age ranges on the other Common Core IRL posts this week:

Here's our batting line-up for Common Core IRL: Baseball:

• read aloud picture books (grades K-3) -- Kid Lit Frenzy
• middle grade readers (grades 3-4) -- Great Kid Books
• older middle grade readers (grades 5-6) -- The Nonfiction Detectives
• beginning readers (grades K-2) -- The Show Me Librarian

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No matter how contentious CCSS may get here in Missouri, baseball is a staple. Not a day goes by that I don't see a dozen kids in the library in their baseball/softball uniforms or St. Louis Cardinals gear, and quite frequently they want books to read that support this interest.

In a public library setting, the librarian may not be as familiar with a particular child and their reading level as a school librarian would be. That means it's particularly important to have a range of books on a topic, each at a different level of complexity, so that the reader can get the right book for them. On the topic of baseball for beginning readers, that leaves libraries with several excellent options:

Baseball is Fun! by Robin Nelson (Lerner, 2014)

This simple text for very beginning readers introduces
basic baseball concepts, and it includes an illustration
of a baseball field, a glossary, and an index.

Cool Baseball Facts by Kathryn Clay (Capstone, 2011)

For beginning readers who already understand the fundamentals
of baseball, this title with interesting tidbits and trivia will match
interest with reading level.

On the Team: Baseball by Mason Burdick (Gareth Stevens, 2012)

Higher-level beginning readers will enjoy this in-depth exploration
of baseball, its history, and playing basics. Includes interesting text
features called "The Coach's Corner," which share additional details.

How does this all fit with the Common Core? For beginning readers, the CCSS emphasize reading informational texts appropriate for their grade level (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.10, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.10). That means the library having a batting order with non-fiction options at different levels of complexity, all of them heavy hitters that will engage and interest readers. As beginning readers visit the library this spring and summer completely amped about baseball, we'll have plenty to offer.

April STEAM Reads Roundup

The Stats: The Smart Girl's Guide to Going Vegetarian by Rachel Meltzer Warren, MS, RDN, released January 7 from Sourcebooks
The Synopsis: Regardless of a person's reasons for going vegetarian, there's a lot of nutritional thought that needs to go into the decision and the upkeep. This comprehensive title explores the spectrum of vegetarian eating and lifestyles, then dives into the details of how vegetarians--young girls in particular--can meet all their nutritional needs while making the food decisions they want. The title includes excellent resource lists as well as plenty of recipes to get any new vegetarian started going veg healthfully.
The Review: Man oh man, I wish this resource existed when I was a middle schooler. It's completely accessible in its language, tone, and scope, always taking an individual's food choices seriously and never verging on condescending. I'm also quite impressed with the tips and ideas peppered throughout the text, including things like how to approach the school cafeteria or a restaurant menu when you're a vegetarian. The variety of recipes are outstanding, too.
The Programming Connection: The volume would fit well in a teen program on food and nutrition, a topic of interest to a number of the teens who frequent my library.

The Stats: Fly Away by Patricia MacLachlan, released April 8 from Margaret K. McElderry
The Synopsis: Lucy's family are a musical bunch, what with their listening preferences (opera for her dad) and proclivity for singing. Lucy doesn't sing, however, instead channeling her energies into poetry. When Lucy and her family travel to their Aunt Frankie's to help her during the river's annual flood, she encounters an aspect of nature than she's ever before experienced. She also learns the power of words and song when her toddler brother wanders away during the flood.
The Review: In true MacLachlan fashion, this quick, spare story introduces a heartfelt, captivating character, her family, and her inner thoughts. Readers will hear truth in Lucy's insecurities, her need for a secret between herself and her brother, and her strong, strong love for her family.
The Programming Connection: I could connect this title to STEAM areas in two different ways: with the flood connection (science of extreme weather), or with the poetry and music aspects of the book.

March STEAM Reads Roundup

The Stats: Stone Giant: Michelangelo's David and How He Came to Be by Jane Sutcliffe, illustrated by John Shelley, released April 8 from Charlesbridge
The Synopsis: Michelangelo's statue of David is considered a masterpiece, but it started out like any other marble sculpture: as a slab of stone. This picture book chronicles how Michelangelo's David came to be, detailing why Florence wanted the statue in the first place, how hard the artist worked on it, and how it was received when it was finally revealed. The text concludes with an informative author's note and bibliography.
The Review: This short, straightforward non-fiction picture book provides so much detail surrounding one of the most famous works of art in the Western world. Sutcliffe obviously believes that having the context for great works of art is integral to appreciating them, and she makes sure her readers understand why the David statue was and continues to be important. Shelley's illustrations add a great level of interest to the book, with intricate borders and side illustrations that depict every aspect of this statue's life--from the biblical inspiration, to the sculptor's tools, to the process of moving the enormous statue after its completion. Sutcliffe and Shelley combine to offer a comprehensive, interesting, and kid-friendly introduction to Michelangelo's marble masterpiece.
The Programming Connection: I'd take either the art historical or the engineering/art routes for programming with this title. In terms of art history, this book lends itself to a program in which many famous works of art are explored for their context and how they were created. On the engineering/art side, I would use the book in a program about creating with negative space. We'd have blocks of clay to sculpt into our own creations by chipping away at the parts we do not need. Not a simple process!

The Stats: Milo and Millie by Jedda Robaard, released May 27 from Candlewick
The Synopsis: This quick picture book follows Milo and his bear as they have a sailing adventure in an origami boat. At the end, the reader discovers the adventure was only an imagined tale taking place during Milo's bath. The book includes instructions for making an origami boat.
The Review: This simple story comes beautifully to life in Robaard's watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations. There is much to enjoy and appreciate here--the brevity of the text, which mimics a young child's storytelling; the gorgeous and minimalist illustrations; and the ultimate realization what we can imagine all sorts of adventures for ourselves. A lovely, quiet book to share with preschool-age children.
The Programming Connection: I would absolutely use this book in storytimes, taking care to talk about the beautiful illustrations. On some pages, we could talk about shapes; on another, animals; on a third, what a whirlpool is. I would also love to use this book in a program in which the children can fold their own origami boats, then describe the adventures that they go on inside of them.

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See February's STEAM Reads Roundup here.

Nonfiction Programming Connections from SLJ's "Using Nonfiction in the Library, the Classroom and at Home" Webcast

Today, school librarian Cathy Potter and I are moderating a School Library Journal webcast titled Using Nonfiction in the Library, the Classroom and at Home. The focus of the webcast is showcasing new and upcoming nonfiction from Gale, ReferencePoint Press, and Scholastic. I’ll link to the archived webcast here when it’s available, but in the meantime, perhaps you’d like to peruse some additional resources?

As supplementary material to the webcast, Cathy and I are both expanding on some of the topics we’re sharing with attendees. Head over to Cathy’s blog, The Nonfiction Detectives, to get some context for the nonfiction we’re seeing published for youth today. Cathy and her co-blogger, Louise Capizzo, are veritable experts on this topic, and they have lots of examples and food for thought for understanding the nonfiction available now.

I’m sharing some programming and classroom connections for titles mentioned in this webcast. I’ve connected a variety of titles from each of the three featured publishers to public library program options--so you can see how you can add these titles to your programming repertoire as well as your nonfiction stacks. Cathy shared some great info about how some of the titles can connect to classroom activities (I don’t go into as much detail here, as no one wants to see me pretend to know what school curriculum or a typical school day looks like in 2014).

So check out Cathy’s intro to the types of nonfiction available for libraries serving youth; read up on some programming and classroom connections for specific titles; accessing the archived webcast when it’s available; and get using more nonfiction in your library. I’d love to hear what you’re currently doing with nonfiction down in the comments.

Gale Cengage
In the public library:
The Book: Eye on Art: Walt Disney by Barbara Sheen
The Program: Animation School-Age Program
Every librarian knows that Disney is big--and perhaps more so here in Missouri, Disney’s birthplace. So an animation program that has some Disney materials tie-ins will be popular. To create context around animation, I’d use Sheen’s book as well as the Disney Animated app (the 2013 Cybils winner for best app!). Then we’d get animating. If we have enough tablets, we could go high-tech and use animation apps for the iPad to create cartoons. Or we could go old-school and make flip book cartoons using markers and pads of sticky notes.

The Book: Science Behind Sports: Cycling by Stephen Currie
The Program: Sports and Simple Machines School-Age Program
Lots of sports equipment uses the principles of simple machines to help athletes perform well. In this program, we’d introduce the different types of simple machines and test them out at different stations. From there, we’d see either video clips or still images of athletes performing their sports, and then we’d try to identify how simple machines are at work. Currie’s title would add great context and examples to this activity. We would end with some hands-on, creative construction to try to imagine making our own sports equipment.

The Book: Teen Rights and Freedoms: Bullying by David M. Haugen
The Program: Teen Chat & Chew: Bullying Edition
My library regularly hosts Chat & Chews for teens. These programs take the form of a book discussion, although there is no assigned reading leading up to the event. Instead, teens gather to enjoy some snacks and talk books. Teens share what they’ve been reading, and then the library staffer shares book talks for titles on a theme. Bullying happens in a huge variety of young adult titles, and it’s a nearly universal experience, so it would make a great topic for book discussion in a Chat & Chew. Haugen’s title can also add great context to these discussions and instances of bullying in books, allowing teens to see facts and legislation about bullying.

The Book: Eye on Art: Public Art by Meryl Loonin
The Program: Graffiti Art for Teens
I’d share some examples of public art from Loonin’s book as well as some graffiti images (think Banksy) to get the graffiti juices flowing. From there, I’d designate a space--a bare wall covered with butcher paper, large glass windows--and hand out supplies for teens to create their own graffiti. We’d talk about keeping it appropriate if it’s going to be displayed, but I don’t see too many teens at a library program trying to get away with crude illustrations. I’d love to host this program in the lead-up to summer reading and have teens decorate on the summer reading theme.

In the classroom:
The Book: Hot Topics: Medical Marijuana by Kevin Hillstrom
The Classroom Activity: Supporting opinion with facts in both persuasive writing and speaking

The Book: At Issue: Drones by Gale
The Classroom Activity: Persuasive writing on a current event topic in social studies class

The Book: Opposing Viewpoints: Human Genetics by Louise Gerdes
The Classroom Activity: Understanding different points of view in biology class

ReferencePoint Press
In the public library:
The Book: Tattoos, Body Piercing, and Art by Kris Hirschmann
The Program: Henna Tattoos Teen Program
Many teens are drawn to tattoos for the artistic aspect, which means a henna tattoo program can be a huge draw. Hirschmann’s title allows the program to have just as much information as creativity. Share facts about tattoos as teens sketch their own designs and then get temporary henna tattoos.

The Book: History of Rock and Roll by Hal Marcovitz
The Program: Music Club Teen Program
My library hosts a monthly teen music club. Each month highlights a specific genre or decade in music, allowing teens to both enjoy the music they love and hear music to which they’ve not been exposed. Marcovitz’s title can add a lot of context and interesting facts to a music club meeting, and I can see several of our die-hard musician teens checking it out for leisure reading.

The Book: Life During the Roman Empire by Stuart A. Kallen
The Program: Minute to Win It - Gladiator Style for Teens or School-age Kids
Even if they aren’t familiar with the Minute to Win It television show, lots of kids and teens are drawn to game competition programs. The quick pace of Minute to Win It tasks (ideas here) keeps everyone interested. I’d throw a Roman Gladiators-themed Minute to Win It program, complete with an introduction about all the perils facing those alive in Ancient Rome--info that can be provided by Kallen’s title. Togas optional.

The Book: How Serious a Problem is Computer Hacking? by Patricia D. Netzley
The Program: CoderDojo for teens or school-age children
Make a STEM programming connection and help teens and kids learn to code by offering a CoderDojo at the library. I would either use Scratch or Code Academy to introduce basic coding skills, and I would include facts from Netzley’s title to give context to the potential for coding skills to do both great and destructive things. We would of course talk about using our coding powers for good.

In the classroom:
The Book: Thinking Critically: Social Networking by Andrea C. Nakaya
The Classroom Activity: Classroom debate on the school’s social media policies

The Books: Life in the North During the Civil War by Jim Whiting and Life in the South During the Civil War by Diane Yancey
The Classroom Activity: Understanding different points of view in history class; Using first-person accounts to further understanding

The Book: The Future of Renewable Energy series
The Classroom Activity: Persuasive writing about current topics in science and politics

Scholastic
In the public library:

The Book: Monster Bulldozers by Chris Bowman
The Program: Preschool Construction Party
Preschoolers love to build, and they love the equipment associated with construction. Monopolize on those interests by offering a construction party program. Share plenty of nonfiction with great images, like Bowman’s book, to work in some great construction vocabulary, then let the construction begin. You can set out all the library’s building materials and let kids engage as they please, or you can follow a more specific program plan.

The Book: Unexplained Mysteries series
The Program: Fact or Fiction? School-Age Trivia
Take advantage of the common fascination with the unexplained and myths to put together a trivia program for school-age kids. I’d create a long list of possible questions on a variety of topics using the Unexplained Mysteries series as well as some Ripley’s Believe it or Not! titles. During the program, I’d break kids into teams and have them compete to answer each question as fact or fiction. Prizes may result, but bragging rights are great, too.

The Book: You Wouldn’t Want to… series
The Program: Time Travel Adventures School-Age Program
Set up a carnival-style program with several different games and activities stations. Each station would represent a historical time period, with the games and activities gleaned from this popular nonfiction series. Think pyramid-building tasks and mammoth- and whale-hunting skills. I would make sure to display titles from the different historical time periods alongside the activities, because so many of these little history factoids inspire interest and leisure reading.

The Book: You Can Draw It! series
The Program: 12-Hour Comics Day for Teens or School-Age
I previously worked at a library that offered a variation on 24-Hour Comics Day, a worldwide event that encourages comic writers, artists, and fans to create a full 24-page comic in one day. I’d book the program room for an entire day and set out plenty of paper, pencils, pens, and coloring implements as well as tons of resources for crafting stories and drawing. The new titles in this You Can Draw It! series would assist comics creators in making comics around some of their favorite topics: mythical beings and cars.

In the classroom:
The Book: Blastoff! Readers - Exploring Countries series
The Classroom Activity: Using different text features to get all the information, in the school media center; Social studies country projects

The Book: Cornerstones of Freedom: Gun Control by Steve Otfinoski
The Classroom Activity: Persuasive writing or speaking assignments

The Book: Extremely Weird Animals series
The Classroom Activity: Animal research unit; Science unit on animal adaptation

The Book: Rookie Read-About Science: Acorn to Oak Tree by Lisa M. Herrington
The Classroom Activity: Science unit on plants or the life cycle; Arbor Day activities

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How would you use these or other new nonfiction titles in your school or public library?

February STEAM Reads Roundup

One of the ways in which I plan to blog about books on this blog now that I'm post-Newbery is to focus on STEAM titles. That's books, both fiction and nonfiction, that have some sort of connection to science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. Since I aim to read as many of these titles as I can in the time I've got, the plan is to share a roundup of my STEAM reads once every month or so. Reviews may be on the shorter side depending on the overall length of posts, but I hope they'll still give you the gist of how I'd use any particular STEAM title in my library.

STEAM Reads - February 2014

The Stats: Assorted titles from Bullfrog Books/Jump!, including Red (Glaser), Clownfish (Meister), Pumpkins in Fall (Schuh), Ants (Schuh), Lions (Lindeen), Bulldozers (Meister), Pigs (Dieker), and Fall (Dawson), copyright 2014

The Synopsis: Easy nonfiction series on topics including animals, colors, seasons, and trucks

The Review: These 8"x8" volumes are full of rich, high-quality color photographs that illustrate each books topic in a beautiful and interesting manner. Combining simple informative text with a touch of narrative, these titles are excellent for young children looking for information on and pictures of favorite or new topics. Titles include simple glossaries and indexes.

The Programming Connection: I'll be using these books to add nonfiction elements to story times, in preschool science programs, and as visual display elements in programs centered around relevant topics

The Stats: Dinosaurs #1: In the Beginning... story by Arnaud Plumeri, art by Bloz, color by Maëla Cosson, released January 7 from Papercutz

The Synopsis: Indino Jones is a dinosaur expert, and he gets this graphic novel started by sharing some major dinosaur facts and records. The book touches on a range of dinosaur facts, exploring imagining the lives of a variety of different dinosaurs.

The Review: The storytelling style of this fact-based graphic novel is peppered with dinosaur factoids, action, and plenty of humor to keep readers enthralled. It's not all strictly lighthearted dino chat, though, as real information comes through in the panels as well as the index and glossary. The lettering is a bit on the small side, but I don't think that will deter many young readers interested in dinosaur graphic novels.

The Programming Connection: A great addition to displays of materials for check-out at dinosaur- and paleontology-themed programs

The Stats: Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen, released February 25 from Charlesbridge

The Synopsis: When we think of feathers, we tend to think only of flight and nothing more. In actuality, though, feathers serve many different purposes for the birds who have them, from providing protection and camouflage to acting as tools.

The Review: This beautifully-illustrated book is a treasure trove of information about feathers, a nature topic that never fails to captivate children. The field journal-style layout gives readers multiple ways to engage with this title: as an introduction to the myriad roles feathers play in the natural world, or as a leisurely exploration of the beauty, diversity, and function present in such a simple thing as a feather. This title is part informative, part invitation to explore, and the combination will serve readers well.

The Programming Connection: Offer a school-age program about birds and spend a good amount of time focused on feathers using this title. I'd pair it with high-resolution photographs from books about birds, and I'd include an open-ended craft utilizing feathers as an art medium.

The Stats: Aviary Wonders Inc. Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual by Kate Samworth, released March 4 from Clarion

The Synopsis: The year is 2031, and birds are extinct in the wild. Luckily for folks with some spending money, however, that Aviary Wonders Inc. can offer custom-made birds with any shape, color, or function desired.

The Review: For all the whimsy of the premise of this title, it's an extremely strong STEAM text. Samworth's illustrations are beautiful, but the value of this text extends far beyond aesthetics. Readers will chuckle upon reading the specifics of designing one's own bird--choose a beak! a tail! a style of wings!--but they'll really be learning plenty about birds along the way. Clever illustrations implore readers to consider the physical nature of birds with a critical eye, ultimately leading them to learn why different real-life birds look the way they do. Those short beaks or long legs serve a purpose, after all.

The Programming Connection: This is a great title to share as an inspirational text in a program about birds, or really about any type of animal. It begs for children to be able to assemble their own bird oddities. In fact, I'd love to see this title adapted into book app format to really allow kids the opportunity to order their birds from Aviary Wonders Inc.

The Stats: Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle by Cheryl Bardoe, illustrated by Alan Marks, released March 11 from Charlesbridge

The Synopsis: Dung beetles are so much more than just bugs who hang around animal feces. In actuality, they are tiny creatures who take advantage of a readily-available resource in a variety of ways.

The Review: Who knew there were so many beetles vying for animal dung? That's exactly what young readers will discover in reading this book. There's a whole insect world focused around eating, moving, and utilizing animal dung, this title demonstrates that the small dung beetle has much to captivate us. The text is handled quite well, with larger font denoting the major facts and paragraphs in a smaller font adding more detail (these paragraphs could be left out in read-alouds without limiting the book's efficacy). With some particularly great turns of phrase ("Clad in splendor, dung beetles ascend into our world."), this book is surprisingly interesting and never stoops to using obvious poop jokes.

The Programming Connection: This title will make a fascinating, non-traditional addition to story times about bugs (move over, hungry caterpillar!), and it would be an attention-grabbing element of a school-age program on entomology.

The Stats: Wild About Bears by Jeannie Brett, released March 11 from Charlesbridge

The Synopsis: There are eight species of bears living on earth today, each with distinct attributes and habitats as well as a few commonalities.

The Review: After giving a basic introduction to bear physical traits and behavior, this title shares simple, fact-packed descriptions of the different types of bears that exist in the world. Sun bears and sloth bears get just as much page space as the more common polar and brown bears, and each illustration boasts a few additional pieces of interesting bear trivia. Each bear is identified by scientific name, common names, and size, making this title a strong starting resource for reports on bears. Back matter includes a world map showing where different bears live as well as a glossary of different habitats.

The Programming Connection: I'll make this title available for check-out after sharing Florence Minor's If You Were a Panda Bear as a read-aloud, as Brett's text goes into more detail and depth and can truly inspire interest in bears of all kinds.

Review copies provided by the publishers.

Upcoming SLJ Webcast: Using Nonfiction in the Library, the Classroom and at Home

Attention librarians looking to find out about new and upcoming nonfiction releases! School librarian Cathy Potter (fresh off the Sibert Committee) and I will be moderating a webcast for School Library Journal next week on this very topic. You can register for this FREE event by clicking here. Full details follow.

Using Nonfiction in the Library, the Classroom and at Home

Wednesday, February 26, 2014, 3-4 p.m. ET

Compelling nonfiction can have a profound impact on young readers, from helping develop personal interests to supporting academic research needs. Find out about new and upcoming nonfiction titles from Gale (part of Cengage Learning), Scholastic, and ReferencePoint Press, for beginning readers and elementary children up through high school students, all with strong applications for both school and public libraries.

This free webcast, co-moderated by a school librarian and public library children’s librarian, will include ideas for connecting many of these new titles to Common Core Standards and educational curriculums as well as public library programming. From persuasive writing connections and debate topics to programs about sports science and designing tattoos, new nonfiction titles have plenty to offer to librarians serving youth.

Panelists

Judy Galens - Content Developer, Gale (part ot Cengage Learning) Judy Galens has been involved in reference publishing for twenty-three years. In her current role as content developer with Gale, part of Cengage Learning, she oversees new title development for Greenhaven Press and Lucent Books as well as shaping content for other print, database, and digital archive products. In a previous role, Judy spent six years as an acquisitions editor for Greenhaven Press, immersed in the world of nonfiction reference works aimed at high school and middle school students.

Jen Wilson - Director of Marketing, Scholastic Library Publishing Jen Wilson has worked with Scholastic for more than ten years, having started as a reference editor with Grolier in 2003. Before transitioning to the Literacy Initiatives marketing team in 2007, Jen served as an acquisitions editor with Children’s Press/Franklin Watts. After 6 years with the Literacy Initiatives team, Jen transitioned to SLP where she’s been charged with rebranding legacy products, leading aggressive, multi-faceted marketing strategies for both new print and digital products and supporting both the national field reps and the insides sales team. Jen brings a creative vision, and a passion for developing lifelong learners and ensuring equitable access to content for all children to her new role with Scholastic Library Publishing.

Chris Nasso - Director of Marketing, ReferencePoint Press Chris Nasso is the marketing director for ReferencePoint Press, a company founded in 2007 to publish high-quality nonfiction titles for students in grades 6-12. Before joining ReferencePoint Press, Chris was the publisher of Greenhaven Press, Lucent Books, and KidHaven Press from 2006 through 2011. Prior to that, Chris was with Gale (now part of Cengage Learning) for many years, working in new product development where she conceptualized, created, and helped to market new print and electronic reference products designed for middle school and high school students.

Moderators

Cathy Potter - School Librarian, Falmouth (Maine) Elementary School Cathy Potter is the school librarian at Falmouth Elementary School in Falmouth, ME. She is the co-author of The Nonfiction Detectives blog and reviews apps for School Library Journal. Cathy was a member of the 2014 Sibert Medal Committee.

Amy Koester - Children’s Librarian, St. Charles (Mo.) City-County Library District Amy Koester is the children’s librarian at the Corporate Parkway Branch of St. Charles (Mo.) City-County Library District. She blogs at The Show Me Librarian and wrote SLJ’s feature on STEAM programming and services. She was a member of the 2014 Newbery Committee.

Can’t make it on February 26th? No problem! Register now and you will get an email reminder from School Library Journal post-live event when the webcast is archived and available for on-demand viewing at your convenience!

Bet You Can't Eat Just One!: A Savory Black History Month Program

Back in December of 2011, Lisa Taylor of the Ocean County (NJ) Library shared her library's successful Black History Month program on ALSConnect (you'll need to log in to ALSC to view the original write-up). By pairing the story of the invention of the potato chip with a potato chip tasting, Taylor and her colleagues had hit on a formula for a successful history-centered program. I immediately bookmarked it.

I was able to offer my take on Taylor's program last week, and I would definitely count it a success. I kept Taylor's original name--excitement rings through a great program name!--and tweaked the program content so I could offer it to school-age kids as well as any preschoolers who wanted to attend. I ended up with a good balance between the two. Here's what I did:

Bet You Can't Eat Just One!

1. As children and their caregivers entered the program room, they took seats facing the wall where I would project images. I engaged the attendees in some chit-chat about potato chips while waiting for everyone to arrive.

2. I told the story of George Crum and the invention of the potato chip. I love non-fiction storytelling, and I drew information from a few sources for my telling of the potato chip's creation. My four sources were the picture book George Crum and the Saratoga Chip by Gaylia Taylor; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's great non-fiction title What Color is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors; the Wonderopolis page on "Who Invented Potato Chips?"; and the entry on Crum in our Biography in Context database.

3. I showed a video of how potato chips are made in a potato chip factory. I narrated the steps of the process during this video, which has no voiceover.

4. We had our potato chip tasting. Six different types of chips were available in bowls around the room. Each chip type was assigned a number, and the names of the chips were not visible; I did, however, make the ingredients available by the chips in case of food allergies. Each child picked up a coffee filter to serve as a plate, a tasting ballot, and a marker. Because I wanted the program to work for a wide age range of children, the ballot operated on a smily face system; if a child liked Chip #1, for instance, he or she could circle the smiling face. If a child did not like Chip #4, he or she could circle the frowning face. The symbol system was easy for the kids to understand. After everyone had tasted all of the chips, I handed out juice boxes to cleanse our palates.

5. While the tasters were letting their palates get back to neutral between rounds of tasting, I projected a short slideshow onto the program room wall. The slides highlighted the history of the potato chip, from information on Crum and the snack's invention up to its mass marketing and the huge consumption of chips by Americans.

6. Children got to go around and taste each chip again, this time with a mind toward choosing their favorite. Each child and adult in the tasting told me what number chip was their favorite, and I tallied the votes.

7. While announcing our winners of the potato chip tasting, I also announced what the different chips were. Our overall favorite was Ruffles, followed closely by Lays Classic. The remaining four flavors--sea salt and vinegar, Maui onion, cracked pepper and sea salt, and parmesan garlic--all tied for third place.

8. Children then chowed down on their favorite chips while we all talked about what we've been reading lately. I love these informal moments at the end of programs to chat about books! My source material all checked out after the program, too.

I would definitely classify this program as a success, something that I'll look at revisiting every few years. The kids were all very interested in hearing the history of one of their favorite snack foods, and they thrived on being asked for their opinions on what chips tasted good. Any day a fourth grader engages me in a conversation about the mouthfeel of a food is sure to be a good day.

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How did you celebrate Black History Month in programs at your library?

A Stupendous Way to Get a Reader's Attention...

...is to talk about butts. I put this theory to the test during summer reading rallies last May, when I visited elementary schools to talk about our summer reading program and to book talk a few titles. I was able to command the attention of a school of 500+ whenever I talked about state award nominee Pierre the Penguin for one simple reason: I said that, unfortunately, this particular penguin had no butt feathers. That's right, I said "butt." And those readers were sold.

That's why I love what Artie Bennett is doing with picture book non-fiction. He is meeting young readers where they are, talking about real giggle-inducing topics like butts and poop. And while those topics in and of themselves grab young readers' attention, the content of each book is interesting and informative.

The Butt Book came out in 2010, and it takes readers through the fascinating world of derrieres. Throughout the rhymed text, we learn a lot about butts: what they are called in other parts of the world; that snakes don't have them; the number of things we can do only because we have butts. Mike Lester's bright and comical illustrations add another dimension of delight to the thoroughly enjoyable book.

Bennett's most recent endeavor is titled Poopendous! Can you guess its subject matter? With the help of Professor Pip Poopdeck, readers learn a myriad of facts about feces. We learn different names for different types of poop, the fact that different animals produce different shapes of poop (it's cubes from wombats--who knew?!?), and--perhaps most excitingly--the diverse uses for poop: fertilizer, building material, animal identification. Bennett shares all sorts of tidbits about poop that are sure to stick with kids long after their giggles have died down. Mike Moran's cartoon-y illustrations only make the whole book more fun.

Both The Butt Book and Poopendous! share a remarkable amount of information in a format that absolutely captivates young readers. Bennett's use of rhyme is excellent; his stanzas flow and exude joviality in a manner that few writers since Dr. Seuss have truly mastered. Simply put, these books are a joy. Even better for teachers, librarians, and caregivers: they inform as well as entertain. I'm willing to bet these books will be a hit with almost any crowd you encounter.

P.S. Artie Bennett seems like a really awesome, hilarious guy. Mr. Schu interviewed him this summer; head over to Watch. Connect. Read. to see what he had to say.

Book Review: Super Scratch Programming Adventure!

Have you heard about CoderDojo, a movement to get more kids involved in programming? There's been some talk about CoderDojo and programming in general in libraries recently, and I like the whole idea of getting children and teens interested in and knowledgeable about programming--especially since so much of their world is now supported by behind-the-scenes programming. Thus I was interested when No Starch Press offered to send me a copy of their book Super Scratch Programming Adventure! to peruse and review.

Super Scratch Programming Adventure! by the LEAD Project introduces readers to computer programming in the form of Scratch, a programming language created by a group at MIT. Scratch is downloadable for free, and its design is graphic in nature--it should help programmers of any age visually see the way programs are written and the logic behind them. The book is a combination of two parts: a framing story in graphic novel format; and individual stages, or exercises, in learning to program with Scratch. Each exercise encourages the programmer to create a real, playable game. While these games are simple, they are dynamic and will make their creators proud.

The style of instruction is straightforward and accessible, and the games that the reader creates as exercises provide plenty of opportunities for experimenting with Scratch. Everything is very bright and visual--both the book and Scratch itself--which may make programming much easier to learn for visual thinkers. The book is not a stand-alone resource; access to a computer with the capability to run Scratch 1.4, which is available to download for free, is necessary. Thus this book is not a stand-alone resource, but it has the potential to be a great tool for teaching and engaging kids in computer programming.

For most children, Super Scratch Programming Adventure! will likely be most successful when used under the guidance of a regular instructor, i.e., in a classroom setting, where they can ask questions of someone with computer programming experience. That said, children who are motivated to understand the logic and mechanics behind the videogames they play will find the book and its exercises engaging on their own. I can also see this book and Scratch being useful to scouting groups who are working toward a computer badge. Libraries with computers specifically for children or with CoderDojo-style programs will likely find this book a useful resource as well.

Super Scratch Programming Adventure! is available as both print book and downloadable ebook; the print copy comes with the ebook included. The print copy I reviewed was supplied to me by the publisher.

Three Upcoming Non-fiction Picture Books

A major talking point of the Common Core Standards is its emphasis on non-fiction texts for all readers. In the fourth grade, according to the standards, a child should be reading a 50% fiction and 50% non-fiction (literature classes still focus on fiction, and non-fiction comes into play in science and social studies). As a librarian, I see wonderful potential in this recommendation. There is a lot of really wonderful, quality non-fiction out there, and it doesn't always get the attention or reader enjoyment that it deserves. Publishers are responding to the Common Core Standards, though, by making great non-fiction available for readers at all levels. Here's a look at three terrific non-fiction picture books that will be released in the coming months.

Spinner, Stephanie. Alex the Parrot: No Ordinary Bird. illus. by Meilo So. Alfred A. Knoft BFYR. 9 Oct. 2012. p. 48.

     When graduate student Irene Pepperberg purchased an African grey parrot from a pet store in the late 1970s, scientists were just starting to consider the idea that animals might have intelligence. Pepperberg named her new bird Alex, and she began to try to teach him to speak--African greys had been long known for their ability to mimic sounds they hear, but Pepperberg wanted to show that they could use sounds deliberately. Alex did indeed learn, and pretty soon his vocabulary and sentence construction skills were similar to those of many preschoolers. Alex the Parrot introduces readers to an extraordinary bird who, with the help of his devoted scientist friend, helped to expand research into animal intelligence beyond primates. The text is divided into five short chapters and is accompanied by lovely, colorful illustrations. This book would fit well in a unit on birds, science, or learning.

Watson, Renee. Harlem's Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills. illus. by Christian Robinson. Random House BFYR. 23 Oct. 2012. p. 40.
     Florence Mills grew up with little, the daughter of former slaves in a "teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy" house outside of Washington, D.C. Her life was rich with song and music, however, and young Mills had a voice that would take her to sing in New York City and London. Mills became a star of the Harlem Renaissance not only for her remarkable voice, but for her devotion to equal rights as well. With every new personal accomplishment, Florence remained mindful of others--the poor, the sick, and the oppressed--and when she died young, she was honored and remembered by thousands. Watson's text has a great rhythm to it to mirror Mills, and Robinson's illustrations are bright and beautiful. This book will make a great addition to units on music, biography, and equal rights.

Bryant, Jen. A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin. illus. by Melissa Sweet. Alfred A. Knopf BFYR. 8 Jan. 2013. p. 40.
     Horace Pippin took pleasure in drawing and painting pictures from a young age, but Pippin set aside that enjoyment  to focus his efforts on earning money for his family and, later, fighting in WWI. After a war injury left him with limited use of his dominant right hand, Pippin returned to the states to marry and try to work odd jobs. Upon finally picking up an artistic implement again, however, Pippin found that not only was making art therapeutic--both physically and mentally--but he was good at it, too. With simple prose and beautiful illustrations, A Splash of Red tells the uplifting history of a man who was celebrated for the honesty and expressiveness in his artwork. This book will support units on art, biography, WWI, and equal rights.