I love a theme.  There is something about focusing on a theme that brings out the best in me creatively.  And I’m still focused on chickens for some reason.  The last Monarch book that I read with the students was The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington.  I seem to have been on a chicken kick ever since.

My grandparents kept chickens.  They kept chickens years after they should have given them up.  They lost money feeding those chickens… but it was important to them.  So I have many years of memories stored up related to their farm (just down the road) and chickens.  My chicken experience paid off as I read Harrington’s book aloud – one second grader actually interrupted the story to tell me that I “do a good chicken”.  My “pruck, pruck, pruck” was apparently very realistic. 

Every class voted for the 2009 Monarch as soon as we were done reading Chicken-Chasing Queen so we didn’t spend much time in extended discussion.  This meant that all my good chicken stories were wasted!  The students really enjoy it when I follow a read aloud with what they refer to as one of my “true stories”.  Personal narrative is a branch of the storytelling art and my students seem to value and enjoy it.  With this in mind I picked one of my favorite books from recent years for the next read aloud, Lisa Campbell Ernst’s Zinnia and Dot. 

I LOVE to read this book aloud.   As I mentioned last week oral reading, done well, is dramatic and Lisa Campbell Ernst has built in plenty of dramatic opportunities in this narrative.  I don’t often “do” voices with books because it is difficult to do well, but Ernst gave Zinnia a drawl and I jest luv to do a drawl!  (I didn’t grow up in West Central Illinois for nothin’!)  Dot’s dialogue lends itself to a slightly snooty tone, so I can really give these two old hens some personality. 

I’ve heard good readers describe the book experience as “a movie in my head”.  Good readers know what this means, but struggling readers of every age never get the mental film rolling.  Bringing a book to life in a read aloud session is an important model.  If I can bring Zinnia and Dot to life for the students, then I am modeling good reading.  My all time favorite phrase in this book:  “It was poultry pandemonium!”

I followed this wonderful book with some of my own chicken stories.  Some of the teachers who also grew up on farms chimed in with their own memories.  Most of us shared the amazement that our grandmothers could reach right under those old hens when gathering eggs, but the old biddies would peck a kid every time.  In my childhood I solved that issue by gently harassing the hens with a stick until they got off the nest.  In retrospect this probably did not improve my relationship with those hens, but it allowed me to get the job done without getting pecked.  (Those old hens sensed my fear, I know!)

Kids not only like personal narrative storytelling, but they love knowing facts so I made sure they had their chicken vocabularies in order:  rooster, hen and chicks.  But no one was familiar with the term for young female chickens – pullets. 

Sharing that term with the students made me remember an old trick of my grandfather’s so I introduced it to the kids, telling them that I would teach them how to remember the chicken names the way my grandfather taught it to me.  I implored them to concentrate, because this was a memory game.  “Rooster” is the forehead, “pullet” is the nose, and “hen” is the chin.  You repeat this several times, then quiz their memories, leaving the nose for last.  When they answer “pullet” for the nose, of course, you pull the child’s nose.  It is a silly game.  If you distract them by convincing them it is a memory test they never see it coming!

I will turn 50 this coming November.  The fact that I am in the final third of my career is reflected in my storytelling.  The combination of experience as a reader and storyteller along with a healthy bank of memories and life experience has changed the way I relate to the students.  I’m not the “mom” librarian now, I’m the “grandma” librarian.  And I like it!  It is freeing!  I can be silly or sentimental and it only strengthens my relationship with the students.  And that is what storytime is about for me – building relationships.  Relationships with the students and myself and with good books.  And it pay great dividends – my student to hug ratio seems to go up every year!

This year’s Monarch winner, the Illinois children’s choice award for grades K-3, was just announced.  At our school the winner was Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude.  But it is interesting to note, that closely behind were the books Skippyjon Jones and Precious and the Boo Hag.  As I think back through these and previous year’s winners I am noticing a pattern.  The students in my school are voting on the memory that we make together with the book as much, or more, than on the book itself. 

A couple of years ago a title which I thought fairly weak garnered many votes from our students.  But I read it with a spot-on British accent, if I do say so myself, and the students remembered that.  So I am certain that it is the read aloud memory that motivates these young voters.   

This year we read Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude together in three large group sessions in the library.  Usually I read aloud in individual classrooms weekly, but during Monarch we read at least one in large groups.  Since Motorcycle Dude actually has three voices – two characters with bubble conversations and a narrator, I had two teachers help me read in each session.  They say teaching is 90% theater, and there is no doubt when you ask teachers to help you read a book like this one!  The kids AND the teachers made a memory! 

Technical details:  I shared the photos of the book by using a digital visual presenter and a screen.  The teachers reading were up front by the screen.  I photocopied the pages of the book for the two teachers reading so I could highlight their parts for them.  It isn’t easy to recognize, otherwise, and I wanted to make this as smooth and painless for them as possible.  Obviously the copies were for the read aloud performance and were destroyed immediately after.  (I’m counting on that to fall within fair use for education.  Although I did copy the entire work, I don’t think I cheated anyone out of sales.  I think we probably promoted sales!)

With Skippyjon Jones I had the students participate.  There are several spots in the book where the text can be sung to the familiar tune of the Mexican folk song Las Chiapanecas. The book has in-text prompts for the clap-clap.  (The tune is familiar to our students, I think, because it is used at White Sox games to rev up the crowd!)  The kids love doing the clapping while I read aloud.  If they don’t do it in rhythm I make them do it again until we get it right as a group.  Kids value true success more than false self esteem! 

I was a bit worried about Skippyjon Jones as a read aloud as it has garnered criticism as racist with its mix of real Spanish and imitation Spanish words:  “el blimpo bumblebeeto bandito”  I do want to be aware of promoting stereotypes, no matter how clever and funny a book might be, so I did point out to the students that Skippyjon is using his imagination and pretending; some of his words are really Spanish and some are just silly and made up. 

We have very few Spanish speaking students in our school, but I watched them each carefully as we read.  Truly they enjoyed the book as much or more, and a student in the first group proudly translated an unfamiliar phrase for me!  Perhaps this is an example of adults over-thinking a potential problem, and kids just enjoying the moment?  Kids understand that Skippyjon is about imagination, not cultural relations.

Our school’s third place winner, Precious and the Boo Hag, was read aloud by one of the third grade teachers who is the queen of scary stories.  I don’t particularly favor scary stories, so this was perfect.  Miss Amy had the time to read to each class since she has a student teacher right now and actually must leave the room for certain time periods.  The students loved her “performance” of the book, so I’m betting it got a higher percentage of votes than at other schools.

One of Miss Amy’s students is moving, and today was her last day at our school.  She came to the library to tell us goodbye, and hugged me three times telling me how much she likes ”my stories”. 

My thanks to the Monarch committee for the work that they do that allows us a special annual focus on twenty wonderful books.  What a privilege to work with children and books.  What a privilege to serve as the extension of creative authors and illustrators as we read aloud.  What a privilege to make memories together! 

Note:  For the very first time our school winner matched the state winners, not only for first, but for second place! 

In my Library Administration class from my undergraduate degree I remember being told to never go to your principal (or supervisor) with a problem unless you also had a solution.  Go with problem only and you are a complainer.  Go with a potential solution and you are a collaborator.

I have put this wise advice into practice through the years.  When I first came to my current workplace there was no display space available for the library.  But just across the hall by the office there were two display cases CROWDED with ancient trophies.  I coveted this space, but anticipated my Principal’s problem if he granted it to me – what to do with all the trophies.  I was ready.  I suggested that the trophies move to the tops of my 68″ non-fiction shelves.  Other than the custodians’ annual complaint that they have to dust them, this was a great solution and has been a great outreach for the library.

In the photos above you can view the latest display:  Eggcellent Spring Reading.  I often use wrapping paper for a background since it is fairly inexpensive, colorful, and available in many themes.  And I almost always have something in addition to the books, such as these eggs and chickens.  It catches everyone’s eye that way!

I do not always use the case for book displays.  For example, during February of this year I invited teachers to bring a wedding photo of themselves.  It was a VERY popular display.  (Actually, we did this about 15 years ago and staff requested a repeat!)  In late April/May we plan to have faculty bring old prom or homecoming pictures of themselves.  (Most of the mature faculty members no longer can locate these photos, but this gives the unmarrieds and the younger staff a chance to participate.  They still know where those photos are and probably still have the dried flowers… which I’ll use in the display if they’ll bring them!)

I leave displays up at least a month, sometimes for two.  This display will stay up through spring break.  It has elements of Easter in it, but it isn’t geared to a holiday so it has more staying power!  The cases lock so I sometimes borrow collections from individuals in the community.  The Lego collection was VERY popular.  Plus I make it known to the teachers that both cases can be used for their class projects, so I do not always have to keep it filled.

I believe Sue Stroyan was the instructor of that Library Administration class.  I’m not sure if the advice was from her or from the textbook, but I have never forgotten it.  And it has remained EGG-cellent advice!

Note from a perfectionist:  I’m not happy with legibility in the headline, so I intend to add white letters, leaving the green as shadow.  I also need to add a couple of egg cartons and some Pysanky Eggs (Ukranian Easter Eggs) which I have somewhere at home.  Also worth noting, for the last 22 years I have good-naturedly ignored the custodian’s complaints about dusting the trophies … I work hard so the custodians know I respect the job they do and I usually bake them something at least once a year in trophy penance.  You see, my mother, a career educator, always told me:  “The most important people to develop positive relationships with in a school building are the custodians and the secretaries.”  …also EGG-cellent advice!

I actually read First Boy before I read Trouble and originally thought I would discuss them in that order.  But today is my Dad’s 73rd birthday, and so I had to save First Boy for today! 

I intend to give this book to my father for his own reading.  I’ve often said that the good middler and YA novels of today are rich enough to satisfy adult readers and cannot be fully appreciated by young adults with their limited experience.  My Dad will fully appreciate this novel. 

You see, Cooper Jewett is a farm boy.  Although he is only 14, Cooper is a New Hampshire Dairy Man trying to keep it all together and get it all done.  As a retired Illinois farmer, my Dad will identify with this novel.  Although my father raised hogs himself, my grandpa kept dairy cows throughout my Dad’s childhood and mine.  (Actually, I think dairy cows keep you – they keep you tied down even more than other livestock which is why my father never had them!)

My Dad will approve of Cooper’s attitudes and values.  He will recognize and empathize with the struggles.  He knows about feeding the stock before you feed yourself.  He knows about balancing school work with farm chores for Dad taught school in addition to farming.  (Most farmers I know, and most of their wives, work elsewhere to support their farming habit!)  My father knows what it is like to have the barn burn to the ground in twenty minutes.  He knows what it is like to run into a burning barn to save livestock.  And he knows about good food, tacturn farm family members, and church folk and neighbors who will lift you up when you need it.

In addition to the richness of the rural setting and the unusual farm themed plot, Schmidt throws politics, mystery and intrigue into the mix for this novel.  The simple farm life is juxtaposed with the complications of dirty politics.  First Boy has enough action and drama to keep young readers turning the pages.  A less complicated narrative than Wednesday Wars or Trouble, I liked it just as much.  And I am happy that this is an offering from Schmidt which I can recommend to my less dedicated young readers.

So happy reading to you all - I recommend Schmidt’s First Boy.  And Happy Birthday to the “first boy” I ever loved - my dad.

At our house we really don’t watch much television.  Well… the 22 year old does, but my husband and I do not.  I admit to watching “Dancing With the Stars” but if they don’t tone down the sleazy outfits this round it may be my last season.  But shows we have appreciated for their tight writing and quirky subplots have been Seinfeld, Friends, Gilmore Girls, and now Scrubs.  Personally I am appalled at behavior in the shows…is the world really like that? They should all be dead of sexually transmitted diseases!  But I do appreciate the cleverness in the writing.

Gary D. Schmidt (my new favorite author) has a new title – Trouble.  Out since April, I’m just now getting it read!  One thing I’m enjoying about Schmidt is that his books are each fairly distinct.  I love this one as much as I loved The Wednesday Wars, but it is like with my children – I love them both – but they are different.  Where The Wednesday Wars was often funny, Trouble was full of gut wrenching issues.  It will appeal and be most appropriate for an older audience, although there is nothing inappropriate for Junior High students. 

What I love, however, is how Gary D. Schmidt can weave a story.  Like those TV shows I admire for their tight writing, Schmidt never drops a thread.  Like warp and weft, the themes and subplots come together with color and texture in Schmidt’s narrative.  And in the midst of the heavy themes in Trouble – tragedy, guilt, sibling rivalry, death, grief, blame, forgiveness, prejudice, depression, cultural conflict, first love, slavery, refugees, and more – runs this quirky little subplot.  Henry and his best friend have an ongoing rivalry that always ends in blows.  I realize this doesn’t necessarily sound funny, but in the hands of Schmidt it provides humor because it is understated and repetitious.  I liken it to the scene in While You Were Sleeping where the paperboy, riding his bike in the early morning light, crashes and falls.  The scene is just there.  It relates to nothing.  But it surprises and provides a respite from the heavy drama.  (It is our favorite part of that movie, I’m ashamed to admit.  My mom was probably right; my brother and I shouldn’t have watched The Three Stooges!)

Trouble was criticised in some reviews for having one too many subplots.  But he dropped none!  I could not predict, while reading, how Schmidt would resolve the shipwreck mystery but he did it.  And it was NOT extraneous; indeed, I thought the shipwreck was symbolic of many of the themes within the novel.

Trouble is for a different audience than previous books by this author.  All his books have fairly serious themes, but this one requires more thought and deals with some serious drama.  But despite serious themes, all Schmidt’s books have an undercurrent of hope and redemption, and Trouble has the heart AND soul which I relish in Gary D. Schmidt’s novels.  If you haven’t read Schmidt’s work I suggest you read them in publication order.  You will enjoy, as I have, watching his writing just get tighter and tighter.

I look forward to the next offering by Gary D. Schmidt.  I wonder what audience it will be for? 

Just keep ‘em comin’, professor! 

Many years ago at an ISLMA session I heard a very prolific author bragging about how his publisher asked him to write a book about the (then new) hit show “Beverly Hills 90210″.  This author claimed knowledge of the show, when asked, and then proceeded to accept the assignment despite the fact he had never watched the show and had barely heard of it!  I sat there growing more and more annoyed as he detailed how little thought and effort went into his many non-fiction titles.  It was then (I thought) I coined* the word “Literary Prostitution”.   

There have been more examples to annoy me as the years have gone by.  HarperCollins reacted to the success of “The American Girl” books by hiring authors to research and write a series about each of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s female ancestors – Martha, Charlotte, Caroline.  I am a HUGE fan of the Little House books.  And I was present at Rocky Ridge in Mansfield, Missouri when it was named a National Historic Site where I heard Roger Lea MacBride read from Little House on Rocky Ridge before it was published.  (I actually have it on video somewhere!)  I was OK with those books and purchased them for my libraries, although they weren’t all that well written and are rarely read these days.  (At least Roger had family connections as Rose’s lawyer and “adopted” grandson.)  And I am fond of Renee Graef’s work; she is a fellow fan!  But the rest of the spinoffs I consider 95% commercial and 5% literature.  I have never read them… I have no intention of purchasing them for my libraries.

The latest bit of literary prostitution with which I am wrestling is Scholastic’s The 39 Clues.  As they did with their Dear America diary format books, they are hiring known authors.  One of the teachers in my building, an avid reader herself, came into the library quite excited.  Did I know that Rick Riordan had out a new book and series called The 39 Clues ?  I had to explain that it wasn’t truly a Riordan series, but a commercial venture from Scholastic.

The following is from the Scholastic website:

• The 39 Clues Book 1: The Maze of Bones is by New York Times bestselling author Rick Riordan and is in stores now.
• The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note is by acclaimed author Gordon Korman and is available now
• The 39 Clues Book 3: The Sword Thief is by kid favorite Peter Lerangis and hits stores on March 3, 2009.
• And there are seven more books coming, ending with Book 10 in September 2010!

I tolerated the Dear America books, although it was the publisher that drove the creation of the books, not the creative muse of an independent author.  And the series has a couple of black eyes, the best known of which is My Heart is on the Ground by Ann Rinaldi.  Rinaldi, usually an author of excellent historical fiction, apparently based the book on an actual “diary” which in itself was proven to be falsified.  Rinaldi chose an inaccurate resource.  Would this have happened if she wasn’t churning out a work of formula fiction? 

Formula fiction is not a new concept.  Edward Stratemeyer was a master, producing Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and many others.  Authors produced books based on the outlines from the Stratemeyer Syndicate.  I read those books voraciously when I was around third and fourth grade.  I later went through a stage where I read my share of Harlequin Romance books.  (We won’t investigate the era of my reading Harlequin Romances…)  So I’m not immune to the appeal of formula fiction and series books.  As a matter of fact, I think it has a strong and important place in reading development, impacting grades 2-5 strongly! 

So I find myself trying to sort out what exactly disturbs me about The 39 Clues.  I just finished reading the first one and liked it well enough.  It has elements of Raiders of the Lost Ark meets The DiVinci Code meets National Treasure, with a bit of Harry Potter reflected in the four competing “families” – Lucian, Ekaterina, Tomas, and Janus.  It will be an interesting series, if the rest prove to be equally intriguing.

So what disturbs me?  I believe it is the commercialism vs art balance that makes me not want to purchase these books for my students.  Scholastic has extended the books and clues as they explain on the website:

• To find the 39 Clues:
• Read the Books – Each 39 Clues book unlocks one Clue.
• Collect the Cards – Game cards help reveal Clues.
• Play the Game – Find Clues through online missions.
• Win the Prizes – Play and you could be eligible to win prizes!

Read the books.  (I like that!)  Play the Game – web connection to a book.  (I like that!)  Win prizes.  (Whatever!)  Collect the Cards- WHOA!  Commercialism alert!  Some cards come with the books, but others have to be purchased from “your retailer”.  These books are obviously not aimed at the library market!  Card codes can only be entered once, so students have to buy their own copies of the books and additional cards if they wish to participate fully.  So this smacks of 98% commercial and 2% literature.  I am disturbed. 

This literary prostitution things really bothers me.  After Andrew Clements wrote the wonderful and successful Frindle, his publisher contracted him to more “school stories”.  (Clements shared this at ISLMA in 1999.)  None have measured up to the original.  When he diverged with Things Not Seen he was better.  Publishers exist to make money.  Authors have to make a living.  But it seems to me that the best art, in this case literature, is going to come from the heart, mind, and soul of the author – not the publisher.

To read The 39 Clues I borrowed a copy from a student.  I’m sure he has, or will soon have, the next two books.  I will read them, as well, before making a decision about purchasing.  My students are not for sale.  And I don’t work for Scholastic.  Whether I will (or should) purchase them for the library remains a matter of principle with which I wrestle.

  * I am not the first to debate this, nor to invent the term (as I first thought).  The term “literary prostitution” already existed when it sprang up in my mind in the early 1990s… I have discovered a New York Times article from 1922 Art and the Necessary Evil  which debates the issue.

My standard reply when students ask me for a “short book” to read is to tell them to please ask me for “a good book” to read.  If I feel like being silly and making a scene I will instead plug my ears and say “la, la, la, la” until they ask for a good book.  I’ve also been known to accuse them of swearing; “short book” is swearing!  (I find it beneficial if junior high students, particularly, think you are slightly off your rocker; they tend to behave better if they never know what you’ll do next.)

But with The Walls of Cartagena I get to recommend a good book that is also not overly long.  (I can’t say “short” – swearing, you know.)  This narrative is a particularly valuable addition to the historical fiction collection since it focuses on slavery in the Americas outside of the United States.  Slavery is a much bigger story than just the US experience and Julia Durango provides a great introduction to the topic.

I must confess, my only prior knowledge of Cartagena comes from the 1984 movie Romancing The Stone!

The setting is Cartagena in 1639.  The narrator is a young slave named Calepino who is more fortunate than most in his position.  He has been educated and treated well by the Doña Isabel, but is exposed to the horrid conditions of the incoming slave ships as he begins working for the tireless Father Pedro who seeks to bring comfort to the bodies and souls of the Africans as they arrive.  Calepino ends up working at a lepers colony for Dr. Mendo López de Campo, and readers are introduced not only to leprosy, but to the Spanish Inquisition and the persecution of the Jews as well. 

A well told, thought provoking story The Walls of Cartagena seems well researched.  Most of the characters in the story actually existed as explained in the author’s note at the end of the book.  Another impressive first novel – and this one from an almost local author – Durango lives in Ottowa, IL.  Although full of history, Durango keeps the plot interesting, moving, and heartfelt throughout… all contained in only 145 small format pages (7.6 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches)  – 152 if you also read the author’s note!

Bird by Rita Murphy is an odd little novel.  It is the quirky story of Miranda – a literally windblown waif who lives in Bourne Manor with the pitiful widow Wysteria Barrows.  The book feels like a cross between Series of Unfortunate Events and every classic, lonely orphan story you ever read.  Bourne Manor itself is an evil character in the story; certainly a malevolent version of Green Gables.

The mystery of Bourne Manor’s proported hidden treasure was a satisfying surprise to me as a reader.  Much remains unexplained in this book, however, and the ending leaves you, not actually hanging, but certainly wanting to know what happens next.  

As I said, a quirky book; it will probably only appeal to dedicated readers.

In an effort to make numbers concrete rather than just concepts, for almost the past 20 years primary teachers have been “celebrating” the 100th day of school.  Many schools have the students do projects, posters or make collections of 100 items.  Our school used to be one of those.  However for the past 15 years our 100th day celebration has become more meaningful.  Our school’s Kindergarten, First and Second Grades set a goal to collect, as a grade, at least 100 paper products which will be donated to a local women and children’s shelter called Harbor House.  The organization lets us know annually which products it is most in need of:  toilet paper, Kleenex, paper towels, diapers… they always need a lot! 

The idea for this celebration originated with one of our first grade teachers.  We all have found it very meaningful, and my aide and I are happy to give the donations a home while they are collected and to host the assembly on the 100th day of school. 

As the items are brought to school, they are placed in the library divided by grade levels.  Teachers keep a tally and often bring their class in for an update and use that opportunity to reinforce number concepts.  The director of Harbor House (or a representative) always comes to our school on day 100 to hold a brief assembly to accept the donations.  Our students and their families have always donated at least 100 items per grade level.  This year, however, may have been our largest year.  On February 3rd we presented Harbor House with over 800 items.  And they tell us that will probably get them through only three or four months, but it is a HUGE help to them.

The photo only shows a portion of this year’s donations and you may notice that we celebrate the 100th day of school in varied ways.  If a couple of the first graders look oddly dressed it is because they are attempting to look 100 years old.  (The first grade teachers usually dress as if they are 100, too… actually they end up looking just like my elementary school teachers!)  You can also spy 100 shaped glasses and a 100 dollar bill hat. 

As a math-challenged, failed-product of “New Math” I often look at the hands on approach to math that they use in primary classrooms today and wish I could start over.  These methods would work for me… but, alas, I have floundered this far and I was smart enough to marry a guy who can add numbers in his head faster than most folks can with a calculator.  I’ll continue floundering…

My point in sharing this via the blog is twofold. 

#1 – I think this is a very meaningful way to collect 100 items.  It satisfies the goal of making the number 100 concrete and it fills a need in the community.  I much prefer it over projects, posters, and collections.  It focuses our kids on others instead of themselves - always a good thing! 

#2 – We really try to be the Library Media CENTER.  100s day at our school means the library staff lives with stacks and towers of paper products for a couple of weeks.  It means we steer kids to the right stack and help them make the tally marks if their teacher isn’t with them.  It means we carry out the tables and stack the chairs to make room for the 10 minute assembly.  It means we bag and box up the paper products and help tote them to the Harbor House van after the kids and teachers have returned to class.  And then it means we carry in the tables, unstack the chairs, and roll up the Hundreds for Harbor House banner until next year.

We ARE the Library Media Center.  Our service isn’t limited to books, computers, and information.  We are home base.  We are collaborators.  We are organizers.  We are supporters.  We are key players on the team.  We are the center of our educational community… and we like it that way!  We are LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER…!  (Those who remember Helen Reddy will compulsively finish that phrase!)