National Children's Book Week -- Going Digital!

In the article "Reaching the E-Teen" in Publisher's Weekly (February 21, 2011) Karen Springen explores how teens are adapting to e-readers. It may be surprising to learn that 80% of teens still prefer print copies of their favorite titles. In the age of texting, tagging and tweeting, one would think that e-readers would be the next big "thing" with teens. It's not. At least not for the moment. What is keeping teens from making that technological jump into the digital pool? The big five letter word that everyone wants more of but in a sagging economy, very few have a lot of it. MONEY.

With that said, will e-readers ever take off with teens or transitional generation? More than likely yes. More and more YA titles will become available in digital forms, not only that, as with all technology, there will be a time when the price of e-readers will go down and it will become more affordable. In a previous post, the suggestion that e-readers will be likely die off was met with strong comments to the effects that the post was not dealing with reality. The reality is this: as stated previously, if the e-reader is only going to allow for digital downloads from sites like, Overdrive and Amazon, then it will be the end of the e-reader. If however e-reader users will be able to use it socially or use the device for other uses like the iPad allows than there is a chance for survival. The Kobo e-reader's Reading Life allows users to post updates on what they are reading and share excerpts from the book with fellow Kobo users. Are we not that far long from conducting book discussions via e-readers? Not really. The technology is in place, now it has to bee tweaked.

Picture books have made their way to the iPad with much success. These books suffer the same fate as the Young Adult titles. While most parents believe it is a good idea to purchase new technology which will prepare their child for the school years to come, the thought of spending $499 dollars for one device makes it a luxury not a need for most households. Working with the iPad's digital picture book is a treat because the colors are indeed vibrant. However, the print version of the books are just as vibrant as the digital. Sharing the e-reader is difficult, but not impossible. Most librarians have found that the e-readers are easier to hold up when reading stories to a group. However, for one on one reading, it is not as easy as sharing a print copy. (On a side note, for disabled children, this device may be perfect for them in that it is easy to turn the page, and the bright colors attract their attention. This is a discussion for another day.) Perhaps, this is one of the many reasons why publishers will be offering all types of formats for the growing readers to choose from in the years to come.

In the future, National Children's book week will still be around to celebrate great children's literature and authors. However, it just may be that the book of tomorrow will be digital with the "feel" of a traditional book. That should take the guilt away from teens who feel its "sacrilegious" to read off of a e-reader, (see PW article mentioned above). Which ever way children read books in the future, the main objective will remain "every child a reader" This is why we celebrate this week. Reading is too important of a skill to take for granted. As for this librarian, this week's celebration will include sharing a new favorite with little ones. Carroll's The Boy and the Moon is a delightful read and at the moment not available in digitally. That's okay, I'm sure the children won't mind a bit!

The Royal Wedding, Cinderella and Happy Endings

It seems that everyone loves a true-to-life Cinderella story. William and Catherine will be married on April 29th in England with many millions eyes from around the world watching this historic wedding. It seems that it was only yesterday, the world watched Lady Diana's Cinderella story on television. Times have changed but Royal weddings still catch the attention and imagination of millions around the world.

The Royal Wedding excitement is making it's way into classrooms and libraries. As a current event issue, students are discussing the Royal wedding with their teachers and friends. Some of the teens that frequently come into the library where I work will be doing extra credit assignments by watching the wedding live and "reporting" what they witnessed. Libraries also have caught the William and Kate fever. In Muskegon, Michigan which is not too far from where I am writing this blog, Friends of the Hackley Library will host a Royal Wedding Breakfast fundraiser at the Muskegon Athletic Club. The proceeds to be donated to the library’s children’s department which is in need of repair. With all the chatter about the royal wedding, it seemed appropriate to look at other culture's version of Cinderella. There are several children's authors who retell the story very well.

Shirley Climo has written several Cinderella stories from other cultures. One of her best works is The Korean Cinderella (1993) Pear is beautiful and is the daughter of an elderly couple. The father remarries when Pear's mother dies, her father remarries a woman with a daughter the same age as Pear. Just like the American version, the stepmother is jealous of her stepdaughter's beauty and requires her to perform many impossible chores, while her own daughter, Peony watches. Pear completes a set a chores with the aid of magical creatures such as a frog, sparrow, and black oxen. This allow Pear to go to the festival, where she loses one of her shoes and catches the eye of the Magistrate. What happens next? Well of course the Magistrate returns the shoe and falls in love with Pear. In The Egyptian Cinderella (1992) Climo again spins a wonderful tale that resonates closely to the traditional Cinderella story that most children know. This is Rhodopis's Cinderella story. She is a Greek slave girl in ancient Egypt, who has a rosy complexion and fair hair. As one might expect this is a rarity in Egypt and Rhodopia is often teased by the Egyptian servant girls. Rhodopia's fate changes when a great falcon deposits one of Rhodopis' rosy-gold slippers in the lap of the Pharaoh. He decides that this is a signal from the gods to marry the maiden whose foot it fits. Climo introduces young readers to Prusia and the Arabian Nights story in The Persian Cinderella (1999) In this story, kind-hearted Settareh gives money to a beggar and foolishly spends the rest of her money on a cracked jug instead of purchasing fabric for a new dress to wear to the prince's celebrations. To her great surprise the jug is inhabited by a pari that is able to grant her every wish. Now she is able to attend the festival and catches the attention of the prince. Settareh leaves behind a diamond ankle bracelet which is found by the queen. In an unwise move on Settareh part, she tells her stepsisters that the jug contains a pari. What else would jealous stepsisters do but steal it and instruct it to get rid of the the sweet Settereh. Their wish is granted and the jug leaves six jeweled hairpins that are placed in Settareh's hair, which then turns her into a turtledove. The prince befriends the bird and removes the hairpins, revealing that the bird is Settareh.

Several versions of the Cinderella story can be found in Native American folklore. A fine example of one of these version is Penny Pollock's The turkey girl (1996). This version focuses more on keeping one's promise than on finding one's true soul mate.
A poor orphan girl's kindness is repaid when a tribe's turkeys dress her in a fine doeskin robe so she will be able to attend the Dance of the Sacred Bird. There is one catch. She must promise to return to the turkeys before dawn. She is so enthralled with the dancing that she breaks her promise and loses her friends forever. From the Algonquin folklore, Rafe Martin presents The Rough-face Girl (1998) This story begins with two domineering sisters who are determined to marry the Invisible Being, who is everything a girl could want. Rich, powerful and supposedly handsome. They must prove that they can see him. They failed, but their mistreated younger sister. Rough-Face Girl, can see his sweet and awesome face all around her. He then reveals himself, and the Rough-face girl's true beauty is shown and the two marry.

Robert D. San Souci's work on the Cinderella stories takes his readers to the Caribbean. . Cendrillon (1998) is told from the godmother's point of view, this story is about a poor washerwoman whose mother leaves a magic wand behind. The godmother figures out how to use the wand and is able to help her beloved goddaughter. With one wave, A fruit a pain is transformed into the coach; six agoutis become the horses; and the slippers are bright pink with roses embroidered on them. San Souci's next effort Little gold star: A Spanish American Cinderella tale. (2000) is about Teresa who lives peacefully with her father, Tom in the hills of New Mexico, until he remarries. When Tom returns On a rare visit home, he gives his daughter a lamb. Killing the beloved animal, stepmother sends the brokenhearted girl to wash its fleece in the river. When the fleece is snatched by a fish, a beautiful woman wearing blue appears and promises to get it back if she will tend to the old man and the baby in a hut on the hill. Teresa agrees readily to do this but is unaware that the woman is the Virgin Mary and the old man and the baby is Joseph and Jesus. Teresa's reward is a gold star, planted on her forehead. When she returns home, the stepmother is again enraged, and sends her daughters to do the same as Teresa. However, their results are the opposite of Teresa's. After this episode, the story ends in the traditional way.

There are so many Cinderella-like stories around the world. These stories are a wonderful way to celebrate the "true life" princess story that will be televised around the world on April 29. Whether attending a fundraiser in Muskegon, watching the Royal wedding for pure enjoyment or missing the event all together, the Cinderella stories from around the world can provide the fairytale ending that everyone seeks. It will make for a great story time on the 29th or for the library's Summer Reading Program, One Story, One World.

For an extended bibliography of Cinderella Around the World please email, lvnlibrarian@gmail.com

A Great Reading Tool For Everyone: Family Literacy Kits

Every parent wants to see their child succeed in school. It's an ingrained desire of every parent and yet, they never trust their own instincts. Regardless of what library I've worked at, be the an academic, public or high school library, parents seek advice on how to motivate their child to read. That's like saying, "how can I get my child to eat their vegetables?" There is no "right" way to motivate a child to read. Just as there is no "right" way to get children to love carrots or peas. Sometimes it is just a mix of the right book at the right time. In other words, keeping trying but have patience. There is one "tool" that is different and most of the time effective.

A creative approach to enticing children to read is a Family Literacy bag. What is a Family literacy bag? These bags are designed to encourage family reading nights. This literacy tool can be purchased as a set (www.schoolspeciality.com) or put together with a little creative imagination, time and money. A successful and creative literacy kit has a colorful bag to hold the following items: a content sheet, books, parent tip sheet, interactive activities and a parent/child response form. Each kit has a theme that parent and child will explore together. An example of a literacy theme kit is the zoo. Select titles that fit the theme, like Goodnight Gorilla, Dear Zoo, or I Am Pangoo the Penguin. Along with the books (Some literacy kits be as simple as one book) add a tip sheet to aid parents in asking their children questions about the book, suggested activities, plush toy that compliments the story, a content sheet to identify each item in the bag, and a comment form for parent and child to fill out and return to the library. This form is optional, however for the library it can provide a valuable tool in deciding on new literacy bags theme.

Providing family literacy kits is a positive reinforcement in motivating families not only to read together but to see the library as a place for a safe, inexpensive family night out activity. Of course, family programming accomplishes the same objective, however this is an affordable way for the library to support family literacy one step further. Additionally, librarians will find that the library-family connection is strengthen. Regardless of the social, economic, cultural background of the family, these kits allow the parents to feel comfortable in approaching the librarian with questions and concerns about helping their children with reading. With the literacy kits in hand, parents now feel they have the library as a partner in helping them help their children.

With that said, there is nothing that can replace the valuable moments that a parent shares with their child when reading together. It sparks conversations, it helps children relate to the world around them and most importantly it can help a child become confident in their ability to learn new things and to read on their own. Literacy kits can demonstrate to a child how reading can open the doors to new ideas, activities and other wonderful possibilities.

Never Too Early for the Bard of Avon!

It would be a terrible injustice to Sir William Shakespeare to not mention his birthday and how his works still influence authors today. Again and again, Shakespeare’s works are studied, referenced, updated and performed in schools, parks and professional theatre. One might think he’d get old and boring by now but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Why? In his own unique way he has crafted memorable characters who portray the human condition so well that if you were to change the clothes, hairstyles and the way they talk, they’d fit in well in the modern world. Let’s face it, jealousy, love, hate, betrayal are still present and as humans, we haven’t found any new twists that make us much different than our ancestors. Authors today still find inspiration from Will’s work. Sometimes the inspiration is right on the mark and other times not so much. However, there are gems out there that can not be missed. Would it be surprising to know that there are some very good children’s books based on the Witty Bard’s work?

It would seem a bit premature to introduce little one’s to William Shakespeare but when you think about it, wasn’t it a few years ago when it was believed that playing classical music to the child in the womb would have a profound effect on the child’s intellect? Introducing a child to Shakespeare at a young age should not be anything out of the ordinary. Instead, we should delight in the fact that they could learn a few of the classic lines, like “To be or not to be!” or “Romeo, Romeo where for art thou?” A little much? Perhaps no words need to be spoken or read at all. The Boy, The Bear, The Baron , The Bard is a delightful romp through Shakespeare’s world told in pictures. Imagine a young boy stumbling upon an old theater and begins to try on the costumes that look very similar to the ones an actor in a Shakespeare play would wear. He steps through the curtains to go on stage not realizing that he has stepped into a time machine that lands him on stage during one of the Bard’s performance. Gregory Roger’s illustrations of old England and the Globe Theater is a treat for the young and old. No words were needed to narrate the story because the illustrations draws the reader into each panel. Thankfully Rogers decided to do a second title Midsummer’s Knight which is as enchanting as the first.

Of course there are many other ways of introducing Shakespeare to the very young. There are finger puppets of the various characters in Shakespeare's plays. Again, it may seem to be going a bit overboard. However, in defense of all those who love the Bard, it is very difficult to contain the enthusiasm for great works of literature. As the Bard would say himself “Who could refrain that had a heart to love and in that heart courage to make love known?”. Is it really too early to share something that is a treasure? Of course not! It would seem that authors like Mr. Rogers would agree!

What Does My Favorite Childhood Book Say About Me? Plenty!

A couple of weeks ago Flavorwire.com posted an article about favorite childhood books and what they may possibly indicate about the reader. Clearly this was done for pure fun and entertainment, but it caused me to think what if you were not a "reader" in your younger days? What if half of the books listed on the site were read within the last four years as an adult? (I will not reveal my age, but we will say that its not born yesterday and not older than dirt. Somewhere in between.) Should one suppose that my childhood was less than exciting since nothing can be said about me through my reading habits, or lack of, in my childhood? I would grudgingly admit that i missed out on great stories as a child. Having said that I do recall a few books that stood out to me as my favorites.

Snow-White and Rose-Red, the German fairy tale about two sisters who befriends a bear i when he appears on their doorsteps on a cold winter's night. The bear is really a prince who has had a spell placed on him by a wicked dwarf. The spell is broken once the bear has killed the dwarf. As luck would have it, the prince has a valiant brother who marries Rose-Red. Snow-White marries the Prince/Bear. What does this story say about the reader? Frogs turning into princes is boring. Bears are much more appealing. Go the non-traditional route to get what you want.

The Ghost of Saturday Night should be a spooky book, right? Nope. It's about Professor Pepper claiming to raise a dead outlaw live on stage. Opie, smart little boy he is, thinks there is something strange about the whole event. On the night the dead outlaws is raised, the town's bank is robbed. What does this book say about the reader? The readers is not one to believe everything that is advertised. If it sounds too good to be true it usually is!

Beverly Cleary's books were wonderful. Mitch and Amy is definitely a childhood favorite of mine. The story is about siblings Mitch and Amy who are very different and argue about everything. Things change when a common enemy, Alan begins to make their life a little uncomfortable for their tastes. Once they decide to join forces, it is Alan who begins to understand what it means to be humiliated. What does this say about the reader? Hey, the only person who can get away with making my sibling's life miserable is me! So back off buddy!

To think of it now, my childhood wasn't so boring after all. These wonderful stories taught me very valuable life's lessons. First, find your own path to finding what you want in life. Second, use critical thinking skills when deciding what's true and what's false. Finally, the family bond is stronger than anything the world can throw your way. Hope your favorite childhood books says something positive about your past.

Summer Reading Program: One Story One World and America's Melting Pot

The them One world, One Story is perfect to highlight America's colorful and diverse history. In almost every American family, there are stories of great-grandpas, grandparents or parents who immigrated to the United States to pursue a better life. America is unique in it's identity around the world as the "melting pot". It is something to be quite proud of and not to be taken for granted or lightly. when children come to your library this summer offer them the opportunity to explore their family's heritage with books. If working with older children bookmark www.ellisisland.org on the public computers to encourage them to visit the famous Ellis Island. There they can search the records for their ancestors names or learn about how this Island was the first stop in the immigrants journey to America.

Many children's authors have attempted to depict the immigrant experience in America. The tales often take a look at the difference between their own and America's culture. At times it can be humorous and sometimes the reality of "homesickness" is shown so vividly the reader's understand with the characters' loneliness. When sharing these books, it is important to emphasize that all though the story may be fiction, the feelings that some of the characters feel are based on reality.

Librarians can use the immigration in a storytime program. A good ingredient to a memorable storytime is props. For this theme, have a black pot sitting in the front of the room. As the children arrive, have them choose a country's flag that represents their heritage. When the program begins, call off different countries and ask the children to place the flag in the "melting pot." After all the flags are collected, distract the children with music and a game. Then with a bit of magic (or as magician say "slight of hand") to replace the melting pot with a new pot. At the end of storytime, tell the children you will empty the pot and let them come up to get a flag. Lo and Behold! All the countries' flags are gone and now they are all American flags! Another approach to take is as the program begins, ask the children to close their eyes for a moment. Instruct them to imagine they are on a boat, as the boat is starting to pull away from the dock, they are waving goodbye to friends and families that they may never see again. How would they feel? Next, inform them on how many days it would take to cross the Atlantic to get to New York's Ellis Island. (Usually it took about a week) Hold up a picture of the Statue of Liberty and explain that this was the first sign of "hope" that many of the immigrants saw as they entered New York's harbor. Ask the children again, how do they think the immigrants felt when they knew they were going to start a new life in a new country? if this sounds too much like school for the summer time, then invite the grandparents to come to the storytime. It's a perfect time for a "generational program" and grandparents can share their own stories with their grandchild. Who could resist an opportunity like that? As an added bonus why not dedicate a bulletin board to showcase the grandparent and child's heritage and an old family photo of life in the old country versus life in the new country.

Whether reading the books aloud or providing a bibliographic handouts for patrons to take home, here are a few titles that tell the immigrant story well.

When I First Came To This Land Harriet Ziefert

The Name Jar Choi Yangsook

Chicken Sunday Patricia Palacco

Picnic In October Eve Bunting (This is title deals specifically with Ellis Island and The Sateu of Liberty.)

How I Learned Geography Uri Shulevitz

For a complete annotated list of great picture books on Immigration to the United States, just send an email to lvnlibrarian@gmail.com. Stay tuned, there are many more ideas yet to come for this summer.

Summer Reading Programs --- One World, Many Stories, One Awesome Summer

What makes summer reading programs fun and exciting for everyone involved is the anticipation for what this summer will bring. The themes pave way for creative juices to flow out of the imaginations of librarians and into the hearts of young readers. Without a doubt there is a magic that cannot be duplicated any other time of the year. Any library can have a successful summer program, but it takes a "superhero" librarian to make it extra special. Here are a few tips to make the summer program a smash hit and make your director delighted.

Planning is everything. If there isn't a good plan, there is no fun. The best way to plan programs in the youth services area is to have a little bit of something for everyone. For example, plan on two programs for each age level and one program that is for the entire family. The age levels can be separated into four reading levels: Baby/Toddler, Preschool through Kindergarten, Independent Readers and Tweens/Teens. If the library has the time and money, which are both nice luxuries these days, splitting the tweens and teens is not a bad route to follow. The program for the entire family is typically the finale of the summer. Sprinkled in with the programs are various activities that will keep the children coming all summer long.

This year's theme offers a wonderful opportunity to explore different cultures. The ideas for programming and activities are endless. Having said that, librarians should not go it alone when planning every program. If money is available, hire someone to do one or two programs for you. One such group to consider is The Wild Swan Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is a group of fine actors who occasionally travel to libraries to do live performances. These talented actors first began their company with performances in Sign Language. However, they have started to perform plays in Spanish and English. It is a treat to hear a play in both languages and along the way the audience can't help but learn a few words here and there. They are energetic and entertaining to say the least.

If money is an issue, and for some libraries it is, consider asking your teens to do a reader's theater for the youngsters that come to the library. This is a perfect way to get teens involved and get "cheap" actors to perform. If done right, children and parents will enjoy watching the teens hone their acting skills. It is one of the win-win scenario that gets everyone into a festive, community feeling.

Once the programs are in place, the next step is advertising. Patrons who have come out for last year's summer program will be ready to return for another two months of fun. Invite them back and ask them to bring a friend or two. Attach an incentive for them to do so, like winning a free book or receive a bookmark. Also, reaching out to the local schools, government departments and businesses is key to finding new "readers' for the program. It's not a bad idea to ask local dignitaries to do a PSA to record on the city's cable stations announcing how they love their libraries and love summer reading programs.

The various activities for children to participate in can range from a picture scavenger hunt to reading records to complete in order to qualify for grand prizes at the end of summer. Reading records can be as simple as having a child write down the books they have read or glitzy with a maze for the readers to follow to the end by coloring each box for every time they read a book for 20 minutes per day. The more the child reads the more chances they have in winning the grand prize. One of the best things to do for these readers, is to provide them with a reader's advisory list of books that highlight the summer's theme.

This is just the beginning of a successful reading program. There is still so much more to share. Throughout the next couple of weeks, ideas for this year will be presented. Feel free to use them, share them and comment back on how they worked at your library. This summer's program will be a trip to remember. Hm... could be that a vacation won't be necessary, the stories will carry our readers to where ever their little hearts desire.