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School Library Journal (2/3/12) reports: The Tucson Unified School District‘s (TUSD) decision to shut down its Mexican American Studies (MAS) program and remove seven titles that were used in the program has sparked a rallying cry among librarians and other educators. National groups, including the American Library Association (ALA) and the network of Teacher Activist Groups, are protesting the book removal, demanding that the titles be returned to classrooms. “Students in the TUSD MAS Program develop critical thinking skills through the study of literature written by ALA award-winning authors,” reads ALA’s resolution. “And students have demonstrated proven academic success, graduating from high school at theRead More →

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Recently, a good friend of mine and I took a little road trip to Kartchner Caverns in Southern Arizona.  When we were in the part of the cave where the ground is always wet mud from the water table, the guide had everyone be quiet for just a few moments to hear the “heartbeat of the cave”.  What we heard was the sound of water dropping from the delicate soda straws hanging from the ceiling.  It was an awe-inspiring moment to be inside the earth, quietly existing in a place of natural magic that had been created only by water, minerals, and the passage of time.   This DecemberRead More →

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A.C.E. Bauer’s Gil Marsh is a modern re-imagining of the Epic of Gilgamesh.  Bauer takes the age-old legend of the young prince’s heartbreaking loss and epic quest for immortality and places it in a modern American high school, centered on the charismatic, handsome cross country star, Gil.  When Canadian Enko arrives, Gil’s place as star is threatened for the first time in his life. But it doesn’t take long for steadfast, kind-hearted Enko to win over Gil and the two young men become best friends. Their friendship is cut short by Enko’s tragic death and Gil’s world is turned upside down with his anger and grief. Read More →

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Bear has lost his hat, and no one seems to know where it is (or maybe they just aren’t telling). Will he ever find his beloved hat? This deviously charming picture book is a must read. Kids will laugh and adults will smile when they read this adorably illustrated tale of a bear who learns that he must rely on his own observational skills and not just the words (sometimes truthful and sometimes not) of others. Klassen’s book delightfully depicts the creatures the bear comes across, from possums to rabbits, and the color palette of the book is beautifully done.  Everything enhances the simple dialogue and bringsRead More →

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Publisher’s Weekly (2/2/12) reports: More good news for Maggie Stiefvater fans: hot off the author’s Printz Honor for The Scorpio Races at last week’s ALA Youth Media Awards, Scholastic has announced the publication of a new four-book series from Stiefvater. The first book in the series, The Raven Boys, will be published by Scholastic Press on September 18; three additional books in the Raven Cycle will follow.  “Maggie has an extraordinary ability to balance epic storytelling and deeply personal truths, exploring both the mythology that surrounds us and the myths we tell about ourselves,” said David Levithan, Scholastic Press publisher and editorial director, in announcingRead More →

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From eye on early education (1/31/12): There’s more evidence of the long-term benefits of high-quality early education, this time from the Abecedarian Project in North Carolina, one of three major longitudinal studies of the impact of early education on low-income children. The low-income children who participated in the Abecedarian Project attended a high-quality, full-time, year-round early education and care program from infancy until kindergarten entry. The children engaged in activities that promoted their language, cognitive and social-emotional development. At age 30, participants in the Abecedarian program: Were four times more likely than members of the control group to have earned college degrees, with 23% ofRead More →

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In case you missed it, on Friday 1/27/12 Debby Hipes presented her list of “What’s New in YA Lit” for the Bureau of Education and Research. 2011 was a great year for YA books and there are some good ones on Debby’s list.  Curious to see what she chose?  We’re happy to share! Download PBC’s MS Excel order form to view the entire list and order any books you need for your collection.  Click HERE to download. Happy Reading!Read More →

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In: Mystery & Suspense (YA), On the Edge, Romance (YA), Young Adult Book Reviews
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Penelope “Lo” Marin isn’t the kind of girl who makes friends easily; her family has moved almost every year she’s been in school, having stayed in Cleveland for almost 2 years is a remarkable occurrence; she’s socially awkward, shy, and nervous; she has obsessive-compulsive disorder that she tries desperately to hide; and since her beloved brother, Oren’s, death last year, she’s fallen into a pit of near-madness and despair.  Isolated within her family – her dad has become a work-aholic, and her mom never gets out of bed – Lo has taken to riding the Cleveland transit system, getting off at random spots and wandering. Read More →

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Publisher’s Weekly (1/19/12) reports: Unfortunately for fans of Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, the trilogy ended in 2010. But fortunately, the franchise gets a new lease on life with the release of the big-screen version of the first novel on March 23. So far nearly six million fans have watched the trailer for the Hunger Games movie on YouTube. Eighth-grader Amandla Stenberg, 13, who portrays Rue in the film, talked with PW reporter Karen Springen (a longtime friend of Amandla’s mother) about reading the books, shooting the post-apocalyptic story, and getting everyone on the set to sign her copy of The Hunger Games. When didRead More →