Carol Gordon wrote an interesting article in November 2010 School Library Journal, examining 7 commonly held beliefs about reading and what studies show in relation to those beliefs: 1. Young people get better at reading by reading, just as they learn by doing 2. The social aspects associated with reading are motivational 3. Free choice is a factor in reading motivation 4. Free voluntary reading is as effective, or more effective, than direct instruction 5. People will read when they have access to reading materials 6. It is important to design inclusive summer reading for all students 7. The pleasure hypothesis – reading is itsRead More →

Letters About Literature is a national reading promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with Target and the Arizona Center for the Book at the Arizona State Library. The contest invites young readers to write a personal letter to an author, reflecting on how that author’s work somehow changed their view of the world or themselves. State and national prizes are awarded. The national winners will receive a $500 Target Gift Card, plus each will secure a $10,000 LAL Reading Promotion Grant in his/her name for a community or school library so that others can experience personal relationshipsRead More →

12 year old Blaise Fortune, also known as Koumail, has been fleeing west across Eastern Europe with his guardian, Gloria, since he was 7.  When the Soviet Union fell and the Caucasus states began to fight for their independence, Blaise and Gloria become two of thousands of war refugees scrabbling across a battle-scarred land in search of safety and a better life. As they’ve traveled westward towards France, Gloria has told Blaise the story of his past many times: picking fruit in her father’s vast orchards in Georgia, Gloria heard the derailment of an express train; in her rush to help the vicitms, she discovered a French womanRead More →

Debut author Erin Bow’s Plain Kateis a joy. Kate is a likeable, charming girl whose plight pulls at your heartstrings and whose courage inspires you.  Even though she’s faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, she remains resolute and steadfast in her determination to keep moving forward in hopes of finding a place to belong. Plain Kate is the only child of her town’s master carver; she’s held a blade since before she could walk and her skill with carving sometimes earns the suspicion of her town.  They say she’s got a “witch’s blade” and her charms and carvings are magic.  That’s a dangerous rumor in Kate’s world,Read More →

What impact, if any, does access to print material have on our children’s reading? In an unprecedented, near- exhaustive search uncovering 11,000 reports and analyzing 108 of the most relevant studies, children’s book lending and ownership programs were shown to have positive behavioral, educational, and psychological outcomes. The study, “Children’s Access to Print Material and Education-Related Outcomes,” was commissioned by Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and conducted by Learning Point Associates, a nonprofit education research and consulting organization and affiliate of American Institutes for Research (AIR). Read more about the study at RIF’s Literacy Issues page.Read More →

When I started Ellen Potter’s latest,The Kneeboy Boy, I felt an immediate kinship to the much beloved Lemony Snicket Series of Unfortunate Events.   There’s a witty, dark absurdity to the narrator (one of the Hardscrabble children, but you have to guess which), a quirky, likeable trio of siblings, and a mystery full of kooky, slightly off-center characters that combine into an enjoyable and engaging read.  The three Hardscrabble siblings: shy, mute Otto, take-charge Lucia, and clever Max, are the misfits in the their small English town.  Their lives were turned upside down years ago when their mother disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Ever since, the whole town has shunned them, althoughRead More →

School Library Journal’s  Debra Lau Whelan (September 30, 2010) reports: If you’re excited—or confused—about the future of ebooks but don’t know which ereader to buy or the role of digital books in your school, you’re not alone. These issues, along with ways to incorporate ebooks into lessons and present them to students in a cohesive way were among the compelling issues explored yesterday during “Ebooks: Libraries at the Tipping Point,” the first virtual summit brought to you by School Library Journal and Library Journal. Read the entire SLJ articleRead More →

Check out this review of Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld from briangriggs.com: “I realized today that there is no main antagonist in the Leviathan/Behemoth series. It’s straight character vs. self and character vs. society. I wonder if that’s why students don’t quite get into the action. The only complaint I’ve received is that there’s so much focus on the history and not on excitement. The “focus on history” comment is an interesting one, considering the book is about giant flying whales and steam-powered mechs. Behemoth is a great sequel to Leviathan. It continues documenting the travels of the airship crew as they delve into the Ottoman Empire.Read More →