Professional Reading

By Staff -- School Library Journal, 11/1/2006

FOLLOS, Alison M. G. Reviving Reading: School Library Programming, Author Visits and Books That Rock! 143p. bibliog. index. notes. CIP. Libraries Unlimited 2006. pap. $32. ISBN 1-59158-356-X. LC 2006017616.

An accomplished librarian shares techniques she has used to make reading a priority at her small, private boarding school. The strongest portion of the book deals with specific long-term projects that she has implemented, including a reading-incentive program called “Title Trekking,” a Reader’s Workshop, and a program to encourage faculty to read young adult literature. Follos also gives a thorough discussion of how to host visiting authors. The chapter on fundraising does not cover new ground, focusing on book fairs, parent donations, and grant writing. Some useful booklists on a variety of topics of interest to middle school students are included. In Part I, Follos strings together statistics and quotes to make the case that reading is declining and that librarians must reverse the trend. In a few instances, complete sentences and statistics are repeated within a span of 10 pages. The occasional typo and cumbersome word choice distract readers. Nevertheless, Follos, who is unfailingly enthusiastic, does provide some sound ideas that middle school and young adult librarians will be able to adapt for their curriculums.–Marcia Kochel, Olson Middle School, Bloomington, MN

This book is chock-full of suggestions for pre-planning, planning, and designing (or redesigning) a school media center. Every detail appears to be covered, including resources for architectural styles and terminology, samples of floor plans and planning documents, sample contracts and requests for bids from contractors, organizational worksheets, and lists of references and resources. Factors that distinguish elementary, middle, and secondary media centers are considered. It is unfortunate that a manual of media center design could be so lacking in visual representations and examples, though the floor maps, blueprints, photographs, and comparison charts that are included are certainly functional and informative. This pragmatic manual includes an amateurish DVD showing a homemade video, captured seemingly without the stability of a tripod, that is casually narrated by the filmmaker, background noises and all. It does give peeks into the processes and products of new and renovated facilities that–at least in part–makes up for the lack of color photographs and illustrations within the book. Visuals aside, the resources and expertise offered in this guide will be useful to anyone creating, renovating, or furnishing a media center.–Jodi Kearns, University of Akron, OH

Two experienced youth-services librarians introduce the idea of teen-centered book clubs. Different from traditional adult book clubs in their focus on the participants rather than the books, this type of programming offers an opportunity for libraries to draw new teens into the building and to keep active patrons involved. In clear prose supported by research, the authors cover every aspect of the program, from assessing the needs of the library and teens to conducting successful meetings to evaluating activities. Sample book titles and themes are ready for use or may act as a springboard for new ideas. An excellent reference, this book will be invaluable to school and public librarians looking for a new way to connect with teens.–Beth Gallego, Los Angeles Public Library, North Hollywood

Lankford has called upon six of her Texas colleagues, Marybeth Green, Betty Carter, Jim Hundemer, Barbara Bertoldo, Mary Frances Long, and JoAnn Moore, to assemble this review of leadership. In a conversational style, she introduces her long-standing interest in the topic and reviews the current literature and research on the qualities of a good leader. The six central chapters cover the many responsibilities and roles of an LMS: advocacy, collection development, financial support, collaboration, professional development, and learner-centered teaching. The foundation for each chapter is Information Power, and the cement is student achievement. Within that framework, each author describes the stated role from the perspective of leadership. The intended audience might seem obvious, but the chapters shift between a building level and administrative focus. The lengthy list of the must-dos and the required range of expertise outlined in each chapter will give new media specialists serious cause for anxiety. Lankford’s parting words, “You may believe you are running as fast as you can, but you can not slow down,” will leave experienced leaders gasping for breath. Problems with confusing sentence structure, typos, missing definitions, and mislabeled tables all detract from the book’s quality. An LMS who has been keeping current with the literature and attending conferences will not find much new here. Purchase this for a concise review or brief introduction to leadership.–Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI

Reflecting on the different and varied uses of biography depending on the age, interests, and developmental needs of students, Lukenbill breaks the genre down into the different types of biographies and how they have changed over time. He includes author and literature suggestions throughout the text and concludes with an extensive bibliography of selection aids, including books and periodicals, for locating recommended titles. The index is decent, but the table of contents is extensive and will enable readers to focus on finding age-appropriate material.–Delia Carruthers, Sunset Ridge Middle School, West Jordan, UT

Divided into 32 sections, each of which addresses selected books that speak to “significant themes,” this resource draws attention to both contemporary and historical titles. In each chapter, easy-to-read and engaging descriptions and summaries of the novels chosen for their thematic content (between four and six per chapter) are supplemented by a general introduction to the issue. Following the narrative, a brief bibliography of similarly themed works is appended. Trupe’s attention to older and oft-forgotten fiction is admirable and likely reflects the real contents of school and public library collections. However, it comes at the exclusion of key newer titles, such as David Levithan’s Boy Meets Boy (Knopf, 2003) and Julie Ann Peters’s Luna (Little, Brown, 2004) under “Sexual Identity, Sexual Desire.” Furthermore, Trupe lists Nancy Garden’s Annie on My Mind (Farrar, 1992) in the bibliography but fails to address this breakthrough title in the body of the chapter’s narrative. The critical commentary promised in the introduction varies in depth and detail; one of the best discussions is found in the author’s pithy analysis of Carol Plum-Ucci’s The Body of Christopher Creed (Harcourt, 2000). The focus on “issue books” invites comparison to Sharon Spredemann Dreyer’s The Bookfinder (American Guidance Service); the organization and scope of this book pales in comparison to that long-gone guide.–Amy S. Pattee, Simmons College, Boston