Professional Reading

Brooks and McNair have compiled 12 scholarly studies about the use of books by and about African-American children and young adults in classrooms across the United States. Selections include a detailed textual analysis of the work of Arna Bontemps and Langston Hughes; a sociolinguistic perspective on readers’ response to books containing African-American Vernacular English; and a detailed study of the books used as classroom read-alouds by teachers in rural schools, which found that only three percent were about African Americans. While each study is complete in and of itself, the text as a whole gives a broad picture of what is currently being done in this field, both in K-12 classrooms and college classes that emphasize children’s literature. In her foreword, Rudine Sims Bishop says, “Literature scholars, literacy researchers, and teachers should all find relevance in these essays.” This reviewer agrees.–Wendy Smith-D’Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD

This edition addresses the assessment-driven educational environment of the No Child Left Behind Act. In the first section, Buzzeo focuses on the benefits of an involved school librarian to the educational process and how best to achieve this collaboration. She includes a template for collaborative planning and instruction. Sample lessons for specific grades from librarians around the United States complete the book. Practical suggestions and examples from school librarians across the country appear in separate text boxes. But it all feels a little like preaching to the converted. While most librarians know how important they are to their schools, it is the school community and administrators who often need to become more aware of the valuable contribution a flexibly scheduled, open-access library media center can offer the school and its students. Numerous studies (some cited here) show the benefits to test scores of an active library media center, yet some of the librarians in this book discuss changing their roles to literacy instructor in order to prove their worth to the other teachers, and to avoid “being seen as irrelevant…[with] their budgets…reduced or their positions eliminated.” It is a difficult balance to achieve, and Buzzeo gives worthwhile advice on maintaining this delicate juggling act.–Jane Barrer, PS/IS 111 Adolph S. Ochs School, New York City

Casement has organized her book along a time line from the initial presence of Africans in America before colonization to the present day. Each chapter begins with a brief description of important historical events that have often been left out of our history books. This is followed by an annotated bibliography that includes excerpts from each title and a description of the content. Books listed are primarily straight nonfiction but some fantasy, realistic fiction, biography, and poetry are included. The final two chapters address criteria for selecting children’s literature for classroom use and introduce several talented African-American writers and illustrators. Putting this eminently accessible book into the hands of teachers should greatly increase the use of accurate books about African Americans and help to identify and pass on a more truthful historical picture than most of us were given in school.–Wendy Smith-D’Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD

The authors instruct readers on the implementation of the BIG6 ideas at the pre-K through second-grade levels. They hone the concepts down to three encompassing ones–“Plan, Do, and Review”–called the Super3. Essential questions this format works to answer are: “What do I need to get done, and how do I approach it?” Retaining the fundamental framework of good lesson design, the plan spans all curricular areas and includes use of diverse literacy skills. Most of the book supports a hands-on approach and provides users with a plethora of lessons and worksheets. While the text follows a traditional linear layout, readers can access any chapter and implement the lesson. Longtime educators will be familiar with many of the strategies; what the authors offer is the next step, i.e., to take these known strategies, for example, the Topic-Restriction-Illustration Frame (SQ3R), and build a whole curricular lesson around them. Novice educators will appreciate seeing education theory as a concrete and tangible form. While geared toward younger students, ESL and struggling middle school students will benefit from many of the study-skills worksheets that use pictographs and graphic organizers. –Tina Hudak, St. Albans School for Boys, Washington, DC

What began as a handbook to accompany a series of storytelling workshops has become a compilation of tried-and-true stories, ideas, and activities for librarians working with children. Much of the supporting material comes from Freeman’s “Books Kids Will Sit Still for” series (Greenwood), including an annotated bibliography of 400-plus children’s books every storyteller needs to know. A bibliography of 100-plus children’s books to be used in creative drama and/or reader’s theater is appended. The list of different versions as well as parodies of familiar fairy tales is especially useful, as are the storytelling tips. The author’s selection of songs, chants, and riddles will enliven any storytime. Black line drawings are used sparingly when needed to illustrate a concept. Even librarians who have Freeman’s earlier books will want this one. While new librarians will find the confidence to begin telling stories, those who are more experienced will be able to polish their skills, expand their repertoires, and incorporate reader’s theater and creative drama into their programs.–Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN

Well researched and documented, this guide provides new and reevaluated ideas and insights about the sociological, neurological, emotional, and sexual perspectives of adolescence. The author’s purpose is to assist librarians as they try to engage teens through relevant and attractive responses to their recreational, informational, and technological needs and interests. The premise is that by understanding teens better, librarians are better able to provide appropriate and effective programs and materials. Improved interactions with teens and more library usage are other anticipated results, though the topic of youth participation in libraries and its effects are not specifically addressed. While it is filled with a great deal of pertinent and thought-provoking advice and information, the scholarly writing style does require focused concentration. This book could supplement Patrick Jones, Michele Gorman, and Tricia Suellentrop’s more accessible and comprehensive Connecting Young Adults and Libraries (Neal-Schuman, 2004).–Diane P. Tuccillo, Fort Collins Regional Library District, CO