INTERVIEW
 IraqiGirl: The Modern-Day Anne Frank
Long before Hadiya’s book IraqiGirl (Haymarket, 2009) made its debut, the then-15-year-old launched a blog of the same name as Americans occupied her country in 2004. Readers all over the world now celebrate her stories. We asked the book’s editors, Elizabeth Wrigley-Field and John Ross, how they curated her blog posts and why Hadiya could be the Anne Frank of our time.
How did you come across Hadiya’s stories?
John Ross (JR): I was part of a group of people who went on the eve of the [Iraqi] war to try and stop it, and one of the folks who went with us, peace activist Sasha Crow, found the blog. It was the first year of Hadiya’s blog, and we began reading it every day. I kept noticing the way she wrote, which was remarkable for a then-15-year-old, a young person whose first language was not English. more » » »
NEWS
 School Librarians Can Help Increase Nation’s Report Card Reading Scores
Fourth-grade reading scores remained stagnant across the country from the previous year—the first time the test results haven’t nudged up since 2003, according to the newly released Nation’s Report Card, which informs the public about the academic achievement of elementary and secondary students in the U.S.
National samples of more than 178,000 fourth graders and 160,000 eighth graders showed an average one-point gain in reading for the older group from 2007, which was the last time the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released the scores. The reading scores of their younger counterparts, however, remained flat. more » » »
 Kids, Tots to Feel the Pain of San Jose Public Library Cuts
Students will feel the sting from cuts proposed for the San Jose Public Library (SJPL) for this coming year.
With a deficit of $116 million, the city of San Jose, CA, has asked the public library system to prepare for a 35 percent cut to its $29 million general fund—or approximately $9.4 million starting in July, the beginning of its fiscal year. For students and even preschool-age toddlers, the loss will be tremendous. more » » »
REMARKABLE READS
 Talking About a Revolution (French, That Is)
Teens don’t have to be historical fiction fans to see the appeal of titles set in the tumultuous time of social and political upheaval in France in the late 1700s. Research suggests that famine was at the very root of the unrest that prompted the French Revolution (1789–1799), making Marie Antoinette’s alleged “let them eat cake” quip even more stinging. These stories explore the full breadth of French society at a time when no one could be trusted, especially the monarchy, so expect a healthy dose of intrigue and cloak-and-dagger action. more » » »
LIBRARIAN'S INTERNET
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Easter’s right around the corner, so it's time to search for bunny- and egg-related activities for tots and primary-grade kids. This site is full of simple and fun things for them to do—to start exploring, simply click on any of the eggs in the carton. more » » »
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JOB OF THE WEEK
Director
Sheppard Memorial Library
Greenville, NC
Sheppard Memorial Library, located in Greenville, North Carolina, seeks an experienced, dynamic DIRECTOR to lead the city/county public library system when our current director retires in July 2010.
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So the iPad seems to be the "it" device.
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