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Posted by Diane Chen on March 8, 2010
Ever get frustrated with ALA and want to vent? Want to make some changes? Want to know that someone is listening? Talk to the Young Librarians Working Group on their blog or on ALA Connect. "The Young Librarians Working Group is a project on behalf of librarians under the age of 35: the Millennial librarians, the first-career librarians, the new-to-the-field, full-of-enthusiasm librarians who often join ALA only to get frustrated and disenchanted with the size and seeming rigidity of the association."
Posted by Diane Chen on March 7, 2010
Just a quick shout out for some excellent resources for March's Women's History Month. The National Women's History Museum web site has Educational Resources including quizzes, timelines, and lesson plans. I received the following information in a press release. The National Women's History Museum (NWHM) is pleased to announce that "Honoring Amazing Young Women in History," a PowerPoint presentation for educators, is now available. The presentation follows NWHM's Young and Brave: Girls Changing History cyberexhibit, an online exhibit featuring girls and young women who have made significant achievements at an early age in the fields of science, business, social reform, art and more. T...Read More
Posted by Diane Chen on March 5, 2010
Ready for more surprises on our countdown of the Top 100 Teen Titles? Honors received: ALA Best Book for Young Adults New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age Booklist Editor's Choice ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults SLJ Best of the Best Book 2000 Nominee, 1988-1989 Iowa Teen Award Nominee, 1995-1996 ILF Rosie 2003 ...Read More
Posted by Diane Chen on March 3, 2010
Surprises? We'll have them. Arguments? I anticipate them. When I set out to gather the top 100 teen titles, I anticipated being flooded with far more duplicates. Surely we can agree upon the top 10 teen titles, can't we? I sent notices via blogs, emails, listservs, and phone calls to generate responses. The unusual aspect of this poll was how diverse the selections were. There were over 300 different titles suggested with many receiving just one vote. Everyone's vote and ranking was essential to the outcome. If you know and have read every title on this list, I'll be surprised. Ready? I'm going to tease you with just one title today.
Posted by Diane Chen on February 28, 2010
I love books. I love libraries. I love to look at pictures of libraries. I guess this makes me architecturally envious. Currently I feel like my library is a box.  I sketched it out roughly so you can see what I'm working with. In the big open space under nonfiction, there is enough seating for about 60 students at round and square tables. There are 3 lounge style 1-person chairs need the magazines around a short round table. Due to budgets, I have eliminated half the reference collection so there is a two-sided long (HEAVY) shelving unit standing empty. Since we have a large Nonfiction collectio...Read More
Posted by Diane Chen on February 24, 2010
I picked up the phone to chat with Paul Samuelson of Sourcebooks about one of their new books being released in March (Poetry Speaks Who I Am which is for teens). While we chatted, Paul told me about an exciting teen social network that they had established. Since YALSA's Teen Tech Week is coming soon and I'm trying to help a student teacher design projects, I needed more information. Today I share with you his letter about Teenfire.sourcebooks.com
&nbs...Read More
Posted by Diane Chen on February 23, 2010
Sometimes I think I'm not mean enough to be a "librarian." Or maybe its because I work with both students and adults (teachers, parents, administrators) that I believe in civility. Maybe I'm just a prude. You can decide for yourself. What brought this on? I am so annoyed with Library Journal's blog Annoyed Librarian and most of the people who left comments there concerning paraprofessional certification. I defend their right of free speech, but I don't have to go hang out there and read it. I admit that I wanted to wash myself afterwards and disassociate myself with LJ/SLJ/Reed Publishing from a feeling of contamination. Then I realized the best cleansing was to come here and share with you. I'm ...Read More
Posted by Diane Chen on February 22, 2010
We are sharing our favorite nonfiction titles with Nonfiction Monday here in practically paradise. Nonfiction Monday  is a celebration of nonfiction children’s books. Kidlitosphere Bloggers with nonfiction posts will be featured here today. Keep checking back & clicking Read More throughout the day as the links grow. ...Read More
Posted by Diane Chen on February 21, 2010
Tomorrow we will share our favorite nonfiction titles with Nonfiction Monday here in practically paradise. Nonfiction Monday is a celebration of nonfiction children’s books. Kidlitosphere Bloggers with nonfiction posts will be featured here. Bloggers will send me links all day long so you still have time to submit your post. Keep checking back & clicking Read More throughout the day as the links grow. Have you wanted to join us in chatting about nonfiction? This is your opportunity. If you have written a nonfiction blog post today to include, you ...Read More
Posted by Diane Chen on February 21, 2010
My youngest son is counting down the last ten days til his 18th birthday. I'm finding his dad, Alan, dwells on this pending milestone far more than #4 son as he shared the list of the top ten books he wished #4 son had read to prepare him to be a better man. In no particular order his Top Ten List of Books My Son Should Read As He Verges On Manhood (plus one that he has not yet read but which may make the list): The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane The Call of the Wild by Jack London The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzheni...Read More
Posted by Diane Chen on February 15, 2010
Nonfiction Monday has a new email list and yahoo group for readers, writers and reviewers of nonfiction books for kids. Begun by Anastasia Suen, we will blog about nonfiction books on Monday, and talk about nonfiction all week long.The goal of this email group is to connect nonfiction writers and nonfiction bloggers. The intention is to talk about * Reading, researching, and writing nonfiction * New nonfiction books for kids * Using nonfiction books with kids * Where Nonfiction Monday will be hosted each week I hope you will take a look and join this group also. Next week we will host Nonfiction Monday here in Practically Paradise.
Posted by Diane Chen on February 13, 2010
Tip #12: Make sure your kids only read books that are “challenging.” Easy books are a complete waste of time. That goes double for comic books and Mad magazine.Aha! Made you read. I hope you reacted to that statement because it comes from a poster I have in my library called Unlucky Arithmetic: Thirteen Ways to Raise a Nonreader from the article by Dean Schneider and Robin Smith (The Horn Book, March/April 2001) I hosted a gathering of middle school librarians from my district on Thursday and several wanted copies of my poster with these statements on bad habits that will ensure your child is not a reader. Since it was copyrighted, I contacted Roger Sutton to get permission. Kudos to Roger Sutton and The Horn Book Inc. for helping me out. He sent ...Read More
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