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Cyberbullying, the newest form of social cruelty, has been getting lots of notice in school and library circles. In "Flame Retardants," Nancy Willard shows how librarians can help stop the abuse.
PS. Zusak alert! Register to view our upcoming Under Cover interview with Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief (Knopf, 2006). It will debut Thursday, April 20 at 3 PM EST.
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| Interview |
| Interview: Harry and the Potters |
 Harry Potter has launched yet another craze: wizard rock. Two brothers from Boston—Paul DeGeorge, 26, and Joe DeGeorge, 18—were so obsessed with J. K. Rowling's wizard that they formed the band Harry and the Potters.
Paul impersonates Harry in year seven, and Joe impersonates Harry in year four. Currently on tour, the two have fans of all ages and perform in lots of places, but their absolute favorite venue is the library.
School Library Journal caught up with Paul while they were on the road to talk about the duo's music and fans.
How did Harry and the Potters come about?
It really started as just a silly band name. Then one day, Joe was having a show in our shed in the backyard and a few bands [that he had booked] cancelled. So we sat down in the kitchen and wrote a handful of songs and played them a few hours later. read more... |
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| TechTrends |
Burning the Midnight…Gadgets?
Parents used to tell their teens to "turn off the lights and go to bed." Nowadays it's the gadgets that need to be turned off.
Nearly all U.S. teens (97 percent) have at least one electronic device—computer, TV, phone, MP3 player—in their bedroom, according to the National Sleep Foundation. NSF's 2006 Sleep in America poll, released last week, found that adolescents (ages 11–17) with four or more devices in their bedrooms are much more likely than their peers to suffer from sleep deprivation and almost twice as likely to fall asleep in school and while doing homework.
"Many teens have a technological playground in their bedrooms that offers a variety of ways to stay stimulated and delay sleep," says Mary Carskadon, Ph.D., who chairs the NSF's 2006 poll task force. "Teens need to give the brain better signals about when nighttime starts…turning off the lights—computer screens and TV, too—is the very best signal." Dr. Carskadon is the director of the E.P. Bradley Hospital Sleep and Chronobiology Research Lab at Brown University. read more... |
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BOOKS
Defining Dulcie by Paul Acampora
From SLJ April 2006 (Starred Review)
Gr 7-10–Strong and quirky characters who see life as an inextricable mix of sadness and humor, sorrow and hope, are the hallmark of this memorable first novel....
VIDEO/DVD
Good Conversation!: A Talk with Sid Fleischman
Gr 3-8–Tim Podell visits Santa Monica, CA, to talk with Newbery Award-winning author Sid Fleischman in this casual, but well-organized production.... |
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AUDIO
The Stone of Sorrow (Fate of the Stone, Part 2)
Gr 5-8–In the sequel to The Secret of the Alchemist, John Ward continues the adventures of Helen and Jake, two Scottish high school students who are on a quest to discover the life eternal power of the Philosopher's Stone, an ancient crystal.... |
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STARRED REVIEWS
Grades 5 & Up Fiction for April
- Defining Dulcie by Paul Acampora
- The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks
- Wabi: A Hero's Tale by Joseph Bruchac
- My Last Skirt: The Story of Jennie Hodgers, Union Soldier by Lynda Durrant
- The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
- A Summer of Kings by Han Nolan
- Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck
- Between Mom and Jo by Julie Anne Peters
- King Dork by Frank Portman
- The Summer Sherman Loved Me by Jane St. Anthony
- It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
Read these reviews and more in our review database. (Reviews are available to subscribers.) |
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| News And Views |
| Younger Cell Phone Users Like Extra Stuff |
Cell phones have created a yawning technology gap, with younger Americans far surpassing older generations in their use of text messaging and gaming, according to a recent Pew Internet and American Life study of how Americans use cell phones.
Cosponsored by The Associated Press and America Online, the study sampled a group between the ages of 18 and 29 and found that its overall feeling toward cell phones was more positive than older folks'. Nearly one third of younger cell phone users say they couldn't live without them, but only 18 percent of those older than 30 felt the same way. Sixty-seven percent of younger cell owners say their phones are always turned on. read more... |
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| Illinois School Library Money Flows |
Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White recently awarded school library grants totaling almost $1.4 million to 716 public school districts to help provide library services to nearly two million students in more than 3,300 media centers, according to the Salem Times-Commoner. Funding can also be used to help librarians and staff with continuing education and professional development.
"Each year, my office awards grants to help school libraries buy books, computers, and other library materials," White says. "I am proud to say that Illinois was the first state in the nation to implement a public school library per capita grant program, and our program remains an unqualified success." read more... |
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| New MLS Program for Canadian School Librarians |
The Ontario Library Association and San Jose State University will offer a new program this summer to encourage Canadian school librarians to earn master's degrees in library and information science. The program will be offered in Ontario through distance-education and summer courses.
The program's director, Ken Haycock, who has written about Canada's school library crisis, will teach some courses along with San Jose State University Professor David Loertscher. read more... |
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| Remarkable Reads |
| Take Me Out to the Ball Game |
In the spring, many a young person's thoughts turn to…baseball! Going to a game with a friend or family member can be one of a child's most memorable experiences. Help prepare them for the stadium and the game with these titles that take readers to the ballparks of today, and yesterday.
KOVALSKI, Maryann. Take Me Out to the Ball Game. illus. by author. Fitzhenry & Whiteside. 2004. Tr $15.95. ISBN 1-55041-897-1.
PreS-Gr 2–What could be better than a grandma who busts you out of school for the day to go to a baseball game?! Kovalski incorporates the words from Jack Norworth's anthem in this charmingly told and illustrated story that spans the day's experiences, from the subway ride to the Cracker Jacks to the very last out. The music to the title song is included as well, for classroom renditions. read more... |
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| Librarian's Internet |
| Dr. Arbor Talks Trees |
| www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees3/01.html |
Arbor Day is April 28. Celebrate this year with Dr. Arbor's great site for grades 6-8. In "Tree Basics," kids will learn about how trees grow and store nutrients; in "Dr Arbor's Laboratory," they'll learn how to identify trees from twigs, not leaves. The "State Tree Gallery" contains a photo of every state's official tree. In addition, kids can look up tree terms in the "Glossary" and find related sites in the "Resources" section. There is also a "Teacher's Guide" with suggested activities and Arbor Day facts that will be useful for homeschoolers as well.
Kids in grades 3-5 don't have to be left out! They can "Explore the Secret Life of Trees" at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees2/index.html (also available in Spanish). Both sites require a Java-enabled browser.—Gail Junion-Metz |
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| Deputy Town Librarian |
Fairfield Public Library
Fairfield, CT
Assist the director in the management, supervision and administration of the library. Have demonstrated leadership, organizational skills and management ability with strong commitment to public service and customer service; bring energy and enthusiasm to the job and relate well to the public.
read more...
To see all positions available through the SLJ Career Center, click here...
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