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Have you seen our new, monthly Curriculum Connections e-newsletter? It offers features and reviews to help you select print, multimedia, and Web resources for the K–12 curriculum… plus great multimedia resources from our partners at TeachingBooks.net. Take a look at the latest issue with "Nick's Picks" of multimedia materials to highlight the teaching of writing, books on volcanoes (with some incredible photos!), and much more.
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| Interview |
| SLJ Gets an Inside Look at NYT's List of Best Illustrated Books for Kids |
 The wait is finally over. The New York Times Book Review has just released its annual list of the best illustrated books for kids. This time around, the Times tapped as its judges Caldecott Medalist David Wiesner, Steven Heller of the School of Visual Arts, and Ellen Loughran, who teaches at the Pratt School of Information and Library Sciences. We spoke to Loughran about her experience as a member of the panel… and tried to get the skinny on what happens behind the scenes.
David Wiesner is arguably the most talented illustrator working in children's books today. Was it intimidating being on a panel with him?
I had to get used to being with two very high-profile people. Steven Heller was the art editor for the New York Times Book Review, and David Wiesner has won the Caldecott three times. But they're very down-to-earth people. They both have senses of humor. I myself am a person of decided opinion, so I rose to the occasion.
read more... |
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| TechTrends |
Cons for Your Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT |
It's never too early to start your conference planning, and the 2008 season is just around the corner. Beyond the American Library Association's (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in January, there are some education technology events that media specialists should know about. And if you can't make it to the physical programs—you can follow along online.
Set for March 4, 2008, EduBloggerCon–West will take place in conjunction with the Computer-Using Educators (CUE) Conference. A regional meeting of California educators, CUE will convene in Palm Springs March 6–8. Whether you're an educational blogger or just a reader of blogs, all are invited to participate in the preconference meeting EduBloggerCon, according to organizer Steve Hargadon, founder of online education community Classroom 2.0. He says that the free event is "based on the idea of an 'unconference' and is being organized by the participants in real time here on the wiki," where participants can log on and register. You
can also see who else is coming.
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 BOOKS
First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
From SLJ November 2007
 PreS-Gr 2–With brief text and vibrant artwork, Seeger describes familiar transformations in nature.... |
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 VIDEO/DVD
Beading: 8 Easy Projects
Gr 4 Up–Beading is a simple and easily accessible craft. In this how-to film, instructor Sharyn Pak presents all the basics needed to create lovely, professional-looking jewelry and gifts.... |
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 AUDIO
Alphabet of Animals
PreS-Gr 2–From "A is for Ant" to "Z is for Zebra," Alphabet of Animals by Laura Gates Galvin presents a fascinating collection of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, each representing a different letter of the alphabet.... |
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| News and Views |
| Highlights Launches High Five for Young Readers |
| Readers of the popular Highlights magazine will be pleased to know that there's now a Highlights High Five for children ages two to six. High Five is geared toward parents, caregivers, and educators to help kids during the early stages of literacy, says Pat Mikelson, a company spokeswoman. There are also features that children can enjoy independently after they're introduced to them. read more... |
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| Most Media Specialists Think Online Dangers Are Increasing, Study Says |
| Some 63 percent of school librarians and principals think the Internet is becoming more dangerous for kids, with pornography taking the lead as the number-one online threat.
"Schools and Generation 'Net" reports that 45 percent of those surveyed say pornography is a great or significant online danger, while 43 percent gave that rating to online predators. read more... |
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| California Observes Anti-Bullying Week |
| The California legislature recently declared November 11–17 Anti-Bullying Week—and it couldn't have come at a better time. Close to 40 percent of seventh graders, 34 percent of ninth graders, and 31 percent of 11th graders say they've been harassed or bullied at least once at school during the last year, according to the California Student Survey by WestEd, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on education, families, and communities. read more... |
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| Remarkable Reads |
| World War I |
The first truly global military conflict, World War I stretched from July 1914 to November 1918, and was responsible for the death of over nine million soldiers and civilians. Much of the fighting took place in trenches, but aeronautical warfare was becoming an increasingly vital part of military strategy. Use the fiction titles below to supplement primary-source accounts of "the War to End All Wars."
BRESLIN, Theresa. Remembrance. Delacorte. 2002. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-385-73015-0; PLB $18.99. ISBN 978-0-385-90067-6; pap. $6.50. ISBN 978-0-440-23778-5.
Gr 6-11–The lives of five Scottish teens are intertwined as World War I chips away at the civility of the upper class and demands even greater sacrifice from the working class. The expectations and rights of women change as the war effort demands their attention, and proper young ladies morph into suffragettes. Through loss and self-examination, the characters relay their confusion about the war. read more... |
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| Shameless SLJ Promotions |
| Gale and School Library Journal Announce the 2008 Giant Step Award |
Has your school or public library made a significant improvement or created new programs that have had a huge impact on student learning? Then enter our Giant Step Award.
Sponsored by Gale, part of Cengage Learning, and School Library Journal, Giant Step recognizes libraries that have made a difference over the last three years with up to $10,000 in cash prizes. So, don't waste any time—run to your computer and apply today! Nominations will be accepted through February 11, 2008.
U.S. and Canadian school library media centers and the youth services departments of public libraries are eligible to apply. Applicants must be certified librarians. Click here for more details.
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| Librarian's Internet |
| World AIDS Day |
| www.aids.gov |
| Teens and preteens can never have too much information about HIV and AIDS. December 1 is World AIDS Day, so take the time, once again, to talk to kids and their parents about not only the facts but also the many myths related to this serious disease. This is one of the best Web sites out there, created and constantly updated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. "Basic AIDS Information" and "FAQ" contain tons of facts and statistics. "Testing" offers essential information, including where to get tested, for sexually active teens. For World AIDS Day posters and printable AIDS fact sheets, click "World AIDS Day" on the right side of the home page.
For information for preteens, check out Brain Pop's AIDS page. It contains a cool animated movie you can use for a library or classroom presentation and some online and printable "pop quizzes." Be sure to click on "Bob, the Ex-Lab Rat" who will teach kids how to make an AIDS Awareness ribbon to wear on December 1.—Gail Junion-Metz
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| Librarian, Head of Technical Services |
Western Michigan University Libraries
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Western Michigan University (WMU) seeks an innovative and service-oriented librarian, associate professor rank, to lead and coordinate technical services.
To see all positions available through the SLJ Career Center, click here...
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