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Take a break from the holiday and nominate a colleague to become one of Library Journal's Movers & Shakers. Last year we got a great bunch of school and youth librarians onto the list, so let's do it again this year! The deadline is extended to November 28.
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| Interview |
| SLJ Talks to Author Mitali Perkins about Her Book and Blog |
 In First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover (Dutton, 2007), 16-year-old Sameera "Sparrow" Righton blogs about her unhappy "makeover" and her true feelings as a young woman of color. That got the book's author, Mitali Perkins, thinking: Why not launch an actual blog, written in Sameera's voice, that deals with real-life concerns? The result is Sparrowblog, which looks at the lives of the children of presidential candidates. Speaking from her home near Boston, Perkins, 44, chatted with
SLJ about the next generation of Clintons, Obamas, Giulianis, and McCains.
What inspired you to create a blog?
Since the main character [in my book] has a blog, I wanted to start a blog in her voice. I was talking it over with some people—they know I'm a political junkie—and there was a suggestion from a friend: "Why don't you just track the real campaign?" And I thought, "What a great idea! This will be great, because it will feed my political addiction and give me a chance to educate [kids]."
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Do you serve Spanish speaking patrons? If so, look below for Críticas Connection, the newsletter of CriticasMagazine.com: an English Speaker's Guide to the Latest Spanish-Language Titles.
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| TechTrends |
Give Your Books a Bump
ADVERTISEMENT |
Is there room for another online personal book management system? That's what the folks at BookBump are hoping. A free service akin to LibraryThing, BookBump is a new Web-based book-indexing tool that launched in beta last month.
Library media specialists will find lots to love on the site, where members can create an online database of books, incorporating details such as price comparison, reviews, and even who has borrowed a favorite copy. Users can also conduct a similar book search and create custom bibliographies. While due dates are not an automatic add-on, librarians can note that in the book's entry, as well as the book's condition. Lists can be subdivided into categories of the owners' choosing, from children's books to pulp fiction. Users can also create a "Favorites" list and search for notable quotations by a certain author or within a particular volume.
read more... |
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 BOOKS
Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages by Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
From SLJ December 2007
 Gr 5 Up–With new discoveries, new theories, new everything in a field once seemingly as set in stone as the fossils themselves, dinosaurian paleontology finds itself in a most unusual state of fluidity.... |
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 VIDEO/DVD
Style Remix
Gr 7 Up–Creating a personal style on a budget is a goal of most teen girls.... |
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 AUDIO
Clementine
Gr 2-4–In Sara Pennypacker's beginning chapter book (Hyperion, 2006), Clementine is always being told that she doesn't pay attention to her teachers, but she does focus on details that are important to her.... |
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| News and Views |
| Chicago Public Schools Will Transform Dropouts into Chefs |
The Chicago Public Schools system has a creative recipe for tackling dropouts—with food. A new school in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood will teach at-risk 11th and 12th graders to become chefs or hotel and restaurant managers.
The Community Services West Career Academy will open next fall in a building that housed a retail bakery. At-risk 16- to 21-year-olds will take math, science, social studies, and a wide range of food-preparation electives before earning their high school diplomas. Students can also earn college credit and a certification in food-service management and business management. The program will also be open to homeless students and foster children, as well those who have already dropped out of school or don't have strong family support. read more... |
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| Enter the National Turnoff Week Contest |
Imagine if there were no TVs, computers, or video games in your students' lives! That's exactly what national Turnoff Week is all about—and a new contest is asking kids to come up with imaginative ways to spend their time during those days.
"Show Your Shiny Side!" wants students to write about—or even draw—their most creative ideas for doing fun things during the week of April 21–27, 2008, when they're being asked to turn off all of their favorite electronic and digital gadgets. read more... |
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| ALSC Offers Grants to Future Children's Librarians |
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is now accepting applications for scholarships to help those who plan to earn MLS degrees and specialize in children's services.
Applicants must hold U.S. or Canadian citizenship, enter American Library Association (ALA) accredited programs, and plan to become members of ALA and ALSC. They must also agree to emain children's or YA librarians for at least one year following graduation. read more... |
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| Remarkable Reads |
| Books That Cook |
It's never too soon to learn how to prepare tasty and nutritious food, and once kids get a taste for cooking, it can become a lifelong skill and source of enjoyment. The books included here cover a range of tastes and cooking abilities. For kids who have to see to believe, turn them on to Spatulatta, a very cool Web site that features all kinds of cooking information for kids, along with short video clips demonstrating a variety of kitchen tasks, from how to chop an onion to making "Mermaid Jell-o."
ABRAMS, Pam. Gadgetology: Kid-Friendly Recipes, Playtime Activities, and Simple Experiments Using 35 Fun Kitchen Gadgets. photos by Melissa Punch. Harvard Common Press. 2007. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-1-55832-346-9.
Gr 1-5–This terrific book introduces 35 kitchen gadgets to aspiring cooks and crafty types with photographs, recipes, and project ideas that are fun and easy. A corer, for example, is paired with a recipe for cheese and cucumber circle snacks and an edible "log cabin" made of apple logs, peanut butter, and raisins. And did you ever think of using a salad spinner to create "spin art" on coffee filters? Great for home or classroom use; includes an index. read more... |
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| Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-Ins
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 Become Enchanted
Written by Bill Kelly and directed by Kevin Lima, Enchanted (PG), a film that blends fantasy, romantic comedy, and musical elements, was released today by Walt Disney Pictures. Giselle (Amy Adams), a beautiful maiden who dwells in the animated fairy-tale world of Andalasia, dreams about finding romance. After the dashing Prince Edward (James Marsden) rescues her from a troll, she agrees to marry him the very next day. 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 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 |
| Walt Disney |
| disney.go.com/vault/read/walt/index.html |
| It's difficult for kids (and even adults) to imagine a world without Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Disneyland, and all the animated cartoons and movies created by Walt Disney. Named one of the "Time 100," Walt Disney created a whole world of books, films, characters, television programs, and theme parks for children and adults worldwide. This year, celebrate Walt's birthday (Dec. 5, 1901) by teaching kids more about this remarkable artist, visionary, and entrepreneur. This brief but information-packed biography provides fascinating highlights of Walt's life. While you're at it, visit the Archive to learn about the hundreds of films and animated characters he created.—Gail
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| Library Department Chair |
New Trier High School
Winnetka, IL
The Library Department Chair is the primary leadership position for a large and comprehensive two-campus high school library program characterized by a high degree of information literacy instruction and teacher collaboration.
To see all positions available through the SLJ Career Center, click here...
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