Living in Library Land
news and insights from the children's library staff
Calling those who LOVE books and those who want to be film directors, actors, and actresses
Mon, March 17, 2008
Children, parents, educators, librarians and anyone else who loves stories (and making movies)—StoryTubes is here!
Kids across the country in Grades 1-6 are invited to talk about their favorite book on YouTube for a chance to win prizes. It's simple!
Just make a 2-minute-or-shorter video about your favorite book and upload it to YouTube.
Then, go to the StoryTubes.com web site with a parent, upload your video and send the link to your video to the National StoryTubes Contest. StoryTubes videos can be entered beginning April 1.
You choose a category for your video:
A Sweater for Mr. Rogers!
Tue, March 4, 2008
Mr. Rogers changing his shoes
Fred (aka "Mr.") Rogers was a pioneer in children's television. He died five years ago, but his memory lives on in the hearts of those who watched him. His gentle and accepting style made everyone feel special.
Mr. Rogers and Koko
March 20th would have been his 80th birthday, so his production company is asking everyone to wear a sweater, his trademark, on that day.
Click on the links below for more info!
- TCBThe Children Have VOTED: Green Eggs and Ham Elected as 3 Apples Children’s Choice Book Award Winner
Wed, February 13, 2008
The news is rife with election coverage. Voting and the democratic process has been on our minds lately.
Children in Grades 4-6 across New York State had a chance to have their say by casting their vote for the 3 Apples Book Award.
It is with great pleasure that I am announcing that the 2008 3 Apples Book Award, a New York State Children's Choice Award, goes to GREEN EGGS AND HAM by Dr. Seuss (Random House).
- ZahraGreat Biographies of Unheralded People for Black History Month
Wed, February 13, 2008
An exciting trend in children’s book is the publication of lavishly illustrated biographies. Gone are the dreary treatments and fictionalized biographies of my childhood. During Black History Month, books about well-known figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ruby Bridges fly off the shelves. At the library children also can meet other amazing - yet unheralded - women and men of good will who transformed divided worlds:
The text of When Marian Sang… - Carol
The 2008 children’s book awards
Thu, January 17, 2008
Just back from the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, where the Caldecott, Newbery, Printz, Geisel, Sibert, Coretta Scott King and other children's book awards were announced early Monday morning. (It seems like there's a new award every other year!)
Zahra and I sat next to each other at the press conference, where there is always a palpable anticipatory thrill in the air.
I confess that I was more thrilled before the announcements than after they were made, though.
The Newbery winner: GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! by Laura Amy Schlitz is a beautifully written set of monologues set in… - Miriam
Chappaqua Librarians in Philadelphia for ALA Award Announcements
Mon, January 14, 2008
As a Youth Services Librarian, I was excited to attend the American Library Association Mid-Winter Meeting in Philadelphia. One of the highlights of the Mid-Winter meeting was attending the Youth Media Awards Press Conference. There was a certain energy in the air as hundreds of us waited with anticipation to find out which books, authors and illustrators would be honored. Children's Librarian Miriam Lang Budin and I sat together and compared notes...we all have our favorite books of the year, and were curious to see if the committees recognized our picks. Perhaps you have some favorites too? Did they make the list? Read on and…
- ZahraMiriam’s Picks of Books Too Good to Miss
Fri, October 12, 2007
I was recently asked to contribute to an article about books published between 2001-2006 which deserve to have wider recognition than they've received to this point. Was it ever hard to choose! But here are my picks: one picture book, one for 2nd-4th graders, one for 5th-7th graders and one for teens (age recommendations are approximate.)
PICTURE BOOK
Graham, Bob OSCAR'S HALF BIRTHDAY
In this utterly charming description of a 6-month-old's half-birthday celebration, Graham puts his perceptive finger on every aspect of the family's outing, from the big sister's ambivalence ("'Careful, Millie,' says Mom. 'A little more fairy and not so much dinosaur,'…
- Miriam