Teen Librarian Toolbox
Roxanne Hsu Feldman, October 8, 2018 | Process
First off, we’d like to thank all of you who have nominated titles for our future discussion. The number of comments is robust! That leads us to express our puzzlement: why so few of you have joined the book discussion? Too busy? Not inspired? Book discussion seems trivial compared to what’s transpiring on the national […]
Roxanne Hsu Feldman, November 19, 2017 | Book Discussion, Process
Being on the Newbery Committee means devoting almost all your reading time (and time to do other things in the past) to the year’s output of American Children’s Books. I know that my husband definitely felt the impact of being a Newbery Committee Spouse. Evenings that were family times — watching TV together or playing […]
Jonathan Hunt, December 7, 2016 | Uncategorized
I was pleasantly surprised to see WHEN GREEN BECOMES TOMATOES tied with WOLF HOLLOW atop our recent Top Five tally. We liked Fogliano’s previous books, AND THEN IT’S SPRING and IF YOU WANT TO SEE A WHALE, but being picture books, they were somewhat of a hard sell. This longer work, a poetry collection, should […]
Jonathan Hunt, November 17, 2016 | Uncategorized
“In the midst of the human ugliness of racism, there is the human beauty in the resistance to racism.” Ibram X. Kendi The National Book Awards had a bit of a 2015 ALA Midwinter moment with African Americans winning three of the four categories, and for decidedly political works, no less. Joining John Lewis and […]
Jonathan Hunt, December 26, 2015 | Uncategorized
We’ve discussed some nonfiction titles in depth already, namely our shortlisted titles MOST DANGEROUS, DROWNED CITY, and RHYTHM RIDE. We also briefly discussed THE BOYS WHO CHALLENGED HITLER (although I think it’s worthier of an extended conversation). However, those are far from the only worthy nonfiction titles to consider this year. The additional titles below […]
Nina Lindsay, November 30, 2015 | Uncategorized
After our earlier discussion of ECHO, I’m sure there were some audible groans when Jonathan and I revealed our shortlist. Much of the previous discussion was around the story structure and manipulation of the reader. I think we all recognize “manipulation” as something inherent to novel writing, it’s just that many readers prefer not to clearly […]
Nina Lindsay, October 23, 2015 | Uncategorized
In this blog we try to look at books specifically through the eyes of the Newbery Committee. Following my article The 2015 Youth Media Awards: A Crossover Year for Diversity, Amy and I talked about our own experiences reading critically for the committee, and Jonathan and I invited her to share her thoughts here. Amy Koester […]
Jonathan Hunt, October 27, 2014 | Uncategorized
If Nina and I have anointed THE PORT CHICAGO 50 and THE FAMILY ROMANOV as the most likely Newbery nonfiction candidates there is a bevy of wonderfully written books that may also get a look from the committee. ANGEL ISLAND by Russell Freedman has four starred reviews and while it dovetails nicely with the fourth […]
Jonathan Hunt, December 30, 2013 | Uncategorized
PICTURE BOOK VS. POETRY When last we discussed IF YOU WANT TO SEE A WHALE, Leonard brought up a good question: Should we consider this text as a picture book or a single poem? Ultimately, I’m not sure that it really matters how we classify it, but it’s definitely helpful to look at it through […]
Jonathan Hunt, October 1, 2013 | Uncategorized
It was the first day of second grade and Billy Miller was worried. He was worried he wouldn’t be smart enough for the school year. There was a reason Billy was worried. Two weeks earlier on their drive home from visiting Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills of South Dakota . . . While I […]
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Teen Librarian Toolbox
by Amanda MacGregor
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