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Student-created literary poster (through Canva)

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Student-created literary poster (through Canva)

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The library will post information about a literary poster contest for students. Canva will be used by students in their own time and posters will be displayed in the library.

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Login to access and create your next design.

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We will celebrate Banned Books Week (September 22-28) in the high school library through various activities and decorations (as shared by the Banned Books Week website).

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-Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publ…

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D.E.A.R. is celebrated on April 12. The media center will host a D.E.A.R. day, where reading activities will be the only activities to participate in for the day. Other activities from the “resource” page of the Drop Everything and Read website will also be used in the library that day.

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The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20170915213532/http://dropeverythingandread.com/

D.E.A.R. Friends,

Welcome to the official "Drop Everything and Read" website-where dropping things (chores, errands, paperwork, staplers . . . okay, maybe not that last one) and reading books is highly encouraged!

Our assertion around here is that reading, whether you're on your own or cozied up on the couch with your kids, is so much more fun and rewarding than just about anything else (especially, chores!). So, we're telling folks of all ages to "drop" what they're doing and pick up a book, instead.

And, what's more, we've packed the pages of this website with reading lists, activity ideas, digital assets, and other resources to get you started and keep you busy. Join us and help spread the love of reading in your home, school, and community all month long in April and beyond!

Sincerely,
HarperCollins Children's Books

p.s. You may remember that Beverly Cleary wrote about D.E.A.R. in Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Since then, "Drop Everything and Read" programs have been held nationwide on April 12th in honor of Mrs. Cleary's birthday. We figured, why not "drop" the "day" and celebrate our beloved author, her timeless stories, and the joy of reading for the full month. So, "drop" by this website all month long in April and anytime you want to make reading a priority!

Art by Jacqueline Rogers. © 2013 HarperCollins Publishers.

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The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20170915213532/http://dropeverythingandread.com/ D.E.A.R. Friends, Welcome to the official "Drop Everything and Read" website-where dropping things (chores, errands, paperwork, staplers . . . okay, maybe not that last one) and reading books is highly encouraged!

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Book trailers will be posted on the library media center’s school website for students, staff, and families to access.

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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The author will “visit” the library by joining in a virtual video chat--students can come to the library to participate and listen and ask the author questions.

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Request an Author Visit - Penguin Classroom Portal

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A bulletin board will be used for interactive library-related content throughout the year. It will be in the hallway near the library media center.

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7 Interactive Bulletin Boards Ideas for Your Library

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Library bulletin boards can be a great way to show off your current programs, books, and ideas. We’ve gathered ideas to give you inspiration for your next bulletin board display!

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The book display will be a shelf of selected books that will be displayed near the entrance of the library media center throughout the year (highlighting different texts every month).

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When students enter my middle-school library, they come with many different backgrounds and opinions about reading. Some of them are super excited about all the different choices around them; in a sense, it is their version of being a kid in a candy store. Other students walk in with a sense of dread; it wasn't their idea to come in the first place, but maybe a teacher or friend coerced them to come. Then other students might be overwhelmed with all the choices, much like looking at a pages-long restaurant menu and having no idea what to choose. How do we meet all of these students' needs in our library? Having creative book displays can help suggest interesting titles that students may not have selected otherwise. The key is to keep displays as engaging and innovative as you can.

For the beginning of the school year, I like to focus on displays that are either related to something they are going to learn about this school year in class or are just fun. I want our library and the collection to be as friendly, welcoming, and accessible as possible, so I choose topics that I know students like or might pique their interest.

Nonfiction-Only Displays

One of my displays is dedicated solely to nonfiction books that I change monthly. Some topics include recipe books, titles that reflect a variety perspectives, and fun facts. Right now, my nonfiction display is called, "Learn something new everyday!" It's a hodgepodge of different topics that are newer to our collection but don't get the attention they deserve. Many of the books have been checked out, and I've had to refill the display several times.

Sometimes, I start the year with a display called, "What electives will you take this year?" It includes nonfiction books about all kinds of elective classes our school offers, including coding, music, engineering, cooking, and world languages. Students love this display because it gets them thinking about what classes might fit them best and gives them a head start on what they might be learning in those elective classes.

Book Pairing Displays

A new display in my library this year pairs books together on similar topics. My co-librarian and I wanted to give our biographies, nonfiction picture books, graphic novels, and nonfiction a time to shine so we created "Book Pairs that Tell the REAL Story." Some topics we included are music, science, history, cooking, and sports. We encourage students to take both books to learn more about the topics. Students have been intrigued, and it has done well as a display to show off books that have rarely or never been on display before. Also, paired books are similar to the paired texts that students encounter on standardized tests; putting books together like this helps students dig deeper into topics while helping them build skills for those assessments, too.

Recommendation Displays

Like most librarians, my co-librarian and I are frequently asked for recommendations. However, sometimes we are busy helping others and aren't as available as we would like to give recommendations. We created a new display this year called "Books We Love." It is a large display in the center of our library with some of our favorite recommendations, including all genres as well as nonfiction, graphic novels, and picture books. It has been incredibly popular this year with our school community, to the point that we are constantly replacing books on that display. It is easy enough to scan shelves to find books that I enjoy and put them on the display. I'm pretty sure that every book on that display has been replaced since school started not even a month ago. It is our most successful display!

My students love talking to each other about books, and the staff at my school are readers, too. I channeled this into a display called "Staff and Student Recommendations." I leave out a bunch of post-its and pens with empty display easels. Anyone in the school can choose a favorite book off the shelf, add a sentence or two why they like the book, and add it to the display. It's a hit! Students frequent that section, looking to see what their peers or teachers are reading.

Making It Practical

So, what does this all mean for you? Displays can help increase awareness about books in your collection that may not be getting the checkouts they deserve while sitting on the shelf. Consider your school population and what topics might interest them the most. Select books on topics or themes that might encourage them to read and create displays that include those topics in a variety of formats, including fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels. Check in with your staff to see what topics or units they start teaching and pull any books you have on those topics into a display. Stay on top of student interests and trends, too. Be okay with letting go of displays that you might really like but aren't getting any attention or checkouts. After all, it is your students' library, and you want it to be an engaging, low-stakes place that they want to visit again and again.
What book displays do you create for the beginning of the year? Share in the comments below!

Rachel Grover is a middle school librarian in Fairfax County, Virginia, and a member of the board of directors for the Virginia Association of School Librarians. She has published articles on ways to make school libraries accessible for Knowledge Quest and on genrefying the library collection for School Library Connection. She also has developed workshops for beginning librarians for School Library Connection. Rachel was an elementary school teacher for two years before beginning life as a middle-school English teacher in 2009. In 2014, she joined Libraryland, finding a dream job she didn't even know was her dream! When she is not working, she loves reading, tinkering with technology, traveling, taking photographs, and sleeping in. Her passions include genrefication, makerspaces, technology, collaboration with teachers across the curriculum, and making school libraries equitable and accessible for all learners.

Categories: Blog Topics, Collection Development, Community/Teacher Collaboration, Student Engagement/ Teaching Models

Tags: book displays, book pairings, book promotion, book recommendations, Displays, elementary school, high school, Middle School, nonfiction, nonfiction books, student engagement

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Creative Book Displays to Get Students Reading (Part 1) - Knowledge Quest

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This post is the first in a series that will focus on book displays in school libraries. When students enter my middle-school library, they come with many different backgrounds and opinions about reading. Some of them are super excited about... Read More ›

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The awards will be celebrated in the library. Before the winners are announced, students will submit their own “winner” votes. Once the winners of the awards are chosen, there will be a display of the chosen texts with information about them.

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WELL!!

I'll be honest. I can't remember an ALA YMA announcement day that pleased me half as much as the one we had on Monday, January 22, 2024. With very few exceptions I pretty much adored every single book listed (that I knew about). It was humbling to see a couple titles that I didn't even read in 2024 (my apologies to The Truth About Dragons which currently has LOADS of holds in my library). There were books that won that I didn't even think had a chance but was delighted to see, and books that didn't get bupkiss (more on those at the end of this post).

Today, I'm just going to run through the winners that I featured on this blog in some fashion this year. In case you'd like some more info on them, here's what I covered (and you'll notice what I failed to as well). This isn't a list of everything that won. Just the ones that have been seen here previously.

Newbery 2024

Winner:
The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

You can read my review of the book here. People appear to be amused by my line, "It's not exactly Ulysses for kids, but it's not exactly NOT Ulysses either." It was gratifying to see this win. I was afraid that the whole talking animals thing would squash its chances. So happy to be wrong!

And you should watch its very cool book trailer. I thought it might get an Odyssey for its audiobook, but that's okay.

THE EYES AND THE IMPOSSIBLE (TRAILER) from McSweeney's on Vimeo.

Honors:
Eagle Drums, written and illustrated by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson
I feel I owe Eagle Drums an apology. I absolutely adored it when I read it, but I never considered the possibility that it was a strong Newbery contender. That's my mistake. Naturally, it also received an American Indian Youth Literature Awards Honor.

You can read my interview with Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson here. I like the part where she says, "The best part of Humanity is the fluidity of it all, so celebrate and rejoice with one another frequently so you don't miss anything good!" Also, if you read the interview then you'll see what she's working on next!
Elf Dog and Owl Head written by M.T. Anderson, illustrated by Junyi Wu
So gratifying to see. You may recall that earlier this year Mr. Anderson wrote a guest piece on this blog about the creation of this book called Elf Dog LaRue. Read it, but not at work. You will cry. No, I'm not kidding about that.
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir written and illustrated by Pedro Martín
I think it's fair to say that this was the winningest book of the year. Not only did it win this Honor but also two different Pura Belpre wins (one an Award for the art and one an Award for the writing) as well as an Odyssey Honor for the audiobook (which, I'm afraid, I must now listen to). I will remind you, yet again, that the man's Tiktok and Instagram accounts will make you so happy. Imagine a place where you can find LOADS more Mexikid content. Now you have it. You're welcome.

You can find my review of the book here. I think I said of it, "It has laughs, music, snot, baby coffins, live amputations, feats of strength, bad haircuts, and (of course) family, family, family. It may also well be the most ambitious comic I've ever read, and that's saying something."

I also included it in NPR's Books We Love here.
Simon Sort of Says written by Erin Bow
What can I say that hasn't already been said many times over by people smarter than myself? A most deserving Honor for a most deserving book. Have you noticed how many Newbery books this year involved humor in some way? I'm just floored by it.

You can read my review of the book here. Way back last April I said of it, "Combining a legitimately horrifying situation with humor, heart, and the occasional Jesus squirrel, this is both the funniest book you'll read this year, and the best-written. Would that I were joking about that. In three words: I am not."
The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams written by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares
My respect for the Newbery committee was already high with each mention of each book listed here, but when I saw that they'd included this marvelous little chestnut of oddities, my heart grew three sizes all at once. I cannot BELIEVE the committee chose this too! But I guess after choosing other books where a squirrel is called part-Jesus cause it ate the holy host, pop rocks mix with snot to devastating effect, and goats have goals, a book where a severed ear is a huge part of the plot probably wasn't all that much weirder.

You can read my review of the book here. And remember, this is the book with the #1 best first line of 2023: "The first time I was stoned to death by an angry mob, I was not even a criminal."

I also included it in NPR's Books We Love here.

Caldecott 2024

Winner
Big, illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison
Now that was a very nice winner. Vashti Harrison has made history this year by becoming the first African-American woman to win the Caldecott Award. I credit the National Book Awards for having longlisted this title and directed my attention to it. I hadn't really properly considered it until that moment, and when I did I realized how amazing it was.

You can read my review of the book here. As I said of it, "There's an honesty here that I really admired. Now add in the fact that the art isn't just lovely, but also evocative and creative (that gatefold is really a delight) and that the writing itself is great and you have yourself one of the best books of the year. Most excellent! One little book isn't going to change everyone's mind about something, but one little book is where you have to start. A superb idea, wrought large."

And, of course, I suggest you watch this video of Ms. Harrison herself giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the book.

BIG by Vashti Harrison from LB School on Vimeo.

Honors
There Was a Party for Langston, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds
Now admittedly I thought that this would get the gold itself, but I am more than happy to at least see the Pumphreys attaining some much deserved shiny stickers for one of their books. I do believe that this also marks the second time Jason Reynolds has written a book that won a Caldecott Honor (though last time it wasn't for a picture book).

You can read my review of the book here. I said of it, "A great book for children is one where you read it and find yourself wondering, 'How is it possible that this book wasn't made before now?!?' It's the feeling you get when you turn that last page and find yourself saying aloud, 'There you are. What took you so long to get here?' Even better if precisely the right author is paired with precisely the right illustrator along the way. In There Was a Party for Langston you aren't merely bathed in that feeling. You are suffused."

If you're feeling ambitious you can also listen to my podcast with my sister where we discussed this book's Caldecott chances (it's also the only book on that episode that I was close to being right about).

I also included it in NPR's Books We Love here.

Apologies to In Every Life, illustrated and written by Marla Frazee, Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter, illustrated by Molly Mendoza, written by Aida Salazar, and The Truth About Dragons, illustrated by Hanna Cha, written by Julie Leung. I completely missed you all this year.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award

Winner
An American Story, illustrated by Dare Coulter, written by Kwame Alexander
While I believe that some of us hoped that Dare Coulter would premiere this year and end up with a Caldecott to her name, it was gratifying to see her walk away with the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration. This was a book that I talked about constantly in 2023. I went on Chicago Today and talked about it. I discussed it on my podcast. I also included it on NPR's Books We Love here. I did everything in my power to bring attention to it, though it didn't need me at all. That book was beautiful from the get-go and needed only the smallest push to get it rolling.

You can read my review of it here.

You can also hear Kwame and Dare talking together, as they are interviewed at News 4 Jax (of Jacksonville, Florida) on their Morning Show here. Dare even shows one of the sculptures from the book. I wish I could embed it. It's amazing.

Honors
Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes, illustrated by Shannon Wright, written by Traci N. Todd
Oh, this was gratifying. To see Holding Her Own not only win this Honor but also a Sibert Honor as well. This wasn't even the only picture book biography of Jackie Ormes to come out this year, but it certain used an inventiveness in the art and storytelling that made it a cut above.

I was convinced that I reviewed this book. I certainly included it in as many end of year lists as I could. But looking now, I can't find anything I wrote about it. So consider this my official apology to its creators. I adored this. So glad that it won.

Schneider Family Book Award (Young Children)

Winner
Henry, Like Always, written by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song
Oh, what a delight. Henry would win not only this Schneider Family award but also a Geisel Honor. Both of which were completely deserved.

I didn't actually review the book here, but I did for NPR's Books We Love. I figure that counts for something.

Pura Belpré Youth Illustration Honor Books
Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock, illustrated by Eliza Kinkz, written by Jesús Trejo
Hey, if this book had to lose to anything, I'm glad it was Mexikid, but this was definitely my first choice for a picture book, hands down. Funny book of the year or the FUNNIEST book of the year? Hard call. All I know is that I could read this to kids every day for the rest of my life and be content. I should note that this also got a Belpré Author Honor as well.

You can read my review of the book here. In it I said, "I'd say it's just about as perfect a summertime book as you're likely to find for a while. Clocks and cats, water and magic, and at its heart a father-son storyline. Nab it for your next storytime, whenever you get the chance."

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

Winner
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity, written by Nicholas Day and illustrated by Brett Helquist
And there was great rejoicing in the Bird household when this win was announced. Would I have liked it to get a Newbery? Sure. Do I wish that either the Newbery or the Caldecott committees had honored a single work of nonfiction? Of course. But if something had to win the Sibert for writing, I am so happy that it was this book. Whatever it is that we can do to get more people reading it, it is all to the good. Also, I'm hoping this convinces Mr. Day to write more books.

You can read my review of the book here. In it I say, " The Mona Lisa Vanishes both entertains and instructs. You get you heist fix, but you're also going to get a 101 on being more like, well, Leonardo da Vinci. Be relentlessly curious. Observe first. Make your deductions based on facts, not assumptions. Because it seems to me that in this current day and age, we are more in need of books that instruct our kids to be critical thinkers than ever before. Even if it takes a missing Mona to do it."

You can also read my interview with Nicholas Day about the book here. If you read it then you can find out what his next book is. All I can tell you is, I'm very excited for it!

Honor
Jumper: A Day in the Life of the Backyard Jumping Spider, written and illustrated by Jessica Lanan
I just wanted to apologize one more time to this book for not reviewing it in 2023. I just ran out of time at the end of the year. This is the one that got away. I'm pleased as punch that it got a Sibert Honor, though. Run on, little spider. Run on.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

Honor
Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends, written and illustrated by Kaz Windness
Oh, wonderful! I only reviewed a single easy book in 2023 and it was this one. Kaz is a big deal on the picture book Tiktok circuit, and that's where I initially found her. When I read this book of hers I was an instant fan. It's been immensely gratifying to watch it catch on like wildfire on all kinds of Best Of lists.

You can read my review of the book here. I said of it, "Our books for kids should have only the best words and the finest art. And if that's the level we're trying to attain, then I have good news because Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends completely clears that bar. It's fantastic writing, simple words, and jaw-dropping art all presented in the smallest, most inauspicious of packages. Consider carefully the books you give to the earliest of readers. Consider your responsibility. Show them only the best. Show them this book."

Sydney Taylor Book Award

Honor
Don't Want to Be Your Monster, by Deke Moulton
While I didn't get a chance to review this book during the year, I am pleased to announce that on February 7th I will be interviewing Deke Moulton about the book here on this site as part of the Sydney Taylor Book Blog Tour. Come and learn more about the connection between vampires and anti-semitism.

And that's all I got to this year!

Now I know we all had titles we were sad not to see get bupkiss at these awards. There's no blame here. Not everything can win, and even though the awards look like they're including a ton of books, it's just the smallest sliver of what came out in 2023. Not everyone can win.

For my part, I would like to honor the books that I loved and wished would get something, but didn't. Imagine me playing taps as I read off their names. They were good books. They were great books. They will be remembered in other ways. don't you even worry about that.

The Skull by Jon Klassen

First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

Dim Sum Palace by X. Fang

You Are Here: Connecting Flights, edited by Ellen Oh

My Head Has a Bellyache by Chris Harris

Evergreen by Matthew Cordell

Tomfoolery by Michelle Markel and Barbara McClintock

The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker

Eb & Flow by Kelly J. Baptist

The Song of Us by Kate Fussner

I love the winners! I love the books that didn't make it! I love you all!

Filed under: Best Books, Best Books of 2023, Review 2024, Reviews, Uncategorized

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2024 ALA Youth Media Awards Winner Round-Up!

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I round up all my interviews, guest posts, and reviews of the current ALA YMA winners. In case you want to know more about a book, this is a good place to start.

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Literary social hour will be hosted in the library throughout an entire school day so that students can stop in during their study hall/free period/lunch to discuss books.

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I imagine most school librarians have a range of experiences with professional learning/development. At times I feel like I've simply been checking a box that I've completed some kind of training, something I'm required to do. Then there are the times when I feel like I've really learned something new and I walk away with all these new little idea seeds to plant.

Recently, at my school's District Learning Day, I sat on a Q and A panel addressing reading promotion in secondary schools. Promoting reading has never been a critical issue for us, because our library has readers and supportive teachers and administration. Turns out I didn't have much to add to a discussion on reading promotion, but I had a lot to learn, and I left feeling inspired by my co-workers and all the wonderful ideas they shared.

A few tested ideas for reading promotion in middle and high school:

Host a literary social hour. Instead of the traditional book club format, students come prepared to discuss/review books they have read. The social hour platform is customizable, and school librarians can tailor the meetings to fit their school's needs.

Meet in the morning. Some students might not be able to stay after school, especially in middle school when they are dependent on others for transportation. Early-bird meetings of any library type club could open up opportunities for students and staff who struggle with meeting after school.

Make a bookmobile from a book cart and a bicycle bell. Rolling carts of books to classrooms isn't a new idea, but in this version the cart is rolled to classroom areas like an ELA hallway or suite. The bicycle bell is to let students and staff know the bookmobile is outside their area if anyone wants to checkout a book.

Building on the bookmobile with a bicycle bell, use the cart to promote specific genres or collections. Align book choice with different diversity awareness months or events like Banned Books Week or National Poetry Month to create focus on books that may be getting overlooked.

Throw a silent reading party after school. A librarian in my district invited students/staff and their families to visit the library between seven and nine on a Friday night for silent reading. Student volunteers from a school club earned service hours by babysitting younger family members, and approximately sixty-eight people, including toddlers and grandparents, participated in the reading party.

Hang up "What I'm Currently Reading" signs, and encourage teacher/staff to do the same. If possible provide staff with some signs, and make a point to find out what teachers reading.

Ideas for schools who participate in programs like SSR or DEAR to some degree:

Let students see you read. If your school does SSR or DEAR type reading programs, encourage teachers to model reading instead of grading, writing lessons, etc...

Hang up book covers. If your school only has a couple of teachers doing planned reading in class, celebrate student success by hanging pictures of the books they read. Give students a physical representation of their work, and take advantage of the chance to highlight some specific titles.

Audiobooks for reluctant read aloud teachers. In a school wide reading program where ten minutes of a specific class is dedicated to reading a designated book, there may be some teachers hesitant to participate. Provide these teachers with audiobooks and the technical support needed to play the book for students.

Even though we have a strong reading population at our school, reading promotion is key in perpetuating the reading culture.Ultimately, how successful I am in promoting reading seems tied to my level of authentic excitement. Thanks to the librarians in my district, my excitement about reading promotion has been reignited.

Outside of displays, how do other libraries promote reading, and does anyone have a super focused promotion?

Author: Mica Johnson

I'm a school librarian at Farragut Middle. I like the lib to be loud, messy, and full of student activity. I love tech stuff as much as I love books, and I'm part of an awesome rotating maker space.

Categories: Blog Topics, Student Engagement/ Teaching Models

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Reading Promotion for Middle and High Schools | Knowledge Quest

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I imagine most school librarians have a range of experiences with professional learning/development. At times I feel like I've simply been checking a box that I've completed some kind of training, something I'm required to do. Then there are the... Read More ›

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This resource provided ideas on how to host a library lunch bunch group for students. Students will come to the library maybe once a month to eat lunch and discuss all things books!

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Do you love to read? The lunch bunch may be for you! What is it? An exclusive club that meets every wednesday at lunch talk about books we love read a book in common in a relaxed and…