Beasts and Beauty, by Soman Chainani

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Oct. 27, 2023 is Beasts and Beauty, by Soman Chainani, featuring the short story “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

Developing readers’ self-identity

When Bang-Jensen informally interviewed 12 upper-elementary students, she related that the students “had a lot to say about the role their peers play in their own book selection” (2010, p. 172). She cited one fifth-grader, Megan, describing a “chain reaction” of reading. “When kids hear how good these DCFs are, they start reading. And when they start reading and then tell other kids to start reading, it is a chain reaction of reading books” (Bang-Jensen, 2010, p. 169).

Readers’ choice awards

Part of my studies were focused this week on readers’ choice awards. Bang-Jensen (2010) focuses on a specific readers’ choice award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award for children in the state of Vermont.

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Oct. 20, 2023 is Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly.

‘Graphic novels are real books’

When stating that “Graphic novels are real books,” E.M. Richardson (2017) is very much “preaching to the choir” in the case of this reader, who includes several graphic novels among books she’s recently completed. For LIS 5400 alone, I read three graphic novels: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, and Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Ray Tercio and Bre Indigo (in the “Banned Book,” “Graphic Novel,” and “Classic Retelling” categories respectively).

The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Oct. 13, 2023 is The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros.

‘First-chapter’ preview for LGBTQIA+ History Month

October is observed among Santa Rosa City Schools as LGBTQIA+ History Month. From my “First-chapter Friday” videos, here is a reading from A Queer History of the United States for Young People, originally written by Michael Bronski and adapted for young readers by Richie Chevat.

A Queer History of the United States for Young People demonstrates that LGBTQIA+ people have long been vital to shaping our understanding of what America is today. Through engrossing narratives, letters, drawings, poems, and more, the book encourages young readers of all identities to feel pride at the accomplishments of the LGBTQIA+ people who came before them and to use history as a guide to the future.

Is censorship a ‘necessary evil’?

As part of my studies on the subjects of banned books and censorship, I was asked to consider whether or not censorship was a “necessary evil” in a library or classroom. In answering this question, I think we need to differentiate between selecting materials based on professional standards, and purposefully choosing not to purchase a book because we’re afraid of backlash.

Preemptive challenges in libraries

Librarians are under siege right now, in a way that is unprecedented. 2022 was already a year that shattered censorship records, but data released recently by the American Library Association showed that, during 2023, book bans continued to rise, nationwide (Unite Against Book Bans, 2023).

The Language of Seabirds, by Will Taylor

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Oct. 6, 2023 is The Language of Seabirds, by Will Taylor.

Books (and libraries) are for everyone!

To commemorate Banned Books Week in 2023: Books and libraries are for everyone, but not every book will appeal to every reader, nor should anyone expect it to. People can decide for themselves which books they want to read, and parents can decide for their own children, which books are appropriate – but they don’t get to make that decision for everyone else’s children too.

Character education: Responsibility

SRCSA’s character-education focus for October 2023 is “Responsibility.” Here are books from SRCSA’s “Social Emotional Learning” collection, as well as books from the school library, which address Responsibility.

‘First-chapter’ preview for Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week, being observed in 2023 from Oct. 1 to 7, is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. To commemorate Banned Books Week, here is a reading from Answers in the Pages, by David Levithan.

Scholarships for students with a disability

Scholarship applications have opened up for Academic Year 2024-2025, and I’m considering which scholarships I can apply for. This morning I applied for a couple of scholarships for students who have a disability.