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OBITUARIES
Mary Stolz: Author Mary Stolz died Dec. 15 at her home in Florida at the age of 86. Author of more than 60 books, Stolz wrote early young adult novels such as Ready or Not, easy readers such as Emmett’s Pig, and two Newbery Honor novels Belling the Tiger (1961) and The Noonday Friends (1965).
Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden: Noted botanical artist and science author for children Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden died Jan. 16 at the age of 99 at her home in Boulder, Colorado. She wrote more than 20 books on botany, many for children, and two of her books were named ALA Notable Books for Children. Using watercolors, her illustrations of flowers and plants were noted for their authenticity.

Los Angeles Children’s Librarian Susan Patron Wins Newbery, Oakland Teacher Wins Printz

In January, the American Library Association announced the annual children’s and young adult book awards. This year’s Newbery Medal was awarded to Susan Patron for The Higher Power of Lucky, a novel about a 10 year old girl. Patron is a children’s librarian for the Los Angeles Public Library.
The Printz Award for excellence in Young Adult Literature was given to Gene Luen Yang for American Born Chinese, the first graphic novel to win the Printz. Yang is the computer teacher for Bishop O’Dowd Catholic High School in Oakland.
The Caldecott Award for illustrations was given to David Wiesner for Flotsam. This is Wiesner’s third Caldecott Medal.
For a complete list of all the awards and honor books, go to www.ala.org.

Just Listening: Audiobooks
By Kathryn Shepler
Aurora School, Oakland

Anderson, M.T. Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation Vol 1: Pox Party. Listening Library, 2006, 7 CDs unabr., 8 hrs, 19 min. Grades 10-Adult. $45, ISBN 978-0-7393-4846-8. Performed by Peter Francis James.

By now most of us have heard about this amazing novel which won the National Book Award, youth division and a Printz Honor. It is a tour de force that weaves themes of American Revolutionary War history and slavery. The audio book is equally stunning. It draws you into the story and helps the listener sort through the complexities of the novel. The genius of both author and narrator shows through the myriad characters given literal voice. Amazingly both Anderson and James can bring to life an educated elitist of the 18th century, a British lord, a hardworking New Englander, a street-smart slave, an African princess – all with equal deft touches. It is recommended you have the printed book available to peruse after you have finished the audio version – one must experience certain graphic design elements of the book (diary entries by Octavian after his mother’s death).

Gratz, Alan. Samurai Shortstop. Listening Library, 2006, 6 CDs unabr., 7 hrs, 21 min. Grades 6-10. $39, ISBN 0-7393-3639-8. Performed by Arthur Morey.

There is a probably widespread misconception that the passion for baseball came to Japan as a byproduct of WWII and the Allied presence. But baseball has been a love, even obsession, in Japan for over a hundred years! This baseball story is set in Tokyo, 1890, as the country is heaving mightily under the dictates of the Emperor to move from an ancient classed society into a modern industrialized nation. Many young men from the honored samurai class are being educated right along side boys from other strata at the Toyo Shimada boarding school. Not only are they experiencing their coming-of-age changes but also finding their balance in a pivotal time in their nation’s history. One way many of them work out their anxieties is by playing baseball. Narrator Arthur Morey has a smooth even delivery that brings the conflicted boys feelings to life. Along the way his audio book opens your eyes to much of Japan’s history. If you love baseball, you must read this book. Give it to your baseball loving young men and maybe even their coaches.

PROFESSIONAL READING

Silvey, Anita. 500 GREAT BOOKS FOR TEENS. Houghton Mifflin, 2006. $26. ISBN 978-0-618061296-3.

Does your library have a new young adult librarian on staff, or no YA librarian? Then this handy reference book will be very helpful in doing readers advisory to middle and high school students. Very up-to-date, Silvey writes lively two and three paragraph reviews of quality young adult literature.

She doesn’t just stick to strictly YA books; she has included several adult books that work well for teens. Arranged under subjects such as Adventure, Romance, Plays, Humor, Religion, Politics, Modern and Edgy, (and several others), she focuses mostly on fiction. There is one small section on Informational books, but this book is more to assist librarians and teachers in finding the right novel for the right teen. She includes lots of “classics,” of course, but also several new books including Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines, Melvin Burgess’s Doing It, and Lauren Myracle’s TTYL.

Another helpful aspect is the grade designations – she makes it clear which books are for younger YA’s (middle schoolers), and which are for older teens. She has included many Newbery winners and honor books, and popular books like the “Harry Potter” series, so librarians should be able to find something for any teen. The index is also quite helpful, with the authors and titles but also subjects like Mexican-Americans, Sexuality, and other topical issues. A few of the choices are so dated as to contain stereotypes, but she often points that out; also, the graphic novels section is relatively slim for the popularity of that genre, but overall, this is an excellent resource that every library should have.

Seuss’s “CAT IN THE HAT” Celebrates 50th Anniversary!

Many libraries and schools are planning celebrations in honor of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Seuss’s “Cat in the Hat.” Here are some great programming ideas from the PUBYAC Listserv:

Helpful Websites:
http://www.nea.org/readacross/snapshot06.html
http://www.nea.org/readacross/classroom.html
http://www.teachingheart.net/miniunitcathat.html
http://www.seussville.com/lb/events.html
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/seuss.htm
http://www.randomhouse.com/seussville/games/pdf/Yill-iag-yak.pdf

Activity Suggestions:

Make a “cat in the hat” hat. Find directions online. For example: http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/ys/crafts/cathat.htm

The Cat in the Hat Says “Who Said That?”
Directions: Read a line or two until the group guesses the book.

The sun didn’t shine.
It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house
All that cold, cold, wet day.
I sat there with Sally.
We sat there, we two.
And I said, “How I wish
We had something to do.”

Then he got up on top
With a tip of his hat.
“I call this game FUN IN A BOX,”
said the cat.
Answer: (The Cat in the Hat)

And when Cindy-Lou Who went to bed with her cup,
He went to the chimney and stuffed the tree up!
The last thing he took
Was the log on their fire!
Then he went up the chimney, himself, the old liar.
On their walls he left nothing but hooks and some wires.
And the one speck of food
That he left in the house
Was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse.
Answer: (How Grinch Stole Christmas)

Sighed Mayzie, a lazy bird hatching an egg:
“I’m tired and I’m bored
And I’ve kinks in my leg
From sitting, just sitting here day after day.
It’s work! How I hate it!
I’d much rather play!
I’d take vacation, fly off for a rest
If I only could find someone to stay on my nest!
Answer: (Horton Hatches the Egg)

I would not, could not in a tree.
Not in a car! You let me be.
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
Answer: (Green Eggs and Ham)

Some are red. And some are blue.
Some are old. And some are new.
Some are sad. And some are glad.
And some are very, very bad.
Why are they sad and glad and bad?
I do not know. Go ask your dad.
Answer: (One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish)

Game to go with “The Foot Book”:
Pile shoes and have a race to see who can get their shoes on first and tied.

Cat in the Hat Relay
Make hats using black construction paper, and tails using old black pantyhose, and then I give each child a paper plate and a paper cup on
top. Each child then carries the plate and cup with one hand to a specific point and back, and then places their plate on top of the next person in line's plate, and they carry two, and so on. The children love to practice balancing, and even figure out how they can switch places, so that the older children carry more, so they can make it through the whole line! Pretty smart!

Hat Mobile
You will need a tall white hat on card stock paper, 4 - 6 different objects on individual colored paper from the Cat in the Hat book (fish, plate, tea cup, birthday cake, book, umbrella, etc.), scissors, ribbon, red and black markers, and hole punchers. The children will cut out all of the different objects that they want to include on their mobile. They will draw and color red and white stripes on their hats. Then they can make 3-6 holes on the brim of their hats. They will attach the objects to the hat with the ribbon. Then they can attach a ribbon at the top of the hat so they can hang up their mobiles at home.

 

“Boy” Books Similar to “Little House on the Prairie”

FARMER BOY by Laura Ingalls Wilder
GENTLE BEN by Walt Morey
RASCAL by Sterling North
MACARONI BOY by Katherine Ayres
THE GREAT BRAIN series by John Fitzgerald
MOCCASIN TRAIL by Eloise McGraw
LEGEND OF JIMMY SPOON by Kristiana Gregory
WORTH by A. LaFaye
WINTER DANGER by William O. Steele
WEST AGAINST THE WIND by Liza Ketchum Murrow
MARVELOUS MARVIN AND THE PIONEER GHOST by Bonnie Pryor
DANGEROUS RIDE ACROSS HUMBOLDT FLATS by Stephen A. Bly
SIGN OF THE BEAVER by Elizabeth George Speare
A DIFFERENT KIND OF HERO by Ann R. Blakeslee
SPARROW HAWK by Meridel LeSueur
WINTER OF THE WOLF by Clifton G. Wisler
COMANCHE PEACE PIPE by Patrick Dearen
DEATH IN THE FOREST by James Hardy
ORPHAN FOR NEBRASKA by Charlene Joy Talbot
BLACKWATER BEN by William Durbin
FREEDOM TRAIL by Jeanne Williams
ENEMY IN THE FORT by Sarah Masters Buckey
SILVER DOLLAR GIRL by Katherine Ayres
IRON DRAGON NEVER SLEEPS by Stephen Krensky
SEVEN WONDERS OF SASSAFRASS SPRINGS by Betty Birney
SCHOOL AT CROOKED CREEK by Laurie Lawlor
WEASEL by Cynthia DeFelice
BOY WHO SAVED CLEVELAND by James Cross Giblin
TROUBLE RIVER by Betsy Byars