2017 Fall LIS 7210 Library Materials for Children

Here it is! My (tentative-almost-final-subject-to-minor-tweaks) LIS 7210 Library Materials for Children reading list and Week 1 and Week 2 context reads for 2017 fall!

Week 1 ~ September 6 ~ Introduction & Publishing

Texts

1. L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time
2. Johnson, Crockett. Harold and the Purple Crayon
   1. Nel, Phil. (2016 October 20). “How to read Harold.” Phil Nel: Nine Kinds of Pie blog. http://www.philnel.com/2016/10/20/how-to-read-harold/
3. Sweet, Melissa. Balloons Over Broadway
   1. UMN CLRC online exhibit: http://gallery.lib.umn.edu/exhibits/show/balloons-over-broadway
   2. The Making of Picture Book Illustrations: http://gallery.lib.umn.edu/exhibits/show/pre-separated-art

Contexts

1. ALSC Education Committee. (2015). Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Public Libraries.
   1. http://www.ala.org/alsc/edcareeers/alsccorecomps
2. From Cover to Cover. Introduction and Chapter 1 “A Critical Approach to Children’s Books” and chapter 5 “Picture Books”
3. Bang, Molly. Picture This! How Pictures Work (all)
4. Bishop, Rudine. (1990 Summer). Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors. Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom 6 (3).
   1. https://www.psdschools.org/webfm/8559

Assignments

1. Online – Introduce yourself to the class by Tuesday, September 5. Share 1) what your interest is in taking the class; 2) What you hope to get out of it. Refer to the ALSC competencies, when necessary; 3) your twitter handle, if you have one.

 

Week 2 ~ Sept 13 ~ Popular Part I

Texts

1. Riordan, Rick. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (Book 1)
2. Jamieson, Victoria. Roller Girl

Contexts

1. From Cover to Cover. Chapter 3 “Traditional Literature”
2. Low, Jason. (2016 January 26). Where is the Diversity in Publishing? The 2015 Diversity Baseline Survey Results. The Open Book.
   1. http://blog.leeandlow.com/2016/01/26/where-is-the-diversity-in-publishing-the-2015-diversity-baseline-survey-results/

Assignments

1. TBD

 

NOTE: On Wednesday, September 27 poet and novelist Jacqueline Woodson will speak at Talking Volumes. We will not hold class that evening so students may attend this event (optional, as it requires a ticket). If you wish to attend, I highly encourage you to purchase a ticket ASAP. In place of class, we will have some sort of online class activity (TBD).

A-Z List of Texts

Books
1. Barnhill, Kelly. The Girl Who Drank the Moon
2. Barton, Chris. Illustrated by Don Tate. Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions
3. Bell, CeCe. El Deafo
4. Brown, Monica. Illustrated by Angela Dominguez. Lola Levine is Not Mean!
5. Bryan, Ashley. Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
6. Diaz, Alexandra. The Only Road
7. Duetsch, Stacia. Girls Who Code Book #1 The Friendship Code
8. Edwards, Sue Bradford and Duchess Harris. Black Lives Matter (Special Reports)
9. Engle, Margarita. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir
10. Erdrich, Louise. The Birchbark House
11. Freedman, Russell. We Will Not be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement that Defied Adolf Hitler
12. Gino, Alex. George
13. Griffin, Molly Beth. Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell. Rhoda’s Rock Hunt
14. Harris, Robie. Illustrated by Michael Emberley. It’s Perfectly Normal: A Book About Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health
15. Jamieson, Victoria. Roller Girl
16. Johnson, Crockett. Harold and the Purple Crayon
17. Jordan-Fenton, Christy and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. When I was Eight
18. Jung, Mike. Unidentified Suburban Object
19. Khan, Hena. Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors
20. L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time
21. Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out and Back Again
22. Milton, Stephanie. Minecraft: Essential Handbook
23. Oppenheim, Joanne. Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference
24. Palacio, R.J. Wonder
25. Phi, Bao. Illustrated by Thi Bui. A Different Pond
26. Riordan, Rick. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (Book 1)
27. Rowling, J.K. Illustrated by Mary Granpré. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
28. Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. Jingle Dancer 
29. Steptoe, Javaka. Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
30. Sweet, Melissa. Balloons Over Broadway
31. Tan, Susan. Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte. Cilla Lee-Jenkins, Future Author Extraordinaire
32. Tingle, Tim. How I Became a Ghost
33. Ursu, Anne. Breadcrumbs
34. Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer
35. Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown Girl Dreaming
36. Yang, Gene Luen and Mike Holmes. Secret Coders Book 1

Films
1. Moana
2. Frozen
3. Wonder (optional)

 

Dr. Christine Jenkins at St. Kate’s

ON BEYOND STONEWALL: Young Adult Literature with LGBTQ Content

Throughout its history young adult literature has offered too little representation of diversity in terms of its characters, setting, plot, and other narrative elements. The U.S. population has become more diverse by the day, yet white, middle-class, suburban-dwelling heterosexuals have continued to dominate all genres of YA literature. In her germinal work Shadow and Substance (NCTE) Rudine Sims Bishop was among the first to document the changing representations of African American characters in literature for youth. Since then – thanks in large part to the appearance of the ‘new realism’ in young adult fiction in the late 1960’s — other non-mainstream groups have slowly begun to appear in YA fiction.

The first young adult novel with LGBT content was published in 1969, the same year that the Stonewall riots marked the birth of the gay liberation movement. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) people have come a long way since 1969, but depictions of LGBTQ people in literature for teen readers have moved at a glacial pace, going from invisibility to stereotypes to (finally) realistic characters portrayed with some degree of frequency, authenticity, and art.

Jenkins’ presentation will trace the roots of the literature, describe early work in the newly realistic world of 1960’s -‘70’s literature and examine the genre’s evolution through the 1980’s and ‘90’s. She will describe broad themes in this literature and highlight some milestone works and exemplars (both positive and negative) among individual titles published during this period.

During her presentation, Dr. Jenkins will

• trace the roots of the literature
• describe early work in the newly realistic world of 1960’s -‘70’s literature
• examine the genre’s evolution through the 1980’s and ‘90’s
• describe broad themes in this literature
• highlight milestone works and exemplars (both positive and negative).

Q&A and reception to follow.

Highlights & Handouts

• YALSA brochures and posters
• LGBTQ book display
• YA reading lists
• Networking opportunities

 Dr. Christine Jenkins is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research includes:

• YA literature with LGBTQ content
• Representations of the “other” in YA literature
• Censorship and intellectual freedom

October 3, 2011 • 6.30-8.00 PM
St. Catherine University Recital Hall

2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105
(#24 on the campus map • enter gate #3 • parking free after 5p)

Contact Dr. Sarah Park | spark@stkate.edu | 651.690.8791

Download the official SCU YALSA flyer

The event is free and open to the public.

ALA’s Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture

I’m very pleased to announce Talk Story: Sharing Story, Sharing Culture, a literacy program put together by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) and the American Indian Library Association (AILA). The American Library Association and ALA President Dr. Camila Alire launched this Family Literacy Focus initiative to encourage families in ethnically diverse communities to read and learn together (press release).

Talk Story: Sharing stories, sharing culture is a literacy program that reaches out to Asian Pacific American (APA) and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) children and their families. The program celebrates and explores their stories through books, oral traditions, and art to provide an interactive, enriching experience. Children and their families can connect to rich cultural activities through Talk Story in their homes, libraries, and communities. We welcome all ethnicities to customize Talk Story as needed for your community family literacy needs.

Talk Story: Sharing stories, sharing culture: http://www.talkstorytogether.org/

Happy reading, happy learning 🙂

Social Justice in Children’s & YA Literature Reading List

You asked for it! These are the books I’m teaching summer 2010 in my Social Justice in Children’s & YA Literature course. I welcome your feedback.

Course Overview

Students in this course will learn how to select, read, evaluate and analyze depictions and aspects of social justice and injustice in children’s and young adult literature. Through various genres of literature intended for both the child and adolescent reader, students will develop an informed awareness of the complex perspectives, uses and boundaries of literature and will learn to recognize and analyze how adolescent and children’s literature depict stories related to social justice, tolerance, equality and social change.

We will engage in a variety of teaching/learning methods to cover the course material, including but not limited to: lecture, small/large group discussions, independent and group projects, written and oral presentations.

Course Objectives

• To gain an understanding of the history of social justice-related children’s literature;
• To become familiar with a range of authors, works, genres and media depicting social justice issues for youth;
• To gain experience in discussing, evaluating and promoting children’s literature/resources that depict social justice issues;
• To learn strategies for connecting young people with social justice literature;
• To identify and discuss literary and societal trends and social justice issues (war, refugee, migration, class, gender, etc) represented in materials for youth.

By successfully finishing this course, students will be able to select, evaluate, and recommend a variety of materials depicting social justice issues for young audiences.

Reading List

1. Alarcon, Francisco X.  Animal Poems of the Iguazu.  Children’s Book Press, 2008.  ISBN 978-0892392254
2. Anderson, M.T.  The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I:  The Pox Party.  Candlewick Press, 2006.  ISBN 978-0-7636-3679-1
3. Barakat, Ibtisam.  Tasting the Sky:  A Palestinian Childhood.  Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007.  ISBN 978-0374357337
4. Bausum, Ann.  Denied, Detained, Deported:  Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration.  National Geographic Books, 2009.  ISBN 978-1426303326
5. Bausum, Ann.  With Courage and Cloth:  Winning the Fight for a Woman’s Right to Vote.  National Geographic Children’s Books, 2004.  ISBN 978-0792276470
6. Brannen, Sarah S.  Uncle Bobby’s Wedding.  Putnam, 2008.  ISBN 978-0399247125
7. Boyne, John.  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.  David Flicking Books, 2007.  ISBN 978-0385751537
8. Bruchac, Joseph. Sacajawea.  Graphia, 2008.  ISBN 978-0152064556
9. Burg, Ann E.  All the Broken Pieces.  Scholastic, 2009.  ISBN 978-0545080927
10. Cali, Davide and Serge Bloch.  The Enemy.  Schwartz and Wade, 2009.  ISBN 978-0375845000
11. Carlson, Nancy Savage.  The Family Under the Bridge.  HarperCollins, 1989.  ISBN 978-0064402507
12. Choldenko, Gennifer.  Al Capone Does My Shirts.  Puffin, 2006.  ISBN 978-0142403709
13. Cottin, Marena.  The Black Book of Colors.  Groundwood Books, 2008.  ISBN 978-0888998736
14. Curtis, Christopher Paul.  Elijah of Buxton.  Scholastic, 2009.  ISBN 78-0439023450
15. Engle, Margarita.  The Surrender Tree.  Square Fish, 2010.  ISBN 978-0312608712
16. Gonzalez, Lucia.  The Storyteller’s Candle.  Children’s Book Press, 2008.  ISBN 978-0892392223
17. Haskins, Jim.  Delivering Justice:  W.W. Law and the Fight for Civil Rights.  Candlewick Press, 2008.  ISBN 978-0763638801
18. Hoose, Phillip.  Claudette Colvin:  Twice Toward Justice.  Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2009.  ISBN 978-0374313227
19. Lester, Julius.  Let’s Talk About Race.  Amistad, 2008.  ISBN 978-0064462266
20. Lester, Julius.  Sam and the Tigers.  Puffin, 2000.  ISBN 978-0140562880
21. Lloyd, Saci.  The Carbon Diaries 2015.  Holiday House, 2009.  ISBN 978-0823421909
22. Lord, Michelle.  A Song for Cambodia.  Lee & Low Books, 2008.  ISBN 978-1600601392
23. Lowry, Lois.  The Giver.  Delacorte Books, 2006.  ISBN 978-0385732550
24. Lyon, George Ella. You and Me and Home Sweet Home.  Athenuem/ Richard Jackson Books, 2009.  ISBN 978-0689875892
25. Mahy, Margaret.  The Seven Chinese Brothers.  Scholastic, 1992.  ISBN 978-0590420570
26. Messinger, Carla.  When the Shadbush Blooms.  Tricycle Press, 2007.  ISBN 978-1582461922
27. Mochizuko, Ken.  Baseball Saved Us.  Lee & Low Books, 1995.  ISBN 978-1880000199
28. Myers, Walter Dean.  Autobiography of My Dead Brother.  Amistad, 2006.  ISBN 978-0060582937
29. Nivola, Claire A.  Planting the Trees of Kenya:  The Story of Wangari Maathai.  Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2008.  ISBN 978-0374399184
30. O’Brien, Anne Sibley.  After Gandhi:  One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance.  Charlesbridge Publishing, 2009.  ISBN 978-1580891295
31. Park, Linda Sue.  When My Name was Keoko.  Yearling, 2004.  ISBN 978-0440419440
32. Perkins, Mitali.  Rickshaw Girl.  Charlesbridge Publishing, 2008.  ISBN 978-1580893091
33. Pinkey, Andrea Davis.  Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride.  Hyperion, 2009.  ISBN 978-0786807673
34. Ryan, Pam Munoz.  Esperanza Rising.  Scholastic, 2002.  ISBN 978-0439120425
35. Sanchez, Alex.  Rainbow Boys.  Simon Pulse, 2003.  ISBN 978-0689857706
36. Shea, Pegi Deitz.  Tangled Threads:  A Hmong Girl’s Story.  Clarion, 2003.  ISBN 978-0618247486
37. Tingle, Tim.  Crossing Bok Chitto.  Cinco Puntos Press, 2008.  ISBN 978-19336932
38. Tohe, Laura.  No Parole Today.  West End Press, 1999.  ISBN 978-0931122934
39. Weatherford, Carole Boston.  Moses:  When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom.  Hyperion, 2006.  ISBN 978-0786851751
40. Woodson, Jacqueline.  From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun.  Scholastic, 1995.  ISBN 7807300599
41. Wright, Bil.  When the Black Girl Sings.  Simon Pulse, 2009.  ISBN 978-1416940036
42. Yep, Laurence.  The Traitor (1885):  Golden Mountain Chronicles.  HarperCollins, 2004.  ISBN 978-0060008314
43. Yoo, Paula.  Shining Star:  The Anna May Wong Story.  Lee & Low Books, 2009.  ISBN 978-1600602597

“No one book can be ‘the best book'”

I’m re-reading an article by Junko Yokota titled, “Asian Americans in Literature for Children and Young Adults” (Teacher Librarian 36:3  Feb 2009) in preparation for giving a guest lecture tonight in Dr. Thomas Crisp’s children’s literature class. Today, this part of Yokota’s words stood out to me:

Representation does not mean looking for the ideally authentic book to represent a culture; no one book can be “the best book” for representing Asian American literature. In fact, it takes many books to create a multidimensional look at a culture.

Whenever I talk about Korean American children’s books or Korean adoption in children’s books, people inevitably ask one of two questions:

1. Do you plan to write a children’s book on this topic? (No.)
2. What one book would you recommend?

I find it almost insulting, after giving a presentation on the great variety of experiences and depth of history of the Korean diaspora, and representations of such in children’s literature, to be asked what one book I would recommend. For what time period? From whose perspective? For what age level? In what genre(s)? In which region(s)? On what topics/issues?

Rather than ask, “What is the best book for Korean American youth?” how about asking, “What are some books that represent a range of Korean American experiences for XYZ age group?”

I am much better able to answer the latter question than the former one.