Friday, July 16, 2010

Grassroots Meeting Set for September 16th!

Grassroots Meeting
Thursday, Sept. 16; 1- 4 pm
NFLS Meeting Room
3 CE Credits


1 - 2:30 pm: Books, Programs & Displays!
Ruhama Kordatzky Bahr, youth librarian consultant, will present the best of the best in children's non-fiction, and show you ways to incorporate these selections into programs or cool displays! Don't miss this dynamic presenter!


3 - 4 pm: Swap
Bring an idea, photo, program or something you'd like to share from the summer!

Register online today!
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEdiaHdhVWxwMkJiT0ZvMTJ5a3ZQSXc6MQ

Call Jamie if you have questions!

New Children's Book Festival Coming to Sheboygan

An exciting new event for children, parents and anyone who loves children's literature is coming to the greater Sheboygan area this fall. The first annual Sheboygan Children's Book Festival, October 15-17, will bring exceptional children's book authors and illustrators to the community for a celebration of books, reading, writing and art.

"The Sheboygan Children's Book Festival will provide opportunities for children and adults to connect with successful, creative authors and illustrators and become inspired by their works and experiences," said Karin Menzer, youth services manager at Mead Public Library. Mead Public Library will host a number of author/illustrator presentations and workshops during the festival.

The children's book festival, which includes the grand opening celebration for Bookworm Gardens, will be part of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center's /Sheboygan Shindig/, October 15-21. The /Sheboygan Shindig/ is an arts and literary extravaganza that will feature the opening of the major exhibition, /Animal Instinct/, plus entertainment, live animals, art-making workshops, special tours and symposia and more.

Some of the outstanding and award-winning authors and illustrators scheduled to take part in the festival are: Avi, the author of more than 70 books for children, including the /Poppy/ series and /The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle/; Kathi Appelt, whose books include /The Underneath, Keeper,/ and the /Bubba and Beau/ picture books; and Wisconsin's own Lois Ehlert, much-loved author and illustrator of colorful and inventive nature-themed books for young children, including /Waiting for Wings, Planting a Rainbow, /and her newest book, /Lots of Spots/. Humorous poet and illustrator Calef Brown (/Polkabats and Octopus Slacks/, /Flamingoes on the Roof: Poems and Paintings)/ and Madison author/illustrator David McLimans (/Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet /and /Gone Fishing: Ocean Life by the Numbers) /are also among the notable authors and illustrators who are scheduled to participate.

"We are thrilled to welcome the Sheboygan Children's Book Festival to Wisconsin's literary stage. The Festival will engage young readers, encourage their love of books and cultivate the habit of families reading together and sharing stories," said Alison Jones Chaim, Director of the Wisconsin Book Festival, a program of the Wisconsin Humanities Council.

The Sheboygan Children's Book Festival is being planned and presented by community members and local organizations that support reading and the visual and literary arts. Partners include the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Mead Public Library, Bookworm Gardens, University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan, Next Chapter Bookshop in Mequon, Eastern Shores Library System, the Sheboygan Area and Kohler school districts, and the Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County.

The book festival is supported by donations, sponsorships and grants. All book festival events will be free and open to the public. "The Sheboygan Children's Book Festival will offer children and teens the rare opportunity to meet and talk directly with some of the best children's book creators in the country," said Jo Ann Dent, co-chair of the organizing committee. "Donations of any size are welcome and allow this wonderful opportunity to be available to all children and families."

Visit the website for more information. Author and illustrator biographies, book lists, and the event schedule will be updated as new information is announced. Visitors to the site can sign up for email updates or make a donation.

The Sheboygan Children's Book Festival is funded in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Humanities Council, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Wisconsin. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this project do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Wisconsin Humanities Council supports public programs that engage the people of Wisconsin in the exploration of human cultures, ideas and values.

The Sheboygan Shindig is supported in part by a Joint Effort Marketing grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the Wisconsin Arts Board, and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

"Read 'Em Their Writes" Workshop

Lakeshores Library System presents “READ ‘EM THEIR WRITES”, a continuing education opportunity on Tuesday, August 10, 2010.

The workshop will be held at the Waterford Public Library, 101 North River Street, Waterford, WI.

Registration will be 9:00-9:30 and we’ll begin at 9:30 and end at noon. The workshop will be presented by Gary Warren Niebuhr, the director of the Greendale Public Library and the author of several books on mystery and crime fiction readers advisory. He’ll provide information on starting mystery and crime fiction book clubs, how to elect books and recommend titles for discussion.

To register, contact Rhonda Puntney at the LLS office at rpuntney@lakeshores.lib.wi.us or 262-514-4500 x67. Please register by Friday, August 6th.

CCBC Shorts

The South Central Library System is working in collaboration with the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) on a series of webinars on selected new children’s titles called “CCBC Shorts.” The first set in the series was recently completed. The series is archived on the CCBC website.

The second session will begin on August 18. The webinars are free and open to all librarians, teachers, and others interested in children’s literature in Wisconsin. Register here!

- Channel Weekly, Vol. 12, No. 36 -- June 17, 2010


Favorite Websites

SunGuard Man

Now that school's out and summer's here, kids will be outside and exposed to the sun's rays. Make sure that they and their parents know how to be "sun smart." Start your tour by clicking on the red tabs at the top of each page. Kids can find out what UV radiation is and why they need to protect themselves from it, what their chances of getting skin cancer are, how to prevent skin cancer, why it's important to use sunscreen, the dangers of tanning beds/booths, and how to do a skin self-exam. Check out the "Games & Activities" on the navbar, where you can try your hand at shooting down some nasty UV rays in "Ray-Zin-Noma Attacks the Ballpark." The "Adventures of SGM" contains six animated cartoon episodes with cool sounds and music. Don't miss the "Teacher Resources," which include PDF handouts, flyers, a teacher's guide, and even a ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation. Finally find out what the current UV index is in your area of the country by clicking on the map at the bottom of the navbar. Kids can have fun in the sun if they're SunGuard Man smart! (SLJ’s Extra Helping, 6/8/10)




A Place of Our Own

The multiple award-winning PBS television series, website and outreach program, A Place of Our Own, and the Spanish language version, Los NiƱos en su Casa is aimed at child caregivers including parents, grandparents, daycare workers, and nannies. The goal is to give child caregivers a supportive and informative place to turn for help with the important task of caring for children of their own or someone else's. Visitors to the website will find that topics for the week, Monday-Friday, can be viewed and selected on the homepage. Each day there is a new topic covered, such as getting kids to share. The topic begins as question sent in from a child caregiver, and then answered by the show's host, someone in the medical community such as a pediatrician or a therapist, parents, or other caregivers. For more responses, visitors can join the discussion by going to the "Message Board". Visitors will find a helpful "featured activity" that relates to the topic, such as making box structures to encourage sharing among children. Sometimes a topic even has a "featured video", such as the video offered on separation anxiety. (Copyright 2010 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu, 7/8/10)




Laura's Life

Laura is 4th grader at Stonegate Elementary School in Zionsville, Indiana, and lives "in the middle of nowhere", rural Indiana. As a second grader she decided to read all the Newbery Medal winners before she got to middle school, which for her starts in 5th grade. She reached her goal with time to spare. At the ALA conference last month, Laura was able to meet Rebecca Stead, Rodman Philbrick, members of the ALA Executive Board and the ALSC board, and attend the Newbery Caldecott banquet and shared these experiences on her blog.



Digital Comic Museum

For well over a century, comic books have been the stuff of childhood pastimes. Some people never grow tired of comics, and this website might be just the tonic they are looking for. The Digital Comic Museum presents hundreds of unique comics in their original format, and visitors will need to complete a short registration form before they get started here. The works here were published decades ago by long-gone companies such as the Croydon Publishing Company and Key Publications. Visitors can make their way through 1950s classics like "Black Cobra" and other gems, including the war-time classic "Joe Yank" and "Sparky Watts", who was billed as the "World's Strongest Funny Man". Scholars of this commercial art form may also find the site quite useful, as it provides a look into a number of rather obscure comic book titles. (Copyright 2010 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu, 6/11/10)