The Essential Man’s Library

I caught this link off of digg a few days back. At first glance I felt ridden with guilt because I’m a librarian, but since I have an addiction to the Web, I rarely read novels from cover to cover.

Surprisingly, after clicking through the list I noticed that I’ve read about one-third of the books at some point in the last 10 years of my life.

A timeless classic from my youth was Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. I still remember that book from 6th grade…not too much else from 6th grade but Hatchet was pretty cool. Catcher in the Rye was good, too. People have their own opinions but I think The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, Culture Against Man by Jules Henry and Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville also belong on that list.

Any that I’m missing?

The Circ Files - September 07

Well, the first month of school was a real bear. It always is. I don’t know why I always expect it to be any different.

My collection has substantially improved since I took over in 2005. A collection development plan and an $8000 per year book budget can expedite the process. But, there is no substitution for having good books in your collection. And I don’t mean good books that just adults like (see Caldecott winners), I’m talking about the titles that motivate young boys and girls to read.

In September the most popular book in my library was Dogs Rule! by Daniel Kirk. The book contains 22 hilarious poems from a canines perspective. Accompanying the poems are full color, lively illustrations and a CD with all of the poems set to music. The beauty of Dogs Rule, is that its charm and humor doesn’t fit into one age group. It can be enjoyed just as much by five-year olds as it can be by fifty-year olds. When I booktalked it this past week, I had 1st graders rocking out in the story corner….such uninhibited enthusiasm.

Next time you’re putting together an order, make sure Dogs Rule! is included.

Good Books; or Titles that Every Elementary School Library Needs

When I took over the elementary school library where I currently work, the collection was (and still is to some extent) in shambles. The nonfiction section was severely outdated. The Reference section was still in possession of encyclopedias from the 1950’s. And the Easy section was moldy. No seriously, there was mold growing in the books.

After I purchased a dust mask and a pair of rubber gloves from the hardware store, I went to work weeding out all of the unused and potential biohazards from the collection. While I worked, I kept on a loop in my head a line from a presenter at a recent workshop, “the school library is not an archive, the school library is not an archive…”

One of the things that I discovered while weeding out picture books in the easy section was how strong the collection was with Clifford the Big Red Dog and the Berenstain Bears and how weak it was with original picture books and stories that teach. Aside from obtaining a few of the classics from well known authors, my goal was to purchase good down-to-earth children’s literature that would support the curriculum, provide instructional opportunities for staff, and motivate youngsters to read.

Over the last two years I’ve made my share of mistakes when purchasing books. I’ve bought books that were too hard, too long, too edgy and even a few that landed my butt in the principal’s office. I often found myself wishing that I had access to an annotated list or something similar that recommended “must haves” to new school librarians. Here is a short list of books, in no particular order, that every new school librarian should consider having in their clip.

Wolves by Emily Gravett - Clever. Very clever. A rabbit that goes to the public library to research its biggest fear: WOLVES!! Very well put together with excellent illustrations. Could be used to introduce research to lower level (K-3) grades.

Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O’Malley- The story is told from the perspective of a young boy and young girl who argue back and forth about how to put together a fairy tale for their English project. Students will indentify with at least one of the characters, and will be drawn to the illustrations. I don’t read many picture books to 4th and 5th graders but this book is extremely popular.

Where Did Daddy’s Hair Go? by Joe O’Connor- A great character education book that discusses how every individual is unique. I blogged about this a few weeks ago.

Dogzilla and KatKong by Dav Pilkey - Dogzilla is included in the Houghton Mifflin reading series. Students love the animals as the main characters and the illustrations are uncommon.

How the Chipmunk Got His Stripes by Joseph Bruchac- Bruchac is the author of many pourquoi tales but this is one of his better books. Students love this genre and there are many avenues to pursue if you’d like to make it an extended unit of study.

Biscuit (series) by Alyssa Capucilli- A great set of lower level (step 1 &2) books that have one or two sentences per page. Features an adorable golden retriever puppy as the main character.

Henry and Mudge (series) by Cynthia Rylant- Another set of lower level chapter books, perfect for students in younger grades. I use these books to talk about how to select a “just right book” and often recommend them to emergent readers ready to make the next step.

Dog’s Rule by Daniel Kirk- This is considered a poetry/song book and it’s put together very well. Every other page contains a new song and story about dogs. In the back of the book there’s a CD with the rhymes put to music, so students can follow along while reading. In my few years as a librarian, I haven’t seen many books that utilize this concept.

The Shelf Elf by Jackie Hopkins- A great book to talk to students about library etiquette and book care. You’ll want to use this one in September and October when you’re talking to the little ones about taking care of what they take out.

The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet Stevens- Another great character education choice. Prairie Dogs take the main stage as their community is turned upside down when a dog’s tennis ball invades their home. Numerous discussions and activities about the characters and their actions can take place after reading this book.

Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems- Youngsters will be able to identify with Willems’ style. The “pigeon” has turned into a series with numerous activities that can be found here.

Bone (series #1-#4) by Jeff Smith- A graphic novel series with a main character that’s a hybrid between Snoopy and Casper the Ghost. The storyline and writing are excellent and will hook students at any level, especially those in Grades 3-8

Food for thought: the complete book of concepts for growing minds by Saxton Freymann- Lots of possibilities with this one…math, ELA, science.

Late for School by Mike Reiss- Excellent illustrations, a great selection to to read at the start of the school year.

So, what’s it like to be a cat? by Karla Kuskin- A story that’s conducted as an interview. Perfect for introducing interviewing as a strategy to acquire information.

Traction Man is here! by Mini Grey- A story with a hilarious superhero. Boys will love this one.

Snow Dude by Daniel Kirk- It’s the gingerbread man only with snow. If you live in the northeast, its a must have for the winter months. It’s also a safe choice to recommend to your principal for a read-aloud.

The extinct files: my science project by Wallace Edwards- A book about dinosaurs that is written as a research project. If you follow Big Six or a similar information problem solving program, this book would be a perfect launch-pad to start discussions about research.

Image Citation:
Smith, Jeff. “Bone #1″ Cartoon Books. 2007. 21 Feb 2007 <http://www.boneville.com/gallery?file=ScholasticCovers/>.

My New Favorite Book

Has it really been a month since I last blogged. Well, yes it has. I started coaching Boys Varsity Hockey at the school district in which I teach. Its been a blast getting back into shape and working with the kids, but coaching has turned into my second job. Libraryland has slipped to third in my queue, and I’m not too happy ’bout it.

But anyways….

I am a huge fan of public libraries, and I enjoy going there just as much as I do going to Barnes and Noble. In fact, when I leave the public library my bankroll stays the same, whereas at Barnes and Noble, I may drop a c-note or two.

So, on one of my recent trips to The Galleries, a fantastic public library in the city of Syracuse, I made a point to visit Children’s World to check out the new children’s literature. Jan Brett’s new creation was there. So was the new Curious George. I love Curious George.

But, the one book that sucked me in was called, Where Did Daddy’s Hair Go? by Joe O’Connor. As a feller who may end up a cue ball, I found this book personally comforting. But, you need not be balding to appreciate the book’s underlying message, that everyone is unique in their own way, and that it’s OK to look different. It makes a terrific choice for anyone looking for character education literature on diversity.

So, get to your public library and check it out. You all must be dying to, after this stirring review.

The book that changed my life

Over the summer I blogged of my intentions to read about Friedman’s concept of the flat world and McCourt’s 30 years of experience in the New York public school system. Well, I did all that. And, I’d like to believe that I am more informed for doing so.

Both books were enlightening in completely different ways, and ultimately have changed the way I approach my job as an educator each and every day.

But, it was a different book altogether that I hadn’t planned on reading that ended up completely changing my lifestyle.

Thanks to a June 2006 blog post about my summer reading list, I was able to get into touch with one of my academic idols, Wes Fryer. He kindly left a comment on my blog with a book recommendation- Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brain Thinkers Will Rule the Future. I was a little skeptical of his suggestion, but one doesn’t argue with someone of Fryer’s stature. So I purchased the book from Amazon. I’m glad that I did.

I’m a slow and pedantic reader, and its an accomplishment for me if I ever finish a book from cover to cover. But, I loved every part of A Whole New Mind… and have even read some the sections twice. I’m not much of a summarizer and you’ll never see me writing reviews in the New Yorker, but I’m going to try my best to tell you why I was effected by this book.

Pink writes that we are in the process of moving away from the Informational Age and towards the Conceptual Age. Such a large scale transition requires adjustments in our behavior, particularly the way in which we utilize our brains. If we are to be successful in the future, we will need to start paying more attention to the right side of our brain.

As an educator, this high-concept approach speaks to me. Our students come to Kindergarten with minds that are wide open and imaginative. We then spend much of the next thirteen years shutting down all of their creative outlets. I’m getting awfully tired of all the emphasis placed on testing and teachers struggling with curriculum programs that eschew creativity. As Pink writes… “the R-directed aptitudes are so often disdained and dismissed- artistry, empathy, taking the long view, pursuing the transcendent–have been underemphasized and shortchanged by organizations and neglected in schools for years.” We create learning environments where only testable skills are rewarded. Does anyone else see a big problem with that?

So what are we going to do about it?

Who will help equip our students with the right brain skills they need to be successful in life? When will design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning become key the building blocks of our curriculum?

Teachers can help make the difference. Read Pink’s book and start mastering the six Conceptual Age senses. You’ll be glad that you did.

**Image excerpted from Daniel Pink’s website**