Celebrating This Week - July 5, 2014

This year, I am trying to increase my awareness of the many good things that happen, which are frequently overlooked by me.  To help me, I am joining Ruth Ayers' Celebrate This Week.  

Recently there has been so much happening that my blogging has been significantly impacted. However, there has also been a lot to celebrate.

Here is what I am celebrating:

1. ALA 2014 Annual Conference - From June 26th to June 30th, I attended the annual conference for the American Library Association, which was held in Las Vegas this year. Despite the setting (which is not my favorite location), I really enjoyed my time at the conference.  After months of communicating with friends via facebook, twitter, and blog comments, the opportunity to meet up in person for meals or to walk around the exhibit hall and continue those conversations in person is truly wonderful. I usually get too little sleep, and have more than a few blisters on my feet, but I come away re-energized and eager to explore new challenges. 

2. Schneider Family Book Award Celebration - Last year, I served as the Chair of the Schneider Family Book Award.  In January, I had the honor to be seated in the auditorium as the Youth Media Awards were announced including the winners of the Schneider Family Book Award. Less than a week ago, I was further honored to be able to escort Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet to receive their award for A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin.  Additionally, the celebratory lunch was another highlight of my time in Las Vegas.  I love when Dr. Schneider calls and speaks directly to each of the winners sharing her thoughts about the books that were selected by the Jury.  She also provides the Jury and Winners with predictions about where she believes the trends will be in publishing more stories featuring the disability experience. 

3. Presenting at ALA with colleagues - Five years ago, I joined twitter. At that time, I never imagined how it would change my life for the better. Through this form of social media, I began conversations with teachers and librarians, which inspired new ideas and opportunities. As I began to meet twitter friends in person, new ways of collaborating became realities.  This past week, I had the opportunity to present at ALA with Mary Ann Scheuer (Great Kid Books), Louise Capizzo (Nonfiction Detectives), and Cathy Potter (Nonfiction Detectives).  Our topic - Common Core IRL: In Real Libraries.  We pulled information from our Common Core IRL blog posts about using nonfiction in the classroom.  The presentation went well and to read more about it click here.

4.  Scholastic Book Fairs Reading Summit in Salt Lake City - A few days before ALA, I flew to Salt Lake City, Utah to present at one of Scholastic Book Fair's Reading Summits. My presentation was on the Power of the Book Talk.  Salt Lake City was friendly and spending time with colleagues was very special. The enthusiasm and energy present among the attendees was wonderful. I have truly enjoyed my partnership with Scholastic Book Fairs over the past several years, and extremely thankful for the opportunities that they have provided to me.  

Book Review: A Girl Called Fearless

A Girl Called Fearless

by Catherine Linka

St. Martin's Griffin/Macmillan (May 6, 2014)

IndieBound | WorldCat

Reading Guide | Teacher's Guide

Description from GoodReads:

Avie Reveare has the normal life of a privileged teen growing up in L.A., at least as normal as any girl’s life is these days. After a synthetic hormone in beef killed fifty million American women ten years ago, only young girls, old women, men, and boys are left to pick up the pieces. The death threat is past, but fathers still fear for their daughters’ safety, and the Paternalist Movement, begun to "protect" young women, is taking over the choices they make.Like all her friends, Avie still mourns the loss of her mother, but she’s also dreaming about college and love and what she’ll make of her life. When her dad "contracts" her to marry a rich, older man to raise money to save his struggling company, her life suddenly narrows to two choices: Be trapped in a marriage with a controlling politician, or run. Her lifelong friend, student revolutionary Yates, urges her to run to freedom across the border to Canada. As their friendship turns to passion, the decision to leave becomes harder and harder. Running away is incredibly dangerous, and it’s possible Avie will never see Yates again. But staying could mean death. From Catherine Linka comes this romantic, thought-provoking, and frighteningly real story, A Girl Called Fearless, about fighting for the most important things in life—freedom and love.

Carolyn's thoughts on this book:

As a supporter of women's rights, I was intrigued by the alternative reality Catherine Linka created in her debut book, A Girl Called Fearless. The book begins after massive numbers of adult women had died forcing fathers to arrange marriage contracts for their daughters in exchange for large sums of money, thus replenishing the population and fulfilling the role of the devoted wife, which is valued by society. This situation faced by women and girls in the book was very unique (especially compared to other dystopian novels), partially because of its more modern setting but also because it was a certain section of the public (women), rather than the general public, that was being oppressed. Ms. Linka herself said that she wanted put American girls in the same situation as girls in developing countries - lacking political power, various rights, and the freedom to choose their own future - to build greater understanding of the experiences of women around the world. Once I began reading, I could tell that the plot was every bit as well executed as the broader thematic ideas.

When the main character, Avie, is pulled out of school and prepared for her engagement and marriage, it provides the catalyst to start her on the path of deciding to stay or to run. From there, Avie is forced to make countless choices and learns about an underground resistance movement that she could potentially take part in. The book is paced well, allowing enough time for the reader (and Avie herself) to process everything that Avie faces without dragging or skipping along too quickly (which can cause a lack of comprehension). The characters, though placed in an environment vastly different than the one we know today, were still relatable and realistic (never too dramatic, as some YA books tend to portray teenagers).

Overall, A Girl Called Fearless was a satisfying read that raised questions about the treatment girls face around the world. While I was aware of the terrible state of women's rights in developing countries before reading the book, I am now able to understand their plight on a deeper level and empathize with them. A Girl Called Fearless is a perfect book not only for high schoolers but also for high school English classes (or Political Science classes) for the broader thematic ideas and captivating plot.

Video: Catherine Linka's Great Marketing Idea:

About the author: CATHERINE LINKA was almost thrown out of boarding school for being "too verbal." Fortunately, she learned to channel her outspokenness and creative energy into writing. A passionate traveler who has visited Iceland, the Amazon, and the Arctic circle, Catherine has seen five types of whales in the wild, but no orcas. Yet. She doesn’t believe in fate, but she did fall in love with her husband on their first date when he laced up her boots, because she had a broken hand. A Girl Called Fearless is her debut novel.

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Facebook

Paddington Bear Movie Trailer

Based on the beloved children's book by Michael Bond. Arrives in theaters this Christmas.

This Christmas, a small bear will make a big splash. From the beloved novels by Michael Bond and producer David Heyman (HARRY POTTER), PADDINGTON tells the story of the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear who travels to the city in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone, he begins to realize that city life is not all he had imagined - until he meets the kindly Brown family who read the label around his neck that says "Please look after this bear. Thank you," and offer him a temporary haven. It looks as though his luck has changed until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist.

Director: Paul King

Written by: Paul King

Screenplay by: Henry Paul King

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi and Nicole Kidman

Official Movie Website | Facebook | Twitter

Check out the movie trailer, here...

Arriving in theaters December 25, 2014! http://www.paddingtonbear.com/ From the beloved novels by Michael Bond and producer David Heyman (HARRY POTTER), PADDINGTON tells the story of the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear (voiced by Firth) who travels to the city in search of a home.

What do you think?

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - The ALA 2014 Edition

Normally on the first Wednesday of the month, I do a post about new nonfiction releases.  However, this week, I am pre-empting my normal post to share about the Common Core IRL: In Real Libraries presentation that I was a part of at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Las Vegas this past weekend.

In preparing for the presentation, I had the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues in different places around the country.  This was a phenomenal learning opportunity. 

On Sunday, June 29th, in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, we shared the information and our experiences working with students with our audience.  There were some great questions at the end of the session, and we are hoping to create future Common Core IRL: In Real Library posts in ways that will respond to questions.

If you are interested in checking out the presentation slides, the slideshare of our presentation is below (click the image).  Please share this with friends and colleagues who may be interested. 

Mary Ann Scheuer posted a portion of the introduction on her blog post, here.

Thank you to these amazing professionals, who I am thrilled to also count as my friends.

Mary Ann Scheuer, School Librarian, Emerson Elementary School (California) -

greatkidbooks.blogspot.com

Louise Capizzo, Youth Service Librarian, Scarborough Public Library (Maine) -

nonfictiondetectives.com

Cathy Potter, School Librarian, Falmouth Elementary School (Maine) -

nonfictiondetectives.com

A special thanks to the following publishers for donating books for a special giveaway at the end of our presentation.

Boyds Mills Press

Candlewick

Capstone

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

National Geographic Kids

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews below:

ALA Annual Conference

The American Library Association's Annual Conference is in Las Vegas this year. I have arrived, and unpacked, and already gotten a bit lost. However, I am eager to see friends, talk about books, and more. I may not be blogging much over the next few days, but I will be tweeting (#alaac14).  And if you are here for the conference, stop by room S228 at the Convention Center on Sunday (June 29th) morning for the session I am doing with Mary Ann Scheuer, Cathy Potter, and Louise Cappizo.