Kids Book Club Facilitating

Information from the New York State Council for the Humanities Book Clubs for Kids Webinar

• Whom do you most want to reach? Why do you want them in the library? What age group do you want? What makes you want to bring these kids together? Is a book club a good fit for these kids?
• Keep the group limited to a specific age group (eg:8-11)
• Getting the word out: Talk to kids you know and have them invite their friends, post a flyer, advertise online, contact the local school principal, speak to teachers at staff meetings (flyers are not the best way to get the word to students), talk to school librarians, see if kids can get school credit, look for community organizations that work with your target age group: churches, clubs, youth center.
• Share 3-5 books that share one big idea. The things that brings kids back is the feeling of community
• Have a theme for your group. eg: happiness, tolerance, leadership, bullying,
• Big ideas or themes give discussions purpose, focus, and continuity. Exploring big ideas unites the group
• What is a successful discussion? Group feels comfortable disagreeing, there is a good vibe, conversation continues afterward, everyone participates by listening and talking, facilitator guides without taking sides or talking too much.
• What is a meaningful discussion? participants leave with a greater understanding of themselves and others, leave feeling connected, leave thinking about the conversation, different perspectives are encouraged and discussed.
• How do you choose the theme? What do you think kids want to talk about? What ideas will be important to them? What books do they want to read? What ideas do you hope kids will get from conversations about this idea?
• Consider books that: confront theme, keep attention even after you are finished, have different points of view, have compelling characters kids can relate to, have "snag points" moments of thinking or wondering, would be interesting to compare to each other. Mix it up, use picture books, graphic novels, chapter books.
• Check out the explore NY Booklist
• Choose a facilitator. Open, friendly, like working with kids, read a lot of books for that age group, love hearing what kids have to say, have time to prepare questions, believes in the importance of talking about books, shares enthusiasm for this kind of literature,
• Plan ahead. How will you begin the conversation? What kinds of topics and ideas do you want to explore?
• Set expectations. Let everyone have a chance to talk. Have everyone read the book beforehand. Silence is okay. Make sure everyone has nametags.
• Ask good questions. Write short open ended questions that allow kids to interpret in their own way. Explore plot, characters, and style. Connect books to other books you read in the theme. Make personal connections to characters. Ask questions that don't have a right or wrong answer. Don't assume everyone has read the text the same way. Focus on the places where opinions may differ.Take time to read a portion of the book aloud. Let's them hear a fluent reader which they may never hear.
• Break it up. Give kids a chance to talk to each other, use short activities that will generate conversation about the book. Don't do activities just for the sake of doing activities.
• Keeping the conversation going. Treat it like a conversation between friends, listen with genuine interest, ask questions that make sense for the conversation that is already happening. Look at the person and use their first name. Avoid answering your own questions, speak last and prioritize other voices over your own. Close the conversation with something that keeps them thinking of the topic or theme.
• Have everyone write a question and draw later in the discussion when there is a lull.
• Encourage kids to look at everyone, not just you when talking
• Together Parent Child Book Club
• Community Conversations for Kids
• Together Book Club

Teen Book Club

I am thinking of trying a Teen Book Club for the fall. I have tried a couple times in the past to hold teen book discussions. Sadly, they are low attendance. With the exception of Twilight. I held the discussion as part of the movie screening, and related snacks. I had over 30 girls (and 1 boy) whom I had never seen in the library before! I also tried the Hunger Games, but it was a year before it's popularity swept the nation so I had 2 teens. I had arranged it with their English teacher the students would get extra credit for attending.

My new approach is to see if the High School librarian wants to work with me on doing a teen book club up at the high school. We pick the books and co-facilitate the discussion that is held right after school in the high school library. It is my hope that the relationship I build with participating students will entice them to the library during the school year. As is stands now we see kids and teens in the summer but rarely during the school year. Has anyone done this with their local school librarian? I am interested to hear some stories on how it went!

Teen Transliteracy Summer Reading Part 2

Here is a link to the Teen Transliteracy Summer Reading Program Quest Book I created for the 2012 season.

All in all I am really disappointed. Let me preface that with I had really good program attendance but only had 5 teens of the 30 something who registered actually turn in their quest book at the end of the program. All summer long there were more teens who completed quests that I signed-off on but they failed to turn in their book so I could count up how many quests they finished thus awarding them raffle tickets.

Where did I go wrong?
In previous years they write down what they read in a home log book. Each item has a point value, 1 point=1 raffle ticket. They also have an official reading log that stays in the library and that I would keep after the program ended. Each time the teen comes into the library they transfer the info from their home log into the in-house one. This method saw many more teens filling out the official in-house log sheet as they did not have to turn anything in to me. I think where I went wrong this year was the having them turn something in.

What will I change for next year?
For next year I plan on keeping the reading quest idea but will include many more reading tasks. Those seemed to be the most popular ones. The photography related quests also were popular. Least popular= building a solar oven to make s'mores. What?, you ask! You cannot believe those darling teens did not want to make a solar oven and bring their dear old librarian a yummy s'more. Well I am here to tell you they didn't :(
My other idea for next year is instead of having them turn in their quest book to get credit I will give them credit when they have me sign off on the quest. To do this I will add a little tear away tab at the bottom of each page in the questbook. On this little tab I will have the teen's name, the quest, and a space for my initials. Then at the end of the summer I will sort these out and award raffle tickets from these tear away tabs. No more teens having to hand anything in!

Did anyone else experiment with Transliteracy this summer?

So I joined Pinterest

I have had little time to update this blog as I am juggling 3 part time jobs at the moment. It seems I have even less time to reflect on library programs than before. In an effort to keep my program ideas more organized (aside from this blog or course) I have caved in and joined Pinterest. As I suspected I am fully addicted. What I did not anticipate is how immensely useful a tool it is. I am gathering some wonderful, easy ideas for my library and home. Each year I do a couple programs that involve a children's ornament making workshop. I created a pinboard for "ornaments" and am already saving ideas to implement in December. In previous years I would have to scour Martha Stewart and Family Fun magazine for the perfect project.

So, yes despite my earlier blog post vowing to not join Pinterest I have drunk the Kool-Aid. If you want to join me check me out @ http://pinterest.com/llafera

Books about Desserts for 4th Graders

Fiction:

The Desert is Theirs by Byrd Baylor

The Curse of the Great Cheese Pyramid by Geronimo Stilton

Holes by Louis Sachar

Non-Fiction:

One Day in the Dessert by Jean Craighead George

A desert scrapbook: dawn to dusk in the Sonoran Desert by Virginia Wright-Frierson

Surviving Death Valley: desert adaptation by Pamela Dell

Scholastic's The Magic School Bus gets all dried up: a book about deserts by Nancy Stevenson

Desert elephants by Helen Cowcher

Dessert (Eyewitness book series) by Miranda Macquitty

A desert food chain: a who-eats-what adventure in North America by Rebecca

Night Dancer: mythical piper of the Native American Southwest by Marcia Vaugh

3 Little Dassies by Jan Brett

The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families by Susan Roth

Georgia O'Keeffe : painter of the desert by Jacqueline Ball

Mysteries for 4th Graders

I compiled this list for a local teacher and thought I would share.

Series:

• Brixton Brothers Series by Adam Rex
• The Secret Series (This Book is Not Good for You) by Pseudonymous Bosch
• The Sister's Grim by Michael Buckley
• Sammy Keyes by Wendelin Van Draanen
• Herculeah Jones series by Betsy Cromer Byars
• Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School by Andrew Clements
• Chet Gecko by Bruce Hale
• Mr. Chickee by Christopher Paul Curtis
• Sherlock Files by Tracy Barrett

Stand Alone Titles:

• From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E Franweiler by E.L.Konigsburg
• Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet
• Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
• Masterpiece by Elise Broach
• The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
• Pie by Sarah Weeks
• The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith
• Vanishing Acts by Phillip Margolin
• Horton Halfpott, or, The fiendish mystery of Smugwick Manor, or, The loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's corset by Tom Angleberger
• Scat by Carl Hiaasen

http://aclayouthservices.pbworks.com/w/page/31984436/Programming

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Over April break we are doing a parent-child book discussion of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. This is through funding from the New York State Council on the Humanities Together Grant.

I am having a hard time coming up with a hands-on project for the discussion. A couple weeks ago we read Skellig by David Almond and dissected Owl Pellets so hopes are high from the kids. I have go tot top that event!

I am having some success gleaning ideas from birthday party guides online. But if you have any suggestions I could use the help, comment below!

• Serve Turkish Delights (had to buy on Amazon.com, no local stores carried)
• Serve tea sandwiches and lemonade
• Dress as the White Witch
• Kinda lame but I was thinking of putting our coat rack on wheels in front of the entrance to the discussion and filling with coats and jackets so participants will have to squeeze through the coats to make it into the room.
• Decorate cupcakes to look like a lion (Aslan) face
• Narnia Paper craft

Questions

• When Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus in the woods she befriends him despite his appearance. Parents, have you ever been judged or judged someone by their appearance and your frist impression was wrong?
• What makes someone a hero? What about a villain? Which is Edmund?
• Lots of fairytales include some sort of a door from this world into another world. Can you think of any other stories like this? Have you ever imagined being able to step out of this world into another one?
• Why do you think there is a lampost near the wardrobe entrance in Narnia.
• Have you read any other books where one must pass through a magical portal to enter another world?
• Do you think Lucy's brothers and sister should have believed her story about the wardrobe? Would you believe Lucy's story?
• What would you ask for if the queen offered you your favorite food?
• Lewis says that “there’s nothing that spoils the taste of good ordinary food half so much as the memory of bad magic food.” Have you ever spoiled your taste for something by doing something you shouldn’t have done?
• What is the significance of the thaw and the coming of spring?
• When Edmund calls out to the Witch, begging her not to turn the little creatures into stone, Lewis tells us that “for the first time in this story” he “felt sorry for someone besides himself.” Do you know what it’s like to feel so sorry for yourself that you don’t notice anybody else?
• Have you ever tried to tell someone the truth but they didn't believe you? How did this make you feel?
• At the end of the story Lucy, Susan, and Peter forgive Edmund very quickly when they are reunited. Would you be so forgiving?
• The group decides not to tell Edmund about Azlan's sacrifice to free him. Was this the right decision? Would it have hurt or helped Edmund?

2012 Teen SRP Ideas

Ohh it's that magical time of year again. Time to start thinking of all the fun things I want to do over the summer and then figure out how I can turn them into a library program.

Here is my running list of possible programs for teen summer programs:

• Insanewiches Insane sandwich fun
• Yoga classes for teens
• Shrinky Dink Jewelry
• Steampunk jewelry
• Constellation T-shirts Clothing refab events always go over well
• Angry Birds Bowling- Possible fun activity to bring to the middle school with me
• Iron Chef Part II
• Cake Pops
• Frankenplush- Cut up old stuffed animals and teens sew different pieces together to make a frankenanimal.
• Tiny food art out of polymer clay. Okay fine I really just want to share my love of tiny food with the word!
• Candy sushi
• Fuse bead Nintendo art Use the pixel appeal of fuse beads to make beloved video game characters! I did fuse bead jewerly with my teens a few years ago, mondo fun!
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Pinterest Teen Programs

I have made a choice to not join Pinterest. No matter how fun and adorable it looks I will not cave in. No I do not have a fundamental problem with Pinterest I am just afraid if I cave in it will consume all my freetime. I already lurk on etsy late into the late, really should not take on another venture. That doesn't stop me from admiring all the amazing work librarians are doing on Pinterest though?

• Teen Library Program Ideas
• Teen Programming in Libraries
• Non-Craft Teen Library Programs
• Teen Library Programs

Transliteracy in Teen Summer Reading

I recently worked with two other librarians (Chrissie Morrison of the East Greenbush Library and Kaela Wallman of the Schenectady Public Library) on a presentation of incorporating transliteracy into your teen SRP. Transliteracy is the ability to be literate across multiple forms of media (books, radio, internet, tv, etc.) This Teen SRP challanges teens to complete quests rather than following the model of just tracking books or minutes read.

Teens will complete x number of quests and for each quest they get a raffle ticket. You can chose to have the raffle at the end of the summer or raffle off one item per week. To view our presentation click here

We created quests that use the various media in and out of the library. Kaela put some of the quests we brainstormed into a little book that the teens will use to records their quests over the summer.{ Booklet } In order to keep stats make each quest equal to a number of minutes if you report minutes, or a number of books if you ocunt books. Comment on this blog post if you have more Quest ideas! I love to read the creativity of librarians!

Quests:

• Watch a movie (fiction or documentary) based on the lifeof a musician, singer or band
• Write your own ghost story (at least 1 page long
• Read a book of your choice
• Using the website http://www.bartleby.com/100write 2 quotes you like and why
• Create a piece of art (photo,drawing, collage, painting,etc)based on a dream
• Read a book with the word star in the title
• Read a book about a famous musician, actor or athlete.
• Borrow & listen to a music CD from the library.
• Borrow and read a magazine from the library
• Write your own poem or song lyrics inspired by the night sky.
• Research a famous person from your town. Write things you learned about his or her life.
• Discover 2 famous people who share your birthday. How are you and they similar or different?
• Take a picture of yourself in front of a historical marker. For extra credit use the libraryto learn more about the site you chose
• Go star gazing and identify at least 3 constellations -- bonus raffle ticket for borrowing a book about stars/constellations from the library
• Become a fan of the library on Facebook and post on our wall the title of a book you recently read and write a review of it.
• Make a video about the Teen Space in the library and let us post it to our YouTube channel
• Take a photograph at night
• Build a reflective solar cooker & experiment by cooking a marshmallow in it to make s'mores! Instructions here http://stardate.org/teachers/activities/cooker
• Find out what the night sky looked like the on the evening of the day & year you were born
• Read a book that was recommended to you by a friend or librarian
• Visit another library in our library system and borrow a book from them with your library card
• Read a book published in 2012
• Read at least 2 books from your schools recommended summer reading list
• Listen to an audiobook

Book Display: Favorite Book Club Books

I put out this display for February 2012. This is a collection of popular Book Club books from the past 10 or so years.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Devil in the White City by Eric Larson

The Help by Katheryn Stockett

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows

The Book Thief by Mark Zusak

Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay

The Kite Runner by Khlaed Hosseini

Room by Emma Donoghue

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Bel Canto by Ann Patchet

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

The Shack by William Young

Teen Zombie Program

Ideas for a 90 minute teen zombie party! Here is the flyer for my event https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Ml6iIDXdszNmFmY2ZiMDctZGRlZi00NTg1LTlhODYtZWM0OTM2MmU3NDIy/edit

By the way that's me in the picture above.

Learn Thriller music video dance moves then dance as a group and film

• Thriller Video

Zombie makeup

• You Tube Video
• Purchased liquid latex in clear, stippling sponge, thick and thin fake blood, green, blue, white and black liquid facepaint.
• The liquid latex is a pain to get off (just like ripping off a bandage) so do not apply near facial hair or hairline
• Rinse off makeup with warm washcloth and mild soap

Decorate zombie cupcakes

• Get ideas from the book "A Zombie Ate my Cupcake: 25 Deliciously Weird Cupcake Recipes" by Lily Vanilli
• Or the book "Zombie Cupcakes: From the Grave to the Table with 16 Cupcake Corpses" by Zilly Rosen
• There is also "Ghoulish Goodies: Creature Feature Cupcakes, Monster Eyeballs, Bat Wings, Funny Bones, Witches' Knuckles, and Much More!" by Sharon Bowers
• Wow! There are a few zombie cupcake themed books to choose from!

Zombie origami

• Use the book "Zombigami" by Duy Nguyen

Zombie Walk Off-prize for best zombie walk

Write a Zombie Haiku based on the book "Zombie Haiku" by Ryan Mecum

Zombie Books in our Collection:

• Dust & Decay
• Zombie vs. Unicorn
• Triskellion 2
• The Passage
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
• Ashes
• Zombie Haiku
• Forest of Hands and Teeth
• Dead Tossed Waves
• Boneshaker

Links to other zombie library programs:

Compendium of ideas

Programming Librarian