Author: Mary Ann Scheuer

I was inspired by the #ALA11 panel discussion presented by the United States Board on Book for Young People (USBBY) entitled, “Independent Publishers-International Children’s Books.” Representatives from four US independent publishers shared their thoughts on international books. Groundwood Books, Kane Miller Books, NorthSouth Books, and Chronicle Books each shared about their particular vision, story, and favorite titles. I was particularly moved by Kira Lynn, of Kane Miller, as she talked about the quieter, subtler sensibility that foreign children books can bring to our children. “And that can be as simple as what people are having for dinner, what their apartment looks like, or how they dress.” Ms. Lynn continued on by drawing comparisons between going to foreign films and reading foreign books, that there’s a moment when you become so engrossed in the story – because it is truly about story, after all – that you forget that you are…

A shining moment in my memory of #ALA11 was the pure pleasure of the ALSC Poetry Blast. Although I was tired and spent after a long weekend, listening to these poets renewed me with energy and enthusiasm for sharing poetry with children of all ages. As Joyce Sidman says, we all need time to ponder, “Time alone, without noise and distraction.  This is when ideas come–when things sort themselves out, when you see visions and solutions.  Not just for writing, but for life.” The ALSC Poetry Blast brought a bit of this pondering time to me on Monday afternoon. I was able to listen and be transported to place within myself that has room for just this sort of pondering. Stephanie Calmenson started the afternoon by sharing poems for the very young. She captures the voice and thoughts of youngsters perfectly, reading with enthusiasm and pure joy. Her poems for…

This morning’s #ALA11 celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Amelia Bloomer Project annual list of feminist books for young readers was an inspiring, joyful affair. I found particularly inspiring the introduction written by Nel Ward, co-founder of the project, describing the roots and inspiration for this wonderful list, and shared by this year’s co-chair Beth Olshewsky. Ten and a half years ago, four ALA members started talking in an elevator about how a book selection committee “might help young people become better adults,” as Nel described it. Jenny Baltes, Debbie Carton, Peter Holland and Nel Ward were all fresh off of major book award committees, and over lunch that day they developed the idea for the Amelia Bloomer Project annual list of books for youth that embody feminist ideals, principles and stories. That year, they brought together nine members for the selection committee and started reviewing books with these…

In my household, #ALA11 is known as “Librarians Gone Wild” and I think the name does really fit! It’s hard to put into words how wonderful this experience has been so far, but I think the greatest part of it has been making connections with people whose work I’ve read – authors, bloggers, friends on GoodReads, librarians on list-serves, reviewers. On the first day, I walked into the exhibit hall’s graphic novel artist’s lane because I knew my students adore graphic novels. I’m quite a shy person, not very good at asserting myself into conversations, so I was waiting patiently to say hi to Raina Telgemeier, the author of our most popular graphic novel Smile, when she saw me and shouted, “Mary Ann! Hello!!!” and gave me a huge hug. I’ve never met Raina or her husband Dave Roman before, but I’ve shared my enthusiasm for their stories on my…

My morning #ALA11 session left me brimming with ideas for building multi-age story time programs. Kathy Klatt, of the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library, and Saroj Ghoting, an early childhood literacy consultant, presented a fun and informative session on different ways to build a story time bringing in many different age groups, from babies to toddlers and preschoolers. They were well organized as they both presented sample story times (not easy to a room full of adults!), leading us in songs and activities, and sharing some of their intentions and planning process. Saroj and Kathy shared two possible models for multi-age story times: continuous story time and sequential story time. When you plan a continuous story time, you intentionally build into each activity ways for different aged children to connect or engage. With a sequential story time, you create a program that includes all children, but specifically directs activities first…