Quote of the Month

When love and skill work together, expect a miracle. John Ruskin




Saturday, February 1, 2014

Twitterville Talk #137

To say this week on Twitter was busy would be an understatement.  Let this post speak as a testament to that.  I hope everyone is staying warm, healthy and is relaxing this weekend.  Take time for reading.  To celebrate the American Library Association Youth Media Awards look for the giveaways.  I got carried away.  My local book store manager is happy.


Having had a kindhearted and wise principal when Xena was a puppy, I was allowed to bring her to school every day for the first six months.  (She was so tiny I had to feed her three times a day.) The students loved sharing their story times with her.  Xena still gets excited when entering the school building.  That's why the contents of this article, Read to a Dog, came as no surprise to me.

Thanks to educator and blogger at Finding Ways for All Kids to Flourish, Joan Young for this tweet.







Did you know the Library of Congress Adds New Interactive Online Game to Read.gov Reading-Promo Web Site?  I explored the site for a little bit and it's pretty good.

This is some overlap here with other notables in this post but Book Awards Roundup:  Rainbow List, Amelia Bloomer Project, and Other Non-YMA Awards  As an example of this, the Amelia Bloomer Project link given below is more inclusive.

This is excellent, excellent news, Lemony Snicket Sponsors Prize for Librarians Facing Adversity

Thanks to School Library Journal for this tweet.







The hour flew by as people predicted titles which might receive honors for six of the American Library Association Youth Media Awards during #titletalk last Sunday.  If you missed it the archive is here.

Thanks to Cindy Minnich, educator and blogger at Charting by the Stars, for this tweet and for gathering all the tweets for the archive.







Prior to the announcements at the American Library Association, the 2014 Recipients of American Indian Library Association's Youth Literature Award were released. 


Thanks to Debbie Reese, educator, student and contributor at the American Indians In Children's Literature web site, for this tweet and post.







Take a moment, if you haven't already, to read Reading as a Lifelong Lifeline by Jane Kise.

Thanks to Donalyn Miller, teacher, author of The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child and Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits, co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club and blogger at Donalyn Miller for this tweet.





You cannot imagine all the tweets, links and videos filling my Twitter feed during and after the awards were revealed.  Rather than list them all here, I've made a virtual corkboard posting as many as I can using an online application called Spaaze.  Here is the link to the board titled American Library Association Youth Media Awards.  I will continue to add to it.  The link to my post about Spaaze is here.





This week we also learned of the winning titles for the 2014 Amelia Bloomer Project, a list of the best feminist books for readers from birth through the age of eighteen.
To the first person who can tell me the title of the first book listed, I will send a copy of Clementine and the Spring Trip by Sara Pennypacker with illustrations by Marla Frazee.  Please DM me your answer on Twitter or leave it in the comments below. (This title has been won.)

Wow!  What a list by the Young Adult Library Services Association!  2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults

Thanks to Stacy Dillon, school librarian and blogger at Welcome to my (New) Tweendom, for these tweets.








One of the outstanding posts this week at the Nerdy Book Club speaks to the importance, purpose and impact of historical fiction, Revising Historical Friction by Laurel Snyder.

I for one really appreciate the efforts of the committee chair for this post, Demystifying the Schneider Family Book Award by Alyson Beecher.



Thanks to the Nerdy Book Club for these tweets and posts.






Take a trip down memory lane watching this video as Houghton Mifflin Harcourt celebrates their years of publishing.  I don't know about you, but I saw many, many favorite titles.




And away we go with the new book (and app) trailers for the week.  It looks like we have another fantastic year of reading ahead.  Lucky us!










Make sure to mark your calendars and read the book for what promises to be an hour of hilarity this month for the #SharpSchu Book Club.

During the previous week a series of videos were released highlighting conversations between Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo and Katherine Paterson.  They are truly amazing. They are linked here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, hereand here.

Katherine Paterson talks about Kate DiCamillo's book Because of Winn Dixie here. (I shed a few tears myself.)

All of the above videos are also included in the Storify titled Cyber-Sleuth---Mr. Schu Says.

Booklist released Top 10 Black History Books for Youth: 2014

Today is Take Your Child to the Library Day!

Take note of the titles on this list by the Association for Library Service to Children---2014 Notable Children's Books
To the first person who can tell me the first book on this list I reviewed and Xena love, I will send a copy of Rutherford B. Who Was He?:  Poems about Our Presidents by Marilyn Singer with illustrations by John Hendrix.  Please leave your answer in the comments below or send me a DM on Twitter. (This title has been won.)




 Thanks to John Schumacher, teacher librarian, co-host of the monthly #SharpSchu Book Club, 2011 Library Journal Movers & Shakers, 2014 Newbery Medal Committee member, and blogger at Watch. Connect. Read. for these tweets.






I know I can hardly wait to listen to this week's podcast, Let's Get Busy with author illustrator Deborah Freedman.  I review two of her books, The Story of Fish & Snail and Blue Chicken.

Thanks to Matthew C. Winner, elementary library media specialist, co-founder of #levelupbc, Library Journal Movers & Shakers 2013 Tech Leader and blogger at The Busy Librarian for this tweet.






There are some new dots at Celebri-dots by Sage Blackwood and Aileen Stewart.


Thanks to Terry Shay, 5-12 vocal and computer teacher, college adjunct, FableVision Learning Ambassador and blogger at TJ On a Journey, for these tweets.




Three of the judges' names for the 2014 Battle of the Kids' Books have been released.  The articles are linked here, here and here.  I think this is going to be an interesting battle.
To the first person who can tell me the first three names of the judges, I will send a copy of the new, final Lunch Lady book, Lunch Lady and the Schoolwide Scuffle by Jarrett J. Krosoczka.  Please leave your answer in the comments below or send me a DM on Twitter. (This title has been won.)

Thanks for these tweets go to The Battle Commander.








In case you've been on another planet and just returned, here is the trailer for the movie The Fault in Our Stars.




Thanks to author John Green for this tweet and this book.








Lucky for all of us he was willing to share and took the time for this post, Gallery:  These Picture Books Have Secrets.  It's the first thing I do whenever I get a book; remove the dusk jacket to look at the case.

Don't miss this interview by Travis Jonker---The Kate Connection:  DiCamillo Talks About her Role as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature
To the first person who can tell me the answer to the final question in the interview, I will send a copy of Flora & Ulysses:  The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo with illustrations by K. G. Campbell.  Please leave your answer in the comments below or send me a DM on Twitter. (This title has been won.)

They've been updated.  The Newbery Medal Infographic  The Caldecott Medal Infographic

Thanks for these tweets go to Travis Jonker, teacher librarian, member of the 2014 Caldecott Medal Committee and blogger at 100 Scope Notes.







This announcement is going to make a bunch of fans happy, Rainbow Rowell signs two-book deal with First Second--EXCLUSIVE

Thanks to Fierce Reads for this tweet.







If you are in the midst of or getting ready to celebrate The Chinese New Year here is an updated list of resources.

Thanks to educator, author and blogger at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... , Larry Ferlazzo for this tweet.










I wonder how these books will read for the intended audience?  David Baldacci Launches Kids' Fantasy Series

Take the time to read this outstanding article, Kate DiCamillo: "It's Easier To Do The Work Than It Is Not To Do The Work"


Thanks to Children's Bookshelf of Publishers Weekly for these tweets.







Here is yet another fantastic list of must read books---The Great Multicultural Children's Books of 2013 You Might Have Missed

Thanks to author illustrator Yuyi Morales (Nino Wrestles the World) for this tweet.








Twitter users know this but perhaps there is something here to share with others---10 ways Twitter makes me a better educator

Thanks to Ben Gilpin, elementary principal and blogger at, The Colorful Principal, for this tweet.






Get ready for an enlightening chat this Monday evening---#GeniusCon TL Webinar


Thanks to teacher librarian and blogger at The Library Fanatic, Sherry Glick for this tweet and post.





Here's a handy chart and reminder, The ABCs of Digital Citizenship.

Thanks to Donna Macdonald, teacher librarian and technology integrationist, VSLA board member, ISTE SIGLIB president elect, for this tweet.






Enjoy this gathering of tweets with favorite pictures, quotes, observations and announcements which Xena and I think are important.






















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