Literacy Now

Growing up the only daughter in a patriarchal, male-dominated home, I am, perhaps, too sensitive about gender inequities. I was told that my daily dishwashing and ironing chores were less difficult than my brothers’ infrequent lawn-mowing task, but I never believed it. Neither did my brothers, who were too sly to speak on my behalf and disturb the happy imbalance of credit for labor. Unfairness? What unfairness? I don’t see any unfairness?

So it never surprises me when work by men is automatically assumed to be more important, difficult, and the male perspective on the world is the more valuable perspective. Last year, women illustrators spoke up about the complete shut-out of women from children’s books most precious award, the Caldecott, and book critic Janice Harayda wrote, “Consciously or not, the Caldecott judges may be favoring visual images of boys as much as male artists.”

LadyBusiness compiled stats of major award winners for children’s and young adult books since 2000 and found that 49% featured male protagonists, 36% featured female protagonists, and 15% featured both male and female protagonists. Contributor Ana wrote, “If stories by and about boys and men are so rare in the world of YA and yet show up in the proportion we've seen above in lists of award winners, then we're disproportionately privileging these stories when we select the best YA has to offer. In a world where anything masculine is still valued to a much greater extent than anything feminine, this possibility worries me.”

I was not surprised when VIDA (Women in Literary Arts) and the Women’s Media Center compiled stats and charts to prove that respected publications disproportionately assign male contributors to review books and interview authors, who also happen to be male in disproportionate numbers.

NEW YORK TIMES best-selling authors Jennifer Weiner and Jodi Picoult have called out publications like the NYT BOOK REVIEW for the lavish coverage given to certain men authors, while ignoring women authors of equal caliber. (Read Weiner’s 2012 update on the topic.) Weiner and Picoult, who were not advocating for themselves, noted that critical recognition leads to financial rewards: the slight is both to the ego and the bank account. The general response from men was that Weiner and Picoult should stop “bellyaching” about gender disparities since: (1) they write commercial fiction, (2) they’re successful, (3) men are far more serious about literature, and (4) men have given worthy women authors day passes to the club. Some publications presented chicken-before-egg analyses: the majority of novels published by major houses are written by men—probably because they’re far more serious—so it follows that most reviews would be about men’s books.

Unfairness? What unfairness? I don’t see any unfairness.

I do not begrudge men their preferences for all things dude-ish. Let men be men in their myriad glory. Let them be way serious and be taken seriously as they write about, I don’t know, educated middle-class men who are consumed by an ineffable mood of existential angst from cosseted and racially-specific perspectives. However, I am at a loss to understand why men writing about family life are judged to be serious writers, while women writing about the same topics are automatically “small” writers.

One could get angry and rail about the disingenuous claims by men that the disparity of critical recognition is due to women’s lack of skill and also how very yucky girls are. I love a good tirade and have a special fondness for spitting-mad outrage and bickering, particularly when it includes irrelevant personal swipes. (Is it really a coincidence that kerfuffle rhymes with truffle?) As much fun as that is, fuming about the literary glass ceiling distracts us from one of the marvels happening now in the world of books.

Because girls and women are not powerless victims of some male-dominated literary conspiracy which takes place within the offices of a few publications and journals. Women buy and read many more books than men. If you search outside the major publishing houses, women also publish more books than men.

While journals drone on about the decline of boys reading, I see very little celebration of the fantastic numbers of girls and young women reading, book blogging, and writing their own novels. Teen girls eagerly adopted social media to connect with other readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers. They’re active on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

They don’t limit their book love to online participation. This summer, I visited libraries like the Warren-Newport Public Library in Gurnee, IL, and saw terrific annexes set up just for teens. I was astounded by the Must Be 14 group of teen reviewers who can fill a meeting room at Book Passages in Corte Madera, CA, and discuss fiction for hours. Bookstores like Books Inc. in San Francisco regularly have standing-room-only crowds of teenage girls and young women for author talks in their Not Your Mother’s Book Club series. They travel to American Library Association conferences and book festivals and talk to publishers and authors.

These girls are smart, informed, creative, and passionate about books. It’s not uncommon for them to devour dozens of novels every month. They don’t blink when they commit to the 100 Book Challenge. They can catapult a novel to best-seller status and they don’t especially care if a man or woman wrote it. Neither do they care whether it’s received critical acclaim, although they’re happy to nominate books for their own awards. While other fiction categories struggle to hold on, Young Adult books have steadily increased in sales, and some of Hollywood’s biggest hits have been movies based on girl-centric stories, like THE HUNGER GAMES and the Twilight series.

photo: ucumari via photopin cc

These teen girls grew up witnessing the massive success of women authors like J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer, and they have seen women working outside traditional routes to become successful. E.L. James, whose erotic fanfic was so popular that she was able to sell it to a small print-on-demand and ebook publisher; since then 50 SHADES OF GREY has sold over 65 million copies. Amanda Hocking, now published by St. Martin’s, became a millionaire while still in her 20s with her self-published My Blood Approves books and the Trylle Trilogy.

I’m not interested in debating the quality of these books, because that’s not the point. The point is that young women are having a different experience of women’s place in the book world—as victorious, loved, and influential. The point is that I had to wash dishes, but as the only girl I got my own bedroom, where I could read novels to my heart’s content.

Girls are the gorillas in the library. Beat your chests and roar.

Marta Acosta is the author of DARK COMPANION (2012) , a Young Adult gothic, the award-winning Casa Dracula series, and NANCY'S THEORY OF STYLE. She's a graduate of Stanford University and was a frequent contributor of commentary and features to the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE. Her next novel, a comedy, will be released in June 2013.

5 Questions With... Marta Acosta (DARK COMPANION)

ALA: Caldecott Medal Homepage

This week, members of the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group pick right up where they left off last week, sharing reviews of some of their favorite picture books as the Randolph Caldecott Medal turns seventy-five this week. The books featured in this column won the Caldecott Medal from 1972 to 2012. Readers are likely to recognize some of their own favorite titles among this selected list. By next week, another notable picture book will be added to this prestigious list.

1972 Medal Winner:

Hogrogian, Nonny. (1971). One fine day. New York: Macmillan.

Inspired by an Armenian folktale, Hogrogian has created a timeless classic with her illustrations and catchy cumulative tale with repetitive text that young readers enjoy. After traveling through the forest all day, a red fox is thirsty. He stops at the farm of an old woman where she catches the fox in the act of stealing the milk from her pail while she is gathering wood. She cuts off his tail, leaving the fox so embarrassed that he begs the old woman to sew it back on. She tells him to, “Give me back my milk and I will give you back your tail” (unpaged). Now the story really begins. The needy fox travels around the farm looking for ways to pay back the stolen milk, starting with asking a cow who wants grass, and then asking a field for the grass, and the field wants water, and the stream needs a jug where the fox finds a fair maiden with a jug, but she wants a blue bead. The fox eventually finds a peddler willing to give him the bead he needs, but he wants an egg in return, and the hen wants some grain that the fox finds with the miller who felt sorry for the fox and simply gives him the grain. After all the “returns” are in place, the old woman sews the fox’s tail back in place. The EconKids program at Rutgers University suggests this book in their economics program. YouTube offers several video reviews of this book, even one in American Sign Language, and Innovative Educators has a reading guide.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1976 Medal Winner:

Aardema, Verna (Reteller). (1975). Why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears. Illus. by Leo & Diane Dillon. New York: Dial.

This cumulative tale is a delight from start to finish. As is so often the case, a simple act starts all sorts of trouble in the animal kingdom. Tired of Mosquito’s lengthy and annoying story, Iguana puts sticks in his ear so he won’t hear him. But he is also unable to hear the greeting of Python, who becomes convinced that a plot is afoot, and inadvertently triggers a chain of events among the animals as trouble foments among them all. After all the animals gather together, the blame is laid on the shoulders of Mosquito, doomed forever to buzz about people’s ears to see if they are annoyed with him. Readers would be hard pressed to choose whether they enjoy most the rhythmical story filled with onomatopoeia or the vibrant illustrations rendered with India ink, airbrushed watercolors, and pastels. The large shapes cut at different angles make this book have eye-appeal and guarantee a second read. This picture book is hard to forget once it has been read, and it can serve as a marvelous read aloud or reader’s theater script for elementary grade students.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1979 Medal Winner:

Goble, Paul. (1978). The girl who loved wild horses. New York: Bradbury.

Through bold and vibrant illustrations Paul Goble tells the story of a young Native American girl who spends all her time working and caring for the horses of her tribe while her tribe follows the buffalo. The members of her tribe notice that she has a special way with horses, and the horses seem to understand her in the same way she understands them. One day she disappears after a terrible storm has swept across the land. The horses have actually sheltered the girl from the storm, and she leaves with the horses when the storm has passed. The tribe comes to understand that she has gone to live with the horses. One day she returns, and the village accepts that she has become part of the horses. Though she has chosen to live with the wild horses, she returns home each spring with a new colt for the tribe. The understanding among the young girl, her family and the tribe heralds an acceptance of following the heart as she chooses to live among the wild horses. A video of the book can be viewed at YouTube, and Live Oak Media has a discussion and resource guide. ReadWriteThink offers an author study of Paul Goble.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1983 Medal Winner:

Brown, Marcia. (1982). Shadow. New York: Scribner.

Translated from a poem by French writer, Blaise Cendrars, Shadow contains tales shared by shamans in African villages. Even the youngest child is fascinated with shadows and their shapes. This picture book explores the very nature of shadows, describing not only the characteristics of a shadow but also a history of life. The textual and visual exploration of the personified Shadow depicts it as being blind and having no voice while still being able to listen and follow humans everywhere and in every moment. The picture book shows how a shadow shows up in the daytime, spreads out in the evening, and lurks in the forest, somehow managing to participate in the lives of people and animals. Filled with powerful, superimposed images, Shadow catches readers’ attention through the saturated colors splashed across each page. The illustrator’s use of woodcuts and the collage technique provides readers an opportunity to appreciate African arts and sceneries while pondering their own shadow selves. This introductory book about the life and culture of Africa provides a colorful feast for readers’ eyes while prompting self-reflection.

- Ying Hsuan-Lee, Washington State University Pullman

1985 Medal Winner:

Hodges, Margaret (Reteller). (1984). Saint George and the dragon. Illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Little, Brown.

Authentic to the British Isles, these beautiful illustrations have been created to offer glimpses of an illuminated manuscript from the Middle Ages. Author/reteller Margaret Hodges has based this story on the classic “The Faerie Queene” by Edward Spenser. Borrowing phrases from Spenser’s original tale, this is the story of Princess Una and her fight to save the kingdom from a fire-breathing dragon. Her parents are at wit’s end as to how to quell the dragon, and although forbidden to leave the castle, Una escapes to the countryside to seek someone to fight the dragon. After a harrowing journey, she finds the Red Cross Knight and brings him back to her kingdom. In three arduous battles, the knight confronts the dragon. The first two encounters end badly for the knight, but he is magically healed from his wounds to fight again. In the third and final battle, the knight is successful in slaying the dragon, thus, earning the title of St. George and becoming the patron saint of England. The king and queen offer him untold riches and also the princess’s hand in marriage. However, the Red Cross Knight must fulfill his unfinished duty to the Fairy Queen for six more years in addition to giving his riches to the poor. Una and her royal family agree to the conditions, the two marry, and St. George travels to and from the kingdom until his pledge to the Fairy Queen is completed. Hyman’s illustrations, especially the borders that frame each page, make this a stunning picture book that brings a page of medieval manuscripts to young readers of today. For background information on illuminated letters and lesson connections for children, the Getty Museum offers a helpful resource page with videos.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1988 Medal Winner:

Yolen, Jane. (1987). Owl moon. Illus. by John Schoenherr. New York: Philomel.

Jane Yolen’s Owl Moon is a beautiful and tender story of a father taking his young daughter owling. The little girl carefully imitates her father as she bravely and quietly follows him into the dark. He calls for the owl and reminds her that sometimes an owl comes, and sometimes it doesn’t. The beautiful watercolor illustrations illuminate the story, enabling readers to feel the cold, hear the crunching of the snow beneath their feet, sense the surrounding darkness, and experience the hope and anticipation of possibly seeing a magnificent owl. The detail of the stunning great-horned owl in the illustrations is an added reward for engaging in this wonderful book that reminds us that it human eyes aren’t the only ones keeping watching over the forest. Read more about Jane Yolen in "5 Questions With... J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen" on the Engage blog.

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University Provo

1990 Medal Winner:

Young, Ed. (1989). Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood story from China. New York: Philomel Books.

Relying on vivid watercolor and pastel illustrations in separate, side by side panels that allow the fierceness of the wolf to take center stage, the author/illustrator tells the Chinese version of the Red Riding Hood story. In this case, a mother leaves her three daughters behind her while she sets off to visit their grandmother. Realizing that the three girls have been left alone and defenseless, a wolf decides to take advantage of the situation. Figuring it will be easy to trick the girls into thinking their grandmother has come for a visit, he comes calling at their front door and eventually persuades them to let him in. But the girls are still a bit suspicious, and once they have all settled down to sleep, the oldest daughter, Shang, notices the wolf's bushy tail and sharp claws, physical characteristics not shared by her grandmother. Only her quick thinking saves the girls who quickly climb a tree to safety. Not content, though, with merely escaping, the girls turn the tables on the wolf in somewhat fiendish fashion. Clearly, turnabout is fair play for a wolf intent on devouring defenseless girls who turn out not to be without resources of their own. This picture book provides important lessons about trust and self-reliance and is an excellent centerpiece for a fairytale text set featuring Red Riding Hood stories.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1991 Medal Winner:

Macaulay, David. (1989). Black and white. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The book jacket of this cleverly-designed story with seemingly disconnected parts warns readers to beware since everything in this picture book is not as it seems--and that's certainly an understatement! From the black and white title page showing prison bars and bits of red to the book’s very end on the copyright page where a dog's snout and a finger are visible, the author/illustrator mixes things up so that four stories, seemingly separated, come together. The connections among all four stories may not be clear after a first or even multiple readings. But with enough attention and patience, readers will find plenty of details to delight them in this very cleverly designed picture book. Asking readers of any age to describe how they read the book—examining each story separately or reading them all at the same time—prompts lively discussion. Readers who follow each storyline—the titles are listed on the opening pages ("Seeing Things," "Problem Parents," "A Waiting Game," and "Udder Chaos"—may avoid confusion. In the end, it becomes clear that the Holstein cows caused the train delay. But are those really Holsteins or a little dog with the same black and white markings on its face? It turns out that things aren’t as black and white as we might think. The book's structure evokes the experience of reading hypertext, leaping from one link to the other and going back and forth from an article to a link and then back to the article before following another related link.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1992 Medal Winner:

Wiesner, David. (1991). Tuesday. New York: Clarion Books.

It all happens in a Tuesday night. Rising out of a pond aboard pads of water lilies, a group of plump, green frogs floats contentedly and secretly through the sky and throughout a village. In image after image, they pass by birds sitting still on utility poles, glide smoothly by the windows of neighborhood houses, and even fly surreptitiously past a sleeping senior citizen. As dawn approaches, the frogs fly lower and lower, and finally leave their pads, hopping back to the pond. This amphibian midnight adventure prompts a morning investigation by a detective and several policemen as they examine numerous pads left behind on the road. This almost-wordless story invites readers to fill in the textual blanks, using their own wild imaginations. Guided by the meticulously drawn watercolor images, readers can follow hints left by the author/illustrator, finding details in the pictures to add to their own versions of his imagined story. Tuesday’s various panels can be useful in teaching young readers about the concept of time. No matter how teachers choose to use this book about Tuesday’s events, no one will ever look at that day of the week the same again.

- Ying Hsuan-Lee, Washington State University Pullman

1994 Medal Winner:

Say, Allen. (1993). Grandfather’s journey. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Grandfather’s Journey is a moving story about Allen Say’s own grandfather. Although he was born and grew up in Japan, during his youth, he also dreams of seeing the world. Dressing himself in Western clothing for the first time, he travels to the U.S., visiting various cities and states. The United States is large, and his road trips allow him to see deserts, endless farm fields and huge cities filled with enormous buildings and factories.  The more he travels, the more he wants to travel, and eventually his yearning for his homeland diminishes. Still, he finds his wife in Japan, and after returning with his bride from his homeland, he settles in San Francisco and has a baby girl.  However, he feels nostalgic and wants to return to Japan to see his old friends again. After his family returns to Japan, his daughter grows up, gets married, and then Allen (the author) is born.  The grandfather shares his affection for his life in California with his family and his feeling of discontent and longing for his home.  This powerfully written and elegantly illustrated story strikes a deep chord with those who have moved away from home and now miss it, wondering exactly where it is that they belong. Few picture books evoke the immigration experience so movingly and precisely.

- Tadayuki Suzuki, Western Kentucky University

1995 Medal Winner:

Bunting, Eve. (1994). Smoky night. Illus. by David Diaz. New York: Harcourt.

The author wrote this book in response to the violence that occurred during the riots in Los Angeles in the early 1990’s. She wondered about the impact those riots would have on young children who lived through them. The narrator of the story is a young boy named Daniel. At the beginning of the book, his cat and the cat belonging to his neighbor, Mrs. Kim, don’t get along. In addition, Daniel’s mother does not shop at Mrs. Kim’s store and tells Daniel it is better to buy from others like them. Late one afternoon Daniel is watching from his apartment window as the violence surges in the streets below. He doesn’t understand why so many people are angry and smashing things and setting fire to trashcans and debris. His mother tries to explain their anger. When their building catches on fire, he and his mother and all the other tenants must flee to safety, but Daniel cannot find his beloved cat. Although Daniel and his mother and Mrs. Kim find safety, not everyone does. The fear and terror that the fire wrought fill the pages in the middle of the book. As the smoke clears, a fireman brings both cats safely to Daniel and Mrs. Kim. The author uses the cats to represent humans and the need to help others even when they are different from you. The bold and vibrant mixed media (found art) collages are the perfect complement to this story.  Diaz often uses objects such as broken glass, concrete, fabric and debris found on the streets for the background of his powerful collages. This is an excellent picture book to use with older readers. ReadWriteThink offers a lesson plan idea for picture books like this. Another extensive lesson plan guide is available. Teachers can watch David Diaz work and observe his artistic technique in this short video from the Bookfest at Sam Houston State University.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1996 Medal Winner:

Rathmann, Peggy. (1995). Officer Buckle and Gloria. New York: Putnam.

Officer Buckle regularly makes school visits to share safety rules. His faithful dog Gloria always accompanies him. Unbeknownst to the kindly officer, Gloria acts out the rules as Office Buckle shares them with the students. The children always cheer wildly at the end of their safety presentations. One night Officer Buckle sees a clip of one of his presentations, and to his amazement, he discovers Gloria’s role in the presentations. The policeman realizes that Gloria is the star of the show. Annoyed, he decides to share his safety tips on his own, but the children fall sleep during his presentation. Then Gloria is invited to visit the school, but she, too, sleeps during his talks. Finally, a big accident occurs at a school and Claire, a sweet and observant student, writes to Officer Buckle begging him and Gloria to come back to the school to share their valuable tips. Officer Buckle realizes that he and Gloria have more to offer as a team than either of them by themselves. Some experts criticized this book as having illustrations that were “too cute” for the prestigious Caldecott while others praised it for the way it demonstrated the value of text and illustrations working in harmony. Children seem to like the observant Claire, noting that she subtly appears in all of the school illustrations.

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University Provo

1997 Medal Winner:

Wisniewski, David. (1996). Golem. New York: Clarion.

Wisniewski has retold a story from Jewish history about unleashing the power of the Golem in times of need. This complex tale begins in the year 1580 when the Jews of Prague were being persecuted for the wrongful rumor that the Jews were mixing the blood of Christian children with the flour and water of matzoh, perpetuating the “Blood Lie” myth. Judah Lowe ben Bezalel was the chief rabbi of Prague at that time and knew that violent reactions from the people of Prague lay ahead. During a dream one night the image of the Golem and how to create this creature came to the rabbi. “Was this the heavenly answer he sought?” (p. 4). Asking his best student, Yakov and his son-in-law, Itzak, for help, they created the Golem. Using the mystical spirit of the Kabala, the power of Life was unleashed. As the Golem came forth, the rabbi engraved the word Truth on his forehead, named him Joseph, and together they went to the ghetto to protect the Jews. Again, as rumors spread, the enemies of the Jews banded together and attacked the ghetto, resulting in the Golem growing monstrously large to begin battling these enemies unmercifully. The rabbi arrived in time to clean up the mess, and carrying the promise of protection for the Jews from the emperor, sent the Golem back to his clay existence, locked away until the next time he is needed. Extensive historical notes at the end of the book are included. Wisniewski’s unique style of cut-paper illustration requires 1,000 razor blades for the Exacto knife he uses to complete the pictures for his books. A book trailer on YouTube can will serve as an introduction to the book. Background information on this author is can be found on Children's Lit, and a study guide is available from Rutgers. ReadWriteThink offers a lesson plan idea on superheroes.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1998 Medal Winner:

Zelinsky, Paul O. (Reteller).(1997). Rapunzel. Illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Dutton.

The story of Rapunzel is often one of the favorite fairy tales stories of many little girls, intrigued by the idea of a girl kept hidden in a tower, letting her hair down to let the world in, but never being able to leave that tower. With sumptuous oil paintings that allow the beauty of the tower and Rapunzel with her amazingly-long tresses to be highlighted, the author/illustrator takes readers backward in time in this retelling of the classic story to a place that was not necessarily gentler and kinder. Echoing as he does the style of Italian Renaissance painters, the illustrator’s paintings are luminescent, and he shows much devotion in the simple gesture of the prince holding Rapunzel's hand in his own once he enters the tower. The separate but equal anguish of the sorcerer and Rapunzel are depicted perfectly in the scene in which the sorcerer hacks off Rapunzel's hair, both of them losing what they most valued with that very act. Although this is a picture book, it touches upon adult themes. After the prince visits her every night, Rapunzel's dress seems too tight, a sign that she is pregnant and proof to the sorceress that she has not been alone all those nights. One aspect of the illustrations that may interest readers is the cat that keeps appearing throughout the gorgeously illustrated pages of this picture book.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1999 Medal Winner:

Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. (1998). Snowflake Bentley. Illus. by Mary Azarian. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

From the eye-catching woodcut illustrations of farm scenes of ever-falling snow accompanied by snow crystal sketches on the sides of the pages, this picture book biography of Wilson Bentley is sure to appeal to young readers and to anyone with a sense of curiosity. It also provides a terrific story about one man's passion for one topic (snow) and his desire to learn as much as he possibly could about that topic. There is much to admire in his single-minded determination to photograph as many snow crystals as he possibly could. The text and illustrations hint at the ridicule Bentley and his family must have endured from others in his small Vermont town while paying tribute to supportive parents who assist the dreamer without always understanding the dreams. Young readers are likely to be inspired by the story of this self-taught naturalist who provided vivid proof of the beauty, artistry, and uniqueness of the downy flakes that fall through the sky during the winter. What others saw as just mounds of white stuff to be shoveled out of the way, Bentley saw as inspiration.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

2000 Medal Winner:

Taback, Simms. (1999). Joseph had a little overcoat. New York: Viking.

Using bright colors and die-cut illustrations that decrease in size over the course of the book, the author/illustrator tells the story of Joseph. He loves his overcoat, but as so often happens, the coat becomes worn and a bit ragged after much wearing. Joseph doesn’t simply toss the overcoat away because it’s no longer new. A firm supporter in reinventing his possessions, Joseph uses what he can of the coat to fashion, by turns, a jacket, a vest, a scarf, a necktie, a handkerchief, and a button. When he has nothing left of the overcoat, he ends up telling the story of his resourcefulness. Young readers will relish the facial expressions and the delight with which Joseph comes up with one more use for that overcoat. They will quickly turn the pages to see what Joseph has fashioned next. Since they can see the fabric through the die-cuts, they will enjoy trying to guess the next article of clothing.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

2002 Medal Winner:

Wiesner, David. (2001). The three pigs. New York: Clarion Books.

This Caldecott Award-winning title serves up a multimodal version of the classic story of the three pigs who head out into the world to seek their fortune. The first pig builds a house out of straw only to have a wolf blow down the house…But wait, in this version of the story, that’s not quite what happens. Instead, the pig is blown out of the frame! The wolf then heads to the second little pig’s house made out of sticks, and as he is issuing his threat, the pig walks out of the frame. While the wolf is visiting the third pig’s house built with bricks, the pages move, and the pigs find themselves in the middle of nowhere, but within the pages of the book. The pigs make a paper airplane and crash land into the nursery rhyme “Hey, Diddle Diddle.” After moving from that page, they meet and rescue a dragon from another story. They return to the original story with their new friends, and once again, in the brick house, they face the wolf again. Young readers and teachers might enjoy reading the book to find out how the friends drive the wolf away.  They also might enjoy visiting this three-time Caldecott Medal Award-winning author’s website and reading the author’s acceptance speech for the award.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

2003 Medal Winner:

Rohmann, Eric. (2002). My friend Rabbit. New York: Macmillan.

Many children and adults have a friend similar to Rabbit. Impulsive and energetic, he doesn’t always look before he leaps, which causes problems for the long-suffering Mouse, his best friend. This picture book’s appeal is in the universality of the experiences shared by Mouse and Rabbit. Because Mouse loves his friend, he puts up with him, even when he causes trouble. Although Rabbit means well, his solutions to problems often lead to even more problems, and nothing ever goes as he plans. This simply told tale has a timeless quality about it, and the hand-colored relief prints show Rabbit's gleeful joy as he plays with Mouse's airplane, seemingly unconcerned about it becoming stuck in a tree or Mouse's inability to see while he's flying. The easy-to-read text follows the two from mishap to mishap. Mouse tolerates his friend’s antics, even joining him after advising caution. The text prompts reflection about Mouse's seemingly infinite patience and Rabbit's lack of awareness. While readers may laugh at everything that goes awry, some may wonder what to do when a friend is as careless about consequences as Rabbit.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

2006 Medal Winner:

Juster, Norton. (2005). The hello, goodbye window. Illus. by Chris Raschka. New York: Hyperion/Michael Di Capua Books.

The kitchen window at her grandparents' house is particularly important for one young girl. Through that window, she can see all the possibilities of the world outside, but it also is the window through which she can see the warm home they have created and share with her whenever she stays with them. The author has captured many of the universal experiences of growing up and feeling sheltered from the frightening world that lies just around the corner or even in the backyard. Readers will be convinced that over time, with enough support, the girl will start to explore the world, gaining strength to take risks because of simple moments such as a breakfast prepared lovingly with hidden fruits inside the oatmeal. These delicious surprises represent the surprises that life, too, has to offer. The colorful illustrations may not be to everyone's taste, but they brilliantly mimic the artwork that might be drawn by a little girl, and they show the love between the family members and the joy the granddaughter feels when spending time with her grandparents. Their shared love allows her to embrace the world outside even when she must say goodbye to them.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

2011 Medal Winner:

Stead, Philip. (2010). A sick day for Amos McGee. Illus. by Erin Stead. 32 pages. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Amos McGee is devoted to the animals in his care—especially his good friends the rhino, the elephant, the tortoise, the penguin, and the owl. Not only does Amos care for his friends, but he carefully chooses activities that are just right for each of them. For instance, he runs races with the tortoise and plays chess with the elephant. One day Amos feels sick when he wakes up, causing him to stay home from work. His animal friends miss him so much that they take a bus to his home to care for him. A strong implicit theme comes through this story: Good friends care for one another and consider each other’s needs and desires. With their subtle colors, Erin Stead’s gentle and expressive woodblock and pencil illustrations match perfectly the simple text. Moreover, the illustrations bring out the unique personalities and acts of kindness of Amos and his animal friends. The book subtly reminds us that we should never be too busy to share our time with our friends.

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University Provo

2012 Medal Winner:

Raschka, Chris. (2011). A ball for Daisy. New York: Random House/Schwartz & Wade.

Puppies and bouncy objects seem to be drawn to each other almost magnetically. Like most puppies, Daisy loves her red ball, spending hours amusing herself with it. In fact, she even sleeps with it at times. When the red toy pops while she and another dog are playing with it, she is bereft. She continues to carry around the remains of her toy long after it is no longer really a toy. After some months have gone by, she and her human companion take a walk in the park, and she encounters her canine playmate with a blue ball. After frolicking with the toy, Daisy returns home with it. The ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations are simply amazing, showing the great delight with which Daisy plays with the two different balls. Anyone who has spent time with a puppy will recognize the utter joy that a simple toy can give to a dog like Daisy. Words would be redundant in this wordless picture book since the illustrations tell the story seamlessly.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

With the New Year, as we are setting goals related to our health and well-being, we are both focusing on pilates. Kim’s interest has evolved through years of practicing pilates regularly. Jan’s interest is new, and arises with fresh concern (and discomfort) associated with sitting in front of a computer for hours each day and getting very little exercise at all.

Fortunately, goal setting, breaking and establishing habits, and taking risks have similarities, regardless of the context. Basically, we are both thinking of how to extend ourselves in our health practices.

Similarly, neither of us have much balance in our lives. We work far too much and take care of ourselves and our personal lives far too little. Rather than saying, however, “Balance is just impossible for us,” we’ve begun to push back on these feelings of overwhelmedness. Instead, we’re asking, “Given that we won’t be perfectly balanced by New Year’s Day 2014, what can we do to become more balanced this year?” Becoming more balanced feels doable.

Many educators are understandably overwhelmed by the Common Core State Standards. It seems that the field of education is changing at light speed, with little margin for reflection. If the CCSS feels bigger than you can take on or if you just don’t know where to start, try nudging your instruction in the direction of the Common Core with gentle stretches.

None of us will figure out a perfect Common Core implementation—there will always be new ways to shape and refine our work with students—but we can extend our work in the direction of the Common Core. These extensions of practice align with sound instruction, whether you are thinking about the Common Core or not, so you can adopt and adapt these ideas to fit your practice today.

Here are five ways you can start stretching:

Stretch 1: Plan lessons that address more than one standard.
For years now, school districts, books, and consultants have told us “one standard per lesson.” We’ve been ardently encouraged to FOCUS. The Common Core is different in that the anchor standards are interconnected, and you really can’t work on one without working on others. So in reality, our efforts to narrow our instruction to a single standard have been an exercise in impossibility. All lessons teach more than one thing. With the Common Core, we can begin to think about the ways these connections between standards can serve students.

Stretch 2: Select texts that give students a lot to think about.
We refer to anchor standard 10—“Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently”—as the “Read to Think” standard. Basically, rather than getting lost in lexile levels and grade-level bands, you can dip your toes into the Common Core by selecting texts that make students think more. Is there something substantive to consider in the book you are sharing with students? If there is, then they will practice looking closely at the text, whether it is the exactly right level (as if such a thing exists) or not.

photo: myyogaonline via photopin cc

Stretch 3: Make your modeling messier.
Typically, our instruction along the gradual release of responsibility begins with modeling that is very tidy. The context illustrates the meaning of the word we are trying to figure out. The paragraph we are summarizing has just enough sentences and makes a clear point. While contrived practice can be helpful, it is inauthentic and doesn’t mirror the work students will need to do as they read independently. When you are modeling in read aloud, shared reading, or guided reading, let yourself have some problems. Don’t plan everything you are going to say so perfectly, but put your planning time into finding a text that will engage students and give them something to think about. In sum, make the modeling you do look more like real reading.

Stretch 4: Watch and listen more. Talk less.
This fourth stretch is deceptively simple, but when we work with schools, we find that educators really struggle with this. Basically, we have to close our mouths more during lessons and open our eyes. Don’t spend every minute of independent reading conferencing with students. Take some time to walk around and watch them. Make notes. Administrators who are reading this are getting nervous! We aren’t implying that teachers sit back and relax. We are saying, instead, that all the frenetic activity of classrooms may not be accomplishing as much as everyone thinks. Slow down a bit. Watch and wait. Plan. Work smarter.

Stretch 5: Foster problem-solving rather than dependence.
This stretch is really the simplest and probably and perhaps the most powerful. By changing your language in subtle ways, you can encourage students to take risks and stick with difficult tasks. Instead of sending students off to work independently by saying, “Raise your hand if you need help and I will come help you,” try one of these:

• Raise your hand if you solve a problem; I want you to show me how you figured it out.
• Raise your hand when you have a page of writing; I want you to read it to me.
• Raise your hand if you learn a new word from the book you are reading; I want you to teach it to me.

We look forward to facilitating a pre-convention institute, “The Common Core Literacy Block: What Will It Look Like In My Classroom?” at IRA’s 2013 Annual Convention. We are excited to have Barry Lane, Dorothy Barnhouse, Mary Lee Hahn, and Vicki Vinton join us as co-facilitators. The day promises to be filled with music, poetry, ideas, lessons, and laughs. We hope you can join us!

Jan Miller Burkins is the founder of Jan Miller Burkins Consulting and Literacyhead.com, and is an author of PREVENTING MISGUIDED READING: NEW STRATEGIES FOR GUIDED READING TEACHERS (IRA, 2010).

Kim Yaris has worked as both a classroom teacher and a literacy coach for 19 years. Currently, she serves as Executive Director of Literacy Builders and in this role she provides literacy staff development to school districts across Long Island, New York. She works daily alongside teachers in grades kindergarten through eight demonstrating lessons, coaching for more effective teaching, mapping curriculum, and providing thoughtful training seminars in reading and writing workshop. Kim regularly presents her work at local, regional, and national conferences, maintains literacy-builders.com, a website designed to serve as an online teaching resource center for educators, and blogs daily about the Common Core with Jan Miller Burkins at burkinsandyaris.com.



The Common Core State Standards for Literacy: How Do We Make Them Work?

Teaching Tips: What Should Be Common in the Common Core State Standards?

by Dr. Richard E. Ferdig

The creation and adoption of innovative technologies often provides opportunities to rethink current education practices. For instance, the development of low-cost laptops and their portability helped schools rethink 1:1 technology initiatives (one computer per child). The high adoption of gaming devices at all age and socioeconomic levels gave rise to new thinking about the gamification of learning environments. And the engaging nature of virtual environments have helped teachers reconsider the concept of the field trip.

A new report from the State Educational Technology Directors Association follows suit and asks readers to reexamine and reconsider textbooks and the delivery of content to students. In "Out of Print: Reimagining the K-12 Textbook in a Digital Age", the authors even suggest not calling this new media e-texts or e-books, as they suggest such terminology perpetuates "the old notion of a single textbook per subject as being the optimal source of instructional material" (p. 6).

The authors make a strong argument that there are a variety of important reasons for schools to shift away from traditional textbooks. "It is not a matter of if reimagining the textbook will permeate all of education, only a matter of how fast" (p. 6). The authors note the challenge is that most schools are ignoring digital texts. "The educational environment isn't exploiting digital content for all of the benefits that can accrue for today’s learners. The gap is widening for what we do in our lives—how we communicate, work, learn, and play—and how we’re educating our kids" (p. 5).

According to the authors, the benefits of using digital content (the re-envisioning of the current textbook) are many. Content can be updated immediately; students are no longer required to engage old content just because schools can't afford new print books. Students can also access their texts anywhere they can take their electronic device. And, teachers can push personalized learning immediately to their device. Finally, given the widespread development and availability of open education resources (OER), content can be much richer and more engaging.

The report includes examples from multiple states where e-content is currently replacing traditional textbooks in all content areas. For instance, "the work of CK-12 focuses on middle school and high school Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) subjects; but Utah will be using the platform for support in K-6 and language arts as well" (p. 19). The report also highlights requirements to make this a smooth transition, including recommendations at the policy and practical level.

What impact does this shift have on and for literacy educators? There are at least five considerations.

1. Perhaps the most obvious implication is that literacy educators need to reexamine their current textbooks. What does an anthology of literature look like in a 21st century digital format? How could one draw on the affordances of such tools to move beyond just print stories? How do vocabulary textbooks draw on the promise of personalized learning through just-in-time delivery of differentiated practice and feedback?
2. Successful programs prepared teachers for these transitions. How are we preparing our literacy educators to live in a world where delivery and consumption of content will be electronic?
3. There has been strong argumentation for the connection between literacy, digital literacy, and 21st century literacies. There has also been important research into how students are learning to read and write online. Removing print text will force a deeper understanding of how to best support our readers and writers. As such, there is an immediate need for more funded research in this critical area.
4. A related, critical area of study is multimodal composition. This is the notion that students are not just reading and writing print text in a digital format. Reading and writing is being expanded to include multiple media such as movies, blogs, animations, voice, etc. We need to make sure that the push to digital content does not fall back to print only. And, perhaps more importantly, we have to ensure that teachers and students are not just consumers of such content, but also producers.
5. How can e-content support struggling readers and writers? At the surface level, there is strong argumentation that such text could support such readers and writers more than traditional methods because of the affordances of the tools involved (the report has a timely discussion of CAST's work on UDL). However, just because it can support them does not mean it will do so automatically.

Some are recommending that e-content, e-books, or e-texts completely replace print textbooks within 5 years (p. 3). As literacy educators, we need to not just prepare, but also capitalize on this opportunity to re-think literacy instruction in the 21st century.

Dr. Richard E. Ferdig is a professor of ITEC and the Summit Professor of Educational Technologies at the Research Center for Educational Technology, Kent State University, rferdig@gmail.com.

This article is part of a series from the International Reading Association Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).

 

by Nicole Timbrell and Jenny Power

Every class consists of enthusiastic and reluctant recreational readers. Online book clubs provide a new way for teachers to use the enthusiasm of engaged readers to influence those who are indifferent towards reading. We (Nicole Timbrell and Jenny Power), two Sydney-based secondary school teachers, combined our professional strengths, as English classroom teacher and teacher librarian respectively, and set out to enhance our students' engagement with recreational reading by adopting online book clubs. We supplemented traditional reading promotion strategies with online book clubs hosted by Good Reads and Inside A Dog, to develop greater interest in recreational reading. By structuring our classes around these online tools, we extended the scope of our role as enabling adults  to provide a stimulating reading environment that reached beyond the walls of the classroom.

Both Good Reads and Inside A Dog provide extensive databases of fiction and non-fiction which allow users to access book covers, blurbs, reviews and ratings for each book. Users create a profile and add books to their "online shelves" as a record of their past, current and future reading patterns. Teachers are then able to construct groups within these websites and invite their students to become part of the class book club. By adopting the model of social networking sites, both Good Reads and Inside a Dog allow users to become online "friends" in order to view one another’s profiles and share reviews and recommendations. The promotion of shared reading experiences among peers, and the ability of students to gain reading ideas and motivation from the more enthusiastic and capable readers within the class were found to be the most appealing features of these websites.

We managed our online book clubs by asking students to:

• Construct profiles to display current, past and future reading choices
• Reply to discussion points posted on the online book club home page
• Set personal reading goals to extend their repertoire and display these on their profile
• Write book reviews 
• Read other students’ book reviews to make and receive recommendations
• Use the search functions of the website to seek recommendations for future reading

Benefits for students participating in these online reading communities include:

• Increased enthusiasm and inspiration to read books their peers had enjoyed
• An ability to better locate and select books for their interest and ability
• Improved knowledge of the etiquette of online communication

Benefits for teachers include the ability to:

• Monitor all students’ reading progress and keep a record for use during discussions with students and parents
• Personalise recommendations and provide individual suggestions for future reading
• Construct closed online reading communities which enable younger students to communicate in a moderated environment
• Set authentic writing tasks due to the publication of reviews and discussion posts to a real audience in a "live" online space

Nicole Timbrell is an English teacher (Grades 7-12) at Loreto Kirribilli, in Sydney Australia.

Jenny Power is a teacher librarian at Loreto Kirribilli, in Sydney Australia. 

Nicole and Jenny share an interest in adolescent literacy, online reading comprehension and new literacies and work together to incorporate ideas from these areas into the English classroom.

This article is part of a series from the International Reading Association Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).