Thank you, Metronet!

In June I attended the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA.

I was very fortunate to have a scholarship from Metronet to help me attend.

If you are a librarian in Minnesota in the Metro area, chances are your library is a Metronet member, and you too could get a scholarship to participate in something fabulous.

Dearest Metronet,

Three things I loved about attending ALA Annual 2012:

1. Authors and Illustrators

My time at ALA was filled with amazing authors and illustrators.

I met so many wonderful authors and illustrators while exploring the vendor exhibits.

Jon Scieszka, R.J. Palacio, Katherine Applegate, Dan Santat

There were also many award events celebrating amazing authors and illustrators.

Newbery/Caldecott Banquet:

Arriving at the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet

Newbery Award winner Jack Gantos (photo by Travis Jonker)

Coretta Scott King Award Breakfast:

Shane Evans CSK Illustrator Award Winner singing a musical connection to his book Underground

Odyssey Award Presentation (for the best audiobook produced for children or young adults):

One of my favorite moments of the conference was when Kirby Heyborne, narrator of the Odyssey Award winning audiobook Rotters, pulled out a guitar and sang to librarians.

2. Inspiration, new ideas & strategies from fabulous sessions

I loved the AASL track of sessions for the conference. It was inspiring to hear my peers from around the country share the amazing things that have done with libraries and kids. I am excited to bring back so many ideas to my own school and community.

Session: There's an App for That: Using Technology to Enhance Children's Librarianship

3. Networking with my PLN in REAL LIFE!

A PLN is a Professional Learning Network. I have connected with many school librarians and teachers through Twitter and blogs. At ALA I was able to connect with them in person. Meeting face to face strengthened and deepened those relationships that provide me with constant support and inspiration.

Teachers and Librarians in my PLN with author/illustrator Raina Telgemeier
at the #MGmeetup sponsored by Walden Pond Press

At the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet
with librarians Jennifer Reed & John Schumacher and Author Sharon Creech

Thank you, Metronet, for helping me attend ALA 2012!

Caldecott Challenge 1958

At the Public Library in Cerritos, CA reading the 1958 Caldecott winner Time of Wonder

1958 Medal Winner: 

Time of Wonder 

by Robert McCloskey

1958 Honor Books:

Fly High, Fly Low 

by Don Freeman

Anatole and the Cat 

illustrated by Paul Galdone

written by Eve Titus

Caldecott Challenge Current Total: 102

Caldecott Challenge 1957

1957 Medal Winner: 

A Tree is Nice

illustrated by Marc Simont 

written by Janice Udry

1957 Honor Books:

Mr. Penny's Race Horse 

by Marie Hall Ets

1 is One 

by Tasha Tudor

Lion 

by William Pène du Bois

Anatole

illustrated by Paul Galdone

written by Eve Titus

Gillespie and the Guards

illustrated by James Daugherty

written by Benjamin Elkin

Caldecott Challenge Current Total: 99

Giveaway: Boy + Bot by Dyckman

What it's about:

A boy and a robot meet and become friends.

What I love:

I love robots, and the illustrations of Bot are just darn cute! I also love the parallel stories of Boy's and Bot's perspectives. This book makes for a great, simple introduction to point of view for primary grades. 

I read, re-read and read aloud Boy+Bot many times before I discovered another reason I love it. My 6 year old read it to me the other night, and I discovered what an awesome book it is for early readers. 

Would I like to see the Geisel Award Committee take a look at Boy + Bot?

Affirmative!

Enter the Boy+Bot Giveaway

I am giving away a SIGNED copy of Boy + Boy by the wonderful Ame Dyckman.

Submit your email in the form below to enter the giveaway.

Rules for the Giveaway

1. The giveaway will run from June 19 to 5:55 p.m. CST on Thursday, June 21.

2. You must be at least 13 to enter.

Caldecott Challenge 1956

I am reading through all the Caldecott Winner and Honor books from 1938 to present.
So far I've read from 1938 to 1956.

1956 Caldecott Winner and Honor Books

Here is what I like about the award books from 1956:

One version of Frog Went A-Courtin' as a song:

1956 Medal Winner: 

Frog Went A-Courtin'

illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky

retold by John Langstaff

1956 Honor Books:

Play With Me

by Marie Hall Ets

Crow Boy 

by Taro Yashima

Current Caldecott Challenge Total: 93/310

Caldecott Challenge 1955

1955, the year that brought us The Micky Mouse Club and Captain Kangaroo, finally brought a Caldecott Gold to Marcia Brown after 6 Caldecott honors. Her version of Cinderella is a classic that still circulates with the princess and fairy crowd in my library.

The Honor winner, Book of Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli remindes me a lot of the Mother Goose book I grew up with. It's big and thick and filled with tons of nursery rhymes, with rich, full color illustrations every few pages. There are lots of lesser known nursery rhymes along with familiar ones and lovely line drawings filling the the white spaces. 

I loved finding a new-to-me tongue twister about Theophilus Thistle, and the Bud helped me out with the video below.

Click to enlarge.

1955 Medal Winner:

Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper 

illustrated by Marcia Brown

translated from Charles Perrault by Marcia Brown

Honor Books:

Book of Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes

illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli 

Wheel On The Chimney

illustrated by Tibor Gergely

written by Margaret Wise Brown

The Thanksgiving Story

illustrated by Helen Sewell

written by Alice Dalgliesh

Current Caldecott Challenge Total: 90 books out of 310