The Great Weed of '09

The Emerson library is getting a much needed face lift this summer. By late August it will even have a real wall, which is pretty amazing to me after all these years of basking in the roars of happy children going from class to class. New shelves and chairs, a fancy circulation desk with room for all kinds of things, and a top notch projector system for my teaching area as well as one for general assembly use are just a few more of the exciting changes that await us.

In preparation for this major event, I have been weeding the library with an iron fist. We have to move all of the books out of the library before the new construction/remodel can begin. Why move more books than we have to? Besides, it seems logical to have attractive, inviting, and useful books on the spiffy new shelves that will line the new wall as well as the roll around the middle of the floor.

People have been asking me about the weed.

• Why weed?


• How do you decide what to remove?


• What will happen to the discarded books? Will they get a new home?

I weed, therefore I am. I weed to keep the library filled with books that are useful and interesting and enjoyable. I weed to make space. I weed because it is good library practice. I weed because I can.

Deciding what to weed is not always easy. In fact, it rarely is. Even if the book is falling apart in my hands, I have to make the decision about whether it needs to be replaced.

For most books, there is a process that must be followed. I pick through a section of books looking at the condition of the book and the number of books we have about the same subject. I think about what the students are encouraged (or even forced) to study as well as what is interesting to most of our students. I look at the presumed last time the book was checked out (there are many flaws in the system of checking the date due slip, but it is a start) and make an educated guess about when it was purchased by looking at the bar code. The books that don't seem to fit my criteria as keepers get put on a cart and eventually make it to my desk.

This is how I spent the past week--spring break. I looked at each of the pulled books and scanned its bar code to see when it was acquired, how often it has circulated, and, if I am lucky, who was last to check it out. (I saw many books that were checked out just once to Susie Q. who loves any and all fairy tales or to Bubba Bob who reads everything parnormal. Now that they have read those books, no one else has touched them in years. There are other books that I have checked out to Luckie Duckie in what appears to be a vain attempt to get others to read them.) Then I decide the book's fate. If it has spent ten years on our shelves without leaving the library, it probably gets sent on its way.

But wait, what if it is a really good book that everybody should read once in their life? Could I toss Winnie-the-Pooh book with the classic illustrations? Of course not, but those keep circulating so they are out of consideration. How about something by Kate Seredy who I loved as a child but no one seems to ever read? That will tear at my heart strings, but in the end it may well be "so long, Kate". Some of the fiction I left out for a long time with a sign saying "Only YOU can save these books" and encouraged kids to check out anything that looked interesting and let me know if it should stay. That didn't save many.

Non-fiction is a little easier. My first year in the library, not quite ten years ago, I easily deleted a book on U. S. presidents that ended with a chapter on the new president at the time of printing. It optimistically said that this president would not have any of the ethical issues that had troubled some of our previous leaders. This new man, you see, was a Quaker and believed with this fellow Quakers in maintaining the highest standards. Even Quakers have people that don't quite live up to expectations. The president to whom they referred was, of course, Richard M. Nixon. That one was easy to delete, especially when there were kids who said, "Who's Nixon?" There are other out-dated books that make saying good-bye much more difficult. What do I do with a 20 year old book about nature that has beautiful illustrations? I read, I think, I decide if it is too dated to keep or if the illustrations make it worthy of a few more years of presumed worth. Are there some books that are old enough to be curiousities or collector's items? Maybe, but they belong somewhere other than a school library.

So it goes with each books supposedly getting fair and equal treatment. I will admit that by the end of the week, I was getting very tired of the task and fuzzy memories of the process. The ratio of books saved to books tossed seems about the same whatever day or mood I had at the moment so we can hope that all is well.

The deleted books will be for sale at our upcoming Used Book Sale. It is my hope that this sale will give new life and appreciation to myriad books that had been neglected in the library.

Now it is on to other preparations for the remodel. Hmmmm.... there is getting all of the books back, inventory, packing up the books. I also need to tackle my desk and the clutter that surrounds it. Is there no end to the fun?

April is National Poetry Month

Ah poetry.

Many people seem to think that they should hate poetry or, at the very least, refuse to understand it. Poetry, at least when I was a kid, is not cool. I suppose that explains why so much poetry aimed at kids tries too hard to be cool.

However, there is a lot of great stuff for children and young adults just waiting for you to discover it. The two most popular authors these days are two of the most humorous. Shel Silverstein will be enjoyed for years and years to come. Where the Sidewalk Ends is read, re-read, and quoted by students and teachers alike, but my favorite, because of my love of Spoonerisms, is Runny Babbit. I know that it drives some people crazy to have to decipher the flipped words (Runny Babbit is, of course, Bunny Rabbit) but the stories in the poems are funny by themselves and the flipping of sounds just makes them that much more hilarious. Silverstein's simple line drawings are a bonus in all of his books.

The nation's children's poet laureate is Jack Prelutsky who has more poetry books with a wider range of topics than anyone else I can think of at this moment--99 9/10% of them hilarious. He clearly loves writing poetry and enjoys children of all ages. You should dabble in his work yourself to find your favorites from Uggs to Ogres. I will tell you that my favorite poem of his to read aloud is "The Sneezy Snoozer" because the "Sneezy Snoozer snoozes where the Sneezy Snoozer chooses." That one is in The Baby Uggs are Hatching.

It is easy to think that there are no other children's authors besides Silverstein and Prelutsky. To do so means that you will miss myriad great poems full of laughs and tears and sighs of recognition.

My sister-in-law who is a former teacher introduced me to Antarctic Antics : A Book of Penguin Poems by Judy Sierra many years ago. The illustrations by two of my favorite artists Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey are perfect compliments for these goofy poems full of facts about penguins. While everyone enjoys guessing the answers to the "Predator Riddles" it is "Regurgitate" that gets the crowd laughing. You will never forget how penguin babies are fed after this little rhyme that begins "It's been one whole hour since I ate./ Why is my dinner always late?" and ends "Cough it up, Dad! Regurgitate!"

With a title like Please Bury Me in the Library it was impossible for me to resist a peek into this collection by J. Patrick Lewis--an entire book of poems about books and libraries. Hidden here are some words of profound wisdom. In "Great, Good, Bad" is the best definition of what makes some books better than others. Lewis succinctly puts what we all already know into six short lines, ending with "A bad book owes to many trees/ A forest of apologies." Isn't that the truth? His definition of a classic is also right on target.

A certain young girl, now in high school, used to be drawn to Haiku! Gesundheit by Ross Venokur as if by a magnet. It would not surprise me to find that five years later she still has some of them memorized and giggles when she recites them. The tendency is to think of haiku is rather serious and difficult to decipher poems. Cast that thought away and enjoy the fully illustrated gems in this collection. There is good advice: "When brushing your hair,/ it is best to use a comb,/not a lawn mower." There are those that always makes kids laugh: "Flying over town,/ Beth saw a boy she hated / and spit on his head." There is a final summation of what haiku should be: "Haiku poetry. / Poetry or poet-tree? / Words where buds should be."

To learn about the many forms of poetry, take a look at A Kick in the Head : An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms selected by Paul B. Janeczko and illustrated by Chris Raschka. From common forms like limericks and ballads to the much less familiar triolet and pantoum, every poem in this book is high quality and fun to read. A glossary of terms tells you just what to look for in each poem.

Janeczko is a poet who knows how to share his love of poetry. You will find him behind many many collections and included in many others. Don't miss A Poke in the I : A Collection of Concrete Poems. Concrete poems are impossible to reproduce here because they are words and pictures in one poem. These means that some are difficult to read aloud and all require that the reader and listener see the poem. They range from Chris Raschka's "Cat Chair" which, appropriately enough for an artist, is only one word in a lush illustration to "Swan and Shadow" by John Hollander which shows a swan and its shadow created entirely from the words of the poem which perfectly describes the subject.

For a book that is entirely a concrete story, check out Meow Ruff : A Story in Concrete Poetry by Joyce Sidman. There are many levels to this seemingly simple story of a dog and a cat. Be sure to read the grass and the table and the clouds, trees, and raindrops. Every illustration except the animals is a concrete poem. The animals speak in their own poetry from the tense beginning to the happy ending.

For strange poems, bizarre poems, that require thought, you need look no farther than F E G : Ridiculous Poems for Intelligent Children by Robin Hirsch. The title poem "F*E*G looks like gibberish "Abie's seedy effigy/ Eight chide Jake: a lemon". But is it? Read it out loud and you will discover its secret--or most of its secret. Why does it end the way it does? The book is flush with poems that play with words, like the many meanings for the word "flush". Sometimes it is a bit deep for me and other times it is perfect.

No list of children's poetry would be complete with mention of Douglas Florian who introduces the animal world through poetry. For example, Insectlopedia is filled with factual information about insects of all sorts, but each comes with a twist. Ticks are "Not gigan-tic./ Not roman-tic" and not many other things but they are "strictly parasi-tic." We wonder if the father giant water bug who lugs his kids on his back ever gets anything for Father's Day. Did daddy longlegs get such long legs "From spiderobic/Exercise?"

Joyce Sidman also writes about nature in the award winning Song of the Waterboatman and Other Pond Poems and its sequel Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow. They are beautiful, imaginative, and amazingly illustrated as well as being chock full of information. Read them. But then explore some of the other things Sidman has to offer. The World According to Dog : Poems and Teen Voices is a collection of poems that will tug at your heart and make you laugh--especially if you are a dog lover. Don't forget Meow Ruff, mentioned above. My favorite Sidman to date has to This is Just to Say : Poem of Apology and Forgiveness which presents itself as a collection of apology poems by children in an imagined sixth grade class. Those poems make up the first half of the book. Some are very funny and some are heart wrenchingly sad. Thomas apologizes for swiping a doughnut or two from the teacher's lounge. Kyle and Reuben both have apologies to make about a dodge ball game gone wrong. Carmen apologizes to the teacher for criticizing her fashion sense or lack thereof. There are apologies to parents for missed opportunities and for missing them. There are apologies to pets who died and siblings who want to die of embarrassment. The responses that make up the second half of the book are as real as the apologies. All were inspired, of course, by a famous poem by William Carlos Williams called "This is Just to Say" in which he apologies for eating the plums that someone else was probably saving, admitting as he apologizes that he enjoyed every delicious bite.

There are authors who seem to think it is a good idea to combine poetry and a novel in one succinct book. When this is done well, it is amazing. Done poorly, it is a torture to read and will drive legions of readers away from poetry for a life time. For a taste of the good take a look at two of the best authors for middle grade readers. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech is so simple and so satisfying. It will take a short time to read but will stay with you for a long, long time. It is the story of a boy who adamantly does NOT like poetry but his teacher requires that he write some every day. Gradually he pours out his life story and learns to express why he loves a special dog. Hate That Cat follows the same boy and his teacher the next year. It was not as satisfying and I have had more than one student refuse to read because nobody could or should ever hate a cat.

Karen Hesse is a master of this form, adding historical fiction to the mix for a triple whammy effect. Out of the Dust is the most moving description of life during the Dust Bowl that I have ever read. By the second poem the reader forgets that this is in free verse and is swept up in the story, egged on by the beauty of the words. Witness is an even greater undertaking because it is told in many voices, each ringing true and clear. The time is 1924. The place is small town Vermont. The Ku Klux Klan is trying to establish roots in the town. Hear the voices of the people who think this is just what the town needs and those who fear that the coming of the Klan will shatter their lives.

National Library Week

Did I mention that this week is National Library Week? I don't think so. Being off from school this week means that it is going by without note here. So head off to your public library and see what exciting things they are offering.

Enjoy

Not Too Late for Bunnies

Easter passed and I never found the time to mention a perfect addition to that Easter basket. It is never too late for a good book and this one is good for any season, though it does seem especially appropraite for spring.

Emmaline and the Bunny by Katherine Hannigan is perfect to share with your young listener or read by someone who has newly mastered the art of reading chapter books. . Read it out loud if you can, because the language is a large part of what I love about this book. It is even the perfect shape, size, and color to appeal to all the senses

Emmaline and her family live in Neatasapin, a town where everything has to be in its place all the time. There are no mud puddles, no trees, no grass, and certainly no bunnies. Children are supposed to be neat, tidy, and quiet at all times. Emmaline just doesn't fit in. She likes to jump in puddles, run down the street, and shout out wondrous happy phrases like "Dinglederrydee" and "Hoopalala". Because she doesn't fit in with the other "perfect" children, Emmaline is lonely. She wants a bunny to be her friend. When she finds one--perhaps in a dream--she learns that she must make her home an invitation to a bunny. Yes, there is a moral there, but it is told with delight and humor so I can overlook how sweet and sappy it could be. Instead of saccharin, this story is fun, engaging, and just plain charming. The author's soft illustrations are a perfect accompaniment.

As a final bonus, the book is printed in the most earth friendly manner that they could find--at least that is what the publisher says. It is entirely recycled papers. There is even an accounting of how much energy and paper was saved. I know there are those who will scoff at this, but, even if it is not absolutely accurate in the tally of savings, it is nice to see publishers thinking about the earth as they turn out truly enjoyable books.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

I heard on the radio today that it was baseball's opening day in Washington, D.C. A little research informed me that the Tigers had their opening day last Friday. It seemed like a good time to talk about baseball.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't know much about baseball and most of the time care even less. I did see the Mets play at Shea Stadium in the very early 1970's and I went to a Pittsburgh Pirates game at Three Rivers Stadium about four years later. That is all that I remember about those games except for the relief of the seventh inning stretch.

That said you can imagine that I don't read a lot of books about baseball. But wait--I have some baseball books that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

Just last night I finished The Desperado Who Stole Baseball by John H. Ritter. Mix together the Wild West, Billy the Kid, and some baseball excitement and you have a pretty good story. Jack is an orphaned boy who sets off to find his uncle Long John Dillon who has made a fortune in gold mining and baseball. Along the way, Jack meets Bill Bonney, a.k.a Billy the Kid. Jack tells lots of tall tales to make himself sound brave and smart, but Billy takes him on anyway, mostly to provide a bit of a distraction to those who are hunting for the famous desperado. Together Billy and Jack make it to Dillontown just in time for a big game with the National League Champion Chicago White Stockings. The year is 1881.) There are many twists and turns in this story. The desperado is not who you might thinking it will be. Uncle Long John Dillon isn't who Jack expected either. The book's afterward includes notes that separate fact from fiction. This is a prequel to The Boy Who Saved Baseball which I think I will have to read soon. Our library has two more baseball books by John H. Ritter that probably deserve a look as well. These books are aimed at grades three or four to six, but can be enjoyed by older readers, too.

My favorite baseball books, however, are in the Baseball Card Adventures series by Dan Gutman. Joe, the protagonist in these books, has discovered that baseball cards are magical in his hands--they have the power to transport him back in time to meet the player on the card. Time travel is a favorite topic for me so that drew me into the series. It is the history and the adventure that keep me reading. The first I read was Shoeless Joe and Me. Remember, I know very little about baseball so I had never heard about the scandal that surrounds Shoeless Joe. I also did not know that Shoeless Joe could not write so one of his painfully scribbled signatures is very rare and very valuable. The book includes information on all of this as well as the influenza epidemic which was a part of life in 1919. The adventure filled story ends with a moral decision that I have thought about many times since reading the book. There are many other titles in this series including ones about Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Honus Wagner, Abner Doubleday, Satchel Paige, Jim Thorpe, and Ray Chapman. If baseball is not your cup of tea, try other titles by Gutman such as the popular The Kid Who Ran for President, the My Weird School series, and various titles about sports, school, elections, and more. Dan Gutman is a school-wide and interest-wide favorite at Emerson. Most of his books are directed at upper elementary level readers.

Step up to the plate and try some good baseball novels.

What's Special About This Week--April 6-9

I won't be telling you about Friday this week. Good Friday is good for more than one reason this year, at least as far our school is concerned. It will be good to begin break then. The weekly happenings will return after break is over. Happy Spring.

April 6, 1992--"Barney and Friends" premiers on PBS Whether you love him or dread hearing his cheery voice, Barney has had a huge impact on television for children. Barney's website offers games, songs, activities and more.

April 6,1930--The Twinkie invented Here is another icon that is loved by some and mocked by others and has changed the way Americans find sweetness for their lives. The Twinkie, a Hostess product, was invented when a baker was looking for a thrifty way to keep in use pans that were previously only used to make strawberry shortcake. The season for strawberry shortcake was very limited so James Dewar used the pans to make cakes filled with banana filling. During World War II there was a shortage of bananas so the filling was changed to vanilla cream. In 2007, a banana flavor of Twinkie was offered again so now you have a choice of Twinkie when your sweet tooth starts complaining. The Twinkie even has its own space on the Hostess website. If you want to laugh about a sweet tooth, pick up Sweet Tooth by Margie Palatini. Poor Stewart keeps getting into trouble because his sweet tooth keeps shouting out for more sweets. Never fear, Stewart finds a way to give his sweet tooth its just desserts in this boldly illustrated and hilariously funny picture book. Don't just take my word for it. Read some of the reviews here from our library website.

April 7--No Housework Day Hmmmm...this is a day I try to celebrate as often as possible. I am not a woman who finds housework exciting. Some suggest that those who do not usually do housework--like a few kids I have met--take over all the housework for one day. What do you think? Will that catch on with your friends?

April 7, 1864--First Camel Race in the United States Believe it or not, there are still camel races in the United States--mainly in the desert states of the Southwest--but the first was an excuse to do something with the remaining camels from the U. S. Army's American Camel Corps. Everything that I know about the first camels in America comes from reading the great book Exiled by Kathleen Karr. Written in first person as if told by the camel, this book for readers ages 8 and up tells of the capture, transport, and resettlement of camels in the Mojave Desert before and during the Civil War. I found it to be very interesting. Imagine being taken from your home to be handled by a person who really did not understand camels in a new and different land. Nonetheless, this is one camel who keeps his wits about him and stays true to his heritage and his future. You can learn about camel racing in the United Arab Emirates here.

April 8--Hana Matsuri in Japan It is primarily in Japan that Buddha's Birthday is celebrated on April 8. It is called Hana Matsuri which means "flower festival" so it makes sense that it comes in the spring time when Japan is filled with beautiful flowers. Some of our Middle School Japanese students are heading to Japan on Friday. Sensei is hoping that early warm weather will not mean that they will miss the blooming of the cherry trees for which Japan is famous. Maybe some recent cooler temperatures will keep the blooms around for them to enjoy during their week in Japan. Read about Hana Matsuri and see some beautiful pictures here.

April 8, 1730--First Synagogue founded in North America Jewish people came to what is now New York City when New Amsterdam (as it was called at that time) was still very young, but it was not until 1730 that the first synagogue was built. The Mill Street Synagogue was built by Jewish people who had mostly come from Spain and Portugal as early as 1654. They were the only Jewish Congregation in New York City until 1825. You can see pictures of the Mill Street Synagogue and read about its history as here.

April 9--Thank Your School Librarian Day Actually, there is no need to thank me. I should thank you for all the fun I have every day. In looking for more information on this vitally important day, I discovered that there are many School Librarian Days and Librarian Days. Maybe you should thank a librarian more often so they don't feel the need to keep creating special days for themselves.

April 9--Longest Word Day As a true blue word lover the idea of a longest word day is especially appealing to me. When I was a kid we all thought that "antidisestablishmentarianism" was the longest word in the English language. It has 28 letters. Then along came Disney's version of "Mary Poppins" and we were all singing about "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" with its 34 letters. My personal favorite long word is "hippotomonstrousesquipedalian" (30 letters) which means, appropriately enough, "pertaining to a very long word". The Fun With Words website has many more long words and arguments about makes a word a real word. Are chemical names real words? Does the word have to be in the Oxford dictionary? Can I make up a long word and call it the longest word?

Enjoy the week and then enjoy the week of Spring Break.

Little Orphan Annie

"It's a Hard Knock Life for Us" but "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow", even in "NYC". The Emerson Middle School Troupe of performers put on a magnificent production of "Annie" last week-end. The songs continue to cheer me at odd times of the day as the melodies trip the light fantastic in my head while visions of the performers dance before my eyes. Bravo, middle school performers and supporting crew. You are amazing.

The play also got me thinking about my first introductions to Annie. I must be old because I remember the comic strip with curly-haired Annie and the well-dressed Daddy Warbucks. Think for a minute of all the comic strips that have touched the lives of people over the years. Some of you may now want to bemoan a presumed lack of comics in today's world. Wait! There are many comics for you to enjoy.

Perhaps the most popular books in the Emerson library are the Garfield, Calvin and Hobbes, and Far Side collections that rarely stay in the library more than a day before being checked out again and again.

Tin Tin and Asterix also have a great following.

The "regular" comic books that we have also get good use whether they are the old favorites like Superman and Archie or the more recent Manga types.

What I want to talk about here, however, are the graphic works that are becoming increasingly popular for all ages of readers.

Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm now numbers ten in this popular series. The girls are drawn to them because of the pink, pink, pink that permeates these joyful stories, but recently I have had a few boys bravely open the books and are just as hooked as girls in grades two to six. I am hooked, too. Babymouse reminds me a little of Walter Mitty because she has wild dreams of what should be happening to her, only to be shaken back to reality. They are set in school or other familiar kid settings and are full of the friendship highs and lows that are such a part of life. The graphics are inviting and add much to the tales. Parents will enjoy these books as much as their kids. I am especially fond of book 10, Babymouse: The Musical for all of its references to popular musicals from all eras.

There are many folks at Emerson who are not so patiently waiting for the second in the Jellaby series by Kean Soo. The first in the series takes the interesting creature that is Jellaby and the little girl who finds him right to the brink of an exciting adventure in the city and then stops. What will happen next? It's due out April 21, 2009. We are all waiting.

Bone by Jeff Smith is read and re-read by boys. It is full of odd creatures, exciting adventures, and lots of humor. More than one parent has reported that these were the books that turned a reluctant reader into someone who now consumes all kinds of books in great gulps.

I laughed out loud more than a few times as I read The Magic Pickle by Scott Morse. The plot is wonderfully outrageous. A young girl finds a very special pickle that has been created in a lab under her bedroom. Jo Jo joins the pickle in a crusade to stop the Brotherhood of Evil Produce. Together they will save the world...or will they?

On a more serious note, check out Satchel Paige: Striking out Jim Crow by James Sturm and Rich Tommaso. While the famous African American pitcher Satchel Paige is in the story, it really focuses on a young sharecropper who wants to play in the Negro League. Paige strikes him out almost immediately and the sharecropper returns to his home town. The realities of the segregated South factor into every aspect of his life. One day, Satchel Paige comes to town for a demonstration game against the land owners. It is on this day that Jim Crow strikes out. Graphic novels can give a feel of the time and place in ways that a regular novel can not. This is a wonderful example of that skill. One can not help but feel the tension and the elation in that baseball game.

There is one very special graphic novel that does not have a single word but must be studied carefully by a more mature student to be understood and appreciated. The Arrival by Shaun Tan tells the story of a man immigrating to a new country where he must establish a life for himself and his family. The beauty of the story is that this could be any country because it is no real country. The finely crafted pictures make that clear from the unidentifiable script on the buildings to the strange little creature who befriends him. There is much to be found in this book. You will want to read it over and over to find all the details in the pictures. The story will change with every reading. Or you can just enjoy the high quality art that fills each page.

There are many more graphic novels out there waiting for you to discover them. Whether you are 6 or 60 they are there for you.

Adults, there are some great graphic novels for you, too. For example, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is one that has gotten well justified praise for its look into life in Iran before and after the Shah. There are many more. Tell me what ones you have found so I can enjoy them, too.