My feed this month has been full of speculation about Covid-19, but I'd like to take a break from all that to focus on some reading-related posts. Let's start with something fun: a Buzzfeed quiz on bookwork habits. Then we'll move onto Time's new list of 100 Best YA.
 |
| illustration by Colin Verdi for TIME |
Just for fun: Buzzfeed Quiz
How Many Of These Bookworm Things Did You Do As A Kid? -- I admit it, I have tried walking and reading, stumbling and running into things way too many times. How about you? What bookworm things can you fess up to doing?
100 Best YA Books
Time Magazine's 100 Best YA Books of All Time is a fabulous list of classics and brand new titles. You'll definitely see classics on there (Little Women, Lord of the Flies) and some popular best-sellers (Hunger Games, The Hate U Give). I especially appreciate the range of stories and voices included here.
Age-Appropriate Discussions about Race
In KQED's Mind/Shift, veteran educator Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul talks about how to have age-appropriate discussions about race. Scholar Dr. Ibram X. Kendi wrote "Stamped from the Beginning" as a definitive history of racism in America, and Jason Reynolds remixed this for teens as “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.” Now, we have “Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You,” an adaptation aimed at 7- to 12-year-olds. I found it particularly interesting how Dr. Cherry-Paul suggested taking into account younger children's development when you're talking about these tough topics.
Broad strokes of nuanced ideas will do the trick for young learners. Instead of focusing on small details, concentrate on big picture ideas and how to stoke sustainable interest. “I just had to remind myself that ‘Stamped (For Kids)’ is a start and not an end to the kind of reading that students should have access to across their lives about race and racism. And if I've done my job well, they'll want to read more,” says Cherry-Paul.
Ten Ways to Make Storytimes Interactive
Are you looking for ways to keep young listeners engaged as you read stories with them? Check out author Abi Cushman's post in Nerdy Book Club. Whether it's choosing stories with built in guessing games (like Cushman's new book Animals Go Vroom!), or books that get kids moving -- Cushman shares her favorite ways to engage young kids during storytime.
What's in your feed these days? Drop me a note, and let me know if you find any of these articles interesting.
©2021 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books
No comments:
Post a Comment