Notes from The Max

Book and Education News for May

A quick round-up of education and literacy related news and events for May:

• Two more weeks! There are just two more weeks until our 20th Annual Awards Luncheon on Friday May 13th. Tickets are still available for the event and can be purchased by visting the Events page on our website. Don't miss out on seeing this year's Max Warburg Fellows!
• Boston Public Schools has partnered with Swap.com for the Swap4Schools program. The program is a new and innovative way of helping schools receive the items and supplies they need. Schools are invited to create an account with a wishlist of materials for their classrooms. Swap.com then matches the school's needs with items available from community members' inventory. At a time when schools are facing increased budget cuts, this program will help deliver books, CDs, DVDs and other classroom items to the schools.
• A new study from the MA Department of Public Health found that 1 in 4 Massachusett's middle school students have been bullied. According to the Boston Globe, "the report found that students who said they had been involved in bullying, as both a perpetrator and a victim, were five times more likely to report they had been hurt physically by a family member." The study is one of the first of its kind and highlights the strong connection between school and family life. The survey was conducted in 2009 and released one year after MA lawmakers enacted a law that requires schools to adopt clear anti-bullying procedures. 
• As part of National Library Week in April, the American Library Association released the 2011 State of America's Libraries report. Among the reports findings were some sobering statistics regarding school libraries: middle and high school libraries in high-poverty areas suffered the most budget cuts last year and saw decreases in book, video and periodical holdings. The full report (which includes new information about how libraries are approaching digital content) can be viewed on the ALA website. 
• Upcoming Book Events: satirist David Sedaris will be at Harvard University's Sanders Theater in Cambridge on Saturday May 7th; Brookline Booksmith will host Kathryn Stockett, author of the best-selling novel The Help (soon to be a movie) on Wednesday, May 11th; the Diversity in YA tour (with authors Holly Black, Cindy Pon, Malinda Lo, and Francisco Stork) will come to the Cambridge Public Library on Thursday Mary 12th; and middle-grade fairy tale author Gail Carson Levine will read from her newest book at Wellesley Booksmith on Wednesday May 18th. 

Thank You, Essay Judges!

Last week, The Max hosted its 20th Annual Essay Judging at the Boston Public Library and selected the sixth-grade students who will become our 2011 Max Warburg Fellows. More than 100 volunteers from all walks of life came together to read essays from the "Courage in My Life" participants and select a handful to represent their classes and their schools. This was no easy task as we received over 2,000 essays this year and each essay details an individual student's unique, personal story.

The winning essays do not always have perfect spelling or the best grammar; instead, they are the essays that best exemplify what it means to be courageous and how courage can show up in our lives. Though we cannot choose every student's essay, we do read each and every one. Whether a student is honored as a Max Warburg Fellow or not, they will know that their story is important and they are courageous.

Many of our judges have participated year after year, coming back again and again because this is their favorite part of our program. They are often thrilled to be a part of this event and some have even said that this year's Essay Judging was "the best ever!" We want to extend our greatest thanks to everyone who helped read essays this year. We could not do it without you!

Think for Yourself

On Saturday, the American Library Association kicked off the annual celebration of Banned Books Week, the only national celebration of the freedom to read. Held yearly since 1982 by the ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom, Banned Books Week "highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted banning of books across the U.S."

The theme for this year's celebration is, "Think for yourself - and let others do the same." To start the week-long celebration, the ALA and Banned Books Week held a Read-Out in Chicago on Saturday, during which authors featured on the "Most Frequently Challenged Books" list read aloud from their work. Locally, Lesley University in Cambridge will host a Read-Out this Thursday from 12pm to 6pm. The ALA's website has a number of resources for teachers and librarians, such as free downloads, activity suggestions and a calendar of other BBW events taking place across the country.

You might be surprised to find some of your favorite authors on the list of books challenged most frequently. Courage Curriculum novels were among the top 100 challenged books during the 2000-2009 decade, including Bridge to Terabithia, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and So Far From the Bamboo Grove, as well as novels by well-known children's authors Lois Lowry, Madeleine L'Engle and Judy Blume.

Banned Books Week starts on the heels of two recent challenges to books aimed at young adults: in one Missouri town, the local school district voted to ban Sherman Alexie's National Book Award-winning novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, while just a week ago, another Missouri town ran an newspaper editorial calling for the ban of, among other books, Laurie Halse Anderson's Printz Honor book, Speak.

A Month for Learning

Most people think of September are the "back to school" month, but there's a lot more that goes on as well. First and foremost, September is National Literacy Month, with the United Nation's International Literacy Day celebrated on September 8th.

The month-long celebration of literacy gives people the chance to call attention to and embrace the vital importance of literacy in our lives. Schools, libraries and literacy organizations across the country will host a variety of events, all designed to highlight the essential skills (the ability to read, write and speak in English) needed for success. The National Institute for Literacy has created a National Literacy Directory, which lets anyone search for literacy and education programs in their local area. As part of National Literacy Month, the Library of Congress will host the National Book Festival on September 25th on the National Mall.

September is also Library Card Sign-Up Month. Hosted by the American Library Association and celebrated by libraries across the country, Library Card Sign-Up month is the perfect time to teach children about the wonders of a library and all of the information a library card can help unleash. Best of all, library cards - and the books you can obtain with one - are free, which is something everyone can get excited about. For more information about library cards, visit the ALA's website or your local library (Bostonians can visit the BPL here). 

Whatever and however you choose to celebrate in September, it is definitely a month for learning. 

[Looking for "back to school" book suggestions? Check out The Max's post from last year.]

ALA Annual Conference

Libraries across the country will be a little bit empty this week as librarians and library professionals descend upon Washington, D.C. for the American Library Association's 2010 Annual Conference and Exhibition. Held from June 24th to June 29th, the conference is a chance for librarians, authors, booksellers and literary lovers of all types to come together to share ideas, resources and best practices for libraries across the country.

This year, the opening general session will feature Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author Toni Morrison, while the closing session will have comedian and author Amy Sedaris. The conference will also host a Speaker Series, with a number of sessions on different topics, led by a range of authors including Salman Rushdie, John Grisham, Junot Diaz, David Small, Audrey Niffenegger, and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. Massachusetts native Dennis Lehane and Courage Curriculum author David Isay will also be featured speakers.

Throughout the week, there will be tours of our nation's capital, including a special tour of Folger's Shakespeare Library and a "Lost Symbol" tour of D.C. A variety of conference sessions, panels and forums will tackle subjects such as libraries and education in the 21st century, libraries in a post-recession era, programming, ways to reach children and young adults, tips for appliny for grants and much more.

It's not all work, of course. There were be plenty of time of socializing at the banquets for the winners of the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the authors of the Newbery, Caldecott and Printz Award-winning books. There's even a book cart drill team championship, giving librarians a chance to break out their inner athlete.

The conference will also feature an exhibit hall, with publishers, booksellers and others offering products and services for the "library of the millennium." The exhibit hall will have designated booths where authors will autograph copies of their latest books. Among the authors scheduled to make appearances are: Kate Messner, Grace Lin, Matt Phelan, Avi, Melissa Marr, Jacqueline Kelly, Cornelia Funke, Will Shortz, Christopher Paul Curtis, Lane Smith, Laurie Halse Anderson, Mitali Perkins, Mo Willems, David Levithan, John Green, Nancy Werlin and many, many more. Also attending will be the 2010 Newbery Medal winner Rebecca Stead, 2010 Caldecott Medal winner Jerry Pinkney, 2010 Printz Award winner Libba Bray, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Katherine Paterson and her predecessor, Jon Scieszka.

If you won't be in the D.C. area to take part in the festivities, you can still follow the events of the week on Twitter, with the hashtag #ala10 or by following the @alaannual account.

Summer Reading

As the school year winds down and the official start of the season just a week away, here are a few of the summer reading resources available from various nonprofit organizations, school districts and library systems, to help you make the most of the next three months.

Scholastic offers a free, web-based reading program designed to help parents and educators find the best books for their children and students. With guidelines for parents and educators, readers are sure to find a book that's right for them. Students can also help reach a world recording for summer reading. By signing up and logging the number of minutes they read, they can help Scholastic attempt to set a new world record.

The Horn Book, a premiere publication for children's literature, has released its own list of reading suggestions for the summer. This list is divided by reading/age group, helping parents and educators find grade-level appropriate books for young readers. 

Each year, the American Library Association releases its Notable Children's Books list, which distinguishes the best of the best in children's literature and includes the winners of the Newbery Medal, the Caldecott Medal and the Printz Award.

In Massachusetts, the MA Regional Library Systems have come together to create the MA summer reading program found at nearly every local library. This year, the theme for the statewide reading program is the environment, with the slogan "Go Green at Your Library." The program encourages students to "think green" as they read throughout the summer. For ideas on what to read, the MRLS has created its own summer reading suggestions.

The Boston Public Library is participating in the "Go Green" campaign and has just opened up registration for Boston youth. The BPL has partnered with Boston Public Schools to create reading lists  for grades 6-8 and grades 9-12 (as well as a helpful World Cup reading list, for those soccer/football fans). The BPL will also offer a range of activities and events at the main library and its branches throughout the summer, while BPS has information on summer learning camps, summer jobs and volunteer opportunities, all designed to keep kids occupied and entertained during the summer months. 

Reading might even get you to Fenway Park! The BPL, in connection with the Red Sox Foundation and Bank of America, is offering students a chance to win tickets to an August Red Sox game. Students must read three books, then write an essay about their favorite. Entries must be turned into the main library or any of its branches by July 30th at 5:00pm.

And, if all of that still isn't enough, the Newton School District has listed all of the available summer reading lists from as many towns, cities and school districts in Massachusetts as it can. If you live in Massachusetts, chances are your summer reading list is on this web page. 

Happy Reading!

LAL 2010 Winners

A diverse range of authors, including Francisco Jimenez, Laura Ingalls Wilder, J.D. Salinger and Dr. Seuss were the imaginary recipients of letters written by young readers across the country in the 2009-2010 Letters About Literature contest.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, along with Target, hosts this annual writing contest, which asks students across the country to reflect on the books and/or authors who have had a significant impact upon their lives. Emphasis is placed on creativity and originality; the students are asked to be reflective, rather than critical or analytical.

Two national winners were chosen from each of the three competition levels (Grades 4-6, Grades 7-8, and Grades 9-12). Along with the designation of National Winner, the students received a $500 Target gift card and a $10,000 grant for their local or school library. 12 additional students (four in each level) were chosen as National Honorable Mentions.

The 2010 winners come from a variety of states and towns, including some local towns. One Honorable Mention student in the Grades 4-6 level was from the Boston suburb of Needham. The contest is open to public, private, independent, and religious schools as well as homeschooled students. According to the organizers, more than 69,000 students participated this year, a significant jump up from last year. 

In the fall of 2010, the LAL reading-writing contest will once again begin to accept submissions for the 2011 contest. For more information, please visit the Letters About Literature website.

In Celebration of Libraries

It’s April, which means spring showers, the dreaded return of allergies and School Library Month (SLM). Every spring, school libraries and librarians participating in School Library Month are encouraged to plan activities and programs that honor and pay tribute to the important role strong school libraries play in a student’s education. 2010 is also the 25th anniversary of the SLM celebration. To mark the occasion, award-winning young adult author Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak, Wintergirls) is acting as spokesperson.

This past week also saw the observation of National Library Week, a celebration of libraries of all kinds (school, research, academic, public) and the contributions they make to our society. This year’s theme is “Communities thrive at your library” and Newbery Award-winning author Neil Gaiman (The Graveyard Book) is serving as the honorary chairperson.

In conjunction with both School Library Month and National Library Week, the American Library Association released the “State of America’s Libraries” report and the “Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2009.”

The annual report indicated that libraries across the country have seen a dramatic increase in usage and library card registration as more and more people seek out the free resources, information and services many local libraries provide. According to the report, “more than 68 percent of Americans have a library card…the greatest number of Americans with library cards since the ALA started to measure library card usage in 1990.” At the same time, however, the economic downturn has led to a significant decrease in library funding and substantial budget cuts.

During this tough economic time, it’s important to remember that libraries remain a vital part of our communities and schools. Now, more than ever, we need to show our support for our local and school libraries so they can continue to serve generations of readers young and old.

If you would like to help support your library, check out the ALA's Save Your Library resource page or Save Libraries.org.

Literary News from Around the Internet

Our essay judging event last week was a great success and now that we've selected the 2010 essays for this year's volume of The Courage of Boston's Children, we're busier than ever! To tide you over while we catch up on our blogging, here are some of the literary news stories floating around the Internet this week.

• Voting for the 2010 Children's Choice Book Awards is now open. The Children's Choice Awards are one of the few book awards selected by young readers themselves. Anyone can vote by visiting the Children's Book Week website. The awards will be announced during Children's Book Week, which will be held across the country from May 10th to the 16th. 
• For those of you who don't quite like basketball, there's another March Madness tournament you can get excited about - School Library Journal's Battle of the Kids Books. This literary face-off features authors, critics and bloggers choosing between two books and sending the winning book to the next round (you can even fill out you own bracket, just like the "real" March Madness). The literary battles will continue until April 5th, when one book will be crowned the victor. 
• Last week, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a bill that aims to stop or reduce bullying in schools. Throughout the years, The Max has published several stories about students dealing with bullies and teasing in school. They may write about their own story or their friends', but students like Larry, Tyrus and Samantha have all found the courage to stand up to bullies. 
• Like many libraries across the country, the Boston Public Library is facing severe cuts and may have to close several neighborhood branches. Last weekend, concerned citizens braved the rain to attend a rally in order to show support for both the Boston Public Library and their neighborhood branches. If you would like to know more about offering your support to the BPL, please visit their website.

2010 Essay Judging

Today is The Max's 19th annual Essay Judging, a day-long event in which we, along with our volunteer judges, take the time to read each of the "Courage in My Life" essays written by our sixth-grade students and then choose a select few to be published in this year's volume of The Courage of Boston's Children.

This year, we had more than 30 schools participate in the Courage Curriculum, with nearly 1500 essays submitted. Narrowing it down to approximately 45 essays is a daunting task. Each essay is unique, both for the personal portrayal of courage and for the effort, honesty and heart of the student authors. Moreover, our essay contest is non-traditional; we're not necessarily looking for the best written essay or the one with the least amount of spelling and grammatical mistakes. Rather, we're looking at the content - the most compelling stories, the ones in which the students come to an understanding of what it means to be courageous.

Today, we'll gather in the McKim Building of the Boston Public Library and come together to read these incredible stories from Boston's incredible students. Our volunteer judges read all of the essays and, whether their stories are chosen for publication or not, these young people will know that their story matters, that they have the opportunity to tell others and that they are courageous.