Reading is a BLAST! Inside an Innovative Literacy Collaboration Between Public Schools and the Public Library

Public libraries have long supported the literacy goals of public schools in their communities by providing access to printed and electronic resources that enhance learning and teaching. This article describes an ongoing collaboration between the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s BLAST outreach program and the Pittsburgh Public Schools that has positively impacted thousands of students by increasing access to library resources while also emphasizing vocabulary, text-based discussion, and writing using both fiction and informational texts. This program can serve as a model for similar community partnerships that have the potential to enrich the literacy lives of students

Page Turners: Books for Children

Nine recommended books for children are described

“How do you think it went?”: An Exploratory Study of Cooperating Teacher Feedback about Preservice Teachers' Literacy Instruction

This study examines the nature of discourse about literacy instruction that occurs within the field placement. Using a comparative case study design within three first and second grade classrooms, participants conducted four read-aloud lessons over the duration of the study. Written and verbal post-lesson conference feedback were analyzed for evidence of discussion about high quality read-aloud instruction. The findings suggest that cooperating teachers provided limited feedback about literacy instruction; however, with the implementation of a feedback tool in the second phase of the study, post-lesson discussion with preservice teachers about the features of a high quality read-aloud lesson was more prevalent. These results suggest that cooperating teachers and preservice teachers may benefit from an explicit focus on feedback and that university supports in the form of a feedback tool may be one way to emphasize, and thus improve, knowledge about literacy instruction

Page Turners: Books for Children

In the graphic novel world, Maus, by Art Spiegelman, is considered one of the most influential graphic novels. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Maus helped the format to gain legitimacy as a format worthy of teaching and reading. Maus speaks to and literally illustrates the horrors of the Holocaust in graphic form making the fear, guilt, and relief experienced, by Vladek Spiegelman (and all Survivors) tangible to the reader. The work also explores the long-term trauma experienced by children of survivors, something not many Holocaust stories address. Maus tells the story from a Jewish perspective which is sometimes overlooked in favor of Holocaust stories which prioritize the heroics of Gentiles over the horror of the victims. As the world loses survivors, works like Maus become even more important. Their stories cannot be forgotten. Maus honors these stories and should be a must read in every American classroom. Ages 12+. (CKM

Page Turners: Books for Children

A Bear Far from Home Written by Susan Fletcher Illustrated by Rebecca Green Anne Schwartz Books, 2022 ISBN 978-0-593-18189-8   A snowy white polar bear lives joyfully and moves freely in frigid Norway. . . until the day that everything changes. Suddenly, the bear’s days of romping through snow and swimming in icy waters are over.  The bear is trapped, caged, and shipped off to a foreign land; presented as a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England. Based on historical documents from 13th century Europe, this beautifully illustrated picture book introduces young readers to the menagerie of animals, creatures from all corners of the world, that were kept at the Tower of London. The poignant text points to the sad captivity faced by one bear, but fortunately, also leaves readers with a sense of hopefulness, when the King of England orders that the bear be allowed to swim and fish in the river each day. This compelling storyline has historical moorings and could serve as a powerful tool for learning about animal rights and humane education. Ages 4-8

Page Turners: Books for Children

In this article, different children’s books are listed with descriptive summaries on each one. The books include: A Blue Kind of Day; Most Perfect You; The World’s Best Class Plant; Yoshi: Sea Turtle Genius; The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country; Mrs. Peanuckle’s Earth Alphabet; A Spark in the Dark; School Trip: A Graphic Novel (The New Kid Book 3); Sharks: A Mighty Bite-y History; and Squished

Page Turners: Books for Children

In this article, different children’s books are listed with descriptive summaries on each one. The books include: Blast Off! How Mary Sherman Morgan Fueled America into Space; Little Houses; Memory Jars; Once Upon A Book; Salat in Secret; The Year We Learned to Fly; Across the Tracks: Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre; Luminous: Living Things that Light Up the Night; and My Brother is Away.&nbsp

Page Turners: Books for Children

In this article, different children’s books are listed with descriptive summaries on each one. The books include: Agatha May and the Angler Fish; Big; Hello, Puddle!; Kitty; The Last Stand; Oh, Panda; Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear; What’s Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon? (And Other Questions about Moths and Butterflies); Freaky Heart

Page Turners

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