Tag: resources

Posted in professional development

Anti-Racism Resources

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s been a scary time over the last 8 days. I’ve been trying to write posts, but just feel like anything I have to say is just… yeah. That’s where I am right now.

There’s a wealth of great information and resources available. This is m

First and foremost, The Brown Bookshelf is hosting a KidLit Rally for Black Lives, organized by award-winning authors Kwame Alexander, Jacqueline Woodson and Jason Reynolds. have organized a Kidlit Rally for Black Lives. It’s happening on June 4th, 7pm, at The Brown Bookshelf’s Facebook Live. Please spread the word about this event, and let’s give it the attendance it deserves and needs.

Librarian Cressida Hanson put together lists of titles to prompt conversation, organized by age group.

 

Kojo for Kids: Jason Reynolds Talks About Racism and The Protests – author Jason Reynolds spoke with radio journalist Kojo Nnamdi on his “Kojo for Kids” segment. The link includes a transcript and the playback of the segment.

School Library Journal/A Fuse 8 Production’s Antiracist Resources and Reads: Lists for All Ages. Elizabeth (Betsy) Bird has a fantastic compilation of reading and advice on being an ally. Resources for White Parents on raising white children is tremendously helpful. There are podcasts to listen to; films and videos to view; articles to read, and organizations to follow on social media, all suggested here. Follow her on Twitter @FuseEight.

Karen Jensen, better known as Teen Librarian Toolbox, also has a blog on School Library Journal. She’s also a force on Twitter, and her piece, Because Black Lives Matter: A Collection of Anti-Racist Reading Lists, includes resources for white readers in particular; something I find really helpful for me and my own family.

School Library Journal has a list of 15 social justice titles that address inequity and inequality, and encourage activism in younger readers.

Que(e)ry Librarians has an extensive #blacklivesmatter library, teaching, activism, and community resource list, constantly being updated; check in with this one often. It’s meticulously organized, and includes syllabi; reading lists for all ages; libguides; links to museums and archives; fact-checking resources, and so, so much more.

Embrace Race offers a list of 31 anti-racist books for children. If you wander around the website longer, you will discover, as I did, that they have an incredible wealth of resources, including webinars, reading lists, and action guides. The webinar “I [Still] Can’t Breathe: Supporting Kids of Color Amid Radicalized Violence looks like a powerful one, and it takes place on Friday, June 5th.

Books for Littles, another site I was just introduced to, has an “Anti-Racism for Beginners” list of books to read with and discuss with your kids about racial diversity. There are some great collections and topics in here; I’ve just added this to my reference resources. Check out the lesson planning resources and family action toolkits while you’re there.

A lot of white families may find it difficult to talk about race and racism with their kids. It’s been our privilege to avoid that conversation, but the time is here and now. This article from NPR on Talking Race With Young Children is a helpful start.

Medium.com has 75 ways white people can be helpful allies in the fight for racial justice.

This is what I’ve got for now. More booktalks are coming; it’s just been hard to stay focused these days.  Stay healthy, stay safe, stay strong.

Posted in History, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction, Tween Reads

Great desk reference for kids: Time for Kids 2017 Almanac

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

tfkTime for Kids 2017 Almanac, by the Editors of Time for Kids, (May 2016, Time for Kids), $12.99, ISBN: 978-1618934154

Recommended for ages 8-12

The latest TFK Almanac presents facts, news, current events, and information, curated from previous issues of Time for Kids magazine in one fun, interactive volume that’s a great desk reference for middle graders. The almanac covers the following subject areas: A Look Back (covering the previous years’ current events); Animals; Arts; Body and Health; Books; Calendars and Holidays; Computers and Games; Countries; Energy and the Environment; Entertainment; Geography; History; Inventions and Technology; Science; Space; Sports, and The United States. There are over 600 photos, quizzes and activities at the end of each section, and maps and timelines throughout the book. Kids will get a kick out of the year’s entertainment and world events wrap up and benefit from reference resources like the breakdowns of the world’s countries, which includes literacy rates, languages, currencies, and capitals; a breakdown of the branches of our government, listing of the states and Presidents, and walkthrough of the scientific method.

This is one of those references that deserves space on students’ desks, right next to their dictionary and thesaurus. It’s a big homework help, with a little extra fun to keep things interesting. I’ll keep one copy in Reference and one or two on the shelves here at the library.

Posted in Non-Fiction

Meh helps kids understand depression.

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I just came across an article about Meh, a wordless picture book written and illustrated by Deborah Malcolm, as away of helping children understand depression and mental health.

meh

Inspired by Neil Gaiman’s unconventional storytelling, Malcolm decided to use visual metaphor and symbolic imagery to explain – and leave open to others – what depression feels like. Depression is subjective, depending on the sufferer and how others experience the feeling, and allowing children and adults to arrive at their own interpretations should help create a deeper connection and understanding.

Says Malcolm, “Meh was designed to be completely wordless so that the reader can come to their own conclusion of what they think depression is. It is different for everyone. It is also a tool for parents, guardians and teachers to use to teach children about mental health. I hope it will engage them in discussion about mental illnesses so that they might have a better chance of tackling them in the future and reduce the stigma surrounding it.”

Amazon has a “Look Inside” glimpse available for Meh, and the art is quite evocative. I’m interested in picking up a few copies for my libraries and seeing if these will circulate. Having suffered post-partum depression in the past, I’d have loved to have had a copy of this available to my older children to help them grasp what was going on in our home at the time. Good luck to Ms. Malcolm on this one, and thank you.