How to Create a “Culture of Reading"

School Library Journal

By Chelsey Philpot on November 25, 2013 

What makes a culture of reading? How do you get tweens and teens to be interested (and stay interested) in reading? These were two of the questions that Toni Vahlsing, director of libraries at Abington Friends School outside Philadelphia, posed to the audience during “Here’s a Challenge: Get Teens and Tweens to Read for Pleasure!” a session held during the 2013 American Association of School Librarians (AASL) 16^th National Conference in Hartford, CT.

After a presentation where the sprightly Vahlsing covered how students choose books—peer recommendation is the number one way—and why allowing kids to select their reading is crucial, she invited members of the audience to share their tips for getting children to read.

Below are some of the suggestions that Vahlsing and session attendees shared. We encourage you to post your ideas in the comments. List of Recommendations . . . 

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'A Rose Is A Rose Is A' 75-Year-Old Kid's Book By Gertrude Stein

The World Is Round

Gertrude Stein and Clement Hurd

Hard cover, 110 pages

by NPR STAFF, NPR BOOKS

November 09, 2013 7:14 AM

You might know Gertrude Stein from that college class where you studied her experimental fiction, or maybe you remember her as the host of salons for famous 20th-century artists like Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.

But here's a side of her you might not know: Stein the children's book author. Her book for kids was a collaboration with illustrator Clement Hurd, the artist behind Goodnight Moon and the mystical rabbits in TheRunaway Bunny. The book, The World Is Round, follows the adventures of a young girl named Rose, and it's just as beautiful and fascinating as anything Stein — the mother of modernism — put her hand to.

The World Is Round turns 75 this year . . . More . . . 

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How Old Is Little Red Riding Hood

Grandma, what a long history you have! 

The origins of “Little Red Riding Hood”

New research suggests the famous children's story 

can be traced back to . . . 

TOM JACOBS, PACIFIC STANDARD

FRIDAY, NOV 15, 2013 05:30 AM PST

This piece originally appeared on Pacific Standard.

We all know one fact about Little Red Riding Hood’s family tree: She has—or had—a grandmother. But newly published research suggests her ancestral linage in fact goes way, way back.

Writing in the online journal PLOS One, Durham University anthropologist Jamie Tehrani presents evidence that the popular folk tale appears to share ancient roots with another story still popular in Europe and the Middle East, The Wolf and the Kids.

“This is rather like a biologist showing that humans and other apes share a common ancestor but have evolved into distinct species,” Tehrani told the university’s public affairs office. “The fact that Little Red Riding Hood ’evolved twice’ from the same starting point suggests it holds a powerful appeal that attracts our imaginations.”

In an attempt to show that one really can trace stories from various cultures to common roots, Tehrani analyzed a series of seemingly related stories to phylogenetic analysis. Developed to trace the relationship between various species, it is used to create a “tree” that traces how, in the course of evolution, certain plants or animals arose from a common progenitor.

The Man with the Violin

The Story About This Book Is Amazing

Every Writer Should View This Trailer

Published on May 31, 2013

THE MAN WITH THE VIOLIN is a picture book based on a true story: in January 2007, famous violinist Joshua Bell went undercover as a street musician and played a free concert in a Washington, D.C., metro station. Over a thousand people passed by as he played, but only seven stopped to listen for more than a minute. Joshua Bell noticed that children often wanted to stop, but their parents hurried them along. This picture book, written by Kathy Stinson and illustrated by Dusan Petricic, imagines what the subway concert might have been like from the perspective of one of those children.

In this video, author Kathy Stinson and illustrator Dusan Petricic discuss the making of the book. For more information on the book, please visit http://www.annickpress.com/Man-with-t...

Courtesy of Publishers Weekly.

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Inside Stories About Memorable Books

Publishers Weekly asked 20 prominent editors 

to recall a personally meaningful children's book project.

Compiled by Diane Roback | Nov 12, 2013

Maria Modugno, editorial director, picture books, Random House Children’s Publishing

They say you always remember your first…

I had just arrived as a newly minted editor at the San Diego offices of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, and was faced with the daunting task of publishing the first list of children’s books from the West Coast. During my last week in New York, I had met an artist who told me he lived in Santa Barbara and was interested in illustrating picture books. “Look me up if you’re ever in town,” I said casually, trying on my new laid-back California style. Much to my surprise, he showed up in my office with several book dummies that he had collaborated on with his wife. “I like to think of picture books as my own portable art gallery,” he said as he showed me his work. More . . . 

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PW's Best Children's Books of 2013

Selecting just 50 titles from the thousands of books published for children and teens in a given year is always a painful undertaking, and this year was no different. With that said, it’s also one of our favorite end-of-year challenges as we try to determine which stories rose to the top of a field crowded with singular ideas, hilarious writing, and unforgettable characters. For the list and more . . .

Goodnight Moon: The Musical

Theatre & Dance

Gobs of fun before 'hush'

Celia Wren, Published October 2013

If you love "Goodnight Moon" like I do, check out the recent article subtitled 'Gobs of fun before 'hush'. ""Goodnight Moon," the slightly impish children's musical based on the classic picture book by Margaret Wise Brown" says reporter Celia Wren, "does eventually get a certain young bunny to doze off -- even if he gets to romp through several bed-interupting adventures first." Personally, I can't wait till a bit of 'hush' hits the boards locally. More . . .