Publishing in the Digital Age

We've heard it many times before, but it truly is amazing to think about how far the publishing world has come over the last few decades. The publishing world at large is still a mystery to me, but I enjoy all the choices in format that are available to me.

As a school librarian, I enjoy lurking on the fringe of the world of children's book publishing. I have learned to rely on a variety of sources for an "insider's look" at the new books coming out for kids, including author/illustrator blogs and webpages, publisher's websites and blogs, and a variety of electronic newsletters that highlight the latest and greatest offerings. Of course, I still utilize catalogs (print and online formats) and other more traditional resources as well. I find that I have preferences for formats depending on my end goal.

One of the newest tools I have experimented with is the ability to aggregate blog posts into an easy-to-read format using RSS feeds. I tend to check my favorite blogs for updates every couple of days. I am hoping that I can save a few minutes by relying on feeds and only seeing the updates and use this precious time explore more Web 2.0 tools. I added a few blogs to my blog roll to highlight some of the resources I uncovered when practicing with Google Reader. I hope to add more during the school year and share them with my students and staff members. I would also like to spend more time learning to use Google Reader and search out other blogs related to children's literature.

Is blogging valuable?

With the blogosphere growing each day, it's hard to imagine that my new blog will make a difference. I have followed so many brilliant bloggers over the years and I feel a bit unequipped to replicate their authority. However, as I have said for so long, fear cannot stop us from blazing a new trail! This blog is not meant to be the most famous library blog. It's meant to be a communication tool that I can use with my students, staff members, and other library colleagues. It's meant to serve as an online community where readers of all ages can share thoughts, feelings, and questions. I can't wait for the interaction to begin!

I hope that this blog will function much like my previous blog, as an organizational tool for my readers and for me. It will be nice to have a central location to keep track of books read, lessons learned, and questions explored. It will be challenging to find the time to post on a regular basis, but I feel sure that once I have established a community of readers, we will naturally keep up the conversations.

A New Beginning

Although I have been blogging here since last summer, I decided to start a new blog as part of an online course I'm taking this summer. I plan to use this new blog to advertise library-related events with my students and staff members. Feel free to check out The Library Lions blog!

All Stations Distress! April 15, 1912:

The Day the Titanic Sank

by Don Brown

"The Unsinkable Ship" has a storied history and the events leading up to her unlikely end are intriguing. Many famous families from Britain and America were aboard Titanic on her maiden voyage from England to New York in 1912. The luxurious ship offered travelers the finest of amenities, including staterooms, restaurants, and a swimming pool. Although it didn't seem that anything could sink this floating palace, an iceberg proved to be an unbeatable enemy late in the night. From the misuse of life boats, to the disadvantages of the second- and third-class passengers, only 711 of the 2,200 passengers survived the sinking.

Young readers will enjoy the facts and fast-paced text about one of history's favorite mysteries.

2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee

Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea
by Steve Jenkins

Did you know that half of the Earth is under water that is more than a mile deep? Did you know that more humans have walked on the moon than have been to the deepest part of the sea? Unbelievable, right? Travel through the various levels of the oceans and get an up-close look at some of the amazing creatures that live there.

The ocean is an ever-popular subject with readers of all ages. This nonfiction work is quite accessible for elementary-school readers and Jenkins' breathtaking artwork doubles the appeal of this book. A great resource for research and pleasure reading alike, I have no doubt that this will be a favorite among my students.

2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee

Dying to Meet You
by Kate Klise

Although his parents have abandoned him, Seymour is happy. He lives in an old Victorian mansion with his cat and a ghost that he can only see when she allows him to. He is trying to earn enough money to buy the house from his parents when the house is unexpectedly rented out for the summer by a "has-been" author trying to overcome writer's block. At first, Seymour isn't worried because he has successfully scared away all potential buyers. Until now. Will he scare away the author? Can Olive, the ghost, help?

If you like funny ghost stories, this is the perfect book for you! I enjoyed the format of letters and news clippings format that gave this story life. I think young readers will like this fast-paced book and look forward to the next in the series. I'd better add the second book to my purchase list right now!

2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee
2010-2011 Horned Toad Tale nominee

Home of the Brave
by Katherine Applegate

Learning to assimilate to the American way of life is thrilling, exciting, fun, and confusing all at the same time. Kek is a refugee from Sudan living with his aunt and cousin in Minnesota. He knows that his father and brother were killed in the war, but he does not know the fate of his mother. While he waits for her, he learns how to speak English, goes to school, makes a few friends, and struggles to deal with all of the unknowns. He was comfortable and knew many things in Africa. In America, he is lost.

This story of a refugee's life and struggles in a new country is touching. The text in verse is the perfect format. I liked being able to read a section, then stop to ponder the emotions Kek was dealing with in each situation. I tried to imagine myself in his shoes and feel the gravity of his situation. What a powerful way to tell the often overlooked story of any refugee and the struggles they face when arriving to our over-the-top country. I'm glad the author dared to write a book on this topic for children and I am looking forward to sharing it with my students.

2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee