Children's Book Week May 11-17, 2009

This coming Monday marks the start of Children's Book Week. Whether you're a parent who enjoys reading to your child or a teacher who is actively involved with promoting classroom literacy, this is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate reading and children's books. Children's Book Week is sponsored by the Children's Book Council. Check out this website made just for the event, which is chock full of resources, including downloadable bookmarks and posters, suggestions for classroom activities, and story starters to encourage young people to write their own masterpieces.

Here at the SERC Library we have an entire collection devoted to young people's books (designated by YP in the call number). From fiction to non-fiction to biographies, from picture books to adolescent level, from English to French to Spanish to Hmong, we have quite a comprehensive range. The collection is especially strong in the areas of disability awareness and cultural diversity. To search our library for children's books only, go to our card catalog and simply enter the search term YP in addition to any other keywords, such as YP autism or YP fiction or YP African American. Or simply enter YP by itself to browse all 500+ titles.

To get you started, here is a list of staff favorites from this collection:

Sleepy River, by Hanna Bandes, illustrated by Jeanette Winter
(YP F BAN)
This gorgeous 32-page picture book chronicles a mother and child's nightime canoe journey down a "sleepy river". Along the way they encounter all the magical little critters that come out at night. With lush illustrations in shades of violet and teal, this book makes an enchanting bedtime tale.


Oliver Onion, written and illustrated by Diane Murrell (YP F MUR)
Subtitled "The Onion Who Learns to Accept and Be Himself", this 32-page book addresses the difficulty children can have with fitting in and feeling comfortable in their own skin. Though aimed specifically at children with autism spectrum disorders, the book's message of self-acceptance can be universally appreciated, and the included discussion guide makes it particularly handy for teachers to incorporate this into their reading programs.

Se Venden Gorras, relatado e ilustrado por Esphyr Slobodkina (YP-SP F SLO)
This is the Spanish version of the popular children's classic "Caps for Sale" about a peddler and a mischevious group of monkeys who love to cause him trouble. First published in 1940, this 32-page book has been delighting both children and adults for several generations. "Se Venden Gorras" and its English counterpart are both excellent for use in Reader's Theater.

Richard Wright and the Library Card, by William Miller, illustrated by Gregory Christie (YP B WRI)
This fascinating biography of prominent African American author Richard Wright is a fictionalized version of his childhood dream of obtaining a library card in an era before the Civil Rights movement. His eventual success in achieving this goal paved the way for his lifelong appreciation of reading, books and libraries. With full page acrylic and colored pencil illustrations this 32-page book is not only visually appealing, but also a truly touching story.

Life Lists for Teens, by Pamela Espeland (YP 646.700835 ESP)
This 264-page indispensable guide for adolescents covers a myriad of topics that are relevant to their lives with a conversational and often humorous tone that teenagers will easily relate to. Organized in list format, there are over 200 entries, including "How to Start a Book Group", "9 Tips for Changing Your Hair Color", "13 Things You Can Do To Promote Diversity", "11 Common Dream Symbols and What They Mean", and "10 Ways to Swear Off Swearing From the Cuss Control Academy".

Reach for the Moon, by Samantha Abeel, illustrated by Charles R. Murphy (YP 811.54 ABE)
This uniquely beautiful 44-page book of poetry was written by a thirteen-year-old girl with learning disabilities. Though she spent much of her younger years struggling in school, she was encouraged by caring adults to nurture her blossoming writing talent which led to her overcoming her initial academic struggles. Equally important in this book are the breathtaking watercolor paintings that accompany and inspire each poem. With themes focusing on nature, Native Americans, and family, this collection of poetry has a timeless quality that is well beyond the author's young age.

And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole (YP F RIC)
This 32-page picture book frequently lands on the American Library Association's banned book list, however we think that it deserves a spot in every library for its thoughtful and respectful approach to introducing children to the concept of same-sex couples. It is the true story of Roy and Silo, Central Park Zoo's famous gay penguins and their quest to raise a chick of their own, baby Tango. With beautiful watercolor illustrations, this award winning book is sure to both delight and teach.


Come into the SERC Library to check out these books and others. Happy Children's Book Week!