tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160636034192691079.post6861626856014135205..comments2024-01-13T21:31:23.388-05:00Comments on Reading While White: Newbery, Caldecott and Perspectives on ExcellenceReading While Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07807138877345669931noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160636034192691079.post-33146354207892474822020-01-14T13:46:11.896-05:002020-01-14T13:46:11.896-05:00Thank you so much for this Megan.
It is so impo...Thank you so much for this Megan. <br /><br />It is so important that our children learn to read and learn to love to read. We can empower them by making reading fun and rewarding at a very personal level.<br /><br />We can empower them by making our awards household names. (I spoke with a middle school vice principal on the phone today and mentioned the Newbery Medal....No kidding I don't think the individual knew what I was talking about.)<br /><br />We can empower them by creating a culture where reading is seen as highly valuable. <br /><br />We can empower them by doing everything we can to send them the message that successful people read.<br /><br />We can empower them by giving them the change to discover that there really is a book for everyone.<br /><br />It is time...it is way past time... to change the name of the Youth Media Awards to something people understand and remember. <br /><br />It is time...to announce the "Youth Media Awards" at a time and in a venue that invites the world to the party.<br /><br />I put a Facebook post up on abookandahug.com Facebook page a few days ago and said, "Fantasy or Future."<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/abookandahug/<br /><br />Let's get OUR awards in the limelight. Let's invite celebrities to join the Newbery Medal Committee members on the stage to announce the names of the winners.<br /><br />Let's create shortlists ...shortlists...that every teacher, every librarian, every family can read together and root for. <br /><br />Our library world needs to dust itself off and step into 2020. <br /><br />The more voices who call for this change the better for our children. If we don't do this, who will.<br /><br />Barbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756575669654917773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160636034192691079.post-29319622293098657482020-01-08T11:10:41.357-05:002020-01-08T11:10:41.357-05:00Last year all five first grade classes in my schoo...Last year all five first grade classes in my school in a New Jersey district dominated by Hispanics (90%) voted overwhelmingly for "Blue" by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, a book that did NOT end up in the Caldecott circle in any capacity. I loved DREAMERS and wrote an effusively favorable and gushing essay on it, pointing to its timeliness and story of hope and inspiration. The point I am making here is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have been shot down repeatedly over the years when I even try and hint at "consensus" so I have learned to accept the "system." Last year's gold medal winner "Hello Lighthouse" by the lovely Sophie Blackall was by any barometer of measurement one of the most stunningly beautiful titles of that or any year. It wasn't my #1, but it was in my Top 5. Point is a 16 member committee is entrusted with decision making and whatever it turns out to be it won't always please everyone. Any one of a DOZEN titles could have won last year and I'd be very pleased. I was very partial to a book called JULIAN AND THE MERMAID and remember being quite disappointed when it came up empty handed. In any event, aside from the disappointments for those who championed favorites that weren't chosen I can compliment last year's committee for including one African-American, one Asian American and one Hispanic American among the five artists who won either the Caldecott Medal or a Caldecott Honor......-Sam JulianoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160636034192691079.post-14782468772959004522020-01-08T08:17:16.272-05:002020-01-08T08:17:16.272-05:00Thank you for this post! I'm not a librarian s...Thank you for this post! I'm not a librarian so this is a world I am only peripherally associated with. I learn from you each time. Laura Jimenezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11085085016810617687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160636034192691079.post-53234731727249571892020-01-07T17:55:08.503-05:002020-01-07T17:55:08.503-05:00All. Of. This!!! Yes, my heart hurt for Yuyi last...All. Of. This!!! Yes, my heart hurt for Yuyi last year as well. Every one of my classes selected Dreamers as their pick to win. At what point do we forsake ritual for the improved reflection of what children want and need from their books?!? It's not about us, it shouldn't be done by us. Amy Bahenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12297606917998651206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160636034192691079.post-21325628219566540892020-01-07T12:04:33.647-05:002020-01-07T12:04:33.647-05:00Sorry, where I say
A closed book is no fun for any...Sorry, where I say<br />A closed book is no fun for anyone<br /> I’m not referring to last year’s Caldecott in particular, I mean the process in general. I’m not saying finding out about the exclusion of Dreamers is in any way fun. Apologies!FIONA ROBINSONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00147567251366575041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160636034192691079.post-64180306352951694902020-01-07T11:38:22.515-05:002020-01-07T11:38:22.515-05:00Thanks Megan, these are all excellent points!
I pe...Thanks Megan, these are all excellent points!<br />I personally dislike the fever pitch in the build up to the awards. Furthermore, it seems to me counterintuitive to raise a tiny proportion of a year of many great books to a few winners (and then sadly debate the ‘losers’), when the very nature of a library is to be open and for everyone. The many different children of the US make very different choices.<br />I’m still hurting for Yuyi Morales. I’ll be dead before we find out what happened there. A closed book is no fun for anyone. So, yes, definitely, the awards don’t need CIA style secrecy.<br />And here’s a wild idea: children. Why do they have no say? <br />Best,<br />FionaFIONA ROBINSONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00147567251366575041noreply@blogger.com