Reading News & Children’s Literacy Roundup

I hope you’ve had a moment to stop by Rasco from RIF to enjoy Carol’s end of January collection of wonderful events and literacy news. Jen also added some additional literacy news at Jen Robinson’s Book Page.

As one reader commented, these ladies put a lot of work into bringing you these particularly noteworthy tidbits. So I hope you’ll click through at the original sources and say “thanks” … or just “hi!”

Both Jen and Carol both mentioned that the Petition to the White House for School Libraries reached its target 25,000 signatures yesterday (four days early). Libraries are a BIG DEAL, and the louder our voice, the stronger this pivotal literacy resource can become in our communities. So please sign the petition and show your support.

Speaking of libraries … I was SO excited to see that YALSA is launching a Teen Finder Book App. From the Extra Helping newsletter (School Library Journal) article:

Designed for use by teens, librarians, parents, and teachers, the app enables access to quality reads, searchable by author, title, award/list, year, and genre. A randomly generated list of books will refresh daily on the home page for serendipitous discovery.

The first version to be launched this month is for iOS products. Those of us who are Droids will have to wait.

“Get boys reading” seems to be a transnational mantra. We generally don’t highlight specific books, but I thought this Press Release by the Jetstar Gold Coast Titans earned a spot. Former Queensland State of Origin captain Trevor Gillmeister and award-winning Brisbane journalist Michael Westlake have published Rocket Launcher, A Rugby League Adventure.Here are three things that really add to the “wow” factor.

First, the book’s purpose: The book was written to encourage more boys, and their fathers, to get into reading by providing a story that they want to read – based on rugby league – and that they could personally relate to.
Kids can customize the story for their favorite team.
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Wayne Swan MP, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia wrote the foreward! Talk about raising the profile of the importance of reading!

I spotted this, yesterday, and though I tweeted it, I wanted to share it with readers here. It comes courtesy of Bedside Table Books, a blog I was unfamiliar with. Please note: The “Reader’s Bill of Rights” is from the front of Daniel Pennec’s book Better Than Life.

Mark your calendars for these big literacy events:

* Katie will be hosting the February Feast for New Readers: I Can Read at Secrets and Sharing Soda. Beginning February 20, 2012, you’ll be able to add your favorite easy reader, early chapter book, and reading ideas. Learn more about I Can Read and how to host here.

* The third annual Book Smackdown begins March 13, 2012. For those new to the kidlitosphere, School Library Journal sponsors the Battle of the Books (BOB), which throws 16 books into the proverbial arena in a winner-take-all contest. Fifteen lions – I mean judges – look at each pair of books and then decide who goes forward to the next round. The BOB parallels March Madness and the winner will be crowned on 2 April 2012.

* World Book Night is April 23, 2012. “The goal is to recruit 50,000 book givers and hundreds of bookstores and libraries to be book pick-up locations across the country.” If you are a library or bookstore interested in being a pick-up location, check out this American Bookseller Association (ABA) press release. The deadline is TOMORROW.

Lions … literary lions … library lions. Ah, we have come full circle! Do check out all the reading and literacy news at Rasco from RIF. You’ll need that calendar, because Carol has other nifty things you’re going to want to know about.