Monday, January 11, 2010
Book Club Books
The 4th and 5th graders are reading "Stormchaser" from the "The Edge" series, by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, which is all about a mythical place, Santifrax, and how the world might end!! Does this sound exciting to you? Then join us--Mondays at lunch in the library!!
Monday, January 4, 2010
New Book Club!
The library book club will begin this week! Get ready everybody, and we will read some great books and have lots of fun in the library.
For 4th and 5th graders, the meeting will be on Monday at lunch, so bring your ideas--which books do you want to read? Have you seen a new book in the library or bookstore that you want to suggest?
For 4th and 5th graders, the meeting will be on Monday at lunch, so bring your ideas--which books do you want to read? Have you seen a new book in the library or bookstore that you want to suggest?
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Library News
Hello everyone! I am so happy to have this opportunity to share information with you about our newly remodeled library. Not only do we have a bright, beautiful space for you to enjoy but also we have just finished ordering a new set of the Artemis Fowl series books by Eoin Colfer. Many of you have read the Eternity Code in our book circle, and now can share it with other library patrons!
Check out the author's site for more information www.eoincolfer.com
For those fans of Artemis Fowl try Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series, also new to our library.
Stay tuned for more library info!
Check out the author's site for more information www.eoincolfer.com
For those fans of Artemis Fowl try Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series, also new to our library.
Stay tuned for more library info!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Banned Books Week
What is Banned Books Week?
It is a celebration of your freedom to read and an opportunity to learn more about censorship. In 1982, the American Library Association decided to promote a week-long celebration of books, especially books that have been challenged or banned in this country. Banning of books qualifies as censorship--the repression of ideas in books, plays, pictures, films, magazines or newspapers, that are considered offensive. Here's the issue--what is offensive to one person may not be offensive to another. How do we decide what is appropriate and what is not? Who should decide? Do we all have a right to read any material we want to read? What are your thoughts on censorship?
This year, September 28th marks the first day of the Banned Book Week events. Our library has a book display featuring titles that have been banned in the past century, such as Animal Farm, Huckleberry Finn, The Grapes of Wrath, Howl, and Uncle Tom's Cabin. These books were eventually allowed back on to shelves. We have copies of these books in our library--what would you do if someone demanded the book be removed?
Why would a book be banned or challenged?
Every year, books in school libraries, public libraries, and bookstores are challenged, or questioned. Not all challenges end in book banning, but some do. Here are some examples from the state of California. All of these books are on the ALA's list of most frequently challenged books.
In 2008, Rudolfo Ananya's Bless Me, Ultima was banned from Orestimba High School English classes. The superintendent ordered that the book be removed from the school after complaints that the book is anti-Catholic. Though class do not read the book, it is allowed to be on the library shelves.
The Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District also banned Bless Me, Ultima, after a parent voiced concern that the book was anti-Catholic. This book is also banned in classrooms, yet still circulating in the school's library! We have this book here in our Francisco Library!
In 2007, Lois Lowry's The Giver was challenged (but not banned) in the Mount Diablo School District. Parents of students disagreed with the book's portrayal of practices in a future world, where teenagers use pills to control emotions, and euthanasia and lethal injections are used to control the population and weed out newborns and the elderly. We have this book in our library! Many students have checked it out!!
In 2007, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell's And Tango Makes Three, was challenged at the Lodi Public Library. A library user took issue with the book's depiction of two male penguins raising a chick after the chick's mother dies. Many complaints against this book are based on the perceived approval of homosexualtiy. This book is still in the Lodi library, but is frequently challenged, as it is in many other public library settings.
What can you do if you want to support the right to read?
Join the Kids Right to Read Project!
http://www.ncac.org/Kids-Right-to-Read
Part of the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), the Project involves people your age--working to protect our first amendment rights and give support to the booksellers, authors, activists, teachers, and librarians who may be affected by book challenges. This organization provides educational materials to those interested in opposing censorship, and gives great information about how to speak out against threats to intellectual freedom. Here are some victories the project initiated.
The Kids Right to Read Project (KRRP) sent a letter to the Orestimba school board about their banning of Bless Me Ultima. With co-operation from the Northern California ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), the letter was delivered. Though the book ban is still in effect in classrooms, the school library does have copies of it.
The NCAC sent a letter to Newman- Crow's Landing school board. The Modesto Bee, printed the letter. The school board still voted for the book, Bless Me Ultima, to be removed from classrooms, but, as in Orestimba, the book is available in the library!
If you are interested in the project, let Ms. Hart know of your interest. We can organize a group of students to make a local chapter! Come to the library for brochures and pamphlets from KRRP.
All information here is adapted from the website http://www.ncac.org/Kids-Right-to-Read
and the American Library Association www.ala.org
It is a celebration of your freedom to read and an opportunity to learn more about censorship. In 1982, the American Library Association decided to promote a week-long celebration of books, especially books that have been challenged or banned in this country. Banning of books qualifies as censorship--the repression of ideas in books, plays, pictures, films, magazines or newspapers, that are considered offensive. Here's the issue--what is offensive to one person may not be offensive to another. How do we decide what is appropriate and what is not? Who should decide? Do we all have a right to read any material we want to read? What are your thoughts on censorship?
This year, September 28th marks the first day of the Banned Book Week events. Our library has a book display featuring titles that have been banned in the past century, such as Animal Farm, Huckleberry Finn, The Grapes of Wrath, Howl, and Uncle Tom's Cabin. These books were eventually allowed back on to shelves. We have copies of these books in our library--what would you do if someone demanded the book be removed?
Why would a book be banned or challenged?
Every year, books in school libraries, public libraries, and bookstores are challenged, or questioned. Not all challenges end in book banning, but some do. Here are some examples from the state of California. All of these books are on the ALA's list of most frequently challenged books.
In 2008, Rudolfo Ananya's Bless Me, Ultima was banned from Orestimba High School English classes. The superintendent ordered that the book be removed from the school after complaints that the book is anti-Catholic. Though class do not read the book, it is allowed to be on the library shelves.
The Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District also banned Bless Me, Ultima, after a parent voiced concern that the book was anti-Catholic. This book is also banned in classrooms, yet still circulating in the school's library! We have this book here in our Francisco Library!
In 2007, Lois Lowry's The Giver was challenged (but not banned) in the Mount Diablo School District. Parents of students disagreed with the book's portrayal of practices in a future world, where teenagers use pills to control emotions, and euthanasia and lethal injections are used to control the population and weed out newborns and the elderly. We have this book in our library! Many students have checked it out!!
In 2007, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell's And Tango Makes Three, was challenged at the Lodi Public Library. A library user took issue with the book's depiction of two male penguins raising a chick after the chick's mother dies. Many complaints against this book are based on the perceived approval of homosexualtiy. This book is still in the Lodi library, but is frequently challenged, as it is in many other public library settings.
What can you do if you want to support the right to read?
Join the Kids Right to Read Project!
http://www.ncac.org/Kids-Right-to-Read
Part of the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), the Project involves people your age--working to protect our first amendment rights and give support to the booksellers, authors, activists, teachers, and librarians who may be affected by book challenges. This organization provides educational materials to those interested in opposing censorship, and gives great information about how to speak out against threats to intellectual freedom. Here are some victories the project initiated.
The Kids Right to Read Project (KRRP) sent a letter to the Orestimba school board about their banning of Bless Me Ultima. With co-operation from the Northern California ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), the letter was delivered. Though the book ban is still in effect in classrooms, the school library does have copies of it.
The NCAC sent a letter to Newman- Crow's Landing school board. The Modesto Bee, printed the letter. The school board still voted for the book, Bless Me Ultima, to be removed from classrooms, but, as in Orestimba, the book is available in the library!
If you are interested in the project, let Ms. Hart know of your interest. We can organize a group of students to make a local chapter! Come to the library for brochures and pamphlets from KRRP.
All information here is adapted from the website http://www.ncac.org/Kids-Right-to-Read
and the American Library Association www.ala.org
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