What is Project LIT All About? Two Secondary Librarians Share their Experiences

By Kara Johnson, Librarian at Hendrickson High School, and Kimberly LaMarre, librarian at Park Crest Middle School, both in Pflugerville

First of all, what is Project LIT? 

Kara: Project LIT began in 2016 when English teacher Jared Amato from Nashville, Tennessee, recognized that something had to be done about book deserts. He organized a huge book drive to distribute books to readers of all ages. He quickly realized though that the books needed to be high quality, relevant, and culturally sustaining. That is how Project LIT evolved into what it is today: a large network of Project LIT chapter leaders who commit to work together to empower readers, promote reading, and celebrate books. Each year Project LIT releases its list of book titles one by one through their social media accounts. There is a YA list and a middle grade list. One thing I learned is that you don’t have to be reading from the current year’s list. This is very helpful in implementing the program because there are dozens of titles from which to choose! And you can wait until books come out in paperback to help save money. 

How did you hear about Project LIT?

Kimberly: I’m at a middle school and I heard that the cool high school librarians were offering Project LIT...I wanted in for my students, too.

Kara: I first heard about Project LIT from Twitter. I started following their account and liked the titles on the lists. 

What made you decide to join Project LIT?

Kimberly: I’ve been booktalking our state reading list for years but when I saw the titles on the Project LIT list I was impressed that it was curated by students and reflective of today’s issues.  I wanted the conversation around books to be ignited--not just read and move on.

Kara: I decided to join Project LIT because the titles on the list are high interest, relevant, and inclusive. At the high school level it is hard to get students to want to read. I thought the PL books would help solve this problem. 

How are the books chosen?

Kimberly: Jared Amato’s students helped create the first list. Today, members of the Project LIT network from all over can submit nominations -- students, teachers, librarians etc. A giant list is compiled,narrowed down and sent back to the Project LIT chapters. They then submit their ballots on the books they are most excited about. Finally, the Project LIT educators meet to review votes and finalize the lists. Currently, my campus is reading the nominated lists and discussing.  We have not taken it to the level of finding a great title and sending in a nomination.

How does Project LIT benefit students and teachers?

Kimberly: Anytime you can get students to read, it’s a win.  If you can get them to discuss the books with others, then the learning is deeper and changes can be seen.

Kara: Agreed - It is hard to get high school students to like reading. If we can get the students to find at least one book that speaks to them we can possibly make a difference. The program also involves hosting events. I have shared live and taped interviews with PL authors with my ELA teachers. When the kids can actually hear from the authors, it helps them become more interested and connect in a deeper way to the books. 

How have you implemented Project LIT during this strange and virtual year?

Kimberly: We launched Project LIT this school year, so providing the books for my in-person students and my virtual students was important. Diverse reading is my goal initiative this year. I had the financial support of my administrators as well, so we were able to purchase the titles in print and digital. We also added MP3 players of audiobooks and the digital audio as well. Many avenues to get these great titles read. Our campus uses Canvas, so I added Project LIT to our programs area. Students can link to book talks on the titles and then participate in silent discussions as they finish a title. Since we aren’t meeting in person, it was great to use the online platform to discuss. It also allowed my students to finish the titles at their own pace and add to the conversation when they were ready. I do have a special display for Project LIT titles right now but I also will keep the titles shelved in the regular fiction genres. To kick off the program we had gift cards from local places donated and when students participate in a silent discussion for a title, their name goes in a drawing for the gift card. It’s been fun to make the videos and spin the wheel of prizes.

Kara: HHS is implementing PL in the ELA classrooms. I received a $5000 grant at the end of last year to purchase ebook copies of the PL titles since we knew this year was going to be a challenge with print books. I originally was going to run virtual PL book clubs with our reading class, which is a class for struggling readers. The program quickly evolved though when our ELA teachers were able to acquire new novels for their classrooms through a textbook adoption. 9th, 10th, and 12th all chose titles that were on PL lists. I knew then that I would be helping them implement the PL within their ELA program. I switched my focus from small reading groups to purchasing large numbers of titles that the teachers were reading in their classrooms so that the virtual learners had digital access to the books as well. The ELA department purchased the print copies from their budget. It has been a partnership with the English teachers from the beginning of the year. I have shared resources with them for the titles they are reading and have shared interviews and poetry readings from the authors as well. I hope the program expands more next year to 11th grade. Since I was awarded a grant, I did a pre PL survey and will do a post PL survey about whether or not the students like to read and what their favorite book was that they read in English class. I have a feeling a lot of the PL titles will be the favorite of this year. Stay tuned….

How could it be implemented in a typical year?

Kimberly: I would continue what we have set up even if we were all in person.  The online format allows my students to read the words and thoughts of other students to help them select their next book.  It allows them to read at their own pace and not keep on a schedule with a group.  And it also allows my younger and older students to discuss all together instead of divided out by their grade level.  Since I don’t see my students in large classes I am doing most of the book talking through Google slide decks.  Each title has its own cover pic and then includes links to book talks by me, YouTube book trailers, author interviews and other fun media I can find.

Kara: Since we have used the program in the ELA classroom, I see it continuing for many years. My hope is that when we can gather again, we can hold in person meetings or events related to the books each grade level is reading. Maybe we could even get one of the authors to visit our school--fingers crossed! Virtual visits have not panned out this year but it is not due to a lack of trying.

How can librarians be a part of Project LIT?

Kimberly: Follow Project LIT on Instagram ( @projectlitcomm ) and Twitter ( @ProjectLITComm ) first; watch the posts and you’ll get how they disperse information.  You then can apply to lead a chapter at your school.  It’s all about reading and getting conversations started.

Kara: I second what Kimberly said!

Visiting with Authors, Virtually

By Susan VanDeWater, Librarian, Wieland Elementary, Pflugerville ISD

This school year has been full of new experiences, and buzzwords like "unprecedented” and “pivot.” Buzzwords I’m happy to never hear again. But it’s a year that has pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Hosting an author visit in a normal year can be daunting. But in a year full of restrictions and new rules? Yikes. Technology fails frighten me, and the thought of Zoom not working in the middle of a school-wide event makes my stomach turn.

But my desire to bring something fun and engaging to my students outweighed my fear. My principal often tells me that things don’t have to be perfect. Everything is a learning experience, including Zoom fails!

A local, independent book store, BookPeople, works with area schools to organize dynamic author visits. I was able to take part in two this year--one pre-recorded and one live. They were amazing. And easy!

First up was Kwame Mbalia, author of the recently-announced 2021-22 Bluebonnet, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. I hosted a live visit with him via Zoom Webinar. (I was able to use the District’s Zoom Webinar account. Check with your district to see if that’s an option.) I hadn’t run a webinar before so I recruited a few of my fellow librarians to help me test it out. My campus IT Support guru joined in and we worked through various scenarios--promoting people to co-hosts or panelists, sharing my screen, spotlighting speakers. It helped me get a feel for the application and gave me greater confidence.

On campus students joined as a group from their classrooms; virtual students used the same link as classrooms to join from home. I chose the Webinar option because it allowed greater control of the crowd. No one was on camera unless I promoted them to panelist.

Students listened to Kwame and then had an opportunity to submit questions through the Q&A. I monitored the questions and fed them to Kwame. My principal and our library coordinator helped me monitor questions, too. That was helpful since it meant I could listen to Kwame while the kids continued to submit questions.

At the end of the visit, I promoted everyone to panelist and invited them to turn on their video. This gave students a chance to wave to Kwame and allowed him to see everyone at once. The students and teachers loved it!



The second visit I hosted was pre-recorded. There was definitely less stress associated with that event, but of course it wasn’t as interactive. This time I was able to bring Mac Barnett to campus. This was a dream come true for me. My students fell in love with him after I introduced them to Triangle.

His timeline for a live visit didn’t work with our schedule, so a pre-recorded visit was the best option. Students submitted questions, which I sent to Mac (via BookPeople). A month later, we received two videos -- a generic video where Mac discussed his newest book, talked about the writing process, and showed us his original Gameboy. The second video was Mac reading and answering our questions.

I showed the video in two groups. All of the questions came from students in 2nd-5th, so I set up a regular zoom meeting with those grades. We watched both videos together.

Kindergarten and 1st grade watched only the generic video, which was still fun and engaging, and perfect for their attention spans.



Both author visits were free through BookPeople; I merely had to sell a certain number of books. I’m at a Title 1 school, so I didn’t meet the sales minimum either time. I ended up buying several copies and donating them to classroom libraries. It was less expensive than bringing any author to visit, though.

The feedback I received from students and teachers was so positive. The kids were especially pumped about the live visit but also loved Mac’s hilarious videos.

Hosting a virtual visit was so much easier than I thought it would be. I just needed a little push and some support. I really can’t wait to do it again!

Tejas Star Reading List: Shining a Light on Spanish and Bilingual Books

by Priscilla Delgado, PhD student at St. John’s University, Tejas Star Reading List Committee Chair

Reading in two languages is twice the fun! With Spanish being the second-most spoken language in Texas, plus the rise of dual-language programs across the state that provide instruction to native Spanish speakers and native English speakers in both languages, Spanish and bilingual books are needed now more than ever.

The Tejas Star Reading List (TSRL) is an annual recommended reading list of Spanish and bilingual children’s books sponsored by the Texas Library Association. The purpose of the list is to encourage children ages 5-12 to explore multicultural books and to discover the cognitive and economic benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism.

The 2020-21 Tejas Star Reading List was recently released, featuring 24 exemplary Spanish and bilingual titles that include fiction and non-fiction picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels with themes of activism, environment, and identity, as well as stories of famous and important historical figures.
Several picture books on this year’s list are Spanish translations of bestselling English titles, including Chancho el campeón (Pig the Winner) by Aaron Blabey, El coleccionista de palabras (The Word Collector) by Peter H. Reynolds, Lola quiere un gato (Lola Gets a Cat) by Anna McQuinn, ¡Hola, Cangrejito! (Hello, Crabby!), and Señorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer.

A variety of titles focus on our planet and outer space. Luciana: Misión submarina (Luciana: Braving the Deep) by Erin Teagan follows Luciana, the 2018 American Girl of the Year who aspires to be the first astronaut on Mars. Fuego, fueguito / Fire, Little Fire, a poetry book by Jorge Tetl Argueta, describes--in Spanish, English, and Nahuatl--the characteristics of fire from the perspective of one little spark. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the Titanosaur - the biggest, heaviest creature to walk on this planet, you’ll need to read Titanosaurio: El descubrimiento del dinosaurio más grande del mundo (Titanosaur: Discovering the World's Largest Dinosaur) by Dr. José Luis Carballido and Dr. Diego Pol. Mario y el agujero en el cielo: Cómo un químico salvó nuestro planeta (Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet) by Elizabeth Rusch is a biography of Mexican-American scientist Mario Molina, who helped solve the ozone crisis of the 1980s.

The list features two additional biographies. Papa Francisco: Creador de puentes (Pope Francis: Builder of Bridges) by Emma Otheguy shares what life was like for Jorge Bergoglio as a boy growing up in Argentina before becoming Pope. Sembrando historias: Pura Belpré: bibliotecaria y narradora de cuentos (Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré) by Anika Aldamuy Denise is a beautifully written book about the first Latina librarian employed at the New York Public Library and the namesake of the Pura Belpré Award that recognizes authors and illustrators whose works best portray the Latino cultural experience.

An innovative 5-book set, A lomo de cuento (A Storybook Ride) by Sergio Andricaín and Antonio Orlando Rodríguez, provides insight to numerous Latin-American countries and islands, including Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, and Puerto Rico. Each book explores the geography and culture as well as oral tradition and storytelling.

Two notable titles describe being uprooted from home, with two different plots but similar themes of hope. In Un nuevo hogar (A New Home) by Tania de Regil, a boy moving from New York City to Mexico City and a girl moving from Mexico City to New York City express their fears about leaving home to live in a new and unfamiliar place. Luca’s Bridge / El puente de Luca by Mariana Llanos is the emotional story of a boy coming to terms with his family's deportation from the United States to Mexico.

A few books encourage activism - speaking up and getting involved. Peter H. Reynold’s ¡Di algo! (Say Something!) explores the many ways that a single voice can make a difference. No dejes que desaparezcan (Don’t Let Them Disappear) by Chelsea Clinton profiles twelve endangered species around the world and describes why it is important to save each animal from extinction.

Graphic novels featured on this year’s list include Hombre Perro: El Señor de las Pulgas (Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas) by Dav Pilkey and Pangato: Soy yo. (Catwad: It’s Me.) by Jim Benton, two hilarious adventures. 

The themes of identity and family are evident in some of the books on this year’s list. Mi papi tiene una moto (My Papi Has a Motorcycle) by Isabel Quintero is a touching story of a father and daughter with special memories of home. In ¿De dónde eres? (Where Are You From?) by Yamile Saied Méndez, after a young girl is asked where she's from--where she's really from--she turns to her grandfather for some help.

The Tejas Star Reading List committee will be presenting activities and resources to use with this year’s titles at the Texas Library Association conference on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, at 10:00 am. Make plans to attend to learn more about the reading list and to explore the TSRL activity guide with ready-to-use resources. The activity guide, as well as downloadable bookmarks and posters, will be available on our website: txla.org/tejas-star.

Texas Library Association's 2020 Reading Lists

by Kristi Starr, librarian at Coronado High School in Lubbock ISD, TxASL Chair-Elect

With new calendar years come new book lists. Though the announcement of many national awards is a couple of weeks away at ALA Midwinter, you can find many of the likely honorees on the reading lists developed by Texas librarians. Let’s take a brief look at the Texas Library Association 2020 reading lists, all available on the TxLA website.

The Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List is a recommended reading list designed for children in grades K-5. The purpose of the list is to encourage students to explore a variety of current graphic novels. The list is subdivided with titles appropriate for students in grades K-2, 3-5, and K-5.

Next comes the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list. These 20 titles are suitable for students in grades 3-6. Students vote for their favorite title. The author of the book receiving the most votes is presented the Texas Bluebonnet Award during the annual Texas Bluebonnet Award Luncheon at the TxLA Annual Conference. Programming resources are available for the 2018-2019 list and pending for 2019-2020.

The Lone Star reading list is developed to encourage students in grades 6, 7, or 8 to explore a variety of books. This year’s list is composed of 20 titles.

The Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List is selected for students in grades 6-12. The list contains titles for students in grades 6-8, 6-12, 9-12, and Adult for YA.

Spirit of Texas books represent “literary works of and about Texas and Texans.” Whether set in Texas or the author has Texas ties, these books do Texas proud. The list contains titles for both middle and high school students and includes programming for the selected books and authors.

Tayshas Reading List titles include nonfiction and fiction from a variety of genres and formats. These books are selected with students from grades 9-12 in mind.

Books on the Texas Topaz reading list are all nonfiction but may include picture books, novels in verse, and graphic novels. The Topaz list is comprised of an adult sublist and a sublist for students in grades K-12.

For Spanish speakers, the Tejas Star list is comprised of books which “encourage children ages 5-12 to explore multicultural books and to discover the cognitive and economic benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism.”

Lariat Reading List books target adult fiction. 25 titles are selected simply as “a pleasure to read.”

The 2x2 reading list has not been updated to reflect the 2020 selections, but these books are selected for children ages 2 - 2nd grade.

All lists are intended for recreational reading, not to support specific curriculum. Each list is created by a committee of Texas librarians with a knowledge of and passion for reading books that fit the prescribed age range, format, or genre.

These lists also promote reading broadly. Books on the Topaz list, for instance, include picture books, graphic novels, narrative nonfiction, memoirs, and more. Graphic novel lists contain fiction and nonfiction, as does the Texas Bluebonnet list. Lone Star and Tayshas lists are comprised of a variety of genres and formats, both fiction and nonfiction. You can even find pairings like Mindy McGinnis’s Heroine and Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic, by Sam Quinones and adapted for young adults. Or Hephaistos: God of Fire, George O’Connor’s graphic novel on the Maverick list, could complement Julie Berry’s Lovely War from the Tayshas list.

There’s something for everyone in the TLA reading lists. And if you aren’t sure where to start, maybe a reading challenge is just your style. Check out this master list of reading challenges for 2020.

What are you waiting for?

Enter the Letters About Literature Competition

by guest blogger Rebekah Manley, Coordinator at Texas Center for the Book 

Has a book made you laugh, brought you to tears, or changed your life? Write a letter to the author and enter the Letters About Literature Competition.

All 4th-12th grade students are invited to participate! Winners receive $100 and travel assistance to the Texas Library Association Annual Conference for a special awards ceremony.

You may read winning entries on the Letters About Literature Texas website.

There are three categories for contestants:  

Level 1 - Grades 4-6   

Level 2 - Grades 7-8

Level 3 - Grades 9-12

Follow these steps:

READ  Select a fiction or nonfiction book, a poem, or a play you have read that you feel strongly about. (Sorry, no song lyrics!) It might be a book that helped you through a difficult time, or it

might be a book that simply touched your heart or inspired you.

REFLECT  Think before you write. How did this author’s work change you or your view of the world? How and why are you different now than you were before you read this work?

PERSUADE  Write a personal letter to the author stating how reading his or her work changed you. Be personal and persuasive! Support your ideas with specific details, including details from the work itself. This is not a fan letter, but rather a reflection on how an author’s work influenced you.

WRITE  Type your entry in letter format. All submitted letters must be typed and between 400 and 800 words.

SUBMIT  Upload your letter to the new online submission platform (opening November 4, 2019). A permission form is required for all student participants who will be younger than 13 years of age on November 4, 2019. Make sure entries are submitted by December 17, 2019.

Teachers: Please encourage your students to enter. The website has a dedicated educator resource page. Many instructors tack this program onto an already planned curriculum, like memoir, letter, and essay writing.

How are the letters judged? The letters go through four rounds of judging. Judges ask: Is the letter written to the author and does it provide reflective details to support how the author’s work changed the reader’s view of the world or self? They also rate the content, expression, structure, and grammar of the letter.

Tips: Have someone proofread your letter. Make sure you read your letter out loud to someone and have them read it back to you. This way, you will hear how your letter sounds and catch any typos.

Important: Be sure to visit the Letters About Literature page* for the submission steps, permission form and official rules set by the Texas Center for the Book at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. This year’s contest runs from November 4, 2019, to December 17, 2019.

All contest information is available at *www.tsl.texas.gov/lettersaboutliterature

Tejas Star Reading List: Mirrors and Windows in Spanish and Bilingual Children’s Literature

by Priscilla Delgado, doctoral student at St. John’s University, Tejas Star Reading List Committee Chair

What do Sonia Sotomayor, Chelsea Clinton, Frida Kahlo, Don Quixote and Jacqueline Woodson have in common?

They all have books either written by them or about them on this year’s Tejas Star Reading List!

The Texas Library Association has numerous reading lists for readers of all ages and interests, and the Tejas Star Reading List curates a yearly list of high-quality Spanish and bilingual books for ages 5 to 12. The Tejas Star books are intended to be read for recreational purposes (not to support a specific curriculum) and to discover the benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism. The stories selected on the list provide windows and mirrors into multiculturalism.

The 2019-20 Tejas Star Reading List features 18 titles that include fiction and non-fiction picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels with themes of immigration, identity, poetry, as well as stories of famous and important historical figures.

Several books on this year’s list are Spanish translations of bestselling English titles, including Amor (Love) and Los deseos de Carmela (Carmela Full of Wishes) by Newbery Award author Matt de la Peña, Ella persistió alrededor del mundo (She Persisted Around the World) by Chelsea Clinton, and El día en que descubres quién eres (The Day You Begin) by Jacqueline Woodson.

The theme of immigration and identity is evident in some of the books on this year’s list. Pura Belpre Illustrator and Tomás Rivera Book Award winner Soñadores (Dreamers) by Yuyi Morales shares her personal immigration story, as does author Alfredo Alva with Deborah Mills in La Frontera: el viaje con papá/My Journey with Papa. Caldecott Honor book Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre (Alma and How She Got Her Name) by Juana Martinez-Neal celebrates the history and significance of the name given to Alma by per parents. Lola (Islandborn), a story of culture and belonging by Junot Díaz, reminds readers that “Just because you don’t remember a place doesn’t mean it’s not in you.”

Frida Kahlo has become a cultural icon, and this is reflected in the two books about her that are on the reading list. Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor book Frida Kahlo y sus animalitos (Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos) by Monica Brown is a picture book about the animals that inspired Frida’s art and life. Frida, el misterio del anillo del pavo real y yo (Me, Frida and the Secret of the Peacock Ring) by Angela Cervantes is a middle-grade novel about a search for a lost ring that once belonged to Kahlo.

Graphic novels featured on this year’s list include Los tipos malos (The Bad Guys) by Aaron Blabey, the first book in a hilarious, adventurous series, and La Matadragones (The Dragon Slayer) by Jaime Hernandez, a collection of Latin American folk tales.

Miguel y su valiente caballero (Miguel's Brave Knight) by Margarita Engle is a story of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, who would go on to write Don Quixote, which is considered by many to be the first modern novel. Las orejas de los animales (Animal Ears) by Mary Holland is a non-fiction work with engaging photographs and information on how animals’ sense of hearing works. Querido Dragón de Komodo (Dear Komodo Dragon) by Nancy Kelly Allen is a humorous exchange of letters between pen-pals.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor tells her life story to young readers in Pasando Páginas (Turning Pages). Rafael Lopez’s We’ve Got the Whole World in Our Hands/Tenemos el Mundo Entero en las Manos celebrates the lives of all young people in a modern take of the famous song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Tomás Rivera Book Award winner Quizás algo hermoso (Maybe Something Beautiful) by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell is the true story of a community’s effort to add beauty to their surroundings.

Did you know that Tejas Star used to be a book award? Originally created in 2007 by the Region One ESC Library Advisory Committee, the Tejas Star Book Award was a statewide reading program in which children who read the books could vote for their favorite. In hopes of maintaining continuity and reaching a wider audience, Tejas Star became part of the Texas Library Association as a reading list in 2012.

The Tejas Star Reading List committee will be presenting activities and resources to use with this year’s titles at the Texas Library Association conference on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at 2:45 pm. Make plans to attend to learn more about the reading list and to take home an activity guide with ready-to-use resources. The activity guide, as well as downloadable bookmarks and posters, will be available on our website: txla.org/tejas-star.

There is an old Spanish saying that goes, “El que sabe dos lenguas vale por dos,” meaning that a person who knows two languages is worth twice as much. It is the hope of the Tejas Star Reading List committee that these books will play a part in making this a reality for readers.

SPOT Reading Program

by Rebecca Novotny, lead librarian in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, TxASLTalks Editorial Board

   

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Hello Texas librarians! Do you know what SPOT is? Have you ever heard of it? Are you in need of great programing for your library? Then you really need to know SPOT.  

SPOT is the Spirit of Texas Reading Program for Middle School and High School. The Spirit of Texas reading program aims to encourage students in grades 6-12 to develop an appreciation of books about Texas or written by Texas authors. The lists consist of 6-8 books that are recommended by the general public and librarians around the state. The final list of authors that meets the program criteria is voted on by a committee of school and public librarians.  For each author on the list, the librarians on the committee create several programs that can be used in school libraries, public libraries, and classrooms. There are academic programs that include TEKS, active and passive programs for both types of libraries, as well as read-a-like lists, book trailers, quote lists, and reading quizzes. For each activity, all the instructions as well as any handouts that might be needed are included. 

The 2019 SPOT authors are amazing. The middle school list includes: Lauren Baratz-Logsted (I Love You, Michael Collins); Karen Blumenthal (Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend); Angela Cervantes (Me, Frida and the Secret of the Peacock Ring); Suzanne Crowley (Finding Esme); Varian Johnson (The Parker Inheritance); and Mike Lupica (Lone Stars).

The high school list includes: Emma Berquist (Devil Unto Dust); Laura Creedle (The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily); A.V. Geiger (Follow me Back); C.C. Hunter (This Heart of Mine); Heather Kaczynski (Dare Mighty Things); and Caroline Leech (Wait for Me and In Another Time).

For me, the SPOT lists have been a great way to refresh my collection, get display ideas, and find passive programing as I am working with my students and teachers. These are also great lists and activities to share with teachers because “the purpose of the list is to encourage youths in grades 6-12 to explore a variety of current, quality books from Texas authors and illustrators, develop critical reading skills, and to encourage greater interaction between Texas authors and illustrators, Texas librarians, and Texas youth.” (https://txla.org/tools-resources/reading-lists/spirit-of-texas-middle-school/spot-middle-school/)

I hope that you will take a look at this year’s amazing list as well as the past lists that are available on the TLA website. They will help you find some ideas to help you introduce Texas authors as well as great books to your patrons.

“SPOT-Middle School.” Texas Library Association, txla.org/tools-resources/reading-lists/spirit-of-texas-middle-school/spot-middle-school/.

The Texas Topaz Reading List - Nonfiction Gems for Reading and Learning

By Kristi Starr,  librarian at Coronado High School in Lubbock ISD, TxASLTalks Editorial Board

"The purpose of the Texas Topaz Reading List is to provide children and adults with recommended nonfiction titles that stimulate reading for pleasure and personal learning."

Today’s nonfiction isn’t the dry, run-of-the-mill nonfiction of the past. Today’s nonfiction is engaging, visually appealing, and relevant to current readers. More than ever, diversity can be found in current nonfiction, both in the topics represented as well as the formats in which it appears.

Consider Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu. It’s a graphic anthology of women from throughout history and around the world. Yes, Mae Jemison and Temple Grandin are there. But do you know Hedy Lamarr as just another pretty face? Think again. Who is Wu Zeitan or Agnodice? Between the amazing illustrations, humor, and fantastic subjects, you don’t want to miss this one. Brazen also appears among the Tayshas Top 10 titles and starred Maverick titles, as does Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s Hey, Kiddo. Take the best of nonfiction and graphic novels, and you have two outstanding selections that just might invite readers to pick up nonfiction for the first time. And you’ll find even more graphic novels on the list.

Maybe you want an alternative to prose. In that case, pick up In the Past: From Tribolites to Dinosaurs to Mammoths in More Than 500 Million Years by David Elliott for primary students, or Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood for upper elementary. Gorgeous illustrations accompany brief poems that highlight creatures and young women, again, some of whom are familiar, but also others who are not.

You will find global representation in Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card: A Memoir by Sara Saedi (Iran - YA); The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman (Germany - gr 6-8); Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story by Marc Tyler Nobleman and illustrated by Melissa Iwai (Japan - K-2); Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian, My Story of Rescue, Hope, and Triumph by Yusra Mardini (Syria - adult for YA)); A Moonless, Starless Sky: Ordinary Women and Men Fighting Extremism in Africa (YA) by Alexis Okeowo.

Figures in American civil rights are the focus of titles such as What Do You Do With A Voice Like That? by Chris Barton and illustrated by Ekua Holmes (K-2); The United States v. Jackie Robinson by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen (K-2); Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (YA); Twelve Days in May: Freedom Ride 1961 by Larry Dane Brimner (gr 6-8).

Current social events are reflected in titles like #NeverAgain by David Hogg and Lauren Hogg (YA); The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater (YA); I Have the Right To: A High School Survivor's Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope by Chessy Prout with Jenn Abelson (YA); Not So Different: What You REALLY Want to Ask About Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw (K-2); when they call you a terrorist: a black lives matter memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullers and Asha Bandele (adult for YA).

You’ll still find all the glorious nonfiction-y subject matter like animals - Lesser Spotted Animals (gr 3-5) by Martin Brown and Fur, Feather, Fin: All of Us are Kin by Diane Lang (K-2); gross-outs like Wicked Bugs: The Meanest, Deadliest, Grossest Bugs on Earth (Young Reader's Edition) by Amy Stewart (gr 6-8) and The Gross Cookbook by Susanna Tee (gr 3-5); history - Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal (YA) and Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion by Chris Barton (K-2); space books such as Chasing Space (Young Reader’s Edition) by Leland Melvin (gr 6-8) and If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas (K-2); and of course dinosaurs! Fossil by Fossil: Comparing Dinosaur Bones by Sara Levine and illustrated by T. S. Spookytooth (K-2).

And oh! There are so many more titles! You’ll find narrative nonfiction, informational nonfiction, memoirs, and biographies for all age/grade levels and topics of interest. Find a title or two - or ten - to share. Sit back and enjoy the read.

January 18 update - An annotated list of K-12 Topaz titles divided by interest level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Adult for YA) is now available. You can find it here.  


**Do you have a favorite title from this year's Texas Topaz list? If so, which is it? Please share in the comments below.**

Teen Read Week 2018: It’s Written In The Stars...Read!

By Lucy Podmore, Librarian at Tom C. Clark High School in Northside ISD

Next week we celebrate TEEN READ WEEK (TRW), and you might be thinking, “I celebrate teen reading everyday!” and, of course, you should, but TRW offers us a special opportunity to celebrate our reading lives in a unique way.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “It’s Written In The Stars...Read!” The Young Adult Library
Services Association, the group who promotes Teen Read Week, is encouraging everyone who works
with teens to inspire them to “think and read outside of the box, as well as seek out fantasy,
science fiction and other out-of- this-world reads.” (teenreadweek.ning.com)

What a great message to share with our young people - step out of your comfort zone and read
something different. Hear a different viewpoint, challenge your own thinking, escape to new worlds
created by the outstanding fantasy and science fiction authors who are writing for young people today.

I believe this call to “think and read outside of the box” also applies to librarians and the way we
promote reading to our students.  Change up your tactics and try new ways to reach your students this
week: use Bitmoji reviews, ask your regular readers to write shelf talkers for their favorite book, hop on
your school’s social media accounts and promote books there.  Ask your teachers, community members,
parents of students, PTA members if they would like to submit reviews for their favorite “out of this world”
reads, then publish those reviews so your whole school can see them. When our students see a
community of readers, they know that reading is something that is valued.  We know our best promotion
is modeling the behavior we expect, so consider new or different ways to have your community model
reading.

The Teen Read Week website has a great list of suggested activities to help you celebrate this year’s
event. It’s not too late to put together an “out of this world” celebration. Share your promotions online
using the hashtag #TRW18. I can’t wait to see everyone’s posts!

Good luck and happy reading!

Promotion cards we'll be using next week for #TRW18