The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy
November 22, 2008
The Next Big Thing
We were sitting around the coffee table at Suzy's house, a gang of friends and teachers planning a workshop, taking a break to talk about the books we were reading. Suzy hopped up and went into her bedroom to get her current favorite new release off the nightstand. "It's not what I expected - I didn't think I'd like it but I do. Now I'm just trying to figure out the best age for kids to read it." She then read us a short passage with details about a young wizard's broom. "Clever...fun..." we murmured, wrote down the title, and went on with our work.
None of us predicted Harry Potter would go on to become a worldwide phenomenon, and my own daughter Dee would make me get out of bed at midnight (more than once, over a number of years) to buy the latest release in the series at the bookstore the moment it came out. Our inability to predict the next big thing in books is part of the fun of looking for what's on the horizon, and trying to solve the puzzle of why every so often a series catches fire.
Many little wizards have grown up and moved on to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight vampire romance series, the saga of Bella and Edward's love. Each new book generates the same anticipation and rush of sales as those in the Harry Potter series, though the Twilight books don't seem as universally loved by teachers and families.
Dee is now 15 years old and an avid reader, so she would seem to be the prime audience for Twilight. But she got halfway through the first book and quit reading in exasperation. When I asked her why she didn't like Twilight, she replied, "The language is awful. It reads like it was written by a 3rd grader in love with her thesaurus." If you want a harsh critique, just ask a teenager. (Don't feel bad, Stephenie Meyer - you should hear what she says about my clothes.) For every kid like Dee who couldn't finish the book, there are dozens of struggling or reluctant readers who are getting hooked on fiction because of it.
Love it or hate it, the Twilight movie is going to spark some passionate debates among tweens and teens over the next month. This week, we've got the story of one high school that harnessed some of that pre-release energy to generate more buzz and excitement about reading. Plus more as always - enjoy!
Brenda Power
Editor, Choice Literacy
Free for All
In "Twilight Comes Twice," Lisa Koch shares how one high school community is tapping enthusiasm for the release of the first Twilight movie to foster more interest in reading:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/753.cfm
If you're wondering what the next big thing might be for young readers, you may just discover it at this site. The Class of 2008 features children's and YA literature authors with their first books coming out this year (they've succeeded "The Class of 2007," and the site will likely have another name change soon!). It's always fun to get a peek at what's new, as well as the enthusiasm of real people experiencing the joy of publishing their first book:
http://www.classof2k8.com/
The Webster Public Library has created the Series Binder, a comprehensive listing of series books to help librarians, teachers, parents and kids find the chronological and publication order of series books. It's a terrific quick reference tool:
http://seriesbinder.lishost.org/index.php/Main_Page
Congratulations to the winners in our survey random drawing. Lisa Clarke of Dundas, Ontario won the grand prize of $1500 worth of Choice Literacy DVDs. Denise Givens of Fairdale, Kentucky and Mary Jane Rochford of Long Beach, New York each won a DVD of their choice. Thanks to all who participated - stay tuned for the survey results shortly, as well as a chance to win again next month.
Does your school have lots of children speaking many different languages, and not enough support for them in writing workshops? The Choice Literacy DVD Workshop Kit Write from the Start: Conferring with Young English Language Learners with Andie Cunningham and Ruth Shagoury features nine conferences with five- to eight-year-olds who speak many different first languages. The package includes an extensive viewing guide with tips and strategies on creating effective writing workshops for young English language learners. There is a $50 discount off the purchase price for Choice Literacy Members:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/products/item6.cfm
For Members Only
[Not yet a Choice Literacy member? Click here for information on
subscription plans that can give you access to members-only content.]
Our newest video room tour features The Sisters taking viewers through the classroom of a camera-shy colleague. This 5th grade classroom has ingenious storage and book displays, using discarded but spruced up items like stepladders, trunks, and old suitcases. This is a longer tour, so we'll present part two next week:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/756.cfm
When is it okay for a child to read a "not-just-right" book, especially one with themes that might be a bit sophisticated or of questionable taste? Andrea Smith confronts this issue as a parent, and thinks through what it might mean for her teaching:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/743.cfm
We continue our month-long series on graphica featuring videos from a 4th grade writing workshop. In this week's installment, Sarah Thibault confers with her students about character traits. We include a catch-up link to last week's video if you missed it:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/755.cfm
Finally, the new Choice Literacy Cluster focuses on making the most of read-alouds. Contributors include Carol Wilcox, Aimee Buckner, Katie DiCesare, and Shari Frost:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/745.cfm
That's all for this week!
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About
Jennifer Allen
