Teen Literature Recommendations and Trends by Michael Cart

Summer vacation allows for time to catch up on all sorts of things you've put aside until later.  For example, over the school year many great-sounding webinars are announced and promoted.  Several are added to lists and calendars "not to be missed!" yet the date passes.  Luckily, webcasts are often archived and are ideal for later viewing.  

Infopeople offered a free webcast on April 26, 2012 by young adult literature expert Michael Cart, "Teen Literature Update 2012." My original goal was to listen and make a list of books to buy and read this summer, before sharing. Michael's 1-hour presentation is wonderful for his intended audience, Teacher/Young Adult/Teen librarians. However, the webcast should be of interest to middle and high school literature classes, book clubs, and serious readers. Too bad most school class periods are less than one hour. Teachers and librarians could add this link to their library or book club website and encourage comments on the webcast.


How else would you use Michael's YA book recommendations?  Would you recommend the webcast to parent groups or company employees and suggest adopting a local library or libraries in a school district? That would be a visible way to support students in the face of endless library budget and staffing cuts.

Kid Book Reviews - An Open House Treat (FUN & FREE)

Free, fun, fabulous idea of the week:

(Thanks to Alfie Cohen, Steven Krashen, and HS Teacher Librarian Connie Williams)

"Early this week Dr. Krashen sent out a great idea from Alfie Cohen about putting book reviews on lockers, etc. I loved it and since this evening was Open House I thought I'd give it a try. I asked many English teachers if they'd have their students write a 'quick write' that started:
[name] is reading.....   and then whatever they wanted to write about."

"With only 3 days to put this out to them... they were amazing! They (classroom teachers) loved the idea and sent lots and lots of them.  I think that they'll continue it.  What a great way to reinforce to teachers just how much kids like to read when they get to read what they choose. I plastered the hall to the library and put a sign Board at the end of the hall saying:"

"My T.A.s (teaching assistants) put them on lockers, on doors, and all over. I included some QR coded book talk signs too... lots of parents looked at them, and many kids dragged their parents over to their own reviews.   It was lots of fun.  I think that what I'll do now after taking these down is to practice "random acts of book reviews" and just post some every now and then in various places around the school."

"Kids wrote all over the map from Kafka to Dr Seuss to Superman....  it was fun."

Connie Williams, TL at Petaluma HS