When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers by Ken Krimstein is a collection of “lost autobiographies” that breaks with many norms readers might expect from autobiographical works. And I predict YA literature readers will be fascinated by the power of these young people’s words and experiences and the “author’s” visual interpretation of their memoirs. Continue reading
Judi Moreillon
WOW Dozen: Intergenerational Global Families in Picturebooks
by Judi Moreillon, Tucson, AZ, and Mary Margaret Mercado, Pima County Public Libraries, AZ
For economic, political and personal reasons, families today are spread across countries and continents. They must navigate language and cultural differences and geography to hold their familial ties together. Some children and families are able to travel to visit their relatives in their heritage countries; others are unable to cross borders to maintain their family connections. Some families have only photographs or memories to share of their extended families and ancestors.
In this WOW Dozen, children navigate the challenges that can separate them from their loved ones and their heritage cultures. Some learn the language of their parents, grandparents or other relatives. Some learn about culture through traditional artifacts, food, celebrations and family stories. Some have only hopes and dreams of reuniting with their relatives or maintaining connections to a “home” they may never visit and relatives they may never meet face to face. Continue reading
Inquiry into Global Nonfiction and Informational Literature: Student Learning Outcomes and Reflections
Judi Moreillon, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
This post summarizes IS445 Information Books and Resources for Youth graduate students’ learning outcomes and reflections. I also included my brief reflection on teaching the course at the end of this post.
Small Group Collaborative Inquiry Projects
As noted in last week’s WOW Currents blog post, IS445 Information Books and Resources for Youth graduate students brainstormed topics and formed five inquiry groups. Topics for two of the five groups made natural connections to global books and resources: immigration and refugees. These topics grew out of the prejudice and discrimination pathfinder I provided as a model for students.
Guided Inquiry Design: Explore and Identify Phases
Judi Moreillon, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
The Explore phase of the Guided Inquiry Design (GID) offers learners resources to browse, read or use to stimulate their thinking and prompt sub-questions related to the overarching inquiry question. A hands-on text set of books is one option. Students may also be guided to online resources that may further increase their interest in the overarching inquiry question. A combination of print and digital resources can be especially effective for today’s youth (and graduate students, too). This dip-in strategy is designed to deepen students’ background knowledge before they identify inquiry questions of their own.
Guided Inquiry Design: Open and Immerse Phases
Judi Moreillon, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Before beginning our whole-class Guided Inquiry Design (GID) experience, I shared information about the eight phases of the process. Students also read a chapter from my latest professional book that describes the process in detail. I shared my experience of using the GID with K-12 students and in professional development activities for educators and librarians. I explained the purpose for modeling the process and let students know they would engage in small group inquiry projects later in the course and could also select an inquiry process for a choice project assignment.
Open: Prejudice and Discrimination
The “Open” phase of the GID is designed to stimulate learners’ curiosity, pique their interest, and invite them to join in the inquiry process. Educators often launch this phase by posing a question, problem or dilemma. The Open phase may begin with a read aloud, a selection of media or a short text that hones in on the inquiry topic or theme. The overarching or essential question for the inquiry can also serve as a prompt for connecting learners to the topic and opening and engaging their minds.
I launched our inquiry into prejudice and discrimination by sharing a photo montage of global current events images and brief print from newspaper and website headlines focused on children and teens who currently experience prejudice and discrimination. My goal was to focus students’ thinking on how global prejudice and discrimination impact today’s youth.
Slideshare Link: https://www.slideshare.net/jmoreillon/prejudice-and-discrimination-in-the-news Continue reading
Inquiry into Nonfiction and Informational Global Literature Focused on Prejudice and Discrimination against Children and Teens
Judi Moreillon, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
This summer, I taught an 8-week online course, “Informational Books and Resources for Youth.” The students participating in the course were practicing school librarians or preservice school or public library children’s and teen services librarians. We “met” virtually face-to-face in the online classroom 2 hours each week. The primary course objective is for students to identify, curate and present purposeful, relevant, current, accurate, authoritative and inclusive print and digital resources to support collection development and provide curriculum and programming support. Continue reading
An Interview with Mary Margaret Mercado: Authentic Picturebook Illustrations
Interview conducted by Judi Moreillon
Part 4: Authentic Picturebook Illustrations
This month, I interview Pima County Public Library children’s librarian and children’s book reviewer, Mary Margaret Mercado. Last week, Mary Margaret responded to questions related to authenticity in picturebook stories. This week, our conversation centers on authentic picturebook illustrations.
An Interview with Mary Margaret Mercado: Authentic Picturebook Stories
Interview conducted by Judi Moreillon
Part 3: Authentic Picturebook Stories
This month, I interview Pima County public librarian children’s librarian and children’s book reviewer Mary Margaret Mercado. Last week, Mary Margaret responded to questions related to publication practices with a closer look at the author, illustrator and translator’s cultural knowledge. This week, our conversation centers on the authenticity of the story itself.
An Interview with Mary Margaret Mercado: Publication Practices
By Judi Moreillon, Literacies and Libraries Consultant
Part 2: Publication Practices
This month, I interview Pima County Public Libraries children’s librarian and book reviewer, Mary Margaret Mercado. Last week, Mary Margaret responded to questions related to her goals and process for reviewing books. This week, we explore publication practices. To guide our thinking, we create a framework from Critical Multicultural Analysis of Children’s Literature: Mirrors, Windows, and Doors by Maria José Botelho and Masha Kabakow Rudman and WOWLit’s “Evaluating Literature for Authenticity.”
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Book Reviewers as Mediators of Children’s Literature: An Interview with Mary Margaret Mercado
By Judi Moreillon, Literacies and Libraries Consultant
Part 1: Goals and Process for Children’s Book Reviews
Children’s book reviewers serve as mediators between newly published children’s literature and those who promote, purchase or use these books. Newspapers and other media that promote children’s books use what book reviewers publish. Bookstores that sell children’s books refer to these reviews. School and public librarians, classroom teachers and families that purchase and share children’s books often rely on published reviews. Book reviewers, therefore, have the responsibility to be competent. Their reviews should accurately address all aspects of global children’s literature, including cultural authenticity and accuracy.
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