Congratulations to La Vista Public Library!
Lindsey Tomsu, Teen Coordinator for the La Vista Public Library, recently learned the library will receive one of twenty Summer Reading Program Grants from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Lindsey noted that teen participation at the library increased by 510% from the 2009 to the 2010 Summer Reading Program. Wow! The $1,000 grant will be used to provide cultural-related activities for this year’s summer reading program “You Are Here.” Way to go Lindsey!
I recently finished reading Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan. It takes place in India of 1919. Rosalind, 15, lives with her mother and has had quite a bit of freedom while her father has been away in the British military during World War I and after. She takes a couple of risks to help someone, as she struggles with the idea of a class system and why some people have so much and others so little. She is found out and sent “home” to England to live with aunts she doesn’t know. Gandhi and the possible freedom of India intrigue her. The book gives a good sense of the time and place and also gives readers some food for thought. Good for middle school readers.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
