Category Archives: Youth Services

We are excited the NEST 529 contest continues for this year’s summer reading program. It is the opportunity for children and teens, ages 3-18, to have their names entered into a drawing for a $529 scholarship. Fifteen names will be drawn, five each from our three Congressional Districts.  In order to be included in the drawing, children and teens need to complete their library’s summer reading program, as determined by each individual public library.  Additionally, each winner’s home library will receive $250.

Information, Official Rules, and a sample file for name submissions can be found here.

Instructions included on Tab 1 of the sample submission file are:

• Please inform parents or guardians of the library’s intention to submit the children’s names for the drawing.  The parent or guardian has the right to exclude their child from the drawing.
• Print out and post the Official Rules for the NEST 529 drawing.
• As stated in the Official Rules — “Eligibility: Participation is open only to individual, legal Nebraska residents 3 to 18 years of age as of the date of entry.”
• Include a phone number &/or email address to contact each child/teen. (Space for these is included on Tab 2 of the Excel file designed for submission.)
• Libraries must submit contestant information electronically to the Library Commission.
• If you do not have Excel or another spreadsheet program, send us the names electronically in an email.
• In order to receive the scholarship, after the drawing the parents of the winners must agree to establish a 529 College savings account.
• Email the completed file to Sally Snyder by the Deadline of 11:59:59 p.m., CT, on August 25, 2016.
• Visit this Library Commission web page for links to the complete rules and a poster to display in your library.

Have a fun summer!

A Great Resource: Disability in Kidlit

The Disability in Kidlit web page offers the opportunity to look beyond stereotypes to the reality of disabilities. The “About” section on their web page states, “Disability in Kidlit is dedicated to discussing the portrayal of disability in middle grade and young adult literature. We publish articles, reviews, interviews, and discussions examining this topic from various angles—and always from the disabled perspective.”

The book reviews presented on the site are of titles that feature a child or teen with a disability, reviewed by people who often also have that disability, to give librarians and others a better idea of what to look for when selecting books for their collections or recommending titles for readers.

Clothesline Clues to Sports People Play by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook will draw in young listeners during story time.  Each two-page spread features a clothesline holding things like a shirt, shorts, maybe gloves, a hat, or such, with an item or two on the ground that correspond to a particular sport.  It then asks “What sport does he (or she) play?”  The kids will shout the answer, and the next page also tells the answer.  This is a title I missed for my 2016 summer reading program booklist so I am happy to let you know about it now.  An earlier title by the same authors and illustrator is Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do, which I also recommend.  Thank you to Sandy at Lincoln City Libraries for bringing these books to my attention.

(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, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

 The 2016 Teens Top Ten Nominees Announced

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has officially announced the nominees for the 2016 Teens Top Ten.  It is a teen choice list containing titles recommended by teens and voted on by teens across the country.  Teen readers are encouraged to read as many of the nominees as they can, and vote for their favorites starting on August 15^th through Teen Read Week (October 9-15, 2016).  The final Top Ten will be announced the week following Teen Read Week.  For an annotated list of the nominees, go to this PDF and share it with your teens!

To Catch a Cheat by Varian Johnson is the sequel to The Great Greene Heist which came out in May of 2014.  Jackson Greene (8th grade) has again promised no more schemes or pranks, and stuck with it.  He is surprised when the principal calls him into his office and accuses him and Charlie (his best friend) of flooding the school over the weekend.  There is even video evidence they did it.  They did not do it.  Now they need to discover who doctored the video, and what can be done to clear their names.  The con they concoct will do the trick, if everyone can stick to their task.  Great for middle school readers who love teens getting one over on scalawags.

(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, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

School Library Journal’s “Battle of the Kids Books” and

28^th Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists Announced

School Library Journal’s “Battle of the Kids Books” began on March 7^th. Find out more here or go here to learn the results of Round 1, Match 1.  I just have to say that the term “kids’ books” that School Library Journal is using is a bit misleading. The first match was between The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Phillip Hoose and Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman… decidedly not kids’ books (depending on how you define “kids”). Otherwise, enjoy the contests!

The 28th annual Lambda Literary Awards, often call the “Lammys,” “celebrate achievement in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) writing for books published in 2015.”  A total of 321 publishers provided a record-breaking 933 submissions for the various categories this year.  Scroll down the list on the web page and within the 25 categories of finalists you will find the LGBT Children’s/Young Adult category which lists eight finalists.  Winners will be announced on June 6, 2016.

 A Big Surprise for Little Card by Charise Mericle Harper is a picture book I predict many public libraries will add to their collections.  Little Card was trained to be a birthday card, but learns there was a mix-up and now he is to be delivered to a library – where he runs in the door and shouts “Happy Birthday!”  Little Card soon learns his new duties and becomes the library card for a girl.  Imagine his glee when he learns that while birthdays only happen once a year a library card can be used almost every day!  It is fun to see things from a different perspective, that of the new library card.  Another good choice for preschool through grade 1.

(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, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

Bram Stoker Award Finalist Lists

The eleven finalist lists have now been announced on their web page.  In the category Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel the finalists are:  Jennifer Brozek for Never Let Me Sleep (Book 1 of the Melissa Allen Trilogy), Michaelbrent Collings for The Ridealong, John Dixon for Devil’s Pocket (sequel to Phoenix Island), Tonya Hurley for Hallowed (Book 3 of the Blessed trilogy), Maureen Johnson for The Shadow Cabinet (Book 3 of the Shades of London series), and Ian Welke for End Times at Ridgemont High.  I have not read any of these titles, which shows me a gap in my effort to include all genres of books in my reading and recommendations to Nebraska librarians.  (I did read The Diviners and Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray.)  I promise to include more in my reading (and keep the light on at night).

We Forgot Brock! written and illustrated by Carter Goodrich shows the great friendship between Phillip and his imaginary friend Brock.  One fun illustration shows Phillip’s parents in the foreground looking out the window and seeing only Phillip, when the reader knows Brock is there too.  Life takes a turn when the family goes to the Big Fair.  Phillip and Brock have a great time on the rides but Phillip is sleepy when it is time to go home.  Brock, still at the Fair, looks but cannot find Phillip anywhere.  Fortunately he is rescued by Anne and her imaginary friend Princess Sparkledust.  Phillip and Brock struggle to go on without each other – until they run into each other again!  Soon all four are friends.  A fun picture book for preschool through grade 1.

(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, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

Gene Luen Lang Named Newest Ambassador for Young People’s Literature!

The purpose of the Ambassador is to “raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people” (from their home page, link below).  Lang’s theme for his two-year term is “Reading Without Walls.”  Named in January by the Library of Congress and sponsored by The Center for the Book, the Children’s Book Council, and Every Child a Reader, the first Ambassador was Jon Scieszka for the 2008-2009 term. A selection committee reviews nominations and makes their choice. Visit their home page to see the criteria and read more about the newest choice.  Previous Ambassadors, in term order, are: Jon Scieszka, Katherine Paterson, Walter Dean Myers and Kate DiCamillo.

The Sweetest Heist in History, Book 2 of the “Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective” series by Octavia Spencer finds Randi visiting her aunt Gigi in Brooklyn, New York for Thanksgiving and bringing her new friends D.C. and Pudge with her. They soon uncover suspicious doings in her aunt’s apartment building and at the Brooklyn Museum across the street. Could there be a plot to steal some of the Fabergé eggs soon to be on display? Randi and her friends are determined to outwit any criminals and save the eggs. A fun mystery for readers in grades 4-6.

(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, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

2016 Notable Children’s Books Announced

The Association of Library Services to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA) has announced their list of books from 2015 that were selected as Notable Children’s Books – 2016.  As it says on the web page, “According to the Notables Criteria, ‘notable’ is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding.” The list is divided into four sections: Younger Readers, Middle Readers, Older Readers, and All Ages. Each category is “loosely” defined by grade ranges in the introduction. Enjoy looking over the list and I hope you find something to add to your collection!

Something small and white this week reminded me of the picture book The Little Snowplow by Lora Koehler. The Little Snowplow joined the BIG trucks for the town, and they all told him to leave the jobs to them, they would handle them and he was too little. So he cleaned up after parades, cleared streams and other small jobs, but as fall began to change to winter he began his training exercises. When the snow fell, it was soon overwhelming. He kept clearing and clearing, and soon went to work to help the dump truck who was caught in an avalanche. Power of the small.

(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, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

The Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) Division of the American Library Association (ALA) announced Monday, January 11, 2016, the winner of the Newbery and Caldecott Medals.

Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson, is the 2016 Newbery Medal winner. Three Newbery Honor Books also were named: The War that Saved My Life written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Roller Girl written and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, and Echo written by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

The 2016 Caldecott Medal winner is Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear illustrated by Sophie Blackall and written by Lindsay Mattick. Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named: Trombone Shorty illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Troy Andrews, Waiting illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes, Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, Last Stop on Market Street illustrated by Christian Robinson, written by Matt de le Peña.

To read a copy of the ALA press announcement and learn about all the other award winners and honor books, go to: http://nlc.nebraska.gov/youth/ala.yma.2016.pdf