Visual Representation of Learning

Learning Reflection

             As I wind down into my final semester as a MLIS student, I wanted to broaden my knowledge of children’s literature in the hope that it might help me work better with some of my teens when I become a YA librarian. I also thought it would be fun to learn about how children’s librarians at schools and public libraries utilize technology to keep children’s’ interest and foster life-long learning. I honestly never realized how much work goes in to reviewing a children’s picture book or nonfiction book before I took this course. It’s eye-opening to see how many library professionals have devoted their lives not only to children and their literature, but also their programming, welfare, and the quality of the materials made specifically for them.

             I found that the Kathleen Horning text, From Cover to Cover, was extremely informative for describing the types of evaluative strategies and reviewing techniques specific to children’s literature. Everything from grading the quality of the illustrations to

judging the appropriateness of the typeface was covered, which made my evaluation of the materials we read in this class a lot easier. Although a bit on the drier side in content, the Kimberley Reynolds text, Children’s Literature: A Very Short Introduction, was also extremely informative, but in a separate way. I learned so much about the history of children’s literature publishing as well as important topics related to the evolution of children’s literature, such as video games as a form of media narrative, the many faces of genre fiction, and the concept of transmedia, which ended up being my final paper topic. Each text brought different issues and solutions to the table and each one served as a learning experience for anyone looking at children’s literature in a critical way.

             Besides the two main texts, we also got to read a lot of great articles during this course. The Association for Library Services to Children’s article about media mentorship was very enlightening. To think that librarians are some of the only professionals who can provide the proper instruction and guidance to mentor children and teens on the proper use of and etiquette for the internet, applications, and other innovative technologies. That is a huge weight to put on our shoulders! We basically have a part to play in training the next generation of tech-savvy entrepreneurs and leaders of the 21^st century, which is pretty cool. I also really enjoyed reading Allie Jane Bruce’s article One Being White. Having grown up in

white privilege in a predominantly white, upper-middle class town, I knew that I had little to no knowledge about the issues plaguing minorities and other groups who suffer from prejudice. If anything, the article made me want to incorporate even more diverse literature into our collections at my library and someday, when I have my own collection of YA literature to develop and mold to my standards, I will make it a point to keep and add more diverse literature, especially if I’m located within a predominantly white area. In fact, that’s an even stronger reason to add diverse literature to a collection; children and teens can be exposed to situations and people they wouldn’t normally be exposed to where they live and they can learn more about the world in a controlled environment. Books have a special power in that regard.

             I really enjoyed the author project we did towards the beginning of the course. Despite already knowing my author on a personal level, I still learned a lot about her and her writing style through this project. I had never read her work before, so this project gave me an excuse to read some of her literature, which I thoroughly enjoyed (as I knew I would). I’m definitely looking forward to a first look at the new manuscript for her “Dark Unicorn” novel! Another assignment I enjoyed doing was the reading log. I’ve done one other reading log for a different class, but this one challenged me to read more children’s and middle grade

fiction, which I have been meaning to do. This is another scenario where I benefited from being “forced” to do something for a class. I got to choose the books I wanted to read and ended up walking away reading some really terrific books, which I plan to continue reading long after this class. I also got to shamelessly read some of the awesome picture books I’ve been eyeing at my library as they come in, like Dragons Love Tacos and Super Happy Magic Forest (seriously, go read this one!). I’m one of those adults who only reads teen fiction, so jumping over to middle grade wasn’t that different. Who says your too old to read middle grade?

             Overall, I’d say this class was a humbling and fun experience that I would certainly commit to again, if given the opportunity. It’s opened doors for me to the children’s area of the library where I work and given me a greater appreciation for the work my coworkers do every day downstairs with the kids. I’ve come out of this class ready and willing to be a productive member of society and advocate for children and teens everywhere, so I guess that means I gained some useful knowledge and a better attitude.

References

Bruce, A. J. (2015). On being white: A raw, honest conversation. Children and Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children.

Campbell, C., Haines, C., Koester, A., and Stoltz, D. (2015). Media mentorship in libraries serving youth. American Library Association.

Horning, K. T.  (2010). From cover to cover: Evaluating and reviewing children’s books.  New York: Collins.

Long, M. (2015). Super happy magic forest.

Reynolds, K. (2011). Children’s literature: A very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Rubin, A., & Salmieri, D. (2014). Dragons love tacos.

Book Review: "Inside Out and Back Again"

    For our second group reading assignment, I chose to read Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai. This novel is written in verse and follows the story of a young Vietnamese refugee girl named Ha as she navigates her new life away from her homeland during the Vietnam War. The novel begins in Vietnam with Ha's family going through their daily routine while patiently waiting for word of Ha's father, who's been missing for the past 6 years. Eventually, the situation in Vietnam becomes so dangerous that Ha's family makes the difficult decision to leave and follow other refugees fleeing the war to America.
    This is a very well-known time in American history, viewed from the perspective of a child. I was wary about the novel being in verse at first, but eventually I got used to the format and it ended up working for me. My favorite parts of this book were the ones where Ha was working on her English and her vocabulary; she was constantly picking at and making fun of how complicated our language was compared to hers and it was hilarious. I don't think that we ever really think about how awful our language is to learn because it's already ingrained in our systems, so we don't think about the complexities of learning it. I also really enjoyed the imagery and metaphors the author used when narrating in Ha's voice. I thought it made sense for a child's mind to think in terms of personifying inanimate objects and other things. Another thing we don't really think about a lot, as Americans, is the fact that there have been many instances where there have been refugees and/or concentration camps set up for foreigners in this country more than once. I think it's important to reflect on how we, as a country, have treated others, especially immigrants, and how we can change that and make it better moving forward. I thought this book was very timely in regard to that message.

Book Review: The Dark is Rising (Books 1 & 2)

    Over Sea, Under Stone is the first book in this series (which works more like a prequel) and follows the Drew siblings as they go on holiday in Cornwall and discover the secrets of Arthurian legend buried deep within the town's many landmarks, with help from their family friend Merriman. The Dark is Rising is the second book in this series and follows an 11-year-old Will Stanton after he finds out that he's the last member of the immortal Old Ones, set upon this earth to battle the forces of the Dark to serve the Light. Will's task is to seek out six Signs of Light in order to combine them to combat the Dark and prevail over evil.

    When our group met to discuss this book, I think we were all in agreement that it wasn't exactly what we were expecting. Some of our group had experience reading fantasy while others didn't care for it as much, but regardless of our love for fantasy literature, this really didn't hit the mark for any of us. I began reading the first book, or the prequel, to this series, which took a very long time to get to the main action or plot points in the story. The first two books are only barely connected, following different characters in different places. I think the main reason most of us disliked this book is that the pacing was slow in comparison to what we are used to experiencing, even from a younger reader's standpoint. Our group's discussion covered topics ranging from the similarities to other middle grade series, such as Harry Potter, to the way female characters are portrayed during this time period (the books were published during the 1970s). As far as story, I thought that The Dark is Rising was more engaging in plot than Over Sea, Under Stone. Since I had never read this series before, it was difficult for me to compare it with series that I grew up with, such as Harry Potter, which are apparently very similar in story line. I think discussing this book series with others was a great way to express our thoughts and questions about the book that maybe weren't easily understood or obvious at first glance. Discussion gives people a chance to overturn ideas that others may not have thought of originally. Despite minor technical difficulties, I think our virtual book discussion group was a great success and a great experience and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Multi-media Memoir

I remember being a very voracious reader as a child. I gobbled up chapter books like they were going out of style. Harry Potter, Nancy Drew, The Babysitter’s Club, and Ursula Le Guin’s Catwings series were only some of my favorite reads by the time I reached 5^th grade. I was moved in first grade to a different class because my reading level was so high. Unfortunately, that class already had two other Alyssa’s, so my teacher had her work cut out for her. I remember reading alone and with friends during class and afterwards, at the after-school club held at the school. I had an affinity for fantasy at an early age, which has held true into adulthood. By the time I reached middle school, I was getting into the Artemis Fowl and the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series while continuing with Harry Potter. The witty and often dry English humor of Georgia Nicolson just killed me (in the best way) and the series kept me entertained well into high school.

             I think I’ve always loved the library. When I was very little, my parents would take my sister and I to the local library to pick out books and participate in programs like Summer Read. I absolutely loved turning in my reading log and receiving a prize. I also had a designated reading nook on a window seat overlooking the river, which was easily the best spot to sit in the entire library. During middle school, I volunteered during study hall and sometimes lunch time in the school library as a page, shelving materials. I did well enough in school that I didn’t need my study hall and would have rather spent my time more constructively in my favorite place. I built up a great report with the librarian, who still remembered me when I interned at the school a few years ago. I enjoyed my time there and relished learning about library procedures and menial tasks like shelving and repair. I should have realized then what that meant for my future, but I didn’t think anything of it. Thinking back on this now, I might have made alternative career decisions if I realized how much I loved it.

               Unfortunately, later in high school and during my first few years of college, I fell out of reading and can’t remember a whole lot during that time period. I read more for school and course work, either not having enough time to read for leisure or not being interested in spending my time that way. At this point in my life, I can’t imagine what 17-year-old me was thinking, but I think we can all say that to some degree. I vaguely remember tackling The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series (because I was obsessed with the movies) and attempted The Silmarillion three times, to no avail. I would love to revisit those books now because I feel like I would appreciate them more as an adult, not to mention I would probably do even better at Lord of the Rings Trivial Pursuit than I did when I was 16.

               The only constant in my reading life seems to be Harry Potter. It’s not enough to say it’s my favorite series, children’s or otherwise. It’s more of a lifestyle for people who share my passion for this series. I know that if I asked some of you what house you’re in or what your Patronus is, you’d be able to answer immediately without hesitation. The world just comes alive for you and you accept it as a part of you, no matter how old you are. Now that they’re delving into the world of Newt Scamander, we get to continue the journey J. K. Rowling set us on 20 years ago (yes, it’s been that long). There’s really nothing else that compares to this series and I don’t think anything ever will. I just recently re-read the whole series for the first time since reading them originally and it brought all the old feelings back, as I anticipated.

              Now I read a lot of young adult literature, mainly fantasy. I hopped on the dystopian trend back when it was more popular, but have since fell out of love with it. I think The Hunger Games set a pretty high standard to meet, to be honest. My favorite authors include Sarah J. Maas, Cassandra Clare, and Victoria Schwab. The Mortal Instruments series (along with all the accompanying prequel and sequel series) by Clare, the Shades of Magic series by Schwab, as well as the Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Maas are the only ones for which I will eagerly wait for the next installment. Sarah J. Maas is a genius and her writing is absolutely amazing. Her strength is in her character development; her side characters are sometimes more interesting than her main characters and the relationships she crafts out of nothing are incredibly intricate. I’m at the point where I will read anything she puts out. Cassandra Clare is a different kind of genius, providing her readers with world extensions galore. The variety of time periods, characters and conflicts you can read about is staggering. Her newest book just came out today, so I’m probably going to stalk outside my front door for the UPS man until it gets here. Victoria Schwab’s writing is some of the most beautiful I’ve ever read. Not to mention her covers are STUNNINGLY GORGEOUS by all accounts. The Shades of Magic series just concluded and to say I was gutted at the conclusion would have been an understatement. She knows how to reel you in and destroy your feelings, in the best way. I could go on and on about these books, not to mention others, so I’ll quit while I’m ahead. I’m just glad I realized my mistake in not reading at all and rectified it while there are still terrific books to be had.

My Favorite Picture Book

    It was really difficult for me to think back to my childhood and come up with just one favorite picture book. I honestly don't remember a lot about reading them on my own, but there were a few books that I distinctly remember reading all the time. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka definitely stands out to me as my favorite because I can remember it so vividly. The Stinky Cheese Man twists traditional fairy tales into hilarious re-tellings, like "Little Red Riding Shorts" and "The Really Ugly Duckling," with equally funny resolutions and morals.This book is probably at least partially to blame for my snarky personality. I think it's important to find the humor in things and situations, especially when you're trying to make sense of them as a child. I have many fond memories of reading this book with my younger sister and laughing together. It makes me happy to know that I'll be able to read this book to my nephew and laugh with him like I did with his mother.