Edutopia Weblinks on Reading and Literacy

A couple of articles from the Edutopia website on Literacy, Reading and using comics and Graphic Novels.  

Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Support Literacy | Edutopia

Is it Time to Drop ‘Finding the Main Idea’ and Teach Reading in a New Way? | Edutopia

Take a look if you get a few moments and see what you think. 

New Graphic Novels and others

Having had a few requests from students about some more and updated graphic novels, we now have some new ones on display .. or at least what hasn't gone out already.  They are mainly Marvel/Superhero type ones - Wonder Woman, Wolverine and so on.  Plus there is a DragonWing one, which is about the Dragonnet Prophecy and the RainWings disappearing from the forest without even the smallest trace. 

We are also currently processing a few new Fiction books as well - a puzzle type adventure that looks quite intriguing, titled 'The Inheritance Games', that will be catalogued under Mystery. 

As well, there is the 'Darkest Minds' trilogy, all about mysterious powers and government control, and runaway kids who are out to save the world while trying to keep themselves alive somehow. This series has a movie connection being released this year .. or maybe it has already been released? (*)   As I don't watch movies, I'm not sure about this.  These will be catalogued into the Science Fiction genre area.

These should be available for borrowing in the next week. A reminder to all that if there is anything you would really like to read, please see me.  I can organise an Inter-Library-Loan,depending on the location of the item -  or try to find a way to add it to our Library collection.

* Edit:  The movie 'Darkest Minds was released 3rd August 2018.  There is a sequel planned which will probably be released late 2021 or 2022.

Thoughts about reading

Check out the links below for some interesting thoughts on reading and our students today - from ways to keep promoting reading during virtual learning to thoughts about 'reading trauma'.  

https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-115/21st-century-literacy-with-graphic-novels/

https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/promoting-reading-during-virtual-learning/?fbclid=IwAR2S_u6sBfXBA9aFZK-DfmCXJSUYKOggT9Cz07p6hntCj0yOrdOrzfeNU-4

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/56900/when-kids-say-im-not-a-reader-how-librarians-can-disrupt-traumatic-reading-practices?fbclid=IwAR2O9Sw6n_2yEqI4286hYD830Y5cddycikLXxKKGHchLIzS4bZggBmEvmWs

Displays and so on.

Currently I have a small mini display happening in the Library that I am planning to update each week (or so) covering various Genres in the Fiction area.

The one out at the moment is a collection of SPORT titles, and my plan is to try and work my way through most of the Genres in the hopes of catching students interest - as well as giving an understanding of what the pictures on the spines of the books actually mean, and how it can make it easier to choose a book. 

Mr Eckart also has a variety of display boards and posters that his class have done on Indigenous Language and Culture that he updates regularly, and Nurse Beck also regularly updates her board depending on what is happening in her area.  Huge thanks to both of you for keeping it current - and for saving me lots of time.  

We also have a small display of books concerning India tucked in a corner near the magazines which has proven popular for students wanting to flick through stuff - especially the Graphic Novels about Indian myths and legends.  

Picture Book Month

We have received some new books in the Library recently that people may be interested in.  One of them is 'Resist' by Sarah Crossan, which is the conclusion to the story started in 'Breathe'.  These are based on a future and dsytopian world, where all the trees have died out - or been chopped down - and what little oxygen is available is inside a dome, where you follow the rules or are put outside the dome to take your chance. 

There are also a couple of new Choose Your Own adventures: 'The Jungle of Doom' and the 'Desert of Dread' along with 'Vampire Hunter', so you have a choice of adventure or horror in this area.  As well, we have a couple of Interactive stories, which are basically the same style of book, but are about real life happenings.  We have one about the making of Facebook and another about Hurricane Katrina.

There are also some Shakespeare plays,  but in Graphic Novel format which is a different way of reading these classics. 

I would also like to share with you all that November is Picture Book Month. Personally speaking, I am a HUGE fan of Picture Books and there are many reasons to read them or to use them in your classes.  If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does that say about the power of a picture book?  And the world needs picture books. There’s nothing like turning the pages of a beautiful  picture book. They are not all Fiction either and are often a great way to share with kids - and their parents - little known facts.  (See the post a couple of weeks ago about the 'Lone Pine' picture book)
 
Please check out the link below.
http://picturebookmonth.com/