Resource Reflections Chapters 17- End

 Chapter 17 We Need Diverse Books

    We Need Diverse Books is a non profit and grassroots organization of children's book lovers that advocates essential changes in publishing industry to produce and promote literature which reflects and honors the lives of all young people. The purpose of the group is to putting more books into the hands of all children witch characters that are so diverse they will reflect the image of every individual child. This group defines diversity as recognizing all diverse experiences, including but not limited to; LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, ethnicity, culture, religion, and disabilities like physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, developmental, chronic conditions, mental illness, and even due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization. 

    The diversity of reading text has grown exponentially in the last thirty years. The admission of texts which characters who are different races, religions, cultures, and even intellects allows readers across the reading spectrum to find characters who are like them. Being able to relate and identify with characters in texts help individuals feel validated and empowered. 

Chapter 18 National Council of Teachers of English, statement on adolescent literacy, July 17, 2018

    The National Council of Teachers of English made a statement which was based on research to be used as a resource for media, policymakers, and teachers. It notes the complexities of reading as an ongoing, developmental process and addresses the needs of secondary readers and their teachers. The statement also outlines that literacy encompasses reading, writing, and a variety of social and intellectual practices. It adds that literacy includes digital and interdisciplinary literacies. Literacy is ongoing and non-hierarchical process in which each academic content area poses its own literacy approaches and challenges. In addition, it notes that reading is a complex, purposeful, social, and cognitive process in which readers use knowledge of spoken and written language, knowledge of text topic, and knowledge of culture to construct meaning. Competency in reading grows through engagement with various text and wide reading for various purposes. Increasing competency involves; academic reading makes the reader use specialized reading strategies to assess complex texts, integrate multiple literature resources students bring to school, develop wide independent reading to build fluency, vocabulary, and knowledge of text structures,  and to think, read, write, and listen, and discuss multicultural literacy ways that critically confront and bridge social, cultural, and personal differences. Important notes for teachers are to use appropriate texts, teach literacy in their discipline, and create environments and time to engage in critical examination of texts. 

    As a teacher of reading in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 3rd I know the value of reading across texts, reading for entertainment, adding time for reading, and read new or opposing viewpoints. Up until third grade students learn to read and after third grade students read to learn. Students should have the opportunity to read varying types of texts including genres and themes. Students should be given time to read daily with texts of their own choosing. Students, no matter age or grade level, should also have daily read alouds. Encountering varying text, given time to read, and reading across curriculum areas are important and invaluable to students. 

Chapter 19 Perspectives on Reading

What a Real Readers Advisor Does

March 2019, Mary Chelton, Professor Emeritus

    Reader's advisor is a library term for somebody who can help a reader find a book that a person would like to read. A reader's advisor involves understanding reader's preferences, mood, and prior reading experiences. Readers preferences are situational and often biased against genres, topics, author's gender, and readers may say the like everything, but don't really. Advising means they must understand what readers like; happy or sad endings, fast or slow paced, contemporary, past, or future setting, romance or no romance, male or female protagonists, violent or non violent content, emotional or cerebral content, and humor or no humor in the text. Another area an advisor must think of is the form of the text. Does the reader prefer electronic text, short stories, science fiction, audiobooks, or e-books. Reader's advisors use face to face interviews, website queries, and displays in order to understand how and why readers select books for themselves and guides them for reading suggestions.

    Readers look for recommendations for their next book in a variety of places. The New York Times Bestsellers List, books displays at the bookstore, and even book club meetings are places in which readers look for their next good read. While many readers may self describe as open to any kind of genre or text, there are many likes and dislikes they do not share with those that may help them find new text.

Chapter 20 23 Young adult middle grade books honor Hispanic Heritage Month

School Library Journal, Della Farrell, September 13, 2017

    September is Hispanic Heritage month  honors the history, culture, and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as they have influenced America. The School Library Journal offers titles and reviews of Hispanic titles. Titles in the 5th to 8th grade range are The Only Road, Forest World, and Maximilian and the Lucha Libre Club. More titles for 8th grade and up are; North of Happy, Lucky Broken Girl, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, The Go-Between, All the Wind in the World, The Radius of Us, and Wild Beauty. 

    A list or website used to highlight a culture or genre is a valuable resource to librarians, teachers, and readers who are in search of new and peer reviewed text in order to expand their reading. Although, the titles should not only be shared during the one month where the topic is highlighted, these topics should be highlighted and shared frequently.