Diversity in the Library Media Center

There are two book awards given anually that address diversity and/or the experience of diversity. They are the Schneider Family Book Award and the Stonewall Book Award.
The Schneider Family Book Awards honor an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. The 2011 award winners are: for Middle School readers - After Ever After written by Jordan Sonnenblick (Tells the story of Jeffrey who is free of cancer, but not the fallout from the treatment. Tad, his cancer survivor buddy and he swap wisecracks as they cope with their "chemo-brain," other cancer effects and typical 8th grade angst.); for Teen readers - Five Flavors of Dumb written by Antony John. (Dumb is not the name Piper, a high school senior who is Deaf, would have chosen for a heavy metal band, yet she volunteers to manage this disparate group of would-be musicians.); and for the Young Child readers - The Pirate of Kindergarten written by George Ella Lyon and illustrated by Lynne Avril. (Ginny's eyes play tricks and, in her world, there are two of everything. Reading, math, and kindergarten activities are a challenge. Wearing an eye patch turns her into the pirate of kindergarten, and glasses help bring her world into focus.).
The Stonewall Book Award is presented by the GLBT Round Table of the ALA for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered experience in the fields of fiction, non-fiction, and/or children's & young adult literature. The 2011 winner in the Children's & Young Adult category is Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher. (This remarkable book takes a hard look a the difficulties and pain experienced by young male-to-female transsexuals from an easily relatable perpective. A small-town Missouri boy's world is rocked when he falls for the new girl at school who was born male and is in transition to becoming a female.).

This week I will meet with 3-Bruns and 4-Kahlsdorf on Tuesday, March 8th. 3-B will listen to The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh written by Janet Nolan and illustrated by Ben F. Stahl and 4-K will play reading for info games. On March 10th, I will meet with 1-Kobes and 1-Savoy, and 4-Hildman.

Until next time...Keep Reading!
Mrs. T. Reiter, K-12 Teacher Librarian