SLIS 5420, Module #1: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

I've been a long time fan of Beverly Cleary, but for some reason that fanship never made the obvious cross-over to Judy Blume books. For this reason,  I thought the next "classic chapter book" I'd conquer would be Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.

Summary

Judy Blume's classic tale of growing up as young tween Margaret moves from New York to the suburbs with her Mother and Father. Leaving her Grandmother behind, Margaret must come to terms with starting a new school, making new friends, and "growing up" without the woman she's previously spent so much time with.

But Margaret is not alone in this new endeavor, for she has God by her side to listen to her thoughts and problems whenever she needs someone. Unlike most characters in books that talk with God (especially during the 70s when this book was published), Margaret does not belong to a religion. Born of a Christian mother and a Jewish father, Margaret's religious beliefs (or lack thereof) are just another one of her suffering-from-preteen-angst problems.

Soon, though, Margaret as God and a best friend Nancy to help her grow up (and talk about boys, breasts, and periods). Things get complicated for Margaret as we learn more about the dynamics of her life a school- from a first-year teacher to working on assigned projects with classmates she despises, Margaret learns a lot about life and a little about bra-stuffing in this novel.

The book closes as some pretty serious (and groundbreaking for the '70s) topics are tackled by Margaret. For example, Margaret learns an important lesson about rumors and that things aren't always how the look. As Laura, a classmate of Margaret's exclaims (location 1540 of 1975), "Think about how you'd feel if you had to wear a bra in fourth grade and how everybody laughed and how you always had to cross your arms in front of you." It's relatable experiences like these described in the book with such candidity that readers of all ages won't want to put the book down until the very end.

My Thoughts

Wow! How did I miss this book during puberty? I see so much of myself in Margaret as she is one relatable character! Judy Blume captures the tween years and squeezes them into a book perfectly!

More than just your typical chick lit, Blume touches on "growing up" as though the one telling the story really is a 12 year old girl. Even by today's standards, Blume pushes the envelope and doesn't just talk about pads and periods, but delves deeper into the preteen psyche and shows the world the depth to which tweens often think about their struggles. Margaret talks to God like Leigh talks to Mr. Henshaw in Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary- with curiosity and desperation both- as though she is looking for answers from him, but really knows she'll has to work them out herself. One of the most touching talks to God happens at the end of the book (location 1571 of 1975):

I really hurt Laura's feelings. Why did you let me do that? I've been looking for you God. I looked in the temple. I looked in church. And today, I looked for you when I wanted to confess....Why God? Why do I only feel you when I'm alone?

While other women may be reluctant to admit this, the quote above proves that their is just a little bit of Margaret in all of  us. :)

What Have Others Said?

From School Library Journal's blogger, Fuse #8 (2012):

In her June/July 1999 American Libraries article “Places I Never Meant to Be: A Personal View," Ms. Blume says of writing this story, “I wrote Are You There God ? It’s Me, Margaret right out of my own experiences and feelings when I was in 6th grade. Controversy wasn’t on my mind. I wanted only to write what I knew to be true. I wanted to write the best, the most honest books I could, the kinds of books I would have liked to read when I was younger. If someone had told me then I would become one of the most banned writers in America, I’d have laughed.”

And, more from  School Library Journal's blogger, Fuse #8 (2012):

It was probably also the earliest Blume title that has been routinely challenged and banned. American Writers for Children Since 1960: Fiction says that, “Attempts at censoring the book have continued throughout its lifetime; the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom reports that it has been charged with ‘denigrating religion and parental authority’ and being ’sexually offensive and amoral’.” Ms. Blume says of her first experiences with banning, “. . . one night the phone rang and a woman asked if I was the one who had written that book. When I replied that I was, she called me a communist and hung up. I never did figure out if she equated communism with breast development or religion.”

I've been aware of the book's controversy when it was originally published for several years. Certainly, the book's hype has died down as more and more boundaries are being broken by young adult authors every day?  I decided to hop on over to www.commonsensemedia.org to see what present day critics of controversy are saying:

From Katherine Olney on www.commonsensemedia.org:

Parents need to know that this book presents a pretty realistic take on what it's like to be a sixth-grade girl (which means it's fine for girls a bit younger since they are always looking ahead): Readers will find it easy to relate to honest Margaret, who says "I want to be like everybody else." There's some talk about periods, boys, bras, and bodies -- and Margaret sneaks her father's Playboy for her curious friends to look at. She and her friends gossip about the most-developed girl in class, and, at a party, the kids play "Two Minutes in the Closet" and other kissing games. Margaret grapples with some big questions about growing up, including what religion she should be (if any). She talks to God in a very personal way and at one point even gets so angry at him that she refuses to talk to him anymore. Ultimately, tweens learn that they're not alone in wishing that they would hurry up and grow up.

My inference was right! While Blume's topics have stood the test of time, it looks as though (some) of the controversy has been laid to rest.

Some Ideas for the Library or Classroom

I can't wait to share this book with my tween readers! First step: move the book from the Teen section of the library to the Fiction section of the library! (Long story short: running a library for 9-16 year olds is complicated... especially if you haven't read all of your books!) Second step: recommend the book to Yolanda! I know this is exactly what she's looking for! As a fan of The Winnie Years by Lauren Myracle and a Beverly Cleary fanatic (like me!), she'll eat this book up! I am not sure this is  a book that I will do a formal book talk on or make a book trailer for- I think it will be a special title I will share with the tween ladies personally and hope word-of-mouth catches on!

I can't honestly say that I will actually implement this next idea, but it is certainly one worth mentioning. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret would be an excellent book for a discussion on banned books and censorship with my older readers. With so many fans of Crank by Ellen Hopkins in the 8th grade, I think students would be shocked by the controversy of Blume's book and an engaging conversation would be sure to commence!

References

Bird, E. (May 19, 2012). Top 100 Children’s novels #74: Are you there, god? It’s me, margaret by Judy Blume. Message posted to http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/2012/05/19/top-100-childrens-novels-74-are-you-there-god-its-me-margaret-by-judy-blume/
Blume, J. (1970). Are you there god? it's me, margaret. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Clearly, B. (1983). Dear Mr. Henshaw. New York, NY: HarperTrophy.

Hopkins, E. (2004). Crank. New York, NY: Simon Pulse.
Myracle, L. (2004-2011). The Winnie Years [book series]. New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books.
Olney, K. (2012). Are you there god, it's me, margaret? [Review of the book Are you there god? It’s me, Margaret by Judy Blume]. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/are-you-there-god-its-me-margaret

SLIS 5420, Module #1: Bunnicula

When I started the library program at 3D three years ago, Bunnicula was one of the first books I entered into the system and shelved. I think the book has been on the shelf ever since... I haven't picked it up, haven't recommend it to any students, and after checking the circulation records, I discovered the book hasn't ever been checked out!

After reading Bunnicula as part of the "Classic Chapter Books" reading assignment for SLIS 5420, I feel very sad for the poor, never moved nor checked out copy of Bunnicula on my library shelf. I promise a better future for that old copy and hopefully, a better future for many more copies, too.


Summary
On the opening page of Bunnicula (1979), readers meet Harold, the Monroe's' loving and intelligent dog. Harold serves as the narrator for the book and does he definitely have a story to tell! After a series of fortunate events at the movies that evening, the Monroe's have become the proud owners of a cute, fluffy bunny rabbit.

The Monroe's are excited to host a new pet (in addition to Harold and a cat named Chester) into the family. The two boys, Toby and Peter are especially excited. A few days after the appropriately named Bunnicula, has joined the family, Harold and Chester begin to notice the bunny's strange behaviors; from sleeping all day to vegetables mysteriously turning white, Chester becomes determined that Bunnicula is a vampire! While the human members of the Monroe family are concerned with their damaged vegetables, they don't make a connection between their new family pet and the problem.

Chester, however, is convinced they've taken a dangerous monster into their family. With the help of Harold, lots of garlic, and a grandfather clock, the two set off to expose Bunnicula. Yet, after careful observation and some one-sided conversations, Harold begins to develop a friendship with Bunnicula. And, when Chester decides that starving Bunnicula is the only solution to the family's problem, Harold graciously (and messily!) rescues the poor, hungry bunny from Chester's wrath!

My Thoughts
This fast-paced, quirky and comical tale of family pets (and Dracula) warmed my heart and made me smile. The relationships between the characters reminds me of  my family pets . One of the Monroe's two young boys, Toby, feeds Harold chocolate cake and cheese crackers (Harold's favorite!)- affirming the idea that the way to a dog's heart really is through his stomach.

When told well, stories narrated by family pets, like Bunnicula, are some of my favorites- especially when they include a fang-toothed bunny! This week, I've found myself referring to Bunnicula several times in my conversations with my boyfriend, Colin. I've been talking to his dog, Sasha, just as if she were Harold- and imagining Harold's thoughts to be similar to hers. When she put her paws on the new couch, I thought about Harold's love of putting his paws on the counter (441), "I jumped up on a chair, and in all the excitement, no one noticed that I had my paws on the table."

What Have Others Said?

In an original review from Booklist in 1979, Hearne describes Bunnicula as  a book that "...will offer young readers the entertainment of mystery and spoof. A sure read-aloud and a nice follow-up for fans of Don and Joan Caufield’s Incredible Detectives." Similar to my thoughts above, Hearne (1979) also describes Harold the dog as one who "...narrates this caper with all the dignity appropriate to one of his nature and background. By occupation he is a dog, but by preoccupation he’s a concerned participant in events that rock his usually stable professional family...."

Always curious to read what the folks at www.commonsensemedia.org have to say about a text, I sought out their review next. And, here's what S. K. List had to say:

Thousands of young readers have given this book their approval, and they're sure to be joined by thousands more -- with good reason. In fact, kids with even a smidgeon of attraction to horror will gobble this book up. And for over 20 years, they already have. One typical older fan remembers the book vividly: "It's funny, creative, and just silly enough not to be stupid. The animals are well characterized, too, in the way they talk. It's a great book."

The lighthearted inspiration that led Deborah and James Howe to almost daydream this book into reality shines through its pages, charming and amusing the reader. The intelligent Chester and his down-to-earth chum, Harold, go their separate ways over the dangers the fanged bunny brings into their home. But their differences are resolved in the end, with the vampire mystery lingering just enough to support … a sequel. (Several of them!)

Some Ideas for the Library or Classroom

I am excited to return to 3D and recommend this book to my students- I have several in mind that I know will enjoy it. I plan to suggest the book to some of the 3rd and 4th graders that are ready to read books at a  higher reading level with more intricate vocabulary, but are not necessarily ready to tackle a longer book yet. (Ahh... the age old problem of fluency vs. comprehension raises its Bunnciula-like fangs again!!) In addition, I think this book will serve as a "gateway" to some other classic books. (I often struggle to get students to read the "older" books- they always want to read the new, shiny, popular texts). If I can get them to try a short classic like this one, maybe I can convince some of them to try another... and another... and another!

I also think Bunnicula would be an awesome text for a lesson on context clues. The authors use very complex vocabulary (reverie appears on the first page) and students could easily partner read aloud the text, search for challenging words, use context clues to determine the meaning of the words, and verify the meaning with the dictionary. Here's to using authentic literature in the English class!

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References:

Hearne, B. (1979, May 15).  Bunnicula: A rabbit-tale of mystery [Review of the book Bunnicula, by Deborah and James Howe]. Booklist. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/Bunnicula-A-Rabbit-Tale-of-Mystery-Deborah-Howe/pid=2650022?pid=2650022

Howe, D., & Howe, J. (1979). Bunnicula: A rabbit-tale of mystery. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

List, S. K. (2012). Bunnicula: A rabbit-tale of mystery [Review of the book Bunnicula, by Deborah and James Howe]. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/bunnicula-rabbit-tale-mystery

A New Class! SLIS 5420

I <3 books!

This week I started a new journey in the form of a UNT grad class called Youth Literature. I have been waiting for months to take this course- I love reading and I love youth, so the class is the perfect marriage of all (ok... most, sorry Colin!) things I love!

Over the next several weeks, I'll be posting about the "youth literature" I read. And so let the blogging commence! Here's to great reading, great reviews, and of course, great books!

Eat. Sleep. Read.

Blog Post 4

In just a few short months, technology and I have come a long way and have begun to build a love-love relationship! Looking back on my first blog post, I am excited to see how far I have come. Just yesterday, I presented a session to my faculty! Entitled “Technology Tools,” the session featured several of the tools I have learned about in SLIS 5720. The most exciting part of the presentation was the three teachers who shared about their experiences collaborating with me on bringing more technology into their classroom. I never would have guessed that one class could change my outlook and daily life so much- I am enjoying being called a “techie” by my work friends and spending hours with our district technology specialist emailing back and forth about HTML codes.

Despite a complete mindset shift about using technology and how useful it is in education, I am, admittedly, still underexposed to Web 2.0 tools and have a long road of learning ahead. Fear is no longer a weakness, yet time has replaced it. Reading about, researching, and trying out new Web 2.0 tools is a timely process. I am worried that I just don’t have enough time in my day to keep up with all of the new and exciting tools available to my students, my teachers, and I. Now that I have begun to get ahead of the curve, I am worried about falling behind.

My biggest strength continues to be my love of learning. Every morning, I look forward to checking my email and reading “Technology Tidbits: Thoughts of a Cyber Hero,” David Kapuler’s daily blog on educational websites.  I love checking out the new suggested sites and have fun exploring all of suggested resources. Now, I can add a basic knowledge base of technology skills to my list of strengths. (I am not ready to consider myself one with “strong” technology skills, yet….) I have confidence when navigating the web, troubleshooting with my colleagues, and submitting assignments. Yesterday, I told a good friend how in love I am with Diigo, the online bookmarking site, and they replied with a blank stare… I can’t explain how awesome it was to get online and show them just how easy it was to use Diigo!

As SLIS 5720 comes to a close, I am sad to see it end. I have learned so much and have some apprehension about how I will continue the momentum of learning without the class. I am grateful that I will continue to attend classes at UNT and I am confident that I will continue learning about technology in other classes. I am very fortunate to have a mentor that is tech-savvy, always introducing me to new tools and answers all my questions without hesitation, no matter how silly they may seem to me.  In addition, I now subscribe to several blogs that will help keep me up-to-date on new technologies. Most importantly, collaborating with my colleagues is the key lever that will keep me learning about technology. As I continue to work with them on class projects, we will continue to learn together so that we can serve our students in the best way we know how.

Blog Post 3

One of the best parts about being the Librarian an Instructional Coach for my middle school is that I get to help teachers plan lessons that incorporate literature, research and technology. Earlier this week, the 5th grade Reading teacher, Mrs. Boothe, approached me about creating a fun and interactive lesson plan that emphasized technology and Web 2.0 tools for the book, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. Imagine my excitement when I realized collaborating with Mrs. Boothe would be the perfect topic for my graduate school assignment!

I always find it helpful to start by looking for ideas on the Internet- and so began my Google search. Since the movie version of The Lorax was just released and Earth Day is coming up, there is definitely no shortage of lesson plans and activities for the book online. I found a great site (http://www.seusssville.com/) that has a ton of lesson ideas to use with The Lorax, including some comprehensive project ideas at: http://www.seussville.com/Educators/lorax_classroom/educatorlorax_discuss.php.

After finding lesson and project ideas for the book online, Mrs. Boothe and I spent some time brainstorming ways to incorporate technology into the lesson- both to make the lesson more learner-centered and to address technology standards (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=8192).

Here are some of the lesson ideas I shared with Ms. Boothe:

To Help Build Background:

• Before reading the book, have students conduct Internet searches on the topics of global warming, air pollution, and recycling. Create a customized search engine using Google Custom Search (http://www.google.com/cse/) or use a bookmarking site such as Delicious (http://www.delicious.com/) to help guide students to reliable, student-friendly websites. Before and after browsing the Web, students can create a K-W-L chart about information they already know, what they want to know, and what they learned about the topics they research. (The lesson plan on Suessville.com suggests some sites and books related to The Lorax: http://www.seussville.com/Educators/lorax_classroom/educatorlorax_resources.php).

While Reading the Book: 

• During the class read-aloud, use a document camera such as an Elmo (http://www.elmousa.com/products)  project the book onto a wall or screen. Instantly, a class read-aloud turns into a movie-like experience! By using this simple technology, even the most reluctant students are likely to become engaged.

After Reading the Book:

• Seussville.com has excellent discussion questions to for students to talk about after reading The Lorax (http://www.seussville.com/Educators/lorax_classroom/educatorlorax_discuss.php). Rather than holding a live, face-to-face discussion, Mrs. Boothe can set up a 5th grade reading blog for her students to discuss the questions virtually. By using a site designed for educational blogs like Edublogs (http://edublogs.org/), all of the 5th graders can share their thoughts and ideas on the discussion questions, as well as comment on each other’s thoughts. (Having students share their ideas this way also holds all of the students accountable for participating and allows for students to share their ideas with the entire 5th grade.)

Optional Assessment/Extension:

• Close the lesson by revisiting the students’ K-W-L charts. Ask them to use what they’ve learned in their Internet research, the read aloud, and virtual discussion to write a letter to Mother Earth using the template found on Suessville.com (located in “The Lorax Project Resources” section, http://www.seussville.com/Educators/lorax_classroom/educatorlorax_resources.php) . Using an online rubric creator like Rubistar (http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php), Mrs. Boothe can create a rubric for the letters. In order to save paper (and in honor of The Lorax) ask students to publish their letters using a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word. After students have typed their letters, students can virtually submit them virtually to Ms. Boothe using email.

My Google Custom Search Engine

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Blog Post 2

The way technology in schools is used is rapidly changing and it’s not just changing how we teach. Technology is changing how our students learn, access information, and socialize. It’s changing who our students communicate with, what they know and understand about the world and most drastically, technology is determining who is prepared for college and who is behind. As the article, “Mobile Digital Devices” (2011) explains, the amount of time our students are using technology outside of school is dramatically increasing- and several schools are capitalizing on their students’ use and knowledge (pg. 22).

According to the article, while most schools ban students’ personal use of mobile devices (cell phones, smart phones, etc…) during the school day, some are capitalizing on their students’ ownership and interest in this technology.  For example, the Forsyth County Schools in Georgia allow s students to bring and use their own mobile devices,  and in doing so are promoting the use of the devices for learning purposes (Hill, 2011, pg. 22). Also, other schools have received grants to provide their students with smart phones and are teaching students to use them for educational use. Some schools and districts have also begun to create specific wireless networks designed for student use.

“Mobile Digital Devices”  (2011) explains that promoting the use of mobile devices is a way to help schools – and students save money while increasing the accessibility to technology (pg.  23).  Hill (2011) explains that  more and more young people, including those of low socio-economic status, own personal mobile devices and that using these technologies provide an inexpensive alternative to owning personal computers (pg. 23). Students and teachers can use mobile devices to access the Internet for research and to communicate and share ideas with each other.

In the article, Hill (2011) also discusses that with the positives of using mobile devices in school comes some negatives as well (pg. 25). For example, current legislation about blocking inappropriate sites in schools can prevent students from accessing valuable educational materials. It can often times be difficult and challenging for teachers to request a specific site to become unblocked and it’s often takes a long time to unblock as well. While content filtering is important, the article also explains that is equally important to educate students on acceptable use of the Internet- especially as schools begin to allow and encourage use of mobile devices in school (Hill, 2011, pg. 25).

Hill’s article has peeked my interest about all of the possibilities for use of mobile devices in the library. As I was reading, I began to imagine infinite uses for smart phones and iPads. At my school, we use Accelerated Reader to track students’ reading- and it’s very convenient for students to take AR quizzes on smart phones and tablets. If students could use their phones in the library (and access the school’s wireless network), they could take AR quizzes easily- as well as search ARbookfind.com for  book and quiz information.

Students could also access the Internet much easier using their smart phones and tablets for research rather than waiting to use one of the two laptops we have in the library available for student use. As the librarian, I could conduct mini-lessons on how to use smart phones for research and how to use the library to supplement that research. Students often check out non-fiction books that include reference pages and additional websites to go to. Students could easily access the websites via tablet and smart phone. Students could also easily access podcasts and webinars via smart phone, too.

One of the most exciting uses for smart phones in the library is that students could use them to listen to audio books. Many of my students have special needs and/or are severely below grade level and would benefit from listening to audio books during independent reading. After checking out books, students could use their smart phones to access the audio book and listen and read at the same time. Similarly, students could listen to music on their phones while reading or working- which is something adults and young people often do outside of school.

Before reading “Mobile Digital Devices,” I never considered smart phones would have a place in my school library. I can’t wait to start thinking about how to make  the above ideas into actual reality.

Works Cited

HILL, R. A. (2011). Mobile Digital Devices. Teacher Librarian, 39(1), 22-26.