Library Lions Author Brianna DuMont

Welcome to Library Lions interviews. Author, Brianna DuMont is stopping by to share her books and her Library Love. Take it away Brianna!

My name is Brianna DuMont, and I write nonfiction books for middle graders with a quirky edge. My Changed History series starts with Famous Phonies: Legends, Fakes, and Frauds Who Changed History. It reveals the underbelly of some of our favorite legends. Students tend to read only the sanitized, textbook version of history’s movers and shakers, which does an injustice to the real person behind the mask. And humor makes everything better.

 

Author’s Roar
I want to roar for libraries after speaking to teachers in my hometown of Chicago. They told me they didn’t even have a library and that many public schools don’t either. When I was a kid, it was my escape, my lunchroom when I didn’t have a friend in my new school, my paradise. For every student to not have access to a library blows my mind. Where do they go for research papers? For the next great novel? For a safe haven?  

It sounds traumatic, probably because it is. I can’t imagine not having a librarian to turn to when I need to do research or want to talk about my latest favorite book. The fact that anyone can pick up my book at a library to read for free is an important first step in getting kids interested in nonfiction.

A Lion’s Pride of Programs
School visits are one of my favorite things to do as a writer. (Besides research!) I get to connect with students and help them become genuinely interested in my favorite subject—history. My last school visit was with thirty awesome 6^th graders. We got into groups of five, and each group researched their favorite candidate for who could be the “real” Shakespeare. Then we debated based on each candidates’ education, background, and written evidence. Some kids just loved the idea of a man named Bacon (Sir Francis Bacon, that is), and all of them stuck by their guy (or girl in Queen Elizabeth’s case). Usually the most engaging part of a school visit is the Author Q&A, but with a debate, everything gets to be interactive.    

Library Love When You Were a Cub
I always loved library visits to my local St. Louis library. It was one of the only times my parents would allow my brother, sister, and me to wander off alone. I’m sure it’s because they knew they could always find me in the historical fiction section surrounded by a pile of books. My dad insisted on reading every book I took home. I think I was about 11 when he gave up trying to keep up.

More Library Love
Libraries are indispensable to me as a nonfiction writer. I use both the Loyola University library and the Chicago Public Library for my research. When anything new happens for my series, such as being featured in the January issue of Scholastic, I know my local librarians will be as excited as me to chat all about it. Going to the library is the perfect de-stressor. I enjoy browsing, then finding a cozy spot to work for a few hours. It’s great for getting out of the house as a stay-at-home writer!

Hooray for ALA!
I attended my first ALA this year, and it was amazing! My publisher, Sky Pony, brought 80 books, and I signed and gave them all away. I got to connect with librarians, bloggers, teachers, and book clubs from across the country. It really opened my eyes to the big book world available. Like the 24 hour robotic library I found! 

  
Thank you, Biranna for your terrific interview!

Let’s Link Up

Website: briannadumont  

Facebook: Brianna DuMont
Twitter: @brianna_dumont

Instagram: brianna_dumont

 Love Libraries? Give a Roar in “Comments” below.

Note to Librarians: If you’re a Youth Librarian working in a school or public library we’d love to hear about you and your library. Contact Janet at jlcarey@hotmail.com for an interview slot. The calendar for 2015 is currently wide open J

Note to Authors: If you’re interested in Roaring for Libraries on this blog, contact Janet at jlcarey@hotmail.com for an interview slot. 

AUTHOR JUSTINA CHEN ROARS FOR LIBRARIES

Today we're thrilled to welcome acclaimed author Justina Chen to Library Lions. Check out her newest book and hear her Roar!

Justina Chen is an award-winning novelist for young adults whose most recent book, A Blind Spot for Boys, is a Booklist Top Romance for Teens. North of Beautiful was named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus and Barnes & Noble. Her other novels include Return to Me, Girl Overboard, and Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies), which won the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature. Additionally, she co-founded readergirlz, a literacy and social media project for teens, which won the National Book Foundation’s Prize for Innovations in Reading. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University where she was given the Dean’s Award for Service.

When she isn’t reading or writing, Justina can be found hiking with her daughter (who’d rather be shopping) or Skyping with her son who now lives in Abu Dhabi.

“Educators and librarians hoping to engage female readers want to add this novel to their shelves.” –VOYA

Shana Wilde has always had a blind spot for boys. Can she trust the one who’s right in front of her?

Shana is officially on a Boy Moratorium. After a devastating breakup, she decides it’s time to end the plague of Mr. Wrongs and devote herself to her true passion: photography.

Enter Quattro, the undeniably intriguing lacrosse player who slams into Shana one morning in Seattle. Sparks don’t just fly; they ignite—and so does Shana’s interest. But just as she’s about to rethink her ban on boys, she receives crushing news: Her dad is going blind.

Shana and her parents vow to make the most of the time her father has left to see, so they plan a photo safari to Machu Picchu. But even as Shana travels away from Quattro, she can’t get him out of her mind.

Love and loss, humor and heartbreak collide in this new novel from acclaimed author Justina Chen (North of Beautiful).

About writing the book
Of all my novels, A Blind Spot for Boys was the most fun to write. Machu Picchu, a bedbug sniffing dog, a girl who puts herself on a Boy Moratorium? Those were such fun elements and balanced some of the more serious themes in the book. Seeing your blind spots clearly—the blind spots we have for our mistakes (especially the ones we keep making over and over and over again). The blind spots we have for people. The blind spots we have for our past.

Teachers and Librarians check out the free Educator’s Guide

Library Love When You Were a Cub
My second home when I was growing up was the Cupertino Public Library. I would spend hours and hours in the library, browsing books first in their children’s section when I was in elementary school, then in the adult section as I grew up to be a teen. The few YA books at that time were housed in slender rounders on the second floor that I would check every visit in hopes that a new book had been written for girls my age.

This deeply ingrained memory of wanting stories that reflected me propelled one of the literacy projects readergirlz spearheaded, Operation Teen Book Drop (Operation TBD)For a number of years, we partnered with Young Adult Library ServicesAssociation  (YALSA), publishers, Children’s Hospitals and libraries to get 30,000 YA novels into the hands of teens around the country.

More Library Love
Celebrating librarians and teachers who work so hard to match books to teens drove Janet Lee Carey, Dia Calhoun, Lorie Ann Grover, and I to create readergirlz.

Readergirlz with Nancy Pearl

That same mission to nurture librarians has led me to commit to create small happy hour gatherings

for librarians and teachers so we could celebrate the launch of A Blind Spot for Boys together with Lorie Ann Grover’s new novel, Hit.

 

I’d like to give a personal shout out to Michelle Lane for organizing a fantastic Northwest book festival. Through A Cavalcade of Authors  thousands of teens have been able to meet with their favorite authors because of her, her vision, and her team of literacy-minded volunteers.

We are so blessed in the greater Seattle area to have truly great librarians who are providing amazing thought leadership on what it means to be a library and provide youth services. Their programming is cutting-edge and community-building. So a special shout out to Jackie Parker Robinson, Rachel McDonald and Darcy Brixey.

A Lion’s Pride of Programs
One of my greatest joys as an author are my visits to middle and high schools where I get to spend time with remarkable students, teachers, and librarians.

Photo with Middle School librarian “Walter the Giant”

With Hanna Teter and Arlington Librarian

One of the most memorable visits was to Charlotte Country Day School in North Carolina. Megan Fink is a truly wonderful librarian who worked with media specialists to sponsor a multicultural day where I had the privilege of being the keynote speaker. The school district bused in a couple of hundred of students to Charlotte Country Day so they could hear me. On display outside the auditorium was a student’s senior art project: a pair of wings crafted from maps and inspired by my novel, North of Beautiful. I was beyond touched that my words could catalyze a young woman to create art.

Let’s link
JustinaChen.com
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorJustinaChen
Twitter: @JustinaYChen

Thank you Justina for sharing your books and your Library Love with us!

Love Libraries? Give a Roar in “Comments” below.

Note to Librarians: If you’re a Youth Librarian working in a school or public library we’d love to hear about you and your library. Contact Janet at jlcarey@hotmail.com for an interview slot. The calendar for 2015 is currently wide open J

Note to Authors: If you’re interested in Roaring for Libraries on this blog, contact Janet at jlcarey@hotmail.com for an interview slot. 

KAY WINTERS ROARS FOR LIBRARIES

I've known Kay Winters online for years, but we didn't get a chance to meet until ALA this summer. When I asked if she'd like to stop by this blog to share her Library Love, I got an enthusiastic YES!   

 

 

Please start by telling us a little about yourself. Take it away, Kay!

I am a children’s book author, who was a classroom teacher, reading specialist and teacher of teachers.

I was fortunate to be a consultant for the American International Schools in exotic places like Egypt, India, Nepal, Italy, Jordan, Israel and Greece. I was also an adjunct instructor   At Marywood College and Lehigh University, teaching graduate courses in Reading and Language Arts. But I always wanted to write children’s books. I took early retirement in 1992, after 29 years of teaching, and started my new career. Since then 18 books have been published. Many have won awards, prizes, and been put on state reading lists.

 

One of my favorite parts of being an author is doing school visits and speaking at libraries and conferences. I feel really lucky to be able to follow my dream.

(School visit in El Segundo,  California) 

 Library Love When You Were A Cub:

The first time I went to the library, I was five.
I couldn’t believe my luck.
All those books!
You could pick out ten, take them home, read them and get new ones.
And it was free!

 

   

 

(Kay - first time with library book – at 5)

In the 40’s when I was in elementary school, children’s books were not as plentiful as they are now. Neither was the money to buy them. I roller skated to the library with a big blue sack on my back filled with books to return and filled it with new ones to bring home.  At the library I found fairy tales, poetry, and realistic stories about children, and books that brought history to life. Treasures! The next week, more tantalizing tales were waiting to be discovered.

I was an only child. We moved frequently. I was in three first grades. Books were my companions. At the library I always felt at home.

More Library Love: Can you share your present day love for libraries from an author’s perspective?

Today my love of libraries has only increased. As a classroom teacher, college instructor, and now a children’s book author, I depend on libraries for ideas for new books, for reference materials for books I am currently developing and for my daily diet of learning about the past, the present, and the future.  Because of libraries and their riches I am never bored. We go to California for a month in the winter and New Mexico for a month in the summer. I read e-books on my ipad on the plane, but as soon as we arrive, we drive straight to the local library where I get my temporary card and fill up my sack with books to savor in our new surroundings.

I am a frequent presenter with my writer’s group at the NJ- SLA conference in the fall.

And this year I also presented at the Pa. SLA conf. with Pat Brisson.

(photo with some of the members of Bucks County Authors Books for Children: Wendy Pfeffer, Pam Swallow and Pat Brisson our panel for the  NJSLA conf. )

Author’s Roar: Funding for libraries, especially school libraries, is currently under threat. As an author, what are your thoughts about that?  

Unfortunately most politicians, the general public and even some school administrators have no idea what school librarians actually do. Librarians as a group are generally not publicity oriented. They are busy doing their job, not describing it with specific details to the press, and the public. Hence the popular assumption is… well we don’t need a trained person to do that job, librarians just check out books.

 Nothing could be further from the truth.

The school librarian is key to helping students and teachers delve deeply into their curriculum's, key to suggest sources and resources for students and teachers to use, key to introducing busy teachers to new books and materials, and helping students move beyond Wikipedia to do their research. Education is not about scoring well on tests, or filling in the blanks.  Education is about learning how to learn, and creating an environment where students catch the excitement so they want to learn. A school librarian is a key component in that equation.

 

(Rita Wingle librarian  from Conrad Weiser Elementary School in Pa.)

She even drove to my house on a Saturday  to collect the books she had pre-ordered for the students. There were too many for me to sign at the visit.

Hooray for ALA! 
I have gone to ALA many times. Twice I signed and autographed my own books there. Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books was signed  at the Simon and Schuster booth and  in June 2012, Pete and Gabby: The Bears go to Town..at the Albert Whitman booth.  I go because it is so nourishing to be at a convention where the focus is on books and love of books. The educational conferences these days seem to focus on testing.

 (ALA at the Albert Whitman booth.)

A Lion’s Pride of Programs:

School librarians are often the people who book me for school visits. They are usually the staff members in the school who prepare the children for the visit by introducing them to my books before I arrive. Some encourage students do projects. Others share the books with the teachers, and they supervise activities that connect to the books.  The immediate recognition from the children when the familiar titles flash on the screen, the writing projects the children have created themselves, or the bulletin boards using the format or theme from one of my books make the visit so worthwhile for both the author and reader.

(K with librarian Sharon Edelberg, Burnet Hill Elementary School under welcoming banner… and she marked my parking spot with balloons! A great way to start the day.)

Library Lion’s Roar: ONE LAST BIG ROAR
My local library is my favorite place to go! I depend on the librarians to get me copies of reference books from other Pennsylvania libraries for various research projects that precede a new book. I read other children’s books to get ideas for new ones. Going to the library, which I do on a weekly basis, makes my day!

Let’s Link Up : 

Website: http://www.kaywinters.com  

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/public/Kay-Winters  


Thank you, Kay for sharing your Library Love with us!

Love Libraries? Give a Roar in “Comments” below.

Note to Librarians: If you’re a Youth Librarian working in a school or public library we’d love to hear about you and your library. Contact Janet at jlcarey@hotmail.com for an interview slot. 

 

VALENTINES FULL OF LIBRARY LOVE

Happy Valentine's Month. This week we’re celebrating Library Love with celebratory quotes from previous posts with authors, librarians, and kids across the U.S.!



"I love connecting readers to books, but my favorite thing is connecting readers and authors. I have a very supportive Friends group which has provided the means to author visits in the schools. One middle school girl was so excited to meet an author. She told me she didn't think she would ever meet a 'real live author.'"

Darcy Brixey Teen Librarian at Bellevue Library, Bellevue WA

"I Love Libraries! In case you can't tell by looking at me, I think libraries are awesome. When I was a kid, I used to play library. Um, I still do . . ."

Author Lisa Yee

"I have the best job in the entire world. I love talking about children’s literature and helping a child find the perfect book. I could discuss children’s books twenty-four hours a day. The best part of my job is when a reader visits the library to tell me about what they read the night before or to share a cool website. I am very lucky."

John Schumacher (aka Mr. Schu) teacher-librarian at Brook Forest Elementary School in Oak Brook, Illinois.

"I love connecting with people, and connecting people with books."

Chris Davis Youth Services Librarian at Sacramento Public Library,

"I feel delighted to work with teens who are creative, funny, smart and far more together then I was as a teen. I believe that libraries are the last public space and I think librarians should all be challenging outmoded ideas of what types of programs we should have in libraries. We have an All Ages Arts Night

that showcases teen performers, dance, hip hop, spoken word."


Jennifer Bisson Teen Librarian Seattle Public Library.

"When I was a kid, I was the new girl in school nearly every year. This was in a time when folks didn’t move around a lot so that made me a real oddball. There were some pretty rough first weeks of school – lots of teasing and excluding. I quickly learned that no matter where I went, I would find a friend – between the covers of a book, in the school library. I would not have grown into the person I am without the salvation of those libraries."

Author, Kirby Larson

"I work in the best children’s room in New York City.I really love getting my books into the hands of readers. So much so that I’ll spend hours making sure that we have the maximum amount of books on our shelves, just in case there’s a reader about with a penchant for the additional works of Kenneth Grahame and such."

Elizabeth Bird Children's Librarian NYPL

"I love the creativity involved in being a teen librarian. Realizing that even though I don’t call myself crafty, I do a lot of crafty and creative activities with my teens. I love how my job is different every day. I think my biggest love is the collection development part of my job. Buying all the books and media for teens."

Kristin Fletcher-Spear Teen Librarian Foothills Branch Library in Glendale, Arizona.

"My absolute favorite part of my job is connecting readers with books. A lot of times, here in New Britain, the teens are not really enthusiastic about reading. If you can just connect a teen with one book, one, that really peaks their interest, then they will come back and ask for more. Having a teen say “Miss, you pick out the best books” brightens my day like nothing else! I love to go to the schools and book talk, because a lot of the teens in New Britain don’t have transportation to get to the library, so I have to come to them. It’s another way to reach them and to say, 'Yes, reading can be totally awesome.'”

Jessica Miller Teen Librarian New Britain Public Library, New Britain, CT.

Love from the Cubs!



“Walking in the library is like walking in the mall; you can look at stuff and not walk out with anything.” Alex, 7th

“Reading is a doctor because it helps.” Riley, 6th

“The library is like my room where I feel safe inside.” Daphne, 6th

“I like the library because it has books for everyone. Even when I’m in middle school I can find something to read here.” G, 3rd grade

“I like that you can find something to read at any time in the library. The librarians can always give you a recommendation!” C, grade 12.

“My favorite thing about the library is the Best of Books display. It shows kids and teachers reading their favorite books. Each person tells about the favorite book..I use it to find new books. - Syed, Grade 5

More Roars!

"When I was a child, I spent far too much time searching the woodlands for a secret door to the magical Otherworld. I collected many beautiful stones, which my mother called “clutter” and I called “magic”. During these years of searching, I did discover one small reliable door into a vast enchanted country I could open any time she liked: it was the cover of a book. My school librarian knew me and knew the books I liked, she set me on the path of story exploration, a path I’ve followed as a reader and a writer ever since.

"In the past few years I’ve begun to worry about the ongoing health of our public libraries. And I’ve been stunned to see how fast libraries are vanishing from our public schools. I created Library Lions blog to roar about the importance of libraries, applaud librarians working with youth, and to showcase the amazing library programs across the U.S. Here at Library Lions we celebrate Library Love all year round. Special thanks to all the librarians and authors who have taken the time to interview with us."

Janet Lee Carey Author, Creator Library Lions Blog

"I like to involve kids in decisions about our school library. I have a suggestion box for kids to recommend good books they’ve read that aren’t in the Library. I buy as many of the suggestions as I can and the kids love it. They’re listened to. They’re part of the Library."

Carol Matheson Teacher Librarian at Redmond Elementary in Redmond WA

"Libraries provide open access to information and entertainment to people regardless of age, gender, educational background, economic status, etc. In our consumer-based society, there are few places outside of libraries where anyone can go to learn, grow and connect for free. I love that my personal values of sharing resources (borrowing instead of buying and making information publicly available), promoting life-long learning, and preserving public spaces- mesh with the values of my profession."

Jessica Gomes Teen Librarian Issaquah Library, Issaquah, WA

"Each day is different and varied in the library, and it keeps all of us on our toes!"

Stacy Dillon Lower School Librarian at Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School in New York City

"I love how YA books have become so popular. I like seeing adults and teens come into the department and exit with an armload of books. I love chatting with teens about books and giving them some to read. It’s especially great if they don’t really like reading, but need a book for school and then they come back for more just like that one!"

Jennifer Rummel Teen Librarian Otis Library,Norwich, CT

"I love connecting library patrons, especially teens, with programs. To see them interact with a comics illustrator, artist or author is a real thrill. An even bigger thrill is to see them teach each other, whether it is a gaming program, or an art workshop. You never know what seeds are being planted. It is such a great opportunity to visit a school and talk about some of the cool books that are out there for teens and all the programs and things that teens can do at the library."

Seated on panel, Ken Gollersrud Youth Librarian High Point Branch of The Seattle Public Library

"I LOVE my job and feel very fortunate to find something that is such a perfect fit for my personality, my skills, and my life’s goals."

Susan K. S. Grigsby Librarian Elkins Pointe Middle School; Roswell, Georgia

"I have the best job in the world with the best kids in the world. I love that I am able to see each student in the school every week. We learn together. They teach me as much as I teach them….maybe I learn more than they do. I love that I am able to learn new ways to access information along with the students and we can share our favorite books. I am the librarian at Einstein Elementary School in Redmond, Washington. We are the Einstein Otters and we will change the world!"

Anne Sandbo Librarian Einstein Elementary School, WA

"Every day I look forward to serving in the Middle School library because each day is unique! As I work with young teens, my goal is to increase their knowledge of being effective users of information. I love connecting to the students and staff, promoting literature, teaching how to be ethical with technology and serving the families I work with on a daily basis."

Teresa Young Middle School Librarian

"As a YA author and proud owner of a well-worn library card, I want to give back to all the librarians whose book recommendations have fed my imagination over the years and helped me grow as a writer. I know it’s hard being a librarian in a rough economy. You’re strapped for time and cash, but still want to create fun programs to keep your kids and teens reading week after week. Not because they have to, but because they want to."

Kay Cassidy Author and Creator of The Great Scavenger Hunt Contest,

More Love from the Cubs!



“Our library has the best books. There are always new books for me to look at.” -Jasmine, Grade 3

“I love when we Skype with authors and illustrators.” Gabrielle, Grade 3
“Thank you so much for starting up book club again. Books are so important, and I think in this day and age we are losing them.” – Michelle, Grade 9

“I can’t believe you have this! This is so awesome! OMG it is SO COOL! Listen to the song I just made.”— Samantha, Grade 9, said while using Garageband in the Digital Discovery Zone.

“You give me the BEST books” Alexis

“That was really fun! Can I make another one?” John at the I-pod Brownie program

“A book is like a roller coaster ride, you read it and want to read it again.” Audryanna, 6th

“The library is like Wonderland where we are Alice with a new discovery around each corner.” Kali, 8th

“The library is a thrift store; everything is used.” Tori, 6th

“The library is like a recycling center; you read, return and repeat.” Rose, 7th

“The library is a friend because when I am down, I can always turn to it.” Sarah, 7th


HOW CAN LIBRARY LIONS READERS KEEP LIBRARY LOVE ALL YEAR ROUND?

"Support your local public library! We love our volunteers and appreciate every penny that’s donated, but most of our essential functions can only be funded by the city or county government’s budget. When times get tough (as they are right now), tough decisions have to be made about those budgets. It’s crucial that city and county governments know that public libraries are a vital service to their communities. Libraries are more needed than ever. Our buildings are bursting with job-seekers, recent immigrants, and students of all ages who need help with their homework. They may be the only places where children hear stories read to them, elderly people figure out how to use a computer mouse, or someone who’s having a bad day sees a smile. And our local governments need to know all this so they don’t put us in the same pile as the parks and the art projects that are awesome but tend to lose their funding more rapidly than the police and fire departments."

Lesley James Librarian Douglass-Truth Branch of the Seattle Public Library

Thanks to everyone for your year round Library Love. Library Lions Roar!


Love Libraries? Give a Roar in “Comments” below.



Note to Librarians: If you’re a Youth Librarian working in a school or public library we’d love to hear about you and your library. Contact Janet at jlcarey@hotmail.com for an interview slot.