The Rough Patch by Brian Lies

Lobit Library just gained The Rough Patch by Brian Lies (HarperCollins Children's Books, 2018) into its collection. This tender book is about love and loss between the main character Evan and his dog. The sumptuous illustrations make every turn of the page a joyful event until the stark loss. Shadows and muted colors evoke sadness. I as the reader could feel the pain "and nothing was the same."

This sweet, poetic book is perfect for anyone suffering due to a lost loved one or pet. The reader can observe safely the grieving journey as Evan heals and is finally able to experience simple joys again. The Rough Patch is the perfect opportunity to discuss with children the inevitable.

You'll Love This Book!

Crown

An Ode to the Fresh Cut

We just added this book to the Lobit collection. It is a masterpiece! Author Derrick Barnes transforms the everyday happening of getting a haircut into a life-altering event. He relays how that perfect cut makes a boy feel and elevates him to that place where nothing can stop him from achieving his greatest goals. He describes each flawless move the barber makes and how his precision "frames your swagger." 

The illustrations are outstanding! Flipping the pictures crafted by Gordon C. James is a gallery walk. The brush strokes of the painted pages tempt you to tear out a leaf and frame it for you walls. 

We will celebrate this book with barbers from Dapper Dan's coming in at the end of September to demonstrate a couple of the styles mentioned in the book. We are sure at the end of this book event, each student will leave feeling "magnificent. Flawless. Like royalty." 

Do Author Visits Matter?

Each year I've been a librarian, I had authors visit my school. It is not an easy event. Paperwork is detailed. Checks must be processed. There are schedules juggled and made. Promotion around the school and to the students is a time consuming, exhausting endeavor. I have extreme jitters on the day the author arrives. Does the author have what he or she needs? Will the microphone work perfectly? Will the students behave appropriately? Have I prepared them well enough for proper questions? It is quite the task. Why do we librarians take on such an ordeal? Do author visits even matter? 

Why have author visits?

There is something magical about a student meeting and getting the autograph of the author that wrote one of his or her favorite books. Even now as an adult, I am still awestruck when I meet one of my favorite children's authors. They are real people just like me! Students get to see that and realize that they too can be an author. Hearing the authors speak of being children and not loving writing and editing in school always amazes the audience. Their eyebrows knowingly go up while they nod their heads. They know then that even authors dislike that portion of their writing, and yet they do it. In this way, author visits not only encourage reading but writing!

After a visit, students are so excited to come in and check out that author's books! They've written to authors after a visit because now they know the authors are accessible. They prize that signed book they purchased! Students speak about the visits long after the author has gone. 

Here at Lobit, we have three author visits already scheduled for our campus. I think there will be one more as well. Remember, our goal here in the library to match students with that book that turns them into a lifelong reader! Pairing them with an author they can relate to is a step in that direction. Although having these visits can be overwhelming and difficult, there is nothing like it! I can't imagine not having authors. Here's to authors and all the joy they bring us!

Cause for Concern?

This morning, another librarian and I were discussing a current "chapter" book to decide if we thought it was appropriate for our elementary school libraries. The mature content did not match its low reading level. She said over the past few years, she had noticed a trend of higher content but lower reading levels. She asked me what did I think that was saying about our society. 

I have been thinking about this all afternoon. What does it say? Is there cause for concern? Are our children maturing sooner or reading later? Are publishers deeming books appropriate for a certain age before they are ready or should be ready? 

As a librarian, this does have implications. Librarians have several methods to critique each book. I use them. However, after our discussion today, I am determined to research even more. I will be even more diligent to make certain the books I have in my library are the best, most appropriate literature available for the children I serve. More than ever before, awards and accolades cannot be the lone deciding factors. I cannot solely trust a catalog blurb and the assignment of a reading level to make my choices. I never did. 

I am not a censor. I love the written word! I love books! I love the freedom of thought and mind that flows between those bound pages. It's why I became a librarian. I will send that book to a higher-level library where it can be appreciated. For here, I will enrich with another. 

That Breakthrough Book

It was in third grade when I discovered Nancy Drew. I decided to give reading one more chance with a book I had gotten from my school library. Although I was a skilled reader, I really did not enjoy the act of reading until I opened the cover of The Secret of the Old Clock- the first book of the Nancy Drew series. My life changed in that moment. I had found my book, my series, a character I loved and admired. I became obsessed with the series and then mysteries in general and then just books.

Books, books, and more books filled my life and became my greatest enjoyment, friends almost. The characters are real to me. The settings are places to which I literarily go. Their adventures are my adventures, and their risks are mine safely taken. 

We want Lobit Library to be the place that offers THAT book to your child. Our mission is to help every student find his or her breakthrough book. What was your breakthrough book? Please share! I would love to do a lesson on this with your children. Please let us know what book turned you into the reader you are today! 

What Makes a Great Library?

I inhale deeply as I unbox the new books awaiting me on my circulation desk. Nothing compares to that new-page smell. The slick covers and intact bindings entice me to smooth my hand across the titles. I love new-book days! Sometimes, these are the best days. As I shelve them, I wonder are these what make a great library? 

Of course, a great library MUST have a balanced collection of relevant current books students are passionate about and beloved classics. From Captain Underpants to Charlotte's web, books are the library. But, can well-stocked shelves alone create the place students long to be? Is the magic of a library conjured only from within the leaves of its many volumes?

As a school librarian, I say there is so much more! Library sponsored author visits, book fairs at family nights, special events such as comic cons and story concerts, celebrating nationally-recognized days like Poem in Your Pocket Day and Hour of Code infuse the school with library love and highlight the vital roles a library and librarian play in the school community. 

What can we do more to make Lobit Education Village Library the place you want to be?

Check out this blog throughout the year to keep up with all the magical things taking place right here at the LEV Library!