Creativity and Children's Literature (book)

Saccardi, Marianne. (2014). Creativity and Children's Literature: New Ways to Encourage Divergent Thinking. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. 978-1-61069-355-4.

The children in classrooms today will soon become adult members of society: they will need to apply divergent thinking skills to be effective in all aspects of their lives, regardless of their specific occupation. How well your students meet complicated challenges and take advantage of the opportunities before them decades down the road will depend largely upon the kind of thinking they are trained and encouraged to do today. This book provides a game plan for busy librarians and teachers to develop their students' abilities to arrive at new ideas by utilizing children's books at hand.

Following an introduction in which the author defines divergent thinking, discusses its characteristics, and establishes its vital importance, chapters dedicated to types of literature for children such as fantasy, poetry, and non-fiction present specific titles and relevant activities geared to fostering divergent thinking in young minds. Parents will find the recommendations of the kinds of books to read with their children and explanations of how to engage their children in conversations that will help their creative thinking skills extremely beneficial. The book also includes a case study of a fourth-grade class that applied the principles of divergent thinking to imagine innovative designs and come up with new ideas while studying a social studies/science unit on ecology.

(book description)

For the Love of Reading

Baumann, Nancy L. For the Love of Reading: Guide to K-8 Reading Promotions. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-61069-189-5

Publisher's Description

This insightful book reviews the current research on literacy programming, examines the latest standards for strengthening reading skills, and provides educators, families, and caregivers methods for building successful reading habits in and out of the classroom.

Research indicates that children need more than classroom instruction to become proficient readers. Unfortunately, few parents realize how simple, everyday practices can build a lifelong love of reading. Educators, diligent with employing mandatory literacy standards, may overlook families and support systems as tools for improving student performance. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the various methods of reading instruction, analyzing the pedagogy behind Sustained Silent Reading (SSR), the importance of reading aloud to children, and the necessity of working the home-school connection.

For the Love of Reading: Guide to K–8 Reading Promotions provides strategies and tips for setting up successful reading environments for children, including having a well-stocked library collection; engaging students through book clubs, reading lists, and prepared book talks; and involving student and adult volunteers. The author asserts that the entire school community—teachers, librarians, parents, caregivers, and administrators—must work together to promote literacy.

Features
• Includes a step-by-step implementation and explanation of each reading program
• Features forms, book talks, recommended book lists, photographs, and valuable websites
• Provides literacy workshop agendas for parents and caregivers
• Offers methods for soliciting and working with literacy volunteers
• Each reading program is described in detail to facilitate replication at public schools, public libraries, and home-schools
• An extensive list of vendors, professional development materials, and websites offer additional teaching support
• Prepared book talks, reading lists, and templates for programs provide the basis for immediate implementation
• Reading programs proven successful in inner city, rural, and suburban elementary and middle schools as well as public libraries are included

Sample Topics
Benefits of Book Clubs
Building a Reading Habit
Collaborating with Teachers and Administrators
Home-School Connection
Importance of a Professional Librarian
Importance of a Strong Library Collection
Importance of Reading Aloud at Any Age
Independent Reading Time
Involving Families and Caregivers
Literacy Skill-Building
Mock Newbery
Prepared Book Talks
Professional Development
Reading and Television Viewing Habits
Reading Lists
Reading To Children
Standards-Based Reading Programs
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)
Vocabulary Development
Working with Volunteers