ALSC Blog

ALSC member Vicky Smith has a provocative essay in the June issue of School Library Journal in which she observes that middle grade novels for 8-12 year olds are rapidly disappearing. Her observations are based on her experiences serving on the Notable Children's Books Committee for the past four years.

Last year, for example, Vicky notes that just four of the ten novels included on the Notable Children's Book list were for 8-12 year olds. The remaining six were for the 13-14 year old range.

From the beginning, ALSC has defined "children" as "birth through age 14." Over the years, some have argued that we ought to revise our definition so that 12-year-olds would be our upper age range. What do you think?

Click the title of this post to go to Vicky's essay in School Library Journal Online.

I welcome comments and concerns from ALSC members who'd like to tell us what they think ALSC is doing right, and how ALSC could better serve their needs. I can't promise I'll be able to solve every problem, but as we shape the future of our organization, it'll be helpful for us to hear from you as to how we can do a better job for our members.

Last weekend I traveled to Phoenix to attend the Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros celebration sponsored by the Maricopa County Library District, where Tim Wadham is the Youth Services Coordinator. Thanks largely to Tim's efforts, Pat Mora's picture book, Tomás and the Library Lady has been adapted as a children's play by Phoenix's wonderful children's theatre company, Childsplay.

There was a special performance of the play in the original Carnegie building which housed the first Phoenix Public Library. Pat Mora was there, too, to share in the celebration. Here's a photo of Pat with the two actors, Heather Harper (The Library Lady) and Marcos Najera (Tomás). Thanks to Audrey Brownell of Maricopa County Library District for the photo.

I've started this blog as a way of keeping ALSC members informed about ALSC activities and issues that come up during my presidential year, and as a way for ALSC members to communicate directly with me and with other members.

I hope that you'll all feel free to participate here in this open forum.