Literacy Now

In June 2020, conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic caused ILA to pause the popular Choices reading program. When it was clear that the ongoing disruptions to in-person schooling and necessary safety precautions once buildings reopened would make it near impossible to resume the project, the International Literacy Association (ILA) made the difficult decision to let it go.

Retiring Choices, however, was not an option. ILA was determined to rehome the reading lists—which launched in 1974 with Children’s Choices and later expanded to include Young Adults’ Choices and Teachers’ Choices—with an organization that would honor the spirit of the program and produce lists with the respect and care they deserved. The obvious choice: The Children’s Book Council (CBC). For years, CBC cosponsored the Children’s Choices list, and in 2019 it also began cosponsoring its counterpart for young adults.

In June 2021, a year after announcing the COVID pause, ILA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) granting CBC full permission to give the Choices project a second life.

CBC Executive Director Carl Lennertz said his organization’s top goal was “to maintain the success and qualities of ILA’s Choices programs and build on the reach of the programs by expanding participation while developing sustainable processes.”

Fast forward to May 2022, when—after months of gathering feedback from the Choices volunteer network and other key stakeholders—CBC relaunched the project as the Favorites Lists.

Like Choices, the Favorites Lists are curated by readers themselves. CBC recruited 80 review teams spanning schools, public libraries, and independent bookstores across the United States. Through a revamped process, the organization was able to put 1,500 books—roughly 100 copies of each publisher-submitted title—into the hands of readers across the country.

The first annotated collection of Children’s Favorites, Young Adult Favorites, and Teacher Favorites Lists are set to publish in May 2023. 

Lennertz says that CBC feels “a great debt of gratitude” for ILA and the decades invested in the three Choices lists, which Lennertz characterizes as a “go-to resource for educators, librarians, and caregivers.”

The feeling is mutual. “We are thrilled that the Children’s Book Council will carry on the Choices tradition,” says ILA Executive Director Nicola Wedderburn. “We feel confident that the new Favorites Lists will continue to identify high-quality, engaging books that foster a love of reading in people of all ages.”

To learn more about the CBC’s Favorites Lists, visit https://www.cbcbooks.org/readers/reader-resources/favorites-lists/.

The International Literacy Association (ILA) announced today that, by unanimous decision of the ILA Board of Directors, ILA Interim Executive Director Nicola Wedderburn has assumed the position permanently.

Traditionally, an Interim Executive Director's role is to steer the organization during the search for and transition to a new permanent leader. In the case of Wedderburn, the ILA Board felt her stellar performance made such a search unnecessary.

"We are continually inspired and encouraged by Nicola's leadership and the culture of collaboration she has fostered at ILA," said Kenneth Kunz, ILA President of the Board. "We've made amazing strides advancing ILA's mission this past year and are confident in Nicola's ability to continue to lead the important work ahead."

Prior to taking the helm as Interim Executive Director in February 2022, Wedderburn served as Director of Business Development, during which time she oversaw ILA's marketing program as well as membership, the chapter and affiliate network, customer service and partnership development.

As Interim Executive Director, Wedderburn spearheaded the creation and implementation of a new strategic plan for ILA that affirms the organization's commitment to improving the quality of literacy learning across the globe and reflects the interests and diversity of all constituents—something that Wedderburn, who hails from Jamaica, has advocated for throughout her 12-year tenure.

Wedderburn's previous appointment was historic for the nearly 70-year-old organization; she is not only the first Black woman to take the helm of ILA but also the first executive director of ILA born outside of the United States.

Said Wedderburn, "I believe in ILA's mission and have seen firsthand the difference we can make in the lives of literacy professionals. It's an honor to serve the organization in this role."

Looking for a way to turn the winter blahs into a vibrant celebration of every child’s creativity? Crayola Creativity Week 2023, which starts on January 23, is exactly what you are looking for! But you don’t need to wait until the 23rd to get started. Visit the Crayola Creativity Week website for resources, activities, and giveaways­­––all available with a free registration­­––as well as to see the calendar of events and list of celebrity creators who are part of the 2023 Crayola Creativity Week lineup.

Crayola Creativity Week is about more than just free stuff to use in your classroom. It’s a seven-day celebration of children’s innate creative mind-sets. With activities and events geared toward a specific daily theme and a livestreamed special assembly on Friday, January 27, Crayola Creativity Week provides everything both educators and children’s families and caregivers need to keep students engaged and innovating all week long! Each day focuses on a creative theme and a special children’s book, and includes unique celebrity-led video activities, curriculum-connected resources, and all kinds of activities to unleash every child’s original ideas.

Let’s take a look at what’s in store for your students.

Here’s the lineup!

• Monday, January 23: Endless Possibilities
  Crayola Creativity Week launches with guest appearances from NASA space explorers, who are part of the team making the Artemis mission possible, and illustrator, Shane Tolentino. NASA astronauts will read the book You Are Going, and Tolentino will lead an art activity. Students will be captivated by the awesome possibilities of a STEAM career at NASA.
• Tuesday, January 24: Building Dreams and Community
  Actress and singer Ali Stroker––who was the first wheelchair-using actor to appear on Broadway and win a Tony––and illustrator Gillian Reid share they spotlight on Tuesday as the share their  book Ali and the Sea Stars and inspire students to put on a play, illustrate dramatic facial expressions, and reach for stars. Their special message? Go after your dreams with the help of a supportive community.
• Wednesday, January 25: Dancing with Traditions
  Author Ria Thundercloud and illustrator Kalila Fuller get the day moving with their book Finding My Dance. Thundercloud's story will inspire young creatives to connect culture, identity, and self-expression. Fuller will show learners how to draw and illustrate nature-inspired patterns and dance poses. It’s art. It’s music and dance. It’s creativity in motion.
• Thursday, January 26: Language and Laughter
  Giggles and guffaws are center stage with comedian and Impractical Jokers star James “Murr” Murray and comedy writer Carsen Smith. Laughter is the main course of the day as these two celebrity creators share their book Area 51 Interns: Alien Summer. Students will get the inside story on creating illustrated idioms and collaborating to create improv art.
• Friday, January 27: Keys to Kindness
  Cast members from the new movie musical Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile will read the book that inspired the film: The House on East 88th Street by Bernard Waber. Winslow Fegley, the 13-year-old actor and artist who stars as Josh Primm in the film, will make a special appearance to encourage children to embrace change by cooking up creative solutions and illustrating the keys to kindness that can lead us to unexpected and wondrous friendships.
• Friday, January 27: Crayola Creativity Week Livestreamed Assembly Event
  For kids, teachers, families, and everyone around the world who loves to create, this livestreamed event is headlined by special messages from Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion figure skater Nathan Chen and 13-year-old actress Lyric Hurd who plays Trudy in Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. And to keep the creative momentum moving, this event includes the premiere of the new dance along from KIDZ BOP.
• Saturday, January 28: Self-Confidence and Student Voice
  Have fun with the whole family as Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, cofounder of the legendary hip-hop group Run DMC, will inspire kids to use their voices to build confidence and express themselves. Illustrator Tristan Tait will lead a draw-along for kids of all ages, creating doodles to help us learn to express our best selves.
• Sunday, January 29: Weathering Emotions
  TODAY Show cohost and meteorologist Dylan Dreyer and illustrator Rosie Butcher share their book Misty the Cloud. Kids will learn about words that can describe both the weather and human emotions such as sunny, stormy, turbulent, and calm. Art activities are part of the day’s forecast as the whole family creates cloud characters based on science and use layered art materials to create a weather scene.

Participation is free, flexible, and filled with fun!

Teachers, librarians, and families can access complete details and register online at www.crayola.com/creativityweek. Last year, for the inaugural Creativity Week celebration, more than 12,500 schools, classrooms, libraries, and homes participated in the inaugural 2022 Crayola Creativity Week , reaching more than 2 million students and 115,000 educators in all 50 U.S. states and 26 countries around the world. Educators’ experiences are exemplified by these quotes: “Students enjoyed expressing their ideas through illustration! The power of the imagination is priceless!” and “Wow! My students really understood yesterday’s challenge. It seems we may have some future authors and illustrators in our class!” We hope you will join and enjoy the festive fun in 2023 and make this year even better!

To help educators plan their own Creativity Week celebration and activities, Crayola has made curriculum-aligned activities, video resources, and standards alignments available on the Creativity Week website. Detailed FAQs can help answer any questions participating educators may have and help secure buy-in from administrators and school or district leaders. Participate every day or just tune in on select days for specific themes––whatever works best for your students and schedules.

Share your own and your students’ experiences and activities­­––and follow along to see what other classes are doing––by using the hashtag #crayolacreativityweek on social media.  Artwork and projects created by students in grades pre-K–12 and shared along with the #crayolacreativityweek tag might end up on Crayola’s Student Gallery!

Use Creativity Week to turn the last week of January into a celebration of reading, writing, drawing, dancing, dreaming, singing, and acting. Let students explore new career connections, new ways to innovate, and new ways to express and receive real kindness. It’s a colorful way to encourage every child’s aspirations, curiosity, and ability to solve problems. And that’s how beautiful possibilities begin.

Let’s get creative!

This is the first of a new series of posts highlighting ILA’s richly diverse network of state chapters, global affiliates, special interest groups, and Alpha Upsilon Alpha honor societies.

Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) | Est. 1979

What they do

Share resources and current research findings pertaining to books for young people through webinars, a virtual book club, a peer-reviewed journal (The Dragon Lode, available free to members), and the Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS), an annual list of 25 outstanding books that celebrate diverse human experiences and promote intercultural understanding.

Why they do it

To advocate for the inclusion of children’s literature in educational settings.

Who can join

ILA members with “an abiding interest in the development of literacy and in promoting high-quality literature,” including school-based educators, teacher candidates, higher ed faculty, authors, and children’s book publishers.

How to join

Online or by calling customer service at 800.336.7323 (US/Canada) or +1.302.731.1600 (all other countries).

Ways to get involved

Serve on the CL/R SIG’s Board of Directors. Current openings include three member-at-large positions and one president-elect. Board members serve three-year terms; the president-elect serves six: two in this role; two as president; and two as past-president. Responsibilities include overseeing the SIG business, developing events and initiatives, promoting the SIG’s publications and activities, and recruiting new members.  

Interested candidates should send a statement of interest and brief biography (no more than 200 words each) to Danielle Hartsfield, CL/R SIG President, at danielle.hartsfield@ung.edu by Friday, September 30. Elections will be held in October; terms begin on November 1. All candidates must be members in good standing of both ILA and the CL/R SIG.

Participate in the Notable Books for a Global Society Committee. During their three-year terms, members of this committee read and evaluate several hundred children’s and young adult books annually. They collaborate with fellow committee members to select the 25 books that most closely align to the NBGS selection criteria. In addition, they participate in webinars and conference sessions to share information about the award.

For more information about serving on the NBGS Committee, please contact Mary Ellen Oslick, Chair, at moslick@stetson.edu. Applications are due in January 2023.

Write and/or review for The Dragon Lode, CL/R SIG’s juried journal. The Dragon Lode provides a forum for exchange of ideas concerning the content and teaching of children’s literature in the development of literacy. For more information about what content they are seeking and guidelines for submitting a manuscript, you can visit the CL/R SIG website or email the editors.

 

Want to get your ILA chapter, affiliate, or SIG featured in our next spotlight? Email social@reading.org for more information

 

This week, September 17 through 24, is Banned Book Week, an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. This event calls to light the hundreds of challenges that are made in an effort to remove books from public schools and libraries. A proud member of the Unite Against Book Bans movement, a campaign organized by the American Library Association (ALA), ILA has long stood against censorship and supported children's rights to read.

Here are some resources to help you stand up against censorship and promote a love of reading in students.

Children’s Rights to Read

ILA's Children’s Rights to Read initiative, founded on 10 fundamental rights every child deserves, was developed to ensure that every child, everywhere, has access to the education, opportunities, and resources needed to read. These resources expand on and support the Rights (downloadable in 16 languages), helping you enact them in in your classroom, school, or community: 

• Advocating for Children’s Rights to Read
• The Case for Children’s Rights to Read
• Resolution to Adopt Children’s Rights to Read

Webinars

Both of these ILA Digital Events are available on our YouTube channel, along with several other videos in our Free Events playlist.

• Censorship in School Libraries Across the Globe—This free webinar features Julia E. Torres, Lucy Santos Green, Jennisen Lucas, and several other champions of children’s rights to read who are leading the charge against censorship.
• Tackling Tough Topics Through Middle Grade Literature—Thu Anh Nguyen leads a discussion with authors whose books have often been the target of challenges on why it’s critical to protect a child’s access to these types of texts.

Toolkits

Several organizations have created informational guides and resource packets with promotional material and suggestions on how to guide discussion and lead action around fighting book bans.

• United Against Book Bans Toolkit
• I Read Dangerous kit from the American Booksellers Association
• Community Action Toolkit from Get Ready, Stay Ready

Special Interest Groups

Censorship silences the voices of marginalized populations. Our Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) uplifts diverse voices with their annual Notable Books for a Global Society book list.

Articles

• “'Let Me Just Close My Eyes': Challenged and Banned Books, Claimed Identities, and Comics," by Ashley K. Dallacqua
• "Supporting the Right to Read: Principles for Selecting Children’s Books," Danielle E. Hartsfield and Sue C. Kimmel
• "Finding the Joy in Choice," by Dr. Joy
• "Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors: The Enduring Impact of Rudine Sims Bishop's Work," by Alina O'Donnell
• "Be Their Advocate," by Emily Chiariello

ILA Briefs

• The Essential Leadership of School Librarians
• Creating Passionate Readers Through Independent Reading
• The Power and Promise of Read-Alouds and Independent Reading

Blog posts

• “Banned Books Week 2017: Celebrating the Power of Words” by Alina O’Donnell
• “Book Challenge Procedures: Recipes are Intended to be Followed” by Kristen Pekoll
• “They Tried to Ban My Book” by Mark Weakland
• “When We Talk About Banned Books” by Andria Amaral

How are you advocating for a child’s rights to read during Banned Books Week? Let us know by emailing social@reading.org or tagging us on social media. Follow us on Twitter for more resources, articles, and events, and be sure to use the hashtag #BannedBooksWeek and our handle, @ILAToday, when sharing your events.

 

Wes Ford is proud to stand with ILA against censorship and banning books.