Celebrate the 21st National African American Read-In February!
   Join over a million readers in the 21st National African American Read-In, scheduled for the entire month of February. Hosting a Read-In can be as simple as gathering with family and friends to share books, or as elaborate as arranging large audiences to hear professional writers read their work. See the Read-In website for suggested reading lists and information on reporting your event to NCTE.

Book Print and Media Awards from ALA
   It is not just the Caldecott and Newbery Awards, but many others that make up the very important lsits of books for children, young adults and libraries. Visit ALA to learn all about them. The calendar of the ReadWriteThink.org provides links to and ideas for teaching with winning titles.

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
   The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass, illustrated by E.B. Lewis, has won NCTE's 2010 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children.

AASL Adopts "School Librarian" as Official Term for the Profession
   The AASL board of directors voted in favor of the move on Saturday during the American Librarian Association’s midwinter meeting in Boston. And that means “school librarian” will be used in all of the profession’s advocacy efforts and publications, including reports and press releases. The change comes after those in the profession have spent decades referring to themselves as library media specialists and teacher-librarians. Media specialist was coined in the early 1970s, replacing the traditional “school librarian,” and the word library, was added later to clarify the profession. Teacher-librarian is a title longtime used in Canada and emphasizes the teaching role of the librarian. California has codified teacher-librarian as its official title.

Waiting for Superman
   Waiting for Superman looks at what Gates and director Davis Guggenheim say is a U.S. public school system in shambles. "Waiting for Superman examines the crisis of public education in the United States through multiple interlocking stories—from a handful of students and their families whose futures hang in the balance, to the educators and reformers trying to find real and lasting solutions within a dysfunctional system. The Social Action campaign for Waiting for Superman will work with advocacy organizations, foundations and policy-leaders to offer initiatives for people to explore and be a part of long-term strategies that offer systemic changes. It will also engage audiences in immediate, tangible actions to help students in under-performing schools achieve better educational outcomes." Visit Waiting for Superman to learn more.

Karen Hesse
   Voices from the Middle presents an interview with award-winning author Karen Hesse, discussing her writing for children and young adults in the article "Honoring the Complexities of Our Lives: An Interview with Karen Hesse." It discusses how ideas for particular books arose, as well as the research and writing processes that went into them. In addition, there are reviews of nine books by Karen Hesse.

Three Award-winning Novels
   The English Journal article "What's Good about the Best?" discusses three award-winning novels for young adults that are very popular with school teachers: The Giver by Lois Lowry, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, and Holes by Louis Sachar. The article examines the quality of plots, characters, and themes, but also considers the artistry in details and emotional impact. There are also suggestions offered for teaching these novels in the classroom.

Safe and Vital Communities
   The Allstate Foundation supports national and local programs in three focus areas. Safe and Vital Communities programs address catastrophe response, youth anti-violence, neighborhood revitalization, or teen safe driving. Economic Empowerment programs address financial and economic literacy, insurance education, or empowerment for victims of domestic violence. Tolerance, Inclusion, and Diversity programs address teaching tolerance to youth, ending hate crimes, or alleviating discrimination. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations. Deadline: rolling. To learn more visit Allstate Foundation

Live Monarch Educator Outreach Program
   The Live Monarch Foundation Educator Outreach Program provides funding for teachers throughout the United States to enroll in the National Campaign to bring monarch butterflies into the classroom. This program provides education and materials to strengthen the monarch's 3,000-mile migratory route within North America by creating self-sustaining butterfly gardens and refuges. Materials will be provided for each participant to raise a virtual butterfly and start a real butterfly garden with professional instruction on each level for its maintenance and care. Maximum Award: n/a. Eligibility: teachers and classrooms in areas on the monarch migratory route. Deadline: rolling. Apply

Free Teaching Resource
   Recently the U.S. Department of Education launched a new and improved version of the much acclaimed web site, Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE). FREE provides educators with lesson plans, primary documents, science visualizations, math challenges, literary works, paintings, music manuscripts and many other vital classroom resources. The tool also combines important educational elements culled from the Library of Congress, Smithsonian, National Science Foundation, NASA, National Archives, and other federal agencies. Free Teaching Resources