The Very Cranky Bear and National Simultaneous Storytime
National Simultaneous Storytime and The Very Cranky Bear
I was so excited to see that The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland was chosen as this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime book. There is something fabulous about a storytime session where kids are asked to be cranky. A key word in picture books for many storytime selections is “ROAR”. Oh! the beauty of 50 plus kids being asked to roar loudly. The screaming, shouting, teeth gnashing cacophony that ensues. The freedom those kids feel at being able to express anger always thrills me. And with The Very Cranky Bear, the opportunity to “Roar” loudly will definitely be there.
When I first read the book, I thought it was a funny read. Then last week I bought the Very Cranky Bear app and I have had even more fun. I particularly love that I get to record myself reading the story and then hear it being played back to me. My recorded roar does not sound anywhere near as impressive as what I thought it would. I will have to work on it a bit more. My only frustration is that I have only been able to find 3 of the 5 cards in the app. If I find them all I get a surprise. I think I might need the help of a kid to find them. This book is such a fab choice. Not only do the kids get to feel anger but they also get to feel scared, shivery and clever. It is a gem.
National Simultaneous Storytime has been organised by the Australian Library and Information Association in order to promote the value of reading and literacy, the importance of Australia’s book industry and the role of libraries. I would recommend to all to look up their local libraries and join in with 170000 kids around Australia in the reading of The Very Cranky Bear at 11am on the 23rd of May.
This month’s reading is all about emotions. What reading really makes you feel, or makes you think about your feelings and other people’s feeling. This could be the time to explore stories of romance and love, or read about exciting sporting moments. You may read about how to improve your performance in sport (or about sports people) as you feel the changes you need to make to be fitter.
This can also be a time to explore horror titles which make you feel fear… or thrillers, to explore feelings of suspense.
Feel Reading might also be about your favourite crafts, hobbies and interests, as you read about woodworking and think about the feeling of wood in your hands, or reading about wine/beer tasting methods and the feeling as you drink (and you might even be drinking as you read to help with the feeling).
When you are reading, you might like to tweet using #NYR12 so that other people can have a conversation with you about your reading.
There will be a live twitter discussion 24 April starting at 8.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Use the tag #NYR12 as you discuss reading which makes you feel.
Feel the Connection, Open a Page
Opening a book can be a dangerous thing. It can lead you to feelings and emotions that you have never felt before. A book can lead you to magical lands, and make you fall in and out of love in the blink of an eye. Sometimes they can even make you hurl them across the room in frustration.
When you feel connected to a book, you’ll do whatever it takes to keep that connection alive. There’s nothing worse than realising that the sequel to your favourite book hasn’t even been written yet. How do you keep the feeling fresh in your mind in a gap that can vary from a few months to a few years?
Fans of popular fiction have found ways to unite through fan fiction, forums, fan sites, local and school libraries, reviews and pop culture conventions. These avenues give fans a chance to socialise, meet like minded individuals and indulge in discussions about their strong feelings about the franchise.
Without loyal fan bases, these franchises would not be nearly as popular, but on the other hand, without real quality work there wouldn’t be such strong feelings and emotions attached to the franchises.
Some examples of series that have captured the hearts of fans worldwide include Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Discworld, Twilight, Percy Jackson and Vampire Academy. So now if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to put on our cloaks, pick up our wands and have a butter beer in Diagon Alley.
By:
Emma Suyasa (Ashfield Library)
Karen Deegan (Fairfield Library)
Deb Cox (Hornsby Library)
Katherine Rogerson (St Vincents College)
Think – discussion from a Chinese Reading Group
Parramatta City Library shared with us their Chinese reading group’s “Think” books. This was originally posted here.
思想
这个月，Dundas 图书馆中文阅读小组，根据澳大利亚全国阅读年阅读主题”思想”,展开了热烈的讨论。
有阅读了章饴和”往事并不如烟”。这本书让读者思考中国的历史，不忘曾经发生过的政治灾难。
有阅读了”让大脑自由”，真切感受到了自由的可贵。生活在澳洲，可以尝试不同的东西，感觉自由。
还有阅读了”净莲回忆录”。虽说是讲宗教的，读者分享了以下这段话:”感激绊倒你的人，因为他强化了你的能力;感激伤害你的人，因为他磨练了你的心志;感激欺骗你的人，因为他增进了你的见识;感激遺弃你的人，因为他教导你应自立。”
其他阅读小组的成员有阅读了小说的，和语言类的等，这些都让他们思考，感觉人生。阅读小组让他们有机会彼此分享阅读感受，还能更好地促进思考，真是不错啊。
This month, the Chinese reading group at one of Parramatta City Library branches, Dundas Library, discussed the reading around the NYR theme ‘Think’.
One member read ‘The memories haven’t vanished’ by Zhang Yihe. The book reminded her of the political turmoil and its aftermath that effected Chinese people in the past. The history should be remembered.
Another member read ‘Free your mind’ and felt it was such a good book to change ones mind set. Living in Australia is a life changing experience for her and she can experience different things and think freely.
One read ‘Memoir of Jinlian’. Although its religious nature, the book provides good advice for people and she’d like to share the following with all members of the group ‘one should appreciate those who trap you because it increases your endurance; one should appreciate those who hurt you because it hones your feelings; one should appreciate those who cheat you because it enriches your experience; one should appreciate those who abandon you because it teaches you of independence.’
Some members read fiction or biography or language books. They all felt reading kept them thinking. To share reading with others is also enjoyable.
Think Wrap Up: Twitterchat Reading Recommendations
A fantastic twitter book group was held last Tuesday to chat about March’s topic of #think. Here is a collection of the reading suggestions from all our participants. And a wonderfully long list of discussion points to make you all think! Thanks to all who joined in the conversation!
Discussion points: 
New ideas, international connections, global connector
Food allergies and cooking accordingly
Food writing – finding the missing ingredient
Long form reading
Brevity
Validating reading 
@lalarkinauthor fiction stimulates us to ask our role in society & question our values
@ellenforsyth Poetry is also great for #think for example the bareness of haiku with so many ideas and images in such a small space
Chick lit is social commentary on modern life “Do we really need that many shoes”, pressures on women in modern life, relationship issues
Garden design informing environmental issues
The lyricist as storyteller, storytelling mechanisms
@lalarkinauthor Fiction can be a way of thinking about normally unbearable issues
@love2read Like the idea of books being safe places - #think they can also be a safe way of exploring difficult ideas
@Bookthingo For me, it’s feminism. Never had an interest until romance blogs #NYR12
exploring pinterest and tumblr options
@snailx @janholmquist @ellenforsyth love observing differences in reading preferences.U read Pepys in print whereas I read his tweets
Title/Authors: Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
The Help
How to fix copyright by William Patry
Six Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono
Mark Billingham’s Sleepyhead,
Never Let Me Go – ethical science
Carol Topolski’s Do no harm – ethical medicine, mental illness
The Genesis Flaw – ethics of science
Grisham’s 1988 Pelican Brief
Jose Saramago “Blindness”
Herman Hesse “Steppenwolf”
‘The Fault in our stars’ by John Green
Brave New World One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Debra Adelaide’s The household guide to dying
Fiona McGregor’s Indelible Ink
Biddulph’s Raising Boys
You are not so smart” book (& blog) & other pop. based science books on how brain works
Leet noobs by Mark Chen
George Orwell’s 1984
Murukami’s modern version 1Q84
‘Never Let Me Go’
Selznick’s Wonderstruck
Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban
The Baroque Cycle
Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
Lee Iacocca’s autobio
how to be a child’
Household Gods by Turtledove
microhistories like Mauve
Ripleys and Guiness books
dictionaries
The Surgeon of Crowthorne about Oxford Dictionary
Sheri S Tepper’s Sideshow
The Disappearing Spoon about history of the periodic table
Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
Lynn Kurland’s time travel rom
Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
Kristin Higgins’ The Next Best Thing
Greenwich by Charles Jennings
Can Reindeer Fly?The Science of Christmas by Roger Highfield
Lisa Walker’s Liar Bird
Gone with the wind
Kids:
How do you get the “little white dog” into the car? Where is that green sheep?
http://www.strid.dk/mmg-inside.html – any English translations available?
@wateryone aren’t the best children’s books the ones that work on multiple levels so that they can be enjoyed whatever age
Michael Stephen King
Jeannie Baker
Mo Willems
Selznick’s Wonderstruck
http://www.dpgreen.net/2012/03/27/think-a-book-review-of-my-green-day-by-melanie-walsh/
My Green Day by Melanie Wash
Periodicals:
New Scientist
Mad Magazines – subversive thinking
Dave Berg’s “The Lighter Side of…”
Web, Blogs, Bloggers, Tweet streams, Games:
http://writeonthefringes.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.readreactreview.com/ @readreactreview
#ausallergy
http://love2read2012.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/think-outside-the-book/ Reading outside of the book
twitter, rss, and apps like pulse and flip all help to #think as to the ideas shared in those tools inform etc #nyr12
There are also survival reads for #think like road signs, train notices and shopping lists -well you don’t want to run out of things #nyr12
@boingboing
Twitter – information, concise delivery of message in 140 characters
Overseas Tweeters
Wikipedia
http://www.grandpurlbaa.com/www.grandpurlbaa.com/Moi.html
@samuelpepys
http://www.materialobsession.typepad.com/
Authors:
Stieg Larsson – abuse of women
Jodi Picoult – - ethical issues
Michael Wood’ – history
Scriptwriters/TV/Movies/Plays/Music Lyrics:
Tom Stoppard
The Big Bang Theory
System of the Down
The Streets
Ben Folds
Stephen Merrits lyrics for Magnetic Fields
Poetry, haiku
Ben Folds/Nick Hornby
Levi Johnston
read lots of history during The Tudors
David Starkey titles about the Tudors
This Means War, marketed as Spy vs Spy
TV advertising
Cavafy’s Ithaca http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=74&cat=1
I’m thinking we really are the Lucky Country
I have just finished reading Miles off course by Australian author Sulari Gentill. I love her characters and, like Kerry Greenwood’s 1920s Phryne Fisher, they showcase the infinite benefits to being “well heeled ” in the 1930s. This novel takes the reader from Sydney and into the beautiful but fairly remote high country of NSW. Travelling through the bush in those times was not for the faint hearted (at least today we can look forward to warm welcoming resort accomodation at the end of a long trek) and as camping for me is an experience I try to hard to avoid, I sympathised with everyone as they trekked through the rugged bush, dirty, bedraggled and targets for elimination. As with her earlier novels, the story manages to provide us with a little bit of most of the things common to life today, romance, intrigue, a few good fights, food and drink, politics and a plot to murder. Mostly though, I started thinking about our early pioneering history and I wonder, given my disaffection for camping, bugs, sunburn, dirt, etc etc how would I have survived? I realise I am really very grateful to those who did do all that and more so I can enjoy the lifestyle that surrounds me in Australia today. Ahh yes, in my fantasies I am quite in love with the handsome and charming Rowly Sinclair, but I do think, no, I know I live in the Lucky Country today.
There will be a live twitter discussion, tonight, 27 March starting at 8.00pm Australian Eastern Summer Time. Use the tag #NYR12 as you discuss your reading which makes you think.
Think Outside the Book
When people ask me “What do you do” and I answer that I am a librarian, I invariably get one of two reactions.
“Wow! Really! My favourite book is…..”
or
“I don’t read”.
Now, my reaction to the first one is usually a short discussion about favourite reads and favourite authors but it is the second comment that I love. It is the “I don’t read” reaction that sparks me. For I love to challenge these readers who don’t perceive themselves as readers.
For when I start questioning them, they constantly read. They read their Facebook pages, they read emails, they read recipes, they read a great film, they read while they drive, they read to take part in gaming, they read their car mags and technology mags and fashion mags and celebrity gossip mags. They read through blog sites, instruction manuals, policy statements, household bills, phone texts and Sunday comics. And as I point out these varied reading activities that these self-proclaimed “non-readers” have taken part in, I see a glint in their eye which let’s me know that this person will from now on consider reading as being outside of a book. And it is at this point that I let them know that the library is just the place to access the variety of reading that they are already taking part in.
Library and Information Week is approaching. This year’s theme is “Think Outside the Book” for the library is a great supporter of this concept. For at the library, regardless of whether it is a public library, academic library or a business library, it is information and leisure reading that is on offer regardless of format. For libraries have something for everyone when we think outside of the book.
reconsidering the world around us
Here is some utopian and environmental reading to make us think.
Worldchanging is a ‘bright green’ collection of solutions to help us shape the best possible future for the earth and its inhabitants. It brings awareness to issues like refugee aid, renewable energy and innovative solutions for improving building, transportation, communication and quality of life. Worldchanging connects readers ready to change the world with the latest ideas on how to do it. While the ideas on Worldchanging are often technological in focus, the blog also looks at the way societies work and breaks down and repackages ideas about education, economics, social capital and the arts. Nothing is taken for granted as ‘just the way things are,’ every aspect of daily life is challanged in an attempt to locate a better future for us and our planet.
Another blog that can make us stop and take a new look at the world around us is BLDGblog – an online home for ‘architectural conjecture, urban speculation, and landscape futures’. With a tighter focus than Worldchanging, this blog is mostly urban in focus, but looks at the secrets of the cities we live in, how we shelter and what changes to our environment we make in the process. If you like architecture, or like thinking about the way the world might look in the future, you will love BLDGblog. Both Worldchanging and BLDGblog now have accompanying books that would make the most stimulated and thought provoking coffee table reading. If these blogs look interesting to you, you might also like the writing of Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel and Alan Wiseman’s The World Without Us.
For a hit of mid 20th century utopian nostalgia, you might want to check out a precursor to today’s tech-fix environmental blogs like Worldchanging and the BLDG blog. The Whole Earth Catalogue was a compendium of innovative ideas and different ways of thinking about our relationship with our environment that are still relevant today – the magazine explored different kinds of shelters, land uses, and new technologies. It’s appeal was broad ranging as the ideas collected in it appealed to geeks, families, and countercultural dreamers. A great website about the history of the Whole Earth Catalogue and its relationship to the the surrounding 1960s counterculture can be found at MOMA
These are some of the things that I like to read to get my imagination going, to really make me think about ways the world could be different. What reading really makes you think?
Think in March
Try these titles to make you think …
Yiwu Liao
The Corpse Walker
Eric Knight
Reframe : how to solve the world’s trickiest problems
Yann Martel
Life of Pi
