YAACing is the quarterly newsletter of the Young Adults And Children’s Services section of the British Columbia Library Association. We publish articles by librarians and library paraprofessionals serving children and teens. Topics range from library programs and events, to book reviews, storytime ideas, literacy tips and more! If you would like to submit something for consideration, please email yaacing@gmail.com
Coverart by Dawn Lo
Contents:
Message from the Chair Message from the Editor
28 YAACS Teen Programming Meetup Julia McKnight
News 6 BC Summer Reading Club Goes Virtual! Stephanie Ushe
30 From Apple Pies to Astronauts: A Chronology of Alphabet Books with Aphorisms, Amusements, and Anecdotes – Part one Sarah Bagshaw
8 PNLA Young Readers Choice Awards Noreen Ma
Call for Submissions
9 Red Cedar Book Awards Volunteer Call Out! Marilyn MacPherson
Columns 10 Jbrary: We’ll Link to That! Lindsey Krabbenhoft 12 New and Noteworthy Books Sadie Tucker
Editor: Kate Wood & Raoul Fernandes
Features
Art Director: Afton Schindel
22 Getting Your Virtual Program Off to a Good Start WVML Librarians 24 Keeping Safe Spaces Safe: Challenges and Successes in the Era of Covid-19 Christopher Knapp 26 Report Back: Virtual D&D at the Library - Continuing Education Workshop Jenny Zhang & Sarah Bagshaw
Next Deadline: February 15, 2021
Message from the Chair Let’s pause and take a breath. This December, perhaps more than others, is a time to reflect and think about how far we have come. 2020 was fraught with difficulties and challenged us in ways we couldn’t have anticipated. Many of those challenges have also been opportunities for us to grow and change as professionals. It certainly has changed YAACS. I’ve seen us pull together as colleagues in ways we haven’t before. Virtual meetings and meet-ups have become the norm, allowing us to extend our network more broadly around the province and connect with peers we wouldn’t normally. It has been wonderful to see people who--to me-were previously just names, become colleagues I look forward to connecting with at YAACS meet ups and Continuing Education events. The listserv continues to play an active role in connecting us with our peers: a place where we can be curious, ask questions, and connect. If you aren’t already using it, I encourage you to! I would like to thank our passionate, knowledgeable team of Continuing Education Coordinators for the work they are doing supporting our community with events like the Virtual Dungeons and Dragons workshop held on December 9 and ongoing check-ins like those happening on Zoom in the Kootenays. Watch for more exciting professional development opportunities in 2021. I’d also like to thank our YAACing Editor, Kate Wood for putting out two fabulous issues of YAACS this year! Kate, you are a joy to work with. Kate is also in the process of onboarding our two new Co-Editors, Raoul Fernandes and Sabrina Gurniak. Raoul comes to us with a wealth of experience. He has been a Camp Assistant at VPL’s Book & Writing Camp, a co-editor of The Maynard, an online poetry journal, and is currently enrolled in the Library Technician program at Langara. Sabrina has experience working with AustismBC and is a dedicated member of the team of Children’s and Teens Services librarians at the Vancouver Public Library. Welcome to Raoul and Sabrina! YAACing is very lucky to have you. I’m excited to see what 2021 brings.
Happy Holidays, Patricia YAACS Chair plesku@westvanlibrary.ca
4 YAACING | Winter 2020
Message from the Editor What a journey 2020 has been! If 2020 has been a year of great success and accomplishment for you, be proud of yourself for making it through! If 2020 has been a year that has shown you challenges and frustration, be proud of yourself for making it through! If 2020 has been a year of uncertainty, stress, and pain, be proud of yourself for making it through! There was absolutely no correct way to endure 2020, but here we are, and we all deserve a pat on the back, no matter what our year has encompassed. I continue to be amazed at the commitment of my colleagues and the quality of work I have witnessed in this incredible field, especially during such trying times. I am constantly reminded how resilient and creative people are and it is wonderful to see! As Patricia noted in her message, I have brought aboard a new co-editor for this issue, and let me tell you, he is fantastic! I know YAACING is going to be in excellent hands when I turn it over to Raoul and Sabrina and I can’t wait to see what goodies they will be bringing us for future issues. This issue is crammed full with terrific content. From Stephanie User reporting back on the tireless work that she and the rest of the BC SRC team offered this year with a virtual Summer Reading Club, to many virtual professional development opportunities, program icebreaker suggestions and lots of book love. Lindsey Krabbenhoft has also curated a list of mental health resource links, which, in these difficult times is extremely valuable. In November I participated in a Workplace Mental Health seminar offered by BCLA that had many useful tips and resources for getting through these trying times. Remember, we are a community and here to support one another, so reach out! As outlined in the seminar, my challenge for you is to fill in this statement: “I will take care of my wellbeing over the next month by:____________________________” Just remember to breathe, take breaks, try to have some balance, and do things that make you happy. Be safe, be well, and have a great 2021! On behalf of your YAACING editor, Kate
Kate Wood Raoul Fernandes Library Assistant Library Tech Student Greater Victoria Public Library Langara College Winter 2020 | YAACING 5
NEWS
BC Summer Reading Club Goes Virtual! By Stephanie Usher It goes without saying that 2020 has most certainly been a challenging year, and it’s safe to say that COVID-19 had an impact on everything; BC Summer Reading Club was no exception. With many libraries facing closures and staffing limitations, we had to re-evaluate and think about how to connect with our communities and run a program that so often brings everyone together. Like many library staff, the SRC Core Committee spent many hours on Zoom brainstorming and designing a plan to help support libraries and their communities in this new normal.
daily reading goals. • a variety of online activities adapted from the BC SRC Manual including instructional videos and online quizzes. • a number of tween-specific activities such as Battle of the Books, Book BINGO, and weekly DIYs caption contests for all ages. • a stop motion movie tutorial created by artist, Bambi Edlund. • two virtual Ask an Astronomer sessions in partnership with the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. • a new card game called Mission Control. • an OverDrive donation of eBooks for children to read all summer long. • an opportunity for kids to submit their creations and content throughout the summer to win prizes donated by many local
So, for the first time in 30 years, BC SRC was offered virtually to young readers and their families across the province. This was made possible by a generous $65,000 investment from the Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Education, via the BC Libraries Co-operative. And while COVID-19 was the catalyst to make this change, we now have a resource that can support children and their families, during a pandemic, and in the future, to meet and help mitigate challenges of accessibility and inclusion. The online offering included: • an Online Reading Tracker where children could earn digital badges for meeting their 6 YAACING | Winter 2020
NEWS organizations. With everything that we offered virtually, we still wanted children and their families to visit their local libraries if possible. Many participants picked up their print reading records and medals, and we received so much feedback from families about how they missed their local libraries and the community connection created by the BC SRC. We cannot express enough gratitude to all the amazing people who made this virtual transition possible including our wonderful co-chairs Laura Zaytsoff (Castlegar and District Public Library) and Alicia Dobbs (New Westminster Public Library), Michal Utko and his development team, the BC Libraries Cooperative team, Neil Firkins, Will Hopkins, Jon Whipple, Annette DeFaveri, Angie Ayupova, and our outgoing Provincial Coordinator, Cynthia Ford. And we also want to acknowledge the amazing work done library staff all over the province for working tirelessly in finding ways to continue to share the joys of the BC SRC during this very difficult and challenging year. While we don’t know what next summer will offer, we do know for sure that we’re excited to “Crack the Case!” with our new mystery theme featuring illustrations by Zoe Si! And if we’ve learned anything from this summer, we know that libraries are resilient and together we’ll get through it. In spite of 2020 being a difficult year, we had terrific participation!
Stephanie Usher (née Hong) is the Provincial Coordinator for BC Summer Reading Club. In addition to and unrelated to her work for BC SRC, she is also a Library Technician on the Vancouver Public Library’s Teen Services team.
Winter 2020 | YAACING 7
NEWS
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Readers Choice Awards Junior Division (Grades 4-6)
Refugee by Alan Gratz – received 1,403 votes Since 1940 young readers in the Pacific Northwest Intermediate Division (Grades 7-9) have been participating in the Young Reader’s Choice Award (YRCA). The award was established in 1940 by Harry Hartman, a Seattle bookseller, who believed every student should have an opportunity to select a book that gives him or her pleasure. The Young Reader’s Choice Award is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Library Association and continues to be the longest-running children’s choice book award. It is also the only international award with young readers in both the United States Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti and Canada participating in the program. Bowling – received 495 votes In case you missed it, the winners for the 2020 PNLA Young Reader’s Choice Awards are: Senior Division (Grades 10-12)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – received 570 votes 8 YAACING | Winter 2020
NEWS Here are the nominees for the 2021 PNLA YRCA:
7. Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Junior Division (Grades 4-6)
8. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
1. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster by Jonathan Auxier (CDN)
Senior Division (Grades 10-12)
2. The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta 3. Granted by John David Anderson
1. Sadie by Courtney Summers (CDN) 2. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
4. Small Spaces by Katherine Arden 5. Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire by John August 6. Wings of Fire. The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland ; adapted by Barry Deutsch and Rachel Swirsky (Graphic Novel) 7. Positively Izzy by Terri Libenson
3. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 4. A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi 5. I am Still Alive by Kate Marshall (CDN) 6. Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich 7. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
8. Inkling by Kenneth Oppel (CDN)
8. Dry by Neal Shusterman
Intermediate Division (Grades 7-9)
Voting takes place between March 15 to April 15 each year. Each participating institution may design its own ballot. Please send the compiled results to your BC Provincial YRCA Representative Noreen Ma by email at nma75@shaw.ca. All ballots MUST be received by April 15 to be counted. If you have any questions about the ballot or voting procedures, please contact me at nma75@shaw.ca.
1. Impostors by Scott Westerfeld 2. The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor 3. No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen-Fernlund (CDN) 4. TBH: This is SO Awkward by Lisa Greenwald 5. Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian 6. City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
Noreen Ma is a BC Representative for the PNLA Young Reader’s Choice Awards
Red Cedar Book Awards Volunteer Callout! To help the Society promote the Red Cedar Book Awards, we are putting a call-out for you to join the team! The Society is looking for volunteers to help out with creating content for our social media sites – stories, book reviews, interviews, program resources and activities – and to help with the admin of our social media sites. Look forward to hearing from you! Please email redcedaraward@gmail.com if you are interested. Marilyn MacPherson is the President of the Young Readers’ Choice Awards Society of British Columbia Winter 2020 | YAACING 9
COLUMNS
We’ll Link to That! By Lindsey Krabbenhoft
Have you heard of social emotional learning (SEL)? After the Fall 2019 Library Services for Children Journal Club meeting where we discussed two recent research articles on the topic, I’ve been keen on learning more about this topic. Here are some resources to investigate if you’d like to learn more too. How are you doing? What used to feel like a benign question now feels much harder to answer. If you’re struggling to focus and find motivation, you’re not alone. If your anxiety and stress are at an all time high, you’re not alone. If you’re just plain old sad about the current state of the world, you’re not alone. We as library staff are feeling it, parents and educators are feeling it, and kids and teens are feeling it too. The pandemic has heightened the need for community resources to help us cope. The good news is that there are resources out there to make us feel less alone. You can share these at a staff meeting, create a handout for community members, or simply have them in your back pocket the next time a kid, teen, or adult comes to the library looking for help. We’ll get through this tough time together. Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre This free resource centre helps families across the province “navigate the mental health system, listen and offer peer support, and connect them to resources and tools.” They are a great starting point for families beginning to look into a mental health issue. They also offer educational webinars and workshops and an amazing podcast called Where You Are.
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Bounce Back “Bounce Back is a free virtual health skill-building program that helps people 15 and up who are experiencing mild to moderate depression or anxiety.” It is available anywhere in British Columbia with a referral from a doctor. They have one-to-one coaching, videos, and an online program you can complete at your own leisure. Recommended for teens and young adults especially. First Nations Health Authority FNHA provides “health and wellness services and programs for First Nations community members alongside the BC Ministry of Health and the BC health authorities.” Their mental health and substance abuse page has a list of policies, guides, and crisis support lines specifically for Indigenous communities. The benefits page is also helpful in figuring out what services are covered. Phone and Chat Help Lines The Crisis Centre is a volunteer run organization in B.C. that offers phone and texting support. Teens may especially like the “youth chat” feature. Wellness Together Canada has a text support line
COLUMNS for adults. Kids Help Phone is a 24-hour toll free service youth can access through text, phone, Facebook Messenger, or live chat on their website. The Aboriginal Crisis Line is for people of all ages and can be reached at 1-800-588-8717. Apps and Podcasts Foundry, “a province-wide network of integrated health and social service centres for young people ages 12-24,” has a great list of apps that focus on mindfulness and coping skills. For kids ages 9 - 11 check out Stesslr, a free web app developed by the BC Children’s Hospital to help kids recognize and deal with stress. For little ones, try Stop, Breathe, Think or Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame both of which focus on mindfulness techniques for preschoolers. And if you’re looking for a good listen, try The Happiness Lab, Therapy for Black Girls, or Mental Illness Happy Hour. What are your go-to mental health resources for yourself or for your community? I’d love to learn about them at jbrary@gmail.com. Lindsey Krabbenhoft is a Children’s Librarian in Vancouver, British Columbia and one half of Jbrary, the online children’s librarian treasure trove. She is also the co-founder of the Library Services for Children Journal Club and encourages any other research nerds to join. You can find Jbrary in its own little corner of the internet at https://jbrary. com
Winter 2020 | YAACING 11
COLUMNS
New and Noteworthy Books By Sadie Tucker
So many books, so little time! Here are some recent titles that I am excited about.
Picture Books
(B=Baby, T=Toddler, Pre=Preschool, K=Kindergarten)
HAND IN HAND
Capucilli, Alyssa Satin B-T
A sweet rhyme that follows an adult and child as they spend the day together in the park. Despite the series title, the illustrations are not ideal for newborns, but it is a lovely choice for older babies and toddlers
THE BABIES AND KITTIES BOOK Schindel, John T
This book is just. So. Cute. Bright photographs of a variety of toddlers and kittens make this an engaging book for both littles and their caregivers.
TIME TO GO HOME Lv, Shasha T-Pre
School is over and the little animals are going home. As each animal says goodbye to Little Snail and then uses a different mode of transportation to go home, the reader wonders how will Little Snail get home?
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COLUMNS TRICERATOPS STOMP Patkau, Karen T-Pre
Freshly hatched triceratops babies are faced with a fearsome predator. Will their mother be able to scare it away? Plenty of opportunity for audience articipation with this one.
DON’T WORRY, LITTLE CRAB Haughton, Chris Pre-K
Little Crab is more than ready to explore the ocean with Very Big Crab. That is, Little Crab is ready until they see the size of the waves crashing onto the shore. Will Little Crab build up the courage to dive in? An adorable story featuring onomatopoeia and characters of undetermined gender. Great for storytimes.
JOHNNY’S PHEASANT Minnema, Cheryl Pre-Gr.1
When Johnny and his grandmother spot a pheasant lying near the side of the road, Grandma is certain it’s dead (even if it’s still soft). Johnny is sure that the bird is only sleeping. Grandma figures that she could use some more feathers for her craftwork, while Johnny makes plans to build a nest in the yard. When they bring the pheasant home, what will happen?
JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO FLY Fogliano, Julie Pre-Gr.1
A sweet book that, when read deeply, is all about parents’ desire to provide their children with all at they will need to embark on new adventures.
Winter 2020 | YAACING 13
COLUMNS ONE FOX: A COUNTING BOOK THRILLER Read, Kate Pre-Gr.1
Colourful collage illustrations accompany a suspenseful story about a fox attempting to raid ahenhouse. This is a perfect book for storytimes!
FLY!
Teague, Mark Pre-Gr.2
When a baby bird refuses to leave the nest in order to be fed, an argument between it and its parent ensues. A humorous story told entirely through pictures in voice bubbles.
FACTS VS. OPINIONS VS. ROBOTS Rex, Michael K-Gr.3
A fun picture book that clearly outlines the difference between a fact and an opinion. Would work well as a read aloud with audience participation.
School Age MINDY KIM AND THE YUMMY SEAWEED BUSINESS Lee, Lyla Contemporary fiction Grades 1-3
The first day at her new school isn’t great for 7-year-old Mindy. She has recently lost her mom to illness, Mindy and her dad have just moved across the country, and Mindy’s father is still refusing to get her a puppy. Fortunately, things begin to look up when her classmates’ initial derision of her lunch (including seaweed and kimchi) flips into obsession. Now Mindy has a thriving underground business selling seaweed snacks. Will Mindy finally 14 YAACING | Winter 2020
be able to afford a puppy or will her new business crash and burn? First in a series.
COLUMNS
WELCOME TO UNICORN SCHOOL Bird, Pip Fantasy/Humour Grades 2-5
Mira’s excitement about attending Unicorn School is muted somewhat when her partner ends up being a roly-poly, gassy unicorn that doesn’t listen very well. When a field trip goes wrong, she learns that friendship comes in a variety of shapes. The diversity represented in the illustrations is quite good: There are a range of skin tones and at least one character with a visible disability.
WAYS TO MAKE SUNSHINE Watson, Renée Contemporary fiction Grades 3-5
Multiple reviewers and the publisher itself have compared this new series as Ramona Quimby revisited. In episodic chapters, Ryan faces and conquers new challenges such as her father taking on a lower-paying job and trying new recipes that end in disaster. Booklist says, “These stories do not shy away from the dynamics of race and girlhood... but they do not skimp on levity or spunkiness either.”
BRAVER: A WOMBAT’S TALE Selfors, Suzanne Fantasy/Animal fiction Grades 3-6
Unlike the rest of her wombat brethren, Lola is chatty and adventurous. This serves her in good stead when everyone in her burrow is kidnapped and she must journey to the royal city for help. Booklist calls the story “a terrifically engaging tale filled with suspense and silliness.” Winter 2020 | YAACING 15
COLUMNS I, COSMO
Sorosiak, Carlie Animal fiction/Contemporary fiction Grades 3-6
At 13, Cosmo might be getting a bit old - he is a dog after all - but when he and his human have the opportunity to learn how to dance he is all in. Will Cosmo and his person Max learn how to dance or is Cosmo too old to learn new tricks? Most importantly, will mastering this new skill impress their family enough to keep them together?
SANTIAGO’S ROAD HOME Diaz, Alexandra Contemporary fiction Grades 5-7
When Santiago agrees to join a mother and her young daughter on their journey to the United States, it feels like the best way to escape his abusive abuela. After a harrowing journey, the three refugees are eventually caught by immigration officers and sent to a detention centre where they are promptly separated. As Santiago experiences further trauma at the hands of the US government, he begins to wonder if he would have been better off with his abuela.
GET A GRIP, VIVY COHEN!
Kapit, Sarah Epistolary fiction/Contemporary fiction Grades 5-7
Vivy loves baseball and rumour has it that she throws a killer knuckleball. She desperately wants to play baseball but her mom worries about Vivy being the only girl AND the only kid with autism on the team. Vivy chronicles her dreams and the obstacles that she faces in upbeat letters to her favourite baseball player, VJ Capello. When VJ writes back and Vivy is offered a place on the local baseball team, she knows that things are looking up! 16 YAACING | Winter 2020
COLUMNS THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WILL NOT CHANGE Stead, Rebecca Contemporary fiction Grades 5-8
With two years of perspective, 12-year-old Bea recollects the eventful year her dad married her step-father and she gained a sister. This novel has been praised backwards and forwards for its depiction of the emotional life of a 10-year-old. From anger management problems to eczema to gaining a much anticipated sibling who doesn’t turn out as fantasized, Bea is a flawed and realistic protagonist that reassures readers that they are just fine despite their quirks.
THE BRAVE (TH3 BRAV5)
Bird, James Contemporary fiction/Magical realism Grades 5+
Collin has OCD and has been bullied at all of the schools he has attended. When he asks his father to change schools yet again, his father decides to send him to live with his mother. Collin has never met his mother and doesn’t know much about his Ojibwe culture, but his new community ends up being far more supportive than the one he left. With a new friend at his side, Collin gains additional tools for working with this condition.
FIGHTING WORDS
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker Contemporary fiction Grades 5+
Della has been through rough times, from her mother going to prison to being sent to live with her mother’s boyfriend who attempts to pull down her underwear. But Della has always had Suki, her 16-year-old sister, to protect her. Now that the sisters are in a supportive foster home and life Winter 2020 | YAACING 17
COLUMNS has calmed down, Suki’s mental health begins to decline. Maybe it’s time for Della to help Suki find her voice. A powerful, affecting story that is age appropriate for its intended audience but doesn’t pull its punches. SLJ recommends that caregivers read the book alongside their charges so that they are ready to engage in important discussions.
High School DEEPLIGHT
Hardinge, Frances Fantasy Grade 6+
Decades earlier, the gods tore each other apart and their pieces fell to the bottom of the ocean. Now, in a desperate bid to save his friend, Hark retrieves a shred of a god. Soon, however, his friend’s newfound power threatens the world itself. In contrast to the numerous stars from other reviewers, SLJ announced it “A frustrating and unfulfilling reading experience.” Who should we believe? You’ll have to read it and find out for yourself!
ELATSOE
Little Badger, Darcie Mystery/Urban fantasy Grade 6+
Ellie has inherited her Six-Great-Grandmother’s ability to see ghosts. When her cousin dies suddenly, he briefly appears to her claiming that he was murdered, setting Ellie on a dangerous path. Kirkus says, “A brilliant, engaging debut written by a talented author, it seamlessly blends cyberstalking with Vampire Citizen Centers and Lipan Apache stories.”
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COLUMNS RAYBEARER Ifueko, Jordan Fantasy Grade 7+
Tarisai is the product of a forbidden union between a djinn and a human. Little does she know that her conception was calculated. Her mother’s goal? To use Tarisai to assassinate the crown prince. Unwilling to be a part of the treasonous and heartrending act, Tarisai embarks on a voyage to figure out how to escape her destiny. First in a duology.
KENT STATE
Wiles, Deborah Historical fiction (novel in verse) Grade 7+
A well-researched fictional account of the 1970 shooting of four protesters at Kent University by the National Guard. Numerous viewpoints and reports, some of which conflict, about the lead up to the protest and the shooting are presented in free verse. From typeface to voice, the text is painstakingly presented to convey the narrators and their views.
I’LL BE THE ONE
Lee, Lyla Contemporary fiction Grade 8+
She’s got the talent, she’s got the moves... Skye is ready to be the first plus-size K-pop star. Defying her fat-phobic mother’s expectations, Skye makes it into a reality show competition looking for the next k-pop sensation. As she builds friendships, and a budding romance, with fellow contestants, she also faces discrimination from the judges and the public. Is Skye strong enough to make it through? You betcha!
Winter 2020 | YAACING 19
COLUMNS DANCING AT THE PITY PARTY: A DEAD MOM GRAPHIC MEMOIR Feder, Tyler Memoir (graphic novel) Grade 8+
When Tyler was 19, her mother died from uterine cancer. This is part-tribute to her wonderful and flawed mother, as well as an exploration of grief ’s tumultuous, sometimes funny, and often unpredictable course. SLJ says, “Hand this one to readers who are ready to move past Raina Telgemeier’s work and take a step closer to Lucy Knisley’s memoirs.”
GIRL UNFRAMED Caletti, Deb Mystery Grade 9+
This title has a landslide of starred reviews under its belt. Sydney is less than enthused to be visiting her mother and her mother’s boyfriend, Jake, for the summer. Between missing her friends and Jake’s creepy interest, Sydney regrets leaving Seattle. The one bright spot is her relationship with local teen Nicco. As her home life becomes increasingly strained, it becomes clear that the situation is headed for an explosive, and perhaps even deadly, conclusion. Booklist says, “Caletti delivers the near impossible: a page-turner grounded in thoughtful feminism.”
CEMETERY BOYS
Thomas, Aiden Fantasy/Mystery (graphic novel) Grade 9+
Being trans, Yadriel has long felt excluded from his magical brujx community. When his cousin mysteriously disappears and Yadriel feels his death, he sees an opportunity to prove himself to his 20 YAACING | Winter 2020
COLUMNS family. Unfortunately, he accidentally summons the wrong spirit - Julian, a recently deceased classmate. Even more unfortunate? He begins to develop feelings for said soul. Will Yadriel be able to solve his cousin’s disappearance? Will he be able to bring himself to guide Julian to the other side?
BANNED BOOK CLUB
Kim, Hyun Sook Historical fiction (graphic novel) Grade 9+
When Hyun Sook is invited to a book club, she doesn’t realise that she has been invited to do something illegal. It’s 1983 in Korea and the government doesn’t take kindly to people reading unapproved materials. While Hyun Sook is initially reluctant to do anything that might draw the attention of the authorities, her attitude slowly changes. But her newfound bravery puts her in danger. Sadie Tucker is a Children’s Librarian with the Vancouver Public Library.
Winter 2020 | YAACING 21
FEATURES
Getting Your Virtual Program Off to a Good Start By Roseanne Hinmueller, Patricia Lesku, Lise Nielsen and Wendy Zhang West Vancouver Memorial Library
Before the Program Starts
The few minutes between getting admitted to a virtual program and the program starting can seem like ages. Why not set up some passive activities kids can do while they wait for everyone to join:
Rebus Puzzles
These are picture puzzles with hidden meanings or phrases. We generally have 4 posted on a slide with instructions for kids to try and solve the riddles while we wait for everyone to join. Kids can send their guesses in a chat (and we’ll let them know if they are correct).
Emoji Puzzles
These are picture puzzles using emojis with hidden meanings or phrases. These are mostly book titles, movies or common songs/rhymes. Kids try to solve the riddles while we wait for everyone to join. They can send me their guesses in a chat and I let them know if they are correct. Normally we do this for the first 5 minutes to allow late comers to join.
Spot the Difference
Post two images that are slightly different and get kids to see how many differences they can find. Go through the answers once everyone has joined.
Icebreakers
Icebreakers can help build a sense of community among kids who may not know each other. Best of all, they are loads of fun. And while we all have our favourite go-to icebreakers for in-person library programs, not all of those work equally well in our virtual spaces. Many of our favourite icebreakers are: 22 YAACING | Winter 2020
• Short (so kids can easily understand and respond) • Fun and allow creative answers (so kids get excited by thinking, answering, and listening to other kids’ ideas) • Relevant to the class content (which will help us smoothly move into the class) Here are some of our favourite icebreakers to warm up a virtual room: Would you rather…? Offer kids a few theme-related “Would you rather…?” questions. They can pick the one they like the best to answer, and share their thoughts with the class. For example, for a “Code Your Own Superhero” program (where they kids are ages 8-10), ask questions like: • Would you rather be able to freeze time or travel in time? Why? • Would you rather have the ability to read people’s minds or the ability to talk to animals? Why? Raise your emoji hand if… (The virtual version of Move Your Butt If...) For example, raise your emoji hand if you… live in West Vancouver Have read all the Harry Potters • Have watched all the Harry Potters • Have read and watched all the Harry Potters • Have every broken a bone • Will wear a costume on Halloween • Have your own phone • If it’s your birthday month! • Have ever “coded a flappy bird” • Floss everyday • Have been on a rollercoaster • You are in grade X
FEATURES One word warmup Kids are asked to use one word each to: • Describe themselves • Describe their day so far • Describe the art (code, writing, etc.) they want to create today
If you were a….? Kids ask each other questions starting with the words “If you were a…” For example: “If you were a pizza, what toppings would you have?”
Name 5… You have 10 seconds to give 5 answers to a simple question. For example, “name five vegetables” or “name five women who are leaders.” All kids work together as a team. This warmup was inspired by a fun, challenging app called Tuku Tuku. Questions for someone new Ask, “What questions do you want to ask someone you have just met?” Give an example, like ‘If your personality was a flavour of ice cream, what flavour would you be?” Keep a list of the questions on a Powerpoint Slide. Stop when you get to 6 (or 12). Roll virtual dice (like https://dice.virtuworld.net/) to see what question people will answer. Have the person who answers choose the next person to go. Five senses We use this in creative writing programs in particular. Set the scene (For example, “You are lost in the woods”) and ask kids to tell you what they can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.
Many of our icebreakers are good for seeing where school age kids are at. You can tailor them to your program / community / timing / age / silliness preferences. You can also add language support and branding by using Powerpoint slides with relevant images. Have a favourite icebreaker? Share it with everyone at yaacs-list@lists.bclibrary.ca Thanks to the generous support of the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation, we have been able to offer a lot of virtual programming this year and test out many ways to get virtual programs started right! Roseanne Hinmueller (Youth Librarian), Patricia Lesku (Digital Access Librarian) Lise Nielsen (Youth Librarian) Wendy Zhang (Systems Librarian) at the West Vancouver Memorial Library. Winter 2020 | YAACING 23
FEATURES
Keeping Safe Spaces Safe: Challenges and Successes in the Era of COVID-19 By Christopher Knapp As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, the toll and struggle that a global pandemic is having on our youth has become more apparent; and, in turn, the need for safe spaces and nurturing environments have grown substantially. Now, more than ever, libraries need to fulfill these roles going forward into the future.
restrictions. This means it is more paramount than ever that public and school librarians work together to share in their resources, time, and knowledge to help provide safe spaces for youth. A safe space, whether it be a public library space or that of a school’s learning commons, can be defined by a number of factors. Safe spaces for youth provide unrestricted access to information, offer a wide range of viewpoints, perspectives, and narratives, and also scaffold the tools and skills to decipher the information youth may find. A safe space is also one that provides access to fundamental needs such as computer and internet access, social spacing, and, in some instances, even food.
Public and school libraries play a fundamental role in ensuring that children and youth of all ages are provided with a safe space – void of misinformation, daily pressures, and stress over the unknown – where children and youth librarians provide fun, inclusive, and diverse environments for children and teens. Unfortunately, public and school libraries alike across the province continue to struggle under the restraints of tightened budgets and ever-changing COVID guidelines and At its simplest, a safe space is an area that youth can turn to when they just need a quiet environment to catch their breath. My experiences in 2020 have highlighted how children and youth have been turning to libraries to find that space of reprieve in larger numbers more now than ever. In uncertain times, safe spaces are becoming harder to access, but even more crucial.
The exemplary safe school spaces that I have witnessed throughout 2020 have been at the elementary school level, where some of our local teacher-librarians, in Prince George, are creating amazing spaces of safety, inclusion, and fun within their learning commons as well as the public library. At Heritage Elementary, the school’s teacher-librarian, Jessica Bonin, has created a bright and positive safe space for students to come and use at any time of the day. These students may pick up a book, create a makerspace project, or simply find a moment of peace and refuge in the safe conversation zone. Heritage’s learning commons is a safe space made with youth in mind, with many subtle touches that foster and encourage students to find their own voice. One such touch is the word wall, where students can create poems that express how they are feeling. Another touch is the library fish, which Jessica Bonin and her students take care of. This allows 24 YAACING | Winter 2020
FEATURES students to find comfort and their own sense of nature/ nurture in knowing they are responsible for another living thing.
outside world. These safe spaces, and the activities provided within them, underscore the importance of the mental health of youth. Overarching factors such as having a wide range of materials that represent all persons and faces within the community, maintaining the upkeep of library pets, or providing face-to-face interaction via online platforms can help bolster within youth their mental health and self-assurance in these unsure times.
At another local elementary school, Nusdeh Yoh, the teacher-librarian, Jennifer Shaw, has been working hard to create safe spaces that foster inclusion and respect of Indigenous culture. Her creative use of the traditional fire pit for the purpose of storytelling near Halloween was an activity that enticed the imaginations of all her students, from Kindergarten to Grade 7. Behind all of these physical touches that help create Furthermore, despite the complicated nature of learning a safe space for children and youth are caring and pods, Jennifer Shaw has still gone out of her way to supportive human beings. Even in these surreal times, make their COVID-safe space an inviting one. Small at the core of any safe space is the human connection touches, such as Fall foliage on the large plexiglass desk that we, as librarians, make with our youth. This guard or a soon to be Wonder Wall, brighten the space. humanizing approach is one that has always existed in The Wonder Wall is a space where youth will have the some manner, and now, more than ever, should not be opportunity to post inquiries about life, school, and forgotten. Connections with safe and caring adults in whatever else may come to their minds so that Jennifer safe environments should be the ideal that we strive towards – even if our youth cannot physically enter into their once safe spaces – and should remain the message that we continue to convey to our children and youth. One day, we will be able to return to a
library environment that is open to all, like it once was can communicate with her students and guide them before, but until then, we need to continue to provide towards helpful resources and/or narratives featuring safe space creatively in as many ways as we can. characters they can identify with. At the Prince George Public Library, we have worked Christopher Knapp is the Teen Librarian at the Prince hard on establishing virtual programming that fosters George Public Library. safe spaces online. Children’s programming, such as our baby and regular story-times, have continued to connect young families with one another. Teen programming, such as our Teen Alliance and Dungeons and Dragons programs via Discord, have youth maintain their regular face-to-face interactions with librarians and program friends alike, while also helping to create a space that is momentarily free of stressors and concerns of the
Winter 2020 | YAACING 25
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Report Back: Virtual D&D at the Library Continuing Education Workshop By Sarah Bagshaw & Jenny Zhang On December 9, 2020, library staff from all over the province gathered virtually for an evening of fun and learning about Virtual Dungeons and Dragons at the library!
of each. Adapting the program to a virtual format was also discussed. We even had a chance to play D&D in small groups! It was fun for both new and seasoned players to do some hands-on learning The workshop, organized by YAACS Continuing and think about how the game can be applied in Education Coordinators Sarah Bagshaw and Jenny different delivery formats and age groups. Zhang, and presented by Vancouver Public Library Finally, we explored considerations for modifying Teen Librarians Jean Broughton and Ariel Caldwell, the program to middle years age groups, rural was to share how to run a virtual Dungeons and libraries, and the challenges we could face in the Dragons program, and why the game is a great fit planning and delivery of this program. for libraries. We easily could have exceeded the two-hour The workshop was quickly filled to capacity with participants from Vancouver, Victoria, Bowen Island, Vancouver Island, Burnaby, Surrey, Thompson-Nicola, Gibsons & District, Coquitlam, and Vancouver library systems.
allotted time limit. We are grateful and excited that so many people had interest in learning and sharing, especially on a weekday evening outside of work hours!
Huge thank you to Ariel and Jean for volunteering The workshop started with how Dungeons and their time to share their expertise! Dragons programs align with library goals and If you are interested in the next continuing education values. Not only does D&D involve teamwork, workshop, be sure to keep an eye on YAACS social communication and storytelling, it’s a fun way for media and your inbox! kids and teens to develop a network of supportive friends and have fun in a welcoming environment. Sarah Bagshaw & Jenny Zhang are Continuing We learned about the two models for running a Education Coordinators for the Lower Mainland. library D&D program: Campaign-style and a D&D 101-style workshop, and the benefits and drawbacks 26 YAACING | Winter 2020
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YAACS Teen Programming Meetup By Julia McKnight On October 20, 2020, youth services staff from libraries across BC gathered on Zoom to talk all things digital programming for teens. Since the pandemic closure in March of 2020, public libraries have had to pivot to digital programming almost exclusively. Needless to say, the learning curve has been a huge challenge for library staff serving youth. How do we adapt our programs for digital delivery? Will youth come to library programs on Zoom? Will they be sick of screen time after spending the better part of the day in remote learning? Not knowing what to expect, or how long we would have to operate remotely for, we dove in and did the best we could.
of 2020 ranged from virtual programs on platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, passive programs, inperson outdoor programs, and programs that leverage take-out service to provide supplies for at-home activities. Virtual Programs: • Teen Advisory Groups • Reading Buddies • Author workshops • Teen ELL Conversation Circle • Teen Book Clubs (with ebooks) • Online gaming • Virtual manga and anime con • Virtual escape rooms • Dungeons and Dragons
Libraries present at the Teen Programming meet-up included Surrey Public Library, Vancouver Public Library, North Vancouver District Library, Fraser Valley Regional Library, Greater Victoria Public Library, and Kaslo and District Public Library. Some of us work in urban and some in rural libraries. Some of us at the time of meeting had the necessary equipment to deliver digital programming, some of us did not and were innovating other ways to engage teens with the library during the closure. Teen Programming Meet-up followed a basic outline: 1) Introductions 2) Roundtable: What programming are you doing for teens? 3) Tell us about one rose and one thorn. A rose being something that is going really well at your library, a thorn being a persistent challenge. The types of programming BC public libraries developed and delivered for their communities in the fall
(Photo Caption: Stephanie Usher facilitates a monthly virtual Teen Book Club at VPL.) The virtual program that librarians reported having great success with were Teen Advisory Groups - a program where teens provide input into library services, collections, and programs or participate in the development and delivery of programs for teens. TAG’s popularity is not a huge surprise as it fills a practical need teens have for community service hours. Due to the pandemic, teens have fewer opportunities to volunteer. In response to this need, as well as demand for children’s programming, several library systems adapted Reading Buddies for virtual delivery, which was a major challenge but also very rewarding as this is a perennial favourite with families. Winter 2020 | YAACING 27
FEATURES Angela Bennett of KDPL shared that she offered in-person book clubs in the summer and generated no small amount of excitement by drawing authors to her virtual book club sessions including Kenneth Oppel! At the time of our meet-up, Angela was in the development stage of an online gaming program using Jackbox to set up a “classroom” for kids and teens to play online together safely. Pro-tip from Kerry Martin of FVRL: there are several Jackbox discussions in Programming Librarian Interest Group and on Teen Services Underground on Facebook; it’s worth joining and browsing.
Usher is working on a summary of VPL teen programming for 2020. We delivered 72 virtual programs since the start of the pandemic! Looking back on the last 9 months, what are you most proud of? I hope everyone is celebrating their successes and congratulating themselves and their team on navigating a staggering learning curve and ultimately finding their way through “the new normal”.
Cool ideas for passive programs included a STEM holiday card from Plix Media of MIT. VPL instagrammed a demo of the card and created take out bags with supplies and instructions. KDPL ran craft kits over the summer for teens to make lip balms, beeswax paper, and cookies. Combining take-out service and virtual programming, SPL offered robotics as well as food literacy workshops – they provided participants with supplies/ingredients via takeout service and brought in a chef to teach the food literacy program! Library systems reported offering various combinations of contests and reading challenges over email, Teens Read it First (a program that provides teens with community service hours for reviewing advanced reading copies of YA novels), and Tik Tok book talks to keep teens reading and connected to the library. For many library systems, the rose of teen programming during the pandemic was Teen Advisory Groups. Getting input from teens right now about what they need and want from the library is invaluable. The ability to get and engage authors from far afield without having to pay travel expenses is a huge bonus as well! Everyone agreed that the thorn in pandemic teen programming is not getting to connect with teens in person. This is definitely a challenge but I am confident that we are all finding meaningful ways to connect teens with the library and with each other.
(Photo caption: Stephanie Usher crunches 2020 Teen Programming stats at Vancouver Public Library) Such an incredible wealth of ideas were shared at this meet-up, it’s just impossible to capture them all here! If you have any questions or are looking for more info or tips don’t hesitate to fire off an email to the YAACS listserv at yaacs-list@lists.bclibrary.ca! Another Teen Programming Meet-up will take place in January 2021, date TBD. Thank you to everyone who joined in and participated in our community of practice to share our passion and ideas and learn from one another.
I found the Teen Programming Meet-Up to be incredibly inspiring and gratifying and I hope my colleagues Julia McKnight is acting Assistant Manager of Teen Serdid too. In this difficult time it is truly inspirational vices at VPL. to witness the wide variety of ways colleagues are facilitating social connection for teens by bringing them together, engaging their shared interests, and building informal learning into our programs in fun and innovative ways. As I write this, Library Technician Stephanie 28 YAACING | Winter 2020
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From Apple Pies to Astronauts: A Chronology of Alphabet Books with Aphorisms, Amusements, and Anecdotes – Part one By Sarah Bagshaw
Revisiting the curated display created for iSchool@UBC LIBR594 – Directed Study done in conjunction with UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections. Adapted from the exhibit and case labels written by Sarah Bagshaw & Laura Quintana. Exhibition poster - Jeff Porter Designs. All photographs from Sarah Bagshaw. In February 2017, I mounted a display of alphabet books in the Rare Books and Special Collections library @ UBC. This was done with Laura for a directed study project under the supervision of Kathie Shoemaker and Chelsea Shriver. The display was opened in time for attendees of the Vancouver Children’s Literature Round Table spring conference to visit on their breaks (held in Irving K. Barber building where Rare Books is). We had so much fun researching the development of children’s literature, ABC books, picture book illustration, and looking at some incredibly old books as well as many new ones. I thought I could share some of the writing and images from this display in a multi-part series with YAACS members as a welcome distraction from our Covid-influenced lives.
Herewith is a journey through the alphabet, starting with an introduction to the exhibit and then the oldest books we displayed for the case representing A, B, and C. “Of all the achievements of the human mind, the birth of the alphabet is the most momentous.” – Frederic Goudy, type designer. Our exhibit showed a selection of English language alphabet books from the late 18th century to the present day. The books illustrated the changes in alphabetic education for young children in England, the United States, and Canada. The authors and illustrators who created the books were influenced by the political and social contexts of their worlds. The alphabet book as a learning tool has taken innumerable forms. In the past, quite different words were used to represent the letters. For example, D is for Dame, G is for Gentleman, I is for Indian, Q is for Quince, X is for Xerxes, and Z is for Zany. It was not until the mid-20th century that the words we are familiar with became staples of alphabet books. Now Q is for Queen, X is for Xylophone, and Z is for Zebra. Winter 2020 | YAACING 29
FEATURES ABC
dictionary. Thus, the alphabet book was born. Books from the early 1800s show the continued influence of religious and moral direction on the education of the young. However, with John Newbery’s introduction of the idea of “Instruction with Delight” there is a foreshadowing of the many changes to come.
The first case in the exhibit featured Early Victorian alphabet books. These books followed Puritan views and teaching methods from previous centuries. Children were thought of as a tabula rasa that must be filled with moral values, and the knowledge that books could provide. Alphabet books had an inner structure that represented society. Adults were conceived as Capital letters and children as small letters. Furthermore, it was believed adults would write on children from birth, as if they were a story. For Puritans of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, both in England and America, children’s education was conceived not only as a process of preparing children for a Christian adulthood, but also as a way of establishing their relationship with God and authority. Material for young children was frequently organized in an alphabetical manner because learning the alphabet was considered the first step for spiritual development. In 1658, Johann Comenius’s picture book Orbis Sensualium Pictus (1658) was published. It was the first time the alphabet provided the cohesion for a set of themed pictures and illuminated sounds. It presented the sound of animals in alphabetical order, with a picture of the bird or beast making the sound of the letter. Virtues and vices were also part of this book, as if it were a moral 30 YAACING | Winter 2020
(Image from: www.publicdomainreview.org ) “The earliest ABCs and hornbooks were very little like the engaging child-pleasers of the eighteenth century. They were utilitarian tools with origins in religious life, which gradually were secularized.” (Jackson, 1989) Case One representing A B C (see photo) contained the following items plus extra information about a few: • Newbery, John. Little Pretty Pocket Book, intended for the Amusement of Little Master Tommy and Pretty Miss Polly with Two Letters from Jack the Giant Killer…. Worchester: Isaiah Thomas, 1787. This is an American edition based on the original 1744 UK edition by John Newbery (whom the Newbery Medal was named after). It is considered one of the first “modern” children’s books that was created to teach in an entertaining way. The alphabet section displays a letter of the alphabet, a verse describing a game, a moral that can be learned, as well as a woodcut illustration. • The Uncle’s Present: a new battledoor. Philadelphia: Jacob Johnson, 1810. Battledoors evolved
FEATURES from Hornbooks that were used to educate
and Howard-Gibbon chose the version published in the 1744 Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book, one of the first books of nursery rhymes for children. This book is considered the earliest known Canadian picture book for children. (See photo) “Until the mid-nineteenth century most books were printed in black-and-white, primarily in the medium of wood engraving, with the only color provided by the laborious and expensive process of hand-coloring.” (Burlingham, 1997)
young children from the 15th to 18th centuries. Battledoors were simple, thick card “booklets”. The alphabet was emphasized, but religious text was no longer included. In the past, the letters I and J, and U and V were interchangeable. Since a Battledoor was based on the older Hornbook, the letters J and U are left out. The alphabet was accompanied by images to make learning more “pleasing”. Battledoors were named after a game played in which the Hornbook was used as a pad- To be continued in the next YAACing newsletter… dle with a shuttlecock. If you are interested in the full display text and accom• Mrs Lovechild’s golden present: for all good lit- panying bibliography, please e-mail Sarah directly: Sartle boys and girls. York: J. Kendrew, 1820. ah.Bagshaw@vpl.ca • Osbourne, Charles & Wallis, Henry. Osbourne’s Sarah Bagshaw is a Children’s Librarian at Vancouver Pictorial Alphabet. London: C. Osbourne and Public Library, a book-lover, fibre enthusiast, gardener, Messrs. Ackerman & Co, 1835. (See photo below) and all-round geek. • The illustrated scripture alphabet: with prayers and hymns for children. Boston: J. Buffam, 1850. • Howard-Gibbon, Amelia Frances. An Illustrated Comic Alphabet. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1966. (Originally published in 1859). Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon (1826-1874) was the grand-daughter of Charles Howard, the 11th Duke of Norfolk. This gifted amateur artist emigrated to Canada sometime in the early 1850’s and lived in Sarnia, Ontario where she worked as a teacher. Howard-Gibbon created an alphabet book during her time in Ontario. It is hand-lettered and hand-drawn with pen and ink and is based on a rhyme chanted by children for at least two hundred years before being written down. “A was an Archer, and shot at a Frog / B was a Butcher who had a big Dog” came in many variations
Winter 2020 | YAACING 31
Call for Submissions YAACING is published quarterly and is always looking for submissions of interest to children’s and teen specialists in BC libraries. We accept articles, program descriptions and ideas, conference reports, reviews, felt stories and more. If you would like to write a regular column, send us a brief pitch. Submissions should be no more than 1500 words, sent in an editable format (not PDF). Please include a byline with your job title and workplace; for students, please include a byline with your school/program. YAACING invites your contributions to our Reviews and Felt Story sections. Reviews: Please send us reviews of books, blogs, websites, or other resources. Submissions should be no more than 300 words. Longer reviews may be considered for publication as featured articles. Felt Stories: Share your creativity! YAACING is looking for felt story patterns. Submissions should include a printable pattern, photograph of the finished product, and related rhyme or note about the origin of the story. The deadline for the next issue of YAACING is February 15, 2021. Please email your submissions to the editors at YAACING@gmail.com.
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