AAIM 2019

Award-winning nonfiction author will give an overview of her new book Buried Lives: The Enslaved People of George Washington’s Mount Vernon and share how she did the primary source research as well as image research. See photos and hear backstories of this book that The Wall Street Journal calls “a riveting work of illustrated nonfiction.”

Rachel will discuss curriculum connections to her Triple S Farm Adventure series of children’s books for K-5th grades plus entertain you with some interesting facts about how she got started writing the series, the content and how to schedule her author presentation for your school library.

Books are more than just dog-eared best friends; they are often a route of escape for young teens and adolescents. But some of the best books not only provide entertainment, they also can be a source of solace and companionship. They also can educate those who otherwise would never understand the experiences of their peers.

Can we talk about drugs? Sex? Eating disorders? Trafficking? Depression? Finding the right literacy that highlights social issues without praising them can help the isolated child feel like they've found something to be their voice while creating a lifelong trust in literature and building a culture of reading, and finding a creative outlet in writing may help them find their own voice.

Discussing books about neurodiversity in schools builds empathy and raises critical questions about identity and difference. Neurodiverse kids need to see themselves on the page, and all kids need to think about the neurodiversity movement as it relates to other diversity movements. Are there analogies with sexuality and race? If so, how far do these analogies go? And can there be empathy across a neurolgical divide? Is it possible to imagine perceiving the world from another point of view? These are fundamental questions about the nature and limits of empathy that resonate deeply for all high school students regardless of their neurological make-up. Reading and discussing neurodiverse books brings these questions into sharper focus.

All high-school students, indeed all humans, have experienced moments when their way of seeing or understanding a situation has been very different from that of the people around them. We have all been isolated in our own perceptions. Can books that explore this feeling give neurotypical students empathy with those who have autism, or other syndromes, like Downs' or Tourette's? And can neurodivergent kids find the understanding and comfort level they need to connect if they choose to?

It is important when selecting books with neurodiverse characters to think about complex representations and to avoid stereotypes. Autism, for example, should be one aspect of a character, not necessarily the defining one. And it should not be portrayed as a disability in need of a cure, but rather as a way to be in the world, even if aspects of it can be painful. Perhaps the analogies with sexuality or race are imperfect because neurodiverse people are on such broad spectrums. Neurodiverse book resonate with al teen readers, both neurodiverse and neurotypical, but only when they are fully imagined and not reductive.

Learn how your classroom or library can partner with authors from across the country to get kids excited about reading and writing. Connecting directly with authors has many benefits. Students see the face behind the story. Asking questions and hearing responses from authors demystifies the writing process and opens up a world of possibilities for students. Once students visit with an author, whether virtually or in-person, they will feel a deeper connection to that author’s work and will be more likely to expand that interest in reading to other titles. The benefits are endless, and connecting with authors is easier than many educators think. The truth is that authors are just as excited as educators to connect with students. In this presentation, Scholastic author Kim Ventrella will share ideas on how to get started. (Addresses R.I.S.E. Goal 3: Build a culture of reading.)

Participants will be presented booktalks on recently published books. Participants will receive a bibliography of the books presented. This session meets R.I.S.E. Goal 3: Building a culture of reading by promoting recently published books.

The 2019/2020 Arkansas Diamond and Charlie May Simon Book Award titles have been chosen, and we are excited to share them with you! Let us introduce these outstanding books to you through book talks and curated lists of resources that are sure to help you build a culture of reading in your building.