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The Dragon Lode
Notable Books for a
Global Society
(NBGS)
Los Angeles’ 100 Best Books
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Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association ....

.....................A Non-Profit Organization

Bulletin Board

Call for Manuscripts / Reviewers
Leadership Nominations - Officers and Board of Directors
Leadership Nominations - NBGS Committee

Leadership - Network Opportunities

Nominations for Notable Books for a Global Society
IRA CL/R SIG Board Meeting
Changes in Leadership
Win a Classroom Library!
In Memoriam


Call for Manuscripts / Reviewers

The new editors of  The Dragon Lode are soliciting manuscripts for future issues.

Fall 2005 issue: 
Unthemed
, articles on the general topic of children's literature welcomed
Deadline:   July 15, 2005

Spring 2006 issue
Theme:  Reader Response:  A Celebration of Literary Genres
Deadline:  October 15, 2005

Please send manuscripts as an email attachment in Microsoft Word, between approximately nine and twenty pages in length (double spaced), by the respective deadline to Dr. Dawna Lisa Buchanan (buchanan@cmsu1.cmsu.edu).  Because reviews for articles are done blind, information identifying the author(s) should be included only on the title page.

We are also soliciting new reviewers for The Dragon Lode. Those interested should email the editors:

Dr. Dawna Lisa Buchanan, buchanan@cmsu1.cmsu.edu.
Dr. Kathy Carr, kcarr1@charter.net
Dr. Ann Powell-Brown, powell-brown@cmsu1.cmsu.edu

Thank you for your interest.  In your message, be sure to include:

  • Name,
  • Institution,
  • Contact information,
  • Your interest in serving as a reviewer, and
  • Your qualifications

More information about The Dragon Lode.

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Leadership Nominations -
Officers and Board of Directors:

Each year the IRA Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group seeks nominations for a VICE PRESIDENT and THREE NEW MEMBERS at large of the Board of Directors.

The Vice President serves as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and coordinator of external programs. He(she) becomes President-elect the following year of his(her) vice presidency and assumes the Presidency upon expiration of the incumbent President's term.

Members of the Board of Directors shall attend two meetings annually and exercise general supervision over property and affairs of the group.

Nominees must be IRA and IRA CL/R SIG members who are especially interested in children's literature and literacy. Include the candidate's resume with the nominating letter. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Deadline for nominations
February 1, 2006

Mail to:

Dr. Deborah L. Thompson
thompson@tcnj.edu or Deborah.l.thompson@verizon.net
College of New Jersey

For more information about the organization's operation, see the Bylaws.

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Leadership Nominations -
Notable Books for a Global Society Committee:


We invite you to join the IRA CL/R SIG's Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS) Committee.

The International Reading Association Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group invites applications for membership to the NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY COMMITTEE. The Committee chooses 25 Notable Books for a Global Society annually.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Membership in the IRA CL/R SIG and the International Reading Association
• Interest in Multicultural Issues in Children's Books

REQUIREMENTS

• Attendance at both SIG meetings and committee meetings held during the IRA and NCTE annual conventions
• Reading and Evaluating Books
• Writing Annotations for Publication

If you are interested, send a letter of interest and
your curriculum vitae by January 1, 2006, to:

Dr. Sue Corbin, Chair for NBGS Committee 2005-06
sue1967_540@hotmail.com
Shaker Middle School, OH

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Leadership -
Network Opportunities:


Attention, Children's Literature Advocates!
Are you interested in promoting the development of literacy through children's literature via NETWORKING?  THEN, join the IRA CL/R SIG's Network via the World Wide Web.
The possibilities are endless.(click here for ideas)

Requirements:

1. Be a member in good standing of the IRA CL/R SIG
2. Regularly use an email account
3. Have a desire to share information about children's literature

As Network members, your names and contact information (email address and URL of your choice; and address and phone number if requested in writing) will be posted on our Website <http://www.csulb.edu/org/childrens-lit>

Charter members of the Network have been posted! YOU can be among them! :NOTIFY the IRA CL/R SIG Network Coordinator of your desire to be part of this Network NOW!

To join, send the following to the IRA CL/R SIG Network Coordinator:
• Name
• City / State(Province) / Zip Code / Country (You will be listed in more than one place if applicable)
• Institutional Affiliation (if applicable)
• Email address
• IRA number and expiration date (click here to join IRA)
• Date of expiration of Dragon Lode subscription (click here to subscribe)
• URL of your website (if you have one)

Dr. Marianne Saccardi
IRA CL/R SIG Network Coordinator
m.saccardi@verizon.net
Greenwich, CT

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Nominations for
Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS)


Through November of each year, the Notable Books for a Global Society Committee accepts nominations for outstanding books (suitable for preschool children through students in the 12th grade) for the next annual list of Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS).

Books must meet one or more criteria from the following:
• Portray cultural accuracy and authenticity of characters in terms of

  1. physical characteristics,
  2. intellectual abilities and problem solving capabilities,
  3. leadership and cooperative dimensions, and
  4. social and economic status;

• Be rich in cultural details;
• Honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity;
• Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues;
• Include characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who interact substantively and authentically;
• Include members of a "minority" group for a purpose other than filling a "quota."

Books must meet all the following criteria:
• Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;
• Demonstrate unique language or style;
• Meet generally accepted criteria or quality for the genre in which they are written; and
• Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

Books must be the most recent copyright date. For example, books published in 2005 may be nominated through November 2005. The 25 books selected by the committee become the Notable Books for a Global Society with the following year designation (i.e., 2005 copyright books will be 2006 Notable Books selections).

To nominate a book, send the

• Title
• Author
• Illustrator, if applicable
• Publisher
• Copyright Date
• ISBN Number

to the Chair of the Notable Books for a Global Society Committee.

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IRA CL/R SIG Board Meeting
The IRA Board of Directors meets annually at the NCTE Convention in November and at the IRA convention in May. Specific details of the meetings are provided by the President. To suggest agenda items, contact the President.

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Changes in Leadership

Elected Positions

Congratulations to our newly-elected Vice President, Ms. Carolyn Angus, who will serve in this post from 2005-06, then will move up in subsequent years to President-Elect, President, and Past President.  Thanks for their continuing leadership to the other executive officers who are moving up to new positions this year:  Dr. Marquee Siera, our new President, Dr. April Whatley Bedford, our new President-elect, and Dr. JoAnn Brewer, our new Past President.

We also extend our warm welcome to our three newly-elected Board of Directors members who will each serve three-year terms (2005-08): Dr. Joanna R. Jones, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD; Belinda Louie, University of Washington, Tacoma, and Dr. Marianne Saccardi , Greenwich, CT. Dr. Saccardi will also serve as our Network Coordinator.

The Board also extends its sincere thanks to those who have completed three years of service as members-at-large of the Board, Nancy L. Hadaway, Sylvia P. Maxson, and Sharon M. Peck.

Appointed Positions

Congratulations to our new Dragon Lode Editors, Dr. Dawna Lisa Buchanan, Dr. Kathryn Carr, and Dr. Ann Powell-Brown, all from Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, MO.  Thanks also for the tremendous accomplishments of the previous editors, Dr. Helen Abadiano and Dr. Catherine Kurkjian of Center al Connecticut State University.


A hearty welcome to Dr. Marianne Saccardi who will serve as our Network Coordinator, allowing Dr. Kaye West to concentrate her efforts on managing the website. 

Notable Books for a Global Society Committee

Congratulations to our newly-appointed members of the Notable Books for a Global Society Committee: Dr. April Bedford, Dr. JoAnn Brewer, and Dr. Janelle Mathis! Dr. Sue Corbin is the Chair for the 2005-06 list.

Committees

Membership on committees changes from year to year as well.  This organization functions well because of the many volunteer members who serve on the various committees.  We thank the chairs for their vision and tireless dedication and all committee members for their service.  The best way to get involved in this organization is to volunteer to serve on a committee.  Contact the chair of a committee of interest to become involved.

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Winners of a Classroom Library!

Congratulations to two lucky gals, Dr. Ann Powell-Brown and Dr. Louanne Jacobs, who each won a classroom library* of 25 new hardback juvenile literature collections valued at $500 and targeted to the grade level of interest of the respective winners at the drawing held at the program of the IRA CL/R SIG at the IRA convention in San Antonio on May 5, 2005, as part of a spring membership campaign.  The collections were generously donated by publishers. 

Names were drawn at the IRA CL/R SIG session at the IRA Convention in San Antonio. Participants did not need to be present to win, and the books are shipped to the winners.

Everyone subscribing to The Dragon Lode is a winner because they help the organization while they help themselves stay in touch with some of the latest developments in children's literature.   Thanks to everyone who participated.    Click here for details for subscribing to The Dragon Lode and joining the IRA Children's Literature and Reading SIG.
  Join today and encourage your colleagues and friends to do the same.

Previous Winners
May 2004: Dr. Janet Bercik of Whiting, IN Jacqueline LaRose of Lansing, MI
May 2003: Marcie Atkins April Whatley Bedford of New Orleans, LA

*Why is it important to have a classroom library? IRA President (2003-04) Lesley Mandel Morrow states that research indicates children in classrooms with literature collections read 50% more books than children in classrooms without such collections!

Morrow, Lesley Mandel. (2003). Motivating lifelong voluntary reading. In J. Flood, D. Lapp, J.R. Squires, & J. M. Jensen (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching the English language arts (pp. 857-867). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

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In Memoriam

Members of the IRA CL/R SIG, grateful for contributions to the IRA CL/R SIG which they made, are saddened by the death of the following literacy advocates:

Diane Bushner, IRA CL/R SIG President-Elect 2002-03

For her obituary, go to <http://www.SalemFuneral.com>. At the dialog box "Past Obituary Search Archive," type "Bushner" in the appropriate box and click "search." When Diane E. Bushner, Ed.D. appears, click on her name to read her obituary.

David Gordon Melton, Author/Illustrator and Creative Director of Landmark Editions

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©2002 IRA Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (IRA CL/R SIG).
All rights reserved. Website: http://www.csulb.edu/org/childrens-lit
Dr. Kaye West, Webmanager
Date modified: June 1, 2005 . Feedback