Nonfiction, November, New England

Autumn in New England. The words conjure images of colorful foliage, frost-covered fields, and pumpkins. But this year autumn is extra special for New Englanders who are passionate about children’s books because two of the biggest conferences of the year are taking place here.

This is the first time AASL—the American Association of School Librarians—has ever held its bi-annual conference in New England. It will take place at the Connecticut Convention Center, and many of us INKers will be presenting. Here’s a run down:

Friday, November 15, 8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Authors Who Skype
With rising travel costs and shrinking budgets, schools are experimenting with ways to connect authors through Skype and other video conferencing.

Presenter(s):
Laura Given, Moderator
Laurel Snyder, Author
Jarrett Krosoczka, Author
Melissa Stewart, Author
A.S. King, Author
Vicki Cobb, Author

Friday, November 15, 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Exploring Scientists at Work
Join authors, a science teacher, and an editor to discuss—with a special emphasis on meeting the new CCSS—how stories about scientists at work can meet the needs of children, school librarians, and teachers. Participants are encouraged to come prepared to share their own ideas too.

Presenter(s):
Vicki Cobb, Moderator
Pamela S. Turner, Author
Loree Griffin Burns, Author
Rebecca Johnson, Author
Carol Hinz, Editor
Jill Zangerl, Science Teacher

Friday, November 15, 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
The New Nonfiction: Using Award-Winning Children's Books to Support CCSS
Author-educator Melissa Stewart will introduce a broad range of recently published children's nonfiction books that combine engaging text with innovative art and design in ways that delight—as well as inform—young readers. These titles have been paired with fun, effective activities and teaching strategies that directly address the goals of CCSS RIT #1–9. Attendees go home with a handout that lists more than 70 award-winning titles and with a flashdrive full of CCSS-related teaching ideas.

Presenter(s):
Melissa Stewart, Children's Book Author 

Saturday, November 16, 8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Nonfiction and the CCSS
Authors of nonfiction discuss how adoption of the CCSS has impacted their creative process—or has it?

Presenter(s):
Daryl Grabarek, Moderator
Steve Sheinkin, Author
Meghan McCarthy, Author
Tonya Bolden, Author
Robert Burliegh, Author

 

Saturday, November 16, 10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Biographies through Picture Books: A Focus on the CCSS 
Picture-book biographies draw readers into exploring a slice of history. Through both words and images, authors can share primary sources with young audiences.

Presenter(s):
Mary Ann Cappiello, Moderator
Melissa Sweet, Author
Jennifer Bryant, Author
Doreen Rappaport, Author
Matt Tavaras, Author
Andrea Davis Pinkney, Author

All of the authors will be signing books at their publishers’ booths and/or the AASL Authors’ Alley.

 

Just one week later, NCTE—the National Council of Teachers of English—will hold their annual conference at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. And once again, INKers will be there in full force.

Pre-NCTE Event
Thursday, November 21, 7:00 p.m.
Evelyn M. Finnegan Children's Literature Lecture
Marrian Theater, Lesley University Doble Campus,34 Mellen St., Cambridge, MA 02138

Friday, November 22, 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM

Passion! Plot! Primary Sources!
Three notable authors of nonfiction for young readers (ages 6-young adult) reveal their secrets for bringing history to life, sharing methods teachers can use to enhance their students’ writing skills while addressing Common Core principles. Two teachers of children’s literature moderate and offer criteria for selecting stellar nonfiction

Presenter(s): 
Sandip LeeAnne Wilson, Husson University, Bangor, Maine
Marfe Ferguson Delano, Author
Marc Tyler Nobleman, Author
Rosalyn Schanzer, Author-Illustrator
Sue Parsons, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater

Friday, November 22, 12:30-1:45 PM

Hidden Pleasures: (Re)defining Nonfiction

Authors Marc Aronson, Deborah Heiligman, Steve Sheinkin, and Tanya Lee Stone highlight the hidden or dismissed pleasures of nonfiction: pleasures of telling story, revealing history, exposing new knowledge; pleasures of shaping narrative, unveiling lives, discovering images, experimenting with form. Teacher Erica Shipow accents the pleasures of reading and learning with nonfiction.

Presenter(s):
William Kemp, New York University, New York
Mark Aronson, Author/Rutgers University
Deborah Heiligman, Author

Steve Sheinkin, Author
Erica Shipow, Boston Collegiate Charter School

Tanya Lee Stone, Author

Cathryn Mercier, Center for the Study of Children's Literature

 

Saturday, November 23, Elementary Section Luncheon, 12:30-2:30

Redefining Literacy

Presenter(s):
Steve Jenkins, Author-Illustrator

During this luncheon, an author is seated at each table. Barbara Kerley, Elizabeth Rusch, and Melissa Stewart will be among the authors present.

Saturday, November 23, 4:15-5:30 PM
Reflecting on the Writing Process: Orbis Pictus Authors Share Their Journeys Authors of the Orbis Pictus award and honor books for 2013 will each share their writing journey and craft used in the creation of their nonfiction works. This session will provide participants with knowledge of the research and writing processes used in writing nonfiction. Information from this session may be used with students in classrooms.

Presenter(s):
Lisa Morris-Wilkey, Casa Grande Union High School, Arizona
Deborah Thompson, The College of New Jersey, Ewing
Fran Wilson, Madeira City Schools, Cincinnati, Ohio
Loree Griffin Burns, Author

Gerard DuBois, Author
Barbara Kerley, Author
Cynthia Levinson, Author 
Elizabeth Rusch, Author
Leda Schubert, Author

Sunday, November 24, 8:30-9:45 AM

Framing Facts: How Nonfiction Writers are (Re)Inventing Structure
Award-winning children’s nonfiction authors Leslie Bulion, Cynthia Levinson, Susan E. Goodman, Steve Sheinkin, and Melissa Stewart discuss the critical role of structure in their own writing across nonfiction genres, and its application to Common Core and NCTE/IRA Standards. Questions and dialogue with audience included.

Presenter(s): 
Leslie Bulion, Author

Susan E. Goodman, Author
Cynthia Levinson, Author
Steve Sheinkin, Author
Melissa Stewart, Author

All of the authors will be signing books at their publishers’ booths and/or Anderson’s Bookstore.

Each year, the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the NCTE (ALAN) has a post-conference event, and this year it includes a nonfiction panel that you won’t want to miss.

Tuesday, November 26, 9:10 – 9:45 AM      

Nonfiction Panel

Presenter(s): 
Anne McLeod, Moderator

Blaine Harden, Author

Beth Kephart, Author

Tanya Lee Stone, Author

Last, but not least, there is one big November conference that apparently didn’t get the memo that the nation’s kidlit lovers should head eat this year. NCSS—the National Council of Social Studies—will take place at the Cervantes Convention Center in St. Louis.

We are very proud that our own Ann Bausum will be honored with the 2013 Carter G. Woodson Award. She and the two honor winners will be speaking here:

Saturday, November 23, 2013, 2:45 p.m.

2013 Carter G. Woodson Award and Honor Books Author Panel
Room 260

What a great month November will be!