Minutes of the last meeting: December 5, 2013

Click here to read the minutes of the general meeting on December 5, 2013.

The Canadian school librarians put on a generous spread of Christmas goodies.  Many thanks!

The next meeting is at Tanglin Trust School, Junior Library, on February 6th.

New Red Dot 2013-2014 website up and running

www.reddotawards.com now points to a new 2013-2014 website.

The Goodreads Groups -- one per category -- are set up as well.  All the links are via the Google Site. 

You can start discussions on the Goodreads groups.  

You can also share related links by joining our Diigo Group: Red Dot Books

Use the same hashtags as for Twitter: #reddotbooks, #early_reddot, #younger_reddot, #older_reddot, #mature_reddot

The only thing still not done are posters, bookmarks, stickers, etc. -- i.e., promotional materials.  If you feel like making some and sharing them, great.  Otherwise wait a few weeks and I'll have my staff make some -- and put them up on the website.

Remember:  Voting starts Wed March 5, 2014, and will run for one week.

The Readers Cup competition isn't until mid-May (date to be determined by who is hosting it).  The books for the competition are a subset of the 8 titles in each category -- and aren't chosen until after the general winners are announced in March.

So the goal now is just to have kids read the books -- and enjoy them.

The voting is purely personal on the part of the student.  Their favorite book on whatever basis they want.

There are slideshows of the book covers in our network Picasa Web Album -- accessible via the site -- and below.

And don't hesitate to be watching for books to go on next year's long lists and shortlists... Click here for links to the 2014-2015 Goodreads Listopia lists already set up.

Red Dot Shortlists 2013-2014 -- DONE!

Sorry for the delay.

Getting four balanced baskets of books takes longer than you think.

For now the lists are only on Goodreads shelves.  The website will come later.

EARLY YEARS Shortlist

YOUNGER READERS Shortlist

OLDER READERS Shortlist

MATURE READERS Shortlist

If there are any glaring problems, e.g., with availability, let us know.


Thanks to the Early/Younger subcommittee:  Kim, Isabel, Anamika, Ali, Kate B, and Pam
Thanks to the Older/Mature subcommittee: Katie, Lisa, and Susanne
Thanks also to others who offered suggestions all along the way:  Linda, Barb, et al

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UPDATE Wed-13-Nov:

Fixed the link mix-up -- where both the Early and Younger links above went to the Early list.  The Younger Readers shortlist should now be appearing correctly.

Questions re sourcing books:

• Follett Titlewave lists can be requested from Jenna Emerson (jemerson@marcthispage.com);
• Bookaburra is happy to provide books, especially the Australian ones.  For example, they will be ordering in multiple copies of "First Third" by Will Kostakis on the Mature list.  Email Cheryle Hum: enquiries@bookaburra.com . 
• Book Depository -- free shipping.
• Fishpond.com.sg -- also free shipping.   They sometimes have Aussie/NZ books that Book Depository doesn't (e.g., "First Third" by Will Kostakis).

Singapore Writers Festival / Words Go Round

 

Singapore Writers Festival is on this coming week - with mainly authors for adults.

Words Go Round - an annual event where author events are organized for students.

Note:  Ray Mathur (UK) and Kate Forsyth (Australia) are part of the next one, in March.

Bookings open 18 November.

From Holly Thompson: free guide to her latest verse novel, The Language Inside

Hello Librarians,

I'm happy to announce the Discussion, Writing, Activity and Service Guide for my YA verse novel The Language Inside (Delacorte/Random House 2013). You can download this extensive Guide HERE.  Created for classrooms, book groups, readers and writers, included in the guide are discussion questions, essay topics, poetry prompts, extension activities and service project ideas.  

Here is my blog announcement about the guide, and here is The Language Inside page of my website. Here is a post about Lowell, Monkey Dance and the Southeast Asian Water Festival, here is a post about Julia Tavalaro and Inspiration for The Language Inside, and here is a recent  PoetryFriday interview of me about The Language Inside.

I hope you enjoy The Language Inside and this new Guide. 

As always, I am available for school visits.

All the best,

Holly Thompson

hatbooks@gmail.com