Aprl 2005

Dear Fellow Book Lovers:

TAKE A FIELD TRIP THROUGH BOOKS

Spring is a good time of year to think about taking a field trip. Traditionally, most schools take field trips to places within their own city or state. A few may have the option to travel within the region or nation. For the most part, such field trips are limited to those who can afford them.

The field trip that I’m suggesting is available to all students at absolutely no cost. It can occur in the school or public library, through the pages of a book. Arranging such a field trip is a fitting way to spend National Library Week, or any week at anytime during the year. Suggest to young patrons that they visit the library and select a book that takes them to other worlds or other places. Some may select books that take them on a journey within the United States , while others may travel to faraway countries. Get them started by displaying and book talking books that offer good journeys. For example, patrons interested in travel within the country may select one of the following titles from Random House:

• Made You Look by Diane Roberts (ages 8-12) - California
• Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (ages 10 up) - Florida
• Flush by Carl Hiaasen (ages 10 up) - Florida (coming this September!)
• See The City by Matteo Pericoli (ages 6-10) - New York City
• Melanie in Manhattan by Carol Weston (ages 8-12) - New York City
• Downriver by Will Hobbs (ages 12 up) - Colorado
• Lord of the Deep by Graham Salisbury (ages 12 up) - Hawaii

Readers who want to travel outside the United States may consider taking a journey to India in Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins (ages 12 up), Spain in With Love From Spain, Melanie Martin by Carol Weston (ages 8-12), or the Canadian wilderness in Gary Paulsen’s Brian’s Return (ages 12 up). Ask readers to consider the following questions:

• What did you learn about you place of travel?
• What advice would you give to others who want to travel there?
• What do you plan for your next destination?

Activities to support this theme might include asking the travelers to:

• Make a travel sticker that best represents their destination
• Write and illustrate a postcard to send home
• Plan a dinner menu that they might eat on their trip
• Demonstrate street entertainment that one might expect to see on their trip
• Design a travel brochure for distribution

Another activity that might be fun for young readers is to ask them to select a character with whom they would most like to travel. For example, I think I would like to fly through the night with Georgia Hansen in Night Flying by Rita Murphy (ages 12 up). What a trip, and it wouldn’t even require a cape! Patrons who prefer an eerie journey might select Kit in Kit’s Wilderness by David Almond (ages 12 up). Younger readers may think that Nolan in Shredderman: Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen (ages 7-10) to be the perfect travel companion; Harriet from Louise Fitzhugh’s Harriet the Spy (ages 10 up) might appeal to nosey travelers; Sam in Attaboy, Sam! By Lois Lowry (ages 8-12) would be good for plenty of laughs. And, the really serious traveler may opt for Jonas in The Giver by Lois Lowry (ages 10 up). Encourage readers to justify their choices either in discussion or in writing.  

Have a great trip!!!!

You may email me at pscales@scgsah.state.sc.us.