Category: Uncategorized

In the latest SCIS Publisher Spotlight, Anouska Jones, Publisher at EK Books, explores the healing power of picture books.

At EK Books, our motto is “Books with heart on issues that matter”. Our goal is to create picture books that will not only entertain but also equip our readers with tools to navigate modern life.

Primarily aimed at the 4 to 8 year age group, our list includes books on everything from coping with the loss of a pet (Saying Goodbye to Barkley) to dealing with anxiety (Go Away, Worry Monster!). We sometimes deal with tough subjects, so our books are often written and illustrated by passionate children’s book creators who have another professional life as a counsellor, psychologist, teacher or art therapist. They know first-hand how quickly a child can shut down if they feel they are being analysed or assessed. They realise that picture books can be a way to open the door of communication, spark conversation and facilitate healing.

Showing young readers that they are not alone

By reading a story about another child going through the same experience as them, young children realise that they are not alone. Other kids have felt sad or struggled to make friends. Other kids have lost a parent or have a grandparent with dementia. Other kids have worried about starting school or trying something new. And if those children (or characters in the book) have made it through the experience, then so can our young reader.

Paul Russell is one of EK’s authors and a primary school teacher. He is dyslexic and struggled hugely at school, always feeling like he was “the dumb one” until one teacher changed his life. This lived experience inspired him to write My Storee, about a boy who loves to write but who loses his creative spark when all the teachers seem to see are his spelling mistakes. It’s a fun-filled story with glorious illustrations and it’s seen Paul receive letter after letter from dyslexic children who feel heard in his story.

Opening the door to tough conversations

Picture books are also a way to gently explore subjects that might otherwise be too difficult for a child to speak up about. At the End of Holyrood Lane won the 2019 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Book of the Year in Australia and New Zealand, for its portrayal of domestic violence. The violence within the family is only depicted through the metaphor of a storm from which the girl runs and hides. One day she seeks shelter instead, depicted as a person holding a protective umbrella, and from then on the storms don’t rage over her anymore.

Interestingly, children with no experience of domestic violence often don’t see the shadowy face in the storm clouds. They interpret the book as a straightforward story about a girl’s fear of storms. But for those children who do know what it’s like to live in a violent home, the book helps them to start the conversation with a trusted adult.

Providing everyday comfort and building emotional resilience

Healing doesn’t always need to be on such a large scale. Sometimes the simple act of settling down with a picture book can help to calm a child after a stressful day. As they become absorbed in the rhythm of the words and the detail in the illustrations, the child’s breathing regulates and emotions are soothed. Reading a picture book together is also a gentle way for a parent or teacher to reconnect with a child after an emotional upset.

Finally, picture books play a vital role in developing a child’s visual literacy, helping them to recognise and understand emotions, and building empathy. And empathy, in turn, is linked with improved resilience, which is a cornerstone for good mental health.

About the author

Anouska Jones is the Publisher at EK Books, the children’s picture book imprint of Exisle Publishing. Launched in 2013, this boutique imprint is home to several award-winning titles and best-selling books, and was nominated for Best Children’s Publisher of the Year, Oceania region, at Bologna Book Fair in 2019.

Instagram: @ekbooksforkids
Twitter: @EK_Books
Facebook: EK Books

‘Capturing research to enable literacy leaders to transform the culture of schools’

On the 21st November, the ASLA 2020 National Literacy Research Summit will highlight Dr Margaret Merga as Keynote Speaker and Patron and the latest research into literacy in schools. The Summit will bring together experienced School Library Practitioners, School Leaders and Literary Experts from across Australia for a new and exciting virtual professional learning experience!

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to discover:
• Current research on student literacy
• Successful strategies to use in your school
• Strong research-based literacy programs
• Guidance on how to raise school literacy levels
• Advocacy ideas for your School Library
• Valuable information from sponsors

School Library Practitioners
All of the featured Literacy Practitioners have been influenced by the research of Dr Margaret Merga and have adopted innovative ideas in their schools to raise literacy levels.

School Leaders

Literary Experts

Registration Information
Registrations can be made here. ASLA Members: $150.00 Non-Members: $225.00.

Access to all high-quality presentations ‘on demand’ during and after the event. Opportunity to network with supportive colleagues in your state or territory and across Australia.

SCIS is the proud ASLA 2020 National Literacy Research Summit Gold Sponsor.

The Australian School Library Association Inc. (ASLA) is the national authority in the field of teacher librarianship and school library resource services.

In May, the Oxford University Press announced the Children’s Word of the Year for 2016 was refugee.

The word was selected after analysis of entries from the BBC Radio 2 500 WORDS competition, which asked children aged 5-13 to submit a piece of fiction no more than 500 words in length. With over 123,000 entries, use of the word ‘refugee’ saw a 368% increase from last year’s entries.

World Refugee Week will take place from 19–25 June, with World Refugee Day on Monday 20 June. Following recent global events, it is important that students are aware of the refugee crisis. It is through learning about others that we generate awareness, empathy, and understanding. OUP have put together a great infographic, available on this page.

SCIS has catalogued a range of educational, interactive digital content aimed at sharing the experiences of refugees around the world.

Continue reading World Refugee Week

Here are the highlights from the latest issue of Connections, which is now available online.

1,000 reasons to support Australian book creators

Acclaimed author Jackie French provides insight into the life of children’s writers: responding to children’s letters, creating teaching notes, and devoting their life to writing. Jackie discusses how libraries facilitate the relationship between the reader and the writer, and how school library staff can help to aid in the growth of the Australian writing industry.

Library makerspaces: revolution or evolution?

Jackie Child and Megan Daley, librarians at St Aidan’s Anglican School for Girls, are using their makerspace to encourage tinkering and making in their school. Chris Harte talked to them about how they developed their makerspace, starting with small projects and building from there.

Exploring time and place through children’s literature

Tania McCartney reflects on the mind-opening nature of diverse children’s literature, looking at how exposure to other cultures and earlier times can impact children’s minds.

Country to Canberra: empowering rural girls

Hannah Wandel discusses how the Country to Canberra initiative is empowering young rural women to reach their leadership potential. Country to Canberra runs an annual, national essay competition, which gives winners the opportunity to travel to Canberra to connect with our country’s leaders.

The professional learning hat

Barbara Braxton writes about the importance of professional learning, arguing that if we are to encourage lifelong learning, we should practice it ourselves. Barbara provides recommendations to make professional goals meaningful and worthy of investment.

What’s so special about Special Order Files?

This article explains the benefits of cataloguing digital content, and shows how SCIS records for new electronic resources and digital collections can be downloaded in bulk from the Special Order Files page.

Happy reading!

You can also check out this video showing the print cycle of Connections. Thank you to Printgraphics for putting the video together.

Interested in having your writing published? If you have any ideas for articles relevant to the school library community, we’d love to hear them! Send us an email at connections@esa.edu.au. 

Here are the highlights from the latest issue of Connections, which is now available online. If you have any ideas for articles and would like to contribute to a future issue of Connections, send an email to connections@esa.edu.au. We’d also love to hear any feedback you have about our articles, which ones stood out for you, or what you’d like to see more of.

The new librarian: leaders in the digital age 

At a time when many school libraries are undergoing cuts, Vancouver Public Schools in the U.S. are revamping their libraries, with teacher librarians guiding schools and student learning into the future.

The importance of multicultural literature

Marianne Grasso discusses the importance of multicultural literature in the school library fiction collection, providing examples of books and digital content that promote multicultural perspectives and encourage global awareness.

Information and critical literacy on the web

Kay Oddone’s article provides useful tips on how to teach students to become info-savvy learners, and how to identify quality information in an online environment that often lacks an authoritative voice.

The value of social history

This article explains how social history can be taught in the classroom, with suggested lesson plans that encourage students to inquire and learn more about the social history in their families and in their communities.

Demystifying barcodes

SCIS cataloguer Julie Styles explains the differences between different types of barcodes and identifiers, including how these can be used to both locate and describe resources using SCISWeb and the SCIS catalogue.

Happy reading!

New Zealand’s national holiday, Waitangi Day, takes place on 6 February. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document, in 1840.

Below is a list of resources that can be used in the classroom to learn about New Zealand’s history and the signing of the Treaty, and to reflect on the Treaty’s place in New Zealand’s society today.

Explore the treaty [website] by Waitangi National Trust (SCIS no 1749165)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1749165
This interactive and educational video produced by the Waitangi National Trust allows its viewers to explore the Treaty, starting with New Zealand’s Declaration of Independence, finishing with information about the final copy of the Treaty. Video is also available in Maori.

Maori history [website] by National Library of New Zealand (SCIS no 1700715)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1700715
Developed by the National Library of New Zealand, this website provides a list of resources that explore Maori history. Each resource includes suggested learning levels, including primary, intermediate and secondary levels.

Waitangi Day : the New Zealand story : what it is and why it matters by Philippa Werry (SCIS no 1697462)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1697462
Aimed at younger readers but providing an excellent resource for the whole family, this new book looks at the rich history behind Waitangi Day, universally recognised as New Zealand’s national day. It reviews the historic events behind the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 and charts the celebrations, tensions and protests witnessed in the years that followed, concluding with a summary of the Waitangi Day events held around the country on 6th February today. . . An engaging informative text gives children a very well balanced view of the significance and background to New Zealand’s celebration of Waitangi Day.

The Treaty in action : Nga mahi Tiriti by Susan Battye and Kiri Waitai (SCIS no 1651131)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1651131
Developed by New Zealand teachers and authors Kiri Waitai and Susan Battye, The Treaty in Action – Nga Mahi Tiriti is a comprehensive, photocopiable resource that supports teachers and students to explore the unique bicultural nature of New Zealand society that has developed from the history and signing of the Treaty of Waitangi to the present day.

The Treaty House by LeAnne Orams and illustrated by Roger Twiname (SCIS no 1331151)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1331151
Olley visits The Treaty House at Waitangi and gets a huge surprise when the house itself begins to answer his untold questions, such as who its occupants have been and what happened when the Treaty was signed. Olley is given a visual journey of the history of one of New Zealand’s most famous houses.

Kupapa : the bitter legacy of Maori alliances with the Crown by Ron Crosby (SCIS no 1734912)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1734912
The Treaty of Waitangi struck a bargain between two parties: the Crown and Maori. Its promises of security, however, were followed from 1845 to 1872 by a series of volatile and bloody conflicts commonly known as the New Zealand Wars. Many people today believe that these wars were fought solely between the Crown and Maori, when the reality is that Maori aligned with both sides – resulting in three participants with differing viewpoints. . . Captivating, comprehensive and thought-provoking, Kupapa addresses those realities, the complex Treaty-related reasons for them, and the cynical use of Maori by the Crown for its own purposes.

A new song in the land : the writings of Atapo, Paihia, c1840 by Fleur Beale (SCIS no 1194836)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1194836
Atapo, a young Maori girl, tells her story, from her capture and slavery as a young child through to her escape to the mission house in the Bay of Islands as a 14-year-old. Here she learns the new ways and language that means she is present at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Although born into an important family her capture has meant she has lost her standing in her tribe, but she hopes the new skills she has acquired will mean she can return home with her head held high. Suggested level: intermediate, junior secondary.

Tangata whenua : an illustrated history by Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney, Aroha Harris (SCIS no 1691545)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1691545
A landmark publication, Tangata Whenua portrays the sweep of Maori history from Pacific origins to the twenty-first century. Through narrative and images, it offers a striking overview of the past, grounded in specific localities and histories. Fifteen chapters bring together scholarship in history, archaeology, traditional narratives and oral history.

Lost in translation : New Zealand stories edited by Marco Sonzogni (SCIS no 1450049)
http://opac.scis.curriculum.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1450049
This entertaining book of fictional stories engages with the idea of ambiguity creatively. This collection reflects our society in provocative, humane and intriguing ways.

For more useful resources, you can Browse by subject using the SCIS Catalogue. Searching by subject headings such as ‘Treaty of Waitangi’ and ‘New Zealand history’ will help to get you started finding resources relevant to Waitangi Day.

What resources are you sharing with your students for Waitangi Day?

All summaries provided by SCIS Syndetics, with the exception of websites.