Conference Preview 2010 A Preview of the Illinois Reading Council Conference March 18-20, 2010 IRC: Lighting the Way to Literacy The 2010 Illinois Reading Council Conference is packed full of highly respected leaders in the field of reading who will brighten your way in teaching the children who will be our future leaders. These authors and educators will inspire and enlighten you with innovative teaching methods, terrific new books, and exciting classroom practices during the three days of the conference. Plan now to join your IRC friends at the 2010 Illinois Reading Council Conference and be a part of Lighting the Way to Literacy. Jan Brett Plan on spending an unforgettable Saturday with Jan Brett!! Jan will be our Saturday luncheon speaker. With over thirty-four million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation s foremost author/illustrators of children s books. She is the author/illustrator of such books as Gingerbread Friends, The Umbrella, The Hat, Berlioz the Bear, The First Dog, Hedgie s Surprise, Hedgie Blasts Off, Three Snow Bears, and The Mitten.. David Wiesner David Wiesner, sometimes called the Wordless Author has illustrated more than twenty award-winning books for young readers. Three of the picture books he both wrote and illustrated became instant classics when they won the prestigious Caldecott Medal: Tuesday, The Three Pigs, and Flotsam. After winning the Caldecott for Flotsam, David became the only author in history to have won three Caldecott Medals. Two of his other titles, Sector 7 and Free Fall, are also Caldecott Honor Books.
Page 2 Conference Preview 2010 Authors Lighting Our Way Joan Bauer Join Newbery Award winning author Joan Bauer for breakfast on Thursday. Be entertained with Joan s humorous wit and energizing enthusiasm. Hailing from Illinois as a child, Joan aspired to be a comedienne. Her wit and humor are evident in her books when she can deal with a serious subject in a humorous manner. Joan says her best times as a writer are when she is working on a book and laughing while she is writing. In her nine novels, Joan explores difficult issues with humor and hope. Her books have won numerous awards, among them the Newbery Honor Medal, the LA Times Book Prize, the Christopher Award, and the Boston Public Library Literary Light Award. Don t miss breakfast with Joan as the first beacon lighting the path to literacy. Will Hobbs Will Hobbs, a beacon shining brightly for all ages of readers, is the author of seventeen novels for upper elementary, middle school and young adult readers, as well as two picture book stories. Seven of his novels, Bearstone, Downriver, The Big Wander, Beardance, Far North, The Maze, and Jason s Gold have been chosen by the American Library Association as Best Books for Young Adults. Far North and Downriver were also selected as one of the top 100 Best Young Adult Books of the 20th Century. In 1998, Ghost Canoe received the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Mystery. Hobbs books are adventurous, fast-paced, and full of excitement to interest even the most reluctant reader. Gail Carson Levine Follow the Literacy Beacon to breakfast with Gail Carson Levine and prepare to be Enchanted Ella Enchanted that is. A Newbery Honor author, Gail digs deep into ancient mythic times to create a world of flawed gods, unbreakable vows, and ancient omens in her newest book Ever. Gail s other books include Fairest, Dave at Night, an ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults; The Wish, The Fairy s Return, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, and the six Princess Tales books. She is also the author of the nonfiction book Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly and the picture book Betsy Who Cried Wolf. Eric A. Kimmel Award winning author Eric A. Kimmel has wanted to be an author since kindergarten. He has published over fifty titles, many of which have won numerous state awards, appeared on school and library recommended lists, and won prestigious awards such as the Caldecott Honor Medal for Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins and the Sydney Taylor Picture Book Award for The Chanukkah Guest and Gershon s Monster.
Conference Preview 2010 Page 3 More Authors to the Way to Literacy Andrew Clements Award winning author Andrew Clements has written more than fifty books for children, including the enormously popular Frindle and the New York Times best seller Lunch Money. He has won sixteen state awards and the Christopher Award. Raised near Springfield, Illinois, Andrew taught in the public schools near Chicago before moving to Massachusetts where he lives now with his family. Cynthia Leitich Smith Greg Leitich Smith Cynthia Leitich Smith is the award-winning author of Jingle Dancer, Indian Shoes, which is set in Chicago, and Rain Is Not My Indian Name. She is also a member of the faculty at the Vermont College MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Greg Leitich Smith was born in Evanston, raised in the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood of Chicago, and graduated from Lane Tech High School. He is the author of Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo, which was a Parents Choice Gold Medal winner, Writers League of Texas Teddy Children s Book Award winner, and named to the 2006 list of ALA Popular Paperbacks. Mary Amato Mary Amato s book The Naked Mole-Rat Letters is a 2010 Rebecca Caudill Nominee. In addition, she has received numerous awards for her writing including the Society of Children s Book Writers and Illustrators, the SCBWI National Magazine Merit Award, and the AZLA Young Readers Award. Laurie B. Friedman Laurie B. Friedman is the author of many highly reviewed chapter books for children. She is best known for the popular Mallory books, including her newest title Red, White & True Blue Mallory. Ms. Friedman is also the author of award-winning picture books including I m Not Afraid of This Haunted House, Love, Ruby Valentine, and the heart warming Angel Girl. Judith Byron Schachner Judy Schachner, illustrator and writer of children s books, is the recipient of many awards. Skippyjon Jones won the first E. B. White Read Aloud Book Award, which is given by the Association of Booksellers for Children for picture books and novels. Her books have also won state children s choice awards in Indiana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
Page 4 Conference Preview 2010 More Authors to the Way to Literacy Sarah Weeks Sarah Weeks has been writing children s books and songs for the past twenty years. Her first YA novel, So B. It, was chosen as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a Booksense Best Book of the Year and received the 2004 Parent s Choice Gold Award. Ms. Weeks has written four books in a humorous middle grade series, Boyds Will Be Boyds. Her popular Regular Guy series for middle graders has resulted in a development deal with Disney for a feature length live-action film. She has also written more than thirty picture books, which include such best sellers as Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Was, If I Were a Lion, Crocodile Smile, Follow the Moon, and What s Under that Hat? Pam Muñoz Ryan Pam Muñoz Ryan has written over twenty-five books for young people including the novel, Esperanza Rising, winner of the Pura Belpre Medal, the Jane Addams Peace Award, an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults, and the Americas Award Honor Book. Her novel, Riding Freedom, has garnered many awards including the national Willa Cather Award and the California Young Reader Medal. Her picture books for the very young and picture books for older readers include the award-winning Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride and When Marian Sang, the recipient of the ALA Sibert Honor and NCTE s Orbis Pictus Award. Nick Bruel Author, illustrator, and cartoonist Nick Bruel brings his quirky sense of humor to bear on children s literature in the picture books Boing, Bad Kitty, and Bad Kitty Gets a Bath. Even readers who have mastered their ABCs will laugh at Bruel s gleefully composed litanies and the can-you-top-this spirit that animates every page, commented a Publishers Weekly critic, while School Library Journal reviewer Maura Bresnahan concluded that Bad Kitty will appeal to youngsters who like their stories more naughty than nice. Peter J. Welling Author/Illustrator Peter J Welling, who finds humor in most everything, brings the lighter side of life into his beautifully illustrated picture books. His first book Andrew McGroundhog and His Shady Shadow was soon followed by the humorous Darlene Halloween and the Great Chicago Fire. Everyone will enjoy the twists Peter makes to holidays and events in his wonderful books.
Conference Preview 2010 Page 5 Professionals Lighting Our Way Linda Hoyt Linda Hoyt has many years of experience as an elementary classroom teacher. She has worked as a reading specialist, staff developer, curriculum specialist and as a full-time consultant. Creating learning environments where children engage in actively learning is her special love. She is the author of numerous books including: Revisit, Reflect, Retell: Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension; Snapshots: Literacy Minilessons Up Close; Exploring Informational Texts: From Theory to Practice; Make It Real: Strategies for Success with Informational Texts; and Spotlight on Comprehension: Building a Literacy of Thoughtfulness. Kelly Gallagher In addition to teaching English at Magnolia High School in Anaheim, California, Kelly has served as the English Coordinator for the Anaheim Union High School District and Co-director of the South Basin Writing Project at California State University Long Beach. He was awarded the California Association of Teachers of English s Award for Classroom Excellence which is the state s highest honor for English teachers. He is the author of Reading Reasons: Motivational Mini-Lessons for Middle and High School; Deeper Reading: Comprehending Challenging Texts; Teaching Adolescent Writers; and Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What Your Can Do About It. Debbie Diller Debbie Diller is an author, educator, and national educational consultant who lives in Houston, Texas. She uses her experience of over 30 years as a classroom teacher, Title I reading specialist, and literacy coach to teach others about sensible, realistic ways to meet the literacy needs of all students in the classroom. Debbie is the author of many books for teachers, including the best-selling Literacy Work Stations: Making Centers Work and Practice with Purpose: Literacy Work Stations for Grades 3-6. Most recently, she has written Making the Most of Small Groups: Differentiation for All. Her much-anticipated book on classroom spaces, called Spaces & Places: Designing Classrooms for Literacy, has recently been published by Stenhouse. Cris Tovani Cris Tovani taught elementary school for ten years before becoming a high school reading specialist and English teacher. A nationally known consultant, she also worked for many years as a staff developer for the Denver-based Public Education and Business Coalition, the consortium that has received national acclaim for its work in reading comprehension reform. Cris is the author of I Read It, but I Don t Get It and Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?
Page 6 Conference Preview 2010 Professionals Lighting Our Way Kathy Collins Kathy Collins presents at conferences and works in schools across the country to support teachers in developing high-quality, effective literacy instruction in the primary grades. She is the author of Reading for Real: Teach Children to Read With Power, Intention, and Joy in K-3 Classrooms and Growing Readers: Units of Study in Primary Classrooms. Kathy has worked closely with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University, and she was a first grade teacher in Brooklyn, New York. Peter Johnston Peter Johnston is a Professor at the University at Albany SUNY. He researches the consequences of teaching and assessment practices for the literate lives of children and teachers. His recent books are: Reading to Learn, Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children s Learning and Critical Literacy/Critical Teaching: Tools for Preparing Responsive Teachers. IRA awarded him the Albert Harris Award for contributions to research on reading disability. In 2005 he was elected to the Reading Hall of Fame. Janice Almasi Janice Almasi, IRA Board of Directors, has authored or co-authored several books: Teaching Literacy in Third Grade, Teaching Strategic Processes in Reading, and Lively Discussions: Fostering Engaged Readers. Her research has examined the contexts in which children learn from text, particularly in peer discussion environments. Christine Boardman Moen Christine Boardman Moen is a person who is exciting and enthusiastic in all she does. A middle school teacher, Christine has authored numerous books containing practical hands-on activities for teachers to use. Her books include Puzzle Paragraphs: Taking the Mystery Out of Writing Nonfiction; Better Than Book Reports; Fun & Fabulous Literature Response Activities; Read-Alouds and Performance Reading; and Sensational Sentences.
Conference Preview 2010 Page 7 Illinois Own Beacons of Literacy Joy Russell Joy Russell is Chair of the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary and Middle Level Education at Eastern Illinois University. After 11 years as a classroom teacher, Joy moved to an administrative position with the Eastern Illinois Area of Special Education and later worked at Regional Office #11 as Director of Professional Development. She has conducted numerous trainings and presentations at state and national levels. Tom Lindsay Tom Lindsay, a recovering elementary teacher and elementary school principal, is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Mannheim District 83 in Franklin Park, IL. He has spoken about the brain and reading at both national and state conferences including the National Middle School Conference, the National Supervision of Middle School Conference, and the Florida Association for Supervision and Development Conference. He is also a national trainer for Mind Matters, Inc. Pam Nelson Pam Nelson is a former president of the Illinois Reading Council, and is a recently retired faculty member from Northern Illinois University. One area of interest for Pam is oral interpretation of poetry and creation of poetry through literary borrowing. Another area of interest is linking historical documents and artifacts to children s and young adult literature. Pam will brighten your path with her innovative Poetry Suitcase. Dawn Paulson Audrey Edwards Dawn Paulson is a member of IRC and will be President of East Central- EIU Reading Council for 2009-2010. She is an Assistant Professor in Secondary Education and Foundations Department at Eastern Illinois University. Audrey Edwards is also a professor in the Secondary Education and Foundations Department. Please join Dawn and Audrey for reading insights in secondary education. Linda Reven Denise Reid Linda Reven, a member of IRC since 1990 and past president of the East Central-EIU Reading Council, teaches courses in Reading and Language Arts Methods and supervises students enrolled in the Graduate Reading Practicum at Eastern Illinois University. Denise Reid, a member of IRC since 1998 and the Eastern Illinois University Student Reading Council advisor since 2004, teaches methods courses in Reading/Science/Technology and supervises elementary practicum students. Linda and Denise will be sharing strategies to effectively differentiate comprehension instruction within the elementary classroom.
A Note From Your 2010 Conference Coordinator As a child, I learned the love of reading at a very early age. I could lose myself and the world around me in the pages of the books I loved. That love of reading has only grown over the years. As a teacher, my best teaching moments came when I could see that my students were loving the books that they were reading. In teaching children to read, I found such satisfaction in knowing that my students loved their reading, too. Like the conference lighthouse, teachers bring the light to their students love of reading and provide a path for students to follow to literacy. I truly believe in the guiding power of the Illinois Reading Council to help teachers lead their students to literacy through a love of reading. Each year, IRC supports Illinois teachers during the school year with local council programs, support grants and awards, and literacy programs. In addition, IRC s annual conference provides researchers, award winning authors, and internationally famous professional development speakers who will motivate, entertain, and guide educators. Mark your calendars now and follow the IRC lighthouse beacon to the best conference of the year. Join us to Light the Way to Literacy with the 2010 Conference. Susan Cisna 2010 Conference Chair Illinois Reading Council Conference March 18-20, 2010 Plan to attend the 2010 Illinois Reading Council Conference in Springfield, Illinois. Registration and housing information will be available in early Fall 2009. Illinois Reading Council Website: www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org Phone: 888-454-1341 E-mail: irc@illinoisreadingcouncil.org