Award-winning author Tonya Bolden will discuss her research and writing processes as part of her keynote address for the second annual Library of Congress online conference for educators, Discover and Explore with Library of Congress Primary Sources, on October 25th at 4:00 ET.
Currently I am working on the Library's rare American children's books. This is particularly rewarding work for me because children's literature is such an excellent window into the priorities and values of a time and place.
For Children's Book Week, we want to highlight books and authors talks available for free online from the Library of Congress. Of course, these can be powerful and engaging literacy tools any week of the year!
During his first term, Herrera focused on building his Poet Laureate project La Casa de Colores, which has two sections. El Jardin involved the Poet Laureate visiting reading rooms in the Library to see some of the primary sources from the collection and then writing a poem about those resources and his experience in the reading room.
Does each generation represent William Shakespeare in its own way? April, National Poetry Month, includes the anniversaries of both Shakepeare's birth and death, and this year marks the 400th anniversary of his death.
National Poetry month, a month to celebrate poetry, is a perfect time to explore the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature. Some of the readings focus closely on the poems; others include musings on the selections and what inspired them. Some of the recordings are of a single poet, and others are panels or conversations between two or more poets. Hearing a poem in the poet's voice brings it to life in unexpected ways, and the range of poets offers something for all lovers of poetry.
What makes a fairy tale a fairy tale? Many students in younger grades read them. They both listen to them and study them as a class. Fairy tale recordings in the National Jukebox can help students explore common elements of fairy tales, which can give them a grounding for deeper study.
Various national awards celebrate authors in January, and January can also be a great time to learn more about hundreds of writers and their work by exploring videos of author talks from past National Book Festivals offered by the Library of Congress.