Diversity workshop planned

BENTONVILLE — A workshop at this year’s Youth Literature Festival will give parents and educators an opportunity to explore diversity in children and teen books as well as advice about how to talk about their themes.

The two-hour workshop will focus on The Notable Books for a Global Society book lists from the past three years. The International Literacy Association’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group established the annual book list in 1995, said Renita Schmidt, society chairwoman.

The group annually selects 25 books for prekindergarten through 12th grade for the list based on their ability to help students, teachers and families understand people and cultures around the world, Schmidt said.

“Even though it has become easier and easier to travel and communicate with people around the world, our society still struggles with tension and misunderstandings,” she said. “It is our hope that people who read the books on this list will begin to celebrate the similarities and differences among races, cultures, religions and sexual orientations and appreciate the values we all hold.”

The workshop will be from 9:30 to 11:20 a.m. Saturday at the Public Library’s main branch, 405 S. Main St.

Schmidt, an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Iowa, will be one of three presenters for the workshop. The others are Sue Parsons, former society chairwoman, and Janet Wong, author and poet.

The workshop will give highlights from the book lists as well as ideas of how the books can be used, Schmidt said.

“Books are an incredible and gentle way to introduce new concepts and cultures to students,” said Christine Mains, Global Connections teacher in Bentonville Public Schools. Global Connections is an activity class for elementary students. Teachers give lessons on diversity, respect and different cultures.

“Students are already so eager learn,” Mains said. “They love hearing stories and seeing the vivid pictures that are shown in books. As they do this, they begin forming connections that bridge their similarities and perhaps put their differences into perspective. Good literature that focuses on diversity and different cultures that uses detailed and accurate writing is a must for the classroom.”

Mains said she has high expectations for the workshop, which she anticipates will help her find new resources.

Participating educators can receive two hours of Arkansas Department of Education professional development credit. Registration is not required, but free books will be given to the first 20 people who do. Registration is available on the Public Library website.

The daylong festival kicks off at 9 a.m. with a Story Walk at Train Station Park across from the library. Deconstructed picture book pages will be displayed throughout the park for participants to follow as they walk.

Seventeen authors and illustrators will present workshops until 2:30 p.m. when the festival concludes with a book signing by authors and artists. A book sale will be open from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

The Youth Literature Festival allows students to meet authors on a more personal level than when authors come to speak at schools and the crowds are larger, said Brittany Fleming, librarian at R.E. Baker Elementary School.

Getting to hear them speak about why they write and how they wrote their book inspires students to pick up a pen and craft their own stories, she said.

“There is just something magical about meeting an author in person and hearing his or her story about why and how they write,” said Carie O’Banion, librarian at Old High Middle School. “My students usually get inspired not only to read more, but also to view writing as a viable occupation.”

Last year’s festival had 2,725 participants, which included a couple of author visits to schools, according to Hadi Dudley, library director.

The festival is an official Children’s Book Week kickoff event. Established in 1919, it’s the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country.