Read for a Better World: Winter Reading Challenge 2022

 Read for a Better World: 

Winter Reading Challenge

Contributed by LaShawn Myles, Youth Services Librarian

Banner Text: "Read for a Better World: Winter 2022"

The Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled is participating in Beanstack’s Fifth Annual Winter Reading Challenge, sponsored by Lerner Publishing Group. "Read for a Better World" encourages readers of all ages to explore diversity, empathy, and action through literature. Our community has unlimited access to Lerner’s “Read for a Better World” themed books for the month of January through the challenge activities! We challenge our patrons to read at least 600 minutes during the month and keep track of their reading on our Beanstack site.

There are two ways to read and participate.  Select the challenge that best fits you as the reader.

• Winter Read 2022: Read for a Better World, Read Anything, All Ages: A traditional reading challenge with logging badges for minutes or books, which readers can earn by logging their reading for any title, and activity badges, which give readers access to select Lerner e-books from their “Read for a Better World” collection.
• Winter Read 2022: Read for a Better World, Lerner Titles, Age-Specific: New reading list challenge readers with minutes logging badges, which readers earn by logging reading for Lerner e-books hosted directly in Beanstack, and age-specific activity badges. 

The challenge runs from January 1st - 31st.  Sign up today at our Beanstack site:  https://marylandlbph.beanstack.org

Happy Reading!

Technology User Group Meeting: January 8th

 
Technology User Group Meeting:

January 8th

Contributed by Jerry Price, Assistive Technology Training Coordinator 

On Saturday, January 8th, the Technology User Group will have a special presentation by the creators of the Audiojack app.  This smartphone app allows users to mix imagination, art, and sound to generate stories and promote creativity.

The presentation will be virtual and may be joined by calling 319-527-4994.  You do not have to RSVP for this event.  The presentation will begin at 10 AM and last about 60 minutes.

We look forward to meeting with you virtually on Saturday, January 8th, and hope that you will join us for other exciting events we have planned for 2022 and beyond.

If you would like to listen to previous TUG recordings, please click here:

https://www.marylandlibraries.org/Pages/Technology%20User%20Group.aspx

Upcoming TUG Programs:

Saturday, February 12, 10 AM, Getting the Most from your NLS E-Reader

Saturday, March 12, 10 AM, Using the GPS in your Victor Reader Trek

Follow the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD) on: 

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MDLBPD/

On Twitter at https://twitter.com/MDLBPD

On our blog at https://mdlbpd.blogspot.com/

And our website at www.lbph.maryland.gov

For more information about the Technology User Group, please contact Jerry Price at (410) 230-2446 or via email at assistive.technology@maryland.gov.

Accessible Gaming: Tabletop Roleplaying

 

Accessible Gaming:  Tabletop Roleplaying

Contributed by Matthew Nixon, Business Office Manager

When I’m not working at LBPD paying bills and manning the reference desk, I enjoy reading and playing collaborative storytelling games like Dungeons and Dragons.  So, I was fortunate to attend a recent online convention hosted by Knights of the Braille:

https://knightsofthebraille.com/

And Everyone Games:

https://everyone-games.com/

This convention allowed attendees to play video and tabletop roleplaying games online, learn tools to make gaming more accessible, attend panel discussions and game demonstrations, and help raise money for charity.  Profits from the event went towards developing accessibility options for partially-sighted, blind, and otherwise disabled gamers.

Panels from influencers included the following:

• Introduction to TTRPG’s
• Writing and Playing Disabled Characters
• Accessibility in Video Game Design
• Accessibility in TTRPG Design
• Game Design
• Accommodating Visually Impaired Players at your table
• Running The Game

Many of the games were live-streamed and recorded on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE4S3VTwnjUVyieMzmjZ86A

Note for parents and patrons, these recordings feature real people in unscripted situations.  Use your discretion when viewing the material.  LBPD has no affiliation with any of the referenced organizations.

This was an excellent education in accessibility from working with sign language interpreters for the first time to hearing people from diverse communities discuss their challenges with and love of gaming.  I will attend next year’s convention (tentatively scheduled for the beginning of October 2022.)

While researching this article I found LBPD has lots of digital gaming material for our patrons.  I remember some of these books from my childhood and some are more recent.  So if you want to see what we have for games and associated fiction, here are a couple titles to get you started:

The original 1981 Dungeons and Dragons by Gary Gygax DB019628.

The 2014 Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster's Manual DB091838, DB091839, and DB091840.

The Young Adventurer series by Jim Zub DB098259, DB098488, DB100316, and DB100317.

Here are 2 series set in the worlds based on Dungeons and Dragons:

The first book in the Dragon lance Chronicles, Dragons of Autumn Twilight DB029171 and the first book in the Legends of  Drizzt series, Homeland DB055948

Though it isn’t a gaming book, here’s J. R. R. Tolkien’s classic epic that made me love fantasy as a child the hobbit DB011497 and the Lord of the Rings trilogy DB010975, DB010976, and DB010977.

Happy gaming.

Collection Highlights: Winter Holiday

 

Collection Highlights: Winter Holiday

Contributed by Jordan Farinelli, Collection Development Librarian

Learn more about the world’s celebrations of Three Kings’ Day, Epiphany,

Boxing Day, and more with the books below!

Winter Holidays

Children’s

BR 19004 – The Storyteller's Candle : La Velita de los Cuentos, by Lucía M González

Arriving from Puerto Rico, Hildamar and Santiago feel more at home in New York City after meeting

librarian Pura Belpré, who invites their family to celebrate Three Kings' Day at the library. Bilingual

book in English and Spanish. 

DB 33397 – Uncle Vova's Tree, by Patricia Polacco

During the Christmas season cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles all go to Uncle Vova's

house to celebrate the Epiphany in the Russian Orthodox tradition. While Grandma, Aunt Svetlana,

and Aunt Ykaterina prepare a festive dinner table, the children and Uncle Vova go to trim the tree that

Uncle Vova and Aunt Svetlana first planted when they came to America. After Uncle Vova's death,

the tree's magic surprises everyone.

DB 58706 – Horrible Harry And The Holidaze, by Suzy Kline

Miss Mackle's third graders share December holiday traditions--Christmas, Hanukkah,

Kwanzaa, Three Kings' Day, and Korean New Year--with one another and with Harry's

great-grandfather who just moved into a nursing home.

DB 50613 – While the Bear Sleeps : Winter Tales and Traditions, by Caitlin Matthews

A treasury of stories about solstice celebrations--festivities that occur when the sun is farthest from

the equator. Includes Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and twelfth night; describes many of the

customs that accompany these holidays.

Adult

DB 55984 – Christmas! : Traditions, Celebrations and Food Across Europe, by Stella Ross Collins

Discusses the observance of Christmas in more than forty European countries. 

Also covers Advent, Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, Epiphany, and New Year's traditions.

Provides information on decorating for the season and offers recipes from the various cultures. 

Collection Highlights: Kwanzaa

  

Collection Highlights: Kwanzaa

Contributed by Jordan Farinelli, Collection Development Librarian

Learn more about Kwanzaa’s history and how to celebrate with some of the books listed below!

Kwanzaa

Children’s

BR 15035 – My First Kwanzaa, by Karen Katz

A young girl describes how she and her family celebrate the African American holiday of Kwanzaa, explaining the significance of each of its seven days. Includes pronunciations.

BR 13078 – Seven Spools of Thread : a Kwanzaa Story, by Angela Shelf Medearis

Tale about seven argumentative Ashanti brothers, who are given the seemingly impossible task of turning spools of silk thread into gold. They join together to solve the problem, thus exhibiting the spirit of Kwanzaa. Includes information on this cultural holiday and instructions for weaving a Kente belt. 

DB 33258 – Kwanzaa, by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate

"Every year, from the day after Christmas until the first day of the new year, our family celebrates Kwanzaa" Thus begins the narrator's informative and delightful introduction to the celebration of Kwanzaa, the African-American holiday of the "first fruits." 

DB 42923 – It's Kwanzaa Time!, by Linda Goss and Clay Goss

Collection of stories, songs, and poems celebrating the seven principles of Kwanzaa, an African American observance based on old African festivals and traditions. Also includes games and recipes.

DB 97859 – Seven Candles for Kwanzaa, Andrea Davis Pinkney

Describes the origins and practices of Kwanzaa, the seven-day festival during which people of African descent rejoice in their ancestral values.

DB 60693 – Kwanzaa Karamu : Cooking and Crafts for a Kwanzaa Feast, by April A. Brady

Explains the meaning of this African American celebration. Provides recipes for children and adults to prepare together for the feast and instructions for making decorations and gifts.

Young Adult

BR 08375 ; DB 32621 – Kwanzaa : an African-American Holiday that is Progressive & Uplifting, by Haki R. Madhubuti

A guide to the meaning and observance of Kwanzaa, an African-American celebration of the "first fruits." Originated in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa is celebrated annually from December 26 through January 1. 

DB 42533 – The Complete Kwanzaa : Celebrating Our Cultural Harvest, by Winbush D. Riley

An anthology of essays, folktales, poems, personal profiles, and recipes on the African American festival of Kwanzaa. The selections serve to illuminate the seven principles of the event and to guide in its celebration.

Adult

DB 34528 – Kwanzaa : an African-American Celebration of Culture and Cooking, by Eric V. Copage

Kwanzaa is a week-long (December 26-January 1) African-American celebration of the "first fruits." The author has compiled a sourcebook for the observance. Included are selections from historical works, folklore, and biographies that illustrate the "Nguzo Saba" (seven principles of Kwanzaa,) interspersed with a host of recipes from the African diaspora.

Guest Post: Season's Readings from Bookshare

 Season’s Readings from Bookshare

PUBLISHED DECEMBER 8, 2021 by Laura Deck, Bookshare Communications

Cozy up with your favorite books during the holidays – or 

discover new ones – to make your days merry and bright 

Welcome to the best time of year for snuggling up with a book! During the holiday season, it’s fun to revisit treasured classics and discover new favorites. We made a list (of books) and checked it twice to give you a sleigh full of ideas on what to read. So grab a blanket and a warm drink and settle in with heartwarming books from the lists below.  

Timeless Classics 

These stories are like old friends that bring joy and hook new

 readers every year. Read them alone or with a family member. 

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert May 
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss 
• Frosty the Snowman by Mary Man-Kong 
• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg 
• The Elves and the Shoemaker by Jim LaMarche 
• Letters from Father Christmas by JRR Tolkien 
• The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry 
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 

Holiday Stories for Kids 

Enjoy this special collection of 29 stories about multicultural 

holiday traditions including: 

• Eight Winter Nights by Laura Krauss Melmed 
• The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan 
• The Vanderbeekers of 141^st Street by Karina Yan Glaser 
• Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins

YA Winter Wonderland 

Escape into these 25 young adult books set in a winter wonderland

 – or maybe danger lurks under the snow? 

• The Winter Horses by Philip Kerr 
• Snowed In by Rachel Hawthorne 
• Trapped by Michael Northrop 
• Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Winter Holiday Reads  

Adults can dive into this eclectic holiday collection of 25 fiction and nonfiction

books spanning various countries, traditions, and winter landscapes including: 

• A Season of Love by Kim Watters 
• Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata 
• Las Christmas by Esmeralda Santiago 

Teachers: Assign Books to Students 

for Holiday Reading Fun  

Keep students “reading ready” for 2022 by encouraging them to 

read books over the winter break. Before the final bell rings in

 December, we hope you can find time to assign books to your students. 

Here’s a helpful video if you need a refresher: 

It’s Not Too Late to Support 

Literacy This Year

As a member of the Bookshare community, you know the life-changing 

impact that access to services like Bookshare can have for a child. 

Please consider donating to bring the gift of reading to more people. 

We are grateful to all the donors who have supported Bookshare and 

individuals with reading barriers throughout the year. 

Collection Highlight: Christmas Reads

  

Collection Highlights: Christmas Reads

Contributed by Jordan Farinelli, Collection Development Librarian

This list of Christmas-themed books includes classics, romances, historical fiction, and newly published stories.

Children

BR 23192 ; DB 47536 ; DB 72998 (Spanish language) – How the Grinch Stole Christmas, by Dr. Seuss

The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, tries to stop Christmas from coming

by stealing all the gifts from the people who live in Whoville.

BR 12001 ; DB 23625 – The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg

On a dark Christmas Eve, a boy who believes in Santa Claus boards a

mysterious train, the Polar Express. He and the other children,

still in their nightclothes, drink hot chocolate and sing carols as the

train races through snowy landscapes carrying them to a huge city atthe North Pole to visit Santa Claus.

DB 92566 – Snowmen at Christmas, by Caralyn Buehner

On Christmas Eve, snowmen hold a party in the center of town

and celebrate with food, music and dancing, and presents.

BR 12029 ; DB 97854 – The Night Before Christmas, by Clement Clarke Moore

Classic Christmas poem about a visit from St. Nicholas originally published in 1823.

DB 101665 – Comet, The Unstoppable Reindeer, by Jim Benton

An injured Comet the reindeer expects to sit out Christmas Eve,

but ends up delivering the presents that Santa has accidentally left behind.

DB 101052 – The lost fairy tales : Pages and Co., Book 2, by Anna James

When Tilly joins Oskar and his family on a Christmas trip to Paris,

she and her friend bookwander into the land of fairy tales, where

someone--or something--is causing chaos.

Young Adult

DB 101670 – All I Want for Christmas, by Wendy Loggia

Bailey happily counts down the days to Christmas with

holiday music, baking cookies, snowy sleigh rides, and wearing her

light-up reindeer ears to work at Winslow's bookstore. But this year, she's wishing

for a special someone to kiss under the mistletoe. Some descriptions of sex. 

BR 20593 ; DB 80242 – My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories, by Stephanie Perkins

Twelve romantic holiday stories featuring authors such as Holly Black,

Ally Carter, Gayle Forman, Rainbow Rowell, and more. In "Midnights,"

Mags expresses how she feels about the past New Year's Eves and

finally levels with her best friend Noel. Some strong language.

DB 101669 – New Year's Kiss, by Lee Matthews

Shy, straight-laced Tess meets Christopher while spending Christmas break at her

grandmother's Vermont lodge, and he agrees to help her complete her

bucket list before New Year's Eve. Strong language.

DB 73532 – The Kid Table, by Andrea Seigel

Ingrid exposes the quirky dynamics of her extended family full of close-knit yet strange

cousins, who both help and hinder each other as they celebrate holidays and

momentous occasions together. Strong language and some descriptions of sex.

BR 22998 ; DB 98168 – 10 Blind Dates, by Ashley Elston

After an unexpected breakup, seventeen-year-old Sophie lets members

of her large, eccentric extended family set her up on ten blind dates during Christmas vacation. 

Adult

DB 30913 – A Christmas Memory, by Truman Capote

A late November morning and the exclamation "Oh my, it's fruitcake weather,"

conjure up for Truman Capote the memory of a beloved cousin, Miss Sook Faulk,

and Queenie, a little rat terrier "who has survived distemper and two rattlesnake bites.

" They make fruitcake on this, their last Christmas together.

DB 87973 – Mr. Dickens and His Carol, by Samantha Silva

Depressed about the failure of his most recent book, feeling pressured by his

publisher to write a Christmas book, and worried over his family's financial stability,

Charles Dickens seeks refuge in nightly walks. On one, he meets Eleanor Lovejoy,

who takes him on a Scrooge-like journey.

BR 22879 ; DB 96768 – Royal Holiday : Wedding Date, Book 4, by Jasmine Guillory

When her daughter gets a job styling a member of the British royal family for the holidays,

Vivian Forest jumps at the chance to travel with her. She is intrigued by Malcolm Hudson,

a private secretary to the Queen, but Vivian is supposed to return home after Christmas.

Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex.

DB 92672 – One Day in December, by Josie Silver

Laurie shares an electric look with a man at a bus stop, only to have her bus drive away.

She looks for the man everywhere and discovers he's dating one of her best friends.

Through the next ten years, both wonder if their timing will ever be right.

Strong language and descriptions of sex. 

DB 101994 – The Twelve Dates of Christmas, by Jenny Bayliss

The sleepy town of Blexford, England, isn't exactly brimming with dating prospects,

but thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner's best friend signs her up for a dating agency that

promises to help singles find love before the holidays. With twelve dates with twelve

different men, she hopes for love by Christmas.

DB 104896 – The Wish Book Christmas, by Lynn N. Austin

Connecticut, 1951. Five-year-old boys Bobby Barrett and Harry Dawson are obsessed

with the Sears Wish Book, convinced Santa will bring everything they want, even fathers.

Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson set out to teach their children the true meaning of Christmas.