From: Michele Missner <missnerm>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 21:47:59 -0600 (CST)

Hi Marc,

For those of us who annually follow the awards and look forward to seeing what the committees have chosen, we know that criteria are very clear for these awards. As a working library media specialist, I have never really thought that these selections are necessarily purchases for popularity. Whether we agree with the choices or not, and we must remember that literature like art is subjective in taste, we assume that the committees took much time and care to make their selections and there must be agreement of the members. I have always thought that it was more an obligation to purchase these award winners to add quality to a collection. By selecting these award winners, it is our hope that we can turn our students on to good literature, not just what is popular. We teach about the Caldecott and Newbery Awards. We hold mock elections in our schools, and when our students see those gold stickers they know that they are looking at a book that has special merit. Often it does turn out that quality and popularity are not mutually exclusive!! And often those are the books that become "Classics."

Michele Missner


Michele W. Missner, Program Leader for Media Services Library Media Specialist Appleton Area School District Appleton West High School Office phone: (414) 832H99 610 N. Badger Ave Einstein Middle School Appleton Wi. 54914 email: missnerm at athenet.net phone: (414) 832A62-work
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Received on Thu 05 Feb 1998 09:47:59 PM CST