Book Party 2024-2025: Instructions

We're librarians and we love books. So let's talk about them! This PD is an opportunity to bring librarians from across Monroe One and Monroe 2 regions together to share their thoughts about the newest books and help each other grow their library collections. 

This will be asynchronous, self-paced, and open to reviews of books for all ages. Book reviews will be posted on a timely basis to this LibGuide. Read on for instructions about reviewing and how to earn credit for your work.
 

Since some types of books are far more time consuming than other types of books, we created a system for awarding credit for different types of books.

• Middle Grade J-FIC/NonFIC: 1 book = 1 credit hour
  • Examples: Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan, Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, the Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, Bomb by Steve Sheinkin
• YA FIC/NonFIC: 1 book = 1 credit hour
  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
• YA Graphic Novels: 2 books = 1 credit hour 
  • Examples: They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Bomb by Steve Sheinkin adapted by Nick Bertozzi, Maus I & II by Art Spiegelman
• Elementary Graphic Novels: 4 books = 1 credit hour 
  • Examples: Baby Mouse by Matthew Holm & Jennifer L. Holm, Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
• Elementary J-Fiction/NonFIC (Chapter Books): 4 books = 1 credit hour
  • Examples: Cam Jansen by David A. Adler, Princess in Black by Dean and Shannon Hale, Calendar Mysteries by Ron Roy
• **Picture Books (both fiction and nonfiction): 8 books = 1 credit hour
  • Examples: Bark George by Jules Feiffer, The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• **Emerging Readers (Leveled Books): 8 books = 1 credit hour
  • Examples: Otis's Busy Day by Loren Long, Max Finds an Egg by Wiley Blevins

**To reach a quarter worth of CTLE credit you must review at least two of these types of titles. For odd numbers we will round down. For instance, 5 picture book reviews will only accrue a half credit hour.

You can earn up to 14 credits for this course. 

(Please note: manga will be classified as graphic novel based on age range).

Books should have been published in or after the year 2022. 

*Not that any of you would do this, but we cannot admit duplicate book reviews by the same reviewer from this or from prior Book Party years.

Use this form to submit reviews.

Reviews should be at least 200 words in length. When writing reviews, please keep in mind that we want to know what you think about the book you're writing about. We will want a brief synopsis of the plot, but also your opinion and your own personal reaction to the book. Why did you choose this book? Did you like it? Would you recommend it? Who would you recommend it to? Are there any curricular connections that you can make? What activities could you do with this title (if any)? Are there cool resources you may have come across that are affiliated with it? 

***All reviews must be written by you and in your own words. Any plagiarized reviews will result in your removal from the course and we will not grant any PD credit for any of your reviews.***

If you haven't already registered for this course in Frontline, please do that first using the links below.

Monroe One region librarians use this link

Monroe 2-Orleans region librarians use this link

In order to join, you must be a school librarian in a district in one of the Monroe BOCES regions. We are not accepting people from other regions at this time.