Watson Literacy Center
Director, Dr. Shannon Cuff
Spring 2017 Hours
Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday - 8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Thursday - 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday - 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday - Closed
Sunday - Closed
DIRECT LINK TO THE CENTER
Find Us on Social Media!
Email: watsoncenter@park.edu
Website: https://www.pinterest.com/watsonliteracyc/
Location: 8700 River Park Drive Park University
Phone: (816) 584-6724
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PirateLiteracy
In Literacy News
Youth Media Award Winners
Randolph Caldecott Medal - honors the best picture book
Written and Illustrated by: Javaka Steptoe
Coretta Scott King (Author) Award - recognizes an African-American author of outstanding books for children and young adults
By: John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
Illustrated by: Nate Powell
Pura Belpre Award - honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
Lowriders to the Center of the Earth
Illustrated by: Raul Gonzalez
Newbery Medal - the highest U.S. award for children's literature
By: Kelly Barnhill
Michael L. Printz Award - for excellence in literature written for young adults
By: John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
Illustrated by: Nate Powell
Schneider Family Book Award - books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
By: Jen Bryant
Illustrated by Boris Kulikov
WATSON LITERACY CENTER COLLECTION SPOTLIGHT: REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT LITERATURE
Inside Out and Back Again
By: Thanhha Lai
- Mitali Perkins, author of BAMBOO PEOPLE
The Roses in my Carpets
By: Rukhsana Khan
Illustrated by: Ronald Himler
Dia's Story Cloth
Illustrated by: Chiie Thao Cha and Nhia Thao Cha
With the onset of the Vietnam War, many Hmong, who fought with the Americans, were forced from their villages in the highlands of Laos. After the war, they embarked on the dangerous flight to refugee camps in Thailand. Many families spent years in the camps before eventual resettlement abroad.
For centuries needlework has been park of the Hmong culture. But it has only been within the last two decades that "story cloths" emerged as way for the Hmong to keep their stories alive.
Coming To America
Rowan Mahmoud's father arrived in the United States eight years ago from Alexandria, Egypt, in search of a better future for his family. After four years of hard and frugal living, he could finally afford to bring his wife and children to live with him. They are a Muslim family that live in the multi-ethnic neighborhood in Queens, New York, and in many ways are just like Americans. The children attend public schools and enjoy watching television and playing with their friends in their spare time. But the Mahmouds also live in a way that preserves their culture and religious identity and the transition to America has not been easy. Bernard Wolf invites us into the life of this close-knit family whose love and courage speaks for all immigrants who work hard and make sacrifices in the pursuit of a better life.
Four Feet, Two Sandals
When relief workers bring used clothing to a refugee camp in Pakistan, ten-year-old Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly - until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe. But soon Lina and Feroza meet and decide that it is better to share the sandals than for each to wear only one. The girls discover the true meaning of friendship and sacrifice. Four Feet, Two Sandals honors the experiences of refugee children around the world, whose daily existence is marked by uncertainty and fear. Warm colors and bold brush strokes are the perfect complement to this story of courage and hope.
The Arrival
"Anyone who thinks that the graphic novel is no more than a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon, ought to take a look at The Arrival. This magnificent work not only establishes itself in a major new literary genre but raises the stakes for anyone seriously considering working in it. Born of dreams and history, it is a story that seems to have been living in the depths of unconscious; Shaun Tan reached deep down and brought it into the light."
- David Small, Caldecott Medalist for So You Want to be President?