Just One More Book!!

Comment by Reuben

April 22, 2007 @ 10:30 pm

As a 5th and 6th grade teacher in Washington, D.C., I have been struggling with how to teach my students about recycling. My challenge is that it is common for my students to see older kids throwing trash wherever they roam. This book sounds like it could raise interesting discussions about what happens to trash and how what we think is trash could be reused. Giving them the idea that they can be creative may give them ownership over the trash they would otherwise throw away.

Comment by Sunmer

April 23, 2007 @ 8:35 pm

I am a second grade teacher in Washington, DC and I have had several conversations with my students about recycling. We looked out of the class room window and talked about several items that could be recycled. There is a pool just outside the window and we counted how much trash was inside and if it looked like a good place to swim. We also talked about what the trash could be used for. This book would be great for next year because we have a project where students could collect trash with their parents and make thing out of them.

Comment by Amanda

April 23, 2007 @ 10:35 pm

Without reading the book, I found the references made to events that take place in the book clever. In my 5th grade class we discuss several “curent event” issues and I think this book would offer great discussion to the understanding of how to make better use of the items we consider trash. I appreciate how this story offers and encourages students to think outside of the box when it comes to trash- providing them with creative options. This book would also be a great segway to discuss other earth conscience topics such as global warming.

Comment by Andy Spann

April 24, 2007 @ 10:05 pm

The Dumpster Diver sounds interesting and worth reading considering its approach to recycling. I am currently doing my practicum at an elementary school in Washington, DC. I am with 1st grade students and we recycle in our classroom. Everyone participates but I believe a book like this would bring insight to the issue of recycling. It sounds like with the creative language and illustrations used within this book, interesting discussions about recycling would surface. I definitely plan to look into this book. Thank You

Andy Spann

Comment by Janet Wong

April 25, 2007 @ 9:34 am

What a lovely conversation about my book! You really DO “get it”–thanks so much for your insightful and entertaining comments! (I didn’t fully realize the child-appeal of “Rule Number TWO!”)

I was just in Seattle where a bookstore called All for Kids sponsored a contest where kids submitted items crafted out of junk. Photos of the winning creations will be posted soon at http://www.allforkidsbooks.com. One of my favorites was a very simple project: a wind chime made out of miscellaneous metal items (I think I remember an old faucet, a spoon, etc.).

I really do hope that parents and teachers can use this book to inspire the children in their lives to be creative with “junk”–goodness knows, we all have so much of it!

Pingback by Subscribe to Literacy » Podcasts, Flickr, and MySpace, oh my! Web 2.0 turns the table - delivering magazines to children and families hungry to read and succeed

April 26, 2007 @ 10:08 pm

[...] Our greatest challenge and responsibility is reaching the thousands of people who want to support literacy needs in their own communities – to inform and engage this massive universe of literacy change agents who then organize local literacy programs, and sponsor the needs of teachers and other literacy agents. We are able to achieve great success in magazine delivery by leveraging many advanced social networking and other Web 2.0 technologies. For example, in addition to our online content management systems, blogs, and online forms, we leverage the Flickr photo sharing site to spotlight wonderful literacy events. We have begun a MySpace page to broaden our audience. We are exploring the value of digital versions of print magazines in terms of increased access and literacy. We’ve been invited to speak on podcasts and will continue to reach out to these and other web media outlets to grow awareness and participation in our community based literacy efforts. We also leverage online, community fundraising tools, such as ChipIn, Fundable, and Network for Good, so that groups can join together to pool their support for literacy needs. Our Kids Magazine Airlift program is a first-ever program where consumers can purchase magazine gifts online at publisher web sites for at-risk children and families in their community or across the country. MagazineLiteracy.org supplies the mailing addresses of early learning and after-school mentoring programs, foster group homes, homeless and domestic violence shelters, and other literacy programs. All of this work is made possible by the volunteers who connect to MagazineLiteracy.org via VolunteerMatch, Craigslist, and other web tools. [...]

Pingback by Interview with Janet Wong

May 15, 2007 @ 8:43 pm

[...] Mark speaks with Janet Wong about the concept behind her book The Dumpster Diver, how she incorporates her own life in her books, and her participating in the meet the author series of books. As a treat, Janet reads one of her poems. [...]

Comment by Joan Holub

January 11, 2009 @ 9:47 pm

I had the pleasure of hearing Janet Wong speak several times in Seattle a few years ago. She’s a fantastic speaker.