Judy's Workshops
BER Seminars • Winners! • Books Kids Will Sit Still For • Selecting Books for Children • Literature and Library Skills • Booktalking & Reading Aloud • Multicultural Books • Once Upon a Time • Storytelling • Hi Ho Librario • Keynote Speeches • Parent Programs • Musical Booktalk •
BER (Bureau of Education & Research) Seminars www.ber.org
Judy presents more than 40 all-day seminars for BER each year. Her flyer for "What's New in Children's Literature and Strategies for Using It in Your Programs (Grades K-6)" can be found on the BER website. Check her calendar for a program near you, and then look it up on the BER site. You can call BER with any questions at 800-735-3503.
Judy's "What's New" program for BER is similar to her "Books Kids Will Sit Still For" seminar, and to the Winners! Conference she presents throughout New Jersey each spring. Both her BER and Winners! seminars consist of all-new material each year, with the most exemplary children's books published in the past year and ways to use them. If you can't attend, you can still purchase Judy's extensive all-new Winners! Handbook which comes out each year in May. Click on Winners! at the top of the page. You can also purchase earlier copies published by Libraries Unlimited www.LU.com.

Want to see Judy's complete booklists for her BER conferences each year? If you have an account at Follett's Titlewave.com , for which all teachers and librarians can register for free, log in. Click on "Curriculum" at the top of the page, then click on the link for "Popular Subject Lists," and then scroll down and click on "Judy Freeman." You'll find Judy's Best Books lists for the past several years.
SIDE NOTE: Actually, it's not Judy's 100 Best Books of 2015 this year. She got carried away like never before and you'll find it's now her 150 Best Book titles in there, weighing in at a mere 250 pages. 
*If you can't make the BER workshops, you can always get the audio CDs and handbook of the program from BER.
The CD for this year's program will be recorded in November 2015 at one of her live workshops, and will be available for sale come February 2016. Unless you come to one of Judy's programs, it's the only other way you can get the handbook.
You can still get this past year's handbook and CDs, covering the best 100 of 2014:
<www.berproducts.org/audio-seminars/literacy/k-6/what-s-new-in-childrens-literature-and-how-to-use-it-in-your-program-2015-grades-k-6-dl.html>
It costs $125 for the 4 CDs and handbooks. Great for your staff, though if you're a librarian.
Here's the text of Judy Freeman's BER flyers for 2015-2016:

What's NEW in Children's Literature and Strategies for Using It in Your Program (Grades K-6)
2015

Presented by
JUDY FREEMAN
Internationally Recognized Children's Book Expert, Librarian and Author

Totally NEW Seminar
All NEW Titles for the Year 2015

  • The best new children's books published in the last year matched with a wealth of ready-to-use ideas and engaging activities for ALL areas of your program
  • A stimulating, high-powered presentation to make you excited about this year's new books and eager to try them out with your own students
  • Sample copies of the best new books will be on display for you to preview
  • Instantly usable activities, demonstrations, bibliographies, and an ALL NEW resource handbook that you'll use for years
PRACTICAL IDEAS AND MATERIALS

In this electrifying ALL NEW seminar, Judy Freeman will share with you her treasure-trove of the best NEW children's books from this past year. With more than 5,000 children's books being published each year, teachers and librarians are keen to select only the best titles to use with their students.

Judy Freeman, internationally recognized expert on children's literature, can help you with this challenge. Going well beyond just familiarizing you with the best of the newly published titles, she will introduce you to scores of engaging strategies for integrating children's books across the content areas.

Judy's high-powered presentation will model reading aloud, booktalking, storytelling, singing, and a host of other literature appreciation techniques that will get you energized - and ready to use these successful, easy-to-use strategies with your children.

TEN KEY BENEFITS OF ATTENDING
  1. Preview the Best New Children's Books
    See the BEST of the most recently published children's books - picture books, novels, informational nonfiction, poetry, folklore . . . Many of the books will be available for your personal review
  2. The Best New Fiction Books
    Get acquainted with realistic and fantasy fiction . . . Memorable titles you'll be inspired to read aloud and use for guided reading, literature circles and book clubs
  3. New Nonfiction Books Your Students Will Treasure
    A rich, under-tapped resource of meaningful books for fact-loving learners . . . Explore specific techniques for presenting all types of riveting nonfiction
  4. The Best New Picture Books
    Discover some of the most arresting and inspiring picture books published in the last year and learn how to use them creatively throughout the curriculum with students of all ages
  5. Strengthening Read-Aloud Skills
    Tips and techniques for getting your kids to hang on every word you read - and to become fluent readers themselves . . . All modeled by one of the country's read-aloud experts
  6. Honing Your Book Selection Skills
    As a reading role model for your students, you'll find Judy's many valuable book evaluation strategies essential for selecting new books you and your children will love to read
  7. Developing Reading and Writing Skills
    Loads of innovative ideas for developing challenging reading and writing projects and samples of children's work inspired by this year's most unforgettable children's books
  8. Tying New Books into the Classroom and Library Curriculum
    Connect the best books of the year to your whole curriculum to enhance language arts, science, social studies, math, the arts, and more . . . Involve and excite your children with language through creative drama, Readers' Theater, booktalks, storytelling, poetry, wordplay, and songs
  9. Current Trends in Children's Literature
    Catch up on the hottest authors and illustrators . . . Hear the latest development and trends in the children's book publishing world
  10. Developing Lifelong Readers
    Instantly effective book-sharing techniques to get even the most reluctant readers fired up with irresistible books for read-alouds, read-alones and book discussion groups

OUTSTANDING STRATEGIES YOU CAN USE IMMEDIATELY
  • On-target, honest reviews and lively booktalks of dozens of new and exemplary children's books
  • Discover a core collection of new, hand-selected, memorable, easy fiction and fiction books that will engage children with a wide range of interests and abilities
  • How to select and use the "best of the best" new read-aloud children's books to instill the love of literature in your students
  • How to promote curiosity and lifelong learning skills with the best of recently published nonfiction children's books
  • New titles perfect for guided reading, literature circles and book clubs
  • Ways to hone listening and reading skills with current children's books
  • How to rejuvenate, expand and make new connections with your existing repertoire of great books
  • How to use music, creative drama, Readers' Theater, storytelling, reading aloud, booktalking, creative writing, and many other literature extension activities to make reading come alive for your students
  • Innovative writing and illustrating prompts that extend children's response to literature
  • How to find a book's voice as you polish your read-aloud techniques and reinforce your students' listening skills
  • Practical, motivating ways to enhance students' presentation skills and get them reading aloud and alone with comprehension, expression, fluency, and joy
  • How to keep your kids humming and playing with language using book-related songs, poems, and wordplay
  • Ways to make school and public library and classroom connections between your children and outstanding, new children's books
  • Easy-to-use strategies for fostering creativity improved reading comprehension, and higher-level thinking skills with the exemplary children's books of the year
  • Practical, doable ideas to motivate and excite even your most reluctant readers and writers
  • Ways to incorporate extraordinary, new picture books for all ages across the curriculum
  • Unlimited reasons to fall in love with children's literature all over again
A MESSAGE FROM SEMINAR LEADER, JUDY FREEMAN

Dear Colleague:

"Have you read every book in the library?" students ask incredulously.

"You READ these books?" a new student asks, amazed that a grown-up would admit to loving books meant for children.

We teachers and librarians are the gods and goddesses of great books. Our children look upon our wisdom and depth of book knowledge with awe. Our job to turn them all into readers is never done.

Why are the Finns number one in children's literacy worldwide? They READ to their children. They TELL THEM STORIES. And LIBRARIES are a very important part of their lives.

You want your children to test better? Read to them. Tell them stories. Take them to the library. They'll read better. And test better. And live better.

I read thousands of new children's books each year. I'm always on the prowl for books that inspire, amaze, entertain, enlighten, and stimulate. I love to field test my favorites with teachers and librarians and their students. My goal? To find out which books work best with their intended audience - actual children, grades K-6. When I put together my brand new BER seminar each year, I want you to see, feel and sample each of the books and marvel over the fabulous follow-up activities the children have done.

My philosophy of teaching and life is this: Give children, teachers, librarians, and parents more than they ask for, more than they think they need, more than they ever knew existed. This is also what I aim for in our BER seminar. For each book I select to share with you, I look for the Book Hook - that mysterious, magical lure that will pull you in and get your own creative juices flowing. We'll examine and evaluate the latest best books to see what makes them so great. We'll get excited about new books and old favorites and ways to use them to get our children reading, writing, illustrating, and responding to literature across the curriculum in classrooms and libraries. I'll bring lots of new examples of children's projects, writings and other creative responses to the books we've explored.

We'll get practical: How can we help our kids read with expression, comprehension, fluency, and joy? What books will fire up children and get them to want to read more? During our book-packed wow of a day, we'll interact through hands-on writing activities, booktalking, reading aloud, storytelling, songs, and drama. We'll even put on a play! With my latest irresistible mix of wonderful, new children's books - picture books, fiction, poetry, folklore, biography, and nonfiction - I'll demonstrate down-to-earth, easy-to-use ways of making books come alive for children.

I can't wait to meet you and share my favorite passion: Children's books and the many creative ways to get kids reading and loving them.

Sincerely,

Judy Freeman

P.S. Wear comfortable clothes, don't forget your sweater in case it gets chilly, and maybe a bit of chocolate for inspiration and energy. Bring a smile, a sense of humor and a yen for adventure. Let's get together and have a terrific time learning about the best, new books of the year!

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
K-6 Classroom Teachers, Media Specialists, Librarians, Children's Librarians in Public Libraries, Library Aides, Reading Specialists, Resource Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Title I Staff Members, and Administrators.

Extensive Resource Handbook:
You will receive Judy Freeman's exciting new resource handbook, What's NEW in Children's Literature and Strategies for Using It in Your Program (Grades K-6), specifically designed for this seminar. This comprehensive handbook includes:
  • 100+ Best Children's Books: An extensive annotated booklist of Judy's favorite children's books of the past year, with each entry incorporating a descriptive annotation, follow-up ideas, activities, and ways to use the book with children; a killer list of related titles; and a list of related subjects
  • 200+ Best Children's Books of the Decade: Another extensive annotated booklist containing Judy's favorite children's books of the past decade
  • Practical suggestions, worksheets, lesson plans, and original teacher's guides for using children's books to enhance your literature-based program
  • Judy's latest Readers' Theater scripts, stories, and songs to use with your children
  • An Internet resource list of the best new Web sites for children and educators to investigate children's books and authors
Consultation Available:
Judy Freeman will be available at the seminar for consultation regarding the unique needs of your own program.

New Books and Hands-On Materials:
Many newly published titles, children's follow-up projects, puppets, props, and other relevant materials will be on display for participants to examine.

Semester Credit Option:
Graduate elective credit is available with an additional fee and completion of a follow-up practicum project. Details for direct enrollment with Chapman University (California) will be available at the seminar.

Meet Inservice Requirements:
At the end of the program, each attendee will receive a certificate of participation that may be used to verify hours of participation in meeting continuing education requirements.

What Your Colleagues Say About Judy Freeman
"Judy's enthusiasm, energy and knowledge of children's books are an inspiration to me each year. I always leave with a list of great books to order, new plans for story hour and a renewed pride in my profession."
- Nancy Krebbs, Elementary Librarian

"Extremely active, energizing and engaging! Judy makes you want to read to the students all day."
- Tamra McCormack, Teacher

"Fantastic! I always learn so much that I can take back and use with the students! Thank you!"
- Marilyn Gipson, Librarian

"Lots of wonderful information and practical ideas to use in the media center to enhance instruction."
- Connie Garrett, Librarian

"I loved the overview of so many books. I now have tons of new ideas to use with my students."
- Julie Wiggens, Teacher

"Thanks so much for all the great information! I'll be back next year!"
- Dot Rutherford, Media Specialist

"So much helpful information - and great fun! We can use all these ideas the very next day!"
- Tawana West, Media Specialist

"It's great to attend a seminar that provides immediately useful lessons and ideas for use in my library!"
- Barbara Moulds, Librarian

"Absolutely marvelous! This is a great help with collection development and lesson planning. And it is so refreshing to spend the day with Judy and books!"
- Mary Birkett, Librarian

"Judy is so delightful and animated - she knows how to make books come alive! Lots and lots of great ideas for classroom connection! Fabulous!"
- Suzanne Sims, Reading Recovery/Literacy Coordinator

"Judy Freeman is awesome! So much useful information and so many engaging books! Judy reminds me how important reading and books are to everyone!"
- Jeanie Harper, Librarian

"Judy is always terrific, inspiring, informative, and 'right on target'. She works hard all year and it shows in her presentation."
- Joanne Schwartz, Media Specialist

"I love this seminar! Judy Freeman is a pleasure to listen to and is so knowledgeable in children's literature! I attend her seminar every year and plan to continue."
- Emily Hoffman, Teacher

"Once again, Judy has energized and informed me about what is new and exciting in children's literature. I now look forward to this seminar as a professional development highlight of the year."
- Debra Heimbrook, Media Specialist