Reading


Reading
BSA Supply No. 35940

If you have ever wanted to go back in time or wished you could visit the future, if you are curious about the world, or if you are interested in how things work or like to learn new things, these are all reasons why you should want to read. Reading is fascinating. It's full of surprises. And it will take you places you can't get to in any other way.

Requirements

  1. Do EACH of the following:
    1. Learn how to search your library's card catalog or computerized catalog by author, title, and subject.
    2. With the assistance of your merit badge counselor or a librarian, select six books of four different types (such as poetry, drama/plays, fiction, nonfiction, biographies, etc.). Ask your librarian or counselor about award-winning books that are recommended for readers your age and include at least one of those titles.
    3. Find the books in the library catalog. With your counselor's or a librarian's assistance, locate the books on the shelves.
    4. Read each book. Keep a log of your reading that includes the title of the book, the pages or chapters read, the date you completed them, and your thoughts about what you have read so far. Discuss your reading with your counselor. Using your log as a reference, explain why you chose each book and tell whether you enjoyed it and what it meant to you.
  2. Read about the world around you from any two sources--books, magazines, newspapers, the Internet (with your parent's permission), field manuals, etc. Topics may include sports, environmental problems, politics, social issues, current events, nature, religion, etc. Discuss what you have learned with your counselor.
  3. Do ONE of the following:
    1. From a catalog of your choice, fill out an order form for merchandise as if you intended to place an order. Share the completed form with your counselor and discuss it.
    2. With your parent's permission, locate at least five Web sites that are helpful for your Scouting or other activities. Write the Internet addresses of these sites in your log. Talk with your counselor or a librarian about safety rules for using the Internet.
  4. With your counselor's and your parent's permission, choose ONE of the following activities and devote at least four hours of service to that activity. Discuss your participation with your counselor.
    1. Read to a sick, blind, or homebound person in a hospital or in an extended-care facility.
    2. Perform volunteer work at your school library or a public library.
    3. Read stories to younger children, in a group or individually.

Resources

Book Lists

  • Best Books for Young Adults - http://www.ala.org/ yalsa/booklists/bbya
  • BookSpot: Young Adult Books - http://www.bookspot.com/ youngadult.htm
  • Choices Booklists - http://www.reading.org/ choices
  • National Book Awards for Young People's Literature - http://www.literature-awards. com/national_book_awards.html
  • Newbery Medal Winners and Honor Books - http://www.ala.org/alsc/ newbpast.html
  • 100 Best Books for Children - http://www.teachersfirst.com/ 100books.htm
  • Summer Reading Lists - http://www.educationworld. com/summer_reading
  • Teenreads.com - http://www.teenreads.com
  • U.S. Children's Book Awards - http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/ usawards.html

Books Online

  • The Online Books Page - http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books
  • Project Gutenberg - http://gutenberg.net

Magazines

Boys' Life
P.O. Box 152350
Irving, TX 75015-2350
Telephone: 972-580-2088
Web site: http://www.boyslife.org

Calliope
Cobblestone Publishing
30 Grove St., Suite C
Peterborough, NH 03458
Toll-free telephone: 800-821-0115
Web site: http://www.cobblestonepub. com/pages/callmain.htm

Cicada and Cricket
P.O. Box 7434
Red Oak, IA 51591-0433
Toll-free telephone: 800-821-0115
Web site: http://www.cricketmag.com

Kids Discover
149 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10010
Telephone: 212-677-4457
Web site: http://www.kidsdiscover.com

MidLink Magazine
SAS Campus Drive
Cary, NC 27513
Telephone: 919-531-2869
Web site: http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink

National Geographic Kids
P.O. Box 63002
Tampa, FL 33663-3002
Toll-free telephone: 800-647-5463
Web site: http://www.nationalgeographic. com/ngkids

Skipping Stones
P.O. Box 3939
Eugene, OR 97403
Telephone: 541-342-4956
Web site: http://www.skippingstones.org

Sports Illustrated for Kids
P.O. Box 60001
Tampa, FL 33660-0001
Toll-free telephone: 800-992-0196
Web site: http://www.sikids.com

Stone Soup
P.O. Box 83
Santa Cruz, CA 95063
Toll-free telephone: 800-447-4569
Web site: http://www.stonesoup.com

Newspapers

  • Internet Public Library - http://www.ipl.org/div/news
  • Refdesk.com - http://www.refdesk.com/paper.html

Reference Books

  • Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. Barron's Educational Series, annual.
  • Books in Print. Bowker, annual.
  • Contemporary Authors. Gale, annual.
  • Current Biography. H. W. Wilson, annual.
  • Guinness World Records. Bantam Books, annual.
  • Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. H. W. Wilson, annual.
  • Subject Guide to Books in Print. Bowker, annual.
  • Subject Guide to Children's Books in Print. Bowker, annual.

Web Directories, Search Engines, and Web Guides

  • The Alphabet Superhighway - http://www.ash.udel.edu/ash
  • Cool Sites for Kids - http://www.ala.org/alsc/children_links.html
  • Internet Search Engines for Kids - http://www.ivyjoy.com/rayne/kidssearch.html
  • Kids and Teens: Directories - http://dmoz.org/Kids_and_ Teens/Directories
  • Kids Pick - http://www.ala.org/kidspick
  • KidSpace - http://www.ipl.org/div/ kidspace
  • Great Web Sites for Kids - http://www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/amazing.html
  • Teen Hoopla- http://www.ala.org/ teenhoopla/sitemap.html
  • TeenSpace - http://www.ipl.org/div/teen

Literacy Programs

America's Literacy Directory
Web site: http://www.literacydirectory.org

American Federation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
Toll-free telephone: 800-232-5463
Web site: http://www.afb.org

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
1201 15th St. NW, Suite 420
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone: 202-955-6183
Web site: http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com

National Literacy Hotline
Toll-free telephone: 800-228-8813

Read Across America
National Education Association
1201 16th St., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: 202-833-4000
Web site: http://www.nea.org/readacross

Reading Is Fundamental Inc.
1825 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20009
Toll-free telephone: 877-RIF-READ
Web site: http://www.rif.org