A mini-conference was held Thursday for 35 children’s literature librarians, educators and school librarians at the Causeway branch of the St. Tammany Parish Library. The conference focused on reading in the classroom, the latest in children’s literature and incorporating educational resources into the classroom.

Among the speakers was acclaimed children’s author and UNO professor of children’s literature Dr. Pat Austin, who introduced some of the best new books for children and young adults. The author of “The Cat Who Loved Mozart,” Austin has conducted scholarly research on trends and issues in literature, the creative processes of authors and illustrators and classroom literature.

One tool Austin demonstrated was the use of a poetry suitcase to help children appreciate and treasure poems.

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Austin demonstrated her own suitcase to those present as an example. In using the poetry suitcase, each child selects a book of poems or a single poem and they copied the poem onto an index card. Then they bring in a prop tied to their poem.

The props and poems are all put into the suitcase.

During class, a child selects one of the props from the suitcase. Then either the child or the teacher reads the accompanying poem. The poem should be read twice.

A suitcase is used because of the positive connections — taking a trip, fun times, familiar places. Props help maintain interest and curiosity among the class. When all poems have been read many times, the students can then write their own poems to go with the props and explain why they chose that prop. After the suitcase is used up or full of treasures, trade it with another classroom to keep interest high, she said.

Another lecture presented the modern comic book genre of “graphic novel,” using pictures and words in tandem to tell a story. Dawn Rutherford, a national expert on great graphic novels for teens, said the term can be confusing to parents, who associate the word graphic with violence rather than a picture, cartoon or drawing.

Rutherford said graphic novels are sequential pieces of art, panel after panel, that tell a story in tandem with words, using the words and pictures together. They differ from comic books of old in that the pictures may vary in size and continue to form a book. She offered a selection of graphic novels that inspire, entertain and engage young readers in the reading process while teaching them.

Also included in the day’s presentations was “Incorporating financial and economic education into the K-12 classroom.” Claire Loup and Jennifer Sealy, the presenters, focused on the educational resources available through the New Orleans Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta that can help teachers foster a greater understanding of economic and financial education topics, many available at no charge.

The day-long mini-conference, given in conjunction with the St. Tammany Parish Board as part of its Summer Institute for Teachers, attracted educators and librarians from Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Tammany parishes.

St. Tammany School Board faculty members could receive continuing education credits for the workshop. In addition, the group could take its pick of giveaways consisting of books, paperbacks and prizes designed to assist and encourage the young reader. Tanya DiMaggio, organizer of the event, said it was very successful, and they plan to hold the event again next year.