Search Tip of the Month
This Month's Features
Spreading the News

This is the time of year when we send heartfelt wishes and select those oh-so-special gifts for loved ones and friends. When I've found the perfect present, I am so excited that I find it hard to keep it a secret. These secrets and the anticipation of the joy the gift will bring are part of the wonder of this season. Here at the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database Company (CLCD), we just cannot keep a secret. We are always eager to share our excitement about the new database features. You might have begun to notice an orange dot next to the green dot by a title. The orange dot indicates there are curriculum tools--teaching guides and/or lesson plans - that can be accessed from the full-page display. As we talked about this new feature recently at NCTE, we saw lots of faces light up, which made us very happy. Remember, there is no need to keep your excitement about the CLCD a secret. Let your friends and colleagues know how much you enjoy using it.

The CLCD Company is pleased to announce that our library and education advisor, Sharon Salluzzo, is a nominee for the 2006 Newbery Committee ballot. Members of ALA's Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) will vote for the committee members in March 2005. Not only does Sharon review for Children's Literature, she also has written articles about the database, given demonstrations to librarians and teachers, and she will be speaking at the upcoming Michigan Reading Association Conference in two sessions. CLCD is proud to sponsor such a knowledgeable and articulate children's literature specialist at this event. If you are an ALSC member, we urge you to vote for Sharon.

CLCD will be exhibiting at the upcoming NSTA regional conference in Richmond, Virginia on December 2, 3 and 4. Do stop by booth 313 and say hello. We really enjoy talking to current and prospective subscribers.

All of us at CLCD express our wish that you find peace and joy this holiday season and throughout the new year.

Grade Searching

You asked and we responded. You can now search by grade or age. The new feature was implemented last month, but we waited to announce it until it had a few weeks of use by subscribers. We hope this will make your searching easier, but do keep in mind that it will only bring up search results where there is a review, because that is where the age and grade information is found.

Well, it should come as no surprise that we are featuring books for the holiday season-Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Check back later in the month since some of the books arrived at the end of November and we will add the reviews as they are completed.

Our features include authors Lynne Cheney and her new book about George Washington's daring crossing of the Delaware and surprise attack on Christmas Day in 1776. Previously, we featured Pam Turner and Yan Nacimbene and their story of Hachiko. This faithful dog has appeared in two books this year, so we decided to present our reviews of both books and provide links to information about the authors and illustrators. Our Australian participant in the database, Cécile Ferguson of Lollipops: What's On For Kids, submitted an interview with Australian author Jeannie Baker to which we have added reviews of several of her books.

Mark Twain, one of America's outstanding writers and humorists was born on November 30th. To celebrate, we have an interview with R. Kent Rasmussen, author of Mark Twain for Kids: His Life and Times, 21 Activities. Rasmussen has been reading, researching, and writing about Mark Twain for many years. His adult book, Mark Twain A - Z won ALA's "Outstanding Reference" award in 1996. We are celebrating Mark Twain throughout the month of December.

Our monthly newsletter is now available to everyone within an organization, not just the primary contact. A feature at www.childrenslit.com will provide you with a form allowing you to sign up for just the electronic newsletter. Discover for yourself what Karla Schmit, Professor, Library Department, Librarian Laboratory School, Shippensburg University says about the CLCD, -"Every author, every title, every time."

About the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database
The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database is your most complete source of information about children's books, audio recordings, and films. Indeed, it is the next best thing to having the item in hand, and the best tool for leading you to the best materials. All at a most affordable price. To subscribe to the CLCD, go to www.childrenslit.com.