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

   This is the time of year when we look forward to visits from friends and family. After the greetings and usually a meal together the conversation eventually gets around to "Remember when…" and someone, usually my husband begins a story. Someone (who shall remain nameless) often interrupts by saying, "That's not what happened. Let me tell you…" Our friends and family then hear another perspective of the event. The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) has something in common with this. With over thirty review sources the CLCD provides multiple perspectives on a title. With multiple viewpoints you learn so much more about a title and can make better determinations on whether it fits your needs.

SOMETHING NEW: There is a new qualifier on the CLCD search screen this month. It allows you to search a Lexile range. We are repeating our search tip of the month to tell you how to use this new and very helpful search tool, since it did not get implemented until late in November.

ON THE ROAD: You can find CLCD at the NSTA conference in Nashville from December 1st to the 3rd at Booth 420. Please stop by our booth at Exhibits and say hello. For those of you in Montgomery County, Maryland, CLCD will also be on view at the Curriculum Resources Expo the 12th of January at the University of Maryland, Shady Grove Campus. Don't miss Sheilah Egan our MidAtlantic rep who will be presenting an overview of the database and demonstrating its capabilities. If you like to plan ahead, CLCD will be exhibiting at ALA in San Antonio, January 20-23, booth 184. Librarians and teachers have given us many useful suggestions that have become standard features of the CLCD, so we do enjoy meeting and talking to you at these events.

Since it is not possible for all of you to attend conferences, we have devised a survey that will help us serve you better. Whether you are a subscriber or a trial user, we would appreciate it if you would click on the survey attached to this newsletter. We have attempted to keep it as simple as possible because we know you are busy. There will be a drawing for a basket of books worth several hundred dollars as our way of saying thank you for taking the time to give us your comments. We ran the survey last month and did have a quick and immediate response-we want to run it again for those who may not have had time to answer the questions. Just click on the link below to access the survey.
http://www.abouraya.com/ChildrensLitSurvey.html

   The Lexile Framework for Reading is a scientific approach to reading measurement that matches readers to text. The Lexile Framework measures both reader ability and text difficulty on the same scale, called the Lexile scale. Tens of thousands of books and tens of millions of articles have Lexile measures, hundreds of publishers Lexile their materials and all major standardized tests can report student reading scores in Lexiles. The Lexile measure is one of the reading measurement program data fields tracked by CLCD. Last month we incorporated a new Lexile qualifier on the CLCD Search Screen. The Lexile qualifier will allow you to specify a range of Lexile numbers for the books to be included in your search results.

   This month we bring to your attention a feature on Lauren Myracle, the author of the acclaimed ttyl and The Fashion Disaster That Changed My Life. In the spring, ttfn the much anticipated sequel to ttyl will be available. Alexander McCall Smith famous for The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency has now launched into children's books here in the U.S., and we have a short feature about him. Meet Deborah Ellis, an internationally acclaimed author and winner of many awards including a Children's Africana Book Award Honor for The Heaven Shop.

   Our monthly newsletter is now available to everyone within an organization, not just the primary contact. A new feature at www.childrenslit.com will provide you with a form allowing you to sign up for just the electronic newsletter. The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database, updated mid-month, is your most complete source of information about children's books. Indeed, it is the next best thing to having the book in hand, and the best tool for leading you to the best books. All at a most affordable price. To subscribe to the CLCD or contact us, go to www.childrenslit.com.

   CLCD Newsletter Editor, Sharon Salluzzo serves as a library and education consultant to CLCD. In addition, Sharon is a book reviewer, a storyteller, an editorial board member of Capitol Choices and a member of The Children's Book Guild of Washington, DC. She earned her MLS at SUNY Geneseo.

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.