CLCD Newsletter | Volume 5, Issue 11

It is time again to give thanks, and our Thanksgiving feature will help you do so whether you are in a serious or silly mood.

It seems that years ago if someone mentioned "aviation" everyone thought about the daring men who dreamed of flying and made their dreams come true. Well now we know there were women daring and dreaming and doing, too. To celebrate Aviation History Month, our feature shares the stories of people who pioneered in this field.

American Indian Heritage Month is the perfect time to introduce your students to the vast array of cultural traditions that are cherished and kept alive by Indians all across North America. Create a display that contains a mix of traditional tales, history and contemporary Indians with our themed reviews.

Author Features

If you are looking for stories with strong boy appeal, David Milgrim's books are a great choice. He talks about his drawing style and the challenges of writing in this interview. In his most recent book, a preschooler and his doll go through the day in Time to Get Up, Time to Go.

R.W. Alley creates illustrations that are vibrant, expressive and often humorous. Through his understanding of the unique qualities of picture books, beginning readers and chapter books, he has created illustrations that enhance the text and engage the reader. Learn about his latest books and his approach to each new book in this interview.

British author Marcus Sedgwick finds the very early stages of the book process to be the most exciting: that time when an idea is just forming and won't go away. The stories he spins from these ideas captivate their readers with fine detail and taut writing. His newest book, The Foreshadowing is receiving starred reviews.

New author JT Petty (the "Clemency Pogue" stories and The Squampkin Patch) loves pumpkins and so he found a way to bring them into the fantastic worlds he creates. In this interview, JT also talks about his favorite children's books and why he writes for children.

How Walter Wick selected the folktales and created the scenes for Once Upon A Time is fascinating. Our feature provides some background and a glimpse into his creative process for this book.

It is always interesting to discover something about an author's childhood. Virginia Kroll tells us about growing up, her love of animals (look at all the pets she has had!), and how she became a writer in the feature "In Her Own Words"

Beverly Cleary was named a "living legend" by the Library of Congress. This succinct informational piece talks about her childhood, how she came to be a writer and mentions many of her honors and awards.

Happily, our feature about the remarkable and impressive Brian Selznick has been updated.

		Volume 5, Issue 11 November 2006



	Search Tip of the Month This Month's Features Spreading the News "Happy Children's Book Week!" I do hope you have plans to celebrate this month. "MORE BOOKS, PLEASE!" is the theme this year. It seems to me this is not just a request for quantity. I think it is a plea from children who have discovered the magic in books who want other books that will be just as enjoyable. It is also a plea from those who have not yet discovered pleasure in reading. We need to keep offering these children a wide range of books until they, too, are paired with the very special book that opens the door to the joy of reading. The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) is the perfect tool for finding the books that will resonate with each individual child and young adult with whom you work. Whether it is fiction or nonfiction you seek, a genre search, or a topic with a reading level or a grade level, you will find it in the CLCD. So that you can work with "happy children" during book week and beyond, use the CLCD every day. We are pleased to announce that subscriptions to the CLCD are now available to the UK education sector through Athens. The Athens Access Management system provides users with single sign-on to numerous web-based services throughout the UK and overseas. To subscribe through Athens, go to the CLCD home page and click on the button that says, "click here for Athens access." We welcome The Lion & the Unicorn this month to our list of prestigious review sources. Published by the Johns Hopkins University Press, the journal reviews focus on professional books about young adult and children's literature.


	You have probably heard that expression "less is more" from the famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The same is true of the CLCD database when you are searching. To get the best result, start simple with a broad subject term and then continue to refine your search. That way you have a much better chance of getting exactly what you want and perhaps some serendipitous hits. If you are a power user and know exactly what you want, then by all means put the title, phrase, author name or whatever you know in the search box and use the appropriate qualifiers.


	Monthly Features It is time again to give thanks, and our Thanksgiving feature will help you do so whether you are in a serious or silly mood. It seems that years ago if someone mentioned "aviation" everyone thought about the daring men who dreamed of flying and made their dreams come true. Well now we know there were women daring and dreaming and doing, too. To celebrate Aviation History Month, our feature shares the stories of people who pioneered in this field. American Indian Heritage Month is the perfect time to introduce your students to the vast array of cultural traditions that are cherished and kept alive by Indians all across North America. Create a display that contains a mix of traditional tales, history and contemporary Indians with our themed reviews. Author Features If you are looking for stories with strong boy appeal, David Milgrim's books are a great choice. He talks about his drawing style and the challenges of writing in this interview. In his most recent book, a preschooler and his doll go through the day in Time to Get Up, Time to Go. R.W. Alley creates illustrations that are vibrant, expressive and often humorous. Through his understanding of the unique qualities of picture books, beginning readers and chapter books, he has created illustrations that enhance the text and engage the reader. Learn about his latest books and his approach to each new book in this interview. British author Marcus Sedgwick finds the very early stages of the book process to be the most exciting: that time when an idea is just forming and won't go away. The stories he spins from these ideas captivate their readers with fine detail and taut writing. His newest book, The Foreshadowing is receiving starred reviews. New author JT Petty (the "Clemency Pogue" stories and The Squampkin Patch) loves pumpkins and so he found a way to bring them into the fantastic worlds he creates. In this interview, JT also talks about his favorite children's books and why he writes for children. How Walter Wick selected the folktales and created the scenes for Once Upon A Time is fascinating. Our feature provides some background and a glimpse into his creative process for this book. It is always interesting to discover something about an author's childhood. Virginia Kroll tells us about growing up, her love of animals (look at all the pets she has had!), and how she became a writer in the feature "In Her Own Words" Beverly Cleary was named a "living legend" by the Library of Congress. This succinct informational piece talks about her childhood, how she came to be a writer and mentions many of her honors and awards. Happily, our feature about the remarkable and impressive Brian Selznick has been updated. Quote of the Month "When a young person has a special request, the CLCD helps me easily find just the right books. The ability to sort by age, subject and reading level is invaluable. Even if we do not own all the books, I can usually get them from another library in our system." Joyce R. Laiosa Head of Youth Services Voorheesville Public Library


	CLCD Newsletter Editor, Sharon Salluzzo serves as a library and education consultant to CLCD. In addition, Sharon is a book reviewer, a storyteller, and a member of The Children's Book Guild of Washington, DC. She currently serves on the ALSC Quicklist committee. Sharon earned her MLS at SUNY Geneseo. About the Children�s Literature Comprehensive Database 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.