CLCD Newsletter | Volume 6, Issue 7

It’s Beach Time! And our feature update includes books to take to the beach as well as books about the beach. Read about Babymouse: Beach Babe!, a book with beach riddles, the most recent Caldecott winner, and others here.

Cooking in a Can: More Campfire Recipes for Kids by Katherine L. White is a great resource for anyone camping with kids this summer. Check out our new feature about cooking and cookbooks of all kinds. It provides a wide range of types of recipes from ethnic to organic, and for preschoolers to high schoolers.

Patriotism and picnics come to mind when talking about the 4th of July. The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History by master storyteller Jennifer Armstrong bring these events to life in 3 to 5 pages – just right for a brief summer dip into history for ages 10 to 14. It is one of the books in our 4th of July feature.

Vive La France! Bastille Day is July 14th. What better time is there to tour France through Kate Banks’ picture book, The Cat Who Walked Across France, one of the titles in our feature on all things French.

Last month we introduced a new feature on Graphic Novels/Stories. Click here to read about Graphic Novels Part 2 .

Author Features

Bill Cochran says that The Forever Dog, a picture book for 4 to 8 year olds, is pretty much autobiographical. In this interview he discusses how he channeled the pain of losing his dog into a story to help others cope.

Blake Nelson, author of the suspense-filled, Paranoid Park, a YALSA Quick Pick 2007, talks about what inspires him as a writer (bands, good books, and friends who do interesting things are a few he mentions) and what advice he would give to someone who wants to be a writer (“I really have no advice,” he says but he goes on to say some important words.). Click here for a biography, photo and Question and Answer interview.

		Volume 6, Issue 7 July 2007



	Search Tip of the Month This Month's Features Spreading the News Ah, summertime! It is a time to slow down and enjoy the long, lazy days unless, of course, you work in a public library. The lazy days turn into crazy days when special programs can bring in swarms of children and young adults. The key is to get the right books to these visitors. Why not create a summer-long display to coordinate with this summer’s blockbuster movies? With the new Shrek movie, bring out your books of fairy tales and novels based on fairy tales. Fans of Spiderman? Display some graphic novels as well as classical superheroes from Roman, Greek and Norse mythology. Along with the final Harry Potter book there is a new Harry Potter movie this summer. Certainly a display of old and new fantasy titles is in order here. Everyone loves a good mystery. Tie this in with the new Nancy Drew movie. To easily locate titles on your shelf and to identify the best of the new, simply click into The Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD). A genre search, subject search or title search will provide you with a list of titles with a wide range of reading levels. By the way, if you are teaching children, young adults or college students, relating movies and books is a great ice breaker in the classroom. NEW at CHILDREN’S LITERATURE The Children’s Literature (CL) Author/Illustrator Booking Service is a new service that will make author and illustrator school visits more successful and rewarding for media specialists, teachers, and students as well as the writers and artists. The Children’s Literature team of experienced professional librarians brings together considerable expertise in handling the details of an author/illustrator event, from selecting the speaker, to ordering the books. “Author visits should be fun and exciting for everyone involved. We are committed to making sure that these events go smoothly and that the books will be available for autographing. Our goal is to make the event a happy and memorable one,” says Terri Finch, the Library Program Coordinator for Children’s Literature. For further information, click here Quote of the Month “CLCD is a one-stop shopping place for all our youth services literature needs. It’s great for building subject lists for book displays and bibliographies and it’s also a good source of author and illustrator information. I use it all the time and encourage my staff to use it as well. In fact, we’re going to show the adult services staff how to use it for help in finding great genre fiction for teens. I’m so glad to have this wonderful tool available to me.” Sharon Grover Head of Youth Services Hedberg Public Library


	Rather than a search tip, we are letting our subscribers know about our proposed website changes. The CLCD has become, as we envisioned, comprehensive. We believe it deserves its own website. Beginning later this summer, when you go to www.childrenslit.com you will find the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database and a fresh new look. Children’s Literature, the professional media review company, will be just a click away as will the Author/Illustrator Booking Service. They will have a new look, but all the same features that you have enjoyed over the years.


	Monthly Features It’s Beach Time! And our feature update includes books to take to the beach as well as books about the beach. Read about Babymouse: Beach Babe!, a book with beach riddles, the most recent Caldecott winner, and others here. Cooking in a Can: More Campfire Recipes for Kids by Katherine L. White is a great resource for anyone camping with kids this summer. Check out our new feature about cooking and cookbooks of all kinds. It provides a wide range of types of recipes from ethnic to organic, and for preschoolers to high schoolers. Patriotism and picnics come to mind when talking about the 4th of July. The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History by master storyteller Jennifer Armstrong bring these events to life in 3 to 5 pages – just right for a brief summer dip into history for ages 10 to 14. It is one of the books in our 4th of July feature. Vive La France! Bastille Day is July 14th. What better time is there to tour France through Kate Banks’ picture book, The Cat Who Walked Across France, one of the titles in our feature on all things French. Last month we introduced a new feature on Graphic Novels/Stories. Click here to read about Graphic Novels Part 2 . Author Features Bill Cochran says that The Forever Dog, a picture book for 4 to 8 year olds, is pretty much autobiographical. In this interview he discusses how he channeled the pain of losing his dog into a story to help others cope. Blake Nelson, author of the suspense-filled, Paranoid Park, a YALSA Quick Pick 2007, talks about what inspires him as a writer (bands, good books, and friends who do interesting things are a few he mentions) and what advice he would give to someone who wants to be a writer (“I really have no advice,” he says but he goes on to say some important words.). Click here for a biography, photo and Question and Answer interview.


	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.