September 2008
Search Tip of the Month
This Month's Features
Author Booking Service
Spreading the News
This month, the Europeans are coming to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for one of my favorite sporting events. It is the Ryder Cup in which America's top golfers come together as a team to compete with a team of Europe's top golfers. Although professional golf is usually an individual sport, for this one week every two years it becomes a team sport. Such excitement! The opening ceremonies draw upon the history and traditions of golf, often with bagpipes leading the parade of players. Paul Azinger, a former member of several American Ryder Cup teams and this year's captain, is already planning his strategy.
What does this have to do with the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD), you ask? Why it is simple! The Europeans are coming to the CLCD, too. That is, the bibliographic records for children's books are coming to the CLCD. This month, we are in the process of adding the French records. Once part of the database, you will have to click "French" in the language option to access them. We are consulting with other European countries for their records, as well. The UK and Ireland have produced great golfers and great children's books. Their bibliographic records, as well as those from Canada, have been in CLCD for quite a while now. You have probably seen some of them in the search results. We also have reviews from these three countries. "Comprehensive" is an important part of our name, you know!
There is a little difference between the Ryder Cup and the CLCD. With the CLCD, we are all on the same team. Our subscribers are a global range of professionals who work with children's and young adult books and other media. They have discovered the convenience of finding all the information they need in one place: the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. You are cordially invited to join our team of subscribers.
Quote of the Month
"CLCD is my primary source for reviews! I'd be lost without it."
Jenny B. (J. B.) Petty, Ph.D., Professor/Coordinator of Library Science Education, Missouri State University
Don't forget to use the B&N Button. It will provide additional information and current pricing for the books you are considering for purchase. In addition, should you decide to purchase through B&N, all CLCD subscribers get an extra 5% discount.
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To celebrate apple season we present books about the man who helped the pioneers settle across America. The reviews about Johnny Appleseed include books for young children as well as some for middle readers, such as The Sun, the Rain, and the Apple Seed: A Novel of Johnny Appleseed's Life by Lynda Durrant.
Grandparents' Day will be celebrated on September 7, 2008. In Grandpa's Hands will certainly generate conversations at home, but as a classroom read-aloud it could also inspire art, poetry or other writing projects. Enjoy it and the other books in our feature spotlighting grandparents.
With the publication of a new book this month whose focus is the White House, it occurred to us there are many books about the home of the President of the United States: factual, novels and picture books, and those fun trivia books. Candlewick Press has published Our White House: Looking in Looking Out. It has an introduction by David McCullough and has been created by 108 well known authors and illustrators and The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance. This list will give you some new ideas for introducing subjects in the classroom and a new approach for an election year display.
Author Features
Kathi Appelt says, "I believe that writers are like crows. We find shiny objects and take them back to our desks, and weave them into a story." Read how she combined a Caddo jar, a Calico cat, and an encounter with a water moccasin into her latest book, The Underneath.
Andrew Clements' new book for middle readers is Lost and Found, a story of sixth-grade identical twins who think up a scheme to dupe their teachers and school administrators. A father of twins, himself, Clements answers whether he used personal observations for this book. He also gives insightful comments on "thinking like a writer."
Ann Whitford Paul is the author of Little Monkey Says Good Night and Count on Culebra : Go from 1 to 10 in Spanish. In this "Getting to Know..." feature she tells us about her previous career, favorite activities, and why, "My reading in elementary school sometimes got me into trouble."
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Children's Literature currently assists schools, museums, conferences and other organizations in identifying authors and illustrators for speaking engagements. Authors and illustrators provide valuable insight into their craft and connect their audience with the world of literature. In each issue we will highlight several of our booking service participants. To learn more about this service, please go to http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/bs-home.html
Erica S. Perl
Erica S. Perl has been writing from a young age. Her first published poem appeared in the children's literary magazine Cricket at the age of eight. One of Erica's favorite things about being an author is getting together with kids and sharing with the world the wonderful personality that made her books such a success. She has a variety of workshops and presentations available, and a remarkable ability to engage the children--while reading Chicken Bedtime is Really Early, she is apt to put on a chicken hat and lead the kids in chicken songs! Learn more about Erica's programs at http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/perl-erica.html
Janet Morgan Stoeke
Janet Morgan Stoeke is the award-winning author of the delightfully entertaining Minerva Louise books. Minerva Louise stars in the original program, aimed at K through 2nd graders. Janet reads from some of the books, pointing out the events in her life that prompted her to think them up. Her newest program, aimed at fifth and sixth graders, focuses on writing from personal experience. It features the author's latest book, Waiting for May, her son's story about anticipating the adoption of his sister. Please visit Janet at http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/stoeke-janetmorgan.html
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.