November 2008
Search Tip of the Month
This Month's Features
Author Booking Service
Spreading the News
Nobody would ever call my husband "a tool guy" but this past spring he purchased a Rototiller. It was in self-defense. You see, "we" have a garden. I plan which vegetables we will plant and map out their locations. He prepares the soil and then we plant. The first year, he did all the preparation by hand which took him hours and hours. This year, with his new tool, he was done in the wink of an eye. Well, maybe in a wink from each eye. Since he is now the proud owner of this fabulous tool he couldn't wait to tell his friends — especially the tool guys. His usual way to broach the topic would be to say, "I bet I have a tool you don't have." Indeed, several of his friends admitted they do not own Rototillers and agreed that it seemed like a very useful tool. Recently, a friend called to borrow this great tool to prepare his garden beds for the winter. It just goes to prove that if you have a fabulous tool, you should tell all your friends about it.
I am always delighted when new subscribers tell us they learned about the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) from their friends. It is, indeed, a very useful tool for all professionals and paraprofessionals working with children's and young adult literature. Whether you are a school, a university or library subscriber, be sure to let your co-workers and the teachers in your building know that you have it. They will want to use it, too. Just like the Rototiller, it will quickly cut through all the extraneous matter and provide you with the results you need in the wink of an eye. Although you would only occasionally use the Rototiller, you will certainly find reasons to use CLCD in many ways every day.
Quote of the Month
"I use the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database in library instruction
sessions or discussions with education students. The reviews are very useful and
we appreciate the scope of information available on the books."
Barbara Alderman, UCF Librarian, Southern Region Campuses, Cocoa & Palm Bay, BCC/UCF Joint-Use Library, Cocoa, Florida
This month there are two items to bring to the attention of our subscribers. We have recently added cataloging records for about 15,000 ebooks with links to Follett where they are available. We will continue to add these records along with the more traditional material in our monthly updates.
For those of you undertaking collection development work or weeding a collection, please do take a look at the Browse feature in CLCD. It is a great way to find out all of the titles in a Dewey or LC class or by a favorite author or subject. There is a quick tutorial which should help you use this powerful function.
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We have updated our Thanksgiving feature with titles that you will certainly want to purchase for your collection, such as Turkey Bowl by sports enthusiast Phil Bildner and illustrated by C.F. Payne.
Our Tall Tales feature offers some new suggestions when introducing this topic. We have covered all ages in our selections. If you work with teens you will want to consider Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson with Marc Aronson.
Author Features
Italian artist AnnaLaura Cantone created the artwork for the Zara Zebra and the Peccorino stories as well as many other books published in several countries. Discover why she prefers to work with found objects and brushes rather than computer art, and what she has to say about children and art.
Lynne Cheney has just written her sixth book for children, We the People: the Story of the Constitution which our reviewer says is a "fascinating and very readable" book on "the lasting power of the Constitution and the fractious time in which it was conceived and executed." In this interview she answers questions about writing history books for children, and talks about the James Madison Book Award which she began in 2003.
Victoria Hanley author of The Light of the Oracle, and other books of fantasy has now written two guides on the art and craft of writing: Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write and Wild Ink: How to Write Fiction for Young Adults. Discover what led her to become a writer, and why she wrote these "how-to" guides.
On the evening of September 24, 2004, Lulu Delacre's younger daughter, Alicia María Betancourt, was killed in a car crash. Alicia was one of seventeen teenagers who died in car accidents in the Washington, D.C., suburbs that fall. After the funeral mass, Lulu stood next to her husband and older daughter, Verónica, by the door of the church, hugging and greeting what seemed to be a never-ending line of people. She was struck by the hundreds of teens who were so touched by Alicia's passing and the fact that these teens were from a broad spectrum of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds. She began to ask herself who was Alicia to her friends? How were they dealing with the loss? Why did this happen? Lulu chronicles this painful time along with memories of her daughter and the meaning of it all in the lives she touched through Afterimage. There will be a short reading of her book at 5:30, and from 6 to 7, a book signing at Strathmore Mansion in Rockville MD. For more information, visit www.luludelacre.com.
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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
Laura Melmed
Whether it's a witch riding a "super jet-fueled broom" on Halloween; a Thanksgiving counting book (one Pilgrim child sitting "in a tree/dreaming of the tall, strong ship/on which he crossed the sea"); or an origami doll who magically comes to life, Laura Melmed's books always have one thing in common: a vivid and whimsical imagination. This comes as no surprise: Laura spent much of her New York childhood writing, directing and performing in plays and talent shows. Now living in Washington, D.C., Laura says "writing is hard work. But it is also terrific fun." Her latest book, Hurry Hurry Have You Heard, is a sweet and original Christmas tale sure to become a much-loved holiday classic. Please visit Laura at http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/melmed-laura.html
Rosalyn Schanzer
What do George Washington, Ben Franklin, Davy Crockett, Charles Darwin, and John Smith have in common? They all star in thoroughly researched, and thoroughly enjoyable, books by Rosalyn Schanzer! Originally making a living as an illustrator for everything from Hallmark greeting cards and pop-up books, to magazines, posters - and other people's books — Rosalyn decided to take the plunge in 1993, and try her skillful hand at writing and illustrating her own. Likening herself to a detective, Rosalyn takes pride (and great joy) in unearthing anecdotes and little known historical tidbits about her subjects. Blending sparkling humor, bright colors, and actual first-person quotes, Rosalyn brings yesterday's legends to life for today's readers. If you're wondering why Rosalyn is drawn (no pun intended) to these larger-than-life heroes, it could be because she is quite an adventurer herself: a nationally ranked Master's swimmer, she has swum with sharks; kayaked with whales; and explored ancient ruins in Peru and Bolivia. But of all her adventures, nothing compares to the excitement of creating, and sharing, these fresh and fun stories with classrooms of dazzled readers. See for yourself by visiting Rosalyn at http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/schanzer-rosalyn.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.