As I write this I have just returned from ALA Midwinter. It is always such an exciting weekend, so full of anticipation. Discussions with friends and colleagues focus on what books will win best book honors. The air on Monday morning is electrified as the award winners are announced. In addition, all weekend we were hearing about the new spring titles. At the CLCD booth we talked with librarians from public libraries, elementary and high schools, and colleges and universities and demonstrated the myriad and helpful ways the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) can be used and can save time.

As I look at the February calendar of events, I can see many ways to incorporate the new award winners into displays and the classroom. Langston Hughes' birthday is February 1st. The Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner, My People, is the perfect book to display. February is also Black History Month, Rosa Parks' birthday (Feb. 4) and Hank Aaron's birthday (Feb. 5). Major League Baseball Spring Training begins with pitchers and catchers, just in case you want to get a jump on spring. The CLCD can help you locate the books your readers want and need on all these topics.

With Charles Lindbergh's birthday (Feb. 4) and the anniversary of John Glenn's first orbit around the earth (Feb. 20) you might want to create a display of some of the newest books on space flight. With Susan B. Anthony's birthday (Feb. 15) and Elizabeth Blackwell's birthday (Feb. 3), why not combine all these famous people and their firsts with the Robert F. Sibert Medal winner, Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream?

Don't forget to wish Norman Bridwell a Happy Birthday on February 15. For a list of all the Clifford books and their reviews, reading levels, formats, Spanish language titles, and a web feature on Bridwell, go to the source that offers you the most information in one simple-to-get-to place: the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database, www.childrenslit.com.

Twitter

If you were receiving our tweets this past month, you would have been among the first to learn about a video of Jerry Pinkney discussing his inspiration for The Lion and the Mouse; a New Yorker piece about Neil Gaiman; the 2010 Sydney Taylor Book Awards; and a link to "Marmalade Mayhem," a game to play with Paddington in honor of Michael Bond's birthday.

Our Blog

Interesting perspectives, keen insights, and practical applications are what you will discover on our blog. Uma Krishnaswami talks about the adaptation of her picture book, Chachaji's Cup, into a musical by Making Books Sing. Our fall semester extern from the University of Maryland reports his observations of the workings of the CLCD.

Quote of the Month

"We decided to renew Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. We find this resource invaluable!"
Margaret Foote, Coordinator, Collection Services
Eastern Kentucky University Libraries
Richmond, KY

CLCD offers an "OPAC" linking ability that allows a patron or staff member to query the local library's holdings. When this feature is activated, a link will appear in the search results labeled "Check if your library holds this title." When this link is clicked a window opens to the OPAC that will display the item if it is in the collection. There is a one time set up fee.

Monthly Features

Our features present selected titles. For a more comprehensive and complete list of published titles with multiple reviews, use the CLCD.

The Winter Olympics will be held between February 12th and 28th in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Be ready with some new titles about the winter sports Canadians and Americans play, a biography of snowboarder Shaun White, informational books on the competitive sports, and links to internet sites. Our reviewer says The Night Olympic Team: Fighting to Keep Drugs Out of the Games by Caroline Hatton is a must-read for young adults.

Celebrate Valentine's Day with poems, an "I Spy" book, offbeat stories and sweet tales, too. My favorite is My Heart Is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall which will be terrific in storyhour and in a Language Arts lesson on similes. There is a book trailer available. To view it go to the Greenwillow website at http://greenwillowblog.com/?p=47. If you would like to see what animals didn't make the final book, go to http://greenwillowblog.com/?p=56. Have fun creating your own heart-filled animals.

The celebration of Chinese New Year 4708, the Year of the Tiger, begins on February 14th. We have links to internet sites on the history of the celebration, and crafts and games to share with your students. Our feature includes a 2010 Newbery Honor book that will make a lovely read aloud, and What the Rat Told Me: A Legend of the Chinese Zodiac by Marie Sellier and Wang Fei which is on the 2010 USBBY Outstanding International Books List.

Presidents' Day is Monday February 16. Our feature includes several books on President Obama, as well as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. There are books that provide overviews of all our presidents and a website on presidential trivia. John Adams, a biography by Wil Mara for ages 11 to 14, will acquaint readers with early American history as well as this illustrious statesman and second president of the United States.

Author Features

Kristin Cashore's newest novel, Fire, is a loosely related companion to her debut novel Graceling. Although a young author, Kristin chooses to write longhand in notebooks. Learn about her writing process and what frightens her in this feature by Emily Griffin.

Jon Scieska as the Literacy Ambassador spoke often about the need to get boys interested in reading. His newest book Robot Zot! has definite boy appeal. Marilyn Courtot's article succinctly states Jon's points about the way boys read and his practical and enjoyable tips on how to get them to do so.

Reminder: if you missed a newsletter or want to check on a previous feature, please note that all the newsletters are posted for your convenience here.

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

Carole Boston Weatherford

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Carole Boston Weatherford made her literary debut in 1995 with Juneteenth Jamboree, the story of a Mexican-American girl who learns about Juneteenth--a Texas tradition celebrating the end of slavery. Since then Carole has written over twenty books for children and has won awards such as a Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award for Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led her People to Freedom (2006); a Carter G. Woodson Award and an NAACP Image Award nomination for The Sound that Jazz Makes; Becoming Billie Holiday won a Coretta Scott King Author Honor; and Birmingham, 1963 won the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award in 2008. This spring Carole has four new books: Obama: Only in America, Michelle Obama: First Lady, Oprah: The Little Speaker, and The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights. In addition to writing she teaches at Fayetteville State University; she lives in High Point, NC with her husband, Ronald, and her son and daughter. For more information about Carole, please visit http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/weatherford-caroleboston.html.

Don Tate

Raised in Des Moines, Iowa Don Tate is the author/illustrator of more than twenty-five books for children. Don uses oil and acrylic to create paintings with a uniquely bold and dynamic style. A self-taught painter and digital illustrator, each book that he creates has a life and style of its own. Passionate about art since childhood, Don's presentations show children the many ways stories can be told, and how he uses painted pictures to tell stories. Don has illustrated such books as Ron's Big Mission (2009), based on the true story of the Challenger astronaut Ron McNair; Summer Sun Risin' (2002), the story of a young African-American boy and his family's typical day on their farm from sun up to sun down; and Sure as Sunrise (2004), the retelling of popular southern characters Bruh Rabbit, Sis Possum, Bruh Bear, and Bruh Fox. Don lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and son; he works full-time as an illustrator/graphics reporter for the Austin American Statesman. For more information about Don, please visit http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/tate-don.html.

CLCD Newsletter Editor, Sharon Salluzzo serves as a library and education consultant to CLCD. In addition, Sharon is a book reviewer, a storyteller who often performs with The Genesee Storytellers, and a member of The Children's Book Guild of Washington, DC. 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.