I recently visited an organic research farm where they are studying how to extend the growing season up here in western New York State. They are also quite focused on proper soil preparation. As our guide said, "It's all in the soil." They are obviously doing many things right. There were cherry tomatoes for sale by mid-May, about two months earlier than normal, and the yield continues to be high. There are beds of beautiful herbs, an abundance of tomatoes, and delicious green beans. Seeing the eggplant, I have decided to include it in my garden next year. I never realized what beautiful leaves and pretty purple flowers it produces. (A little aside here: Since my mother-in-law makes the world's best Eggplant Parmesan, I will be happy to provide the eggplant.) Since this is a research farm, not every attempt works out as they would hope. However, as our guide said, they always learn something and try to apply what they have learned to the next project. Now that is a good guideline for all of us.

Here at CLCD we are not in the business of growing fruits and vegetables. Rather, we are in the business of growing readers. While we are not in the business of experimenting with the readers, the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) provides the nourishing base when you "experiment" with book titles and reading levels to find just the right book to meet the needs of your readers. Once you find the right book, CLCD will be there to locate subsequent titles and interesting information about a book or an author. Think of that as the additional nutrients that are crucial for a bountiful harvest. CLCD has the power to create and then satisfy "hungry readers."

Twitter

If you were receiving our tweets this past month, you would have been among the first to watch the movie trailer of FLIPPED (based on the novel by Wendelin Van Draanen); followed a link to a review of The Sixteenth Edition of the Chicago Manual of Style; and learned that CLCD has been named one of the TOP FIVE RESOURCES FOR FALL by SLJ. To read our tweets go to our home page www.childrenslit.com.

Our Blog

Interesting perspectives, keen insights, and practical applications are what you will discover on our blog. Authors Mary Bowman-Kruhm and Wendie Old address the issue of blogs in "Leap into Blogging." They offer good advice to novices in the world of blogging and some very helpful reminders to those who blog frequently.

To read our blog go to our home page www.childrenslit.com.

Quote of the Month

"We are really excited about the new CLCD/OPAC link. I have several classes that I show the CLCD database and now I have even more to show them!! Once again, thank you to Children's Literature and your work to improve what you provide and how you share information."
Naomi Williamson
Professor, Library Services
Special Collections/Children's Literature Festival
University of Central Missouri

OUR 50% OFF BOOK SALE
Children's Literature provides support for book sales at numerous author events, school book fairs and the like. Often we have one or two copies of a book left that we do not bother to return to the publisher. Our stock has grown, and we would like to make some very good, never-used books available on a first come first serve basis at a very attractive price: 50% off list (you do pay the shipping charges). We will not order books as part of this special program. An order form is provided that identifies this month's book sale offerings. A revised order form will be posted each month on our website home page. To learn how to place your order, visit us at www.childrenslit.com.

Monthly Features

The features on our web site present selected titles. For a more comprehensive and complete list of published titles with multiple reviews, use the CLCD.

Grandparents Day is September 12, 2010. With more than 70 million grandparents in the United States this special day provides an opportunity for you to encourage intergenerational reading with favorite titles as well as newer ones. Included in our feature is a book that places a familiar and favorite character in a new situation and promises a giggling good time. In Amelia Bedelia's First Apple Pie by Herman Parish and illustrated by Lynne Avril, a young Amelia Bedelia visits her grandparents and is introduced to "Granny Smith" as she learns to bake an apple pie with her grandmother.

Hispanic Heritage Month begins September 15. Our feature includes helpful websites as well as a wide range of titles, from folktales, to books on authors, and Sonia Sotomayor: Supreme Court Justice by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez.

Bake an apple cake in honor of Johnny Appleseed whose birthday is September 26, 1774. He is part of the folklore of early America, but he was also a real person. Our update includes biographies for several reading levels that separate the man from the myth. Preschools and primary grades often have units about apples in the fall. You are sure to find a new title to use from this feature, such as Applesauce Season by Eden Ross Lipson.

Our feature on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur has been updated. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by Lynn Peppas is one of eight more titles in the Celebrations in my World Series from Crabtree Publishing. With its large print and captioned illustrations, it will be a welcome addition to primary classes that are taking a beginning look at different cultures and their celebrations.

Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel wandered the desert after their exodus from Egypt. It is also a festival marking the end of the autumn fruit harvest, and is one of the three pilgrimage holidays. Sukkot by Reagan Miller, another title in the Celebrations in my World Series from Crabtree Publishing, explores the origins of the celebration, its history, traditions, symbols, food, music, and activities which are associated with the holiday.

Author and Illustrator Features

Blue Balliett offers insight into her newest mystery, The Danger Box. She explains why she chose to focus on a famous scientist, why she just HAD to write this book, her relationship with her grandparents, and her writing process. Discover where she likes to write, and why she says, "You could say I'm a danger box kind of girl."

Patricia Newman tackles high-interest topics for primary grade students in her two books, Nugget on the Flight Deck and Jingle the Brass. She talks about her writing process, inspiration, research, school visits, and hobbies in this interview with Jeanne K. Pettenati for CLCD. By the way, Patricia will be in the Washington, DC area in October. You can find out where in this interview.

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.

Patrick O'Brien

A new addition to our Booking Service, Patrick O'Brien has been a professional artist/illustrator since leaving art school in 1986, creating artwork for clients such as National Geographic, The Discovery Channel, The Smithsonian, and The American Museum of Natural History. Much of Patrick's work is nonfiction: before attending art school, Patrick earned a degree in biology from the University of Virginia. The children's books he writes and illustrates are often about historic or prehistoric subjects, such as giant dinosaurs, ancient sharks, knights, and pirates. Or space, as in the case of You Are the First Kid on Mars. Patrick has been visiting schools for over ten years, bringing along rough sketches and drafts, color proofs, original paintings, and even shark teeth and sabertooth-cat fangs to show students. For more information about Patrick, please visit http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/obrien-patrick.html.

Uma Krishnaswami

Veteran author, and Children's Literature reviewer, Uma Krishnaswami has several new and upcoming titles, including the picture book, Out of the Way! Out of the Way!, which was recently published by Tulika Books in English and eight Indian languages. Uma is the author of over a dozen books for children and her poems and short stories have been published in Highlights for Children as well as the magazines of the Cricket group. Her picture book, Chachaji's Cup was turned into a musical by Making Books Sing and was performed in New York and San Francisco. Uma is a long-time member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the Children's Book Guild of Washington, DC. In addition to her writing and speaking, she is on the faculty of the Vermont College MFA Program in Writing for Children & Young Adults. For more information about Uma, please visit http://www.childrenslit.com/bookingservice/krishnaswami-uma.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.