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FINDLAY, Diane, ed. LibrarySparks: Library Lessons. 200p. Upstart. 2010. pap. $17.95. ISBN 978-1-60213-052-4. LC number unavailable. HERRING, James E. Improving Students’ Web Use and Information Literacy: A Guide for Teachers and Teacher Librarians. 143p. charts. diags. illus. bibliog. index. Web sites. Facet. 2010. pap. $85. ISBN 978-1-85604-743-2. LC number unavailable. JARRELL, Jill S. & Tara C. Cannon. Cooler Than Fiction: A Planning Guide for Teen Nonfiction Booktalks. 189p. photos. further reading. index. CIP. McFarland. 2011. pap. $45. ISBN 978-0-7864-4886-9; ebook $45. ISBN 978-0-7864-6183-7. LC 2010040710. REID, Rob. Reid’s Read-Alouds 2: Modern-Day Classics from C. S. Lewis to Lemony Snicket. 145p. CIP. ALA. 2010. pap. $45. ISBN 978-0-8389-1072-6. LC 2010028985. SCHALL, Lucy. Value-Packed Booktalks: Genre Talks and More for Teen Readers. 261p. index. CIP. Libraries Unlimited. 2011. pap. $45. ISBN 978-1-59884-735-2; ebook $45. ISBN 978-1-59884-736-9. LC 2010053243.
Compiled from the first six volumes of the magazine LibrarySpark s, this book contains 24 lessons by librarians and educators attuned to the interests, needs, and learning styles of youngsters from kindergarten through fifth grade. Covering the school year from library orientation to summer reading lists, these literature-rich lessons include nods to Harry Potter (map skills), Meggie’s bookbinder father in Inkheart (parts of a book), and Lemony Snicket’s Hotel Denouement (Dewey Demical system). A mock Caldecott unit shows media/techniques for popular picture-book titles, while wordless picture books enhance a lesson on metacognition. Whether doing owl, bat, or spider research (grades 1-3); showcasing state mini-research (grades 3-5); or accessing free online reference tools (grades 4-6), students are challenged to access information in a variety of formats. This fine collection will provide rich and rewarding lessons all year long. –Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN
Directed toward teacher-librarians, school-technology personnel, and school administrators, this guide emphasizes the importance of information literacy and provides ideas and practical ways to develop web and technology resources. Chapter one begins with a review of what makes a good teacher, with a brief look at the learning theories of behaviorism and constructivism, lesson planning, and collaboration. Subsequent chapters include information and direction for becoming effective Internet searchers; how to use the skills as classroom resources; evaluating sites; defining and using Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, and photo sharing; ways to improve students’ use of the web; utilization of web tools and developing websites in classroom instruction; and the future of information skills. Each chapter begins with a list of objectives. In-service training recommendations and a short conclusion followed by a reference list conclude each chapter. Numerous black-and-white figures and tables support the informative text, but some very small and blurry print used in some of the figures, as well as a few errors scattered throughout the text, tend to distract from the reading. –Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE
While the main focus is on booktalks, this volume also includes a handful of discussion questions and project ideas for each book listed. A few of the sections offer tips to “meld the various topics into your classroom environment.” Each chapter is organized by subject or genre: “Funny, Gross, and Disturbing”; “Biographies and Memoirs”; “Science”; and “Nature”; to name a few. The index is useful and necessary, but the title list at the end has a confusing heading: “Booktalking Resources: Suggested Books with Booktalks.” While the intention to encourage the use of nonfiction with teens is admirable, the execution is uneven. Some of the booktalks are basically plot summaries without specifics or anything compelling to entice an audience. Others are well done and give specific instructions on what to say and/or what to read aloud. For those new to booktalking, Lucy Schall’s Genre Talks for Teens: Booktalks and More for Every Teen Reading Interest (2009) and Kristine Mahood’s Booktalking with Teens (2010, both Libraries Unlimited) give more specifics. Both include some nonfiction selections among mostly fiction titles. Experienced booktalkers who want to add some nonfiction titles to their repertoires will definitely find something here to use. It’s unfortunate that there was no consideration taken to show more diversity; all of the people in the small black-and-white photos are Caucasian and in one of the booktalks on immigration it is assumed that most of the audience’s ancestors would have come through Ellis Island.–Renee McGrath, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY
The very successful first edition of Reid’s Read-Alouds (ALA, 2009) profiled children’s and young adult books published between the years 2000 and 2008. This companion volume showcases 200 strong titles that were published from 1950 to 1999. Reid offers a variety of genres and age levels, and a good balance between male and female protagonists. The titles were still in print when selected. Equally important was the desire to avoid racial stereotypes, excessive swearing, sexual incidents, or characters dealing with personal private matters. That’s not to say that some of the selections don’t include some strong language. The focus is on books that are great to read to groups of young people. Each entry includes a brief plot summary, suggested grade level, and Reid’s signature “10 Minute Selections,” which are engaging episodes from the books that can be read in one sitting. These alone make the book a valuable resource. The annotations are organized by author; three helpful lists divide titles by decade and year, subject, and grade level. There’s an occasional book that may be hard to find, but most of them should be in current collections. Great for those times when a class visit shows up and you need to do programming on the fly.–Renee McGrath, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY
This volume provides an in-depth breakdown of nearly 100 books in a variety of categories. Each selection features a title summary, suggested page numbers for read-aloud moments, a sample booktalk, invaluable connections to the school curriculum, and related works. Each category, such as “Problem Solving: Mystery” and “Heritage: Historical Books,” also includes several helpful subcategories, including “Loyalty” and “Equality.” The book includes notable award-winning books, but also features lesser-known titles that would be of value to teachers hoping to connect fiction to their lesson plans. It should be noted that many classic YA novels are missing from the selections; while this book will prove to be a useful tool, it should be used in tandem with other guides that include more classics.–Ryan Donovan, New York Public Library
