New Nonfiction Books

Exploring Habitats (series)
Deserts
Coral Reefs
Rain Forests
Prairies
Tundra
Wetlands

Learn About Values (series)
Patriotism
Forgiveness
Friendliness
Courage
Generosity
Loyalty
Respect
Honesty
Patience
Responsibility
Thankfulness
Tolerance

Earth's Cycles (series)
The Water Cycle
The Rock Cycle
The Food Cycle
The Seasons Cycle
The Plant Life Cycle
The Animal Life Cycle

Feeling Sick? (series)
Coughs and Colds
Asthma
Sore Throat
Diabetes
Chickenpox
Allergies

Bullies - Jonathan Kravetz

New Biology Textbook

The Design of Life: Discovering Signs of Intelligence in Biological Systems - William A. Dembski and Jonathan Wells

New DVD

Max's Words - School Library Journal Best Books of the Year list

When Max cuts out words from magazines and newspapers, collecting them the way his brothers collect stamps and coins, they all learn about words, sentences, and storytelling.

New Children's Books

Piglet and Mama - Margaret Wild
When Piglet cannot find her mother, all of the barnyard animals try to make her feel better, but Piglet wants nothing but Mama.

On Meadowview Street - Henry Cole
Upon moving to a new house, young Caroline and her parents encourage wildflowers to grow and birds and animals to stay in their yard, which soon has the whole suburban street living up to its name.

Charlotte's Web: The Essential Guide - Amanda Li
A comprehensive look at the film that includes character pictures and scenes from the movie.

New Children's Books

Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O'Hara - Elvira Woodruff
Darcy Heart O'Hara, a young Irish girl who neglects her chores to observe the beauties of nature and everyday life, shares "family memories" with her homesick parents and siblings after the O'Haras are forced to emigrate to America in the 1840s.

Haym Salomon: American Patriot - Susan Goldman Rubin
The story of the "Financier of the American Revolution," Haym Solomon.

Everything You Need to Know: An Encyclopedia for Inquiring Young Minds
A great book of knowledge for children ages four to eight with a combination of facts, colorful illustrations, stories, and projects.

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See - Bill Martin
Illustrations and rhyming text portray a young bear searching for its mother and meeting many North American animals along the way.

New YA Books

Ingo - Helen Dunmore
As they search for their missing father near their Cornwall home, Sapphy and her brother Conor learn about their family's connection to the domains of air and of water.


Land of the Silver Apples - Nancy Farmer
After escaping from the Sea of Trolls, the apprentice bard Jack plunges into a new series of adventures, traveling underground to Elfland and uncovering the truth about his little sister Lucy.

Hurricane Force - Joseph B. Treaster
Describes how violent storms and hurricanes are formed and notes some of history's greatest storms to hit the U.S., such as Hurricane Katrina.

January 2008 Newsletter

CMC 40th Anniversary

The third monthly drawing celebrating the 40th anniversary of the CMC was held on December 4. The winning entry was drawn by visiting children's author Adam Rex, and the winner was Stephanie Bollman, who received two autographed books by Adam. Congratulations to Stephanie! There is still time to enter January's drawing for a $25 gift certificate to the library's MediaPlex.

CMC Enhancement

Over Christmas break, a video projector and screen were installed in the CMC. Professors can now access the Internet or class files for use during class sessions being held in the CMC.

Websites of the Month

Lookybook is a fascinating website that enables the viewer to actually look at a large number of children's books. The website states that "Lookybook allows you to look at picture books in their entirety—from cover to cover, at your own pace. We know that nothing will replace the magic of reading a book with your child at bedtime, but we aim to replace the overwhelming and frustrating process of finding the right books for parents and their kids".

SIMPLE Science, an online collection of science activities created by Tucson, Ariz.-based education company Science Approach, is now available with funding from the National Science Foundation. Each topic can be covered in a 50-minute class session. The site is free and is available to anyone with high-speed internet access and a Java-enabled browser.

The site's goal is to help overcome barriers to the use of image processing and analysis in K-12 classrooms by giving educators access to extensive, updatable archives of imaging data, while designing a pedagogical structure that helps teachers use imaging data in a way that supports middle-school science standards. (eSchoolNews)

Subscribe to CMC Blog Posts by Email

Just a reminder that you can now receive CMC blog postings via email, rather than having to check the blog or subscribe through the RSS reeds. You will receive one email on any day that new content is added to the blog. Just enter your email address in the form to the right. This is a great way to keep informed about new resources being added to the CMC.

New Resources

During December, several trade book series were added to the CMC collection, including books on diseases, habitats, and character traits and values. Click here to see the complete list of new materials added in Deecmber.

New Pop-Up Book

The Chronicles of Narnia - Pop-ups by Robert Sabuda
Each of the seven Chronicles of Narnia books has its own pop-up spread with detail and special effects.

New Graphic Novel

The Plain Janes- Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
When Jane moves to the suburbs, she thinks her life is over, but she meets three friends who form a club P.L.A.I.N.E., but can art really save a group of misfits from high school?

New Science Teaching Aids

Lightning Ball
This lamp reacts to touch and sound to create lightning. Electrical adapter included.

Anemometer
This small anemometer measures wind speed on the Beaufort scale or in meters per second.

Rock and Mineral Testing Lab
This test kit is intended to help students learn to separate rocks and minerals, classify rocks by type, use mineral properties to identify unknown minerals, and design classification plans.

Ant Life Cycle Stages
Set includes ant eggs (stage 1), larvae (stage 2), pupa (stage 3), and an adult ant (stage 4).

Giant Frog Model
Plastic, see-through model of a frog, with removable organs, which could be used to explain dissection.



Fossils: Invertebrate Set
Set of six invertebrate fossils, including coelenterate, gastropod, cephalopod, echinoderm, brachiopod, and arthropod.

Fossils: Vertebrate and Plant Set
Contains samples of fossil ferns, a dinosaur bone, a shark tooth, fish, and petrified wood.

Screw Model
Large screw in wooden platform allows children to explore the basic concept of the simple machine, the screw.

Mineral Study Kit
Includes specimens of fifteen minerals along with common identification tools and a worksheet listing the minerals' characteristics and qualities.

Contour Mapping Activity Kit
This activity kit contains all the materials necessary to build and map mountians and the ocean floor.

Butterflies Felt Set
This flannelgraph set includes 12 butterflies, 2 ladybugs, 2 bees, and pieces representing the four stages of the butterfly life cycle.

Adam Rex Visits

On Tuesday, author/illustrator Adam Rex visited Cedarville University, where he spoke to Dr. Tom Sweigard's children's literature class and other invited students, faculty, and staff. Adam spoke about how he became a children's author and showed pictures of his books in various stages of their development. Afterwards, a reception was held in the library's Media Auditorium. Adam's visit was made possible by Xenia Community Schools elementary librarian, Becca Stroble.

New Materials for November

The list of new CMC materials for November is now available. Please click here.

New Professional Book

Children's Books: A Practical Guide to Selection - Phyllis J. Van Orden
The selection process -- General criteria for the selection process -- Selecting a diverse range of works -- Using selection tools effectively -- Picture books -- Fiction -- Fiction genres -- Folk literature -- Rhymes and poetry -- Information and reference books -- Additional subjects

New YA Book

Notes for a War Story - Gipi
An astonishing urban fable of life in a lawless, war-torn nation, heightened by the uncanny artwork of Italy's maestro graphic novel author.

New Children's Book

The Magic Rabbit - Annette LeBlanc Cate
When Bunny becomes separated from Ray, a magician who is his business partner and friend, he follows a crowd to a park where he has a lovely afternoon, and after the people leave and darkness falls, the lonely and frightened Bunny finds a glittering trail of hope.

New Reading Textbooks

Storytown - Harcourt

New Textbooks

New from Scott-Foresman:

Reading Street
Grades K-6










Science - Ohio edition

New Christmas Books

Angela and the Baby Jesus - Frank McCourt, illustrated by Loren Long
Six year-old Angela of Limerick, Ireland, worries for the Baby Jesus on the altar of St. Joseph's Church near School House Lane where she lives and on the damp, cold December nights the baby is sure to need her help.

Angela and the Baby Jesus - Frank McCourt, illustrated by Raul Colon
Six year-old Angela of Limerick, Ireland, worries for the Baby Jesus on the altar of St. Joseph's Church near School House Lane where she lives and on the damp, cold December nights the baby is sure to need her help.

Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve - Janet Morgan Stoeke
Minerva Louise follows a farmer in a red hat from a snowy rooftop, down a "well," and into the house with the red curtains, where she finds a tree decorated with sparkling eggs.

Little Rabbit's Christmas - Harry Horse When the Christmas Rabbit makes his wish come true and brings him the beautiful red sled from the store window, Little Rabbit wants it all to himself until he learns that even the best gift is better when shared.

The Night Before Christmas - Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat Die-cut pages and a pop-up illustration enhance the classic children's poem about the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll - Patricia C. McKissack Nella asks Santa for a Baby Betty doll, but she lives during the Depression. When her wish comes true, she must learn to share.

New YA Books

Redwall: The Graphic Novel - Brian Jacques
When the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes, Matthias, a young mouse, determines to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which, he is convinced, will help Redwall's inhabitants destroy the enemy.

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman - Adrienne Kress
Alex, who lives with her uncle in the flat above their doorknob shop, meets her new teacher, Mr. Underwood, a descendant of a famous pirate, and soon three vicious men turn up in town, looking for a map to a fabled family treasure.

Touching Snow - M. Sandy Felin
After her stepfather is arrested for child abuse, thirteen-year-old Karina's home life improves but while the severity of her older sister's injuries and the urging of her younger sister, their uncle, and a friend tempt her to testify against him, her mother and other well-meaning adults pursuade her to claim responsibility.

The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous - Suzanne Crowley
In the small town of Jumbo, Texas, thirteen-year old Merrille, who has Asperger's Syndrome, tries to live a "very ordered existence". But disruption begins when a boy and his father arrive in town and the youngster makes himself a part of the family.

The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan
When the goddess Artemis disappears while hunting a rare, ancient monster, a group of her followers joins Percy and his friends in an attempt to find and rescue her before the winter solstice, when her influence is needed to sway the Olympian Council regarding the war with the Titans.

Elijah of Buxton - Christopher Paul Curtis
In 1859, eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman, the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada, which is a haven for slaves fleeing the American south, uses his wits and skills to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family's freedom.

New Children's Books

The Secret World of Hildegard - Jonah Winter
An introduction to the life of Hildegard of Bingen, who lived in a time when women were expected only to obey--not to have visions or speak about them. Yet she did speak, and through her courage became one of the greatest mystics and composers of the medieval age.

Speed Show: How NASCAR Won the Heart of America - Dave Caldwell
February 18, 2001 : "it's what we do" -- The basics : "anybody's a threat" -- Technology : "boogity, boogity, boogity!" -- History : "we're getting more roots" -- The fans : "we've made it to the big time" -- The future : "you're still driving a racecar"

The Snow Baby: The Arctic Childhood of Admiral Robert E. Peary's Daring Daughter - Katherine Kirkpatrick
The childhood of Marie Peary, daughter of Admiral Robert E. Peary.