Friday, September 18, 2009

New Children's Books

By Robert Munsch:

The Dark
When Jule Ann unwittingly releases The Dark from a cookie jar, she must do some quick thinking to prevent it from gobbling up every shadow in sight and growing bigger.

Something Good
Tyya's dad won't buy anything good at the store - no ice cream, no candy, no cookies. But when the saleslady puts a price sticker on Tyya's nose, Daddy is finally forced to buy something good.

Thomas' Snowsuit
His mother, teacher, and principal have a hard time trying to convince Thomas to wear his snowsuit.

Mud Puddle
If Jule Ann sits under a tree or in a sandbox, or even wears a raincoat on a sunny day, the mud puddle will follow her and make her dirty, until one day she battles the persistent puddle with two bars of soap, chasing it away forever.

Down the Drain
Adam gets dirty but doesn't want to take a bath. His dad throws him in the tub and turns on the water. Then he's interrrupted by phone calls. When he finally returns to the bathroom it is full of water.

50 Below Zero
Jason's dad tends to walk in his sleep and ends up in the most unlikely places. On one especially cold night it falls to Jason to find his father and keep him safe.






Berenstain Bear books:

The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter
Brother and Sister Bear are not happy with the idea of Mrs. Grizzle for a baby-sitter, but they find her drawstring bag very intriguing.

The Berenstain Bears and the Bad Influence
Sister Bear and her new friend, Miranda, make a lot of bad decisions--riding down Dead Bear's Hill, eating Ben's apples, running through Mizz McGrizz's tulips. When Mama Bear finds out about these things, she wants Sister to stop playing with their new neighbor. But is it really all Miranda's fault?

Bears in the Night
Seven bears sneak out of bed, through the window, and across the dark countryside to investigate the source of a noise.







Jon Scieszka books:

The Frog Prince Continued
After the frog turns into a prince, he and the Princess do not live happily ever after and the Prince decides to look for a witch to help him remedy the situation. The Frog Prince, now a nice young man, and his nagging wife go their separate ways. He encounters witches from other fairy tales, and tires of his adventures, returning home for yet another happy ending with his Princess. To appreciate this send-up, children should have at least a passing acquaintance with the original. It will make them feel like insiders in the land of fractured stories.

Baloney (Henry P.)
A transmission received from outer space in a combination of different Earth languages tells of an alien schoolboy's fantastic excuse for being late to school again.

Melvin Might?
Melvin, a cautious cement mixer, worries that he cannot keep up with the other trucks, but when Rita needs help, he overcomes his fear in order to help her.

New Graphic Novels

The Eternal Smile - Gene Luen Yang
Meet Duncan. Charming and brave, he's the Princess's favorite-- and he's on his way to winning the throne. But lately, the walls of reality in Duncan's kingdom are wearing a little thin-- -- Meet Gran'pa Greenbax. Nothing seems to satisfy this greedy old frog's longing for a pool full of gold-- until, one day, a mysterious smile appears in the sky. Has his chance at happiness come at last? -- Meet Janet. Her nine-to-five life takes a turn for the romantic when she learns in an email from a mysterious Nigerian prince that she has been chosen to liberate his family's vast fortune. All he needs is her banking information. In three very different stories, master storytellers Gene Yang and Derek Kirk Kim pit fantasy against reality, for good or for ill.

Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood - Tony Lee
In the depths of the forest, Robin raises an army to challenge the evil Sheriff. Wearing a dark hood for disguise and with his unparalleled gift for the bow, Robin quickly becomes an outlaw, fighting the forces of evil for the good of the poor.

New YA Books

Al Capone Shines My Shoes - Gennifer Choldenko
Moose Flanagan, who lives on Alcatraz along with his family and the families of the other prison guards, is frightened when he discovers that noted gangster Al Capone, a prisoner there, wants a favor in return for the help that he secretly gave Moose.

A Season of Gifts - Richard Peck
Relates the surprising gifts bestowed on twelve-year-old Bob Barnhart and his family, who have recently moved to a small Illinois town in 1958, by their larger-than-life neighbor, Mrs. Dowdel.

Sent - Margaret Peterson Haddix
Jonah, Katherine, Chip, and Alex suddenly find themselves in 1483 at the Tower of London, where they discover that Chip and Alex are Prince Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, imprisoned by their uncle, King Richard III, but trying to repair history without knowing what is supposed to happen proves challenging. Author's note includes historical facts about the princes and king.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Grace Lin
Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.

The Magician's Elephant - Kate DiCamillo
When ten-year-old orphan Peter Augustus Duchene encounters a fortune teller in the marketplace one day and she tells him that his sister, who is presumed dead, is in fact alive, he embarks on a remarkable series of adventures as he desperately tries to find her.

The Eyeball Collector - F.E. Higgins
Although Hector Fitzbaudly has always lived a plush life on the posh side of the River Foedus, he's yearned to slip away from his comfortable home and see the seedy side of Urbs Umida. Unfortunately, he gets his chance when a blackmail artist confronts his father with a terrible secret from his past, and Hector finds himself penniless and on the streets. He is determined to get his revenge against the man responsible, who has been a pauper, a gentleman, and an Eyeball Collector--stealing jewels from the wealthy to make false eyes to replace his missing one. He is a master of disguise, and a swindler who moves from place to place. Hector trails the Eyeball Collector to the small village of Pagus Parvus and the foreboding Withypitts Hall, run by the eccentric Lady Mandible who has a strange taste for the macabre. He takes a job incubating butterflies for Lady Mandible, and places himself in the perfect position to take revenge. Hector is so close to the Eyeball Collector, but will he be able to go through with his plan?

The Orange Houses - Paul Griffin
Tamika, a fifteen-year-old hearing-impaired girl, Jimmi, an eighteen-year-old veteran who stopped taking his antipsychotic medication, and sixteen-year-old Fatima, an illegal immigrant from Africa, meet and connect in their Bronx, New York, neighborhood, with devastating results.

A Map of the Known World - Lisa Ann Sandell
Devastated, along with her parents, by the death of her older brother and apprehensive about being a freshman in the same high school he attended, fourteen-year-old Cora finds unexpected solace in art.

Cold Skin - Steven Herrick
In a rural Australian coal mining town shortly after World War II, teenaged Eddie makes a startling discovery when he investigates the murder of a local high school girl.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

New Children's Books

Lights Out, Night's Out - William Boniface
A whole other world begins to wake as you prepare for bed. Spiders spin their silky webs; bats do ballets in the sky. The nighttime landscape comes alive through AniMotion technology.






Little Mouse Gets Ready - Jeff Smith
Little Mouse gets dressed to go to the barn with his mother, brothers, and sisters.




Sleepy Time Blessings - Sally Anne Conan
Rhyming text assures that God and the angels are watching over and blessing baby throughout the night.

New Award Books

Bubble Trouble - Margaret Mahy
Mabel blows a bubble that captures Baby and wafts him away, resulting in a wild chase that involves the whole neighborhood.

Harris Finds His Feet - Catherine Rayner
Harris, a very small hare with very big feet, has an elderly Grandad who teaches him the many uses of big, strong feet and other important life lessons.

New Professional Resource

The Power of Picture Books: Using Content Area Literature in Middle School - Mary Jo Fresch
Provides synopses of 50 picture books along with discipline-specific and cross-curricular activities that illustrate how picture books can be used to supplement traditional textbooks. Offers title suggestions that create a text set of supporting resources.

Christian Education Activity and Idea Book

Games, Games, More Games: 101 Great Ideas for Youth Clubs - Tirzah L. Jones
Covers wide range of activities, including five-minute fillers, indoor and outdoor activities, thinking games, etc., divided into activities for ages 4-7 years, 8-11 year olds, and 12+ year olds.

Monday, September 14, 2009

New Reference Books

Educators Guide to Free Videos: Elementary/Middle School Edition
Presents 1,029 free-to-keep and free-loan videotapes and DVDs specially selected for viewing by preK-8 students.









Educators Guide to Free Multicultural Materials
Includes 931 free films, videotapes, web sites, and printed materials.










Middle School Teachers Guide to Free Curriculum Materials
Free materials selected for their suitability for use especially in the middle grades. Features 976 free printed materials maps, teacher's guides, books and booklets, leaflets, charts, articles, etc.

New Nonfiction Books

Power Up!: Coal - Robert Green
Offers students an introduction to coal, focusing on how it is used for energy, what can be done to conserve it, how it is mined, and other related topics.

Power Up!: Waste to Energy - Robert Green
Explores how old newspapers, food containers, and trash can be used to create electrical energy; describes nonrenewable forms of energy, how electrical power plants work, and tips on recycling.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

New Children's Books

Panda & Polar Bear - Matthew J. Baek
Curious to know what lies beyond his wintry world, a polar bear goes exploring, falls into a mud puddle, and is mistaken for a panda by a new playmate.

Cat Burglar Black - Richard Sala
K.'s aunt, who works at the Bellsong Academy for Girls, has invited K. to attend the school. But as soon as she arrives, K. notices some strange goings-on: her aunt has suddenly taken ill; there are only three other students and no regular classes; and a statue speaks to K. when no one else is around.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

September 2009 Newsletter

New Christian Education Resources Database

On April 9, a new database went online that helps users locate Christian education resources housed in the Centennial Library’s Curriculum Materials Center. There are over 700 items in the Christian Education Resources Database, which focuses on such resources as children's and youth Bibles, activity and idea books, Christian children's books, children's devotional books, and much more. Users may limit their searches to eleven specific publishers if desired. All new Christian education resources will be added to the database as they arrive in the CMC. Thanks go to Eric Svendsen and Kyle Linden of Computer Services for their work on this project.

Visiting Author

At 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 22, children's and young adult author Elizabeth Cody Kimmel will visit Cedarville University. She will be speaking in the CMC, and there will be a reception following her presentation. Everyone is welcome to attend this event. Click here for a list of her books owned by the CMC.








New Materials

Many new materials were added to the CMC collection over the summer. Here's a
list of the 65 books, teaching aids, and videos added just in the month of August.


Websites of the Month

Copyright law and how it affects classroom teachers can be very confusing! The Center for Social Media at the American University has developed
"The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education" which contains much useful, easy-to-understand information on this important topic. Thanks go to Dr. Gruber for sharing this valuable resource.

The
Glencoe Literature Library offers a collection of study guides in PDF format for a number of (mostly classic) young adult novels, including such titles as Bridge to Terabithia, Across Five Aprils, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Hatchet, and many, many more. Thanks go to Linda Divan, Centennial Library Systems Coordinator, for finding this resource.

Friday, August 28, 2009

New Children's Books

My Penguin Osbert in Love - Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
When Osbert the penguin shows up on his doorstep with several friends along with an invitation to Aurora Australis' party at the South Pole, the boy decides to transport them there in the helicopter he received this year for Christmas.

The McElderry Book of Aesop's Fables - Michael Morpurgo
Retellings of twenty-one classic Aesop fables, including "The Hare and the Tortoise" and "Belling the Cat," in updated language.

Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales - Lucy Cousins
A retelling of the author's eight favorite fairy tales: Little Red Riding Hood -- The three billy goats gruff -- The normous turnip -- Henny Penny -- Goldilocks and the three bears -- The little red hen -- The three little pigs -- The musicians of Bremen

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

New Holiday Books

From the series Holiday Histories by Mir Tamim Ansary:

Arbor Day
Explores the history of Arbor Day, a day that is celebrated by planting trees, and discusses how and why Arbor Day was started.

Columbus Day
Introduces Columbus Day, explaining the historical events behind it, how it became a holiday, and how it is observed.

Presidents' Day
Introduces Presidents' Day, explaining the historical events behind it, how it became a holiday, and how it is observed.

Veterans Day
Introduces Veterans Day, explaining the historical events behind it, how it became a holiday, and how it is observed.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

New YA Books

Poppy and Ereth - Avi
After a long, hard winter in Dimwood forest, Poppy the deer mouse finds new adventure thrust upon her while rescuing Ereth the porcupine from the mud.

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg - Rodman Philbrick
Twelve-year-old Homer, a poor but clever orphan, has extraordinary adventures after running away from his evil uncle to rescue his brother, who has been sold into service in the Civil War.

The Twilight Prisoner - Katherine Marsh
In an effort to impress a female classmate, high school sophomore Jack Perdu endangers both of their lives by taking her to New York City's Underworld, where those who died in New York reside until they are ready to move on.

Palace of Mirrors - Margaret Peterson Haddix
Fourteen-year-old Cecilia has always known she is the true princess of Suala, but when she and her best friend, Harper, decide to speed up her ascendancy to the throne, they find danger and many imposters who challenge her claim.

New Children's Nonfiction Books

Larousse Children's French Dictionary
Presents a French dictionary for children ages eight through eleven and contains twenty-two illustrated scenes, fifty dialogues, cultural information about the country, word games, vocabulary building, and more.

Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea - Steve Jenkins
Provides a top-to-bottom look at the ocean, from birds and waves to thermal vents and ooze.

First Thousand Words in Arabic - Heather Amery
Presents 1,000 common Arabic words accompanied by drawings.

Friday, May 8, 2009

May 2009 Newsletter

New Christian Education Resources Database

On April 9, a new database went online that helps users locate Christian education resources housed in the Centennial Library’s Curriculum Materials Center. There are over 700 items in the Christian Education Resources Database, which focuses on such resources as children's and youth Bibles, activity and idea books, Christian children's books, children's devotional books, and much more. Users may limit their searches to eleven specific publishers if desired. All new Christian education resources will be added to the database as they arrive in the CMC. Thanks go to Eric Svendsen and Kyle Linden of Computer Services for their work on this project.


Website of the Month

According to a recent issue of MultiMedia & Internet@Schools, "the nonprofit Curriki.org is a 3-year-old organization that offers a large collection of free and open source content and collaboration tools" for educators. Teachers can find a large number of customizable individual lesson plans, units of instruction, and even more than 300 full courses. The content is carefully screened by paid and volunteer experts. As textbooks become more and more expensive, and textbook budgets continue to decline, some schools are considering this type of open source collaboration as the answer to a growing problem.


New Materials

During April, nearly 90 new items were added to the CMC collection, including trade books, phonics resources for middle grades, and curriculum sets. Click here to see the full list.

Have a wonderful summer! This newsletter will resume in the fall.