February 2009 CMC Newsletter

ALA Award Books Announced

On January 26, the ALA announced the winners of the major awards for children's literature, including the Newbery and Caldecott awards. This year's Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature is Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, and the Caldecott Medal, awarded to the most distinguished American picture book, went to The House at Night, illustrated by Beth Krommes. See the entire list of award winners at ALA's website.


Orbis Pictus Award Announced

The National Council of Teachers of English announced the winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children last week. Click here to see the announcement.

Happy Birthday, Abe Lincoln!

This month marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, and publishers of children's books have been busy providing a number of new Lincoln titles. Lincoln books recently added to the CMC collection include Abe's Honest Words, Abraham Lincoln Comes Home, Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek, Mr. Lincoln's Boys, Lincoln Through the Lens, and The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary.

Under Construction!

We are embarked on a major project to re-classify (new call numbers) all the teaching aids in the CMC. During this process, some teaching aids will be shelved with the new numbers, and others will still be shelved under the old system. Please ask the CMC librarian or one of the CMC Student Assistants if you're not able to find what you're looking for.

Website of the Month

Lincoln Bicentennial 1809-2009 is the official website of the commission planning the 2009 bicentennial celebration of Lincoln's birth. Included are a timeline, selected speeches and photos of Lincoln, and a special section for kids, with projects, links, quizzes, reading lists, and a coloring book.

New Resources

Nearly 100 new books and teaching aids were added to the CMC collection in January, Click here to see the complete list.

Book Awards Announced

This morning, the American Library Association announced the winners of this year's major book awards. The winner of the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature was Neil Gaiman for The Graveyard Book. The winner of the Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished picture book for children was Beth Krommes for The House in the Night. For the complete list, visit ALA's website.

New Science Teaching Aids

Centripetal Force Board
The Centripetal Force Board demonstrates Newtons First Law of Motion. The included activity guide contains ideas for integrating lessons on force and motion.

3-D Electron Bugs
These unique bug scans were created using an electron microscope. The specimens were scanned to create a 3-D image of the intricate world of bugs. Includes 3-D glasses. Activity guide included.

Under the Sea
100-piece floor puzzle for ages 6 and up. Pictures ecosystem of the ocean and measures approximately 4' tall when assembled.

New VeggieTales DVDs

Tomato Sawyer & Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue
Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry's life on the lazy river takes a turn for adventure when they help a stranger in need. With unexpected twists around every bend, they discover that while helping others may not be the easiest thing to do, it's always the right thing to do.

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
The very timid Elliot (Larry the Cucumber), lazy Sedgewick (Mr. Lunt) and George (Pa Grape), who lacks self-confidence, are three lazy misfits who dream of putting on a show about pirates. With their own problems, this dream might not come true. But, they soon find themselves traveling back in time into the 17th century. They begin a quest to rescue a royal family from an evil tyrant. Along the way, they learn about being pirates.

New Nonfiction Books

A Boy Named Beckoning - Gina Capaldi
This story reveals the life of a Native American boy named Wassaja, who was kidnapped from his tribe and sold as a slave. Adopted and renamed Carlos Montezuma, the young boy traveled throughout the Old West, bearing witness to the poor treatment of Native Americans. Carlos eventually became a doctor and leader for his people.

The Life and World of Aristotle - Brian Williams
Includes bibliographical references and index.

Athletes and Actors and Other Jobs for Ancient Greeks - Anita Ganeri
Offers a glimpse into ancient Greek civilization by examining various occupations that existed during its time including politician, hoplite, spartan and oracle.




Let It Begin Here! - Don Brown
Provides an informative look at the events that lead up to this important day in history when American heroes took a stand against an oppressive monarch in order gain the freedom they deserved in the new land they worked hard to build.

The First World War - Paul Dowswell
Includes bibliographical references and filmography.

Canada - Shirley W. Gray
An introduction to the geography, history, culture, and people of Canada.

America in World War II - Michael Burgan
Allegiance to Western European nations and an attack by Japan drew the United States into a second world war that firmly established it as a major world power.

How to Get Rich in the California Gold Rush - Tod Olson
A personal account of the California Gold Rush from the point-of-view of the fictitious Thomas Hartley.

The Big Book of Canada - Christopher Moore
From Nunavut's Barren Lands to the Torngat Mountains of Newfoundland, from Quebec's Saguenay Fjord to the pingos of the Northwest Territories, The Big Book of Canada explores the many fascinating places that make up this vast land. Christopher Moore, one of the country's foremost historians, brings each province and territory to life, drawing together history and politics, the famous and the infamous, the people, places, and industries that have defined a nation.

1968 - Michael T. Kaufman
From headline to headline, readers are introduced the people and events that defined one pivotal year in history, 1968.

New Fiction Children's Books

Jibberwillies at Night - Rachel Vail
Katie is almost always happy, but sometimes at night, when the Jibberwillies come and scare her, her mother must catch them in a bucket and throw them out the window before Katie can fall asleep.

If I Built a Car - Chris Van Dusen
Jack describes the kind of car he would build--one with amazing accessories and with the capability of traveling on land, in the air, and on and under the sea.

No Babysitters Allowed - Amber Stewart
Hopscotch is a very brave young rabbit until his parents go out and leave him with a babysitter.

M Is for Mischief: An A to Z of Naughty Children - Linda Ashman
A rhyme for each letter of the alphabet describes the misbehavior of a child, from Angry Abby to Zany Zelda.

The Trouble with Trolls - Jan Brett
While climbing Mt. Baldy, Treva outwits some trolls who want to steal her dog.

Comet's Nine Lives - Jan Brett
Comet the cat uses up eight of his nine lives trying to find the right place to live on Nantucket Island.


What Is God Like? - Beverly Lewis
A boy and his younger sister, remembering what their father has told them and what they have read in the Bible, help each other to understand the attributes of God.




Houndsley and Catina - James Howe
Houndsley and Catina run into trouble when they decide to prove that they are the best at cooking and writing, respectively.

It's Time to Sleep, My Love - Eric Metaxas
As children prepare for bed, the world around them is also settling down for the night. Through the seasons, animals who live in the jungle, the forest, and the sea all whisper to their babies, and to yours, a soft refrain: "It's time to sleep, my love."

New CDs

Multiplication Motivation
Lyrics and movement instructions included in container inserts. Includes: The two's stroll -- The circle of threes -- The four's hop -- The alive fives -- The six's surprise -- The waltzing sevens -- The boogie woogie eights -- The nine's blues -- The ten's promenade

Math Readiness
A Hap Palmer collection of original songs designed to teach mathematical concepts of addition and subtraction.

Walter, the Waltzing Worm
A Hap Palmer collection of songs designed to increase basic movement skills.

New Middle School and YA Books

Cat Among the Pigeons - Julia Golding
Catherine "Cat" Royal, an orphan who lives at the Drury Lane Theater in 1790s London, rallies her friends to try to save Pedro from the clutches of Mr. Hawkins, a slavemaster who considers Pedro his property.

The Case of the Left-Handed Lady - Nancy Springer
Pursued by her much older brother, famed detective Sherlock Holmes, fourteen-year-old Enola, disguised and using false names, attempts to solve the kidnapping of a baronet's sixteen-year-old daughter in nineteenth-century London.

After Tupac and D Foster - Jacqueline Woodson
In the New York City borough of Queens in 1996, three girls bond over their shared love of Tupac Shakur's music, as together they try to make sense of the unpredictable world in which they live.

Blue Flame (Book 1 of The Perfect Fire Trilogy) - K. M. Grant
In 1242 in the restive Languedoc region of France, Parsifal, having been charged as a child to guard an important religious relic, has lived in hiding for much of his life until he befriends a young couple on opposite sides of the escalating conflict between the Catholics and the Cathar.

Stone Fox - John Reynolds Gardiner
Little Willie hopes to pay the back taxes on his grandfather's farm with the purse from a dog sled race he enters.

Lucky - Rachel Vail
As Phoebe and her clique of privileged girlfriends get ready to graduate from eighth grade, a financial scandal threatens her family's security--as well as Phoebe's social status--but ultimately it teaches her the real meaning of friendship.

New Chinese DVDs

Play and Learn Chinese with Mei Mei, Part 1
Active videos using song & dance to teach Mandarin Chinese. Concentrates on numbers, body parts, actions, games, greetings, family, names, ages, and songs.

Play and Learn Chinese with Mei Mei, Part 2

New Graphic Novel

Ramp Rats - Liam O'Donnell
Marcus spends the summer teaching his young cousin to skateboard while bringing the local outlaw bikers to justice.

New Children's Nonfiction Books

Our World: A Country-by-Country Guide - Millie Miller
Presents information about the people, places, birds, insects, flowers, endangered species, and more associated with the countries of the world.

Australia - Helen Bateman
Examines different features of Australia, both man-made and natural.


Do Tornadoes Really Twist? - Melvin Berger
Provides answers to a variety of questions about tornadoes and hurricanes, including "Where do most tornadoes strike," and "How long do hurricanes last?"

Barack Obama: Our 44th President - Catherine Nichols
A thorough, illustrated biography discussing the childhood, career family, and election of Barack Obama, forty-fourth president of the United States.

The Zulu of Southern Africa - Christine Cornell
Describes the history and customs of the Zulu people of South Africa.

Canada - Brian Williams
A basic overview of the history, geography, climate, and culture of Canada.


Welcome to Kenya - Patrick Ryan
A brief introduction to the history, culture, geography, and people of Kenya.

100 Native Americans Who Changed American History - Bonnie Juettner
Provides an incisive, authoratative portrayal of Native Americans who have shaped American history, from Pocahontas to Will Rogers.

Find Out About France - Duncan Crosbie
Introduces boys and girls to France, its people, its history, its culture, and its language.