School Library Journal articles from December 2010

School Library Journal archives from December 2010

It's a bird ... it's a plane ...(Coming to SLJ.com)(Geoffrey Canada)(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... Geoffrey Canada, CEO of the Harlem Children's Zone, discusses school reform and his prominent role in tile moving documentary film Waiting for Superman about the failures of public education. (Week of December 5)

Tooting their horn.(Coming to SLJ.com)(Roger Sutton and Martha V. Parravano )(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... Roger Sutton and Martha V. Parravano of The Horn Book (an SLJ sister publication) talk about their first joint collaboration, A Family of Readers: The Book Lover's Guide to Children's and Young Adult Literature. (Week, of December 12)

Winning streak.(Coming to SLJ.com)
December 1, 2010... SLJ "Test Drive" columnist Jeff Hastings has visions of Dell's Android-powered pocket tablet, the Streak, dancing in his head. (Week of December 12) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

We're gonna have a good time SLJ's got big plans for 2011.
December 1, 2010... You probably have no idea-and why should you?--but we started planning next year's editorial calendar in June, and it's now available on our website (follow the Advertising Information link at the bottom of www.slj.com, then download the...

A kindle program of their own: second graders try out ereaders, courtesy of librarian Kathy Parker.(Tech Knowledge)
December 1, 2010... Teacher Dawn Stuedemann reads Thanksgiving on Thursday (Random, 2002) every year with her second-grade class at Seneca (IL) Grade School. But this tall, five students flipped pages of the fictional book, volume 27 in the popular "Magic Tree...

Pocket tablet Dell Streak.(Test Drive)(Product/service evaluation)
December 1, 2010... I have absolutely no idea what to tell Santa. After reviewing the Apple iPad, I was convinced that I'd ask St. Nick for one of my very own. Now, after spending two weeks with the Dell Streak--an Android-based tablet device that's also a phone,...

Paul Zelinsky's magic box.(Test Drive)(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Illustrator Paul Zelinsky treated School Library Journal summit goers to a delightful bit of show-and-tell (http://bit.ly/9OweG6). "I'm in love with the picture book," the Galdecott Medal winner told attendees. "I...

A whole new mind-set: going digital requires us to rethink books entirely.(The NEXT BIG Thing)
December 1, 2010... Hopefully ebooks won't go the way of the music industry, everyone seems to say. Well, why not? Not tile way of the industry ill its heyday of suing eight-year-olds and locking down every track with DRM. But why can't we learn from these actions...

The 'pass back' effect.(The NEXT BIG Thing)(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... It's a common sight: a parent handing over their mobile phone or other digital device to a young child. A new study of this so-called "pass-back" phenomenon by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center reveals the increasing access young children have to...

Pogue ponders what's next.(Tech Knowledge)(David Pogue)
December 1, 2010... David Pogue, personal technology columnist for the New York Times, marked an auspicious occasion with a November 3 presentation on "What the Future Will Bring." "This week marks the 10th anniversary of my column, both the first and most recent...

Beyond chitchat: use chatrooms and microblogging to enhance classroom discussion.(Cool Tools)
December 1, 2010... Chatrooms and microblogging services like Twitter are often considered a distraction that students shouldn't use in school. But do you know there are educators leveraging those services for instructional purposes every day? When used correctly,...

Looking to make your own apps?(The Buzz: Tools, trends, and gizmos)(EduPad )(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ever dream of creating your own educational app? A new service called EduPad lets you do just that. Simply complete text and Excel templates with the structure and exercises related to your learning app, and EduPad...

Super juice for the iPhone.(The Buzz: Tools, trends, and gizmos)(Super Juice Power Case)(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If the thought of losing power on your iPhone makes you anxious, you might want to check out the new Super Juice Power Case from Dexim. Packed with a 2000mAh lithium battery, Super Juice will extend your iPhone talk...

App happy.(The Buzz: Tools, trends, and gizmos)(e-book: PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit and JFK: 50 Days)(E-book review)(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two classic tales enhanced for a new generation of readers and a multimedia take on the Kennedy presidency are among the latest apps to have crossed our feed. PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit (above left) has been among...

Roll your own ebooks.(The Buzz: Tools, trends, and gizmos)(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... Aspiring writers have yet another option for self-publishing their work. Borders has partnered with publishing service BookBrewer to enable independent authors to produce and sell ebooks through major ebook retailers in addition to Borders' own...

Soundbar for Laptops.(The Buzz: Tools, trends, and gizmos)(Edifier Soundbar)(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Laptop owners call experience variable audio quality, depending on their machine, with quite a few of us having to settle for sound that, frankly, stinks. Enter the Edifier Soundbar. Designed to . work wifi Mac or PC...

Matinee prices: is it necessary to purchase an expensive DVD for our students?(Carrie on Copyright)
December 1, 2010... One of our administrators wants us to purchase a documentary film so students in our sustainability club can see some clips from it. When I visited the film's website to order a copy, I saw the following message: "Each Educational DVD sale...

The great war: three hooks tell of the horror and friendships of World War I.(Nonfiction Booktalker)(The War to End All Wars: World War I; Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting; Archie's War: My Scrapbook of the First World War 1914-1918 by Me, Archie Albright, aged I0 Years)(Book review)
December 1, 2010... A teenager started one of the most meaningless wars in history. In the summer of 1914, a skinny young man shot the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His single-minded action led Britain to declare war on Germany two months later and...

Bloody good: Adam Gidwitz's 'A Tale Dark & Grimm' is one of the year's best books.(Under Cover)(Interview)
December 1, 2010... Your first novel follows the wild, wacky, and often blood-splattered adventures of Hansel and Gretel. What triggered that idea? It all started when l was teaching a second-grade class [at Saint Ann's in Brooklyn, NY]. I did a storytelling...

Rated E for everyone: expanding services to children with special needs.(The Gaming Life)
December 1, 2010... Gaining in libraries, and especially the introduction of console video games, has dramatically increased in popularity in the past few years. As a result, libraries have been expanding their gaming programs beyond the obvious teen and tween...

Best books 2010.(Recommended readings)
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SLJ's EDITORS HAVE CHOSEN THE 62 BOOKS ANNOTATED BELOW AS THE BEST OF the year. While novels include some historical settings and contemporary concerns, it is fantasy that continues to reign supreme. More original, and...

Are there any volunteers? A pain-free approach to getting the very best out of parents.
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With more than 30 years on the job, Cassandra Barnett has seen loads of parent volunteers make a genuine difference in the school library--and others who disappear after a week or so. "I had mothers who wanted to...

Straight from the heart: to understand kids' deepest emotions, take a look at what they love to read.
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I wasn't sure why the fifth grader approached me after I finished my talk to his class. Or, rather, I wasn't sure of the real reason. On the surface, it was obvious: he wanted to tell me that he'd read one of my...

The big app: New York's libraries take homework help mobile--with a little help from their friends.
December 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] --"Why when I search for 'Full Metal Alchemist' do I end up with results about comic books and nothing about Full Metal Alchemist [the manga series]?" --"Why can't I do a search for anything that has more than two...

Full steam ahead.(focus on Steampunk)(Bibliography)
December 1, 2010... STEAM'POWERED MACHINES, anachronistic technology, clockwork automatons, gas-filled airships, tentacled monsters; fob watches, and top hats-these are all elements of steampunk. Steampunk is both speculative fiction that imagines technology...

Drawing Power! with Michael Moodoo, Vol. 7: Undersea Animal Drawing.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Drawing Power! with Michael Moodoo, Vol. 7: Undersea Animal Drawing. DVD. 40 min. Prod. by Moodoo Prods. Dist. by Midwest Tapes. 2010. ISBN 9780-98261760-1. $29.99. Gr 2-6-Michael Moodoo (aka Michael Dowell), dressed in a colorful tuxedo and...

Ethics and the Consumer.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Ethics and the Consumer. DVD. 22 min. VEA. 2010. school library: $99.95, public library: $39.95. Gr 8 Up--How often do we actually think about where the goods we purchase come from or who makes them? This film looks at what is involved in...

Alcohol & Pregnancy: Making Healthy Choices.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Alcohol & Pregnancy: Making Healthy Choices. DVD. 10 min. Injoy Birth & Parenting Education. 2010. $99.95. Gr 9 Up-This very brief production features a diverse group of teens who are parents or parents-to-be and includes three couples....

Teenage Drinking: Facts and Fiction.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Teenage Drinking: Facts and Fiction. DVD. 23 min. VEA. 2009, 2010 release. school libraries: $99.95, public libraries: $39.95. Gr 7 Up-Focusing on binge drinking; this Australian-produced film discusses the reasons, effects, risks,...

Number Beats.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Number Beats. DVD. 1:41 hrs. The TV Teacher. 2010. $24,95. PreS-Gr 1-Young children are taught number awareness through short, 7-minute chapters on writing numbers, counting, and skip counting. Humorous skits, rhymes, and music make the...

Cliques? (Lesson Booster Series).(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Cliques? (Lesson Booster Series). DVD. with CD-ROM. 18 min. Prod. by Sunburst Media. Dist. by Cerebellum. 2010. ISBN 1-59443-697-5. $79.95. Gr 4-7A clique is defined as "a group of people with the same interest." Each of these four vignettes...

Coping with Disruptive Life Changes.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Coping with Disruptive Life Changes. DVD. 22 min. with tchr's, guide. Human Relations Media. 2010. ISBN 978-155548-872-7. $139.95. Gr 7 Up-Teens are often ill equipped to deal with major changes in their lives such as a parent's divorce or...

Getting Along: Positive Communication.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Getting Along: Positive Communication. DVD. 13 min. VEA. 2010. school library: $99.95, public library: $39.95. Gr 3-6-This Australian-produced film is divided into four chapters which deal with verbal and non-verbal communication and themes...

No Limit Kids: Much Ado about Middle School.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... No Limit Kids: Much Ado about Middle School. DVD. 90 min. Prod. by Elevating Entertainment Motion Pictures and NLK Film Partners. Dist. by Bridgestone Multimedia Group. 2010. ISBN 978-07403-2179-5. $19.98. Gr 5-8-Ashton is starting middle...

Play It Out: Digital Distractions.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Play It Out: Digital Distractions. DVD. 22 min. Mazzarella Media. 2010. $69.95. Gr 7 Up-Digital distractions are affecting the lives of individuals today in our high tech society. This program provides essential advice and solutions to help...

Answering Interview Questions.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Answering Interview Questions. DVD. 22 min. VEA. 2010. $99.95. Gr 9 Up-Job candidates who can perform well in the interview process will be more successful in landing a position than those who are unprepared. This program presents a succinct...

STIs: Facts and Fiction.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... STIs: Facts and Fiction. DVD. 20 min. VEA. 2009, 2010 release. $99.95. Gr 9 Up-STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) is the new, politically correct term for what was previously called STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). Through narration...

Kitchen Math and Measuring: How It All Adds Up (In the Kitchen Series).(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Kitchen Math and Measuring: How It All Adds Up (In the Kitchen Series). DVD. 23 min. with tchr's, guide online. Learning Seed. 2010. ISBN 1-55740-557-3. $99. Gr 5-8-Student chefs at Kendall College Culinary School demonstrate measuring...

Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails and Birdsongs.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails and Birdsongs. DVD. 26 min. with tchr's. guide. Nutmeg Media. 2010. ISBN 1-933938-75-7. $49.95. PreS-Gr 2-Two books (S & S/Margaret McElderry Books, 2008, 2007) with complementary themes written by poet...

Punctuation Explained (Series).(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... * Punctuation Explained (Series). 3 DVDs. range: 18-20 min. VEA. 2010. $99.95 ca. Includes: Apostrophes and Quotation Marks; Capitals, Commas, Full Stops, Question and Exclamation Marks; Colons, Semicolons, Brackets, Dots and Dashes. Gr...

Spoon.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Spoon. DVD. 8 min. with tchr's, guide. Weston Woods. 2010. ISBN 978-0-54522635-6. $59.95; CD, ISBN 978-0-54522642-4: $12.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-545-23753-6: $29.95. PreS-Gr 1-Spoon is happy living with his large family in the...

The Mean World Syndrome: Media Violence & the Cultivation of Fear.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... The Mean World Syndrome: Media Violence & the Cultivation of Fear. DVD. 51 min. Media Education Foundation. 2010. ISBN 1-932869-387. public libraries: 534.95, high schools: $150. Gr l0 Up-This powerful documentary about media scholar...

Chemical Equations in the Real World.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Chemical Equations in the Real World. DVD. 18 min. VEA. 2010. public library: $39.95, school library: $99.95. Gr 9 Up-This Australian production presents information at a brisk pace, demonstrating how chemistry impacts our daily lives through...

Crabs and Barnacles: An Introduction to Marine Arthropods.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Crabs and Barnacles: An Introduction to Marine Arthropods. DVD. 69 min. with tchr's, guide. Earthwise Media. 2010. $19.98. Gr all levels-This flexible teaching tool can be used in science classes from elementary school through high school. It...

Journey to Planet Earth: Plan B-Mobilizing to Save Civilization.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... * Journey to Planet Earth: Plan B-Mobilizing to Save Civilization. DVD. 83 min. with tchr's, guide. Prod. by Screens0cope and South Carolina Educational Television. Dist. by Screenscope. 2010. ISBN 978-1928964. $199. Gr 9 Up--Plan B is the...

Miracle of the Human Body (Series).(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Miracle of the Human Body (Series). 8 DVDs. approx. 28 min. ea. with tchr's. guide. Prod. by Centre Communications, Seattle Science Foundation, and Swedish Heart and Vascular Inst. Dist. by Ambrose Video. 2010. $49.99 ca. Includes: The Skeletal...

Planet Bonehead: It's Your Planet, Too .(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Planet Bonehead: It's Your Planet, Too (Series). 3 DVDs. range: 26-28 min. with tchr's, guides online. Prod. by Planet Bonehead and Phunbelievable. Dist. by Library Video Co. 2010. $119.95 ser., $39.95 ca. Includes: Bringing Back the Bats (ISBN...

Science Fundamentals: Ecosystems and Biomes.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Science Fundamentals: Ecosystems and Biomes. DVD. 15 min. Prod. by Mazzarella Media. Dist. by Cerebellum. 2010. ISBN 1-58565-348-9. $39.95. Gr 2-6-One segment a 6-part Earth science series, this episode concentrates on the seven major biomes...

A Traveler's Guide to the Planets.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... * A Traveler's Guide to the Planets. 2 DVDs. 4:30 hrs. National Geographic. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4262-9961-2. $29.97. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gr 6 Up-Tiffs magnificent tour of our solar system is presented using high-tech telescopes and...

America in the 20th Century: The Civil Rights Movement.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... * America in the 20th Century: The Civil Rights Movement. DVD. 86 min. with tchr's, guide. Media Rich Learning. 2010. ISBN 987-0-97454179-2. $149. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gr 9 Up-Photos, drawings, video clips, and audio files are...

A History of Jewish American Achievement.(Young adult review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... A History of Jewish American Achievement. 4 DVDs. 3:49 hrs. Prod. by Centre Communications. Dist. by Ambrose Video. 2010. $79.99 ser. Includes: The Jewish Settler Comes to America/Jewish Americans Spread Out Across the Country; Jewish Americans...

Lafayette: The Lost Hero.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Lafayette: The Lost Hero. DVD. approx. 1 hr. Prod. by The Documentary Group and Storyville Films. Dist. by PBS Distribution. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60883-251-4. $24.99. Gr 9 Up-The American Revolution might well have had a different conclusion had...

Our Presidents in American History: Clinton, G. W. Bush & Obama.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... Our Presidents in American History: Clinton, G. W. Bush & Obama. DVD. 21 min. with tchr's, guide. Prod. by NBC News. Dist. by New Dimension Media. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60721-060-3. $49. Gr 5 Up-The key events, successes, failures, and...

Out of Europe.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... * Out of Europe. DVD. 55 min. Sisu Home Entertainment. 2010. home use: $24.95, public performance: $125. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gr 9 Up-The Lemer family lived in Belgium in the early 1900s until political realities forced their relocation...

Which Way Home.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2010... * Which Way Home. DVD. 83 min./63 min. Prod. by Mr. Mudd Prod. and Documentress Films. Dist by Bullfrog Films. 2009, 2010 release. ISBN 1-59458-941-0. $295. Gr 9 Up-Every year, thousands of Central Americans and Mexican Americans attempt to...

Animal Rescue Team Collection, Vol. 1: Gator on the Loose!/Special Delivery!(Brief article)(Audiobook review)(Children's review)
December 1, 2010... Animal Rescue Team Collection, Vol. 1: Gator on the Loose!/Special Delivery! (unabr.). 6 CDs. 6:10 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-0-3077-3839-4. $34. Gr 3-5--These gentle, episodic...

The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them (unabr.). 4 CDs. 5:03 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library,. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-0-7393-8107-6. $30. Gr 9 Up--In E. Lockhart's...

Bride of Classics with a Twist.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... * Bride of Classics with a Twist. CD. 62 min. The Storycrafters. 2010. $14.95. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gr 2-6--In their third collection of fractured fairy tales, storytellers Barry Marshall and Jen Burns apply their considerable wit,...

Clementine, Friend of the Week.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Clementine, Friend of the Week (unabr.). 2 cassettes or 2 CDs. 2 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4407-7788-2, CD: 978-1-4407-7792-9. $30.75. Gr 2-4--Clementine has been chosen as Friend of the Week for her class, and she's...

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. CD. 12:50 min. with hardcover book. Live Oak Media. 2010. ISBN 978-1-43010-846-7. $28.95. K-Gr 3--Light-hearted music sprinkled with hints of campfire songs opens Marla Frazee's humorous Caldecott...

Crispin: The End of Time.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Crispin: The End of Time (unabr.). 5 cassettes or 5 CDs. 6 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4498-2993-3: $41.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4498-2994-0: $51.75. Gr 4-6--In the final title (HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray, 2010) in Avi's...

The Death-Defying Pepper Roux.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... * The Death-Defying Pepper Roux (unabr.). 6 CDs. 6:44 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-0-3077-1211-0: $39. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gr 6-9--When Paul "Pepper" Roux wakes up on his 14th...

The Dreamer.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... The Dreamer (unabr.). 5 CDs. 5:26 hrs. Scholastic Audiobooks. 2010. ISBN 978-0-545-22339-3. $39.99. Gr 4-9--Pam Munoz Ryan's fictionalized biography (Scholastic, 2010) of Chilean Nobel prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda is lovingly read by Tony...

Enchanted Glass.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Enchanted Glass (unabr.). 7 cassettes or 7 CDs. 8:20 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. cassette, ISBN 978-14407-5078-6:$51.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4407-5082-3: $66.75. Gr 7-9--In Diana Wynne Jones's labyrinthine tale (Greenwillow, 2010), Andrew Hope has...

God Is in the Pancakes.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... God Is in the Pancakes (unabr.). 6 CDs. 6:59 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-0-3077-3824-0. $37. Gr 8-10--Fifteen-year-old Grace's life is in turmoil following her father's abandonment...

Guardian of the Dead.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Guardian of the Dead (unabr.). 9 cassettes or 9 CDs. 10:50 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4361-9706-9: $78.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4361-9710-6: $108.75. Gr 9 Up--Ancient Maori myth and tradition meet contemporary teens and teen...

Infinite Days: Vampire Queen Series, Book 1.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Infinite Days: Vampire Queen Series, Book 1 (unabr.). 8 CDs. 9 hrs. Tantor Audio. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4001-1890-8. $83.99. Gr 9 Up--Lenah Beaudonte awakens to realize her greatest wish has come true in this novel (St. Martin's Griffin, 2010) by...

Infinity: Chronicles of Nick.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Infinity: Chronicles of Nick (unabr.). 7 CDs. 8 hrs. Prod. by Macmillan Audio. Dist. by AudioGo. 2010. ISBN 978-0-7927-7249-1. $89.95. Gr 7-10--Sherrilyn Kenyon's book (St. Martin's Griffin, 2010) combines elements of all of today's popular...

The Last Train.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... The Last Train. CD. 13:20 min. with hardcover book. Live Oak Media. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4301-0860-3. $28.95. Gr 3-6--Gordon Titcomb reads and sings this love song to "the big iron horses" (Roaring Brook Press, 2010) that years ago rolled into...

The Left Hand of God.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... * The Left Hand of God (unabr.). 10 CDs. 13 hrs. Penguin Audio. 2010. ISBN 978-0-14-242823-8. $39.95. Gr 9 Up--Paul Hoffman's first title (Dutton, 2010) in a projected trilogy is a complex, multilayered fantasy that delves into themes about...

The Necromancer: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Book 4.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... The Necromancer: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Book 4 (unabr.). 9 CDs. 11:14. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-0-3077-1079-6. $44. Gr 7-10--In the fourth book (Delacorte,...

Powerless.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Powerless (unabr.). 6 CDs. 7:04 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-0-3077-3857-8. $39. Gr 5-7--Noble's Green is the "safest place on Earth." At least that's what the sign says when...

The Red Blazer Girls: The Vanishing Violin.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... * The Red Blazer Girls: The Vanishing Violin (unabr.). 6 CDs. 7:26 min. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-0-3077-1054-3. $34. Gr 5-8--Tweens Sophie, Margaret, Becca, and Leigh Ann--The Red...

Sacred Scars: A Resurrection of Magic, Book 2.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Sacred Scars: A Resurrection of Magic, Book 2 (unabr.). 13 cassettes or 13 CDs. 15:45 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4407-4673-4: $102.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4407-4677-2: $108.75. Gr 7 Up--Sacred Scars (2009) continues the...

The Time Paradox: Artemis Fowl, Book 6.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... The Time Paradox: Artemis Fowl, Book 6 (unabr.). 7 CDs. 8:53 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-0-3077-1195-3. $37. Gr 5-8--In this complex story (Hyperion, 2008) by Eoin Colfer, teenager...

Water Steps.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Water Steps (unabr.). 3 CDs. 3:30 hrs. Full Cast Audio. 2010. ISBN 978-1-936223-14-5. $34. Gr 4-7--Kyna, 11, has spent most of her life overwhelmed by a fear of water since her parents drowned in a boating accident. When her adoptive parents...

Wild Things.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Wild Things (unabr.). 6 cassettes or 6 CDs. 6:45 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4498-0631-6: $51.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4498-0635-4: $66.75. Gr 4-6--Reminiscent in many ways of Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie, Clay...

The Wonder of Charlie Anne.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... The Wonder of Charlie Anne (unabr.). 6 CDs. 6:39 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2010. ISBN 978-03077-1105-2. $34. Gr 4-6--Charlie Anne and her four siblings live in rural New England, enduring the...

Young Masters: Heart of a Lion.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
December 1, 2010... Young Masters: Heart of a Lion. CD. 19:33 rain. Dream a World. 2010. ISBN 978-0-9826278-0-8. $16.95. PreS-Gr 3--Each title in this inspirational and motivational series, written by Bunny Hull and illustrated by Kye Flemming, deals with the...

Character Counts! Strikes a Chord.(Sound recording review)(Brief article)(Children's review)
December 1, 2010... Character Counts! Strikes a Chord. CD. 61;06 min. with booklet. Song Wizard Records. 2010. $14.99. Gr 1-5--Singer/songwriter Dave Kinnoin has produced these 13 songs based on the Six Pillars of Character defined by the Josephson Institute for...

Get All Happy!(Sound recording review)(Brief article)(Children's review)
December 1, 2010... * Get All Happy! CD. 59 min. Prod. by Maranna Music. Dist. by CDBaby.com. 2009. $14. PreS-Gr 3--Veteran performer Peter McCory really hits his stride in his third CD for children. McCory, a one-man band, performs 18 original songs with clever...

The Kids Are All Id.(Sound recording review)(Brief article)(Children's review)
December 1, 2010... The Kids Are All Id. CD. approx. 55 min. CDBaby.com. 2010. $12.99. PreS-Gr 4--Celebrating the craziness and fun of childhood, Randy Kaplan sings 11 original compositions, two traditional songs, and covers three more in his third album for...

Seven Clever Pirates.(Sound recording review)(Brief article)(Children's review)
December 1, 2010... * Seven Clever Pirates. CD. 62 min. Deep Rooted Music. 2010. $14. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PreS-Gr 4--Eric Ode makes quite a splash in his newest outing. This mini-musical tells the story of seven bumbling pirates aboard The Sea Slug who are...

Shake It Down, Turn Around.(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
December 1, 2010... Shake It Down, Turn Around. CD. 51 rain. North Side Music. 2010. $15. PreS--Colleen and Uncle Squaty (Colleen Hannafin and Brian Schellinger) add another winner to their body of work. The Wisconsin-based duo offers 17 original songs for...