School Library Journal articles from July 2007

School Library Journal archives from July 2007

Getting it together: sure, collaboration is good, but we need data--and we need it now.(Editorial)(Editorial)
July 1, 2007... LAST MONTH, I ATTENDED A SYMPOSIUM AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY CALLED "The Multiple Faces of Collaboration" on--you guessed it-collaboration between school librarians and classroom teachers (and, in a few instances, university librarians). Jointly...

Cussing controversy: books with swear words should not be endorsed.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... I CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND why you would recommend a book (Inkspell, October 2005, p. 161) that uses cussing to children beginning in grade five. My son saved up his money to buy this book, and he put it down in disgust because of...

What is decent literature?(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... I RECENTLY READ THE LETTERS SECTION of the May issue (p. 15) and was disturbed that a librarian wrote that "profanity" and "decent" are "mutually exclusive" and that we should not "embrace an ever-diminishing standard of acceptability." It is...

Webheads Dis Dewey.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... I DIDN'T FEEL THAT THE HEADLINE about the popularity of tagging versus "traditional classification formats" entitled "Webheads Dis Dewey" (March 2007, p. 29) was entirely fair to poor 'ol Melvil. Tagging, it seems to me, is about cataloging....

Invaluable Reviews.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... MR. KENNEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EDITORIAL in the June 2007 issue. You used some great words that I feel comfortable using with concerned parents to convey why we choose certain books for our collection. The reviews are invaluable and, like you...

From Slj.com.(Web Gems)
July 1, 2007... Chris Harris/Digital Reshift The technology world has long revolved around the concept of a killer application that finally compels adoption of a new platform by the masses. Spreadsheets brought about an initial mass adoption of computers...

Arizona Library Ditches Dewey: while librarians debate the pros and cons, patrons don't seem to notice.(slj news)(Perry Branch Library of Maricopa County Library District, Arizona)
July 1, 2007... The Perry Branch Library, part of the Maricopa County Library District in Arizona, finally opened its doors on June 11--and although librarians have been debating whether this Dewey-less library is a good idea, patrons could not have cared...

School libraries join green movement: a growing number of schools are going green, and media specialists are taking on key roles.(slj news)
July 1, 2007... Media specialist Sandra Latzer is a key member of her school's green initiative. School librarian Karen Kibler trains students on how to lecture about the environment. And at the Churchill School in Manhattan, librarian Rachel Berkey has...

Would you pay students for doing well?(slj news)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Roland Fryer, a Harvard University economist known for his studies on racial inequality, has spent the last few years floating the idea of compensating students for high achievement--and now someone's finally interested. New York City...

Libraries use myspace to attract teens: more and more libraries are taking advantage of the popular social networking site.(slj news)
July 1, 2007... The Sunnyside Regional Library in Fresno, CA, has a MySpace page that hosts a 10-minute documentary explaining why parents shouldn't fear the social networking site. And the Hennepin County (MN) Library's MySpace page makes life a lot easier...

MI unlocks $7 million in Library funds: the state's libraries are safe now, but 2008 is still up in the air.(slj news)(Michigan)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Michigan residents can breathe a sigh of relief-the state legislature in June released $7 million in library grants that had been frozen. That means the state's 349 libraries are relatively safe through this fiscal year, which ends...

Encyclopedia of Life: www.eol.org.(Site of the Month)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The recently announced Web project the Encyclopedia of Life is remarkable enough for its overarching goal-documenting all 1.8 million named species and untold numbers yet to be discovered. But the Web site itself isn't bad either. No, I'm not...

Do you Edubuntu? Jeff Hastings test drives the open source suite.(TechKnowledge)(Product/service evaluation)
July 1, 2007... Edubuntu, the Linux-based operating system and open-source educational software suite, is so startlingly good in so many ways that it's difficult to know where to begin. So let's start here: it's free. That's right, you can download Edubuntu...

Open source spawns 'internet folk hero'.(TechKnowledge)(librarian Jessamyn West became an internet sensation after installing the Linux operating system Ubuntu)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... One day in May 2007, librarian and blogger Jessamyn West set out to install the Linux operating system Ubuntu on two donated PCs at her workplace, Calef Library, in Washington, VT. Grabbing her Canon digital Elph, she documented the process in...

High stakes for school librarians.(TECHNOLOGY Up CLOSE)(importance of school librarians)
July 1, 2007... As school districts nationwide face budget cuts, the role of the librarian-not to mention media centers themselves--are being called into question like never before. [While some argue that the digital age has made the librarian obsolete, I...

Talkback on Tech.(TechKnowledge)(educators' online social network, Classroom 2.0)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) wants educators to speak up about changes they'd want in the way technology is used in schools. But some practitioners are skeptical that their response to a new federal survey will make much of a...

iPods in the library? You bet! Here are ideas on how to use them to enhance learning.(TechKnowledge: THE Librarian's INTERNET)
July 1, 2007... IPods in Education learninginhand.com/Ipod/index.html Here's a good overview of what you can do with iPods in a classroom or library setting. Each section covers a different function, from how to create quizzes and take notes using an...

Visual dictionary.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(www.visuwords.com)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Thanks to graphical software, even a dictionary can offer dynamic fun. With Visuwords, an online graphical resource, users can look up words to find their meanings, as well as relationships to other words and concepts. The result? A diagram...

Like these USB drives, you will.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(Star Wars mimobot series USB flash drives)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The film's 30th anniversary has injected new life into the Star Wars franchise, sparking plenty of commemorative this and commemorative that. On the geek side, there's the Star Wars mimobot series of USB flash drives, from Mimoco. Darth Vadar...

Seat yourself.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(free cardboard chair patterns at www.foldschool.com)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... DIY kid's furniture that combines high design with recycled cardboard? That's Foldschool, a series of downloadable patterns for making a child-sized stool, chair, and rocker, all constructed of cardboard. A proposed antidote to the...

Mag staff flips out.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(School Library Journal staff loved the Flip Video camcorder)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Not since Harry Potter has a product caused such excitement at School Library Journal. No sooner had the Flip Video landed on the desk of tech editor Kathy Ishizuka--reports one anonymous witness--than the digital camcorder was ripped from her...

Use it or lose it.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(IQ tests at www.lumosity.com)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... First, the bad news: the human brain starts slowing down as early as age 30. The good news? You can do something about it. A confluence of modern neuroscience and the Web, Lumosity is a free online program to help you kickstart your cognitive...

An open net.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(Open Net Initiative)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Internet filtering is a major issue, not just at your local library, but around the world. The number of states that limit citizens' access to Web content is on the rise, according to the Open Net Initiative (ONI), a recently launched study of...

Blogging: the rules.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(www.avivadirectory.com/blogger-law)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Attention all bloggers. While many of you old hands have been at this game for awhile, you may not be aware that your online publication is subject to a range of state and federal laws. So consider book-marking "12 Important U.S. Laws Every...

Avatars come to life.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(personalized avatars from gizmoz.com)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Users already have a host of choices for creating a digital stand-in. How about an avatar rendered as a 3-D, animated j talking head? Gizmoz, an Israeli company, has made this technology available for anyone to use. Simply upload a single face...

Take a memo.(TechKnowledge: The Buzz)(MicroMemo)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Recording notes and lectures or podcasting on the run just got easier. The MicroMemo, by Xtreme Mac, plugs into your second generation iPod Nano to capture audio content directly to your iPod, no additional batteries or cables required. The...

It takes three to tango: a picture book about penguins (or all things) has some folks upset.(Scales on Censorship)(And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell)
July 1, 2007... Our superintendent has removed Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell's And Tango Makes Three (S & S, 2005) from our library. He had heard that the picture book, which tells the story of a same-sex penguin couple and their child, had been...

Read to me! Summer reading programs are now catering to the preschool set.(First Steps)
July 1, 2007... SUMMER READING IN LIBRARIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ORIGINATED as a vacation-time activity for school-aged children. Now many libraries are extending the fun to the preschool crowd as well. "It's never too early for books" is a message we share...

Reviewing the reviewers: nobody ever said that bound galleys were meant to be perfect.(Consider the Source)
July 1, 2007... I'VE OFTEN HEARD REVIEWERS, LIBRARIANS, AND EVEN TEENS GRUMBLE about the mistakes they've discovered in bound galleys or advanced readers copies: typos, misspellings, missing indexes, out-of-order citations--you name it. (In my most recent...

The odd couple: Laura Vaccaro Seeger on 'Dog and Bear: Two Friends * Three Stories'.(Under Cover)(Interview)
July 1, 2007... Is Dog and Bear autobiographical? Yeah. I'm dog. And Neal Porter, my editor, is Bear. You're the spontaneous and 'impulsive one, and he's deliberate and reflective? Definitely. It all started because he was at my house one day, and...

Games ... in the library? Video games support the curriculum and develop a new form of literacy.(The Gaming Life)(Viewpoint essay)
July 1, 2007... ARE VIDEO GAMES AND LITERACY ADVERSARIES IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES? Do video games lack content and the ability to help students achieve educational goals? Many librarians are reluctant to add video games to their collections or even to allow game...

12 kids' albums you can't live without.(Sound recording review)(Children's review)
July 1, 2007... IS IT TIME TO UPDATE YOUR ALBUMS FOR REALLY YOUNG LISTENERS? Has a parent or teacher asked your advice about the best new CDs for members of the preschool set? Well, you're in luck. In the last 10 years, the once-comatose children's music...

Your wish is granted: the cash to fund your tech projects is just a grant application away. So what are you waiting for?
July 1, 2007... So much to do in the media center, and so little time. And then there's the necessary cash. Media specialists are working hard to get our schools up to speed in the 21st century--teaching information literacy skills to students, helping...

The remarkable journey of Lloyd Alexander: the late master of children's fantasy distinguished himself by the way he wrote and lived.
July 1, 2007... DREXEL HILL, PA, WAS CLOAKED IN DARKNESS, when suddenly an upstairs window in a white house sprang to life. It was 3 a.m., and Lloyd Alexander had entered his office (affectionately called "The Box") to begin his writing day. Long ago, he had...

From snow forts to skyscrapers.(focus on: Construction)(Bibliography)
July 1, 2007... In Built to Last, George Sullivan states that "engineers and architects are problem solvers," and the same description applies in many ways to inquisitive children as they play and experiment with structures. As youngsters build tenuous towers...

Bob's Job: Find Out What It's Like to Be a Home Builder.(MEDIAPICKS)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Bob's Job: Find Out What It's Like to Be a Home Builder. video. 30 min. Prod. by Video Design Prods. Dist. by Tapeworm (bobsjob.com/builder.htm). 2000. ISBN 0-9702536-0-5. $12.95. PreS-Gr 4--Bob, a goofy but likeable host, introduces some...

Building Big with David Macaulay (Series).(MEDIAPICKS)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Building Big with David Macaulay (Series). 5 videos, approx. 60 min. ca. with activity guide. WGBH (shop.wbgh.org). 2000. ISBN 157807-544-0. $69.95 ser. Includes: Bridges; Domes; Skyscrapers; Dams; Tunnels. Gr 4 Up--Hosted by...

Road Construction Ahead.(MEDIAPICKS)(Children's review)(Brief review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Road Construction Ahead. DVD. 30 min. Big Kids Video (bigkidsvideo.com). #C241-DVD. $19.95. PreS-Gr 3--Watch real construction workers use big machines to build roads in this action-packed production.

That's How We Build a House.(MEDIAPICKS)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... That's How We Build a House. DVD. 28 min. Prod. by Spots Video. Dist. by Big Kids Video (bigkidsvideo.com). 2003. #C243-DVD. $16.95. Gr 1-6--Winner of Parenting Magazine's Best Children's Video award, the production follows the...

On the web.(focus on: CONSTRUCTION)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Student Resources Build It & Bust It., http://library.advanced.org/11686. ThinkQuest/OracleEducation Foundation. (Accessed 5/24/07) Gr 6 Up--In this "webside construction zone," users arrange beams and joints to build a two-dimensional...

The Dancing Chickens of Ventura Fabian.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... The Dancing Chickens of Ventura Fabian. DVD. 10 min. Documentary Educational Resources. 2007. $29.95. Gr 3 Up--This brief production provides a portrait of a Mexican folk artist in a picturesque country village outside Oaxaca. Ventura...

Painted Tales, Vol. 1: In Winter Still: A Claude Monet Story; Almond Blossoms: A Vincent van Gogh Story.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Painted Tales, Vol. 1: In Winter Still: A Claude Monet Story; Almond Blossoms: A Vincent van Gogh Story. DVD. 21 min. Auryn. 2006, 2007 release. $12.99. Gr 1-5--These unique productions place a famous artist into an adaptation of a classic...

Blogging: Serious Media or Just a Rant?(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Blogging: Serious Media or Just a Rant? DVD. 25 rain. VEA. 2006, 2007 release. #BLOG. $89.95. Gr 9 Up--Blogs, those Internet sites where individuals share their thoughts on most anything and everything, are certainly omnipresent, with...

Meet the Colors.(preschool prep series)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Meet the Colors (Preschool Prep Series). video or DVD. 40 min. Preschool Prep. 2006, 2007 release. ISBN 0-9970215-2-1. $14.95. PreS--Intended for babies and toddlers, the film uses animation and repetition to teach children to identify...

Get a Life!: Cool Careers.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Get a Life!: Cool Careers. DVD. approx. 70 min. Prod. by Sound Venture Prods. Dist. by Janson Media. 2007. ISBN 978-1-56839-291-5. $24.95. Gr 7 Up--Two 20-something male and female hosts tell viewers that they're about to meet some "really...

Women in the Automotive Industry.(women in nontraditional careers series )(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Women in the Automotive Industry (Women in Nontraditional Careers Series). DVD. 15 min. (closed captioned). Her Own Words. 2006. ISBN 978-1-60118-005-6. $95; resource guide: $45. Gr 6 Up--Nine women employed in various areas of the...

Go Potty Go!: Potty Training for Tiny Tots.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Go Potty Go!: Potty Training for Tiny Tots. DVD. approx. 30 min. Mazzarella Media. 2007. ISBN 1-934119-37-7. $14.95. PreS--Young viewers will be entertained while they are introduced to concepts related to toilet training. The animated film...

Arthur: Binky Goes Nuts.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Arthur: Binky Goes Nuts. DVD. 52 min. Prod. by WGBH Boston and Cookie Jar Entertainment. Dist. by WGBH Boston. 2007. ISBN 978-1-59375-727-4. $12.95. PreS-Gr 3--Based on the books by Marc Brown, these four episodes present the adventures of...

Dracula.(masterpiece theatre series)(Young adult review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Dracula (Masterpiece Theatre Series). DVD. 90 min. (closed captioned). WGBH Boston. 2007. ISBN 978-159375-707-6. $19.95. Gr 6 Up--Since Bram Stoker's name appears over the title of this production of Dracula, one would assume that this...

Flower Child.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Flower Child. DVD. 30 min. WonderWorld Film and Video. 2006. $18.95. PreS-Gr 3--Take beautiful poetry, mix it with images of active, happy children, and viewers will be captivated. Poetry written by well-known authors, but not identified...

Good Conversation! A Talk with Karen Cushman.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Good Conversation! A Talk with Karen Cushman. video or DVD. 21 min. Tim Podell Prods. 2006. video, ISBN 1-58543-082-X: $49.98; DVD, ISBN 1-58543-182-6: $59.98. Gr 4-8--In the relaxed setting of Vashon Island, Washington, Tim Podell has an...

Jaime Lo, Small and Shy.(talespinner's II series)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Jaime Lo, Small and Shy (Talespinner's II Series). DVD. 7:48 min. National Film Board of Canada. 2006, 2007 release. #916030. $59.95. Gr 1-4--Jaime, a Chinese-Canadian girl, lives in Toronto with her parents and older brother and sister....

Sally Lockhart Mysteries: Ruby in the Smoke.(masterpiece theatre series)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Sally Lockhart Mysteries: Ruby in the Smoke (Masterpiece Theatre Series). DVD. 90 min. (closed captioned). WGBH Boston. 2007. ISBN 978-1-59375-725-0. $19.95. Gr 7 Up--Before Philip Pullman wrote "His Dark Materials" trilogy, he wrote the...

To Kill a Mockingbird: Exploring the Text.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... To Kill a Mockingbird: Exploring the Text. DVD. 32 min. VEA. 2005, 2007 release. #LE101. $89.95. Gr 9 Up--For students reading Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, this program presents a discussion of the novel's context, voice, and...

Under the Biltmore Clock.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Under the Biltmore Clock. DVD. 79 min. Prod. by Rubison Prods. Dist. by Monterey Home Video. 1984, 2006 release. ISBN 1-56994-267-6. $19.95. Gr 9 Up--F. Scott. Fitzgerald's delightful short story, "Myra Meets His Family," is beautifully...

Wormhead.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Wormhead. DVD. Prod. by KoolKidz Television & Pub. Dist. by Victory Multimedia. 2007. $15. Gr 1-5--On her first day of second grade at Harriet Tubman Elementary School, Jessie Brown sits next to a new girl with strange hair. Nia's hair...

Plagiarism: What DO You Value?(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Plagiarism: What DO You Value? DV-D. 27 min. VEA. 2005, 2007 release. #LE100. $89.95. Gr 9 Up--This program covers the different types of plagiarism, why it occurs, how it's detected, and ways to avoid it. Geared for high school students,...

Mathematics Series Three.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Mathematics Series Three. 6 DVDs. range: 22-30 min. VEA. 2006. $480 ser., $89.95 ea. Includes: Coordinate Geometry; Geometric Constructions; Geometric Transformations; Naming and Measuring Angles; Similarity, Ratio and Proportion; Triangles and...

Multiplication Hip Hop In Concert.(classic concert series, vol. 1)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Multiplication Hip Hop In Concert (Classic Concert Series, Vol. 1). DVD. approx. 46 min. De-U Records. 2006, 2007 release. #DUDVD1. $19.99. PreS-Gr 5--The title of this program is misleading. It features live performances of a compilation...

Mozartballs.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Mozartballs. video or DVD. 54 min. Prod. by Rhombus Media. Dist. by Bullfrog Films. 2006. video: ISBN 1-59458-384-6, DVD: ISBN 1-59458-385-4. $250 (Rental: $85). Gr 11 Up--Instructors looking for a staid documentary about the life and...

Beethoven's Hair.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Beethoven's Hair. video or DVD. 84 min./60 min. classroom ed. Prod. by Rhombus Media. Dist. by Bullfrog Films. 2005, 2006 release, video: ISBN 1-59458-353-6, DVD: ISBN 1-59458-354-4. $295 (Rental: $95); classroom ed. video: ISBN 1-59458-376-5,...

Expedition EarthScope.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Expedition EarthScope. video or DVD. 27 min (closed captioned). Prod. by Earth Images Foundation. Dist. by Bullfrog Films. 2006. video: ISBN 1-59458-450-8, DVD: ISBN 1-59458-451-6. $195 (Rental: $45). Gr 7 Up--EarthScope is a ten-year...

Hanging with the Sloth.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Hanging with the Sloth. DVD. 30 min. Choices Inc. 2006. ISBN 1-933724-07-2. $49.95. Gr 6 Up--Did you know that the closest relatives of sloths are anteaters and armadillos, that a sloth's body temperature changes during the day, or that...

The Last Great Ape.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... The Last Great Ape (NOVA Series). DVD. approx. 56 min. (closed captioned). Prod. by NOVA. Dist. by WGBH Boston. 2007. ISBN 978-1-59375-713-7. $19.95. Gr 7 Up--Scientists are studying what might well be the planet's last group of primates...

The Trail of the Mummy.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... The Trail of the Mummy. video or DVD. 52 min. Prod. by ARVO in assn. with ZDF/Arte and RNTV. Dist. by Filmakers Library. 2005, 2007 release. $350 (Rental: $85). Gr 10 Up--The film explores the history of mummification and the public's...

The Way Cool Game of Science: Population and Ecosystems.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... The Way Cool Game of Science: Population and Ecosystems. DVD. (closed captioned). Disney Educational Prods. 2007. ISBN 1-59753-142-1. $49.95: Gr 4-8--Based on the old Bill Nye the Science Guy programs, this game show demands audience...

The Way Cool Game of Science: Structure and Function in Living Systems.
July 1, 2007... The Way Cool Game of Science: Structure and Function in Living Systems. DVD. (closed captioned). Disney Educational Prods. 2006, 2007 release. ISBN 1-59753-139-1. $49.95. Gr 4-8--This interactive game uses video clips from original Bill...

Exploring Communities.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Exploring Communities (Series). 5 DVDs. approx. 10 min. ca. Mazzarella Media. 2007. $39.95 ca. Includes: Exploring Communities Mike and Different (ISBN 1-934119-06-7); Exploring Communities and Geography (ISBN 1-934119-08-3); Exploring...

Retro New, Vol. 2: History of Aviation/ News of 1934.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Retro New, Vol. 2: History of Aviation/ News of 1934. DVD. 1 hr. Small Planet. 2006. $29.99. Gr 4-8--The two 30-minute segments have an identical format, featuring teen newscasters using black-and-white archival footage of important events...

Whose Children Are These?(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Whose Children Are These? video or DVD. 28 min. Filmakers Library. 2004, 2007 release. $295 (Rental: $65). Gr 9 Up--Following the September 11th attacks, the Department of Justice created the Special Registration program aimed at males from...

Yesterday in Rwanda.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... Yesterday in Rwanda. video or DVD. 14 min. Filmakers Library. 2005, 2007 release. $125 (Rental: $55). Gr 9 Up--The documentary follows Claire Wihogora, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. She describes the loss of her father, brother,...

The Prince of Tennis, Vol 1: Episodes 1-13.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
July 1, 2007... The Prince of Tennis, Vol 1: Episodes 1-13. 3 DVDs. approx. 5 hrs. Viz Media. 2007. ISBN 1-4215-1416-8. $39.98. Gr 5 Up--Based on the very popular manga created by Takeshi Konomi, the Prince of Tennis is 12-year-old Ryoma Echizen who has...

Ally's World: Parties, Predicaments and Undercover Pets.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
July 1, 2007... Ally's World: Parties, Predicaments and Undercover Pets (unabr.). 4 CDs. 3:30 hrs. Prod. by Chivers Children's Audio Books. Dist. by BBC Audiobooks America. 2006. ISBN 978-1-4056-5621-4. $34.95. Gr 5-8--In Karen McCombie's seventh book...

Billie and the Parent Plan.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
July 1, 2007... Billie and the Parent Plan (unabr.) 3 CDs. 3:38 hrs. Prod. by Chivers Children's Audio Books. Dist. by BBC Audiobooks America. 2007. ISBN 1-4056-5634-4. $29.95. Gr 4-6--Although 10-year-old Billie (a.k.a. Millie) Stubbs has dreamed about...

The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
July 1, 2007... The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street (unabr.). 2 CDs. 2:33 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2007. ISBN 978-0-7393-4872-7. $24. Gr 4-6--Queen is smarter and cuter than other 10 year olds,...

The Chestnut Soldier: The Magician Trilogy, Book 3.(Brief article)(Audiobook review)(Children's review)
July 1, 2007... The Chestnut Soldier: The Magician Trilogy, Book 3 (unabr.). 5 CDs. 6:08 hrs. Scholastic Audiobooks. 2007. ISBN 0-439-02339-4. $29.95. Gr 5-7--The Chestnut Soldier (Orchard Books, 2007) is the third volume in Jenny Nimmo's "The Magician...

Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam.(Brief article)(Audiobook review)(Children's review)
July 1, 2007... Cracked! The Best Dog in Vietnam (unabr.). 6 CDs. 7 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2006. ISBN 978-0-7393-4856-7. $50. Gr 5-8--Cracker, a large German shepherd, is given up by Willie, her young...

The Day My Mother Left.(Brief article)(Audiobook review)(Children's review)
July 1, 2007... The Day My Mother Left (unabr.). 4 CDs. 4:31 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2007. ISBN 978-0-7393-4866-6. $39. Gr 5-8--Nine-year-old Jeremy Vrabec is devastated when his mother abandons the...

The Disappearing TV Star: The Raven Hill Mysteries #3.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
July 1, 2007... The Disappearing TV Star: The Raven Hill Mysteries #3 (unabr.). 3 CDs. 3:15 hrs. Bolinda Audio. 2006. ISBN 1-74093758-9. $28. Gr 7-9--In the latest title in Australian author Emily Rodda's "Raven Hill Mysteries" series, the Teen Power gang...

Firegirl.(Brief article)(Audiobook review)(Children's review)
July 1, 2007... Firegirl (unabr.). 3 CD. 2:52 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2007. ISBN 978-0-7393-4873-4. $30. Gr 5-7--Tom Bender, a 7th grader, is overweight and usually goes unnoticed. He pines for the...

Fly the Unfriendly Skies: Strange Matter, Vol. 7.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
July 1, 2007... Fly the Unfriendly Skies: Strange Matter, Vol. 7. 2 CDs. 2 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2006. ISBN 978-1-4233-0875-1. $25.25. Gr 4-6--In the seventh title (Frontline, pap. 1995) in the series by Marty Engle, 12-year-old Morgan Taylor and his...

Hattie Big Sky.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
July 1, 2007... Hattie Big Sky (unabr.). 7 CDs. 8:30 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2007. ISBN 978-0-7393-5132-1. $60. Gr 6-10--Sixteen-year-old Hattie Brooks does her best to improve her late Uncle Chester's...

The Invention of Hugo Cabret.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
July 1, 2007... The Invention of Hugo Cabret. 3 CDs. 3 hrs. with DVD. Scholastic Audio. 2007. ISBN 0-545-00363-6. $29.95. Gr 3-6--Brian Selznick's atmospheric story (Scholastic, 2007) is set in Paris in 1931. Hugo Cabret is an orphan; his father, a...

Jungle Drums.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Audiobook review)
July 1, 2007... Jungle Drums (unabr.). CD. 50 min. Bolinda Audio. 2007. ISBN 978-1-74093-825-9. $18. K-Gr 2--Being the smallest warthog in Africa is no fun for Ngiri Mdogo who is regularly teased by the other animals. Ngiri is presented with a set of...