School Library Journal articles from October 2005

School Library Journal archives from October 2005

Waking up digital content: primary sources online are great--if learners can find them.(Editorial)
October 1, 2005... ALL LIBRARIANS--WELL, ALMOST ALL--REJOICE WHEN THEY HEAR THAT historical documents, like their local newspaper, are being digitized and made freely available on the Web. It's not because we hate print (microform is another matter). It's because...

In a class of their own: homeschoolers and public libraries are a perfect combination.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... MANY THANKS TO KATHRYN SLATTERY for her feature on homeschooling and libraries (August 2005, p. 44). I am a former medical librarian, now a full-time faculty member at Syracuse University's School of Information Studies and teaching in our LIS...

The cable guy.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE RESPONSE given by copyright specialist Carrie Russell to a reader's question in "Carrie on Copyright" (August 2005, p. 30). Librarian Lizanne Wallace asked about videotaping "TV programs, such as 'Cable in the...

Superhero a natural.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... I JUST READ STEEV BAKER'S SLJ REVIEW of David Okum's Superhero Madness (Impact Books, 2004; March, p. 238) on Amazon.com and noticed that it incorrectly states that the final drawing of each step-by-step exercise is completed by computer. In...

Truth vs. fiction in Vietnam.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... WHILE KATHLEEN ISAACS BRINGS UP interesting points in her article, "Truth in Information Books" (July 2005, p. 28), her statement that some of my facts are "simply wrong" in nay book, Escape From Saigon: How a Vietnam War Orphan Became an...

Kathleen Isaacs replies.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... Andrea Warren says that my statement that some of her facts are wrong is not true. She also says that she changed many details. That confirms that her facts were wrong. In the book she told readers she had disguised identities; she didn't tell...

Teen Guide controversy.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... MIRANDA AND WILLIAM HUNTER'S Taking Responsibility: A Teen's Guide to Contraception and Pregnancy (Mason Crest, 2005; July, p. 119) devotes an entire chapter to the issue of abstinence. The author clearly and accurately presents the facts...

Our reviewer replies.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... IN MY ORIGINAL REVIEW I HAD STATED "Some areas that were found to be lacking, or not covered at all were: effectiveness of various methods of contraception, abstinence as a method of birth control, and childbirth classes." This is converted in...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2005... CORRECTION: In the article "Have Your Fingers Ready for Check Out" (August 2005, p. 26), Mr. West's first name and the location of Naperville Public Library are idenitifed incorrectly. Mr. West's first name is Mark and the library is in...

Calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2005... October 2005 October 27-29 Illinois School Library Media Association, Decatur, IL. For information about the conference, whose theme is "Enhancing Student Success," visit www.islma.org/conferences.htm. November 1-2. 43rd Annual Early...

Libraries rebuild after Hurricane Katrina: offers of aid to the library community have been immediate and generous.(news)
October 1, 2005... Outside the Houston Astrodome, a shelter for thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors, about 300 children waited to board a convoy of yellow buses on September 8. With anxious parents offering last-minute hugs and a few tearful good-byes, it...

Patriot Act suffers another blow: several legal actions could water down sweeping antiterrorism bill.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Although the Patriot Act is here to stay, the antiterrorism law has recently suffered some significant blows. A federal judge ruled on September 9 that the FBI must lift a gag order that's preventing an organization with library records from...

Gates floats boat libraries: river boats deliver books, technology to people in need.(news)(Bangladesh recipient of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Access to Learning Award)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Books and computers were practically unheard of in northern Bangladesh until a private humanitarian organization devised a brilliant plan--to deliver free educational resources via library boats. Now, a fleet of about 50 boats regularly docks...

Soldiers home for bedtime: videotaped storytimes ease distance for deployed parents.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Theresa Killingsworth normally sends boxes of donated baby wipes and beef jerky to American soldiers deployed overseas. But when the fourth-grade teacher at Catalina Venture School in Phoenix, AZ, saw a posting on anysoldier.com requesting...

'Children's Bookshelf' newsletter unveiled.(short takes)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... If you want to read author interviews, industry news, and articles about prominent children's book titles, sign up for Children's Bookshelf, a free weekly e-newsletter that went live in mid-September. The publication also features awards,...

'Harold' hits 50.(short takes)(Harold and the Purple Crayon)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Fans of children's literature are celebrating the 50th birthday of Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon (HarperCollins, 1955), the tale of a toddler whose imagination runs wild as he draws with his oversized purple crayon. All of...

Library offers instant research buddy: instant messaging lets kids ask reference questions via their computers.(news)(Alexandrian Public Library)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... They may look like the same librarians, but the reference desk crew at the Alexandrian Public Library in Mr. Vernon, IN, has a new handle--one students can reach through instant messaging: AskAlexandrian. The library launched its new IM...

Criticas web site unveiled: site, newsletter offers Spanish-language publishing news.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Criticas, the only U.S. magazine in English devoted to the Spanish-language publishing market, has launched a Web site, www.criticasmagazine.com, and a twice-monthly newsletter, Criticas Connection. Both are free and require no registration....

Gay theme causes uproar in Oklahoma: Oklahoma City board votes to segregate 'controversial' titles.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The commission overseeing the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library System is requiring all libraries to shelve books on "controversial" topics in "parenting collections." The fallout from the decision remains unclear, but it appears that...

A river runs through it: GreenGuide honors school for salmon-hatching program run by librarian.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Hatching salmon isn't a typical school activity, but teacher-librarian Janet Johnson made it an integral part of the school curriculum--and, in turn, helped Sonoji Sakai Intermediate School in Washington win a GreenGuide award for being one of...

Ohio library expands eBook collection: hundreds of titles, audiobooks available for free by 'checking out' digital files online.(news)(Ohio eBook Project)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... With librarians already hampered by tight budgets, adding an eBook collection may not be at the top of their lists. But the Ohio eBook Project, a new program launched by the State Library of Ohio, will allow libraries across the state to access...

GetSet4K gets kids ready for school.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Melanie Huggins knows how daunting it can be for parents to send their kids to kindergarten. That's why the youth services director at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in North Carolina recently created GetSet4K.org, a...

Library Success a best practices wiki: www.libsuccess.org.(Site of the Month)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... "A one-stop-shop for great ideas for librarians." That's what Meredith Farkas (above) hopes will develop from her recently launched wiki, Library Success. Farkas, a distance-learning librarian at Norwich University, in Northfield, VT, created...

High-tech high: new AZ high school is textbookless, but not bookless.(Tech Knowledge)
October 1, 2005... With its gleaming new classrooms and fleshly painted halls, Empire High School in Vail, AZ, looks, at first glance, like any newly constructed school in the burgeoning Sun Belt. But come morning, as the school day begins, students are sprawled...

Readingpen: personal reading assistant.(Test DRIVE)
October 1, 2005... The Reading Pen Group, 2 Chandler Street, Lexington, MA 02420 (877)-344-4040 www.readingpen.com $139 each; 10 pack available for $990. The Readingpen K-12 edition fits right into the model of "Universal Design for Learning," or UDL, an...

Digital copyright.(Tech Knowledge)
October 1, 2005... Copyright, as it relates to books and other physical materials is complex enough, but how does the law apply to digital resources? There's the rub. The Copyright Act, which limits the number of copies one can generate from an original for...

Maine's connection across the digital divide.(Tech Knowledge)
October 1, 2005... Maine just took one step closer to bridging the digital divide. Starting this fall, Maine's middle school students who receive free or reduced-priced school lunches will be eligible for free home Internet connections. The program will...

Scare them into writing: monsters and other creepy topics can inspire young authors.(The Librarian's Internet)
October 1, 2005... Monster Motel kotn.ntu.ac.uk/motel/motel/welcome.html Want to get young children excited about writing? Then check into the Monster Motel and access more than 250 monster profiles written by students in grades three to five. Those...

Wary of Wikipedia.(The Librarian's Internet)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Teachers who are concerned by student use of Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, may have found an unlikely ally in the resource's founder. "I think that [Wikipedia] is a tool students should be using--but with some awareness of what it is,"...

When fair is fair: can schools display copywritten works on TV? It depends.(Carrie on Copyright)
October 1, 2005... Our school's announcements are broadcast each morning on closed-circuit TV. My students are writing ads for various books, and I'd like them to read them on air. Are they allowed to display the book covers? --Tara Cain, media specialist...

Don't gloss over the glossary: some nifty tools make it easier for kids to navigate nonfiction books.(What Works)
October 1, 2005... ONE DAY, WHILE READING ANNE AND HARLOW ROCKWELL'S CLASSIC PICTURE book, The Toolbox (Macmillan, 1971), it occurred to me that any good nonfiction book is filled with tools. Tables of contents, indexes, captions, charts, and the like--they're...

Poetry goes full blast: a passion for the spoken word sparks an explosion of programs.(Up for Discussion)
October 1, 2005... IT BEGAN WHERE LOTS OF GOOD IDEAS DO--IN THE LIBRARY. TO BE SPECIFIC, in the cafeteria of the Brooklyn Public Library's Central Branch. I was having lunch with Barbara Genco, Director of Collection Development, former president of the...

Love at first bite: Stephenie Meyer talks about vampires, teen love, and her first novel, "Twilight".(Under Cover)(Interview)
October 1, 2005... Were you surprised when Twilight was purchased for over $500,000, and its film rights were sold? It felt very strange, like some sort of practical joke for quite a while. And now, I still don't believe it. It's kind of surreal to me every...

Wild about Harry: who would've guessed? A principal who sports Jerry Garcia ties and totally digs libraries.(SLJ/GREENWOOD ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR 2005)(Harry Bull)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... It's 10 a.m. in Aurora, CO. just outside of Denver, and the Grandview High School library is bursting with life. Its two classrooms, each equipped with state-of-the-art technology, are overflowing with kids. In one, Patricia Holloway, the...

The young & the wireless: a new study offers clues on how to turn teens into library users.
October 1, 2005... We all want to turn teens into regular library users, and a new report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project is chock-full of information teat can help. If librarians better understand kids' online needs, and create libraries and services...

SLJ'S tech survey: part two: big plans, little money leave school librarians with tough choices.
October 1, 2005... Library media specialists are gung ho on technology, but they often lack the cash to take advantage of it, according to SLJ's first-ever tech survey. Earlier this year, we reported on the various ways that school librarians use technology--from...

December holiday books 2005.(Bibliography)
October 1, 2005... Compared to recent years, publishers have shown a little restraint this season when it comes to December holiday books. Never fear, though, because there are still more than 50 Christmas and Hanukkah titles to choose from; we received no...

Scientists in the field.(Focus On: Tropical Resources for Curriculum Needs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Sun-burnt deserts, dripping rainforests, windswept grasslands, frigid polar caps, fiery volcanic caldera, and the ocean--from the sun-sparkled shallows to the bitter blackness of the depths--all are examples of the vast variety of fields'...

Collard, Sneed B. A Firefly Biologist at Work.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... COLLARD, Sneed B. A Firefly Biologist at Work. (A Wildlife Conservation Society Bk.). Watts. 2001. PLB $24.50. ISBN 0-53111798-7; pap. $6.95. ISBN 0-531-16568-X. Gr 4-6-A Ph.D. who never graduated from high school or college, Jim Case has...

Cummings, Pat & Linda Cummings, eds. Talking with Adventurers.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... CUMMINGS, Pat & Linda Cummings, eds. Talking with Adventurers. National Geographic. 1998. RTE $19.95. ISBN 0-7922-7068-1. Gr 5-8--Archaeologist, ethologist, bioacoustician, anthropologist--a veritable smorgasbord of professions is presented...

Earle, Sylvia A. Dive!: My Adventures in the Deep Frontier.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... EARLE, Sylvia A. Dive!: My Adventures in the Deep Frontier. (My Adventures Series). National Geographic. 1999. Tr $18.95. ISBN 0-7922-7144-0. Gr 4-6--Pioneer marine biologist Earle has explored the ocean, snorkeling in the sunny shallows...

Goodall, Jane. The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours.(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... GOODALL, Jane. The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours. Scholastic. 2001. RTE $18.95. ISBN 0-439-21310-X. Gr 6-8--Goodall, doyenne of field biologists, relates her passionate, personal involvement with the chimpanzee families...

Hawass, Zahi. Curse of the Pharaohs: My Adventures with Mummies.(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... HAWASS, Zahi. Curse of the Pharaohs: My Adventures with Mummies. National Geographic. 2004. Tr $19.95. ISBN 0-7922-6665-X; PLB $29.90. ISBN 0-7922-6963-2. Gr 6-8--Hawass, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt, is the...

Jackson, Donna M. The Bone Detectives: How Forensic Anthropologists Solve Crimes and Uncover Mysteries of the Dead.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... JACKSON, Donna M. The Bone Detectives: How Forensic Anthropologists Solve Crimes and Uncover Mysteries of the Dead. photos. by Charlie Fellenbaum. Little, Brown. 1996. RTE $17.95. ISBN 0-316-82935-8; pap. $7.99. ISBN 0-316-82961-7. Gr...

Jackson, Ellen. Looking for Life in the Universe: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.(Are We Alone?: Scientists Search for Life in Space)(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... JACKSON, Ellen. Looking for Life in the Universe: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. photos. by Nic Bishop. (Scientists in the Field Series). Houghton. 2003. Tr $16. ISBN 0-618-12894-8; pap. $6.95. ISBN 0-618-54886-6. ...

Kramer, Stephen. Eye of the Storm: Chasing Storms with Warren Faidley.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... KRAMER, Stephen. Eye of the Storm: Chasing Storms with Warren Faidley. photos. by Warren Faidley. Putnam. 1997. Tr $18.95. ISBN 0-399-23029-7; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-698-11766-2. Gr 4-7--A professional storm chaser's camera catches stunning...

Kramer, Stephen. Hidden Worlds: Looking Through a Scientist's Microscope.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... KRAMER, Stephen. Hidden Worlds: Looking Through a Scientist's Microscope. photos, by Dennis Kunkel. (Scientists in the Field Series). Houghton. 2001. Tr $16. ISBN 0-618-05546-0; pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-618-35405-0. Gr 5-8--Daniel Kunkel's...

Larson, Peter & Kristin Donnan. Bones Rock! Everything You Need to Know to Become a Paleontologist.(Put on Some Antlers and Walk Like a Moose: How Scientists Find, Follow, and Study Wild Animals)(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... LARSON, Peter & Kristin Donnan. Bones Rock! Everything You Need to Know to Become a Paleontologist. Invisible Cities. 2004. pap. $19.95. ISBN 1-931229-35-X. SAYRE, April Pulley. Put on Some Antlers and Walk Like a Moose: How Scientists...

Lasky, Kathryn. The Most Beautiful Roof in the World: Exploring the Rainforest Canopy.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... LASKY, Kathryn. The Most Beautiful Roof in the World: Exploring the Rainforest Canopy. photos. by Christopher G. Knight. Harcourt. 1997. RTE $18. ISBN 0-15-200893-4; pap. $9. ISBN 0-15-200897-7. Gr 4-6--Biologist Meg Lowman climbs 100 feet...

Mallory, Kenneth. Swimming with Hammerhead Sharks.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... MALLORY, Kenneth. Swimming with Hammerhead Sharks. (Scientists in the Field Series). Houghton. 2001. Tr $16. ISBN 0-618-05543-6; pap. $4.95. ISBN 0-618-25079-4. Gr 4-6--Pull on some swim fins and join shark specialist Pete Klimley as he...

Marrin, Albert. Secrets from the Rocks: Dinosaur Hunting with Roy Chapman Andrews.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... MARRIN, Albert. Secrets from the Rocks: Dinosaur Hunting with Roy Chapman Andrews. Dutton. 2002. Tr $18.99. ISBN 0-525-46743-2. Gr 4-7--While Andrews is long deceased, his historical impact on scientific expeditions is unsurpassed and rates...

Miles, Victoria. Wild Science: Amazing Encounters with Animals and the People Who Study Them.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... MILES, Victoria. Wild Science: Amazing Encounters with Animals and the People Who Study Them. Raincoast. 2004. pap. $18.95. ISBN 1-55192-618-0. Gr 4-7--The energetic efforts of 10 wildlife biologists at work are recorded in a lucid text...

Montgomery, Sy. Search for the Golden Moon Bear: Science and Adventure in the Asian Tropics.(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... MONTGOMERY, Sy. Search for the Golden Moon Bear: Science and Adventure in the Asian Tropics. Houghton. 2004. Tr $16. ISBN 0-618-35650-9. Gr 6-8--Chance conversations years apart spur an Asian expedition seeking a mysterious "golden" bear....

Montgomery, Sy. The Tarantula Scientist.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... MONTGOMERY, Sy. The Tarantula Scientist. photos. by Nic Bishop. (Scientists in the Field Series). Houghton. 2004. Tr $18. ISBN 0-618-14799-3. Gr 5-8--Sam Hiram, tarantula expert extraordinaire, rotates between his "Spider Lab" in Ohio and...

Norell, Mark A. & Lowell Dingus. A Nest of Dinosaurs: The Story of Oviraptor.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... NORELL, Mark A. & Lowell Dingus. A Nest of Dinosaurs: The Story of Oviraptor. illus, by Mick Ellison. Doubleday. 1999. Tr $17.95. ISBN 0-385-32558-4. Gr 5-8--Braving brutal weather, smothering sandstorms, and primitive roads in the Gobi...

O'Meara, Donna. Into the Volcano: A Volcano Researcher at Work.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... O'MEARA, Donna. Into the Volcano: A Volcano Researcher at Work. photos. by author & Stephen O'Meara. Kids Can. 2005. Tr $16.95. ISBN 1-55337-692-7. Gr 5-8--Readers will need asbestos booties to keep their shoes from melting, a gas mask to...

Powzyk, Joyce. In Search of Lemurs: My Days and Nights in a Madagascar Rain Forest.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... POWZYK, Joyce. In Search of Lemurs: My Days and Nights in a Madagascar Rain Forest. illus, by author. National Geographic. 1998. Tr $17.95. ISBN 0-7922-7072-X. Gr 4-6--Scoop up a paint box, slather on the insect repellent, and join Powzyk...

Pringle, Laurence. Elephant Woman: Cynthia Moss Explores the World of Elephants.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... PRINGLE, Laurence. Elephant Woman: Cynthia Moss Explores the World of Elephants. photos. by Cynthia Moss. S & S. 1997. RTE $16. ISBN 0-689-80142-4. Gr 4-6--Moss began her world-famous Amboseli Elephant Research Project over 30 years ago....

Quinlan, Susan E. The Case of the Monkeys That Fell from the Trees: And Other Mysteries in Tropical Nature.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... QUINLAN, Susan E. The Case of the Monkeys That Fell from the Trees: And Other Mysteries in Tropical Nature. illus. by author. Boyds Mills. 2003. RTE $15.95. ISBN 1-56397-902-0. Gr 5-8-Poison dart frogs, army ants, and Heliconius butterflies...

Relf, Pat. A Dinosaur Named Sue: The Story of the Colossal Fossil: The World's Most Complete T. rex.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... RELF, Pat. A Dinosaur Named Sue: The Story of the Colossal Fossil: The World's Most Complete T. rex. Scholastic. 2000. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-439-09985-4. Gr 4-6--At the close of a hot summer working for the Black Hills Institute, a chance walk...

Sayre, April Pulley. Secrets of Sound: Studying the Calls and Songs of Whales, Elephants, and Birds.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... SAYRE, April Pulley. Secrets of Sound: Studying the Calls and Songs of Whales, Elephants, and Birds. (Scientists in the Field Series). Houghton. 2002. Tr $16. ISBN 0-618-01514-0. Gr 5-8--Three bioacousticians break out headsets,...

Turner, Pamela S. Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... TURNER, Pamela S. Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes. (Scientists in the Field Series). Houghton. 2005. RTE $17.95. ISBN 0-618-44555-2. Gr 5-9--Lavish with striking photos and graced with a readable text, this book introduces...

Walker, Sally. Fossil Fish Found Alive: Discovering the Coelacanth.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... WALKER, Sally. Fossil Fish Found Alive: Discovering the Coelacanth. (Photo Bks.). Carolrhoda. 2002. PLB $17.95. ISBN 157505-536-8. Gr 5-7--A startling catch in 1938 jolted the world--a coelacanth, supposedly extinct for 70 million years!...

Webb, Sophie. Looking for Seabirds: Journal from an Alaskan Voyage.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... WEBB, Sophie. Looking for Seabirds: Journal from an Alaskan Voyage. illus, by author. Houghton. 2004. Tr $16. ISBN 0-618-21235-3. Gr 4-7--Crowded into the cramped quarters of the research ship Alpha Helix, Webb records her efforts...

Forensics: Who Killed the Iceman?(Video Recording Review)(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)
October 1, 2005... Forensics: Who Killed the Iceman? video. 52 min. with tchr's, guide. Discovery School (www.discoveryschool.com). 2003. ISBN 1-58738-446-9. $59.95. Gr 9 Up--Learn how forensic scientists and archeologists use new methods to investigate the...

The Jeff Corwin Experience - Africa: Namibian Ecosystem.(Video Recording Review)
October 1, 2005... The Jeff Corwin Experience--Africa: Namibian Ecosystem. video or DVD. 45 min. with tchr's, guide. Prod. by Discovery Communications. Dist. by Discovery School (www.discoveryschool.com). 2005. video: ISBN 1-59527-206-2: $39.95; DVD, ISBN...

Monumental: David Brewer's Fight for Wild America.(Video Recording Review)
October 1, 2005... Monumental: David Brewer's Fight for Wild America. video or DVD. 77 min. Prod. by Loteria Film. Dist. by Bullfrog Films (www.bullfrogfilms.com). 2004. video: ISBN 1-59458-055-3, DVD: ISBN 1-59458-056-1. $275 (Rental: $95). Gr 7 Up--This...

Mysterious Life in Caves (Nova Series).(Video Recording Review)
October 1, 2005... Mysterious Life in Caves (Nova Series). video. 60 min. WCBH Boston (www.shopewgbh.org). 2003. ISBN 1-57807-964-0. $19.95. Gr 9 Up--Consisting of interviews with scientists and outstanding video footage, these eyewitness journeys into the...

The Sacred Balance (Series).(Video Recording Review)
October 1, 2005... The Sacred Balance (Series). 4 videos or 2 DVDs. 53 min. ea. with tchr's, guide. Prod. by Kensington Communications. Dist. by Bullfrog Films (www.bullfrogfilms.com). 2003. video, ISBN 1-59458-013-8: $595 ser., $250 ea.; DVD, ISBN 1-59458-028-6:...

Planets and Storms (Set).(Video Recording Review)
October 1, 2005... Planets and Storms (Set). 2 videos, approx. 26 min. ca. with tchr's, guide. Discovery School (www.discoveryschool.com). 2002. ISBN 1-58738-281-4. $89.95 set. Includes: Weather on Mars; Weather on Jupiter. Gr 6 Up--Actress Brenda Vaccaro...

SandlotScience.com: Welcome to the Exciting World of Optical Illusions and Brain-Teasers.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... SandlotScience.com: Welcome to the Exciting World of Optical Illusions and Brain-Teasers. www.sandlotscience.com. SandLotScience. (Accessed 8/19/05). Gr 9 Up--Although this is a commercial site, the wealth of information provided here...

Optics for Teens: Get Bright.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... Optics for Teens: Get Bright. www.optics forteens.org. Optical Society of America. (Accessed 8/19/05). Gr 6 Up--In addition to a section on illusions, this comprehensive site on optics contains information on everyday applications, lab...

Grand Illusions.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... Grand Illusions. www.grand-illusions.com. Hendrik Ball & George Auckland. (Accessed 8/19/05). Gr 9 Up--Although the commercial content of this for-profit site may be off-putting to some, it is nevertheless a good spot for fun illusions and...

M.C. Escher: The Official Website.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... M.C. Escher: The Official Website. www.mcescher.com. The M.C. Escher Gompany B.V. (Accessed 8/19/05). Gr 9 Up--Dedicated to the artwork of M.C. Esther, this comprehensive site describes his "impossible structures" or optical illusions as...

Archimedes' Laboratory.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... Archimedes' Laboratory. www.archimedes-lab.org/. Gianni A. Sarcone And Marie J. Waeber. (Accessed 8/19/05). Gr 9 Up--This Italian puzzle and brainteaser site includes puzzles and tests, optical illusions, custom puzzles (which can be...

Extreme Scientists.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... Extreme Scientists. www.extremescience.com/GalleryofScientists.htm. Extreme Science. (Accessed 8/20/05). Gr 4 Up--What do scientists do in the field? The activities of the six individuals featured here will pique students' interest in...

FBI Youth.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... FBI Youth. www.fbi.gov/kids/6th12th/6th 12th.htm. Federal Bureau of Investigation. (Accessed 8/20/05). Gr 6 Up--Given the popular interest in forensics, this site is bound to be a hit with middle and high school students. In "FBI...

Interviews with Volcanologists.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... Interviews with Volcanologists. volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/interview. Taft Mattox, Volcano World. (Accessed 8/20/05). Gr 5 Up--Young volcano enthusiasts can read all about the personal experiences of seven volcanologists at this site. The...

Nancy4Caves.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... Nancy4Caves. www.nancy4caves.net. Nancy Aulenbach, MacGillivray Freeman Films. (Accessed 8/20/05). Gr 3-6--Created in conjunction with the IMAX film Journey Into Amazing Caves, this online expedition diary features Nancy Aulenbach, an avid...

Rainforest Connection.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... Rainforest Connection. rainforest.montclair.edu/pwebrf/rainforest.jsp. Professional Resources in Science and Mathematics (PRISM), Montclair State University. (Accessed 8/20/05). Gr 4 Up--Each year, Jackie Giacalone Willis, director of the...

UnearthingT.Rex.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... UnearthingT.Rex. www.unearthingtrex.com. Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc. (Accessed 8/20/05). Gr 5 Up--Have you ever wished you could go along on a dinosaur dig? You can at this site, which recounts the 2004 excavation of...

The Danger Zone: Steering Clear of Drugs.(Video Recording Review)
October 1, 2005... The Danger Zone: Steering Clear of Drugs (Series). 3 videocassettes or 3 DVDs. color. range 17-19:30 min. (closed captioned). with tchr's, guide. Human Relations Media. 2005. ISBN 1-55548-123-X. $259.95 ser., $99.95 ea. Includes: The Danger...

Amazing Aliens.(Video Recording Review)
October 1, 2005... Amazing Aliens. videocassette or DVD. color. 29 min. Rodan Pictures. 2004. video: #1035, DVD: #5035. $9.99. PreS-Gr 2--In this unusual, live-action rock opera, aliens from Neila 5 formed a rock band and have boarded a spaceship to travel to...

Economics for Children.(Economics for Children: Saving, Spending and Investing Money)(Economics for Children: Starting a Business)(Economics for Children: U.S. Industries and Resources)(Economics for Children: What Is Economics?)(Video Recording Review)
October 1, 2005... Economics for Children (Series). 4 videocassettes or 4 DVDs. color. 23 min. ea. (closed captioned), with tchr's, guide. Prod. by Schlessinger Media. Dist. by Library Video Co. 2005. $29.95 ea. Includes: Economics for Children: Saving, Spending...