Professional Reading

-- School Library Journal, 11/1/2005

FIORE, Carole D. Fiore's Summer Library Reading Program Handbook. 312p. charts. illus. photos. reprods. appendix. further reading. index. notes. CIP. Neal-Schuman. 2005. pap. $65. ISBN 1-55570-513-8. LC 2004031104.

Rather than update her Running Summer Library Reading Programs (Neal-Schuman, 1998), Fiore decided to create a completely new handbook that includes the best practices and model programs to meet the needs of 21st-century libraries. The result is an incredibly detailed look at almost every possible aspect of summer reading that experienced or fledgling librarians might want. The book is divided into four parts: program essentials; planning elements and resources; strategies for organization and promotion; and successful themes and ideas. Each section has in-depth descriptions of ideas, resources, and plans. For novices, there is a wealth of information covering various aspects of Library Service for Youth 101. For experienced veterans, there is a wonderful index and table of contents that can be used to access particular topics of interest. The 25 write-ups of successful programs from various libraries across the country are particularly helpful. In addition, several appendixes cover summer-reading themes by state and year. Fiore has achieved her goal of creating a comprehensive program-planning and implementation tool. Her book would be useful for any library in which summer reading is a major programming endeavor.–Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

MCGHEE, Marla W. & Barbara A. Jansen. The Principal's Guide to a Powerful Library Media Program. 141p. bibliog. further reading. index. CIP. Linworth. 2005. pap. $44.95. ISBN 1-58683-193-3. LC 2004030208.

Five well-paced chapters provide administrators with a knowledge base of library-related philosophy and research; best practices in collaboration and instructional issues; responsibilities that effective librarians assume; nuts and bolts of hiring, scheduling, budgeting, and facilities; and professional development. Each chapter opens with questions that a principal might ask and includes a concise introduction, specific suggestions for action, and extensive citations, resources, rubrics, and examples. A four-step model for improvement with the acronym GEAR (Gather information, Establish goals, Apply strategies, and Reflect) is included. The appendixes consist of useful guides and forms to use for assessing unit planning, evaluating the search process, integrating research and writing, suggested time allocations, budget, interview questions, checklists, and GEAR worksheets. While administrators are unlikely to seek out this volume, librarians would do well to read it for their own professional development, highlighting and passing along information to their principals with hopes that they become interested enough to continue reading on their own.–Mary R. Hofmann, Rivera Middle School, Merced, CA

PERSON, Hara E. & Diane G. Person. Stories of Heaven and Earth: Bible Heroes in Contemporary Children's Literature. 287p. reprods. bibliog. index. CIP. Continuum. 2005. Tr $29.95. ISBN 0-8264-1468-0. LC 2005000763.

The Persons perceptively explore the meanings and analyze recent retellings of seven narratives from the Hebrew Bible: creation, Noah, Joseph, Moses, David, Jonah, and Esther. Their erudite, detailed exegesis closely follow the narratives (and illustrations) without forced interpretation. Most of the commentary is focused on the retellings, with brief wider references. Thus, teachers looking for a discussion of the biblical echoes in the work of J. R. R. Tolkien or Philip Pullman, for example, will need to look elsewhere. The book's organization is disappointing. Picture books and retellings for older readers are intermingled in the essays. The unannotated bibliography includes all titles referred to, literature and background sources together. There is no overall evaluation of each title in a way that would make it easy for users to see which books the writers find best. Thus, the fine psychological and ethical insights of this study will be most accessible to patient readers.–Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI

RIEDLING, Ann. Reference Skills for the School Library Media Specialist: Tips and Tools. 2nd ed. 132p. charts. appendix. bibliog. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Linworth. 2005. pap. $44.95. ISBN 1-58683-190-9. LC 2004025097.

For this new edition, Riedling has updated the technology discussions, relevant Web sites, and online resources within the appropriate chapters rather than appending a separate chapter. The other major change is the final chapter, which contains both an exercise as well as a separate reference scenario for elementary school, middle school, and high school. The author discusses a wide range of standard reference tools. Information is boxed and bulleted for quick reference. Annotated and complete lists of print and online resources are included. The up-to-date Webliographies included at the end of each chapter will be of great assistance to students and beginning librarians. This is a helpful tool for those new to the profession. A good complement to the more general texts on librarianship that are often used.–Lori Matthews, Loyola School, New York City

SMITH, Jane Bandy. Teaching and Testing Information Literacy Skills. 138p. charts. bibliog. CIP. Linworth. 2005. pap. $44.95. ISBN 1-58683-078-3. LC 2004026004.

Smith does a fine job of comparing and contrasting various schools of thought and of providing matrixes, examples, and plans. She reviews the rise and acceptance of information literacy, traces a continuum from older ideas of isolated library skills to this more inclusive life skill, and presents a frame for curriculum development with five pages of excellent instructional objectives by category and grade level. One chapter addresses curriculum implementation; others offer a terrific overview of effective teaching and testing techniques. Helpful unit- and lesson-planning designs are included. In the last chapter, two school librarians talk about their experiences with in-depth units using this design. Most chapters end with useful checklists for implementation as well as extensive endnotes and references. This powerful book will illuminate the inexperienced and reinvigorate veteran school librarians.–Mary R. Hofmann, Rivera Middle School, Merced, CA

ZIPES, Jack, ed., et al. The Norton Anthology of Children's Literature: The Traditions in English. 2471p. bibliog. index. CIP. Norton. 2005. pap. $76.70. ISBN 0-393-97538-X. LC 2004054172.

This addition to the highly respected Norton Library is impressive for many reasons. A wealth of material is provided with 170 authors and illustrators represented. Eighty works are presented in their entirety, including The New-England Primer, Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses, J. M. Barrie's play of Peter Pan, and Eleanor Estes's The Hundred Dresses. Less familiar but equally interesting selections, such as those by Robert Baden-Powell and Shannon Garst, are also present. The range of material covers a span of 350 years, with the copious but very readable explanatory material provided in terms of introductions, headnotes, etc., tracing not just the historical development of children's literature, but the impact of changing religious, educational, cultural, and social philosophies as well. While the editors state that the book is intended as "an introduction to children's literature for students primarily at colleges and universities" (and it will be a boon to those charged with designing such courses), it also serves to advance the scholarly study of children's literature as a serious and worthwhile enterprise. Resources for both students and instructors are included on the W.W. Norton Web site.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ