Professional Reading

By Staff -- School Library Journal, 6/1/2006

EGOFF, Sheila & Wendy K. Sutton. Once Upon a Time: My Life with Children’s Books 163p. photos. CIP. Orca 2006. Tr $29.95. ISBN 1-55143-335-4. LC 2005934041.

An intriguing look into the life of one of the most influential people in the history of Canadian children’s librarianship. Egoff begins with a compelling description of her first visit to a public library, which is bound to stir familiar memories in the minds of many readers. She carefully details her discovery of countless great books, touching on many familiar authors and titles. Her rise throughout the ranks to become one of Canada’s premier advocates for quality literature and library programs for children is meticulously detailed and leaves readers with a clear picture of her contributions to the field. Her opinions are strong and can foster lively debate. She is appalled, for instance, by libraries that are staffed by nonprofessionals. Egoff also has little use for mass-market series such as the “Bobbsey Twins” or “Nancy Drew” and discourages libraries from purchasing them. A centerfold of black-and-white photographs is included and a list of titles that she mentions in the text is appended. No discussion of children’s librarianship would be complete without reference to Egoff’s work and influence.–Robyn Walker, Elgin Court Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

This annotated bibliography has more than 700 selected print and electronic resources. Each numbered entry includes complete bibliographic information, a recommended grade level, and a one-paragraph summary and critique. The entries are organized in 16 chapters such as “Art and Architecture,” “Curricular Resources,” “Fiction and Folklore,” “History and Politics,” “Islamic Faith and Practice,” “Nation of Islam,” and “Women in Islam.” The final chapter lists relevant Web sites that are arranged to correspond with the preceding 15 chapters. The authors state that the majority of their annotations are based on visual examination of the materials, and they are forthright in noting when there is a scarcity of materials in a particular area. The volume includes several indexes: geographical, grade, illustrator and photographer, subject, and title. This book will be of use to librarians and media specialists who are looking to expand their holdings in this area. It is the most up-to-date resource of its kind currently available.–Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ

Gillespie’s revision of Margaret W. Denman-West’s Children’s Literature: A Guide to Information Sources (Libraries Unlimited, 1998) is much broader in scope and depth than the original work. The volume is comprehensive and well organized. The nine chapters cover general background sources and histories; retrospective bibliographies; current American reviewing tools, annual bibliographies, and children’s magazines; curriculum-related bibliographies; multicultural sources; literary awards and prizes, including state and regional awards; guides to promoting literature and services for children and young adults; guides to biographies of authors and illustrators; professional organizations, agencies, publishers, and booksellers; guides to special collections and resources; and a bibliography of Internet and other nonprint sources. Name, title, and subject indexes are also included. Each chapter begins with a brief analysis of chapter content. All entries are annotated and numbered. As a tool for librarians and scholars, this volume should prove to be quite valuable.–Janet Hilbun, Texas Woman’s University, Denton

A companion to Stories NeverEnding (Libraries Unlimited, 2004), this title is divided into 10 thematic chapters that offer programming ideas for children in grades two to six. Each chapter includes an introduction to the subject, a list of related titles, a program for school use, and one for public library use. While this book holds many creative ideas, its inconsistent organization and hazy focus leave much to be desired. The portion of each chapter dedicated to school programming, for example, is sometimes presented as a cohesive unit and other times as a jumping-off point or collection of ideas. The themes of the chapters themselves are scattered, bouncing from the Middle Ages to manners to biographies of children’s book authors and illustrators. And, while Web sites are mentioned in a few isolated spots, there are no online resources listed in the chapter bibliographies. In attempting to reach both school and public libraries with a torrent of ideas and topics, this book has not fully delivered to either.–Jill Heritage Maza, Conn Elementary, Raleigh, NC

A collection of games and quizzes for classroom use or reading competitions such as “Battle of the Books” or “Book Bingo.” Organized by sections such as “Mother Goose,” “Aesop’s Fables,” folktales from various regions, “The Classics,” and Caldecott or Newbery winners, the book provides many reproducible sheets featuring cryptograms, word searches, and matching games. The “Scavenger Hunt” worksheets are particularly enjoyable and well done. These hunts can send a team or an individual to explore a Dewey Decimal number section in order to find a word that fits in the prepared fictional story. An answer key appears at the bottom of each page. By designing these creative games and quizzes, Polette has made it easier for busy librarians, teachers, or group leaders to bring some friendly competition to a literature unit.–Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

This update of the 2000 edition will satisfy most school librarians whether newly degreed or seasoned professionals. The tips, all from practicing school library media specialists, were collected from Library Media Connection and are categorized into nine sections with a box per section outlining what will be covered. This format is very helpful in locating information quickly and easily. From managing your library and collaborating with teachers to using technology, these tried-and-true tips are well worth the cost of the book. There are other books that help librarians manage the library such as Barbara L. Stein and Risa W. Brown’s Running a School Library Media Center (Neal-Schuman, 2002), Doug Johnson’s The Indispensable Librarian (Linworth, 1997), and Amy G. Job and MaryKay W. Schnare’s Now What Do I Do? (Scarecrow, 2001), but it is really York who holds the market for this format. The only downside is that some of the technology tips (referring only to floppies and not flash-drives) seem dated. However, the flaws are few and far between. A good addition to any school library.–Carol Foreman, Englewood Public Library, CO