Professional Reading

Pointing to the school media professional as a leader in promoting principles such as the Library Bill of Rights and ALA's Code of Ethics within the parameters of local school environment, Adams offers help in creating and following a selection policy, keeping library records private, and understanding the effect of case law on intellectual freedom. Inset boxes summarize key ideas and paraphrase terms such as defining and interpreting what is "harmful to minors." The author tackles confidentiality issues such as calling up automated patron histories, and new advances such as biometrics (such as fingerprint) used for library identification. Other problems in the area of technology include filtering legislation and the FCC's principle of "net neutrality" that stand in the way of student access to Web 2.0 tools. Each chapter integrates facts with testimony from library media specialists across the United States, bulleted tips for implementing ideas, follow-up resources, and extensive notes. A final chapter provides tools for advocacy, and notable authors such as Suzanne Fisher Staples, Harry Mazer, and Katherine Paterson weigh in with appended personal statements about censorship. This is a useful guide for new and veteran library media specialists, and a must-share with school administrators.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY

An engaging and thorough history of the Hardy Boys, the Stratemeyer Syndicate, and serial publishing. Edward Stratemeyer founded the syndicate in 1905, changing the field of children's reading by creating 125 series, including the "Hardy Boys," "Nancy Drew," "Tom Swift," "the Bobbsey Twins," and "the Rover Boys." Stratemeyer managed the series by developing plot outlines for each and hiring contract authors to write the individual books. Connelly examines the evolution of the series beginning with the late 1920s, through the Depression, World War II, the McCarthy era, into the disco age and then to the present, tracing how cultural influences, race, class, gender, and values vary in the books as they reflect the times in which they were written. Illustrations show the evolution of the series through time. A cover picture of What Happened at Midnight (1931) shows Frank and Joe Hardy as young men in business suits. By 1993, they appear as part of a rap band performing on stage. A fascinating look at the history of these popular publications.—Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA

This collection of articles is an interesting and thought-provoking treatment of the cultural influences on the stories of girl detectives. The essays, most of them by university professors, include a brief history of the Stratemeyer Syndicate and the creation of Nancy Drew, first published in 1930, and an introduction to the two major authors of the Nancy Drew mysteries, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams and Mildred Wirt Benson. Both wrote under the name of Carolyn Keene and were involved in the corporate collaborative effort of the publisher, writers, and editors who produced books that were meant to entertain but were often questioned by librarians and teachers in terms of their literary value. Other selections examine the issues of race and xenophobia in the series and Nancy's lack of technological knowledge and ability in spite of her strength and intellect and the changing cultural influences on that dearth of knowledge. Other essays look at series about Linda Carlton, Cherry Ames, Trixie Belden, and teen sleuths such as Hermione Granger. A great choice for all who are interested in the evolution of the girl detective in American youth literature.—Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA

Librarians looking for ways to engage media-obsessed children need search no further. Originally a presentation called "Booktalking with Pizzazz," presented at the 2004 American Library Association's Annual Conference, this volume is a collection of scripts for multimedia-enriched booktalks. After an introductory chapter that explains the reasoning for this approach, 10 scripts are outlined. Books, music, video, and Web sites are included for each one. The programs are geared toward elementary-aged children, although suggestions for adapting them for a middle or high school audience are included. The script for the ALA program is included, as is a concluding chapter with further advice and tips. Librarians can follow the scripts included in the book, adapt them for their own resources and needs, or use them as a place to start their own programs. Of particular interest to teachers and school library media specialists, especially those who are experienced booktalkers, this guide will help lead the way to a new kind of presentation.—Melissa Rabey, Frederick County Public Libraries, Frederick, MD

This succinct guide shows library media specialists how to create exemplary programs that are aligned with school objectives, including improvement plans, processes, and outcomes, and how to measure the value of these efforts, especially in terms of academic standards and the development of information literacy skills. These criteria are often used to determine programs that should be supported and enhanced. The volume includes practical strategies; many informational sidebars, some of which are bibliographies; and appendixes that supply various assessment tools. It is an outstanding addition because of the wealth of tables, graphics, case studies, and professional and Web resources, all of which are well integrated into the text.—Caroline Geck, Newark Public Schools, NJ