2009 ALSC Notable Videos and Recordings for Children & Great Interactive Software for Kids

The Notable Children’s Videos, Recordings, and Great Interactive Software for Kids lists are compiled annually by committees of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). These lists were released in January 2009 during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Denver, CO. The items on these lists, intended for children 14 years of age and younger, were selected based on their originality, creativity, and suitability for children.

2009 Notable Children’s Videos Committee: Kathy Krasniewicz (chair), Perrot Memorial Library, Old Greenwich, CT; Edie Ching, St. Alban’s School, Washington, DC; Pat Clingman, Kettering-Moraine Library Branch, OH; Molly M. Collins, Malden Public Library, MA; Cora Phelps Dunkley, University of South Florida, Tampa; Deborah B. Ford, Instructional Media Center, San Diego, CA; Christy Schink, Scenic Regional Library, Union, MO; Grace Shanahan, Brooklyn Public Library, NY; Lisa Marie Smith, Vernon Area Public Library, Lincolnshire, IL; Linda Teel, Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC; Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, CT.

Art. DVD. 6 min. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-10635-1. $59.95. PreS-Gr 2.

Bats at the Beach. DVD. 10 min. with tchr’s. guide. Nutmeg Media. 2008. ISBN 1-933938-49-8. $49.95. PreS-Gr 3.

A Box Full of Kittens. DVD. 17 min. Nutmeg Media. ISBN 1-933939-37-4. $49.95. PreS-Gr 2.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf. DVD. 7 min. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-09210-4. $59.95. PreS-Gr 3.

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! DVD. 8 min. with tchr’s. guide. Weston Woods. 2008. ISBN 987-0-545-09211-1. $59.95. PreS-Gr 1.

Come Again in Spring. DVD. 11 min. National Film Board of Canada. $99. Gr 7 Up.

Diary of a Fly. DVD. 10 min. with tchr’s. guide. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-09212-8. $59.95. PreS-Gr 3.

Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners. DVD. 12 min. with tchr’s. guide. Weston Woods. 2008. ISBN 978-0-545-09213-5. $59.95. PreS-Gr 3.

Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Mary Cassatt. DVD. approx. 22 min. (closed captioned). Getting to Know. 2008. $29.95. Gr 3-8.

Grandfather’s Journey. DVD. 10 min. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-10640-5. $59.95. K-Gr 4.

Hannah’s Story. DVD. 30 min. National Film Board of Canada. $150. Gr 4 Up.

I’m Dirty. DVD. 8 min. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-09215-9. $59.95. K-Gr 5.

Mack Made Movies. DVD. 14 min. Live Oak Media. ISBN 978-1-4301-0567-1. $29.95. PreS-Gr 3.

Madam President. DVD. 9 min. Weston Woods. 2008. ISBN 978-0-545-10644-3. $59.95. Gr 1-5.

A Mama for Owen. DVD. 9 min. with tchr’s. guide. Nutmeg Media. 2008. ISBN 1-933938-53-6. $49.95. PreS-Gr 2.

March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World. DVD. 18 min. Weston Woods. 2008. ISBN 978-0-545-10645-0. $59.95. Gr 2-7. (2009 Carnegie Medal Winner).

Pharm Parties: A Lethal Mix. video or DVD. 24 min. Human Relations Media. ISBN 978-1-55548-765-2. $139.95. Gr 8 Up.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. DVD. 9 min. Weston Woods. 2008. ISBN 978-0-545-09216-6. $59.95. PreS-Gr 3.

Understanding Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. video or DVD. 20 min. Human Relations Media. ISBN 978-1-55548-764-5. $139.95. Gr 7 Up.

What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? DVD. 6 min. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-10671-9. $59.95. PreS-Gr 3.

You’re All My Favorites. DVD. 10 min. with hardcover book. Candlewick Press. ISBN 978-0-7636-4045-3. $14.99. PreS-Gr 1.

2009 Notable Children’s Recordings Committee: Jane Claes, Chair, University of Houston Clear Lake, TX; Colette Drouillard, Tallahassee, FL; Kathy Kirchoefer, Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, New Carrollton, MD; Karen M. Perry, Wiley Middle School, Winston-Salem, NC; Linda L. Plevak, Northeast Lake View College, Universal City, TX; Mary Puleo, Everett Libraries, MA; Linda Zeilstra Sawyer, Skokie Public Library, IL; Kathryn Shepler, Aurora School, Oakland, CA; Janet Weber, Tigard Public Library, OR.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. By Sherman Alexie; narrated by author. 5 cassettes or 5 CDs. 5 hrs. Recorded Books. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4281-8292-9: $33.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4281-8297-4: $46.75. Gr 9 Up. (2009 Odyssey Award Winner).

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. By Lewis Carroll; narrated by Jim Dale. 3 CDs. 2:57 hrs. Listening Library. ISBN 978-0-7393-6765-0. $30. Gr 4 Up.

Beethoven’s Wig 4: Dance Along Symphonies. CD. 44 min. Rounder Records. $14.98. (musical) Gr 4 Up.

Brooklyn Bridge. By Karen Hesse; narrated by Fred Berman. 4 CDs. 4:45 hrs. Macmillan Audio. ISBN 978-1-4272-0546-9. $24.95. Gr 4-9.

Celia Cruz: Queen of Salsa. By Veronica Chambers; narrated by Michelle Manzo. cassette or CD. 16 min. Live Oak Media. cassette with paperback book, ISBN 978-1-4301-0280-9: $16.95; cassette with hardcover book, ISBN 978-1-4301-0281-6: $25.95; CD with paperback book, ISBN 978-1-4301-0283-0: $18.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-1-4301-0284-7: $28.95. K-Gr 5.

Clementine’s Letter. By Sara Pennypacker; narrated by Jessica Almasy. 2 cassettes or 2 CDs. 2:30 hrs. Recorded Books. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4281-8232-5, CD: ISBN 978-1-4281-8237-0. $25.75. Gr 2-5.

Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady. By L. A. Meyer; narrated by Katherine Kellgren. 11 CDs. 14 hrs. Listen & Live Audio. ISBN 978-1-59316-134-7. $37.95. Gr 6 Up. (2009 Odyssey Award Honor Audiobook).

The Dead and the Gone. By Susan Beth Pfeffer; narrated by Robertson Dean. 7 CDs. 8:51 hrs. Listening Library. ISBN 978-0-7393-6368-3 $55. Gr 6 Up.

Elijah of Buxton. By Christopher Paul Curtis; narrated by Mirron Willis. 8 CDs. 8:58 hrs. Listening Library. ISBN 978-0-7393-6415-4. $55. Gr 5-8. (2009 Odyssey Award Honor Audiobook).

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village. By Laura Amy Schlitz; narrated by Christina Moore and a full cast. 2 cassettes or 2 CDs. 1:30 hrs. Recorded Books. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4361-1958-0, CD: ISBN 978-1-4361-1963-4. $30.75. Gr 4-9.

Grandfather’s Journey. By Allen Say; narrated by B. D. Wong. CD. 8 min. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-10694-8. $12.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-545-10696-2: $29.95; CD with paperback book, ISBN 978-0-545-12708-0: $18.95. K-Gr 5.

The Graveyard Book. By Neil Gaiman; narrated by author. 7 cassettes or 7 CDs. 7:45 hrs. Recorded Books. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4361-5879-4: $56.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4361-5884-8: $77.75. Gr 5-8.

Gregor and the Code of Claw: The Underland Chronicles, Book 5. By Suzanne Collins; narrated by Paul Boehmer. 7 CDs. 9 hrs. Listening Library. ISBN 978-0-7393-6488-8. $55. Gr 4-8.

Hawaiian Playground. CD. 26 min. Putumayo Kids. $14.98. (musical) Gr all ages.

I’m Dirty! By Kate and Jim McMullan; narrated by Steve Buscemi. CD. 6 min. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-09449-8. $12.95. CD with hardcover book, ISBN: 978-0-545-09456-6: $29.95. PreS-Gr 2. (2009 Odyssey Award Honor Audiobook).

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale. By Carmen Agra Deedy; narrated by author. CD. 10 min. Peachtree Publishers. ISBN 978-1-56145-467-9. $6.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-1-56145-468-6: $19.95. PreS-Gr 3. (2009 Odyssey Award Honor Audiobook).

Miss Spitfire. By Sarah Miller; narrated by Terry Donnelly. 6 cassettes or 6 CDs. 6:45 hrs. Recorded Books. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4361-1318-2: $51.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4361-1320-5: $66.75. Gr 6 Up.

The Possibilities of Sainthood. By Donna Freitas; narrated by Emily Bauer. 6 CDs. 7 hrs. Brilliance Audio. ISBN 978-1-4233-7269-1. $16.97. Gr 7-10.

Red Moon at Sharpsburg. By Rosemary Wells; narrated by Julia Gibson. 6 cassettes or 6 CDs. 7 hr. Recorded Books. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4281-8334-6 : $51.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4281-8339-1: $66.75. Gr 5-8.

Shooting the Moon. By Frances O’Roark Dowell; narrated by Jessica Almsy. 3 cassettes or 3 CDs. 3:15 hrs. Recorded Books. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4361-4861-0, CD: ISBN 978-1-4361-4866-5. $30.75. Gr 4-7.

Skybreaker. By Kenneth Oppel; narrated by David Kelly. 10 CDs. 11 hrs. Full Cast Audio. ISBN 978-0-7393-6488-8. $65. Gr 5 Up.

The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones. By Rick Riordan; narrated by David Pittu. 4 CDs. 5:11 hrs. Scholastic Audiobooks. ISBN 978-0-5450-9104-6. $49.95. Gr 4-8.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. By Jon Sciezka; narrated by Paul Giamatti. CD. 8 min. Weston Woods. ISBN 978-0-545-09450-4. $12.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-545-09457-3: $29.95; CD with paperback book, ISBN 978-0-545-09459-7: $18.95. K-Gr 4.