Professional Connections: Resources for Teachers and Librarians

Matthew, Kathryn I. Neal-Schuman Guide to Recommended Children's Books and Media for Use with Every Elementary Subject; by Kathryn I. Matthew and Joy L. Lowe. 2nd ed. Neal-Schuman, 2010 357p Paper ed. ISBN 978-155570-688-3 $75.00

Over 1200 books, CDs, website, and other media are included in this updated guide to materials that emphasizes the integration of youth literature across disciplines. Each chapter introduces a broad subject such as social studies or math by highlighting the national curriculum standards and then goes on to offer lists of recommended books and media, along with suggested activities, broken down into smaller curriculum units. This updated version includes a range of titles, from classics to recently published works, and each entry now includes the ISBN, the absence of which was a noted flaw with the original. The appendix includes teacher resources, professional organizations, Internet sites, and media sources. Lists of references and further reading conclude each chapter, and both subject and title/author indices are appended. Although this resource primarily targets school librarians, public librarians may find it useful to have on hand for their homeschooled patrons or for parents looking to expand their children's choices in reading materials.

Spiegel, Carol Book by Book: An Annotated Guide to Young People's Literature with Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution Themes. Educators for Social Responsibility, Inc., 2010 254p Paper ed. ISBN 978-0-9423-49-931 $35.00

Any librarian who has struggled to find a parent the perfect book about sharing or has had to prepare multiple books lists for class units on social issues will appreciate this straightforward, practical guide. An impressive range of both picture and chapter books is presented, including overtly instructional books such as Jamie Lee Curtis' I'm Gonna Like Me along with more nuanced titles such as Kirkpatrick Hill's Do Not Pass Go (BCCB 2/07). Each entry is accompanied by a brief annotation, recommended age/grade levels, and associated themes. Categories such as negotiation and mediation are listed as potential themes, as well as more basic concepts such as jealousy, fear, and friendship. Although a more thorough explanation of individual categories would have been useful, the index according to theme is nonetheless a valuable resource.