Book Review: Juana and Lucas

JUANA AND LUCAS by Juana Medina is a new series featuring a young girl and her dog growing up in Colombia.

In her first humorous adventure, Juana shares her likes and dislikes. For instance, she isn’t excited about learning English. However when she learns about the value of language learning, she changes her mind.

Librarian will find that the short, easy-to-read chapters and comic-style illustrations will appeal to young readers. The international setting provides a unique perspective.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.juanamedina.com/.

Published by Candlewick on September 28, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: Historical Scientific Instrument Gallery

HISTORICAL SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT GALLERY
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Contents: From optics and magnetism to induction and vacuum discharges, this digital collection includes a wide range of science equipment. The website is easy to use providing just a photograph and brief description of each item.

Classroom Connections: Ask students to select one of the many historical artifacts to explore. Then, investigate whether this scientific instrument is still used or whether it’s been replaced.

Featured Digital Objects:
Mystery Objects - https://goo.gl/y1VIu7
Object Index - https://goo.gl/4gBRTT

To visit the collection, http://www.unl.edu/…/historical-scientific-instrument-galle….

Digital Collection: Science & Society Picture Library

SCIENCE & SOCIETY PICTURE LIBRARY

Contents: This visual collection includes materials from three museums focusing on history, science, media, and railways. The objects can be accessed by theme or collection. Themes include world wars, arctic expeditions, astronomy, and trains.

Classroom Connections: Ask students to select a theme and explore the images. Then brainstorm questions related to a thematic collection or particular artifact. Use other resources to address the questions and share the results.

Featured Digital Objects:
Arctic Exploration - https://goo.gl/Vjzwus
Trench Warfare - https://goo.gl/y4op5x
Horses - https://goo.gl/gqvq0I

To visit the collection, http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk

Book Review: Irena's Children

IRENA’S CHILDREN by Tilar J. Mazzeo is a young reader’s edition of a true story about life in the Warsaw Ghetto in World War II.

A young Polish public health worker named Irena Sendler smuggled thousands of children out of the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw. Children snuck through sewers, hid in coffins, and were concealed under overcoats in daring attempts to escape death.

Librarians will find this story of survival during the Holocaust an appealing alternative to standard Holocaust offerings. The focus on a heroic female will draw the interest of girls.

The author’s website contains information and videos about Irena Sendler. Go to http://www.tilar-mazzeo-author.com/learn-more

Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: Highway 89 Collection

HIGHWAY 89 COLLECTION

Contents: This collection includes photographs, manuscripts, and printed materials related to Highway 89 that runs through the western part of the United States. Exhibits, a map, timelines, and browsing tools assist users in exploring the materials.

Classroom Connections: Use this project as inspiration for creating a local history project focusing on a local road. Or, seek out other highway collections include Lincoln Highway at http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/linchigh. Also, look for back country byway projects. Use the History Pin project for ideas https://www.historypin.org/en/.

Featured Digital Objects: 
Architecture - https://goo.gl/AVdcIx
Billboards and Signs - https://goo.gl/rlk2WT
National Parks - https://goo.gl/nOzE8S

To visit the collection, go to http://www.highway89.org/.

Book Review: The Secret Keepers

THE SECRET KEEPERS by Trenton Lee Stewart is a fast-paced mystery adventure.

When Reuben finds a magical, antique watch with the power of invisibility, he’s propelled into a life-changing adventure filled with quirky characters, dangerous secrets, and a time-sensitive mystery.

Librarians will find a ready-made audience in fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society. Although the book’s length may be a barrier for some students, others will enjoy the depth of the plot. Children who like puzzles, surprises, and mysteries will enjoy the complexity of the story.

Published by Little, Brown Book on Hachette Books on September 27, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: Darwin Online

DARWIN ONLINE

Contents: This website contains the largest collection of resources related to Darwin in the world. The collection includes Darwin’s complete publications, private papers, manuscripts, and other materials.

Classroom Connections: From reading the origin texts to exploring his many diagrams, maps, and photographs, students will enjoy diving into the world of Charles Darwin. Use the materials along with the nonfiction narrative Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman to bring his works alive. Or, ask students to compare the graphic adaptation of On the Origin of Species by Michael Keller to the original text.

Featured Digital Objects:
Publications - http://darwin-online.org.uk/contents.html
Manuscripts - http://darwin-online.org.uk/manuscripts.html
Illustrations - http://darwin-online.org.uk/graphics/illustrations.html

To visit the collection, http://darwin-online.org.uk/.

Digital Collection: AMNH Science Bulletins

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY SCIENCE BULLETINS

Contents: The American Museum of Natural History maintains a collection of their monthly science bulletins. These may include documentaries, visualizations, and news videos. The bulletins are organization by type and subject including astronomy, earth science, biology, and human science. Fifteen years of bulletins are currently available. Unfortunately there’s not a search tool specifically for the bulletins, so be sure to use “science bulletin” in your search for a topic such as “gravitational waves science bulletin”.

Classroom Connections: This collection would be a useful resource for jumpstarting science units for intermediate through high school students. The videos can be streamed through YouTube or downloaded and placed in PowerPoint presentations.

To visit the collection, http://www.amnh.org/explore/science-bulletins

Book Review: The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes

THE ADVENTURER’S GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL ESCAPES by Wade Albert White is a new fantasy series for middle grades.

Three friends go on a magical quest that involves travel to exotic places with riddles along the way. The threesome faces an array of amazing creatures in fascinating settings

Librarians will find this humorous blend of traditional fantasy with memorable steampunk elements to be popular with the middle grade audience. Filled with action and humor, the quirky characters and fast-paced approach will keep children reading.

Published by Little, Brown Books, an imprint of Hachette Book Group on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: AirNow

AIRNOW

Contents: The AirNow website from the Environmental Protection Agency contains maps and data sets related to air quality. Users can search for local air quality conditions by zip code and state. Numerous maps are provided for current and historical data in the United States and Canada. The data is also available through Google Earth.

Classroom Connections: Involve youth in tracking air quality in specific local or national area. Ask students to draw inferences from this data. Use the additional air quality link for additional background information.

Featured Digital Objects:
Air Quality Index in Google Earth - https://goo.gl/9Z4krb
Maps by Location - https://goo.gl/3neC0o

To visit the collection, https://airnow.gov/

Book Review: The Mighty Odd

THE MIGHTY ODD by Amy Ignatow is the first fantasy in the new The Odd Series for middle grades.

After a mysterious bus accident, four children, a teen, and two adults develop strange supernatural powers. This diverse group must work together to solve the mystery of their special abilities.

Librarians will find a following with middle grade students who enjoy humorous stories. The strong female characters and diverse cast adds to the appeal.

This realistic school story has just enough fantasy elements to appeal to science fiction lovers without too much to lose mainstream readers. The author does an exceptional job addressing issues such as bullying and school politics.

Published by Harry N. Abrams on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: Academy of Achievement

ACADEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT

Contents: The Academy of Achievement connects students with extraordinary leaders, visionaries, and pioneers who help to share our world. The collection includes dozens of achievers in the arts, business, public service, science and exploration, sports, and other fields. A biography, profile, and interview is provided for each honoree along with other information such as a photo gallery, quotes, and background information.

Classroom Connections: There are two ways to explore this collection with students. First, students can explore by categories such as arts or public service. Second, they can examine people who reflect six principles including passion, vision, preparation, courage, perseverance, integrity, along with the American Dream. Combine a biography unit with a character education lesson by asking students to compare the people who reflect a particular principle. Use the website along with the biography section of the library.

Featured Digital Objects:
Achiever Gallery - https://goo.gl/Eqbw5A
Keys to Success - https://goo.gl/7AIBXy

To visit the collection, http://www.achievement.org/

Book Review: The Branch

THE BRANCH by Mireille Messier is a heartwarming picture book about a young girl and her neighbor who repurpose a broken branch.

A young girl is devastated when an ice storm snaps a favorite branch off a tree in her yard. After describing her many experiences playing on the branch, her neighbor helps the girl transform the piece of wood into something new.

Librarians will find this multigenerational story of renewal to be filled with learning opportunities. From STEAM projects to library makerspaces, this picture book is a wonderful tool for jumpstarting imagination and creativity.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.mireille.ca/.

Published by Kids Can Press, an imprint of Hachette. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: CLEAN

CLEAN: Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network

Contents: This collection contains 650+ free, ready-to-use resources related to science education. The materials can be searched by key word and refined by resource type, topic, grade level, science literacy principles, or region.

Classroom Connections: The materials in the collection are designed for secondary and college settings. Connect the collection’s materials with the STEM curriculum.

Featured Digital Objects:
The Collection - http://cleanet.org/clean/educational_resources/index.html

To visit the collection, http://cleanet.org.

To explore the teaching resources, go tohttp://cleanet.org/clean/literacy/index.html

Digital Collection: Densho

DENSHO: THE JAPANESE AMERICAN LEGACY PROJECT

Contents: This digital archive includes hundreds of video oral history and 10,000 photographs and historical documents. In addition to the archive, the project also includes additional resources include a timeline, terminology, and

Classroom Connections: Curriculum materials are available that explore key questions related to the Japanese American Internment experience and help teach with primary source documents.

Featured Digital Objects: 
Archives - http://www.densho.org/archives/
Encyclopedia - http://encyclopedia.densho.org/

To visit the collection, go to http://www.densho.org/

To explore the curriculum materials, go to http://www.densho.org/learning-center/.

Digital Collection: The GLOBE Program

THE GLOBE PROGRAM

Contents: This international project contains science data sets that youth can explore using online visualization software. The measurements included in the project date from 1995 to the present. Users can choose from base maps such as the world at night, land surface temperature, and precipitation estimates.

Classroom Connections: Students can make use of the data sets or share their own data. A teacher section contains resources for students, teachers, and citizen scientists from around the world.

Featured Digital Objects:
Visualization - http://vis.globe.gov/GLOBE/
Teacher Resources - http://www.globe.gov/do-globe

To visit the collection, http://www.globe.gov

Book Review: The Light Fantastic

THE LIGHT FANTASTIC by Sarah Combs tells seven interwoven stories during one day.

Told through various perspectives, the story follows the events of a day that involves a series of planned school shootings. Rather than focusing on the violence itself, the story explores the various actions and reactions of the narrators as they experience the events. While the author’s “stream of consciousness” approach will attract some readers, it may annoy others.

Librarians will find this work of contemporary fiction to be of interest to teens who seek out books that describe events through multiple perspectives. A number of recent books have explored the topic of school shooting. However this book presents the topic in an innovative way through the eyes of the planners.

Published by Candlewick Press on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: Case Study Teaching in Science

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE

Contents: This project contains a database of active learning techniques focusing on science education. The emphasis is on case studies and problem solving. The collection includes over 645 cases and dozens of science education stories. Users can search by heading, educational level, type, topic, and date.

Classroom Connections: Use this collection to provide teachers with unit and lesson ideas that emphasize active learning techniques. Look for projects that place emphasis on inquiry-based learning and science to library connections.

Featured Digital Objects:
Collections - http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/

To visit the collection, http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/.

Book Review: Every Falling Star

EVERY FALLING STAR by Sungju Lee and Susan Elizabeth McClelland tells the true story of a twelve year old boy growing up on his own in North Korea after his parents are banished then disappear.

The book begins with background information about North Korea and a prologue introducing the story. The memoir describes how the Sungju Lee’s family was banished and how his parents disappeared. The fast-paced story details his life traveling the country in a gang and how he was ultimately reunited with his family. The epilogue does an excellent job completing the story.

Librarians will find that fans of memoir quickly become immersed in Sungju Lee’s life in North Korea. Develop a literature circle of the many teen memoirs available from around the world.

Watch Sungju Lee introduce the book at https://youtu.be/4jaa2sTelk4.

Published by Harry N. Abrams on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: National Snow & Ice Center

NATIONAL SNOW & ICE CENTER

Contents: This website contains scientific data focusing on glaciers, ice sheets, ice shelves, permafrost, sea ice, soil moisture, and snow. In addition to data sets, the resource also includes photo collections, maps, and other interesting resources.

Classroom Connections: The data sets in this collections are useful for teaching science concepts along with data literacy. Involve students in examining changes over time and ask them to draw conclusions.

Featured Digital Objects:
Photo Collection - https://goo.gl/4ItvCm
Scientists in the Field - https://goo.gl/YxvwU8
About the Cryosphere - https://goo.gl/bw3fVy

To visit the collection, https://nsidc.org/.

Digital Collection: Dennis Kunkel Microscopy

DENNIS KUNKEL MICROSCOPY

Contents: Award-winning photomicrographer Dennis Kunkel has create a collection of science images as seen through a microscope. The image collection contains over 5,000 scientific, biological and medical subjects. The Zoom-in and Zoomify sections provide the opportunity to zoo in close.

Classroom Connections: This image collection is an engaging way to introduce students to microscopy science. Start by showing students a few photos and ask them to identify the creature. Then, focus on identifying the anatomy of various microscopic creatures. Ask students to select an image and learn more about the creature.

Featured Digital Objects: 
Image Library - https://goo.gl/kMwXBU
Most Wanted Bugs - https://goo.gl/T5wneb

To visit the collection, go to http://education.denniskunkel.com.

Book Review: A Squiggly Story

A SQUIGGLY STORY by Andrew Larsen is a picture book about the art of writing.

A young boy wants to write a story, but he doesn’t know how to write words. When his older sister suggests that he just needs to start with a single letter, the boy’s story begins to take shape. Although his classmates have lots of ideas, the boy soon discovers that it’s his story so he can write whatever he imagines.

Librarians and classroom teachers will find this adorable picture book to be a wonderful way to introduce young children to the creative writing process.

To learn more about the author, go to http://andrewlarsen.ca/.

Published by Kids Can Press, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: Wildscreen Arkive

WILDSCREEN ARKIVE

Contents: This collection contains information about thousands of species from around the world. Users can conduct a search or explore by species, places and topic. In addition to factual information, photos and video are provided for each animal. Users can also explore by conservation status.

Classroom Connections: An educate section contains lots of learning materials organized by grade level. The fun section of the website contains endless activities for kids. Of particular interest is a section on habitats that teachers can use to connect species with the places where they live.

Featured Digital Objects:
Species - http://www.arkive.org/species/
Team WILD game - http://www.arkive.org/education/team-wild
Marine plastics - http://www.arkive.org/c/marine-plastics/

To visit the collection, http://www.arkive.org/

Digital Collections: Walt Whitman Archive

WALT WHITMAN ARCHIVE

Contents: This digital project is intended to bring the works of poet and writer Walt Whitman to the public. It includes the six editions of his major work Leaves of Grass along with other writings, notebooks, letters, articles, and other items.

Classroom Connections: English teachers will find this resource to be useful in exploring the life and works of Walt Whitman. Involve youth in exploring a particular area of the website such as pictures, sounds, editions, or marginalia.

Featured Digital Objects: 
Picture and Sound - https://goo.gl/WSqKkI
Marginalia - https://goo.gl/ROgV91

To visit the collection, go to http://www.whitmanarchive.org/

Book Review: The Graces

THE GRACES by Laure Eve is the first book in a new paranormal series exploring the lives of teen witches.

The Grace siblings Fenrin, Thalia, and Summer are popular. River is the new teen in town and seeks to befriend the Graces. However, her quest for friendship soon becomes an obsession. Multiple twists set the book for a sequel.

Librarians will find that fans of paranormal young adult titles such as Twilight will be drawn into this new series. The somewhat predictable plot and characters aren’t likely to deter fans of this genre.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.laureeve.co.uk/.

Published by Abrams on September 6, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: NBC Learn: Science of Innovation

NBC LEARN is a website contains educational resources for teachers and learners.

The free resources section contains videos and activities on topics related to language arts, humanities, social sciences, stem, innovation, and others.

Topics of particular interest include 20 videos related to the changing planet and a six part series on nanotechnology.

Librarians will find this to be a valuable resource to use with both teachers and students. Consider building a learning center around one of the themes such as the Science of Innovation. This section contains 17 videos exploring the process of innovations with accompanying lessons. Build in books and makerspace activities.

To explore the resources, go tohttp://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn/resources.

Digital Collection: Animal Diversity Web

ANIMAL DIVERSITY WEB
University of Michigan

Contents: This animal database including distribution, classification, conservation biology and natural history for thousands of species.

Classroom Connections: This easy-to-use website is perfect for grades 3-12. An app is available for those with handheld devices. Involve students in making comparisons, building life cycle charts, and creating food chain diagrams.

Featured Digital Objects: 
Special Collections - http://animaldiversity.org/collections/

To visit the collection, go to http://animaldiversity.org/.

To explore the teaching materials, go to http://animaldiversity.org/teach/

Book Review: Maxi's Secret

MAXI’S SECRETS by Lynn Plourde tells the story of a boy and his dog dealing with school, bullies, and life.

As a bribe for moving to a new town, Timminy receives a dog that he discovers is deaf. In his new school where his father is the assistant principal, Timminy worries about becoming the target of bullies. However Maxi and blind neighbor help him deal with life in middle school. Each chapter contains an interesting secret that applies to the story as well as life.

Librarians will find this title popular with both middle grade students who enjoy humor as well as dog lovers. With a diverse cast of fascinating characters and age-appropriate humor, this title will be a popular selection. However it’s important to note that like many dog books, it’s a tear-jerker.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.lynnplourde.com/.

Published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Publishing on August 23, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: National Science Digital Library

NATIONAL SCIENCE DIGITAL LIBRARY contains resources related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematic education. Users can search by digital collection, provider, or topic.

Librarians will find a wealth of science resources geared to the STEM curriculum. Mine the collections in this digital library for K-12 resources from government agencies, universities, museums, libraries, nature centers, and nonprofits.

To visit the collection, go to https://nsdl.oercommons.org/.

Book Review: The Girl Who Drank the Moon

THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON by Kelly Barnhill is an engaging coming-of-age fantasy for middle grade readers.

Xan the witch rescues a baby and accidentally fills her with magic. As the child approaches thirteen, her magic emerges. At the same time, a series of events will change the forest and nearly village forever.

Librarians will find this fairy tale popular with fantasy fans. From a monster and dragon to a volcano and magic, this book has a wide range of appealing characters and settings. The many fairy tales elements make this an excellent book for discussing this type of strong telling.

To learn more about the author, go to https://kellybarnhill.wordpress.com/.

Published by Algonquin on August 9, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: War of 1812

WAR OF 1812Indiana University

Contents: This collection includes thousands of documents exploring the War of 1812 including materials from before the war, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, and after the war. For easy access, use the timeline, maps, or browse the collection.

Classroom Connections: Use this collection along with classroom resources such as the Thinkport Project at http://warof1812.thinkport.org and the Interactive Battlefield Map at http://1812battles.org. Ask youth to select key digital items that reflect the time period or provide insights into a particular place or event.

Featured Digital Objects:
Declaration of War - https://goo.gl/vfk34f
Battle of Niagara Painting - https://goo.gl/qTEUEC
Battle of New Orleans News - https://goo.gl/AmzRJv

To visit the collection, go to http://collections.libraries.indiana.edu/warof1812/

Book Review: Antsy Ansel

ANTSY ANSEL: ANSEL ADAMS, A LIFE IN NATURE by Cindy Jenson-Elliott is a picture book biography exploring the childhood of this famous nature photographer.

Young Ansel Adams was always on the move. He felt most comfortable out in nature and eventually connected his passion of nature with photography.

The attractive illustrations will appeal to young readers.

Librarians will find that children connect with the story about Ansel’s youth. Use the many online galleries of his photographs to bring his work alive for youth.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.cindyjensonelliott.com/.
To learn more about the illustrator, go to http://www.christyhale.com/.

Published by Henry Holt and Co., an imprint of Macmillan on September 6, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Collection: Civil War in the American South

CIVIL WAR IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHDigital Library of Georgia

Contents: This multi-agency collection of over 10,000 documents explores the history and culture of the American South. The resource is organized into collections focusing on specific areas such as letters, diaries, broadsides, and photographs.

Classroom Connections: Involve youth in focusing on a particular collection and connecting it with key Civil War events. For instance, create a timeline showing the dates of the letters of a soldier and connect them with key dates during the war. Or, locate a broadside or map and discuss its connection to a battle.

Featured Digital Objects:
Confederate Broadsides - https://goo.gl/IM9rdH
Battle map - https://goo.gl/LlldhN

To visit the collection, go to http://american-south.org/

Website Review: Oceana

The OCEANA website focuses on marine life and conservation.

The Marine Life section contains a database of sea creatures. This Ocean Animal Encyclopedia is filled with fascinating facts and resource organized by types of creatures.

The Publications section includes short and longer scientific reports, brochures, facts sheets, and infographics about the world’s oceans.

The Expeditions area provides an overview of conservation campaigns focusing on unique marine ecosystems around the world.

Librarians will find this website is filled with fascinating information, but readers need to keep in mind that the focus is on conservation. The high-quality infographics would be excellent for students analysis and evaluation. The reports would be useful for informational reading activities.

To visit the website, go to http://oceana.org.

Digital Collection: Ad*Access

AD*ACCESS
Duke University Libraries

Contents: With over 7,000 U.S. and Canadian advertisements, this digital collection covered five product areas including beauty and hygiene, radio, television, transportation, and World War II propaganda from 1911 through 1955. Users can explore by company, product, date, publication, subject, medium, headline, or audience.

Classroom Connections: Involve youth in exploring how advertising has changed over time. Ask students to compare historical advertising in their area of interest to today’s ads.

Featured Digital Objects: 
Air Travel ads - https://goo.gl/3E0Pln
Television set ads - https://goo.gl/PXY3nX
War Bonds ads - https://goo.gl/pJsBPF

To visit the collection, go tohttp://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adaccess/

Book Review: The Storybook Knight

THE STORYBOOK KNIGHT by Helen and Thomas Docherty tells the story of a young knight who would rather read than fight.

Leo would rather spend his days with a good book than fighting like the other knights. When Leo is sent on a quest, he encounters a scary griffin, hungry troll, and messy dragon. Rather than fight, he uses the power of books and reading to save the day.

Librarians will find this picture book to be a fun addition to the library’s picture book collection. Use the book to jumpstart a reading campaign focusing on the power of books.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.helendocherty.com/.

Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky on September 6, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.