Digital Spotlight: Women Working

WOMEN WORKING, 1800-1930 is digital collection including Harvard Library associated with women’s history.

Contents: This collection includes books, diaries, records, magazines, catalogs, manuscripts, photographs, and other items associated with life in the 19th and 20th century.

Classroom Connections: This collection includes resources associated with women’s workplace regulations and conditions, home life, commerce, recreation, health, and social issues. Users can explore materials with a keyword search or by format. The collection also features notable people.

Featured Digital Objects: A teacher resources section highlights resources that can easily be connected to the social studies and history curriculum.

To visit the collection, go to http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/ww/.

Book Review: A Face Like Glass

A FACE LIKE GLASS by Frances Hardinge tells the story of an underground people where facial expressions are learned.

When Neverfell arrives in Caverna, her face stuns the people around her because they aren’t accustomed to natural facial expressions. She must wear a mask and figure out how to survive in this strange world where society is connected to social status and every expression has meaning.

Librarians will find fans of Hardinge happy with this imaginative new middle grade fantasy. Share this novel with middle grade students ready for a book with strong characters, witty exaggeration, and creative world building.

Published on May 9, 2017 by Harry N. Abrams. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Fresh-Picked Poetry

FRESH-PICKED POETRY: A DAY A THE FARMERS’ MARKET by Michelle Schaub features over a dozen short poems exploring local foods and markets.

A series of short poems trace locally grown foods from the farm to market and finally to home. Each catchy poem explores a different aspect of the experience.

Colorful illustrations by Amy Huntington will connect children with the experience of a farmer’s market. The book concludes with reasons for visiting a local market.

Librarians will find this appealing picture book to be a useful tool for read-aloud activities. Consider building a learning station focusing on locally grown foods. Involve children in writing their own poetry about foods grown locally.

LocalHarvest.Org helps people locate farmer’s markets across the United States. Use it to locate a market near your school. Go to http://www.localharvest.org/seattle-wa

Published by Charlesbridge, an imprint of Random House. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: American Panorama

AMERICAN PANORAMA: AN ATLAS OF UNITED STATES HISTORY is an interactive historical atlas.

This online atlas project currently contains five maps. The Mapping Inequality (1935-1940) project explores New Deal America, the Forced Migration (1810-1860) map examines enslaved people, the Overland Trails (1840-1860) project focuses on trails west, the Foreign-Born Population (1850-2010) map features immigrants from around the world, and the Canals (1820-1860) project focuses on canals of the Northeast US.

Librarians will find this atlas is helpful for students who learn best though the use of visual communication. Involve students in discussing other topics that would benefit from an interactive atlas approach. Because the topics cover a variety of topics, the project can be integrated into both history and social studies classes.

To visit the website, go to http://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/.

For another historical atlas, go to http://dsl.richmond.edu/historicalatlas/.

Book Review: Rooting for Rafael Rosales

ROOTING FOR RAFAEL ROSALES by Kurtis Scaletta tells the connected stories of a boy with a passion for baseball and a girl who becomes a fan.

Told as connected stories, readers learn about the dreams of two young people. One hopes to become a professional baseball player and the other struggles to save the world’s bee population.

Librarians will find the connected narratives and compelling characters make this an unusually emotional story. The mix of the baseball and bee themes contribute to the appeal.

Published by Albert Whitman & Company on April 25, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Pictures of Nursing

PICTURES OF NURSING is an online exhibition featuring postcards depicting the social and cultural impact of nurses and nursing.

Produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, this website includes an exhibition, education, and digital gallery sections. The exhibition presents a series of short narratives along with primary source materials in five areas: introduction, a women’s mission, nursing as a career, gender of nursing, nursing and respectability, and the art of nursing. The digital gallery provides access to primary source materials and the education section features lesson plans, higher education resources, online activities, and other materials.

Librarians will find this online exhibition useful across the curriculum. This highly visual approach will be appealing for students of all ages.

To visit the website, go tohttps://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibi…/picturesofnursing/index.html.

Book Review: The Hidden Life of a Toad

THE HIDDEN LIFE OF A TOAD by Doug Wechsler traces the life cycle of a toad in photographs.

Using detailed, close-up photos and easy-to-read text, this amazing informational picture book takes readers day by day through the life of a toad. The book concludes with a glossary, science information, ideas for photographers, and additional sources.

Librarians will find this book to be useful in the primary science curriculum. Ask students to compare the life cycle of the toad with other creatures. Encourage them to build their own science book using public domain, online photos. Or, take their own nature photographs.

To learn more about the author/illustrator, go to http://dougwechsler.com/.

Published on March 14, 2017 by Charlesbridge, an imprint of Random House. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Teaching History

TEACHING HISTORY is the National History Education Clearinghouse website.

Aimed at K-12 teachers, this website contains teaching materials, history content, and best practices. Users can go directly to sections for elementary, middle, or high school education. Introductory videos are available by grade level along with an introduction to historical thinking and digital classroom resources. The spotlight section focuses on resources related to specific events such as Constitution Day. Beyond the basics, users can also explore the blog, issues and research, digital classroom ideas, and projects.

Librarians will find this to be an excellent resource in connecting history content with inquiry-based learning experiences. Seek resources that focus on historical thinking and teaching with primary sources.

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

Book Review: Star Scouts

STAR SCOUTS by Mike Lawrence is a colorfully illustrated science fiction graphic novel for children.

When Avani is abducted by an alien, she discovers that she’d rather be part of an intergalactic scouting troop than back on Earth with her fellow humans.

Librarians will find that the combination of an action-packed story and diverse cast of characters will appeal to young people. The second book in this new series is due in Spring 2018.

Published by First Second Books on March 21, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: 100 Leaders in World History

100 LEADERS IN WORLD HISTORY explores a hundred key people from around the global through history.

This easy-to-use project provides a gallery of leaders, video, classroom resources, and the results of an interactive survey. The leader section provides an overview of each leader. A video asks the question, “What Makes a Leader”? The classroom resources area provides a video, classroom ideas, lesson plans, printable posters, and other information. The results section provides statistical data and results of interactive surveys, and student-produced materials.

Librarians will find this unique website stimulates conversations and information investigations about leaders, leadership, and world history. Use it to draw interest in world history as well as the biography section of the library.

To visit the website, go to http://100leaders.org.

Book Review: Martina & Chrissie

MARTINA & CHRISSIE: THE GREATEST RIVALRY IN THE HISTORY OF SPORTS by Phil Bildner tells the story of two women striving for excellence in tennis.

In addition to tracing the history of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert’s friendship and rivalry, this compelling picture book biography also weaves in historical information that provides a global context.

Brett Helquist’s engaging and realistic illustrations bring the competition to life for readers. The book concludes with a timelines and addition sources.

Librarians know that sports biographies are popular. With the current popularity of tennis, young women will be particularly drawn to this fierce rivalry.

To learn more about the author, go to https://philbildner.com/.
To learn more about the illustrator, go to http://www.bretthelquist.com.

Published by Candlewick Press on March 14, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Histories of the National Mall

HISTORIES OF THE NATIONAL MALL is a website exploring historical maps, stories, people, and events related to Washington DC’s famous mall.

In addition to a search tool that provides access to the digital collection, users can explore the resources through maps, explorations, people, and past events. The maps section provides an interactive map that allows users to explore areas of the Mall. The explorations area features scavenger hunts, along with fascinating questions and answers pages featuring items from the digital collection. The people section features key men and women who impacted the Mall. Finally, the past events area provides a timeline of key events and primary sources related to these happenings.

Librarians will find this website connects with many areas of history and social studies. Use the explorations section to jumpstart information inquiry projects.

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

Book Review: Stormy Seas

STORMY SEAS by Mary Beth Leatherdale tells the refugee stories of five young people from around the globe.

Using collage-based design, this highly-illustrated book shares the true stories of boys and girls who sought to escape violence or poverty by sailing to a new country. Fact boxes, sidebars, timelines, and other informational asides contribute to the value of this work of nonfiction for both literature activities and social studies reports.

Librarians will find this timely book to be popular with upper elementary and middle school youth. The unusual illustrations are an added draw for young readers.

Published by Annick Press, an imprint of Ingram on April 11, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Spotlight: Dennis Collection of Stereoscopic Views

DENNIS COLLECTION OF STEREOSCOPIC VIEWS is a massive collection of stereographs spanning the mid 19th century to the mid 20th century.

Contents: This amazing collection of over 40,000 photographs includes locations from around the world. Users can search by topic, place, genre, and other categories.

Classroom Connections: Librarians will find this public domain collection useful when connecting photographs to historical places and events. Mine the collection for photos matching specific topics in the history curriculum. Ask students to select a photo as the basis for a history project focusing on a particular time and place.

Featured Digital Objects:
Loading Cotton in Alabama https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/…/510d47e0-bc26-a3d9-e0…
Klondike Camp https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/…/510d47e0-2bf7-a3d9-e0…
Women Prospectors https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/…/510d47e0-2c0d-a3d9-e0…

To visit the collection, https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/…/robert-n-dennis-colle…

Book Review: I Promise

I PROMISE by David McPhail is a beautifully illustrated picture book featuring a mother bear and her cub.

This charming story follows a bear and her cub as they spend the day exploring the forest. Along the way, the cub learns about the meaning of the word “promise”.

Librarians will find this sweet story has a useful message that can be effectively woven into the primary grade curriculum.

To learn more about the author/illustrator, go to http://davidmcphailillustrations.com/.

Published by Little, Brown for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette on March 7, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Spotlight: Immigration to the US, 1789-1930

IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES, 1789-1930 explores the aspirations, acculturation, and impact of immigrants through a wide range of primary source documents.

Contents: Part of Harvard University Library’s open collections programs, this digital collection features historical materials from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. In addition to browsing for digital objects, users can explore materials by topic including the immigrant diaspora, new lives, and restricting immigration.

Classroom Connections: History and social studies teachers will find a wealth of useful resources in this collection that connect directly to the standards. Of particular note are the many acts and other legal documents associated with immigration. In addition, students will enjoy the diaries, photographs, and other documents related to the everyday lives of immigrants.

Featured Digital Objects:
The Chinese Exclusion Act http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/exclusion.html
The Statue of Liberty http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/statueofliberty.html
California Gold Rush http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/goldrush.html

To visit the collection, go to http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration.

Book Review: Catstronauts Series

CATSTRONAUTS by Drew Brockington is an adorable science fiction, graphic novel series for children.

The series kicks off with Mission Moon. In a world populated by cats, catStronauts must set up a solar power plant on the moon to save the planet. In the followup titled Race to Mars, the catStronauts compete with the CosmoCats to be the first cats on Mars.

Librarians will find this series to be an excellent addition of the growing collection of graphic novels aimed at the elementary grades. These simply illustrated books contain short, easy to read chapters perfect for children bridging beginning comics and more complex graphic novels.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette on April 18, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Spotlight: American Archive of Public Broadcasting

AMERICAN ARCHIVE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING shares historic programs of publicly funded radio and television in the United States.

Contents: Users can browse the collection such as agriculture, dance, energy, fine art, or literature. Another option is to explore curated exhibits on topics such as climate change and the Civil Rights Movement. Students can also explore content by participating organization.

Classroom Connections: Librarians will find quality programs across the curriculum. Partner with teachers to identify audio and video segments that match specific curriculum needs.

Featured Digital Objects:
Protesting in America http://americanarchive.org/exhibits/first-amendment
Voice of Democracy http://americanarchive.org/exhibits/presidential-elections
Civil Rights Movement http://americanarchive.org/exhibits/civil-rights

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

Book Review: Baby on Board

BABY ON BOARD: HOW ANIMALS CARRY THEIR YOUNG by Marianne Berkes shares the many ways mothers carry their offspring.

Featuring a wide array of animals, the picture book begins by asking children to think about how they were carried as a baby. Rhyming verses describe the relationship between animals and their young, while the realistic illustrations provide visual detail. Background information is also provided for each animals. The book concludes with a matching game for children, ideas for teachers and parents, and additional resources.

Librarians will find that this book fits well with the primary grade science curriculum.

The publisher website provides free activities at https://dawnpub.com/our-books/baby-on-board/.

Published by Dawn Publications on March 1, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Spotlight: Discovering Literature: Shakespeare

DISCOVERING LITERATURE: SHAKESPEARE from the British Library is a digital collection and educational resource focusing on Shakespeare’s plays.

Contents: This resource features digital objects from the British Library. Users can explore the materials by works, articles, collection items, themes, teaching resources, and a person area. The works section features 15 plays. The articles area provides nearly 100 articles written by scholars, performers, curators, and journalists focusing different aspects of Shakespeare and his works. The collection section provides easy access to collection items. The themes area explores themes such as comedies, tragedies, histories, and more. The Shakespeare biography page includes links to many collection resources. The teacher resources contains a couple dozen lesson plans and resources.

Classroom Connections: Librarians and English teachers will find that these high quality digital objects and supplemental materials are useful additions to the English curriculum. Use the themes section to immerse students in a variety of works related to topics of interest from ethnicity to interpretations of madness.

Featured Digital Objects:
Comedies https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/themes/comedies
Tragedies https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/themes/tragedies
Deception https://www.bl.uk/…/th…/deception-drama-and-misunderstanding

To visit the collection, go to https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare.

Book Review: John Roland's Dragons

JOHN ROLAND’S DRAGONS by Caroline McAlister is a picture book telling the story of J.R.R. Tolkien’s life.

Young John Roland loved to dream of dragons and create secret languages. Through colorful illustrations and easy-to-read text, McAlister and illustrator Eliza Wheeler tell the story of how a young boy’s fascinating with dragons led to the creation of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings books. Through author and illustrator notes at the end of the book, readers gain insights into hidden elements of the picture book.

Librarians will find this picture book provides a nice introduction to Tolkien’s life for young children who may have heard about this famous books. Add it to the library’s growing collection of author biographies.

Published by Roaring Book Press, an imprint of Macmillan on March 21, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Spread of U.S. Slavery

SPREAD OF U.S. SLAVERY is an interactive map showing enslaved populations in the United States from 1790 to 1860.

Using U.S. Census data, this easy to use interactive map helps users visualize the spread of slavery from the late 18th to the mid 19th century in the United States. In addition to viewing enslaved populations, users can also view free African Americas, free populations, and total populations.

Librarians will find this simple to use map useful in teaching students about data and visualizations. In addition, it is useful in the history and social studies curriculum.

To visit the website, go to http://lincolnmullen.com/projects/slavery/.

Book Review: Insects

INSECTS: THE MOST FUN BUG BOOK EVER by Sneed B. Collard is a nicely organized informational book exploring the science of bugs.

Although presented in a picture book format, this work of nonfiction is a well-research science book featuring a conversational narrative, detailed explanations, and age-appropriate humor. The high-quality close-up photographs and useful sidebar notes add to the visual appeal.

Organized into very short chapters, the book contains a table of contents and index that are easy for children to use. In addition, the author provides a learn more section, information about insect names, and a glossary.

Although many bug books already fill library shelves, librarians will find this book to be a worthwhile addition. Short chapters focusing on key concepts such as defense and chemical communication make it particularly useful for student research projects.

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

Published by Charlesbridge, an imprint of Random House on March 21, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Confronting Violence

CONFRONTING VIOLENCE: IMPROVING WOMEN’S LIVES is an online exhibition exploring the history of women’s health issues.

Produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, this fascinating online exhibition explores issues in domestic violence and women’s health through history. The exhibition contains six sections: introduction, generations of reformers, nurses take a stand, medicine confronts violence, change is possible, and the work continues. Each section features a short narrative along with primary source documents. The digital gallery provides easy access to a wide range of documents, images, and other materials. The education section connects with lesson plans, higher education resources, online activities, and other resources.

Librarians will find this resource useful in history, social studies, and science classrooms. Students will find the exhibition easy to use and provides inspiration for extended activities. Teachers will find the lessons to be useful for both in-class and out-of-class assignments.

To visit the website, go tohttps://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhi…/confrontingviolence/index.html.

Book Review: Come On In, America

COME ON IN, AMERICA by Linda Barrett Osborne is a work of nonfiction focusing on the the role of the United States in World War I.

This well-researched history explores the reasons why the United States became part of World War I along with key events and themes. The first three chapters examine how and why the US shifted from a neutral to an active role. The book then explores weapons, the home front, and the role of African Americans and women. It concludes with peace and the war’s legacy. A timeline, notes, and additional resources are also included.

Librarians will find students like the well-organized, short chapters and timeline for research reports. The visuals including posters, photos, and maps are likely to engage younger readers.

Published by Harry N. Abrams on March 14, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: The Living New Deal

THE LIVING NEW DEAL shares the achievements of the New Deal and public works projects across the United States.

This interactive online project features information about the New Deal, a map containing more than 12,000 locations impacted by public works projects, resources and teaching materials, and ways that people can get involved by submitting experiences and digital objects.

Librarians will find this website an engaging way to explore the impact of this government program.

To visit the website, go to https://livingnewdeal.org/.

Book Review: A Perfect Day

A PERFECT DAY by Lane Smith explores a perfect day for creatures living in Bert’s backyard.

A cat, a dog, a chickadee, and a squirrel are all having a perfect day until an unexpected visitor appears in Bert’s backyard. The unexpected ending will leave children smiling.

Librarians will find this book to be an effective read-aloud story. Use this adorable picture book to discuss the power of perspective with young children.

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

Published by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan on February 14, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Two Plantations

TWO PLANTATIONS tells the multi-generational story of 431 enclaved people living on two Virginia plantations in the 19th century.

This in-depth online project includes an interactive family diagram, detailed family trees, family lists, and analysis. Users can explore Sally Hurston’s family through four generations, examine family trees with biographical information, and explore a detailed list individuals.

Librarians will find this project provides an engaging way to help teens gain insights into the lives and families of slaves. Use family connections to help students better understand key issues related to slavery. The website provides some questions to get students talking. Use these questions to jumpstart a class inquiry using these plantations as examples.

To visit the website, go to http://twoplantations.com/.

Book Review: Yvain

YVAIN: THE KNIGHT OF THE LION by M.T. Anderson is a graphic novel set in the world of King Arthur’s court.

Based on Chrétien de Troyes’ 12th century epic poem, Sir Yvain is a knight who encounters two women who are each powerful in their own way. Sword fights and battles with dragons provide balance to this medieval romance. The book concludes with an excellent author’s note and illustrator’s note detailing the background and inspiration for the book.

Librarians will find teens who enjoy medieval stories and graphic novels drawn to both the story and the illustrations. Fans of M.T. Anderson will be happy to see him embracing the graphic novel format. Graphic novel lovers will enjoy the sophisticated graphics and well-illustrated story. Teachers may wish to weave this graphic novel into a literature course.

Published by Candlewick on March 14, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Spotlight: Farm Security Administration Photographs

FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PHOTOGRAPHS from the New York Public Library are a collection of over 2500 black and white images.

Contents: Users will find this collection of high quality, public domain photos easy to navigate and use. Choose from well-known photographs such as Dorothea Lange or search by topic for a wide range of fascinating photographs.

Classroom Connections: Connect these photos with works of historical fiction, history projects, or science projects related to drought and natural disasters. They’re also useful in projects related to the workforce and daily life in the mid 1930s through mid 1940s. These public domain photos can be used in student projects and shared online.

Featured Digital Objects:
Migrant Workers https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/…/ba309cea-932e-4288-e0…
Famous Pea Picker Mother https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/…/639b2760-2289-0132-a9…
Garden https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/…/ba309cea-924e-4288-e0…

To visit the collection, go to https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/…/e5462600-c5d9-012f-a6….

Book Review: Animal Ark

ANIMAL ARK by Kwame Alexander and Joel Sartore celebrates animals through poetry and photographs.

This beautifully presented picture book focuses on quality over quantity. Each page contains an amazing high-quality photograph of a creature along with a short phrase. Together, these pages express the beauty and diversity of nature’s animal world through images and haiku. The book concludes with a description of National Geographic’s Photo Ark project, and a list of animals featured in the book, along with notes from the author and illustrator.

Librarians will find this book provides inspiration for projects focusing on endangered animals. Unlike many animal books that stress factual information, this picture book features the conservation and aesthetic side of nature.

To learn more about the author, go to http://kwamealexander.com/.
To learn more about the photographer, go to http://www.joelsartore.com/.
To visit the PhotoArk, go to http://www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/photo-ark/.

Published by National Geographic Children’s Books on February 14, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Digital Spotlight: Expeditions & Discoveries

EXPEDITIONS & DISCOVERIES is an open collection from Harvard University Library focusing on exploration and scientific discovery in the modern age.

Contents: Spanning 1626 to 1953, this collection features historical resources in the areas of anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, botany, geography, geology, medicine, oceanography, and zoology. Users can search by discipline or region.

Classroom Connections: Teachers will find this collection to be an interesting way to connect science with history. Use a specific expedition to jumpstart a discussion of scientific discovery.

Featured Digital Objects:
Albatross Pacific Expeditions http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/expeditions/albatross.html
Peabody South American Expedition http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/expeditions/peabody.html

To visit the collection, go to http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/expeditions/.

Book Review: Eyes of the World

EYES OF THE WORLD by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos tells the true story of Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and the invention of modern photojournalism.

This well-illustrated work of narrative nonfiction examines how Robert Capa and Gerda Taro become pioneers in the field of photojournalism during the Spanish Civil War. Each short chapter focuses on a specific idea or event and weaves in well-captioned photos to help tell the story. The book includes photographs along with maps and other primary source documents.

Librarians will find young adult readers enjoy the combination of narrative nonfiction and historical photos. Connect photojournalism to add a new dimension to the study of history and the study of war. Add this title to the library’s growing collection of books visually-rich narrative nonfiction biographies.

Published by Henry Holt & Company on March 28, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Technology Review: Video Streaming Service

VIMEO is a video streaming service that stores and shares video files.

While most people are aware of YouTube, many web users are unfamiliar of a similar service called Vimeo. The website can be used two ways.

First, visitors can search for videos by topic or person. Millions of videos are available to view on a wide range of topics. Because many teachers use the website, it’s full of original, instructional content. Users can video videos, “like” productions, and add comments.

Second, users can create an account and upload videos. While limited storage is provided for free, advanced tools and features are available as part of their premium service. Similar to YouTube, users can organize their videos into playlists, follow friends, like videos, and create a personal profile.

Librarians will find this to be a useful alternative to YouTube. Consider creating an account for storing original productions such as how-to tutorials, student productions, and student-created book trailers.

To visit the website, go to https://vimeo.com.

Book Review: Leave Me Alone

LEAVE ME ALONE by Vera Brosgol is a humorous picture book about a grandmother seeking a quiet place to knit.

This Caldecott Honor Book introduces an old woman who lives in a house with a large family. All the distractions make it difficult to knit, so she sets off on a journey to find a quiet place to work.

Librarians will find the predictable elements of this tale to be popular with young children. Reading the story aloud is likely to jumpstart conversations about family and personal space.

Published by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature

FRANKENSTEIN: PENETRATING THE SECRETS OF NATURE explores the history of individual and societal responsibility for other people.

Produced by the National Library of Medicine, the online project is divided into three sections: exhibition, education, and digital gallery. Each of the six areas of the exhibition includes a short narrative and fascinating primary source materials. The educational section features lesson plans, online activities, and other resources. Finally, the digital gallery provides access to a wealth of interested historical texts and images.

Librarians will find that students are attracted to the ethical and societal issues addressed in this online exhibition.

To visit the project, go tohttps://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/frankenstein/index.html.

Book Review: Jack London and the Klondike Gold Rush

JACK LONDON AND THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH by Peter Lourie tells the fast-paced story of how London’s gold rush experience inspired his writing.

Incorporating a wealth of historical photographs and other primary resources, Lourie uses an engaging nonfiction narrative style to tell the story of Jack London’s experiences in the Klondike. The short, action-packed chapters and historical sidebars add interest to this compelling story. The book concludes with a timeline, glossary, and other useful information.

Librarians will find that this new book complements existing library materials on the topic. Since Jack London’s works like CALL OF THE WILD and WHITE FANG are available to download, use this book to encourage youth to read the classics. Keep in mind that the author admits to taking liberties with the story to create an engaging biography likely to attract even reluctant readers.

Published by Henry Holt on December 1, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Sea of Liberty

SEA OF LIBERTY is an interactive online exhibition tracing the influence of Thomas Jefferson’s ideas.

In addition to the digital collection, users can explore, create, and showcase their work. The explore section shares documents, letters, artwork, photographs and other materials related to the ideas of liberty, freedom, and self-governance. The create section encourages users to create digital projects that draw on the past. Finally, the showcase area allows users to see and learn from others.

Librarians will find that students enjoy the age-appropriate presentation of resources and information. The educational materials focus on teaching digital citizenship and historical thinking through primary sources. These concepts fit well with the standards for 21st century learners.

To visit the website, go to https://seaofliberty.org.

Book Review: The Tree: A Fable

THE TREE: A FABLE by Neal Layton is a heartwarming story about animals and people living together in nature.

Although this picture book contains few words, it tells a powerful story of empathy and compassion. When a couple decides to build a house, they discover their land is already populated by animals. The couple decides to find a way to live with their new neighbors.

Librarians will find this timeless book provides an excellent springboard for creative writing activities focusing on empathy and nature. It would also be a refreshing way to introduce the idea of fables.

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

Published by Candlewick on February 14, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.