Web Project Review: LOC By the People

BY THE PEOPLE CAMPAIGNS from the Library of Congress is the starting point for the library’s crowdsourcing projects.

Participants of all ages are encouraged to participate in transcribing historical documents as part of the Library of Congress’ BY THE PEOPLE campaigns. Visitors are invited to transcribe, review, and tag digitized images of manuscripts and typed materials from the library’s collections. The purpose of the project is to improve search, readability, and access to historical documents.

Currently campaigns include documents related to Women’s Suffrage, the American Civil War, Walt Whitman, and Abraham Lincoln.

Librarians will find this authentic citizen action project to be an innovative way to involve youth with primary source documents and history. It’s also a useful way to implement and model service learning concepts.

To learn more, go to https://crowd.loc.gov/campaigns-topics/.

Book: The Nature Craft Book

THE NATURE CRAFT BOOK by Clare Beaton is an arts and crafts book for nature lovers.

Part of the Read, Learn & Create series, this nature book contains fifteen crafts and two recipes. Colorful collage illustrations help users learn about birds, insects, plants, and animals while providing easy-to-follow directions for engaging projects. After an introduction to nature and the format of activities, users explore over a dozen topics. From birds to twigs, children read about the topic. Then, follow directions to create finger puppets, apple chips, leaf prints, and other fun activities.

Librarians will find this book to be popular with children who enjoy nature crafts. Teachers will find useful activities for the classroom. Several of the projects will be new too librarians and worth a look.

ARC courtesy of Charlesbridge.

Book: Leaf It to Dot

LEAF IT TO DOT by Randi Zuckerberg is part of a developing reader series.

When Dot, Hal, and Dad go on a scavenger hunt, they find using a tablet useful but also a distraction. This engaging short chapter book provides a timely lesson about the importance of balancing screen time and nature exploration.

Librarians will find this short book to be a great way to talk with youth about enjoying nature. Weave it into the information literacy curriculum when discussing screen time and limiting device use. Children may recognize the characters from the television series.

ARC courtesy of the publisher.

500 Women Scientists

500 WOMEN SCIENTISTS is an online project focusing on women scientists.

This online database contains information and resources about female scientists from around the world. The resource also includes ideas and resources for building leaders. In addition, users can locate female scientists across the globe.

To learn more, go to https://500womenscientists.org/

Website: International Fact Checking Day

INTERNATIONAL FACT CHECKING DAY draws attention to the importance of accurate information world-wide.

Although April 2 is the day for global conversation about fact-checking, the website contains useful information that librarians, classroom teachers, and students can use everyday.

The resource includes dozens of articles exploring tips, myths, and resources associated with fact finding activities. The Educheckmap shows projects, resources, investigations, activities, and organizations world-wide that are examining topics such as critical thinking and media, data, and misinformation literacy.

Educators can download a role-playing card game and lesson plan that stimulates critical thinking, fact-based dialogue and analytical skills.

A Fake News Trivia Quiz is a great way to jumpstart discussions about misinformation and fake news.

Librarians will find this website weaves seamlessly into the information literacy curriculum.

Go to https://factcheckingday.com/.

Book Review: Something Rotten

SOMETHING ROTTEN by Heather Montgomery takes a “fresh look” at roadkill.

After a note from the author to jumpstart the topic, the eleven chapters each deal with a different aspect of roadkill science. The book concludes with an epilogue, project ideas, and a bibliography. Montgomery’s conversational style and compelling real-life stories bring the topic to life for young readers. While the book explores the study of dead animals, it also shares ways researchers are preventing roadkill. Although the informational text contains several basic illustrations, it would benefit from a more detailed visual component.

Librarians will find this fascinating, irreverent examination of animal remains to be a hit with intermediate and middle grade students who enjoy the macabre. However, it will also be of use to young scientists seeking career options. Pair it with books dealing wildlife forensics and other titles dealing with wildlife science.

Published by Bloomsbury on October 26, 2018. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: The Poetry of US

THE POETRY OF US from National Geographic contains over 200 poems celebrating the United States.

Celebrating the diverse people, places, and passions of the United States, this beautifully illustrated poetry book is organized by regions of the United States. After presenting several poems exploring American in general, the book features poems connected to eight regions including the US territories. While the book contains many well-known favorites, it also contains some lesser-known poems and poets.

Librarians will find this book of poetry useful for social studies and literature activities. The colorful photographs and large format may appeal to children who might overlook other books of poetry. Feature the book in curriculum activities exploring regions of the United States. Use the poems as an innovative way to jumpstart inquiries of states and regions.

Published by National Geographic on September 25, 2018. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Sanity & Tallulah

SANITY & TALLULAH by Molly Brooks is the first graphic novel in a new science fiction adventure series.

Best friends Sanity and Tallulah live on a space station and enjoy conducting science experiments. When Sanity’s top secret bioengineering project escapes, she and Tallulah try to find their three-headed kitten that’s being blamed for station-wide technical issues.

Librarians will find this humorous work well-received by both graphic novel and science fiction fans alike. Filled with STEM references, use this new series to promote an interest in science and technology. The diverse cast of characters, STEM themes, and space station setting will be a hit with readers.

Published on October 16, 2018 by Disney/Hyperion. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Begone the Raggedy Witches

BEGONE THE RAGGEDY WITCHES by Celine Kiernan is the first book in the Wild Magic fantasy trilogy.

After her father is taken hostage by witches, Mup and her family must avoid the raggedy witches to save him from the queen who also happens to be Mup’s grandmother. Along the way, she meets magical creatures and people in her quest to find her father.

Librarians will find this intermediate grade fantasy popular with children who enjoy folk fantasy, forbidden magic, and Irish mythology. This quick read can be enjoyed as both a standalone and book one of a trilogy.

Published on September 11, 2018 by Candlewick. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Dog Science Unleashed

DOG SCIENCE UNLEASHED by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen contains engaging activities for dog owners.

Featuring 22 hands-on science activities, this colorfully illustrated informational activity book is designed for children with access to a canine companion. The introduction describes how to use the book including safety guidelines. Four chapters feature a series of activities ending with a professional lab project. The book concludes with a glossary, information, and an index.

Librarians will find this book to be popular with dog fans as well as those interested in careers associated with animals.

Published by National Geographic Kids on September 1, 2018. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Make:

MAKE: is a website sharing tools and project ideas for makerspaces.

While many of the project ideas are geared to the K-12 classroom, others provide activities focusing on personal and community-based activities. The website is divided into sections focusing on tested projects, tool guides, and maker spotlights. All projects are tagged for easy access.

The Maker Faire section provides ideas for starting your own community-based project and the Maker Shed area features hands-on kits, digital books, and other materials.

Librarians will find this website useful for identifying maker space project ideas. Of particular note are the many robotic and computer science project ideas.

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

Website: Mood-O-Meter

TURNER’S APOTHECARY MOOD-O-METER is a web project from the Peabody Essex Museum.

This engaging interactive experience allows student to examine and analyze selected artwork by J.M.W. Turner. Thirty-seven works of this British painter are featured. Included in the project are unfinished works, experimental sketches, drawings, watercolors and prints.

Users navigate the website via a series of choices, spin a dial, turn a knob, and swipe to move an element. Students begin by rotating a dial to choose a journey, then select a color for your current mood. Next players are asked to choose a genre for light reading. Users continue by making a few more choices and the Mood-O-Meter displays a prescribed Turner artwork.

Librarians can use the website to analyze the temperaments that were used during Turner’s lifetime to describe moods, such as sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, melancholic, sublime, and joyful. Connect the website with psychology and art teachers.

To learn more, go to http://turner.pem.org

Book Review: Breakout

BREAKOUT by Kate Messner is a fast-paced story exploring issues of social justice and perspective.

When inmates from a local prison escape, Nora Tucker’s summer vacation is disrupted as her family, friends, and the entire community deals with the impact of the breakout. Of particular note is the author’s use of comics, poems, text messages, letters, and news stories to move the story forward. The book concludes with an author’s note and wonderful book list for young readers.

Librarians will find this book popular with students who enjoy books containing documents as part of the storyline. The story’s balance of suspense and social themes will broaden the appeal. The novel’s focus on multiple perspectives will appeal to teachers wishing to use this book for class discussions.

Published by Bloomsbury on June 5, 2018. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website: Authorial London

AUTHORIAL LONDON is a literary geography web project of the Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Research at Stanford University.

The project compiles and maps references to London places found in the works and biographies of writers who lived there. Users can research the literary works of writers who lived in London. It allows students to explore and analyze curated passages from literary, geographical, and biographical perspectives. User can find out where famous and lesser known writers lived and figure out which writers lived near each other. Users click on a particular point on the map to bring up a list of authors associated with the same neighborhood.

Librarians can browse more than fifty authors and explore the places they lived and their literary works within dimensions of genre, form, period, social standing and neighborhood. Connect this website with social studies and history teachers.

To learn more, go to https://cidr-authorial-prod.stanford.edu/

Website: 27: The Most Perfect Album

27: THE MOST PERFECT ALBUM is a project of WNYC Studios.

The website focuses on the twenty-seven amendments to the United States Constitution that detail our basic rights. “The 27” original songs explain and amplify each of the amendments to the Constitution.

Musicians include The Slants, Dolly Parton, and They Might Be Giants. In addition, Joey Stylez performing his First Amendment song focusing on the persecution of American indigenous people. Each song is accompanied by the song lyrics and notes that explain their historic significance.

Librarians will find these songs and their mix of constitutional short stories a great way to learn more about the amendments. This resource provides an opportunity to collaborate with the music and history teachers.

To learn more, go to https://project.wnyc.org/themostperfectalbum/

Book Review: Greek Mythology

WEIRD BUT TRUE: GREEK MYTHOLOGY by Sarah Wassner Flynn is a rich resource for mythology fans.

This colorfully illustrated reference book features information about each Greek god along with connections to classic stories from Greek mythology. Fascinating trivia is woven throughout each entry. Of particular note are the pages on topics such as nymphs, muses, and unsung heroes. The book concludes with activities, lists, and a glossary.

Librarians will find this book to be popular with young fans of mythology. The table of contents and index provide easy access to information about each god. The short chunks of information and connections with topics such as movies, constellations, artwork, animals, and global locations will appeal to young researchers. Pair this book with novels featuring Greek mythology. Use this title to introduce readers to the popular WEIRD BY TRUE series.

Published on September 1, 2019 by National Geographic Kids. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Sixty Symbols

SIXTY SYMBOLS is a website and YouTube channel exploring physics and astronomy symbols.

Sponsored by The University of Nottingham, the project began with sixty symbols and has expanded to include dozens more. In addition to the sixty original symbols, the website also has sections focusing on the planets, large hadron collider, and scientists. The project also links to related topics connected with chemistry, mathematics, and more.

Librarians will find that students enjoy both the topics and the approach. Rather than relying on humor or animation, most of the videos are simply straight-forward explanations of key science concept by professors and other scholars. Of particular note are the videos by Stephen Hawking.

To visit the website, go to http://www.sixtysymbols.com/.
To visit the YouTube channel, go tohttps://www.youtube.com/user/sixtysymbols.

Website Review: National Geographic Wild

NATGEOWILD is a YouTube Channel focusing on the animal kingdom.

Sponsored by National Geographic, the engaging animal videos will be of interest to all ages. Browse the playlists for video collections such as Dead by Dawn, Live Safaris. Dr. Oakley, Animal Fight Night, Untamed, Australia’s Deadly Monsters, and the Incredible Dr. Pol. The community section provides information about new and upcoming videos.

Librarians will find these videos to be a fun way to introduce a science or writing unit. Involve youth in selecting their favorite video to jumpstart an inquiry. Or, explore the playlists to connect videos to specific science units. Pair the videos with nonfiction books connected to specific topics such as “world’s weirdest” and “world’s deadliest”.

To visit the YouTube channel, go tohttps://www.youtube.com/user/NatGeoWild

Website Review: World Digital Library

The WORLD DIGITAL LIBRARY makes available primary materials from all countries and cultures around the world.

Sponsored by the Library of Congress, users can discover, study, and enjoy cultural treasures and historical documents through the World Digital Library (WDL) website. WDL content includes information and images that can be explored by place, time period, topic, item type, language and institution. Users will find items organized in themes, timelines, and interactive maps. The WDL project is supported by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) and cooperation with libraries, archives, museums, educational institutions, and international organizations around the world.

Librarians will find primary source materials in a variety of forms; books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, journals, prints and photographs, sound recordings, and films are not translated but presented in their original languages. Weave these resources throughout the information literacy curriculum and across content areas.

To visit the website, go to https://www.wdl.org/en/.

Book Review: Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers

PIPSQUEAKS, SLOWPOKES, AND STINKERS by Melissa Stewart celebrates animal underdogs.

This humorous, nonfiction picture book features often overlooked animals like frogs, lizards, and rats. Using an appealing, conversational style, the author draws attention to lesser-known creatures from around the world. Questions and fascinating examples maintain reader interest throughout. The book concludes with additional information about each creature.

Librarians will find this informational picture book to be an unusual way to jumpstart animal inquiries. Ask youth to select an “unsung underdog” to explore. What special characteristic can we celebrate?

Published by Peachtree Publishers on September 1, 2018. ARC courtesy of the publisher.