Reviews-Books


 * PROFESSIONAL SELECTION TOOLS **
 * ** Booklist [|http://www.booklistonline.com]**
 * COST: $350/ building for online version
 * PUBLISHER: American Library Association
 * REVIEWERS: Librarians and editors listed on the Web site
 * UNIQUE: Included with //Booklist// is a quarterly supplement called //Book Links// which ties books to classroom assignments, themes, etc.
 * SCOPE: Adult fiction and non-fiction; youth fiction and non-fiction, audio, reference, and graphic novels


 * ** Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books []**
 * COST: $93 for print //or// online version, $130.20 for print //and// online versions (monthly except August)
 * PUBLISHER: : The Johns Hopkins University Press and Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
 * REVIEWERS: Currently eight professors and librarins listed on the web site
 * UNIQUE: Reviews include information on book's content, reading level, strengths and weaknesses, and quality of format, as well as suggestions for curricular use
 * SCOPE: Devoted entirely to current children's books


 * ** Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (JCKL database) ****[]**
 * COST: as low as $295 per year (also offers free trial and a 30-day subscription for $34.95)
 * PUBLISHER: CLCD
 * REVIEWERS: 40 different reviewing sources
 * UNIQUE: Searchable database with 400,000 reveiws. Also provides MARC records, links to websites, curriculum resources.
 * SCOPE: Children's books


 * ** Cooperative Children's Book Center []**
 * COST: Free
 * PUBLISHER: University of Wisconsin-Madison
 * REVIEWERS: University staff
 * UNIQUE: It is a physical book examination center, open to students of the university, teachers, and librarians. It also offers a variety of web-based resources and book lists.
 * SCOPE: Children and young adult books in print only


 * ** Federal Resources for Educational Excellence [|http://free.ed.gov]**
 * COST: Free
 * PUBLISHER: : U.S. Department of Education
 * REVIEWERS: None liste
 * UNIQUE: Also has links, videos, and materials on many other curriculum topics. Has digitized copies of rare materials.
 * SCOPE: All ages


 * ** Horn Book Magazine [] **
 * COST: $49 for 6 issues (new subscriptions), $72 for 6 issues (renewal)
 * PUBLISHER: Horn Book Inc., Media Source
 * REVIEWERS: Editors and does accept outside submissions
 * UNIQUE: Also reviews audiobooks. The companion //Horn Book Guide// which is published semiannualy which consists of more than 2000 more comprehensive reviews.
 * SCOPE: Each issue reviews approximately seventy new books for children and young adults published within the United States.


 * ** Junior Library Guild []**
 * COST: Free when you order one or more Reading Levels (individual levels approx. $170 per year)
 * PUBLISHER: Junior Library Guild, Media Source
 * REVIEWERS: //School Library Journal//, //Library Journal//, //The Horn Book Magazine//
 * UNIQUE: Also has book purchasing options including MARC record downloads. Membership includes discounts to other publication subscriptions.
 * SCOPE: Kindergarten - High school (includes categories for major genres, curriculum areas, and graphic novels)


 * ** Library Media Connection []**
 * COST: 1 year (6 issues) for $69.00/ 2 years (12 issues) for $138.00. (Currently subscriptions are discounted to $44 for 1 year and $88 for 2 years.)
 * PUBLISHER: Linworth Books/Library Media Connection
 * REVIEWERS: Practicing educators
 * UNIQUE: Focus is on the transformation of the libray to 21st century learning.
 * SCOPE: Kindergarten - High School. Offers reviews on books, software, videos, and online resources.
 * Very excited when I received a copy of this in my mailbox at school! I didn't realize we had a subscription.


 * ** Publishers Weekly []**
 * COST: $249.99 for 1 year (51 issues)
 * PUBLISHER: Publishers Weekly (PWxyz)
 * REVIEWERS: Publishers Weekly staff
 * UNIQUE: Can view current issue/reviews for free, but must be a member to access back issues. Includes author information and interviews.
 * SCOPE: Audio, children's, comics, ficiton, non-fiction, religion and web-exclisive reviews.


 * ** School Library Journal []**
 * COST: $136.99 for 15 issues (also found it listed as 12 issues plus supplements for $88.99)
 * PUBLISHER: School Library Journal, Media Source
 * REVIEWERS: Staff and more than 300 volunteer reviewers
 * UNIQUE: Age appropriate reviews, technology coverage, and best practices. Its supplement, //Curriculum Connections//, contains information on supplemental books and media resources.
 * SCOPE: Preschool through adult. Professional reading, reference, digital, multimedia, graphic novels, and Spanish reviews.


 * ** Teacher Librarian []**
 * COST: $56 for 5 issues
 * PUBLISHER: E.L. Kurdyla Publishing
 * REVIEWERS: Peer-reviewed articles
 * UNIQUE: Also focuses on issues such as "collaboration, leadership, technology, advocacy, information literacy, and management".
 * SCOPE: Children, young adult, books, non-fiction, videos, and software.


 * ** VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) []**
 * COST: $57 for 6 issues
 * PUBLISHER: E.L. Kurdyla Publishing
 * REVIEWERS: Leaders in the field
 * UNIQUE: Also features reviewing books and materials to promote reading to boys.
 * SCOPE: Aimed towards the needs and interests of young adults


 * **Wilson's Graphic Novels (JCKL database)** **[]**
 * COST: $225 per year
 * PUBLISHER: H.W. Wilson Company.
 * REVIEWERS: Staff
 * UNIQUE: Shares cover art, in addtion to the description and review, to help determine appropriateness.
 * SCOPE: Children and young adults, graphic novels


 * **REFLECT on what you would favor as your top three tools from this area?**
 * I really liked looking at the databases, and I think that both the CLCD and Wilson's would be great to use, especially for looking for reviews on a specific book. Wilson's categories are great when looking for new genres of books. I don't think our previous librarian cared for graphic novels, so using something like this to help me in selecting and developing my collection will be very usefful. I also really liked Library Media Collection and its emphasis on technology and 21st century learning.


 * ORDERING TOOLS **
 * ** Bound to Stay Bound []**
 * This website has some really useful tools and features, such as the "Library Corner" and "Brochures", in addition to the book purchasing capabilities.


 * ** Brodart []**
 * This site is broken down into three sections: books, furniture, and supplies. It definitely has something to offer that the other sites do not.


 * **Follett’s Titlewave** [|**http://www.titlewave.com/**]
 * The site has capabilities to order titles within a state's awards. It offeres MARC records and Follett also offers cataloging software.


 * ** Amazon [|http://www.amazon.com] **
 * I had never thought of using Amazon for ordering for the school. It does provide an ability to "look inside" prior to purchase, and can make suggestions based on prior purchases and what others have bought.


 * **Reflect on which of the top three tools which would be the one you would most likely use?**
 * Because my district already uses Follett Titlewave, I think it would probably be my first choice for professional use. I have had some experience with its features. Since our entire cataloging system is Follett, it has great compatability features for ordering and updating MARC records within my system.
 * For personal use, I will probably stick with Amazon due to its convenience and products (I own a Kindle).
 * I really liked the "Library Corner" and "Brochures" sections on Bound to Stay Bound. It ofered a lot of useful information and references for librarians. While exploring it, I also found many things that would be useful for classroom teachers, especially when making book requests for the library.


 * FREE TOOLS FROM THE WEB**
 * ** Bookfinder.com []**
 * COST: Free
 * UNIQUE: Search engine for purchasing all types of books.


 * ** Reading Rants! Out of the ordinary teen booklists []**
 * COST: Free
 * REVIEWER: Jennifer Hubert and teens through an interactive blog
 * UNIQUE: Teens can also review books and add comments to the blog. First hand information on what teens (and not just adults who are teen librarians) feel about the books.
 * SCOPE: Teen readers


 * ** YALSA best books lists []**
 * COST: Free
 * PUBLSHER: American Library Association
 * UNIQUE: Lists for a variety of categories including award winners, audiobooks, fiction, graphic novels, paperbacks, and books for reluctant readers. Many other resources on the YALSA site as well.
 * SCOPE: Young adults


 * ** GreenBean TeenQueen [|http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com] **
 * COST: Free
 * REVIEWER: Tween and teen librarian on her personal blog (name not given)
 * UNIQUE: The emphasis on the "tween" crowd, which often gets overlooked. They aren't quite children,but still aren't ready for young adult materials.
 * SCOPE: Tween and teen readers (young adult)


 * **Ms. Yingling Reads [|http://www.msyinglingreads.blogspot.com] **
 * COST: Free
 * REVIEWERS: Ms. Yingling
 * UNIQUE: Many of the reviews are on books that will interest boys.
 * SCOPE: Middle school students, strong focus on male readers


 * **Reflect: Would you have any concerns about using any of the free tools as a selection tool?**
 * I would have concerns about using some of the free tools as a selection tool if that was the ONLY tool you were using. I think that they can be a good springboard, but I would aslo use a tool which has professionals reviewing the materials. Anyone could create a free site that reviews books, that doesn't make them a trusted reviewer in my eyes. I really did not like the look and feel of bookfinder.com, so I probably wouldn't utilize it at all.


 * **COMPARE REVIEWS OF ONE BOOK TITLE FROM ANY FIVE OF THE SOURCES ABOVE. Reflect on the similarities, differences, and usefulness to you in selecting this title.** (3 points) If you are having trouble finding a review for a specific title in the free Web version of a tool (//School Library Journal// or //Library Media Connection//, for example) you can go to the JCKL database Academic Search Complete and search for the title and the publication (Hunger Games and School Library Journal, for example).
 * Reviews of //Beastly// by Alex Flinn
 * **GreenBean TeenQueen:** 4/5 stars. Gave a brief synopsis and an additonally brief review. Obviously, she liked the book, but aside from it being a fairy tale re-telling, I don't really have a whole lot to go on.
 * **Booklist:** Honestly, the review was very wordy and I didn't get much out of it. I think that the reading level of the review was above and beyond that of the story. I didn't get much out of this review at all, probably because I got sidetracked by the overuse of upper level vocabulary. I need something that I can read and understand quickly when reviewing a book, or placing an order. (Not sure if all reviews are written in a similar manner, but if they are, I probably wouldn't use the site.)
 * **Ms. Yingling Reads:** Only real information I got additionally from her sites was that it was a "BOY oriented retelling" of the story.
 * **Publisher's Weekly:** Basically the same general synopsis, but wouldn't really assist me.
 * ** Children's Literature Comprehensive Database: ** Provided a list of awards the book has won, multiple reviews from various sources, and information to go along with various reading programs such as AR. I felt this was the best look into the book and whether or not it would be a good addition to a library, by far!