
With the ALA Youth Media Awards just around the corner, Junior Library Guild takes a look at some star-studded titles.
September 18, 2013
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With the ALA Youth Media Awards just around the corner, Junior Library Guild takes a look at some star-studded titles.

For outstanding science books that bring the subject to life in fun and fresh new ways, check out the latest On the Radar picks.

Looking for great, original science books? Check out the following award-winners for thorough nonfiction that also incorporates art, poetry, and ideas for hands-on experiments.

As winter approaches, students will enjoy fun wintry tales that include historical fiction, nonfiction, and picture books.

If you’re looking for official justification for the purchase of graphic novels, look no further than the Common Core State Standards. In grades 6-12, students will be required to apply the Reading standards to a variety of text types, including graphic novels. For mature readers, this fall’s releases offer stories of war, madness, gangs, and failed dreams. Young adult patrons will have much to think and talk about after reading these selections.

Start with a missing object, ask a few questions, throw in some red herrings and what do you have? An unputdownable mystery! This fall’s releases offer openers and new entries in fun whodunit series, and standalones that will keep your patrons sleuthing for clues.

If you’re looking for official justification for the purchase of graphic novels, look no further than the Common Core State Standards. In grades 6 to 12, students will be required to apply the Reading standards to a variety of text types and formats, including graphic novels. Today’s graphic artists and writers provide a plethora of titles for beginning readers to adults. Check out these new titles that will strengthen your collection and thrill your readers.

Though Election Day is behind us, it’s never too late for a president-related story, whether it’s a light graphic novel or enlightening poems.

Some genres have year-round appeal. Enter the ghost story. This fall’s ghost stories combine other elements our students enjoy reading. A girl dies too soon. A crime needs to be solved. The Titanic. These books have short, cliff-hanging chapters with no good stopping place. You can almost read them in one sitting―unless your fear factor is released. Like me, you may have to do Pinterest between chapters, and refrain from reading them before bed! Happy haunting!

It’s the day before Halloween and things that go bump in the night are high on everyone’s reading list. Even at the age of five kids ask, “Where are the scary books?” Of course, their definition of scary differs widely from our fifth graders. So for those kids whose idea of frightening fare is a talking pumpkin, haunted cupcake, or plotting carrots, these books are perfect.

In October eyes are usually drawn to ghosts, goblins, and things that go bump in the night, but reality can be just as scary. Wasps sting the brain of a cockroach, paralyzing it so that the predator can lay its eggs in the zombified body. Tarantulas liquefy their prey in order to suck up dinner with their stomach muscles. Crocodiles can grow 3000 teeth in their lifetime, but they can’t chew their food. Detection rats use their sense of smell to sniff out explosive land mines. Forest fire beetles can discover a conflagration more than 20 miles away. And there’s nothing more unique than the distinct about the shape of wombat poop.

As trends and genres continue to evolve, one thing remains consistent: the return of beloved characters and stories. Whether it’s a sequel, a prequel, or a companion novel that walks alongside the original, books that connect to each other continue to be fan favorites.

Sometimes ordinary people are able to do extraordinary things. Annie Sullivan thought of a way to teach a deaf and blind student to communicate. Charles Ives listened to the sounds of everyday life and created a new kind of music. Henri Rousseau became one of the most gifted self-taught painters in history. Sarah Winnemucca stood up against injustices and wrote the first autobiography by a Native American woman.

Amidst all the stories filled with angst, broken hearts, and vampires, books that make you laugh-out-loud are a welcome respite. This fall offers many selections for young readers that will tickle their funny bone. Be sure to read these aloud. We could all use a good laugh from time to time.

With the kick-off of a new school year comes the kick-off of football season. Sports activities fill our students’ days and nights with competition and energy. Thankfully, there are great new sports-themed books (football and more) to grab their attention even in the midst of strong opponents. You’ll note that all of these authors are big names in YA lit, which will help grab the attention of your tween and teen readers.

During the last ten years, researchers have learned that elementary students are more likely to read and hear fiction in their classrooms more than informational text. However, if you ever visited an elementary school library, you’d see that far more nonfiction is circulated on average than fiction. Kids love to see the photographs and learn more about their world. Consequently, those books have the commonly known disease of the banana-peel spine. They’ve been read so much their spines are literally peeling off the book. With an increase in emphasis on informational text due to adoption of Common Core State Standards, nonfiction circulation is bound to increase. These new nonfiction releases will satisfy the standards while feeding your starved-for-information students and patrons.

With the onset of September comes the roar of the crowd—the football crowd. From Pop Warner leagues to professional sports, there are plenty of games to attend or watch. Whether on the bleachers, in the field, or cheering from the living room couch, here are some new titles to fill in the gap during half-time.

Every anniversary of 9/11, we often remember heroes—past and present. Some are elected officials or military personnel. Others are everyday folks who decided to take a stand or try something different. Still, other heroes remain nameless but made an impact, nonetheless. The following books are full of heroes from the American Revolution. Perfect for reading in a history class, most of these are short, informational works with well-researched back matter that shouldn’t be missed.

When the font of the author’s name is larger than the title, that’s an author you should know. This fall’s releases include many of our favorite writers whose names overshadow the title on the book jacket. From romance to edgy fantasy, high school readers should have some strong competition for the spending of their time. I’m betting that print (or the digital version) wins.







By Joyce Valenza on September 18, 2013
By Elizabeth Bird on September 18, 2013
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