At the center is the Can*TEEN Trivia Wheel Library Interactive game, a new spin on the classic gaming style of multiple choice trivia questions, developed by the Carnegie Science Center. AASL, working with the Carnegie Science Center, and with support from the Motorola Foundation, will distribute Can*TEEN Trivia Wheel Library Interactive toolkits to more than 2,500 school librarians serving children ages 10 to 14.

Participating school librarians will receive a free kit for their library and will be asked to complete a follow-up survey at the end of the school year. The survey will evaluate how frequently the toolkit was checked out and how it was used in the school. More information and an opt-in form can be found on AASL’s website, and you can review clips from recent play tests, featuring two of the women who helped make the Can*TEEN Interactive, at www.canteengirl.org.

“

Financial Literacy

Grade Level 7 Up

Cost Tiered pricing begins at $595 for an annual subscription for schools and public libraries, and is based on student enrollment or cardholder numbers.

Overview Don’t let the simple homepage layout fool you—there is a ton of information in this database. Rosen has revised and updated material from more than 500 new and backlist titles, readying it for online use—and that effort shows.

Topics are timely, relevant, and made accessible to the intended audience. The homepage displays a list of seven broad financial topics that users can select; these range from “Entrepreneurship and Career Skills” to “Role of Government” to “The Market Economy.” The homepage also offers two featured articles: “Making Sense of It” discusses a current event, while “Take a Closer Look” typically contains a story with video; the one displayed at the time of the review, for example, stars teenage girls discussing how to start and market a small business. Users can also try one of six different financial calculators or get involved by answering the daily quiz or poll. Resources for teachers and librarians include Common Core and state-specific standards correlations, promotional materials, and Web buttons.

Content and Usability To get an idea of the content available here, users will want to browse by simply drilling down into a topic of interest. For example, clicking on the homepage topic “Personal Finance” brings up a list of related issues, which include “Credit and Debt,” “The Economy and the Individual,” and “Income and Careers,” to name a few. Under “Credit and Debt” are four relevant articles including “First Credit Card and Credit Smarts,” which is presented in very manageable sections. “Entrepreneurship and Careers Skills” offers helpful advice on job seeking, including how to write résumés and cover letters and prepare for interviews. Articles are divided into 8 to 12 prominently labeled subdivisions. “Previous” and “Next” navigation buttons allow readers to easily turn to the next screen.

A search box is provided for more specific queries. In addition, topics may be browsed alphabetically or by subject, and doing either reveals the depth of material provided.

Layout This database is not cutesy but rather reflects a more serious approach, a smart choice for the topic and intended age group. The interface is pleasantly consistent and predictable. Every article is presented in the same way, with a menu of sections on the left and the text on the right. At any time the user may click on the large “Financial Literacy” link on the top left to go to the homepage.

Some of the pages could use additional back navigation buttons. For example, after clicking on a calculator there are no buttons within the database that will bring the user back to the calculators’ menu page. Also, the “Browse A-Z” and “Browse Subject” buttons do not work when using Internet Explorer 8, but were fine on the iPad (Rosen recommends the use of Internet Explorer 9), while, using the iPad, moving the mouse over a highlighted word provides a definition that is then hard to remove.

Rosen offers a user-friendly option to print or email either a section or the full article. Six financial calculators help with, for example, auto loan payments, college costs, and budgeting. Each article includes “investigate” topics that encourage related reading on the subject.

Articles can be translated into 50 different languages using a built-in Google Translate option. There are text-to-speech capabilities, although the voice is robotic and thus the pacing and pronunciation are off at times. However, for students who need the audio, it is a valuable feature. Article citations are provided in APA and MLA formats. The material is written in plain language, although unfortunately the authors are sometimes condescending or preachy (“teenagers should turn off the television and learn…non-exportable jobs…”).

The Common Core and state-specific standards correlations can be viewed on screen or exported to an Excel spreadsheet. Social bookmarking allows for sharing of articles, and the material is iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and netbook compatible.

Verdict This accessible database hosts a wealth of information for students and provides teachers with a solid resource to support financial-literacy lessons. Rosen has taken into account the needs of students and teachers in creating this comprehensive tool for the classroom, and the end product is a valuable, dynamic resource.

Stephanie Farnlacher is a librarian at Trace Crossings School, Hoover, AL

From left to right, Myra Zarnowski, Marc Aronson, and Mary Ann Cappiello

by Mary Ann Cappiello, Myra Zarnowski, and Marc Aronson

As champions of nonfiction literature, we have spent the past year speaking to teachers, librarians, and children’s book publishers, advocating for a new role for children’s, middle grade, and young adult nonfiction in all forms (print, digital, audio) in the classroom and in the individual reading lives of children. We are delighted to have the opportunity to join Curriculum Connections  for the 2012-2013 school year and share our message with you.

As the Uncommon Corps, we have developed 10 “Cs” to help librarians and teachers meet the new demands of the Common Core State Standards, in particular, the Reading Informational Text and Writing Strands. Starting in September, this column will roll out a new “C” for each month of the school year. Each “C” stands for a different noun or verb that can help shape your implementation of the Common Core Standards as they relate to informational text and nonfiction. While the standards use the term informational text, we choose to use the more expansive term, nonfiction.

Before we begin, we wanted to introduce ourselves to you. Mary Ann spent over a decade teaching in public schools in New York and New Hampshire before becoming a faculty member at Lesley University. At Lesley, she teaches courses in content literacy and children’s and young adult literature, including a specialized course in nonfiction in the elementary and middle school classroom. From September to June, she coauthors the “The Classroom Bookshelf” with colleagues Erika Thulin Dawes and Grace Enriquez. She is also the co-author of Teaching with Text Sets  (Shell Education, October 2012) a primer on creating and using multimodal, multigenre text sets in the elementary and middle school classroom.

Myra has been both an elementary and middle school teacher in Newton, Massachusetts and NYC. She is currently a faculty member at Queens College in New York City where she teaches courses in social studies and children’s literature. She is especially interested in nonfiction literature dealing with science and social studies. Myra has served on the Orbis Pictus Award Committee for Outstanding Nonfiction and the Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies Committee—two committees that fueled her passion for nonfiction. She is the author of History Makers  (Heinemann, 2003) and Making Sense of History  (Scholastic, 2006).

Marc earned his doctorate in American History while working as an editor of books for young readers. His subsequent career has been at the intersection of writing nonfiction for middle grade and young adult, editing, and now teaching in the MLIS program at Rutgers University. He writes the “Consider the Source” column for School Library Journal. His forthcoming The Skull in the Rock: How a Scientist, a Boy, and Google Earth Opened a New Window into Human Origins  (National Geographic) was coauthored with Lee. R. Berger and will be released in November, 2012.

You can follow the Uncommon Corps in-between our monthly columns at our blog site.

By Alicia Eames

For the college-bound the pressure is on; there are essays to write, tests to ace, and applications to complete. With guides galore available to teens, this round-up offers a sampling of recent titles. Students (and their parents) will find useful information on the college-search and admission process, minus the hype. And, for those who have sealed the deal, there’s practical advice for “surviving and thriving” in class and on campus, guidance for teens with special needs, and some constructive assessments to aid “undeclared” applicants choose a field of study.

The Application Process

DOWHAN, Adrienne, Chris Dowhan & Dan Kaufman. 3rd ed. Essays That Will Get You Into College. Barron’s. 2009.
While it might seem slightly incongruous that the authors “are all part of an Internet-based company called IvyEssays,” a commercial writing and editing service, their step-by-step guide to penning successful college entrance essays cannot be discounted. Particularly useful is a section of 25 essays written by real students with comments by admissions officers.

HEWITT, Doug & Robin Hewitt. Get Into College in 3 Months or Less. Prufrock Press. 2011.
Written by a husband-and-wife team with personal experience steering their own teens through the college admission process, this slim but information-packed guide completely covers the basics while urging readers along with a cheerful can-do attitude. While geared to teens who’ve arrived at the college decision late in the game, all academia-bound students will find it useful.

MAMLET, Robin & Christine Vandevelde. College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step. Three Rivers Press. 2011.
Observations from Deans of Admissions, from Sarah Lawrence to the University of California, are sprinkled throughout this comprehensive guide, which stretches from “Becoming College-Bound” to making the choice once the acceptance letters arrive. Appendices include a high school timeline, further print and online resources, and worksheets (downloadable at www.collegeadmissionbook.com where additional information is freely available).

Profiles of American Colleges 2013. 30th ed. Barron’s. 2012.
While daunting in heft, students beginning the search for a four-year college will appreciate this well-known handbook for its thorough introduction to “more than 1650” schools. Highlights include an easy-to-follow “Step-by-Step Guide to College Acceptance,” an “Index of College Majors,” and an alphabetical arrangement by state. An online version is available with purchase.

SHAEVITZ, Marjorie Hansen. Admission Possible: The “Dare To Be Yourself” Guide for Getting into the Best Colleges for You. Sourcebooks. 2012.
Chock-full of user-friendly and student-centered advice on extracurricular activities, admission essays, letters of recommendation, test taking, and everything else students and parents need to know about the admissions process, this is the guide a motivated high school freshman will want to own. Fortunately, the information is available to all students at no charge at admissionpossible.com.

Surviving and Thriving

COHEN, Harlan. The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College. 4th ed. Sourcebooks. 2011.
Speaking with a just-right mix of humor and authority, Cohen introduces newbie college students to the nitty-gritty of life on campus with advice on dealing with roommates (naked and otherwise), managing finances, going to (and missing) class, navigating the pitfalls of sex and drugs, and other important topics. Parents will want to have the companion volume The Naked Roommate: For Parents Only (2012) on hand, while those planning freshman orientation might want to consider adding The Naked Roommate’s First Year Survival Workbook: The Ultimate Tools for a College Experience with More Fun, Less Stress, and Top Success (2012) to their list of resources.

FEAVER, Peter, Sue Wasiolek & Anne Crossman. Getting the Best Out of College: Insider Advice for Success from a Professor, a Dean, and a Recent Grad. rev & updated. Ten Speed Press. 2012.
The introduction shares “a fundamental secret: it matters less where students choose to go than what they choose to do once they get there.” From there, the authors (all hail from Duke University) reveal the essential ins and outs of a meaningful college experience, from dorm life to relationships with parents to study abroad while recognizing education as a privilege that isn’t guaranteed to all.

GARTON, Christie. U Chic: The College Girl’s Guide to Everything. updated 2nd ed. Sourcebooks. 2011.
The “Everything” in this title embraces choosing a major and deciding upon grad school, but the decided emphasis is on all things social, including Facebook etiquette, online dating, partying, hooking-up, sororities, keeping fit, and staying safe. This friendly, big-sister-toned advice is packaged with a bright pink cover.

JACOBS, Lynn F. & Jeremy S. Hyman. The Secrets of College Success: Over 600 Tips & Tricks Revealed. (Professors’ Guide Series). Jossey-Bass. 2010.
Two college professors dispense practical, insider advice in easy-to-digest lists, such as “6 Things You Didn’t Know About Grading (but Really Should),” “10 Tips for Writing the Perfect Paper,” and “Top 10 Myths About Study Abroad.” Other topics include selecting courses, knowing when to ask for help, and building rapport with professors.

QUARATIELLO, Arlene R. with Jane Devine. The College Student’s Research Companion: Finding, Evaluating, and Citing the Resources You Need to Succeed. 5th ed. Neal-Schuman. 2011.
A handy tool for students who need to brush up on key information-literacy skills, such as using an online catalog, searching the Web, plumbing subscription databases, and evaluating sources, this introduction also takes readers through the basics of writing a research paper. Practice exercises (with answers) reinforce the lessons. Links to the myriad websites referenced by the authors can be found at www.neal-schuman.com/research.

SCOTT, Sheridan, Nancy Allen & Anya Settle. Now You Tell Me! 12 College Students Give the Best Advice They Never Got. Arundel Publishing. 2012.
Young men and women from a wide range of academic settings share their personal experiences and offer guidance on “College Learning” and “College Life,” including choosing schools and majors, building friendships, managing time, and seizing new opportunities. Videos and additional material are available at www.nowyoutellmebooks.com/college.

Advice for Students with Special Needs

QUINN, Patricia O. AD/HD and the College Student: The Everything Guide to Your Most Urgent Questions. Magination Press/APA. 2012.
Written in a question-and-answer format by a pediatrician with over 30 years experience (and who has AD/HD), this is a go-to-book for students with the disorder as they navigate college life. The author tackles real-life topics, including parents, stress, health, medication, academics, Facebook, roommates, romance, and alcohol, as she offers no-nonsense, caring advice in easy-to-manage portions.

QUINN, Patricia O. & Theresa E. Laurie Maitland. On Your Own: A College Readiness Guide for Teens with ADHD/LD. Magination Press/APA. 2011.
Designed to help individuals “create a personalized college readiness plan,” this step-by-step, interactive handbook encourages students to assess their self-determination, daily living, and academic skills through checklists and worksheets while forming an action plan for completing goals. Down-to-earth tips for improving skills along with suggested books and websites encourage success.

SIMPSON, Cynthia G. & Vicky G. Spencer. College Success for Students with Learning Disabilities: Strategies and Tips to Make the Most of Your College Experience. Prufrock Press. 2009.
In order for IEPs to reflect the necessary goals, college planning for students with learning disabilities ought to begin in eighth grade. In a conversational tone, interspersed with lists of tips, tables, and worksheets, the authors guide students (and parents and counselors) through practical considerations while emphasizing that student self-advocacy is essential. Boxes labeled “Learning to Ask the Right Questions” with need-to-know items are especially useful.

BROWN, Jane Thierfeld et al. The Parent’s Guide to College for Students on the Autism Spectrum. AAPC Publishing. 2012.

While transitioning to college life is rarely easy, students on the autism spectrum face unique challenges that this comprehensive guidebook addresses, such as deciding where to apply, legal accommodations for disabled students, and academic and social issues. The authors imbue this book with a personal touch by including brief descriptions of situations that the students they’ve worked with have encountered (a student has a research paper due but her roommates are blasting loud music, a freshman wants to socialize but finds the sensory overload of the dining overwhelming). Though billed as a “Parent’s Guide,” charts and tables such as “New Student Resource Guide” and the “20-Question Stress Test” make this particularly useful to the college-bound as well.

TIEDEMANN, Chris Wise. College Success for Students with Physical Disabilities. Prufrock Press. 2012.
As the mother of a son with cerebral palsy and founder of the website, Disability Friendly Colleges, the author offers hard-won insight into planning for college, what to expect, finding a school, preparing for college life, academic achievement, and personal concerns and services in six well-organized chapters, each of which incorporates the first-hand experiences of four students with different disabilities.

Choosing a Major

LIPTAK, John J.. College Major Quizzes: 12 Easy Tests to Discover Which Programs Are Best. JIST. 2011.
Undecided high school and college students can benefit from self-assessments that examine a student’s interests and skills, favorite subjects, personality traits, and leisure pursuits to identify personally satisfying academic programs. Liptak draws on the 16 U.S. Department of Education career clusters, from “Agriculture and Natural Resources” to “Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics,” and each is described in an appendix.

SHATKIN, Laurence. Panicked Student’s Guide to Choosing a College Major: How to Confidently Pick Your Ideal Path. JIST. 2011.
Using the Holland Types personality theory and a list of 28 skills gleaned from the U.S. Department of Labor’s employment information website O*NET Online, Shatkin guides readers through a process of selecting a college major based on personality traits, defined skills, and preferred high school courses. Additionally, he presents profiles of 120 majors with related career possibilities.

Yoshikawa is the author of a sobering new book called Immigrants Raising Citizens: Undocumented Parents and Their Young Children (Russell Sage, 2011). Based on a three-year study of nearly 400 children from Mexican, Chinese, and Dominican families, the book shows the adverse effects of parents’ undocumented status on their offspring. These young citizens are at great risk in their educational development, largely because of their parents’ precarious legal situation.

Yoshikawa and his colleagues visited homes and workplaces, seeing firsthand how fear of deportation and separation affects all aspects of these families’ daily lives. The researchers learned that any kind of service requiring documentation is out of reach for most of the families. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for them to obtain child-care subsidies, health care, checking and savings accounts, and even a driver’s license or a public library card.

The parents in the study work long hours, often for less than the legal minimum wage. They endure poor working conditions but are afraid to complain. They rarely get raises because they’re reluctant to make themselves conspicuous to those in positions of authority. Many live in rundown apartments, fearful of complaining to their landlords. Most compelling to us was Yoshikawa’s observation that the children of undocumented immigrants aren’t likely to receive quality center-based child care, which research shows can greatly improve early development. His findings indicate that at as early as 24 months, these children show lower cognitive and language-skill development than their more privileged peers.

Yoshikawa emphasizes that locally based, nonpolitical organizations are currently the best community supports for this remarkably large segment of our population. We especially sat up and took notice when he mentioned that his researchers were often the first ones to tell these families about pubic libraries and all they have to offer.

Yoshikawa identifies three “principles” that low-income immigrant families use to identify community organizations they believe they can trust: the perceived benefit to their children; a familiar, comfortable setting; and ease of enrollment. He reports that WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) is one organization that has been a “success story” in its service to undocumented immigrants. He cites several reasons for this. Recognizing that Mexicans and some other ethnic groups disapprove of “cash welfare,” WIC doesn’t dispense money. Instead, it provides food and nutritional counseling, which are regarded as directly helpful to the children. WIC often provides its services in clinics and hospitals where the children were born, so their parents trust the location and feel comfortable taking their children there. And enrollment is simple, thanks to social workers who speak many languages and are available for assistance. Additionally, Yoshikawa notes that parents have come to trust that this organization won’t turn them into authorities who can deport them.

We encourage you to read Yoshikawa’s book. For those of us in public and school libraries, there’s so much more we can learn to continue our profession’s long history of helping new immigrants flourish in a challenging new world.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Great Websites for Kids Committee has announced their picks for Spring 2012. The 11 websites, intended for children from birth to age 14, have been selected based on their outstanding concept and execution.

All About Birds, a website created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, features bird names, species, and history as well as bird songs and videos. PBS Kids Raising Readers Kids Island features games and activities to help kids develop and practice basic reading skills. Created by Jeff Kinney (“Wimpy Kid” series), Poptropica is a virtual world in which gamers can create a character and set out on quests on “islands” based on themes from history, nature, and more. The New York Times Learning Network offers materials based on the newspaper’s content as well as lesson plans, resources for teachers, quizzes, and activities for students 13 and older.

Be sure to check out ALSC’s other Spring 2012 winning websites: ABCya!, CIA for Kids-Games, Common Sense Media, Generation on Youth Advisory Council, Judy Schachner, Seymour Simon, and We Give Books.

Click here for more information about judging criteria.