Reviewing+Sources


 * Reviewing Sources for Teacher-Librarians **

According to Elizabeth Bird, in her book //Children's Literature Gems//, review sources "are professional journals or periodicals containing reviews of the latest titles. They are written by librarians and experts in the field and edited before publication. After reading through enough of these publications, you may find that some are not to your taste...Every publication of reviews has its own tenor and voice. The trick is finding the ones you trust and then sticking with them" (p. 56). Below is a list of professional reviewing sources that you should be familiar with when selecting materials for your school library.

The Horn Book:  @http://www.hbook.com/

Kirkus Reviews: @http://www.kirkusreviews.com

School Library Journal: []

Booklist: []

Canadian Review of Materials (CM): []

Quill and Quire: http://www.quillandquire.com

Resource Links: []

VOYA: []

Bird goes on to say that there are other, less formal, ways of learning about new books. These include word-of-mouth recommendations from trusted sources. Today, word-of-mouth has taken on a 21st century twist and includes reviews published by book bloggers. Bird notes that she believes that "blogs are a great method of locating and hearing about great titles. Of course, a blog should almost never be your sole method of research into the worthiness of a title. Just as you wouldn't select a book for your collection based solely on a single review, so too must you take a review on a blog with a grain of salt. Think of a blog as a good friend whose opinion you trust" (p. 57). Blogs about children's and YA literature (collectively known as the Kidlitisphere) have gained in popularity and respectability. They even have their own annual awards for children's and YA literature, the Cybils. Below is a list of blogs and bloggers you should add to your RSS reader to help you stay on top of what's new and exciting in the world of children's literature.

Fuse 8 Productions (Elizabeth Bird)

A Chair, A Fire Place, and a Tea Cozy

Educating Alice

A Year of Reading

ACPL Mock Newbery

Jen Robinson's Book Page

The Book Whisperer

Scrub-a-Dub-Tub: A Reading Tub Blog

The Goddess of YA Literature

Charlotte's Library

Book Blog: Bookends