Lists... and more lists

As the year winds down, children's literature best books lists are published. Earlier this month I pulled books from our juvenile collection featured in both the Children's Choice and Teacher's Choice 2008 lists from The Reading Teacherto be placed on reserve for a children's literature course this spring. Read Roger, the Horn Book editor's blog, posted And the Hit's Just Keep on Comin yesterday; links to the Horn Book Fanfare List: Best Books of 2008.

This morning I had opportunity to check our collection against the Horn Book list and School Library Journals Best Books of 2008 list. While being on the list does not mean I automatically purchase any given title, it does mean I will re-evaluate reviews of titles we don't have, look at curriculum needs and OhioLINK holdings, and then consider purchase. It was interesting to see how many of the books already in our collection were currently circulating within the AU community and OhioLINK.

I was pleased to note I had read several fiction titles on the various lists. Sometimes what circulates does so via recommendation and discussion in the resource center (Did you read?.....), it helps. Included in that group were Waiting for Normal, Paper Towns, and The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Here are a few of the current "best books" lists for 2008:

• Horn Book Fanfare List: Best Books of 2008
• School Library Journal's Best Books 2008
• International Reading Association Choices Lists
• The Reading Teacher: Children's Choices 2008
• The Reading Teacher: Teacher's Choices 2008
• Journal of Adult & Adolescent Literacy: Young Adult Choices 2008

Great email newsletter

One of the more interesting children's literature blogs in my Bloglines account is Read Roger, by Roger Sutton, editor in chief of the Horn Book. Friday's post, Notes from the Horn Book, introduces readers to a new monthly newsletter to be generated by Horn Book.

"Be the first on your block to sign up! Each free and non-spam-generating issue of our new monthly newsletter, debuting the first week of March, highlights a small stack of new children's books of particular interest to parents and other adults who just need a little Horn Book help at the library or bookstore. In the March issue I interview Jon Scieszka, review some books about nature, spot some sequels, and answer some totally made-up questions in the advice column. Pass it on." - Read Roger, Notes from the Horn Book, 2/15/08

After posting this on the IRC blog, it seemed prudent to pass along the opportunity here as well. When subscribing you will be asked to create an account by providing a valid email address, name (first and last), address, city, and zip code to complete the process. Check it out!