Small, Ruth V. and Marilyn P. Arnone. Turning Kids on to Research: The Power of Motivation. Eng lewood, CO: Li braries U n limited, 2000. 1 98p. ISBN 1 -56308-782-0. $26 U.S. $31 outside North America. Anyone who has struggled to motivate students who are only marginally interested in learning information skills will appreciate the many real-life accounts presented in this volume. The authors state in the preface that they offer "a way to enhance existing models (of information skills i nstruction) with an overlay of motivational techniques and strategies." As reflected in the title, this work focuses on the importance of student motivation throughout the research process and provides techniques and strategies tailored to specific stages of that researc h . As to audience, the authors are primarily addressing library media specialists with some experience in teaching information skills. These readers will best appreciate the successes and fai lures described in the book and find detailed advice and true-to-life solutions to challenging situations. Drawing on their combined academic and applied experience, the authors present a mix of theory and practice. The middle chapters of their work are replete with practical advice and tactics while the first and last chapters provide a theoretical framework. In the first chapter the authors present their "motivation overlay for information skills instruction" which forms the foundation of the book. Chapter 1 begins with an overview of several information problem-solving models currently used in information skills teaching models. Based on these models, the authors formulate three broad generic research stages, each of which is further divided into categories of information skills. Secondly, the authors describe a number of key motivational theories with elements applicable to the design of lessons in information skills. Mindful of the importance of students' attitudes and their changing needs as they progress through research, they link these two distinct elements through the creat ionof a motivat ion overlay for information skills instruction. This overlay assists in the selection and application of a variety of motivational techniques appropriate at specific stages of the research process. Chapters 2 through 4 deal with the three main research stages, essentially the beginning stages, the middle, and the completion of the research. The final chapter provides an overall review and links this approach with a constructivist learning environment. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 To fully convey the nature of this work, it is necessary to examine a specific example of how the overlay functions. The authors have divided the research process into three main stages. The first or beginning stage is subdivided into three information skills : definition, selection, and planning. Motivational goals, applicable to these skills, are identified. In this particular case, an example of a goal is confidence building in research ability. This specific goal is refined into motivational techniques such as prov id ing an appropriate level of chal lenge , c lar ify i n g expectations, and offering a supportive environment. The authors then provided various examples of how these motivational techniques have been applied in the definition, selection and/or planning stages of the initial research. A number of techniques are employed to reinforce and illustrate the book's main points. Motivational moments and motivational makeovers are real-life accounts from practitioners on their experiences. Additional features include chapter review questions, tabular and graphic displays, as well as chapter bibliographies. In conclusion, this book provides useful techniques and examples of how to successfully launch student research projects and how to keep them on track until completion. It can be especially useful to consult for fresh ideas to intervene at a specific moment in the research process. Although high school l ibrary examples are i ncluded, the majority of concrete examples are drawn from elementary and middle school l ibraries. Marlene Giguere is a former Associate Professor in Library Studies at Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada. Her articles on the topic of the Internet appeared in previous editions of Education Libraries and she was an Acting Co- Editor for Vol . 1 8 , Nos. 1 , 2 and 3 of th is j ournal . S h e now resides i n Georgia, USA. E-mail : giguere@ bellsouth.net B O O K R E V I E W S 33 G regory, Vicki L . , Mari lyn H. Karren brock Sta uffe r and Thomas W. Kee n e , J r. Multicultural Reso urces on the Internet: Th e United States and Canada. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unl imited, 1 999. 366 p. ISBN 1 -56308-676-X. $28 US. $33.50 outside North America. Why try to produce a comprehensive guide to Internet resources on any subject, given the ephemeral nature of the Web? Vicky L. Gregory addresses th is question head-on i n her introduction to this work, which should prove useful for some time. Gregory argues that any source of information is changing; it's just that the pace is faster with the Web. The selectors of the sites included here (the three authors l isted, and an additional ten librarians/information specialists) focus on those sites that they believe will have a greater degree of permanence than the average web si te-government s i tes, those sponsored by enduring organizations, and so forth. In addition, the guide gives tips for tracking down sites that have moved, and for searching out new sites to replace or supplement those listed here. The first chapter addresses "Comprehensive Internet Sites." It includes sites, newsgroups and discussion l ists addressing American Studies and Ethnic Studies, and worldwide business, government, and cultural concerns. Following this are chapters devoted to specific ethnic groups: Native American, African American, Hispanic American, Asian American (this covers general resources for this group, which is further broken down in other chapters), Chinese American, Japanese American, Asian Indian, Jewish American, Americans of Middle Eastern and North American Descent, French Canadian, Cajun and Creole, and Hawaiian American . The focus is on English-language sites, although many that are i ncluded exist in dual- or multi-language versions. The chapters begin with a discussion of the individual ethnic group: their history in North America and prominence in recent census counts. The authors address the search processes: search strategies, taxonomies, and search engines used. This information will be useful to the searcher who wants to explore beyond the resources l isted here for more information. Chapters are sub­ divided into general information, business, culture and humanities, fine arts, history, language arts and literature, popular culture, religion, science and technology, and "other"-most frequently travel and tourism. Within each section, resources are l isted alphabetically, and are annotated with descriptions that are typically one to three sentences in length. The individual sites chosen reflect a wealth of culture for each group. The volume is indexed by site title and sponsor. This book should be useful to those studying multicultural issues in depth, as well as to more casual users. Recommended especially for ethnic studies collections, but any library where the Internet is used as a research tool would do well to include it. Hancock, Susan, ed. A Guide to Children 's Reference Books and Multimedia Material. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate, 1 998. 203 p. ISBN 1 -85928-256-3. Written as a guide for parents and others assembling a home library, this guide presents books "designed for 'dip in ' reference rather than 'cover to cover' read." (p. xi) Although initial selection was by a panel of B ri ti sh educators, ch i ldren themsel ves participated in the process and offered their own reviews. Specific genres covered are alphabet books, dictionaries, a t l as e s , a n d encyclopedias. The guide includes information o n over 250 titles marketed for preschool children through age 1 4 . There is a decidedly British bent, despite being published in Great Britain, the United States of America, Singapore and Australia, and the. book will be most useful to a British audience. Basic arrangement is by age group. Each section starts with an overview of the learning needs of the particular age group, and general guidelines for selecting books to meet these needs. For books rev iewed, i n formation given includes standard bibliographic description, target age group, language (simple or vocabulary expanding), layout, images, and retrieval devices. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 34 B O O K R E V I E W S Beginning with Key Stage I (ages five to seven) children's assessments appear. These become increasingly sophisticated with each age group . For younger chi ldren, the adul t reviewer summarizes the children's experiences with the books. Older c h i l dren ' s comments are q uoted verbat i m , and i nc lude comparisons to other works and deficiencies that the children perceive in the works evaluated, both in content and presentation . Chapters end with the editor's personal recommendations from books reviewed. A substantial chapter "Information Playgrounds: Children's Reference and M u l timedia" discusses the advantages and disadvantages of CD-ROMs as educational programs, and reviews a number of titles. Internet addresses are given for a small number of websites of interest to children, but these are not reviewed or described in any way. A "glossary of technical jargon" is included. The introduction briefly discusses the history of children 's reference works, and a bibliography presents a historical survey of children's reference books as well . M it c h e l l , B r u c e M . a n d Robert E . S a l s b u ry. Encyclopedia o f Multicultural Education. Westport, CT: G reenwood Press, 1 999. 304 p. ISBN 0-31 3-30029-1 . B ruce M . Mitchell (Professor Emeritus of Education at Eastern Washington University) and Robert E. Salsbury (Professor of Education at Eastern Washington University) previously collaborated on Multicultural Education: An International Guide to Research, Policies, and Programs (Greenwood, 1 996). As our society and our schools become more multicultural, and as we i ncrease our celebration of d iversity, an encyclopedia of multicultural education sounds as i f i t would be a welcome addition to our libraries. Unfortunately, this recent collaboration leaves much to be desired. The preface states: "Encyclopedia entries were selected based on their relationship to the content and method of multicultural education . . . For example, Louis Armstrong was not only an i nternationally famous musician , but he spoke out against racial insensitiveness, such as the government's handling of the Little Rock, Arkansas, school desegregation issue, an important topic in multicultural education ." (p. vi i ) This criteria is unevenly applied. The entry on Muhammad Ali states: "Physical education teachers and social studies teachers could use the situation encountered by Ali as an example of the discrimination against EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 black athletes, which has plagued the history of the United States." (p.8) This is a direct educational reference. Rafer Johnson is included as an "outstanding UCLA student athlete (who) became known later for his brave attempt in helping professional football player Roosevelt Grier wrest the gun out of the grasp of Sirhan B . Sirhan after he assassinated Attorney General Robert Kennedy." (p. l 2 1 ) The connection to education here is tenuous at best. At the same time, some prominent educational figures are missing, such as Isaac M. Wise, who started the first permanent rabbinical college in North America. The entry on "afrocentrism" makes reference to "monoethnic curriculums" (p.6), yet this term is not defined elsewhere to allow a contrast to entries on "resegregation" and "separate but equal doctrine". "Melting pot theory", "salad bowl theory", and "stew theory" are, however, all separately defined with reference to each concept in each article. Overall, the terms and ethnicities selected for definition seem unbalanced and haphazard. Those looking for a single volume handbook on multicultural education will not find this book meets that need. Debbie Bogenschutz is Coordinator of Information Services at the Johnnie Mae Berry Library (http://dogbert.cinstate.cc.oh .us), Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, 3520 Central Parkway, Cincinnati , OH 45223 . She is a regular contributor to the Book Reviews department. Phone: (5 1 3) 569- 1 6 1 1 ; Fax : (5 1 3) 559-0040; E-mail : bogenschutzd @cinstate.cc .oh. us B O O K R E V I E W S 35 Kliewe r, J oy Rosenzwe i g . The Innovative Campus: Nurturing the Distinctive Learning Environment. American Council on Education IOryx Press Series on Higher Ed ucation. Phoen ix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1 999. ISBN 1 -57356-236-X. In their landmark study of alternative higher education, The Perpetual Dream: Reform and Experiment in the American College ( 1 978), G. Grant and D.Riesman described the 1 960s as being "as volatile a period of educational reform as America has ever experienced." In the years before and since, a number of authors have attempted to describe the "experimental" educational programs that entered into the discourse of American h igher education as a result of this tumultuous period. In T he Innovative Campus, Kliewer re-visits a number of these familiar programs in order to identify the factors that nurture innovation in higher education as well as those that can inhibit the endurance of educational change. In a time when higher education has once again become a volatile field, she also hopes to provide lessons for contemporary would-be innovators. Kliewer employs a case study approach in order "to capture the stories of the institutional lives and histories of innovative col leges and universities" such as Hampshire College, the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), and The Evergreen State College (TESC) (xvii) . Drawing on personal interviews, descriptions of each campus and its history are provided as well as general conc lus ions about the soc ia l , c u l tura l , and organizational factors that have an impact on the survival of innovative educational programs. Al though the systematic presentation of each case study makes for occasional repetition in the nanative, both the richness of its descriptions and the breadth of its scope make this study a worthy successor to earlier works in the same vein, including B .R.Clark's T he Distinctive College: · Antioch, Reed, and Swarthmore ( 1 970) and Grant and Riesman 's ( 1 978) The Perpetual Dream: Reform and Experiment in the American College. A number of studies have reviewed the birth of these experimental colleges and universities during the 1 960s and early 1 970s, but Kliewer notes that none has had sufficient historical distance from its subjects to consider the key question of whether or not innovation can endure in the American system of higher education . Each of the institutions profiled in the current study have survived (with at least some degree of innovation intact) for over a quarter-century. The principal questions guiding Kliewer's study specifically concern the endurance of innovation and the l essons that "mainstream" i nstitutions may take from the experience of these "maverick" schools. Innovative campuses share a number of organ i zational features. Chief among these are: in terdisciplinary academic programs; student-centered education ; egalitarian governance structures; opportun i ties for experiential l earn ing ; and an institutional focus on teaching rather than research (xviii) . Factors that fac il i tate the endurance of these features i nclude: the continuing presence and support of founding faculty members; an effective program of faculty recruitment; a professional rewards sys tem that values i n n ovat ive pract ice ; non- t rad i t iona l organizational structures; and administrative support (2 17). Factors that may inhibit the maintenance of these features include: changes in the economy (especially an economic downturn); affil iation with a public university system (as in the case of the University of Wisconsin-Green B ay) ; and changes in student demographics, such as an increasing student-teacher ratio (as in the case of UCSC) (222). "Alternative" academic programs such as the ones described by the author are not for everyone, but, as she notes, they may provide useful examples to mainstream institutions looking to modify their own approach to teaching and learning in higher education. Despite the considerable contribution that Kliewer makes to the literature with this study, there are a number of questions that remain unanswered. For example, she focuses on the impact that new ideas about higher education have on the academic program, but does not fully consider their equally significant impact on student services. As a librarian, I wondered if the atypical academic programs that Kliewer describes have had any impact on library services or on the professional lives of their librarians. Earlier studies ofTESC, for example, suggest that l ibraries and librarians may be sign ificantly affected by the presence of innovative academic programs such as those described by S. Pedersen et a!. in the article entitled "Ethnography of an Alternative College Library" (Libra1y Trends; volume 39, number 3, pages 339-4 1 ) . Aspects such as those presented by Pedersen are not considered in the present study. However, the "suggestions for further research" provided in Kl iewer's conclusion point the way to potentially interesting future work. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 36 B O O K R E V I E W S Also left unconsidered by Kliewer is the important question of the degree to which mainstream colleges and universities have already begun to adopt academic programs associated with the innovative campuses. Increasingly familiar programs such as Learning Communities and First-Year-Experience share a number of features with the programs described by Kliewer, but she fails to acknowledge this. A fuller consideration of the growth of these programs at institutions such as the University of Hawaii, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, the State University of New York at Albany, and elsewhere would have made the significance of pioneering i nstitutions such as the ones presented here even more apparent. Despite these lacunae in her analysis, Kliewer provides a useful study of the experimental academic programs of the 1 960s and 1 970s and suggests a number of practical concerns of which contemporary innovators should take heed if they wish to benefit ful ly from the experience of those who have gone before . Recommended for all academic collections. Scott Walter is Head, Brain Education Library, 1 30 Cleveland Hall, P.O. Box 642 1 1 2 , Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA, 99 1 64-22 1 2 . He assumes editorship of Education Libraries with the 200 1 editions. Phone: (509) 335- 1 59 1 ; E-mail: swalter@wsu .edu Morgan , Harry. The Imagination of Early Childhood Education. Westport, CT: Berg i n & Garvey, 1 999. 255 p. ISBN 0-89789-594-0. $59.95. This latest work by Harry Morgan, a professor of Early Childhood Education at the State University of West Georgia and author of Cognitive Styles of Classroom Learning (Greenwood, 1 997) and Historical Perspectives on the Education of Black Children (Greenwood, 1 995), is well researched and presented. Focusing on imagination as opposed to developmental concerns in the early childhood years (from infancy to age eight), the author divides his subject into six distinct chapters on imagination. These are historical imagination; philosophical imagination; theoretical imagination; curriculum imagination; Montessori imagination; and the imagination of literature. From Aesop to Plato and Socrates, to Froebel, Montessori, Freud, Piaget, and Erikson, Morgan draws his conclusions of their influences on imagination and its development and leads the way from the past to the present. He shows how this has been a bumpy road, as church and state have both historically intervened and influenced education. A distinction is drawn between what is called elementary education and early childhood education . Early chi ldhood education encompasses the years when children are most open to learni ng. By the time many children reach the elementary school system they are often shaped by experiences that wi l l be unchangeable. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 Chapter one - "Historical Imagination"- is by far the most extensive. All chapters discuss the problems encountered with programs targeting poor students and the resistance these programs constantly face in order to continue and grow. The politics of intelligence and the endless verbiage surrounding the topic of children and education are shown to be potential impediments rather than catalysts for change or progress. The emphasis of this book seems to be to open the minds of its readers rather than to draw any hard and fast conclusions. Each chapter ends with two to three pages of additional references. A selected bibliography and short index conclude the book. A few carefully selected charts and i llustrations enhance and lighten this serious text. Franki Elliott is a consultant and trainer in information research located in Hudson Heights, QC, Canada. She is a frequent reviewer for this journal. Phone: (450) 458-2636; E-mail : franki @hudson.net 8 0 0 K R E V I E W S 37 Hodges, G a b ri e l le C l iff et a l . , eds. Tales, Tellers and Texts. L o n d o n ; New Yo rk: Cass e l l , 2 0 0 0 . 1 62 p . ISBN 0-304-70641 -8 ( pbk). This excellent collection celebrates the power of narrative of all types. It assembles strong arguments for the value of teaching texts and telling tales of all kinds. "Text" here is broadly defined to include familiar genres such as television, film and animation, as well as new genres such as Internet and video game narratives. Far from replacing print, these genres add to the mix of imaginative works available to teachers engaged in helping children develop critical thinking, self-knowledge, and judgement. Many of the chapters stress the tension between truth and fiction in narrative and its part in expanding readers' horizons and actively engaging them in exploring their attitudes towards the moral or social conflicts posed in the tales. The authors deal sensitively with the question of tradition vs. changing attitudes toward nationalism, faith, class, and cultural difference in traditional and h istorical tales. The book is divided into four sections covering oral, historical, visual, and literary narratives, and includes one chapter on the newest narrative forms. If this book has a shortcoming it is that, despite the emphasis in the introduction on the importance of these new forms, only one chapter is devoted solely to them. Perhaps this reflects the reality of today's classrooms, where print is still king. The essays on storytelling are particularly eloquent. The authors effectively demonstrate how storytelling is qualitatively different from reading a story. Storytellers must choose which details to include in order to build meaning and interpret the story to make it relevant to a modern audience. They must see past the nationalism and stereotyping found in some traditional tales to bring out the universal di lemmas and dreams that unite them. Storytelling offers practical benefits to children as well ; for example, improving their l isten ing and memory skil ls , and enriching their vocabulary and grasp of narrative structure. The chapters on historical fiction provide ample justification for the use of this form, shunned in the past as not "true" enough for historians and not "literary" enough for English teachers. Today 's examples build on fully developed characters in well­ researched settings. They offer a way to engage children in the past and to explore the interplay between h istorical fact and meaning. The authors in the visual narrative section demonstrate the need to teach "visual literacy" and argue persuasively that the techniques and traditions of visual text are just as important as the structure, setting, character development and plot elements of print literature. The final chapter deals with the bias against the new forms of narrative of our technological age-television, film, video, animation, e-books, graphic novels, COs, the Internet, and video games. The author suggests this prejudice might be part of a puritanical bias in education against pictures: since they are more fun, they must be less valuable ! She argues that these genres have their own "grammar" (their own techniques and conventions) and that teachers must not abdicate their role as mediators between them and their students. This volume is a valuable contribution to our understanding of narrative. It will be used by English, history, and art teachers looking for texts and techniques as well as by researchers in education and anyone with an interest in children's literature, broadly defi ne d . Beyond mere usefu lness , h owever, i t demonstrates the value o f narrative for pure pleasure. Chris Desai is Assistant Science Librarian, Morris Library, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA 6290 1 -6632. Phone: (6 1 8) 453- 1 1 62, Fax: (6 1 8) 453-8 1 09, E-mail : cdesai @ lib.siu.edu EDUCATION L IBRARI ES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 3s B O O K R E V I E W S Bieh ler, Robert F., et a l . Psychology Applied to Teaching, 1st Canadian Edition. To ro nto : H o u·g h ton M iffl i n Company, 1 999. ISBN 0-1 7-607360-4. Biehler, et al's Psychology Applied to Teaching is a great introductory textbook and reference book for students, teachers, education professors, and librarians who are i nterested in the psychological aspects of teaching. Although it is primarily intended as a textbook for an introductory course in educational psychology (which is obvious from the organization, chapter summaries, and questions at the end of each chapter), it is an excellent source of information for anyone who may have, or need to answer, questions dealing with psychological issues in the educational process. Psychology Applied to Teaching is divided into five general areas: Considering Student Characteristics (stage theories of development , diversity issues , age-level c h aracteristics) , Specifying What I s To Be Learned (devising and utilizing learning objectives), Providing Instruction (behavioral and social learning theories, information-processing, cognitive theories, motivation), Evaluating Performance, and Maintaining an Effective Learning Environment (classroom management, reflective teaching). Within each area are chapters dealing with a specific aspect of that area, and the chapters are further divided into pertinent points. Each chapter also includes suggestions for incorporating the material into teaching practice and resources for further investigation of the information covered in the chapter. A comprehensive bibliography of works cited is included at the end of the book, as well as excellent author/source and subject indexes and a fairly thorough glossary. The glossary and indexes make this an excellent reference resource in addition to a good-quality textbook. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 As for the content, the authors have provided in-depth, unbiased coverage of the field of educational psychology. All of the major theories of learning, from behaviorism to the cognitive theories, are covered equally. Part of an entire chapter even deals with Koh l berg's moral development theory, and Gill igan 's gender-based ways of knowing are also discussed. Appropriate illustrations are included, along with many tables and charts. All of the illustrative matter is clear and easy to understand. The charts and tables dealing with legislation and demographics are not particularly useful for readers in the United States since this is the Canadian edition . However, it remains a valuable reference tool for education libraries in the U.S. because of the wealth of information it contains on the general areas of educational psychology. The only obvious drawback of this book is its binding. This reviewer examined a copy with a trade binding, which is not durable enough for library use. With a hard binding, this book will find years of utility in the reference or general collection of any education library. It is highly recommended. Mark T. Bay is Visiting Librarian for Instruction and Reference, IUPUI University Library, 755 W. Michigan St. , Indianapolis, IN, USA 46202-5 195 . Phone: (3 1 7) 274-528 1 ; E-mail: mbay @iupui .edu B 0 0 K R E V I E W S 39 Reese, Jean. Internet Books for Educators, Parents and S tudents. Eng lewood, CO: Libraries U n l im ited, 1 999. 299 p . ISBN 1 -56308-697-2. $32.50 US. $39 outs ide North America. Jean Reese, the author of this book, is the Associate Director for the Education Library at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. She is also editor of "The Reference Shelf', a column for the magazine Multimedia Schools which reviews professional materials in the area of technology in schools. These two roles give her access to many publications, placing her in a unique position to evaluate them. This publication is comprised of reviews of works published between 1 996 and the present, each 1 -2 pages in length . Six chapters identify a variety of the most current and useful Internet books available for educators, librarians, students, parents, and children, as well as books for use in curriculum development, Web page design, and fiction books for juvenile readers. The target audience is the K- 1 2 education community. For each book listed, full bibliographic detail is provided along with a Web address for the publisher. Who might find such a collection of reviews useful? Would a review of a 1 997 Web book not be outdated by the year 2000? The author's reviews point out the strengths and weaknesses of each publication. Many of the publications have enduring interest. For teachers who have Internet access in their classrooms for the first time, a number of excellent sources are listed. Listed also are sources containing suggestions for appropriate Internet based student activities. The media specialist will also find useful topics such as copyright and the Internet. The chapter on Web page design reviews books and software manuals for both PC and Mac environments. On the negative side, and the author points this out, the web is always evolving and as a result a number of the entries are not timely. There is no mention of many of the Web-browsers that are common today ( l ike Google), nor is there anything about mega-browsers l ike Dogpi le. Subscribers to the publication Multimedia Schools will be familiar to many of the reviews included here. Reese's guide is useful as a collection development and evaluation tool for elementary and high school libraries or media centers. It is also a useful sourcebook for public libraries and school libraries or media centers that have only recently gained access to the Internet and are looking to build a support collection. It is also a handy reference tool for parents looking for suggestions on what Internet books to purchase for home use. Elizabeth Winiarz is the Science Librarian at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Library, 285 Old Westport Road , North Dartmouth, MA, USA 02747-2300. Phone: (508) 999-8696; E-mail : ewiniarz@umassd.edu EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 4o B O O K R E V I E W S Palette, Nancy J. Gifted Books, Gifted Readers: Literature Activities to Excite Young Minds. Eng lewood, CO: Lib raries Unl imited , 2000. 282 p. ISBN 1 -56308-822-3. $32.50 US. $39 outside North America. Understanding the need for gifted children to be exposed to quality l iterature is at the heart of this guide to curriculum for gifted students. Nancy Polette argues that many adults make the false assumption that gifted children who read are in fact "well read." B ased on the thesis that gifted children need broader exposure to children's l iterature, she has created an extensive collection of activities that meet the basic goals of an elementary language arts curriculum while challenging the gifted mind. Gifted Books, Gifted Readers is a thorough, literature-based compendium of ideas and activities for use with gifted students in the classroom. The book begins with a discussion of the need for literature-based curriculum for gifted students and a discussion of what makes a child "gifted." The collection then offers six distinct chapters on topics such as picture books, folk and fairy tales, the classics, diversity, historical fiction and heroi�m. Each chapter highlights numerous books and includes a variety of activities for each, most of which focus on reading comprehension and writing. The activities encompass a diverse selection including vocabulary building, pre and post reading discussion questions, poetry, descriptive writing and more. The book i ncludes a detailed table of contents and a comprehensive author/title/subject index. One unusual concept Polette introduces i s the idea of the memory song, a recounting of the plot through singing. For example, she suggests some rather obscure melody lines such as Don Ho's "Tiny Bubbles" and Herb Alpert's "What Now My Love" for use as a Romeo and Juliet karaoke. This would be a stretch for even the most engaged student, let alone your average, albeit gifted, child. Any teacher can, however, take this concept EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 and create a more appealing lesson plan through the use of other musical conventions that may have more relevance to the ·period being studied or the students' personal lives. One of the biggest difficulties with Gifted Books, Gifted Readers is that it lacks any specific age or grade guidelines. While it may be true that i nstructors of gifted students need flexibility within their curriculums to serve the breadth of abilities found in their classrooms, there is a huge difference between intellectual capability and cognitive understanding. Some guidance would be useful for teachers who wish to browse lesson plan ideas without having to read the entire book to find appropriate activities for their classroom. There is also an implied understanding that this will be used with students who are able to write, which limits its usefulness to students in grades 3 and up. Again, activities could be easily modified for use with pre-writers as well. Overall , the guide offers teachers of gifted students many useful and creative ideas for i ntroducing qual i ty chi ldren's literature. With consideration for i ts developmental assumptions, Gifted Books, Gifted Readers would be a serviceable addition to most elementary school professional coll.ections, particularly where gifted classrooms are in use. Amelia J. Shelley is Manager, Children's/Young Adult Services, Laramie County Library System, 2800 Central Avenue, Cheyenne, WY, USA, 8200 1 . E-mai l : ashelley @ larm.lib.wy.us 8 0 0 K R E V I E W S 41 Dingwal l , C indy. Happy Birthday America! Fort Atkinson , WI: A l l eyside/H ighsmith P ress, 2000. I S B N 1 -57950048X. $1 5.95. Happy Birthday America! is a boon for anyone looking for one-stop programming. Cindy Dingwall has created a "cookbook" of recipes for successful event planning for grades 1 -5 . The programs are centered on celebrating the Fourth of July and the birthdays of six historical figures: Betsy Ross, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony and George Washington. These celebrations can be presented in schools, public libraries, park districts and bookstores. Dingwall, a school and public librarian and former teacher, previously wrote Storybook Birthday Parties ( 1 998), Library Celebrations ( 1 999), and Worship Time with Kids ( 1 998) . Happy Birthday America! presents a smorgasbord from which one or two events can be selected for scheduling during the year. Each program description includes an outline of the activity, approximate time, music, spoken/read i ntroduction , stories or songs, and interdisciplinary learning activities. Al l the "nuts and bolts" of planning, preparation, publicity, and materials are covered. An annotated resource list of relevant fiction, non-fiction, audiovisual materials and Internet resources is included. The appendices contain additional Internet resources, programmi n g resources, sample forms, puzzle solut ions , classroom connections and a chart of learning activities used in each celebration . Much of the information can either be used by a classroom teacher to create bulletin boards, research modules, reading/writing activities, or (as suggested by the author i n Appendix C ) t o foster public library/school library/classroom teacher cooperation. Although this book is a valuable resource for educational programming, three of the activities deserve comment: 1 ) The introduction to the Rosa Parks section (p.30) reads: T here was once a time when black people were separated from white people. T he black people had to ride at the back of the bus . . . . T here were different schools for black children and white children. T here were some places where black people weren't allowed to go. While this is quite true, young children might personalize these historical facts to minority members of the class. A more inclusive, developmentally appropriate introduction for grade one through five students is found in the "Hints" box on page 3 5 : Tell children that a violation of civil rights includes: teasing or making fun of others, hurting and harming others, etc. Everyone has the right to be treated kindly and fairly. Discuss this with the children to help them understand civil rights in a way that relates to their lives. 2) One of the additional activities for the Abraham Lincoln program (p.43) contains the suggestion: Have the kids role play an experience about slavery. Have one group be the slaves and the other the slave owners. Slaves cannot attend school or participate in. the kinds of activities the owners enjoy. Discuss how it feels to be a slave and a slave owner. The next day sUJprise the children by reversing the roles. This activity could create controversy within the community after the first day of the exercise, if there were no student or parental preparation. 3) On page 40 one of the materials listed for a craft is rubber cement, a hazardous material in some states. These caveats aside, Dingwall has created a useful manual for programmers in educational settings. It is a good reference for sources , i deas , games, and puzzles with curriculum connections for classroom teachers and librarians. She i la Kirven i s Educat ion Services Librarian at the Congressman Frank J . Guarini L ibrary, New Jersey Ci ty University, 2039 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ, USA 07305. E-mail : skirven @ njcu.edu EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 42 B O O K R E V I E W S Casey, Jean M. Early Literacy: The Empowerment of Technology. Rev. ed. , Eng lewood, CO: Libraries Unl imited , 2000. 1 98p. ISBN : 1 -563-08865-7 (pbk). $27.50 US. $33 outside North America. Author Jean Casey, a specialist in reading/language arts at California State University, Long Beach, offers a unique analysis about the power of technology as a language-learning tool in the l ives of children. She bases her analysis on her own research, plus that of Dr. Rachael Cohen of the University of Paris-Nord and Dr. Gloria Medrano, a researcher from the University of Zaragoza in Spain. Casey begins her work by giving a brief history of technology and l iteracy development programs starting in the early 1 980s. She describes programs like KeyTalk, a synthesized speech program for n onverbal preschool ch i ldren, LOGO mathematics software, and the earliest versions ofWriting to Read. Researchers using these programs began to understand how and why "language machines" such as simple talking word processors enhance literacy in children. Much of the book focuses on how computer-teaching programs can help at-risk students such as those with attention deficit disorders, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and English as a second language. Casey 's main thesis is that all children can benefit when quality software programs are used appropriately in line with student needs and curricular objectives. She argues against a growing number of critics who assert that computers should not be used with young children because they are harmful to social growth and cognitive development, and that computers isolate children. She counters these ideas throughout her book with numerous case studies. Rachael Cohen's French study of 600 non-French speaking chi ldren with learning difficulties indicated that young children were able to concentrate and master the skills necessary to use a keyboard, behaviors that defied what was commonly believed about young children. Casey and others question the assumption that l iteracy and writing for younger children or children with disabilities must be l inked to motor coordination and the physical development of children, and that a child's ability to write expressively need not be held hostage to his or her eye-hand coordination skills. "It is wrong to consider motor coordination a part of reading readiness," she writes. Casey illustrates how good literacy computer programs such as KidTalk or Smooth Talker use synthesized speech to help at-risk children hear and understand sound patterns as they use talking computers to read, speak, and write. She emphasizes the power of technology in meeting the needs of exceptional students EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 with descriptions of how talking computers can empower gifted students, students with cerebral palsy, and aphasic students, allowing them to control, practice speech sounds, communicate, explore, and achieve at their own pace. Moreover, the research and case studies from France and Spain support her point that reading, writing, spelling, are not independent, discreet, or linear activities, but, rather, that language acquisition is an integrated, recursive process with a constant interchange between oral and written language. From her discussions about ESL and special needs students, Casey goes on to analyze one of the successes in promoting literacy with al l younger children, Writing to Read, the "language experience" approach to literacy. What she describes as "language processing," using Writing to Read allows children to type their own thoughts i nto the computer, see what they wrote, and print their work to share with others. Casey emphasizes that programs like Writing to Read offer a multisensory, literacy-rich environment that provides opportunities for writing, reading, speaking, and l istening. Wri ting to Read, and some of the other software programs that she profiles in the latter chapters of the book ( KidWorks2 , VALE, Waterford Early Read i n g Program, Wiggleworks, Accelerated Reader Program, and others) " were developed by educators who used current research base and teacher expertise to design a developmentally appropriate reading program for children that would use technology to empower and enhance learning." These products were tested rigorously and extensively with children, teachers and schools over long periods of time before the programs were released for general use. Casey moves from the research into the practical applications by devoting space to reviewing l iteracy software programs, offering caveats about programs that fail , providing recommended guidelines for educators that will ensure success, and offering criteria for technology l iteracy program evaluation. She strongly advocates using literacy computer technology as an integrated part of the classroom environment, favoring that approach over a computer laboratory environment. She presents research findings that show children achieve literacy better with technology in integrated classrooms over lab settings, but that overall children who use technology in either setting do better than those who do not. B O O K R E V I E W S 43 The final chapters of Early Literacy discuss barriers to change in schools while offering recommendations for future success. Casey outlines factors that create success or failure in the use of l iteracy technology programs and discusses the need for constant evaluation of new products and programs. Appendices provide qualitative tools and assessments of programs, software program information, teacher's checklists, professional organizations, resources , deal i n g wi th early l i teracy, and an extensive bibliography. Researchers interested in technology issues with families and children will find this a rich resource. Public educators and parents w i l l fi nd th i s a valuable resource i n ei ther implementing or assessing the technology programs being used for children in their schools. Casey, Jean M. Creating the Early Literacy Classroom: Activities for Using Technology to Empower Elementary Students. Eng lewood , CO: Libraries Un limited, 2000. 1 1 1 p. ISBN 1 -56308-71 2-X (pbk). $25 US. $30 outside North America. An outgrowth of Jean Casey 's earlier book, Early Literacy: The Empowerment of Technology, this work is written mostly for practitioners. Casey 's first volume targeted a broader audience and presented research, providing the underpinnings for this work, while Creating the Early Literacy Classroom has been written primarily for teachers who wish to use technology as a tool for enhancing l iteracy. The focus i s on restructuring traditional learn ing e nv ironments w i t h the rig h t tec h n ology tool s , accompanied b y classroom activities that work well with these tools. The book is divided i nto four parts: a discussion about the value of technology as a means for language learning; activities for the K-8 classroom; models for classroom design that support those activities; and a final chapter aimed at parents and their use of technology in the home. Part I, "Creating a Literacy Classroom," makes the case for why talking computers enhance literacy, describes who benefits from literacy technology programs and why, and explains how such programs work with children as they explore the keyboard, encode letters or new words, and finally begin to write their own thoughts. Casey also indicates hardware and software programs that best meet the language development needs of children. In Part II, Casey offers a variety of activities for the K-8 classroom . The emphasis here i s on flexibi l ity, adapting to available resources, and customizing them to student needs. To this end, the author writes,"The key to good teaching is to match the activity to the i nterest and needs of your students and not the other way around, prescribing to students whe�er they need the activity or not." Casey details classroom activities with a single computer, small group or paired activities using more workstations, and individual instructional activities. These activities offer ideas about how to encourage young learners to enjoy acquiring the basics of letters, phonics, and encoding of words creatively, as well as how to motivate gifted and older children to write journal entries, stories, letters, newsletters, poetry, songwriting, reviews of books, movies, television shows, and research projects. Part III offers tips on how teachers can also foster literacy by creating a "publishing classroom." Casey describes the spaces in the classroom devoted to computer, editing and revising, and reading, so that students and teachers can do their best work together. The book concludes with pointers for parents about how to select qual i ty educational software for chil dren at home. Throughout this work one finds helpful references for educators and parents to learn more about l i teracy and technology. Many of these are included in the "Resource Section" and "References" lists pages. Creating the Early Literacy Classroom is recommended for teachers, adm i nistrators, and parents i nterested in how technology can be used creatively to help children become avid authors and readers. Susan Ariew is Coll ege Libraria n , Educatio n and Human Development Collection Management and College-Based Services Dept, University Libraries, P.O. Box 9000 1 , Blacksburg, VA, USA, 24062-900 1 . Phone: (540) 23 1 -7040; Fax: (540) 23 1 -9366; E-mail : saa@vt.edu URL: http://www. lib. vt.edu/subjects/educ/ EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 44 B O O K R E V I E W S Fredericks, Anthony D. More Social Studies through Children 's Literature: An Integrated Approach. Eng lewood, CO: Li braries Unl imited , 2000. ISBN 1 -56308-761 -8. $27.50 US. $33 outside North America. This complement to the author's Social Studies through Children's Literature ( 1 99 1 ) is a practitioner-oriented resource prov id ing act iv i t ies and proj ects rel ated to c lass ic and award-winning trade books in support of a l iterature-based social studies curriculum. Libraries that own the original volume will want to purchase this one as well . Trade books were selected because of their appropriateness to the social studies curriculum or their adaptability to the K-6 audience. Titles range from classics, such as Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary and T he Village of Round and Square Houses by Ann Grifalconi, to Caldecott Award winners, such as Smoky Night by Eve Bunting. More recent titles include Bridges Are to Cross by Philemon Sturges and Elephants for Kids by the author. American Book Award medalists, Reading Rainbow selections, and high-low titles are also supposed to be included, but, unfortunately, the author does not identify which books fall into the above categories. A practi tioner new to the i n tegrated curriculum approach and needing a "high interest-low vocabulary" title to use with a unit of study for a fifth-grade class, for example, will be unable to identify appropriate titles either by grade level or by readability level. Practitioners unfamiliar with children's literature will not be able to identify award-winning titles. The book is divided into ten chapters: Chapter 1 provides an overview of the l iterature-based approach to instruction; Chapter 2 summarizes NCSS standards and suggests how concepts related to these standards might be integrated into a social studies unit; Chapter 3 explains how titles were selected and how the book is organized. Subsequent chapters provide book-related activities and projects organized around the seven major areas of the elementary social s tudies curricu lum: c h i l d/sel f, fam i ly, community/neighborhood, city/country, states/regions, nation /country, and the world. EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 For each of the thirty-five books included, the author p�:ovides a brief plot summary, the social studies disciplines and NCSS thematic strands to which it corresponds, critical thinking questions, a list of books with similar themes and book-related activities or projects. Examples of activities include suggestions for writing assignments, web sites to explore, selections from other books by the same author which could be read by the school l ibrarian, c lassroom discussion topics, creative art proj ects, reader's theater scripts, field trips, map studies, science projects, math activities, and much more. A balance of activities, which integrate social studies, language arts, mathematics, science, art, and music, is not offered for each title. The activities for some books, for example, may be overloaded with writing projects while not suggesting mathematics activities at all. Appendix A includes an annotated bibliography of trade books arranged according to the seven basic concepts of social studies curricula and another organized by social studies discipline, i .e . , geography, anthropology, sociology, pol itical science, economics or h istory. Appendix B is an annotated bibliography of relevant web sites. These appendices are valuable tools for the elementary social studies teacher seeking additional books, lesson plans or activities that will engage students in the classroom. Regardless of its shortcomings, this is a timely resource for preservice and practicing teachers which academic l ibraries, school libraries, teacher resource centers and curriculum materials centers will want in their collection. Judy Druse is Curriculum Media Librarian, Mabee Library, Washburn University, 1 700 SW College Avenue, Topeka, KS, USA 6662 1 . E-mail : zzdrus@washburn.edu 8 0 0· K R E V I E W S 45 Thomas, Nancy Pickering. Information Literacy and Information Skills Instruction: Applying Research to Practice in the School Library Media Center. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1 999. 1 87 p. ISBN 1 -56308-603-4. $30 US. $36 outside North America. This work is part of Paula M ontgomery 's Library and Information Problem Solving Skills Series, presenting a highly readable and much needed syn thesis of the l i terature on information skills instruction. Thomas' work is i ntended primarily for school library media specialists and the people who train and supervise them; h owever, undergraduate reference and bibliographic instruction librarians as well as public librarians who work with young people will find something of value in this volume. In the opening chapters, Thomas traces the development of user education programs in academic and public libraries and demonstrates its impact on i nstructional practices in K- 1 2 school library media centers. Using Kuhlthau's research on the process of information seeking as a bridge, Thomas then explores this research and its accompanying model as well as non-research -based process models by scholars and practitioners such as Irving's Study and Information Skills Across the Curriculum ( 1 985) and Joyce and Tallman's Making the Writing and Research Connection with the /-Search Process ( 1 997). The remainder of the book describes and discusses factors suggested in library and information science as well as education research-such as i ndividual differences, cognitive development, domain and strategic knowledge, assignment type, assessment style, and relational communication-that potentially affect information skills instruction. Thomas states that she does not aim for this book to provide a series of "instructional shortcuts" or a "magic formula" (p.xx). At the same time, she does describe a number of instructional possibilities and best practices that school library media specialists might find useful when planning and designing i nstruction. For example, gender-related differences in information seeking are highlighted i n one table, while another table summarizes Bate's ( 1 979) strategies of online searching, also known as 'berrypicking.' Key components of effective research assignment design fill one of the many additional tables. While the scope of materials Thomas distills in the book is reason enough to purchase it, the book is not without minor weaknesses. Despite an extensive bibliography, Thomas is quick to use 'as cited in' references leaving the reader to pursue the citations for many items in the works of other authors. The two chapters on process models of information seeking are informative, but Thomas makes no attempt to synthesize these models in order to find areas of similarity and difference. This book has great potential to bring the research on information seeking and information skills instruction into actual practice in K- 1 2 school library media centers. The timing for the publication of this volume could not be better as many school library media specialists are looking for guidance in helping students and teachers fulfil l the Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning ( 1 998) published jointly by the American Association of School Librarians and the Association for Educational Communication and Technology. Thomas' book is also being used with success as a text for a graduate course about information literacy-the first of its kind-at Indiana University's School of Library and Information Science. Further information on this course, " Information Inquiry for School Teachers", can be found on the Web: http ://www.s l i s . indiana .edu/Courses /callison!L55 1_2000.html Carol L.Tilley is a former high school l ibrary media specialist. She is currently a visiting lecturer and PhD candidate at Indiana University's School of Library and Information Science where she teaches school l ibrary and youth services courses. Phone: (8 1 2) 330-0268 ; E-mail : ctilley @indiana.edu EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3 EDITOR'S NOTE: For readers who are interested in submitting articles and/or book reviews to this journal, we present the following guidelines, procedures and instructions. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTRIBUTORS About Education Libraries Education Libraries (EL) i s published by the Education Division of the Special Libraries Association. Its audience consists of education i nformation professionals employed i n a variety of venues, including special libraries and information centers, academic l ibraries, public libraries, and school libraries. 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EL reviews should address the reasons why a work should (or should not) be added to a library collection, or suggest the uses to which the work might be put by an education information professional. Scope of Reviewed Works Education Libraries includes reviews of new publications relevant to education information or education l ibraries and librarianship. Areas of interest include library and information science, Pre-K- 1 6 education, children's literature, and school librarianship. Publishers are invited to send review copies and announcements to the Editor. Prospective reviewers may write to the Editor to indicate their willingness to contribute reviews, their qualifications, and their areas of interest. Procedures If you are interested in reviewing materials for Education Libraries, please contact the Editor for a reviewer information form. Electronic queries are welcome (please note whether or not you can receive the information form electronically and, if so, in what formats). 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E-mail: swalter@wsu.edu EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 24, Nos. 2/3