Directories,+Almanacs,+Yearbooks,+and+Handbooks

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**//Extreme Sport Almanac//** by Don Koeppel. Lowell House, 1998. The objective of this book is for kids to learn everything they ever wanted to know about extreme sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding, in-line skating, mountain biking and BMXing. Included is an explanation of what an extreme sport is, safety, how to get started, information on specific extreme sports and websites regarding extreme sports. This book would be useful in the middle and high school, and possible in the upper elementary grades - Michelle


 * //The Pirate’s Handbook: How to Become a Rougue of the High Seas//** by Margarette Lincoln. Cobblehill Books, 1995. This handbook gives facts about real pirates, and also gives you ideas on how to become one. Chapters include clothing and disguises; charts, coastlines and hideaways, and piratical language. Activities including making golden dubloons and silver pieces of eight, getting to know the ropes (making knots) and making a treasure map. There are a lot of illustrations, both in color and black and white. A must have for those wanting to know about pirates, or how to become one. - Michelle


 * //The Sorcerer’s Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter//** by Allan Zola Kronzck and Elizabeth Kronzck. //New Edition.// New York: Broadway Books, 2004. If you are a Harry Potter fan, this book is for you – kids and adults. It explains the history of all things magical in the first five Harry Potter books. It features more than 80 entries in alphabetically order. It also tells the reader one place that the subject occurs. This book could also be read by those wanting just know about magic, and not necessarily Harry Potter fans. - Michelle

Hauppauge, N.Y. : Barron's Educational Series, 2008.**
 * //1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die//. General Editor, Steven Jay Schneider.

While this does not have a word “directory” in its title, I found the title most intriguing (why do we have an obsession with the phrase “before you die” in titles? One Thousand Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die comes to mind). I really enjoyed flipping through this book. It was visually appealing, readable and both historic and current at the same time.


 * //Almanac of the 50 States: Comparative Data Files and Guide to Government Data, 2009 Edition.// Information Publications, Woodside, CA. 2008.**

This was a very interesting book and I was surprised by that. Being not a numbers person by nature, I found the data and information listed here to be fascinating. I read the information available for Massachusetts and was pleasantly surprised how interesting I found the number of live births by year (2005, 2006 and 2007 data was listed) as well as death, divorces, number of houses owned or rented, number of residents receiving social security and welfare benefits and the levels of education for people living in Massachusetts. I discovered only 16% of residents have a graduate or professional degree (this seems low to me) which hopefully reassures us that we are pursuing something worthy in our program here at SSC!


 * //The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2008.// World Almanac Books, NY. 2008**

I really enjoyed this book as I have forgotten how enjoyable it can be to read about trivia and facts. I can see how these types of books are such a big draw for elementary students. I also thought that this type of book would be a great for my kids to read in the car when we go and visit their relatives in New Jersey.

This must be one of Jepoardy contestants' must-have books!


 * YEARBOOKS!**

I would like to mention that I am the yearbook advisor at my high school and we donate a yearbook to our school library and public library every year. I was told by the public librarian last year say that while they catalog the yearbook, they keep the books separated from the reference collection for fear of theft. Patrons may use them but they have to ask for them. It is the same at the school library. We have a collection but students have to ask for them. Most students do not know they are available and they are used intermittently by the faculty. Yearbooks are historical books and do capture a time period. I am constantly imploring the yearbook staff to include popular culture and trends in the yearbook because it is history.

Don't overlook high school yearbooks in a library's collection even though they may not be listed in the catalog.


 * Joanne**

__ The Dangerous Book for Boys __, published by Collins in 2007, written by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden, I feel is a great book to share with boys of all ages. It has some great activities for boys to do outside instead of sitting in front of a screen, be it computer or television. It is also filled with some educational information that is interesting to boys sports games and their rules and war battles. __National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010__, published by National Geographic in 2009, Editor in Chief Nacny Laties Ferensten, is filled with all sorts of interesting statistics and facts. I also especially liked that it is filled with weblinks to use for further research. I think that this book would be a great starting point for almost any research project. It has a table of contents and an index which make it easy to find the information you are looking for.

Information Please Almanac Alice Siegel and Margo McLoone Basta Houghton Mifflin 1992 This book has 15 chapters of facts in science, history and social studies. The book jacket states the purpose is to answer questions from the “smallest animal to the farthest star”. There is an alphabetical index in back. Great illustrations.

The World Almanac for Kids Editor, Phyllis Rosner Weekly Reader Corporation 2009 This book is bright, colorful, visually appealing and full of information on a large variety of topics. A lot information is presented in graph and chart form making it easy to pick out facts quickly. The contents are divided up into 43 different chapters. There is an easy-to use index in back. We have used this book several times in our library to do an "information scavenger hunt". This teaches them how to look up answers using the index of the book. It was an eye-opening expereince the first time I did this activity with fourth graders as many of them did not know how to use an index.


 * //The Extreme Searcher’s Internet handbook: a guide for the serious searcher, 2nd edition//**. Written by Randolf Hock. Cyberage Books, Medford, NJ. 2007.-I like this resource because it is so helpful in wading through all of the online information that is available today. It was easy to use and packed a ton of information in.-Lynn


 * //Time for Kids Almanac 2008//**. Time Home Entertainment, NY. 2007. I like this for the library because it appeals to kids. It is written for them and from a reliable source. It's a great way to introduce reference books to young students.-Lynn

//Teen Library Events: A Month-By-Month Guide// by Kirsten Edwards, 2002, Greenwood Press This handbook contains lots of great ideas to help Young Adult librarians plan activities in the public or school library. It is organized by month, with several suggested activities for most months including a Printz Awards event, an internet scavenger hunt, mystery night, an urban legends event, coffee house events, and others. Numerous figures and illustrations provide among other things, bookmaking instructions, sample contest entry forms, and sample advertisements for library events. -KW

//Chase’s Calendar of Events, 2009: The Ultimate Go-To Guide for Special Days, Weeks, and Months// McGraw-Hill, 2009 The tag line for this book is--12,500 entries, 194 countries, 365 days. Find out what’s going on any day of the year, anywhere across the globe! This yearbook is almost an almanac/yearbook hybrid. Much of the information is not specific to the current year (e.g. wedding anniversary gifts, facts about U.S. presidents). However, the focus of the book is the 2009 calendar of events, which is revised yearly, and is not cumulative, which makes this a yearbook. This is a great book for browsing. Kids will want to look up their birthdays to find out who shares their birthday or what festivals or events are happening that day. The print edition is packaged with a fully searchable CD-ROM. The book is indexed as well. -KW

//The World Almanac® and Book of Facts, 2009// World Almanac Books, 2009 Not exactly a unique choice, but I remember having this book as a kid and, even though my copy was several years out of date, I recall spending hours with it—looking at the flags of the world, reading sports, entertainment, and all kinds of fun stuff. Of course, there is also The World Almanac for Kids, but on comparison of the two, I think many kids will enjoy the original just as much as the kids’ version. The book is not available on line, but there is a companion website that offers interactive quizzes, editors’ picks throughout the years, and more. -KW

The Statesman’s yearbook. 2005 / Barry Turner (Ed.). Hampshire, UK ; New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. If you can afford it, this is an amazing resource. Brief and concise information about every country in the world. The United States section also includes individual reports on each state. The editor's position looks more like a Supreme Court appointment, it comes so infrequently. RA

Chase’s calendar of events. 2007 / Holly McGuire (Ed). New York: McGraw Hill, 2007. Another yearbook that would be very useful in a school library. Staff and students will be very happy with the ready reference answers to be had. A very comprehensive catalog of dates of every degree of significance. RA

The Almanac of American history / Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (General Ed.). New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1993. A very comprehensive historical almanac providing thoughtful snapshots of every period of the non-native history of North America. If there is a newer edition, it would be a very useful acquisition. RA

1. “The Illustrated Directory of Guitars” edited by Ray Bonds. (Salamander Books: 2003).

This directory features acoustic and electric guitars from the sixteenth century to modern day. There are thousands of facts in the 480 pages, and over 240 photographs. There are two parts included in the directory, part one displays and describes acoustic guitars. In particular, we learn about the guitar’s European heritage, twentieth century developments, and today and tomorrow. Part two, which is all about electric guitars, includes information about the birth of the electric guitar, the classic designs, the evolving electrics, and today and tomorrow. There is a table of contents provided so that the information is easier to navigate. Most of the information focuses on the instrument itself, but information on composers, players, and other figures that have had a significant influence on guitar development are also included. Students interested in music, particularly guitars will love this directory, especially the pictures! Tessa

2.“The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids Volume 3” edited by Janice Stillman. (Yankee Publishing Inc: 2009).

The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids includes wacky facts, quirky stories, and fun activities presented with colorful pages and lots of pictures. The contents is divided into a brief history of the Old Farmer’s Almanac and sections labeled Calendar, Astronomy, Weather, Nature, The Environment, In the Garden, On the farm, Sports, Pets, Food, health, Amusement, and Useful things. Activities include how to grow a loofah sponge, how to create a Sunflower tower, and how to make a wind chime. Students can find crazy facts about birds, sharks, and many other animals. This almanac is meant for students ages 9-12. Students will love the colored pages and the interesting facts and activities, but the best part is the source can be used to learn how to use an index!

Tessa 3. “MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 7th Edition,” by Modern Language Association. (MLA: 2009).

The MLA Handbook is the association's guide for high school and undergraduate students on the preparation of research papers. It gives step-by-step advice on every aspect of writing papers, from selecting a topic to submitting the completed paper. It provides information about research, the mechanics of writing, the format of the research paper, and an in depth examination of how to prepare a works cited. There are sample works in the appendices, and a table of contents, subject index, and author index for easy navigation. Thishandbook is so helpful when learning about how to create a works cited and research. It is even more wonderful because how to cite electronic resources is included. Tessa

Explains how reading aloud awakens children’s imaginations, improves language skills, and creates an atmosphere at home and in school that encourages readers. This is the 6th edition. It offers techniques and strategies (and the reasons behind them) for helping children discover the pleasures of reading. I lists a “treasury” of read aloud books. The author’s website also offers updated information and read aloud suggestions. http://www.trelease-on-reading.com. I like this almanac because it features the characters from BrainPOP, an educational website with hundreds of short flash-based movies for students in grades K-12 about mathematics, technology, health, and science. It is very appealing to students. The almanac focuses on what is new and cool in the world of science and technology. It covers topics such as animals, earth science, weather, energy, sound, and space. Sixteen science-fair projects are interspersed throughout the bool. It has full-color photos and illustrations. It is packed with information, for example, 5th and 6th grade boys will love the chapter on the human body, it covers the various systems as well as mention of burping and farting, eye gunk, vomit, and dandruff! Yuck!! A funny overview of owning a dog and the basics of training. A handbook that includes information on how to select the right breed, house-training, showing, healthcare, feeding and first aid. The manual has nice illustrations. I like it because the humor, illustrations and subject of pet dogs would be appealing to children. The book has a free online website site: []/welcome_to_the_dog_owners_manual
 * __1. The Read-Aloud Handbook__** by Jim Trelease, Published by Penguin 2006 (6th edition)
 * __2. Popular Science Almanac for Kids, Powered by Brain Pop__**, Edited by Popular Science, Published 2004.
 * __3. The Dog Owner’s Manual__** by Dr. David Brunner and Sam Stall, Published 2004.

__World Almanac for Kids__ World Almanac for Kids, 2009. Kids who won't read anything else will read this. I have well-worn older editions in my classroom that are still always being read. It has colorful photos and graphics, and a good balance of old and new information. The website [|www.worldalmanacforkids.com] is very good and free but could probably be updated, especially the games section. I would still recommend the book because of its ability to engage students in learning about history and science by reading nonfiction text.

__The Daring Book for Girls__ by Andrea J. Buchanan. HarperCollins, 2007. (Handbook) This is the girls' version of __The Dangerous Book for Boys__ by Conn and Hal Iggurden, and it is just as full of exciting and fun activities. The broad scope of games, skills, history, and practical knowledge makes this book useful in so many ways. A glance at the table of contents shows headings like "Handclaps" just before "Finance: Interest, Stocks, and Bonds." The two free downloadable PDFs from the book on amazon.com [|Make Your Own Zip Line] and [|Playing Cards: Hearts and Gin] give examples of why this handbook is so popular with girls (and boys, too)!

__Secret Science: 25 Science Experiments Your Teacher Doesn't Know About__ by Steve Spangler. Silverleaf Press, 2007. (Handbook) This science activity book presents clearly written procedures and photographs that make it easy to use for students. I recommend this book because it has all of the fun stuff kids really love (slime, lava lamps, dry ice, etc.) but always explains the scientific principles clearly enough for kids to understand. There are free experiments and videos of some of the activities in the book at [|www.stevespanglerscience.com].


 * [|The Goddess in Every Girl:] [|Develop your teen feminine power]** M.J. Abadie, Bindu Books, Rochester, Vermont – 2002. I love this handbook. I guess it is also kind of a workbook. There all kinds of worksheets. The girls photocopy them and use them. It covers body image, meditation, all the astrological goddesses, honoring yourself and taking care of your body and it goes on and on. I usually leave out on one of the tables – it is great because they can use in the ten minutes they have left at lunch. I believe anything that improves young women’s image of themselves is invaluable. You can check it out at Amazon – I have included the link above.


 * [|The Goth Bible] –** Nancy Kilpatrick, St. Martins Griffin, New York – 2004. This was on ALA’s best books for reluctant readers. This is one of those books that I am sure many teachers would not approve of but it really appeals to the few in our population who are really kind of outsiders and it validates their individuality which I think is important. It also lends some meaning to a trend that a lot of adults write off as weird and shallow. There are many quotes from classic literature and wiccan tradition. Honestly, most of the students I have seen who are into this are totally not interested by senior year.


 * [|The Guy Book: An Owner's Manual]** by Mavis Jukes Crown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (January 8, 2002) – this is the coolest book. It is totally written like a car manual. I have purchased 3 and two have gone missing – which makes me happy. Boys are so embarrassed by things like this. It is basically a handbook for their bodies. Yes it even has a chapter on called “Penis Specifications” Loaded with information about puberty, personal hygiene, dating, sex even the prom Mavis Jukes's The Guy Book: An Owner's Manual puts boys in the driver's seat. Cheeky chapter headings (e.g., "Under the Hood" and "Ignition System"), funky '50s photographs and loads of phallic car parts pump up the volume. Honest talk about the opposite sex and tips on respectful behavior plus a discussion about homosexuality and homophobia are included. (publishers weekly)

//The World Almanac and Book of Facts//, 140th edition, by C. Alan Joyce, World Almanac, 2008. I think the World Almanac because it contains a lot of information in an easy-to-use format. It is great for ready reference. The text is organized nicely and information is easy to find. The only downsize is that the book takes up a lot of space. I'd recommend an online version, so that teachers and students can access the content remotely.

//Censored 2010: The Top 25 Censored Stories of 2008-2009//, Edited by Project Censored, Peter Phillips, and Mickey Huff, with introduction by Dahr Jamail. Published by Seven Stories Press, 2009 (The library I went to had the 1994 edition, so I've recommend the most recent edition). I think this yearbook is very unique. The text included seems to be thought-out and thoroughly researched/cited. According to the Los Angeles Times, this should be “required reading for broadcasters, journalists, and well-informed citizens.” To save space and $19.99, the Project Censored Web site includes the full list at no charge (ad sponsored): http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/category/y-2009/

//Intellectual Property: A Reference Handbook,// 1st ed., by Aaron Schwabach, ABC-CLIO, Inc, 2007. This easy-to-digest handbook provides a nice background on intellectual property law. It is especially useful in the age of user-generated content, when students may or may not understand what exactly constitutes an original idea. The book includes a background history and discussion of the problems, controversies, solutions, people and organizations impacting intellectual property.

__The complete handbook of science fair projects__ Julianne Blair Bochinski John Wiley & Sons, 2004 This handbook (intended for ages 7 and up) includes tips for choosing a topic, conducting an experiment, organizing data, and presenting the results of high quality science fair projects. The goal is to assist the reader in developing an understanding for the scientific method as well as learning a scientific topic. It includes a list of over 500 science fair project topics, information on resources, and state and regional science fair listings. I like this book because it provides a lot of information in support of kids getting involved with science and projects. -Deb Morley

__Days to celebrate : a full year of poetry, people, holidays, history, fascinating facts and more__ (Almanac) Lee Bennett Hopkins (Author), Stephen Alcorn (Illustrator) Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2005 This almanac is organized by monthly calendars and contains information about the birthdays of noteworthy individuals, holidays, historical events, inventions, world records, thrilling firsts and other occasions. Poems are included to celebrate some of the people and events being commemorated. I like this resource because it sends a very positive message to children, that every day is worth celebrating. I also like it because it includes a lot of interesting facts, many wonderful poems that are inclusive of various cultures and belief systems, and beautiful illustrations. -Deb Morley

__TeenLife Boston: Guide to Summer Programs__ (Directory) TeenLife Boston, 2009 This directory includes nearly 400 profiles for camps, classes and programs for teens in Greater Boston. Programs are categorized by academic, adventure/trip, counselor in training, day camps, leadership internships, sports and the arts. Information is indexed by organization, location and program start date, and is also available online at: < []> I like this resource because I think connecting teens with summer programs is important. I also like that it is specific to the Boston area. -Deb Morley

Alexander, Christine, and Margaret Smith. **//The Oxford Companion to the Brontes.//** (Handbook) University Press: NY, 2003. This handbook is specific in scope, covering the many aspects of the Bronte’s. It has a “classified contents list,” which includes information such as relatives, places of education and employment of the Brontes, a list of their teachers, places the Brontes visited, friends and acquaintances, a list of their writings and more. The entries are short ; unless it is on one of the sister’s major works, in which case the entry is signed and there is a short bibliography at the end of these entries. There is a bibliography at the end of the book and also a section called “Dialect and Obsolete Words,” which would be really helpful to those students reading any of the works by the Brontes, as dialect was an integral part of their work. My favorite part of this resource is the chronology of the Brontes’ lives and the map they include so you can visualize all the places they visited. Lisa Estabrook

Even though ‘handbook’ is in the title, this resource is a directory. Directories are defined by Lanning and Bryner as, "Directories contain all kinds of information, much more than address and phone number” (p.37). The information in this book could also date quickly, which is why the publishers have published this yearly. This 2, 138 page ‘handbook’ is an extensive look at every accredited college in the U.S. There are short essays about the process of selecting a college, taking college placement tests, applying to colleges, early decision and life on campus. Then there are lists of colleges listed by type, (Maritime, culinary, art/music as a few examples), colleges listed by special characteristics (such as colleges for men,) and then lists of colleges by undergraduate enrollment sizes, admission selectivity, admission policies (such as colleges who do not require the SAT Tests. For each college there is a brief entry, listing the address and website, general information (history) bases for entry, costs, financial aid, student services, majors and a contact person. While it is a pretty heavy and thick book, the categorizations of the colleges make this accessible. It also gives a listing of colleges by state if you are trying to narrow your selection by location. The information is quick and gives a general overview of each of the colleges and would be a good place to start when thinking about selecting a college. While (typically) the lists of the colleges do not typically change from year to year (handbook), this falls into the directory category because information of cost, and financial awards could vary from year to year, the categories of colleges could change, and it is published yearly.
 * //The College Handbook //**. The College Board: New York, 2007. (Forty -Fourth Edition) (Directory)

I chose this resource because it went nicely with the directory above. This book lists more than 2, 100 programs, and 1.7 million awards including; scholarships, internships and loans. There are brief essays about understanding financial aid, how to find scholarships, and sources about state grants. What I like about this handbook is that it has eligibility indexes, breaking down the scholarships by categories such as field of study, corporate or employer scholarships, minority scholarships, and religious scholarships to name a few. Loans are in a separate section of the book and there is a Sponsor Index and a Program Index. Under each entry of scholarship, award or intern, it lists the type of award, intended use, eligibility requirements, basis for selection, application requirements and additional information they might require. The entry lists the amount of the award, how many awards are given, the application deadline and a contact address. This is a directory because the financial amount of awards, loans and scholarships could change yearly, depending upon the economic environment. Also, the listed contact person for each scholarship or loan could also change yearly.
 * //Scholarship Handbook. //**The College Board: New York, 2009. (12th Edition)

Funding Sources for K-12 Education, 6th Edition __Oryx Press, c2004__ Who doesn’t need money? As its title implies, this is a comprehensive list of grants available to fund K-12 educational programs. Designed to make it easy for users to find grant opportunities, it is organized alphabetically by grant title and has 4 indexes to facilitate searching. Each entry includes grant descriptions as well as contact and sponsor information, application due dates and sample awards. The publishers recommend using this directory in conjunction with their frequently updated online database, [|www.grantselect.com], which has a hefty subscription cost. This is a resource that should be available to every school district, but probably through the business office. AS

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010 __National Geographic, 2009__ I had trouble putting this one down. Filled with bright, appealing graphics and photographs as well as lots of fun and interesting facts about a variety of topics, this just begs to be read. The information is organized in 9 sections from adventure to animals, to nature and science. I liked a section on Going Green and found lots of fun information on holidays(culture),world wars (history) snow, a space hotel, science experiments and countless other topics kids find interesting. A good index makes it easy to look up information, but I bet most kids will just like to browse this resource. I like this because it is very appealing, accessible and educational. I usually like anything from National Geographic. AS

Painless Grammar, 2 nd Edition Rebecca Elliott Ph.D. Barron's Educational Series; 2006 I just picked this one up at our book fair. I couldn’t live without my MLA Handbook and this is an appealing equivalent for middle and high school students. It is a handy guide with clear and often humorous examples of correct grammar usage. Fun illustrations, a good Table of Contents and Index and tips for emailing make this dreaded topic…painless! Again, I like this because it is appealing, accessible, useful and cheap! AS