Bibliographies of Children's Materials

While most items in this course are at a senior high school or adult level, some are included that are suitable for the elementary or junior high school library.  Like other special bibliographies, these list appropriate materials in various formats for a specific audience.

Basic guides for children's materials are important because the titles listed in them are often not listed in other resources.  You will find these guides useful in selecting, ordering and weeding books and other items, and in advising your young readers on good books for information and enjoyment.

The following publications are good reference sources for juvenile materials:

Guide to Reference Materials for School Library Media Centers, by Barbara Ripp Safford.  5th ed. rev.  Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1998.
A comprehensive reference guide for K-12 and children's librarians.  References to reviews are included with the annotations.  Describes and evaluates both books and electronic resources.

Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog.  H. W. Wilson Company.  Base volume published every five years with annual supplements.
Annotations to more than 4,000 titles include evaluative statements from published reviews.

Children's Catalog.  H. W. Wilson Company.  Base volume published every five years with annual supplements.
Annotated citations for recommended books for preschool through sixth grade are arranged by Dewey classification number.

The Elementary School Library Collection:  A Guide to Books and Other Media.  Phases 1-2-3.  Brodart. 
Entries include annotations for more than 10,000 books, periodicals, audiovisual, and computer materials.  Both print and CD-ROM versions are available.

School Library Journal.  Reed Business.  Monthly during the school year.
While this is a journal, not a typical bibliography, it is a good selection tool; it includes reviews for books, audiovisual materials and electronic products.  Most reviews will be for circulating materials, but the May issue includes a "Reference Books Roundup".  School Library Journal is available on LiLI-D through EBSCO (Academic Premier and MAS Ultra).

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