Best New Media, K-12: A Guide to Movies, Subscription Web Sites, and Educational Software and Games

by Catherine Barr

Overview

The abundance of formats available today provides a rich learning environment but also poses challenges to librarians, teachers, and parents. This new volume in the respected Best Books series guides readers to the best movies, educational software and games, and subscription Web sites for children and teens. Entries feature full bibliographic information (including grade level), a descriptive annotation, and review citations. An introduction addresses selection, acquisition, cataloging, shelving, and security of new media. A great selection, collection development, and programming tool. Grades K–12.

New technologies broaden the range of opportunities for teaching, learning, and communicating; and they can provide students with a rich learning environment; but the options can be daunting. Barr's new volume helps librarians and educators find the best in DVDs (educational movies and documentaries), educational software and CD-ROMs (including educational programs and computer games of the Sim City variety), and subscription Web sites. Coverage is from January 2001 to the present.

Full bibliographic information, a brief descriptive annotation (including grade level), and review citations are provided for each title. Comments on best values are incorporated when appropriate. Extensive indexing makes access easy, and an introduction addresses selection, acquisitions, cataloguing, shelving, and security of new media. Grades K–12.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591584674
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/30/2008
Series:	Children's and Young Adult Literature Reference
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

CATHERINE BARR is editor of the Libraries Unlimited Children's and Young Adult Literature Reference series and author/coauthor of numerous guides to children's and young adult literature, including Best Books for Children, Popular Series Fiction, High-Low Handbook, and From Biography to History.

Table of Contents

Preface
Materials for Younger Children (Grades K-3)
Materials for Older Children (Grades 4-12)
Literary Forms
Language and Communication
Biography, Memoirs, Etc.
The Arts and Entertainment
History and Geography
Philosophy and Religion
Society and the Individual
Guidance and Personal Development
Physical and Applied Sciences
Recreation and Sports
Reference
Title Index
Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

…the book is a convenient compilation of resources that are otherwise hard to identify, making it a desirable purchase, particularly for libraries that are just starting to build game collections.” —School Library Jourbanal

“Bottom line: This is a recommended bibliography.” —Teacher Librarian

“… it is highly recommended for school and public libraries, and academic libraries that support teacher or librarian preparation programs.” —ARBA

“This book has been designed to assist librarians and media specialists with the four tasks of evaluating existing collections, building new collections or enhancing existing collections, providing guidance to young patrons, and preparing bibliographies and events. Additionally, due to the ways in which this book has been organized, it will surely serve as a wonderful addition to the bookshelves of those teachers specifically interested in incorporating the latest media into their daily teaching. . . . This book should be a welcome addition to the shelves of librarians, practicing teachers, and teacher candidates.” —Collection Management

From the Publisher

Most of the items reviewed in this volume have come out since 2000. Entries are organized by grade level, followed by a reference section that includes subscription databases. The K-3 section is composed almost entirely of entries for DVDs, with the exception of the "Alphabet, Concept, and Counting" chapter, which also includes software, games, and Web sites. The book has title and subject indexes, and each entry is tagged with an icon indicating media type. As with other titles in the series, the clearly written annotations are descriptive rather than evaluative, although references to reviews and awards are provided. Prices and publication dates for games are not given, as these vary depending on platform and other factors. Game entries include Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings. Software entries encompass CD-ROM as well as downloadable formats, interactive books, and the handheld Leapster learning system. Unfortunately, the print format guarantees that the content will date quickly. New devices and delivery mechanisms make the field a difficult one to capture in print. Alternatively, an online publication would allow updates, expansion of scope (to include audio materials, for example), and more flexible searching options, such as the ability to search by device type. Despite these limitations, the book is a convenient compilation of resources that are otherwise hard to identify, making it a desirable purchase, particularly for libraries that are just starting to build game collections.-Frances Harris, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

School Library Journal