Books to Borrow … Books to Buy: Celebrate National Library Week April 13-19

By Kendal A. Rautzhan Times Argus

04.07.08

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country. Celebrated every April, this year’s event takes place April 13–19. The focus of National Library Week is to celebrate the contributions of libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. The theme for 2008 is “Join the circle of knowledge at your library.”

It’s always been important to have knowledge, but given the present state of our economy, nation, and the world, it is perhaps never been more important. Among other definitions of “knowledge,” the following seems to really fit: “clear perception of truth” (Merriam-Webster).

In that light, today’s reviewed books add yet again another dimension of what you can discover at your library. Join the circle of knowledge at your library during National Library Week and every week. The “clear perception of truth” should be everyone’s goal.

Books to Borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

“The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq” written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter, Harcourt, 32 pages

Read aloud: age 4 and older.

Read yourself: age 7 – 8 and older.

Alia Muhammad Baker is the librarian in Basra, Iraq. The thirty thousand books in her library are more precious to her than mountains of gold. People who love books and knowledge come to her library to learn and discuss matters of the world and of the spirit. But war is raging and Alia worries that the fires of war will destroy the books.

Alia asks the governor for permission to move the books to a safe place, but he refuses, so Alia takes matters into her own hands. With the help of her neighbors and friends, the community pulls together to secretly save the cherished books from destruction.

A true story, this remarkable book clearly conveys a sense of right and wrong, community, and the fact that despite exterior circumstances, people throughout the world respect knowledge and will risk their lives to protect their literature and the freedom their books provide.

Librarian’s Choice

Library: Cabot Public Library, 3804 Main St., Cabot

Library Director: Connie Koeller

Choices this week: “Volcano” by Patricia Lauber; “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen; “Oliver Finds His Way” by Phyllis Root

Books to Buy

The following books are available at favorite bookstores.

“The Whale Scientists: Solving the Mystery of Whale Strandings” by Fran Hodgkins, photos and illustrations – various credits, Houghton Mifflin, 2007, 64 pages, $18 hardcover

Read aloud: age 9 and older.

Read yourself: age 9 – 10 and older.

Whales were once hunted so aggressively that these majestic animals almost vanished completely from the earth before humans learned to study whales rather than kill them. Science has taken us far in helping to understand whales, but one mystery that is still remains to be solved is whale strandings.

Why would the world’s largest mammal do something that would most likely cause it to die? Are whale strandings caused by man-made noises in the ocean from sonar? Is the weather to blame? Is it pollution? Why do more whale strandings occur in New Zealand and Cape Cod than any other place on earth? Scientists are trying to find the answer.

Complete with vivid photographs and diagrams, a glossary of terms and an index, this fascinating, fast-paced book will capture readers and perhaps be the catalyst for future marine biologists.

“Amazing Dolphins!” by Sarah L. Thomson, photographs provided by the Wildlife Conservation Society, Harper Trophy, 2008, 32 pages, $3.99 paperback

Read aloud: age 4 and older.

Read yourself: age 6 – 8.

One of the many “I Can Read!” books from Harper Trophy, “Amazing Dolphins” packs a lot of interesting information about dolphins into 32 quick pages.

Learn how dolphins communicate with one another, how they protect each other, how dolphins breathe, use echolocation to find food or tell is a shark is nearby, and much more.

The lively, short text and color photographs of dolphins combine to successfully create a high-interest story for developing readers.

Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children’s literature. She can be reached via e-mail: kendal@sunlink.net.