Books

University Libraries & SUPEStore Collaborate to Help Students Decrease Textbook Costs

/ bstrnad / Leave a comment

After a successful Spring 2018 pilot project, University Libraries & the SUPEStore are collaborating again this summer to help students decrease textbook costs. Students may check out titles for short-term loans or request chapters through ILLiad/Document Delivery (copyright standards apply).

The following courses currently have at least one print title on course reserve at McLure Library–

  • AEL: 521, 632, 634
  • AHE: 591, 610, 621
  • BCE: 512, 513, 514, 533
  • BEF: 503, 534
  • CEE: 515
  • CIE: 640
  • CRD: 569
  • CSE: 455, 555
  • HY: 104
  • KIN: 167, 362, 365, 366, 401, 403, 491, 493, 588, 615

Use the Course Reserve portal for more details.

Questions? Email us at Ask-a-Librarian.

Feel the Heat! – Cool Northern Mythology

/ bstrnad / Leave a comment

Take-offs and mashups using mythology as a starting point for YA novels has been a recent trend that shows no signs of abating and the fantasy genre is quickly diversifying its mythology base.  More diverse myths are being brought to the attention of readers and movie goers everywhere and McLure has plenty of titles for you that will keep you in the know when it comes to these myths and legends.

Now that the Dog Days of Summer are over and we are all ready to cozy up with warm drinks and good books that are perfect for those long winter nights, why not cozy up with the imaginative series based on Egyptian, Norse, Chinese, and Middle Eastern myths that are in McLure library?

Middle Grade author, Rick Riordan made his name retelling the Perseus, Greek demi-god myths, in the Percy Jackson series.

That series has been followed by two other series;  The Kane Chronicles, based on Egyptian mythology, that consists of three titles,

Red Pyramid                                    Throne of Fire                            Serpent’s Shadow

Cover Image                        Cover Image                          Cover Image

School Library                           School Library                                School Library

PZ7.R4829 Re 2010             PZ7.R4829 Th 2011                  PZ7.R4829 Se 2012b

The novels were quickly followed by the graphic novel version of these titles.  Mclure has two of them with the third due to be published soon.

Red Pyramid:                                                               Throne of Fire:

The Graphic Novel                                                   The Graphic Novel

Cover Image                                                     Cover Image

Riordan has also done a series featuring those fiery gods of the North.  Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, based on Norse mythology, that currently stands at two titles, with the third that was just published in October.

Sword of Summer                         Hammer of Thor

Cover Image                             Cover Image

PZ7.R4829 Sw 2015               PZ7.R4829 Ham 2016

The successful conversion of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods novel to the small screen world of TV is a modern retelling of Norse mythology for adults.  The UA libraries doesn’t have that particular novel, but McLure Library has Anansi Boy’s, the sequel to American Gods.  Anansi Boys is based in the myths of West Africa and the West Indies.  So if you like Orlando Jones as Mr. Nancy in American Gods, check him out in a starring role in his own book: Anansi Boys.  It was listed for the Alex Award (Adult books suitable for Young Adults) in 2006 and is at McLure in the School Library Collection.

Cover Image   PR6057.A319 A85 2005

McLure doesn’t have Neil Gaiman’s current best seller Norse Mythology, (that is at Gorgas library) but we have a beautifully illustrated version of both Egyptian and Norse Mythology done by well known YA and children’s author Donna Jo Napoli.  The amazing colored illustrations are accompanied by brief explanations of each of the major Egyptian and Norse Gods that make looking at these books a real pleasure for these long winter evenings.

Cover Image                                          Cover Image

BL2441.3 .N356 2013                                        BL860 .N25 2015

All of these books are in the McLure Library School Library collection located in the basement of McLure Library.  If you would like to read any of these books call 348 – 6346 or 348-1508 and we will put it on hold for you.  Or you can come to McLure and see what other fantastic reading we have on our shelves.

Think Like a President and Get Out of Your Head

/ bstrnad / Leave a comment

What could be better for summer reading than getting completely out of your head and reading something very different from your normal go-to recreational reading?  Take a chance and do what former president Obama did.  He read The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu and here is what he had to say about it in a New York Times article for the NY Times book review section.

” … there’s been the occasion where I just want to get out of my own head. [Laughter] Sometimes you read fiction just because you want to be someplace else.

What are some of those books?

It’s interesting, the stuff I read just to escape ends up being a mix of things — some science fiction. For a while, there was a three-volume science-fiction novel, the “Three-Body Problem” series —

Oh, Liu Cixin, who won the Hugo Award.

— which was just wildly imaginative, really interesting. It wasn’t so much sort of character studies as it was just this sweeping —

It’s really about the fate of the universe.

Exactly. The scope of it was immense. So that was fun to read, partly because my day-to-day problems with Congress seem fairly petty — not something to worry about. Aliens are about to invade. [Laughter]

Excerpt from the New York Times, January 16, 2017.

If a recommendation from the ex-President isn’t enough, what about the current head of Facebook – Mark Zukerburg who also recommended this book for his book club.

The novels are set in post-war Communist China, the first, The Three-Body Problem tells the story of an alien civilization that learns of the existence of Earth.  Facing destruction, the aliens invade.   The ensuing war is detailed in The Dark Forest, and the trilogy ends with, the appropriately named, Death’s End, that explores the two societies’ attempts to co-exist.

If you would like to share some head time with something completely different, McLure Library has all three books in that series in the Education School Library collection.

Book 1                                                     Book 2                                            Book 3

Cover Image                      Cover Image                    Cover Image

The call number for the first book is   PL 2947 .C59 S3613 2014

If you would like to read this novel call 348 – 6346 or 348-1508 and we will put it on hold for you.  Or you can come to McLure and see what other fantastic summer reading we have on our shelves.

Retired?

/ bstrnad / Leave a comment

Who knew you could retire a color?  Aren’t the colors a constant?  Unchanging?  The color spectrum a scientific fact?

On the morning of March 31, 2017 Crayola will retire a color from it’s classic 24 count box of crayons.  Exactly which color is going to be retired has been a well kept secret, and the world anxiously awaits this announcement.

This exciting event in the life of the coloring box can be a learning opportunity for the classroom.  Here is a list of crayon read-alouds that can be used in the classroom.

Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

Cover Image

Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt              Cover Image

Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall

Cover Image

Bad Day at Riverbend by Chris Van Allsburg      Cover Image

Not in the House Newton by Judith Heide Gilliland

Cover Image

2015 Book Award Results

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

This morning the American Library Association announced the award winners for children’s and young adult books. These include the Caldecott Medal for picture books, the Newbery Medal for children’s literature, and the Printz Award for young adult literature, as well as many others. The results are as follows:

book covers

Caldecott

Winner: The Adventure of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

Honor Books: Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art by Mary GrandPré

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen

Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant, illus. by Melissa Sweet

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illus. by Jillian Tamaki

Newbery

Winner: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Honor Books: El Deafo by Cece Bell

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Printz

Winner: I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Honor Books: And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illus. by Jillian Tamaki

 

For more information and a complete list of winners, see ALA’s website.

More Young Adult Dystopian Novels

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

Stories set in dystopian societies are wildly popular right now, with books like The Hunger Games and Divergent becoming blockbuster hits at the box office. If you’re done re-reading  Mockingjay before the release of part one later this month, then you might want to check out some of these other young adult dystopian novels available at the library.

pasPills and Starships

by Lydia Millet

(PZ7.M63923 Pi 2014)

“Seventeen-year-old Nat and her hacker brother Sam have come to Hawaii for their parents’ Final Week. Global warming has devastated the planet, and the disintegrating society that remains is run by “corporates” who keep the population complacent through a constant diet of “pharma.” The few Americans who stil live well also live long — so long that older adults, like Nat’s parents, blow out not by natural means but by buying death contracts. While Nat grapples with the bizarre ritual of her parents’ slickly engineered last days, Sam begins to uncover a secret, wilder Hawaii hidden beneath the high-gloss corporate veneer. Their family’s Final Week races toward its climax in the face of a looming hurricane as Nat struggles to protect herself and the people she loves — Along the way forging her own surprising path to hope.”

matched

Matched series

by Ally Condie

(PZ7.C7586 Ma 2010)

“All her life, Cassia has never had a choice. The Society dictates everything: when and how to play, where to work, where to live, what to eat and wear, when to die, and most importantly to Cassia as she turns 17, whom to marry. When she is Matched with her best friend Xander, things couldn’t be more perfect. But why did her neighbor Ky’s face show up on her match disk as well?”

tb

Tankborn series

by Karen Sandler

(PZ7.S2173 Tan 2011)

“Kayla and Mishalla, two genetically engineered non-human slaves (GENs), fall in love with higher-status boys, discover deep secrets about the creation of GENs, and find out what it means to be human.”

 

Thotshe House of the Scorpion series

by Nancy Farmer

(PZ7.F23814 Mat 2002)

“In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patrón, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States.”

 

smShatter Me series

by Tahereh Mafi

(PZ7.M2695 Sh 2011)

“Ostracized or incarcerated her whole life, seventeen-year-old Juliette is freed on the condition that she use her horrific abilities in support of The Reestablishment, a postapocalyptic dictatorship, but Adam, the only person ever to show her affection, offers hope of a better future.”

 

sbShip Breaker series

by Paolo Bacigalupi

(PZ7.B132185 Sh 2010)

“In a futuristic world, teenaged Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a living, but when he finds a beached clipper ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl.”

life

Life As We Knew It series

by Susan Beth Pfeffer

(PZ7.P44855 Lif 2006)

“Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family’s struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.”

 

These are just a few books to get you started, all of which are available at McLure in the Education School Library downstairs. Enjoy, and let us know your favorite dystopian reads.

Illustrated Novels for Older Readers

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

Illustrations aren’t just for kid’s books anymore. A lack of pictures has often categorized reading material as more “mature,” but that isn’t always the case. There are many novels written on more advanced reading levels that include a strong visual component. Not to be confused with graphic novels, whose stories are told entirely through pictures, illustrated novels still contain plots that are told primarily through the writing. However, they also contain images that add to the story and are sometimes even pivotal to understanding it. These books are great for reluctant readers or anyone who enjoys artistic interpretations of the text. Here are a few examples available through the university’s libraries:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The Invention of Hugo Cabret cover

Brian Selznick’s Caldecott winning book tells the story of Hugo Cabret, an orphan living in a railway station in 1930s Paris. At 500+ pages, this is no picture book. But don’t be intimidated by its size. It is a surprisingly quick read, as many sections of the story are told entirely through Selznick’s full-page, detailed black and white drawings. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is an enchanting piece of historical fiction, and the film adaptation, Hugo, won several Academy Awards. Fans of the book should also check out his latest novel, Wonderstruck, which uses a similar style.

 

 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian cover

This highly acclaimed young adult novel by Sherman Alexie features a 14-year-old Native American protagonist who decides to leave the reservation in order to attend an all-white public high school. Arnold Spirit, Jr., aka Junior, is an aspiring cartoonist, and the book’s illustrations, drawn by Ellen Forney, depict his humorous drawings of the world around him. Alexie uses humor to balance the depressing events Junior experiences in his life on the reservation. While it contains a powerful story, some of the book’s more controversial elements have landed it on many banned book lists.

 

Leviathan

Leviathan cover

Science fiction writer Scott Westerfeld puts his own spin on history with this steampunk version of World War I. Leviathan introduces Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Deryn Sharp, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service, and what happens when their lives intersect. Westerfeld’s fantastic vision of alternate history, complete with complex, steam-powered machinery and genetically engineered animal-vessels, is punctuated by the awe-inspiring illustrations of Keith Thompson. His artwork masterfully combines elements of past and future and helps readers better picture the richly complex setting. The book is the first in a trilogy.

 

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close cover

Although this is a novel aimed at adults, Jonathan Safran Foer’s nine-year-old narrator might make it also appeal to a slightly younger audience. In this book, Oskar Schell looks for clues that will unlock the meaning of a mysterious key that belonged to his father, who died on 9/11. Foer’s narrative is supplemented by many visual elements, such as photographs and letters. These pictures often contain clues or hidden meanings that are revealed throughout the course of the story. Once again, this book serves as an example of how images can enrich a book’s text. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close deals with issues of grief and loss, especially in the wake of September 11th, and has also been made into a movie.

 

These are only a few examples of how fiction books incorporate illustrations. Graphics can enrich a text, provide supplementary information, and even communicate part of the plot. All of the books mentioned above are available at a library on campus. Let us know in the comments what other novels you think use images effectively to add to the story.

Series Chapter Books for Beginning Readers

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

Last month we talked about the appeal of series books and shared some picture book series books available at the library. We’d like to continue the discussion with more suggestions.

The introduction of slightly longer books helps readers transition away from picture books. Short, easy chapter books are a great tool for improving reading skills, serving as a stepping stone between picture books and novels. Here are a few series available at McLure we recommend:

Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos
“Ralph, a very, very nasty cat, finally sees the error of his ways — or does he?”

h

Back to school for Rotten Ralph
Rotten Ralph helps out
Rotten Ralph’s rotten romance
Rotten Ralph feels rotten
Practice makes perfect for Rotten Ralph
Three strikes for Rotten Ralph
Best in show for Rotten Ralph

Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
“Eight-year-old Jack and his younger sister Annie find a magic treehouse, which whisks them back to an ancient time zone where they see live dinosaurs.”

hw7.pl

Dinosaurs before dark
The knight at dawn
Mummies in the morning
Pirates past noon
Night of the Ninjas
Afternoon on the Amazon
Sunset of the sabertooth
Midnight on the moon
Dragon of the red dawn
Dark day in the deep sea
Eve of the Emperor penguin
A perfect time for pandas
Stallion by starlight
Hurry up, Houdini!
High time for heroes

The Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka
“Joe’s been caught up in a book before, but this is ridiculous! Joe’s Book, a gift from his magician uncle, doesn’t just tell stories, it zaps Joe and his friends Sam and Fred right into the middle of them.”

hw

Knights of the kitchen table
The not-so-jolly-Roger
The good, the bad, and the goofy
Your mother was a Neanderthal
2095
Tut, tut
Summer reading is killing me!
It’s all Greek to me
See you later, gladiator
Sam Samurai
Hey kid, want to buy a bridge?
Viking it & liking it
Me oh Maya!
Da wild, da crazy, da Vinci
Oh say, I can’t see
Marco? Polo!

Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park
“Meet the World’s Funniest Kindergartner–Junie B. Jones! In the 1st Junie B. Jones book, it’s Junie B.’s first day and she doesn’t know anything. She’s so scared of the school bus and the meanies on it that when it’s time to go home, she doesn’t.”

index.php

Junie B. Jones and the stupid smelly bus
Junie B. Jones and her big fat mouth
Junie B. Jones and some sneaky peeky spying
Junie B. Jones and the yucky blucky fruitcake
Junie B. Jones and that meanie Jim’s birthday
Junie B. Jones loves handsome Warren
Junie B. Jones has a monster under her bed
Junie B. Jones is not a crook
Junie B. Jones is a party animal
Junie B. Jones is a beauty shop guy
Junie B. Jones smells something fishy
Junie B. Jones is (almost) a flower girl
Junie B. Jones and the mushy gushy valentime
Junie B. Jones has a peep in her pocket
Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day
Junie B. Jones is a graduation girl
Junie B., first grader (at last!)
Junie B., first grader : boss of lunch
Junie B., first grader : toothless wonder
Junie B., first grader : cheater pants
Junie B., first grader : one-man band
Junie B., first grader : shipwrecked
Junie B., first grader : boo –and I mean it
Junie B., first grader : jingle bells, Batman smells! (P.S. so does May)
Junie B., first grader : aloha-ha-ha!
Junie B., first grader : dumb bunny

Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon
“Horrid Henry and his neighbor Moody Margaret decide to make the most sloppy, slimy, sludgy, sticky, smelly, gooey, gluey, gummy, greasy, gloppy glop possible. Is it the best glop in the world or the worst thing that’s ever happened to them? Plus three other stories so funny we can’t even mention them here.”

hw7

Horrid Henry
Horrid Henry tricks the Tooth Fairy
Horrid Henry and the mummy’s curse
Horrid Henry and the scary sitter
Horrid Henry and the mega-mean time machine
Horrid Henry and the soccer fiend
Horrid Henry and the abominable snowman
Horrid Henry wakes the dead
Horrid Henry rocks
Horrid Henry and the zombie vampire

Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
“When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen.”

hw7.pl

The adventures of Captain Underpants : an epic novel
Captain Underpants and the attack of the talking toilets
Captain Underpants and the invasion of the incredibly naughty cafeteria ladies from outer space
Captain Underpants and the perilous plot of Professor Poopypants
Captain Underpants and the wrath of the wicked Wedgie Woman
Captain Underpants and the big, bad battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, part 1 : night of the nasty nostril nuggets
Captain Underpants and the big, bad battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, part 2 : the revenge of the ridiculous Robo-Boogers
Captain Underpants and the revolting revenge of the radioactive robo-boxers

Ramona Quimby by Beverly Cleary
“Beezus’ biggest problem was her 4-year-old sister Ramona. Even though Beezus knew sisters were supposed to love each other, with a sister like Ramona, it seemed impossible.”

18881130

Beezus and Ramona
Ramona the pest
Ramona the brave
Ramona and her father
Ramona and her mother
Ramona Quimby, age 8
Ramona forever

 

 

Using the Library’s eBooks

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

image from: greecepubliclibrary.org

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

In addition to our print books, McLure provides access to many electronic books, or eBooks. We’ve written about this topic in the past, but some changes to library services make it necessary to share updated information.

 

Reading an eBook:

EBooks are a valuable information resource at the library. Some materials are available only in eBook format, and it is becoming the preferred method for purchasing new titles.

The library does not currently use a single service to manage our eBook holdings. Instead they are provided by a number of different publishers. This means that library eBooks vary in format and platform.

EBooks are easily accessed by using Scout or the library’s catalog. Results from a search will indicate when a book is available electronically and will provide a link or information about how to view or download the material.

The various eBook providers cause some inconsistency across the library’s eBook holdings. Appearance, length of access, and number of simultaneous users can all vary, as well the ability to download, print, and take notes or highlight within the text.

 
Reserving an eBook:

It is not necessary for faculty to place an eBook on reserve for use in a particular course. However, putting an eBook on reserve will allow it to appear on the library’s website in the list of course reserves, making it easier for students to find and access.

Some eBooks can also be included on Blackboard. EBooks are added to Blackboard shelf by linking to them in the same manner you would for an article in a database. Further questions about using eBooks on Blackboard can be directed to Josh Sahib by email (jsahib@ua.edu) or phone (205-348-6529).

Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions about library eBooks. For additional information, contact Wendy Arrasmith at (205-348-5678) or by email at (warrismi@ua.edu) or Will Fritz at (205-348-6346) or e-mail him at (wafritz@ua.edu).

Diversity in Children’s Literature

/ lagrant / Leave a comment

tumblr_static_4dst3r2wj0o44g0w0cwow8080

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

The call for more diversity among book characters and authors has gained a lot of attention recently. We thought it would be helpful to provide some background and information on the topic to help others better understand the issue and some current reactions.

The lack of diversity in book publishing is by no means a new issue, but articles like “Where Are the People of Color in Children’s Books?” by Walter Dean Myers and “The Apartheid of Children’s Literature” by Christopher Myers helped bring the topic to the forefront within the past few months. The articles both react to and reflect on the baffling statistics from a study by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin that “Of 3,200 children’s books published in 2013, just 93 were about black people.” Rather than being an anomaly, these figures represent the trend of relatively low numbers of minority representation in children’s and young adult fiction.

One of the biggest movements has been the #WeNeedDiverseBooks Campaign. Through the use of social media, authors, publishers, and readers were able to share their reasons for wanting to see more diversity in books. By the end of the first day, the trend had gone viral, leading to thousands of tweets on the topic. The campaign has also been encouraging readers to buy more diverse books and for libraries to work to diversify their shelves.

We Need Diverse Books was largely a reaction to the 2014 Book Expo America. When the book publishing conference announced the lineup for their BookCon panels, the list consisted solely of white male participants. The success of We Need Diverse Books inspired BookCon to create a new panel featuring a more diverse group of children’s authors.

To find out more about We Need Diverse Books and BookCon, read “BookCon Controversy Begets Diversity Social Media Campaign” and “A Loud Start for BookCon”.