Core Collection for Small Libraries: An Annotated Bibliography of Books for Children and Young Adults

Core Collection for Small Libraries includes both classic and contemporary titles, a basic collection suitable for a small library. Cutting across ethnic lines, the bibliography provides selections suitable for an audience concerned with solid moral and family values. It could be utilized by new schools wishing to expand or evaluate their present collection, by teachers striving to create a balanced approach to whole-language classrooms, by home school parents, by counselors in bibliotherapy, or simply as a guide to good reading.

Recognizing that children develop at varying speed in various directions, this bibliography indicates very broad educational levels, leaving room within each category to meet individual interest and reading skills. Features included in each entry are title, author, publisher, awards won by the book, a brief annotation of the book, suggestions for applications of the book in a classroom setting, and a list of positive character values presented in the volume. Chapters cover picture books, traditional stories, fantasy, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and multicultural titles. An explanation of major awards given to children's works is included in an appendix. Includes subject, author and title indexes.

Janice A. DeLong is currently a member of the faculty at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Rachel E. Schwedt supervises the curriculum and audio visual libraries at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. She holds a masters degree in library science, and has been a kindergarten teacher, an English teacher and a librarian in both public and private schools.