Reading Difficulty and Interest/Audience Levels of Books
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Children's Literature Comprehensive Database This link opens in a new windowThe CLCD is the premier academic and research resource for courses needing to locate Children’s and Young Adult books and other media. The content includes over one million of fiction/non-fiction titles, thousands of awards and quality reviews including author/title links, lesson plans and teaching guides. The database offers multiple options including 50 search filters to find materials for determining interest & reading levels; selecting trade books based on standards; creating thematic, annotated biographies; interpreting reviews; developing classroom collections and more.
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Lexile Framework for ReadingSearch for a specific books or a list of books
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Teacher Book WizardUse Quick Search to search for reading difficulty and interest level of a specific book title, or use Leveled Search to find a list of books by reading difficulty level. Includes lesson plans, more.
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Lexile AnalyzerAnalyzes text to gauge lexile level. You must register to use the tool, but it is free.
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Readability of TextsLists a variety of Readability Formulas.
Biographical Information on Authors
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Children's Literature Author/Illustrator DirectoryChildren’s Literature provides a highly visible directory for schools, libraries, and fans to find out information about their favorite authors and illustrators.
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KidLit TVKidLit TV offers in depth interviews with authors and illustrators. On this website you will find book trailers, how to draw videos and other literacy related activities. This website offers curated resources for books geared toward PK-3rd grade.
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Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowScholarly, multidisciplinary database containing more than 6,100 full-text journals, and indexing/abstracts for more than 10,100 journals.
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Children's Literature Comprehensive Database This link opens in a new windowThe CLCD is the premier academic and research resource for courses needing to locate Children’s and Young Adult books and other media. The content includes over one million of fiction/non-fiction titles, thousands of awards and quality reviews including author/title links, lesson plans and teaching guides. The database offers multiple options including 50 search filters to find materials for determining interest & reading levels; selecting trade books based on standards; creating thematic, annotated biographies; interpreting reviews; developing classroom collections and more.
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Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new windowFind up-to-date biographical information, overviews, full-text literary criticism and reviews on nearly 130,000 writers in all disciplines, from all time periods and from around the world.
Literary Criticism
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Council on Interracial Books for Children: Interracial Books for Children Bulletin Bulletins provide critical, honest reviews written by educators from the specific group in question. CIBC made a point to advocate and uplift marginalized communities, including African Americans, Latinx, Asian American, and Indigenous peoples through their journal. Filled with information that allows us to chart not only how far children’s literature has come but also parallels the push for representation today.
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Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new windowFind up-to-date biographical information, overviews, full-text literary criticism and reviews on nearly 130,000 writers in all disciplines, from all time periods and from around the world.
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Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowScholarly, multidisciplinary database containing more than 6,100 full-text journals, and indexing/abstracts for more than 10,100 journals.
Book Lists and Reviews
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Research Guide: "Becoming an Antiracist Educator"This research guide lists the book awards for the National Associations of Librarians of Color, including the American Indian Library Association (AILA), Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), and National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA).
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ALAN’s PicksThe new ALAN Picks is seeking book reviews that include a pedagogical analysis of the latest young adult and middle grades books, culturally relevant teaching strategies and ideas for student engagement with YA texts in the middle, secondary and university classroom and library communities.
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ALAN Picks ArchivesThe previous version of ALAN Picks featured selected YA reviews and author interviews.
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Diverse BookFinderThe Diverse BookFinder is a comprehensive collection of children's picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC). We've cataloged and analyzed trade picture books fitting this criteria, published since 2002, to surface and create:
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The Horn BookReviews about books for children and young adults
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Leewind"I'm here. I'm queer. What do I read?" A blog featuring books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes.
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Publishers Weekly - Children'sLimited access before paywall.
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Rainbow Book ListThe Rainbow Book List is a bibliography of books with significant gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning content, and which are aimed at youth, birth through age 18.
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School Library JournalSome content is behind a paywall.
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YALSA: The HubThe Hub is a teen collections blog for YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association.
Book Awards
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Research Guide: "Becoming an Antiracist Educator"This research guide lists the book awards for the National Associations of Librarians of Color, including the American Indian Library Association (AILA), Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), and National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA).
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ALA/ALSC Notable Children's BooksIncludes all ALSC award-winning and honor book titles, as well as notable lists for the most recent five to ten years. Current awards and notables include the Batchelder Award, Belpré Medal, Caldecott Medal, Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media, Geisel Award, Newbery Medal, Notable Children's Books, Notable Children's Digital Media, Notable Children's Recordings, Odyssey Award, and Siebert Medal.
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YALSA Bookfinder DatabaseSearch 4,000+ books, audiobooks, and films from YALSA's book awards and book lists.
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NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for ChildrenThe NCTE Orbis Pictus Award® was established in 1989 to promote and recognize excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children. Orbis Pictus commemorates the work of Johannes Amos Comenius: Orbis Pictus—The World in Pictures (1658), considered to be the first book actually planned for children.
International Children's Literature
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The Batchelder AwardThe Batchelder Award is given to the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States.
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Bridges to understanding: Envisioning the world through children's booksMilne Library General Collection (call # PN1009.A1 B766 2011)
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Hans Christian Andersen AwardsThe Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children's books
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International Children's Digital LibraryThe ICDL Foundation's goal is to build a collection of books that represents outstanding historical and contemporary books from throughout the world.
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Worlds of Words"Our mission is to build bridges across global cultures through children’s and adolescent literature."
Graphic Novels & Comics
To find graphic novels, search GLOCAT using the search terms "graphic novels" (in quotes) and your subject area, theme or topic.
- "graphic novels" AND friendship
- "graphic novels" AND science
In addition, consider searching for books that focus on teaching with comics or graphic novels. Many times they contain annotated book lists broken down by subject, topic, or grade level.
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Children's Literature Comprehensive Database This link opens in a new windowThe CLCD is the premier academic and research resource for courses needing to locate Children’s and Young Adult books and other media. The content includes over one million of fiction/non-fiction titles, thousands of awards and quality reviews including author/title links, lesson plans and teaching guides. The database offers multiple options including 50 search filters to find materials for determining interest & reading levels; selecting trade books based on standards; creating thematic, annotated biographies; interpreting reviews; developing classroom collections and more.
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ALA GNCRT Best Graphic NovelsThe Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT) Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List highlights the best graphic novels for adults published each year. The Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List seeks to highlight the best graphic novels for children ages 5-12. These lists aim to increase awareness of the graphic novel medium, raise voices of diverse comics creators, and aid library staff in the development of graphic novel collections.
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YALSA: Great Graphic Novels for TeensGreat Graphic Novels for Teens is a list of recommended graphic novels and illustrated nonfiction for those ages 12-18, prepared yearly by YALSA.
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List of Comic Books and Graphic NovelsOrganized by theme (Biography & Memoirs, LGBTQ Themes, Medicine & Health, Science, Superheroes, Feminism and Women's Studies, and Civil Rights), characters (Batman), and genre (romance, horror).
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YALSA Bookfinder DatabaseSearch 4,000+ books, audiobooks, and films from YALSA's book awards and book lists.
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Diamond BookShelfBookShelf is the graphic novel resource for Teachers, Educators, Librarians, and more! Our mission is to provide the latest news and info on comics and GNs!
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Graphic Guides SeriesGraphic Guides bring to life complex, theoretical topics like Quantum Theory, Logic or Postmodernism, and help you get your head around thinkers from Aristotle to Zizek.
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No Flying No TightsOriginal creator Robin B. here. I just want to broadcast my opinions to the world! Actually, no — I decided to create a page devoted to graphic novel reviews specifically for those who read them the most — mainly teens — and for those who might be involved in distributing them to teens — namely teachers, librarians, and parents.
Poetry/Short Stories
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Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new windowFind up-to-date biographical information, overviews, full-text literary criticism and reviews on nearly 130,000 writers in all disciplines, from all time periods and from around the world.
Librarian
Becky Leathersich
She/Her/Hers
