Positive Reviews

Two positive reviews for the age group are required.  Use Reviews in TitleWave and the resources here to ensure selection of high quality materials.

• If you do not see reviews listed for Follett Bound, eBook/Audiobook, or Foreign Language versions of a title, then check the Hardcover or English language version for Reviews.

• Please note: In TitleWave, the "Best of TitleWave" designation is not equivalent to a positive review. It indicates only that:

• Fiction: the title has at least 2 reviews or more than 1 curriculum tag.

• Nonfiction: the title has at least 1 review or 1 curriculum tag and not older than 5 years.

Review Sources

If two reviews are not offered in TitleWave, consult other sources like those listed below: 

• More crucial for fiction than nonfiction, but be careful about biographies and controversial topics. If 2 positive reviews not available, consider finding books at BCPL to review yourself, or using Google Preview in BCPL catalog.

• Search Destiny with Location set to All Baltimore County Public Schools to see who else might have the books, and get LMS feedback or ask to see the books.

• School Library Journal website - Limited online access to reviews *unless you are a print subscriber. Pull down the Reviews+ or Age Level menu, or search the site using keywords: Book Title + Review.

• Booklist Reviews - Limited online access to reviews *unless you are a print subscriber.  

• Kirkus Reviews - Limited online access to reviews. 

• Horn Book 

• New York Times Children's Books 

• Barnes & Noble /Amazon.com - Search by title, look for Editorial Reviews ONLY.  

• Common Sense Media Book Reviews - Reviews for parents (not professional reviews), but useful when professional reviews are lacking.

•  Author's and Publisher's websites will often reference book awards and reviews.  

• Google it. Search on book title and "review."  You might have to sift through results that are readers' reviews; but you may also get hits on pro reviews. 

• ProQuest Education Journals 

• Use Advanced Search to search by the book title; limit to Full Text and Document Type: Review.  -OR-

• Use Publication Search to Search Within Publication for the book title. 

• Review journals available in ProQuest include: Booklist, Book Links, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Horn Book, Kirkus, School Library Journal.

• Capstone Pub site

• You may log into the Capstone Pub site to check for reviews for Capstone Interactive eBook titles found in TitleWave. 

Graphic Novel Selection/Reviews

• SLJ Graphic Novels | Good Comics for Kids blog

• GN Reviews by Age Group (Diamond BookShelf)

• Graphic Classroom 

• Graphic Novels Reading Lists for K-8 (ALSC)

• Great Graphic Novels for Teens - annual lists by YALSA *Secondary only.

Manga Reviews

Limit to series that are rated Teen or younger (usually called "All Ages"). Older Teen, Teen+, or Mature go with Adult collections only. Other review sources include:

• No Flying, No Tights
• School Library Journal's Good Comics for Kids
• Comics Worth Reading
• Anime News Network
• Otaku USA
• The Manga Critic
• RightStufAnime: search by series title or ISBN 

Book Lists & Awards 

• Elementary LMS: Refer to Long Range Planners for each grade level to determine if you need to order titles included in curriculum (mentor texts and alternative texts).

• Secondary LMS: Check the Secondary ELA group in Schoology to consider purchasing approved ELA titles in eBook/Digital Audiobook format. 

• In TitleWave:

• Do a keyword search on "ALA Awards" 

• On the TitleWave front page, scroll down to see ALA Youth Media Award Winners and More Award Winners & Expert Picks.

• For Maryland Awards (Black Eyed Susans/Blue Crabs):  Pull down Shop by Department menu > click on State Resources.

• Pull down Shop by Department menu > click on For the Library > Scroll to Award Winners

• Pull down Shop by Department menu > click on  Collection Development (or use Advanced Search) to select specific Awards/Lists/Reviews.

• See also these Book Lists: 

• ALA Youth Media Awards  |  ALA Recommended Lists ("Best of")

• Booklist Book Awards

• Kirkus Best Books Lists

• New York Public Library Best Books for Kids

• ALSC Book & Media Awards |  Notable Children's Books (ALA/ALSC)

• For High School Libraries: YALSA Book Awards & Booklists for Libraries & YALSA Book Finder

• For Middle & High: Project Lit Book Lists for Middle Grades and YA 

• You can also search TitleWave on "project lit" 

• Booklist Reader - Book Awards, Book Lists, Reviews.

• Award-winning Kids' Books - list curated on Reading Rockets

• Mathical Book List- math-inspiring literature for kids ages 2-18. Supported by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 

Newsletters & Blogs

Bring book reviews and more to your email Inbox on a regular basis!

• Subscribe to Booklist Newsletters

• Subscribe to SLJ Newsletters 

• Read SLJ Blogs - Pull down the Blogs menu on the horizontal toolbar to see blog list.

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• For children's/YA literature news and reviews