KidsNews Newsletter
South Dakota State Library
Braille and Talking Book Library
Fall/Winter 2001, Volume 4, Issue 3-4
Mary Sjerven, Reader Advisor
A Note From Dan Boyd, Director
Prairie Pasque Book Award
In an effort to expand our library program for children, the library is now taking part in the Prairie Pasque Children's Book Program. This program is for children in grades four, five and six.

Each year a group of librarians are appointed to serve on the Prairie Pasque Children's Book Award Committee. This committee is responsible for presenting the Prairie Pasque Award. The award is presented to the author of the best children's book.

The committee compiles a list of children's books they would like considered for the Prairie Pasque reading list. The librarians read and discuss all the books on the list. A vote is taken on each book and the final list of 20 books compete for the award.

The books on the final list are produced on cassette and/or in braille. This list is sent to all schools. Interested students read at least five different titles and then vote for their favorite.

The book with the most votes is the winner. The author is notified and invited to attend the South Dakota Library Association Conference. A luncheon is held at the conference, and the author is presented with the award. The author then talks about writing the book.

I would encourage each of you to participate in this reading program. Your vote could be the one that makes an author the winner of the Prairie Pasque Children's Book Award.

There are two additional reading programs that are being developed.

The Prairie Buds Reading Program is for children in grades kindergarten, first, second and third.

The Young Adult Reading Program is for grades seven, eight and nine.

Additional information on these two programs will be provided in future issues.


MERRY CHRISTMAS
Wishing you a very Joyful Holiday Season From the Staff at BTBL


Descriptive Videos
We currently have 277 descriptive videos in our collection. The policy for borrowing videos is: no more than two videos are borrowed at one time and you may keep them for one week. The videos are available on a first come, first serve basis. If you would like a current video catalog give us a call at 1-800-423-6665. We can also put a video request list on your patron file.

Listed below are a few of the videos in our collection.
  • DVS00233 Wizard of Oz
  • DVS00246 Mrs. Doubtfire
  • DVS00183 Christmas Carol
  • DVS00134 Frosty the Snowman

Catalogs for Young Readers
There is a catalog available for younger readers that lists book titles for kindergarten through young adult readers. The latest edition is 1998-1999. You may get a copy by calling the Braille and Talking Book Library at 1-800-423-6665. You may go through this catalog and select titles you would like to read. In the back of the catalog is an order blank for you to check your RC (recorded cassette) numbers. Another method of ordering books is to call the Library and ask for your Reader Advisor. We can put the list of books on your reading profile and, when you are due for service, the computer will select titles from this list. This method will enable you to read the books you choose instead of letting the Library do the selecting for you.


Recommended Reading
Dan Boyd wrote in his column about the Prairie Pasque Children's Book Award. To see if your school is participating in this program, check with your librarian. You must read at least five books from this list to be eligible to vote. The contest ends March 1, 2002. The following titles were nominated for the 2001-2002 list.
  • Midnight Magic by Avi - SD003447, SBR00647
  • Stealing Thunder by Mary Casanova - SD03385, SBR00627
  • Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Curtis - RC049311, no braille
  • Nowhere To Call Home by Cynthia Defelice - RC049752, SBR00562
  • A Blizzard Year: Timmy's Almanac of the Seasons by Gretel Ehrlich - RC050296, no braille
  • Dork In Disguise by Carol Gorman - RC050111, SBR00608
  • House Of Wisdom by Florence Heide - SD003374, SBR00609
  • When Zachary Beaver Came To Town by Kimberly W. Holt - RC04906
  • The Trolls by Polly Horvath - RC048714, SBR00709
  • The Top of the World: Climbing Mt. Everest by Steve Jenkins - SD03376, SBR00611
  • Seaman: The Dog Who Explored the West With Lewis and Clark by Gail L, Karwoski - SD03446, SBR00650
  • Morgy Makes His Move by Maggie Lewis - SD03445, SBR00642
  • Can You Feel The Thunder? by Lynn E. McElfresh - RC049128, SBR00601
  • Malcolm X: A Fire Burning Brightly by Walter Dean Myers - SD03375, SBR00610
  • Adaline Falling Star by Mary Poe Osborne - SD03384, SBR00626
  • When The Soldiers Were Gone by Vera Propp - RC052329, no braille
  • Pig And Shrink by Pamela Yodd - SD03382, SBR00625
Recorded books are listed with an RC or SD before the book number. Braille book have an BR or SBR before the books number.


One Book A Year Rule
When you are issued a talking book machine, it is with the understanding that you will be using it to play Library of Congress talking books and magazines. The machine can be used to play other cassettes, but you have to order at least one talking book or magazine a year to be entitled to keep the player. We are in the process of reviewing our patron list and trying to contact everyone who has not had a book in the last year. We are sending one tape to try and get a response, positive or negative. We hope to get changes of address or telephone number. If you are a student who no longer uses the service and would like to be taken off our mailing list, we would like to hear from you. If you have any questions on this rule, please contact your Reader Advisor at 1-800-423-6665.


Braille Books
The Braille and Talking Book Library has a small collection of Braille books. If you would like to order one of these titles, please call the Library at 1-800-423-6665.
  • Black Beauty by Anna Sewell - SBR00712
    Black Beauty, a fine stallion, tells of his suffering as he is sold from one cruel master to another. This book was written to dramatize the abuse of horses in nineteenth-century-England. Some violence. For grades four to seven.
  • Camp Nowhere by R.L. Stine - SBR00712
    Nothing has been going right for Russell at summer camp and he's tired of being called a wimp. But as a senior camper, he has to ride a canoe over Forbidden Falls. Legend says it's haunted by others who disappeared there.
  • Best Enemies Forever by Kathleen Leverich - SBR00710
    When Priscilla starts a school club to provide volunteer service to the community, her project comes under fire from her longtime enemy Felicity, who wants to be the only star in the fourth grade.
  • Laura's Pa A Little House Chapter Book - SBR00716
    Stories about Laura Ingalls Wilder's mother, a pioneer woman, whose love and hard work could turn a frontier house into a family home. For grades two to four.

Who Said It?
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows."
- Helen Keller


For The Younger Reader
Christmas vacation is a good time to do some fun reading. Listed below are some titles with a Christmas theme or about animals. If you would like to order one of these books, please call 1-800-423-6665.
  • When Will It Snow? By Bruce Hiscock - RC047160
    In the North Country, a little boy named Robin is waiting impatiently for the first snow. Others are preparing for it, too. A deer mouse is storing seeds, birds are eating more, a groundhog is hibernating, and a brown rabbit's fur is turning white. For preschool through grade two.
  • Here Comes Mother Goose by Ian Opie - RC04950
    Fifty-six nursery rhymes including "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe". For preschool to grade two.
  • James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot - RC051132
    The rural English veterinarian's animal stories for children includes "Moses the Kitten", "Only One Wolf", and "The Christmas Day Kitten". For kindergarten through grade three and older readers.
  • Prairie Night Before Christmas by James Rice - RC028282
    While Santa is making his rounds Christmas Eve in the Texas Panhandle, a fierce blizzard sends his reindeer scurrying back to the North Pole. For grade two and older readers.

Kid's Korner
What do you like to do with your spare time? What is the last book you have read? If you would like to be featured on this page, please give me a call and I will send you a form. You may be featured in our next "Kids News". Please call 1-800-423-6665 and ask for Mary. The first student interviewed was a participant in our summer reading program.

Max Blaschke
  • Parents: Vaughn and Mercy Blaschke
  • School you attend: Edison Middle School, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  • Last Book Read: "The Nightmare Room: Locker 13"
  • Favorite Subject in school: math, reading, music and computers
  • Best part of summer vacation: Visiting Niagara Falls

Change of Address or Telephone Number?
Please notify us of any changes in your address or telephone number as soon as possible. So we can better service you, call 1-800-423-6665 or write us at: South Dakota Braille and Talking Book Library, 800 Governors Drive, Pierre, South Dakota 57501-2294


From Our Magazine Catalog
A new magazine catalog was just released. For a copy or to order a magazine listed below, please call the Braille and Talking Book Library at 1-800-423-6665.
    Cassette Magazines
  • Cricket: The Magazine for Children. Stories, poems and articles by internationally known authors; songs, jokes and crafts. For ages six to twelve. On one cassette with National Geographic World.
  • Sports Illustrated for Kids. Sports news and articles for ages eight to thirteen; features sports personalities, events and sports cards.
    Braille Magazines
  • Boys Life. Articles on the outdoors, sports and hobbies with adventure fiction and humor; ages nine to sixteen.
  • National Geographic World. Articles on world geography and cultures, plant and animal life, space exploration and ancient history. Published monthly, this magazine is also available on cassette.

"Why not go out on a limb? That's where all the fruit is."
- Will Rogers


KidsNews
KidsNews, published quarterly, is our means of communication with the younger patrons of the Braille and Talking Book Library. KidsNews is available in braille, on cassette or on a diskette upon request and is posted on our website: www.sdstatelibrary.com/talkbook

If you have any questions or comments you would like to address, or wish to request this newsletter in alternative format, please contact the Braille and Talking Book Library.


The South Dakota Braille and Talking Book Library does not endorse any product or service listed in this newsletter.