Talking Book Topics

March-April 1998
Books for Children--Nonfiction

Books listed in this issue of Talking Book Topics were recently sent to cooperating libraries. The complete collection contains books by many authors on fiction and nonfiction subjects, including animals, geography, nature, mystery, sports, and others. Contact your cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of books available in the collection. Cassette books, labeled with the code RC, play at 15/16 ips. To order books, contact your cooperating library.

How Do You Spell God? Answers to the Big Questions from around the World RC 39981
by Marc Gellman and Thomas Hartman
read by Phil Regensdorf
2 cassettes
A rabbi and a priest compare some of the world's major religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. They discuss ways in which each would answer such questions as these: Who are the big teachers? How should we live? When are the holy days? Who works for God? and How do you spell God? For grades 6-9 and older readers. 1995.

Father Water, Mother Woods: Essays on Fishing and Hunting in the North Woods RC 40683
by Gary Paulsen
read by Michael Kramer
1 cassette
Drawing on personal experiences as a boy hunting in the woods and fishing along rivers in northern Minnesota, the author describes solo and shared adventures and traditional year-round pastimes he enjoyed outdoors as a child. Paulsen and his friends had fun, shared secrets, developed useful skills, and learned valuable lessons about life from nature. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1994.

Maya Angelou: More than a Poet RC 43311
by Elaine Slivinski Lisandrelli
read by Melissa Maxwell
1 cassette
Draws upon autobiographies of the woman who created a poem for Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. Portrays Angelou as a determined person who survived a tumultuous childhood in the 1930s to become a writer, an actress, a singer, a political activist, and a humanitarian. For grades 6-9. 1996.

The Boy Scout Handbook RC 43342
by Boy Scouts of America
read by Christopher Hurt
3 cassettes
This official guide to Scouting explains the history, ideals, and organization of the Boy Scouts of America; outdoor knowledge and skills; safety and first aid; and other elements of the Scouting program. Provides guidance for advancing in the ranks from Tenderfoot to Eagle Scout. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1990.

Opening Days: Sports Poems RC 43720
by Lee Bennett Hopkins
read by Rick Rohan
1 cassette
Collection of eighteen poems on such sports as karate, swimming, running, ice skating, soccer, football, and baseball. A swimmer says, "I'm closer than I've ever been / to what fish feel / and think about." For grades 3-6. 1996.

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman RC 43739
by Kathleen Krull
read by Laura Giannarelli
1 cassette
African American Wilma Rudolph weighed only four pounds when she was born in 1940, and she had nineteen older brothers and sisters. Childhood polio left her leg paralyzed, but Wilma exercised until she not only walked but became an Olympic gold medal runner. For grades 2-4. 1996.

The Tarantula in My Purse: And 172 Other Wild Pets RC 43780
by Jean Craighead George
read by Kerry Cundiff
1 cassette
An animal lover recounts humorous and informational stories about the bat in the refrigerator, the skunk in the closet, the ducklings filling the bathtub, and other wild creatures her family adopted over the years. For grades 3-6. 1996.

How Do Birds Find Their Way? RC 43803
by Roma Gans
read by Butch Hoover
1 cassette
The author explains how birds navigate by using the sun's position, Earth's magnetic field, nighttime starscapes, and familiar landmarks as they migrate each year. He also discusses the considerable distances covered in various birds' migratory routes as well as the altitude at which certain bird groups fly. For grades K-3. 1996.

Alphabestiary: Animal Poems from A to Z RC 44042
selected by Jane Yolen
read by Carole Jordan Stewart
1 cassette
This collection, which includes one or more poems for each letter of the alphabet, features such creatures as an anteater, a bat, a firefly, a groundhog, an iguana, a mosquito, an octopus, a peacock, a unicorn, and a zebra. For grades 2-4 and older readers. 1995.

Deafness RC 44047
by Elaine Landau
read by Kerry Cundiff
1 cassette
Explains the causes of deafness and describes experiences with deafness, methods of communication and education, and the "deaf community. "Profiles deaf achievers, illustrating that "there is almost no job deaf people . . . cannot do." For grades 4-7. 1994.

Genetics and Human Health: A Journey Within RC 44056
by Faith Hickman Brynie
read by Butch Hoover
1 cassette
Explores the science of genetics to reveal how inherited traits affect a person's life and well-being. Traces the advance of genetic research from Gregor Mendel's work in the 1800s to recent studies of Marfan's syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and other inherited illnesses. For grades 6-9. 1995.

Peak Performance: Sports, Science, and the Body in Action RC 44061
by Emily Isberg
read by Gary Tipton
1 cassette
A look at how advances in science, technology, and sports medicine have helped athletes perform better. The author follows four athletes as they prepare for various events, including a runner who trains at the U.S. Olympic Committee Training Center and a cycling champion who breaks the record for human-powered flight. For grades 4-7. 1989.

Powwow RC 44148
by George Ancona
read by Jim Zeiger
1 cassette
The author describes festivities at Crow Fair, the biggest Native American powwow in North America. Here Lakota, Ojibwa, Cree, Fox, Crow, and other tribes gather in celebration. Explains tepee construction and describes the opening parade, drumming, and the different types of dance and costumes. For grades 3-6. 1993.

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