So, you’re standing on the library’s threshold with the towhead of your heart beside you. The youngster looks up in dismay and speaks the words that will haunt your child rearing nights: “So, where’s the good stuff?” You could ask a librarian, but they’re all busy with high schoolers doing research papers and patrons freaking out because the Internet is down. You could look in the library catalog, but you’re not convinced that there will be many entries under “good stuff.”
All Monroe County libraries are organized using the Dewey Decimal system, which arranges non-fiction according to a primary subject tied to a number from 0 to 999. This means that books about automobiles are together under 629 (though race cars are at 796). Hardback fiction has a distinct section; while mysteries, science fiction, short stories, and paperbacks are sometimes shifted to nearby shelves.
Within these sections, books are in alphabetical order by author. Biographies are alphabetized by subject matter (for example, Little Monsters, the Real Story of Pikachu by Kitty Kelley is under “P”). The libraries have a separate area for juvenile books, imitating the adult section with divisions for non-fiction and fiction. Adolescent fiction is usually placed in a Young Adult area.
The trick is to have some sense of what will appeal to your child. Use questions like, “What do you think of when I say the words, ‘baby pandas’?” or “Have I ever told you about the time Abbott and Costello saved my life?” Once you’ve defined the good stuff, it’s time to turn to:
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City Newspaper Handy-Dandy Cheat-Sheet for Finding the Good Stuff in the Library |
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| Good Stuff | Look | Note | Recommended |
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Animals (Baby Ducks, Moose, Ocelots, etc.) |
590’s |
J books usually have more pictures; animal care is at 636 |
DK Eyewitness books are cool |
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Aztecs, Mayas |
970 to 973 |
Some art books may be at 709 |
You wouldn’t want to be an Aztec sacrifice! By Fiona MacDonald |
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Board Books |
Fiction |
Look for bucket or some such in J area near toys |
Whatever is not too chewed |
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Books about Movies |
791 |
Browse through nearby shelves also; best bet is the Adult section |
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Camembert cheese |
641 |
Nothing on Camembert in catalog; plenty on cooking |
The Star Wars cook book by Robin Davis |
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Comics, Graphic Novels, Cartoons |
741 |
Little in J section, but often special area in YA; also look in Adult where children’s and adult’s mix |
“It was a dark and silly night” edited by Art Spiegelman & Françoise Mouly |
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Construction vehicles |
628, 629 |
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Truck by Donald Crews (Picture Book) |
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Crafts |
745 to 748 |
Huge collection downtown |
Squashing flowers, squeezing leaves by the editors of Klutz |
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Dinosaurs |
567 |
Good dino stuff could be in Juvenile or Adult non-fiction |
Dinosaurus by Steve Parker |
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Drawing |
741 |
How-to are mostly in Adult |
Ed Emberley’s Big green drawing book |
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Fairy Tales |
Fiction |
Sometimes on own shelves near picture books |
The frog prince, continued by Jon Scieszka |
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Ireland, Mozambique, Vietnam, etc. |
900’s |
Travel, history, and geography organized by continent and country |
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Knights, Armor |
623, 940 |
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Knights : warriors of the Middle Ages by Aileen Weintraub |
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Mad Magazine, Nintendo Power, Teen People, YM |
Periodicals |
Mags on fancy shelves on every floor downtown; in each section at branches |
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Magic Tricks |
793 |
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Card Magic by Nicholas Einhorn |
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Myths and Legends |
291, 398 |
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The illustrated book of myths retold by Neil Philip |
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Picture Books |
Fiction |
Many shelves in J |
Rain Player by David Wisniewski |
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Pop Characters: Pokemon, Digimon, Scooby Doo |
Fiction, 791 |
Often mixed in with series books |
Scooby-Doo! : the essential guide by Glenn Dakin |
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Series Books: Goosebumps, Geronimo Stilton, etc. |
Fiction |
Look for special area for series books and check in both the Juvenile and YA areas |
Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter |
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Short Stories |
Fiction |
Consider stories that cross all ages: Arthur Conan Doyle, Stephen King, Mark Twain, and Flannery O’Connor |
Curses, Inc. : and other stories by Vivian Vande Velde |
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Sports: Minnesota Twins, Soccer, etc. |
796 |
Specific athletes may be in biography section |
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Science: Why is there air? |
001, 500’s |
Browse through 500’s, starting in J section |
Popular Science almanac for kids |
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Videogame Guides |
Periodicals |
Some branches even have games |
Fairport receives Tips & Tricks |
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Zombies, Vampires, Mummies |
001, 028, 398 |
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A natural history of the unnatural world by Joel Levy |
August, 2005
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