BBC NEWS — Alert over Harry Potter web scam
A website claiming to offer early electronic versions of the new Harry Potter book has been shut down, but fans are being warned that more web scams like this may start appearing.

The movie version of Because of Winn-Dixie now has a trailer available on their website. The movie is due to be released in mid-February and the trailer shows a movie firmly rooted in the book but of course with different dialogue. I also miss the broad southern accent that was present in the book. It is nowhere to be found in the trailer.

youthXchange is a site for teens created by the United Nations. It offers information on teen health, spirituality, consumer rights, sustainable lifestypes and much more. It works to tie everyday teen decisions and life to the larger world.

Web Wise Kids is a website that provides information on Internet safety for parents and children. It offers statistics, advice, rules, safe sites, information for educators, and a FAQ.

Children’s Picture Book Database at Miami University offers abstracts of more than 5000 picture books and a keyword search, all designed to create thematic units and story times.

The Graphic Novel Review has its January 2005 issue available online. It contains interviews, reviews, and a sneak preview.

JS Online: School libraries are seen as central to life, learning
Milwaukee Public Schools have received a grant of $316,000 to expand school library services with the goal of demonstrating how a strong school library strengthens reading success in students. The money will be used in ten Milwaukee schools to keep libraries open after school and offer some summer hours, provide more training for librarians, and encourage collaboration between librarians and teachers.
A great quote from the article:
“At Green Bay Avenue School, Dennis Juno, the librarian, says, “Every person has to become so valuable that they’re not going to be let go.”
He called the grant “a key to making libraries invaluable . . . which we should be. We should be the heart of the school.””

Lore: An E-Journal for Teachers of Writing has some great articles on academic blogging. I am including this on Kids Lit, because it pertains not just to college blogging, but also blogging in primary and secondary schools.

Play Me – take a Journey to Wonderland offers an fascinating journey into the rabbit hole. Kids can create their own mini-films of Alice’s story, print out activity sheets, listen to the book online complete with pictures from different editions of the book, or discover the true story of Alice. NOTE: This site must be viewed on IE not Firefox, because it does not resize to fit the window on Firefox.