Do You Know Dewey?: Exploring the Dewey Decimal System

by Brian P. Cleary, Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Illustrator)

Overview

Are you ready for a library adventure? Join a group of children as they explore the Dewey decimal system! Search for ghosts in the 100s section, track down everything from costumes to cars in the 300s, and be on the lookout for sports and music in the 700s. By the end of the book, you'll be more than ready to dive into Dewey on your own!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761366768
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/2012
Series:	Millbrook Picture Bks
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	8 - 9 Years

About the Author

Brian P. Cleary is an American humorist, poet, and author. He is best known for his books written for grade-school children that explore grammar, math and poetry in humorous ways. In his role in the digital division of American Greetings, he's put words in the mouths of Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera, William Shatner, Meghan Trainor and more. The multi-million selling author has performed poetry workshops in 500 elementary schools across the county. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Joanne Lew-Vriethoff is the acclaimed illustrator of many children’s books, including the bestselling updated edition of The Invisible String series written by Patrice Karst; Stacy McAnulty’s Beautiful and Brave; and I See You by Michael Genhart. She lives between Amsterdam and Malaysia.

Editorial Reviews

The Great Library Code is deciphered simplistically and, more problematically, in labored rhyme. After opening with an introduction to young Melvil Dewey, who "would grow up to make a system / to organize those stacks of books and classify and list 'em," Cleary conducts a tour from 000 to the 900s. With occasional oversimplifications--"Peek in the 800s, and you'll have all kinds of sightings / of works in many languages and many types of writings"--he highlights general subjects and a few scansion-fitting specific topics (700s: "Motown, Mozart, Ellington, the Beatles, and the blues, / along with most activities that you might ever choose"). He breaks down call-number structure in a more detailed (prose) closing section and also notes that most (public and school) libraries use different classification schemes for fiction, picture books and biographies. He also at least drops in a mention of online catalogs, if not librarians, as helpful resources. Though the loosely shelved books visible in Lew-Vriethoff's cartoon illustrations are all fat, generic tomes unrealistically free of titles, jackets and even (despite suggestive streaks of lighter color) spine labels, at least her library scenes bustle with happy patrons of diverse ages and skin tones. Not likely to be much help in an actual library, but the concept that there's a system may be reassuring. (basic chart) (Informational picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews