Reviewed By: Sharlene Lien
BookHive
www.bookhive.org
BookHive Check it out! The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenberg Library has designed a website called BookHive which can be found at www.bookhive.org. This site offers a wealth of information, stories, and activities for those interested in reading and libraries. Some of the awards this site has received include; Study Web Academic Excellence Award, Winning Website Webmaster Award, Learning Magazine’s Teacher’s Choice 2001, and is included in ALA’s Notable Children’s Websites. Created as a resource for children’s materials for ages birth through 12, this site is filled with book recommendations for children, parents, and adults. Included in the recommendations are also reviews in various reading levels and “Parental Notes” for those that include more information about the book. Some of the categories searchers may use include; biographies, beginning chapter books, fantasies, folklore, multicultural, mystery, classics, historical, humor, and science fiction. Searchers may view all reviews in a certain category or narrow search by audience. Storytellers will enjoy the Zinger Tales link, which allows viewers to hear various stories by storytellers. Also included is a feature storyteller with biographical information. Children looking for fun will enjoy the coloring pages and the Harry Potter Quiz. Those looking for some good titles will appreciate the top twenty booklists and will also enjoy making their own booklist. Another exciting feature of BookHive is its link to Story Place, which is a children’s digital library. Visitors have the option of choosing to view the site and listen to stories in either English or Spanish. The stories in the Topsy Turvy tales are interactive and allow you to enter names for the characters along with picking your favorite characters. Also included are activity sheets and additional suggestions for reading. Overall, I really enjoyed visiting and reviewing this site. I found it very informative and enjoyable for all age levels. I would highly recommend this site to anyone who enjoys reading and listening to stories.