Libraries Got Game

March 15, 2010
With all the hype on gaming in libraries, this new title focuses instead on designer board games as curriculum-aligned instructional resources for libraries and classrooms. Part 1 describes their value for student engagement and higher-order thinking, part 2 shows alignment with specific standards, and part 3 includes details for school libraries, such as purchasing guidelines. Great Games in part 4 lists 10 recommended games for each levelelementary, middle, and high school. For example, Pandemic takes 45 minutes to play and involves stopping the worldwide spread of disease, and Froggy Boogie strengthens color recognition and math. A glossary, index, and list of publishers are found at the end. The authors are school library system educators who have a conversational style while citing research. They make promoting a game collection attainable and sound without a lucky roll of the dice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)