ASK!

Kids ASK! about Pets & Animals

Believe it or not, there are more than 2,050 species of animals in the rodent family! Rodents are the largest group of mammals and they are characterised by their ever-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws. The common rodents are rats, rabbits, squirrels, beavers, hamsters, mice, chinchillas, gerbils and chipmunks.

Some other members of the rodent family:
- Capybara (the largest living rodent)
- Marmot
- Porcupine
- Jerboa
- Prairie dog
- Mole rat

Source: rodent. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition: http://library.ebonline.com/eb/article-51525

Read more about the rodents:

Rodents rule! by Meredith Phillips.
Call Number: J 636.935 PHI

What is a rodent? by Bobbie Kalman & Jacqueline Langille.
Call Number: J 599.35 KAL

Rats by Deborah Chancellor.
Call Number: J 636.9 CHA

Mammals (Questions & Answers series) by Barbara Taylor.
Call Number: J 599 TAY

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

All websites were last accessed on 28 October 2008. All images were extracted from www.bn.com.

Posted by Adeline Tan, Librarian, Children’s Services.

Found this post interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

T.H.E A2z Diet: Dieting made as simple as possible
NLB Call No.: 613.2 YEO -[HEA]

It appears Dr. Yeo wanted to let others to understand, in simple language, ways to diet effectively based on what he has read, learned and used over the past 25 years with success.

As inferred from Dr. Yeo’ introduction to his new book:

“It (the book) cuts through the mountain of information on dieting, nutrition and healthy living…”

Also, from the publisher’s description:

“… The book distills only what is absolutely necessary. Cutting through the mountain of information on dieting, nutrition and healthy living, this book makes the message and advice so simple and clear that even a child can understand and appreciate it, as well as put it into practice everyday. An FAQ section addresses the key questions that so often confuse dieters.”
(www.worldscibooks.com/medsci/7004.html)

As Dr. Yeo recounted in his book, during a routine medical test in his late 30s, his cardiologist stopped the test when Dr. Yeo appeared to be on the verge of a heart attack. Further tests revealed that Dr. Yeo suffered from blocked blood vessels and abnormal circulation. Forced to get serious about his health, Dr. Yeo ‘read everything on nutrition that crossed his path‘, and adopted a strict diet and exercise regime (see The Straits Times article “How I avoided heart attack”, 3 October 2008).

BTW, since we are on the topic of nutrition and dieting, here are some related books that can be found in the NLB libraries:
1. Your heart matters: answers for a healthier heart by Mak Koon Hou, Louisa Zhang
Publisher: Singapore : Armour Pub., c2006
Call no.: 616.1205 MAK – [HEA]
2. 30 great tasting recipes: the healthier choice way = 30 dao jiao jian kang xuan ze mei wei shi pu
Publisher: Singapore Health Promotion Board 2005
Call no.: RSING 641.563 THI
3. Where is the fat?: cookbook by Dietetics & Nutrition Services, Singapore General Hospital
Publisher: Singapore : SNP Editions, c2005
Call no.: SING q613.2 WHE
4. Food Composition Guide Singapore
Publisher: Singapore, Health Promotion Board 2003
Call no.: RSING 641.3 FOO
To check the titles’ availability, please visit our online catalogue.

You can retrieve newspaper articles from electronic databases like Factiva, using the Multimedia stations in the NLB library branches. Or from home by accessing eresources.nlb.gov.sg.

Contributed by Kweh Soon Huat, Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

ASK! about Anything & Everything

The name, Anita Roddick, might be unfamiliar to most. ’The Body Shop’, on the other hand, should ring a bell with many.   

Roddick is the founder of ‘The Body Shop’, which is well-known for its environmental activism. Economical benefits ride low on the reason for starting ‘The Body Shop’.  Hence, their mission statement is ‘To dedicate our business to the pursuit of social and environmental change.’ 

Below are some recommended resources on Anita Roddick and the Body Shop

Book resources:

Title: A revolution in kindness
Editor: Anita Roddick
Call No.: English 177.7 REV

Title: Anita Roddick
Author: Rob Alcraft
Call No.: Y 338.4766855092 ALC

Title: Business as unusual
Author: Anita Roddick
Call No.: 658 ROD -[BIZ]

Web resources:

http://www.anitaroddick.com

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/506530/Dame-Anita-Roddick

http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/

1408:1645/1/Anita_Roddick.htm

*all websites last accessed on 13 Oct 2008.
Image extracted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/

  Orginially answered by Goh Peck Keong, Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

Posted by Yen Yen Toh, Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment

Kids ASK! about Pets & Animals

[Editor’s note: Orange and black is the colour of Halloween – alright, that is somewhat out of point, I digressed. Anyway, this question reminds me of the question “Is a zebra white with black stripes or black with white stripes?”]

Not all tigers are orange and black, there are those that are white with black stripes and the golden tigers which are golden with cinnamon stripes.

Like most predators, the tiger’s coloring is actually for camouflage. Their orange and black, with areas of white allow them to hide easily in the jungle. The stripped pattern makes it harder for them to be seen in the tall grass. Camouflage is important for both predator and prey, for the predator, it ensures that they are likely to catch their food and for the prey, it ensures that they are unlikely to become someone else’s dinner. For the tiger, its orange with black stripes makes it a powerful predator. Combine that with a sudden speed, a prey would find it difficult to escape.

However, as tigers are heavy, they use too much energy when chasing a prey and many animals, like the gazelle and sambar, if they knew early enough that a tiger was nearby, they would be able to outrun the tiger. Therefore, camouflage is important for the tiger, the camouflage helps it to get close enough to its prey so that there is little chance of it running away.

Reference: Tiger Haven, (2006). Color variation of tiger . Retrieved October 21, 2008, from Tiger Haven Web site: http://www.tigerhaven.org/page.asp?page=6&p=Education+and+Reference

If you want to read more about tigers, here are books that you can check out at our library. 

Image retrieved from www.bn.com

Tigers: world largest cats by Amelie von Zumbusch
Call No.: J 599.756 ZUM

Image retrieved from www.amazon.ca

Tigers by Nathan Aaseng
Call No.: J 599.756 AAS

Image retrieved from www.alibris.com

Tiger rescue: changing future for endangered wildlife by Dan Bortolotti
Call No.: J 599.756 BOR

All websites are last accessed on 21 October 2008. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Originally Answered by Mr Koh Chee Boon
Librarian, Children’s Services

Posted by Ms Felicia Chan
Librarian, Children’s Services

Kids ASK! about Anything & Everything

** Ed: There was a feedback to us that the specified Santa’s address in this post dated last year was outdated. According to this website , the new address is:
“Santa Claus
Arctic Circle
96930 Rovaniemi
Finland”

November is drawing near and after November, it will be December and when December comes, it is Christmas time. Yes, October does seem rather early to be talking about Christmas, but for anxious kids wanting to send their letters to Santa Claus and worried about the time it takes to reach such a faraway place like the North Pole, maybe October is just the right time.

Alright kids, take this down carefully. The postal address of Santa’s Main Post Office is

Santa Claus’ Main Post Office,
Santa’s Workshop Village,
96930 Arctic Circle.

If you do not trust the postal service or if you want to save on postage, you can always send an email through Santa’s main post office website at
http://www.posti.fi/postimerkkikeskus/jpp/ en_index.html

Letters to Santa come from all over the world and Santa has received letters from kids from 150 countries, with the most coming from Great Britain, Poland and Japan. He is really busy so he does not always manage to give a reply but he does try – maybe if you are early and if you ask for a reply, he might oblige you.

By the way, Santa’s main post office is in Lapland, Finland.

A note for parents: You can order letters from Santa for your kids too!
http://www.posti.fi/postimerkkikeskus/pukinkirje/ santaletter.htm

If you want to read more about the North Pole, here are books you can check out at our libraries.

For Children:

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

Peary & Henson: the race to the North Pole by Baron Bedesky
Publisher: New York : Crabtree Pub. Co., c2006.
Call Number: J English 910 BED

Image retrieved from www.bn.com

The North Pole was here: puzzles and perils at the top of the world by Andrew C. Revkin
Publisher: Boston : Kingfisher, 2006
Call Number: Y English 910.91632 REV

Image retrieved from www.bn.com

Santa’s secrets revealed: all your questions answered about Santa’s super sleigh, his flying reindeer, and other wonders by James Solheim
Publisher: Minneapolis, Minn. : Carolrhoda Books, c2004.
Call Number: JP English English SOL

All websites are last accessed on 21 July 2008. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Answered by Felicia Chan,

Librarian, Children’s Services

What will you win?
The most interesting enquiry of the month wins a Creative Zen Stone (2GB) with a built-in speaker. Seven entries will also stand to win a Popular $10 voucher monthly.

What’s more, there is a special theme each month. If your winning question is related to the theme, you will get a bonus prize. Four Kinokuniya $10 vouchers to be given out per month!

How do I participate?
Submit your question from 1 November 08 to 31 March 09 via any of the following means:
· Online form at www.pl.sg
· Email us at ask@nlb.gov.sg
· Enquiry form at any public libraries

What questions can I ask?
You can ask about anything*!
All valid questions stand to win attractive prizes. Plus, we have bonus prizes for questions that fit the monthly theme.

What are the special themes for the Bonus Prizes?
Nov 08: Recreation
Dec 08: Travel
Jan 09: Festivals
Feb 09: Fiction
Mar 09: Science

Must I be a library member to participate?
Yes! Be a library member and join us in our ASK! Promotion to win attractive prizes!

How many questions can I ask?
As many as you wish. The more you submit, the higher chance you stand to walk away with our prize. The best questions win.

What questions have been asked?
You can refer to the following to see the submitted questions:
a. Posters at public libraries
b. http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/ask
c. http://twitter.com/askpls
d. http://www.pl.sg/page/PlAskFQ/
FeaturedQuestions&_nfls=false

Terms and Conditions

This promotion is open to all library members except staff and immediate family members of NLB. The decisions made by NLB are final. NLB reserves the right to amend any of the regulations of the promotion at any time without prior notice. *Questions pertaining to directions of the library and library policies will not be considered for the promotion. Prizes will only be awarded if a minimum of 250 enquiries is received within the week across the public libraries.

Kids ASK! about Pets & Animals

It is rather hard to answer this question because there are actually a number of very poisonous spiders in the world, all of which have caused human deaths- the most famous being the female Black Widow Spider (Lactrodectus mactans) of North America. The venom of a black widow spider is said to be 15 times more poisonous than a rattlesnake.

But actually the correct word to use here is not “poisonous”, but “venomous”, as spiders inject venom into their prey.

An Internet search shows that the most venomous spider in the world is the Brazilian wandering spider, also known under its Latin name Phoneutria nigriventer. The venom from the Brazilian wandering spider is so toxic, that 0.006 mg. of its venom kills a mouse.

For a picture of this spider you can visit this website: http://venomous-spiders.nanders.dk/mostpoisonous.htm

The brown recluse spiders are also considered as one of the world’s most deadly. A bite from it will cause your flesh to rot and die.
Source: Littlefield, A., & Littlefield, J. (2007). The 10 grossest bugs. New York: Franklin Watts.

For more information, here are some recommended library books on spiders:

Freaky facts about spiders by Christine Morley ; illustrated by Phillip Morrison.
Publisher: Minnetonka, Minn. : Two-Can, 2007
Summary: “Introduces a variety of arachnids and the amazing ways they live, hunt, breed, and defend themselves.”
Call No.: J 595.4 MOR

Venom by Marilyn Singer
Publisher: Plain City, OH : Darby Creek Pub., c2007
Summary: Learn about venom and the animals that produce it and use it to survive, including spiders, insects, snakes and other reptiles, frogs and toads, fish, and ocean invertebrates.
Call No.: J 592.16 SIN

Spider biters by Therese Shea
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : PowerKids Press, 2007
Series Title: Big bad biters
Summary: Examines some of the coolest spiders in nature.
Call No.: J 595.4 SHE

Black widow spiders by Jason Cooper.
Publisher: Vero Beach, Fla. : Rourke Pub., c2006.
Series Title: Spiders discovery library
Call No.: J 595.4 COO

Spiders by Marc Zabludoff
Publisher: New York : Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006
Series Title: AnimalWays
Call No.: J 595.4 ZAB

You can also visit these websites for more information on venomous spiders:

1) http://arachnophiliac.info/burrow/
most_venomous_spider.htm
2) http://www.arachnology.be/Arachnology.html
3) http://www.essortment.com/
all/poisonousspider_rlpt.htm

All websites were last accessed on 9 October 2008. Please check the websites’ homepages for the terms and conditions of use. All book summaries were taken from the book descriptions. All images were extracted from www.amazon.com.

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Answered by Ms Goh Mei Ming
Children’s Librarian
Children’s Services

Posted by Ms Elizabeth Lee
Children’s Librarian
Children’s Services

Found this post interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Kids ASK! about Anything & Everything

“The time required for the Earth to travel once around the Sun is about 365 1/4 days. This fractional number makes necessary the periodic intercalation of days in any calendar that is to be kept in step with the seasons. In the Gregorian calendar a common year contains 365 days, and every fourth year (with a few exceptions) is a leap year of 366 days.”

Source: “year.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition. 9 October 2008 .

For more information, here are some recommended library books on calendars and time:

All about the months by Joanne Randolph
Publisher: New York : PowerKids Press, 2008
Call No.: J P 529 RAN

Time to learn about weeks & months by Pam Scheunemann
Publisher: Edina, MN : ABDO Pub., c2008
Call No.: J P 529 SCH

At school : telling time by the half hour by Alice Proctor
Publisher: Pleasantville, N.Y. : Weekly Reader, 2008, c2007
Call No.: J P 529 PRO

Telling time with puppies and kittens by Patricia J. Murphy
Publisher: Berkeley Heights, NJ : Enslow Publishers, 2008
Summary: What time is it? People ask this question many times every day and now you will be able to answer them! Learn how to look at analog and digital clocks and make sense of them. What do the different hands on the clock mean? What is the difference between A.M. and P.M.? Includes puppy and kitten photos throughout the book.
Call No.: J P 529 MUR

You can also visit these websites for more information on calendars and leap years:

1) “There are 365. 2422 days in a solar year — 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds.”

“Ours is a solar calendar in which a year is the time required for the earth to complete its annual orbit around the sun. A day is the time required — 24 hours — for the earth to make one complete revolution on its axis. The necessity for leap years stem from the fact that there are almost 365-1/4 days in a year. Consequently the common years have 365 days but every fourth one which is exactly divisible by 4, such as 1964, is a leap year with 366 days including 29 in February instead of 28.”
Source: Newton BBS (n.d.).Leap Year. Website: www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/700-799/nb745.htm, last accessed 9 October 2008.
Homepage: http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/

2) “The principal astronomical cycles are the day (based on the rotation of the Earth on its axis), the year (based on the revolution of the Earth around the Sun), and the month (based on the revolution of the Moon around the Earth).”
Source: L. E. Doggett. (n.d.). Calendars. Website: http://astro.nmsu.edu/~lhuber/leaphist.html, last accessed 9 October 2008.
Homepage: http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/dept/xhtml/frontpage.top.shtml

All websites were last accessed on 9 October 2008. Please check the websites’ homepages for the terms and conditions of use. All book summaries were taken from the book descriptions. All images were extracted from www.amazon.com.

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Answered by Ms Chew Siew San
Children’s Librarian
Children’s Services

Posted by Ms Elizabeth Lee
Children’s Librarian
Children’s Services

Found this post interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Kids ASK! about Pets & Animals

Yes they do! Though not exactly the kind you see in the picture on the left.

Frogs have teeth only in the upper jaw. These are called maxillary teeth and are used to hold their prey before swallowing. Tadpoles have teeth too! They are made of keratin, the same property that makes fingernails, horns and hair!

Strangely enough, toads do not have teeth.

References:
- Tyler, Michael. (2004). It’s true! Frogs are cannibals. East Melbourne : Allen & Unwin.
- All About Frogs

Curious to read more about frogs? Here are some recommended resources:

Books:

Face to face with frogs by Mark W. Moffett.
Publisher : Washington, D.C. : National Geographic, c2008.
Call No. : J 597.8 MOF

Frogs! by the editors of Time for kids with Kathryn Hoffman Satterfield.
Publisher : New York, NY : HarperCollinsPublishers, c2006.
Call No. : JP 597.8 FRO

Frogs, toads & salamanders by Chris McNab.
Publisher : Milwaukee, WI : Gareth Stevens Pub., 2006.
Call No. : J 597.8 MAC

How do frogs swallow with their eyes? : questions and answers about amphibians by Melvin and Gilda Berger
Publisher : New York : Scholastic Reference, c2002.
Call No. : J 597.8 BER

Website:
Mouth of a frog

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

All websites were last accessed on 8 October 2008. Please check the websites’ homepages for the terms and conditions of use. All images were extracted from www.amazon.com or www.bn.com.

Posted by Galvin Soh
Librarian
Children’s Services

Found this post interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email it to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

ASK! about Special Needs and Disabilities

There are many stories evolving around the concept of an unsound mind, and touches on issues like suicide, depression and schizophrenia. Mental illness is a very broad classification. Below are some stories on depression and schizophrenia:

Lisa, bright and dark: a novel by John Neufeld
Call No.: Y NEU
Lisa Shilling, a sixteen-year-old girl, is rapidly descending into madness, but nobody is helping, except her friends, whose pleas are drowned by the adults. On days when she feels bright, Lisa is friendly; on her dark days, she is violent, erratic, and a danger to herself and others. Once, she hid under a teacher’s desk and pricked her wrists repeatedly causing them to bleed. During an outdoor barbeque, she tried to burn another girl. Lisa herself knew that she was gong mad, and had tried to get attention by jumping through a glass wall, but her attempts were rebuffed by her parents as merely extreme behaviour and unhealthy influence from her peers.

Rabble Starkey by Lois Lowry
Call No.: J LOW
Parable Ann (Rabble) Starkey’s mother is the Bigelow’s housekeeper, and she is also good friends with the Bigelow daughter, Veronica. One day, when Rabble and Veronica took the latter’s brother out for play, they were disturbed by the town bully and chased after him, leaving the boy alone. They heard screams, turned back and found Mrs Bigelow half trying to drown him, half trying the breast feed him. News that Mrs Bigelow is mentally unsound spreads through town and she is sent to the local mental hospital. Veronica feels ashamed, and thinks about erasing her mother from her memory. Despite the incident, or perhaps because of it, things became better for the Starkey and Bigelows. The Starkeys moved in with the Bigelows, and Rabble’s mother was given sponsorship to study. Treatment leads to Mrs Bigelow recovery and she can finally return home. This is both good and bad news for Rabble, for they must move out when Mrs Bigelow returns. Thankfully however, her mother, with her education, can now better provide for them and find their own home.

The meaning of Consuelo by Judith Ortiz Cofer
Call No.: Y ORT
A story about a girl growing up in a San Juan suburb during a time of major American influence. Her name was Consuelo, meaning ‘consolation’. As elder sister, she cared for Millagros, who was prettier, and whose name stood for ‘miracle’. The conflict of tradition versus reform opens the story, where a transvestite is accepted in the community only within severely restricted boundaries, or when he is useful. The girls are reprimanded when by chance, they come into contact with him. As Consuelo transcends into womanhood, she lives with this conflict, witnessing her parents’ battle of ideas, her father’s infidelity, her gay cousin’s escape to New York, and her own experience with relationship. She survives these trials of life, but she loses Millagros to schizophrenia, though she continues looking after her.

For more suggestions, try this resource list, jointly produced by NLB and Silver Ribbon (Singapore):
World Mental Health Day 10 Oct

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.