To support you in constructing your search, here are some general rules. You are not limited to these rules but they may help you find titles that interest you more quickly.

Genre: A book's genre is indicated in both NoveList's subject headings and in reviews. You should consider using a genre heading as part of your search. f you have a patron who loves "legal thrillers," you can use this subgenre to search in NoveList. If you are teaching the concept of genre to a fifth grade class, you can search for "science fiction" or "fantasy" titles to use as examples. For additional ideas about genres in NoveList, browse through the Explore Fiction section of NoveList or view the subject headings of a title that you or your readers enjoy. (top)

Character: Being able to identify a book's characters is a standard language arts skill. Use NoveList to help students grasp this fundamental concept. Likewise, readers in your library may be driven by character when they select a book to read. Locate titles about characters of interest (Latinos, cowboys, girls, police) or favorite characters (Cam Jansen, Arthur, Berenstain Bears, Stephanie Plum). Information about a book's characters is contained in NoveList's subject headings and in reviews. You can find books that contain characters that interest you by using a character's name, occupation, age, nationality or ethnicity. (top)

Setting: Stories can add another dimension to our understanding of a different country or culture. You can enter a country, a state or province, or a city as search criteria. All of these are contained in subject headings and reviews. For example, a reader who enjoys adventure stories and has always wanted to travel to France could find books that would take her there by entering: "adventure stories france". (top)

Time: Stories can add a personal perspective on a time period or historical event and allow young readers to more effectively experience what it was like to live during that period or event. Readers who enjoy reading about the days of yore can find books they will enjoy by entering a time period (medieval period), a century (16th century or sixteenth century), or a historical event (world war II).

NOTE: When searching books set in the past, you might construct your search by using a country and the word "history". For example, entering "France history" will retrieve books that deal with all of that country's historical periods. You can then narrow your search by focusing on a particular century or event: "France history revolution" (for novels that take place during the French revolution). (top)

Subject/theme/topic: Frequently, a reader wants to find more books about a certain topic. In addition, helping students and teachers find stories that relate to an instructional unit can be a challenge. NoveList's subject headings can help you find fiction titles that enhance a particular unit of study. Topics covered in NoveList's subject headings and reviews include relationships, sports, life events, or almost anything you can name from everyday life. Examples of headings that involve relationships in NoveList include: mother daughter relationships, brothers, girls and horses. Science fiction fans could enter space travel, alien invasion, nanotechnology. (top)

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