Integrated Advisory

I had been calling these "multi-type advisory," but the September/October 2011 issue of Public Libraries has an article called "Getting Lost: Books, Television, and Integrated Advisory" by Andrea Lau (p.36) and I think "integrated advisory" is a much better term for this idea.  Thank you, Ms. Lau: integrated advisory it shall be henceforth!

Here's another installment.

Measure of the Earth: The Enlightenment Expedition That Reshaped Our World
By Larrie D. Ferreiro


In the 1730s, a group of scientists from France and Spain decided that they needed to measure the earth. Knowing its shape would help them navigate the oceans and map new places, giving them military and economic power. They went to Peru, a Spanish-owned country at the Equator, and literally measured a degree of latitude. This book, though non-fiction and based on real history and science, reads like an adventure novel. The scientists have weather, mountains, suspicious native people, and plenty of other hostilities to deal with in their quest. This is an exciting book about an important time in history, when Europeans learned more about South America and scientists made great strides in understanding our world.
(Review published on PDL's Staff Choices blog)

A Watery Grave: A Mystery
By Joan Druett

This story takes place about a hundred years after Measure of the Earth, but the plots have a lot in common.  This is a mystery novel about a scientific expedition of map makers, astronomers, and other scientists who are trying to sail around the world.  A Maori-American man is taken with them to help translate to the people they encounter along the way, but is accused of a murder he didn't commit.

 Maphead
By Ken Jennings

Yup - that Ken Jennings.  He's moved on from Jeopardy and trivia and wrote a great book about the history of map making.

The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down
By Colin Woodard

Ok, this might be a stretch.  Pirates were still common in the 18th century, so they were a real threat to the sailors in Measuring the Earth. I'll take any excuse to suggest a book about pirates, though.

The Bells of St. Genevieve and Other Baroque Delights

Measuring the Earth takes place during what is now considered the Baroque period.  This classical music CD highlights some of the great Baroque composers, like J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, and Pachelbel.

The Shape of the World

This is a riveting documentary on the history of how the world was mapped. It's narrated by Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame, which is just a bonus!