The Hundred-Year-Old Secret
by Tracy Barrett
Grades 4-7
(J CD Barrett)
|
Mary Beth-
Xena and Xander Holmes have just moved from Florida to London where they discover they are related to Sherlock Holmes. They inherit Sherlock’s casebook of unsolved crimes. They set out to solve a crime involving a painting that vanished 100 years ago. Have the two inherited the ability to solve crimes as well? This is the start of a new series: The Sherlock Files. |
Whirligig
by Paul Fleischman Grades 7 & up
(J Fleischman) |
Miss Cathy-
In this intricately structured novel, we follow sixteen-year-old Brent as he travels to the four corners of the Unites States in an attempt to atone for a tragic accident. His unusual mission is to make and install whirligigs in memory of a lovely teenage girl killed by his reckless behavior. Brent’s bus journey parallels his internal growth as he moves from isolated status-seeker to a young man who sees the world with a renewed sense of possibility. Along the way, the author interconnects short stories detailing the impact the artwork has on several very different observers. |
Water Boy
by
David McPhail
PreK to Grade 3
(JJ McPhail) |
Miss Cathy-
A young boy’s initial fears and then gradual fascination with water is detailed in both real and magical experiences. Fantasy combined with environmental awareness give the book a sense of purpose. McPhail’s imaginative illustrations are luminous and convey a tone of beauty and respect for this essential resource. |
Balls!
by Michael J. Rosen
(J 796.3 Rosen) |
Mary Beth-
This book contains lots of history and fun facts about the balls used in many of the sports we all play today. For instance, did you know there are 31,029 bumps or pebbles on a basketball? Why is a football called a pigskin? During the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament 70,000 tennis balls are used? The book is filled with science, sports trivia and great pictures. |
Eager
by Helen Fox
Grades 4-7 (J Fox) |
Miss Cathy-
Fast forward to the end of the 21st century, where robots serve you and technological wonders abound. Yet the gulf between the elite technocrats and the rest of the society is vast, and an oil shortage defines lifestyle. In this unsettled universe, the middle-class Bell family takes on a new robot to replace Grumps, their older model. EGR-3--Eager--is delightfully curious, programmed to discover the world as a child might. Eager bonds with adolescent Gavin and Fleur in an exciting adventure to investigate a frightening new breed of robots. Fox raises questions of humanity and the dangers of technology in this poignant, yet often humorous novel. |
How Underwear Got Under There: A Brief History
by Kathy Shaskan
Ages 7-10
(J 391.42 Shaskan) |
Mary Beth-
You know you want to know! This book has lots of entertaining tidbits about our most intimate apparel. Do you know after whom the long johns were named? Who wore undershirts made from bird skins to keep warm? What was considered the proper age to being wearing a corset? Imagine a time when your underwear was never washed and was worn until it disintegrated! History has never been so “revealing”! |
| When Zachary Beaver Came to Townby Kimberly Willis Holt Grades 5-9 (J Holt ) |
Miss Cathy-
Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary elevates this quirky, heartfelt novel. Toby Wilson is a sensitive thirteen-year old boy growing up in tiny Antler, Texas. It’s the summer of 1971: Cal’s brother is serving in Vietnam and Toby’s mom is off to Nashville to pursuer her country–singer dream. As Cal and Toby are clearly feeling the town’s limits, the outside world crashes in the person of teenager Zachary Beaver, self-proclaimed fattest man in the world. Initially the boys, along with the rest of town, come to Zachary’s trailer to gawk. But when the stranger’s guardian disappears, Toby, Cal and Zachary embark on an unlikely road to redemption for all three of them. |
The Abduction (Kidnapped Series #1)
by Gordon Korman Grades 4-6
(J Korman) |
Mary Beth-
The first in a new trilogy by Korman continues the story of Aiden and Meg from the On the Run Series. They are attempting to adjust to a normal life again when Meg is kidnapped. The many twists and turns and cliff-hangers in the book make it a real page turner and of course, you will need to read the next two to see what happens! |
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple
by Karen Cushman Grades 5-8
(J Cushman)
|
Miss Cathy-
This is a lively and detailed coming-of-age story that recounts what life was like for women and children in Gold Rush mining towns. Twelve-year-old California Morning is displaced and homesick for Massachusetts after her mother moves the family to California in 1849. Cushman is a master at establishing the difficult relationship between book-loving Lucy---who rebels by renaming herself Lucy-- and her strong, adventurous mother. The small details of the challenges of running a boardinghouse in rough-and-tumble Lucky Diggins and authentic characters make this an exciting glimpse into a lesser-known time in our history. |
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
by Jack Gantos
Ages 9-11 (J Gantos) |
Mary Beth-
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key gives the reader an eye opening view into the life of a boy ADHD. Joey’s meds aren’t working and he cannot control his moods or his actions. Life presents some serious challenges for Joey, but with the right help in the form of teachers, counselors, medication and his mother (and a lot of hard work by Joey) there is light at the end of the tunnel. |
Out of the Ballpark
by Alex Rodriguez Ages 4-9
(JJ Rodriguez) |
Mary Beth-
Before Alex Rodriguez became a baseball superstar he was a young boy with a passion for the game. This book tells the story of this young boy who makes mistake after mistake out on the field playing the game he loves. He never gives up and just works harder and harder. How can you go wrong with a book with the message, "No matter what your dreams and goals, you can never go wrong if you give them all you've got." |
Understood Betsy
by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Ages 7-12 (J Fisher)
|
Miss Cathy-
This classic novel chronicles the tenth year of Elizabeth Ann, an orphan so overprotected by her city aunts that she has no sense of herself. When her aunt’s illness forces her to live on her country cousins’ Vermont farm, her transformation begins. Elizabeth Ann is expected to do chores, yet with responsibility comes an awakening independence. She makes her breakfast, takes the horse’s reins, and romps with the animals. Fragile Elizabeth Ann becomes robust and happy Betsy, connected to her new family and the world around her. This is universal story of growing and change that children have enjoyed for generations. |
Tiger of the Snows: Tenzing Norgay: The boy whose dream was Everest
by Robert Burleigh and Ed Young
Ages 7-10
(J B Tenzing Norgay) |
Mary Beth-
Tenzing Norgay lived his life in the shadow of Mt. Everest and had always dreamed of scaling its peak. On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary became the first climbers to ever reach the peak of Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Hillary's name became well know, while Norgay's was mostly forgotten. This hauntingly beautiful book is a tribute to this man, one of the Far East's greatest heroes. |
To the Top of Everest
by Laurie Skreslet
Ages 10 and up
(J 796.522) |
Mary Beth-
On October 5, 1982, Laurie Skreslet became the 131st person to reach the summit of Everest. This book does a great job of explaining the planning an execution of such an expedition. The photos are terrific and really help illustrate the peril and rewards of such an undertaking. (NB: Teams are assembling at Base Camp right now (beginning of April) for their summit bids some 6 weeks from now - follow along on your favorite Mt. Everest 2007 website!) |
Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and other Poems
by Jack Prelutsky
Ages 5 & up
(J 811 Prelutsky) |
Mary Beth-
Animals and everyday objects are crossed in the clever book of verse by Jack Prelutsky, our nations first Children’s Poet Laureate. The wordplay is fun and the mixed-media images create great visuals. This must be read aloud! My favorites are: The Ballpoint Penguins, Here Comes a Panthermometer and The Clocktopus. Be sure to tell me what your favorites are! |
Mr. Ferlinghetti’s Poem
by David Frampton
Ages 5 & up
(JJ Frampton) |
Miss Cathy-
Stylized woodcuts exuberantly illustrate Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s poem Fortune.
The narrator recalls a hot summer day in Brooklyn when he was a child and the joy felt as firemen closed off the street and treated ‘‘a couple of us kids” or “maybe six of us” to the dancing and splashing water. Finally he admits maybe he and his friend Molly were “the only ones there.” The wonderful illustrations, with stately blue water contrasting with the earth-toned street scenes, illuminate the excitement found in a routine day. Readers will also get a whimsical glimpse of a New York City neighborhood of long ago. |
Sky Boys - How They Built the Empire State Building
by Deborah Hopkinson and James E. Ransome
Grades K-4
(J 690 Hopkinson) |
Mary Beth-
The construction of the Empire State Building in Depression Era NYC is chronicled in this beautifully illustrated and factual picture book. The title refers to those men who walked on the steel girders at ever increasing heights, "like spiders on steel, spinning their giant web in the sky." The speed with which the building was finished (102 stories in 1year and 45 days) remains a record today. |
The Shivers in the Fridge
by Fran Manushkin
Ages 4-up
(JJ Manushkin) |
Miss Cathy-
A The surreal story of the Shivers family contending with darkness, cold, and giant monsters grabbing things from their landscape is an imaginative take on the secret life of household objects. Each "earthquake" brings blinding light and yet another disappearance--Cheesy Square and Mr. Mayo, for example. One by one the family searches for a warmer place to live, but they must travel through Egg Valley and watch out for Buttery Cliff. Paul O. Zelinsky's illustrations are full of fun and laughter for young readers as they puzzle out just what happened to these refrigerator magnets. |
Bee-Bim Bop
by Linda Sue Park
Ages 4-7
(JJ Park) |
Mary Beth-
A nice introduction into the culinary culture of Korea. A young Korean girl helps her Mom purchase, prepare and serve her favorite dinner - Bee-Bim Bop which means mix-mix rice. It's all done in a nice bouncy rhyme with illustrations that convey the urgency of the refrain "Hungry in a hurry/ for some Bee-Bim Bop!" The mood is happy, the rhyme is catchy and the recipe that follows looks tasty! |
Accidents of Nature
by Harriet McBryde Johnson
Teen
(Teen Johnson) |
Miss Cathy-
A 1970s coming of age novel with a powerful twist: Seventeen-year-old Jean has cerebral palsy, but has never considered herself different. She attends regular school and has typical friends and dreams. Then she spends ten days at a summer camp for young people with disabilties and her worldview changes. Through the eyes of her searingly honest cabin mate Sara, she sees how people are labeled and the ways well-meaning "Norms" condescend to the "Crips." Sara talks frankly about the reality of her own disability, and Jean returns home to reconcile her new ideas of self-empowerment with fitting in. A revelatory look at a teenager finding her place in the world. |
How to Survive in Antarctica
by Lucy Jane Bledsoe
Ages 10-13
(J 998 Bledsoe) |
Mary Beth-
This book is fun, readable, entertaining and educational all at the same time. The author made 3 trips to the Antarctic (you will learn exactly what that word means) and recounts her experiences. Bledsoe possesses a highly developed sense of adventure, as do most of the people who work in this forbidding environment. Meet the seals and penguins, learn how to build a snow shelter and what exactly do you have to do to become a member of the 300 Club? How can there be 3 South Poles? Who were Shackleton and Amundsen? How did dinosaurs get there? All these questions and many more are answered in this enjoyable book. |
Poppy
by Avi
Ages 8-12 (J Avi) |
Miss Cathy-
Mr. Ocax the hoot owl rules Dimwood Forest by promising the deer mice protection from porcupines---as long as they obey his oppressive demands. When cautious young Poppy witnesses Ocax kill her outspoken boyfriend, she begins to questions the rules for the first time. Poppy takes the lead in challenging Ocax's authority and embarks on a quest to find a new home and food supply for the growing family of mice. This leads to a fierce one-on-one battle in this exciting adventure filled with suspense. Natural history facts and wonderful characterizations team to create a deeply visual story of courage and independent thinking. |
Luck
by Jean Craighead George
Ages 4 to 7 (JJ George) |
Mary Beth-
Luck is the name given to a young sandhill crane by the girl who rescues him from a plastic six-pack holder he has around his neck. The girl figures he will need all the luck he can get. Join Luck as he migrates with his parents from Texas all the way to Siberia where he was born. Most sandhill cranes memorize landmarks like rivers and lakes to guide them on their journey. Luck memorizes the wrong landmarks: man-made objects like motorcycles and sunglasses to learn his route. They are joined by thousands of cranes on the journey. Somehow the cranes can find their families by their own unique song. There are challenges along the way, but Luck and his new mate eventually find their way back to Texas and the girl who rescued him. Enjoy the beautiful illustrations as you learn a little about migration |
Uncle Andy's: A Faabbbulous Visit with Andy Warhol
by James Warhola
Grades 1-4 (JJ Warhola) |
Miss Cathy-
It's difficult to imagine an arts icon within the context of a family. Warhola succeeds beautifully in establishing the real connection between his father, a junkman who saw art in his finds, and his father's brother Andy, famous for pushing the limits of fine art to include everyday objects. This account of one his visits with his parents and five siblings to Warhol's four-story N.Y.C house-shown in watercolors crammed with Campbell's soup boxes, paintings in progress, and cats is filled with admiration for his uncle, the inspiration for James's own creative journey. |
Downriver
by Will Hobbs
Ages 12 and up (Teen Hobbs) |
Mary Beth-
Eight members of a wilderness survival school for rebellious teens (self-proclaimed "Hoods in the Woods") ditch their guide, "borrow" his boats and gear and head down the white water at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. They have no map and not much experience - just a great spirit of adventure. Will that be enough to get them through safely? Will the authorities catch up with them before the journey's end? |
Harriet the Spy
by Louise Fitzhugh
Grades 3-6 (J Fitzhugh) |
Miss Cathy-
The tale of Harriet M. Welsh, the extraordinary 11-year-old who wants to be a writer and practices by spying and writing her unsparing observations in her secret notebook, remains fresh forty-two years later. Encouraged by her literature-quoting nurse, Ole Golly, to be totally truthful, Harriet becomes an outcast when her classmates find her notebook. After they read her blunt comments about them, Harriet must find a way to stay true to her dream while reparing her friendships. As today's children move soon enough to blogging and online diaries, this book gives perspective on maintaining individuality while respecting others. |
Lion Boy
by Zizou Corder
Grade 4 and up
(J Corder) |
Tamara-
When Charlie, a boy who has the unique ability to speak “Cat,” comes home to an empty house, he embarks on a dangerous and exciting adventure to find his missing parents. With the help of street cats he stows away on a boat to escape from the evil teenager who kidnapped his parents. He ends up joining a floating circus traveling to Paris and befriending a pride of lions in the first book of this trilogy based in the near future. |
Wolf Brother
by Michele Paver
Ages 9-13 (J CD Paver)
Read by Ian McKellan |
Mary Beth -
Ian McKellan (Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movies) brings his considerable talents to the reading of this exciting tale. Travel back in time six thousand years and join Torak and his wolf cub as they battle an evil presence in their forest. Torak must solve the riddle of a prophecy and find 3 lost artifacts to be delivered to the Mountain of the World Spirit all while being pursued by a demon possessed bear. The action is fast paced and will keep the listener entranced. |
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Kate Di Camillo
Grades 3-6
(J Di Camillo) |
Miss Cathy -
Edward Tulane, a pampered china rabbit is dearly loved by ten-year-old Abilene. Yet he merely tolerates her affection with no feeling for her--or anything but his own fine reflection. His privileged life ends when fate lands him at the bottom of the ocean. Edward's journey through several caring owners and harrowing experiences awakens a full range of emotions. Gradually his heart opens to love--even after loss. The spare, lyrical language combines with exquisite sepia-toned drawings and color plates to tell a moving but never sentimental tale. |
Airborn
by Kenneth Oppel
Grade 6 and up
(J OPPEL) |
Tamara -
Matt, a cabin boy aboard a luxury passenger airship, rescues a dying man from a damaged hot air balloon. One year later he meets the man’s granddaughter, Kate, a wealthy young passenger on the airship. Kate is trying to confirm the existence of huge furry flying creatures that her grandfather wrote about in his diary. While looking for the “cloud cats”, Kate and Matt encounter a dangerous gang of pirates. Will they find evidence of the cloud cats, and can they save themselves and the other travelers from the pirates? |
Skellig
by David Almond
Grades 5-9 ( J Almond) |
Miss Cathy -
The real and the imagined mingle in mystical ways in this lyrical novel. Michael and his family have just moved into a new house, but now his newborn sister is very ill and his parents are overcome with worry. Then one day he discovers a frail and decrepit creature in the crumbling garage. Who--or what--is Skellig? Sharing his discovery with his new friend Mina, they begin to care for Skellig together, with profound results. We are left with unanswered questions as Michael begins to see beneath the surface of his everyday existence. This haunting work is Almond's debut novel for children.
|
Mister Monday
by Garth Nix
Gr. 5-8 (J Nix) |
Tamara -
Arthur Penhaligon is an unremarkable boy with an ordinary life. Then, on the first day of seventh grade, he has an asthma attack and a mysterious figure gives him the minute hand to a clock. When evil dog-faced Fetchers try to recover the clock hand, Arthur discovers that it is a key to the Kingdom, a parallel world that can be accessed through a strange house that seems invisible to everyone else. When his town is overcome by a bizarre sleeping illness, Arthur must enter the kingdom and battle the sinister Mister Monday to stop the plague. This dark fantasy is the first book in the Keys to the Kingdom series, and its exciting pace will leave you breathless and eager for Arthur’s next adventure. |
Dragon Rider
by Cornelia Funke
Audio Book: Listening Age 8 and up
(J CD Funke) |
Mary Beth -
This is the perfect summer family car trip book that will appeal to all ages. Join Firedrake the young dragon, Sorrel his sidekick, and Ben (an actual boy) in their quest to find the mythical Rim of Heaven where the dragons can live in peace. There is, of course, a villain who wants to finish off all the dragons. Nettlebrand is relentless in his pursuit of the dragon and his pals. Brendan Fraser does a delightful job of bringing the cast of characters to life with a full complement of voices and accents. His reading makes this a most enjoyable selection! |
Horse Tales
Collected by
June Crebbin
Grades 4-8 (J Horses) |
Miss Cathy -
Take the reins and ride through this beautifully illustrated collection of fourteen horse tales. The reader will journey from ancient Greece, France in the Middle Ages, fourteenth-century Mongolia and also sample traditional Native American and Russian tales. There are stories of difficult horses, horses in danger and dream horses. Excerpts from the novels Misty of Chincoteague, Black Beauty, and I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade may inspire readers to search out the longer works. Crebbin provides a brief introduction to each story. An illuminating look at the remarkable interactions of horses and people. |
The Library Dragon
by Carmen Agra Deedy Grades 1-4 (JJ Deedy) |
Tamara -
With a real dragon for a librarian, the well-guarded books at Sunrise Elementary School stay in perfect condition and in their correct places on the shelves. Although this tidiness sounds like a librarian’s dream-come-true, it isn’t any fun for the children when they aren’t allowed to touch the books!! In this humorous picture book filled with puns and visual jokes, the library dragon learns that books are meant to be read or listened to and most of all, enjoyed. |
Deliver us from Normal
by Kate Klise
Grades 6-9 (J CD Klise) Audio book |
Mary Beth -
When you are eleven, all you want is to fit in and be normal. For Charles Harrisong of Normal, IL, life is anything but normal. His family is too big, too poor and just too embarrassing to be seen with. Life takes a turn for the family and they pack up in the middle of the night for life on a houseboat. The story is occasionally laugh out loud funny, yet ultimately satisfying as Charles learns to appreciate his family. |
Henry Works
by D.B. Johnson
Grades K-3 (JJ Johnson) |
Miss Cathy -
In this fourth picture book tribute to Henry David Thoreau, Henry--portrayed as a bear--is walking to work. He waters wildflowers, marks a path across a pond, and brings the news of coming storms to his neighbors. But what is Henry's work? It's writing a book. The multifaceted geometric illustrations beautifullly convey Henry's total immersion in nature. Children will enjoy that his walk, writing, and work are all of one piece. Biographical notes illuminate Thoreau's life, making this book appropriate for older children also. |
No Small Thing
by Natalie Ghent
Grades 5-8
(J Ghent) |
Miss Cathy -
“Pony to Give Away to Good Home”
A twist of fate begins this exploration of the realities and responsibilities of caring for a horse — and for the people we love.
In this novel set in Canada in 1977, the stallion Smokey brings joy to a difficult family situation for 12-year-old Nathaniel and his sisters Cid, 14, and Queenie, 8. Their father deserted the family four years earlier, leaving their mother overwhelmed by financial hardship and emotional loss. Nathaniel and his sisters are thus left to their own devices much of the time. While their happiness in having such a beautiful pony is threatened by a barn fire and money concerns, the relationships between Nathaniel and his family are at the center of the story. The novel shines in its portrayal of a complex protagonist who makes choices that accept life’s losses and gains with love and courage. An satisfying story of a boy’s search for identity. |
Al Capone Does My Shirts
by Gennifer Choldenko
Grades 4-8 |
Miss Cathy -
In this richly realized novel, 12-year-old Moose Flanagan must leave his friends behind and move to Alcatraz Island so his father can work as a guard and his sister Natalie--hopefully--can attend a special school. The family dynamics of dealing with Natalie, who has what we would now call autism, are true and nuanced. Moose's own coming of age dilemmas--living on a fortress island with some of the country's most notorious criminals, having to care for his sister, and learning to deal with classmate Piper, the warden's trouble-making, yet fascinating daughter are heartfelt and compelling. Includes historical note on what it was like to grow up on Alcatraz. A worthy companion to Westport Reads' The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. |
