Book Buzz April, 2014

Paperboy by Vince Vawter
This is a great story about a young boy with a stuttering problem. He is very self-conscious about his speech so he doesn’t speak to many people. He spends most of his time with Mam, the woman that cooks and keeps an eye on him at home. His best friend, Rat, is leaving for a month over the summer, so he takes over Rat’s paper route while he is away. He usually sticks near home and this pushes him past his comfort level and makes for a very interesting summer.  Paperboy is deserving of the Newbery Honor that it received in January. Kristin (J Fiction)

Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka

and Mac Barnett

When Alex's Gran Gran sends him the vapidly sweet Birthday Bunny book for his birthday, Alex must take matters and his no. 2 pencil into his own hands and turn that awful book into something he wants to read.  The result is Battle Bunny. Made to look like Alex's "edited" book, Battle Bunny tells the story of an evil bunny bent on world domination and Agent Alex, the one hero who can stop him. Featuring rockets, bombs and lots of explosions Battle Bunny will appeal to (and possibly even inspire) elementary age kids.  Parents, you might want to hide the Golden Books!
Alia (J Fiction)

Runt by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Elizabeth Moon doesn't quite fit in, but who does in middle school? She basically lives among the dogs who her mother boards, including a Saint Bernard named Sadie--who turns out to be a bit of a bully. But Sadie's not the only bully Elizabeth faces: at school, Zoe and Maggie are calling the shots. This book compares the animal kingdom to middle school by way of short chapters with a variety of narrators and voices. It doesn't sugarcoat the harsh realities of (cyber) bullying, and might be familiar to anyone in middle school (or anyone who's been there). This fast-paced but heartfelt read is best for kids grades 5 and up.
Cassie (J Fiction)