Book Buzz June 2012

The Fairy Ring, Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World by Mary Losure

It started off innocently enough.  Elsie and her cousin Frances painted paper fairies and took photographs of them "dancing" around Frances to make the grown-ups stop teasing. They never dreamed that their trick would spin so far out of control!  Their parents show other grown-ups the photos and once their pictures are seen outside the family, they bring a flood of interest from people who want to believe in fairies, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes.  The girls never wanted to lie, but how can you tell the truth when you’ve duped the whole world! Check out this fascinating true story.

Alia (J Non-Fiction)

Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth

by Jane O’Connor

In the first chapter book with one of our favorite characters Fancy Nancy, Jane O’Connor introduces us to a whole new Nancy.  Nancy is now all about being a detective.  She wishes that her boring town would be a bit more dramatic and wants a crime to solve.  Ask and you shall receive!  When a precious item goes missing in Nancy’s classroom, Nancy and Bree are ready to take the case.  Will they be able to figure out who is to blame? Jacquie (J Fiction)

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

August (Auggie to his friends) Pullman is the star of this book.  He is a very normal kid in all respects except he was born with several severe facial abnormalities that makes him look unlike people we see every day.  Auggie has an incredibly strong character and is a great kid. The book starts prior to his fifth grade year when he is starting school for the first time. He has been homeschooled by his mom and he will now attend a private middle school in Manhattan.  The book is told from several different characters’ perspectives and is a book about strength of character and friendship. It is a fabulous book! Kristin (J Fiction)

Seer of Shadows by Avi

 As a photographer’s apprentice, Horace Carpetine is excited to learn the trade.  When his master, Middleditch, gets caught up in a photography hoax Horace is not so enthusiastic.  The duo has been hired to take portraits of a grieving mother who has recently lost her daughter and Middleditch is determined to use some trick photography to insert a ghostly image in the photos.  Thanks to a tip from a servant girl, Horace is beginning to suspect that this woman is not the grieving mother she is presenting herself as. When Horace (who does NOT believe in ghost) starts to see real ghosts in the portraits he gets really worried. He’s determined to find out what’s going on.

Meghan (J Fiction)

Get Ready For Summer Reading!

A Free Comic Book App...

If you've ever found yourself in our Popular Characters section looking for any superhero books you can get your hands on, you know how insanely popular superheros are among young kids. In fact, it's rare they even make it onto the shelf. So if you have an iPad you may want to download Iron Man Mark VII. This free iPad movie tie-in app is not getting any rave literary reviews but will certainly enteratin kids who can't get enough of superheros!  And it will tide them over until your library holds arrive!

Apps for Tots

We're entering summer and that means it's prime vacation time. Sometimes apps can be just what you need to entertain or distract a small child while traveling.  Check out these apps for kids recommended over at Apartment Therapy and these recommended by their readers.

We are always eager to hear about great apps for kids that we can recommend to out patrons. Let us know if you have an app that your youngster loves!

And don't forget, you can download e-book picture books and audio books through the library for free!

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners:

Clickety Clack written by Rob and Amy Spence and illustrated by Margaret Spengler
Say What? written by Angela DiTerlizzi and illustrated by Joey Chou
The Loud Book written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Renata Liwska



Story Time:

A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea written by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Pigs to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Bumble-ardy by Maurice Sendak

Purplicious Party Pictures

Here are a few shots from our AWESOME Purplicious Party.  We had a purple-tastic time!

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners:

Growing Vegetable Soup written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Feast for 10 written and illustrated by Cathryn Falwell
How do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Mark Teague







Story Time:

Dog's Noisy Day by Emma Dodd
Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Too Loud Lily by Sofie Laguna

Mother's Day Love

What better way to celebrate Mother's Day than cuddling up together to read a book about moms. Here are some books featuring moms of all kinds, silly and serious, human and animal.  Stop by and pick one up today!

My Mom
by Anthony Browne
P BRO

The Runaway Bunny
by Maragret Wise Brown
P BRO

Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?
by Eric Carle
P CAR

My Mommy Hung the Moon
by Jamie Lee Curtis
P CUR



One Magical Morning
by Claire Freedman
P FRE





Is Your Mama a Llama
by Deborah Guarino
P GUA






My Mommy is Magic
by Carl Norac
P NOR

Bedtime for Mommy
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
P ROS

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners:

My Two Hands, My Two Feet written by Rick Walton and illustrated by Julia Gorton
Silly Sally written and illustrated by Audrey Wood
Piggies written by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Don Wood




Story Time:

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Silly Sally written and illustrated by Audrey Wood
Piggies written by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Don Wood

Book Buzz May 2012

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

Liesl has been locked in a tiny attic by her stepmother following her father's death. Po, a ghost, visits Liesl in the attic and helps arrange her escape. The same night, Will, an alchemist's apprentice, has also escaped his grueling life after accidentally switching a box of magic with a box of ashes. This mistake brings all three together on an adventure where they are simultaneously on a mission to both bring peace to Liesl's father as well as escape their evil caregivers.  This fast paced book will please all those who enjoy stories about friendship and adventures. Lindsey (J Fiction)

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

Wahoo helps his dad, Mickey, wrangle animals in their backyard- animals like alligators and snakes. You might think this is exciting enough, but things really get interesting when Wahoo and Mickey are hired to help out during the filming of an episode of the ‘reality’ show Expedition Survival. The show’s star survivalist, Derek Badger, turns out to be a total fake who arrives by helicopter each morning and heads to his hotel suite each night. It isn’t long before Mr. Badger gets himself lost in the Everglades and hilarity and adventure ensue. Wahoo’s friend Tuna, on the run from her no-good father who’s given her a black eye, is along for the ride. This is Hiaasen at his best- a fast-paced, packed plot with superbly drawn characters. Meghan (J Fiction)

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger

Get ready for one wild tale from the author of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Darth Paper Strikes Back! This is the story of how nerdy kid Lenny Flem Jr. saves the world from his evil genius best-friend, Caspar.  It starts when Caspar purchases a fake mustache with evil powers.  Suddenly the only thing standing between Caspar and world domination is Lenny and washed up teen idol, Jodie O'Rodeo.  Will they be able to stop Caspar before it’s too late? This is a rollicking adventure story that will leave you laughing out loud. Parents and kids might even want to read it together! Alia (J Fiction)

King of the Mound: My Summer with Satchel Paige by Wes Tooke

We meet Nick as he is getting ready to leave the hospital after a year long stay recovering from polio.  His father picks him up and calls him a cripple because he must wear a brace and is walking with a limp. He doesn't have a great relationship with his father, but they do share a love of baseball. Nick’s dad plays baseball and Nick spends his time working for the owner at the ballpark.  While at work, he gets to meet and spend some time with legendary pitcher Satchel Paige.  This is a summer that Nick learns a lot and a summer he will never forget. 

Kristin  (J Fiction)

Water Balloon by Audrey Vernick

Picture book author Audrey Vernick, enters the world of juvenile fiction with her first hit, Water Balloon.  This sweet coming of age story is about a young girl, Marley, and how her world is changing all around her.  Marley’s parents are separated, so she is split between two houses.  Marley is unaware as to how much the separation has changed her, until her friends unkindly point it out.  Marley does a lot of self -reflection in this story in order to move on.  Jacquie (J Fiction)