Book Buzz January, 2015

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

Three weeks. Two sisters. One van. This is not going to be a fun trip! Raina has never had the best relationship with her cranky little sister Amara but now she's stuck on a road trip with her family from San Francisco to a reunion in Colorado. She has her Walkman to help tune out Amara and her baby brother, but will they figure out how to get along when the batteries wear out? This companion to Smile is a great Graphic Novel for anyone who has ever been driven crazy by their family! Alia (Y Graphic Fiction)

The Great American Dust Bowl written and illustrated by Don Brown
This nonfiction graphic novel depicts the causes of the Dust Bowl that took place in the American Midwest during the 1930s, or the Dirty Thirties as it would come to be known. The devastating effect upon the land and the people who lived there are conveyed by the stark illustrations. This graphic novel proves that a picture can often convey more than words. The catastrophic results of people interfering with nature are quite obvious but The Great American Dust Bowl avoids becoming preachy. The novel is a good read at any time, but it may be especially illuminating to children who are studying the environment. Candace (JNF Graphic 978.022) 

Fly Away by Patricia MacLachlan
Fly Away is another great story from Patricia MacLachlan. Lucy and her family are taking a car trip to visit their Aunt Frankie and help her at the farm as they prepare for a potential flood. This is a sweet story about Lucy, a young girl trying to find her special place in her family. All her family likes to sing, but Lucy can't. Instead, she likes poetry. She has a special relationship with her baby brother who doesn't talk yet. This is a nice story for early chapter book readers. Kristin (J Fiction)

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners and Storytime:

Time To Sleep written and illustrated by Denise Fleming

Bear Snores On written by Karma Wilson 

and illustrated by Jane Chapman

 

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? 

written by Bill Martin Jr. and illustrated by Eric Carle

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners and StoryTime:

Froggy Gets Dressed written by Jonathan London 

and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

One Mitten written by Kristine O'Connell George 

and illustrated by Maggie Smith

Little Owl's Orange Scarf written and illustrated by Tatyana Feeney

Book Buzz December, 2014

West of the Moon by Margi Preus

Astri, a young Norwegian girl, is devastated when her aunt sells her to a cruel goat farmer, separating her from her beloved younger sister. But Astri has more grit and determination that anyone knows.  Defiant against her fate, Astri escapes, retrieves her little sister, and, armed with a troll treasure, a book of spells and curses, and a possibly magic hairbrush, they set off to find their father in America. Adding another layer to the story, this blend of historical fiction and folklore was inspired by a passage from the author’s great-great-grandmother’s diary. Recommended for middle grade readers looking for a moving story of sisterly love in the frozen north. 

Alia (J Fiction)

The Greenglass House  by Kate Milford

Milo lives with his mom and dad at the top of a mountain in Greenglass House, which is an inn. The inn overlooks the river Skidwrack which is famous for pirates. It is almost Christmas and Milo and his parents are excited to have some quiet time without guests. Before they know it, the inn is full of unusual and eccentric guests. Things start disappearing and more guests show up. Milo and his friend Meddy are trying to figure exactly why they have all shown up at the same time and what they are after.  Kristin (J Fiction)

This Week @ Story Time

What we read in Little Listeners and Story Time:

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie written by Alison Jackson 

and illustrated by Judith Byron Schachner

10 Fat Turkeys written by Tony Johnston 

and illustrated by Rich Deas

Thanks for Thanksgiving written by Julie Markes
and illustrated by Doris Barrette

This Week @ Story Time

What we read in Little Listeners and Story Time:

The Croaky Pokey! written and illustrated by Ethan Long

A Frog in the Bog written by Karma Wilson
and illustrated by Joan Rankin

Big Frog Can't Fit In written and illustrated by Mo Willems

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Night Owls:

Frank Was A Monster Who Wanted to Dance 

written and illustrated by Keith Graves


Jeremy Draws a Monster written and illustrated by Peter McCarty



Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Kelly Murphy

Little Listeners:
In addition to Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance, we read...

Yeti, Turn out the Light! written by Greg Long and Chris Edmundson, 

illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan

Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters written by Jane Yolen 

and illustrated by Kelly Murphy

Story Time:
In addition to Frank Was A Monster Who Wanted to Dance and Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters we read...

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not afraid of Anything written by Linda Williams

and illustrated by Megan Lloyd

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners:

The Busy Little Squirrel written and illustrated by Nancy Tafuri

Fall Mixed Up written by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Chad Cameron

Fall is Not Easy written and illustrated by Marty Kelley

Story Time:

In addition to Fall is Not Easy and Fall Mixed Up, we read:

By the Light of the Harvest Moon written by Harriet Ziefert

and illustrated by Mark Jones

 

Happy Fall!

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners:

Farmyard Beat written by Lindsey Craig and illustrated by Marc Brown

Barnyard Dance! written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton

Barn Sneeze written and illustrated by Karen B. Winnick

Storytime:

In addition to Farmyard Beat we read...

Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley

Cows in The Kitchen written by June Crebbin and illustrated by Katherine McEwen

Night Owls:

In addition to Farmyard Beat  and Chicken Little, we read...

Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman



Book Buzz October, 2014

The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story 

by R.J. Palacio

This is a must-read for anyone who has read Wonder. Available only in audio book or e-book format, The Julian Chapter gives us the story from the perspective of the bully. Not that Julian thinks of himself as a bully. He has all the excuses in the world for his behavior. Initially remorseless, Julian struggles with the consequences of his treatment of Auggie (the boy in his class with severe facial deformities) and what it says about him. Whether or not there is redemption by the end is up for debate.  Read it (or listen to it) and see what you think!  Alia (J Audio Fiction)

Jasper John Dooley: Not in Love 

by Caroline Adderson

Jasper John has to deal with Isabel being in love with him. She is telling everyone they are getting married and he can’t stand it!  She is ruining his recess time and getting him in trouble at school repeatedly. How can he get her not to like him anymore?  Some very good advice comes from his Nan and father—will it help?  This is a great book for kids new to chapter books and book three of the series.  Kristin (J Fiction)

Hidden by Loic Dauvillier

Hidden is a beautiful graphic novel that tells a story within a story. One night, Elsa wakes up and finds that her Grandmother is still awake and rather upset. Elsa's Grandmother then tells her the story of her experience during the Holocaust as a young Jewish girl living in occupied France. The pictures tell a beautiful, sad story with a moderate amount of dialogue. Since the story is told from a little girl's perspective, it doesn't obscure the atrocities of the Holocaust but remains age-appropriate. Despite having sad moments, this novel also has a lot of warmth. Cassie (JF Graphic Novel)

October 2014 Early Literacy Calendar

Click on the calendar below for early literacy activity ideas. Want more? Visit the library and ask our children's librarians for early literacy tips. 

Happy Birthday Shel!

Read a poem today in honor of poet Shel Silverstein. He was born on September 25th, 1930.

Find out more at www.shesilverstein.com.

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners:

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons written by Eric Litwin 

and illustrated by James Dean

Seadog written by Claire Saxby and illustrated by Tom Jellett

Matilda's Cat written and illustrated by Emily Gravett

Story Time and Night Owls:

In addition to Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons and Seadog, we read...

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:


Little Listeners:

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! written by Karen Beaumont

and illustrated by David Catrow

Snappy Little Numbers written by Kate Lee and Caroline Repchuk

Story Time:

The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara

Little Bo Peep's Library Book by Cressida Cowell

I Took My Frog to the Library written by Eric A. Kimmel 

and illustrated by Blanche Sims

Night Owls:

In addition to The Midnight Library, we read...

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? written by 

Bill Martin, Jr. and illustrated by Eric Carle

Maisy Goes to the Library by Lucy Cousins

This Week @ Story Time

What we read:

Little Listeners:

The Bus for Us written and illustrated by Suzanne Bloom

The Seals on the Bus written by Lenny Hort 

and illustrated by G. Brian Karas

School Bus written and illustrated by Donald Crews

Story Time:


In addition to The Bus For Us and The Seals on the Bus we read:

The Little School Bus written by Carol Roth  

and illustrated by Pamela Paparone