Wimpy Kid News!

Book 5 in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series comes out November 9th but you don't have to wait until then to find out what color the cover will be.  Just click here to sneek a peek at the cover, play the "cheese touch" game and turn yourself in to a wimpy kid cartoon!  As a bonus, if you click on "video and audio" you can listen to the new hit single by Rowley's idol, Joshie!

And don't forget to join us for our very own Wimpy Kid Party, August 17th at 2:30 p.m. in the conference center!

Reading Resources

If you are a parent of a beginning reader, you may have questions about how to help your child with this newly aquired skill.  Well, here are some great websites that you can use a resources.

Reading Rockets
Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.

Reading is Fundamental
Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. prepares and motivates children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. The webiste has a parents page with useful tips for parents.

The National Institute for Literacy
The National Institute for Literacy, a federal agency, provides leadership on literacy issues, including the improvement of reading instruction for children, youth, and adults.

Educational Resources Information Center
Click on Family Info Center to find Parent Brochures from the U.S. Department of Education, Parents and Children Together Online Magazine, and the Parent Talk Magazine.  Plus find links to frequently requested information including their free Question and Answer Service, Homework Helpers, Parental Involvement in Reading and Writing Pages, National Parent Information Network, and other Parent Friendly Sites.

The Red Pyramid

Hey Percy Jackson fans, get ready for some new adventures in mythology - Egyptian mythology this time! The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan will be released on May 4th.  You can put a hold on the book online here. In the meantime you can read up on Egyptian gods and goddesses at the library. Try Egyptian Myths by Jacqueline Morley, The Star-Bearer: A Creation Myth From Ancient Egypt by Dianne Hofmeyr, and The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Leonard Everett Fisher. And check out the video posted below.  It's Rick Riordan discussing the success of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and previewing the fifth book in the series The Last Olympian.

Odd and the Frost Giants Book Trailer

Here's the Harper Collins book trailer for the newest book from last year's Newbery Award winner, Neil Gaiman. Odd and the Frost Giants is a fun adventure tale and kids interested in mythology will especially like this story!

More Good Books For Boys

Last month we posted some recomended books for boys in grades 3-5. Here's a few more.

Short & Shivery: Thirty Creepy Tales by Robert San Souci
If you like your stories on the scary side this book is for you. The thirty tales in this collection come from all over the world. But be warned; you might not want to read them right before bed!





Secret Identity (Shredderman Book 1) by Wendelin Van Draanen
Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd is tired of being called names by the class bully, Bubba, so he creates a secret identity. This funny, fast-paced story is the first in a series.



Swindle by Gordon Korman
What happens when sixth-grader Griffin Bing finds an old Babe Ruth baseball card stuck in the rolltop desk left behind in the old Rockford house? An exciting sports mystery, that's what!

Good Books For Boys

One of the requests we hear all the time at the library is: Do you have any book recommendations for boys in grades 3-5? Well we have a lot of great suggestions! So, each month we'll post reviews of books that 3-5th grade boys might find fun to read. Here's a few to start with:

The Giggler Treatment by Roddy Doyle

In this funny, very silly, and very gross story author Roddy Doyle proposes that dog poo—a word he deeply enjoys using and describing—lays around for the punishment of adults who are unkind to kids.

The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John Ritter

The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball game, and Tom Gallagher hopes to lead his team to victory with the secrets of the now disgraced player, Dante Del Gato.

My Weird School by Dan Gutman

A.J. hates school, but he could never say it’s boring. If you're looking for a hilarious series full of crazy teachers and silly stunts, the My Weird School series may be for you. You'll find yourself wishing that you went to A.J's weird school too!


Ricky Ricotta by Dav Pilkey

Ricky Ricotta and his Mighty Robot face a new adventure in each book of this illustrated series. Packed with action and a quick read, this a series reluctant readers might especially enjoy.



Can you recommend a good book for boys? Leave us a comment and let us know all about it!