Staff Favorites

Black Radishes

by Susan Lynn Meyer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Gustave is a boy who lives in France during World War 2. His family is Jewish and, for their safety, they decide to move out of Paris and go live in the country. After the move, France is taken over by the Nazi's, but fortunately, where they live, ts is in the free zone. But what will become of Gustave's Aunt, cousin Jean-Paul, and his friend Marcel. who have not left Paris? Are they safe? Gustave struggles to hide the fact he is a jew from his classmates. What will happen to him when they find out?

This was an excellent book! The story of Gustave and his family really held your attention and was suspenseful. You felt for them and their struggles. The character of Gustave ana his friend, Nicole will stay with you.

Ages 9 and up, 228 pages

Miss Kathy

The Birthday Ball

by Lois Lowry

Genre: Comic Fairy Tale

Princess Patricia Priscilla is about to turn 16 years old and is extremely bored with her royal life. When she turns 16 she must choose a suitor from amoung a rather motley group of princely suitors. She decides to make her life more interesting by disguising herself as a commoner to attend school in the village. While she loves her new daytime life, it soon comes to an end when she has her birthday ball. How she chooses her suitor is a very funny end to a great story.

After listening to two of Lois Lowry's very serious book, The Giver and Silent Boy, this came as quite a suprise to me! The storyline is wonderful and very funny. The characters are very amusing and the reader's, Elisa Steele, many voices help to make them so! The Birthday Ball and her solution to the problem of her unacceptable suitors (an exttemely conceited prince, a very unattractive prince, and conjoined twin princes) shows us how the princess has matured and developed. This book will propably be chosen by girls, but would have great appeal to everyone.

Miss Judy

Ubiquitous

by Joyce Sidman

Genre: Poetry, Science

Discover a brilliantly crafted collection of poetry about different species of organisms that have been on our earth for billions to millions of years. Each poem is paired with paragraph of great facts about creatures like bacteria, sharks, beetles, geckos, grass, and even squirrels. Did you know squirrels were the oldest group of mammals? And coyotes are better survivors than wolves?  Find out more fun facts like this when you read this book!

  Ages 8-12, 30 pages

Joyce Sidman's book Dark Emporer, was a Newbery Honor in 2011. If you like Ubiquitous, your sure to like Dark Emporer! Check out her website for tips on writing poems and ways to submit your own.http://www.joycesidman.com/

 Miss Michelle

The True Meaning of Smekday

by Adam Rex 

Genre: Science Fiction, Humor

Gratuity, nicknamed “Tip” opens the novel with her school essay about her experience when the aliens invaded the earth. Gratuity’s mother is abducted by the invading alien race of Boov, so Tip and her cat Pig drive to Florida, where the Boov have forced all Americans to relocate. Tip meets and befriends an alien Boov who has decided to call himself “J.Lo.” The two end up journeying across the southern half of the United States in an attempt to find Tip’s mother, to hide J. Lo from an enemy alien race, and to save the planet.

Adam Rex presents the invasion of the Boov with hilarity and heart. The reader will be charmed by the developing friendship between Tip and J.Lo amid the chaos of an alien invasion. Rex parallels the blight of Native Americans with the round-up of Americans by the aliens.

Bahni Turpin’s voice is perfect for the characters. The voice he creates for J. Lo is hilarious. You’ll find yourself repeating many of J.Lo’s lines.

Check out more about Smekday and the Boovs at http://www.smekday.com/

Ages 9 and up, 493 pages

Miss April

Diary of a Fairy Godmother

by Esme Raji Codell

Genre: Fantasy

Hunky Dory is a young witch (only a hundred or so) who deep down wants to be an FG, a Fairy Godmother. Her mother and even her friends don't approve. Why would she want to go around granting wishes instead of putting curses on people? But hunky decides to follow her heart and gets involved with a whole variety of Fairy tale friends.

Ages 8 and up, 170 pages

Miss Kathy

Lost! On a Mountain in Maine

by Don Fender

Genre: Biography

This story, which took place over 50 years ago, is the true account of nine days in the life of a 12-year-old. He went to summer camp with his father, became separated from his group and promptly got hopelessly lost. He spent the next nine days alone, traveling on Mount Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine, looking for someone to save him. He was able to drink water from a variety of fresh water streams, but could not fing anything to eat but fresh strawberries. After nine days of horrible bug bites, hunger, sunburn, damage to his feet, and extreme weather, Donn finally finds a cabin with a family who alerts the search parties and his family. He is soon reunited with is own familywho have spent the same nine days besides themselves with worry.

The amazing and life threatening things that this child goes through while never giving up hope of being found makes this a wonderful story to listen to. The reader is a young boy and that alone makes the story intriguing while still believable. I know it would appeal to both boys and girls at a variety of ages. The CD ends with Donn Felder speaking and briefly explaining to the listener, what he and his family went through. Excellent choice for any 8-12 year old (or adult library aide) intereseted in adventure or the outdoors.

2 CD's, 2 hours; 109 pages

Miss Judy

Betti on the High Wire

     by Lisa Railsback

Ten-year-old Babo and the other 'leftover kids' live on an abandoned circus camp in a war-torn country.  Babo believes her circus-star parents will come back for her any day now, so she is not one bit happy when an American couple adopts her.  She hates her new name (Betti) and is confused by everything in America.  She's determined to run away.   But as Betti slowly begins to trust her new family and even makes a friend, she decides maybe she can stay just one more day.  And then maybe another.....

Betti on the High Wire is both heartbreaking and hilarious-and completely unforgettable.  This brave little storyteller of a girl will charm you right up until the last word.  Railsback presents young readers with a girl struggling to let herself be happy in a world where war takes away parents and friends are maimed.  The ending is very uplifting.

CD:  Rachel Gray's voice captures the wonder of a child's voice within her own.

Miss April

Boys Are Dogs  

     by Leslie Margolis

Annabelle is just coming home from summer camp, and her world has been turned upside down.  Her mom has a new boyfriend so they move to a new town with a new house, new friends, and new school with boys.  She also has a new puppy that she must train.  As she trains her puppy, she slowly begins realizing that she can use some of the same tactics from her dog-training book on the boys that have made her life simply miserable.

This is a great book.  It was extremely funny, and it is very typical of boys and girls of that age group.  The CD is wonderful to listen to as well.  The reader has a very young voice and really brings the characters to life.

Ages 8-11     224 pages

Miss Bethann

Love, Aubrey  

    by Suzanne LaFleur

excerpt:

I had everything I needed to run a household: a house, food and a new family.  From now on it would just be me, Aubrey and Sammy- the two of us and no one else.
The phone started ringing all the time.  It rang and rang.  I didn't have anything to say to anyone....I didn't answer it."

Eleven year-old Aubrey is living alone and has everything she thinks she needs: SpaghettiOs, cheese and crackers, and Sammy, her pet fish.  She's determined to hide away and take care of herself, because facing the truth is too much to bear.
A tragic accident has happened to her family.  The healing powers of friendship, love and memory help Aubrey learn that even though she has lost everything- all is not lost.

I really grew to like Aubrey.  The story drew me in, I couldn't wait to get back to it.  The way you see Aubrey deal with her grief really touches your heart.  I like how Aubrey's mother's family drew together and I really enjoyed her Grandmother.  I would recommend this book to older children 10 and up.  262 pages

Miss Gail

Newsgirl

     by Liza Ketchum

Amelia's family has arrived in San Francisco in 1851, hoping for a new live in this gold rush town.  But they are nearly penniless.  How will they survive?  Amelia discovers that newsboys can make a fortune selling East Coast newspapers.  So in spite of their warning--"No girls in our gang!"--she cuts her hair and dresses herself as a boy.  She has many adventures and the book was really hard for me to put down.  I always wanted to know what was going to happen to her next.  I promise you will love this book!

Miss Gail

Tricking the Tallyman

     by Jacqueline Davies

Did you know that people are already gearing up for the 2010 census?  Many of us realize how important the census is for our communities.  Tricking the Tallyman retells the story of the census shenanigans of 1780.  Your family will enjoy this picture book that tells a humorous story of how a town tried to trick the tallyman only to learn that honesty is the best policy.

Miss Laura

Listen to the Wind:  The Story of Dr. Greg & Three Cups of Tea

Did you enjoy Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Relin?  Now yu can read the story in picture book to your family.  This book is a heartwarming true story of a man that went about to build a school in a remote mountain village in Pakistan.  The beautiful illustrations are collages by Susan L. Roth.

Miss Laura

Jason's Gold

    by Will Hobbs

Are you ready to read a survival story told with bone-chilling details?  This book is an exciting story about the hunt for gold in the Klindike gold rush.  Will Hobbs has chosen to include stories of unusual happenings that have been recorded as true.  You may need to have a strong stomach to read some things Jason had to endure such as being attacked by wild animals, or coming to a cabin in winter that had two prospectors frozen alive!  For the brave and those of us who just want to read about historical adventures, read or listen to Jason's Gold.

Miss Laura

The Naked Mole-Rat Letters

   by Mary Amato

When her Father begins a long-distance romance with a zookeeper from Washington, D.C., twelve-year-old Frankie loses it.  She sends fabricated e-mails to the zookeeper in an attempt to sabotage the relationship.  Here is an example:

Dear Ratlady:
        When my father sent his e-mail, he forgot to mention that he is taking special drugs for allergies that make people say ridiculous things.  He is allergic to many things, which makes him annoying to live with because his nose is always full of snot.
        Sincerely,
           Frankie Wallop
P.S.  My brothers and I did not like the gifts from the zoo that you helped pick out.  They were silly, or shall I say lucrative?  You must not know children at all.  Please do not e-mail my father anymore.

The e-mails Frankie sends are so funny.  The way "Ratlady" responds to them and the relationship Frankie and her build is so enjoyable to follow.

I highly recommend this book.  266 pages

Miss Gail

Escape Under the Forever Sky

by Eve Yohalem

You'd think that being the daughter of the American ambassador to Ethiopia would be one adventure after another, right?  Wrong.  Thirteen-year-old Lucy Hoffman never gets to see anything beyond the walls of the embassy compound.  All she can do is read about the exotic and exciting world outside and imagine what it would be like to be a part of it.

Until she gets kidnapped.

All alone in the Ethiopian wild, Lucy must use her knowledge of African animal life along with her inventiveness, will, and courage to escape and find her way to freedom.  Inspired by a true story, this suspenseful tale will have readers riveted from start to finish.

I loved this book and riveted I was!  I highly recommend it.  grade four and up 218 pages

Miss Gail

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Ivy June Mosely and Catherine Combs, two girls from different parts of Kentucky, are participating in the first seventh-grade exchange program between their schools.  The girls will stay at each other's homes, attend school together, and record their experience in their journals.  Catherine and her family have a beautiful home with plenty of space.  Since Ivy Junes's house is crowded, she lives with her granparents.  Her Pappaw works in the coal mines supporting four generations of kinfolk.  Ivy June can't wait until he leaves that mine forever and retires.  As the girls get closer, they discover they're more alike than different, especially when they face the terror of not knowing what's happening to those they love most.

      I loved this book!  Ivy June and Catherine are characters you really come to like.  Girls, this is a good read!   ages 5th grade and up  280 pages
                Miss Gail

Bloomability by Sharon Creech

Domenica Santolina Doone feels as if she is being kidnapped by her uncle and aunt when they take her out of the country to attend an international school in Switzerland.  Domenica feels especially lonely for her family until she becomes more comfortable in her new surroundings.  In Switzerland she finds new friends, new teachers and many new and exciting adventures. 
This was an interesting story of how Domenica "blooms" and grows in a new environment.  I enjoyed listening to this book on CD and highly recommend it!   ages 9-15   273 pages

Miss Laura 

Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything In It

by Sundee T. Frazier

Brendan is a 10 year old boy with a black father and a white mother.  He is interested in science and specifically rocks and minerals.  One day he goes to the mall with his grandma (his dad's mother) and sees a rock and mineral show.  He begins talking to a man there and is hauled away by his grandma.  It turns out that the man he talked to was his Grandpa- his mother's father, a man he has never met.  How could he live so close and yet never of gotten in touch with Brendan?  Brendan secretly forms a relationship with his Grandpa but what will happen when his mom finds out?
This was a very good book that explored how people view mixed marriages (the reason the grandpa did not keep in touch with the mom) and the prefudice toward those who are different than us.  ages 9 and up   196 pages

Miss Kathy 

The Genie Scheme
by Kimberly K. Jones

Janna wishes that she could have all the nice things that other kids have.  One day, she does a kindness for a bag lady and it turns out that the bag lady is a genie!  Janna can have everything she ever wanted, clothes, trips, the works!  But she finds out that things aren't what bring you happiness.

This was a really good story.  What kid wouldn't want to think about his every wish granted?  It also has a good lesson on what is really important in life.  ages 8 & up   179 pages

Miss Kathy

            The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

                                   What if the gods of Olympuswere alive in the 21^st Century? What if they still fell in love with mortals and had children who might become great heroes — like Theseus, Jason and Hercules?

What if you were one of those children?

Such is the discovery that launches twelve-year-old Percy Jackson on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction – Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.

This is a great book and you will find it hard to put down!  Miss Gail

Favorite Web-site
  

FamilyFun Magazines are great resources for families, teachers, and people that want to have affordable fun.  In any given issue of FamilyFun, readers can find ideas for seasonal play indoors or out, craft ideas, and recipes.  In the May 2008 issue I was able to glean five new ideas for use here at the library and at home.  Turn to page 39 for a great idea for your refrigerator.  This mom had each person in her extended family give her a current photo of themselves.  She cut the photos and made magnets for her refrigerator.  Now her kids can practice identifying her family members.   Miss Laura

Jim Gill Music CD

Do you need some exercise?  Do you want to make it fun?  Try dancing and singing to some really grea music.  Jim Gill is a song writer that promotes active play between adults and children.  Whether you are traveling about town or taking some time out to have fun at home with the family, please try Jim Gill's music CDs.  (Kid tested and Grandmother Laura approved.)

Miss Laura

Dolphin Song by Lauren St. John

Plot Summary:  

The main character is a girl named Martine.  She lives with her Grandmother on a game reserve in Africa.  What begins as an exciting sea adventure school field trip turns into a perilous situation when Martine and five of her classmates are thrown overboard into shark-invested waters. They are saved by dolphins only to end up marooned on a deserted island.  The castaways, at odds with one another, must figure out not only how to survive, but how to save the dolphins that have mysteriously beached themselves on the island’s shore. 

This is a very exciting story.  It speaks of courage, friendship and survival. 

This is a sequel to The White Giraffe.

Ages 9 -12
Miss Gail

One Thousand Tracings by Lita Judge
           This non-fiction book is told in picture book format.  This is a true story of how a family helped people in Europe after World War 2.  The Family in the story heard from friends in Germany that they had no shoes.  Eventually, with the help from other family's they sent care packages to more than three thousand people in fifteen countries in Europe. 
           This is a beautiful story that shows how doing what you can to help others can mean a great deal
Ages 8 on up
Kathy James