Georgie’s ambitious and dreaming sister Agatha left home with a trio of strangers following the recent pigeon migration, and now the mayor has brought...moreGeorgie’s ambitious and dreaming sister Agatha left home with a trio of strangers following the recent pigeon migration, and now the mayor has brought back a body that seems to be Agatha’s. But timid, rule-following Georgie isn’t convinced. She decides it’s time to break a few rules and sets off on a journey to trace her sister’s steps, accompanied by the mayor’s son, who had proposed to Agatha and been turned down. But even as she seems to be learning nothing about what happened to Agatha, Georgie is learning plenty about herself.
This one’s well written and full of characters who continually surprise you. If you enjoy Audrey Coloumbis’s books about the misadventures of Maude March (or if you liked the movie True Grit), try on this Newbery contender for size.
In the midst of the parades and celebrations and donut fever of Bunning, New Hampshire’s annual Bunning Day, rule-following Ruby is trying to figure o...moreIn the midst of the parades and celebrations and donut fever of Bunning, New Hampshire’s annual Bunning Day, rule-following Ruby is trying to figure out how to fix what she messed up. She knows she’s got one wish that is supposed to come true by the end of the day…but is she supposed to do something to make it so? Does her destiny just happen to her, or does she have to help it along?
Switching back and forth between narration of Ruby on Bunning Day and flashbacks of things that have happened in Ruby’s last few months, we only get the details of Ruby’s story at about the same pace she’s working it out herself. We know early on that her grandmother has died, but it takes longer to figure out exactly what she has done that’s so terrible and how she’s going to make it right.
This was a sweet book. I liked the characters, but when it was over I kind of wanted a little bit more of the story. If you enjoyed A Crooked Kind of Perfect or How to Steal a Dog or anything by Polly Horvath, this book is a good fit for you.
The land of Hokey Pokey is a kids’ world – literally. From the moment they shed their diapers and tumble out of the Tattooer shouting “I’m a kid!” at...moreThe land of Hokey Pokey is a kids’ world – literally. From the moment they shed their diapers and tumble out of the Tattooer shouting “I’m a kid!” at the nearest passerby, children spend every day playing and exploring and throwing the occasional tantrum.
The Big Kids are at the top of the social heap, and Jack’s the most famous Big Kid around – everywhere he goes on his beloved bike Scramjet, people call out to him. “Hey, Jack!” “Jack, come play!”
So when Scramjet disappears one morning and turns up in the hands of Jack’s archrival, a girl (ew!) named Jubilee, his world is turned upside down. His amigos LaJo and Dusty do their best to help Jack find Scramjet, but a runaway bike isn’t the only thing amiss in Jack’s world. Can things ever be the same in Hokey Pokey?
I read this book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. READ IT.
Everybody knows Lemony Snicket is the famous author who wrote "The Series of Unfortunate Events," but very few people know about his unbelieveable chi...moreEverybody knows Lemony Snicket is the famous author who wrote "The Series of Unfortunate Events," but very few people know about his unbelieveable childhood.
This book starts at the beginning of Snicket's apprenticeship with an organization that nobody talks about with a woman that isn't what she seems. Actually every character isn't what they seem including Snicket himself. Snicket and his apprentice are hired to steal back a missing Bombinating Beast statue and it turns out nothing goes according to plan. Snicket starts asking more and more questions and soon learns that he is asking all the wrong questions.
Will Snicket figure out what is going on and start asking the right questions? You'll have to read to discover the answer.(less)
This is a book that I have adamantly suggested to every child that has come into the library. I have even brought it to the schools and book talked th...moreThis is a book that I have adamantly suggested to every child that has come into the library. I have even brought it to the schools and book talked the students to convince them to read it.
My dirty secret is that I finally just read it. I am annoyed with myself that I haven't read it earlier and glad I finally did. What I love about the book is the characters. Auggie isn't just a boy with a disability, he is a boy who loves Star Wars, joking around, and happens to have a disability. He also isn't perfect. He is a real person with so many facets to his character. So is the case with every character in the book. I especially appreciated his sister's story line and her conflicting emotions about her friends, boyfriend, and her place in the family dynamic.
If you love books that will make you cry like "Out of My Mind" by Sharon Draper, you will love this book!(less)
Temple Grandin didn't have it easy as a child. Growing up with autism in a time when most people didn't know what it was, she faced bullying at school...moreTemple Grandin didn't have it easy as a child. Growing up with autism in a time when most people didn't know what it was, she faced bullying at school and discrimination from plenty of people who thought she wasn't capable of succeeding, including her father. She had trouble understanding spoken language. Because her senses worked differently from other people's, she was often in pain or distress from noises and situations that didn't bother anyone else, like the school bell ringing between classes.
But Temple also had encouraging helpers at the right times in her life, and she had (and still has) a positive, go-getter attitude that allowed her to turn her unique way of seeing the world into the key to her success.
An animal-lover from the start with a special interest in cows, Temple began developing new ways for professionals who work with cattle to handle the animals humanely, so they aren't afraid or in pain. Now she is famous all over the world for her work in this field.
Read this inspiring biography to see how Temple learned to use her autism as an asset and how she refused to let a closed door get in the way of her dreams.
Thankfully, you can't grow up in Birmingham without learning quite a bit about the Civil Rights Movement. We're especially well-schooled on the string...moreThankfully, you can't grow up in Birmingham without learning quite a bit about the Civil Rights Movement. We're especially well-schooled on the string of tragedies and braveries that happened in our city and state.
But somehow, one important piece of information often doesn't come up: the majority of people who were arrested in nonviolent protests in the pivotal year of 1963 were children.
Levinson's book follows the events of 1963 by tracing the activity of four black students who became involved in the nonviolent movement for freedom and civil rights. Reading it in 2013, their courage seems almost unheard-of.
For an inspiring look at local history that changed the country, this is a great read.
It's not exactly a chapter book. It's more of a series of vignettes about...well, ice. I took a few pages to get into it; but once the ice became skat...moreIt's not exactly a chapter book. It's more of a series of vignettes about...well, ice. I took a few pages to get into it; but once the ice became skate-able and the family built their own backyard ice rink, this ten-minute read was lovely and sweet.
Although the consensus seems to be that a more fitting title would be The Unfortunate Cover, don’t let the front of the book prevent you from reading...moreAlthough the consensus seems to be that a more fitting title would be The Unfortunate Cover, don’t let the front of the book prevent you from reading it. It. Is. Awesome.
Luc seems like the unluckiest guy of the century (16th century, that is). Born with one ear to a count who doesn’t want him, he grows up in an olive grove thinking the drunk, hateful man raising him is his real father. When he is apprenticed to an old fisherman named Pons and lives with Pons, his sister Mattie, and their beautiful surrogate daughter Beatrice, Luc thinks his luck might finally be changing. Along with his dog Cadeau, they all live on the coast in a charming cottage filled with Mattie’s whimsical wooden carvings. But one day while fishing Luc is captured by pirates and sold as a slave to a master in Tunisia. Is it possible that this could be the best luck of his life?
When Luc is kidnapped, the story splits into two strands, alternating between Luc’s journey and the lives of Beatrice, Mattie, and Pons. Beatrice has her own twisted family history, and she begins to see that her story and Luc’s may be more intertwined than she ever realized. Can she convince someone with money and power to take on the costly search for Luc? Will their paths bring them back together?
This one is a page-turner. My favorite parts were reading about Luc’s life in his master’s house in Tunisia. And the ending is fabulous - it leaves a lot to your imagination. If you like historical fiction, especially Karen Cushman’s books, you’ve got to make this your next pick.
Whit lives at the Meadowbrook Zoo, where his mother is the director and his father keeps the elephants – and they both seem to care more about the ani...moreWhit lives at the Meadowbrook Zoo, where his mother is the director and his father keeps the elephants – and they both seem to care more about the animals and the zoo than they do about Whit. His homeschool teacher Ms. Connie really gets him, but what Whit really wants is a friend his own age.
So when he gets up the courage to talk to the Bird Girl, who comes every day to draw birds, they strike up a close friendship. He even breaks his parents rules and leaves the zoo to walk to Stella’s nearby apartment with her. But there he realizes just how bad her life is.
Whit worries as Stella comes and goes, but eventually he will have to make a difficult decision about the best way to be a good friend to her…even if it makes her angry.
The author of this book is from Birmingham, so you may recognize some of the places in it. The setting is Meadowbrook, but the zoo and the botanical gardens are right next to each other, and there is an apartment complex nearby. Sound familiar?
Has anyone else missed hanging out with Primrose Squarp since you closed the covers of Everything on a Waffle?
Don’t worry – she’s back with a new set...moreHas anyone else missed hanging out with Primrose Squarp since you closed the covers of Everything on a Waffle?
Don’t worry – she’s back with a new set of adventures and insights in this sequel. When we left Primrose, she had gotten her parents back, her temporary foster parents Bert and Evie had moved to Coal Harbor, and she was looking forward to her Uncle Jack getting together with Miss Bowzer, proprietess of The Girl on the Red Swing (where everything is served on a waffle…remember?).
But now, Uncle Jack and Miss Bowzer seem to keep throwing a wrench into the happy future Primrose has planned for them. Evie and Bert have another foster child, Ked, who becomes Primrose’s only kid friend…but there’s more to him than he’s letting on. And loggers want to strip the trees from Coal Harbor’s beloved mountain.
Horvath is a master of the inner narrative. We get to hear Primrose’s thoughts on everything that happens. Sometimes she is deeply insightful, and sometimes she’s fiercely funny.
If you liked Everything on a Waffle (or My One Hundred Adventures), come spend another year in Coal Harbor with Primrose.
When a chain necklace falls from the sky and into Tommy’s lunchbox, of course he puts it on. What he doesn’t expect is the strange knowledge and skill...moreWhen a chain necklace falls from the sky and into Tommy’s lunchbox, of course he puts it on. What he doesn’t expect is the strange knowledge and skills he suddenly possesses. And what’s up with the eerie weather and the rash of break-ins in his small town of Plymouth, Massachusetts? As if Tommy didn’t already have enough to handle – a sister who hasn’t spoken in over a year, a dad who’s trying to save their house from a pushy real estate developer, and his own guilt over his mom’s death.
Meanwhile, far away in outer space, a brave warrior called Younger Waeglim – the very last of the Valorim race – is imprisoned by the evil Lord Mondus, trying to determine a way to save the Ethelim people from Mondus’s heartless rule.
But what does Tommy’s life have to do with Waeglim’s?
Find out in this latest novel from Newbery alum Gary D. Schmidt.
The chapters about Waeglim’s world can be a little confusing because everything has a different name and there isn’t really any exposition before the plot begins. I recommend starting at the back of the book, where there is a glossary and a short history of Waeglim’s planet. Then you’ll be more prepared to understand the story, and you can keep referring back to those appendices as you read.
There’s a thief at Precious Ramotswe’s school, and everyone is accusing a boy named Poloko. But Precious is pretty sure it’s someone else. Can she com...moreThere’s a thief at Precious Ramotswe’s school, and everyone is accusing a boy named Poloko. But Precious is pretty sure it’s someone else. Can she come up with a way to catch the thief in the act and offer proof that will clear Poloko’s name?
Four generations of women from the same family (one of them a ghost) meet for a last adventure in Dublin, Ireland.
This has plenty of funny dialogue, b...moreFour generations of women from the same family (one of them a ghost) meet for a last adventure in Dublin, Ireland.
This has plenty of funny dialogue, but some of it is hard to understand because the characters use idioms and turns of phrase that are distinctly Irish and don’t exactly make sense if you haven’t grown up hearing them.
Mary Poppins is probably rolling over in her grave. Nanny Piggins turns logic on its head: up is down, right is left (or is it wrong?), forwards is ba...moreMary Poppins is probably rolling over in her grave. Nanny Piggins turns logic on its head: up is down, right is left (or is it wrong?), forwards is backwards, and cake is king.
In this second volume of pure absurdity, Nanny Piggins and her three child charges - Derrick, Michael, and Samantha - and Boris the dancing bear (Nanny Piggins' brother, of course) march themselves into one adventure after another. Nanny Piggins breaks into prison (oops!), gets fired from a cannon over Dead Man's Gorge, serves on a jury (watch out, judge!), competes in the Westminster Nanny Show, and acts as headmistress for a day at the children's school. And that's not even the half of it.
Don't worry, there are no lessons to be learned in this book. Well, except that whoever you are, you need to be eating more cake.
Benny's dad hoards junk in their house, an out-of-control problem that's causing his mom to leave. A few of their friends in the tiny town of Dennis A...moreBenny's dad hoards junk in their house, an out-of-control problem that's causing his mom to leave. A few of their friends in the tiny town of Dennis Acres come up with clever plans to get Benny's house clean, which seems especially important when the U.S. Chamber of Commerce plans a visit to the small community. But nothing works, and Benny's dad just gets angrier and angrier. Benny is torn between loyalty to his dad and wanting to do what he knows is best for everybody.
Benny feels an ache for a home he hasn't yet known, and it will take an unexpected disaster to make things right.
This book takes place in 1983, and there are some funny parts when Benny's dad predicts future technologies that cause everyone to think he's crazy - technologies like a global network connecting all computers, and a pocket-sized device that works like a phone, a radio, a music player, and a worldwide bulletin board.
Mo LoBeau doesn't know the story of her biological family. All she knows is her life in a tiny North Carolina town with the Colonel, who found her flo...moreMo LoBeau doesn't know the story of her biological family. All she knows is her life in a tiny North Carolina town with the Colonel, who found her floating down a river in a hurricane the same day he lost his memory, and Miss Lana, who has raised Mo like her own. The three of them run a cafe next to their house, with the frequent help of Mo's best friend Dale.
When a mysterious stranger shows up at the cafe asking questions - a lawman named Joe Starr - Mo and the Colonel suspect that trouble is on the way. But they have no idea just how much trouble is coming down the pipe. A cafe regular called Mr. Jesse turns up dead - murdered in his boat. The Colonel disappears. Dale's brother is in a high-speed car crash. And then there's the kidnapping.
Mo and Dale set themselves on the case, not quite sure who they can trust. Will they solve the murder - and the question of Mo's past - before the killer strikes again?
I fell for Mo, Dale, the Colonel, Miss Lana, and pretty much every important character in this book (of which there are many). I also found myself trying to figure out the mystery before the end of the book, but there are so many twists and surprises that I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. I couldn't put it down! The author brought Mo through an important journey in the book, and I loved the way she ended it.
I wouldn't mind reading another volume about Mo LoBeau and the community at Tupelo Landing.
Steve Sheinkin says he is trying to write exciting history to make up for his previous crimes, writing history textbooks.
I say he's fully absolved.
In...moreSteve Sheinkin says he is trying to write exciting history to make up for his previous crimes, writing history textbooks.
I say he's fully absolved.
In Bomb, three threads braid together to create a page-turning drama. The stage is WWII. The Germans are trying to build an atomic bomb, the Americans are trying to build it faster, and the Soviets are trying to steal it. Each nation has its own reasons for wanting the bomb. Spies, secret agents, soldiers, scientists, and politicians move on and off the stage in a real-life thriller that's just as good as fiction.
History is nothing more than a true story, and Sheinkin is a master storyteller. He gives the well-researched facts in a way that's less like school and more like your best friend telling you the finer points of his latest illicit adventure. Even the technical physics and chemistry stuff becomes engaging in Sheinkin's hands. But the best of the author's tactics is that he has dug up enough actual dialogue to make the book read like a novel.
The other writing strategy Sheinkin uses to make us cry "More history, please!" is to order events for maximum suspense. He doesn't give an incorrect chronology, but he may start a chapter with a particularly juicy scene, then back up a bit in time and work his way forward to return to that scene with the full background in place. In fact, this is the structure of the whole book as well.
Newbery? I know non-fiction doesn't often snag it, but this one deserves gold.
Lews and her dad love their simple life in a cottage in the woods. While her dad writes articles about nature, she and her cat Cash venture into the w...moreLews and her dad love their simple life in a cottage in the woods. While her dad writes articles about nature, she and her cat Cash venture into the woods to explore. She can’t resist bringing her animal finds home with her, but her dad’s rule is that by sundown she has to put them back where she found them. What she really wants is to hold one of the crows that comes to snack in her compost pile, but she knows they’ll never let her get close enough.
Then Lews’s dad leaves for South America to work on an article for National Geographic, and she has to go stay with her aunt and uncle in the suburbs for six weeks. The worst part is that Aunt Kay is allergic to animals, so Cash can’t come. Although Aunt Kay and Uncle Jack are really nice and Lews has made a dear friend in their neighborhood, she still misses the woods, her cat, her crows, her dad. It’s almost like she’s been carried away from her native habitat and is waiting for someone to return her by sundown.
When everything seems like it’s falling apart at once and her six week stay looks like it could turn into all summer, Lews is faced with a question: can she adapt and survive until she’s able to go home?
If you enjoy stories about nature and animals, give this one a try.
Can you imagine a world where the government dictates every aspect of its citizen's lives and an America where not only does Christopher Columbus neve...moreCan you imagine a world where the government dictates every aspect of its citizen's lives and an America where not only does Christopher Columbus never discovered it, but goes down in history as a villian? That is the society that Dak and Sera is currently living in. The mysterious organization called the SQ controls everything and to make matters worse, the world seems to be falling apart. Earthquakes and other natural disasters are threatening to destroy the world. Through interesting circumstances, Dak and Sera become part of a secret mission to literally change history. They have to go back in time to fix the "Great Breaks" in history and get the world back on track. Their fist mission is to save Christopher Columbus and help him make it through the journey to discover America.(less)
To read quick biographies of women who have made a difference in the world, pick up this book and browse it. It covers politicians, athletes, entertai...moreTo read quick biographies of women who have made a difference in the world, pick up this book and browse it. It covers politicians, athletes, entertainers, social reformers, scientists, and other types of women who made their mark in their own time. Not all of them were notable for doing good; a few, especially in the ancient world, became famous for their bloody reigns or their tyrannical practices.
Occasionally the authors who contributed research and writing to the book tend let their political opinions peek into the biographies and can get a little preachy about their positions; but overall, it’s a great book to read if you’re interested in characters in history or in learning more about famous women.
Jasper is turning twelve, but for some reason his parents won’t tell anyone his real age. They keep him inside most of the time and won’t let him go t...moreJasper is turning twelve, but for some reason his parents won’t tell anyone his real age. They keep him inside most of the time and won’t let him go to school. But when he tells them that he spotted Lady Gall, the Provisional Monarch of Fontania, try to poison his little sister Sibilla, they gather up the family and bolt. What do they know that they’re not telling him?
When he gets left behind, Jasper ends up boarding a strange boat called The Traveling Restaurant, whose crew consists of an eclectic duo, Polly and Dr. Rocket. The longer Jasper travels with these two, the more secrets he uncovers about who they are, who his family is, and who really ought to be ruling over Fontania. He also discovers why Lady Gall has outlawed magic – and where it went when it became illegal.
Brave the storms and the pirates, the monkeys and the downright rude orphan girls, with Jasper as he journeys on the ship that’s known in every town as the Traveling Restaurant…and find out why it’s much more than what it seems.
This one is dark, dark, dark. It has all the elements of a truly macabre tale: fire, fog, ice, blood, and, of course, orphans.
Gaspare Grisini does mar...moreThis one is dark, dark, dark. It has all the elements of a truly macabre tale: fire, fog, ice, blood, and, of course, orphans.
Gaspare Grisini does marionette shows with his two charges, Parsefall and Lizzie Rose. He has taken them in, but he is certainly not fatherly. The day after performing in the Wintermute home for Clara Wintermute’s birthday party, the children discover that Clara has gone missing and suspect Grisini. But what has he done with her?
Their problems are compounded when Grisini hurts himself in a fall and disappears. The children intercept a letter addressed to him and decide to find its author, a rich and lonely old woman named Cassandra, in hopes that they might inherit her fortune when she dies. It is in Cassandra’s home that the children begin to uncover the mystery of Clara’s, Grisini, and the deadly stone known as the fire opal.
Full of black magic, mind possession, and creepy marionettes, Splendors and Glooms is plenty dark to satisfy readers who ate up A Tale Dark and Grimm and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Stella just moved in with her great-aunt Louise and Louise's foster child, a difficult girl named Angel who's about Stella's age. They live in a cotta...moreStella just moved in with her great-aunt Louise and Louise's foster child, a difficult girl named Angel who's about Stella's age. They live in a cottage on Cape Cod, and Louise tends to four other cottages as vacationers come and go. But shortly after Stella arrives, Louise kicks the bucket, leaving the two girls with a dilemma. Neither of them has another place to go - can they keep Louise's death a secret and manage the cottages by themselves all summer...without anyone knowing they're alone?
I wouldn't be surprised to see this one snag a Newbery honor this year. It deals insightfully with difficult topics like broken families, foster care, death, hard friendships; but somehow it's not depressing. In fact, it's even funny.
This is not only a great choice for fans of Clementine. It's also perfect for anybody who likes a good story.
Georges is named after a famous artist, but he thinks his parents could have made his life a whole lot easier by just naming him George. Then maybe ki...moreGeorges is named after a famous artist, but he thinks his parents could have made his life a whole lot easier by just naming him George. Then maybe kids at school wouldn’t pick on him and call him Gorgeous. But when his family moves into an apartment building, Georges finds a friend in one of his neighbors, a boy his age named Safer. They embark on a spy mission to investigate an upstairs neighbor whom Safer calls Mr. X. As Georges continues to try to survive school and his mom’s long hours at the hospital (she’s a nurse), things with Safer turn mysterious. Can Georges trust his new friend, or is Safer lying to him? Can he trust his old friends? Can he even trust himself?
I finished this short chapter book in one evening – I couldn’t put it down! Just like she did in her Newbery winner When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead keeps the reader guessing at every turn and pulls out a completely unpredictable ending. I loved Safer’s quirky family and Georges’ sweet parents. I also appreciated the way the characters’ names were an important part of the story. If you liked When You Reach Me, you absolutely must not miss Liar & Spy.
In this story of Davy the sheep and his 12 brothers, the illustrations are chock full of details to keep young eyes occupied and...morePositively. Adorable.
In this story of Davy the sheep and his 12 brothers, the illustrations are chock full of details to keep young eyes occupied and to endear each little sheep to the reader. Davy is sick of his 12 brothers doing everything he does…until the day they don’t. A surprise ending adds further charm to this winner.
Moses and his parents and grandmother live in Wilmington, North Carolina, at the turn of the 20th century. His mother and grandmother make money keepi...moreMoses and his parents and grandmother live in Wilmington, North Carolina, at the turn of the 20th century. His mother and grandmother make money keeping house and doing laundry, while his father writes for a newspaper and serves as an elected member of the city council. Moses has a vague understanding that his family has seen struggle he can never comprehend, both from slavery and from post-Civil War prejudice, but now Wilmington seems like a place where different races can live and work next to each other in safety, if not in harmony.
But Moses is beginning to learn more about his family’s history and his city’s present, and he realizes that the old struggles are still fresh in many people’s minds. Among white citizens, a false rumor is stirring up panic about a black uprising; and as whites arm themselves accordingly, Wilmington’s black community fears the unrestrained attacks that may await them at the hands of whites.
Will Moses be able to maintain his way of life, his friendships with blacks and whites, rich and poor? Will his family be able to survive the escalation of prejudice and violence against black people?
I loved the character of Boo Nanny, Moses’ grandmother; but the highlight of this book for me was the relationship between Moses and his father. If I say too much more I might give something away…
The ducks are ready for their weekly sock hop, and it’s going to be a little bit wild. Socks of all varieties are worn and worn out as the ducks spend...moreThe ducks are ready for their weekly sock hop, and it’s going to be a little bit wild. Socks of all varieties are worn and worn out as the ducks spend an evening with music, dancing, and, of course, snacks. The rhyming text has the same swinging rhythm as the best volumes by Dr. Seuss or Sandra Boynton. The accompanying illustrations are bold, colorful, and cheerful.
This book will pair nicely with John Nedwidek’s Ducks Don’t Wear Socks (for obvious reasons) or Boynton’s Barnyard Dance (another goofy animal dance story with a bouncy, engaging beat).
Anton put a spell on me with his particularly lucky sort of magic. The Peanuts-esque illustrations work hand-in-hand with deliciously concise text to...moreAnton put a spell on me with his particularly lucky sort of magic. The Peanuts-esque illustrations work hand-in-hand with deliciously concise text to tell a funny story about a boy who has to prove to his friends that his magic hat enables him to do magic.
Emmet O'Neal Library- Children's Department
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