Wednesday, July 20, 2011

New Kid's Books July 20th

Young Fredle by Cynthia Voight



Young Fredle has spent his short life in the cozy,
dim nest behind the kitchen pantry - sleeping in with his
family, listening to Grandfather's stories, foraging at night for
bits of bread and the odd pea.  But one night, Fredle breaks
the single most important rule of mice - keep safe - and
finds himself thrown to an unimaginable place: outside.
The young mouse already knows about cats (Patches
stalks the kitchen) and mousetraps, too.  But in the face
of new and unthinkable dangers-owls and snakes and something
called raccoons - Fredle longs for his family (Kirdle, Kortle, Axle-
do they miss him too?) And this wishing makes him
hopeless and hungry and sad, and a new feeling, too: lonely.
But then come the surprises of outside: twinkling lights
in the night sky; water drops glistening on the green stalks; and,
one morning, a bright peel of orange left by his side, a gift.
And Fredle suddenly feels just a bit less alone.


Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg



I had a bad August.
A very bad August.
As bad as pickle juice on a cookie.
As bad as a spiderweb on your leg.
As bad as the black parts of a banana.
I hope your August was better.
I really do.
Eleanor is not happy. Her beloved
babysitter, Bibi, is moving away. Suddenly,
the things that she used to enjoy, like eating
pizza and riding her bike, aren't fun anymore.
Everything reminds her of Bibi.
To make matters worse, Eleanor has a new babysitter
who just isn't the same. But as the new school
year looms ahead, so do new beginnings. And Eleanor
learns some special things about herself, friendship,
and the bittersweet process of growing up.

Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems by Kristine O'Connell George  


I wish grownups would quit saying
I'll bet you're a very good big sister.
Sometimes Jessica is a very good big sister.
But Emma isn't always a good little sister.
Emma messes up Jess's room.  She leaves
the caps off all her markers. She makes a
spectacle of herself at a soccer game, and she
wants to tag along whenever Jess has a friend over...
How can Emma be so lovable and so maddening?
Does Jess have to be good all the time?
Explored here in perceptive, lively poems and tender,
funny illustrations, Jess's Emma dilemma is a puzzle
that every big sister knows all too well.

Project Seahorse by Pamela S. Turner

Seahorses, some of the ocean's oldest yet most
charming fish, are in trouble.  Over the past twenty years,
seahorse populations have declined sharply.  In Handumon, a 
community in the Philippines, villagers and conservationists have
joined together to protect the seahorse and the coral reefs where
these quirky fish live.  Amanda Vincent and Heather Koldewey, 
founders of Project Seahorse, work tirelessly with Filipino
colleagues and local fishers like Rodrigo "Digoy" Paden to 
protect both Handumon's seahorses and the livelihood of
the local fishing families.
Pamela S Turner's Project Seahorse explores how committed
conservationists, community organizers, and caring neighbors
are restoring the luster of a damaged coral reef.  Scott
Tuason's brilliant photography will give you a fish's-eye
view of Amanda and Heather's seahorse research and
allow you to swim along on a midnight fishing trip with Digoy. Most
important of all, you'll learn what's being done-and what you can do-
to help the seahorse.


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

New Kid's Books July 13th

Around the World in 100 Days by Gary Blackwood


Gentleman, start your engines.
The Wager 6,000 pounds
The Year 1891
The Terms: 100 days in which to circle the entire 
globe in an automobile.  Boats are permissible over
bodies of water, but the car must otherwise travel
of its own power - no horses, trains, etc.
The Vehicle: The Flash, a custom-built, steam-powered 
motorcars with an aluminum body for speed and four
cylinders for extra horsepower.
The Crew: Harry Fogg, gentleman's son an rogue;
Johhny, best friend and genius mechanic; Charles,
rules-enforcer and general stick-in-the-mud;
Elizabeth, sharp talker and plucky journalist.
The Stakes: INCONCEIVABLY HIGH

Liar, Liar by Gary Paulsen


If you ask me, people who say honesty is the
best policy are just terrible liars.
Kevin has a big talent. Some might call it 
compulsive lying.  He calls it common sense.
Kev doesn't mean to cause trouble by lying all
the time; he's just trying to make everything easier
for everyone (and himself).  And, of course, a 
few harmless, um, falsehoods are crucial to his
plan to convince Tina that he's the perfect
boyfriend for her.
In Gary Paulsen's irresistible and chaotic
comedy, Kevin's lies spiral out of control
until he's faced with the need to do the 
unthinkable: to tell the truth.

Cool Robots by Sean Kenney


Check out this fun book full
of  robot lego models you can build!


A Walk in London by Salvatore Rubbino


London is calling! Come along on a mother-daughter
day trip as they journey past the Changing of the
Guard at Buckingham Palace, through the Whispering
Gallery at St. Paul's Cathedral, and on to the
glittering jewels at the Tower of London...
learning lots along the way!


Wednesday, July 6, 2011

New Kid's books July 6th

Junonia by Kevin Henkes

Returning to the beach cottage- a cottage named Scallop - where 
she has always celebrated her birthday is a special occasion for Alice Rice

Who will see the first dolphin this time?  The first pelican? What
will have changed?  Stayed the same?  And will this be the year
she finally finds a junonia shell?

Alice's friends are all returning, too.  And she's certain her parents
have the best party planned for her.  Alice can't wait.  If Alice
is lucky, everything will be absolutely perfect.  Will Alice be lucky?

A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine


Elodie journeys to the town of Two Castles
to become a mansioner - an actress - but the master of the
troupe turns her away.  Brilliant dragon Meenore takes her
in, then sends her on a dangerous mission within an ogre's castle.
There, disguised as a kitchen maid, she plays the role of a
lifetime, pitted against a foe intent on murder.

Black-and-white cats, a handsome cat trainer, a greedy king,
a giddy princess, a shape-shifting ogre, a brilliant dragon...Elodie
must discover which of them is kind, which is cruel, and, most of all,
which is the one who deserves her trust.

Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine weaves an
entrancing tale of a fearsome ogre, a dragon detective, and
a remarkable heroine who finds friendship where she least
expects it, learns that there are many ways to mansion, and
discovers that goodness and evil come in all shapes and sizes.

Spinster Goose:Twisted rhymes for naughty children  by Lisa Wheeler


There are some children simply too naughty for
Mother Goose to handle.  Luckily her sister, Spinster Goose,
knows just how to deal with these uncouth urchins.

The school of Spinster Goose is home to some world-class
troublemakers.  They bite and pinch.  They talk back and fight.
They eat chalk!

But this isn't just any school.  Spinster Goose will rid these
students of their horrendous behaviors...right?

Fans of Mother Goose will delight in these devilishly
twisted alternatives to the classic rhymes.


If I Had a Hammer by David Rubel


In West Virginia, a thirteen-year-old girl now invites
friends home without embarrassment.  In a Brazilian village,
children no longer sleep beneath a table when the heavy
rains come.  For a quarter century in more than ninety countries,
Habitat for Humanity has built homes with and for the people who
are most in need of them, aided by more than a million multigenerational
volunteers - two of the most devoted of whom are former president 
Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn.

Now this captivating account, abundantly illustrated with photos
from around the world, relays some favorite Habitat stories and 
experiences with special resonance for young readers.   Exploring
everything from creative home design (such as using window
bars in India to keep out monkeys) to the emotional rewards of helping
to build a house from the ground up, this is an essential resource for inspiring
future youth volunteers.