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.