New Kid's Books August 31st

Big Wig: A Little History of Hair  by Kathleen Krull

History is one hair-raising subject.  And there's no more 

hair-brained historian than Kathleen Krull to tease out the funniest highlights 

from the dawn of time to the present day.

Meet centuries of women with hair issues in these pages,

from the first blonde cave woman to the bearded queens

of Egypt.  From the ladies of the court of Queen Marie Antoinette

(whose hairstyles involved the weaving in of items such as a

birdcage with live birds, or a wooden ship), to the 1960's

girl groups like the Supremes with their elevated beehives.

From the ill-fated locks of Joan of Arc to the infamous

unibrow of Frida Kahlo.

And in case you thought men didn't have their own hair stuff to

deal with:Did you know that the philosopher Aristotle rubbed goat 

pee on his head to cure his baldness? Or that Hippocrates preferred

a mixture of wine, olive oil, horseradish, and pigeon poop? (Julius

Caesar had his own method too, but Cleopatra taught him a new one;

read on to find out what!)

It's gross, it's fashion, it's outrageous, it's history, it's...hair!

Fabulous! : A Portrait of Andy Warhol by Bonnie Christensen

You might recognize Andy Warhol's famous paintings of

Campbell's Soup cans and Coke bottles.  But do you know

about the artist who created these images?

Andy Warhol was often sick as a child, yet found comfort

in reading comic books and most especially in drawing.

Starting with his early days in Pittsburgh in the 1930s and progressing

to the height of his glory in the 1060s when he blurred the line

between commercial art and fine art, this book chronicles

an artist's remarkable path to becoming a renowned Pop Art icon.

Star of the Sea by Janet Halfmann

With the ocean her home, an ochre sea star hunts for her

morning meal.  She folds over her rays and grips the rocky

shore with sticky feet as she feasts on shellfish.  When

she takes too long, the tide flows back without her, and Sea Star

becomes easy prey for a seagull.  But she is built to survive and

returns to the sea, although with one less ray.

Through inspiring words and stunning pictures, the

fascinating world of a small but mighty sea creature in brought to light.

Manners Mash-Up 

Should you eat nachos at the opera? What about

wearing your birthday suit to a birthday party? And

just where do you put that napkin?  These etiquette questions have

been puzzling kids for ages. Now, fourteen hilarious and well-loved 

illustrators show you all the answers and many, many more, right inside this book!

New Kid's Books August 18th

School! Adventures at the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School by Kate  McMullan

Welcome to the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School.

Meet Ron Faster and his tippy-toppy friends: Adam Up,

Viola Fuss, Sid Down, ChuckieUpkins, the principal, 

Miss Ingashoe, and the school secretary, Miss Celia

Seeyalater.  Join them as they go through adventures on a

hotsy-totsy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and

Friday at a most unusual school.

The Unseen World of Poppy Malone  by Suzanne Harper

Evidence: 1. A snicker: soft but clear. 2. The mess.

3. White teeth gleaming in the shadows.  

Possibilities: 1. Vampires. 2 Ghosts. 3. Goblins. 

4. Werewolves. 5 Fairies.

To do: 1. Record evidence in logbook. 2. Do not tell

Mom and Dad! 3. Read (again!) The Little People:

A comprehensive History of Hobgoblins, Pixies, Brownies, and Sprites.

4. Set a trap. 5. Set up motion-sensor camera. 6. Ask Will and Franny

for help? 

Ellie McDoodle: Have pen will travel by Ruth McNally Barshaw

Ellie McDougal (better known to her friends as Ellie McDoodle because she loves to draw)

 is a nearly-twelve-year-old prisoner . . . of her aunt, uncle,

 three annoying cousins, and her baby brother, Ben-Ben. 

Sentenced to a week-long camping trip with them while her parents

 are out of town, Ellie is absolutely, positively determined 

to hate every single minute of the experience. 

Thank goodness she at least has her sketch journal,

 in which she records all the excruciating (and okay, very funny) details.

 Mosquito bites and trips to the Fred Moose museum she can handle.

 But how will she keep her journal from falling into Er-ick the Enemy's hands? 

And what will happen when--gasp--she actually starts having fun?

 Part graphic novel, part confessional journal, 

part wilderness survival guide, 

Ellie's story is a treat for young campers,

 vacationers, or anyone looking for a great summer read. 

Ellie McDoodle: New kid in School by Ruth McNally Barshaw

Moving to a new house? Bad. Being the new kid? Worse!

When Ellis's family moves to a new town, she's sure she won't fit in.

Nobody else like to read as much as she does, the other kids at 

school play "new kid bingo" behind her back, and even the teachers

can't seem to remember her name.  But when the students need

someone to help them rally against long lunch lines (and bad food),

Ellie is on the case. And with shorter lines and better food in sight,

can friendship be far behind? For any kid who's ever felt like an

outsider looking in, Ellie's journal captures the frustration, the

nervousness, and, yes the occasional happy surprises of

making a fresh start.

New Kid's Books August 10th

Hooray for Anna Hibiscus! by Atinuke

Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa.  Amazing Africa.  She

loves singing to her two baby brothers, Double and Trouble.

But when she is chosen to sing for her school in front of

the president, her throat runs dry, and her bones turn to

stone.  Can Double and Trouble save her?

Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation by Matt Myklusch

Jack Blank doesn't know who he is or where he

comes from.  He doesn't even know his real last name.  All

Jack knows is his bleak, dreary life at St. Barnaby's Home

for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten and Lost.

Everything changes one morning when Jack receives

two visitors.  The first is a deadly robot, straight out of one

of Jack's favorite comic books, that tries its best to blow

him up.  The second is an emissary from a secret country called

the Imagine Nation, where all the fantastic and unbelievable

things in our world originate-including Jack.  Jack soon

discovers that he has an amazing ability-one that could make 

him the savior of the Imagine Nation and the world beyond,

or the biggest threat they've ever faced.

The Immortals by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

Nate Quarter is a lowly lamplighter in the

phrazmines of the Eastern Woods, until treachery

forces him to flee for his life- to the might city of

the Great Glade.

But these are turbulent times.  In Far-off Hive-the spectacular

city founded by the goblin tribes- the clan leaders are preparing for war.

And out beyond the dread Nightwoods, in the fabled gardens

of Riverrise, a one-eyed waif jealously guards the

life-giving waters of the mystical Riverrise spring...

Swept up in the maelstrom that follows, Nate and a small

band of intrepid friends must set off on an epic journey that

will lead them into terrible peril.

And all the while, from over the Edge cliff itself, a storm

unlike any every seen before is building-a storm that is

to roll across the land, bringing both echoes of the past and

the promise of a new beginning....

Real Princesses by Valerie Wilding

Can any girl become a princess?

Are all princesses rich?

Where do they get their dresses and jewelry?

Do all princesses become queen one day?

Discover the answers to these questions and many more

while reading about the privileged lives of princesses.

You'll get the scoop with real-life examples of what princesses'

lives are like, how they dress, what special events they attend,

where they go to school, and whether there are any downsides

to being royal.

New Kid's Books August 3rd

Justin Case by Rachel Vail

It's the start of the school year, and nothing feels right

to Justin.  He didn't get the teacher he wanted, he's not

in the same class as his best friend, and his little sister,

Elizabeth, is starting kindergarten at his school.  Elizabeth

doesn't seem nervous at all.  Justin is very nervous about

third grade.  And to top it off, he's lost his favorite stuffed animal,

but he can't tell anyone, because technically, he's too old

to still have stuffed animals. Right?

Trading Faces by Julia DeVillers and Jennifer Roy

On the first day of seventh grade, twin sisters

 Payton and Emma have been assigned entirely different

schedules - for the first time ever.  Without telling anyone, the twins

switch places: Cool Payton goes incognito as quiet Emma, while mathlete 

Emma impersonates fashionista Payton.

No one - from their new teachers to

their clueless classmates - realizes they've made a switch.

The twins quickly find out that playing a different role in life

can be a lot of fun - and that no one is exactly the person

the rest of the world thinks they are.

Spot it again! by Delphine Chedru

Where are the creatures hiding? Look closer..little animals 

lurk on every bright and colorful page of this beautiful

seek-and-find treat.  Can you find each of the hidden

animals?

Energy Island by Allan Drummond

The island of Samso in Denmark was once a very

ordinary place, and the people who lived there were

ordinary, too.  In fact, the only thing that made Samso

unusual at all was that it was very, very windy.

Then the ordinary citizens of this ordinary island

decided to do something extraordinary: they drastically

reduced their carbon emissions and became almost

completely energy independent.  And they did it all

with the help of the wind!

This inspiring true story proves that, with a big

idea and a lot of hard work, anyone can make

a huge step toward energy conservation.

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.

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!

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.