Saturday, September 28, 2013

It Was a Dark and Gloomy Book . . .

Check out these gothic books for kids!

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
Follows Hansel and Gretel as they walk out of their own story and into eight more tales, encountering such wicked creatures as witches, along with kindly strangers and other helpful folk.

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
After the sudden death of their parents, the Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune.

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
A mix-up involving the greatest magic in the world has tremendous consequences for Liesl, an orphan who has been locked in an attic, Will, an alchemist's runaway apprentice, and Po, a ghost, as they are pursued by friend and foe while making an importantjourney.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
Three children become involved in a series of adventures when left under the care of a detestable governess in a rural English manor.

Measle and the Wrathmonk by Ian Ogilvy
Twelve-year-old orphan Measle Stubbs is shrunk down to half an inch tall and placed in a train set by his evil guardian, the Wrathmonk.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Celebrate Your Freedom to Read


Did you know that a majority of the books that are censored are children's and teen books?  Here are some of the teen books that have had objections made against them being in public libraries across the country . . .

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Alexie Sherman
Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death.

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Sixteen-year-old Miles' first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama includes good friends and great pranks, but is defined by the search for answers about life and death after a fatal car crash.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

One of my favorite authors for young children is Jan Thomas.  Her books are short, simple, funny and engaging.  Check them out!

Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
Brave Cowboy tries to sing his young calf pals to sleep on a dark, dark night, with humorous results.

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas
Chicken's cow visitors try to jump, dance, and wiggle on his couch, which is much too tiny for such exuberant activities.

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
A ladybug invites the reader to play a game of "let's pretend."

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
As three dust bunnies, Ed, Ned, and Ted, are demonstrating how much they love to rhyme, a fourth, Bob, is trying to warn them of approaching danger.

The Doghouse by Jan Thomas
Cow, Pig, Duck, and Mouse are afraid to retrieve their ball when it goes into the dog's house, but when they do go in they are pleasantly surprised.

What Will Fat Cat Sit On? by Jan Thomas
A group of animals is terrified at the prospect of being sat upon by the imposing Fat Cat, until the mouse comes up with a solution that satisfies everyone.

Check out the rest of Jan Thomas' books at the library. 

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Have you Read the Movie?

I love the fact that many children's books are now being made into movies.  It's fascinating to see how the book is different.  Is the book better or the movie better?

Read the following books and watch the movies to see which you like better.

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
The land of Prydain is threatened by the evil Arawn and his band of invincible warriors.

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
The wind brings two English children a new nanny who slides up the bannister and introduces them to some delightful people and experiences.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.




Thursday, September 19, 2013

Once Upon a Time . . .

I have always loved to read fairy tales.  The adventure, magic and romance combine together to make compelling stories.  Here are three of my favorite fairy tale novels for teens.

Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen
Recasts the tale of Snow White, setting it in West Virginia in the 1940s with a stepmother who is a snake-handler.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
A girl travels east of the sun and west of the moon to free her beloved prince from a magic spell.

Zel by Donna Jo Napoli
Based on the fairy tale Rapunzel, the story is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Zel, her mother, and the prince, and delves into the psychological motivations of the characters.


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

The Long, Long Line by Tomoko Ohmura

Fifty animals are all standing in a long, long line.  It is creeping forward very, very slowly.

Why are they in line?  What is at the end?

Read this book to find out!

Try identifying all fifty different animals as you read their excited comments about the upcoming fun.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

It's a Hard-Knock Life . . .

The life of an orphan can be hard . . .

Pip and the Wood Witch Curse by Chris Mould
After running away from an orphanage, Pip arrives in the walled city of Hangman's Hollow, where children must hide to avoid imprisonment by citizens or danger from evil creatures in the surrounding forest.

Splendors and Glooms by Amy Schlitz
After running away from an orphanage, Pip arrives in the walled city of Hangman's Hollow, where children must hide to avoid imprisonment by citizens or danger from evil creatures in the surrounding forest.

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
In this tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, the four Willoughby children set about to become "deserving orphans" after their neglectful parents embark on a treacherous around-the-world adventure, leaving them in the care of an odious nanny.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Football Season

With the start of school comes the start of the football season.  Check out one of these great football stories for teens . . .

Pop by Gordon Korman
Lonely after a midsummer move to a new town, sixteen-year-old high-school quarterback Marcus Jordan becomes friends with a retired professional linebacker who is great at training him, but whose childish behavior keeps Marcus in hot water.

Gym Candy by Carl Deuker
Football is the only thing that has ever really mattered to Mick Johnson, who works hard for a spot on the varsity team his freshman year, then tries to hold onto his edge by using steroids, despite the consequences to his health and social life.

Knights of the Hill Country by Tim Tharp
In his senior year, high school star linebacker Hampton Greene finally begins to think for himself and discovers that he might be interested in more than just football.


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

We Remember . . .

Today is the remembrance of 9/11.  This is a topic that is difficult to explain to young children.  One way to broach the topic would be share one of the following books . . .

America Is Under Attack by Don Brown
Narrates the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, from the plane hijackings to the collapse of the World Trade Center.

September 12th: We Knew Everything Would be All Right by The First Grade Students at H.Byron Masterson Elementary in Kennett, Missouri
Conveys the sense of hope and comfront found in the routine of everyday activities following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

September Roses by Jeanette Winter
Two sisters find a good use for the roses they have grown when their plane from South Africa is delayed by a storm, causing them to miss a flower show in New York City.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

In Celebration of Grandparents!

Tomorrow is Grandparents' Day!  In celebration, read one of Patricia MacLachlan's wonderful stories of children with their grandparents.

The Truth of Me: About a Boy, His Grandmother, and a Very Good Dog
Robbie and his dog, Ellie, spend the summer at his grandmother Maddy's house, where Robbie learns many things about his emotionally distant parents and himself.

Kindred Souls
Ten year-old Jake shares a special bond with his grandfather, Billy, but when Billy asks Jake to build him a sod house, Jake is not sure he wants to do it.

Grandfather's Dance
As her family gathers for the wedding of her sister Anna, fourth-grader Cassie Whiting sees the many changes brought about by everyday life and finds comfort in the love of those around her, especially her grandfather.

Through Grandpa's Eyes
A young boy learns a different way of seeing the world from his blind grandfather.



Thursday, September 5, 2013

School Tales

Teen books often involve the school setting.  Here are some of the best school stories for teens . . .

Rikers High by Paul Volponi
Arrested on a minor offense, a New York City teenager attends high school in the jail facility on Rikers Island, as he waits for his case to go to court.

Nothing by Janne Teller
When thirteen-year-old Pierre Anthon leaves school to sit in a plum tree and train for becoming part of nothing, his seventh grade classmates set out on a desperate quest for the meaning of life.

Story Time by Edward Bloor
George and Kate are promised the best education but instead face obsessed administrators, endless tests, and evil spirits when they are transferred to Whittaker Magnet School.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
A high school freshman discovers the devastating consequences of refusing to join in the school's annual fund raising drive and arousing the wrath of the school bullies.

Trapped by Michael Northrop
Seven high school students are stranded at their New England high school during a week-long blizzard that shuts down the power and heat, freezes the pipes, and leaves them wondering if they will survive.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award

The Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award is a readers' choice award for preschool children in the state of Missouri.  Children are encouraged to listen to at least six of the nominee books and to vote for their favorite at their public library.  Last year, over 22,000 children voted for the winning book - Press Here by Herve Tullet. 

Here are the nominees for this year --

I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black
When a bored girl meets a potato who finds children tedius, she tries to prove him wrong by demonstrating all of the things they can do.

Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj
Important secrets about how best to live a cat's life will be revealed only to those who can prove that they are genuine cats.

Who's Who? by Ken Geist
Illustrations and simple rhyming text introduce six pairs of animal twins, who moo, hop, swing, swim, flap, and hoot their way through the day.

Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton
George finds it hard to be a good dog when there are cats to chase, flowers to dig up, and a delicious cake sitting on the kitchen table.

It's a Tiger! by David LaRochelle
A child imagines that he is in a story where he encounters a tiger at every turn.

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin
Pete the cat loves the buttons on his shirt so much that he makes up a song about them, and even as the buttons pop off, one by one, he still finds a reason to sing.

One Special Day by Lola Schaefer
An energetic and imaginative boy becomes a big brother.

Find a Cow Now by Janet Stevens
Tired of hearing Dog yipping at chairs and trying to round up rugs, Bird tells him to go to the country to find a cow, but this is one cattle dog who does not know a cow when he sees one.

Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
Brave Cowboy tries to sing his young calf pals to sleep on a dark, dark night, with humorous results.

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems
Pigeon is very angry when the duckling gets a cookie just by asking politely.