Thursday, July 31, 2014

It Came from the Library . . . Monstrous Books

Do you like books that give you a few good chills?  Books that you need to read with the lights on?  Then try one of these . . .

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Sam LaCroix, a Seattle fast-food worker and college dropout, discovers that he is a necromancer, part of a world of harbingers, werewolves, satyrs, and one particular necromancer who sees Sam as a threat to his lucrative business of raising the dead.

Lord Loss by Darren Shan
Presumably the only witness to the horrific and bloody murder of his entire family, a teenage boy must outwit not only the mental health professionals determined to cure his delusion, but also the demonic forces only he can see.

The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle
Eleven-year-old Tabby Aykroyd, who would later serve as housekeeper for thirty years to the Brönte sisters, is taken from an orphanage to a ghost-filled house, where she and a wild young boy are needed for a pagan ritual.

Bloodline by Kate Cary
Nineteen-year-old John Shaw returns from World War One and is haunted by nightmares of not only the battles but the horrifying discovery that his regimental commander is descended from Count Dracula.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Through twists and turns of fate, orphaned Mary seeks knowledge of life, love, and especially what lies beyond her walled village and the surrounding forest, where dwell the unconsecrated, aggressive flesh-eating people who were once dead.

More Monstrous Books
The Book of Dead Days by Marcus Sedgwick
The Death Collector by Justin Richards
Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales by Deborah Noyes
Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz
Bonechiller by Graham McNamee
Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Let's Take a Trip . . . To the Arctic

This week, I thought we would take a trip to the Arctic via book . . .

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester
Tacky the penguin does not fit in with his sleek and graceful companions, but his odd behavior comes in handy when hunters come with maps and traps.

Hello, Arctic! by Theodore Taylor
Greets the birds and animals of the tundra as they experience the change of seasons in their frozen northern land.

Polar Bear Night by Lauren Thompson
After wandering out at night to watch a magical star shower, a polar bear cub returns home to snuggle with her mother in their warm den.

Kumak's Fish: A Tale from the Far North by Michael Bania
On a beautiful Arctic morning when Kumak and his family go ice fishing, Kumak hooks what seems like an enormous fish, and the entire village gets involved.

Sailing Off to Sleep by Linda Ashman
Bedtime for a little one brings an imaginary journey to the North Pole to cuddle and play with the many animals there.

Arctic Fives Arrive by Elinor J. Pinczes
A counting book in which animals in groups of five share a hilltop to view the northern lights.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Origami Yoda

One of the most unique takes on the Star Wars movies are the Origami Yoda books by Tom Angleberger.  There are currently five books out with more coming in the future.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.

Darth Paper Strikes Back
Harvey, upset when his Darth Paper finger puppet brings humiliation, gets Dwight suspended, but Origami Yoda asks Tommy and Kellan, now in seventh grade, to make a new casefile to persuade the School Board to reinstate Dwight.

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee
McQuarrie Middle School's students miss Origami Yoda when Dwight leaves for Tippett Academy, but he sends Sara a paper Fortune Wookiee that seems to give advice just as good as Yoda's--even if, in the hands of girls, it seems preoccupied with romance.

The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett
Dark times have fallen on McQuarrie Middle School. Dwight is back--and not a moment too soon--as Kellen, Sara, and the gang face a new Menace: the FunTime Educational Program. FunTime is supposed to raise students' standardized test scores. Instead, it's driving everyone crazy. The students turn to Origami Yoda for help.

Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue
One month before the state standards test are to take place, the Origami Rebel Alliance has found powerful allies in unexpected places in their fight against the FunTime test preparation program, but Principal Rabbski has not yet declared her allegiance.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

In the Days of Yore . . .

This week I thought I would recommend some books for teens set during Medieval Times and the Renaissance . . .

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats
In medieval Wales, follows Cecily whose family is lured by cheap land and the duty of all Englishman to help keep down the "vicious" Welshmen, and Gwenhwyfar, a Welsh girl who must wait hand and foot on her new English mistress.

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
The thirteen-year-old daughter of an English country knight keeps a journal in which she records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off.

Enter Three Witches by Caroline B. Cooney
When her father betrays the Scottish king and is hung as a traitor, Lady Mary's future is bleak after she loses her only true protector and ends up locked away in the tower by the powerful and deadly Lord and Lady Macbeth.

Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper
In 1650, while Robert, a young medical student, steels himself to assist with her dissection, twenty-two-year-old housemaid Anne Green recalls her life as she lies in her coffin, presumed dead after being hanged for murdering her child that was, in fact,stillborn.

The King's Arrow by Michael Cadnum
In England's New Forest on the second day of August, 1100, eighteen-year-old Simon Foldre, delighted to be allowed to participate in a royal hunt as squire to the Anglo-Norman nobleman Walter Tirel, finds his future irrevocably altered when, during the hunt, he witnesses the possible murder of King William II.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Let's Take a Trip . . . To a Museum

A museum is a great place to spend a hot summer day.  Not only is it nice and cool, but it has lots of great interesting items to see.  So today, we're going on vacation by book to museums . . .

Matthew's Dream by Leo Lionni
A visit to an art museum inspires a young mouse to become a painter.

Amelia Bedelia's Masterpiece by Herman Parish
Housekeeper Amelia Bedelia visits an art museum, where her confusion leads to surprising results.

The Shape Game by Anthony Browne
The author/illustrator describes how his mother's wish to spend her birthday visiting an art museum with her family changed the course of his life forever.

Katie and the Sunflowers by James Mayhew
While visiting the art museum, Katie has an adventure stepping in and out of five paintings by Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cezanne.  Includes information about Post-impressionism and the particular paintings and artists in the story.


Saturday, July 19, 2014

Secret Codes and Decoder Rings

I am fascinated by stories of spies and their missions.  This week I thought I would share some great spy stories for kids . . .

Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus
In Nazi-occupied Norway, fourteen-year-old Espen joins the resistance movement, graduating from deliverer of illegal newspapers to courier and spy.

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Twelve-year-old Ben Ripley leaves his public middle school to attend the CIA's highly secretive Espionage Academy, which everyone is told is an elite science school.

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur G. Slade
In Victorian London, fourteen-year-old Modo, a shape-changing hunchback, becomes a secret agent for the Permanent Association, which strives to protect the world from the evil machinations of the Clockwork Guild.

STORM: The Infinity Code by E.L. Young
In London, the teenaged geniuses of STORM, a secret organization dedicated to eliminating the world's misery through science and technology, uncover plans for a deadly weapon and race to find and dismantle it, then confront the corrupt scientist behind the scheme.

Thunder Raker by Justin Richards
Follows the misadventures of an ordinary boy, Alfie at an extraordinary school for young spies.

More Spy Stories --
Andrew North Blows Up the World by Adam Selzer
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
 Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst
Owen Foote, Super Spy by Stephanie Greene
Shakespeare's Spy by Gary Blackwood

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Good vs. Evil -- Which Side Are You On?

Books often include plots of evil versus good.  Sometimes we root for the heroes.  Sometimes we root for the villains.  Which side do you root for in the following books . . .

The Darkangel by Meredith Ann Pierce
The servant girl Aeriel must choose between destroying her vampire master for his evil deeds or saving him for the sake of his beauty and the spark of goodness she has seen in him.

The Cup of the World by John Dickinson
When Phaedra, a willful daughter of a baron, decides to marry for love, she sets off an unforseeable chain of events and a battle between good and evil.

The Wish List by Eion Colfer
Orphan Meg Finn's soul becomes the object of a battle between the demonic and the divine after she is killed in an accidental explosion while attempting to rob an elderly man and arrives in the afterlife to find the tally on her good and evil deeds is dead even.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
In Alagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.

Gone by Michael Grant
In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have "The Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.

More Books Featuring the Ultimate Battles --
Abarat by Clive Barker
The Alchemist's Cat by Robin Jarvis
Flame by Hilari Bell
The Haunting of Alazabel Cray by Chris Wooding
The Singer of All Songs by Kate Constable

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Let's Take a Trip . . . To the Woods

This week for our vacation by book, I thought we would visit the forest.  Enjoy the following stories set in the woods . . .

This Is a Moose by Richard T. Morris
Director Billy Waddler is trying to film a documentary about moose, but the moose in question has no intention of spending his life in the woods and his animal friends, who have dreams of their own, help him prove his point.

My Friend the Bear by Jez Alborough
Eddie and his teddy bear meet a very big bear in the woods, and Eddie and the big bear become good friends.

I'm Not Cute! by Jonathan Allen
Little Owl wants to be strong, smart, brave, fearsome but not cute. However, all his animal friends find that he is cute, and cannot resist telling him so.

The Wonderful Book by Leonid Gore
When various forest animals discover a mysterious object in the woods, they each use it for a different purpose, until a boy reads stories aloud from it, much to the animals' delight.

More Books in the Woods --
Animals in the Outhouse by Anja Frohlich
Moon Glowing by Elizabeth Partridge
I Am So Strong by Mario Ramos
Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Detective Science

This week's science theme is Detective Science -- so get out your science supplies and start to solve the mysteries . . .


Snatched by Pete Hautman
Too curious for her own good, Roni, crime reporter for her high school newspaper, teams up with Brian, freshman science geek, to investigate the beating and kidnapping of a classmate.

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Detention by Kenny Abdo
When his project blows up and ruins the science fair, Henry Gallagher asks fourth-grade detective Jon Gummyshoes to investigate an obvious case of sabotage, but this mystery is complicated by school politics.

The Case of the Mossy Leaf Monster and Other Super-Scientific Cases by Michelle Torrey
Fourth-graders Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey combine their detective and scientific investigation skills to solve a variety of cases, involving a hungry cat, endangered penguins, a fish-stealing monster, and a dirty election.  Includes a section of scientific experiments and activities.


Thursday, July 10, 2014

Guys Read

Want some great book recommendations for the teen guys in your life?  Try one of these . . . .

Never Fall Down: A Novel by Patricia McCormick
Cambodian child soldier Arn Chorn-Pond defied the odds and used all of his courage and wits to survive the murderous regime of the Khmer Rouge.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Marcelo Sandoval, a seventeen-year-old boy on the high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum, faces new challenges, including romance and injustice, when he goes to work for his father in the mailroom of a corporate law firm.

The Monstrumologist by Richard Yancey
In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship with Dr. Warthrop, a scientist who hunts and studies real-life monsters, as they discover and attempt to destroy a pod of Anthropophagi.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor
Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight.

Happyface by Stephen Emond
After going through traumatic times, a troubled, socially awkward teenager moves to a new school where he tries to reinvent himself.

More Great Teen Books for Guys --
The Afterlife by Gary Soto
Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena
Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick
Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Let's Take a Trip . . . To the Amusement Park

Today, I feel like visiting an amusement park -- so here are some great picture books to give me inspiration . . .

Zoom! by Diane Adams
Illustrations and rhyming, easy-to-read text describe a father and child's wild ride on a roller coaster.

At the Boardwalk by Kelly Fineman
From sunrise to sunset, the attractions of a beach boardwalk include popcorn, taffy, arcade games, and a dazzling amusement park.

Little Rabbit Lost by Harry Horse
On his birthday Little Rabbit thinks that he is now a big rabbit, until he gets lost at the Rabbit World amusement park.

Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee
Twelve people set aside their fears and ride a roller coaster, including one who has never done so before.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Radical Robot Reads

This month, we are going to focus on science-based books for school-aged children.  This is to go along with the grant we received from the Monsanto Corporation for Mad Science programming in the library this summer.  This week's theme is Mad Machines -- so here are some radical robot reads . . .

Brother From a Box by Evan Kuhlman
Sixth-grader Matt Rambeau finds out what it is like to have a brother when his father, a computer genius, creates a robot kid that goes to school with Matt, shares his feelings and ideas, plays, does chores, fights for his "life" when chased by spies, and becomes a part of the family.

A Boy and His Bot by Daniel H. Wilson
When timid young Code falls down a hole into Mekhos, where everything is made of metal and circuitry, he must obtain the legendary Robonomicon from evil Immortalis in order to save the robots of this subterranean world and return home.

Celia's Robot by Margaret Scrogin Chang
Surprised by her scientist father's gift of a robot for her birthday, ten-year-old Celia comes to appreciate its help in organizing her chaotic day-to-day life until it suddenly mysteriously disappears.

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.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Books for Fans of Doctor Who

Doctor Who is one of my favorite programs on television.  I have heard many teens and adults also express their love of Doctor Who.  So this week, I thought I would share some books for fans of Doctor Who.  These are books that contain elements similar to the Doctor's adventures . . .

Black Hole Sunby David MacInnis Gill
On the planet Mars, Durango and his crew of mercenaries are hired by the settlers of a mining community to protect their most valuable resource from a feral band of marauders.

Stravaganza: City of Stars by Mary Hoffman
Georgia, who loves horses as much as she hates her bullying stepbrother, buys a figurine of a winged horse and finds it has magical powers that transport her from present-day London to the sixteenth-century world of Talia where , in the city of Remora, similar to Sienna, Italy, she finds danger and intrigue as well as friendship and a chance to perfect her riding skills.

Curse of the Romanovs by Staton Rubin
In 1916, teenaged hemophiliac and heir to the Russian throne, Alexei Romanov, escapes into the future to elude the murderous Rasputin, and meets his modern-day cousin, Varda, who is working on a cure for hemophilia and who wants to help change history by saving his family.

POD by Stephen Wallenfels
As alien spacecraft fill the sky and zap up any human being who dares to go outside, Josh and Megs, living in different cities, describe what could be their last days on Earth.

Only You Can Save Mankind by Terry Pratchett
Johnny endures tensions between his parents, watches television coverage of the Gulf War, and plays a computer game called Only You Can Save Mankind, in which he is increasingly drawn into the reality of the alien ScreeWee.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Let's Take a Trip . . . On Safari

This week, let's take an imagination vacation to Africa on safari.  Here are some great books featuring safari animals . . .

Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen
With a tramp and a roll and a swat, Great Big Elephant, Great Big Hippo, and Great Big Tiger try to capture Tiny Little Fly as he teases each one in turn.

Elmer by David McKee
All the elephants of the jungle were gray except Elmer, who was a patchwork of brilliant colors until the day he got tired of being different and making the other elephants laugh.

Kiss Kiss by Margaret Wild
Baby Hippo is in such a rush to play one morning he forgets to kiss his mama, but strangely all the jungle noises seem to remind him.

Starry Safari by Linda Ashman
Bedtime becomes a jungle safari until the Big Safari Ranger brings it to a halt.

More Safari Books --
Bill and Pete by Tomie dePaolo
George and Martha by James Marshall
Gumption! by Elise Broach
How to Catch an Elephant by Amy Schwartz
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney