Hollow Fields by Madeleine Rosca

Lucy is on her way to Saint Galbat's Academy for Young Ladies when she gets lost in the woods.  Somehow she finds her way to the school -- but the wrong school.  It is Miss Weaver's Academy for the Scientifically Gifted and Ethically Unfettered -- otherwise known as Hollow Fields.

It seems like the perfect school at first with huge private rooms and scrumptious meals prepared to order.  However, Lucy quickly discovers that it is a school for mad scientists.  The worst part though is that the student with the lowest grades each week is sent to detention . . . and is never seen again!



This is an interesting graphic novel for older kids and teens.  Lucy is a great character who never seems to lose her optimism.  The school and teachers are appropriately creepy.  A great read for those wanting a few chills with their reading.

Galloping Good Reads

One of the most common requests we get at the library is horse stories.  So here are some of our favorite horse books for kids . . .

Astra by Chris Platt
Forbidden to ride after her mother's death in a riding accident, thirteen-year-old Lily nurses her mother's beloved horse, Astra, back to health, hoping that someday Astra will win the Tevis Cup endurance race.

Wild Girl by Patricia Reilly Giff
When twelve-year-old Lidie leaves Brazil to join her father and brother on a horse ranch in New York, she has a hard time adjusting to her changed circumstances, as does a new horse that has come to the ranch.

Wind Rider by Susan Williams
Fern, a teenager living in 4000 B.C., defies the expectations of her people by displaying a unique and new ability to tame horses and by also questioning many of the traditional activities of women.

A Horse Called Hero by Sam Angus
Forced to leave London for a new home in the country after their father refuses to join the military during World War II, Wolfie and his brother, Dodo, bond with an orphaned foal that they risk their lives to rescue.

Wish Riders by Patrick Jennings
Forced to work in a logging camp during the Depression, fifteen-year-old Dusty discovers the power of wishes when magical horses, made entirely out of wood and vines, help her--and her friends--navigate through a land of enchantment to freedom.


More Horse Stories --
The Blue Roan Child by Jamieson Findlay
Chancey of the Maury River by Gigi Amateau
Ellie Ever by Nancy Patterson
The Escape by Kathryn Lasky
Gabriel's Horses by Alison Hart
The Georges and the Jewels by Jane Smiley
Horse Tales by June Crebbin
Ivy Takes Care by Rosemary Wells
Libby of High Hopes by Elise Primavera
Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan
The Princess and the Foal by Stacy Gregg


Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through October 15, 2016.

Black Bird, v. 1 by Kanoko Sakurakoji

Misao has always seen things that no one else can.  As she ages, the demons that only she can see are growing in number.  When she turns 16, a demon attacks her and she is rescued by childhood friend Kyo who heals her wounds by licking them.

It turns out Misao is the bride of prophecy.  Demons want to drink her blood to gain power.  Kyo, however, wants to marry her to bring prosperity to his clan.


This manga series is for older teens.  At heart, it is a romance with Misao having to decide whether she loves Kyo and whether Kyo actually loves her.

Pawsome Doggie Tales

This coming weekend we are holding a special story time all about dogs.  To help prepare, here are some of our favorite dog picture books . . . .

Digger Dog by William Bee
Digger Dog loves to dig up bones - the bigger the better. But for the biggest bone in the world, what will Digger Dog need?

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.

Dog in Charge by K.L. Going
When his human family goes to the store, Dog is left in charge of five wiley cats.

Big Mean Mike by Michelle Knudson
Mike is proud to be the biggest, toughest dog in the neighborhood, so when tiny, fuzzy bunnies start showing up in his big, mean car he sees them only as a threat to his reputation, no matter how adorable they are.

Widget by Lyn McFarland
A small stray dog is accepted into a household full of cats by learning to "fit in", but when his owner is hurt, he demonstrates that being a dog is not all bad.


More Dog Stories --
10 Little Hot Dogs by John Himmelman
Always in Trouble by Corinne Demas
Be Gentle with the Dog, Dear by Matthew Baek
Black Dog by Levi Pinfold
Boot & Shoe by Marla Frazee
Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond
Chowder by Peter Brown
City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems
C'mere Boy! by Sharon Jennings
Dog's Noisy Day by Emma Dodd
Dogs by Emily Gravett
Find a Cow Now by Janet Stevens
Good Boy, Fergus! by David Shannon
The Great Dog Wash by Shellie Braeuner
I'm My Own Dog by David Ezra Stein
Ivan the Terrier by Peter Catalanotto
Lyle Walks the Dog by Bernard Waber
Madlenka's Dog by Peter Sis
Number One Sam by Greg Pizzoli
Old Mother Hubbard by Jane Cabrera
Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch by Mona Kerby
Painter and Ugly by Robert J. Blake
Pugs in a Bug by Carolyn Crimi
Rrralph by Lois Ehlert
Traffic Pups by Michelle Meadows
Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino
A Vacation for Pooch by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Weiner Wolf by Jeff Crosby

Check out these books on display through October 7, 2016 at the Arnold Branch.

Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel by Hope Larson

Meg feels as if she doesn't fit in -- at her school, in her family, and in life -- ever since her father disappeared a year ago.  She knows he would never have left willingly and one night she finds out she was right.  Now Meg, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their new friend Cal must travel through space to rescue her father from the darkness.

This is the graphic novel retelling of Madeline L'Engle's classic book A Wrinkle in Time.  It is a definite must-read for those who like the original novel.  It is also a great introduction to the classic book in a comic format which makes it more accessible for younger children.

Are You Ready for National Preparedness Month?

September is National Preparedness Month.  It's time to consider whether you are prepared for any emergencies that might pop up.  Visit https://www.ready.gov/ for some great resources on getting prepared.

In honor of National Preparedness Month, I'm sharing some books of teens facing emergencies . . . .

A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer
In the not-too-distant future when a global pandemic kills most of humanity, a teenaged girl and her younger brother struggle to survive.

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
Robbie's last-minute flight to the Midway Atoll proves to be a nightmare when the plane goes down in shark-infested waters, but the real terror begins when the co-pilot Max pulls her onto the raft.

In Darkness by Nick Lake
In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, fifteen-year-old Shorty, a poor gang member from the slums of Site Soleil, is trapped in the rubble of a ruined hospital, and as he grows weaker he has visions and memories of his life of violence, his lost twin sister, and of Toussaint L'Ouverture, who liberated Haiti from French rule in the 1804.

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks
A guide to surviving an attack by hordes of the predatory undead explains zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective weaponry and defense strategies, how to outfit one's home for a long siege, and how to survive in any terrain.

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.


More Survival Books for Teens --
Adrift by Paul Griffin
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Black River Falls by Jeff Hirsch
Desert Angel by Charlie Price
H2O by Virginia Bergin
The Living by Matt de la Pena
Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia BLock
No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz
Overboard by Elizabeth Fama
Peak by Roland Smith
POD by Stephen Wallenfels
The Rule of Three by Eric Walters
Storm by Donna Jo Napoli
Survive by Alex Morel

Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through October 21, 2016.

Lisolette & WItch's Forest by Natsuki Takaya

Lisolette has moved to a remonte land east of east of east where the forest is filled with witches.  Shortly after moving there with twin children Alto and Anna, Lisolette is attacked by a witch and rescued by Engetsu who looks very similar to an old friend . . . .

This is the first volume in Natsuki Takaya's new manga series.  (Natsuki Takaya wrote the popular manga series Fruits Basket.)  This first volume gives us the main characters along with some backstory to get us interested.  The next volume comes out this fall.

Yo Ho Ho! Stories of Pirates

It's a little early in the month, but Talk Like a Pirate Day is coming up.  So here are some of my favorite books featuring pirates . . .

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry
Soon after Peter, an orphan, sets sail from England on the ship Never Land, he befriends and assists Molly, a young Starcatcher, whose mission is to guard a trunk of magical stardust from a greedy pirate and the native inhabitants of a remote island.

Dragon's Plunder by Brad Strickland
Having been kidnapped by former pirates because of his ability to whistle up the wind, fifteen-year-old Jamie agrees to help their leader, a living corpse, find the dragon of Windrose Island.

Fergus Crane by Paul Stewart
Nine-year-old Fergus Crane's life is filled with classes on the school ship Betty Jeanne, interesting neighbors, and helping with his mother's work until a mysterious box flies into his window and leads him toward adventure.

Shivers! The Pirate Who's Afraid of Everything by Annabeth Bondor-Stone
Shivers, the pirate who's afraid of everything, battles a giant squid, discovers hidden treasures, and gets pooped on by a pigeon to save his parents from the clutches of evil.


More Pirate Stories --
Alex and the Ironic Gentleman by Adrienne Kress
Fish by Gregory Mone
The High-Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate by Scott Nash
Hook's Revenge by Heidi Schulz
Little Wolf: Terror of the Shivery Seas by Ian Whybrow
The Lost Treasure of Little Snoring by Lyn Gardner
Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson
Pirate Pig by Cornelia Funke
The Pirates of Turtle Rock by Richard Jennings
Seven Dead Pirates by Linda Bailey
Tales of Pirates and Buccaneers by Howard Pyle
Uncle Pirate by Douglas Rees
The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbitt

Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through September 23, 2016.

Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard by Jonathan Auxier

Peter Nimble is back!

Sophie Quire's life changes forever when she is caught trying to rescue some books from being burned for being full of "nonsense".  She is rescued from Inquisitor Prigg by the boy Peter Nimble who later asks her assistance in mending an old book.  This book will lead Sophie and Peter on an adventure to save the world . . . .

This is the second book featuring Peter Nimble.  It is fascinating to see how attaining the ability to see changes Peter.  It is also interesting to meet Sophie and learn how a bookish intellectual can save the world.  Hopefully, more Peter Nimble and Sophie Quire books are written.