World Music Day -- June 21st

 Did you know that June 21st is World Music Day?  Celebrate by reading one of these chapter books stories about music . . . .

Welcome to Starvation Lake by Gloria Whelan

When a tire fire causes a punk rock band to take a detour to Starvation Lake, the fourth-grade students talk them into playing at the school fund raiser.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

When Chester, a very musical cricket, visits New York, he brings business to Mario's newsstand.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez

María Luisa O'Neill-Morales starts seventh grade with a bang -- spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.

More Books --

Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow

Duet by Elise Broach

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

Gentle's Holler by Kerry Madden

The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements

Mrs. Bacon is Fakin' by Dan Gutman

The Show Must Go On by Tina Wells

Simon B. Rhymin' by Dwayne Reed

The Singing Rock by Nathaniel Luchenmeyer

Upstaged by Diana Harmon Asher

If You Like the Warriors series by Erin Hunter

The Warriors series by Erin Hunter is one of the more popular series for children.  But what should you read next?  Try one of these series . . . .

Guardians of Ga'Hoole series by Kathryn Lasky

When Soren, a barn owl, arrives at St. Aggie's, a school for orphaned owls, he suspects trouble and with his new friend, a clever elf owl named Gylfie, embarks on a perilous journey to save all owls from the danger at St. Aggie's.

Endling series by Katherine Applegate

After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species. The Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true. 

Spirit Animals series by various authors

As a dark force engulfs the land, the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers who each have forged a rare bond with their spirit beasts -- a bond that gives great powers to all of them.

More Series --

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

The Erth Dragons by Chris D'Lacey

Longburrow by Kieran Larwood

The Lost Rainforest by Eliot Schrefer

Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler

The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Wings of Fire by Tai Sutherland

Con-GRAD-ulations!

May is the time for graduation!  This week, we're sharing teen stories of graduates and graduations.  Here's a few of our favorites . . . .

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti

Indigo is looking forward to becoming a full-time waitress after high school graduation, but her life is turned upside down by a large check given to her by a customer who appreciates that she cares enough to scold him about smoking.

Top Ten by Katie Cotugno

Ryan and Gabby are the unlikeliest of best friends. Now, on the night of high school graduation, everything is suddenly changing--in their lives, and in their relationship. As they try to figure out what they mean to each other and where to go from here, they make a top ten list counting down the top ten moments of their friendship.

Every Moment After by Joseph Moldover

After high school graduation, best friends Matt and Cole strive to put behind them the school shooting they survived in first grade and really begin to live.

More Books --

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

The Foreseeable Future by Emily Adrian

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Kill All Happies by Rachel Cohn

Killer House Party by Lily Anderson

Paper Towns by John Green

A Scatter of Light by Melinda Lo

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour

The Perfect Pet

This week, we're sharing some of our favorite pet stories for younger children.  Here are a few of our favorite pet picture books . . . .

A Boy and His Bunny by Sean Bryan

One morning, a boy wakes up with a rabbit on his head and, although his mother is skeptical, he soon discovers that he can be fed, ride a bobsled, and even look cool with a rabbit on his head.

Dogs by Emily Gravett

Various types of dogs illustrate the concept of opposites, with such examples as dogs that are big and small, tough and soft, hairy and bald, and slow and fast.

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

When Lucy, a young bear, discovers a boy lost in the woods, she asks her mother if she can have him as a pet, only to find him impossible to train.

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

A mother dog tries to teach her pup how to bark, and is surprised at why he wasn't learning.

More Pet Stories --

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

Be Gentle with the Dog, Dear by Matthew J. Baek

The Blue House Dog by Deborah Blumenthal

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings

Dog in Charge by K.L. Going

The Dog Who Belonged to No One by Amy Hest

Flat Cat by Tara Lazar

Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio

Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet by Kelly DiPucchio

Goldfish on Vacation by Sam Lloyd-Jones

The Great Dog Wash by Shellie Braeuner

How Mr. Silver Stole the Show by Kate Klise

I Got a New Friend by Karl Newson Edwards

I Hate My Cats: A Love Story by Cali Davide

I Want a Dog by Jon Agee

I'm Not Missing by Kashelle Gourley

Mogie: The Heart of the House by Kathi Appelt

Move Over, Rover by Karen Beaumont

Mr. Putney's Quacking Dog by Jon Agee

No Dogs Allowed! by Sonia Manzano

Painter and Ugly by Robert J. Blake

The Perfect Pet for You by Estelle Laure

The Pet Potato by Josh Lacey

Pirate's Perfect Pet by Beth Ferry

Some Cat! by Mary Casanova

Take Your Pet to School Day by Linda Ashman

This Is Gus by Chris Chatterton

Trouper by Meg Kearney

Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby

Rip-Roaring Reads: Stories Featuring Dinosaurs

Dinosaur books are always popular.  This week, I'm sharing chapter book stories featuring dinosaurs.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . . 

Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan

With the realm at peace and few dragons about, the Knights of the Round Table are bored, so Merlin sends them to face the most terrible lizards of all --dinosaurs.

Dinosaur Trouble by Dick King-Smith

Young dinosaurs Nosy, a pterodactyl, and Banty, an apatosaurus, become friends, despite their parents' prejudices.

Dinosaur Boy by Cory Putman Oakes

Sprouting a tail and spikes over the summer before fifth grade, Sawyer, a boy with the dinosaur gene, is bullied in school, but when his tormentors begin to disappear, it is up to Sawyer, his best friend Elliot, and a mysterious new girl to rescue them from a galactically horrible fate.

More Dinosaur Stories --

The Bad Guys in Do-You-Thin-He-Saurus by Aaron Blabey

Caveboy Dave: More Scrawny Than Brawny by Aaron Reynolds

Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older

Dino-Mike and the T.Rex Attack by Franco Aureliani

The Dinosaur Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne

The Journey Through Time by Geronimo Stilton

Mad Scientist Academy: The Dinosaur Disaster by Matthew McElligott

A Mysterious Egg by Stacy McAnulty

Saving the Stegosaurus by Rex Stone

Short Story Collections for Teens

Sometimes you just want a short story to read rather than a longer novel.  So this week I'm sharing collections of short stories for teens.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . .

Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories by Diana Wynne Jones

Contains fifteen short stories and one novella by fantasy writer Diana Wynne Jones.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

A collection of five spine-tingling short stories.

Out of Our League: 16 Stories of Girls in Sports edited by Dahlia Adler

An anthology about the trials and triumphs of girls in sports.

Tasting Light: Ten Science Fiction Stories to Rewire Your Perceptions edited by A.R. Capetta

This electrifying collection imagines what the world could be through the lens of technologies emerging today, posing a challenge to connect with open minds, hearts and senses in a fast-changing world.

More Short Story Collections for Teens --

The Collectors edited by A.S. King

Color Outside the Lines: Stories About Love edited by Sangu Mandanna

Faeries Never Lie: Tales to Revel In edited by Zoraida Cordova

Fools in Love: Fresh Twists on Romantic Tales edited by Ashley Herring Blake

Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

His Hideous Heart: 13 of Edgar Allan Poe's Most Unsettling Tales Reimagined edited by Dahlia Adler

Love on the Other Side by Nagabe

Moira's Pen by Megan Whalen Turner

Shards & Ashes edited by Melissa Marr

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings: 15 Retellings of Asian Myths and Legends edited by Ellen Oh

Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise edited by Laura Silverman

National Poetry Month

April celebrates National Poetry Month!  Check out one of the following books and discover some new poetry this year in celebration.

Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku by Paul B. Janeczko

A collection of senryu--similar poetry to haiku--tackles a wide range of such child-friendly subjects as baby-sitters, jumping rope, snoring parents, and Grandpa's underwear.

Bookjoy, Wordjoy by Pat Mora

An inspiring collection of Pat Mora's own glorious poems celebrating a love of words and all the ways we use and interact with them: reading, speaking, writing, and singing.

My Thoughts are Clouds: Poems for Mindfulness by Georgia Heard

A poetry collection that both illustrates what mindfulness is and encourages young, growing minds to be present.

More Books of Poetry --

Behold Our Magical Garden: Poems Fresh From a School Garden by Allan Wolf

Everything Comes Next: Collected & New Poems by Naomi Shahib Nye

I Wish Had a Wookie: and Other Poems for Our Galaxy by Ian Doescher

Lemonade by Bob Raczka

Love Your Amazing Self: Joyful Verses for Young Voices by Ofosu Jones-Quartey

Outside the Box by Karma Wilson

A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems by Deborah Ruddell