Saturday, November 30, 2013

Weird and Wacky Food

Are you all stuffed from your Thanksgiving eating?  How about reading a good book about some odd foods instead of eating more?  Check out these books . . .

Mouse Noses on Toast by Daren King
Paul Mouse gathers a group of mouse activists to uncover the mystery behind the delicacy known as "Mouse noses on toast" which is served in a fancy human restaurant.

Cold Cereal by Adam Rex
A boy who may be part changeling, twins involved in a bizarre secret experiment, and a clurichaun in a red tracksuit try to save the world from an evil cereal company whose ultimate goal is world domination.

Maybelle and the Haunted Cupcake by Katie Speck
Maybelle the cockroach is tired of all the rules she must follow to safely get food from Mr. and Mrs. Peabody's kitchen, but when Bernice, an ant with a head cold, insists on helping out, the situation only gets worse.


Thursday, November 28, 2013

Wanna Bake Something?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't think I've ever come across a Thanksgiving book for teens.  So instead I thought I would continue with the food theme and share some books of teens wanting to cook . . .

Kitchen Princess by Natsumi Ando - manga
Najika is a gifted cook and attends the prestigious Seika Academy cooking school. Her friendship with two brothers, Sora and Daichi, creates resentment with other girls at the school. Her greatest rival is a popular, teen model, Akane who tries to drive Najika from the school by staging a cooking contest.

A La Carte by Tanita Davis
Lainey, a high school senior and aspiring celebrity chef, is forced to question her priorities after her best friend (and secret crush) runs away from home.

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
When sixteen-year-old Hope and the aunt who has raised her move from Brooklyn to Mulhoney, Wisconsin, to work as waitress and cook in the Welcome Stairways diner, they become involved with the diner owner's political campaign to oust the town's corrupt mayor.

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitch Smith
When multiple murders in Austin, Texas, threaten the grand re-opening of her family's vampire-themed restaurant, seventeen-year-old, orphaned Quincie worries that her best friend-turned-love interest, Keiren, a werewolf-in-training, may be the prime suspect.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

A Reading Feast

Thanksgiving is fast approaching.  Last week I talked about several picture books about Thanksgiving.  This week, since all those books are now checked out, I thought I would share some great picture books about food.

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
A fussy eater decides to sample the carrots after her brother convinces her that they are really orange twiglets from Jupiter.

Worms for Lunch? by Leonid Gore
Easy-to-read text and die-cut illustrations allow various creatures to reveal what they like to eat.

Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Little Pea hates eating candy for dinner, but his parents will not let him have his spinach dessert until he cleans his plate.

The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza by Philemon Sturges
In this version of the traditional tale, the duck, the dog, and the cat refuse to help the Little Red Hen make a pizza but do get to participate when the time comes to eat it.

Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson
Grandad bakes Grandma a whopper of a birthday cake. Includes recipe and directions for chocolate cake.


Also -- come by the Arnold Branch this Wednesday (11/27/13) at 11:30 a.m. to watch the movie version of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Fortunately, the Milk

Mother is out of town and Father forgot to get milk for breakfast. 

On the way back from corner shop he hears a humming noise and looks up to find an alien ship. 

This is just the start of Father's amazing journey through space and time on his quest to bring the milk home for his children's breakfast.  Along the way he'll meet pirates, vampires, a volcano god, and a time-traveling dinosaur in a hot air balloon.

Will he ever make it home to his children with the milk?  And will they believe this amazing story he has to tell?

Neil Gaiman has come up with another great book!  Fortunately, the Milk is nonsensical, entertaining and great fun to read!  The line drawings by Skottie Young bring the book to life.  A definite must read for all!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Celebrate Doctor Who!

This is the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who.  From the very first Doctor to the current Eleventh Doctor, he has gone on many trips through time and space in his TARDIS with his companions.  In celebration of the 50th anniversary, read one of the Doctor's adventures . . .

The Forgotten Army by Brian Minchin
With the Vykoid army swarming across Manhattan and sealing it from the world with a powerful alien force field, Amy has just 24 hours to find the Doctor and save the city. If she doesn't, the people of Manhattan will be taken to work in the doomed asteroid mines of the Vykoid home planet. But as time starts to run out, who can she trust? And how far will she have to go to free New York from the Forgotten Army?

Touched by an Angel by  Jonathan Morris
In 2003, Rebecca Whitaker died in a road accident. Her husband Mark is still grieving. He receives a battered envelope, posted eight years ago, containing a set of instructions with a simple message: 'You can save her.' As Mark is given the chance to save Rebecca, it's up to the Doctor, Amy and Rory to save the whole world. Because this time the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon.

Borrowed Time by Naomi Alderman
Andrew Brown never has enough time. No time to call his sister, no time to prepare for that important presentation at the bank where he works. The train's late, the lift jams. If only he'd had just a little more time. And time is the business of Mr Symington and Mr Blenkinsop. They'll lend him some-- at a very reasonable rate of interest. Detecting a problem, the Doctor, Amy, and Rory go undercover at the bank. But they have to move fast to stop Symington and Blenkinsop before they cash in their investments.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Let's Give Thanks!

Even though Thanksgiving is a little over a week today, I thought I would share some books to read before the holiday.  Check out the following books for kids . . .

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet
Tells the story of puppeteer Tony Sarg, the man who first invented the helium balloons that have become the trademark of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Saying Grace: A Prayer of Thanksgiving by Virginia Kroll
Grace is worried about the coming winter, but happily it proves to be mild, and the next fall when Thanksgiving is celebrated, she starts a tradition of giving blessings to God before the meal. Includes author's note about the history of saying grace andsuggested activities.

One is a Feast for a Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox
On Thanksgiving Day while everyone naps, Mouse spots one pea, a perfect feast, but he cannot help adding all of the fixings--until Cat spots him.

The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli
Two families--one that is perfect and one that is far from it--celebrate Thanksgiving in their own loving ways.

The Very First Thanksgiving Day by Rhonda Gowler Greene
Rhyming verses trace the events leading up to the first Thanksgiving Day.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

It's Been a Great 15 Years for Harry Potter

Did you realize that it has been 15 years since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was published?

The world fell in love with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and everybody else from Hogwarts in 1998 with the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  The story of a young wizard who must fight against the ultimate evil of Voldemort stuck a chord with readers young and old and every age in between.

On this 15th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, pick up the series to read.  Whether it will be your first reading or the fifth reading of the books -- you'll be sure to lose yourself in the world and have a great time!
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Also, join us at JCL Arnold Branch today at 2:00 p.m. for Harry Potter Crafts.  We'll be making some great magically-inspired crafts to celebrate 15 years with Harry!  Call 636-296-2204 to sign-up.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Fandemonium: Fan Favorite Series


Do you know your fan series?  Want to see how you score against other fan series geeks?  

Join us Saturday, November 16 at 3:30 p.m. for Fan Trivia!

There will be five rounds of questions based on five fan-favorite series -- Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Percy  Jackson and the Olympians, and The Hunger Games.

Teams can be made up of up to four (4) people. 
For ages 9 years and older.

Call 636-296-2204 to sign-up.

Also, visit http://jeffersoncountylibrary.org to see what other great events we have going on during Fandemonium on Saturday, November 16, 2013.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! No, It's a Superhero Story!

This Saturday, the JCL Arnold Branch is celebrating all things fandom with Fandemonium.  We'll have a full day of great events celebrating various fan series.  Obviously one of the biggest fan series are the different superheroes.  The library does have superhero books featuring the Marvel and DC Comics superheroes.  However, we also have some great picture books featuring unknown superheroes.  Check these out . . .

Superdog: The Heart of a Hero by Caralyn Buehner
Tired of being overlooked because he is so small, a big-hearted dog named Dexter transforms himself into a superhero.

Supermoo! by Babette Cole
A bovine superhero crusades against the evil spreaders of filth and pollution.

Max by Bob Graham
Max, the young son of superheroes, is a late bloomer when it comes to flying, until he is inspired by the plight of a falling baby bird.

Atomic Ace (He's Just My Dad) by Jeff Weigel
In this rhyming story, a boy considers his family normal, though his superhero dad, Atomic Ace, does amazing feats, even battling the evil Insect King. Includes inset comic book panels of Dad's adventures as Atomic Ace.

The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Michael Chabon
A young superhero describes his awesome powers, which he then demonstrates as various foes arrive on the scene.

Also -- join us Saturday at 10:00 a.m. for a Superhero Story Time featuring your favorite Marvel and DC Comics superheroes.  Call (636) 296-2204 to sign-up.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Veteran's Day, Part 3

A few more books in honor of Veteran's Day -- this time chapter books . . .


Jump into the Sky by Shelley Pearsall
In 1945, thirteen-year-old Levi is sent to find the father he has not seen in three years, going from Chicago, to segregated North Carolina, and finally to Pendleton, Oregon, where he learns that his father's unit, the all-Black 555th paratrooper battalion, will never see combat but finally has a mission.

Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata
A young soldier in Vietnam bonds with his bomb-sniffing dog.

Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
After being taught in a boarding school run by whites that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay and other Navajo men are recruited by the Marines to become Code Talkers, sending messages during World War II in their native tongue.

Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen
Eager to enlist, fifteen-year-old Charley has a change of heart after experiencing both the physical horrors and mental anguish of Civil War combat.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Veteran's Day, Part 2

Continuing in our observance of Veteran's Day, here are some great books for teens on the war experience . . .

Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson
Curzon matures from boy to man over the course of the winter with the army at Valley Forge.

Girl in Blue by Ann Rinaldi
To escape an abusive father and an arranged marriage, fourteen-year-old Sarah, dressed as a boy, leaves her Michigan home to enlist in the Union Army, and becomes a soldier on the battlefields of Virginia.

Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury
Following orders from the United States Army, several young Japanese American men train K-9 units to hunt Asians during World War II.

Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes
Two boys, one German and one American, are eager to join their respective armies during World War II, and their paths cross at the Battle of the Bulge.

Search and Destroy by Dean Hughes
Recent high school graduate Rick Ward, undecided about his future and eager to escape his unhappy home life, joins the army and experiences the horrors of the war in Vietnam.

Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers
Robin Perry, from Harlem, is sent to Iraq in 2003 as a member of the Civilian Affairs Battalion, and his time there profoundly changes him.

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick
While recuperating in a Baghdad hospital from a traumatic brain injury sustained during the Iraq War, eighteen-year-old soldier Matt Duffy struggles to recall what happened to him and how it relates to his ten-year-old friend, Ali.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Veteran's Day, Part 1

With Veteran's Day coming up next week, I thought I would share some good books on soldier and the army.  Today -- picture books for young children.

Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins
Suzy spends her year in first grade waiting for her father, who is serving in Vietnam, and when the postcards stop coming she worries that he will never make it home.

The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale by Trinka Hakes Noble
Eleven-year-old Gabe enlists in the Union Army in Pennsylvania along with his older brother Davy and, as bugler, does his best to protect Davy during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Stars Above by Geoffrey Norman
Amanda's father is a soldier, but before he leaves for war, he teaches her not to be afraid of the things that live in the dark--which includes fireflies and crickets--and about the stars.

Drummer Boy: Marching to the Civil War by Ann Warren Turner
A thirteen-year-old soldier, coming of age during the American Civil War, beats his drum to raise tunes and spirits and muffle the sounds of the dying.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

It's a Hard-Knock Life . . .


Want to feel better about your life?  Your parents?  Your family?
Read one of these books featuring orphans. . .

Castle Corona by Sharon Creech
        Two orphaned peasant children go to Castle Corona where their lives are transformed forever.
City of Orphans by Avi
        In 1893 New York, Maks must clear his older sister Emma from charges of stealing.

Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones
        Earwig is adopted from St. Morwald's orphanage by a witch and a demon. 
Emily's Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
        Orphans Emily and Jackson team up to stop Emily's Uncle Victor from stealing her inheritance.
Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer
        Frederick is plucked from an orphanage and becomes a wizard's apprentice.
The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
        Peter has amazing adventures after a fortuneteller reveals his sister is not dead as he previously thought.
The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis
        Sallie and her sister escape from their self-serving guardians and end up in amazing adventures.
The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
        A young governess must civilize three children raised by wolves before a Christmas ball.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
        Mary discovers an invalid cousin and a mysterious locked cousin when she goes to live with her uncle.
The Several Lives of Orphan Jack by Sarah Ellis
        Jack is sent from the Opportunities School for Orphans to be a bookkeeper's apprentice.
Trophy Kid, or, How I Was Adopted by the Rich and Famous by Steve Atinsky
        Josef writes a book about his adoption from Croatia at age three by American movie stars.
Way Down Deep by Ruth White
        Ruby discovers her past when a family of outsiders comes to town.