Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Best Books for Boys of 2009

Yesterday I realized I neglected to post (some of) my favorite "boy" books for 2009. So without futher ado, here they are. I chose books that had action and adventure. Books that have a certain "gross-ness." Books full of facts. Books that are laugh out loud- try Alien Feast. Some of our favorite characters are back with a new book in a series: Percy, Alvin Ho, Peeta, and Melonhead who finally has his own book. Try these with your boys. And your girls too.

11 birthdays -- Mass,Wendy. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., RL 3.9, 267p
After celebrating their first nine same-day birthdays together, Amanda and Leo, having fallen out on their tenth and not speaking to each other for the last year, prepare to celebrate their eleventh birthday separately but peculiar things begin to happen as the day of their birthday begins to repeat itself over and over again.

Alien feast -- Simmons, Michael.{IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Roaring Brook Press, 2009., RL 5.6, 231p
In 2017, human-eating aliens have kidnapped two scientists who might cure the disease that is destroying them, and twelve-year-old William Aitkin, his elderly, ailing Uncle Maynard, and the scientists' daughter, Sophie, set out to rescue them.

All-star Superman. Volume 2 -- Morrison, Grant. {IL YA, 741.5} -- DC Comics, 2009., 153p
A collection of comics in which Superman finds his powers tested as he faces off against his strangest adversaries yet.

Alvin Ho : allergic to camping, hiking, and other natural disasters -- Look, Lenore. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Schwartz & Wade Books, 2009., RL 3.8, 170p
Alvin makes a new friend and learns that he can be brave despite his fear of everything when his father takes him camping, hoping to install a love of nature like that of their hometown hero, Henry David Thoreau.

The Anne Frank case : Simon Wiesenthal's search for the truth -- Rubin, Susan Goldman. {IL 3-6, 940.53} -- Holiday House, 2009., RL 5.8, 40p
After witnessing a group of demonstrators halt a performance of "The Diary of Anne Frank," claiming that the girl never existed, Simon Wiesenthal, a Holocaust survivor, goes on a personal quest in 1958 to track down the Gestapo officer who had arrested the Frank family.
Anything but typical -- Baskin, Nora Raleigh. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 5.3, 195p
Jason, a twelve-year-old autistic boy who wants to become a writer, relates what his life is like as he tries to make sense of his world.

Barnyard slam -- Regan, Dian Curtis. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Holiday House, 2009., RL 2.7, 32p
Farm animals express themselves at a poetry slam hosted by Yo Mama Goose.

Baseball great -- Green, Tim. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} – HarperCollins Publishers, 2009., RL 5.6, 250p
All twelve-year-old Josh wants to do is play baseball but when his father, a minor league pitcher, signs him up for a youth championship team, Josh finds himself embroiled in a situation with potentially illegal consequences.

The boy who invented TV : the story of Philo Farnsworth -- Krull, Kathleen. {IL K-3, 621.388} -- Alfred A. Knopf, 2009., RL 5.5, 34p
Presents a picture-book biography of Philo Farnsworth, who created the world's first television image in 1928.

The Brooklyn nine : a novel in nine innings -- Gratz, Alan.{IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Dial Books, 2009., RL 5, 299p
Follows the fortunes of a German immigrant family through nine generations, beginning in 1845, as they experience American life and play baseball.

Bubble homes and fish farts -- Bayrock, Fiona. {IL K-3, 590} -- Charlesbridge, 2009., RL 3.9, 45p
Presents humorous scientific information about the use of bubbles by various animals, such as whales, otters, dolphins, herring, and water shrews, for various recreational or functional purposes, such as hunting, warmth, communication, survival, or as a game.

Catching fire -- Collins, Suzanne. {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., 391p
By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion.

Change-up : mystery at the World Series -- Feinstein, John. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Alfred A. Knopf, 2009., RL 4.6, 308p
While covering the World Series, teen reporters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol uncover some inconsistencies in the life story of a popular, new pitcher and begin to investigate.

Chasing Lincoln's killer -- Swanson, James L. {IL YA, 973.7} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., 194p
Recounts the twelve-day pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth, covering the chase through Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, with a discussion of Abraham Lincoln as a father, husband, and friend that examines the impact of his death on those close to him.

Chicken Little -- Emberley, Rebecca. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Roaring Brook Press, 2009., RL 2.8, 32p An illustrated retelling of the story in which Chicken Little becomes convinced the sky is falling after being hit on the head by an acorn.

Crafty critters -- Armentrout, David, 1962- {IL 3-6, 591.47} -- Rourke Pub., 2009., RL 4.8, 32p Photographs and easy-to-follow text introduce young readers to animals that utilize camouflage, mimicry, and other curious techniques as defense mechanisms against predators, including skunks, porcupines, walking sticks, kingsnakes, octopuses, and others.

Deeper -- Gordon, Roderick. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Chicken House, 2009., RL 7.3, 643p
Boy archaeologist Will Burrows wanders the caverns beneath the Colony with his best friend Chester and brother Cal, falls upon the Styx's plan to get rid of Topsoilers with a deadly plague, and risks his life to foil their plot while wondering if his killer stepsister is still on the loose.

Denied, detained, deported : stories from the dark side of American immigration -- Bausum, Ann. {IL 5-8, 325} -- National Geographic, 2009., RL 8.6, 111p
Discusses cases from the history of immigration in the U.S. in which immigrants are denied, such as the people aboard "The St. Louis" who were sent back to Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, the detained, such as Japanese Americans during WWII, and the deported, such as Emma Goldman, who was sent back to Russia in 1919 after living in the U.S. for thirty years.

Dodger for President -- Sonnenblick, Jordan. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Feiwel and Friends, 2009., RL 4.1, 168p
When Dodger, the big blue chimpanzee genie, magically portrays fifth-grader Willie one day at school, Willie finds himself running for student council president.

Down, down, down : a journey to the bottom of the sea -- Jenkins, Steve. {IL K-3, 591.779} -- Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009., RL 5.6, 40p
Illustrations explore the ocean from the birds and waves down to the deepest, darkest bottom; and feature jellyfish, squid, whales, and more.

Elephants cannot dance! -- Willems, Mo. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Hyperion Books for Children, 2009., RL 1.2, 57p
Piggy loves to dance and wants to teach everyone, including her best friend, Gerald the elephant.
Extra credit -- Clements, Andrew. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 5.2, 183p
Three young middle-school-age children, Abby, Amira, and Sadeed, exchange letters back and forth between the prairies of Illinois and the mountains of Afghanistan and begin to bridge a gap across cultural and religious divides.

Face to face with sharks -- Doubilet, David. {IL 3-6, 597.3} -- National Geographic, 2009., RL 6.2, 31p
The author describes his experiences photographing sharks, shares what he has learned about the animals, and showcases some of his pictures.

The fantastic undersea life of Jacques Cousteau -- Yaccarino, Dan. {IL K-3, 551.46} -- Knopf, 2009., RL 3.6, 33p
A pictorial biography of Jacques Cousteau, covering his adventures aboard "Calypso" with his team of scientists, diving equipment, and waterproof cameras, and work to protect the oceans from pollution.

Gettysburg : the graphic novel -- Butzer, C. M. {IL 5-8, 973.7} -- Bowen Press/Collins, 2009., RL 5.9, 80p
Presents a comic book style depiction of the Battle of Gettysburg; the national movement to create a memorial at the battle site; and the day of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in 1863, drawn from first-person letters, speeches, and other primary sources.

Gods of Manhattan : spirits in the park -- Mebus, Scott. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Dutton Children's Books, 2009., RL 6.6, 372p
As thirteen-year-old Rory continues his mission in Mannahatta, a spirit realm that co-exists alongside modern-day New York City, filled with fantastical creatures and people from the city's colorful past, he discovers that his father, whom he never wants to see again, is the only hope for peace.

Going, going, gone! : and other silly dilly sports songs -- Katz, Alan. {IL K-3, 782.42} -- Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2009., RL 1.9, 31p
Provides new, sports-themed lyrics to well-known songs, including "On Top of the Bleachers" and "When Jimmy Gets in the Batter's Box."

The greatest baseball records -- Doeden, Matt. {IL 5-8, 796.357} -- Capstone Press, 2009., RL 5.3, 32p
Short stories and tables of statistics describe the history and greatest records of Major League Baseball.

Guinness World Records, 2009 -- {IL YA, 031} -- Bantam Books, 2009., 572p
Presents the biggest, smallest, fastest, longest, and other record setters for 2008 in such categories as the space, human achievements, sports, entertainment, science, technology, and engineering; and includes three-dimensional illustrations and gatefolds.

Guinness World Records, 2009 : gamer's edition -- {IL YA, 032} -- Guinness World Records, 2009., 216p
Collects world records set by the video game industry and players in 2008, and covers firsts, speed records, high scores, and mosts concerning video games of various genres on a variety of platforms; and includes a list of the top fifty console games, interviews, and other related information.

Heart of a shepherd -- Parry, Rosanne. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Random House, 2009., RL 4.5, 161p
Ignatius "Brother" Alderman, nearly twelve, promises to help his grandparents keep the family's Oregon ranch the same while his brothers are away and his father is deployed to Iraq, but as he comes to accept the inevitability of change, he also sees the man he is meant to be.

I and I : Bob Marley -- Medina, Tony. {IL 3-6, 782.421646} -- Lee & Low Books, 2009., RL 3.1, 42p
A biography in verse about Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley, offering an overview of key events and themes in his life, including his biracial heritage, Rastafarian beliefs, and love of music.

The last Olympian -- Riordan, Rick. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Disney/Hyperion Books, 2009., RL 6, 381p
The long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy Jackson's sixteenth birthday unfolds as he leads an army of young demigods to stop Kronos in his advance on New York City, while the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster, Typhon.

The last straw -- Kinney, Jeff. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Amulet Books, 2009., RL 6.1, 217p
Middle-schooler Greg Heffley nimbly sidesteps his father's attempts to change Greg's wimpy ways until his father threatens to send him to military school.

Luke on the loose : a Toon book -- Bliss, Harry. {IL K-3, 741.5} -- RAW Junior, 2009., RL 1.7, 32p
A young boy's fascination with pigeons soon erupts into a full-blown chase around Central Park, across the Brooklyn Bridge, through a fancy restaurant, and into the sky.

Marcelo in the real world -- Stork, Francisco X. {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009., 312p
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.

Melonhead -- Kelly, Katy. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Delacorte Press, 2009., RL 4.6, 209p
In the Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Capitol Hill, Lucy Rose's friend Adam "Melonhead" Melon, a budding inventor with a knack for getting into trouble, enters a science contest that challenges students to recycle an older invention into a new invention.

Mudshark -- Paulsen, Gary. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Wendy Lamb Books, 2009., RL 6.5, 83p
Principal Wagner confidently deals with a faculty washroom crisis, a psychic parrot, and a terrorizing gerbil, but when sixty-five erasers go missing, he enlists the help of the school's best problem solver and lost item locator, twelve-year-old Lyle Williams, also known as Mudshark.

Mummies -- Spengler, Kremena. {IL K-3, 932} -- Capstone Press, 2009., RL 3.5, 24p
Describes mummies in ancient Egypt, including how and why people were mummified.

Murder at midnight – Avi. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., RL 5.4, 254p
Falsely accused of plotting to overthrow King Claudio, scholarly Mangus the magician, along with his street-smart servant boy, Fabrizio, face deadly consequences unless they can track down the real traitor by the stroke of midnight.

The naked mole-rat -- Rake, Jody Sullivan. {IL K-3, 599.35} -- Capstone Press, 2009., RL 1.9, 24p
Photographs and simple text describe the physical characteristics, habits, and habitats of naked mole-rats.

Naked mole rat gets dressed -- Willems, Mo. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Hyperion Books for Children, 2009., RL 2.9, 36p
Wilbur is the only naked mole rat in his colony who enjoys wearing clothes, and when Grandpah, the oldest and most naked naked mole rat, discovers his secret, Wilbur fears he will be ostracized from the colony.

Orangutan tongs : poems to tangle your tongue -- Agee, Jon. {IL 3-6, 818} -- Disney/Hyperion Books, 2009., RL 3.4, 47p
Presents a humorous collection of poems and tricky tongue twisters.

Peace, Locomotion -- Woodson, Jacqueline. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Putnam's, 2009., RL 5, 134p
Through letters to his little sister, who is living in a different foster home, sixth-grader Lonnie, also known as "Locomotion," keeps a record of their lives while they are apart, describing his own foster family, including his foster brother who returns home after losing a leg in the Iraq War.

The potato chip puzzles -- Berlin, Eric. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Putnam's, 2009., RL 5.7, 244p
Winston and his friends enter an all-day puzzle contest to win fifty-thousand dollars for their school, but they must also figure out who is trying to keep them from winning. Puzzles for the reader to solve are included throughout the text.

Redwoods -- Chin, Jason. {IL K-3, 585} -- Flash Point, 2009., RL 4.8, 36p
While reading a book about redwood trees on the subway, a young boy travels as he learns, all the way to the forests of California.

The roar -- Clayton, Emma. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Chicken House, 2009., RL 5.7, 481p
In an overpopulated world where all signs of nature have been obliterated and a wall has been erected to keep out plague-ridden animals, twelve-year-old Mika refuses to believe that his twin sister was killed after being abducted, and continues to search for her in spite of the dangers he faces in doing so.

Scat -- Hiaasen, Carl. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Knopf, 2009., RL 6, 371p
Nick and Marta are both suspicious when their biology teacher, the feared Mrs. Bunny Starch, disappears, and try to uncover the truth despite the police and headmaster's insistence that nothing is wrong.

Sent -- Haddix, Margaret Peterson. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 5, 313p
Jonah, Katherine, Chip, and Alex find themselves in 1483 at the Tower of London, and discover that Chip and Alex are Prince Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, imprisoned by Richard III; but trying to repair history without knowing what is supposed to happen proves challenging.

Skeleton Creek -- Carman, Patrick. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., RL 5.5, 185p
Although housebound following an eerie accident, teenaged Ryan continues to investigate the strange occurrences in his hometown of Skeleton Creek, recording his findings in a journal and viewing email video clips sent by fellow detective Sarah.

The storm in the barn -- Phelan, Matt. {IL 5-8, 741.5} -- Candlewick, 2009., RL 3.3, 201p
Eleven-year-old Jack Clark struggles with everyday obstacles while his family and community contend with the challenges brought on by the Dust Bowl in 1937 Kansas.

Villain's lair -- Van Draanen, Wendelin. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Knopf, 2009., RL 4.7, 201p
Thirteen-year-old Dave and his sidekick, a talking gecko named Sticky, try to retrieve an ancient Aztec powerband and its magic ingots from the evil villain, Damien Black.

Watch me throw the ball! -- Willems, Mo. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Hyperion Books for Children, 2009., RL 1.3, 57p
Gerald gets serious about teaching Piggie to throw a ball, but Piggie, as usual, just wants to have fun.

What Darwin saw : the journey that changed the world -- Schanzer, Rosalyn. {IL 5-8, 508} -- National Geographic, 2009., RL 7.9, 47p
Introduces children to the life of Charles Darwin, describing how his innovative theories on evolution changed how people view the world.

What really happened to Humpty? : (from the files of a hard-boiled detective) -- Ransom, Jeanie Franz. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Charlesbridge, 2009., RL 2.2, 32p
Detective Joe Dumpty rushes to investigate the mysterious circumstances under which his older brother, Humpty, fell from a wall on his first day as captain of the new Neighborhood Watch program.

Written in bone : buried lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland -- Walker, Sally M. {IL 5-8, 614} -- Carolrhoda Books, 2009., RL 8.3, 144p
Reports on the work of forensic scientists who are excavating grave sites in James Fort, in Jamestown, Virginia, to understand who lived in the Chesapeake Bay area in the 1600s and 1700s; and uncovers the lives of a teenage boy, a ship's captain, a colonial officer, an African slave girl, and others.

The Yggyssey : how Iggy wondered what happened to all the ghosts, found out where they went, and went there -- Pinkwater, Daniel Manus. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009., RL 5.4, 245p
In the mid-1950s, Yggdrasil Birnbaum and her friends, Seamus and Neddie, journey to Old New Hackensack, which is on another plane, to try to learn why ghosts are disappearing from the Birnbaum's hotel and other Hollywood, California, locations.

You never heard of Sandy Koufax?! -- Winter, Jonah. {IL K-3, 796.357} -- Schwartz & Wade Books, 2009., RL 3.7, 32p
Offers a brief overview of the life of Sandy Koufax, discussing the obstacles and physical challenges he faced, his successful career, his retirement, and other related topics.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

And the Winners Are...

Last Monday, when most of us were off work, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the best books, audio books and videos of the year at its annual mid-winter meeting in Boston. Having attended several of these in person, I can tell you that the air is electric. It’s almost like attending the Academy Awards or an NFL playoff game. Everyone is rooting for their favorite. The committees that selected the winners are grinning from ear to ear, like they have the best secrets. (Which they do!)

There are many sites that list the best books, so instead of reinventing the wheel, I will direct you to ALA for the list. Note that there are many awards, not just the Newbery and Caldecott. This year YALSA added a nonfiction award. When you are ready to order from the award winning books, most book jobbers have already prepared a wish list. All you have to do is mark which books are appropriate for your library. I did notice that one of the jobbers identifies the Newbery Award Winner, When You Reach Me, as Young Adult. It is not YA. It is certainly acceptable for an elementary school. We are very conservative in Southern California and I would not be afraid to put it in my K-4 schools. (You will want to buy some new editions of A Wrinkle in Time to accompany it.)

In addition to ALA awards, I also look at the journal awards for best books. These include Publishers Weekly, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbons, Booklist Editor’s Choice, Horn Book Fanfare List, Kirkus Best Books for Children, Booklinks Lasting Connections, and of course, School Library Journal.

I also look to see what my colleagues think: Michael Cart, Patty Tjomland, Peggy Sharp, Judy Freeman and Kathy Baxter. Many of these literature consultants post their best lists on the book jobber websites. For example, you can see my Books and Boys list on Follett Titlewave under Expert Picks (under tab Essentials). PermaBound and Bound to Stay Bound are among many other book sellers who have lists from BER speakers or other literature experts. Check with your favorite jobber to see. If not, ask that they add them.

Finally, there are Notable Lists from ALA. Most of these are books and media that don’t win the “big awards,” but are certainly worthy of purchase. However, if a book/media won an award, it automatically becomes a notable as well. Many of these might even be your favorites. Let me close today with my favorites that didn’t make the final cut of ALA's Top Winners.

Some of my favorites for YA: If I Stay by Gayle Foreman, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Great and Only Barnum by Candace Fleming and Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James Swanson.

For Middle Grades: Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Perry, Burn my Heart by Beverley Naidoo, Sparrow Girl by Sara Pennypacker and Tsunami by Ed Young.

For Primary Grades: Chicken Little by Rebecca and Ed Emberley, Birds by Kevin Henkes, Pigs Make Me Sneeze by Mo Willems, and Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems. Be sure to pair Naked Mole Rat with Capstone's nonfiction title, The Naked Mole Rat by Jody Rake.

American Thriller- Jonathan Rand, Super Author

Sometimes we get lucky and our schools are offered free visits by authors. Recently I became aware of an author in this manner. You know the old saying “too good to be true?” I wondered about an author who volunteered to come to San Diego and give many- not just one- free author assemblies. Of course, we have much to offer here, but still.. As part of my “real job,” I like to hear them before I give my blessing.

Well known in Michigan, Jonathan Rand was fairly unknown to me. I’d seen some of his American Chillers series, as our cataloger brought them to me for an okay to add them to the district database. After a little research, the books seemed harmless to elementary to me. A little variety from R. L. Stine is also a good idea, I thought.

So I went to see him at one of our elementary schools. 4 classes of first and second graders were invited to sit in a fairly small area in the library. To make a long story short, Jonathan Rand had their attention from the second they walked in the door. I have never seen anything like it. Halfway through the time (about 25 minutes in), an act of nature occurred. We had a hailstorm at the beach, of all places. Even the teachers began to talk while he was talking. Quickly the storm stopped. Within seconds, Jonathan had the attention again. Not once, during that time did kids squirm, ask to leave or bother each other.

For 50 minutes, Jonathan Rand held their attention. He talked about writing. He talked about reading. He talked about the importance of school. He talked about his works. He involved the kids. It was amazing. He has a series, Freddy Fernortnor, for younger students (Interest Level Grades 1-3). Full of mystery, cliffhanging chapters and adventure, Freddy and his friends will keep young readers interested. His American Chillers (IL Grades 3-6) will keep older elementary students who like horror stories, scared without overdoing it.

Final verdict: Jonathan Rand’s free presentation was well worth attending. In fact, it was well worth paying for. Blessing given.

Check him out at his website AmericanChillers.com.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Thank Goodness for Junior Library Guild

You know how sometimes you get a cold phone call and the person on the other end wants to send you a box of books? "Just keep the ones you want. We will pick up any that you don't want. You'll only be charged for what you keep." In the end, you keep them all because it just seems easier that way.

A couple of years ago, one of our principals wanted to fill some holes in his school library collection (and there were many). He answered "yes" when they called. What he got was an expensive box of 6 year old books. In a school district of over 180 schools, only a handful of the books were already in the district database. Not even considering his collection needs, I can tell you that if 200 schools haven't needed those books in 6 years, his school could probably do without them too.

Now I know that not all "we'll send you a box" companies send you old books. However, I have always been of the mind that I can choose what I need by myself, "thank you very much." So, of course, I also resisted Junior Library Guild. They send you books each month, kind of like a Book of the Month Club. You pay in advance, like a magazine. One day, while visiting one of my schools, I saw really new books that I had just learned about. "How did you get these? I didn't tell you about these yet." The sheepish reply was, "I know you don't like them, but I wanted to get my money spent. I bought JLG."

Well, for Pete's sake. I looked at the titles and there was nothing there that I wouldn't have chosen. Turns out JLG has spies- library spies. They have librarians like us who get advanced copies. They sometimes see what's coming out before I do! (Publishers also send me review and advance copies.)

So where am I going with this? On Monday, ALA announced the award winning books and media. So, like many of you, I checked our library, the Instructional Media Center, to see how many we had in our collection. When I pulled the books, I noticed a pattern. Almost all of the books that we had were Junior Library Guild Selections or they were ARCs or publisher review copies. Hmm. I thought. How about that? Now why is that?

First, I haven't had money to spend on our collection since last March. Just before the money that I had was swept, I renewed our subscription to JLG. If it weren't for JLG (and the publishers who want me to know about their books), I wouldn't have any of the award winning books. It was the best decision I have made for spending money on books. The money is spent, but the new titles keep rolling in.

Too many times my money has been saved for late releases and swept before I got a chance to spend it. Do yourself a favor. After you buy your ALA award winners, spend the rest of the money on a subscription to JLG. Keep the best new books coming into your library. JLG has my blessing.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Connecting Storytelling to the Classroom: Books to Tell 2009

Tonight I am speaking at USD about using literature in your classroom. It's a storytelling class so I will talk about connecting stories with reading, writing and curriculum. You can look through the blog and see what I did last time, but this time, I will show them a family story I made on Spaghoake Night. Using Photo Story and pictures I took of my family, I created a story in just a few minutes. Here is the video I made.



Here are the books that I suggested that they use:

Picture Books to Tell
14 cows for America -- Deedy, Carmen Agra. {IL K-3, 327.676207} -- Peachtree, 2009., RL 3.7, 38p
Presents an illustrated tale of a gift of fourteen cows given by the Maasai people of Kenya to the U.S. as a gesture of comfort and friendship in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Auntie Tiger -- Yep, Laurence. {IL K-3, -E-} – HarperCollins Publishers, 2009., RL 2.7, 32p
A retelling of the classic fairy tale, "Little Red Riding Hood," in which Big Sister sets aside her differences with Little Sister to rescue her from a tiger in disguise.

The boy who invented TV : the story of Philo Farnsworth -- Krull, Kathleen. {IL K-3, 621.388} -- Alfred A. Knopf, 2009., RL 5.5, 34p
Presents a picture-book biography of Philo Farnsworth, who created the world's first television image in 1928.

Chicken and Cat clean up -- Varon, Sara. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., 36p
A wordless story in which Chicken opens his own housekeeping business with Cat as his partner; but when Cat's clumsiness forces chicken to send him out, Cat listens to his inner-species and ends up saving the day.

Chicken Little -- Emberley, Rebecca. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Roaring Brook Press, 2009., RL 2.8, 32p An illustrated retelling of the story in which Chicken Little becomes convinced the sky is falling after being hit on the head by an acorn.

Crow call -- Lowry, Lois. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., RL 3.5, 32p
Nine-year-old Liz accompanies the stranger who is her father, just returned from the war, when he goes hunting for crows in Pennsylvania farmland.

Epossumondas plays possum -- Salley, Coleen. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Harcourt Children's Books, 2009., RL 2.2, 34p
Forgetting his mother's warnings, Epossumondas goes into the swamp alone then must pretend to be dead time and again as he hears frightening sounds and fears they are being made by the dreaded loup garou.

Foo, the flying frog of Washtub Pond -- Yang, Belle. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Candlewick Press, 2009., RL 2.9, 24p
When Foo Frog starts to outgrow his fellow web-footed creatures, Sue-Lin Salamander and Mao-Mao Mudpuppy, his new found attitude puts their friendship to the test.

Food for thought : the stories behind the things we eat -- Robbins, Ken. {IL 3-6, 641.3} -- Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press, 2009., RL 5.3, 45p
Photographs and text explain how commonly consumed foods were introduced to the human palate, and provides brief histories on apples, oranges, corn, bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, pomegranates, grapes, and mushrooms.

Goldilocks -- Sanderson, Ruth. {IL K-3, 398.22} -- Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 2.3, 32p
After finding the bears' cottage in the woods and making a mess inside, Goldilocks helps the family clean up and enjoys a nice meal.

Goldilocks and the three bears -- Spirin, Gennadii. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Marshall Cavendish Children, 2009., RL 1.5, 32p
A simplified retelling of the adventures of a little girl walking in the woods who finds the house of the three bears and helps herself to their belongings. Includes a note on the history of the tale.

Hansel and Gretel -- Isadora, Rachel. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Putnam's, 2009., RL 2.9, 32p
An illustrated retelling of Grimm's fairy tale that depicts two children who are left in the woods by their parents, but manage to find their way home after escaping from a wicked witch and her delicious cottage.

Homework -- Yorinks, Arthur. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Walker, 2009., RL 2.8, 32p
Tony's pens, along with his pencil and eraser, come to life and begin to squabble as they try to complete Tony's neglected homework.

How many donkeys? : an Arabic counting tale -- MacDonald, Margaret Read. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Albert Whitman, 2009., RL 1.5, 32p
When Jouha counts the ten donkeys carrying his dates to market, he repeatedly forgets to count the one he is riding on, causing him great consternation. Includes numbers written out in Arabic and in English transliteration, as well as the numerals one through ten, and a note on the origins and other versions of the story.

The king who barked : real animals who ruled -- Jones, Charlotte Foltz. {IL 3-6, 636} -- Holiday House, 2009., RL 6.7, 40p
Relates the stories of fifteen animals from throughout history who were appointed to or ran for government positions.

The lion & the mouse -- Pinkney, Jerry. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Little, Brown and Co. Books for Young Readers, 2009., 34p
In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the Jungle.

Lousy rotten stinkin' grapes -- Palatini, Margie. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 1.9, 31p
Retells the fable of a frustrated fox that, after many tries to reach a high bunch of grapes, decides they must be sour anyway.

The mitten -- Aylesworth, Jim. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., RL 2.9, 32p
A retelling of the traditional tale of how a boy's lost mitten becomes a refuge from the cold for an increasing number of animals.

New Year at the pier : a Rosh Hashanah story -- Wayland, April Halprin. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 2.7, 32p
On Rosh Hashanah, Izzy and his family make lists of the wrongs they have committed over the past year, and after they have apologized, they throw pieces of bread into the water to "clean their hearts" in a ceremony called tashlich.

One fine trade -- Miller, Bobbi. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Holiday House, 2009., RL 2.3, 32p
Georgy Piney Woods, the best peddler who ever lived, makes several trades so his daughter can buy a wedding dress.

Otis -- Long, Loren. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Philomel Books, 2009., RL 3.4, 40p
When a big new yellow tractor arrives, Otis the friendly little tractor is cast away behind the barn, but when trouble occurs Otis is the only one who can help.

Pig-Boy : a trickster tale from Hawai'i -- McDermott, Gerald. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Hougton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009., RL 1.8, 32p
Pig-Boy, a dirty, hairy trickster, uses his shape-shifting talents to get out of all sorts of troublesome situations.

Pigling : a Cinderella story : a Korean tale -- Jolley, Dan. {IL 5-8, 398.2} -- Graphic Universe, 2009., RL 3.3, 48p
A Korean adaptation of the Cinderella story told in graphic novel format, featuring Pigling, a young girl whose stepmother and stepsister treat her badly.

Rapunzel : the graphic novel -- Peters, Stephanie True. {IL 5-8, 398.2} -- Stone Arch Books, 2009., RL 2.5, 33p
A graphic novel adaptation of the classic fairy tale of "Rapunzel."

The snow day -- Sakai, Komako. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009., RL 1.7, 32p
A little rabbit enjoys having a day off from kindergarten and spending time with his mother during a snowstorm, but his father's flight home is cancelled until the snow stops falling.

Sparrow girl -- Pennypacker, Sara. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Disney/Hyperion Books, 2009., RL 3.5
Ming-Li vows to save as many sparrows as she can after her village tries to kill them all.

Tsunami! -- Kajikawa, Kimiko. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Philomel Books, 2009., RL 2.9, 32p
A wealthy man in a Japanese village, who everyone calls Ojiisan, which means grandfather, sets fire to his rice fields to warn the innocent people of an approaching tsunami.

The twelve dancing princesses -- Cech, John. {IL K-3, 398.22} -- Sterling, 20
09., RL 5.7, 22p
Every day twelve princesses mysteriously wear out their shoes, but neither the king nor their suitors can figure out why, until one simple soldier tries.

The underground gators -- Casey, Tina. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Dutton Children's Books, 2009., RL 3.3, 32p
Humorous illustrations and text describe what is really living in the New York City sewer system.

When I wore my sailor suit -- Shulevitz, Uri. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Farrar Straus Giroux, 2009., RL 1.7, 32p
A young child spends the day imagining himself to be a sailor on a grand adventure.

Word builder -- Paul, Ann Whitford. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 1.6, 31p
Text explains how putting letters into words, words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into chapters ends up creating a book.

You never heard of Sandy Koufax?! -- Winter, Jonah. {IL K-3, 796.357} -- Schwartz & Wade Books, 2009., RL 3.7, 32p
Offers a brief overview of the life of Sandy Koufax, discussing the obstacles and physical challenges he faced, his successful career, his retirement, and other related topics.

Yours truly, Louisa -- Puttock, Simon. {IL K-3, -E-} – HarperCollins Publishers, 2009., RL 3.2, 32p
Louisa the pig, unhappy with conditions on the farm, starts an anonymous letter writing campaign to get Farmer Joe to fix things up, but when she goes too far she gets a letter of her own.

Yummy : eight favorite fairy tales -- Cousins, Lucy. {IL K-3, 398.21} -- Candlewick Press, 2009., RL 2.1, 121p
Simple text and bold illustrations tell eight classic fairy tales, including "The Three Little Pigs" and "Little Red Riding Hood."


Longer Works to Share
Also known as Harper -- Leal, Ann Haywood. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Henry Holt, 2009., RL 4, 246p
Writing poetry helps fifth-grader Harper Lee Morgan cope with her father's absence, being evicted, and having to skip school to care for her brother while their mother works, and things look even brighter after she befriends a mute girl and a kindly disabled woman.

Born to write : the remarkable lives of six famous authors -- Cotter, Charis. {IL 5-8, 809} -- Annick Press, 2008., RL 5.7, 167p
Looks at the childhoods of six celebrated authors, including Madeleine L'Engle, E. B. White, L. M. Montgomery, Philip Pullman, Christopher Paul Curtis, and C. S. Lewis, and discusses how their youthful experiences influenced their writing.

Dying to meet you -- Klise, Kate. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Harcourt, 2009., RL 4.4, 147p
In this story told mostly through letters, children's book author, I. B. Grumply, gets more than he bargained for when he rents a quiet place to write for the summer.

The giant-slayer -- Lawrence, Iain. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Delacorte Press, 2009., RL 5.4, 292p
When her eight-year-old neighbor is stricken with polio in 1955, eleven-year-old Laurie discovers that there is power in her imagination as she weaves a story during her visits with him and other patients confined to iron lung machines.

Over my dead body -- Klise, Kate. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009., RL 5.1, 116p
A story told mostly through letters in which busybody Dick Tater tries to ban Halloween and ghost stories, as well as to break up the popular writing team of I. B. Grumply, ghost Olive C. Spence, and eleven-year-old illustrator Seymour Hope.

Serendipity Market -- Blubaugh, Penny. {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Laura Geringer Books/HarperTeen, 2009., 268p
When the world begins to seem unbalanced, Mama Inez calls ten storytellers to the Serendipity Market and, through the power of their magical tales, the balance of the world is corrected once again.

Singing for Mrs. Pettigrew : stories and essays from a writing life -- Morpurgo, Michael. {IL 5-8, 828} -- Candlewick Press, 2009, 2006., RL 5.7, 263p
Collects various stories by English author Michael Morpurgo, including "The Giant's Necklace," "My One and Only Great Escape," and "Singing for Mrs. Pettigrew," with essays in which the author discusses his inspiration for each and details of his craft.

The storm in the barn -- Phelan, Matt. {IL 5-8, 741.5} -- Candlewick, 2009., RL 3.3, 201p
Eleven-year-old Jack Clark struggles with everyday obstacles while his family and community contend with the challenges brought on by the Dust Bowl in 1937 Kansas.

Walking backward -- Austen, Catherine. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Orca Book Publishers, 2009., RL 4.5, 167p
After twelve-year-old Josh's mother dies in a car crash he is prescribed to start writing in a journal, but he reaches a better understanding about loss when he chooses death as his research topic for school and begins to research and experiments with the mourning practices of various religions.

Professional Title
Literacy development in the storytelling classroom -- {IL PF, 372.67} -- Libraries Unlimited, 2009., 342p
Presents plans and activities for enchancing literacy development, with articles that focus on curriculum storytelling techniques and experiences in preschool, kindergarten, primary and elementary grades, middle school, and beyond.

Friday, November 20, 2009

What's New in Children's Books 2009?

This week I am at CLSA Annual Conference in Ontario, CA. (That's California, not Canada!) In the morning I will speak about my favorite books (so far) of 2009. The list was over way 100 titles, but I narrowed it down to the one hour I have to speak. Is your favorite missing? Post a comment. And don't despair. The year isn't over; stay tuned for my final favorites to be posted in January. And the (current) winners are...

14 cows for America -- Deedy, Carmen Agra. {IL K-3, 327.676207} -- Peachtree, 2009., RL 2.5, 38p
Presents an illustrated tale of a gift of fourteen cows given by the Maasai people of Kenya to the U.S. as a gesture of comfort and friendship in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Al Capone shines my shoes -- Choldenko, Gennifer. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 4.6, 274p
Moose Flanagan, who lives on Alcatraz along with his family and the families of the other prison guards, is frightened when he discovers that noted gangster Al Capone, a prisoner there, wants a favor in return for the help that he secretly gave Moose.

All the broken pieces : a novel in verse -- Burg, Ann E. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Scholastic Press, 2009., RL 5.6, 218p
Two years after being airlifted out of Vietnam in 1975, Matt Pin is haunted by the terrible secret he left behind and, now, in a loving adoptive home in the United States, a series of profound events forces him to confront his past.

Anything but typical -- Baskin, Nora Raleigh. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 5.3, 195p
Jason, a twelve-year-old autistic boy who wants to become a writer, relates what his life is like as he tries to make sense of his world.

Ashley Bryan : words to my life's song -- Bryan, Ashley. {IL 3-6, 818} -- Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 6.5, 58p
An illustrated biography in which African-American author Ashley Bryan describes his life.

Birds -- Henkes, Kevin. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Greenwillow Books, 2009., RL 2.1, 32p
Fascinated by the colors, shapes, sounds, and movements of the many different birds she sees through her window, a little girl is happy to discover that she and they have something in common.

Burn my heart -- Naidoo, Beverley. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Amistad, 2009, c2007., RL 5.1, 209p
While the Mau Mau rebellion threatens the British settlers living in Kenya during the 1950s, Mathew and Mugo maintain their friendship, despite their different races, but during these tense times, a single act of betrayal could alter everything.

Button up! : wrinkled rhymes -- Schertle, Alice. {IL K-3, 811} -- Harcourt Children's Books, 2009., RL 2.1, 33p
A collection of poems about clothes and animals wearing them.

Charles and Emma : the Darwins' leap of faith -- Heiligman, Deborah. {IL YA, 576.8} -- Holt, 2009., 268p
A biography of English naturalist Charles Darwin that provides an account of the personality behind evolutionary theory and the affect of his work on his personal life, such as his relationship with his religious wife.

Chicken Little -- Emberley, Rebecca. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Roaring Brook Press, 2009., RL 2.8, 32p An illustrated retelling of the story in which Chicken Little becomes convinced the sky is falling after being hit on the head by an acorn.

Claudette Colvin : twice toward justice -- Hoose, Phillip M. {IL YA, 323} -- Melanie Kroupa Books, 2009., RL 7, 133p
Presents an account of fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin, an African-American girl who refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, nine months before Rosa Parks, and covers her role in a crucial civil rights case. National Book Award Winner

Coretta Scott -- Shange, Ntozake. {IL K-3, 323} -- Amistad/Katherine Tegen Books, 2009., RL 4.4, 32p
An illustrated biography of Coretta Scott King, describing her childhood in the segregated South, her marriage to Martin Luther King, Jr., and her civil rights work.

Dinothesaurus : prehistoric poems and paintings -- Florian, Douglas. {IL K-3, 811} -- Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 3.9, 43p
Presents illustrated verse about various carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs, including the Iguanodon, Spinosaurus, and long-necked plesiosaurs.

Duck! Rabbit! -- Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Chronicle Books, 2009., RL 1.4, 34p
Two unseen characters argue about whether the creature they are looking at is a rabbit or a duck.

The evolution of Calpurnia Tate -- Kelly, Jacqueline. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Henry Holt, 2009., RL 7.5, 340p
In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie Vee Tate is instructed to be a lady by her mother, learns about love from the older three of her six brothers, and studies the natural world with her grandfather, the latter of which leads to an important discovery.

Fire -- Cashore, Kristin. {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Dial Books, 2009., 461p
In a kingdom called the Dells, Fire is the last human-shaped monster, with unimaginable beauty and the ability to control the minds of those around her, but even with these gifts she cannot escape the strife that overcomes her world.

A foot in the mouth : poems to speak, sing, and shout -- {IL 3-6, 811} -- Candlewick Press, 2009., RL 4, 61p
Collects over three dozen illustrated rhyming poems, with tongue twisters and bilingual pieces, drawn from contemporary and classic literary sources and anonymous authors.

The forest of hands and teeth -- Ryan, Carrie {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Delacorte Press, 2009.
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.

The frog scientist -- Turner, Pamela S. {IL 5-8, 597.8} -- Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009., RL 6.9, 58p
Discusses the work of Tyrone Hayes and his efforts to study and protect frogs, and follows Hayes into the field with his students to perform experiments with various types of frogs.

Heroes of the valley -- Stroud, Jonathan. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Disney/Hyperion Books, 2009., RL 6.4, 483p
Halli Sveinsson, a mischievous young man who does not fit in with his peers and siblings, plays a trick on Ragnor that goes too far, forcing him to embark on a hero's quest in which he will face highway robbers, monsters, an intriguing girl, and truths about his family and the legends he grew up with.

Hurry up and slow down -- Marlow, Layn. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Holiday House, 2009, c2008., RL 2.7, 24p
Hare likes to hurry through the day, unlike Tortoise, but manages to slow down for his favorite bedtime story.

If I stay : a novel -- Forman, Gayle. {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Dutton Books, 2009., 201p
While in a coma following an automobile accident that killed her parents and younger brother, seventeen-year-old Mia, a gifted cellist, weights whether to live with her grief or join her family in death.

The lion & the mouse -- Pinkney, Jerry. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Little, Brown and Co. Books for Young Readers, 2009., 34p
In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the Jungle.

The magician's elephant -- DiCamillo, Kate. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Candlewick Press, 2009., RL 5.8, 201p
When ten-year-old orphan Peter Augustus Duchene encounters a fortune teller in the marketplace one day who tells him that his sister, who is presumed dead, is in fact alive, he embarks on a remarkable series of adventures in an attempt to find her.

Marcelo in the real world -- Stork, Francisco X. {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009., 312p
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 negro speaks of rivers -- Hughes, Langston. {IL K-3, 811} -- Disney/Jump at the Sun Books, 2009., RL 3.2, 32p
Watercolor illustrations by E.B. Lewis accompany Langston Hughes' classic poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."

Read it, don't eat it! -- Schoenherr, Ian. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Greenwillow Books, 2009., RL 1.8, 32p
Rhyming text and illustrations of animals reading offer advice on how to take care of a library book.

Red sings from treetops : a year in colors -- Sidman, Joyce. {IL K-3, 535.6} -- Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009., RL 2.4, 32p
Illustrations and simple text combine the senses of sight, sound, smell, and taste to describe the colors of the seasons.

Redwoods -- Chin, Jason. {IL K-3, 585} -- Flash Point, 2009., RL 4.8, 36p
While reading a book about redwood trees on the subway, a young boy travels as he learns, all the way to the forests of California.

A savage thunder : Antietam and the bloody road to freedom -- Murphy, Jim.{IL 5-8, 973.7} -- Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2009., RL 6.7, 103p
Discusses the bloody battle of Antietam, in which General George B. McClellan faced off against General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in Maryland in September of 1862.

A season of gifts -- Peck, Richard. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 4.9, 164p
Relates the surprising gifts bestowed on twelve-year-old Bob Barnhart and his family, who have recently moved to a small Illinois town in 1958, by their larger-than-life neighbor, Mrs. Dowdel.

The snow day -- Sakai, Komako. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009., RL 1.7, 32p
A little rabbit enjoys having a day off from kindergarten and spending time with his mother during a snowstorm, but his father's flight home is cancelled until the snow stops falling.

Sparrow girl -- Pennypacker, Sara. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Disney/Hyperion Books, 2009., RL 2.1
Ming-Li vows to save as many sparrows as she can after her village tries to destroy them.

Stitches : a memoir-- -- Small, David. {IL AD, 818} -- W.W. Norton, 2009., 329p
A graphic novel that chronicles the life of American author and illustrator David Small, detailing his sickly childhood and teenage years, relationship with his parents, his cancer, and more.

The storm in the barn -- Phelan, Matt. {IL 5-8, 741.5} -- Candlewick, 2009., RL 3.3, 201p
Eleven-year-old Jack Clark struggles with everyday obstacles while his family and community contend with the challenges brought on by the Dust Bowl in 1937 Kansas.

Tales from outer suburbia -- Tan, Shaun. {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009, 2008., 92p
Contains fifteen illustrated short stories, some humorous and some haunting, set in the Australian suburbs.

Thunder-boomer! -- Crum, Shutta. {IL K-3, -E-} -- Clarion Books, 2009., RL 2.1, 32p
A farm family scurries for shelter from a violent thunderstorm that brings welcome relief from the heat and also an unexpected surprise.

Tsunami! -- Kajikawa, Kimiko. {IL K-3, 398.2} -- Philomel Books, 2009., RL 2.9, 32p
A wealthy man in a Japanese village, who everyone calls Ojiisan, which means grandfather, sets fire to his rice fields to warn the innocent people of an approaching tsunami.

When you reach me -- Stead, Rebecca. {IL 5-8, -Fic-} -- Wendy Lamb Books, 2009., RL 5.6, 199p
As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

Where the mountain meets the moon -- Lin, Grace. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Little, Brown and Co. Books for Young Readers, 2009., RL 5.7, 278p
Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.

A whiff of pine, a hint of skunk : a forest of poems -- Ruddell, Deborah. {IL K-3, 811} -- Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2009., RL 4.8, 33p
An illustrated collection of whimsical poems about life in the forest through the seasons.

Wintergirls -- Anderson, Laurie Halse. {IL YA, -Fic-} -- Viking, 2009., 278p
Eighteen-year-old Lia comes to terms with her best friend's death from anorexia as she struggles with the same disorder.

Written in bone : buried lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland -- Walker, Sally M. {IL 5-8, 614} -- Carolrhoda Books, 2009., RL 8.3, 144p
Reports on the work of forensic scientists who are excavating grave sites in James Fort, in Jamestown, Virginia, to understand who lived in the Chesapeake Bay area in the 1600s and 1700s; and uncovers the lives of a teenage boy, a ship's captain, a colonial officer, an African slave girl, and others.

The year the swallows came early -- Fitzmaurice, Kathryn. {IL 3-6, -Fic-} -- Bowen Press, 2009., RL 5.9, 277p
After her father is sent to jail, eleven-year-old Groovy Robinson must decide if she can forgive the failings of someone she loves.

Monday, August 10, 2009

It Is What It Is

One of the most overused expressions these days is “It is what it is.” But after reading the new book, Thunder-Boomer! by Shutta Crum, that’s exactly what I thought. The story of a thunderstorm in the Midwest is full of onomatopoeia. A perfect book to teach “it is what it is.” Full of description, a family rushes to safety during a surprise storm. Sounds from the storm are highlighted in the beautiful watercolor illustrations. From the ping pang of the hail to the bawk squawk of Maizey the chicken, the storm comes to life as we see a family hunker down (might as well use another overused phrase) for the brief shower. Even if you don’t live where storms like these are familiar, the perfect pairing of story and illustration will take you there.

And speaking of chickens, I read another book this morning, Tillie Lays an Egg by Terry Golson, illustrated with photographs by Ben Fink. Almost “I Spy” in feeling, this story of a hen that lays her egg wherever she wants is a charming story that uses days of the week and a search and find technique to show where eggs come from. Surprise! It’s not the Winn-Dixie. Where will Tillie lay her next egg? Read it and find out.