Recently in For Children Category

First Light, by Rebecca Stead
 
From the Newberry Winner of When You Reach Me. First Light is the story of 12 year-old Peter who travels with his parents from New York City to Greenland where his father is doing research. But Peter discovers there is more to the research than he is told, and secrets to be solved above and below the ice in Greenland.
-Deirdre

Iron Thunder, by Avi
 
13 year old Tom Carrol takes a job at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to help support his family during the Civil War. Tom is assigned to be the assistant of Captain Ericsson, who is currently at work on the first ironclad ship for the Union--The Monitor. Many wonder if Ericsson's "folly" will even float, and confederate spies are willing to pay gold for any secrets Tom can share about the ship. Tom is caught between helping his family and helping his country in this first battle of the Ironclad ships.
-Deirdre

The Birthday Ball, by Lois Lowry
 
Sixteen year-old Princess Patricia Priscilla and her cat Delicious are absolutely bored with castle life and seek to have an adventure outside the castle walls before the princess' upcoming birthday ball, when she will have to select one of the awful noblemen to marry. Trading places with her chambermaid and disguised as a peasant, Patricia attends the village school and makes friends with the locals. A very funny read for grades 3 and up, one that a parent and child would enjoy reading together. As in The Willoughbys, Lowry doesn't shy away from larger words, which add to the humorous descriptions and dialogue in the story. The characters (especially the less than appealing suitors) are brought to life with fabulous ink illustrations by Jules Feiffer.
-Deirdre

The Willoughbys, by Lois Lowry
 
At the same time the four Willoughby children are plotting to become orphans, their parents are planning how to get rid of them! Find out if this hilarious parody of children's literature will have a happy ending.
-Deirdre

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling, by Maryrose Wood
 
Alexander, Beowulf and Cassiopeia may have been found in the woods of Ashton Place, but under the guidance of their governess Miss Penelope Lumley, these "Incorrigible" children work hard to learn proper manners, poetry and Latin verbs. But can they curb their instinct for chasing squirrels? As a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, fifteen year-old Penelope frequently calls upon clever phrases coined by the school's namesake when teaching her three charges. The Mysterious Howling, the charming first installment of this series, will leave you hungry for more.
In the words of Miss Agatha Swanburne herself: "If it were easy to resist, it wouldn't be called chocolate cake."
-Catherine

Hatching Magic, by Ann Downer
 
13th Century English wizard Gideon goes in search of his pet wyvern (think--dragon) that disappeared through a magic hole in time and landed in modern day Boston. Gideon needs all the help he can get to find his pet, since an evil wizard and his demon sidekick are looking for Wycca too. He may find that help in Theodora Oglethorpe--a modern day girl who happens to know a few things about wyverns and whose summer just got a whole lot more interesting.
-Deirdre

Imogene's Last Stand, by Candace Fleming
 
In the tiny town of Liddleville, NH lives history-loving Imogene Tripp. Her first words were "four score and seven years ago", for show and tell in kindergarten she gave a series of lectures on women's history, and she often quotes historical figures. Now, after cleaning up the town's historical society, she discovers it is going to be torn down and replaced with a shoelace factory that will put Liddleville on the map. But Imogene tells the town "[i]n the immortal words of John Paul Jones, 'I have not yet begun to fight!'" And fight she does, in this wonderfully funny picture book by Candice Fleming, with fantastic pen and ink illustrations by Nancy Carpenter. Grades K and up.
-Deirdre

11 Birthdays, by Wendy Mass
 
Amanda is dreading her 11th birthday. She and her best friend Leo were born on the same day and shared their parties since they were one year old. But the best friends had a falling out at her 10th birthday and haven't spoken since. So Amanda is dreading the separate parties, the gymnastic tryouts and everything happening on her birthday because she knows it will be awful....and it is. When she wakes up the day after her birthday, she discovers she is starting the same day over again...and again...and again...and so is Leo. They are the only two trapped in repeating this same day until they figure out what can be done to begin a new day.
-Deirdre

Weezer Changes the World, by David McPhail
 
Weezer's just an ordinary dog that loves to play with his friend Billy, chew toys, and bark...until during a storm something "striking" happens to Weezer. He has changed, and because of that, so will the world. I'm a fan of David McPhail's stories, his ink and water color illustrations (Pigs a Plenty, The Day the Sheep Showed Up and Big Brown Bear) and Weezer is a new favorite of mine. The small dog develops new habits including averting natural disasters, holding benefit concerts for the poor, curing diseases, and negotiating world peace. This picture book will work best for kindergartners and elementary grades, who will enjoy the illustrations, the humor and the story of how one individual, no matter how small, can make a difference in the world.
-Deirdre

Thunder from the Sea, by Joan Hiatt Harlow
 
Tom rescued the beautiful Newfoundland, a dog he always dreamed of having. Now he may have to return him to his rightful owner.
-Deirdre

The White Giraffe, by Lauren St. John
 
After losing her parents in a terrible fire, eleven-year-old Martine leaves England to live with a grandmother she doesn't know on a wildlife game reserve in South Africa. There is belief among the locals that a mythical white giraffe lives on the sanctuary. As Martine explores the African world, myths become reality and she discovers her courage and her healing powers that may save her one true friend.
-Deirdre

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat, by Lynne Jonell
 
A lonely girl, a cantankerous Rat, and a Nanny who is doing very, very bad things.
-Alice

A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray, by Ann M. Martin
 
Everything is comfortable in Squirrel's life until her mother and brother disappear. Left on her own, she is forced to face challenges from humans, other animals, and the natural world. Squirrel learns that her life will never be the same, but with all these obstacles, can she survive?
-Deirdre

The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamillo
 
Peter Augustus Duchene is a 10 year old orphan who decides to use the money he has been given to purchase bread and visit's a fortuneteller. In another part of the city at the Opera House a magician is performing before Madame LaVaughn and an elephant comes through the roof instead of flowers. The elephant and Peter's fate are tied together by the magician's action and how this will change both of their lives. The story moves along with a host of other colorful characters adding to the story as Peter and the elephant discover how they can help each other. This book is a heart-warming story of love and loss, and holding out hope. A great read-a-loud in the tradition of the Tale of Despereaux and the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. "Magic is always impossible," said the magician. "It begins with the impossible and ends with the impossible and is impossible in between. That is why it is magic." --Excerpt from the The Magician's Elephant.
-Carol

Eleven, by Patricia Reilly Giff
 
Sam is almost 11 when he discovers papers in a locked box in the attic that make him question his identity. Sam has always had trouble reading and he's desperate to solve this mystery. When he is paired up with new girl Caroline to build a castle for a school project, Sam turns to his new friend for help. But she's moving soon, and the two must hurry to discover the truth about Sam.
-Deirdre

Dessert First, by Hallie Durand
 
Who wouldn't like to eat dessert first? Certainly Dessert Schneider (her real name) thinks that's an excellent idea. When her new third grade teacher, Mrs. Howdy Doody, advises the class to march to one's own drummer, Dessert decides her first project will be convincing her family to start dinner with dessert. Her love of sweets, especially chocolate, and especially her French grandmother Reine's recipe for double-decker chocolate bars, becomes her undoing. When her mother warns her, "Stay away from the Double-Ds" in the refrigerator, Dessert cannot resist and before she knows it, she has devoured all twelve bars. When the empty box is discovered, Dessert must find a way to say she's sorry and make amends to her family. Christine Davenier's humorous black and white illustrations add to the fun. First-time novelist Durand has created a plucky eight-year-old who will be gobbled up by fans of Ramona, Clementine and Junie B. and will long for more desserts to come. Grades 2 and up.
-Alice S.

Closed for the Season, by Mary Downing Hahn
 
"What happened in our house?" Logan asks his new next door neighbor Arthur. "Mrs. Donaldson died there... She was murdered." That's not exactly the news 13 year-old Logan wants to hear about the house he just moved into with his family. Arthur's grandmother thinks Mrs. Donaldson knew someone was stealing money from the Magic Forest Amusement Park, which was shut down soon after she died. Arthur and Logan search the house, the small Maryland town, and the creepy overgrown park to find the money...and the murderer. Great mystery read for grades 4 and up.
-Deirdre

No Talking, by Andrew Clements
 
The 5th graders at Laketon Elementary are the noisiest class in history, so when Dave Packer challenges Lynsey burgess to a boys vs. girls "no talking" contest, it's not going to be easy. Who will win, the boys or the girls? Read this funny, thought-provoking tale from a master of school stories.
-Deirdre

Stonewall Hinkleman and the Battle of Bull Run, by Michael Hemphill and Sam Riddleburger
 
12 year-old Stonewall Hinkleman's T-shirt says it all --"Are we having fun yet?". Stonewall is dragged once again to the Civil War reenactments his parents love. Forced again to be in uniform (Confederate of course, since Stonewall is named after his dad's favorite Southern General ). To reenact again The Battle of Bull Run (the one his great-great-great uncle died in after being shot in the.....well Stonewall doesn't even want to think about it). But this time, when Stonewall leads the charge, the battle cry of the bugle transports him back to The Battle of Bull Run. There, Stonewall discovers that war is definitely not boring, that his ancestor is more heroic than he could have imagined, and most importantly --that someone is trying to change the outcome of the war. It's up to Stonewall to keep history on the right path and try to get back to the future. Putting a present day tween into the Civil War allows the reader to appreciate both the humorous and serious differences between modern life and life in the late 1800's. For grades 4 and up.
-Deirdre

Attack of the Turtle, by Drew Carlson
 
14-year-old Nathan Wade fears two things: a local bully and (despite being a fisherman's son) water. When his father enlists in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, Nathan goes to stay with relatives in Saybrook, CT. His cousin, David Bushnell, invents a submarine to be used against the British and asks Nathan to help him journey to New York to deliver the Turtle--a submarine designed to attach bombs to the British ships in New York harbor. There Nate tests his courage under fire and even underwater. Novel is based on actual events: although Nate's story is fictionalized, Bushnell did invent and construct the Turtle, the first submarine to be used in warfare.
-Deirdre

The Cajun Cornbread boy A well loved tale spiced up , by Dianne de Las Casas

A retelling of the Gingerbread Boy---Cajun style! Watercolor illustrations by Marita Gentry bring this humorous fractured fairy tale to life. A spicy cornbread boy made from Grand-mére's old skillet (with two chilies for eyes, a peppercorn nose, and a link of boudin for a mouth) escapes from the oven for a journey through the Louisiana back country. It's a humorous romp through the bayou, with the cornbread boy trying to outrun the hungriest of animals while singing "Run, chér, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me--I'm full of cayenne." A recipe for southern cornbread adds a dash of fun for readers. A picture book all ages will enjoy.
-Deirdre

Bubble Trouble , by Margaret Mahy

Winner of the Boston Globe Horn Book Award.

A wonderful read aloud picture book for preschool and early elementary grades. Mabel's baby brother floats away in a bubble and friends and neighbors come to the rescue to help baby back to safety. The rhyming text begs to be read aloud--and children will enjoy the sounds of the words in the story as much as the baby enjoyed his bubble journey in the sky where "[t]he baby didn't quibble. He began to smile and dribble, for he liked the wibble-wobble of the bubble in the air." Illustrations by Polly Dunbar are done in beautiful watercolor and colorful paper cut designs.
-Deirdre

 Summer Wonders , by Bob Raczka

The colorful illustrations by Judy Stead shout "summer is here!" Raczka's simple text highlights the best of summer---swimming, 4th of July, picnics, climbing trees, building sandcastles, stargazing, capturing fireflies and more. Share the story with toddlers and preschoolers and make the mini ice pops with your little one (recipe included) for a summer's day delight.
-Deirdre

Paint the Wind, by Pam Munoz Ryan
 
A shocking turn of events finds Maya going to live in Wyoming with her mother's family whom she has not seen since she was a baby. It is a summer of new beginnings, living in a tent, riding horses and learning to get along with a cousin who is an annoying nuisance. Woven into Maya's narrative is the story of a herd of wild horses, including the mare her mother once rode, and whose survival becomes intertwined with Maya's own.
-Deirdre

Gettysburg The Graphic Novel, by CM Butzer

Discover the Battle of Gettysburg in graphic novel form. With illustrations done in Civil War blue and grey and black, the battle is brought to life. The Gettysburg Address featuring Abraham Lincoln is a great feature bringing the words of the speech alive with pictures of the struggles in US history.
-Deirdre

Wink- The Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed, by JC Phillipps

It was the happiest day of Wink's life when he started the Summer Moon School for Young Ninjas. Wink could tumble and climb and fight like the Ninjas...but he just could not be silent. Is there anywhere the spirited Wink could fit in? A fantastic debut by Connecticut author JC Phillipps about a boy discovering where his talents are appreciated. Beautiful, bright paper cut illustrations add to this humorous and fun picture book that preschool to early elementary grade readers will love.
-Deirdre

The Gate of Days-The Book of Time II, by Guillaume Prevost

Sequel to The Book of Time. Sam continues to unlock the clues of a time travelling statue and races through history to rescue his father, who is being held prisoner by Prince Vlad the Impaler. As Sam and his cousin Lily seek to understand time travel and the coins scattered through time that controls the statues, they discover others are trying to destroy the gates. With fast paced action, readers will travel to prehistoric time, to ancient Greece, to Pompeii, to 1930's Chicago and to Dracula's Castle. Fans of Percy Jackson, The Dark is Rising, and readers looking for action and adventure will enjoy this series. Age 10 and up.
-Deirdre

My Life in Pink and Green, by Lisa Greenwald

How can a 12-year old possibly help save her family's Old Mill Pharmacy from going out of business? Lucy Desberg has inherited her activist ways from her mom, her work ethic from her grandmother and her flair for cosmetics from all those years stocking shelves at the pharmacy and practicing makeup on her older sister. After helping a popular teen during a "hair emergency", all the teens in town turn to Lucy for their makeup needs. Lucy's family doesn't think this little side business can turn the pharmacy around and makes plans to shut down. But Lucy has other, bigger ideas that just might save the pharmacy. A fun read about how one person can make a difference. Lucy's confident personality, her friendships, plus the focus on environmentally friendly businesses will appeal to girls ages 10 and up.
-Deirdre

The Ghost's Grave, by Peg Kehret
 
12 year-old Josh was sure the summer with his elderly, eccentric aunt would be one big bore. Then things start to get really spooky. He meets Willie, the ghost of a coal miner, who asks Josh to dig up his leg and rebury it with the rest of him. But digging in the old cemetery unearths more than just bones.
-Deirdre

Millions, by Frank Cottrell Boyce

A bag stuffed with cash tumbles out of the sky, landing at Damian's feet. Suddenly he and his brother are rich...very rich! But there's a catch...they have 17 days to spend the money before it becomes worthless. And the crooks who originally stole the cash are closing in...fast.
-Deirdre

All In a Day, by Cynthia Rylant

All In a Day by Cynthia Rylant is a beautiful picture book to read aloud about the wonders each new day brings. The black, white and yellow paper cut illustrations by Nikki McClure bring to mind the recent Caldecott winner The House in the Night. The simple rhyming text carries a larger message of making each day count and the hope of each day. The reader follows a young boy as he plants a seed, waters a garden, feeds the chickens, watches the sun go by and takes a walk with a grownup. All may not go well, and each day may bring a few pitfalls and surprises, but "you can make a wish, and start again, you can find your way back home". A nice read for Earth Day or any day for all ages with the message "live it well, make it count, fill it up with you. The day's all yours, it's waiting now...see what you can do".
-Deirdre

The Composer is Dead, by Lemony Snicket

An introduction to the orchestra as only Lemony Snicket (author of the humorous A Series of Unfortunate Events) can provide. A composer is dead ("decomposing"--according to Snicket) and an investigator is questioning all the instruments in the orchestra about the murder to find out "whodunit". As the instruments are interrogated as to where they were on the night in question, readers are introduced to the sections of the orchestra. The humor is better appreciated by older children and adults. For example, in response to being accused of murder, the "star" violins claim such an idea preposterous because if they "killed the composer, [they] would have to find work at square dances or in romantic restaurants". Great illustrations by Carson Ellis will look familiar to fans of Mysterious Benedict Society. A bonus to this fun mystery is an audio version featuring Snicket narrating the story and music performed by the San Francisco symphony. Ages 5 and up.
-Deirdre

I'll Pass for Your Comrade, by Anita Silvey

March is Women's History Month and I'll Pass for Your Comrade by Anita Silvey is a great look at women soldiers in the Civil War. At a time when women could not serve in the military, they fought for the right to do their part during the war. Some women were laundresses and there were also women nurses for the Union Army, organized by Dorothea Dix. Others were Daughters of the Regiment, described as "mascots" who drilled with the men and who were there to provide moral support for the soldiers, often taking part in the battles. But the heart of this book is a look at the women who took the risk to disguise themselves as men to enlist and be a soldier with the troops. It is a look at who these women were and why these women enlisted. Some, like Martha Parks Lindley and Malinda Blalock, disguised themselves to be with their husbands during the war. Lindley became "Jim Smith" and continued on in the war two years after her husband was discharged. Blalock and her husband fought first for the South and then for the North, and Blalock left the war only temporarily to have her baby before returning to their unit. Author Anita Silvey tells many of the stories of these women--the stories of sisters who enlisted with their brothers, women who were searching for their loved ones. But it also tells of the women who secretly enlisted just to have the chance to fight as a soldier, the right to fight for their country. The photos of many women are included in the book and these and additional war photos bring the Civil War to life for the reader. Grades 5 and up.
-Deirdre

Dial-A-Ghost, by Eva Ibbotson
 
Ghosts outnumber the living in this comic tale of orphan Oliver Smith, who inherits Helton Hall only to find he has cousins who want to get their greedy hands on the estate. Using the Dial-a-Ghost Agency, they plot to scare Oliver out of his inheritance with a family of shrieker ghosts. Only that's not exactly what happens!
-Deirdre

11 Birthdays, by Wendy Mass

Amanda is dreading her 11th birthday. She and her best friend Leo were born on the same day and shared their parties since they were one year old. But the best friends had a falling out at her 10th birthday and haven't spoken since. So Amanda is dreading the separate parties, the gymnastic tryouts and everything happening on her birthday because she knows it will be awful....and it is. When she wakes up the day after her birthday, she discovers she is starting the same day over again...and again...and again...and so is Leo. They are the only two trapped in repeating this same day until they figure out what can be done to begin a new day. 4th grade to middle school readers will enjoy these two characters, their funny and daring adventures, and the story behind the enchantment of having to repeat the same day over and over again.
-Deirdre

Archer's Quest, by Linda Sue Park
 
It looks like another dull afternoon of homework for Kevin Kim when a young man, armed with bow and arrows, crash-lands in his room and claims to be a legendary ruler from ancient Korea. Will Kevin be able to help the famed archer travel back in time to hi skingdom before the Year of the Tiger ends and history is changed forever?
-Deirdre

The House in the Night, by Susan Marie Swanson

And the Award goes to....

The Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association has picked picture book The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson as this year's Caldecott Winner. Fans of Goodnight Moon will love Swanson's soothing text featuring a small house where the light used in the illustrations by Beth Krommes explores its rooms, books, and the night sky. Check out the ALA website for a list of previous Caldecott winners for most distinguished illustrated book in children's literature.
-Deirdre

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

The Newbery Award for 2009 is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman for his story of an "average" boy named Nobody Owens who happens to be raised by ghosts. Gaiman is also the author of Coraline, the spooky book about a girl who walks through the door in her house to find an alternate world where her "other" family is waiting. Past Newbery Awards for distinguished contribution in children's literature can also be found on the ALA website.
-Deirdre

The Houdini Box, by Brian Selznick

If you are a fan of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Selznick's Caldecott winner from 2008, this reissue of Selznick's 1991 story The Houdini Box is sure to please. An "I Can Read" book aimed at young readers, this is a story that will please lower elementary age readers and reluctant older readers. Selznick weaves a mystery about a young boy who finds a box that may contain Houdini's secrets. Includes Selznick's trademark sketch drawings, as well as interesting facts about Houdini's life.
-Deirdre

Knucklehead: tall tales & mostly true stories about growing up Scieszka , by Jon Scieszka

Jon Scieska's tales of growing up in a family of 6 boys gives an insight into why this guy is so funny! The author of the Time Warp Trio series, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, and The Trucktown series tells hysterical stories of Catholic school, his parents and of course growing up (and wrestling and tricking and playing) with his brothers. 3rd grade to middle school readers
-Deirdre

Masterpiece, by Elise Broach

The Shakespeare's Secret author writes a tale about a beetle who is truly an artist. Melvin discovers his talent when he uses a pen and ink set to create a beautiful sketch of the world outside the window of the apartment where he lives with his beetle family. The apartment belongs to humans, including eleven year old James, who becomes friends with Melvin. The sketch brings the two together and sets them on an adventure and mystery when priceless artwork is stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of art. 3rd grade to middle school readers.
-Deirdre

The Pencil, by Allan Ahlberg

I love this picture book about a pencil who creates a humorous world of characters who demand to be painted, named, fixed and what happens when an eraser enters their world. Preschool and elementary school children will laugh out loud. Ahlberg is the author of many popular picture books for children including the Runaway Dinner, The Adventures of Bert and the recent Baby in the Hat.
-Deirdre

Trial by Journal, by Kate Klise
 
12 Year-old juror Lily Watson puzzles through the case of Perry Keet, a classmate who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Will she crack the case and reveal the truth? Newspaper articles, illustrations, and court documents provide the clues in this clever mystery thriller.
-Deirdre

Children can meet the Presidential candidates----in books. Whether a child has to read a biography for school, likes to read non fiction, or wants to learn more about the upcoming election, there are several new titles in the children's room for all different reading levels: For readers as young as 3rd grade, the biographies Barack Obama: An American Story by Roberta Edwards and John McCain: An American Life by Spencer Williams provide an introduction to the candidates lives. Readers at a 4th or 5th grade level looking for more details can turn to recent releases including John McCain: Profile of a Leading Republican by Kira Wizner and Barack Obama by Stephen Feinstein, which is part of the "African American heroes" series. For older children grades 6-8, Obama: A Promise of Change by Sarah Thomson, is a biography adapted from the adult title Obama: From Promise to Power. There are also two titles in picture book format that one can share with a child or would work well in a classroom setting. Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope, by Nikki Grimes is done in rich illustrations, and is the story of a mother telling her child about the presidential candidate. As she shares the story of Obama, the child draws parallels to his own life. The picture book My Dad, John McCain by Meghan McCain, allows readers to follow McCain's life as if they were looking through the family scrapbook.
-Deirdre

The Dodgeball Chronicles, by Frank Cammuso

The Dodgeball Chronicles by Frank Cammuso is the first in the graphic novel series "Knights of the Lunch Table". A fun read for kids that is "loosely" based on the sword in the stone and other Arthurian legends. Artie King starts at a new middle school and finds he is assigned to the locker no one has ever been able to open. The locker not only opens for Artie, but unlocks a series of events that leads Artie and his new friends to challenge the school bullies to a game of dodgeball. Science teacher Mr. Merlyn may not be able to stop Principal Dagger from insuring it is the bullies that win the game. Grades 3 and up will enjoy the fun and the illustrations by Cammuso make this graphic novel a standout.
-Deirdre

Eleven, by Patricia Reilly Giff

Sam lives with his grandfather and they both share a love and talent of woodworking. As Sam nears his eleventh birthday, he stumbles onto a mystery...of his own life. Could it be that his grandfather really isn't his family? Sam turns to a new girl in his class and as they work on a class project together, he enlists her help in finding out his true identity. Patricia Reilly Giff is an award winning author, and among her other titles are Pictures of Hollis Woods, Lily' s Crossing, and Nory Ryan's Song.
-Deirdre

The Ghost of Fossil Glen, by Cynthia DeFelice

Sixth grader Allie escapes a close call after nearly falling from a steep cliff. She is guided down the cliff by a voice who she thinks might be a ghost. When a mysterious journal appears in her mailbox, Allie begins to follow a trail the ghost is leading her on to solve the mystery of another sixth grader's death years ago. Grades 4 to 6.
-Deirdre

Blood on the River: Jamestown 1607, by Elisa Lynn Carbone

Join 12 year old Samuel Collier, an orphan who has been selected to be a page to Captain John Smith for the new settlement of Jamestown. Told from Samuel's perspective, readers experience the life of the settlers, their relationships with the Native Americans, and the cruel winters of starvation that threaten to destroy the settlement. Grades 4 and up.
-Deirdre

DK Eye Know, by Penelope Arlon

Children are big fans of the oversize DK Eyewitness books. The DK Eye Know series for younger children takes one word...color, water, space and plant and provides enjoyment in photos, fun with flaps, and peepholes. For children as young as preschool age this is a great series.
-Deirdre

Oliver Who would Not Sleep, by Mara Bergman

Why is it that Oliver would not go to sleep? Children will agree with Oliver that it's not that they are scared; it's just that there is too much to do!! Painting, drawing, reading, racing his cars, flying his rocket ship to outer space, Oliver has a lot more to do when his parents tuck him into bed. A fun bedtime story for preschool to young elementary school age.
-Deirdre

The London Eye Mystery, by Siobhan Dowd

Twelve year-old Ted and his older sister Kat watch their cousin Salim enter the London Eye sightseeing attraction, "the largest observation wheel ever built." But, after a half hour, when his pod returns, everyone troops off- except Salim. Where is he? How could he disappear from a locked glass-and-steel capsule? Feeling guilty because they urged Salim to accept a free ticket from a stranger, the brother and sister, despite their thorny relationship, join together and follow a trail of clues across London. Ted, who narrates the story, has a funny brain that runs on a "different operating system," giving him encyclopedic knowledge but also a literal view of the world. Ultimately his powers of deduction lead them to solve the mystery that even the police have been unable to crack. Test your skills and see if you can stay one step ahead of Ted and Kate in their desperate race to find Salim. This fast-paced thriller will grab you from the beginning. A real page-turner.
-Alice S

Big Book of Play and Find out Science Projects, by Janice VanCleave

Big Book of Play and Find out Science Projects by Janice VanCleave is another interactive way to introduce younger children to science. Looking to answer questions our curious kids ask such as why does my shadow change size? Why do balls bounce? How does a compass work? Why do fireflies light up? VanCleave provides easy projects for parent and child to explore and have fun answering those questions.
-Deirdre

Bunny Fun, by Sarah Weeks

Bunny Fun, by Sarah Weeks is the answer to those rainy Spring days. Follow bunny and his mouse friend as they find so many fun things to do around the house on a rainy day. The rhyme and colorful illustrations are sure to please the toddler and preschool set, who will no doubt be shouting "bunny fun" right along with the story.
-Deirdre

The Shocking World of Electricity with Max Axiom, by Liam O'Donnell

Science can be shocking! From Graphic Library comes The Shocking World of Electricity with Max Axiom by Liam O'Donnell. Part of the "Max Axiom" series, where science is presented in graphic novel format. We have several in the series explaining topics such as sound, global warming and forces in motion. Max Axiom is a fun character, and in this format it is a great way to introduce a young elementary school age child to nonfiction science concepts.
-Deirdre

Go To Bed, Monster, by Natasha Wing

Lucy doesn't want to go to sleep, preferring to draw and color. When the friendly monster she draws comes to life, Lucy and the monster have such fun playing together...until Lucy is tired and the monster just won't go to bed. Cute illustrations and preschool and young elementary school age children will enjoy this bedtime book.
-Deirdre

Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt

Beautifully written by Natalie Babbitt in the 1970's, this truly is a wondrous adventure classic. Set in the late 1800's, precocious ten-year-old Winnie Foster runs away in her family's wood and stumbles upon the Tuck family who may have truly been given eternal life after drinking from a magic spring eighty years earlier. The Tucks try to explain to Winnie just what eternal life means to each of them, and how it is a secret never to be revealed. But the secret may be public already, and Winnie will be faced with the choices of aiding the Tucks and joining them in their fate. Recommended for ages 9-12. Great for both parents and children to read and discuss.
-Deirdre

The Book of Time, by Guillame Prevost

For children looking for adventure, history, time travel "The Book of Time" is the first in a planned trilogy about 14 year old Sam who is living with his grandparents since his eccentric dad disappeared. Sam searches his father's antique bookstores for clues and stumbles upon an ancient statue that hurtles him back to the time of the Vikings. From there, Sam continues his search and finds statues and ancient coins that transport him to ancient Egypt, World War I France, the Middle Ages, all the while he tries to solve the mystery of these time traveling devices and just where in time his father is trapped. Clues lead Sam to believe his dad could be a prisoner of Vlad the Impaler. A fast moving story for those who are searching for adventure, history, and mystery. Good for grades 4-8th.
-Deirdre