Children's Corner at Moore Library

Some New Books

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:47:00 +0000

Grandpa’s Tractor

by Michael Garland

Grandpa Joe is taking his grandson, Timmy, to see the farm where he grew up. A lot of the farm had been sold a long time ago, but there are still things to see there. Grandpa Joe tells Timmy that the farm used to be big and beautiful, when there were no other houses around it. Now the house and barn are falling apart. Then Grandpa Joe tells Timmy about the most important thing a farmer can own, a tractor. Grandpa Joe shows Timmy where his father’s tractor is still sitting. Timmy sees that the old tractor has flat tires, the paint is almost all gone, and plants are growing out of the engine. Grandpa Joe tells Timmy that the tractor was brand new with red paint when he was a little boy. Grandpa Joe’s father used to let Grandpa Joe drive the tractor on his lap when they were plowing the fields. Then after plowing the fields, the tractor is used to plant corn or alfalfa for the cows to eat. Timmy imagines his great-grandfather and grandfather riding around doing chores on the old tractor. Then Grandpa Joe tells Timmy that at harvest time, the crop was stored in the silo for the winter. In the fall, Grandpa Joe tells Timmy his father would take them to pick fresh apples off the tree. All the time that Grandpa Joe is telling Timmy about the tractor, Timmy is seeing the story is his mind. Timmy can also picture the family using the house and the barn in his imagination, too. Does Timmy agree with his grandfather about the tractor being the most important thing a farmer owns?

Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World

by Susan Hughes

Education is so important that the United Nations says it is a basic human right that people have. Unfortunately, not every child in the whole world is able to go to school. According to UNICEF (and the author), over 100 million children around the world have never gone to a school before. Some children live to far away from school, some families need their children to help work, and other children are not allowed to go to school for various reasons. There are a lot of people that want to change this for their children, and they have created some incredible schools that the author discusses within this nonfiction book. In Bangladesh, the school is held on boats. The boats pick the students up along the shore, hold class within them, and then drop the children back off again. This way, the flooding during monsoon season does not stop the children from learning. The children even have computers and the Internet on the boat! In Gando, Burkina Faso (in Africa), the school was falling down, and the people did not have the ability to create a new one. Then architect, Diébédo Kéré came up with a design that would use the clay from the area to create a new, brighter, and cooler school for the children. His design even won awards. In a village in China called Dongzhong, the teachers would not come to teach where there was no electricity or running water. The school is also in a cave. After hearing about the village, people all over the world helped to give the children more teachers, electricity, and school books. Unfortunately, China later closed the school and built another one. What kinds of things do you find really cool in this book about how children go to school?

Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond

by Mary Quattlebaum and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant

You know the song, but this story is a little different. Jo MacDonald goes down to the pond, and she sees some different things. First Jo sees some reeds, which swish-swish here and swish-swish there. Next, Jo sees some fish. Those fish blurp-blurp here and blurp-blurp there. Then, Jo sees a frog. The frog gives a croak-croak here and a croak-croak there. Then, Jo sees some ducks. The ducks quack-quack here and quack-quack there. What other kinds of things do you think Jo MacDonald would see by the pond? What kinds of sounds do you think those things would make?

Don’t forget to sing the song to yourself as you read.

Scrawny Cat

by Phyllis Root and illustrated by Alison Friend

There is a scrawny cat creeping down the street, and this cat is lonely, little, and lost. The scrawny cat used to have someone who named him, played with him, and petted him. Now people just call him “Get out of here,” but he knows that is not his name. After another person tells the cat to go away, a dog starts to chase the cat. The cat runs down to the docks and hides in a dinghy. After it starts to rain, the dog runs away. The cat huddles under the seat in the dinghy and sleeps. When the cat wakes up, all he sees around him is water. Then suddenly, the cat sees some land and a house. A lady comes out of the house to see what came in during the storm. Will the lady want to keep the scrawny little cat? Will she give him some nice food to eat? Will she finally give him a real name?

Some More Craft Fun

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:03:00 +0000

The Kid’s Guide to Making Scrapbooks & Photo Albums!: How to Collect, Design, Assemble, Decorate

by Laura Check

Have you ever thought about using the pictures and things you collected from a trip or special event to create a scrapbook? This nonfiction book can help you complete one. There are several chapters within this book that include: collecting and sorting your stuff, making almost-instant albums, cool covers, papers galore, jazzing it up, photography fun, and creative lettering and journaling. The important thing that the author wants readers to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to make a scrapbook and to have lots of fun while making it. Some other tools that you might need are rulers, different shapes, papers, paper trimmers or shape cutters, pens, protective sleeves or containers, punches, rubber stamps, stencils or templates, and stickers. There are also some suggestions about different kinds of paper, things, to collect, and other supplies. There are tips on how to cut the paper, secure the paper and photos to the album, and mount the pictures. The first big step is to take everything for your scrapbook and decide the order and amount of things that you want to include in your scrapbook. There are several ways to choose from to complete your scrapbook. You can punch three holes in the side of the paper and put it in an easy loose-ring binder, use a hole punch to make holes all down the sides of the paper and tie a string through each of the holes, make an accordion book, make a wrap-around album, and many more. Most of the pages have an illustration that shows you how to create the type of album that you would like to put your memories in. This book has lots of great ideas to help you get started.

Junk Drawer Jewelry

by Rachel di Salle and Ellen Warwick

Did you know that you can make really cool jewelry from “junk” that you just have lying around the house? In this nonfiction book, these authors will show you some cool jewelry items that you can make with this “junk.” Before getting started, make sure to look at the safety tips that the authors have listed to make sure that you can get your jewelry made without anyone getting hurt (especially yourself). Some of the tools you will need are pliers and wire cutters, shrinkable plastic, clasps, jump rings, head pins and eye pins, earring wires, and ribbon closures. Some of the jewelry creations include: washer rings, vinyl wristbands, sequined earrings, button bonanza bracelet, galaxy-girl charm bracelet, and daring duct tape wristband. Each piece of jewelry shows a drawing of each step to take during the process of making the piece of jewelry, and there is also a picture of the finished piece at the beginning of each piece. At the end of the book are some templates to use when making some of the pieces.

You Can Weave!: Projects for Young Weavers

by Kathleen Monaghan and Hermon Joyner

You do not necessarily need to know how to crochet or knit in order to create a woven masterpiece. This nonfiction book can show you some other creative ways of creating woven projects. The chapters include: The Weaving Process, Cardboard Looms, Frame Looms, Back Strap Looms, and Beads, Braids, and Baskets. The projects that the authors have included within this book get you introduced to weaving terms and techniques. One project is just weaving with construction paper. Each project has a picture of some finished projects, and there are pictures of each step of the process, too. Another material to use in weaving is straw, to create the second project with a straw loom (a bookmark). Some other projects are created with cardboard looms (mug rugs, tapestry, or woven pouch). You can also create a frame loom to create different styles of weave (such as plaid). Finally, you can use the back strap loom to create things like belts or bracelets. This book contains lots of methods and examples to find the one that is best for you. At the end of the book are some diagrams for creating the looms.

The New Jumbo Book of Easy Crafts

by Judy Ann Sadler and illustrated by Caroline Price

This book is filled with lots of fun ideas for making cool crafts. There are crafts to Imagine and Create, Wear and Use, Make and Play, and Decorate and Celebrate. At the beginning is a list of materials that you will need to use to make the crafts: glue, pipe cleaners, cardboard, and decorating supplies, along with things like cereal boxes, scrap paper, egg cartons, and plastic bottles. You might also get some items from the craft store, such as beads or buttons. One thing to make sure is to stay safe when making your crafts, having some adult supervision when using things like irons or knives, and wear clothes that you do not mind getting messy. Some of the crafts include: squashed-paint pictures, thumbuddies, paper weaving, cotton-ball sheep, button puppies, drinking-straw bead bracelets, a royal crown, button frame, braided bookmark, tissue-box dollhouses, puzzles, and many, many more.

Mimi

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:46:00 +0000

Mimi

by John Newman

Mimi lost her mother in a bicycle accident five months ago, and her family is having a hard time dealing with the death. Mimi’s father is very depressed and sits around the house looking old and tired. Her sister Sally is wearing black clothes, hanging out with other goth friends, and has a terrible secret that she won’t tell anyone. Her brother Connor plays the drums all the time he is home. Mimi feels terribly lonely in her grief, and so she reads her sister’s diary and watches television to feel better. Mimi calls her house the sad house, and she enjoys going to the other houses of her family members after school each day. She also enjoys the little treats that she gets at the other houses, because her father always burns the pizzas that he cooks every night. Mimi also doesn’t have a bed time, and she doesn’t do her homework unless her Aunt B. makes her. Then Mimi reads in the diary that Sally knows she is reading it. Mimi really wanted to know Sally’s secret, but she decides to stop reading the diary. Mimi is not sure of what to do with her family, but she does know that she wants things to get better. Then one day, the teachers tell their father what has been going on at school, the dentist tells their grandparents that they have not been brushing regularly, and Mrs. Lemon at the store tells their father what Sally’s secret is. Sally decides to run away. Will the family be able to find Sally? What did she do that she thinks was terrible enough to run away? Will everything work out okay for this grieving family?

This book covers a very hard topic that will be very hard for some readers. It is something that no one ever wants to face, but this family has to face it and come through it together. The main theme of the book is coping, which the family does not do very well in the beginning. However, little by little, they start working to bring things closer to the way it was before their loss. This book is about a family in England, so the slang may be a little confusing.

Some New Books for December

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Clifford Cares

By Norman Bridwell

Clifford the Big Red Dog is back in this little board book, and Emily Elizabeth shares with us all of the things that Clifford cares about. Clifford cares about his family, and he helps them cross the street safely. Clifford cares about his neighbors by helping them paint their house. Clifford is good at getting the really high spots. Clifford cares about other animals, and he helps Emily Elizabeth feed the birds and squirrels at the park. He also makes sure that other dogs have bones, cats have some milk, and even that little mice get some nice cheese. Do you think everyone appreciates the way that Clifford cares about them? Who are some of the people and animals that you care about?

M.O.M. (Mom Operating Manual)

by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Laura Cornell

Have you ever had trouble understanding how your mom does everything that she does in a day? Have you ever wondered how to take really good care of your mother? Then this book will be lots of help for you. In the introduction, the authors tell you all about different kinds of mothers and the things that they do in a day. The next section in the book is on the Daily Care and Maintenance that your mom needs, such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, and water (or SNEW for short). You can learn all about how much of these your mom needs. The next section of the book is on grooming, such as bathing, hair, and clothing. There are also some special notes on transportation with your mother. The last section of the book is about troubleshooting (when your mother malfunctions). Some minor malfunctions include heavy sighing, groaning, or snapping. There are also some helpful hints on how to handle a malfunctioning mom. The one thing that you will get from this book is lots of laughter. Make sure to share it with your mom for a laugh.

I Want My Hat Back

by Job Klassen

A bear realizes that he has lost his hat, and he wants to find it. First, the bear asks the fox if he has seen his hat, but the fox has not. The bear thanks the fox and moves on. Next, the bear asks a frog if he has seen his hat, but the frog has not. The bear thanks the frog and continues on. Next, the bear asks a rabbit with a red hat on his head if he has seen his hat. The rabbit says he has not and tells the bear that he would not steal a hat. The bear thanks the rabbit and continues on. Then the bear meets a turtle and asks if the turtle has seen the hat. The turtle tells the bear that he has been trying to climb the rock and has not seen anything. The bear helps the turtle onto the rock and continues on. The next animal he asks about his hat is the snake. The snake says that he say a blue hat, but the bear’s hat is not blue. After asking one more animal about his hat, the bear lies down and worries what he will do without his hat. A deer walks up and asks bear what is wrong. Then he asks the bear what his hat looked like? Will telling the deer help the bear remember where he had seen his hat? What does the bear tell the squirrel when the squirrel comes looking for the rabbit?

Happy Pig Day!

by Mo Willems

Piggie is so happy to share with Gerald that it is Happy Pig Day. Piggie tells Gerald that on Happy Pig Day, you have a pig party, sing pig songs, dance pig dances, eat pig food, play pig games, and say “Oinky! Oink! Oink!” Gerald tells Piggie that he did not know about Happy Pig Day, and then Piggie’s friends arrive to celebrate with her. Gerald sees that Piggie is having a lot of fun with her friends, and he starts to feel left out. After Gerald leaves, Piggie goes to look for him. Why is Gerald sad about Happy Pig Day? Will Piggie help Gerald be happier with Happy Pig Day? Will everyone have a chance to have fun on Happy Pig Day?

Princess Posey and the Next-Door Dog

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:32:00 +0000

Princess Posey and the Next-Door Dog

by Stephanie Greene and illustrated by Stephanie Roth Sisson

Posey is in class when one of her classmates, Luca, tries to show them a picture of his new puppy. The children are so distracted, that Miss Lee decides to have a class meeting, so that the children can ask Luca questions about his puppy. There is so much excitement, that Miss Lee decides to have the class write a paper about their pet (or their future pet, if they do not have one). Posey is one of the children who does not have a pet, but she is determined to write a great paper. Posey does not want to tell her friends, though, that she has been a little afraid of dogs since she was little. A big dog had jumped on Posey and scared her. That evening, Posey sees that there are new neighbors moving in next door. Posey gets dressed as Princess Posey, and she goes outside on the swing, hoping that they will have a little girl her age. The people do not have a little girl, but Posey does hear that they have a dog. By the barking, Posey thinks that it is a big dog. Posey decides to write her paper on the dog next door. Posey’s grandfather recommends that Posey go with her mother to meet the dog, but the next day, Miss Lee tells them that the pet papers are due by the next day. Posey will have to be brave and go meet the dog by herself. First, Posey dresses up as Princess Posey, who is not afraid of anything. Will the meeting be okay, and will Posey earn a new doggy friend? Will she be able to finish her paper in time?

Posey has a problem that many children her age face, especially when they have had bad experiences with animals like she had. Despite her fears, Posey is determined to have a good story to share with the class. You can tell that Posey is very brave, even when she does not think that she is. Maybe we can all give being a little brave (even if it happens to be in Princess Posey mode) a try.

A Month of Craft Ideas: Knitting

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Kids Knit!: Simple Steps to Nifty Projects

by Sarah Bradberry

This nonfiction books has lots of information that will help get you started on learning to knit. The book starts with a little explanation of what knitting is, and the author gives some suggestions of where to find help if you are having trouble getting started. You need three tools to start knitting: yarn, a pair of knitting needles, and a pair of scissors to cut the yarn. There is a list of more tools that will be needed when you start on some of the projects listed in the book. Next, there is a little lesson on how to get started knitting. When you have mastered your first little square of knitting, you can put it away and start one of the twenty projects in this book. Some of the projects include a glasses case, ribbed scarf, cat toy, doll, doll blanket, little pillowcase, kite bookmark, backpack, and much more. These projects should be small and simple, but at the end, you will have something to show off that you made yourself. Happy knitting!

Kids Knitting: Projects for Kids of All Ages

by Melanie Falick with photographs by Chris Hartlove and illustrations by Kristin Nicholas

This nonfiction book discusses getting started with knitting and has twelve knitting project ideas and instructions. This book, though, also has instructions on how to create your own knitting needles and how to dye yarn with Kool-Aid. There is also a discussion on how yarn is made and what animals and plants it comes from. The author begins by discussing the tools needed and where to go for help if you have trouble getting started. This book also discusses knitting by hand and spool knitting. The projects in this book include basic bean bags, scarves, hats, afghans, dolls, puppets, and much more. Between the two of these nonfiction books by Sarah Bradberry and Melanie Falick, you should have a good idea of how to get started with your knitting. Good luck!

Knitting Nell

by Julie Jersild Roth

A little girl named Nell likes to knit and knit and knit. Nell was told by a boy at school that she had a weird voice, and so Nell does not talk a lot. Nell likes to listen, though. She listens to the trees at the park and all of her friends that stop by to chat. While listening Nell knits things for other people. Nell knits a blanket for her aunt’s baby; sock, hats, and mittens for the Children’s Home and for refugees in countries far away. Nell also knits things for her family to wear, and she even makes a beautiful sweater for herself. Nell likes it so much, that she decides to enter it in the contest at the county fair. Nell and her friends have a lot of fun at the County Fair. Will her sweater win a prize at the champion’s ceremony where all of Nell’s friends can see? What will her friends think of her if she does win? Will Nell win any other unexpected prizes at the fair? Will any of them want to start a new hobby like Nell’s?

Noodle’s Knitting

by Sheryl Webster and illustrated by Caroline Pedler

Noodle likes to watch the farmer’s wife do her knitting, and she listens to how she “knits one, purls two, and knits two together.” Then one day the farmer’s wife says that a ball of yarn is the wrong color, and Noodle takes the ball of yarn with her back to home. Noodle stops on the way to show the yarn to Hedgie, and Hedgie (the hedgehog) gives her two of his prickles as knitting needles. Noodle starts to knit as she is traveling home, and while she is not paying attention, she also falls into the little stream. Her friend, Bulgy (the frog) saves her and her yarn from getting wet. Noodle also does not notice how long her knitting has gotten, and when the knitting gets caught on a prickle, Noodle is thrown up into the air. Luckily, her friend, Rosie (the squirrel) is there to catch her in her little wheelbarrow. Noodle tries to finish knitting the whole ball of yarn, and she ends up staying up all night long. What do you think will happen when Noodle tries to get out of her little houses, which is full of knitted yarn? Will her friends be able to help her? What will they end up using all of the knitted yarn for? All of the yarn in the book is “soft-to-touch.”

Some New Books for November

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:28:00 +0000

Same, Same but Different

by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

A little boy paints a picture of his world in art class. His teacher sends that picture to a little boy who lives a long way away in India. A little boy from India draws the little boy a picture of his world, too. The boys both drew pictures of their worlds(same and same), but they were very different. The little boy from India wants to know what the little boy’s name is. The little boy writes back that his name is Elliot and that he loves to climb trees. The little boy in India writes back that his name is Kailash, and that he loves to climb trees, too. The tree that Elliot climbs has a tree house in it, and the tree that Kailash climbs has monkeys in it. Same thing but different. Elliot writes about his family (his mom, dad and little sister), and Kailash writes about his family, too (all twenty three: mom, dad, brother, grandmother, grandfather, aunties, uncles, and cousins). Kailash also writes about his animals (cows dogs, goats, and chickens), and Elliot writes to Kailash about his dog and fish. Each of the boys also writes about the places where they live, how they get to school, their alphabets, and much more. How many ways are Elliot and Kailash alike? How are they different? Do you think there are other children out in world that live like you do? How do you think that their lives are different?

Mr Benn-Red Knight

by David McKee

Mr. Benn receives an invitation to a fancy dress party. He does not want to go, but he decides that he does not often get the chance for fancy dress. Mr. Benn goes to many different stores, but none of the stores have the kinds of fancy dress that he is looking for. Finally, he finds a little shop in a back lane. When a little man in a funny hat comes out to help him, Mr. Benn asks to borrow the suit of red armor that he had seen in the window. The man suggests that Mr. Benn try it on first. Mr. Benn goes into the dressing room, and the armor fits him really well. When he comes out to show the little man, Mr. Benn discovers that he is in a different place than the shop. When he sees some smoke behind a big rock, he goes to look at what is going on, and he finds a fire-breathing dragon. Mr. Benn has no intention of hurting the dragon, and the dragon sees that Mr. Benn does not have a sword to hurt him with. The dragon then tells Mr. Benn his sad story. The dragon had been the firelighting dragon for the whole castle and surrounding houses. Then a matchmaker showed up and wanted to sell his matches, instead. The matchmaker set small fires and blamed them on the dragon, and after the dragon was banished, the matchmaker ran off the king’s favorite horse and blamed the dragon for it. The dragon also tells Mr. Benn that the matchmaker started selling his matches for a lot of money after the dragon was run off, and the matchmaker had become very rich. Mr. Benn decides to go to the castle to share the dragon’s story with the king. The dragon goes with him, but the dragon hides in the trees so that no one can see him, while Mr. Benn goes inside the castle. Will Mr. Benn be able to convince the king that the dragon was not the one to set the fires? What will the king do with the matchmaker? How will Mr. Benn get back to the little shop to get to the party? Will he still want to go after all of the excitement?

The Three Billy Goats Fluff

by Rachael Mortimer and illustrated by Liz Pichon

Mr. Troll has trouble sleeping under the bridge where the Three Billy Goats Fluff cross two times every day. The troll is upset that he was tricked into thinking that his apartment under the bridge would be a great place to live. The Three Billy Goats Fluff live on the mountain next to the bridge with their mother, who knits with the fluffy fleeces that come off of her three little goats. One day, the troll decides that he has had enough of the three little goats crossing his bridge. He puts up a sign that warns the goats that the next one to “trip-trap” across the bridge will be eaten. The smallest goat cannot read yet, and when Mr. Troll jumps out to eat him, the little goat runs back home to Mother Goat. When the middle-sized goat tries the cross, Mr. Troll jumps out again. The middle-sized goat runs back to his older brother and tells Mr. Troll that they are telling their mother on Mr. Troll. Mother Goat feels sorry that Mr. Troll has trouble sleeping. She comes up with a great idea to stop all of the noise of her Three Little Goats Fluff crossing the bridge. Will Mr. Troll like Mother Goat’s idea? Will he like the little presents that she makes for him?

Superhero Joe

by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and illustrated by Ron Barrett

This picture book is written and illustrated like a comic book/graphic novel. One day, Joe hears a cry for help coming from the kitchen. Joe’s father has been attacked by an evil black ooze, and his mother was trying her best to save him. Joe’s mother tells him to bring the “Staff of Power” to help her banish the ooze. Unfortunately, the staff is down in the basement in the dark. Joe knows that he used to be afraid of things like monsters in his closet, the dark, new things, getting left behind, and getting hurt. Then one day, he decided to work on this in his lab. He designed superhero suit with a cape (blanket), anti-gravity (rain) boots, special gloves, and a shield (sauce pan lid). With this superhero suit, Joe feels that he can tackle all of his fears. Joe also has a “Torch of Radiance” (flashlight) that will help him find the staff in the basement. Will Superhero Joe be able to find the special staff and help his mother save his father from the ooze? Will Superhero Joe be ready to answer other calls for help?

Waiting for the Magic

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Waiting for the Magic

by Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Amy June Bates

Will and Elinor’s father has decided to leave to think about things for a while. Will and Elinor’s mother is very unhappy with him, and so she decides to take Will and Elinor to the animal shelter to pick out a dog and a cat. There are four dogs there: fierce Bryn who takes to their mother right away, excited little Bitty who starts to jump up and down, regal greyhound Grace, and a large puppy Neo. Will, Elinor, and their mother have a difficult time deciding on which dog, so their mother decides to take them all home. Elinor also picks out a cat named Lula. When the dogs get to the house, they seem to be just like family members. Bryn is very protective of their mother, Grace follows Elinor around wherever she goes, and Neo and Bitty enjoy hanging out with Will. Will is having a hard time forgiving his father and being very brave. He also notices that Elinor seems to know what the dogs are saying. Even his grandmother seems to understand Grace whenever she decides to knit her a sweater. Will’s grandmother tells him that young and older people have the magic to understand animals. Will is not sure he believes this, until the morning that his mother tells them that she is going to have a baby. That is the first time that Will understands the dogs, too. Will tells his mother that it is important for her to tell their father about the baby. After their father comes home, Will has a hard time forgiving him for leaving. The dogs take time to warm up to him, too. Soon, though, everyone feels a little bit more like a family, and their dad begins to hear the dogs, too. Will wonders why his mother does not hear them, but the dogs think it is because she is so focused on the baby. Will everyone feel the same way they used to feel about being a family? Will their mother have to “wait for the magic” a long time?

T he beginning of the book is a very tough beginning for them members of the family. However, once the dogs arrive, they help all of the members of the family with all of the emotions and difficulties of the situation. Patricia MacLachlan helps you get a feel for the personalities of each dog, and you get to see how strong everyone in the family is (especially ten-year-old Will who feels he has to be the “man” of the house). Patricia MacLachlan writes about a family and the magic that each member feels inside, especially when it comes to those four dogs that they have. The book will definitely have you smiling at the dog’s comments and antics, and it will make you feel good when everything turns out all right for the family.The drawings will also have you smiling (especially those of the dogs).

What?!?! Ron Weasley nearly got whacked?!?!?

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:06:00 +0000

JK Rowling just revealed in an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, that she almost killed Ron! Read the whole article here: http://gu.com/p/332gp

Tips for Reading with Your Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:58:00 +0000

I loved reading Tim Dowling's Oct. 18th article on the Guardian's Reading with Kids webpages. He starts out with a hilarious account of his experiences reading with his own kids. As a parent, Dowling finds the prospect of trying to help his kids improve their reading skills and develop their love of reading a little intimidating. Like many parents, he doesn't feel confident about his out-loud reading skills or his ability to help his kids pick out books that they will like. Fortunately for him, that doesn't mean his kids are doomed to be poor readers!

Dowling offers some awesome advice to parents about how to best help their kids with reading at home, even if you have no desire to be an amateur librarian. Check it out here, and start having fun while you are reading with your little ones!

Frindle / Andrew Clements

noreply@blogger.com (Vivi) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:01:00 +0000

I'll admit it, I came to Frindle late. This book has been out since 1996, racking up accolade after accolade, but I'd never heard about it until recently. This is apparently what happens when you grow up; you fall out of the loop and don't hear about great stories for younger readers like this one.

Well, better late than never.

In doing some research on author Andrew Clements, I learned of Frindle (J FIC CLEMENTS), probably his best-known story, although he's written loads of books. I went in with low expectations and came out amused, entertained and — I'm not gonna lie — a little choked up. You don't expect a story about a kid who good-naturedly clashes with his teacher to pack such a wallop, but it does, and that's what makes Frindle such a winner.

Nick Allen is your typical class mischief-maker. Up until now, he's largely gotten away with his high jinks, too — until he enters fifth grade and finds himself saddled with the prim and proper, dictionary-loving Mrs. Granger, who manages her classroom with an iron hand. To Nick , of course, this is a setting ripe for tomfoolery. But Mrs. Granger's on to him. When Nick attempts to waste time in class by asking where all the words in the dictionary come from, Mrs. Granger immediately turns the tables on Nick by asking him to do the research himself and present it to the class. She might as well have waved a red flag in front of him.

What transpires is a classroom prank of epic proportions.

Inspired by the concept that people create and mold language, Nick sets out to prove a point to Mrs. Granger. He cleverly sets in motion a series of events to change the word pen to frindle. However, before he knows it, the word goes viral, leading to a much more far-reaching effect than Nicholas ever could have anticipated. And in the end, although it was Nick who wanted to prove a point to Mrs. Granger, he ultimately realizes that it was he who learned the lesson. That Mrs. Granger's no slouch in the teaching department, and it shows.

As is often the case in Clements’ stories, there are no villains. The characters are well-rounded and complex, the story marked by humor, imagination and unexpected poignancy. This is a family-friendly story that will get its readers thinking about the nature of language and the benefits of having amazing teachers who push us to learn without us even realizing it. Here's a preview of the book:

Some New Books for October

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:17:00 +0000

Ten Rules You Absolutely Most Not Break if You Want to Survive the School Bus
by John Grandits and illustrated by Michaell Allen Austin

On the first day of school, a little boy's big brother, James is walking him to the bus stop. James considers himself an expert on the school bus, and James is willing to share ten rules with his little brother that should make riding the bus a lot easier for him. The little boy is determined to follow these ten rules, because he does not want to get beat up on by a bully or have his lunch money stolen. The boy drops his backpack when a bigger boy bumps into him, and he is the last one on the bus. He sees a seat in the first row, but James's first rule is: "Do not sit in the first row." Unfortunately, there are no other seats except at the back of the bus, and James's second rule is: "Never sit in the last row." Because the little boys wants to obey rule three: "Never, ever make yourself stand out in any way," the little boy breaks rule two and sits in the back row seat. The little boy wants to look at the person sitting next to him, but then he breaks rule four: "Never make eye contact." The big kid sitting next to him did not like being looked at, so the little boy suddenly looks down again. When the little boy breaks rules five and six: "Never touch anyone's stuff" and "Never talk to big kids," the big kid kicks him out of the seat. The little boy ends up sitting with a little girl, and then he breaks rule seven: "Never talk to girls." The little girl talks to him the whole way, but the little boy is glad to get to school that day. Then the little boy sees the girl that was talking to him on the bus at kickball time. It turns out, she is the captain of one of the teams. The little girl tells him that he can be on her team the next day. The little girl also saves him, because after school, the little boy has trouble finding his bus, and the little girl yells at him to let him know where it is. What other things are the little boy's brother going to be wrong about? What will the little boy tell James about his rules?

Mario and Baby Gia
by Mario Lopez and illustrated by Maryn Roos

It is only a few days until Mario's birthday, and he wants to tell someone about his ideas for his party. He looks for his sister, Marissa, but she is playing with Cousin Rosie and does not want any boys around. Then Mario goes to see what Chico is up to, but Chico hurries out and tells Mario that he is late for baseball practice. Then Nana finds Mario and asks him to help her by watching little Gia while she is baking something. Mario is reluctant, but he agrees to help his Nana. Gia calls Mario, "Marigold," and Mario takes her outside and shows her how to throw a ball. Gia is not very good about throwing the ball back to Mario, though. Mario asks Nana if he can help her, but Nana asks him to give Gia her snack. Gia dumps the bowl of crackers on to the floor instead of eating them, and Mario is not happy to have to clean them up. Nana then suggests that Mario read Gia a story, but Gia pulls on the first page until it rips. Is Mario going to be really mad at Gia? What is Nana baking for? Is it a special occasion?

The Pumpkin Mystery
by Carol Wallace and illustrated by Steve Björkman

Mocha and Scruffy (a cat and dog) notice that the family is planning something. Then they see Aden and Leah ask Daddy if they can plant pumpkins again this year. Their Daddy tells them that the pumpkins will have to be planted in June in order to have them in time for Halloween. On this day, however, the family is getting the garden ready to grow beans and corn. Mama is looking for stakes, which confuses Mocha, who thinks she mean "steak." Scruffy explains that stakes are put in the ground to add string to and follow in a line for planting. Mama tells Mocha that he can help the family dig. Mocha seems to get a bit carried away with the digging, though. Everyone in the family takes part in the planting. Daddy and Mama raked the dirt, Aden and Lead count the stakes, Daddy drives in the stakes, Mama puts up the string, and Aden and Leah plant the seeds. Then it is Mocha's job to make sure that the rabbits do not get to the garden. When Mocha cannot reach the rabbits through the fence, Scruffy helps him chase off the rabbits. Everyone continues to work hard on the garden by watering the plants, pulling the weeds, and keeping the rabbits out. Then comes the time to plant the pumpkins. The seeds for the pumpkins had to be under big mounds of dirt. Unfortunately, the pumpkins are not growing very well. There are only a few weak looking pumpkin plants. Aden and Leah are very disappointed that their friends will not get to pick their own pumpkins, or that there will not be enough pumpkins to have a pumpkin toss, like the year before. Then, Mocha and Scruffy learn that one of the rabbits has some very important information about pumpkins. What does the rabbit know? Will he tell Mocha and Scruffy, and if he does, what will he want in return? Will there be any pumpkins for decorating or a pumpkin toss?

Too Many Turkeys
by Linda White and Megan Lloyd

One rainy day, Fred and Belle find a little lost turkey on their tiny farm. Belle is worried that the turkey will eat the garden, but Fred says the turkey won't, if they feed him. Fred names the turkey Buford, after his uncle, and Fred builds Buford a house and feeds him. Belle is also happy, because Fred cleans up after Buford. Because of Buford, Belle has a new ingredient to add to her garden, and the garden grows better than it ever has before. Belle tells the gardens who stop by and want to know her secret that she has a "special" fertilizer that she makes for the garden. Soon, Belle leaves for an annual birdhouse convention, and she tells Fred to take good care of her garden. Soon, Fred sees a little wild hen turkey trying to get into the garden to eat the plants. Fred manages to run her off, but the next day, there are even more turkeys in the garden. Fred tries to scare them away with music, but the turkeys like the music so much that they start dancing. Fred "turkey" walks the turkeys back to the woods. He works on cleaning up the mess they made, when he hears a big fluttering. There are turkeys everywhere! Suddenly, Fred grabs Buford's food and throws it into the back of his truck. The turkeys jump in and ride for twenty miles. Then Fred drops them off. Will the turkeys stay away? How will Fred get rid of the turkeys if they do come back? Will he have enough time to fix Belle's garden? Will the neighbors ever find out Belle's secret to her garden?

Autumn Fun

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:20:00 +0000

Fall Leaf Project
by Margaret McNamara and illustrated by Mike Gordon

Mrs. Connor's class is learning about the fall, and then Mrs. Connor shows them a map of the United States. Mrs. Connor tells that the leaves in their state change color, but there are other states where the leaves don't change colors. The children in the classroom decide that they want to share their leaves with the states whose leaves don't change colors. Mrs. Connor tells them that she knows a teacher or a class in one of those states (Mr. Soto). The children can collect leaves to send to Mr. Soto's class. Some children gather yellow leaves, some gather orange, and another student's favorite leaves are red. A few of the students start sorting the leaves they have found. The children also get to learn about the different kinds of leaves as they are gathering them (oak, maple, chestnut, sassafras, and many others). Back in the classroom, the students prepare the project for the other class, and then they mail the package with the project in it. Will Mr. Soto's class enjoy the Fall Leaf Project? What will the class do with all of those leaves?

Who Loves the Fall?
by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Judy Stead

The author wants to list all of the people who love the fall. There are rakers of leaves, and children who enjoy leaping into them. There are people who grow apples, who pick apples, and who make candy apples to enjoy at a Fall Festival. There are "Winged migrators," or all the different birds who fly south for the winter, and there are animals, like bears, who get ready to hibernate all winter. There are families who camp and build bonfires, and there are families that enjoy making warm apple pies. There are children at school who like to add, some who like to spell, and there are children who love to "show and tell." The fall is also time for pumpkin searchers and turkey eaters. What kinds of things do you like to do in the fall? How many of those things will you find in this book?

I Know It's Autumn
by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Nancy Hayashi

The little child knows that autumn is here when the mornings are darker than before, and there are pumpkin muffins on the plate for breakfast. The child also knows it is autumn when it is time to get jackets to wear outside, and when the leaves on the trees are turning different colors. It is autumn when the child's class is making acorn art, and when the teacher puts turkey stickers on the child's spelling chart. Autumn is also a time for raking leaves, picking apples for apple pie, and when geese are honking as they fly south in the sky. What other things does the child notice about autumn time? Are these things that you are noticing, too?

Little Red's Autumn Adventure
by Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York and illustrated by Sam Williams

On a beautiful autumn day, Little Red and her friends are walking to the Great Harvest Festival in Bluebell Wood. The group kicks leaves up in the air as they are walking along. Little Red comes up with a great idea. The group will find great big leaves and "leaf-board" down the hill. Roany, the little horse, is worried that there will not be a leaf big enough to ride on, but Little Red uses some magic dust and makes a leaf just Roany's size. Little Red has some trouble with her leaf, and she does a little tumble into the foot of a blackberry bush. In the blackberry bush, Little Red hears two little mice say, Mommy?" The two mice where very frightened. Little Red wants to help the little mice, but the mice are afraid of her, because she is so big and scary. So, Little Red uses her magic dust to shrink down to the size of the mice. Little Red wants to help the little mice, but she sees that she left her sack of smiles in the tree. So she gets the little mice on a leaf, and she pulls the leaf toward the harvest festival. Soon, Little Red's friends have made it to the festival, and then they notice that she is not there with them. Then Mrs. Mouses runs up to them and tells them that two of her children are missing, too. The group decides to form a search party. When they are looking in the forest, the friends notice that the leaves are in many colors, not just those that happen naturally. Then they see someone with a little sack tied to its tail. What do you think happened to turn the leaves different colors? Do you think that Little Red's friends are going to be able to find her and the two little mice? Will Little Red get to be big again? Will the group ever make it to the festival?

Greetings!

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:16:00 +0000

Can You Greet the Whole Wide World?: 12 Common Phrases in 12 Different Languages
by Lezlie Evans and illustrated by Denis Roche

There are kids all over the world who like to do the same things that you every day. This nonfiction book can help you learn some phrases to help make new friends with other children all over the world. The first phrase is "Good Morning," which is "Guten Morgen," in German, "Ohayo Gozaimasu," in Japanese, and "Bom Dia," in Portuguese. See how many of the twelve ways to say this that you can remember (or maybe you already know a few!). After saying hello to your friends, you might ask "How are you?" In Russian, this is Kak Dyela, and in Italian, this is "Come Stai?" Another good word to know in several languages is "Please." In Spanish this is "Por favor," and in Chinese, this is "Qing?" On each page of the book is a situation in which you would use the phrase, a list of the phrases in each language with the words spelled out, sounded out, and the list of the different languages. How many phrases would you like to learn? Do you think you can remember to use them sometimes with your friends, teachers, or parents?

Say Hello!
by Rachel Isadora

When Carmelita gets up in the morning, her mother is making their favorite breakfast, and Carmelita's mother tells her that they are going to visit Abuela Rosa that day. Carmelita brings her dog, Manny, along to go on the walk to visit her grandmother. As they are walking down 9th Avenue, Senor Enrico calls, "Buenos Dias" to Carmelita and her mother. Then Carmelita and her mother meet Mrs. Rosen and her children, and they greet each other with "Shalom." Next, Carmelita and her mother stop by the Japanese restuarant to say "Konichiwa" with a bow. As they continue on their walk, Carmelita and her mother see Joseph and his parents, and they greet them with a "Jambo." Then Carmelita sees the bakery, and her mother says they can go in for some cookies. They greet the lady in the bakery with a "Bonjour." Manny seems to know all the languages, too, as he greets everyone with Carmelita and her mother. How many other stops will they make along their walk, and how many other "hellos" will they greet the people with.What special treat will Carmelita's Abuela Rosa surprise her with when they make it to visit her? At the end of the book, the author lists all of the "hellos" that were used in the book, with pronunciations and what language these "hellos" are from.

Say Hello, Vanessa
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and illustrated by Lillian Hoban

Vanessa Mouse lives with her mother and father in a fine old house, but when people come to visit her mother and father, Vanessa does not say hello or look at the visitors. Vanessa also does not have any friends of her own. Vanessa tells her mother that making friends is the scariest thing in the world, but her mother tells Vanessa to give it a try. The next day in class, Vanessa knows how to spell the spelling word, country, but she is too afraid to put her hand up and have everyone look at her. Vanessa tells herself that she will spell the word tomorrow. After class, Vanessa notices that all of the other children seem to belong to one group or bunch. Vanessa tells her mother this when she gets home. Vanessa's mother tells her to look for someone who is all alone and try to make friends with them. The next day, Vanessa is too shy, again, to spell the word, and when she tries to say hello to Lisa Goat, Vanessa speaks too softly for Lisa to hear her. Vanessa's mother tells her to try it again, but Vanessa should talk louder. The next day, other children know how to spell country now, but Vanessa hopes she will get another chance to show the class that she can spell. Vanessa tries to say hello to Sigmund Toad, but she yells it and scares Sigmund away. The next day, Vanessa has decided not to say anything to anyone, but the teacher has a new word to spell, tooth. Will Vanessa raise her hand now and spell the word? Will she ever be able to find a friend?

Hello, Claudia!
by Barbara Brooks Wallace

Claudia's best friend is Janice, and Claudia makes sure that Janice has a very eventful birthday when they climb under their neighbor's, Mrs. Wisby, house. On her way home, Claudia is stopped by her other neighbors, Maurice, Robin, Robby, and Leonie, who get her to help them in their dandelion selling business. Claudia is reluctant, but she feels bad for Leonie, so she agrees. Claudia talks the children into going to the next door neighbors' house to pick their dandelions. The childrne tell her that they are not allowed to by their parents, but they follow Claudia, when she decides to go over there. When the girls come back around the yard, after following butterflies and accidentally letting the dogs out of the fence, they find that the boys have gone through Claudia's backpack and made a huge mess. Mrs. Hennessy, Robin and Robby's mother is very mad at the children, but she is more mad at Claudia for leading the children off. Claudia is mad at Mrs. Hennessey for not being happy that Claudia was helping the smaller children, and she goes home mad. When Claudia gets home, she learns something very sad. Her friend, Janice, is moving away. Claudia is very upset by this information. Then Claudia finds out her cousin, Sally, will be getting married in her house, which is not good news to Claudia. When Barbara gets asked to be a bridesmaid, Claudia feels that she is being left out (a Claudia Jr.) again. Claudia feels that nobody cares how depressed she is feeling. Claudia does find out after Janice leaves that there are going to be some new neighbors. She meets Duffy and his mother, Mrs. Booth. Duffy is only six years old, but he seems very friendly to the other children. Claudia finds out that it is really hard to write every day, and Janice seems to think the same thing. Letters are not the same, anyway, so Claudia is still very depressed. Her family, friends, and neighbors then throw her a surprise birthday party, but this party just seems to upset Claudia more. Duffy saves the moment by reminding Claudia that this is not a birthday party but a special "three days after your birthday surprise party." Claudia is so confused, she goes along with it, and the adults are all grateful to Duffy. At her first day of school without Janice, Claudia is feeling even more lonely, and she believes that her family does not even care about her anymore. After hearing that Janice has made a new friend in Boston, Claudia is determined that she will find a new friend, too. Duffy keeps trying to get her to hang out with him, but Claudia would prefer someone that is more like Janice. Claudia tries being friends with Justine, a girl in her class, but Justine does not seem to be interested in any of the things that Claudia is interested in. Claudia feels that she has no one to worry about her the way everyone else seems to have somebody to worry about them. Will Claudia feel better about herself and how everyone around her feels about her? Will Claudia be able to meet a new friend like Janice? Will she be surprised about who that friend ends up being?

Weeks 14 and 9 Plant Updates

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:48:00 +0000

I Am Special

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:45:00 +0000

What's Special About Me, Mama?
by Kristina Evans and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe

A little boy asks his mother "What's special about me?" His mother tells him that his eyes can tell stories without his having to say anything. The little boy tells his mother that everyone says he has her eyes, and he asks her again about what makes him special. She tells him that his skin is the color of the autumn earth, but he tells her that he has the same skin as his dad. When he asks again, his mother tells him that he has special hair, but he tells her that his hair is like his grandmother. Every time he asks the questions, his mother tells him something else that makes him special. What kinds of things does she find special about her little boy? What kinds of things make you special? I am sure that you can find a lot of things.

What Makes You So Special?
by Eda LeShan

Everyone has something that makes them special, and for most people, the thing that makes them special is like what makes few other people special. In this nonfiction book, there is discussion about what makes people "special" and how it is okay to be different than the people around you, so long as you are being yourself. The book starts by discussing genes and how they do or do not determine the way a person will behave or become. The book goes on to say that experiences also make each individual person different. The next part of the book focuses on how our families make us the special people that we all are. The next chapter discusses how our backgrounds determine how we will handle school, and how school is able to help us develop that special person that we are on the inside. The author discusses some of the people's lives that she has met, and she also makes up some children and their situations to explain how different things make each and every person different. The main point of the book, though, is that everyone is special is some way. In what ways are you special? In what ways are your parents, siblings, teachers, and other people in the world around you special? You may be surprised by asking them!

Something Special
by David McPhail

Little Sam feels that everyone in his family has a special talent, except for him. Sam's sister, Sarah, is very good at playing the piano, but Sam cannot play they way that Sarah can. Sam's sister, Flo, is good at catching baseballs, but Sam cannot seem to catch anything. Sam's brother, Eugene, is great with computers, but Sam makes Eugene's computer make bad noises. Sam's father is a great cook, but Sam does not seem to be good at that, either. Sam also tries to knit like his grandmother, do a magic trick like a magician on the T.V., but neither of those hobbies work for Sam. Even Sam's dog, Fred, can balance a bone on his nose. Will Sam ever find something that makes him special? What do you think it will be? What special things can you do?

Clementine
by Sara Pennypacker with illustrations by Marla Frazee

Clementine is having a very hard week. On Monday, she gets to go to the art room to work on her "Welcome to the Future" project. During this time, Margaret, a girl in the art room who is a year older than Clementine, goes to the bathroom and does not come back. When Clementine goes to check on her, she sees that Margaret has cut out a clump of her hair with art room scissors. Margaret explains that she was trying to get the glue out of her hair. Clementine and Margaret try to get her hair to look right, but Margaret ends up telling Clementine to cut it all off. The art teacher walks in after this, everyone gets "historical," and Clementine ends up in the principal's office. Then when they get home to their apartment building, Clementine offers to use her mother's permanent markers to make Margaret's hair red. That night, Clementine's parents get a phone call from Margaret's angry mother about her hair. The next afternoon, after a bad day at school, Clementine goes up to talk to Margaret's mother. Margaret's mother is not in a good mood, though, and Clementine goes to talk to her mother about. Clementine tells her mother that she also wants to be an artist someday, like her mother, but her mother tells her that she already is an artist. So, Clementine goes to the park to look for "interesting things" to draw. On Wednesday, Clementine asks her mother to stay home, because she has cut off her hair to make Margaret feel better, but then Clementine remembers that Margaret is going to the dentist that day. After school, she shows Margaret her hair, and Clementine lets Margaret color her hair green. On Thursday, Clementine gets into trouble with the principal again when she tries to glue her old hair on to Margaret's head so they will look alike. Then she gets into a fight with Margaret, and Clementine is very angry again. Clementine's dad asks her to help him with "The Great Pigeon War," to get the pigeons off the building to help her feel better. Friday starts even worse for Clementine. There are "clear parts" in her eggs, she cannot find her homework paper, and Margaret sits with someone else on the bus. Then that afternoon while talking with her dad about the pigeon problem, Clementine gets a great idea for scaring off the pigeons. What will Clementine's plan be for scaring the pigeons? Will she get an even better plan later? Will her family like her plan? Will Clementine be able to be friends with Margaret again? Will Clementine have a better weekend than she had the rest of the week? There are many ways throughout the book that Clementine proves that she is very special. How many do you see?

Weeks 13 and 8 Update Photos

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:53:00 +0000

Some New Books for September

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:26:00 +0000

One Moon, Two Cats
by Laura Godwin and illustrated by Yoko Tanaka

There is one moon up in the sky, and there are two cats that are not asleep. Both cats yawn, stretch, look, and leap. Then you see that one cat is in the city, and the other cat is in the country. The city cat watches the vans and trucks go by, while the other cat walks beside pigs and ducks. Both cats are exploring though, and they both seem to do the same things, even though they live in different places from each other. Both cats soon smell a mouse, though, and they go chasing after it. They both finally corner their rats, when a loud sound stops them both. Each page has a picture of both of the cats, one on each side. How close do you think the cats will get to each other before the night is over? What do you think the cats will do when the sun comes out? Does your cat like to do the same things that these cats do?

Ten Little Caterpillars
by Bill Martin Jr. and illustarted by Lois Ehlert

Throughout this book are different kinds of caterpillars and flowers. Each page has the name of the different flowers and plants and what the little caterpillar is doing. There are also other little creatures on the pages with the caterpillars, and those little creatures are labeled, too. Each little caterpillar continues until they enter their chrysalis stage, and a few of the caterpillars are frightened by some very colorful birds. What will the caterpillars eventually become? Have you ever seen the little caterpillar's chrysalis before? At the end of the book are a list of the different kinds of caterpillars that you seen in the story, and the kind of insect that they turn in to. Have you seen any of these insects around? What kinds have you seen?

Justin Tuck's Home-Field Advantage
by Justin Tuck and illustrated by Leonardo Rodriguez

People ask Justin Tuck, a defensive end for the New York Giants, how he got to be so tough. Justin tells them that he had to be tough, because he grew up with five sisters! Justin's sisters gave him a hard time, especially his twin sisters, Christale and Tiffany. One day, the twins offered to give Justin a haircut, because they said his hair was getting a little long. Justin is not sure that he wants them to cut his hair, but the twins assure him that they know what they are doing (they have watched their mother plenty of times). Both twins are soon cutting on his hair. The girls keep cutting and cutting and cutting, and soon, Justin is worried that they have cut all of his hair off. When the girls show him his picture in the mirror, what do you think Justin's hair is going to look like? What will Justin's parents think of what the twins did? Do you think that Justin will ever let his sisters cut his hair again?

Bear's Loose Tooth
by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman

All of the animals are eating their lunch, when Bear notices that something in wiggling and wobbling in his mouth. Bear has a loose tooth! Bear is really worried about his tooth. He is afraid he will not be able to eat without his teeth. The other animals assure Bear that another tooth will grow in where this tooth is coming out. Little Wren is the first to try to pull out Bear's loose tooth, but the tooth stays stuck in Bear's mouth. Owl tries next, but he does not pull it out either. One by one, all of the other animals start pulling on the tooth, but there is still no luck pulling out Bear's tooth? Will they be able to pull out Bear's loose tooth? What will happen when Bear sleeps near his tooth? What happens the next morning when Bear starts to eat again?

Where's your library card?

noreply@blogger.com (Vivi) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:45:00 +0000

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! Do you have yours?

To get one, print and fill out the MMPL application form (one for each person in your family that's getting a card) and turn it in to our circulation staff, along with showing them proof you live in Texas, like a bill or a driver's license. You won't regret it!

Updates for Weeks 12 & 7 for Gardening and Science Experiments and

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:59:00 +0000

Updates on Weeks 11 and 6 for Gardening and Science Experiments

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:02:00 +0000

Books! Books! Books!

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:07:00 +0000

Too Many Books!
by Caroline Feller Bauer and illustrated by Diane Paterson

Ever since she was a baby, Maralou has loved books. After she learns to read by herself, Maralou reads all of the time. She reads while eating breakfast, on the bus, and in the bathtub. Maralou even tries to read while jumping rope. How do you think that goes? Maralou goes to the library every week to bring back the books she has read and borrow more. Then one day during Book Week, Maralou's Aunt Molly gives her a book. Maralou realizes that now she can read this book over and over again without having to return it (like a library book). So Maralou decides to ask for books for any present that she might receive, and she is given books for all kinds of holidays (and her birthday). Maralou also earns some money, so that she can buy her own books. Soon, Maralou has so many books that they do not fit on the bookshelves that her mother and father have built for her. Books are in the bathtub, on the tables, all over the floor, and even in the refrigerator. Maralou has so many books that it is hard to get in and out of her house. The problem is, Maralou wants to read even more books. How will she not have so many books anymore? What do you think that Mara is going to do with all of her books? What would you do if you had as many books as Maralou? What does Maralou's idea about what to do with her books lead to?

But Excuse Me That is My Book
by Lauren Child

Charlie's little sister Lola likes to read, but she really really likes reading this one book right now. Then Lola tells Charlie that their father is taking them to the library, and she is going to get Beetles, Bugs, and Butterflies. Charlie tells her that she has checked that book out the last two times, but Lola tells him it is a special book that she really, really, really wants to read again. When they get to the library, Lola tells Charlie that her book is not on the shelf. Charlie tells Lola that it was probably checked out by someone else. Lola is upset and tells Charlie that Beetles, Bugs, and Butterflies is her book. Charlie explains that there are lots and lots of other books for Lola to read inside the library, while she is waiting for the other book to come back again. Charlie shows Lola a history book about Romans, but she tells him it is too hard for her to read and needs more pictures. Charlie tells Lola that they can go look for that kind of book. Charlie shows her other kinds of books, but Lola is not convinced that any other book will be as good as Beetles, Bugs, and Butterflies (not even the pop-up book). Charlie finally finds a book that it about animals, has lots of pictures, and is funny, and Lola decides she will give it a try. Suddenly, Lola looks up and sees another little girl with Beetles, Bugs, and Butterflies. What do you think Lola will do about the book? Do you think she will like the book that Charlie picked out for her as much as the other book? Will her opinion change about Beetles, Bugs, and Butterflies being the best book in the whole world?

Stella Louella's Runaway Book
by Lisa Campbell Ernst

On Saturday morning Stella Louella discovers that the library book she has to turn in by five o'clock is missing. Stella Louella looks all over the house, but she cannot find the book anywhere. Stella's father tells her to think about where she had the book last, and she remembers being in the hammock out back with it. They do not find the library book, but they do find Stella's brother, Sam. They ask Sam if he knows where the book is, and he tells them he read it yesterday and left it on the front porch by the mailbox. The three of them do not find the book on the front porch, but they do find the mailman, Mr. Hanson. Mr. Hanson tells them he thought did not know where the book came from, so he read it and left it at the house on the corner (Tiffany Anne's house). The four of them run over to Tiffany Anne's house, and she tells them that she gave the book to Officer Tim (she thought it might be reported missing). The five of them go to the police station to see Officer Tim, but he had left the book at Wanda Lynn's diner. Each person who talks about the book gives a little clue about what the book is about (or called). Will they ever be able to find Stella Louella's book? Where do you think the book finally ends up at? What story do you think everyone is talking about?

My Book Box
by Will Hillenbrand

A little elphant wonders what to do with an empty box that he found. Should he make it a bug box, pizza box, pasta box, hat box, or a hide-and-seek box? He decides on making it a book box! Then he thinks of all the things he can do with the book box: travel with his book box, rest with his book box, or have a book-box lunch with a friend. What would you do if you had your very own book box? What kind of activities would you use your book box for?

Some Fun Alphabet Books

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:55:00 +0000

LMNO Peas
by Keith Baker

In this book, you can meet all the alphabet peas. The peas work and play within the ABCs. The are artists, bikers, campers, and dancers. The peas are gigglers, kayakers, outlaws, pilots, sailors, volunteers, and zoologists. The peas also want to know something about you. What are you in the alphabet? Are you a student, a smiler, or a craft maker? When you reach the end of the story, you can work your way through the alphabet and list all of the thing that you are, too. Just like the peas!

Alphabet Fiesta: An English/Spanish Alphabet Story
by Anne Miranda and illustrated by young schoolchildren in Spain

Armando, the armadillo, receives a letter in the mail from Zelda's, the zebra, mother inviting him to a surprise party for Zelda. Bartholomew gets dressed up for the party and rides his bicycle. Carlos, the camel, and Chi-Chi, the chimpanzee, prepare a special basket with Zelda's favorite treats in it (cherries, chocolate, coconuts, and chestnuts)! Each person coming to the party's name is another letter of the alphabet, and they are all bring and doing things with their letters to get to the party for Zelda, such as Flora and Francis, the flamingoes bringing flowers, Hector, the hippopotamus, bringing hamburgers, Olive, the orangutan, plays an opear on her oboe, and many more. What other special presents do you think that Zelda is going to receive? Do you think that she will be really surprised by her party, the people who come to it, and all of the different kinds of presents that she is going to get? Each page has a paragraph in English and a paragraph in Spanish, and the illustrations on each page are very different than the rest.

Apple Pie ABC
by Alison Murray

A little girl is making an apple pie. Her little dog smells the apple pie, and he sits with the little girl while the pie is baking and cooling. The little dog also wants a piece of the apple pie, and he finds a little crumb of it. The little dog likes it so much, that he wants to get a lick of the pie. Unfortunately, he is caught by the little girl, who tells him to walk away from the pie. The little dog decides that he wants a piece of the pie, even though the little girl will probably not be happy with him. Do you think that the little dog is going to get some of the apple pie? Do you think the little girl will be happy with him if he does get some? Each page of this story starts with a different letter of the alphabeth going from a to z. For example: "jumping up for it, kept away from it, leave without it, miserable..."

Fancy Nancy's Favorite Fancy Words: From Accessories to Zany
by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

Fancy Nancy is going to walk us through the alphabet of all of her favorite fancy words. Fancy Nancy starts off with a little letter to explain this. Each page, starting with accessories, has the word, what it means, the word used in a sentence at the bottom of the page, and an illustration of the word. Some of the words include dapper, fiasco, hostess, monogram, parasol, souvenir, vocabulary, yearn, and many more. At the end, you will know so many fancy word. What was your favorite fancy word? Can you try to use it in a different sentence than the one Fancy Nancy used?

There are many other great alphabet books to be found in our collection. Here is a link to an alphabet bibliography:
http://www.texascity-library.org/CHBibs/CHAlphaLiving09-09.pdf

This bibliography is also available in the Children's Department if you would like to see it there.

Some Cool Crafts!

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 22:43:00 +0000

365 Nature Crafts and Activities
by Karen E. Bledsoe and Candyce Norvell and illustrated by Terri and Joe Chicko

This book contains not just crafts, but there are also actitivities that you can do to learn about the world around you. The chapters in the book are titled: Our Precious Planet; How's the Weather?; Skywatching; Flower Fun; Trees: Nature's Giants; Small Creatures; The Animal Kingdom; For the Birds; Water, Water, Everywhere; Preserving Nature's Resources; and Gifts from Nature. In the chapters there are crafts, but there are also recipes (such as making "rock" cookies to show layers), experiments, and even some history lessons. Each activity gives instructions, explanations, and illustrations to show you how to do the activity. In the Gifts from Nature chapter, you can find some ideas for gifts (and even making your own wrapping paper) to give to others.

Scrapbooking Just for You!: How to Make Fun, Personal, Save-Them-Forever Keepsakes
by Candice Ransom

The author of this book wants to help you get the basics down on starting your own scrapbooks. In the beginning of the book, there is a section on how to get started, and in this section, there is a brief history on scrapbooking. The author also has a little question and answer section, so she can help you with answers to questions you may be wondering about. There is a list of things that you should not do while making your scrapbook, and a list of supplies and tools that you will need. The book is divided into three main sections: the first section is basic information on scrapbooking, the second section is about creating page layouts, and the third section has ideas for giving gifts and other projects (even a scrapbook party). The author suggests reading through the first section before beginning your scrapbook. Within the book there are little things to help you in making choices on what to put on your pages, such as a color wheel, layout ideas, and what you will need to make things that you like on the different pages. Finally, the gift ideas in the last section include: calendars, photo albums, picture frames, treasure boxes, notebook journals, and many more.

Injeanuity
by Ellen Warwick and Bernice Lum

This book is full of ideas on what to do with your old jeans. You can turn those jeans to transform them into new kinds of clothing, create fashion accessories to go with your new clothes, or even use them to create items to decorate your room with. There are also ideas on how to make jeans that you are wearing a little more exciting. At the beginning of the book, the authors give you some tips for working with denim, and they also give some information about seams, tips on using a sewing machine, and information on embroidery. There are also some cool facts about denim. Each idea gives step-by-step instructions, and there are pictures that show each step in progress. There is also a photograph of each finished project. The projects that are created with denim include slippers, purses, wallets, kercheif, pillows, footstools, and more.

Recyclo-gami: 40 Crafts to Make Your Friends Green With Envy!
by Laurie Goldrick-Wolf

This book shows you lots of things that you can make with recyclable items you have all over the house. The chapters of this book include: Acessorize with Style, Ingenious Jewelry, Spice Up the Kitchen, Bedazzle Your Bedroom, and Games, Gifts, and Great Ideas. Some of the items you can make include: bed sheet scarves, bubble-wrap purses, paper-bead necklaces, decoupaged platters, decorated lamp shades; shadowboxes, and much more.

Back to School

noreply@blogger.com (ChiLib) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:42:00 +0000

I Am Too Absolutely Small for School
by Lauren Child

Charlie has a little sister named Lola, and their parents think that Lola is almost (but not quite) big enough for school. Lola is not sure that she agrees with them. Lola does not believe that she is big enough, and she is too busy at home doing other things to be able to go to school. Charlie tells Lola that she will learn all kinds of things at school, such as numbers and how to count to one hundred. Lola tells Charlie that she is happy just being able to count to ten (especially because she never eats more than ten cookies at on time). Charlie also tells Lola that she can learn letters, and that way, she can write on cards to send to people that she likes. Lola tells Charlie that she is happy just talking on the telephone. Charlie reminds Lola that not everyone has a telephone, and letters and cards can reach anybody. Then Lola thinks about things that might come up if she goes to school. She tells Charlie that she will not wear a school uniform. Charlie tells her that their school does not have uniforms. What other worries will Lola have about going to school? Will Charlie be able to make her feel better about them? How will Lola's first day at school go? Will she make any friends?

Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook
by Michael Garland

Zack is waiting for his new teacher to arrive, and while he is waiting, he thinks that school will probably be really boring this year. Then Miss Smith arrives, and Miss Smith is very different than the other teachers that Zack has seen before. Then Miss Smith announces that it is "story time," and she starts to read from her storybook. As she starts reading, Zack cannot believe his eyes. Miss Smith is reading a pirate story, and suddenly, pirate characters are coming to life and acting out the story. Then suddenly, Zack and the rest of the class find themselves in the middle of the story (on a pirate ship)! After that Zack is excited to go to school and see the next story that Miss Smith will read from her storybook. After Miss Smith finishes each story, the characters and adventure all disappear back into her book. That Friday, Miss Smith gets stuck in traffic, and so Principal Rittenrotten comes to read for her until she can get there. As the principal reads, a princess, dragon, and knight on his horse come out of the book. The principal drops the book and runs away yelling for help. One of the other students, Sue Ann, grabs the book and starts reading another story. Instead of the princess, dragon, and knight going back into the book, suddenly Goldilocks and the three bears climb out. Then another student starts reading a different story from the book, and suddenly, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and Alice climb out of the book, too. The book gets passed from student to student, and everyone keeps reading different stories. As they do this, more and more characters come climbing out of the book. Zack tells them that they need to finish reading each story to have the characters go back, but no one is listening to him. Will the students be able to get all the characters back into the storybook? What will the characters from the stories do? What will Miss Smith do when she gets to class? What will the principal think when he gets back to the classroom?

The Best Seat in Second Grade
by Katharine Kenah and illustrated by Abby Carter

Sam thinks that he has the best seat in the whole second grade, because he gets to sit next to George Washington (the hamster). Every Monday, Mr. Hopper picks a new Hampster Helper, and that person gets to feed George Washington, make him some toys out of boxes and tubes, and they get to play with George Washington. Sam always wants to be the Hamster Helper, but his name never seem to get drawn out of Mr. Hopper's little bowl. Sam is tired of waiting and thinks that George Washington needs some time out of his cage, and he thinks George Washington needs to see a little bit of the world. The next day the class is going to visit the science museum, and so Sam decides that he will bring George Washington with him. At the museum, Sam keeps George Washington in his coat pocket. The first place they go is into the planetarium. Inside the planetarium, Sam takes George Washington out of his pocket and tells him to make a wish to all the stars. Sam ends up taking George Washington through the wind tunnel, to look at the weird mirrors, through the Giant Seashell, to the Homes of the Future, and even to the Bubbles are a Blast. George Washington watches, listens, and sneezes through it all, and no one else notices that Sam has brought George Washington with him. Sam does not want to each lunch with everyone else, because he is afraid that George Washington will smell the food and jump up, and so Sam wanders off by himself to show George Washington the animal zone. Sam finally stops in front all of the other hamsters, and he notices that all of the other hamsters look just like George Washington. Suddenly, the other children in Sam's group run up to him. They suddenly see that he is holding George Washington. Before the can say anything, though, George Washington jumps out of Sam's hand and into the Hamster Habitat. Will the class be able to figure out which hamster is George Washington? How do you think they can tell which one is him? What is something that George Washington has been doing all day as he traveled with Sam? What will Sam do on Monday when everyone gets back to class?

A School Like Mine: A Unique Celebration of Schools Around the World
a DK book

This book discusses how children all over the world go to school. The different chapters are broken up into five chapters: The Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. At the beginnging of the book, you get introuduced to children from all over the world, and you get to see the different ways they dress when they attend school. Each chapter begins with facts about the areas that are covered by that chapter. Then the students introduced at the beginning of the book are discussed with their lives, clothes, languages, education (and things they do at school), and what they get to eat during the school day. You can see how alike and different the education of children all over the world is from your own. What kind of things do you have in common? What kinds of things are different? Is there something that they do in another school around the world that you would like to try?