SECRETS AND LIES

Go ahead and spy on this book and it will be alright if you get caught. You might not find out a lot of secrets by reading this book since many of the spies don't reveal their secrets. However, you will learn about the different gizmos that were used in their missions. You will also learn about some of the famous spies and their impossible missions. This books will not bore you, even if you are a reluctant reader. You will also learn about codes, code makers and the code breakers. SECRETS, LIES, GIZMOS, AND SPIES: A HISTORY OF SPIES AND ESPIONAGE by JANET WYMAN COLEMAN is a cool book to read and share with friends and family.

For grades six and older.

EVERGREEN

In Evergreen by Makdokht Kashkouli

Sarira's grandfather promises to send her a beloved tree from his garden, but with only the Silk Road as an address he agonizes over how to keep his promise. Finally he paints a beautiful evergreen tree design that gets copied by everyone all over so that her tree eventually reaches her all the way from her grandfather's garden in Iran to wherever she is along the trade route.

The awkward translation can be ignored while reading this lovely story of family and love out loud to children from preschool through 2nd grade.

RED RIDING HOOD, EVIL?

Ferryport Landing Asylum Patient List 1955

The Mad hatter – diagnosis: schizophrenia

Chicken Little – diagnosis: panic attacks

Hansel- diagnosis: eating disorder (outpatient)

The White Rabbit – diagnosis: OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder; outpatient)

The Old Woman Who lived in a Shoe – diagnosis: exhaustion (outpatient)

Ichabod Crane – diagnosis : night terrors (outpatient)

Little Red Riding Hood – diagnosis: Psychosis with delusions and hallucinations, homicidal tendencies.

Sabrina’s heart rose upinto her throat when she saw the last name on the list. The little girl in the red cloak who had taken her parents was Little Red riding Hood! Now that it was right in front of her, she felt stupid. How could I not figure that out? But how could she. She’d read the story many times. Little Red riding Hood was one of the good guys. She wasn’t evil. She was a victim. Why would she kidnap Henry and Veronica Grimm?

An excerpt from Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley

For readers who in 4th – 6th who enjoy an unusual mystery headed by a spunky heroine who’s determined to solve things her way.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Padada-pada-pada, shh-ka-shh and kee-key-key are some of the sounds that you get to make and experience while reading this book that takes place in Africa. It does not take you long to realize that the origin of music came from animals. All the different animals gather and make rhythmic sounds that will entice your imagination and perhaps make your tongue experience in ways that you had never imagined was possible. The story will be more enjoyable if you gather you friends and each person can make the different sounds. THE FIRST MUSIC by DYLAN PRITCHETT and the illustrations by ERIN BENNETT BANKS is one not to miss.


For preschool to second grade.

CURSED ROSE!

Jackson Jones and the Curse of the Outlaw Rose by Mary Quattlebaum

Strange things start to happen to everyone and everything around Jackson Jones after he takes a cutting from a cemetery. But unlike his best friend, he doesn't believe in curses until he starts adding it all up...

1. The cleaning crew got poison ivy

2. Old Mr. K sprained his ankle

3. The bully got stung by a bee

4. Suddenly there was no rain for weeks

5. All the plants in the community garden are dying, except for the outlaw rose...

What do you think? Is the rose cursing everything around Jackson because he disturbed its resting ground?

For readers in 2nd- 3rd grade who enjoy a little ghost in their story.

DIGBY AND KATE AND THE BEAUTIFUL DAY

Digby the dog and Kate the cat are good friends. Both enjoy doing some things the same and some things different. Kate is hungry for a tasty mouse, but is happy to have some of Digby's pizza when the mouse never comes out of his hole. There are two other chapters in this book for readers just starting to read chapter books. Each chapter is a cute story that really reflect how friends can be different and still have a good friendship. For grades Kindergarten - 3rd.

FIGS AND FATE

The five stories in this collection are told from the perspective of Arab children. The stories are from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Baghdad. Each story will touch your heart and make you see and feel how similar we all are after all. The stories are about friendships, loyalty to others, love and faith. In one of the stories, a young girl is torn between her family and herself, she realizes that she can not make them happy since her own world is falling apart. Therefore, she first needs to make her world as strong as possible. Because of all the different wars that are taking place, these young boys and girls feel the need to protect their hopes and dreams because that is the only thing they have control over. FIGS AND FATE: STORIES ABOUT GROWING UP IN THE ARAB WORLD TODAY by ELSA MARSTON will be one of those books that will stay with you for a long time.


For grades five through eight.

A MOOSE AND HILDY STORY

Pig Pickin' by Stephanie Greene

Hildy is all dressed up to go to the fair and be the belle of the ball. Hildy thinks that she's been invited to enter a beauty contest at the fair, but really, she'll be the prize winning eat at the Wendel's barbecue. Oh, no!

For readers in 2nd-3rd grades.

ONE TWO AND THREE!

Numbers play an important role in our everyday lives. We use them to count money, tell the hours of the day, dial telephone, show prices of things, mark the buildings on the street and much more. Now, imagine a world without them. This might sound surprising for some of you, but there was a time that we had no numbers. Even today, there are people in some parts of the world that do not count the way we do. For example, in the recent past, Veddas of Sri Lanka, who lived very simply, used words such as a single, a couple, another one and many more to count their crops. THE HISTORY OF COUNTING by DENISE SCHMANDT BESSERAT and the illustrations by MICHAEL HAYS is such a fascinating book that you will not even think to count the time or the pages in order for you to finish this informative and fun book.

For grades three through five.

THE PERFECT PET

After much deliberation, Ben picks a dog as his pet. A bird would fly away, a mouse might get lost, a snake might scare his mother, but a dog would be just the right friend to play with. These are three short stories about the beginning of a friendship between Ben and his dog, Aggie. Aggie and Ben: Three Stories by Lori Riesis perfect practice book for beginning readers who love dogs.