EVERY ROSE HAS ITS BULLY

When all you want is a basketball, and you get a plot of dirt, wouldn't you be annoyed? Jackson Jones is less than thrilled when his mom gives him a garden plot for his birthday instead of a basketball. But Jackson turns lemons into lemonade by planting beautiful flowers he can sell to buy his own basketball. His plans are ruined one day when a mystery blooms smack dab in the middle of his flower bed. Can you figure out who is trying to ruin Jackson's plans before he can? Jackson is funny and smart, and comes up with some great ideas for pleasing his mom, avoiding his six-year-old neighbors, and still getting what he wants in the end. JACKSON JONES AND THE PUDDLE OF THORNS by Mary Quattlebaum is a fun book for 3rd-6th grades.

A STORYTIME FAVORITE

Children's Librarian Vivian Dulay from the Casa Verdugo Branch
enjoys reading this title to the children who attend her storytime programs.

Just A Little Bit by Ann Tompert…

Elephant and his friends love to play at the park! When things don’t work out on the swing, Elephant suggests playing on the seesaw but it will take more than one friend to make Elephant happy!

CHASING VERMEER!

Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay are the heroes in this book which has many similarities to the DaVinci Code. The story is about these two kids who are in the same class but not close to one another and don’t know much about each other. However, on a museum field trip they realize that they do share something that each person values: these are the love for the arts, their teachers and blue candy:) However, they become much closer when a very famous and expansive painting by Vermeer gets stolen with some trails of its whereabouts left by the thief. However, it is not an easy task to recover something as precious as a Vermeer painting. They do not give up and through their curiosity and analytical minds, try to find solve the mystery of the stolen Vermeer painting. CHASING VERMEER by BLUE BALLIETT and illustrations are by BRETT HELQUIST.

For grades 5th and up.

ANOTHER LIBRARIAN FAVORITE

Edgar Bullington from the Grandview Branch reccomends:

I like/use RUMBLE THUMBLE BOOM! By Anna Hines:

We don’t have many thunderstorms in SoCal. This book is noisy, warm, calming, reassuring, informative and funny at the same time, making it an excellent choice for a storm-time story-hour or class visit. It even works in the days following an earthquake. I also used it with success (according to the parents present) on the Friday following the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.

JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL TREAT

When: Saturday, September 25, 2 p.m.

Where: Central Library Auditorium, 222 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205

What: A special concert presented by the Topanga Banjo/Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival. Join us and the award-winning band SOMETIMES IN TUNE who will be singing the sunny side of folk songs, blue grass and old-time favorites!

As with all Library events, this one is free and while it is being hosted by the Children's Room, it is suitable for the entire family. For further information please call (818) 548-2035

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE

Ten years-old Melanie is not quite ready to travel to Italy with her family, especially when she is charged with keeping an eye out for her wandering little brother. This is another winner in the series, with lots of art, gelato, pizza, all recorded in Melanie's travel diary with a great dose of humor of a long suffering older sister.

The Diary of Melanie Martin or How I Survived Matt the Brat, Michelangelo, and the Leaning Tower of Pizza by Carol Weston is still funny. A perfect read for 4th - 6th graders.

SUGGESTION FROM A LIBRARIAN'S MEETING

All of the children's librarians meet monthly to look at the new books, share their personal reviews, tips and updates from their various sites.

Jennifer Boyce from the Montrose-Crescenta Branch suggests:

ART APPRECIATION: IN A PICTURE BOOK

Artful Reading by Bob Raczka introduces art made in homage to reading. Through a series of 32 paintings, the author describes the ways, reasons, and places people read. Children will discover that reading can take many forms, be done for work or pleasure, and has captured artists’ hearts and minds for centuries.

A lovely homage to art and reading. For Preschool – 2nd grade.

HUGO AND WOW WOW WUBBZY CREATOR IS COMING...

THIS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 AT 2 PM. at the Central Library.

Hugo joyfully follows a red string across the town and over streams and we happily follow along with this adorable hippo and the other critters we meet along the way. It's a nicely illustrated wordless book that's perfect for an afternoon browse under a shady tree. Hugo and the Really, Really, Really Long String by Bob Boyle is reminiscent of Harold and the Purple Crayon and The Red Balloon, perfect for readers of all ages.

BIBLIOBURRO, THE DONKEY LIBRARY

Luis is a school elementary teacher in the small town of La Gloria in Colombia. He loves to read, but soon his house is so full of books that there’s barely room for the family. Then he comes up with the brilliant idea to create --a traveling library! He buys two donkeys--Alfa and Beto--, loads the donkey’s back with lots of books and travels through the Colombian state of Magdalena bringing the educational and cultural material to the children who don’t or can’t attend school. Based on the true story about the school elementary teacher Luis Soriano devoted his life to bringing books and culture to rural children who have no access to any bookstores or libraries. No doubt that the teacher Soriano will inspire respect and admiration. Ages 7-8. Written by Jeanette Winter, illustrated by author.

A CROOKED SCIENTIST

Graphic novels (also known as comic books) are not like the Archie and Veronica or even the Garfield strips of old. You can see it in the new crops of books like this one: The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook by Eleanor Davis.

The drawings are really sharp and dynamic and printed on heavy glossy papers in hardback so it will last as you read and reread this story. You will definitely want to pore over the many diagrams of our clever heroes' inventions.

It's a story we've seen before, a nerdy kid finds like-minded friends and overcomes the odds and fights the bad guys. But what makes this better than your average story is the illustrations, color choices, details and panel layouts or in some cases lack of panels.

For readers in 4th and up.

A NOSE FOR MYSTERY

King the dog has been left at the P-O-U-N-D. It is such a bad thing, the dogs all spell it out! But it isn't long before a family takes King to a new home and start calling him Buddy. He just doesn't understand! His old family has disappeared, and King has to find them! While out walking around with the new family's son Connor, things get more confusing when Connor disappears! Two mysteries for one dog to solve might be too much. THE CASE OF THE LOST BOY by Dori Hillestad Butler is a quick read for most readers in 1st-3rd grades.

SPLASH IT AWAY WITH SERGIO!

Meet Sergio! He is a penguin who loves everything that is related to water…These are water sleds, baths, ice water, hot water and lakes and ponds. However, there is one thing that he fears more than all the things combined and it is swimming. He cannot even imagine swimming by himself let alone without his floaties. His teacher Mr. Waddle is not so keen on letting Sergio go home from a field trip without diving in. The question is, will he dive? Or will he be so scared of the water that he will stop even taking his favorite activity, bathing. EDEL RODRIGUEZ is the author for SERGIO MAKES A SPLASH. This is also a great book for story hour for ages 3-5.

HAPPY HOLIDAY

All of the Glendale libraries will be closed September 4-6, 2010 in honor of the Labor Day holiday. Regular hours will be resumed on Tuesday, September 7.

THE BOY SHERLOCK HOLMES IS BACK!

The third adventure of the dark and brooding young Sherlock Holmes is here. Out to prove to everyone that he's brilliant and they're not, he sets off by any means possible to find a kidnapped nobleman's daughter before she is killed. It's been weeks and her father will not give in to the blackmailers but Sherlock believes if he can solve this case and bring her back alive, no one can deny that he is the best detective in England, better than Scotland Yard.

Another great installment in the series for readers 6th and older. Vanishing Girl by Shane Peacock.