Friday, April 30, 2010

SUPER SCARY CHINESE GHOST STORIES

This book is so scary, it's going to put you off eating Chinese food for months. Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales by Ying Chang Compestine is a grisly yet compelling group of short supernatural tales not for the faint of heart. All the stories have an element of food, Chinese culture and each ends with a recipe related to the story.



The stories are set up as if the reader were enjoying a Chinese banquet, beginning with appetizers, main courses of meat dish, noodle, rice and of course desserts. Recommended for readers 6th & up with strong stomachs.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Gadoo The Cat: An Armenian Folktale

The cat which is a cat, no matter how smart, sophisticated or human like is, will always run after a mouse once she/he sees it. Gadoo: The Cat is an Armenian folktale that is fun, smart and clever in the way it evolves. The folktale starts off with the King bragging about his cat and how wonderful the cat is in her human like attitude and behaviour. However, when the time comes for him to show off this great cat, things take on a whole new direction. You must read it to find out what happens to this cat who everyone thought was a miracle.

The story is by Susan Kadian Gopigian and the illustrations are by Susan Collier Bolt.

For grades 2-4.


Monday, April 26, 2010

CAN FEAR BE FUNNY?


AGAINST THE ODDS by Marjolijn Hof is just that - odd. Kiki's father goes off to help people in a war-torn country, because that's what adventurous doctors do. But Kiki is stuck at home with her worried mother (she's worried too, not that she can admit it) and their stinky old dog. What happens if her father dies? Is there some law in the universe that if something dies, something else will stay alive longer? These, and other moral issues, are confronted with a dark quirky humor that will intrigue many a reader. For grades 5 and up.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

ELLA KAZOO WILL NOT BRUSH HER HAIR

Ella refuses to brush her hair until it becomes son unruly that it takes over everything.No matter how hard her moms tries, she refuses to brush her hair or to have it brushed for her. Her hair keeps growing and it gets more and more tangled. When it finally gets too much for her she offers herself a solution – a haircut.
Funny rhyming story of a girl whose hair gets totally out of control. May be a good choice for a kid who's afraid to get a haircut.Colorful and watercolor illustrations. For readers Ages 3-6. Written by Lee Fox illustrated by Jennifer Plecas.

Monday, April 19, 2010

JUST GRACE

If you like books that are written in a diary format then JUST GRACE AND THE SNACK ATTACK by CHARISE MERICLE HARPER will be one of the funniest books that ever read. It has pretty much everything in it. The story is about Grace, a very precocious girl who wants to make all kinds of things out of nothing and yet who gathers everything in her house to make something that doesn't resemble anything at all. In addition, there is also a lot of school drama that will make you eager to finish the book in one seating.


For grades 2nd-4th.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

ONE SUMMER AT THE MOVIES

It's summer and Dani is stuck in her small town with no best friend, she moved, no father, her parents are divorcing, the only thing left to keep her busy is the local movie theater. Fortunately the Little Art, the only movie theater in town, shows her favorite old black and white detective movies and the ticket takers are often busy elsewhere, so it is easy to sneak in. The movies and the free popcorn with toppings of your choice keep her busy until she stumbles across a secret involving a girl with polka-dot tights, her old babysitter, the cute projectionist at the Little Art and a lie. An enormous imagination fueled by watching too many detective movies sends Dani off on a journey of discovery whose result is not what she expected.

Check out the author's website: http://daninoir.com/

Monday, April 12, 2010

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Griffin comes from a big family. But suddenly, things around his family really change. He is forced to go to public school, rather than be home schooled by his mother. In fact, his mother hasn't even been home - not since she went to the hospital to have another baby. Griffin can't wait to name the new baby, even though he knows it will make his family sad. Read THE NAMING OF TISHKIN SILK by Glenda Millard to find out why, especially if you are a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader. Also good for older readers that need a quick read.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

SPRING IS HERE!

Spring is here, and to get in the mood of it, grab this tiny colorful book called MOUSE'S FIRST SPRING by LAUREN THOMPSON with illustrations by BUKET ERDOGAN.
The book will make you feel and see all the colorful creatures, sounds and sense the smells of one of the happiest seasons.
Words such as squiggly squeeze, fluttery buttery and hidey insidey will give your tongue its daily exercise while your mood will be elevated with a guarantee:) You will want to go outside, breath the fresh air and start looking for the things that are fresher, prettier and colorful.






Ideally this is for k-preschool, however it can be enjoyed by everyone.

Monday, April 05, 2010

ANIMALS THAT TALK, PART 2

We met the kind and gentle Penhaligon Brush two years ago, when he just learned he was part wolf-part fox, and spent most of the story saving his loved ones from the dungeon of Ferball Manor. Now in its sequel, THE CURSE OF THE ROMANY WOLVES, S. Jones Rogan has Penhaligon on yet another adventure - that of finding a cure for "febra lupi (wolf fever)" that is infecting all the young ones in the village. But not only does the cure surface, but some other fascinating pieces of Penhaligon's past emerge. For 3rd grade and up.

Saturday, April 03, 2010

GHOST WRITING GHOST

Seymour's parents have left him alone in a big old haunted Victorian house for the summer... and he likes it that way. Just him, his cat and his best friend, Olive, a 190 year old ghost living in the cupola. But people keep always want to rent the place or buy it, so he and Olive find ways to get rid of them. But when a writer moves in for the summer to try to write his thirteenth ghost story, Olive decides that she likes having grumpy Ignatius around and decides to help him write the book.


Kate Klise's new series, as with her other stories, unfold through a series of letters and newspapers articles. Dying to Meet You is for those who enjoy a light ghost story with lots of puns and a touch of friendship. For 4th-6th grade.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

TOFU QUILT

The story of TOFU QUILT by CHING YEUNG RUSSELL is written in a free verse format that is quick, fun and easy to read. It's about a little girl who is told that there are a lot of things in life that she can not do because of the simple fact that she is a girl. However, this little girl knows that she has a special talent and that in her life, no matter what happens she can do great things. Her talent lies in her own hands and mind, she can write wonderful and inventive stories and letters. She starts writing letters for her illiterate aunts until she is told that at least she will not be hungry in life, since she can write. However, she is lucky in a sense that her mother thinks very highly of her and supports her in sending her to a private school where she gets exposed to great books and literature. This is a semi-autobiographical story by the author Ching Yeung Russell that is inspiring, empowering and uplifting, especially for girls.

For grades 4th and older.