ANOTHER GRAPHIC WINNER

Smile by Raina Telgemeier is a hilarious story of how Raina (yes, it's based on the author's childhood) deals with braces, missing teeth, and growing up. A graphic novel is the perfect way to share all the visual humor of this teenage trauma. I won't attempt to describe them since the author did such a great job already. Here are a few hilarious excerpts:

For readers in 5th grade and up.

A NEW SERIES

Katherine, Children's Librarian from Pacific Park likes:

Finished reading The Last Olympian and looking for more Greek mythology from author Rick Riordan? Well, the search is over. Riordan has begun a fantastic new series called The Heroes of Olympus with the first book The Lost Hero. The story is set just one year after the battle of the Titans. Percy has gone missing and Annabeth, sick with worry, is led to three new powerful demigods, Jason, Piper and Leo. Told from points-of-view of Jason, Piper and Leo, the three must undertake a quest to save one of the gods, while Annabeth goes off in search of Percy. With the blending of old and new characters, exciting plot twists and villains more powerful and cunning than the Titans, it will be hard to wait for book two in the series! For grades 4 – 8.

GOLIATH

This story tells about a wonderful fire horse named Goliath that became a hero. In 1904, the city of Baltimore is almost destroyed by a fire.Firemen, policemen, soldiers and citizens battled the blazed for three consecutive days. Goliath is the lead horse for the team assigned to pulling the mammoth Hale Water Tower No. 1. When the fire alarm sounds, Goliath leads his team into the blaze fearlessly.He stands firm while the buildings collapse around him and uses his intelligence and skills to take a 5-ton piece of fire-fighting equipment before the buildings come down. Goliath is badly burned in the blaze though returns to work 6 months later. For the rest of his life, he was honored for his acts of heroism.Illustrations done beautifully. Ages 5-8. Written by Claudia Friddell, illustrated by Troy Howell.

SHOE ENVY

One day, a stranger comes to town and asks the cobbler to make a shoe using the most beautiful blue gems anyone has ever seen. Displayed in the cobbler's window, the shoe brings nothing but trouble for the cobbler, his young apprentice and the people of the village. This fantasy adventure brings together the worlds of human and trolls working along side each other to take down evil and greed to bring about a new world of harmony.
The Blue Shoe: A Tale of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery and Shoes by Roderick Townley is for readers in grades 4th- 6th.

A COMEDY IN THREE PARTS

Meet a boy named Russel, now imagine that he lives in the year 1904 in the state of Indiana. All day long he dreams about everything except going to school. Actually, he dreams the most about not going to school completely and becoming part of any wheat threshing crew. However, all his dreams must come to an abrupt end since his teacher dies. His fantasies of taking over the school and destroying all school related things also don’t look as promising because his own sister has taken over the classroom and is in charge now. This is a fun book to read to compare the mischievous acts of kids then and now. Russel knows that when it comes to his sister, there is not much that he can get away with. THE TEACHER’S FUNERAL: A COMEDY IN THREE PARTS is by the well know author RICHARD PECK.

For grades 5th and up.

WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Jennifer, Children's Librarian at Montrose likes:

What would you choose, your freedom or your home? In the “Museum of Thieves,” Lian Tanner writes about a world where children are protected from every danger, even cuts and bruises. In the city of Jewel, they are chained to their parents and forced to obey the Blessed Guardians. When the age of “separation” is lowered, parents worry about the implications. Jewel is a safe place now but wasn’t always. Goldie, who’s only 12, learns this after running away. She discovers terrible secrets in the city’s museum. Jewel is in danger and Goldie must grow up, fast, in order to save it. The first book in a new trilogy.

A fast-paced, richly imagined fantasy. For grades 5-8.

RUBIA AND THE THREE OSOS

This is a modernized and funny retelling in Spanglish of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”. It is very much like the old story with the big difference that many words have been translated into Spanish. Goldilocks is now named Rubia. She presents herself at home while the three osos go out for a stroll. Ending of the story concludes when Rubia/Goldilocks compensate her bad behavior made in the house by taking a homemade sopa to the Oso family along with a sincere "I'm sorry"/"Lo siento". The content is told in rhyming verse and makes a fun way for 4 to 8 years old children to learn common English words in Spanish.

A glossary in Spanish is provided in back of the book. Written by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Excellent read aloud for ages 4-6.

THAT DOGGONE CALF!

Ever hear of a Berkshire Galloway? Chances are not likely. How about a German Shepherd? Sure, everyone knows that's a dog! Ever hear of a German Shepherd that herds cows? Well, Hoss sure does, and he is not a dumb dog. For the most part, life stays calm on the farm with Hoss at the helm, but when Cookie the Berkshire Galloway calf shows up, Hoss has met his match! Cookie got his name because he looks like an Oreo cookie, but boy is he stubborn! THAT DOGGONE CALF by Bill and Carol Wallace is a cute story about a rambunctious group of animals and people living and working on a farm perfect for 3rd-5th grade readers.

HOLIDAY CLOSURE

All of the Glendale Libraries will be closed to observe the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday January 15-17, 2011. We will reopen for regular hours on Tuesday, January 18.

A GOOD READ IN THE WINTER

Why not read a summer book in the winter time…And not just any kind of a book. This is a spooky story that a warm blanket might actually be of usage. Cici is the main character in the book and how she spends her summer vacation at a lake called Crystal. Of course like every person, she is imagining and hoping to have the best summer of her life. Reading, playing and hanging out with her friends. However, when she and her family find out that a young girl was killed in the lake, the mood and the attitude of everyone in her family changes. So Cici’s investigative mind starts to work and she tries to put the puzzle of who’s done what. However, once she continues on her ever evolving investigation, her life will be in great danger...TWISTED SUMMER by WILLO DAVIS ROBERTS is a suspenseful and full of mysterious twists.

For grades 6 and up.

WELCOME TO THE FAIRY GODMOTHER ACADEMY!

If I were a fairy godmother, I wonder who would be my responsibility? Would it be some poor child who can't afford proper dental care (or is that the tooth fairy's department)? Would I be Barack Obama's fairy godmother? That would be neat. In BIRDIE'S BOOK by Jan Bozarth (Fairy Godmother Academy Book 1), Birdie doesn't even know she is a fairy godmother-in-training until she arrives at her Granny Mo's house. There she learns she is the only person that can save her Arbor Fairy family lineage from complete extinction, and sets out on a dream quest to save the great Glimmer Tree and the line of fairy godmothers throughout the world. For grades 4 and up.

SPIES IN THE LIBRARY

Steve loves the Bailey Brothers stories, detectives extraordinaire, and has read all their books. He studied everything there is to know about being a detective and hopes to become one just like them. His hopes are realized when he is mistaken a "bad guy" while doing research for a homework assignment at the library! Now he must figure out who the real spy selling government secrets is in order to save himself. Who knew that the library could be such a dangerous place and that librarians are really secret agents?

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity: A Brixton Brothers Series by Mac Barnett is for readers in 4th through 6th grade looking for some action.