AN OLD STORY WITH A NEW TWIST

You would be wise not to anger the Brixen witch. But what if you make her angry by accident? Nope, doesn't matter. She is still going to haunt and hex you. That's what happens to Rudi when he stumbles upon a gold coin while he's out foraging around the forest. The next thing he knows he is being haunted by a creepy noise. Even after he puts the coin back on the mountain (sort of) a plague of rats infects the town! 

THE BRIXEN WITCH by Stacy DeKeyser will have you guessing about what happens next, and it's not what you expect! This is a retelling of the classic Pied Piper story, but with many great twists and a completely different ending. 

For 3rd - 6th grades.

IT'S ROUGH BEING A PRINCE

Prince Lucas doesn't really have many friends. There aren't a lot of kids in the castle, and he's definitely not allowed to play with the common folk. His only friend is Clara, who is the daughter of he's mother's attendant, and his dad doesn't really want him to be friends with her either! How boring! But that all changes one day, and Clara and Prince Lucas team up on a real life mystery adventure! THE KINGDOM OF WRENLY: THE LOST STONE by Jordan Quinn is the first book in a promising series for beginning chapter book readers. 

For 2nd - 4th grades.

APRIL 2015

CAN YOU TALK TO THE ANIMALS?

Meet Ellis Coffey. He's in 4th grade. He makes most of the other kids in class laugh. He's a hard worker. Oh, and he can communicate with animals...sort of. At least that's what he thinks is happening when he finds a "woolly worm" (also know as a caterpillar) that seems to understand everything Ellis says. With such a talent, Ellis thinks he can win the woolly worm race and pay for his dad's much needed back surgery. Will his woolly worm win? THE WORM WHISPERER by Betty Hicks is a cute, simple story with a bit of Christianity thrown in. 

For 3rd through 5th grades.

MARCH 2015

A HAMSTER HOSTING A GAME SHOW?!?!

In Janet and Jake Tashjian's latest mother/son team effort calle EINSTEIN THE CLASS HAMSTER AND THE VERY REAL GAME SHOW, Ms. Moreno's class is off to compete on a televised game show with another elementary school. Along for the ride are Einstein, the class hamster, and his classroom comrades Ned, Bonnie and Marlon. The show is ready to go when the school principal decides it's a good idea to bring out Twinkle, the pet python! Well this sends the regular game show host flying out the door in fear, and it's Einstein's turn to shine - or is it? Pretty good follow up to the first Einstein book, and will entertain many beginning chapter book readers. For 2nd - 5th grades.

FEBRUARY 2015

A BEWITCHING TALE OF MISSPELLING

Who doesn't love a good witch story? Well this is a good story about a bad witch. Not an evil witch, just a girl named Salem Hyde who isn't very good at being a witch. Enter Whammy, a talkative cat (who doesn't like flying) who serves as Salem's trainer and friend, and helps her become a better "speller." 

THE MISADVENTURES OF SALEM HYDE: SPELLING TROUBLE by Frank Cammuso is the first book in what might be a very amusing Graphic Novel series for 3rd - 6th grades.

NOVEMBER 2014

TWO DOGS GO DRIVING

Digby and Percy are great friends. They enjoy spending time together, especially out driving in Digby's car - his prize possession. His neighbor Lou Ella gets a new car every year, but Digby loves his car even if it's not perfect. When a big race is announced, from Didsworth to Dodsworth, Digby and Percy cannot wait to sign up - but will Digby's car survive the race? DIGBY O'DAY IN THE FAST LANE by Shirley Hughes and Clara Vullaimy is the first book in what is shaping up to be a delightful series for readers just graduating into beginning chapter books.  

For 2nd - 4th grades.  

SEPTEMBER 2014

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE

Picture yourself lying on the beach one day, a breeze swishing across your face, and the sun shining down on you as you lay in the sand. All of a sudden twenty wild hairy ponies come galloping by at top speed, whinnying and snorting their way down the beach. That's what it's like on the Island of Chincoteague, and every year the people on the mainland try to catch a few wild ponies and tame them. Some become work horses, some become show horses, and some get to race. Paul and Maureen Beebe are determined to get themselves one of these beautiful wild ponies to raise and care for, and hopefully someday race! MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE by Marguerite Henry was written a long time ago, but the story is full of excitement and adventure. The best part about this book is that it is based on a real place and a real pony! For 3rd - 6th grades.

MAY 2014

WHAT A RACE!

It feels like I've been in a race after reading this book. Lily LOVES horses. Just like her mom. But since her mom was killed riding a horse, her father hardly lets her near them, especially the horse that threw her mom! How will she convince her father to loosen the reins and let her do what she loves so much? ASTRA  by Chris Platt is a great, easy-to-read book about Arabian horses, endurance racing, love and loss, and it is action packed! 

For grades 3-6.

OCTOBER 2012

WHAT KIND OF A NAME IS STELLA BATS?!

This is a cute story about a girl in third grade who is getting teased about her name - a boy keeps calling her Smella! Seeing as her name is actually Stella, she starts thinking of a new name right away! It's bad enough her last name is Bats! The story is written like an autobiography, and Stella tells all about her parents' candy store, her annoying little sister and all of the good things and bad things about being in the third grade. STELLA BATS NEEDS A NEW NAME by Courtney Sheinmel will appeal to those just starting to read chapter books. For grades 2-4.

AUGUST 2012

THE CURE FOR BORING BOOKS

MRS. PIGGLE-WIGGLE (a book by Betty MacDonald) lives in an upside-down house and loves children. Many of the kids in her town don't like doing their chores, talk back to their parents, and misbehave in many other ways. Rather than scolding the children, the parents turn to Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle for her miraculous cures and antidotes for these rare childhood "diseases" their children seem to have, such as "Won't-put-away-toys-itis." 

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's healing methods are so funny and different, you may even read the other books in the series, just to make sure you don't have any of these strange childhood problems. Other books in this series include HELLO, MRS. PIGGLE-WIGGLE, MRS. PIGGLE-WIGGLE'S MAGIC, and MRS. PIGGLE-WIGGLE'S FARM, and are great for readers in 3rd grade and up.

JULY 2012

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!

Mitchell is terrified of bears so when his teachers tell him that everyone is going camping for the weekend - his birthday weekend - Mitchell is a little bummed out.  Luckily, though, his best friend Habib will be by his side and between the two of them, they can conquer anything!  Join Mitchell and the rest of the Zigzag Afternoon Center gang in the latest installment of their crazy afterschool adventures.  

Bears Beware by Patricia Reilly Giff is perfect for second and third graders who are getting too big for easy readers but not quite ready for a complex chapter book.

MYSTERIOUS MANSION HAS LOUD DOG

TILL DEATH DO US BARK by Kate Klise is Book Three in the "43 Old Cemetery Road" series, and will keep readers on their toes! Seymour lives with an odd set of adoptive parents - both are writers, but one is a ghost! One day, a shaggy old dog shows up, and Seymour is thrilled to have a companion who's not consumed with writing all the time. But he barks all night! Seymour gets roped into doing what he can to ease the sadness of his new furry friend, and discovers that this dog, who's name is Secret, might have a few secrets of his own!

For grades 3-5.

LEGEND OR RUMOR?

J.J. Tully is the barnyard security dog. He's in charge of keeping the chicks in check and the creepy culprits on the run. One day, a sleek looking female canine moves in next door. She claims to want to help J.J. thwart a particularly pesky possum from sneaking into the hen house, but it seems like she's always messing things up. J.J. begins to wonder what's REALLY going on with this fancy dog that seems more city than country.

Read THE LEGEND OF DIAMOND LIL by Doreen Cronin to get the real scoop! For 2nd-5th grades.

MAKING ANIMALS SAFE

If you ask me, a life without a pet is no life at all. But not all pets have the luxury of being a  part of someone's family, a warm place to stay, or a safe place to live. In the town where Billy lives, there are a lot of stray cats, and not everyone in town want them around. When Billy discovers Conga, a hurt starving kitten, he has to keep her a secret because he KNOWS his Dad would take her away. This small kitten leads Billy on a dangerous adventure, but it isn't long before he's teaching the town a thing or two about the importance of love for all creatures. CAT FOUND by Ingrid Lee is a story that will pull in animals lovers and captivate them with it's dangerous and exciting plot twists. Written for simpler reading level, but contains content that might be mature for some. For grades 3-7.

MERMAIDS AND PONIES AND CARNIVALS! OH MY!

Rosa lives in the ocean with her BFF's Melody, Sula and Jasmine and they cannot wait to do a performance for this year's carnival. Even Rosa's cousin is going to help make it the best dance ever! Wait. They live in the ocean? Yes, because all the girls are MERMAIDS!!! And, as part of their best dance ever, they change a sea horse into a magical water-pony that is sparkly and gorgeous! Trouble is, Coral is better than Rosa, and Rosa gets a little mad, and then something bad happens to the pony! Better read to find out what happens next...ROSA AND THE WATER PONY by Katy Kit is just the beginning of the "Mermaid Mysteries" series. For grades 2-4.

SMALL IS ONLY SMALL TO BIG

Avon the snail is leading an uneventful life. He reads books all the time, and all the characters have GREAT BIG adventures while he has none. So one day Avon decides to have an adventure of his own, and along the way meets Edward the Ant. Avon and Edward have a very interesting adventure and make many new friends on their path. In THE END OF THE BEGINNING by Avi, both characters learn many things about themselves that might seem pretty funny to a lot of readers. The illustrations are very nice as well. For grades 2-5.

I AM JACK'S WORRY

Bullies are not nice. They do mean things like make up names to call you and make up lies about you and sometimes they even spit on you! Poor Jack has a bully. But he is so afraid to tell anyone. His Mom is very busy and doesn't like to be bothered, his sister is annoying, his Mom's boyfriend Rob is really nice, but Jack doesn't want to scare him off. Jack comes up with as many ways as possible to avoid the bully, but finally things just get to be too much! I AM JACK by Susanne Gervay is really great, especially if you are being bullied or you know someone who is being bullied. Check it out if you are in 3rd - 6th grades.

DEER GETS HEAD CAUGHT IN PUMPKIN?

The Carter family are an animal loving bunch, and have devoted their lives to helping the urban wildlife in their neighborhood. HIDE AND SEEK by Sue Stauffacheris the third book in the "Animal Rescue Team" series, and deals with a half-dog, half coyote puppy who howls at the moon, and yes, a young deer who was very curious to see what was at the bottom of a plastic pumpkin, and is now wandering around town with it stuck to its head, the poor thing! the main character Keisha is determined to keep the puppy out of the humane society and to save the deer before it gets seriously hurt? Cute story for any animal lover in the 2nd - 4th grades.

WHAT'S YOUR TALENT

From Jennifer, Children's Librarian, at the Montrose-Cresenta Branch:
In “Justin Fisher Declares War!” by James Preller, Justin starts third grade with a spectacular fall. Thrown into the spotlight, he must choose—school nerd or class clown. Brushing himself off, he makes a joke. But it doesn’t stop there. Justin constantly needs attention to stroke his fragile ego. At first, kids welcome the distraction from school monotony. By fifth grade, though, it’s no longer funny. Justin’s relentless teasing has cost him friends and hurt his popularity. Even worse, his fifth grade teacher has no sense of humor.

What if your talent was making people laugh? And one day, people stopped laughing? Justin must save his image. When given the chance to MC the school’s talent show, he jumps. Can he do it, without making fun of other kids?

A funny, crowd-pleaser for reluctant readers. Grades 3-5.

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.