SURVIVOR COLONIAL STYLE

Tori and her mother are in deep financial trouble.  Along comes a chance for them to win big and save the dress shop, but they have to compete with all the extended members of their family and live on their dead aunt's estate in "colonial style".  That means no modern conveniences; make the food, no daily baths, and make the furniture. The family who performs best will win it all, millions and millions of it.  

Tori wants to win and be serious about the contest, but can her flakey mom pull it together?  Add to all this stress Tori is seriously crushing on the local boy whose father thinks she's a witch and another member of her family sabotaging their efforts.  

It's a fun survivor, reality television show, and boy meets girl story all rolled together in Colonial Madness by Jo Whittemore.  

For readers in 6th-8th grades. 

THE LONG HAUL

Sit back and laugh as you go on this chaotic, hilarious road trip with Greg, the main character.  Greg is the middle child of three boys and part of semi-ordinary family. Susan, Greg’s mother, never fails to surprise the family with last minute vacations. Once again, like the other family vacations no one gets to decide where to go except for the mom.  

Greg Heffley shares every moment of what it means to go on a horrible family road trip. Poor Greg who ends up sitting in the back sit along with the rest of the family belongings cannot find anything amusing about his situation.  His mom tries really hard to get everyone to participate in educational games as well as learning Spanish.  Many unpleasant situations occur as the family tries to reach their destination, the beach. When the family finally makes it to their first stop things get worse. The motel they stay at could not get any worse than it already was. Seagulls, car crashes, and winning a pig are just a few of the trip’s highlights.

The Long Haul is the 9^th book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series. Jeff Kinney will definitely make the reader laugh out loud. 

For grades 3 -7.

ARE YOU EASILY FRIGHTENED?

If so this might not be the book for you, but if you aren’t afraid of much and a trip through a very spooky and almost too real to be true amusement park sounds like fun, then come along for a very thrilling ride in Laurie Faria Stolarz’s WELCOME TO THE DARK HOUSE. 

You won’t be alone on this trip but in the company of some very unusual characters. The first person you meet, Ivy Jensen, suffers from terrible, sleep stopping, scary feelings don’t go away in the daylight, nightmares. When an announcement in the Nightmare Elf’s newsletter promises to take away the bad dreams of the winners of an essay contest, she starts writing and enters the 1000 words or less contest hoping for a cure. She wins, of course. Arriving via a hearse to the Dark House, a replica of the house from a very scary movie, she joins the rest of the winners, all dedicated horror movie fans. 

Not wanting to ruin this for anyone who decides to join the adventure, there will be no spoiler alerts here, you will just have to see for yourself what lies behind the gate of the Dark House when you read in this fast-paced story told by Ivy and her fellow contest winners. 

For readers in grades 6-8.

CANDY NECKLACES, KIMCHI, & APPLE PIE LUCK

When Clara Lee wakes up from a dream about her grandfather's death, she's terrified.  That HAS to be a bad dream, right?  Luckily Clara's grandfather is a dream expert and tells her that her dream actually means she will have good luck.  And good luck seems to come her way all day at school.  She gets the best seat on the bus, a surprise candy necklace in her desk, and kimchi at dinner.  What more could she want?  

Clara hopes that her good luck will extend until she competes in the Little Miss Apple Pie contest so that she can represent her town on a parade float in the town's apple celebration.  Will Clara's good luck crown her Little Miss Apple Pie or will Clara earn that honor all on her own by overcoming her fear of public speaking?

Join Clara Lee as she explores what is means to be a fourth-grade Korean American in Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han.  

For kids in grades 3 and 4.

AUTHOR BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Author Donna Gephart is offering autographed copies of her three books and much more!  Go to her blog and leave a comment to enter the drawing.  If you haven't read any of these stories check them out from the library, or better yet, enter yourself in the giveaway and win your own copies.  The winner will be announced this coming Monday. 

BOBBY AND HIS BEAGLE

Bobby loves his dog Lucy, an energetic Beagle who barks and plays with him all the time. But Bobby does NOT love that he has to go back to school because he is very shy, and worries no one will want to talk to him. When the teacher announces the class will be doing oral reports, Bobby cringes in fear as does his friend Shawn, who is just as shy as he is. But Bobby soon learns that everyone wants to listen when he talks about his dog Lucy. LOOK AT LUCY by Ilene Cooper is a great story for early readers ready for the next step in reading. For 2nd-4th grades.

DON'T DRINK THE FIT MIX

Can you imagine a world with no living animals? Can you imagine a world where they stop having children for thirty years? Much like Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, there exists a world controlled by a video game. In THE ROAR by Emma Clayton, Mika is lost in the dreary world that exists below the rich of society. His twin sister is supposedly dead, but Mika still feels her. In a surreal combination of space, the future, ghosts and machines, this story unfolds into a visual portrayal of an alternate society that is ultimately changed by the children who live there. This is a fantastic book for 5th grade and up.

THE CONTEST

Two robbers happen to be in love with the same woman who is hiding the fact that she is two -timing them. Both of the robbers are determined to make this woman their future wife and they will do all that is possible in their power to achieve this. However, things become more complicated and twisted when they agree to make this quest as part of a contest. Whoever wins the contest out of the two will be able to marry her. The contest is not going to be easy to win since both of them are clever and full of good ideas. However, after winning the contest, things start going in different directions. Could it be that neither of them want her anymore? Or is it just one of their clever games? THE CONTEST: AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE by NONNY HOGROGIAN is a fun read that will be enjoyed by everyone.


For grades 2nd and up.

^@^@^ BOOKMARK CONTEST 2009 ^@^@^

BE CREATIVE @ YOUR LIBRARY!!!

January 26 - February 8, 2009

Each January the Library holds a contest to design new bookmarks to be used during the year. This competition is open to any one who wishes to participate from infants through adults. The only restriction is that the actual drawing must be done in the Library, Central or one of the Branches, with the materials supplied by the Library. The submissions are then judged by outside judges and the winners are chosen according to age groups. The winners are given a certificate and copies of their winning bookmark at a ceremony which is held at the Central Library. Winning bookmarks are duplicated and distributed throughout the Glendale Library System. This year's theme is Be Creative @ Your Library.

BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

Tal is a teenage Israeli girl searching for reasons. She sends out a message in a bottle, only to hear from a young, angry Palestinian boy. The two exchange sporadic emails, seemingly prompted mostly by Tal, sharing their worlds and the frustration, sadness, and want for change between both sides of the border separating them. A BOTTLE IN THE GAZA SEA by Valerie Zenatti, shows both sides of a never-ending war between two cultures over the right to live in a place that defines both their histories. Told from both characters perspectives, the story is emotional, vivid, and pertinent for any readers 6th grade and up.

BOOKMARK CONTEST 2008

It's time for our annual BOOKMARK CONTEST, so come one come all to your local Glendale Public Library and design a bookmark with the theme - CATCH THE READING BUG!

From January 28th through February 10th, design a bookmark at your local branch library and enter to win. You can be 5-years-old or 55-years-old; our only rule is that the actual drawing of the bookmark must be done in the library, at either Central or one of the Branches.

Submissions will be divided into age groups and given to a panel of judges. All winners will be presented with a certificate and copies of their winning bookmark at an award ceremony in April. The winning bookmarks are also distributed throughout the Glendale Public Library System, so make sure yours is in the running!