AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER FRIENDSHIP

Two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo has done it again and given us another gem in her beautifully written and profoundly heartfelt middle grade novel, Raymie Nightingale. Things aren't going so well for Raymie, but she has a foolproof plan to get everything back to normal: if she learns how to twirl a baton, she can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire 1975 competition--and when her father sees her picture in the paper, he'll have to forget about the dental hygienist he ran off with and come back home. Simple as that. 

But when she shows up at baton-twirling class instructed by former world champion Ida Nee, she meets a couple of other girls with alternate plans of their own--guileless Louisiana Elefante with her pink bunny barrettes needs to win the pageant to help save her long lost cat, Archie, while tough-talking Beverly Tapinski, whose father is a cop, wants to sabotage the competition altogether. But despite their plans being directly at odds with one another, the unlikely threesome soon form a strong bond that leads them through some unforgettable summer adventures and changes them all more than they ever thought possible.

The wealth of quirky characters and simple but deeply evocative writing will appeal to kids in fourth grade and up. 

ROLLER GIRL COMING AT YOU!

Fans of Raina Telgemeier will cheer for Roller Girl, a fun and poignant graphic novel by Victoria Jamieson. When twelve-year-old Astrid discovers roller derby, she is instantly enamored. What's not to love about powerful women with cool names playing a tough and exciting sport? Especially the star of the Rose City Rollers, Rainbow Bite. Astrid can't wait to sign up for the summer Junior Derby Camp and assumes her best friend will too, but is in for a rude awakening when Nicole decides she'd rather be at dance camp with Astrid's longtime sworn enemy, Rachel. Roller Derby is a lot harder than she'd ever thought, especially without her best friend there for support. But rather than quit when things get hard, Astrid buckles down and focuses on her dream of becoming a real roller girl, like her idol Rainbow Bite. She faces more than a few embarrassing falls, bumps, bruises, and other assorted humiliations along the way, but she also finds out just how tough she really is. 

Readers will root for Astrid as she learns to skate, experiences her first real bout, picks her roller derby name, and discovers who she really is on her own. This entertaining graphic novel, which boasts relatable characters, exciting action, coming-of-age drama, and plenty of heart, will make a perfect read for fourth graders and up. 

A SECRET REVEALED

From Theresa, Children’s Librarian at the Central Library

Ally, a sixth grader now at her seventh school, works hard to hide her terrible secret from her teacher and classmates. It’s not that she isn’t smart, she’s great at math and a talented artist. She’s also often in trouble and spends a lot of time in the principal’s office. When Ally inadvertently gives her teacher who was going on maternity leave a sympathy card instead of a congratulations on the birth of your baby, it wasn’t done to be mean but happened because she just does not know how to read. The kids in her class particularly a couple of “mean girls” often bully and make fun of her which makes school an even bigger challenge. When the new teacher takes over the class he is much more difficult to fool than any of the other teachers have been but fortunately for Ally he diagnoses her problem and offers to help.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt deals with some very sensitive issues, dyslexia, bullying, friendship and courage. She does not sugar coat any of these but chooses to develop them fully in the middle school setting. In the end there is no miracle cure but there is progress brought about by small steps and lots of work. Ally is one of those characters that most readers will be glad they met. 

For readers in grades 4-6

FRIENDS TO THE END

A book review by Mr. B of the Grandview Branch: 

What happens when childhood friends start middle school? Sometimes, they grow together, and the friendship remains strong. Sometimes new friends blend in with old friends. And sometimes, childhood friendships end with a butt kicking. That’s why it’s 33 Minutes…Until Morgan Sturtz kicks my butt. 

That’s right, small but brainy seventh grader Sam Lewis is about to get beat up by his former best friend, star-athlete Morgan Sturtz. Over the summer, Sam had noticed Morgan spending more time with “new” kid Chris. And he had noticed how Chris and Morgan often played tricks on him. But Sam still thought he and Morgan were best friends. They had been best friends since second grade. Well, ok, so Sam played one prank on Chris and Morgan, which seemed to make Morgan mad. And, yes, Morgan had seemed to be avoiding Sam lately. But, Sam had no idea it had come to this. 

Author Todd Hasak-Lowy has Sam tell the story in short and often very funny chapters. The chapters track all the events of the school day that Morgan has told Sam he would kick his butt. The chapters start at lunch (11:41a.m.), 33 minutes before the promised recess butt-kicking, and end with the sudden and unexpected close of school at 1:15:59p.m. In that time, there is a cafeteria food fight (told in absolutely gross detail) during which Sam is knocked unconscious by a metal salad bowl; there are several trips to the nurse’s office and the principal’s office; a three, no, four, no now it’s five-car pile-up in the teachers’ parking lot; a fire drill, no, wait, the science lab IS on fire; and, yes, Morgan Sturtz kicks Sam Lewis’ butt (and gets a few bruises of his own). 

This book is great fun and delivers some valuable growing-up lessons along the way. It should make an excellent read-aloud, if the reader can stop laughing long enough to read the words.

RL  5-7  AGE 11-13

FALLING IN

Imagine following the sound of a mouse's squeak into a closet and falling into a world that is so different than yours that all the children fear you and don't really want to be your friend because they are convinced that you are a witch.  And because all the children believe that you are a witch, no one wants to play with you or hang out with you.  And so Isabelle search for good friends and hopes that one day she will be able to convince all  that she doesn't have witch like powers, however she starts to experience things on her journey which could prevent her from proving this. In this new world of hers, she befriends a girl named Hen who is on the hunt for the evil witch.  

Together, they embark on a journey of make believe and fantasy.  Will Isabelle ever get the courage to tell her new found friends that she is actually not from their world or will she start using her " witchy" powers in her new world and never go back?  Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell  is a whimsical and mystical story that will raise the reader's imaginations.  

For grades 5th and up. 

SUPER EMMA

When EllRay is constantly being bullied, Emma’s natural reaction is to jump in and defend him, however in this specific situation things don’t go the way that she had hoped for since EllRay being a boy ends up feeling embarrassed by the fact that a girl is defending him.  This whole situation blows out of proportion because their teacher gets involved as well as other classmates. There are many lessons to be learned from this book, Super Emma  by Sally Warner  and illustrated by Jamie Harper.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        For grades 3rd and up.                                                                                     

NOT READY FOR ROMANCE

At 13, life is full of changes and challenges. 

What started out as a one time deal to help out a guy as well as making a bit of money at the same time became a part time job unlike any other. Through word of mouth, Quentin became known as the the Heartbreak Messenger, whose job it was break tell some poor unfortunate high schooler that their relationship was over.  Call the breakee scaredy cat, cowardly or whatever you want, but he figures he's serving a purpose and helping out his mom at the same time.  Meanwhile his own relationship with his best friends, especially Abby is changing and he's having a hard time figuring out why.  

Heartbreak Messenger by Alexander Vance is a fun fast-pace anti - romance from a guy's point of view.  

For readers in 6th-8th grade.  

Books About Bullying- THE LITTLE BULLY BY BETH BRACKEN

   

Billy is a cool kid with many reasons to smile.  He has friends.  He is kind to people and animals.  He even has a great smile (even with a tooth sticking out!).  When a classmate continuously teases and berates him, Billy tries to stand up to the bully but the plan backfires.  Billy begins to internalize the comments and questions himself and his abilities.  Things get so bad that Billy refuses to go to school. Ultimately, Billy decides to put his feelings aside and tell the bully about the consequences of his actions.  Will Billy's statement make an impact on the bully? 
THE LITTLE BULLY by BETH BRACKEN would be great to share at home or in a classroom.

For children in Pre-K and up, and for adults and children to read and discuss together.

DEAR JOURNAL... UGH!

13 year old Henry never wanted to start writing in a journal. But then again, he never wanted any of the things that have happened to him in the past year. In fact, everything would have been fine if his brother Jesse had never…

But, Henry doesn't want to talk about that. He wants to start over at a new school, in a new town where no one has ever heard of his family. He wants to have a normal life- watching his favorite wrestlers on “Saturday Night Smash Up” and not getting noticed by the bullies who roam the halls of his new school. And he definitely doesn't want to join “Reach For The Top” – the nerdy trivia team at his new school. But, life for Henry is far from normal. Especially after “IT” happened.

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen is a powerfully moving story of  a young teen trying to make sense of tragedy and rebuild the walls that are crumbling around him. This is an important story. It touches on the devastating consequences of bullying and how much it can mean to stand up for someone else.

Grades 6 and up

READING THE YEAR AWAY

The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng is a sweet book about growing up and growing apart. Fourth grade has brought all kinds of changes for Anna. When her best friend, Laura, starts hanging out with a new group, Anna finds comfort and friendship in the books she finds at the library or her classroom.  Things aren't much better at home- Anna is struggling to learn Chinese at the language classes she has to attend and thinks her mom is embarrassing.

But, Anna finds that she needs more than books to truly make her happy. Throughout the year she finds friends in unexpected places and learns that maybe she hasn't been the greatest friend herself.  Sprinkled with whimsical illustrations and directions on how to sew a lunch bag  play tangrams, and fold a won ton, this is a great story for kids who know the power of a good book.

Grades 3 and up

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY

13 year old Nate Foster is about to make it big. At least, he hopes so. Otherwise, stealing his brother’s fake id and running away to New York City to audition for the Broadway musical version of E.T. will have all been in vain. His only hope of not getting grounded for the rest of his life and having to return to his horrible small town existence as bully bait is to be cast as the lead role. Armed with passion, charisma, wit, and a little bit of naïveté, Nate sets out to conquer New York City and take Broadway by storm.

Better Nate Than Ever by Broadway choreographer Tim Federle is a hilarious story about a kid who will stop at nothing to realize his dreams. It’s a bumpy jouney, but Nate learns a lot about himself along the way. This book will have you howling with laughter and tapping your toes to show tunes as Nate finds himself swept into the crush of the big city, freeloading chips and salsa from every restaurant in Times Square and desperately searching for a place to charge his ancient Nokia phone. It’s a great read for anyone who has ever had a dream and maybe enough courage to chase it.

Grades 5 and up

READING IS DELICIOUS...BUT NOT FROM A CAN

High schooler Linda has been by her aunt's side since she was a baby, but now aunt Elba is sick and she being sent thousands of miles away to Aunt Pat's in Pittsburgh. Aunt Pat is famous on public television for cooking from cans, which Linda can't understand because she and aunt Elba cook from scratch for their restaurant because that's how food should be made.  

Aunt Pat's house is full of adopted kids and everyone seems to appreciate her cooking except for Linda, who is marked from the beginning as "difficult".  Feeling homesick and misunderstood, she's got to figure out how to make things work in Pittsburgh since it looks like Aunt Elba's illness is worse than first thought and she will be staying MUCH longer than she wants.  

A fast fun read about how food is much more a part of life than one would ever think.  Sizzle: A Novel by Lee McClain is not just a cooking story but a story of empathy and friendships and how to put your own prejudices aside for the sake of others.  

For readers in 6th and up.  

GOOD CHANGES

Ben the Inventor isn't really about inventing as such, but about Ben and his best friend, Jack, and the end of their friendship.  Jack's mother just got a new job and the family will have to sell their house and move to Vancouver, a nearby city.  This is a very sweet beginning chapter book about how the two boys come up with all kinds of plans to make the house unsaleable and thereby remain neighbors and friends forever.  

Ben the Inventor by Robin Stevenson is a good introduction into the world of  beginning chapter books and for those looking for a solid boy book.  For readers in 2nd-4th.

CHAPTER BOOK CHAT: A BOOK CLUB FOR 3RD-5TH GRADERS

Join us twice a month at two locations for a book club designed just for the beginning chapter book readers.  Come and check out some fun and unusual stories which may be new to you.

This month we'll dive into the first of the Franny K. Stein: Mad Scientist series by Jim Benton.  We will begin reading the book at our first meeting and then discuss the book the second time we meet.   

Central, Children's Room:  1/15 & 1/29 at 4pm - 818-548-2035
Casa Verdugo: 1/16 & 1/30 at 4pm - 818-548-2047

THE MUSTACHE THAT TOOK OVER THE COUNTRY

I don't know why, but mustache stories are hilarious to me, especially when kids or animals wear them.  Fake Mustache or, How Jodie O'Rodeo and Her Wonder Horse (and some nerdy guy) Save the U.S. Presidential Election From a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind by Tom Angleberger is so over the top you can't help but chuckle while reading this. 

One day at the beginning of summer, Lenny  and his best friend were going to hang out; go into town and maybe get a hot dog, but Casper had other plans.  Evil plans it turns out.  He bought a fake mustache, not just any fake mustache, but a special one that cost over $100.00!  The next day there was news of a short man with a handlebar mustache in a fancy- man-about-town suit robbing a bank.  No one knew who this thief was except Lenny.  It seemed as if Casper had everyone under his spell and they would just hand things over to him and believe that everything he did was wonderful.  Within a few days, Casper had gone from 7th grader to Governor with the intention of becoming president of the United States!  Lenny had to find a way to snap everyone out of their trance and stop Casper and his fiendish plot to take over everything.

The mustache leads to all kinds of hijinks, robberies, mistaken identities, cross dressing, some romance and so much more.  Another outrageous fun read from the author of "Origami Yoda" books.  

For readers in grades 4th - 8th.

A FUTURE QUEEN IN A QUANDRY

Dear Liza has arrived in London to make her society debut. But when her parents die in a tragic accident, she is left penniless and must find work to stay alive. Luckily, she is hired on as the hand maiden of Princess Victoria, who is one day to be queen. It is up to Liza to keep the best interests of Victoria at the forefront of the petulant princess's life, thwarting the over-protectiveness of Victoria's mother and deterring the unwanted advances of Sir John. It isn't long until Liza is being courted by her own beau, and a delightful romance is weaved into this exciting Victorian era novel. PRISONERS IN THE PALACE: HOW VICTORIA BECAME QUEEN WITH THE HELP OF HER MAID, A REPORTER, AND A SCOUNDREL (A NOVEL OF INTRIGUE AND ROMANCE) is written by Michaela MacColl and is a very enjoyable book for readers in middle school and older.

LIKE, I AM TOTALLY NOT AFRAID OF GHOSTS

Sherry is SO not afraid of ghosts. Well, most ghosts that is, because her mom is a ghost. But someone, or something, is out to get Sherry's step mom Paula, and Sherry has to help before something really bad happens. So, on top of celebrating her 2 month anniversary with her boyfriend, and trying to keep a good friendship with her BFF Junie, NOW she has to solve the mystery of who or what is ruining her step mom's life. I SO DON'T DO SPOOKY by Barrie Summy is a fun yet suspenseful story for grades 5 and up.

ARE YOU A MYSTERY AND PUZZLE FREAK?

Winston is a puzzle freak and the king of puzzles. thought he was being such a sensitive brother by getting Katie a wooden box for her birthday, but instead he got a lot of grief from his family because everyone couldn't figure out the words on the sticks left inside a secret compartment. The two decide to team up with other treasure seekers when they realized that the puzzle might lead to a million dollar treasure left by the librarian's father when he passed away. A fantastic scavenger hunt for those of you who like to watch "The Greatest Race". The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin

A puzzling call sets Winston and his two friends off on another whirlwind adventure looking for clues and cracking codes so their school can win the big prize, $50,000! Can they beat the other schools and find the person who is cheating? the second installment is full of the same fun and excitement. The Potato Chip Puzzles by Eric Berlin

THE BEST HALLOWEEN EVER!

This book made me LOL so much that I began to question my own state of mind. The story is about the Herdmans, who have always caused way too much trouble in their town... stealing candy, painting over things that are not theirs, terrorizing their neighborhood in ways that are mischievous and unforgiving.

The mayor of the city thinks that he has had enough of their antics and decides to cancel Halloween all together in order to punish them. However, what the mayor does not know is that the Herdmans are one group that will always find ways to make the worst of things to the best of things. They find clever ways to do almost everything and more. You will laugh out loud reading this book from the first page until the last word of the last page.

THE BEST HALLOWEEN EVER by BARBARA ROBINSON

For grades 4th and older.

NO REST FOR THE FAMOUS DETECTIVE DUO

Alex just wants to lay low and avoid the fame from the last two mysteries but unfortunately, Yasmeen, his friend and partner, just can't let go of a new mystery that has literally been mailed to them. Someone has just tried to kidnap Alex's baseball coach while he was in a Porta-Potty! In order to capture the criminal though, they have to sort through old bags of trash for clues ...from the Fourth of July picnic.... a month ago! Who Stole Uncle Sam? by Martha Freeman is the third case for Alex and Yasmeen. Great for 5th & older.