GIRLS ROCK!

We have always known that girls rock at whatever it is that they set out to do. But to rock in a sport where the dominating majority of it's athletes are males is one to call for a celebration. In the racing world, there is a new girl whose name is Danica Patrick and she is probably winning car races as you are reading this. The good news is that she is not the only girl in this sport. New girls are emerging rapidly. In the book RACER GIRLS by BOB WOODS you will learn more about her journey and about other women drivers before her that inspired her to follow her passion. Each day more women get interested in this sport. And maybe you too can start thinking about it after you read the book.

For ages 9-12.

KIDS FOR LUNCH

The biggest crocodile in all of Africa is out to find a tasty child for lunch. He considers himself to be quite an intelligent crocodile as he has devised many secret plans for capturing his meal. Unfortunately he shares these plans with many other jungle animals along the way, and they all end up ruining his great ideas and his lunch! Roald Dahl, author of THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE is always a fantastic author and talks about the slimy, yucky, creepy things that are often funny, sneaky, and a little crazy. Quentin Blake illustrates most of Dahl's books and does a wonderful job of capturing the character of the sneaky mean crocodile.

LEMONADE FOR SALE!

What started out as a friendly end of summer activity for brother and sister, Evan and Jessie, has turned into a very unfriendly competition when Evan finds out that his super smart sister will be skipping a grade and be in his fourth grade class. Evan and Jessie have their own worries about this news and it brings out the worst in each.

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies is a great short read for third through fifth graders.

THE BOY BEHIND HARRY POTTER

When you are done reading the last Harry Potter book and would like to know more about the boy who plays him in the movie versions than this small book is for you. While the 'real' Harry Potter was trying to live his miserable life with his bad aunt and uncle. Daniel Radliffe who plays Harry, lived a very good life with his family in England. The only problem that he had was to convince his parents that he could take the role and that it would not interfere with his growing up. After making the movies, now he is one of the richest kids in the world. Guess what, he is only a teenager and has already played the role of a lifetime. DANIEL RADCLIFFE by JOHN BANKSTON is a quick read with some pictures of the actor when he was just beginning to act in the very first harry Potter movie.

For ages 9-11.

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR SATURDAY

THE SATURDAYS by Elizabeth Enright can give you some great ideas! Every week the Melendy family, Miranda, Oliver, Mona, and Rush, gets their allowance. Separately, there's not much to do with it except save up for something big. However, the four come up with a great plan to pool their money. Each week, on Saturday, one of the siblings gets to go on their very own adventure with all the money they've pooled. Each brother and sister has a unique and exciting excursion. Even though this book was written a long time ago, the kids do things on their adventures that you can still do today! For 3rd grade and older.

WE ARE ...

ON MONDAY, SEPT. 3

Please check out our Homework Help or Online Resources links if you need research information.

WE'LL SEE YOU ON TUESDAY.

IT'S NOT TOO EARLY...

... to start reading Weedflower, our One Book/One Glendale bok for younger readers. The author, Cynthia Kadohata, will be joining us to talk about this great book on Thursday, November 15 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Central Library.

There will be a discussion group meeting on October 24, 7 p.m. in the Children's Room of the Central Library.

Best for grades 4 and up.

LET IT SHINE

The illustrations in this book are so well done that at first glance you think you are looking at an art book but the book is really three classic, well loved spirituals beautifully illustrated with colorful and intricate papercut collages. After reading LET IT SHINE by Ashley Bryan you may be inspired to create your own papercut collages.

For ages four through eight.

THUMP AND PLUNK

Thump and Plunk are ducklings with froggy dolls named Thumpit and Plunkit. The whole story involves Thump and Plunk thumping and plunking each other, sometimes while using Thumpit and Plunkit as thumpers and plunkers. You most definitely find your tongue twisting reading this story aloud! Thump and Plunk’s mother eventually explains that they should not be hitting each other, or their dolls. The dialog is realistic and goes through the whole process of who thumped or plunked first, and the mom being firm about not thumping or plunking. The illustrations are so cute, and add even more laughs to the silly text. THUMP AND PLUNK by Janice May Udry is part of the “My First I Can Read Book” series.

FLOWER OF PARADISE.

Here is a well translated Armenian tales that will keep you reading until you are finished with the very last tale. Most of the stories are short and funny, therefore they will be perfect for storytime and read-alouds. The stories are of everyday life, animal tales, fairy tales and legends. There are not a lot of pictures in this book but you can always use your wild imagination to picture things however you would like. THE FLOWER OF PARADISE AND OTHER ARMENIAN TALES is translated and retold by BONNIE C. MARSHALL and it edited with a forward by VIRGINIA TASHJIAN.

For grades four and up.

SET THE WORLD AS YOUR STAGE!

Here is something different and exciting that you can do with your friends during the summer. Get as many of them as possible and start acting out these plays that you will find in the book called THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES: 20 GREAT PLAYS FOR CHILDREN edited by COLEMAN A. JENNINGS. You can use your own clothes and furniture in acting out many of your favorite stories. You will be able to recreate the dialogues from stories like The Secret Garden and Jungle Book to mention a few. Just put couple of chairs in the front of your 'stage' and ask your parents to be in the audience. This will be a very cheap and fun way to entertain them as well as you.

For grades 5 and older.

ICE CREAM SOCIAL

Come and celebrate the Library's 100th birthday. The party will be held on the front lawn and will include, in addition to the ice cream, a petting zoo, games, crafts and lots of fun for all the family.

Date: Saturday, August 18
Time: 1-4 p.m.
Place: Central Library
222 East Harvard Street
Glendale, Ca 91205

Click here for more information about the Library's anniversary

SIP, SLURP, GULP & GUZZLE

The title already says it! Get your blender and start making these very delicious drinks that will satisfy your thirst and your appetite. DELICIOUS DRINKS TO SIP, SLURP, GULP & GUZZLE by ROSE DUNNINGTON is the book to have during these hot summer days. The vibrant pictures will make your mouth water as well. The book is written in a very simple way and it has the instructions and the ingredients written for each drink. In a matter of minutes you will have drinks like the luau shake, crispy crane and the munchy mix-ups right on your table. Don't forget to share them with friends and family.

For grades four and up.

ONE POWER PACKED BIRTHDAY GIFT

After Zoe turned 12 years old, she started noticing changes about herself. Not your usual adolescent changes, but weird things like being able to lift heavy objects, and time slowing down. Her grandfather has also been watching to see if she was changing, too. Unbeknownst to Zoe, she has inherited super powers and is about to begin her superhero apprenticeship. But being a superhero like her comic book idol is not all that she thought it would be.

Caped 6th Grader: Happy Birthday, Hero by Zoe Quinn is just super for readers 4th - 6th grade.

ANY WAY OR JUST SO?

The Just-So Woman by Gary Blackwood is about someone who has to have everything in her life a certain way. She has to have butter for her bread, but when there isn't any butter, she has to make some RIGHT AWAY! There are many things she has to do just to make her butter, and sometimes she has to ask the Any-Way Man to help her. She hates asking him for help, because he doesn't care how things are finished, and is happy with any old way of doing things. In the end, the Just-So woman sees it's sometimes okay to do some things any way. For Kindergarten - 3rd grades.

FALLING IN LOVE WITH DEATH

I was sixteen years old the day I was lost in the forest, sixteen the day I met my death.

So starts this story of magic and love, and of daring and death.

Will Lord Death find love?

Will Keturah escape Lord Death?

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt. An unusual tale of love and death for readers in 7th grade through high school.

HEAD TO TOE

Did you know that women have used soot, ground ants' eggs, beet juice and poisonous lead as makeup? Or that Civil War soldiers used handkerchiefs as the first dog tags. This is a very engaging book that can be for recreational reading as well as for reports on the historical and social changes in fashion throughout history. FROM HEAD TO TOE: BOUND FEET, BATHING SUITS, AND OTHER BIZARRE AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS by JANICE WEAVER and the illustrations by FRANCIS BLAKE will keep you on your toes with the many interesting facts about fashion for men and women.

For grades five through eight.

IT'S A BLOG...about LOVE THAT DOG...

Not everyone understands poetry. It can make sense some of the time, but quite often, poems are just confusing. This is what one young boy things as he's learning about poetry in school. It isn't long until he sees things happening in poems that sound a lot like his life. In fact, there are a lot of poems that he really likes! What's really cool about this book is that it's written like a book of poems, and it still tells the story of this boy. The poems makes sense and you'll end up liking poetry a little bit yourself if you give it a try. The boy did. He even wrote a poem that will show you what poetry is all about. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech is more than just poetry - it's life. For 5th grades and up.

A SUMMER READ FOR GIRLS

Three weeks into her summer job and on her way to her dream career of owning and operating a hair salon based on the hairstyles of great heroines of literature, Irene is fired. Irene gets a new job babysitting (the only job she can get) two kids for the summer. While babysitting the kids she meets Starla and is intrigued by her hair, her beauty, her obsession with her ex-boyfriend, and her “fabulous” blog. She quickly discovers that beauty has a dark side.

Middle schoolers needing a little drama in their reading will want to read My Almost Epic Summer by Adele Griffin this summer.

TOUGH BOY SONATAS

Tough Boy Sonatas by Curtis L. Crisler with illustrations by Floyd Cooper is a very serious book that deals with the struggles of inner city boys that have almost no hope for the future. Without a proper education and decent living conditions, they have to learn to fight for their lives with dignity and honor. These seemingly tough boys want so much more in their lives than the usual violence and crimes. They long for safer streets, good education, love and justice. These sonatas will break your heart but at the same time your spirits will be filled with passion and hope for them. The boys on the streets are not just living a careless life without worries and problems. Their lives are full of range and anger and they observe way more than we think they do. The sadness and the realism in this book is overwhelming but at the same time very touching and satisfying.

For grades 7 and up.

ANIMAL MAGIC

2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 28 come to the Children's Room at the Central Library for a very special magic show presented by magician extraordinaire, John Abrams. This program is best for children aged four and older and their families.

If you have not signed up for this summer's reading program, Get A Clue, it is still not too late to read your eight books to earn a free one and other prizes. Ask your librarian.

A SUMMER OF MYSTERIES: THE WRIGHT MYSTERY

Three classmates join together in order to save a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, a famous architect. Each experience the house "calling" to them in different unexplainable ways . Does the house posess the spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright himself or of the children who had once lived there? Or is something more sinister happening within the house? The three must overcome their individual jealousy and mistrust of each other in order to uncover the mystery before more accidents occur.

The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett is for those 4th-8th grade mystery lovers who enjoy a little supernatural spookiness in their stories.

PIECES OF A LIFE

In the fascinating book A SINGLE SHARD by Linda Sue Park, Tree-Ear, an orphan lives under a bridge in a potter's village. He sneaks around admiring the craft of one particular potter named Min. One day Min catches him after he breaks a piece of pottery, and puts him to work. But it's not really work to Tree-Ear, and every day he returns back to his home under the bridge to tell his friend Crane-Man about what he has learned. The potter Min comes to rely on Tree-Ear, and one day sends him on a very important journey. This book won the Newberry Award in 2002, and you will want to read it without putting it down! A good book for 4th grade and older.

SUMMER OF MYSTERY: A TICK TOCK SECRET

After coming to the rescue of a little girl raised by two elderly aunts, Nancy Drew, begins looking for clues to a second will left by their wealthier cousin only to find out that many others are also desperately seeking the new will.

Nancy Drew and the Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene is the first in this classic girl sleuth series. For readers in 4th - 6th grade.

SUPER SLEUTH SATURDAYS

Come to the Library this Saturday, July 21, at 2:00 p.m. and learn about the secrets of science from Rudy's Radical Science. Be amazed, astonished and surprised when Rudy shares his tricks with the audience. This program is for children 4 and older and their families.

If you haven't signed up for the Summer Reading it still isn't too late as it does not end until August 4, 2007. You have lots of time to read eight books (or if you are not a reader, have them read to you), write the titles in special reading log that will be in the bag you get when you sign up. When you are finished reading, come back to the Library and chose a book from the prize drawers to take home.

PENGUINS SAVE THE DAY!

In the book Gus & Gertie and the Lucky Charms by Joan Lowery Nixon, Gus and Gertie are off to the winter Olympics to show off their synchronized swimming talent. While they are there, they learn that swimming only happens in summer, and someone is stealing the athletes lucky charms! Gus and Gertie try many things to find out who is stealing the lucky charms, and you'll be surprised who the culprit is in the end. This is a great book for someone who is just starting to read chapter books, but still enjoys fun and colorful pictures to go along with the story. Grades 2-4.

HERE SHE COMES

This picture book biography about the famous designer Coco Chanel will inspire you to be as innovative and creative as she was. Coco was not afraid to be different, and her fearlessness gave her the opportunity to stand out and be admired for her uniqueness. Being from a very poor family and not having enough money to even buy food, she was able to overcome all that and become one of the wealthiest woman in the world. You will enjoy this simple book with very colorful pen and ink watercolor illustrations. You will also learn how she opened her first store and made women to want to dress up like her . DIFFERENT LIKE COCO by ELIZABETH MATTHEWS is in fashion to be read by everyone.

For grades 2 and older.

A GREAT SUMMER READ FOR ALL

1 Box + 4 keys = the meaning of life.

Jeremy's life consists of his mom, Lizzzy, his best friend and neighbor, and grandma. He eats the same thing everyday. No kidding. He stays in his neighborhood where he knows where everything is. You see, Jeremy doesn't like changes. And he thought the summer of his 13th birthday would be no different. Things are fine the way they are, except that he misses his father.

His father died at the age of 39, just like the fortune teller predicted. Out of nowhere he gets this unexpected box from the past. What could his father have put in this box so many years ago? Jeremy is deteremined to find the missing keys and unlock the secrets and wisdom his father has left for him.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass is perfect for middle school boys looking for a meaningful summer read.

Ever thought of how children lived in other time periods? Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi (2003 Newbery Winner) will bring you back in time as you read Crispin's account of his adventures as he flees the village he grew up in. Set during the medieval times, the story is narrated in the voice of Crispin, a 13 year old peasant from a small village in England. Avi developed his story and characters very well as evident in Crispin's tale of his life as a peasant and his struggles to escape his pursuers who declared him "wolf's head" for a crime he did not commit. Crispin met Bear, a juggler who helped him discover the secret of the cross of lead.

The author not only provided suspense and mystery as the reader tries to understand Crispin's troubles, Avi also did a good job describing what was going on during that period. Crispin and his faith in God and in his patron saint, St. Giles, embodies the values of the Middle Ages, a time when Christianity was rapidly spreading throughout Europe and religious zeal among the peasantry was rampant. Read this book to get a glimpse of a boy's life from a long ago era and find out how why the Cross of Lead is significant to Crispin.

"Crispin: At the Edge of the World" is the second book in the Crispin Series by Avi. The story continues as Bear and Crispin enjoys their freedom from Crispin's pursuers. Eager to restart their life as minstrels and jugglers, they have not gone far when Bear was recognized by another member of the brotherhood he once served. Once again, the pair pursued because the brotherhood believes Bear to be an informer and they want him dead.

Although I enjoyed the story, I like the first book better but this one is a must read if you read Cross of Lead. In this book you will see that Crispin has matured beyond his years as he tries to survive in a new world outside the little village he grew up in. It was touching for me when they arrived to a town destroyed by war and Crispin saw the great sea for the first time in his life and he narrated: "Thus it was that in one brief time I saw the hand of God's creation as thrice awesome -- and the hand of man's destruction frightening three times more." Avi's style of writing has a way of bringing vividly to reader's mind what the story's narrator is seeing.
by Dora, Children's Room Intern

FIRE IN LOS ANGELES!

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting deals with more than just a fire. During the height of the L.A. Riots, Daniel's apartment building catches fire and his family must evacuate. In the process, Daniel worries his cat will be killed. He sees Mrs. Kim's cat, the enemy of his own kitty. He also sees looters stealing things from Mrs. Kim's store. His mother doesn't shop there because she feels she must support her "own people." Daniel is confused about everything that is going on around him, why people are angry, and worried about his family. When it turns out everyone is safe, including the cats, a lesson is learned about the importance of how you treat others. For 2nd grade and up.

WAN'NA LEARN TO JUGGLE?

When: July 14, 2:00 p.m.
Where: Children's Room, Central Library, 222 East Harvard

We are going to learn to juggle from expert Donna Wood-Babcock and amaze all our friends and family. Join us for lots of fun. This free program is best for children ages four and older and their families.

STUNNING SUMMER SCIENCE!

Summer is here and hopefully you are going to have lots of fun at the beach.

During the days when you just want to stay home and do nothing can also be as much fun if you have the book called THE STUNNING SCIENCE OF EVERYTHING: SCIENCE WITH THE SQUISHY BITS LEFT IN! by NICK ARNOLD and TONY DE SAULLES. This book is not a typical science book, it is one of the most entertaining and cool science books ever. With very fun facts and cool cartoon like illustrations that will grab your attention from the start. Some of the things that you will find out are what poos in your bed 20 times a day and if you are actually breathing dinosaur burps. Sounds fun ha! Drop by our library to check out this book among other many fun and exciting books.

Ages 9 and up.

LETTERS FROM A MOUSE?

Have you ever written to a Pen Pal? Or, do you know someone who is just starting to learn English? Well, Jenny's dealing with both. In DEAR WHISKERS by Ann Whitehead Nagda, Jenny's class must write letters to the second grade pretending to be mice. Everyone gets a response except for Jenny. She learns that her pen pal, Sameera, is from Saudi Arabia and is just starting to learn English. At first this is discouraging for Jenny, but she thinks of some creative ways to help Sameera learn English and return her correspondence. Perfect for 1st - 3rd graders, or those just starting to read chapter books.

VAUDEVILLE MYSTERY THEATER

The Glendale Central Library presents:

Karen Rae Kraut in
Vaudeville Mystery Theater
An afternoon of music, comedy and drama as in the days before tv and movies.

Saturday, July 7, at 2pm, in the Children's Room.

For family and children ages 4 and older.

HAPPY 4TH of JULY

The library will be closed for the 4th of July holiday.

All of our programs will resume on Thursday, July 5th.

ANNIE BANANIE IS COMING

Annie Bananie is coming with her amazing twisty balloon making skills to tell you a story. Come and be amazed this Saturday, June 30, at 2pm. A special performance for childrens ages 4 and older in the Children's Room at the Central Library.

MAGIC IN THE LIBRARY

Join us in the Children's Room on Saturday, June 16 at 2:00 p.m. for a special magic show presented by Tony Daniels, magician extraordinaire. This is a free program and best for children ages 4 and older and their families. This is not to be missed!

ONE GIRL'S EUROPEAN VACATION

Four Things My Geeky-Jock-of-a-Best-Friend Must Do in Europe
by Jane Harrington

My mother is really looking forward to this European vacation. She says it will be a perfect bonding experience for us. My best friend Delia thinks I need to experience life. So…. She wrote a list all over my hand and up my wrist in PERMANENT MARKER so that EVERYONE can read it.

1. Write real letters to your best friend every day, describing thrilling adventures (uh...um...)
2. Wear the bikini… (under my T-shirt)
3. In Public (does inside my ship cabin count?)
4. Meet a code-red Euro-hottie ((me?!?!)

Nothing exciting ever happens to me.

A story for middle schoolers who love to read other people’s journals and travel.

BEDS AND BEYOND

Since this book is about what you never knew about beds, bathrooms and pajamas, I can not really give out too much information. However, I can promise you that you will learn a lot about these three things that we use daily in our lives. But imagine sleeping with a headrest instead of a pillow, and not just a regular headrest but the once that are carved out of a wood. Well. that is how Egyptians slept. No one knows why they did this but apparently a headrest may have been cooler than a pillow on a hot night. BEDS, BEDROOMS, & PAJAMAS: WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW BY PATRICIA lAUBER and the illustrations by JOHN MANDERS is not to miss.

For grades 3rd and up.

SUMMER FUN

Only four more days until the fun starts. Come into any of the Glendale Public Library's location and sign up. You will get your very special summer reading book bag, a book log and few other goodies and then it is up to you to start reading. Read eight books, enter their titles in your book log and when you finish number eight, come back to the Library to receive your prize. Everyone who reads eight books will get to choose a prize book to take home and keep plus a couple of other prizes.

A MESSAGE FROM HOGWARTS

This is for all the anxious Harry fans who just can't wait.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Bloglines is a service that helps readers manage all the blogs that they are reading. It's free and easy to use and let's you know when your favorite blog has a new posting. Sign-up with your email address, choose a password and you are good to go. If desired it is possible to add their notifier to your tool bar so that you are always up-to-date with your reading!

SECRETS AND LIES

Go ahead and spy on this book and it will be alright if you get caught. You might not find out a lot of secrets by reading this book since many of the spies don't reveal their secrets. However, you will learn about the different gizmos that were used in their missions. You will also learn about some of the famous spies and their impossible missions. This books will not bore you, even if you are a reluctant reader. You will also learn about codes, code makers and the code breakers. SECRETS, LIES, GIZMOS, AND SPIES: A HISTORY OF SPIES AND ESPIONAGE by JANET WYMAN COLEMAN is a cool book to read and share with friends and family.

For grades six and older.

EVERGREEN

In Evergreen by Makdokht Kashkouli

Sarira's grandfather promises to send her a beloved tree from his garden, but with only the Silk Road as an address he agonizes over how to keep his promise. Finally he paints a beautiful evergreen tree design that gets copied by everyone all over so that her tree eventually reaches her all the way from her grandfather's garden in Iran to wherever she is along the trade route.

The awkward translation can be ignored while reading this lovely story of family and love out loud to children from preschool through 2nd grade.

RED RIDING HOOD, EVIL?

Ferryport Landing Asylum Patient List 1955

The Mad hatter – diagnosis: schizophrenia

Chicken Little – diagnosis: panic attacks

Hansel- diagnosis: eating disorder (outpatient)

The White Rabbit – diagnosis: OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder; outpatient)

The Old Woman Who lived in a Shoe – diagnosis: exhaustion (outpatient)

Ichabod Crane – diagnosis : night terrors (outpatient)

Little Red Riding Hood – diagnosis: Psychosis with delusions and hallucinations, homicidal tendencies.

Sabrina’s heart rose upinto her throat when she saw the last name on the list. The little girl in the red cloak who had taken her parents was Little Red riding Hood! Now that it was right in front of her, she felt stupid. How could I not figure that out? But how could she. She’d read the story many times. Little Red riding Hood was one of the good guys. She wasn’t evil. She was a victim. Why would she kidnap Henry and Veronica Grimm?

An excerpt from Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley

For readers who in 4th – 6th who enjoy an unusual mystery headed by a spunky heroine who’s determined to solve things her way.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Padada-pada-pada, shh-ka-shh and kee-key-key are some of the sounds that you get to make and experience while reading this book that takes place in Africa. It does not take you long to realize that the origin of music came from animals. All the different animals gather and make rhythmic sounds that will entice your imagination and perhaps make your tongue experience in ways that you had never imagined was possible. The story will be more enjoyable if you gather you friends and each person can make the different sounds. THE FIRST MUSIC by DYLAN PRITCHETT and the illustrations by ERIN BENNETT BANKS is one not to miss.


For preschool to second grade.

CURSED ROSE!

Jackson Jones and the Curse of the Outlaw Rose by Mary Quattlebaum

Strange things start to happen to everyone and everything around Jackson Jones after he takes a cutting from a cemetery. But unlike his best friend, he doesn't believe in curses until he starts adding it all up...

1. The cleaning crew got poison ivy

2. Old Mr. K sprained his ankle

3. The bully got stung by a bee

4. Suddenly there was no rain for weeks

5. All the plants in the community garden are dying, except for the outlaw rose...

What do you think? Is the rose cursing everything around Jackson because he disturbed its resting ground?

For readers in 2nd- 3rd grade who enjoy a little ghost in their story.

DIGBY AND KATE AND THE BEAUTIFUL DAY

Digby the dog and Kate the cat are good friends. Both enjoy doing some things the same and some things different. Kate is hungry for a tasty mouse, but is happy to have some of Digby's pizza when the mouse never comes out of his hole. There are two other chapters in this book for readers just starting to read chapter books. Each chapter is a cute story that really reflect how friends can be different and still have a good friendship. For grades Kindergarten - 3rd.

FIGS AND FATE

The five stories in this collection are told from the perspective of Arab children. The stories are from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Baghdad. Each story will touch your heart and make you see and feel how similar we all are after all. The stories are about friendships, loyalty to others, love and faith. In one of the stories, a young girl is torn between her family and herself, she realizes that she can not make them happy since her own world is falling apart. Therefore, she first needs to make her world as strong as possible. Because of all the different wars that are taking place, these young boys and girls feel the need to protect their hopes and dreams because that is the only thing they have control over. FIGS AND FATE: STORIES ABOUT GROWING UP IN THE ARAB WORLD TODAY by ELSA MARSTON will be one of those books that will stay with you for a long time.


For grades five through eight.

A MOOSE AND HILDY STORY

Pig Pickin' by Stephanie Greene

Hildy is all dressed up to go to the fair and be the belle of the ball. Hildy thinks that she's been invited to enter a beauty contest at the fair, but really, she'll be the prize winning eat at the Wendel's barbecue. Oh, no!

For readers in 2nd-3rd grades.

ONE TWO AND THREE!

Numbers play an important role in our everyday lives. We use them to count money, tell the hours of the day, dial telephone, show prices of things, mark the buildings on the street and much more. Now, imagine a world without them. This might sound surprising for some of you, but there was a time that we had no numbers. Even today, there are people in some parts of the world that do not count the way we do. For example, in the recent past, Veddas of Sri Lanka, who lived very simply, used words such as a single, a couple, another one and many more to count their crops. THE HISTORY OF COUNTING by DENISE SCHMANDT BESSERAT and the illustrations by MICHAEL HAYS is such a fascinating book that you will not even think to count the time or the pages in order for you to finish this informative and fun book.

For grades three through five.

THE PERFECT PET

After much deliberation, Ben picks a dog as his pet. A bird would fly away, a mouse might get lost, a snake might scare his mother, but a dog would be just the right friend to play with. These are three short stories about the beginning of a friendship between Ben and his dog, Aggie. Aggie and Ben: Three Stories by Lori Riesis perfect practice book for beginning readers who love dogs.