TERRIBLE LIES?

Have you ever made up stories about yourself to try and impress someone? How do you think people feel when they know you have told them a lie about yourself? What would you do to make a new kid more comfortable? It is always hard being the new kid, especially when you go to a new school right in the middle of the year. In the book HEY NEW KID! by Betsy Duffey, Cody decides he is going to be the most exciting, adventurous, brave new kid anyone has ever seen and makes up stories about how crazy and exciting his life is, when it's really not all that action-packed. In the end, it turns out all the kids like him, even though his great new image falls apart one day at a party, and they see Cody for who he truly is. It's a great book for anyone in 2nd - 4th grade.

A FOODIE MYSTERY

Who Stole Grandma's Million Dollar Pumpkin Pie? by Martha Freeman. A fourth Chickadee Court Mystery set during Thanksgiving, when all thoughts turn to pumpkin pie and other comforting family dishes. Yasmeen and Alex have to find out who stole his family's fantastic pumpkin pie recipe that's going to be featured on a television food show. But the two detectives are reluctant to investigate when they realize that all the suspects are either family members or friends who came to dinner at Alex's home. Everyone wanted their dish to be on T.V. , so everyone has a motive.

Be sure to read the others in the holiday series, like Who Stole Uncle Sam? especially with the July 4th holiday coming up. For readers in 4th grade and up.

MEET MEDUSA JONES!

If you have been enjoying Rick Riordan's books such as the Lighting Thief, than you are to sure enjoy Medusa Jones. However, one of the cool differences is that Medusa Jones is a girl... She is one feisty, smart and cool girl that has a best friend who also happens to be half horse but still, she does not understand why that would be an issue and why her school mates are mean to her.

The question arises... will she ever use her special abilities to turn people into stone or will she find more traditional ways to deal with people that are getting on her nerves. In addition, Medusa also has to deal with the occasional hair issue that every girl has, the difference though is that Medusa's hair turns into snakes, so on top of all the things that she has to deal with, now she also needs to worry about her "headsnakes" as well. MEDUSA JONES by ROSS COLLINS.

For grades 4th and up.

TURTLE IN PARADISE

Turtle is an eleven-year-old girl sent to Key West, Florida by her mother in the 1930s. When her mom gets a job as a housekeeper with an employer that can’t stand children, Turtle comes to live with her mother’s sister Aunt Minnie and three boy cousins none of whom she has ever met before. Florida is a very strange place for Turtle, much different from any place she’s lived before. It’s hot, everyone is called by a nickname, no one wear shoes and the food is strange. Her cousins have created a gang called The Diaper Gang, a “no-girls allowed club” that help them earning a bit of extra cash babysitting infants. Her adventures with the gang of cousins help her to discover family secrets. This nice and humorous adventure story was inspired by the author’s great grandmother stories that emigrated from the Bahamas to Key West in 1897. Written by Jennifer L. Holm. Ages 9-12

TUMTUM AND NUTMEG

Mice are such tidy creatures. Who knew that they were so helpful around the homes where they stow away in the walls? They don't like to stray far from their homes, and become very nervous when faced with such adventures. But Tumtum and Nutmeg, a happily married mouse couple, live simple lives, eat lots of delicious food, and take all their adventures in stride. TUMTUM & NUTMEG: ADVENTURES BEYOND NUTMOUSE HALL by Emily Bearn

is a collection of three adventures the mice lead while living in their cozy cottage. For lovers of animal stories in the 2nd-6th grades.

HAPPY FOURTH

All of the Glendale Libraries will be closed July 3 - July 5 in honor of the holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, July 6 at the regular time.

IT'S BEDTIME CUCUY! ¡A LA CAMA, CUCUY!

Cucuy is a little monster that doesn't like to go to bed. He does everything he can think of to avoid bedtime. All he just wants to do is jump around and play. Every night he kicks and screams, jiggles and wiggles, complains that he's hungry, he's thirsty, he need to go to the bathroom..... He refuses to give in but Mom also refuses to give up.... until finally Cucuy was overcome by sleep.

Bilingual picture book that touches on a subject familiar to all children and their parents. For readers K-2. Written by Claudia Galindo, illustratred by Jonathan Coombs.

WHAT IF YOUR SISTER DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW YOU?

Sunny Skyland has run away from her foster home to find her long lost twin sister, who she hasn't seen since she was three years old. Sunny's had a rough road, and think that reuniting with her twin will make everything better. Along the way across three or four states, Sunny finds a dog who teaches her a lot about love and communication, and she begins to regret leaving her latest foster parent without saying anything. When she finds her twin, Starr, things don't exactly work out like she's planned. RUNAWAY TWIN by Peg Kehret is great for 4th-8th grades.

THE PESKY BIRD

THE PESKY BIRD is not really about a bird. It's the story of a young Armenian girl who loves to climb trees. However, there was a time that girls had to conform to certain types of social standards, and believe it or not, climbing tress was not an acceptable for young girls. However, Mariam was not to take those rules seriously because she was smart and wanted to experience all that she could, including climbing trees. Once, when she was hiding on top of a mulberry tree, she got confused for a pesky bird, however when she got caught things did not turn out as bad as one would think. This is a simple story with water color illustrations that is ultimately about social acceptance. THE PESKY BIRD is by MARIANNE MARKARIAN and the illustrations are by MARGARET MARKARIAN WASIELEWSKI.

For grades 2nd and up.

THE LITTLE MOON PRINCESS

A charming little princess lives alone on the Moon surrounded by flowers and sparking jewels, but when she looks up in the blackness of the sky, she still gets scared of the dark. One day a sparrow comes to visit her, and the sparrow suggests they pick the jewels and scatter them in the sky for light. The Moon Princess then takes her most precious jewel from her crown and lets the sparrow fly it up to the last spot in the sky. Now, when the little princess looks up in the sky, she isn't scared anymore.

Good bedtime story for kids afraid of the dark and for kids who love the stars as well. Beautiful illustrations drawn by the author Y.L. Lee. Kindergarten 5-6

SUPER COOL SOCIALLY MISFIT SPIES!

Braces. That's how Jackson, a once popular kid turns into one that the popular kids pick on. He loses his identity & cool standing but this gives him the opportunity to observe his classmates, discovering that the nerds are really spies operating right from inside the school! When Jackson himself accidentally becomes a spy and is reluctantly inducted into N.E.R.D.S. he realizes that all their supposed nerdish qualities have been retooled to become their greatest weapons and that includes his wicked new braces.

N.E.R.D.S: National Espionage, Defense and Rescue Society by Michael Buckley is very funny spy book with all the great gadgets and action of Alex Ryder and the humor of The Sisters Grimm. For readers in 5th -8th grade.

MEET FERDINAND!

Ferdinand is the bull in the story that prefers to stay in the beautiful fields, smelling flowers rather than going and fighting other bulls in the bullfights. He gets picked to participate in a bull fight out of a lot of bulls because of his presents and his attitude, however all is misleading because even though he is a bull which personifies courage and bravery, he still does not care about impressing or actually fighting, he still wants to be in peace, smelling flowers and just being in the moment. The book is unique because of its fine black and white illustrations which add so much depth and character to the story. THE STORY OF FERDINAND is by MUNRO LEAF and the illustrations are by ROBERT LAWSON.

For grades pre-K.

ARE PEOPLE REALLY THIS PERFECT?

Willa Havisham lives in a small town in Cape Cod with her mom and step dad and they run a popular bed and breakfast. Her grandmother owns a candy/bookstore down the road. Willa has a cute boyfriend and goes to the local beach every day for poetic inspiration, and to check on the endangered species of birds. But her world just absolutely falls apart when her boyfriend decides to go to Florida, and her best friend is hanging out with another girl while Willa has to work, and the endangered plovers are getting shoved off their beach. But not to worry - Willa will save everything by the end of the book. FORGET ME NOT by Coleen Murtagh Paratore is a great entertaining quick read that will drag you through all aspects of teen angst including eco-footprints and wedding planning, and is part of a series. For grades 5-8.

ONCE UPON A TIME: TRADITIONAL LATIN AMERICAN TALES: HABIA UNA VEZ: CUENTOS TRADICIONALES LATINOAMERICANOS

This collection of seven Latin American folktales features is retold in English and Spanish and includes descriptions of the origins and meaning of each tale. Characters such as El Gallo de Bodas – The Wedding Rooster, La Madremonte – The Madremonte or the Mother of Forest, La Cucarachita Martina y el Raton Perez – Martina, the cockroach, and Perez the mouse, are among the classic folktales presented in enjoyable bilingual versions in this book. Tales are funny and cute and will entertain adults and children alike. Beautiful watercolor illustrations by Raul Colon appear throughout this book which was written by Rueben Martinez. An excellent resource for a Spanish storytelling session. For ages 5 and older.

WINNERS - WORTH READING STILL?

This is my third attempt at reading Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. First attempt: ran out of time, only read about 10 pages. Second attempt: I read about 50 pages and was bored by it.

Third attempt: WOW! I get why this won the Newberry in 1984. It's a boy who starts off writing letters to his favorite author as part of a class assignment who winds up unloading his thoughts about the author, his lunch, and his father in a diary (yes, there was a boy writing in a diary before Diary of a Wimpy Kid). I love the ending, because it's a happy ending, but not one that is expected. Leigh grows, befriends a classmate, learns his lessons, fields dissapointments, not all neat and tidy but we get a glimpse of his life during one year of diary entries. This is a sensitive and thoughtful look at a middle school age boy at a time in which life, his parents' divorce, is just too confusing.

This is the book group's selection for the month of June. Join Snacktime Readers on Wednesday, June 23 at 7:00 in the Children's Room of the Central Library, 222 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205, (818)548-2035.

NERDS OF THE WORLD UNITE!

It's amazing these kids get along! In THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY by E.L. Konigsburg, Noah, Ethan, Nadia, and Julian have nothing in common, except that they are all loners for one reason or another. They are as different as North, South, East, and West. Things change one Saturday when Julian, a small boy originally from India, invites them all to tea. It's not long before the four form firm friendships, which only become stronger when their teacher Ms. Olsinki, who's in a wheelchair, chooses them to compete in the Academic Bowl. This story isn't like other stories, because it jumps from one person's point of view to another, and each one sees the things happening in their lives differently. Great for 5th - 8th graders.

SUNFLOWERS/GIRASOLES

Seven-year-old Marisol, helps her Grandpa make a garden in the spring. They plant vegetables, watermelon and sunflowers for Grandpa because their blossoms make him happy. And he also likes to eat the seeds! One day, when Grandpa gives Marisol a bag of sunflower seeds to eat, she decides to plant them instead in her neighbor's yards. As days pass, Marisol almost forget about the seeds she has planted until one day she hears her neighbor exclaim at the sunflower in her yard. Tender and loving relationship between grandparent and grandchild. For readers 3-7. Author Gwendolyn Zepeda, illustrated by Ann Guadalupe Gambino

RETHINK HOUDINI

ESCAPE! THE STORY OF THE GREAT HOUDINI by SID FLEISCHMAN

Like a lot of biographies, this book also starts from the birth of the person:) The book is divided into different chapters and each chapter has some great pictures that add to the story's realness. You will find out in great detail about Houdini's many secret tricks and the reaction that he got from the public. The book also has a good message as well. That someone as unprivileged and poor like Houdini (whose real name is discussed in the book) overcame a lot of obstacles to achieve all that he did, and by doing so, he also made it possible for other people to think of magic and its many possibilites.

For grades 4th and up.

ANIMAL RESCUE

Griffin and Ben are back in another Gordon Korman adventure. Luthor, the guard dog from Swindle is now in the care of Savannah, animal lover and whisperer extraordinaire. Luthor and his best friend Cleo, a capuccin monkey, are inseparable until Cleo goes missing. All attempts to find her turn up empty handed until a class field trip to a miserable floating zoo finds Savannah and her classmates face to face with the missing pet. Mr. Nastase, the owner of the zoo refuses to acknowledge Cleo as Savannah's pet so what's a girl and her friends to do but to hatch an escape plan.

Operation Zoobreak doesn't go as planned when Savannah wants to rescue ALL the zoo animals. When her place to shelter the animals falls through, everyone has to hide them anywhere they can. Griffin, Ben and their friends are once again involved in a hilarious adventure to free not just one but forty animals.

Zoobreak by Gordon Korman is animal lovers in 4th -6th grade.

MAGIC TEACHER

THE MAGICAL MS. PLUM by Bonny Becker is about an elementary school teacher that seems to be magic. Every year, students know there is something special about Ms. Plum, but no one from the year before will tell them what it is. Every student in Ms. Plum's class has something they need to overcome, and she is just the teacher to help! Perfect beginning chapter book for 2nd-4th grades.

MY BROTHER CHARLIE

This book does a very good job describing an autistic child, showing that though they may be very quiet at times or sit and play by themselves, they are not different than other children. They have things they love to do and want to play and have fun. The book shows the sense of family togetherness and the many ways to say I love you without always using words.

My Brother Charlie will be greatly enjoyed by families with an autistic sibling and should be shared in elementary classrooms to discuss among the students. Beautiful facial expressions expressing various emotions. Ages 4-8. Written by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete, illustrated by Shane W. Evans.

THIS IS MARGARET!

Margaret is in sixth grade, trying to figure life out as she also tries to understand about religion, sex, girlhood and boys. She has grown up in a family of different religions and the quest to just have one in her life makes her uncomfortable and inquisitive about her life. She tries to establish better relations with her grandparents as well, however like any other family; she does end up liking some more than the others with minor confrontations. I think that this book is a serious book and it reinforces that no matter how times have changed, the human struggle, in this case for Margaret is timeless. The inner conflicts don't necessary change with time, the story is relatable and it will connect with girls now as well. ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME MARGARET is by JUDY BLUME.

For grades 5th and up.

BASEBALL SEASON IS HERE!

Get ready to take on a journey on this amazing 'ship' to a place where dreams become reality and courage and hope triumph. The book tells the story of the Negro Baseball League, why it was created and all the hardship that they had to go through to keep on playing. The book tells the story of segregation, discrimination, the social injustice and the bravery of these men who never became famous but they kept on playing. It also reminds the reader how far we have progressed in our society as well. The paintings like illustrations are so wonderful, that at times you might just want to look at them instead of reading it, even though the writing is as great.What I liked the most about this book is the way the information was presented and composed. The pictures were as big as the characters in the book. I literally felt as though I was transformed back into the 1920's. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball is by Kadir Nelson.

For grades 4th and up.

MY SHOES AND I

Mario is informed by his father that they are leaving their home in El Salvador and moving to the United States to meet his mother. His mother has sent Mario for Christmas a new pair of shoes , and he is thrilled. He will need good shoes because the trip will be long and hard. He and his father will cross the borders of three countries. They will have to walk miles, ride buses, climb mountains and cross a river. Mario has faith in his shoes because he believes they will take him everywhere. He wants to go the United States where his family will be reunited. An immigrant story for kids, new culture, new language and new friends. Ages 6-7. Written by Rene Colato Lainez, illustrated by Tom Lintern.

A BAD CASE OF SOMETHING

This is an adorable story about Camila who loves to eat lima beans. But since none of her friends like lima beans, she is worried about not being liked or accepted. One morning she wakes up and sees that she looks nothing like herself. She goes to school and her bazaar appearance goes with her. Every time her fellow students call a name or a color, she changes into that. No matter what, nothing seems to help her, including some very good doctors. One day, one of the doctors tells her that in order to get rid of her bazaar condition, she must eat lima beans...
This story and the illustrations are beautiful and full of surprises. The idea of nonconformity will be appealing to kids who are struggling with similar situations. The story is short enough for a story time and long enough for the older kids as well. A Bad Case Of Stripes is by non other than David Shannon.

For grades k-up.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A PALETA? QUE PUEDES HACER CON UNA PALETA

A little Mexican-American girl introduces readers to the joy of a delicious, frozen, fruit-flavored popsicle, a paleta, that thrills Mexican children during the hot summer days. There is so much to do with a paleta other than make friends and paint your tongue green and purple, or give yourself a big, blue mustache or just devouring the icy sweetness of the paletas. Vibrant illustrations in every paleta. Readers 4-8. Written by Carmen Tafolla, illustrated by Magaly Morales

THE VOTE IS IN: A GREAT BOOK

Last Tuesday night, Snacktime Readers met to talk about this month's book, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit. There's lots to talk and think about in this book long after you are finished reading it.

What if you could live forever? Would you want to? Keep in mind if everyone did how would our planet support them? Also consider how it would be to stay the same even though your friends were getting older and older and really old. That's the dilemma that the author presents the reader and to a ten-year-old girl named Winnie. What did she choose to do, drink from the spring with the special water or grow up in the usual manner? What would you do?

Readers in the group really liked this one and as is our tradition gave it a rating (10 is the highest) and made a comment:
Eusenia - 10.5 - Great!
Celina - 9 - Reading good even though it felt old and I like more modern stories.
Allisyn - 9 - It's a classic and wonderfully written but just when I was really getting into it ended.

Join the group next month, May 26, 7:00 p.m. , Glendale Central Library, 222 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205. For grades 4-8 and their parents. For additional information please call, (818) 548-2035. We are reading Pandora Gets Jealous by Carolyn Hennesy.

FIESTY FEMALES AND WEARY TRAVELERS

The Great Depression was a time when hardly anyone had any money. It was so bad in parts of the country, people would travel from town to town hoping to find something that would give them money to eat. While the strain was obvious to many of the kids, life went on, and accidents still happened. Mary Bayliss was said to be a miracle after she survived a horrible accident - one that her brother, Leo, did not survive. This story has a little bit about history, a little bit about family, a lot about dealing with the loss of someone you love. LEO AND THE LESSER LION by Sandra Forrester is a really good book. It's not too heavy on the history, and really shows how some things in life are just timeless. For 5th - 8th grades.

SUPER SCARY CHINESE GHOST STORIES

This book is so scary, it's going to put you off eating Chinese food for months. Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales by Ying Chang Compestine is a grisly yet compelling group of short supernatural tales not for the faint of heart. All the stories have an element of food, Chinese culture and each ends with a recipe related to the story.



The stories are set up as if the reader were enjoying a Chinese banquet, beginning with appetizers, main courses of meat dish, noodle, rice and of course desserts. Recommended for readers 6th & up with strong stomachs.

Gadoo The Cat: An Armenian Folktale

The cat which is a cat, no matter how smart, sophisticated or human like is, will always run after a mouse once she/he sees it. Gadoo: The Cat is an Armenian folktale that is fun, smart and clever in the way it evolves. The folktale starts off with the King bragging about his cat and how wonderful the cat is in her human like attitude and behaviour. However, when the time comes for him to show off this great cat, things take on a whole new direction. You must read it to find out what happens to this cat who everyone thought was a miracle.

The story is by Susan Kadian Gopigian and the illustrations are by Susan Collier Bolt.

For grades 2-4.

CAN FEAR BE FUNNY?

AGAINST THE ODDS by Marjolijn Hof is just that - odd. Kiki's father goes off to help people in a war-torn country, because that's what adventurous doctors do. But Kiki is stuck at home with her worried mother (she's worried too, not that she can admit it) and their stinky old dog. What happens if her father dies? Is there some law in the universe that if something dies, something else will stay alive longer? These, and other moral issues, are confronted with a dark quirky humor that will intrigue many a reader. For grades 5 and up.

ELLA KAZOO WILL NOT BRUSH HER HAIR

Ella refuses to brush her hair until it becomes son unruly that it takes over everything.No matter how hard her moms tries, she refuses to brush her hair or to have it brushed for her. Her hair keeps growing and it gets more and more tangled. When it finally gets too much for her she offers herself a solution – a haircut.

Funny rhyming story of a girl whose hair gets totally out of control. May be a good choice for a kid who's afraid to get a haircut.Colorful and watercolor illustrations. For readers Ages 3-6. Written by Lee Fox illustrated by Jennifer Plecas.

JUST GRACE

If you like books that are written in a diary format then JUST GRACE AND THE SNACK ATTACK by CHARISE MERICLE HARPER will be one of the funniest books that ever read. It has pretty much everything in it. The story is about Grace, a very precocious girl who wants to make all kinds of things out of nothing and yet who gathers everything in her house to make something that doesn't resemble anything at all. In addition, there is also a lot of school drama that will make you eager to finish the book in one seating.

For grades 2nd-4th.

ONE SUMMER AT THE MOVIES

It's summer and Dani is stuck in her small town with no best friend, she moved, no father, her parents are divorcing, the only thing left to keep her busy is the local movie theater. Fortunately the Little Art, the only movie theater in town, shows her favorite old black and white detective movies and the ticket takers are often busy elsewhere, so it is easy to sneak in. The movies and the free popcorn with toppings of your choice keep her busy until she stumbles across a secret involving a girl with polka-dot tights, her old babysitter, the cute projectionist at the Little Art and a lie. An enormous imagination fueled by watching too many detective movies sends Dani off on a journey of discovery whose result is not what she expected.

Check out the author's website: http://daninoir.com/

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Griffin comes from a big family. But suddenly, things around his family really change. He is forced to go to public school, rather than be home schooled by his mother. In fact, his mother hasn't even been home - not since she went to the hospital to have another baby. Griffin can't wait to name the new baby, even though he knows it will make his family sad. Read THE NAMING OF TISHKIN SILK by Glenda Millard to find out why, especially if you are a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader. Also good for older readers that need a quick read.

SPRING IS HERE!

Spring is here, and to get in the mood of it, grab this tiny colorful book called MOUSE'S FIRST SPRING by LAUREN THOMPSON with illustrations by BUKET ERDOGAN.
The book will make you feel and see all the colorful creatures, sounds and sense the smells of one of the happiest seasons.
Words such as squiggly squeeze, fluttery buttery and hidey insidey will give your tongue its daily exercise while your mood will be elevated with a guarantee:) You will want to go outside, breath the fresh air and start looking for the things that are fresher, prettier and colorful.

Ideally this is for k-preschool, however it can be enjoyed by everyone.

ANIMALS THAT TALK, PART 2

We met the kind and gentle Penhaligon Brush two years ago, when he just learned he was part wolf-part fox, and spent most of the story saving his loved ones from the dungeon of Ferball Manor. Now in its sequel, THE CURSE OF THE ROMANY WOLVES, S. Jones Rogan has Penhaligon on yet another adventure - that of finding a cure for "febra lupi (wolf fever)" that is infecting all the young ones in the village. But not only does the cure surface, but some other fascinating pieces of Penhaligon's past emerge. For 3rd grade and up.

GHOST WRITING GHOST

Seymour's parents have left him alone in a big old haunted Victorian house for the summer... and he likes it that way. Just him, his cat and his best friend, Olive, a 190 year old ghost living in the cupola. But people keep always want to rent the place or buy it, so he and Olive find ways to get rid of them. But when a writer moves in for the summer to try to write his thirteenth ghost story, Olive decides that she likes having grumpy Ignatius around and decides to help him write the book.

Kate Klise's new series, as with her other stories, unfold through a series of letters and newspapers articles. Dying to Meet You is for those who enjoy a light ghost story with lots of puns and a touch of friendship. For 4th-6th grade.

TOFU QUILT

The story of TOFU QUILT by CHING YEUNG RUSSELL is written in a free verse format that is quick, fun and easy to read. It's about a little girl who is told that there are a lot of things in life that she can not do because of the simple fact that she is a girl. However, this little girl knows that she has a special talent and that in her life, no matter what happens she can do great things. Her talent lies in her own hands and mind, she can write wonderful and inventive stories and letters. She starts writing letters for her illiterate aunts until she is told that at least she will not be hungry in life, since she can write. However, she is lucky in a sense that her mother thinks very highly of her and supports her in sending her to a private school where she gets exposed to great books and literature. This is a semi-autobiographical story by the author Ching Yeung Russell that is inspiring, empowering and uplifting, especially for girls.

For grades 4th and older.

SLEEP TO DREAM

Newbery Medalist Sid Fleischman has written a haunting tale called THE DREAM STEALER about a sneaky bandit coming to steal your dreams while you are trying to sleep. One night, Susanna is dreaming a happy dream about her long lost friend, only to have it rudely snatched away from her before she can find the friend! But Susana is not going to put up with that! You'll have to read the book to find out how she gets her dream back. For grades 3-6.

I NEVER AGREED TO BE A ZOMBIE!

David Lubar has a new series about how Nathan, a not so popular kid, accidentally becomes a zombie.

A ZOMBIE?! WAIT! WHAT?! How?

Well, that's why it's call an accident.

THIS KID SOUNDS LAME!

Uh, that's not a very nice thing to say. This is exactly why he tried the Hurt-Be-Gone forumula. So that people like YOU can't hurt his feelings anymore.

ARE YOU TRYING TO BLAME ME FOR HIM TURNING INTO A ZOMBIE?

Of course not. But other kids in the book, were teasing him, and bullying him and calling him names and making him feel bad so he decided to try this experimental formula his classmate's crazy scientist uncle created.

Special formula? So did it work?

I'm not gonna tell you. You'll have to read the book to find out if the formula worked or not. It's funny. You'll like it.

Fans of the Weenies books will really enjoy My Rotten Life, a funny and not so scary new series. For readers in 4th -6th grades.

BRAIDS*TRENCITAS

Abuela and Isabela, tell each other stories while Abuela braids and unbraids Isabela's hair every day. Each time Isabela asks Abuela to read a story she has written, the woman finds excuses and says that she is “ a storyteller, not a reader”. When Isabela discovers that Abuela can’t read, she finds a wonderful way to teach her grandmother how to read using the “loteria” ( a bingo-like game from Mexico). This heartwarming book talks about the importance of family and cultural traditions across generations. Colorful acrylic illustrations. Written by Kathleen Contreras, illustrated by Margaret Lindmark. Grades 2-3.

JANE IN BLOOM

JANE IN BLOOM by DEBORAH LYTTON starts off like a happy, Sunday afternoon brunch. However, things are never what they seem. She is a girl of great curiosity and wonder, who is in love with her family, especially her very popular sister, who is the light of everyone’s eye…
On Jane's birthday, she can't wait to get her ears pierced since she is literally the last girl in her classroom that does not have them. However, her parents change their minds and Jane ends up not getting what she wanted. Things do turn into much worse, when she unexpectedly loses her sister. The entire family is devastated and there seems to be to light at the end of the tunnel. However, with her love of photography, Jane slowly begins to see beauty and colors through the lenses, which later become a respite from her dull days.
This is really a heartwarming story, even though the subject matter is not light, the author has been able to make is so beautiful and lovely.

For grades 5th and older

A WALK WITH GRANDPA/UN PASEO CON ABUELO

One sunny day, Daniela and her grandpa hand in hand, went for a peaceful walk in the woods. They discover and share the beauty of nature, as they do so, they express just how much they love each other by a silly word game they play together. This is a picture book poem that celebrates the relationship between a grandfather and his granddaughter.

Bilingual full text both in English and Spanish. For readers, grades 2-3, ages 7-8. Written by Sharon K. Solomon, illustrated by Pamela Barcita.

WHO ARE POPEYE AND ELVIS?

Well, this here is a book that reminds you of lazy hot days in summer, waiting for something exciting to happen. When you're a kid like Popeye, "exciting" doesn't happen that often. Fayette, South Carolina is a slow kind of place, where Popeye lives with his grandma Velma and good-for-nothin' Uncle Dooley. It's Dooley's fault he's called Popeye, since he was the one that shot him in the eye in the first place. But now it's time for a new adventure involving a clan of ragamuffin kids, boats made of Yoo-Hoo boxes, and dead dogs. THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barbara O'Connor is a slow, southern style of book that will hang around in your head for a while after you read it. For grades 3 and up.

BEAUTIFUL MOON/BELLA LUNA

This picture book by Dawn Jeffers is about a little girl who wants the day to last forever so that she may play and play. When the moon grants her wish for a day that never ends and she plays until exhausted, then she wishes for night to come so she can rest. This poem answers a child's persistent questions about why we have to sleep at night. It helps kids to understand why we have night and why they need to go to sleep!

Beautiful illustrations and simple vocabulary. Bilingual full text in English and Spanish. For readers grades 2-3, ages 7-8.

MEET THE DWEEBS...

Meet the DWEEB’s, Denton-the negotiator, Wendell-the computer whiz, Eddie- the athlete, Elijah-the writer and Bijay-the performer. And now, imagine these misfits all together, trying to figure the mysterious happenings at their Ho-Ho-Kus Junior High. In this laughing out loud book, you will recognize a lot of the drama and the happenings that are taking place in your own schools. The combination of these boys with their specialized areas of expertise makes them a unique team that is a guarantee for a cool, fun read.

Of course, do to the nature of their personalities and traits, everytime something bad happens, they are the once who get the automatic punishments. Now how are they going to solve certain mysterious at their school and also proof their innocence is something that you need to find out yourself:)

DWEEB: BURGERS, BEASTS, AND BRAINWASHED BULLIES by AARON STARMER.

For grades 5th and older.

BLOODY BATTLES OF SCOTLAND

Alex is off to Scotland to visit his Aunt Fiona, and hopefully find his parents who disappeared while on vacation there. As it turns out, his aunt is sick and he is sent to live with the neighbors McRae, who have three kids his own age. All is going well until Alex decides to explore the Castle Duncragglin caves that he heard about from a strange professor sitting next to him on the flight over. Suddenly, Alex and the McRae kids find themselves dodging soldiers and fighting alongside the famous Sir William Wallace, who freed Scotland from a mean English king. As Alex and his friends try to get back to modern times, the experience many exciting adventures along the way. THE BATTLE OF DUNCRAGGLIN by Andrew H. Vanderwal starts a little slow, but will please any avid historical fiction reader. For grades 5-8.

FAMILY SECRETS

WATCHING JIMMY by Nancy Hartry is about a young girl named Carolyn who's best friend Jimmy has been involved in a horrible accident that makes him brain damaged. Only Carolyn knows the truth to how Jimmy got that way, and she's not sure how to tell people. As the weight of this knowledge continues to press down on her, Carolyn learns what it means to "find her voice" when she is asked to audition for a local choir group AND perform an important speech on Canada's Remembrance Day. This is an easy-to-read story set in the late 1950's and does a great job of portraying that era from a non-stereotypical perspective. For grades 4 and up.

DANCING THROUGH THE SNOW

For a moment, try to imagine that you have nothing, and I mean literally nothing, no real name, no birth certificate, no mother or father and not even sweet memories to keep you going. What would you do? Would you hide in your face or try to make sense of the unknown and the injustice? DANCING THROUGH the SNOW by JEAN LITTLE is the ultimate story of Min (not her real name) that will touch your heart and give you the strength to dance through the snow, physically and metaphorically speaking.

For grades 5 and older.