A DEAD HIPPO MYSTERY

The meanest and most hated hippo is floating feet up in his habitat. Shocked by Henry the Hippo's death, Teddy is determined to find out how this could have happened in the best animal research facility in the country. When he discovers that the hippo might have been murdered, the only person willing to help find the hippo killer is Summer, the owner's daughter. Something stinks at Fun Jungle, and it isn't just the dead hippo.

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs is a fast pace mystery set in a Texas where the kids seem to know more than the adults. For readers in 6th - 8th grade.

TWENTY GOLD FALCONS

Have you ever been on a treasure hunt? I am talking about hunt for real treasure, such as gold, antique objects and gold falcons in the case of this story. Most likely, you have not right? Well. Aiden who is literally bored out of her mind and is completely miserable in her fancy private school somehow(you need to read to find out) embarks on a journey that is so fun and adventurous that you might even want to buckle your seat belt while reading the book.

This is a fun and mysterious story which brings great friends togather in search of a treasure, but the joureny to find the treasure is as fun as the treasure itself. You will even meet a mouse who loves the opera, now imagine that! TWENTY GOLD FALCONS is by AMY GORDON.

For grades 5th and up.

THE TROUBLE WITH HALF A MOON

Dellie is a thirteen years old girl that lives in a project building with her mother and father. Dellie's life has been quiet and sad since her little brother’s dead. The whole family is devastated. Her mother cries all the time,and forbids Dellie to go outside on her own so nothing bad happens to her. Dellie lives with the horrible guilt that the accident that killed her brother may have been all her fault. Dellie's world begins to change when new neighbors move in on the ground floor and the once peaceful building starts to have problems hearing gunshots and men fighting in the halls. In the middle of all that trouble she meets Corey. Corey is an adorable five-year-old boy, whose mother abusing him and who's often left him at home alone and hungry. He wanders around knocking on doors asking for bread. Dellie becomes attached with this little boy who reminds her so much of her brother. They develop a very strong bond. She wonders if she can do for Corey what she couldn't do for her brother to save him. The secret of Dellie’s brother accident is not revealed until near the end of the book. Corey contributed to a significant change in Corey’s life.

In addition to Corey, the story also includes Miss Shirley, a Jamaican colorful woman that is always full of wisdom and experience. Having experienced her own loses, She I and Dellie become close and helps Dellie to learn faith and healing.

Written by Danette Vigilante. Realistic fiction for grades 5 and up.

SUMMER READING FUN

It's that time again...Summer Reading Program. You can sign-up today in any of the Glendale Libraries and get your book log, bookmark and coupon for an Aunt Annie's tasty pretzel.

Read or listen to a book a week for eight weeks, record the titles in the log and bring it back to the Library to choose a book from the prize books to take home. You have until August 6 to do the reading.

Also check the Library Events for the many scheduled special events that are taking place during the program. Puppets, magicians, silly science and balloon artists are just some of the treats for families this summer.

A BOY + A DOG = ADVENTURE

Mystery, adventure, betrayal and riches are all here in one action-packed book. At the death of his uncle, Homer inherits his dog. He seems like any other ordinary dog except that he holds the clue to this madcap adventure.

Smells Like Dog by Suzanne Selfors is a over the top goofy adventure for readers in 6th- 8th.

A PORTRAIT OF PIA

At first, Pia might seem like your average typical thirteen years old girl who is interested in boys and doing the fun stuff. However, there is a lot about Pia that even she does not know yet. Her living in New York has enriched her life on so many levels. Being exposed to great food, art and culture in general has contributed to her good upbringing. However, Pia also has family issues that have never been resolved. For example, finding about who her father is, or why her brother suddenly quit a very prestige school. In addition to all the madness that she is going through, she is also attempting to create a self portrait. The metaphor being that until she does not find herself in life, her portrait will not be complete! A PORTAIT OF PIA by MARISABINA RUSSO is an outstanding book that has so many great elements, one which I liked the most is the idea of Pia being such an avid reader and an art lover!

For grades 5th and up.

I WANT TO DO IT MYSELF

The very independent Little Princess is determined to go camping without anyone’s help. She insists she want to do it herself! Every time someone offers her help, she replies ‘NO’ ‘I want to do it myself’’. When she finally arrives at her campsite,she discovers she has forgotten her cooking equipment, the tent, a blanket, a pillow, a towel, her toothbrush and the list goes on. Fortunately, secret hands help that everything goes well, the only problem is that on the way home, the bags are too heavy!!!! Self- Reliance is important to children healthy development , however in this book Little Princess thinks she knows everything and does not allow anyone to provide assistance. A good example to teach children that at times we also need help from others. Beautiful ink and watercolor illustrations written by Tony Ross. Ages 5 -7.

PICTURES WORTH THOUSANDS OF WORDS

Tonya Bolden, author of the book FINDING FAMILY based an entire story around a collection of very old photographs that she has collected over the years. Real history makes up a lot of the setting and plot, but the story itself is made up of ideas that the pictures told her. The main character is Delana, whose mother has died and father has disappeared without a trace. She's left to be raised by her Grandpa and her Aunt Tilly who doesn't let Delana do much of anything. Her aunt tells her many stories about the family, some of which seem crazy and unbelieveable. But when Delana's aunt suddenly dies, it is up to Delana to determine truth from fiction. Good book for advanced 4th graders up to 8th grade readers.

THE TALENT SHOW

When the tornado hit the town of Tornado Alley, a lot of the town’s residences were on their usual daily routines of cleaning houses, rehearsing for school plays, running errands, or just simply doing nothing. However, when cars started to fly like Frisbees, people realized what was happening…After the tornado, things were destroyed and buildings were ruined, such as the local elementary school. When the principal of that school suggested raising money by doing a talent show, people got excited and started to feel optimistic about the future. The talent was recruited and the roles were assigned, until that is… another tornado hit the town of the Tornado Alley… THE TALENT SHOW by DAN GUTMAN, is fun and you don't have to have a talent to read it!

For grades 5th and up.

WHAT DO YOU KEEP SECRET?

Nyssa has just been roused from her home in the dark of night, only to find out she is one of the last members of a secret tribe. She must unravel the mystery of her life, one dangerous journey at a time. She leaves her home to escape an evil band of "Shadow Keepers", seeing visions of her past last. It's not easy deciphering what it all means, but Nyssa, her uncle and an old friend traipse across many islands to save themselves and a lost culture which turns out to not be so lost after all... THE KEEPER'S TATTOO by Gill Arbuthnott is a pretty thick read, and would be best for advanced readers in 6th grade and up.

LIBRARIES CLOSED

All of the Glendale Libraries will be closed in observance of the the holiday on Saturday, May 28 through Monday, May 30. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, May 31.

Happy holiday to all.

ANNIE, SLEEPING BEAUTY'S NON-MAGICAL SISTER

On her sister's sixteenth birthday, Annie helped the palace guards search for illegal spindles, but before the day ends her sister falls under the bad fairy's spell and falls asleep for who knows how long. It's up to Annie, the sister with no magical fairy gifts whatsoever to bring her family and the rest of castle back awake and break the 100 years spell, otherwise she might never see her family again.

First, she must go and recruit Gwendolyn's betrothed to kiss her awake and just in case, as many other princes as possible. But when any royal beings go near Annie they lose their magical luster. The princes don't look as handsome and lose some of their charms. Everyone looks a little older, and not as perfect, but she will do whatever it takes to bring her sister and the rest of the castle out of the wicked spell before the whole kingdom falls into ruins or... the wrong hands.

The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker writes another fun fairy tale adventure for readers in 4th - 8th grade.

THE WONDERFUL BOOK

The story of a red book found in the woods and what each animal large and small thinks it is as they come upon it. Either a hat, a bed, or a table, each animal finds a creative way to use it.
Kids would love finding out what each animal did with the book. Perfect for story time, especially for toddlers and preschoolers. Kindergarten. Written by Leonid Gore.

A FAMILY REUNION THEY DIDN'T WANT

Cecile is her mother's name, but she calls herself Nzila now that she is an artist/poet in Oakland, California. Her father insisted that Delphine and her sisters will have to spend a month of their summer with their mother. All Delphine wants is to know the truth behind why her mother abandoned the family.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia is a beautiful historical novel of a non- typical family reunion. Set in the 1960s during the Black Panther movement, three girls set off for what they think will be a sunny, Disneyland, movie star filled summer of fun, but what they get is something else.

For readers in 6th-8th grade.

I AM JACK'S WORRY

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

LULU AND THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Lulu`s brother Billy is having a birthday. As cards arrive for Billy and not for her, and her parents plan Billy's birthday party, Lulu becomes more and more jealous.
To spoil the fun, Lulu hides the ball that Billy’s best friend has given him.
Billy is very upset when he can't find it, and everyone tries to comfort him except Lulu. He and his friends has to fly his kite instead. But then Lulu can't find her favorite yo-yo and suddenly she realizes how Billy must feel.
This book provides excellent examples of childhood jealousy and sibling rivalry for parents to share with children. Ages 5-7.
Written by Belinda Hollyer and illustrated by Emma Damon.

RUTH AND THE GREEN BOOK

Ruth and her parents buy a brand new car, to take them in a road trip from Chicago to visit her grandmother in Alabama.
During the 1950's, Ruth finds pretty soon that black travelers weren’t treated very well in some towns. Ruth and her parents are turned down at gas stations and motels, who serve whites only. Fortunately an attendant at an Esso service sold them a copy of "The Negro Motorist Green Book" that lists businesses that help black who were traveling and where they would be welcome to sleep, eat, shop, etc. Although the story is fictional, the book provides an explanation of some of the humiliations and hardships that blacks had to endure as a result of Jim Crow laws in the South……..Interesting book to discuss issues with children about discrimination. Grades 3-4. Ages 7-8.

CRAZY ADVENTURES OF DODSWORTH

Dodsworth gets the travel bug and decides to chuck it all and head for New York. Unbeknownst to him, Crazy Duck decides to stowaway in his suitcase, and every attempt to get rid of him is unsuccessful. So begins the frustrating but hilarious adventure around the New York City. Don't miss the continuing travels of Dodsworth and Duck in London and Paris.

Perfect travel logs by Tim Egan for beginning readers who want something a little quirky. For readers in 1st-2nd grade.

OUR WORLD OF WATER

We drink water everyday and most likely take granted since we don't know how difficult it is for some other countries to have pure drinking water on a daily basis. OUR WORLD OF WATER: CHILDREN AND WATER AROUND THE WORLD by BEATRICE HOLLYER is a small book that depicts different children from all parts of the world and how they get their water. The pictures in the book give a better sense of the culture/country that is being depicted. For example, in some parts of Peru, people scrub clothes in lakes and rivers and lay them on rocks to dry. Something that I am sure we have only seen in movies here in the States.

For grades 2nd and up.

FATTY LEGS: A TRUE STORY

Sometimes its hard to go to school. So learns Olemaun Pokiak, an Alaskan Inuit girl who really wants to learn to read. Her sister is allowed to go to school, but didn't like it at all, saying they take everything away from you, including your name and your hair. Even her father is against Olemaun leaving the family to go to school. But Olemaun SO wants to read, she begs and pleads. Finally, her father agrees to send her to the school. When Olemaun gets there, school is NOTHING like what she had hoped it would be. The first thing they do is change her name to Olemaun and cut off her long braids! This is a true story that took place about 60 years ago and its good for 4th grade and up.

LIBRARY MOUSE: A WORLD TO EXPLORE

This is the story of Sam, a library mouse who lives in a hole in the wall just behind the wall in the children's reference section of a library. Sam enjoys his home and he reads everything in the library including reference books, cookbooks, picture books , poetry and biographies.

But Sam is not the only mouse in the library. One night, while going in a stroll he meets a fellow mouse who lives on the other side of the library. Her name is Sarah. Sarah is an explorer. She loves to climb to the top of the tallest library shelves to explore all the corners of the building rather than to read. However, Sam is too afraid to climb up that high and he prefers to research subjects and pretty soon finds himself writing his own book…

This book is an excellent book to read to children at bedtime or anytime and also inspire other kids to write their own stories too. Written and illustrated by Daniel Kirk.
Ages 6-7

ALVIN HO IS HERE!

What do you do when a girl invites you to a birthday party, a tea party to boot? Well, if you're Alvin Ho, you freak out and worry a lot. What Alvin has been hoping for was to be invited to the boy birthday party and run run around and play. But with no invitation in sight, he decides he'd better prepare himself for Flea's tea party while he's waiting. Like what does RSVP mean? According to Cousin Bucky it means Resume Standing Very Promptly, and she should know since she's had etiquette lessons and she's a girl.

Once again Lenore Look has written a laugh out loud book about the predicaments of Alvin. Alvin Ho Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects, and Other Man-Made Catastrophes by Lenore Look is for readers in 3rd-4th grades.

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S TEETH

I was browsing through the book shelves in the library and GEORGE WASHINGTON’S TEETH by DEBORAH CHANDRA caught my attention. To be honest, I wasn’t sure why anyone would ever write a book on someone else’s teeth, even though this someone is the very first president of the United States of America. But still, I was intrigued! What I didn’t know is that some people still even now believe that his teeth were carved out of wood since he had bad teeth and the dentist at the time thought it was a good idea. However, this is not true at all; the fact of the matter is that his teeth were made from the ivory of hippo tusks!

For grades 1st-3rd.

DEER GETS HEAD CAUGHT IN PUMPKIN?

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

MEET UNCLE PIRATE!

There is absolutely nothing that is going good for Wilson. His school life is full of drama and problems. His classmates are always picking on each other and making pointless arguments and gestures to one another. Everyone bullies each other and overall it is just a bad environment to be in. One would hope that at least his home life would be better and that Wilson can at least have a little balance. However, his home situation is pretty much the same. The family’s financial situation among other issues are affecting everyone, including Wilson.
All these do change however, because Wilson finds out that he has an uncle. Not an ordinary uncle who sends the occasional postcard or the birthday card, but a pirate uncle. Now, imagine Wilson in his house with his pirate uncle who also had brought with him a talking penguin. Of course, the talking penguin could have been a parrot, but that would complicate the story right? You will have to read this adventurous and fun book to find out! UNCLE PIRATE by DOUGLAS REES.
For grades 4th and up.

CINCO DE MOUSE

Cinco de Mouse 'o! is a fun adventure of a mouse that decides to help to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with his neighbors without realizing that Yellow Cat has other plans for him.A delicious aroma of beans, cheese, rice, wake up Raton. People is preparing to celebrate. There is a band playing at the bandstand, food everywhere, the children waving their flags, horsemen and dancers. All of a sudden Raton spotted a confetti-covered piñata in the shape of a donkey hanging from a tree. Raton is about to figure out how to get candies from it. Meanwhile danger is going around. Greedy Yellow Cat is planning a party for himself and Raton is on the menu!A nice story for preschool children to learn the meaning of Cinco de Mayo celebration in the Latino culture. Ages K-2. Written by Judy Cox, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler.

ALIEN BUNNIES FROM MALLOW

What would you do if evil, sugar-addicted seven-foot-tall rabbits from another galaxy invaded your summer camp?

a) SCREAM.

b) Hide your candy.

c) Say, "there's no such thing as evil,sugar-addicted seven-foot-tall rabbits from another galaxy."

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies by Andrea Beaty is super silly! Rabbits from another planet are looking to take over the human population, but first they must prepare by stuffing themselves with sugary treats, like marsmallow. They land near a summer camp and soon they take over the bodies of the camp counselors. The only ones who can save the earth from these fluffy alien horrors are twins, Joules and Kevin.

A true story for 5th - 8th grade readers. Really. Well, it could happen.

CRAZY THINGS BOYS DO A LA GARY PAULSEN

How Angel Peterson Got His Name: And Other Outrageous Tales About Extreme Sports by Gary Paulsen. This is of course extreme sports before extreme sports became a sport. Back in the days of the author's youth, they were just boys having fun and daring each other to do outrageous things like trying to break the speed record on skis. The only problem was there were no ski slopes on the flat Minnesota landscape. So a car, a very fast car, will have to do. And so this begins a hilarious collection of stories about the things the boys in this small town tried, just to, you know, see what would happen.

A short but hilarious tale of mischief making. For readers in 5th-8th grade.

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.

MURDER, MONEY AND MYSTERY

Logan just moved into a new house ...a haunted house where the previous owner was murdered. The dead woman was accused of embezzling from the town's now closed amusement park, The Magic Forest. But the boy next door swears that she wouldn't do that and if she didn't then what happened money? Arthur and Logan follow clues left by the dead woman in order to track down the real thief and her killer.

Closed For the Season: A Murder Mystery by Mary Downing Hahn is a short suspense novel for readers in grades 6th - 8th.

From Mr. B at the Grandview Branch:

Little White Rabbit
Written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes

As naturally curious Rabbit explores the world around him, he wonders what it would be like to be green, or as tall as a tree, to fly like a butterfly, to be a rock. With each question, there is a two-page spread, wordlessly demonstrating how Rabbit thoughtfully imagines the answer. Large images, bold lines, and friendly pastels make this seemingly simple story a lasting experience. Oh, and it’s a perfect bed-time book.

CINDERELLA SKELETON

I am sure that you have read and re-read the story of Cinderella. However, I bet that this story of Cinderella is definitely not the usual story that you have read. Imagine the sweet and innocent Cinderella…But instead of her cooking and cleaning and taking care of her family, she is hanging cobwebs and putting wilted and ugly flowers in vases for the admiration of people.
The story gets even more spooky when she, in order to attend the annual festive Ball, has to ask permission from the good witch to turn her bats and cats into a funeral wagon in order to have the proper transportation for the event…This is a really funny story that I am sure will be enjoyed by everyone! CINDERELLA SKELETON is by ROBERT D. SAN SOUCI.

For grades 1st-3rd.

FEARLESS HEROINE OR FOOL HARDY CHILD?

In Alison Dare and the Arabian Knights, she joins her mother on an archeological dig somewhere in an Arabian dessert. Alison sneaks off to rub a magic lamp that was dug up but ends up regretting making the wishes the genie granted her. In the second adventure, Alison Dare and the Mummy Child, she foils an attempt to steal a mummy at her mother's latest museum exhibition. Alison Dare and the Secret of the Blue Scarab her superhero/librarian father prevents a town from being iced forever by Auntie Freeze.

Three fun adventures of the intrepid school girl in Alison Dare: Little Miss Adventures by J. Torres and . For readers 4th-6th grades and can be found in the graphic novel section of the Children's Room.

WHEN YOU CAN'T GO HOME

From Children's Librarian Jennifer at the Montrose-Crescenta Branch

Where The Streets Had A Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Hayaat’s grandmother, Sitti, likes to tell stories about her home in Jerusalem. Mostly, her eyes brighten when she talks. But when she describes the day – that awful day – her family was forced to move, her expression changes. Hayaat is Palestinian and lives with her grandmother behind the Israeli-built Separation Wall, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. When Sitti falls ill, Hayaat believes it’s her heart, not her body, that’s suffering. It’s this realization that compels Hayaat to make the short but dangerous trip to Jerusalem. With a friend’s help, she vows to bring her grandmother soil from her native land.

In this book, Abdel-Fattah creates a portrait of everyday life in occupied Palestine. But without taking sides. Instead, she shows the strength of the human spirit, even in the most difficult of times. Abdel-Fattah balances the seriousness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with what people naturally use to handle hard things – humor.

An engaging, must-read novel. Grades 5-8

ONE WAY, TWO WAY...THIRTEEN WAY!

Want a fun and relatable book about the crazy things that happen in a usual classroom? Now imagine that all those fun and relatable things are happening without your teacher. The regular teacher is out and a new substitute teacher has taken over the class. Imagine all the pranks and all the endless possibilities of great mishaps that the class can come up with the hope that the substitute teacher will not be as harsh as their regular teacher? Sounds fun ha? THIRTEEN WAYS TO SINK A SUB is by JAMIE GILSON and one you finish reading this book, I am sure that you will be able to come up with more than thirteen ways to "sink a sub."

Warning: Don't try the pranks that you read in this book in your classroom!

For grades 5th and up.

ABRACADABRA!

This is a story of two boys, Darren Jackson and Jamie Jenks, who are looking for the quickest way up the millionaire ladder. Darren works as a giraffe at a nearby pizza joint, miserably dealing with rude, abusive children. Jamie works at a nearby deli, annoying patrons with his great puns and catchy rhymes. When one of the boys' inventions goes crazy, it looks like a pretty dim future. One day, when things are at their worst, the boys stumble upon something that sends their magician careers soaring into fame and fortune! JACKSON & JENKS: MASTER MAGICIANS by actor Dan Frischman is a hilarious book for grades 4 and up.

READING + DEATH = PERFECT SUMMER?

Derek's perfect summer was ruined. His mother did not want to have fun. She wants him to READ! His best friend goes away for a great vacation back East, and he gets to go to a learning camp so he can learn to enjoy reading "real" books. Then he finds out that he almost died when he was a baby and he may have caused the death of the babysitter. He's obsessed with finding out what happened, but his mom is also determined not to let him.

A funny look at one boy's wreck of a summer with stick figure commentaries on the side. My Life as a Book by Janet Tashijian is great read for 5th-8th grade.

THE TRIPLE BANANA SPLIT BOY/EL NIÑO GOLOSO

Enrique’s insatiable sweet tooth is getting out of control and his dad has forbidden him to eat anything sweet. His birthday is coming and Enrique won’t be allowed to help his grandmother with her baking. Since his father has forbidden to eat anything sweet, Enrique comes up with a plan to trick his father’s. Soon his mother catches him up and prepare a plan of her own . Enrique is allow to have desserts only on Mondays and Fridays after school.
Following Monday when they visited the ice cream parlor, Enrique orders a huge triple banana split, with strawberry, chocolate and vanilla scoops of ice cream, nuts, sprinkles and chocolate syrup.Later that night, Enrique is having terrible stomach aches and El Coco , a frightening creature with a huge mouth and sticky hair, haunts his dreams. Vibrant colors, and great facial expressions. Ages 4-9. Written by Lucha Corpi, illustrated by Lisa Fields.

YOU!

For Kyle Chase, things just don't seem to go the way he plans. He is confused whether his actions are being sabotaged or if he is just making the wrong choices in life and hanging out with the wrong people. Because every time that he wants things to go smoothly in his life, they go in the exact opposite directions.

He is not sure if it's because he chooses to hang out with the wrong people or it's because his destiny is set and that there is not much that he can do. There are a lot of unanswered questions in his life and his brain is working too fast to try to figure out what he is not doing accordingly. YOU by CHARLES BENOIT is an excellent, fast paced read that will take you on a cool journey with Kyle while he investigates the things that should have or should have not happened to him.

For grades 7th and up.

IS ORIGAMI YODA MAGIC?

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger.

First of all, this author is an absolute geek or an absolute genius. It's hilarious. Each character's story had me laughing out loud. One day, Dwight, the class weirdo starts giving his friends advice via a paper origami Yoda puppet on his finger. He would spout in a Yoda like voice some bit of wisdom. For example, Tommy wasn't sure if he should ask this girl to dance> Well, Origami Yoda said "Rush in fools do". Basically, no don't do it! Everyone else was saying go ahead. And before he can embarrass himself with the girl AND her BOYFRIEND in front of the entire school, he gets saved by Yoda, cause he stopped to think about it. AND that was what Yoda did for Tommy.

So is the advice of Origami real or not? It seems like a lot of things kids have asked Origami Yoda really came true and the only way to find out for sure is to investigate it scientifically and document it.

A truly funny read about boys and coming of age - falling for girls, standing up for yourself and your friends and what you believe in. Basically, the mystery of growing up but done in a hilarious way- a cross between Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Gary Paulsen's writing. A short read for readers in 6th - 8th grade.

FINALLY

Rory finally is turning 12 years old, which means she’ll be able to participate in many activities previously forbidden by his parents always so overprotective, like getting a cellular phone, shaving her legs, being alone at home, drinking coffee, putting on makeup, piercing her ears, go to parties and many other things. Rory cannot wait for her birthday!. When the big day finally arrives, she makes a list of all her wishes and proudly shows it to everyone. What she doesn’t know is that those experiences will bring disconcerting surprises when she realizes that most things she desires in her list mean more work and responsibilities than she really expected. Funny story perfect for teenagers that are eager to grow up too fast. Grades 4-7. Written by Wendy Mass.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!!!

City Managers across California recently launched an aggressive petition drive and advertising campaign to tell California Legislators and the Governor to listen to the will of the voters and reject budget proposals that would steal local redevelopment funds.

In just three days, more than 3,000 Californians have signed our petition urging Sacramento politicians to listen to the voters. Legislators have taken notice and a budget vote that had been scheduled for today was delayed.

We're making great progress, but we need to do more!

Please help us reach our goal of 5,000 signatures by Friday by signing the petition at http://www.myvotecountsca.org/ and encouraging all of your contacts to do the same.

Please tell as many Californians as you can.


Sign the petition NOW!



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HOW TO BE A VAMPIRE!

If you ever wanted to become a vampire or wanted to know how their world works but were afraid to do so, now is your time. HOW TO BE A VAMPIRE by AMY GRAY is the book for you. This illustrated and colorful book might be too tempting to close so once you open it, than be cautious that you might get hooked.
The book is divided into different sections, such as: vampire etiquette, choosing your vampire name, how to form your own coven and much more. The book also has a chapter on the famous vampires that were in movies and and television shows as well. Additionally, if you like to know how to dress like a vampire, there is a big chapter on that as well.

For grades 7th and up.

DOG WALKER EXTRAORDINAIRE

Since Maggie's twin brother is allergic to dogs, it seemed like a perfect plan when her parents suggested she help out her landlord by walking her dog after she hurt her ankle. One thing led to another and instead of walking just one dog for fun she now walks three dogs and has her own bustling small business and all the troubles that come with a business; jealous competition, more business than she could handle, and mysterious dog disappearances. On top of all this, she must keep it a secret from her parents, help out her ex-best friend and keep her blooming crush on "Milo" under wraps.

Girl's Best Friend: A Maggie Brooklyn Mystery by Leslie Margolis is a fabulous new mystery series for girls who are seriously into dogs. For readers in 5th-8th grade.

EMMA'S RIVER

Ten year-old Emma Wright, her sick mama and her beloved pony Licorice Twist, have boarded the Sally May for a journey that will take them up the Mississippi River to the Missouri River and finally to St. Joseph to meet her dad so they can move to California. They are being escorted by Dr. Burton who is taking care her mother's fragile health. But Emma doesn't like Dr. Burton because he treats her like a bothersome child and always bosses her round. While on the boat, Emma becomes friend with Patrick, an eleven-year-old runaway who recently emigrated from Ireland. Anxious over her pony, Emma is making frequent trips to this place below the main deck that it is forbidden to visit. She is horrified when she discovers that livestock and poor immigrants are crowd together, starving, unclean and exhausted. When the boiler explodes and the steamboat starts sinking, Emma tries to escape from the smoke to find her friend and family. This story is based on a true river disaster in 1854.

Ages 4-6. Written by Alison Hart.

A PAULSEN OLDIE BUT STILL A GOODIE

Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen

This summer, he'll be living with the Larsons, distant relatives of his, on their farm. Every so often, he packs up and get sent off to live with some relative or other due to the fact that his parents are drunks or "puke drunks" as his cousin Harris puts it. living on the farm with foul mouth, mischievous cousin who gets him into all kinds of hilarious scrapes - playing cowboys and Indians with the farm animals, being charged by the farm's bull, kicked unconscious in the head while milking the cow.

A funny and unforgettable summer for Harris and any reader in 4th grade and up.

HOW TO HUG A PORCUPINE

In our lives, there are always some people that are just really hard to get along with. But somehow, these difficult people are perhaps important and we don't really want to let them go from our lives. If this is the case, than HOW TO HUG A PORCUPINE by Dr. DEBBIE JOFFE ELLIS is the book for you. This small and useful book offers a lot of insightful and clever ways in which we can avoid conflict and allow the "quills" not to hurt us as much as they usually do. The tips are easy to follow and offer a very mediating and calming approach in dealing with people that usually would not be as easy. After reading this book, I think that most people would not be bothered or challenged by the not so easy people in our lives.

For grades 4th and up.