TO BE IMMORTAL...

Kezi accidentally sentences herself to death, right as she begins to fall in love with the immortal god of wind, Olus. Being mortal herself, Kezi only wants her mother to become healthy when she sacrifices her own life. Olus, who has watched her from afar for many months, wonders if he can thwart this from happening by making Kezi immortal herself. An adventure that travels through many mythological worlds is Gail Carson Levine's latest attempt at fairy tale greatness, in this book entitled EVER. For grades 5 and up.

A NEW AND IMPROVED MAGICAL ORPHAN!

He lives in an orphanage. He doesn't have a scar, but he does have a strange spiral birthmark on the bottom of his foot. He thinks his name is Ernie Banks, but it's not. He doesn't have a magic wand, but he does have a mysterious crystal acorn that's hung on his neck ever since the mean orphanage mother found him on the doorstep. There's a history to his life that he doesn't even know about. Not until he happens to get sent to a farm for a few weeks in summer, and strange coincidences intermix with crazy monsters, small elf-like creatures, and the first humans to ever show Ernie what it feels like to be loved. PUDDLEJUMPERS by Mark Jean & Christopher C. Carlson is a great story about what one boy does to save an entire species without even knowing it. For 6th grade and up.

GET SET, GO!

The year is coming to an end, and everyone has probably planned what they want to accomplish next year. I bet that one of the first things on your list is to become physically more active in your daily life.

Now... How do we all try to stay motivated and have the drive to make this happen? Real Fitness: 101 Games and Activities to Get Girls Going! from the American Girl series is the perfect pocket book that gives so many fun ideas, from miniature golf to playing mazes to swinklering ( setting up a sprinkle in front of a swing). The book has tons of unique ideas that will definitely inspire you to get going.

For grades 2nd and older.

PEG LEG GIRL PIRATE

Descended from a notorious female pirate? That what Polly is told one night when she is mysteriously transported in her bed in the middle of the night to meet some of her mother's former pirate mates. All they want from her is to take up where her mother left off... her rightful place as The Pirate Queen. Polly never thought adventure and the improper life of piracy was not for her. That kind of life is not for her, but soon she must choose when her life is in jeopardy.

Polly and the Pirates by Ted Naifeh - an unlikely adventure for an unlikely heroine. Fast paced action for a graphic novel readers grades 4th & up.

WATCH OUT FOR METEORITES!!

Something BIG crashed into Brady Steele's home-- a meteorite from outer space. Instead of calling the police, Brady and his dear cousin, Quinn, decide to see Dr. Rip Ripley, an astrobiologist from the museum. Brady's neighbors, Cal, Buzz, and Matt Carver are onto Brady and Quinn and realize that their discovery is something special. They eventually gain possession of the space rock, but little do they know that it has given Brady super agility and speed. Instead of a friendly exchange of hands, the Carver boys pose an ultimate challenge by using their homemade "Destructo" catapult machine. Now it's a race against time for Brady and Quinn to regain possession of the space rock. Will Brady and Quinn succeed in getting the space rock back?

Will Hobb's fiction novel for 5th graders and older is a good novel for those who are seeking a story that includes adventure, humor, and a touch of science fiction. Go Big or Go Home was a fun read. The parts I most loved to read were about Brady and Quinn's love for South Dakota and extreme sports--what awesome cousins!

IT'S A DOG'S LIFE

Dill loves her dog named Dead-End. He only listened to her mom though, and now her mom is ... well, she's not around any more. Dead-End keeps disappearing and rumor has it there's a pack of dogs running around their rural community killing sheep. Dill hopes it's not her dog doing the killing, but she hardly has time to go look for him when she's cooking for her dad who spends all his time at work, and taking care of her grandpa, who hasn't been the same since her mother...left. Not to mention her job at the barn where she does her horseback training. If only her mother were still here. Action packed with tense sadness as its climax driving force, DOG GONE by Cynthia Chapman Willis will have you reluctantly reading through some pretty emotional situations just to find out what happens. For 4th -8th grades.

LAUGH A LOT WITH LANCELOT

The only reason Lancelot wants to become a knight is so he can wear a shiny armor and have everyone admire him. Of course he also becomes the best knight and soon everyone wants to fight him and claim that they are better than Sir Lancelot. But Lancelot soon tires of the fights and retires to a life of a hermit until a jealous knight challenges King Arthur's throne and charges Queen Guinevere with treason. Lancelot must come out of retirement and battle to save the queen and kingdom!

This is a fun and light-hearted Arthurian tale retold by the writer of many other previous Arthurian novels for kids. The Adventure Sir Lancelot the Great by Gerald Morris is under 100 pages and perfect for a reluctant reader or one who loves adventures with a big dose of humor. For readers in 3rd - 4th grade.

A new and upcoming series, Knights' Tales.

WHERE I LIVE!

Meet Diana! She is fun, full of live, observant and energetic. She enjoys everything in life, from big things to small. She loves the fact that she is able to wave at her best friend everyday since their windows are facing one another. She is loved by her parents and peers.

Slowly, the laughter disappears from her house and her parents stop talking to each other the way they use to. She finds out that her parent's are not getting a divorce... however, a family situation is forcing them to change their way of living.

WHERE I LIVE by EILEEN SPINELLI and the illustrations by MATH PHELAN is written in free verse and is a bittersweet story about all things that life offers.

For grades 4th and older.

A NECESSARY JOURNEY

Though based on real facts dug up from the National Archives and conversation with his father and other relatives, Laurence Yep spins another vivid story of how his father came to settle permanently in San Francisco. Despite the fact that his father was a U.S. citizen, anyone entering the country from China in the early 1900s was interrogated thoroughly down to the most minute details about their home and family in order to prove they were who they said they were. Although the journey to Gold Mountain (that's what Chinese workers called California) was difficult it was worth it to find work and send money back to their families in the very poor villages of southern China.

The Dragon's Child: A Story of Angel Island by Laurence Yep, a memorable and heartbreaking story of one child's immigration experience. For readers in 4th and older and those looking for a great California story.

COMING SOON ORIGAMI

Twelve-year-old Angela is not thrilled about summer this year because she is being sent down to Los Angeles to spend it with her grandparents and aunt. While there she is expected to spend time working in the families flower shop and helping fold the origami cranes for the 1001 crane displays for newlyweds. All of it is a lot harder than she expected specially the folding part. What she did not expect was the news her mother gave her about her family before she left her with the grandparents.

Over the summer Angela learns not only to fold cranes that pass grandmother's inspection but also how to make it in a new situation in 1001 CRANES BY NAOMI HIRAHARA. For grades 5-8.

GIVE ME SHELTER!

Living in the United States is a privilege that so many people take for granted. There are wars, hunger, displacement and violence all over the world that affects the human spirit in ways that one can not describe. Children especially are the once that suffer the most in this horrible situations. GIVE ME SHELTER: STORIES ABOUT CHILDREN WHO SEEK ASYLUM is edited by TONY BRADMAN and is about just that. Children that tried to escape war-torn countries in treacherous times are captured very vividly in these thought provoking chapters that will change your mind not only about immigration but also about the strenght of the human spirit.

For grades 4th and up.

PEELING BACK THE LAYERS = INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM

Hildy Biddle and the other reporters on her high school newspaper are young but not stupid. Knowing something rotten is going on with the town newspaper and the Ludlow property, the teen reporters are determined to get to the core of the "mysterious haunting" at the old abandoned house and reveal the truth before fear overtakes the whole town. A uplifting story of growth, determination and and justice in the face of daunting odds.

Peeled by Joan Bauer is an engaging story for 6th - high schoolers looking for something different yet inspiring to read.

SPACE PATROL

In ONE SMALL STEP by P.B. Kerr thirteen-year-old Scott is obsessed with flying and dreams of one day becoming an astronaut. His father, a pilot for the Air Force, feeds that dream and teaches him how to fly. Scott has a natural talent for flying and when his father takes him up in one of the super-fast jets and lets him handle the controls it is the start of the biggest adventure of his life. An adventure that involves him in one of NASA's biggest top secret missions.

For grades 5-8.

THIS IS WHAT I READ

Logan has a reputation that preceeds him at his new school because of something terrible that happened with his old best friend Zyler. He tries to act like everything is normal, but the bullying he experiences and the way his parents act around him just makes his life miserable. As his school year progresses, Logan learns ways to escape his tormentors and process his feelings. I find that I really like books that don't tell you too much information at the beginning of the story. Books that have a personality you have to get to know before you finish the story are always more entertaining for me than those that tell you everything you need to know about a main character before the end of the first chapter. THIS IS WHAT I DID by Ann Dee Ellis is one of those books. The theme is similar to the book SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson as far as it's controversial subject matter, but is reflected through the eyes of an eigth grade boy. Definitely worth reading, but this book is really only appropriate for 7th and 8th grades.

TALE OF A MERMAID

A mermaid who doesn't know how to swim and thinks that she is afraid of the water doesn't sound likely does it? In Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler the reader meets Emily and her mother who live on a boat surrounded by water yet Emily does not know how to swim. Her mother has always objected to her learning how and when she finally agrees to let her join the swim class at school their lives are set on a course that will bring about major changes and the revelation of a big secret.

For grades 5-8.

A BORING MAINE SUMMER (NOT REALLY)

The Legend of Old Salty is for comic book readers and those who love a bizzare and outrageous adventure.

Jack and Benny are dragged to Chowder Bay for the summer by their parents. In this New England town, their father insists on first stopping to get the traditional sweets, salt water taffy. When the candy store is robbed, the boys follow the trail of taffy wrappers only to discover that the thieves are lobsters stealing taffy for the big queen lobster, Old Salty, the legendary Sea Monster of Chowder Bay. All must do her bidding.

Jack and Benny and Angus, the old fisherman, must battle Old Salty in that age old struggle for power and taffy.

Salt Water Taffy: The Seaside Adventures of Jack and Benny. The Legend of Old Salty, V. 1 by Matthew Loux. For readers in 2nd-5th.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR...

Let's say you are out in the ocean fishing and caught a turtle that could make all your wishes come true. What would you ask for? Would you ask for simple things or almost impossible things?

In this newly adapted tale from the Grimm Brothers, the fisherman and his wife are always in disagreement. One wants the fancy things in life while the other wants only the simple things. Can she actually get her impossible wishes and can he stop her from wanting them?

I grant you the time to read the story.

THE FISHERMAN AND THE TURTLE adapted by ERIC A. KIMMEL and illustrated by MARTHA AVILES.

For grades 2nd through 4th.

A CAT'S LIFE IN EAST L.A.

Chato is a hungry “low-riding” cat from East Los Angeles, whose new neighbors are a family of tasty mice. At first, the mice are afraid of Chato, but he pretends to be friendly and invites the family to dinner. Chato and his equally hungry friend Novio Boy are delighted that so many mice are coming to be their dinner and they prepare a huge fancy feast to accompany the main course. Both cats are very surprised at the mice family's special guest! CHATO'S KITCHEN by Gary Soto does a wonderful job of integrating the multilingual heritage of Chato and the other characters throughout the book. Especially helpful is the glossary at the front of the book, explaining certain Spanish words that appear at various times in the book, and also describes some of the food Chato and Novio Boy prepare for the feast. A great story for 2nd - 4th grades .

A TURNING POINT IN HISTORY

There was a time when kids went outside to play, made up imaginary games evoking historical characters and aliens from the future, families went on road trips in search of gold, radiation was still a new treatment for cancer, and cancer was still mysterious. In THE LUCKY PLACE by Zu Vincent, families are becoming visibly dysfunctional through the eyes of Cassie, spanning ten years from age three to thirteen. There's Old Daddy, the drunk, and New Daddy, the one Cassie likes better. Jaime, her older brother, is not happy about New Daddy, but escapes his anger and frustration by taking as many dance classes as possible. There are complex relationships rich with emotion, told from a soft, gentle, very human perspective. This book will capture the attention of 5th grades and up.

AUTHOR AT THE LIBRARY

When: Saturday, November 15, 2008, 2:00 p.m.

Where: Central Library Auditorium
222 East Harvard Street
Glendale, Ca 91205

Tony Johnston will be here to talk about her book Any Small Goodness and also to sign your personal copy. For additional questions, please call (818) 548-2035.

Copies of the book will be available for sale to benefit the Friends of the Library on the day of the author talk.