ONE BAD APPLE IS ALL IT TAKES

Seamus was always a good kid.  He rarely got into trouble, and never for anything serious.  He was in trouble for things like not cleaning his room or trying to skip out of class 7 minutes early to be in line first for Fish Stick Tuesday.  But now, Seamus is a criminal.  It was all an accident.  He was trying to help when he threw the apple across the cafeteria at Miss Parsippany.  But now there's no bringing Miss Parsippany back, and there's no going back to the life he once knew when his parents drop him off at Kilter Academy, the best reform school in the country.

Little do Seamus' parents know, however, that Kilter doesn't punish trouble-making, they reward it, and in fact encourage and teach the trouble makers of the future.  Too bad Seamus isn't a natural-born trouble maker, despite being Kilter Academy's only Murderer.  Trouble just seems to find him.  To pass his classes though, Seamus must learn to become a trouble maker, and as he does so, he becomes Kilter's star pupil, along with is pyromaniac roommate and new best friend.  Together, they uncover and disrupt the secrets and staff at Kilter Academy in the first Merits of Mischief book, The Bad Apple by T.R. Burns.  This book is good for trouble-makers and aspiring trouble-makers in 6th grade and up.

THE MYSTERY IS IN THE DETAILS

He's innocent.  Wayne Connelly is innocent of bringing and shooting the gun in the school cafeteria.  Colin knows this because there was frosting all over the gun.  Now he just has to find convince Wayne, his own personal bully since the First Grade, to work with him to find proof of his innocence.  High schooler, Colin has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of auttism, but he knows how to investigate and just like his hero, Sherlock Holmes, he must investigate and solve this mystery.  

Colin Fischer by two local authors, Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz, is a fast read, if one skips all the footnotes.  For readers in 6th-9th grade.  

BOOT & SHOE - AN UNFORGETEABLE DOG ADVENTURE

BOOT AND SHOE are adorable dogs who are quite content with their home life.  They each eat out of the same bowl, relieve themselves on the same tree, and sleep on their respective porches.  When a menacing squirrel interrupts their routines, their day changes from calm to chaotic.  Will Boot and Shoe ever be the same?  MARLA FRAZEE's story and brilliant illustrations will take you on quite an adventure.  How DOES she do it?  For more rollicking adventures, check out ROLLER COASTER.  

For readers of all ages.

WILD ISLAND ADVENTURE

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

Setting dragons free is dangerous work, but in Ruth Stiles Gannett’s My Father’s Dragon, somebody’s gotta do it. That somebody is a little boy named Elmer Elevator; and his story is told in the voice of his very proud son, also a little boy. It all begins when Elmer brings home a stray cat. The cat tells Elmer about a young dragon being held captive and in servitude as the new rapid transit vehicle between the islands of Tangerina and Wild Island. Elmer quickly packs a bag with seemingly random items, and he and the cat are off on an adventure. 

There are many hazards on the road to rescue, but in true folklore tradition, each of the packed items gets the travelers out of trouble just as disaster is about to strike, until the dragon is rescued. This gentle, imaginative, witty Newbery Honor (1949) adventure is suitable for episodic read-aloud times, at home or in the classroom.

For readers ages 5-10.  

SAVE THE DATE FOR AUTHOR VISIT

We're having a book launch with Janet and Jake Tashijian at the Central Library on MAY 8th at 4PM.   Co-host and local bookstore, Once Upon a Time will have books available for sale.  Come and meet this great mother and son writing team and check out their new book, My Life as a Cartoonist.  I know there are readers out there who have been waiting anxiously for the latest sequel. 

WHERE IN THE LIBRARY IS WALDO?!

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We're three days into celebrating Waldo's 25th year and a lot of kids have already found Waldo, his friends and their lost things. Wandering somewhere at the Central Library today, will be two Waldos. See if you can find them, take a photo and then post it to the Children's Room facebook wall.  Keep your eyes peeled because you might see some other Waldo wannabes in the building.   

Look for him here.  Look for him there.  Look for WALDO everywhere!

IT'S NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK!

Celebrate this special week with Waldo, who turned 25 years old.  Come to the Children's Room at Central, Montrose or Casa Verdugo branches and help us search for the wandering Waldo in this very momentous year.

It's also a fine free week so bring in those overdue books and your fines will be forgiven. 

THE POWER OF THE BEAN

There are so many superheroes that at times; it is really hard to remember who has what power.  And on top of all these superheroes, apparently there is more need to invent new and exciting once. Or at least this is what one of the major comic publication companies is trying to do in this super funny and super cool book called, THE ADVENTURES OF BEANBOY by LISA HARKRADER.

   Tucker MacBean is not a superhero; however he is a boy in middle school whose love for comic books and superheroes exceeds most of the powers that he reads about.  His only true escape in life is to finish reading as many books as he can get his hands on.  In addition, things at home are not going the way Tucker wants, especially when his divorced parents haven’t stopped bickering at each other, his mom who is constantly preoccupied with everything but him and on top of all these, he is being bullied with none other than a girl who can’t even form a proper sentence. 

   So you can imagine the excitement and the thrill he feels when in one of his favorite comic books, the publishers are calling for a contest to create a new comic hero and what is really nice about this contest, is that the winner will receive a full scholarship to attend a university.  Tucker sees this his only way out to have a more exciting life; after all he pretty much knows what makes a true comic book character a superhero…

However, creating a superhero is not as easy as he imagined and not all characters can be as good as he thought…

This is truly a fun and adventures story that will literally put a smile on your face and will make you think twice about the power of beanJ

For  grades 5^th and up.

CRAZY CALVIN COCONUT

Calvin Coconut hears the word "responsibility" a lot.  His mom is always giving him new responsibilities since his dad moved to Las Vegas to become a famous singer and never came back, making Calvin the man of the house.  The problem with all this responsibility is that Calvin gets into trouble - a lot.  The first day of fourth grade arrives and Calvin gets into trouble at every turn.  There's a food fight, an issue with a centipede, and a big bully who won't leave Calvin alone, causing him to forget to pick up his little sister from school.  To top it all off, Calvin's mom tells him that they will have a teenage girl coming to live with them from Texas.  His mom says she'll be nice, but as soon as Calvin meets her, he knows there's going to be more trouble involved.  Especially when she tells him that if he doesn't watch out, she's going to show him what "Texas Nice" really means.

Join Calvin and his friends as they grow up and get into trouble in Hawai'i on the island of O'ahu.  Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet by Graham Salisbury is a great fit for voracious 3rd grade readers and all readers in 4th - 5th grade.

NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK WITH WALDO

Who doesn't love to search for Waldo in the ever popular Where's Waldo books by Martin Handford.   Waldo is now 25 years old and still wandering the world.  In honor of Waldo and National Library Week, the Children's Room at the Central Library, the Casa Verdugo branch and the Montrose branch will have Waldo scavenger hunts.   Just come to the reference desks and ask to go on a search for the man in the red and white stripes.  The hunts will happen from Monday, April 15 through Saturday, April 20. 

The hunts will be slightly different at each branch so ask us for the rules.  Check out our facebook page and this blog for some more Waldo updates. 

A ROMANCE FOR JANE AUSTEN OR BRITISH FANS

...then you have to read this.  Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl is absolutely predictable but still a good fast read.   Seventeen years-old Miss Crawley must marry but she can't marry just anyone. It must be someone wealthy.  Her grandfather has left them a crumbling faux castle at the edge of a cliff in Yorkshire County England and in order to keep her young brother (the heir) mother and two stepsisters in food, clothes warm, and a roof over their heads along with the staff, she has to make a decent match but of course she has no dowry, only her beauty.  

Althea almost always speaks her mind and because of misunderstandings, prejudices and  circumstances it looks like she and her family may lose everything.  For a bit of British romance in the style of Jane Austen, pick up this light-hearted book and bury yourself under the blankets for a few hours.  For mature readers in 6th and up. 

YOU NEED YOUR LUNGS TO BREATHE...

...You need your brain to think, you need your heart to love. A long, long, time ago, well okay, 1940, it wasn't always easy to breathe. A terrible outbreak of the disease tuberculosis has taken over the bodies of many United States citizens. Men, women and children were dying if they didn't get help quick. This is what happens to Evvy, only her family thinks it is best if she goes to Loon Lake - a place just for people who have tuberculosis! Evvy is put into a room with four other sick girls, and the story talks all about what it's like living and dying with this disease. BREATHING ROOM  by Marsha Hayles is not a horror story, even though bad things happen. It IS a good historical fiction with interesting pictures and posters from that era. Evvy becomes good friends with many that come and go, and learns a lot about the importance of breathing. For 5th through 8th grades.

February 2013

LIBRARY IS CLOSED ...

Sunday, March 30, 2013 for Easter Sunday.  The Glendale Public Library will be open on Monday April 1, at 10 AM. 

LONG LOST PRINCE

Conner, a nobleman of the court, adopts four orphan boys on his quest to find the one who will take on the role of Carthya’s long lost prince.  With the death of the King, the county is divided and civil war is imminent.  Conner has little time to train these boys and ultimately select the one who will take the identity of the prince. But in order for his plan to succeed, the boy Conner selects has to convince the county the twenty regions that he is their resurrected prince.

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, is book one of the thrilling Ascendance Trilogy.  This book is a page turner; I would recommend it for students who enjoy suspense and survival.  Following the story with Sage, one of the orphan boys and narrator, readers get to experience what it was like for the boys to compete for their lives.  Readers will also enjoy the unexpected turns this story takes. 

For readers in grades 4-8.

 

DRAGON SPEAR

After a battle between good and evil, a vast number of dragons find a new and peaceful life in an area far from Feravel.  When Creel, Heroine of the Dragon Wars and her beloved Luca visits her dragon family, they are overwhelmed with joy; the dragons are content and the queen dragon is due to have her own baby dragons!  Unfortunately, a misguided dragon kidnaps the queen with the hope that there will be a new leader.  Will Creel find her in time?  An exciting battle ensues.  This is an exciting end to Jessica Day George's beloved dragon trilogy.  

For 4th grade and up.

GRIMMEST OF THE GRIMM



This is not a story for the faint of heart or gentle of spirit. What we’ve come to know and love as fairy tales are a far cry from the original Grimm’s tales that have inspired countless Disney films and picture books. But, in reality, Grimm’s fairy tales are the stuff nightmares are made of. In fact, few people know about the more gory elements found in Cinderella or Rapunzel. Check out a copy of the original Grimm’s stories to see for yourself.

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz follows Hansel and Gretel from the well-known candy house though several other Grimm’s tales (some familiar, some not). The narrator lets you know right from the start that things will not be easy and painless for Hansel and Gretel. It’s a dark and scary world out there in fairytale land, and the pair will need to keep their wits about them in order to survive. Their story is one of bravery and forgiveness in the face of betrayal and danger. As the narrator tells us in the first chapter, “…the land of Grimm can be a harrowing place. But, it is worth exploring. For, in life, it is in the darkest zones one finds beauty and the most luminous wisdom.”

So, if Goosebumps fails to thrill you, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark makes you yawn, and you can read Cirque du Freak in the dark, all alone, on a dark and stormy night, then A Tale Dark and Grimm may just be the book for you.

For grades 5 and up.

READING IS DELICIOUS...BUT NOT FROM A CAN

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

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

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

For readers in 6th and up.  

SPEAKING OF TOADS...

Once Upon a Toad by Heather Vogel Frederick, author of Mother-Daughter Book Club series is a funny, twisted, and updated version of the classic fairytale, Diamonds and Toads.  When Cat's mother is suddenly tapped to go into space, Cat gets sent to live  with her father and stepmom.  Worse, she's sharing a room with Olivia, her stepsister, the bane of her existence.   When her fairy godmother tries to help make things better, things turned out worse.  Worse than having a horrible stepsister is having toads come out of your mouth each and every single time you speak.  Then that same stepsister spouts jewels when she speaks instead is just beyond acceptable.  

This is a great read for those who want  a more grown-up version of the beloved fairytale.   For readers in 6th-8th.  

MURDER, KIDNAPPING, AND...BAD WIGS?

Mo LoBeau isn’t your typical tween. Abandoned at birth during a raging hurricane, she’s being raised by The Colonel and Miss Lana, eccentric café proprietors with amnesia issues and a penchant for tacky wigs. But Mo’s life gets a whole lot stranger when a police detective arrives in her small North Carolina town investigating a murder . . . and her best friend Dale turns out to be a prime suspect!  

As Three Times Lucky unfolds, Mo and Dale launch their own detective agency and attempt to track down the real killer. They navigate a crazy world of sneaky cops, stolen cash, phone taps, and deep-fat-fried Oreos with considerable skills and smarts. When The Colonel and Miss Lana go missing, though, the Desperado Detectives find themselves in over their heads, wondering who they can trust. 

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage is Newbery Honor book, an action-packed murder mystery with a heart of gold, and a great read for fifth to eighth graders.

 

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES IN... DRAGON FLIGHT

All is calm in Feravel until a scorned brother devises a plan to become the King of the Dragons.  When his plan is unveiled, the Heroine of the Dragon Wars makes a desperate plea to friends and strangers to help her in the fight.  Will she have to fight alone against evil?  Another fantasy adventure by Jessica Day George.  

For 4th grade and up.