Ages: 10-14 | THE EMPTY MIRROR
by James Lincoln Collier When Nick can’t see his reflection in the lake, he thinks he must be crazy. He can see other things reflected, like the trees and his friend Gypsy, so he doesn’t understand what’s happening. Soon Nick is blamed for all kinds of trouble around town. He suspects some other boy who looks like him is the culprit, but no one will believe him—after all, he has a reputation for being a troublemaker. Determined to prove his innocence, Nick and Gypsy find themselves searching for a dead boy, a boy whose life is connected to Nick’s through his death, a boy who feels Nick owes him, literally, everything. Award-winning author James Lincoln Collier has written a haunting story of two boys—one alive, one a ghost—who confront each other in a battle to determine who is the more deserving of the one life they seem to share.
|
|
Ages: 10-13 | BECOMING NAOMI LEON
by Pam Munoz Ryan I always thought that the biggest trial in my life was my name, Naomi Guadalupe Zamora Outlaw, but little did I know that it was the least of my problems, or that someday I would live up to it. One evening, everything Naomi has known with Gram and her little brother begins to unravel. Naomi's mother wants to kidnap her. Gram is willing to go to the end of the earth to save Naomi, but will that be enough? A quiet life in Lemon Tree, California, becomes a runaway journey to find an estranged father in exotic Oaxaca, Mexico.
|
|
Teachers/Parents/Kids Ages 7-10 | SHOW, DON'T TELL!
by Josephine Nobisso Innovative yet accessible writing strategies appropriate for both fiction and nonfiction are presented in this enchanting tale of a writing lion who holds court for a cast of animal friends. Aspiring writers learn the essential nature of nouns and adjectives and how to use them to express their individual visions so that they "show and don't tell" every time. Writing lessons are cleverly integrated into a tale that incorporates a sound chip, a scratch-and-sniff patch, and a tactile object to engage the aspiring writer's five senses in fun proofs. ORDER HERE ABOUT JOSEPHINE NOBISSO |
|
Young Adult |
REAL TIME
by Pnina Moed Kass Sixteen-year-old Thomas Wanninger is on a mission: to find
out what his grandfather, a Nazi officer, did during World War II.
Thomas is going to Israel to work on a kibbutz, where he will have
access to a Jerusalem archive that may hold the information he seeks.
His life is one of many to be affected by a terrorist attack that
occurs at 11:47 A.M. on the day he arrives. Kibbutz members, a doctor,
"the boss" of a diner, two Palestinian teenagers and their families, a
bus driver, policemen, a news correspondent, an Israeli soldier, a
Holocaust survivor . . . these and others add their voices to the
minute-by-minute account of a catastrophic incident that changes
everything, while at the same time renewing a deadly cycle of sacrifice
and destruction. Pnina Kass, who lives in Israel, delivers an
even-handed and powerful portrayal of the complex world her characters
inhabit. Chilling, suspenseful, and frighteningly real, this novel
could be the back story behind tomorrow"s news.
--Clarion Books 2004 READ INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ORDER HERE |
|
All Ages |
SKIN AGAIN
by Bell Hooks The skin I'm in is just a covering. It cannot tell my story. The skin I'm in is just a covering. If you want to know who i am You have got to come inside And open your heart way wide. Celebrating all that makes us unique and different, Skin Again offers new ways to talk about race and identity. Race matters, but only so much-what's most important is who we are on the inside. Looking beyond skin, going straight to the heart, we find in each other the treasures stored down deep. Learning to cherish those treasures, to be all we imagine ourselves to be, makes us free. Skin Again celebrates this freedom.
--Jump at the Sun Press 2004 READ MORE |
|
Ages: 6-8 |
TWENTY-ONE ELEPHANTS
Phil Bildner LeUyen Pham, Illustrator Step right up, ladies and gents.
Believe the unbelievable and dream the impossible because Hannah, the little girl with big dreams, is coming your way. Come and see for yourself her bold acts of bravery, her courageous conviction as she proves to the world that the Brooklyn Bridge is safe to cross. But she can't do it alone. P. T. Barnum and his parade of twenty-one elephants provide a spectacular show that will save the day! Impossible, you say? Then you'll have to look inside. You won't want to miss this, the greatest show on earth.
|
|
Young Adult |
THE FLAME TREE
by Richard Lewis Isaac Williams, twelve-year-old son of American doctors at a mission hospital in Java, Indonesia, is certain that his friendship with Ismail Sutanto is as solid and enduring as the majestic flame tree in the yard. But the haven of their small world is shattered when a fundamentalist Islamic organization begins to threaten the hospital. Terrorists infiltrate, the State Department orders an evacuation, bombs ex-plode, and Isaac is taken hostage.
The experience embitters Isaac. He knows that he should forgive those who have hurt him, yet he doesn't think that he can. His life is changed forever, but will it be forever crippled by his bitterness? Set against the backdrop of September 11, 2001, The Flame Tree is a fierce novel of friendship, faith, and forgiveness. Richard Lewis tells a story that is at once timely and timeless, one that has the power to move hearts and open eyes.
|
|
Ages: 7-9 |
MYSTERY AT THE CLUB SANDWICH
by Doug Cushman Lola Gale has lost her marbles. Literally. Nick Trunk, private investigator, has been hired to find them. He"s a very good detective, but this case is a tough nut to crack. The only clues are an ostrich feather and lots of peanut butter—delicious peanut butter. Will Nick be able to solve this sticky crime? Monochromatic illustrations give this hilarious whodunit the dramatic feel of an old black-and-white movie, while endearing animals characters, plentiful P.I. and peanut puns, and a suspenseful but-not-too-hard-to-follow mystery make this a crime story that"s hard to put down.
|
|
Ages: 7-12 |
THE SEA, THE STORM AND THE MANGROVE TANGLE
by Lynne Cherry Ever threatened by hurricanes and even more by human destruction, the mangroves of our planet are endangered, but in Lynne Cherry's richly illustrated story one such habitat survives, giving readers hope and inspiration for preservation of these ecosystems in the real world.
|
|
by Ann Bausum Ages: 12 Up CLICK ON BOOK COVER FOR MORE INFO |
by Eileen Christelow Ages: 8-10 CLICK ON BOOK COVER FOR MORE INFO |
by Linda Granfield Ages: 9-11 CLICK ON BOOK COVER FOR MORE INFO |
Ages: 6-8 |
SWEET TOOTH
by Margie Palatini Jack E. Davis, Illustrator Stewart has an unrelenting sweet tooth that has a mind of its own (and a voice too) ….
"I NEED A CANDY BAR. NOW-OW!" It's embarrassing to Stewart and he has to find a way to fight back. Lots of kids have a sweet tooth. But not like Stewart's. His very loud sweet tooth wants what it wants, when it wants it...and lets everyone know about it. Stewart's sweet tooth screams for cake at weddings, for candy during class, and torments him at the movies. Stewart has had enough, and he's bringing out the big guns -- a carrot. Can he stand up to the most annoying sweet tooth in history?
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ages: 4-7 |
WALLACE'S LISTS
by Barbara Bottner Over-Programmed Kids/Trying New Experiences/Unlikely Friends/Spontaneity Wallace, a mouse, could do almost anything. Anything that is, as long as he had a list.
1. Wallace is a shy mouse.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ages: 3-7 |
CHICKA CHICKA 1 2 3
by Bill Martin Jr, Michael Sampson, Lois Ehlert One-hundred-and-one numbers climb the apple tree in this bright, rollicking, joyous book for young children. As the numerals pile up and bumblebees threaten, what’s the number that saves the day? (Hint: It rhymes with "hero"!) Read and count and play and laugh to learn the surprising answer. A specatular follow-up to the two-million-copy best-seller Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, this is the book for any child learning to count.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Young Adult |
GANGSTA RAP
by Benjamin Zephaniah School, what school?
Ray has trouble at home and trouble at school. It's the last straw for everyone when Ray and his friends Prem and Tyrone are permanently suspended. But they know what they want, more than most, perhaps. Their headmaster decides to give them a second chance, a chance to live their dream of forming a rap group. Through a specialized social program, the boys are taught the business of the music industry, what it takes to record an album, and how to lay down a track. Within weeks they have become the Positive Negatives, and within a few months they have signed a record deal and are on their way to the top. But their dream soon becomes a nightmare as violence escalates around them. Suddenly, not only their careers but their very lives are at stake. The Positive Negatives are determined to prove that you don't need to be a gangster to be a great rapper.
--Bloomsbury USA Children's Books 2004 READ MORE |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ages 5-9 |
THE TOUGHEST COWBOY or HOW THE WILD WEST WAS TAMED
by John Frank Zachary Pullen, Illustrator How do you tame the roughest, toughest pack of cowboys to ever ride the open range?
Do Not miss the fun in this book! |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BEYOND THE DEEPWOODS by Paul Stewart Chris Riddell, Illustrator Ages: 9-12 Twig knows that he is different than everyone else in the Woodtroll community in which he has been raised. When he discovers that his family found him abandoned in the Deepwoods, Twig embarks upon a journey of self-discovery and realizes what the world beyond the Deepwoods is like. But along the way to finding out where his roots lie, Twig will meet a motley crew of creatures who help him get to where he needs to be.
Meet the Caterbird, the Slaughterers, Rotsucker, the Banderbear, goblins, the evil Gloamglozer, and more as Twig goes beyond the Deepwoods.
--David Fickling Books 2004 READ MORE |
STORMCHASERS by Paul Stewart Chris Riddell, Illustrator Ages: 9-12 Twig and his fellow sky pirates are on the adventure of a lifetime. They must save the floating city of Sanctaphrax from breaking its chains and floating away forever. The only way to keep the city grounded is through stormphrax, a substance created at the heart of the most brutal storms. And, a substance which has almost been depleted. Now it is up to the Stormchaserto live up to its name and save the city from total destruction.
Once again, Twig meets a new cast of characters including Mother Horsefeather, the Professor of Light and Darkness, the Sepia Knight, and the evil Screed Toe-Taker.
--David Fickling Books 2004 READ MORE |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ages: 8-12 |
LOOKING FOR BOBOWICZ
by Daniel Pinkwater When Nick moved from the leafy suburbs to muggy, urban Hoboken and his bike was stolen, he wasn't pleased.
Then he found * a place where he could listen to pirate radio
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Young Adult |
INVENTING ELLIOT
by Graham Gardner When Elliot Sutton arrives at Holminster High, he is determined not to stand out. He simply can’t let himself become a target like he was at his last school. He’s going to invent a whole new Elliot. The new Elliot is tough, impenetrable. The new Elliot shows no fear.
Enter the Guardians, a group of upperclassmen who secretly rule over Holminster with a quiet and anonymous terror. Obsessed with George Orwell’s book 1984, they desire power for the sake of power. And strangely enough, they also want Elliot. Not to terrorize . . . but to become one of them. Gripping in its psychological understanding, this unflinching novel takes you deep into the mind of a boy who is coming to understand the nature of absolute power and its inevitable casualties, and also finding a bit of his own strength along the way.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ages: 5-8 |
HOT DAY ON ABBOTT AVENUE
by Karen English Javaka Steptoe, Illustrator It's the hottest, stickiest day of the summer. A fat-sun-in-the-sky day. An eating-ice-pops-on-the-porch day. And for Kishi and Renee, it's a best-friends-breakup day. Each girl sits on her own front porch, waiting for the other to apologize, even though they know they'll never speak to each other again, no matter how bored they get. But then the sounds of feet slapping the pavement and voices chanting double-dutch rhymes drift up the avenue, and neither one can resist going out in the street to play.
This lyrical friendship story, the first collaboration of two outstanding artists, pairs a rhythmic text with distinctive collage illustrations. Its subtle message about sharing and forgiveness will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced the ups and downs of being, and having, a best friend.
Ages: 6-9 CREATURE CARNIVAL
| by Marilyn Singer Step right up and buy your ticket to a carnival like no other…
SEE the Fly-He Was Once a Guy! RIDE the Amazing Winged Horse, Pegasus! GUESS the Sphinx's Deadly Riddle! KISS the Frog Prince! LISTEN to the Carnivorous Chorus! TRY YOUR LUCK with Brer Rabbit's Games of Chance! This collection of twenty-six poems features some of the creepiest, funniest, most bizarre, and fascinating creatures from myth, legend, and popular culture. --Hyperion Books for Children 2004 READ MORE 
Ages: 5-8 MY FAVORITE THING (ACCORDING TO ALBERTA)
|
by Emily Jenkins "What you like and who you are, these are not the same. But they are not so very different either." Alberta likes what she likes.
Big dogs: NO Small dogs: YES Grapefruit: NO Gummy candies: YES Her favorite color is orange. And her favorite vegetable is potato chip. She likes baths. And boats. But none of these is her favorite thing of all. What could it be, then, her favorite thing? --An Anne Schwartz Book - Atheneum Books for Young Readers - May 2004 ORDER HERE 
Young Adult FACE RELATIONS: ELEVEN STORIES ABOUT SEEING BEYOND COLOR
|
Edited by Marilyn Singer Why can't a white kid sit with the black kids in the cafeteria?
What happens when a biracial girl from Trinidad falls for a guy from a very different culture? does a teen deal with being the only Palestinian boy or the only Japanese girl in a small American town? Face Relations offers eleven original works by celebrated authors Joseph Bruchac, Marina Budhos, M.E. Kerr, Kyoko Mori, Jess Mowry, Naomi Shihab Nye, Rene Saldana, Jr., Marilyn Singer, Rita Williams-Garcia, Sherri Winston, and Ellen Wittlinger that explore the possibilities of embracing diversity in a world still rife with bigotry and racism. As editor Marilyn Singer writes in her introduction: "…the characters in these stories tear down the barriers that separate us." Their stories may be troubled, funny, sad, or fierce, but all are full of hope.
Young Adult TREE GIRL
|
by Ben Mikaelsen They call Gabriela Tree Girl.
Laj Ali Re Jayub in her native language of Quiché. Gabi climbs trees to be within reach of the eagles and watch the sun rise into an empty sky. She is at home among the outstretched branches of the Guatemalan forests.
Then one day from the safety of a tree, Gabi witnesses the sights and sounds of an unspeakable massacre. She sees rape and murder -- the ravages of guerrilla warfare. She vows to be Tree Girl no more. Earthbound, she joins the hordes of refugees struggling to reach the Mexican border. She has lost her whole family; her entire village has been wiped out. Yet she clings to the hope that she will be reunited with her youngest sister, Alicia. Over dangerous miles and months of hunger, thirst, and the threat of more violence from soldiers, Gabriela’s search for Alicia and for a safe haven becomes a search for self. Having turned her back on her own identity, can she hope to claim a new life? This novel is based on a true story told to the author one night by the real Tree Girl in a secure safe house in Guatemala.
Ages 3-7 WHILE YOU WERE AWAY
|
by Eileen Spinelli Ages 3-7 At times a loved one may be far, far away, but that special person is never far from mind and heart. Whether you share thoughts, memories, photographs, or favorite songs, thee are many ways to find comfort when you miss someone you love.
Eileen Spinelli's lyrical, supportive text and Renee Graef's tender, uplifting illustrations combine to create a reassuring book about separation and reunion.
Young Adult
|
SISTER SLAM by Linda Oatman High Laura Crapper is way past chunky.
Award-winning author Linda Oatman High
has brought the world of slam poetry to life
in this roller coaster ride through the perils of life, love, and road trips.
-- Bloomsbury Children's Books 2004 READ MORE 
Young Adult VOTE FOR LARRY
|
by Janet Tashjian Recipe for Getting Elected
Mix one part Internet guru-in-hiding with two couldn't-be-more-different women, stir in aged mortal enemy and political system in need of massive over-haul. Add ranting speeches and bake on the campaign trail until Yours Truly turns eighteen. Serves 202 million registered voters.
--Henry Holt, May 2004 As current and fresh as the 2004 Bush vs. Kerry Presidential election. See what an almost 18 year old thinks of our political system as he runs for office. A great read! MORE HERE 
Young Adult NAMES WILL NEVER HURT ME
|
by Jaime Adoff IN THIS GRIPPING STORY, set on the one-year anniversary of the shooting death of a student; four very different teens reveal their deepest feelings and fears during a day in which the hurts and struggles of high school escalate dangerously... Here are 4 kids you should get to know.
TISHA . . .
RYAN . . .
KURT . . .
Ages: 5-10 ELIZA AND THE DRAGONFLY
|
by Susie Caldwell Rinehart Anisa Claire Hovemann, Illustrator When a dragonfly lands on her toothbrush, Eliza goes to a nearby pond with her bug-loving Aunt Doris. There in the pond she sees an "awful green creature" - a dragonfly nymph - the size of a paperclip. "Eeeeewwww!" she says. Before long Eliza changes her tune. Includes information about the lifecycle of dragonflies and a resource section.
Ages: 6-8 MY LIGHT
|
by Molly Bang Though we often take it for granted, the sun provides the energy that powers everything on Earth, from planets and trees to machines and cities. With dazzling paintings and simple text, acclaimed author and illustrator Molly Bang takes young readers on an incredible journey that follows the light of the sun as it transformed into the energy we use every day in our homes. From windmills and solar cells to fossil fuels and dams, here is a fascinating presentation of the way we use our amazing natural resources to light up our world.
Ages: 3-7
|
PIE IN THE SKY
Do pies grow on trees? Join a father and child as they watch over their backyard cherry tree--and all the colorful living things surrounding it--throughout the seasons. At the end of the summer, they harvest the cherries together and make a delicious pie for the whole family to enjoy.
This stunning new book from bestselling author Lois Ehlert features color concepts, backyard natural history, vibrant collage illustrations, and, best of all, a recipe for making cherry pie. Yum!
Ages: 9-12
|
HEARTBEAT
In order to fully appreciate Sharon Creech's newest novel, Heartbeat, you need to place your hand on your heart, close your eyes and feel your own rhythm. Now place your hand on your child's heart or your spouse's or a friend's. Notice how you each have your own rhythm, all yours and no-one else's. That is what Heartbeat is all about.
Told in free verse, like critically acclaimed Love That Dog, Heartbeat is tender and intuitive and might be the best book Sharon Creech has ever written. Sparse of text but long on heart, this is the kind of book that will remind you why you do what you do. With Heartbeat, Sharon Creech is a writer at the top of her already stellar game.
In Heartbeat, Annie's mother is pregnant, her grandfather is losing his sense of self, and her best friend is increasingly moody. Annie is at that moment where she recognizes that we're all part of a continuum-there is a beginning and an end, and because of that, it is important to be who you are and no one else. Annie, our heroine, runner and artist, is finding her unique self. Sharon Creech, heroine, author, continues to explore her true self as a writer-and because of that she just gets better and better.
Heartbeat will open a million doors in your brain:who are you? What does it mean to be brand new on the earth, or to be old enough that you can't remember anymore who you are? What does it mean to be you?
Ages 9-12
|
THE YOUNG MAN AND THE SEA
SKIFF BEAMAN has a boatload of problems. Ever since his mother died, his father doesn't want to get up off the TV couch-even when the Mary Rose, his fishing boat, sinks at the dock. Twelve-year-old Skiff's been bailing out Rose by himself for months, getting up before dawn to pump out the bilge and keep her floating-just in case his dad decides to put his beer aside and get up and go fishing. But once a boat has gone under you can't bail it out.
With a nod to Hemingway, award- winning novelist Rodman Philbrick presents a starkly dramatic yet poignant story about a determined boy who refuses to give up, despite overwhelming odds. Skiff Beaman makes a choice to take on the world-but can he possibly beat the odds and win?
Young Adult THE LAST CHANCE TEXACO
|
by Brent Hartinger The guy looked at me with a stare that would have frozen antifreeze.
"You the new groupie, huh?"
"Yeah," I said. "So?"
"So no one wants you here. Why don't you go back where you came from?"
I can't go back, I wanted to say. That was the thing about living in a group home. There was nowhere for me to go but forward.
Brent Hartinger's second novel, a portrait of a subculture of teenagers that many people would like to forget, is as powerful and provocative as his first book, Geography Club.
Ages 10 Up THE OUTCASTS OF 19 SCHUYLER PLACE
|
by e. l. konigsburg The summer she's twelve -- the same year that Cabbage Patch dolls are popular, that Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space, that El Niño affects weather patterns worldwide and causes disasters on almost every continent of the planet Earth -- Margaret Rose Kane must confront a catastrophe brewing in her own backyard.
Freshly rescued from a miserable experience at Camp Talequa, where she was housed with seven cruel cabin mates, Margaret is looking forward to spending the rest of her summer with her beloved great-uncles, Morris and Alexander. Little does she know, the Uncles themselves are in need of a rescue.
For the last forty-five years, the Uncles have been building three giant towers in their backyard from scrap metal and shards of glass and porcelain. But now, bowing to pressures from some powerful home owners, the towers have been declared a blight on the neighborhood. Even worse, the city council has voted to have them destroyed.
Margaret Rose is outraged. She knows the towers for what they truly are: irreplaceable works of art. To Margaret, the towers sing. They sing of the joy of making something big and beautiful out of bits and pieces; of integrity; but perhaps most important of all, they sing of history. And Margaret Rose is determined to make sure they always will.
This companion story to the acclaimed Silent to the Bone is a rousing tale of art, history, and the fierce preservation of individuality, as only the incomparable E. L. Konigsburg could write it.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|||