Thursday, April 29, 2010

Fashion Kitty Graphic Novel Series

 
After a stack of fashion magazines falls on Kiki Kitty's head while she is blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, Kiki turns into Fashion Kitty, a feline superhero who saves other kitties from fashion disaster.


Fashion Kitty and the Unlikely Hero - by Charise Mericle Harper (2008)  
When the school principal requires that everybody wear boring school uniforms, Fashion Kitty looks forward to using her talents, but some bad kitties teach her important lessons about clothing styles.

When Fashion Kitty's sense of style is threatened by a jealous cat named Cassandra, she fights back and saves her right to dress however she wishes. 

Monday, April 26, 2010

New Series Chapter Book

Prequel to The Baby-sitters Club series:
The Baby-sitters Club: The Summer Before - by Ann M. Martin (2010)
Stacey McGill moves from New York City to Stoneybrook, Connecticut, in the summer before seventh grade where she meets and becomes friends with Kristy, Mary Anne, and Claudia, all of whom are going through big changes in their lives too.

Friday, April 23, 2010

New Math Books

 

Introduces fractions, decimals, and percents through descriptions of things found at a county fair; and includes instructions for a game. 

 
Fun with Roman Numerals - by David A. Adler (2008)
An illustrated introduction to Roman numerals for young readers, and describes each symbol; and explains how to add, subtract, and read groups of Roman numeral symbols.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Scary Stories - Grades 3-5

The Ghost Behind the Wall - by Melvin Burgess (2000)
Twelve-year-old David sneaks through the ventilation shafts in his London apartment building pulling pranks on his neighbors, which awakens the ghost of a boy with a grudge against the lonely, senile old man who lives upstairs.


The Ghost of Cutler Creek - by Cynthia C. DeFelice (2004)
When Allie is contacted by the ghost of a dog, she and Dub investigate the surly new boy at school and his father, who may be running a puppy mill, to see if they are involved.


The Doll in the Garden - by Mary Downing Hahn (1989)
After Ashley and Kristi find an antique doll buried in old Miss Cooper's garden, they discover that they can enter a ghostly turn-of-the-century world by going through a hole in the hedge.

 
Ghosts of the Civil War - by Cheryl Harness (2002)
The ghost of Willie, President Abraham Lincoln's older son, transports Lindsey back to his own time, where she sees and hears many things from both sides of the Civil War. Includes passages from contemporary documents, a glossary, biographical sketches, and a bibliography. 


The Great Ghost Rescue - by Eva Ibbotson (1975)
A young English boy decides to establish a sanctuary for an assortment of ghosts when the homes they have haunted are replaced by highways and other modern "improvements."

 
The Boys Return - by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (2001)
The Benson boys return to Buckman for spring vacation and concoct a prank involving a non-existent ghost, continuing the practical joke war between the Hatford boys and the Malloy girls.


Olivia Kidney - by Ellen Potter (2003)
Twelve-year-old Olivia explores her new apartment building and finds a psychic, talking lizards, a shrunken ex-pirate, an exiled princess, ghosts, and other unusual characters. 


 
Dare to be Scared - by Robert D. San Souci (2003)
Presents thirteen spookily illustrated stories for children, including ghost stories and other tales of the supernatural, science fiction stories, and fantasy.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Our American Story series

An introduction to the Boston Tea Party that describes what provoked the Colonists to act out against British rule and the aftermath of their actions. 

 
The First American Flag - by Kathy Allen (2010)
Easy-to-follow text and colorful illustrations describe the origin of the American flag, Francis Hopkins' role in creating the first flag, early alternate versions, and other related topics; and includes a time line, glossary, and suggestions for further reading. 
 
 
Easy-to-follow text and colorful illustrations describe the life and significance of Paul Revere, who's legendary ride ensured a victory for the minutemen in a battle against the British soldiers; and includes a time line, glossary, and suggestions for further reading.
 

Writing the U.S. Constitution - by Lori Mortensen (2010)
Easy-to-follow text and colorful illustrations describe the birth of the U. S. Constitution, and covers the meeting of the Founding Fathers at the Constitutional Convention, the political arguments, and more; and includes a time line, glossary, and suggestions for further reading.
 

Monday, April 19, 2010

New Picture Book - Based on a True Story

             Based on a True Story:
In 1907 Columbus, Ohio, fourteen-year-old Cromwell Dixon, aided by his mother, begins building the flying bicycle he has invented to enter in the St. Louis Airship Carnival. Includes facts about Dixon's life as an aviation pioneer.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Poetry

My People - Langston Hughes (2009)
Sepia toned photographs by Charles R. Smith, Jr. accompany Langston Hughes' classic poem "My People" and celebrate the glory, beauty, and soul of the African-American community.


A collection of poems about clothes and animals wearing them.

Monday, April 12, 2010

That's Gross!

That's Gross: A Look at Science - by Julie Murray (2009)

Photographs and simple text introduce young readers to some of the gross things found in the backyard such as worms and snakes, fertilizers and manure, and bugs.
 
Photographs and simple text introduce young readers to gross things about the human body such as scabs and sores, sweat, and normal bodily functions.


Photographs and simple text introduce young readers to gross things found around the home such as bacteria found on kitchen or bathroom surfaces, dust mites in carpeting or bedding, and germs that live on toothbrushes.

 
Photographs and simple text introduce young readers to gross things found in the hospital such as patients who have bed sores, bedpans, disposable tools and needles, and surgery stitches.

 
Photographs and simple text introduce young readers to some of the gross things found in school such as head lice, bacteria on desks and other surfaces, and germs from coughing or sneezing.
 
Photographs and simple text introduce young readers to unusual things found underwater including starfish and sea sponges, anglerfish, algae and pollution, and ocean parasites.

Friday, April 9, 2010

New Picture Books

 

Would I Trade My Parents? - by Laura Numeroff (2009)
A young boy considers what is special about all of his friends' parents, and realizes that his own are the most wonderful of all.

Young friends Frankie and Sal, believing they have "done it all," decide to do nothing for a while, but Frankie has a little trouble with the concept and it is not long before the boys realize there is no way to do nothing.
 
Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't!) - by Barbara Bottner (2010)
A first-grade girl--who does not like to read--stubbornly resists her school librarian's efforts to convince her to love books until she finds one that might change her mind.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Green Kids

Green Kids series
 
An introduction for children on where energy comes from and why it is important to conserve.  
Includes:  What is energy? -- Why save energy? -- Burning fuels -- Electric power -- Turn it off! -- Sun, wind, and water -- Muscle power -- Energy in goods -- Wrapping up 


Saving Water - by Neil Morris (2008)
A discussion of water, explaining where it comes from and how it is processed and used, examining some of the ways in which water is wasted, and looking at what can be done to save water. Includes activities and a glossary, and 'Water everywhere -- Where does water come from? -- Drinking water -- All sorts of uses -- Turn off the faucet! -- Drip, drip, drip -- Collecting and recycling -- Dirty water -- Around the world'