Kids

Simon and the better bone book cover

Simon and the better bone

Corey R. Tabor

jE Tabor
Kids, Picture Books, Animals

One day, down by the pond, Simon meets another dog just like him. And that dog has a bone just like his, only better! How will Simon ever get him to trade, when the other pup knows all the same tricks?

Casey's picture

I love books that play with book structure, and this one features a cute dog! The innovative formatting of this title makes for a spectacular lap-sit or storytime read. Pair with Tabor's Mell Fell or Suzy Lee's Wave series for a fun book-gutter-themed storytime. -Casey

Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep! book cover

Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!

Bill Martin

jE Martin
Kids, Picture Books, Music

Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep! This old car has been everywhere from the backyard to the sky, from the hills to the water. Bouncing between the mud in the ground and the clouds up high, the old car is loved by a clever young boy ... --Publisher.

Casey's picture

This old car it's so fun, It's a hit with everyone! With a "Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!" You'll surely sing along, This great book's based on a song! -Casey

Awake, asleep book cover

Awake, asleep

Kyle Lukoff

jE Lukoff
Picture Books, Kids

"From sunup to sundown, a young child's day is bursting with discovery and wonder-filled moments."--

Casey's picture

Looking for a quick, sweet bedtime read? Look no further than Kyle Lukoff's latest title, "Awake, Asleep" which is bound to be a storytime favorite. -Casey

Grandad's pride book cover

Grandad's pride

Harry Woodgate

jE Woodgate
Picture Books, LGBTQ+, Diverse Characters, Kids

"After Milly discovers a pride flag in Grandad's attic, this adorable pair are motivated by the past to start a pride parade in their small town. Activism and celebration go hand in hand as the town gathers to help build a world where everyone is proud to be themselves"--

Angie's picture

Harry Woodgate continues the story of Grandad's Camper in their second picture, Grandad's Pride. Grandad and Milly are back for another adventure, this time honoring the past and celebrating the future with a pride parade in their community. Woodgate's artwork is vibrant and colorful, making the characters bright and heartwarming. -Angie

The mysterious Benedict Society book cover

The mysterious Benedict Society

Stewart, Trenton Lee.

jFICTION Stewart, Trenton Lee
Fiction, Kids

After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.

Casey's picture

Added by Casey

Dewey : there's a cat in the library! book cover

Dewey : there's a cat in the library!

Myron, Vicki.

jE Myron
Kids

Tells the story of Dewey Readmore Books, a kitten abandoned in the Spencer Library return box and nursed back to health by a librarian, who discovers that (like his librarian friends) helping people big and small is what he is meant to do.

Angie's picture

A book list about Libraries wouldn't be complete without the most famous library cat from an Iowa Library! -Angie

A library book cover

A library

Giovanni, Nikki, author.

jE Giovanni
Picture Books, Kids

In what other place can a child "sail their dreams" and "surf the rainbow" without ever leaving the room? This ode to libraries is a celebration for everyone who loves stories, from seasoned readers to those just learning to love words, and it will have kids and parents alike imagining where their library can take them. This inspiring read-aloud includes stunning illustrations and a note from Nikki Giovanni about the importance of libraries in her own childhood.

Angie's picture

Lyrical and visually pretty the text will keep you and your child entertained to the end. A great book to discuss what makes your local library great. -Angie

The Monkey Trial : John Scopes and the battle over teaching evolution book cover

The Monkey Trial : John Scopes and the battle over teaching evolution

Anita Sanchez

CATALOGING /
Kids, Science, History

"Arrested? For teaching? John Scopes's crime riveted the world, and crowds flocked to the trial of the man who dared to tell students about a forbidden topic--evolution. The year was 1925, and discussing Darwin's theory of evolution was illegal in Tennessee classrooms. Lawyers wanted to challenge the law, and businessmen smelled opportunity. But no one imagined the firestorm the Scopes Trial would ignite--or the media circus that would follow. As reporters, souvenir-hawking vendors, angry protestors, and even real monkeys mobbed the courthouse, a breathless public followed the action live on national radio broadcasts. All were fascinated by the bitter duel between science and religion, an argument that boiled down to the question of who controls what students can learn--an issue that resonates to this day."--Page [2] of cover.

Anne W's picture

Who controls what students can learn - parents or the government? What takes precendence, science or religion? What happens when scientific evidence is turned into a political battle? Find out in this book for young readers about - you guessed it! - the 1925 trial of science teacher John Scopes, who defied the law by teaching about Darwin's theory of evolution in the classroom. Whether the cyclical nature of these struggles provides a comfort or makes you feel hopeless, there's no doubt that history repeats itself. Find out what lessons the "Monkey Trial" holds for us today in this new book aimed at 8-12-year-olds. -Anne W

Bea Wolf. book cover

Bea Wolf.

Zach Author Weinersmith


Kids, Graphic Novels, Adventure, Literary Fiction

A modern middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Beowulf, featuring a gang of troublemaking kids who must defend their tree house from a fun-hating adult who can instantly turn children into grown-ups. Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call! Somewhere in a generic suburb stands Treeheart, a kid-forged sanctuary where generations of tireless tykes have spent their youths making merry, spilling soda, and staving off the shadow of adulthood. One day, these brave warriors find their fun cut short by their nefarious neighbor Grindle, who can no longer tolerate the sounds of mirth seeping into his joyless adult life. As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior―a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded. They call for Bea Wolf.

Angie's picture

New middle grade graphic novel alert! Bea Wolf is a modern middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Beowulf. I would have loved to have read Bea's story in school instead of of Beo's. Even still this amazingly creative retelling also mimics the original's language by using alliteration throughout. Kids will enjoy this retelling, and not realize they’re also learning about a great classic! Plus, it was laugh out loud funny in many parts; a true delight! -Angie

A tulip in winter : a story about folk artist Maud Lewis book cover

A tulip in winter : a story about folk artist Maud Lewis

Kathy Stinson

j759.11 Lewis
Art / Art History, Kids, Biographies

"A celebration of a beloved folk artist, and her artistic expression of joy and beauty. Known for her vibrant and cheerful paintings of landscapes, plants, and animals, Maud Lewis' iconic folk art is celebrated around the world. Despite her beautiful art, she spent much of her life living in poverty with rheumatoid arthritis. In this stunning picture book, author Kathy Stinson and illustrator Lauren Soloy bring Maud's world to life: how she captured in her art what she loved most, while navigating the mobility issues caused by her condition. From bright paintings of the sea and countryside, to the flowers and birds she painted on the walls of the small house she shared with her husband, Maud's work continues to delight and inspire viewers young and old."--

Anne W's picture

Maud Lewis' lively, colorful paintings were inspired by the countryside around her tiny house in Nova Scotia. Disabled by severe rheumatoid arthritis, and with options further limited by poverty, Lewis lived in a tiny house she decorated by painting flowers all over the stairs, walls, and many of her belongings, along with creating landscapes on scraps of wood and cardboard from the dump. Today, her house can be seen, in its entirety, inside the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, where it was moved after her death in 1970. -Anne W