Kids
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.
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.
A book list about Libraries wouldn't be complete without the most famous library cat from an Iowa Library! -Angie
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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."--
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
Apple crush
Lucy Knisley
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Knisley
Graphic Novels, Kids
"Jen is just getting used to her life on Peapod Farm with her new stepsisters, Andy and Reese, but when the school year starts, there are even more changes in store for her."--
I read the prequel to this graphic novel, "Stepping Stones" immediately before diving into "Apple Crush," and I enjoyed them both very much. I have read several of Knisley's adult graphic novels, and am always really drawn towards her illustration style. Both of these stories are semi-autobiographical, and I think a lot of children who have gone through their parents divorce will relate to her experience. "Stepping Stones" is about Jen learning how to live and work on a farm, while "Apple Crush" is more about her adjusting to a new school and the social pressures that come with middle school. Jen gets her first job on a pumpkin patch, and I think most readers will feel a longing for crisp, fall weather, hot cider, and trick-or-treating no matter what season it is currently. I can't wait to find out what the next season holds for Peapod Farm! -Mari
Leeva at last
Sara Pennypacker
jFICTION Pennypacker, Sara
Kids
What are people for? That's the burning question on the mind of Leeva Spayce Thornblossom. Fame! says Leeva's mom, the mayor of Nutsmore. Money! says her dad, the town treasurer. With the help of an orphaned badger, a risk-averse boy in a hazmat suit, and the town's librarians, Leeva sets off to discover her own answer--setting off a chain of events that will change Nutsmore forever.
If you enjoy the spirited early-chapter-book Clementine series about an eccentric and opinionated 8-year-old girl and the people in her apartment building, or Pax, the moving middle grade story of the bond between a boy and a fox and the lengths they'll go to in order to reunite after tragedy, try Sara Pennypacker's new middle grade novel, Leeva at Last. Perfectly paired with Matthew Cordell's scratchy illustrations, Leeva at Last is a quest/coming-of-age story that is totally hilarious, profound, and features some fantastic librarians. -Anne W
The last mapmaker
Christina Soontornvat
jFICTION Soontornvat, Christina
Adventure, Fiction, Fantasy, Kids
A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. This is the story of a young woman's struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. As assistant to Mangkon's most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman - and in a kingdom where the status of one's ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn't the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands - a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining - she must weigh the cost of her dreams. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as intricate as the maps of old.
I recently read a graphic novel by Soontornvat that I enjoyed about cheerleading, and though its a very different genre, I enjoyed both. This is a great adventure story with an element of fantasy and a strong female protagonist! -Mari
Beneath
Cori Doerrfeld
jE Doerrfel
Picture Books, Kids, Nature
Finn is in a bad mood, so his grandfather takes him on a walk in the forest, and tells him about all the things that are beneath the surface of plants and animals--and even people.
Beneath this cover is a touching story about recognizing what we cannot see in our world and in one another. Cori Doerrfeld's illustrations and prose make for an emotional yet healing read. Readers will be rewarded by spending some time with the endsheets and exploring what lies beneath the dust jacket as well. -Casey
Added by Casey