Thursday's Pick

Today's pick is...

The Incredible Book Eating Boy

by Oliver Jeffers

This is one of the new books at Tonalea and I just LOVE it! Henry loves books, but not like you and I love books. No. He love to EAT books! And the more he eats, the smarter he gets! So he starts to eat more and more books, faster and faster, and ends up biting off a bit more than he can chew...

Tuesday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Bats at the Library

by Brian Lies

"Join the free-for-all fun at the public library with these book-loving bats! Shape shadows on walls, frolic in the water fountain, and roam the book-filled halls until it's time for everyone, young and old, to settle down into the enchantment of storytime. Brian Lies' joyful critters and their nocturnal celebration cast library visits in a new light. Even the youngest of readers will want to join the batty book-fest!"

Other books by Brian Lies include Bats at the Beach, Deep in the Swamp and Lucky Duck.

Check out more on Brian Lies and his books at http://www.brianlies.com/brian_lies_books.htm

To listen to a reading of this story, go to youtube at

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=read%20aloud%20bats%20at%20the%20library&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#q=bats+at+the+library&hl=en&emb=0

Monday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Babymouse: Queen of the World (Book 1)

by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

This is a brand new series at the Tonalea Library and I am so excited to share it with you! It is a graphic novel series that was written with girls in mind. As described on the author's website:

Babymouse: Queen of the World
t’s the same thing every day for Babymouse. Where is the glamour? The excitement? The adventure? Nothing ever changes, until . . . Babymouse hears about Felicia Furrypaws’s exclusive slumber party. Will Babymouse get invited? Will her best friend, Wilson, forgive her if she misses their monster movie marathon? Find out in Babymouse: Queen of the World, a graphic novel with attitude!
WINNER 2006 - Gryphon Award
WINNER 2006 - ALA Notable Children's Book
WINNER 2006 - New York Book Show Awards

Check out more information at http://www.jenniferholm.com/02_mybooks/11_babymouse.html

Thursday's Pick

Today's pick is....

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You

by Mary Ann Hoberman

This book presents short retellings of familiar fairy tales, each told in two voices designed especially for young children and adults to read together. It is the second book in the series and I love it because it something that parents, children, teachers and students can all read together. Reading is something that is fun to share with friends and family, and this book is a great way to do it. We just received this book, along with others in the series, at the Tonalea library. Come check them out!

Wednesday's Pick

Today's pick is...

The Lorax

by Dr. Seuss

I chose this classic book today because today is Earth Day! This fun and moral tale tells the story of the Lorax and his plight to stop the Once-ler from cutting down all of the Truffula Trees.

"I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees.I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."

This is a great book to teach children about the importance of doing everything we can to help care for and save the environment.

You can see the video version of this book at Google Video:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6650219631867189375

Tuesday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Goldie Socks and the Three Libearians

by Jackie Mims Hopkins

This is a new title at our library, and I just LOVE it! I think it is so cute! It is part of the "fractured fairytales" genre which is one of my new favorite genres. In this genre, writers take a classic fairy tale and "fracture" it by putting a new spin/twist on the story to create a new, fun and original story that newer generations can enjoy. I have a slight bias with this particular story because its main characters are all li"bear"ians. :) I am reading it with my students this week and we are all enjoying it!

Thursday's Pick

Today's Pick is...

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

by Mo Willems

This Caldecott Honor book is a brilliantly simple read that people of all ages can enjoy. The bus driver has to leave for a while, and he makes one request of readers: "Don't let the pigeon drive the bus." It's the height of common sense, but the driver clearly knows this determined pigeon and readers do not-yet. "Hey, can I drive the bus?" asks the bird, at first all sweet reason, and then, having clearly been told no by readers, he begins his ever-escalating, increasingly silly bargaining. "I tell you what: I'll just steer," and "I never get to do anything," then "No fair! I bet your mom would let me." In a wonderfully expressive spread, the pigeon finally loses it, and, feathers flying and eyeballs popping, screams "LET ME DRIVE THE BUS!!!" in huge, scratchy, black-and-yellow capital letters. The driver returns, and the pigeon leaves in a funk-until he spies a huge tractor trailer, and dares to dream again.

Other books include:

Don't Let the Pigeon Eat the Hot Dog!

and

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!

Tuesday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Island of the Blue Dolphins

by Scott O'Dell

Scott O'Dell won the Newbery Medal for Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1961, and in 1976 the Children's Literature Association named this riveting story one of the 10 best American children's books of the past 200 years.

O'Dell was inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, Karana. The author based his book on the life of this remarkable young woman who, during the evacuation of Ghalas-at (an island off the coast of California), jumped ship to stay with her young brother who had been abandoned on the island. He died shortly thereafter, and Karana fended for herself on the island for 18 years.

O'Dell tells the miraculous story of how Karana forages on land and in the ocean, clothes herself (in a green-cormorant skirt and an otter cape on special occasions), and secures shelter. Perhaps even more startlingly, she finds strength and serenity living alone on the island.

This is a book that I read when I was in 5th grade, and I still remember it as one of the best books ever!

To see a video book review of this award-winning story, go to

http://www.expotv.com/videos/reviews/23/IslandoftheBlueDolphins/48299

Thursday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Flotsam

by David Wiesner

Flotsam was the 2007 winner of the Caldecott Medal for the best picture book of the year, and rightfully so. This story, told all in pictures, is about a camera that drifts to shore and the boy who finds it and develops the incredible pictures from the film.

Check out David Wiesner's website to learn more at http://www.thefishknowthesecret.com/

Monday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Click Clack Moo

Cows That Type

by Doreen Cronin

This award-winning picture book is hilarious and silly. Farmer Brown thinks that everything on the farm is normal until the cows find an old typewriter and start typing letters to him, insisting on better living conditions. The hilarity continues is Giggle Giggle Quack Quack and Dooby Dooby Moo. All three books can be found in the Tonalea Library, along with other by Doreen Cronin including favorites such as Diary of a Fly, Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider. Visit the author's personal website at http://www.doreencronin.com/doreen.html

Listen to a reading of the story on YouTube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMayGIVmfgA

Friday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Little Women

by Louisa May Alcott

This was a favorite of mine when I was in high school and this Great Illustrated Classics version of the story is a great way to bring this classic story to younger readers.

"This is the warmhearted story of the four March sisters... Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy growing up in 19th century America. Their happy family is disturbed when their father leaves for the Civil War and shaken further when mother must leave to nurse their wounded father back to health. But family love and loyalty keeps them together. As the years pass the girls become women and learn more about life and love." -back cover

Thursday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Goodnight Moon

by Margaret Wise Brown

I just read this book last night with my son and I used to read it when I was little too. This is a great book to read with small children before they go to bed at night. It is the story of a mother getting her child ready to say goodnight to the world and go to sleep. The pictures actually get darker as you turn the pages just as if day were turning into night. It's a classic and a great read!

Wednesday's Pick

Today's pick is...

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

by Judy Blume

This book was a favorite of mine when I was young and I'm so glad to see my students enjoying it still today.

"Peter Hatcher feels like a fourth grade nothing. His little brother, Fudge is causing problems for him all the time. Fudge gets away with every temper tantrum and always messes up Peter's things including his homework. The last straw is when Fudge walks off with Peter's pet turtle, Dribble. It is now time for Peter to get his parents to pay attention to him for a change. This is a book that would be well suited for kids with younger siblings because they can probably relate to Peter's difficulties with Fudge. " - review by Kristy Pastore at www.allreaders.com