Children's Books
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The Absolute Value of Mike is a witty and comical book that introduces the topic of understanding. Mike is sent to his great aunt and uncle’s house for the summer while his Dad, an engineering professor, travels to Romania for work. His mission to help his great-uncle, Poppy, build an artesian screw. This is an important mission because if Mike succeeds, he will finally be able to overcome his math disability and impress his dad. When he gets to Poppy and Moo’s, though, it isn’t anything like he expected. He finds out that Poppy and Moo recently lost their son and that Poppy is having a difficult time dealing. Instead of working on the artesian screw, Poppy spends most of his day sitting in his chair mourning. Mike can relate to Poppy’s grieving, as he lost his mother, but at the same time has no patience for his laziness and lack of responsibility. To top everything off, Moo is behind on the bill payments and Mike’s dad won’t forward him any money or even respond to his IMs. Mike quickly discovers that there is a bigger mission at Poppy and Moo’s. Karen, a local pastor, is attempting to adopt a young boy named Misha (which can also mean Mike) from Romania before their adoption restrictions change. The catch is that she has to raise $40,000 in three weeks! Through the midst of meeting some crazy (and entertaining) characters, Mike takes charge of the adoption project and starts to commercialize all of the townspeople’s talents in an effort to raise the money. Through it all, Mike learns to accept that he just isn’t an engineer (but that he has other strengths) and Poppy learns to let go. Erskine is a great writer who knows how to capture character’s personalities while still tackling huge issues like acceptance and mourning. I still enjoyed one of her earlier works, Mockingbird, more though. The Absolute Value of Mike has an AR of 3.9 and is most suited for third and fourth graders.
There are many reasons why a chicken might be left homeless. Some may be rescued from a cock-fighting ring or come from a research facility or from a classroom that hatched chickens from eggs. But most animal shelters don't have room for chickens. This book tells the story of a rescue in Minneapolis that takes in chickens, rehabilitates them, and finds permanent homes where they will be loved. This non-fiction narrative includes photographs of the many chickens whose stories are recounted, and the shelter known as Chicken Run Rescue. It touches on conditions of chicken factories, but does not pause long enough to upset children with stories of abuse, rather focusing on the happy adoptions. Though sometimes a struggle to find homes for all of the birds, Mary Britton Clouse and her husband Bert find it fulfills a life-long dream to run the rescue. The book includes instructions for caring for city chickens and a note to educators suggesting alternatives to hatching chickens. This book has a high A.R. level of 6.5 but only 48 pages long, so it would be a great choice for a reluctant reader. My only gripe about the book is the tiny print chosen for the photograph captions which is difficult for older eyes to read. 
Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroadis one of our newest non-fiction books. The book is centered on Tubman’s biographical information, including quotations from her and people that knew her, but it also focuses on general historical movements during the time. The book traces Tubman’s journey to freedom as well as her many successes in rescuing others from Maryland, including her brothers, sisters, and elderly parents. More importantly, the book informs readers of significant actions that were taken during Tubman’s lifetime, including the Fugitive Slave Law, the raid on Harper’s Ferry, and the publishing of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. With this background information, readers are able to better comprehend how Tubman’s actions were influenced. Snippets of biographical information for other important abolitionists are also introduced throughout the book, including information about Ralph Waldo Emerson, Frederick Douglass, and Peter Still. While Tubman is undeniably covered often in history classes, the book still has new and relevant information to offer on the subject of slavery and even about Tubman. Some examples of this include disguises used by slaves, newspaper clippings from African American newspapers, and pictures of popular supporters/ landscapes that Tubman might have witnessed. One interesting fact, that might not be known by many, is that Tubman helped the Union army significantly in the Civil War. My only critique of the text is that seems to jump from one historical figure to the next, sometimes failing to conclude one person’s story. This might be frustrating for readers that enjoy a more linear plot. Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad is a great read, especially for those interested in the Civil War and the Underground Railroad. With an AR level of 7.2 and many detailed descriptions of the brutality that slaves faced, though, this book is probably most appropriate for eighth grade and up.
Rita enjoyed swimming until she was placed on the Dolphin swim team. Her friends Jazz, Rocky, and Henry, were placed on the more advanced Shark swim team. Rita cannot decide if it is better to win races on the Dolphin team, or if it is better to lose races but be with her friends on the Shark team, but feels like her world is falling apart. With her confidence shaken, Rita admits defeat and gives up trying to perfect her flip turns after coming in last in her meet, even though Jazz offers to help her. Jazz even buys Rita a nose clip to keep the water out of her nose during a flip turn. After making a pros and cons list, something her older sister Carly does when she needs to make a decision, Rita decides that she will quit swimming and forgets about the nose clip. However, after her younger sister Tia learns to ride a bicycle, and after reading the story A Wrinkle in Time, where the main character Meg has to fight the evil Dark Thing, Rita is determined to learn the flip turn. This time, she asks Jazz to help her and uses the nose clip. Rita improves and is confident that she will do well in her next race, which she wins! She is confident for her next race as a Shark, but right before the race, she realizes that she has forgotten her nose clip! Rita comes in last place again. However, after the race, Rita discovers that the Sharks have a diving competition after the swim meets, at which she excels. She enthusiastically decides that she will compete in the diving competition instead. Excellent for a reluctant reader who also enjoys sports, Swimming with Sharks is appropriate for students who read at a 2.8 AR Level, and who are 7-10 years old.
Beautiful and simple is this book on the life of Nelson Mandela by children’s author, Kadir Nelson.
Jamie Grimm is new in town, moving in with his aunt, uncle, and cousin Steve for a reason that is not readily disclosed at the onset. However, Jamie is in a wheelchair and there are hints that his parents were killed. Jamie is not ready to let the reader know the specifics. But we know that cousin Steve is a bully who locks Jamie out of house and dumps him in a sand dune without his chair. Jamie takes it all in stride, using humor to mask his pain, and at some point decides he wants to be a stand-up comedian. While helping out his Uncle Frankie at his diner, Jamie constantly tells jokes as he cashes out the customers. It's a customer with a Russian accent that says, "You Funny", which is when Jamie starts to say "I Funny". Uncle Frankie tells him about the Planet's Funniest Kid Comic competition and suggests Jamie enter. The problem is, Jamie is petrified in front of crowds. He doesn't think he can possibly do it. Still, he decides to show up for the competition without telling anyone, so that if he freezes on stage no one will know. Jamie ends up winning and a video is circulating online causing him to become a sort of local celebrity around school. Stevie tells him the judges just felt sorry for him, that Jamie only won due to pity, and Jamie really doesn't know if that might not be true. Still, he practices jokes on schoolmates, customers, and his family he refers to as "the Smileys" because they never smile and have no sense of humor. Then it's on to the state competition in New York City. This time, though, he has the support of his friends, school, and community. There is a happy ending and Jamie even ends up with a girlfriend he calls "cool girl". Readers will be routing for Jamie from beginning to end. This is by the author of Middle School Get Me Out of Here and Middle School: The Worst Years of My LIfe. Although it is humorous, it also deals with grief and Jamie's injury and rehab. The A.R. level 3.9. Filled with black and white illustrations, this is a great choice for reluctant readers, or those looking for something after Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Kids may not recognize older comedians' names or caricatures in illustrations, but they will still understand the context. Highly recommended. 
Comprised of four books, The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great, the Adventures of Sir Givret the Short, The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True, and The Adventures of Sir Balin the Ill-Fated, the audiobook compilation is among the best narrations I have heard in a long time. These retellings of the King Arthur legends are perfect for the younger audience, and narrator Steve West had me laughing throughout. The clever stories are full of notable characters like Sir Lancelot and King Arthur, which kids will recognize, as well as damsels in distress, dragons, sorcerers, and dwarfs. West makes the most of every word, providing wonderful accents, sarcasm, and humor. (The weeping Queens in the first book had me weeping with laughter). The short stories are excellent, with good morals and lessons to live by, like giving your word and not going back on it, manners, and how to treat friends. Full of very individual characters, West depicted each with varying accents (English, Scottish, French) and depicted the voices of the knights, damsels, and dwarfs so that no two sounded alike. The books are also available as individual stories and include black and white illustrations providing much detail that children will enjoy pouring over. The A.R. level ranges from 4.5 to 5.0 between the books, and would be great for reluctant readers since they are small and thin (and include illustrations) and are not intimidating in the least. The stories are so fun, kids and adults alike will enjoy this collection. Highly recommended. 
In 1945, Jack Baker moves from Kansas to Maine following the death of his mother to be closer to the port out of which his father captains a ship. He attends a boarding school where he meets Early Auden, "the strangest of boys". In math class, Jack hears of a new theory about Pi not being an infinite number. In particular, the theory states that the number 1 will stop appearing, and the other numbers will eventually also stop appearing. Early, who can see colors and shapes in numbers, relates a story to Jack about Pi and his adament belief that Pi (who is the number 1 in the 3.14) is only lost. During a week's break when Jack is disappointed by his father's inability to visit due to bad weather, Jack joins Early on a quest to find the black bear about which Early has been collecting newspaper articles. As the boys travel, by water and land, encountering some dangerous people and situations, it seems that their adventure parallels the story of Pi. This book, currently available in e-book and audiobook formats at Wright Library, is cleverly written and will appeal to those readers in grades 4-8 who enjoy adventure stories. The A.R level is 5.2, but more unskilled readers will enjoy listening to the captivating narration of this exciting tale. Performed by dual narrators, the story of the boys is narrated by a younger voice than the one who tells Pi's story, differentiating between the two tales. An authors' note at the end explains that Early most likely would be called autistic today, but that back in 1945 this was not a term used to describe someone with his unique skills. Consequently, the narrator successfully differentiates between Early and Jack by providing an altered cadence to Early's speech. Ending on a happy and hopeful ending, this book is highly recommended. 
Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies that Muscle Man Mc Ginty Told Me is Nan Marino’s debut novel. The story takes place through the eyes of Tamara, a kickball-loving bully who absolutely hates Muscle Man Mc Ginty for all of the tall tales that he tells and only wants to be friends with Kebsie Grobsers, the neighborhood girl that moved away suddenly a few weeks ago. Tamara sees the world in her own unique way. She is brutally honest, almost to the point where it gets her in trouble. She hates MaryBeth and her stupid family; she gets annoyed at Muscle Man Mc Ginty and his lack of humility. She knows why her brother never comes home—her mother is always watching soap operas and her dad is always complaining about “working for the man”. But Tamara is a complicated character. She misses Kebsie, sometimes to the point that her yearning is painful. She also develops empathy by the end of the story, even for Muscle Man Mc Ginty. Neil Armstrong is My Uncle is set in the 1960’s and references Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon as well as the Vietnam War. Nan Marino, who grew up in the period, does a brilliant job capturing the mood of the era. The book could easily be paired with some non-fiction resources about the late 60’s in order to meet Core Standards. With an AR of 4.1, this book is most appropriate for fourth graders.
This is book six in the series, The Buddy Files.
Written from the perspective of Buddy, the therapy dog, The Case of the Library Monster takes place in the library at the school where Buddy’s human mom is the principal. Buddy goes to school with her each day so that students can practice and improve their reading skills with him. But one day, while a student named Jemma is reading to him, Buddy hears and smells something strange from over by the bookshelves. He is determined to find out what it is, and quickly discovers that it is a blue-tongued monster! What could it be? Buddy tries to piece together the clues he has found so far, but has a hard time and gets frustrated when trying to ask the librarians and other students about the monster because he does not speak human, and the humans do not understand his questions. However, it just so happens that the next day, several of the children who come to read with Buddy bring books about reptiles, as Bob, the Reptile Guy, had come for a visit to the school. Buddy describes the students who read to them by what they smell like, and he discovers that Maya smells like the blue-tongued monster, and she even brings a book called Blue-Tongued Skink, which is exactly what the library monster looks like! Buddy discovers that the key to the furnace room in the school is missing, and that Bob, the Reptile Guy, is missing a box of mice from the day that he came to the school. Are all of these clues somehow connected? Is Maya also involved? Be sure to check out this charming story and all of Buddy’s other adventures from the library! The Case of the Library Monster has an AR Level of 3.1, and is most appropriate for children ages 6-8 years old. 
One Times Square: A Century of Change at the Crossroads of the World is a captivating explanation of the development of Times Square. While this book is a new addition to our non-fiction collection, it is in the format of a picture book. Some pages are filled with only beautiful illustrations of Times Square as it develops through time. Others are filled with large explanations and accompanying color-coded diagrams that explain how specific buildings within the square developed. Informative notes are also included at the bottom of some pages. These tidbits usually give background information on a person that really helped (or hindered) an advancement in the square, including construction and advertisement developments. There is a special focus on One Times Square, which is the only building that remains from the original Times Square in 1904. Interestingly, the book also focuses on the theatre (or lack of theatre) and the roll that it played in both harming the integrity and saving the atmosphere of Times Square. One Times Square: A Century of Change at the Crossroads of the World is a must-read for students interested in Times Square, architecture, or New York in general. It would also be interesting to read before or after a trip to New York. It should be noted that the book does contain references to pornography and adult movie theatres in order to understand how Times Square was corrupted. With an AR of 9.4, One Times Square is most appropriate for readers finishing up eighth grade or just entering high school.
In the hilarious second installment of the Jo Schmo series, Jo Schmo is at it again to hunt down the notorious outlaw, Wyatt Burp, who burped loud enough to blow the doors off of the vault at the First National Bank of San Francisco! Jo must create a time machine so that she and her slobbery dog Raymond can go back in time the year 1849 to save the town from Wyatt Burp’s stinky burps. Jo and Raymond come close to catching Wyatt Burp and his Hole in the Head Gang, but they get away each time. She is able to find them again when she hears and smells his burps. Meanwhile, back in present day San Francisco, two of Jo’s classmates named Gertrude McSlime and Betty Sludgefoot, are planning to make sure that Jo does not stop an outlaw ever again. They do not like Jo because they are not popular anymore since Jo is solving crimes. They decide to set up a wrecking ball to squash Jo, but they do not know that she has traveled back in time. Back in 1849, after many attempts to find and stop Wyatt Burp, Jo finally figures out a way to stop him from burping, and after, ensures that Wyatt Burp will never cause trouble again by giving him a Knuckle Sandwich, the move that Jo learned from her grandfather Joe in the first book. She also uses the Knuckle Sandwich to defeat the wrecking ball that Gertrude and Betty try to use against her, but the reader is left unsure if Gertrude and Betty might keep plotting to stop Jo from fighting crimes in the next story, which comes out in July 2013. Stay tuned for the next installment of Jo Schmo, which is called Shifty Business! The Adventures of Jo Schmo: Wyatt Burps Again, is appropriate for children ages 6 and up, and has an AR level of 4.0. 
Whether you like to ice skate or enjoy ice and snow sports of any kind, you will find this wonderful story so delightful!
The newest addition to the Junie B. Jones series, Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny, is here just in time for Easter. The book follows Junie B. through her trials and tribulations at her classmate Grace’s Easter Egg Hunt. Grace’s rich parents have hidden a golden egg on their huge property. Everyone in Classroom 1 is invited. Most importantly, the child that finds the egg first wins a play date with Grace. But it isn’t just any old play date. The winner gets to swim with Grace in her brand new indoor swimming pool. That means that Junie’s classmates resort to all sorts of scheming to try to get to the egg. As always, this Junie B. book has tons of humorous mix-ups, including some confusion on the Easter bunny’s religion and Junnie B. in an obnoxious bunny suit. The book would also offer up some good discussion about name-calling and tattling. Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny has an AR level of 2.8 and would be suited for second or third graders. 
Twins Hunter and Zach Moran are your typical elementary school-aged boys on summer vacation: they are out to find any adventure they can find. When they receive a strange phone call, Hunter and Zach know instantly that they’ve found one. The caller identifies himself as Agent Five and says, ‘“The original missing from S-T-U”’. As they start to try to figure out what that could possibly mean, the boys get into all kinds of mischief, with their brothers and sister just waiting to get them into trouble: they have a funeral for Zach’s bad report card, they ruin their father’s laptop, they tear up the rose trellis, and they destroy Zach’s cello. Hunter and Zach finally narrow down the clues they’ve discovered to determine that Dr. Diglio, the town dentist, plans to blow up the town with a bomb on Tinwitty Night. Tinwitty Night celebrates the time when Lester Tinwitty led settlers to their town, and then made soup for them. Each year, there is a contest to see whose recipe comes closest to the original soup recipe, and since Hunter and Zach’s mother is a distant relative of Lester Tinwitty, she is in charge of judging the soup entries for the contest. Tinwitty Night arrives, and the boys are still convinced that Dr. Diglio is planning to blow up the town. Hunter even grabs what he thinks is the bomb in a suitcase from Dr. Diglio, but in a hilarious twist, falls into a hot air balloon which gets loose and flies away. But the suitcase is not what it seems. Find out if Dr. Diglio destroys the town when you read Hunter Moran Saves the Universe, by Patricia Reilly Giff. This hilarious story has a 3.6 AR level, and is appropriate for 8-10 year olds. 
A prequel to Fourth Grade Rats, author, Jerry Spinelli backs up and brings to life George “Suds” Morton again from the rhyme “First grade babies! Second grade cats! Third grade angels! Fourth grade rats!
This fun mystery takes place in Tanglewood, Maine where strange mushrooms begin to appear all over town. 13-year-old Eric Parrish, who plays football and occasionally bullies his younger brother Brian, decides to research the mushrooms at the library and local museum. Meanwhile, while taking care of his neighbor's pig, Cassie, he discovers a girl hiding out who has run away from the girl's school where his mother works. Mandy's disappearance keeps Eric's mother away from home as she becomes preoccupied in trying to locate the missing girl. His father, meanwhile, is trying to "live the dream" by reorganizing his old band in Boston, and temporarily moves there, causing much family tension. An adult surrogate arrives in the form of an old woman who used to be the witch at the town's haunted house (and who was the one who scared Eric to pieces when he was a young child). She lives on the outskirts of town and rides around in a funky 4-wheeler. She ends up being a really cool character who helps the kids out in their quest to figure out why these mushrooms are growing out-of-control in Tanglewood. Even her father, though now deceased, plays an important role as a writer of those old science fiction thrillers. This is an original story with good characters. Brian has got a lot more happening behind the scenes than the reader knows about and my interpretation is that he has a better understanding in how to rid the town of mushrooms than Eric, but the ending allows the reader to decide for himself. The cool springy fungus landscape popping up everywhere and the mushrooms that scream makes this story too much fun. Readers may come for the football but they'll stay for the creepy science. The AR level is 4.6 and will be of interest to 4-6 grades. 
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