2009 Holiday Books

No matter the time of year, books are always in season -- but this is especially true during the holidays. This winter, celebrate with these holiday books from 2009:

Auntie Claus, Home for the Holidays

By Elise Primavera

Ages 4-8

When Sophie is cast as the Sugar Plum Fairy in her school's performance of the Nutcracker, her Auntie Claus forgoes her usual fall business trip and transforms New York City into the North Pole, with some unpleasant consequences.

The Christmas Genie

By Dan Gutman

Ages 8-12

When a meteorite crashes into a fifth-grade classroom at Lincoln School in Oak Park, Illinois, the genie inside agrees to grant the class a Christmas wish--if they can agree on one within an hour.

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas

By Jane O'Connor

Ages 4-7

Nancy is devastated, which is even worse than heart-broken, when her fancy Christmas tree topper breaks, threatening to ruin Christmas.

Hanukkah Around the World

By Tami Lehman-Wilzig

Ages 8-11

Introduces Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, and describes how it is celebrated in different areas of the world, including Israel, Istanbul, Italy, Poland, and New York City. Includes glossary and recipes.

Heart of a Snowman

By Eugene Yeichin

Ages 4-8

On Christmas Eve, young Owen visits a magical factory run by animals, where he both teaches and learns some interesting things about snowmen.

A Season of Gifts

By Richard Peck

Ages 9-12

Relates the surprising gifts bestowed on twelve-year-old Bob Barnhart and his family, who have recently moved to a small Illinois town in 1958, by their larger-than-life neighbor, Mrs. Dowdel.

The True Gift: A Christmas Story

By Patricia MacLachlan

Ages 7-up

While spending Christmas at their grandparents' farm, Lily becomes convinced that her younger brother Liam is right about White Cow being lonely and helps him seek a companion for her, leaving little time for Christmas preparations or reading.

Looking for Good Read-Alouds?

Are you looking for good read-alouds for children? You should check out the nominees for the 2009 E.B. White Read Aloud Awards. These awards, established in 2004, honor books that reflect the universal read-aloud standards that were created by the work of the author E.B. White in his classic books for children--Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. There are two categories: Picture Books and Older Readers.

Books are nominated for their universal appeal as a “terrific” book to read aloud. The Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC) receives a list of book nominations, which is pared down to a short list of four books in each category. A committee of booksellers, chaired by an ABC board member, then decides the winners. Here are the winners and honor books chosen this year:

E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Picture Books:
A Visitor for Bear
By Bonny Becker
Bear's efforts to keep out visitors to his house are undermined by a very persistent mouse.

E.B. White Read Aloud Picture Book Honors:
Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken
By Kate DiCamillo
Longing for adventure, intrepid Louise leaves her comfortable nest and goes to sea.

One
By Kathryn Otoshi
A number/color book that reminds us that it just takes one to make everyone count.

Too Many Toys
By David Shannon
Although he finally agrees that he has too many toys and needs to give them away, there is one toy that Spencer absolutely cannot part with.

E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Older Readers:
Masterpiece
By Elise Broach
After Marvin, who is a beetle, makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for James, a human with whom he shares a house, the two new friends work together to help recover a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

E.B. White Read Aloud Older Reader Honors:
The Magic Thief
By Sarah Prineas
A young thief is drawn into a life of magic and adventure after picking the pocket of the powerful wizard Nevery Flinglas, who has returned from exile to try to reverse the troubling decline of magic in Wellmet City.

The Willoughbys
By Lois Lowry
In this tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, the four Willoughby children set about to become "deserving orphans" after their neglectful parents embark on a treacherous around-the-world adventure, leaving them in the care of an odious nanny.

Zorgamazoo
By Robert Paul Weston
Imaginative and adventurous Katrina eludes her maniacal guardian to help Morty, a member of a vanishing breed of zorgles, with his quest to uncover the fate of the fabled zorgles of Zorgmazoo as well as of other creatures that seem to have disappeared from the earth.

Looking for book ideas for boys?

Are you looking for book ideas for boys? You should check out Jon Scieszka's Guys Read web site. It's a web-based literacy program for boys whose mission is "to help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers."

Book recommendations are listed by category, such as "Outer space, but without aliens," "Mysterious Occurrences," and "Monkeys and/or Apes," just to name a few. October's book-of-the-month is the non-fiction Battle in the Arctic Sea, and the New Book on the Pile is Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem by Mac Barnett.

Jon Scieszka (pronounced CHESS-ka) wrote The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, the Time Warp Trio series, and Squids Will Be Squids, among other books. He is also the first (and current) Children's Ambassador for Young People's Literature.

This blog is worth a look!

The Latest Movies Based on Kids' Books

Seems lately that best-selling books translate well to the big screen. Here's a run-down of the latest ones:

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Based on the book by Judi Barrett
Movie Release: September 18, 2009
In the land of Chewandswallow, food (rather than rain or snow) falls from the sky. But something goes awry -- the food falling from the sky gets larger and larger, causing residents to make an escape before being squashed by giant pancakes.
CAST: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Bruce Campbell, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Tracy Morgan, Mr. T

Where the Wild Things Are
Based on the book by Maurice Sendak
Movie Release: October 16, 2009
Max is sent to bed without supper and imagines sailing away to the land of Wild Things. Max is loved by the wild creatures who make him their king, though he soon longs to be back home with his family.
CAST: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Pepita Emmerichs, Forest Whittaker, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)
Based on the book by Rick Riordan
Movie Release: February 12, 2010
Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson learns he is a demigod -- the son of a mortal woman and a Greek god. He and his new friends set out on a cross-country adventure to catch whoever stole the lightning bolt and to settle an ongoing battle between the gods.
CAST: Logan Lerman, Catherine Keener, Alexandra Daddario, Pierce Brosnan, Jake Abel, Demitri Lekkos

Middle School Mysteries

If you're looking for a fun mystery series for middle schoolers, check out the following:

Chasing Vermeer
By Blue Balliett
Illustrated by Brett Helquist

When a book of unexplainable occurrences brings sixth graders Petra and Calder together, strange things start to happen: Seemingly unrelated events connect, an eccentric old woman seeks their company, and an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal, where no one is spared from suspicion. But tracking down the Vermeer isn’t easy, as Calder and Petra try to figure out what a set of pentominos (mathematical puzzle pieces), a mysterious book about unexplainable phenomena and their nervous teacher have to do with a centuries old artwork. Can they solve a crime that has stumped even the FBI?
Sometime called The DaVinci Code for kids, Chasing Vermeer will have middle grade readers scrutinizing art books as they try to solve the mystery along with Calder and Petra. In an added bonus, artist Brett Helquist has also hidden a secret pentomino message in several of the book’s illustrations for readers to decode.

SEQUEL TO CHASING VERMEER:
The Wright 3
By Blue Balliett
Illustrated by Brett Helquist

Spring semester at the Lab School in Hyde Park finds Petra and Calder drawn into another mystery when unexplainable accidents and ghostly happenings throw a spotlight on Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, and it's up to the two young sleuths to piece together the clues. They become tangled in a dangerous web thanks to the return of Calder's friend Tommy, H.G. Wells's The Invisible Man, 3-D pentominoes, and the hunt for a coded message left behind by Wright.

SEQUEL TO THE WRIGHT 3:
The Calder Game
By Blue Balliett
Illustrated by Brett Helquist

When Calder Pillay travels with his father to a remote village in England, he finds mazes and mystery, including an unexpected Alexander Calder sculpture in the town square. Calder is strangely drawn to the sculpture, while other people have less-than-friendly feelings towards it. Both the boy and the sculpture seem to be out of place…and then, on the same night, they disappear! Calder's friends Petra and Tommy must fly out to help his father find him. But this mystery has many twists and turns that will keep readers guessing!

Award Nomination - I Love My Librarian!

Have you been impressed by a librarian in your community? Now's your chance to nominate that person for a special award! The "I Love My Librarian" award is sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and The New York Times. Nominations close Oct. 9, 2009. Winners will be announced in early November.

According to the American Library Association, librarians in our country’s 123,000 libraries make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans every day. On the nomination form, you can explain why your librarian should receive this prestigious honor.

Each of the up to ten librarians selected will receive $5,000 and will be recognized at a special awards ceremony. Nominations are being accepted in three categories: public librarians, school media specialists, and college, community college and university librarians.

To access the nomination form, click on this link: http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian/public.cfm.

Chester County Library Fall Storytime Registration

Registration for Chester County Library's Fall Storytimes is on Tuesday, September 1st, at 9:30 am. You may register for one five-week session, and you must register IN PERSON. Children must be the required age when the session begins. Check out our web site at http://www.ccls.org/ for more information and for storytimes at other CCLS libraries!

Get Ready for Kindergarten - Book List

With my daughter’s PreK graduation a few weeks away, we have been getting excited for kindergarten! I have been bringing home a lot of picture books to share with her to ease those jitters. Here is a list of “Get Ready for Kindergarten” books. Share them all summer long so you and your little one will be ready for September, too!

Who Will Go to Kindergarten Today? by Karl Ruhmann
The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
Tiptoe Into Kindergarten by Jacqueline Rogers
Countdown to Kindergarten by Alison McGhee
Kindergarten Kids by Ellen B. Senisi
Kindergarten Rocks by Katie Davis
Kindergarten Countdown by Anna Jane Hays
Little Bear Goes to Kindergarten by Jutta Langreuter
Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! by Nancy Carlson
Ms. Bitsy Bat’s Kindergarten by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Off to Kindergarten by Tony Johnston
A Place Called Kindergarten by Jessica Harper
Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell
Kindergarten ABC by Jacqueline Rogers
Tom Goes to Kindergarten by Margaret Wild
My First Day of School by Nancy J. Skarmeas
Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
A Pocket Full of Kisses by Audrey Penn
I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas
The Berenstain Bears Go To School by Stan & Jan Berenstain

Suzanne M., Spring City Public Library

World Premiere of EGGS

Are you a fan of Jerry Spinelli? You can see the world premiere of Eggs (based on Spinelli's novel) at People's Light & Theatre in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Here is a brief synopsis of the story:

Nine-year-old David and 13-year-old Primrose are both pretty unhappy with life at home. David is sent to live with his grandmother after the death of his mother, and Primrose's mom is a fortune teller who barely notices when Primrose moves into the van parked outside their house. Their unlikely friendship includes midnight trash-picking, bickering over gulps of Mango Madness, and hanging out with Refrigerator John, the local refrigerator repairman. They set off on an unexpected journey that leads to self-discovery and new perspectives on friendship and family.

The play runs from April 23-May 24, 2009. Tickets start at $20. For more information, you can call 610-644-3500 or see their web site at www.peopleslight.org.

Staff Picks -- Favorite Read-Alouds

Whether it is at home reading to my kids or conducting a library story time, these are some of the books that I love reading out loud. From stubborn pigs to grumpy fish, they are fun for audiences of all ages!

Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rudd
By Lynn Plourde
Pigs are blocking the road and no one can make them shoo—not brother, sister, father, or mother. Looks like it is up to Grandma to save the day!

Llama, Llama Red Pajama
By Anna Dewdney
Little Llama should be asleep but he wants his mama. Where is she? Parents will especially relate to all the “llama drama” at bedtime!

The Pout-Pout Fish
By Deborah Diesen
Grumpy Mr. Fish spreads his “dreary wearies” all over the ocean. The other fish try to cheer him up, but Mr. Fish is destined to be glum…..or is he?

A Visitor for Bear
By Bonnie Becker
A persistent mouse tries to befriend a cranky old bear. Will he succeed? And will you succeed in reading this book without giving mouse a British accent?

“Stand Back,” Said the Elephant, “I’m Going to Sneeze!”
By Patricia Thomas
Oh no—elephant is going to sneeze! All the animals remember what happened last time elephant sneezed. Now the monkeys and leopards and zebras are scared!

Jump, Frog, Jump!
By Robert Kalan
Will frog get away or will he be caught? This cumulative story will have little ones warning “Jump, frog, jump!” Great for interaction!

Suzanne M., Spring City Public Library

Where the Wild Things Are -- Movie

Maurice Sendak's classic children's story, Where the Wild Things Are, is being made into a movie! The story is about Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, who creates his own world--a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures who crown Max as their ruler.

Voices for the characters are provided by Forest Whitaker, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Paul Dano and Lauren Ambrose. The scheduled release date is October 16, 2009. Can't wait to see this one!

Lemony Snicket Picture Book

For all of you Lemony Snicket fans.....Daniel Handler (a.k.a. Lemony Snicket) has collaborated with composer Nathaniel Stookey to create a classical music mystery picture book! The Composer Is Dead comes with a CD of the author as narrator and the San Francisco Symphony performing Stookey's music.

Finding a dead composer, a detective questions all the usual suspects--sections of the orchestra, from the violins to percussion. The detective cites many dead composers, such as Bach, Beethoven and Schubert, while trying to solve the mystery. The Composer Is Dead was first performed in San Francisco in 2006, and the collaborators will perform on March 7th at New York's Carnegie Hall.

The book is published by HarperCollins and retails for $17.99. It's worth a look and a listen!

The Berenstain Bears on Stage!

Coming to Philly this spring......The Berenstain Bears' Family Matters! This new show for kids is an hour-long musical that weaves classic Berenstain Bear books into one big bear of an adventure. Shows will run March 20-April 4 at the Walnut Street Theatre, located at 825 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. For tickets and more information, visit http://www.walnutstreettheatre.org/.

Great 2008 Picture Books

Although they missed out on Caldecott accolades, here are some other fantastic picture books from 2008 you’ll want to enjoy:

In a Blue Room
By Jim Averback
Alice can only sleep in a blue room. Will the moon work its nighttime magic? Soothing illustrations and smooth language make this a new bedtime favorite.

Hello, Day!
By Anita Lobel
Say “Hello!” to these friendly animals! Stunning illustrations juxtaposed with simple text make this a fabulous addition to birth through preschool collections.

Old Bear
By Kevin Henkes
Bear is hibernating and having the most beautiful dreams. The illustrations have an older, charming feel that will make you wish you were dreaming right along with Bear.

The Little Yellow Leaf
By Carin Berger
Will Little Yellow Leaf ever be brave enough to leave her tree? Beautiful art and rhythmic language will make this a new fall favorite!

A Kitten Tale
By Eric Rothman
Four little kittens see snow for the first time. Will they have the courage to go out and play in it? Rothman gives us a short but sweet tale complete with wonderful illustrations.

A Visitor for Bear
By Bonny Becker
Will grumpy Bear succeed in chasing away a persistent little mouse? This incredibly irresistible story makes for a wonderful read-aloud and plenty of laughter.

Suzanne M., Spring City Public Library

Staff Pick

The Underneath

By Kathi Appelt

Grade 4-up

Awarded a Newbery Honor last week, Kathi Appelt’s The Underneath is one of the best books for young readers I have read in a long time. It features an odd array of characters, including a snake, an alligator, an old hound, a cat and her kittens, and the sinister Gar-Face. This old-fashioned tale of friendship and family includes elements of mysticism and magic, love and betrayal. Appelt does a masterful job of building suspense—will good triumph over evil? Even if you are not an animal lover, The Underneath is a captivating read and will absolutely steal your heart.

Suzanne M., Spring City Public Library

Award of Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

The National Council of Teachers of English has established the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, which recognizes excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children. The name Orbis Pictus commemorates the work of Johannes Amos Comenius, Orbis Pictus--The World in Pictures, published in 1657, which is considered to be the first book actually planned for children. The following is a list of the winner and honor books:

ORBIS PICTUS AWARD WINNER:

Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator

By Shelley Tanaka

Illustrated by David Craig

Describes the life of aviator Amelia Earhart from age eleven, when someone points out a plane to her, to the day she disappears on an airplane, in a text accompanied by illustrations, photographs and quotations.

ORBIS PICTUS AWARD HONOR BOOKS:

George Washington Carver
By Tonya Bolden

The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary
By Candace Fleming

Washington at Valley Forge
By Russell Freedman

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
By Kadir Nelson

When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone
By Dorothy Henshaw Patent

2009 Children's Book Award Winners

The American Library Association (ALA) has announced the top books, videos and audiobooks for children and young adults--including the Caldecott, Newbery, Printz and Coretta Scott King awards and others. The following is a partial list of award winners and honors. A complete list of awards and honors can be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2009/january2009/ymawrap.cfm.

CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER (best American picture book for children):
The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson

CALDECOTT MEDAL HONOR:
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee
How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz
A River of Words by Jen Bryant

NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER (most distinguished contribution to children's literature):
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

NEWBERY HONOR:
The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle
Savvy by Ingrid Law
After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

MICHAEL L. PRINTZ AWARD WINNER (excellence in literature for young adults):
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

MICHAEL L. PRINTZ AWARD HONORS:
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation by M.T. Anderson
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Nation by Terry Pratchett
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

CORETTA SCOTT KING AUTHOR AWARD WINNER (outstanding book by an African-American author):
We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson

CORETTA SCOTT KING AUTHOR AWARD HONOR:
Keeping the Night Watch by Hope Anita Smith
The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas
Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Weatherford

New Magic Tree House book

Get ready for the next Magic Tree House book! In Moonlight on the Magic Flute (#41 in the series), Jack and Annie head to 18th century Austria, where they help a musician named Mozart. During their adventures they encounter a little boy who follows them everywhere. When the boy lets the animals out of the palace zoo, Jack and Annie have to use the only magic at their disposal to save themselves and the naughty little boy. Moonlight on the Magic Flute will be available on March 10, 2009.