3/28/25

I can’t think of a better way to end Women’s History month than by combining it with some of my favorite topics: space and STEM! The Young Readers adapted version of The Six by Loren Grush,tells the story of the first six female astronauts, including Sally Ride. Not only is astronaut training very challenging for all but the most elite of scientists, the program was met with skepticism and obstacles throughout. An inspiring collection of first person notes and anecdotes, along with background information to set the scene, The Six is a must-read for anyone who cheers for the underdog. I would recommend it for mature fourth graders and up!  We have one copy in the LC- check it out today!

3/14/2025

Do you need a book that just makes you smile?  Do you want to remind people that it’s not always about a solution, but sometimes it’s just about supporting others?  Then check out a new book we just got from the book fair– I am STUCK by Julia Mills. In it, a turtle is stuck on his back. Even though many try to help him, he only gets unstuck when a possum stays to just… be with their new friend.  A great story about how you can support others when they are stuck too. We have one copy in the library– come check it out today!

2/21/2025 

One of my favorite mysteries to come out over the last ten years, James Ponti’s Framed series follows Florian Bates, another Sherlockian wonder kid who takes all the little observations he makes to help others. Florian has been recruited by the FBI because artwork is going missing at famous museums.  Can Florian figure it out before the crooks get away with it? Or will they figure him out first and make him part of history?  I’d recommend it for 4th and 5th graders, but a really fun read aloud too!

1/31/2025 

Our book pick of the week is our One Book, One School selection- The Great Shelby Holmes. Based on the detective Sherlock Holmes, but with a twist!  Shelby is a 9 year old that also happens to be in sixth grade. She is beloved by many of the adults in her Harlem neighborhood because she solves the mysteries that the police can’t seem to. When John Watson moves into the neighborhood at a tough time in his life, he discovers that while Shelby is smart, friendship is a challenge. Can Shelby and John team up to track down a missing pup?  Can they figure out their friendship? This is the first of a fun series– you can look for the clues in the story as well! 

1/24/2025 

When Barbara’s owner enters her in a race, she is understandably concerned.  After all, she is a tortoise! But with a great attitude and a training regimen, Barbara shifts her mindset and race day is filled with surprising results.  This is a very cute book for our Kindergarten through second grade students and should be read aloud with the best of SEL intentions! We have a brand new copy in the LC – check it out today!

12/13/2024

Just in case you wanted to read it again and take a deeper dive into our Winter Whale Wishes book, it’s our book of the week!  Extra Yarn, by the dynamic duo of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, brings a fun message to what to do when you have plenty in your own life. Annabelle finds a box of yarn, and it never seems to run out. As she shares her yarn with the town, the town begins to change. Students will figure out that the yarn might be about a little more than a knitting habit if they pay close attention!  I love the theme of kindness and sharing without it hitting you over the head with it. We have two copies in the library- check one out today!

12/6/2024

This Bluestem Award nominee for 2025 is great story about family, exceeding expectations, and dealing with adversity. “Twelve-and-a-half year old Emelyn Ethrige lives with her widowed father in South Carolina, dreams of wheelchair motocross, and makes custom chair bags trying to earn enough money to buy a serious set of wheels; she has been in a wheelchair all her life, and is just fine getting around without help, but it seems that since her mother was killed in an accident everyone (father, grandparents, teachers, and classmates) have started treating her differently: urging caution and trying to "help" and for an independently-minded girl who loves speed and big air tricks it is frustrating--so Emelyn and her best friends come up with a plan to change their minds.” (From the publisher)  We have three copies– check one out today!

11/15/2024

Balloons over Broadway was a book I used to do with a lot of grade levels but have gotten away from recently. But it’s really good! Melissa Sweet’s biography of Tony Sarg, the man who basically invented the Macy’s Day parade, goes through the iterations of the parade and why it started. A fun read and lots of activities to do with it!  We have two copies in the LC- check them out today!

11/01/2024

As you know, Peter Reynolds is a treasure. The author of The Dot, Going Places, and the illustrator of nearly 100 books works to help students (and grown-ups!) to reset, center, and step back in this busy world to focus on helping each other be the best version of themselves. In Our Table, Violet wants the family to gather together and try not to be as distracted as they usually are. A great book as we go into Thanksgiving season, we have one copy available for checkout– all ages will enjoy!

10/18/2024

You want spooky?  We got spooky!  You want not-so-spooky?  How about our Monarch-nominated, There’s a Ghost in this House  by perennial  LC-favorite Oliver Jeffers. (Stuck, The Incredible Book Eating Boy).  It’s a very cleverly written and illustrated book about a girl who hears there are ghosts, but can’t quite see them (because they are hiding just out of sight).  Students will be mesmerized by the way the illustrations are done, and the older students will appreciate the technique.  Who knows? It might even inspire them to make their own! A great picture book for all to share!

10/04/2024

Continuing with our spooky theme this month is the supernatural comedy, The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds.  This Bluestem-nominee follows Rex as he is cursed by the Grim Reaper to be able to communicate with animals that have shuffled off this mortal coil.  Can he help them figure out the mysterious ways in which they passed? Is there something nefarious happening at the Middlington Falls Zoo? This first book in the series is perfect for 3rd-5th grade classes this month as a read aloud.  We have three copies in the LC– come check out one today!

9/27/2024

It's almost Spooky Szn friends!  That means it’s time to learn about some spooky books in our library. Today’s book pick of the week is for our fourth and fifth graders, and is a Bluestem nominee!  From the publisher:

 Celeste knows she should be excited to spend two weeks at her grandparents' lake house with her brother, Owen, and their cousins Capri and Daisy, but she's not. Bugs, bad cell reception, and the dark waters of the lake... no thanks. On top of that, she just failed her swim test and hates being in the water--it's terrifying. But her grandparents are strong believers in their family knowing how to swim, especially having grown up during a time of segregation at public pools. And soon strange things start happening--the sound of footsteps overhead late at night. A flickering light in the attic window. And Celete's cousins start accusing her of pranking them when she's been no where near them! Things at the old house only get spookier until one evening when Celeste looks in the steamy mirror after a shower and sees her face, but twisted, different... Who is the girl in the mirror? And what does she want? Past and present mingle in this spine-tingling ghost story by award-winning author India Hill Brown.

9/6/24

Some days you’re the pigeon, some days you’re the statue.  Lou definitely feels more like the statue in his life. What is his purpose? Why is he really here? Is this it?!  Existential crisis aside, Lou wants to know what his destiny is. Breanna Carzoo’s quick and funny tale about the self-discovery of Lou’s inner fountain will make lots of readers smile. As a Monarch book, it’s a great discussion piece about how we may not know what we’re destined to do with our lives, but it’s okay to wonder!  We have three copies in the library– check them out today! 👍

8/30/24

Welcome back! There are a lot of great books coming out, series continuing, and old favorites to revisit! This week’s book pick is a Bluestem nominee and former Battle of the Books list member, Boardwalk Babies. This book is a classic example of not judging a book by its cover because the cover, while cute, does not make the average eight year old want to open it.  Marissa Moss’s nonfiction retelling of the story of Dr. Martin Couney, who discovered how using incubators could save the lives of premature babies.  Determined to convince hospitals to start using them in the late 19th and early 20th century, Dr. Couney set up an exhibit at Coney Island and used the carnival atmosphere to raise awareness about helping premature babies.  It’s estimated that Dr. Couney saved 6,500 babies through his exhibit and passion, and changed the way doctors treated those early babies. I loved this book not only because babies are cute, but because it shows the reader how you can find all sorts of smaller stories in history and show their impact on the world.  We have three copies of this book– read it to your third grade and up class today! 

5/3/2024

Though I’ve probably done this before, Kelly Yang’s Front Desk series is worth a revisit. Set in the 1980’s, Mia and her family are struggling after moving to America from China. As they are presented with an opportunity to run a motel, they discover that middle management is much more than they bargained for.  This five-book series follows the Tang family through their ups and downs. It is a great set of books that does not shy away from the real problems of racism, learning a new language, and all the other challenges of growing up.  I’d recommend it for fourth and fifth grade classes.  Check it out today!

4/26/2024

The Summer Olympics are coming up, and May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander month! What better way to celebrate both that with a great story. This is one we used to do with small moments and making connections…several ELA adoptions ago, but I think it really resonates with a lot of our students who are always working to be better. From the publisher - “On a summer day in 1932, twelve-year-old Sammy Lee watched enviously as divers catapulted into the public swimming pool. Sammy desperately wanted to try diving himself, but the Korean American boy-like any person of color-was only allowed to use the pool one day a week. This discrimination did not weaken Sammy's newfound passion for diving, and soon he began a struggle between his dream of becoming an Olympic champion and his father's wish for him to become a doctor. Over sixteen years Sammy faced numerous challenges, but he overcame them all and fulfilled both his dream and his father's. In 1948 Dr. Sammy Lee dove into Olympic history. A matter of seconds after his final platform dive, the scores appeared and Sammy Lee became the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal.”  

4/5/2024

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopezby Adrianna Cuevas took me by surprise.  I thought it was going to be a light-hearted book about being able to talk to animals and dealing with moving so much because the dad is in the Army.  It is NOT about that at all.  For those upper grade students who love fantasy and are looking for more fun (not in the sun) about eclipses, this one might be for them!  From the inside jacket- 

March is Women’s History Month, and Ramadan begins late this weekend.  Let’s learn a little more about both by studying a contemporary figure, Malala Yousafzai. We have several Malala biographies in our library! (BTW, our biography section is getting renovated! It’s going to be much easier for students to find them…coming soon!)

For our younger students, I am Malala by Brad Meltzer and Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai both give a gentle version of her life with a strong message about standing up for what’s right, even in when it’s really hard (obvious understatement is obvious). For our older students, we have a junior version of I Am Malala that gives more insight into this changemaker’s life, as well as a straightforward biography called Malala Yousafzai. Come see us in the library if you’d like to learn more about this inspirational woman! 

2/23/2024

This week’s book pick continues a fun series that students have had access to over the years! I’m Trying to Love Germs comes from Bethany Barton, who also wrote I’m Trying to Love Spiders, Give Bees a Chance, and I’m Trying to Love Math. In this latest edition, the narrator and a microbe are discussing the finer points of the hidden world of pathogens, viruses, bacteria, and the differences among all of them! This book is a great companion for any student that loves to learn about the world all around us, with a funny lens. Pick up this one, and then go read Do Not Lick This Book! to complete a hilarious (and slightly gross) set of books to read. Learn to accept they outnumber us and what we can do to help (we need some of them!) and hinder them (we don’t need some of them!) Check it out today!

2/09/24

Today’s book pick of the week is Love by Matt de la Peña and Loren Long.  Almost melancholic, the prose is spare and finds different ways to define love that sometimes go well beyond the constraints of a picture book. If you have students who need to see that love comes in different ways (spending time together, sharing memories, supporting each other), this book for K-5 (and grown ups too!)  demonstrates that love leaks its way into all the corners of your life, if you let it. It’s simple,and beautiful,  and perfect for all those seeking the comfort of love and support in a month filled with it. We have two copies in our library- check one out today! 💗

1/19/2024

The book pick of the week for this week is Invisible Things by Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller.  This book is great for all readers as it talks about all the things we can’t see, from smells, to feelings, to ideas!  The illustrations are very clever and invite the reader to create their own as well.  Reminiscent of the Little Miss books from the early 1980s, but with a more sophisticated discussion of all around us that we cannot see, this is a fun AND thought-provoking book!  We have one copy in the LC– check it out today! 🙂

Did I mention that it’s great for ALL ages?  Read it!

1/12/2024

2009’s Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award Winner is back in the news because Disney+ has just released the first season of the EPIC journey of 12-year old Percy Jackson. In The Lightning Thief, Percy must clear his name as both forbidden child and would-be stealer of Zeus’s bolt of power? Sounds like too much fantasy? Set it in the modern day, and add a cross country romp, and you have a complex book about growing up and finding your true family.  Is it a perfect book?  Absolutely not.  Will your Harry Potter fans love it? You bet.  This is the first book in the first of several sets about the world of mythology Riordan has created. Read the book, watch the show (it’s beautiful, and true to the book) and enjoy! 🙂