What They're (Really) Reading: August 2015

photo by Toby Neal

By keeping a pulse on what my kiddos are checking out and keeping a close eye on which books are circulating heavily, I feel that I can spend the small budget I have more wisely by choosing books I know will have a greater likelihood of circulating widely.

Each month I'll feature a few fiction and a few nonfiction books that are on the "heavy rotation" list at our elementary library. They're not necessarily new, shiny, or covered with awards -- they're just what the kids want.

This Month's Selections:

Michael Jackson (Big Buddy Biographies)
by Sarah Tieck
Nonfiction

Highlights the life and career of Michael Jackson, discussing his family, childhood, success while singing in the Jackson 5, solo career, and other related topics.



Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World
by Steve Jenkins
Nonfiction

Profiles a series of animals with unusual eyes, and explains how such animals use their uniquely evolved eyes to gain essential information about the biological world. It makes me so giddy that kiddos continue to love Steve Jenkins' fabulous books.


An Amazing Snowman (Frozen)
by Barbara Jean Hicks
Picture Book

Featuring Olaf, the happy-go-lucky comic relief of Disney's Frozen, this humorous tale of what it means to dream is told in verse and features charming illustrations. Frozen. Duh.




Sweet Tooth
by Margie Palatini
Picture Book

Stewart's loud, obnoxious sweet tooth constantly gets him into trouble, until Stewart uses a healthy diet to take control of the situation. This is absolutely hands down my favorite book to read aloud.

The Mouse With the Question Mark Tail
by Richard Peck
Chapter Book

A very small mouse of unknown origins runs away from school in the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace shortly before the celebration of Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, celebrating her sixty years on the British throne. Ah, the power of booktalking...



Splendors and Glooms
by Laura Amy Schlitz
Chapter Book

When Clara vanishes after the puppeteer Grisini and two orphaned assistants were at her twelfth birthday party, suspicion of kidnapping chases the trio away from London and soon the two orphans are caught in a trap set by Grisini's ancient rival, a witch with a deadly inheritance to shed before it is too late.

Books By Theme: If You Like Frozen

From casual fans to the totally obsessed, readers who enjoy Disney's Frozen will love these adventurous stories about Scandinavia, sisters, and snow.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy
by Karen Foxlee

Ophelia, a timid eleven-year-old girl grieving her mother, suspends her disbelief in things non-scientific when a boy locked in the museum where her father is working asks her to help him complete an age-old mission.  Grades 4-6




Icefall
by Matthew Kirby

Princess Solveig and her siblings are trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a frozen fjord, along with her best friend and an army of restless soldiers, all awaiting news of the king's victory in battle, but as they wait for winter's end and the all-encompassing ice to break, acts of treachery make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst. Grades 4-7

The Spindlers
by Lauren Oliver

Accompanied by an eccentric, human-sized rat, Liza embarks on a perilous quest through an underground realm to save her brother Patrick, whose soul has been stolen by the evilest of creatures--the spider-like spindlers.Grades 4-6


What would you add to the list? Feel free to share in the comments below :)