Books By Theme: You're In Luck...

Luck Uglies 
by Paul Durham

Strange things are happening in Village Drowning, and a terrifying encounter has Rye O'Chanter convinced that the monstrous, supposedly extinct Bog Noblins have returned. 
Now Rye's only hope is an exiled secret society so notorious its name can't be spoken aloud: the Luck Uglies. As Rye dives into Village Drowning's maze of secrets, rules, and lies, she'll discover the truth behind the village's legends of outlaws and beasts...and that it may take a villain to save them from the monsters.

A Whole Lot of Lucky
by Danette Haworth

Hailee Richardson never realized how much she hated her Salvation Army life and Goodwill accessories until the night her family wins the lottery. All of a sudden she's no longer the only girl at school without a cell phone or a brand-new bike! And the newfound popularity that comes with being a lottery winner is just what she's always dreamed of. But the glow of her smartphone and fancy new clothes wears off when Hailee is transferred to Magnolia Academy, a private school. All of a sudden, her best friend and parents seem shabby compared to the beautiful Magnolia moms and the popular bad-girl Nikki, who seems to want to be her friend.

Lucky Strike
by Bobbie Pyron

Nate Harlow would love to be lucky, just once! He'd like to win a prize, get picked first, call a coin toss right, even! But his best friend, Genesis Beam (aka Gen), believes in science and logic, and she doesn't think for one second that there's such a thing as luck, good or bad. She doesn't care what names the other kids call them. She cares about being right, about saving the turtles of Paradise Beach, and she cares about Nate.

The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky
by Holly Schindler

August “Auggie” Jones lives with her Grandpa Gus, a trash hauler, in a poor part of town. So when her wealthy classmate’s father starts the House Beautification Committee, it’s homes like Auggie’s that are deemed “in violation.” Auggie is determined to prove that she is not as run-down as the outside of her house might suggest. Using the kind of items Gus usually hauls to the scrap heap, a broken toaster becomes a flower; church windows turn into a rainbow walkway; and an old car gets new life as spinning whirligigs. What starts out as a home renovation project becomes much more as Auggie and her grandpa discover a talent they never knew they had—and redefine a whole town’s perception of beauty, one recycled sculpture at a time.

Three Times Lucky
by Sheila Turnage

Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

Spring Book Fair Top Ten Titles

We're just finishing up our Spring Book Fair, and I've been so impressed with this season's titles!

It's also my first middle school book fair and I have to say I like the selection better than the elementary fairs. I feel like there's more quality books here in middle school land -- at least as far as book fairs are concerned. 

Listed below are the top best-sellers at my middle school this time around. I'm pleasantly surprised by many of the books that were consistently selected -- also note that perennial favorites like Wimpy Kid are not to be found anywhere on the list. I believe this is because they KNOW they can find those titles at our library. They went for the books we don't have in the collection to purchase at the book fair. 

Smart cookies ;)

Number 10: Surrounded By Sharks by Michael Northrop

When Davey wakes, just as the sun is rising, he can't wait to slip out of the crammed hotel room he's sharing with his family. Leave it to his parents and kid brother to waste an entire day of vacation sleeping in! Davey heads straight for the beach, book and glasses in hand, not bothering to leave a note. As the sparkling ocean entices him, he decides to test the water, never mind that "No Swimming" sign. But as the waves pull him farther from shore, Davey finds himself surrounded by water -- and something else, too. Something circling below the surface, watching, waiting. It's just a matter of time. 

Number 9: 2017 Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition

Get an inside look at the indie game scene, the big-money world of eSports, and a celebration of 25 years of Mario Kart. There’s everything from space shooters such as Destiny, to RPGs such as Fallout 4, to the hit sport series FIFA and Madden. We’ve got sims, strategy games, and horror titles, and we also take a look at the toys-to-life phenomenon.

Number 8: Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova

Cardinal rule #1 for surviving school: Don't get noticed by the mean kids.
Cardinal rule #2 for surviving school: Seek out groups with similar interests and join them.

On her first day at her new school, Penelope--Peppi--Torres reminds herself of these basics. But when she trips into a quiet boy in the hall, Jaime Thompson, she's already broken the first rule, and the mean kids start calling her the "nerder girlfriend." How does she handle this crisis? By shoving poor Jaime and running away! Falling back on rule two and surrounding herself with new friends in the art club, Peppi still can't help feeling ashamed about the way she treated Jaime. Things are already awkward enough between the two, but to make matters worse, he's a member of her own club's archrivals--the science club! And when the two clubs go to war, Peppi realizes that sometimes you have to break the rules to survive middle school!

Number 7: Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn't happy about leaving her friends for Bahía de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air that blows in from the sea. As the girls explore their new home, a neighbor lets them in on a secret: There are ghosts in Bahía de la Luna. Maya is determined to meet one, but Cat wants nothing to do with them. As the time of year when ghosts reunite with their loved ones approaches, Cat must figure out how to put aside her fears for her sister's sake - and her own.

Number 6: How They Choked by Georgia Bragg & Kevin O'Malley

Over the course of history, famous people made mistakes that were so monumental they could never escape them, no matter how brilliant their successes! Ferdinand Magellan is credited as the first man to sail around the world . . . but he only actually made it halfway. His terrible treatment of everyone he met cut his life journey short. Queen Isabella of Spain is remembered for financing Columbus’s expeditions—and for creating the Spanish Inquisition. J. Bruce Ismay commissioned the unsinkable marvel of the sea, the Titanic—and then jumped the line of women and children to escape death on a lifeboat. Readers will be fascinated well past the final curtain and will empathize with the flawed humanity of these achievers.

Number 5: Naruto: Itachi's Story by Masachi Kishimoto & Takashi Yano

Uchiha Itachi, four years of age. With the hell of war burned into his eyes, the boy makes a resolution: he will rid this world of all violence. The birth of Sasuke, meeting his friend Shisui, the academy, genin, chunin, and then the Anbu—Itachi races down the path of glory toward his dream of becoming the first Uchiha Hokage, unaware of the darkness that lies ahead…

Number 4: Assassin's Creed Last Descendants by Matthew J. Kirby

Nothing in Owen’s life has been right since his father died in prison, accused of a crime Owen is certain he didn't commit. Monroe, the IT guy at school, might finally bring Owen the means to clear his father’s name by letting him use an Animus—a device that lets users explore the genetic memories buried within their own DNA. The experience brings Owen more than he bargained for. During a simulation, Owen uncovers the existence of an ancient and powerful relic long considered legend—the Trident of Eden. Now two secret organizations will stop at nothing to take possession of this artifact—the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order. It soon becomes clear to Owen that the only way to save himself is to find the Trident first.

Number 3: Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Lida thought she was safe. Her neighbors wearing the yellow star were all taken away, but Lida is not Jewish. She will be fine, won't she? But she cannot escape the horrors of World War II. Lida's parents are ripped away from her and she is separated from her beloved sister, Larissa. The Nazis take Lida to a brutal work camp, where she and other Ukrainian children are forced into backbreaking labor. Starving and terrified, Lida bonds with her fellow prisoners, but none of them know if they'll live to see tomorrow.

Number 2: Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap by Akira Himekawa

On the day of the Picori Festival, Link and Princess Zelda go to watch the sword-fighting tournament. The winner is a strange man named Vaati, who has come to claim the Light Force which is sealed within the Bound Chest. When the Light Force turns up missing, Vaati turns Princess Zelda to stone! To save his friend, Link needs the power of the Picori Blade, but only a certain master swordsmith can reforge it. Can Link find the pieces of the broken sword before Vaati does?

Number 1: Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of 8 year old Ethan. During their countless adventures Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog. But this life as a beloved family pet is not the end of Bailey's journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders, will he ever find his purpose? 

Books by Theme: Middle Grade Magical Realism

Disappearance of Emily H.
by Barrie Summy

You'd think that the ability to see memories attached to objects would be useful when starting a new school, but it's not much help to eighth-grader Raine. She still has to put up with the school's mean-girl clique, whose bullying seems more sinister when memories reveal that they know more than they're telling about the recent disappearance of fellow student Emily. Though following Emily's memories becomes increasingly risky, Raine feels compelled to find the missing girl. Combining authentic middle school social drama with supernatural mystery, Raine's dogged search for the truth is bound to keep you turning pages. 

The Lightning Queen
by Laura Resau

For Teo and Esma, destiny strikes during their childhood in the 1950s, when Esma and her Romani family visit Teo's Mixteco community in the dusty Mexican mountains. Teo is grieving the loss of his twin sister, but spirited Esma (who calls herself the "Queen of Lightning") puts "the spark of life" back in him. Though Esma's fortune-teller grandmother predicts that their friendship will be lifelong, even lasting into the lives of their grandchildren, readers are fast-forwarded to the present day, where Teo and Esma have lost touch over the years. Can their grandchildren figure out how to reunite them so they can fulfill their destiny? Find out in this magical and deeply moving read.

Wish Girl
by Nikki Loftin

Peter and Annie each have their own reasons for wanting to run away to the magical valley near their rural Texas community. Quiet, sensitive, and deeply misunderstood by his slowly fracturing family, Peter isn't sure he can keep going. Odd, artistic Annie calls herself a "wish girl" – as in Make-A-Wish, the program for kids with cancer. When family drama and the looming shadow of a risky cancer treatment overwhelm the two friends, they turn to the valley for safety, protection, and hope. If you're enchanted by author Nikki Loftin's poetic writing style, you might also enjoy her previous book, Nightingale's Nest.

Nightbird
by Alice Hoffman

It's rumored that there's a monster living in Sidwell, Massachusetts. But 12-year-old Twig Fowler knows better than to believe rumors -- especially since the "monster" is actually her older brother James, who was born with wings due to an old family curse. Their mom says that they have to keep James a secret, but when sisters Julia and Agate move in next door, Twig and James make friends with them anyway -- and in so doing, discover the chance to change their family's fate. For another quirky, quiet book that mixes magic with everyday life, check out Jane Yolen's Centaur Rising.

Books By Theme: So Funny It's Scary!

The Zero Degree Zombie Zone by Patrik Henry Bass

Bakari Johnson's worries about running for fourth-grade hall monitor against popular Tariq suddenly seem less important after he's sucked into an icy, otherworldly dimension. The wicked, spiky ice king Zenon has lost a magical ring in Bakari's school, and he's sending Bakari back to find it…or else Zenon's hordes of ice zombies will invade the school! Unfortunately, to complete the quest, Bakari and his friend Wardell will have to convince Tariq and his queen-bee cousin, Keisha, to help them. Cartoon illustrations keep the action front and center in this fast-moving supernatural adventure.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier; illustrated by Douglas Holgate

After monsters attack the town of Wakefield, 13-year-old foster kid Jack is among the few who haven't been zombified. Venturing out of his treehouse fortress, Jack uses his video gaming skills to tackle various "Feats of Apocalyptic Success," which include assembling a team of other survivors (such as his science-geek friend Quentin, middle school bully Dirk, and pet monster Rover), and rescuing his crush, June Del Toro (whether she needs rescuing or not). Blending wisecracking characters with splattering monster guts, this cartoon-illustrated series-starter is sure to draw in fans of Paolo Bacigalupi's Zombie Baseball Beatdown.

Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis; illustrated by Shannon Watters and Brooke Allen

From the outside, Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types looks like a pretty typical Lumberjanes scout camp. But cabin-mates Mal, Molly, April, Jo, and Ripley are earning their merit badges through some pretty bizarre supernatural activities: arm-wrestling giants, battling three-eyed beasts, and escaping traps in an underground cave, to name just a few. If you're hooked on this upbeat, high-octane comic book starring kick-butt heroines who believe in "friendship to the max!", we've got good news for you: this collection is the 1st of many in the ongoing Lumberjanes series.

Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz

In a world where the paranormal is possible, 12-year-old Will believes that the recent death of his older brother, Graham, doesn't have to be permanent. After researching a previous zombie uprising, Will finds a way to raise all the dead people in town, including Graham. However, real zombies turn out to be the opposite of exciting, and having slow, unfeeling zombie Graham around only makes Will miss his brother more. Zombie Tag offers an unusual combination of horror, humor, and bittersweet emotions; for zombie stories with less shambling and more brain-eating, try John Kloepfer's Zombie Chasers.

What they're (really) reading: March 2016

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 simply what the kids want.

This Month's Selections:

Why Are There Stripes on the American Flag?
by Martha Rustad
Nonfiction Picture Book

Do you know why the US flag has stars and stripes on it? Join Mr. Gomez's class as they learn when the first American flag was made, what the Pledge of Allegiance means, and why we honor the flag.




Prehistoric Actual Size
by Steve Jenkins
Nonfiction Picture Book

What is it like to come face-to-face with the ten-foot-tall terror bird? Or stare into the mouth of the largest meat eater ever to walk the earth? Can you imagine a millipede that is more than six feet long, or a dinosaur smaller than a chicken? In this "actual size" look at the prehistoric world, which includes two dramatic gatefolds, you'll meet these awe-inspiring creatures, as well as many others.

Crankenstein
by Samantha Berger
Picture Book

A boy who looks ordinary transforms into grumbling Crankenstein when faced with a rainy day, a melting popsicle, or bedtime, but everything changes when he meets a fellow Crankenstein. 




Chicken Butt!
by Erica Perl
Picture Book

The classic schoolyard joke has been recast as an irreverent picture book, with call-and-response parts for parent and child. The word repetition in Erica S. Perl's text, and wonderfully comic illustrations by beloved artist Henry Cole, make this a particularly inviting book for new readers, as does the opportunity to "trick" a parent or other adult into participating in a very silly joke. Warning: Kids will want to read this one over and over and over again!

Starring Jules (As Herself)
by Beth Ain
Chapter Book

Jules is an ordinary seven-year-old girl, concerned with school and friends and other ordinary things--until a chance meeting with a casting director leads to an audition for a television commercial. 




Night of the Living Dummy
by R.L. Stine
Chapter Book

Kris, jealous of her sister Lindy's success as a ventriloquist, convinces her father to buy her a dummy of her own, but weird things start to happen after she reads the words inscribed on a piece of paper found in the dummy's shirt pocket. 

What they're (really) reading: January 2016

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:

Lunch Lady and the Video Game Villain
by Jarrett Krosoczka
Graphic Novel

The race is on for a new student council president, and the Breakfast Bunch is rallying for Hector! The competition is already heavy, but the race heats up when school security is at stake: student and staff high-tech gadgets are disappearing left and right. Whoever the culprit is, this is one stealthy thief--and the school is so busy with the election that he gets away with it every time.


I Scream, Ice Cream! A Book of Wordles
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Picture Book

The ever-surprising Amy Krouse Rosenthal unleashes her prolific wit in this silly and smart book of wordplay. Perfectly complemented by equally clever illustrations from the talented and internationally renowned Serge Bloch, this mind-bending book will have young readers thinking about words in an entirely new way!


Screaming With Laughter
by Michael Dahl
Nonfiction/Joke Book

Seriously...it's a joke book about ghosts and monsters. Need I say more?






Double Team
Amar'e Stoudemire
Chapter Book

Eleven-year-old Amar'e Stoudemire is doing well in the basketball tournaments he is entering with his two best friends, Deuce and Mike, but when some of the older and more skilled players want him on their teams, Amar'e realizes that elevating his own game will mean disappointing his friends. 



If You Plant a Seed 
by Kadir Nelson
Picture Book

With spare text and breathtaking oil paintings, If You Plant a Seed demonstrates not only the process of planting and growing for young children but also how a seed of kindness can bear sweet fruit.





Amazing Football Records
by Paul Hoblin
Nonfiction

Presents records of amazing players, teams, and games in the sport of football, including a short history of the game. Large, attractive, captioned, color and black-and-white photographs and reproductions are surrounded by sidebars of trivia on each spread.

What they're (really) reading: October 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:

Never Smile at a Monkey
by Steve Jenkins
Informational Picture Book

An illustrated discussion of what not to do around various dangerous animals, with warnings about petting a platypus, touching a tang fish, or pulling a python's tail.

Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum
by Meghan McCarthy
Informational Picture Book

Gum. It's been around for centuries—from the ancient Greeks to the American Indians, everyone's chewed it. But the best kind of gum—bubble gum!—wasn't invented until 1928, when an enterprising young accountant at Fleer Gum and Candy used his spare time to experiment with different recipes.

Penguin and Pumpkin 
by Salina Yoon
Picture book

Curious about what fall is like in places that are not always white, Penguin and his friends go to a pumpkin farm and bring back a surprise for Penguin's brother, Pumpkin, who couldn't come with them.

Pumpkin Trouble
by Jan Thomas
Picture book

When Duck decides to make a jack-o-lantern, he and his friends Pig and Mouse are in for a scary adventure.






Coraline
by Neil Gaiman
Chapter book

Looking for excitement, Coraline ventures through a mysterious door into a world that is similar, yet disturbingly different from her own, where she must challenge a gruesome entity in order to save herself, her parents, and the souls of three others.

No Talking
by Andrew Clements
Chapter Book

The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest.

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger

Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger
by Jon Scieszka
illustrations by Brian Biggs
Amulet Books (Mar. 17, 2015)
Science Fiction/Humor Chapter Book

Summary:

Frank Einstein (kid-genius scientist and inventor) and his best friend, Watson, along with intelligent robots Klink and Klank once again find themselves in competition with T. Edison, their classmate and archrival--this time in the quest to unlock the power behind the science of energy.

Why You'll Love It:

• In this second book in the Frank Einstein series, Jon Scieszka continues to dole out scientific information and humor in equal measure.
• A kid-friendly take on the relevant and timely topic of alternative energy sources, brought to life with distinct characters, wily villains, and funny asides.
• It's full of visual appeal. Brian Bigg’s illustrations—ranging from diagrams of simple machines, including wedges and pulleys, to over-the-top scenes, such as the calculating T. Edison and Mr. Chimp swinging a wrecking ball from a crane—appear on nearly every spread.

Who Should Read It:

Great for grades 2-5...and here's the teacher guide.

What Else You Should Read:

• The 13 Story Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths
• Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor by Jon Scieszka
• Spaceheadz series by Jon Scieszka

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 :)

Top 10 Fiction Chapter Books...So Far

Well, today's stats show me that the diary format is KING in chapter book world here at our school. As you'll see below, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dork Diaries, and Big Nate completely dominated our top 10 list, making no room for anything else!

I think I need to develop some "If You Liked This Book" type of list for these series to get my kiddos hooked on some new series.

10. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

9. Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-graceful ice princess

 8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

7. Big Nate Goes for Broke

6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

5. Dork Diaries: Tales from a not-so-smart Miss Know-It-All

4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel

3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal

2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

Also checkout the lists of Top 10 Picture Books and Top 10 Nonfiction Books!