Weird Minnesota

Minnesota is known for its lakes, Mississippi headwaters, famous people in politics, business, and mythology. But the state also has its share of weirdness--from UFOs over Duluth, to jackalopes and hodags, the SPAM museum, milk carton boat races, and super-sized statues of man and beast--there are enough strange and weird features around this state to fill a book--which is exactly what Eric Dregni has done. Great fun to browse....or read cover to cover.

Mudville

Welcome to Moundville, a mythical Minnesota town where it's been raining steadily for over 20 years. That's longer than Roy McGuire, the hero and narrator of this story, has been alive. One day Roy comes home to find his father has taken in a mysterious foster son named Sturgis. With Sturgis' arrival, things begin to change. The rain stops. The baseball field dries out. A new baseball team takes shape, with Sturgis as a very talented pitcher. Soon, Roy and the team are preparing to play Sinister Bend (the team they were playing when the rain started), and Sturgis makes a choice that no one can understand. This is a first book by Minnesota author Kurtis Scatetta; it is a very readable story for sports and mystery fans.

Loud Mouth George and the Sixth Grade Bully

It's the first day of school and George has run into a new problem, a big sixth grade bully who steals his lunch on the way to school--every day--for a week. Finally, his friend Harriet comes up with a plan to solve the problem. This is another tale in the popular series by Nancy Carlson. It could be the basis of a discussion of bullying with young children.

Loudmouth George Earns His Allowance

Loudmouth George, created by Nancy Carlson, is a favorite character for many young readers. In this story, summer vacation has started and his mother has assigned George one chore for each day of the week, but George has more interesting things to do instead. By week's end, George would like to go to a movie, but his mother says "no allowance until your chores are done!" George enlists his brothers to help do the chores, but they make such a mess that George has double the work, and then is too tired for a movie! This is a fun story, with a gentle lesson tucked in along the way.

My Day

Young readers can follow Sam through his day; from waking up, getting dressed, breakfast, school, playing with a friend, supper, homework and bedtime. A clock on each page will help readers learn to tell time. Written by Lisa Bullard, with digital illustrations by Brandon Reibeling, this is part of the "All About Me" series by Picture Window Books.

Stop This War: American Protest of the Conflict in Vietnam

Written by Margot Fortunato Galt, and part of Lerner's People's History series, this book tells the story of protest against the Vietnam War. Several people from Minnesota are featured in the narrative. For those of us of a 'certain age', this is a very readable summary of our college years. For young readers, it will be a good resource for studying the Vietnam War era.

Worlds Apart

It is 1959 and 13 year old Winnie's family suddenly moves from (to her) a wonderful life in Chicago to a small town in Minnesota. To make matters worse, her father has taken a position as a doctor at a state hospital, and the family lives in a cottage on the hospital grounds. This makes Winnie the subject of bullying and ridicule at school. All she wants is to return to Chicago and her friends there. As several small mysteries are resolved, Winnie learns to see things and people in a new light. Written by Lindsay Lee Johnson, this book touches on some sensitive issues, and could be a basis for a discussion on how to treat others.

Think Happy!

George, Harriet, and the rest of the gang demonstrate ways to be happy. From being positive about your appearance,to speaking up for yourself, to having fun with friends, to being friendly with others - these are some of the ideas in this newest book from Nancy Carlson. It is another colorful book with a timeless message.

Stampede! Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School

The kids may have been a little wild as schools finished the 2008-09 school year. This is a perfect book to share during those wild times.
Where will you find creatures that stampede like elephants, swarm like bees, and swing like monkeys? At school, of course! This book contains eighteen funny and creative poems that observe students in their natural habitat, and reveal some of their unusual behavior. Let's face it, school can bring out the animal in anyone! Written by Larua Purdie Salas, illustrated by Steven Salerno, here is a funny collection to share with elementary age kids.

Father Water, Mother Woods

This collection of essays/stories by Gary Paulsen, is a nice collection of witings about his experiences hunting, camping, and fishing in the North Woods during his youth. Line drawings by Ruth Wright Paulsen are interspersed with the stories, and reflect the peacefulness of nature. Boys who enjoyed Hatchet will like this collection as it reflects the cycle of a calendar year, and of the larger seasons in life. Published in 1994, it was selected for the YALSA Quick Picks list in 1995.

Hey, Hmong Girl, Whassup?

This book, a novel in journal form, tells the story of Choua Vang, a teenager growing up in St. Paul. She is part of a Hmong family, and her other brother and sister have both left home to join gangs. Choua wants to honor her parents and her Hmong heritage, but she also wants the freedom she sees American teenagers enjoying. This is a rare book that addresses questions of race, acculturation, and family for Hmong teens. The author, Leah Rempel, is an ESL teacher in St. Paul, and wrote this as part of her Master's thesis at Hamline University. The book includes a discussion guide for classroom use.

Lucy Long Ago

For budding scientists, here is a book that shows how exploration and discovery can be applied. In 1974, Donald Johanson discovered a small bone on a hillside in Ethiopia. The bone was part of "Lucy", believed to be part of the human family tree from 3 million years ago. The book explains how scientists from several disciplines (archaeology, paleontology, geology, and geochronology) worked together to figure out how Lucy fits in human history. Written by Catherine Thimmish, with photographs and computer-generated artwork, this is an excellent resource for classes studying evolution. Back matter includes a glossary and bibliography.

Bears Make Rock Soup, And Other Stories

This book is a collection of brief stories inspired by paintings that show the unique relationships between plains and woodland Indians and the animals that inhabit their world. The animals include deer, bears, moose, crows, loons, and eagles. The illustrator is Minnesotan Lisa Fifield, and the stories (written especially to interpret the paintings) are by Lise Erdrich. Although it is a picture book, this will probably be more suitable for older readers who will be better able to understand the meaning of the stories. It was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in the 'multicultural' category in 2003. Overall, it is a beautifully done book.

Meow Monday

You really need to see the artwork to fully appreciate this simple picture book. And since I'm writing this on a monday--it's a perfect pick for today!
Bonnie Bumble lives on a farm, and everyone is happy until the 'pussy' willows all 'burst' into bloom. They make so much noise that the other animals are very upset. After trying several ideas to quiet them, Bonnie remembers the 'milk'weed plant, and that does the trick. Everything is quiet again, until the 'dog'wood blooms. Written by Phyllis Root with illustrations by Helen Craig, this is a fun play on words for young readers.