Wednesday, July 31, 2013

A Leaf Can Be




Leaves are an important part of our ecosystem.  The can provide shade from the sun, or shelter from the rain, they clean the air, and help plants make food. In the fall, they can glide on the wind, turn the hillsides into beautiful colors, and catch the frost.  This simple picture book by Laura Purdie Salas helps children understand the many functions of leaves in our world.  Brief descriptions in the back provide additional insight on the function of leaves. The gentle collage-like illustrations by Violetta Dabija not only fit the words on the page, they also help ones imagination to take flight. The text received a Golden Kite Honor in 2013, and the book was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2013.  This could be used as a supplementary resource for science units on plants and trees at the primary level.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Shadow on the Mountain

















The setting is Norway in 1940.  Although Norway is a neutral country, the Germans invade and take control under the guise of protecting it from invasion by the British or Russians.  This book tells the story of Espen, his family and friends, as they join the resistance movement.  Espen becomes a skiing courier who delivers food, secret documents, guns, illegal radio parts, and more to resistance workers in hiding. The story has elements of a spy thriller, a coming-of-age story, and is a tale of bravery against difficult odds. It is based on real events, and a real young man, Erling Storrusten, who was a teenager in Lillihammer during the years 1940-1945. This is excellent historical fiction for middle school students, and could be used as a classroom resource when studying World War II.  Written by Margi Preus, it was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2013 (young people's literature category); and was selected for the Notable Books for a Global Society list (IRA) in 2013.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

It's a Tiger!









It looks peaceful around here.  Let's read a story. Okay?  You haven't seen any tigers lately, right?  As the reader and the main character start to read this story, they encounter a tiger on almost every page-turn.  Mildly scary, and wildly funny, this picture book by Minnesota author David LaRochelle, and illustrated by Jeremy Tankard, is a feast for the imagination in all of us. This won the Minnesota Book Award in 2013 (children's literature category).

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Bink and Gollie: Best Friends Forever













In this newest 'Bink and Gollie' book, the friends have three new adventures:  Gollie discovers that she has royalty in her blood (and risks losing her best friend); Bink wants to be taller (and buys an Acme Stretch-o-Matic to help her), and the girls start a gold-star sticker collection so they can be included in the next edition of "Flicker's Arcana of the Extraordinary".  Authors Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee team up with illustrator Tony Fucile to create another delightful collection for early readers.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Bink and Gollie: Two for One


The first Bink and Gollie story hit the streets in 2010 and won the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award for beginning reader books.  Now we have two new adventures by this pair of friends.  In this story, Bink and Gollie go to the state fair where they have three brief adventures in three chapters. In the first, Bink tries her hand at an arcade game; then Gollie decides to enter an amateur talent show, and finally they visit a fortune teller.  All of it is good fun for two best friends.  Written by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, these books are sure to be popular with young girls, and they will be laughing out loud as they read.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

A Secret Keeps









A young boy is off on a trip to his grandparent's farm.  Before leaving home, he learned that grandpa has a secret waiting for him.  Once they arrive, he tries to figure out what the secret is, and where it might be hiding.  No one helps him, and he has to explore the house, garden, field, henhouse, pasture, and barn before he discovers the secret.  No spoilers here, you have to read it to learn what the secret is.  Written by Marsha Wilson Chall, and illustrated by Heather M. Solomon, this is a warm story of farm life that young children will enjoy.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Waking Dragons



It's morning, and time for the brave young knight to wake the sleeping dragons. Fearlessly, he climbs the ladder into their bed, pulls their covers off, puts their jammies in the hamper, and brushes their teeth.  Then it's downstairs for a waffle breakfast, and off they go flying in the sky (but not before delivering the young knight to the front door of his school).  A simple story by Jane Yolen, complemented with bright, humorous, and colorful illustrations by Derek Anderson, make this book a delight for young children.  It was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2013.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Cat Tale



Lillian, Tilly, and William J. are three inquisitive cats who set off on an afternoon adventure.  They plan to spend time snacking and reading, but soon are chasing words including homophones and homonyms, in what becomes a fabulous tongue-twisting adventure.  Written and illustrated by St. Paul graphic designer Michael Hall, this is a terrific book for preschool and primary language arts classes. Click here for a brief trailer to give you a sample of this tale.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

One Frozen Lake


Okay, I know it's hot and humid outside today (and we had a long cold winter), but this book will warm your heart anytime of year.  One Frozen Lake tells about the winter-time fishing adventures of a grandfather and grandson as they drill holes, drop a line, visit with neighbors, and wait, (yes, wait) for a bite.  Will they ever catch a fish?  Maybe that isn't the point of this wonderful picture book by Deborah Jo Larson, with illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. To some degree, it is also a counting book; and the "flannel shirt" illustrations add extra warmth. This title was recognized by the International Reading Association, by winning the Children's Fiction Award for Primary Fiction in 2013.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Let's try this again

It's been a while since I've done any work on this blog.  It's too long a story to tell here.  But, I didn't give up, and I'm ready to pick it up again.  A little refresh on the layout, and we'll be back with new books. Stay tuned.