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No Sleep for the Sheep!
by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic
Poor Sheep, all he wants to do is get a good night's sleep. Unfortunately, every time he closes his eyes, another animal wakes him up with a Quack or a Baaa or even an Oink. This simple story is filled with lots of repetition for child participation and will make a fun story time or bedtime read. The use of enlarged colorful font for animal noises will make it even easier to encourage audience involvement. Illustrations done in watercolors are colorful enough to carry well throughout a group. Recommended for ages 4 to 7. (Tracy Gallagher, MLIS)
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Tales for Very Picky Eaters
by Josh Schneider
James is a very picky eater. Lucky for him his father is a very calm, clever man. Each time James refuses to eat something his father dreams up an alternative food selection or consequence so unappealing that James gives in and eats all. Father’s highly imaginative tales have just enough innocent yuck and gross appeal for reluctant eaters, especially boys. In the fifth and final short chapter James tries to second-guess what his dad’s fantastic reason will be for eating slimy eggs. Each outlandish guess is met with defeat. In the end James simply asks why again. Father merely says, “I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them.” James is so stunned with the simple answer. He says okay, takes a bite and raises his arms and smiles in triumph. Josh Schneider’s full-color, expressive illustrations are perfect for this witty, original beginning reader. Recommend to parents also. They may learn a few tricks to try on their own kids. Highly recommended for ages 6 to 8. (Jeannine Wiese) |
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Squish Super Amoeba
Paperback and Library Binding
by Jennifer L.Holm and Matthew Holm
The creative team of Babymouse has penned a new graphic novel series releasing in May. Kids who love smart, funny scenarios, suspense and thrills, superheroes, and science will snicker, smirk, and laugh-out-loud while reading it. Even those who aren’t into science will be sucked right into Squish’s hilarious microscopic world of wonder. Squish is an ordinary amoeba who loves tacos, Twinkies, comic books and aspires to superhero status. His pal Pod is another type of amoeba, a genius in fact, searching for a way to stop global warming and is always mooching lunch money from Squish. Peggy, a delightfully happy paramecium and best friend to both, sees all creatures as good, even the evil type of amoeba who wants to eat her. True science facts are subtly intermingled throughout the comic humor, like the fact that Principal Planaria is a flatworm that is truly crossed-eyed, however “planaria really don’t wear ties at least not on casual Fridays.” Simple, related, fun activities are included at the conclusion of book. I can't help but believe the Holms have another big hit on their hands. Highly recommended for ages 7 to 9. (Jeannine Wiese)
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Top Score Math (Gareth Stevens)
Grades 3-6
Soccer Facts and Stats
Another math series loaded with problems to turn off students having to brush up on their math skills you say? The series, Top Score Math, is anything but! First, this series will grab your sports enthusiasts with its high profile action shots and biographical blurbs of famous sport stars. Neat math activities concerning the sport highlighted then follow up the topics discussed in each title. Pictograms, angles, shapes, graphs, fractions, time measurements, etc. are all integrated with the sport/athlete making these more like puzzles and brain teasers than the math problems they really are, thus enticing readers to try their hand at solving them. This series is great for on level or reluctant readers or mathematicians of ages 8-11. (Jeanne Martin, MED) |
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Can I See Your I.D.?: True Stories of False Identities
by Chris Barton
Chris Barton relates the thrilling stories of ten people who, for various reasons, assumed false identities. Some hoaxes were for the purpose of acquiring money (Frank Abagnale, Jr.), some were for the purpose of understanding racial discrimination (John Howard Griffin), and others were for the purpose of escaping slavery (Ellen Craft). Each exciting story is followed with a “What Happened Next?” to give the reader a short overview of the person’s life after the fraud. Short chapters make this a great suggestion for reluctant readers. The book concludes with Barton’s reflections upon what makes people assume false identities and an impressive 11-page bibliography. Recommended for young adults ages 12 and up. (Becky Walton, MLIS) |
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Enclave
by Ann Aguirre
Another adult author has joined the YA fray with much better results than most who try to make the transition. Even though the market is flooded with future dystopian stories, Ann Aguirre's Enclave (originally titled Razorland, as you see from the cover) is a superior offering. Our protagonist, Deuce, is an elite protector of her settlement, daily battling the flesh-eating "freaks" who menace the human population underground. When the society pits her loyalty against her conscience, Deuce and her partner are exiled to the surface--a death sentence in Deuce's eyes. World-building takes a backseat to adept character development and tight plotting, but this feels right as most of civilization has collapsed and vast amounts of collective human knowledge lost. This is a natural recommendation for your teen Hunger Games fans. Ages 12 to 17. (Jill Barton) |
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Rotters
by Daniel Kraus
After his mother dies in an accident, 16-year-old Joey Crouch is sent from Chicago to live with his estranged, reclusive father in rural Iowa. Joey’s life in Chicago centered around making good grades and playing his trumpet, all while being nurtured by his loving mother. Now with his father in Iowa, Joey deals with poverty, neglect, and bullying at school. Joey soon finds out his father is a graverobber. At first he is appalled by the gruesome and unethical practice, but as his relationship with his father grows, Joey begins to participate willingly. The evolution of the father and son relationship lies at the heart of this story, with plenty of dead bodies thrown in for good measure. A creepy, satisfying read; I recommend this title for ages 14 and up. (Jenny McCluskey, MSIS) |
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