Looking for a good book? Ask at the Reference Desk for a suggestion or two. Whether you are a
reader who likes romance, mystery, fantasy, science fiction or historical books, our librarians can assist you in finding that next great read.
Murray, Alison. Apple Pie ABC. (2010) ISBN 9781423136941 $16.99 HC
When an apple pie arrives piping hot on the kitchen table, a little pup does everything from A to Z to get his paws on it. He Ogles it. He Pines for it. But will his ABC antics land him a slice? Apple Pie ABC is a delicious twist on traditional verse brought to life by Alison Murray’s simple words and whimsical illustrations. Sure to delight readers of all ages, it’s a book to savor again and again.
Lichtenheld, Tom and Ezra Fields-Meyer. E-Mergency. (2011) ISBN 9780811878982 $16.99 HC
So often it’s the simplest ideas that are the best—and the funniest. In this alphabetically audacious romp, the letter E has an accident, and while it is recovering, the letter O takes its place (with comodic rosults). The pages are jam-packed with so many linguistic puns, acronyms, and jokes that readers may not realize how much they’re learning about language along the way. Throo choors!
Fisher, Valorie. Everything I Need to Know Before I’m Five. (2011) ISBN 9780375868658 $17.99 HC
Everything? Believe it. Fisher introduces readers to a wealth of concepts—numbers, letters, colors, shapes, weather, and more—and does so using cleverly composed photographic tableaus made up of vintage toys, knickknacks, thrift-store finds, and other odds and ends. This book is thorough, fun, and as one-of-a-kind as the objects that fill its pages.
Smith, Lane. Grandpa Green. (2011) ISBN 9781596436077 $16.99 HC
This may be Smith at his most earnest—a boy wanders through his great-grandfather’s topiary garden, the sculpted hedges reflecting the elder’s story, from a rural childhood to war and finding love. Grandpa Green isn’t dead, but he is in decline, and Lane’s young narrator serves as a poignant reminder that the things we create—stories, memories, art (in whatever form it might take)—endure long after we do.
Willems, Mo. Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator! (2011) ISBN 9780062004000 $17.99 HC
Willems excels at putting his audience first, and the six and a half stories that make up this pitch-perfect collection are no exception. Friendship is friendship, whether with another child or with a blue toy alligator, and Willems treats the highs and lows of Amanda and her alligator’s relationship with honesty and humor, evoking such classic pairings as Charlie Brown and Snoopy or Calvin and Hobbes.
Klassen, Jon. I Want My Hat Back. (2011) ISBN 9780763655983 $16.99 HC
With deadpan humor and a hint of wickedness, illustrator Klassen makes his debut as an author with the deceptively simple story of a bear who just wants to find his missing hat. Don’t let the pared-down art and narration fool you: a wealth of emotion and personality hides behind the deadened eyes of Klassen’s woodland creatures, from anxiety to rage, stupefaction to satisfaction.
Castillo, Lauren. Melvin and the Boy. (2011) ISBN 9780805089295 $16.99 HC
When a little boy sees a turtle basking in the sun at the park, he thinks he’s found the perfect pet. But when they get home, the boy soon discovers that the only time the turtle comes out of his shell is at bath time. Is it possible that the turtle would be happiest back in the pond? After all, it’s always bath time there! Lauren Castillo’s beautiful art gives this gentle story about finding the right pet–and, in the end, doing what’s right for that pet—a timeless, classic feel.
Burkert, Rand and Nancy Eckholm Burkert. Mouse & Lion. (2011) ISBN 9780545101479 $17.95 HC
Retellings of the classic Aesop’s fable of good deeds rewarded are legion, but few are as elegantly and richly conceived as this mother-son collaboration. To say that the naturalistic and astonishingly detailed illustrations bring the African savannah to life hardly does them justice—paired with the story’s spare prose, each spread forms an intimate, perfectly framed vignette, charged with emotion.
Dean, James and Eric Litwin. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. (2010) ISBN 9780061906220 $16.99 HC
Pete the Cat goes walking down the street wearing his brand new white shoes. Along the way, his shoes change from white to red to blue to brown to WET as we steps in piles of strawberries, blueberries and other big messes! But no matter what color his shoes are are, Pete keeps movin’ and groovin’ and singing his song…because it’s all good.
Tullet, Hervé. Press Here. (2011) ISBN 9780811879545 $14.99 HC
If Lane Smith’s It’s a Book was last year’s rallying cry in defense of the printed book, 2011 belongs to Tullet’s elementally simple and playfully interactive offering, which invites readers to press, shake, and turn it—and see the results on the next page. Let the apps proliferate: books like this prove that there will always be a place for smart, well-executed, and proudly low-tech picture books.
Sayre, April Pulley. Rah, Rah, Radishes! A Vegetable Chant. (2011) ISBN 9781442421417 $15.99 HC
Know any kids who don’t like veggies? Here is a book that’s sure to change their hungry minds! With a raucous rhyming text, Rah, Rah Radishes celebrates fresh vegetables, nature’s bright colors, and the joy of healthy eating. The book’s interactive spirit encourages kids to join in on the read-aloud fun, and little ones won’t be able to resist the book’s vibrant photographs–they’re a feast for the eyes!
Nolan, Dennis. Sea of Dreams. (2011) ISBN 9781596434707 $16.99 HC
Wordless stories have a magic all their own, and that’s especially true of Nolan’s maritime fantasy, in which a child’s sand castle is besieged by the tide, setting in motion a dramatic escape for the miniature family that lives within. Nolan’s lush spreads provide abundant ammunition for readers’ imaginations, giving them an enchanting world in which to lose themselves.
Savage, Stephen. Where’s Walrus? (2011) ISBN 9780439700498 $16.99 HC
A triumph of design, Savage’s wordless game of cat-and-mouse (or rather walrus-and-zookeeper) demonstrates how much one can do with a few simple forms, some repetition, and an effortlessly charming tusked hero. The delight comes not from finding Walrus (that’s easy), but in seeing the ways in which his swoopy gray curves mimic the mannequins, firemen, and can-can dancers he tries to blend in with.
*A special Thank You to Stephanie Tournas for this list*
Picture Books
Patricelli, Leslie. Higher, Higher. (2010) ISBN 9780763644338 $7.00 Board Book
How high can a dad push a swing? Higher than a tall building, a mountain an airplane?
Rinker, Sherri Duskey. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site. (2011) ISBN 9780811877824 $17.00 HC
Work is done for the day, a crane truck, a cement mixer, and other pieces of construction equipment make their way to their resting places and go to sleep.
Gall, Chris. Dinotrux. (2009) ISBN 9780316027779 $17.00 HC/$7.00 pbk
Millions of years ago, the prehistoric ancestors of today’s trucks, such as garbageadon, dozeratops, and craneosaurus, roamed the Earth until they rusted out and became extinct.
Saltzberg, Barney. Beautiful Oops. (2010) ISBN 9780761157281 $12.00 HC
No worries! Tears, smudges or wrinkles can be turned into beautiful creations.
Early Readers (Series)
Willems, Mo. Elephant and Piggie: We Are in a Book! (2010) ISBN 9781423133087 $9.00 HC
Gerald the Elephant and Piggie discover the joy of being read to. But what will happen when the book ends?
DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride. (2009) ISBN 9780763645052 $6.00 pbk
Mr. Watson’s usual Saturday drive in his Cadillac with his favorite pig, Mercy, turns into an adventure when an unexpected passenger shows up in the back seat and Mercy finds herself behind the wheel.
Chapter Books (Series, or one of many by the author)
Stone, Rex. Attack of the Tyrannosaurus. (2008) ISBN 9780545053778 $5.00 pbk
Tom and Jamie can’t believe their luck when they find a secret entrance to a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs! The first dinosaur they meet is a friendly wannanosaurus. It eats the fruit from super-stinky ginkgo trees. But soon, Tom and Jamie meet a much less friendly dino: a Tyrannosaurus Rex that would like to eat them!
Barrows, Annie. Ivy and Bean. (2007) ISBN 9780811849098 $6.00 pbk series
Bean knew she would never be friends with the new girl who had moved into her neighborhood. But then one day that new girl, Ivy, came to her aid when her big sister Nancy was after her. The rest is history and a delightful series of books.
Funke, Cornelia. Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost! (2007) ISBN 9781905294121 $8.00 pbk series
Timid nine-year-old Tom Tomsky reluctantly agrees to help professional ghostbuster Hetty Camomile dispell an IRG (Incredibly Revolting Ghost) from an old house.
Draper, Sharon. Sassy: Little Sister Is Not My Name. (2010) ISBN 9780545071550 $5.00 pbk series
Fashion-savvy Sassy does not like being the smallest student in her fourth-grade class, until a family emergency calls for a pint-sized hero.
Kinney, Jeff. The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition). (2011) ISBN 9780810989955 $13.00 HC
This is an interactive book that encourages you to write your own life story in the style of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever. (2011) ISBN 9781419702235 $14.00 HC
Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of.
Watson, Jude. A King’s Ransom (The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Series #2). (2011) ISBN 9780545298407 $13.00 HC
When seven members of their family were kidnapped by a sinister organization known as the Vespers, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, vowed they’d stop at nothing to bring the hostages home. But then the ransom comes in and the Vespers demand the impossible. Amy and Dan have just days to track down and steal an ancient map. The only catch? No one has seen the map for half a century.
Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1). (2005) ISBN 9780786838653 $8.00 pbk
Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school…again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he’s angered a few of them. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
Mike Lupica. The Underdogs. (2011) ISBN 9780399250019 $18.00 HC
Small but fast twelve-year-old Will Tyler, an avid football player in the down-and-out town of Forbes, Pennsylvania, takes matters into his own hands to try and finance the city’s football team, giving the whole community hope in the process.
Nonfiction
National Geographic Readers $4.00 each volume
A high-interest, science inquiry series in an exciting and easy-to-read format. Subjects covered include dolphins, pandas, mummies, volcanoes, sharks and many more.
Komiya, Teruyuki. Life-Size Zoo. (2009) ISBN 9781934734209 $18.00 HC
You never know how big a tiger is until you meet one face to face. This book gives you that opportunity without leaving your comfy chair. If the tiger is too much, you can also see how long a giraffe’s tongue is.
Hillman, Ben. How Big is It? A Big Book All About Bigness. (2007) ISBN 9780439918084 $16.00 HC
This big title removes the confusion of the abstract by teaching size through eye-catching juxtaposition in “oh wow!” images. For instance, any idea about the size of the mysterious Giant Squid of the deep? Sure, you could read that it’s 59.5 ft. long. While that sounds impressive enough, it’s a little abstract. However, when you see a full-color illustration of a Giant Squid placed in front of the entire length of a farmhouse, you get a real idea of what 59.5 feet means!
Lipkowitz, David. Lego Ideas Book. (2011) ISBN 9780756686062 $25.00 HC
With The LEGO Ideas Book, you can take what you already have and make something new! The book is divided into six themed chapters—transportation, buildings, space, kingdoms, adventure, and useful makes—each with basic templates of key models and spreads to inspire you to create your own.
Guinness Book of World Records 2012. (2011) ISBN 9781904994671 $29.00 HC
It’s an Olympic year, and to celebrate, the latest incarnation of the world’s biggest selling annual unveils its most thrilling edition yet¬ with a dynamic new “widescreen” design, thousands of new and classic records, never-before-seen photos and an exciting selection of new topics and features.
Magazines
Babybug
babybugmagkids.com
$33.95 for 9 issues a year
A magazine for little readers in a board book format
American Girl
americangirl.com
$22.95 for 6 issues a year
Animal Baby (Ages 2-4), Big Backyard (Ages 4-7), Ranger Rick (Ages 7-14)
nwf.org (Click on Great Holiday Gifts for Kids)
Each $15.00 for 10 issues a year
Sports Illustrated for Kids
sikids.com
$19.95 for 12 issues a year
Mad
http://www.dccomics.com/mad
$19.99 for 6 issues a year
*A special Thank You to Gray Sawyer for this list*
Stories for a Safer Wakefield is a month-long community inquiry during May 2010, intended to provoke thought and discussion about violence and its deterrence. Beebe Library invites you to read from a selection of stories that draw awareness to the effects of violence in a community. Stories for a Safer Wakefield features forums and activities to better understand and mitigate violence in our lives. For more information on Stories for a Safer Wakefield: Brochure or Wakefield Alliance Against Violence.
Children and Youth Titles
Picture Books for Preschool~Grade 1
The Bully Blockers Club by Teresa Bateman~ Lotty Raccoon is bullied in school so much that it makes her feel sick. After several failed attempts to deal with the problem, she comes up with an idea that works.
No! by David McPhail~ Repeated only three times, “No!” is the only word spoken in this beautifully illustrated book about a boy who walks to the post office to deliver a letter to his President and witnesses the war raging around him. A good story dealing with bullying.
The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill~ Mean Jean is the biggest bully on the school playground until a new girl arrives and challenges Jean’s status as the Recess Queen.
Chapter Books for Children
Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen~ Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity- Shredderman!
CRAFT AND BOOK DISCUSSION: Friday, May 28; 4:00-5:30pm for grades 4 and up.
Super Emma by Sally Warner~ Third-grader Emma becomes a reluctant heroine when she defends a friend from the class bully.
CRAFT AND BOOK DISCUSSION: Saturday, May 8; 2:00-3:00pm for grades 2 and up.
Young Adult Novels
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson~ After making a 911 call at a party, popular Melinda finds herself abandoned by her friends and an outcast among her classmates.
TEEN MOVIE AND TRIVIA NIGHT: movie based on the novel starring Kristen Stewart. Tuesday, May 4; 7:00-9:00pm.
Crash by Jerry Spinelli~ Football star John “Crash” Coogan enjoys making touchdowns and rough-housing for fun. Not until his pranks have serious consequences does Crash begin to think of himself and his friend Mike as bullies.
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