They’re here!!  The new staff picks are on the shelves and ready for you to browse.  In case you’re new -or have forgotten- the staff picks are located on the shelves at the front of the Youth Department, right behind the “new” book section by the computers.

  

Each of the Youth Services staff members choose a few of their favorite books to recommend to you throughout the year.  When you’re struggling with trying to figure out what to read next, this could be a good place to start.  Since we all love to read, it is with great joy we share our picks with you.

Over the next few weeks, several picks from each staff member will be featured here. Hopefully there is something for everyone!

    A few of Miss Carolyn’s Picks:

    Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds  E REY 

Jasper the Rabbit loves eating carrots, but one day the carrots start following him.  He decides to come up with a plan to keep them away. This is a fun book with a surprise ending.

  Owls: Hunters of the Night by Elaine Landau J 598.97 LAN

This book tells readers how owls see in the dark, where they live, and how they hunt.  There are a lot of pictures, a glossary, and fun facts.

 Toy Story of Terror by Disney/Pixar  J DVD TOY

Here’s a short film with all your Toy Story friends.  Mr. Potato Head goes missing at a strange roadside motel.  Can Woody, Buzz, and the gang solve the mystery of what happened?  Will they be reunited? Watch and find out!

  A few of Miss Dana’s Picks:

The Notorious Benedict Arnold : A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, and Treachery by Steve Sheinkin  J B ARN  

Find out about the man who would grow up to be one of the most infamous villains in American history.  How did Benedict Arnold get to the place where he would betray his country? What experiences did he have that would lead him down that path?

 Look Up!: Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard

by Annette LeBlanc Cate  J 598 CAT– You think looking at birds is boring? Think again.  In this beginning book about bird watching, discover hints about where you should look, what you should look for, and how you should listen.  You’ll be amazed at what can be found in your own backyard!

  The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller E KEL

The states get bored with their positions on the map and decide to change places for a while.  But when they get to their new homes, they soon discover it’s not all they hoped it would be!

A Few of Mr. Scott’s Picks:

 Meanwhile by Jason Shiga  J GN SHI

For those of you who love choose-your-own-adventure books, this graphic novel will appeal to you.  The simple question of chocolate or vanilla leads to disaster for Jimmy.

 Un Lun Dun by China Mieville  J MIE

Twelve-year-old Zanna enters a secret passage to Un Lun Dun, the twisted version of London.  There, giraffes eat people, a simple cloud is evil, and the residents need a hero to save them from their own strange world.

 The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman E GAI

Fantasy master Neil Gaiman gives us his spooky spin on the alphabet in this ominous, intricately-illustrated A to Z.

Stay tuned for more picks…..

 

 

 

Here’s round 2 of Staff Picks that includes some spooktacular choices! Remember, these books are available near the front of the Youth Department, waiting just for you!

Miss Erin’s Picks:

     Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead   Playaway J F STE

Told from different characters’points of view, this novel weaves together the stories of several middle and high school students from Manhattan, NY, as they navigate their way through a new school year, find friends, make difficult decisions, and deal with the consequences of their actions. This book touches on lots of real-life situations that teens and pre-teens may associate with.

   Space Case: A Moon Base Alpha Novel by Stuart Gibbs              J GIB

Dash and his family are off on the adventure of a lifetime: they are part of a group of lunarnauts chosen to live on the moon!  Lunar living isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and then tragedy befalls one of the scientists on the base. So Dash takes it upon himself to prove that Dr. Holtz’s death wasn’t accidental-he believes the beloved scientist was murdered.  This is a fun, lunar mystery with some interesting alien twists.

    The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud  J STR

This second volume of the Lockwood & Co. series showcases more stunning sleuthing and ghost fighting from Lockwood, George, and Lucy-three junior ghost hunters in London.  The trio works to unravel the mystery of an item stolen from a grave; Lucy is hearing strange whispers from a ghost skull in a jar; and the agency is competing with another to be the first to solve the case.  Also available as: Audio CD J F STR

Miss Liz’s Picks:

   Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty  J BEA

This book is filled with mystery, history, evil, and adventure.  Read about Serafina and her Pa who are living secretly in the basement of the Biltmore Estate.  Serafina does not know where she comes from or anything about her mother.  She starts to find out about her past when children start to disappear.

   Seven Dead Pirates: A ghost Story by Linda Bailey  J BAI

It’s a great adventure with pirates, ghosts, and a hero!

  Pig Has a Plan by Ethan Long  E LON

Pig is trying to take a nap, but all his friends are making too much noise!

 Miss Alissa’s Picks:

   Little Robot  by Ben Gatje   J GN HAT

When a little girl finds a lone robot and accidentally powers him up, she discovers the best friend she has always wanted!  But she isn’t the only one interested in the little robot.  Can she save him from the bigger, badder robots out to get him?

  Sleeping Bobby  by Will Osborne & Mary Pope Osborne       J 398.2 OSB        

Everyone knows the story of Sleeping Beauty, but Sleeping Bobby?  This take on a favorite fairy tale has our prince take the place of a sleeping princess, with a feisty princess to the rescue!

  That Is Not a Good Idea!  by Mo Willems  E WIL

When Mama Goose heads into town and meets a charming wolf, her fun story has you rooting for the family of geese, all the way to the surprise ending!

Miss Jen’s Picks:

 Dare to Be Scared:  Thirteen Stories to Chill and Thrill   by Robert D. San Souci  J 398.25 SAN    

Hop in bed, pull the covers up over your head, grab a flashlight, and dare to be scared by these spine-tingling, spooky phone calls to killer ants–only the brave can handle these eerie tales.  This book is the first in a series of four, so there are even more stories to keep you awake at night!

   Rude Cakes by Rowboat Watkins  E WAT

Who knew cakes could be so rude?  Cakes are supposed to be sweet, right? Watch as a not-so-sweet cake almost gets his just desserts, but instead winds up learning an important life lesson from…a group of giant cyclops. This is a goofy, yet perfect book for teaching young children about manners.

  The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall  by Mary Downing Hahn  Playaway J F HAH and J HAH

Florence is beginning a new life at Crutchfield Hall with her great uncle, his sister, and James, her sickly cousin.  As she settles into her new room, she gets an eerie feeling that someone is watching her, and then starts hearing laughter in the halls.  What Florence doesn’t expect is for the house to be haunted by the ghost of her cousin Sophia, who died a tragic death.  Sophia is a wicked ghost that was just as nasty in life as she is in death.  She can even play mind games and force people to say and do things beyond their control.  Will Florence be able to convince everyone that there is real danger in the house and stop Sophia before it is too late?

November is the month to be thankful for these authors celebrating their birthday!  Here are some of them, with links to their websites and materials we have available at the library.  Some of them have been around for quite some time and their work is extremely recognizable!

November 9– Lois Ehlert, author and illustrator

No doubt, you would recognize some of these childhood favorites:

 E EHL    E EHL

November 10– Neil Gaiman,

 E GAI   E GAI

 J GAI   AUDIO CD J F GAI and J GAI

November 14- Nancy Tafuri

Read about her here:

and explore some of her works here:

November 16- Jean Fritz, historical fiction and biography author

November 25- Marc Brown…ARTHUR!  Need we say more? Learn more about him and what’s new on his website:

November 26: Charles Schultz (Charlie Brown)

November 27-  kevin henkes??  http://www.kevinhenkes.com/

November 29- C.S. Lewis
Madeleine L’Engle
Louisa May Alcott

November 30- Mark Twain

Why not find a book by some of these authors to read this month and celebrate their works?

Even though the days are getting longer it’s still chilly outside, so why not snuggle up with a staff pick?  Some of these suggestions would also be a great choice for a book club selection as mentioned in the last blog. Here are a few of our choices:

Scott’s picks…

 Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus  J PRE                          When the Nazis invade Norway, teenage Espen becomes a young spy for the resistance movement.  Living in constant danger, he and his family seek a way to escape the war.

Explorer: The Hidden Doors edited by Kazu Kibuishi   J GN EXP               The next in a series of graphic novels brings together seven great comic artists to tell seven stories of strange doors.

 

 Wildwood by Colin Meloy  J MEL                                                          
When Prue McKeel’s little brother is kidnapped by crows, she must go into the Impassable Wilderness, a strange and fantastic realm, to save him.

Carolyn’s picks…

Baking by Laura and Jess Tilli   J 641.815 TIL                                    Winter is the perfect time to make some delicious baked goods! Try the sweet Strawberry Jam Shortbread Cookies or the savory Mini Sausage Batter Bites.  The recipes have simple step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs.  Tips, techniques, and symbols on when to ask for an adult’s help are included.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown  J BRO and Audio CD J F BRO         Roz is a robot who is shipwrecked on a wild island with no idea who she is or what to do.  She must figure out how to survive in this hostile environment.  She adopts a gosling, and the island animals start to welcome her into their community.  Then one day, everything changes, and Roz must fight to survive again.   

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanore Estes  J EST                                    A young girl moves to a new school and is picked on because she wears the same dress every day.  She tells her classmates that she has a hundred dresses at home, but they don’t believe her.  Her classmates pick on her but later regret their behavior.  It’s a touching, timeless story about being kind to others.

Alissa’s picks…

Katie Woo: Who Needs Glasses? by Fran Manushkin     ER MAN          Katie’s friend Pedro gets new glasses, but he doesn’t want to wear them.  When he tells his class that he loses them, can Katie figure out what really happened?

The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson  J EPS         Magic isn’t just for humans!  Aldwyn, an orphan cat, wanders into a pet shop and is adopted by a wizard.  But when his wizard and new friends are kidnapped, Aldwyn needs to use his own kind of magic to save them.

 How to Survive in the Wilderness by Samantha Bell  J 796.5 BEL      Wilderness survival shows are all the rage, but could you make it out in the woods alone?  This handy book preps readers with things like daily tasks, types of wood to burn, and how to avoid dangerous bacteria in drinking water.

Dana’s picks…

Dog vs. Cat by Chris Gall    E GAL                                                      A dog and a cat, both newly adopted, are forced to share a room.  They don’t really get along, finding fun ways to torture each other, until a howling, smelly, terrifying newcomer unites them in a common cause!

 The Forbidden Stone (Copernicus Legacy #1) by Tony Abbott  J ABB  It begins when four friends receive a strange and coded email from Uncle Henry just before he dies.  The four set off for Germany to attend the funeral and discover that Uncle Henry has left them another confusing message that they must figure out.  They end up on a dangerous quest to unlock an ancient and guarded secret that could destroy the world.

 Accidental Keyhand  by Jen Swann Downey    J DOW                        In the Ninja Librarians series Book #1, Dorrie and her brother Marcus accidentally open a portal to Petrarch’s Library, where they discover a secret society of warrior librarians who travel in time protecting the world’s greatest thinkers from torture and death for sharing knowledge and ideas.

Check back soon for the rest of the staff’s picks, and be sure to visit this area in the library to see all of our choices and pick up a list…happy reading!

 

 

 

How are those New Year’s Resolutions coming along?  Any book clubs started?  If so, stop by the desk and let us know….we’d love to hear about it! Meanwhile, here are the rest of the staff picks as promised…

Erin’s Picks:   

Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry-  AUDIO CD J F SPE and J SPE

In this classic story, young Mafatu sets out to prove himself to his father and his tribe by battling his fear of the ocean that swallowed up his mother years before.  The audio book version, read by Lou Diamond Phillips, adds quite a bit of suspense and an additional edge to this gripping story of adventure and survival.

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen- AUDIO CD J F NIE and J NIE

When the Berlin Wall goes up in 1961, young Gerta’s life is changed: she is stuck in East Berlin with her mother and older brother, while her father and younger brother are in the west.  The city’s two sides are divided and vastly different.  Border patrols are keeping watch 24/7 over communist East Berlin, making it almost impossible for its citizens to escape to freedom in the west.  It’s been four years since Gerta has seen her papa and Dominic, and during that time, all she can think about is freedom and reuniting her family. Many have lost their lives trying to escape East Berlin-is the impossible dream of reuniting her family a risk worth taking?

Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer-  E MES    

Penguin is in a grumpy mood and nothing is helping. How will he turn his frown upside down?

Jen’s Picks:

The Dream Jar by Lindan Lee Johnson  E JOH

 This is the perfect book to get your littlest friend to dream some wonderful dreams.  Who doesn’t want to dream a “dreamy dream” every night? Sometimes you need a dream jar to fill up with happy thoughts to help you have magical dreams and not worry about sea monsters.  This book offers beautiful, wistful illustrations that put you on a sweet path to dreamland!

The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst  J DUR

Sophie’s parents run a secret shop where dreams are bought and sold.  When Sophie dreams, her dreams become real, so she is forbidden to have any.  Sinister events are set in motion when she is accidentally seen by one of her parents’ customers, and it’s up to Sophie to save her family.

Rise of the Guardians by Dreamworks Animation J DVD RIS

This epic adventure tells the story of a group of heroes with extraordinary abilities.  When an evil spirit named Pitch tries to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes and imagination of children all over the world.

Liz’s Picks:

Little Dog Lost by Monica Carnesi  E CAR

Based on a true story, a dog is saved by the crew on a ship after he is found floating on sheets of ice in the Baltic Sea.

Elvis: The Story of the Rock and Roll King                            by Bonnie Christensen  J B PRE  

A wonderful picture book biography of Elvis!

 Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler  AUDIO CD J F FIE 

An ordinary pet shop mouse escapes and finds himself on the streets of Brooklyn.  It is quite an adventure for him as he tries to navigate the bustling city and learns some powerful secrets.

Chris’s Picks:

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner  J MES

Join Annie, Jose, and Henry as they team up to solve a mystery which resembles the National Treasure movie.  Three students with different interests join forces to find out who stole the original Star-Spangled Banner.  Follow these super sleuths, who are stranded by a snowstorm at the Washington, D.C. airport, to see if they catch the thieves and recover the beloved artifact.

Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society                                 by Adeline Yen Mah   J MAH

Following the traditional Cinderella plot, 12 year-old Ye Xian is thrown out of her home by her abusive stepmother.  She finds safety with “Grandma Wu” and joins her martial arts school, and the Secret Dragon Society. While training, CC (Chinese Cinderella) discovers that the Dragon Society is part of the Chinese resistance movement, and she finds herself part of a dangerous mission helping American soldiers during WWII. Strong, loyal, and courageous female characters, but fast paced and interesting for a boys’ read too!

The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan  J GN PHE

Set in 1937 Kansas during the Dust Bowl, this graphic novel shows the challenges of 11-year old Jack, his father, the bullies, and a case of “dust dementia”.  A cross between historical fiction and folklore will introduce readers to the struggles during this era.

Remember that this is only a partial sampling of our picks.  The complete selection is located near the Monarch, Bluestem, and Caudill nominee shelves at the front of the Youth Department.  And stay tuned for spring picks coming out soon!