Get in the Game, READ!

Summer Reading registration will begin June 11th, 9:30-8:00. Here is a reading list to get you started. By the way, our theme is:

GET IN THE GAME, READ!

Sports Books for 3rd through 6th Graders

Bosch, Pseudonymous. The Name of This Book Is Secret. Two eleven-year-old misfits try to solve the mystery of a dead magician and stop the evil Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais, who are searching for the secret of immortality. J BOS
2007

Bruchac, James. Native American Games and Stories. This book discusses the social life, customs, games and folklore of the Indians of North America. J 970.00497 BRU PB
2000

Christopher, Matt. Body Check. Twelve-year-old Brent Mullen discovers that the new assistant hockey coach is teaching the defensemen on his team illegal moves to help them win at any cost. J CHR
2003

DeGross, Monalisa. Donavan’s Double Trouble. Fourth-grader Donavan is sensitive about the problems he has understanding math, and then when his favorite uncle, a former high school basketball star, returns from National Guard duty an amputee, Donavan's problems get even worse as he struggles to accept this "new" Uncle Vic. J DEG
2008

Gauthier, Gail. A Girl, A Boy and A Monster Cat. Three afternoons a week, Brandon reluctantly stays with his imaginative classmate, Hannah, and her oversized cat, Buttercup, playing games, but their adventures really begin when a new neighbor moves in with a ferocious Chihuahua named Bucky. J GAU
2008

Gutman, Dan. Jim & Me. Joe and his longtime enemy, Bobby Fuller, use a vintage baseball card to travel in time, hoping to stop Jim Thorpe from participating in the 1912 Olympics and losing his medals, but instead they watch Thorpe struggle during his first season with the New York Giants. J GUT
2008

Hicks, Betty. Basketball Bats. Henry and his basketball teammates, the Bats, take on the Tigers, and Henry learns a lesson about working as a team. J HIC
2008

Long, Loren. Game 1. In the late 1800s, a baseball with strange powers belonging to their late father works wonders for three children and a traveling baseball team which must raise $10,000. J LON
2007

Lupica, Mike. Hot Hand. In the wake of his parents' separation, ten-year-old Billy seems to have continual conflicts with his father, who is also his basketball coach, but his quiet, younger brother Ben, a piano prodigy, is having even more trouble adjusting, and only Billy seems to notice. J LUP
2007

Lupica, Mike. Two Minute Drill. Brainy Scott, a great kicker who otherwise struggles with football, and star quarterback Chris, who has dyslexia, team up to help each other succeed in both football and school. J LUP
2007

Maddox, Jake. Board Rebel. When Tanner moves to an exclusive new town he misses his old skate park, but with the help of the town bully and another new friend, Tanner thinks he can figure out a way to get a skate park built in Woodville. J PPB M
2007

Maddox, Jake. Snowboard Duel. When the son of the new manager of the ski resort starts a snowboard cross team and will not allow girls to join, Brian and Hannah try to think of a way to change his mind. J PPB M
2008

Manley, Claudia B. Competitive Track and Field for Girls. Covers the basic rules of competition, training or exercises, and opportunities for female athletes. J 796.42 MAN
2001

McDonald, Megan. Julie Tells Her Story. In 1974 at her new San Francisco school, nine-year-old Julie does not want to tell her class about her parents' divorce, or to tell her sister about messing up her school assignment, but when she breaks her finger playing basketball and her whole family rallies around her, she realizes the importance of telling the truth. J PPB M
2007

Minsky, Terri. High Five. Lizzie discovers that she has a talent for rhythmic gymnastics.
J PPB L
2006

Seidler, Tori. Brainboy and the Deathmaster. When Darryl, a twelve-year-old orphan, is adopted by a technology genius, he finds himself the star of his very own life-threatening video game. J SEI
2003

Wheeler, Chase. The Great Plan. Speed Racer enters the Sword Mountain Race, but some of the competitors are more interested in stealing the new plans for Speed’s car, the Mach 5, than winning. Can Speed cross the finish line in one piece? J WHE
2008

Manley, Claudia B. Competitive Track and Field for Girls. Covers the basic rules of competition, training or exercises, and opportunities for female athletes. J 796.42 MAN
2001

Make Your Own Potato Pet!

We made a fun little Potato Pet craft in our K-2 class and I thought it would brighten your day, too-- especially since we're expecting rain and bad weather later today. All you need is four toothpicks, a potato, some potting soil and some grass seed. Have your mom cut a wedge lengthwise on your potato. Take a fork and scrap the inside of the wedge a little. Poke the toothpicks into the under side of your potato to make legs. Now just add potting soil and grass seed in the wedge and water a little. You don't need too much because of the moisture from the potato itself. In a few days, you will see your potato sprout hair! Watch the areas on the potato called eyes. Pretty soon, those will sprout also and you may have a potato pet with a beard! Want to try another? Let's make this fabulous Hairy Caterpillar!

Great Weather and a Gentle Poem!

The weather is fabulous today so take your favorite book and go drink in the sunlight! That vitamin D from the sun is good for you, you know! Here's my favorite poem to send you on your way:

I Meant To Do My Work Today
by Richard LeGallienne

I meant to do my work today,
But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,
And a butterfly flitted across the field,
And all the leaves were calling me.
And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro,
And a rainbow held out its shining hand,
So what could I do but laugh and go?

New Picture Books

Just got some great new picture books in. "Madison and the Two Wheeler" by Dr. Vanita Braver finds Madison wanting to try out her bike without training wheels. But a fall frightens her and she is reluctant to climb back onto that bike. When she sees brave baby birds trying to fly, she decides if they can do it, so can she. Lois Ehlert's "Oodles of Animals" has lovely rhyming test and beautiful, colorful paper collages. "Don't Worry, Bear" by Greg Foley has Bear looking out for his caterpillar friend all winter but when spring comes, caterpillar has disappeared. "Amelia Makes a Movie" by David Milgrim will have you shouting,"I can do this!" When Mom and Dad are too busy to play, Amelia and her brother write a movie script, paint the scenery and make the costumes. The two siblings cooperate and create a fabulous movie for their family to enjoy. "Come Fly With Me" by Satomi Ichikawa tells the story of Woggy the stuffed dog and Cosmos the wooden airplane. Both want a flying adventure but get a little more than they had bargained for. "Twenty-six Princesses" by Dave Horowitz has an alphabet of princesses, complete with rhyming text and charming illustrations.

New Action Series Rocks!

Ed Decter, the author of the hit movies "Something About Mary" , "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" and "Santa Claus" 2 and 3 has written an exciting new adventure series that will keep you nailed to your chair! The Outriders series consists of "Expedition to Blue Cave" "Expedition to Willow Key", "Expediton to Pine Hollow" and "Expediton to Surf Island". I read "Expedition to Pine Hollow" and thoroughly enjoyed each capitivating minute. Cam Walker and his friends (the Outriders) decide to climb up to Eagle Tower, a tall ancient rock tower some say was built by American Indians. As they hike up the mountain, they are passed by giant mining trucks. They know that bauxite mining is going to be allowed by the Department of the Interior and realize that their chance to explore the tower will be gone in five days. What they don't know is that the mining company plans to dynamite that day. The Outriders and Howie, the giant Newfoundland dog, are trapped underground in an ancient American Indian village when the dynamiting begins. When they finally escape, the mining company captures all but Cam and he must find someone to help rescue his buds. The action is nonstop in this series--braving the treacherous currents of an underground river, confronting a black bear, being chased by humongous mining vehicles, flying (and crashing) an ultralight airplane, jumping over (and hitting) a fishing trawler with another boat...it just goes on and on! Anyone from fourth through eighth grade will enjoy this book. I know I did!

New Paperbacks!

I've ordered some new paperback series for you readers in fifth through eighth grades and they should be in soon. We have the first three books in the "My Sister the Vampire" series by Sienna Mercer. Ivy and Olivia, twin sisters that were separated at birth, meet when Olivia moves to a new town. The new school is kinda creepy and old and alot of the kids dress in black. Olivia and Ivy, extreme opposites in many ways, realize that they must be twins as they share birthdays, wear identical rings from their birth parents and were born in the same town. The usual humorous twin switching occurs and things seem great--until Olivia finds out that Ivy is a vampire.
I've also ordered the Red Rock Mysteries. Written by the authors of the Left Behind series, Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry, this Christian series finds Bryce and Ashley (more twins!) embroiled in one mystery after the other. I have heard from other librarians that this series appeals to guys so read up! This series would be best suited for fifth through eighth graders.
I have also received some of the Jake Maddox's sports books in time for summer reading. (Hey! Summer reading begins June 11th! Our theme is "Get in the Game, READ!") "Board Rebel", "Motocross Doublecross", "Slam Dunk Shoes" and "Snowboard Duel" are currently on shelf and there are more to follow! Fourth through eighth grader sports fans will enjoy these!