New in the Short Stacks

Since I am responsible for ordering the Juvenile Fiction (JF) books I thought that I would take a few moments to share some of the fun, new selections in the short stacks.

I confess that I was first drawn to this new series, because the spiky-haired hero looks so much like my youngest son, Zane. However, after reading the reviews I believe that these spacey, illustrated books are perfect for kids just beginning to read chapter books.  Both Kirkus and Publishers weekly compare Galaxy Zack to the Jetsons, and who doesn't love them? Readers will feel Zack's pain when he is forced to leave his friends and home on Earth, and they will delight in all of the gadgetry and zaniness he encounters on his new home planet, Nebulon.

 Zane and I have already read book one together, and he cannot wait to check out book two, Journey to Juno.  Four more titles in the series will be released over the summer.



I'm going to stick with humor and tell you about another illustrated chapter book series, Ninja Meerkats. This series immediately caught my attention because the title is so ludicrous (especially the "Small. Furry. Deadly." at the top of each cover). The giggles just kept coming when I read that the four members of the Clan of the Scorpion are named Jet Flashfeet, Chuck Cobracrusher,  Donnie Dragonjab, and Bruce Willowhammer.

Now I am a child of the eighties so I grew up watching and playing with Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles. I have no qualms saying I that I love Gareth P. Jones furry, little warriors infinitely more than Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael.  Kirkus Reviews calls this series "fast, funny, and charming". Kids of all ages will get a kick (hurray, I got to work in a pun) out of these quick and hilarious books.

 
I have been eagerly awaiting the next adventure of Egg (short for Egbert) and his more than slightly deranged friend, Guts. Deadweather and Sunrise is jam packed with dastardly pirates, ancient treasures, conniving villains, and even a touch of romance.

Rick Riordan, author of The Lightning Thief series, says that Deadweather and Sunrise "is a rip-roaring debut. It is Lemony Snicket meets Pirates of the Caribbean, with a sprinkling of Tom Sawyer for good measure." I could not agree more and  I am sure that the Geoff Rodkey's second Chronicle of Egg book, New Lands, will be another rollicking adventure.



Yes, another Nancy Drew reboot, but this one looks promising and it is to sure introduce America's favorite girl detective to a whole new generation. According to Simon & Schuster, the Nancy Drew Diaries is more reminiscent of the original series with Nancy, George, and Bess using their wits and sleuthing skills to unravel mysteries.

The cover art will definitely attract young girls and I love that Nancy and her friends rely on their intelligence rather than cell phones and lap tops.

Two more new books that feature a girl protagonist are My Life in Pink & Green and My Summer in Pink & Green by Lisa Greenwald. Both of these have received star reviews and tween girls will have no trouble identifying with the sweet and intrepid heroine.

The once popular pharmacy owned by Lucy Desberg's family is facing foreclosure and the twelve-year-old problem solver launches a campaign to save it.  With determination and an extensive knowledge of beauty products, Lucy is able to transform the pharmacy into a successful "green" spa. Girly girls will enjoy the beauty tips and make-over stories, but at heart these are books about loving and supporting your family and community.

This series has been requested several times so our patrons will be happy to learn that PDL now has all five of the Emily Windsnap books. For girls that have outgrown the Rainbow Magic Fairies, but still want something fun and magical this series is perfect.

In the series opener Emily Windsnap is shocked to learn that she is half-mermaid. So begins her journey into a magical undersea world to discover her father. Subsequent adventures in the series feature Emily waking a Kraken, going on missions for King Neptune, and battling ancient sea curses.







Anyone who has spent more than five minutes talking with me about books is going to learn that I adore Roald Dahl. In fact, I more than adore him. In my my mind the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda (my personal favorite), The BFG, etc. is the unrivaled king of children's literature.

The title and the setting of an abandoned chocolate shop along with quirky characters and that distinctively British humor all pay homage to Dahl. However, this book also contains the fantastical world of Harry Potter and the action of James Bond.

Fantasy lovers of all ages are in for some scrumdiddlyumptious fun when they read The Whizz Pop Chocoalte Shop!




There are so many outstanding new books and if I had more time I would describe them all. Hopefully, a trip to PDL is in your near future so you can check some of them out.

What next?

At some point all readers encounter the "What do I read next? quandary.

"I'm wondering what to read next. I've finished all the children's books." Matilda ~ Roald Dahl

Maybe you just finished the Hunger Games Trilogy and now you want to read something similar.

Perhaps, you have read every book by Stephen King and are searching for an author that is equally prolific and terrifying.

There are some great websites out there such as:
What should I read next?
Good Reads
Library Thing

Or you could simply ask your local librarian. We love to talk about books and are always excited to dish on authors, series, new releases, etc.

If you are a parent, however, you understand that when children are trying to choose a book to read the process can become emotional, frustrating, and totally illogical. Part of this is because kids cannot resist any opportunity to vex their parents (I truly believe this, my daughter would argue the color of grass just for the sake of arguing).  Another reason, though, is that kids do not like change. If they like a particular author, series, or book  they will continue to read and reread it over and over and over before trying something new and unkown.

Case in point, is something that I refer to as Wimpy Kid Syndrome. This is the kid that comes to the library with his or her exasperated mother who informs me that her child will not read anything but Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Fortunately (and unfortunately) the rampant success of Jeff Kinney's books have resulted in a multitude of copycats. I say unfortunately because many of these are not very good and are simply authors jumping on the doodled journal bandwagon.


Some of the better ones are: Dork Diaries, Big Nate, Timmy Failure, and The Popularity Papers.

Eventually, though, the child must accept the reality that not all books will have adorable stick figure doodles and less than 20 words per page. THE HORROR!

So what do Wimpy Kid fans read next, then? There are a lot of hilariously funny, well written books and some of them contain a few pictures (just in case you child needs to be weaned slowly).
My Favorites are:

Origami Yoda  by Tom Angleberger
NERDS by Michael Buckley
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen
Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford
Jacob Wonderbar by Nathan Bransford
Popular Clone by M. E. Castle
The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander
Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities by Mike Jung
Aliens on Vacation by Clete Smith


You have probably noticed that most of these books seem skewed towards boys, but it is so much easier for girls to read boy fiction versus boys reading girl fiction.


Here are some amazing books with girl protagonists:
Penelope Crumb by Shawn K. Stout
The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley
Sleuth or Dare by Kim Harrington
My Life in Pink & Green by Lisa Greenwald
Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood
Ivy's Ever After by Dawn Lairamore
Dear Know-it-All by Rachel Wise
Eleven by Lauren Myracle



I could go on and on and on like the energizer bunny (didn't I tell you that librarians love to talk about books), but I will stop for now. Hopefully there are some readers out there who will enjoy my recommendations and not need doodles in every book they read.

April is Poetry Month!

Am I the only one who misses The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show? Mr. Peabody and Sherman were always my favorite, but Bullwinkle's Poetry Corner is so much more appropriate for National Poetry Month. What cartoons today would expose children to poems like The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson or Poe's The Raven?

Stackable Lego Poetry

In lieu of my monthly children's book club, I held a special kid's poetry night last Thursday.  I had multiple poetry related activities for all ages including: a color poem book for younger children, a pushpin poetry wall, Lego stacking poetry,and a special flower/poem craft for Mother's Day.  Also local poet, Bill Davis came to share his love and knowledge of Haiku.

Even though the attendance was low (hey, poetry is a tough sale), the kids that did come enjoyed writing and sharing their own poems.

Learning how to write Haiku

It is always wonderful when members of the community want to share their gifts, talents, and hobbies. I would like to give a huge thank you to Bill Davis for taking the time to teach children about something he loves.