LOOK CLOSER : ART MASTERPIECES THROUGH THE AGES by Caroline Desnoettes

Look closer at this painting [show Mona Lisa painting]. What do you see? You have probably seen this painting dozens, even hundreds, of times. But did you ever really look at it? Did you notice the veil covering her hair? Did you notice the lack of eyebrows? Did you notice the background? The roads, the bridges, the mountain? Perhaps not. This lovely book shows us a close up of some of the world's most famous paintings and draws our eyes to the minute details that we have probably missed. So be prepared to Look Closer.

THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY by Susan Patron

Life is not easy in Hard Pan, population 43. Lucky is 10 years old and is living with a guardian. Her mom has died and her dad doesn't want to take care of her. So she is living with her dad's first wife who has come from France to take care of Lucky. But it is a temporary arrangement. Every day Lucky sees how much Brigitte misses her life in France. Lucky has a part-time job to help pay the bills. She cleans up after an assortment of "Anonymous" meetings. You know, Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous. Through eavesdropping on the meetings, she becomes convinced that she must find her own higher power in order to find true happiness. Be sure not to miss this 2007 Newbery Award winner.

Saddle Club series by Bonnie Bryant

With the success of the Saddle Club series television show, these books should just fly off the shelves.

Horse Power

Stevie, Carole and Lisa are looking forward to the upcoming competition. They will be riding against other teams. They know their Saddle Club has a good chance of winning. There's just one problem. They need four riders on the team. Carole's new friend Kate is a good choice. She used to be a champion rider. But she won't ride anymore. What is she hiding? Can the Saddle Club find a way to help?

Horse Crazy

Stevie can't believe what her mother said. Get her grades up or she won't pay for horse camp. That just can't be. Riding is the most important thing in Stevie's life. She has been looking forward to going on the overnight for so long. But, she has an idea. Her mom only say she wouldn't pay for camp. She didn't say Stevie couldn't go if someone else paid. So Stevie enlists the help of her friend Carole and tries to find a way to make some money. How will this work out? And how will the new girl in the riding school fit into her plans?

Horse Sense

The Saddle Club has been inseparable but that is about to change. Each of the girls is working on their own thing and don't seem to have time for each other. Stevie is trying to come up with games for the upcoming riding competition. And Carole is taking care of a horse who is about to give birth. This leaves Lisa on her own and she doesn't like it much. She sits down to write the rules for the Saddle Club. Will this bring them back together?

Horse Shy

The overnight camping trip into the mountains is a great experience. Stevie, Carole and Lisa and so happy to be out in woods enjoying the horses. Of course, Veronica is being a brat as usual. Will she ever grow up? But the good thing about her antics is that it means that Carole has the chance to take care of her beloved Cobalt. Veronica just doesn't deserve a horse as wonderful as Cobalt. But the camping trip ends in tragedy.

CHILDREN OF ALCATRAZ : GROWING UP ON THE ROCK by Claire Rudolf Murphy

What do you think of when you hear Alcatraz? I know I think of the prison that was home to the likes of Al Capone and other Chicago mobsters. Before it was a prison for the most notorious criminals, it was an army barracks. So why is there a book about children living on Alcatraz? Because, there were children on the island. Even when it was a maximum security prison, there were children living there. They were the children of the guards and other employees. What must their lives have been like? Did they interact with the criminals? Was there a school on the island? Find out what life was like for the Children of Alcatraz.