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Stubby the War Dog by Ann Bausum
Bausum, Ann. STUBBY THE WAR DOG : THE TRUE STORY OF WORLD WAR I'S BRAVEST DOG Washington DC : National Geographic, 2014 IL 5-8, RL 7.2 ISBN 1426314876 This true story will amaze you. How could a stray dog become a war hero and loving companion? Private Robert Conroy found Stubby wandering around the streets of New Haven, Connecticut. When he was being shipped over to France in 1917 to fight in World War I, he couldn’t bear to leave his dog behind. This was a good thing because Stubby turned out to be a real hero! Stubby had an amazing nose and could sniff out an enemy soldier. He could take the medical teams right to wounded ally soldiers. He even captured a German soldier sneaking forward to the American lines. Besides Stubby’s heroic efforts you will read about the grueling life in the front lines and the other perils that these young men faced. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Friday, July 31, 2015
Today's book 07/31/2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Today's book 07/30/2015
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The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
Auxier, Jonathan. THE NIGHT GARDENER New York : Amulet Books, 2014 If you are in the mood for an old-fashioned, creepy, scary, bone-chilling twisted mystery, this book is for you. The spooky Victorian house where Molly and Kip, two Irish orphans are employed holds a deep dark secret in its "roots". Does the tall stranger with the black hat and watering can, who wanders the house at night, hold the key to this murky mystery? (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Today's book 07/29/2015
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The Crossover by Kwami Alexander
Alexander, Kwame. THE CROSSOVER New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014 IL 5-8, RL 4.3 ISBN 0544107713 Using rap poetry, Kwame Alexander introduces you to Josh and Jordan, twin basketball stars at their school. The twins are double trouble both on and off the court until Jordan gets a girlfriend. Suddenly Josh feels left out; add to that his dad, a former professional basketball player, seems to be keeping secrets. Why is his mom on a sudden health food kick? What is his dad hiding? Find out while tapping to the beat of Josh’s rap. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Today's book 07/28/2015
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The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond by Brenda Woods
Woods, Brenda. THE BLOSSOMING UNIVERSE OF VIOLET DIAMOND New York : Nancy Paulsen Books, 2014 IL 3-6, RL 4.6 ISBN 0399257144 Eleven-year-old biracial Violet has a loving family – Mom, sister Daisy, Gam and Poppy – but she often feels out of place in Moon Lake, Washington, a mostly white community. Her African American father died before she was born and she has never met his side of her family, until her grandmother has an art exhibit in Seattle. Can she convince her mother to take her to the art exhibit? And will her grandmother accept her if she does? (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Monday, July 27, 2015
Today's book 07/27/2015
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The Menagerie by Tui Sutherland
Sutherland, Tui. THE MENAGERIE New York : Harper, 2013 IL 3-6, RL 5.1 ISBN 0060780649 When seventh grader Logan Wilde wakes up in his new home in rural Xanadu, Wyoming, he spots large golden feathers on the floor. He soon discovers they belong to a hungry baby griffin hiding under his bed. Logan learns the baby griffin comes from a secret place called the Menagerie, a large habitat set up for the protection of mythical beasts. It contains unicorns, dragons, and phoenixes, and many other magical beasts. Who let the baby griffin out and is sabotaging the safety of all the magical beasts? Can Logan and his friends save the Menagerie? (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Today's book 07/26/2015
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Winter Bees and Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman
Sidman, Joyce. WINTER BEES AND OTHER POEMS OF THE COLD New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014 IL K-3, RL 5.1 ISBN 0547906501 You can feel the air get frostier as you open this book of poetry. Journey through the snow-covered forest to learn about how different animals experience winter. The page about snakes will curl your toes! (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Today's book 07/25/2015
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Segel, Jason. NIGHTMARES! New York : Delacorte, 2014 IL 3-6, RL 4.3 ISBN 0385744250 Eleven-year-old Charlie Laird is absolutely convinced that his stepmother Charlotte is a witch. Charlie's dad, little brother, and friends all like Charlotte and think Charlie's still grieving for his mom. He's also suffering from terrible nightmares. His nightmares and his real life begin to become one and the same. Then his nightmares take a bold step into his waking world. Will Charlie learn to overcome his fears and stop the nightmares? (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Friday, July 24, 2015
Today's book 07/24/2015
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Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor by Jon Scieszka
Scieszka , Jon. FRANK EINSTEIN AND THE ANTIMATTER MOTOR New York : Amulet, 2014 IL 3-6, RL 5.9 ISBN 1419712187 Frank Einstein, a kid genius inventor, is eager to create contraptions to figure out how the world works. Read this book with or without your safety goggles but be prepared for an action packed science fiction adventure with cool science facts, silliness, some sign language and lots of detailed diagrams throughout. Frank tries to build a SmartBot in his garage but believes he has failed. Surprisingly, overnight a bolt of electricity from a lightning storm zaps the bot’s brain to life, it self assembles and makes another robot. Unfortunately, Frank now has Klink, a smart robot full of wisecracks that’s able to learn and then there’s Klank, a robot who really just wants to hug. Nevertheless, the three of them try to work together to perfect Frank’s Antimatter Motor to win prize money so that Frank’s Grandpa won’t have to lose his Fix-It Shop. Frank’s best friend, Watson, is also always there to help. But, will this antimatter idea fall into the wrong hands of Frank’s evil arch nemesis, T. Edison? You’ll have to read this book to find out why it’s important to never give up and that when it comes to science how the failures can be just as important as the successes. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Today's book 07/23/2015
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The Secret Box by Whitaker Ringwald
Ringwald, Whitaker. THE SECRET BOX New York : Katherine Tegan, 2013 IL 3-6. RL 3.9 ISBN 0062216147 On her 12th birthday, Jax receives a package in the mail from her great-aunt Juniper. Just another boring gift, she imagines. But when her mother anxiously snatches the mysterious package away, Jax’s curiosity is ignited. She must find out what’s inside! With the help of her shy, younger cousin Ethan and his obnoxious, older, tech genius, video gaming brother, Tyler, she begins the task of surreptitiously stealing her package back from the Post Office, where her mother has taken it to be returned to sender. Tearing the package open, Jax finds a box which can’t be opened. In order to find out what’s inside, the three learn they must unravel clues to lead them to the only location in which it will open. They are not the only ones who crave the secret box. Dangerous criminals will do anything to steal it. Will they be able to hold onto the powerful box? Are they clever enough to solve the clues in time? Told in the alternating voices of Jax and Ethan, this suspenseful mystery is full of intrigue and danger. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Today's book 07/22/2015
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Space Taxi : Archie Takes Flight by Wendy Mass
Mass, Wendy. SPACE TAXI : ARCHIE TAKES FLIGHT Boston : Little, Brown, 2014 IL K-3, RL 3.6 ISBN 0316243191 It's not every day a regular kid like Archie gets to wake up at midnight. But today is Take Your Kid to Work Day, and Archie is finally allowed to ride along in his dad's taxi cab. He has been waiting eight years, eight months, and eight days for this moment to arrive. But he's about to discover his dad is no ordinary cab driver...In fact, he drives an intergalactic space taxi! All night long, he shuttles aliens from one corner of the universe to another. And being a space taxi copilot is no easy task. Archie must steer them into wormholes, keep them from crashing into planets, deal with a very unusual cat...and save the universe from an evil mastermind! (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Today's book 07/19/2015
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The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer Smith
Smith, Jennifer. THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Boston : Little Brown, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0316122386 Four minutes. That's all. Just four minutes late for her flight. When has a flight ever left on time? As she watches the plane leave, she is wondering if maybe she wanted to miss the plane. She is on her way to London for her father's second marriage. She is not happy about him leaving and she doesn't really want to go. As she waits for a later flight, she meets a young man who is also going to London for a family event. As the hours pass by on the flight, the two talk, share, tease and pass the time. They both feel very comfortable with each other and are reluctant to part when they land. Oliver likes throwing out statistics. What would he say was the statistical probability of them ever meeting again?
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Today's book 07/18/2015
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Walters, Eric. RULE OF THRE3 New York : Farrar, Straus Giroux, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0374355029 It is just another day at school. Todd is trying to get a paper done before last period and Adam is trying to help. When the lights go out, it sends that giddy feeling to the kids in the library. But it is more than that. The cell phones don't work either. Then they find that the buses and cars don't work. Any item that needs a computer to run is just dead. No explanations and no way to find out what is going on. Fortunately Adam's car is an old one that doesn't need computers to run. He is able to get home but many others are not so fortunate. Everyone assumes things will be back to normal soon. As the days go by and that doesn't happen, things begin to get a bit desperate. There are three rules for survival. You can go 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. Beyond that, you're dead. Now it is down to survival. What will happen to Adam's neighborhood? What happens when civilization breaks down?
Friday, July 17, 2015
Today's book 07/17/2015
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Martin, Ann M. RAIN REIGN New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2014 Homophones and prime numbers provide structure and comfort for fifth-grader Rose Howard. Rose has many challenges in her life. Her mother left home when Rose was just 2 years old. Her father is often absent and has a drinking problem. Rose also has a very hard time in school. She has been diagnosed with autism and has difficulties controlling her emotions and her behavior. One day her father brings a stray dog home and allows Rose to keep him. She names him Rain because the word rain (reign, rein) is a homophone. They bond completely. However Rose discovers that Rain has another family. What will Rose do? Will she let Rain’s family know where Rain is? How can Rose survive without Rain? Can she leave her Dad and live with her supportive uncle? Read Rain Reign for Rose’s heartwarming story. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Today's book 07/16/2015
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Blazing Courage by Kelly Milner Halls
Halls, Kelly Milner. BLAZING COURAGE Minneapolis MN : Darby Creek, 2015 IL 5-8 ISBN 1467772194 Prolific non-fiction author Kelly Milner Halls has turned her talents to a new fiction series. In the first in the Animal Rescues series, we meet fourteen year old Annie who has always dreamed of owning her own horse. And now her dreams have come true. She has finally saved enough money to buy her own horse. She buys a four year old buckskin named Poco. He isn't the most gentle horse and she will have to work with him to settle him down. But she has the love and the will to do it. She stables Poco at Top Tier Stables where she volunteers in exchange. She loves being around the horses and her work is going well with Poco. But someone has it out for the stables. When a terrible fire breaks out, Annie must draw on all her courage to try to save her horse. But is she strong enough to face the flames?
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Today's book 07/15/2015
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Lord, Cynthia. HALF A CHANCE New York : Scholastic, 2014 Twelve year-old Lucy is not happy to move again. This time she is moving to a remote lake in New Hampshire, but her nature photographer father will not be there. He will be traveling to Arizona for work. Moving for Lucy means new friends, new school, and lots of new experiences. Lucy handles her loneliness by entering a photography contest. She loves taking photographs. Because her father is the judge of the contest she enters under a false name. She uses the identity of her new neighbor Nate. Nate has spent all his summers at the lake with his grandmother, Lilah who is now losing her memory. Nate and Lucy try to help Lilah by working with her on her loon count. Will Nate be able to accept his grandmother’s loss of memory? Will Lucy tell her dad about deceiving him in the contest? Will Lucy and Nate’s friendship survive these challenges? Reading Half a Chance will give you some surprising answers. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Monday, July 13, 2015
Today's book 07/13/2015
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Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch by Anne Isaacs
Isaacs, Anne. MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH New York : Schwartz & Wade, 2014 In 1870, widow Tulip Jones packs up her twelve pet tortoises: January, February, March, and so on, and boards a ship traveling from England to By-Golly, Texas, where she inherits a ranch, along with thirty-five million dollars. Amazed at how fast and big things grow, she discovers that even her smallest pet tortoise grows six feet long in a month. His large size makes him move even FASTER; soon, he can outrace the fastest racehorse. When word of widow Tulip Jones and her inheritance spreads across the prairie, all the bachelors in Texas, (which is every cowboy, even some nasty ones) wish to marry her. Before long, Tulip Jones is overwhelmed with unsuitable suitors. Calico, one of her three ranch hands, comes up with a clever idea. She proposes that Tulip Jones put a notice in every newspaper in the U.S. stating, “Brides wanted! 1,000 cowboys available! Free to good homes! Lariats and hats included!” Tulip Jones does exactly that. Before long, the brides come, garbed in their finest wedding dresses. Read to find out if every bride gets her cowboy, and if widow Tulip Jones finds happiness in By-Golly. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Today's book 07/12/2015
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Mountain Dog by Margaret Engle
Engle, Margaret. MOUNTAIN DOG New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2013 Are you seeking a new adventure to take you away from your own backyard? Then you’ll want to put Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle in your backpack today and head west. This book is a compelling realistic fiction novel set in the remote Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. It’s filled with struggles and celebrations, relationships and rescues. And what’s even cooler is this story is told through two alternating perspectives. Meet Tony, the resilient 11 and a half year old boy who’s mom has been sent to jail for running pit bull fights and Gabe, the loyal chocolate lab rescue dog who becomes his trusted companion. After reading this book you’ll also be amazed at how much you will have actually learned about rescue dogs, tracking wild animals, hiking, making new friends, adapting to a new home, and even some interesting facts about bears and elephants. You’ll even manage to learn a few new Spanish phrases along the way. But more importantly, you will definitely learn the value of trust as you journey through life. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Today's book 07/11/2015
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Handle With Care by Loree Griffin Burns
Burns, Loree Griffin. HANDLE WITH CARE : AN UNUSUAL BUTTERFLY JOURNEY New York : Millbrook, 2014 IL 3-6, RL 3.7 ISBN 0761393420 Have you been to a live butterfly exhibit at a museum or at a zoo? Where do these lovely exotic butterflies come from? Come visit a butterfly farm in Costa Rica in Central America. Follow the life cycle of the Blue Morpho Butterfly from a tiny egg to a voracious larva (caterpillar) to pupa or chrysalis to finally a beautiful adult butterfly. Raising a butterfly or moth is not easy. The farmers must find the special plants for their food and keep them safe from predators like frogs, birds or snakes! When the caterpillars become chrysalises, the farmers send them, carefully packaged, to museums and zoos all over the world. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Friday, July 10, 2015
Today's book 07/10/2015
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Bell, Cece. EL DEAFO Amulet Books, 2014 In this semi-autobiographical graphic novel, Cece, a bunny, gets sick and loses most of her hearing. She then goes to a school for the deaf for one year. After that first year, she goes to regular school where she is the only deaf student. She has to wear a device called the Phonics Ear, which allows her to hear what the teacher is saying, and often more than she wants to hear if the teacher forgets she is wearing the microphone part of the Phonics Ear and goes to the bathroom. Cece imagines herself as a superhero, El Deafo, who is accepted by classmates. This is a good story about friendship and about accepting who you are. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Today's book 07/09/2015
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Loki's Wolves by Kelley Armstrong
Armstrong, Kelley. LOKI'S WOLVES Boston : Little, Brown, 2013 IL 3-6, RL 4.4 ISBN 031620496X Matt always knew that he was the modern day descendent of Thor, but he never guessed that he would be selected as Thor’s representative to try to prevent Ragnarök, a series of events foretold to result in the end of the world as we know it. Teamed up with his cousin Laurie and classmate Fen, Matt must find Thor’s hammer and shield to prepare for impending battle. His journey of preparation leads him and his friends into encounters with a series of monsters from Norse mythology. If you enjoyed the Percy Jackson series, you will love this adventure into lesser-known mythology from Scandinavia! (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Monday, July 6, 2015
Today's book 07/06/2015
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The Noisy Paint Box by Barb Rosenstock
Rosenstock, Barb. THE NOISY PAINT BOX New York : Knopf, 2014 Vasily Kandinsky was a pioneer of abstract painting, but as a child he was encouraged to be serious about his studies. He studied to become a lawyer and put his childhood hobby of painting aside. He had an unusual condition that allowed him to experience music and sounds visually: in addition to hearing sounds, he also saw them as colors. Read The Noisy Paint Box to find out how this condition led him to return to his childhood interest and invent a whole new style of painting. (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Today's book 07/04/2015
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Poem-Mobiles by J. Patrick Lewis
Lewis, J. Patrick. POEM-MOBILES New York : Schwartz Wade, 2014 Two of children’s poetry’s most prolific and entertaining writers pair up to bring you a collection of wild and wonderful poems about cars. But you won’t see these cars on the highway! The poets and illustrator Jeremy Holmes have created a fantastical world full of imaginary automobiles like the bathtub car, the banana split car and the eel-ectric car. Filled with word play, rollicking rhymes and illustrations that are even wackier than the poems that inspired them, this book is impossible to read only once! (Booktalk by Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Committee)
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