http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html Looking for a good book? Try these recommendations from Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library staff members! en-US http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html How do you deal with the loss of your best friend? Jack has replaced the love he had for his dog Sky with hating cats, especially one mean black cat. As Jack starts a new school year in Miss Stretchberry's class, she is again showing him how poetry can help him express his feelings of fear and anger. Share the moments with Jack as he comes to terms with the pain of losing Sky and how he finds hope in some very important and surprising discoveries that change his life.
Recommendation for the Week of July 26, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html Slowly step, by step, by step, a rainbow colored panther chameleon creeps from one tree to the next looking for lunch. Along the way he meets some fascinating rain forest critters who are experts in the field of camouflage. The text is simple but informative and the photographs of the animals are so vivid that you could reach out and touch them. Kids will love the scene where the chameleon shoots out his tongue to capture a caterpillar and chew it up slowly (with his mouth open – ugh). Even though the book is written for a younger audience, the photos and information will appeal to others.
Recommendation for the Week of July 19, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html My parents instilled a love of caves in me early. I can still remember the summer I turned eleven and we took a short vacation to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. Never forgetting the wonders of Mammoth Cave, I was ecstatic to read the book, Underground, by Jean Ferris. A fictionalized account of the tourist history of Mammoth Cave, it's special in that it focuses on the life Stephen Bishop, an eighteen year old slave who was tour guide during the mid 1800's. It's surprising that not only was a slave allowed to lead white tourists in the antebellum south – but what's even more amazing was that Stephen Bishop was considered one of the greatest explorers of Mammoth Cave. While enjoying favor with his master and freedom to explore the cave, Stephen encountered a life-changing dilemma: should he aid run-away slaves on their way North by the underground railroad, or should he save his own skin and protect his comfortable way of life even though he, himself was still a slave?
Recommendation for the Week of July 12, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html When her mother disappears, 14-year-old Enola Holmes runs away to London to search for her. Once there, Enola discovers she's got a real talent for solving mysteries. The Case of the Missing Marquess is the first in a series of exciting mysteries starring the younger sister of world famous detective Sherlock Holmes.
Recommendation for the Week of July 5, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html You may never be a “super hero” but everyone can be a hero in ways that more deeply affect our world than x-ray vision or bending steel ever will. In Waiting for Normal: A Novel author Leslie Connor gives us a true hero in Addison Schmeeter. This delightful 12 year old is thoughtful, optimistic and trying to make the best of living with a dysfunctional mother. While never depressing, this charming story gives us a glimpse into how poverty, mental illness and learning disabilities, while tragedies, sometimes make us stronger.
Recommendation for the Week of June 28, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html If you've ever wanted to see what Anne Frank's life was really like, this book will give you a look into her world. With quotes and color photos from the diary, lots of pictures of Anne herself, and helpful explanations of Jewish life in Germany in the 1940's, this is a book that will catch your eye. Recommended for grade 5 and up.
Recommendation for the Week of June 21, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html Willow's mother has left their family and Willow's father wants to start a new life. Loretta's parents are taking her on a road trip to visit some of the places represented on the charm bracelet she received from her biological mother after that “other mother” died. Kirby's mom is taking him to a school for troubled boys when their car breaks down. And Aggie is a widow with an old, run-down motel that she can no longer care for. When all these people come together at the Sleepy Time Motel near the Great Smoky Mountains, their growing friendships guide them through personal journeys of discovery from unhappiness to hope.
Recommendation for the Week of June 14, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html Noah Webster, patriot and scholar, addressed the problem of how can we create one nation when we can't even understand each other? His solution was to unite through words. “A national language is a band of national union . . . for if we do not respect ourselves . . . other nations will not respect us.” Best known for writing American dictionaries, after reading this biography with it's colorful and detailed oil paintings I became aware of the many contributions he made to the founding of America. Noah Webster patriot with the pen.
Recommendation for the Week of June 7, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html Max is new in school and gets picked on. But his imaginary dog, King, fights the school bully and has adventures with Max. Wishworks, Inc. guarantees Max a wish that will come true. Max wants a real version of King, but gets a dirty little dog that doesn't obey and looks a like a rat. Can he wish it away? Would he be happy if he wished for the exactly right dog? What would YOU wish for? (Think very carefully.)
Recommendation for the Week of May 31, 2010 http://www.imcpl.org/kids/stories/staffrec/index.html What in the world is a Hinky Pink? Anabel, a young talented seamstress in old Italy, has been ordered to sew the most beautiful gown for the princess to wear to the ButterflyBall. Will Anabel be able to finish the gown in time with the Hinky Pink interrupting her sleep? How Anabel solves her problem is both clever and thoughtful.
Recommendation for the Week of May 24, 2010