Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle
by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery
(Grades 2 and up)

Don't worry, the dog doesn't die. This is an amazing true story of a wild dog who befriends a Marine. With determination and strength, both man and dog overcome obstacle after obstacle to be together.

Big pictures and type will make this story friendly to young grade-schoolers, or perfect for reading aloud together. Basic maps throughout the story will help kids to better understand the distance traveled by Nubs.

Find this story and more at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Korie B., Children's Services Staff

The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

(Preschool - Grade 1)

"Be quiet! Quiet down! Shhhh..." we tell our children, preparing them for life's many quiet moments: bedtime, a school lesson, a library trip, someone else's phone call. Rarely do we have the opportunity to ponder the many kinds of quiet filling a child's day. The Quiet Book does so beautifully with love and respect. Author Deborah Underwood fills her gentle picture book with quiet moments like first snowfalls, best friends and sleeping babies. She also includes quiet moments with hidden emotion such as whispered secrets, getting caught, shots at the doctor's office and so much more. Pencil illustrations by Ranata Liwska are soft and sweet, much like any quiet book should be. Enjoy this picture book with the children in your lives in your next quiet moment.

Visit http://www.newberglibrary.org/ to find this book at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

The Birthday Ball

The Birthday Ball, by Lois Lowry
Grades 3 - 5 (Kindergarten and up if you are reading aloud)

A few days before her sixteenth birthday, on which she is to choose her prince, Princess Patricia Priscilla wakes up bored. Yes, she is a princess, but sometimes the high life just isn't what it's cracked up to be. To escape the castle monotony, Princess Patricia Priscilla decides to become just "Pat," and attend the village school.

As Princess Priscilla discovers life beyond the castle (and how people, rich or poor, are really not so different) her potential suitors are making their way to the castle for a climactic Birthday Ball.

Lois Lowry weaves together a lovely story of friends, family and love. With delightful vocabulary, feisty characters and hilarious situations, this story is great for reading aloud or just enjoying on your own.

For more books by Lois Lowry please visit: www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Korie B., Children's Services staff

Andy Shane: Hero At Last by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Andy Shane: Hero At Last by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
(Kindergarten - Grade 2)

The newest book in the Andy Shane series, Andy Shane: Hero At Last, is now at our library! Andy is a tenderhearted, creative gradeschooler with an understanding Granny and a pesky neighbor, Dolores Starbuckle. Early readers new to chapter books will appreciate the illustrations on each page, larger text and short chapters. In Hero At Last, Andy longs to be heroic with his specially prepared hero backpack and a plan to lead the Home Sweet Home parade. He has an inventive idea for decorating his bike for the parade but little patience for Dolores' plans to steal the show. As the whole town prepares and the parade gets underway, Andy learns that there are many different ways to be a hero. This dependable series is creative and funny as it tackles small problems with sweet resolutions. A sure winner for young readers.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this book at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements
(Grades 3 - 5)

Abby Carson is an Illinois 6th grader who doesn't always love school. By mid-year her teachers inform her that she may not move on the 7th grade. Unthinkable! Unaccpetable! Abby is determined to turn things around though her teachers are skeptical. An understanding teacher gives Abby an extra credit project that just may bump her grade. She is to find a pen pal in another country and create a bulletin board tracking their correspondence. Abby's letters finally reach Sadeed, a 10-year-old boy in Afghanistan who has studied English and likes to write. His country's custom discourages girls and boys from corresponding, however, so they enlist the help of Sadeed's younger sister Amira. Soon, even this arrangement puts the siblings in jeopardy. Abby's newfound friendship and her project is at risk of falling apart. What will happen to Sadeed and Amira? will Abby find a way to love learning? Will she move on to 7th grade? This new release from beloved author Andrew Clements (Frindle, No Talking) tackles difficult cultural issues with humor, grace and creativity. A fabulous read for the middle elementary grades with full-page illustrations sprinkled throughout.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this book at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Mouse and Mole Series by Wong Herbert Yee

Abracadabra! Magic With Mouse and Mole by Wong Herbert Lee
(Preschool - Grade 2)

Author Wong Herbert Yee, creator of the beloved Fireman Small series, has written a warm, cozy series that is extra welcoming to new readers. Mouse and Mole, neighbors and dear friends, work together in their shared tree home to solve problems and overcome life's little disappointments. In Abracadabra! Magic With Mouse and Mole, Mole is wild with excitement over a traveling magic show coming to their forest. When it isn't all that he had expected, Mouse comes to the rescue by showing him that magic is all around us in the form of fireflies, night-loving mimosa plants, a tadpole's journey to become a frog and much more. A comfortable, sweet reader that lovers of Frog and Toad will surely celebrate. Also look for these other Mouse and Mole titles: A Brand-New Day with Mouse and Mole, Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole, and Mouse and Mole, Fine Feathered Friends.

To find this title at our library visit www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen

The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen
(Preschool - Grade 2)

Author and illustrator Chris Van Dusen (illustrator of the Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo) continues to impress with his lively stories and vibrant illustrations. His latest picture book, The Circus Ship, is based on an actual event when The Royal Tar, an 1836 side-wheel steamer sailing to Maine went up in flames. Van Dusen has chosen to soften this history for children and create a satisfying adventure with heroic animal feats. In the book, the circus ship does indeed go down at sea, but the animals gallantly swim to a nearby island where they surprise and impress the islanders. The animals, with the islanders help, face off their greedy owner with hilarious results. Older readers will delight in the detailed illustrations and circus antics, and younger children will love the lyrical, rhyming cadence Van Dusen maintains in his books. Don't miss this entertaining picture book along with other books by the same author: the Mr. Magee series and If I Built a Car.

Visit http://www.newberglibrary.org/ to find this book at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

The Olympic Sports Series by Jason Page

The Olympic Sports Series by Jason Page
(Grades 2 and up)

The gray days of May will soon lead to sunny, summer skies, and what better place to prepare than your local library? Get ready to "Make a Splash" this summer with the colorful non-fiction Olympic Sports series by Jason Page. Look for the water sports books at our library featuring rowing, sailing, swimming, diving, water polo and more.

Did you know that sea otters often swim on their backs and can do it even in their sleep? Read about human and animal Olympians in this vibrant collection in which each page features photos, trivia and fun facts. Reluctant readers will celebrate the action shots and 'super stats' (water polo players can often swim up to 3.11 miles during a match!).

Get inspired for summer and visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this series at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Mama Says

Mama Says: A book of love for mothers and sons
by Rob D. Walker, illustrated by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon

This elegantly illustrated picture book pairs mothers and sons from different cultures with a "mama says" poem in English and the written language of the culture. With twelve different cultures presented, this book is perfect for hear-and-say reading- ask open-ended questions about the illustrations or words as you look through this beautiful book.

Reviewed by Korie B., library staff

For this story and more, please visit www.newberglibrary.org

Martin Bridge Series by Jessica Scott Kerrin

Martin Bridge Series by Jessica Scott Kerrin
(Grades 1 - 3)

On the hunt for a solid early chapter book for the younger readers in your house? Author Jessica Scott Kerrin has delivered with the Martin Bridge Series about a young boy who loves Zip Rideout: Space Cadet, his favorite super hero, and who discovers that growing up isn't always easy. In Martin Bridge, Ready for Takeoff!, the first in the series, Martin gets his Junior Badgers rocket ready for launching only to find that his friend has taken Martin's flames idea to a whole new level. Other stories in the book introduce acceptance and honesty in a relevant, light-hearted way. The series is warm and thoughtful with imaginative solutions for every day problems. My son was captivated, laughing and asking for more after just the first chapter.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find more of Martin Bridge's adventures at our library including Martin Bridge, On the Lookout!, Martin Bridge, Blazing Ahead!, Martin Bridge, Out of Orbit!, Martin Bridge, The Sky's the Limit! and Martin Bridge, In High Gear.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Zig Zag Nonfiction Series by Becky Baines

Zig Zag Nonfiction Series by Becky Baines
(Preschool - Grade 2)

The Zig Zag Nonfiction Series, published by the National Geographic Society, is a valuable find for preschoolers and early elementary kids who love the trademark color photos and straightforward text. The rhyming cadence is helpful for emerging and early readers:

A den is a place a bear will go after a feast in the fall- when they eat until their bellies are full (because soon there'll be no food at all).

A Den Is a Bed for a Bear chronicles several bear species and their unique dens. It introduces cubs and the cycle of the seasons. Photographs are impressive and are often tagged with speech bubbles like a child's favorite comic strip. Additional information is presented in smaller type and line drawings add humor and lighthearted detail to the facts.

The Zig Zag Nonfiction Series also includes Every Planet Has a Place: a Book About Our Solar System, Your Skin Holds You In: a Book About Your Skin and more to come.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find these books at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream, by Tanya Lee Stone
(Grades 4 and up)
Sibert Medal Winner 2010

The true story of the "Mercury 13" women is a fascinating look into the story of intelligent, strong women pilots who proved they had what it takes to become an astronaut - in 1961. Yes, twenty-two years before there was a woman astronaut, and thirty-four years before a woman piloted a space shuttle.

This story follows the adventure of Jerrie Cobb and 12 other women pilots through the testing, politics and the surprising revelation of who put a stop to the space program for women in 1962. This remarkable story is a must-read for... well, anyone.

Reviewed by Korie B.

When Your Reach Me

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
(4-6 Graders)

Hmmm... How to explain this book? Intriguing. Mysterious. Entertaining. Different. As the story begins you realize the sixth grade narrator, Miranda, has received letters from someone who knows her future and is sending her proof. You also realize that a life-changing event has occurred that she really doesn't want to talk about. But she does. Which is fortunate for you, the reader, because it is mysterious and perplexing and unfolds in a marvelous sequence of events. I think that's all I'm going to tell you.

Reviewed by Korie B., Children's Staff
For more books, including A Wrinkle in Time (which is heavily featured in the above book) please visit: www.newberglibrary.org