True (...sort of) by Katherine Hannigan

True (...sort of) by Katherine Hannigan
(Grade 4 - 6)

Delly Pattison is an angry 11-year-old from a large family who ends up either in a fight or running from her small town's truant officer nearly every day. Inside, though, she is filled with creativity, crafting her own 'Dellyisms' (surpresents to mean surprise presents). Delly also has a soft spot for her young brother who teaches her to count when she gets angry and begs her to do whatever it takes to avoid alternative school. When new classmate Ferris Boyd arrives at school, refusing to speak or be touched, Delly and her fellow students learn about the power of friendship and the crushing reality of abuse. Katherine Hannigan is a masterful storyteller, weaving both lighthearted humor, poetic language and a difficult theme into one unforgettable novel. Families may choose to read this book together as there is much to love but even more to discuss.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this and other materials.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Do You Have a Dog? by Eileen Spinelli

Do You Have a Dog? by Eileen Spinelli
(Preschool - Grade 2)

Eileen Spinelli's new picture book is filled with stories of real dogs belonging to real people throughout history, many of whom would be otherwise difficult to bring to life in the pages of a picture book. Young readers or listeners, especially those that have a favorite pooch, will be taken with the lively, rhyming mini-biographies of each of the eleven people (and their dogs!) included. The separate spreads are brought together by the common phrase, "...had a dog," as well as the vibrant acrylic illustrations by Geraldo Valerio.

Read about Meriwether Lewis' dog Seaman who "swam across rivers, trekked through snow, and saved Lewis and Clark from a buffalo!" Annie Oakley, Admiral Richard Byrd, Billie Holliday and many others all had dogs too; do you have a dog? Those that do will celebrate and those that don't will certainly be inspired. Preschoolers will love the simple rhymes and older kids may want to read more about these dog-loving folks. Don't miss the end papers that give extra historical details about each famous four-legged friend.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this and other materials.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai
(4th-6th grades)

Ten-year-old Ha has grown up in Saigon, but the Vietnam War is swiftly changing life and soon she is headed to the United States with her mother and three brothers. As her life begins anew in Alabama, Ha faces new challenges as she navigates American culture and food, makes new friends, and learns to see her family in a new light.

Based on the author's own experience, this novel in verse is a beautiful and heartbreaking story of immigration, and the anxiety, misunderstandings and hope that follows. This story is sure to bring a better understanding to those who read Ha's story.

Winner of the 2011 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

Reviewed by Korie B., Children's Staff

Food For Thought by Ken Robbins

Food For Thought by Ken Robbins
(Grades 2 and up)

Food For Thought is a new addition to our library, just in time for Thanksgiving! Celebrated photographer and author Ken Robbins has captured beautiful images of many of the foods we love best: apples, oranges, corn, bananas, potatoes and many more. We eat many of these foods every day but few of us know why they are such staples in our diet. Robbins includes a brief history of these beloved fruits and vegetables and an overview of how they grow, what they are called in other languages and a variety of uses. The humble potato, for instance, has its origin in Peru and is called pommes de terre in French (fruit of the earth).

Robbins shares a sobering fact, "Just a few generations ago, the vast majority of Americans lived or worked on a farm. Now it's just 2 percent of us who do. As a result, most of us know less and less about where our food comes from; in many cases, we don't even really know what it looks like in its natural state."

Perhaps we could take a moment with the children in our lives this November to find out more about our favorite Thanksgiving foods. Food for Thought would be great dinner conversation to accompany a big bowl of mashed potatoes! At my house, we were fascinated to learn that the word orange has no rhyme! I won't tell you how long we tried to find one.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this and other materials at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Creepy Creatures at the Newberg Public Library

It's already October, and the clouds and cool mornings have rolled in along with the creepy creatures in two of our newest picture books for preschoolers and older.

Bedtime At the Swamp by Kristyn Crow and Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters by Jane Yolen celebrate the creepy side of October and encourage a smooth bedtime in a lighthearted way.

Bedtime At the Swamp is set "neath the fat gold moon" in a slimy swamp where a boy hurries to escape a monster he can hear "splish splahing" behind him. The boy's family members (and soon the monster itself) follow him up a tree to get away until Mom signals bedtime and an end to the scary fun. The text has a wonderful steady rhyme that we use in book club during poetry month to illustrate how, just like music, language can have rhythm too. A consistent cadence, "I heard...Splish Splash, Rumba-Rumba, Bim-Bam, Slapping BOOM!" takes our characters from scary swamp to cozy bed.

Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters is a lullaby book that follows a gathering of silly monsters leaving school and heading to their cave for dinner. They scramble into their bath and bed where, presumably, they should drift off to sleep. Instead the little monsters bounce, grumble and protest their way to dreamland. This is a sweet, short, rhyming read aloud to encourage our little ones to drift off to sleep themselves. The illustrations by Kelly Murphy are creative and fun with little 'monster' touches throughout: a monster head houseplant, Cree P. Elementary School, Tentacle Surprise for dinner and lots more.

Treat your young listeners to both of these fabulous October read alouds. To find these and other books at our library, visit www.newberglibrary.org.

Reviewed by Amanda L.,
Children's Staff

National Geographic Kids For All Ages

Kids of all ages, check out the newest National Geographic Kids titles in the Newberg Public Library's collection!

First Big Book of Animals by Catherine Hughes
(Preschool - Grade 2)
For the youngest science enthusiast, First Big Book of Animals describes animals from all over the world and organizes them by habitat. As it is intended for a younger reader (or listener!), the text is large and easy to follow. We can count on National Geographic titles for wonderful photographs and this title doesn't disappoint. Don't miss the parent tips and animal maps as well.



Great Migrations: Amazing Animal Journeys by Laura Marsh
(Kindergarten - Grade 3)
Head over to our reader shelves for National Geographic Science Readers that are interesting, informational and FUN to read. Amazing Animal Journeys follows zebras, red crabs and walruses on thier great migrations. Each page is filled with colorful photographs, silly riddles, Word Wise definitions, and Weird but True facts such as "Zebras' manes are striped, just like the rest of their bodies." There is a National Geographic reader for every reading level - pre-reader through advanced - each with the same colorful appeal. Don't miss Storms!, Volcanoes!, Bats and more.

Oceans by Johnna Rizzo
(Grade 2 and up)
Like all of our National Geographic titles, Oceans is full of vibrant photography and extreme facts presented in bold text and lighthearted fonts. But this and other titles like Devouring Flames, The Ultimate Dinopedia and Violet Weather are geared toward a slightly older reader. More detailed maps appear in Oceans along with additional information on each sea creature and its enivronment. The borders of the introductory page for Octopuses, for example, includes their home (oceans worldwide), size (1/2" - 20 ft.), and number of known species (more than 250). Also in this spread is a huge photograph of a reef octopus, a squid vs. octopus sidebar, a fun fact and a page-long description of an octopus dodging its predators. Even reluctant readers will dive into this book for an exciting glimpse into our world's seas. The encouraging finale called 20 Ways You Can Protect the Ocean is icing on the cake.

Visit http://www.newberglibrary.org/ to find these and other titles at our library.
Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff
Newberg Public Library

Wonderstruck, by Brian Selznick

Wonderstruck, by Brian Selznick
(Grades 4-6)

When Ben Wilson sets out to discover the truth about his family in 1977, his journey from Minnesota to New York will intersect with Rose Kincaid, whose own adventure begins 50 years earlier in New Jersey.

In his latest collaboration of words and pictures, author Brian Selznick masterfully weaves together two stories, telling one with words and the other with pictures. Moving swiftly the tales soon show hints of intersecting and the reader will race to the see the conclusion when stories, words and pictures explode in a beautifully crafted finale. Indeed, this reader did feel "wonderstruck."

Selznick's illustrations add dimension to the story not only in the visual clues he gives the reader but also in perspective. Fans of The Invention of Hugo Cabret will be delighted with another story in the same format.

Check out Brian Selznick on his latest book.

Visit http://www.newberglibrary.org/ to find this and other books at our library.
Reviewed by Korie B., Children's Staff

Ellie McDoodle: Best Friends Fur-Ever by Ruth McNally Barshaw

Ellie McDoodle: Best Friends Fur-Ever by Ruth McNally Barshaw
(Grades 2-4)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans! Don't miss the Ellie McDoodle series, including this third installment, Best Friends Fur-Ever. It has just arrived at our library and is as funny and creative as ever.

Ellie is a middle child that loves to doodle and share stories about her kooky family and school. The series is written in diary format which is peppered with her own illustrations and loopy handwriting. In Best Friends Fur-Ever, Ellie's family (well, except for Mom) wants to add a variety of pets to their household mix. Coincidentally, her school assigns a big project on animals and Ellie must choose an unusual animal to report on in front of her class. When a chance pet-sitting job arises, Ellie has found her subject! But will the pet-sitting go as smoothly as she'd thought?

The series is a page-turner, each a hilarious account of Ellie's daily experiences including a typical family dinner told in coversation bubbles, "Which must rhyme. All of the time," or a random two-page spread entitled,"How to Build a Geodesic Dome." The story flows like a bedtime conversation you yearn to have with your child about their day. Funny, smart, creative - not to be missed!

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this and other books at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis

The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis
(Preschool - Grade 2)

The Bog Baby is a new picture book in our collection that takes young readers (and listeners!) into another time and place, a woodsy fairyland of sorts, where dragonflies glide over bluebells and caterpillars crawl across fiddlehead ferns. The young narrator and her sister venture to the magic pond in Bluebell Wood to fish for newts and end up catching more then they bargained for when the rare Bog Baby jumps into the water. They are delighted with their find and decide to keep the Bog Baby with eye-opening results.

Readers will delight in the soft watercolor illustrations, some pages bright, some muted with the look of a child's sweet pencil sketch. This is a fabulous book to share with young and old to learn a little something about habitat, great imagination and real love. Author Jeanne Willis even invites us to search for our own Bog Baby, sketch its features, and take notes on such things as its favorite flower or identifying noises.

Subtle, beautiful, not to be missed!

Visit http://www.newberglibrary.org/ to find this and other books at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Sassy: The Silver Secret by Sharon M. Draper

Sassy: The Silver Secret by Sharon M. Draper(Grades 2 - 4)

The latest offering in this lighthearted series is sure to appeal to kids facing their own everyday challenges at school and looking for a likeable, relatable character like Sassy. In The Silver Secret, Sassy yearns to have a singing part in her school's musical despite her lack of vocal talents. She does have a secret love and skill for the piccolo given to her by her beloved Grammy (along with a shimmery bag) and imagines adding piccolo music to the school show. For now, though, she must be satisfied with a different sort of role in the production. When an unexpected hiccup threatens to halt the performance, will Sassy come to the rescue?

Fans of Judy Moody, Allie Finkle and other satisfying fiction will love author Sharon Draper's strong, bright characters and will surely yearn for more Sassy in their own stylish book bags.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this and other books at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston

A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long (Preschool - Grade 3)

Newberg Public Library recently added to our children's gardening collection with funds from the Chehalem Garden Club and the Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs. Among these is the beautiful book, A Seed is Sleepy.

Author Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrator Sylvia Long (An Egg is Quiet) have once again gifted us with a new book to read over and over. A Seed is Sleepy is already an award-winning introduction to seeds for any age. Each page (even the end papers!) is filled with lovely, sweeping illustrations of both familiar and unfamiliar seeds including sunflowers, orchids, dandelions, sea coconuts and monkey's comb.

The text is simple, effective and poetic,"A seed is sleepy. A seed is secretive. A seed is naked...yes, naked!" even appropriate for a read-aloud which is unusual for a non-fiction selection. Older children will appreciate the extra bits of information scattered throughout, "A parachute of fine, silky hairs can take a dandelion seed 100 miles from its parent plant." One two-page spread walks the reader through varying seeds' lifespans laid out on a timeline with fabulous illustrations showing how they are different from each other.

Our household found much to pour over every single day of our three-week checkout and more! This is truly a gift for young gardeners or naturalists-to-be and worth sharing each season.

Visit http://www.newberglibrary.org/ to find this and other books at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus

Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus
(Preschool - Grade 2)

Tadpole Rex by Oregon author and illustrator Kurt Cyrus is a refreshing addition to the multitude of dinosaur picture books available to the preschool set. This tale follows the development of Rex the tadpole amongst his dinosaur neighbors. From its first pages readers are drawn in by its rhyming text and figurative language, "Stomp! Squish! Bloop! Swish!" Young children will be captivated by the suspense as Rex thrives even while he dodges dinosaur footsteps. Tadpole Rex is focused on the familiar frog that kids may have seen or even touched, yet maintains the mystery of a 200-million-year old creature that dinosaur lovers will appreciate.

Cyrus doesn't shy away from challenging vocabulary (which is so important as an early literacy or pre-reading skill) yet the text flows beautifully as a read aloud; "primeval puddles were desperate places of ambush and panic and life-or-death chases." I was rooting for Rex to make his mark on the prehistoric setting and smiled at his bravery in the face of such huge dinosaurs. A well-known illustrator, Cyrus truly shines here with big, bold and colorful renderings of another place and time.

This is a fabulous storytime or anytime choice for early elementary and preschool children. Don't miss The Voyage of Turtle Rex by Kurt Cyrus for a similar tale, this time following the ancient sea turtle.

Visit www.newberglibrary.org to find this and other books at our library.

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

The Resisters, by Eric Nylund

The Resisters, by Eric Nylund
(Grades 4-6)

Looking for a science fiction story that will grab you from the first page? Look no further (at least until you've finished this one).

Ethan Blackwood lives in a world controlled by aliens, only he doesn't know it, and neither does his sister or the other kids he hangs out with. Until puberty their supple minds can't be absorbed into the collective, so the aliens have created an elaborate ruse to keep the kids in a creative environment to get the most from their brains.

Sound creepy? When Ethan is approached by two "Resister" kids he has trouble wrapping his brain around the idea until he is launched into battle wearing the exoskeleton of a giant bug with whom he has mind-melded.

This story is action-packed fun at the start, and it doesn't let up! This is the first in a series... So now we just have to wait.

Korie B.
Children's Services Staff
Find this book and more at newberglibrary.org

Ballet for Martha; Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg

Ballet for Martha; Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg (Grades 2 - 6)

Do you know what the word "collaboration" means? It means a time when people work together to make something wonderful that they couldn't do alone. Ballet for Martha; Making Appalachian Spring tells of the collaboration of a dancer, a composer and an artist who create a world famous ballet. Martha Graham is the dancer and choreographer who wants to create a ballet about American pioneers. She asks composer Aaron Copland to write music for the ballet. Then she asks her friend and artist Isamu Noguchi to build the set or scenery for the ballet. The ballet becomes a success, with Aaron Copland even winning a Pulitzer Prize for the music. The book that tells this story is also a collaboration. The writers, Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, team up with illustrator Brian Floca to show us the joy and hard work that went into this popular ballet. You'll find this inspiring book in the non-fiction section of the library.

Reviewed by Susan K. Ankeny, Children's Staff
Newberg Public Library

Cat the Cat series by Mo Willems

Cat the Cat series by Mo Willems
(K - 2nd Grade)

Fans of author Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie reader series will love his new Cat the Cat books with the same catchy illustrations and simple, inviting text. In Let's Say HI to Friends Who Fly! Cat tours the playground asking her friends if they can fly. Bee, Bird and Bat show off their aerial skills while Cat cheers them on. When they reach Rhino, they are at a loss until he shows them that everyone can fly in their own way. Readers will love the subtle humor and even a reference to Willems' popular pigeon series (Don't Let Pigeon Drive the Bus). Introduce your emerging reader to all four Cat the Cat books, including the newest title, What's Your Sound HOUND the HOUND? They'll be hooked!

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

The Little Travelers DVD series, directed by Angelina Hart
(Ages two and up)

The Little Travelers DVD series, created and directed by seasoned traveling mom Angelina Hart, has become our household's favorite children's movie. Rarely do we see such genuine and beautiful footage, especially that told entirely from a child's perspective. The first movie in the series is The Little Travelers: Japan, a place which holds special meaning for us as we have close family living there. Hunt's daughters, Chantelle and Nakia, narrate the movie and tell the story of their three-month trip to Japan. The DVD includes details about their trip that children would find fascinating - how their washing machine worked, hang drying the laundry, the local custom of removing shoes, using a rice cooker, and much about Japanese food favorites like sushi and bento. Hart immerses her family in day-to-day life in Japan as much as possible by sending the girls to a local daycare, making friends with neighbors, attending a birthday party and food shopping at local markets.

The series also includes The Little Travelers: Bali, The Little Travelers: British Isles, The Little Travelers: Iran, and The Little Travelers: Germany with more on the way. Viewers can also take simple language lessons and listen to folk tales within extras on many of the series' titles. Introduce the children in your life to different cultures and inspire them (and yourself!) to travel the world.

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

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff

Happy Mother's Day!

What better way to usher in a lovely Mother's Day weekend than with a few special books from your local library?

I Love You the Purplest by Barbara Joosse is a beautiful story that addresses the age-old question "who do you love the best?" Mama explains to her two boys that she loves one the 'reddest' and one the 'bluest' satisfying each of them in a tender and creative way.


I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt follows a mother and her son on an imaginative journey of questions at bedtime. Would mama still love her son if he were a big scary ape? How about a green alien from Mars? Mama answers him with her own powerful imagination and lots of love. A sweet picture book that will make your young listener laugh each time.



The Mommy Book by Todd Parr illustrates many different kinds of mommies: those who drive motorcycles, those who like to dress up or dance, those that work at home and those who work in big buildings. All of them have a few things in common though: they like to watch you sleep or hang out with you! Parr's distinct, colorful and childlike illustrations are a joy to read aloud.

Happy Mother's Day!

Reviewed by Amanda L., Children's Staff
Newberg Public Library

Turtle in Paradise, by Jennifer L. Holm

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
Grades 4 - 6

Turtle’s mom has just gotten a job as a housekeeper with an elderly woman who does not like children, and a job is very important to have in the 1930’s. So Turtle is sent to live with an aunt and uncle in a little community in Key West Florida. There she grapples with getting along with a houseful of cousins, a grumpy grandmother, and a different style of living. She begins to find her place, but also continues to dream of the little house that she and her mom and her mom’s boyfriend have planned to have someday. Just when it looks like her dream will come true, she discovers that family and community may be the real treasure for which she is searching.

Reviewed by Susan A., Children's Staff

Garbage Helps Our Garden Grow

Garbage Helps Our Garden Grow: a Compost Story
by Linda Glaser, photographs by Shelley Rotner
(All ages)

This compost story is told with simple text and vibrant photographs. The reader is given a look at one family's year long journey through composting, culminating in fresh produce at the table. Those looking to delve further into composting can find more information on the last two pages of compost questions.

This is a great read for young children, especially if you are composting, or getting ready to start. Young grade-schoolers will be able to handle the text on their own.

Reviewed by Korie B., Children's Staff

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, by John Grisham

(Grades 4 - 6)

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, by John Grisham is a thoughtful read about a young man (13 yrs. old) who is trying to help solve the mystery of a murder committed in his hometown. Theodore's parents are both lawyers, so he has grown up listening to legal talk around the dinner table. Being an only child with busy parents, he has grown up entertaining himself by learning about the law. He usually just helps kids at school, but now he has a chance to help in a real murder case. However, he has to tread lightly because the main suspect has hired a well-known, hard hitting lawyer, and if Theodore tells what he knows, he may jeopardize the future of a young man who is an illegal immigrant. The ending is a good set-up for a sequel.

Reviewed by Susan A., Children's Services Staff