January 2016 – Page 3

Animal Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate, Realistic Fiction

Meet Shelter Pet Squad’s newest addition, Paloma!

Posted on January 5, 2016January 4, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Shelter Pet Squad are a group of kids who volunteer at the local pet shelter, taking care of the animals and helping Ms. Kim and Ms. Flores, who run the shelter, with adoptions. In the latest book in the series, the gang meet a group of new puppies referred to as “satos” – mutts or mixed breed dogs – found in Puerto Rico. Suzannah, one of the squad kids, falls in love with Paloma, one of the new satos who was found, with her siblings, in an old tire. Suzannah doesn’t have any pets, because her building won’t allow it – but she really loves Paloma, and is torn between wanting her to go to a good home, and staying at the shelter just a little longer so she can have more time with her.

Shelter Pet Squad #3: Paloma, by Cynthia Lord (Jan. 2016, Scholastic), $5.99, ISBN: 9780545636049

Recommended for ages 7-10

This is my first foray into the Shelter Pet Squad series, and I really enjoyed it. There are diverse characters, both male and female, to attract both boys and girls who love animals – and what kid doesn’t love a book about animals? The kids are ordinary kids who help at their local pet shelter – kids can identify with them, and be inspired to do something to help at home. The characters are friendly, polite, and enthusiastic about what they do, and they react like real kids to situations; witness, Suzannah’s desire to adopt Paloma. She knows she can’t bring her home because her building doesn’t allow pets, so she doesn’t want her adopted right away – she wants to spend more time with her! And when Paloma isn’t adopted right away, Suzannah feels guilty. It’s an honest, human reaction that kids will recognize and appreciate.

There’s some great, subtle instruction in here about taking care of pets, too. The kids learn how to approach a dog, for instance (let it smell your upturned palm, don’t go to pet it right away); they learn to make toys for mice (fill a wiffle ball with paper and seeds that they can discover on their own), and even make no-sew pillows for the new puppies to sleep on. Instructions for the pillow craft are included at the end of the book, and that makes for a fun craft time at school, the library, or home. Kids will also love the Erin McGuire’s black and white illustrations of the kids and the pets.

Series like these always do well at my libraries. There are so many of them, it’s hard for me to keep up with them all! I think I’ll be ordering Shelter Pet Squad – it’s kids helping animals, helping each other, and having fun. What more can you ask out of a series?

Cynthia Lord is the Newbery Honor award-winning author of Rules. I love her picture book, Hot Rod Hamster, and so do the kids I read it with during storytime. Her author website has materials and resources for many of her books, and brief excerpts for the previous two Shelter Pet Squad books. The first book in the series, Jelly Bean, was named one of the 2014 ABC Best Books for Children list by American Booksellers Association.

Early Reader, Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate

Eerie Elementary still stands… and Recess is a JUNGLE!

Posted on January 4, 2016January 4, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Eerie Elementary is a school with a secret – it’s ALIVE! Possessed by the spirit of Orson Eerie, the school is locked in an eternal battle to eat the children of Eerie Elementary, and only Sam Graves, the Hall Monitor (and his mentor, janitor Mr. Nekobi) stands in the way of that happening. Along with his friends, Antonio and Lucy, Sam battles the forces of evil and keeps Eerie Elementary safe.

Eerie Elementary #3: Recess is a JUNGLE!, by Jack Chabert/Illustrated by Sam Ricks (Jan. 2015, Scholastic), $4.99, ISBN: 9780545873529

Recommended for ages 8-10

This time, though, old Eerie may have our group of friends where he wants them. While Sam, Antonio, and Lucy are kicking a soccer ball around at recess, the ball gets away from them. They chase after it, only to discover themselves in a foggy jungle! The grass and trees come alive, trying to keep them in, and when they make it back to the school grounds, they find themselves in a giant hedge maze – while the jungle gym comes to life and heads toward the school to devour the students! No, my friends, it’s not just the school that’s alive: it’s everything on the school grounds! Will Sam and his friends be able to rescue the students of Eerie Elementary this time?

This series is just too much fun. For kids who are ready to something a little spooky and fun, but aren’t quite ready to tackle Goosebumps yet, this is the series to give them. The Branches books are perfect for young and developing readers, with illustrations on every page and short, fast-paced, easy to read chapters. This is the third book in the Eerie Elementary series, and they just get better as they go. You don’t need to read the series from the beginning, either – there’s a sentence or two worth of summary in the story that tells new readers what they need to know, and they’ll be happy to pick up the first books after they’re done.

There’s a good Branches page on the Scholastic site that provides links to all the Branches series, plus links to classroom and parent guides. Pair these with the discussion questions at the back of the book and have a great book chat with the little readers in your life!

Adventure, Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Tristan Hunt is back in The Shark Rider!

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The boy who can talk to sharks is back at Sea Camp for another year in The Shark Rider!

When we last saw Tristan Hunt, he’d had a heck of a summer. He’d just learned that he was part of a very special group of kids: kids with underwater talents, whether it was the ability to speak to sharks, echolocation, the ability to communicate and change color like an octopus, or more. Invited to Sea Camp, a special summer camp that helped these kids develop their talents and do rescue work for the environment, Tristan and his friends ended up on the radar of J.P. Rickerton, a billionaire who leaves a trail of environmental havoc wherever he goes. This time out, though, the kids are a year older, a little more in command of their skills, and jump right into the adventure waiting for them.

Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians, Book 2: The Shark Rider, by Ellen Prager, (May 2015, Mighty Media Press), $49.95, ISBN: 978-1938063510

Recommended for ages 8-12

This time, there’s an emergency situation near the British Virgin Islands. Fish are dying in large groups, and sponge are disappearing from the area. Tristan and his friends are dispatched to the scene to see what they can find out. Is J.P. Rickerton on the scene again? You have to read it to find out, but I will tell you that there’s another wacko billionaire businessman making his appearance in The Shark Rider! Some of our favorite sea creatures are back this time, too, including Hugh’s buddy, Old Jack the Octopus, but there are some new animals on the scene, too, including a vegetarian shark and a mantis shrimp with an anger management issue. Who may be my new favorite minor character ever, and possibly my new spirit animal.

Ellen Prager ramp up the action in this second book, throwing the kids right into the heart of things. Where the first book was a little bit of Harry Potter with a dash of Percy Jackson, The Shark Rider adds some James Bond to the fun, with but she also gives us new gadgets (robo-jellies!), intrigue, and filthy rich villains. We also learn more about our oceans and the animals we share them with, including some very British sharks whose personalities are a bit more buttoned-up than the Bahamian bunch we met last time, but still witty and up for a tussle with the bad guys. You’ll root for the good guys, hiss at the bad guys, and have a blast reading this story.

Don’t forget, author Ellen Prager is a marine scientist and children’s author, with an author webpage that budding conservationists and marine biologists will love!

Make sure to read The Shark Whisperer and The Shark Rider by May – Stingray City is coming!

Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction, gaming, geek culture, Intermediate, Middle Grade

GameKnight999 is back in a new Minecraft adventure!

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

In news that will make the kids at my library ecstatic, Mark Cheverton has a new GameKnight999 Minecraft novel coming out in two days. GameKnight999 vs. Herobrine: Herobrine Reborn is Book 3 in this latest adventure series.

I first discovered Mark Cheverton’s books at New York Comic Con a couple of years ago, where I picked up his first big GameKnight999 series, beginning with Invasion of the Overworld. My then 9 year-old son loved it, and when I ordered a set for my library at the time, they disappeared as soon as I displayed them on the “New” shelves. One of the first purchases I made here at my new location was the original series, and again, haven’t seen them since I put them on the shelves – I didn’t even make it to the shelves, come to think of it; once the kids saw Minecraft books in my arms, they swarmed me!

Needless to say, I’ve ordered more Minecraft books since, and I’ve held a really popular Pixel Art workshop. I cut construction paper into 2″ x 2″ squares, and provided templates of various Minecraft subjects (my first were the Creeper and a flower) that the kids used to create their own works of Minecraft Art. It went over so well that I’m scheduling more Minecraft workshops in the future.

Gameknight999 vs. Herobrine, Book 3 is the conclusion of the Herobrine Reborn series, and will hit bookstores and mass market retailers this Wednesday, January 6th and is already available on Amazon!

Cheverton also Skypes with schools interested in virtual author visits – check out his website for more information. He also provides his own Minecraft server info for kids who want to join in the fun. He will unapologetically ban griefers and bullies, so you know it’s a safe space for your families and patrons (if you let them run Minecraft on your computers). Go to his server site for more information on access.

I’m off to add this latest book to my January budget. Enjoy!

Graphic Novels

Huge Congrats to Gene Luen Yang!

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Exciting news in the book and graphic novel world today: Gene Luen Yang has been named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature! If you haven’t had a chance to read any of Yang’s work, now would be a great time. I’m a huge fan of American-Born Chinese, and his newest series, Secret Coders – I’m using it to get the kids in my library psyched about coding, with great success. Boxers and Saints was the first graphic novel to be a National Book Award Finalist, and American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to win a Printz Award, so this is a perfect appointment. Mr. Yang is the first graphic novelist to be representing the whole children’s and young adult industry as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature!

I’m always excited to see graphic novels get more attention – okay, more positive attention – in the media. They’ve taken their knocks over the years, and it’s exciting to see parents and educators alike getting on board with comics and graphic novels as a great storytelling and literacy medium.

The inauguration ceremony, presided by acting Librarian of Congress David S. Mao and featuring both Ms. Yang and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Emeritus, author Kate DiCamillo, will take place on Thursday, January 7 at 11 a.m. in room LJ-119 of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C. The event is open to the public; no tickets are required. I’d love to be there, but there’s no way I can make it. If anyone is able to go, take picture! Send links!

Congrats again to Mr. Yang – and check out the Secret Coders website for awesome coding printables and activities for the kids (and you know you want to learn, too)!