Fiction – Page 25 – Mom Read It

DC’s Backstories: Digest-sized origin stories for your fave superheroes!

Posted on February 17, 2016February 20, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Superman: Man of Tomorrow, by Daniel Wallace/Illustrated by Patrick Spaziante (Jan. 2016, Scholastic), $5.99, ISBN: 9780545868181

Wonder Woman: Amazon Warrior, by Steve Korté/Illustrated by Marcus To (Feb. 2016, Scholastic), $5.99, ISBN: 9780545925570

Recommended for ages 7-10

Just in time for the Batman vs. Superman movie, Dawn of Justice, Scholastic is giving us the Backstories series: digest-sized origin stories of our favorite DC superheroes, including a list of friends, foes, and family; a chronology of the characters’ origins; a short biography in chapters; timelines; glossaries; fast facts, and indexes.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow, by Daniel Wallace tells the story of how farm boy Clark Kent discovered that he was more than just the farm boy son of Martha and Jonathan Kent, graduated from college with a degree in journalism, and went to work in the big city of Metropolis, where he found a job at the Daily Planet. The biography, told through pictures, newspaper excerpts (with a Lois Lane byline!), and artwork, also touches on Clark Kent’s Kryptonian heritage, both sets of his parents, and his first big feud with Lex Luthor. We learn a little bit about Superman’s allies on the Justice League and his biggest foes.

Wonder Woman: Amazon Warrior tells the story of Wonder Woman’s childhood on Paradise Island, also known as Themiscyra; her warrior training and the Amazons’ war with the Greek god, Ares, and the origin of her name, Diana, after Diana Trevor, the mortal woman who crash landed on the island and fought with the Amazons against the creature, Cottus. We learn about Steve Trevor’s – Diana Trevor’s son – arrival on the island, and how Diana won a contest of skill to be the one to take him back to America, where she would defend the human race against Ares. We also learn about Diana’s allies, foes, and armor – did you know that her tiara’s edges are razor sharp and can be thrown like a chakram? Me, either!

Each book provides a foreword from the hero, leading us into their story, introducing themselves to us. Artwork in my advance reader copies are black and white, but I’m hoping there will be some color illustration, too. These books are a good addition to a juvenile library; in my library system, the superhero trade paperbacks are largely in the teen area for content. When the kids ask for superhero stories – and they do! – I have to make sure that I’ve got a rich set of offerings for them! I’ve got easy readers and chapter books; solid little origin stories like this will really round out my superhero collection.

Fiction, Intermediate, Steampunk

The Oodlethunks – prehistory’s newest family series!

Posted on January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Oona Finds an Egg (The Oodlethunks, #1), by Adele Griffin/Illustrated by Mike Wu, (Jan. 2016, Scholastic), $12.99, ISBN: 9780545732796

Recommended for ages 7-10

Oona is a Stone Age girl whose father stays home and bakes kind of weird health food, like newt fingers; her mom works at an advertising agency where they’re trying to sell consumers on the wheel; and her little brother, Bonk, is just annoying. She really, really wants a pet, so when she finds an egg while she’s out wandering, she’s so excited! Her parents let her keep it until it hatches – they’re worried that she may be eaten by what’s in the egg! – but Oona is convinced that Something Cute is in that egg just waiting for Oona to love it. She cares for the egg until one day, it disappears – and Bonk is acting awfully guilty.

Oona finds an egg is a new intermediate series for readers growing out of easier chapter books like Scholastic’s Branch series, and ready to tackle a little more. Oona is a good protagonist: she loves her family, she doesn’t always get along with her little brother, and she shows,The Oodlethunks are a pretty modern stone-age family (apologies to The Flintstones), with a working mom and stay at home dad; kids will recognize the family structure and relate, either having friends with working moms, or having working moms/stay at home dads of their own.

It’s a fun new series that kids will enjoy, with prehistoric animals that kids may not have heard of before – Ms. Griffin provides an explanation on a few of them at the end of the book – and fills the gap between more challenging fiction and easy readers. There are illustrations and text, and plenty of opportunities for a good book discussion.

Fiction, Humor, Intermediate

Are you ready for The Study Hall of Justice?

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Young Bruce Wayne is excited to be accepted into the Ducard Academy in Gotham City, a prep school for gifted middle school students. Almost immediately, though, Bruce feels like something is off. The kids aren’t that friendly. The teachers encourage the kids to behave badly; even reward them for it! He teams up with two other misfit students – a farmboy named Clark Kent and an exchange student named Diana Prince – to figure out what’s really going on at Ducard Academy.

Study Hall of Justice (DC Comics Secret Hero Society #1), by Derek Fridolfs/Illustrated by Dustin Nguyen (Jan. 2016, Scholastic), $12.99, ISBN: 9780545825016

Told using Bruce Wayne’s online journal, texts and messages between Bruce, Clark, and Diana, other digital media, Study Hall of Justice is a great way to create a new chapter book series to introduce younger readers to some of our most famous superheroes. The storytelling is fun, light, and fast-paced, and uses communication methods kids use nowadays. I’m a big fan of the superhero chapter book to get kids reading, and this series looks like a good one for intermediate readers.

There’s a great pedigree attached to this series, too – the writer and artist behind the DC comic, Lil’ Gotham, is at the controls for this first book in the DC Secret Society.

Seriously, how cute is Lil’ Gotham?

I’m looking forward to more books in this series, and you should, too. The book is due out in just shy of two weeks, so you won’t have long to wait!

Early Reader, Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate

Knit-Knotters: A New Fairy Tale from Scholastic’s Branches!

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

Stella is getting glasses – and she’s not sure how she feels about them. When she puts them on, though, she starts seeing things very differently – like the glasses were enchanted! That night, Stella discovers that her tangled and knotted hair isn’t her fault, but the fault of a knit-knotter sprite named Trixie, whose job it is to tangle up kids’ hair! If Stella lets her tangle her hair, she’ll have to get a haircut, and she doesn’t want that! Can she and Trixie figure out a deal that will work out for both of them?

Stella & The Night Sprites, Book One: Knit-Knotters, by Sam Hay/Illustrated by Turine Tran (Jan. 2015, Scholastic), $4.99, ISBN: 9780545819985

Recommended for ages 6-8

This is another series under Scholastic’s Branches line, made for newly independent readers. When kids are growing out of Easy Readers but aren’t quite ready to dive into chapter books, Branches is the way to go. I’ve read a few of these, and they’re great for young readers who are ready for a little bit more. The books are illustrated and have easy to read, short chapters with fun storylines. Stella and the Sprites is adorable, with a fun, fantasy storyline about mischievous sprites and fairies and a little girl who can think really fast on her feet. A discussion guide with questions is available at the end of the book, so parents, read along with your kids, then talk about the book!

Branches Books are great for literacy programs at the library, too. I’ve got a need at my library for a literacy program for younger grades, so my shopping cart will be full of these come budget time this month. They’re an easy enough read for kids, and we can discuss it right here at the library – maybe even make some knit-knotters of your own with toothpicks, beads, and glitter glue!

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!

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!

Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Intermediate

The Dragonsitter is adorable fantasy for young readers!

Posted on December 24, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Dragonsitter, by Josh Lacey/Illustrated by Gary Parsons (Sept. 2015, Little, Brown), $15, ISBN: 978-0316298964

Recommended for ages 6-10

Eddie’s got a huge problem. He and his mother agreed to watch Uncle Morton’s pet dragon, Ziggy, while he was away, but the dragon is causing all problems – the curtains are on fire, the neighbor’s cats are under attack, and let’s not even talk about the poop. Eddie’s trying to get in touch with Uncle Morton to find out what to do, but he’s not hearing back – and Eddie’s mom is getting fed up! Will Uncle Morton have any advice that can save the day? Will he even get in touch with Eddie?

Told via e-mails (mostly Eddie’s), The Dragonsitter is an adorable beginning chapter book for readers ready to graduate from easy readers. It’s a sweet introduction to fantasy, with a churlish pet dragon and a hapless young petsitter who’s doing his best. The tone of the e-mails goes from nervous to frustrated to exasperated, with more and more laughs as the story progresses, and the black and white illustrations by Gary Parsons add even more humor to the story. We get steaming piles of dragon poop, angry mom holding up receipts for the damage Ziggy’s causing, and profile photos on the emails flying back and forth that tell a lot more of the story.

The Dragonsitter is the first in the Josh Lacey’s Dragonsitter series. You can check out Josh Lacey’s author page for information about the other books in the series, including a sixth one that will come out in 2016!

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate, Uncategorized

Olga da Polga – a favorite classic comes to Kane Publishing!

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Olga da Polga, by Michael Bond/Illustrated by Catherine Rayner (Oct. 2015, Kane Miller Publishing), $17.99, ISBN: 978-1-61067-433-1

Recommended for ages 6-10

The creator of Paddington Bear, Michael Bond, introduced Olga da Polga, an adventurous guinea pig with a bit of sass, in 1971. I don’t remember this book when I was growing up, so I’m not sure whether these were originally published only in the UK, but there are both picture and chapter books full of Olga’s Adventures! Kane Miller Publishing recently brought Olga back to readers with this beautifully illustrated edition. Greenaway Medal winner Catherine Rayner adds beautiful watercolor artwork to this collection of stories that new readers and their parents will love and want on their shelves.

Olga da Polga is a guinea pig who wants to go on adventures. She wants out of the pet store! She gets her wish when she’s adopted by the Sawdust family – that’s what she calls humans – who builds her a her own hamster run in their garden. She goes on adventures in the family’s backyard and meets the local wildlife, including Noel the housecat, Fangio the hedgehog, and Graham, the tortoise. Stories encompass all the seasons, also lending themselves to great seasonal storytimes.

Olga da Polga is one of those books that I feel like I missed out on, and that I need to get on the shelves here at my library to make sure today’s kids meet Olga and her friends! Give this to kids who love their animal fiction – Paddington fans, naturally; Olivia fans, and Corduroy fans can move up to Olga da Polga and enjoy another group of stories about a plucky little guinea pig and her adventures. Kids reading the EB White trilogy (Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, Trumpet of the Swan) will love Olga, too. The short chapters/stories provide for great read-aloud opportunities.

You can get your own copy of Olga da Polga at the Usborne books website. Amazon offers the book through independent sellers.

Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Middle School

Spotlight on: Pippa Morgan’s Diary!

Posted on December 11, 2015December 8, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Pippa Morgan’s Diary, by Annie Kelsey (December 1, 2015; Sourcebooks Jabberwocky)

Hardcover ISBN 9781492623281

Price: $12.99

Pippa is beside herself when her BFF moves to Scotland. TO SCOTLAND! In a move of self-preservation, she tries to make a new friend when Catie Brown, one of the most popular girls in school, sits next to her in class. Catie Brown has a rotating list of people who get to sit next to her at lunch every day! Pippa discovers that she and Catie both love the talent reality show, The Voice Factor, and in a desperate bid for something to get Catie’s attention, Pippa tells her she auditioned for the show. AND blew the judges away. She and Catie become BFFs, but Catie’s dying to hear Pippa sing – so much that she signed her up for the school talent show. And Pippa couldn’t catch a tune if she was carrying a barrel.

Pippa Morgan’s Diary is perfect for readers who love Jim Benton’s My Dumb Diary, Rachael Renee Russell’s Dork Diaries, and Marissa Moss’ Amelia’s Notebook series. Pippa gets herself into hilarious trouble with her overactive imagination, but you have to appreciate her creativity – and her honesty. This is a fun start to a new series, and the kids in my library LOVE this diary/journal fiction trend.

Praise for Pippa Morgan’s Dairy

“With its approachable style and friendly language, this is sure to please both older fans of Rebecca Elliott’s “Owl Diaries” (Scholastic) and reluctant readers alike.” –School Library Journal

“Likable characters in humorous situations make for a promising series opener.” –Kirkus

“A charming story about the lengths you can go to win someone over, this is a great addition to the perennially popular illustrated-journal trend in middle-grade fiction. Although the character-created sketches can draw Wimpy Kid comparisons, the tone more closely matches Marissa Moss’ Amelia’s Notebook (1995)… the perfect quick read for any student with starry-eyed aspirations and a big imagination.”- Booklist

Summary:

Sometimes a little white lie can land you in a whole lot of trouble…

Pippa’s new BFF Catie Brown is perfect. So perfect, that Pippa tells her a teeny tiny lie—that she once auditioned for Voice Factor—to impress her. And it works. It works so well, in fact, that Catie enters Pippa into the school talent show.

The only problem? Pippa can’t sing. Not at all. In fact, her singing is so bad it scares the neighbors. But if she doesn’t participate in the talent show, Catie will know she lied. But if she does participate, the whole school will find out what a horrible singer she is…including Catie!

It’s up to Pippa to put an end to this pesky problem!

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26457243-pippa-morgan-s-diary

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/UZb5z

Barnes&Noble- http://ow.ly/UZcJF

Books A Million- http://ow.ly/UZcQi

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/UZd4f

Indiebound- http://ow.ly/UZd9D

About the Author:

Annie Kelsey is a pseudonym for a well-known children’s book author.

Excerpt from Pippa Morgan’s Diary

Sunday

I can still smell the stink of the moving van. Rachel and I just hugged and cried as they loaded her stuff on. Then I watched like a big-eyed kid who’d just lost her puppy while Rachel waved out of the window of her parents’ car.

I will NEVER forgive Rachel’s parents—I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE THEY DECIDED THAT RACHEL SHOULD LIVE IN SCOTLAND INSTEAD OF THREE DOORS AWAY FROM ME!

Scotland is, like, a gazillion miles away.

Rachel said Nothing Would Change Really. *rolls eyes* She said, We’ll still be best friends even though I’m so far away. I love Rachel but sometimes she can be one fry short of a Happy Meal.

Of course we’ll be best friends. But it’s not the same. I can only talk to her on the phone. I don’t get to see her every day.

We can NEVER AGAIN dress up in my dad’s extra-high-visibility cycling gear and go and stand under the fluorescent lights in the supermarket and see how many shoppers we can dazzle. The frozen-food section was best because the freezers had this cold blue glow that turned us practically luminous. We’d offer to help shoppers reach for fish sticks or ice cream and try not to giggle when they’d half-close their eyes like they were staring into the sun.

We loved dressing up. Last summer, we pretended we were characters from The Lady of Morpeth Abbey—which was our favorite TV show EVER. It was soooo romantic and all the characters wore beautiful old-fashioned clothes. Rachel and I raided every thrift store in town until we’d made the BEST costumes. Rachel dressed as Mr. Hunderbentleman (buckle-y shoes and a frilly shirt and a big hat and everything) and I wore ten big skirts on top of each other and put my hair in a bun so I looked like Lady Monteith, and we spent the whole day talking like our characters.

RACHEL: Lady Monteith, may I bring you something from my morning stroll as a token of my admiration?

ME: I would be eternally grateful if you brought me a dozen roses, Mr. Hunderbentleman, for my pretty nose needs something delicate to smell.

RACHEL: (giggling) My dear lady! Why don’t you stroll with me and we may smell the roses together?

ME: Oh, Mr. Hunderbentleman! I am so lucky to know such a kind gentleman as you.

And we did it ALL day. Mom and Dad thought it was really funny (Mom and Dad were still married then) and it was the best day ever. Then Mom told us to go and get changed because my big skirts kept sweeping things off her knickknack shelf and Rachel had to go home for dinner.

I wonder what Rachel’s having for dinner tonight? I could have the same thing and it’d be like we were having dinner together like we used to when Rachel’s mom went to yoga.

But I can’t even text her to ask because she’s living on the side of a mountain in the middle of NOWHERE.

Enter a Rafflecopter giveaway to win a copy of Pippa Morgan’s Diary (U.S. & Canada only)!

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