Book Talk: New Book Hightlights

I love new books! I love seeing the new books that will become your new favorites. Today, I have 2 to share with you that are worth checking out!

The Hueys In It Wasn't Me
by Oliver Jeffers
JJ JEF

The Hueys are a strange bunch. You may remember them from The Hueys In The New Sweater. Generally, they dress the same, act the same, so they all get along, but not in this story! The Hueys In It Wasn't Me are unhappy and fighting. Gillespie sees an argument (written in a vague word bubble of scribbles and other angry looking things) and asks a great question: "What are you fighting about?" It immediately goes from there as the group starts to blame each other. Gillespie brings is back to his question and offers a solution that will make everyone happy. It's a predictable story, but I caught myself laughing anyway.

Flora & Ulysses : The Illuminated Adventures
by Kate DiCamillo
Illustrated by K. G. Campbell
J DIC

Flora is a cynic. She does not hope for things. Ulysses is an average squirrel, at least until he gets sucked up into a vacuum and Flora saves him. On that day, his life changes, and so does Flora's. Ulysses is a superhero! He has super squirrel strength, he can fly, he's hungry, he can write poetry, and he's hungry. Oh, and he's aware of his world now. He cares and loves. He wants to save the day and with Flora's help and guidance, they may just do that. Except Ulysses has an arch nemesis. Will he be able to write his poem? Will he ever get to have a big doughnut? The latest Newbery winner is told in prose and some comic book panels. Readers will root for Flora as much as they root for Ulysses. This is worth a look!

What Was Read: Morris Arboretum Story Time - May 28

On a wet and rainy Tuesday (May 28), I made my way to Morris Arboretum for my first every story time* there! We've started a new partnership with Morris Arboretum where I'll be visiting once a month to read stories, sing songs, and perform action rhymes. If you've been to one of my "Stories In the Park," it is very similar to that, only at Morris Arboretum.

Despite the rain, we had a good crowd from all over to hear stories, sing songs, and act like a train! Our theme that day was trains since the garden railway opened just before my story time.

What We Read

• Trouble on the Tracks by Kathy Mallat. - JJ MAL - Everything is in order for the train to travel the route it has traveled many times before. Wait! What is that on the tracks? There are two large green eyes! Oh no!
• Two Little Trains by Margaret Wise Brown ; pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon. - JJ BRO - Two little trains are heading west. One little train is a real train traveling across the country while another is crossing the house. This is a fun story for the juxtaposition of the pictures and use of imagination to find the similarities in the differing situations.
• And The Train Goes--:- JJ BEE - Here comes the train! See all the colorful train cars as they travel down the track. A fun one for making silly sounds with your child.

What We Did

• Sang my favorite opening and closing songs: "If You'd Like to Hear a Story" and "The More We Read Together"
• Recited a flannel song called "Clickety-clack, Clickety-Clack" and counted the lovely trains.
• Sang an echo song called "Down by the  Station" From SurLaLune Story Time
• Recited a rhyme called "This is a Choo-Choo Train" where we acted like trains! From SurLaLune Story Time
• Sang The ABCs!

*Please note if you want to attend this story time, you must register in advance and you may need to pay an admission fee (unless you are a member). We do have a Morris Arboretum pass available to check out of the library.

Book Talk: Guinea Pig Pet Shop Private Eye: Hamster and Cheese by Colleen AF Venable

Hamster and cheese: by Colleen AF Venable.

Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye, #1
Hamster and Cheese
by Colleen AF Venable, Illustrated by Stephanie Yue
Call Number J GN VEN #1
WVPL - BB

Mr. Venezi's Pets & Stuff is facing a crisis. The koalas will be sent away if no one can figure out who keeps stealing Mr. Venezi's sandwiches. The koalas (who later learn they're actually hamsters) want to find out who it is, but they sleep all day. So enter Sasspants, the Guinea Pig, who is dubbed "Guinea PI" in a bizarre set of circumstances. She'll find an answer but mostly so her new partner, Hamisher the hamster, will leave her alone.

In this brightly colored graphic novel (a book in comic book style), readers will follow Sasspants as she rigs up tricks to find answers, quiz the forgetful goldfish, bother the birds, and saves the beauty queen chinchillas. With the wrong suspects, she'll work through the case until finally she gets an answer. Readers will be laughing and guessing throughout the story, only to be surprised at who the sandwich eater really is. Who knew a pet shop could be so much fun when the humans aren't looking?

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

This Is Not My Hat: by Jon Klassen

Note: I wrote this shortly after the book came out as it was getting a lot of praise at the time (and was a New York Times Best Seller). Here's a bit on what the 2013 Caldecott Book about.

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
Call Number: JJ KLA
WVPL - BB

If this is not your hat then where did the hat come from?

Little Fish has stolen a hat. It isn't his hat. It belongs to a bigger fish and our little fish is pretty sure that the big fish won't mind. The hat looks better on him anyway.

Follow Little Fish's words, while the images show what Big Fish is up to (and sometimes what the Little Fish is up to). Will the Little Fish get away with stealing the hat?

Maybe...but that's for the reader to find out in this subtle and funny (in a different sort of way) story.
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It's simple a story about a fish stealing another fish's hat, but the words show Little Fish might be wrong about Big Fish (and who that Little Fish trusts). Depending on your little one, preview this book first, as the ending might need a little explanation.

New Kids Reads (July 26)

I'm trying something new. Instead of a recap of everything new, I'm picking out a few titles you might miss. If you are still interested in a full listing of new titles hitting our shelves, sign up for Wowbrary. I look at it every week now and enjoy seeing what new titles will be reaching the shelves. There is a section for "Kids" on the left hand side. Just scroll down.

Wumbers by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (JJ ROS)
Now here is a book to challenge you and your child! Wumbers is a delightful trip through the English language, but with replacing letters with numbers. What you get is the sound of the word, but not necessarily the right spelling of the word. Think about the vanity license plates on cars, like "IM GR8". That's the idea. (This book doesn't use numbers to spell the words like "Aw3som3" where the "3" is just an "e"). Each two page spread is like a mini, one paneled cartoon with a phrase to be interpreted and read aloud. Check out this book today: Wumbers : it's a Word Cre8ed with Numbers!:.

I Know a Wee Piggy by Kim Norman and Illustrated by Henry Cole (JJ NOR)
Jump into this picture in colors! This little piggy went to the fair, but decided to "wallow" in a variety of colors. This messy adventure is silly and fun. What will the piggy get into next? A great story for read-alouds (one of the reasons I'm highlighting it) and learning about colors. Check out I Know a Wee Piggy:

Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman by Marc Tyler Nobleman and illustrated by Ty Templeton (J B FINGER NOB)
For the older readers among us (elementary age), and Batman fans, this biography highlights the little known history of Bill Finger, the (at first) uncredited writer and co-creator of Batman. Bob Kane set it up so that he would have exclusive creator rights to Batman, but he had a lot of help in the stories from Bill Finger. Unfortunately, due to the times, it was not uncommon for writers to be "ghost writers." This fascinating biography reads as a story and talks about Bill's uneasiness at the situation, and his love of writing in general. There is hope at the end for Finger earning the recognition  he deserves. Check out Bill the Boy Wonder : the Secret Co-Creator of Batman.


Keep on reading! Don't forget: August 7 is the last day to log books into the Online Summer Reading Log!

Unlocked by Ryan G. Van Cleave

Unlocked by Ryan G. Van Cleave

Unlocked by Ryan G. Van Cleave
Call Number: YA VAN
WVPL - BB

 "If you heard the rumor, would you stop the shooter?" ~From the cover

Andy and Blake should have been friends from the start. Instead, each drifted along in the crazy world of high school.

Then there was the rumor. The rumor that Blake brought a gun to school. In an instant, Andy could raise himself from loner status to popular guy. Even his crush would acknowledge he existed. All Andy had to do was get the keys to the lockers from his dad, prove to his class mates that they were right, and instant popularity.

Instead, Andy is made the laughing stock of the school, gets into deep trouble, and suddenly finds himself befriending Blake. A surprising novel in verse, readers follow Andy as he navigates the world of high school and friendship with Blake. As he and Blake hang out more though, Andy starts to notice Blake acting strangely. Follow along to see just what is going on at Andy's high school. A perfect quick read.

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Illustrated by the author
Call number: JJ SMI
WVPL - BB

Who is Grandpa Green? A young boy is traveling through a garden. Words are interspersed throughout the topiaries that are telling a story of another boy who grew up to be a man and have a family. The young boy admires the topiaries, thinking about what each one is explaining. Grandpa is growing older and is losing things. Things only a young boy can find and only the garden can hold.

A beautiful story about a great-grandparent who has stories to tell. The stories are told for the boy through the topiaries as he finds Grandpa Green's  missing items. A wonderful touch to this story would be to see if the child can find the items as the boy does (although, in some pages, the boy all ready has it). Use this story to discuss memory loss or the stories our families have to tell or when you are taking a trip to a garden with topiaries.