Dewey Discoveries: find your way

Is map-reading a lost art? Not if author Joanna McInerney and illustrator Paul Boston can help it. They've created an entertaining and informative new series, "find your way." Each title is full of maps with things to find and information on how to read the maps. Your young reader will have so much fun finding the silly things on each page that they won't know they're learning! Click on the titles below to reserve a copy today. Appropriate for readers in first to third grade.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

In the Jungle

Under the Sea

Andrea's Best of 2016 Second and Third Grade Books

Every year I have the joy and privilege of going into local schools to share my favorite books with second and third grade students. I read lots of early chapter books, but only the top twenty or so make it into the final cut. A few of the books are general crowd pleasers, there are several interesting non-fiction titles, some graphic novels, and hopefully there are some amazing books that I know most students would pass up because of the cover or subject matter. I am excited to present you with this year's list! Click on the titles to reserve a copy of a book.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

"The Best Friend Battle" by Lindsay Eyre

Sylvie is afraid of losing her best friend Miranda when Georgie starts hanging out with Miranda.

"Chameleons" by Valerie Bodden

Take an in-depth look at the weird and wonderful world of chameleons.

"The Data Set: March of the Mini Beasts" by Ada Hopper

What happens when a mad scientist brings mini plastic animals to life?

"Detective Gordon: The First Case" by Ulf Nilsson

Can Detective Gordon solve the case of the stolen nuts?

"Fizzopolis: The Trouble With Fuzzwonker Fizz" by Patrick Carman

Can Harold keep the family secret when his new little monster buddy hitches a ride to school?

"Flags of the World" by Sylvie Bednar

Learn the stories behind the flags of the world.

"Honey" by Sarah Weeks

Could Melody's dad be in love? Melody and her best friend Nick set out to find out what's going on.

"The Infamous Ratsos" by Kara Lareau

Louis and Ralphie Ratso try to be tough by being mean, but it never seems to work out.

"Into the Wild" by Doreen Cronin

Can the silly Chicken Squad find out if their new neighbor is a friend or foe before they get in trouble with their mom?

"Key Hunters: The Mysterious Moonstone" by Eric Luper

Evan and Cleo must solve the mystery of the magical library to find their missing librarian.

"Little Kids First Big Book of How" by Jill Esbaum

Find out how all different kinds of things work.

"Lizzie and the Lost Baby" by Cheryl Blackford

While evacuated to the country during WWII, Lizzie finds a baby in a field and causes big trouble.

"Lucy" by Randy Cecil

A little lost dog and a juggler with stage fright are brought together by a little girl.

"Mango and Bambang: The Not-A-Pig" by Clara Vulliamy

Friendless Mango meets frightened Bambang and they have many adventures together.

"The Oodlethunks: Oona Finds an Egg" by Adele Griffin and Mike Wu

Oona the cavegirl finds an abandoned egg one day and takes it home for a pet.

"Petlandia" by Peter Hannan

When her humans bring home a dog, Madame Wigglesworth declares war.

"Race the Wild: Rain Forest Relay" by Kristin Earhart

Four strangers work together to win an intense habitat scavenger hunt.

"Ruffleclaw" by Cornelia Funke

Ruffleclaw the monster decides to move in a people house--while the people are living there!

"Sharks and Other Deadly Ocean Creatures" by Derek Harvey

This book is filled with amazing photos and facts about deadly ocean creatures.

"Stinky Cecil: In Operation Pond Rescue" by Paige Braddock

Cecil and his pond friends have to find a way to halt construction on a highway that will destroy their pond.

"Super Happy Magic Forest" by Matty Long

An odd group of heroes set off on an epically silly quest.

"The Tale of Rescue" by Michael J. Rosen

When a family gets lost in a blizzard, who can save them?

"Waylon!: One Awesome Thing" by Sara Pennypacker

Where will Waylon fit at school when everyone is choosing teams?

"Weekends With Max and His Dad" by Linda Urban

When Max's dad moves out and gets his own apartment, he's nervous about what life will be like.

"Whose Eye Am I?" by Shelley Rotner

Guess which creature belongs to which giant eye!

Review: "Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White" by Melissa Sweet

“Charlotte’s Web”, the beloved tale of friendship between a sincere piglet and an articulate spider, has been charming readers since it was first published in 1952. Not unsurprisingly, the author E.B. White was also sincere, articulate, and beloved, charming the world with his words as a young man and until the end of his life. In her new biography “Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White”, writer and illustrator Melissa Sweet manages to relay the wonder that so captivated White all his life and made him such a wonderful author, particularly for children.

Born to a loving family in New York City in 1899, young Elwyn started writing early in life. After falling in love with nature while spending summers in Maine, “Andy,” as he was called, got a job as a writer on a new magazine called “The New Yorker.”  Andy married one of his co-workers, and the Whites decided to work for the magazine while living on a farm in Maine for several years. It was from this farm that, after watching a spider spin an egg sac and carefully transporting it back to New York, “He left it on his dresser, and a few weeks later he noticed hundreds of tiny spiders coming out of the air holes and stringing lines from the box to his mirror, his comb, his brush (82).” The spiders, along with Andy’s love of his farm, later birthed “Charlotte’s Web.”

Going beyond words, Sweet’s carefully crafted collages reflect White’s words, loves and life with subtle details and warm watercolors. Young readers in grades three on up will be interested particularly in Andy’s growing up years and his experiences on his farm. “Some Writer!” by Melissa Sweet is a fitting tribute to a wonderful life and should be read by all who love not just E.B. White, but great writing filled with wonder. To request a copy of this book or any of E.B. White's writing, click on the links.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Review: "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy

Did you know that most of Chicago used to be built out of wood? From houses to factories to government buildings, the city was teeming with wooden structures. Even the sidewalks were wooden. It was a fire's dream and a people's nightmare.

"The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy tells the harrowing true story of the 1871 fire that devastated Chicago. Both mesmerizing and horrifying, the reader will follow the growth of the fire from the first sign of smoke in a neighborhood barn to the ashen remains of the once thriving metropolis. Poor weather conditions and a series of seemingly minor mistakes led to the destruction of the majority of the city and over 100,000 homeless. The book utilizes four real life survivors to show us the experiences of the people duriing the fire: Joseph Chamberlin (a young news reporter), Horace White (the editor in chief of the Chicago Tribune), Alexander Frear (in Chicago visiting relatives), and Claire Innes (a twelve year old girl who is separated from her family in the fiery streets). Illustrations and historic photographs depict the terrifying events as they unfold. You'll learn about the steam fire trucks of the time and the elaborate fire warning system that still did not save the city. As the fire unfolds, maps depict the spread of the Great Fire from one small neighborhood to the entirety of the downtown area.

"The Great Fire" is a Newbery Honor book and is recommended for grades three to seven. Click on the link to reserve a copy today.

--Madeline B., Mid County

Review: "Scooby-Doo Monster Jokes" by Michael Dahl

Monsters can be scary, but did you know that they can be funny too? You are sure to have many laughs while reading "Scooby-Doo! Monster Jokes" by Michael Dahl, starring Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Velma, Fred, Daphne and many more. There are jokes about Frankenstein, witches, werewolves, aliens, creepy crawlies, and of course bloosthirsty monsters. If you have dreams of becoming a comedian, this book teaches you how to tell jokes and also includes a joke dictionary in the back of the book. Perfect for readers in second and third grade. To request a copy, click on the link.

--Jocelyn H., Jamestown Bluffs

"Scooby-Doo! Food Jokes!" by Michael Dahl

"Scooby-Doo! Animal Jokes!" by Michael Dahl

"Scooby-Doo! On the Go Jokes!" by Michael Dahl

Dewey Discoveries: "Monster Science: Could Monsters Survive and Thrive in the Real World? by Helaine Becker and Phil McAndrew

My science-minded, highly analytical teenager is only scared of one thing: zombies.  His reasoning is "they could actually happen."  So when I saw this book, I had to find out the scientific evidence of monsters in the real world.

Each chapter focuses on a specific creature: zombie, vampire, werewolf, etc.  It's broken down into short sections with jokes, facts, pictures, and tables.  It explains the science behind the monster along with the history and evolution. The verdict on zombies?  I'm not scared of the undead coming to eat my brains any time soon.

This would be a great book for a reluctant reader ages 8 and up.

--Angie R-H, Cliff Cave

Dewey Discoveries: What do you want to be when you grow up?

If you're interested in talking to your child about vocation, we have lots of books at the library to help out. Here are two delightful new books for pre-school to first grade readers that will give you plenty to talk about. Click on the links to reserve a copy today.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

"Grow! Raise! Catch!" by Shelley Rotner

Where does our food come from? Shelley Rotner comprehensively answers this question in this delightful, full-color book starring the people who work in agriculture to bring food to our tables. Each page features a diverse cast with short quotations from the farmers and fishers that describe what they do. And with lots of pictures of children enjoying the produce, it's a great way to talk about nutrition, too!

"What Do Grown-Ups Do All Day?" by Virginie Morgand

In this colorful and retro-style illustrated picture book, Virginie Morgand takes the reader to fourteen different workplaces to see what the adults do. There are many figures on each page spread, each telling the reader what they do in a short sentence. With diverse characters and over a hundred jobs represented, there should be plenty of ideas to get you and your young reader thinking.





Dewey Numbers: 641.3 and 331.7