Brian Gable’s zany cat/critter illustrations entertain and help “visually” define over 50 compound words set to Brian B. Cleary’s large (2 cm) text as it rambles over and  under the critters on the page.

Brian B. Cleary defines a  “compound word: [as]  A word made up of two or more shorter words” on the verso page set upon an easel with a teacher cat tapping the definition with her pointer. Then on page 10-11, he states,

” You’ll cut those big words down to size

when you see what they’re made of:

words you can pronounce and can spell

and aren’t a bit afraid of!”

This colorful, kid-friendly cookbook contains over 100 recipes that look simple but delicious.  Geared for 4th grade and up, kids will find not only sweet goodies in the cookbook but also some healthful recipes such as Fruity Bran Loaf, Wholemeal Apricot Rock Cakes and Snack Bars (which are full of whole grains, seeds and dried fruit).  The instructions are written clearly and step-by-step with pictures to illustrate technique.  Each recipe includes large, colorful photographs of the finished treat which should inspire young bakers.  Every recipe looks delicious!  This should be popular in our library, I will book-talk it!

The author noted that she grew up in a small village in Italy where her family gathered every year to crush the grapes at harvest time.  This story is about Claudia, a small girl in Italy whose family owns a vineyard.  She’s afraid of heights and is reluctant to climb the ladder to the roof where the big barrel is placed for crushing grapes.  With gentle support from her family, Claudia is able to join the other children in the grape stomping.  She ends up delighting in the task and overcomes her fears.  The harvest celebration culminates in a big Italian family feast until the exhausted Claudia cuddles in for a well-deserved afternoon nap on Grandma’s tall bed.  This picture book was an interesting read, particularly with the author’s cultural connectivity and use of Italian words (glossary included) sprinkled throughout the story.  The illustrations were bright and colorful, depicting the beautiful Italian countryside.

Buzz and Fly Guy go for a car ride with Dad , when Fly Guy gets sucked out the car’s open window. Fly Guy goes from car to truck, to boat, to circus train, to airplane, to rocket with Buzz and Dad in hot pursuit.

Tedd Arnold leads his readers on in wide-eyed wonder, just like his wide-eyed characters!

This book was fun to read due to the humorous writing style as well as the text being in letter format.  Some of the characters are town phantoms and there are mysteries to solve.  The story is about a small town which is about to lose it’s post office in lieu of a new technology called VEXT-mail (which is hilariously faulty).  To spice up the story a bit, there is strange, mysterious and sometimes mildly threatening fan mail arriving at Spence Mansion, the home of eleven year-old Seymour Hope and his adoptive parents  Ignatius Grumply (an elderly writer) and Olive C. Spence (a ghost writer, literally!).  Most of the characters have phonetically comical names such as Dr. Izzy Dedyet, the town doctor.  Seymour and his new friend Wy Fye (who is addicted to texting on her cell phone) work to solve the mysteries and save the post office.  A light and entertaining read, Ms. Klise’s books are popular in our school library (K – 8 gr).

Damon, his mother, her friend and Jaden, are helping to pack up the belongings in grandfather’s house because he now lives in an assisted living community. When Jaden shows grandfather an old photo, grandpa tells of how the boy in the photo disappeared without a trace 60 years ago all due to a treasure map they had. Later, Jaden finds the same treasure map. Clues on the map lead Damon and Jaden into a dark, creepy cemetery and a hidden underground vault.

Told in nine short (less then 10 pages each) chapters with  ten black and white drawings by Nelson Evergreen, Jason Strange (pseudonym) reveals his investigative notes on this mystery with a surprise bone-chilling end.

Includes: Discussion Questions , Writing Prompts, and a glossary.

I enjoyed the twists in the story, but  later (perhaps because I’m an adult) became dissatisfied by over-thinking the mother’s role in the story.

The cover artwork makes this a good Hi-Lo book for older readers.

This is book 3 in the Lemonade War Series following The Lemonade War and The Lemonade Crime.  This book is well-written and engaging, drawing me in to the plot and characters so that I didn’t put it down until I’d finished the last page.  This story is about 9 year old Jessie, her 10 year old brother Evan, their mother and Grandmother.  Jessie, Evan and their mom take trip to visit Grandma who has been having some health problems, including signs of dementia.  While visiting, the kids discover that their Grandma’s valuable antique bell is missing from her property which sparks a mystery to be solved.  They meet a new friend along the way, who shows strong signs of autism.  The themes of friendship, acceptance, standing up to bullies, mystery, aging loved ones, work ethic and reliability are all present in this story.  I highly recommend this entire series and have found that my students enjoy these books as well.

This is the tongue-in-cheek sequel to THE WICKEDEST WITCH in the Witches at War! series by author Martin Howard and illustrator Colin Stimpson. “Only a power-crazed evil sorceress out to take over the world would wear heels like that, and, in fact, Deadly Nightshade was a power-crazed evil sorceress out to take over the world. So that was alright.”  And to do that Diabolica needs The Black Wand of Ohh Please Don’t Turn Me Into Aaaaargh … Ribbet. The politics of the witching world continues as Esmelia plots to gain the title of The Most Superior High and Wicked Witch permanently while her apprentice, Sam, simply plots to stay alive, though hopefully not as an apprentice to Esmelia.

The NUMBER 1 rule in the witching world is witches do not have children! Sam knows who her grandmother was, Sam’s mother has just learned Sam is her daughter, but doesn’t know who her own mother was. A puzzle to be solved, a throne to gain, and the world to conquer.

Who, oh, who will come out on top, and how does the classic children’s song/dance the Hokey Pokey turn into a magical dance of Hocus Pocus which helps to foil evil?

Children can contribute to the holiday season with these 7 no-bake recipes.  Color photographs show the tools and techniques needed, along with a description of what they are and how they are used.  Simple instructions along with detailed photos show young chefs how to make sandwiches, snacks, salads, and desserts to help celebrate the holidays.  Each recipe comes with a tip to switch it up for personal tastes or if a change of ingredients is preferred.  The glossary includes pronunciation cues as well as definitions.  Suggested books for other recipes are written at a similar level.  The facthound internet site provides a variety of additional information on many subjects along with an assortment of games.  A Capstone Kids site provides even more kid-centered projects and activities.  If one takes the time to investigate these sites, they will surely be bookmarked for later enjoyment!  A metric conversion chart is included.

Libraries can never have enough origami books for students!  Origami paper heads the list of useful materials.  This is followed by folding techniques and symbols which are described and illustrated.  The interest level indicated is from grades 1 to 3, however some experience following origami instructions practiced fingers will certainly help young folders avoid frustration.  Each model includes an additional tip.  The books listed for further reading are at a variety of skill levels.  The facthound internet site offers additional origami projects and other crafts and activities for kids.