Vacation Time! Three Cups of Tea

Sorry it took me awhile to post again. We've been to family reunion and then right after that we went to Orlando for the BETA convention. Anyways, one book I read recently is Three Cups of Tea, the young reader's version. I loved this book. What's amazing about it is that it is a true story! This is just the kind of story that can inspire young people to try to accomplish something in their lives. It is the life story of Greg Mortenson, who was trying to place a memorial for his sister on K2, and got lost on the way down. When a local village took him in, he decided to repay his gratitude by building a school. Of course, little things like no money or having any inkling of how to accomplish this goal didn't stop him. To find out just how far he came, be sure to pick up your copy ASAP!!!

Trouble Magnet

Trouble Magnet is just like the title describes - its about a boy who naturally draws trouble to him as easily as metal filings to a magnet. Calvin Coconut (whose last name was hand picked by his now famous and absent father) can't seem to escape his daily problems, such as harrassment from the local bully, staying out of trouble with his new 4th grade teacher, or coping with the new older girl who has moved in with his family. Set against a Hawaiian backdrop, with its tropical beaches and delicacies, this easy reader is sure to draw rave reviews!

Fortune's Magic Farm

This book was a great little read, and would be just wonderful for students about 8-11. The main character has such a green thumb, that she can grow mushrooms between her toes, and lichen in her hair. Unfortunately, the town where she lives, Runny Cove, has constant rain and she has never seen the sun! This tale reminded me a lot of Roald Dahl's books. If you liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, you'll like this one as well!

Elijah of Buxton

I just finished reading Elijah of Buxton this morning. It's a great read, as are all of Christopher Paul Curtis's books. This one won the 2008 Coretta Scott King Award and was a Newbery Honor Book as well. It tells the story of the first free-born in Buxton, Canada and his many adventures as he struggles with growing from a "fra-gile" child coming into adulthood. This would make a wonderful read-aloud story, as the characters are so vivid and the chapters each tell a short little tale that can stand on its own.

First Post - The Hound of Rowan

Here's to the first of hopefully many posts about some of the hottest new books geared towards tweens. Hi, I'm Toni Howe, a 5th & 6th Grade Center librarian for the past two years, and a children's librarian since 2000. I love what I do and helping to match the right book with the right student. I'm an avid reader and enjoy reading from a great variety of genres, although I'm a big fan of fantasy in particular.

One book I just finished today, The Hound of Rowan, falls into this category. It is about a boy who has a vision and then is whisked off to a special boarding school to discover his hidden talents. Of course, there's adventure afoot as he tries to outwit the evil vyes (shape-changing wolf-beasts) who are trying to kidnap him to find out the details of his vision. This book is currently on the Missouri Truman Award Nominee list for 2009-2010, geared toward students in grades 6-8.

Well, till tomorrow, Keep reading!