Newbery Honor winning Doll Bones, written by Holly Black, is one of the finest action/adventure/ghost stories for the younger set ever written. In it, twelve-year-old, well-rounded, basketball-playing Zach Barlow and his close friends Poppy and Alice engage in great imaginative games of devilment and intrigue, games that his absentee father interprets as childish and immature…. Read more »
Book Room
LET’S MAKE A DIFFERENCE, WE CAN HELP PROTECT MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
We Can Help Protect MOUNTAIN GORILLAS, written by Gabriella Francine with Solara Vayanian (Let’s Make a Difference series, Big Blue Marble Books) Want to read about a real-life adventure that takes you to the Virunga Mountains of central Africa? Do you love animals? How about gorillas? Want to learn about these gentle giants and perhaps… Read more »
Librarian’s Corner: Exciting Mystery & Adventure Picks
During the bleak, grey days of February, nothing is better than curling up with an enticing adventure/mystery book. The qualifications for a great mystery/adventure book are simple to describe but crazy difficult to create. First, it must be exciting and fast-paced. Second, the quickly moving plot must not exist at the expense of or detract… Read more »
Librarian’s Corner: Books to Excite Reluctant Readers
Our guest, Janet Wanamaker, is a Reading Specialist in Wisconsin who works with struggling readers: In my work with children who struggle to learn to read, a book has to engage the reader. I was fortunate to experience the moment when a child who had struggled for years was matched with a break-through book. To… Read more »
Meet Illustrator, London Ladd!
London Ladd grew up loving comic books in Syracuse, New York. He started drawing in his teens and his first big break came when he was asked to illustrate the book March On! The Day my Brother Martin Changed the World (Scholastic) written by Christine King Farris, sister of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We’re… Read more »
Under the Freedom Tree
UNDER THE FREEDOM TREE by Susan VanHecke, illustrated by London Ladd (Charlesbridge, 2014) Under the Freedom Tree tells the story of three runaway Confederate slaves who steal away under night’s blanket of protection and row their weathered skiff to the Union side. They’re seeking freedom, a chance to build a life for themselves, but if… Read more »
The I Survived Series by Lauren Tarshis
Touted as one of the most enticing series for reluctant readers, Lauren Tarshis’s I Survived series hits the ground running! These books make history come alive with sizzling passion and panache. The success of this series lies not only in expert storytelling depicting exciting historical details, but also in Lauren’s ability to emotionally connect her readers… Read more »
