Thursday, April 30, 2009

Author David Lubar

David Lubar is the fantastic author of Punished!, our May book club book. He has written many books for children including Dog Days and Invasion of the Road Weenies. He has also written books for young adults including his very popular Hidden Talents and True Talents.



Dog Days (2004)

Larry is enjoying the summer, playing baseball and taking care of the stray dogs he's brought home. Then his brother Paul finds another stray in an alley under mysterious circumstances, but the dog won't come home with them. When the price of dog food rises and the price paid for scrap falls, Larry has to find a new way to feed his dogs and try to help the dog from the alley.





Invasion of the Road Weenies: And Other Warped and Creepy Tales (2005)

A collection of thirty-five stories featuring such horrors as a monstrous Halloween costume, a midnight visit to a graveyard, and a hearing-impaired genie. Includes author's notes on how he got his ideas for these stories.

Friday, April 24, 2009

May Book Selection: Punished

Our May book selection will be Punished! by David Lubar. The book club will meet on Monday, May 18th at 3:30pm to discuss the book. Since it's our last meeting of this school year (we'll start back up in September) we will also have an end-of-year party!


Logan isn't grounded. But he is being punished - by a weird old guy in the reference section who seems to have a little more magic than most librarians. Now Logan's in big trouble with his parents, his teachers, and even his best friend, Benedict! Why? Because he's out of control, spouting puns left and right, getting on everybody's last nerve.



To end this vocabulary voodoo, Logan must complete three quests in record time, finding some of the wackiest word combos known to English: oxymorons, anagrams, and palindromes. Don't know what they are? Look them up! But be careful of strange librarians with dusty books or you, too, may be...Punished!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Other books about journeys....

I meant to do this post a week or so ago and I just never got around to it. But even though we've finished So B. It, it's never to late to post a few read-alikes. In So B. It, Heidi goes on a cross-country journey to find out about her past and her family history. If you enjoyed So B. It, here are a few other books about girls on journeys that you might like as well...


Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan

When Naomi's absent mother resurfaces to claim her, Naomi runs away to Mexico with her great-grandmother and younger brother in search of her father.







My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt

Growing up in Saitter, Louisiana, in the 1950s, twelve-year-old Tiger Ann struggles with her feelings about her stern, but loving grandmother, her mentally slow parents, and her good friend and neighbor, Jesse.








Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.








Bird by Angela Johnson

Devastated by the loss of a second father, thirteen-year-old Bird follows her stepfather from Cleveland to Alabama in hopes of convincing him to come home, and along the way helps two boys cope with their difficulties.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Meeting Wrap-Up: So B. It by Sarah Weeks

The Book Buddies Book Club met this past Monday, April 20th at 3:30pm to discuss So B. It by Sarah Weeks. We had a great meeting and a great book discussion which we followed up with a telephone call with Sarah Weeks!

We started by discussing the meaning behind the title, So B. it, and Bernie's relationship with Heidi and her mom. We talked about agoraphobia, the disorder which Bernie suffers from, and how that impacted Heidi's life growing up. We also talked about mama's 23 words and how she is able to communicate in other ways besides the few words that she knows.

We thought about Heidi's early list of things she knows about her mother and how she only had one thing on it - the name So B. It. We brainstormed other things that we know about mama that Heidi could have put on her list including her 23 words, the jujyfruits that she loves, her obsession with the word soof, and her terrible headaches.

Heidi has a lot of responsibility growing up, shopping with her mother, running errands for Bernie and babysitting for extra money. We thought that these experiences would make her stronger and more mature and will help her when she is older and on her own.

We talked about the roll of film and Heidi's quest for information about her past. We agreed that it was a journey that Heidi had to take even though it meant leaving her mother and Bernie behind.

Overall, most club members really liked So B. It and would recommend it to friends!

Following the book discussion we called the author, Sarah Weeks who was busy working on a new book in upstate New York as a blizzard raged outside her door! She was absolutely lovely to talk with and thoughtfully answered all our questions.

We started by asking her if there will be a sequel to Heidi's story - and unfortunately the answer was no. She feels that Heidi's story has been told and that Heidi will be just fine in her life. She also thinks that Heidi will stay with Bernie for the forseeable future.

We asked about her new book which is called As Simple as it Seems and features another girl main character which is exciting for her because she's written more books about boys (the Guy series and Oggie Cooder). She hopes to finish the new book up this week!

She's been writing for 25 years and started out as a singer/songwriter. She's written 50 books, half of which are picture books and half that are novels. She also writes under the pseudonym Nat Gabriel (which is a combination of her son's names).

Her favorite books as a child were books by Dr. Seuss, Harry the Dirty Dog, Freddy the Detective and My Side of the Mountain.

In addition to writing, she teachers at a college in New York and spends a lot of time reading her student's writing. She also likes to keep up with what her friends are writing, and reads books by Pam Munoz Ryan, Sharon Creech and Jerry Spinelli.

We finished up by asking her what she would like to learn how to do and her answers were dancing and skiing!
Ms. Weeks was delightful on the phone and we so appreciated her taking the time out of her busy writing schedule to speak with us. A *BIG* thank you to Sarah Weeks with much gratitude from the Book Buddies Book Club!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Book Buddies Book Club will meet this Monday, April 20th at 3:30pm to discuss So B. It by Sarah Weeks. We will have snacks and book discussion, followed by a phone call with the author!

Have a great weekend and think of some great questions we can ask Ms. Weeks!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

More New Poetry....

Here are a few more new poetry books you might want to check out:

City I Love by Lee Bennett Hopkins

City

Mile-long skyscrapers are my trees.
Subway's whoosh-my summer breeze.

A hydrant is my swimming pool
Where friends and I find some cool.

City is the place to be.
City is the place for me.



Orangutan Tongs: Poems to Tangle Your Tongue by Jon Agee

Walter and the Waiter

Walter Witter called a waiter: "Waiter, over here!
I want some water, waiter. Water, waiter! Is that clear?"
The waiter brought some water. Walter Witter shouted: "WRONG!
This water's really watered-down! I like my water strong!"
The waiter brought more water. Walter Witter was upset.
"This water's dry!" said Walter. "I like my water wet!
Bring me wetter water, waiter!" Walter Witter said.
The waiter brought a pitcherful and poured it on his head.


The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle

I love the sounds
of the jungle at night.

When the barracoon
where we sleep
has been locked,
I hear the music
of crickets, tree frogs, owls,
and the whir of wings
as night birds fly,
and the song of un sinsonte,
a Cuban mockingbird,
the magical creature
who knows how to sing
many songs all at once,
sad and happy,
captive and free...

songs that help me sleep
without nightmares,
without dreams.

Friday, April 10, 2009

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month and there are many, many wonderful poetry books available at the Newport Public Library. Here are a few new books you may want to check out:

The Swamps of Sleethe: Poems From Beyond the Solar System by Jack Prelutsky

On Fabled Gazook

On fabled Gazook
You'll be showered with praise,
The toast and delight
Of the local gourmets.

The cooks of Gazook
Will reduce you to powder,
And use you to flavor
Their savory chowder.

Brother's & Sisters: Family Poems by Eloise Greenfield

A Sister Coming Home

All summer long,
I've had no one to tease,
my sister spent the summer
with our Aunt Louise.

I've saved up all my teases,
don't know which to choose,
should I hide her bedspread
or put peanuts in her shoes?

Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by Nikki Giovanni

Books (by Eloise Greenfield)

I've got
books on the bunk bed
books on the chair
books on the couch
And every old where
But I want more books
just can't get enough
want more books about
All kinds of stuff...

Civil War Projects

The 5th graders at the Coggeshall school in Newport have been hard at work on projects reflecting their study of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. 26 of these beautiful projects are now on display in the Children's Department of the library. These kids have done a beautiful job and I encourage everyone to visit the library and view their hard work. While you are here, try your hand at one of the student-created Civil War-themed wordfinds and sign our guestbook (located in the empty children's computer bay) so we know you were here!

Next week is school vacation week and it's also National Library Week so it's the perfect time to visit us at the library. The Civil War projects will be on display until April 30th.