Summer 2004
Princesses
Are People, Too: Two Modern Fairy Tales. Susie Morgenstern, Viking,
2002. 52 pages.
Princesses
are people just like you. They can be bored and lonely like Yona who is stuck in
an old falling-down castle. Yona is thrilled when her parents decide to move
into an apartment in the city. Now she has to convince them to send her to
school. As for Emma, she wants to
find a Prince Charming. But not just any prince! For he as to be able to scratch
that unreachable squirmy itching place in the middle of Emma’s back.
Gus
and Grandpa Go Fishing. Claudia Mills, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003. 48 pages.
Orange Dot M657g
Gus
is excited; he’s going fishing for the very first time. Gus is determined to
catch a fish, but discovers that it’s not that easy. He gets all tangled up in
the fishing line and when he finally gets the lure in the water the fish won’t
bite. Can Grandpa help? A warm story about a boy and his grandfather. Ask at the
library for Gus and Grandpa’s other adventures.
Red
Eyes at Night.
Michael Morpurgo, Hodder Children’s Books, 1998. 64 pages.
Fiction
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Cousin
Geraldine is a real pain and a show-off. Millie
is stuck with her cousin for the whole summer and is not happy about it. What
can Millie do to keep her cousin quiet? The ghost with the bright red eyes that
comes creeping out at night might be able to help…
The
Nine Lives of Aristotle. Dick King-Smith, Candlewick Press, 2003. 76 pages
Fiction
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Everyone
knows a cat has nine lives. Aristotle, a very adventurous kitten, lives with the
witch Bella Donna. But he can’t seem to keep out of danger. He falls down the
chimney, almost drowns in the milk jug, is nearly run over by a train…How many
lives will Aristotle go through before he settles down? A light-hearted story by
an author known for his wonderful animal tales.
That
Pesky Rat.
Lauren Child, Candlewick Press, 2002. 30
pages.
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I
am a brown rat. I live in a trash can – all alone. Everyone calls me that
pesky rat. All I want is to belong to someone, to be a pet, and to have a
real name. My friends have cozy homes and lead lives of luxury.
Why not me? Wait. I’ve got an idea…
The
Trouble with Cats. Martha Freeman, Holiday House, 2000. 77 pages
Fiction
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Holly
has to cope with a new step dad, a new apartment and a new school. If that
isn’t bad enough, Holly has to cope with four rambunctious cats; Max, Boo,
Wilbur and George. Who will believe that socks with holes, missing homework and
a visit from the police are all because of the cats?
Judy
Moody.
Megan McDonald, Candlewick Press, 2000. 160 pages.
Fiction
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Judy
Moody was good at being in a mood…a bad mood, a good mood, a Judy mood. And
she was definitely not in the mood to go back to school. Meet Judy, her brother
Stink, her best friend Rocky and Frank the boy who eats paste.
The
Field Guide.
Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, Simon and Schuster, 2003. 107 pages.
Fiction
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Do
you believe in faeries? The Grace children didn’t. Not until they moved into
their new home – a very old house with secrets. Noises in the walls, hair tied
to the bed, frozen tadpoles… Who could be responsible for these strange
happenings? Follow Jared, Simon and Mallory as they discover the realm of
faeries, brownies and boggarts.
For
those who gobble up books...
The
Million Dollar Shot. Dan Gutman, Hyperion Books, 1997. 114 pages.
Fiction
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The
winner of the Finkles poetry contest will be sent to the NBA finals to try his
luck at sinking a foul ball. Succeed and the lucky kid will win one million
dollars! Eddie Ball needs that money. His mom lost her job and Eddie is tired of
living in a tiny trailer. But can he write a poem? Can he sink the shot? And who
is trying to stop Eddie from winning?
Olivia
Kidney. Ellen Potter, Philomel Books, 2003. 155 pages.
Fiction
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Olivia
is lonely. She and her father have
just moved again! Olivia now lives in a building where things aren’t always
what they seem. An apartment with
glass floors, an exiled princess, a talking lizard… Among all these strange
happenings will Olivia find a friend to talk to?
Maxx
Comedy.
Gordon Korman, Scholastic Canada, 2003. 153 pages.
Fiction
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Max
Carmody loves to make people laugh. When he saw the poster for the contest to
find “The Funniest Kid in America” Max knew that he was destined to win.
His first priority – change his name to Maxx Comedy. His second -
practise. But to practise Maxx
needs an audience. Share in on Maxx’s hilarious adventures as he attempts to
become the funniest stand-up comic around.
The
Secret Life of Owen Skye. Alan Cumyn, Groundwood Books, 2002. 175 pages.
Fiction
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Owen
Skye and his two brothers, Leonard and Andy, live in a small village where they
meet up with all sort of adventures. Does the Bog Man really suck out the juice
from cattle? Who is Doom Monkey the Unpredictable? Owen’s days are busy as he
and his brothers set off on various expeditions - a midnight visit to the snow
fort to meet with aliens, a trip to the river to find the giant squid.
A warm and magical book about the joys and heartaches of being a boy.
Maggie’s
Door.
Patricia Reilly Giff, Random House, 2003. 156
pages.
Fiction
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It
is the time of the great famine in Ireland. Starving families decide to take the
perilous journey across the ocean to North America. Nory is the last of her
family to leave. She sets off on the road to find the ship that will take her to
America. Through all the hardships and struggles, Nory keeps alive her dream of
arriving at her sister Maggie’s door in Brooklyn. A story that brings to life
the tragedy of the Irish potato famine. Read the companion novel: Nory
Ryan’s Song.
Indigo. Alice Hoffman, Scholastic
Press, 2002. 84 pages
Fiction
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In
the town of Oak Grove everyone was afraid of water including
Martha Glimmer. That is, almost everyone, for Trevor and Eli McGill were
different. They didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the children. The two
brothers were born with webbing between their fingers and toes and dreamed of
swimming in the vast blue ocean. Martha,
saddened by the loss of her mother, embarks on a journey with Trevor and Eli to
find the ocean. And in the end they discover their true home…
The
Tale of Despereaux: being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a
spool of thread. Kate DiCamillo, Candlewick Press, 2003. 270 pages.
Fiction
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This
is the story of Despereaux Tilling, the heroic mouse who loves music, books and
a princess named Pea. Despereaux
was born with his eyes open - which is highly unusual for a mouse. And according
to his family, he is too small, his ears are too big and he does not behave at
all like a proper mouse. Things start to look bad for Despereaux when the mouse
council banishes him to the dark dungeon, the world of the rats…
The
Emperor’s Silent Army: Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China. Jane O’Connor, Viking, 2002. 48
pages
Non-fiction 931 O18e
Imagine
thousands of life-size clay soldiers buried under your feet. An enormous
underground army has been discovered in northern China. They have been there for
more than 2,200 years – one of the true wonders of the ancient world. Who put
them there and what are they guarding?
