MERRY CHRISTMAS

Eloise inspired Christmas Tree @ the Plaza Hotel!
Created by Betsy Johnson........


Peak at the official Eloise website too!

Book Trailer: The Flint Heart

Katherine Paterson is a master writer, so last summer when I first heard about her new book, The Flint Heart, I couldn't help but be excited!  This trailer makes it look even more enticing......I just have to catch up with my reading to be able to give you a review!

Book list: Snow

Froggy Gets Dressed, by Jonathon London
Silliness ensues when Froggy gets himself dressed and goes out into the snow, but must be called back into the house by his mother to put on essential clothing he forgot.

Here Comes Jack Frost, by Kazuno Kohara
A lonely young boy discovers the beginnings and endings of seasons and friendship when he meets Jack Frost.

The Mitten: A Ukranian Folktale, by Jan Brett
Nicki loses his snow white mitten in the snow! One by one animals of all sizes squeeze snugly into the warm mitten, until the bear sneezes.

Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen
On a winter's night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek through the snow and into the woods to spot a great horned owl.

Snow, by Cynthia Rylant
Celebrates the beauty of snowfall and its happy effects on children.

Snow, by Uri Shulevitz
A boy and his dog take notice of snowflakes that begin to slowly fall and his faith that the snow will accumulate never wavers despite the adult townsfolk ignoring or contradicting his predictions.

The Snow Day, by Komako Sakai
It is the first time that this little rabbit gets a day off  because of snow.  He enjoys having the day home from kindergarten with mom.

The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
A little boy, Peter, ventures out into the city to enjoy the snow and ultimately discovers what happens when you try to save a snowball for later.

Snowflake Bentley, by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
A picture book biography of Wilson Bentley, a man who loved snow more than anything else, and developed a way to photograph the minute crystal structures determining that "no two snowflakes are alike."

The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder, by Mark Cassino with Jon Nelson
This book about the science of snow features photographs of snow crystals, explains how they are formed, as well as providing tips for catching snow.

Under the Snow, by Melissa Stewart
What happens to animals when it snows?  Take a sneak peak at where the animals hibernate and rest under the snow.

Review: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

The last post reminded me of another fairy tale like story I love, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.  The author cleverly combines several Chinese fairy tales within the course of one little girl's journey as she struggles to help her impoverished family.  Minli, ever persistent to help where she can, discovers that she can truly make important changes for newly found friends.  Truly a magical gem.

Book Review and Trailer: Wildwood

Wildwood is a fairy-tale like fantasy set in and off to the edge of modern day Portland, OR.  Perfect for those who love C. S. Lewis and the Brothers Grimm.  This trailer is intriguing, but doesn't match the vividness of the setting in the actual story.  Like most good fantasy, the parents are left out of the action and play minor roles  which serve to illuminate the back story of the evil enchantress.  The intrepid children must quest and discover the truth to save the life of Prue's young baby brother along with saving the land and inhabitants of Wildwood.

Book Trailer & Review: The Emerald Atlas

If you want an exciting, fast paced adventure with lots of danger and magic, then you need to read  The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens.  A story of 3 children torn from their parents in order to fulfill a grand destiny that requires them to face dark forces alongside unusual friends.  For a teaser, take a look at this trailer!   

Book Review: Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit

A sweet and gentle story depicting what animals do in winter.  It simply shows complicated concepts such as migration, hibernation, and storing food.  The dreamy illustrations combine handmade painterly textures in digital layers, creating complex depth within simpler forms.  Great to share with young children and lovely to peruse for its hidden details.

Read-A-Likes: Harry Potter

If you liked  Harry Potter ....... then you might like these books......

Many of these are the first of a series. 




Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians,  by Brandon Sanderson
On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry receives a bag of sand which is immediately stolen by the evil librarians who are trying to take over the world. Alcatraz is introduced to his grandfather and his own special talent, and told that he must use it to save civilization.

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer
When a twelve-year-old evil genius tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding a ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology, and a particularly nasty troll.


The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley
Harry, bored with her sheltered life in the remote orange-growing colony of Daria, discovers magic in herself when she is kidnapped by a native king with mysterious powers.

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens
Kate, Michael, and Emma have passed from one orphanage to another in the ten years since their parents disappeared to protect them, but now they learn that they have special powers, a prophesied quest to find a magical book, and a fearsome enemy.

Eragon, by Christopher Paolini
In Alagaẽsia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.


The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
Accompanied by her daemon, Lyra Belacqua sets out to prevent her best friend and other kidnapped children from becoming the subject of gruesome experiments in the Far North.


Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins
When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving men, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy.


Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father Mo, a bookbinder, can "read" fictional characters to life when an evil ruler named Capricorn, freed from the novel "Inkheart" years earlier, tries to force Mo to release an immortal monster from the story.


The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan
Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson learns he is a demigod, the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea. His mother sends him to a summer camp for demigods where he and his new friends set out on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.


The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis
Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.


Magyk, by Angie Sage
After learning that she is the Princess, Jenna is whisked from her home and carried toward safety by the Extraordinary Wizard, those she always believed were her father and brother, and a young guard known only as Boy 412--pursued by agents of those who killed her mother ten years earlier.


Mister Monday, by Garth Nix
Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world-- where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets.


Sandry's Book, by Tamora Pierce
Four young misfits find themselves living in a strictly disciplined temple community where they become friends while also learning to do crafts and to use their powers, especially magic.


Savvy, by Ingrid Law
Recounts the adventures of Mibs Beaumont, whose thirteenth birthday has revealed her "savvy"--a magical power unique to each member of her family--just as her father is injured in a terrible accident.


The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives, by Michael Buckley
Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother that they have always believed to be dead and discover a secret history about their family.

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, by R. L. LaFevers
Twelve-year-old Theo uses arcane knowledge and her own special talent when she encounters two secret societies, one sworn to protect the world from ancient Egyptian magic and one planning to harness it to bring chaos to the world, both of which want a valuable artifact stolen from the London museum for which her parents work.


A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.
These books vary by age level and reading level, some are YA (teen) fiction.  Please talk to your local librarian if you are uncertain about whether or not a book is appropriate for your child. 

Book Review: Big Bouffant

The Big Bouffant stands out of the crowd with its vivacious illustrations and story of individualism.  Annabelle is creative and courageous in her pursuit of originality and style, as well as an inspiration to her classmates (and readers).  Pair it with Halibut Jackson,  Unique Monique and Odd Velvet for a conversation starting story-time.

Read-A-Likes: Diary of A Wimpy Kid

If you liked  Diary of a Wimpy Kid...........then you might like these books......

The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren  

Pippi charms children with her funny antics and tales of tramps after her gold, while the school mistress wants to put her in a children’s home.

Amelia's 6th Grade Notebook, by Marissa Moss

Amelia  starts sixth grade at the same middle school where her sister Cleo is an eighth grader, and she gets the school's meanest teacher for three of her classes. 

Babymouse: Queen of the World, by Jennifer L. Holm

An imaginative mouse dreams of being queen of the world, but will settle for an invitation to the most popular girl’s slumber party.
Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce
Big Nate is a confident sixth grader who is supremely disorganized.  Read all about his antics and detentions in this funny series.  

Class Trip from the Black Lagoon, by Mike Thaler
A young boy’s imagined field trip makes the real trip look mundane.

Help! Somebody get me out of fourth grade!, by Henry Winkler
Fearing that he may be failing fourth grade, Hank enlists the help of his friends, and even his annoying younger sister, in an effort to prevent his parents from  attending a parent-teacher conference.

Hoboken Chicken Emergency, by Daniel Manus Pinkwater
Arthur goes to pick up the turkey for Thanksgiving, but comes back with a 260 pound chicken instead.

Horrible Harry in Room 2B, by Suzy Kline
Doug discovers that being Harry’s best friend in Miss Mackle’s second grade class isn’t always easy, as Harry likes doing horrible things, it is often a lot of fun.

How to Train Your Dragon, by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, by Cressida Cowell
Chronicles the misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the initiation test of his Viking clan, to catch and train a dragon.

Jake Drake, Class Clown, by Andrew Clements
Miss Bruce is the new student teacher in Jake’s second-grade class, and she never smiles. Never.  But when Jake cracks up in class during a spelling bee, he sees the tiniest hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.  Suddenly, Jake has a mission to get Miss Bruce to smile!

Knights of the Kitchen Table, by Jon Scieszka
A book from his magician uncle transports Joe and his friends, Fred and Sam, back in time to zany swashbuckling adventures fraught with dangers at every turn. 

Lawn Boy, by Gary Paulsen
Things get out of hand for a 12 year old when his neighbor convinces him to expand his lawn mowing business.

The Legend of Spud Murphy, by Eoin Colfer  
When their mother starts dropping them off at the library several afternoons a week, nine-year-old William and his brother are surprised at how things turn out.

Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye, by Geronimo Stilton
When Geronimo’s sister, Thea, discovers an old and mysterious map showing a secret treasure hidden on a faraway island, the gang of the “Rodent’s Gazette” is dragged into a treasure hunt.

Mr. Klutz is Nuts, by Dan Gutman
A skateboarding principal offers unusual incentives to his students to motivate them to learn.

Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot: The First Adventure, by Dav Pilkey
Ricky Ricotta, a small mouse, saves a giant robot from his evil creator, Dr. Stinky, and in turn, the robot protects Ricky from the bullies at school and saves the city from Dr. Stinky’s evil plan to destroy it.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School, by Louis Sachar
Humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, which was accidentally built sideways, with one classroom on each floor.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger
Sixth grader Tommy and his friends tell their stories about a finger puppet Origami Yoda, as they try to figure out whether or not Origami Yoda is for real or all a figment of Dwight's imagination. 

Utterly Me, Clarice Bean, by Lauren Child
When someone steals the school trophy for the book project, Clarice emulates her favorite heroine, Ruby Redfort the detective.

Book Review: Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite

I was thrilled when I started to read my review copy of this book. It is accessible to young readers and employs an authentic voice that is funny as well as firm. It is an enjoyable story that sings of the personalities involved in the creative process of creating an album.  The illustrations are light and lively complementing the text.  The music is pure Duke, a lovely compelling intro to jazz.  A delight to read and probably lovely to use in a story-time with the cd playing in the background.     Hear it on YouTube