Pine Glen Library & Technology Center

Check out this fantastic web site that tells you all about the nominees!

So well deserved

If I told you that you would love a story about a boy who who gets grounded for his entire summer and has to make amends by helping a local senior citizen write obituaries while the story goes on to explore the many facets of death, you’d say, “No way! That story doesn’t sound interesting at all.”

You said the same thing when I tried to explain the story line of Holes by Louis Sachar to you, too, and that story was phenomenal when you finally read it.

So, listen to me this time. Watch the book trailer. Watch the author interview. But read this book!

The characters are great, honest, likable (and not so likable); the woods setting is described

beautifully; and there is plenty of danger and adventure.

Here are the sequels: Poppy and Rye and Poppy and Ereth

Below is an interview with the author Avi about how he got his ideas for the Poppy books:

No. I mean it.

Don’t read this book.

You won’t enjoy it all.

Not one bit. I’m serious.

You will be in grave danger if you read this book!

Fine. Read it.

But don’t say I didn’t warn you. (Click on the book cover for more mysterious fun)

And make sure that you also DO NOT read the sequels: #2 If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late, #3 This Book is not Good For You, #4 This Isn’t What it Looks Like, and #5 You Have to Stop This.

Who is Pseudonymous Bosch? Watch the video to find out.

When twelve-year-old Gratuity (“Tip”) Tucci is assigned to write five pages on “The True Meaning of Smekday” for the National Time Capsule contest, she’s not sure where to begin. When her mom started telling everyone about the messages aliens were sending through a mole on the back of her neck? Maybe on Christmas Eve, when huge, bizarre spaceships descended on the Earth and the aliens – called Boov – abducted her mother? Or when the Boov declared Earth a colony, renamed it “Smekland” (in honor of glorious Captain Smek), and forced all Americans to relocate to Florida via rocketpod? In any case, Gratuity’s story is much, much bigger than the assignment. It involves her unlikely friendship with a renegade Boov mechanic named J.Lo.; a futile journey south to find Gratuity’s mother at the Happy Mouse Kingdom; a cross-country road trip in a hovercar called Slushious; and an outrageous plan to save the Earth from yet another alien invasion.–library catalog

Here’s a little video tutorial created by the Boov to help teach us humans how our holidays have changed since the alien invasion

An ambitious Stone Age man demands a talisman that will harden his heart, allowing him to take control of his tribe. Against his better judgment, the tribe’s magic man creates the Flint Heart, but the cruelty of it causes the destruction of the tribe. Thousands of years later, the talisman reemerges to corrupt a kindly farmer, an innocent fairy creature, and a familial badger. Can Charles and his sister Unity, who have consulted with fairies such as the mysterious Zagabog, wisest creature in the universe, find a way to rescue humans, fairies, and animals alike from the dark influence of the Flint Heart?–library catalog

What a lovely surprise. I knew I wanted to read this book because the cover illustration is so inviting and charming but the beginning of the story is a bit . . . harsh . . . and dark. Not exactly what I had expected. Then I kept reading and as the story went along it got sweeter and sweeter and had me completely hooked. Doesn’t surprise me, really, when you consider that the author is Katherine Paterson (and her husband, John). Katherine Paterson is responsible for  some of the most memorable children’s books ever: Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, The Great Gilly Hopkins, etc. Go ahead and add The Flint Heart to her long list of memorable favorites.

I’ve got to admit that I’ve never really been a fan of Junie B. Jones nor Judy Moody (poor grammar and bad attitudes and all) but there are plenty of children who adore both of them and that is fantastic! Not everyone loves everything. So I was hesitant to try Clementine’s Letter by Sara Pennypacker but I’m glad I did. Clementine is funny and imperfect and real. And the way she navigates her world is brilliant. Anyone who loves Judy Moody, Junie B. Jones, Amber Brown, or Ivy + Bean will love Clementine.

And don’t you just love that hair? Marla Frazee is amazing!

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Don’t miss all of the other Clementine books by Sara Pennypacker, including the newest one Clementine and the Family Meeting which is now available.

Below is a author interview with Sara Pennypacker where she talks about Clementine’s Letter.