Tuesday, February 28, 2012

New Books with C.D.'s!!

A Storm Called Katrina- When flood waters submerge their New Orleans neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a young cornet player and his parents evacuate their home and struggle to survive and stay together.

Boy Wonders- A young boy's questions lead to more and more questions, but there do not seem to be any answers.


Just Fine the Way They Are- Follows the development of roads in the United States--and the new forms of transportation that used them--from the National Highway of 1805 through railroads and paved roads for bicycles and automobiles to the interstate system.

My Hands Sing the Blues- In Harlem, New York City, an artist follows the rhythms of blues music as he recalls his North Carolina childhood while painting, cutting, and pasting to make art.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Ring the Bell- While enjoying autumn weather and activities, Mr. Putter, realizing how much he misses going to school, takes his cat Tabby, their adventurous neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, and her cake-loving dog Zeke to "Show and Tell."

Mouse and Mole: A Winter Wonderland- Best friends Mouse and Mole enjoy playing in the snow with Sno-Mouse and Sno-Mole, two more best friends.
  
Princess Posey and the Perfect Present- For first-grader Posey, every school day is great until her teacher's birthday, when her best friend's gift of an enormous bouquet puts Posey's few, home-grown roses to shame.

Frankly, Frannie: Check Please!- Frannie goes to dinner at a brand new French restaurant and tries her hand at being a food critic, even as she starts a campaign to warn other diners that there are insects on the menu.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

New Non-Fiction!!

Around the World- Challenged with circling the world at the end of the nineteenth century, three very different adventurers--avid bicyclist Thomas Stevens, fearless reporter Nellie Bly, and retired sea captain Joshua Slocum--embark on epic journeys.

Nursery Rhyme Comics- Presents fifty traditional nursery rhymes in comic book format, with illustrations by well-known cartoonists.

Worst of Friends- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson put aside their differences in the name of friendship.

The Polar Bear Scientists- Young readers can follow scientists as they scan the Alaskan wilderness for these magnificent creatures. Full color.

Suddenly Alligator- Learn about adverbs, or words that tell how, when, where, and how much, and that describe verbs, adjectives, and other verbs, while following a boy who is on his way to the store to buy new socks, taking the scenic route through the swamp.

Swirl by Swirl- Celebrates the shape of a spiral in nature, from rushing rivers to flower buds and even the shape of an ear.

Ancient Egypt: Tales of Gods and Pharaohs- The stories of the Egyptian pharaohs and their gods beginning with Ra rising from the waters of the Nile to create the gods of earth, sky, and rain. In this retelling of nine tales, Marcia Williams uses her signature comic-strip style to capture the rich mythology and early history of this great civilization.


Wild Women of the Wild West- Presents an account of frontier life for women in the American West through brief biographies of fifteen famous individuals, including Calamity Jane, Belle Starr, Nellie Cashman, Mary Fields, and Annie Oakley.

Just a Second- What can happen in just a second, a minute, or an hour? How can we measure time? The flap of a vulture's wing. A crocodile's heartbeat. The weight of a baby blue whale. The life of a mayfly. These increments of time may sound a bit strange, but they are all fascinating ways in which we can think about time. But what exactly is time? In Just a Second, the award-winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins brings forth unique ways to think about time beyond the hands we see every day on a ticking clock. This non-fiction picture book explores time and how we think about it in a different way - as a series of events in the natural world (some of them directly observable, others not) that take place in a given unit of time. Steve Jenkins' extraordinary illustrations will accompany this engaging look at time.

For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson- To some, he was "Professor Nuts Peterson," but to the world he was Roger Tory Peterson. For the birds: the life of Roger Tory Peterson tracks this American artist, activist, and passionate bird lover from his days as a child, to art student, to creator of the Peterson Field Guides, to global environmentalist. Peterson's guides were revolutionary--simply written and drawn for everyone to enjoy the birds, animals, and plants of the outdoors. Millions of copies have sold to date. Author Peggy Thomas and artist Laura Jacques worked closely with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, New York, to create the first children's book about this great naturalist.

North: The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration- Presents a tribute to the migrations of millions of creatures to the Arctic, including depictions of the cyclical journeys of gray whales, caribou and more.

If You Lived Here: House of the World- Features detailed, bas-relief collage spreads of dwellings in other world regions and historical times to explain how different people live and have lived, from a village house in South Africa to a floating green house in the Netherlands.

New Fiction!

Babymouse: The Musical- As tryouts for the school musical begin, Babymouse takes the starring role in several imaginary Broadway productions, which also feature her debonair new classmate, Henry the hedgehog.

Fourth Grade Rats- Suds learns that his best friend is wrong. You don't have to be a tough guy, a "rat," to be a grown up fourth grader.

Darth Paper Strikes Back- Harvey, upset when his Darth Paper finger puppet brings humiliation, gets Dwight suspended, but Origami Yoda asks Tommy and Kellan, now in seventh grade, to make a new casefile to persuade the School Board to reinstate Dwight.


The Shipwreck- Shipwrecked off the coast of Greenland, Leiv Steinursson, a young Viking boy, is helped by two Inuit children, twelve-year-old Apuluk and his eleven-year-old sister Narva, and is accepted into their community, gladly leaving his violent lifestyle behind.

Aftershock- "Makis and his mother Sofia escape a devastating Greek earthquake which has claimed his father's life. They move to North London and at first it is hard, especially at school, but being a gifted footballer, Makis slowly begins to fit in. But through no fault of his own, Makis lets down his team at an important match and the whole school, even the teachers, seem to turn against him."--Publisher's web site.


The Unforgotten Coat- When two Mongolian brothers inexplicably appear one morning in her sixth grade class, Julie, who lives in a town near Liverpool, England, named Bootle, becomes their new friend and "Good Guide," navigating them through soccer, school uniforms, and British slang.

My Name is Mina- Creative, intelligent, nine-year-old Mina keeps a journal in her own disorderly way that reveals how her mind is growing into something extraordinary, especially after she begins homeschooling under the direction of her widowed mother.

Dragons of Silk- Four generations of Chinese and Chinese-American girls, beginning in 1835, are tied together by the tradition of raising silkworms and the legacy of the legendary Weaving Maid.

Binky Under Pressure- Binky, a house cat that believes he is a space cat, is dismayed when Gracie, a too-perfect foster cat, comes to live at his space station, and decides to investigate to learn the truth about this unwelcome guest.

The Tanglewood Terror- When a giant glowing fungus encroaches upon thirteen-year-old Eric's small town, he, his little brother Brian, and a runaway girl try to stop it--and figure out what happened to the Puritan town that had mysteriously disappeared from the same spot.

Breadcrumbs- "Hazel and Jack are best friends until an accident with a magical mirror and a run-in with a villainous queen find Hazel on her own, entering an enchanted wood in the hopes of saving Jack's life" -- Provided by publisher.

Never Forgotten- In eighteenth-century West Africa, a boy raised by his blacksmith father and the Mother Elements--Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth--is captured and taken to America as a slave.

New Beginner and Picture Books!

Fancy Nancy and the Too-Loose Tooth- Nancy really wants a tooth-holder necklace from the school nurse, but she's not sure her loose tooth will stay in place until she gets to class.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Ring the Bell- While enjoying autumn weather and activities, Mr. Putter, realizing how much he misses going to school, takes his cat Tabby, their adventurous neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, and her cake-loving dog Zeke to "Show and Tell."

A New Year's Reunion- Little Maomao's father works in faraway places and comes home just once a year, for Chinese New Year. At first Maomao barely recognizes him, but before long the family is happily making sticky rice balls, listening to firecrackers, and watching the dragon dance in the streets below. Papa gets a haircut, makes repairs to the house, and hides a lucky coin for Maomao to find. Which she does! But all too soon it is time for Papa to go away again.  

Mustache- When extremely good-looking King Duncan builds more and more tributes to his handsome face, neglecting kingdom projects and repairs, his loyal subjects find a mustachioed solution.

Nothing Like a Puffin- A narrator sets out to prove that there is nothing like a puffin but discovers that many things, including a newspaper and a helicopter, are a little bit like one and that a penguin is very much like a puffin.

Just As Good: How Larry Doby Changed America's Game- An African American family in Cleveland, Ohio, listens on their new radio to the first game of the 1948 World Series, in which Larry Doby, the first black player in the American League, won the game for the Cleveland Indians.

Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea- Retells, in tall-tale fashion, how Levi Strauss went to California during the Gold Rush, saw the need for a sturdier kind of trouser, and invented jeans.

Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet- Nancy makes the best of not dancing the lead in her ballet school's Deep Sea Dances show, but becomes jealous when her best friend gets a better role than hers.
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes- Pete the cat wears his school shoes when visiting the library, the lunchroom, the playground, and more while singing his special song.

Substitute Creacher- Mr. Creacher, a multi-tentacled substitute teacher, warns his prankish students not to misbehave, recounting rhyming cautionary tales of the weird, spooky, and unexpected.

Sea of Dreams- A wordless picture book featuring a sandcastle that takes on a life of its own.

We Are in a Book- Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of being read. But what will happen when the book ends?

See Me Run- A dog has a fun-filled day at the dog park, in this easy-to-read story.


The Leaves on the Trees- Follows a group of children as they enjoy the sights and smells of fall, including the crunchy leaves and those that have changed color. Based on the song "The wheels on the bus."

Ellen's Broom- Ellen has always known that the broom hanging on her family's cabin wall is a special symbol of her parents' wedding during slave days, so she proudly carries it to the courthouse when the marriage becomes legal.

A Boy Called Dickens- Narrates the tale of twelve-year-old Charles Dickens who, despite poverty and long hours of factory work, still has time to discover and share the stories of other residents of 1824 London. Includes author's note about Dickens' life and some of the books he wrote.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

New Non-Fiction

All About Drawing Dinosaurs - Learn to draw over 40 fantastic animals step by step.

 Monster Trucks -The bestselling team behind "Choppers!" and "Motorcycles!" show readers how monster trucks came to be, how they work, and some of the exciting tricks that only monster trucks can do.

 Whales -Each book in this innovative series combines a fun story with simple phonics games. The games are quick and easy to play--and are designed to help children read the story and improve their reading skills. The result is faster reading development and kids who love to read!

Baby Tiger Wants to Explore -Simple text and full-color photographs describe baby tigers, and throughout the story, special "Fact Stops" offer interesting information about tigers and their natural habitats.

Little Kitten Wants a Friend -Join a baby kitten as she tries to find a friend to play with her. She finds birds, mice, and even a goldfish, but none of them want to play. Will she ever find a friend? Throughout the story, special 'Fact Stops' offer interesting bits of information about kittens.

Sita the Cheetah - The early reader is inspired by the story of the cheetahs. Kids will love the beautiful pictures of a mother cheetah and her cubs, taken as the filmmakers follow their journey. With simple text and full-color images, this level two reader is perfect for newly independent readers.

Ocean Life - Learn all about ocean life in this book full of facts and photographs

Deadliest Animals - Explore 12 species that you hope you'll never come across, from sharks, snakes, jellyfish, bears, tigers and mosquitoes.

Cheetahs - Presents the life of cheetahs, including where they live, what they eat, and how they care for their young.

Ponies - It's a pony! -- What is a pony? -- A foal is born! -- Pony breeds -- Colors and markings -- Wild ponies -- Ponies in the past -- Ponies today -- Caring for a pony -- Riding -- What in the world?

Sea Turtles -Presents the life of sea turtles, including where they travel, how they build nests, and what they eat.     

A is for America - Rhyming couplets that flow through the alphabet help kids celebrate everything from the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to Thomas Jefferson and Harriet Tubman.

 Saving Animals from Hurricanes - Look inside this book to meet the everyday heroes who found ways to save animals from Hurricane Katrina and the floods that followed. 

An Ocean of Animals -Color photos and simple text describe animals and their adaptations to the ocean

Look Alikes - In this Look-Alikes activity book, kids will love peeking and seeking to find all the hidden objects in Joan Steiner's signature photographic scenes. From around the house to diners and circus tents, there are countless details for readers to search for and discover.

The World of Sharks -Photographs and simple text for beginning readers introduce twelve species of sharks, including sharks that are fast or slow, sharks that hide in the sand, and sharks that glow.

Wolf Pup - Owwhoooooo! Wolf pups  howl! What else can they do? Run with the pack and find out!

 Baby Dolphin's First Day -Follows a baby dolphin through its first day of life in the big, blue sea