Sunday, August 25, 2013

Today's podcast 08/25/2013

  • Shapiro, David. TOOL TIME TWIST : A BRIEF HISTORY OF TOOLS THROUGH TIME Portland OR : Craigmore Creations, 2013 IL K-3 ISBN 0984442278 I can't go into a hardware store without looking through the tools and wondering what they are for. And I wonder how people long ago used tools and what they looked like. This book shows us the history of 20 tools invented as long ago as 2.5 million years. From sticks and stones to power tools, take a quick look at the history of tools.

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Today's podcast 08/24/2013

  • Shapiro, David. FLOWERS BY NUMBER Portland OR : Craigmore Creations, 2013 IL K-3 ISBN 0984442286 Do you like flowers? I surely do. These beautiful flowers illustrate this counting book. It is fun to count to 10. Add some interesting flowers, and you have a lovely way to learn to count.

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Today's podcast 08/17/2013

  • Rose, Deborah Lee. JIMMY THE JOEY Washington DC : National Geographic Child, 2013 IL K-3 ISBN 1426313713 This is the story of an orphaned koala. His mother was hit by a car and the little koala, or joey, was left in the street on his own. There was no way he could survive. But he was found and brought to the Koala Hospital. There they worked to keep him alive and then to help him survive. He was placed with a volunteer who took him home with her. This is the story of Jimmy the joey who was saved and thrived thanks to the wildlife rescue workers.

    tags: podcasts elementary

  • Reynolds, Aaron. PIRATES VS. COWBOYS New York : Knopf, 2013 IL K-3, RL 4.5 ISBN 0375858741 Arrgh. Ahoy maties. Do you speak pirate? Or are you more of a cowboy and nastier than week-old chili and twice as gassy? In this tale, we find some pirates looking for a place to bury their bounty. When they wander into a town, they find out that there is definitely a language barrier. The pirates don't understand what the cowboys are saying. And the cowboys are getting angry since they don't know what the pirates are talking about. Can these two find common ground?

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Today's podcast 08/15/2013

  • Quick, Matthew. FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK Boston : Little, Brown, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0316221333 Today is Leonard's 18th birthday. And he has a special celebration in mind. He wonders if his mother will remember. She is away on business and never seems to care what he does. Chances are she will forget as usual. You would think that a mother would remember giving birth. His friends won't remember since he has none. He's a misfit. The kids make fun of him and he is always bullied in school. His teachers probably aren't told when birthdays are so they won't know. They don't really care anyway. Except for one. Leonard's former best friend should know but he has become so hurtful to Leonard. Little does Asher Beal know, but he is really the guest of honor at Leonard's celebration. No cake and ice cream. Just a loaded gun.

    tags: podcasts ya

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Today's podcast 08/14/2013

  • McGinnis, Mindy. NOT A DROP TO DRINK New York : Katherine Tegen Books, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0062198505 Lynn and her mother live alone in a future world where water has become scarce and you need to fight for your survival. The two women know they must defend their pond or else risk being killed. When her mother is killed by wolves, Lynn is now alone and trying to survive. Anyone who comes near her pond is met with a bullet. Lynn has never known life other than this one. There is a neighbor nearby but they only communicate by waving. Lynn has only met the man once. But all this is about to change with the arrival of a down and out family who are camping nearby. Lynn takes in the young daughter when the mother is unable to care for her. Now the lives of Lynn, her neighbor and the newcomers are entwined and Lynn will never live life the same again.

    tags: podcasts ya blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Today's podcast 08/13/2013

  • McCall Smith, Alexander. THE MYSTERY OF MEERKAT HILL New York : Knopf, 2013 IL 3-6 ISBN 0345804589 Precious Ramotswe is looking forward to meeting the new kids at school. She wants to be a detective so she loves meeting new people and finding out new things. She and her family live in Botswana in Africa and there are not many children in the school. The new students will not be in her grade but she makes a point of introducing herself at recess. She becomes friends with Teb and Pontsho. And it turns out that they have a very special pet at home -- a meerkat! Together the kids will work to solve a mystery that involves the family.

    tags: podcasts elementary blueduke

  • Mass, Wendy. LAST PRESENT New York : Scholastic Press, 2013 IL 3-6 ISBN 0545310164 Amanda and Leo still can't speak to each other. And they are involved in another birthday mystery. Their friend's little sister has become catatonic and the kids are told it is because Angelina was not able to complete her birthday blessing. Now it is up to Amanda and Leo to go back in time and make sure the birthday blessing is completed. But, they need to be successful at least three times in order to break the spell. Angelina tells them exactly what when wrong at each birthday and what they must do to correct the situation. Can they do it?

    tags: podcasts elementary blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Today's podcast 08/11/2013

  • Look, Lenore. BRUSH OF THE GODS New York : Schwartz & Wade, 2013 IL K-3, RL 3.0 ISBN 0375970010 A young boy living a long, long time ago in China wants to learn calligraphy. That is Chinese writing. But whenever the boy tries to make his strokes the way his teacher shows him, something happens. His brush just seems to do what it wants and instead of the letters, his page is filled with paintings of flowers or animals. When he begins to paint on the walls around the city, the paintings seem to come to life. He becomes a famous painter and is asked to draw a mural for the palace. Learn about this painter who lived very long ago.

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Today's podcast 08/10/2013

  • Kerley, Barbara. THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU Washington DC : National Geographic, 2013 IL K-3 ISBN 1426311141 Outside your window is a world waiting for you. What do you want to do when you grow up? Do you want to explore? To go on adventures? To discover new things? This book shows how the things you like to do are also the things that adults like to do. Do you like to jump in puddles? Well, maybe that is the beginning of a career in scuba diving!

    tags: podcasts elementary

  • Ian, Janis. THE TINY MOUSE New York : Lemniscaat USA, 2013 IL K-3 ISBN 193595430X Tiny Mouse is so bored. He decides he needs an adventure. And he gets one. He sneaks on-board a ship about to set sail. He soon realizes he is not meant for the sea life when he gets terribly seasick. Other problems are in store for our Tiny Mouse. Will he find a way out of all this? For a special treat, listen to Janis Ian singing the story of Tiny Mouse. A CD is included.

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Thursday, August 08, 2013

Today's podcast 08/08/2013

  • Huget, Jenniger LaRue. THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME New York : Schwartz & Wade, 2013 IL K-3, RL 3.4 ISBN 0375867392 What do you do if your baby sister gets all the attention? And you older brother gets to stay up a whole hour later than you? And your mother threw away your collection of candy wrappers that you were saving? Maybe you should run away. That will show them. Don't know how that works? Well check out this book and you will learn all about running away from home.

    tags: podcasts elementary

  • Hambleton, Vicki. SO YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER : HOW TO WRITE, GET PUBLISHED, AND MAYBE EVEN MAKE IT BIG! New York : Aladdin, Beyond Words, 2012 IL 3-6, RL 6.0 ISBN 1582703590 The title of this work says it all. Filled with practical advise on how to achieve your dream of becoming a writer. Whether your dream is to be the next children's book star or write for the movies, it is all here. There is advice from authors, editors, and other people in the business that help you understand the steps involved with getting your work to the point of publication. If you have dreamed of becoming a published writer, this is a good place to start your research.

    tags: podcasts elementary blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Today's podcast 08/06/2013

  • Gardner, Sally. MAGGOT MOON Somerville, MA : Candlewick Press, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0763665533 In an alternate United Kingdom in the 1950s, Standish is living in a dystopian society. Standish and his grandfather are living in Zone 7 and barely surviving. Food is scarce and the military is everywhere. His parents have disappeared after speaking out about the conditions. Now Standish goes to school each day and is bullied because of his learning disability. But once Hector and his family move in, they become like a family. Hector and Standish become very close friends and dream of flying to Jupiter to escape the curelty of the Motherland. But even their dreams of living in the land of Croca-Colas and Cadillacs cannot change the harshness of their surroundings. The boys have found a hole in the wall that keeps them in Zone 7 and they venture out. They know that it is dangerous. But they see a different side of life there. The wall gets higher and higher every day and the boys know they can't go in there again. But what happens when someone from the other side comes to them?

    tags: podcasts ya blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Monday, August 05, 2013

Today's podcast 08/05/2013

  • Gilman, Charles. SUBSTITUTE CREATURE : TALES FROM LOVECRAFT MIDDLE SCHOOL New York : Quirk Books, 2013 IL 3-6 ISBN 1594746400 Robert is looking forward to the Valentine's party at Lovecraft Middle School. He plans to give Karina a card. Sure she's a ghost who can't leave the school and died many years before, but she is his best friend. Well, Glenn is too. Things are always a bit off at the school although no one would believe them if they told them. When a nor'easter hits the school, the decision is made to bus all the children home and close the school. But the substitute teacher has other ideas. Robert, Glenn, and Karina are trapped in the school along with Robert's mother, the school nurse, Mac, the custodian and Lionel, the rich kid. Although Lionel has offered to pay anyone who will come and rescue them, the blizzard is so fierce that no one can help. What strange things are going to happen at Lovecraft during this long night?

    tags: podcasts elementary blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Sunday, August 04, 2013

Today's podcast 08/04/2013

  • Empson, Jo. NEVER EVER Auburn, ME : Child’s Play, 2013 IL K-3 ISBN 184643551X Nothing exciting ever happens to her. Never ever. As she walks along, she doesn't notice the things around her. She just complains that nothing ever happens. Never ever, ever. What do you think? Never EVER???

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday, August 03, 2013

Today's podcast 08/03/2013

  • Dudley, Rebecca. HANK FINDS AN EGG New York : Peter Pauper Press, 2013 IL K-3 ISBN 1441311580 In this wordless picture book, we find Hank enjoying his walk through the woods. When he comes across an egg on the ground, he searches to find it's home. Way up on the tree top is the nest that the egg belongs in. But how will Hank get the egg back into the nest? He tries to stand on a log to put it back but he just cant reach high enough. Is there any way that Hank can get the egg back where it belongs?

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Friday, August 02, 2013

Today's podcast 08/02/2013

  • Dicmas, Courtney. HAROLD FINDS A VOICE New York : Child's Play, 2013 IL K-3 ISBN 1846435501 Harold is a parrot with a special talent. He can imitate every sound he hears. He can sound like a toilet flushing. He can sound like the vacuum cleaner. He can even sound like a big ocean liner or a small little snail. But what does he sound like when he is being himself? Can he find his own voice and learn to love the sound?

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Today's podcast 08/01/2013

  • Dowell, Frances O'Roark. TEN MILES PAST NORMAL New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011 IL YA ISBN 1416995854 As a 9 year old, Janie thought living on a small goat farm was a dream come true. But as a 14 year old, that dream is becoming a nightmare. She needs to milk the goats, and muck out the area. She is tired of going to school with manure scented shoes. Not that the other kids would notice her anyway. She only has one friend and the two of them decide to join Jam Band. Here they meet Monster, yep that’s his real name. Monster Monroe helps the girls understand that they need to stop hiding and live large. Can Janie find the self confidence she needs to break out of her shell?

    tags: podcasts blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.