Saturday, October 21, 2017

Winter, Jeanette. THE WORLD IS NOT A RECTANGLE : A PORTRAIT OF ZAHA HADID

Winter, Jeanette.
THE WORLD IS NOT A RECTANGLE : A PORTRAIT OF ZAHA HADID
New York : Beach Lane Books, 2017
IL K-3, RL 2.4
ISBN 
148144669X


When you look around nature, what shapes do you see? Ovals, circles, curves. But when you look at buildings, what shapes do you see? Rectangles. Zaha Hadid grew up in Iraq looking at nature. She loved the shapes of nature and when she grew up, she became an architect. She didn't want to design rectangles. She wanted to draw from natural shapes. She studied in London and became a fine architect. Unfortunately, people who looked at her drawings were not interested in circles and curves. They wanted rectangles. Will Zaha ever be able to build what she wanted or will she have to go back to rectangle?

Friday, October 20, 2017

Tonatiuh, Duncan. THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR

Tonatiuh, Duncan.
THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR
New York : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2016
IL K-3, RL 2.9
ISBN
1419721305


Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who loved poetry. Since she was beautiful and rich, she had many men from around the kingdom ask her to marry.  She didn't want just anyone and would always say no. When a warrior said he loved her for her poetry, she was in love. But her father didn't want her to marry a mere soldier.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Roth-Beck, Meike. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARTIN LUTHER

Roth-Beck, Meike.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARTIN LUTHER
Grand Rapids : Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2017
IL 5-8, RL 6.4
ISBN
0802854958



500 years ago, the Catholic Church dominated Europe. The priests were powerful and Rome dictated practice. A young man by the name of Martin Luther began to question the way the church did things. This was during a time when it was very dangerous to speak against the church. People were killed for doing that. But Martin had many questions and spent time thinking about them. He eventually came up with 95 theses or ideas that he felt needed attention. Those statements criticized many of the Church's practices. This made Martin a fugitive but got many people talking. He had just started a revolution that brought about the Protestant Reformation. 

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. UNI THE UNICORN AND THE DREAM COME TRUE

Rosenthal, Amy Krouse.
UNI THE UNICORN AND THE DREAM COME TRUE
New York : Random House, 2017
IL K-3
ISBN 
1101936592


You probably read the first book about Uni the Unicorn. He believed that there will little girls in the world. None of his friends believed him. Now Uni and the little girl are working together to help unicorn world. There hasn't been much sunshine -- only rain. The unicorns need sunshine to survive. Can Uni and the little girl find a way to bring the sun back?

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Rosenstock, Barb. VINCENT CAN'T SLEEP

Rosenstock, Barb.
VINCENT CAN'T SLEEP

New York : Knopf, 2017
IL K-3
ISBN 1101937106



Vincent van Gogh was an artist who lived a long time ago. When he was a boy, he had trouble getting to sleep. He kept watching the night sky and the brilliant colors he saw. As a young man, he tried several jobs but never really fit in. When he began to paint, he found his true passion. He painted hundreds of paintings but very few actually sold during his lifetime. Throughout his life, he kept coming back to the night sky.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Rockwell, Anne F. ZOO DAY

Rockwell, Anne F.
ZOO DAY
New York : Aladdin, 2017
IL K-3, RL 3.4
ISBN 
1481427342


Have you ever been to a zoo? If not, this may be the next best thing. A young boy and his family are visiting a zoo. First they look at the guide book and decide what they want to see. They they start exploring. The visit the Jungle House, and the African Plain. They go to the Reptile House. Come along and share the visit.

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Martin, Emily Winfield. SNOW AND ROSE

Martin, Emily Winfield.
SNOW AND ROSE
New York : Random House, 2017
IL 3-6
ISBN
0553538187





Snow and Rose are sisters who live with their mother in an enchanted forest. Their father has disappeared and they have lost everything from their old life. The girls spend their days in the forest and one day they find a strange little man who needs their help. As they explore more, they find other odd things in the woods. Come on along with them as enjoy this take on one of Grimm's fairy tales.

Friday, October 13, 2017

Korman, Gordon. RESTART

Korman, Gordon.
RESTART
New York : Scholastic, 2017
IL 3-6, RL 5.5
ISBN 
1338053779



Chase Ambrose is lucky to be alive. He doesn't remember falling off the roof but he did a job on his head. And now he doesn't really remember anything about his life before he woke up in the hospital. It is called amnesia and is probably caused by his brain injury. The doctor says he is lucky that he remembers how to do most things -- just not his first 13 years. He doesn't know his parents or even his own face. When school starts, he is allowed to go to school but no football. What? Even though he doesn't remember, he is apparently the best player on the team. But it is the reactions of the other kids that disturbs him the most. Everywhere he goes, kids run away in fear. He is able to make friends with a student on the video club and soon they begin to accept that Chase has changed. But can you really change when you have been the biggest bully in town? 

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Kessler, Liz. HAUNT ME

Kessler, Liz.
HAUNT ME
Somerville : Candlewick Press, 2017
IL YA
ISBN
0763691623



Joe doesn't quite understand what is happening. As he looks out his bedroom window, he sees his family leaving. For good. They are moving away and leaving him behind. He tries to shout and run after them but he can't. He is dead. He is a ghost and he is left in this room forever. But now a young girl has moved in. Erin can't see him or hear him but he relates to her. She is also a poet and seems as sad and confused as he is. When he tries to touch her, an amazing thing happens. She sees him. She knows he is there. They become friends and maybe a bit more. But this is crazy. Joe is dead and Erin is alive. Can they help each other go on?

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Hoffman, Sarah. JACOB'S NEW DRESS

Hoffman, Sarah.
JACOB'S NEW DRESS
New York : Albert Whitman, 2014
IL K-3, RL 1.7
ISBN 
0807563730


Jacob is a little boy and has a definite idea of what to wear to school.  He wants to wear a dress. One day he wraps a towel about his waist like a skirt but the kids at school laugh and the school bully grabs it away from Jacob. When Jacob asks his mother to help he make a real dress that he can wear to school, she hesitates knowing that he will be teased and bullied. But she decides to let Jacob wear what he likes. And sure enough, when Jacob wears his dress, the bully starts in on him.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Hall, Michael. RED : A CRAYON'S STORY

Hall, Michael.
RED : A CRAYON'S STORY
New York : Greenwillow Books, 2015
IL K-3, RL 1.5
ISBN 0062252070

Red is a crayon and like all the other crayons, he loves to color. But he isn't very good at it. Everyone else has an idea of how to fix Red so that he is like everyone else. He feels terrible with all the other crayons making fun of him and making him feel he doesn't belong. No one accepts him for who he is. Can this change?

Monday, October 09, 2017

Grehan, Meg. THE SPACE BETWEEN

Grehan, Meg.
THE SPACE BETWEEN
Dublin : Little Island, 2017
IL YA
ISBN
1910411590


New Year's Day. A time for new beginnings. A time for resolutions. For Beth, a time for a new start. A start as a recluse. She is battling mental illness and depression and she is terrified of the world. She believes the best way to get through her life is to close herself off. Each day is the same. She wakes up. She gets dressed. She reads. She goes back to bed. But then one day, there is a face at her window. It is a dog. A beautiful, friendly dog. Beth loves playing with him. But how will she cope when the dog's owner comes to get him? 

Saturday, October 07, 2017

Green, Poppy. IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING

Green, Poppy.
IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING
New York : Little Simon, 2017
IL K-3, RL 2.2
ISBN
1481485903


 For a school assignment at Silverlake Elementary School, Sophie Mouse and her friends are challenged to build a boat that will actually float.  The kids have lots of ideas and some of them actually work. The kids hate days where it is raining since they can't play outside or try out their designs for their boats. But what happens to make the kids wish for rain?

Friday, October 06, 2017

Gratz, Alan. REFUGEE

Gratz, Alan.
REFUGEE
New York : Scholastic, 2017
IL 3-6, RL 6.1
ISBN 0545880831


Refugee.   Someone who flees to a foreign country to escape danger or persecution. 1938 --  Josef and his family live during a time in Germany when it is not safe to be Jewish. The Nazis are in power and Josef's father is arrested and brought to a concentration camp. He is free now but not the same. They now have 2 weeks to leave Germany or all of them will be sent to a concentration camp. They book passage on a ship that will bring them to Cuba where they can be free.  1994 -- Isabelle and her family are living in Cuba but now there are riots and unrest in the country.  Her father is caught rioting and beaten. Now he knows he must leave the country if he is to live. The family boards a small boat for the 90 mile voyage to Florida where they can be free.  2015 -- Mahmoud lives in Aleppo in Syria.  When his home is bombed and there is no hope of living in peace, his family is forced to leave. They will drive as far as they can and then take a boat to Greece.  They are heading to Germany where they can be free. Follow the three as they make the harrowing journey in hopes of finding a place where they can be       free.

Thursday, October 05, 2017

Fleming, Candace. BEN FRANKLIN'S IN MY BATHROOM

Fleming, Candace.
BEN FRANKLIN'S IN MY BATHROOM
New York : Schwartz & Wade, 2017
IL 3-6
ISBN
1101934069

Nolan is just your typical kid living an ordinary life until something weird happens. A package is left for Nolan and when he opens it, poof! Ben Franklin shows up!  The real Ben Franklin from the 1700s. Ben is as surprised as Nolan but he won't let this opportunity pass him by.  Ben wants to see everything and Nolan's sister is happy to oblige.  Tag along as Ben visits the library and other places in town. Will Ben ever get home though?

Tuesday, October 03, 2017

Elvgren, Jennifer Riesmeyer. THE WHISPERING TOWN

Elvgren, Jennifer Riesmeyer.
THE WHISPERING TOWN
New York : Kar-Ben Publishing, 2014IL 3-6, RL 3.2
ISBN 1467711942


During World War II, a small town in Denmark did what it could to help save Jews from the Nazis. Anett and her family hid Jews in their basement for a few days until they could escape from the harbor. All the townspeople helped with food and other items needed by the families. When the family has to leave or be discovered, it is too cloudy for them to find their way to the harbor. How can the town come together to help.

Sunday, October 01, 2017

Eliot, Hannah. ROBOTS CAN'T DANCE

Eliot, Hannah.
ROBOTS CAN'T DANCE
New York : Little Simon, 2017
IL K-3, RL 4.4
ISBN 1481491954


Do you like technology? Things like computers and robots? Are you interested in how they came to be? Did you know that the first mobile phone weighed nearly 2 pounds? Doesn't sound so mobile to me!  You should really check out this book.  It is filled with cool and fun facts about technology.