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Feeney, Tatyana. LITTLE FROG'S TADPOLE TROUBLE
Feeney, Tatyana. LITTLE FROG'S TADPOLE TROUBLE New York : Alfred A. Knopf , 2014 IL K-3 ISBN 038575373X Little Frog is an only child. And he likes it that way. Just Daddy Frog, Mommy Frog and him. When Mommy tells him that there will soon be 9 little tadpoles, Little Frog is not happy. With so many brothers and sisters to take care of, there will be no time left for him. What is he going to do?
Wednesday, August 06, 2014
Today's podcast 08/06/2014
Tuesday, August 05, 2014
Today's podcast 08/05/2014
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Edwards, Michelle. MAX MAKES A CAKE
Edwards, Michelle. MAX MAKES A CAKE New York : Random House, 2014 IL K-3, RL 1.7 ISBN 0375971645 Max loves his baby sister Trudy but sometimes things don't go as planned. Max is old enough to do some things by himself and he is happy that during Passover he will be reciting the four questions for Passover in Hebrew and English for the seder. He practices while feeding Trudy and tells her all about Passover. But Max and his father have plans to make a special Passover birthday cake for Max's mother while Trudy is taking her nap. But Trudy just won't nap. What will Max do?
Monday, August 04, 2014
Today's podcast 08/04/2014
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Dunn, Judy. THE LITTLE RABBIT New York : Random House, 2014 IL K-3, RL 3.7 ISBN 0385386044 When Sarah finds a rabbit in her Easter basket, it is love at first sight. Sarah loved playing with the rabbit in the grass. But she needed a name. What do you think of the name Buttercup?
Sunday, August 03, 2014
Today's podcast 08/03/2014
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Dunn, Judy. THE LITTLE DUCK New York : Random House, 2014 IL K-3, RL 2.7 ISBN 0385385218 A young boy discovers an egg. What can it be? As the egg begins to crack, we find out that it is a little duck. Follow Henry the duck through his first few days of life as he explores his surroundings and makes some friends.
Saturday, August 02, 2014
Today's podcast 08/02/2014
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Dicmas, Courtney. THE GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY
Dicmas, Courtney. THE GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY New York : Child's Play, 2014 IL K-3 ISBN 9781846436406 Have you ever gone fishing? Have you heard stories about the big fish that no one can catch? Stella has grown up on tales of the Great Googly Moogly, the giant fish that no one can catch. But Stella is determined to be the one to catch it. She tries lots of different baits and spends days trying. Do you think she will be successful?
Friday, August 01, 2014
Today's podcast 08/01/2014
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Farmer, Nancy. THE LORD OF OPIUM
Farmer, Nancy. THE LORD OF OPIUM New York : Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2013 IL YA ISBN 1442482540 This is a long-awaited sequel to Farmer's 2002 novel, House of the Scorpion. In the first book, we met Matteo Alacran who was created to be an organ donor for the drug lord El Patron. Many powerful drug lords have had clones created to act as spare parts. El Patron had lived over 140 years by using these clones. But Matt was different. El Patron had not had his brain destroyed and had given him an education. But Matt escaped Opium and survived the purge of El Patron's empire. Now Matt has been declared a person and is the new El Patron. He is in charge of the entire drug empire and all that goes with it. But Matt has other ideas of what he wants his country to be. He wants to stop raising opium and start raising crops. He believes that the country can be self sustaining and not rely on the drug trade. There are many obstacles in his way.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Today's podcast 07/31/2014
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De la Cruz, Melissa. FROZEN New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0399257543 It has been over a century since everything changed. The earth is now a frozen planet with a few pockets of civilization. Life is New Vegas is still centered around gambling and hedonism. The casinos are alive 24 hours a day. Natasha Kestal is a blackjack dealer who desparately wants out of this town. She hears a voice in her head that tells her she needs to find the Blue. Most people don't believe the Blue even exists. The Blue is supposed to be a place where the sun shines and the waters are blue. Nat hires a crew of mercenaries to take her out of the city. She has a locket that supposedly shows the way to the Blue and she is determined to get there. But she can't tell the crew where she is really going. The trip is long and filled with danger. What awaits Nat on her journey?
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Today's podcast 07/30/2014
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Dahl, Michael. ZOMBIE IN THE LIBRARY
Dahl, Michael. ZOMBIE IN THE LIBRARY New York : Stone Arch Books, 2011 IL 5-8, RL 2.9 ISBN 1434221458 Adam is looking forward to the town library's book sale. But the weather is not cooperating. The lightning storm is so intense, Adam's mother decides they can't go. Adam is so disappointed. You see, he had seen a book in the library sale that was just right for his mother and he was going to buy it for her. Adam decides to ride his bike to the library but things are not going to turn out the way he thinks they will.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Today's podcast 07/29/2014
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Cronin, Doreen. CLICK, CLACK, BOO! : A TRICKY TREAT
Cronin, Doreen. CLICK, CLACK, BOO! : A TRICKY TREAT New York : Athneneum Books for Young Readers, 2013 IL K-3, RL 2.3 ISBN 1442465530 Farmer Brown just doesn't like Halloween. He wants nothing to do with it. So on Halloween night, he puts out a bowl of candy, turns off the light and gets ready for bed. When he hears a strange noise outside the house, he jumps under the covers. What is it? Is someone coming in to his house? What is going on?
Monday, July 28, 2014
Today's podcast 07/28/2014
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Charbonneau, Joelle. INDEPENDENT STUDY
Charbonneau, Joelle. INDEPENDENT STUDY New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0547959206 Having survived the Testing, Cia and Tomas are now ready to enter the University and find out what lies ahead of them. Not all the students survived and some have been redirected. When the assignments come down, Cia finds herself studying for government leadership. This is certainly nothing she would ever choose. And Tomas is assigned elsewhere. The Induction test is not an easy one and more students fail and are redirected. Cia learns that things are not as they seem and she is determined to uncover what is really going on at the University.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Today's podcast 07/27/2014
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Charbonneau, Joelle. THE TESTING
Charbonneau, Joelle. THE TESTING New York : Houghton Mifflin, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0547959108 Sixteen year old Malencia Vale is looking forward to what lies ahead. She is hoping to be chosen for the Testing but no Five Lakes Colony student has been chosen in many years. The Testing is the only way to get into the University and work to revitalize the post-war world. He own father was chosen years ago but he doesn't remember much about what it was like. It seems that those who go through the Testing are given something to suppress their memories of what goes on. Against the odds, there are several students from Five Lakes that are chosen and Cia is one of them. Cia's father is not happy and he shares his vague memories with her in the hope that it will keep her safe. You see, the Testing is not anything like you will do to get into college. In addition to rigorous pencil and paper test, the children will have to survive the grueling physical tests. How many will survive?
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Today's podcast 07/26/2014
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Chapman, Elsie. DUALED New York : Random House, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0375970932 In this futuristic take on society, the inhabitants of the gated community have to become killers. Every child in the city has an alt -- a clone who is raised by another family in a different part of town. Sometime between the age of 10 and 20, every child is notified that it is time to kill or be killed. Only one of the alts will survive to become a citizen. Some of the wealthier families can hire strikers. These are paid assassins who will kill the alt. This is totally illegal but it still happens. West Grayer is 15 years old and the only one of her family left. She hires herself out as a striker to gain experience hoping that when her time comes, she will be the one who survives. When her time finally arrives, she begins to wonder if she is the one to survive, or should her alt be the one who deserves a life.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Today's podcast 07/25/2014
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Busby, Cylin. BLINK ONCE West had it all. He was popular, had a great girlfriend and his whole life ahead of him. Until the accident. Now he is strapped in a hospital bed unable to move. He slips in and out of consciousness and is very confused about what is happening to him. His mom visits him everyday but his friends don't tend to come to see him much. They only person who really talks to him is Olivia. She is also a patient and is in the room next door. She is the one who explains to him what is going on. She sneaks into his room after hours and she talks for hours. Well, West can't talk. His is totally paralyzed. Olivia tells him to blink once for yes and twice for no. It's hard to carry on a conversation like this but there is something about Olivia that makes West just want to be with her. As the days turn into weeks, West finds himself falling in love with Olivia. Not much of romance when you can't move and your only way to talk to the girl is to blink. Can they make this work?
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Today's podcast 07/24/2014
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Bland, Nick. THE RUNAWAY HUG New York : Random House, 2013 IL K-3, RL 2.0 ISBN 044981825X Lucy is getting ready for bed and she asks her mother for a hug. Told that it is her mother's very last hug, she promises to return it. She lends the hug to other people in her family and gets it back from everyone but one. Can she find the runaway hug to return it to her mother?
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Today's podcast 07/23/2014
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Bell-Rehwoldt, Sheri. THE KIDS' GUIDE TO CLASSIC GAMES
Bell-Rehwoldt, Sheri. THE KIDS' GUIDE TO CLASSIC GAMES New York : Captone, 2009 IL 3-6, RL 5.1 ISBN 1429622733 Do you get bored playing the same video games all the time? Or maybe watching the same television shows? Ever wonder what games kids used to play before computers or television were so popular? Well, they played marbles, card games and even some fun outdoor games. Pick up this book and find new games. You may just find yourself yelling "Red Rover"
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Today's podcast 07/22/2014
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Barnhill, Kelly Regen. ANIMALS WITH NO EYES : CAVE ADAPTATION
Barnhill, Kelly Regen. ANIMALS WITH NO EYES : CAVE ADAPTATION New York : Capstone, 2008 IL 3-6, RL 6.2 ISBN 1429612622 Imagine yourself in a dark room. It is so dark that you can't even see your hand in front of your face. You don't know where the doors are. You cannot find food or water. Do you think you could survive? Odds are, you can't. But there are creatures that live in the complete blackness of caves and survive quite well. They have no need for eyes. They don't even have any color. Learn about these amazing creatures.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Today's podcast 07/21/2014
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Armistead, Cal. BEING HENRY DAVID
Armistead, Cal. BEING HENRY DAVID New York : Albert Whitman, 2013 IL YA ISBN 080750615X He wakes up in Penn Station not knowing who he is or how he got there. All he knows is that he is carrying a copy of Thoreau's Walden. He decides that he can't tell anyone that he is lost. After all, he doesn't know what is going on. When asked his name, he looks at the book and adopts the name Henry David. Now he is running from drug dealers and the police. The only place he thinks he may be safe is Walden Pond in Massachusetts. So off he goes to try to discover who he is and why he is alone in a strange city.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Today's podcast 07/19/2014
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Zhang, Kat. WHAT'S LEFT OF ME New York : Harper, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0062114875 In a world where everyone is born with two souls, Addie and Eva are different. As a child grows, the dominant soul takes over and the weaker soul fades away into nothing. Despite being weaker, Eva is still hanging on. While she can no longer move or communicate with anyone but Addie, she's still alive. But in America, keeping both souls, being a hybrid is illegal. When the girls find a possible way to let Eva reemerge, they risk imprisonment or worse. But to speak, move, smile again, Eva is willing to do whatever it takes... (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Friday, July 18, 2014
Today's podcast 07/18/2014
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Everything is ending for Red O'Sullivan. His brother is dead, his town is dying, and his class will be the last to graduate from their school before it's closed down. The only thing that keeps him and the remaining residents going is the high school football team, the Muckers. They haven't won state since Red's brother was quarterback and with more people leaving and fewer resources available, it would take a miracle to repeat that title. But the entire town is counting on them, and the Muckers won't go down without a fight. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
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Vance, Alexander. HEARTBREAK MESSENGER
Breakups can be messy. That's why Quentin's break-up service is so popular. For a small fee, Quentin will inform your significant other that they are now an "ex". For a little more, he'll even soften the blow with flowers or chocolates. Quentin is doing well (despite the occasional violent responses to his messages) and happy to help his mother, who seems like she could use the money. But when his best friend is the next on his list of soon-to-be exes, Quentin realizes there's more to his heartbreak business than he thought. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Sunday, July 06, 2014
Today's podcast 07/06/2014
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The KDH virus is fatal to all, but the young and strong can come back as Reboots -- strong, deadly and not quite human. Wren 178 was dead for a record 178 minutes making her the strongest of the Reboots and giving her first pick of the new Reboots she trains. Something draws her to Callum 22, despite his near-human nature. But when his kindness results in an execution order for him, will Wren risk it all to save him? (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Friday, June 20, 2014
Today's podcast 06/20/2014
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Shulman, Polly. THE GRIMM LEGACY
Shulman, Polly. THE GRIMM LEGACY New York : Putnam's , IL 5-8, RL 4.0 ISBN 0399250964 Elizabeth has the best after school job EVER. Failing to connect at school or with her new step-family, Elizabeth finds her place as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository -- a library for rare and historical items. There she discovers the Grimm Collection, a secret room full of fairy tale items -- including the talking mirror from Snow White. When the items (and fellow pages) start disappearing, Elizabeth must find out who's behind it, before she becomes a suspect -- or a victim. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Today's podcast 06/18/2014
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Rhodes, Morgan. FALLING KINGDOMS
As war builds among their three kingdoms, four youths find themsleves on intertwining and unexpected paths. Magic is long gone from the land, but a prophecy tells of a powerful sorceress and legend tells of an ancient ring that can control the supernatural Kindred. When the princesses of rival kingdoms bring both tales to pass, they, along with a prince and the son of a slain merchant find their lives torn apart, and their fates unclear. Only one thing is certain -- kingdoms will fall. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Today's podcast 06/17/2014
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Price, Lissa. STARTERS New York : Delacorte, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0385742371 The Spore Wars have killed everyone between the ages of 20 and 60. Callie is left trying to care for her sick younger brother, but while they struggle to survive, wealthy senior, or "Enders" and their grandchildren continue their lavish lifestyles. Desperate for money, Callie signs up with a secret business that allows Enders to "rent" the bodies of teens and experience youth again. When Callie wakes up in the middle of a session, she's immersed in her renter's life ... and soon find out their plans are decidedly darker than she signed up for. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Monday, June 16, 2014
Today's podcast 06/16/2014
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Lunetta, Dimitria. IN THE AFTER
Fourteen-year-old Amy is your typical teen, until THEY came. When ravenous aliens attack the Earth, Amy's world is destroyed. Surviving by wits and luck, Amy and Baby, a toddler she rescues, are finally saved after years of hiding. But the city of New Hope is not the safe haven it appears, and Amy and Baby may be in more danger now than on their own. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Today's podcast 06/11/2014
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Yanek Gruener was only 10 years old when the Nazis took over his hometown of Krakow. Forced into the Jewish ghetto, Yanek soon loses all he has loved and known. Alone, Yanek is finally taken by the Nazis, tattooed with the number B-3087, and sent to the first of 10 concentration camps he will suffer through ... and survive. The book is co-written by Yanek himself (now Jack), and his wife, based on their experiences. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Tuesday, June 03, 2014
Today's podcast 06/03/2014
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Frost, Mark. THE PALADIN PROPHECY
Will is mediocre. School, sports, whatever he does, Will is always in the middle of the pack, per his parents' instructions. But then he slips. Once a test score winds up off the charts, Will is courted by an exclusive prep school, and stalked by sinister men. When his parents disappear,Will takes refuge at the school, where he is finally able to fully test his abilities, and discover the secrets behind them. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Monday, June 02, 2014
Today's podcast 06/02/2014
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Fisher, Catherine. THE OBSIDIAN MIRROR
Jack Wilde is pretty sure his godfather, Oberon Venn, murdered his father, but when he arrives to confront him, he finds things are far more complicated. Venn is in possession of a mysterious black mirror that opens a portal to the past. The mirror's powers have attracted several different people (and creatures), including a girl from the future, sent to destroy the mirror. Jack needs the mirror to save his father, but at what cost? (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Sunday, June 01, 2014
Today's podcast 06/01/2014
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West wakes up alone in the hospital, unable to move, and no idea what he's doing there. In and out of consciousness, the only one who seems to understand him is Olivia, a patient in the next room. Olivia explains West's condition, and helps him and his recurring nightmares. The two grow close, but as West begins to recovers, it becomes clear that Olivia has a secret -- one that he could never have guessed. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Today's podcast 05/31/2014
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Berk, Josh. STRIKE 3, YOU'RE DEAD
Lenny LOVES baseball, but unfortunately has zero skill. What he DOES have is a talent for announcing, and when his friends, Mike and Other Mike convince him to enter a contest, he wins! The prize: announcing one inning of a Phillies game, live, on the air. But before his inning, a hot new pitcher drops dead. Everyone thinks it's a heart attack. Everyone, except Lenny and the Mikes. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Friday, May 30, 2014
Today's podcast 05/30/2014
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Bardugo, Leigh. SHADOW AND BONE
Orphans from the Border Wars, Alina and her best friend Mal are all each other has. During a battle, Mal is horribly injured, and Alina unleashes power she never knew she had to save him. The Darkling, strongest magic-wielder in the land, promptly whisks her away to be trained. But in their world, nothing is ever what it seems. Unsure who to trust, will Alina be the savior of her nation, or another casuality in its ongoing war? (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Today's podcast 05/29/2014
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Sloan, Holly Goldberg. COUNTING BY 7S
12 yr old Willow Chance is brilliant, quirkie and just a bit obsessed with 7’s when she stresses. Just like her name, life has been Chance. Her first chance was being adopted as a baby. However, that all changes when Willow’s parents are suddenly lost in a car crash. Will Willow discover a second chance at happiness? Join Willow as she discovers family takes all forms. Follow her journey as she creates an unusual connection with the most unlikely cast. Could this cast create a new family? Find out in Counting By 7’s. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Today's podcast 05/28/2014
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Weissman, Elissa Brent. THE SHORT SELLER
Mono! You mean I’ll be out of school for a whole month? I won’t see my friends, either? Lindy Sachs was dismayed to find herself home alone and mostly sleeping, day after day. But then her dad asked her to do him a favor…he set her up on-line to make some stock trades for him before the Market closed for the day, since he couldn’t do it from work. Even though she hated math, she found herself totally drawn in. Her dad set her up with her own $100 account to play with…and guess what?! She was good at it!! When she finally went back to school, she found her social life in shambles…new alliances had been formed, and her best friends, Howard & Steph had become a couple…and no one had the slightest interest in stock trading! But the real trouble began when she started dipping into her parents’ portfolio to up the ante a bit….who knew they had so much money?! A sudden downturn in the market gave her some very tense moments, but in the end, Lindy thought she had gotten away with it…until the day there came a knock at the front door… a process server from the SEC (Securities Trade Commission) stood on the doorstep! (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Today's podcast 05/27/2014
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Times are tough for Cam and his dad. They both still miss Cam’s mom, and now his dad is out of work. With less than a dollar to spend for Cam’s birthday, what kind of present can his dad possibly afford? The lamest present on earth, he figures---and he ends up giving Cam a cardboard box he picks up from the second-hand store down the street. It turns out that they actually have a great time constructing a “man” out of the cardboard, and they both go to sleep happy. Little do they know that their lives are about to change forever thanks to the magic that cardboard box contained…and the fact that the bully next door wants to use it for his own nefarious ends…Read Cardboard for nonstop action, suspense, and a cardboard character that steals your heart. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Monday, May 26, 2014
Today's podcast 05/26/2014
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Selfors, Suzanne. SASQUATCH ESCAPE
The weird shadow swept across the sky. Ben blinked once, twice, three times, just in case an eyelash had drifted onto his eyeball. But it wasn’t an eyelash. Something was moving between the clouds—something with an enormous wingspan and a long tail. Ben pressed his nose to the passenger window. “Grandpa? Did you see that?” Ben is spending the summer at his Grandpa’s house in Buttonville---the most boring town in the world. Boring, that is, until he starts seeing strange things in the sky. Until his Grandpa’s cat drops what has to be a baby…dragon?...onto his bed. Until Ben and his new friend, Pearl, decide to visit the new “doctor” who’s set up an office in the abandoned button factory and allow a big, hairy, pudding-loving beast to escape… Read “Sasquatch Escape” to find out just what’s making a summer in Buttonville the most exciting thing ever! (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Today's podcast 05/25/2014
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Rundell, Katherine. ROOFTOPPERS
A ship sinks in the English Channel under mysterious circumstances and a baby wrapped in a musical score of a Beethoven symphony is found floating in a cello case. Charles Maxim, another survivor, plucks the baby along with her cello case out of the water, names her Sophie, and takes on the responsibility of raising her. Through the years Charles’ methods of child-rearing are considered by some totally unsuitable. What’s wrong, I ask, with eating food off books, writing on the walls, climbing trees and a girl wearing pants? When Sophie turns twelve the threat of being sent to an orphanage prompts her and Charles to make a hasty departure for Paris in search of her mother. Once there, Sophie hides out in her hotel room by day but escapes through the skylight to the roof at night. Under the tutelage of Matteo and other children who refer to themselves as “rooftoppers” she learns to travel on the roofs above the streets of Paris via trees, drainpipes, and even a tightrope. While enjoying her freedom she is always listening, hoping to hear her mother’s music. Will Sophie find her mother and the mother’s love she so longingly wants? You’ll have to read the spell-binding story of ROOFTOPPERS to find out. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Today's podcast 05/24/2014
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Pitchford, Dean. NICKEL BAY NICK
It’s Christmas time and in the economically depressed town of Nickel Bay, eleven year old Sam Brattle just can’t stay out of trouble. He’s unhappy because his dad’s bakery is struggling to stay open and his mom, having remarried, will be spending the holidays with her new family. And to make matters worse, there were no $100 bills left anonymously by the town’s own secret Santa, Nickel Bay Nick. While trying to evade the police following an evening of vandalism Sam damages the house of a neighbor, Mr. Wells. It is revealed that Mr. Wells is Nickel Bay Nick, but he is unable to fill the role due to a broken leg. Sam is offered the chance to become Nickel Bay Nick to compensate for the damages to Mr. Wells’ property. All Sam has to do is learn to be a spy, a burglar and a pickpocket. NICKEL BAY NICK will warm your heart and give you faith in the potential goodness of others. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Friday, May 23, 2014
Today's podcast 05/23/2014
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Pastas, Stephen. TIMMY FAILURE MISTAKES WERE MADE
Timmy Failure is founder, president, and CEO of what he considers the best detective agency in town, Total Failure, Inc. Timmy is assisted by a 1500-pound polar bear named Total who specializes in eating trash, and Rollo Tookus, a classmate, considered inferior in sleuthing skills by Timmy. In one case Timmy’s neighbor Gunnar hires him to find his missing candy. Timmy observes Gunnar’s brother, Gabe, face smeared with chocolate and surrounded by candy wrappers. After questioning Gabe about his whereabouts the night of the candy’s disappearance, Timmy concludes Gabe didn’t take the candy- he had an alibi: he’d been eating candy. There’s something in Timmy Failure Mistakes Were Made for everyone, from the black and white illustrations used liberally throughout the book to Timmy’s bumbling his way from one case to the next, optimistically oblivious to the obvious. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Today's podcast 05/22/2014
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Messner, Kate. WAKE UP MISSING
Concussions can be very serious, often resulting in lingering symptoms long after the fact…things like headaches, dizziness, and mental confusion. That’s why when Cat’s parents signed her up for the revolutionary I-CAN (International Center for Advanced Neurology) program in the Florida Everglades, she didn’t object….she’d do just about anything to get back to her normal self again. When she got to the island, she discovered there were only four patients…all teens who had suffered concussions to the same area of the brain as her own. Charming Dr. Ames greeted them all warmly at the dock, but Cat already had the feeling something was amiss… and she was right! After uncovering a nefarious plot to alter their minds and their DNA, the teens found themselves involved in a harrowing quest for survival. Will they all make it back to civilization with their personalities intact? (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Today's podcast 05/21/2014
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McAlpine, Gordon. TELL TALE START
12-year-old twins, Edgar & Allan Poe, were not named on the whim of some devoted fan of the classics…they were, in fact, the great-great-great-great grandnephews of the famed author of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe himself. Their most notable characteristic, aside from their astoundingly high IQ’s, was that they were literally of one mind…they shared all of each other’s thoughts. Continually outwitting their teachers may have been great sport, but there was a crazed professor out there stalking them who had more nefarious plans in mind. He intended to kill off one of the twins to see if they still communicated with each other over the great divide. If he could gain control of information from the afterlife, world domination would be within his grasp! But Edgar and Allan possessed an intellect not to be trifled with. Through one hilarious escapade after another, the twins managed to thwart all the professor’s evil designs…with a little, albeit dubious, help from a doting granduncle watching from above. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Today's podcast 05/20/2014
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Kurtz, Chris. ADVENTURES OF A SOUTH POLE PIG
Flora, a young pig who has been brought up on a farm raising sled dogs, sees nothing but adventure in her future. Her chance comes when she is packed into the ship’s cargo to join the sled dogs on an amazing Antarctica adventure. As Flora befriends Aleric the cabin boy, Oscar the sled dog and Sophia the cat, she dreams of life as the head sled pig. After all, what other purpose would a pig have on a ship? (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Monday, May 19, 2014
Today's podcast 05/19/2014
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Jinks, Catherine. HOW TO CATCH A BOGLE
Jinks, Catherine. HOW TO CATCH A BOGLE New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013 IL 3-6, RL 4.9 ISBN 0544087089 Before you see a Bogle you will often smell them. Their terrible odor is something even Birdie can’t get used to. A Bogel is a monster, a goblin and sometimes called “the bogeyman”. Birdie is the 10 year old girl apprentice to Bogler, Alfred Bunce. Alfred catches the Bogles and kills them with his spear. A Bogle’s favorite food is children and Birdie, who sings sweetly like a bird, is the bait. This fantasy tale set in Victorian London follows Birdie and Mr. Bunce as they come up against the trials of earning a living, along with the wishes of wealthy ladies interested in the intersection of folklore and modern science. This is the first book in a planned trilogy. How to Catch a Bogle is a rather ghastly and sometimes smelly and gooey adventure you will not be able to cast aside. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Today's podcast 05/18/2014
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Hale, Bruce. PLAYING WITH FIRE
Max Segredo isn’t a bad kid---but somehow, in each of the seven foster homes he’s lived in, bad things have happened. Foster parents die in not-so-ordinary ways, fires seem to just happen, and, yes, things go missing… “It’s not my fault!” says Max. Now he’s down to his last chance to avoid juvenile detention---the Merry Sunshine Orphanage. The fact that the director of the orphanage meets him at the door with a pistol in her hand is the first sign that life at Merry Sunshine is going to be a little bit…different. “Fires? Stealing?” she says. “You know what I say?” “Learn to control fire…and if you’re stealing, don’t get caught.” Join Max as he learns that the Merry Sunshine Orphanage is actually a training center for would-be spies, and as he discovers that the father he believed was dead may actually be the best spy of all… (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Today's podcast 05/17/2014
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Gardner, Sally. OPERATION BUNNY
This is the story of a neglected young girl, a human-sized talking cat, a fairy-hating witch with a very bad lamp, a set of temperamental magic keys, and bunnies. So. Many. Bunnies. Emily Vole was found as a baby in a suspiciously-ticking hatbox at the airport. The Dashwoods adopted her, but the self-absorbed couple quickly turned Emily into their servant when they had their own triplets. Forced to do nothing but chores, Emily is fortunately discovered by Miss String, her eccentric neighbor, and possibly a fairy, who gives her an education, and, all-too-soon, a large inheritance. With nothing to keep her, Emily runs away with Fidget, Miss String’s talking cat, to track down the evil witch who is killing fairies and leaving a trail of formerly-human pink bunnies in her wake. With the help of a grumpy former fairy detective and an enchanted shop that refuses to stay put, Emily is on her way to a magical destiny. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Friday, May 16, 2014
Today's podcast 05/16/2014
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Gaiman, Neil. FORTUNATELY THE MILK
When mum goes off to a conference, dad’s routine trip to the corner store for milk becomes an epic adventure through time and space! (well, spaceSHIPS, anyway. Well, A spaceship. Twice.) While fetching milk for his children’s cereal, a father finds himself beamed up by aliens, threatened by pirates (who don’t even know about walking the plank!), meeting the balloon-flying stegosaurus scientist who invented time travel, rather elaborately avoiding a volcanic eruption and also escaping from some very pale, rather hungry-looking (and not at all sparkly) people with funny accents. Oh, and there’s ponies at one point. And possibly piranhas. And hard-hairy-wet-white-crunchers. Will he ever return to his poor hungry children? Where there is milk, there is hope! (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Today's podcast 05/15/2014
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Derek Lamb is eleven years old, likes superheroes, Saturday morning cartoons and Chocolate Ka Blams. For a long time, his father has been in Afghanistan piloting Apache helicopters for the US Army. On this latest deployment, it has been more than eight months since Derek’s Dad has been home. The letters they write to each other, ninety-one letters to date, serve to bridge the gap between them. Along with his Dad serving in a war zone, Derek has to endure the taunting of Budgie, a boy who once was his best friend. Will a new friend and the distraction of the school play help Derek cope at school and carry the burdens at home? Read this dramatic and often humorous story of “The Saturday Boy”. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Today's podcast 05/14/2014
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Tony is sent to live with his forest ranger Uncle Tio in the Sierra Nevada after his mother is sent to prison for dog fighting. With the friendship of his uncle’s wilderness search and rescue dog named Gabe, Tony opens up to this new world in the mountains. He develops the skills he needs to survive in the wilderness. This story is written in verse and alternates the voices of Tony and Gabe. Read about how Tony faces new challenges, and finds the meaning of family, both canine and human. Mountain Dog: the story of a boy and a dog and the adventure of a lifetime. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Today's podcast 05/13/2014
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Sixth grader Sugar Mae Cole struggles to keep her spirits high when life starts to unravel. Her mom can no longer cope and her gambling dad has disappeared. Once the family home has been lost, Sugar’s mom uproots her to Chicago chasing phantom jobs and sinking into depression. As life continues to spiral, Sugar clings to her cherished rescue dog, Shush as they end up in a shelter.Will the homeless duo stay together once they enter foster care? Will Sugar’s mom recover? With each step taken are they almost home? (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Today's podcast 05/11/2014
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Imagine flying to another country to spend the summer with your mother who just happens to live with a group of Bonobos or pigmy Chimpanzees. Sophie plans to spend the summer in the Bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Instead, Sophie finds herself falling in love with a baby chimp named Otto. When the president of the Republic of the Congo is assassinated, she finds herself running for her life. Sophie spends the summer hiding from soldiers with the group of Bonobos while raising and protecting Otto. -Peg Bruch, Bangor Area High School. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Today's podcast 05/10/2014
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Riggs, Ransom. MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN
Riggs, Ransom. MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN quirk books, 2011 Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, always told him stories about the mysterious orphanage where he grew up and the peculiar children who lived there. There were stories about an invisible boy, a girl who could hold fire in her bare hands, a boy who could single-handedly lift a boulder, and a levitating girl who had to wear special shoes just to keep her from floating away. A wise old “bird” named Miss Peregrine looked after them all. Jacob always thought the stories were too weird to be true. But after Abraham dies under strange and sinister circumstances, Jacob discovers some old photographs and letters that seem to match up with his grandfather’s tall tales. With his father, he travels halfway around the world to try and find the orphanage and tell his grandfather’s childhood friends how he died. But when he finally finds the house, it is in ruins – and has been since World War II. Or has it? Where are Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children? Were they ever even real? How did Abraham really die … and is Jacob going to be next? This is a spooky, magical page-turner that includes lots of real photographs discovered by the author. You will not be able to put it down, so pick it up today! Amy V. Pickett, Ridley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Today's podcast 04/27/2014
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Mullen, Mike. ASHFALL New York : Tanglewood, 2011 IL YA ISBN 1933718552 The first of a series, Ashfall is a post apocalyptic tale set in present times. A super volcano under Yellowstone Park erupts, and the catastrophic explosions are felt for hundreds of miles. Alex, left on his own for the weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa, is almost killed in the decimation of his house, and he quickly realizes that life as he knew it is gone forever. In the midst of the panic and chaos surrounding him, he decides to head to Illinois to reunite with his family. As he struggles cross-country through heavy, drifting ash, he faces starvation, abandoned homesteads, violent strangers, and unexpected love. What will he find at the end of his journey? How can he keep going amid the death and destruction surrounding him? You will not be able to put down this gripping, sometimes grim, page-turner of a novel. Winnie Host, Penncrest High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Today's podcast 04/23/2014
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Meyer, Marissa. CINDER Feiwel and Friends, 2012 Cinder is a sixteen-year-old cyborg; human, but she’s been reconfigured with some mechanical parts. It’s a hard life. Cyborgs are considered second class citizens in society and Cinder is also mistreated at home. She lives with her nasty step-mother and step-sisters. Taking her name into account, I bet you’re sensing a familiar story here. And you’re right. This is a science fiction mash-up of the classic Cinderella tale, but it’s unique; set in futuristic China with some exciting added action. Of course, like the original, there’s romance with an uber-charming prince. But this isn’t a flat retelling. The connection between Cinder and Prince Kai is more than love at first sight and it’s fun watching it develop. The characters aren’t stereotypes. Cinder’s a good mix: feisty, mechanical and tough. There are no mice or fairy godmothers to help out. Cinder’s a take charge gal determined to solve her own problems, although she does get a bit of help from a droid and the prince. Anyone could use help since the problems facing Cinder, and all of New Beijing for that matter, are monumental. There’s a deadly plague, and the threat of an invasion from a civilization hell bent on taking over Earth. This is a fresh look at a timeless tale. There’s only one drawback; it’s part of a trilogy so you’ll need to keep reading for the final resolution. Patricia McClune, Conestoga Valley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Today's podcast 04/22/2014
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Levithan, David. EVERY DAY New York : Knopf, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0375971114 “Every day I am someone else … It has always been like this.” Every morning, A wakes up in a different body: a boy or girl, rich or poor, healthy or sick. He can access facts about the person’s life to guide him through the day, but every night he leaves it all behind to start over again the next morning. After 16 years he’s gotten used to this existence, and he’s learned not to get too attached to anyone or anything. But on Day 5994, everything changes. A wakes up in the body of a boy named Justin, and he spends the day with Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. Suddenly, letting go at the end of the day isn’t so easy. A wants to be with Rhiannon the next day, and the next, and every day after that. He starts taking risks to see Rhiannon again, though every time he looks like a stranger to her. He wants to explain everything, but would she ever believe him, or be able to love him back? Is A the only one in the world who lives this way? If he could change his life, would he … or should he? Open Every Day and you will get caught up in this one-of-a-kind novel by David Levithan from the very first page! Amy V. Pickett, Ridley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Monday, April 21, 2014
Today's podcast 04/21/2014
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Laban, Elizabeth. THE TRAGEDY PAPER
Laban, Elizabeth. THE TRAGEDY PAPER New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0375970401 The Tragedy Paper is the title of the book and also the name of a huge assignment that every student at the prestigious Irving School must write in order to pass senior English. They all know the assignment is coming and it’s stressful. Like the tragedy paper, there are other traditions at the Irving School. It’s a boarding school steeped in traditions, including one that involves graduating seniors leaving a “treasure” for the next student to get his or her room. On the first day of fall semester the new seniors are excited to see what was left for them. Was it a favorite book with a list of tips for passing English, a check for $500 (someone actually got that one year!) or something generic like a bag of M&Ms? Duncan finds a note and a stack of CDs narrated by and left for him by Tim MacBeth. Tim was a loner who only came to Irving for the last semester of his senior year. Duncan already knows what happened to Tim last year and it wasn’t good. But he doesn’t know the whole story. It’s important for Tim to recount it and for Duncan to hear it. This is an interwoven story of friendship and first love, and of peer pressure and the magnitude of certain choices. Patricia McClune, Conestoga Valley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Today's podcast 03/26/2014
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Kokie, E. M. PERSONAL EFFECTS Somerville, MA : Candlewick, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0763655279 Matt Foster is angry—belligerent at school, alienated from his bullying father—and grieving for his big brother T. J., who never came back from the Iraq war. All he wants is for people to leave him alone and to have some of T. J.’s personal effects, something to remember him by. So when big boxes arrive from the military, he is determined to open them up, even though his father has warned him not to go anywhere near them. The letters Matt finds inside reveal a secret life that T.J. led before he died that Matt had never even dreamed of. Matt takes off on a road trip to find the letter writer, even though he knows his father will be furious. What will he find? Will this letter writer even want to meet him? Will what he discovers change his life forever? (Winnie Host, Penncrest High School) (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Today's podcast 03/16/2014
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Hillenbrand, Laura. UNBROKEN : A WORLD WAR II STORY OF SURVIVAL, RESILIENCE, AND REDEMPTION
Hillenbrand, Laura. UNBROKEN : A WORLD WAR II STORY OF SURVIVAL, RESILIENCE, AND REDEMPTION New York : Random Hosue, 2010 IL AD ISBN 1400064163 This is the extraordinary true story of Louis Zamperini, 1936 Olympic runner and World War II bombardier, who was shot down over the Pacific Ocean flying a mission and didn’t make it home for twenty- seven months. Adrift on a raft, starving, thirsty, and weakened for 47 days he survived only to fall into the hands of the Japanese who imprisoned him for the next two years. Louis suffered physical and mental torture, hunger, extreme cold, illness, and crushing work loads which almost broke him—and yet he survived. Read this, and be inspired by a war hero who was forced to the very limits of human endurance. Winnie Host, Penncrest High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Today's podcast 03/13/2014
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Fine, Chelsea. SOPHIE AND CARTER
Fine, Chelsea. SOPHIE AND CARTER New York : Acacia Publishing, 2013 IL YA ISBN 1935089447 Have you ever felt like you are just trying to survive high school? Neighbors and best friends, Sophie and Carter are working hard to do just that. They do not dream about cars, proms, and graduation. Instead, they struggle to meet their very adult responsibilities and still attend high school. Both Carter and Sophie struggle to keep their families together while caring for troubled mothers and siblings. The only thing they have to look forward to is the evenings they spend together on Sophie’s front porch swing. -Peg Bruch, Bangor Area High School. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Today's podcast 03/12/2014
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Calame, Don. CALL THE SHOTS Somerville, MA : Candlewick Press, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0763655562 “It’s my best idea yet!” Coming from Coop, this can only mean trouble. Whether it’s a plot to see a naked girl or to play in the Battle of the Bands, Coop’s schemes usually end in headache and heartbreak for his best friends Matt and Sean. His newest plan is to get rich quick by making the next big low-budget horror film. Sean laughs it off until his parents drop a bombshell: his mother is pregnant, and when the baby arrives, Sean will have to share a room with his twin sister and “Queen of Darkness,” Kathy. Suddenly, Sean could really use some extra cash to help pay for an addition on the house, and winning $30,000 in a film contest doesn’t seem so crazy. Luckily they have a killer concept for Zonkey!, featuring a plague of half-man, half-monkey zombie-vampire hybrids. Things start falling into place when Sean talks his Uncle Doug into financing the project. His new girlfriend, Evelyn, has access to some slick video equipment. Kathy’s best friend, Nessa, volunteers to help Sean out with the script. Maybe best of all, Sean gets to cast his drama class crush as the lead actress. But things get complicated when Uncle Doug demands creative control … Evelyn insists on taking over the lead part, revealing a serious jealous streak in the process … and Sean starts to wonder if Nessa actually likes him, or if she and Kathy are just up to a scheme of their own. Will Sean straighten out his love life, secure his own room, and finish the movie on time? Read the hilarious, totally fun Call the Shots to find out! (Amy V. Pickett, Ridley High School) (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Saturday, March 08, 2014
Today's podcast 03/08/2014
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Bruchac, Joseph. WOLF MARK New York : Tu Books, 2011 IL YA ISBN 160060661X Luke’s dad taught him a lot of things including outdoor survival skills, of course; after all they’re descendants of a Native American Indian tribe. But Luke’s dad also taught him martial arts including four different ways to disarm an unsuspecting enemy. Luke and his dad live alone in a ram shackled trailer in the middle of nowhere. They stay under the radar and Luke doesn’t ask too many questions. He knows his dad is former black ops, and that it left him emotionally scarred. They don’t have neighbors or family to rely on, so when Dad is kidnapped it’s up to Luke to find him. This story rips into a high-octane action adventure as Luke uses every skill in his arsenal to outwit evil villains, the Russian mafia and an unscrupulous scientist to rescue his dad. Along the way he uncovers the family’s dark secret. One look at the cover and it’s not likely giving anything away to say the story includes werewolves. But not the European werewolves you probably imagine. Luke and his dad are skin walkers…shape changers. Is that a blessing or a curse? You’ll need to read Wolf Mark to find out. Patricia McClune, Conestoga Valley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Friday, March 07, 2014
Today's podcast 03/07/2014
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Bodeen, S. A. THE RAFT New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0312650108 Robie peeked over the edge of the raft, water everywhere. It wasn’t a dream, it was a real nightmare. It was her normal flight from Honolulu to her home on the island. It was the same cargo plane, the same pilot, just a new co-pilot. But something had gone terribly wrong. There was a crash in the ocean. With the pilot dead and the co-pilot unconscious, she struggles to survive on a leaky raft with no supplies but a bag of Skittles. Robie just hoped that help would come in time. Marti Trzepacz, Strath Haven Middle School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Today's podcast 03/05/2014
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Bardugo, Leigh. SHADOW AND BONE
Bardugo, Leigh. SHADOW AND BONE New York : Henry Holt, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0805094598 Ravka, a land constantly at war with its neighbors, is divided in two by the “Unsea,” an almost impenetrable swath of darkness infested with flesh-eating monsters called volcra. Alina Starkov, an orphan of the Border Wars, has spent most of her life in an orphanage along with her best friend and secret crush, Mal. In Ravka, Grisha Examiners test every child for magical abilities. When neither Alina nor Mal shows any talent for magic, they are assigned to the less glamorous tasks of map-making and tracking. But on their first crossing through the Unsea, they are attacked by volcra. Mal is nearly killed and Alina’s magic finally reveals itself: she is a Sun-Summoner, the only one who can bring light into the Unsea and reunite all of Ravka. She’s quickly whisked away into the glamorous world of the Grisha elite and their mysterious leader, the Darkling. As Alina struggles to adapt to a world of rigorous training and royal gossip, she falls under the Darkling’s seductive spell even though Mal is never far from her mind. But when a dark secret is revealed, she realizes that she might be even more important to Ravka than she ever could have imagined – and in more danger. This intense, action-packed, romantic high fantasy is the first in a trilogy, and a movie is already in development. Read it ASAP! (Amy V. Pickett, Ridley High School) (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
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TenNapel, Doug. CARDBOARD New York : Graphix, 2012 IL 5-8, RL 2.6 ISBN 0545418720 When you were young did you build things out of cardboard boxes? Cam’s father brings home a cardboard box for Cam’s birthday and they build a boxer with it. Only the cardboard is magical and the cardboard Boxer comes alive. Read this to see the adventures Cam and his Boxer have after Cam’s spoiled, really bad neighbor steals the left over cardboard and makes evil creatures. A fun, enjoyable story for all ages. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
Today's podcast 03/04/2014
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Sitomer, Alan Lawrence. NERD GIRLS : THE RISE OF THE DORKASAURUS
Sitomer, Alan Lawrence. NERD GIRLS : THE RISE OF THE DORKASAURUS New York : Disney/Hyperion Books, 2011 IL 5-8, RL 4.7 ISBN 1423139968 “I’m not just un-cool; I’m anti-cool. I mean, I even know how to properly use a semicolon in a sentence. What could be more pathetic than that?” That’s the description Maureen gives of herself. She is a nerd girl. And one day she stands up to the Popular Perfect Pretty Girls in her school and forever seals her fate as a nerd. She’s not alone, however. She has two new “friends” in Allergy Alice and Barbara. Suddenly, by uniting, these three nerd girls could just take on the Popular Pretty perfect and undoubtedly mean girls of the school and reclaim some self-dignity. Can the Nerd Girls take the Popular Girls? You’ll sure hope so in this roller coaster ride of a book. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
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