2 The Point Tuesdays The Menagerie

Each month for my job, I write a maximum 150 word review of a new book that came into the library during the month. I’ll be expanding that idea to the blog in a new feature I’m calling To the Point Tuesdays. If you want to play along, just post a link in the comments and I’ll add them to the post.

Title: The Menagerie
Series: Menagerie #1
Authors: Tui T. and Kari Sutherland
ISBN: 9780060780647
Pages: 272 pages
Publisher/Date: Harper, and imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books, c2013.
Published: March 12, 2013.

“What the . . . ,” Logan muttered. “Guys, who ate all your food?” And then put the lid back on?
“SQUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOORP!”
Logan froze. That was a noise he had definitely never heard before. And it had come from somewhere in his room.
He turned around slowly, his heart pounding.
That’s when he saw the tail stretched out along his carpet, sticking out from the trailing edge of his comforter. A long, golden, furry lion’s tail.
There was a monster under his bed. (17-18)

Logan has just moved from Chicago to a small town in Wyoming with his dad, following the only clue in his mother’s sudden disappearance. Logan literally runs into Zoe and Blue, the weirdest girl and most popular boy in school, who claim to be searching for a lost dog. Discovering it’s not a dog they’re searching for but a griffin, Logan returns the cub to Zoe’s home and enters a world of mythical creatures. Everything’s in danger of exposure if the three teens can’t track down the rest of the missing griffins. Was it an accident, or is someone attempting to sabotage the Menagerie and shut it down? A light fantasy mixed with realism, sisters Tui and Kari Sutherland have created a fast read. Readers will enjoy this first book in an obvious series, which sets up a satisfying ending while still leaving enough unanswered questions for the upcoming sequels.

2 the Point Tuesday Duck Sock Hop

Each month for my job, I write a maximum 150 word review of a new book that came into the library during the month. I’ll be expanding that idea to the blog in a new feature I’m calling To the Point Tuesdays. If you want to play along, just post a link in the comments and I’ll add them to the post.

Title: Duck Sock Hop
Author: Jane Kohuth
Illustrator: Jane Porter
ISBN: 978080373712
Pages: unpaged
Publisher/Date: Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, c2012.
Publication Date: May 10, 2012

Warm up, wiggle, stretch your beak.
Duck Sock Hop comes once a week.
The mood is high, the sun is low,
the music starts, get ready, go!

Jane Kohuth’s rollicking rhymes provide tumbling tongue twisters and Jane Porter’s colorful creations encourage enjoyment. Similar to Seuss’s Fox in Socks, ducks frolic in stylish socks from spots and stripes to “jeweled deluxe.” But like most dances, as it progresses the ducks and socks get worn out, until they tumble into each other and the ensuing pile-up encourages big laughs from the audience. But never fear, they’ll regroup and host another one next week!

Pair this with Boot and Shoe by Marla Frazee (review coming soon) for a fresh, frenzied and fun look at footwear or pair with Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka for a rollicking, rock and roll story time. My outreach kindergarteners loved them both!

2 The Point Tuesday Chu’s Day

Each month for my job, I write a maximum 150 word review of a new book that came into the library during the month. I’ll be adding my contribution to the blog in a new feature I’m calling To the Point Tuesdays. If you want to play along, just post a link in the comments and I’ll add them to the post.

Title: Chu’s Day
Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Adam Rex
ISBN: 9780062017819
Pages: unpaged
Publisher/Date: Harper, c2013.
Publication Date: January 8, 2013

Readers are warned that “When Chu sneezed, bad things happened.” The panda cub’s parents are quick to ask if he feels a sneeze coming on when entering the dusty library or the peppery diner. Each time, Chu responds with a threatening and escalating “aah- aaah- Aaaah-“, only to finish after the page turn with a “No.” But it’s at the circus, when everyone is preoccupied, that readers witness the danger in Chu’s sneeze. Adam Rex’s expressive illustrations bring Chu to life in this book by celebrated author Neil Gaiman, which is perfect for a read-aloud during a sick day from school.

2 the Point Tuesday The Giant and How He Humbugged America

For my new job, all the librarians write a maximum 150 word review of a new book that came into the library during the month. I’ll be adding my contribution to the blog in a new feature I’m calling To the Point Tuesdays. If you want to play along, just post a link in the comments and I’ll add them to the post.

Title: The Giant and How He Humbugged America
Author: Jim Murphy
ISBN: 9780439691840
Pages: 112 pages
Publisher/Date: Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., c2012.

Nichols had hit something solid. After banging his shovel on it several more times, Newell decided he’d hit a large stone and went to get a pick. While Newell was gone, his two workers continued to dig and clear the area around the stone. But they discovered something startling. The blue-gray stone was shaped exactly like a foot. A very large foot! […]

They worked quickly and managed to uncover the entire body in a matter of minutes. The diggers scrambled from the hole and all six men stood there, gazing in astonishment. Despite its being covered by a gnarly old tree root, they could see it was indeed a human body. A very old-looking one at that. And big. In fact, at ten feet, four inches long, it was nothing if not a giant. (11-12)

A New York farmer named Stub Newell enlists the help of some of his neighbors to dig a well for his farm in 1869. In the process, they discover a body of a man measuring over ten feet tall! Nearly impossible to keep secret, newspapers and so-called respected experts nation-wide weigh in with pictures and “evidence” on what the figure could be. Is it a petrified body? Is it some unknown ancestor to the Native Americans? Is it an engraving from some persecuted civilization? Or could it really be an elaborate hoax? In a time when science, archeology, and idea of specialists were just beginning, this convoluted tale of secret agreements, underhanded dealings and conflicting stories of authenticity became one of the biggest scams in America’s history.

2 The Point Tuesday Stealing Air

For my new job, all the librarians write a maximum 150 word review of a new book that came into the library during the month. I’ll be adding my contribution to the blog in a new feature I’m calling To the Point Tuesdays. If you want to play along, just post a link in the comments and I’ll add them to the post.

Title: Stealing Air
Author: Trent Reedy
ISBN: 9780545383073
Pages: 266 pages
Publisher/Date: Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., c2012

“What’s up?” Alex shouted over the noise from the wind and engine.
“Not us,” Brian answered. “Not yet.” He gripped the yoke, pulling with all his weight. They were up now, two, maybe three feet off the ground.
“Dude, this is awesome! We’re flying!” Alex said. “You got it!”
No, I don’t, Brian though. The pitch wasn’t right. The nose should be pointing higher when he had the yoke pulled all the way back. Instead they were level. The flyer smacked back down on its wheels.
“Give it some gas!”
“She’s at full throttle already!” The flyer was up and then down again. This was bad. They were running out of runway! They needed to get more air right now. [...]
“The road!” Alex shouted. “I’ll hit the brakes!”
“No, don’t!” Brian called back. “You’ll stop us right in the middle of the highway. Just hold on!”
“Of course I’m holding on!” Alex screamed. “The heck you think I’m doing?”
“Please no cars, please no cars, no cars, no cars, no cars,” Brian whispered. The flyer rolled out into the highway. (76-77)

Brian just moved to Riverside, Iowa for his dad’s new business. While fleeing bully Frankie on his skateboard, analytical “Mad Max” saves him with his rocket-powered bicycle… which later explodes. Brian’s understandably cautious about helping Max with his project of building a functioning airplane in an abandoned barn. Max swears it just needs two people to fly it, but Max is afraid of heights. With scheming Alex, who has big dreams of the publicity and pay-out this will yield, the three unlikely friends form a partnership. With some false starts (okay, technically crashes), a shortage of supplies, and Frankie still out to cause trouble, it’s anybody’s bet as to whether or not this plane will truly get off the ground. For fans of the movie October Sky, Trent Reedy’s novel soars, combining science and a fascination of flight with a realistically portrayed group of boys who struggle for greater heights.

I’m not sure what drew me in exactly, but I was thoroughly engaged and think it’s a great book for boys and girls alike with an intriguing cover.

Transition from 2012 to 2013

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 22,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 5 Film Festivals

By my count, I read just shy of 100 books this year, with a handful of them not blogged/reviewed due to the move and time constraints. I’ll update with a total number of books and pages read soon (once I have time to run the totals). To get this year off to a good start, I’ll be “Reading in the New Year”. Instead of idly watching the ball drop and making lots of noise (which my apartment complex probably wouldn’t appreciate) I’m going to start early (or play catch up, however you wish to look at it) with my to-be-read list.

Think of it as my own personal 48 hours read-a-thon or reading challenge. From tonight onward through Jan. 1st, I’m going to see how many books I can read. I’ll keep you updated as the feeling suits me.

Since the name of this blog is Challenging the Bookworm, I’m returning to the practice of listing my challenges and reporting on my progress.

YALSA has one that started before the new year, challenging everyone to read the Morris and Nonfiction Award finalists before the winners are announced at the end of Jan. You can read more about the details here, although I’m listing the titles below for easier reference:

Morris Award finalists (for best debut Young Adult book)

Wonder Show, written by Hannah Barnaby

Love and Other Perishable Items, written by Laura Buzo

After the Snow, written by S.D. Crockett

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, written by emily m. danforth

Seraphina, written by Rachel Hartman

Nonfiction Finalists (For best Nonfiction Young Adult Book)

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster, written by Deborah Hopkinson

Bomb: The Race to Build — and Steal — the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, written by Steve Sheinkin

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95, written by Phillip Hoose

Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different, a biography by Karen Blumenthal

We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March, written by Cynthia Levinson

Another challenge that I’ll be keeping in mind as I read this year are Beth Fish’s What’s In a Name Challenge which asks participants to find six books that meet the following criteria (the criteria changes each year):

1.A book with up or down (or equivalent) in the title: Deep down True, The Girl Below, The Diva Digs up the Dirt

2.A book with something you’d find in your kitchen in the title: Loose Lips Sink Ships, The Knife of Never Letting Go, Breadcrumbs

3.A book with a party or celebration in the title: A Feast for Crows, A Wedding in Haiti, Cocktail Hour under the Tree of Forgetfulness

4.A book with fire (or equivalent) in the title: Burning for Revenge, Fireworks over Toccoa, Catching Fire

5.A book with an emotion in the title: Baltimore Blues, Say You’re Sorry, Dreams of Joy

6.A book with lost or found (or equivalent) in the title: The Book of Lost Fragrances, The World We Found, A Discovery of Witches

I’m still attempting to read 200 chapter books in one year, and I have a confident feeling that this is the year I’m going to succeed. I’m only working one job now as opposed to two, and I will find/make the time to complete that goal. I also have a goal to read more manga/anime/graphic novels and picture books though, so we’ll see how they all live happily on my schedule. There are probably several other challenges that I could find and join, but right now I’m just anxious to start tackling that huge stack of books by my bed side. So for now, have a Happy New Year and happy reading!

Surviving the Hindenburg

For my new job, all the librarians write a maximum 150 word review of a new book that came into the library during the month. I’ll be adding my contribution to the blog in a new feature I’m calling To the Point Tuesdays. If you want to play along, just post a link in the comments and I’ll add them to the post.

Title: Surviving the Hindenburg
Author: Larry Verstraete
Illustrator: David Geister
ISBN: 9781585367870
Pages: unpaged
Publisher/Date: Sleeping Bear Press, c2012.

In 1937, the Hindenburg was a massive zeppelin, a giant airship that looked very much like our blimps today being kept aloft by gas-filled fabric and propelled by engines. As tall as a 13-story building and almost as big as the Titanic, it suffered the same fate when it mysteriously burst into flames just before landing in New Jersey. Incredibly, two-thirds of the German passengers and crew survived, including 14-year-old cabin boy Werner Franz. The cover gives a hint of the vivid and colorful illustrations that bring to life the story of the last surviving member of the crew.

Want to contribute to 2 the Point Tuesdays? Just leave a comment and I’ll post your link.

2 the Point Tuesday — The Seven Tales of Trinket

Each month where I work, the librarians write a maximum 150 word review of a new book that came into the library during the month. I’ll be adding my contribution to the blog in a new feature I’m calling To the Point Tuesdays. If you want to play along, just post a link in the comments and I’ll add them to the post.

Title: The Seven Tales of Trinket
Author: Shelley Moore Thomas
Illustrator: Dan Craig
ISBN: 9780374367459
Pages: 369 pages
Publisher/Date: Farrar Straus Giroux, c2012.

“What are you going to do with it?” Thomas asked.
“What do you think?” My fingers trailed yet another direction, over the mountains to the forest.
He looked at me with eyes that widened as he understood my purpose.
“You are not going to follow it!” He spit when he yelled, which made it a good thing that Thomas the Pig Boy yelled very little.
“I am.”
“You are only eleven.”
“Almost twelve. A year older than you.”
“What will you do out there?” Thomas asked, flicking the map with his hand.
“Why, find my father, of course.”
And I will leave this place, and all the pain, behind.
But I did not say this aloud.
Thomas thought for a moment.
“If you go, can I come?” (13-14)

After the death of her mother, strong-willed Trinket heads out to find her father, a wandering bard who never made it back home after his last trip. Accompanied by Thomas, the Pig Boy, and an old map, they are called upon to save a Gypsy seer, rescue a baby stolen by selkies, banish a banshee, trick a fairy and escape a deadly highwayman. Realizing that she could follow her father’s footsteps in more ways than one, she starts practicing to become a bard. The story she really wants to find an ending for though is her own, but no one seems to know where her father went. A story about bards and telling stories based on Celtic folklore begs to be read-aloud. Trinket does not walk an easy road and must make some hard decisions about the true meaning of friendship. Fans of the movie Brave will not be disappointed.

Picture book and early reader author Shelley Moore Thomas shows her experience and talent as a professional storyteller in her first middle-grade novel.

Bunny Rabbit Story Time

The second theme featured on the Picture Book Month calendar is those pesky rascally rabbits or bunnies, whatever you’d like to call them. I’m trying to keep pace with the calendar and blog about either the person or the theme featured each day of this month on the calendar. Some days I might even be able to do both! I’m taking this opportunity to post a story time I did for some kids up to two years of age, although I take no credit for the rhymes featured here. That’s all someone else, I just paired them up.

1. Charlie Went Over the Water (the song I start every story time with)
2. Here is A Bunny
Here is a bunny with ears so funny
(hold up index and middle fingers for ears)
And here is his hole in the ground
(make a circle with the other hand)
At the first sound he hears, he pricks up his ears
(extend two fingers)
And hops in the hole in the ground
(fingers jump into the hole)

3. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
4. Bunnies Nibble
Bunnies nibble
Bunnies doze
Bunnies twitch their bunny nose

Bunnies huddle
Bunnies hide
Bunnies like to dig outside

Bunnies run
Bunnies stop
Bunnies do the bunny hop

5. Jumping and Counting by Jim Gill (Irrational Anthems cd)
6. Bunny and Me by Adele Aron Greenspun and Joanie Schwarz

7. Little Bunny Fofo
Little Bunny Fofo
Hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice
And pulling them out of bed.
Along came a fairy god mother and she said

Little Bunny Fofo
I don’t want to see you
Scooping up the field mice
And pulling them out of bed.
I’ll give you two chances, and then
I’ll turn you into a goon!

Repeat with one more chance
Repeat first verse, and then “Poof!”

8. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

9. Once I Saw a Bunny
Once I Saw a Bunny (close fist and extend middle and index fingers)
And a green, green cabbage head (make fist with other hand)
I think I’ll have some cabbage
The little bunny said
So he nibbled and he nibbled (wiggle the two fingers up and down)
And he pricked up his ears to say (extend fingers straight)
Now I think it’s time
I should be hopping on my way. (hop hand away)

10. Wee Little Bunny by Lauren Thompson
11. Ring Around the Rosie (The song I end every story time with)

Other book suggestions include:
Me and You by Janet Holmes
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Ocean/Sea Storytime

The first theme featured on the Picture Book Month calendar is Ocean. I’m trying to keep pace with the calendar and blog about either the person or the theme featured each day of this month on the calendar. Some days, like today, I might even be able to do both! I’m taking this opportunity to post a story time I did for some kids up to two years of age, although I take no credit for the rhymes featured here. That’s all someone else, I just paired them up.

1. Charlie Went Over the Water (My “starting” song, which can get quite long, but it matches the theme.”
Charlie went over the water, Charlie want over the sea
Charlie caught a blackbird, but can’t catch me. (You repeat once for every child present, substituting their name in instead of “Charlie”)

2. Here is the Sea
Here is the Sea, the wavy sea (wave hands from side to side)
Here is my boat, (cup hands like a boat)
And here is me (point to self)

All of the fishes (wiggle your fingers)
Down below (point downwards)
Wiggle their tails (wiggle your fingers)
And way they go. (wiggle your fingers behind your back)

3. Sail Away by Donald Crews
4. Catching a Fish
One, Two, Three, four, Five (count fingers on left hand)
I caught a little fish alive (catch fingers on right hand with left hand)
Why did you let it go? (release fingers quickly)
Because it bit my fingers so. (shake right hand)
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right. (point to little finger on right hand)

5. Wave by Suzy Lee
6. The Goldfish by Laurie Berkner on Victor Vito cd (first two verses only for under two, since they don’t know how to ride a bike.)
7. The Waves on the Sea
The Waves on the sea go up and down.
Up and down, up and down.
The waves on the sea go up and down
All day long.

The shark in the sea goes snap, snap, snap…
The fish in the sea goes swish, swish, swish…
The boats in the sea go toot, toot, toot…

8. “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” from Musical Scarves and Activities
9. Ocean Shell
I found a great big shell one day (cup hands)
Upon the ocean floor
I held it close up to my ear (raise hands to ear)
I heard the ocean roar!

I found a tiny shell one day (cup one hand)
Upon the ocean sand
The waves had worn it nice and smooth
It felt nice in my hand. (pretend to roll shell between hands)

10. Poems from Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae and David Wojtowycz (The pop-up version, pecifically “Shark” and “Lobster”)

11. Ring Around the Rosie (I ALWAYS ended with two rounds of ring around the Rosie.)

What do you use for your ocean themed story times? Do you go pirates, or have you ever done one with just water as the theme?