Book Review: All The Lovely Bad Ones-Mary Downing Hahn

 

Travis and Corey love making trouble. So when they stay at their Grandma's inn and learn of it's history of ghost sightings, they decide to "haunt" the place. While it brings in business and thrills the guests, it also brings real ghosts. Can the two troublemakers restore peace to the inn and let the ghosts rest?

I'm not really in horror stories, but this book provides a good, old- fashioned spookiness, perfect for fall and Halloween nights.



All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn
Lexile: 670
***** ( 5 stars)
 Here is a fanmade book trailer. Enjoy!

For  those that prefer old-fashioned ghost stories, Hahn is a good author to read. She writes books for children and teens ( and in other genres besides ghost stories, check out her official website). Here are some of her books:

• Wait Till Helen Comes- Molly and Michael dislike their new stepsister but realize they must save her when befriends an evil ghost child.
• Closed for the Season-Two boys set out to solve a murder at an abandoned amusement park.
• Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls- Told from many perspectives (and based on an actual case), tells the story of two girls murdered in 1956.
• Look for Me by Moonlight- While visiting her father and stepmother at a  bed-and-breakfast inn in Maine, a young girl befriends a handsome but mysterious stranger. ( Note- Available in the teen fiction)
• Where I Belong-  A young boy with no friends and is constantly bullied befriends a magical spirit of the forest. (Note- This one is coming soon, and the library is ordering it) 

Book Review: Nelly Gnu and Daddy Too!-Anna Dewdney

 

Nelly Gnu loves her daddy. He can do anything!! And today, they're making a playhouse. But it  needs  more than windows and a roof. So it's time to shop! But it's a big shop, and poor Nelly gets lost. Can Daddy save the day?

Fans of Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama  series will love this new character ( especially girls who love doing things with their dad), filled with bright colors and cute rhymes.   Welcome little Nelly (and Daddy too)!



Nelly Gnu and Daddy Too by Anna Dewdney
 Lexile:200
Age Range: 2 and up
***** (5 Stars)

Want to learn about Llama Llama and his friends? Visit his website, featuring games and more!!

Want more stories about fathers and daughters? Here are some recommendations:

• The Favorite Daughter by Allen Say
• Pink Me Up  by Charise M. Harper
• It's the Best Day Ever, Dad! by Brooke Shields
• Daddy's Girl by Garrison Keilor
• Love Your Heart by Tim McGraw

Upcoming Programs in September

Here are some programs that will happening next month in the Children's Dept at the Central Library. Please visit Library Events for information and to register.

Mother Goose on the Loose-Tuesday, Sept. 2 and 16  at 10 am-Audience: Infants 6-23 months and caregiver (s).


Board Game Fun-Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 6:30 pm-Audience: 2 to 5th grade

Library Cards are Awesome!!- Thursday, Sept. 4 at 4 pm- Audience: K to 5th grade and families

Lego Club- Monday, Sept. 8 at 4pm-Audience: 2nd to 6th grade

Story Time for 4 and 5 yr olds- Tuesday Sept 9 and 23  at 10 am and 2 pm- Audience: 4 and 5 year olds.

Gaming Night- Wednesday Sept 17 at 6 pm- Audience: K-6th

Story Time for 2 and 3 yr olds- Monday, Sept  15  at 10 am- Audience: 2 and 3 year olds and caregivers.

The Hobbit-Thursday, September 25 at 4pm-Audience: K-5th grade.

See You Soon!!

Bookworm List: Shark Week!!

A big thanks to all that took part in this Summer Reading Program. It was fun and there's more fun to come this fall. But now... it's Shark Week!!



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Yes, we now have on display books about sharks, big and small, for Discovery Channel's week of sharks.  First held in July 1988, it was developed to raise shark awareness. ( For more info and list of shows, visit the official website.)

Did you know...

( courtesy of Sharks-Science for Kids)

• Sharks do not have a single bone in their bodies. Instead they have a skeleton made up of cartilage; the same type of tough, flexible tissue that makes up human ears and noses.

• Sharks have outstanding hearing. They can hear a fish thrashing in the water from as far as 500 metres away!

• A pup (baby shark) is born ready to take care of itself. The mother shark leaves the pup to fend for itself and the pup usually makes a fast get away before the mother tries to eat it!

• Great whites are the deadliest shark in the ocean. These powerful predators can race through the water at 30 km per hour.

• A shark always has a row of smaller teeth developing behind its front teeth. Eventually the smaller teeth move forward, like a conveyor belt, and the front teeth fall out.

Want to learn more? Here are some  shark books that on display:

• The World Strangest Sharks by Victor Gentle and Janet Perry
• Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davies
• A Shark Pup Grows Up by Pam Zollman
• Tough, Toothy Baby Sharks by Sandra Markle

Most of our nonfiction shark books are under the call number 597.3 For stories featuring sharks, search " Sharks-Juvenile Fiction" or " Sharks-Fiction".

Happy Shark Week! Keep Reading!!

Book Review: Let There Be Light-Archbishhop Desmond Tutu

 

For most of us ( religious or non-religious), the Bible story of creation has always been moving. And Let There Be Light shows just how moving it can be.

Drawn from his Children of the God Storybook Bible, author and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu presents a simple but powerful telling of how the world was created. What makes this book more wonderful are the breathtaking artwork of Nancy Tillman (author and illustrator of some wonderful books On the Night You Were Born and The Spirit of Christmas). There seems be a magical, warm glow with each picture. I especially love the picture with the powerful waves of the ocean. A book meant to read again and again ( and possibly worth adding to your shelf!!)

Let There Be Light by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Age Range: All Ages
***** ( 5 stars)

For a preview of the stunning artwork, check out the book's trailer-

Want more books on the creation story? Here are a few recommendations:

• Let the Whole Earth Sing Praise by Tomie DePaola
• Creation by Gerald McDermott
• Who Made Me? by Shirley Tulloch
• I Sing for the Animals by   Paul Goble

Bookworm List: Come to the Fair!!

Summer is slowly approaching it's end. But before the shorts and flip flops are put away for pants and school shoes, there still some summer fun to be had... at the fair grounds!!. During the late summer and early fall months, states across the country will holding their state fairs for local farmers and other agricultural groups to show off their livestock and farm products. ( In fact, this Friday marks the start of two fairs: Lake County Fair in Crown Point ( August 1-10) and the Indiana State Fair (August 1-17) in Indianapolis.For more info, please click on link to their websites.)

For those wondering how and why states have state fairs, here's some info I picked up by way of Wikipedia ( click link to see full article). In short, they started in the 19th century for promoting state agriculture ( or farming) by way of livestock and farm product shows. Over the years, they have grown include carnival rides, games, and live entertainment. The first state fair happened in Syracuse, New York in 1841 ( and continues to run annually each year.)

We have a few books on state fairs on display in our ABC-123 box. Here are some of the titles:

• County Fair by Elisa Cooper
• Come to the Fair by Janet Lunn
• Barney goes to the Fair by Maureen Valvassori
•  Mystery at the Fair by Gertrude C. Warner
• Night at the Fair by Donald Crews

For more books about state fairs, try "Fairs-Juvenile Fiction", " Fairs-Juvenile Literature", or "Fairs-Fiction".

By the way...
This is the last week of the Summer Reading Program. We have one final movie tomorrow at noon (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2) and Starlab Portable Planetarium this Thursday at 2pm and 4 pm. The last day to turn in books is Saturday, August 2nd.


Happy Summer!! Keep Reading!!

Book Review-Goatilocks and the Three Bears-Erica S. Perl

 

Most of us know the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. But what if instead of girl it was... a goat? Would she like porridge ( or perhaps eat the bowl)? Would she cause a mess? How will the bears react?

This is an oh-so-cute take on a beloved fairy tale, filled with bright colors, cute cartoon-like drawings  and a very happy, unusual ending.

Goatilocks and the Three Bears by Erica S. Perl
Age Range: 4 and up
**** ( 4 stars)

Want more alternative takes on Goldilocks and the Three Bears? Here are some recommendations:

• Goldie Socks and The Three Libearians by Jackie Hopkins- The bears help Goldie Socks look for the perfect book.
• Rolling Along with Goldie Locks and the Three Bears by Cindy Meyers-Goldie Locks befriends Baby Bear, who uses a wheelchair and goes to physical therapy.
• Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems- Goldilocks breaks into a house of ...dinos!!!

Just a Reminder...

 Just a reminder...


There are only two more weeks left of Fizz Boom Read!! We hope everyone had a good time and that everyone keeps reading and coming to the library. August 2nd is the last day to turn books in for prizes. Please return all children's books to the book drop to the  Circulation desk after August 2nd.

Here is what we have coming up this week and next week. Please register via the Library Calender at the www.lcplin.org or call 769-3541 ext 360.

The Lego Movie- Wednesday, July 23 at noon ( All Ages)

Gaming Night-Wednesday, July 23 at 6pm ( K-6th grade)

Challenger Learning Center-Thursday,July 24 at 1pm ( K-5th grade)

Kids Art Club-Thursday, July 24 at 4pm ( 2nd-6th grade)

Cloudy with Chance of Meatball 2-Wednesday, July 30 at noon

Starlab Portable Planetarium- Thursday, July 31 at 2pm and 4pm

Storytime for 2 and 3 yr olds: Color Magic!!

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Today's storytime was very colorful!! The group heard two stories ( Color Box by Dayle Dodds and I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont). We also counted some monkeys and did some fun bubble wrap art.

Here are some of the songs we did at today's program:

If you like the color Red added 8-7-97 Original Author Unknown

Sung to: "If your happy and you know it"
If you like the color red, Shake your head,
If you like the color red, Shake your head,
If you like the color red,
Then please shake your head.
If you like the color red, shake your head.
Others: Blue, touch your shoe
Black, pat your back
Green, bow like a queen
Yellow, Shake like Jell-O
Brown, Turn around
Pink, give us a wink.

 

Colors ( Blue is the Lake)

Blue is the Lake,
(point to the floor)
Yellow is the sun
(point to the sky)
Silver are the stars,
When the day is done,
(wiggle fingers in the air)
Red is the apple,
(make circle with hands)
Green is the tree
(raise arms over head like branches)
Brown is a chocolate chip cookie for you and me!
(rub tummy)

Want to make a bubble wrap print? Here's a video that shows how ( ask Mom or Dad before getting the bubble wrap!)

We have two more Family Movie Days. They are:

Lego Movie- Wednesday, July 23 at noon

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2- Wednesday, July 30 at noon

The last day to turn in books for the Summer Reading Progam is Saturday, August 2nd.

Storytime for 2 and 3 yr olds will be taking a break next month. Look for our fall session later in September.

Have a Happy Summer! See you in the fall!

Book Review-Let's Do Nothing-Tony Fucile

 

Meet Saul and Frankie. They've done everything, from reading every comic book ever written to baking enough cookies to feed a small country. So what left for them to do? NOTHING!!!

But can doing nothing actually  be fun? Well, you'll have to read this fun, laugh-out loud AWESOME book for yourself. (Which by the way was written and illustrated by a former Disney animator!!!) Reminds me of Phineas and Ferb or Arthur and Buster.

 Unless you actually are doing .. something. Still, read anyway!!

Let's Do Nothing by Tony Fucile
Age Range: 4 and up
Lexile: 360
***** ( 5 stars)

Want a preview? Here's the book trailer:  
 


Want more fun books about imagination? Here are some recommendations-

• The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black