Staff Picks

STAFF PICKS

Ms. Sue's favorite new children's books for the month of August

T. Veg The Story of the Carrot-Crunching Dinosaur
Smriti Prasadam-Halls
Picture Book
Ages 4-8
A fun story about a dinosaur who doesn't eat meat (unlike his fellow dinosaurs) but prefers veggies instead.  Just like me!!

If Sharks Disappeared
Lily Williams
Non-Fiction
Ages 4-8
This book makes a great follow-up to any child who attended the "Sensational Sharks" program at the library in July.  The book tells how important sharks are in our world, even if they are a little frightening!






The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors
Drew Daywalt
Picture Book
From the Kingdom of the Backyard, Rock searches for an adversary that might best him, meanwhile Paper and Scissors set off on their own quests for competitors.  Very funny!

Ms. Julie's Picks

Wolf Hollow
Lauren Wolk
Chapter Book
Ages 10 and up
Growing up in a rural Pennsylvania town, Annabelle, the oldest child in a family of five, discovers the kind of person she wants to be through repeated encounters with a bully and an evolving friendship with the town outcast.
Recommended for fans of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird or anyone who wants to see how a 12-year-old meets the challenges of personal and social injustice. Wolf Hollow is a beautifully crafted and well written book that will render you incapable of not finding out where the paths of the three main characters lead them.

OCDaniel
Wesley King
Chapter Book
Ages 8 and up
During the day, Daniel is in many ways a typical 8th grader. He plays football, does well in school, has a best friend, and a crush on one of his classmates. However at night, he finds himself carrying out elaborate, self-created routines he feels he must complete for fear of dying. Everything changes when Daniel is passed an anonymous note and he begins playing detective and finds acceptance in an unlikely place.
OCDaniel is an honest, funny, and at times heartbreaking look at mental illness from the eyes of a 13-year-old. The character’s struggles with OCD are largely based on those the author, Wesley King, experienced from ages 7-16.

Ms. Emma's Favorites

Making Bombs For Hitler 
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Chapter Book
Grades 3-7
A stark look at a part of the horrors committed during WWII by the Nazis.  The story follows a young Ukranian girl who was kidnapped from her home and forced into labor by the Nazis first as a seamstress and then as a bomb maker because of her "steady hands".  She makes friends and looses friends as she suffers.  While the facts behind the story are horrible, the book's descriptions are mild and suitable for tween readers.

Real Friends 
Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham
Graphic Novel
Grades 2-6
This graphic memoir is all about how hard it can be to find your real friends, but why it's ultimately worth the journey.  Shannon has a hard time when her best friend starts hanging out with the most popular girl in the class and a group where, one day you're in and the next you're out.  An honest, familiar portrayal of growing up, highlighted by the fantastic artwork of LeUyen Pham.

Check to see if any of these books are available by clicking on the title.  The link will take you directly to our catalog.  Or, call the Children's Department at 631-363-6133.