The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure

Written by Jill Santopolo

Illustrations by Nathan Hale

Christopher Columbus is not Alec's favorite historical figure. Unfortunately for Alec, the entire of month of October is dedicated to researching Columbus! On top of that, there is a new exhibit at the museum that highlights Columbus' travels and contributions to the world. Surprisingly, Alec's dad, a police detective, receives a call to investigate a missing exhibit at the museum; not just any exhibit...the Columbus exhibit! Lucky for him, Alec gets to practice being a super sleuth and help his father with the case. When he decides that he cannot solve the mystery on his own, he befriends Gina, a girl in his class. Gina turns out to be a great partner, and she also presents a second mystery to Alec. The mystery of what happened to their art teacher!

Did you figure out the solutions to both of Alec and Gina's mysteries before you were finished reading the book? Do you like the mystery genre? What are some other mysteries you have read?

Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally)

Written by Lisa Yee

Illustrated by Dan Santat

Bobby and Holly have been friends forever. That is, until they started fourth grade. Holly suddenly becomes friends with Jillian Zarr; and that's when things begin to change. Bobby thinks she is acting like a girl (instead of like his best friend.) Besides his former best friend becoming friends with someone else, Bobby has other problems to deal with. For example, his former-football-star-now-stay-at-home-dad cannot seem to conquer the task of cooking any meal without burning it, and he becomes a "PTO lady!" Bobby also wants a dog more than anything in the world, but he settles for a pet fish named Rover. When it's time for class elections, Bobby finds himself competing with Holly for the class representative position. He wonders how he will survive the elections as he finds himself in the middle of an all-out boy vs. girl war!

Have you ever had a fight with your best friend? Have you ever been friends with someone and suddenly realized that you weren't really friends after all? What did you do? Does this book remind you of another book you've read?

Annie Glover is Not a Tree Lover

Written by Darleen Bailey Beard

Pictures by Heather Maione

Annie Glover is used to her grandmother's outrageous protests of things that she thinks are wrong. This time, however, Grandma has gone too far! Tying herself to the huge tree she calls Elmer across the street from Annie's school is just too embarrassing! The city wants to cut down the tree in order to build a swimming pool, but Annie's grandmother is determined to save the 100-year-old piece of the town's history.

Have you ever been embarrassed by someone in your family? What happened? How did you overcome the problem?

Umbrella Summer

Written by Lisa Graff

Annie is certain her symptoms indicate that she has several diseases or other health problems. She also feels that a person can't be too careful to prevent accidents. She stocks up on Band-Aids and is sure to wear her bicycle helmet wherever she goes (even if she's walking to her best friend's house down the street.) Since her brother died unexpectedly, she spends every minute trying to prevent another tragedy in her family. The grown-ups around her are very worried, but they don't know how to help her. After a misunderstanding with her best friend and acquiring an unlikely new friend, Annie learns how to stop worrying, put down her "umbrella," and begin to enjoy life.


When I first started reading this book I was confused about who Jared was and why his death was such a bid deal to Annie. I also couldn't understand how a 10-year-old could be so preoccupied with health problems. However, the more I read, the more I began to understand Annie's situation. The author does a great job giving the reader a glimpse into the characters' thoughts and emotions. I could hardly put the book down because I wanted to know what happened next. Have you ever been so involved in a book that you lost track of time? What book was it? What made you enjoy the book so much?

Dying to Meet You

Written by Kate Klise

Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

Although his parents have abandoned him, Seymour is happy. He lives in an old Victorian mansion with his cat and a ghost that he can only see when she allows him to. He is trying to earn enough money to buy the house from his parents when the house is unexpectedly rented out for the summer by a "has-been" author trying to overcome writer's block. At first, Seymour isn't worried because he has successfully scared away all potential buyers. Until now. Will he scare away the author? Can Olive, the ghost, help?

Would you read the next book in this series? Why or why not? If you are a fan of ghost stories, what are some of your other favorites?

Gruffen

Written by Chris D'Lacey

Illustrated by Adam Stower

Lucy's mom is an artist that works with clay. Her art studio is called the Dragon's Den because her specialty is creating magical dragons. In fact, their house is protected by many of her creations. Gruffen's job is to protect Lucy from the monster that is flying around her window each night. Much to Gruffen's surprise, the monster turns out to be a really good friend.

This chapter book is the first in a new series by Chris D'Lacey called The Dragons of Wayward Crescent. If Lucy's mom could make you a dragon with a special talent, what kind of dragon would you want? Why?

Nathaniel Fludd Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix

Written by R. L. LaFevers

Illustrated by Kelly Murphy

Nathaniel's parents were explorers. They left him with a caretaker until his sense of adventure developed, but promised to send for him when he was older. By the time he turned ten and still hadn't received a letter from his parents, Nathaniel gave up on that dream. One day, a lawyer contacted his caregiver stating that he had word from the boy's parents. Unfortunately, the news he had wasn't good; Nathaniel's parents had been declared lost at sea. What's more is that Nathaniel was now to leave his caretaker and live with a distant relative, Phil Fludd. Faced with this life-changing news, Nathaniel was put on a train and sent to the unknown relative's home. Upon his arrival, he learned that this relative was a beastologist, whatever that is. Scared and lonely, Nathaniel was determined to learn all he could about his parents and the rest of his ancestors, as well as to figure out if he deserved to be a member of this family of great explorers.

During his first quest with Aunt Phil, Nathaniel receives a most important gift from a phoenix that he protects. The book ends and we never learn what becomes of this gift. What do you think Nathaniel and Aunt Phil will do with it? Do you think we will read about it in the next book from this series?

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman

Written by Marc Tyler Nobleman

Illustrated by Ross MacDonald

Although he never felt like he fit in at school, Jerry Siegel knew exactly where he did belong. He belonged at home reading comic books or writing more adventures of superheroes and science fiction stories. His imagination was always wandering off to faraway galaxies or dangerous situations that only a superhero could survive. One day, Jerry met Joe Shuster and realized he had finally found someone just like him! Joe read lots of comic books and made up lots of action stories of his own too. Unlike Jerry, Joe told his stories through pictures. He drew all the time. One day the two boys created a superhero unlike any they had read about before. A publishing company bought their idea and that's how the world was introduced to Superman.

Readers learned that two shy boys worked together to create a superhero that could conquer anything. If you could be a superhero, what would your super power be? Why? How would you use that super power to help the world?

One Giant Leap

Written by Robert Burleigh
Illustrated by Mike Wimmer

Over 41 years ago humans landed on the moon for the first time. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the astronauts on board the Eagle. They had waited their entire careers for the opportunity to be a part of such a special mission! History was made that July day in 1969. The whole world watched for the images of a landscape that had never before been seen and listened for the very first words to be spoken on the moon's surface. The astronauts had only two hours to collect rocks and other samples and to explore their immediate surroundings in that foreign place. After lots of effort, they finally got an American flag to stand tall and proud on the moon's surface. Then, it was time for liftoff and reconnecting with Columbia to finish the final part of their journey - a safe trip back to Earth.

Can you imagine what Neil and Buzz felt like as they made the journey back to Earth after landing successfully on the moon? What do you think they did first when they arrived at home? Would you travel to the moon if you had the opportunity?

Never Smile at a Monkey: And 17 Other Important Things to Remember

Written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Wild animals are fascinating! Larger animals like tigers, sharks, and crocodiles are obviously dangerous, but did you know that some smaller creatures are equally as deadly? For instance, did you know that you should never collect a cone shell? Did you know that the cane toad is extremely venomous? I bet you also thought smiling at rhesus monkeys was completely harmless; but you should never do that either!

What was the most interesting fact about a deadly creature that you learned from this book? You can research using the library's online resources to find out more about your favorite animal. (Ask Mrs. Jankowski for the login information!)

My Hippo has the Hiccups: and Other Poems I Totally Made Up

Written by Kenn Nesbitt

Illustrated by Ethan Long

This collection of over one hundred poems on topics to which kids can relate is sure to make young readers laugh! I think this would be a great book to read aloud during those transitional times in the classroom or when everyone just needs a good laugh!

I laughed out loud at so many of the poems, but I think my favorite is "If I Were the Principal." Which one is your favorite? Try memorizing the poem and sharing it with your teacher, family, or friends.

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, & a Miracle

Written by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, & Mary Nethery

One day during an expedition with his Marine troop, Major Brian Dennis stumbled upon a stray dog. The dog was extremely cautious around the men. Major Dennis called him Nubs because his ears had been cut very short (in an effort to make him a good dog of war.) Although Nubs belonged to no one, he quickly warmed up to Major Dennis and started following him to all of his duties. When the troops moved to other locations, Nubs followed. In fact, he even followed the men to their headquarters 70 miles away! Even though it was against the rules for Marines to have pets, the men had no choice but to keep Nubs around since he was determined to follow them everywhere. One day, soldiers from another unit reported Major Dennis for having a dog. He promptly received orders to get rid of Nubs. That night, he talked with his teammates and they decided to figure out a way for Nubs to be sent to America. Major Dennis didn't want Nubs to suffer anymore in Iraq so he began emailing friends and family to help him find a way to get Nubs to the United States.

Why do you think the other soldiers reported Major Dennis for having a dog? Do you think it should be against the rules for soldiers to have pets?

How Oliver Olson Changed the World

Written by Claudia Mills

Illustrated by Heather Maione

Oliver Olson isn't sure that he can change the world at all. In fact, he's not even sure he can change his parents' minds about them doing his homework, projects, and even tying his shoes for him! When he gets the assignment to create a diorama of the solar system, he knows that his parents will go overboard as always. Crystal, one of his classmates, is very upset when she learns that Pluto is no longer considered a planet. She persuades Oliver to work on the diorama with her, but he's not sure his parents will be able to handle not being in control of the project. Once he finally convinces them that it will be okay, he and Crystal devise a plan to speak up for Pluto and include it in their diorama. What will Oliver's parents think about all of this?!

Scientists decided that Pluto should no longer be considered a planet because it is too small. They have discovered other bodies that revolve around the sun and are larger than Pluto but are not considered planets. Crystal and Oliver were very mad about this recent change in science facts. Do you think Pluto should still be considered a planet? Why or why not?

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival

Written by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery
Illustrated by Jean Cassels

Bobbi the dog and Bob Cat lived in New Orleans. During August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused a tremendous amount of damage to the city. Officials warned people to evacuate and many did, but they were not allowed to take their pets. After 110-mile-per-hour winds and an enormous amount of rain, many families lost their homes and all of their belongings. Although Bobbi and Bob Cat were left behind, they figured out a way to work together for survival. Bobbi had a chain attached to his collar and Bob Cat learned to follow it. The two set out to find food and their owners. Luckily, they were finally able to find humans who took them to the safety of the Best Friends Animal Society where they were examined and cared for until their owners could be found or they could be placed with a new family.

Like New Orleans, we have experienced many hurricanes in Houston, Texas. If you and your family had to evacuate for a natural disaster and you were only allowed to take 5 items with you (not counting food, clothing, or medical supplies,) what would you take? Why?

A new beginning

Although I have been previously blogging about the books I read at my first blog, I decided to start a new one. I hope to use it to share information about our library, books, and other fun topics with my students and staff members.