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Book Recommendations from the Children's Room Staff--and YOU! |
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Musqon is learning how to find sweetgrass, the plant that her grandmother uses to weave decorative baskets. At first, it is hard to tell one type of grass from another. Slowly, Musquon learns which grass to pick. Passamaquoddy-Maliseet words are scattered throughout, with a glossary at the end. A quiet story about the Wabanki people, whose land we live on. (STORIES—Greenlaw, Suzanne) |
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Ella and Herbie, twins, have moved to a new house. While their mom goes shopping for hardware supplies, the local handyman Mr. Mital keeps the children busy by having them help him with his work. Along the way, he points out a variety of inventions that were created by African-Americans. Flaps fold out from the pages with more information on each adventure. I enjoyed the combination of a fictional story with facts about inventors, and it’s sure to make you want to learn more about who invented the things around your house. (J 609.2 Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem) |
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Snapdragon knows there’s a witch that lives in her town. When she rescues some baby possums, she goes to the supposed witch, Jacks, for help. It turns out Jacks is more of an “old lady selling animal skeletons on the internet” type than an actual witch (or is she?). As Jacks and Snap become closer, their friendship unlocks secrets from the past and gives them both hope for the future. (J Graphic Fic Leyh) |
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The story begins when a bear finds a piece of paper with words written on it. Of course he doesn’t understand what the different letters mean but he is intrigued just the same. He meets up with an unlikely friend who spends much of her time reading outside. The woman is not afraid of the bear and ends up reading her books out loud to him. Bear returns to her cabin day after day to hear the beautiful sounds coming from her voice. Enjoy the soft, realistic illustrations that enhance the power and magic of reading in this timeless tale. This is one of my favorite picture books of all time. (STORIES-- Haseley, Dennis) |
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There are two main, loveable characters in this book, Mr. Putter and his faithful, old cat named Tabby. Mr. Putter loves the fall season best because the ripe pears in his back yard means there will be delicious pear jelly. Unfortunately, his cranky legs don’t work well enough for him to climb his ladder and pick any pears. Come join these two on their sweet and funny, backyard adventures to see if they end up with pear jelly after all. All of the books in this series will entertain and surprise you with an unpredictable turn of events as the easy-to-read chapters unfold. (BEGINNER Rylant, Cynthia) |
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So, we all know how the story ends for Abraham Lincoln, but most people don’t know what happened to his assassin, John Wilkes Booth, after the infamous shooting. Read this fast-paced true story about the twelve day manhunt to find Booth. The story also takes you back to the not-so-well-known events that happened during Lincoln’s last hours. While reading this historical thriller, believe it or not, you may actually find yourself rooting for the bad guy. (J BIOGRAPHY Booth, J CD BIOGRAPHY Booth) |
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"On the Run" is book one in the Bird and Squirrel series. I would say this book is the easiest read out of the series. But, that doesn't take away from the level of scariness. Bird almost turns into cat food and there's a hawk attack. There is a lot of tension that kept me on the edge of my seat! I have lots of fun reading this book and I would definitely recommend it to other kids.
~Review from Ari M., age 8.5, through Beanstack
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This could be you! Do you have a beloved book you would like to review? Fill out the form on our website or email slcote@windhammaine.us with the title, author, and a short review and you could be in the next newsletter!
~Review by YOU
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Children's Room Highlights |
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5 Spooky Reads
In fall, I like to read books that scare me, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Here are five books that cover the range of scariness.
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Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds. Jasper Rabbit is NOT scared of underwear. After all, he’s a grown rabbit. But when the glowing green underwear keeps returning to his room, he might have to admit he is a little scared. Just the right amount of creepy for little ones. STORIES—Reynolds, Aaron
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Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima. A lonely house discovers she makes weird noises that seem to scare off families. Maybe she can stop the noises and get a family to move in? Or maybe she should accept herself the way she is. This is a gentle scare. STORIES—Sima, Jessie
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Small Spaces by Katherine Arden. Ollie steals a book that’s about to be thrown in the water, because she loves books so much. She learns about the story of Beth and the “Smiling Man”. During a field trip to a farm, the bus breaks down, and the bus driver tells them to leave. Only Ollie and two friends listen, and it’s the start of a hair-raising adventure. Two sequels have been written so far. J Fic Arden
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The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste. Corinne lives on an island with her father, hearing the stories about jumbies (supernatural creatures) but not believing them. She follows an agouti in the forest one day, and senses something but can't see it. The jumbies are real...and they found her. I appreciated learning more about what kinds of stories are native to the Caribbean, and enjoyed this spooky fairy tale based on one. This book is the first in a trilogy. J FIC Baptiste
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Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature’s Undead by Rebecca L. Johnson. While none of these are quite like the zombies you see on TV and in movies, these creatures do have characteristics of zombies. From fungi who can take over the brain of a housefly to the rabies virus, the book outlines different traits of zombies and how nature mimics them. Some pictures are not for the squeamish. J 578.65 Johnson
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5 Favorite Read Alouds
Read aloud books are just as enjoyable, if not more so, for the one who’s reading the book than the one who is being read to. Here are some of my favorites:
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Tanka Tanka Skunk by Steve Webb. Be prepared to clap your hands and wiggle your body to the rhythm and rhymes coming from the many colorful, entertaining animals. Good luck reading this fun book only once, even though the last page says, “one more time!” STORIES--Webb, Steve
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The Book With No Pictures by B. J. Novak. What a unique concept, to have a picture book with no pictures in it. Throughout this very funny book, with only words, the audience gets to laugh, while the reader gets to embarrass herself. STORIES--Novak, B. J.
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Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet. Anyone who enjoys watching the Thanksgiving parade in New York City will enjoy this true story about how Tony Sarg created the gigantic, helium filled balloons. The mixed-media collage illustrations in this award winning book by Melissa Sweet are as colorful and exciting as the parade itself. J BIOGRAPHY Sarg
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Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai. Ten year old Ha migrates to America from Vietnam and has a hard time adjusting to the new culture, and customs. Based on true events, this novel in verse is a beautiful read aloud about strength, optimism, and love. J FIC Lai
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Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis Sachar. The children at the Wayside School have much more to learn than just the basic subjects. This elementary school was accidentally built sideways, and is full of surprises, humor, and out of the ordinary adventures. J FIC Sachar
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Windham Public Library | 207-892-1908 |
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