Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Sick Day by David McPhail is the perfect book for young beginning readers with its simple text and beautiful colorful illustrations. A young boy is sick and his friends, dog and bird, both try to help him feel better. This is a sweet story that shows readers no matter who is feeling under the weather friends can come together to make each other feel better.

Everybody enjoys snow days! Even Mouse…he is warm inside the house having fun finding and nibbling on crumbs while the family is busy baking cookies. When Mouse accidentally gets swept outside in the snow the real adventure begins. Read Snow Day For Mouse by Judy Cox and follow Mouse on his adventure through the snow, meet his new friends and see if Cat ever catches up with him.

Its springtime and almost all the animals at the Springfield Zoo are having babies except the tree kangaroo and the pandas. Life isn’t fair! Then one day the zoo’s veterinarian arrives with an endangered egg needing someone to give it a home. Wild About You by Judy Sierra is a heartfelt story about adoption, reminding readers it takes a whole community to raise a baby.

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Peppa Pig And The Lost Christmas List created by Neville Astley, Mark Baker and Phil Davies is the perfect book to help get kids in the Christmas spirit.  Join Peppa Pig and her friends as they prepare for Christmas.  After all the friends’ preparations, it turns out to be a surprising Christmas when Santa loses his Christmas list.  Will Peppa be able to help Santa save Christmas? 

Henry and his first-grade friends love playing soccer together at recess until Sam, a second-grade bully, starts causing them problems.  After several days of bullying, Henry doesn’t know what to do.  Will Henry be able to show Sam he is not afraid of a bully?  Nancy Carlson’s, Henry And The Bully, is a great example of how kids can use their own intelligence to solve problems.     

Oh NO! frog falls into a deep, deep hole.  Soon mouse does too and then loris.  Who will rescue the animals?  Will a hungry tiger help them or hurt them?  Read Oh NO!, a rollicking romp in the forest, by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann.  

There is nothing sweeter than the sound of a baby laughing.  One day a little baby laughed for the first time.  His family was so excited for him they decided to have a “laugh-out-loud party.”  Family and friends came from miles away to hear the little baby laugh.  Read Laugh-Out-Loud Baby by Tony Johnston and Stephen Gammell and see what happens when everyone arrives to hear the little baby laugh.

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Horseplay! written by Karma Wilson is a playful romp about a farmer and his horses.  The farmer notices his horses are always too tired to work.  He eventually figures out his horses are playing all night when they are supposed to be sleeping.  Read this fun story and see what happens to the farmer when he decides to stay up all night and make sure his horses get some sleep.  

Daniel Pinkwater’s, Bear In Love, is a sweet story about a bear who starts everyday looking for something yummy to eat.  One morning he sees that someone has left him something sweet and crunchy to eat.  Over the next few days someone leaves him something to eat and bear wonders who would do something that nice for him.  This is a lovable story about the importance of sharing and friendship.

When a young boy is sent to a corner for time out he decides the corner needs some fixing up.  He thinks the walls are too white and definitely need some color.  Read Time Out For Monsters! by Jean Reidy and discover how this young boy’s imagination comes to life.

Bear wants to invite his friends for a nice big dinner but he has no food in his cupboards.  His friends start showing up with all sorts of delicious food to eat.  Bear is sad he has nothing to share but his friends help him discover he has something better to share than just food.  Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson helps kids remember all the wonderful things they have to be thankful for.

A Treasure At Sea For Dragon And Me Water Safety For Kids And Dragons is the perfect combination of adventure and water safety by Jean E. Pendziwol.   In this book spend a summer day with a girl and her friend dragon as they build sand castles, swim and play in the water, and race pirates to treasure.    Along the way, kids will learn important swimming rules they can practice in real life to help them be water smart.  The Dragon’s Water Safety Rhyme and the checklist of rules at the end of the book are perfect tools parents can use when having water safety discussions with their kids. 

Library Buzz: There Really Are Fifty Shades of Grey

People often ask, “What is Banned Books Week? Are you banning books?” Quite the opposite. Librarians don’t ban books. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I’ll decide I don’t like a book. Sometimes, I won’t even read it first (I’m that unenlightened). But here’s the thing: Librarians don’t have to ban the books we don’t agree with. We know you’ll read the book and decide for yourself.

It’s not black and white: there’s no line with “Good books” on one side and “Bad books” on the other. If you like romance novels, your definition of “good” is going to differ from my action-adventure tastes. Some books have poor plots but fabulous prose. Others are badly written but tell great stories. Maybe they’re awful. Maybe they’re everything you ever wanted and more. You won’t know until you read them.

For this one week each year, we encourage you to read things that other people don’t want you to read. Check out these frequently challenged or banned books:

Middle school students might enjoy “The Giver” by Lois Lowry, set in a dystopian future that will appeal to fans of “The Hunger Games.” In a world where government chooses your job, your spouse, even when you die, one young man must make a painful choice of his own.

High school students should try “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles, frequently banned from high schools for offensive language, but so thought-provoking that I still think about it more than ten years after reading it. It’s beautifully written with flawed, yet relatable, characters.

For the adults, I recommend “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett, frequently challenged for being violent and sexually explicit. It is certainly those things, but it’s also epic. This historical fiction follows the rivalries of peasants, priests, and royals in medieval England. Plan to miss dinner because you won’t be able to put it down.

Banned Books Week kicks off our Big Read celebration, which lasts all October. This year, citizens of Andover are reading “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, a cautionary tale of book burning in an age of unlimited government control. Join us at the library all month for Big Read activities, such as an altered books workshop October 13 and a visit from the fire department October 27. If you’d rather rescue books than burn them, shop our used book sale October 20. Check our website for more events.

Until next month, don’t let anyone tell you what you can and can’t read!

(Originally published in the Andover American 10/4/12)

Library Buzz: Caution: Adventure Ahead

When I say, "Let's have an adventure!" chances are good that what I actually mean is "Let's think about having an adventure!" Face it: adventures are expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. For me – maybe for you, too – just pondering an adventure is enough, and the best place for that sort of thing is the library.

So, how about it? Do you feel like having an adventure today?

For the would-be traveler, check out a travel guide from our nonfiction collection. I recommend DK's Eyewitness Travel Guides, known for their full-color photographs and detailed descriptions of must-see locations. For the less ambitious, stay close to home with "A Food Lover's Guide to Kansas City," by Sylvie Murphy.

What better way to pretend you're planning a trip than by studying a foreign language? With a state library card, any Kansas resident can access the Mango Languages database for free lessons on up to 40 languages, including French, Spanish, or Italian for novice adventurers and things like Farsi, Urdu, and Tagalog for the seasoned globe-trotter. Mango is also available as an app on iPhone and Android devices, so you can take your language lessons with you everywhere. To apply for your Kansas library card (not to be confused with an Andover library card), bring a valid Kansas driver's license to the library's front desk.

Don't forget to stop by the library at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, for a brief Mango Languages' demonstration during our International Talk Like a Pirate Day party. We'll have snacks, a treasure hunt, and a family-friendly pirate movie.

If pretend adventures aren't your thing, nonfiction adventure stories are a great way to live vicariously through other people. For an armchair adventure of your own, try "Near Death on the High Seas: True Stories of Disaster and Survival," by Cecil Kuhne for amazing true stories of shipwrecks, dangerous voyages, and storms at sea that will keep you on the edge of your very comfy seat. Alternatively, try Robert Kurson's "Shadow Divers: the True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II" and follow along as real divers try to identify the wreck of a German U-boat that, according to government records, shouldn't exist.

If you think you'd like to take your adventure past the planning stages, Andover Library is also a passport application processing facility. Agents are available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding any day the library is closed). Visit www.travel.state.gov or call the library and ask to speak to a passport agent to learn what you need to bring with you to apply. It can take up to six weeks for your passport to arrive in the mail, so give yourself plenty of lead time before your trip.

At the library, we're here for all of your adventure planning needs, whether your adventures are real or imaginary, because planning really is the best part. Follow-through is exceedingly overrated.

(Originally published in the Andover American 9/5/12)

Library Buzz: Silence in the Library?

(Andover Public Library now has a monthly column in the Andover American. "Library Buzz" is written by YA librarian Tori Hamilton and will appear in the first issue of each month.)

The library isn’t what it used to be. There was a time when the library was quiet. Maybe you remember what I'm talking about: Stooped-backed old ladies with thick glasses and gray hair in tight buns skulked around shushing everybody, like that ghost at the beginning of Ghostbusters. Their stern gazes followed you around the room, thin-lipped grimaces daring you to touch their precious books, let alone put one back on the wrong shelf.

Seriously, what fun is that?

At the Andover Public Library, we have a lot going on. Sure, we still have books, including new releases, best-sellers, and favorite classics, but we offer so much more than that. Between our interactive storytimes, friends catching up on the latest news, tutors working with students, and local businessmen using our wi-fi to connect with the world, it can get a bit noisy sometimes. We're okay with that. At APL, we believe a library is an integral part of any close-knit community and anytime you bring people together in the spirit of fun, "quiet" goes right out the window. Drop in and visit us during any of our special events to see for yourself: in the past six months alone we've had jugglers, live animal demonstrations, used book sales, guest speakers, art programs, concerts, book clubs, Lego clubs, family movie nights, tea parties, gaming tournaments, and the occasional puppet show. You're bound to find something at the library you'll enjoy, and I promise you we don’t have much time to wander the stacks shushing people. 

Some of our hottest new books aren’t particularly quiet either: just gripping action and nail-biting suspense. The latest James Patterson novel, I, Michael Bennet pits the New York detective and father of ten against ruthless South American drug lords. Bennett will do anything to protect his family, a quality that many readers relate to and which sets this series apart from others Hard-Boiled Detective novels. If you’d rather start with the first Michael Bennett novel, check out Step on a Crack by James Patterson.

Daniel Silva’s new Fallen Angel has art restorer and former spy Gabriel Allon solving a murder in Saint Peter’s Basilica. The investigation leads Gabriel to St. Moritz, the Vatican, the back alleys of Istanbul, and a dramatic climax in Jerusalem; it’s like watching the Travel Channel, only with art smuggling and spy action.

Other popular titles include Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Litigators by John Grisham, and (in nonfiction) Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson. If you’d like to check out any of these titles, come by the library, give us a call, or access our catalog online to put the item on hold. We’ll contact you as soon as it’s available.

Until next month, go out there and make some noise.
(Originally published in the Andover American, 8/2/12)

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

It’s a perfect day for a picnic so Hen, Goose and Duck pick lots of apples, pears, and berries and set out to find a place to have their picnic.  When the picnic basket starts to feel lighter and lighter, they realize they are not the only ones who love apples, pears, and berries.  Read We’re Going On A Picnic! by Pat Hutchins and find out who is eating their favorite fruits. 

Pop is a tiny tugboat working really hard helping all the big boats in and out of the harbor.  One day a new boat named Toot is brought into the harbor. Toot is enormous and doesn’t think he needs help from anyone, especially a boat as small at Pop.  Sebastien Braun’s Toot and Pop! teaches young kids what real friends are for. 

Little Lost Tiger by Jonathan London is a wonderful story about a mother Siberian tiger and her cub, Amba.   As she goes in search of food in the snow-covered forest, they separate for just a few minutes.   Suddenly, there’s an extremely loud roar.  Fire! Will Amba and his mother find each other again?  Find out in this book that shows the power of love between a parent and child.

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Once there was a beautiful doll with long dark curls and beautiful blue eyes.  She is passed from owner to owner but longs for someone to keep her and love her and give her a name.  Read this charming story, The Hand-Me-Down Doll by Steven Kroll and see what happens when one day the beautiful doll meets a little girl and her luck changes.

Can the Kindergators and Miss Harmony find a way to help Miracle control her meltdowns in the classroom?  Read Kindergators Miracle Melts Down by Rosemary Wells and see how Miss Harmony and the Kindergators handle Miracle when things don’t go her way and she has temper tantrums.  Young readers will learn how to work together to be good friends to their classmates and create harmony in the classroom.    

“No, little Twiga.  Stay close, stay safe.”  Mama giraffe wants her little baby Twiga to stay close, stay safe from the dangers out in the big world of the African savanna.  But little Twiga is so curious.  Read Stay Close to Mama by Toni Buzzeo and follow along with little Twiga as he explores the African savanna.

Chris Gall’s Dinotrux are back in Revenge Of The Dinotrux.  The Dinotrux have spent years stuck in an old museum and are tired of being surrounded by loud screaming kids.  They are ready to break out and seek revenge.  Read this fun story and see if the Dinotrux learn how to behave out in the real world. 

Book Chat - Pioneer Woman, Steve Jobs

Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond
****
"Enjoyed this light read that has plenty of humorous moments.  A young woman's idea of the ideal life changes when she meets a special man.  Takes you through all the adjustments of single to married then married with a baby." -- Janelle Heaney

Steve Jobs by Issacson Walter
*****
" It's a very good biography.  Not only because Steve Jobs is a century legend, but also the influence he gives to the society and industry.  I am amazed to read his childhood and how his childhood influenced him to his future success.  I will recommend it to any adults to read." -- Naixin Willis

Book Chat-- I Quit!, A Merry Heart, The Forgotten Garden

I Quit! Stop Pretending Everything if Fine & Change Your Life by Geri Scazzero

*****

"This book was great. It addressed many areas in life.  I love that it gave us permission to not be perfect.  She had many great things to say in her chapters."-- Jenni Wagner

A Merry Heart by Wanda Brunstetter 

****

"A good lesson can be learned from this book - bitterness and unforgiveness hurts you, not the other person your anger is toward.  It can also affect your physical well-being.  Attitude is a choice.  Miriam is not enjoying life and is merely existing.  While she does have an influence on others - she is a school teacher - it is hindered by her attitude.  Miriam must learn to forgive and let her defenses down to live life fully and allow love to bloom once again.  While I did learn from and enjoy this book, I find one of the other "Amish fiction" writers to be a better author and my favorite." -- Grace Snider

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

*****

"I really enjoyed this story of a granddaughter uncovering the secret past of her grandmother.  The book alternates between the early 1900's in England, Australia in the 1970's and modern day." -- Robin Willford

Book Chat - The Language of Flowers, Fifty Shades Darker, Just One Look

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

*****

"This is an amazing book.  Well written.  Great story, very moving.  It has made the list of one of my all time favorite books.  There is meaning in everything.  Find some in Flowers." -- Katy Carroll

Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

***

"First book was better; this one was harder to get through.  More excited to read the third book.  Their relationship progresses and you can understand Fifty's psyche more.  Was still a good book, but drags a little." -- Julie Martinez

Just One Look by Harlan Coben

****

"This book has a lot of twists and turns in it. A woman who's husband mysteriously left after she shows him an old photograph she's found, a friend who might not be as loyal as she thinks & a mobster who's befriended her in her plight to find her husband.  She soon learns that her marriage isn't what she thought, her past is coming back to haunt her and her husband is in a lot more trouble than she was aware of.  She finds herself all alone as she tries to unravel the mystery of their tangled lives." -- Amy Jones

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Chloe is a cute little bunny with ten older brothers and sisters and ten younger brothers and sisters.  She loves being exactly in the middle!  She especially loves using her imagination during their family fun time.  Read Chloe by Peter McCarty and find out what happens when her dad brings home a surprise that Chloe is not sure she will like?

Cheeky and Chee are two playful monkeys hiding in a tree.  Who are they hiding from?  Find out when you read Two Little Monkeys, a fun rhyming book, by Mem Fox. 

Louise wants to be a very important person but no one ever seems to notice her.  Then one day a new girl, Claire Eclaire, comes to her neighborhood straight from Paris.  She opens the Ooh-la-la Charm School and Louise is just sure she will finally be noticed.  Louise The Big Cheese And The Ooh-La-La Charm School by Elise Primavera teaches kids what it really means to be a good friend.

Has it ever occurred to you back in the mid-nineteenth century most people didn’t have any idea what a dinosaur looked like?  As a young boy, Waterhouse Hawkins loved sketching the world around him, especially animals.  Not only did he love drawing and painting them, he loved sculpting models of them.  Even though dinosaur fossils had been found most people had no idea what a dinosaur looked like.  Waterhouse followed his dream and devoted over three decades to building the first life-size models of dinosaurs.  Barbara Kerley tells his extraordinary story of passion and courage in The Dinosaurs Of Waterhouse Hawkins.

Book Chat: The Passage, Nineteen Minutes

The Passage by Justin Cronin
*****
"This book gives you lots to sink your teeth into with almost 700 pages!  Apocalyptic story that spans 100 year of blood, sweat and tears.  Gripping, fresh, and timely! Can't wait for the sequel due to be released in October 2012!" - Suzanne Eastman

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult 
*****
"This book really shows what could happen as a result of bullying.  The author develops the characters so well.   I felt so bad for the parents in this book as well as the kids who were bullied." - Kristen Book

Summer Reading Prize Winners

The summer reading program is over!
Here are the results of our prize drawing on July 14th:

Adult Summer Reading Prizes

The Nook Color = Charlotte Kraft

Healing Waters Basket = Jenni Wagner

Metro Grill / Warren Basket = Laurisa Condray

Donor Basket = Cassie Black

Donor Basket = Sheryl Jackson

Wall Hanging = Valeri Peltier

Scooters / Subway Cards = Robert Wilson

Scooters / Pizza Hut Cards = Rebekah Hubbard

Children’s Summer Reading Prizes

Age 0-4 = Makayla Aumiller

Age 5-7 = Ethan Ward

Age 8-10 = Hannah Hotalen

Age 11-13 = Nikolas Stever

Age 14-17 = Emily Snider

Congratulations to our winners and thanks to everyone who participated!

Book Chat: The Next Always, The Pioneer Woman...

The Next Always by Nora Roberts
*****
"A good summer read - 1st in a trilogy.  Romantic and full of interesting characters and a beautiful setting - Three good friends and three handsome brothers - and the next book has just come out!" - Nancy King

The Pioneer Woman Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - A Love Story by Ree Drummond
*****
"This was a wonderful book!  I enjoyed reading it very much!  A great love story and well written with Ree's funny sense of humor, and it's a true story, not a work of fiction.  There are some wonderful recipes in back of the book also.  She is a great cook! Her two cookbooks and childrens books are great books also, as well as her TV show on the Food Network.  I love the Pioneer Woman's Photography as well; she takes some beautiful pictures for her books.  Check out her website @ www.thepioneerwoman.com.  Her blog is great!" - Robin Wilson

Book Chat: Letter From a Stranger, Gone Girl

Letter From a Stranger by Barbara Taylor Bradford
****
"This is a wonderful book - appealing characters, exotic locales, romance and family love.  A good summer book - leaves you wanting more!" - Nancy King

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
***
"This book is a psychological thriller.  It is also dark.  The story is about a marriage gone awry.  The ending might surprise you!" - Gloria DeJesus

Book Chat- The Innocent, Why My Third Husband Will be a Dog

The Innocent by David Baldacci
****
"Right from the start this story had me hooked! The characters are well developed and fun to root for.  The action is fast and the dialogue witty.  A GREAT choice for Baldacci fans!" - Gretchen Montgomery

Why My Third Husband Will be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline
****
"Need a good laugh? This book is full of them.  Bestselling author Lisa Scottoline open up about her life with four dogs, cats, chickens, a pig, her daughters, and Mom Mary.  No topic is too small or mundane - from spanx to interrupting to toasters. " - Carol Hirsh

Book Chat: We're Just Like You..., The Glass Castle, The Hundred Secret Senses, 11/22/63

We're Just Like You, Only Prettier (Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle) by Celia Rivenbark
****
"I found this book very comical. (I actually did laugh so hard I cried.) Each chapter is a short story in itself, so it is a fast and easy read.  Although some references are "southern," as the title implies, you don't have to  be from the south to enjoy these anecdotes." - Tracy Sitz


The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
****
"A memoir of survival in a dysfunctional family.  The book provides an insight into life on the move, often homeless and frequently hungry.  A great story." - Megan Knowles

The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan
****
"What a storyteller Tan is!  Sometimes though,  I got lost between the present and the past.  The relationships of the two sisters and the extended Chinese family were a great part of the book." - Karla Armbrister

11/22/63 by Stephen King
****
"I am not usually a Stephen King fan, but I enjoyed this book very much.  It definitely has many surprises that you don't see coming.  It certainly doesn't turn out as you expect, but of course it makes perfect sense."  -
Kristen Book

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Kids will enjoy riding a rocket through the solar system as they read Zoom, Rocket, Zoom! by Margaret Mayo.   Travel along with the astronauts as they have many exciting adventures exploring new terrain, riding in moon buggies, living in space stations, flying in space shuttles and much, much more.

You can only begin to imagine what would happen if wild animals came inside a house.  Read Eric Pinder’s, If All The Animals Came Inside, and join one family’s wild adventure as animals of every shape and size take over their house and make themselves right at home.  This rhyming story comes to life with colorful collage illustrations by Marc Brown the creator of the bestselling Arthur Adventure book series.    

Zorro is a cute little pug that has a pretty good life.  Then one day, Zorro’s owner gets him an outfit.  Zorro doesn’t want to put it on.  He’s embarrassed!  When he goes out on a walk, other dogs laugh at him.  Even Slim, the cat, makes fun of him in his new super hero cape.  While he is at the park, someone new shows up.  Read Zorro Gets An Outfit by Carter Goodrich and see if Zorro changes his mind.

Book Chats: Neverwhere, Fallen in Love, and The Doctor's Wife

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

*****

“Incredibly imaginative. It is a quest not unlike Lord of the Rings mixed with Alice in Wonderland. The plot is a complex puzzle, every time you think you’ve figured it out, it twists and shows you the opposite. High recommendations to all fantasy lovers.” – Emily Gibson

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate

****

“Good ‘companion’ story to the ‘Fallen’ series. It expanded on the supporting characters a lot more than the books in the series. Loved that the story was set up in a medieval city on Saint Valentine’s Day. The book ended too soon!” – Danielle Greenfield

The Doctor’s Wife by Elizabeth Brundage

*****

“This being the author’s debut novel, she hit it with a psychological suspense thriller. There were twists and turns that held the reader spell bound. The only disappointment I felt, was the ending. She was very detailed with the entire story, then at the end she shut it down quick. But I think I was so engrossed in the storyline, I wanted it to continue a few more pages.” – Charlotte Kraft

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Beep beep! Bow wow!  Pug puppies load up in their green bug and take to the road headed for The Pooch Parade.  Carolyn Crimi’s, Pugs In A Bug, is a playful, rhyming read aloud book with plenty to see and count.  Kids will enjoy traveling along with the pugs through city and country as they head to the parade. 

Bat and Rat are best friends living in the big city together.  These two friends love doing everything together especially playing in a jazz band.  Bat plays the piano and Rat sings.  One night they are having trouble coming up with new song lyrics to sing at an upcoming show.  Read Bat And Rat by Patrick Jennings and find out how ice ream helps them solve their problem and teaches them what friendship is all about.       

Do you like using your imagination and creating your own story?  A Ball For Daisy is a book about a dog and her ball but the rest of the story is up to you.  Caldecott Medalist, Chris Raschka, illustrates a delightful wordless picture book, fun for kids or adults who enjoy making up their own story line.  Check this book out and let your imagination run wild! 

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Suppose You Meet A Dinosaur A First Book Of Manners is a fun, humorous book to help teach kids manners written by Judy Sierra.  In this book a little girl is shopping at a grocery store when she runs into a dinosaur.  The conversation between the girl and the dinosaur is entertaining yet helps kids learn how to respond politely with all the right words for different real life situations.

Rob Scotton’s, Secret Agent Splat!, is the perfect book for any kid who loves mysteries.  Splat the cat has an awesome collection of toy ducks in many different shapes and colors.  However, Splat notices something is wrong when his ducks begin to go missing and then are returned without their beaks.   Who could possibly be responsible for all this trouble?  Help Secret Agent Splat rise to the challenge to solve this cat-and-mouse mystery.

It’s Time To Sleep, My Love written by Eric Metaxas is a sweet, loving poem which helps convey to children how much they are loved.  Beautiful illustrations by Nancy Tillman and the rhyming verse make this poem a perfect bedtime story.

 The race is on!  A heavy-duty freight train pulling a half a mile of freight cars and a little red race car decide to have a race to Chicago.  Read I’m Fast! by Kate and Jim McMullan and see who wins the race through the desert, the mountains, a blizzard and more.  Will it be the speedy little race car or the enormous heavy duty freight train?

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Sally Sutton grabs young kids’ attention with the clever use of sound words and rhyming verse in Demolition. Kids will have as much fun reading and learning about the massive machines used to knock down buildings as well as the equipment used to construct new structures. Machine facts at the end of the book help kids learn the purpose of different pieces of equipment.


Meeow And The Little Chairs by Sebastien Braun is a simple story for young kids about Meeow a black cat and his friends. Meeow introduces little kids to different colors, his friends who are different types of animals and the sounds they make. Read this clever book with bold, colorful illustrations and see how Meeow and his friends use their imaginations.


Dora Duckling is late for her very first swim and can’t find her brother anywhere. Many different tracks around the barnyard lead Dora on an adventure but will they lead Dora to the pond? Find out in That’s Not My Brother! a beautifully illustrated book with fun fold-out flaps written by Peter Bently.

Book Chat: The Siege

The Siege by Stephen White
***
"The plot involves homeland terrorism and all the alphabet agencies: CIA, FBI, SSG, and local law enforcement. The reader gets to know the personal stories of the characters (protagonists). Really more about the protagonists than the plot of the antagonist. 'What if' thriller, that makes you think about the possibilities of future terrorism plots." -Caroline Hale

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Baby Bear wakes up in his dark den. When the light creeps in, he is ready to go exploring and see what wonders await him in the colorful forest where he lives. Read Baby Bear Sees Blue written and beautifully illustrated by Ashley Wolff and see what Baby Bear discovers. With Mama Bear by his side, together they explore and Baby Bear discovers the great big wonderful world outside his den.


Ava discovers a beautiful red poppy growing in the field in front of her house. Ava becomes friends with the poppy and spends time with it every day. She protects the flower from the sun and too much rain but one day the petals begin to fall anyway. Ava is very sad when winter comes. Read Ava’s Poppy by Marcus Pfister and find out what surprise awaits Ava when spring comes.

Otto is a bear who lives in a book and loves having kids read his story. When no one is looking, he has fun coming out of the book and exploring the house he lives in. One day when he is out exploring someone takes the book away and Otto is left without a home. Otto decides to pack his bags and find a new home. Otto is surprised how big the world really is and begins to miss his home. Read Otto The Book Bear by Katie Cleminson and find out if Otto finds a new home.

Book Chat: Enrique's Journey

Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario
*****
"A very enlightening true story of a thirteen year old trying eight times to make the trip from Honduras through Mexico to the U.S. to find his mother. Mothers come to the U.S. to earn money to send home to help support their children." -Donna Moyer

Book Chat: The Postmistress

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
****
"If you enjoy historical fiction this is a wonderful WWII book of lives that are intertwined due to the war. There are three different 'voices' which tell the story, so if you don't like a book with different changing voices, be warned." -Amy Grelinger

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Pierre is a ten-year-old boy who longs to cook in his parent’s French restaurant, La Bonne Vache. Pierre spends as much time as he can in the kitchen hoping for an opportunity to showcase his cooking skills. Unfortunately, his parents don’t think he is old enough to cook and tell him to go outdoors and play. One day Pierre meets a food critic who is on the way to the restaurant. Read The Boy Who Wanted To Cook by Gloria Whelan and find out what happens when the food critic visits the restaurant and see if Pierre has a chance to prove what a great cook he really is.


Lily loves to read. She loves to read so much people begin to call her Library Lily. Reading from morning to night, she forgets to do much else. One sunny day her mom takes her to the park where Lily meets Milly who doesn’t like to read. Milly loves to play, climb and explore. Read Library Lily by Gillian Shields and find out what happens when two young girls who have nothing in common become friends and discover together the best adventures, whether inside the pages of a book or outside in the park, are shared with a friend.

My Dog Thinks I’m A Genius is an inspiring story of a young boy who loves to paint and his dog, Louie. This young boy loves to paint so much he paints every day. His dog, Louie, loves to watch him paint and sometimes even helps him. One day when the little boy goes to school Louie is especially sad. He decides to show his owner he isn’t the only one who has a special talent. Read Harriet Ziefert’s My Dog Thinks I’m A Genius, and find out what the boy discovers when he returns home from school.

Hannah is a playful, adventuresome Bernese Mountain Dog. Read A Snow Day For Hannah and enjoy the wonderful photographs and accompanying story written by Linda Petrie Bunch of Hannah’s adventures in the snow. The beautiful snow covered mountains Hannah explores will make kids wish for some snow.

Book Chat: Skulduggery Pleasant

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
****
"Fantasy, mystery, and adventure all rolled into one fun read! Another edgy take where the main character finds herself in a world only few are privileged to enter filled with magic and very interesting and unusual characters. A fun summer read! The language might be a little edgy for a read aloud to really young readers but certainly appropriate for families with upper elementary or even adults who just want a fun read all on their own!" -Suzanne Eastman

Book Chat: The Tender Bar

The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer
****1/2
"How does one go from being a poor, fatherless youth to a Pulitzer Prize winning writer and national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times? With the advice and support of some crazy characters at a local bar, of course. This memoir is at times heartbreaking, poignant, and humorous and at all times engaging. Who knew that so many of life's lessons could be learned in a bar!" -Lesa Albin

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Looking for a fun art project? Cool Collage The Art Of Creativity For Kids! by Anders Hanson is the perfect book for you. This easy-to-read, step-by-step book features several fun collage projects kids are sure to love. Material lists, tools, techniques, and accompanying photographs provide an organized, easy-to-follow approach to each art project.

Lots of kids love to cook! Lisa Wagner’s, Cool Pizza To Make And Bake – Easy Recipes For Kids To Cook, introduces kids to cooking in a format that is easy-to-read and follow. A variety of fun pizzas recipes are included with basic cooking techniques explained, and lists of the necessary tools and ingredients. Accompanying photographs make each cooking concept and recipe easy to follow.

Book Chat: She Walks in Beauty: A Woman

She Walks in Beauty: A Woman by Caroline Kennedy
*****
"I have never considered myself a true lover of poetry yet this collection opened my eyes to this unique blend of storytelling. Kennedy has brought together the poets of the ages to share the universal experiences, and to celebrate all that it means to be a woman. I highly recommend this book. After you read it, pass it onto a woman who could use some time to reflect on who she is, and the story she has inside of herself." -Aja Drake

Book Chat: Maybe This Time

Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie
****
"Although I'm generally not fond of books concerning the paranormal, this novel was interesting enough to hold me page by page to see what will happen next. Just when you thought the exciting story is about over, you turn the page to a whole new set of new adventures. It was good. I enjoyed it." -Charlotte Kraft

Book Chat: The Devil in the White City

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
****
"Really enjoyed this NF read. Great insight into the Chicago World Fair in 1893 and the preparation and influence. Two men dominate the novel, an architect and a murderer - very different characters but linked by the fair." -Kay Watts

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Bear follows his friend, Goose, on a wild-goose chase in search of treasure.  They dig and they dive.  Will they find what they are looking for?  Treasure by Suzanne Bloom will remind you that sometimes the greatest treasure is right in front of you.  This book is a very quick read…perfect for young kids.

Book Chat: I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
****
"It was an amazing syfy adventure with a love story. It had a decent pace to it, towards the end it's like a nonstop freefall. A good book. Can't wait for the next." -Tommie Brooks

Book Chat: The Raising

The Raising by Laura Kasischke
*****
"A page turner. I didn't want to put it down. Has some interesting twists. I'll look for other books by this author." -Nita Jackson

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Baby and friends are outside in the garden making interesting things for lunch – mud pies, puddle-water soup, dirt dessert and more. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? However they are not making lunch for themselves. Read Feeding Friendsies by Suzanne Bloom and find out who is going to eat these yummy meals.

Have you ever wished you were different than you are? If you have, Oscar Slimeglider in Ordinary Oscar by Laura Adkins knows just how you feel. Oscar is a snail who is tired of being an ordinary snail. Oscar wants to be different…actually Oscar wants to be famous! When the Fairy Godsnail comes to visit Oscar and grants him three wishes, Oscar believes his dream to be famous is finally coming true. Ordinary Oscar is a great reminder to be careful what we wish for.

Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer is the perfect book for kids of all ages who love the classic fairy tales. This unique collection of reversible verse, classic fairy tales show there are two sides to every story. Read these poems from top to bottom and then reverse the lines and read from bottom to top to see these well known classics in a whole new light.

Book Chat: Against All Enemies

Against All Enemies by Tom Clancy
*****
"I like Tom Clancy. This is a very plausible story of Taliban working with Mexican and Columbian cartels to do harm to the U.S.A. (It's a big book, but worth the read.)" -Lois Neufeld