Summer Reading Prize Winners

The summer reading program is over!
Here are the results of our prize drawing on July 31st:

Summer Reading Prizes

Amazon Kindle Fire = Cathy Stuhr

"Dig Your Way to China" Prize Basket = Megan Nickelson

Gardening Prize Basket = Evelen Bryan

Barnes and Noble Gift Card = Leah DiPietro

Starbucks Gift Card = Masumeh Zarei

Congratulations to our winners and thanks to everyone who participated!

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Young children will love practicing subtraction as they count down with Pete in Pete The Cat And His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin. In this book Pete has four buttons on his favorite shirt and they keep falling off. Will Pete cry? No, instead he sings a song. Read this book and sing along.

Are The Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? by Julie Middleton is the perfect book for kids who love dinosaurs. A boy named Dave and his father go to the museum to see the dinosaurs. Dad is sure he knows all there is to know about these fabulous creatures, but does he. Kids will enjoy learning along with Dave about the different kinds of dinosaurs and what they were like when they were alive.

Do you ever feel like you are misunderstood? If so, Sam the dog knows just how you feel. Read Bad Boy, Good Boy by Kay Chorao and follow along with Sam on four short adventures. Is Sam a good boy or a bad boy? Learn the truth about Sam as you read these delightfully humorous stories.

Book Chats: Cross Country, Life As We Knew It, Always Time to Die

Always Time to Die by Elizabeth Lowell
**
"A suspense novel grows out of Carly May's profession of researching personal histories.  She digs into the lives of the late Senator Quintrell and current Governor Quintrell to find many skeletons.  Contrived love interest and too many characters take away from the story" - Carol Hirsh

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
****
"The author's tone really starts making you feel as if you are part of the experience.  There were two times (both happy and sad) that I had to put the book down and quit reading instantly in order to absorb my emotions. -- New experience for me." - Shari Lovendahl

Cross Country by James Patterson
****
"Cross head out of the country to solve a murder that took place in DC, only to witness a new breed of killers with total disregard for human life.  Africa... a country of organized gang of teenage thugs." - Charlotte Kraft

Book Chats: The Texan, What Alice Forgot, Let the Dead Sleep

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
****
"Great read with an interesting story line.  Definitely shows how we change over the years, without even being aware.  Two story lines are awkward at times." - Sheryl Wiele

The Texan by Joan Johnston
*****
"This was awesome! I couldn't put it down! I read this in one day it was so good; I never knew what was coming! I loved this book!" - Julie Martinez

Let the Dead Sleep by Gretchen Montgomery
****
"A little too voodoo for my tastes.  Well written - it kept my interest, but not as much character development as I would like - some of the "bad guys" seemed comic-book-evil." - Gretchen Montgomery

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Have you ever been afraid to try something new and then realized it is not as bad as you thought it might be? If so, then Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping by Melanie Watt Is the perfect book for you. In this book, Scaredy Squirrel is afraid to go out in the rugged wilderness to go camping so he plans to enjoy camping from a safe distance by watching a camping show on TV. Kids will enjoy reading about how this squirrel learns how the wilderness is meant to be enjoyed up close not seen from afar.

Rosie’s Magic Horse by Russell Hoban & Queatin Blake is a book full of imagination and dreams come true. When Rosie picks up an old ice-pop stick on her way home and puts it with her other ice-pop sticks she has no idea it is different than the other sticks. This ice-pop stick is magical and has dreams of being more than just an ice-pop stick. When Rosie goes to bed she is worried about her parents being able to pay the bills and wants to find a treasure so she can help them. Read this fun story and follow Rosie on a magical adventure.

Miss Maple lives in her cozy maple tree house. Every summer Miss Maple gathers lost seeds and takes care of them until the following spring when she sends them off to find a place to start roots of their own and grow into the plants or trees they’re destined to become. Miss Maple’s Seeds by Eliza Wheeler is a wonderful reminder of how each magnificent tree and brilliant flower starts from a tiny seed.

Book Chats: Wedding Night, The Light Between Oceans, and Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
***
"This book is written by the author of the Shopaholic Series.  The story is a fast-paced comedy told by two sisters from two different perspectives.  It is a light and fluffy read." - Gloria Dejesus

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
****
"I could not put this book down.  Story of a war survivor and a girl with good morals making bad decisions.  Beautiful.  Unpredictable.  Isabel's love for Lucy made me cry several times.  I could imagine myself in the light house.  I could smell the ocean.  A must read.  Brilliant first novel." -
Masumeh Zarai

Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson
****
"The newest book in the O'Malley series, a series of Christian romance thrillers, with each book focusing on one of the O'Malley siblings, a group of 7 orphans who formed their own family.  This book goes back and tells the story of Jennifer, the only one who did not have her own book.  It is a good, clean romance, but does not have the thrilling mystery of the rest of the series.  It is meant to tell the back story of this sibling.  My only complaint is it was too short!" - Janet Brungardt

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Have you ever felt like you just do not fit in anywhere?  That is how exclamation mark feels in the book Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld.  Exclamation mark tries everything to fit in but does not seem to belong anywhere.  He always stands out and feels very lonely.  Will exclamation mark ever fit in?  Find out in this fun book that shows there is a special place for everyone.

Big Hugs, Little Hugs is a sweet book by Felicia Bond.  There are many different types of hugs, from big hugs to little hugs to day hugs to night hugs.  Young children will enjoy the bright colorful illustrations as they read how everyone in the world needs a hug. 

Becoming Babe Ruth by Matt Tavares tells the incredible story of how one of America’s all time greatest baseball players became famous.   George Herman Ruth is sent to Saint Mary’s Industrial School when he is seven.  His life is changed forever at Saint Mary’s.  Although he is expected to follow a lot of rules, he gets to play baseball every day.  Read this exciting story and learn how George grows into an amazing baseball player.  When he enters the big leagues, he never forgets about Saint Mary’s, the place he learned to play ball.  Kids will be inspired by this story about a kid from nowhere who made it all the way to the top.

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Paris-Chien Adventures Of An Ex-Pat Dog by Jackie Clark Mancuso is a fun and engaging story perfect for children who have or are moving to a new place. Hudson, a Norwich Terrier, moves to Paris with his owner but he soon discovers everyone in Paris is busy and he has a hard time making new friends. To make things worse he can’t understand anyone, even the dogs, since everyone speaks French. Join Hudson on his adventure as he begins to take French lessons from a French Poodle and starts to make friends in a new place.

Have you ever been sent to time out? Then meet Sophie, a typical two-year-old. Time-Out For Sophie by Rosemary Wells tells the story of Sophie who is having trouble listening. Mama, Daddy and Granny are all having trouble with Sophie. Check out this cute story and see if Sophie learns how to listen.

Otis, the tractor, loves to play with all the animals on the farm. That is, all the animals except the mean bull. Their favorite game is follow-the-leader. Anytime the animals and Otis get close to the bull’s pen he snorts and snarls at them. Once he even charges at Otis. One day the sky turns dark and stormy. When Otis sees a tornado in the sky headed straight toward the barn, Otis knows he needs to let the animals out of the barn and lead them to safety. But what about the mean bull…should Otis try to save him too? Otis And The Tornado by Loren Long is a charming story about doing what is right and the power of friendship.

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

Everyone’s favorite monkey is back in this new book, Curious George Dance Party.  Allie invites George and his friend, Bill, to a dance party.  George is very excited and can’t stop dancing.  On the other hand, Bill doesn’t want to go.  He thinks he will be the only kid at the party who doesn’t know how to dance.  Can Curious George help Bill learn how to dance before the party? This Level 1 Green Light Reader includes fun and educational activities that will help young readers learn about recognizing simple patterns, left and right, and rhythm.

Lily is having a birthday!  Milo can’t wait to plan a birthday party and surprise Lily.  Kids will enjoy reading along and helping Milo pick out the decorations, party hats, food and more.  Having A Party With Lily And Milo by Pauline Oud is the perfect story for kids who love to be involved in planning birthday parties.  

Everyone enjoys the perfect hug!  For some it’s a big hug and others it’s a small hug.  Still others like tickly hugs and some even prickly hugs.  Read The Perfect Hug by Joanna Walsh and Judi Abbot and see if panda bear can find the perfect hug for him.

Hayley's Children's Book Reviews

A little girl named Annabelle finds a box of yarn.  It appears to be an ordinary box of yarn so she decides to knit a sweater for herself.  Then she knits one for her dog.  Soon she is making sweaters and hats for her family, friends, other animals, houses, buildings, anything in town she can think of.  News spreads about Annabelle and her box of yarn that never seems to run out.  People come from all over the world to see her work.  Read Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and find out what happens when someone steals Annabelle’s not so ordinary box of yarn.

I Want My Mom! A Little Princess Story by Tony Ross is the perfect book for any little kid who loves their mom.  In this book the Little Princess is having one of those bad weeks where nothing is going her way.  There is no one who can make her feel better except her mom.  The princess eventually gets invited to a party and ends up having a good time.  Read this entertaining story and find out what happens to the Queen when the Little Princess has fun without her.

Stu loves to listen to the sounds of the animals at the zoo and visits them so often they know him by name.  He calls their sounds a symphony.  Not everyone is as crazy about the animals as Stu, especially Mr. Cooper.  He wants to tear the zoo down and build a mall.  Can Stu help the animals save their home?  Maestro Stu Saves The Zoo by Denise Brennan-Nelson is a playful story filled with idioms and imaginative illustrations.