Ms. Suzy Reads | Storytime, Storytime, Storytime

Hello, reading friends. Lately I've been reminded again and again and again of the importance of early literacy. One of my main goals for our weekly storytimes is to instill a love of books and reading in our very young children, so that when they are developmentally ready to read, they will already have the desire to read. 

So storytime is pretty darn important, in my humble opinion. And today I thought I'd share some of my very favorite storytime books. Check them out at a library near you!

Jan Thomas' Is Everyone Ready for Fun? is laugh out loud funny, except for chicken, who is not all that pleased with the happenings on his couch! This is one of my favorites because you can get children moving with the cows!

This next one has been around a while, but it's still one of my go-to favorites: Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion. It's the story of Harry, a white dog with black spots, who goes on quite an adventure in the city...all because he doesn't want to take a bath. Many children may recognize themselves in Harry in terms of bath avoidance! I love this story and I love the illustrations. A great one to share with children young and not so young.

I seem to be particularly fond of books that inspire movement and activity. And this next one does just that: We're Going On a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. Splish splosh through a river, stumble trip through a forest, and more! This is a lovely book to read aloud the first time, then act out all the movements the second time. This will also inspire a trip outside, so weather permitting, this might be even better as an outdoor read aloud!

Some of my favorite storytime books to share with young children! You really can't go wrong when reading with young children. Just make sure you read the book alone first so you can plan out voices and inflections. And read books that YOU enjoy yourself. 

Reading aloud = one of the greatest gifts we can give our young children.

And one more thing, find a library storytime near you on SSJCPL's Calendar of Events! Please join us!!

 

Ms. Suzy Reads | And Picks a Winner

Well, maybe I'll pick a winner -- a Newbery Medal Award winner -- to be exact. The Newbery Award is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year. That last line comes directly from the Newbery Award website, by the way. But anyway, the Newbery Award committee people will select the most distinguished book for children and announce it in January 2015. Oh my goodness, this is more exciting than predicting who will win an Oscar!

Recently I chatted with some of my colleagues about which book they think will win the Newbery Award. Here are a couple of our predictions...and since this weather is perfect for chilling with a great book, why not read one or both and tell us if you think it's the most distinguished American children's book. 

The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage is a worthy contender. It's filled with all the things that make for a great read: a detective agency run by kids, an old inn that may or may not be haunted, and a slick new kid in town. Can Mo and Dale solve the mystery of the haunted old inn? This is the follow-up to Three Times Lucky, a Newbery Honor book, but you don't have to have read that one. You'll very quickly get to know Mo and her Southern quirkiness, and you'll be pulled into all the adventure from the very beginning.

Another book that several of my colleagues really liked is Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin. Now I've not read this one yet, but I'm told it's about a girl who has OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), Asperger's Syndrome, and an obsession with homonyms (words with different meanings but with the same pronunciation). She names her beloved dog Rain, a word which has two homonyms -- reign and rein. Things go south when a big storm hits, Rain goes missing, and Rose must leave her safe little world in order to find her beloved dog. I'm pretty sure this is going to tug at the heart strings, but it still sounds like a great read! 

I'll be back with more possible Newbery Medal Award winners. In the meantime, let us know what book YOU think was the most distinguished American children's book.

Ms. Suzy Reads | One for Big Kids, One for Little Kids

Greetings, gentle readers! With the cooler weather upon us, I'm finding quite a bit more time for reading, which is always a great thing, right? So today I share two books -- one that gripped me from the first page, and one that is a very old favorite.

So imagine a large, foreboding tree -- planted so close to a big house that its limbs have grown into the walls -- a tree with axe handles embedded in it from past futile attempts to destroy it. Now imagine the family living within the house -- all powerless to resist the tree's temptation -- and slowly withering under the tree's spell.

What's the tree's spell? Well, of course I'm not going to tell you. But I will tell you that you 9-14 year olds will be simply spellbound by Jonathan Auxier's The Night Gardener: A Scary Story. And I will tell you this: this ghost story-fantasy-adventure all rolled into one is a page-turner from the very beginning. You'll meet orphan siblings Molly and Kip and hold your breath as Molly starts to figure out the secret of the old tree. That's all I'm going to say. Just read it...if you dare!

I stumbled upon one of my favorite storytime books a few days ago: Don Freeman's beloved classic Corduroy. This is the story of a stuffed bear who has lived far too long on the shelves of a department store, waiting to be chosen by a little boy or girl. When Corduroy realizes he's missing a button, he goes on quite the adventure to find it. Why, just think of all the adventures a little stuffed bear could have in a big department store!

Corduroy was first published in 1968, but it's in no way outdated. The illustrations perfectly capture Corduroy's wonderment and awe as he discovers many new things. 

My favorite illustration is this one. Again, I'm not going to tell you what happens, but I promise you'll love this as much as I do. 

So there you have it, friends. Just a couple of recommendations perfect for this stay-in-the-house weather.

Happy reading!

Ms. Suzy Reads | I'm My Own Dog

Looking for a great picture book that will make you laugh out loud? Look no further! I've found it!

David Ezra Stein has done it again. I loved his Interrupting Chicken, the tale of a young chicken who begs for bedtime stories, but has quite a bit of difficulty not interrupting Papa Chicken with his own versions of some classic fairy tales. It's a beautiful and funny tribute to the joy of bedtime stories between parent and child. 

And now -- I'm My Own Dog. It's the story of a very independent dog who handles everything just fine on his own. He fetches his own slippers. He tells himself to roll over. He looks in the mirror and licks his own face. But then there was that itch in the middle of his back that he just couldn't reach. So he let a human scratch it for him. And the human followed him home. Lo and behold, the dog decided to keep the human. 

With bold, colorful illustrations, Stein explores the age-old question of who really owns whom -- dog or human? This story shows the love and loyalty between dog and human -- with a healthy dose of humor. You'll laugh out loud, I promise!

This reminds me of my dear Fitzgerald, a little Yorkshire Terrier with whom I shared 16 years of fun, laughter, and lots of trips! While I always told myself I was the one in charge, I know now that simply wasn't true. But it was okay. The love and loyalty were such great gifts; I didn't mind being owned by Fitz...not one tiny bit!

Enjoy this book! Though the libraries are closed today in honor of Veteran's Day, visit one soon and check out this and other great picture books!

Happy Reading!

Ms. Suzy Reads | Strega Nona

I've always been drawn to the Strega Nona stories by Tomie De Paola. But here's how I stumbled upon it today. The weather is changing; it's getting cooler. Cool weather always makes me crave comfort food. My all-time favorite comfort food is pasta. And there you have it!

Tomie De Paola's Strega Nona: An Old Tale is a delightful story to remind young children of the importance of obedience. Strega Nona hires Big Anthony to look after her house and garden, and warns him not to touch her very old pasta pot. Not long after, Big Anthony spies Strega Nona in the kitchen singing to her pasta pot. All of the sudden, the pot bubbled, boiled and was suddenly filled with steaming hot pasta!

Of course Big Anthony wanted the pasta pot to make him some steaming hot pasta, so as soon as Strega Nona left for a while, he sang the same song with almost the same results. You have to read the book to find out what happens!

Tomie De Paola is one of the most popular children's author/illustrators ever. In this book, which received the Caldecott Honor in 1975, De Paola engages the young reader with humor and beautiful illustrations. This is a perfect read-aloud for the whole family or for young independent readers to read on their own. SSJCPL owns lots of books by Tomie De Paola; stop by the library nearest you and check them out!

And to extend the enjoyment of Strega Nona, have a family pasta night! Grab your favorite recipe and get the whole family cooking in the kitchen! Buon Appetito!

 

 

Ms. Suzy Reads | Sam, Bangs & Moonshine

"Moonshine is flummadiddle. Real is the opposite." So explains Bangs, the cat, to Sam, short for Samantha, in the timeless treasure Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness.

Samantha, or rather Sam, has a problem telling the difference between what is real and what is not. She claims to have a mermaid for a mother, a fierce lion, a baby kangaroo and a talking cat. Sam's father admonishes her to tell the truth: "Today, for a change, talk real, not moonshine. Moonshine spells trouble."

And trouble might be just what Sam gets when she sends her friend Thomas to Blue Rock where she claims her baby kangaroo has gone. Thomas dutifully follows instructions, but then a sudden storm threatens everything.

I won't say anymore, except that this is a beautiful little story that gently teaches the reason why truth is better than falsehood. It's appropriate for a family reading time, or for an independent reader to read on his own.  

This book was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1967. The Caldecott Medal is presented annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Click here for a list of Caldecott Medal winners over the years. SSJCPL branches own most of these distinguished books; check them out and share them with your family!

Ms. Suzy Reads | A Bear Called Paddington

Hello, gentle readers! It's been quite a while since I've posted here, but I'm back with a bit of a twist. From today forward, this little blog shall be a place for me to share my absolute favorite read-aloud books. 

Sometimes I will share a great preschool storytime book, other times a great book to read aloud to the whole family. If I'm feeling particularly creative, I'll throw in some related activities to make the reading experience even more fun!

Whatever book finds itself in this little blog, I hope you will enjoy sharing the love of reading with the young people in your life.

Let us begin.

A Bear Called Paddington, by Michael Bond, is a delightful story to read aloud to children of all ages. And older children (ages 7 and up) can read it on their own!

It tells the tale of Paddington, an unusually small bear from 'Darkest Peru' who is discovered by the Brown family at London's Paddington Station and quickly becomes an unforgettable part of the family. Paddington is the center of many laugh-out-loud escapades -- from the almost disastrous bath to the accident in the store window. Children will love this endearing little bear with wonderful manners and a great thirst for adventure!

Paddington's adventures are coming to film! The movie is slated to hit theaters later this year. 

In the meantime, explore Paddington's London a little more in M. Sasek's This is Britain. The first pages feature beautiful drawings of and interesting fact about London, including Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. 

"The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children." --Report of the Commission on Reading.

Share the love of reading with a child!

Ms. Suzy Reads | And Learns About Changing History

It's not everyday that we get to really understand historical events through the perspective of someone who was there. 

Understanding historical events is so very important to understanding where we are now, and to having true empathy for those who lived through terrible injustices. And just as important, it's a chance to applaud courage and bravery in the face of incredible odds.

Well, my friends, our community is quite fortunate to have an incredible opportunity this Friday, September 12, at 3:30 pm. 

Geraldine Hollis, a member of the Tougaloo Nine, will be here -- at the Cesar Chavez Central Library -- to talk about how a group of nine college students took a stand against injustice.

You won't want to miss her story! Trust me.

 

Ms. Suzy Reads | And Then Gets a Pie in the Face?!?

Greetings reading friends!

I like pie. I really like pie. I like just about any kind of pie, but banana cream is my all-time favorite. Or at least it was my all-time favorite until last Thursday around 3:45 pm.

You see, last Thursday around 3:45 pm we were celebrating the End of Summer Reading Party at the Cesar Chavez Central Library. Like a few other SSJCPL branches, we at the Chavez Library challenged our young readers to read a total of 2,500 books this summer. That's a lot, right? The deal was: read 2,500 books and two children will be randomly selected to throw pies into the faces of Craig Bronzan, our Interim Community Services Director, and me. 

Oh, I hate to admit this, but I was sure the nice children at the Chavez Library would take pity on me. I knew they would be reading all summer, because they ARE readers, after all. But I figured they would take pity on me and just forget to turn in their reading logs. You see, we counted the reading logs to see how many books were read by Chavez Library children.

Alas, the children at the Chavez Library did not read 2,500 books. No, they did not. They read 3,500! Yes, you read that correctly.

So last Thursday, Craig and I found ourselves enjoying our favorite banana cream pie in a very new -- and interesting -- way. In our faces! Here is one picture of the event. If you can't view the link, stay tuned! We'll have other pictures on the Library's Facebook page soon!

I would write about a great book today, but alas, I still have some banana cream pie in my eyes! Stay tuned. I'll be back next Tuesday with great book recommendations!

Until then, happy reading!

 

Ms. Suzy Reads | What Real Kids Are Reading

We librarians like to think we know everything about books. It's true we know a lot. And we know some of the best books ever published! 

But sometimes it's a good idea to get out there and ask real kids what their favorites are.

So I did just that. And I got some great recommendations. If you haven't read these, you really should. If you click on the title of any book, you'll be taken to the SSJCPL catalog so you can find where the book is available right now! If a particular book is not available at the library branch closest to you, remember you can place a hold on it and the book will be delivered to your library branch!

So real kids' favorite books. Here goes. 

Destiny recommends We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen because it's a mix of funny and scary. Be prepared to get moving when you read this one!

Dr. Seuss makes the favorite list with 2 titles! 

Irene likes the message in Green Eggs and Ham: even if you think you won't like something, it's always worth a try! 

And Iris recommends The Lorax because it's funny (and what a great message it conveys as well). 

www.parentmap.com

Yasriyah recommends a series of books that her brother recommended to her a long time ago (when she was much younger): the Arthur books by Marc Brown. Good recommendation there, big brother!

www.hagiographic.com

And finally, my buddy Xavier recommends the Super Diaper Baby series by Dav Pilkey because the baby flies (oh my!) and catches criminals. My new favorite superhero, for sure.

So there you have it: great books recommended by real kids. And thank you, my Book Buddy friends, for sharing your love of books and reading with the rest of us!

Happy Reading! 

P.S. A quick glance over the list -- specifically Destiny's recommendation at the beginning -- reminds me to remind you that our last session of Move, Play, and Grow will be held today at the Chavez Library! The program is a fun-filled and educational afternoon where kids in 4th-6th grades learn about nutrition, exercise, and how to live healthy lives! And even if you're not between the grades of 4th and 6th grade, come on down anyway: you're more than welcome!

Ms. Suzy Reads | In a Box?

One of my favorite passages from the timeless classic Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss is this:

Would you eat them
in a box?
Would you eat them
with a fox?

Not in a box.
Not with a fox.
Not in a house.
Not with a mouse.
I would not eat them here or there.
I would not eat them anywhere.
I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.  

I don't know why this makes me giggle, but it does...especially the line about not eating in a box.

Speaking of boxes, I just came across an awesome craft book entitled Build It with Boxes by Joan Irvine. If you're looking for some pretty inexpensive fun, this book is chock full of great ideas. From mini-golf to a robot to your own triceratops! Don't throw away that old box! Repurpose it into something FUN!

And speaking of boxes even more: Did you know the Library now has Storytime Kits that can be checked out for 3 weeks? These are themed "storytimes in a box" that young children (and older children, too!) will enjoy. Each box contains 5-7 pictures book based on a theme, an activity book, a nursery rhyme booklet, and either a puppet or a flannel board and story. Click here for more information about storytime kits! 

That's it for now! Happy Reading!!

Ms. Suzy Reads | And Gets Powerful

Here comes a confession: I used to not eat breakfast. I know, I know. This is not good for me! But I never seemed to find the time to eat breakfast. So I would wait until lunchtime to get a little nourishment, and for the record, by 10:30 am I was starving!

That's the old me. 

Then I met Jafra, Irene, Jessica and Veronica. They inspired me to change.

Jafra, Irene and Jessica are recent graduates of University of the Pacific. Veronica is a student at Stagg High School here in Stockton.

The four of them have come up with a totally FUN, free, and awesome learning opportunity for students in grades 4 through 6: Move, Play & Grow: How Carbs, Fats & Proteins Power Your Day. This special program will be held on three consecutive Tuesdays -- July 15, 22, and 29 -- from 3:30-4:30 pm at the Chavez Library. 

In this interactive program, children will learn about nutrition, energy and physical movement. They'll learn about how WHAT we eat helps us have the ENERGY we need to do the things we enjoy. It's a win win!

And if you're interested in learning about this right now, here's a book to help you do just that: Food and Energy: Striking a Healthy Balance by Kristin Petrie. This book will teach you about nutrition labels and serving sizes. It will teach you about the food pyramid. It will show you how to be healthy!!

So mark your calendars for Move, Play & Grow at the Chavez Library. Today at 3:30 pm. 

We'll see you there!

Happy Reading!

 

Ms. Suzy Reads | Interrupted by Midnight Caller

In the middle of the recent 4th of July weekend -- that wonderful holiday filled with fireworks, music and an overall "I'm glad I live in the United States of America" feeling -- my phone rang. At 10 pm. That's almost midnight to us older folks, by the way.

But rang it did. And it was a friend of mine. A young friend. 7th going into 8th grade friend. And that young friend said: "Hey, Ms. Suzy, I want a really, really good book to read. Something with substance." (Did I mention this friend is really smart?)

It took me about 20 minutes to wake up and engage in intelligent conversation with my young friend. But we ended up talking about how sometimes we all want to read a book that is going to make us think. 

I keep lists of great books for all different grades. I am a librarian, after all. I looked through my 7th and 8th grade lists and found some books that I think you smart 7th/8th graders will really enjoy.

But I'm not just going to list the titles. That would be too easy. You're up for a challenge, aren't you?

Here you go: Below are 10 titles. Below that are short blurbs that correspond to the titles. The challenge: Figure out what blurbs go with what titles. 

And then your next challenge (because I know you'll all want one): Read one of these books! They're not old, old, old, but also not necessarily new, new, new. But they're great and you might have missed them the first time around.

Ready? Good luck!

1. Tangerine by Edward Bloor

2. Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

3. Hoot by Carl Hiassen

4. Wonder Struck by Brian Selznick

5. Game Changers by Mike Lupica 

6. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

7. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

8. Rules by Cynthia Lord

9. Smile by Raina Telgemeier

10. Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson

And the blurbs: 

a. Having lost his mother and his hearing in a short time, 12-year-old Ben leaves his Minnesota home in 1977 to seek the father he never knew in New York City, and meets Rose, who is also longing for something missing from her life. Ben's story is told in words; Rose's in pictures. 

b. 12-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight.

c.  The story of the first free-born child in Canada, in a town which was a haven for slaves fleeing the American south. The young boy uses his wits and skills to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family's freedom. 

d.  When the coach's son, Shawn O'Brien, is chosen to play quarterback, 11-year-old Ben McBain is not surprised. But when he tries to be a good teammate and help the inconsistent Shawn, he is startled to learn that his new friend does not really want the position. 

e.  After learning that humans are headed toward his hidden home, Firedrake, a silver dragon, is joined by a brownie and an orphan boy in a quest to find the legendary valley known as the Rim of Heaven, encountering friendly and unfriendly creatures along the way, and struggling to evade the relentless pursuit of an old enemy. 

f. Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, 12-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence, but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic. 

g. When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious piece of art disappears, 11-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.

h. From sixth grade through tenth, a young girl copes with a variety of dental problems that affect her appearance and how she feels about herself. 

i. Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.

j.  Recounts the escape of one of history's most notorious assassins and the intensive twelve-day search for him and his accomplices. 

Feel free to list your guesses by leaving a comment. I'll check back in a few days and give you the correct answers. But I know, smart readers that you are.....you'll know them all! 

Happy Reading, by the way!

 

Ms. Suzy Reads | At the Giants Game

Here was our spectacular view at Sunday's Giants game: 

 

 

Photo courtesy of A-Fay Photography

I spent the day with my good buddies cheering for the San Francisco Giants. We didn't win, but I will keep cheering anyway. That's what a true fan does.

I digress. 

While enjoying lots of food, watching the game, and being with my friends, I happened to glance up at a young guy sitting in the row behind us. He was reading. A book. During a baseball game. A book. 

My initial shock turned into: "Right on! He reads!!" Because I get pretty tuned into baseball games, you won't find me reading at a baseball game. Ever. But I have been known to read in some pretty strange places, including the bathtub and at the top of the Statue of Liberty. Hey, I'm afraid of heights so the book kept me calm!

What about you? What's the strangest place you've ever found yourself reading a book?

It's July 1, and I'd like to propose that we all read one book this month...in whatever strange place we wish!

And here are a couple of book suggestions, in case you're looking:

For you young readers: Two Tough Crocs by David Bedford

 

This is the story of Sylvester and Arnold -- two crocodile bullies -- who are competing with each other to be the toughest animal in the swamp. And along comes Betty. Betty the bad. I'm not going to tell you how this turns out, you'll have to read it yourself to see! But it does end with a positive message. Enjoy!

For older readers: The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson. 

This is a little bit historical fiction and a LOT of medical mystery! Set amid the 1854 London cholera outbreak, this attention-grabbing story of Eel, an orphan who survives by combing the filthy banks of the Thames for anything he might sell, is a delightful combination of race-against-the-clock medical mystery and outwit-the-bad-guys adventure. Eel, a hardworking and bighearted kid with no shortage of crummy luck, is being hunted by a notoriously mean crook, who happens to be his stepfather. When the first cholera case hits, the town blames the polluted air, but Eel and his mentor, Dr. Snow, have a different theory-that it's being spread through a local water pump-which they set out to prove before the death toll escalates further. 

  

And last but not least...for teens: The latest from the ever-so-popular author John Green: Paper Towns. 

Here is a little bit to whet your appetite: Weeks before graduating from their Orlando-area high school, Quentin Jacobsen's childhood best friend, Margo, reappears in his life, specifically at his window, commanding him to take her on an all-night, score-settling spree. Quentin has loved Margo from not so afar (she lives next door), years after she ditched him for a cooler crowd. Just as suddenly, she disappears again. 

Fans of Green's books -- such as The Fault in Our Stars -- will want to get their hands on this one!

Read wherever you want....just read! And you've still got the whole month of July to finish your reading logs for the Fizz! Boom! Read! Summer Reading Club. 

Stay cool!


 

Ms. Suzy Reads | In Outer Space?

Ever since the movie Gravity came out, I have had a rather crazy idea: I'd like to travel to space. I know, I know....only really, really rich people will be able to afford space travel when (and if) it becomes available for non-astronauts. But I can't help thinking how darn cool it would be.

 

So I thought I should do a little research, and voila, I found the perfect book: You Can't Ride a Bicycle to the Moon by Harriet Ziefert with pictures by Amanda Haley. It's a quick read packed with a whole lot of interesting information about the moon AND travel to the moon.

 

Here's just a little of what I learned:

 

To travel to the moon from earth, it will take 8 hours and 35 minutes by rocket. (Too bad I can't travel by the speed of light! That would only take 1.52 seconds!)

 

Astronauts have to wear special suits when they're visiting the moon. In fact, I got to see real spacesuits worn by Apollo astronauts when I visited the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. But here's a little gross tidbit I read in the book: spacesuits can be made with built-in toilets.

 

What? Yes, that's what I said. I'm starting to rethink my dream of space travel.

 

Another interesting fact I learned from this book involves food. Now we've all been told by our parents -- at some point when we were sitting down to the family dinner -- that we should not play with our food. Right?

 

Well I learned in this book that astronauts play a food game in which one astronaut throws a cookie into the air, and another astronaut, floating by, of course, has to catch the cookie in his or her mouth. I think I would do pretty well at that game.

 

So what do you say? If you had a chance, would you travel to the moon?

 

Here's another question: If you could read just 10 books (t-e-n books) to get a really cool prize, would you do it? Who wouldn't, right? That's all kids have to do for this year's Summer Reading program. And teens, you only have to read 3 books (t-h-r-e-e) and write short reviews to win a great prize. AND, there will be a grand prize drawing at the end of Summer Reading and one person from every library branch will win a FREE Kindle Fire.

 

We've got it going on at the library. So check us out! And check out a book!

 

Until next week, happy reading!

Ms. Suzy Reads | In Tesla's Attic

Good morning, reading friends!

In an effort to share the greatest books and make this blog really worth your reading time, I have decided to combine the children's and teen blogs into one: Ms. Suzy Reads. Every blog post will celebrate a great book -- and sometimes maybe more than one! I will always mention the appropriate grade level for each book discussed. So I hope you'll stay with me on this reading journey!

Now if you're wondering about the title for today's blog, wonder no more. I just finished reading Tesla's Attic by one of my favorite authors, Neil Shusterman, and co-written by Eric Elfman. This is the first book in the Accelerati Trilogy. 

Wow! And wow! 

So let's start with the title. Who the heck is Tesla? Let me tell you. According to Wikipedia, Nikola Tesla was a Serbian American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist best known for his work with the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. But more interesting (at least to me) was that he was known as a "mad-scientist" type. It's getting interesting, right?

Now that you have that background information, let's talk about the book! The main character is a kid named Nick Slate. (There's a rather large clue already, gentle reader.) Nick, his father, and younger brother Danny have relocated to Colorado Springs from Florida after a family tragedy. They move into an old house they've inherited, and Nick immediately discovers an attic full of old junk. Because they have no money -- Nick's father has had little luck finding a job after his not-all-that-successful stint as a major league baseball pitcher many years before -- Nick decides to have a garage sale with all the inherited junk.

Strange things happen almost immediately in this page-turner of a book. People are drawn to the garage sale in unexplained ways. And they can't wait to buy the junk! Nick doesn't know what to make of it. 

It soon becomes apparent that the garage sale junk wasn't really junk after all. And if you paid attention to our main character's full name, you'll see there are perhaps some connections to a famous inventor, or "mad scientist."

Nick and his friends are on an adventure of their lives, complete with a wet cell battery that does really weird things to a baseball mitt that catches things other than baseballs to a secret society! Yes, a secret society!

You won't be able to put this down. Trust me! It's that good, but I'm not at all surprised because it's written by Neil Shusterman whose books are always fantastic.  

This action-packed adventure is a great read for kids in 4th-8th grades. But hey, older readers, you'll enjoy it too!

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next week!

Teens Only | I Don't Know About You....

...but I'm ready for this school year to be over so I can enjoy reading books for FUN!

So I thought I'd check out some recommended great books for teens, and found a pretty decent list on the YALSA page. 

Here's what's on my TO READ list for Summer 2014:

1) Just One Day by Gayle Forman 

And here's the blurb: Sparks fly when American good girl Allyson encounters laid-back Dutch actor Willem, so she follows him on a whirlwind trip to Paris, upending her life in just one day and prompting a year of self-discovery and the search for true love.

2) When We Wake by Karen Healey

Here's the blurb for this one: In 2027, sixteen-year-old Tegan is just like every other girl--playing the guitar, falling in love, and protesting the wrongs of the world with her friends. But then Tegan dies, waking up 100 years in the future as the unknowing first government guinea pig to be cryogenically frozen and successfully revived. Appalling secrets about her new world come to light, and Tegan must choose to either keep her head down or fight for a better future.

3) Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

This is the 2nd in the "His Fair Assassin" series. The first book was Grave Mercy. Here's the 4-1-1 on the 2nd book: Sybella's duty as Death's assassin in 15th-century France forces her return home to the personal hell that she had finally escaped. Love and romance, history and magic, vengeance and salvation converge in this sequel to Grave Mercy.

And don't forget your chance to do something very rewarding this Summer: Sign up to be a Book Buddies Tutor at the Chavez Library. For info, call (209) 937-7012. It will change your life!

Happy Reading!

4 Kids | Shhh....It's a Secret!

What would you do if you were out walking your dog, and all of the sudden your dog fell into a deep hole. Oh no, right? And suppose that while getting your dog out, you discovered -- in that deep hole -- a tunnel! What would you do? Would you go exploring?

That's just what Jacques and Marcel did back in 1940. And you'll never believe what they found! That tunnel led to a cave. And in that cave were a whole bunch of beautiful paintings dating back to prehistoric times. Prehistoric -- as in 17,000 years. 

Author Emily Arnold McCully explores the discovery of this cave in her book The Secret Cave: Discovering Lascaux. At first the boys thought they were going to find buried gold, but instead they found the most famous prehistoric art of all time, the Lascaux cave paintings. What's really cool about these paintings is that the colors had not faded. The paintings -- approximately 600 -- had a protective layer of chalk which made them watertight. That's why they lasted all those years!

Gradually the boys did share the secret of the cave and eventually people were able to visit the cave and marvel at the wonderful works of art. 

You can learn all about the discovery of this prehistoric art by reading this really great non-fiction book! 

And just a reminder, the Summer Reading Club returns to SSJCPL on June 1. Stop by anytime after that and pick up your reading log and start reading in order to win fabulous prizes. And if you complete your reading log, you'll be entered into a grand prize raffle to win a Kindle Fire!