April 30th is National Honesty Day

April 30th is National Honesty Day

Arthur’s Classroom Fib
by Marc Brown

On the first day of school, Mr. Ratburn gives everyone the homework of writing a report about their summer vacations. Arthur’s friends all did exciting things like Buster a Muffy taking trips on ships and airplanes, Francine’s summer at tennis camp, and Binky’s trip to Disney World. Arthur knows that his summer was very boring compared to everyone else’s. That night, he decides to exaggerate a story where he rescues his sister D.W. from drowning, an octopus, and a shark. After reading the story aloud, D.W. tells him that it is a fib, and that he would get into trouble if he used it as his report. Will Arthur share the exaggerated story with everyone, or will he tell the real truth about his summer?















Princess K.I.M. and the Lie that Grew
by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Kim was starting her first day of school in a new town, and she was afraid that the other children would not like her. Her father tells her that they will if she will just be herself. Whenever the teacher introduces Kim to the other students, one girl replies that her name is also Kim. Kim wanted everyone to like her so she told a little lie. She said that her name was K.I.M. for Katherine Isabella Marguerite. She also told the teacher that she was from a royal family, and the teacher bowed to her. The other children gathered around her later, and she decided to lie a little bit more. She told them that she was a princess, and that her grandmother is a queen. The children see her walking to school with her father who is wearing a suit, and as he hands Kim her lunch, he calls her princess. The children then really do believe that Kim is a princess. The other children then start doing little things for Kim, such as opening the door, carrying things, and giving Kim their lunches. Soon Kim is asked by the other students for autographs and pictures, and her lie keeps getting bigger and bigger. Then she tells everyone that her grandmother is coming to town. The other children really want to meet the queen. Will the other children find out about her lies? Will they still want to be her friends after they find out the truth?


















Neil Armstrong is My Uncle & Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me
by Nan Marino

Tamara Ann Simpson seems to be the only person on Ramble Street that knows that ten-year-old “Muscle Man” McGinty is a liar. McGinty is a new kid on the street, and he likes to exaggerate (which can be seen by some as lying). No one but Tamara seems to worry that Muscle Man tells these tall tales, and she wonders why that is. Muscle Man McGinty is a foster child, and to Tamara, he took away everything that had to do with her friend Kebsie when she moved away. That is why she is determined to prove him the liar that she knows he is. Then one day, Muscle Man states that he can beat everyone in the neighborhood at kickball (their favorite game), and Tammy knows that Muscle Man will finally be proven as a liar. No one in her neighborhood can back down from a challenge like that. Due to many obstacles, the game ends up lasting for several days, and to Tammy’s annoyance, the other kids on the street take it easy on Muscle Man. Will Muscle Man lose his bet? Will Tammy prove to everyone what she believes about Muscle Man, or will she find out the real reasons for his lying? Will she want to be his friend?


















The Honest-to-Goodness Truth
by Patricia McKissack and illustrated by Giselle Potter

One day, Libby’s mother asked her if she had fed and watered O’l Boss. When she lies to her mother, her mother tells her to “Speak the truth and shame the devil,” and then punishes her for lying by not getting to play with her friend and having to stay on the porch. Libby decides from that day on to never lie again. At church, Libby tells her friend Ruthie Mae that she likes her dress, but that she has a hole in her sock, and as she runs by, Libby does not see the hurt on her friends face. After church, Libby asks Ruthie Mae to walk home, but Ruthie Mae tells Libby that what she said was mean, even if it was the truth. The next day at school, Libby tells the teacher that Willie did not do his homework, which gets him into trouble. She continues to tell the truth all day, but by the end of the day, no one wants to talk to her. She is very sad and tells her mother what happened. Will Libby’s mother be able to teach Libby about when it is appropriate to tell the honest-to-goodness truth? Will Libby be able to stop her friends from being mad at her?

Some New Books for April

Aliens & UFOs
by Chris Evans

This nonfiction book discusses aliens and how strange things that have happened on Earth are thought, by some people, to be the work of alien visitors. There are also facts are how the name “flying saucer” became used when talking about UFOs, and how many reported sightings of UFOs there are every year. The book also discusses aliens and what they may look like, and the popular aliens from movies and television, such as Alien and Dr. Who. There are also discussions of alien hunters, kidnappings by aliens, ideas of why the aliens may come here, and finally, if the aliens might just be living among us right now. The pictures are very cool, and there is even a pop-up spaceship. There is even a test at the very end of the book to see how much was learned.

First Rain
by Charlotte Herman and illustrated by Kathryn Mitter

Abby and her parents are at the airport and are ready to fly to their new home in Israel. Abby and her grandmother will miss each other very much, but her grandmother gives her a “plane letter” to read as she is flying. Abby reads her letter, and when she gets home, her grandmother notices the letter that Abby wrote for her. They talk to each other over the phone and by email. Abby tells her grandmother all about visiting Jerusalem, and going on a hike (or tiyul) and to the marketplace (or shuk) and sends pictures, too. Abby also sends her grandmother some mud from the Dead Sea that is supposed to be good for your skin. Her grandmother sends Abby a picture of herself wearing the mud on her face. Her grandmother also sends her some leaves that have changed color, and Abby cannot wait for the first rain of the season. Will the first rain ever come? How will Abby share it with her grandmother?

Big Nate: In a Class by Himself
by Lincoln Peirce

This book is a mixture of illustrations and words that discusses a day in the life of Nate Wright. The illustrations are much like comic strips. Nate believes that he is “destined for greatness.” His day, however, does not seem to be going that way. He thinks he forgot about a history test, but then he finds out there is not a test and gets a favorable fortune in a fortune cookie. Unfortunately, it seems that the fortune cookie is wrong. Three classes down, and Nate has three detentions. Then the day only seems to get worse. Will Nate be able to follow the fortune and “surpass all others?” Will his day get any better?

Fly Free!
by Roseanne Thong and illustrated by Eujin Kim Neilan

Mai stops to see the sparrows that are for sale next to the temple gate. The vendor lets her feed the birds, but Mai would really like to buy them and set them free. That is why the vendor is selling the birds, so that customers can buy them and set them free as a good deed. Mai, however, cannot afford to set any of the birds free, so she hopes that someone will. Then a girl named Thu comes to the temple and removes her sandals. Mai has never seen such beautiful shoes. On her way out, Mai asks Thu if she would like to help her feed the sparrows. Then she sings a little song about good deeds coming back to those that do them. On her walk home, Thu sees a girl whose foot has been cut on glass, and she gives the girl her sandals. As she leaves, Thu sings the song, and the girl hears it. As she is bringing home water from the well the next morning, the girl notices the oxcart driver is asleep, and so she leaves some water for him when he wakes up. He hears her sing the song as he drinks the cool water. That day, the oxcart driver sees an old woman with a big basket of cakes, and he offers to give her a ride for one of her cakes. As he leaves, she hears him singing the song. Will the old woman continue the chain of good deeds? Will the good deeds of the others help Mai and her sparrows?

National Library Week

April 11-17, 2010 is National Library Week

The Best Book to Read
by Debbie Bertram & Susan Bloom and illustrated by Michael Garland

Today is the class trip to the library, and the librarian tells the children that she will help them find the book that is “best” for them to read. She shows the children a space book, a book with knights and dragons, a bug book, a book about how to bake a cake, a dinosaur book, a book on how to train pets, and a magic trick book. Then the children pick out the “best book” and get their own library card. Then on the bus ride back to school, everyone enjoys reading the books they checked out.















Bats at the Library
by Brian Lies

One night the bats see that a librarian has left one of the library windows open a crack. The bats love to visit the library, and they cannot wait until they have the opportunity to do so. The bats look at many different kinds of book, and some bats like to “hang” around and talk about the books they have read. The little bats also learn the kinds of games they can play at the library, including making shadow shapes and copying themselves on the copier. The bats even have a storytime while they rest. Then the bats imagine themselves inside the story. They are so wrapped up in the story, the bats do not notice when the sun begins to lighten the sky. When they do notice, they know that it is time to leave, but they hope that a librarian will be kind enough to leave the window cracked on a night that is soon.
















The Boys who was Raised by Librarians
by Carla Morris and illustrated by Brad Sneed

Melvin spends a lot of time at the Livingston Public Library, where he can learn about anything that he is curious about. He also gets to see his favorite people behind the reference desk. The librarians always talked to Melvin, and they were interested in anything that he was. They would help him find whatever information he needed in a book or on the Internet. One day, Melvin accidentally lets eighty-seven insects loose in the library, but Marge, Betty, and Leeola help him find, identify, classify, and catalog all of the bugs very quickly. As the years go by, the librarians help Melvin prepare for his part in the school play, help him with his baseball card collection, help him with the spelling bee (which he wins), and with a science fair. Melvin also comes to all the library programs. In high school, Melvin even gets a part-time job at the library. While he is at college, Melvin stays in touch with his favorite people at the library, and then he becomes the new librarian after he is done with school. He will soon help other children the way his favorite people helped him.


















Library Lil
by Suzanne Williams and illustrated by Steven Kellogg

Lil has always had a book in her hand, even when she was just one year old. She even carried a book on the field with her when she played soccer. Lil had read all of the books in the children’s section by the time she was eight years old. She was also very strong, and could lift a whole set of encyclopedias in one arm, while reading one with her right. She would turn the pages with her teeth (but please do not try this at home). When she grew up, Lil became a librarian. Unfortunately, everyone in that town liked to watch television. Then one night a powerful storm blew in and knocked out the electricity. Lil pushed the bookmobile all over town and made sure everyone had something to read by candlelight. The electricity stayed off for two weeks, and by that time, everyone had gotten used to reading instead of watching television. Lil storytimes were also very popular. Then one night a motorcycle gang came to town. The leader was Bust-‘em-up Bill, and he got very upset when he found out he could not watch his favorite show. He decides to block the parking spot for the bookmobile with his motorcycle gang’s motorcycles. When Lil shows up, she tells them they need to move the motorcycles, or she will. Bill tells her they will all read if she can move the motorcycles. Lil throws them all into a big pile and parks the bookmobile. Then the guys go into the library and start reading. Soon they have to expand the library, and Lil gets some help from Bill, who is now called “Bookworm Bill.” He is also a great storyteller, and there are never any overdue books since he started working there.

April is National Humor Month

April is National Humor Month
Check out some of these joke books and keep your friends and family laughing

The Big Golden Book of Laughs: A Treasury of Poems, Jokes, Riddles and Rhymes
selected by Linda Williams Aber and illustrated by Jerry Smath

You Must Be Joking!: Lots of Cool Jokes
compiled and illustrated by Paul Brewer










The Silliest Joke Book Ever
by Victoria Hartman and pictures by R.W. Alley

1,000 Jokes for Kids of All Ages
by Michael Kilgariff











Keep 'em Laughing: Jokes to Amuse and Annoy Your Friends
by Louis Phillips and illustrated by Michael Chesworth











Silly Knock-Knocks
by Joseph Rosenbloom and illustrated by Steve Harpster












Ha! Ha! Ha!: 1,000+ Jokes, Riddles, Fact, and More
by Lyn Thomas and illustrated by Dianne Eastman








Jokelopedia: The Biggest, Best, Silliest, Dumbest, Joke Book Ever!
by Ilana Weitzman, Eva Blank, Roseanne Green and illustrated by Mike Wright