Some New Books for August

The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe
by Loree Griffin Burns with photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz

Bees are very important to people that like honey, beeswax candles, and of course, without bees, there would not be many others to spread the pollen from flowers, fruits, and vegetables (and so, without this pollen, there would be fewer flowers, fruits, and vegetables). This book starts by taking a look at the beehive, how it is inspected by the person who takes care of it, and what to look for while inspecting the hive. Then discussion turns to the problem with bees that we are facing. In November of 2006, Dave Hackenberg found that the bees he had left in 400 hives (twenty million bees) had disappeared. The bees had left everything and no other bugs had been in to steal the honey. This made him very worried about his other hives. Soon, other beekeepers noticed that something weird was going on in their hives, as well. Honey bees were disappearing all over and hives were being abandoned. A group of scientists formed the CCD Working Group to find out what was going. They collected samples from many different hives. They found that the bees from the hives that were in trouble were very, very sick. The scientists looked at the usual pests that can destroy hives, but they found that those causes were not the one they were looking for. One scientist looked at the diseases that the bees might have picked up, and they found that the infected hives had IAPV and the healthy hives did not. However, the scientists were not sure that IAPV, by itself, was the cause. The scientists agreed that there are many different things that might be adding to the problem and will continue to do research to find the right combination that is causing the collapse. Throughout the book, there is more information on bees, and at the end of the book is a section on how honey is collected.

Princess Says Goodnight
by Naomi Howland and illustrated by David Small

A little girl imagines she is a princess on her way to bed after leaving a ball. She thinks about all of the things a princess might do as she gets ready for bed, such as having some milk and chocolate éclairs, wishing on a star, having a bubble bath with special little towels to dry her toes, what she should wear to bed, and kissing her little “froggy prince” on his head. Will she have a lullaby sung to her or a bedtime story told to her? Will she get her bedtime kiss goodnight?

The Firehouse Light
by Janet Nolan and illustrated by Marie Lafrance

The fires in the small town used to be fought with hand-pulled carts that had water hoses on them, and all of the people in the town would bring their buckets and form “bucket brigades” to fight the fire. The cart with the water hose was kept in a shack, and it was hard to see the cart at night. One person would have to hold a lantern so that everyone could see. One day, a businessman gives the firefighters the gift of a little four-watt light bulb, which is never turned off. This little light bulb sees many changes happen to the firehouse, the firefighters, and the town. Soon, the firehouse has other electric lights, fires are telephoned in, and there is a new fire engine with a bell. After forty years the firefighters start wearing protective gear when fighting fires, and the town keeps growing bigger and bigger. In fifty years, firefighters are actually paid to fight fires, and stay at the firehouse so they can be ready for a fire. Things continue to change, and soon, the little light bulb has been burning for one hundred years. The town even throws a birthday party for the little light bulb.

Flight of the Outcast: The Academy, Year 1
by Brad Strickland

Asteria Locke’s world both ends and begins at her farm on the remote planet of Theron. Asteria had wanted something more than a life of farming before then, but then her farm and family are attacked. Asteria is put into a safe place by her father, and by the time she wakes up and gets out, she finds that her father is gone. Life on Theron would not be what she wants, so Asteria decides to use her cousin, Andre’s Royal Military Academy invitation, as it says A.F. Locke (which is her name, too). She wants revenge on those raiders who destroyed her family, and she has a better chance of getting it through the academy. At school, Asteria feels like an outcast, and she has a hard time making friends. One of the Aristo boys has decided to make her life difficult, too. On her first flight in pilot training, she enjoys every minute of her flight. Then the Aristo’s uncle challenges Asteria to a court-martial, since he found out that she had used her cousin’s papers, but the charges are dropped, because he only brought up the charges to keep her from beating his nephew in a war game. Soon, however, the pressures of school and everything else start getting to her, and she worries that she will not be able to control herself around the Aristo. Will Asteria be able to make it through the rest of the year and get to work on board a ship for the summer? Will her father’s past secrets end up causing her trouble?

Back to School

Back to School!

Messing Around on the Monkey Bars and Other School Poems for Two Voices
by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Jessie Hartland

This book of poetry can be read by two people, as the lines for person one to read is in plain type and the lines for person two to read are in bold type. There are also some lines that both can read together. The poems are funny, and they are about different parts of being back at school, such as the bus ride, reports for class, being in the library, the lines at lunch, homework, and many others. At the end of the book are some suggestions to make the reading of the poems a little more exciting.




















The Reinvention of Moxie Roosevelt
by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Moxie Roosevelt Kipper is used to people expecting something extraordinary from her due to the name she was given. She always sees the disappointment on their faces when they realize she is just an ordinary girl. She is tired of being the one overlooked, and she is ready for something exciting to happen to her. She decides that if she ever gets out of the school she is going to, she will become someone who matches her name. She will become someone who is fun and outgoing and who stands out. Then Moxie gets her chance when her parents decide to send her to Eaton Academy for Girls, a boarding school. Her talent at piano playing has earned Moxie a scholarship to the school, and she cannot wait to start. She is also ready to start becoming a new person. Unfortunately, she has trouble deciding on the new personality she would like to choose. She meets people like Spinky, her roommate, who fits into her “Detached, Unique, Coolly Knowing Individual” personality, and Moxie tells her things that she would expect someone DUCKI to know, which are not necessarily true. Another girl she meets is Haven, who fits into her “Mysterious Earth Goddess” personality, and she also tells Haven things that would fit with that personality, which are also not necessarily true. All of these stories and personalities could get confusing, though, so Moxie decides to keep a Personality Log to remember what she told people. Will this plan to reinvent herself really work for Moxie? Will she get too caught up trying to people different people that she forgets how to be herself? What happens if anyone finds out all of those things she told people that were not necessarily true?





















First Grade Jitters
by Robert Quackenbush and illustrated by Yan Nascimbene

A little boy is upset, because he does not know what to expect when he starts first grade. So he decides that he is not hungry, does not want new shoes for school, and acts a little grumpy. The little boy liked Kindergarten where he got to play with his friends, but what if his friends are not in his class? What if he has to do things that he does not know, such as reading, spelling, or doing math? What if he cannot understand the teacher? So he decides to tell his mother that his leg is hurt, and he cannot possibly go to school that way. Then his friends call, and he goes over to play with them? Will being with his friends make him feel better? Will he be less scared of starting first grade?


















This School Year Will Be the Best
by Kay Winters and illustrated by Renée Andriani

On the first day of school the teacher asks her students what they hope will happen that year. Each student shares one thing that they hope for. Some want the best seat on the bus, to look good in the school pictures, to bring their pet for show-and-tell, to take a field trip to someplace cool, and even not to be a vegetable in the school play or lose things in their desk. There are many other hopes that are given, and some are big while others are little. The teacher’s one hope is to get to know everyone.

Glasses

Arthur’s Eyes
by Marc Brown

Before Arthur got his glasses he could not see what was on the board, he had to hold his book close to his nose, and he missed the basket when playing basketball. So Arthur’s parents take him to the optometrist, who tells Arthur that he needs glasses. Arthur picks out a pair and wears them to school the next day. The other kids do not wear glasses, and they make fun of Arthur’s glasses. He decides that he does not want to wear the glasses anymore. Unfortunately, without his glasses, Arthur cannot see the board again, and he may just end up in a room he should not be in. Will Arthur wear his glasses and be able to see clearly? Will the other students stop teasing him and making fun of his glasses?

Princess Peepers
by Pam Calvert and illustrated by Tuesday Mourning

Princess Peepers loves her glasses, and she has many different pairs for many different occasions. Then she attends the Royal Academy for Perfect Princesses, and the other princesses there make fun of her glasses. This upsets Princess Peepers who runs out of the room. She decides to stop wearing glasses and goes back to show the other princesses. Unfortunately, without her glasses, Princess Peepers ends up going the wrong way to find the other princesses, puts on an outfit that does not match to go to the ball, and ends up on the tower instead of in the ball room. Will Princess Peepers ever be happy with her glasses again? How will the Prince feel when he meets Princess Peepers with her glasses?

The Patch
by Justina Chen Headley and illustrated by Mitch Vane

On Becca’s fifth birthday she goes to the doctor’s office to get some shots and to check her eyes. The shots go well, but the doctor who checks her eyes tells her that she will need to wear glasses and an eyes patch, so that her left eye can become stronger. Becca does not want to wear glasses, but her mother insists that she get them. The next morning, though, Becca does not want to go to school with her glasses and eye patch. Her brother tells her that he will let her borrow his pirate outfit for the day. All day at school, whenever the other children ask her about her glasses and eye patch, Becca tells them that she is a pirate, private eye, and a one-eyed monster. The other children have a lot of fun pretending with her. Will Becca tell the other children the real reason why she wears an eye patch and glasses? Will the other children be okay with it?

Glasses: Who Needs Em?
by Lane Smith

A doctor tells a young boy that he needs glasses, but the young boy is not convinced. The doctor tells the boy that lots of people wear glasses. Then he starts telling the boy exactly who wears glasses: parents, sisters, inventors, little green men, pink elephants, cats, dogs, robots, tall giraffes, potatoes, sock puppets, and many others. The boy does not believe the doctor. Will the doctor be able to convince the boy that all of these things and more wear glasses? How will he convince the boy to wear glasses?

August 10th is Lazy Day

August 10th is Lazy Day!

Lazy Jack
by Vivian French and illustrated by Russell Ayto

Lazy Jack was the laziest person. He would get out of bed in the afternoon, eat, drink, and then go back to bed again. His mother did not like that Jack was lazy, so she asks the builder to take Jack to work with him. So all day Jack carries things for the builder and then receives a coin at the end of the day. On the way home, though, Jack loses the coin and is too lazy to go look for it. His mother tells him to put the next one in his pocket. Jack’s mother then asks the farmer to take Jack to work with her. Jack spends the day feeding all of the animals, and when the farmer gives him some milk, he remembers what his mother said and puts the milk in his pockets. Of course, the milk spills out, and his mother tells him that he should have carried the milk on his head. Then she asks the dairyman to take Jack to work with him the next day. What will Jack get paid to work for the dairyman? Will he be able to get it home with no problems? Will Jack ever learn to carry his payment the right way and get it home safely?

The Little Red Hen
by Paul Galdone

Once upon a time there was a cat, dog, mouse, and a little red hen. The cat, dog, and mouse like to sleep all day long, while the little red hen does all of the housework, the cooking, and working out in the garden. One day she finds some wheat while she was out in the garden. She asks if anyone wants to help her plant it, but the other animals are too lazy to get up and help. When the wheat is ready, the little red hen is the only one who will cut the wheat, take it to be ground into flour, and make it into a cake. Soon the cake is done, and the hen asks who will eat the cake. Will the other animals want to eat some of the cake the little red hen has made? Will the little red hen let them eat any of the cake after she had done all of the hard work? How will the other animals act towards the hen in the future?

How Lazy Can You Get?
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and illustrated by Alan Daniel

Timothy, Amy, and Douglas John Megglethorp were good children when they were alone, but when they got together, weird things were known to happen. Timothy likes to be lazy and lie around. Amy does not like to be ordered around, and Douglas John does not want to grow up and lose his imagination. This is why their parents worry before they leave the children for one week during the summer. The children’s parents hire Miss Brasscoat to take care of the children, but the children soon find out that Miss Brasscoat certainly does not look at the world the way they do. She does not allow anyone to lie around, she always orders them around, and she always wants them to finish everything on their plate. The children know that this means that there will soon be trouble. She is also always asking them “How annoying, revolting, lazy, and ignorant can you get?” So the children decide to show her, every time she asks one of those questions. The children also feel sorry for Miss Brasscoat, because she never smiles. So Douglas John takes matters into his own hands in order to show Miss Brasscoat how easy it is to smile. Will Miss Brasscoat ever smile, look happy, or just enjoy the children’s company? Will the children be able to make it the rest of the week with Miss Brasscoat there?

The Boy of the Three-Year Nap
by Dianne Snyder and illustrated by Allen Say

There was once a poor widow and her son who lived on the banks of the Nagara River. The widow sews kimonos for the ladies in town, and the work seems to never end. Her son, Taro, is very clever, but he is also very lazy. Taro only likes to eat and sleep, and so he is called “The Boy of the Three-Year Nap.” There is a rich merchant who builds a mansion near Taro and his mother’s house, and Taro likes to watch the merchant and his family. He likes the way that the family lives. Taro becomes even lazier as time goes on, and his mother gets on to him about going out and getting a job. Taro has a plan, though, and he asks his mother to sew him a black kimono and hat. The next evening Taro puts on the kimono and paints his face. At the town’s shrine, Taro appears to the merchant as the ujigami, and the merchant is told that his daughter must marry Taro or turn in to a clay pot. The merchant is scared for his daughter, and so he goes to Taro’s house the next day and tells Taro’s mother that they must be married. She has several reasons why they cannot marry, such as the house needs repair and that it is much too small for his daughter. The merchant does everything he can to make the marriage happen, and the house is fixed up and made bigger. Will that be enough for Taro’s mother to allow the marriage? Will she ask anything else of the merchant? Will Taro be happy with the way his plan works out?

August is National Peach Month

August is National Peach Month

Easy as Pie
by Cari Best and pictures by Melissa Sweet

Jacob loves to watch his favorite TV show, Cooking with Monty. Chef Monty is baking and pie, and so Jacob decides to make one, too. Jacob decides to make a peach pie, and he gathers up his ingredients and puts on his apron and baking hat. Then his sister Charlotte comes in to tell him that it is almost time to go. The family is going to Alfredo’s to celebrate their parents’ anniversary. Jacob continues to follow Chef Monty’s rules and bake the pie, instead of getting ready. When Charlotte comes back, she decides to read her book while Jacob continues to bake his pie. When their parents ask if they are ready, Jacob and Charlotte reply, “Almost.” Jacob’s parents come in to the kitchen to see if the children are ready, but Jacob needs to wait until his pie is finished. The pie is soon done cooking, but then it needs to cool. Jacob’s parents say that they need to leave and go to the restaurant, but Jacob wants to wait on his pie. Will the family end up making it to the restaurant? Will the pie turn out alright? At the back of the book, there is a recipe for Jacob’s Happy Peach Pie.



















Peach Heaven
by Yangsook Choi

In Puchon, South Korea in 1976, Yangsook sat around thinking about a peach garden instead of doing her homework. When she starts her homework assignment, she has to write about the best thing in her home town. She thinks the best things are peaches. Puchon was known for the best peaches in Korea, and Yangsook loves them, even though she does not get many because they are expensive. Suddenly, Yangsook’s grandmother calls her to come look outside. It is raining really hard, and the water has reached the top of the porch. Yangsook, her brother, and her grandmother all see something falling off of the roof. Yangsook ties herself to the porch and then goes to see what it is. She sees that the things are peaches, and it looks like it is raining peaches as well as rain. Yangsook gathers the peaches up and puts them inside her umbrella. The whole family gets to eat the peaches, and this makes Yangsook very happy. Yangsook soon worries about the farmers who had lost their peaches. The next morning Yangsook and her friends take all of the peaches that they have gathered up into the mountains, and they tie the peaches back onto the trees with yarn. Will the farmer’s be happy that the children brought back the peaches? Will they be able to get most of their peaches back?



















Peach & Blue
by Sarah S. Kilborne and paintings by Lou Fancher

One day a blue-bellied toad is resting under the shade of a tree, when he feels raindrops on his head. When he looks up at the sky, though, there are no rain clouds. Then he noticed a peach hanging from the tree, and saw that the drops were coming from the peach, who was crying. Blue, the frog, asks Peach what is wrong, and she tells him she wants to see the rest of the world before she is picked off of her tree. Blue tells her about where he lives and all of his brothers of sisters, and he tells Peach that he wants to help her. Blue gets all of his brothers and sisters to help him get Peach off of the tree, and then he gets his brothers and sisters to help him find a bowl and put Peach in it. In this bowl, Blue is able to push Peach around to see the grass, moss, ladybugs, sky, swans, whippoorwills, and even damselflies. Peach even helps Blue to see things that he had never noticed before. Will Peach be able to see everything that she wanted to see? Has Blue made a new friend?


















Three Sacks of Truth
adapted by Eric A. Kimmel and illustrated by Robert Rayevsky

There was once a king who likes peaches, but he does not like paying for the peaches that he eats. So he announces to the kingdom that he will give his daughter to be married to the man who has the perfect peach. This is just a trick to get free peaches, though, and the king does not intend to have his daughter marry anybody. In that kingdom, there lives a widow with her three sons, Pierre, Pascal, and Petit Jean. The widow has grown a peach tree that has three perfect peaches on it. So she sends Pierre with the first peach. Pierre is rude to the lady at a holy well, and he tells her that he has frogs and toads in the basket, when she asks about what is inside. When he gets to the king, Pierre finds that there are frogs and toads in the basket, and the king has him thrown out. The same thing happens to Pascal. Then it is Petit Jean’s turn. He is the cleverest son, and so he is polite and tells the woman at the well exactly what is inside his basket. For his honesty and politeness, she gives him fife to use with the king. When Petit Jean shows his peach to the king, the king announces that it is a perfect peach. He did not want Petit Jean to marry his daughter, though, so he gives Petit Jean another job. Will Petit Jean be able to do what the king wants? Will he get to marry the Princess? How will he get the king to keep his promise?