New Way of Looking at Things

 

 

  

Clara and the Curandera= Clara y la Curandera

by Monica Brown and illustrated by Thelma Muraida

This is a bilingual book in both English and Spanish. Clara was very grumpy when she had to take out the trash, share her toys with her brothers and sisters, and read one book a week for school. When Clara’s mother gets tired of seeing Clara so grumpy all the time, she sends Clara to the curandera in another apartment. Clara’s mother tells Clara to ask the lady about what to do. Clara tells the curandera that she is tired of having no space or time to herself. The curandera tells Clara for a whole week, Clara needs to take out her trash and the neighbors’ trash, share all her favorite toys with her siblings, and read five books in one week. The following week is very busy and a little hard for Clara, but she also finds that her brothers and sisters are really nice to her for sharing with them, the neighbors are so thankful for the help, and Clara learns so much from reading the books, that she might want to be a veterinarian when she grows up. When Clara goes to see the curandera again, the curandera tells Clara to go back to the way things were. Clara does go back to the old way of doing things, but she finds that she misses the way she felt that week. Will Clara go back to helping everyone out like before? Will she feel happier that way?

 

Penelope Popper, Book Doctor

by Toni Buzzeo and illustrated by Jana Christy

Penelope Popper really wants to be a doctor, and she even has a doctor’s coat, bag, and badge. It seems to Penelope, though, that no one has time to let her doctor them. Even her teacher is too busy for a check-up. When Mr. Hempel, Penelope’s teacher, sees her looking depressed, he tells her to go visit the library. When Penelope gets to the library, she tells the librarian, Ms. Brisco, that she wants to be a doctor. Ms. Brisco asks Penelope what kind of doctor she wants to be. Penelope did not know there were lots of different kinds of doctors. Ms. Brisco tells Penelope that there are even book doctors. Then Ms. Brisco shows Penelope what book doctors do. The next week, Penelope finds some books on the shelf that need a book doctor. Ms. Brisco asks Penelope if she wants to be her medical resident and learn to be a book doctor. Penelope even practices on the books in the classroom. The next day, Penelope and Ms. Brisco work on taping up torn pages. What other things does Penelope learn about being a book doctor? Will she be able to help the other students take better care of the books? What will be her special surprise from Ms. Brisco and Mr. Hempel?

 

Wild Rose’s Weaving

by Ginger Churchill and illustrated by Nicole Wong

Grandma wants to teach Rose how to weave, but Rose tells her grandmother that she is too busy. Rose runs through the meadow after the sheep and tells herself that the running is better than weaving. Grandma tells Rose to come help her warp the loom, but Rose is too busy playing with the sheep. Then Rose sees a storm coming. Grandma wants to show Rose how to work the sticks when weaving, but Rose would rather stay out in the storm. Rose stays out in the rain as her grandmother builds more and more of her picture with the weaving. Rose runs through the little streams that the storm made, and she feels that it has to be better than weaving. By the time the storm is over, Rose’s grandmother has finished the rug she was working on. Will Rose like her rug? Will she still think that all of those other things are better than weaving?

 

Crafty Chloe

by Kelly DiPuchhio and illustrated by Heather Ross

There are several things that Chloe is not good at, such as sports, video games, or dancing, but Chloe is very good at crafts and can make clothes. Chloe uses her father’s old shirts to make clothes for her dog, Bert, and coffee filters to make flowers for a flower hat for show-and-tell. One day Chloe goes shopping for a present for her best friend’s (Emma) birthday party. Chloe thinks she has found the perfect present when she finds a Violet doll from the Flower Girls doll series that Emma collects. Unfortunately, another classmate, London, has already decided to buy Violet for Emma. Chloe tells London that she is going to make something purple and special for Emma’s present, but London does not sound very convinced. When she gets home, Chloe is really not sure what to make for Emma. Chloe gets so worried that she pretends to have “chicken pops” after drawing blue dots all over herself. Chloe’s mom reminds her that there will be a pony, and Chloe suddenly feels much better. Chloe sits down to doodle for some inspiration. Will she make something perfect for Emma’s present? Will this present come in handy for something that happens on the day of the party?

More New Books

 

 

 

I Wish I Knew That: Geography: Cool Stuff You Need to Know

by James Doyle     (J 910 DOYLE)

There are a lot of questions that we have as humans, and the author sets out to answer a lot of those questions. Of course, as the title states, these answers involve geography. According to the author, “Geography is the science that explains where in the world things are and how they got there.” The author starts by discussing Earth, the parts that make it up (crust, mantle, core), continents (North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia/Oceania, and Antarctica), the oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern (Antarctic), and Artic), and much, much more. There are also fun little facts added, such as, who is the tougher animal that lives in the arctic regions: the polar bear or the penguin. Read to find out. Then the author discusses continental shifting and disasters (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis). The next chapter is on oceans, and the issues that come up with them, such as tsunamis and hurricanes. There is a lot of fun information all through this book, and you will feel so much smarter once you are finished. I know I did. There are also drawings throughout the book.

 My First Cupcake Decorating Book: 35 Fun Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cake Pops, and More, For Children Aged 7 Years +   

(J 641.86539 MY)

Have you ever served really decorated cupcakes for a party or special event? This book is full of great ideas for making your cupcakes or cake pops the talk of the whole party. The chapters are divided into three: cupcakes, cake pop, and then brownies, cookies, and gingerbread. Warning: This book will make you hungry and excited to decorate your baked goods. There are also some safety tips, supply lists, and basic recipes at the beginning of the book. Some of the cupcake designs include: pink piggy cupcakes, princess cupcakes, a rainbow of cupcakes, sparkling diamond cupcakes, and many more. Some of the cake pop designs include: sheep pops, flower pop, and goldfish pops. Finally, some of the other designs include: brownie owls, ladybug cookies, and rocky roadies. Enjoy making some of the great ideas for decoration.

 

The Girl Who Owned a City

by O.T. Nelson; adapted by Dan Jolley; illustrated by Joëlle Jones; coloring by Jenn Manley Lee   (J FIC NELSON)

The Girl Who Owned a City was originally a novel published in 1975 by O.T. Nelson. It has been adapted into the graphic novel. A virus spread around the planet and has killed every adult. The story takes place a couple of weeks after this disaster strikes. This leaves the children to fend for themselves in a world with no direction or assistance. Lisa Nelson is left to take care of herself and her seven-year-old brother, Todd. She knows that they need the basics like food and water, and so, Lisa goes around to the outlying farms to look for food, too. Unfortunately, there are children that are joining gangs, which are going around and stealing supplies from other children that were able to find anything. Lisa wants to create a safe place for the children of her neighborhood. Lisa decides first to make the houses of the neighborhood harder to get into, but the gangs just end up burning the houses down. Then Lisa finds the Glenbard High School and decides to use that as a base to defend and protect. They will also bring more children in, if they are willing to pitch in and help. There are gangs that try to attack the school, but all the defenses that were put into place seem to be holding them back. Unfortunately, Lisa is drawn out of the school, and one of the gangs attacks her and takes over. Will Lisa be able to get her “city” back? Will she be able to get everyone to work together for the benefit of all?

Twist It Up: More Than 60 Delicious Recipes from an Inspiring Young Chef

by Jack Witherspoon with Lisa Witherspoon and photographs by Sheri Giblin

(J 641.5123 WITHERSP)

When Jack was two years old, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Jack took treatments for three and a half years and became healthy again. Unfortunately, in first grade, Jack found out that the leukemia had come back. This was bad news, because the doctors had told him that he would only have a fifty percent chance, if the leukemia were to come back. Jack fought hard to get through his treatments and hospital stays. It was during one of the stays that he found Food Network. This got Jack interested in food and cooking. Jack would write down recipes, and his mother would help him create them. Jack told his parents that he wanted to become a chef one day. One of Jack’s mother’s friends told Jack that they could use his cooking for a benefit dinner for the Miller Children’s Hospital for the Jaques Children’s Cancer Center. The dinner was a huge success, and Jack ended up being on the news, too. Jack finished his treatment in January 2009. Since then, he has still participated in fundraisers, and Jack has become the pediatric spokesperson for the Beckstrand Cancer Foundation.

Jack takes recipes for normal things that you might have in the morning, like a bowl of cereal, and “twists” them up. In his recipe, you mix three kinds of cereals together. There are also recipes for Norwegian pancakes, tarragon chicken salad, baked five-cheese macaroni and cheese, rockin’ chili, Caesar salad cups, and even a berry delicious parfait. The pictures will make you very hungry, so check out this book and start trying some of Jacks “twisted” recipes.  

  

New Books for April

Dear Cinderella
by Marian Moore and Mary Jane Kensington and illustrated by Julie Olson

In this picture book Cinderella and Snow White have become pen pals. They mail letters back and forth discussing the ways that their stepmothers are treating them and all of the work they are expected to do. They also share their hopes and dreams with one another. Then one day, Cinderella writes Snow White about a ball, and Snow White writes Cinderella about a huntsman taking her out in the woods. Both girls are excited for the other. Snow White still writes to Cinderella about living in the little cottage with the seven dwarfs, and Cinderella writes about all of her experiences at the ball. Unfortunately, Snow White is unable to write any more letters to Cinderella, and she soon finds out why when the seven dwarfs send a letter, instead. Will Snow White ever be able to write Cinderella another letter? Will Cinderella’s letters have a happy ending?


















The Cabinet of Earths
by Anne Nesbet

In Paris in 1944 little Henri-Pierre learns what it is to be the “keeper” of the Cabinet of Earths. He watches as his grandmother collects her “bottle of earth” (or time) and becomes older right before his eyes. After losing his grandmother, Henri-Pierre grows up, grows old, and he waits for the day that someone else can take over his position as keeper.

Maya Davidson is in Paris, and she is not very happy about it. Maya’s mother was very sick, and Maya knows that it will make her mother happy to live in France for a year. So, Maya is dealing with it. After taking a short walk with her brother, Maya sees a strange man in dark glasses (the director of the Society of Philosophical Chemistry, where her father will work) and a woman (Cousin Louise) who is very hard to see (even when you are looking right at her). Cousin Louise soon gets Maya to help her look for “Uncle Henri,” in order to ask him questions about why she is the way she is. They find Henri-Pierre, but instead of answers, Maya finds the Cabinet of Earths. Then Henri tells Maya a lot of stories about their family and their abilities that she does not understand. Maya does know, though, that seeing that cabinet has changed her life. At school, she manages to make a friend named Valko, who is the son of diplomats who travel all over the world. Then one day, they meet Henri de Fourcroy with his purple eyes. Maya wants to ask him so many questions about the society, Henri-Pierre, and those bottles in the Cabinet of Earths that Henri-Pierre won’t accept anymore, but she cannot seem to get them out. She witnesses many strange things in Henri de Fourcroy’s home, and she becomes alarmed by the things she sees and Louise’s reaction to Henri. Then she learns of the “immortality” of the bottles in the Cabinet of Earths, and she is told
that she can help turn other people into “immortals.” Will Maya ever be able to figure out what all of the weird things going on around her mean? Will she be able to find out what Henri de Fourcroy is planning to do with her brother after taking his picture, and what he did with all of other children whose pictures Maya found?

















Do You Have a Dog?
by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Geraldo Valério

The author first asks, “Do you have a dog?” Then she tells you about
the dogs of famous explorers, adventurers, musicians, and even queens. Billie Holiday had a boxer named Mister, who liked to listen to her sing, and he loved to hang out with everyone backstage. Empress Josephine Bonaparte used her little dog, Fortune, to pass notes back and forth with her husband, Napoleon. Jackson Pollock had a little black poodle named Ahab, which loved to play with Jackson and his wife. There are also lots of other famous people who had dogs. What kind of dog do you have? What kinds of cool things does your dog do?

















What Happens to Our Trash?
by D.J. Ward and illustrated by Paul Meisel

Did you ever wonder what happens to all of those things that you throw away into the trash can? Take some time to look in to the trash can and see what is being thrown out. In the United States, the author says that we make almost five pounds of trash a day per person. In the landfill, which your trash goes to after the garbage people take it away, the trash is buried under dirt in layers of clay and plastic that keeps the harmful liquids from leaking from the landfill. There are some kinds of trash, like car batteries or paint, that need to go to special places to be disposed of. When the landfills are full, they are completely covered up and might become something like a park in the future, even with the trash still underneath it. Some cities have their trash taken off on barges, and other cities burn their trash. The book also lists the three ways to help out with the trash problems: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Things like boxes, papers, and plastic bottles can be used again and again. What are some of the other ways you think can accomplish these three things?

A New Month, A New Bulletin Board

Last month, everyone did a great job of creating green pictures to hang up on the bulletin board. This month, we have a swamp on the board, and we need to fill that swamp with lots and lots of alligators. Please stop by the children's department and color an alligator for us to hang up!

Some New Books

Otto the Book Bear

by Katie Cleminson

Otto is a great book bear. He really enjoys it when the children in the house where he lives on a bookshelf read his story. What the children did not know, is that Otto can leave his book at travel around the house. Otto enjoys exploring the house, reading his favorite stories, and working on his writing skills. Unfortunately, the day comes when the people leave Otto behind at the house. Otto does not like not having people around. So Otto packs his bag and takes off for adventure. Sadly, Otto is so small that no one seems to notice that he is there. Everywhere that Otto travels never seems to feel like home to him. There are lots of reasons why. Otto starts becoming discouraged, and he really wants to go back to his book. Then Otto decides that it is best to keep going, instead. Finally, Otto finds a place to rest. Inside this place, there is row after row of books. Otto starts climbing on the shelves to look at the books, when he finds something even more exciting. What is this place that Otto has found? What did he find there that made him excited? Will Otto want to make this place his new home?

Tex

by Dorie McCullough Lawson

Luke lives in a house by the ocean in a family of five with two dogs. Luke likes to imagine, though, that he is “Tex.” Tex lives near the mountains and wide open spaces that he loves. Tex works at a ranch, where he sleeps in a bunkhouse, has a cowdog named Sue, rides a horse all day, and works really, really hard. He makes sure there is plenty of water, makes sure the fences are fine, and rounds up all the cows. Tex also has a horse named Thunder that is his best friend. Tex is a really hard worker who loves his job. What does Luke imagine that he is? What do you imagine that you are? The pictures in this book are incredibly adorable, too.

Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure

by Noami C. Rose

Tashi loves spending time with her Popola (her grandfather). Unfortunately, Tashi’s Popola is not feeling well. Tashi is really worried about him. Tashi asks her grandfather about a story he told her about sick people in his village in Tibet using flowers to get better. Popola tells Tashi that the people would sit downwind of the flowers and let themselves be dusted by the pollen. Tashi tells her friend, Ben, that she wants to help her Popola feel better this way. The two children pick daisies from Ben’s mom’s garden and take them to Tashi’s house. Tashi blow the pollen onto Popola, but nothing seem to happen. Tashi’s mother tells her the next day that it will take a lot more flowers than that for the healing to work. While out riding their bikes, Tashi and Ben find a sign that says “Flowers.” It is a flower nursery. Tashi and her mother go to visit the man that owns the nursery, and they ask him if they can bring Popola to visit the flowers. Sam Wong, the owner, tells them to come visit the next Saturday. Tashi tells Popola about their plan, but Popola does not believe the flower cure will work when they are not in Tibet. Eventually, though, he gives in for Tashi’s sake. On Saturday, Tashi and her mother pack some tea and cookies, and they take Popola to the nursery. The shoppers at the nursery seem to just ignore them, and Popola does not feel that being there is going to help him. Mr. Wong , though, asks them to come back the next Saturday. That week, more and more people start to join them and talk. Will Tashi’s idea about the flower garden “cure” work for her Popola? Will they make lots of new friends?

Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur: A First Book of Manners

by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Tim Bowers

If you are shopping at a grocery store, and you happen to see a dinosaur, what should you do? A “hello” is a great way to start. If the dinosaur is standing in your way, what should you say? Saying “excuse me” works very well. If the dinosaur accidentally knocks over some apples, and you help her pick them up, what do you think she would say? How about, “Thank you.” There are several situations where the little girl meets up with the dinosaur. Will she be able to think of the proper things to say and do to be polite to the dinosaur?

Green Things

It is almost spring. All around us the trees and grass are turning green, the flowers are starting to bloom, the air is feeling warmer, and there are even signs of bees and other bugs. In the children's department, the theme of the bulletin board is "All Things Green." When you visit the Children's Department, make sure to stop at the crafts table and create a "green" picture for the bulletin board. We always enjoy sharing your wonderful artwork, and we look forward to seeing all of the creative drawing and colorings.

Jan Berenstain

Jan Berestain, the co-creator of the Berenstain Bears series, passed away of a stroke on February 24, 2012. She was 88 years old. Jan’s husband, Stan Berenstain, had passed away on November 26, 2005. The couple created the Berenstain bears series to help parents and children understand childhood behaviors with a little humor added in. The book series began in 1962, and Jan Berenstain had still been writing with her son, Mike Berenstain,on the series until her death. In the children’s department, there is a little display of the Berenstain books. Stop by and check it out.

How do you like your green eggs and ham?

Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! The beloved author and illustrator, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, was born on March 2, 1904, in Springfield, Mass. He gave us the Cat in the Hat, Horton the elephant, the Christmas-averse Grinch, the determined Sam-I-Am, with his green eggs and ham, and many more unforgettable characters.

According to his biography, available through the library's Gale Biography in Context database, his books have been translated into nearly every language in the world, with more than 100 million copies sold. Animated TV specials of his stories have won Emmys and Peabody awards.

In 1984, Geisel earned a Special Award and Citation from the Pulitzer Prize committee recognizing his contributions to children's literature. Until Geisel, books for children beginning to read had been dull affairs. The Cat in the Hat, with its humor, imagination and wordplay— changed all that.

Later, Geisel would talk about the process:

"Writing children's books is hard work, a lot harder than most people realize, and that includes most writers of children's books. And it never gets any easier. I remember thinking that I might be able to dash off The Cat in the Hat in two or three weeks. Actually, it took over a year. You try telling a pretty complicated story using less than two hundred and fifty words! No, don't, not unless you're willing to rewrite and rewrite and rewrite."

Geisel passed away at the age of 87 in 1991.

In honor of Dr. Seuss' achievements, the National Educational Association celebrates his birthday each year as Read Across America Day. Edcators, families, city officials and celebrities come together to read his works aloud to children to encourage literacy. The Houston Chronicle has posted a video of several local celebs — including former first lady Barbara Bush, Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, activist and minister Quanell X, Mayor Annise Parker and Lakewood Church's Victoria Osteen — reading Green Eggs and Ham:

Feel like picking up some Seuss yourself? You'll find many of them in our children's department under E SEUSS (children's picture books)and ER SEUSS (children's beginning readers). Please check with a librarian if you have any questions. Happy reading!

Some New Books

Grandpa’s Tractor

by Michael Garland

Grandpa Joe is taking his grandson, Timmy, to see the farm where he grew up. A lot of the farm had been sold a long time ago, but there are still things to see there. Grandpa Joe tells Timmy that the farm used to be big and beautiful, when there were no other houses around it. Now the house and barn are falling apart. Then Grandpa Joe tells Timmy about the most important thing a farmer can own, a tractor. Grandpa Joe shows Timmy where his father’s tractor is still sitting. Timmy sees that the old tractor has flat tires, the paint is almost all gone, and plants are growing out of the engine. Grandpa Joe tells Timmy that the tractor was brand new with red paint when he was a little boy. Grandpa Joe’s father used to let Grandpa Joe drive the tractor on his lap when they were plowing the fields. Then after plowing the fields, the tractor is used to plant corn or alfalfa for the cows to eat. Timmy imagines his great-grandfather and grandfather riding around doing chores on the old tractor. Then Grandpa Joe tells Timmy that at harvest time, the crop was stored in the silo for the winter. In the fall, Grandpa Joe tells Timmy his father would take them to pick fresh apples off the tree. All the time that Grandpa Joe is telling Timmy about the tractor, Timmy is seeing the story is his mind. Timmy can also picture the family using the house and the barn in his imagination, too. Does Timmy agree with his grandfather about the tractor being the most important thing a farmer owns?

Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World

by Susan Hughes

Education is so important that the United Nations says it is a basic human right that people have. Unfortunately, not every child in the whole world is able to go to school. According to UNICEF (and the author), over 100 million children around the world have never gone to a school before. Some children live to far away from school, some families need their children to help work, and other children are not allowed to go to school for various reasons. There are a lot of people that want to change this for their children, and they have created some incredible schools that the author discusses within this nonfiction book. In Bangladesh, the school is held on boats. The boats pick the students up along the shore, hold class within them, and then drop the children back off again. This way, the flooding during monsoon season does not stop the children from learning. The children even have computers and the Internet on the boat! In Gando, Burkina Faso (in Africa), the school was falling down, and the people did not have the ability to create a new one. Then architect, Diébédo Kéré came up with a design that would use the clay from the area to create a new, brighter, and cooler school for the children. His design even won awards. In a village in China called Dongzhong, the teachers would not come to teach where there was no electricity or running water. The school is also in a cave. After hearing about the village, people all over the world helped to give the children more teachers, electricity, and school books. Unfortunately, China later closed the school and built another one. What kinds of things do you find really cool in this book about how children go to school?

Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond

by Mary Quattlebaum and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant

You know the song, but this story is a little different. Jo MacDonald goes down to the pond, and she sees some different things. First Jo sees some reeds, which swish-swish here and swish-swish there. Next, Jo sees some fish. Those fish blurp-blurp here and blurp-blurp there. Then, Jo sees a frog. The frog gives a croak-croak here and a croak-croak there. Then, Jo sees some ducks. The ducks quack-quack here and quack-quack there. What other kinds of things do you think Jo MacDonald would see by the pond? What kinds of sounds do you think those things would make?

Don’t forget to sing the song to yourself as you read.

Scrawny Cat

by Phyllis Root and illustrated by Alison Friend

There is a scrawny cat creeping down the street, and this cat is lonely, little, and lost. The scrawny cat used to have someone who named him, played with him, and petted him. Now people just call him “Get out of here,” but he knows that is not his name. After another person tells the cat to go away, a dog starts to chase the cat. The cat runs down to the docks and hides in a dinghy. After it starts to rain, the dog runs away. The cat huddles under the seat in the dinghy and sleeps. When the cat wakes up, all he sees around him is water. Then suddenly, the cat sees some land and a house. A lady comes out of the house to see what came in during the storm. Will the lady want to keep the scrawny little cat? Will she give him some nice food to eat? Will she finally give him a real name?