Realistic Fiction for Middle Grade Readers

March 10, 2015February 17, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

School assignments, curiosity, parents, friends, and more could urge children to pick up a book in a different genre than they would normally read. Sometimes this makes recommending a book difficult, because they do not know which book or books they might like and could be willing to dismiss any given title without much thought. Since realistic fiction is not my genre of choice (I prefer fantasy and other types of escapism in my reading), I scoured Goodreads lists, school library lists, and more to find the most recommended books in the realistic fiction genre that are best suited for middle grade readers. Here are some of the most mentioned books on these lists.

1. Firegirl by Tony Abbott
A middle school boy’s life is changed when Jessica, a girl disfigured by burns, starts attending his Catholic school while receiving treatment at a local hospital.

2. Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
Her grandfather’s dying words lead 13-year-old Theodora Tenpenny to a valuable, hidden painting she fears may be stolen, but it is her search for answers in her Greenwich Village neighborhood that brings a real treasure.

3. Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis
A quirky and utterly logical seventh-grade girl named Emma-Jean Lazarus discovers some interesting results when she gets involved in the messy everyday problems of her peers.

4. Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
One by one, a number of people of varying ages and backgrounds transform a trash-filled inner-city lot into a productive and beautiful garden, and in doing so, the gardeners are themselves transformed

5. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Weighed down by guilt, Joel searches for the courage to tell the truth about the disappearance–and apparent drowning–of his best friend Tony while the boys are playing near the treacherous, and forbidden, Vermillion River

6. Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord
Lucy, with her mother and her photographer father, has just moved to a small rural community in New Hampshire, and with her new friend Nate she plans to spend the summer taking photos for a contest, but pictures sometimes reveal more than people are willing to see.

7. The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata
Just when 12-year-old Summer thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong in a year filled with bad luck, an emergency takes her parents to Japan, leaving Summer to care for her little brother while helping her grandmother cook and do laundry for the harvest workers.

8. The View from Saturday by E.L. KonigsburgFour students, with their own individual stories, develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a paraplegic, who chooses them to represent their sixth-grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.

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Here are a few more books to chose from, including some very popular books that you might have already heard great things about; Dog Lost by Ingrid Lee, Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord, Paperboy by Vince Vawter, Paint the Wind by Pam Muñoz Ryan, See You At Harry’s by Jo Knowles, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin, The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street by Sharon G. Flake, Warp Speed by Lisa Yee, Frindle by Andrew Clements, Rhyme Schemer by K.A. Holt,Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead, Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy, Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary, Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, or The Not-Just-Anybody Family by Betsy Byars.

Remembering Leonard Nimoy 1931-2015

March 5, 2015March 3, 2015 / Susan O. / Leave a comment

Actor, writer, poet, photographer and folk singer Leonard Nimoy, most famous for his acting role in the television series Star Trek as the iconic half-breed alien Mr. Spock, died on February 27th from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.#

Most famously known as the cool and logical half-Vulcan first officer on Star Trek, Nimoy shot to fame and popularity beyond anything ever seen in television. Initially he resented his fame and the type-casting it brought him, which he discussed in his 1975 book, I Am Not Spock, but by 1995, in his sequel, I Am Spock, he had come to grips with both the character and how it had effected his life.

In addition to Star Trek, Nimoy also had a recurring role as Paris in season four and five of the original Mission: Impossible, and voiced the paranormal exploration documentary series, In Search Of… , in addition to countless television guest roles and films such as A Woman Called Golda and the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Nimoy had an extensive theater career, starring on Broadway in Equus and Vincent, a play he himself adapted about van Gogh. He became a successful director, directing not only the third and fourth installments of the Star Trek franchise, but Three Men and a Baby, the highest grossing film of 1987.

Nimoy had a life-long love of photography, one of his greatest passions. He had several books published, as well as exhibits at the R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton, Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. (Nimoy was born in Boston, and remained faithful to the area.) In addition he published several volumes of poetry, the most recent being 2002, A Lifetime of Love: Poems on the Passages of Life.

Following the poetry angle, Nimoy tried to make a singing career, putting together albums as early as 1967. He wrote the song “Maiden Wine” that he sang in the Star Trek episode “Plato’s Stepchildren.” To be dreadfully honest, some of the songs live in infamy as being so painfully bad, they’re camp. Perhaps it was just the songs chosen, or the musical direction. I was part of a room skyping with Nimoy last August, during which he sang a song for us that he had written, and not only were the lyrics beautiful, he sang it beautifully as well. Perhaps Nimoy’s voice just needed to mellow with age, but I wish I had a recording of that. Nimoy mourned the fact that even though he had quit smoking thirty years before, his COPD was a direct result of having smoked, and urged everyone to quit immediately, and better yet, never even to start.

I had seen Nimoy in person at least twice, three counting the skype, and he never failed to please a crowd. He was honest and sincere, speaking about science, space exploration, and philosophizing about it all. He never displayed the arrogance of some television stars, and never spoke poorly about costars, as others have. If he had gripes, he kept them politely to himself. The world has lost not just a television icon, but a well-rounded artist of film, theater, television, photography, voice, and print. Truly, he was someone who lived long – and prospered.

Did you know that March is National Crochet Month?

March 3, 2015February 25, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

I had no idea that there was an entire month dedicated to my favorite pastime (aside from reading of course). March is apparently National Crochet Month! I use crochet to relax and unwind while at the same time making something. I often find myself saying “just one more row”, or “as soon as i finish this color” when I should really be getting up to cook dinner or go to bed at night. A bonus is that while working on something simple or very comfortable for me I can read or watch television as I work away.

Are you a fellow crocheter, or someone that wants to learn or pick it up again after a long hiatus? Do you want to learn from scratch, pick up some new stitches, or help someone else learn? Well, thankfully the library has a variety of books to help regardless of skill level. There are even books in our children’s section to help teach the younger generations how to love yarn and hooks as much as I do.

Here are some great books to get you started, help you brush up on the basics, and learn some new stitches and techniques in the process:

1. The Crochet Answer Book by Edie Eckman

2. How to Crochet: the Definitive Crochet Course, Complete with Step-by-Step Techniques, Stitch Libraries, and Projects for your Home and Family and Pauline Turner

3. Ultimate Crochet Bible: a Complete Reference with Step-by-step Techniques by Jane Crowfoot

4. Rowan Presents Crochet Workshop: the Complete Course for the Beginner to Intermediate Crocheter by Emma Seddon & Sharon Brant

5. Crochet-opedia: the Only Crochet Reference You’ll Ever Need by Julie Oparka

6. 200 Crochet Tips, Techniques & trade Secrets by Jan Eaton

7. The Chicks with Sticks’ Quide to Crochet: Learn to Crochet with More than Thirty Cool, Easy Patterns by Nancy Queen and Mary Ellen O’Connell

8. Donna Kooler’s Encyclopedia of Crochet

9. Teach Yourself Visually Crochet by Cecily Keim

10. Not Your Mama’s Crochet: the Cool and Creative Way to Join the Chain Gang by Amy Swenson

Looking for some unique or comprehensive pattern collections or more advanced instruction? Well, then you might want to check out: Crochet Master Class: Lessons and Projects from Today’s Top Crocheters by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss, Crochet One-Skein Wonders: 101 Projects from Crocheters around the World edited by Judith Durant and Edie Eckman, Hip to Crochet: 23 Contemporary Projects for Today’s Crocheter by Judith L. Swartz, The Big Book of Weekend Crochet: Over 30 Stylish Projects by Hilary Mackin and Sue Whiting, 200 Crochet Blocks: for Blankets, Throws, and Afghans by Jan Eaton, Couture Crochet Workshop : Mastering Fit, Fashion, and Finesse by Lily M. Chin, Calamity-Free Crochet: Trouble-shooting Tips and Advice for the Savvy Needlecrafter by Catherine Hirst, The Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches, Big Book of Crochet Afghans: 26 Afghans for Year-Round Stitching, Knit-and-Crochet Garden , or Candy Crochet: 50 Adorable Designs for Infants & Toddlers by Candi Jensen.

I have included some of my go-to references in this list, but I could not sneak them all in. If you have a favorite I missed, or one that really missed the mark that you would suggest others of a particular skill level avoid, please include that information in the comments so others can make use of that information.

Book for Young Train Enthusiasts

February 26, 2015February 26, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Anyone that has brought young children to our library’s children room has dealt with the desire more children have to stay and keep playing, bring a train home, or some variation of the vary familiar “I don’t want to go” syndrome. Those of us that work in the children room see it daily, and are well versed in distraction and sympathy for those dealing with the situation. Why not pick out some books about trains to help ease the distress caused by leaving behind so much fun?

Here are some picture books and easy non fiction that are perfect for young train lovers.

1.Locomotive by Brian Floca

2.Trains: Steaming! Pulling! Huffing! by Patricia Hubbell

3.Trains by Dana Meachen Rau

4.Trains by Mary Lindeen

5.Trains by Lynn Curlee

6.Two Little Trains by Margaret Wise Brown

7.Ultimate Trains by Peter McMahon

8.Terrific Trains by Dennis Shealy

9.Terrific Trains by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker

10.Steam, Smoke, and Steel: Back in Time with Trains by Patrick O’Brien

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More train books that might satisfy young fans include: Trains by Amy Shields, Freight Train by Donald Crews, Trains by Byron Barton, Trains by Paul Stickland, How to Train a Train by Jason Carter Eaton, Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker, Planes, Trains and Cars by Simon Abbott, or I Love Trains! by Philemon Sturges.