Love the Warriors series? Try some of these books…

September 10, 2013March 1, 2018 / Sharon Tyler / 3 Comments

Time Cat

Are you, or your child, a big fan of Erin Hunter’s Warriors series? There are many fans out there, which sometimes makes waiting for the next book pretty hard. So, while you are waiting for the next release, you might want take a look at some books that I think you might like because of your love of these warrior cat tales.

Time Cat: The Remarkable Journeys of Jason and Gareth by Lloyd Alexander is a classic in adventure fiction. In this tale Jason and his magic cat Gareth travel through time to visit countries all over the world during different periods of history.

Whittington by Alan Armstrong is about a feline descendant of Dick Whittington’s famous cat from English folklore. He appears at a rundown barnyard plagued by rats and restores harmony while telling his ancestor’s story.

The Tygrine Cat

The Tygrine Cat by Inbali Iserles follow Mati, a cat who is lost and alone. He seeks acceptance from a pack of feral cats at Cressida Lock, but to defeat the assassin on his trail, Mati must unlock the secret of his identity and learn to harness an ancient and deadly feline power.

Reserved for the Cat by Mercedes Lackey takes place in an alternate London in the year 1910. A penniless young dancer is visited by a cat who communicates with her mind to mind. Though she is certain she must be going mad, she is desperate enough to follow the cat’s advice to impersonate a famous Russian ballerina.

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett is about a talking cat, intelligent rats, and a strange boy that cooperate in a Pied Piper style scheme until they try to con the wrong town and are confronted by a deadly evil rat king.

Highway Cats

Highway Cats by Janet Taylor Lisle is the story about a group of mangy highway cats that is changed forever after the mysterious arrival of three kittens.

If you prefer getting caught up in another series, rater than a stand alone book, you might also want to read Redwall by Brian Jacques, Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins, The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima, Lion Boy by Zizou Corder, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky, or Catwings by Ursula Le Guin.

As usual, there is no way to list all of the appropriate books here, I am sure I have left someone’s favorite out. If you have another recommendation of favorite that I missed, please mention it in a comment so other Warrior fans can read it too!

On Our Shelves: New Picturebooks

August 18, 2013August 9, 2013 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Are you running out of picturebooks to share with your youngest book lovers, or just sick and tired of re-reading the same story over and over again? Well, here are some of the most recent arrivals in our collection that you may want to check out.

That is NOT a Good Idea!

That is NOT a Good Idea!, written and illustrated by Mo Willems is reminiscent of silent movies, with the classic damsel in distress. The story starts with a hungry fox inviting a plump goose for dinner and as the story continues in a familiar fable-like arc, a young chick (and young readers and listeners) repeat in growing volumes that they think the choices made are NOT a Good Idea. Full-color illustrations, the repeated phrase, and the unexpected ending will make this a fast favorite and a requested re-read.

Little Mouse

Little Mouse by Alison Murray is a picturebook about a young girl who has the nickname of ‘Little Mouse”. However, sometimes she is annoyed by the nickname and wishes it was not hers. Sometimes she likes to be as loud as an elephant, waddle like a penguin, or be as fierce as a lion. But then again, sometimes, like when she wants to cuddle with her mother, the nickname is just fine.

Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom

Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom by John Rocco is a fun picturebook about a boy and his friends that play superhero a lot. Rocco believes that his super powers come from his hair, and that the crazier his hair gets, the more powerful he becomes. One day Rocco is dragged to the barber and gets a haircut. In his despair about the loss of hair, and possibly his powers, he discovers that the rest of his crew and their crazy hair, have all met similar fates. In the end, Rocco discovers that he is just as super as ever.

The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot

The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot! by Scott Magoon is a clever twist on “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. It is told from the point of view of an unexpected narrator and, through snappy text and lighthearted illustrations, demonstrates the value of telling the truth, the importance of establishing trust, and (of course!) the possibility that a beast you created to get attention can become a real-life friend.

The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf

The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague Three pigs spend their money on different things: potato chips, sody-pop, and building supplies. It comes as no surprise that a wolf is able to blow down the first two pigs’ houses. When the wolf can’t blow down the third pig’s brick house, everyone comes together and the fun begins. The first two pigs give him potato chips and sody-pop, and the third pig makes everyone a healthy meal. Since only one pig has a house left, the other two pigs and the wolf move in with her. The somewhat bad wolf is no longer hungry.

Some of my other new favorites include Cheetah Can’t Lose by Bob Shea, Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? by Julie Middleton and Russell Ayto, Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue, If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano and Erin Stead, The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten by Maureen Fergus, and Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira and Poly Bernatene.

Do you have a new favorite or discovery that you want to share?

Top 5 Non-Fiction Books about Bullying

June 23, 2013June 6, 2014 / Sharon Tyler / 1 Comment

Bullying is a huge issue for children of all ages, and in some cases adults. The recent rise in awareness of this problem, and the sometimes tragic results, have made people sit up and take notice. Bullying has always been an issue to those involved, and a constant source of inspiration for authors, therefore there have always been books that discuss bullying on some level. However, in recent years it seems to be a much more prevalent topic in news and literature. Here are some of the non fiction books for children, teens, and the adults in their lives that I have found to be the most useful and moving on the subject.

1. Sticks and Stones : Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy by Emily Bazelon defines bullying and what it is not. This includes when intervention is essential and when kids should be given the freedom to fend for themselves.

2. It Gets Better : Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living by Dan Savage is a collection of essays and testimonials written to teens from celebrities, political leaders, and everyday people in order to show LGBT youth that happiness, potential, and satisfaction is in their future if they can get through the early years.

3. Letters to a Bullied Girl : Messages of Healing and Hope by Olivia Gardner includes letters originally written to Olivia by that can speak to all young people who have been bullied, offer advice and hope to those who suffer, and provide a wake-up call to all who have ever been involved in bullying.

4. We Want You to Know: Kids Talk about Bullying by Deborah Ellis contains more than thirty profiles in which teens honestly and openly talk about bullying and the roles that they played: as victims, perpetrators, or bystanders.

5. Bullied : What Every Parent, Teacher, and Kid Needs to Know about Ending the Cycle of Fear by Carrie Goldman ties the advice of leading authorities to candid accounts from families that have dealt with peer victimization to offer proven strategies and practical tools for helping children speak up, carry themselves with confidence, call each other out on cruelty, resolve conflict and cope with taunting in the physical, verbal, or cyber format.

It’s National Audiobook Month – 10 Great Audiobooks to Listen to With Your Kids

June 18, 2013June 19, 2013 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Do you feel like you spend all your time driving your children back and forth from school, to practice, to friends houses, to wherever? These days we are all busy, and parents chauffeuring their children around know it well. Whether it is on the way to scouts, sports, or a family vacation you can turn a search for quiet into some serious quality time. Put that CD player or iPod to work and steer your car-full towards some of your childhood favorites, or new popular books, and you have the bonus of knowing exactly what they are reading (or hearing as they case might be) so that you can start conversations about the books with your children.

Many classic and new, popular books for children are now available on audiobook, and they are often read by very talented voice actors, the author, or sometimes even a full cast of voices. Here are ten quick suggestions, in no particular order, for audiobooks you might want to listen to with your children or for your own enjoyment.

1. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making, written and read by Catherynne M. Valente.

2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (and the rest of the series), written by J.K. Rowling and read by Jim Dale.

3. Anything written and read by Neil Gaiman, such as Coraline, M is for Magic or The Graveyard Book.

4.Green Eggs and Ham and other Servings of Dr. Seuss, read by Jason Alexander, Michael McKean, and David Hyde Pierce.

5. The Lightning Thief, written by Rick Riordan and read by Jesse Bernstein.

6. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, written by Tom Angleberger and read by Mark Turetsky, Greg Steinbruner, Jonathan Todd Ross, Julia Gibson, and Charlotte Parry.

7. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Blubber, Freckle Juice, or anything else from Judy Blume. Some books are read by the author, others by Halley Feiffer or Laura Hamilton.

8. Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass written by Lewis Carroll and read by Ralph Cosham.

9. Magic Tree House Collection Books 1-8 (other book groupings are also available), written and read by Mary Pope Osborne.

10. The works of E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web and The Trumpet of the Swan read by E.B. White, and Stuart Little, read by Julie Harris.

If you prefer downloading audiobooks rather than juggling cd’s in the car, do not forget that you can use Overdrive to download free audiobooks. Many of these titles, as well as more great audiobooks and e-books to share with the family can be found there as well.

Sharon Reads: Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

June 4, 2013June 3, 2013 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Exclamation Mark is a picturebook written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (a favorite of mine) and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. The exclamation mark stands out, no matter what he does or where he goes. He would really like to be more like everyone else, but he is just too different. Finally a friend shows him that being different is a good thing, and that he has endless potential. It is his differences that make him special, make him wonderful, and gives him his abilities. I know I have gone through moments (or years) where I thought I had to twist myself to fit other’s expectations to some degree, and I think that everyone regardless of age can remember going through it as well.

Exclamation Mark

Exclamation Mark seems like a simple enough story, but like in Little Pea, Spoon and Chopsticks, we see that it can be the simple things that can really change us. I highly recommend Exclamation Mark to everyone. That’s right, everyone. I also recommend taking a peek at Rosenthal’s other books and enjoying the combination of a simple of the story with the impact larger concepts hidden in that story. Liking yourself and being yourself is something that readers of all ages might need to learn, and be reminded of on a regular basis. This book can help with that, and make you smile about it the whole time.