VELCOME by Kevin O'Malley

Lexile     370          Pages     36          Ages 6-9
 AR Quiz No. 36598 EN Fiction
  IL: LG - BL: 2.8 - AR Pts: 0.5
  AR Quiz Types: RP

This is a book of scary stories . . . . sort of.  There is the coffin that follows Freddie home, the Viper, mysterious rapping, and some VERY SCARY PICTURES (wink-wink.)   They build up to a highly suspenseful point and then you turn the page and each one has a "punny" (sorry!) ending. : )

Reading Velcome aloud is the best fun!  The narrator is a Peter Lorre-esque character sitting in his reading chair wearing a very suave robe complete with ascot, and a book open on his lap.  Reading the scary part of each story in a Vincent Price style, throwing in a Transylvanian accent will help build the suspense as well as upping the fun factor.  Children who are starting to get the idea of jokes, especially puns, will laugh right out loud but the younger crowd may not always make the connections.

While I'm always up for a good pun, the funniest part of the book for me was the narrator's dog who keeps popping up on a page, holding up a sign berating the intelligence of the story and warning readers that for their own good they should "just stop reading . . . . now!" His expressions are great, showing just how exasperated he is.  In the end he is storming out the front door with a sign declaring, "I'm outta this nut hut!" : )

As a really fun read, Kevin O'Malley's Velcome is right at the top of the list.

Happy Reading!

Miss Laurie

Velcome can be checked out at any Lake County Public Library, or click here http://tinyurl.com/c9snvhb
and with your library card number and PIN you can place a hold for easy pickup at your favorite branch.

AS THE YEAR CLOSES

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year from

Miss Laurie 

and the entire staff of

The Lake County Public Library

These and other holiday offerings are available at www.lcplin.org

and at any branch of

The Lake County Public Library

DO YOU STILL LOVE ME? by Charlotte Middleton

Lexile     Not Rated          Pages     32          Ages     4 - 6

 AR Quiz No. 70832 EN Fiction
  IL: LG - BL: 2.3 - AR Pts: 0.5
  AR Quiz Types: RP

Dudley is a happy dog. He gets up early, plays hide and seek, and chases the neighbor's cat, Jenna. Best of all, he snuggles with his best friend, Anna.  One day Anna brings home a new friend - a chameleon named Pequito. Pequito seems to be better at everything - he gets up earlier, and he's REALLY good at hiding.   What's worse, he has taken Dudley's snuggle place on Anna's lap.  Dudley is forlorn, thinking Anna doesn't love him anymore and he goes to his bed to take a nap.  When he wakes up, Pequito is gone and Dudley is glad.  But Pequito is gone for a long time and Dudley starts to worry. He goes to see if he can find him and . . . . OH NO!  Jenna has already found Pequito and is about to make him her afternoon snack!  Dudley barks his loudest bark and saves Pequito. From then on, Dudley is Pequito's and Anna's hero as he takes on the job of being the little chameleon's protector, something he is really good at!

Dudley's feelings of being replaced will be familiar to any child who has a younger sibling or has had a new child move into the neighborhood and take up with "their" friend.  Happily, the story will also help them understand that parents and friendships don't have to be exclusive and that everyone in the group adds their own brand of special to the mix.

Happy Reading!

Miss Laurie

Do You Still Love Me? can be checked out at any Lake County Public Library, or click here http://tinyurl.com/bp6pgag  and with your library card number and PIN you can place a hold for easy pickup at your favorite branch.

WEIRD! by Erin Frankel, illustrated by Paula Heaphy

Lexile     540          Pages     48          Ages     5 - 9

Luisa is being bullied at school by Sam, a girl in her class.  No matter what Luisa does, or says, or wears, Sam tells her she's weird.  At first, Luisa believes her and each time Sam tells her she's weird she stops doing whatever it is that Sam is making fun of.  Pretty soon Luisa doesn't feel like herself at all but doesn't know what to do about it.  Finally, she talks to her mother who tells her that she is perfect just the way she is. Luisa thinks about it and decides she is going to ignore Sam and see what happens.  To her surprise, all of her friends are happy to have the old Luisa back - they saw what was happening but didn't know any more than Luisa what to do about it.  Luisa discovers that the more she ignores Sam, the less Sam picks on her.

Weird! is the first book of a trilogy about bullying, a problem that seems to be growing in our schools today.  Children who have been subjected to a bully will quickly identify with Luisa, recognizing her hurt and confusion.  Luisa's story should help them see there is a solution and that the issue is not theirs in the first place - that the bully is the one with the problem.  The story should also help other children understand just how devastating bullying can be, and that they should be friendly with everyone and treat them with respect. 

Weird! should be a must-read for elementary grades and if it is an indication of how good the trilogy is, Dare! (number two), and Tough! (number three) should be added to your shelf as well.

Happy Reading!

Miss Laurie

Weird! can be checked out at any Lake County Public Library, or click here http://tinyurl.com/al34zps   and with your library card number and PIN you can place a hold for easy pickup at your favorite branch.

Dare! explores bullying from the bystander's point of view. It is on order and can be placed on hold by clicking here: http://tinyurl.com/b4oh82b

Tough! is the viewpoint of the bully. You can place your hold here:  http://tinyurl.com/be74z7g

BEING FRANK by Donna W. Earnhardt, illustrated by Andrea Castellani

Lexile     Not Rated          Pages     32          Ages     5 and older
 AR Quiz No. 154904 EN Fiction
  IL: LG - BL: 3.3 - AR Pts: 0.5
  AR Quiz Types: RP

Young Frank is, well . . . . frank.  He believes honesty is the best policy - in ALL things.  In his honesty, Frank is alienating everyone - his friends, the principal, and even his mother!  When people start avoiding him he is unhappy.  Hoping to feel better he goes up the street to visit with his Grandpa Ernest.  He tells Grandpa how everyone is upset with him and that he isn't so sure that honesty is, in fact, the best policy.  Grandpa tells him that when he was younger he had felt that way too. Then by example he teaches Frank the fine art of tact. When Mrs. Peacock walks by in a massive, flowered hat and asks Grandpa how he likes it he tells her, "There are an awful lot of flowers up there.  But my favorite is the purple one in the middle."  Frank thinks his grandpa has lied but Grandpa tells him that no, he didn't lie.  He really does like the purple one best. He goes on to explain how to talk about the good things instead of the not-so-good.  The next day Frank tries out Grandpa's approach and finds out that it works!  Everyone is happy again and Frank has learned a valuable lesson.

How often have you experienced the precocious and sometimes embarrassing "out of the mouths of babes" moments?  This is a book that is loads of fun for both children and adults, while teaching the meaning and necessity of tact.  Kids will giggle when Frank tells his teacher her breath smells funny and the principal that his toupee looks like a weasel!  I laughed right out loud when Frank told the police officer that had stopped his mom, "Yes, officer.  She knew how fast she was going.  I told her."  Andrea Castellani's illustrations are brilliant and add to the fun.

I enjoyed Being Frank and think it would be a great addition to any reading list.

Happy Reading!

Miss Laurie

Being Frank can be checked out at any Lake County Public Library, or click here http://tinyurl.com/a8ex9h3  and with your library card number and PIN you can place a hold for easy pickup at your favorite branch.

DOG IN BOOTS by Greg Gormley, illustrated by Roberta Angaramo

Lexile     AD680          Pages     32          Ages 3 - 6

 AR Quiz No. 143289 EN Fiction
  IL: LG - BL: 3.4 - AR Pts: 0.5
  AR Quiz Types: RP

After reading Puss in Boots, Dog decides he needs a pair of fancy boots too so he goes to the shoe store and buys himself some. However, when he gets home and tries to dig up his bone he discovers that boots aren't so good for digging.  He takes them back and exchanges them for rain boots, but those are no good for swimming.  Back he goes to the store and this time he comes home with flippers, which are great for swimming but are of absolutely no use for scratching.  Finally after several exchanges, Dog asks the clerk for something that is good for ALL the things he likes to do.  The clerk replies, "I don't have anything like that, but you do - they're called PAWS!"  Dog is so happy he runs home and does all his favorite things - digging, running, swimming, scratching.  Blissfully worn out, he goes inside to rest and read another book, this one about a girl with a beautiful red cape.  "Hmmmmm . . . ." dog thinks . . . .

Children will love all of the funny shoes Dog wears while learning that sometimes, even though something looks better, what you already have is the best.

With words like splendid, magnificent, awful, and perfect, Dog in Boots will help your child expand their use of descriptive words, and the story lends itself to expansion, letting children use their imaginations to come up with other types of shoes Dog could try and why they would or wouldn't be good choices.

I enjoyed Dog in Boots and think you and your little ones will too!

Happy Reading,

Miss Laurie

Dog in Boots can be checked out at any Lake County Public Library, or click here http://tinyurl.com/9hwzc3q  and with your library card number and PIN you can place a hold for easy pickup at your favorite branch.

JUNGLE HALLOWEEN by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Lexile     Not Rated          Pages     32          Ages 3 - 5
 AR Quiz No. 64296 EN Fiction
  IL: LG - BL: 2.3 - AR Pts: 0.5
  AR Quiz Types: RP

This book is just plain fun.  In bright, enjoyable, two-page spreads, Cocca-Leffler shows the jungle animals engaged in the fun of preparing for Halloween.

"Jungle painting, Jungle sewing, Jungle carving, Jungle blowing."

Kids will get a good laugh at the costumes - a rhino in a hula skirt, a fairy giraffe, a cowboy crocodile, an elephant in a jester's hat, and more.

If you're looking for a story time hit, Jungle Halloween will do the trick!

Happy Reading,

Miss Laurie

Jungle Halloween can be checked out at any Lake County Public Library, or click here  http://tinyurl.com/8apsm6z  and with your library card number and PIN you can place a hold for easy pickup at your favorite branch.