The Birthday Ball

Written by Lois Lowry

Illustrated by Jules Feiffer

Most enjoyed by 4th through 6th graders

Princess Patricia Priscilla is turning 16 soon and dreading it. On that day, at her birthday ball, she must choose a husband according to the laws of the domain. Unfortunately, that is the last thing Princess Patricia wants to do. She's bored with her life and so, inspired by a conversation with her chambermaid Tess, decides to switch places for one day with the girl and become a peasant. After putting on Tess's humble garments, Princess Patricia heads off to school, there becoming the student Pat and learning that there are quite a few differences between peasant life and royal life. The headmaster welcomes her but he's very different from the old, stern teacher Tess had warned her about. In fact, he's young, quite handsome and very kind.

Meanwhile, in domains far away, four princes get ready to woo Princess Pat. Each one is repulsive in his own way and not a single one of them cares a bit about her, concerned only about the prestige and power and money a marriage to her will bring. As the ball nears, Pat becomes more determined to have her way but the princes are just as determined as well. Which one will Pat choose? Will she be forced to live the rest of her life in misery or will she find a way to make her dreams come true?

'The Birthday Ball' is a delightful tale of a young princess taking charge of her life. The four princes from which Pat must choose are each deliciously disgusting so readers cringe throughout the story guessing which one will be selected. Thanks to Tess, the headmaster Rafe, and the peasant school children, Pat changes from a self-centered, disinterested princess to one that is warm and caring. When Pat makes her choice, readers will cheer and agree that it's the very best choice.

While the cover of 'The Birthday Ball' may appeal to younger readers, I think the book is best enjoyed by slightly older readers, say 4th through 6th graders. The preparations the four princes go through to woo Pat are so extreme they're funny. Pat herself is a character that one dislikes initially due to her self-centeredness, but as she changes, so do the reader's feelings about her. I particularly liked the royal staff who serve the King, Queen and Princess so faithfully, especially the three singing servant girls. I found myself humming along with them as they sang in their three-part harmony.

'The Birthday Ball' is a perfect read for a lazy summer day so grab a pencil and add it to your summer reading list (you have one started, don't you?!).

Funny Farm

Written and illustrated by Mark Teague

Most enjoyed by preschoolers through 2nd graders

Spring planting season is just around the corner. Keep your eye peeled as you pass the fields that surround our town. You'll see farmers getting their fields ready for planting. If you're a newbie to farming like Edward, there may be a few surprises in store but probably not as exotic as those found on Hawthorne Farm. Here, the pigs pull practical jokes, the mice churn their own butter, and owners Uncle Earl and Aunt Josephine make their own maple syrup. Not much funny in that except the two are dogs and everyone knows dogs don't make syrup, right?

Poor Edward is in for a new learning experience when he visits his relatives' farm and so is the reader. While Mark Teague's text lists the activities done on the farm each day, his pictures bring the text to life and leave the reader laughing. For example, when we read that 'In the morning, everyone gets up early', we see sheep brushing their teeth and washing their faces. When it rains, we see Edward in the house watching the pigs play in puddles and Mama Robin shelter her babies with an unbrella. There's something quirky to look for on every double-page spread.

In fact, while 'Funny Farm' is a short book, it's not a quick read as I discovered the other day when reading it to some preschoolers. We lingered over every double-page spread looking closely to find the 'funny' on the farm. We weren't disappointed and shared quite a few giggles. It's the memory of that laughter that won't keep 'Funny Farm' in the shelf for long.

The Lion's Share

Written and illustrated by Matthew McElligott
Most enjoyed by 1st through 4th graders

Matthew McElligott has a way with math concepts that makes them so simple to understand. In 'Bean Thirteen', reviewed here, he covered simple division. In 'The Lion's Share', he tackles fractions and does it so well it can almost be said that fractions are easy (note, I said almost!).

Each year, the Lion holds a special dinner party for his animal friends. Ant is invited for the first time and is quite excited. Wanting to make a good impression, he arrives on time only to discover that the other guests are there already, indulging in a glorious feast but displaying terrible table manners. When the lion serves dessert, he invites his guests to help themselves and each does in his own greedy way. The elephant feels that half is his fair share so he takes half of the cake. The hippo feels that he can take half of what's left since the elephant took half. The gorilla takes half again and so on until the portion left for the ant crumbles before he can take a bite. Feeling terrible, the ant offers to make the lion a cake. When the others hear this, they wish to outdo the ant, offering twice what the guest before him has offered. So the beetle offers to make two cakes, followed by the frog who offers four, and so on until the elephant, who started the whole greedy affair, must offer a staggering number of cakes in order to save face.

Not only does 'The Lion's Share' excel at showing the effects of halving and doubling, it also serves as a great object lesson for greed and humbleness. Kids see what happens when one is self-centered but they'll cheer for the simply humility of the ant. The book demands using real cake to demonstrate the halving for the kids. M&M's could be used to show the doubling. It would be an object lesson that would stay with the kids and I'm sure would soon be a favorite. I'll be on the look-out for more math books by Matthew McElligott.

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity

The Brixton Brothers, #1

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Adam Rex

Most enjoyed by 5th through 8th graders

I've been reading quite a few mysteries lately, and this has got to be my favorite. And I predict it won't be long before there are quite a few other readers who agree with me.

Steve Brixton absolutely loves the Bailey Brothers mysteries. He's read all of them and counts them as the best books ever. In fact, he's very carefully cut out the center of the pages of a Guinness Book of World Records in order to hide his top-secret notebook containing the 59 best books ever written. And all of those books are Bailey Brothers adventures.

But school interferes with reading, especially when his teacher assigns a report for weekend homework. Asked to draw a report topic out of a hat, Steve watches in horror as his best friend Dana draws the subject 'detectives' while he himself draws 'early American needlework'. Disappointed but resigned, he heads to the library to do some research, finding a book on quilting by someone named J. J. Beckley. Just as the librarian scans the book's barcode, the lights go out, an alarm sounds, and Steve watches in horror as black-clad figures come crashing through the door, windows, and skylight. As the men close in on him, Steve runs. Why are they after him? Is it really for the $3.45 in library fines he owes? Or is there something special about the quilting book he checked out? Steve has to use all of the detective skills he's read about in the Bailey Brother's books to solve this mystery.

If you are a fan of the Hardy Boys books, you'll recognize that author Mac Barnett has created a hilarious parody of those well-loved mysteries. Steve and buddy Dana, whom Steve likes to call his chum, try to solve the mystery surrounding the quilting book using tips from the Bailey Brothers detective handbook. But they learn the hard way that what happens on the printed page doesn't always happen quite so smoothly in real life. For example, when Steve tries to track down a Mr. Grabes at a dockside bar, he dons a sailor costume in the hopes of blending in with the other sailors. But these sailors wear jeans and t-shirts making Steve look out of place. The gig is up when Steve's fake mustache falls into his milk.

Situation after funny situation like this one propel the story forward to a surprising ending. Of course, if you're a Hardy Boys fan, you'll have been able to spot the real thief all along. But even if you do, don't give up on this one. On the last page, Steve says his next case is The Ghost Writer Secret, making me highly suspicious that this will not be the one and only Brixton Brothers book. If my deductions are correct, I can't wait for the next installment.

Notes from the Dog

Written Gary Paulsen

Most enjoyed by 5th through 8th graders

Finn is not what you'd call a popular guy. In fact, he's not exactly even the most social guy and he knows it. People make Finn uncomfortable so he's looking forward to a summer of avoiding them. His books, his dog Dylan, and his closest friend Matthew will make the summer just fine. But that's before he meets Johanna, the woman next door. She's been his new neighbor for a few weeks, caring for the house of vacationing professors. She's friendly, thin as a rail, bald, and battling cancer. When she asks Finn to help her plant a garden in his yard, his summer plans to only talk to 12 people are quickly derailed. As Finn and Matthew's friendship with Johanna grows, they watch her battle the effects of chemotherapy and learn of her goal to raise $10,000 for cancel research. When Johanna becomes too ill to compete in the cancer survivor's triathlon, Finn and Matthew agree to fill in for her and raise the money so her goal can be met. Of course, to do this, Finn will have to talk to a few more than 12 people. Will he be able to survive this summer?

Gary Paulsen is known to most of our students as the author of gripping survival stories and 'Notes from the Dog' can definitely be considered a survival story. This time, tho, the adversary is cancer and it's devastating effects not only on it's victims but those who love them. It's also a story of hope and change, as Finn and Matthew take on roles and responsibilities they normally would have avoided. While the story can have it's sad moments, Mr. Paulsen injects enough humor to keep it light and uplifting. The ending is somewhat open and I'll be curious to find out how readers interpret the conclusion. Don't miss the opportunity to read another great book by a master storyteller.

Merry Un-Christmas

Written by Mike Reiss

Illustrated by David Catrow

Most enjoyed by those on Christmas overload

Most kids wish every day could be Christmas. And most parents try to convince those kids that they don't know what they're wishing for. Well, here's a book that will help with that argument.

Noelle gets another pony and a new bike for Christmas. Again. She adds them to the bikes and ponies she got for Christmas yesterday, and the day before and the day before that. You see, Noelle lives in Christmas City, Texmas, where it's Christmas 364 days of the year. But one day of the year is Un-Christmas and Noelle and her family look forward to it with glee. They get to un-decorate the tree, go to school, and anxiously wait for a visit from a chubby man with a sack. Can you guess who that might be?

'Merry Un-Christmas' is a funny look at what life might be like if it really was Christmas every day. And after reading it, I'm thankful that Christmas only comes once a year!

All Kinds of Heinies at the Zoo

Written by Ayun Halliday

Illustrated by Dan Santat

Most enjoyed by zoo lovers of all ages!

Face it - when you go to the zoo, you can't miss them. As a matter of fact, some of them can be quite eye-catching. We cover ours but the animals don't. What am I talking about? Bottoms! Yep, this book is full of them. And if you need a laugh, check this book out. From the mandrill to the newt, there's a picture and name for every posterior in the zoo. But there's only one species that hides their back side and that's us! Ms. Halliday points out that our social customs require us to cover ours while the animals don't have to. What other customs do we have that animals don't? Probably none quite as funny as the one detailed in this book!

Dragonbreath

Written and illustrated by Ursula Vernon

Most enjoyed by 2nd through 4th graders

Babymouse, let me introduce you to Danny Dragonbreath. He's a little dragon who will be sharing some of your readership soon. Don't worry, kids will still love you and want to read you over and over. But I predict Danny will be finding a few new friends among our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade boys.

Danny Dragonbreath has been assigned to write a paper about the ocean. Waiting until the last minute, he throws together something that his teacher doesn't like. When he has to go back to the drawing board and write a real report, he finally does some research. He calls on his cousin, Edward the sea serpent, to take him and his friend Wendell on a fantastic ocean journey. Thanks to special breath mints, Danny and Wendell are able to breath under water for a few hours, long enough to get the information Danny needs to rewrite his paper. Much to his surprise, Danny finds that research is pretty fun, not to mention a little life-threatening once in a while.

On land, Danny has another problem in addition to his paper. The problem is in the form of Big Eddy, a Komodo dragon who likes to bully Danny. Danny's ocean journey gives him ideas not only for his paper but for dealing with Big Eddy perhaps once and for all.

Despite the fact that Danny is not a full-fledged fire breathing dragon, at least not yet, his book will have readers hooked right from the start. There's plenty of action, humor, and likeable characters to keep readers turning the pages. It also encourages kids to stand up to bullies. Despite his fear of Big Eddy, Danny learns there are ways to turn the tables on bullies and he does, with a little help from Wendell. This won't be the last we see of Danny Dragonbreath which makes me happy. His next adventure is called 'Attack of the Ninja Frogs' and I can't wait to read that one!

The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt

Written by Megan McDonald

Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Most enjoyed by 1st through 4th graders

Judy Moody and Stink are back in a new adventure that finds them playing pirate. The Moody family is off to Ocrakoke Island for a little fun in the sun. Stink is thrilled because it means he and Judy can fulfill their inner pirate and shiver their timbers all they want. When they find from Pirate Scurvy Sam that there is a real treasure hunt, the two can't resist and join forces to solve the clues and gather pieces of eight. But they get some stiff competition from two other kids who seem hot on the trail of the treasure. Will Judy and Stink find the treasure first? Get ready for a winning ending that proves the treasure of friendship is the best treasure of all!

Guess Again!

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Adam Rex

Most enjoyed by readers of all ages

Be sure to take the time to read this book with your whole family when it comes home. This is one you don't want to miss.

Each two-page spread is made up of a simple rhyme on one page accompanied by a picture on the other page. Within the picture is a silhouette or object of something described in the rhyme. Think you know what it is? Just turn the page and find out that you need to guess again!

I would imagine that 'Guess Again!' would make a fun writing model for older students. They could write a rhyme describing something, then create a picture with that something in it. The true test would be to share the picture and rhyme with a classmate to see if they could guess what the picture it. This might even be a fun activity to do as a family when Thanksgiving dinner is done.

I'm so glad this book was at the book fair last week. Everyone who's heard it agrees it's a winner!

Can YOU Make a Scary Face?

Written and illustrated by Jan Thomas

Most enjoyed by Preschoolers through 1st graders

Get ready to laugh 'til your sides hurt when you read this book aloud to little ones. It's a great one for getting the wiggles out because it will get them all wiggly!

Ladybug instructs listeners to pretend they have a bug on their noses and they need to wiggle it off. After a little nose wiggling, a little chicken-dancing, and lots of giggling, it's time for a scary face to scare away the big green frog. And wait 'til you see the scary faces that show up!

'Can YOU Make a Scary Face?' is tremendous fun. It was a huge hit during library storytime today. Why not try it out with your own family?

He's Here!

The newest 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' book is now on Zion's library shelves. At least it was, until our two copies were checked out before the end of the day! Titled 'Dog Days', this newest diary from 6th grader Greg Heffley has Greg planning on a video- and TV-filled summer. But his mom has other plans. Will Greg have the summer he dreams of? Stop by the library to put your name on the waiting list for the latest installment from this wimpy kid's life!

The Magical Ms. Plum

Written by Bonny Becker

Illustrated by Amy Portnoy

Most enjoyed by 1st through 4th graders

There is something special about Ms. Plum. Students who have had her in years past smile in a secret way when the topic of Ms. Plum comes up. This year is no different. In fact, Ms. Plum can't wait for the year to start because she knows that this year's class will be the best one ever.

As the first day of school begins, Ms. Plum asks for a volunteer to get her a pencil. Ignoring the hands that are already raised, Ms. Plum chooses Tashala to go into the supply closet for a pencil. But that's not all Tashala returns with. At her heels is a small pony. Tashala would love nothing more than to be a cowgirl and what does every cowgirl need but a horse. The other kids in the class are jealous but when Ms. Plum tells Tashala to put the horse in her desk, Tashala discovers the hard way that keeping a horse is a bit more work than she anticipated.

And then there is quiet Jovi, a student from Africa trying to improve his English. When Jovi is sent into the supply closet for a roll of tape, he returns with tape and a falcon. At first, the class thinks the falcon is pretty cool, but the more it dives at students and makes a nuisance of itself, the more the kids feel it's time for the falcon to go. Just as Brad is about to throw an eraser at the falcon, a voice is heard from the back of the classroom, loudly and clearly. Despite his limited English, Jovi comes up with a solution for handling the falcon that impresses his classmates, both with his thinking and his speaking.

Each child in the class gets to go into the closet on a supply errand for Ms. Plum, but who gets chosen and when is always unexpected. The mystery keeps the students and the reader guessing! As Ms. Plum demonstrates, every student is special and unique and her closet has just what they each need to help build their self-confidence. You'll find yourself wishing you could be in Ms. Plum's class. What animal would follow you out of Ms. Plum's closet?

Baa-Choo!

Written by Sarah Weeks

Illustrated by Jane Manning

Most enjoyed by Preschoolers through 2nd Graders

Allergy season is around the corner, if yours haven't flared up yet. When little ones get tired of the sneezing and runny noses, check out 'Baa-Choo!' to read aloud together.

Sam the lamb has to sneeze. He can get the 'Baa' out and the 'aaahh' but he just can't get to 'choo!'. It seems to get stuck. His farmyard friends try to help out by tickling his nose with a feather and blowing pepper in his direction. And when Sam finally get his sneeze out? Well, pick up this book and read it out loud. You'll need to read it twice, then once more, and even one more time after that. Why? Because who doesn't love a read aloud with lots of pretend sneezes!

The Perfect Nest

Written by Catherine Friend

Illustrated by John Manders

Most enjoyed by Preschoolers through 3rd Grade

Cat loves omelets. He loves them so much, he decides to build the perfect nest in order to attract a chicken. Once he has a chicken, he knows he'll have an endless supply of eggs for omelets. But his nest doesn't just attract a chicken. Along come a goose and duck who also think the nest is perfect. Cat gets his eggs all right, but he gets a bit of a surprise along with them.

'The Perfect Nest' is just right as a read-aloud for younger readers. There's lots of opportunity to change voices between the characters. In fact, there's even a chance to use your best French accent when reading the duck's part! While you're reading the text, the illustrations will give your listener lots to look at. The character's facial expressions are a hoot. And the perfect nest Cat creates? Well, take at look at the one in the book then try creating your own. What would your perfect nest look like?

Duck! Rabbit!

Written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Most enjoyed by everyone!

Look at that book cover. What animal do you see? You're right! Now go grab a friend, preferably one who can read, and open the book to the first two pages. You read one page, your friend reads the other. Are you laughing already? Good. Keep going until the end. Now try putting the book away. Bet you can't without reading it again. And again. And.....

Intrigued? Just ask a Zion student in Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade what they thought of 'Duck! Rabbit!'. Not only will you get a big smile but you'll hear 'I wanna read that book again!'. The best praise any book can have.

Down Girl and Sit: Smarter Than Squirrels

Written by Lucy Nolan

Illustrated by Mike Reed

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd graders

Meet Down Girl and Sit. Neighbors, friends, and dogs. Down Girl knows just how to treat her owner right - licking his face with a nose fresh from the water bowl, waking him an hour before the alarm clock might scare him. She is one thoughtful dog. And smart to boot. She and Sit know that their yards aren't safe with all the squirrels stealing things so they work hard to chase them up trees. When the dreadful Here Kitty Kitty moves in next door, the two friends work extra hard to keep Rruff's trash can safe so he can keep using it as a hiding place for lots of good stinky stuff.

'Smarter than Squirrels' is the first book in a series for young readers featuring Down Girl and Sit. The two friends do just what dogs do - eat everything in sight, watch for the paper boy, and keep their masters safe. But with Down Girl as the narrator, readers see the world through the dogs' eyes, making for a book full of laughs. For example, Down Girl and Sit know better than to climb trees like squirrels. It's just not safe because a dog could fall out of a tree! Which just goes to prove that they are so much smarter than squirrels.

There are three titles in the series but start with 'Smarter Than Squirrels' so that you can meet Down Girl and Sit properly. Once you know these two better, you'll wonder what's going on in your own dog's head!

Chicks and Salsa

Written by Aaron Reynolds

Illustrated by Paulette Bogan

Most enjoyed by Kindergarten through 3rd graders

Dig out your sombrero and get ready to party with the animals at Nuthatcher farm! Tired of the same old feed, the chickens take to grumbling. Fortunately for them, the rooster has been watching cooking shows with Mrs. Nuthatcher and he has just the solution. Salsa! Of course, there must be chips with that, and once the pigs hear about it, they want something new, too. Pretty soon, everyone in the barnyard in getting ready for a fiesta, until someone discovers that all of the tomatoes and peppers, all of the yummy ingredients for the southwestern dishes they've come to love, have been stolen! It's back to the old feed again, until Rooster borrows a French cookbook and......

There is lots to laugh at in this book. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the expressions on the animals' faces are so funny! Be warned, though, that you'll want to head for the kitchen when you're done reading this and look for some chips and salsa. Not to worry since the back cover has a couple of recipes for the dishes the animals make. So have your chips and eat them too while you enjoy 'Chicks and Salsa'!

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed

Written and illustrated by Mo Willems

Most enjoyed by everyone

This book is a testament to individuality. Wilbur is a naked mole rat who likes to get dressed. No can do, say the other naked mole rats. We don't wear clothes, because, well, we don't. But Wilbur likes to wear clothes. He likes them so much, he opens his own clothing store, which fails to win over the other naked mole rats. They become so frustrated with Wilbur's clothes, they take the problem to Grand-pah to solve. And solve it he does, much to Wilbur's, and the reader's, delight.

Sometime we need to be reminded that being a little different is just fine. Wilbur is perfectly happy wearing clothes and letting the other naked mole rats go without. It takes a wise elder to make everyone see the benefit of asking 'Why not?' before deciding whether something is right or wrong. Leave it to Mo Willems to remind us of the joys of being who we are in such a fun way. And can you find Mo's trademark pigeon in the pages of the book?

Footprints in the Snow

Written and illustrated by Mei Matsuoka

Most enjoyed by mystery lovers in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade

Here's a who-dun-it guaranteed to keep you wondering. Wolf is tired of reading stories about mean, nasty wolves. Since he can't find any books about nice wolves, he decides to write his own. The story he creates is about a wolf who spies some footprints in the snow. Wondering who they belong to, he sets off to follow them. As he meets each animal in the forest, he politely asks if they know to whom the tracks belong. Each animal runs away in fear. Mr. Wolf is frustrated but doesn't give up until he meets a duck. And that's when the detective discovers that there's a reason all those wolves in the stories are mean and nasty.

Young readers will enjoy the suspense as they turn the pages of 'Footprints in the Snow'. They can solve the mystery themselves if they use the clues they've been given about the wolf to come to the right conclusion. But will it be the right conclusion after all, beyond a shadow of a doubt? Mei Matsouka's illustrations are a mix of painting and collage art, with many of the pictures full of little details to find. This mystery is a perfect one to read before heading outside to hunt for some animal tracks yourself!