Slam Dunk

Written by Kate Jaimet

Most enjoyed by 5th through 8th graders

Slam really wants to be chosen for the Ontario Under 17 basketball team. He's the assistant coach of the high school girl's basketball team, not to check out the girls but in the hopes that it will help him make the Ontario team. He's got some great players to coach, including Inez, his star point guard, and Ifrah, the team's six-foot center. The girls' team is on the verge of going to the playoffs, making a sweet end to a great season. But when Inez shows up at a game with a black eye, the sweet end takes a sour turn. Inez won't say how she got the injury and Slam is sure it's the work of a nasty opponent. But when Inez and her mother begin receiving hate mail delivered to practices, Slam realizes he's up against an enemy a lot rougher than another basketball player.

If you're a fan of basketball, 'Slam Dunk' is a book you'll want to read. Part sports story, part mystery, it's a great look at how a team pulls together for a teammate. Slam, Inez, Ifrah, and the other players are likeable and believable. The action moves pretty quickly, both on and off the court. If you need to get psyched for basketball season already, here's the book for you!

Max's Words

Written by Kate Banks

Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd graders

Max's big brothers both have collections. Benjamin collects stamps while Karl collects coins. Max would like to have a collection of his own, but what can he collect? How about words? Max's collection begins with small words like 'the', 'a', 'was', and 'in'. But pretty soon, he's collecting bigger words. Color words, food words, words that make him happy. When his piles of words become to big for his desk, he puts them on the floor and begins to make stories from them. Soon, Benjamin and Karl want to join him, taken in by the magic of Max's words.

Max cuts his words from newspapers and magazines. When he uncovers a new word in the dictionary, he writes it on a scrap of paper. Why not try doing the same with new words you discover? This could be a great daily activity if you're just learning to read or if you want to increase the number of words you already know. If you're a first or second grader, you'll meet new 'Words to Remember' each week in your reading book. Try writing each word on a piece of paper and see how many you have after one month of school, then two months of school and so on until the end of the year. I'll bet you'll soon be like Max and have mountains of words in your collection. Now, what kind of story can you tell with all those words?

Track Attack

Written by Betty Hicks

Illustrated by Simon Gane

Most enjoyed by 2nd through 4th graders

AR Reading Level 3.0

AR Points 1.0

Meet Jazz. She's a super-fast runner, ready for a super track season racing in the 100-meter dash. Her problem? Her dad! If only Dad weren't so embarrassing to have around. Dad used to be a track star and he's sure he's got all the perfect runner's moves for Jazz. But many of Dad's suggestions go against what Jazz's coach teaches the team. And his track-side antics leave Jazz wanting to hide with each race. Is there a nice way to ask Dad to cool his excitement? Will his behavior hurt Jazz's track season?

'Track Attack' is part of a series called 'Gym Shorts', each title focusing on one aspect of physical fitness. What I really liked about this book is the way it included fitness information into the story. Coach shares tips about proper running form with Jazz and her teammates, letting you, the reader, in on the tips too. There are a few race warm-up exercises to help you get ready for races. None of these tips and tricks takes away from Jazz's story, meaning you'll learn some great fitness stuff without realizing it!

Jazz figures out how to handle her dad with the help of her teammates. She also learns to be a better runner, something you'll want to start doing when you finish 'Track Attack'!

A New Year Begins!

Pencils are sharpened, folders labeled, and butterflies are flying. Not in the air, although you can still spot a few Monarch's hovering here and there. No, these butterflies are the kind that flutter in your stomach, the ones you feel just when something exciting is going to happen. I'll bet you can feel them yourself right now, or if you're reading this late in the day, you felt them before walking in to school this morning. They're the special first-day-of-school butterflies. The ones that bring the promise that this year will be better than last, filled with more friends, more fun, and of course, much better grades.

I'm feeling those butterflies, too, today, as I begin to plan this year's activities for the library. I hope to continue some of the great things we did last year, but also add some new activities to keep reading alive and fun for you. Can you think of anything you'd like us to do in the library this year? If you have some ideas, stop by the library and let me know. Together, we can make this a fantastic year, one full of great books and reading!

With an eye toward the future

Today is the last day of school for students and teachers here at Zion. It is also my last day as Zion's librarian. I've been so privileged to work with such fantastic teachers these last four years. They have willingly put up with my programming, making sure their classes participated in anything and everything we did. Most especially, it has been a treat to work with so many wonderful kids. Those kids have been the motivation behind everything that was done in the library, from the books that were purchased to the way they were displayed to the activities created to promote reading. As one chapter closes, another opens. Changes in the library next year will result in additional opportunities to bring great reading to Zion's kids. I know I'm leaving the library in good hands. Despite that, saying goodbye is hard but I look forward to seeing students around town and at the public library (where else?) and eagerly look forward to hearing about what they're reading. I can always use more good book suggestions for my never-ending reading list!

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!