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11 Experiments That Failed

Jenny Offill and Nancy Carpenter

With a title like this, who can resist?  I couldn’t.  I just had to read it, and boy was I glad I did!

 Witty with very amusing illustrations, this picture book’s failed experiments are exactly the sort of things that kids would likely think of. You and your child should get quite a chuckle from them.

 The questions posed, hypotheses and step-by-step instructions made for a lively and entertaining read, and the results of each failed experiment were quite comical.  This is a fantastically fun book for you and your young scientist to enjoy together.  Give it a try- I think you’ll really enjoy it.  Happy reading!

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Guess what?!  Musician, Jim Gill, will be at Davis Library this Saturday at 10 am.  I am so excited, and there should be a full house for the program.  Jim’s latest recording for children won a Notable Recording award earlier this week at the American Library Association’s midwinter conference.

We love to use Jim’s music in storytimes, and we also love his book A Soup Opera, which is great fun to act out with puppets.  If you come this Saturday, you may hear him present the story!

I hope you’ll be able to treat your family to this event on Saturday!  If not, check out some of his music recordings at the library.

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Eugene and Charlotte talk about dinosaur books!

Dinosaur vs. The Library by Bob Shea
Prehistoric Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

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The 2012 winners of the Caldecott Medal and Newbery Medal were announced yesterday at the American Library Association’s Midwinter Conference here in Dallas!  We hope you are as excited as we are here at the library to read these great books.

The winner of the Caldecott Medal, awarded to the artist of the most distinguished American Picture Book for Children published in the United States during the preceding year, is A Ball for Daisy, written and illustrated by Chris Raschka.

Three Caldecott Honors were given to Grandpa Green written and illustrated by Lane Smith, Blackout written and illustrated by John Rocco, and Me…Jane written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell.

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The Newberry Medal, awarded for the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year, went to Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos.

 

Newbery Honors were given to Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai and to Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin.

 

Check out all these great books at your Plano Library!

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Sally’s Bones by MacKenzie Cadenhead

Sally’s mother is dead.  But before she died, she and Sally made a deal that “alive or dead, you’ll always take care of me, that when I need you, you’ll give me whatever I want to make things right, and I’ll live every stupid day to the fullest.”  When life gets hard and Sally visits her mother’s grave to demand her end of the bargain, she gets a most unexpected gift – a skeleton dog named Bones.

Bones is loyal, smart and just what Sally needs to believe again that she might be something special, but the other residents of Merryland don’t agree.  Someone has been stealing all of the other dogs’ bones, and Bones stands accused.  Sally must solve the case herself and prove to the rest of Merryland that Bones isn’t so scary, or dangerous.

This is a sweet story about self-acceptance, prejudice and grief that manages to remain light and humorous for its targeted elementary readers.  I can very easily envision a Tim Burton film adaptation of this book.  I think he could capture the slight creepiness of having a dog made of bones, and the scary prejudice of Sally’s neighbors, while keeping the story as light and endearing as the book.

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Have you ever heard of a cowboy and an octopus being friends? That’s right – a cowboy and an octopus. But in the creatively eccentric mind of author Jon Scieszka, this unlikely pair develops a friendship that is both brutally honest and funny. Written in mini chapters, Cowboy & Octopus tells the tale as if it were a stand-up comedy routine. Illustrator Lane Smith intertwines cartoon drawings with real photos. If you read aloud, be sure to make the characters’ voices be unusual – such as a Ross Perot-like voice for Cowboy.

Scieszka, a former elementary teacher turned author, has other books that might appeal to the young reader. He even has a web site devoted to “guys reads” that draw in even the most reluctant of readers. Check it out at: http://www.guysread.com/

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I can be a Ballerina

Christy Webster

What I thought about it: It is a nice book to read for my friend.

Reviewed by: Sarah

 

Dogs Don’t Wear Sneakers

Laura Numeroff

What I thought about it: It is funny.

Reviewed by: Avi

 

Ruby Gloom’s Keys to Happiness

Clam Lynch

What I thought about it: Good advice for life

Reviewed by: Ethan

 

Thea Stilton

Geronimo Stilton

What I thought about it: I thought the book was descriptive and imaginative.

Reviewed by: Zoe

 

The Sisters Grimm series

Michael Buckley

What I thought about it: I think it is cool with action, humor, romance, adventure and mystery! It makes me turn the pages!

Reviewed by: Sanya Sharma

 

Little House on the Prairie

Laura Wilder

What I thought about it: It was very good. It gave you a feel of how things were done in the “old days.”

Reviewed by: Alyssa

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Children of the World

By: Anthony Asael and Stephanie Rabemiafara

 

This book beautifully highlights the diversity of our world. Filled with poems and drawings from children around the world this book is delightful for kids as well as adults. Each poem or drawing is accompanied by the name of the country that corresponds to the poem as well as a little information about the country being represented. Each country is also highlighted with a photograph of children from that country. This book is a great tool to begin teaching young ones about cultures from around the world. I hope you enjoy this wonderful new book!

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Celebrate Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon, by joining us for Chinese storytime.  Suitable for families with children ages 3 and up, storytimes will be held on January 24 and 31 at 7pm at Haggard library.

January 24:  We’ll read Chinese New Year stories and enjoy some holiday candy.

January 31:  We’ll read stories about seeds and make a lantern ornament.

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Eugene and Charlotte talk about author Eric Carle!

From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
Today is Monday by Eric Carle
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle