The Cruisers return

THE CRUISERS: OH, SNAP! by Walter Dean Myers. Scholastic Press, 2013.

The Cruisers are once again in trouble, trouble not quite of their own making. It seems their newspaper, and not the one officially sanctioned by their school, has been recognized for its journalistic endeavors. This has, o course, dismayed the editor and staff of the official paper of the school. Now a war of words ensues. All of those involved will discover something important about the power of the press.

Hyde and Shriek

HYDE AND SHRIEK by David Lubar. Tor/Starscape, 2013.

Subtitled, a Monsterrific Tale, David Lubar combines elements of Jekyll and Hyde and injects the potion into a typical school setting. When Ms. Clevis somehow manages to put the wrong ingredients into her breakfast smoothie, she soon finds herself changing. She morphs from Ms. Clevis, beloved teacher, into a mean sub known as Ms. Hyde. And then there is the little matter of sometimes changing into one of the students from time to time. It certainly is a sticky wicket. But Lubar knows his way around monstrous humor. Short chapters, plenty of action, and great good humor make this a must have for middle level readers, even the most reluctant of them. Up next, THE VANISHING VAMPIRE.

Ch-ch-chapter books

AMELIA BEDELIA MEANS BUSINESS by Herman Parish with illustrations by Lynne Avril. Greenwillow, 2013.

Amelia Bedelia books are back and feature a young Amelia Bedelia who is just as literal as her adult self will be. When Amelia decides she needs a new bike, her father tells her he will meet her half way. He is finally able to explain what that means to the highly literal minded Amelia. Chapters are short, there is non-stop action and, of course, terrific good humor.

RICKY VARGAS: BORN TO BE FUNNY by Alan Katz with illustrations by Stacy Curtis. Scholastic, 2013.

Ricky is back and he is still the class cut-up. Lucky for him, he has a sensitive teacher who allows him to clown around and tell jokes from time to time. And then one day, his beloved teacher is not there. Will this be the end to Ricky's stand up career?

Easy Reading

All of the following picture books are part of the I LIKE TO READ series from Holiday House. Authors and illustrators in the seris include Caldecott winners (Emily Arnold McCully and Betsy Lewin) and other veterans of children's literature. Simple text, beautiful illustrations and a STORY set these apart from many of the basal textbooks being used in schools. Even better, they are designed for 1:1 sharing.
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Elephant and Piggie are back

How do I love Elephant and Piggie. Let me count the ways. I love then when they are playing musical instruments. I love them when they are dancing. I love them when they are reading. In short, I love them no matter what they are doing. Here is their latest adventure.

LET'S GOT FOR A DRIVE by Mo Willems. Hyperion, 2012.

When Elephant decides the day is perfect for a drive, he and Piggie are off, kinda, sorta. They need some items for 5the drive: maps, sunglasses, umbrellas. What are they forgetting? Hmmm, what about a CAR? How will Elephant and Piggie solve this one tiny problem that is keeping them from a drive? Willems always delights in the answer he gives. <539>

Nonfiction in many guises

100 SCARIEST THINGS ON THE PLANET by Anna Claybourne (Scholastic 2012) is part of the series that also includes the 100 MOST DISGUSTING THINGS ON THE PLANET. You know this type of book: great for browsing for lots of gross facts to share with others. Among the scary things in this volume are snakes, pot holes (360 feet deep), roads that are crumbling and twisting and zigzagging (there are several), and haunted houses (many exist around the world). Kids will love exploring the scary facts. <187>




MY BODY by Andrea Pinnington and Penny Lampnell (Scholastic 2012) is part of the new Discover More series. Interesting nonfiction (at three separate levels ranging from elementary to high school) is presented with colorful photographs and clear graphics and visual aids. Additionally, there is a free download book that accompanies this one. The downloaded book contains lots of activities. <188>




HOW TO SURVIVE ANYTHING: BOYS ONLY by Martin Oliver with illustrations by Simon Ecob is a slim colorful exploration of disasters and what to do if faced with one of them. Presented in comic book layout and episodes, the dangers range from avalanches to croc attacks to tornadoes. Never a dull moment as the book moves from one potential disaster to the next at lightning speed. <189>




REMEMBERING THE TITANIC by Frida Wishinsky (Scholastic 2012) is a nonfiction easy reader, part of the Scholastic Reader series. The book opens with some background information about the Titanic and moves quickly through the events of that fateful encounter with the iceberg. It moves to contemporary time with mention of Bob Ballard's exploration of the wreckage in the late 1980s and some facts about the longest living survivor and other trivia. <190>