Recommended Reading: The Bad Kitty series by Nick Bruel

Bad Kitty is a unique series about a singularly ill-behaved cat,and all her friends and relatives. Each new addition plays with the form a little more, and expands Bad Kitty's circle of acquaintances! The first installment is a picture book with several fun rhyming lists, and the second book (Poor Puppy) builds on the same formula, adding new characters and some counting. Later books become more like easy chapter books, or hybrids of the two forms -- some are mostly text with lots of pictures, while others are mostly pictures with a little text. Kitty's friends include the puppy, the baby, all the cats on her street, Uncle Murray her petsitter, and more! Each book includes alphabetical lists, but as the series progresses they also include counting, fun facts about cats, different picture styles, etc. Kids with housecats will definitely recognize Kitty's antics, and since the series can progress along with a developing reader, it's a great choice for all ages.

Recommended Reading: The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Book Description: 

This much-anticipated follow-up to Jonathan Auxier’s exceptional debut, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it’s also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.

The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier’s exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.

This 2014 release is the perfect horror novel for middle graders -- creepy, with its share of gross-out moments, but not terrifying. The focus is on the two orphans as characters, and they're more nuanced than in most other middle-grade books... In fact, all the characters have dominant personality traits, but those traits aren't random. They go along with whole personalities and backstories. The characters got where they are not because they've just always been that way, but because they've made specific choices over time, so this would be great opportunity to discuss choices and consequences with your child! Altogether, The Night Gardener is a super-fun book that's satisfying on many levels, from old-fashioned spookiness to well-written prose and a compelling plot.

Recommended Reading: Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

Clementine cracks me up. These books are witty, with humor both kids and adults will enjoy. I absolutely love Clementine's unstoppable spirit and optimism. So cute and funny.  These would make good read-on-their-own books for 3rd and 4th graders and excellent read-alouds for bedtime with even younger ages. There are five books currently available in the series with a new title being released in March. 

North Shelby has copies of these books in print and in downloadable audio book form. Stop by the library to pick up a copy or click here to reserve one through our catalog. I've listened to the audio books through our OneClickDigital system and the reader does an excellent job. I think these would be wonderful for riding in the car with kids.

Book Description:

Clementine is having not so good of a week.
-On Monday she's sent to the principal’s office for cutting off Margaret’s hair.
- Tuesday, Margaret's mother is mad at her.
- Wednesday, she's sent to the principal... again.
- Thursday, Margaret stops speaking to her.
- Friday starts with yucky eggs and gets worse.
- And by Saturday, even her mother is mad at her.

Okay, fine. Clementine is having a DISASTROUS week.

Morgan
Children's Librarian

Valentine's Day Cards for Children's Hospital

We’ve had an amazing response from the community for our collection of Valentine’s Day cards for Children’s Hospital. Thank you to everyone who has participated!

We will continue to collect cards through Friday, Feb. 10th.

B'Tween the Pages Book Club reads Award Winners for January

Meeting Details

When: Thursday, Jan 26^th @ 4:00 pm

Where: North Shelby Library (Room TBD)

What: We’ll discuss our favorite award winning books and what we think of the new winners announced on Jan 23^rd.
B'Tween the Pages is open to all readers between the ages of 8-12.

Please register on the online calendar of events or RSVP to a librarian at 205-439-5504.

For the month of January the B’Tween the Pages book club is reading Award Winners. Any award will do! And there are plenty of lists to read from.

Here are links to just a few examples:

Newbery Medal

Batchelder Award

Pura Belpré Medal

Sibert Informational Book Medal

Coretta Scott King Book Awards

Schneider Family Book Award 

2011 Notable Children's Books

AlabamaCamellia Children's Choice Book

For help picking a title or other award list suggestions stop by the children’s department and speak with a librarian.

Make Your Voice Heard

It’s award season in the literary world!

Every January the American Library Association announces their awards for the best books of 2011. In honor of the occasion we’re having our own mock awards competition. During the month of January, stop by the children’s department to vote on the Caldecott and Newbery awards. Check out the “Cast Your Vote” bulletin board for more information about each award. 

If your pick is awarded the medal, you will get a special surprise!

Entries must be in by January 21^st.

 

New Arrivals in the Kid's Dept

We're always getting in new books at North Shelby. Stop by the library and check out some of the new arrivals in the Kid’s Dept. We've got something for everyone!

1^st and 10: Top 10 Lists of Everything in Football by Sports Illustrated Kids

Who was the greatest passer in NFL history? Who engineered the greatest team comeback? Who benefited from the strangest plays? These and other categories pop up in a Sports Illustrated Kids edition of Top 10 lists that is guaranteed to perk your interest and astonish your friends.

Wilma Tenderfoot and the Case of the Frozen Hearts by Emma Kennedy

Wilma Tenderfoot, a small but determined ten-year-old orphan, dreams of becoming a world-famous detective so she can find out who her parents are. She is very good at finding clues and making deductions, especially with the help of her dog, Pickle.

Luckily, Wilma discovers that her new neighbor is the legendary detective Theodore P. Goodman, and he has a new case. The priceless Katzin Stone has been stolen, and anyone with a connection to the stone seems to end up with a frozen heart (gasp!). Wilma’s sure she can solve the mystery - as soon as Theodore makes her his apprentice…and Pickle stops eating all the clues.

With wicked humor, dastardly villains, red herrings, and a setting that would make Sherlock Holmes proud, this adventure is funny, feisty, cheeky, and charming – just like Wilma.

For readers who enjoy Wimpy Kid and Big Nate:

Wonkenstein:the Creature from My Closet by Obert Skye

Twelve-year-old underachiever Rob has better things to do than read. His parents give him lots of books but most of them just end up in the messy pile of junk he keeps locked in his closet that once doubled as a makeshift science laboratory. One day, Rob hears weird sounds coming from behind his closet door and discovers a funny little creature that seems to be a cross between two characters from books he’s tried to ignore. He names him Wonkenstein.

Keeping track of “Wonk” is hard work. But with help from friends and a little off-the-wall magic, Rob and Wonkenstein’s crazy adventures set the stage for great laughs . . . and Rob might even read some good books along the way.

The latest book in the 39 Clues series!

Cahills vs. Vespers #2: A King’s Ransom by Jude Watson

Amy and Dan are in a race for their lives . . . and the enemy may be even closer than they think. When seven members of their family were kidnapped by a sinister organization known as the Vespers, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, vowed they'd stop at nothing to bring the hostages home. But then the ransom comes in and the Vespers demand the impossible. Amy and Dan have just days to track down and steal an ancient map. The only catch? No one has seen the map for half a century.

Now Amy and Dan are on a desperate search that will lead them to the Nazis, spies, a mad king and some of history's dirtiest secrets. It's the race of their lives . . . and one misstep will mean certain death for the hostages.

Alphabet Book Collection (see what I did there?)

The beginning of a new year is a great time to get back to basics. In that spirit, here are a few of the Children’s Department’s favorite alphabet books including cherished classics and brand new releases.

Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray: When an apple pie arrives piping hot on the kitchen table, a little pup does everything from A to Z to get his paws on it. He Ogles it. He Pines for it. But will his ABC antics land him a slice? Apple Pie ABC is a delicious twist on traditional verse brought to life by Alison Murray’s simple words and whimsical illustrations. Sure to delight readers of all ages, it’s a book to savor again and again.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault, Lois Ehlert: “A told B and B told C, I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree.” In this lively alphabet rhyme, all the letters of the alphabet race each other up the coconut tree. Will there be enough room? Oh, no – Chicka Chicka Boom! Boom! Now a modern classic, this rhythmic alphabet chant rolls along on waves of fun. Lois Ehlert’s rainbow of bright, bold, cheerful colors makes the merry parade of letters unforgettable.

Dr. Seuss’s ABC by Dr. Seuss: With Dr. Seuss as your guide, learning the alphabet is as easy as A, B, C. An alphabet book with zany drawings and nonsensical verse provides an entertaining way for small children to learn the letters and their sounds.

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel: The riotous story of a cat gone berserk -- four times over an in alphabetical order each time. Kitty is not happy when she's told that her favorite foods are all gone and all that's left are Asparagus, Beets, Cauliflower, Dill...and 22 other equally unappealing vegetables. So she: Ate my homework, Bit grandma, Clawed the curtains, Damaged the dishes, and so on, through Z. Only when tastier things arrive (An Assortment of Anchovies, Buffalo Burritos, Chicken Cheesecake...) does she Apologize to Grandma.

Alpha Oops: The Day Z Went First by Alethea Kontis: Z is tired of always having to be last when the alphabet family lines up. He is demanding fair and equal treatment! The letters (more or less) agree to go backwards, but it's not long before P has some ideas of his own. And so does H, for that matter. In fact, it seems as if almost every letter has a different opinion about how the alphabet should be arranged. It's chaos! It's pandemonium! And it's definitely not as easy as A-B-C! Filled with visually humorous details, Bob Kolar's colorful illustrations are the perfect foil for Alethea Kontis's snappy story about the comic confusion that comes when the letters of the alphabet, like a class of unruly children, step out of order and show that each one has a mind of its own.

Other titles to check out include:

• Alligators All Around by Maurice Sendak
• Click Clack, Quackity-Quack: An Alphabetical Adventure by Doreen Cronin, Betsy Lewin  
• Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming
• Alphabet City by Stephen T. Johnson
• E-mergency! by Tom Lichtenheld
• LMNO Peas by Keith Baker
• Z was Zapped: A Play in Twenty-Six Acts by Chris Van Allsburg
• Animalia by Graeme Base
• Alphabatics by Suse MacDonald