Another wonderful book I read over the Thanksgiving break was Ban This Book. I have read several books by Alan Gratz lately, and I have loved everyone of them. He also wrote Refugee, Prisoner B-3087, and Projekt 1065.  In Ban This Book, Amy Anne finds that her favorite book has been removed from the library shelves along with many of some other favorites. She is very dismayed about this and happens to start a library out of her locker with banned books. Soon, everyone at school wants to check them out. Soon, she has to come face to face with her school principal and the school board to qualify why she had these books in her locker. This is a wonderful read for all students, especially as they go on to middle and high school where many schools do celebrate some type of banned books week.

After hearing about The Vanderbeekers of 141 St on Twitter about a million times, I thought it was time to finally read the book! I loved the book and am so glad that it is the first in a trilogy. The Vanderbeekers of 141 St live in a brownstone in NYC. The  Vanderbeekers have 5 children-4 girls and a boy. They love where they live until one day, they get a notice that they have to move out in about a week. Their landlord that owns the building is not renewing their lease and the children do what they can to stay. They do several funny things to get the landlord ( The Biederman)  on their good side so they can don't have to leave. In doing the  many things to stay, they find out some sad things about their landlord. I really liked this book, and I think Christie readers will too.

If you like scary books, then The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street is for you! I have been hearing about this book on Twitter for several weeks. so I just had to read it! I think those Christie readers that like ghost stories will eat this book up. Tessa moves across the country for her dad's job. She finds that the house she moves into is haunted by a young girl. Luckily, Tessa makes some great friends fast in her new school, and they try to unravel the mystery of this ghostly young girl. This has a great story that will grip readers the whole way through.

Another book with a winning message is The Bad Seed. This book is written by Mac Barnett's writing buddy Jory John (Terrible Two chapter book series). The book starts out with a seed so bad there is no way he can turn his life around. He has bad manners, a bad temper, and a bad attitude. He is just so bad!  This book shows that anyone who feels they have made too many mistakes can turn their life around. I am super excited about this book!It is a book that everyone can relate to.

I have been hearing a ton about After The Fall on Twitter. If this book doesn't win a Newbery or a Caldecott, I would be surprised. This story is a great read aloud for what happens when Humpty Dumpty gets back up after falling off the wall. We all knows that he falls off the wall, but what happens after he gets up?  The message is completely outstanding on how life begins after you get back up. I am super excited for Christie readers and teachers to read this book!

The First Rule of Punk is a debut novel from Celia Perez. I have been hearing about this book for the last 6 weeks or so on Twitter. Everyone was raving about it, so I thought I would give it a try. Malu is a 12 year old girl who has to move across country for her mom's job. Her mom is a college professor and her dad is a record store owner.  Malu is very interested in punk rock music and  making zines ( homemade books or magazines). Once Malu goes to her new school she has to deal with people's opinions of her as she wears lots of makeup, outlandish clothes, and duct taped Chuck  Taylors. What I love about Malu is that she stays true to herself,  tries not to listen to what everyone thinks about her,  and follows her heart. The book, also, portrays the zines she makes which make her so original. I can see many 4th and 5th graders enjoying this book!

A new picture book I purchased for the library back in August is Seven and a Half Tons of Steel. At first glance, it looks like a book about ships. But, as you start reading, you find that this book has a lot to do with the events of September 11th. The navy ship, USS New York, is not like any other navy ships. After the events on September 11th, the New York governor gave the navy one of the steel beams that was in the Twin Towers. The navy took that beam to a foundry in Louisiana where they repurposed it into the bow for the USS New York. This beautiful picture book recounts a terrible time in our history and something beautiful that came from that tragic day.

The War That Saved My Life  was one of my favorite reads last year. I was excited when I read there was going to be a sequel, and The War I Finally One did not disappoint. The novel picks up a little bit later where the first book left off. Ada has had surgery to fix her clubfoot and her life moves forward.  As World War II rages on, life grows more difficult during war time as she struggles to find out who she really is as her life goes through some changes and she is still dealing with the memories of her harsh mother. This and the first book ( a duology )  are destined to become a classic. I will never forget Ada and the courage she needed to move through life as there were several stumbling blocks along the way.

Wishtree is the amazing new story by The One and Only Ivan's Katherine Applegate. I have been hearing about this book since the spring, and I bought it the day it was published! I loved this book almost as much as her others. In this story, Red is the red oak tree that sits between 2 houses. He is 216 rings (years) old and has seen so much in his life. He has become the wish tree where people place their wishes on his branches. A family has moved in next door to him, and he has noticed that no one will talk to this family , and the young girl who lives there wishes for a friend. Then, one day , and ugly word is carved on his trunk , and the owner of the house feels the tree is no longer needed. What will happen to Red?

Lemony Snicket is more known for his Unfortunate Events series. He has written a clever picture book called Goldfish Ghost. In this clever new book, Snicket writes about what happens when our pet goldfish crosses that rainbow bridge. All of the sudden the goldfish is floating upside down and decides to leave his bowl to find a friend because he is lonely. He encounters several potential friends but no one can see him. He cannot go back to his fish bowl because he has been replaced by a new goldfish. Then finally, he hears a voice.... Lisa Brown does an amazing job with the illustrations, and I think Christie readers will love this book!

Dan Gemeinhart is one of my favorite authors right now. His book Some Kind of Courage, is on this year's Texas Bluebonnet List, and his newest, Scar Island,  is just as good at his first book. Scar Island is about Jonathan who is sent to an island reformatory school , which resembles Alcatraz. Feeeling that he deserves to be sent to Scar Island, a freak accident happens on his 2nd day there that leaves the boys without adult supervision. What will the boys do on this remote island without any supervision? When a hurricane comes, what will they do? Already some students have checked out this book and have liked it as much as I have!

Andrew Clements has a lot of favorites in our library. Frindle is by far the most of his books that are checked out. It has been awhile since he has had a book out, but his newest, The Losers Club,  is definitely a sure fire winner. I really enjoyed reading about Alec. Alec has a younger brother Luke, and they are named Alec and Luke because their parents are huge Star Wars fans. Alec just wants to read all day and not participate in school. He gets a weekly report sent home from teachers, and if the report is good, then he doesn't  have to attend the homework group during the after school extended day program ( like Alphabest). While he is in the extended day school program, he doesn't like any of the groups they have there so he starts his own group called The Losers Club so he can just read and no one will bother him because who would want to join The Losers Club? Things are changing with this club, and everyone needs to read this great story to see how this club turns out.

Gordon Korman has always been an author that I always hear about. We have ton of his books in our library. I have read one of his books that we do not have in our library called Schooled.  I love that book so much that it is a 5th grade book club in the Spring. When his new book,  Restart,  was published a few months ago,  I knew I had to read it. I loved it almost has much as I loved Schooled. I have already put it into a reader's hands. In the story, Chase wakes up one day and cannot remember anything about his life. He has amnesia from falling off the roof of his house. When he returns to school, he is in for a big surprise. Many people flinch as he walks by. He cannot understand this , and learns why many people cannot stand him. He also finds out towards the end of the story why he was on the roof of this house. This is a wonderful story of a young teenager that has to navigate through a new world and  build a new life.

Children growing up around prisons has been the subject of several books lately. All Rise for the Honorable Perry T Cook is one of the latest to to have a main character living at a prison. Perry Cook lives with his mother in a minimum security prison of nonviolent offenders until a new local district attorney finds out and feels that Perry's life would be better by living with him and his new family. As Perry tries to adjust to his new way of life, he is able to still visit his mother and the other inmates. As he visits them, he decides to interview them for a school project,  and he finds out the true reason his mother is in prison. Fans of Jerry Spinelli's The Warden's Daughter  and Gennifer Choldenko's Newbery winner Al Capone Does My Shirts will not be able to put this novel down, especially as Perry tries to find out the truth behind his mom's incarceration.

We have several of Jon Agee's amazing picture books in our school library. I just purchased  Life on Mars and students will love it just like all of his other picture books. What I love about picture books is that everything, words and illustrations, are intentional. There is a reason , a big reason, why they are there. Why is  the title in red? Why is the black ground on the cover in black? I just love looking at all the illustrations. In this story,  a young explorer travels to Mars to find the existence of life and to prove everyone wrong. He brings cupcakes along for the ride. As he finds the planet barren, he goes along looking for life and spots only a flower which he decides to take back home. As he prepares to leave the planet, he finds that one of his cupcakes is missing! Readers are in on the joke in this fun picture book!

Creepy Pair of Underwear  is the follow up collaboration between Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown. Anything that these authors create does not disappoint. Creepy Carrots was a sure fire hit and won the Caldecott Honor. Jasper Bunny is growing up and decides that he can pick out his own underwear. Not only does he pick out white underwear, he also picks out some creepy underwear, too. Thinking he is big enough for creepy underwear, he tries not to be scared of it when it glows in the dark. Hilarity ensues in the rest of the story as he tries to overcome his fear of his creepy underwear. I know Christie readers will love this book so much that I bought two!

Be A Friend is a story that celebrates individuality, imagination, and friendship.  In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Dennis is a quiet boy who likes to quietly express himself through mimes. His vivid imagination keeps him entertained,  but he is lonely without friends. He is not like the other kids. Joy is not like other kids either and notices Dennis. Over time she slowly makes her way to Dennis and their world changes as they become friends even though they are different. Readers of all ages will love this message.

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground is another Newbery contender. Clayton loves playing the blues with his grandfather. When his grandfather dies, Clayton feels lost. Clayton feels his grandfather is still close when he plays his harmonica and wears his grandfather's porkpie hat. But when Clayton's mother sells the rest of this grandfather's things in a garage sale, Clayton has a hard time letting it go and lets grief overtake him.  A powerful novel of loss, family and love that readers will not soon forget!

Refugee is an amazing story of three different refugee children at different points in history-1939 Germany, 1994 Cuba, and 2015 Syria. Josef and his mother and brother are trying to leave Germany before being captured by the Nazi's. Isabel's family is looking to leave Cuba for a better life, and Mahmoud's family is leaving Syria after their apartment gets bombed. Words cannot describe each of these child's journey to freedom.. to find a country that will accept them and their family. These three different stories are unforgettable and will give upper elementary readers a glimpse into what life as a refugee is like. This is one of Mr. Schu's (Scholastic ambassador)  top 3 books of the year. A definite must read.

Lately many Christie readers have really been interested in scary books or ghost stories. I have been researching some newer books that our library didn't have and Greenglass House popped up several times as a recommended read. I just finished this novel about a teenager named Milo who lives with his mom and dad in Greenglass House, a hotel for the town's smugglers. The story is set during Christmas vacation where the hotel is usually empty and Milo enjoys Christmas with his parents. All of the sudden one night, several guests all show up unannounced so this kind of wrecks Milo's Christmas vacation. All of these guests have an interesting story and things start missing from their rooms. Milo and a friend start investigating the missing items and many twists and turns happen before the end of the story.  I loved how there was a big time turn of events at the end of the story where you are asking yourself "How did I miss that?" This was a very different read from what I have been reading lately, and I think Christie readers will love it! The sequel will be out this fall, Ghosts of Greenglass House.

Orphan Island was all over Twitter earlier this summer as a possible Newbery contender, and the Frisco Public Library finally put it on Overdrive! This novel didn't disappoint, and I finished it in a day! Dinner was late again! This story definitely has a dystopian, apocalyptic feel. Orphan Island is a small island that is inhabited by  9 children. Every year a mysterious boat arrives dropping off a young child and then taking the eldest child off the island never to be seen again. Where does this young child come from and where does the eldest child go? Christie readers will not be able to put this book down as they learn about all the children on the island and the twist that comes at the end of the story.

I have been following a great handle on Twitter called @diversebooks. This handle has great information about new and upcoming diverse books. Amina's Voice  has been all over Twitter since I saw the author at The North Texas Teen Book Festival. Amina is a Pakistani American Muslim struggling to live with her family's cultural beliefs and trying to fit in at a new middle school. She witnesses many changes as her uncle arrives from Pakistan for a long visit,  her best friend going through some major changes, and her mosque being the target of a terrible hate crime. I think many Christie readers will be able to identify with Amina as she steers through some tricky times in her life. I really enjoyed reading this book and am excited about book talking it with our readers!

I have been wanting to read Matylda Bright and Tender since I have been seeing it everywhere on Twitter. Sussy and Guy are 4th grade best friends and have been best friends for years. One day Sussy and Guy decide on a pet to raise together.  They bike to their local pet store and pick a spotted lizard, Matylda. Lots of fun are in store raising her until there is a terrible accident. Sussy must then navigate through life without her best friend. Some of her decisions take her down a wrong path until at the end she decides she needs to be brave for Guy. Christie readers who love books about grief, bravery and resolve will really learn some life lessons in this story.

Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books had some interesting information about John Newbery that I didn't even know about. John Newbery lived in the early 1700's in England, grew up on a farm, and then decided to work for a printing press. He loved all the ink and the machines and decided to become a publisher. John loved children and figured out they didn't have anything fun to read so he opened a store and sold children's books and toys and it was a hit!! He wrote many books for children that were small enough to fit in your pocket. He felt that reading should be enjoyable to children. He then published magazines for children since adults liked magazines so much..why shouldn't children like magazines? This biography in picture book form will interest readers of all ages. At the back of the book is some interesting facts about John Newbery, how he is considered the father of children's literature, and how the Newbery medal came to be.  I would love to start a Mock Newbery book club with older students showcasing books that might be nominated. This would be a great segway into a book club like that!

A wonderful first day of school read aloud and on this year's Texas 2x2 list is School's First Day of School. When we think about the first few days of school, we always think of the students being worried. We never think about the school being worried. In this story, a school is built and treated with loving kindness by the janitor. When it is time for the first day of school, the school is worried about the children, the noise, and all the messes. While the school is worried, there is a new little girl who is worried, too. As she gets used to the school, the school gets used to all the new busyness that surrounds it. Reminded me of the many first day read alouds we do with students.. I loved the school's point of view ...because we never really think of a school feels!

I have been wanting to read She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World for several weeks now. I have been hearing great things about this book, and when my librarian friend over at Bright Elementary showed me she had just purchased it, I had to go get one , too! So glad I did. In this book, Chelsea Clinton spotlights 13 American women who overcame adversity to be the leader in their field. These women are all ages and accomplished different feats that helped changed America as we know it today. This biographical book written in a picture book style will captivate readers of all ages.  The information is short and to the point with wonderful illustrations and a quote from each woman. I love how "she persisted"  was written into each paragraph describing what that amazing woman accomplished. I am trying to beef up our high interest nonfiction section, and I think Christie readers will love the short stories, the illustrations, and the message!

The Remarkable Journey of Charlie Price was definitely a different  book than I thought it would be. Charlie, his sister, and dad are all trying to come to terms with his mother's recent death. Charlie and his sister stay involved in all of their school's activities while his dad is not around much because he is so busy at work.  Also, his best friend, Frank, went missing months ago and no one knows what happened to him. This makes Charlie and his sister miss his mom even more until his sister finds a secret passageway under her bed that leads them to a parallel world where their mother is alive. Or is she? And what happened to Frank? When I first start reading a book, I do not always look at the summary because I want to be surprised, and I was! I had no idea what direction the book would take, and I loved it! I think Christie  readers will like this book as much as I did.  This book is from another debut author from last year, Jennifer Maschari.

In Gertie's Leap to Greatness, 5th grade Gertie tries to be the best 5th grader yet. She has two loyal best friends and meets up with a new seat stealing girl on the first day of school. Gertie and the new girl, Mary Jane, do not hit it off, and Gertie tries really hard and studies all the time to be the best. But, of course , some obstacles stand in her way. She tries hard in trying out for the school play, and wants to invite her non existent mother who lives across town. Gertie definitely reminded me of Ramona Quimby. Gertie has a very loving father , who is out of town a lot on an off shore drilling rig, and a great aunt who takes great care of her..however, Gertie does try to come to terms with living in the same town as her mother who wants nothing to do with her. I think Christie readers will love this book with its several laugh out loud moments,  and readers will try to figure out how this whole story will wrap up.

If you are into games, The Gauntlet is for you! This book took me back to Jimanji, Zathura, and even the Mr. Lemoncello series. In this story, 3 twelve year olds get sucked into a game and have to win the different challenges to get to go back home. However, right before these kids get put into the game, the main character's (Farah) brother gets taken into the game so she needs to find him. So, not only do she and her two friends need to win these challenges, they are looking for her brother, too, who is lost in the game. They need to win this game so all the people that are in the game , who played before them and lost, can go home, too. This book has been on many Mock Newbery lists. I liked this book because you definitely want to find out if they win, and I liked the Middle Eastern twist as well. I learned a lot about Farah's culture while they are traversing the mechanical game board. This is another gem of a book by a debut author, Karuna Riazi.

This seems to be the year for authors debuting their first novels. And what a year it has been!! The Someday Birds , The Ethan I Was Before , and this gem of a novel , Lemons, are written by first time authors. Melissa Savage has written a fun novel about two kids who are Bigfoot detectives. Lemonade Witt is staying with her beloved teacher temporarily after Lemonade's mother dies. Everything is going well until a social worker shows up one day, and takes Lemonade to live with a recently discovered family member 6 hours north (somewhere in northern California I believe). Lemonade reluctantly goes thinking she will be back with her teacher in no time at all. Lemonade discovers she is going to stay with a grandfather she has never met, and her life is forever changed. Lemonade meets Tobin who lives across the street and together they hunt the illusive Bigfoot who has been seen in their area. Christie readers will love love this book as it takes them on a great adventure as Lemonade finds a new home and family after losing her mother.

When I started at Christie last fall, the graphic novel section was pretty small. Graphic novels have become such a hit with kids these days, and many of the students were asking for more. We added The Babysitters Club,  Sisters, Smile, Ghosts, and the Amulet series. These were so popular I never saw them on the shelf. Well, now it is time to increase the graphic novel section again at the beginning of the school year. I am excited to add Shannon Hale's new graphic novel, Real Friends to our graphic novel section. This book is going to be a hit, so I will probably order 2 or 3. This graphic novel is a definite must in schools today. We can all remember the pain of forging friendships back in elementary and middle school. This book took me back to my elementary years for sure! This graphic novel is an autobiography of Shannon Hale's years in elementary school, and she takes you through  the tricky web of trying to fit in with different friends and different 'groups'. Some of this is a little  painful which is the same today for students. Students will definitely find themselves in this story, and hopefully will feel better about what is going on in their friendships, too. This is a must read and everyone should not miss the dedication page and the author's note. Those are just as important as the book!

This book is an oldie but a goodie! Lockwood & Co. is a series written by the English author, Jonathan Stroud. When the 3rd book was released last summer, I had heard that it was good, so I had been wondering about this series. I would tell students that I heard this series was good, but the series was rarely checked out. So, I just finished the first book, The Screaming Staircase and I loved it!!  This series will conclude with the 5th book being released this fall. Our Christie library has the first three. If you love ghosts, then this book is for you! Lockwood & Co. consists of 3 young teens who are ghost hunters. The book takes place around our time period, maybe some years before, in England. Here in England, ghosts are rampant and only children and young teens  who are 'sensitive' can see or hear them.  So, there are several ghost hunting agencies that are run by adults but employ young teens to do the ghost hunting.  Lockwood & Co. is a ghost hunting agency that is not at the top of the list because of some unfortunate disasters, but they do get embroiled in several page turning mysteries. I loved this book, and I think those Christie readers who love a good (though a little scary) ghost story will love it,  too! I will be book talking it big time!!

On our vacation in Washington D.C., we happened on several really cute bookshops. It is so nice to be able to go into a independent bookstore other than Barnes and Noble for once. I really do not know of any independents here in the Dallas area. So, while we were at one shop, they happen to have a stack of picture books that they were getting ready to shelve.  I had heard of several picture books in the pile. The first book I picked up was Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines. How fitting that the first book in the stack was about the young girl who designed the  Vietnam Memorial Wall while we were in D.C.? Even though I had visited the wall before, I had no idea a young woman won a contest to design the memorial wall. Maya Lin is a young college student who loves to look at the spaces around her: her house, her backyard... When she hears of the design contest for the creation of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, she enters.. along with 1500 other people..several who are famous artists. This is a great book for any girl  who might desire to achieve something big, something that mainly boys achieve. I loved this book, and I loved rooting for Maya during the book! Can't wait to order it for  Christie's library collection!

Hi all, I will be on vacation from June 23rd-July 2nd. I will be reading some great books and try to blog about them while I am gone..but if I am not able, I will start blogging again around July 3rd...Happy Reading!

One of my favorite books of this last school year was undoubtedly, Wolf Hollow.  It ranked right up there with Echo and The War That Save My Life. I never thought of myself as loving historical fiction, but I guess I do because all of these were historical fiction, and I had the hardest time putting these books down. Lauren Wolk has written another novel called Beyond the Bright Sea.  I loved this one almost as much as Wolf Hollow,  In this novel,  baby Crow's parents put her in a small boat and set her out to sea. Fortunately, she washes ashore and a hermit by the name of Osh finds her. As Crow gets older, she wants to find the true history of her family, and an incredible story with some twists, turns, and mystery is unleashed. The 3 main characters, Crow, Osh, and Miss Maggie are unforgettable. I have loved both of these books and now it is hard waiting for her to write another book!

When I saw that one of this year's Bluebonnets was co-authored by a guy with the last name of Cousteau, I was very intrigued. Growing up, I followed famed oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau. He seemed to always have a show on PBS back in the 70's and 80's , and I would be glued to the TV set. It was like he brought the mysteries of the deep right into our living room. His shows were fascinating. When I saw that Follow The Moon Home was co-written by Philippe Cousteau, his grandson, I had to read it right away. Christie Readers will love this story about Vivienne trying to get used to her new home and new school. She meets a new friend and they may their way down to the beach where her friend tells her the buried baby loggerhead turtles hatching. These turtles look for the strongest light to guide them to the ocean, and the beach house lights confuse them. Many times, they do not make it to the ocean. Vivienne and her new friend come up with ways to solve this problem. This book shows that you can never be too young to make some big changes!

 Is That Wise Pig? is another book on this year's TLA's 2x2 Reading List. People of all ages will totally adore the characters in this story, Mouse, Pig, and Cow. Pig and Cow want to help Mouse make some soup. They try really hard giving  Mouse some ideas on what to put into his soup. At first many of Pig's ideas backfire ... but you just have to wait until you see the fun twist at the end.  Kids will want to read this story way more than once! I can see Christie readers loving this book!

The Texas Library Association has a reading list for younger K-2 students called the 2x2 Reading List. It Came In The Mail if a fun picture book currently on 2017's list. In this wonderfully illustrated picture book, Liam is a little boy who wants to get some mail more than anything else in the world. When he sends his mailbox a letter to please send him something, the mail starts piling up! He gets a friendly dragon, pickles, a whale with wings and a ton of other things! He realizes he has way too much so he starts sending his mail to his friends. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it! Kids who love Mo Willems and Bob Shea, will love this book!

A different book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading that is also a Bluebonnet this year is Some Kind of Courage.  This book has a much different setting than our other Bluebonnets and what a pleasure it was to read! Set back in the 1890's, Joseph has lost all of his family members: his mom, sister, and dad. The man that Joseph is staying with sells the last precious thing that Joseph still treasures: his horse, Sarah. Joseph will do anything to get her back so he goes on a dangerous journey  and finds an unlikely friend to help him out. Readers will not be able to put this book down with the twist and turns that happen to Joseph. This was the first book I read by Dan Gemeinhart, and I can't wait to read his other book in our library, The Honest Truth.

The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: Spirit Week Showdown is another Bluebonnet that will really engage Christie readers. Mya is a fourth grader who really learns in this story who her friends are and who her friends aren't. This fun story line starts with how excited Mya is that the yearly Spirit Week is upon her school and how everyone in her community goes all out for it. Mya has a new friend at school that just moved to her community, and Mya learns a lot about her as she and her classmates have to draw Spirit Week partners. Third  through fifth graders will not only enjoy this book but learn a great deal from the characters' interactions. I am excited about book talking this story to students, and we have the sequel in our library already, too!

Hello Universe is an inspiring story that is told in one day involving 4 different character's point of view. This  neighborhood story tells a tale of unlikely friendships. You have Virgil who feels out of place in his sports crazed family, Valencia who is deaf and feels very much alone, Kaori who is a self proclaimed psychic, and Chet, the neighborhood bully. Virgil is on his way to his friend Kaori's house when he goes missing. It is up  to Kaori, her sister Gen, and Valencia to find him. While on his trail they run into bully Chet  trying to save the day. By the end of the story, Chet is put in his place and new friendships form. For those students who loved Fish In A Tree, One Crazy Summer, and The Land of Forgotten Girls, this book is a hit!

I just finished The Someday Birds, and I had a hard time putting this book down.  Dinner was late last night because I just couldn't stop reading! I think Christie readers will love it , too. Charlie is a twelve year old boy, autistic,  and has 3 siblings. His dad is injured in Afghanistan and returns home for rehabilitation, however, his rehab is not working where they live in Southern California. So, his grandmother takes his dad to Virginia to see a special doctor, and while they are gone, a babysitter looks after Charlie and his siblings. They all decide, except Charlie,  to drive across the country to visit his dad , and all kinds of new adventures begin. They stop at many  famous attractions along the way, and some funny and interesting things happen to them. Sally Pla's debut novel is part madcap road trip and coming of age story. Readers will be hooked as they learn how Charlie finds his place in the world.

  The Dallas Museum of Art's Arts and Letters Live is a literary and perfuming arts series for all ages that showcases award winning authors and performers.  I have heard about this series for years and always wanted to attend. I received an email from one of the FISD librarians a few months ago that Kwame Alexander was going to be at the DMA in June, and I bought my ticket right away! Students and educators can attend at a 50% discount.

Kwame Alexander is a poet and educator who wrote the 2015 Newbery Medal winning book, The Crossover. which is in the Christie library. Some of his other critically acclaimed books, Booked and the poetry book Out of Wonder, will be in the Christie library this fall. His books are a must read for students. He writes usually with middle grade readers in mind, but his motivational messages are great for all ages. He gave  many inspiring stories of his writing process, and how he overcame many obstacles in his life to keep on writing.

Fathers and sons and their relationships are the focus of many of his books. Many kids were in attendance, and it was wonderful to hear how Kwame talked about how 'No' should not define your life, and how you should say 'Yes' more often so  life's wonderful experiences are not missed out. It was a treat!!

I had seen The Wildest Race Ever: The Story of the 1904 Olympic Marathon on Twitter several times late last year and wondered about the book.  I found it at Half Price Books yesterday and sat down to read it, and I am so glad I did. This true story starts out with  St. Louis hosting the World's Fair and America's first Olympics. Hundreds of thousands of people came from all over.  Forty two racers signed up for the Olympic marathon, and only 32 showed up. Readers will love all the twist and turns that happen during the race. Towards the end of the race, there are only 3 runners racing towards the finish line. One drove part of the way in the race, one showed up from Cuba and cut off his pants to look like shorts ( and wants to stop along the way to talk to onlookers so he can practice his English) , and one was  helped by his trainers to cross over the finish line. Some funny things happen, and you will want to keep on reading to see who wins the race. Christie readers will eat this book up!  There are lots of extra pages before and after the story that give all kinds of interesting facts about the race and the runners. Reader engagement will be at an all time high with  the wild ride this book takes them on, and I can't wait to read it as a read aloud!

Whoosh: Lonnie Johnson's Super Soaking Stream of Inventions  was one of Horn Books Best Informational Books of 2016, and I can see why. Lonnie Johnson is an African American boy who loves to create and make things in his family's small house. Lonnie overcomes academic and social diversity to finally make one of the funnest inventions for children. A wonderful message of not giving up and to keep trying!! :) This picture book is a must read for all kids, and I cannot wait to read it to students at the Bluebonnet Breakfast Club in the fall. They will love it. Here is the annotation from the Bluebonnet website:

Despite a test telling him it wasn’t his strength, “Lonnie wanted to spend his life designing things, building things, and getting them to work.” Then one day, he accidentally invented the Super Soaker! From NASA engineer to toy inventor, Lonnie Johnson never gave up on his dreams and passions. In this biography, discover Lonnie Johnson’s undefeated determination, his many inventions, and be inspired to make a splash and follow your own dreams!

Readers will fall in love with Emma in The Key to Extraordinary, another book on this year's Bluebonnet list. In this story, Emma, gives cemetery tours to raise money to save her family's bakery, The Boneyard Cafe. While she is trying to save her family home, she is hoping to have her "destiny dream" like  her ancestors did that showed them what their destiny in life would be.  This book has a lot of mystery and twist and turns such as a mysterious boy that doesn't speak and possible graveyard ghosts that readers will find as a page turner! Here is the annotation from the Texas Bluebonnet website:

Emma comes from a long line of extraordinary women who were destined for greatness: musicians, boxers, Revolutionary war spies, and scientists. Everyone is wondrous... everyone except for Emma. When Emma's destiny dream finally arrives, it takes her through an old cemetery, a treasure that may or may not be real, and a haunting song that comes from a ghost. To discover herself and save her family's Boneyard Cafe, Emma has to unlock the answer before it's too late. 

Another laugh out loud picture book that our library will have in August is Penguin Problems. You can never go wrong with a book written by Jory John and illustrated by Lane Smith. People of all ages will immediately fall in love with Penguin. Penguin wakes up on the wrong side of the tundra one morning and hilarity ensures. He complains about everything! Nothing is quite right.  He soon meets a walrus who helps him change his perspective on life. People of all ages will get the great message of this book that will  definitely be a keeper in our library!

Another Bluebonnet  book both boys and girls will enjoy is Soar. Jeremiah is born with a weak heart, and he has the best attitude, he lets nothing get him down. Since he had a heart tranplant, he cannot play his beloved game of baseball, but decides to appoint himself as the team coach. His town's favorite baseball team is hit with a terrible tragedy, and it is up to him to bring baseball back to Hillcrest, Ohio. This inspiring novel will take you on a great adventure with Jeremiah! Here is the annotation from the Texas Bluebonnet List website:

Jeremiah lives and breathes baseball, but a heart operation keeps him from playing. When his new community is devastated by a player's death and the ensuing scandal, Jeremiah is determined to save everything he has come to care about. No one really expected a twelve year old to turn to coaching, but that may be exactly what the team needs. Full of heart, Soar will take readers on a flight through the extraordinary

The Great Shelby Holmes  is another book on this year's Bluebonnet list. Girls and boys will love this book. Shelby Holmes is 9 years old and is in sixth grade, and as you can guess, not your average child.  She lives in Harlem, and is the best detective anyone has ever seen. When 11 year old John Watson moves downstairs, he isn't sure of what to make of her. Together, they try to solve a very tough crime of a lost dog that is going to be the sure fire winner of the upcoming  Manhattan Dog Show. Here is an annotation from the Texas Bluebonnet List website:

With his mother in the military, John Watson is used to moving and making new friends. However, he has never met anyone like Shelby Holmes, whom at age nine is already known around town for solving crimes. He also never expected to become involved in the disappearance of a prize-winning dog just days before the annual dog competition! Will John and Shelby be able to solve the case in time?