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KNEA Reading Circle Catalog
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KNEA Reading Circle Catalog 2007

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1001 Kansas Place Names: An alphabetical listing of 1,067 Kansas locales with spelling, pronunciations, name origin, post office dates and population figures for each entry. Anecdotes for each location are included with historical background and some geological information.
Abbie in Stitches: Beautifully illustrated story about a young girl in the 1800s who would rather read than learn to embroider to make a sampler, which is expected of all young girls. Abbie conquers the sampler while letting everyone know what she really prefers doing.
Accidents of Nature: Jean, a girl with cerebral palsy, is mainstreamed at a regular school. Her first exposure to other handicapped young people comes at Camp Courage, or ?Crimp Camp? as her new friend Sara calls it. Sara presents a very different perspective about the life of a handicapped person.
Across the Blue Pacific: A World War II Story: Molly and her brother Sam are attending Beechwood Elementary School and their next door neighbor, Ted, is far away serving aboard the USS Albacore. On his leave he builds a snowsailor with her and teaches her how to polish her Sunday shoes. Molly writes many letters to Ted during her fourth grade year and keeps track of his whereabouts on a huge map her class paints. Large water color illustrations and easy to read text make this an interesting way to read about history.
Adam Canfield of the Slash: While serving as co-editors of their school newspaper, middle-schoolers Adam and Jennifer uncover fraud and corruption in their school and in the city's government.
Aftershocks: Jessie, daughter of a prominent San Francisco physician, searches the streets of Chinatown for answers when a chance encounter reveals a shocking secret. Story of family, love, and history.
After the Wreck: Jenna, 15, believes that she caused the auto accident that killed her beloved mother and after rehab is sent to liver with her maternal aunt. Life is hard for Jenna; she gets mixed up with the wrong friends and makes stupid choices. However, there is one of her new ?bad news? friends who helps her. This is sure to be popular.
Ahwooooo!: Illustrated by Claudio Munoz. Little Wolf is searching for his own voice. He makes several unsuccessful attempts to mimic the sounds of other animals. Love finally leads him to the one who can help in this warm generational story illustrated in soft water colors.
Airball: my life in briefs: Uncoordinated Kansas seventh-grader Kirby Nickel braves his coach's ire and becomes captain of the basketball team in order to help him prove that NBA star Brett McGrew is the father he has never known.
Alabama Moon: Moon has spent most of his life in a shelter in the forest with his father; Pap has educated him in both academics and survival skills. When Moon?s father dies, Moon follows his father?s last instructions: to travel to Alaska to find others like themselves.
Alfie the Apostrophe: Alfie the Apostrophe overcomes his insecurities when he shows off his abilities at the Punctuation Talent Show.
Algeria, Enchantment of the World: Focus is more on the details about the nations? different ethnic groups, environmental issues and wildlife and information about the current political situation rather than major events or people. Books contain full-color photographs, statistics, time lines and Web sites. The current information makes them accessible and useful for reports.
Alice in the Know: Alice continues growing up in the 21st book of the Alice series as she relates the events of the summer before her junior year in high school. As always Naylor doesn?t shy away from tough issues facing teens?humiliation in being tricked into revealing personal info on the computer, being fired from her summer job because of a mistake, defending her friends, dealing with a friend with cancer, etc. It?s another winner.
All Aboard the Dinotrain: Dinosaurs have an adventurous train ride. Fantastical fiction combines dinosaurs with trains.
All About Marsupials: An easy non-fiction book about marsupials with terrific artwork.
Alphabet of Dreams: Mitra and Babak are children of royalty, yet must hide and life as beggars until Mitra discovers her little brother has a talent for dream interpretation. Soon they are hunted for Babak?s talent, but find relative safety traveling in a caravan with the Magi, who are looking for a bright star that has been reveled to them.
Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher, The: Darius has a good life with his absent-minded, much loved housekeeper until his dad goes away and does not return. Lawyers take him away from Miss Hastings and he goes to live with his cranky, miserable aunt. He lives in her dark, damp basement and discovers there an old rusty bicycle. The magic begins!! Storyteller, author Bill Harley spins an amazing story.
Amazing story of Adolphus Tips, The: The disappearance of Adolphus, the family cat, prompts Lily and her family to befriend Adie, a lonely Black American GI when he rescues the cat after it wanders into the area where Allied troops are practicing for D-Day. Now fifty years later, a chance encounter between Harley-riding grandmother Lily and Adie, prompts Lily to share her childhood experiences with her twelve-year-old grandson so that he will understand the life-changing decisions Lily and Adie make after their chance reunion.
American Slave, American Hero: This nonfiction record closely follows historical records. York?s life from childhood to maturity in depicted in the watercolor illustration by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. York takes an active role in providing food for the expedition and coping with emergencies, as well as, clowning around with laughing Arikara children.
Among the Free: This final installment on the Shadow Children series focuses on illegal third-child Luke, who has been working undercover in the Population Police stables with the hope of somehow helping overthrow the oppressive regime. One woman?s refusal to comply to a summons kick starts a revolution. Luke was destined to play a critical role in the revolution. The story moves quickly. A light, easy read that won?t disappoint the fans of the series.
Ancient Chinese: This book is a quick and easy summary of ancient China, its history and its people. It covers brief discussions and illustrations covering: Great Inventions, Arts & Crafts, Buildings, Beliefs and Festivals, as well as everyday life in rural areas and major cities.
Animal Strike at the Zoo: I read it! It's true, there's a strike at the zoo! Little Sue is broken-hearted when she comes to the zoo and the animals are on strike. Saddened by the hurt they caused, the animals realize they enjoy making visitors like Sue happy by going wild. Hurray! No more strike at the zoo, but?Lively pictures of expressive characters support the quick rhyming text that makes this a fun read or read aloud.
Are You Quite Polite?: Silly lyrics about manners to tunes of familiar children's songs.
Artemis Fowl: the Lost Colony: Thousands of years ago, humans and fairies fought a great battle for the Magical island of Ireland. The fairies went underground except for the eighth family, the Demons. Their island was sent into Limbo after a time spell went wrong. The spell is deteriorating and the demons are coming back to earth. The fairies, with the help of Artemis, must try to correct the tainted time spell before the lost demon colony returns violently to Earth. Another winner fro fans of the series.
Ask Me No Questions: This thought-provoking novel describes the life of one Muslim family living illegally in New York City and the changes that came after the World Trade Center disaster. Told as a first person narrative through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Nadira, the family struggles to find their place in a society that suddenly views all Muslims as suspects.
Aunt Minnie and the Twister: After a tornado rearranges a Kansas house, Aunt Minnie and her nine nieces and nephews add a much needed room. A humorous and affectionate look at an unusual family.
Avalon High: When Ellie has to move to Annapolis, she enrolls at Avalon High. King Arthur and his court become the theme of the novel. Does reincarnation exists? Is King Arthur alive and well in Avalon High?
Avielle of Rhia: Avielle is a Rhian princess who has inherited the silver skin and hair of her great-great-grandmother, a Dredonian who used her evil magic against Rhia. Because she fears she inherited the black magic of her ancestor also, Avielle avoids contact with the world. The Dedonians attack, killing all of the royal family except Avielle, who is taken in by a kind weaver. As she tries to hide Avielle struggles to accept her heritage, her magic and her duty. She finds the courage to come forward and save her people.
Baby Bear's Books: In this irresistable and charming tale, Baby Bear finds a book for every moment of the day. The rhyming text, happy illustrations and bear's passion for books make this story a must for little ones.
Bad Kitty: Sixteen-year-old Jasmine has always wanted to be a police detective, but her father has worried about this career choice. So she gave up a police department internship to come on the family vacation at a posh Las Vegas hotel resort. Jasmine wants nothing more than to be the perfect Hallmark card daughter and has promised to do no detective work. However, when a young boy and his cat are almost murdered in her presence at the pool, Jasmine can?t resist from helping with the investigation. This is a humorous and exciting book?nothing heavy, but lots of excitement.
Bats at the Beach: Pack your baskets, buckets, towels and moon tan lotion. The friendly bats are headed to the beach to picnic, surf and snooze under the moonlight. A delightfully fun and clever tale perfect for bedtime.
Batter Up Wombat: A humorous story of baseball terms expressed through beautiful laughable illustrations. An Australian wombat joins a baseball team and knows nothing about the game but saves everyone when a tornado strikes.
Bear Hug, The: Cubby loves to visit Grandpa. The two spend time growling, hibernating by the TV, and finding food at the donut shop, but the best thing about visiting Grandpa is the bear hug!
Beast of Noor, The: The Beast has been in the Shalem Wood for centuries and has returned to kill. 15-year old Miles and his sister Hanna are determined to kill the Beast of the Otherworld and clear the family name in this mix of suspense, horror and courage.
Bebe Goes Shopping: A Bebe and his moma make a trip to the grocery store, included Spanish words. Easy to read for English speaker. Glossary and pronunciation guide. Rhyming in both languages.
Behind the Curtain: Once again Peter Abrahams returns to the world of Echo Falls, where a clever young girl learns that mysterious forces are at work in her town -- and exposing them could put her life in jeopardy. Ingrid finds herself investigating steroid use at the local high school, while worrying about her brother's health, the stability of her father's job, and the pressure on her grandfather to sell his farm.
Being Me: Illustrated by Vincent Vigla. A little girl lets us see that she is happy being who she is.
Bella at Midnight: In a kingdom of knights and peasants, Bella finds joy in life until her father reclaims her years after abandoning her. Caught up in a battle between kingdoms, Bella, complete with the glass slippers, attempts to change destiny.
Big Brown Bear Goes to Town: Rat's convertible fills with water everytime it rains, but his friend Brown Bear finds a solution. Beginning chapter book.
Birds in Kansas Vol. 2: These volumes cover the many hundreds of species of birds in Kansas. Individual information for each type of bird includes status, period of occurrence, breeding, habits and habitat, fieldmarks and food. Index included.
Black storm comin': Twelve-year-old Colton, son of a black mother and a white father, takes a job with the Pony Express in 1860 after his father abandons the family on their California-bound wagon train, and risks his life to deliver an important letter that may affect the growing conflict between the North and South.
Blackthorn Winter: Moving to the English coast to be near her mother?s artist friends, adoptee, Juliana and her siblings adjust to being without their father. Juliana takes it upon herself to investigate a murder when the police are quick to arrest the ?wrong? person which leads to flashbacks and clues about Juliana?s past.
Blind Faith: Liz has always felt closer to her grandmother, Bunny, than her mother, but when her Bunny dies, Liz?s mother slips into a deep depression, shutting Liz out even more than normal. When Liz?s mother turns to a new age spiritual church to try to communicate with Bunny, the family disintegrates, leaving Liz to deal with a life that is spinning out of control.
Blue: When her father is sent to fight Hitler, Ann Fay puts on the blue overalls he's given her: she's now in charge of tending the house and watching out for her siblings. Unfortunately, there's a polio epidemic and before anyone knows it the dread disease grabs ahold of Ann Fay's family.
Blue Djinn of Babylon: Book two of the Children of the Lamp series. Twelve-year-old twins, Philippa and John, descendants of a long line of djinn, must travel to Istanbul to recover the book Solomon Grimorie. A book that contains incantations that gives the user limitless power over all djinns. Full of suspense and action, exotic locations, magic and evil villains this sequel can stand on its own.
Boo's Dinosaur: Boo wants attention, but big brother Sammy just wants some peace and quiet. Enter the dinosaur. Boo asks to keep him and eveyrone humors her, but how did she get up so high in that tree, and more imporantly, how does she get down?
Boy Who Ate Stars, The: 12-year-old Lucy meets Matthew, a 4-year-old autistic boy who lives upstairs in her apartment building. Lucy takes it upon herself to work with Matthew and help him see the world and be around people as she begins to understand what it means to be autistic.
Boy Who Cried Wolf, The: This timeless fable is complemented by the whimsical illustrations. A winning read-aloud for a variety of ages that is sure to tickle their funny bone.
Boy Who Saved Cleveland, The: Based on a true event this is the story of how Seth Doan kept his family and neighboring families alive during a malaria epidemic. He carried corn to the mill and had it ground into cornmeal, and earned the respect of all.
Brave Bitsy and the Bear: Bitsy, a small toy rabbit and her woodland friends befriend a large woodland bear who falls asleep before reaching the den for winter. The friends are reunited in the spring and the nostalgic illustrations go from cold tones of winter to the warm hues of spring.
Bread and Roses, Too: Seen through the eyes of Rosa's Italian immigrant family and native-born Jake Beale, Katherine Paterson uses her considerable talent to relate the story of the Bread and Roses strike of 1912 in the textile mills of Lawrence, Massachusetts. As tensions in the city escalate, Rosa and Jake Beale find themselves shipped out of harm's way to sympathetic people in Vermont. Readers will be captivated by this riveting story.
Bright Path: Young Jim Thorpe: The Oklahoma prairie was where Jim Thorpe called home and the government Indian schools he attended as a child and youth. His tribal name meant ?Bright Path? but his way was not always bright or clear. Brown takes us through Thorpe?s life through his 1912 Olympics. The story is followed by an endnote with illustrations and photographs about the discussion of his amateur status.
Bud and Gabby: Feline friends Bud (big and bossy) and Gabby (small and meek) seem an unlikely pair, but Bud worries when Gabby gets sick and has to go to the vet. Bud finds a special way to show his friendship when Gabby returns. Silly but sweet story with bold pictures.
Building with Dad: Dad takes his young son to work to see where his new school is being built. We join them to watch from the groundbreaking all the way through until the children come. Great technical language young learners will enjoy.
Burned: This is a riveting book written in verse in which a Mormon girl questions her father?s brutality toward his wife and children. Pattyn makes terrible choices in her rebellion but has a chance to see another life when she is sent to live with an aunt. This is a can?t-put-it-down book.
Bust to Boom: An outstanding visual record of a most crucial period in our American Midwest history. This 110 pictorial display can stand alone on its own merits but the enlightening text provides valuable commentary to understanding the composition of the state?s population and its inevitable shift away from rural life toward today?s urbanization and industrialization.
Caddy Ever After: Fourth novel about the Cassson family. The story is told to us by the three youngest member. The events that occur leading up to the attempted marriage of the oldest sister Caddy are both touching and hilarious. Does not stand alone. The Reader will need previous knowledge of the characters and storyline of the family.
Can You Greet the Whole Wide World?: Learn how to say twelve common phrases in twelve different languages in this very fun book. Great for experimenting with a variety of languages. Map at the end shows where these twelve languages are commonly spoken. A good classroom reference for teachers to use with both students and their families.
Cars, Rushing! Honking! Zooming!: Car lovers will enjoy this book of all kinds of cars rushing, honking, and zooming everywhere.
Castaway Cats: Can these cats find common ground and work together to survive? In this story written in verse, the cats learn a truth that can benefit humans, too!
Cats to the Rescue: This is a collection of true stories about cats. From attack cats to brave mother cats we hear about tales of felines that will impress and inspire.
Cha-Cha-Chimps: Ten little chimps go dancing when they are supposed to be sleeping. This is a counting book with descriptive rhyming words and delightful artwork. This is a wondeful companion to the story Five Little Monkeys.
Charlie Bone and the Hidden King: Charlie and his friends have to work together to get behind the shadow and to the Red King himself in order to protect his parents. Charlie learns more about his family and the struggle with good and evil in this 5th book in the series.
Chew on This: This book is designed to make people aware of what they are buying and eating and awareness is key to the choices you make. It is to inform kids about what's in fast food and how fast-food restaurants are run, and encourages kids to make their OWN well-informed decisions.
Cheyenne Again: Bunting has recreated an experience shared by many Native Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Young Bull is taken from his home and placed in the white man?s boarding school. His culture is gone, and he fails to understand why they bring him back and punish him when he runs away. His plight is vividly illustrated in acrylic and oil pictures that are realistic and detailed. The Haskell School is mentioned in the afterward.
Chickens to the Rescue: Farmer Greenstalk and his family are plagued by problems, mischief and mishaps, but never fear, the Chickens are here, a solution is near! But after six straight days even these cluckers get tired. Who can the Greenstalks count on to come day seven?
Childhood on the Farm: Good resource. Author retells the stories--both nostalgic and realistic--about the children in the heartland raised on farms.
Chuck's Truck: When Chuck's Truck takes too many barnyard friends to town, it breaks down. Luckily, Handy Hugh knows just what to do. A jaunty rhyme perfect for preschoolers through 2nd grade.
Circles Around Town: All about circles showing real life shapes, this book is one of a series. Excellent photography.
Civil War Kansas: This title is considered one of the best written texts about Kansas during the Civil War. It is easy to read and gives insight into issues, leaders, places and villains that helped establish the state of Kansas during the Civil War. This well researched book contains a bibliography and an index.
Claire and the Unicorn Happy Every After: Illustrated by Susan Mitchell. What makes you happy every after? When Claire asks that question of fairy tale characters she discovers that everyone has his or her own answer. A wonderful discussion starter or writing prompt.
Cleo's Color Book: A rhyming text introduces children to colors. Bright illustrations with smooth swaying text. The book concludes with a glossary and putting two colors together to make a different color.
Clink, clank, clunk!: As Rabbit drives his old car to town, it makes delightful new noises as his friends climb aboard. A fun read.
Coming Home: From the Life of Langston Hughes: The lonely child's search for home is the center of this touching picture book about Langston Hughes. There are close-ups of his strong grandmother (who told him family stories of pride and glory) as well as views of his loving foster home and the streets of Kansas City, where the child heard the "jazzy old blues music that drifted down the alleys and tickled his soul." Children like Hughes who dream about a "real home" will take heart from the story of the boy who found community and grew up to write astonishing poetry about it.
Confessions from the Principal's Chair: When Robin ?Bird? Miller enrolls in her new middle school in Prairie Dog, Oklahoma the secretary mistakes her for the new principal with the same name. Bird takes advantage of her 2 days as principal to make changes in the school, herself, and take a stand against bullying.
Copper Sun: The book deals with a young girl who is taken by slave traders from her village in Africa. This is a compelling account of the life of an African into slavery in the United States. The issue of the white slavery of indentured servants is characterized too. This is a good book on this issue.
Counting Cockatoos: Beautiful illustrations. A basic counting book that children will like as they will be interested more in looking at the pictures.
Counting Ovejas: A young boy counts colorful sheep. Text in Spanish and English.
Count Me a Rhyme: Animal Poems by the Number: Fabulous photographs by Jason Stemple of Wildlife, are accompanied by counting poems by his mother, Jane Yolen.
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Partners: Beginning readers will enjoy this chapter book about the adventures of Cowgirl Kate and her horse, Cocoa.
Crispin at the Edge of the World: Crispin and Bear, now free men, hope to lead a normal life, but these hopes are quickly dashed when they discover that members of Bear's secret brotherhood want him dead. This conflict sets the stage for another wonderful adventure story with the advent of some new characters, namely a disfigured girl named Troth. Readers of Crispin, Cross of Lead won't want to miss this book.
Cristina Keeps a Promise: Cristina is faced with a difficult decision when she is offerred a chance to meet a favorite author on the same day she has promised to watch her brother in the special olympics. A delightful ending will leave readers smiling.
Crossing the Wire: This is a compelling drama of illegal immigrants crossing the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Overwhelmed in the knowledge that his mother and little brother will soon end up living on the streets Victor decides that he must sneak across the American border where there is hope he can make enough money to send home.
Dairy Queen, a Novel: D. J. does all the heavy work on their Wisconsin dairy farm since her father broke his hip and her two brothers left for college. Between milking cows, mucking out the barn, and mowing clover, D.J. takes on training Brian, the rival high school's quarterback. Then a tryout for her own school's football team develops and D.J. becomes the talk of the town.
Daltons!: Smith's book cuts through the myth to present the gang as nothing more than common hoodlums. He utilizes primary sources while applying reasoned analysis to provide a comprehensive account of their exploits and especially their climactic escape, which took place at Coffeyville, Kansas.
Dancing with Katya: Anna creates ballet gloves for her little sister, stricken with polio, so Katya can dance.
Dandelions: t would be hard to come up with a tale of western settlers that?s not a clich?, but Bunting has done it. She takes a look at a pioneer woman, seen through the sympathetic eyes of her daughter, Zoe. She creates scenes that makes this family larger-than-life; they capture the baked yellow heat of summer, and the golden weed that represents home. A memorable book for the way its characters struggle with unhappiness and slowly overcome it.
Darkhenge: Rob?s having an awful summer; his younger fourteen year old sister is lying in a coma following a riding accident. Nearby is an archeolgical dig which may hold a key to her recovery. Druids, magic, and ancient ways pave the path for Rob to rescue his sister but not before he faces some hard truths about himself.
Dark Water Rising: While salvaging and rebuilding in the aftermath of the Galveston Flood of 1900, 16 yr. old Seth proves himself in a way that his previous efforts never could, but she still must face his father man to man. This coming of age story is quick paced with sharp and focused descriptions. Fact and fiction are blended into Seth?s narrative by using personal accounts and journals. This historical fiction has something for almost everyone.
Day Out with Daddy: A young boy's version of his day alone with dad. Vivid illustrations make the text dance.
Dead Connection: In this high school mystery, it the suspense that surrounds three teenagers into a story about the disappearance of Nikki Parker, cheerleader, that causes the conflict. A teenage loner Murry finds comfort in visiting with the dead in the cemetery. The unusual setting keeps the reader guessing in more ways than one.
Dear Mr. Rosenwald: Written in poetry, this story is based on the true story of Rosenwald, once a president of Sears, Roebuck and Co. As told from a little girl's perspective, everyone tries to raise money to better their school during the 1920s. Rosenwald donated most of the money while the African American families built the school.
Death Collector, The: The setting for this book is in 19th century England, the Victorian Era. Robot dinosaurs have been invented to terrorize London. Four unusual people will join together to fight against this industrialist invention.
Deep Cut: Titled after a natural gorge and based upon true events in the lives of the author's ancestors, this book chronicles thirteen-year-old Lonzo's life at Culpepper, Virginia during the Civil War as his family struggles through the dangers and deprivations of war. Abhoring the killing that is being done by both Union and Confederate troops, Lonzo must decide where his loyalties lie when he discovers that his Aunt Mariah intends to feed poison biscuits to the Yankee soldiers quartered in her inn. This is a gripping story of one family's experiences in the Confederate South.
Defiance: While vacationing in the country, eleven-year-old Toby, a cancer patient, learns some important lessons about living and dying from an elderly poet and her cow.
Desert Crossing: Lucy Martinez, her brother, & his friend Kit are traveling from Kansas to Arizona to spend spring break with their father in Phoenix. The guys have a beer while driving in a fierce rain when they hit something. Thinking it?s dog, they go back to discover it?s a young girl who is dead. This starts a chain of life-threatening and life-changing events for all three of the teens.
Desperate Journey: Jim Murphy builds in lots of suspense to the story, and you feel as if you're traveling along the Erie Canal in 1848 with the family of 12-year-old Maggie Haggerty. Maggie is a truly compelling character who, with her family, triumphs against all odds.
Dinosaur Dinosaur: Illustrated by Daniel Kirk. Little dinosaur has so much to accomplish before the sun sets. Written in silly rhyming prose.
Dirty Liar: After escaping from a bad situation with his mother and her abusive boyfriend, Benji moves in with his father, stepmother, and half-sister. Benji hangs out with the other losers in his new high school until he meets a girl that makes him yearn for a normal life. When his stepmother reads his journals and finds out the horror his previous life entailed, the healing process begins.
Dog's life, A: Squirrel, a stray puppy, tells her life story, from her nuturing mother and brother to making her own way in the world, facing busy highways, changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal.
Dogboy: In 1346, 12 yr. old Brind, an orphaned kennel boy, raised with hunting dogs at an English manor, accompanies his master, along with half the manor?s prized mastiffs, to France, where he must fend for himself when both his master and the dogs are lost at the decisive battle at Crecy. Fast-paced action includes narrow escapes at every turn. Riveting plainspoken writing about the brutality and absurdity of battle. Readers who favor medieval adventures are sure to enjoy.
Do Lions Live on Lily Pads?: This cleverly done question and answer format book helps young readers to demonstrate their knowledge of animal habitats. Bright illustrations, humor and an interactive format make this a perfect choice for a read aloud.
Drawing a Blank: Carlton Dunne IV lives in a prep school, feeling isolated from his father who has become so eccentric that he has driven Carlton?s step-mom and half sister away. But when his father is kidnapped in Scotland as part of feud going back for generations, he must find a way to rescue his father. Part cartoon, part novel, this story is hilariously funny.
Drawing and Learning About Series: The perfect series for the drawing book fans. An ingenious combination of informational text and drawing technique. Fun facts about the topic are included with every two-page spread. Twelve titles in the series.
Drop of Water, A: Follow a drop of water from a child's fingertips to the clouds, mountains, down through woods, streams, ponds and back to the child in the brook. The illustrations are beautiful. Use for water units.
Each little bird that sings: Comfort Snowberger is well acquainted with death since her family runs the funeral parlor in their small southern town, but even so the ten-year-old is unprepared for the series of heart-wrenching events that begins on the first day of Easter vacation with the sudden death of her beloved great-uncle Edisto.
Easy: Readers might initially be put off by Jessica?s sexually acting out behavior at the beginning of the story. However, as they get to know the character, the author?s intent becomes clearer in showing how the young girl?s low self esteem and family dynamics have left her feeling unloved.
Eclipse: It's 1952, and Gabor's family has just escaped Hungary via Australia, they have finally obtained visas and are on their way to live in the two-bedroom apartment with Peti's family until they can get established. The arrangement is anything but easy, as tensions rise, Peti begins to wish that it had been his loving grandfather Apa who made the trip instead of his sometimes mean cousin.
Electricity: Questions and answers are given on pages with simple but accurate illustrations.
Ella Sets the Stage: Ella's school is holding a talent show. Ellas is unable to figure out her talent. She lovingly helps all of her friends prepare and by this, realizes her talent is being a friend.
Emil and Karl: This book was written for children in 1940 in Yiddish. This is the first translation into English. It is about two friends, Emil and Karl who witness horrendous acts of cruelty by the Nazis. The boys are nine.They are taken by a group of resisters and a sense of stability.
Emily's Everyday Manners: Illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. Positive descriptions of basic rules of everyday etiquette in a variety of routine and special situations. Accompanied and reinforced by age appropriate text, lots of tips, and cheerful illustrations. Support for "Manners Monday" and character education programs.
Emma Dilemma and the New Nanny: Emma O?Fallon has many adventures. Many of them revolve around her pet ferret, Marmaduke, who is consently missing. When Emma?s mother finds Marmaduke in her mattress, she threatens to return him to the pet store unless Emma can show some responsibility. Emma also wants to be part of a soccer team but is afraid her mother won?t let her play if she isn?t more responsible. A new nanny comes and Emma knows she has an ally.
Endgame: Gray Wilton is ready for a new start in a new school; he was bullied in his old school and responded violently. Now with a new school he?s hoping things will be different. Unfortunately, there is no change and every adult, including his parents, turns a blind eye to his suffering and the result is tragedy.
Epossumondas Saves the Day: Mama needs some sody sallyraytus to make Epossumondas his favorite dessert for his birthday. Epossumondas offers to go to the store to get it but, no, Mama needs him. Different ones go to get it but never return. Epossumondas finally goes and saves them.
Escaping into the Night: This is an eloquent tale of a young girl living during the Holocaust who flees from the Nazi-controlled Ghettos and takes refuge in the woods with other Jews. A very thoughtful, well-written first-person account of a little-known aspect of the Holocaust, the danger-filled account of one girl's strength in the face of destruction brings teens close to a part of Holocaust history seldom told.
ESP: Extrasensory Perception: Sometimes called the ?Sixth Sense? this book gives an easy to understand version of the background and study of ESP, as well as serving as a resource for Web sites and other books on the subject.
Estrella's Quinceanera: This book deals with the Mexican tradition of a girl coming out party at age 15. But it is more, dealing with peer pressure and prejudice. Social and different culture issues make this book timely.
Eva Underground: In 1978 Eva Lott finds her normal life in a comfortable Chicago suburb uprooted when her father moves them to Communist Poland to help with a radical underground movement. Everywhere she goes, the government is watching.
Everlost: When Allie and Nick are both killed in the same car accident, they find themselves in a place called Everlost, not quite heaven or hell, and not quite dead. The two have many interesting adventures trying to navigate this strange new world they?ve found themselves in.
Evil Star: In this, book 2 of the Gatekeepers, 14-year-old Matt travels to Peru where another opening to the Underworld is predicted to open. With the help of Pedro, the second gatekeeper, their mental powers and the Inca Warriors they pull you into the deadly battle.
Explore the Tropical Rain Forest: Another in the series of Fact-Finders books that is easy for elementary aged students to understand. The photographs of the actual areas and animals make it very interesting and easy to learn the information.
Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Basil: Basil, 12-year-old, meets an eccentric professor with a flying boat. They take a journey into the clouds where they find a floating city filled with unusual inventions and ideas.
Face Value: Told in alternating chapters, ?Lauren Now,? ?Nessa Then,? this book explores the glamour and beauty of the London fashion scene. Up-and-coming models experience that world as well as the underworld of people trying to lure them in with money, parties, and designer clothes.
Fairest: Aza is blessed with a beautiful voice in the land of Ayortha where singers are rewarded, but physical beauty comes with the help of a magical mirror and a high toll. Queen Ivi will do anything to remain the fairest in the land.
Fancy Nancy: Pictures by Robin Preiss. Nancy believes more is always better--tiaras, and feathers, and sparkles, and?Nancy is determined to teach her ordinary family members about being fancy. A Fancy Family night out turns the tables.
Fantastic Farm Machines: A much needed book about farm implements. The contemporary farm equipment pictured will dazzle youngsters. Excellent explanations of the machine's purpose are included in the text. A must purchase for rural libraries.
Far from Normal: Through a magazine article Charles writes about their experience living on their decrepit houseboat, the Bargain Bonanza chain blackmails the family into becoming their spokesfamily. Sequel to Deliver Us from Normal.
Farley Found It: Farley, a sheep, has trouble sleeping in the meadow because he's afraid of the dark. Farley discovers Edna's doghouse and sleeps very well there. Everyplace that Edna hides her doghouse, Farley finds it. What's a dog to do?
Finest Kind: The Panic of 1837 causes the affluent Webber family to trade their posh Boston home for a derelict cabin in Wiscasset, Maine, where Mr. Webber finds employment in the lumber camps. With the help of neighbors and his own innate sense of ingenuity, twelve-year-old Jake must learn to exist in Maine, provide food for the family, and take care of his retarded brother, Frank.
Firehorse: Rachel is asked to take care of a mare and the horse is severely burned and needs help. This tough old mare, queen of the firehorse team, eventually shows her gentler side to Rachel. Moreover, at the same time Rachel discovers she can pursue her dream to become a vet in the late 1800s.
First Grade Stinks!: Haley is so excited to be in first grade, but it's very different from kindergarten. In fact, it's so different it stinks, or does it? Compares and contrasts kindergarten and first grade.
Fishes in Kansas: second edition, revised This is the revised second edition of Fishes in Kansas which was reviewed in a previous KSRC catalog. This edition features full-color drawings and photographs for the first time. This revised guide describes and illustrates the 135 common and not-so-common, native and introduced fishes found in Kansas.
Five Little Ducks: Illustrated by Ivan Bates. Bates does a beautiful job of illustrating this familiar children's song. He shows the love between a mother duck and her ducklings.
Flag with fifty-six stars, The: This inspiring account of the liberation of one of the Third Reich's most infamous camps is a tribute to the humanity and hope preserved by the survivors. The paintings by Bill Farnsworth depict the events. Source notes, a bibliography, further resources, an index, and a reproduction of the actual flag are included.
Flamings on the Roof: A book of Poems and Paintings by Calef Brown A collection of Child-friendly silly poems and painted illustrations to accompany poems about A Burly Biker named Bob who built a Chopper in a Bottle and Flamingos who appear on rooftops shortly after midnight on December 23rd!
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves: Fletcher the fox fears his favorite beloved tree is sick when it begins to lose its leaves. Despite his valiant effort to save the leaves they all fall off, but a magic surprise awaits.
Floating & Sinking: An introduction to floating and sinking with simple text and illustrations. Includes explanation of buoyancy, displacement and more. Hands-on activitiest the back as well as a glossary, resources and an index. Pzart of the First Facts: Our Physical World series.
Floating Island: In this delightful epic fantasy, Ven is ambushed by pirates, lost at sea and near death, he is rescued by a passing ship and travels to Floating Island. Ven is sent to an inn, run by the captain?s wife, which is filled with fascinating boarders?among them a talking cat, fairies, orphans, and a ghost.
Flotsam: Gorgeous illustrations in this wordless picture book featuring a curious boy who goes to the beach to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating and washing ashore. He discovers an underwater camera that contains a collection of unusual pictures. Multiple layers and level allow for a variety of reads, re-reads and retellings.
Fly by Night: Readers will delight in the intrigue, danger and unexpected plot twists in this medieval English tale about an orphaned twelve-year old girl, Mosca Mye, as she makes her way to the city of Mandelion in pursuit of an education at a school with ties to her late father. The author uses the story to teach many philosophical truths, which sometimes bogs down the plot, but mature readers willing to struggle with the intense language will be enchanted with Mosca Mye, the plucky heroine.
Flyte: Book two of ?Septimus Heap?. When Princess Jenna is pursued by a dark wizard, it is the apprentice, Septimus Heap, who must save her while enduring such terrors as a night in the Forest with hungry wolverines and carnivorous trees. Readers will be quickly immersed in the imaginative world, going from one adventure to the next at a mysterious pace. Fans of series will not be disappointed.
Forbidden: Elinor and her friends are members of a Cult called the Cause. She doesn?t question the lifestyle her mother brought her into years before, or that she is one of the Chosen, who will become one of the brides of the elderly founder. While selling religious tracts in the nearly English town, she meets a young man that makes her question her long held beliefs.
Freaks: Alive on the Inside: In 1899, anyone with a deformity is known as a freak. 14 year old Abel, is not but his parents are. He runs away and rescues mistreated freaks and forms a new community. Very unusual setting makes this story of respect and affection a novel reading experience.
Freedom Ship: Based on an actual event in American history, a nine member crew of slaves kidnapped a ship and delivered it to the Union Army. Five women and three children also escaped. Samuel was one of the children and he tells the story. It?s risky but worth it as they race for freedom.
Friends and Enemies: Moving to a new town when he is about to start his freshman year in high school isn't easy for William, the son of a Methodist minister. On his first day in Plaintown, Kansas, he meets both Clive, a fellow Methodist and a bully, and Jim, a Mennonite who becomes a good friend. Just as William is beginning to feel at home, Japanese bombs fall on Pearl Harbor, and what were just interesting discussions about war become heated. In a community with a significant population of Mennonites, the question of patriotism vs. pacifism is very real.
Geography of Hope, The: Black Exodus from the South Lured by the promise of freedom and free land in return for establishing homesteads, large groups of blacks left the former Confederate States in the 1870s and headed west to Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. The book draws on the rich resources of the period to establish the atmosphere and immediacy of their experiences as frontiersmen and farmers.
Georgie's Moon: Before Georgie?s father left for Vietnam, he gave her standing orders never to let anyone mess with her, and she won?t. Worst of all, Georgie?s father has been gone a long time ? and even though he promised to send her his love every night on the moon, sometimes that?s not enough.
Germs: Written in prose, this book lets little readers know germs are everywhere!
Gingerbrread Cowboy, The: Illustrated by Holly Berry. A fresh new version of the Gingerbread Boy, as a cowboy. Set in the western U.S. this cookie rides and ropes his way across the range and out of reach, until he meets the wily coyote.
Give Me Liberty: Befriended by a kindly schoolmaster named Basil, thirteen-year-old Nathaniel Dunn begins a new life in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1774 and becomes embroiled in the events leading up to the Revolutionary War. Well researched to the point of sometimes reading like a history text, readers will experience the struggles our forefathers endured to purchase our freedom as seen through Nathaniel's eyes.
Goldminer's Daughter, A: The villanous Banker Bigglebottom is about to foreclose on the Gold Mine. Gracie Pearl isn't about to marry the banker. Can she find another way to save the mine and herself?
Good Boy Fergus!: Fergus is your typical Westie. He's independent, stubborn, messy and likes to chase cats. However, Fergus is a "good boy."
Good Fortune: It is 1933 and Li Keng Gee and her family move to Chinatown, San Francisco from China to join their father. This is a child?s tale of the hardships and happiness of a close family in ?gold mountain?, the United States.
Gossamer: A sensitive tale of how our dreams come to us through the gossamer touch of ?The Littlest? as she tries to help a young boy in a foster home. A wonderful read for all.
Grandfather's Dance: This story completes the tale of the Witting family on the prairie. They celebrate a wedding, entertain three aunts from Maine, and have pretend weddings. Cassie experiences joy, sorrow, and Grandfather?s special dance.
Grasslands: Thirteen-year-old Thomas Hunter has always longed to taste life on the Western range. So when a letter arrives inviting him to join his father and new family on their Kansas farm he can already see himself riding the range like a real cowboy. The farm is hardly what he expected: barely enough food, his new stepmother seems harsh and he spends all his time mucking out the barn and working in the fields. Just as Thomas grows restless the family's herd gets swept up in a cattle stampede and he must follow a bunch of cowboys to reclaim it. Facing the prairie adventure he has dreamed of, he finds himself in some eye-opening action that causes him to honor the Code of the West.
Great Big Guinea Pigs: Mother guinea pig tells little guinea pig about their big ancestors in Venszuela millions of years ago. Little guinea pig cannot believe it and is happy to be the loveable pet he is today. Great illustrations.
Great Math Tattle Battle, The: Math whiz Hzrley is the biggest tattle tale in second grade until Emma Jean joins the class.
Green Jasper: This is the middle book of a trilogy in the time frame of the Crusades. England is in turmoil over who will be king. This is a story of two brothers who fight for home, love, and country.
Gregor and the Marks of Secret: Book 4 of the Underland Chronicles does not disappoint fans of the series. When the mice who saved Queen Luxa start disappearing she, along with Gregor, and Temp must travel the Underworld and face the challenges of Bane.
Grouping at the Dog Show: Rookie Read About Math series. An interesting little non-fiction story about how they group and categorize dogs in a dog show. Shows a Venn diagram as an illustration.
Guide to Kansas Architecture: A one-of-a-kind guide to Kansas architecture that is a handy reference invaluable to the well-versed architect but assembled so the merely inquisitive reader will appreciate state history and its people. Well written text of localized architecture supported with 601 black-and-white photographs gives this selection a strong place in all Kansas collections.
Gunstories: In this well-balanced book the author compiles interviews with young people whose lives have been directly impacted by guns, whether being involved in a gang, a victim of a drive by shooting, or earning college scholarships in competitions with rifles or handguns. The author just presents the stories and leaves it up to the reader to come to their own conclusions on gun control.
Hansel and Diesel: Brave brother and sister trucks Hansel and Diesel travel into the middle of the junkyard searching for fuel to hellp the family through the winter. They have a frightening encounter with the Wicked Winch. Contemporary take on Hansel and Gretel with special boy appeal.
Hard Hit: Mark has a desirable life as the star pitcher in school, with a new girlfriend, best friend and decent family. When his father is diagnosed with cancer, Mark's world is devastated and everything he takes for granted or believes in is questioned.
Harvey Girls: This book introduces us to this little-known chapter of American history. Through period photographs and lively anecdotes, you'll meet the women whose culture and courage changed the American West.
Headlock: Kyle Bailey pursues his dream to become a WWE superstar by enrolling in a school for professional wrestlers. He shows promise and after graduation lands a beginner?s role in an established routine. On the brink of fulfilling his dream, the teen has to give up his fledgling career to care for his grandmother, who raised him after his mother abandoned him. The book focuses mainly on Kyle?s relationships with his mother, grandmother, and older girlfriend. The resolution is a little too pat and glib but most readers will find the book a satisfying read.
Hearts of Iron: This novel is set in 1820 in mountainous western Connecticut community dependent on their ironworks. Jesse dreams of a life in the Navy but is torn between his need to leave and his love for Lucy while Lucy's dad plots to for her to marry better and move to Boston.
Here, There Be Dragons: Three strangers board the ship, Indigo Dragon, where they must learn to overcome their fears and trust in one another if they are to defeat the dark forces that threaten the destiny of two worlds. A journey of myth, magic, and mystery.
Hero Cat: The story of a stray mother cat rescues all five of her kittens from a house fire and the firemen celebrate her heroics and bravery. Inspired by a true story.
Heroes of Baseball: This is a book with biographical material on sportswriter Lipsyte?s favorite players. He gives an overview of baseball history that uses ey-catching design with red-bordered test and many photographs.
He Will Go Fearless: Determined to find the father he as never met, fifteen-year-old Billy leaves St. Joseph, Missouri, at the close of the Civil War and heads for Virginia City. Not wanting to make the trip alone, Billy signs on as a teamster and battles weather, river crossings, outlaws and other problems in his quest to find his father. Based loosely on diaries of western artist William Henry Jackson, readers will cheer for Billy as he struggles toward Virginia City and steps into adulthood.
Higher Geometry, A: This is a great picture of life in the 1950?s when girls were expected to get married and raise a family even if they had great talent as did Anna. Her ability in math enable her to win a state-wide contest to get a college scholarship, but will she be allowed to use it? A well-written book with love interest, expectations, & loss.
Hippo Goes Bananas!: Each animal embellishes the story as they repeat a story about Hippo's actions when he has a bad toothache.
Hippopotamus Stew: and other silly animal poems: Illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi. Vivid illustrations combine with playful poems about "quirky" animals of all sizes from whales to mosquitos. Laughs a plenty when you read these twenty - poems that is.
Home, and other Big, Fat Lies: Whitney is a foster child that has been shuffled through 11 homes throughout her life. Now she?s moving to the 12th foster home in a place like no where she?s ever lived before. She is a city girl, and her new home is in the middle of a forest in a community built on the logging industry. Circumstances of why her new foster parents have agreed to take her in seem mysterious until she starts finding out about her new community. Whitney?s humorous tone makes this story fun to read while showing the many problems faced between those whose lives depend on trees and those who live to protect the wildlife that depends on the trees.
Homework Machine, The: Kids will love this title. An unlikely group of four kids share a secret?the homework machine. The secret becomes overwhelming and the four of them are in a raqce to keep from going to jail.
Honest Ashley: Ashley procrastinates writing an assignment and is tempted to use an old paper of her brother's. After reading her brother's paper about honesty, Ashley thinks hard about doing the right thing.
How Do I Love You: Simple, rhyming text with bright, energetic illustrations gives an introduction to counting to twenty. Adorable alligator child and parent interact in familiar ways young readers will easily identify with and relate to. Cheerful loving ending. Supports math curriculum and standards.
How do you Count a Dozen Ducklings?: A dozen ducklings is a lot for mama duck to keep track of. She finds clever ways to count her ducklings and trick the hungry wolf that is counting on having them for lunch.
How to be a Good Dog: Bobo, the dog, has difficulty being good. He is sent to the doghouse but Cat misses him and is determined to teach him good manners.
How to be Popular: Ever since the sixth grade when she split a red Super Big Gulp on a popular classmate, Steph Landry?s name has been synonymous for ?klutz?. Now an eleventh grade she is trying to repair her image by studying an old book entitled, How to be Popular. While the advise is dated, the ideas help Steph overcome her reputation. She finds that sitting at the popular kids? table where she wants to be. It is a light, fun read for even young teens.
Hurricane Hunters: A special weather reconnaissance team for the Air Force fly into hurricanes to gather information. Double-page spreads in bright pastels.
Hurricanes, Tsunamis and other natural disasters: Short fact-filled chapters that explore key ideas in two-page spreads will hook the reader. Digital artwork and photography are used throughout the books. Great presentation along with chapter summaries, bibliographies, web links, information on locations, and career information will entice the students to go beyond the book.
Hurricane Wolf: Noah and his family very carefully prepare for a hurricane. This sensitive story of one family's survival includes information about hurricanes, a hurricane plan, and what to inlcude in a hurricane kit.
I'm Dirty!: A must read for kids who have trouble staying clean, and their parents who work so hard to keep them presentable. A little backhoe loves his job.
I've Got an Elephant: One elephant is lots of fun, maybe two. How many elephants is too many? Counting the new elephants is as much fun as the illustrations.
Icefire: David is learning about the Artic as Gwyneth appears to ?help? with the new dragon that has the power to grant wishes as long as they benefit dragons. It is David?s task to learn how Lucy?s wish for snow relates to the last known dragon as the series turns somewhat darker and more dangerous.
I Don't Want to be Crazy: This is a book of poems about a college freshman girl?s feeling of alienation and detachment during her freshman year in college. Her condition turns into a panic disorder and everything seems quite bleak. However, the book gives a hopeful portrait of such a debilitating condition.
If You Were an Adjective (Word Fun Series): Grammar can be fun! In this picture book series on parts of speech the vibrant colors and whimsical format make an excellent introduction to grammar. Includes links to grammar games. Great for sharing with teachers. Eight titles in the series.
I Lost My Tooth in Africa: A little girl from Portland, Oregon visits her extended family in Bamako, Mali, Africa. She learns about their tradition of what happens when a child loses a tooth.
I Love Tools: Illustrated by Shari Halpern. A very basic introduction to simple tools and machines for youngest readers. Simple, bright illustrations show how a boy and girl use a variety of tools to make a house for a friendly bluebird.
Infernal Devices: The third installment of the series that began with Mortal Engines, this book finds Wren becoming a captive, a slave, and then the bait that leads Tom and Hester back into perilous waters.
In the Garden: Who's Been Here?: Jeremy and Christina pick vegetables for their mother. They find evidence of animals and insects that have been in the garden before them. Simple very readable text accompanied by large vivid pictures from varied perspectives make this a great choice for read aloud. Children will love guessing who has been here, especially at the end!
Inventor McGregor: Wonderful illustrations that help tell the story of an inventor who can invent anything at home but when made to invent in an office in town he cannot invent one thing. He gets his inspiration from his surroundings and family.
Iraq, Enchantment of the World: Focus is more on the details about the nations? different ethnic groups, environmental issues and wildlife and information about the current political situation rather than major events or people. Books contain full-color photographs, statistics, time lines and Web sites. The current information makes them accessible and useful for reports.
Israel, Enchantment of the World: Focus is more on the details about the nations? different ethnic groups, environmental issues and wildlife and information about the current political situation rather than major events or people. Books contain full-color photographs, statistics, time lines and Web sites. The current information makes them accessible and useful for reports.
It's a Mall World After All: Though Charlotte?s intentions are good, trying to find out if her best friend?s boyfriend is cheating on her, the way she goes about it is one social disaster after another for the heroine in this story. Laugh out loud funny especially for someone who can identify with the embarrassing mishaps that befall her.
Ithaka: This book reads of the strong determination of Penelope as she awaits her husband Odysseus, to return home. Chaos erupts as she is forced to contemplation remarriage.
Jack and the Night Visitors: Although wordless, this book tells the story of visitors to Jack's room one hight.
Jake's 100th Day of School: Jake's teacher asks everyone to bring in a collection of 100 items to celebrate the 100th day of school. Jake forgets. Great problem resolution.
Jake Skates: Jake loves to skate. He even skates in his dreams at night. A great easy reader.
Jake the Philharmonic Dog: A wonderful book to introduce children to instruments played in an orchestra. Jake, the dog, goes with his master to work as a stagehand for an orchestra. Musical terms are used throughout the story.
Japan, Enchantment of the World: Focus is more on the details about the nations? different ethnic groups, environmental issues and wildlife and information about the current political situation rather than major events or people. Books contain full-color photographs, statistics, time lines and Web sites. The current information makes them accessible and useful for reports.
Jayhawker Book: n response to continued demands, this title has been reissued in the special revised edition. This book about the state of Kansas, the state flower, bird and tree, products and people, can be read with ease by boys and girls in the second and third grades. Teachers looking for easy material about Kansas for the primary level will welcome the fifth reprint of this book with its original illustrations.
John, Paul, George, & Ben: A humerous look at these four founding fathers, along with Thomas Jefferson, before they were famous. They did take liberties along the way.
Josias, Hold the Book: Growing up in Haiti, every member of the family is needed to produce enough foot to eat. Many people are uneducated. Josias' beans don't grow even with TLC. Josias worries his family won't have enough to eat.
Journey, Stories of Migration, The: Buttrflies, locusts, whales, caribou, and other animals move from place to place their whole lives. This is an introduction to migration with beautiful paintings of the animals? journeys.
Journey that saved Curious George: Biography of Margret and H. A. Rey, authors of the Curious George books. Both German born Jews, they must flee France in advance of the Nazi takeover. They take only the manuscripts for Curious George and other books as they make their perious way to the U. S.
Julia's Kitchen: When her mother and sister are killed in a fire, Cara struggles with confusion about her faith, her fragile relationship with her grieving father, and her questions about how to hold on to the memories of her mother and sister and still move forward in life.
Jumping the Scratch: After moving with his mother to a trailer park to care for an injured aunt, eleven-year-old, Jamie Reardon struggles to cope with a deeply buried secret. Captures not only the quilt, shame, and pain of the abused boy but the point of view of a new student who is friendless, targeted and belittled by a teacher.
Jungle Bullies: A domino effect happens to the animals when Elephant begins with the bullying of Hippo. It trickles down to Monkey and he learns from his mother how to share.
Just Another Day in My Insanely Real Life: If your library is in need of another book about a dysfunctional family, then your readers will enjoy and maybe even identify with the problems encountered by seventh grader Cassie Emerson as she struggles to hold the family together since her father left the family.Saddled with an older sister who won't pull her share of the load and a younger brother who always needs attention, Cassie struggles to rebuild her life.
Just for You to Know: Carmen Cathcart, a thirteen year old girl with a dream of her own is sure to capture the hearts of young readers! The oldest girl in a family of 8, Carmen is appalled to find out her mother is pregnant again.
Kansas Breeding Bird Atlas: This book focuses on 203 species of birds located while nesting in Kansas over a period of six years. Two pages are devoted to each bird and includes a description, drawing and distribution data.
Kansas--The History of the Sunflower State, 1854-2000: A great Kansas resource book. It treats the past history as well as history about Kansas that has not been found in previous history books. A wonderful addition to a Kansas collection.
Kansas Wetlands: A Wildlife Treasury: A crisp, clear wildlife presentation, featuring color photos (by seven photographers, taken over a period of seven years) with explanatory captions, following an introductory essay.
Kansas Wildlife: Photographs by Bob Gress, Gerald J. Wiens, Suzzanne L. Collins and Joseph T. Collins. One hundred and twenty-one extraordinary photographs with text by Kansas Zoologist at the University of Kansas, Joseph Collins. The text provides little-known information about the habits and habitats of Kansas creatures.
Keturah and Lord Death: Keturah follows a stag into the forest and meets Lord Death. Because she doesn?t want to die she bargains with him and as result changes her life and her entire village as she seeks her one true love to escape Lord Death and the bargain she has struck. Romance & adventure!
Kids Cook 1-2-3: This is an easy child friendly cookbook that children can prepare almost all by themselves. It has great ideas for child creativity.
Killing Sea, The: This novel is a survival story that puts a human face on a shocking disaster of the tsunami of 2004 in Sumatra. Told from the point of view of Ruslan, an Indonesian boy and and Sarah, an American girl. Ruslan is searching for his father and Sarah is trying to get medical treatment for her sick brother.
Kiss Me Tomorrow: Starting middle school is tough enough plus dealing with family and friends while emotions are flaring. When her best friend, Jonah, gets arrested for shoplifting 13-year-old Blister ends up in the middle.
La Linea: 15-year-old Miguel describes the dangerous attempt to cross with his sister, illegally from Mexico into the United States to join their parents in California. Robbed, threatened and struggling to stay alive, this is for more mature students than the Will Hobbs, Crossing the Wire.
Langston's Train Ride: This poetic tribute to Langston Hughes as he reaches the point where he knows that he really is a poet, is expressed in rich language narrative and brilliant illustrations by Leonard Jenkins. Also included is Hughe's famed poems "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."
Last Day of School, The: Third grade has been great in Mrs. Mallory's class. Matthew had a special job of keeping the classroom clock at the correct time. He has a very special present for Mrs. Mallory.
Last of the Roundup Boys, The: This companion book to Grasslands is set in Kansas in 1885. Tom is now seventeen and is hired as a cowhand to work on the Parson's cattle ranch. Tom is smitten with sixteen-year-old Evie, the ranch owner's daughter. Narrated in interchanging voices of Tom and Evie, it tells of the iffy romance between the two. This historical fiction has substance with women's rights, the legacy of slavery, tension between cattlemen, railroad men, and farmers, and class differences and sex roles on the Kansas prairie.
Laura's Album: This book is a lovely tribute and chronicle of the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Included are photos, reproductions of original communications and keepsake treasures accumulated by Laura. The historical research represented by this work will capture young and older fans of the Little House saga.
Let's Look at Animal Teeth: This book explains why some animals have sharp teeth, while others have flat teeth. Fabulous photographs. One of a series.
Let them play: Recounts the true story of spirit and determination from America?s early civil rights history and the Cannon Street all-stars who were not allowed to play in the World Series game.
Life as we Knew It: Miranda & her family are in survival mode after an asteroid hits the moon & forces it nearer earth resulting in a change of gravitational pull which changes tides & weather patterns. Miranda?s journal keeps us on edge as we see how she & her family cope with the mounting difficulties of deprivation and danger. This is excellent in every way!
Lightning in a Drought Year: Love and politics collide to make feminist history in Gilded Age Kansas. A forbidden friendship turns to love amidst the social and economic turmoil of the Populist Uprising and, as women seek political equality with men, an unlikely heroine steps forward to make history. "In this charming novel, Michelle Black has displayed a hero and heroine worthy of one another. Her descriptions and strong voice are a symphony to the eyes.
Lights, Camera, Amalee: Sequel to Amalee. When 7th grader, Amalee uses an inheritance to make a movie about endangered species. In the process of making the film, she goes through life?s ups and downs and discovers a link with the mother she never knew. She grows in many ways which is evident throughout the novel. A very satisfying story.
Lilly's Big Day: Lilly has big plans to be a flower girl at her teacher's wedding, but he asks her to be the flower girl's assistant. Can Lilly save the day when the flower girl freezes?
Listen!: First the loss of her mother and now 2 years later a car accident leaves Charly having to spend her summer taking long walks to strengthen her legs and her spirit while her friends are away and her father is working long days. She befriends and attempts to tame a stray dog which begins to open her heart again.
Listening at the Gate: In this epic of love, identity, and change, Kat, an outsider in both her father?s and mother?s villages, must confront an earthly battle between the two tribes as well as the struggle within herself and with the man she loves. A classic coming-of-age tale.
Little Divas: Preteens who enjoy the "Alice" books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor may enjoy this contemporary book about two seventh grade African American cousins adapting to changes in their lives brought on by divorce, strict parents, and boyfriends. While the tone and the dialogue of the book are lighthearted, some mature subject matter is included so the book may not be suitable for all collections.
Little Elephant's Trunk: Little Elephant learns to walk but his trunk trips him up. Slowly the young elephant learns just how useful his trunk can be.
Living Landscapes of Kansas: Kansas? unexpected beauty is presented in text and photographs. It is a wonderful addition to Konza Prairie and A Tallgrass Natural History by the same author. Known and unfamiliar forests, prairies, rivers, and lakes are depicted, which reveal a beautifully diverse state.
Look! Look! Look!: When a mouse family discovers a postcard with a ladies picture on the front, they discover shapes, colors and lines they hadn't seen before. Strong support for primary art curriculum.
Look How It Changes!: This book tells about changes in our world by showing chemical changes, matter changes,and changes in time.
Loud Silence of Francine Green, The: In 1949, thirteen-year-old, Francine goes to Catholic school in Los Angeles where she becomes best friends with a girl who questions authority and is frequently punished by the nuns, causing Francine to question her own values. Cushman creates a character who is planted in her time and who grows in courage, self-awareness and conviction. She capture the era with references to ?Dragnet?, to duck and cover drills in schools, to the building of bomb shelters in backyards. A rich, satisfying story about early adolescence.
Louds Move In, The: Illustrated by Regan Dunnick. Quiet daily lives are drastically disrupted when a very noisy, boisterous family moves into the neighborhood. They plead for quiet and restraint, but the neighbors learn to be careful about what they ask for in this riotously entertaining book about appreciating change and uniqueness.
Lowji discovers America: A nine year old East Indian boy tries to adjust to his new life in suburban America.
Luck: Paintings by Wendell Minor. "Any bird that sticks its head in a plastic six-pack holder is going to need more luck than love." So begins the migration of a young sandhill crane. What route do cranes take? What guides them on their journey? Human and animal lives are fittingly juxtaposed throughout. The story, as the migration, comes full circle.
Lucy Goose goes to Texas: It is time for the annual migration of Canada geese. Lucy, a Canada goose with an independent spirit, sets off to make the trip on her own only to discover that there are good reasons to work as a team. Includes factual endnotes and websites for additional information on Canada geese.
Mammoths on the Move: The illustrations are charming as mammoths migrate south for the winter. Catchy rhyming prose. Large format appropriate for topic.
Man in the Moon-fixer's Mask, The: Real and imaginary creatures are the focus of this collection of Poems by JonArno Lawson. They are witty and whimsical, a delight to hear and fun to see the drawings of Sherwin Tjia.
Manny Files, The: Keats is a boy whose family has hired a male nanny, know to the family and readers simply as the manny. While Keats forms a wonderful relationship with the manny, Lulu keeps careful record of everything the manny does wrong. These are the Manny Files. Throughout the book, a relationship is forming between Keats? Uncle Max and the manny, and at the end the reader learns that the manny is more to the family than just a nanny. Keats learns about having confidence in himself even when the normal events in life make it tough.
Man Who Named the Clouds, The: Not only is this the biography of Luke Howard, the man who named the clouds but it also gives lots of information about the study of weather and its history. Inserts are from a young girl from ?our? time who keeps a weather journal for her science fair project. Full of interesting weather facts with illustrations that will hold young readers attention.
Marvelous Mattie: :How Margaret E. Knight Became and Inventor. This biography tells the story of Margaret Knight who created the machine that makes paper grocery sacks. To get her invention noticed she had to be strong and battle the gender roles. She is the first woman to receive a U.S. patent.
Max's Words: Clever idea for a story! Max's brothers have collections and max wants one too so he begins collecting words. He soon has a "pile" of them and uses them to make up sentences and eventually writes stories. Great read-aloud and then have children do the same activity as Max using cutout words.
Max Goes to the Library/Max va a la biblioteca: Max, who loves to read, visits the library and discovers all the neat things he can do while he is there. His expressions truly convey the joy he feels during his visit. A darling Read-It! Reader available in both English and Spanish.
Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie: n this work, the medicinal use of 203 native prairie plants by the Plains Indians is presented. This book will increase appreciation for prairie plants at a time when prairies need protection.
Melissa Parkington's Beautiful, Beautiful Hair: Melissa Parkington not only has beautiful hair, she's a beautiful person. She makes herself useful by helping and sharing. Then she finds a way to share her beautiful hair.
Million Dollar Putt: Bogie is a visually impaired teenager with a lot of insight when it comes to new ventures, and eventually mastering the game of golf. His dad supports all of his interests except one: golf. Family secrets are revealed when Bogie enters the amateur tournament.
Milo, the Really Big Bunny: Illustrated by Melissa Suber. Milo was not like other bunnies. He knew that he couldn't do the things small bunnies could do and his self esteem suffered. However, the Easter Bunny finds he can't do without Milo one wet and rainy Easter.
Misadventures of Maude March, The: After the death of the stern aunt who raised them since they were orphaned, eleven-year-old Sallie and her fifteen-year-old sister escape their self-serving guardians and begin an adventure resembling those in the dime novels Sallie loves to read.
Missing in Tokyo: When his sister disappears while on a round the world trip with a friend, Adam gets tired of the inability of anyone to find answers. Finally he takes matters into his own hands, taking an ill conceived trip to Tokyo to track down his sister?s traveling companion and get answers. He is befriended by a cute Japanese girl, whom he unwittingly puts in danger when they tangle with the Japanese mob.
Missing manatee, The: While coping with his parents? separation, eleven year old Skeet spends most of spring break in his skiff on a Florida river, where he finds a manatee shot to death and begins looking for the killer.
Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind: The school must read 1000 books by June 12, then principal Wiggins will dye his hair purple and sleep on the roof. Miss Malarkey gets everyone to read except for one boy and on the last day of schools she finds a book he loves.
Mixed-up Rooster, The: Ned the rooster sleeps through the sunrise and is replaced by the hens who think he is ruining their egg business. Ned parties with the night creatures which ironically puts him in the perfect spot to fend off the snake trying to creep into the henhouse. He may not be a morning bird, but Ned truly saves the day! Bold, expressive illustrations. Energetic read-aloud.
Monkey Town: A remarkable story told through Frances Robinson?s eyes where we get to meet all the major players in the Scopes Trial. Her father convinces John Scopes to admit that he has taught evolution in order to bring publicity to sleepy Dayton, Tennessee.
Moon, The: Illustrated by Tracey Campbell Pearson. Beautifully illustrated, children will love listening to this over and over again as well as looking at the lovely illustrations.
Moon runner: When Mina discovers that she can run faster than her athletic friend, Ruth, she thinks she must choose between running and friendship.
Moon Shadow: Callie helps to rescue an orphaned filly whose mother was part of a herd of mustangs brought in from the Nevada desert. She begs her parents for the little mustang not knowing if it will survive. A great horse story!
Moose Tracks!: There are moose tracks all over the house. As moose remembers his visitors, a moose did not come to visit. Resembles Numeroff's Give a Mouse a Cookie.
Mouth Moths: A classroom rule as common as ?Raise your hand before you speak? is still hard for some to follow until confetti-like moths come flying out of your mouth instead of words! The W.T. Melton Elementary School has lots of surprising mysterious things happening. Wait until you read to find what happens when you can?t sit in your chair, or you but in the front of the line.
Move: Author Page and illustrator Steve Jenkins create a lot of commotion about locomotion in this lively book about the movements of twelve animals. Animals are connected by shared movements in a clever format. An extraordinary combination of text and collage. Lots of appended facts about each animal is included at the back.
Move Over, Rover: Rover gets unexpected company in his dog house when a thunderstorm moves through.
Moving Day: Fletch?s family is moving to Ohio. An autobiographical book of poems that address most topics connected to moving?including Bubble wrap and Deep Cleaning. Heartfelt and beautifully illustrated.
Mr. Pusskins: a Love Story: Mr. Pusskins leaves a loving home to have some fun. When he is wet, dirty, and cold he realizes what he left behind.
Mr. Putter & Tabby Make a Wish: An enjoyable beginning to read book about two neighbors and their pets.
Muhannad Ali, the Greatest: One of the biographies in the Fact Finders Series. This is a short biography about the life and career of Muhammad Ali. It describes his childhood in Louisville, Kentucky and his early introduction to boxing followed by him becoming a professional prizefighter.
Murder of Bindy MacKenzie: The story of Bindy at a private school in Australia is told through emails, memos, etc. Humor and suspense make the story very readable. The ending will capture new readers to wanting more books from this author.
My Book Box: An elephant thinks of several creative uses for his book box.
My Feet are Laughing: A collection of story poems depicting the life of a young girl and her family living in Harlem. A very well written book in a different format with great illustrations.
My Senator and Me: A Dog's Eye View of Washington, D.C.: Illustrated by David Small. Splash, Senator Kennedy's dog, takes us on a typical day for his owner and him. A beautifully written, fun way to look at Washington and to hear how a bill becomes a law.
Naked mole rat letters, The: When her father begins a long-distance romance with a Washington, D.C. zookeeper, twelve-year-old Frankie sends fabricated email letters to the zookeeper in an attempt to end the relationship.
New Prophecy Warriors Dawn: In this continuing saga of cats, the questing cats return to forest devastated by the Twolegs, where they must find a way to convince their Clans to leave in search of a new home. Once arriving at their new home, they set about exploring and fighting over the unfamiliar territory. Once at harmony, they fight until a common enemy ? the badger ? invades. Danger level is high in each volume of this series rooted from Hunter?s first ?Warriors? novel. Great read for cat lovers.
New Prophecy Warriors Starlight: In this continuing saga of cats, the questing cats return to forest devastated by the Twolegs, where they must find a way to convince their Clans to leave in search of a new home. Once arriving at their new home, they set about exploring and fighting over the unfamiliar territory. Once at harmony, they fight until a common enemy ? the badger ? invades. Danger level is high in each volume of this series rooted from Hunter?s first ?Warriors? novel. Great read for cat lovers.
New Prophecy Warriors Twilight: In this continuing saga of cats, the questing cats return to forest devastated by the Twolegs, where they must find a way to convince their Clans to leave in search of a new home. Once arriving at their new home, they set about exploring and fighting over the unfamiliar territory. Once at harmony, they fight until a common enemy ? the badger ? invades. Danger level is high in each volume of this series rooted from Hunter?s first ?Warriors? novel. Great read for cat lovers.
Night Boat to Freedom: Christmas John, encouraged by Granny Judith, rows slaves to freedom across the river from Kentucky to Ohio. Granny is a weaver and creates her own colors for the dyes she uses. With every passenger she asks what color they are weaving. Then she incorporates that color into a quilt that she says will be a rainbow bridge from one side to the other side. Beautiful illustrations.
Night My Sister Went Missing, The: At a senior party on the broken pier that the police have warned kids to stay off of, there are shots fired and Kurt?s sister, Casey, disappears in the ocean. Where is Casey? Who fired the gun? What secrets are being concealed. This is an excellent portrayal of group dynamics and human nature in crisis.
Night of the Burning: Still sad and frightened after living in Poland through WWII and the Russian Revolution, twelve-year-old Devorah Lehman, her younger sister and other Jewish orphans travel with Isaac Ochberg to South Africa and make a new start. First-person narrative swings back and forth between Devorah?s struggle to accept her new home, the memories of what she left behind, and her quilt. The story is gripping. The history of persecution and immigration will parallel many American families.
Nightsong: the Legend of Orpheus and Eurydice: Orpheus, a fine musician, attempts to use his talent to rescue his wife Eurydice from the Underworld. Hades allow him to retrieve his love, but warns him not to look back at her, Oprheus cannot help himself and looks back losing Eurydice forever.
No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher's Dirty Looks: Anxious for summer, Gilbert and his first-grade classmates are nervous about their last day of school. They are curious about the awards the teacher will give out, and sad to be leaving their teacher, too. A funny yet reassuring story about change and what makes each of us special.
No Right Turn: When Jordan?s world is turned upside down after the suicide of his father, he begins to isolate himself. But when his mother begins to date again, the new boyfriend has a Corvette. Telling the rest of the story in first person gives an insight into feelings and behaviors that Jordan experiences.
No Room for Napoleon: Napoleon, a demanding dog, takes over an island inspite of losing friends and destroying the vegetation. He learns a valuable lesson on friendship and beauty. Cute story and great illustrations.
Nosy Rosie: Rosie the fox has a super sense of smell that is good for finding things, but she stops using it when eveyrone begins to call her "Nosy Rosie." How can she be just Rosie? Positive modeling.
Now & Ben: Finally, a book for young readers filled with the sense of wonder and discovery that might make Ben Franklin smile! Eighteenth-century in the twenty-first. Cheerful and energetic, this book shows us how beneficial and useful Benjamin Franklin's inventions were not only now, but then, too.
Off We Go to Mexico: An Adventure in the Sun: An easy read multicultural of Mexico. Rhyming text with vivid illustrations and glossary of Spanish words on each page. Great appendices of a map, timeline and facts of Mexican history.
Oink?: If you have ever played dumb, you will understand Thomas and Joseph Pig. They will end up as the smartest animals in the farmyard.
Olivia Forms a Band: Mother is preparing a picnic for the fireworks show. Olivia spends the day gathering instruments for the fireworks band. Olivia decides not to play the instruments; guess where mother finds the instruments?
Once Around the Sun: Poems: Brightly illustrated poems about each month.
One Green Apple: Illustrated by Ted Lewin. A metaphor for acceptance, this story of Farah, a young immigrant girl who goes on a school field trip to an orchard to make cider. Language and ethnic differences are obvious, but overcome when Farah and her classmates learn how that one green apple adds special flavor to the cider when blended with the other students' red apples. Classical gentle style and subtle illustrations.
One-handed Catch: "Dad asked me to give him a hand, and that's exactly what I was doing." (quote from p. 6). While working in his father's butcher shop on July 4, 1946, sixth-grader Norman loses his hand in the meat grinder. Based on the life of the author's husband, readers follow Norm's progress as he struggles to learn to be self-sufficient, to realize his dreams, and ultimately to triumph over his misfortune.
One Left Behind, The: Eleven-year-old Mandy is accidentally left at home alone for the weekend. She is remembering her twin sister, Angel, who has been dead for about a year. Someone breaks into the house and steals food. Mandy investigates and draws courage by doing what she thinks Angel would have done. She finds a teenager, Zander and his toddler brother in an abandoned cottage up the road. Zander says they are trying to get away from kidnappers and Mandy must determine what is truth and what is not.
One More Sheep: Sam can't stay awake to count his boring sheep. With a wolf at the door they must count themselves with hilarious effects.
One Potato, Two Potato: A re-telling of a Chinese folktale that is very entertaining. The couple is very poor and have only one of everything to share until Mr. O'Grady digs up an old black pot. Once something goes into the pot it comes out double.
One-Room Schools of the Middle West: An Illustrated History Both as social history and as an archival source, this work is an important contribution to the history of American education. Fuller?s commentaries are dimensionally rich sociohistorical vignettes on the school children, the schools, the teachers, rural aspirations, and other topics set in a pictorial and archival album. Fuller is not incorrect in observing that ?The little one-room schools of the Middle West offer important lessons in education, even in our own times of sophisticated educational theory and large, professionally dominated schools.?
One Smart Fish: One very smart fish is the one that got away. An easy reader with cute illustrations.
One Ted Falls Out of Bed: Illustrated by Anna Currey. A beloved stuffed bear wants nothing more than to stay in bed with his child. A tumble sends him to the floor and he starts an adventure with three new friends. Will he ever make it back to bed? Large, wam illustrations work equally well for read-aloud or parent lap book for bedtime.
On Etruscan time: While spending the summer on an archaeological dig near Florence, Italy, with his mother, eleven-year-old Hector meets an Etruscan boy who needs help to foil his treacherous uncle's plan to make him a human sacrifice--1,000 years in the past.
Oscar the Big Adventure of a Little Sock Monkey: Illustrated by Lenoard Marcu. Oscar, a caring little brown sock monkey, lives in the big city with Susie, a forgetful little girl, and her pet rabbit. Susie takes her rabbit to school for the school pet show without realizing she has left the key to the cage at home. Oscar discovers the key, plans and sets out on a dangerous mission to travel across town to the school and get the key to Susie in time for the pet show. Reminiscient of Curious George, a satisfying adventure of friendship and kindness.
Our Kansas Home: Charlie and his family first introduced in Pioneer Summer become involved with helping runaway slaves. An early chapter book that provides good background on this area of history.
Our Town on the Plains: The narrative and reprinted photos of Junction City, Kansas, by J.J. Pennell provide a unique view of life in Midwest America during the early 1900s. The narrative is thorough yet entertaining, and this book truly must be included in every Kansas collection.
Out and About at the Dentist (Field Trip Series): Students go on field trips to various community places including the public library, dentist office, bakery, city hall, orchard, baseball stadium, U.S. mint, etc. Includes text features and resources. Twenty-two books in the series. E books also available in this series.
Out of order: Four youngsters, ages nine to fifteen, narrate one side of the story of their newly blended family's adjustment, interwoven with grief and loss.
Outside Groove, The: Seventeen-year-old Casey LaPlante, tired of feeling invisible next to her race car driving brother Wade "the Blade" LaPlante, decides to grab the limelight by entering the local racing circuit herself. Enlisting the aid of her uncle, Casey begins her racing career and finds that there is much more to racing than just a series of left turns and crossing the finish line first. Racing fans will cheer for Casey as she tries to find her rightful place in her family and tests her new skills against her brother in a race at the local track.
Owen & Mzee: the True Story of a Remarkable Friendship: When the tsunami happened in Southeast Asia, a little hippo was stranded away from his family in Africa. This story tells of the amazing rescue of little Owen and how he befriends an old tortoise. Mzee kept crawling away but one day they become two great friends. A great companion with easy reader Mama.
Pair of Polar Bear Cubs, A: Twin polar bears were found orphaned in Alaska at only 3 months old. This playful pair are taken in by the San Diego zoo. Great photographs show their development growing up.
Pancakes for Supper: Illustrated by Mark Teague. Toby is on the way into town with her mom and dad when the wagon hits a big bump and sends her flying into the woods. She trades her clothing to wild animals tricking them into thinking that each one is the grandest. When her parents find her, she is so hungry she eats 169 pancakes.
Parent Swap: Because his life is a bit of a mess, thirteen-year-old, Danny Bell, agrees to let Parent-Swap try to match him with his ideal parents, but soon realizes that the company is about more than giving adolescents a new start. Interviews intermixed with the narrative serve to give the clues as to what is really going on. Both humorous and tender, the story examines how young people feel in a world controlled by adults while taking a fun look at the unreality of reality TV.
Part of Me: The author has written a collection of stories about succeeding generations of the McGee family between the years of 1939-2004, as seen through the eyes of Rose, who quit school and gave up her dream of becoming a writer to help support the family. It seems that the love of books is passed to someone of each generation in the family, and Rose, who is 79 years of age at the end of the book, may just get her chance to become a published author after all.
Party Princess: Book seven of Princess Diaries. Class president, Princess Mia Themopolis is in hot water when funds for commencement have been wiped out. Her queen grandmother helps by producing a school musical starring Mia. Mia?s dilemmas are not as involved as in previous books but readers will enjoy the cast reunion.
Peanut-free Caf?, The: When Grant, a new student at Nutley School shares about his peanut allergy, the peanut butter loving students at his school find creative ways to keep him company during lunchtime.
Penderwicks, The: While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother.
Peopling the Plains: Both the immigrant experience and the influx of Yankees, Midlanders, and Southerners shaped the character of present day Kansas. Many maps chart the demographic structure of the state. While it is definitely an adult book, usage in high schools is probable. Some of the maps may be difficult for young adults to decipher.
Peter and the Shadow Thieves: Sequel to Peter and the Starcatchers. An evil force is once again trying to obtain starstuff, the magical substance that, among many other qualities, enables, Peter to fly and to remain eternally youthful. It takes the efforts of Peter, Tinker Bell, and Molly to ensure that it is returned to outer space. Filled with rollicking, death-defying adventures. Breathless chases, near-death experiences and packed into short chapters. Appeal to fantasy and adventure fans alike.
Phineas L. Macguire Erupts: Phineas (better known as Mac) is looking forward to doing the fourth grade science fair project with his best friend. Mrs. Tuttle pairs the students up and due Mac?s best friend having to move, he is assigned the new kid, Mac R. This is unbelievable! Mac R. is obnoxious but they have to work together. Mac learns that Mac R. is an artist and a decent guy. Mac even helps him have a fresh start with his classmates.
Picture Book of Amelia Earhart, A: This volume on Amelia Earhart highlights her unconventional childhood, her independent spirit, her caring heart, her determination to fly, and her courage as a trailblazer in aviation. The illustrations convey the look of the times and the drama of Earhart's adventurous life.
Pig Little: Piglet shares his family's day at the beach through a series of charming poems, each detailed with warm watercolor illustratoins on a double page spread. Exhausted, everyone returns with wonderful memories of their seaside adventure.
Pirate Curse: When her pirate ship home is destroyed 14-year old Jolly is washed up on shore and finds another polliwog, one able to walk on water. Together she and Monk must challenge a sea monster, a ship of ghost pirates and perform daring deeds.
Place for Butterflies, A: Illustrated by Higgins Bond. The simple text about protecting the butterfly opens to talk about the habits and food sources for 12 varieties of butterflies in sidebar discussions. The pictures fairly jump from the pages and engage the reader from the first page.
Play, Mozart, Play: Introduces young children to the child prodigy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in simple text with illustrations. Includes biographical information. Great support for music curriculum at elementary level.
Please Play Safe!: Illustrated byuin helps his friends learn playground safety. First they have a few problems and one gets a boink, a thud, a kick, and some other mishaps.
Pop's Bridge: Robert and Charlie Shu proudly watch the Golden Gate Bridge being built by their fathers who are on the construction crew.
Possibility of Fireflies, The: After the divorce, Ellie?s mother retreats and her sister acts out. One always reads of drugs, casual sex, and fire but not stated in a graphic way. Ellie learns to turn to those who can give her the support she needs. Good book to show that one does not have to follow the destructive path of others.
Prairie Birds: The author blends recent science and years of personal experience to give readers a pleasant account of 33 grassland bird species that emphasizes their behaviors within their natural habitats.
Presidents of the United States: Want to know which President was the tallest? Who was the youngest to take the oath of office? This is another book in the series of great resources for children from Time-Life. This gives a brief biography of each U.S. President, along with some little known facts that children love to discover.
Princess academy: While attending a strict academy for potential princesses with the other girls from her mountain village, fourteen-year-old Miri discovers unexpected talents and connections to her homeland.
Princess and the Pea, The: This frilly retellling of the well-known fairytale is both unique and humorous. Child's clever illustrations are skillfully created using dollhouse furnishings, photos and fabric. Fabulously funny! Details about the illustrators are included at the back.
Probably the World's Best Story about a Dog and Girl: It is the summer of 1951, Paolo has a plan to make money. He will manage his little brother, Georgie, who will do yard work and other jobs around the neighborhood. Georgie will get a percentage of the money earned, while Paolo will keep his rather large share for being the manager. The boys land a paper route. Making money seems much less important when Paola receives a ransom note for the beloved family dog Rufus. The boys carry through with their route while trying to figure out how to save their dog. This novel follows the young boy?s life showing the daily trials and tribulations that are part of being 12. Each chapter begins with a term that is related to the subject of the chapter along with how to express that word or phrase in sign language.
Project Mulberry: While working on a project for an after-school club, Julia, a Korean American girl, and her friend Patrick learn not just about silkworms, but also about tolerance, prejudice, friendship, patience, and more. Between the chapters are short dialogues between the author and main character about the writing of the book.
Puppies, Puppies, Everywhere!: Adorable photographs of puppies and puppy actions. Simple reading, rhyming text.
Queen's Soprano: Inspired by the life of a real court singer in late-17th- century Rome, this historical novel, tells of the power struggle between Queen Christina of Sweden and Pope Innocent XI. The pope proclaims that women must not sing in public while Christina, a great patron of music, opens an opera house. Angelica Voglia has the voice of an angel which attracts admirers from artisans to cardinals. Her mother intends to use the girl?s gift to secure a wealthy husband thus raising the family?s status. To avoid her mother?s marriage plans, Angelica runs away to the court of Queen Christina. Rich historical details and Angelica?s determination make this a good read.
Rabbit Ears: Hopscotch hates having his ears washed. It makes him sneeze huge shaking sneezes. He went to great lengths to avoid having his ears washed, until his older cousin visited and washed his own ears.
Raiders Night: In his senior year Matt has finally achieved his dream of being captain of his high school football team. When a talented new boy moves to town and tries out, one of Matt?s friends feels threatened, leading to a horrible hazing incident, which Matt feels partially responsible for, not to mention his father is micromanaging the team, he?s using steroids, and having girlfriend problems.
Rainy-day Music: It's raining outside and what's a boy to do? Dad comes to the rescue by helping him put together a ghost fiddle. This is a great way to make a hands-on science activity involving sound.
Rash: The unusual story idea of sports thriller in a satire setting makes this book unique. It is a world gone mad in government controls and regulations. The reader will have many ideas to ponder.
Real Question, The: Imagine having a dad who is also your guidance counselor and is constantly getting onto you about your SAT scores. While his dad is out of town, Fisher is talked into taking a weekend trip with a drifter, which turns out to be more than he bargains for. As the unexcused absences start piling up, Fisher obsesses about all the things going wrong in this funny, sometimes sad story.
Rebound: Polish boys do not play basketball, they wrestle. But Ray is different. This book shows racial conflict and prejudices in a teen way. The book has realistic basketball scenes which will help those who are reluctant to read.
Returnable Girl: Abandoned by her drug and alcoholic mom at age 11, Ronnie has been in a succession of foster homes. She is currently living with a child psychologist who wants to adopted Ronnie. Ronnie is torn by her desire to be reunited with her mother and brother. In middle school she has been accepted by the ?in? crowd at her school which puts her on the outs with her self-destructive neighbor. The challenges Ronnie faces help her to grow as a person and to make a choice to begin to heal. It is well written without banal.
Return of Buddy Bush, The: This is a sequel to The Legend of Buddy Bush. A young girl tells the story of her uncle. He hides in Harlem, after being accused of raping a white woman.
Return of Skeleton Man, The: This second scary tale about the monster Skeleton Man is set at the world famous resort in the Hudson Valley known as Mohonk Mountain House where Molly and her parents are vacationing. When strange things begin to happen, the family suspects that Skeleton Man may be getting ready to make another appearance. While the story is a bit hard to follow in places, the scary encounter with Skeleton Man and the brevity of the book will appeal to readers.
Right Fine Life, A: Carson knew the West was opening up and he wanted to be part of it. At age 16, he ran off to join a wagon train heading over the Santa Fe Trail. This journey was the beginning of a life of high adventure that would make him famous throughout the world. Additional information about the Santa Fe Trail and Kit Carson is given at the end of the story.
Road of the Dead, The: An intense, dark story of two half-Gypsy teenagers who try to solve the mystery of their sister?s death, in order to bring her body back for burial from the small English village where she was murdered. The youngest brother, Ruben, has a sixth sense where he can feel what has happened, while brother, Cole, has a violent past and is quick to act.
Roasted Peanuts: Jackson isn't very good at batting, catching or running, but he finds a niche in baseball, proving everyone is good at something.
Rock, Brock and the Savings Shock: This book teaches children the importance of saving their money. Twin brothers approached grandpa's savings plan differently. At the end of ten weeks one has $64 and the other $512.
Rocks and Fossils: Short fact-filled chapters that explore key ideas in two-page spreads will hook the reader. Digital artwork and photography are used throughout the books. Great presentation along with chapter summaries, bibliographies, web links, information on locations, and career information will entice the students to go beyond the book.
Roe v. Wade: With this book, Hull and Hoffer successfully place Roe v. Wade in the long curve of history rather than view it in an isolated moment. Those on either side of the issue will find this book informative and enlightening.
Rooted in Dust: By using local sources, Riney-Kehrberg presents a compelling discussion of how the economic depression and dust storms of the 1930s impacted the daily lives of the people of southwestern Kansas. She explains why some townspeople and farmers fled the area while others remained, and she shows how those who stayed managed to survive by dint of will and innovation.
Rose's Journal--The Story of a Girl in the Great Depression: The year is 1935 and Rose is eleven-years-old. She lives on a farm in Kansas. Her journal tells the story of the hardships caused by the drought and terrible dust storms.
Rules: Longing for a magic pill that would cure her brother's autism, twelve-year-old Catherine seeks normalcy by making rules. Then she meets Jason, a paraplegic who can communicate only by pointing at word pictures in a book. As Catherine uses her artistic talent to add new words to Jason's book, he in turn open's Catherine's eyes to a new meaning of "normal."
Russell and the Lost Treasure: Russell returns in search of the lost treasure of Frogsbottom. He is so determined he invents a "Super-Duper Treasure Seeker" to help in his search. Will he find the treasure? Illustrations in muted colors add a touch of humor to Russell's quest.
Sacrifice, The: Two sisters, aged ten and twelve, are accused of witchcraft in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1692 and await trial in a miserable prison while their mother desperately searches for some way to obtain their freedom.
Salaam: a Muslim American boy's story: Describes what life is like for Imram, an American Muslim boy. Clear text supported by excellent photos promotes acceptance through understanding. Would work well as a companion book with One Green Apple by Eve Bunting.
Sally and the Some-Thing: Sally rides her bike to the pond to fish, but meets a some-thing pond creature. Delightful words accompany the spooky illustrations. Nothing scary happens, although the dark swampy illustrations add an edge of impending doom. Sally and the some-thing have to work to find a common interest. The illustrations will create some giggles. This will be a popular read-aloud book.
Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen: Sally Jean has grown up on bicycles. After she has outgrown her first bike after adjusting the seat, handlebars, etc. she is determined to get another bike by working with her neighbor, a junk collector. Illustrations are great.
Sand Dollar Summer: Twelve-year-old Lise and her five-year-old brother, who is a selective mute, have had very little contact with the ocean, but that is all about to change when their mother decides to move back to Fiddle Beach, Maine, for the summer to recuperate from her injuries in a car crash. Missing her friends and upset about her mother's injuries, Lise must come to terms with the changes in her life. A summer hurricane provides an exciting conclusion to this novel as well as some welcome solutions to some of the problems in Lise's family.
Satch & Me: Who is the fastest pitcher in baseball history? Joe Stosh?s coach brings a radar gun to practice to see how fast 13-year-old Joe can pitch. They have a discussion and using baseball cards, they go back in time and time the fastball of famous Negro League pitcher Satchel Paige in 1942. They see racial discrimination at a diner and the travel to the big game in Pittsburgh.
Sea of Monsters: Percy, as the half-human son of Poseidon, is looking forward to a peaceful summer at Camp Half-Blood. The Gods are warring making the camp vulnerable so Percy, with the help of Annabeth and Tyson, his new-found brother, must travel to the Sea of Monsters to retrieve the Golden Fleece in this light and entertaining second book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
Search and Destroy: This is a coming of age story in 1969 is of a young man out of high school who wants to be a writer. He goes to Vietnam and when returns his writing reflects those men and their stories. This book is placed on the senior level because the war scenes are graphic.
Secret of Whispering Springs, The: Cassie and her family purchase an old stone mansion on a farm outside Topeka, KS. Fourteen year old Cassie discovers a ghostly counterpart from the past and a threatening stranger at the heart of a mystery that revolves around the rumors of hidden treasure on the haunted farm. A great mystery, ghost tale and coming of age story. Hauntingly believable!
Section 27: A Century on a Famliy Farm: In this collection of brief vignettes, Penner traces the influence of pioneer roots on the present generation in McPherson County, Kansas.
Seeker: The first in a series Seeker is a boy who is supposed to become a teacher on the island, Anacrea, but he wants to become a Nomana, the Noble Warriors who protect the god, Nom. His brother is a Noble Warrior so Seeker rebels and goes to the monastary only to see his brother disgraced and sent into exile. This starts a chain of events in which Seeker and the friends he encounters along the way are the only ones to vanquish the powers who want to destroy Nom. A definite winner.
Self-Discipline: Part of the First Facts series. Excellent examples of how students can be self-disciplined: finish your homework before you play, use computers as a tool instead of a toy.
Semiprecious: Uprooted and living with an aunt in 1969?s Oklahoma, 13 yr. old Garnet and her older sister, Opal, brave their mother?s desertation and their father?s recovery from an accident, learning that ?the best home of all is the one you make inside yourself.? Descriptions that make you ?see? a different time and place along with the many references to music and events of the 1960?s takes you back. The first person narrative is of hurt, hearling, adjustment and costs of pursuing ones dreams.
September 11: Young readers will be attracted to this book and the story that it tells. Pictures and graphics are average but the subject is high interest.
Seven wonders of Sassafras Springs: Eben McAllister searches his small town to see if he can find anything comparable to the real Seven Wonders of the World.
Shadow Thieves, The: First novel of the Cronus Chronicles. After her cousin Zee arrives from England, thirteen-year-old Charlotte and him must set out to save human kind from denizens of the Underworld, nightmares, death, pain and a really nasty guy named Phil. Tale filled with Greek gods, sick and shadowless children and a plot to overthrow the Lord of the Dead. Readers go on a quick-paced, danger filled journey from the Midwest to Hades. Silly but serious. A great addition to the newly popular Greek myth genre.
Shakespeare's secret: Named after a character in a Shakespeare play, misfit sixth-grader Hero becomes interested in exploring this unusual connection because of a valuable diamond supposedly hidden in her new house, an intriguing neighbor, and the unexpected attention of the most popular boy in school.
Shanghai messenger: A free-verse novel about eleven year old Xiao Mei?s visit with her extended family in China, where the Chinese-American girl finds many differences but also the similarities that bind a family together.
Sharp North: Mira really hasn?t question her remote existence in the North of Scotland until a woman appears in her village, only to be gunned down. Mira finds a list the woman was carrying with her name on it, along with several others. She makes it her mission to try to find the other people on the list, who may all be clones. Very dramatic story as Mira risks her life to find the answers she so desperately seeks.
Shiver Me Letters: A pirate crew has to find every letter or they walk the plank!
Shoo Fly Guy: Fly Guy is off once again. This time he is hunting for his favorite food.
Shug: Girls, boys, a dysfunctional family and junior high make the best and hardest time in a young girl?s life. Annemarie, ?Shug? to her family, struggles to balance friendships lost and gained along with teasing and emotions that ring true in her small hometown.
Sir Thursday: In this book 4 in the Keys to the Kingdom series, Arthur, unable to reenter his own world is drafted into the Army of Sir Thursday and unable to use his powers as he tries to free Part 4 of the Will. Strong characters and plot twists keep fans of the series wanting more.
S Is for Sunflower: A Kansas Alphabet: The culture of Kansas is explored in a colorful alphabet format with rhyming descriptions accompanied by detailed expository text. Realistic paintings portray both familiar and less familiar aspects of Kansas history. One of a series of state alphabet books. Appropriate for all grade levels.
Sixteen years in sixteen seconds: the Sammy Lee Story: "A biography of Korean American diving champion Sammy Lee, focusing on how his childhood determination and his father's dreams set the stage for a medical career as well as his athletic achievements which earned him Olympic gold medals in 1948 and 1952"
Skin: Issues of how one sees oneself, eating disorders, and the relationship between brother and sister make this book relevant to high school readers.
Skunk's Spring Surprise: Skunk's friends are waiting for her to come out of hibernation and have planned a spring surprise; a very thoughtful talent show. As it turns out, Skunk surprises them with a heartfelt poem written by Skunk herself.
Skybreaker: Following up on his award winning book, Airborn, Oppel gives us the further adventures of young Matt Cruse, who dreams of someday piloting his own airship. Soon he, his girlfriend, a Gypsy girl, and a captain and his crew are on the adventure of a lifetime, trying to track down and salvage a airship that has been lost for forty years.
Slippery Slimy Baby Frogs: This book gives a good look at all kinds of frogs and their special adaptations for staying alive. Real photographs on every page and intermediate reading level make this a good addition to a science shelf.
Slugs in Love: Marylou loves herbie but she is too shy to tell him. She begins to let him know by writing him a note. They write to each other and eventually find each other. A happily ever after story.
Small White Scar, The: Will, age 15, has always been in charge of looking after his twin brother Denny, who is disabled. Will feels that his father ignores his other talents and sees him entirely as a babysitter rather than a cowhand. He is determined to escape his job as his brother?s keeper, live his dream to rodeo, and spend his days as a cowboy.
Smash! Mash! Crash! There Goes the Trash: Rhyming words create an auditory delight for listeners about sounds on trash day.
Snow Sounds: Onomatopia about snow storm sounds, the hush of the falling snow, human sounds, the sounds of machines clearing the snow. Soft illustrations create an illusion of show on each page. Delightful!
Sofie and the City: Sofie misses her home in Senegal, the city is noisy, has too many people and all of them are unfriendly. Her grandmother tells her she must make the city pretty.
Somebodies, The: Final book in the trilogy. The Anybodies inhabit a city under Manhattan but Fern, a royal Anybody with transformative powers, live above ground in a house entirely of books. Although defeated in an earlier book, the evil Blue Queen is back but this time it is up to Fern to the Anybodies from her and the Somebodies. Escapes, villains and captured souls will keep the pages turning. Puzzles, anagrams and references to other books add a sleuthy dimension to the story. Sure to please Lemony Snickets and Harry Potter fans.
Soul in the Stone: Cemetery Art from America's Heartland: The illustrations are the most valuable part of this book, which deals with cemetery art found in Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico. Most of the monuments date from the late 19th century to the present day. They range from traditional images such as weeping angels and mourning maidens to highly idiosyncratic subjects. The text is general and elementary, offering some basic information on modern funerary monuments.
Sounds of Rain: Poems of the Amazon: This is a collection of short poems that describe the beauty and sounds of the Rain Forrest in Amazon. Each poem is accompanied with a beautiful photograph of the subject matter.
South Africa Enchantment of the World: Focus is more on the details about the nations? different ethnic groups, environmental issues and wildlife and information about the current political situation rather than major events or people. Books contain full-color photographs, statistics, time lines and Web sites. The current information makes them accessible and useful for reports.
Specials: This is the final book in a trilogy. The book deals with the issues of conformity and brainwashing to achieve an easy going world. The futuristic setting with hoverboards, and super skills give it that fast paced, modern outlook. Those who read Uglies and Pretties will be awaiting this one too.
Spirit Walker: Torak, a boy who can talk to wolves, must travel across the waters to the Seal Clan to find a cure for the sickness that is killing the clans. In this the 2nd book of the Cronicles of Ancient Darkness series, Torak learns more of the ways of Native American tribes and his own special powers as he continues his quest to conquer the Soul Eaters.
Sponges: Learn about sea sponges. Author skims surface of sponges, but does not tell of their commercial use. One of a series.
Squampkin Patch, The: After escaping from the Urchin Orphanage, Milton and his sister, Chloe settle into the empty house of a candy maker where they encounter a very sinister pumpkin patch. Avoiding the typical happily-ever-after orphan story clich?s, Petty shows his gift for humor. The ending is rushed but readers will enjoy the author?s use of language in this horror but humorous story.
Startled by his Furry Shorts: The seventh in the Georgia Nicolson series offers the same embarrassing parents, annoying little sister, diabolical cats, and inaccessible boys. Georgia is a reluctant participate in a school production of Macbeth. Massimo, the gorgeous Italian is playing hard to get. Georgia is beginning to realize that the grass might be greener closer to home. This book will be requested by the teens who have read the previous books and will want to see what trouble she gets into next.
Store Bought Baby: Leah?s older adopted brother seems to have everything to live for, so when he is killed in a tragic automobile accident she can?t seem to stop asking questions. Her hope is to restore the family, including getting her mother to acknowledge her existence during this grief filled time.
Strange Birds: Anna?s parents disappear at sea and Aunt Formaldy moves in, turns their home into a historical showplace and ignores Anna. A new friend, Sam, and the wonderful mysterious tree outside her window offer Anna an amazing journey testing what she fears, yet knows to be true.
Substitute Groundhog: When groundhog is too sick to accomplish his yearly task, he interviews other animals to do the job.
Summer of Kings, A: Esther begins to struggle with the bitterness between her gifted well-to-do family and the African-American childhood friend of her mother?s. In 1963, the march in Washington, D.C. highlights this time of unrest. Esther deals with these differences with humor and a genuine need to be responsible.
Summer of the Crow, The: This novel is set in the drought-stricken farmlands of Kansas during the summer of 1935. The main character is thirteen-year-old Brady Lee Foster, who is a typical kid who loves baseball and his dog Taggert. What makes Brady atypical, however, is that he must face hardships and challenges most children his age will never know. Aside from the financial struggles all Midwest farm families faced during times of drought, Brady's personal conflicts also include his mother's severe asthma and his little sister's autism. When his parents are forced to seek a healthier climate for his mother, Brady and his sister are sent to live with their grandfather in Sentinel, Kansas. This is a coming-of-age story that gains its strength through realistic yet memorable characters and action.
Summer of the War: Fourteen year-old Belle has always enjoyed the summers spent on Turtle Island, Michigan, with her family. However, the summer of 1942 brings many unwelcome changes when the war in Europe comes to Turtle Island in the form of fifteen-year-old Caroline, their European cousin who marches to her own tune and disrupts the tranquil summer routine so dear to Belle and her siblings. When tragedy strikes, Belle learns that summers at Turtle Island will never be the same again.
Summer Sherman Loved Me: This refreshing coming-of-age story set in the 1960s describes the wonderful summer when Margaret?s next-door neighbor, Sherman, declares his love for her. This novel is chock-full of incidents; some will make you laugh out loud while some will have you in tears.
Sunflower Sal: Sal is a big girl whose size is an advantage in some situations, but she?s frustrated while quilting because her ?needles won?t thread and her squares won?t square.? So she plants sunflowers and from a distance the rows of flowers seem to stitch the fields together into an agrarian quilt. The economical text works with the sunny, vibrant illustrations, originally rendered in oil on canvas.
Sunsets of the West: Ted Lewin's luminous watercolors accompany a realistic depiction of a pioneer family's difficult trek from New Hampshire to the West. Notable two-page spreads convey the majesty and the gravity of buffalo herds on the prairie. Perfect for sharing, this book is also appropriate for older students studying westward expansion.
Super Fly Guy: Oh, no! This time Fly Guy is off to school. Join him in his adventure to the cafeteria.
Taiwan Enchantment of the World: Focus is more on the details about the nations? different ethnic groups, environmental issues and wildlife and information about the current political situation rather than major events or people. Books contain full-color photographs, statistics, time lines and Web sites. The current information makes them accessible and useful for reports.
Talking Vegetables, The: Everyone in the village pitches in to plant a garden, everyone except spider that is. In this reverse version on the Little Red Hen, the mature talking vegetables rebuff Spider when he comes to harvest. Spider learns a real life lesson about cooperation. Bold lively illustrations. A great read-aloud.
Tanglewreck: Time is no longer a constant in 11-year-old Silver?s world since her parents disappear in a Time Tornado, children disappear on a school bus and a wooly mammoth appears in London. It is up to Silver to protect the Timekeeper and restore time to normal, but first she must find it.
Team Moon: Enhanced by dozens of color photographs and offering fresh insight and a new perspective into this historic event of the 20th century, this delightful nonfiction book depicts the extraordinary efforts given by thousands of people to make Apollo 11 and our first trip to the moon a success. While people around the world sat spellbound watching the drama unfolding on the moon, thousands of people were working behind the scenes to fix problems that arose and to ensure that the astronauts were able to complete their mission and return safely to earth.
Ten-Gallon Bart: It's Ten Gallon Bart's last day as sheriff and Billy the Kid is on his way to town. A charming tale of the old West.
Thanks a Million: How many wonderful ways can you say thank you? Sixteen wonderful ways are presented in this collection of illustrated poems that celebrate the power of thankfulness. Various poetic forms and ethnicities represented in poems and folk art style illustrations.
Thieves Like Us: Jonah Wish, genius code breaker and computer hacker, is broken out of jail by a group of teenage misfits. He has been chosen to become part of an elite group of gifted teenagers?Con for mesmerism; Patch?master safe-cracker and cat burglar; Motti?navigating and developing security; Tye?human lie detector. Jonah can?t decide whether the group being manipulated by a criminal mastermind or a group of junior James Bonds. The story is fast paced and sure to keep the reader wanting more.
This is a Sunflower: In the cumulative tradition of "This Is the House that Jack Built," this gorgeously illustrated poem celebrates a sunflower's life cycle. In a see-saw rhythm, rhymed lines describe the seeds' path from blossom to bird, then back to the ground.
This is the Dream: Bold illustrations are juxtaposed with stark but powerful poem to provide a basic introduction to the leaders, events and issues that made up the civil rights movement in America that led to desegregation. It began as a dream. Good companion to video My Friend Martin.
This is the Stable: Illustrated by Delana Bettoli. Georgeous artwork sets the tone for this gentle re-telling of the Nativity. The cummulative story patterned after The House that Jack Built rolls lyrically through a quiet Christmas Eve peopled with multi-ethnic characters.
This Jazz Man: An introduction to jazz music and ten famous jazz players. Text to the rhumathan of This Old Man.
Through Georgia's Eyes: Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Painter Georgia O'Keefe viewed the world with wonder and found inspiration in the wide open spaces of the prairies and deserts. This portrait of the artist demonstrates her remarkable use of shape and color through illustrations inspired by her work.
Thunder on the Plains: The Story of the American Buffalo: An introduction to the history of the American buffalo and how it was almost hunted into extinction. Illustrated with historical photographs.
Time to Lose, A: Wilson, professor emeritus of law at the University of Kansas, was the young assistant attorney general who, in an unsought, unplanned, and unearned brush with history, had to defend school segregation in Kansas in the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case before the Supreme Court. His memoir, though mainly for specialists, helps fill out the record with useful details and well-considered reflections on the role of the defense.
Toasty Toes: A group of children count their toes while spending a day at the beach riding the surf, playing volleyball and building sand castles. The featured numbers are cleverly hidden in the cheery collage style illustrations. A fun introduction to counting by tens.
Toolbox Twins: Illustrated by Melissa Iwai. Vincent and his daddy each have a box filled with just the right tools for every fix-it job around the house. If Dad can fix it, so can Vincent. They're more than a team - they're Toolbox Twins! Bright illustrations and rhyming text follow the team through their work day. Names of tools appear in different colors throughout the text and cool tools spill out to fill the endpages.
Too Small for Honey Cake: Little Fox's baby brother takes lots of father's time, but Baby Fox is too little to eat honey cake.
Tough Dasies: Robert Haywood reveals the lighter side of a state that?s too often pegged a collection of sober-minded moralists struggling to find Utopia among the stars. He explores what has passed for humor in good times and bad and divulges what makes Kansas laugh. Both the subject of laughter and the humorist are featured in this serious study of a funny subject. An annotated sampler of jokes, stories, cartoons, and poems, this book illustrates what Kansans have chuckled and chortled at from settlement days to the present.
Travel of Thelonious, The: This is the first book in the Fog Mound series. It introduces Thelonious, a young squirrel with a taste for legends and is swept away by a flood and left in the Ruined City. He meets a porcupine librarian and a helicopter-flying bear and they take a dangerous journey to the Fog Mound, an idyllic land holding clues to humanity?s disappearance. The chapters alternate between illustrated prose and detailed sequential art display.
Trouble at the Dinosaur Caf?: Young children will love this rhyming, colorful text of dinosaurs eating at a caf?. Tyrannasaurus enters and wants to eat only meat. The other dinosaurs set into motion to make sure they aren't eaten.
True and Faithful Narrative: This book is a sequel to At the Sign of the Star, and the heroine, Meg, now age sixteen, is contemplating the direction of her life: should she marry or try to become a published author? How Meg resolves her dilemma makes fascinating reading, and fans of the series will eagerly await another thrilling account of the next chapter of Meg's life.
Truth and Salsa: While her parents are separated and trying to get their lives back in order, Hayley stays with her quirky aunt in Mexico. Here she learns not only about the culture, but also about family unity and self while helping families of migrant workers in the States get paid.
Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur!: A naughty little pot learns right from wrong after taking things that did not belong to her.
Turtle Crossing: Why did the turtle cross the road? Get the definitive answer in clear informational text appropriate for young readers. Simple, attractive pictures - some from unique perspectives, provide an introduction to the life cycle of the painted turtle. Author's notes included.
Two Steps Forward: In this sequel to The Steps, the four stepsiblings meet up again, this time in Los Angeles. This novel is told from multiple perspective and deals with issues relevant to young adults ? blended families, crushes, fashion, and divorce.
Tyrell: The book explores the life of a street wise, urban student. There are tough situations with language as used on the big city streets. It deals with what real families go through, dealing with real life drama.
U.S. Constitution, The: Simple background information about the U.S. Constitution. Great to use with young students for Constitution Day activities. An index, glossary, and other study helps are included.
Ugly Fish: Ugly fish, who doesn't play nice, is beat at his own game.
Uncharted Waters: Jonah?s lies about failing English and his secret fear of the sea weighs heavily on his mind. This leads to more deceptions and a great summer escapade.
Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding: An engaging story which explains many Chinese wedding rituals told by a young girl who is losing her favorite uncle.
Unrivalled Spangles, The: Ellen, 16, has always been in the circus in 19th century England; she?s part of a horse-riding act with her sister. But she wants something more?to be a governess. However, after her sister dies trying a risky trick and her father is badly burned, Ellen is forced to re-think her goals.
Up Before Daybreak: This book makes history come alive as it traces the history of the cotton industry in America through the centuries, from colonial times to the middle of the twentieth century. Photos throughout the text show cotton in different eras, to say nothing of different mill workers throughout the decades.
Vandal: Will might seem like a typical teenage, but two things set him apart: he plays in a band with men who portray the rock group KISS, and he has an unstable brother with a history of explosive behavior. Despite all the weird and violent things his brother has done in the past, Will offers him a job as a roadie for the band, which sets into motion a tragic mishap.
Viking Warrior, Strongbow Saga Book I: How does a teen become a warrior? In this first of a series, one fines the ways to accomplish this very thing. The story is graphic in blood and gore but gives an accurate look at the way of life in the Dark Ages. This book is very good historical fiction.
Weedflower: 12-year-old Sumiko tells the story of family and security living with her aunt & uncle on a California flower farm until the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Moved to a confinement camp in Arizona the Japanese accept, adapt and try not to forget their dreams in this heartfelt story.
What a Day it was at School: A collection of poems on everything school: heavy backpacks, spelling tests, art and music, the nurse's office, and the cafeteria. Bold, boisterous and energetic poems and illustrations.
What Kind of Sound/Que sonidos hay?: This yellow reader umbrella book for early readers presents an introduction to sound. Simple bi-lingual text about common sounds. This is one of several books in this series about science topics.
What the Sea Saw: Illustrated by Beverly Doyle. A gorgeous picture book about ecosystems and the interdependence between and within them. The endnotes deal with material found in the brief text. It is a book not to be missed!
What Wheels Do All Day: Wheels that race, stroll, fly, whiz and spin are all included in this large format book with cut paper collage illustrations and simple rhyming text. Perfect for units on simple machines. A guaranteed fun read for any group of youngsters.
Where's My Sock?: Pippin had searched and searched for his other yellow sock with clocks. Tog helped him search. After much discussion and sock sorting and pairing, Tog discovers he is wearing the missing sock. Colorful, bright illustrations.
Who Do I Look Like?: In this early reader, a little girl asks various family members, "Who do I look like?" She finds out she looks like herself.
Whoosh Went the Wind: When a student is late to school because the wind caused havoc all over town, the teacher doesn't believe his tall tales. Absolutely delightful!
Why Do You Cry? Not a sob story: Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. Little Rabbit will be five - too grown up to cry anymore - and wants to invite only his friends that are also too grown up to cry to his birthday party. The list of guests grows shorter as he learns that people of all ages cry for all sorts of reasons - even at the best birthday parties.
Wild Animals and Settlers on the Great Plains: This unique history chronicles reciprocal relations between settlers and the native fauna of Kansas from the end of the Civil War until 1880. Using only primary accounts from newspapers and diaries, Fleharty vividly portrays frontier life before such species as the bison, beaver, antelope, bear, mountain lion, gray wolf, and rattlesnake were more or less exterminated by steel plows, reapers, barbed wire and firearms.
Wildflowers and Grasses of Kansas: Michael Haddock has assembled a guide to 264 wildflowers along with 59 grasses, sedges, and rushes. These comprise many of the state's most common and conspicuous species-as well as some seldom encountered or listed in field guides-and include many that are found throughout the Great Plains. Spectacular color photos as well as bibliographical references and index.
Wind Tamer: Much to his parent?s dismay, just as Archie Stringweed is turning 10 Uncle Rufus shows back up at their house in Scotland. With his help and the powerful artifacts he?s been sending over the years, it is up to Archie to break the curse put upon all the first born men in the family.
Wind-wild dog: Illustrated by Kate Kiesler. Every musher knows that a dog like Ziva, born with one blue eye and one brown eye, is half wild. But one Man thinks Ziva is special and takes her home. Ziva learns to trust the man and pull his sled, but when she hears the wolf cry in th wild wind will she choose to stay or go?
Wing nut: When twelve-year-old Grady and his mother relocate yet again, they find work taking care of an elderly man, who teaches Grady about cars, birds, and what it means to have a home.
Wings: In the summer of 1960, Nick finds a mockingbird that he names Marcy. Nick nurtures and cares for Marcy while other areas of his life take up and downs. When Nick and his mother go on vacation Marcy flies away. His mother lets Nick know that he is finding his independence and so is Marcy. ?You did the right thing?You loved what you?d lose with all your might. And the love, I think, is worth the sorrow. You can?t have the one without the other.?
Winston the Book Wolf: A magical book showing children the love of reading. Winston, a wolf, loves to eat words. Rosie, a young girl, teaches him how to taste words by eating them with your eyes. Winston learns to read and comes back to the library disguised as Granny and reads stories to the children.
Winter is the Warmest Season: A young boy shares the delights of winter. Great descriptive language.
Winter Road, The: Willa feels totally alone since her older brother died in this survival adventure story. Willa survives more than two weeks in the wintry wilderness of Ontario after crash-landing her uncle's plane.
Wizard of Oz: 100th Anniversary Edition with illustrations by Michael Hague.
Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The: Centennial edition. Illustrated by Michael McCurdy. ?Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies?? With those words L. Frank Baum began the book that is, 100 years later, probably the first thing an outsider thinks of when hearing the word ?Kansas.? What a wonderful book to add to the Reading Circle?s list of recommended books about Kansas. To honor the centennial of this uniquely American ?fairy tale,? the University Press of Kansas asked the renowned illustrator Michael McCurdy to create a set of woodcuts to compliment Baum?s text. In addition, Ray Bradbury, a widely respected author of fantasy and science fiction, has written a new foreword for this edition. The result is a unique and beautiful volume sure to expand the story?s legion of fans and be treasured for years to come.
Wonder Kid, The: Jesse James McLean can?t play with other kids during the summer of 1954 because his mom?s afraid he?ll catch polio. He can?t seem to please his dad who is a Fuller Brush salesman. Polio does strike him and his legs are paralyzed. Bedridden and bored, a girl who becomes his best friend encourages him to draw comics. He does, they?re published and Jesse becomes a poster child. Jesse finds that he has more in common with his dad then he thought.
Wright 3, The: Fans of Balliett's prior Chasing Vermeer will be delighted to see the sleuths Petra and Calder return in this sequel, which covers another mystery involving a Frank Lloyd Wright architectural masterpiece. The class attempt to save a landmark from demolition results in supernatural influences as ghosts seem to be protecting hidden treasure in this fast-paced mystery filled with twists and turns of plot.
Yellow Star: This not-to-be missed book written in free verse details the author's Aunt Sylvia's experiences in the Lodz, Poland ghetto under Nazi occupation from 1939-1945. Entering the ghetto with her family at age 4 1/2, Sylvia is one of only twelve children who survived until the family was finally liberated in 1945. An excellent choice for classroom use in a study of the Holocaust, the book contains historical notes before each chapter that set the tone for Sylvia's haunting story.
Yoon and the Christmas Mitten: Yoon and her family are Korean and do not celebrate Christmas, but Yoon wants to celebrate Christmas like her American classmates.
You, Maybe: The story of fiercely independent Josie who does not care what anyone thinks about her, especially guys. Then Carson Gold, the hottest senior, decides he is interested in her, and Josie?s world changes drastically.
Young Man's Dance, A: This young man hates to visit his grandmother in the nursing home. She can't remember his name. But Grandmother still loves music, the young man finds a way for her to dance again. Fabulous drawings.
Young Shepherd, A: Cass helps care for the family of sheep as well as his own herd on a ranch in Wyoming. Exquisite photos accompany text telling about Cass's life.
Your Eyes in Stars: The time is 1934, the place is Germany, and the story is about how little we really know about events and people around us. Great details on the time period make the reader question what really happened to Elisa. Is what we know or think we know really the truth?
You Wouldn't Want to be a Roman Soldier: Cartoon-like illustrations and interesting fracts about Roman times make this book a good addition to the series??You wouldn?t want to be.?
You Wouldn't Want to be at the Boston Tea Party: Lots of information makes this a wlcome addition to elementary social studies American Revolutionary War curriculum. Maps, sidebars, glossary, and index make this resource book user friendly.
You Wouldn't Want to Travel with Captain Cook: What would it be like to sail in 1768 with James Cook? You, the reader, will find out as your parents who know Capt. Cook, have persuaded him to let you go. Colorful, cartoon-like illustrations with handy hints posted in the sidebars will help you find out how it might have been on the long 3 year trip. That?s how long it took you go around the world!
You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Great Wall of China!: You are an unlucky peasant who is sent by the emperor of China to build the Great Wall. There are 1000 of you that will build a wall that is 1800 miles long. Life is difficult but you are part of a change in China, and the 300,000 troops who eventually get the wall up.
Zuzu's Wishing Cake: Zuzu makes very creative gifts for the new boy next door. An excellent book about friendship. Delightful, colorful.