5 Books Featuring…Night at the Museum

It’s our third list of this Triple Movie Feature! Five books that read a little like the movie Night at the Museum. If you like museum exhibits coming to life…or being in a museum overnight…or trying to escape living exhibits…you’ll like these books!

Our “5 Books…” lists include five books (occasionally with a few extra!) on a specific topic, with a short synopsis so you can decide if it sounds like something you would like. Five Books–one old, one new, one popular with kids, one well-reviewed, and one staff favorite. (Can you guess which is which?)

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Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

 Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she’ll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur?
One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru’s doorstep to catch her in a lie. They don’t believe her claim that the museum’s Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. Just a quick light, Aru thinks. Then she can get herself out of this mess and never ever fib again.
But lighting the lamp has dire consequences. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it’s up to Aru to save them.
The only way to stop the demon is to find the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers, protagonists of the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, and journey through the Kingdom of Death. But how is one girl in Spider-Man pajamas supposed to do all that? Read the whole series!

Nightingale by Deva Fagan

Lark is determined to escape her squalid life at Miss Starvenger’s boarding house, but she needs to find the coin to do it. Her grand scheme? To steal her fortune from the Royal Museum.
Unfortunately, her heist goes off the rails, and Lark ends up stealing a magical sword right out from under the nose of Prince Jasper, who’s none too happy to have his plans thwarted. Lark soon discovers that the Sword has a mind of its own, and has chosen her to be the next Nightingale, a fabled hero who must vanquish an ancient evil that is waking after centuries of sleep.
As it turns out, working alone has its limitations, but relying on others after a lifetime of disappointments feels impossible. Still, Lark will need the help of her boarding house roommates if she wants to defeat the villainous forces that threaten to dismantle everything she holds dear.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

This is the story of unlikely heroine Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard who doesn’t believe in anything that can’t be proven by science. She and her sister Alice are still grieving for their dead mother when their father takes a job in a strange museum in a city where it always snows. On her very first day in the museum Ophelia discovers a boy locked away in a long forgotten room.  He is a prisoner of Her Majesty, the Snow Queen.  And he has been waiting for Ophelia’s help.
As Ophelia embarks on an incredible journey to rescue the boy everything that she believes will be tested. Along the way she learns more and more about the boy’s own remarkable journey to reach her and save the world.
A story within a story, this a modern day fairytale about the power of friendship, courage and love, and never ever giving up.

The Metropolitans by Carol Goodman

The day Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, four thirteen-year-olds converge at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where an eccentric curator is seeking four uncommonly brave souls to track down the hidden pages of the Kelmsbury Manuscript, an ancient book of Arthurian legends that lies scattered within the museum’s collection, and that holds the key to preventing a second attack on American soil.
When Madge, Joe, Kiku, and Walt agree to help, they have no idea that the Kelmsbury is already working its magic on them. But they begin to develop extraordinary powers and experience the feelings of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, Morgan le Fay, and Lancelot- courage, friendship, love…and betrayal. Are they playing out a legend that’s already been lived, over and over, across the ages? Or can the Metropolitans forge their own story?

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

Kyle Keeley is the class clown and a huge fan of all games–board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the construction of the new town library. Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot as one of twelve kids invited for an overnight sleepover in the library, hosted by Mr. Lemoncello and riddled with lots and lots of games. But the tricky part isn’t getting into the library–it’s getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route!
(Not a museum, but with all the exhibits and figures and information, it could be!) Read the entire series…you’ll love it!

Children of the Lamp: The Akhenaten Adventure by P.B. Kerr

John and Philippa Gaunt, two not-very-identical twins, live a privileged life on the Upper East of Manhattan with their wealthy parents and two curiously-mannered Rottweilers named Alan and Neil. The twins realize there’s something amiss with their world when a string of strange things begin to happen after their wisdom teeth are extracted–they dream the same dreams, become stronger, their zits clear up, and wishes wished in their presence inexplicably come true. And, when their estranged Uncle Nimrod asks them to come to England for the summer during one such shared dream, the discovery of their destiny is set in motion.
John and Phillippa discover that they are descended from a long line of Djinn, have great inherent powers. They must call on these powers a lot sooner than they anticipated, though, because the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten is not as dead as history has so far declared and his legion of seventy magical djinn could tip the balance of power in the magical realm and affect the whole world order. Read the whole series!

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. LaFevers

Theodosia Throckmorton has her hands full at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London. Her father may be head curator, but it is Theo–and only Theo–who is able to see all the black magic and ancient curses that still cling to the artifacts in the museum.
When Theo’s mother returns from her latest archaeological dig bearing the Heart of Egypt–a legendary amulet belonging to an ancient tomb–Theo learns that it comes inscribed with a curse so black and vile that it threatens to crumble the British Empire from within and start a war too terrible to imagine. Intent on returning the malevolent artifact to its rightful place, Theo devises a daring plan to put things right. But even with the help of her younger brother, a wily street urchin, and the secret society known as the Brotherhood of the Chosen Keepers, it won’t be easy . . . she quickly finds herself pursued down dark alleys, across an ocean, through the bustling crowds of Cairo, and straight into the heart of an ancient mystery. Theo will have to call upon everything she’s ever learned in order to prevent the rising chaos from destroying her country–and herself!

Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head by Lauren Oliver and H.C. Chester

Blessed with extraordinary abilities, orphans Philippa, Sam, and Thomas have grown up happily in Dumfrey’s Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. But when a fourth child, Max, a knife-thrower, joins the group, it sets off an unforgettable chain of events. When the museum’s Amazonian shrunken head is stolen, the four are determined to get it back. But their search leads them to a series of murders and an explosive secret about their pasts.
The book is about, among other things: the strongest boy in the world, a talking cockatoo, a faulty mind reader, a beautiful bearded lady and a nervous magician, an old museum, and a shrunken head. Read the whole trilogy!

Archer’s Quest by Linda Sue Park

In Dorchester, New York, Kevin is doing his homework when suddenly an arrow comes out of nowhere and pins his baseball cap to the wall. The man who shot the arrow claims he fell off a tiger . . . and wound up in Kevin’s room. It’s not long before Kevin realizes that the man, who calls himself Chu-mong, or Great Archer, is no ordinary burglar, but a traveler from far away in both space and time.
A visit to the local museum confirms that there was a king named Chu-mong in ancient Korea who was legendary for many accomplishments, including exceptional skill with bow and arrow. Kevin knows little about his own Korean heritage, but he understands that unless Archer returns to his people and his throne, history will be changed forever. And he’s determined to help Archer go back, no matter what it takes.

The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.
One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a “research experiment” at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.
Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them–Set-has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe — a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. Read the whole series!

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So there you have it…several mysterious museums with a lot more going on than a casual visitor would guess! None really with the exact same premise as Night at the Museum, but pretty close!

(There is one book that is VERY similar to Night at the Museum, but sadly, it is long our of print. It Looks Alive to Me! by Thomas Baum has a very similar same plot–a new moon rock exhibit apparently brings everything in the museum to life…dinosaurs, famous people, mummies and more…and Burdick and his new friend Lola have to get everything back to normal before the moon sets. If you can find an old copy, you’ll enjoy it!)

As always, if you need help finding these or any other books at the library, ask one of our librarians for help. We love matching books and readers!

Happy Reading!
::kelly::

5 Books Featuring…Groundhog Day!

Our second movie feature! First Parent Trap read-alikes, now Groundhog Day!

What would you do if you were stuck in a time loop…re-living the same day over and over again, until you change something significant? Would you survive, or would you slowly lose your mind? The kids in these books are holding out hope for a happy ending….but will they get it?

Our “5 Books…” lists include five books (occasionally with a few extra!) on a specific topic, with a short synopsis so you can decide if it sounds like something you would like. Five Books–one old, one new, one popular with kids, one well-reviewed, and one staff favorite. (But you’ll have to guess which is which)!

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The Retake by Jen Calonita

Zoe knows that the only thing harder than middle school is losing a best friend. She and Laura used to do everything together from taking silly selfies, to joining all the same clubs together and even throwing surprise birthday parties for one another.

But lately things have been weird between them. Now Laura will post a photo of her hanging out with other girls before responding to Zoe’s simple text. She doesn’t even want to sit with her at lunch anymore. Zoe is heartbroken–all she wants is for things to go back to normal.

But then a magical app downloads on her phone…and things get even weirder! Suddenly Zoe can travel back in time to moments where her and Laura started drifting apart. It is like a dream come true. A chance for Zoe to mend their friendship.

But as Zoe goes back to moments of middle school drama–sleepover games gone wrong, field trips with cliques and crushes, and school projects that bring on more-than-awkward encounters–she realizes that second chances don’t always go as planned and that sometimes you need to trust the magic of new beginnings.

A picture-perfect look at tween friendship, that also explores more serious themes of social media pressure, bullying and what it means to be yourself.

The First Last Day by Dorian Cirrone

What if you could get a do-over–a chance to relive a day in your life over and over again until you got it right? Would you?

After finding a mysterious set of paints in her backpack, eleven-year-old Haleigh Adams paints a picture of her last day at the New Jersey shore. When she wakes up the next morning, Haleigh finds that her wish for an endless summer with her new friend Kevin has come true. At first, she’s thrilled, but Haliegh soon learns that staying in one place–and time–comes with a price.

And when Haleigh realizes her parents have been keeping a secret, she is faced with a choice: do nothing and miss out on the good things that come with growing up or find the secret of the time loop she’s trapped in and face the inevitable realities of moving on.

As she and Kevin set out to find the source of the magic paints, Haleigh worries it might be too late. Will she be able to restart time? Or will it be the biggest mistake of her life?

Rewind by Lisa Graff

As far as McKinley O’Dair is concerned, the best thing about living in Gap Bend, Pennsylvania, is the Time Hop–the giant party the town throws every June to celebrate a single year in history. That one day is enough to make the few things that aren’t so fantastic about McKinley’s life–like her crabby homeroom teacher or her super-scheduled father–worth suffering through. And when McKinley learns that this year’s theme is 1993, she can’t wait to enter the Time Hop fashion show with a killer ’90s outfit she’s designed and sewn all on her own. But when the Time Hop rolls around, nothing goes as planned. In fact, it’s the biggest disaster of McKinley’s life.

Before she knows what’s hit her, McKinley somehow finds herself in the real 1993–and it’s not all kitschy parachute pants and Jurassic Park. All McKinley wants is to return to the present, but before she can, she’s going to have to make a big change–but which change is the right one?

This humorous and heartfelt novel about destiny and self-discovery shines a poignant light on the way life could play out–if a person is given a chance to rewind.

Operation Do-Over by Gordon Korman

Mason and Ty were once the very best of friends, like two nerdy sides of the same coin . . . until seventh grade, when Ava Petrakis came along. Now Mason can trace everything bad in his life to that terrible fight they had over the new girl. The one thing he’d give anything for is a do-over. But that can’t happen in real life–can it?

As a science kid, Mason knows do-overs are impossible, so he can’t believe it when he wakes up from a freak accident and finds himself magically transported back to seventh grade. His parents aren’t yet divorced and his beloved sheepdog is still alive. Best of all, he and Ty haven’t had their falling-out yet.

It makes no logical sense, but Mason is determined to use this second chance to not only save his friendship (and his dog!) but do other things differently–like trying out for the football team and giving new friends a chance. There’s just one person he’ll be avoiding at all costs: Ava. But despite his best efforts, will he be able to stop the chain of events that made his previous life implode?

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

It’s Amanda’s 11th birthday and she is super excited — after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she’s shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven’t shared together.

After celebrating their first nine same-day birthdays together, Amanda and Leo, having fallen out on their tenth and not speaking to each other for the last year, prepare to celebrate their eleventh birthday separately. It’s as horrible as she thought it would be.

But when Amanda turns in for the night, glad to have her birthday behind her, she wakes up happy for a new day. Or is it? Her birthday seems to be repeating itself. What is going on?! And how can she fix it? Only time, friendship, and a little luck will tell. . .

Vivian Lantz’s Second Chances by Kathryn Ormsbee

Vivian Lantz is cursed. Every year, terrible things happen on her first day of school. This year, Vivian has a plan to conquer eighth grade. But eighth grade Turns out to start with her worst first day yet.

Vivian can’t wait to put it all behind her. But instead of waking up to a brand-new day, Vivian somehow gets stuck reliving her catastrophic one. Curse: 9,000 – Vivian: 0. Then she sees her misfortune for what it is: the golden opportunity to get her perfect plan back on track. But when her second chance turns into a third, a fourth, and a fifth, Vivian might have to let go of the perfect day of her dreams… and make a few surprising choices along the way.

You Only Live Once, David Bravo by Mark Oshiro

Middle school is the worst, especially for David Bravo. He doesn’t have a single class with his best (okay, only) friend, Antoine. He has to give a class presentation about his heritage, but he’s not sure how–or even if–he wants to explain to his new classmates that he’s adopted. After he injures Antoine in an accident at cross-country practice, he just wishes he could do it all over.

He doesn’t expect his wish to summon a talking, shapeshifting, annoying dog, Fea, who claims that a choice in David’s past actually did put him on the wrong timeline… and she can take him back to fix it.

But when their first try (and the second, and the third) is a total disaster, David and Fea are left scrambling through timeline after timeline–on a quest that may lead them to answers in the most unexpected places.

A laugh-out-loud, heartwarming middle grade novel that explores how our choices make us who we are. 

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

“I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.”

When Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes, she doesn’t know what to do. The notes tell her that she must write a letter, a true story, and that she can’t share her mission with anyone–not even her (former) best friend, Sal.

It would be easy to ignore the strange messages, except that whoever is leaving them appears to have an uncanny ability to predict the future. And if that’s the case, Miranda has an even bigger problem–because the notes tell her that someone needs saving, and she might be too late to help.

Groundhog Day as if seen through the eyes of one of the other characters…the one not reliving the same day.

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So. What do you think? Would you be able to relive the same day over and over if it helped you to fix something? Do you think the characters in these books made things better? Would any of these books make as good a movie as Groundhog Day?

As always, if you need help finding these–or any other books–in the library, ask one of our librarians for help. We LOVE matching kids and books!

Happy Reading!
::Kelly::

One last page of Summer Book Reviews!

Everyone is back to school, but we still have a few reviews from our summer readers! If you’re looking for something good to read this fall, these were proven popular with kids!

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What Comes Next by Rob Buyea!

I loved this book, What Comes Next by Rob Buyea because it was a heartwarming, and adventurous read! This book was about a girl named Thea who recently lost her BFF, Charlie, to a car crash. She becomes mute and doesn’t speak AT ALL, because of the pain. Then, her mom and dad agree to get a cute new dog for the family to have named Jack-Jack! He changes Thea’s life by putting her out of her misery! I liked this book so much because it teaches readers to be resilient, even through hard times!

-Josie D, grade 6

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets By J.K Rowling

This book is about Harry Potter. It starts off with Harry stuck in his Aunt and Uncle’s house. Then a house elf by the name of Dobby appears and causes trouble and Harry is not allowed to go to Hogwarts again. Then while Harry is asleep he wakes up to find his friend Ron at the window with his brothers Fred and George riding their dad’s flying car. They came to take Harry to their house for the remainder of the summer. When Harry went to Hogwarts, there started to be attacks from a basilisk which petrified people. Hermione is one of the people who got petrified. Harry finds out how to get into the Chamber of Secrets and finds out that Tom riddle is actually Voldemort and Harry saves Ginny by destroying Tom Riddle’s diary with a Basilisk fang. I liked the book because it is interesting.

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire By J.K Rowling

This book starts off with Harry in his aunt and uncle’s house like always. Dudley (his cousin) is on a diet and Harry is just not enjoying anything at all. After a while the Weasleys come and pick harry up and take him to the Quidditch World Cup. Then Death Eaters come and ruin the whole place but everybody gets out. Once Harry was at Hogwarts someone at school entered him into the Triwizard Tournament and he had to participate. Once he reached the cup he teleported to a graveyard where Voldemort regained power but Harry made it out safely. I liked this book because it is interesting.

-Danesh M, grade 5

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking and Other Natural Disasters By Lenore Look

Alvin is a boy. He is afraid of many things. He is scared of camping. But they are going camping, so Alvin packs up, trembling. They hop into the car and drive of. They drive into a rainstorm. They need to go back but they can’t go back. ”We need to go back” “How?“said Alvin. “ We’ll just have to figure it out.” The rainstorm stopped. They got out and set up the tent in the wood. Alvin got mostly all the stuff. They stopped. There was an alien that stood in front of him. “My name is Beaufeuillet. He joined their camping. At the end of the day they all camped under the stars. Then they went home. The End
I like this book because I like Alvin’s bravery, because he has to climb a tree to save his dad. I like this book because this book is really realistic. I like this book because it is adventurous.

-Carter M, grade 2

Beach Day by Patricia Lakin

This book is about four crocodiles named Pam, Will, Jill and Sam. They think it is hot outside so the think about going to the beach. They put their swimsuits and hats on, and sunscreen and sunglasses and they go to the beach, but they get lost and see a playground and stop and have a picnic and take a nap. They go up a big hill and finally get to the beach but it’s night and they go swimming. I like the book because it is funny and it has good pictures.

-Wesley G, grade 1

Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

The book was about a bunch of boys who play baseball and a person on their team was sick. So Amelia said she would play for him but she had no idea how to play. They tried to show her how to play. But she did not understand. Still, later that day she went to play and in the end they won. I like this book because it is funny.

-Olivia G, grade 3

The War That Saved My Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ada and Jamie Smith escape their cruel mother, and ride a train far away from their current home in London. Children are given away for anyone to take at the train station. Everyone gets chosen besides Ada and Jamie. People looking for children ask Ada what happened to her foot.
“Got run over by a brewers cart,” she would say. The truth, though, was that Ada had an untreated clubfoot. She didn’t want people to be scared away because of her foot.
When no one took in Ada or Jamie, Susan Smith, whose last name being the same as Ada and Jamie’s being completely coincidental, was forced to take them in. Reluctantly, she took them in. She warns them that she is not a nice person. But Ada doesn’t understand how she isn’t a nice person if she’s so much nicer than their mom. The only reason that Ada and Jamie were able to escape was because of WWII, which was allowing children to escape London and go to Kent. Ada wasn’t sure she liked Ms. Smiths parenting methods, however, she much preferred them over her mom’s. The War starts getting worse, and going into the Anderson shelter(a small room buried underground) every night was growing to be a pain. When Ada and Jamie’s old mom came back to fetch them, just realizing she paid for them to be gone, she brought them right back. Their mom was very cruel to Ada, always shaming her for her foot. When they got back, tons of bombs dropped on London, as Ada and Jamie tried to escape the bombs, they saw Ms. Smith. They ran to her. Ms. Smith brought them back home to find out that their house was bombed. Butter, Ada’s horse and Bovril, Jamie’s cat, are both alright. Ada was scared, and she had just realized how serious the war was.
I rate this book a 9/10. It was full of action and fun to read. I would totally recommend this book to a friend. The character buildup could’ve been a little bit quicker, but other than that, this book was really good and I totally recommend it

-Sahana K, grade 6

The Terrible Two Get Worse by Jory John and Mac Barnett

I like this book because it is about two friends pranking together. It is about the two friends who get their principal fired by accident and get a very strict principal and have to prank him so bad he has to leave of embarrassment and their first principal comes back.

-Linnea S, grade 5

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

The book is about two sisters who can stand each other, but one day, a snake shows up and they have to work together. I really liked that book because it shows what happens with siblings. And even if you fight, you have to get through things together. That is why i really like the book.
I give the book 100,000 stars!

-Melody W, grade 5

Mr. Terupt Falls Again by Rob Buyea

I liked this book because it is about helping people friendships and love. This book is about seven friends going into 7th grade. It is very different and they are missing their teacher from last year (Mr. Terupt). It talks about school and challenges they have to face. That is why I liked Mr. Terupt Falls Again.

-Linnea S, grade 5

Ivy’s Ever After by Dawn Lairamore

The dragon in my book is named Eldridge. My book was about a giant named Largessa who needs her magical harp back. it was stolen after Ivy’s fairy godmother Drusilla gave magic beans to Jack, they grew into a giant beanstalk which lead to Largessa’s kingdom. Jack stole a bag of gold, a magical harp, and a goose that laid golden eggs. Jack later founded a kingdom named Jackopia that was COMPLETELY made out of gold. The harp put Largessa to sleep but without it, she hasn’t slept in nearly 1,000 years and she is very grumpy. Ivy, Eldridge, and the stable boy from the castle (Owen), must travel to Jackopia to retrieve the harp or else Largessa will crush the kingdom with giant boulders and feed Toadstool (Drusilla’s fairy goat) to the Meanstalk (A new type of magical living chomping beanstalk Largessa created. I like this book because it teaches Jackopia’s kingdom a lesson.

-Isabelle M, grade 4

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And there you have it…the last page of reviews by kids until 2022. (Unless you want to send us a review to share.)

But it’s not the end of reading! Just visit the library and we can give you a million (okay, a dozen) suggestions for a book you might enjoy to check out and take home for a cozy day of reading. We love to help kids (and parents) find their next favorite book…

Happy Reading!
::Kelly::

Book and Audio Review: Nightbooks!

It’s another Tuesday, so it’s time for another audio review!

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Nightbooks
By J. A. White
Narrated by Kirby Heyborne
6 CDs, 7 1/4 Hours

Alex was just sneaking out of his apartment to go down to the basement. It was the middle of the night, but he needed the privacy and quiet–and the boiler–to complete his errand. He didn’t expect the elevator to stop on the fourth floor. He never expected to get off on and follow the sound of his favorite movie in the whole wide world playing inside the apartment there. And he certainly never dreamed that he would knock on the door and go inside.

But he did, and suddenly, instead of burning the three notebooks full of creepy stories he’d written, Alex is stuck in the middle of his own creepy story. Captured by a witch straight out of a storybook. Alex expects to be chopped up and used in a spell, or eaten by the witch, but on his first night as a prisoner, someone outside his door whispers “She likes stories…” Alex is a storyteller, so he goes with his instincts and just before the witch screams at him to stand still and not close his eyes (because she is about to put a dangerous spell on him) he asks her if she wants to hear a story. Luckily, she does.

Alex opens one of his notebooks–his Nightbooks–and reads. It satisfies the cruel witch Natacha, and she decides he has better uses than what she had originally intended. Alex is thrust into her vast library and told to write. He’s a modern-day Scheherazade, and if he can’t come up with a new story to tell her each and every night, well…Natacha will have no use for him.

Yasmin, the girl who whispered to him that first night, is also a captive of the witch, and has been for months. She assures him there’s no way out. She’s tried everything. And it doesn’t matter anyway, because Lenore, Natacha’s enchanted cat, watches their every move. But Alex is determined to escape, and sure that he can find a way. He has some built in time to work, because he has his Nightbooks, full of older creepy stories he’s written over the years. He has a couple weeks to find a way out, and convince Yasmin to join him.

Or does he..?

Nightbooks is a creepy and exciting adventure book, containing several short stories within the story. (Alex’s Nightbook stories are told as each is read to Natacha.) It does get off to a bit of a slow start…I listened to the first disc, not sure if I actually wanted to continue. That might have been a bit because the first few stories Alex tells don’t integrate well into the audio…I kind of wish that they’d used another voice to read them. In the book, they’re visually different, so it’s not as jarring to realize that you’re listening to a character telling a story. Still, if you’re ready for that (and if you’re reading this review, you will be) you will be prepared for the difference in the storytelling.

The narrator is very good. I like Kirby Heyborne’s voice and pacing, and he does a really good job sounding like a couple children caught in a nightmarish situation. He’s also great at portraying Natacha, the easily irritated and casually cruel witch. He is especially scary as a surprise character at the end of the book. After the first disc, the flow caught up with my expectations, and things played out well. Several times I waited in the car after reaching the destination, wanting to know what was going to happen next.

Nightbooks is probably best for slightly older middle readers…fifth through eighth grades. It’s a quick read, and would be especially good for fans of Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, Sweetly by Jackson Pearce, or any books by Dan Poblocki or R.L. Stine. Best not to listen to it with younger readers though, unless they’re fans of horror.

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If you’re a fan of horror, you’ll like this book. If you like dark witches, you’ll like this book. If you like books that take a fairy tale or two, twist it a bit, and set it in the modern world, you’ll like this book. Try it anyway, and see what you think! And then let me know…

Apparently, Nightbooks has now been optioned as a Netflix project! So if you’re a fan of reading the book first, either in print or by listening to the audio, come check it out at the library. The project sounds like it has a great cast, director and producers, so it’s likely to be a big hit. I know I’ll watch it!

As always, if you need help finding this or any other book in the library, please ask one of our librarians! We love to help you find the next book you’ll love. 😀

Happy Reading!
::kelly::

Old Favorite: Escape to Witch Mountain

Sometimes, a movie is made that is so popular, people forget that it was actually based on a book.  Escape to Witch Mountain wasn’t exactly a memorable top ten box office smash, but it was one of Disney’s most popular live-action movie, both in theaters and, eventually, on TV.  Popular enough to create enough demand for a sequel, and then…another sequel, and a made for TV movie, and finally, a modern remake.

But the book is, and always will be, an Old Favorite.  On with Escape to Witch Mountain!

* * *

Tony and Tia had always lived with Granny Malone…or at least as far back as their memories allow them.  It’s a dirty, ugly neighborhood, that only gets worse when Granny Malone dies, and the two of them are turned over to Social Services.

Because of their odd looks–pale hair, olive skin and dark blue eyes, almost black–they’ve always had a hard time fitting in.  It doesn’t help that Tia doesn’t talk, and Tony has a reputation for fighting (which is really just defending his sister from bullying.)  No one wants to take in troubled orphans.  So the two of them are sent to Hackett House, a group home that is more of a place for delinquents than a home.

It’s a horrible place, and neither Tony nor Tia are happy.  They know they belong in a place that’s full of music, and movement and maybe even magic.  But Hackett House is ugly, and full of kids who are either bullies, or who are too scared of bullies to help the two newcomers.  The only things of value they own are taken from them upon their arrival–the only thing they manage to keep is Tia’s starbox–a square purse with a strange design of two stars on it, each of them with eight points.

When Truck, the biggest boy at Hackett House steals Tia’s starbox, Tony has to get it back.  He fights with Truck, and even though the other boy is older, bigger and stronger, Tony wins.  Everyone is amazed, and Tony is in trouble. He’s restricted to the dormitory, forbidden to contact anyone, even Tia.

But it doesn’t matter.  He can always talk to Tia.  Whatever she says, even though no one else can hear it, Tony does.  They talk through his confinement, while she explores their new residence.  She tells him that the matron is planning to take all the kids to Heron Lake for a week, and asks him if he can see it.  Tony closes his eyes, and concentrates…and he can.  Tony can always see places that he and Tia will go.  And Tia tells him that something is going to happen to them at Heron Lake…because Tia always gets feelings that turn out to be true.

And it is true!  When they’re in Heron Lake, they meet a frail little woman–a nun.  She admires Tia’s star box, then tells her that she’s seen that design before.  Tony asks her where, and she says that it was on a letter she received years ago.  Unfortunately, she cannot remember where the letter came from…all she can remember is one word: Caraway.  Or maybe it was Garroway, or Hideaway.  And that it might have come from the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The man who wrote it was looking for his family.

Could they have a relative looking for them?  When they return to Hackett House, Tony plays his harmonica, and sets the little dolls he and Tia keep dancing.  The magic brightens their world temporarily, until he feels himself surrounded by mountains.  He tells Tia, and she knows that they’re going there.  Sometime soon.

Will Tony and Tia find their family?  How will they get away from Hackett House to do that?  Tony can move objects with music, Tia can sense what’s coming and even though she can’t talk to people, she can talk to Tony and to animals.  Why are they so different from all the people around them?  Does it have to do with where they come from?  And what IS Witch Mountain?

Read Escape to Witch Mountain and find out!

* * *

Escape to Witch Mountain came out in 1968, a science fiction novel by Alexander Key.  He wrote several fairly popular books, where kids, usually orphans, find themselves alone, trying to find their way home.  (One of my other favorites of his is Escape to the Lonesome Place, which is not as well known, but very well remembered by readers.)  Most of the kids have psychic powers, as do Tony and Tia, and they usually are stuck in horrible circumstances, until they find a kind person or family to help them.

In 1975, Walt Disney made a movie of the book with the same title.  It was one of their most popular live-action films, so popular in fact, that they made a sequel called Return from Witch Mountain.  Alexander Key wrote the screenplay, then wrote a novel based on the screenplay.

I loved Escape to Witch Mountain when I read it in fourth or fifth grade.  It didn’t have a picture on the cover, somehow the book jacket at my library had fallen off.  But I was a weird kid who read all the old and battered books on my library shelves, because I thought those were the best books.  (And it was mostly true!)  So I went into it knowing nothing about the book–not even a blurb to say what it was about.  It grabbed me immediately!  I kept reading, enthralled in Tony’s protectiveness, Tia’s special bond with animals, and both their powers.  I wanted to…oooh, I can’t say, because I don’t want to ruin the surprise!

I also loved the movie, and the sequel.  There were several other movies made, based on the book, the last one in 2009.  As always, the movies are good, but the book is better!  The original Disney movie is pretty close to the book, but there is still a lot of internal communications between the siblings that doesn’t translate to the screen.  So read the book, even if you saw the original movie, which is now a classic.  And definitely read the book if you saw the 2009 movie starring The Rock.  That one basically borrowed the title and a bit of the plot…but not much!

Escape to Witch Mountain is a good science fiction adventure for kids fourth through sixth grade.  It’s fairly short, about 200 pages, so not a long read.  It’s really good, and you’ll be happy you read it!  I wish there was an audio version…I have always thought that it would make a good book to listen to on a trip.

Some read alikes would be The Alchemyst by Michael Scott, Bedknob and Broomstick by Mary Norton,  Raven’s Gate by Andrew Horowitz, and The Forgotten Door, also by Alexander Key.

So read Escape to Witch Mountain (and the sequel, Return from Witch Mountain) and enjoy!  Let me know what you think next time we’re both in the library!

Happy Reading!
::kelly::

Booklist: If You Liked Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder was published in February 2012 — almost six years ago — and it has been one of our most popular children’s novels here at the library ever since. We created a list of Wonder read-alikes a few years ago; with the release of the movie this fall, we’re revisiting that list, and adding several new titles that have been published since. Starring Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, and Owen Wilson, the film Wonder has received great reviews so far. But before you head to the theaters, make sure you read the book first! If you’re already a fan of Wonder, try one of the suggestions below:

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Josh Bell and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he’s got mad beats, too, that tell his family’s story in verse.  In this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood, Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story’s heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home–and his own art–through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute–she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan–and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
It’s the start of fifth grade for seven kids at Snow Hill School. There’s Jessica, the new girl, smart and perceptive, who’s having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next; Peter, class prankster and troublemaker; Luke, the brain; Danielle, who never stands up for herself; shy Anna, whose home situation makes her an outcast; and Jeffrey, who hates school. Only Mr. Terupt, their new and energetic teacher, seems to know how to deal with them all. He makes the classroom a fun place, even if he doesn’t let them get away with much . . . until the snowy winter day when an accident changes everything—and everyone.

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
Alex Petroski loves space and rockets, his mom, his brother, and his dog Carl Sagan–named for his hero, the real-life astronomer. All he wants is to launch his golden iPod into space the way Carl Sagan (the man, not the dog) launched his Golden Record on the Voyager spacecraft in 1977. From Colorado to New Mexico, Las Vegas to L.A., Alex records a journey on his iPod to show other lifeforms what life on earth, his earth, is like. But his destination keeps changing. And the funny, lost, remarkable people he meets along the way can only partially prepare him for the secrets he’ll uncover — from the truth about his long-dead dad to the fact that, for a kid with a troubled mom and a mostly not-around brother, he has way more family than he ever knew.

Freaky Fast Frankie Joe by Lutricia Clifton
Frankie Joe Huckaby, forced to live with the father he never knew, a stepmother, and four stepbrothers in Illinois, starts a delivery service to finance his escape back to his mother in Texas, not realizing he is making a better life for himself than he ever had with her.

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But the Great Depression hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother Jimmie go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie’s beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father.

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
Evan Treski is people-smart. He’s good at talking with people, even grownups. His younger sister, Jessie, on the other hand, is math-smart, but not especially good with people. So when the siblings’ lemonade stand war begins, there really is no telling who will win — or even if their fight will ever end. Brimming with savvy marketing tips for making money at any business, definitions of business terms, charts, diagrams, and even math problems, this fresh, funny, emotionally charged novel subtly explores how arguments can escalate beyond anyone’s intent.

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom — the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to let everyone know it… somehow.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
In Caitlin’s world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That’s the stuff Caitlin’s older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon’s dead and Dad is no help at all. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s, she doesn’t know how. When she reads the definition of closure, she realizes that is what she needs. In her search for it, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white — the world is full of colors–messy and beautiful.

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he’s wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he’d settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he’s stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There’s an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
Joey Pigza’s got heart, he’s got a mom who loves him, and he’s got “dud meds,” which is what he calls the Ritalin pills that are supposed to even out his wild mood swings. Sometimes Joey makes bad choices. He learns the hard way that he shouldn’t stick his finger in the pencil sharpener, or swallow his house key, or run with scissors. Joey ends up bouncing around a lot – and eventually he bounces himself all the way downtown, into the district special-ed program, which could be the end of the line. As Joey knows, if he keeps making bad choices, he could just fall between the cracks for good. But he is determined not to let that happen.

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Albie has never been the smartest kid in his class. He has never been the tallest. Or the best at gym. Or the greatest artist. Or the most musical. In fact, Albie has a long list of the things he’s not very good at. But then Albie gets a new babysitter, Calista, who helps him figure out all of the things he is good at and how he can take pride in himself.

Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes
Gaby daydreams to tune out her parents’ arguments, but when her parents divorce and she begins a new school, daydreaming gets her into trouble. Her mother scolds her for it, her teacher keeps telling her to pay attention, and the other kids tease her… until she finds a friend who also daydreams and her teacher decides to work a daydreaming-writing session into every school day. With a notebook “thick with daydreams,” Gaby grows more confident about herself.

Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton
It’s 1969, and the Apollo 11 mission is getting ready to go to the moon. But for half-black, half-Japanese Mimi, moving to a predominantly white Vermont town is enough to make her feel alien. Suddenly, Mimi’s appearance is all anyone notices. She struggles to fit in with her classmates, even as she fights for her right to stand out by entering science competitions and joining Shop Class instead of Home Ec. And even though teachers and neighbors balk at her mixed-race family and her refusals to conform, Mimi’s dreams of becoming an astronaut never fade — no matter how many times she’s told no.

Ugly by Robert Hoge
When Robert Hoge was born, he had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in the middle of his face and short, twisted legs. Surgeons removed the tumor and made him a new nose from one of his toes. Amazingly, he survived — with a face that would never be the same. Strangers stared at him. Kids called him names, and adults could be cruel, too. Everybody seemed to agree that he was “ugly.” But Robert refused to let his face define him. He played pranks, got into trouble, had adventures with his big family, and finally found a sport that was perfect for him to play. And when Robert came face to face with the biggest decision of his life, he followed his heart.

Same Sun Here by Silas House
Meena and River have a lot in common: fathers forced to work away from home to make ends meet, grandmothers who mean the world to them, and faithful dogs. But Meena is an Indian immigrant girl living in New York City’s Chinatown, while River is a Kentucky coal miner’s son. As Meena’s family studies for citizenship exams and River’s town faces devastating mountaintop removal, this unlikely pair become pen pals, sharing thoughts and, as their camaraderie deepens, discovering common ground in their disparate experiences

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid. Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her — and to everyone — than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child, and moves in with the Murphys, she’s blindsided. This loving, bustling family shows Carley the stable family life she never thought existed, and she feels like an alien in their cookie-cutter-perfect household. Despite her resistance, the Murphys eventually show her what it feels like to belong — until her mother wants her back and Carley has to decide where and how to live. She’s not really a Murphy, but the gifts they’ve given her have opened up a new future.

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
Marlee doesn’t have many friends until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is bold and brave, and always knows the right thing to say, especially to Sally, the resident mean girl. Liz even helps Marlee overcome her greatest fear – speaking, which Marlee never does outside her family. But then Liz is gone, replaced by the rumor that she was a Negro girl passing as white. But Marlee decides that doesn’t matter. Liz is her best friend. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are willing to take on integration and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.

Flying the Dragon by Natalie Dias Lorenzi
American-born Skye is a good student and a star soccer player who never really gives any thought to the fact that her father is Japanese. Her cousin, Hiroshi, lives in Japan, and never really gives a thought to his uncle’s family living in the United States. Skye and Hiroshi’s lives are thrown together when Hiroshi’s family, with his grandfather (who is also his best friend), suddenly moves to the U.S. Now Skye doesn’t know who she is anymore: at school she’s suddenly too Japanese, but at home she’s not Japanese enough. Hiroshi has a hard time adjusting to life in a new culture, and resents Skye’s intrusions on his time with Grandfather. Through all of this is woven Hiroshi’s expertise, and Skye’s growing interest in, kite making and competitive rokkaku kite flying.

Rules by Cynthia Lord
Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She’s spent years trying to teach David the rules — from “a peach is not a funny-looking apple” to “keep your pants on in public!” — in order to head off his embarrassing behaviors. But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she’s always wished for, it’s her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?

Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord
“Why take chances?” says 11-year-old Tess Brooks. Especially when it’s so easy to let the universe know what you want by touching blue or turning around three times or crossing your fingers. But Tess is coming to know that it’s not always that simple. The state of Maine has a plan to shut down her island’s schoolhouse, which would force Tess’s family to move to the mainland – and Tess to leave the only home she has ever known. Fortunately the islanders have a plan, too: increase the school numbers by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home, and Tess needs a plan of her own-and all the luck she can muster. Will Tess’s wish come true or will her luck run out?

White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan
Zoe’s family rescues dogs in need. There is always the sweet smell of dog and a warm body looking to cuddle or play. There is always a new dog to be saved and loved. Fur flies everywhere. It covers everything. Zoe’s house is never silent. But the house across the street is always silent these days. A new family has moved in and Phillip, the boy, has stopped speaking. He doesn’t even want to try. Zoe knows that saving dogs and saving boys are different jobs, but she learns that some parts are the same. Both take attention and care, understanding and time. And maybe just a bit of white fur flying.

The Gold-Threaded Dress by Carolyn Marsden
In Thailand she was named Oy, but here in America the teachers call her Olivia. Other things are not so easy to change, however. When Oy draws a self-portrait that has brown hair and eyes round as coins, her classmate Frankie makes fun and calls her Chinese. And the popular girl, Liliandra, barely speaks to her, until she learns that Oy has something very special: a Thai dancing dress from her grandmother, shimmering with pink silk and golden threads that make her look like a princess. Will Oy risk shaming her family to win Liliandra’s approval – and be part of the club she has envied from afar?

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She’s thrilled that her own name is a homonym, and she purposely gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose’s rules of homonyms, is very special. Not everyone understands Rose’s obsessions, her rules, and the other things that make her different – not her teachers, not other kids, and not her single father. When a storm hits their rural town, rivers overflow, the roads are flooded, and Rain goes missing. Rose’s father shouldn’t have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search.

A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass
Mia Winchell is far from ordinary: she suffers from a rare condition called synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person can see sounds, smell colors, or taste shapes. But because she has kept it a secret from everyone, she appears to be the most normal kid in her family. When trouble in the school finally convinces Mia to reveal her secret, she feels like a freak; and as she embarks on an intense journey of self-discovery, her family and friends have trouble relating to her. By the time she realizes she has isolated herself from all the people who care about her, it is almost too late. Mia has to lose something very special in order to understand and appreciate her special gift in this coming-of-age novel.

The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall
Arthur T. Owens grabbed a brick and hurled it at the trash picker. Arthur had his reasons, and the brick hit the Junk Man in the arm, not the head. But none of that matters to the judge — he is ready to send Arthur to juvie forever. Amazingly, it’s the Junk Man himself who offers an alternative: 120 hours of community service… working for him. Arthur is given a rickety shopping cart and a list of the Seven Most Important Things: glass bottles, foil, cardboard, pieces of wood, lightbulbs, coffee cans, and mirrors. He can’t believe it–is he really supposed to rummage through people’s trash? But it isn’t long before Arthur realizes there’s more to the Junk Man than meets the eye, and the “trash” he’s collecting is being transformed into something more precious than anyone could imagine…
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
Stella loves living with Great-Aunt Louise in her big old house near the water on Cape Cod for many reasons, but mostly because Louise likes routine as much as she does, something Stella appreciates since her mom is, well, kind of unreliable. So while Mom “finds herself,” Stella fantasizes that someday she’ll come back to the Cape and settle down. The only obstacle to her plan? Angel, the foster kid Louise has taken in. Angel couldn’t be less like her name—she’s tough and prickly, and the girls hardly speak to each other. But when tragedy unexpectedly strikes, Stella and Angel are forced to rely on each other to survive, and they learn that they are stronger together than they could have imagined.

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood
As much as Gloriana June Hemphill, or Glory as everyone knows her, wants to turn twelve, there are times when Glory wishes she could turn back the clock a year. Jesslyn, her sister and former confidante, no longer has the time of day for her now that she’ll be entering high school. Then there’s her best friend, Frankie. Things have always been so easy with Frankie, and now suddenly they aren’t. Maybe it’s the new girl from the North that’s got everyone out of sorts. Or maybe it’s the debate about whether or not the town should keep the segregated public pool open.

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life… until now. Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Julia is very short for her age, but by the end of the summer run of The Wizard of Oz, she’ll realize how big she is inside, where it counts. She hasn’t ever thought of herself as a performer, but when the wonderful director of Oz casts her as a Munchkin, she begins to see herself in a new way. As Julia becomes friendly with the poised and wise Olive — one of the adults with dwarfism who’ve joined the production’s motley crew of Munchkins — and with her deeply artistic neighbor, Mrs. Chang, Julia’s own sense of self as an artist grows. Soon, she doesn’t want to fade into the background — and it’s a good thing, because her director has more big plans for Julia!

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’ s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first. Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal.

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
When seventh grader Georges (the S is silent) moves into a Brooklyn apartment building, he meets Safer, a twelve-year-old coffee-drinking loner and self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer’s first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: how far is too far to go for your only friend?

The Center of Everything by Linda Urban
For Ruby Pepperdine, the “center of everything” is on the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors in her donut-obsessed town of Bunning, New Hampshire, stargazing from the circle of her grandmother Gigi’s hug.  That’s how everything is supposed to be—until Ruby messes up and things spin out of control. But she has one last hope. It all depends on what happens on Bunning Day, when the entire town will hear Ruby read her winning essay. And it depends on her twelfth birthday wish—unless she messes that up too. Can Ruby’s wish set everything straight in her topsy-turvy world?

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they’re both stuck in the same place: school. Joe’s lived in the same town all his life, and was doing just fine until his best friends moved away and left him on his own. Ravi’s family just moved to America from India, and he’s finding it pretty hard to figure out where he fits in. Joe and Ravi don’t think they have anything in common – but soon enough they have a common enemy (the biggest bully in their class) and a common mission: to take control of their lives over the course of a single crazy week.

 

Booklist by Casey 12/17

Booklist: Books made into Movies!

Blockbuster Summer Movies, Take One!
With two new movies this summer based on children’s books, it seemed like the perfect time for a booklist!  Try some of these famous children’s books that have been adapted to the silver screen. Read the book, watch the movie, and see if you think they worked. Which do you like better…the book, or the movie?

* * *

The First Blockbuster:

Atwater, Richard.  Mr. Popper’s Penguins
A decorator by day, Mr. Popper is an intrepid Antarctic explorer by night–at least in his imagination. Mr. Popper resigns himself to quiet evenings at home, until one day a mysterious package arrives.  Pretty soon the Poppers have a house full of penguins, an ice rink in the basement, and an ever-increasing bill for raw fish and canned shrimp. Time to take this show on the road!

It doesn’t sound like the movie has carried over much of the story from the book, but the penguins sure look cute!

 * * *

Other Fun Animal Movies, based on famous books!

  Burnford, Sheila. The Incredible Journey
A bull terrier, a Labrador retriever and a Siamese cat leave their temporary home and set out into the Canadian wilderness, determined to find their family.

Disney filmed two versions of this book, one in 1963 version and the second in 1993 version (re-titled Homeward Bound.) In the first one, the animal breeds are right, and the film is narrated, with the animals not speaking. The 1993 version has an American bulldog, a golden retriever and a Himalayan with the animals voiced by famous actors.  Your preference may depend on if you like more realistic or more comedic movies!

 

DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie
Opal moves to Florida, and describes the first year of her life there—complete because of the big, ugly dog she found at the supermarket and names Winn-Dixie.

The movie is fun, but the dog in it is more scruffy than ugly, and is too cute to be the Winn-Dixie Opal describes! Still, aside from that, this is a charming adaptation.

 

Duncan, Lois. Hotel for Dogs
Liz and her older brother Bruce have to stay with their aunt for a year and leave their beloved dog behind. Liz wants a pet so much, she “accidentally” adopts a stray and has to keep it secret. When she finds an abandoned hotel, she and Bruce gather more dogs and house them there.

The movie has almost nothing in common with the book except for dogs being rescued and kept secret. If you like dogs though, you’ll like both the book and the movie, and neither one will spoil the other!

 

Farley, Walter. The Black Stallion
Alec is on a tramp steamer traveling home to the United States when a storm hits.  Alec finds himself stranded on a deserted island with the black stallion he freed just before the ship when down. With only each other to rely on, boy and horse become friends.

The book is a wonderful boy and his horse story, and the movie is stunningly filmed. A beautiful example of how a book should be adapted. You will enjoy both!  There is a sequel, The Black Stallion Returns; the story is a little wobbly, but the filming is just as beautiful.

 

King-Smith, Dick. Babe: The Gallant Pig
When Babe arrives at Hogget Farm, Mrs. Hogget’s thoughts turn to sizzling bacon and juicy pork chops—until he reveals a surprising talent for sheepherding, that is. Before long, Babe is handling Farmer Hogget’s flock better than any sheepdog ever could. Babe is so good, in fact, that the farmer enters him into the Grand Challenge Sheepdog Trials. Will it take a miracle for Babe to win?

The movie is funny, touching and may just be the best version of a children’s book out there.  You’ll love Babe, Fly and all the other inhabitants of the Hogget’s Farm. (Personally, the mice are my favorites.)

 

Lofting, Hugh. The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Young Tommy Stubbins records the voyages of Doctor Dolittle as he hits the high seas! Along with his faithful friends, Polynesia the parrot and Chee-Chee the monkey, Doctor Dolittle survives a perilous shipwreck and lands on the mysterious floating island. There he meets the wondrous Great Glass See Snail who holds the key to the greatest mystery of all.

The 1967 musical version is family fun, if a little clunky on the special effects front. The Eddie Murphy movies have little in common with the books—basically a name and talking to animals.

 

North, Sterling. Rascal
In this memoir, Sterling North recalls his year with Rascal–a very mischievous and resourceful raccoon. Young Sterling watches in amazement as this baby raccoon, barely the size of Sterling’s hand, instinctively washes everything before eating it. Every night, Rascal sneaks into the house by hooking his claws onto the back screen door and heads straight for Sterling’s bed! Virtually everywhere Sterling goes, Rascal is there, and life is filled with one adventure after another.

The 1969 Disney movie is a faithful retelling of the book.  Most viewers will probably want their own raccoon after watching. Both the book and the movie are forgotten classics that are well worth revisiting!

 

Orr, Wendy. Nim’s Island
Meet Nim–she can chop down bananas with a machete, climb tall palm trees, and start a fire with a piece of glass. So she’s not afraid when her scientist dad sails off to study plankton for three days, leaving her alone on their island. Besides, it’s not as if no one’s looking after her–she’s got a sea lion to mother her and an iguana for comic relief. She also has an interesting new e-mail pal. But when her father’s cell-phone calls stop coming and disaster seems near, Nim has to be stronger and braver than she’s ever been before.

The movie is a pretty faithful to the book, and fun to watch. The animal actors are amazing, even when the human actors are a little over the top. A fun family adventure for a rainy day.

 

Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji
When Peter and Judy found the board game under a tree, they weren’t that interested. But they were bored and restless and, looking for something to do, so they gave Jumanji a try. Little did they know when they unfolded its ordinary-looking playing board that they were about to be plunged into the most exciting and bizare adventure of their lives.

The book is short and fun, the movie creates a whole new story and extends the action sequences for an exciting (and a little scary) experience.  Younger viewers may find it a little scary, but older viewers may want to find their own mysterious board game in their attic.

 

White, E. B. Charlotte’s Web
A bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen.  Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls farm pigs; determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads “Some Pig,” convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved.

The 2006  live-action movie is a gentle adaptation, with plenty of talent in the cast and animal actors. The book’s themes of friendship, love and loss carry over quite well for viewers. Still, don’t skip the book!

 

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If you can think of any great adaptations of favorite animal books, let us know!  And look for our Movies, Take Two sometime next week. Because there Judy Moody is also coming up…

::Kelly::