Sunday New York Times 1/31/2010

Today is the Sunday New York Times Children's book list.

 

Here is the link to the this week's Sunday New York Times Children's book of lists:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/books/bestseller/bestchildren.html?ref=review

I added the number three Picture book in my St. Benedict the Moor School library:
LISTEN TO THE WIND: THE STORY OF DR. GREG AND "THREE CUPS OF TEA", by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth. (Dial, $16.99.) A school grows in Pakistan. (Ages 4 to 8)

My students have already checked it out and enjoyed reading it!

This book is very popular in my school and public libraries:

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS (THE ULTIMATE GUIDE), written by Mary-Jane Knight. Designed by Philip Chidlow.. (Disney-Hyperion, $12.99.) Gods, beasts and tips for children with one immortal parent, based on the series by Rick Riordan. (Ages 10 and up)

I added this book to my libraries and the students love reading it also:
THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. (Puffin, $8.99.) A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)

My students love Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. Jeff Kinney was brought to Pittsburgh's "Black and White and Read All Over" children's book author series last Sunday. My students loved Kinney's presentation and enjoyed having Kinney autograph their books and the cookies and punch afterwards.

I have more to write tomorrow....::)))

Until then....

Happy Reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!
  

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PICTURE BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	THE LION AND THE MOUSE, by Jerry Pinkney. (Little, Brown, $16.99.) A fable of reciprocal kindness, redrawn. (Ages 4 to 8)	12
2	ALL THE WORLD, by Liz Garton Scanlon. Illustrated by Marla Frazee. (Simon & Schuster, $17.99.) A day in the life of a multicultural family. (Ages 4 to 8)	1
3	LISTEN TO THE WIND: THE STORY OF DR. GREG AND "THREE CUPS OF TEA", by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth. (Dial, $16.99.) A school grows in Pakistan. (Ages 4 to 8)	45
4	BUBBLE TROUBLE, by Margaret Mahy. Illustrated by Polly Dunbar. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $16.) A baby is swept away in a megabubble blown by his sister, and rescued. (Ages 4 to 8)	1
5	THE CURIOUS GARDEN, written and illustrated by Peter Brown. (Little, Brown, $16.99.) A boy named Liam nurtures a straggly garden to vivid fruition. (Ages 4 to 8)	20
6	WADDLE!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals in motion, with color. (Ages 4 to 8)	19
7	OTIS, written and illustrated by Loren Long. (Philomel, $17.99.) A frisky tractor finds friendship with a calf. (Ages 4 to 8)	11
8	GALLOP!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals seem to move when you flip the page. (Ages 4 to 8)	105
9	RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS, by Joyce Sidman. Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $16.) The seasons, in colors. (Ages 4 to 8)	1
10	NUBS, by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery and Kirby Larson. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) A wild dog in Iraq makes a friend for life when a Marine takes him in. (Ages 4 to 8)	12

CHAPTER BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) The protagonist of "The Hunger Games" returns. (Ages 12 and up)	21
2	THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up)	72
3	PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS (THE ULTIMATE GUIDE), written by Mary-Jane Knight. Designed by Philip Chidlow.. (Disney-Hyperion, $12.99.) Gods, beasts and tips for children with one immortal parent, based on the series by Rick Riordan. (Ages 10 and up)	1
4	FALLEN, by Lauren Kate. (Delacorte, $17.99.) Thwarted love among misfits at a boarding school in Savannah, Ga. (Ages 12 and up)	7
5	WHEN YOU REACH ME, by Rebecca Stead. (Wendy Lamb, $15.99.) A sixth-grade girl in New York City begins receiving mysterious notes. (Ages 9 to 12)	10
6	WITCH AND WIZARD, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) One of each, brother and sister, flex their newfound powers. (Ages 12 and up)	6
7	WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, written and illustrated by Grace Lin. (Little, Brown, $16.99.) Traditional folktales embroider a Chinese girl’s adventures. (Ages 9 to 12)	1
8	SHIVER, by Maggie Stiefvater. (Scholastic Press/Scholastic, $17.99.) Love among the lupine. (Ages 12 and up)	26
9	HUSH, HUSH, by Becca Fitzpatrick. (Simon & Schuster, $17.99.) Love among immortals. (Ages 14 and up)	10
10	THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE, by Jacqueline Kelly. (Holt, $16.99.) A girl indulges her penchant for observing nature. (Ages 12 and up)	1

PAPERBACK BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. (Knopf, $11.99.) A girl saves books from Nazi burning. Excerpt (Ages 14 and up)	124
2	THIRST NO. 2: PHANTOM, EVIL THIRST, CREATURES OF FOREVER, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A girl struggles with her dreamed-of transition from undead to mortal. (Ages 14 and up)	3
3	L.A. CANDY, by Lauren Conrad. (HarperCollins, $9.99.) Excitement in TV land. (Ages 14 and up)	3
4	THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. (Puffin, $8.99.) A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)	53
5	THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Ellen Forney. (Little, Brown, $8.99.) A young boy leaves his reservation for an all-white school. (Ages 12 and up)	42
6	THIRST NO. 1, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A reissue of "The Last Vampire" (1994), "Black Blood" (1994) and "Red Dice" (1995). (Ages 14 and up)	25
7	DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. (Simon & Schuster, $9.99.) A school for psychic teens. (Ages 14 and up)	20
8	THE UNDERNEATH, written by Kathi Appelt. Illustrated by David Small.. (Simon & Schuster, $7.99.) In a tough neighborhood, a dog and a cat form a family. (Ages 9 to 12)	1
9	GRACELING, by Kristin Cashore. (Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $9.99.) A girl endowed with special talents is also celebrated as a warrior. (Ages 14 and up)	17
10	CHAINS, by Laurie Halse Anderson. (Simon & Schuster, $6.99.) A young slave tries to win her freedom via espionage in the American Revolution. (Ages 9 to 12)	1

SERIES BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, hardcover and paper) Children of gods and mortals battle mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)	133
2	THE TWILIGHT SAGA, by Stephenie Meyer. (Megan Tingley/Little, Brown, hardcover and paper) Vampires and werewolves in school. (Ages 12 and up)	129
3	DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. (Abrams, hardcover only) The travails of adolescence, in cartoons. (Ages 9 to 12)	54
4	HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. (St. Martin’s, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)	74
5	PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, by Sara Shepard. (HarperTeen, hardcover and paper) Four girls less perfect than they seem. (Ages 14 and up)	12
6	MAGIC TREE HOUSE, by Mary Pope Osborne. Illustrated by Sal Murdocca. (Stepping Stone/Random House, hardcover and paper) Winged children try to save the world. (Ages 6 to 9)	216
7	RANGER’S APPRENTICE, by John Flanagan. (Philomel, hardcover and paper) A boy warrior battles evil. (Ages 9 to 12)	36
8	THE IMMORTALS, by Alyson Noël. (St. Martin’s Griffin, hardcover and paper) Love and angst of the supernatural variety. (Ages 14 and up)	10
9	VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith. (HarperTeen, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)	39
10	RAINBOW MAGIC, by Daisy Meadows. (Scholastic) Valentine''s Day has lost its sweetness, but a fairy and her helpers are on the case. (Ages 4 to 8)

Today's NY Times Children's Book List - January 23, 2010

New York Times Children's Book List - January 23, 2010

Here are the lists for the NY Times children's book list for today. Here is the link if you want to jump straight to the list.
 
 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/books/bestseller/bestchildren.html?ref=bestseller

I am so excited that a few of these books won awards from the American Library Assocation's Youth Awards. I will write more on this tomorrow.....

Stay tuned....

Happy Reading...

Until the next time .............

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!

*********************************************************************************

PICTURE BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft. (DK, $21.99.) An annotated visual dictionary. (Ages 7 and up)	14
2	WADDLE!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals in motion, with color. (Ages 4 to 8)	18
3	LISTEN TO THE WIND: THE STORY OF DR. GREG AND "THREE CUPS OF TEA", by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth. (Dial, $16.99.) A school grows in Pakistan. (Ages 4 to 8)	44
4	FAMILY HUDDLE, written by Peyton Manning, Eli Manning and Archie Manning. Illustrated by Jim Madsen. (Scholastic, $16.99.) A football family in action. (Ages 4 to 8)	2
5	THE LION AND THE MOUSE, by Jerry Pinkney. (Little, Brown, $16.99.) A fable of reciprocal kindness, redrawn. (Ages 4 to 8)	11
6	GALLOP!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals seem to move when you flip the page. (Ages 4 to 8)	104
7	OTIS, written and illustrated by Loren Long. (Philomel, $17.99.) A frisky tractor finds friendship with a calf. (Ages 4 to 8)	10
8	NUBS, by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery and Kirby Larson. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $17.99.) A wild dog in Iraq makes a friend for life when a Marine takes him in. (Ages 4 to 8)	11
9	SKIPPYJON JONES, LOST IN SPICE, written and illustrated by Judy Schachner. (Dutton, $16.99.) The peppery red planet captures a cat’s fancy. (Ages 4 to 8)	18
10	THE LITTLE PRINCE, written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. (HMH, $35.) A pop-up edition. (Ages 9 to 12)	5

CHAPTER BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	WITCH AND WIZARD, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) One of each, brother and sister, flex their newfound powers. (Ages 12 and up)	5
2	CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) The protagonist of "The Hunger Games" returns. (Ages 12 and up)	20
3	THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up)	71
4	FALLEN, by Lauren Kate. (Delacorte, $17.99.) Thwarted love among misfits at a boarding school in Savannah, Ga. (Ages 12 and up)	6
5	BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) A secret wrapped in a Southern Gothic novel. (Ages 12 and up)	7
6	SHIVER, by Maggie Stiefvater. (Scholastic Press/Scholastic, $17.99.) Love among the lupine. (Ages 12 and up)	25
7	THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, by Jay Asher. (Razorbill, $16.99.) Before she commits suicide a girl records and sends explanatory audiotapes to 13 people. (Ages 14 and up)	57
8	HUSH, HUSH, by Becca Fitzpatrick. (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99.) A love story studded with with ancient battles and immortal characters. (Ages 14 and up)	9
9	CAPTIVATE, by Carrie Jones. (Bloomsbury, $16.99.) Pixie problems and a pretender to the throne. (Ages 12 and up)	2
10	TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, $18.99.) A novel in verse about five teenagers who resort to prostitution. (Ages 14 and up)	18

PAPERBACK BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. (Knopf, $11.99.) A girl saves books from Nazi burning. Excerpt (Ages 14 and up)	123
2	THIRST NO. 2: PHANTOM, EVIL THIRST, CREATURES OF FOREVER, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A girl struggles with her dreamed-of transition from undead to mortal. (Ages 14 and up)	2
3	THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. (Puffin, $8.99.) A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)	52
4	THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Ellen Forney. (Little, Brown, $8.99.) A young boy leaves his reservation for an all-white school. (Ages 12 and up)	41
5	L.A. CANDY, by Lauren Conrad. (HarperCollins, $9.99.) Excitement in TV land by someone who has been there. (Ages 14 and up)	2
6	THIRST NO. 1, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A reissue of "The Last Vampire" (1994), "Black Blood" (1994) and "Red Dice" (1995). (Ages 14 and up)	24
7	DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. (Simon & Schuster, $9.99.) A school for psychic teens, not to mention vampires. (Ages 14 and up)	19
8	NEED, by Carrie Jones. (Bloomsbury, $9.99.) The birds and bees of pixie royalty and some human romance too. (Ages 12 and up)	2
9	GRACELING, by Kristin Cashore. (Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $9.99.) A girl endowed with special talents is also celebrated for her abilities as a warrior. (Ages 14 and up)	16
10	THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA FOR KIDS, by Michael Pollan. (Dial, $9.99.) An adaptation of the grown-ups’ guide to the origins of dinner. (Ages 9 to 12)	4

SERIES BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, hardcover and paper) Children of gods and mortals battle mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)	132
2	THE TWILIGHT SAGA, by Stephenie Meyer. (Megan Tingley/Little, Brown, hardcover and paper) Vampires and werewolves in school. (Ages 12 and up)	128
3	DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. (Abrams, hardcover only) The travails of adolescence, in cartoons. (Ages 9 to 12)	53
4	HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. (St. Martin’s, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)	73
5	MAGIC TREE HOUSE, by Mary Pope Osborne. Illustrated by Sal Murdocca. (Stepping Stone/Random House, hardcover and paper) Winged children try to save the world. (Ages 6 to 9)	215
6	RANGER’S APPRENTICE, by John Flanagan. (Philomel, hardcover and paper) A boy warrior battles evil. (Ages 9 to 12)	35
7	THE IMMORTALS, by Alyson Noël. (St. Martin’s/Griffin, hardcover and paper) Love and angst of the supernatural variety. (Ages 14 and up)	9
8	VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith. (HarperTeen, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)	38
9	VAMPIRE ACADEMY, by Richelle Mead. (Razorbill, paper only) Undead boarding school. (Ages 12 and up)	22
10	THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, by Cassandra Clare. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, hardcover and paper) A world of demons and warriors. (Ages 14 and up)	31

ALA Midwinter Events - 1/18/2010

Monday January 18, 2010 Events!

This is few days late but I had to send it along........ I had a wonderful time at the ALA Midwinter Conference on Monday January 18, 2010. I started my day by attending Monday's Sunrise Speaker Series featuring best-selling author Adrianna Trigiani's session from 9 am until 10 am. We absolutely loved Adrianna Trigiani. She was very outgoing, fun, brilliant, and has the most effervescent personality that I have ever encountered...  I had never heard of Adriana but decided to attend the presentation any way. What a pleasant treat!!!!!!!!!! I laughed so hard that I thought I was going to explode. Tears were streaming down my face... Everyone loved Adriana.  Here is the picture that someone took of Adriana and yours truly!


I knew she was awesome when she mentioned that her mother is a former librarian named Ida... Doesn't get any better than that.. being that I am a librarian named Ida::)))) We chuckled about this during her presentation as she offered to give me the chain around her neck until she looked at mine and teased me about having the real thing around my neck and that hers was fake. I told her I wasn't sure of that and she said it looked "blingy" even as far away as she was. The audience roared with laughter!

She kept us going from the time that we arrived until after we left! I can't wait to read her books. I brought back several with me and will be jumping in soon! I know that I won't be able to put them down once I start reading them! I took several pictures during and after her presentation that I am going to share with you. 

I enjoyed our pleasant interaction during her question and answer period and chatting with her afterwards. She will be coming to Joseph Beth Booksellers in Pittsburgh Southside Works on Friday February 19, 2010. We are hoping that she will come to St. Benedict the Moor School and some of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh locations that same day.

Here is the list of some of her books:

Viola in Reel Life

Brava, Valentine

Big Stone Gap

Home to Big Stone Gap

Very Valentine

The Queen of Big Time

 Lucia Lucia

Cooking with My Sisters: One Hundred Years of Family Recipes, from Bari to Big Stone Gap

Milk Glass Moon

Big Cherry Holler

Rococo: A Novel

Here is the link to her web site:

http://www.adrianatrigiani.com/welcome.html

Here is the link to the books that she has written that are included on her website:

http://www.adrianatrigiani.com/books.html

Here is the link to her books on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_6?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=adriana+trigiani&sprefix=adrian

Here is the link to Adriana's schedule in case she is coming to a town near you:

http://www.adrianatrigiani.com/dates.html

Adriana made my day! I hope that you all have the opportunity to meet this remarkable woman and to buy and read her books!

ALTAFF Gala Author Tea

Later in the day, I attended a tea in the afternoon with several award winning authors. There were finger sandwiches, teas, and pastries. This rounded out my exciting day! The authors included Teri Woods Dutch II: Angel's Revenge), Janice Y. K. Lee (The Piano Teacher), Karl Marlantes ( Matterhorn), and Marilyn Johnson (This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians can Save Us All), and Holly LeCraw (The Swimming Pool). 

These authors discussed their books after being presented by different members of the ALTAFF team. Many of the books were given away free and were autographed by the authors. I brought back two copies of each book. I met several very nice people who loved the tea and conference in general as much as I did.

Today from the ALA Midwinter Conference - Ethiopia Reads 1/17/2010

ALA President's Program Sunday January 17, 2010 

featuring Dr. Yohannes Gebregeorgis

Literacy in Ethiopia             

I attended the most inspirational lecture today at ALA Midwinter with Dr. Yohannes Gebregeorgis from Ethiopia.

Dr. Gebregeorgis founded Ethiopia Reads that is a program to bring literacy to Ethiopia. Instead of book mobiles that we so enjoy in the United States, he started donkey mobiles to transport books for children to read. The literacy rate is so very low in Ethiopia and he is working to change those numbers with his one dollar one book campaign! At one point, he and his family lived on the second floor of his house in Ethiopia and housed a library for thousands of students on the first floor of his home. Here is a quote from a new story that I want to share with you, "In 2002, with is two young sons and 15,000 books, he left behind the comforts of his adopted land (San Franciso in the United States)... He rented a house in Addis Ababa, lived upstairs and turned the downstairs into the Shola Children's Library, naming it for the fig tree, a traditional gathering place for Ethiopians. The first year alone, he brought books into the lives of 12,000 children... Over the years that number would grow to 100,000. He would create libraries in schools that never had them. He would take a donkey cart laden with books into the hinterlands, inspiring and dazzling children with the power of literacy. He became known by different names - Donkey Librarian, Book Man of Africa and Slayer of the Dragon of Illiteracy."

 Ethiopia Reads US Headquarters is located in Denver, Colorado. You can reach Dr. Yohannes Gebregeorgis, Founder and Executive Director of Ethiopia Reads at:


Building literacy from the cradle to the grave is very near and dear to my heart, so I recommend that you take a look at the links below to learn more about Ethiopia Reads and help if you can. I plan to donate some of the books from my children's library and look into volunteering for a week to help children read in Ethiopia in the very near future.

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Here are links to read more about the wonderful literacy program Ethiopia Reads.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/13/ethiopia-reads-books-and-donkeys/

Ethiopia Reads Web Site

http://www.ethiopiareads.org/

Yohannes Gebregeorgis, a native of Ethiopia and children’s literacy advocate, was named a Top 10 Hero of the Year by CNN in 2008.


http://ebcef.blogspot.com/2009/01/inauguration-celebration-continues.html

Watch CNN’s profile of Gebregeorgis on HappyNews:

http://happynews.com/news/8242009/cnn-hero-yohannes-gebregeorgis-brings-books-ethiopia.htm

ETHIOPIA READS AND SCHOLASTIC LITERACY PARTNERS CELEBRATE BOOK WEEK USA, MAY 11-15

http://ebcef.blogspot.com/

Jane Kurz Ethiopia Reads
http://www.janekurtz.com/ethiopiareads/index.html

The Inauguration Celebration Continues: Ethiopia Reads Launches Three New Donkey Mobile Libraries!

http://ebcef.blogspot.com/2009/01/inauguration-celebration-continues.html

Happy Reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until the next time!

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!

New York Times Children's Book List for 1/17/2010

Today's New York Times Children's Book Review List

Even though I am in Boston, Massachusetts attending the ALA Midwinter Conference, I am sending along the New York Times List of Children's Books for January 17, 2010. We have some new books on the list tonight as you will see below.

Here is the link to today's New York Times Children's Book List :
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/books/bestseller/bestchildren.html?ref=review

The new books added to this list include:

THIRST NO. 2: PHANTOM, EVIL THIRST, CREATURES OF FOREVER, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A girl struggles with her dreamed-of transition from undead to mortal. (Ages 14 and up)

 

L.A. CANDY, by Lauren Conrad. (HarperCollins, $9.99.) Excitement in TV land by someone who has been there. (Ages 14 and up) NEED, by Carrie Jones. (Bloomsbury, $9.99.) The birds and bees of pixie royalty and some human romance too. (Ages 12 and up) Here is the list of children's books for  PICTURE BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft. (DK, $21.99.) An annotated visual dictionary. (Ages 7 and up)	13
2	WADDLE!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals in motion, with color. (Ages 4 to 8)	17
3	SKIPPYJON JONES, LOST IN SPICE, written and illustrated by Judy Schachner. (Dutton, $16.99.) The peppery red planet captures a cat’s fancy. (Ages 4 to 8)	17
4	GALLOP!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals seem to move when you flip the page. (Ages 4 to 8)	103
5	THE LION AND THE MOUSE, by Jerry Pinkney. (Little, Brown, $16.99.) A fable of reciprocal kindness, redrawn. (Ages 4 to 8)	10
6	LISTEN TO THE WIND: THE STORY OF DR. GREG AND "THREE CUPS OF TEA", by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth. (Dial, $16.99.) A school grows in Pakistan. (Ages 4 to 8)	43
7	THE LITTLE PRINCE, written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. (HMH, $35.) A pop-up edition. (Ages 9 to 12)	4
8	NUBS, by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery and Kirby Larson. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $17.99.) A wild dog in Iraq makes a friend for life. (Ages 4 to 8)	10
9	OTIS, written and illustrated by Loren Long. (Philomel, $17.99.) A frisky tractor befriends a calf. (Ages 4 to 8)	9
10	14 COWS FOR AMERICA, by Carmen Agra Deedy with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah. Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez. (Peachtree, $17.95.) Masai villagers in Kenya seek to comfort Americans after 9/11. (Ages 6 to 10)

********************

CHAPTER BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	WITCH AND WIZARD, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) One of each, brother and sister, flex their newfound powers. (Ages 12 and up)	4
2	CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) The protagonist of "The Hunger Games" returns. (Ages 12 and up)	19
3	THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up)	70
4	FALLEN, by Lauren Kate. (Delacorte, $17.99.) Thwarted love among misfits at a boarding school in Savannah, Ga. (Ages 12 and up)	5
5	SHIVER, by Maggie Stiefvater. (Scholastic Press/Scholastic, $17.99.) Love among the lupine. (Ages 12 and up)	24
6	BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) A secret wrapped in a Southern Gothic novel. (Ages 12 and up)	6
7	CAPTIVATE, by Carrie Jones. (Bloomsbury, $16.99.) Pixie problems and a pretender to the throne. (Ages 12 and up)	1
8	HUSH, HUSH, by Becca Fitzpatrick. (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99.) A love story with ancient battles and immortals. (Ages 14 and up)	8
9	WHEN YOU REACH ME, by Rebecca Stead. (Wendy Lamb, $15.99.) A sixth-grade girl in New York City begins receiving mysterious notes. (Ages 9 to 12)	9
10	TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, $18.99.) A novel in verse about five teenagers who resort to prostitution. (Ages 14 and up)	17

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PAPERBACK BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	THIRST NO. 2: PHANTOM, EVIL THIRST, CREATURES OF FOREVER, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A girl struggles with her dreamed-of transition from undead to mortal. (Ages 14 and up)	1
2	THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. (Knopf, $11.99.) A girl saves books from Nazi burning. Excerpt (Ages 14 and up)	122
3	THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. (Puffin, $8.99.) A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)	51
4	THIRST NO. 1, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A reissue of "The Last Vampire" (1994), "Black Blood" (1994) and "Red Dice" (1995). (Ages 14 and up)	23
5	L.A. CANDY, by Lauren Conrad. (HarperCollins, $9.99.) Excitement in TV land by someone who has been there. (Ages 14 and up)	1
6	DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. (Simon & Schuster, $9.99.) A school for psychic teens, not to mention vampires. (Ages 14 and up)	18
7	GRACELING, by Kristin Cashore. (Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $9.99.) A girl endowed with special talents is also celebrated for her abilities as a warrior. (Ages 14 and up)	15
8	THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Ellen Forney. (Little, Brown, $8.99.) A young boy leaves his reservation for an all-white school. (Ages 12 and up)	40
9	LOCK AND KEY, by Sarah Dessen. (Speak, $8.99.) A crack appears in a girl’s cynicism. (Ages 12 and up)	20
10	NEED, by Carrie Jones. (Bloomsbury, $9.99.) The birds and bees of pixie royalty and some human romance too. (Ages 12 and up)

**********************

SERIES BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	THE TWILIGHT SAGA, by Stephenie Meyer. (Megan Tingley/Little, Brown, hardcover and paper) Vampires and werewolves in school. (Ages 12 and up)	127
2	PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, hardcover and paper) Children of the gods and mortals battle mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)	131
3	DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. (Abrams, hardcover only) The travails of adolescence, in cartoons. (Ages 9 to 12)	52
4	HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. (St. Martin’s, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)	72
5	RANGER’S APPRENTICE, by John Flanagan. (Philomel, hardcover and paper) A boy warrior battles evil. (Ages 9 to 12)	34
6	VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith. (HarperTeen, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)	37
7	THE IMMORTALS, by Alyson Noël. (St. Martin’s/Griffin, hardcover and paper) Love and angst of the supernatural variety. (Ages 14 and up)	8
8	THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, by Cassandra Clare. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, hardcover and paper) A world of demons and warriors. (Ages 14 and up)	30
9	VAMPIRE ACADEMY, by Richelle Mead. (Razorbill, paper only) Undead boarding school. (Ages 12 and up)	21
10	THE ALEX RIDER ADVENTURES, by Anthony Horowitz. (Philomel/Speak, hardcover and paper) A young spy follows in his father’s stealthy footsteps. (Ages 10 and up)

Jeff Kinney's popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid is number three on our New York Times Children's List of books.

 Link to Diary of a Wimpy Kid on Amazon.com website
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_15?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=diary+of+a+wimpy+kid&sprefix=diary+of+a+wimp

Link to Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid website:
http://www.wimpykid.com/

Jeff at Kinney will be the featured author next Sunday January 25, 2010 at the "Black, White, and Read All Over" children's book author series at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Here is the link to the Series:
http://www.pittsburghlectures.org/section.php?pageID=109



Happy reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until the next time.....

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!

Greetings from the ALA Midwinter Conference in Boston, MA

Welcome from ALA Midwinter in Boston, Massachusetts

I am currently at the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter conference in Boston, Massachusetts with thousands of librarians, vendor, and other information professionals.

Here is the direct link to the conference:
http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/midwinter/2010/

On Friday I attended a lively panel session on Author Forum-From Book to Big Screen with authors Eric Van Lustbader, Tom Hogan, Tracy Chevalier, and Julie Campbell. I will upload pictures that I took later today.

I thoroughly enjoyed this session. Julie Campbell was humorous as she talked about not being invited to be on the set for the film "Julie and Julia" until she wrote negative comments on her blog and the studio personnel invited her to the set and begged her to stop writing negative comments about them. By the way, Julie Campbell is the author of the book "Jule & Julia" that was made into the film starring Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci.




Yesterday I attended the Eleventh Annual Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture featuring former Vice President Al Gore. His speech was absolutely wonderful on global warming and how important it is for us to lobby to change policies. He talked about his new book, "How We Can Solve the Climate Crisis. Young Readers additiond." He autographed my book and I told him that "HE IS MY HERO!" He is quite inspirational.
I will write more on this later but I am off the Conference.  








On a side note, I attended the Boston Symphony last night and was in heaven! What a beautiful concert hall. There isn't a bad seat in the house. Sir Colin Davis conducted.

Music is my second love only to children's books so last night yours truly new to Boston for the ALA Midwinter conference ... I hailed a cab and trekked over to the Boston Symphony Hall to see the Boston Symphony Orchestra's performance of Wolfgang Amade Mozart's "Symphony No. 38 in D, K.504, Prague" and Edward Elgar's "Violin Concerto in B Minor, Opus 61." The solo violin was played by the awesome Danish pianist Nikolaj Znaider.


I am so VERY happy that I attended this performance.

Well, back to the conference.... I have met some wonderful librarians, authors, vendors, and other information professionals.

I am off to the conference!

Until then....

Happy Reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!

New York Times Book Review 1/10/2010

Today's New York Times Review of Children's Books is included below. There aren't any new books on the list. My students absolutely love "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and are looking forward to attending his workshop on Sunday January 24, 2010 here in Pittsburgh. This is going to be an exciting opportunity for everyone!

PICTURE BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	SPLENDIFEROUS CHRISTMAS, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. (Harper/HarperCollins, $17.99.) When Fancy Nancy celebrates the holidays, there’s no such thing as too much tinsel. (Ages 4 to 8)	9
2	LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft. (DK, $21.99.) An annotated visual dictionary. (Ages 7 and up)	12
3	THE CHRISTMAS SWEATER, adapted by Chris Schoebinger from the story by Glenn Beck. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. (Aladdin/Mercury Radio Arts, $17.99.) A young boy seeks the meaning of Christmas. (Ages 4 to 7)	10
4	THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, by Clement C. Moore. Various illustrators. (Various publishers) Not a creature was stirring; various editions. (All ages)	27
5	WADDLE!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals in motion, with color. (Ages 4 to 8)	16
6	NUBS, by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery and Kirby Larson. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $17.99.) A wild dog in Iraq makes a friend for life. (Ages 4 to 8)	9
7	GALLOP!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals seem to move when you flip the page. (Ages 4 to 8)	102
8	THE LION AND THE MOUSE, by Jerry Pinkney. (Little, Brown, $16.99.) A fable of reciprocal kindness, redrawn. (Ages 4 to 8)	9
9	OTIS, written and illustrated by Loren Long. (Philomel, $17.99.) A frisky tractor befriends a calf. (Ages 4 to 8)	8
10	SKIPPYJON JONES, LOST IN SPICE, written and illustrated by Judy Schachner. (Dutton, $16.99.) The peppery red planet captures a cat’s fancy. (Ages 4 to 8)	16

*************************

CHAPTER BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	WITCH AND WIZARD, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) One of each, brother and sister, flex their newfound powers. (Ages 12 and up)	3
2	CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) The protagonist of "The Hunger Games" returns. (Ages 12 and up)	18
3	FALLEN, by Lauren Kate. (Delacorte, $17.99.) Thwarted love among misfits at a boarding school in Savannah, Ga. (Ages 12 and up)	4
4	THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up)	69
5	SHIVER, by Maggie Stiefvater. (Scholastic Press/Scholastic, $17.99.) Love among the lupine. (Ages 12 and up)	23
6	HUSH, HUSH, by Becca Fitzpatrick. (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99.) A love story with ancient battles and immortals. (Ages 14 and up)	7
7	BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) A secret wrapped in a Southern Gothic novel. (Ages 12 and up)	5
8	ALONG FOR THE RIDE, by Sarah Dessen. (Viking, $19.99.) A summer on two wheels for a girl ready to learn more about herself and her loved ones. (Ages 14 and up)	14
9	TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, $18.99.) A novel in verse about five teenagers who become prostitutes. (Ages 14 and up)	16
10	DORK DIARIES, written and illustrated by Rachel Renée Russell. (Aladdin, 12.99.) Reflections of a junior Samuel Pepys of the female variety. (Ages 9 to 13)

***************************

PAPERBACK BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	MILES TO GO, by Miley Cyrus. (Disney-Hyperion, $12.99.) A star’s life, so far. (Ages 9 to 12)	2
2	LOCK AND KEY, by Sarah Dessen. (Speak, $8.99.) A crack appears in a girl’s cynicism. (Ages 12 and up)	19
3	THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. (Knopf, $11.99.) A girl saves books from Nazi burning. Excerpt (Ages 14 and up)	121
4	THIRST NO. 1, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A reissue of "The Last Vampire" (1994), "Black Blood" (1994) and "Red Dice" (1995). (Ages 14 and up)	22
5	DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. (Simon & Schuster, $9.99.) A school for psychic teens, not to mention vampires. (Ages 14 and up)	17
6	GRACELING, by Kristin Cashore. (Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $9.99.) A girl endowed with special talents is also celebrated for her abilities as a warrior. (Ages 14 and up)	14
7	THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. (Puffin, $8.99.) A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)	50
8	JUST LISTEN, by Sarah Dessen. (Speak, $8.99.) A girl finally deals with the incident that caused a rift between her and her former best friend. (Ages 12 and up)	29
9	IMPOSSIBLE, by Nancy Werlin. (Speak/Penguin, $9.99.) The song "Scarborough Fair" winds through this story of romance. (Ages 12 and up)	8
10	THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG: JUNIOR NOVELIZATION, by Irene Trimble. (Random House/Disney, $4.99.) A movie tie-in about love amphibian style, spiked with the flavor of Louisiana. (Ages 9 to 12)

*****************************

SERIES BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	THE TWILIGHT SAGA, by Stephenie Meyer. (Megan Tingley/Little, Brown, hardcover and paper) Vampires and werewolves in school. (Ages 12 and up)	126
2	DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. (Abrams, hardcover only) The travails of adolescence, in cartoons. (Ages 9 to 12)	51
3	PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, hardcover and paper) Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)	130
4	HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. (St. Martin’s, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)	71
5	THE IMMORTALS, by Alyson Noël. (St. Martin’s/Griffin, hardcover and paper) Love and angst of the supernatural variety. (Ages 14 and up)	7
6	VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith. (HarperTeen, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)	36
7	WARRIORS, by Erin Hunter. (HarperCollins, hardcover and paper) Four clans of cat warriors aspire to meet up with the StarClan. (Ages 10 to 14)	80
8	THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, by Cassandra Clare. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, hardcover and paper) A world of demons and warriors. (Ages 14 and up)	29
9	VAMPIRE ACADEMY, by Richelle Mead. (Razorbill, paper only) Undead boarding school. (Ages 12 and up)	20
10	THE ALEX RIDER ADVENTURES, by Anthony Horowitz. (Philomel/Speak, hardcover and paper) A young spy follows in his father’s stealthy footsteps. (Ages 10 and up)	61

******************************************

Until the next time!

Happy Reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands by Kadir Nelson

 He's Got the Whole World in His Hands 

by Kadir Nelson

My kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students loved reading and singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" by Kadir Nelson. This book is a colorful diverse rendition of the spiritual "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" based on the life of a young boy and his family and diverse world around him.

We all loved the words, colors, and pictures.  The children told me what they thought the story meant. They felt that God and Jesus are everywhere and that God holds us all (people of every age and race) in his hands to show how much he loves us!

The colors are rich, vibrant, and alive just like the story and the people in the story.

What a lovely book!!!!!!!!!!! What a feast for the eyes and soul!

This book should be in every home, library, and school! You won't be disappointed!

Here is the link to this book on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Hes-Got-Whole-World-Hands/dp/0803728506/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262924845&sr=1-1

Here is the link to author/illustrator Kadir Nelson's web site:
http://www.kadirnelson.com/

HAPPY READING!

Until the next time.....

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!

New York Times Book Review - 1/3/2010

 NY Times Lists of Children's Books for 1/3/2010

Our first NY Times list of children's book for 2010! This is so exciting!Happy New Year!!!!!!

Here is the direct link for the entire NY Times list of children's books:


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/books/bestseller/bestchildren.html?ref=bestseller

Here is the list of Children's Picture books:

PICTURE BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	SPLENDIFEROUS CHRISTMAS, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. (Harper/HarperCollins, $17.99.) There’s no such thing as too much tinsel for Fancy Nancy. (Ages 4 to 8)	8
2	THE CHRISTMAS SWEATER, adapted by Chris Schoebinger from the story by Glenn Beck. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. (Aladdin/Mercury Radio Arts, $17.99.) Seeking the meaning of Christmas. (Ages 4 to 7)	9
3	THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, by Clement C. Moore. Various illustrators. (Various publishers) Not a creature was stirring; various editions. (All ages)	26
4	LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft. (DK, $21.99.) An annotated visual dictionary. (Ages 7 and up)	11
5	WADDLE!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. (Workman, $12.95.) Animals in motion, with color. (Ages 4 to 8)	15
6	NUBS, by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery and Kirby Larson. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $17.99.) A wild dog in Iraq makes a friend for life. (Ages 4 to 8)	8
7	THE LITTLE PRINCE, written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. (HMH, $35.) A pop-up edition. (Ages 9 to 12)	3
8	THE LION AND THE MOUSE, by Jerry Pinkney. (Little, Brown, $16.99.) A fable of reciprocal kindness, redrawn. (Ages 4 to 8)	8
9	SKIPPYJON JONES, LOST IN SPICE, by Judy Schachner. (Dutton, $16.99.) The peppery red planet captures a cat’s fancy. (Ages 4 to 8)	15
10	JULIE ANDREWS’S COLLECTION OF POEMS, SONGS, AND LULLABIES, by Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Andrews. Illustrated by James McMullan. (Little, Brown, $24.99.) All of the above. (Ages 4 to 8)

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&


Here is the list of Chapter books:

CHAPTER BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	WITCH AND WIZARD, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) One of each, brother and sister, flex their newfound powers. (Ages 12 and up)	2
2	THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up)	68
3	CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic, $17.99.) The protagonist of "The Hunger Games" returns. (Ages 12 and up)	17
4	FALLEN, by Lauren Kate. (Delacorte, $17.99.) Thwarted love among misfits at a Savannah, Ga., boarding school. (Ages 12 and up)	3
5	BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. (Little, Brown, $17.99.) A secret wrapped in a Southern Gothic novel. (Ages 12 and up)	4
6	SHIVER, by Maggie Stiefvater. (Scholastic Press/Scholastic, $17.99.) Love among the lupine. (Ages 12 and up)	22
7	WHEN YOU REACH ME, by Rebecca Stead. (Wendy Lamb, $15.99.) A sixth-grade girl in New York City begins receiving mysterious notes. (Ages 9 to 12)	8
8	THE MAGICIAN'S ELEPHANT, by Kate DiCamillo and Yoko Tanaka. (Candlewick, $16.99.) An orphan in search of his sister follows a fortuneteller’s mysterious instructions. (Ages 7 and up)	16
9	TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, $18.99.) A novel in verse about five teenagers who become prostitutes. (Ages 14 and up)	15
10	THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, by Neil Gaiman. Illustrated by Dave McKean. (HarperCollins, $17.99.) To avoid a killer, a boy takes up residence in a cemetery. Excerpt (Ages 10 and up)

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
 Here is the list of Paperback books:

PAPERBACK BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. (Knopf, $11.99.) A girl saves books from Nazi burning. Excerpt (Ages 14 and up)	120
2	THIRST NO. 1, by Christopher Pike. (Simon Pulse, $9.99.) A reissue of "The Last Vampire" (1994), "Black Blood" (1994) and "Red Dice" (1995). (Ages 14 and up)	21
3	THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. (Puffin, $8.99.) A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)	49
4	DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. (Simon & Schuster, $9.99.) A school for psychic teens, not to mention vampires. (Ages 14 and up)	16
5	MILES TO GO, by Miley Cyrus. (Disney-Hyperion, $12.99.) A star’s life, so far. (Ages 9 to 12)	1
6	GRACELING, by Kristin Cashore. (Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $9.99.) A girl with special talents is also valued for her warrior attributes. (Ages 14 and up)	13
7	THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Ellen Forney. (Little, Brown, $8.99.) A young boy leaves his reservation for an all-white school. (Ages 12 and up)	39
8	THE TEEN VOGUE HANDBOOK, . (Razorbill, $24.95.) A how-to guide for careers in the fashion world. (Ages 12 and up)	2
9	LOCK AND KEY, by Sarah Dessen. (Speak, $8.99.) A crack appears in a girl’s cynicism. (Ages 12 and up)	18
10	GONE, by Michael Grant. (HarperTeen, $9.99.) Adults disappear; so do communication networks. (Ages 12 and up)

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Here is the list of Series books:

SERIES BOOKS
This Week		Weeks on List
1	THE TWILIGHT SAGA, by Stephenie Meyer. (Megan Tingley/Little, Brown, hardcover and paper) Vampires and werewolves in school. (Ages 12 and up)	125
2	DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. (Abrams, hardcover only) The travails of adolescence, in cartoons. (Ages 9 to 12)	50
3	PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, hardcover and paper) Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)	129
4	HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. (St. Martin’s, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)	70
5	VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith. (HarperTeen, hardcover and paper) Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)	35
6	HARRY POTTER, by J. K. Rowling. (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, hardcover and paper) A young wizard hones his skills while fighting evil. (Ages 10 and up)	231
7	THE ALEX RIDER ADVENTURES, by Anthony Horowitz. (Philomel/Speak, hardcover and paper) A young spy follows in his father’s stealthy footsteps. (Ages 10 and up)	60
8	THE IMMORTALS, by Alyson Noël. (St. Martin’s/Griffin, hardcover and paper) Love and angst of the supernatural variety. (Ages 14 and up)	6
9	THE 39 CLUES, by various authors. (Scholastic, hardcover only) A brother and sister travel the world in search of the key to their family’s power. (Ages 9 to 12)	33
10	VAMPIRE ACADEMY, by Richelle Mead. (Razorbill, paper only) Undead boarding school. (Ages 12 and up)

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I added more copies of  Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and J.K Rowlings' "Harry Potter" series books to my school library today. I am certain that my students are chomping at the bit to come into the library on Thursday and check out all of these books!!!!!!! I will let you know!

Happy Reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until then!!

A children's book a day, will keep the scary monster away!