Kids\' Blog

Magic Below Stairs

Chris L. — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:00:39 +0000

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer

Frederick is an orphan. The orphanage is a very unpleasant place, so he is trying to learn as much as he can from the cook so that he can join the navy as soon as he is old enough. Then a wizard’s servant comes to the orphanage to hire a new footboy for his master, and Frederick is the one chosen. Frederick still has a few worries, though: What will it be like, working for a wizard? And who, or what, is Billy Bly, the tiny man Frederick sometimes sees or hears just at the edge of sleep?

I just loved this story. It reminded me a bit of Mairelon the Magician by Patricia Wrede, a long-time favorite of mine. Frederick has more going for him than he knows, and he needs it all before the story’s done, what with the remnant of an old curse (supposedly broken) on his master’s house coming back for one more try. Frederick’s new frien Bess, the scullery maid, is a great character too. She helps Frederick get his feet under him in his new situation, and is willing to believe and help Frederick when he needs it most. And I have to say, I really enjoyed learning the truth about Billy Bly!

Chris LeMieux

Ortega by Maureen Fergus

smiller — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:23:08 +0000

The first day at middle school can be scary, especially if you are a lowland gorilla. In Ortega by Maureen Fergus, Ortega was taken from his mother as an infant and given corrective surgery so he can speak. His handlers have taught him to read and write and now they want to see if he can integrate at school. Ortega worries that the kids will think he is a freak. After a rough start, Ortega makes some friends. But then the scientist in charge of the program decides to shut it down and sell Ortega to a zoo. Ortega runs away and it is up to his friends to save him. I loved this book because it made me think about what it means to be a person and about how we can be really different and still be true friends.

~ Susanne Miller, Youth Services Librarian, South Hill Library

Smells like Dog

smiller — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:58:44 +0000

I just read a really fun book called Smells like Dog by Suzanne Selfors. Homer Pudding lives on a goat farm, but he wants to be a treasure hunter like his Uncle Drake. When Drake is eaten by a giant tortoise, Homer inherits a basset hound who has lost his sense of smell but has a mysterious gold coin on his collar. When Homer breaks into the town library to research the coin, he accidentally burns it down. Now he has to go to the city to discover what really happened to his uncle, find the treasure, and get enough money to rebuild the library.
~ Susanne Miller, Youth Services Librarian, South Hill Library

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure - a story in the making

Sumi — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:38:38 +0000

From the Library of Congress’ Read.gov site:

“Ever heard of an Exquisite Corpse? It’s not what you might think. An Exquisite Corpse is an old game in which people write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold it over to conceal part of it and pass it on to the next player to do the same. The game ends when someone finishes the story, which is then read aloud.”

Jon Scieszka wrote the first episode of this story and is passing it along to some favorite authors and illustrators to keep the story going. A new chapter is added to the story every two weeks. So far, Katherine Paterson, Kate DiCamillo, Megan McDonald, Steven Kellogg, and Lemony Snicket have all contributed, just to name a few. Chapter 22, another one by Lemony Snicket, is due out on July 16th. You can read or listen to the story here. The website also has a game that you can play as you progress through the story. The story will be finished in September, so you still have plenty of time to get caught up before the ending is revealed. I’ve only read the first two chapters, but some of my favorite authors are working on this project, so I’m excited to keep reading.

~Sumi Shadduck, YS Librarian, Downtown

Werewolf Club by Daniel Pinkwater

smiller — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:43:32 +0000

I just finished laughing through the first two Werewolf Club books by Daniel Pinkwater. Norman Gnormal, fourth grader at Watson Elementary is having a hard time at school. His parents had wanted a dog and raised him as a puppy. Now he’s getting into trouble for growling at the other students and keeping meat in his desk. And someone has forged his name to a signup sheet for the after school Werewolf Club. In book one, The Magic Pretzel, the club’s faculty advisor is cursed with permanent werewolfism and the kids in the club try to save him by finding a magic pretzel. In The Lunchroom of Doom the Werewolf Club kids, banned from the school lunchroom, have to find another place to eat. But Honest Tom’s Tibetan-American Lunchroom, owned by S. [short for space] Alien, may not be the safest place.

~Susanne Miller, Youth Services Librarian , South Hill Library

Summer Reading Begins!

Sumi — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:05:32 +0000

Want a free book? You can get one by participating in the Summer Reading program at Spokane Public Libraries. All you need to do is sign up at a library branch or online and then read 15 books or for 15 hours. Bring in a completed reading log to SPL and you get to pick a book to keep. We’ve also got lots of programming going on to keep you entertained throughout the summer. Check out the Summer Reading website to see the schedule of events!

~Sumi, YS Librarian Downtown

Book Reviews by Kids

jbolon — Sat, 15 May 2010 21:46:52 +0000

Come to the Shadle Library and find a good read from the display of Kid’s Book Reviews provided by the students of combined 1st and 2nd grades at Willard Elementary. Their display will be up on the bulletin board in the Children’s area through May. I’m impressed with what they’ve read and you will be too!

Jill, Youth Services Librarian, Shadle

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Sumi — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:03:12 +0000

I just listened to a Savvy by Ingrid Law on CD and I loved it! It’s the story of Mississippi (Mibs) Beaumont who’s about to turn 13. Thirteenth birthdays mean a lot in her family. That’s when kids start to exhibit their savvy, which you could also call a particular knack for something. Savvies in the Beaumont family include the ability to control wind and electricity, as well as the ability to do everything perfectly. Mibs is excited for her birthday, but also a little worried because savvies can be pretty out of control at first - her brother caused a hurricane on his thirteenth birthday! Just before Mibs’ birthday her dad is injured in a car accident, which throws everything into a tailspin and leads to some Beaumont family adventures as Mibs tries to figure out her talent and how she can help her family. The audiobook is so beautifully read by Lily Blau that it’s now on my list of favorite audio productions. If you’d rather read it in print, click here.

~Sumi, Youth Services Librarian, Downtown

Kelly Milner Halls at the East Side Library

Sally Chilson — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:19:38 +0000

Kelly Milner Halls will be making an appearnance and leading activities at the East Side Library on Tuesday May 25 at 4:00pm. Her visit will be geared toward our preschool and early elementary aged customers. Kelly is the author of many books including Dinosaur Parade.

Wimpy!

esilverstone — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:53:46 +0000

Fifty people coming to the Shadle Library to celebrate Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney was definitely not a wimpy showing. Click here to find out when the Diary of a Wimpy Kid program will be at a library near you!