Kids
The Monkey Trial : John Scopes and the battle over teaching evolution
Anita Sanchez
CATALOGING /
Kids, Science, History
"Arrested? For teaching? John Scopes's crime riveted the world, and crowds flocked to the trial of the man who dared to tell students about a forbidden topic--evolution. The year was 1925, and discussing Darwin's theory of evolution was illegal in Tennessee classrooms. Lawyers wanted to challenge the law, and businessmen smelled opportunity. But no one imagined the firestorm the Scopes Trial would ignite--or the media circus that would follow. As reporters, souvenir-hawking vendors, angry protestors, and even real monkeys mobbed the courthouse, a breathless public followed the action live on national radio broadcasts. All were fascinated by the bitter duel between science and religion, an argument that boiled down to the question of who controls what students can learn--an issue that resonates to this day."--Page [2] of cover.
Bea Wolf.
Zach Author Weinersmith
Kids, Graphic Novels, Adventure, Literary Fiction
A modern middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Beowulf, featuring a gang of troublemaking kids who must defend their tree house from a fun-hating adult who can instantly turn children into grown-ups. Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call! Somewhere in a generic suburb stands Treeheart, a kid-forged sanctuary where generations of tireless tykes have spent their youths making merry, spilling soda, and staving off the shadow of adulthood. One day, these brave warriors find their fun cut short by their nefarious neighbor Grindle, who can no longer tolerate the sounds of mirth seeping into his joyless adult life. As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior―a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded. They call for Bea Wolf.
New middle grade graphic novel alert! Bea Wolf is a modern middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Beowulf. I would have loved to have read Bea's story in school instead of of Beo's. Even still this amazingly creative retelling also mimics the original's language by using alliteration throughout. Kids will enjoy this retelling, and not realize they’re also learning about a great classic! Plus, it was laugh out loud funny in many parts; a true delight! -Angie
A tulip in winter : a story about folk artist Maud Lewis
Kathy Stinson
j759.11 Lewis
Art / Art History, Kids, Biographies
"A celebration of a beloved folk artist, and her artistic expression of joy and beauty. Known for her vibrant and cheerful paintings of landscapes, plants, and animals, Maud Lewis' iconic folk art is celebrated around the world. Despite her beautiful art, she spent much of her life living in poverty with rheumatoid arthritis. In this stunning picture book, author Kathy Stinson and illustrator Lauren Soloy bring Maud's world to life: how she captured in her art what she loved most, while navigating the mobility issues caused by her condition. From bright paintings of the sea and countryside, to the flowers and birds she painted on the walls of the small house she shared with her husband, Maud's work continues to delight and inspire viewers young and old."--
Maud Lewis' lively, colorful paintings were inspired by the countryside around her tiny house in Nova Scotia. Disabled by severe rheumatoid arthritis, and with options further limited by poverty, Lewis lived in a tiny house she decorated by painting flowers all over the stairs, walls, and many of her belongings, along with creating landscapes on scraps of wood and cardboard from the dump. Today, her house can be seen, in its entirety, inside the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, where it was moved after her death in 1970. -Anne W
Apple crush
Lucy Knisley
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Knisley
Graphic Novels, Kids
"Jen is just getting used to her life on Peapod Farm with her new stepsisters, Andy and Reese, but when the school year starts, there are even more changes in store for her."--
I read the prequel to this graphic novel, "Stepping Stones" immediately before diving into "Apple Crush," and I enjoyed them both very much. I have read several of Knisley's adult graphic novels, and am always really drawn towards her illustration style. Both of these stories are semi-autobiographical, and I think a lot of children who have gone through their parents divorce will relate to her experience. "Stepping Stones" is about Jen learning how to live and work on a farm, while "Apple Crush" is more about her adjusting to a new school and the social pressures that come with middle school. Jen gets her first job on a pumpkin patch, and I think most readers will feel a longing for crisp, fall weather, hot cider, and trick-or-treating no matter what season it is currently. I can't wait to find out what the next season holds for Peapod Farm! -Mari
Leeva at last
Sara Pennypacker
jFICTION Pennypacker, Sara
Kids
What are people for? That's the burning question on the mind of Leeva Spayce Thornblossom. Fame! says Leeva's mom, the mayor of Nutsmore. Money! says her dad, the town treasurer. With the help of an orphaned badger, a risk-averse boy in a hazmat suit, and the town's librarians, Leeva sets off to discover her own answer--setting off a chain of events that will change Nutsmore forever.
If you enjoy the spirited early-chapter-book Clementine series about an eccentric and opinionated 8-year-old girl and the people in her apartment building, or Pax, the moving middle grade story of the bond between a boy and a fox and the lengths they'll go to in order to reunite after tragedy, try Sara Pennypacker's new middle grade novel, Leeva at Last. Perfectly paired with Matthew Cordell's scratchy illustrations, Leeva at Last is a quest/coming-of-age story that is totally hilarious, profound, and features some fantastic librarians. -Anne W
The last mapmaker
Christina Soontornvat
jFICTION Soontornvat, Christina
Adventure, Fiction, Fantasy, Kids
A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. This is the story of a young woman's struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. As assistant to Mangkon's most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman - and in a kingdom where the status of one's ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn't the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands - a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining - she must weigh the cost of her dreams. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as intricate as the maps of old.
I recently read a graphic novel by Soontornvat that I enjoyed about cheerleading, and though its a very different genre, I enjoyed both. This is a great adventure story with an element of fantasy and a strong female protagonist! -Mari
Beneath
Cori Doerrfeld
jE Doerrfel
Picture Books, Kids, Nature
Finn is in a bad mood, so his grandfather takes him on a walk in the forest, and tells him about all the things that are beneath the surface of plants and animals--and even people.
Beneath this cover is a touching story about recognizing what we cannot see in our world and in one another. Cori Doerrfeld's illustrations and prose make for an emotional yet healing read. Readers will be rewarded by spending some time with the endsheets and exploring what lies beneath the dust jacket as well. -Casey
The real Dada Mother Goose : a treasury of complete nonsense
Jon Scieszka
jE Scieszka
Classics, Humor, Picture Books, Kids
"The classic nursery rhymes we know and love--upside-down, backward, in gibberish, and fresh out of bounds--as only Jon Scieszka could stage them. Mother knows best, but sometimes a little nonsense wins the day. Inspired by Dadaism's rejection of reason and rational thinking, and in cahoots with Blanche Fisher Wright's The Real Mother Goose, this anthology of absurdity unravels the fabric of classic nursery rhymes and stitches them back together (or not quite together) in every clever way possible."
The Real Dada Mother Goose is a delight! Anyone well versed in Mother Goose owes this one a perusal. -Casey
One winter up north
John Owens
jE Owens
Picture Books, Kids
"In winter the Boundary Waters, way up north in Minnesota, is not the same place you canoed last summer--but still it beckons and welcomes you. Grab a pack, strap on snowshoes, make a path (Oh! they take some getting used to!), and venture out across the frozen lakes and through the snowy woods. The vast wintery world here is so still and quiet, you might think you're all alone--but no! Who made these tracks? A deer? A hare? A fox? And far off there's a musher, making tracks with his sled dogs. It's a magical place. The bright sun brilliant on the snow, the sparkling silence--wait, is that a wolf calling? Try to answer! And when the dark descends, the stars and pine trees holding up the night, your nose gets cold and it's back to camp, to your warm winter tent, where Father feeds the stove with wood you gathered, Mother snuggles into her big sleeping bag, and you curl up in the fire's glow and know that in your dreams and memories you will return again and again to this one winter up north."--Provided by publisher.
Create some cozy winter feelings with this wordless picture book depicting a family's adventures snowshoeing and camping in the Superior National Forest in winter. Beautiful winter landscapes are depicted in sweeping, gentle watercolors. -Anne W
My Pokémon cookbook : delicious recipes inspired by Pikachu and friends
Victoria Rosenthal
Explore culinary delights from across the Pokémon universe in this official cookbook. Featuring favorite flavors from every region, dive into dishes that celebrate the world of Pokémon and fuel up for your next battle! Perfect for fans of all ages, My Pokémon Cookbook is the perfect addition to any Pokémon Trainer's kitchen. --
Do I play the Pokémon trading card game? Nope! Have I played the videogames? Nope! Do I watch the show? Not in 25 years or so! Do I love this cookbook? YUP! The first recipe is a Pokémon Poke Bowl, which is both clever and delicious. I found the recipes in this book both irresistibly adorable and delicious, and I think some of the Pokémon are so cute! Look out for an entire week of Pokémon programming the first week of 2023!! -Mari
Who controls what students can learn - parents or the government? What takes precendence, science or religion? What happens when scientific evidence is turned into a political battle? Find out in this book for young readers about - you guessed it! - the 1925 trial of science teacher John Scopes, who defied the law by teaching about Darwin's theory of evolution in the classroom. Whether the cyclical nature of these struggles provides a comfort or makes you feel hopeless, there's no doubt that history repeats itself. Find out what lessons the "Monkey Trial" holds for us today in this new book aimed at 8-12-year-olds. -Anne W