January's Sparrow

by Patricia Polacco

This beautifully formatted books tells the poignant story of slaves scaping on the Undeground Railway. While having longer text, the pictures in every page will lend to a great read-aloud. The story is easily accessible to younger elementary students, while still maintaining the integrity of the story and the shocking way slaves were treated. I highly recommend this book as an addition to the study of the Civil War and/or the Underground Railroad!

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Come to the Fairies' Ball

by Jane Yolen

I fell in love with this book the moment I opened it! Words that have such rhythm that they sing-out to be voiced aloud! Such pictures - pictures that you want to spend hours devouring, pictures by Gary Lippincott that have the most wonderful surprises and fun as you delve into them! The story starts with an invitation to the Fairy Ball and all the fairies trying to find their best attire. But one fairy, well, her dress is "a-tatter" and she can't go to the ball. A fairy Cinderella if you will . . . and I won't spoil the ending!

Shiver - A Great Read for Twilight Fans

by Maggie Stiefvater

Look closely on that cover...do you see it? A wolf (or werewolf)! In this book, a young girl is attacked by wolves! During the attack one lone wolf drags Grace to safety and she is haunted for year by a yearning for him and his eyes. Could it be love at first sight? One day, Grace sets-out to stop the townspeople from hunting the wolves and ends up saving "her" wolf...only after he is shot. In his pain, he begins to change right before her eyes . . . change into a young man.

This compelling books is the story of Grace and Sam. It is filled with a bittersweet romance as Sam realizes that this may be his last change into a human. He dreads the coming of winter and the change....What will Grace do? Will she lose her true love? Will the wolf pack reclaim Sam? Will the wolves turn more teens?

Morning

Just a few early morning reflections . . .

There's nothing like knowing you get to go work in a building full of books every day! I'm the first one here most mornings, and the building just breathes the air of stories waiting to be read. I love that scene in "You've Got Mail" when Meg Ryan is walking through the streets of New York on her way to open up her book store. All I need are some flowers! :)

Here goes another week in library-land.

Harry Potter Day

Give a bunch of kids marshmallows, clay, dry spaghetti, and toothpicks and tell them to make a ferris wheel model. Well, as crazy as it sounds, that's just what I'm about to do. Our final Harry Potter Club House challenge takes place tonight and I've got the vacuum cleaner primed and ready to go. How do I keep my sanity? "It's all fun! Find the joy!" And designate kids to be responsible for the clean-up!