Poetry Month for Kids

April is National Poetry Month! Now is the perfect time to check out a book of poetry. There are many great ones to choose from! Here are a few recommendations of recently published works of poetry for children.

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
Originally published by Golden Press in 1951, this new edition features restored artwork and classic poems for children. (Kindergarten - Grade 3)

Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer
A lovely story about a young boy who asks all the animals he passes in the park, "What is poetry?" Together, they discover poetry all around. (Kindergarten - Grade 3)

Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko
Short poems on seasons and the natural world. (Grades 1-3)

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives & Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
A 2017 Newbery Honor Book and a 2017 Coretta Scott King Author & Illustrator Honor Book. This award winning poetry collection creates a powerful picture of the lives of 11 slaves. (Grades 4-6)

A Great Big Cuddle: Poems for the Very Young by Michael Rosen
Silly rhymes and poems full of great rhythm. (Toddler-Preschool)

One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes
A collection of poems celebrating the poets of the Harlem Renaissance accompanied by beautiful artwork and historical notes. (Grades 5-8)

Somos como las nubes / We Are Like The Clouds by Jorge Argueta, translated by Elisa Amado
Bilingual poems that describe the experiences and emotions of children refugees and immigrants. (Grades 3-6)

Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems by Bob Raczka
A delightful collection of poems presented in interesting, visually appealing pages. (Grades 3-6)

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano
Short poems that capture a child's view of the different seasons. (Kindergaten - Grade 3)

For more resources on sharing poetry with children, check out the Poetry Foundation. Did you know that the Poetry Foundation appoints a Young Peoples Poet Laureate every two years? Author Jacqueline Woodson is currently serving in this role! You can learn more about the Young People's Poet Laureate here. This person "aims to raise awareness that young people have a nation receptivity to poetry and are its most appreciate audience, especially when poems are written specifically for them."

Happy Poetry Month!

JANE AUSTEN RETELLINGS

Next month, our book club will be reading Emma by Alexander McCall Smith.  This is a modern retelling of the Jane Austen classic.  In this version of the story, Emma Woodhouse returns home after school to live with her widowed father and to start her own interior design business.  While home, she is busy with the things she does best: matchmaking and offering advice. 

Want more?  Try out one of these Jane Austen retellings:

Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid
Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
The Dashwood Sisters Tell All by Beth Pattillo

Want to read the original stories?  We have those too!

Northanger Abbey
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Mansfield Park
Persuasion
Emma

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BOOK MADNESS 2017

Book Madness is back!  While many are turning their heads toward college basketball for the NCAA tournament, we are watching the most popular books from 2016 compete in their own tournament.  We won't know which book will win until April, but it will be fun to see how things shake out.

Last year's final four books were The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Liar by Nora Roberts, Gray Mountain by John Grisham, and The Maze Runner by James Dashner.  Ultimately, The Nightingale came out on top.


After the weekend, we have narrowed our competitors down to the Sweet Sixteen! 

Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich (8)
Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben (4)
The Last Mile by David Baldacci (3)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (7)
15th Affair by James Patterson (1)
Extreme Prey by John Sandford (4)
Off the Grid by C.J. Box (11)
See Me by Nicholas Sparks (2)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (1)
The Guilty by David Baldacci (4)
Blue by Danielle Steel (3)
Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb(7)
Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham (1)
X by Sue Grafton (4)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (3)
Private Paris by James Patterson (2)

To take a look at the complete bracket or see the complete book list, stop by the library's book madness display!
 
Pictures from rockcat.als.lib.wi.us

THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Regen Barnhill is the winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal.  The Newbery Medal is awarded each year by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year.  For more information on the Newbery Medal, or to see past winners, visit: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal

The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a fantasy tale about a girl raised by a witch.  Every year the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch in order to keep her from hurting the town.  However, the witch, Xan, is actually kind.  She rescues the children and delivers them to families on the other side of the forest, feeding them starlight on the way.  One year, she accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead.  This gives the child magic abilities.  Xan decides that she must raise this girl (who she names Luna) as her own.  In order to keep Luna safe from her own power, Xan locks it deep inside Luna.  Then, on her 13th birthday, Luna's magical abilities begin to emerge.  At the same time, a young man from the Protectorate has decided to free his people by killing the witch.  It will be up to Luna to protect those she loves.

Already finished The Girl Who Drank the Moon?  Then, give one of these a try!

When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

The Runway Princess by Kate Coombs

Howl's Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones

Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire

The Door by the Staircase by Katherine Marsh

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BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S

This month we will be reading Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's for Book to Movie Club. Truman Capote is a novelist and playwright; he wrote numerous short stories, novels, and plays.  He is best known for Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood.  Breakfast at Tiffany's is a novella that centers around Holly Golightly, and it was made into a movie starring Audrey Hepburn in 1961.

If you enjoyed Breakfast at Tiffany's, you may like some of these works as well.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
Tenth of December by George Saunders
Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon
Slade House by David Mitchell

If you enjoyed Audrey Hepburn's performance, then you may want to check out some of her other films.

Roman Holiday
Sabrina
War and Peace
Funny Face
The Children's Hour
Charade
My Fair Lady
How to Steal a Million

Pictures from http://syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=0792158091/lc.jpg&client=arrowheadlbs&type=rn12 and http://syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=0679745653/lc.jpg&client=arrowheadlbs&type=rn12

New Baby Booklist

Parents often ask for books to help explain and prepare children for changes in their lives. One of the biggest changes in a young child's life can be adding a new sibling to the family. There are lots of great books about this topic to help calm fears, answer questions, and build excitement. Here are a few of our favorites:

A Baby Sister for Frances by Russell Hoban
Frances learns to cope with all the changes in her home after the arrival of her new sibling.

Julius: The Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes
Lilly is distraught when her new baby brother gets all the attention from her new parents - she just doesn't see what's so great about him until her cousin garland challenges her to stand up for her new baby brother.

One Special Day by Lola Schaefer
Spencer can be wild as a tiger and strong as a bear. One special day he learns how to be a big brother.

I'm a Big Sister and I'm a Big Brother by Joanna Cole
A brightly illustrated book celebrating the addition of a new sibling to a family from the perspective of the older child.



The New Small Person by Lauren Child
Lauren Child's humorous style shines in this story of Elmore's family as they welcome a new baby sister.

What to Expect When the New Baby Comes Home by Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff
A guide for young children that will answer their questions about having a new baby at home.

Will You Still Love Me? by Carol Roth
A sweet tale to calm fears of a new big sibling.

Many favorite characters have tales of becoming a big sibling.
Angelina's Baby Sister by Katharine Holabird
Arthur's New Baby by Marc Brown
The Berenstain Bears' New Baby by Stan Berenstain
Big Brother Daniel (Daniel Tiger) by Angela Santomero
Biscuit and the Baby by Alyssa Capucilli
Cornelius R. Mud, Are You Ready For Baby? by Barney Saltzberg
Franklin's Baby Sister by Paulette Bourgeois
Froggy's Baby Sister by Jonathan London
The New Baby (Little Critter) by Mercer Mayer
Spot's Baby Sister by Eric Hill

Young Love

Our Young Adult collection is full of great stories - adventure, horror, magic, coming of age, and so much more. This week we're highlighting some of the great love stories that can be found in the YA collection.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
This 2017 Printz Honor Book tells the story of Daniel and Natasha, who meet by chance on the street in New York City on very important days for both of them. Natasha, an undocumented immigrant, is hours away from being deported, and Daniel is on his way to an important college interview that seems like the first step of the rest of his life. Fans will also enjoy Yoon's debut novel Everything, Everything.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Eleanor and Park don't fit in. One school year they find each other in this touching story of first love. Fans of of this will also enjoy Rowell's other books Fangirl and Carry On.

When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
A girl named Honey and a boy named Moon find themselves and love and in this magical story. Longlisted for the 2016 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Anna is reluctantly spending her senior year at a boarding school in France, instead of at home with her friends in Atlanta. Anna falls in love with the city with the help of her new beau. Etienne St. Clair. This is the first in the series.

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
The latest installment from Laura Jean, the main character in To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Laura is still writing love letters, but this time her heart is torn between two love interests.

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
Two students meet in a creative writing class. Their love story is told through the eyes of everyone around them, their teacher, the barista at Starbucks, and more.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen is well known for her love stories like The Moon and More and Lock and Key. Saint Anything tells the story of Sydney whose is dealing with the aftermath of her brother's drunk driving accident. She discovers forgiveness, friendship, and love. Look for her newest book Once and For All, out this summer!

No YA romance list would be complete without John Green. His love stories like The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns have been made into hit movies. Read his first novel, Looking for Alaska. before it hits the big screen!

And if you're not a fan of happy endings try Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler to witness the heartbreaking unraveling of a relationship.