NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH

November is National Adoption Month.  This is an initiative of the Children's Bureau that seeks to increase awareness and bring attention to the need for families for children and youth in the foster care system.  This year's theme is Teens Need Families, No Matter What.  Oftentimes, teens will age out of the foster care system without a stable support system.

For more information about adoption and this year's initiative, visit https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/nam/about/ and https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb

Here is a list of some books centering around adoption, foster care, and adopted main characters.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Door by the Staircase by Katherine Marsh
Bo at Ballard Creek by Kirkpatrick Hill
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
One For the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

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Thor & Ragnarok: A Super Book List for Teens

Are you excited for the next installment of the Marvel superhero movies? Thor: Ragnarok comes out next week. This movie pits Thor, the superhero character based on the Norse deity, against the Hulk as he fights to save the world. If you're a fan of these movies, you might enjoy some of these books.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series by Rick Riordan
There are two books out in this series, The Sword of Summer, and The Hammer of Thor, with more to come. Similar to Riordan's other series, this one follows a young man who finds out he is the son of a Norse god.

Thor: Viking God of Thunder by Graeme Davis
A non-fictional account of the legend of Thor and its historical context.

The Blackwell Pages Series by Kelly Armstrong
A trilogy for a slightly younger audience about thirteen year old descendants of the gods who must fight for their survival as Ragnarok approaches

Treasury of Norse Mythology: Stories of Intrigue, Trickery, Love, and Revenge by Donna Jo Napoli
An illustrated collection of Norse myths with art by Christina Balit. For a more in depth telling of these stories, try Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology.

The World According to Thor by Mark Sumerac
An in depth look at Asgard's mighty warrior, Thor, with illustrations by Freddie E. Williams II.

If you can't wait for the new movie, check out one of these other films featuring Thor!

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Winnie-the-Pooh

Winnie-the-Pooh has been a beloved character of children for decades. This month our Book Buddies group, a book club for kids in grades K-2, was all about A. A. Milne's characters in the 100 Acre Woods. There are so many Pooh stories by the original author A.A. Milne, lots of Disney adaptations, and books about A. A. Milne and the origin of Winnie the Pooh. Below is a list of some newer books to check out and old classics to read again.

Recently Published Books
The Best Bear in All the World: In Which We Join Winnie-the-Pooh for a Year of Adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood by Paul Bright, Brian Sibley, Jeanne Willis, and Kate Saunders
Published in 2016 in honor of the 90th anniversary of A. A. Milne's original story. This collection of short stories are based on the Pooh stories by A. A. Milne with decorations by Mark Burgess in the style of E. H. Shepard.

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick
This book published in 2015 tells the story of the real life Winnie the Pooh, a bear that inspired A. A. Milne's stories.

Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker
Another book published in 2015 about the real life bear.

The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh; A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood by Kathryn Aalto.
This title, geared towards adults, brings to life the setting and time period of Pooh's creation.

Original Stories by A. A. Milne
The Complete Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh
The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh
The House on Pooh Corner
Winnie-the-Pooh

If you browse our catalog, you'll find many versions of the original stories and of newer adaptations in board books, picture books, and easy readers. There are also many movies about Pooh and his friends!

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Children's Books About Bats!

This week we are so excited to host a special guest, a bat biologist from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, for Bats of Wisconsin LIVE! Our guest will teach us about the importance of bats and unearth some mysteries of Wisconsin's bats. She'll also be accompanied by live bat ambassadors, including a fruit bat native to Africa!

To learn more about these amazing animals, check out one of these books today. You can also visit the Wisconsin Bat Program to learn more.


Bat Hospital by Care Hibbert
Information about bats receiving care and re-entering the wild. Image Source

Bats by Martha E. H. Rustad
A short, non-fiction introduction to bats.

Bats: Learning to Fly by Falynn Koch
This non-fictional graphic novel follows a brown bat who is injured by humans on a nature hike to a rehabilitation center where he meets many different species of bats. Image

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies
A fictional story about a group of cute and lovable bats exploring their local library! Other titlesin this picture book series are Bats at the Ballgame, Bats at the Beach, and Bats in the Band. Image Source



The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery by Sandra Markle
A team of scientists investigate why so many little brown bats are dying. Learn about why these bats are important to humans and how you can help protect your local bats.

Nightsong by Ari Berk
An adorable, young bat is afraid to fly on his own. He finds a way to rely on himself to be brave and stay safe.

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
The classic picture book about a baby bat who is raised by a group of birds when it accidentally falls into their nest. Image Source

STEAMpunks Reading List: Balloons

Today is our first STEAMpunks event of the school year! This popular program for kids in grades K-5 occurs on no school days in our district. Each event has fun, educational activities that incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM).

Our activities today are all centered around the theme of balloons! Kids love balloons, and they are full of endless opportunities for play and discovery. Here are a few book titles to pair with any balloon loving kids.

Fiction Stories with Balloons

Can One Balloon Make an Elephant Fly? By Dan Richard
A King Seen From the Sky by Bruno Gibert
Max and Maddy and the Bursting Balloons Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith
My Red Balloon by Kazuaki Yamada
Perfectly Percy by Paul Schmid
Please Bring Balloons by Lindsay Ward
Sea Serpants Don't Juggle Water Balloons by Debbie Dadey
Sebastian and The Balloon by Philip C. Stead
Skunk on a String by Thao Lam

Non-Fiction about Balloons

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet
Hot Air Balloons by Mari Schuh
How Do Hot Air Balloons Work? By Buffy Silverman
How To Make Balloon Animals by Megan Atwood
The Kid's Guide to Balloon Twisting by Brad and Cindy Trusty
Super Simple Things To Do With Balloons: Fun and easy Science for Kids by Kelly Doudna

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National Hispanic Heritage Month: Books for Kids & Teens

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually from September 15-October. This month celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

There are so many fantastic books to read in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month! Here are a few of our staff favorites for kids & teens!

Kids
Ten Little Puppies / Diez Perritos by Alma Flor Ada
An adaptation of a traditional Spanish nursery rhyme with adorable illustrations by Isabel F. Campoy told in both English and Spanish. (Ages 0-5)

Niño Wrestles the World and Rudas : Niño's Horrendous Hermanitas by Yuyi Morales
Brightly illustrated stories about Niño, a huge Lucha Libre fan, and his imaginative life. (Ages 2-7)

Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina
An award winning first chapter book about Juana, a young girl from Colombia, and Lucas her dog and her best friend. (Ages 6-10)

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
This debut novel published in 2017 follows Malu, a punk rocker at heart, as she starts a new school in Chicago while trying to understand her Mexican American identity. (Ages 7-12)

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
A wonderfully told story about a young girl and her mother who must leave their comfortable life in Mexico to work as farm laborers in California set in the early 1900s. (Ages 10-14)


Teens
Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings by Margarita Engle
A poetic memoir about the author's childhood spent in Cuba and California.

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
A new release from the author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe about best friends, growing up, family, and figuring it all out.

The Living & The Hunted by Matt De La Peña
Award winning books by a multiple award winning author! In The Living and The Hunted a young man named Sky's world is shaken by massive natural disasters and Sky must fight to survive.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
An award winning story about a teen girl named Piddy Sanchez trying to find her way in a new school and neighborhood.

For more suggestions of great books for kids and teens check out past winners of the Pura Belpré Award. This honor is awarded annually a Latino/Latina author and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.


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BANNED BOOKS WEEK

It's Banned Books Week!  This is an annual event, usually held during the last week of September, in which we celebrate the freedom to read.  Every year, books are challenged and/or removed from public and school libraries.  The Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of the top ten most challenged books each year.  The 2016 list is available here: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10#2016

For more information on Banned Books Week, visit http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/ or http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned

Here are a few books that have been challenged and/or banned in the last 25 years.

Children's Books:
George by Alex Gino
Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Young Adult Books:
Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman
Forever by Judy Blume
The Giver by Lois Lowry

Adult Books:
Make Something Up by Chuck Palahniuk

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger





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