Today's Book

I recently The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. A new addition to the children's library, I have seen it showing up on many mock Newbery lists. The book cover shows a hound dog and kittens underneath a porch and the jacket flap leads one to believe that it is a simple animal story. Rest assured, there is nothing simple about this multi-layered fantasy about good and evil, love and hate and all its power.
The story is set in a bayou where an evil man, known as Gar Face, lives with a hound dog. His is a sad story but he is not a sympathetic character. He traps and skins animals and mistreats the old dog. A mother cat, seeking refuge, moves in with the dog under the porch despite the constant threat that she and her kittens will be discovered. The kittens are special and must survive.
There is an old tree, dying in the bayou. At its roots is a jar containing a cotton mouth snake, a selkie thousands of years old. Her story is told alternately with the cat's story in a gripping tale that you can't put down. The past and the present collide in an unforgettable climax that the reader won't soon forget.
Expecting one thing in a book and getting another was not wholly unpleasant. This story grabbed me and held me from beginning to end with a satisfying enough ending which demonstrates while evil and hate are strong, love can conquer all.
This book is suitable for readers at the 4th or 5th grade level and above. If you read it, let me know what you think.

Book of the Day

Tonight we are having a Fancy Nancy party at the library. Everyone is going to dress in their fanciest clothes and have fancy snacks and fancy crafts with lots of glitter! There are lots of books for the fancy readers out there.
Jane O'Connor has written three Fancy Nancy picture books which are illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. These are Fancy Nancy, Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy and Fancy Nancy, Bonjour Butterfly. These books have hardly stayed on the shelf. We added two Fancy Nancy beginning readers: Fancy Nancy and the Boy from Paris and Fancy Nancy at the Museum. On a book shopping expedition last week, we were able to get the latest book Fancy Nancy's Favorite Fancy Words. From A to Z, she has a fancy word for every letter.
If you like other fancy books, check out Pinkalicious and Purplicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann. These are also great favorites among our fancy crowd.
Another new book on the shelf is Sassafras Goes to Hollywood by Lynn Hirshfield. Princess Sassafras is not an ordinary poodle. She is a Royal Bedrosian Long-Necked Spotted Poodle and she finally has her chance to go to Hollywood. Will she make it or will her ego get in the way? It's a fun adventure and a great story.

Book of the Day

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems arrived today. It is every bit as funny as the previous pigeon books. The Pigeon talks to the reader about why he really, really wants a puppy. Does he? The simple illustrations are expressive. As always, you feel everything that Pigeon feels. This is a wonderful continuation of the Pigeon series.

Book of the Day

If you enjoyed Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, you will have to read Punk Farm On Tour. The first book showed our punk rock barn band holding a local concerts without Farmer Joe finding out. The rendition of "Old McDonald Had a Farm" is hilarious. The second book has the animals going on tour across the country while Farmer Joe heads to the National Tractor Society Conference in Reno. As they roll in the Rock Van, they perform their unique rendition of "Wheels on the Van". Will they get back to the farm before Farmer Joe? The illustrations are clever and the text is engaging. These are a must read for all the little rock & roll barn band fans out there.

Book of the Day

Tex & Sugar: A Big City Kitty Ditty by Barbara Johansen Newman is a wonderful book about making dreams come true. Tex Mex Rex and Sugar Lee Snughead are country singing cats who leave home looking to make it big and the stage. Life in the big city isn't as easy as they think until they meet each other. This is a fun read aloud with great illustrations and has a wonderful feeling. A great book to share.

Book of the Day

Moo Who? by Margie Palatini is a fabulously funny book. Hilda Mae Heifer gets conked on the head by a cowpie and forgets how to moo. Will she get her memory back? The book is clever and children will love to make the animal sounds when the book is read aloud. It is a good story for preschoolers and up.

Book of the Day

Not a Box by Antoinette Portis is a fun adventure of imagination. When asked what he is doing with the box, the rabbit says it is his not-a-box and imagines all sorts of uses for it. The pictures are simple but encourage children to use their imaginations. A great companion to Not a Stick by the same author.

Book of the Day

One of the new favorites in the library is Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann & Elizabeth Kann. This is a fun book about Pinkalicious, a little girl who loves the color pink more than anything. She especially loves to eat pink cupcakes. When she eats too many, she turns pink. Will she stay pink forever? This is a popular picture book, perfect for little girls. If you like Pinkalicious, check out its companion Purplicious. Both are in the picture book section of the library filed under J KANN.

Book of the Day

I love the book Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. If you have ever dealt with a child who is a picky eater, this is a must read for you both. Little Pea hates having to eat candy at every meal but can't have dessert unless he does. The humor is tongue in cheek, the text is simple and the illustrations are charming. It's new to our shelves and has been a popular choice among parents and young readers.