If you missed Mark Crilley's visit...

...check out his videos on YouTube. He shares drawing lessons.
http://www.youtube.com/user/markcrilley

You can also visit his website at http://www.markcrilley.com/

The Battle Has Begun!

Birmingham's 2007-2008 Battle of the Books has launched! Click on the following link to see the announcement and a list of the chosen titles: http://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Academics/Enrichment/Battle+of+the+Books.htm
And come to Baldwin to get a jump on your Battle reading! We have multiple copies of all Battle books (including some audio books) and they are available for a one-week checkout.

Don't forget: Battle author Alan Silberberg (Pond Scum) will make a visit to Pierce Elementary on November 12, 2007 at 7pm.

Miki Falls: Spring

Check out this new graphic novel series from Mark Crilley, author of the Akiko books and the Billy Clikk series. In the first volume, Spring, Miki falls...in love. With a mysterious boy who is hiding something. The story continues in Summer and Fall and in the soon-to-be-published Winter.

Mark Crilley will be at Baldwin today (!) to conduct a cartooning/manga workshop for 4th-6th-graders. Keep an eye on Baldwin's website for other cool upcoming events -- just click http://www.baldwinlib.org/youthroom/events.html to see programs through November, and check back later for winter events.

A Junie B. Pick

Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder by Barbara Park. It is about Junie B. Jones having a loose tooth. Mr. Scary, Junie B. Jones' teacher, said that she could have a prize because she was the first one losing her top tooth. And then Junie B. Jones' friend named Jose said that his toothless wonder, Uncle Lou, had no teeth at all just one golden tooth. It is a funny read! I would definitely recommend this book.

Faith's Favorites

Hi,my name is Faith. I am reviewing a book called A Masterpiece for Bess by Lara Bergen . It is about painting. This book is about Bess an art talent fairy. If you like art or to paint this book is for you. I love this book. I hope you do, too.

Hi my name is Faith and I am reviewing Lily's Pesky Plant. This book is by Kristen Larsen. Lily is a Garden Talent fairy. Every fairy has a different talent. I liked this book because it is about gardening/planting. If you like to plant, this book is for you. There are eight books in the Disney Fairy series. They do not have to be read in order. I hope you like it, too.

A Geronimo Stilton favorite...

Down and Out Down Under is about a mouse named that goes on an adventure with some twin mice. They go to Australia and when they go there they learn tons of things that they did not know before. Then, they went to a farm and they have tons of cookies there. Finally, they went to a welcome home party. I would definitely recommend this book!

Trevor's Top Picks

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K.Rowling. I LOVE THIS BOOK! There's a lot of magical action in this book that's very exciting, especially when Harry and Voldemort encounter each other. Harry is on a mission to find all Voldemort's Horcruxes and finally destroy him. You'll have to read it for yourself to see what happens!!Have fun!-Trevor, 9

Ereth's Birthday, by Avi. I thought this book was very good, because I like Ereth when he gets mad and says funny things. He can be very grouchy and grumpy! Most of the book was about Ereth, and his adventures with forest characters, both friends and enemies. If you like animal characters be sure to read this book. Trevor, 9 yrs. old

Someone likes fairy stories...

I read the Rainbow Magic series by Daisy Meadows. There are 7 books in the series for each color of the rainbow. It is important to read them in order. You'll like them if you like fairies.

Nicholas likes...

My name is Nicholas and I read Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Best Pet Ever. The book was really funny. I also read Magic Tree House: Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve. This is a Merlin mission. Jack and Annie help save Camelot.

Gracie N's Reads

I read The Littles Go to School by John Peterson. I thought it was a good book because they have to go to school and they have to write a book report on animals. My favorite part is when Tom and Lucy are in the hamster cage and accidentally get taken to the bigs' school. They have to find a way out. They have to go through a lot of passageways. Finally they find their uncle and he takes them home.

I read Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary. I like Ramona and Her Mother because she always gets into trouble when she does things. She doesn't like being the youngest because her older sister Beatrice always picks on her. In school she never likes her teachers. When she wears her pajamas at school her teacher tells her to take them off and she forgets them when she goes home.

From an anonymous 11-year-old...

Loser by Jerri Spinelli was a great book! It talked about a boy named Zinkoff who was a complete LOSER. Zinkoff had a laughing problem, he was always picked last and he never got anything right! Read this touching tale about faliure.

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. India Opal is trying her best to fit in. Her dad is the preacher of a church that was previously a super market, she dosen't have any friends and her life is just plain dull! Then her luck changes when she finds a stray dog in the local supermarket Winn Dixie. Read this fun filled story of a girl and her bond with her best friend Winn Dixie the dog.

Noah Z's Superheroes

Noah Z. read Batman: The Birthday Bash. It was about The Joker's birthday.Noah enjoyed reading it.

Noah also read Nothing Can Stop the Sandman. It was about Spider-Man fighting Sandman. Noah enjoyed reading it.

Baby-Sitters Little Sister Series Favorite

In the book Karen's Field Day by Ann M. Martin,Karen finds out that her nanny is going on a date. Will Karen's nanny get married or not?

Jackson's Dragons

My name is Jackson and I've read a book called IceFire by Chris d'Lacey.I like the book because I like the dragons. They are one of my favorite things to learn about.

Jackson

My name is Jackson Schreiber andi've read a book c... My name is Jackson Schreiber andi've read a book called Ice Fire by d'Lacey.I like the book because I like the dragons. They are one of my favorite things to learn about.
Publish Reject

From an anonymous 6-1/2-year-old

I recommend The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis because it was adventurous. It was exciting and the witch died!

Also, I recommend Dear Mrs. LaRue by Mark Teague. This book is silly. It was very funny when the dog pictured himself in a dungeon but he was really in a nice place.

Favorite Fiction and Non-Fiction

The book Flush by Carl Hiaasen was interesting because the characters were able to stop the people on the casino boat from dumping their sewage into the ocean. With this problem solved, the Coast Guard would not need to close the beach. I liked the clever way Noah and Abby solved the problem.


The book Saturn by Seymour Simon was interesting because I learned a lot about the planet Saturn. Saturn's rings are made out of small and large pieces of ice, dust, and bits of rocks. Saturn's largest moon is Titan and it is a very cold place. Its temperaturs can go down to 300 degrees below zero.

A Knight's Tale

The book, The Last Knight by Will Eisner, was ok. It's about the last knight who ever lived. He thought a windmill was a dragon and attacked it. The book wasn't quite funny enough, but I liked when he attacked the windmill. That is my book report.

Surprise! Two Harry Potter fans!

I'm reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling and I like it a lot. I'm looking forward to reading the battle for Harry's soul. I liked the D.A. meetings. I like the fights and I like that he can see what Voldemort sees. That is why I like Harry Potter.

Hi, my book was Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, It will make you have bad mixed emotions. It is just a thiller with a pinch of love. That's why you should read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Two views on Samantha

The book Meet Samantha is a wonderful book. It is about three girls who went to an island because Samantha wanted to see what it is like there because she saw the pictures her mother painted and she wanted to see the place again. My favorite part was when Agnes and Agatha go to Pine Point.

The book Meet Samantha by Susan Adler is good. . I like the part where Samantha meets Nellie. I think Eddie Ryland is annoying, just like my brother. The part that I don't like is when Nellie leaves. I want to read more Samantha books.

Maya recommends...

The Dear Dumb Diary series by Jim Benton: Let's Pretend That Never Happened was hilarious . You should read it .


Judy Moody Gets Famous by Megan McDonald was really good. Read it.

Percy Jackson short story!

Rick Riordan, author of The Lightning Thief, has posted a three-part short story about Percy Jackson on his blog! To start with part one, click here: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2007/07/stolen-chariot-part-one.html

Megan's Recommendations...

Megan recommends Dolphins at Daybreak (Magic Tree House series) by Mary Pope Osborne. I recommend this book. My favorite part is when the dolphins save Jack and Annie. I love all the Magic Tree House books.


Megan's review for Haunted Hotel (A to Z Mystery series) by Ron Roy: I recommend you read this book. It is about when Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose try to find out who is the ghost. My favorite part was when they found out who the ghost was. You will have to read this book to find out the rest.

A ten-year-old recommends...

I am a ten year old boy who has a love for mythology. When I found out there was a entire series about a boy in modern times who finds out he is the son of a god, I raced to the library to check it out. If you have a love for mythology and adventure read The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan!

A Peter Pan Adventure

Do you love magic and the classic tale Peter Pan? Ever wondered how this boy was able to fly? How he never ages? Then look no further, Peter and the Starcatchers (by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson) along with its sequels have an enchanting tale that I loved.

Better than the movie...

I liked Charlotte's Web by E.B. White because I like animals and I like fiction books. Some parts are sad, but it does have a happy ending.

I liked Henry and Ribsy because Beverly Cleary is a really good author. I have read a lot of her books. Henry has to come up with a lot of solutions in the story.

Get a clue!

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #1 Sleepover Sleuths is funny and mysterious. I think you should read it.

If you liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl is all about Charlie and his family and Willy Wonka and the glass elevator after he wins the chocolate factory. I really liked this book because they blasted into space and saw aliens!

Anonymous likes...

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. This book was about a boy who saves up some money to buy two hound dogs for hunting. He has lots of adventures with his dogs. It was a book that I will always remember.

Anonymous recommends...

Mattimeo by Brian Jacques. This book is about some mice, other woodland animals, and their children. They live in a castle and their enemy (a fox) takes some of their children and so it is up to a father mouse and some companions to find where the children are, fight the fox and get the children back to the castle. I thought that this book was really great!

Ethan shares 2 favorite series...

i loved reading harry potter. i cannot wait to read all the other stories. harry is funny and full of new things. i also read captain underpants. he is so different than harry potter. the series is so great and silly. i have found the best books to read this summer!

A patron reviews the Spiderwick Chronicles

I read The Spiderwick Chronicles. Some kids found a world of fairies by finding a book. I did like it.

A patron reviews Steven Kroll!

The Pigrates Clean Up by Steven Kroll

The story is about dirty pigs who clean themselves and their stuff. It is a super funny book of poems. Each of the poems was about a different type of cleaning. The pigs clean everything from swabbing the deck to brushing their teeth to prepare for a special event. I liked the book because it had one of the smartest animals in it. I also liked the shading of the illustrations.

Loose Tooth by Steven Kroll

The story is about twin bats named Fangs and Flapper. When Fangs loses a tooth, Flapper gets jealous. His jealousy leads him to mischief. In the end, Flapper's dad rewards him for his honesty. I liked the book because of the illustrations. I also liked the book because it had animals in it.

Natalie suggests...

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume is a good book. I think it's really funny and I really like the part where Fudge smears mashed potatoes on the wall in a restaurant. Fudge is my favorite character and I think that anybody would enjoy reading about him.

Natalie likes 2 by Kroll!

The Pigrates Clean Up by Steven Kroll is a good book.It is about pirates clean up. But they are called pigrates because they are pigs. Here are some of the things they did: wash hair, brush hair and brush teeth.

Loose Tooth is a good book.It is about 2 bats that are twins. And they do everything alike. Their names are Fangs and Flapper. Then one day Fang's tooth fell out. Flapper got mad. So Flapper took the tooth and tried to hide it but it fell.

Listen to Wolf Brother online!

For a free podcast of Michelle Paver's Wolf Brother, read by Sir Ian McKellan, go to http://books.guardian.co.uk/ and scroll down to the bottom of the page under "Podcast." Enjoy!

Also, did you know that Baldwin offers free downloadable audio books to our patrons? Come in to the library and ask us to show you how to set up an account at http://www.netlibrary.com/. Then you can download books on your computer at home and listen to them using Windows Media Player, or transfer them to you MP3 player. Cool!

Claire's Choices

One of my choices is Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep. It is a good book. It is about a girl named Emily Windsnap.She is a mermaid when she goes underwater. She and her family move to the Bermuda Triangle. She gets into a lot of trouble with a monster.

I also recommend Soul Surfer. It is a book about Bethany Hamilton. The girl that lost her arm to a shark. It talks about surfing. It also talks all about her starting to surf again after her accident.

An Anonymous Reader has Good Taste:

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a wonderful book. I read it with my Mom. We both loved it. Edward is a china rabbit who learns a lesson about love.

Bridge to Terabithia is a wonderful book. It was exciting! The characters were interesting. I read this book because my older brothers recommended it and I'm glad they did!

Rachel's Reads

I recommend The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. I recommend this book because of the unexpected twists and the cliff-hangers that make you want to keep reading the book. It also has characters with different personalities that shine through throughout the whole book.

I also recommend the book Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan because it describes struggles that Esperanza faces when her father unexpectedly passes away and her house is burned to the ground. It is fun to read because it helps you realize that even when times are tough, your family and friends will stick by you and help you.

Exciting reads from Amanda

I recommend Hatchet by Gary Paulsen because the story is thriling and you will love this book.

I recommend the Nancy Drew book The Hidden Staircase because the book was put together in a way that you feel like you are there.

Matthew recommends...

I really liked the book Horrible Harry and the Kickball Wedding by Suzy Kline. If you like kickball games and weddings, you'll really like this book.

I really liked the book Horrible Harry and the Drop of Doom. At first Harry was scared but then Song Lee helps him.

Maria thinks you should read...

Coraline by Neil Gaiman. It was creepy, hysterical & imaginative. Coraline is about a bored girl and a strange door. On the other side of the door she finds a parallel world and her other mother who wants Coraline to stay with her forever plus adult naps her parents. Will Coraline ever have the strength to escape? Read this amazing book to find out!

Check out Alex's favorites:

Henry and Mudge and Annie's Perfect Pet by Cynthia Rylant. I think Henry's cousin Annie is a great cousin. Mudge is a funny dog. The bunny that Annie got was a white and fluffy bunny. Mudge liked to give Cottonball a ride on his back. It was a very good book.

I think that Fashion Kitty bu Charise Harper is a great book. It is funny and her little sister Lana is a funny and likes to wear silly clothes.

Alex, 8

Seen the movie? Read the book!

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I liked this book a lot. The main plot was a girl named Leslie who moved next door to Jess. They wanted a world of their own so they imagined it.

Hannah read this Mark Teague favorite...

Pigsty by Mark Teague.I enjoyed this book. It was about a boy who never cleaned his room. Then pigs started living in it, and it got even more messy. After a while, the boy decided to clean it up. It was so clean that the pigs decided to leave.

A Mark Teague Favorite!

Kyle also likes Dear Mrs. Larue by Mark Teague. This story is about a dog that goes to obediance school. The dog thinks it is a prison. The dog writes letters to Mrs. Larue while in prison. One of the letters tells her he is going to escape. After he escapes and gets home he saves Mrs. Larue from a truck that almost hits her.

Kyle likes...

Lunchbox and the Aliens by Brian W. Fields. This book is about a dog named Lunchbox and two aliens. The Aliens catch Lunchbox and tell him to build a machine that will give them food. Lunchbox tells his owner about the machine and they give it to the aliens. The aliens eats the food and go back to space.

Amira's Choice:

I read the book The Dollhouse Murders and it became one of my favorite books. It is about how a dollhouse magically acts out the past and gives clues to help somebody find out who commited a murder. It is a great book and I recommend you read it!

Ana recommends...

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 is a great book. Ramona goes into third grade and she meets Danny Yardape. At lunch she cracks an egg on her head--a raw egg!

Amira recommends...

I read a book called The Wedding Planner's Daughter... It became another one of my favorite books. It is about a girl named Willafred(Willa) and her mother(a wedding planner), and how she has just moved to Cape Cod. Everything is going well, and Willa's mother might just get re-married.But then one of her weddings for 2 celebrities is ruined, and she wants to move to Maine. Willa is upset because she had a lot of hope for her mother. You'll have to read this great book to find out what happens next!

Ana recommends...

Junie B.Jones is a good series. The one I like is The Stupid Smelly Bus. I like it because,on her first day of kindergarten,her friend Lucille told her that on the bus kids pour milk on their head. She's supposed to ride the bus home but she did not so, then comes big trouble.

Natalie recommends...

Matilda by Roald Dahl. I really enjoyed reading about the Trunchbull and the chocolate cake. I also really liked the part where Matilda uses her eyesight to move things up and down. Both boys and girls would like this book.

Sarah recommends...

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt. This book is really great. I liked Holling, a 7th grader, for trying to live through Wednesday afternoons by himself with Mrs. Baker, a teacher he thinks hates him. I think it's a great book.

Sarah recommends...

Icefire byChris D'Lacey. I give this book five stars for its exiciting plot. It was very interesting. Lucy is very brave and that is why I liked her. I think everyone should read this book.

Brian recommends...

Brian recommends the Chet Gecko mystery The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse by Bruce Hale. It's a mystery about a missing first grader who does a plot with a boy named Herman. Herman is a boy who got kicked off the football team and wants to ruin the game. Can Chet stop them? Read the book and find out!

Victioria recommends...

I liked the book James and the Giant Peach because it has giant critters and it's funny! James and the Giant Peach is a book about a boy named James and he lived with two mean aunts. His aunts' names were Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge. One day when James was chopping down a tree, he saw a man in the bushes. The man gave him 10 green things and he told James to sneak in to the house and get a big jug of water and put the green things in the water and drink it all. His Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker saw him and James fell and all the green things fell out of the bag and disappeared into the ground. The next day James woke up and there was a peach on the peach tree. The peach tree had never produced a peach before. His Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker saw a little tiny blossom. The peach that was growing, kept growing and growing and growing! At night, James snuck out of the house and discovered a hole in the peach. Inside the peach he crawled and crawled until he came to the stone in the middle of the peach. And there was a door that appears on the stone. James knocked on the door and Miss Ladybug opens the door. There are bugs in the stone! They have been waiting for James to come. There was Miss Ladybug, Miss Spider, a centipede, an earthworm, a grasshopper, a glow worm and a silk worm. The next morning Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker went out to see the peach. The Centipede went on top of the peach to bite thru the stem. The peach rolled and Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker were out looking for James and the peach rolled over the top of them and SQISHED them flat! The peach rolled into the Atlantic Ocean and traveled and traveled. You have to read the book to find out what happens next! By Victoria - 2nd grader(dictated by Victoria; typed by mom!)

Third-grader Andrew recommends...

Hot Fudge Hero by Pat Brisson. I am interrested in this book because Bertie threw a ball over this mean guy's fence and Bertie had to make friends with with him to get the ball back and he did. Bertie and his friend had a bet and Bertie won a hot fudge sundae.

Third-grader Andrew also recommends...

Mush, a Dog from Space by Daniel Pinkwater. I like this book because it is funny because Mush comes from another planet and he can talk. He meets a little girl and she takes Mush home with her. He helps the family in different ways.