Episode 7 of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, Available Now!

This episode is written by Shannon Hale and illustrated by Calef Brown. Click here to read it.

Like Shannon Hale? Check out her Goose Girl series and her book Princess Academy, which won a Newbery Honor...all available at Baldwin!

Snowflakes!

It's that time of the year...snowflakes are falling!

Have you heard of Snowflake Bentley?

Born in 1865, he became a scientist who photographed thousands of snowflakes. Read all about him in this fascinating picture-book biography by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian.

To see real snowflakes photographed by a flickr user, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/fwwidall/sets/72157603415282264/

Pop by Gordon Korman

When Marcus moves to a new town near the end of summer break, he knows he'll want to try out for the football team. No kids are around for him to practice with, so he begins a solo quarterback target routine at the local park. While practicing one day, he's joined by a middle aged man. No name, not much talk, just good football and hard tackles - not what high school quarterbacks are used to! Marcus's skills improve and he looks forward to these odd practices. Over time, he discovers the name of his unofficial coach and what he has in common with his new football team. But, how is it that a middle aged man can cause so much trouble for a teenager? And, what secret does Marcus hide to protect his older friend and his family at the expense of Marcus's own reputation? Read about football, high school, friends, family and more in Pop by Gordon Korman.

Episode 6 Now Online!

Episode 6 of the Exquisite Corpse Adventure was written by Patricia C. and Frederick L. McKissack and illustrated by James Ransome. Click here to read it now!

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, Part 5

Now online! Go to http://www.read.gov/exquisite-corpse/Book/#page/2/mode/2up to read from the beginning. Part 5 is written by Gregory Maguire and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen.

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Continues...

Episode 4 of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is now online! Click here! This episode is written by Susan Cooper and illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering. To read it from the beginning, go to http://www.read.gov/exquisite-corpse/Book/#page/2. Enjoy! And check back on November 20th for Episode 5, to be written by Gregory Maguire...

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

Things seem to go wrong for Dit too often during 1917. And, what's worse, he's doing things to get himself in trouble. His growing friendship with the new kid in town takes him on many adventures and helps him realize the value in honesty and true justice during a time of harsh racism and inequality.

The Exquisite Corpse: Part 3 Now Online!

Part 3 is written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Calef Brown. Read it here!

The Exquisite Corpse, Part 2, Online Now!

For part two of the adventure, written by Katherine Paterson and illustrated by James Ransome, click here.

Enjoy!

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure

How fun! A free book you can read online, with new episodes every two weeks, written and illustrated by the best children's authors out there! "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure" is a project of the Center for the Book and the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance. The first episode is written by Jon Scieszka. The second episode will be written by Katherine Paterson. So what are you waiting for? Head on over here to read it!

P.S. Image courtesy of http://www.read.gov/.

Some Cross-Cultural Reads

Interested in learning about how kids in other countries live? Give these books a try!

The Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins. I enjoyed this peek into a different culture -- and Asha, the protagonist, is very relatable in spite of the differences. Set in India in the 1970s, Asha's roles as a daughter, sister, niece, cousin, and granddaughter are rigidly defined, and she chafes under cultural mores that American kids may have a hard time understanding. The ending, too, is not the expected happily-ever-after; it's more realistic than that, and about as happy as it could be under the circumstances. I do wish there had been more descriptions of the setting, but, like Asha, the action was mostly confined to the home. A coming-of-age story for thoughtful girls interested in other cultures.

A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper. Though the narrator and setting are very similar to one of my all-time favorite books, Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle, the story is much different -- more of a historical adventure than coming-of-age. It takes place on a remote European island in 1936. Sophie's family has lived there for centuries -- they are royalty, and Montmaray is, in fact, their kingdom -- but they are fairly isolated from European politics until 2 German officers arrive. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but there had better be a sequel -- lots of loose ends! Good for readers 6th grade and up.

Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel by Leslie Connor, illustrated by Mary Azarian. What a beautiful picture book, a quiet look at one woman's immigrant experience. When Miss Bridie moves to America from Ireland, she chooses to bring a shovel instead of a keepsake -- and then proceeds to put it to good use! Its tone reminds me of Cooney's Miss Rumphius, one of my all-time favorites. I think I'd love it even more if it were illustrated in a style other than woodcuts.

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements. 6th-grader Abby is failing sixth grade -- so when she is offered the chance to earn extra credit by writing to a pen pal, she jumps at the chance. Her pen pal turns out to be a student from Afghanistan, and both of them have a lot to learn from each other. This isn't my favorite by Andrew Clements, but it's still a good read for 4th-6th-graders.

The Day of the Pelican by Katherine Paterson. Paterson is one of my favorite authors, and as far as I'm concerned, all of her books are good! So even though I am only a little over half-way through listening to this one on audio, I feel comfortable recommending it. Meli and her family are Albanians living comfortably in Kosovo...until the Serbians start their campaign of terror against Albanians, and she and her family become refugees. A fascinating look at a recent historical event through the eyes of a 12/13-year-old girl.

Favorites by Horowitz

Evil Star By Anthony Horowitz. A twelve year old Boy who doesn't want to be a part of anything big finds out he is one of the five that was sent destroy the monsters called The Old Ones that tried to destroy the world before it was even made fully that are coming back as the Gate keeper series continues.

Raven's Gate By Anthony Horowitz.The book starts out where he is blamed for a crime he never technically did and is sent across the world to a small town he finds out is inhabited by Witches.

Anonymous Favorites

Little Quack's Hide and Seek by Lauren Thompson. It's about the mamma duck counting for a hide and seek game. Little Quack couldnt find a hiding spot so he hid behind his mom. I like this book because I like to play hide and seek too!

David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon. This book is about David getting in trouble but he does not want to take the blame. In the end he says sorry. This book is good because it's funny!

Spy Picks from Clark

Adam Sharp series by George Edward Stanley. I like these books because they are about a spy. He is a kid that is 8 years old. He goes on secret missions. He has 2 doors to his bedroom and one is a trapdoor! I wish I were a secret agent like he is, too.

Spyology by Spencer Blake. I like this book because it is about spies. There are a lot of things that you can do in it. You can take parts out and use them to find clues. There are also funny glsses and lots of secrets in it.

Anonymous Picks

Peter and the Starcatchers is one of the best books I've ever read. Peter and his friends have many fun and exciting adventures. Black Stache (captain of the Sea Devil) is trying to steal treasure from the Wasp (another ship), but the treasure is really aboard the Never Land, the ship Peter and his friends are on. If you are looking for a great chapter book to read, check out Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson!

Anonymous Favorites

Otherwise Known As Sheila The Great. By: Judy Blume.

This is a book that is pretty special. Known to all, this book is special to me because I am kind of like Shelia.This book is about a girl that lives in the city and is spending the summer in Tarrytown, New York. In a house where there are three boys rooms, howling dogs, and spiders. When Shelia's mother signs her up for private swimming lessons, Shelia thinks her summer can't get any worse. Then Shelia makes some friends and starts a really cool day camp where she and her new friend Mouse Ellis can learn pottery and discover and exciting secret about the pottery teacher. I could not put this book down because it was so funny and exciting! I read this book for hours. Over and over again! Now it is one of my favorite books and sits on my bookshelf today.

The Fish In Room 11 By: Heather Dyer. Toby is a boy who lives on a hotel because of being abandoned when he was a baby. His life was not exciting until he is sent down to the beach to look for the hotel cook's lost laundry. There he finds a mermaid named Eliza Flot. She needs his help. Toby soon meets her noisy parents and practically becomes part of the family!I could not put this book down because it was so crazy! Lots of things happened at once and it was so very funny! I love this book and have given it to so many friends. I get a lot of great comments!

Ava Dudick Recommends...

The Danny books by Mia Coulton. I think they're funny. They help me learn to read. Bee and Danny do safety rules and have adventures. What I think is funny about them is there is a real dog that wears costumes in the pictures!



Grampa Spanielson stories by Denys Cazet. They're super FUNNY! Grampa Spanielson tells his grandson stories that get Grampa in trouble with Grandma Spanielson. I wish there were more than three stories!

What Anna Likes

Absoulutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech. I couldn't put this book down because it was so good. I liked it because it was halarious. Their was this girl named Mary Lou Finny and her cousin came to visit her an her brothers and sister and he didn't talk at all. Then he looked for a job and found one, and later a guy gave him a lot of money the book didn't say hom much so i don't know. Then Mary Lou and her cousin and he told her a secret and why he came to live there for a while. Then it gets sad and then it gets happy again, i can't tell you what hapened because you will have to read it your self.

Marie Dancing by Carolyn Meyer. This book was absoulitly amazing i loved this so much.this girl and her family live in paris and marie and her to sisters go to a famous ballet school and they dance there and do perfomances and have examanations on how you are doing and if you are dissmised or good or move up a level. Her older sister goes to the foyer de la dance and meets some gentalmen. Marie gets to pose for Degas a famous artis and makes a sculpture of her and calls it little dancer aged 14.Her older sister gets sent to jail and Marie's mother is very sick. Her older sister gets out fo jail and gets dissmised and so does Marie because they missed so many classes, and her older sister gets married and has a child. Marie and her little sister that might become a dancer helps take care of the baby and then there mother dies. Marie meets the love of her life but his father is very ill and leaves, he comes back and asked to marry Marie but she says no. The she meets a fine gentalman and they get married. She still looks after her older sisters baby i think she died but it didn't say anthing about it in the book. Her little sister who is 19 becomes a dancer and they all live happy forever.

Another from Harry

Benjamin and The Silver Goblet

A boy named Benjamin jealously watches his brothers load their donkeys for a trip to Egypt. Benjamin feels bad about not being able to come. His father Jacob tells him that he lost his favorite son Joseph, and he can't risk losing his youngest son too. Benjamin stays home, looks after the sheep and wonders "What is it like in Egypt?" Read on to find out!

By Harry Carr (Again)

Judy and Keeker

Judy Moody Predicts the Future

Judy Moody books are so cool. I've read the whole series. The book is about a girl who gets in very silly moods almost every day. In the book she is in a predicting mood. The summary is about a girl who goes to school. And tries to predict what is going to happen at home and at school. Read the book to see how much predicting she does.

Keeker and The Horse Show Show-Off

This Book is about a girl named Keeker . Keeker has her very own horse Plum. She takes riding lessons on Plum twice a week. Her teacher's name is Jane Louise Applegarden. Then the next day she saw a horseshow form in the mail. That day when Jane saw the paper she signed Keeker up. They had to practice to get ready. After one month of training it was time for the Horse Show. Read the book to see what happens next!

Harry Hails...

It's A Secret!By John Burningham
One evening in the summer, a girl named Mary Elaine comes downstairs to get a cold drink, and to unexpectedly find her cat, Malcolm by the cat door, fully dressed in clothes! Mary asks where Malcolm is going, and finds out that Malcolm is going to a secret party. Mary then asks if she can come. Malcolm thinks then answers yes. Mary puts on a costume and somehow shrinks! She and Malcolm then run through the cat door.They then run past Norman Kowalski's house, where Norman asks if he can come too. Malcolm regretfully answers yes, and Norman shrinks and walks out in a knight costume. They soon pass by a group of dogs who give chase. Malcolm and the others climb up a crane, which the dogs didn't climb. They soon arrive on the rooftops where the party is about to start.Many cats had come to the party, some from a long way away. Mary Elaine and Norman danced and played with the friendly cats. After a while, the Queen of Cats arrives. They all had a great feast. After that, everyone was given presents, for example, a toy mouse for Norman. When it started to get light, nobody wanted the party to end. But everyone waved goodbye. After that, Mary, Norman, and Malcolm sneak past sleeping dogs and return home.

Two More from Anonymous

I read the book titled Mr. Lincoln's Boys by Staton Rabin. I liked this book because it was about President Lincoln. It taught me more about Lincoln and his boys. I liked the book a lot!

Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling is an amazing, stand-out book. The book is all about adeventure. It has a sad yet shocking ending but overall it was really good.

Two from Cameron & Some Anonymous Recommendations

Cameron says: maximum ride is a good book and toad rage is a good book.

Anonymous says: I have been reading the Phantom Stallion series. I really like it because the good parts are amazing. But at the beginning be sure to keep reading. If you stop you will never get to the good part.

I read Christmas in Camelot. It is really good because it has lots of suprises. Also if your at the good part you cannot stop reading!!

Ana Harris Recommends:

Tuck Everlasting is about a a girl named Winnie. She lives in a small town near a forest. One day she meets a young man not much older than her. They become friends and go on a lifelong adventure that you'll find out if you read the book!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid:The Last Straw is about a boy named Greg Heffley, a boy who got barely any presents for Christmas, and is trying to survive middle school. That summer, his dad wantes to send him to boot camp,so he is trying to convince his dad not to by joining the boy scouts. Does his dad send him to boot camp or not? Read the book to find out!

Nicholas's Nifty Non-Fiction

Nicholas likes Explore Within A Pirate Ship. It opens up and you can see the ship. You can read about the parts. My favorite part is where they keep all of their treasure.

Nicholas likes Animals in Disguise because it is about animals that are camouflaged. They can hide from other animals and then sneak up on them and catch them.

Read about Sadako!

Sadako and The Thousand Paper Cranes By:Eleanor Coerr. Sadako would have never guessed that a normal girl like her would ever come across such unfortunate luck.One day Sadako is diagnosed with a disease that turns her world upside down. Sadako and her family fear the worst and all they can do is wait. When all hope seemed gone one of Sadako's friends presented her not only a gold paper crane, but a way out of Sadako's disease. Read what happens in Eleanor Coerr's true story.

A Game & A Garden

Heat is a great book! it's about a boy who has moved from Cuba to America. He and his brother, Carlos, and his dad live together in an apartment. Life is normal for Micheal. He is just like any other kid. He loves baseball and is the greatest pitcher on his little league team. Until one day............... his father has a heart attack and dies. Micheal and his brother keep this a secret. But fate hits them. Can they survive on their own? Can Mike still play Baseball?

Everyone should read the book : The Secret Garden. When spoiled, selfish, Mary's parents die of sickness in India, her servants run away, she goes to live with her uncle, whom she has never met. Soon, at her new home, she becomes more rosy and lively than ever. But when her first friend ever, the red robin, finds a mysterious key covered in dirt.................. The story doesn't end here! But you have to read the book to find what happens next.........

A Beacon Street Girls Fan

Beacon Street Girls Special Adventure: Freestyle With Avery By: Annie Bryant deserves a five star review!When Avery hears she gets to visit her dad this summer in Colorado she is psyched! Because of her parents' separation, Avery doesn't get to see her dad often. Avery is an energetic, sporty and fun-loving girl so when she gets to Colorado and hears there is a minor snowboarding competiton she is totally in! Also, when she hears her dad has a girlfriend who has a know-it-all daugher who is a year older than her and an evil cat named Farkle (a.k.a franken-cat), Avery just doesn't know how to handle it! Is too much pressure for Avery to be focused on the competition????

Beacon Street Girls Special Adventure: Maeve on the Red Carpet By Annie Bryant definitely deserves a five star rating! Maeve, a twelve year old girl, finds out that her dad and a famous producer are hosting a winter break film camp in her family's movie house. Maeve is planning on attending the camp while Maeve's little brother, Sam, has plans to spend the week with grandpa. When Sam discovers that grandpa has the flu, his vacation plans are changed and he ends up having to attend the camp. Sam ends up being the "filmotographer." When the famous movie producer's daughter, Maddie, arrives in a stretch limo, Maeve decides that she must be friends with this girl. For the first few days, Maddie was nice to her. When they have a sleepover, they both share their ideas for film camp and both love each other's ideas. The next day when everyone is sharing their movie ideas at camp, Maddie steals Maeve's idea!!! The directors chose Maeve's movie idea that Maddie stole (Maddie got credit for the idea). Now friendship is totally over. Both girls are fighting for the lead role. When Maeve finds out that there is a much more interesting role, she decides she should give up the fight and go for that. The whole time, Sam was shooting embarrassing moments of Maeve and made that into a little ad at the end of the movie called "Red Fooey". From "Red Fooey," Maeve ends up being the star and having a happy ending!!

A Magic Tree House fan!

Dinosaurs Before Dark. Jack and Annie found a treehouse. Annie climbed up the treehouse ladder. Jack was calling Annie to climb down. Annie poked her head out the window and said "BOOKS"! Jack climb up the treehouse ladder. Annie looked at a castle book and Jack looked at a dinsaur book.

A Goosebumps Fan!

Sean Abney says:

The book I read was titled Goosebumps Horrorland "Monsterblood For Breakfast" by: R.L. Stine. I felt terrified reading Goosebumps even though it's not real. Goosebumps Horrorland is really scary because you don't know what's going to happen next. The title " Monsterblood For Breakfast " made me think it was monsters' actual blood for breakfast. When I finished reading the book I felt accomplished and a little scared.

The Mancusos Prefer:

alex mancuso: Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This book is for people who love comedy. It is sooooooooo funny.

abby mancuso: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Found is one of my favorite books. It is for people who love mysteries. It involves time travel, ghosts, and three kids who figured out they are adopted and eventually came from the 1800s. At the end of the book they go back in time and it ends with a cliff hanger to the next book called Sent! I recomend this book for teen mystery readers!

Elizabeth Recommends:

Fancy Nancy Pajama Day. In Fancy Nancy Pajama Day I learned about feeling left out. I like it because it has a happy ending.

Horton Hatches An Egg. A bird wants to go on vacation and asks an elephant to sit on her egg. Horton, the elephant, is kind to help her. The story is silly and the ending has a funny surprise.

Anonymous Recommends...

Dear Tooth Fairy

This is a great book for children who lose their teeth because it is all about different kinds of fairies. There is a little girl who keeps getting letters from the tooth fairy. There is always a suprise in the letters waiting for her at night.Please read it! It is a good book!

Albie's Secret

Albie's Secret is about this boy named Albie. He discovers that there is a shiny light in his closet and he goes in it. He sees he a pool, a jungle gym,and a gravity-free platform.Then he read a secret manual and it said that he couldn't tell anybody about the place or it will disappear.What happens next? Read it and you'll figure it out.

Bella Caza Likes

Robert the Rose Horse by Joan Heilbroner. One day in the city Robert saw a rose and it made him KERCHOO. Robert found a job he wanted to do. It was to be a police horse. Robbers stole money, Robert sniffed a rose in a girl's hair and KERCHOO he sneezed the robbers right off their feet. The police threw a party for Robert and gave him a bunch of roses. He sniffed one and...he didn't even sneeze.This was a really funny book.

Helen Keller: Courage in the Dark This book is about a girl who was blind and deaf. She had two teachers named Annie and Sarah. Helen was born on June 27 1880 on a farm in Alabama. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Anna V. Applauds...

Bad to the Bone by lucy nolan. I think the author was so creative because instead of a person telling the story it was a dog. she must like dogs to write a story like this. By Anna V.

Ramona Quimby age 8 by Beverly Cleary. Recently I finished this book. It was funny because in chapter three Ramona dumped a hard boiled egg on her head. I wonder what inspired her to write this book? By Anna V.

From Katie W...

From Katie W.......The series is called The Tiara Club. The author is: Vivian French. The book is about PRINCESSES that are earning tiara points. They are trying to get 100 points. If you like princesses you will like this book.

Haley hails...

South Carolina Sea Creatures by Johnathan Rand



South Carolina Sea Creatures is a great book. The author is a good writer. I loved the book so much.



Haley age 8



Miss Laurie says: The author lives in Michigan! He writes the Michigan Chillers and the American Chillers series.

Angela T. Recommends

I recommend "Two Bad Ants" by Chris Van Allsburg because the ants think the sugars are crystals and want to take them back to their home. But two ants stay behind and it's exciting what happens to them especially when they end up in coffee.

I like "What Planet are You from Clarice Bean" by Lauren Child because Clarice Bean's big brother's room is all messed up and when that happens her older sister runs upstairs to put on more makeup.

I also like "Slippers at School" by Andrew Clements because when Laura gets to her new class Slippers comes with her.

Storm's Recommendations

Fireman Small by Wong Herbert Yee: I liked this book because it rhymes and has funny characters. I think kids age 5 to 8 would like it too.

Moe the Dog in Tropical Paradise by Diane Stanley: I loved this book! Moe used his imagination when the cold winter weather got him down. I think kids of all ages would like this book.

An Oliver fan

Oliver Pig: The Surprise Seed is one of my favorite books. It is about a pig named Oliver who finds a seed that he didn't plant in his garden. He found it in the grass when he was planting seeds. He planted it and discovered that it was a squash plant. Everyone loved eating the squash after he picked it.

Mother's Holiday: Oliver's mom goes away for the day and comes home by dinnertime. Oliver's granny watches him and his sister, Amanda while his mother is away. He doesn't like what food his granny makes for him, no matter what it is. When his mom comes home he sang songs and told his mother he really liked whatever his granny made for him.

A Harry Potter fan

Harry Potter Books: I recommend all the Harry Potter books because, they are fun and exciting. J.K. Rowling did a very good job on creating the wonderful adventures of Harry Potter. She uses amazing details which make you feel as if you really are a character in her books. I personally enjoy her books because of the suspense. You may think one thing will happen but, it could turn out completely different. My favorite book out of the Harry Potter Series would definitely be the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. All of the books use such great imagination. I hope that you enjoy the Harry Potter Books just as much as i did.

Haley Recommends:

I would recommend the book, The White Giraffe, because it is about a white giraffe that is in danger. The story takes place in Africa. A girl named Martine saves the white giraffe and many other things happen in the story that are very interesting.

I would recommend Diary of A Wimpy Kid 2 because it has very cool drawings and is easy to read. In this book, a boy named Greg tells about his life as a wimpy kid. He and his friend, Rowley, get into mischief and trouble.

Brady's Picks

Melonhead by Katy Kelly is a book I would recommend because Melonhead, the main character, does funny stuff. He even brought a snake to school!

Diary of A Wimpy Kid is a great book for loved readers of the world. I would recommend this book because Greg, the main character, does funny stuff.

Franny and George

Franny K. Stein: I like the Franny K. Stein series (by Jim Benton) because I just like it.

I like Curious George because he is funny and he gets in trouble. Curious George is really smart for a monkey. I like all of Curious George's books.

Two from Anonymous

The Year of Secret Assignments

I think The Year of Secret Assignments is an awesome book. The book looks huge but don’t let that keep you from reading it, you get so caught up in the book that it only takes you a few days. The format is the coolest part about the book because it’s all in letter form. This book will crack you up!

Camp Babymouse

Camp Babymouse shows how much fun it is to be outdoors. Babymouse is not the camping type so it‘s funny to see what mistakes she makes. With her wild imagination you will laugh so much!

Emma's Favorites

My favorite book is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I like the part when Harry is facing the Dragon. He uses his wand to summon his firebolt. Harry is good at flying! ~Emma Synnestvedt

I like the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. My favorate part is when Harry, Ron and Harmione go back to Hogwarts to start a battle against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. They run into Neville Longbottom who doesen't heasitate to call the others. ~Emma Synnestvedt

A Dear Dumb Diary Fan

Book Name: Dear Dumb Diary: Can Adults be Human? I think this book is cool because it is so funny.The kid has a bad dog named Stinker.I LOVE THIS COOL BOOK.

Book Name: Dear Dumb Diary: My Pants are Haunted I think this book is really interesting. It reminds me of having a very messy room. It has funny (and bad) characters.

Miss Laurie says: Jim Benton, the author of these books, lives in the area and did an author visit at Baldwin a few years ago. He was very funny. Check out his Franny K. Stein series, too!

Two Favorites: Mystery and Fantasy!

If you like mysteries, then I think you will like Nancy Drew and The Mystery of the Fire Dragon. Nancy, George, and Bess go to New York and Hong Kong to solve a mystery. My favorite part was when Nancy got kidnapped on a plane by bad guys.

I like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It is the 5th one in the Harry Potter series. My favorite part is when Harry goes to the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic to rescue Sirius, his godfather.

Noah's Picks

I read H is for Home Run by Brad Herzog. I liked it because it tells everything about baseball. Baseball is my favorite sport. I like the pictures because someone drew them and they are really good.

I read The Adventures of Marco and Polo by Dieter Wiesmuller. It's about the adventures of two animals going on a trip to Antartica and Africa. I really liked the pictures. I liked how they both visited each other's home and they both decided that they like their own best. Even though they didn't like the other's home, they could still be friends by writing to each other. It is a good story about friendship.

Two from Olivia Lang

I read Katie Kazoo Switcheroo: Anyone But Me by Nancy Krulik. This is the first book in the Katie Kazoo series. I like it because she says she wants to be anyone but her because she has bad luck. She even turns into a hamster! It has a happy ending.

I read Pioneer Sisters (A Little House Chapter Book)by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It's really cool because it's about the "olden" days and it's fun to imagine life back then.

Two from Megan

I read Katie Kazoo Switcheroo, On Thin Ice by Nancy Krulik. Katie switches to different people and has to do the things that different people do. The magic wind changes her. She changes to a famous ice skater and snow boarder. I really liked it because it was funny and I really liked the main character--Katie.

I read Little Ballet Star by Adele Geras. I liked it because the little girl got to go on stage and dance. The book describes the girl's birthday and her Aunt takes her to the ballet. I really liked the pictures. They looked like real ballerinas and I liked the ballet stage.

Two Favorites

Have you ever heard of a mouse named Lilly? She's very cute. I recommend the book Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. It teaches a lesson about being considerate to everyone. The book is also very funny.

I like Junie B. Jones because she is very funny. My favorite one so far is Junie B. Jones is a Beauty Shop Guy. I would recommend this book because it is very funny and teaches the lesson that you need years of pracice before cutting hair.

An Anonymous Recommendation

I would recommend Matilda by Roald Dahl because I like books about children. It is about a little girl named Matilda who has mean parents that make her watch TV all day. Her parents finally send her to school where she meets her teacher, Ms Honey. Ms Honey thinks that Matilda is a remarkable child because she can multiply anything in her head. Their school principal Ms Trunchbull is the meanest principal in the world. At the end of the book, Matilda's parents and brother are moving to Spain. Matilda doesn't want to go; she wants to stay with Ms Honey. She lives happily ever after.

What Anthony C. Likes

Silverwing: By Kenneth Oppel This book is about a silverwing bat named Shade. During the migration, Shade lost his mother in a storm. He lands on an island, and meets a brightwing bat named Marina. On his way to hibernaculum,the place where bats hibernate, he meets a lot of new friends. Try reading SILVERWING! (Miss Laurie says: Don't miss the sequels!)

Guardians of Gahoole book 1: The Capture by Kathryn Lasky. This book is about a barn owl named Soren. When he was young, he was captured(hence the name) by the evil owls of st. aggie's. On his way to the great gahoole tree, he meets lots of new friends. There are 15 books in this series.

Alexandria P. Presents:

Alex recommends...Amulet book 1: Amulet is a very sad story but is still a good story. It is about a girl that got in a car accident. She landed in a tree and her dad was trapped in the car and the car fell out of the tree and he died. Then she moved to a mansion with her mom and her brother. it was haunted with mysterious monsters. Her house was a gadget that was like a monster. But it didn't hurt the people inside. The girl went downstairs and found a crystal necklace that was called an Amulet and that's what gave her power. Her mom was also tortured by a monster.

Alex also recommends... Warriors Book 1: Why I like this book is because it's very adventurous and is about a cat that was lost and is trying find his back way home. The cat's name was Graystripe and he makes a new friend on the way. Also he had to live in a normal house with humans and he did not like it one bit. All Graystripe liked was his new friend.

Two from Jake W.

Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners by Laurie Keller. This book is about a rabbit that has otters as his new next door neighbors. It is a book about having good manners, like saying Excuse Me, Please and Thank You and sharing. The rabbit thinks about how he would like to be treated and how to treat the otters. It was a funny book; I like the pictures. It is one of my favorites and I have read it a few times.

Mummies in the Morning (Magic Tree House) by Mary Pope Osborne. The Magic Tree House books are about two kids named Jack and Annie. When they get in the magic tree house they pick out a book of where they want to go. In this book they go to ancient Egypt. They go into a pyramid where there are tomb robbers. There are traps to stop tomb robbers from stealing stuff from mummies. Jack and Annie get lost in the burial chambers of a pyramid. They follow the meow of a cat to find their way out. It is a chapter book. I like the book because the story was good. It was kind of scary. I like all the Magic Tree House books I have read so far.

Fan raves

an ugly doll fan says:

i read the ugly guide #1 and it was great here is my review. it tells you amost every thing you need to know about ugly dolls. there's also ugly guide #2 and #3. i also read those. there's also big ugly dolls, medium ugly dolls, key chains, action figures. ugly dolls might just be the new webkinz. thanks for listening. an ugly doll fan

a miley cyrus fan says:
i read miley cyrus hannah montana and it was great. here is my review.miley cyrus hannah montana was a very good book. it has 29 pages but it is a chapter book. in this story it is a biography. it tells almost every thing you need to know about miley and hannah. on the cover it says it's a must read book and i agree. it is a very good book. it has fun facts on the side. they are also very good. it was a very good book. thanks for listening. a miley cyrus fan

A Giant Peach Fan

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl was a good book because it told about how James moves in with his evil step aunts and then the aunts find a peach that grows so big that it falls off the tree. Then James drops some magic beans on the ground and then a hole appears in the peach and James crawled into it. James then discovered there were bugs living in the peach. James becomes friends with the bugs and then goes on a bunch of adventures and then they become friends in the end.

Grace's Recommendations

Grace recommends...Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse is a great read!!! It is a Newbery honor book. It's a true story written in poems. It is a little sad in parts because she kills her mom on accident and her hand is burned off, but you will feel like you are in the book and feel bad for her.

Grace recommends Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Best Friends and Drama Queens by Meg Cabot. This book is the most recent in a series and I think it was the best! It is about friendship and caring for others and dealing with bullies. I think this book would be great for any girl in 3rd - 5th grades. Happy reading!

Emma recommends...

I like the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. My favorite part of it is when Harry finds out he is a wizard.Hagrid[the hogwarts game keeper] barges into Harry's house on Harry's birthday to give Harry a present and a letter. The letter is inviting him to atend the Hogwarts School of Wichcraft and Wizardry. Before then,Harry had known nothing about how his parents had died, if he was a wizard or not, nothing! Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a great book!! -Emma Synnestvedt

I like the book Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. My favorite part of the book is when Harry is fighting the basilisk. At first Harry has no weapon at all,but Professor Dumbledore sends Harry the sorting hat with his pheonix. After a few minutes of fighting the basilisk Harry sees a sword in the sorting hat, so he grabs it. He stabs the basilisk and kills it.

Isaac's Top Picks

I like the Horrible Harry books by Suzy Kline because they always do something cool in them. Like one time they went out to sea.

I like the Magic Tree House books because Jack and Annie always go somewhere back in time.

Grace N. Likes E.B. White!

I liked the book The Trumpet of The Swan by E.B White because the boy in this book helps a swan, because the Swan cannot talk. The way the boy helped the Swan was by giving the swan a Trumpet. That is why the book is called The Trumpet of The Swan.

I really liked the book Charlotte's Web by E.B White. I would give it a two thumbs up because I really like books where animals can talk. I also liked the book because it is about how you should keep your promises. The promise was to save Wilbur from getting butchered at Christmas time. That is why I liked the book!!!

Holes by Louis Sachar -- two thumbs up!

I read the book Holes. Holes is about a boy who was always different and stood out from the crowd and one day he was coming home from school and a pair of shoes fell on him and it turns out the shoes were stolenand Stanley is being arrested and he has a choice of going to Camp Green Lake or jail and to see what stanley does read the book to find out!

Good and Bad

Missing Gator of Gumbo Limbo Hole is not a very good book. It is a mystery that no one who reads it can follow it. This was the worst book I ever read.

The Last Olympian By Rick Riordan is an exciting book to end the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Kronos is attacking Olympus and Nico's secret is revealed. I recommend this book to people who like adventure.

Rapunzel's Revenge

This graphic novel by Shannon & Dean Hale (married), illustrated by Nathan Hale (no relation), is a really fun take on the traditional Rapunzel tale. Rapunzel uses her hair to lasso villains, and Jack (of beanstalk fame), comes along for the adventure. And what an adventure it is!

Waiting for Normal

Leslie Connor tells a great story about Addie, who wants nothing more than a normal life. Now that her mom and her stepdad are divorced, she and her mom are living in a little trailer and Addie's half-sisters have moved away. But with some new friends and a little luck, things just might turn out better than normal in the end. Addie is a character you will happily root for! Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Along Came Spider by James Preller

Friends since birth, Spider and Trey are drifting apart. Now, almost the whole fifth grade thinks Trey is weird. It would be so easy for Spider to go along with the class. Sticking up for his friend will be much harder. And Spider's popularity is on the line. Read this story about friends, new and old, and what's really important when you want to do what's right.

Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth

It's the summer before seventh grade and Violet Raines' life is perfect. Her best friend, Lottie, lives next door and is practically a sister to her. Her other good friend, Eddie, is like a contentious brother. When a new girl moves to town, Violet's life changes and not for the better. Lottie befriends Melissa and wants the three girls to become friends. But Violet finds a lot of things about Melissa that she doesn't like and possibly can't overcome. Can Violet keep her friendships with Lottie and Eddie and maybe find something about Melissa to like? Read this delightful novel to find out how Violet Raines almost gets struck by lightning!

After Tupac and D Foster

Two best friends become three, "Three the hard way", when D Foster comes into the lives of 11 year-old Neeka and her best friend. D has an independence that the two girls envy, and opens up their world with her experiences and her search for her Big Purpose. Within the short span of 1994-1996, the girls grow into teenagers, mourn the shootings and death of Tupac Shakur, and start thinking about what their own Big Purpose in life is. After Tupac and D Foster is by the Newbery Honor winner Jacqueline Woodson (Feathers).

The Little Wooden Doll

If you like The Velveteen Rabbit, The Best Loved Doll, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, or The Littles, you might like The Little Wooden Doll, too! An old, wooden doll living up in the attic of an old house is sad because she doesn't have a child to love her. Then one day, some children move into the old house. Will they find the doll? Will she be loved? Read how the spiders, moths, sparrows, and mice helped the wooden doll. This story was written a long time ago, but it is still a sweet story even today.

Heat by Mike Lupica

Heat is a story about 12 year-old Michael Arroyo, who pitches for a South Bronx little league baseball team. He and his brother, Carlos, are recently orphaned after their father dies, and they lie about living alone to avoid being split up by social services. Michael has such a powerful throw that the coach on an opposing team thinks Michael is lying about his age, which would disqualify him to play, and ruin his chances to become a major league player. As Michael and his brother try to get Michael's birth certificate from Cuba, their secret gets harder to hide, and their lives get even more
complicated.

Another 4th-Grade Favorite

An anonymous fourth-grader from Bingham Farms says:

I like the book Sixth Grade Secrets.

Miss Laurie says: This book is by Louis Sachar, who also wrote one of my favorites: Holes.

Captain Underpants, Anyone?

4th-Grader Talon says:

Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants was great.

A 4th-Grade Fan of Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is a fun filled quest about Percy, Annabeth, and Grover defeating monsters and finding out who stole Zeus's master bolt.

Another 4th-Grade Favorite

My favorite book is Chu Ju's House. I love how she moved to different places over and over again.

Miss Laurie's note: Chu Ju's House is by Gloria Whelan, who lives in Michigan! It was a Birmingham Battle Book for this year.

A 4th-Grader Likes Feathers

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson is a story about hope, dreams, and how everyone has a little bit of God in them.

Indy and Jonah like...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid series - We loved the series. Jeff Kinney ROCKS. THE BOOKS ARE VERY COMICAL AND FUNNY.

Lexxe and Skye like Andrew Clements's No Talking!

This book is very good. It is about Dave, Lindsey, and other 5th graders. Dave starts a whole contest about who is more quiet, boys or girls.

A Fourth-Grade Fan of Akiko!

I like the book Akiko.it was really really good. i like the action!!!

Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

Sam's life is a mystery and full of questions. He is afraid of the number eleven. Sam can't remember his mother and father. He often has a dream about freezing water, a sail boat and Night Cat. And the number eleven. Is Mack really his grandfather? And why can't he learn to read? Will a treacherous trip to the attic from the outside of his house answer Sam's questions? Join Sam on his journey to find out who he really is when you read Eleven!

The Seance

In 1926 Scooter King helps his mother make the sceances she conducts seem real. He thinks he knows all the tricks of the trade. Then Scooter discovers a dead body in the water tank used by legendary escape artist Harry Houdini. Scooter becomes involved in a mystery that leads him into a dangerous world of murder, deceit, and possibly even magic. He teams up with Harry Houdini himself, but will working together stop Houdini from exposing Scooter's mom as a fraud? Read this exciting action-packed historical mystery by Iain Lawrence.

Billy Creekmore: a Novel

Billy was born ten years ago, in 1895. It was Friday the thirteenth, which might explain how he ended up in an orphanage for boys run by a cruel couple. Travel along on an extraordinary journey with Billy as he escapes with a stranger, works in a coal mine, and joins a circus in search of his past and ends up finding himself. An award-winning story by Tracey Porter.

Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning

In this endearing story, written by Danette Haworth, it is the 1970s, Melissa Gold moves into Violet's neighborhood and Violet's life starts to change -- and not for the better! Melissa seems bent on stealing Violet's best friends, Lottie and Eddie. Violet is a character you won't soon forget, one you wish you could meet in real life and a true friend. This story will stay with you long after you turn the last page!

Knucklehead

Have you read any of Jon Scieszka's hilarious books, like The Stinky Cheese Man or The Time Warp Trio series? Ever wondered where he gets his ideas? Then you'll enjoy his account of growing up with 5 brothers in Flint, Michigan, subtitled Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka. Each short chapter is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. (I got some funny looks when I was reading this one in public!)

Newbery and Caldecott Winners Announced!

We had our own mock Caldecott election here at Baldwin last month, but unfortunately...we were wrong! (It just goes to show you how many GREAT children's books were published in 2008!) Here are the REAL winners, as chosen by the American Library Association:

Caldecott Medal:

The House in the Night, illustrated by Beth Krommes and written by Susan Marie Swanson, Houghton Mifflin Co.
Caldecott Honor Books:
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee, Harcourt, Inc.
How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz, Farrar Straus Giroux
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, illustrated by Melissa Sweet and written by Jen Bryant, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Newbery Medal:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean, HarperCollins Children's Books
Newbery Honor Books:
The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle, Henry Holt and Company, LLC
Savvy by Ingrid Law, Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group in partnership with Walden Media, LLC
"After Tupac and D Foster" by Jacqueline Woodson, G.P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Books for Young Readers