Dirty Gert by Tedd Arnold

Title: Dirty Gert
Author/Illustrator:  Tedd Arnold
Category:  Picture Book
Pages: 32
Interest Level:  ages 3-6
Series: No
Reviewer: Lynn

Do you know  a child who seems to be a dirt magnet?  You would never let this child wear white because every ketchup splash, grass stain, dirt or mud splosh somehow ends up on their clothes.  Dirty Gert is a child like this and more.  She loves dirt. She digs in it.  She plays in it. Gert is always dirty until one day it rains and she begins to sprout leaves and roots.  I loved this story about the perennially dirty child and the gentle way her parents manage this situation.  In addition to the humorous illustrations that add so much to the story, Arnold mixes in words that are real vocabulary boosters. Fun to read and a rich language experience for the very young!

Title:  Goodnight Baseball
Author:  Dahl, Michael
Illustrator:  Forshay, Christina
Category:  Picture Book
Reading Level: 6 and up
Interest Level:  3-6

Pick up this gentle rhyming story for the very young baseball fans in your life.  A father and son spend an evening at the ball park enjoying the thrill of the game.  The evening ends with echoes
of Goodnight Moon, ". . .Goodnight, bat. Goodnight, mitt that reached up high and caught a fast hit. . ."
Charming illustrations and a sweet story; not to be missed! 

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Title: The One and Only Ivan
Author: Katherine Applegate
Category: Juvenile Fiction
Pages: 305
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Interest Level: Middle School
Series: No
Reviewer: Clarice

Although this book did not look like something that would appeal to me, I picked it up solely because it was the Newbery winner for this year.  As I got into the book I have to say it caught my attention and I didn't want to put it down.  I actually read it in several hours. Don't let the size of the book hinder you from picking it up.  It is a quick read and has lots of open spaces on the pages.  The style of writing is not one that I am fold of, but for this book it definitely worked.  The book is about a Gorilla and an elephant that live in the Exit 8 Big Top Mall along with some other animals.  The book is mainly narrated by Ivan, the gorilla  and he tells about his days in his 'domain' - his glass enclosure and how he watches the humans watching him.  He neither thinks about nor rarely misses his life in the jungle. He spends his day with Stella, the elephant, a stray dog and sometimes the janitor and his daughter who appear every evening.  The daughter spends time drawing pictures of the animals and encourages Ivan to do the same.  His pictures sell in the Mall gift shop - another exploitation by his owner!  As the business at the mall decreases, the owner decides to bring in a new baby elephant - Ruby.  Shortly after Ruby arrives, Stella gets sick.  It is because of Ruby that Ivan learns to see their situation from another perspective and he decides to try to make their lives better.  Read this book to find out what happens to these animals held captive in a mall and how their relationship with each other, the janitor and his daughter leads to better opportunities.

Sneaky Art by Marthe Jocelyn

Title: Sneaky Art

Author/Artist: Marthe Jocelyn
Category: Juvenile Fiction
Pages: 64
Reading Level: 8 and up
Interest Level: 6 and up
Series: No
Reviewer: Julie


I'm fascinated by street art. I love chalk art on sidewalks and crochet parking meters. In that same vain, I think it only fitting that I LOVE this book.

Sneaky Art by Marthe Jocelyn is such a fun concept. As the tagline reads it's "crafty surprises to hide in plain sight." You'll find ideas to make people happy like... twisting or tying something red to a public phone, leaving a "lucky penny" for a passerbyer, and attaching a positive note to a locker or mailbox. These are just a few of the many ways you can use this book to make someone's day just a little brighter.

Marthe Jocelyn has other great books she has written and illustrated like "Ones and Twos", "Same Same", and "Over Under."

Need a Sneaky Peak? Click here to go to Marthe Jocelyn's Sneaky Art webpage.

If you do some "Sneaky Art" I'd LOOOOVE to know about it! Visit me, Ms. Julie, at the library or post a comment!

Reminder

Sneaky Art is NOT: mean, defacing, ugly, hurtful, messy, or permanent. Sneaky Art is NOT graffiti or marking up someone else’s property.

Sneaky Art IS: funny, clever, thoughtful, temporary, subversive, playful, and surprising!

The Purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. -Pablo Picasso

Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli

Title: Higher! Higher!

Author/Illustrator: Leslie Patricelli

Category: Picture Books

Pages: 32

Reading Level: Ages: 4-7

Interest Level: Ages 2-7

Series: No

Reviewer: Sarah

This is a perfect book to read with your child as you start to spend more time at the playground. 

A grownup is pushing a darling girl in a swing as the little girl calls out, “Higher! Higher!” As she travels higher and higher, the little girl sees a giraffe, a mountaintop, an airplane and then finally gets high enough to high-five an alien. Soon her swings begin to lower and she turns to the grownup and says, “Again!” 

Very fun simple text and great bright drawings – this makes a great read aloud. We quoted this one at the playground this weekend!It's wonderful to see books encourage imaginative play

PLUNKED AND OTHER BASEBALL BOOKS

                                          Plunked

                              by Michael Northrup

Do you like baseball?  Twelve-year-old Jack Mogens loves baseball.  He has been playing Little League ball for six years and this season he intends to be a starter.  Jack’s goal is to start in left field with his best friend, Andy, playing at third base. Just a little more polish to his game and Jack is sure he has a lock on the starting spot.  As Jack would say,  “. . . my defense is there, my arm’s okay, so this is what’s left!  I’ve got to get the job done with my bat. . .”

But the game of baseball and life is filled with the unexpected as Jack learns when a wild pitch threatens to derail his game and his plans. 

“The pitch cuts in toward me, chest high. It’s one of those pitches where you can just tell right away that you’re in trouble. The ball just seems to follow you.” 

Getting “plunked” by a wild pitch changes the whole game for Jack.  Can he conquer his fears and insecurities to stay in the game he loves? 

On June 10th at 7:00 p.m book discussion.

On June 20th at 7:00 p.m. Michael Northrup - Author Visit. Books available for purchase and signing.  

Join us at either or both of these events as we continue on our Summer Reading journey.

Below are lists of Baseball Read-Alikes for your consideration.  

JUVENILE READ-ALIKES FOR PLUNKED

The Perfect Game by Fred Bowen

Throwing Heat by Fred Bowen

Dugout Rivals by Fred Bowen

Force out by Tim Green

Pinch Hit by Tim Green

Best of the Best, a Baseball Great Novel  by Tm Green

Roberto and Me – a Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman

Ray and Me – a Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman

Jim and Me by Dan Gutman

Satch and Me – A Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman   

Shoeless Joe and Me – A Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman
Ted and Me - A Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman

Play Ball by Matt Christopher 

Wild Pitch by Cal Ripken, Jr.

Super-Sized Slugger by Cal Ripken, Jr.

Hot Head by Cal Ripken, Jr.

Fenway Fever by John Ritter

The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John Ritter

King of the Mound : My Summer with Satchel Paige by Wes Tooke

Lucky:Maris, Mantle and My Best Summer Ever by Wes Tooke

Diamond in the Desert by  Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Wing Ding by  Kevin Markey

Wall Ball by Kevin Markey

Slump Buster by Kevin Markey

Fantasy Baseball by Alan Gratz

The Brooklyn Nine by Alan Gratz

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane

Missing in Action by Dean Hughes

Water, Water Everywhere by Loren Long (Book 4 of the Slugger Series)

Home of the Brave by Loren Long (Book 6 of the Slugger Series)

The Bat Boy by Mike Lupica

Safe at Home – a Comback kids Novel by Mike Lupica

Roy Morelli Steps Up to the Plate by Thatcher Heldring

Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta

The Prince of Fenway Park by Julianna Baggott

Bill Pennant, Babe Ruth and Me byTimothy Tocher

Top of the Order by John Coy

No Cream Puffs by Karen Day

Keeping Score by Linda Sue Park

My Thirteenth Season by Kristi Roberts

Sliding into Home by Dori Hillstad Butler

Strike Three You’re Dead Josh Berk

TRANSITIONAL READERS ABOUT BASEBALL

 Fenway Foul-Up by David Kelly

 Astro Outlaw by David Kelly

 ThePinstripe Ghost by David Kelly

Brothers at Bat- a true story of an amazing all-brother baseball team
 (a biography) 920 Vernick

Jinxed ( by Kurtis Scaletta

Steal that Base  by Kurtis Scaletta

Flat Stanley at Bat by Lori Haskins

Three Strikes For Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos

The Home-Run Kid Races On by Stephanie 
                                      Peters

Baseball Flyhawk by Matt Christopher

Come back of the Homerun Kid by Matt Christopher

 PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT BASEBALL

Pete the Cat: Play Ball by James Dean

Clorinda Plays Baseball by Robert Kinerk

Randy Riley’s Really Big Hit by Chris Van Dusen

Pirates at the Plate by Aaron Frisch

Lucky Luis by Gary Soto

Play Ball Jackie by Stephen Krensky

Quacky Baseball by Peter Abrahams

Bats at the Ballgame by Brian Lies

The Boys by Jeff Newman

Testing the Ice: A True Story about Jackie Robinson by Sharon Robinson

Mighty Casey by James Preller

The Greatest Story Never Told: The Babe and Jackie by Ray 
    Negron

Willie and the All Stars by Floyd Cooper

Casey Back at Bat by Dan Gutman

Out of the Ballpark by Alex Rodriguez

Hello Fredbird! By Ozzie Smith

Say-Hey and the Babe: two mostly- true baseball stories by Neil Waldman

Jackie’s Bat by Marybeth Lorbiecki

Dad,Jackie and Me by Myron Uhlberg

Just Like Josh Gibson by Angela Johnson

Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki

Mama Played Baseball by David Adler

Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings by  Deborah Hopkins

Shoeless Joe and Black Betsy by Phil Bildner

The Babe & I by David Adler
Who's On First by Abbott and Costello
Goodnight Baseball by Michael Dahl 
Roasted Peanuts by Tim Egan
Luke Goes To Bat by Rachel Isadora

2013 STATE AWARD WINNERS

HEAR YE, HEAR YE....ON MONDAY NIGHT, APRIL 15, 2013 THE FOLLOWING BOOKS WERE ANNOUNCED AS THE STATE AWARD WINNERS FOR 2013.

SHOW-ME AWARD GOES TO  .....BLUE HOUSE DOG
                                                          by   Deborah Blumenthal

MARK TWAIN AWARD GOES TO......OUT OF MY MIND
                                                                    by Sharon Draper

 

 

TRUMAN AWARD GOES TO.....GIRL STOLEN
                                                          by April Henry

AND.......

THE GATEWAY AWARD GOES TO..... ROT AND RUIN
                                                                     by Jonathan Maberry