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Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
Jordan Sonnenblick doesn’t skirt around the difficult issues in this book – coming to terms with denial, anger, and bargaining among the everyday and all-consuming world that middle school can be. Thirteen year old, Steven does not only have to focus on getting good grades, but also practicing for the All-Star…
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Book Review: Loot: How to Steal a Fortune
Loot is exactly what Jude Watson does best – action-packed, fast-paced and adventure wrapped up in a story you can’t put down. When March’s father, a notorious cat burglar dies on the job, March must finish one last job. His father’s dying words to March, “Find jewels,” and it’s only…
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Book Review: "The Swift Boys & Me"
I picked this book up thinking it would be a middle grade novel where everything gets wrapped up very neatly by the end of the story, but I was pleasantly surprised with the ending of this book although there was closure, it was not how I expected it to end. …
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Robot Building – Part 2
I survived our robot building workshop this afternoon! It was a lot of controlled chaos, but I think the kids and many of the parents had a really great time building, exploring, imagining, and just having a really great time together. We ended up with over 100 people for this…
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Robot Building – Part 1
I’m not sure that anyone who isn’t a children’s librarian understands the feelings of being smack in the middle of summer reading with programs happening on a daily (sometimes hourly) schedule, reference questions flying at you a mile a minute, and kids and parents, nannies, grandparents, and tutors in every…
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Book Review: The Fourteenth Goldfish
I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of this uncorrected proof while at ALA in Las Vegas this year. The Fourteenth Goldfish will not be on sale until August 26, 2014, which means this review is based solely on the advanced read’s copy (ARC) and information…
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Book Review: Absolutely Almost
From the author of A Tangle of Knots comes a true coming-of-age story about the importance of knowing who you are and understanding that it is essential to stand up for yourself. Albie is familiar with the feeling of being almost – almost good at sports, almost smart in school,…
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Review: Boys of Blur
I heard about Boys of Blur on the Fuse #8 blog from School Library Journal about some books that the author (Elizabeth Bird) thought might be strong contenders for the Newbery Award for 2015. A slight novel, with less than 200 pages, Boys of Blur, packed a punch. With strong parallel…
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Three Times Lucky Audiobook
I just got back this morning from a (very) short trip to visit my family. My brother recently moved closer to home, my sister was in town for a wedding, and my other brother and his wife took some time off of work to visit. We actually got the chance…
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Knightley & Son
If you’re looking for a fast-paced mystery for a great summer read, then Knightley & Son is the book for you! Darkus Knightley is a 13-year-old boy whose been reading his father’s top secret files in his bedroom for the past four years while his father has been in a…