Niagara Falls, or Does It? by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
by Debbie Fenty - Tuesday Jul 01 2008 9:07 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews, Staff Pick, Saskatoon

Hank Zipzer has good intentions, but always seems to be getting into trouble. Ms. Adolph, his fourth-grade teacher is very strict and won't put up with any nonsense. When Hank's creative interpretation of a class assignment meets with disastrous results, all seems lost, but amazingly, something good comes of it.

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Rose Blanche By Roberto Innocenti
by Michelle McAllister - Friday Jun 13 2008 7:28 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews

Rose Blanche tells the story of a young German girl who doesn't understand the politics and dangers that come along with the Second World War. She sees the tanks and soldiers move through her town every day, but doesn't know what they are for. One day she follows them and discovers a terrible truth. With her loving soul she tries her best to help. Until one day: "Shadows were moving between the trees... Soldiers saw the enemy everywhere."

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Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume
by Debbie Fenty - Sunday Jun 08 2008 5:04 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews, Staff Pick

Life is complicated for 13 year old Tony Miglione. His parents think Joel, the boy next door, is a wonderful young man, but Tony knows Joel is no angel. Tony's brother and sister-in-law have a new baby girl, which means Tony is now an uncle. One of the girls at school is crazy about Tony and she's not shy about telling him so. Plus, weird things are happening to his body, but Tony is too embarrassed to talk to anyone about it.

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The Mozart Question
by Michelle McAllister - Thursday Jun 05 2008 9:30 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews

A young journalist, Lesley, gets the chance of a lifetime to interview the famous violinist Paolo Levi. Before she goes, she is warned not to ask "The Mozart Question."

When she begins the interview she tells Levi that she was told not to ask the 'Mozart Question' and promises not to, since she has no idea what it is. Levi ponders her words for a while and finally responds, "I will tell you a story. After it is over, you will need to ask me no more questions. Someone once told me that all secrets are lies. The time has come, I think, not to lie anymore."

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Thunder Rolling In the Mountains
by Helen Ambler - Wednesday Feb 06 2008 7:02 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews, Staff Pick

Scott O'Dell, author of Island of the Blue Dolphins was working on this book at the time of his death. Elizabeth Hall finished it for him. It is the story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce people, who were driven from their home in the Wallowa Valley in Oregon.They were pushed into battle against much better armed troops who fought dirty by killing women and children. After it was all over the natives died, in great numbers, of disease and lived in abject poverty.

It is a very,very tired story in North American history, done from a fresh fictional viewpoint of a teenaged girl. I could see this making a fine novel study for Grade 5-8.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Rodrick Rules, by Jeff Kinney
by Tracy Howard - Wednesday Feb 06 2008 7:52 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews, Staff Pick

I loved the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid installment and was equally entertained by this most recent edition Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Rodrick Rules.

Poor Greg Heffley,middle school attending middle child of middle class parents - his life is a series of missteps and misadventures that he describes in his journal (do not call it a "diary" like his Mom does),accompanied by the most hilarious line drawings.

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Today I Will Fly
by Sarah Gritzfeldt - Saturday Jan 26 2008 12:14 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews, Staff Pick

From Mo Willems, writer/illustrator of Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, comes a rollicking new adventure starring Elephant & Piggie.

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On The Run: Chasing The Falconers - Gordon Korman
by Elizabeth Nazarenko - Saturday Dec 29 2007 5:22 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews, Saskatoon

Aiden and Meg Falconer's parents are facing life in prison for a crime they didn't commit; will Aiden and Meg be able to save them?

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Dinosaurs Before Dark - Mary Pope Osborne
by lisa christine Thornton - Wednesday Jan 16 2008 8:29 pm permalink Post a comment
Posted in: Reviews, Staff Pick

Join Jack and Annie on their adventures in The Magic Tree House.This series of first chapter books is both exciting and educational for children ages 6 and up.

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