New children’s books have arrived at the Irondequoit Public Library! Here are a few highlights from our collection:
In an effort to cover difficult topics for kids, Becky Birtha wrote Far Apart, Close in Heart, a picture book that helps children cope with having a family member incarcerated.
Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom, & the Challenges of Bad Hair is an unforgettable story by C.C. Payne about the difficulties of school life and exploring friendships.
Finally, Davina Bell brings us a heartwarming tale in Captain Starfish, where a young boy named Alfie learns to understand his shyness and make meaningful connections.
Click the “Read More” link to check out the rest of the books below!
Chapter Books
Monsters Among Us (Franken-Sci High #2) by Tracey West
In the second book in the Franken-Sci High series, Monsters Among Us, Newton Warp’s friends notice he’s being followed around by a strange new professor, Dr. Flubitus, but have no idea why. Newton wonders if it has something to do with the barcode on his foot. He doesn’t have much time to dwell on it, though, because soon there are reports of a giant monster loose on campus Shelly assumes a school for mad scientists would have top-notch security against monsters, nosy tourists, and other invaders, but soon she and her friends Newton and Theremin discover a gaping loophole in the system. If a marauding monster can find its way to the school’s secret location in the Bermuda Triangle and figure out how to open a portal to the campus, anyone else could get in, too Then Shelly finds out she might be the reason the monster is there in the first place…
The Stolen Show (Nancy Drew Diaries #18) by Carolyn Keene
Nancy is helping out her Dad’s friend, Louise Alain, and her dog, Marge, at an upcoming dog show in Montreal. Marge is a professional and needs someone she can trust to handle her at the biggest show of the season. Nancy is happy to oblige, especially since Louise invited Bess and George as well!
Of course, the three friends are investigating a crime within hours of their arrival. One of the show dogs was drugged and a giant wad of gum was matted into its hair. Louise asks Nancy to investigate and gives her a useful tip: look at the dogs—their temperaments and styles are often a good window into the hearts and minds of their owners. But instead of solving a case of competitor sabotage, Nancy discovers jewel thieves have been using the dog show circuit as a smuggling operation.
The thieves are not comfortable with the teenage sleuth who’s asking too many questions. And when they make some serious threats, Nancy, Bess, and George quickly find themselves in dangerous territory.
Can Nancy discover the thieves’ identity and take home the trophy? Or is this one case where the bite is worse than the bark?
The Star Shepherd by Dan Haring
When the world first formed, the night was black and filled with dark creatures. The Elders knew their people couldn’t survive under such a threat. So they gave their hearts to the sky in the form of stars to keep evil away.
Now, eleven-year-old Kyro is a Star Shepherd like his father. He’s spent his life tucked away in the small town of Drenn. There, the family watches the night sky for falling stars–and rushes to rescue them when they do.
When too many stars start falling at once, and disappearing before they can be saved, Kyro’s father journeys to report the threat. But when he doesn’t return, Kyro, with the help of his best friend, Andra, and his trusty dog, Cypher, must find a way to save the stars before the dark creatures make a terrifying return.
Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom, & the Challenges of Bad Hair by C.C. Payne
While Lula Bell Bonner tries desperately to fit in by not standing out, her wise and irrepressible Grandma Bernice says: Let your light shine! It’s Grandma Bernice who provides the joy that balances Lula Bell’s difficult school life, but when this balance is upended, when Kali Keele turns up the heat on her cruel teasing, and when the talent show –that she should NEVER have signed up for– is about to happen, how in the world can Lula Bell cope?
Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix
One minute they’re there: laughing and having fun at the house next door. The next minute, the teens are gone. Like magic. Marin can’t believe her eyes. Who are they? Can anyone else see them? What makes them so happy?
Marin is lonely in this new town of hers and eager to figure out more. Then she meets Charley, who reveals that he knows about them, too.
He calls them the “Remarkables.” Charley warns her to stay away from the Remarkables–and him. Charley and Marin both have painful secrets they’re holding on to, but could solving the mystery of the Remarkables help them both?
In addition to building an intriguing world filled with mystery, Haddix also grounds the story with real issues that many children face. Characters deal with the complexities of bullying, the guilt children experience when parents have addiction issues, and the uplifting power found in strong families of all shapes and sizes.
Picture Books
The Spacesuit by Alison Donald
Ellie loves to sew. Little does she know that one day her sewing skills will launch into space in the shape of the world’s first spacesuit to walk on the moon.
Inspired by true events, this is a narrative non-fiction title, which shows how the sewing skills of a team of women bested some of America’s top scientists and engineers to help make the spacesuit that would be worn by the astronauts on the first moon walk.
Plant, Sow, Make, & Grow by Esther Coombs
Get little gardeners growing and learning with this beautifully illustrated book, packed with information and crafty stuff to do. Help them to discover that gardening can be simple and uncomplicated with very little equipment and prior knowledge needed. It often is as simple as having some seeds, a patch of soil or a container and having a go. As well as gaining a new hobby, there will be extra motivation to eat up the veggies after growing and picking them and the simple pleasure of spending time together outside. With sections based on the cycle of the seasons, the pages are packed with ideas of what to grow, how to sow seeds and useful harvesting information. Also included are tips about what wildlife you may see, raiding your recycling box to make some useful gardening accessories and other decorative craft activities.
Captain Starfish by Davina Bell
Alfie wants to participate in the best parts of being a kid, from his friend Antoinette’s birthday party to the relay races at school. But his shyness keeps him from engaging. When Alfie wakes up with That Feeling on the morning of yet another big event—the underwater costume parade—his mom takes him to the aquarium.
There, Alfie meets a starfish who shines so boldly Alfie feels small. But suddenly, a tiny clownfish swims up to Alfie for a quick hello and retreats again. Alfie begins to understand that there’s a happy medium between hiding away and being the star, and that he needs to come out of hiding every once and awhile to make meaningful connections.
Red by Jan De Kinder
In this poignant story, a girl finds it funny when her classmate starts blushing on the school playground. Her friends laugh along with her, but one student takes the teasing too far. Torn between her sympathy for her classmate and her fear of the bully, the girl must make a difficult choice.
This heartfelt book will inspire readers to find the courage to take a stance against bullying and show compassion towards others.
Far Apart, Close in Heart by Bethy Birtha
Children can experience many emotions when a parent is in jail or prison. They may be angry, sad, lonely, or scared. Sometimes friends act differently toward them. Sometimes the children begin acting differently too. In this important book, young readers will learn that even when it feels like nothing can get better again, there are ways they can improve their circumstances. Sending letters, talking to a trusted grown-up about their feelings, and even visiting a parent in jail or prison can help keep a parent close in their hearts. Use this title as a helpful tool to start a conversation with any child in this situation and to remind them they are not alone.
Published on January 2, 2020.
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