Ice Dogs By Terry Lynn Johnson

Amber Smoke: The Escaped

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Advanced Readers Copy Review

I'm not sure if I've ever started a review with OMG, but OMG! What a great book! The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier is a Maryland Black-Eyed Susan nominee this year which is why I read it AND it's also an advanced readers copy that I had. The story begins with Molly and Kip who are two orphans from Ireland who are on their way to the Windsor home to work as servants. They lost their parents at sea after they fled Ireland during the Great Famine. Now Molly, 14, and Kip, 10, need a place to live. There was something strange about the house and the family from the very beginning, but things soon became more strange with the first visit from who the Windsor daughter, Penny, calls the night man. Things got stranger still when Molly borrowed the key to the green door at the top of the stairs. Inside the door Molly found letters from her parents hidden in the knot hole of the old tree that grew too close to the house. Molly wasn't alone. Everyone was getting something from the tree and tree was getting something in return.

I found The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier to be a classic thriller. There were parts that had me physically cringing and afraid to read on and then there were parts that had me crying which was weird since I was sitting in a gym waiting for my daughter. The story line was intricate and well thought out and as twisted as the tree itself. There were several poignant moments of wisdom and reality especially between Hestor Kettle and the kids. The characters in The Night Gardener were rich and developed. I really felt for Molly who spent so much energy protecting Kip from the truth through her stories that she forgot her own insecurities. It was amazing to see Kip grow from a naive kid to a young man able to handle the truths around him. Mr. Windsor reeked of desperation as much as Mrs. Windsor reeked of longing. The characters were believable which helped to create a rich story.

I highly recommend The Nigh Gardener by Jonathan Auxier to 12 years of age and older. Adults...you too! It's a thrilling story you're going to love!!!

View all my reviews

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!! May your day be filled with family and friends!!

The Elf Cow!

Hanging with the Chik-fil-a cow at Small Business Saturday!

Crenshaw By Katherine Applegate

Crenshaw

By Katherine Applegate

Goodreads:

In her first novel since winning the Newbery Medal, Katherine Applegate delivers an unforgettable and magical story about family, friendship, and resilience.

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.

From Descendants to Disney

Has your tween girl watched the Disney movie Descendants? It's about a group kids whose parents were all of the evil people in fairy tales like Maleficent. They were all taken to an Island and locked there under a protective spell to keep them there forever. The upcoming Prince charming though thinks that it's not fair for the kids, who are innocent, to be punished for their parents evil deeds so he invites a group to where all of the kids from the heroes and heroines in the same stories live. It's Disney so it's a feel-good story. 

The book however is much different. I haven't read the book, but my daughter, after seeing that the movie was based off a book, decided to read the book. She says that the book is completely different than the movie. She even stated that she can't even see how the movie came from the book and that tells ya how different it is! She did say the book was okay. I asked her, if she had not seen the movie, then would the book be a good book. She said sure (without much gusto). She said the book wasn't too exciting. 

So there ya have it! Maybe in this case, the movie is better than the book!!

A Pile

I have a quite a pile of books sitting on my floor just waiting for me to tell you all about them! They are some new finds that I have stumbled upon that I think that you'll like. They are coming up soon...so check back later this weekend!

November 28th - Save the Date!!

Have you got plans on 28 November? Well, you do now!! Small Business Saturday at South Colony!!  This is a GREAT opportunity to check out all the small businesses at the South Colony shopping center. They do have some really good ones! AND you know, the holidays are right around the corner. Small businesses are amazing places to find those gifts for folks who are hard to shop for or little things to stuff in a stocking. Besides visiting all the wonderful shops, there will be a bounce house, selfie booth, food and live music!! What does all of this cost? 3 cans of food or 1 unwrapped toy to be donated to charity!! THAT'S IT!!! WOW!!!

Mark it on your calendar - 28 November 11:00am to 3:00pm!!!!

Upside Down Magic

Upside Down Magic

By: Sarah Mlynowki, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins

From New York Times bestselling authors Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins comes the hilarious and heartfelt story of a group of magical misfits.

Nory Horace is nine years old. She's resourceful, she's brave, she likes peanut butter cookies. Also, she's able to transform into many different animals. Unfortunately, Nory's shape-shifting talent is a bit wonky. And when she flunks out of her own father's magic academy, Nory's forced to enter public school, where she meets a group of kids whose magic is, well, different.

This new, offbeat series from hit authors Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins chronicles the misadventures of Nory and her oddball friends, who prove that upside-down magic definitely beats right side up. *

My Take:

It was a pretty cute story about a girl who has less-than-perfect magical gifts and her struggle to accept that it's okay to be different. Sometimes different equals special. It's a great book for 3rd and 4th grade and maybe 5th grade, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone older. I don't think that there is enough explanation and detail about things like their magic and their world and that would probably make it a difficult read for older children. 

New This Week!

Here are some of the books that are due to be published this week! See www.edgewaterbooks.com for availability. Recommended age is in parentheses.

• A Blind Guide to Stinkville by Beth Vrabel - 6 October (8-12)
• A Tale of Highly Unusual Magic by Lisa Papademetriou - 6 October (8-12)
• Beatrix Potter and Her Paint Box by David McPhail - 6 October (4-8)
• Beyond the Pond by Joseph Kuefler (4-8)
• Book: My Autobiography by John Agard - 6 October (10+)
• Dream On Amber by Emma Shevah - 6 October (9-12)
• Freedom's Price (Hidden Histories) by Michaela MacColl and Rosemary Nichols - 6 October (9-12)
• Happy! by PHarrell Williams - 6 October (3-6)
• I'm Cool by Kate McMullan with illustrations by Jim McMullan - 6 October (4-8)
• Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Leslea Newman with illustrations by Amy June Bates - 6 October (5-8)
• Lenny and Lucy by Philip C. Stead with illustrations by Erin E. Stead - 6 October (3-6)
• Little Penguin Gets Hiccups by Tadgh Bentley - 6 October (4-8)
• Mixed Me! by Taye Diggs - 6 October (4-8)
• Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues by James Dean and Kimberly Dean - 6 October (4-8)
• Please, Open This Book! by Adam Legrgaupt with illustrations by Matthew Forsythe - 6 October (4-8)

Banned Books Week - 2014 Top Ten

Here is the Top Ten of the most banned books of 2014.*

1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

3. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

4. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

5. It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris

6. Sage by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples

7. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

9. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

10. Drama by Raina Telgemeier


* Source: American Library Association

Banned Books Week - The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner

By Khaled Hosseini

Number 7 most challenged book of 2014*

Reason of challenge: offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence

Amir is the son of a wealthy Kabul merchant, a member of the ruling caste of Pashtuns. Hassan, his servant and constant companion, is a Hazara, a despised and impoverished caste. Their uncommon bond is torn by Amir's choice to abandon his friend amidst the increasing ethnic, religious, and political tensions of the dying years of the Afghan monarchy, wrenching them far apart. But so strong is the bond between the two boys that Amir journeys back to a distant world, to try to right past wrongs against the only true friend he ever had.

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic. 

* Source: American Library Association; Goodreads

Banned Books Week - Saga

Saga

By Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Number 6 most challenged book of 2014*

Reason for challenge: anti-family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit and unsuited for age group

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. 

From bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan, Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults. 

* Source: American Library Association; Goodreads

Banned Books Week - It's Perfectly Normal

It's Perfectly Normal

By Robie Harris

Number 5 most challenged book of 2014*

Reason for challenge: nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, "alleges it child pornography"

When young people have questions about sex, real answers can be hard to find. Providing accurate, unbiased answers to nearly every imaginable question, from conception and puberty to birth control and AIDS, IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL offers young people the information they need � now more than ever � to make responsible decisions and to stay healthy. Already used as a trusted resource in twenty-five countries around the world (and translated into twenty-one languages), IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL marks its tenth anniversary with a thoroughly updated edition that includes the latest information on such topics as birth control, hepatitis, HIV, and adoption, among others. This definitive new edition also reflects the recent input of parents, teachers, librarians, clergy, scientists, health professionals, and young readers themselves.

* Source: American Library Association; Goodreads

Banned Books Week - The Bluest Eye

The Bluest Eye

By Toni Morrison

Number 4 most challenged book of 2014. *

Reason for challenge: sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, "contains controversial issues"

The Bluest Eye is Toni Morrison's first novel, a book heralded for its richness of language and boldness of vision. Set in the author's girlhood hometown of Lorain, Ohio, it tells the story of black, eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove. Pecola prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will be as beautiful and beloved as all the blond, blue-eyed children in America. In the autumn of 1941, the year the marigolds in the Breedloves' garden do not bloom. Pecola's life does change- in painful, devastating ways.
What its vivid evocation of the fear and loneliness at the heart of a child's yearning, and the tragedy of its fulfillment. The Bluest Eye remains one of Tony Morrisons's most powerful, unforgettable novels- and a significant work of American fiction.

* Source: American Library Association; Goodreads

Banned Books Week - And Tango Makes Three

And Tango Makes Three

By Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Number 3 most challenged book of 2014*

Reason for challenge: anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group, "promotes homosexual agenda"

In the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango's family is not like any of the others. This illustrated children's book fictionalizes the true story of two male penguins who became partners and raised a penguin chick in the Central Park Zoo.

* Source: American Library Association; Goodreads

Banned Books Week - Persepolis

Persepolis

By Marjane Satrapi

Number 2 most frequently challenged book of 2014. *

Reason for challenge: gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint, "politically, racially, and socially offensive", "graphic depictions"

Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.

* Source: American Library Association; Goodreads

Banned Books Week - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

By Sherman Alexie

Number 1 top ten most frequently challenged book of 2104*

Reason for challenge: anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit unsuited for age group, violence, "depictions of bullying"

Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

Source: American Library Association; Goodreads

Banned Books Week

Banned books are books that, for one reason or another, have been banned from schools, libraries, book stores, etc. Books are generally banned for language, explicit content, witchcraft/supernatural, racial content and other controversial topic. In the past few years, banned books have almost become a genre of their own. I used to stake out the banned books shelves at my local book store when I was teen. Is there anything better than reading something you're not supposed to? 

The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel

Here's my newest book trailer for "The Boundless" by Kenneth Oppel. It's a great read especially for those rascally boys AND it's a 2015-2016 Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Nominee for grades 6-9. I highly recommend this book. I am a SLOW reader and I read it in less than a month. THAT'S a good book! Enjoy!

New This Week - 23 August 2015

Kids Books

• A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen (25 Aug)
• Anton And Cecil: Cat on Track (Book 2) by Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin (25 Aug)
• Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods: Twenty Chilling Tales from the Wilderness by Hal Johnson (25 Aug)
• George by Alex Gino (25 Aug)
• Island Treasures: Growing Up in Cuba by Alma Flor Ada (25 Aug)
• Nanny X Returns by Madelyn Rosenberg (30 Aug)
• Noah Webster: Man of Many Words by Catherine Reef (25 Aug)
• Space Dumplings by Craig Thompson (25 Aug) graphic novel
• Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (25 Aug) graphic novel
• The Making of New Navy Seal: My Story of Surviving the Toughest Challenge and Training the Best by Brandon Webb (25 Aug)
• The Wolf Wilder b7 Katherine Rundell (25 Aug)

Teen Books

• A Little in Love by Susan E. Fletcher (12+)( 25 Aug)
• Code of Honor by Alan Gratz (12+)( 25 Aug)
• Diary of a Haunting by M. Verano (25 Aug)
• Friends for Life by Andrew Norriss (25 Aug)
• Mechanical by Betsy Cornwell (25 Aug)
• Somewhere There Is Still a Sun: A Memoir of the Holocaust by Michael Gruenbaum (10+)(25 Aug)
• The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender (12+)(25 Aug)
• Thirteen Days of Midnight by Leo Hunt (14+)(25 Aug)
• Stranded by Melinda Braun by (25 Aug)
• Really Professional Internet Person by Jenn McAllister (25 Aug)

My Apologies!

I just looked and it's been a while since I not only posted, but added a video! Summer was quick and busy and WHERE DID IT GO!!  I am hard at work and getting caught up so keep checking back AND while you're at it, comment below on this month advanced copy! Maybe you may win it!

August Giveaway - Goodbye Stranger

Goodbye Stranger

By Rebecca Stead

"You must have been put on this earth for a reason, little girl!"

Bridge is an accident survivor who's wondering why she's still alive. 

Emily has new curves and an almost-boyfriend who wants a certain kind of picture.

Tabitha sees through everybody's games. Or so she tells the world.

They're best friends with one rule: No fighting. Can it get them through seventh grade?

"Somewhere there's a universe in which you never left."

Everything is different for Sherm Russo this year. Then he gets to know Bridge Barsamian. What does it mean to fall for a girl - as a friend?

White carnations for friendship. Pink for like. Red for love.

On Valentine's Day, an unnamed high school girl struggles with a betrayal. 

How long can she hide in plain sight?

Ages: 10 and up

Publication Date: 4 August 2015

A Few Books To Check Out!

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

By Liesl Shurtliff

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end. 

Biss (The Bliss Bakery, #1)

By Kathryn Littlewood

Rosemary Bliss’s family has a secret. It’s the Bliss Cookery Booke—an ancient, leather-bound volume of enchanted recipes like Stone Sleep Snickerdoodles and Singing Gingersnaps. Rose and her siblings are supposed to keep the Cookery Booke under lock and whisk-shaped key while their parents are out of town, but then a mysterious stranger shows up. “Aunt” Lily rides a motorcycle, wears purple sequins, and whips up exotic (but delicious) dishes for dinner. Soon boring, non-magical recipes feel like life before Aunt Lily—a lot less fun.

So Rose and her siblings experiment with just a couple of recipes from the forbidden Cookery Booke.

A few Love Muffins and a few dozen Cookies of Truth couldn’t cause too much trouble . . . could they?

Kathryn Littlewood’s culinary caper blends rich emotional flavor with truly magical wit, yielding one heaping portion of hilarious family adventure. 

The Grimm Legacy (The Grimm Legacy, #1)

By Polly Shulman

Elizabeth has a new job at an unusual library - a lending library of objects, not books. In a secret room in the basement lies the Grimm Collection. That's where the librarians lock away powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales; seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's stepmother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles.

When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth embarks on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before she can be accused of the crime or captured by the thief.

Polly Shulman has created a contemporary fantasy with a fascinating setting and premise, starring an ordinary girl whose after-school job is far from ordinary and leads to a world of excitement, romance and magical intrigue. 

Colossus Rises (Seven Wonders, #1)
By Peter Lerangis

One Boy

Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he’s going to die.

One Mission

Jack needs to find seven magic loculi that, when combined, have the power to cure him.

One Problem

The loculi are the relics of a lost civilization and haven’t been seen in thousands of years.

Seven Wonders

Because they’re hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Speaking In Bones

Reading Lists for Grades 9-12 are in!

Ninth Grade

• Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, Broadway Bound by Neil Simon
• Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
• The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian
• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
• Ironman by Chris Crutcher
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
• Shoeless Joe by Joe Kinsella
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
• Slam by Walter Dean Myers
• Stuck in Neutral by Terry Truman

Tenth Grade

• The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
• Bronx Masquerade by Niki Grimes
• The Cape Ann by Faith Sullivan Lark
• Dragonsong (or series) by Anne McCaffrey
• Mako Blue by Brenda Woods
• Jubilee by Margaret Walker
• Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
• The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
• The Piano Lessons by August Wilson
• The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Eleventh Grade

• All My Sons by Arthur Miller
• Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther
• Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
• The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman
• Shattering Glass by Gail Giles
• Star girl by Jerry Spinelli
• Sailing Around the Room by Billy Collins
• Song of the Buffalo Boy by Sherry Garland
• Wait Until Next Year by Doris Kearns

Twelfth Grade

• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
• Light Thickens by Ngaio Marsh
• Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston

Summer Reading Lists!

Hey all!!
AACPS Summer Reading Lists are out! You know a groovy thing to do this summer? Take a visit to Edgewater Books and grab a book from a reading list. Write your name inside the front cover next to the word owner.

Example:
This book belongs to John Smith
__________________________________

Read the book and when you are done give it a number of stars from 1-5 and little bit about why you liked it or didn't like it and then pass the book on to a friend asking them to do the same thing. When the book is filled up then it should come back to you. Let us know your favorite in the comment section of the Summer Reading Lists page at the top!  There is nothing better than a beach, the sun and a good book! Happy reading!

PS - The high school lists isn't out yet.

SUMMER READING LISTS FOR 2015

Pre-Kindergarten

• A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin
• A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Phillip C. Stead
• Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom by Bill Martin
• Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
• Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld
• Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
• Flashlight by Lizi Boyd
• Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
• I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont
• I Must Have Bobo by Eileen Rosenthal
• Nowhere Box by Sam Zappardi
• One Hot Summer Day by Nina Crews
• One Tractor: A Counting Book by Alexandra Siy
• The Red Hen by Rebecca Eberly
• Swirl by Swirl: Spirals by Nature by Joyce Sidman
• Things That Float and Things That Don't by David A. Adler
• Underground by Denise Fleming
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang

Kindergarten

• A Dog is A Dog by Stephen Shaken
• The Bear in the Book by Kate Banks
• Building Our House by Jonathan Bean
• Chick and Chickie Play All Day by Claude Ponti
• Don't Slam the Door by Dori Chaconas
• Frog Song by Brenda Z. Guiberqson
• Henry and the Bully by Nancy Carlson
• It's a Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree
• Just Ducks! by Nicola Davies
• The Man From the Land of Fandango by Margaret Mahy
• Millie and the Big Rescue by Alexander Steffensmeier
• My People by Langston Huges
• Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
• Penguin on Vacation by Salina Yoon
• Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin
• Planes Fly! by George Ella Lyon
• Rufus Goes to School by Kim T. Griswell
• Shoe Dog by Megan McDonald
• Step Gently Out by Helen Frost
• Stripes of All Types by Susan Stockdale
• Watermelon Seeds by Greg Pizzoli

First Grade

• Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan Shea
• Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
• First Day Jitters by Julie Danneburg
• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
• Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas
• Knock, Knock by Saxton Freemann
• The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
• My First Day by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
• Never Smile at a Monkey: and 17 Other Important Things to Remember by Steve Jenkins
• Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes
• Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover by Cece Bell
• The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
• The Three Pigs by David Wiesner
• Train Trip by Carl Meister
• Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems by Kate Coombs
• What To Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley

Second Grade

• A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts
• Benny and Penny in the Big No, No by Geoffrey Hayes
• Chicken Big by Keith Graves
• Chloe and the Lion by Marc Barnett and Adam rex
• 8 Class Pets + One Squirrel ÷ One Dog = Chaos by Vivan Vande Velde
• Fly Guy Presents Series by Tedd Arnold
• Heroes of the Surf by Elise Carbone
• Looking at Lincoln by Maria Kalman
• Margritte's Marvelous Hat by D. B. Johnson
• Minnie & Moo Series by Denys Cazet
• My Weird School Series by Dan Gutman
• Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists by Chris Duffy
• Tyrannosaurus Dad by Liz Rosenberg

Third Grade

• Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by melissa Sweet
• Celbritrees: Historic and Famous Trees of the World by Margi Preus
• Eight Dolphins of Katrina:  A True Tale of Survival by Janet Wyman Coleman
• Fifty Cents and A Dream: Young Booker T. Washington by Jabari Asim
• Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
• John, Paul, George and Ben by Lane Smith
• Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst
• Martin Bridge Blazing Ahead by Jessica Scott Kerrin
• Maybelle and the Soup by Katie Speck
• Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca
• Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox 1: The Meeting by Brigitte Luciani
• Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell
• Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Fourth Grade

• Bill the Boy Wonder by Marc T. Nobelman
• The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull
• Buffalo Bird Girl: A Hidatsu Story by S. D. Nelson
• Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
• Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brain Selznick
• Long Shot: Never Too Small To Dream by Chris Paul
• Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee
• Seeds of Change by Jen Fullerton Johnson
• Star in the Forest by Laura Resau
• The Strongest Man in the World by Nicolas Debon
• Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements
• The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney
• The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng

Fifth Grade

• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• Benjamin Franklin by Kathleen Krull
• Bessie Coleman: Daring Stunt Pilot by Trina Robbins
• Brother Band Chronicles: The Outcasts by John Flanagan
• Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot" by Michael Tunnell
• City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau
• The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm
• Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
• How do You Burp in Space? by Susan Goldman
• Matilda by Roald Dahl
• Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
• The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
• One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
• Robotics: Discover the Science + Technology of the Future with 20 Projects by Kathy Ceceri
• Smart Dog by Vivian Vande Velde
• The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angelberger
• We are the ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson
• Wild Wings by Gill Lewis

Sixth Grade

• Archer's Quest by Linda Sue Park
• Around the World by Matt Phelan
• Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
• The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel
• The Case of the Missing Marquess by nancy Sringer
• Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles, America's First Black Paratrooper by Tanya Stone
• Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan
• Eruption! The Science of Saving Lives by Elizabeth Rusch
• Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
• Free Baseball by Sue Corbett
• Greenglass House by Kate Milford
• Ice Drift by Theodore Taylor
• Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
• Magic by Angie Sage
• The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart
• No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman
• Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
• A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff
• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Seventh Grade

• Bone: Out of Boneville by Jeff Smith
• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
• Closed for the Season by Mary Dowling Hahn
• Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
• Do You Know the Monkey Man? by Dori Hillestad Butler
• Eggs by Jerry Spinelli
• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
• Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde
• The Impossible Rescue by Martin Sandler
• The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
• Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin
• A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
• Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Diane Fossey, and Birute Galdikas by Jim Ottaviano and Maris Wicks
• Shakespeare Bats Cleanup by Ronald Koertge
• Snow Falling in Spring: coming of Age in China During the Cultural Revolution by Moying Li
• Stickman Odyssey by Christopher Ford
• Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
• Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody
• Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick

Eighth Grade

• Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech
• Chasing Lincoln's Killers by James L. Swanson
• Discovering Wes Moore by Wes Moore
• Good Brother, Bad Brother: The Story of Edwin Booth and John Wilkes Booth by James Cross Giblin
• Hidden by Helen Frost
• Holes by Louis Sacher
• If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko
• Journey Back by Priscilla Cummings
• Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery by John Feinstein
• Loser by Jerry Spinelli
• Nation by Terry Pratchett
• On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
• Payback Time by Carl Deuker
• The Ransom of Mercy Carter by Caroline Cooney
• Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey by Nick Bertozzi
• Scorpio by Anthony Horowitz
• Threatened by Eliot Schrefer
• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
• Ungifted by Gordon Korman
• The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf
• Within Reach: My Everest Story by Mark Poetizer and Jack Galvin
• Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane by Russell Freedman
• A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel by Madeleine L'Engle and Hope Larson
• Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally Walker
• You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes by Chris Hadfield

New Books for May 2015

The list of new books for May is now up! Check out the page above. Keep in the mind that there are some books that have not been released yet, but I do believe that they can still be ordered if that's what you would like to do. All book titles are linked to the Edgewater Books website to help make ordering easy-peasy!!

Masterminds by Gordon Korman

At A Glance - School Library Edition

Bad Magic By Pseudonymous Bosch

A magical new series from Pseudonymous Bosh, the bestselling author of the Secret Series
Magic is BAD.As in fake. Cheesy. Unreal. At least, that's what Clay, who has seen one magic show too many, thinks.

When words from his journal appear mysteriously on his school wall as graffiti, he never imagines that magic might be to blame. And when the same graffiti lands him at Earth Ranch, a camp for "troubled" kids on a remote volcanic island, magic is the last thing he expects to find there.

But at Earth Ranch, there is one strange surprise after another, until Clay no longer knows what to expect. Is he really talking to a llama? Did he really see a ghost? What is the scary secret hidden in the abandoned library? The only thing he knows for sure is that behind the clouds of vog (volcanic smog), nothing is as it seems. Can he solve the riddle of Earth Ranch before trouble erupts?

Elusive author Pseudonymous Bosch introduces an extraordinary new series that will have you believing in the unbelievable.

Echo By Pam Munoz Ryan

Music, magic, and a real-life miracle meld in this genre-defying masterpiece from storytelling maestro Pam MuNoz Ryan.
Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.
Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.
Richly imagined and masterfully crafted, ECHO pushes the boundaries of genre and form, and shows us what is possible in how we tell stories. The result is an impassioned, uplifting, and virtuosic tour de force that will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck.

The Blood of Olympus By Rick Riordan

Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen-all of them-and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood-the blood of Olympus-in order to wake. 

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it mightbe able to stop a war between the two camps.

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

The Year of Billy Miller By Kevin Henkes

A 2014 Newbery Honor BookA New York Times Bestseller

Award-winning, nationally bestselling author Kevin Henkes introduces second-grader Billy Miller in this fast-paced and funny story about friendship, sibling rivalry, and elementary school. The Year of Billy Miller includes black-and-white art by Kevin Henkes and is perfect for fans of the Ramona books; Frindle, by Andrew Clements; and the Clementine series.

The New York Times declared: "Henkes's delightful story is restrained and vivid . . . forgoing the overdramatic or zany, it shows the substance, warmth and adaptability of beautifully common family love." When Billy Miller has a mishap at the statue of the Jolly Green Giant at the end of summer vacation, he ends up with a big lump on his head. What a way to start second grade, with a lump on your head As the year goes by, though, Billy figures out how to navigate elementary school, how to appreciate his little sister, and how to be a more grown up and responsible member of the family and a help to his busy working mom and stay-at-home dad. Newbery Honor author and Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes delivers a short, satisfying, laugh-out-loud-funny school and family story that features a diorama homework assignment, a school poetry slam, cancelled sleepovers, and epic sibling temper tantrums. This is a perfect short novel for the early elementary grades.

At A Glance - Book Fair Edition

The Aviary By Kathleen O'Dell

Twelve-year-old Clara Dooley has spent her whole life in the Glendoveer mansion, where her mother is a servant to the kind and elderly matron of the house. Clara has never known another home. In fact, she's confined to the grand estate due to a mysterious heart condition. But it's a comfortable life, and if it weren't for the creepy squawking birds in the aviary out back, a completely peaceful one too.

But once old Mrs. Glendoveer passes away, Clara comes to learn many dark secrets about the family. The Glendoveers suffered a horrific tragedy: their children were kidnapped, then drowned. And their father George Glendoveer, a famous magician and illusionist, stood accused until his death. As Clara digs deeper and deeper into the terrifying events, the five birds in the aviary seem to be trying to tell her something. And Clara comes to wonder: what is their true identity? Clara sets out to solve a decades-old murder mystery—and in doing so, unlocks a secret in her own life, too. Kathleen O'Dell deftly weaves magic, secret identities, evil villians, unlikely heroes, and the wonder of friendship into a mystery adventure with all the charm of an old fashioned classic. 

** Summary from Goodreads

The Humming Room By Ellen Potter

Hiding is Roo Fanshaw's special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment's notice. When her parents are murdered, it's her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life. 

As it turns out, Roo, much to her surprise, has a wealthy if eccentric uncle, who has agreed to take her into his home on Cough Rock Island. Once a tuberculosis sanitarium for children of the rich, the strange house is teeming with ghost stories and secrets. Roo doesn't believe in ghosts or fairy stories, but what are those eerie noises she keeps hearing? And who is that strange wild boy who lives on the river? People are lying to her, and Roo becomes determined to find the truth.

Despite the best efforts of her uncle's assistants, Roo discovers the house's hidden room--a garden with a tragic secret. 

Inspired by The Secret Garden, this tale full of unusual characters and mysterious secrets is a story that only Ellen Potter could write.

Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase By Jonathan Stroud

A sinister Problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts, haunts, spirits, and specters are appearing throughout the city, and they aren't exactly friendly. Only young people have the psychic abilities required to see-and eradicate-these supernatural foes. Many different Psychic Detection Agencies have cropped up to handle the dangerous work, and they are in fierce competition for business. 

In The Screaming Staircase, the plucky and talented Lucy Carlyle teams up with Anthony Lockwood, the charismatic leader of Lockwood & Co, a small agency that runs independent of any adult supervision. After an assignment leads to both a grisly discovery and a disastrous end, Lucy, Anthony, and their sarcastic colleague, George, are forced to take part in the perilous investigation of Combe Carey Hall, one of the most haunted houses in England. Will Lockwood & Co. survive the Hall's legendary Screaming Staircase and Red Room to see another day? 

Readers who enjoyed the action, suspense, and humor in Jonathan Stroud's internationally best-selling Bartimaeus books will be delighted to find the same ingredients, combined with deliciously creepy scares, in his thrilling and chilling Lockwood & Co. series.

The Prank List By Anna Staniszewski

Rachel Lee never thought she'd fight for the right to clean toilets. But when a rival cleaning business starts stealing her mom's clients, Rachel will do whatever it takes to save herself the horror of moving to Connecticut--which would mean giving up her almost, sort of boyfriend, her fantastic new pastry classes, and her best friend Marisol. 

Operation Save Mom's Cleaning Business is a go 

But when the series of pranks Rachel and her BFF cook up to take down the competition totally backfires, Rachel worries that her recipe for success is a dud. You know what they say--if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen...

Tell Me By Joan Bauer

The unofficial town motto is "Nothing bad ever happens in Rosemont" where  twelve-year-old Anna has come to stay with her grandmother, Mim, hoping to forget her worries about her parents' troubled marriage.  She'll be busy with the town's annual Flower Festival, a celebration with floats and bands that requires weeks of preparations.

But before long, Anna finds herself involved in a very big problem. When she observes a girl her own age who seems to be being held against her will, Anna can't forget the girl's frightened eyes and she is determined to investigate. "When you see something, say something" she's been told—but what good does it do to speak if no one will listen? Luckily, a take-charge girl like Anna is not going to give up.

Told with Joan Bauer's trademark mixture of humor and heart, Tell Me will enthrall her many fans and win her new ones.