CAPSULE COMMENTS

May 22, 2008

New Children's Books

Enjoy these and other new books which can be found in the Children’s Department at Rodman Public Library’s main building:

I Am Invited To A Party! and There Is A Bird On Your Head!, by Mo Willems

Two more titles have been added to the "Elephant & Piggie" beginning reader series by Mo Willems, creator of the bestselling series about Pigeon, which began with Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! When a pair of lovebirds build a nest on Gerald the elephant’s head, it is best friend Piggie who comes up with a solution. When Piggie is invited to a party, Gerald suggests appropriate attire for the occasion. The text is written in color-coded speech balloon text which encourages shared reading. There Is A Bird On Your Head! won the 2008 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. Also recommended are the first two books in the series: My Friend Is Sad and Today I Will Fly! For ages 4-8.

The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart

When orphan Reynie Muldoon answers a newspaper ad asking "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" he is thrown headlong into a secret mission to infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. He is joined by three other orphans selected by the mysterious Mr. Benedict. Reminiscent of Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket’s Baudelaire orphans, this book was called a "flashlight-under-the-bedclothes" story by the noted book reviewing publication Horn Book – a high compliment! It also won the E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Older Readers in April 2008. The committee praised the book in saying: "It is a book that can be Read aloud to a wide range of ages…and it has all the timeless elements that will make it a classic." A New York Times bestseller and ALA Notable Book. A sequel, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, was published in May 2008. For ages 9 and up.

Escape! : The Story of the Great Houdini, by Sid Fleischman

Newbery Medalist Fleischman (The Whipping Boy) has crafted a tribute to his hero, fellow magician Harry Houdini (1874-1926) in this excellent biography. All magicians and escape artists try to measure up to this "most famous bamboozler since Merlin." Well-spaced text and carefully selected black-and-white photos bring the subject to life. A winner of the 2007 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. The library also has the unabridged book on three CDs for your listening pleasure. For ages 9 and up.