For Kids Who Like Science

Chapter book readers who are interested in science would probably like Phineas L. MacGuire... Erupts! by Frances O'Orark Dowell. Phineas (known as Mac) is very scientifically interested in mold and explosions. His best friend, Marcus, has moved away and an annoying new kid named Mac R. has joined his fourth-grade class. Mac is unfortunately partnered with Mac R. for the fourth-grade science fair project, and has to figure out how to work with someone he'd rather avoid. There are lots of great (and messy) ideas for scientific experiments in the book that kids will be itching to try.

Another good pick for the scientifically-minded is the Franny K. Stein series by Jim Benton. Franny isn't like most little girls, since instead of flowers and ponies, she likes bats and slime and does amazing scientific experiments at home. In the first book, called Lunch Walks Among Us, Franny tries to fit in by faking an interest in dolls and such so she can talk with the other girls in her class. But a horrible Monstrous Fiend attacks the class and Franny's gross experiments may be the only thing that can save the day.

There's a nonfiction offering for older kids that recently came out called Are You Afraid Yet? The Science Behind Scary Stuff by Stephen O'Meara. This book uses an appealing graphic novel-style format to explain stuff like guillotines and beheading, monsters, bugs, and lots of other creepy things. It also explains fear's physical effects on the body and why we are afraid of certain things. This would be great for kids age 10-12 who like scary stuff and/or science.

Last Week of Summer Reading!

Now is the time to turn in your minutes for the summer reading program. The program ends on Friday, at which time kids stop recording their minutes. The sooner you bring in your log sheets to get prizes the better, because they're only available while supplies last.

This year, there was a significant increase in participants compared to last year, which is fantastic! More kids signed up for the program and got log sheets for minutes, and more kids came to our programs in June. We loved seeing everyone here!

I hope everyone who participated had fun. If you have any questions or comments about the program, please let me know. I am always looking for new ways to get families involved in the library.

The Teen Mystery Section

Yes, we have one! And it's chock-full of goodness.

I recommend The Case of the Missing Marquess to younger teens. It's a mystery that takes place in Victorian London, and the first of the Enola Holmes mystery series. As you might have guessed from Enola's last name, she is actually the younger sister of the famous Sherlock, and has just as much crime-solving brainpower as her brother. In this story, Enola is trying to figure out what happened to her mother, who has suddenly disappeared without an explanation.

To older fans of Meg Cabot who also like mysteries, I present Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe. Jasmine is a typical though klutzy teen who is on vacation in Las Vegas with her family when she stumbles onto the trail of a killer. She and her friends try to track him down, with lots of joking around and well-intentioned plans that turn out to be disasters. It's a fun, light read.

Jon Scieszka

As a librarian, I love Jon Scieszka, even though I can't pronounce his name. He is the leader of the wonderful Guys Read! movement, which not only encourages guys to read, but encourages teachers and librarians to let guys read what they want to read. He is the author of some great picture books and board books, such as The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and the Trucktown series.

One of his greatest offerings, though, is the Time Warp Trio series. This series seems to be too-often overlooked at Allerton Library and so I wanted to get the word out about it. It's a chapter book series that's a wonderful merging of Captain Underpants humor with Magic Tree House-type plots. Three kids from Brooklyn get a mysterious book that can transport them anywhere in time or space... while almost no time passes back at home. Like Jack and Annie in the Magic Tree House books, they encounter knights, pirates, cowboys, etc., and fend off gassy giants, cavemen with rotten taste, and much more to keep the laughs coming. Sure to be a hit with kids who have finished all the Captain Underpants/Magic Tree House and want more.