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The Giver
Lois Lowry (1993) , 180 pages
Audience:
Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
Fantasy
Feelings
Neighborhoods / Communities
Special Powers
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In the Giver people are born at the birthing center, assigned parents and a name and eventually assigned a job and a spouse. This is not the case for Jonas. When he turns 12 he is assigned the rare job of the receiver of memories. He get's happy things like love, color, and family. He also suffers though. He get's war, loneliness, and death. He decides to run away and find a community where things like music, and sledding on snowy hills. This book had a wonderful story but a terribly disapointing ending. I do not recommend this book to anyone who hates bad endings.
Kid review
written by Edie, Age 11
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13 Gifts
Wendy Mass (2011) , 304 pages
Audience:
Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
Friendship
Mystery
Neighborhoods / Communities
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Tara Brennan is sent away to live with her strange family that she hardly knows for the summer, as punishment for her crimes. She soon finds out that they aren't even the remotely weirdest people in town. Tara finds herself facing probably the strangest person in the world, Angelina D'Angelo. She sends Tara off to find 13 mysterious objects that she must return by her birthday. Can she make it? or will she be punished beyond measure? I really loved this book because even though it is full of fantasy and mystery, it also contains a lovely journey through personal and emotional life.
Kid review
written by Edie, Age 11
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Say Hello!
Rachel Isadora (2010) , 32 pages
Audience:
Toddlers
Preschool
Category:
Multicultural
Neighborhoods / Communities
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Carmelita and her mother walk through their neighborhood to her grandmother's house. On their way, they meet their neighbors and friends who say hello in many different ways! You will also love the vibrant pictures that accompany the story.
Librarian review
written by Tara
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Crunch
Leslie Connor (2010) , 336 pages
Audience:
Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
Environment / Ecology
Families
Neighborhoods / Communities
New Books
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Dewey Marriss is planning on running his family's side business, the Bike Barn, on summer break. His father and mother have taken off for a quick trip. Dad's a trucker. But there is a fuel shortage and his parents are stuck up north and can't get home. That leaves Dewey and his older sister Lil to watch his brother Vincent and the twins. Now that people can't drive, business is booming and Dewey is overwhelmed. How will he finish all those repairs when people desperately need their bikes? To top it off, it seems someone is stealing parts from the barn. Who is it? When will his parents make it home? A great tale of community helping each other out in troubled times.
Librarian review
written by Kristi
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Al Capone Shines My Shoes
Gennifer Choldenko (2009) , 288 pages
Audience:
Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
Disability/Special Needs
Historical
Humor
Neighborhoods / Communities
New Books
Realistic Fiction
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In this sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, Moose, Natalie, and all the Alcatraz kids are back, and this time, Al Capone wants a favor for getting Natalie into a private school. Can Moose do what Al wants without anyone else figuring it out? There could be trouble if he does, and bigger trouble if he doesn't! Learn a bit more about what life was like on Alcatraz Island in 1935, from baseball games to escape attempts!
Librarian review
written by Becker
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this is a very good book you can also go there but it is a jail but closed to never open again go it is realy fun
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Heart of a Shepherd
Rosanne Parry (2009) , 161 pages
Audience:
Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
Death and Grieving
Multigenerational
Neighborhoods / Communities
New Books
Realistic Fiction
Religion
Wars and Conflicts
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Ignatius is the last of 5 boys. His father, grandfather and brothers are all ranchers. Brother (Ignatius) can work the ranch, but it is obvious that it is not his calling. Brother is the only boy still living at home. His brothers are off at school or in the army. When his father's reserve unit is called to go to Iraq, Brother realizes it is up to him to keep the ranch running while everyone else is away. It is a terrible burden, but one he shoulders mostly without complaint. Still, it is obvious this is not the life he wants. The problem is, he doesn't know what he does want, and now he is too busy to find out. Until a moment of tradegy opens his eyes to his true calling.
Librarian review
written by Lisa
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A Child's Garden: A Story of Hope
Michael Foreman (2009) , 32 pages
Audience:
Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
Gardening
Neighborhoods / Communities
New Books
Realistic Fiction
Wars and Conflicts
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One day a boy finds a bit of green in the middle of the rubble of his city. He tenderly cares for it, until it grows and brings joy to all the children in the city. But the guards on the other side destroy his hard work. Once again, the boy is surrounded by despair. But when spring comes again, a little girl on the other side helps plants grow. Working together, the boy and the girl create a place for all children to play.
Librarian review
written by Lisa
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No Castles Here
A.C.E. Bauer (2007) , 270 pages
Audience:
Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
Friendship
Multicultural
Neighborhoods / Communities
Realistic Fiction
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Augie scrapes by, trying to be invisible and not attract the notice of the bullies in his neighborhood. Recent events in his life are making Augie more noticeable. He has a new friend, Walter, from the Big Brother program. He's joined the school chorus. And he's been reading a seemingly magical book of fairy tales. Then Augie finds out Walter is gay. Now he's afraid to be around him, scared of getting teased and beat up. When the city threatens to close Augie's school, he realizes he can't just scrape by anymore. He needs to act, and to accept the friendship that Walter, his neighbors, and teachers give him in order to create something good and create his own type of family.
Librarian review
written by Becker
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The Unknowns
Benedict Carey (2009) , 272 pages
Audience:
Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
Adventure
Friendship
Mystery
Neighborhoods / Communities
New Books
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Misfit school friends Lady Di and Tom Jones live in Adjacent, a scummy trailer park located between the Folsom nuclear power plant and a garbage dump. People start disappearing and when their favorite math tutor Mrs. Clarke goes missing, they decide to try and find her. She has left them math puzzles and clues to solve in hidden underground tunnels under the plant and the huge mountain of garbage. Soon, a motley crew of kids from Adjacent are in on the search. What is really going on at the power plant, and can they solve the math puzzles in time to save Mrs. Clarke? A fun way to use your math skills to help solve the puzzle.
Librarian review
written by Kristi
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Ballyhoo Bay
Judy Sierra (2009) , 32 pages
Audience:
Preschool
Primary (K-3rd grade)
Category:
Environment / Ecology
Neighborhoods / Communities
New Books
Realistic Fiction
Rhyming Books
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Mira Bella teaches art every week on Ballyhoo Bay. Everyone gets in the act. While people sketch on the beach, the octopus sculpts down below. When the beach is threatened by a company who wants to build condos, everyone gets in the act again. Led by the fearless Mira Bella, all the beach artists stand up and demand that they leave the beach alone.
Librarian review
written by Lisa
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