Wild About Reading Library Display

It's not anywhere close to unique, but hey, that just makes it classic. This here library display is simple for anyone to do. I'm talking about gettin' wild...

What I'm really proud of is the felt animal prints I made. Yep, hand cut from patterns I found online. Can you see the texture?

It just adds a bit more glam to it. Safari glam. Just what is needed in the library!

Fuzzy Mud

Fuzzy Mud
Louis Sachar

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-0385743785
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Date of publication: August 4, 2015
Age: Grades 4 - 6
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: scientific discovery, virus/disease, bullies, friendship, environmentalism

Fifth-grader Tamaya and seventh-grader Marshall have been walking to and from Woodridge Academy together since elementary school. But their routine is disrupted when bully Chad challenges Marshall to a fight. To avoid the conflict, Marshall takes a shortcut home through the off-limits woods. Tamaya, unaware of the reason for the detour, reluctantly follows. They soon get lost. And then they find trouble. Bigger trouble than anyone could ever have imagined.

I liked this book, and I was surprised by how much I liked it. Which, really, coming from Louis Sachar, I shouldn't be, but there has been a lot of mixed reviews for this one. Mine is favorable and this is why: the pace and intensity of the action made it really hard to put down. The format of the book means that the majority of it takes place only over a couple of days—which each chapter reminds you with a time stamp. But then, Sachar puts in some random flash-fowards from a U.S. Senate investigation that reveals just enough jaw-dropping information to keep you glued to it. It's super suspenseful!

Granted, with the rushed storyline, there isn't a whole lot of character development. And since the whole book, practically, is leading up to the climax, the ending is a bit abrupt. But I think that it works. It's no Holes, so stop wishing it was. It's just a fun, suspenseful read that I think kids will really enjoy. I recommend it.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

(Digital ARC provided through NetGalley)

Walking & Movement Baby Storytime

This storytime was for babies and their caregivers at my library.

Float

Float
Illustrated by Daniel Miyares

My rating: ★★★★★

ISBN: 978-1481415248
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date of publication: June 9, 2015
Age: 4 - 8 years

Themes: rain, play, disappointment & joy, origami

A little boy takes a boat made of newspaper out for a rainy-day adventure. He dances in the downpour and plays in the puddles, but when he sends his boat floating down a gutter stream, it quickly gets away from him. The little boy eventually finds the soggy, ruined boat and sadly makes his way home. But when the rain lets up, he finds himself on a new adventure altogether.

It's a wordless picture book that is so simple in its telling—and yet, it carries some amazing depth and emotion. The illustrations are monochromatic, with the boy's yellow rain suit being the sole, bright point on every page. He is full of energy and excitement, especially when contrasted with the grey and wet world. Besides the story told, I really liked the detail of the illustrations in themselves; water is not an easy element to illustrate, but I love the texture and realism Miyares conveys.

Honestly, I just have to show you some of my favorite pages. Then you'll begin to understand.

This will be one of my Caldecott votes for sure. Highly recommended.

Find it at your library or on Amazon