JLG Booktalks

Cool Stuff to Photograph

Turnbull provides plenty of tips for a wide range of activities and projects—whether a student is using a digital camera or smart phone. It’s easy to brush up on your photography skills and learn new ones in this practical book for kids of all ages.

Bowling Alley Bandit by Laurie Keller

KELLER, Laurie. Bowling Alley Bandit. illus. by author. Holt/Christy Ottaviano. 2013. ISBN 9780805090765. JLG Level: HE : Humor Elementary (grades 2–6). From his picture book debut in Arnie the Doughnut (2003), Arnie returns in a short novel for independent readers. From breakfast to doughnut-dog, Arnie’s life is never the same. Mr. Bing takes him every week to the bowling alley where he is quite popular. During a tournament, Mr. Bing stops using his regular house ball, Bruiser, for his own personal ball, Betsy. It’s a special night, so Arnie arranges for a bowling karaoke version of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” It’s a hit, but something goes wrong with Mr. Bing’s ball. He never throws a gutterball. It’s up to Arnie to investigate the trail of pink sprinkles and get to the bottom of the mystery. Keller’s amusing cartoonlike illustrations keep the action moving and the laughter flowing.

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

GAIMAN, Neil. Fortunately, the Milk. illus. by Skottie Young. HarperCollins. Sept. 2013. ISBN9780062224071. JLG Level:  I : Independent Readers (Grades 2–4). “Where have you been all this time?” asked my sister. “Ah,” said my father. “Um. Yes. Well, funny you should ask me that…I bought the milk…and then something odd happened,” he said. Father proceeds to tell a marvelously inventive story about pirates, piranhas, dinosaurs, volcanoes, and Floaty-Ball-Person-Carriers. Everyone has told a tale that sounds unbelievable, but Gaiman’s new work is a tribute to the art of storytelling. Even the most cynical reader will relax into a far-fetched account of why it took so long to bring home the milk.

Substitute Trouble by Karen English: A JLG Booktalk

ENGLISH, Karen. Substitute Trouble. illus. Laura Freeman. Clarion. 2013. ISBN 9780547615653. JLG Level: CE : City Elementary (Grades 2–6). Nikki and Deja don’t like their new substitute teacher. He doesn’t follow Ms. Shelby-Ortiz’s rules. He doesn’t follow the plan. He has no control over the class. Writing an anonymous letter to Mr. Willow with some tips about how to handle the misbehavior in their class seems like a good idea. In a misunderstanding, Deja is blamed for a disrespectful action, and she’s sent to the principal’s office. Her explanation and the letter brings consequences that she never expected. Following the rules gets hard, even for Deja and Nikki. New readers will identify with the class, but hope they never have substitute trouble like the girls do.

The Year of the Baby by Andrea Cheng

Anna is the only one who can calm her new baby sister when they go to her frequent doctor trips. Kaylee, who was adopted from China, is not gaining weight, and everyone is worried. At school, Anna has trouble deciding on a topic for her science project. When she and her friends discover that Kaylee eats better when she’s distracted by their singing, they wonder if an experiment could win the science fair and help the baby gain weight. Should the songs be in English or Chinese? Does the type of food matter? Cheng follows The Year of the Book (2012) with a charming sequel that asks as many questions as it answers.