Scholastic Book of World Records 2006 and Sports Illustrated for Kids Year in Sports 2006

Are you someone who would rather read about real things? Do you like to discover interesting bits of information that few people know about? Will great photographs make you want to read a book even more? Then you should be reading the Scholastic Book of World Records. Each year a new edition is published with the world records from that year. Some records are broken, some remain the same. Either way, you'll find something strange but true inside these pages. Would you like to live in the world's richest country? Do you own the world's most valuable comic book? Want to ride the biggest Ferris wheel? How would you like to celebrate "Wiggle Your Toes" day? You'll find all those answers each year in the Scholastic Book of World Records.

Calling all sports fans! And I mean NASCAR, tennis, hockey, Olympics, snowboarding and bike stunts. All the others are here, too - football, baseball, basketball and soccer. If you want stats on sports for men and women, ask for this book at your library. Of course it must be published each year because all those stats are changing each year. Don't miss the live action photos when you read Sports Illustrated for Kids Year in Sports 2006 - a name you can trust to cover sports!

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Wow!! We just found out this is the Newbery Medal winner for this year! (January 22, 2007)
Lucky is not so sure her name is a good one. She is 10 years old, her mom died, she doesn't really know her dad and she now has a guardian named Brigitte who came to Los Angeles from France to take care of Lucky. Brigitte was married to Lucky's dad a long time ago and he called her to come take care of Lucky. Lucky feels that Brigitte would rather be back in France instead in the tiny town of Hard Pan, California - population 43. 43 people, that's it! The town is so small that everyone knows everybody else's business. Join Lucky as she searches for her "higher power", something she heard about while eavesdropping on the twelve step programs outside of the community center where she works, when she is not in school. Will Lucky find her higher power? Does Lucky get help from her best friend Lincoln or their "tag along", five year old Miles? Read The Higher Power of Lucky and find out.

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud

The "bucket man" inspired this story for leading a happy life for both children and adults. The concept in the story is simple: everyone in the world has an invisible bucket that we carry with us always. A full bucket is best and an empty bucket is not good. We can fill our buckets and others with kindness, support, and appreciation. We dip into our buckets and others when we are not kind, supportive, and appreciative.
This book helps encourage positive behavior and character development. Read it over and over and feel the love!

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins

Join Stingray (a stuffed stingray), Lumphy (a stuffed buffalo), and Plastic (who is not sure what she really is) as they journey out of the coziness of their owner's room into the world. Their owner "the Little Girl in the high bed" first takes the toys to school for show and tell, then Lumphy goes on a picnic, Plastic journeys around the house to find anything that will tell her what she really is and Stingray, whose tag says "Dry Clean Only", fills the bathrub to see if she is a "floater" or a "sinker". The Toys enjoy wonderful adventures. Pick up Toys Go Out: being the adventures of knowledgeable Stingray, a toughy little buffalo, and someone called Plastic and join their adventures.

Edwina : the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems

Mo Willems (author of the Pigeon books) is back with a new book. What would happen if there were a dinosaur living today even though she was suppose to be extinct? Edwina lives happily in a town where everyone knows and likes her ... everyone except Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. Edwina does favors for the people; like changing street light bulbs, helping little old ladies cross the street (she picks them up and carries them across the street) AND she bakes chocolate chip cookies for everyone! But what happens when Reginald tries to convince Edwina that she is extinct? What will become of Edwina?

Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook by Michael Garland

Did you ever start reading a story and the characters seem to jump off the page? Well, in Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook that is exactly what happens everytime Miss Smith starts to read a story to her class. The characters all come to life during the story and then return to the storybook when the story is finished. But what happens when Miss Smith is "stuck in traffic" and Principal Rittenrotten opens the storybook to read to the class? Check out Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook and find out. What a great adventure!

Max's Words by Kate Banks

Max has two brothers. One collects stamps and one collects coins. Max really wants to collect something too! So he decides to collect words. He begins with small, familiar words, and then starts to find bigger, unfamiliar words. Before you know he has enough words to make some very creative stories. His brothers can't help but get involved too! This story in one word: captivating! Do you think you collect enough words to make a story?

Spy X : Hide and Seek by Peter Lerangis

Their mom disappeared a year ago – on their birthday. They wonder if she might be a spy. Their father also has to move often for his secretive work. Twins Andrew and Evie worry about their mom often as they struggle to unlock the coded packages she sends to them. Now father is moving them to San Francisco and they fear their mother will never find them again. The Spy X series of mystery adventure books will leave you on the edge of your seat as you are moved along from one cryptic message to another. You can trust no one in this exciting story!

Merry Un-Christmas by Mike Reiss and Mrs. Claus Takes a Vacation by Linas Alsenas

Looking for unique holiday stories? Look no further than these two quirky Christmas stories.

In Merry Un-Christmas by Mike Reiss the main character Noelle lives in a city where it is Christmas everyday. She gets bored with opening gifts and posing for pictures each day. Could you imagine if it was Christmas everyday? The one day she looks forward to most is "Un-Christmas Day." On this day her family undecorates the tree, she gets to go to school, and the mail is delivered. The colorful illustrations add character to this already charming story.

Mrs. Claus is tired of Santa always being the only one who gets to see the world in Mrs. Claus Takes a Vacation by Linas Alsenas. She decides that she needs a vacation too. She takes the reindeer and sleigh off on her own world tour promising to be back before Christmas Eve. Santa worries about Mrs. Claus the entire time she is gone and as time passes he wonders if she will make it back. You'll have to read the story to see if she does...

Flotsam by David Wiesner

Yes! It did win! Flotsam is the 2007 Caldecott Medal winner! (January 22, 2007)
I can't recommend that you read this book, there are no words! For sure go to your library and LOOK through this book just as quick as you can. Inside you will find the magic of a wordless picture book as you create your own story when you 'dive' right into David Wiesner's Flotsam. The pictures are awesome and could most likely win David another Caldecott medal. Those will be announced Monday, January 22, 2007 beginning at 8:00 a.m. For me, the excitement is building - this could be the winner! Share Flotsam with a friend, a grandparent, a brother or sister. Create a story together then 'read' it again to create a new story. The possibilities are endless!

Gifts From the Sea by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

Aquila Jane MacKinnon is like any other 12 year old in 1850, where she lives is not so common. She lives on an island, in a lighthouse! Quila, which is what her parents call her, enjoyed helping her Mama around the lighthouse and helping Papa tend to the light. Mama actually dies before this story takes place, but there are many references to their life together. Papa and Quila are saddened by Mama's death and are learning to live their lives without her. One day Quila finds something washed up on shore, it is two mattresses tied together with something sandwiched in the middle! Read Gifts From the Sea to find out what Quila found, and how she and Papa adjust to their new life without Mama.

Mercy Watson Fights Crime by Kate DiCamillo

The pig is back! Mercy and the Watsons are back in their third adventure. Mercy wakes up when she hears a SCREEEEECHH!! coming from the kitchen. Mercy knows that sound, it is the sound of her beloved toaster being dragged across the counter, someone is making toast! Mercy loves toast with butter! When Mercy gets out of bed she hears the Watsons snoring, so who is downstairs making toast? Mercy heads down the steps only to find the toaster missing and a strange little man standing in her kitchen. Who is this man and what happened to the toaster? Read Mercy Watson Fights Crime and find out. Also check out the first two books - Mercy Watson to the Rescue & Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride. Kate DiCamillo is an award winning author - check out her web site.

Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson

Do you love fantasy and adventure? Then this is the perfect story for you. Join Clare and her cousin Duke as they venture into the world of river trolls, rock trolls, and blue-wing fairies along the stretch of the Mississippi where Clare lives. They get sucked into the adventure when Duke falls in the river and comes out with a horn instead of a nose! This story is the right parts fantasy, adventure, and humor. Check it out!

The Library Card by Jerry Spinelli

Four characters, four lives, four library cards. Read how they are changed by having a library card. Mongoose. Brenda. Sonseray. April Mendez. One homeless and always causing trouble. One new to a rural town and missing walking to the neighborhood library. Another hanging with the wrong crowd doing petty crime. One a TV fanatic struggling through Great TV Turn-Off week. Four short stories. Four intriguing outcomes. Waiting for you to read. Use your library card today and discover what awaits you like these characters in Spinelli's The Library Card.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

This is a summertime story of four sisters. I don't know if you'll like to read it in the summer as I did or if it's better to read it now just as snow flurries are beginning to fly. Either way, you'll be taken on all the sisters' adventures when you read The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. The girls are with their widowed father on summer vacation at an elaborate estate. Of course the estate has a mansion and huge, award-winning gardens and an owner who is not very pleasant and is most annoyed by the girls. Her son, Jeffery, is enjoying every minute of time because he's usually not allowed to do many things. Join the Penderwick sisters and Jeffery while they have a wild summer vacation! Although this book did not win a Newbery Medal or Honor, it has been included on several best and notable book lists.

Let Them Play by Margot Theis Raven

As we watch our Detroit Tigers play in the World Series, boys and girls are imagining themselves as great baseball players - some in T-ball, others in Little League. Read Let Them Play and learn about a time in our history when all people could not play. In 1955, an all-black Little League team in Charleston, South Carolina had no teams to play against because the white teams would not play them. The white teams left the Little League in protest. Sad isn't it? Hard to believe that could ever happen, yet it did. The Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars, as the black team was called, were invited to the Little League Baseball World Series but only to watch! They hadn't officially earned the right to play because they had never played against other Little League teams. Check this book out at your library and find out how the crowd reacted during the 1955 Little League World Series and what happened when the boys returned home to Charleston. This story of hope, sadness, and happiness is rich with beautiful illustrations by Chris Ellison.

I'm Dirty by Kate and Jim McMullan

Clank! Rattle! Bang! Who's making all that noise? Backhoe Loader, reporting for duty. Cleaning up a mess? Easy as pie. Make that MUD pie. RRRRRRRM! RRRRRRRM! Who wants to be clean when it is so much fun to be dirty? Clunk! I love my job!
The words on the inside cover of I'm Dirty are enough to make you want to dive right into this messy book and follow the Backhoe Loader on a fun, muddy adventure. Be sure to check out the other books by these authors - I Stink! and I'm Mighty! Kate McMullan also writes the wildy popular Dragon Slayer's Academy. Visit Kate and Jim online. Well, as the Backhoe Loader says, "Have a dirty day!"

Oh No, Not Ghosts! by Richard Michelson

What scares you? With Halloween around the corner, this picture book brings all the scary characters of Halloween to life. The older brother in the story tries to convince his little sister to stay quiet and go to sleep...they promised their dad that they would not wake him up. They hear a noise! The brother tries to comfort his sister by telling her, "It's only the wind. Ignore that sound. You're safe. There are no ghosts around". His little sister screams "Ghosts? Oh no, not ghosts!" and on it goes. Everytime the big brother tries to calm his little sister by telling her how he will protect her, she screams even louder. Check it out and see what scary creature appears at the end of the book!

The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter

Our Detroit Tigers just won the AL Division in the fourth game against the New York Yankees. They are on their way to the AL Championship series! If you're not already a baseball fan, you will be after watching the Tigers or reading The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter.

A small rural town in California may lose its historic baseball field to big developers unless the local team can beat their rival in one all important game. This page turner is full of colorful characters, baseball heroes, local superstitions and folklore. The play-by-play baseball action will make you a fan if you aren't already.

Be sure to check out the John H. Ritter website to discover other baseball books he's written just for you! Oh, and don't forget to keep cheering on our Detroit Tigers. Go Tigers!

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems

He's back! Mo Willems' lovable Pigeon is back for his third adventure. This time the reader is asked to keep an eye on Pigeon while the bus driver from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! brushes his teeth. Pigeon gives every excuse NOT to go to bed, including "First of all, I'm not even tired!" and "It's the middle of the day - in China!". The reader soon sees pigeon yawning and fighting to stay awake. This is a wonderful addition to the Pigeon books. Enjoy all three, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!; Pigeon Finds a Hotdog; and Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! Willems' Knuffle Bunny also makes its way into the story as the Pigeon's stuffed animal!