The Next Newbery Award Winner?

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes might just be the next Newbery Award Winner. This deeply emotional account of 12 year old Lanesha's experience with Hurricane Katrina will simultaneously break your heart and give you hope.
Twelve year old Lanesha, an orphan living with the midwife who birthed her in New Orleans' Ninth Ward, is an outcast. She focuses on her life with Mama Ya Ya and her studies. While happy in her life, she longs for acceptance and understanding. Friendships begin to bloom amdist the backdrop of the storm and Lanesha begins to uncover a stength which she did not know she posessed. A touch of magical realism, ghosts from Lanesha's past and Mama Ya Ya's ability to predict future events, weave nicely into this heartwarming, beautifully written drama.

Holiday Shopping!

I am happy to report that I have nearly ALL of my holiday shopping complete. It is an easy task when books are such an easy gift to buy. Ahhhh, the joys of shopping from the comfort of your own home. Here a a few books which I am purchasing for people on my shopping list.


A fun early chapter book by Judith Viorst



What preschooler doesn't love a tale about butts? By Michael Ian Black and exceptionally illustrated by Kevin Hawkes


Sandra Boynton writes simply the best and most entertaining board books. This numbers among my favorites!


Based on a true story, this Chris Van Dusen picture book will keep the kids busy pouring over the illustrations long after the book has been read.


Meet Frankie Landau-Banks, scrawny, bookish pre-teen who is mostly ignored at her highfalutin boarding school. Over the summer, however, she blossoms into a self confident beauty earning her attention she is not accustomed to. Being excluded from an all male secret society inspires Frankie to challenge tradition and her own beliefs. Disreputable and humorous! Suggested for grades 7 & up


Perfectly heartbreaking and achingly wonderful!! Perfect for that angst-y young adult on your list.

How to Get Rich on a Texas Cattle Drive by Tod Olsen

An interesting blend of fact and fiction makes this account of life on a Texas cattle drive a must-read. An excellent list of further reading and online resources accompanies the Encyclopedia of the Texas Cattle Drive "in which unusual words and historical figures are defined and described...." Beautifully illustrated with a mix of historically authentic lithographs and "Little John Larken's" drawings. The humor and lively telling of Larken's adventures make this book a colorful and interesting introduction to the period. Suggested for grades 3-6.

Guys Read: Funny Business

A collection of ten humorous short stories written by author superstars including: Adam Rex, Eion Colfer, David Lubar and Kate DiCamillo and yes, more! A nice assortment of stories with a little "something-for-everyone" appeal. While I did not LOVE every single installment, I recalled someone saying to me once that reading an anthology of short stories is akin to listening to a CD, rarely do you like every song on the disc. So true! The stories ranged from laugh-out-loud funny to heartwarming to extreme gross-out humor. The Dear Mr. Henshaw-esque story written by DiCamillo and book's editor Jon Scieszka is not to be missed. I cannot wait to get this into the hands of my patrons!

Welcome to Biblio-Brouhaha!

My passion is connecting kids with books that they will love. My hope is that, by doing so, I will help instill in them a life-long love of books and reading. Here, I will share with you books that I have read... now go out and find a kid to connect to them!