Picks of the Week - March 26-30

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

Little Sal and her mother go out blueberry picking one afternoon. So do Little Bear and his mother. Little Sal and Little Bear are so busy eating blueberries that they get separated from their mothers. Although they manage to find a mother in the blueberry bushes, is it the right mother?

I remember having my own mother read this to me when I was a Little Rebecca. It won the Caldecott Honor for its wonderful black-and-white illustrations.


The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

Jared, Simon and Mallory Grace have just moved with their mother to an old house that belonged to a great-aunt. When they go exploring, the children find a secret attic room that contains a Field Guide to creatures that none of them have seen...yet!

The first in a series of 5 books, The Field Guide is a fantastic introduction to the world of the Grace children and all the creatures that exist around them. Exciting adventures await!

Picks of the Week: March 5 - 9

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Selina Hastings and Juan Wijngaard

Sir Gawain is a young knight of King Arthur's court. When he jumps at the chance to protect the king from a bizarre stranger, it leads him on adventures and quests that he could hardly have imagined. This is a simple retelling of the classic tale and gorgeously illustrated.


Jacob Two-Two meets the Hooded Fang by Mordecai Richler

Jacob Two-Two is two plus two plus two years old, and is the youngest child in his family. He is not happy with the fact that everyone considers him too young to help out so when his father finally gives in and sends him on an errand to get two pounds of firm tomatoes, Jacob Two-Two leaps at the chance to prove himself.

Unfortunately, Jacob's habit of repeating everything he says (because nobody ever hears him the first time) doesn't go over well with the grocer and Jacob runs away in humiliation. The next day, he finds himself in court and sentenced to two years, two months, two days, two hours, and two minutes in the most vicious children's prison in the nation. What secrets lie behind the jail doors? And who will risk it all to save Jacob and the rest of the imprisoned children?

Picks of the Week - February 19-23

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss

The boy in a yellow suit and hat is off on an adventure, with brains in his head and feet in his shoes. Even though things get tough for him sometimes, he gets through and keeps on going.

Great for any and all ages, Oh, the Places You'll Go! is fun and typical Dr. Seuss silliness with more than a touch of inspirational life advice.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Ten-year-old Mary is an orphan sent to England after her mother died, and she is none too pleased about it. Living in a manor on the moors with her uncle, Mary soon discovers that some of the rooms are not as empty as she thought, and that there are secrets and refuges in the garden as well.

This, unlike Burnett's book A Little Princess which I only discovered as an adult, is one of my favourite childhood books. I can still remember my mother reading it to me and getting entirely wrapped up in the magic of Mary's garden.

Picks of the Week - February 5-9

The Man who Walked Between the Towers by Mordecai Gerstein

There was once a man who lived in New York City. He performed tricks, like juggling and tightrope walking, for audiences in the park. One day, he looked up and saw two towers being built and thought, "I wonder if I could walk on a tightrope between them, hundreds of feet in the air?"

Beautifully illustrated (it won the Caldecott Medal in 2004), this book tells the story of Philippe Petit and his tightrope walk between the Twin Towers of New York City.




Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Jesse lives on a farm with his parents and sisters, and he loves to run. When a new family moves in next door - and the girl, Leslie, also likes to run - he has someone new to play with. Jess and Leslie invent a world called Terabithia in the woods behind their homes and spend countless hours there until the unthinkable happens.

I have read this book on at least 3 occasions and thoroughly enjoy it every single time. It remains one of my favourite books, even as a grown-up.

Visit the site for the new Disney movie.

Picks of the Week - Jan. 29 - Feb. 2

The Golden Goose by Barbara Reid

There is a girl named Gwendolyn who never smiles, even though her father tries very hard to make her smile. There is also a young woodman who daydreams and who finds a golden goose in the forest one day. What happens when he picks up the goose and heads to town?

This twist on the classic Grimm fairy tale puts it in the modern day and is beautifully illustrated by Reid's plasticine creations.



Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Winnie Foster is a lonely girl who lives on the edge of the forest. One day a stranger comes to visit, which sets a series of events in motion - including Winnie's kidnapping and her introduction to the Tuck family. The secret the Tucks are keeping is exactly why the stranger is in town and up to no good. Will Winnie ever see her family again, and when the Tucks give her a choice what will she choose?

This book has been a favourite of mine for years. The lush atmosphere combined with the mystery and excitement of the story has made this book a classic.

Ms. Bartlett's Picks of the Week - Jan. 22-26

You can't tell with the picture at this size, but Bob has sunglasses on.

Dinosaur Bob and his adventures with the family Lazardo by William Joyce

Young Scotty Lazardo finds a dinosaur in Africa, who is promptly named Bob. Bob returns to California with the Lazardos but manages to get into some trouble with the police who want to send him back. What trick does Bob have up his sleeve that might save him?

The pictures in this book (which I recently discovered) are clean, bright, and absolutely charming. The story is clever and subtle and Bob's facial expressions are fantastic. Besides all that, who wouldn't want a dinosaur as a pet?

Pinky & Stinky by James Kochalka

Pinky and Stinky are two piglets sent into space on a mission to Pluto. Stinky isn't treating things as seriously as Pinky would like, and disaster soon strikes when the piglets' spacecraft hits and asteroid and hurtles out of control towards the moon.

The piglets find themselves in a bit of a pickle when they land and it is up to Stinky to develop a plan to save them. During the course of their adventures the two piglets encounter Moon-Men, human astronauts, a talking rocket, and a princess who thinks they're "cuties."

Ms. Bartlett's Picks of the Week - January 8-12

Piggie Pie! by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Howard Fine

Gritch the Witch is hungry and has a hankering for a piggie pie. She checks her cupboards and has all the ingredients except...piggies! She hops on her broom and heads to Old MacDonald's farm to find some piggies for her pie, but where have they all gone?



The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

It's Omri's birthday and his friend Patrick gives him a plastic toy Indian. Omri is not very thrilled about that until he locks the toy in his new cupboard and wakes up to the sound of...what? Someone moving around in the cupboard? What Omri finds when he unlocks the cupboard door will change his life and the adventures will begin.

This was one of my favourite stories growing up. I remember my mother reading it aloud to me and my little brother and just being on the edge of my seat with excitement the entire time. If you've ever dreamed of your toys coming to life, this is a book for you.

Ms. Bartlett's Picks of the Week - Dec. 4-8

Millicent and the Wind by Robert Munsch

Millicent lives in the mountains with her mother and it is a three-day walk to the nearest town - and the nearest people. Who will be Millicent's friend up in the hills?

This is one of my favourite Robert Munsch books, and I used to wish that my name was Millicent too.

Robert Munsch's website.



The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Despereaux is a mouse in love with music, stories, and a human princess, and this situation is not without its problems. His family is shocked to learn that he spoke to the princess - and mice are not supposed to speak to any humans - and he gets sent to the dungeon. What will happen there? Will he ever see the princess again?

This book is the 2004 Newbery Medal winner and a charming tale of destiny and perserverence.

Read a review.

Ms. Bartlett's Picks of the Week

Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman, illustrated by Stephen Gammell

Three children love to go visit their Grandpa, and this day he has a treat for them. He dusts off his tap shoes and banjo and shows them what he used to do as a song and dance man, with tap shoes, musical instruments, and jokes galore.

Like Jumanji, this is a Caldecott Medal winner for beautiful illustrations, and the story is just as lovely.



Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel

Shade is a Silverwing bat and the runt of his entire colony. It doesn't help that his dad has gone mysteriously missing and the bigger newborn bats pick on him about his size. Even worse, during the long migration south for the winter he never expected to get swept out to sea in the middle of a storm - alone! Will he get back to his colony? Will anyone help him?

My 10-year-old nephew recommended this book and the two sequels, Sunwing and Firewing, to me during the summer and they have become three of my favourite books. If you like heart-stopping adventure and excitement, these books are definitely for you!

Ms. Bartlett's pick of the week: Jumanji

Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

What would happen if you found a board game under a tree? What if it contained a warning that you had to finish the game? Would you play it?

See what happens to Judy and Peter when they play Jumanji - will those monkeys ever get out of the kitchen?! Although it's not all fun for Peter and Judy, it's definitely a lot of fun to read.