Bookstorms

Bookstormâ„¢: Virginia was a Spy
World War II spy VirÂginia Hall was born and raised on a farm in MaryÂland. Her parÂents took her abroad when she was three, awakÂenÂing a life-long fasÂciÂnaÂtion with travÂel and advenÂture. She was in France when Hitler was recÂogÂnized as the threat he was. When GerÂmany overÂtook France, she became a part of the French ResisÂtance. She

Bookstormâ„¢: Orphan Eleven
Four orphans have escaped from the Home for FriendÂless ChilÂdren. One is Lucy, who used to talk and sing. No one knows why she doesn’t speak anyÂmore; silence is her proÂtecÂtion. The orphans find work and new friends at a travÂelÂing cirÂcus. Lucy loves carÂing for the eleÂphants, but she must be able to speak to

Bookstormâ„¢: Just Like Rube Goldberg
EduÂcaÂtors across the counÂtry have been inspired by Rube Goldberg’s intriÂcate, clever, engiÂneerÂing-based, but unlikeÂÂÂly-to-be-made-in-real-life carÂtoons. StuÂdents are gathÂerÂing to creÂate their own Rube GoldÂberg machines, using everyÂday objects in fun and innoÂvÂaÂtive ways to accomÂplish simÂple tasks with fun results. Just Like Rube GoldÂberg inspires all its readÂers with the details about Rube’s childhood

Bookstormâ„¢: The Stuff of Stars
Before the uniÂverse was formed, before time and space existÂed, there was … nothÂing. But then … BANG! Stars caught fire and burned so long that they explodÂed, flingÂing starÂdust everyÂwhere. And the ash of those stars turned into planÂets. Into our Earth. And into us. In a poetÂic text, MarÂiÂon Dane Bauer takes readÂers from

Bookstormâ„¢: Giant Pumpkin Suite
ComÂpeÂtiÂtion is a part of young peoÂple’s lives: art, sports, music, dance, sciÂence, cup-stackÂÂÂing … many chilÂdren spend a good part of their day pracÂticÂing, learnÂing, and strivÂing to do their best. Giant PumpÂkin Suite is about two types of comÂpeÂtiÂtions, a Bach CelÂlo Suites ComÂpeÂtiÂtion and a giant pumpÂkin growÂing comÂpeÂtiÂtion. Rose and Thomas BrutiÂgan are twelve-year-old twins

Bookstormâ„¢: Creekfinding
We were very excitÂed to read CreekÂfindÂing: a True StoÂry because it tells the stoÂry of restorÂing a long-ago creek in an Iowa prairie setÂting. Just imagÂine: bringÂing back the burÂbling waters, the fish, the insects, the grassÂes … everyÂthing that makes up the health and charÂacÂter of the land. It took bullÂdozÂers and deterÂmiÂnaÂtion, partÂners and imagination,

Bookstormâ„¢: Giant Squid
Giant Squid proÂvides an excelÂlent opporÂtuÂniÂty to teach about one of the most mythÂiÂcal, unknown, and yet real creaÂtures on earth, the Giant Squid. The incredÂiÂble illusÂtraÂtions by Eric Rohmann help the readÂer’s perÂcepÂtion of how large this deep sea creaÂture is and how mysÂteÂriÂous. Found so deep withÂin the sea, there is very litÂtle light.

Bookstormâ„¢: Presenting Buffalo Bill
PreÂsentÂing BufÂfaÂlo Bill proÂvides an excelÂlent opporÂtuÂniÂty to teach difÂferÂenÂtiÂaÂtion between ficÂtion and nonÂficÂtion, mytholÂoÂgy and fact, as well as the disÂcernÂment, research, and disÂcusÂsion skills that are natÂuÂralÂly born out of this type of close readÂing. BufÂfaÂlo Bill’s life and Wild West Show are excitÂing and the author makes them all the more vivid

Bookstormâ„¢: Let Your Voice Be Heard
Whether you include social jusÂtice, comÂmuÂniÂty serÂvice, activism, or social action in your curÂricuÂlum or at your library, this is the ideÂal book for you. A biogÂraÂphy of Pete Seeger, recipÂiÂent of our NationÂal Medal for the Arts, and chamÂpiÂon of the peoÂple for his 94 years, our BookÂstorm this month, Let Your Voice Be Heard:

Bookstormâ„¢: No Monkeys, No Chocolate
We are pleased to feaÂture No MonÂkeys, No ChocoÂlate as our August book selecÂtion, in which author and sciÂence writer MelisÂsa StewÂart, along with Allen Young and illusÂtraÂtor Nicole Wong share the interÂdeÂpenÂdent ecosysÂtem that creÂates the right conÂdiÂtions for cacao beans to be grown and harÂvestÂed so we can proÂduce chocoÂlate. This ecosysÂtem is set in

Bookstormâ„¢: Jazz Day
This month we’re feaÂturÂing Jazz Day, a book that’s all about jazz and a phoÂtoÂgraph that recordÂed a moment in time, peoÂple at the top of their musiÂcal careers and peoÂple who were just getÂting startÂed. Author RoxÂane Orgill is familÂiar with the jazz culÂture; she’s writÂten sevÂerÂal books about the music and the peoÂple. IllusÂtraÂtor FranÂcis ValleÂjo took

Bookstorm™: Miss Colfax’s Light
We are pleased to feaÂture Miss ColÂfax’s Light as our June book selecÂtion, in which author Aimée BisÂsonette and illusÂtraÂtor Eileen Ryan Ewen tell the fasÂciÂnatÂing stoÂry of a woman who served as the MichiÂgan City LightÂhouse keepÂer from 1861 to 1904. CapÂtains and navÂiÂgaÂtors on Lake MichiÂgan relied on her lightÂhouse to keep them from foundering

Bookstormâ„¢: Turn Left at the Cow
Who doesÂn’t love a mysÂtery? Whether your find them intriguÂing puzÂzles or can’t‑wait-to-know-the-soluÂtion page-turnÂers, a good mysÂtery is engrossÂing and a litÂtle tense. Throw in a litÂtle humor, a detailed setÂting, and well-drawn charÂacÂters and you have a book you can conÂfiÂdentÂly hand to young readÂers who are already hooked on the genre and those who have yet to become fans.

Bookstormâ„¢: A River of Words
Author Jen Bryant and illusÂtraÂtor MelisÂsa Sweet have teamed up on a numÂber of picÂture book biograÂphies about creÂative artists. We’ve choÂsen to feaÂture their very first colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion durÂing this month in which poetÂry takes the spotÂlight. By telling us the true stoÂry about poet William CarÂlos Williams’ childÂhood and growÂing up, with his clear

Bookstorm™: Little Cat’s Luck
Many peoÂple love cats. You might be one of them. Many chilÂdren conÂsidÂer their cat or their dog to be one of the famÂiÂly. MarÂiÂon Dane Bauer underÂstands that. She wrote LitÂtle Cat’s Luck, the stoÂry of PatchÂes, a cat, and Gus, the meanÂest dog in town, out of her deep affinÂiÂty for both cats