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Thanks to a generous gift from the Nevada County Library Foundation, Christmas came early to the children’s section of the Truckee Library. Appearing on our shelves soon will be carefully selected fiction and non-fiction books to please children of all ages and interests.
New picture book titles include the latest offering of “Scaredy Squirrel,” my favorite new book character of 2008. In this new adventure, Scaredy Squirrel braves the beach. More animal tales with a humorous twist include “Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken” and “Meet the Wild Boars.” On a slightly more serious note, famed children’s novelist Karen Hesse writes :Spuds,” a heartwarming Depression-era story about three children who set out to surprise their hardworking mother.
New chapter books include a selection of the ever-popular Junie B. Jones series in Spanish, “Garfield 30 Years of Laughs and Lasagna: The Life & Times of a Fat, Furry Legend,” and “Hate That Cat,” which is a sequel to “Love That Dog” by Sharon Creech. A more serious offering is the sequel to the “White Giraffe” by Lauren St. John, entitled “Dolphin Song.” Martine is on school-sponsored sea adventure off the coast of South Africa when she and five of her classmates are thrown overboard. Saved by a pod of dolphins, Martine and the others are then marooned on a deserted island. New Young Adult fiction additions include the latest additions to the popular Ranger’s Apprentice series: “The Icebound Land” (3), the “Battle for Skandia” (4) and “The Sorcerer of the North” (5). For older readers, there’s “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, a dark and grisly sci-fi novel set in post-Apocalyptic North America that revolves around an annual gladiator-type competition.
I am most excited about our latest non-fiction offerings. Unfortunately our non-fiction section, outside of our well-loved shelves of dinosaur books, is often overlooked until it is school report time. However, there are treasures to be found for leisure reading as well.
The “Astronaut Handbook,” geared toward the younger kids who dream of becoming astronauts someday, covers everything from the Vomit Comet and food in outer space to astronauts’ toilets, the mechanics of a space suit, etc. More earthly concerns are covered in “What the World Eats,” which is a juvenile adaptation of last year’s excellent Hungry Planet. This sweeping photo study showcases 25 families worldwide and what they eat in a week: Meet a family who spends long hours hunting for seals and fish together, a family who raises and eats guinea pigs, and a family that drinks five gallons of Coca Cola a week. Compare a spread of packaged, processed food eaten by a California family each week with the meager rations for refugees from Chad. “Planting the Trees of Kenya” tells the true story of Wangari Maathai and her courageous and inspiring efforts to reforest her country and empower women. “Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out” is a stunning anthology of White House history that convenes an all-star roster of 108 children’s authors and illustrators, as well as a few scholars and former White House employees and residents. Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a blue-ribbon choice for family sharing during an election year.”
In “Sing My Song: A Kid’s Guide to Songwriting,” Bay Area songwriter Steve Seskin shares his creative secrets. He helps children create the verses, chorus and the bridge, work with sounds, rhyme and various words that create the picture of the story. The accompanying CD has songs from the book and some musical tracks to give kids the ‘hands on’ help in writing lyrics.
New picture book titles include the latest offering of “Scaredy Squirrel,” my favorite new book character of 2008. In this new adventure, Scaredy Squirrel braves the beach. More animal tales with a humorous twist include “Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken” and “Meet the Wild Boars.” On a slightly more serious note, famed children’s novelist Karen Hesse writes :Spuds,” a heartwarming Depression-era story about three children who set out to surprise their hardworking mother.
New chapter books include a selection of the ever-popular Junie B. Jones series in Spanish, “Garfield 30 Years of Laughs and Lasagna: The Life & Times of a Fat, Furry Legend,” and “Hate That Cat,” which is a sequel to “Love That Dog” by Sharon Creech. A more serious offering is the sequel to the “White Giraffe” by Lauren St. John, entitled “Dolphin Song.” Martine is on school-sponsored sea adventure off the coast of South Africa when she and five of her classmates are thrown overboard. Saved by a pod of dolphins, Martine and the others are then marooned on a deserted island. New Young Adult fiction additions include the latest additions to the popular Ranger’s Apprentice series: “The Icebound Land” (3), the “Battle for Skandia” (4) and “The Sorcerer of the North” (5). For older readers, there’s “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, a dark and grisly sci-fi novel set in post-Apocalyptic North America that revolves around an annual gladiator-type competition.
I am most excited about our latest non-fiction offerings. Unfortunately our non-fiction section, outside of our well-loved shelves of dinosaur books, is often overlooked until it is school report time. However, there are treasures to be found for leisure reading as well.
The “Astronaut Handbook,” geared toward the younger kids who dream of becoming astronauts someday, covers everything from the Vomit Comet and food in outer space to astronauts’ toilets, the mechanics of a space suit, etc. More earthly concerns are covered in “What the World Eats,” which is a juvenile adaptation of last year’s excellent Hungry Planet. This sweeping photo study showcases 25 families worldwide and what they eat in a week: Meet a family who spends long hours hunting for seals and fish together, a family who raises and eats guinea pigs, and a family that drinks five gallons of Coca Cola a week. Compare a spread of packaged, processed food eaten by a California family each week with the meager rations for refugees from Chad. “Planting the Trees of Kenya” tells the true story of Wangari Maathai and her courageous and inspiring efforts to reforest her country and empower women. “Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out” is a stunning anthology of White House history that convenes an all-star roster of 108 children’s authors and illustrators, as well as a few scholars and former White House employees and residents. Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a blue-ribbon choice for family sharing during an election year.”
In “Sing My Song: A Kid’s Guide to Songwriting,” Bay Area songwriter Steve Seskin shares his creative secrets. He helps children create the verses, chorus and the bridge, work with sounds, rhyme and various words that create the picture of the story. The accompanying CD has songs from the book and some musical tracks to give kids the ‘hands on’ help in writing lyrics.
Truckee Library, 10031 Levon Ave., 582-7846, www.mynevadacounty.com/library
Library Hours Monday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Tuesday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Wednesday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Thursday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesday Toddler Time at 10:30 a.m. (ages 2 to 3 years)
Babes in Bookland on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. (ages 6 months to 2 years)
Storytelling with Mrs. Fix on Thursdays at 11:15 a.m. (ages 3 years and up)
Spanish Storytime on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (ages 2 and up)
Bookshelf’s Dry Camp Book Club at the Library
Meets monthly at the Library. Participants at the book group meeting will receive a coupon for 15 percent off a one-time book purchase at the Bookshelf at Hooligan Rocks. Everyone is welcome.
Now on display at the library:
Portraits by Truckee artist Raphael Jolly
Above the Fireplace: Sand Harbor in oils by Linda D’Toole
