Children's Books
Welcome to the Youth Services Children's Books blog. We encourage you to give feedback and share.
"Something Invisible" is a story about an eleven-year-old boy named Jake. Up until Daisy, his baby sister, was born, Jake had no idea his mum was pregnant. He has been oblivious to it all, concentrating on football and fish. The birth of Daisy brings two new friends into his life, Stella and Mrs. Kennedy. A tragic accident with one of Stella's sisters leaves Jake thinking he's to blame. Love, friendship, family, and kindness are all reverberated throughout this novel. "Something Invisible" contains many Irish colloquialisms, which could prove difficult for some readers. Told in the point of view of an eleven-year-old boy, this story will appeal to boys ages 11 through 14. At times the book can be slow, but overall I think readers will enjoy it. 
Imagine being kidnapped by a giant cockroach from the Moon, who runs the local Burger Buckaroo in disguise, to take part in the Cavalcade of Loveliness Beauty Pageant on the planet Neptune. Imagine that the talent portion requires you to capture the Beast of the Mall, which turns out to be a giant plant named Claude. Then imagine that your science teacher from school, who had the students take care of his cacti, turns out to be a misguided alien seeking revenge by brainwashing everyone attending the pageant while he impersonates the most famous Moon Cockroach Pop-Star, Hortense Benway. This is what happens to our hero Theora, a teenage punk-rock drummer who was out by the lake one day working on a science project, when she and her pesky little brother witness a submarine rising out the lake owned by the Ubermind Institute and operated by the famous scientists who publish bestselling books about their adventures. The Cavalcade of Loveliness Battle of the Bands, between the real Hortense Benway and her back-up punk-rock Band with No Name and the imposter Mr. Pinweed with his Big Band of Cactuses, is the grand finale to this fast-paced story that is chock-full of adventures and plot twists. This would be a good follow up for fans of Captain Underpants and other humorous books. It is fun and kids will get a laugh from this science fiction that is sillier than science would allow. 
Planet Omicron is a very cleverly designed story to help students learn mathematical applications. Zeno the Martian, lives on the planet Mars in the city of Zala. Zeno lives with his mother, and his pet, Zarf. Zeno has a cyberpal from another planet, and her name is Zormella. This is the first of two in a series. In this story, Zeno, Zarf, and Zormella need to go to the Planet Omicron in order to find the hidden treasure before the space pirates get to it. On each page, interspersed with the story, is a way to incorporate math concepts. Such concepts would include addition, subtration, multiplication,decoding, and reading a map. The problem solving really makes a reader think. It does add to the plot of the story, and makes the reader interact with the characters in the story. The illustrations are colorful and cartoon-like. In the back of the book, there is an answer key for all of the puzzles. This is a good story that helps to make math fun. I would recommend this book for grades 2-4. 
This book was originally written in French. It was translated into English by Sarah Adams. The story centers on a young girl named Lucy. Lucy lives in an apartment building in France. Lucy and her best friend, Theo, befriend a young boy who lives in the apartment above Lucy's family. The boy has some oddities that Lucy finds interesting. The boy, named Matthew, is autistic. The story is one that sensitively brings the reader into the world of children who are autistic. The challenge of Lucy and Theo is to understand the mystery that is within autistic children, particularly this boy, Matthew. The patience and kindness of Lucy is beautifully illustrated through the adventures she encounters with Matthew. This book is most appropriate for 3rd to 4th grade children. If you know anyone or have a family member with autism or a special need, you might find this book interesting. Read this book and see if you can find out why Matthew is referred to as "the boy who ate stars." 
Friendship between a hound dog named Houndsley and a cat named Catina is beautifully captured in this book. Houndsley aspires to be an award winning cook and Catina aspires to be a famous writer. Each find their goals a challenge. However, the supportive friendship between Houndsley and Catina are a role model for us all. They find a way to encourage each other which is an important part of friendship. This book is most appropriate for first grade children transitioning into chapter books. Beautiful illustrations by Marie-Louise Gay help the reader fit into the world of Houndsley and Catina. 
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