Cupcakes & Craft

Hooray!! Our Cupcake & Craft debut was a big success this past winter recess! We held two classes on Thursday, February 18th which overflowed with eager children ready to participate and decorate their very own cupcake. To keep with the winter theme and the abundance of snow we've been having this winter, we had each child create a snowman on their cupcake out of delicious candies and treats. Afterwards, the children had a great time making their very own snowman bookmark. Don't worry if you missed out on this fun program, with such a big turnout this first time around we decided to hold another class this coming Spring! Be sure to keep a lookout for signups within the next couple of weeks.

Posted by Josephine

Superheroes make super reads!

I am going to let you in on a secret that only a few of our young patrons already know. I have a secret identity! Are you ready? Here I go...

I am a big fan of superheroes! Does this seem strange to you? It shouldn't. Many comic book heroes have stories just as wonderful and entertaining as some of our most popular children's novels.


Did you know that one famous superhero (a redhead) is also a librarian in her everyday life? Do you know who? Barbara Gordon spent her days in the Gotham City Library while at night she masqueraded as Bat girl, fighting crime alongside many other famous members of the Justice League.

Here are some great superhero books and graphic novels we have in our collection to satiate the literary needs of others who love superheroes (and super villains).

Atomic Ace (He's Just My Dad) By Jeff Weigel is a fun story about a boy who has a superhero for a dad. Though the unnamed young protagonist of this book insists life with Atomic Ace as a father is pretty normal, Weigel treats to readers to some great visual comedy including comic book-esque panels in which we witness Ace doing his job while his son spends a typical day in school. When a fight with his arch nemesis, The Insect King, renders Ace unable to attend his son's school concert (after being zapped with a ray which changes his appearance into that of a giant insect) we are told that though Ace messes up like, he is still loved by his family. All ends happily enough in this treat, this book is one worth flying to the shelves for a unique bedtime read.


Baron von Baddie and the Ice Ray Incident By George McClements, gleefully tells the story of a super villain who actually succeeds in defeating his superhero enemy, Captain Kapow, with an ice ray. To the Baron's surprise, victory is not so sweet, as he has grown fond of the Captain foiling his evil plans. Baron von Baddie decides to let Captain Kapow go allowing the two to continue their pattern of antagonizing one another on a weekly basis.





JLA: The Ulimate Guide to the Justice League of America By Scott Beatty, is a gorgeous and thorough overview of everything you ever wanted to know about superhero-dom in the D.C. Universe. Here you will find everything from origin stories to the names of the most popular as well as lesser known heroes and the villains they fight against. For superhero guides, it doesn't get much better than this oversized volume. Fan will pore over the art work as well as the stories which will leave them running to the shelves to read more about their favorites.




If you prefer Marvel to D.C. Universe, why not check out the Marvel Adventures graphic novels. These age appropriate books feature some of Marvel's most popular heroes such as Iron Man, Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk and more!
Also, don't miss The Marvelous adventures of Gus Beezer with the X-Men By Gail Simone, which tells a lighter tale of Guz Beezer a (distant) cousin of Spiderman and his encounters with some other famous heroes.




For those interested in novels about superheroes, Powerless, By Matthew Cody is a good choice. This is a story about a group of children who have superpowers until their 13th birthday. When that fateful day comes, all of their powers as well of their memories of having powers vanish. It is up to their new friend, Daniel, a newcomer to their town of Noble Green Pennsylvania to discover why this is happening and how to protect his friends from becoming powerless.








Hero.com By Andy Briggs is the first a new series which tells the story of what happens if children discover a website which allows them to download powers. All is not fun and games, because where there is Hero.com, there is also Villain.net, where children with more sinister aspirations can download powers to use for evil. Both novels by Briggs occur on roughly the same timeline and center around two of the heroes trying to save their mother from a kidnapped by the villains. This series is sure to bring several sequels including both hero and villain tales published parallel to one another.

Happy Valentine's Day

Hearts, roses, candy, and books. Yes, books! Valentine's Day is this Sunday and what better way to end the day than by cuddling with your child and reading a story spun from the holiday of love?

Here are some of my favorites:

Love, Splat

Splat the cat has a special valentine for a certain someone in his class.

Henry and the Valentine Surprise

When Henry and his first-grade classmates notice a heart-shaped box on their teacher's desk the day before Valentine's Day, they try to find out if he has a girlfriend.

Little Bear's Valentine

Little Bear looks forward to giving his mother a valentine and to figuring out who the secret admirer is who sent him one.

Where's Nicky's Valentine

Nicky the cat delivers valentines to several lucky recipients hidden under flaps.

Posted by: Amy

Meet Cat The Cat! I Love Mo!

Anyone who knows me, knows I adore Mo Willems. Whether it's the Pigeon books, Naked Mole Rat, or those adorable pals Elephant and Piggie, I just can't get enough of Mo's books.

Lucky for me Mo is introducing a new friend to his wonderful menagerie of characters. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls... Meet Cat The Cat.

-Posted by Nadine (Mo's #1 fan)

Are you ready for some football...(books, that is)?

The Colts. The Saints. They are facing off this Sunday at Superbowl XLIV. It's sure to be a great game for all you football fans out there. Although I was never really much of an athlete, I really enjoy reading books about them...especially football. There are quite a few excellent authors who write sports fiction for children. There's the well-known Dan Gutman, author of the popular Baseball Card Adventure series, as well as Matt Christopher, and Rich Wallace.

Therefore, in light of the big game on Sunday I thought I'd take the opportunity to highlight a few of my football favorites. Happy Reading!

Football Genius by Tim Green - The author, Tim Green, was a top NFL defensive player for the Atlanta Falcons for eight years and writes ficton for both adults and children. Football Genius is the story of Troy White, a boy with the uncanny gift to predict football plays before they happen. It is an action packed, sports adventure full of suspence and some great football.

Kickoff by Tiki and Ronde Barber - This novel is written by and based upon the true experiences of twin NFL stars Tiki and Ronde Barber. Easy and fast to read, this chapter book tells of how the middle school brothers worked hard to overcome their challenges (like their small size) to play the game they loved.

Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica - What would you do with a million dollars at thirteen? ESPN sports columnist and author Mike Lupica spins the ficional tale of Nate Brodie, a boy with a gifted arm, who gets the chance to throw a pass through a target at a Patriot game for the chance to win a million dollars. Be sure to watch the trailer here.

-Posted by Nadine