News from Youth Services Category: Picks by Mary S.

Hide and Geek

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by T.P. Jagger

hide and geek book cover
JF JAGGER, T.

Meet the GEEKs:  Gina, Edgar, Elena, and Kevin–best friends who are determined to save their hometown of Elmwood, the former headquarters of the famous toy maker Maxine Van Houten.  At one time Maxine’s toy the Bamboozler put the town on the map.  But now Maxine has died, her heirs have bankrupted the company, and the toy factory is closing down.  The only thing that can save the town and keep the friends together is solving Maxine’s last puzzle, a scavenger hunt with a priceless treasure at the end.   This is a great readalike for fans of Escape From Mr Lemoncello’s Library.

Eddie Whatever

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by Lois Ruby

eddie whatever book cover

JF RUBY, L.

Eddie has been assigned community service hours at a retirement home for his Bar Mitzvah project.  He thinks his time there will be boring. Wrong! First, some of the residents report having their valuables stolen.  Then there are reports of hearing a ghost talking through the vents.  There’s also the resident whose mysterious twin sister may or may not be a ghost.  Lastly, there’s a sweet old couple who may have been part of the mob.  With a thief on the loose and a vengeful ghost running rampant, Eddie may just be in over his head. 

Diverse Books for Your Classroom

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We recently held a program titled Diverse Books to Share With Your Classroom for educators in our community. Thousands of books are published every year, making it hard sometimes to keep with all the great new titles that could be used in classrooms. Library staff are happy to help by narrowing down the choices and sharing the best of the best with teachers.

We have booklists and curriculum resources for you to keep and use and share with your colleagues. Clicking that link will automatically download a zip file with all the resources.

This program was actually suggested to us by a member of the school community. If you have any other ideas for ways we can support you in your teaching, please get in touch and let us know!

Our Castle by the Sea by Lucy Strange 

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Our Castle by the SeaBefore the war, Pet was just an ordinary 11-year-old living with her family.  But when Hitler’s bombers begin attacking the English coast, everything starts to fall apart.  Someone in her village is helping the Germans by sabotaging telephone lines and setting fire to buildings.  Since Pet’s mother is German, she is the most obvious suspect.  The tribunal finds her guilty of being a traitor and she is taken away to an internment camp.  Pet is determined to prove her innocence by finding other suspects such as her sister Mags who is keeping secrets or her neighbor Spooky Joe who is skulking around with binoculars and a notebook.  Who is the real spy?  Will Pet be able to find answers that will set her mother free? 

Book reviewed by Mary S., Youth Services Department Head 

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor 

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The Truth As Told By Mason Buttle This is Mason: 

Mammoth in size 

Always sweaty 

Super at dog care 

Outstanding friend 

Not good at reading and writing 

Not only is Mason big in size, he also seems to have a big amount of bad luck.  First, his grandpa dies, then his mom, and then fifteen months ago Benny Kilmartin, his best friend, turned up dead in the Buttle Family orchard.  Now Lieutenant Baird won’t stop asking questions because he believes Mason knows something he isn’t telling. Just when Mason thinks his luck is improving, his new friend Calvin disappears.  What is happening and will anyone believe Mason’s story?   

Book reviewed by Mary S., Youth Services Department Head