Awards Season

The announcement of the 2014 Newbery Medal winner and honor books is coming at the end of January.

The entire ceremony is available as streaming video.  It will all begin at 7 a.m. central time.  Fear not fellow teachers and students the Newbery winner will probably come up at 7:45 a.m. or there abouts (just in time to bring up the stream in your class or library).

What are your favorite 2013 books?  Have any Newbery predictions? 

We have a spot reserved for the winning title in our hallway display case.

Ruh Roh Shaggy - You Choose Stories

The Mystery Machine heads to the beach for the gang to have a break from all their sleuthing.   The whole crew is on board, playful pooch Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Velma, Fred, and Daphne, but they are bound for more than swimming and sunshine.

The crew splits up to do there own thing. Scooby-Doo and Shaggy visit the Wild-World Beach's hot dog stand to consumer lots (and I mean lots) of hot dogs.  The humorous dialogue between these two is worth sharing (and like the hot dogs there is plenty of humor).

"It's dog-eat-dog, if you know what I mean Scoob!" says Shaggy , chuckling

"Ryeah!" Scooby agrees "Ri never met a rog Ri didn't rike"

It doesn't take long before trouble appears at the beach in the form of a sea creature. What will happen to the gang?  That question is up to YOU.  This series is a Choose Your Own Adventure style story where you as the reader decides which character to follow and what actions they will take to solve the case.  I really appreciated the chance to see how Velma would think through this sea creature invasion.

This will be an enjoyable read for fans of the Choose Your Own Adventure series in our library. If you like the Scooby-Doo cartoon or the mystery genre (with many possible solutions) check this one out soon. The illustrations look like the television series - colorful and full of action.

(images from Capstone Publishing website)

LIFETIME: The Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives

Curious about the lives of animals?  Interested in averages (or want more examples of how to calculate an average)?  This picture book is a clever look at animals using numbers.

Here is page one for alligators (the other page has many, many more eggs).   Look for this informational picture in the Creek library.


The description from the Chronicle website:
In one lifetime, a caribou will shed 10 sets of antlers, a woodpecker will drill 30 roosting holes, a giraffe will wear 200 spots, a seahorse will birth 1,000 babies. Count each one and many more while learning about the wondrous things that can happen in just one lifetime. This extraordinary book collects animal information not available anywhere else—and shows all 30 roosting holes, all 200 spots, and, yes!, all 1,000 baby seahorses in eye-catching illustrations. A book about picturing numbers and considering the endlessly fascinating lives all around us, Lifetime is sure to delight young nature lovers.

*book images also from Chronicle site.

Now Watch This - Jinx

I found this book trailer for JINX.  This 2013 title is available in our library and a sequel is on the way this year.

Looking forward to new books

Are any of your favorite authors publishing a new book in 2014? I am still busy reading books from 2013 but I did take a break to read SEVEN STORIES UP by Laurel Snyder. It will be published at the end of the month. Be sure to look for copies in our library. More to share after I have finished it.

Ready to listen

Making plans for more audio books in the Prairie Creek Library. 

First step is reading this valuable resource. 

Will get student input with a survey next week.

Bud, Not Buddy

Prairie Creek is full of Bud, Not Buddy fans.

I wonder who has listened to the audio version?

Audiobooks are available through the Creek library but I discovered today that we did not have a copy of Bud, Not Buddy (gasp). Look for it soon on the New Arrivals shelf.







While you are waiting take a listen to this excerpt of the audio book (from Listening Library)

Happy new year!

As the snow is falling I am busy reading book reviews and building orders for the new year ahead.  Do have a favorite craft? Is there a hobby you would like to begin this year? (Leave a comment to let me know)