One Duck Stuck

This colorful counting book tells the story of a duck who has gotten one foot stuck in the muck of a marsh. In quick succession verious groups of animals try to set the victim free, but none are successful. Finally, when they all work together, they are successful. Written by Phyllis Root with colorful illustrations byJane Chapman, it is partly a counting book, but with lots of fun word play for parents to read to preschoolers, or for early readers to try on their own.

Minnesota On The Map

Have you ever tried to visualize how Minnesota developed into the state it is, beginning from wilderness land? One way to envision those changes is to study old maps. This book, by David Lanergran, is a sesquicentennial project of the Minnesota Historical Society. In it, the author describes the history of mapmaking in Minnesota, and illustrates the text with maps ranging from the earliest explorers to statehood, to establishing counties and townships, towns and cities, the construction of railroads, and roads ("auto trails" or "motor trails" at first), the growth of the Twin Cities, and finally, recreation area maps. The majority of the maps date from the earliest explorers to the 1930's. It is an interesting book to browse, but also belongs in library reference collections, and will be useful to Minnesota history classes or for History Day projects.

The Secret of the Painted House

When her family moves from Chicago to rural Illinois, Emily thinks she has arrived at the end of the world. In the woods near her house, she discovers a mysterious playhouse with very realistic paintings of the surrounding woods on its inside walls, even including an identical playhouse. Then Emily meets the girl who lives in the painted playhouse - and things get more weird and scary. This easy chapter book by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Leonid Gore, will appeal to young readers looking for a scary story.

F is for Fabuloso

After two years living in Minnesota, Jin-Ha feels American, but the rest of her is definitely still Korean. Her father, a scholar in Korea, must work in an auto repair shop; while her mother stays at home, not wanting to be embarrassed by her poor English skills. Jin-Ha is starting to run into problems at school - teasing from several big hockey players, and poor grades in math. Things start to improve when one of the hockey players becomes her personal math tutor, and Jin-Ha and her parents reveal several secrets they had been keeping at Christmas that year. The author of this story is Marie G. Lee, a second generation Korean American, born and raised in Hibbing, Minnesota. It might be used for a supplemental reading list in a social studies unit about other cultures in the United States.

Adventures of Thor the Thunder God

This compilation of stories will introduce young readers to the Norse god Thor and others in his pantheon. Thor is the biggest, strongest, and bravest Norse god; and he is the main character in each chapter-length story found here. Retold by Lise Lunge-Larson, with digital illustrations by Jim Madsen, this is a nice addition to library folklore collections, and to folklore unites at the intermediate reading level. It includes a glossary and list of additional resources in back.

The End

It's a fairy tale, but not like any other you've read. This time you will read from the end of the story to the beginning. David LaRochelle and Richard Egielski have combined talents in this totally unique version of a fairy tale. It's fun to read (and study the detail in the pictures), fun for story time, and even could be used in language arts classes for sequencing activities.

No More Homework! No More Tests!

Kids love funny poetry - just consider the popularity of books by Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein. A more recent writer in this area is Minnesota's Bruce Lansky. In this book, Bruce is listed as the editor, but nearly half of the poems are his own work. Readers will laugh their way through how to eat a bag lunch, flies in the kitchen, creatures in the classroom, excuses for unfinished homework, and assorted other school-related subjects. To be enjoyed by kids alone, in groups, and in classes - lots of fun and laughter here!

Crackback

Sophomore Miles Manning has been a successful football player; and he's also good a trying to please others (parents, teachers, possible girlfriend). But he's having some trouble with the new football coach, who believes in winning at any cost. When he learns that some of his teammates and friends are using steroids, he faces a touch decision. Is he willing to do anything to be part of a winning team? This is a very honest book for boys by John Coy; and one that could make for good discussions in a Guys Read group.

And the Baker's Boy Went to Sea

Owen Pasquerly is the son of a baker in Missoula, Montana. His father is sometimes cruel, and Owen runs away at age 15 to join the Navy in World War II. There he joins Nick and Enrique in service on the submarine Mako on the Pacific front. Based on several real stories from submariners, this novel could be a resource for units on World War II. Written by Mary Cummings, it also has a list of resources in the back.

The Sky's the Limit

This book is a collection of biographical sketches of women and girls who made scientific discoveries in fields such as anthropology, medicine, biology, and astronomy. Among the subjects are Beatrix Potter, Jane Goodall, Sue Hendrickson, and Mary Leakey. In the back is a timeline with a list of approximately 50 other women and their discoveries. Written by Catherine Thimmesh, and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, it won the Minnesota Book Award in 2003, as well as being selected for the national social studies and science best books lists that year.

Sweetblood

Sixteen year old Lucy dresses in black and visits a vampire chat room frequently. She is also diabetic and must monitor her glucose level, watch her calories, and stay physically active. One day she submits a paper in English class in which she theorizes that vampire legends are based on the appearance and behavior of untreated diabetics. This gets the attention of her teacher and other adults. Meanwhile, she has met a man in the chat room who believes he is a vampire and has his eye on Lucy. Written by Pete Hautman, it will be enjoyed by teen vampire fans; but also addresses the subject of online safety without being preachy. The book won the Minnesota Book Award in 2004, and was also selected for Best Books for Young Adults in that year.

The Game of Silence

The story of Omakayas, begun in The Birchbark House, continues in this story. The year is now 1850, and white settlers continue to threaten the Ojibwe way of life. Among them are a Catholic "soul stealer" priest, and a friendly teacher who helps the children learn to read and write English and Ojibwe, so that they can confront cheating white fur traders or other agents. Omakayas also discovers her special gift, the ability to tell and interpret dreams. Written by Louise Erdrich, this also is a useful resource for classes needing an alternative viewpoint on the westward movement. Just yesterday I read that the third book in the series, The Porcupine Year was released earlier this month. Stay tuned for the next installment in the story.

The Birchbark House

The year in 1847, and this story is told from the perspective of seven year old Omakayas, an Ojibwe girl who was the only survivor of a small pox epidemic as a baby. She was rescued by a brave woman named Tallow, and welcomed into a family on Madeline Island in Lake Superior. In this story, we follow Omakayas and her family through a cycle of four seasons. Activities include tanning hides, picking berries, scaring crows from the cornfield, and fireside ghost stories. Written by Louise Erdrich, and set in the era of westward movement, this provides an alternative perspective to that of the popular 'Little House' books, and could be used as a social studies resource. It won the American Indian Youth Literature Award in 2006; was a Jane Addams Honor Book in 2000, and was nominated for the Maud Hart Lovelace award in 2004.

My Name is...Stories and Art by Young Refugees in Minnesota Schools

This thirty page booklet is a project of the Center for Victims of Torture, located in Minneapolis. It includes 18 autobiographical stories from young refugees and artwork by several others. Each author tells the story of how he or she escaped war and other situations to come to the United States. All were students at LEAP International Academy at the time of their writing. A useful resource for high school sociology or government classes, it includes two pages of teacher resources and discussion questions.

The Ghost Dance

Let's start with what this book is not--it's not a recitation of historical events related to the Paiute prophet Wovoka and the Ghost Dance, or the massacre at Wounded Knee. Instead, it is a depiction in words and images, of the vision and dream of the Native groups who wanted to save the world of their ancestors. Written by Alice McLerran, accompanied by paintings and art assemblages by Paul Morin, this could be used at several levels, and in several subject areas. It was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 1997.

The Day Ocean Came to Visit

In an adaptation of the Nigerian folk story "Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky", Diane Wolkstein recounts how Sun and Moon once lived on earth and they invited their new friend Ocean to visit. At first Ocean refused because she would be too much trouble. But Sun insisted, and so Ocean arrived one day; but no one was prepared for what happened! With illustratations by Minnesota's Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, this was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2002.

Sacagawea

This picture book biography of Sacagawea tells the story of the Shoshone girl who was captured by the Hidatsu, and was living at the Knive River village in North Dakota when Lewis and Clark arrived in 1804. Sacagawea and her husband Charbonneau accompanied the expedition as an interpreter and guide on the ramainder of the journey to the Pacific Ocean. Written by Lise Erdrich, with illustrations by Julie Buffalohead, it was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2004. It might be a resource for classes studying early American history and the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Opa and Oma Together

Opa and Oma are the family nicknames for grandparents who have shared a long life together on their farm. Together, they raised seven children, a variety of farm animals, and good crops from the fields. Now they teach the same lessons to their grandchildren. Written and illustrated Minnesotans Patrick Mader and Andrew Holmquist, this will introduce young readers to the values learned from a close-knit family.

Early Winter

Eleven year old Tim idolizes his grandfather who helped raise him before his mother remarried. When Grandad is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Tim decides to prove to the family that he is fine, just getting a little older. Everything seems fine when they sneak out on a secret fishing trip, but trouble soon appears--from forgotten equipment and supplies, to an accident on the water, to getting lost in the woods. Written by Marion Dane Bauer, this is a realistic, if slightly formulaic portrayal of Alzheimer's for a young audience. It was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2000.

Dancing With an Alien

Tonya meets her first love when she rescues an unusual young man from drowning. The young man is named Branko, and he has come to earth to find a girl that he can take back to his world, because a virus has killed all the females there. Once she discovers where he is really from, Tonya must decide whether to follow him to the stars, or let him leave without her. Written by Mary Logue, and set in the vicinity of North St. Paul, this is a science fiction story that girls will enjoy. I lived in White Bear Lake for a few years, and the familiar place names were just a hoot when I read (and thoroughly enjoyed) this book. It was selected for Best Books for Young Adults in 2000.

Nothing to Do

Doesn't it feel wonderful on a day when you have nothing to do? Nothing on the calendar, so you can do anything you want! That's the essence of this story by Douglas Wood, illustrated by Wendy Halperin, who uses eight patterns from nature to show how ideas can change or develop when we allow our minds to run free. In this era, when our lives are so busy, this is a book for adults and kids to share and remind themselves of the importance of occasionally having 'nothing to do'. Quoting from the author's note: "There is a reason, after all, that we're called human beings, not human doings." The book is a delight to the eye to the mind.

Under the Night Sky

A young boy is in bed, waiting for his mother to get home from work. Suddenly she bursts into the room, rushes him into his winter clothes, and they run outside. It's not a fire, but everyone is looking up into the sky to see a magical light show--the aurora borealis. It is a special moment that they will long remember. A new, and first, children's book by Amy Lundebrek, illustrated by Anna Rich, it could be a resource for an introductory unit on the Northern Lights. Although accurate to the story, the illustrations are dark, so it might not work well for a group setting. Even so, it is a nice complete package. The publisher, Tilbury House, has a teacher's resource guide to go with it.

Someone Named Eva

Milada is a young girl growing up in the village of Lidice, Czechoslovakia during World War II. Suddenly she is taken by the Nazis, along with other blond, blue-eyed children, to a re-education camp in Poland, and is eventually adopted into the family of a high ranking Nazi leader. On arrival in Poland, her name is changed to Eva by the Germans; but through all the things that happened to her, she worked hard to remember her family and community at home. Although fiction, the story is based on historical events. It is a first novel by Minnesotan Joan Wolf, and will hold readers in it's grip to the very end.