New YA Books

Every Soul a Star - Wendy Mass
Ally, Bree, and Jack meet at the one place the Great Eclipse can be seen in totality, each carrying the burden of different personal problems, which become dim when compared to the task they embark upon and the friendship they find.

The Sisters Grimm: The Unusual Suspects - Michael Buckley
Although filled with anger over her parents' disappearance, eleven-year-old Sabrina Grimm--along with her grandmother, sister, and several fairy-tale characters--tries to discover who has killed her teacher.

Steinbeck's Ghost - Lewis Buzbee
Unhappy after his parents move to a weird subdivision and become workaholics, thirteen-year-old Travis returns to his old Salinas neighborhood and becomes actively involved in saving the John Steinbeck Library and, at the same time, begins seeing characters from Steinbeck's books who seem to have a message for him.

Christy Miller Collection, Volume 3 - Robin Jones Gunn
Collects books seven through nine of the Christy Miller Series: True friends -- Starry night -- Seventeen wishes

The Gypsy Crown - Kate Forsyth
Emilia Finch and her cousing Luka are Rom-Gypsies. To the repressive Puritan government, the Gypsies are thieving, fortune-telling vagrants. A series of events lands the family in jail, charged with murder. Only Emilia and Luka manage to escape, promising to bring back help.

11 Birthdays - Wendy Mass
After celebrating their first nine same-day birthdays together, Amanda and Leo, having fallen out on their tenth and not speaking to each other for the last year, prepare to celebrate their eleventh birthday separately but peculiar things begin to happen as the day of their birthday begins to repeat itself over and over again.

Patience, Princess Catherine - Carolyn Meyer
In 1501 fifteen-year-old Catharine of Aragon arrives in England to marry Arthur, the eldest son of King Henry VII, but soon finds her expectations of a happy settled life radically changed when Arthur unexpectedly dies and her future becomes the subject of a bitter dispute between the kingdoms of England and Spain.

Straw into Gold - Gary D. Schmidt
Pursued by greedy villains, two boys on a quest to save innocent lives meet the banished queen whose son was stolen by Rumpelstiltskin eleven years earlier, and she provides much more than the answer they seek.

New Award Book

Alabama Moon - Watt Key
After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life.

New Nonfiction Books

My First French Book
Presents simple French and English words accompanied by color illustrations.

A Shakespearean Theater - Jacqueline Morley
This title takes a captivating look at the theaters of Shakespeare;s time, including an in-depth look at The Globe Theater. The origins of theater are introduced, as well as background information about the people who performed in them and those who were entertained in them. The Magnifications series offers children the thrill of examining past civilizations through the eyes of an archaeologist. Gorgeous, full-color panoramas of ancient landmarks are magnified with inset illustrations revealing fascinating details. A valuable research tool, these books are also helpful as travel guides and for simple browsing. Supplements school curriculum in language arts and history.

The Periodic Table - Simon Basher
Web-style "homepages" introduce to budding chemists each of the chemical elements from the periodic table, complete with witty and informative profiles written by the elements themselves.

Dr. Frankenstein's Human Body Book - Richard Walker
Explore the human body from the inside out.

Athletes and Actors and Other Jobs for Ancient Greeks - Anita Ganeri
Offers a glimpse into ancient Greek civilization by examining various occupations that existed during its time including politician, hoplite, spartan and oracle.

New Graphic Novels

Bone #7: Ghost Circles - Jeff Smith
The war in the valley rages on while the Bones, Gran'ma Ben, and their loyal rat creature cub venture on a dangerous trek to Atheia, the old city of the royal family. The goal is to bring Thorn to safety, but to do so they must first travel through fields of the mysterious ghost circles where reality meets the supernatural -- and all this while fending off deadly attacks from Briar, Kingdok, and the rat creatures.

Bone #8: Treasure Hunters - Jeff Smith
The Bone cousins, Gran'ma Ben, and Thorn reach the city of Atheia, where they prepare to battle The Lord of the Locusts. Meanwhile, Thorn's visions are becoming more threatening and Phoney Bone is convinced Atheia is rich in gold, and hie is determined to find it.

New Bible Story Collection

Adventure Bible Storybook - Catherine DeVries
Bible storybook for young children that features stories from the creation to the world to the Apostle Paul.

New Children's Books

Click on a picture or a title to see the catalog record.

Animals/Animales - Eric Carle
Simple text in English and Spanish and colorful illustrations with sliding pieces introduce animals to young readers.

Penguins - Liz Pinchon
Penguins at the zoo have an exciting afternoon when one finds a camera left behind by a visitor.

Constellations: A Glow-in-the-Dark Guide to the Night Sky - Chris Sasaki
Identifies groups of stars known as constellations and discusses their origins and the legends behind them.

Wonders of the World - Philip Steele
An introduction to different wonders from ancient to modern times including the Colossus of Rhodes and the internet.

Into the Volcano - Don Wood
While their parents are away doing research, brothers Duffy and Sumo Pugg go with their cousin, Mister Come-and-Go, to Kokalaha Island, where they meet Aunt Lulu and become trapped in an erupting volcano.

World War II - Reg Grant
This book combines images with eyewitness accounts of the people who were there during WW II : the courageous soldiers fighting on land, at sea, and in the air, and the civilians at home, telling stories of fear, courage, and hope. Includes DVD.

New Audiobook

Horton Hears a Who! and Other Sounds of Dr. Seuss
Presents three classic Dr. Seuss tales (Horton Hears a Who!, Horton Hatches the Egg, and Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose) in one audio collection.

New Books

The Savage - David Almond
After his father dies and the town bully Hooper begins to target him, Blue starts to write and illustrate a graphic novel full of blood, guts, and adventures; but after one of Blue's characters pays Hooper a nighttime visit, Blue wonders if the lines of reality have blurred.

Who Made This Cake? - Chihiro Nakagawa
While a boy and his parents go for an outing, little people invade the house and use their big construction equipment to bake a cake.

January 2009 Newsletter

Teaching Aids

A major project is now underway to reclassify all the Teaching Aids in the CMC. Be sure to ask Mr. Martin or the CMC Student Assistant on duty for help if you are unable to find what you're looking for. Things may be a little confused until the project is complete, but the result will allow for much more efficient browsing of the collection. Also, the puppets have been separated from the rest of the Teaching Aids and are displayed on special racks.

Website of the Month

Steve Spangler is devoted to "making science fun". See his blog for the Experiment of the Week, science fair secrets, podcasts, and much, much more. His website, although primarily for commercial purposes, nevertheless has a wealth of science information, experiments, etc.

New Materials

Over 40 items were added to the CMC's collection in December. Click here to see the complete list.

New YA Books

Dark Dude - Oscar Hijuelos
In the 1960s, Rico Fuentes, a pale-skinned Cuban American teenager, abandons drug-infested New York City for the picket fence and apple pie world of Wisconsin, only to discover that he still feels like an outsider and that violent and judgmental people can be found even in the wholesome Midwest.

The Dragonfly Pool - Eva Ibbotson
At first Tally doesn't want to go to the boarding school called Delderton. But she soon discovers that it is a wonderful place where freedom and self expression are valued. Tally organizes a ragtag dance troupe so the school can participate in an international folk dancing festival in Bergania in the summer of 1939. There she befriends Karil, the crown prince, who would love nothing more than to have ordinary friends and attend a school like Delderton. When Karil's father is assassinated, it is up to Tally and her friends to help Karil escape the Nazis and the bleak future he has inherited.

The Bone Magician - F.E. Higgins
With his father, a fugitive, falsely accused of multiple murders and the real serial killer stalking the wretched streets of Urbs Umida, Pin Carpue, a young undertaker's assistant, investigates and soon discovers that all of the victims may have attended the performance of a stage magician who claims to be able to raise corpses and make the dead speak.

One False Note (Book Two of The 39 Clues) - Gordon Korman
A million dollars, or a clue? Police report a break-in at an elite hotel, and the suspects sound suspiciously like Amy and Dan. There's a car and speedboat chase and an angry mob! When there's a Clue on the line, anything can happen.

New Professional Resources

Ready-To-Go Storytimes: Fingerplays, Scripts, Patterns, Music, and More - Gail Benton
Contains six ready-to-use storytimes using fingerplays, scripts, patterns, and music to interest young students in reading. Includes CD.

New Children's Books

Food/La nourriture
Colorful and cuddly teddy bears teach new words to very young children in English and in French.

Using Math to Design a Roller Coaster - Hillary Koll
Explains how math skills are needed to inspect structures for safety and includes math activities using real-life data and facts about roller coasters.


Abe's Honest Words - Doreen Rappaport
An illustrated biography of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States and the man responsible for seeing the country through the Civil War.

A Caldecott Celebration - Leonard S. Marcus
To celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the Caldecott Medal and another decade of award-winning picture books, noted childrens book historian Leonard S. Marcus has updated this absorbing and informative picture of the worlds most prestigious illustration award and seven of its acclaimed winners: Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg, David Wiesner, and now Mordicai Gerstein. Along with a newly added preface and an introduction that provides a historical perspective on the origins of the award, Marcus takes us into the studios and behind the drawing boards of these seven noteworthy artists, each representing a decade of the awards history. Through personal anecdotes and glimpses of their prize-winning books and works in progress, from doodles to sketches to dummies to finished art, readers will find out how their favorite picture books were imagined and created. The artists reveal their inspirations, work processes, and private reactions to receiving this unparalleled honor.

New Graphic Format Books

The Unlikely Chosen - Shirley Smith Graham
Verse-by-verse translations of the books of Jonah, Esther, and Amos from the original Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

Marked - Steve Ross
Retelling of the gospel of Mark in graphic novel format.

New Pop-Up Book

The Nutcracker - adapted by Patricia Fry
A little girl receives an enchanted nutcracker from her godfather and after many adventures, the nutcracker becomes a handsome prince.

New Audiobooks

Holes - Louis Sachar
As further evidence of his family's bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a sense of himself.

The City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.

The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo
The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

New Children's Books

Chameleon Swims (English/French) - Laura Hambleton
Chameleon learns to swim with the help of his friend Salamander.

In the Time of Noah - N.D. Wilson
Chronicles the history of Noah's obedience, from the building of the ark and the taming of the beasts, to the grounding at Ararat and the promise of the rainbow.

New YA and Children's Books

Fall of a Kingdom - Hilari Bell
Who was Sorahb? Stories are told of a hero who will come to Farsala's aid when the need is greatest. But for thousands of years the prosperous land of Farsala has felt no such need, as it has enjoyed the peace that comes from being both feared and respected. Now a new enemy approaches Farsala's borders, one that neither fears nor respects its name and legend. But the rulers of Farsala still believe that they can beat any opponent. Three young people are less sure of Farsala's invincibility. Jiaan, Soraya, and Kavi see Time's Wheel turning, with Farsala headed toward the Flames of Destruction. What they cannot see is how inextricably their lives are linked to Farsala's fate -- until it's too late. In Fall of a Kingdom, the first volume of the Farsala Trilogy, Hilari Bell introduces readers to a world of honor, danger, and magic in this spellbinding tale of self-discovery.

Tiger Moon - Antonia Michaelis
Sold to be the eighth wife of a rich and cruel merchant, Safia, also called Raka, tries to escape her fate by telling stories of Farhad the thief, his companion Nitish the white tiger, and their travels across India to retrieve a famous jewel that will save a kidnapped princess from becoming the bride of a demon king.

Dragonhaven - Robin McKinley
When Jake Mendoza, who lives in the Smokehill National Park where his father runs the Makepeace Institute of Integrated Dragon Studies, goes on his first solo overnight in the park, he finds an infant dragon whose mother has been killed by a poacher.

Ways to Live Forever - Sally Nicholls
Eleven-year-old Sam McQueen, who has leukemia, writes a book during the last three months of his life, in which he tells about what he would like to accomplish, how he feels, and things that have happened to him.

The Underneath - Kathi Appelt
An old hound that has been chained up at his hateful owner's run-down shack, and two kittens born underneath the house, endure separation, danger, and many other tribulations in their quest to be reunited and free.

The Runaway Dolls - Ann M. Martin
Best friends Annabelle and Tiffany risk placing all of doll kind in danger when they run away while trying to prevent Tilly from being sent back to London before they can determine if she is Annabelle's long-lost baby sister.

New Children's Books

Little Green Frogs - Frances Barry
Describes how tadpoles develop into frogs, in a book in which the pages unfold and form lily pads with frogs in the center.

The Raucous Royals - Carlyn Beccia
Combines elements of nonfiction picturebooks, graphic novels, and tabloid magazines in a look at how rumors get started and how they become distorted over time as they are passed from ear to ear.

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out
More than one hundred leading authors and illustrators donate their talents to a collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, and poetry which looks at America's history through the prism of the White House.

Mr. Lincoln's Boys - Staton Rabin
Tad and Willie Lincoln are the sons of Abraham Lincoln who treat the White House like a playground, aggravating everyone except their indulgent father.

Lincoln Through the Lens - Martin W. Sandler
Contains over one hundred images of the life of Abraham Lincoln that provide a portrait of his presidency and the events surrounding it.

Our Farm: Four Seasons with Five Kids on One Family's Farm - Michael J. Rosen
A journal of one year on the Bennett farm in central Ohio. Shows how one family, with the help of relatives and friends, creates a life and livelihood on a 150-acre farm.

Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse - Meghan McCarthy
The true story of Seabiscuit, the grandson of one of the greatest racehorses of all time. But he'd lost nearly every race he'd run. Automobile tycoon Charles Howard took a risk and purchased Seabiscuit for a bargain price. With a clever new trainer and a loving jockey, Seabiscuit began winning. But could he really beat the Triple Crown Champion?

The Pencil - Allan Ahlberg
A lonely pencil timidly draws a boy, a dog, and other items but soon faces a problem as his creations begin demanding changes, and when he draws an eraser to make them happy, the real trouble begins.

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation - Andrea Davis Pinkney
Illustrations and rhythmic text recall the December, 1955, bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama.

Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken - Kate DiCamillo
Longing for adventure, intrepid Louise leaves her comfortable nest and goes to sea.


A Visitor for Bear - Bonny Becker
Bear's efforts to keep out visitors to his house are undermined by a very persistent mouse.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes -
Mem Fox
Rhyming text compares babies born in different places and in different circumstances, but they all share the commonality of ten little fingers and ten little toes.