N.E.R.D.S

Andrea, a fourth grader who visits Carpenter branch, explains why N.E.R.D.S. is her favorite book in the audio clip above. Andrea created this project during Carpenter’s Noizemakerz audio production program. Stop by your library today to check out N.E.R.D.S by Michael Buckley or one of the four sequels!

SLPL Patron Reviews!

Need something to read during these dreary, rainy spring days? Curl up with one of these titles–as recommended by youth patrons of the St. Louis Public Library. Check one out today!

The Watsons go to Birmingham,–1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

The Watson Family decided to take a trip to Birmingham, Alabama to escape the winter weather. It was a long trip and when they got there, they learned a lot of things… One of the sons even has to live with his grandmother until he gets his mind right! My favorite part is when Byron got his lips stuck to the car mirror.

–Jasmine I.

The Mailbox by Audrey Shafer

The Mailbox is a book about how two lonely people can come together to achieve happiness. It starts when Gabe, a foster child, comes home to find his uncle Vernon dead, and a note in the mailbox that reads:

“I have a secret, do not be afraid.”

The next day Gabe comes home and the body is gone. Gabe and the card writer interact throughout the story, forming  a relationship through their pain for Vernon’s death. Flashbacks show hoe Vernon and Gabe lived, and by the end you have a firm understanding of how wars permanently haunt soldiers. This book was beautifully written with 3-D characters and interesting plots. I would recommend it to any reader aged 10 and up! Four Stars (Out of Five)

–Allison W.

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll; illustrations by Howard McWilliam

The Book I  Need My Monster is about a little boy named Ethan and he is trying to find a new monster to live under his bed for the week. The first Monster wasn’t good enough and three more monsters came but they weren’t good enough either. When he is ready to give up he wonders if his old monster will come back soon. He wasn’t sleepy, so he looked under his bed when he heard voices down there. When he saw green slime he knew it was his monster Gabe! Gabe slid out from under the bed and Ethan was happy AND scared. He hid under the covers and fell asleep.

–Aja S.

Have a book you want to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments, or visit the Youth Services Staff at your local Branch of the St. Louis Public Library!

 

St. Louis Public Library Reader Reviews!

Most Wednesdays we provide a brief summary of a book, or books, highlighted from our collection. Recently, we’ve been thinking–who wants to hear from a bunch of adults about books for CHILDREN? Let’s get some real experts in here!

Well, we are proud to provide you with our first round of book reviews written by, and for, actual patrons of the St. Louis Public Library–and not just any patrons… REAL KIDS! We’ll be posting more in the near future, and we would love to make it a regular part of our blog. Though that depends on all of you on the other end of cyberspace.

So… if you are a school-aged patron of the St. Louis Public Library, and you’d like to help us out, submit your book reviews to your nearest and dearest Youth Services Staff at your local SLPL location. We’d love to have your help!

Now, on with the reviews:

Holes by Louis Sachar

This book is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats who had a curse on his family because of his “No-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing” great great grandfather.  Stanley was sent to Camp Greenlake because he was caught with a pair of shoes belonging to a famous athlete that disappeared from a Children’s’ Home. The police assumed he stole the shoes, and sent him away. At Camp Greenlake, he and his new friend Zero run away, find treasure, and try to make their lives end up happily ever after.

–Joanne I.

The Last Girls of Pompeii by Kathryn Lasky

I picked out this book because I am interested in Greek and Roman gods. The book is about Julia and Sura. Even though their lives are completely different, they depend on each other. Sura is one of Julia’s family’s slaves and is helping with Julia’s older sister’s wedding. Julia is sick of wedding talk and preparations. The gods are not happy with the time of the wedding but Julia’s sister doesn’t know. Julia and her cousins’ lives are being decided for them and they aren’t happy with their future so they plan to run away during the wedding.  As the wedding begins, a volcano they thought was only a mountain erupts. Their town is destroyed and only Julia, Sura, and Julia’s aunt survive. I liked this book but wished a few more people survived.  The author gave wonderful descriptions of how things looked and how people felt. I’m glad I read it but I have other books I would rather read.

–Tessa D.

Everest: The Climb by Gordon Korman

When Dominic Alexis makes the Summit Quest Climbing Team, he expects to get out immediately. But when the legendary Cap Cicero tries to cut him, Dominic’s skills get in the way. On the final cut, Dominic just can’t get out of it and is sent home. Zoned out on the long ride home, Dominic learns the #1 climber on the team has quit and Dominic is on the team. The story is anything but predictable, and has a twist thrown in with it. Readers will feel as if they were there next to Dominic. This is recommended for ages 10 and up. It is totally worth the read. Four Stars.

–Henry S.