Frank!

Frank!
by Connah Brecon (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: Try as he might (or might not), Frank is a bear who is always late. And when he starts school, the trouble really begins.

Snippet:
Things really begin going wrong when Frank started school.

On the first day, Frank didn’t arrive until everyone had gone home.

See the book trailer.

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World

Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World
by Nancy Castaldo (Author)

Booktalk: Anyone who has ever spent time with a dog knows that dogs love sniffing! They sniff out hidden food, dirty socks, and the visitor who comes to the door. But some dogs work with police officers, soldiers and even scientists to put their “sniffers” to work. Sniffer dogs make use of the amazing biology behind their noses to protect people from bombs, catch criminals smuggling drugs, or help researchers locate a hard to find snail in a forest.

Snippet: During World War I and Wrld War II, dogs were used to help locate injured soldiers on or near the battlefield. These dogs were also called casualty or ambulance dogs. They were also used by the military as scouts, trackers, sentries, and messengers.

Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Survive! Inside the Human Body, Vol. 3: The Nervous System

Survive! Inside the Human Body, Vol. 3: The Nervous System
by Seok-young Song (Author) and Hyun-dong Han (Illustrator)

Booktalk: When Geo and Dr. Brain find themselves inside Phoebe’s brain, they must brave shocking electrical signals and navigate a maze of neurons and synapses. Will the dynamic duo finally escape? And what’s the matter with Phoebe, anyway?

Snippet:

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Toucan Can!

Toucan Can!
by Juliette Maclver (Author) and Sarah Davis (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Enjoy this mad-cap rhyme as Toucan demonstrates all the things he can do! Can you do them too?

Snippet:
Toucan can do lots of things!
Toucan dances!
Toucan sings!

This week’s Poetry Friday Round-up will be hosted by Writing the World for Kids.

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Templar

Templar
by Jordan Mechner (Author), LeUyen Pham (Illustrator), and Alex Puvilland (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Martin is one of a handful of Templar Knights to escape when the king of France and the pope conspire to destroy the noble order. The king aims to frame the Templars for heresy, execute all of them, and make off with their legendary treasure. That’s the plan, anyway, but Martin and several other surviving knights mount a counter-campaign to regain the lost treasure of the Knights Templar.

Snippet: From the 28 page preview at boing-boing

BONUS! Download the free 86-page e-book The Making of Templar.

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Howtoons: Tools of Mass Construction

Howtoons: Tools of Mass Construction
by Saul Griffith (Author), Ingrid Dragotta (Author), Nick Dragotta (Author, Artist) and more!

Booktalk: Howtoons celebrates their 10th anniversary with a 360 page remastered collection containing more than 70 projects of the “best of” Howtoons over those years, along with new material, photos, and essays by the creators of the series.

Combining comics and real-life science and engineering principles, Howtoons encourages kids to become active participants in the world around them. Follow Celine and Tucker as they learn through play! Challenged to make something “other than trouble,” this brother-and-sister pair use everyday objects to invent toys that readers can build!

Snippet:

See the large scale hovercraft video!

See the zoetrope video!

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Voices from the March on Washington

Voices from the March on Washington
by J. Patrick Lewis (Author) and George Ella Lyon (Author)

Booktalk: This powerful poetry collection weaves together the voices of six fictional narrators to tell the story of the March on Washington, DC, in 1963.

RAYMOND JARVIS, 25
B.A. DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
OUT-OF-WORK STORE CLERK
AMARILLO, TEXAS

THE RIDE

When we take our seats, the bus comes alive
honeybee people swarming to a hive,
buzzing with excitement and disbelief
at doing something to ease our grief.

This week’s Poetry Friday Round-up will be hosted by The Poem Farm.

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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Painting the Rainbow

Painting the Rainbow
by Amy Gordon (Author)

Booktalk: In the summer of 1965, Holly and her cousin Ivy discover family secrets no one has spoken of since World War II involving a terrifying accident, their Uncle Jesse’s death in a Japanese Internment camp, and a boy named Kiyo.

Snippet: “What is a Japanese camp, Gigi?” I hear my own voice come out in a little squeak.

Gigi turned around to look at me. “Oh my Lord, Holly. I forgot you were here. I shouldn’t be talking like this.” But she turned back to Randy and started talking again.

Copyright © 2014 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
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