middle grade Archives - Page 345 of 363

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Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends
by David Stabler (Author) and Doogie Horner (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Forget the gold medals, the championships, and the undefeated seasons. When all-star athletes were growing up, they had regular-kid problems just like you. Baseball legend Babe Ruth was such a troublemaker, his family sent him to reform school. Race car champion Danica Patrick fended off bullies who told her “girls can’t drive.” And football superstar Peyton Manning was forced to dance the tango in his school play. Kid Athletes tells all of their stories and more with full-color cartoon illustrations on every page. Other subjects include Billie Jean King, Jackie Robinson, Yao Ming, Gabby Douglas, Tiger Woods, Julie Krone, Bruce Lee, Muhammad Ali, Bobby Orr, Lionel Messi, and more!

Snippet:

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

olliesodyssey
Ollie’s Odyssey
by William Joyce (Author / Illustrator)

Booktalk: In the secret realm of toys, there are many mysteries. There is the Code of the Toys, which is as ancient as childhood. There’s also the magic of becoming a child’s favorite, the highest honor in the Toy World. Made by hand by Billy’s mother, Ollie is a special toy, “a toy who will matter.” He becomes Billy’s best friend, confidant, pal, and yes, Billy’s “favorite.”

But there are villains in the Toy World, and Zozo, the clown king, is the most feared. He and his toy henchman (the Creeps) have sworn to steal and imprison favorite toys until they forget their children and become forever lost.

When Ollie is toynapped, Billy must rescue his beloved favorite from Zozo’s subterranean lair in the old Carnival Place, past the park, through the woods, and into the night. Never has a journey of ten blocks been more epic.

Snippet: Back at the junkyard, things were getting tense.

Billy’s my favorite, even if I’m not his, thought Ollie. He’s in danger and I’ve got to help him. He felt this with the purity and strength that comes with having been a favorite toy. He threw me away! And that thought hurt him all the way past his stuffing and into whatever kind of soul a toy has.