Anastasia Suen

March 2, 2020March 1, 2020

Flight for Freedom

Flight for Freedom: The Wetzel Family’s Daring Escape from East Germany
by Kristen Fulton (Author) and Torben Kuhlmann (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Peter was born on the east side of Germany, the side that wasn’t free. He watches news programs rather than cartoons, and wears scratchy uniforms instead of blue jeans. His family endures long lines and early curfews. But Peter knows it won’t always be this way. Peter and his family have a secret. Late at night in their attic, they are piecing together a hot air balloon–and a plan. Can Peter and his family fly their way to freedom? This is the true story of one child, Peter Wetzel, and his family, as they risk their lives for the hope of freedom in a daring escape from East Germany via a handmade hot air balloon in 1979.

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Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 24, 2020March 29, 2020

Puffins and Penguins

Puffins and Penguins (Comparing Animal Differences)
by Arnold Ringstad (Author)

Booktalk: Explore the similarities between puffins and penguins to find out how to tell them apart. Discover how traits like habitat, ability to fly, and beak shape can be used to identify these black and white sea birds.

Snippet: A bird dives into the sea. It uses its wings to swim. Sunlight flashes over its black and white feathers. The bird dives deeper. It grabs a fish in its mouth. Then it rises to the surface. Is it a puffin or a penguin?

Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 24, 2020March 29, 2020

Animals Illustrated: Caribou

Animals Illustrated: Caribou
by Dorothy and David Aglukark (Authors) and Amanda Sandland (Illustrator)

Booktalk: In this book written by elders from Arviat, Nunavut, kids will learn how caribou raise their babies, where they live, what they eat, and other interesting information, like how fast caribou can run–up to 50 miles per hour!

Snippet: Inuit have known for generations that caribou herds are led by one lead caribou. The rest of the herd is always watching the lead caribou for guidance. This caribou communicates to the others when it is safe to walk, and when they should stay still. The lead caribou could be a male or a female.

Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 24, 2020February 23, 2020

Fred’s Big Feelings

Fred’s Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers
by Laura Renauld (Author) and Brigette Barrager (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Fred Rogers was a quiet boy with big feelings. Sometimes, he felt scared or lonely; at other times, he was playful and joyous. But when Fred’s feelings felt too big, his Grandfather McFeely knew exactly what to say to make him feel better: I like you just the way you are. Fred grew up and created Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the television program that would go on to warm the hearts and homes of millions of Americans.

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Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 17, 2020March 29, 2020

Superfast Stock Car Racing

Superfast Stock Car Racing (Extreme Speed)
by Beth Bence Reinke (Author)

Booktalk: Enter the thrilling world of stock car racing! Discover the history of stock car racing, what a typical race day looks like, who the hottest racers are, and more.

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Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 17, 2020February 16, 2020

50 Things You Didn’t Know about Colonial America

50 Things You Didn’t Know about Colonial America
by Sean O’Neill (Author / Illustrator)

Booktalk: Discover some of the most amazing and amusing facts about life in Colonial America and how they survived it all.

Snippet: 38 Before becoming father of our country, thirteen-year-old George Washington wrote “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company.” One rule: “In the presence of others, sing not to yourself, nor drum your fingers or feet.”

Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 10, 2020March 29, 2020

Joel Embiid (Sports All-Stars)

Joel Embiid (Sports All-Stars)
by Jon M. Fishman (Author)

Booktalk: Center Joel Embiid racks up points for the Philadelphia 76ers. Readers will learn how this All-Star National Basketball Association (NBA) player stays at the top of his game and how he spends his time off the court.

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Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 10, 2020February 9, 2020

Wilma Rudolph: Fastest Woman on Earth

Wilma Rudolph: Fastest Woman on Earth
by Jeri Cipriano (Author) and Scott R. Brooks (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Wilma Rudolph wanted to run and jump like other children, but she had a serious disease that kept her leg from growing well. She did not give up and went on to one day win Olympic gold medals.

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Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 3, 2020March 29, 2020

The Life of Ruby Bridges

The Life of Ruby Bridges
by Elizabeth Raum (Author)

Booktalk: From Ruby Bridges’s early life through her first steps in an integrated school and her struggles against racism, this biography for elementary readers outlines key dates throughout this change maker’s life.

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Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

February 3, 2020February 2, 2020

Sloane Stephens (Sports All-Stars)

Sloane Stephens (Sports All-Stars)
by Jon M. Fishman (Author)

Booktalk: All-court tennis phenom Sloane Stephens is ranked fourth in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) with six singles titles and one US Open Championship. Read all about this WTA superstar!

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Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!