New Picture Books for the Easy Reader Section

We have added quite a few new books to our Children's Department including some new picture books for the reading and viewing pleasure of our youngest patrons.

Abracadabra, It's Spring! celebrates the magic of the season.  Written by Anne Sibley O'Brien and illustrated by Susan Gal, the book contains eleven foldout pages with illustrations in full color.

In Buddy and Earl Go Exploring, Buddy the dog and his buddy, Earl the hedgehog, go exploring without even leaving home thanks to Earl's over-active imagination.  Written by Maureen Fergus with pictures by Carey Sookocheff.

Finally, in Strictly No Elephants, a boy is barred from the meeting of the neighborhood Pet Club for having an unusual pet.  They don’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. The boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it really means to be a true friend.  Written by Lisa Mantchev and illustrated by Taeeun Yoo.





Enjoy these and many other selections from our Easy Reader section in the Children's Department.

Cats and Dogs

Here at the library, we love our pets! I grew up in the country and I have owned pets most of my life, so when two new pet books came across my desk, I just had to share.

     The first is a small book with a lot of good ideas for getting your cat to like you. "Yes," it says, "It is possible!" The book is called 97 Ways to Make a Cat Like You and it is written by Carol Kaufman. If you are in a one-sided relationship with your cat (let's be honest, most cat owners are) then this may be the book you need to check-out the next time you are in the library.These 97 inspired, sometimes silly, but absolutely fun-for-you-and-kitty tricks and games will endear you to your cat.

These tips and tricks are based on scientific understanding of cat behavior. For instance, tip #43 suggests you "rack 'em up" by putting pennies in a plastic Easter egg and let your cat have at it. You'll also learn the "Head Butt," the "Hide and Seek," and the useful "Cat Burrito." Almost all of these tips are simple, practical, and very inexpensive ways to play with and connect with your cat.

     The second book we have is called The Complete Dog Breed Book and it is published by DK books. This encyclopedia provides photographic profiles on more than 420 of the world's best-loved dogs. Each dog's profile gives vital statistics such as height range, weight range, average life span, coat colors, grooming needs, and trainability. There are also temperament ratings and descriptions of the breed's origin so that you can best choose the type of dog for you and your family. Do you want an alert watchdog who will be wary of strangers, but calm and dedicated to your household? Then, why not choose a Catahoula Leopard Dog? Want a small, but energetic dog that is also smart and responds well to obedience training? Well, look no further than the miniature schnauzer. This cheerful, friendly dog is good with the whole family.

     Granted, every dog has its individual personality and could use firm, consistent training to help with family socialization and every cat has its own idea about who rules the roost. But, the benefits of owning a pet have been well documented: lower blood pressure, more exercise, ease of depression symptoms, and greater self-esteem. Love your pets and remember; adoption is best, but always choose your pet on whether or not it will fit with your lifestyle and family dynamic, not on how it looks or its breed.

Could You Survive Henry?

Surviving Henry: Adventures in Loving a Canine Catastrophe is an account of Erin Taylor Young's life with an obstinate boxer named Henry. Fueled by fond memories of a boxer she had as a child, Erin Taylor Young sets out to find a boxer puppy for her family. One that could provide laughs and cuddles as well as long walks and wagging tails. What she gets is Henry--who Erin describes as suffering from "Supreme Dictator of the Universe Syndrome." She can't figure out how God chose to give her such and aloof and stubborn creature to be a part of her family. She doesn't understand why Henry doesn't seem to care if he is with the members of the family or not. The only time he seems to show any interest is when she begins her routine to leave the house, then Henry decides that he can't leave her side. Erin knows this is only because he loves riding in the car; not because he likes being with her. But, oh, that face when she closes the door behind her; it's enough to melt her heart, so Henry goes with her to the video store, the gas station, and anywhere else that is even slightly appropriate to take him along.
On their first day at the dog park, Erin keeps Henry outside the fence on his leash to see how he will react to the other dogs. As each new dog passes by the fence to sniff at him, Henry leaps in the air with excited anticipation; as if to say, "I wanna play! Oh please, please let me play!" Once inside the fence and off his leash, Henry quickly makes friends with the dog park set and follows a couple of his new friends--retrievers--into the small pond for water-loving dogs. There is only one problem, Henry doesn't know how to swim and he panics. Poor Erin thinks she is going to have to jump in after her awkward boxer, but he manages to paddle his way back to the shore.
Henry seems to be prone to misadventures and near death scenarios and his poor owner can only hang on for dear life. Take, for instance, their adventures at Erin's parents' lake house. On their first visit with Henry, he falls off the dock and poor Erin plunges in the freezing water to rescue him. It just so happens that every time they visit Henry seems to fall off the dock. Unless, of course, he is wearing the expensive doggie life jacket that they bought him. Once, they decided to take Henry on the Pontoon with them. He did okay, although he did pace around the decking and had to have a petting from everyone on the boat, not to mention he had to sniff the air on all four sides. When Henry moved to the front of the pontoon, he stuck his nose through the gate, but it isn't too long before he spots a flock of ducks up ahead. Erin's son manages to catch Henry's leg before the sixty-pound dog managed to get through the gate and into the water--and probably become fish food after meeting the boat's propeller.
Erin recounts many such near-misses and disasters that seem to be drawn to Henry. He vandalizes his obedience school, crashes through a window, and tears up countless toys. Erin is convinced that Henry lives to torment her. The longer she has Henry, though, the more she comes to realize that he has been put into her life to teach her a new meaning to the concept of unconditional love.
This book is a quick, funny, and poignant read. Henry's adventures can be related to by anyone who has ever been the owner of a stubborn pet. Henry's quirkiness is endearing and the lessons he teaches his family are ones that every family should learn. If you are going to love one another, then you must do so unconditionally.

A Cat’s a Cat and That’s That

Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper is the story of a fearless feline. The last thing Gwen wanted was another cat, because she already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s vet called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten (he lost his eyes due to an infection) who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight. Everyone warned her that Homer would always be an "underachiever,” never as playful or as independent as the other cats. But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo, a tiny daredevil with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease and leapt five feet into the air to catch flies in mid-buzz. He survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night.

But, it was Homer’ unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love and his joy in the face of all obstacles that inspired Gwen daily and transformed her life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most important lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes. This book is a wonderful read for cat lovers, and is an inspirational story that many readers will appreciate.

A Tale of a Boy and his Dog

I just finished reading the most amazing book! It was The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski, and it has just been named the next "book" on Oprah's Book Club. If you have not read it yet, you are in for a treat! Being a dog lover, I was intrigued by the cover, which has a picture of a boy and his dog. At first glance, the book seems to be a story about a boy and his "growing up years" but it is so much more than that. The story is wrapped around a mystery, the intricacies of dog breeding, familial relationships and the sometimes painful way that boys grow up. The prose is beautiful and the descriptions of Wisconsin, the story's setting, are wonderful. If you think that the large number of pages of the book is daunting, do not fear. The book reads quickly and I bet that you become so entraced with the book you'll forget all about how long it is and will be sad when it's over. The Oprah show will have David Wroblewski on one of their shows in the next few weeks, so I encourage you to read the book before the author interview. I am sure, like me, you will have a few questions that need answering! If you enjoy books about dogs, try also reading Cormac by Sunny Brewer or Pawprints of Katrina: Pets Saved and Lessons Learned by Cathy Scott.