January Book Selection

Our January book selection will be Mudshark by Gary Paulsen. Copies of Mudshark are available at the Children's Desk or through the library catalog. We will meet on Monday, January 25th at 3:30pm to discuss the book and do an activity.

Principal Wagner confidently deals with a faculty washroom crisis, a psychic parrot, and a terrorizing gerbil, but when sixty-five erasers go missing, he enlists the help of the school's best problem solver and locator of lost items, twelve-year-old Lyle Williams, aka Mudshark.

December Meeting Wrap-Up

The Book Buddies Book Club met this past Monday, December 21st to discuss the book Matilda by Roald Dahl. We had a terrific meeting, a great discussion and lots of holiday treats!

We began by talking about Matilda as a person and the things that were special about her. We discussed how she handled her situation at home and why her parents were so mean to her. Some felt that they were jealous of her abilities and one member thought that maybe her parents felt boys were better than girls and that they were right to focus all of their attention on her brother, Michael.

We were split on who we thought was worse: Mr. Wormwood or Miss Trunchbull. Some readers felt that Mr. Wormwood was worse because he was a crook and because he was so mean to Matilda at home. Others felt Miss Trunchbull was worse because she was so mean to all of the students at Crunchem Hall Primary School and because of "The Chokey."

We all agreed that it was wrong for Miss Trunchbull to not give Miss Honey her full salary and to have forced her out of the home that was rightfully hers. And we were all surprised that Miss Trunchbull turned out to be Miss Honey's aunt!

We talked about Matilda's special powers and how she helped Miss Honey get her home back. We were all very impressed with Matilda's brilliant plan and thought the chalk trick was smart. We agreed that Matilda will probably not see her family again but that she will be happy living with Miss Honey.

Overall most of us really liked Matilda and would recommend it to friends. We are all eager to read more Roald Dahl books.

During our book discussion we decorated some holiday window ornaments and ate some holiday cupcakes and cookies. We also worked on some word mastery, trying to make up as many words as we could using the letters from this sentence: "Matilda Loves Reading." We came up with some great words including mall, slime and validate! It was a terrific meeting and thanks to everyone who came out for book club so close to christmas!

Have a wonderful holiday and a very happy New Year!

Matilda the Movie & Meeting Reminder

Matilda by Roald Dahl was made into a movie in 1996 starring Mara Wilson as Matilda and Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman as her horrible parents, the Wormwoods. Check out the movie version after you read the book for book club!

And just a reminder that the Book Buddies Book Club will meet this Monday, December 21st for a book discussion of Matilda and some holiday treats. See you then!

An Old Fashioned Holiday & Saturday Matinee

There are two events happening at the library this week that we hope to see you attend:

An Old Fashioned Holiday with Lisa & Friends - join Lisa and her puppets for a celebration of the winter holidays on Thursday, December 17th at 3:30pm in the Children's Program Room. No registration is required for this free program.

Saturday Matinee @ the Library: Disney's G-Force, rated PG - join us for a free afternoon showing of the children's movie G-Force on Saturday, December 19th at 2:30pm. Buckle up for thrilling action in this family comedy adventure about courageous guinea-pigs with tons of attitude and a love for all things extreme. No registration is required. Located in the lower-level program room.

Something New for Winter Break

The Children's Department recently acquired a bunch of new novels for kids. Here are a few that you might want to read during the winter vacation...

The Last Newspaper Boy in America by Sue Corbett

"Wil David, twelve, became his town's newspaper carrier this week only to learn he may soon be unemployed...Now, with a clueless brother, nosy neighbor girl, and some rocket science on his side, Wil is fighting to save his route--and realizing there's more at stake than one kid's job. Along the way he just might unravel a carnival mystery, expose a con artist, rescue a little town, and become a true hero..."

Murder at Midnight by Avi

"Falsely accused of plotting to overthrow King Claudio, scholarly Mangus the magician, along with his street-smart servant boy, Fabrizio, face deadly consequences unless they can track down the real traitor by the stroke of midnight."

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

"An unlucky twelve-year-old Norwegian boy named Odd leads the Norse gods Loki, Thor, and Odin in an attempt to outwit evil Frost Giants who have taken over Asgard."

The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O'Connor

"In Fayette, South Carolina, the highlight of Popeye's summer is learning vocabulary words with his grandmother until a motor home gets stuck nearby and Elvis, the oldest boy living inside, joins Popeye in finding the source of strange boats floating down the creek."

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children by Keith McGowan

"Eleven-year-old inventor Sol must recover his self-confidence if he and his eight-year-old sister, Connie, are to escape the clutches of Hansel and Gretel's witch, to whom they have been led by their new stepmother and the man they believe to be their father."

Author Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (1916 - 1990) is the amazing author of Matilda and many, many other classic books for children. Here are just a few of his books that you will definitely want to read:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964)

Each of five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970)

Three farmers, each one meaner than the other, try all-out warfare to get rid of the fox and his family.

Danny, the Champion of the World (1975)

A young English boy describes his relationship with his father and the special adventure they share together.

The Witches (1983)

A young boy and his Norwegian grandmother, who is an expert on witches, together foil a witches' plot to destroy the world's children by turning them into mice.

December Book Selection

Our December book will be Matilda by Roald Dahl! The book club will meet to discuss Matilda on Monday, December 21st at 3:30pm in the Children's Program Room. Copies of Matilda are available at the Children's Desk.

Matilda is a sweet, 5-year-old genius with horrible, mean parents. Fortunately, she has a great time giving them what they deserve. But at school things are different. At school there's Miss Trunchbull: two hundred pounds of kid-hating headmistress. Giving Miss Trunchbull what she deserves will take more than a genius...it will take a superhuman genius!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A quick note to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to all of the wonderful readers in the Book Buddies Book Club and a chance to say thank you for being such a great group of kids!

Enjoy the day off and happy eating!

November Meeting Wrap-Up

The Book Buddies Book Club met this past Monday, November 23rd to discuss the book The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling. We did things a little bit differently this month - instead of talking about the book and then doing our activity, we did our activity first. Appropriately enough, in honor of our reading of The Chocolate Touch we made chocolates! The kids had a great time melting the chocolate and pouring it into different molds. We made lollipops and other individual chocolates in all different shapes and in two flavors: white chocolate and milk chocolate. The chocolate tasted delicious and really inspired our discussion of the book.

We began by talking about John and how we would describe him as a character. A few people felt that he was very greedy and selfish but others thought that he was just a regular kid. Some found him funny and nice and like a kid they might know.

We talked about John's chocolatitis and why it seemed to accelerate during the day and how it was cured. We thought about things that John learned from his experience including not to be greedy, to think about others and the importance of a balanced diet.

We discussed different foods that we wished everything tasted like including ice cream, cake and even rice! However, we all agreed that having everything taste the same, even if it's something that tastes great, is not a good thing and would get old quickly.

Finally we read the story of King Midas and compared his story to John's in The Chocolate Touch.

Overall, most club members really liked The Chocolate Touch and would recommend it to their friends. We all had a great time making (and eating) our chocolates and look forward to next month's meeting!

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Book Buddies Book Club will meet this Monday, November 23rd at 3:30pm to discuss The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling.

Have a great weekend!

King Midas

The Chocolate Touch (in which everything John's lips touch turns to chocolate) is a spoof of the greek myth about King Midas. Everything King Midas touched turned to gold. Much like John, at first King Midas was delighted with his power. But over time, he realized how horrible it really was. The children's department has a couple of books about King Midas that you might want to look at to expand your reading of The Chocolate Touch:

King Midas by Neil Philip (j292 Phi)

In ancient Greece, King Midas had the chance to ask one favor of the god Dionysus. He asked that everything he touched might turn to gold.

King Midas and the Golden Touch by Charlotte Craft (j398.2 Cra)

A king finds himself bitterly regretting the consequences of his wish that everything he touches would turn to gold.

Upcoming Children's Department Events!

The Children's Department has a variety of events taking place leading up to Thanksgiving that we'd love to see you attend:

On Tuesday, November 17th at 3:30pm food experts from Johnson & Wales Museum of Culinary Arts will present a child-friendly food program. No registration is required for this free program which will be held in the John Clarke Children's Program Room.

On Wednesday, November 18th at 3:30pm we invite you to celebrate the Native American tradition with storytelling, drumming and hands-on exploration of Native American artifacts presented by the Aquidneck Island Intertribal Indian Council. No registration is required for this free program located in the Lower Level Program Room.
And on Saturday, November 21st we hope you'll join us for a free showing of the movie Monsters vs. Aliens, rated PG. This matinee will start at 2:30pm in the Lower Level Program Room.

Family Gaming Day

To celebrate National Gaming Day, the Newport Public Library is hosting a Family Gaming Day on Saturday, November 14th from 2:30pm - 4:30pm. Children ages 6 and up and their families are invited to join us in the Lower Level Program Room and spend the afternoon playing a variety of board games including Scrabble, Chess and Pictureka (among others). We will also have a playstation video game set up.

No registration is required for this free event. For more information contact the Children's Department at 401-847-8720 ext. 204.

Hope to see you there with your game faces on!

More Sweet Reading

In The Chocolate Touch, John acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate. At first this is wonderful but overtime, he begins to see how this might not be such a great thing. For those of you (like me!) who love chocolate, here a few more sweet stories to wet your appetite...

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Each of five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way.

Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith

From eating too much chocolate, Henry breaks out in brown bumps that help him foil some hijackers and teach him a valuable lesson about self- indulgence.

The Chocolate Cat by Sue Stainton

A clever cat helps his owner, a chocolate maker, to discover the magic in his work and together they transform a colorless town into a place of beauty and happiness.

This Book is Not Good For You by Pseudonymous Bosch

In this tooth-rotting adventure, Cass's mom has been kidnapped by the evil dessert chef and chocolatier, Señor Hugo! The ransom...the legendary tuning fork. Can Cass and Max-Ernest find the magical instrument before it's too late? Will they discover the evil secret ingredient to Señor Hugo's chocolate success?

Chocolate: A Sweet History by Sandra Markle

Complete with recipes, a guide provides an informative review of the history of chocolate by explaining where it originated, how it was originally used and by whom, how it is grown and processed, how it came to be made into tasty treats in modern times, and more.

The Many Covers of The Chocolate Touch

Like many of the books we've read, The Chocolate Touch has been published with a variety of covers. Here are just a few of the covers I was able to find. Which is your favorite? Which one does the best job of making you want to read the book? Which one is your least favorite? How would you design the cover? (Anyone who would like to submit an idea for a cover is more than welcome!)

Happy Halloween!

Just a quick note to wish all of you a safe and happy Halloween!

Be sure to come by the Children's Desk to "Trick or Treat" from 9:30 - 5:45pm.

November Book Selection

The November book selection is The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling. We will be meeting to discuss this book on Monday, November 23rd at 3:30pm in the Children's Program Room. Copies of the book are available at the Children's Desk or by request through the library catalog.

A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.

Interview with Kate Klise

Following our book discussion, the Book Buddies Book Club had the opportunity to call the author, Kate Klise, at her home in Norwood, Missouri. Kate was absolutely delightful on the phone and thoughtfully answered all of our questions.

We started by asking her how many books we could expect in the new series, 43 Old Cemetery Road. She is working on a third book, tentatively titled Til Death Do Us Bark and told us that in general, publishers like series to be in odd numbers. She asked us how many we thought there should be and a few of us told her we'd like to see four books.

She told us where the number 43 comes from in 43 Old Cemetery Road - 43 is the age she was when she started writing the series!

We asked her if she's ever experienced writer's block like Ignatius in Dying to Meet You. She said that she doesn't really believe in writer's block and that if she doesn't like what she's writing she takes a break but overall she finds that she never runs out of things to say.

She told us that she likes to write a first draft for a book really quickly (in approximately 30 days) and that she spends the bulk of her time re-writing. Often she writes 13 or 14 drafts and that the entire process usually takes 8 months to 1 year. Her advice to young writers is to constantly re-write; the more you re-write the better your work gets and it gives you the chance to take out things that might be boring or slow.

Her favorite place to write is on the 2nd floor of her renovated farmhouse. She often writes with her cat on her lap. The idea for Dying to Meet You came from the old book/tv show The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. She was a big fan of the book and tv show and likes ghost stories that aren't too scary. She's also interested in old houses and prior to our telephone interview did a little research about Newport, Rhode Island and all the old mansions we have here. She thought that the Breakers would make a great setting for a ghost story.

The best part of being a famous author is meeting young readers and writers. She also enjoys her work immensely and has great fun writing in letters. She advises anyone interested in her style to start writing letters. She wrote many letters as a child which gave her great practice for the graphic epistolary mysteries she writes today!

We asked her about working with her sister and whether or not they ever disagree about their work. She said that they don't really disagree about their books because she does all the words and Sarah does all of the illustrations as well as layout and design. She said that she often found group work difficult in school and would find it challenging to share the writing of a book. But the system that she and her sister have works out great for both of them.

She told us a little bit about the third book in the series, Til Death Do Us Bark. Iggy is a dog person and Olive is a cat person so there will be lots of problems along the idea of cats vs. dogs in book three.

We ended by asking her about one thing she'd like to learn to do (play guitar better) and what she's reading right now (Katie Fforde and other British writers). She is currently working on writing a novel for adults and is finding lots of inspiration in British writers.

Her parting advice for young writers is to start writing books and give them as gifts as she did as a child. The holidays are only a few weeks away and she encouraged all of us to write and give our books away.

We had a wonderful time talking with Kate Klise and learned a lot about her writing and her life as an author. A BIG thank you to Kate for her time and eagerness to participate in our book club. Thank you!

October Meeting Wrap-Up

The Book Buddies Book Club met yesterday, October 26th, to discuss the book Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise. We had a delicious Halloween cupcakes during our discussion which we followed with a wonderful interview with the author!

We started by talking about the main characters, Ignatius, Seymour and Olive. We discussed why Seymour's parents left him behind when they went to Europe and whether or not they are legitimate paranormal investigators. We talked about Olive and why Ignatius refuses to believe she exists and how that changes over time. We felt that Olive decided to help Ignatius with his book because she loves writing and she never had the opportunity to be published in her lifetime. We also thought she decided to help because she felt he wasn't doing a good job of writing about ghosts in his book and she wanted the truth about ghosts to be written.

We discussed some of the things that Olive, Seymour and Ignatius have in common including loneliness and rejection and why Ignatius's editor, Paige Turner, sends a private investigator (Frank N. Beans) to check on him (and what he finds).

We had fun talking about the format - which everyone really enjoyed - and what kind of book, Dying to Meet You is. The author tells us what kind of book it is in a letter from Paige Turner to Ignatius's lawyer, E. Gadds. In the postscript she says that Olive wrote something called "graphic epistolary mysteries - or some such unmarketable nonsense." A graphic epistolary mystery is exactly the style of Dying to Meet You! In other words, it is an illustrated mystery novel written in letters.

We spent some time talking about one of my favorite passages in the book, in which Ignatius tries to persuade Olive to write with him again, insisting he is a changed man. Olive tells him, "All I'm saying is that your life is a story, and that you are the main character of that story. Is your story a comedy or a tragedy? Is it dull? Or is it a compelling, spine-tingling drama? My point, Iggy, is simply that each of us is the author of his or her own life. So if you're telling me that you've changed, I'm pleased at your authorship." We all agreed that Olive is correct, that each of us has some amount of control over our lives and the ability to make them however we want them to be.

Overall, we really loved the book and everyone is dying to read book 2, Over My Dead Body.

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Book Buddies Book Club will meet this Monday, October 26th at 3:30pm in the Children's Program Room. We will have Halloween snacks and discuss our book, Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise. Following our discussion we will be calling the author! Don't forget to think of some really great questions we can ask Kate Klise about her book and her life as an author.

Have a great weekend! See you Monday!

The Magician's Elephant

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo was published on September 8th and I had an opportunity to read it at the end of September. Kate is best known for her books The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I have read both of those while I enjoyed them both (especially Edward Tulane) I adored The Magician's Elephant. Elephant is magicial and Kate's writing is extraordinary. It is the story of a young boy named Peter Augustus Duchene, a ten-year-old orphan who goes on a journey to find his lost sister and save a mysterious elephant. The message is one of hope and faith and left me feeling that life can be full of magic if you are willing to believe. Here is my favorite quote from the story: "It is important that you say what you mean to say. Time is too short. You must speak words that matter." (p49)

I highly recommend The Magician's Elephant to fans of Kate DiCamillo's work and those looking for an uplifting read.

43 Old Cemetery Road, Book 2

This month the second installment of 43 Old Cemetery Road is being released - Over My Dead Body....

The International Movement for the Safety & Protection Of Our Kids & Youth (IMSPOOKY) dictates that Seymour cannot live in the mansion at 43 Old Cemetery Road "without the benefit of parents." Ignatius B. Grumply tries to explain to Dick Tater, the head of IMSPOOKY, that he and Seymour are in a lovely living (and publishing!) arrangement with the ghost of Olive C. Spence. Dick Tater is not convinced. But this clever trio can’t be broken up as easily as he imagines . . .

Kate and M. Sarah Klise

Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise (sisters!) are the brilliant author and illustrator behind our October book, Dying to Meet You. They have collaborated on many projects including Letters From Camp, Trial by Journal and the fantastic Regarding the.... series. They have a great website which I encourage you to investigate!

Regarding the Fountain: a Tale, in Letters, of Liars and Leaks (1998)

When the principal asks a fifth-grader to write a letter regarding the purchase of a new drinking fountain for their school, he finds that all sorts of chaos results.

Letters From Camp (1999)

Sent to Camp Happy Harmony to learn how to get along with each other, pairs of brothers and sisters chronicle in letters home how they come to suspect the intentions of the singing family running the camp.

Trial by Journal (2001)

In this illustrated novel told through journal entries, news clippings, and letters, twelve-year-old Lily finds herself on the jury of a murder trial while conducting her own undercover investigation of the case.

Dying to Meet You Video

Kate Klise and her sister M. Sarah Klise (author and illustrator of Dying to Meet You) have created a wonderful short video about their new book....

Exciting News!

I didn't want to say anything until I had it confirmed but this month we will be conducting our first author interview of the year! Kate Klise has graciously agreed to speak with us at our meeting on October 26th. I am so excited and I can't wait to talk with her.

So now it's up to you to come up with some interesting questions for her about her books, especially Dying to Meet You (our October book), and her life as an author. Feel free to post your thoughts to the blog or email me (cantonio@newportlibraryri.org) with suggestions. On the 26th we will spend some time organizing our questions before we give her a call.

A big THANK YOU in advance to Kate Klise for taking the time to talk with us. We are really looking forward to it!

October Book Selection: Dying to Meet You

Our October book selection is Dying to Meet You (43 Old Cemetery Road, Book 1) by Kate Klise. This was a book that I read and loved during my Summer Reading Book Challenge and one that I thought would be perfect for book club to read this October since one of the main characters is a ghost.

We will meet to discuss the book on Monday, October 26th at 3:30pm in the Children's Program Room. Copies of the book are available at the Children's Desk or through the Ocean State Libraries catalog.

The best-selling author Ignatius B. Grumply moves into the Victorian mansion at 43 Old Cemetery Road, hoping to find some peace and quiet so that he can crack a wicked case of writer's block.

But 43 Old Cemetery Road is already occupied - by an eleven-year-old boy named Seymour, his cat, Shadow, and an irritable ghost named Olive.

And they have no intention of sharing!

September Meeting Wrap-Up

The September meeting of the Book Buddies Book Club actually took place yesterday, Monday, October 5th. We met to discuss From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg. We had a wonderful meeting - everyone was very enthusiastic and happy to be back at book club after taking the summer off. We also welcomed a couple of new members to our group and for anyone else who is interested, it's not too late to sign up! Post a comment to this blog or email me at cantonio@newportlibraryri.org and we'll get you started!

Overall, to my surprise, feelings were mixed about From the Mixed-Up Files. Many felt that the book was very dated (it is set in 1967 and certain things like how much things cost were very specific to that time period) and many felt that it was very slow-paced. Everyone liked the idea of running away and living at the Metropolitan Museum in New York but a few members felt that the story got bogged down in the middle and lost some of it's excitement. Others were less interested in the mystery of Angel and didn't see why it mattered if it was a genuine Michelangelo scultpure or not.

Most club members liked the main character, Claudia, because she had good taste and seemed like someone who would be fun to hang out with. A few thought that she was bossy and too fixated on the statue. Everyone agreed that running away from home was not the correct way for Claudia and Jamie to handle their problems and felt that they should have talked to their parents instead. But they were glad that at the very least, Claudia sent them a note telling them not to worry.

We agreed that Claudia had a pretty good escape plan and that the museum was a good place to run away to because, as one member put it, "it was a very unexpected place to hide." One thing we did not like was the part of the story where Claudia and Jamie took the money from the fountain while they were bathing. We had a brief discussion about how the coins represented wishes and that taking those wishes was not the right thing to do no matter how in need of money they were.

We discussed the format of the story - how it is told as an account from Mrs. Frankweiler to her lawyer, Saxonberg - and whether or not this was the best way to tell the story. Many readers felt that the story would have been more exciting and would have included more details had it been told by Claudia and Jamie instead because it is their story and they experienced it. We ended by talking about the meaning of the title "The Mixed-Up Files" and why Mrs. Frankweiler's files are "mixed-up."

We also looked at some of the different book covers that have been used (see my earlier blog post) and talked a little bit about Michelangelo and the Italian Renaissance.

Overall, book club members were divided on From the Mixed-Up Files. Those who liked it LOVED IT and those who didn't like it, really didn't.

Following our book discussion, everyone decorated reading journals for this year. The idea behind the journals is that as we are reading during the month, members will write down any questions or observations they have about the book. Then when we get together we will have a good basis for getting our book discussion started.

It was a terrific first meeting of the new school year and I look forward to the months ahead!

Meeting Change

Hi everyone,

As I'm sure you all know by now, the Book Buddies Book Club did not meet this past Monday, September 28th. Due to unforseen circumstances, I was unable to be here on Monday so we've moved the book club up one week. We will now be meeting to discuss From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on Monday, October 5th at 3:30pm. I hope you all can make it!

If you've finished the book and are concerned about getting it returned on time, feel free to either return it to the library now or call us and we can renew it for you.

For those interested in getting a heads up on the October book, we will be reading Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise. Because we are meeting a week late, there will be a little less time to read the October book (we're still going to meet on October 26th) but I know you all can do it. Dying to Meet You is a shorter book and a quick read (and lots of spooky fun!). I have copies at the Children's Desk for anyone who'd like to get started before Monday.

If there are any questions, please feel free to call the Children's Department at 401-847-8720 ext. 204.

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Book Buddies Book Club will have its first meeting of the new school year this Monday, September 28th at 3:30pm in the Children's Program Room. All are invited to attend I just ask that you call ahead and let me know you're coming! That way I'm sure to have enough supplies.

Our first book is From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. Please read it before the 28th so that we can have a great discussion!

If you have any questions feel free to call the Children's Department at 401-847-8720 ext. 204 or email me at cantonio@newportlibraryri.org.

Author E.L. Konigsburg

E.L. Konigsburg is the fantastic author of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. She lives in Florida with her family. She is the only author ever to win a Newbury Medal and Honor in the same year (1968 - the medal was for From the Mixed-Up Files and the Honor was for her book Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth). For a detailed biography of E.L. Konigsburg, check out this site.

She has written many books for children including:

The View From Saturday (1996)

Four students, with their own individual stories, develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a paraplegic, who choses them to represent their sixth-grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.

The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place (2004)

Upon leaving an oppressive summer camp, twelve-year-old Margaret Rose Kane spearheads a campaign to preserve three unique towers her great-uncles have been building in their backyard for more than forty years.

Silent to the Bone (2000)

When he is wrongly accused of gravely injuring his baby half-sister, thirteen-year-old Branwell loses his power of speech and only his friend Connor is able to reach him and uncover the truth about what really happened.

Up From Jericho Tel (1986)

The spirit of a dead actress turns two children invisible and sends them out among a group of colorful street performers to search for a missing necklace.