Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all the Book Buddies members and their families. See you in January!

Vacation Week Reads

Christmas vacation is now upon us and to help keep you occupied during your break from school, here are some new books you might like to read...

Murder Afloat by Jane Leslie Conly

Benjamin Franklin Orville is kidnapped with a group of immigrants and forced to work aboard one of the most ill-reputed oystering vessels in Baltimore. Soon the boy knows only hard work and hunger, a little bit of German, and a whole lot about injustice.

Under the Green Hill by Laura L. Sullivan

While staying with distant relatives in England, Americans Rowan, Meg, Silly, and James Morgan, with their neighbors Dickie Rhys and Finn Fachan, learn that one of them must fight to the death in the Midsummer War required by the local fairies.

Edison's Gold by Geoff Watson

Tom Edison and his friends become embroiled in a mystery involving his "double-great" grandfather's inventions, a secret society, and a vendetta being carried out by a descendant of inventor Nikola Tesla.

Touch Blue by Cynthia Rylant

When the state of Maine threatens to shut down their island's one-room schoolhouse because of dwindling enrollment, eleven-year-old Tess, a strong believer in luck, and her family take in a trumpet-playing foster child, to increase the school's population.

December Meeting Wrap-Up

The Book Buddies Book Club met this past Monday afternoon to discuss our December book, The Christmas Genie by Dan Gutman. Everyone really enjoyed the book and we had a great time talking about (and making) wishes!

We talked a lot about wishes, about the kinds of wishes the kids in the story made and the kinds of things we wish for in our lives. We discussed good wishes and bad wishes and not considering the consequences of our wishes when we make them.

We reviewed examples of bad wishes in literature, including in other books we've read in book club. The Chocolate Touch, which we read last year, is an example of bad wishing, as is the story it's based on, King Midas. Half Magic and The Magic Half were other books we thought of where the wishing wasn't always the best.

We discussed why we thought the author chose to set this story at Christmas and if it could have taken place at another time. We thought about which elements in the story were most magical and therefore Christmas-y.

Overall we had a great meeting and enjoyed some special holiday treats (cupcakes and cookies). Thanks to all the Book Buddies members for joining me on Monday and for participating in book club this year! See you in January!

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Book Buddies Book Club will meet this coming Monday, December 20th at 3:30pm in the John Clarke Children's Program Room to discuss our December book, The Christmas Genie by Dan Gutman.

Come for a great discussion and some holiday treats!

Hope to see you there!

Events @ the Library

We have a couple of events happening this Saturday at the library that you might want to know about!

First at 10am Airborne Jugglers, Joe Murray and Susan Kirby, will dazzle you with a high energy juggling show. Audience volunteers will find themselves in the middle of the action!

Then at 2:30pm, the Children's Department will be offering a matinée screening of Despicable Me. In Despicable Me, Gru, an evil villain, delights in all things wicked. Surrounded by an army of tireless yellow minions and armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential dad.

No registration is required for either event - just drop by. Both events will be held in the lower level program room. For more information contact the Children's Department at 401-847-8720 ext. 204.

Hope to see you Saturday!

Dan Gutman Online

First, I wanted to share this interview with Dan Gutman that I found very interesting and this profile by Simon and Schuster with some revealing questions and answers.

I also found a couple of videos for you to enjoy:

December Author: Dan Gutman

Dan Gutman is the wonderful author of our December book, The Christmas Genie. He has a terrific website with a very interesting biography that I encourage you to take a look at. He has written a TON of books for kids including the Baseball Card Adventure series and the My Weird School series. Here are a few of his other books that you might want to read:

The Get Rich Quick Club (2004)

Summer vacation in their small Maine town does not look too promising until twelve-year-old Gina and four of her friends make a pact to become millionaires before school starts in September.

Getting Air (2007)

After foiling a terrorist hijacking aboard their airplane, fourteen-year-old Jimmy, his younger sister, and two skateboarding friends crash-land the plane and try to survive in a forest wilderness until help arrives.

Nightmare at the Book Fair (2008)

When fifth-grader Trip Kindleman, who does not like to read very much, is hit on the

head by a heavy box and becomes a character in a series of different books--from a sports story to a science fiction novel to an adventure tale--his view of reading is changed forever.

The Talent Show (2010)

After a devastating tornado destroys much of Cape Bluff, Kansas, residents come together as a community to put on a talent show as a fund-raiser.

December Book

The December meeting of the Book Buddies Book Club will take place on Monday, December 20th at 3:30pm in the John Clarke Children's Program Room. This month we are reading.... The Christmas Genie by Dan Gutman!

I hope you enjoy the book!

When a meteorite crashes into a fifth-grade classroom at Lincoln School in Oak Park, Illinois, the genie inside agrees to grant the class a Christmas wish--if they can agree on one within an hour.