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 It's a Firefly Night by Dianne
Ochiltree (ages up to 6).
It's finally summer - time to catch
fireflies! This cute, rhyming story of
a girl and her father is brought to
life by vivid pictures, reminiscent
of Eric Carle. Perfect for Father's
Day! ~ Leah Moore |
 The Stars: A New Way to See Them by H. A. Rey (all ages). Summer
nights are perfect for stargazing with your
kids, and this guide by the creator of
Curious George is a terrific introduction
to the night sky. ~ Jennifer Armstrong |
 Great Things to Do Outside by DK Publishing. Time
to shut off the electronics and get
outside! You'll love the projects
for any weather. Make your own
peashooter or design a treasure
hunt; create a ladybug sanctuary,
lavender soap or just lie down and
cloud spot! 365 awesome outdoor activities that will open
everyone's eyes to nature's playground.
~ Martha Cornwell & Whitney Kaaz |
 Get Your Bug On! ($1-$17.99).
Start your backyard exploring
with our great selection of
butterfly nets, bug jars, Critter
Keepers and magnifying glasses. Not available online.
~ Monique Proulx |
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 Edgar Gets Ready for Bed by Jennifer Adams, illus by Ron Stucki. A charming,
stylized bedtime book inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven." With a light touch, this
endearing story is far from dreary. ~ Jessica Wood |
 Chengdu Could Not, Would Not, Fall Asleep by Barney Saltzberg. Warm,
fuzzy text joins warm, fuzzy illustrations to create a cozy bedtime story for those who
have trouble falling asleep - or not. Readers and listeners will be charmed by adorable
panda bear Chengdu's solution to his insomnia. ~ Gail King |
 Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Cherise Mericle
Harper. Green and red are bossing
trucks and diggers around a construction
site, creating chaos (too much stop! too
much go!) until yellow shows up to smooth
the rough edges. Full of giggles and might
even inspire an exciting came of Red Light!
Green Light! ~ Jennifer Armstrong |
 Feeding the Sheep by Leda Schubert
& Andrea U'Ren. The day-to-day,
season to season work caring for a flock of
sheep. Schubert, a Vermont author, weaves a
gentle call and response song of the process
from sheep to sweater. A perfect gift for
fiber lovers everywhere! ~ Martha Cornwell |
 Troll Swap by Leigh Hodgkinson.
Timothy Limpet is a tidy troll. Tabitha Lumpit is
a loopy girl. Neither fits in, until they decide to
switch places! Delightful wordplay and colorful
illustrations make this a story time favorite.
~ Marika McCoola |
 Junkyard by Mike Austin. The
story of two garbage-munching robots
cleaning up their messy world to plant a
garden! Bright colors give these pictures
attitude, and the rhyming text makes it a
blast to read aloud. ~ Leah Moore |
 Poor Doreen: A Fishy Tale by Sally Lloyd-
Jones & Alexandra Boiger. Ignorance
is truly bliss for some folks. Oblivious to the
perils that stalk her at every turn, Doreen (an
Ample Roundy Fish) swims through life with an
unquenchable sunny disposition. One close call
after another, and yet she remains sublimely
positive. ~ Jennifer Armstrong |
 The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water by Gemma Merino. An entertaining
story about a crocodile that wants to fit in but
doesn't really enjoy what other crocodiles
do - until he discovers that maybe he isn't a
crocodile after all. An inspiring story about
finding out who you are and being
yourself. ~ Frances Tobia |
 Hide and Seek Harry Around the House & Hide
and Seek Harry at the Beach by Kenny Harrison. Harry is a hippo and, as such, is not
quite as good at hiding as he thinks he is, but the kids love
playing hide and seek with him all the same. Little ones will
delight in the silly hiding places Harry chooses. ~ Jennifer Armstrong |
 Tap Tap Boom Boom by Elizabeth Bluemle, illus by G. Brian Karas. As a thunderstorm rolls in, a
diverse urban community rushes to the subway to escape the rain, thunder and lightning. Rhythmic verse
coupled with lively illustrations make for a fabulous antidote to stormy summer weather. ~ Gail King |
 The Baby Tree by Sophie Blackall. This adorable book explores the different theories
about where babies come from! A little boy is about to have a baby brother and he asks everyone
he can about the origin of babies until he gets the right answer. Includes suggestions for how to
answer some tricky questions from soon-to-be big brothers or sisters. ~ Adriana Gomez Piccolo |
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 The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford. Minty plans to
spend the summer hanging out on the block and practicing roller
derby moves. But when she discovers a tree full of secrets, she sets
out to solve the neighborhood's many mysteries. A cute and quirky
summer mystery. ~ Marika McCoola |
 The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier. Perfect underthe-
covers Gothic thriller for readers with strong nerves. Orphans
Molly and Kip are new servants in the manor house, where muddy
footprints each morning show the passage of a mysterious "night
man," and their employers grow weaker day by day. Atmospheric
and spooky! ~ Jennifer Armstrong |
 Beth's Story: 1914 by Adele Whitby. The first in a new
historical fiction mystery series! Secrets lie locked in the walls of
Chatswood Manor and Beth is determined to uncover them. When
her heirloom necklace goes missing, she finds a diary that is riddled
with clues. Great for American Girl and Dear America fans! ~ Martha Cornwell |
 The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate Di Goldi & Gregory O'Brien. Perry and her father visit Gran at the retirement home every
Saturday, but Gran can't remember who that man is. Perry discovers
her Gran's love of the alphabet and decides to make an ABC to help
her remember. A book for every child's library. ~ Martha Cornwell |
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 The Meaning of Maggie by Megan Jean Sovern. Being
11 means the beginning of everything! Maggie is one step closer
to voting, getting a tattoo and becoming president. It also means
she must find out why her dad's legs are falling asleep. A quirky,
heartbreaking, refreshingly honest story of a family coping with
MS. ~ Martha Cornwell & Whitney Kaaz |
 The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel. The action begins with
an avalanche and doesn't stop! After Will's father saves a railroad
baron, he becomes engineer on the largest luxury train ever built.
Will thinks he's just along for the ride, but after witnessing a murder,
he realizes this is no vacation. Pure adventure! ~ Leah Moore |
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 Open Road Summer by Emery Lord. A beautifully written
debut from a talented author, about Reagan, the misanthropic "delinquent"
best friend of rising superstar Delilah Montgomery, as she accompanies
the singer on her headlining summer tour. Perfect for anyone who loves
music, summer, romance and friendship. ~ Paige Mushaw |
 Why We Took the Car by Wolfgang Herndorf. Mike and
Tschick are misfits, permanent residents of Loserville. When Tschick
"borrows" a car at the start of summer vacation, Mike reluctantly goes
along for the ride. Hilarious and touching. Think of it as a driver's manual
for friendship, loyalty and finding your own way. ~ Jennifer Armstrong |
 Love by the Morning Star by Laura L. Sullivan.
Upstairs/Downstairs meets P. G. Wodehouse in this WWII romantic
comedy. Hannah has been sent from Germany to live with her
relatives at the same time Anna is sent to spy on the family. Their
identities are confused and result is a sparkling romantic comedy.
~ Marika McCoola |
 Breakfast Served Anytime by Sarah Combs. At a
summer gifted and talented program, Gloria tries to embrace
everything but there are challenges - from her enigmatic professor,
the annoying boy who dresses like a Mad Hatter and her nice
roommate from a coal-industry family. You'll relish every moment
of this summer of discovery. ~ Marika McCoola |
 Swim that Rock by John Rocco & Jay Primiano. When his father goes missing in a fishing
accident, Jake must save the family diner that is
sinking into debt as well as his family's legacy,
even though being a quahogger isn't easy. A
beautifully written male coming-of-age story
set in coastal Rhode Island. ~ Martha Cornwell |
 The Summer Experiment by Cathie
Pelletier. UFOs in Allagash, Maine?
Roberta and her best friend, Marileee, think
if they can prove it, they'll definitely have the
winning State Science Fair project. But what
are the consequences? A fun summer read
for those who like a bit of mystery. ~ Gail King |
 Say What You Will by
Cammie McGovern.
A nonverbal girl, communicating through a
computer, falls in love with a boy with OCD. If
you liked The Fault in Our Stars, try this realistic
novel featuring star-crossed lovers making tough
choices. Spoiler alert: Contains the unintended
consequences of stereotyping, underage drinking
and unplanned pregnancy. ~ Bonnie Winchester |
  The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion
and the Fall of Imperial Russia by
Candace Fleming. Moving between the
Romanov family and the plight of the Russian
peasants, this story offers a surprising portrait
of the family and their inevitable downfall. With period photographs
and primary sources. Nonfiction at its very best!
~ Martha Cornwell |
GRAPHIC NOVEL  This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illus by
Jillian Tamaki. Rose and Windy spend
every summer together at Awago Beach. This
year, things are different. Rose's parents are
fighting and drama among the local teens
is as entrancing as it is frightening. Stunning
illustrations and carefully crafted text combine
in this pitch-perfect graphic novel. ~ Marika McCoola |
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 Set: The Family Game of Visual Perception. An excellent family game that can quickly
become addictive. Math nerds will love it, but if
you don't have any math nerds, don't worry – it's
fun for everyone. Totally portable for summer
road trips and picnic tables. ~ Jennifer Armstrong |
 Soda Geyser Car. Build
a car that will zoom more than 100
feet fueled by Mentos and Soda!
Sixteen fun-packed activities all in
one kit. Learning about Newton's
Law of Motion has never been so much
fun. ~ Monique Proulx |
 All You Need Is a Pencil: The Stuck in a Car,
Plane or Train Activity Book by Joe Rhatigan. The name says it all – don't travel this
summer without this in your "I'm bored!" emergency
toolkit. ~ Jennifer Armstrong |
 Mountain of Doom. Twelve superb
science activities in one kit! Make an avalanche,
erupt a volcano, create a quick sand pit – this
is just some of the fun that awaits you on the
Mountain of Doom: having fun with science
even on a summer vacation. ~ Monique Proulx |
 GoldieBlox and the Dunk Tank (ages 4-9). Engineering toys with a girl's
twist, designed by Debbie Sterling, a Stanford University
grad, to encourage the next generation of women engineers.
In every set you can help Goldie bring her great ideas to
life by building a new invention and reading along with
her story! ~ Leah Moore & Krysta Piccoli |
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