Thursday Thirteen

I love craft blogs!  I could sit in a room, alone and search Google for craft blogs all night, in fact, I have.  I love to look at the photographs, read about the crafts, I even bookmark the page.  But...  never, ever have I actually "made" a craft that I've seen on a craft blog. <sigh>  Why do I do that? So, this week I give you the 13 crafts that I probably won't do any time soon, but have enjoyed looking at!

1. Subway Art from Tatertots and Jello

2. Yum!  Cake Batter Pancakes at How Sweet It Is

3. This great teacher gift at Clean & Scentsible 

4. A Rainbow of Fingers at Under the Table & Dreaming

5, Conversation Magnets at Crafts by Amanda

6, Monogrammed Hand Sanitizer Bottles at The Idea Room

7. Montessori Style Crayon Holders at Mom's Crafty Space

8. I'm So Lucky to Have You from Eighteen25

9. Mini Pots of Gold from MakesandTakes.com
 













10. Doodle Chalkboard at Ruffles & Stuff

11. Cupcakes in a Jar (Gasp!  What?!?) at Mix, Mingle & Glow

12. Chalkboard Speech Bubbles at MakeandTakes.com

13.Photo Wall Portrait Display from Sugar Bee Crafts

Thursday Thirteen

Did you know that there is a big difference between "middle grade" fiction and "young adult" fiction? I have noticed these days that my middle grade readers (ages 8-12) are quick to jump in to books that are intended for young adults!  (They ask me for Hunger Games and Twilight!) Young adult fiction is geared towards kids ages 14 to 21.

Middle Grade readers are ages 8-12.   These kids are trying to figure out what  think, and where they fit in. They like books that they can relate to.  Because of this, most themes deal with issues that these kids deal with: school, friendships, relationships with peers and siblings, and daily difficulties that may seem ordinary to to you and me. This age group  is easily distracted,  so the books have a faster pace, lower word count and less chapters.  This week I give you my favorite middle grade books!  

Frindle by Andrew Clements

F CLE

When he decides to turn his fifth-grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.

The Lemonade War by Jaqualine Davies

F DAV

Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, react very differently to the news that they will be in the same class for fourth grade and as the end of summer approaches, they battle it out through lemonade stands, each trying to be the first to earn 100 dollars. Includes mathematical calculations and tips for running a successful lemonade stand.

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

F DIC

Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.

The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street by Sharon Flake

F FLA

Ten-year-old Queen learns valuable life lessons about being a good friend when Leroy, a new kid in the neighborhood, comes to Queen's school.

Million Dollar Shot by Dan Gutman

F GUT

Eleven-year-old Eddie gets a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a foul shot at the National Basketball Association finals.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
F HAD

In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong.

The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell

F JON

Ten-year-old Christina lives a sheltered life until she discovers a secret tunnel, an evil plot to enslave orphans, and a mysterious source of energy known as zoom.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

F MAS

Just before his thirteenth birthday, Jeremy Fink receives a keyless locked box--set aside by his father before his death five years earlier--that purportedly contains the meaning of life. 

One Beastly Beast by Garth Nix

F NIX

A collection of four fantasy tales in which a boy joins a strange navy in pursuit of video pirates, a neglected princess seeks adventure, an orphaned inventor seeks the perfect parents, and a genius girl faces a sea serpent

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

F PAU

Things get out of hand for a twelve-year-old boy when a neighbor convinces him to expand his summer lawn mowing business. 

Beryl: A Pig's Tale by Jane Simmons

F SIM

Tired of being mistreated and cooped up, Beryl the piglet escapes her farm and meets a group of wild pigs, whose settlement splits up over the decision of whether to let her stay, and with her new "family" she sets out to find a new home.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

F STE

As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

Charlotte's Web by EB Lewis

F LEW

Wilbur, the pig, is desolate when he discovers that he is destined to be the farmer's Christmas dinner until his spider friend, Charlotte, decides to help him.

Thursday Thirteen (13)

Here are 13 book trailers for 13 great new books in the Lemme Library!  Check out a videos, and then check out the book!  It is still hard to believe that you can go on YouTube to learn more about books...  I just hope kids read the books and not just watch the videos!  Have you read any of these books yet?  Let me know what you think!  Have a link to a great video book trailer?  Post it!

Here Comes the Garbage Barge

How did this not when The Caldecott this year?

Museum of Thieves

Powerless

The Young Samurai

Dragonbreath

Amulet: The Stonekeeper

Smile

Lunch Lady

Vordak the Incomprehensible

The Genius Files

Little White Kitten

Silver-licious

Shoe-La-La

Thursday Thirteen (13)...You Go, Girl!

So, last week I posted 13 Princess Fairy Tales.  Of course I love princesses, and I love fairy tales, but let's face it: most princess stories lack girl power.  Most princesses dream of a prince coming to rescue them, instead of rescuing themselves.  Most princesses are portrayed as helpless.  Most princesses are just plain wimpy.  So, this week, I give you 13 books that portray powerful, independent girls! 

1.  The Red Wolf by Margaret Shannon E SHA  Roselupin is a princess and her father is a very overprotective king.  He thinks the world is far too wild for his dainty daughter, so he keeps her locked in a tower.  On her birthday, she receives a box of yarn with the note "Knit what you want", and so she does.  Roselupin knits a red wolf suit and breaks free from her tower.  When she is finally locked back in the tower, she has a plan to knit a "mousey" little outfit for the king. (Kelly Butcher)

2.  The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch E MUN

Beautiful Princess Elizabeth is just about to marry Prince Ronald, when a dragon smashes through the castle and Prince-naps Ronald.  Princess Elizabeth sets out to rescue her Prince Charming.  She meets the dragon and makes him do a bunch of dragon tricks, which exhausts him, allowing Princess Elizabeth to sneak by and rescue Prince Ronald.  When Prince Ronald sees Elizabeth, he doesn't say "WOW!  Thanks for saving me!", instead, he says You smell like ashes, your hair is all tangled and you are wearing a dirty old paper bag. Come back when you are dressed like a real princess."  Oh no he didn't!  Princess Elizabeth leaves him wear he stands!  You go, girl! (Kelly Butcher)

3.  Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley E OMA 

This is one of my all time favorite books to read aloud to kids!  The book starts out with a boy and a girl telling us that they have to work together to tell a fairy tale.  They aren't excited about working together, and it shows!  The girls starts the story about a Princess named Buttercup who has 8 pretty ponies.  A giant Ogre steals the ponies one by one, until there is only 1 pony left.  Whatever will she do??  That's when the boy breaks in, sick of all the princess and pony nonsense.  He adds a twist to the story- the king hires this cool motorcycle dude to go and slay the Ogre and rescue the ponies, in  exchange for gold.  He rides up on his motorcycle and announces that he is going to save the princess- this is where the girl interrupts again.  The girl lets the boy know that girls don't need boys to save them, thank you very much, and that the princess can save herself.  So, in the end, the Cool Motorcycle Dude and The Princess work together to slay the Ogre and rescue the ponies!(Kelly Butcher)

4.  Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell E LOV  

Molly Lou Melon may be the smallest girl you've ever met, she may have buck teeth and the voice of a bull frog being squeezed by a boa constrictor, but the girl has confidence!  Her grandma has taught her to believe in herself, and that is just what she has to do when she moves away from her friends to a new town, and a new bully, Ronald Durkin.  Ronald goes out of his way to pick on Molly and embarrass her, but Molly continues to believe in herself and Ronald ends up looking foolish.  Molly is an unlikely heroine that lets all girls know that they can do anything and be anything... even if they are tiny! (Kelly Butcher)

Drawing Molly Lou Melon from David Catrow on Vimeo.

5.  Girls  A to Z by Eve Bunting E BUN

This is a very politically correct alphabet book that features 26 little girls and the careers they would like to have when they grow up.  Some rhyming ABC books end up forced, but Eve Bunting does a great job: "Dana is a dentist,/Eve's an engineer,/Fiona puts out fires,/Gwen's a gondolier".  There are some very unique job opportunities out there, and it is nice to be reminded of them once in a while! (Kelly Butcher)

6.  Princess Hyacinth (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated) by Florence Patty Heide E HEI Princess Hyacinth is not your average princess- she floats.  Her parents, the King and Queen, do everything they can to keep her "grounded".  They cover her crown with heavy jewels, they strap her to chairs with seat belts.  Hyacinth dreams of running and swimming and being free to float.  While she is kept in the palace, she watches the other children play and run and laugh- longing to join them.  One day, she is out of the castle and sees a man holding balloons and decides that this is her chance to fly free.  She takes off her heavy crown and clothes, grabs the balloons and floats into the air.  Her parents panic, because they can't reel her in.  A little boy catches her with his kite and brings her home safely.  From that moment on, Hyacinth flies free everyday and the little boy brings her home safely.  I know that the kids don't get the subliminal message that this book gives- and may be I am reading to much in to it!  This Princess will not be held down or kept from doing what she wants with her life!  (Kelly Butcher)

7.  Don't Kiss the Frog: Princess Stories With Attitude compiled by Fiona Waters E WAT
These slightly sassy stories feature troubled princesses, unusual kingdoms, and magical circumstances. Depicting the woeful lives of six fair royal ladies, each selection leads to the princess's happy ending, albeit through a unique series of events. Selections star Princess Grace, whose clumsiness causes her to lose her clothes, Princess Jane, who trades high royalty for her family's minivan, and Princess Rose, who searches for her own Prince Charming with a little help from a want ad. These quirky, independent heroines battle dragons and endure odds to conventional conclusions, and children familiar with classic fairy tales will enjoy revisiting characters such as the Frog Prince, Sleeping Beauty, and the Three Bears. (From School Library Journal) 

8.  Princess Bess Gets Dressed by Margery Cuyler E CUY 
While most young girls dream of dressing up in all the opulent finery of a princess, little Bess knows all too well that scads of bows, ruffles, buttons, and lace can become a bit tiresome. From dining with the king and queen to ballet and art lessons to hobnobbing with nobility, the ginger-haired princess spends her overscheduled days changing from one fancy frock to the next as she attends to an endless parade of royal duties. Cuyler’s buoyant rhyming text relates the busy day’s activities and contains lots of fun, fashiony detail. Maione’s charming, candy-colored ink-and-watercolor illustrations depict Bess’ ornate ensembles and the lavish palace surroundings, and the antics of the princess’ canine companion add an additional level of gentle humor to the whimsical scenes. At day’s end, Bess retires to her bedroom, where she can finally change into the clothes she secretly loves best—plain, white underwear.  (From Booklist)

9.  Princesses Are Not Quitters by Kate Lum  E LUM

Bored with their lives of pampered luxury, Princesses Allie, Mellie, and Libby enviously watch three servant girls "Out in the fresh air, doing interesting things" and decide to swap jobs for a day. The young royals eagerly run off to work in high-heeled shoes and towering bouffant hairdos, but after polishing the windows, scrubbing the fountains, and washing the dogs, they begin to realize just how hard they must toil. Their afternoon and evening chores seem even more daunting, from making butter to shearing sheep, but they persevere. The next morning, although exhausted, the formerly spoiled young ladies take pride in their accomplishments: "Say! I think- I made this bread!" With newfound empathy for others, they proclaim new rules: "WORK no more than you can do" and "SPEND an hour every day just SITTING in the gardens." (From School Library Journal)
  

10.  Olivia by Ian Falconer E FAL

Olivia is a plucky piglet with the energy of a whole barnyard. She never does anything is a small way, whether it's building a sandcastle, singing from her 40 Very Loud Songs book, redecorating the living room walls or trying on all her clothes when it's time to get dressed. She wears her mother out --- but her mother still loves her all the same. You don't want to miss meeting this memorable new character.(From Kidsread.com)

11.  Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton  E BUR 
This old-fashioned tale about one little snowplow's determination in the face of a small-town blizzard has all the charm and moral grit of The Little Engine That Could. Katy, a red crawler tractor, "could do a lot of things," Burton explains early on. In the summer she is a bulldozer, helping to build and repair roads in the city of Geoppolis. In the winter, she turns into a snowplow, waiting and waiting for her chance to be useful. Most of the winters, though, the snowfalls are mild and the town doesn't need Katy. But when the big one finally hits, the town is buried in page after page of powder. The power lines are down. The doctor can't get his patient to the hospital. The fire department can't reach a burning house! "Everyone and everything was stopped but... KATY!" Suddenly, the entire community is dependent on one little snowplow. Children love witnessing Katy's shining moment of glory and will inevitably admire her "chug, chug, chug" endurance. (From Amazon.com)

12.  The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke E FUN  
King Wilfred's three sons learn to become big, bad knights the way any boisterous boys would: "They learned riding and jousting, fighting with swords...They learned how to stride proudly and how to shout very loudly." At her father's urging, young Princess Violetta tries to keep up with the same lessons, "even though she was so small she could hardly lift a sword at all!" Despite her brothers' teasing and laughing, Violetta continues to practice--even secretly at night. Soon enough, Violetta becomes "so nimble and quick" that when practicing with her brothers, "their spears and swords just hit the empty air." But then King Wilfred does the unthinkable: For his Violetta's sixteenth birthday, he plans a jousting tournament designed to bring "the bravest knights in the land flocking to the castle" to win…her hand in marriage! Violetta is outraged: "You want me to marry some dimwit in a tin suit?" Fortunately, of course, the princess finds a way to come to her own rescue. (From Amazon.com) 

13.  Shelia Ray The Brave by Kevin Henkes E HEN

Fearless mouse Sheila Rae is not afraid of anything, and she flaunts her confidence by confronting real and imagined terrors daily (her imagined ones are particularly creative and funny). Finally Sheila Rae decides on a new challenge: she will go home from school a new way. When she gets hopelessly lost, her courage falters, but scaredy-cat little sister Louise has been surreptitiously following Sheila Rae, and proves her own bravery by leading her sister safely home. Louise mimics her sister's undaunted style all the way home, thus providing a strong language pattern for new readers. Librarians can share this one with small groups or recommend it for patrons without fear, for children will love it. (From School Library Journal)

Thursday Thirteen (13)

Disney has announced that they are done making princess movies. They have decided that the musical, fairy tale has run its course, and they say "They may come back later because someone has a fresh take on it … but we don't have any other musicals or fairy tales lined up."  Boo!  My daughters have loved the princess movies and own every possible princess item that money can buy- books, movies, clothes, coloring books, blankets...  So today, I give you the 13 princess books that were turned into movies by Disney.  If you are a fan of these movies, be sure to read the books! 

Snow White, Nancy Ekholm Burkert, 1987.  

398.2GRI

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?" repeatedly asks the Queen, Snow White's stepmother. She always gets the answer she wants, until Snow White turns seven, and the mirror must truthfully answer, "Snow White." At the news, the Queen turns yellow and green with envy and commands the huntsman to kill Snow White and bring her "lung and liver as a token." Thus begins another enchanting fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm! -Amazon

Cinderella illustrated by Barbara McClintock, 2005.  

398.2 MCC

Here's a gentle version of Perrault's classic tale: no stepsister cuts off her toes to fit a shoe and everyone is forgiven at the end. McClintock places her sweet Cinderella in the Paris of Louis XIV, with period fashion and interior and architectural detail from Versailles and the Paris Opera. Pen, india ink, and watercolor make for delightful dancing lines and exquisite color: Cinderella's first ball gown is a profusion of roses under a plum overskirt, and her hair is decorated with a huge rose trellis. The stepsisters, one fat and one thin (both mean), and the prince, a graceful boy in a powdered wig, make a pleasing supporting cast. Cinderella's little gray cat appears on almost every page. -Booklist 

Beauty and the Beast illustrated by Mercer Mayer, 1978.  

398.2 MAY.

Generations of children have been fascinated by the story of the girl named Beauty, who grows to love a fearsome beast by learning to see and cherish his kindness, generosity, and intelligence. In this acclaimed, best-selling version of the classic tale, first published in 1978, Marianna Mayer's evocative imagery and Mercer Mayer's exquisite paintings transport readers into a world of pure magic and mystery. -Amazon

Rapunzel by illustrated by Paul Zelinsky, 1997.  

E ZEL

In older versions of the classic tale Rapunzel, it always seemed improbable that a grown man could scale a tower using only his beloved's hair. Not so in Paul O. Zelinsky's Caldecott Medal-winning version of Rapunzel. Here, Rapunzel's reddish-blonde mane is thick with waves and braids, and cascades like a waterfall down the walls of her isolation tower. In Zelinsky's able hands it's easy to believe that a prince would harbor no hesitations about scrambling up our fair heroine's hair. -Amazon

Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox, 2003.  
E WIL
This book cracks my stuff up!  SOOO funny!  Rapunzel is up in her tower with her maid- and she is having a very bad hair day... so bad, that she is crying and sighing.  The prince rides by and assumes that Rapunzel needs to be rescued.  He calls up to her, but she can't hear him.  Every time he asks her to throw down her hair, she throws down the wrong thing- like underwear, socks, pancake batter and a sow!  She eventually gets it right, though!  This is a great read aloud and will bring the house down!

Sleeping Beauty illustrated by Kinuko Y Craft, 2002. 

398.2 CRA

Sleeping Beauty's enchanted slumber has captivated readers' hearts for centuries. Now brought luminously to life by K. Y. Craft's lavish paintings, this new edition of a timeless favorite is sure to enchant readers both young and old. Fairy tale lovers have been eagerly awaiting Craft's next magical romance since the release of her Cinderella. With illustrations inspired by the magnificent style of Baroque painters, the sumptuous color and exquisite detail of this breathtaking interpretation make it a dream come true. -Amazon

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp illustrated by Errol Le Cain, 1981.  

398.2 LAN
We are very lucky to have this book in our library since it is out of print!
In this version of this old folk tale from the 1001 Nights, the story remains as usual, no surprises there, but the illustrations are beautiful and romantic.  

Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior by Robert San Souci, 1998.

398.2 SAN

I know that Mulan is not a princess, but Disney keeps throwing her in with the princesses!  She is a girl from a working class family who doesn't even marry a prince... and she is the only Disney "princess" that shouts out GIRL POWER!  This retelling of the well-known Chinese legend is an inspiring tale about a hero who is courageous, selfless, and, above all, extremely wise.

The Frog Prince, Retold by Kathy-Jo Wargin, 2007.
398.2 WAR

"Princess, dear princess please open the door, for you made a promise you must not ignore!" After retrieving a ball from a well for the princess, the frog calls out to her, for she has ignored the promise she made to him. He persistently, much to the distain of the princess, persuades her to allow him to eat from her plate, enter her room and sleep in her bed. At each poetic request from the frog, the princess becomes increasingly uncomfortable, but her father, the king, admonishes her and orders her to keep her promise to the frog that befriended her. Finally, in desperation, the princess flings the old water-splasher angrily against the wall. In true keeping with fairytales, the spell cast upon him by a wicked witch is broken, and the frog is transformed into a handsome prince. -Foreward Magazine

The Frog Prince Continues by Jon Scieszka, 1991.
E SCI
So you think that the Princess kisses the frog and they both liver happily ever after?  They are not happy.  In fact, they're downright miserable. He misses the pond; she's tired of him sticking out his tongue and hopping on the furniture. In desperation, the bug-eyed hero decides to find a witch who can turn him back into the happy frog he once was. Successfully surviving encounters with several sinister but dimwitted witches from other tales, he finally meets Cinderella's Fairy Godmother who tries to help, but the transformation is definitely NOT what he had in mind. As the clock strikes midnight, he returns to human form and hurries home to his beloved Princess where the tale ends unexpectedly, but indeed happily.
-School Library Journal

The Frog Princess by E.D Baker, 2002.
F BAK
After reluctantly kissing a frog, an awkward, fourteen-year-old princess suddenly finds herself a frog, too, and sets off with the prince to seek the means--and the self-confidence--to become human again.

The Little Mermaid retold by Debra Hautzig, 1991
E HAU
Andersen's sweet, sad story is beautifully retold for young readers. When the little mermaid gives up her voice in exchange for legs and a chance to meet her beloved human prince, she earns a real human soul.

Princess Fairy Tales retold by Margaret Clark.

398.22 CLA

Few little girls can resist a princess. The renowned illustrator Peter Malone has created an extraordinary, richly detailed treasury with eight of the most beloved heroines in classic fairy tales. And what heroines they are! Spirited and strong-willed, they hold great appeal for the contemporary audience. -Good Reads

Note: Pocahontas was left off of this list because I am not thrilled with the few biographies we have about her... time to shop! 

Belle is my favorite because she loves books!