Staff Picks
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Kelly
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

"The Martins live in and manage a not-quite-posh-anymore hotel in New York City that dates from the 1920s. When Scarlett turns fifteen, she is given charge of one of the hotel’s twenty-seven rooms: the Empire Suite. Into this room moves Mrs. Amberson, an aging C-list starlet who has returned to New York to write her memoirs. Soon, Scarlett is taking dictation, running around town with Mrs. Amberson, and getting caught up in her Auntie-Mame-meets- Bianca-Jagger adventures. In the midst of all this, Scarlett falls in love—or so she thinks—and it takes Mrs. Amberson to help her see the light".


Kim
Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

"To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig — she’s a porcine wonder. And to the good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them. This is not, however, so good for the Watsons’ bed. BOOM! CRACK"!


Karin
William Shakespeare by Kristen McDermott

"In this enthralling scrapbook that William Shakespeare compiled for his daughter, he looks back on his life as he retires from the theatre. Discover late-sixteenth- and early-seventeenth centurystories of love, war, kings and queens, fellow playwrights and actors, explorers and life in London".


Natalie
Bone 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith

"After being run out of Boneville, the three Bone cousins -- Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone -- are separated and lost in a vast, uncharted desert. One by one, they find their way into a deep, forested valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures. Eventually, the cousins are reunited at a farmstead run by tough Gran'ma Ben and her spirited granddaughter, Thorn. But little do the Bones know, there are dark forces conspiring against them and their adventures are only just beginning"!
Sarah
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

"Five golden tickets are hidden beneath the wrappers of Mr. Willy Wonka's delicious chocolate bars — five golden tickets that will change the lives of those who find them. The winning children are invited through the gates of Mr. Wonka's Chocolate Factory to see all the secrets and magic inside and to meet Mr. Wonka and his staff of Oompa-Loompas. For Charlie Bucket, a poor boy living within sight of the factory, winning the fifth and final golden ticket is just the beginning of an unforgettable adventure. This is one of Dahl's best-loved stories and includes all the magic ingredients that make this writing so hugely popular".


Here are a few links to websites that we recommend.

The National Arts Center
The New York Times - Books
The Forest of Reading. The Ontario Library Association's Literacy Initiative.
Jon Scieszka Worldwide
Become a fan of Kaleidoscope Kids' Books on Facebook