I just got back from the MSLA (Massachusetts School Library Association) conference. I always enjoy this conference, because even though I'm tired at the end, I get to hear about so many interesting things that other school librarians are doing! And, even though I rarely win anything, I won three books for our school library today!

In terms of what I'm reading at the moment, I've just started "The False Prince" by Jennifer A. Nielsen (book one of a planned trilogy). It is the gripping story of a nobleman, Conner, who buys young orphans with a resemblance to a prince who was lost at sea a few years previous. The main character, Sage, is a 14-year-old orphan who doesn't even really want to be king. The dynamic between him and the other orphan boys is pretty interesting, because even though they become close through their shared experience, they are also in a very brutal competition with one another to be chosen as the false prince.

I hope everyone had a nice February break!

This week, I am reading two very different, but great books:

The first is called: "The Mary Celeste: An Unsolved Mystery from History" by Jane Yolen and her daughter, Heidi Stemple. This nonfiction book is part of a series and tells the story of the ship Mary Celeste, which set sail from New York in November 1872 and was found drifting in the ocean, abandoned, a few weeks later. A young girl from the present day narrates the story and invites the reader to draw his/her own conclusions as to what happened to the passengers. This book had just the right amount of text, interesting facts "written" on notebook paper, and beautiful watercolor illustrations.

I am going to interview one of the authors, Heidi Stemple, when I attend the MSLA (Massachusetts School Library Association) annual conference this weekend!

The other book I'm reading at the moment is from the series "C'est la vie Lulu!" and is called:
"Ma grande soeur me commande." Kids will immediately identify with 8-year-old Lulu's sibling rivalry with her older sister, Vanessa. In this book, Vanessa is about to turn 13 and is planning to transform the family's garage into a discotheque for an evening. Lulu gets very excited about the party and immediately invites her two best friends. Of course, when she mentions this to her sister, Vanessa immediately bans her from coming, and their mother backs her up! Will Lulu find a way to sneak into the party anyway? Read the book to find out!

*If you like this book, our library has many other titles in the same series!

New England snowstorms are certainly a good time for reading! Right now, I am enjoying the book "Capture the Flag" by Kate Messner. It's perfect timing, actually, because the three main characters named Anna, José, and Henry are snowed in in a Washington D.C. airport along with thieves who stole an old and very famous American flag. This is a great adventure book that I think would appeal to boys and girls. There are chase scenes, a character who is obsessed with the Harry Potter books, and a cute poodle--what more could you ask for?

This week, I am reading "Tuesdays at the Castle," which is also the first book that the 4th grade lunchtime book club (starting soon!) will be discussing.

The main character, Princess Celie, is a spunky 11-year-old and the fourth and youngest child of the king and queen. Castle Glower, her home, has a mind of its own. It adds new rooms every Tuesday and provides unwelcome guests with progressively smaller rooms and more uncomfortable beds. Celie can usually be found with a notebook and pen, since her goal is to map the entire castle.

In the beginning of the book, the king and queen leave on a journey to see their son Bran graduate from the College of Wizardry. On the way back, they are ambushed and assumed to have been killed. As no royal bodies were found, the remaining children don't quite accept that their parents and brother are gone forever. However, that is only one of their problems, as princes from other lands soon arrive to try and seize power. Will Celie and her siblings, along with the Castle, succeed in keeping their country safe?

Raising a bilingual child...

I think everyone at ISB is interested in this topic!

If you want to know more, consider attending a talk at the Goethe-Institut Boston on Tuesday, February 12 at 8pm!

ALA Youth Media Awards 2013!

In the English-speaking children's book and media world, one of the most exciting times of year comes in January, when the ALA (American Library Association) names its annual award winners.

Read about this year's winners here!

Newbery Winner 2013

Caldecott Winner 2013

This week, I am reading "The Unwanteds" by Lisa McMann. Kirkus Reviews called it: "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter," which made me very curious. Like Harry Potter, the main character, 13-year-old Alex, grows up in a world without magic--a world where any sort of free-thinking or creative ability is seen as dangerous. The beginning of the book is very dramatic, because Alex and a group of other 13-year-olds, including his identical twin, Aaron, are standing together, waiting to be sorted into three groups: Wanted, Necessary, and Unwanted. Aaron, who has always been a model citizen, becomes a "Wanted." Alex, whose spark of artistic ability labeled him as an "Unwanted" from an early age, is taken away from his family and sent to his death with the other Unwanteds.  

However, instead of getting thrown into the Great Lake of Burning Oil, Alex and the others are introduced to an amazing new world called Artimé. Mr. Today, the magician in charge, treats them kindly and for the first time in their lives, they are allowed to explore their creative sides without fear of punishment.

Of course, this secret magical world can only remain hidden for so long...