War Stories...

Memorial Day is on May 27 this year.  It is a day to remember those who died in active military service.  While it is important to remember and honor those who died, it is also important to remember those who have served and are serving, and those affected by war whether adult, child or animal.  Below is a list of books available in the Children's Room at the North Castle Library that shows us what it means to serve and survive war.

 

Picture Books

1) Hero mom by Melinda Hardin
2) Hero dad by Melinda Hardin

3) The enemy: a book about peace by Davide Cali
4) Proud as a peacock, brave as a lion by Jane Barclay

5) Baseball saved us by Ken Mochizuki
6) Running with the horses

7) How I learned geography by Uri Shulevitz
8) Sparrow girl by Sara Pennypacker

Nonfiction Books

1) Nubs: the true story of a mutt, a marine, & a miracle

2) Military animals by Julie Murray

3) Franklin and Winston: a Christmas that changed the world by Douglas Wood
4) Nurse, soldier, spy: the story of Sarah Edmonds: a Civil War hero by Marissa Moss

5) Notorious Benedict Arnold: a true story of adventure, heroism, and treachery by Steve Sheinkin
6) The wall by Eve Bunting
7) Escape from Saigon: how a Vietnam war orphan becomes an American boy by Andrea Warren

8) Beyond courage: the untold story of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust by Doreen Rappaport
9) Candy bomber: the story of the Berlin airlift's "Chocolate Pilot" by Michael O. Tunnell
10) Bomb: the race to build and steal the world's most dangerous weapon by Steve Sheinkin

Fiction Books

1) Attach of the turtle by Drew Carlson
2) Storm before Atlanta by Karen Schwabachi
3) Green glass sea by Ellen Klages

4) Midnight zoo by Sonya Hartnett
5) Soldier bear by Bibi Dumon Tak
6) Cracker!: the best dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata

7) Breaking Stalin's nose by Eugene Yelchin
8) Black radishes by Susan Meyer
9) Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

10) A million shades of gray by Cynthia Kadohata
11) All the broken pieces by Ann Burg
12) War games by Audrey Couloumbis


Remember those who served in our military and honor those who died in service this Monday, May 27!

Realistic Fiction

Need a break from talking animals, the supernatural, flying witches, and mythical adventures, then check out the Children’s Room’s list of realistic fiction.  But be ready with a box of tissues.  Below are a few of the great titles available at the North Castle Library.  For a full list of all the great realistic titles available, stop by the children’s room or send us an email: ncchildrenscorner@gmail.com

1) Anything but typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin:  Jason, a twelve-year-old autistic boy wants to become a writer.  He relates what life is like as he tries to make sense of the world.  Through his writing he meets Rebecca “PhoneixBird” on a writing site.  When Jason has the opportunity to meet her he is both excited and terrified that she will only see his autism and not the real Jason

2) Ways to live forever by Sally Nichols: Eleven-year-old Sam has leukemia.  During the last couple months of his life he collects stories, questions, lists, and pictures that create a portrait of how a boy lives when he knows his time is almost up.

3) Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea: Seven fifth graders at Snow Hill School relate how their lives are changed for the better by a new teacher.  Only Mr. Terupt seems to know how to deal with them but after a terrible accident at recess the students have to use what Mr. Terupt taught them to get through what comes next. 

1) Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone: Thirteen-year-old, Louise has experienced a tragedy that she cannot remember.  Since the tragedy, Louise has changed her name, given up gymnastics, moved in with her grandparents, and locked her feelings inside.  With the help of her friends and notes she receives from a secret admirer, Louise begins to find herself and remember what happened.

2) Captain nobody by Dean Pitchford: When ten-year-old Newton’s football-star brother, Chris is knocked into a coma during a football game, Newt’s friends keep his mind off the accident by helping him create the ultimate Halloween costume.  But after Halloween, Newt continues to wear his superhero costume to help save townspeople and eventually his injured brother. 

3) Eight keys by Suzanne LaFleur: Twelve-year-old Elise lives with her aunt and uncle since her dad died when she was nine.  Now Elise and her best friend Franklin are starting middle school.  Disheartened by her new school with bullies, changing relationships, and higher expectations, Elise finds help within the locked rooms in her uncle’s barn and messages left behind by her dad.

1) Flyaway by Lucy Christopher: While her father is in the hospital, thirteen-year-old Isla, befriends Harry, a cancer patient in the hospital her father is in.  Harry is the first person to understand her, and as Harry's health fails, Isla tries to help both Harry and a lone swan they discover struggling to fly on the lake outside Harry's hospital window.  

2) Grounded by Kate Klise: After the death of her father, sister, and brother in a plane crash, Daralynn receives 237 dolls from well-wishers.  Dolls are of little comfort to a twelve-year-old, who has to proceed with her life in Missouri.  Her mom has turned angry and embittered, her grandmother is becoming senile, and her flamboyant aunt is being courted by the owner of a new crematorium that just moved to town.

3) Hard kind of promise by Gina Willner-Pardo: Seventh graders, Sarah and Marjorie made a promise in kindergarten to always be friends, but things have changed.  Sarah wants to meet new people and try new things and Marjorie likes everything the same.  As Sarah makes new friends with a girl in her choir class, her friendship with Marjorie is challenged and Sarah has to decide what she values the most.

1) Inside out and back again by Thanhha Lai: Ten-year-old Ha has only ever lived in Saigon and loves her home, until the Vietnam War forced her and her family to leave.  Ha chronicles one year of her life through poetry as she leaves Saigon and resettles in Alabama.

2) Last invisible boy by Evan Kuhlman: Twelve-year-old Finn is convinced he is slowly disappearing.  After the sudden death of his father, his dark hair has become whiter and his skin more transparent with each day.  Finn writes and illustrates a book to try to understand what is happening to him and to hold on to himself and his father.   

3) Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur: Eleven-year-old Aubrey has experienced a terrible tragedy, losing her father and sister in a car accident.  Then she is abandoned by her grief-stricken mother and sent to live in Vermont with her grandmother.  There she has to rebuild her life, making new friends, coping with her grief, and finding a way to forgive her mother.

1) One square inch by Claudia Mills: Sixth grader, Cooper’s mothers behavior has changed and she starts to neglect Cooper and his younger sister, Carly.  She spends days in bed and then reappears with frightening energy.  Cooper and Carly create “Inchland” an imaginary country inspired by deeds to one inch of land that their grandfather gave them, to give Carly refugee from their mother’s behavior.  Cooper tries to keep his sister safe while managing the chaos that surrounds them.

2) Out of my mind by Sharon M. Draper: Fifth grader, Melody cannot walk or talk but she has a photographic memory.  Considered to be mentally retarded, brilliant Melody has cerebral palsy.  She discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.  But just because she can now speak does not mean that people see her intelligence.  Smarter than most of the adults and students around her, Melody struggles to be seen beyond her condition. 

3) Road to Tater Hill by Edith M. Hemingway:  Annie spends every summer at her grandparents in North Carolina.  This summer is supposed to be an exciting summer with a new baby coming but when the baby dies during child birth, Annie's family falls apart.  Annie starts spending most of her time in the woods alone, until she meets a strange woman living in an abandoned house; together they help each other reconnect with their lives. 

1) Rules by Cynthia Lord: Twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal life, but her life is far from normal having an autistic brother.  To head off embarrassing moments, Catherine created a list of rules for her brother to follow like, keep your pants on in public.  When Catherine befriends a young paraplegic boy, she has to reevaluate what normal is.

2) Small adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O'Connor: According to Popeye, nothing ever happens in Fayette, South Carolina.  The highlight of Popeye’s summer is learning new vocabulary words with his grandmother; that is until Elvis shows up.  Elvis’ family takes a wrong turn in their motor home and gets trapped in the mud.  Together Popeye and Elvis explore the wilderness and discover strange boats floating down a creek with secret messages inside. 

3) Small as an elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson: Jack’s mother is unpredictable, sometimes fun and loving and other times wild and unreliable.  While camping in Acadia National Park, Jack’s mother takes off during the night, leaving Jack with little money and no way home.  Jack attempts to make his way back to Boston before anyone figures out what is going on.  Alone with only a small toy elephant for company, Jack tries to protect his mom while keeping himself safe.

1) So B. it by Sarah Weeks: Twelve-year-old Heidi has lived her whole life with her mentally retarded mother and agora phobic neighbor in Reno Nevada.  Her mom only knows twenty three words; they keep a list in the kitchen.  There is one word that has no meaning to Heidi but is part of her mom’s vocabulary and the word starts to haunt her.  Heidi sets out on a cross-country journey to discover her family’s secrets and find out who she is.

2) Thing about Georgie by Lisa Graff: Georgie’s dwarfism has always caused him problems but that is a part of his life, the same as having reliable parents, a best friend, and a classmate that enjoys teasing him.  But everything changes when a new boy comes to school and turns everything upside down. 

3) Touch blue by Cynthia Lord: The state of Maine threatens to shut down Tess’s one-room schoolhouse on a small island off the coast of Maine because of the dwindling enrollment.  If the school closes, Tess’ family will have to move to the mainland.  The islanders’ come up with a plan to increase enrollment by taking in foster children.  Tess’ family takes in Aaron, a trumpet playing foster child with a mysterious past.

1) Waiting for normal by Leslie Connor: Twelve-year-old Addie tries to cope with her mom’s erratic behavior and being separated from her beloved stepdad and half-sisters when she and her mom move into a small trailer by the railroad tracks outside Schenectady, NY.  Far from the family she loves in a strange new town, Addie tries to survive on her own but struggles to adjust to her new life.

2) The year money grew on trees by Aaron R. Hawkins: Jackson recruits his cousins and sisters to help tend an elderly neighbor’s neglected apple orchard after being unfairly tricked into a contract that could cost him $8000.  Jackson and his family have to quickly learn how to tend over 300 apple trees and earn the $8000 to pay his neighbor.  But if they can do that they can keep any other money they earn and then become the true owners of the orchard.

3) Mockingbird by Kathyrn Erskine: Ten-year-old Caitlin has Asperger’s Syndrome.  She has lost the one person that helped her to interpret the world in a school shooting.  Now she struggles to understand people’s emotions, show empathy towards other peoples suffering, and make friends at school. At home she only has her father who is grieving, and struggles to understand her.  Through a woodworking project Caitlin and her father begin to connect. 

Enjoy!

Books to Movies

Spring has finally arrived, but to pass the rainy days ahead check out this list of books that were turned into movies.  See which movies stayed true to the book, and which went in their own direction.  Whether it started as a picture book, a novel, or a comic; all these movies have great family appeal.  Below are the summaries for the movie.  Enjoy!


Adventures of Tintin by Herge

While shopping at an outdoor market, young reporter Tintin and his dog Snowy, buy a model of an old ship called the Unicorn.  A strange man named Sakharine tries to buy the model from him, but Tintin refuses. He discovers that the ship contains a clue about a hidden treasure, but before he can locate it, Tintin is kidnapped and given over to the custody of drunken Capt. Haddock with whom he eventually teams up with to find the treasure.

Ant Bully by John Nickle

Lucas has difficulty adjusting to moving to a new neighborhood and begins taking out his aggression on an ant colony in his backyard. The last straw is when he tries to flood the ant hill. The ants strike back; magically shrink Lucas down to their size and forcing him to work in their colony.

Ballet shoes by Noel Streatfield

Ballet Shoes is the story of orphans Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil, who are adopted by an eccentric explorer, Gum, and raised as sisters by his selfless niece. The story revolves around each girl's struggle to fulfill her dreams: Pauline longs to be an actress, Petrova yearns to be an aviator, and Posy seems born to be a ballerina.

 

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Ten-year-old Opal, discovers a stray dog at her local grocery store and names him Winn-Dixie.  Opal adventures outside her new home to make friends with the help of her new dog.  She befriends the eccentric town people and finds a way to reconnect with her father, who she has not been close with since her mother left them.

BFG by Roald Dahl

Sophie is snatched from her bed in the orphanage one night by the BFG (big friendly giant) and taken away to Giant Country. Sophie begins to help the BFG with his job of collecting, cataloging, and delivering pleasant dreams to children, but they also must stop the mean giants from following them and eating the children.

Borrowers by Mary Norton

In the Secret World of Arrietty, fourteen-year-old, Arrietty and the rest of the Clock family live a peaceful life out of view of human.  They make their home from items that they borrow from the house's human inhabitants. However, life changes for the Clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty.

City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Teenagers, Doon and Lina are citizen of the City of Ember, a community that has flourished for generations without ever being touched by natural light.  But now the city’s power is failing and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to go out.  Now Doon and Lina rush to find a way out of the city, and save the citizens before their world goes dark forever.

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs by Judi Barrett

Flint Lockwood loves to invent things but none of his inventions work. When the town he lives in is in an economic crisis, Flint invents a machine that turns water into food, but sadly it gets sucked into the atmosphere. Then it starts raining food!

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline and her family move to a new home, where Coraline finds a hidden world that parallels her own behind a secret bricked up wall. Feeling neglected by her parents, Coraline thinks this parallel world is better than her own until her “Other Parents” will not let her go home to her true parents.

Ella enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

As a baby Ella is blessed with the gift of obedience, but this becomes a curse when she must do whatever anyone tells her.  Ella has to keep this secret from her new stepmother in order to protect her best friend, who happens to be the prince.  At the same time Ella has to find the fairy who cursed her and break the spell. 

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

In world where dragons used to roam, a young farm boy, Eragon discovers a mysterious dragon egg and learns that he has been chosen to fight the most powerful enemy.  This egg leads his on a journey to become a dragon rider and defend his world against an evil king. 

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Juli Baker thinks its love at first sight when she lays eyes on Bryce Losky in kindergarten; however, Bryce just thinks she’s incredibly weird. At first Juli comes on a little strong, but after a few years, begins to think that Bryce may be a real looser, while Bryce starts to think Juli may be really cool after all.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky

Soren, a young barn owl, is kidnapped by the owls of St. Aggie's; where owlets are brainwashed into becoming soldiers. He and his new friends escape to the island of Ga'Hoole, to assist the islands noble, wise owls, who fight the army being created by the wicked rulers of St. Aggie's.

Harriet the spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Harriet M. Welsh is an amateur spy.  She keeps track of her friends secret and habits in her secret notebook but when her friends find it, they turn the tables on her. Can she win her friends back but keep going with the spy business?

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

The three teenagers find themselves fighting for the same cause when they realize that a population of endangered burrowing owls is threatened by new construction by taking on crooked politicians and bumbling cops in the hope of saving the owls.

How to train your dragon by Cressida Cowell

A young Viking, Hiccup, being trained to fight dragons, secretly befriends a dragon and begins studying them.  Through Hiccup’s friendship he learns to understand the dragons and discovers that it is only with the dragons help that he can save his village from destruction.

Incredible journey by Sheila Burnford

In Homeward Bound, a family moves across the country and have to leave their pets on a friends farm.  The two dogs and cat trek across the country from San Francisco to the east coast to find their owners whom they believe have accidently left them behind, crossing dangerous and wild terrain. 

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Meggie’s  father, Mo has the ability to read characters out of storybooks but when something comes out something also has to go into the story.  One night Mo accidentally releases the villains from the book Inkheart and traps his wife inside the story.  Mo, Meggie, and Meggie’s aunt have to stop the freed villain from destroying all the copies of Inkheart and free her mother from the book.

Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Hugo, an orphan boy living in the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris, learned to fix clocks and other gadgets from his father and uncle which he puts to use keeping the train station clocks running. The only thing that he has left that connects him to his dead father is an automaton (mechanical man) that doesn't work without a special key which Hugo needs to find to unlock the secret he believes it contains.

Judy Moody and the not so bummer summer by Megan McDonald

Judy's plans for a summer-long thrill contest are quickly dashed when she discovers that two of her friends, Rocky and Amy, are going away for the summer, and she'll be left at home with second-best friend Frank Pearl and her brother Stink.  Then  Judy’s parents leave her and Stink with their Aunt Opal while they go on vacation alone.

Lemonade mouth by Mark Peter Hughes

Olivia, Mo, Charlie, Stella, and Wen meet in detention and discover they all have a love for music.  Each from a different social group, they manage to form a garage band and become a symbol for students sidelined by the high school elite.

Mr. Popper's penguins by Richard Atwater

Business man Tom Popper lives for his job and never has time for his children. When he is sent five penguins, he begins to connect to his children and builds a magical winter wonderland for the penguins and his children to play in while his business life begins to unravel.

Night at the museum by Milan Trenc

Divorced and unemployed Larry Daley is struggling to be successful and not disappoint his sun.  Larry takes a job as a night watchman at the Museum of Natural History.  During his first night on the job, he discovers that all the artifacts in the museum come to life as the sun goes down every night. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson has just discovered that he is a demi-god; the son of Greek god Poseidon.  When Zeus’s lightning bolt is stolen it is up to Percy and his new found friends to retrieve the bolt and avoid the start of a war between the gods.  This is the beginning of Percy’s adventure.

Ramona and Beezus by Beverly Cleary

After Ramona’s dad loses his job, Ramona and her families have to make major changes to their lives and get used to her father running the household.  Ramona comes up with several imaginative ways of making money so she can save her home.  But with her family distracted by other matters, things go awry. 

Rescuers by Margery Sharp

When a bottle containing a plea for help from a little girl named Penny makes its way to the Rescue Aid Society, a mouse organization in the basement of the United Nations building dedicated to the rescue and well-being of anyone in need, Miss Bianca Bernard, to rescue the girl.  They find out from clues left at the Penny’s home, the Morning Side Orphanage that Penny was kidnapped and taken to a dangerous and remote place by two thieves and Miss Bianca and Bernard must rescue her before it is too late.

Rise of the guardians by William Joyce

Jack Frost has been selected as the new guardian by the moon to join Nicholas St. North, E. Aster Bunnymund, and Sanderson.  Together they must put aside their drastic difference to protect the children of the world against, Pitch.  Pitch wants to replace children’s joy with fear and darkness.

Shrek! by William Steig

Shrek is a very cranky ogre who loves living in his own secluded swamp and finds himself suddenly overrun by all the fairytale characters who have been exiled to the swamp by the evil Lord Farquaad. Farquaad says he’ll grant Shrek his solitude if he retrieves the Princess Fiona from a Dragon guarded tower. Shrek and his friend Donkey find and rescue the fair Princess, but on the way to Lord Farquaad Shrek and Fiona realize their feelings for each other are more than just skin deep.

Spiderwick chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi

After Jared’s family moves to a dilapidated estate owned by his great aunt, strange things begin happening and everyone begins to blame Jared.  Jared has a history of being a troublemaker.  However, magical creatures begin to roam the property.  They are all after a special book that Jared has uncovered: a field guide written by Arthur Spiderwick.

Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Despereaux is a mouse that loves to read rather than eat books.  Despereaux, along with a rat the prefers the sun to darkness, and a servant girl’s lives all become intertwined with Princess Pea’s when she tries to fix her kingdom, including her father who still greaves the death of the Queen.

 

 A wrinkle in time by Madeleine L'Engle

Brother and sister, Meg and Charles Wallace along with their friend Calvin are aided by the strange trio of Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Who in finding their father who disappeared during an experiment he was working on for the government. Their travels take them around the universe and through several misadventures before they are finally reunited with their family.

What is your favorite movie that started out as a book?  Did it make our list?  If not let us know.  If you are looking for a more complete list of books turned into movies for kids stop by the North Castle Children's Room or send us a request via email.