Recently in Children's books Category

Human Life Services, 742 S. George St., York, is accepting donations of new or used children's books for their client needs. Human Life Services also accepts donations of diapers and unopened baby formula.[

From the Associated Press:

NEW YORK -- The 60th annual National Book Awards was a night to celebrate literature and to wonder about its future.

Lifetime achievement winner Gore Vidal envisioned only pulp and dust Wednesday as he contemplated the state of books, while fellow honorary winner Dave Eggers declared that we live in a golden age. The evening's host, Andy Borowitz, joked that the meaning of publishing was "a lot of hard work. Then nothing."

As the e-book march advances, both Eggers and fiction winner Colum McCann insisted that paper texts were stronger than ever. McCann won the fiction prize for "Let the Great World Spin," a novel about daring, luck and mortality in the pre-digital world of 1970s New York.

York County Libraries is holding a celebration for first-grade readers from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Nov. 14 at the West Manchester Mall. The event features nationally-known children's author and Illustrator Tedd Arnold, who will tell stories and sketch some of the characters in his books. Kids can also have their face painted by Skeeta the Clown, and listen to storytellinger Beth Rebert. The free event will be held in the Bon-Ton Court.

The celebration is the culminating event of this year's "Grade One At the Library" (GOAL) program which encourages first-grade students to get and use a library card. The program is made possible through major sponsorship by PeoplesBank.

Participants receive incentives during three library visits, with the final prize being Arnold's book "Hi! Fly Guy." Children are invited to bring their copy along for the author to autograph. Several of Arnold's orhter books will be available for purchase and autograph.

Author Maurice Sendak has always had a rough relationship with his book "Where the Wild Things Are" which has sold more than 10 million copies since its release in 1963.

The author and illustrator felt the story of a mischevious boy named Max overshadowed the work he did afterward.

Read the Associated Press interview with Sendak about the film adaptation, which will be released on Friday.

Winnie the Pooh will reappear in "Return to the Hundred Acre Wood" in the first authorized sequel to A.A. Milne's classic children's stories on Oct. 5.
Written by David Benedictus and illustrated by Mark Burgess, the book continues the adventures of Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore and friends. And there's a new friend, Lottie the Otter. To see more, visit www.penguin.com/pooh.
And to hear an interview with the author and a reading by Jim Dale, visit NPR.org at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113406207

By BETH VRABEL
For the Daily Record/Sunday News

If a writer's book is his baby, well, then Anthony Fredericks has a lot of babies. As in 118 of them, not counting the half-dozen or so manuscripts currently in gestation.

"I can possibly tell you the titles of the last 10," Fredericks said with a laugh.

Each book, from the first -- "The Reading Comprehension Idea Book" for teachers, printed in 1983 -- to the last, "A is for Anaconda," a children's book published this year -- has been a stepping stone to the next manuscript, Fredericks said.

Hanover YWCA is accepting used books for its annual used book sale Nov. 6, 7 and 8. Books can be brought to the YW at 23 W. Chestnut St. and placed in the "book box" located in front of the building. Please no encyclopedias, Readers Digest condensed books or magazines. Books should be in good condition and placed in bags or boxes.

A new children's picture book by Laurie Lears of Shrewsbury Township is now available.

"Stay Away from Rat Boy" is illustrated by Red Hansen. It is the story of a class bully befriending the classroom's pet rat.

The book is $16.99 at bookstores and at www.albertwhit 
man.com and other online stores.

From the Associated Press:

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. -- Dolly Parton created a charity 13 years ago to provide books to children and encourage literacy.

Now her first children's book, "I Am a Rainbow," will be featured in the philanthropy.

MIchael Phelps in the Santa Clara International swim meet June 12.

Michael Phelps, children's book author?
Yes, the 14-time Olympic gold medalist has a new book in stores titled "How to Train with a T. Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals."
It features illustrations by Ward Jenkins of Phelps, his bulldog Herman and his coach Bob Bowman.
In the book Phelps describes his training regimen in terms relatable to kids. For example, during six years of training, he swam 12,480 miles. He points out that's the same as swimming "from my hometown of Baltimore to the North Pole and back, and doing it all over again!"
"It's a fun way for kids to learn and for me to get a lot of different messages out there," Phelps said Sunday at a swim meet in Santa Clara. "Having Bob and Herman in the book is cool."

From the Associated Press:

Call it the luck of Marley.
The late Labrador retriever made famous by "Marley and Me" will be the hero of 13 children's books by "Marley" author John Grogan. The first of the series comes out this summer, HarperCollins Children's Books announced Thursday.
Grogan's "Marley & Me," published in 2005, is a million-selling memoir and the basis for the hit movie of the same name, starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston.

Connie Sprenkle of West Manchester Township has added another book to her Nonnie collection for children.

"Ocodile Dreams" was written and illustrated by Sprenkle to help children deal with frightening dreams.

Her other children's books are "The Pokey Pumpkin," "Enjenny," "Doo Dah," "King of the Pond," "Little Runaround the Homeless Hound," "Sand is Hot; Snow is Not" and "Christmas Pajamas." She also wrote a cookbook, "Smart Cuts to Victory: Cook and Entertain with Connie."

"Ocodile Dreams" is available at Borders Books & Music, amazon.com and booksurge.com or by contacting the author at 792-0986.

Anthony D. Fredericks, professor of education at York College, has written a new children's book, "A is for Anaconda: A Rainforest Alphabet," which provides young readers with a look into one of the world's most amazing ecosystems. Illustrated by award-winning artist Laura Regan, this book highlights the fascinating plants and animals of this magical -- and endangered -- world.
The book costs $17.95 and can be ordered from bookstores, online merchants or directly from the publisher -- Sleeping Bear Press, www.sleepingbearpress.com.

By Deborah Sullivan
York County Libraries
If history repeats itself, and it usually does, students have already started the countdown to the last day of school. It is also a pretty sure bet that teachers have started counting too.

Parents are keeping track because they are asking what York County libraries have in the works for the next few months. And our librarians are paying close attention too, because as the school year winds down, they are gearing up to greet the thousands of kids and their parents who flock to the library looking for fun and free things to do during our annual Summer Reading Club.

This year's theme, "Be Creative @ Your Library," is packed full of art, theater, magic shows, story times, movies and craft programs designed for a variety of ages.

From reader Nancy Duncan:

In preparation for the July release of the next Harry Potter movie, I decided to re-read "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." It was a good thing I did.

From the Associated Press:

VATICAN CITY -- A new children's book detailing Pope Benedict XVI's daily life has been published on the pontiff's 82nd birthday.

"Max and Benedict," about a sparrow's impressions of the pope from his perch on St. Peter's Basilica, is a sequel of sorts to the 2007 children's book "Joseph and Chico," which told the story of the pope's early years from the point of view of a tabby cat.

This just in from the Associated Press:

President Obama's half-sister has a book deal, for a children's picture story.

Maya Soetoro-Ng's "Ladder to the Moon," based in part on Obama's mother and other family members, will be published by Candlewick Press at a date not yet determined. According to Candlewick, Soetoro-Ng will pay "homage to her mother's tradition of storytelling."

The late Ann Dunham is mother both to Obama and Soetoro-Ng, who was born in 1970, nine years after the future president. (Obama and Soetoro-Ng have different fathers). Soetoro-Ng, who teaches at an all-girls school in Honolulu, campaigned for her half brother and spoke at last year's Democratic National Convention.

Just in from the Associated Press:

President Barack Obama, a best-selling author who received royalties of $2.5 million last year, will get hundreds of thousands more for a youth-oriented version of his published memoir and will write a nonfiction book after he leaves the White House.

and that definitely applies to book lovers.

The following Web sites offer used books for purchase or exchange, some for as little as the postage to ship them.

Check them out, and if you know of any others, please let us know.

www.bookmooch.com

www.bookins.com

www.swaptree.com

www.paperbackswap.com

From the Associated Press:

A softcover copy of the first Harry Potter book has sold for just over $19,000, according to a Dallas auction house.

Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended March 1.

1. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3 --The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney.
2. "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" by Steve Harvey.
3. "Promises in Death" by J. D. Robb.
4. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.
5. "One Day at a Time" by Danielle Steel.

Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Feb. 22.

1. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer.
2. "The Associate" by John Grisham.
3. "Run For Your Life" by James Patterson.
4. "Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 3: The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney.
5. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.

The following books were were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Jan. 25.

1. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney.
2. "The Shack" by William Young.
3. " Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: the No-Diet Weight Loss Solution" by David Zinczenko.
4. "Dreams From My Father" by Barack Obama.
5. "Spooky York, Pennsylvania" by Scott Butcher.

Publishers Weekly recently asked children's booksellers to choose their favorite -- and sometimes not so favorite -- books of 2008. There were a few surprises for me in their choices.

News from the Associated Press:

Oh, the horror: Neil Gaiman has received the top prize for children's literature: The John Newbery Medal.

Gaiman's spooky "The Graveyard Book," about a boy raised by vampire, a werewolf and a witch, was named the winner of the 88th annual Newbery. The Randolph Caldecott Medal, given to the illustrator of the best picture book, went to Beth Krommes for "The House in the Night," written by Susan Marie Swanson.

The Coretta Scott King Award for best author was given to Kadir Nelson, for "We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. The illustrator award went to Floyd Cooper for "The Blacker the Berry." The King prizes were founded 40 years ago to honor the works of African Americans.

To read more about "The Graveyard Book," click here .

Kelly Horner will present "Let It Snow" at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 17 in the John D. Bare Center of Guthrie Memorial Library-Hanover's Public Library, 2 Library Place.

Horner will share snow-themed books and activities for children in kindergarten through second grade. For details, visit www.guthrielibrary.org.

NEW YORK -- A children's book inspired by a since-discredited Holocaust story has been pulled by the publisher, the Associated Press reports.
Laurie Friedman's "Angel Girl," based on Herman Rosenblat's tale of meeting his future wife at a concentration camp, had been released in the fall by the Lerner Publishing Group, which is offering refunds for any returned book.
Rosenblat, 79, whose many admirers had included Oprah Winfrey, acknowledged last weekend that he didn't meet his wife during the war. His own memoir, "Angel at the Fence," scheduled for release in February, was quickly canceled by Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA).
Adam Lerner, president and publisher of the Minneapolis-based Lerner Publishing Group, said in a statement Tuesday that the company had been misled by the Rosenblats.

Jen Hetzer of New Freedom reads Clement Moore's classic poem, 'The Night Before Christmas,' to her 2-year-old son Andrew at the Paul Smith Library of Southern York County.

Deborah Sullivan
York County Library System community relations director

We brought my son, Michael, home from the hospital on Christmas Day in a huge red stocking with furry white trim. Each year, we would root that stocking out, he would climb in, and we would take his picture -- always amazed at how much he had grown.

Around pre-school age, we started sprinkling "reindeer food" on the lawn to help guide Santa's sleigh to our house, and of course we set out a plate of cookies for our jolly visitor to eat!

Snuggling up to read Christmas tales, singing carols and driving around to see lights have all weaved their way in and out of our celebrations over the years, creating what I hope will become cherished memories.

Woogi World and leading children's publishers, HarperCollins Children's Books, Walden Media and Penguin Books, announced today their joint collaboration to introduce kids to great books through Woogi World's online WoogiReaders Club.

Morning Edition on National Public Radio talked to a family that saves its holiday books to read every night during the season.

Read about their holiday tradition and listen to the report at http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=98308208&m=98321124

Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Dec. 7.

1. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J. K. Rowling.
2. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.
3. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer.
4. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck.
5. "Multiple Blessings" by Kate Gosselin.

Connie Sprenkle's latest children's book, "Christmas Pajamas," was inspired by a well-loved family tradition.

When Sprenkle was a child, her mother made her a special pair of pajamas that she could wear all day Christmas day. Last year, she continued the tradition by buying matching pajamas for herself and her two grandsons.

that books make great gifts, but now we can listen to famous authors tell us why.

Gloria Fogal is the Daily Record/Sunday News books page editor. Nancy Duncan is a Daily Record/Sunday News staff librarian and the children's librarian at Red Land Community Library.

Nancy: What do readers really want for Christmas? More books! So, Gloria and I came up with our top five books of all time. Believe me, it wasn't easy limiting myself to just five titles.

Here are my favorites, in no particular order.

"Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett

The building of a 12th-century cathedral and all it entails. A huge, spellbinding book with ambition, sex and the struggle for power -- all that you want in a novel that will last a long time. A wonderful choice for a long, cold winter.

Daily Record/Sunday News

If you want to stay local with your holiday gift giving, here are some recently published books with local themes or local authors. Most are available at Borders Books & Music, 3000 Whiteford Road in Springettsbury Township or online.

"York: America's Historic Crossroads" (Schiffer Publishing) by Scott Butcher. This coffee table book includes more than 300 color photos, with chapter introductions and photo captions that showcase York's history, from its founding in 1741 to today. For sale at the Museum Shops of the York County Heritage Trust, 250 East Market St., Borders or amazon.com.

"My Father's Heart: A Son's Journey" by Steve McKee. This book does a lot of things, everything well. It's a memoir of growing up in York in the 1960s. It explores life in Haines Acres, showing a close-knit neighborhood. McKee's work touches on moments fishing at Muddy Creek and eating at Gino's and acquaints the reader with legendary York Catholic basketball coach Jim Forjan and the admired Cole Steel veep Otto Lewin. At Borders and online.

"My Favorite American" by Dennis McCloskey. A book about Valen Cover, a York County woman who, at 25, has endured an organ transplant, polycystic kidney disease, a seizure disorder, coliosis, pancreatitis and a motorcycle accident. "What impressed me most is her positive outlook on life and living," McCloskey said. At Borders and amazon.com.

Here is a review of J.K. Rowling's "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by Deepti Hajela of The Associated Press:

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" (Children's High Level Group, $12.99, 111 pages), by J.K. Rowling: Just in time for the holidays, J.K. Rowling has given Harry Potter fans a little gift.

According to the Associated Press:

A rare original edition of J.K. Rowling's latest book is going on display at the New York Public Library, just as the work is being published around the world.

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" is a collection of five stories that's mentioned in the last book in Rowling's "Harry Potter" series. It's being released today.

Rowling originally wrote and illustrated seven copies of the book as gifts. She gave one to Arthur Levine at Scholastic, which published the American versions of the books. It's Levine's copy that will be on display at the library through Jan. 4.

York Revolution Baseball has launched a "Rev Up Reading" program to entice students to read four books. Books completed will be marked on special bookmarks that also have vouchers for half-price tickets for their school's scheduled game night.

Gloria Fogal, books page editor, and Nancy Duncan, children's librarian, discuss Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book."


Gloria: After watching a video of author Neil Gaiman reading the first chapter of his new children's novel, "The Graveyard Book," I knew I had to find out what happened to Nobody Owens, the boy raised in a graveyard by ghosts after his parents and sister are murdered. I was familiar with Gaiman, having read his decidedly weird yet engaging "Coraline."

Nancy: I knew nothing about Gaiman except that he was one of the "cool" authors of graphic novels, so I had no expectations when I began reading "The Graveyard Book." Maybe I should have done some research on the book first. It is catalogued at the library as JFiction-geared for children in elementary grades through middle school. It would take a special child to read and understand this book.

I read "Bunnicula" when I was in grade school. I don't remember a whole lot, but it's about a vampire bunny that enjoys sucking the juices out of vegetables. yummy...

For a better synopsis click here

By BETH VRABEL
Daily Record/Sunday News

Jacqui LeBeau listened to her husband's latest musical composition from her Spring Grove sun-room, overlooking woods where squirrels and chipmunks played, and eagles soared.

A story began forming in her mind, knitting the notes and the scene.

LeBeau scrambled for a pen and paper, and "If I Could Fly," the story of a squirrel named Aria and a wish from a majestic eagle, was born.

This just in from the Associated Press:

NASHVILLE, Tenn.-- As the father of three girls, Tim McGraw understands the challenges that face dads who want to please their daughters.

So the children's book he's co-written with Tom Douglas has some simple advice: As long as you're spending time with them, it doesn't really matter what you do.

The books are about teenagers with real-life issues like popularity and weight loss, but the authors aren't just writers. They are experts in adolescent development who are aiming to help their young readers live healthier lives.
The Beacon Street Girls series has had results, too. To read about the books and their effect on girls, click here http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/health/14well.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin

Jon Scieszka will receive the first National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Medal from Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today in the Montpelier Room of the James Madison Building, as part of the National Book Festival celebration.

Scieszka is the author of several best-selling children's titles, including "The Stinky Cheese Man," which won a Caldecott Honor medal, "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" and the Time Warp Trio, a chapter book series. He is the founder of Guys Read www.guysread.com.

York County Library System is embarking on a county-wide membership campaign to encourage first-grade students to get and use a library card.

The initiative, Grade One At the Library: Shoot for the GOAL, runs today through Oct. 3.

Actress Lauren Conrad is adding "author" to her resume.

According to the Associated Press:

The 22-year-old star of MTV's nonfiction series "The Hills" will pen a young adult fiction book series for HarperCollins, the publisher announced Thursday. The three-book series will be titled "L.A. Candy" and will be loosely inspired by Conrad's transformation from teenager to reality TV star and fashion designer.

"I've always loved books that I could lose myself in, ones that would transport me to another place, but had characters I could relate to," Conrad said. "I'm so excited to have this opportunity to write books like that for other readers."

The first book in the series will be published summer 2009.

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard," the book J.K. Rowling wrote and illustrated and auctioned off to benefit the charity she co-founded, the Children's High Level Group, will be available to all Harry Potter fans beginning Dec. 4.

Over the weekend during a conversation, I revisited a terrible time in my life when "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" ruined my life.

I was in second grade and it was my first experience of reading a book ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl) then seeing a movie and being utterly disappointed.

You can read more here on the FlipSide Blog.

What books were made into terrible movies and which didn't do too bad?

Some kids get reading lists from their schools for the summer -- I make my own.

This summer I have decided to read all the Harry Potter books in order, from 1 to 7.

I thought of this last summer as I read the lfinal Harry Potter book. I was sad that my journey with Harry and friends was over. For so long they had been a part of my life, I couldn't imagine not having another book to look forward to.

I might not get them all finished by Labor Day -- since I'm always around books, there is always something new to read, but I will give it a go. I'll let you know how it goes.

Does anyone else set reading assignments for themselves, or am I the only nut job?

Those of you of a certain age (and you know who you are) who are members of AARP will want to check out Borders’ latest promotion.

Just go to www.borders.com and click on “Exclusive offer for AARP members.”

You can save from 10 to 35 percent on books purchased both online and at the store. And if you’re not a member, they will sign you up on the spot.

Occasionally getting older has its advantages.

An 800-word Harry Potter prequel is one of 13 card-sized works to be sold at a charity auction in London.

If your child has just started to learn to read, or if he could use a little encouragment to read, Pippa, Buster and Jackson can't wait to hear a good story!

The Children’s Book Council has announced the winners of the first annual Children’s Choice Book Awards at a gala in New York City, hosted by Jon Scieszka, national ambassador for young people’s literature.

Children across the country voted for their favorite books, author and illustrator at bookstores, school libraries and at www.BookWeekOnline.com. Close to 55,000 votes were received.

The winners are:

Allyson A.W. Lyga will show how comics foster literacy and model graphic-novel lessons connected to national and state standards at 7 p.m. May 15 at Dillsburg Area Public Library, 17 S. Baltimore St., in Dillsburg.

Author J.K. Rowling will testify today against a fan who plans to publish a "Harry Potter" encyclopedia.

Sometimes, as much as we hate it, we have to part with our books.

What else can we do when there just isn't enough shelf space for all our recent purchases?

Kids can vote for their favorites among the 25 finalists in The Children’s Book Council's Children’s Choice Book Awards program.

The program was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read.

Children can cast their votes for their favorite books, author and illustrator at www.BookWeekOnline.com until May 4.

The Children’s Choice Book Award winners will be announced live at the Children’s Choice Book Award gala on May 13 in New York City as part of Children’s Book Week (May 12-18), the oldest national literacy event in the United States.

Have you just finished reading a book you couldn't put down, or one that kept putting you to sleep?

We want to hear about it, good or bad.

Send your book review to gfogal@ydr.com and we will post it here.

‘Goosebumps,’ the children’s horror series by R.L. Stine will be reborn this spring with a new series of 12 stories called ‘Goosebumps HorrorLand.’

To read about the new books and their author, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/books/25stin.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

"Up, Down, and Around," written by Pennsylvania author Katherine Ayres and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott, has been named this year's selection for the third annual Pennsylvania One Book, Every Young Child early literacy program.

Funky alphabet rhymes and a new take on The Golden Rule are the themes in the two imaginative children's books chosen to receive the 23rd Annual Please Touch Museum Book Award, the only award of its kind to honor the publication of quality books for young children. The award is given annually to two books in categories based on the age of the museum's visitors: kids ages 7and under.

This year's winners are:

Age 3 and under:
"Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes," written by Brian P. Cleary and illustrated by Betsy E. Snyder

Age 4 to 7:
"Do Unto Otters," written and illustrated by Laurie Keller

By JOSEPH MALDONADO
For the Daily Record/Sunday News

A book is like a warm quilt comprised of many threads, colors, textures and images. And like any quilt, a book takes tremendous know-how to transform it from an idea to something people curl up with in their favorite chair.

In May, the literary group Pennwriters will host its 21st annual conference, “A Writer’s smorgasbord.” The three-day event will feature scores of publishing experts, including many pub
lished authors.

Have you just finished reading a book you couldn't put down, or one that kept putting you to sleep?

We want to hear about it, good or bad.

Send your book review to gfogal@ydr.com and we will post it here.

Here's a review from one of our readers, Scott Mokris, 15, of West Manchester Township:

I’m an American! That’s what Bill O’Reilly’s new book “Kids Are Americans Too” says.

“Kids Are Americans Too” is an excellent book that tells kids what Constitutional rights they have and do not have. Bill O’Reilly does an amazing job telling kids about their rights and getting them interested in rights and the government.

A Baltimore librarian’s classroom project is now part of publishing history. “Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From a Medieval Village,” first conceived a decade ago by Laura Amy Schlitz, is this year’s winner of the John Newbery Medal for best children’s book.

Have you just finished reading a book you couldn't put down, or one that kept putting you to sleep?

We want to hear about it, good or bad.

Send your book review to gfogal@ydr.com and we will post it here.

J.K. Rowling's handwritten and illustrated book of fairy tales, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," sold for nearly $4 million at a London auction today.

By MEGAN ERICKSON

First I saw the tufts of hair at the tips of the ears, and then I saw a striped fore´head and finally a pink nose.

“Hey buddy,” I cooed to the stray cat peering at me from under my neighbor’s shed. “Aren’t you pretty?”

Soon his orange sibling appeared and they both perched on the wood railings, blinking at me in the sun. I took a tentative step and in a flash of gray, black, white and orange, they scurried back under the shed.

It turns out that a stray female randomly chose my neighbor’s yard as her den. My neighbor has been putting out food and water, and has tried to catch them to take them to a shelter, but no luck.

I worry about them getting under the wheels of a moving car, or between the teeth of a mean og, but I can’t take them in, as I have two cats myself, and how would I catch them in the first place?

That’s why the book “The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside” by Cynthia von Buhler caught my eye. It’s a children’s book based on a true story about a woman who befriends a stray cat. The pages are actually pictures of sets she made out of clay and other materials. Buhler is an artist who has illustrated and written several books, but this book is her first as both author and llustrator.

This review of “Tonight on the Titanic “ (Magic Tree House) by Mary Pope Osbourne, is from Nevin Kara, a student at York Township Elementary School.

This book is about a brother and sister who travel in their magic tree house to different places. In this book they were on the Titanic boat. When they were on the Titanic, the boat crashed into an iceberg and started to sink. Jack and Annie tried to tell everyone on the boat to get off the boat. They met two children named Lucky and William and shared a life boat with them. Lucky and William gave Jack and Annie a small watch to thank them for saving their lives.

Nevin recommends "Tonight On the Titanic."

Necla Kara, a student at York Township Elementary School, reviews
“Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy” by Barbara Parks.

In this book Junie B.’s teacher tells the class that it will soon be pet day. Junie B. does not have a pet and tries to get a pet. She gets a worm, ants and a swatted fly. Then her grandmother goes fishing and brings home a dead fish. Junie B. puts a leash on the fish, but her mom said that it was not a pet. Instead Junie B. took a fish stick to school and won the best pet badge.

Necla recommends this book to readers.

Denis Johnson, author of the Vietnam novel, “Tree of Smoke,” won the National Book Award for fiction Wednesday night.

According to the Associated Press:

New York Times reporter Tim Weiner won the nonfiction award for “Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA.” Robert Hass won the poetry award for “Time and Materials.”

Sherman Alexie won the award for young people’s literature, for “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.”

“Tree of Smoke” was widely considered the front-runner for the fiction award. Lauding Johnson’s novel as a “conventionally satisfying but formally daring masterpiece,” Harper’s reviewer John Jeremiah Sullivan described it as “a 614-page multigenerational, transnational, braided morality saga about Westerners in Southeast Asia and the Southeast Asians who have to figure out how to stay alive around them.”

There is much happiness in the land of Philip Pullman fans!

The movie of "The Golden Compass," the first book in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy opens Dec. 7.

So there's plenty of time to visit the movie Web site at www.goldencompassmovie.com and discover your daemon. Answer a few questions and voila! Your daemon is revealed. (Mine is a snow leopard; how cool.).

You can also watch a really neat movie trailer.

And there's still plenty of time to re-read "The Golden Compass" before Dec. 7.

See you in line at the movie!

J.K. Rowling has written another book, an illustrated collection of magical fairy stories titled “The Tales of Beedle the Bard.” Alas, we won't be reading it.

While growing up in wartime Germany, Sieglinde Schoen-Smith found comfort in the words and watercolors in a German folk tale, “Mother Earth and Her Children.” Many years later, when she lost her son, Schoen-Smith again turned for comfort to the children’s story and used it as the inspiration for a quilt. The quilt won the top prize at the International Quilt Market.

Today, that quilt serves as the illustration for a new translation of “Mother Earth and Her Children” by Jack Zipes of the University of Minnesota.

“Mother Earth and Her Children” was written for ages 3 to 8.

Devotees of line-drawn literature will share their enthusiasm for the genre during Dillsburg Area Public Library’s “Comics From the Classics to the Graphics” program.

All sessions are scheduled for 7 p.m. at the library, 17 S. Baltimore St.

Great topic and idea, Buffy. I'll bite.

My favorite books were the fairy-tale and folk-tale compilations by Ruth Manning-Sanders.

Many of the books had "A Book of..." titles. So you had "A Book of Giants," "A Book of Witches," "A Book of Enchantments and Curses" and much, much more.

Ogres. Trolls. Spells. Castles. Princes. Princesses. Goblins. Mermaids. Talking animals. Great adventures. What kid wouldn't eat that stuff up? I sure did.

And many of Manning-Sanders' books were fabulously illustrated by Robin Jacques.

So, as Buffy says, share your favorites, too!

My favorite book as a child was Virginia Lee Burton's "The Little House." What a great book about a little house that experiences life in the country and in the city. This book has a special place in my heart. Every so often I dig out the books from my childhood and read them. This is always the first one. If you're grown, what is the favorite book from your childhood? And if you're a child, what is yours? Please share.

Have you just finished reading a book you couldn't put down, or one that kept putting you to sleep?

We want to hear about it, good or bad.

Send your book review to gfogal@ydr.com and we will post it here.

“The Dark Is Rising Sequence” by Susan Cooper

Nothing pushes a book to the front of the bookstore shelves more quickly than to use it as the basis for a movie.

The upcoming movie, “The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising,“ aroused my curiosity about the book upon which the flick is loosely based.

The movie follows the second of five books in Susan Cooper’s series known as “The Dark Is Rising Sequence.“

Originally published in the late ’60s and early ’70s, the Sequence is technically classified as teen fiction.

Though long past my teens, I found the stories to be an enjoyable read.

I can understand why Cooper refers to the stories as a sequence.

To follow the five intertwined stories to the ultimate conclusion, they must be read in order.

After 46 years as a resident of York and Adams Counties, award-winning author Nancy Springer has moved to Bonifay, Fla.

Random House author Marie Lamba will read from her new young adult novel, "What I Meant ...," at noon Sept. 22, at the Southern York County Library’s tent during the New Freedom Fest in New Freedom.

This event is free.

Lamba also will sign her novel until 3 p.m.

"What I Meant ..." is about a 15-year-old girl, her mysterious guy, her Indian dad, her American mom, her evil aunt, and tons of drama and laughs.

For details, contact the library at 235-5806.

This petroglyph of a man with big hands and big feet is said to represent a leader, one who walks a lot and has a good grasp of situations. The etchings, found on several rocks just below Safe Harbor Dam, were made by Algonquin-speaking Indians who lived in the area before the Susquehannocks. While “The Rough-Face Girl” doesn’t take place along the Susquehanna River, it does tell the Algonquin version of the Cinderella story. Photo by Bil Bowden, York Daily Record/Sunday News.


The Cinderella story is such a good yarn, so good that many cultures around the world have their own versions of the chargirl’s charming life.

The earliest is the story of Rhodopis, a Greco-Egyptian girl of the first century B.C. The French version came in the 1600s and the Brothers Grimm gathered a tale for their collection in the early 1800s.

The “persecuted heroine” is a type in the Aarne-Thompson classification system for folktales in 1910. I’d just love to know how the put-upon girl’s perils and prince made it to North America and its native peoples.