Staff Picks for Children

This is book 2 of 3 in The Kane Chronicles. It is preceded by The Red Pyramid, and followed by The Serpent's Shadow.  The Throne of Fire is a 2011 fantasy adventure novel based on Egyptian mythology.

The Kane children are on another adventure to save the world from chaos.  Carter Kane, age 15 and Sadie Kane, age 13, are the main characters.  The story is told in chapters by both Carter and Sadie in the form of an audio tape recording.  With the help of the newly trained magicians, Jaz and Walt, they set off to find the Book of Ra, which will allow them to raise Ra, the Egyptian god of the sun, in order to help them imprison Apophis, the lord of chaos.  If they do not prevent Apophis from breaking free from the underworld than the world will come to an end.  The Book of Ra is broken up into three separate scrolls and scattered all over the World.    Their adventure takes them to the Brooklyn museum, Russia, and Egypt in the pursuit of the Book.  After obtaining all three scrolls they are then transported to the Duat, the Egyptian version of the underworld.  In the Duat there are 12 Houses.  There they encounter other demons and traps, and eventually they find Ra and revive him.

Will the children overcome the many obstacles that they face and save the world?  Will Sadie be able to help Walt from his curse he has inherited from his Egyptian ancestors?  The curse causes its victims to die at a very young age and the more they practice magic, the faster it progresses. What happens back at Brooklyn House?  These are just a few of the challenges and problems that Carter and Sadie and their friends face in their quest.

Readers who have read other books by Rick Riordan will definitely enjoy this new series.  If you have read the first in this series, than this second book is a must to read.

The book is geared for grades 5 – 8.

It’s a big universe out there, and information about it can be overwhelming. Teacher and author Mark Weakland helps to make sense of the nature of asteroids and comets in this graphic novel-style book from the “Graphic Library Adventures in Science” series by Capstone Press.   Text boxes chock full of information on these objects from space are framed and complemented by cosmic cartoon panels by artist Carlos Aón.   Different aspects of nature of comets and asteroids are covered, including what they are, what they are made of, their impact on the solar system, and earth (and dinosaurs) in particular, what people in earlier civilizations thought about them, and what and how scientists have found out about them.  The author also raises questions about the future of space observation and exploration for readers to ponder.  The information is organized into chapters, making it even easier for readers to take in.

Recommended for Grades 3-6

This fractured version of "The Princess and the Pea" stars Prince Henrik, who is ready to get married. He wants a girl who likes hockey and camping, plus has a nice smile. He asks his brother, Prince Hans, for advice, and observes his sister-in-law Princess Eva, a sensitive (read: whiny) princess. Henrik decides he wants the very opposite of Princess Eva, and performs the opposite of the typical princess test by putting a full bag of frozen peas under a thin mattress. Many girls do not pass the test, until Henrik discovers how wonderful an old friend is -- instead of complaining about the peas, she found a clever use for them. This book is recommended for all would-be princesses. If you haven't already, read the original story first in order to guarantee that you and/or your child will understand why the story is funny. (My personal favorite version of the original is the title illustrated by Rachel Isadora).

Baby Bat never wants to leave his cozy cave where thousands of little bats and their mothers sleep together like a huge furry coat and where Mother Bat provides warmth and milk. But Baby Bat grows bigger and must soon practice wing-flapping to learn to fly and hunt in the outside world. One night when he practices wing-flapping, he takes to the air, but falls down into the nest of Pluribus Packrat. P. Rat takes him on a flashlight tour of the dark cave to meet other creatures who live there including a phoebe, a blind salamander, a cave cricket, a cave crayfish, beetles, and centipedes,. The cave exploration is a learning experience. P. Rat explains that some creatures are white because they do not need color to hide from their enemies and that many are dependent on the bats for survival. This is an engaging and educational work in picture book format. The eye-catching art is created using mixed-media of colored pencils, crayons and paint.

A special

For Creative Minds educational section is included for classroom study. Free online resources and support are available at www.SylvanDellPublishing.com. including Life in Cave Zones, Hands On: Bat Echolocation, Teaching Activities (to do at home or school), and Interactive Quizzes. The author, award-winner Janet Halfmann, lives in South Milwaukee. Recommended for ages 4 – 9.

Fredle, a small house mouse, indulges in a delicious peppermint pattie, becomes ill, and is pushed out of the family nest. Tossed outside from the farmer’s wife’s dust pan, he is left to die or survive on his own. He befriends Sadie the dog (Sadie, a simple-minded border collie from Voigt’s earlier book, Angus and Sadie in the Davis Farm series) and a few field mice, who become valuable allies. New dangers await—owls, the barnyard snake, and an outlaw gang of raccoons planning to fatten him for their feast. Scared and lonely, Fredle scrambles to overcome challenges and succeed through his wits and resourcefulness. He figures out that the delicacies in the compost heap can only be eaten in moderation or he will be unable to flee. Who can he trust? Which way is home? The outside world is full of wonders like the rain, the moon, the stars, the grass and much more, but he yearns for his home and family. Voigt takes readers on a fascinating, nonstop adventure from a mouse’s view of the world. Fredle matures, while developing an awareness and appreciation for newfound independence. He adapts to life’s challenges and returns a hero. Readers will relate to his youthful spirit and fall in love with Fredle. This is a quality novel by award-winning author Cynthia Voigt (Newbery Medal for Dicey’s Song) that is comparable to Charlotte’s Web, The Tale of Despereaux and Stuart Little.  Visit the  website www.cynthiavoigt.com to learn more about the author and her books.

This is the first book in a series designed for young readers who like fast-paced, space, science fiction adventures.  There are many elements of space machines, large fighting insects, and alien interactions. 

The action will make it hard to put the book down.  The story is geared for Ages 9 – 12 or grades 4 – 8.

Are you looking for games to play and music to listen to while on a car trip this summer?  Or perhaps you want a new project while waiting for school to start again?  OR are you a “Fancy Nancy” fan who longs to add some new words to your vocabulaire extraordinaire  Français?  Try these audiobooks, available on the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium’s Overdrive Digital Downloads Collection, which can be found through the InfoSoup online catalog.

 “French on the Move for Kids,” developed by Catherine Bruzzone, features fun and catchy songs, both original and traditional, that teach basic but relevant words on topics such as numbers, colors, family, holidays, school, animals, weather, and food (“The Pizza Song” is one of my favorites). Before each song, the narrator asks a question that the listener may answer by listening carefully to the lyrics.  The answer is revealed when the song is over. There are also a number of games throughout that help kids develop vocabulary, basic grammar and conversation skills.  In addition to the vocabulary, listeners hear the pronunciation of several typical French names.  Much of the program is spoken and sung by people with real French accents.  Only 50 minutes long, it’s easy to listen to a little or a lot at one time, process, practice, and build basic skills without being either overwhelmed or bored.  Available in Windows Media Audio format, it is down and up-loadable on windows media and ipod devices, and can be burnt to a CD for further use.  There is a “Spanish on the Move for Kids,” as well as an “On the Move” series for older listeners.

This beginning reader is a continuation of the Stinky Face picture book series. The main character, Stinky Face, asks “what if” questions to his mother about going to Kindergarten. The questions get sillier and sillier as the book progresses, including a question about a hungry armadillo and art class. The mother answers each question Stinky Face asks, and Stinky Face realizes that Kindergarten will be just fine. 
This book is recommended for students who will soon enter Kindergarten and for Kindergarten students.

Minli lives with her mother and father, passing their days trying to eke out a living in rice fields on Fruitless Mountain.  At night, her father, a great storyteller, tells Minli adventures and magical folktales.  Mother, unhappy with the family's difficult life, does not approve of Father filling Minli's head with such nonsense.  After a chance encounter with a goldfish peddler, Minli decides to go on a quest to find The Old Man of the Moon to change their family fortune.  Along the way, Minli befriends a dragon, encounters a talking fish and learns about the "tangled red thread of destiny".  Throughout the text many varied folktales entwine the past and present and connect the characters whom Minli meets along her journey.  This award winning book is highly recommended for grades 4-6.