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Ann

Frog, Toad and Pooh?

Sheep and Goat. by M. Westara. A warm, fuzzy book that is reminiscent of Frog

and Toad in its tone. "Goat is talkative, impulsive, curious and full of energy, while

Sheep tends to be quiet, sensible, pensive and sedentary, but the two have more

in common than it initially appears.Together, these two young females share a comfortable meadow on a sleepy farm." The two friends quarrel, however they also get along. Through the year they experience storms, birthdays, accidents, visitors, adventures, and in the process we grow and learn with them. It is a comforting book with Pooh-like subtle philosophy throughout. A sweet choice for ages 7-10 that would make a wonderful read aloud for bedtime or anytime!

A Moving Memoir

It's not new , but I highly recommend this small yet powerful book that does a great job taking the reader back to 1949 when the author contracted polio at the age of 12. In Small steps : the year I got polio, Peg Kehret uses fictionalized dialogue and tender scenes to draw you into her world as she copes with her seven month ordeal. Her description of the onset of the illness is gripping, her account of being quarantined and her subsequent long hospitalization is fascinating. It's funny, sad, poignant and inspiring... and, of course, educational as we get to learn about all aspects of the disease. I used it with a group of 10-12 year olds and they all enjoyed it.

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

I really enjoyed this little book about the power of dreams -- for good and for evil. This is a sweet tale about a little boy who has been abused and abandoned by his father and taken from his mother. He comes under the foster care of a lonely retired teacher. But the "heroine" of the story is a dream giver named Littlest who is just learning her craft from a kindly more experienced dream giver. They battle the Sinisteens for the heart and mind of this little boy. I recommended the book to one of our preteen patrons who is a voracious reader and she stopped by a day or two later to tell me she loved it.