My Pet Human
This first-chapter book stars an adorable tuxedo cat who loves living the outdoor life! It can hang out with its friends (other animals in the neighborhood), has lots of great places to eat, and doesn't have to worry about any pesky humans. All of the cat's animal friends have human pets with the weirdest habits and flaws––one human stays in their room all day and another's group of mini-humans jumps all over it. When a new human, a nice one, moves into an abandoned house and gives the cat some yummy tuna mac-and-cheese, the cat tries to train it to make its own "human pet."
Allergic
Sometimes Maggie feels left out. Her mom and dad are preoccupied with getting ready for the new baby, her twin brothers are always in their own little twin world, and even her friends seem to be distracted with other things.
A Wolf for a Spell
Young wolf, Zima, has always been told by her pack-mates that humans and witches are evil, dangerous beings that should be attacked at first sight. Yet, when a young girl ventures into the woods with the aim of running away from the orphanage in town, Zima can't bring herself to attack the girl. A legendary witch, Baba Yaga, witnesses Zima's hesitance and decides that Zima is exactly the wolf she needs to help her. But are Baba Yaga's intentions really as evil as Zima's pack has always told her?
Narwhal Appreciation Post
"Tails and Tales" summer reading games may be over, but we'll love that narwhal mascot for life! If you’re not ready for the end and want to learn more about narwhals, we can help!
A Boy Called Bat
Bixby Alexander Tam (Bat, for short) loves all kinds of animals. When Bat's veterinarian mom brings home an orphaned newborn skunk, his focus and goal is to convince her that a skunk might just be a perfect pet. The only trouble is, she insists that the skunk can only stay with them for one short month, just long enough for the baby skunk to grow up enough to transition to a wildlife rehab center. Can Bat convince her to change her mind?
Brood X
Brood X, the Great Eastern Brood of cicadas, has made the summer of 2021 a very loud and interesting season in Indiana. Dogs and birds alike have loved these natural protein snacks, but there is more to these weird insects than meets the eye (or ear).
According to National Geographic Kids, there are over 3,000 species of cicadas (Shaw, 2021). These 3,000 species are divided into 2 distinct groupings: annual and perennial. Only 7 species of cicadas fall into the perennial category, meaning they emerge en masse like Brood X (Shaw, 2021).
Watership Down
Wow. I was blown away by this book. It is no accident that it's considered a Classic.
Staff Picks: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
Told in a series of letters, this is the story of twelve year old Sophie Brown’s adventures after she and her family move from L.A. to the rundown farm they inherit from her great-uncle Jim. It begins with the sighting of an unusual chicken and leads to the discovery that there was once an entire coop full of remarkably different breeds.
Staff Picks: Step Right Up by Donna Janell Bowman
Reviewed by Christina J.