TUESDAY: Phineas and Ferb My Funny Valentine and Nelly the Monster Sitter

Petronella - or "Nelly" as she prefers to be called - has decided to do her part to be  neighborly and offer her services to the monsters in her neighborhood. She will be their monster-sitter. This allows the grown up monsters in her community to get out of the house once in awhile. Isn't Nelly great to offer such an important service?

But, as you might expect, monster-sitting is not as simple as Nelly might think.

Fun short stories about Nelly's adventures as a monster-sitter. Clever premise can appeal to girls and boys, especially those who might want to try monster-type stories that are more gentle than some of the vampire-fare that is available for older readers.
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Dr. Doofenshmirtz has stolen all of the Valentine's candy, flowers, and stuffed animals in an attempt to ruin Valentine's day and start "Broken Heart Day" instead. At the same time, Jeremy is in a bind because there's nothing he can buy for Candace for Valentine's Day. Can Phineas and Ferb save the day for Jeremy and Candace? Can Agent P save the day for the Tri-State Area?

Of course, Valentine's Day is saved for everyone. This is a fun Valentine's story for fans of the Disney Channel show, Phineas and Ferb. 

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MONDAY: Delilah D. at the Library

Delilah D. is a girl who fancies herself Queen of a far, far away land. On a trip to the library with her little brother and the babysitter, Delilah talks about how libraries work where she comes from (her far, far away land) - they serve doughnuts and cupcakes, encourage running and talking, and a princess reads stories until the kids fall asleep.

I love books that encourage a love of the library. Delilah's story is a cute one your kids or students might enjoy. This could be a great book for librarians to share with kids as they talk about how to use and take care of the library, imagining what might happy if Delilah's rules were true.

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FRIDAY: I Scream You Scream

Tallulah - Tally - Jones has enough problems getting over her ex and starting her ice cream shop. She does not need the hassle of her ex's new "honey," a young, thin, intelligent know-it-all with loose morals. Tally just wants to see less of the woman around town, though - she doesn't want her dead! As one of the top suspects, Tally needs to know a lot more about Brittanie and who else might have killed her before she finds herself behind bars.


Fun characters, good mystery. Some language and alternative lifestyles that might be a distraction to sensitive readers. I will read more from the Mystery A La Mode series - like Scoop to Kill coming out in September of 2010.


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Here's an added treat for your Friday: Go here and read the first chapter of a new book due out in March from Nancy Martin, author of the Blackbird Sisters mysteries. This is the first book in new series.

THURSDAY: Crush It!

Do you have a passion? Is there something in your life that you talk about with fervor and energy? Is it something you can't STOP talking or thinking about? Gary Vaynerchuk would say your passion may be something you can turn into a business. In Crush It!, Gary talks about ways to leverage social media to help you take your dream and passion and "crush it" - turn it into a career that makes you look forward to going to work in the morning.

I read this book at the recommendation of another blogger and I found it to be inspiring and informative. In fact, I liked it so much I had my husband read it before I returned it to the library and I told a couple friends on Facebook about it, too. Check out Crush It! and start thinking about your passions and dreams in a new way. 


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Waiting on WEDNESDAY

Psych is one of my favorite shows on television. I think Shawn and Gus are hilarious together. I love the sarcasm, the banter, and music. I read the first book and enjoyed it. These two are sitting on my shelf waiting for some attention. 

I think the author has done a good job capturing the "voice" of the characters from the show. If you love Psych on TV, check out the book series and let me know what you think. 


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TUESDAY: I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President

Oliver Watson is a 12-year-old genius... and the fourth richest man in the world. He has secret body guards, secret lairs and secret schemes. But no one would ever guess. He plays the doofus - the geek - the goofball - so no one will know the truth about him. Oliver has serious Daddy issues which lead him to run for class president. Will all his brains and all his money guarantee him the election?

This is definitely a book for older teens and young adults. There is some language and a lot of sarcasm. It is a little dark at times - at moments I felt like I was reading Lord Voldemort's teenage diary! Older kids - and adults - who like their humor with a bit of a dark side will get a kick out of Oliver's story.


You can go here and see a video by the author, Josh Lieb (one of the producers of The Daily Show) and a "special guest" talk about the book. Check it out!

Writing teachers might like Genius as a way to talk to kids about how to write a villain.


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BONUS BLOG: Groundhog Weather School

In honor of Groundhog Day, I read Groundhog Weather School

yesterday at the library. Groundhog's weather forecast is challenged (by a bunny), leading him to recruit students for Groundhog Weather School so more groundhogs can more accurately predict the weather in different parts of the country. 

The "story" of weather school wraps around a book full of fun illustrations and loads of facts about groundhogs, "famous" groundhog forecasters, seasons, weather and shadows. This is a great picture book for teachers, librarians, or parents looking for a way to tie into the holiday. 

Happy Groundhog Day! 

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