These are some new audiobooks recently added to the MCS library collection. These can be accessed on the MCS Lab iPads, through an app called Catalist Digital, or through the Media Center online catalog in a new feature called Follett Shelf. Let me know if you have any questions about these great new A/V materials!
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey (Grades 1-3)
The spell of rain, gulls, a foggy morning, the excitement of sailing,
the quiet of the night, the sudden terror of a hurricane, and the peace
of a Maine island as a family packs up to leave are shown in poetic
language and vibrant, evocative pictures. ~Amazon
Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin (Grades K-2)
When Duck discovers an ad in the paper announcing a talent show at the
county fair (first prize, a slightly used trampoline), Farmer Brown's
animals are unstoppable. The cows and sheep concentrate on their singing
while the pigs work on interpretive dance. How the suspicious farmer
could ever confuse all this noise with routine snoring is a bit of a
stretch, but the hilarious late-night practice scenes inside the barn
will help readers make the leap. At the talent show, the cows and sheep
impress some of the judges, but lack of sleep has the pigs truly snoring
when it is time to perform. Fortunately, Duck steps in to save the day
with a winning version of Born to Be Wild. After the talent show, Farmer
Brown suspects nothing until he hears boings coming from the barn. ~Julie Roach, School Library Journal
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (Grades 1-4)
Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's
Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her
feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They
also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when
he was born the runt of his litter. ~Amazon
Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Story from China by Ed Young (Grades 1-3)
This version of the Red Riding Hood story from Young features three daughters left at
home when their mother goes to visit their grandmother. Lon Po Po, the
Granny Wolf, pretends to be the girls' grandmother, until clever Shang,
the eldest daughter, suspects the greedy wolf's real identity. Tempting
him with ginkgo nuts, the girls pull him in a basket to the top of the
tree in which they are hiding, then let go of the rope--killing him. ~Publisher's Weekly
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (Grades 3-6)
Imagine coming upon a fountain of youth in a forest. To live
forever--isn't that everyone's ideal? For the Tuck family, eternal life
is a reality, but their reaction to their fate is surprising. Award
winner Natalie Babbitt outdoes herself in this sensitive, moving adventure in which
10-year-old Winnie Foster is kidnapped, finds herself helping a murderer
out of jail, and is eventually offered the ultimate gift--but doesn't
know whether to accept it. Babbitt asks profound questions about the
meaning of life and death, and leaves the reader with a greater
appreciation for the perfect cycle of nature. Intense and powerful,
exciting and poignant, Tuck Everlasting will last forever--in the reader's imagination. ~Emilie Coulter, Amazon
Moving Day by Meg Cabot (Grades 3-5)
At first, nine-year-old Allie Finkle seems rather unlikable. She's hard
on her best friend (who is very quick to tears) and acts bratty when her
parents tell her the family will be moving. And even though she's
promised a kitten, and prefers her new school and the more engaging
friend she'll have next door once they move, she's determined to
sabotage the event. However, the girl's worries are nuanced and
age-appropriate. By the book's end Allie does show a more caring side,
even though her methods are not always appreciated by the adults around
her. Chapters all begin with one of Allie's rules ("Don't Stick a
Spatula Down Your Best Friend's Throat," or "When You Finally Figure Out
What the Right Thing to Do Is, You Have to Do It, Even If You Don't
Want To") that, while amusing, may quickly become tiresome for some
readers. With good intentions and reckless results, Allie will appeal to
children who enjoyed reading about Ramona, Amber Brown, Junie B., and
the other feisty girls found in beginning chapter books. This novel
proves that the master of young adult popular fare is able to adapt her
breezy style for a younger audience.—Tina Zubak, School Library Journal
The Landry News by Andrew Clements (Grades 4-6)
Cara Landry, entering as a new fifth-grade student in Mr. Larson's
class, is quiet and unassuming. Barely noticed by classmates or her
teacher, she publishes her first edition of the Landry News creating a
transformation of teacher, students, and even herself. Her editorial
states simply, "There is a teacher in the classroom, but he does not
teach." Emerging from years of disillusionment, he begins to teach
again. Journalism with all its ramifications and responsibilities are
his tools. All the fifth-graders decide to help Cara publish the Landry
News regularly as their class project. This gives the principal just the
right tool to rid himself of Mr. Larson something he has waited for
patiently. What begins as a small school conflict grows into a First
Amendment Rights issue that solidifies friendships for, and love of Mr.
Larson. As in Frindle, author Andrew Clements uses an everyday classroom setting to illuminate words and their
importance. Using clear and simple sentence structure, hard issues such
as divorce, loyalty, and responsibility are presented with sensitivity
and a lot of humor. ~Tina Hudak, School Library Journal
The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler (Grades 4-6)
Seventh-grader Emily Windsnap has never learned to swim, in spite of the
fact that she and her mother live on a houseboat. When she finally
takes a swimming class at school, her legs turn into a fishtail. She
tries to hide her strange affliction, but something draws her to the
sparkling surf. Soon, she is secretly gliding through the water as a
mermaid. Below the waves, she meets Shona, also 12, who takes her to
mermaid school and leads her on several adventures. When Emily learns
the intriguing history of the Shiprock community and of illegal
marriages between humans and merpeople, she begins to look for her
merman father. Danger, humor, confrontation, and even a trial before
Neptune all play a part in her search. Eventually, she finds her dad and
comes to understand the truth about her oddly controlling neighbor, Mr.
Beeston; her mother's dislike of water; and her parents' love affair.
All ends well when the family is reunited and swims away to live a new
life on a secret merfolk island. ~Beth Tergart, School Library Journal
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson (Grades 4-6)
Paterson's Newbery-winning novel becomes an entertaining and dramatic
audiobook via Leonard's accomplished reading. Jess Aarons is eager to
start fifth grade. He's been practicing his sprints all summer,
determined to become the fastest runner at school. All seems to be on
track, until the new girl in class (who also happens to be Jess's new
next-door neighbor), Leslie Burke, leaves all the boys in the dust,
including Jess. After this rather frustrating introduction, Jess and
Leslie soon become inseparable. Together, they create an imaginary,
secret kingdom in the woods called Terabithia that can be reached only
by swinging across a creek bed on a rope. But one morning a tragic
accident befalls Leslie as she ventures alone to Terabithia, and Jess's
life is changed forever. Leonard deftly interprets the strands of humor,
realism and heart-wrenching emotion woven into Paterson's fine tale. ~Publishers Weekly
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Grades 4-6)
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his
schoolwork or control his temper. When his mom tells him the truth about
where he came from, she takes him to the one place he’ll be safe—Camp
Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island). There, Percy
learns that the father he never knew is actually Poseidon, God of the
Sea. Soon Percy finds himself caught up in a mystery that could lead
to disastrous consequences. Together with his friends—a satyr and other
the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest to reach the
gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and
prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. ~Amazon
Holes by Louis Sachar (Grades 5-6)
This winner of the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award features
Stanley Yelnats, a kid who is under a curse. A curse that began with his
no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since
followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a
boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the
boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes
five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to
realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green
Lake: the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the
truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and
punishment—and redemption. ~Amazon
The Surge by Roland Smith (Grades 3-6)
The first in a middle-grade action-adventure series from Roland Smith! Chase
Masters and his father are "storm runners," racing across the country
in pursuit of hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Anywhere bad weather
strikes, they are not far behind. Chase is learning more on the road
than he ever would just sitting in a classroom. But when the hurricane
of the century hits, he will be tested in ways he never could have
imagined. ~Amazon
