Rent a Bridesmaid by Jacqueline Wilson

This tale is about friendship (and confetti)! Tilly can’t believe it when her best friend Matty is asked to be a bridesmaid. In Tilly’s favourite daydream, she’s kitted out in the most beautiful bridesmaid dress, walking down the aisle behind a beautiful bride. The one wedding she’d really like to attend is her own mum and dad’s. But as that’s never going to happen, it’s time for Tilly to make her own dream come true – and put her bridesmaid services up for hire . . .

Katy by Jacqueline Wilson

Fans of Tracy Beaker will love this book! Inspired by the classic novel, What Katy Did, Jacqueline Wilson creates an irresistible modern version for the twenty-first-century. Katy Carr is a lively daredevil and the oldest sister in a big family. She loves messing around outdoors, climbing on the garage roof, or up a tree, cycling, skateboarding, swinging . . . But her life changes in dramatic and unexpected ways after a serious accident.

Little Stars: A Hetty Feather Adventure

Hetty Feather has begun a new chapter in her life story. Escaping from Tanglefield’s Travelling Circus with her dearest friend Diamond, Hetty is determined to find them positions as glamorous music hall artistes. Hetty and Diamond quickly become the Little Stars of Mrs Ruby’s show, alongside many colourful acts – including an old friend from Hetty’s past, Flirty Bertie. But the Cavalcade proves a dangerous place, and Hetty must fight to protect her darling Diamond, who longs for a normal childhood. Meanwhile, Hetty struggles to understand her feelings for Bertie – and for Jem, whom she has never forgotten. Hetty dreams of a glittering future for herself and Diamond. The bright lights of the London theatre world beckon – will Hetty become a true star?

Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson

Coming to Shrewsbury Library soon!

Stop by the library to check out the new senior fiction books in this week!

Fancy reading a dark and mysterious novel? The Lost Boy by Greg Ruth might be for you. In this engaging form of a graphic novel, Greg Ruth details the story of a young boy called Nate who is forced to move to a new house in a new town. But when he arrives at his new house, he discovers a tape recorder and note addressed to him under the floorboards of his bedroom. Nate is thrown into the dark mystery of a boy who went missing many years ago. Partnering up with his new neighbour Tabitha, they listen to the tapes together and begin on an adventure to find out what happened to the lost boy.  This detailed adventure novel is definitely worth a read. The illustrations are nothing short of triumphant either!

Love letters to the Dead written by American author Ava Dellaira is a capturing young adult novel. The novel begins with Laurel, a 15 year old girl, moving to a new high school and being set an interesting assignment by her English teacher; to write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses to write a letter to Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May. But Laurel doesn’t stop at one letter. Soon, she has a series of letters written to dead people such as Heath Ledger and Amy Winehouse, where she writes to them about starting high school, falling in love and most importantly, the grieving of her sister May. An incredible, moving story – one of those books that everyone ought to read.

It’s a must for all girls to start seventh grade with a boyfriend. That’s why in Alice In Rapture, Sort Of Alice is glad that she and Patrick are going together. But in #2 of the Alice series, Alice finds herself feeling puzzled. Having a boyfriend is a lot more complicated than having a boy-friend! What do you talk about when you’re on the phone with a boy? What should Alice get him for his birthday? What should she do if he wants to kiss her and she hasn’t just brushed her teeth? Alice really likes Patrick, but sometimes it seems as though life would be a lot simpler if they were just friends. This book is perfect for ages 11-14, and definitely an Alice book not to go unnoticed.

Reluctantly Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Review by Ms Beth

Genre – Fiction

Rating – 8/10

In this third book of the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Alice is back and finds herself in seventh grade hoping to make it through the entire year with everyone liking her. However, after the first day of high school, Alice comes home with a list of ‘seven things about seventh grade that stink’. After she gets on the wrong side of the school bully, Denise, Alice realizes that her goal may be a little harder to achieve than she once thought.

As always, the Alice books are so relatable for young girls and this book does not disappoint. The book portrays the honest and funny antics of everyday life in the eyes of an 11 year old, demonstrating the trials and tribulations had through navigating adolescence.  I particularly like that Naylor tackles the issue of bullying in this book, which for many can often be a scary experience – but Naylor handles it with ease and without a tone of condescension. This book has a great plot with well-developed characters, and like the rest of the series, it was poignant, sweet and funny. While Alice finds herself trying to deal with the bully, there is still plenty to laugh about – horrible PE tests, family romances and so much more. This book is definitely worth a read!

The Story Of Diva And Flea

As told and shown by Mo Willems and Tony Diterlizzi

Review by Ms Beth

Genre – Fiction

Rating – 8.5/10

This book is a lovely tale of a new friendship between a dog and a cat, set in the beautiful city of Paris. Diva and Flea are polar opposites of one another; Diva is a pampered house dog while Flea is a streetwise cat with no fixed address but a fixed occupation. Flea is a flâneur and believes there is always more to discover. When Flea happens to flâneur by Diva’s courtyard one day, their lives are changed forever. As they both begin to share each others worlds, both Diva and Flea overcome their fears and learn a lesson or two in trust and bravery.

If you like books like The Aristocats and Lady and the Tramp, this book is for you! Overall, this finely illustrated and simply written book is perfect for ambitious readers moving from beginner readers to chapter books. Perfect for pet lovers and those who like to read books without any nasty villains too!

Stop by the library to check out the new junior fiction books this week!

Okay So Maybe I Do Have Superpowers is an addition to the series of Dear Dumb Diary books, where Jamie Kelly keeps a humorous and comical diary every year – but she has no idea anyone is reading them! Sssssshh! In this eleventh addition of the dear dumb diary series, Jamie finds herself in a strange situation where she can finally understand something that she has never been able to understand before – BOYS! Jamie asks herself, how is this possible? The only possible explanation must be superpowers..

Dear Dumb Diary: Okay so maybe I do have superpowers by Jim Benton

Kyle Keeley and friends are back in Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics, the sequel to The Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. This time he wants to host the first ever Library Olympics where teams from all across America will battle it out to be crowned champions. Included in this sequel are puzzles for readers to solve and a new mystery involving hundreds of missing books from Mr. Lemoncello’s library.

Mr Lemoncello’s Library Olympics by Chris Garbenstein

In this new graphic novel edition of the very first Baby-sitters club book, Raina Telgemeier describes the journey of four preteen entrepreneurs starting up their successful suburban babysitting business. However, the baby-sitting business isn’t the only thing on the girls minds, when they realise the fourth member of the gang, Stacey, is hiding a big secret. Enjoy this classic book in full-colour graphic novel format.

The Baby-Sitters Club by Raina Telgemeier

A Woodland Wedding is the third book in Rebecca Elliott’s Owl Diaries, which are a part of the Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches. Eva’s teacher, Miss Featherbottom, is getting married and all of her students have been invited. Helpful Eva decides to make a secret wedding planning club, which quickly turns into a detectives club when Miss Featherbottom’s necklace goes missing. Newly independent readers may enjoy practicing their newly acquired reading skills with this easy-to-read and illustrated book.

Owl Diaries: A woodland wedding by Rebecca Elliott

2016 Summer Reading for Year 5 and Year 6

Here are some great books by a variety of authors that you might like to try this summer! These books are suitable for reading alone or reading aloud with a parent. A * next to a title denotes a new book on the list this year. For more new and recommended books, follow SHBlibrary on Pinterest.

Note on borrowing or buying these books: All of these books are available in the library and can be borrowed for the summer. If you wish to purchase them and cannot find them locally, Book Depository (www.bookdepository.com) has a wide selection of books and offers free international shipping.

Fiction

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Black Beauty tells the story of the horse’s own long and varied life, from a well-born colt in a pleasant meadow to an elegant carriage horse for a gentleman to a painfully overworked cab horse.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Jess meets a neighbor girl named Leslie who leads him to the magical world of imagination. This power of imagination also helps him get through one of the most terrible things that will happen to him.

*The Brilliant World of Tom Gates (Tom Gates #1) by Liz Pichon

All Tom Gates wants to do is get tickets to see his favourite band when they come to town. It’s not easy when he’s up against Delia, his weirdo big sister. All of his plans seem to get him into major trouble!

Charlotte’s Web by EB White

The tale of how a little girl named Fern, with the help of a friendly spider, saved her pig Wilbur from the usual fate of nice fat little pigs. An affectionate pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, White reminds readers to open their eyes to the wonder and miracle found in the simplest of things.

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