Mercer Island, WA 98040 
What We are Reading
Two Bobbies, by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery
Bobby and Bob Cat are the best of friends. When their hometown of New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina, many lost everything -- but not Bobby and Bob Cat. They still had each other. Only be staying together could they survive. This is the story of their remarkable friendship. Ages 4 to 8.
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, by Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury
In their first-ever collaboration, Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury, two of today's most gifted picture book creators, deliver a gorgeously simple book that celebrates baby fingers, baby toes, and the joy they -- and the babies they belong to -- bring to everyone. Ages 3 to 5.
Frankenstein Takes the Cake, by Adam Rex
In a wickedly funny follow-up to the bestselling Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, Frankenstein is determined to marry his undead bride in peace, but the other monsters -- and even Edgar Allan Poe -- are preventing that from happening. Ages 5 to 10.
Artemis Fowl: the time Paradox, by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl, teenage criminal mastermind, has solved temporal equations that no normal human should be able to understand. So when a confused and frightened demon pops up in a Sicilian theater, Artemis Fowl is there to meet him. Unfortunately, Artemis is not the only one, in this sixth exciting installment. Ages 12 to 17.
The 13 Clocks, by James Thurber
In James Thurber's sublimely revamped fairy tale, The 13 Clocks, a wicked Duke imagines he has killed time, and the Duke's beautiful niece, for whom time seems to have run out, both meet their match, courtesy of an enterprising and very handsome prince in disguise. Readers young and old will take pleasure in this tale of love forestalled but ultimately fulfilled. Ages 9 to 12.
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank You Notes, by Peggy Gifford
Moxy is not thrilled that she must write a thank-you note for each of her Christmas gifts or she will not be allowed to attend a Hollywood bash with her long-absent father. After her father cancels at the last minute, Moxy is forced to deal with the reality of a situation she doesn't want to accept. Ages 8 to 12.
Dragon Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima
A plane shows up at a gate in Chicago's O'Hare airport where one wasn't before. Air traffic control reports no flights due in that gate at that time. Even stranger: there's no pilot, and the plane's only passengers are babies. Thirteen years later, two of these babies begin receiving notes reading You are one of the missing. Find out how these two boys discover where they're really from and how to avoid getting sent back. Ages 8 to 12.
Savvy, by Ingrid Law
For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a savvy -- a supernatural power they acquire at 13. On the eve of Mibs's big day, she finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up. This book's opening line draws the reader immediately in to a fantastic world: "When my brother Fish turned 13, we moved to the deepest part of inland because of the hurricane and, of course, the fact that he caused it." Ages 9 to 11.
Honeybee: Poems and Short Prose, by Naomi Shihab Nye
Nye pays tribute to the essentials in life --loved ones, memories, the planet -- in this new collection of more than 80 poems sure to leave readers feeling curiously sweeter and profoundly soothed. Not all of these poems have to do with bees, but read them aloud and listen to the "busyness" of them. Here's to the small things! Ages 12 to 14.
Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow
When 17-year-old Marcus Yallow skips school, he finds himself implicated in a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. More than just fodder for Matrix fans, Little Brother is also a morality tale for the post 9/11 world. Recommended for those who like a message along with their entertainment. Ages 13 and up.
The Patron Saint of Butterflies,
by Cecilia Galante
Agnes and Honey have lived their entire lives in Mount Pleasant, a commune with a charismatic leader, Emmanuel. But where Agnes is devoted, even emulating the saints she reads about by mortifying her body, Honey is desperate for a way out. That comes in the form of Nana Pete, who learns about the physical discipline that goes on in the Regulation Room. When another child has a serious accident, which Emmanuel tries to heal with a miracle, Nana Pete whisks all three children away. The story, both past and present, unfolds in alternating chapters told by Agnes and Honey. Ages 12 and up.
The Red Necklace: A Story of the French Revolution, by Sally Gardner
In her first novel since the breaktrough I, Coriander, Sally Gardner once again blends the magical with the historical. This novel is set in 1789 France. Yann is a Gypsy boy with an uncanny ability to throw his voice; Sido is the daughter of a nasty aristocrat. Together, can they escape the evil Count Kalliovski? Ages 10 to 14.
