Cool New Books for December

There are lots of great holiday books available this season. But if you're looking for stories that aren't about Santa Claus or snowmen, check out these cool new books --- they're appropriate during all times of the year!

BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY'S GREAT BIG DINOSAUR DIG
by Bill Nye
illustrated by Michael Koelsch
Hyperion Press
ISBN: 0786805420
Ages 7-10
48 pages

Ancient dinosaurs lived over 65 million years ago, but they have fascinated human beings since the first fossil discovery. In this book, science expert and television celebrity Bill Nye the Science Guy tells us how dinosaurs became fossils, how they must have behaved and why we call their descendants "birds." Featuring over thirty different species of dinosaurs, each chapter has an easy-to-follow experiment that readers can do at home.

HOW BEN FRANKLIN STOLE THE LIGHTNING
by Rosalyn Schanzer
Harpercollins Juvenile Books
ISBN: 0688169937
Ages 6-12
40 pages

Ben Franklin was the most famous American in the entire world during colonial times. That's certainly no surprise. After all, the man could do just about anything. He was an author, an athlete, a patriot, a scientist and an inventor! He even found a way to steal the lightning right out of the sky. Is such a thing possible? Take a look inside and find Mr. Franklin busy at work on every page. Then find out how he used his discovery about lightning to make people's lives safer.

ON THE ICE WITH... MARIO LEMIEUX
Matt Christopher Sports Series
by Matt Christopher
Little Brown & Co
ISBN: 0316137995
Ages 9-12
111 pages

Hockey has been a part of Mario Lemieux's life since his childhood. At the age of six, he was holding his own against boys four years older; by the time he was sixteen, he had captured the attention of the National Hockey League and, soon after, signed on with NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. At the 2002 Olympic Winter Games he captained the Canadian hockey team, leading them in their gold medal winning performance. In this highly informative book, learn all about the man who had to overcome much adversity to become one of the superstars of the NHL.

ONE MORE VALLEY, ONE MORE HILL: The Story of Aunt Clara Brown
by Linda Lowery
Random House
ISBN: 0375810927
Ages 9-12
144 pages

Author Linda Lowery chronicles the extraordinary but little-known life of black pioneer Aunt Clara Brown. Aunt Clara bought herself out of slavery, crossed the country on foot to reach the frontier, became a wealthy entrepreneur, aided other freed slaves and eventually tracked down her lost daughter, sold away from Clara 47 years before. This is truly an inspiring piece of American history.

TAKE TWO, THEY'RE SMALL
by Elizabeth Levy
illustrated by Mark Elliott
HarperCollins Juvenile Books
ISBN: 0060285923
Ages 7-10
96 pages

Eve wants fourth grade to be different. She has decided that this is the year she's going to make new friends. What she doesn't need is help from Amy and May, her twin sisters, who are just starting kindergarten. Then Eve learns her class is to be teamed up with the kindergartners in a buddy program. There's no getting away from the twin terrors! The buddy program pairs one fourth-grader with each kindergartner. You'd think the odds would be against Eve being stuck with one of her sisters. Eve is sure that having her twin sisters around in school will mean nothing but trouble, but maybe a little trouble is just what she needs to shake up her life! This funny novel is all about family and friends --- and what happens when you mix the two.

ME AND UNCLE ROMIE
by Claire Hartfield
illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue
Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0803725205
Ages 5-8
40 pages

The train's coming! James can't wait to get on board because he's visiting his uncle way up north in New York City. But he wishes he could take a little bit of home along with him, like the special birthday cake Mama always makes. Will Uncle Romie, who's some kind of artist, know about things like that? Redaers will feel as if they're discovering the city's wonders and making an unexpected friend right along with James in this vibrant story.

PABLO PICASSO: Breaking All The Rules (Smart About Art)
written and illustrated by True Kelley
Grosset & Dunlap
ISBN: 0448428628
Ages 5-9
32 pages

Simon Packard didn't always want to do his artist report on Pablo Picasso. But after his twin brother Stephen does a report on Monet, Simon's favorite artist, Simon chooses Picasso by default. There are reproductions of Pablo Picasso's masterpieces throughout this book --- as well as Simon's own drawings --- and wonderful nuggets of information that will undoubtedly appeal to kids.

THE SWEETEST OF HEARTS
Random House Disney
Disney Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0736420150
Ages 4-8
10 pages

The Disney Princesses pop to life in this heart-shaped deluxe pop-up book with flaps to lift, removable invitations to the ball and much more!

--- Selected and written by Tom Donadio

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