Looking for something new and different?

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry: A Novel 

by Fredrik Backman

Bullied at school and left out at home, seven-year-old Elsa relies on her grandmother for love and attention, and she is only too happy to provide it. Granny weaves tall tales of the Land of Almost-Awake, and sets up a quest for Elsa to undertake so that she will not be so alone after Granny, who has cancer, dies. Precocious Elsa delivers the letters Granny has left, and as she does so discovers that her neighbors seem to embody characteristics of the creatures from the Land of Almost Awake... Whimsical and charming, this is just the book for fans of Daniel Wallace's equally offbeat Big Fish. 

The Little Paris Bookshop: A Novel 

by Nina George; translated by Simon Pare

French bookstore owner Jean Perdu considers himself a literary apothecary, prescribing exactly the right books to heal whatever ails his customers. His own heart, however, remains unhealed, at least until an unusual encounter leads him to read a long-sealed letter, which in turn compels him to board his bookshop (yes, it's a floating bookshop on the Seine!) and sail in search of his own happy ending. His journey -- enlivened by quaint French towns, delicious cuisine, and friendly strangers -- made this winsome U.S. debut a bestseller in Europe.  

The Book of Speculation: A Novel 

by Erika Swyler

Having discovered by dint of sheer research (and a mysterious book that landed on his doorstep) that the women in his family all seem to a) have worked for a circus and b) die by drowning on July 24th, Long Island librarian Simon Watson is desperate to prevent his sister from being the next victim of what seems to be a family curse. Chapters alternate between his timeline and an 18th-century circus, and the novel itself is by turns melancholy and magical. Consider yourself a fan of the circus aspects of Erin Morgenstern'sThe Night Circus or Katherine Dunn's Geek Love? You won't want to miss The Book of Speculation.

Want more suggestions? click here! Fiction A to Z July 2015

"A child can ask questions that a wise man cannot answer." ~ Author unknown

Wondering What to Read Next?

New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestsellers July 19, 2015

1. The English Spy by Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and occasional spy for the Israeli secret service, helps British intelligence track down the killer of a beautiful former member of the royal family. 2. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins A psychological thriller set in the environs of London. 3. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr The lives of a blind French girl and a gadget-obsessed German boy before and during World War II; the winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize. 4. Truth or Die by James Patterson and Howard Roughan An attorney discovers a shocking secret that must be kept out of the wrong hands.  5. Finders Keepers by Stephen King A deranged reader's infatuation with a Salingeresque novelist has dangerous consequences in a sequel to Mr. Mercedes. 6. The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand Two friends on Nantucket must deal with damaging gossip about themselves and their husbands. 7. In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume Secrets are revealed and love stories play out against the backdrop of a series of plane crashes in 1950s New Jersey. 8. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Two sisters in World War II France: one struggling to survive in the countryside, the other joining the Resistance in Paris. 9. The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark A designer is drawn into the lives of the family of a hedge fund billionaire who has disappeared suspiciously.  10. Under Fire: A Jack Ryan Jr Novel by Grant Blackwood A former collaborator continues Clancy's series about the covert intelligence expert Jack Ryan Jr. (Clancy died in 2013.) 11. Wicked Charms: A Lizzy and Diesel Novel by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton Lizzy Tucker and her partner, Diesel, join a hunt for buried treasure.  12. The President's Shadow by Brad Meltzer In the third Culper Ring novel, a severed arm is found in the White House Rose Garden. 13. Country by Danielle Steel After her husband's sudden death, a woman falls in love with a country music superstar. 14. Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll The life of a successful New York magazine writer is shaken when secrets from her past are revealed. 15. Radiant Angel: A John Corey Novel by Nelson DeMille A surveillance expert monitors the activities of a newly resurgent Russia. 16. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George A bookseller with a knack for finding just the right book for making others feel better embarks on a journey in pursuit of his own happiness. *A version of this list appears in the July 19, 2015 issue of The New York Times Book Review.

You're The Icing On My Cupcake!

   This past Tuesday evening we had a program at our library that was filled with sweet stories, activities and fun! Here are the stories we read;

 Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake

by Thomas Taylor

When Little Mouse finds a delicious cupcake, all his friends ask if they can have a taste. And Little Mouse, being a very kind mouse, says yes to each one of them. But will there be any left for Little Mouse once all his friends have taken a bite?

 Who Made This Cake?

 by Chihir Nakagawa

 Imagine a birthday cake like no other. What if the people you order your next birthday cake from are tiny, and what if they build cakes the way we build buildings? Tractor-trailers and giant cranes, catwalks, and helicopters. Hundreds of workers. Never have you seen such a construction site!

Piggies in the Kitchen

by Michelle Meadows

When Mama leaves for the day, her piggies have big plans. Sneaking into the kitchen to bake some treats, they make quite a mess—but it’s all for a very special surprise party!

We also had fun playing the following games;

Marshmallow Swap 

What you will need:

• straws
• marshmallows
• plates
• cups

  Place the same amount of marshmallows on each child's plate.  When you say go, they have to move the marshmallows from the plate to the cup by sucking them to the straw and dropping them into the cup. While many of my group found this difficult they enjoyed trying and all made a great effort to complete the task. Perhaps mini marshmallows would work better and prove to make the game easier.

Don't Break My Heart

What you will need: 

• clothes pins
• tissue paper hearts

     Give each child a clothes pin and have them sit in a circle. I clipped my clothes pin onto the tissue paper heart and then passed it to the child on my right.  The idea is to pass the heart around the whole group using only the clothes pin, no hands,  without breaking it. To make the game more difficult, the leader could call out different commands such as, "Stop! Go left!" "Stop! Go right!" "Pass across!" "Pass behind!" This is a fun and very easy game.

Craft:
 Sock Cakes

Ingredients:

• one pair of fuzzy socks (I got mine at the Dollar Store!)
• Tootsie Pops
• Cupcake liners
• cellophane
• ribbon

    Give each child a pair of socks, a tootsie pop and a cupcake liner.  Start by having the children roll up their pair of socks. Instruct them to begin rolling at the toe and be sure to keep the bottom flat (so that the cupcake stands upright).  Once they are finished rolling, use a rubber band to secure the rolled socks. Place the sock cake into a paper cupcake liner and insert Tootsie Pop in the center. Voila! You are done! You can dress up your sock cake by wrapping it in cellophane and adding ribbon. A treat to warm your feet! The perfect gift - a calorie free cupcake!