Books for children - April 1

BOOKS TO BORROW

"The Report Card" by Andrew Clements, Simon & Schuster, 173 pages

Read aloud: age 8 and older.

Read yourself: age 8 and older.

Do grades and standardized test really measure a person's intelligence? Not according to fifth grader Nora Rowley, and Nora plans to prove she's right.

Nora is a genius, but she's the only one who knows that. She discovered her genius when she was a little girl but didn't want to stand out, so Nora intentionally always has been an average student. But with standardized tests making her friends and classmates nervous, Nora decides it's time to take action.

LIBRARIAN'S CHOICE

Library: Public Library of New London, 63 Huntington St., New London

Library Director: Suzanne Maryeski

Head of Youth Services: Cris Staubach

Choices this week: "Scuffy the Tugboat" by Gertrude Crampton; "Down in the Woods" by Nicola Smee; "Boy Who Dreamed of an Acorn" by Shonto Begay

AT THE BOOKSTORE

"The Cloud Spinner" by Michael Catchpool, illustrated by Alison Jay, Alfred A. Knopf, 2012, 32 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 4 and older.

Read yourself: age 7 and 8.

There was once a boy who could weave the most extraordinary cloth from the clouds. His mother had taught him this magical skill, but she had also told him that he should only weave enough cloth to make what he needed; not one stitch more.

One day, when the boy was in the village, the King rode through town, noticed the boy's magnificent cloth scarf, and told the boy to make scarves and cloaks and dresses galore for the royal family. The boy told the King that his request wasn't wise, but this enraged the King who then said, "I want those clothes and I order you to make them!'" The boy set off to work, knowing this was a bad choice.

"a bus called heaven" written and illustrated by Bob Graham, Candlewick, 2012, 40 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 3, 4 and older.

Read yourself: age 7 and 8.

An old, abandoned bus suddenly appeared one morning outside of Stella's house. Stella knew right away that there was something magical about it. In an odd way, many people in the city thought so too. Little did any of them know how this abandoned bus would bring many, many people together in the very best of ways.

Filled with colorful characters, intriguing story line and his usual delightful artwork, author/illustrator Bob Graham has once again delivered an awesome book.

www.greatestbooksforkids.com