Author Glynn Singleton will appear at Black Bear Books to promote and sign his newest children's book, Buddy Boy Brooks Takes the Wheel.

May 24, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

For additional information, contact Erin Thompson at Black Bear Books.

828.264.4636 or erin@blackbearbooks.com

In the tradition of Pecos Bill, Johnny Appleseed, and Paul Bunyan, Buddy Boy Brooks sails in as new folk hero to children and parents alike. Born with a full-grown beard and an indomitable spirit, Buddy enters the world destined to be a riverboat captain. By the age of three, Buddy has charmed all the four-legged critters living in the swampy bayou. His dreams come true faster than anyone imagines when eight-year-old Buddy meets four old riverboat captains and accepts a challenge that will change his life. Join Buddy Boy Brooks as he navigates his way down the mighty Mississippi and into American history.

Glynn Singleton has had careers in the armed forces, the railroad industry, and the postal service. He lives in Memphis, Tennessee. Carissa Carisse is an artist whose illustrations, photographs, and sculptures have been shown in the Pensacola Museum of Art and the Selby Gallery in Sarasota. She lives in Pensacola, Florida.

The book is appropriate for children ages 4-8.

The Book Nook, with Black Bear Books

Kindergarten and First Grade are such exciting times for parents of young readers and there are so many different titles and resources available for you to explore with your new reader. Don’t feel like you have to give up reading to your children at this age, they’ll still love sharing that time with you and it will improve their reading skills to follow along with you as you read. “We Both Read” books are a great way to take turns reading from the same book. While parents read a more difficult passage : “Now Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter, said old Mrs. Rabbit, ’You may go down the lane to gather berries, but don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s garden: your Father had an accident there, he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.”, children read simpler text: “Flopsy went to pick berries. Mopsy went to pick berries. Cottontail went to pick berries, too. But not Peter.” Difficult words in the child’s text are introduced in bold lettering in the parent’s text.

Different publishers may use different demarcations to rate the reading level of their books. Some use numbers and some use letters, but the scale usually refers to the same skill sets.

Level One - Ready to Read

• Simple sentences
• Big type
• Easy words
• Picture Clues
• Rhyme and Rhythm

Level Two - Reading with Help

• Basic vocabulary (recognizable)
• Longer sentences and stories
• Easy-to-follow format

Level Three - Reading on Your Own

• Character development
• Popular topics
• Varied sentence structure
• Designed to promote independent reading

Level Four - Reading Paragraphs

• More challenging vocabulary
• Short paragraphs
• Fiction and nonfiction titles
• Emphasis on reading for meaning

Level Five - Ready for Chapters

• Longer paragraphs
• Chapters
• Corresponding artwork
• Series include Junie B. Jones, The Magic Treehouse and The Secrets of Droon, among others.

Your child’s teacher can clue you in as to what level your child is reading on, but if you feel that a book is too difficult or too easy for them it can’t hurt to try out a different level. Early exposure to books at the correct reading level is a great way to ensure a life-long love of reading! Books that are too hard can be off-putting, while books that are too easy won’t help them advance as quickly as they might. Use your best judgment!

The Black Bear Books children’s section maintains a separate shelf for leveled books to make them easy to find. Beginning chapter books are also available.

Black Bear Books also offers a Children's Story Hour from 3-4 on Sundays. You can bring your laptop and go online with their free WiFi access, have a cup of great coffee, ad chat while your children are being entertained!

Erin Thompson, 26, is a relatively new transplant to Boone. After graduating from Elon University and spending a few years in Baltimore, she moved back to the area to pursue her Master's degree in Public Administration. She started working in her family's bookstore, Black Bear Books, and fell in love with the book industry, especially on a small-town scale. She especially enjoys introducing children and young adults to the books she enjoyed as a kid and is always happy to make a recommendation.

Children's Book Nook, by Erin Thompson

Please welcome Erin, from Black Bear Books, who has agreed to be our Children's Literature columnist. Twice a month, she'll keep us abreast of what's going on in the Children's Book world. Erin and I had coffee in the children's section the other day, and I learned a lot about her passion for kid's books. If you have any questions, or are looking for a topic for someone special, Erin can help you find whatever you need.

Black Bear Books also offers a Children's Story Hour from 3-4 on Sundays. You can bring your laptop and go online with their free WiFi access, have a cup of great coffee, ad chat while your children are being entertained!

It’s hard to know where to start when you’re writing about Kid’s and Young Adult literature – there’s just too much to choose from! This month was easy though, the American Library Association (the ALA) recently announced their 2008 award winners, including the John Newberry Medal (for an exceptional contribution), the Randolph Caldecott Medal (for excellence in illustration) and the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award (for a distinguished American contribution to beginning readers), among others. These books are always a great choice, especially if you’re not sure what to get.

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This year’s Caldecott Medal was awarded to “The Invention of Hugo Cabret”, by Brian Selznik. This book is awesome! It is appropriate for ages 9-12, and even though it looks intimidating, make sure to page through it before you decide; more than half the pages contain beautiful black and white illustrations. It’s the story of Hugo, an orphan who lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station. Anonymity and secrets are key to his survival until he encounters an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the train station. Hugo’s undercover life and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man and a hidden message from Hugo’s dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender and spellbinding mystery.

Caldecott Honor Books included:

“First the Egg” by Laura Vaccaro Seeger; ages 4-8

“Henry’s Freedom Box” by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson; ages 4-8

“Knuffle Bunny Too” by Mo Williams; ages 3-6

“The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain” by Peter Sis; ages 8+

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The 2008 Newberry Prize was awarded to “GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! Voices from a Medieval Village” by Laura Amy Schlitz and Illustrated by Robert Byrd. Appropriate for ages 10+. Maidens, monks and millers’ sons --- in these pages, readers will meet them all. There’s Hugo, the lord’s nephew, forced to prove his manhood by hunting a wild boar; sharp-tongued Nelly, who supports her family by selling live eels; and the peasant’s daughter, Mogg, who gets a clever lesson in how to save a cow from a greedy landlord. There’s also mud-slinging Barbary (and her noble victim); Jack, the compassionate half-wit; Alice, the singing shepherdess; and many more.

Newberry Honor Books included:

“Elijah of Buxton” by Christopher Paul Curtis; ages 9+

“Feathers” by Jacqueline Wilson; ages 8+

“The Wednesday Wars” by Gary D. Schmidt; ages 10+

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The 2008 Theodore Seuss Geisel Award was given to “THERE IS A BIRD ON YOUR HEAD!”, written and illustrated by Mo Williams and recommended for ages 4-8. In “THERE IS A BIRD ON YOUR HEAD!”, Gerald discovers that there is something worse than a bird on your head --- two birds on your head! Can Piggie help her best friend?

Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Books included:

“First the Egg” by Laura Vaccaro Seeger; ages 4-8

“Hello, Bumblebee Bat” by Darrin Lunde, illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne; ages 3-6

“Jazz Baby” by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie; ages 3-7

“Vulture View” by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Steve Jenkins; ages 4-8

You can find these books, plus other Mom Squad recommendations, in the Kids Section at Black Bear Books.

Erin Thompson, 26, is a relatively new transplant to Boone. After
graduating from Elon University and spending a few years in Baltimore, she moved back to the area to pursue her Master's degree in Public Administration. She started working in her family's bookstore, Black Bear Books, and fell in love with the book industry, especially on a small-town scale. She especially enjoys introducing children and young adults to the books she enjoyed as a kid and is always happy to make a recommendation.


Leave your favorite children's book title in the comments, and we'll see about getting it on the Mom Squad Recommended table at Black Bear Books!