Bud Werner Memorial Library

Well, I was wrong. Wonder by RJ Palacio, did not win the Newbery this year, not even an honor medal! However, these fabulous books did!

2013 Newbery Award Winner - for the best literature written for children:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a book that stays with you for a very long time. It is hands down the best book (adult or children's) that I've read this year, and 2012 was a great reading year for me! If I were a school administrator I would require every fifth and sixth grade student to read this book, and maybe even up into the high school grades. The story of ten-year-old, August (Auggie) Pullman, truly shows how we shine from the inside and not from merely our appearances.

I love lists. When my mind is jumbled with  the hundred things to get done in a day, there is nothing more satisfying then to sit down and write out a to-do list. The tasks on the list get crossed off one by one, and my earlier panic gives way to a sense of relief. Sometimes I will write something down after I've done it, just to get the satisfaction of then crossing it off.

Finding the right leveled book for your young reader can be a challenge. There are several different reading level systems that have been developed by the education field: ATOS or AR levels, Lexile Levels, Scholastic's Guided Reading Levels, and Recovery Reading Levels. Click here for a very helpful Leveling Resource Guide created by Enslow Book Publishing that compares the levels with the actual grade your child is in.

Need a great audiobook for the whole family?

Click here for a great list of audiobooks for Kids & Families, compiled by Audiofile Magazine.

Teen listeners and fans of YA literature can download two complete audiobooks every week in the summer for free on the Sync YA website.

There's also thousands of titles available for free with your library card through Overdrive.

"Find a Book, Colorado" is a fun and easy tool that allows parents to select books based on a Lexile measure and interests. This free search tool builds custom book lists for readers at all ability levels, and then allows readers to locate selections in the Bud Werner Library's Catalog.

1. Go to www.lexile.com/fab/colorado

Here are some hot new releases in Kids' books, great for summer reading!

Middle Grade J Fiction:

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict (The Mysterious Benedict Society)
by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Release Date: April 10, 2012

Big Nate: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
by Lincoln Peirce
Release Date: May 1, 2012

My New Year's Resolution for 2012 is to read over a hundred books this year. I've decided to include picture books because not only are they of high literary quality, they have pretty pictures and are usually quite thin. Here are some brand new picture books that I think are worthy of 5 stars.

Last night, I stayed up until 2 am finishing "Icefall" by Matthew J. Kirby. When I first picked this YA book up I quickly dubbed it a “boy book” judging by its cover. That’s what I get for generalizing (note the long blond braid on the hooded stranger's shoulder).

Question: "My child is in 4th grade and is already reading books located in the Teen section. Should I be concerned?"