Storyline Online

Storyline Online

The King of Slippery Falls by Sid Hite

From chapters.ca:
Lewis Hinton is in pursuit of two things--an elusive giant trout and his true identity. His adoptive parents, Martha & Avery Hinton, know they must let him search for clues about his past. His eccentric neighbour, Mrs. Baderhoovernisterah, advises him to heed the plot twisters in life. His best friend, Amanda Dot, just wants him to fall in love with her. And the townspeople of Slippery Falls are determined to discover if the letter from Lewis's birth mother confirms the rumour--Is he descended from French royalty? Could this simple boy from Idaho really be a king?

The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey

From the back of the book:
When you are asleep, when the sky is dark and the streets are shadowy, someone and his dog are up. They are working. They are happiest then, the dog running and sniffing and growling at cats, the boy pedalling his bike thinking his thoughts, tossing the morning paper to house after house as slowly, softly, Saturday dawns.

Harlem by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Christopher Myers

From the back of the book:
Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and James Baldwin have sung their songs about Harlem. Now Walter Dean Myers joins their chorus in calling to life the deep, rich, and hope-filled history of this community, this crucible of American culture.

The Serpent Came to Gloucester by M. T. Anderson, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

From the back of the book:
In a small Massachusetts fishing village in August of 1817, dozens of citizens reported seeing an enormous sea serpent swimming off the coast. Initially terrified of the creature, the people of Gloucester eventually became quite accustomed to their new neighbour. Though many people came to study and hunt the serpent, the creature eluded capture. The serpent was - and remains - a complete mystery.

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

From the back of the book:
A little bunny keeps running away from his mother in an imaginative and imaginary game of verbal hide-and-seek.

A Treeful of Pigs by Arnold Lobel, illustrated by Anita Lobel

From the back of the book:
It was the farmer's idea to buy the pigs. "We will look after them together," he promised his wife. But when they got the pigs home, the farmer was too busy sleeping to help - even when the pigs bloomed in the garden like flowers, or hung, like apples, from the tree. For a while the farmer's wife did all the work, until the day came when she decided to wake her husband up, once and for all...

Flat Stanley by Jef Brown, illustrated by Scott Nash

From the back of the book:
After a bulletin board falls on him in the night, flattening him to half an inch thick, Stanley finds out that being flat ca be fun: He flies like a kits, travels to California in an over sized envelope, and even helps capture two art thieves! But what happens when bring flat stops being fun? Is it possible for Stanley even to be ordinary again?

The Red Book by Barbara Lehman

From the back of the book:
This book is about a book. A magical red book without any words - just like the one in your hands right now. So what are you waiting for? Turn the page to experience a new kind of adventure through the power of story.

What do you do with a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

From the back of the book:
Explore the many amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet, and tails in this beautifully illustrated interactive guessing book.

Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People by Bonnie Christensen

From the back of the book:
This book celebrates the life and times and the spirit of an American original - the great fold musician Woody Guthrie. His most famous song, "This Land is Your Land," is sung by schoolchildren today nearly as often as [the American] national anthem. And his songs expressing the thoughts and feelings of ordinary Americans during the Great Depressions and the 1940s are still heard whnever people gather to sing out for peace or the environment or justice.

Pinduli by Janell Cannon

From the back of the book:
Pinduli's mama has always told her that she's the most beautiful hyena ever. But Dog, Lion, and ebra don't think so. Why else would they make her feel so rotten about her big ears, her fuzzy mane, and her wiggly stripes? Pinduli just wants to disappear, and she tries everything she can think of to make that happen. Yet nothing goes her way. Nothing, that is, until she triggers a surprising chain of events...

Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food by Jessica Seinfeld

From chapters.ca:
It has become common knowledge that childhood obesity rates are increasing every year. But the rates continue to rise. And between busy work schedules and the inconvenient truth that kids simply refuse to eat vegetables and other healthy foods, how can average parents ensure their kids are getting the proper nutrition and avoiding bad eating habits?...[This] book is filled with traditional recipes that kids love, except they’re stealthily packed with veggies hidden in them so kids don’t even know! With the help of a nutritionist and a professional chef, Seinfeld has developed a month’s worth of meals for kids of all ages that includes, for example, pureed cauliflower in mac and cheese, and kale in spaghetti and meatballs. She also provides revealing and humorous personal anecdotes, tear–out shopping guides to help parents zoom through the supermarket, and tips on how to deal with the kid that "must have" the latest sugar bomb cereal.

Having tried a number of the recipes myself, I have to say that you really can't tell that the veggies are in there!

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey

From chapters.ca:
Alfred Kropp was just trying to survive high school when his guardian uncle gets him roped into a suspicious get-rich-quick scheme that changes his life forever: stealing Excalibur--the legendary sword of King Arthur. But after Alfred unwittingly delivers the sword into the hands of a man with enormously evil intentions, he sets off on an unlikely quest to try to right his wrong and save the world from imminent destruction. This gripping, fast-paced, hilarious novel is both a thrilling adventure story and an engaging account of one boy's coming of age.

Alphabeasts by Wallace Edwards

From Lookybook:
From the weird and wonderful imagination of an amazing new artist comes an alphabet book like no other. Kids will delight in discovering animals from A to Z living together in an old Victorian mansion. They’ll meet an elephant in the ballroom playing with a model train, an octopus hanging from the foyer chandelier — and even a zebra enjoying a soak in the bathtub!

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small

From the back of the book:
Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds, plenty of stationary, and a passion for gardening to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a cantankerous baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, brightening the bakery and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece, which she hopes will be powerful enough to make even Uncle Jim smile.

The Stray Dog by Marc Simont

From the back of the book:
WHen a little dog appears at a family picnic, the girl and boy play with im all afternoon, and they name him Willy. At day's end they say good-bye. But the dog has won their hearts and stays on their minds. The following Saturday the family returns to the picnic grounds to look for Willy, but they are not alone - the dogcatcher is looking for him, too...
Based on a true story from Reiko Sassa

A Nest Full of Eggs by Priscilla Belz Jenkins, illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell

From the back of the book:
"Peep, peep." A tiny beak pokes through a beautiful blue eggshell. Crack! Out rolls a baby robin. At last, the baby robin has emerged from the egg laid by its mother twelve days ago. Robins are born almost naked but soon start growing soft down coats and flight feathers. In their carefully build nests, robin parents feed heir babies juicy earthworms and berries until they learn how to fly.

The Knight Who Took all Day by James Mayhew

From the back of the book:
A foolish knight longs to impress a golden-haired princess. To display his marvellous skills with shield and sword, all he needs is a dragon. But when one finally appears on the horizon, breathing streams of fire, will he be ready in time to save the kingdom? Or is this knight more interested in appearances than action?

The Party by Barbara Reid

From chapters.ca:
It's Gran's birthday, and the whole family is celebrating with a big party! While the adults enjoy the festivities, the children have their own kind of fun! There are hiding places to find, fabulous make-believe games to play, delicious food to eat, and a scrumptious birthday cake along with a rousing family rendition of "Happy Birthday To You!" All too soon, the party is over for another year and the sleepy little party-goers are packed into the car to go home. What a wonderful time they have had!

Monkey Business by Wallace Edwards

From chapters.ca:
Wallace Edwards, the award-winning author of Alphabeasts, has returned with a brilliant collection of illustrated idioms. From a fish opening a “can of worms” to a tap-dancing octopus putting his “best foot forward,” these familiar sayings are reimagined in hilarious and unexpected ways.

First Snow by Bernette Ford, illustrated by Sebastien Braun

From Lookybook:
Bundle up and follow Bunny and his brothers and sisters as they tiptoe out into the wonder world of the first snow of winter. Everything looks new and fresh as chipmunk gathers pine cones and children build snowmen.

Cross a Bridge by Ryan Ann Hunter, illustrated by Edward Miller

A book about bridges for pre-schoolers and young children.

I am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Ken Nutt

From chapters.ca:
In this companion volume to Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, the winner of the 1989 Newbery Medal, Paul Fleischman celebrates the sound, the sense, the essence of birds. Written to be spoken aloud by two voices, sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous, these poems perfectly capture the beauty of birds in their singing, soaring, and rejoicing.

Jouful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Eric Beddows

From chapters.ca:
Kids have this thing for critters that keeps their minds crawling over anything that involves say a spider or a fly. Put this fascination into poetry and you have Joyful Noise a collection of verses and rhymes told simultaneously from two perspectives that serve to further this insect fascination. Emanating from Paul Fleischman’s pen and accompanied by Eric Beddows’ befitting illustrations, this Newbery Medal-winning collection is sure to capture your child’s imagination with its blend of wit and adventure. Beautifully rendered it tells of the insect world, from the short life of the mayfly to the love song of the book louse.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

From chapters.ca:
What? A princess?? Me??? Yeah, right. Mia Thermopolis is pretty sure there’s nothing worse than being a five-foot-nine, flat-chested freshman, who also happens to be flunking Algebra. Is she ever in for a surprise. First Mom announces that she’s dating Mia’s Algebra teacher. Then Dad has to go and reveal that he is the crown prince of Genovia. And guess who still doesn’t have a date for the Cultural Diversity Dance?

Whales on Stilts! By M. T. Anderson

From chapters.ca:
What sort of madman would unleash an army of stilt-walking, laser-beaming, thoroughly angry whales upon the world? Who cares! All that matters is that his dastardly plan be foiled. Lucky for Lily Gefelty, her two best friends are the intrepid stars of their own middle-grade series novels: Jasper Dash (better know as the Boy Technonaut) and Katie Mulligan (beloved by millions as the heroine of the Horror Hollow series). It's going to take all their smarts to stop this insane, inane plot from succeeding.

Graven Images: Three Stories by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by John Jude Palencar

From Paul Fleischman's Web Site:
A wooden boy, a copper saint, a marble statue: Three graven images at the heart of three tales--a comedy of errors and two spine-tinglers.

The Other Side of Truth by Beverley Naidoo

From the back of the book:
Twelve-year-old Sade's journalist father is a vocal critic of the corrupt military government in Nigeria. When Sade's mother is murdered, her family sees in bloody detail the violent risks that come with exposing the truth. Her father arranges for Sade and her younger brother to be smuggled to their uncle in London for safety. On the streets of London, the plans fall apart and they are abandoned, passed from foster home to foster home. They try to contact their uncle but he is missing. Then they learn that their father has escaped to London to find them - but he will be sent back to Nigeria, unless Sade can find a way to tell the world what happened to her family.

My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks and Other Funny Familiy Portraits by Hanoch Piven

This is a good book for programming with young children. Get them to make family portraits that reflect what the people in their family are like.

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney

From the back of the book:
It's Saturday, and Mama has just a little sopping to do with Llama Llama. Bread and pasta, socks and shoes. Up one aisle. Down another. Mama has a long shopping list...Is Llama Llama having a good time? NO! Before Mama Llama knows it, everything she put in the shopping cart is now flying out of it! Llama Llama is mad! He doesn't want to be shopping - he wants to be playing. It's another llama drama!

Sequel to Llama Llama Red Pajama

George Shrinks by William Joyce

From chapters.ca:
George wakes up to quite a surprise one morning--that he's shrunk to the size of a spoon!

The Sons of the Dragon King by Ed Young

From the back of the book:
The Dragon King has sent his nine sons out to find their places in the world, but rumours abound- each son is apparently as aimless as the net! One son does nothing but stare into space, another spends his day frolicking in a stream, another plays with fire, and still another hollers and yells from noon till night. The king realizes it's time to visit each son to see if the rumours are true. What he finds surprises him, for each son has a very special fight that continues to serve and enrich China's culture to this very day.

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

The famous story of a family of mallard ducks in Boston that stopped traffic.

The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela

From the back of the book:
In the mountains of Ethiopia, a girl named Almaz vows that one day her honey will be the best in the land. But the other beekeepers laugh her away and tell her it's men's work. Almaz refuses to take no for an answer and uses her smarts to prove them all wrong.

Mrs. Crump's Cat by Linda Smith, illustrated by David Roberts

Mrs. Crump opens her door one day to find a cat sitting there, wet from the rain. She doesn't want a cat, but she feels sorry for it, and lets it in to dry itself. Now what will she do with it?

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller

From chapters.ca:
Annie Sullivan was little more than a half-blind orphan with a fiery tongue when she arrived at Ivy Green in 1887. Desperate for work, she'd taken on a seemingly impossible job -- teaching a child who was deaf, blind, and as ferocious as any wild animal. But Helen Keller needed more than a teacher. She needed someone daring enough to work a miracle. And if anyone was a match for Helen, it was the girl they used to call Miss Spitfire. For Annie, reaching Helen's mind meant losing teeth as raging fists flew. It meant standing up when everyone else had given up. It meant shedding tears at the frustrations and at the triumphs. By telling this inspiring story from Annie Sullivan's point of view, Sarah Miller's debut novel brings an amazing figure to sharp new life. Annie's past, her brazen determination, and her connection to the girl who would call her Teacher have never been clearer.

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

From chapters.ca:
Set against a backdrop of life on a medieval manor, here is a young girl's account of her 14th year. Catherine feels trapped because her father is determined to marry her off to a rich man. By wit, trickery, and luck, she manages to send several would-be husbands packing. Then comes a man from the north--the oldest, the ugliest, and the richest.

Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq by Mark Alan Stamaty

From the back of the book:
Inspired by a true story, Alia's Mission is the dramatic account of Alia Muhammad Baker, the chief librarian of the Central Library in Basra, Iraq, who undertook a mission of epic proportions. It is 2004. As the war in Iraq draws closer and closer to Basra, Alia grows increasingly fearful that the irreplaceable treasures of her library are in grave danger. Her please to government officials go ignored, so Alia comes up with a plan of her own. Determined to preserve the history and culture f her people, Alia, with the help of her neighbours, who assist her at the risk of their own lives, smuggles over 30,000 previous volumes to safety.

This story has also inspired a picture book.

I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

From the publisher:
The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE, the latest in chemical warfare in science; and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes computer class. So in truth, Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but its really a school for spies. Cammie Morgan is a second generation Gallagher Girl, and by her sophomore year shes already fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti).But the one thing the Gallagher Academy hasn't prepared her for is what to do when she falls for an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without his ever being the wiser, but can she have a regular relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy in training, but in her sophomore year, she's beginning her most dangerous mission: she's falling in love.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

From the back of the book:
When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvellous. But there’s another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go. Coraline will have to fight with all her wits and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.

Messenger by Lois Lowry

From chapters.ca:
For the past six years, Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man, known for his special sight. Village was a place that welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.

A sort of sequel to The Giver

The Trucker by Brenda and Mark Weatherby

From the back of the book:
Early one morning, while Wesley was playing quietly in his room, something odd began to happen to his red semi-flatbed rig. First it began to rattle and shake. Then it grew, and it grew, and it GREW!

Little Smudge by Lionel le Neouanic

From the back of the book:
Little Smudge is lonely. But the colourful little shapes don't want to play with Little Smudge. That is, until they see the amazing shapes that Little Smudge can form, and just how unique a smudge can be...

Dim Sum for Everyone! by Grace Lin

A short, easy picture book that tells a little about the food and customs of dim sum.

A Three Hat Day by Laura Geringer, illustrated by Arnold Lobel

From the back of the book:
R. R. Pottle the Third has a truly wonderful, extra-extraordinary collection of hats. But happiness eludes him. He is lonely and dreams of meeting a perfect wife - who will, of course, be wearing a perfect hat. One day, a day so bad that R. R. Pottle wears not one, not two, but three hats at once, his dream comes true in the best possible way.

Ginger Finds a Home by Charlotte Voatie

From the back of the book:
Cold, hungry, and alone, the little orange cat is very surprised one day to find a plate of delicious food among the weeds where he lives. The next day, another plate appears - and also a little girl. Frightened, the little cat runs away. But the little girl returns again and again.

The Mistmantle Chronicles by M. I. McAllister

Book 1: Urchin of the Riding Stars

From chapters.ca:
A young squirrel determines his true destiny in this Redwall read-alike by British author M.I. McAllister. A foundling discovered on the rocky shore of Mistmantle Island, Urchin has been raised by the peaceful order of rodents and otters that live and work on the magical isle. Now almost grown, the young squirrel wants nothing more than to serve as page to one of the dashing Captains that make up King Brushen's personal guard. He gets his chance when Captain Crispin appoints Urchin his "right-paw squirrel." But on Urchin's very first morning in the Tower, the King's only son is found murdered and Crispin is accused of the crime! Urchin can only look on helplessly while his mentor is banished from court. Meanwhile, power hungry Captain Husk and Lady Aspen continue to fill the devastated royal couple's ears with treachery, and their cups with sleeping draughts. Urchin is desperate to prove Crispin's innocence, but who will believe an orphan of questionable origins? Born under a sky of shooting stars, Urchin is destined to do great deeds, perhaps even save all of Mistmantle. But first, he must believe...Entertaining but predictable, this simply told medieval fable brings nothing new to the growing body of children's animal fantasies. However, it will serve as a steppingstone for those young readers not quite ready for the detailed descriptions and hearty brogues of Brian Jacques's ever popular and endlessly replicating Redwall series

The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig byJacqueline Briggs Martin

From chapters.ca:
Radiant, elegantly textured illustrations capture the very heart of this unusual story about a divining rod, a beloved pig, and a quiet granddaughter with gifts of her own to uncover. Together, word and image reveal that there is indeed much more to this world than what we see.

Up Above and Down Below by Sue Redding

We usually know what happens on the level we see, but what is happening below us?