Sometimes I think I might be a nerd . . .

As I sit here, ordering things for all the branches, certain things intrigue me, amuse me, or otherwise catch my eye. Then I realize what a dork I am for being so intrigued. At least these books are intrinsically cool . . .


The Squampkin Patch by J.T. Petty
You can tell just by the title that Petty has a way with words. This easy-to-read tale of two "temporarily orphaned" children taking up residence in a candy maker's abandoned house is being compared to the works of Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl. SLJ hailed its inventive language and humor, and I think it will be the perfect thing to press into eager young hands.


Golden by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Lissy James can read auras--a skill that comes in handy on her first day at a new high school. When she senses a dark and evil presence at the school, she assumes that it comes from the cruel popular kids, but soon learns otherwise. Who hasn't thought, at one point or another, that the popular crowd was enveloped by a murky dark aura of evil? And what teen won't want to read a book that combines teen chick-lit with supernatural overtones?


Knights of the Hill Country by Tim Tharp
This book is about high school football in Oklahoma, but I think that it will appeal to anyone who has ever played the game or cheered on the local team. With the popularity of such films as Any Given Sunday and Friday Night Lights, this similarly gritty tale will find its audience. And the cover is awesome!




Dracula Vs. Grampa at the Monster Truck Spectacular by Kirk Scroggs
Is the title enough to make you anticipate this book? Do I even need to tell you that this title launches a new series? Should I even bother to mention that there are "Simpsons-style" illustrations on nearly every page? Will it even matter that it's being compared to Captain Underpants? Do you really need to be convinced that the boys in your library will be clamoring for this one?



Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. Blume
Okay . . . I'll admit that I have no idea if this book about a lonely eleven-year-old girl and her friendship with an elderly neighbor is going to be any good. But how can you resist a bright green book with a pug on the cover? Tell me how you do that! And it has the word "audacious" in the title, which is always a good thing.




Butter-Finger by Bob Cattell and John Agard
This book, about an island boy who plays cricket, sounds like your typical learn-about-life sports drama. Except that it's about cricket. Who plays cricket??!?! Either kids will pick it up because they are drawn in by the bright colors on the cover and the foreign mystique of the subject, or they will completely ignore it because cricket is not within their realm of experience. So you should try to convince them all to read it!