Children's Department - Books of the Month
Igraine the Brave
by Cornelia Funke (juvenile fiction)
Ages 9-12
Igraine was no ordinary soon-to-be-12-year-old living in a castle with her magician parents, magician-in-training brother, and talking cat. She had no desire to learn magic and wear dresses. Instead, Igraine wanted to be a knight. She spent her days polishing her ancestor's swords, practicing fencing, and dreaming of jousting in a royal tournament. When Osmund the Greedy, from a neighboring estate, attempts to invade the family's castle and steal the powerful magic singing books, Igraine has a chance to prove her mettle. Facing a giant, a two-headed dragon, and the evil Spiky Knight, Igraine soon learns whether she's got what it takes to save her family and earn the honor of becoming a knight.
Bear Feels Scared
by Karma Wilson (picture book)
Ages 3-7
Even Bears get scared. Especially when they're lost in the woods! In the latest of author Karma Wilson's series of Bear books, loveable Bear finds himself alone, lost, and scared as evening falls on the woodland and a storm closes in. Bear's friends begin to worry when he doesn't return to the lair. They form a search party and set out to find him. Lush, color-drenched illustrations by Jane Chapman take readers into the storm with Bear as he huddles agains the wind-driven rain. A very warm reunion tops off this comforting tale of friendship.