Mascot Blog

New Releases for December 2017!

Happy December! It’s a new month, which means new releases. We’re excited to share some great new titles with you just in time for the holiday season.

Nonfiction

The Dot on the Left By Dave Swanson We all have dreams. Too often, those dreams seem out of reach to us for so long that we lose hope that we will ever achieve them. Fortunately, there are three key steps that anybody can take to making their dreams a reality. In this book, Dave Swanson details how he used these simple principles (who wrestles goats anyway?) to overcome staggering odds and graduate from the United States Military Academy Preparatory School. Despite being an academic laughing stock and having a rudimentary understanding of math, Dave beat the odds and earned an appointment to West Point. Through Dave’s inspiring story, you will stop and consider all those dreams that you have long put on the shelf and then make a plan to go after them as if your life depends on it. BECAUSE IT DOES. Slide! The Tragicomedy That Defined Me, My Family, and the City of Philadelphia – And How It All Could Have Been Avoided Had Someone Just Listened to My Lesbian Great Aunt By Carl Wolfson
Slide! is the laugh-out-loud true story of the greatest collapse in baseball history, told from the perspective of a boy who lived it. The Philadelphia Phillies’ bid for the pennant in 1964 was an almost flawless run. With twelve games to play, the team’s lead seemed insurmountable. For 11-year-old Carl Wolfson, it was the happiest summer of his young life. Then the unthinkable happened. With each late-season loss, Phillies fans were thrown into despair, and Carl’s crumbling dream of a World Series forced him to take refuge in comedy. Luckily, it was all around him. His bickering parents (who put up Chinese symbols for “peace” and “happiness” and argued for years about which was which), his grandmother (who was so stubbornly Republican that she refused to carry a Roosevelt dime), and his mouthy great aunt (whose protest letters to the Phillies front office became local legend) created plenty of opportunity for distraction. This coming-of-age tale unfolds with the backdrop of President Kennedy’s assassination, the stormy Goldwater-Johnson campaign, the civil rights struggles of the early 1960s, and the (hilariously hyperbolic) height of Communist paranoia, creating a nuanced picture of what life was like during that tumultuous time of national and international change. A universal story of hope and heart and a finely crafted homage to childhood, family, and our national pastime, Slide! is essential reading for Phillies fanatics and fans of any team. Thomas: The Journey By Beverly Brumback The journey of life is full of many twists and turns, and you’re never quite ready for someone to enter unexpectedly, especially someone who has been dead for over a hundred years! When a spirit named Thomas came into Beth and Michael Duncan’s life, they had no idea how he would change their world forever. Based on true events, this thrilling and thought-provoking tale explores the difficulty of patience in the face of the unknown.
Hormones, Hair Elastics, and a Helmet: The Art and Science of Successfully Coaching Female Athletes By Dr. Jeffrey R. LaCure, Psy.D, M.S.W., LICSW Calling upon over twenty five years of experience, Dr. Jeff LaCure combines practical, hands-on coaching advice with an in-depth review of the latest research in his groundbreaking new book, Hormones, Hair Elastics, and Helmets. Part-memoir and part-instructional, this meticulously researched guide is a captivating must-read for coaches, athletic administrators, and parents alike.

Fiction

Sweden’s Child By Elaine Cornell Ida Bergstrom vividly remembers her childhood on her family’s farm in Bräkne-Hoby, Sweden. Her name was Inga Ohlsdotter then, the child of well-off parents who ran their own farm, tutored their daughters in English, and were well respected in the community. When her father develops a gambling problem, Inga and her family struggle to keep their family farm. In the turmoil, Inga begins to have prophetic dreams, a gift, her mother tells her, passed down to her from her Grandmother to guide her in times of trouble. When the farm is finally sold after her father’s death, Inga goes to live with her aunt. It is not long before Inga realizes that she cannot stay in Sweden, and, perhaps, was never meant to. The first book in a three-part series, Sweden’s Child is a vibrant look at Swedish culture, a compelling immigrant’s narrative, and a moving coming of age tale all at once. People of all ages will see themselves in Inga’s challenges and will revel in her strengths and successes. Spirit of Engineering By Najeeb Kuzhiyil
Being an engineering student can be tough, and sometimes you can lose sight of what it actually means to be an engineer. But a road trip to Dayton, Ohio, to visit the home of the Wright Brothers might be exactly what two freshman engineering students need to unravel the true nature of engineering—plus gain the skills they need to build a Baja car to win the intercollegiate race!
Follow along on the story of a lifetime as these students delve into the origins of modern engineering and discover the skills they need to succeed in both school and in life.

Chapter Books

The Disgusting Adventures of Bugaboo and Buzz Buzz: Into the Toilet of Doom By Alan Tom Bugaboo and Buzz, two young fly brothers, are tired of eating poop from the outside garbage can. When the chance arises to live the good life inside the house, how can they say no? But they soon find danger awaiting them in the form of…the Toilet of DOOM! Cotton Tells: The Magnetic Tale of Seven Springs Lake Michael James Kolich
Read closely as Cotton unravels her story and introduces you to Jan, Rustle and Abs: the valley’s youngsters. They experience some of Mother Nature’s finest moments and challenges while being simultaneously fascinated by their mobile communication devices. Meet dad as he shares his historical account of the happenings surrounding Seven Springs Lake, the life- giving body of water for Cotton’s panoramic valley. Discover Nik as he weaves his thread of mystery for Cotton and the valley. Was he real? You’ll be drawn to wonder, along with Cotton, as she recalls the details of Nik’s long ago, impact-filled visit. Angie’s Rescue: Pigs CAN Fly! By Barbara Thumann-Calderaro
Mr. McGregor is a pig farmer, meaning that his job is to fatten his pigs up and sell them off to the butcher. But when he starts to befriend his new pig, Angie, he begins to question if she really deserves her fate on the butcher’s block. Can a man change? Can a pig fly?
This short story addresses challenging questions like “Why love one but eat the other?” and Jeremy Bentham’s infamous quote, “The question is not, ‘Can they reason?’ nor, ‘Can they talk?’ but ‘Can they suffer?’” It is based on a real pig named Angie who was rescued. Find more about Angie’s story at the back of the book.

Christmas-themed Children’s Books

Claudia Claus and the Christmas Eve Storm By Ann and Rob Quandt Have you ever wondered how Santa manages to make his toys, keep track of the naughty and nice lists, and still manage to get to every single good little child’s house on Christmas night? Well, it’s because he doesn’t do it alone! His wife, Claudia Clause, helps him run the whole North Pole operation. When Santa gets caught in a storm one night, it’s up to Claudia to save him! With the Clauses working together, will Christmas be saved? The Nantucket Elves By Amy Orlen Christmas is right around the corner, and everything is going according to plan… until Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer gets sick with the flu! Without his shiny nose to lead the way, Santa might not be able to reach all the children on the Nice list who live on the island of Nantucket. It’s up to the elves Arthur and Asher to find a way to save Christmas day!

Children’s Books

10 Gulab Jamuns by Sandhya Acharya
Young brothers Idu (Ee-doo) and Adu (Aa-doo) can’t wait for dinner! They’re having guests over, and their Mamma has already made a feast that has their mouths watering. Now all Mamma has left to make are the Galub Jamun… But Idu and Adu don’t know what that is! From their first taste of the sweet treat, they can’t seem to get enough of the syrup-soaked dough, but Mamma has only made so many. Will the Galub Jamun even make it to their guests’ plates?
This humorous and fun story includes a simple recipe to make your own Galub Jamun, and easy to follow lessons so you can make sure to count them along the way!
Bittersweet Holidays By Nadya Klimenko
Misha the little bear is feeling sad this fall holiday season! Because he has food allergies, he can’t enjoy all the treats that his classmates are eating. Can his class figure out a way to let Misha have a fun and safe holiday? Perfect for parents confronting the allergy question, Bittersweet Holidays offers information and resources to help make any child’s holiday fun, inclusive, and–most importantly–safe.
By Bette Jo Sibley Mr. Roy loves cleaning and taking care of Cosby Elementary School. But today, the principal is missing and it’s up to Mr. Roy to keep the school running! Come find out what an adventure it would be on the day when Mr. Roy ran the school.
Say Goodbye to Mr. Moon Debbie Gordon Mr. Moon loves to smile! He smiles at everyone he sees. But when nobody smiles back at him, he decides to take a vacation! What will happen to the people of the town without a moon smiling down on them? Will they learn how powerful a simple smile can be? Odonata: The Flying Jewel of Maiden Grass Pond By Barbara Gervais Ciancimino Perched on a cattail plant, Odonata watches the other dragonflies dart around in a fun game of tag. But every time Odonata tries to join them, they ignore him. Why won’t they let him play? To make matters worse, a humongous Blue Hawker dragonfly named Drago has been going out of his way to be cruel to Odonata. Living on Maiden Grass Pond has not been going very well for Odonata, until one rainy afternoon when everything changes…
Tomorrow in Cambodia By Jordan Isham and Liam Fulton Meant to serve as both an English learning tool for Cambodian students, and as an introduction to Cambodian language and culture for English speakers, Tomorrow in Cambodia is a story of hope and understanding. Written by five cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point, this heartfelt story is part of a larger initiative, the 501c3 nonprofit Connect Cambodia, that seeks to improve education in the developing world. All proceeds go towards benefiting educational initiatives in Cambodia. Scary Every Day By Kevin Comstock Nate is only eight, and he can’t help but be scared and worry, About this and that—about everything in this story! When Nate can’t seem to conquer his fears, Will he be able to accept some help when it appears? A Dog Named Shug and the SEC By Charlene Thomas Shug has found the missing Game Ball. Come along with Shug, the Golden Retriever, and Aubie as they visit all the other SEC teams that the Auburn Tigers will play, meeting team mascots and others along the way.

Tanya’s Tech Troubles By Danya Belkin Tanya loves her tablet, and her parents love all the educational games available to her. But when Tanya spends a little too much time with the tablet and not enough time with her homework or friends, her parents start to worry. Can they solve this tech problem before it’s too late? Stop bullying, work together, friends forever! Otis Goes to CMU By Jeanneane Wood-Nartker, Amanda Kviz, & Bethany Kviz Otis is so excited to be heading off to Central Michigan University in the fall! Follow him as he meets new friends and gets “fired up” for his time here in Mt. Pleasant! The Travels of Adventurous Alexander and Relentless Russell: Dominican Republic By Kristina Kozak
Wherever adventure awaits, Adventurous Alex and Relentless Russell are close by! Today they’re touring the Dominican Republic. Follow along with them and tour a sugar cane plantation, try some cocoa, go on a monster jeep ride, and meet a real live snake man! Pick up a book and start traveling with these brothers today!
15 Days of Love By Kristina Gipe
What does it mean to love? Jesus taught the world what it means to love and be loved, and, through 15 Days of Love, continues to teach readers of all age just how powerful love is.
Four Pals at the Circus By Angel Tucker Foul Pals at the Circus is the second book in the second series with the Four Pals. In this adventure, the focus is on Iris – the Inspiring “I” type personality! To find more Four Pals books, go to www.FourPalsFanClub.com or www.personalityprofiles.org.
Birth of an Angel By Petra Malinova
From birth, every child is blessed—a little angel. Follow along in this heartwarming story of love and devotion as you discover just how special each and every child truly is.
The Super Smart Girl Book By Latine McIntyre
Join the fierce and respectful Royal in showing her passion and love for life through the empowering stories of her everyday adventures. The Super Smart Girl Book features the first two stories in the incredible hit series seeking to enlighten and inspire young girls everywhere.
Inn at the Edge of the World By Jeremy Gritton
When Sam’s parents decide to leave their safe but boring lives in Charcoal City behind, each day becomes a new adventure. Filled with quirky guests and magical mishaps, running an Inn at the Edge of the World is anything but boring!
Cut It Out! Stories by Greenville Shriners Hospital
Shriners Hospitals for Children—Greenville specializes in the expert
pediatric orthopaedic care of over 85 physically-challenging conditions,
and exists to improve the lives of all patients, regardless of a family’s
ability to pay. Cut It Out! was inspired by the #CutTheBull campaign, a
nationwide awareness effort by Shriners Hospitals for Children to bring
further attention to the bullying epidemic, particularly for children with physical differences who are twice as likely to be bullied.
Cut It Out! tells the stories of nine brave Greenville Shriners Hospital patients through the children’s own perspectives. Students from two local schools in Greenville, South Carolina created the illustrations, resulting in a delightfully collaborative and colorful book.
Cut It Out! serves to educate young children by heightening their mindfulness about the power of our words and the hurtfulness of bullying. Through simple storytelling and vibrant visuals, the purpose of this book is to promote compassion and understanding at an early age.
A Normal Turtle: An LGBTQ Kid’s Book

By Doug Reynolds

This story is different from “normal,” it’s said, A boy born as a fox, raised a turtle instead! It’s so hard when you’re small to tell left from right, So imagine, I ask, our little kit’s plight. Will he be brave? Only time can tell If our poor little fox will come out of his shell…
Rescuing Reed: The Little Dog Who Could By Heidi Mottin
When Reed is left homeless and alone in an animal shelter, it’s up to a special volunteer, who takes an interest in the lost and lonely little dog, to help him discover his purpose. Follow along in this heartwarming story of love, rescue, and hope as Reed finds out that everyone is valuable in their own unique way, and everyone deserves a second chance.
by Laura Irelan
If trying to multiply numbers makes your head start to ache, Then this book will help make it a piece of cake! 3 x 1 might be easy to do, But 6 x 7 can be easy too! Make math fun with these rhyming lines, And you too can figure out your Tricky Times!
By Richard Lee Marsh
For over 70 years, the United States Air Force has been serving the military and civilians alike. If you’ve ever wondered what lies in the wild blue yonder, or said the word “ZULU”, this book is for you to follow along and learn even more about this exciting branch of the military.
By William Mason
In the town of Gray, there is only rain and dark,
Every house, every person, every park—
Except for one little boy whose heart is a shining, colorful array!
Can a boy with a big and bright rainbow heart bring color and happiness to Gray?
 

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