Want the secret to getting along better with people very different from you? Join speaker Sally Rhys for a short survey and short lecture, followed by tips to have more satifying interactions with others.

Recorded at Central Library: January 20, 2011.

Shug by Jenny Han

Annemarie Wilcox - known to her family as Shug - knows that being twelve is not so easy, especially when your best friend is acting strange, your parents are fighting and your mother is drinking too much.

Audience: Grades 6-8

Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park

Mick Harte was the coolest brother anyone could ever have, but he's dead now. Dead and gone, and his sister Phoebe still can't believe it really happened.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is about to learn a lot more about his family history. Boring old family photos? No, action-packed adventure with enough twists and turns to kill a mere mortal. What happens when the gods of Ancient Greece turn up in Manhattan?This is the first book in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

The Ghost's Grave by Peg Kehret

Author Peg Kehret is known for writing action-packed mysteries set in Oregon and Washington. Elementary and middle school students will want to see what happens when Josh digs up an old grave.

Audience: Elementary and middle school students

The Amazing Life of Birds: The Twenty Day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leach by Gary Paulsen

Duane is twelve years old. He has a zit right in the middle of his forehead. And he's not sure he'll survive puberty.

Audience: Grades 6-8

Join Deborah Kass-Ray, MS, LCSW, parent educator and psychotherapist as she explores building self-esteem in children. Learn about your child’s unique temperament, strengths and challenges, and how to promote a strong parent-child relationship. Explore your own temperament and identify specific parenting strategies to help your child better manage the daily ups and downs.

Recorded October 2010.

Alvin Ho, Allergic to Girls, School and other Scary Things by Lenore Look

A young boy in Concord, Massachusetts, who loves superheroes and comes from a long line of brave Chinese farmer-warriors, wants to make friends, but first he must overcome his fear of everything.

A Beverly Cleary Award Nominee 2011

Audience: Kids

Bad Kitty Gets a Bath by Nick Bruel

If you're going to give Bad Kitty a bath, you better have a suit of armor, an ambulance, and lots and lots of bandages around. Why? Bad Kitty HATES to take a bath! Read this graphic novel to find out who succeeds in getting this bad cat into the bath!

A Beverly Cleary Award Nominee 2011

Audience: Kids

Puppy Power by Judy Cox

Boisterous third-grader Fran has trouble controlling herself, but learning how to train her gigantic Newfoundland puppy helps her gain enough self-control to win the part of princess in the class play. Includes instructions on puppy training.

A Beverly Cleary Award Nominee 2011

Audience: Kids