BOOKS TO BORROW

"The Conch Bearer" by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Roaring Brook Press, 265 pages

Read aloud: age 7, 8 and older

Read yourself: age 9 and older

Embodying adventure, magic and spirituality, a fast trek from Kolkata, India, takes readers to a hidden paradise high in the Himalayas while dodging evil at every turn.

For reasons unknown to him, 12-year-old Anand is visited by a mysterious stranger who asks Anand to conceal a sacred conch shell with mystical powers and deliver it to its rightful place in a secret valley in the Himalayas. The stranger promises to help him on his journey, and a young street girl, Nisha, joins their party. Ultimately, though, the success or failure of the task lies with Anand, and he and his helpers face great evil and danger in their quest.

Wisdom, good verses evil, hardship, courage under duress and hard-learned lessons about oneself, others and the world only begins to describe what readers will experience in this outstanding, memorable book.

LIBRARIAN'S CHOICE

Library: Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, 2 Library Lane, Old Lyme

Library Director: Mary Fiorelli

Children's Librarian: Michelle DeSarbo

Choices this week: "The BFG" by Roald Dahl; "Sisters Grimm" series by Michael Buckley; "The Gruffalo" by Julia Donaldson

AT THE BOOKSTORE

"The Mighty Lalouche" by Matthew Olshan, illustrated by Sophie Blackwell, Schwartz & Wade, 2013, 36 pages

Read aloud: age 4 and older

Read yourself: age 7 and 8

About 100 years ago, a postman named Lalouche delivered mail in Paris, France. Lalouche was small and thin, but he was fast as lightning, and his arms were strong. One day Lalouche lost his job when the postal service decided to use electric cars to deliver mail instead of postmen.

Lalouche was crestfallen, but luckily he saw an ad for a boxing club that paid cash for sparring partners. When Lalouche presented himself to the manager of the club, the manager took one look at him and laughed. But Lalouche refused to be dissuaded; as it turned out, Lalouche couldn't be beaten, not even by the toughest boxers.

"Ellray Jakes the Dragon Slayer!" by Sally Warner, illustrated by Brian Biggs, Viking, 2013, 136 pages

Read aloud: age 6 and older

Read yourself: age 8 and 9

Ellray loves his little sister, Alfie. What he doesn't love is when he sees that Alfie is sad or upset. When that happens, Ellray knows the usual suspect is Alfie's preschool classmate, Suzette the bully. Alfie thinks Suzette is her friend, but Ellray is determined to protect his sister.

A terrific story about courage, boldness and love, this choice is first-rate.

www.greatestbooksforkids.com