"A Visitor for Bear" by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton, Candlewick, 56 pages

Read aloud: age 2, 3 and older

Read yourself: age 7 and 8

"No one ever came to Bear's house. It had always been that way, and Bear was quite sure he didn't like visitors. He even had a sign. No Visitors Allowed."

Despite the sign, one morning Bear hears a tapping at his front door. A gray mouse has come to visit, but Bear points to his sign, reads it to the mouse, and promptly sends the mouse away. When Bear returns to his kitchen to make his breakfast, the mouse is in his cupboard! How could it be? Bear sends the mouse away again, but the mouse returns, and the cycle goes on until Bear weeps, thinking he'll never get rid of the mouse. But maybe Bear really doesn't want that mouse to leave. Maybe they could even be friends!

LIBRARIAN'S CHOICE

Library: Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Rd., Salem

Library Director: Rachel Gaither

Choices this week: "Froggy Goes to School" by Jonathan London; "Minnie and Moo" series by Denys Cazet; "Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

AT THE BOOKSTORE

"Catch You Later, Traitor" by Avi, Algonquin Young Readers, 2015, 296 pages, $16.95 hardcover

Read aloud: age 11, 12 and older

Read yourself: age 11, 12 and older

It's 1951, and 12-year-old Pete is a normal kid living in Brooklyn. Pete loves the stories of super detective Sam Spade, who solves one criminal mystery after another. One day Pete's world transforms when an FBI agent shows up on Pete's doorstep and the agent, along with Pete's classmates, teacher, and close friends, circulate rumors about Pete's family having strong Communist ties. The Red Scare is sweeping the country, and Pete has to find out the truth, but what if everyone else is right?

An intimate portrayal of Avi's childhood, this books hits many chords of what freedom really means.

"Love Will See You Through: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Six Guiding Beliefs (as told by his niece)" by Angela Farris Watkins, PhD, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport, Simon & Schuster, 2014, 32 pages

Read aloud: age 6 and older

Read yourself: age 8 to 11

Martin Luther King Jr. is recognized around the world for his message of love and determination to achieve equality for all, and love and nonviolence were the basis of his six guiding beliefs. Those guiding beliefs are: Have courage; love your enemies; fight the problem, not the person who caused it; when innocent people are hurt, others are inspired to help; resist violence of any kind; the universe honors love.

A powerful book, this selection and its message is as important today as it was when Martin Luther King Jr. was preaching it many years ago.

kendal@sunlink.net