Science Fiction for Humor Fans

	Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Cat's Cradle relies on a fictional technology to examine larger questions of technology, religion, militarization, and the arm's race. While comedic in tone, Cat's Cradle is also on the dark side.
	The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams This is a classic science fiction comedy. It has been followed by several novels in the series, stage and radio shows, a video game, comic books, and a movie. The plot of the first book begins with the total destruction of the earth and ends at the ultimate answer to Life, the Universe and Everything, sort of.
	How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu A time machine repairman looks for his father, the rumored inventor of time travel, in the Science Fictional Universe Minor Universe 31 (MU31), which was only partially completed by its creator. The story explores time travel tropes as well as the deeper issues of regret, loss, and individual agency.
	Ringworld by Larry Niven A band of intergalactic and multi-species rogues crash land on Ringworld, an inhabited planet shaped like a ring, three million times the size of earth. They encounter a human-like race and are initially revered as gods before beating a hasty retreat in this fast-paced, comedic adventure. The Ringworld Series includes five novels and four prequel novels set in the same universe.
	The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison The Stainless Steel Rat and its sequels follow the Private Investigator/Con Man Slippery Jim diGriz. This irreverent, character-driven science fiction novel will also appeal to readers of the Pulp and Noir genres who connect with morally ambiguous protagonists.

The Nutmeg Nominees for 2016 have been announced!

The Nutmeg Nominees for 2016 have been announced! Check and see how many you have read. Who do you think should win?

The Four Levels of Nutmeg:                                                                           

Elementary Award: Grades 2-4 (15 nominees each year)
Bowling Alley Bandit by Laurie Keller
Dare the Wind: The Record-Breaking Voyage of Eleanor Prentiss and the
Flying Cloud by Tracey Fern
Digby O’Day: In the Fast Lane by Shirley Hughes
The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Evil Penguin Plan by Maxwell Eaton II
Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
Gone Fishing:  A Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissinger
Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown
King for a Day by Rukhsana Khan
Marty McGuire by Kate Messner
On a Beam of Light:  A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne
Pigsticks and Harold and the Incredible Journey by Alex Milway
Play Ball, Jackie! by Stephen Krensky
The Secret Chicken Society by Judy Cox
A Splash of Red by Jennifer Bryant
Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan


Intermediate Award: Grades 4-6 (10 nominees each year)

The Blossoming Life of Violet Diamond by Brenda Woods
Elvis and the Underdogs by Jenny Lee and Kelly Light
Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage
The Great Trouble by Deborah Hopkinson
The Illuminated Adventures of Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo & K.G. Campbell
Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
One Dog and His Boy by Eva Ibbotson
Pie by Sarah Weeks
Winterling by Sarah Prineas

Teen Award: Grades 7-8 (10 nominees each year) 

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan
I Have a Bad Feeling About This by Jeff Strand
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Reboot by Amy Tintera
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas


High School Award: Grades 9-12 (10 nominees each year)

Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Winger by Andrew Smith

The winners will be made public on May 15th! I cannot wait to see who wins.

Young Adult Novels for a Good Laugh

When their life gets too crazy, teenagers turn to humor to help them navigate adolescence. we adults that enjoy young adult and children's books sometimes are search for some good laughs too.  Everyone loves a good joke or story, since humor is often the glue of friendships. Teens and adults alike usually feel comfortable enough with their good friends to be honest and silly. While humor in young adult books often focus on the life experience of teenagers, adults remember those times as embarrassing and challenging, sometimes more so than they actually were. The books I am listing here tend to include the expected funny or embarrassing situations as well as offbeat characters and sarcastic or witty dialogue.

Fat Vampire: A Never-Coming-of-Age Story by Adam Rex

15-year-old Doug Lee has been turned into vampire but he's nothing like the sexy Twilight type. Doug is anxious, overweight and dorky. He's more pathetic than powerful, barely understands his vampire powers, and struggles to find any blood to sustain himself.

Sparks: the Epic, Completely True Blue, (almost) Holy Quest of Debbie by S. J. Adams. Debbie has kept her crush on best friend Lisa a secret for two years, even joining Lisa's Christian teen group in the hope that over time Lisa will reciprocate her feelings. But when Lisa gets a serious boyfriend, Debbie's life falls apart. Then she meets the Church of Blue, a faith made-up by two fellow high school outcasts, and begins a hilarious spiritual quest that gives her the strength she needs to come out. Debbie's sarcastic, angst-filled narrative propels this very funny lesbian coming-of-age story.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews 

Greg Gaines has one thing going for him, a wildly self-deprecating sense of humor. But low self-esteem and his efforts to just drift through the chaos of high school mean he has no real friends. His only social activity is making "unwatchable" remakes of classic movies, with Earl, a tough teenager from a dysfunctional family. Under pressure from his mother, Greg reconnects with Rachel, a former friend who has just been diagnosed with leukemia. His smart-aleck humor makes her laugh but it's not going to save her life.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
This intricately plotted adult novel includes a number of elements that should appeal to teenagers. A combination of e-mails, letters, articles, and a narrative by Bee, the teenage daughter of Bernadette, to create a comic collage of offbeat characterizations, witty situations, and satirical observations examining why a brilliant, but increasingly eccentric former artist disappeared.

There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
God as a teenage boy named Bob; an immortal whose mother won Earth in a card game is the conceit at the center of Meg Rosoff's offbeat and darkly humorous novel. Bob is lazy, selfish, and obsessed with sex. He acts with no concern for the result of his actions. And now his lust for a beautiful human assistant zookeeper has brought Earth to the brink of environmental disaster. Might it not be time for a change in the heavenly order?

Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin
Kelsey Finkelstein's efforts to revamp herself during her freshman year in high school leads to mishap after mishap in this hilarious coming-of-age novel. The travails of freshman year have never been conveyed with so much humor.

More chuckle worthy young adult novels I would recommend include: Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator by Josh Berk, Firecracker by David Iserson, Matthew Meets the Man by Travis Nichols, Getting over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald, Call the Shots by Don Calame,  Not That Kind of Girl by Vivian Siobhan, and The Downside of Being Up by Alan Lawrence Sitomer.

March 20th is a Big Day!

Not only is March 20th the first day of Spring (thank goodness!) it is also the birthday of three great children's authors! Bill Martin Jr, Lois Lowry, and Louis Sachar. I think we should celebrate by reading or listening to the work of these great authors while thinking about Spring and warmer weather.. Are you in?

Bill Martin Jr has some great choices for the youngest readers!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Here Are My Hands 

The Bill Martin Jr Big Book of Poetry 

Ten Little Caterpillars 

Chicka Chicka ABC

Louis Sachar is great reading for silly fun or more serious moments.

Wayside School Boxed Set 

Holes 

There's A Boy in the Girls' Bathroom 

Small Steps 

Kidnapped At Birth? 

Lois Lowry is for a more mature set.

The Giver Quartet 

The Silent Boy

Autumn Street 

Number the Stars 

A Summer to Die 

Do you have a favorite from one of these authors that I did not list? Share your favorite in the comments!

Terrific Picks for Reluctant Middle Grade Readers

It is hard to engage middle grade readers if they are not already somewhat interested in reading. Finding something that is high interest and challenging enough to help them grow as readers, but not frustrating for readers that are reluctant or easily discouraged is incredibly hard. But, thankfully parents, librarians, and teachers have been trying to create book lists for this group, and authors seem to be publishing more and more for them in recent years. Here are some of the books that I have seen hold the attention and keep some of these readers going. This is far, far from an extensive list never mind comprehensive. I am trying to stick to books that are not on every list you might have already read. Do you have more titles to add? Please comment with them to share with other searching folks.

Chapterbook Options:

The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich: Melvin Beederman Superhero by Greg Trine

Meet Melvin Beederman. He's a pretty good superhero, even though it always takes him five or six tries to get launched and flying. His weakness (every superhero has one) is bologna, which makes it hard to go into a deli. Still, Melvin manages to keep the city of Los Angeles free of nasty villains--once he's airborne.

Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost! by Cornelia Funke

Nine-year-old Tom Tomsky can't catch a break: He's a klutz, his sister Lola pretty much hates his guts, and--this is a big "and"--he just found a ghost camping out in his cellar. Lucky for Tom his grandma's best friend just happens to be the world's foremost ghosthunter. Under her expert tutelage, Tom learns the tools of the trade--which just happen to include buckets of graveyard dirt--and soon finds he has to face down not just the ASG (Averagely Spooky Ghost) in the basement but the IRG (Incredibly Revolting Ghost) in town. All while keeping the nettlesome Lola off his trail....

Middle School Is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm

Ginny has ten items on her big to-do list for seventh grade. None of them, however, include accidentally turning her hair pink. Or getting sent to detention for throwing frogs in class. Or losing the lead role in the ballet recital to her ex-best friend. Or the thousand other things that can go wrong between September and June. But it looks like it's shaping up to be that kind of a year! Here's the story of one girl's worst school year ever -- told completely through her stuff.

My Haunted House by Angie Sage

Araminta Spookie lives in a wonderful old haunted house, but her crabby aunt Tabby wants to move. Aunt Tabby is determined to sell their house—Araminta "has" to stop her! With the help of a haunted suit of armor named Sir Horace, a ghost named Edmund, and a lot of imagination, Araminta hatches a plot for an Awful Ambush that is so ghoulish, it just might work!

Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac

Ever since the morning Molly woke up to find that her parents had vanished, her life has become filled with terrible questions. Where have her parents gone? Who is this spooky old man who's taken her to live with him, claiming to be her great-uncle? Why does he never eat, and why does he lock her in her room at night? What are her dreams of the Skeleton Man trying to tell her? There's one thing Molly does know. She needs to find some answers before it's too late.

Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka
How did Jon Scieszka get so funny, anyway? Growing up as one of six brothers was a good start, but that was just the beginning. Throw in Catholic school, lots of comic books, lazy summers at the lake with time to kill, babysitting misadventures, TV shows, jokes told at family dinner, and the result is Knucklehead. Part memoir, part scrapbook, this hilarious trip down memory lane provides a unique glimpse into the formation of a creative mind and a free spirit.

Timmy Failure series by Stephan Pastis

Timmy Failure, CEO of the greatest detective agency in town, perhaps the nation, is about to crack the biggest case of his generation. Told in text and illustrations, this story is great for Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans.

Ungifted by Gordon Korman
When Donovan, the class clown and infamous underachiever, pulls a prank that inadvertently results in him being sent to a school for gifted kids, hilarity ensues.




Graphic Novel Options:
The Lunch Lady series by Jarrett Krosoczka
This graphic novel series about the superhero-like antics of the school lunch lady is a surefire hit.

Star Wars Jedi Academy series by Jeff Brown
In a galaxy far, far away, young Roan is sent to the Jedi Academy where he studies under Yoda. This graphic chapter book will be a sure-fire hit with Star Wars fans.

To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel
To Dance tells and shows the fullness of her dreams and her rhapsodic life they led to. Part family history, part backstage drama, here is an original, firsthand book about a young dancer's beginnings -- and beyond.

Bone by Jeff Smith

After being run out of Boneville, the three Bone cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, are separated and lost in a vast uncharted desert.

Nonfiction Options:

Aliens are Coming: The True Account of the 1938 War of the Worlds Broadcast by Meghan McCarthy

It was an ordinary night in October of 1938 until a news bulletin interrupted the dance music on "CBS" radio-aliens were invading the United States!  Aliens Are Coming!" tells the true story of the Halloween radio prank that duped much of the country into believing that Martians had invaded. The book uses excerpts from the actual "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast and includes information about the importance of radios in the 1930s (before the time of televisions and computers) as well as facts about Orson Welles and H. G. Wells, author of the novel on which the broadcast was based on.

The Lego Ideas Book by Daniel Lipkowitz
Featuring all-new LEGO® building projects, tips to supplement and enhance your LEGO creations, inspirational builds, and expert advice from LEGO Master Builders, The LEGO Ideas Book will keep kids of all ages creating for hours.

Weird But True series by National Geographic Kids
These uniquely sized books contain weird but true facts that take up a page or less and they are accompanied by great colorful photographs and writing that is catchy, making this a great hi-lo series.

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V, & VI: The Ultimate Guide to Star Wars Characters and Creatures by David West Reynolds and Alexander Ivanov

Any of the Visual Dictionary books will capture the attention of the readers interested in the subject matter. there are books on just about everything with a multitude of pictures and great detail.

Authors of Young Adult Fantasy You Need to Read; And Have Your Teens Read, Too

Novels intended for the young adult market are increasing in quantity, subject matters and in some cases quality. Many of the authors writing fantasy in this market are simply a pleasure to read, while still challenging the reader to think and grow. Here are some of the authors that everyone, teens and adults alike, can enjoy.

Tamora Pierce is a prolific young adult fantasy writer that has released a number of related series and is still going. Her first novel was Alana; The First Adventure which was the first book in the Song of the Lioness quartet. This first series was geared towards slightly younger group, nine to twelve year olds. Then came the Immortals quartet, Circle of Magic quartet, Protector of the Small quartet, Circle Opens quartet, the Trickster series (only two books), Will of the Empress, Melting Stones, and finally the Beka Cooper series. All of these books happen in the same universe, the same counties with intersecting storylines, but still each book or series can be enjoyed without having read all of the books.

Pierce's main characters tend to be young women, though there are male main characters in the two Circle quartets. All of her characters are realistic, with doubts and questions about the world, and really come to life as you read. The reader really does care what happens, not just to the main characters, but all the smaller characters and the worlds of the books as a whole. Additionally, most of her books can me found in Full Cast audio format, which is a simply amazing way to get a reluctant reader, or long distance commuter to enjoy her writing. If you read and enjoy her work then I suggest also trying Maria V Snyder, Shannon Hale, and Robin McKinley.

Neil Gaiman is another contemporary writer that is great for both young adults and adults to read. Some of his best works, in my opinion, include Coraline (made into a major motion picture), Graveyard Book (winner of the 2009 Newbury Award), American Gods, Neverwhere (made into a miniseries on BBC), and Mirror Mask (made into a motion picture). He is also know for

the Sandman graphic novels and Stardust (made into a major motion picture). He also collaborated with Terry Pratchett on Good Omens. Gaiman has an imagination that I am both envious of and glad that I don't have on dark, spooky nights. He always makes me very concerned for his characters, and I like that many of the characters are flawed, like real people, even when faced with things well out of the ordinary. For those of the audiobook set, Gaiman narrates his own audio books and he does a phenomenal job with inflections and pauses just where they should be. Authors I'd recommend are Terry Pratchett and Garth Nix.

My third recommendation is Madeleine L'Engle. Most of us have heard about the Newbury Award winning A Wrinkle In Time series, but have you read it? It is a fantastic set of books, and was just a small portion of her work. She wrote at least sixty books before passing away in 2007. Many of her works combine fantasy with some science. Her work was consistently entertainment while touching and easy to connect to for ever person that has ever just not fit in, and isn't that everyone? Other authors you might enjoy include Margaret Mahy, Lois Lowry and Kate DiCamillo.

There are still several authors of this genre that are just amazing, but to list them all, and tell you anything about them, would take up too much space. However, I can't seem to leave this topic without also recommending Lloyd Alexander, Holly Black, Charles de Lint, Rick Riordan, and Michael Buckley.

What Should You Read Next? Great Resources to Help Decide

I am often looking to read book by new authors or on new topics. Reviews and suggestions help, as does stopping in a library or local bookstore and browsing the shelves or asking the staff for suggestions, but sometimes I still feel at a loss. Here are some resources to help you decide what to read next.

NoveList is a resource available through public libraries to help readers find authors, titles, award winners, and author biographies. There is an author read alike search feature that allows you to search their database for authors that have similar writing styles to authors you already know and enjoy. Other services offered include book discussion guides, genre outlines to help you read more great books in your favorite genre and a popular fiction list, which gives suggested titles for just about ever genre.

BookBrowse is another reader's advisory website available for use by patrons of subscribing libraries free. Readers can search for new reads by genre, age group, geographical setting, theme and time period. Like NoveList, there is a way to search for authors that you might like based on your previous reads. 
No matter what you are looking for, be it something very specific or a vague desire for anything good, you will find suggests that meet your needs.

Overbooked is a website for readers. It specializes in literary, genre fiction information, and readable non-fiction. The site offers booklists by genre, starred review lists, author connections, and a social space for readers that often have overflowing piles of books to read but still can not stop looking for more, myself included. What I love about this website is that it is run completely by volunteers, so all reviews and suggestions come from people that truly love books and reading.

If none of these sites have helped, you find another book to read then there are still several options. Websites like Good Reads, Library Thing and Visual Bookshelf on Facebook can also help you decide what to read next based on you reading habits. Book clubs, librarians and random browsing in a library or bookstore can also yield good results. In the end, only you can decide what you like, but here are some tools to help you choose your next book, or bookshelf in my case.

Best Parodies of Nonfiction Materials Five Great Parodies

Tired of the seemingly endless supply of how to and self help manuals on every conceivable subject? It seems like for every best selling non fiction book that is worthwhile other immediately follow in its wake with the same information or worse, misinformation. These parodies take those books and entertain us while making the subject new again.

The Self-Destruction Handbook: 8 Simple Steps to an Unhealthier You by Adam Wasson and Jessica Stamen is a parody of all the self help books intended to help the reader live a healthier life. In this handbook you can learn how to lose weight too quickly, start a drinking problem, which drugs are right for you and so much more. The book is a fun, entertaining read that does not mock those looking to better themselves, but laughs openly at the advise that those individuals often receive.

Releasing the Imbecile within: An Incomplete Idiot's Guide by Paul Livingston is another self help parody. This book focuses more on the genre of books that attempt to make the reader a more effective individual in business and friendships rather than personal health. It begins with a test to show how unintelligent you are, and goes on from there.

Hardly Working: The Overachieving Underperformer's Guide to Doing as Little as Possible in the Office by Chris Morran makes fun of the office and business administration books. Instead of learning to be an effective worker or leader this book shows readers how to do as little as possible at work. Learn the art of looking hard at work as you play solitaire or shop on the internet. A perfect parody for anyone forced to read materials or attend workshops intended to increase their workplace moral and productivity.

101 Places Not to Visit: Your Essential Guide to the World's Most Miserable, Ugly, Boring and Inbred Destinations by Adam Russ is the answer for travel lovers that are tired of reading guides that refuse to say anything negative about listed locales as well as those who simply dislike traveling. Every continent is featured in the book including Antarctica. Destination descriptions are laden with stereotypes and disinformation. It is an entertaining parody of travel guides, tourists and some highly traveled locations.

Homeland Insecurity: The Onion Complete News Archives, Volume 17 (Onion Ad Nauseam) by Scott Dikkers is a collection of parody news stories from The Onion. Each article is a parody of our media companies and the publics urge to believe what it is told. Anyone that enjoys The Onion or is simply fed up with traditional media will enjoy this highly entertaining collection.

Best Young Adult Novels Retelling Fairy Tales New Perspectives and Life Given to Classic Stories

There are some stories we all know very well, from books or movies. Some authors have taken a chance and added new twists to classic fairy tales. Here are some that surpassed expectation.

Beastly by Alex Flinn is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Kyle Kingsbury was a golden boy. He had everything a high school boy could want; good looks, popularity, good grades and money. When he behaves beastly toward a classmate, she appears in his bedroom and makes that adjective true in looks as well as deed. His superficial world falls apart and he has to transform himself inside to earn the love that can transform his exterior. This is a fun, entertaining read that dos not become trite or corny which is always a danger in this kind of story. Finn has also written his take on Sleeping Beauty titled A Kiss in Time, and many other tales since. 

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George is the retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Here the story is set in nineteen-century Europe. Rose and her younger sisters are trapped by their mother's bargain to dance every night until their dancing slippers are worn. Galen is a soldier with a knitting hobby and a personality that has him being polite and kind to the elderly. What I really love about this retelling is that the princesses are feisty with minds and plans of their own; they are not simply waiting around for rescue. While the romance aspect seems a little thin, there is a sequel to the book, which follows Rose on to the next stage of her life. Again the author has done many more fairy tale related books since. 

Robin McKinley has retold a few fairy tales, and done all of them very well. Spindle's End is her version of the Sleeping Beauty story. Everyone knows the basics, infant cursed to die on a birthday after sticking her finger on a spindle. While tat stays the same, in McKinley's version our heroine is raised by a peasant fairy and grows up wild, preferring pants to skirts and able to communicate with animals. Twists to the original tale have her stronger and more capable than one might expect in this story, and it reads extremely well. Surprises make the read so much more intriguing and entertaining. . If you have not read any of McKinley's novels I strongly suggest exploring her work, she has never disappointed me.

Magic Circle by Donna Jo Napoli is the unique retelling of Hansel and Gretel from the witch's point of view. She was tricked and forced to live as a witch, alone until she takes in two lost children. She fights the evil that has invaded her life. The book is intriguing, beautiful, surprising and disturbing on several levels. It was a great read and one of many reimaginings of fairy tales by this author that I have found to be fantastic.

Before Midnight by Cameron Dokey and Mahlon F. Craft is a retelling of Cinderella, and part of the Once Upon a Time series of fairy tale reimaginings. This retelling is full of strong women and matters of family, loyalty and courage. While most of the basic elements of the known story are here, the characters do not blindly slide into their usual molds. No one in inherently evil or doormats to be mistreated and abused. The changes and twists inn this version of the classic tale captivate and entertain.