Which has got me thinking…what DO I love in a book? And I think I’ve narrowed it down to three factors: the “Ooo!,” the “Awww…,” and the “Ohhh!”

The “Oooo!”

I love an exciting hook/premise. (Okay, so I’m not that much different than the kids I work with.) I like books that make me laugh, that make me go “huh?,” that make me say, “WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?” But the “Oooo!” factor alone does not make a great read for me. I’ve abandoned many, many a book because once I began it, there wasn’t any follow-through. That’s because I also need…

The “Awww…”

Books with characters I care about–ones that are flawed and have to make hard decisions. Books about themes that are deep and resonant. You know, books with HEART. If the “Awww,” is particularly strong, it can overcome a weak “Oooo!”

The “Ohhh!”

And the best of the best: books that surprise me. Maybe it’s with a clever turn of phrase, maybe it’s a character who is not who I expect them to be, maybe it’s with a plot twist I didn’t see coming. I read a lot, and I LOVE it when books surprise me.

So, if they were asking me tomorrow morning what books I loved in 2011*, here’s what I would say:

Best of 2011
(yes, I know some came out earlier than 2011, but this is when I read them, so humor me)

W.H. Beck’s favorite books »

* 2011 was not a great reading year for me. There are many, many books–some on everyone else’s best books lists–that for whatever reason, I haven’t gotten to yet. Also, I kind of flopped on listing everything I read, like I usually do. May 2012 be better!

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I have decided to try and post more regularly here in 2012. So, inspired by author Tammi Sauer’s “Talk It Up Tuesday” posts, where she give a shout out to a favorite picture book each week, I’ve come up with “Check It Out Tuesday.” (Get it? Cause I work in a library? How it’s like Tammi’s, but not quite? I’ll pause so you’ll fully appreciate that bit of geniosity.)

Ahem. So, anyway. Check It Out Tuesday will feature a book–fiction or non, picture, chapter, or middle grade–that is beloved and on a regular checkout rotation by my students. Hopefully, this will be an easy, natural way for me to dip my toe back into the blogging pool, while also allowing me to do one of my favorite things–blab about great books.

And so, without further ado (I’ve always wanted to say that), today’s selection is MR. PUTNEY’S QUACKING DOG by Jon Agee.

Mr. Putney has an unusual assortment of animals. They each do a little more than their normal counterparts–and their names reflect that. (What do you call a quacking dog? A duckshund, of course!) Although this a picture book, this is actually most popular with my 4th and 5th graders. We use it to talk about wordplay and finding clues in illustrations.

Do yourself a favor and CHECK OUT THIS BOOK. In the meantime, I have to go set my alarmadillo for work tomorrow.

Jon Agee’s website: http://www.jonagee.com 

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Need an excuse note? A way to get into a rated R movie? Homework trouble? If you’ve got a problem, Mac can solve it, along with the help of his best friend/business partner, Vince. Just visit their “office” in the 4th stall of rarely-used bathroom at school. But be prepared to pay, with money or with owed favors.

Mac and Vince’s business starts to fall apart the day a third grader comes in asking for protection from a bully. Because it’s not just any bully. It’s the legendary Staples, a kid no one was sure even existed. And now Staples has his eye on Mac and taking down the business. Suddenly, Mac and Vince have a whole new set of problems . . . ones that aren’t so easy to solve.

A fast and funny read (with lots of tense moments mixed in) about friendship and trust with a little Chicago Cubs trivia thrown in for good measure.

If you like this book, try these:

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For the Littlest Ones (that’d be K-1 at my school)

Wolf’s Coming by Joe Kulka
Quick! Run and hide, wolf’s coming! One of my favorite read alouds; I swear the kids are so tense they are holding their breaths at the end–and what a fun ending!

Pumpkintown, Or, Nothing is Better or Worse Than Pumpkins by Katie McKy
Five brothers, too many pumpkin seeds, and a windy night cause problems come fall.

The Teeny Tiny Ghost by Kay Winters
Did you know? Being scary doesn’t come easily to every ghost.

The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Scared of Anything by Linda Williams
A brave woman is followed by mysterious haunted clothing in the woods. The repetition and possibilities for students joining in and acting it out means it’s one I never skip reading.

A Beasty Story by Steven Kellogg
Mice venture into a dark, dark house. I love to stop and have the students say the colors and/or finish the rhyme. Pair this one with Wolf’s Coming (above) to talk about surprise endings.

If You’re a Monster and You Know It (paired with There was an Old Monster) by Rebecca Emberley
Monstery versions of the well-known songs. Listen to musical versions here.

Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
Witch wants pumpkin pie but that pumpkin just won’t come off the vine. Another great one for students to chime in.

Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler
Skeleton-hic!-tries everything, but can’t get rid of those darn-hic!-hiccups!

Ghosts in the House by Kazuno Kohara
A little witch has a plan for those ghosts in her new house.

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Those in the Middle (grades 2-3)

Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini
Gritch the Witch needs some fresh piggies to make pumpkin pie. Too bad those farm animals are so sneaky.

Alpha Oops! H is for Halloween by Alethea Kontis
Yes, it’s an alphabet book, but the humor with the letters (poor B!) gets the older kids giggling.

The Halloweiner by Dav Pilkey
The underdog saves Halloween night from those nasty cats.

Only a Witch Can Fly by Alison McGhee
A little witch looks forward to her first broom flight.

Dirk Bones and the Mystery of the Haunted House by Doug Cushman
Skeleton reporter Dirk Bones sleuths out a pun-laced mystery.

Frankie Stein by Lola M. Schaefer
Poor blond-haired Frankie! He doesn’t fit in at all with his monster parents.

Once Upon a Twice by Denise Doyen
Nonsense words create an atmospheric, suspenseful story of something lurking in the night.

Lost Gatos Black on Halloween, Just a Minute, and Just in Case all by Yuyi Morales
Great on audio, so students hear what the Spanish is supposed to sound like!

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Big Kids (grades 4-5)

Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness by Calef Brown
Funny/creepy poems that beg to be read out loud.

The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Allsburg
The widow, Minna Shaw, has a magical broom, much to the ire of her neighbors.

Aliens Are Coming! by Megan McCarthy
A nonfiction account of the 1938 Halloween night panic by Orson Welles’ radio production of The War of the Worlds. Listen to snippets of the Orson Welles’ broadcast here.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
After toddler Bod’s parents are murdered, he wanders into a graveyard, whose supernatural inhabitants decide to raise him. Listen/watch to the first chapter of this Newbery winner online here.

Goodnight Goon and The Runaway Mummy by Michael Rex
Silly parodies of the classics students remember from when they were “little.”

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex
Hilarious poems featuring well-known monsters and villians in preposterous situations, like making sandwiches. Be prepared to sing for full effect.

Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
A spooky poem for every letter of the alphabet.

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Finally, I can’t mention October in the library with linking to this:

Carve a Pumpkin

That’s right, last week a black bear wandered into the Marketplace in Hayward–a place we’ve shopped many a time while at the cabin. He lingered in the liquor section. Here’s the clip.

Of course, the joke around here is that this was the Hamm’s beer bear. Does anyone remember this guy? Or was this just a local commercial?

And now I’ve got that song stuck in my head…