A super fun book for anyone who wants to learn about wacky and wonderful inventions. Author Joe Rhatigan dives into the fascinating stories behind some that were really creative but didn’t quite work out as their inventors planned. Packed with colorful pictures and drawings that show what these crazy inventions looked like and how they worked, you’ll get to see why “The Edible Smartphone Case” never made it to market, or why “The Cat-Mew Machine” couldn’t actually scare the mice away, and many more. This book shows us that trying new things and making mistakes are all part of learning and being creative, even if things don’t work out as planned.

Written by library volunteer, Ria
 

撰稿人：圖書館義工 林語凝 (筆名)

一把結他、一台鋼琴和一個紙巾盒可以有什麼關係？ 在這本給兒童啟蒙的音樂系列叢書中，可探索世界上不同構造的弦樂樂器，並發掘其共通點——同樣是藉着琴弦震動，發出不同音調和音色的美妙聲音。

本書系列是由享負盛名的音樂教育家 Dr. Renka S Rajan 所撰寫，帶領我們一起去探索世界各地不同的弦樂樂器。讀者更可輔以網絡搜索，聆聽不同樂器發出的美妙聲音；在瞭解弦樂發聲原理後，還可跟著製作一個紙巾盒弦樂器！書的末頁還附有一條弦，給大家去感受弦的觸感和震動時發出的聲音。

正如作者所說，哪裏都有琴——不論是在樂團、在世界或是在你的家裏，都有許多方法去感受音樂。不如，就由一條橡皮筋開始吧！
 

撰稿人：圖書館義工 梁細娟(筆名)

小小的珍喜歡往外跑，和她最喜歡的小動物們待在一起。她總是和她的好夥伴——黑猩猩玩偶朱比利(Jubilee)在後花園裏四處探險。她們會躲在雞舍的一角靜靜不動，只為守候母雞下蛋的奇妙瞬間；她也主動翻書學習動植物的知識，認真地觀察小動物們的生活習性、仔細畫圖和做筆記，還會設計小測驗。她背著朱比利爬樹，坐在樹椏上閱讀《小泰山》，在日落中感受自己對大自然的悸動。她憧憬遠方的非洲，渴望和她最喜歡的動物們一同生活。然而生在那個動盪不安的年代，她也曾猶豫卻步，但媽媽告訴小小的她要勇敢追夢。她和朱比莉睡前祈禱、入睡……然後，她在非洲的大草原醒來了！她用了一生的愛和熱誠，守護她最愛的動物和大自然。這，就是珍‧古德的夢。
 

【Volunteer Picks】Norman Bridwell's Clifford collection

The heartwarming stories of a child and their pet are engaging and relatable to many of us. Following the everyday adventures of Emily and the big red dog Clifford, who is as loveable and silly as he is large in size, this classic children’s book series has captured the hearts of many generations of readers young and old. This collection of stories will teach its readers about friendship, kindness, and the importance of being yourself.

Written by library volunteer, Ria
 

【Volunteer Picks】Sweep

A whimsical and heartwarming tale of a boy whose temper manifests into a real storm. As Ed’s mood grows and takes control of him, so does the literal storm that sweeps through his hometown. This beautifully illustrated story teaches young readers about the power of their emotions, its effects on the people around them, and how to deal with those sometimes overwhelming feelings.

Written by library volunteer, Ria