November 2007

The Indianhead Federated Library System presents

Starred Reviews

New and Notable Books for Young People

November 2007 * Eau Claire, WI

The books in this newsletter were given starred reviews by the following periodicals: School Library Journal (SLJ), Publisher’s Weekly (PW), Booklist (BL), Horn Book (HB) and Criticas (CR). Library binding prices and ISBNs are noted. Quotations have been taken directly from the reviews. This selection tool has been created to assist IFLS library staff wade through the 5,000-5,500 children’s and young adult titles published each year. Librarians should consider which of the following books best fit their collection and clientele.

Picture Books

Juvenile Fiction

Non-fiction

YA Fiction

Audio

Books in Spanish

Bilingual Books

Picture Books

Bang-Campbell, Monicka. Little Rat Makes Music. Illus. by Molly Bang. Harcourt, $15 (978-0-150205305-5)

(K-gr.3) “...easy-reader...small, determined heroine...violin lessons...dream of making beautiful music on the first try is quickly dashed...avoids practicing...finally buckling down when she’s given a chance to take part in a recital...eight short chapters...matter-of-fact tone...flashes of humor shine...stunning illustrations...go way beyond the obligatory visual clues needed for an early reader...spot-on visual representation of music...” (HB)

Cole, Brock. Good Enough to Eat. FSG, $16 (978-0-374-32737-8)

(K and up) “...eccentric village misfit...emerges as a heroine...bedraggled lass lives on the streets...When a foul ogre threatens to ravage the village...residents gladly offer up the gawky young woman...creature rejects her...but she slyly persuades the townsfolk that the ogre wants both a dowry and a sharp sword...slays the creature and outwits the villagers to strike off on her own, fully equipped with treasure...hypocritical villagers original fairy tale with lingering emotional resonance.” (PW)

Gershator, Phillis. Listen, Listen. Illus. by Alison Jay. Barefoot, $16.99 (978-1-8468-608-43)

(PreS-gr.2) “...spiritual and aesthetic companion to...Picture This...simple, evocative rhyming imagery...walk around a small town as seasons change...stylized pictures...ancient frescos...will make children long to discover what is just over a hill or around the next bend...invests each image with both joy and melancholy...” (BL)

Heller, Linda. The Castle on Hester Street. Illus. by Boris Kulikov. S&S, $15.99 (978-0-689-87434-5)

(PreS-gr.3) “...[originally published in] 1982...spectacular new life...beguiling, witty and filled with enough details for dozens of readings...Julie’s grandparents tell her about coming to America and falling in love, their versions competing in narrative counterpoint...riffs on the difference between the two stories...while at the same time showing how much Julie loves both...never fails to amuse...Not to be missed.” (PW)

Hobbie, Holly. Toot & Puddle: Let It Snow. Little, Brown, $16.99 (978-0-316-16686-7)

(PreS-gr.1) “...popular porcine pals...With Christmas fast approaching and no snow in sight, Toot and Puddle are more jumpy than jolly...comfortable and inviting sweetness...Subtle facial expressions and childlike poses...instantly endearing...” (PW)

Moore, Clement C. The Night Before Christmas. Illus. by Niroot Puttapipat. Candlewick, $16. (978-0-7636-3469-8)

(PreS-up) “Intricate and elegant cut-paper designs...black silhouetted figures...glorious pop-up at the end...captivated by the striking contrasts...Finely rendered and fun-to-spot details...” (PW)

Morpurgo, Michael. On Angel Wings. Illus. by Quentin Blake. Candlewick, $8.99 (978-0-7636-3644-7)

(all ages) “...Voiced by an indulgent but typically skeptical youth...captivating retelling of the Nativity as experienced by the youngest shepherd...When the angel Gabriel overhears...lamenting...unfairness...drops in to make things ‘a little fairer’ and whisk the boy to the manger and back...tone blends reverence with wit...six-inch-square trim size...religious nature of the ending...” (PW)

Polhemus, Coleman. The Crocodile Blues. Candlewick, $16.99 (978-0-7636-3543-5)

(PreS-gr.2) “...nearly wordless picture book...man ... buying a strange egg and putting it in the refrigerator...crocodile...turns the place into a nightclub, invites the man back, and presents him with another egg...zany...cartoonish and expressive...sound-effect words help enhance the flow...occasional foldout...paper is sturdy...” (SLJ)

Rohman, Eric. A Kitten Tale. Knopf, $18.99 (978-0-517-709-160)

(PreS) “...marvel of sly simplicity for the very young...short text...four kittens... worries about [winter]...Only the fourth kitten...is excited...joyful outdoor play finally persuades his friends to join him...uncluttered, inventive scenes masterfully echo the repetitive rhythm in the words...children will embrace this reassuring, beautifully composed piece.” (BL)

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. First the Egg. Porter/Roaring Brook, $14.95 (978-1-59643-272-7)

(PreS) “...the order of things...text is minimal: ‘First the EGG/ then the CHICKEN/ First the TADPOLE/ Then the FROG’...proceeds to more abstract pairs...WORD...STORY...incorporating objects mentioned in the preceding pages into both story and picture...ending is circular...” (HB) (SLJ)

Snicket, Lemony. The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story. Illus. by Lisa Brown. McSweeney’s, $9.95 978-19324-1687-9)

(all ages) “...potato pancake...unlike its less loquacious literary cousin the Gingerbread Man, begins screaming as soon as it gets cooked...retro-cool graphics...tries to explain itself and its role at Hanukkah to flashing colored lights...Christmas-centric candy cane and tree...up-ends any number of conventions in what may be his funniest book yet...” (PW)

Spirin, Gennady. We Three Kings. S&S/Atheneum, $16.99 (978-0-689-82114-1)

(all ages) “Opulence befitting royalty...lush, jewel-hued watercolor and colored pencil interpretation of the beloved carol...sumptuous...” (BL)

Stoeke, Janet Morgan. Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve. Dutton, $15.99 (978-0-525-47857-7)

(PreS) “One of the best-loved birdbrains...tries to take Santa under her wing... decides to rescue that nice ‘farmer’ in the red hat when he falls down the ‘well’...humor is pitched just right to preschoolers...night-time palette has particular punch.” (PW)

Watt, Mèlanie. Chester. Kids Can, $16.95 (978-1-55453-140-0)

(PreS-gr.3) “...sidesplitting metafiction...extravagantly fresh, cheeky voice....exasperated author-illustrator engages in a literary tug-of-war with...marmalade puss...determined to thwart...attempts to write a nice little book about a winsome country mouse...attempts to make himself the star of the show...Volleys of creativity and red ink follow...” (PW)

Juvenile Fiction

Banks, Kate. Lenny’s Space. Farrar/Frances Books, $16 (978-0-374-34575-4)

(gr. 3-6) “Academically brilliant but emotionally stunted nine-year-old Lenny tends to drive people crazy...begins to change when he starts seeing...school therapist... serendipitous encounter with...Van...chronically ill...becoming best friends...begins to mature...Pitch-perfect dialogue and descriptions of every-kid pleasures...” (SLJ)

Bateson, Catherine. Being Bee. Holiday, $16.95 (978-0-8234-2104-6)

(gr. 3-5) “Bee’s dad has a new girlfriend...resenting...even worse when neatnik, perfectionist Jazzi joins their messy, laidback household...vents her frustration in letters to ...her guinea pigs...takes solace in the sympathetic replies...assumes are ...her dad; it’s kind-hearted Jazzi...who has taken time the write...Both Bee and Jazzi gain new insights from each other...” (HB)

Berlin, Eric. The Puzzling World of Winston Breen. Putnam, $16.99 (978-0-399-246-937)

(gr. 4-6) “Twelve-year-old puzzle addict Winston Breen notices brainteasers everywhere, even in ... toppings on a pizza...younger sister finds a set of wooden tiles printed with random letters...point the way to the town librarian’s inheritance...holders of all the other missing pieces must agree to cooperate...classic treasure-hunt plot...nifty puzzles...nicely delineated characters, sharp dialogue and an exciting twist...may choose to circulate the book along with printouts of the puzzles, helpfully posted on the book’s Web site.” (BL)

Hulme, John and Michael Wexler. The Glitch in Sleep, Book 1. Illus. by Gideon Kendall. (The Seems Series). Bloomsbury, $16.95 (978-1-59990-129-9)

(gr. 4-8) “Becker Drane...Institute for Fixing and Repair...The Seems, a place outside The World...Nature, Weather, Time and Sleep are all manufactured...been promoted to Fixer...fix the Glitch in the Department of Sleep...insomnia...rollicking... great world-building and likable characters...upbeat and full of humor...Dynamic full-page illustrations...” (SLJ)

Del Negro, Janice M. Passion and Poison: Tales of Shape-Shifters, Ghosts, and Spirited Women. Illus. by Vince Natale. Cavendish, $16.99 (978-0-7614-5361-1)

(gr. 3-8) “...spooky twists and turns...mesmerizing storytelling begs to be shared aloud...dramatic timing...sure to grab...scrupulously detailed note... ‘original tales or retellings based on traditional folkloric motifs’...full-page art...” (HB)

McMullan, Margaret. When I Crossed No-Bob. Houghton, $16 (978-0-618-71715-6)

(gr. 4-8) “Set in rural Mississippi...Reconstruction...12-year-old Addy O’Donnell. Abandoned by her parents, she is taken in by a pair of newlyweds...Addy knew hunger and mistreatment in No-Bob, the hollow claimed by her notorious extended family...feels loyalty...even as she begins to thrive...newly formed Ku Klux Klan...father shows up...sees the truth of his actions and nature...engrossing, character-driven...”(SLJ)

Reeve, Philip. Starcross: A Stirring Adventure of Spies, Time Travel and Curious Hats. Illus. by David Wyatt. Bloomsbury, $16.95 (978-1-59990-121-3)

(gr. 5 and up) “...dashing and outrageous sequel to Larklight, plucky Art Mumby...sister Myrtle...highly competent mother...travel through space to Starcross, ‘the Asteroid Belt’s Premier Resort Hotel.’...have been promised a relaxing respite...encounter murderous Punch and Judy shows, giant carnivorous sand crabs, time-traveling... hilariously spoofing 19^th-century imperial and colonial attitudes...Victorian propriety...spy thriller...rambunctious, fast-moving tale also manages to provide plenty of thrills and excitement...” (PW)

Sturm, James. Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow. Illus. by Rich Tommaso. Hyperion, $16.99 (0-7868-3900-7)

(gr. 6-12) “...graphic novel about fictional Emmet Wilson, a black farmer whose moment of glory as a player in the Negro Leagues came when he scored a run off the great pitcher Satchel Paige...injury...return to the life of a farmer...racist South of the 1940s...brief encounter with the legendary Paige...lifelong inspiration...visually powerful, suspenseful...profound...” (BL)

Non-fiction

Bernier-Grand, Carmen T. Frida: Viva la vida! Long Live Life! Illus. by Frida Kahlo. Marshall Cavendish, $18.99 (0-7614-5336-9)

(gr. 7-12) “...lyrical free-verse poems...pairs a well-reproduced painting by Frida Kahlo with an original poem that defines turning points in the artist’s life...words expertly extend the autobiographical imagery so evident in the art...Readers who aren’t familiar with Kahlo’s life will want to begin with the appended quotes...prose biography, and the chronology to glean more meaning from the poems’ sometimes oblique references...push readers to wonder how words can capture the essence of a life.” (BL)

Bishop, Nic. Nic Bishop Spiders. Scholastic Nonfiction, $16.99 (978-0-439-87756-5)

(gr. 3-5) “Dazzling full-color close-ups of over 15 arachnids...eye-catching visuals from cover to cover...chatty text...excellent author’s note...” (SLJ)

Brimner, Larry Dane. We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin. Boyds Mills/Calkins Creek, $17.95 (978-1-59078-498-3)

(gr. 6-10) “...captivating biography... ‘intellectual engineer’ of the Civil Rights Movement...ends with the march on Washington, August 28, 1963, which Rustin organized...mentor was A. Philip Randolph...lifelong advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr...complex, multitalented...controversial because...Communist...homosexual....keeps the focus on Rustin’s work for social justice...writing is lively and clear...attractive design...gem for students studying the Civil Rights Movement...” (SLJ)

Cummins, Julie. Women Daredevils: Thrills, Chills and Frills. Dutton, $17.99 (978-0-525-479-482)

(gr. 3-6) “A terrific title and striking cover art...standout collective biography...10 women stunt performers...1880-1929...broad historical context with facts about women’s status and society expectations...featured women range in age from 15 to 63...lively text...quotes and physical descriptions...chatty yet factual tone...brief chronology...places each woman in a time line of events important in women’s history...one-page source list...” (BL)

Foster, Mark. Whale Port. Illus. by Gerald Foster. Lorraine/Houghton, $18 (978-0-618-54722-7)

(gr. 3-5) “It’s 1683, and a sheltered New England harbor looks like a promising place to settle...series of double-page spreads...prototypical town of Tuckanucket grow... fortunes tied to the whaling trade...storms, fire, war and the discovery of petroleum... changes in the...town (later city), depicted precisely detailed ink and crayon pictures... elaboration of technical processes...elegantly synthesized a tremendous amount of information into a beguiling format.” (HB)

Gourley, Catherine. Flappers and the New American Woman: Perceptions of Women from 1918 through the 1920s. vol 2 (978-0-8225-6060-9)

________. Gibson Girls and Suffragists: Perceptions of Women from 1900 to 1918. vol. 1 (978-0-8225-7150-6)

________. Rosie and Mrs. America: Perceptions of Women in the 1930s and 1940s. vol. 3 (978-0-8225-6804-9)

(Images and Issues of Women in the Twentieth Century Series). 21^st Century Bks., $38.60.

(gr. 7 and up) “...Few...reference titles are as user-friendly and as well suited to middle and high school use. Using popular culture as a lens...stereotypes of femininity... role expectations that stem from diametrically opposed views of what they should be. Organized chronologically...sparkling and engaging texts...well-placed black and white photographs...reproductions from magazine advertisements...Stories of women who either exemplified conventional behaviors or changed them...wonderful use of primary-source information and documentation...” (SLJ)

Herumin, Wendy. Child Labor Today: A Human Rights Issue. Enslow, $23.95 (0-7660-2682-5)

(gr. 7-12) “An estimated 218 million children world-wide work in terrible conditions...powerful title...combines up-to-date facts with moving portraits of individual children who toil in mines, factories, the sex trade...farms...soldiers and more...official reports and personal narratives...phone interviews...full-color photos of contemporary young people trapped in harsh workplaces...bound to be a burning issue...Chapter notes, a helpful bibliography, and Internet addresses will help potential activists.” (BL)

Park, Linda Sue. Tap Dancing on theRoof. Illus. by Istvan Banyai. Carlion, $16 (978-0-618-23483-7)

(gr. 2-6) “Sijo is a traditional Korean form of poetry...three or six lines...strict syllable count...All of the lines have a purpose...sijo ...harmonize with illustrations that are deceptively simple at first glance, but have a sophistication and wise humor that will make viewers smile...think...selections are thoughtful, playful, and quirky...author’s note...historical background...”(SLJ)

Raven, Nicky. Beowulf: A Tale of Blood, Heat and Ashes. Illus. by John Howe. Candlewick, $18.99 (0-7636-3647-9)

(gr. 6-12) “...undeniably the best [adaptation]...gripping rendition...highly evocative artwork...takes a few liberties that add welcome nuance to the story...wry personality to the title hero...fleshing out the supporting cast...droll narrator, Wiglaf... artwork...spectacular, easily capturing the heroic grandeur and horrific gruesomeness of the tale...if you only buy one Beowulf this season, make it this one.” (BL)

St. George, Judith. Stand Tall, Abe Lincoln. Illus. by Matt Faulkner. Philomel, $16.99 (978-0-399-24174-1)

(gr. 1-4) “...Lincoln’s childhood...fast-paced, short sentences...folksy, conversational style...old-fashioned words...to add to the period feel...incidents from Lincoln’s life that will help children understand the man he became...emphasizes how family members...helped Lincoln to achieve his potential...expressive images...caricature style...visuals sprawl across the spreads as if the action cannot be easily contained...adult professional life in summarized in an endnote.” (SLJ)

Sayre, April. Vulture View. Illus. by Steven Jenkins. Holt, $16.95 (0-8050-7557-7)

(K-gr.2) “When writing about vultures, the topic eventually comes around to stinky meat...gorgeous treatment...poetic text...words...describe a group of turkey vultures as they soar in the sky, seeking food that reeks...places the birds against strong, vivid colors...signature collage work camouflages the ‘stinky dead deer’ to some extent, but young children will still understand that the book presents the cycle of life...final two-page spread...solid job of explaining...” (BL)

Schlitz, Laura Amy, reteller. The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm. Illus. by Max Grafe. Candlewick, $16.99 (978-0-7636-2730-0)

(gr. 3-5) “...somber tale of the devil more outlasted than outwitted, an ex-soldier accepts a hard bargain: he’ll be rich for the rest of his life if, for seven years, he wears the skin of the bear he’s just slain...failure will mean eternal perdition...clarity, grace, and sensitivity to the larger ideas her words suggest...atmospheric full-page illustrations... provocative...”(HB)

YA Fiction

Àbalos, Rafael. Grimpow: The Invisible Road. Translated by Noel Baca Castex. Delacorte, $17.99 (978-0-385-73374-8)

(gr. 7 and up) “Spanish novelist...medieval fantasy...equal parts historical fiction and metaphysical quest...14^th-century Europe...Pope Clement V, King Philip IV of France ...inquisitor...hunting down most of the knights...boy named Grimpow finds a dead nobleman clutching a strange amulet...unknowingly becomes the focal point of a centuries-old mission to spread the light of wisdom...grand-scale storytelling prowess... cyptographic intrigue...multiple storylines...fast pace...” (PW)

Bray, Libba. The Sweet Far Thing. Delacorte, $17.99 (978-0-385-73030-3)

(gr. 9 and up) “...concluding volume in the trilogy...huge work of massive ambition...tying off a dozen plot threads...weaving in the defining movements of the era—labor strikes...suffrage...Impressionists...Gemma is both buffeted and bolstered by her exposure to these developments...power...High priestess of the secret society...chafes...myriad restrictions placed on women...quest is to break free...gothic undertones...deaths gruesome...fully realized company of players...” (PW)

Cornwell, Autumn. Carpe Diem. Feiwel & Friends, $16.95 (978-0-312-36792-3)

(gr. 7 and up) “When she is blackmailed into backpacking across Southeast Asia with a grandmother she barely knows, 16-year-old Vassar Spore...overachieving...arrives at the Golden Lotus guesthouse with a mountain of luggage and a plan to write a novel about the trip for her AAP English class...shifts...from Vassar’s stilted home life and stuffy parents to a vividly described environment...colorful characters...mysterious family secret...lion’s share of cultural faux pas...Suspenseful and wonderfully detailed...” (SLJ)

Peacock, Shane. Eye of the Crow. Tundra, $19.95 (0-88776-850-4)

(gr. 7-10) “...ambitious new series...Sherlock Holmes’ youth and his entrèe into crime solving...1867 London, 13-year-old...Sherlock lives in poverty...curiosity is piqued when an Arab youth insists he has been wrongly arrested for a vicious murder...shadowy, vividly described London...Creative references to Doyle’s characters abound...fascinating and complex...” (BL)

Shaw, Susan. Safe. Dutton, $16.99 (978-0-525-47829-4)

(gr. 9 and up) “...extraordinarily tender novel...eloquently encapsulates what it feels like to be a victim of rape. On the last day of seventh grade, Tracy is burtally assaulted by an older boy she knows...trouble believing she is safe...Feeling unprotected, disconnected from her once-happy childhood...unable to face unknown horrors...therapist doesn’t help...find some relief when she practices the piano...honestly expresses Tracy’s full range of emotions...state of paralysis...avoids spelling out the particulars of the rape...” (PW)

Audio

Before I Die. By Jenny Downham. Read by Charlotte Parry. Listening Library, CD 7 hours, $50 (978-0-7393-629-07)

(gr. 9-12) “...title...says it all. Afflicted with leukemia...Tessa Scott keeps a list of 10 things she wants to do before she dies...British narrator...infuses Tessa with humor, candor, and a freshness...[characters] are easily recognizable through slight tonal and pitch changes...story is not maudlin, thanks to...writing and...impressive reading... both the print and audio version are outstanding.”(BL)

The Rules of Survival. By Nancy Werlin, read by Daniel Passer. Listening Library, CD, $38 (978-0-739-351-154)

(gr. 7-10) “In a long, cathartic letter to his little sister, Emmy, Matt explains events she witnessed as a young child when he and Callie attempted to teach younger sibling Emmy the ‘rules of survival’ to help cope with their irrational, cocaine-sniffing mother...quiet, somber voice...compelling and heighten the fearful conditions under which the children live...rendition of Nikki’s cold rage...chilling...impassioned reading...” (BL)

Books in Spanish

Andricaìn, Sergio. Arco iris de poesìa: Poemas de las Amèricas y España. (Rainbow of Poetry: Poems from the Americas and Spain). Illus. by Olga Cuèllar. Lectorum, $16.99 (978-1-930-33259-1)

(PreS-gr.2) “A representative collection of poetry from Latin America and Spain...fills a void...poems are short...nature, animals, and daily life...sweet... nonsensical ...Most countries are represented with two selections each...accompanied by colorful cartoon artwork. Concise biographical information on the individual poets is listed alphabetically by country...no table of contents...but an index...” (CR)

Baumont, Olivier. Vivaldi, Antonio. Tr. by Fina Palomares. CD narrated by Dolores Martìnez. (84-9825-161-3)

Du Bouchet, Paule. Bach, Johann Sebastian. . Tr. by Fina Palomares. CD narrated by Dolores Martìnez. (84-9825-162-1)

Walcker, Yann. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Tr. by Emilia Hernàndez. CD narrated by Manuel Veiga and Dolores Martinez. (84-7864-958-1)

Each volume: Illus. by Charlotte Voake. Spain: Combel, dist. by IPG. $14.95.

(gr. 2-3) “Originally published in French...explores the lives of the classic composers...examples of their work...includes a CD that narrates the text and plays samples...greatest compositions...interesting facts...each spread includes a game or activity...discussion of several of the musicians’ famous works...illustrations... photographs...instruments...period paintings...” (CR)

Lottridge, Celia Barker. El libro de oro de las historias de la vida de Jesùs. (The Golden Book: Stories from the Life of Jesus). Tr. by Marianne Delon. Illus. by Linda Wolfsgruber. Ediciones Ekarè (Collecciòn Libros de Oro), dist. by Lectorum, $10.99 (980-257-325-6)

(gr.3 and up) “...compilation of well-known stories that follow the life of Jesus...meant to be read aloud...based on the four gospels and adapted to give them context and...structure. Biblical notations in the margins provide the sources...artwork uses unconventional spatial and artistic approaches...Spanish translation is clear, yet the unusually small font may be problematic for beginning readers...” (CR)

Bilingual Books

Brown, Monica. My name is Gabito/Mi nombre es Gabito. Illus. by Raùl Colòn. Luna Rising (My Name Is), $15.95 (978-0-87358-908-6)

(K-gr.3) “...dazzles readers in this telling of Gabriel Garcìa Màrquez’s magical childhood. Mesmerizing color-pencil...illustrations wrap around the text...perfect balance of art and language. Based on Garcìa Marquèz’s adult autobiography...wonderful, engaging narrative...early childhood...accessible, high-quality choice for bi-lingual families.” (CR)

Weill, Cynthia. AbeCedarios: Mexican Folk Art ABCs in English and Spanish. Illus. by Moisès and Armando Jimènez. Cinco Puntos Press, $14.95 (978-1-933693-13-2)

(PreS-K) “...stands out for its artwork: gorgeous animal wood sculptures created in Oaxaca...Every letter is illustrated with a full-page photograph...animal...English and Spanish names below the image...includes notes on a few of the letters...outstanding...” (CR)
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