June 2006

The Indianhead Federated Library System presents

Starred Reviews

New and Notable Books for Young People

June 2006 * 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), Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA) 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
Juvenile Non-fiction
YA Fiction
YA Non-fiction

Graphic Novels
Bilingual/Spanish Books

Picture Books

Anholt,Laurence. Seven for a Secret. Illus. by Jim Coplestone. Frances Lincoln (PGW, dist.), $15.95 (1-84507-300-2)
(PreS-gr.3) “…poignant tale unfolds through letters exchanged between Ruby, …Grampa… powerful long-distance connection…gracefully weaves in the details of their lives and the passage of time…financial difficulties of Ruby's parents and the health challenges facing her grandfather…feel Ruby's grief …charcoal and watercolor wash captures both the beauty and trials of the two main characters… uplifting message that love lives on, even after our loved ones are gone.” (PW)

Brisson, Pat. I Remember Miss Perry. Illus. by Stèphane Jorisch. Dial, $16.99 (0-8037-2981-2)

(PreS-up) “…sensitively explores the effects of an elementary teacher’s unexpected death…Stevie…narrates his recollections of the fun-loving teacher… Softly hued pen-and-ink and gouache illustrations…depicts the thoughtful way the principal and guidance counselor break the news…students share their memories…artwork keeps the poignant tale from becoming maudlin…welcome opening for discussion of a difficult subject.”(PW)

Bunting, Eve. One Green Apple. Illus. by Ted Lewin. Clarion, $16 (0-618-43477-1)

(gr. 1-3) “…poignant, attractive…contemporary immigrants of Arab descent…Farah…joins her class…apple orchard…feels desperately isolated…fine first-person narrative…photorealistic watercolors…” (BL)

Cronin, Doreen. Dooby Dooby Moo. Illus. by Betsy Lewin. S&S/Atheneum, $16.95 (0-689-84507-3)
(PreS-gr.2) “…farm animals decide to enter a talent contest to win... a trampoline…off-the-wall tale poised to deliver giggles galore… pigs practice an interpretive dance and Duck belts out his rendition of "Born to Be Wild" … tongue-in-cheek asides…expansive brush strokes …” (PW)

Donaldson, Julia. Charlie Cook’s Favorite Book. Illus. by Axel Scheffler. Dial, $16.99 (0-8037-3142-6)

(PreS) “…circular tale…Charlie Cook…favorite book about a pirate…each turn of the page, one book…leads to another…tale always ends with yet another book…ends by circling back to a book...about…Charlie Cook…comical and entertaining book…” (PW)

Fitzpatrick, Marie-Louise. I Am I. Roaring Brook/A Neal Porter Book, $16.95 (1-59643-054-0)

(gr. 2-5) “ ‘I am I, King of everything!” declares a…boy from a hilltop…sees another child claiming dominance…words…form a barbed-wire fence…create an obstruction causing a flood…words form huge fire-breathing dragon…rainfall, remorse and apologies set things right…closes with each child again saying “I am I,” this time without any claims of dominion…artistically accomplished book…thought-provoking fable…best appreciated by older audiences.” (SLJ)

Gershator, Phillis and David Gershator. Summer is Summer. Illus. by Sophie Blackall. Holt, $16.95 (0-8050-7444-9)

(PreS-gr. 2) “…languorous feeling of summer, four friends …enjoying outdoor activities…rhyming text is bouncy and brief…captures the exhilaration of this time of year…Whimsical watercolor illustrations…dreamy world of fantasy…perfect for one-on-one sharing and for early readers…” (SLJ)

Harper, Jamie. Miss Mingo and the First Day of School. Candlewick, $15.99 (0-7636-2410-1)

(PreS-gr. 2) “…Miss Mingo—a flamingo—asks her feathered, furry and multi-legged pupils to share something special about themselves…hilarious…Captions in smaller typeface elaborate on each animal’s featured characteristics. Colorful, animated…funny commentary…keeps the narrative moving and the facts coming…”(PW)

Harper, Jessica. A Place Called Kindergarten. Illus. by G. Brian Karas. Putnam, $15.99 (0-399-24226-0)

(PreS-up) “…Tommy fails to show up at the barn one morning…Four worried animals…decide to find out why…warm golden hues and soft edges reflect the gentleness and mutual respect…Tommy’s enthusiasm for his first day of school…will send a reassuring message…” (PW)

Markle, Sandra. Little Lost Bat. Illus. by Alan Marks. Charlesbridge, $15.95 (1-57091-656-X)
(gr. 2-4) “…one newborn bat that loses its mother…beautiful picture book… incredible facts…20 million Mexican free-tailed bats…baby bat…crawls onto its mother…nurses…mother races out to gorge on insects…returns to nurse…One night, she is killed by an owl…little bat waits and waits…new mother finds the baby…double-page watercolors with delicate ink details…amazing facts and numbers about bats that are as dramatic as the story…” (BL)

McClintock, Barbara. Adèle & Simon. Farrar/Frances Foster, $16 (0-374-38044-9)

(K-gr.3) “…Adèle…little brother Simon…walk home from school…each stop along the way Simon loses something…Simon has lost everything! …setting is Paris in the early twentieth century…wonderful distractions…endpaper maps…meticulous double-page depictions of Parisian neighborhoods and landmarks…” (BL)

McElmurry, Jill. I’m Not a Baby! Random/Schwartz & Wade, $18.99 (0-375-93614-9)

(PreS-gr.2) “…Leo Leotardi…distracted Edwardian family clings to the notion that their youngest remains a baby…clad in infants’ togs and enduring cooing remarks… attends school, gives a graduation speech, and starts his first job…surreal touches to the ornate, period settings…suit the farce…restrained text…children will be deeply amused…and wholly sympathetic…” (BL)

Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Peggony-Po: A Whale of a Tale. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, $16.99 (0-7868-1958-8)

(K-gr.4) “Told with humor and verve…tall tale…wooden boy named Peggony-Po… promises to catch the monster whale…masterful illustration…Richly descriptive similes…absurdity and thrilling adventure…illustrations brim with activity and energy…Every library will want…”(SLJ)

Roberts, Jacqui. The New Girl…and Me. Illus. by Matt Phelan. Atheneum/Jackson, $16.95 (0-689-86468-X)

(preS-gr.2) “…two girls’ bumpy path to friendship…Mia…Shakeeta, a new classmate…finally finds her chance to reach out to Shakeeta…demonstrate…how connections forged with others can help us feel “at home” in the world…use of space communicates…honest book…” (PW)

Rodman Mary Ann. First Grade Stinks! illus. by Beth Spiegel. Peachtree, $15.95 (1-56145-377-3)
(PreS-gr.3) “…Haley and her friend Ryan pride themselves on being big kids now …puffed-up feelings soon deflate… new teacher, Ms. Gray, gives them only a "tiny smile…walls are bare, the work is hard and there's only one recess instead of two… pacing of the first-person narration…winsome watercolors keeps this lively tale on track. …With the help of an understanding Ms. Gray, Haley soon starts to see the up side of being a first-grader…” (PW)

Ruzzier, Sergio. The Room of Wonders. FSG/Foster, $16 (0-374-36343)
(PreS-gr.3) “… whimsical artwork…parable…Pius Pelosi…collects odds and ends …displays them in his Room of Wonders… characters' overlarge eyes and elongated noses seem ideally suited to this tale about inquisitiveness…subtle humor …guests disparage a small gray pebble…first thing the hero ever collected…chucks his entire collection…austere backdrops…conjure the feeling of queasy uneasiness when one goes against one's gut…” (PW)

Savadier, Elivia. Time to Get Dressed! Roaring Brook/Porter, $14.95 (1-59643-161-X)

(ages 1-4) “…The only one who’s going to dress little Solomon is Solomon himself…dresses with ingenuity…pictures and dialogue once again showcase a gift for economy and humor…inspired…watercolor and ink drawings exude…elegant fluidity…” (PW)

Schwarz, Viviane. Shark and Lobster’s Undersea Adventure. Colored by Joel Stewart. Candlewick, $15.99 (0-7636-2910-3)

(PreS-gr.1) “Irrational fear propels the silly undersea antics of best pals Lobster and Shark…cross between picture-book and graphic-novel…Shark…scared—of tigers…construct a fortress…decides that a monster is the only sure-fire security solution …When said monster awakes, tiger phobia suddenly becomes low on the list of worries …triumphant message.” (PW)

Smee, Nicola. Clip-Clop. Boxer Bks, dist. by Sterling, $18.95 (1-905417-09-8)

(PreS-K) “…tale of an accommodating horse and his eager passengers elicits smiles from the get-go…Cat gets a ride…Dog…Pig and Duck… riders look blissful and then…uneasy as they desperately hang on…horse comes to a screeching halt…simplicity of plot and design, loveable characters, repetitive sound effects, captivating color illustrations…first-rate.”(SLJ)

Wheeler, Lisa. Castaway Cats. Illus. by Ponder Goembel. S&S/Atheneum/Richard Jackson Bks., $16.95 (0-689-86232-6)

(PreS-gr.2) “…action begins on the front cover…15 soggy moggies are tossed from their sinking ship…deserted island…cats are of varying ages, breeds and personalities…must overcome their differences…through their adversity they have become a family…told in verses that become smoother as the cats cooperate and find their groove…illustrations…are fantastic…wonderful insight into the side stories…” (SLJ)

Juvenile Fiction

Bryant, Jen. Pieces of Georgia. Knopf, $15.95 (0-375-83259-9)

(gr. 5-9) “…quiet, observant 13-year-old…Georgia can’t put her feelings about her mother’s death six years ago…explore her love of drawing…eloquent, spare musings…fragmented pieces of this…heroine become an integrated whole.” (PW)

Buckley-Archer, Linda. Gideon the Cutpurse. Simon & Schuster, $17.95 (1-4169-1525-7)

(gr. 6-9) “Twenty-first-century twelve-year-olds, Peter and Kate…flung…into 1763…accidentally launched by a NASA-funded anti-gravity machine…finding themselves under the protective care of Gideon…England of 1763 is fully fleshed…bulk of the tale involves a long and dangerous eighteenth-century road trip…from Derbyshire to London…Historical detail…excellent and engagingly intertwined with…adventure…” (VOYA 5Q4P) (SLJ)

Clements,Andrew. Room One: A Mystery or Two. Illus. by Chris Blair. S&S, $15.95 (0-689-86686-9)

(gr.3-7) “…12-year-old Ted… reads multiple mysteries each week… solving each midway through the book…finds himself surrounded by real-life mysteries…wondering how the family will keep the farm…how can Ted's school…survive, given the town's shrinking population …face he sees in the window of a deserted farmhouse …threads some authentic, topical themes into the meaning behind the face in the window … Like every good mystery, this one has an unexpected conclusion…fine work of fiction.”(PW)

Gregorich, Barbara. Waltur Buys a Pig in a Poke, and Other Stories. Illus. by Kristin Sorra. Houghton, $15 (0-618-47306-8)
(gr. 2-5) “… early reader, a dimwitted bear named Waltur learns…what is really meant by three age-old idioms… introduces each adage…subsequent clueless behavior drives home the meaning of the moral… Despite Waltur's missteps, things do work out for him…upbeat …prose tickles … chipper spot watercolors add just the right touch of comic visual stimuli…” (PW)

Jones, Kimberly K. Sand Dollar Summer. Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry, $15.95 (1-4169-0362-3)

(gr. 5-8) “Annalise, 12, and her brother, Free, 5…never been to the ocean… single-parent, working mom is injured…takes them back to her childhood home in Fiddle Island, Maine…Annalise hates the sea…braves the waves to rescue…smart, tough…narrative…local doctor…a bit too perfect…family story…is exquisitely told…”(BL) (SLJ)

Kaaberbol, Lene. The Serpent Gift. Holt, $17.95 (0-8050-7770-7).

(gr. 6-9) “…third book in the Shamer Chronicles…entertaining and well written…The Shamer’s family and Nico are on the run…become slaves for the Foundation…unique world…well-developed characters, fast-moving plots…bravery and moral issues…” (BL)

Masson, Sophie. Snow, Fire, Sword. HarperCollins/Eos, $16.89 (0-06-079092-X)

(gr. 6-9) “…father of 13-year-old Dewi…en route to warn the sultan…is captured—thrusting the..teens into the ‘eternal struggle’…between clear sight and blindness…must sort allies from enemies…refreshingly departs from the genre’s more typical cultural underpinnings…” (BL)

McCaffrey, Laura Williams. Water Shaper. Clarion, $16 (0-618-61489-3)

(gr. 6-9) “…outcast in her father’s court…misfit in her rigidly patriarchal society, 15-year-old Princess Margot longs to find a home with her mother’s people…King Orrin…demands that she hand over the magical book…Margot refuses…peril… developing magical powers…good and evil seem clearly defined at first, the characters increasingly reveal different points of view…riveting personal drama…”(BL)

Paulsen, Gary. The Legend of Bass Reeves: Being the True and Fictional Account of the Most Valiant Marshal in the West. Random/Wendy Lamb, $17.99 (0-385-90898-9)

(gr. 5-8) “…born a slave, became a successful rancher…taming the rough-hewn Oklahoma Territory…tough, wily survivor with an unshakable sense of duty…astonishing exploits…stirring tale of adventure…”( BL)

Paulsen, Gary. The Amazing Life of Birds: The Twenty-Day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leech. Random/Lamb, $13.95 (0-385-74660-1)

(gr. 5-up) “…perceptive, funny look at the life of 12-year-old Duane… bares all in his journal…thinking a lot about the female body…bemoans his zits…cracking voice…At school, calamities abound…” (PW)

Pow, Tom. The Pack. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter, $16.95 (1-59643-159-8)

(gr. 6-9) “…dismal, near-future setting…survival tale of courage, kinship and caring…markets collapsed and riots began…Three children…and three dogs live a hardscrabble existence in the basement of an old warehouse… Old Woman tells them stories that can help them survive…suspense is palpable…characters are vividly realized…Truly an edge-of-the-chair read.” (BL)

Stewart, Paul and Chris Riddell. Far-Flung Adventures: Fergus Crane. Random/Fickling, $14.95 (0-385-75088-9)

(gr. 3-7) “…part Dickensian comedy, part pirate adventure. Ten-year-old Fergus Crane and his mother…near-poverty…attends school aboard the Betty-Jeanne…staffed by teachers with eye patches and hooks for hands…silver box with wings…warning note… overall air of endearing silliness…creative page layouts incorporate…whimsical illustrations…blurring the line between novel and graphic novel.”( PW)

Ullman, Barb Bentler. The Fairies of Nutfolk Wood. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen, $15.99 (0-06-073614-3)

(gr. 3-5) “Worn thin and ill by stress, 10-year-old Willa is eager to move…to a trailer in the woods…meet Hazel…watches Willa while her mother works…a band of woodland fairies…lives in the woods…When humans threaten their unseen neighbors, Willa and Hazel fight back…convincing first-person narrative with…wholesome appeal…” (BL)

Warner, Sally. Twilight Child. Viking, $17.99 (0-670-06076-3)

(gr. 5-8) “…Eleni is privy to the world of the ‘wee creatures’…young Finish girl…late eighteenth-century political turmoil…difficult family circumstances…washed ashore on a Scottish island…deftly interweaves fantastical elements of Finnish and Scottish lore with rich cultural specifics…strong characters…”(BL)

Juvenile Non-fiction

Civil Rights Leaders. Morgan Reynolds, $26.95 each.

Miller, Calvin Craig. Roy Wilkins: Leader of the NAACP. (1-931798-49-4)

Bohannon, Lisa Frederiksen. Freedom Cannot Rest: Ella Baker and the Civil Rights Movement. (1-931798-71-0)

(gr. 6-12) “…brings to life the movers and shakers of the civil rights movement… background and viewpoints of several key players…engaging, thorough, thought-provoking…extensive bibliographic notes…” (VOYA 5Q2P)

Harris, Robie H. It’s Not the Stork! A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends. Illus. by Michael Emberly. Candlewick, $16.99 (0-7636-0047-4)

(K-gr.3) “…will raise as many hackles as it attracts words of praise…body parts are exhaustively labeled…text…candidly expresses what….under-the-blankets visual leaves to the imagination…affectionate, mood-lightening cartoons…respectful writing targets children’s natural curiosity without cloaking matters in obfuscating language…” (BL)

Jenkins, Steve. Move! Houghton, $16 (0-618-64637-X)

(PreS-gr. 2) “…eye-popping book…Each spread contains one action word and two animals for whom that behavior is typical…One of the animals turns up again on the next page alongside a different creature, both of them representing another kind of motion…uses brief phrases as captions…well-written, concise appendix…gorgeous and educational.” (SLJ)

Macy, Sue. Freeze Frame: A Photographic History of the Winter Olympics. National Geographic, $18.95 (0-7922-7887-9)

(gr. 5-12) “…exceptional photography…history of the Olympic Games…heroes and superstars…conflicts…weather problems…Olympic Almanac…thumbnail account of the highlights of the Olympic Games starting in 1908 through 2010…”(VOYA 5Q4P)

Mannis, Celeste Davidson. Snapshots: The Wonders of Monterey Bay. Photos by author. Viking, $16.99 (0-670-06062-3)

(K-gr. 4) “Descriptive language paints a picture of this spectacular coastal ecosystem…full-color photographs…two-page photos…different habitats, plants and animals…images are so crisp that readers will be tempted to reach out and touch the animals…simple text…boxed sections provide enough detail to interest older students…” (SLJ)

McKissack, Patricia C. Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters. Illus. by Andre Carrilho. Random/Schwartz & Wade, $20.99 (0-375-93619-X)

(gr. 3-5) “…nine original tales…uproarious collection draw in African American oral tradition…history…legend…sly humor, creepy horror…intimate folk idiom… History is always in the background…weak and exploited beat powerful oppressors with the best lies ever told…” (BL)

Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. The Buffalo and the Indians: A Shared Destiny. Illus. by William Muñoz. Clarion, $18 (0-618-48570-8)

(gr. 5-8) “According to President Ulysses S. Grant…buffalo had to be destroyed if the Indians were to be defeated…whites slaughtered and nearly wiped out the powerful animals…enabled the settlers to take over the prairies…horrific climax of destruction and loss is quietly told…stirring, full-color photo-essay…celebrates the long-lasting connection between the plains Indians and the buffalo…current recovery…lucid narrative…” (BL)

Revkin, Andrew. The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World. Kingfisher/Houghton Mifflin, $15.95 (0-7534-5993-0)

(gr. 6-9) “…Revkin ventured to the North Pole to witness firsthand the impact of global warming…more obvious at the poles…uses previously published articles from the New York Times…to expand…nice job of packaging the material…maps, photos, and diagrams all complement the text…writing style is clear and engrossing…”( VOYA 5Q3P) (SLJ)

Romanek, Trudee. Squirt! Illus. by Rose Cowles. Kids Can, $14.95 (1-55337-776-1), paper, $7.95 (1-55337-777-X)

(gr. 4-6) “The physiology is accurate, accessible, and exciting…lively, browsable…full-color diagrams, pictures and boxes…human heart and circulatory system…narrative is chatty and informal…will enthrall readers…making such complicated information comprehensible…” (BL)

Rubin, Susan Goldman, with Ela Weissberger. The Cat with the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezin. Holiday House, $16.95 (0-8234-1831-6)

(gr. 3-6) “…Brundibàr, a children’s opera most famous for having been performed by Jewish children imprisoned at Terezin…Weissberger…acted during her internment…finely tuned collaboration narrative and memories…trauma, friendship, and survival…clearly written…countless quotes…historical photographs, drawings, and primary visual sources…” (SLJ)

Siebert, Diane. Tour America: A Journey through Poems and Art. Illus. by Stephen T. Johnson. Chronicle, $17.95 (0-8118-5056-0)

(gr. 3 and up) “…stunning tour of America highlights 26 of the poet’s favorite sights…varied as the nation itself…striking word choices and images…The El…Badlands…Aurora Borealis…double-page map… alerts readers to the exciting destinations…box of additional information for each site…medium and art style…reflect the mood of each locale…”( SLJ)

Signature Lives: Renaissance Era. Compass Point Books, $30.60 (each).

Rees, Fran. Johannes Gutenberg: Inventor of the Printing Press. (0-7565-0989-0)

Weatherly, Myra. Elizabeth I: Queen of Tudor England. (0-7565-0988-2)

(gr. 6-12) “Part of an eight-volume set…attractive and easy-to-read volumes quite useful for reports…pictures, quotes, primary source documents, maps, or sidebars …on nearly every page…excellent overview of key historic figures…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Steele, Philip. Marie Curie: The Woman Who Changed the Course of Science. National Geographic, $17.95 (no ISBN listed)

(gr. 6-9) “…contains four sections…childhood in Warsaw…young adult years as a governess and a university student studying physics…adult years…science partnership and marriage to Pierre Curie…Nobel Prize…two daughters…years after the death of Pierre…short book…clear, readable style…sidebars with interesting information… excellent and accessible resource…” (VOYA 5Q3P)

Sullivan, George. Berenice Abbott, Photographer: An Independent Vision. Clarion, $20 (0-618-44026-7)

(gr. 6-9) “Born in…1898, Abbott…found her calling in photography…practiced with uncommon drive and an uncompromising sense of purpose for 60 years…In the 1930s…financial support…ambitious project called Changing New York…science photography…enormous amount of information…clear, thoughtful manner…Abbott’s photos appear throughout…extensive list of books and interviews…” (BL)

Tchana, Katrin Hyman. Changing Woman and Her Sisters. Illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. Holiday, $18.95 (0-8234-1999-1)

(gr. 5-8) “well-chosen, well-told stories of 10 goddesses from different cultures…Navajo…Celtic…Inuit…Buddhist…ancient Maya…Shinto…distinctive portrayals of the goddesses using…photographs and found materials into full-page ink and acrylic paintings…sources for each story…personal note tracing her spiritual search … research…full account of the processes...used to create each picture.” (BL)

Wolf, Allan. Immersed in Verse: An Informative, Slightly Irreverent & Totally Tremendous Guide to Living the Poet’s Life. Illus. by Tuesday Mourning. Sterling/Lark, $14.95 (1-57990-628-1)

(gr. 6 and up) “Perfect for young writers…how-to guide—chock-ful of examples…inspire and nurture young poets…wise without being didactic…wit and humor…hip cartoons and doe-eyed characters complement…humor…ample coverage of all things related to writing poetry, from habits to cultivate to finding subjects…helpful appendixes, a glossary…” (SLJ)

YA Fiction

Almond, David. Clay. Delacorte, $15.95 (0-385-90208-5)
(gr. 7 and up) “…eerie tale shows the disastrous effects of two boys attempting to play God… altar boy David befriends … Stephen…who…is different from other boys. …remarkable talent for molding figures out of clay… possesses the ability to bring his creations to life… succeed in constructing a "monster" out of clay …the act of creation can lead to destruction… Stephen is not what he appears to be…Readers will remain on the edge of their seats…” (PW)

Cardenas,Teresa. Letters to My Mother. trans. by David Unger. Groundwood/ Anansi (PGW, dist.), $15.95) (0-88899-720-5); paper $6.95 ( 0-88899-721-0)

(gr. 7 and up) “…powerful…novel…probes themes of racism and family. In letters to her beloved mother in heaven…learns that the memory of being cherished can kindle the ability to love, forgive and accept love…sent to live with her brutal grandmother, aunt and cousins … reveals her maturation as a young woman…sheaf of small observations, smoothly translated…” (PW)

De la Cruz, Melissa. Blue Bloods. Hyperion, $15.99 (0-7868-3892-2)

(gr. 9-12) “Like the power brokers…parents and ancestors…Blue Bloods, continually reincarnated vampires…several teens, unaware of their heritage…begin to manifest their true natures…Grafting …chick-lit sensibility…onto horror themes…coupling sly humor…with the gauzier trappings of being fanged and fabulous…”( BL)

Dorfman, Joaquin. Playing it Cool. Random House, $17.99 (0-375-93641-6)

(gr. 9-12) “Sebastian Montero…eighteen-year-old…able and willing to talk a suicidal friend off the roof…help a girl he barely knows get out of an abortion clinic…fixing up his friend Jeremy with the father Jeremy never knew…excellent ear for dialogue…characters…place themselves in emotional danger…confront the realities of class…”(VOYA 5Q4P)

Frost, Helen. The Braid. Farrar/Frances Foster, $16 (0-374-30962-0)

(gr. 7-10) “When their family is evicted from the Western Isles of Scotland in 1850, teenage sisters Jeannie and Sarah are torn apart. Jeanne goes with her parents… Cape Breton, Canada…Sarah…stay behind with Grandma…plain narrative poems… brutal ocean crossing…loneliness…themes of home, shelter, and heritage…yearning for family…taut poetic lines manage to contain the powerful feelings.” (BL)

The Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other Identities. Ed. by David Levithan and Billy Merrell. Knopf, $17.99 (0-375-93290-9), paper, $9.95 (0-375-83290-4)

(gr. 8-11) “…40 contributions…all are nonfiction…by writers under the age of 23…diversity is the order of the day…extraordinarily broad spectrum of sexual identity…Insightful, extraordinarily well written, and emotionally mature…” (BL)

Lipsyte, Robert. Raiders Night. HarperTempest, $15.99 (0-06-059946-4)

(gr. 10-12) “…grim, disturbing story…Matt…co-captain of the Nearmont Raiders…Addicted to Vicodin…regular shots of steroids…with the support of his father…witnesses his sadistic co-captain sexually assault a rookie player…brutal, graphic scene…cooperates when an investigation is launched…”(BL)

Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. Dairy Queen. Houghton, $16 (0-618-68307-02)

(gr. 7 and up) “…D.J. Schwenk narrates this story of her 15^th summer…older brothers at college on football scholarships…most of the…work…small dairy farm…quit basketball…F in sophomore English…Romeo and Juliet in Wisconsin, with cows, but it’s more comic than tragic…no cheap shots…humor, sports action and intelligence abundant…” (PW)

Sloan, Brian. A Tale of Two Summers. Simon & Schuster, $15.95 (0-689-87439-1)

(gr. 9 and up) “…blog between two fifteen-year-old boys…Chuck…spending six weeks at…theater camp…Hal is gay…prepared for a dull summer…Henri Broussard… enters his life…boring life…transformed…Both boys are hoping to lose their virginity …sex happens…genuine depiction…characters are believable…mature…”(VOYA 5Q4P)

Westerfield, Scott. Blue Noon. HarperCollins, $16.89 (0-06-051958-4)

(gr. 7-12) “…continues the Midnighters series…five teenagers…have the ability to see dark creatures…who try to feed on humans…fast-paced suspense…”(VOYA 4Q5P)

Westerfield, Scott. Specials. Simon Pulse/S&S, $15.95 (0-689-86540-6)

(gr. 7-12) “…final installment in the Uglies trilogy, sixteen-year-old Tally is now a Cutter…Special…monitor those who have undergone compulsory pretty surgery…strong resistance movement…exciting, well-written, thought-provoking…readers should read the entire trilogy…”(VOYA 4Q5P)

Wittlinger, Ellen. Blind Faith. Simon & Schuster, $15.95 (1-4169-0273-2)

(gr. 7-12) “Fifteen-year-old Liz is brokenhearted…death of her beloved grandmother Bunny…mother is so devastated…she will not get out of bed…Spiritualist Church…communications from Bunny…full-bodied book…subplots…interweave everything effectively…highly recommended…”(VOYA 5Q4P)

YA Non-fiction

Baskin, Julia, et.al. The Notebook Girls. Warner, $22.95 (0-446-57862-2)

(gr. 7-12) “…When Sophie, Courtney, Julia and Lindsey begin freshman year at New York City’s prestigious Stuyvesant High School in 2001…create a shared diary… records gossip, dating, fighting, sex, experiments with drugs and alcohol… religion and sexuality…true and very humorous account of what is really happening in the lives of ‘good kids.’…graphic language and artwork…highly recommended…”(VOYA 5Q5P)

Hoffman, Nancy. Sikhism. (Religions of the World). Lucent Books, $28.70 (1-5999018-453-X)

(gr. 7-12) “…basic history, development, and beliefs of the faith…roots in Hindi…Islamic influences…key terms, concepts, and beliefs…compared and contrasted to Hinduism and Islam…ten founding gurus…Historical and political relations…photos and maps…accessible to all readers…”( VOYA 5Q2P)

Kaufman, Miriam. Easy for You to Say: Q & A for Teens Living with Chronic Illness or Disability. Firefly, $19.95 trade pb (1-55407-078-3)

(gr. 9-12) “…medical doctor gives forthright answers to some tough questions… teenagers with chronic disease…Family Relationships, School and Work, Alcohol, Drugs and Medications, Sexuality…direct, honest answers…glossary, charts and resources…”(VOYA 5Q2P)

Mapping the World of Harry Potter: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Explore the Bestselling Fantasy Series of All Time. Mercedes Lackey, Ed. BenBella Books, $14.95 trade pb (1-932100-59-8)

(gr. 9-12) “…insightful, sometimes funny essays that analyze Harry’s world in contexts that include religion, heroism, psychology, politics, and myth…many focus on characters other than Harry…wide range of topics and deep levels of analysis…”( VOYA 5Q2P)

Teen Sexuality (Opposing Viewpoints). Greenhaven, $34.95 (0-73777-3362-4)

(gr. 7-12) “…covers four major questions about teens and sex…influences …whether or not society should be concerned…how society should respond…what teens should be taught…clear effort to find experts…information about the author to clarify where they are coming from…concise essays provide a wealth of information…highly recommended…”(VOYA 5Q2P)

Graphic Novels

DeMatteis, J.M. Abadazad: The Road to Inconceivable. Illus. by Mike Ploog. Hyperion, $9.99 (1-4321-0062-X)

(gr. 4 and up) “…expertly blends art and text…launch of…series…Kate’s enchanted journal…14-year-old is angry…brother Matty’s abduction…being held prisoner in Abadazad, the magical realm that the siblings used to love reading about…seamlessly weaves far-out threads into Kate’s real life…artwork explodes into the pages…”(PW)

Klein, Grady. The Lost Colony: The Snodgrass Conspiracy, Book 1. First Second/Roaring Brook, $14.95 trade pb (1-59643-097-4)

(gr. 7-up) “Life is good…on the Island until Mr. Stoop…starts putting up posters about the slave auction in a nearby port…Little Miss Birdy…’buys’ Louis John…two sneak out of town…mad inventor…has created a machine that will be better than any slave…chockfull of insight into the controversies of the past…uses…pictures to tell the real story behind all the words…”(VOYA 5Q3P)

Bilingual/Spanish Books

Gomi, Taro. Spring is Here/Llegò la Primavera. Chronicle, $14.50 (0-8118-4759-4)

(PreS) “…clever story…course of a year using a calf as a backdrop…text mentions melting snows, patches of brown representing the earth appear on its back…with the return of winter…outline once again emerges, as a full-grown cow…illustrations are elegant…”(SLJ)

Henkes, Kevin. La primera luna llena de Gatita. (Kitten’s First Full Moon) tr. by Osvaldo Blanco. Rayo/Harper Collins, $16.99 (0-06-087223-3)
(PreS-Gr 2) “… the translation …as good as the original…capturing the playfulness and sensitivity … neutral Spanish that flows with ease and precision…follows the rhythm of the original text, using more or less words for cadence and softer or heavier accents to better resonate with the story…ideal for read alouds. Recommended for all libraries…” (CR)