Indianhead Federated Library System > Youth Services > Starred Reviews

January 2007

The Indianhead Federated Library System presents

Starred Reviews

New and Notable Books for Young People

January 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), Hornbook (HB), Voices for 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.

Note: VOYA reviews rank books by Quality (Q) and Popularity (P), with 5 being the highest rating, 1 being the lowest. For your convenience, I have included this code with each VOYA review.

Content:

Picture Books
Juvenile Fiction

Non-fiction

YA Fiction

Recordings

Video

Books in Spanish

Picture Books

Faller, Règis. Polo: The Runaway Book. Porter/Roaring Brook, $16.95 (978-1-59643-189-8)

(PreS-gr.3) “…wordless outing, little dog Polo…is on a mission…middle-of-the-night intruder…green alien…fully stocked backpack…sails, flies, climbs…wildly imaginative series of dreamlike vignettes…makes friends along the way…will entertain both readers and pre-readers…” (HB) (SLJ)

Gusti. Half of an Elephant. Kane/Miller, $15.95 (1-933605-09-X)

(K-gr.4) “An elephant loses his back half…inventive tale…made of corrugated cardboard, old screws, googly eyes and other assorted found objects…sense of humor that will appeal to young and old alike…not the only one missing a half…several unsuccessful efforts to join with the front halves of other creatures…decides that life as a half might not be so bad…When the elephant’s two halves finally reunite…they discover that they need not be attached in the customary way in order to be happy…satisfying book.” (PW)

Gutman, Dan. Casey Back at Bat. Illus. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. HarperCollins, $17.89 (0-06-056026-6)

(K-gr. 4) “…winning picture book…revisits and updates…classic baseball poem …Casey hits a fly ball that soars out of the park and keeps on going…tower in Pisa…Sphinx in Egypt…through time…dinosaurs…astronauts…broadly humorous verse hits all the right notes…paintings have a playfully nostalgic look…fun read-aloud…will have baseball fans of all ages cheering…” (SLJ)

Hutchins, Hazel. A Second is a Hiccup: A Child’s Book of Time. Illus. by Kady McDonald Denton. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, $16.99 (0-439-83106-7)

(K-gr.2) “…explains the lengths of various time units in original, child-centered terms…Ingenious examples include a month as the time it takes for a scraped shin to grow new skin…Often falling into rhymed couplets…fluid text reads aloud well… [illustrations] depict children with…understanding, grace, and quirky charm…fresh take on the passage of time.” (BL)

Johnson, Angela. Wind Flyers. Illustrated by Loren Long. S & S, $16.99 (978-0-689-84879-7)

(K-gr.4) “…Tuskegee Airmen…boy recounts his great-uncle’s experience as one of these unsung heroes…humorous…paintings…all the more celebratory because of how rare it was for African-Americans to get an opportunity like this… author’s note…Both author and artist guard a careful balance between nostalgia and the timelessness of childhood aspirations…” (PW)

LaRochelle, David. The End. Illustrated by Richard Egielski. Scholastic/Levine, $16.99 (978-0-439-64011-4)

(PreS-gr.3) “…reverse fairy tale begins with a wedding… ‘And they all lived happily ever after.’…Subsequent ‘because…’ pages reveal, in backwards order, the events that led to “The End.”…keeps the plot simple, the better to trace the inverted order…buoyant hues…timely visual hints to past and future moments in this nicely realized puzzle.”(PW)(BL)

Mitchell, Stephen. The Tinderbox. Illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick, $17.99 (978-0763-620-783)

(gr. 2-4) “…beautifully illustrated version of a Hans Christian Andersen story…words are rich and colloquial…doesn’t cite sources…What stands out most… dramatic illustrations…pen-in-ink…figures spring gloriously to life… colors …extend the Old World flavor…provide a stately counterpoint to the wild, scary activity…will show well to both large and small groups…” (BL)

Wells, Rosemary. Max Counts His Chickens. Viking, $15.99 (0-670-06225)

(PreS-K) “…The Easter Bunny has hidden 10 hot-pink marshmallow chicks for Max and Ruby to find…Ruby discovers the first one under her pillow…and so on. Max …isn’t quite so lucky…Grandma…makes a phone call to the Easter Bunny… delightful story…1-to-10 counting lesson…large format and clean page design…perfect pairing of concept and story…” (PW)

Juvenile Fiction

Cassidy, Cathy. Scarlett. Viking, $16.99 (978-0-670-06068-9)

(gr. 6-9) “It has been two years since twelve-year-old Scarlett’s father left her and her mother…still furious…has been expelled from five schools since her dad left… Scarlett’s mother…is at her wits’ end…sending Scarlett…to live with her dad…meets Kian…wise beyond his years…delightful cast of characters…will leave female readers teary-eyed and hoping for a sequel.” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Codell, Esmè Raji. Vive La Paris. Hyperion, $15.99 (978-0-7868-5124-9)

(gr. 4-8) “… Paris McCray … Mrs. Rosen’s …piano lessons… form an unexpected friendship…helping her to navigate the rocky terrain of fifth grade at her inner-city school…spunky, sparkling heroine…fully realized…voice of each character rings true…original, engaging tale…profoundly simple truths…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Mr. Chickee’s Messy Mission. Random House, $18.99 (978-0-385-90942-6)

(gr. 4-8) “…fast-paced, wild adventure…preteens deal with a cranky animated dictionary, a mini-dog named Rodney Rodent…spooky mural…outrageous scenes… groan-out-loud malapropisms…tween-age gross-outs…” (VOYA 3Q5P)

Hinton, Nigel. Time Bomb. Tricycle, $15.95 (1-58246-186-4)

(gr. 5-8) “…thought-provoking…convincing portrait…post-WWII London…11-year-old Andy…relates his adventures with his three friends…after they find a seemingly inoperative bomb buried at their favorite play site…symbol of their boyhood rage…when Cap…is killed by the bomb’s explosion …multilayered and shocking story will spark conversations about prejudice, deception, truth and responsibility…”(PW)

Holm, Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm. Babymouse: Heartbreaker. Illus. by authors. Random, $12.99 (0-375-93798-6) or paper $5.99 (0-375-83798-1)

(gr. 1-4) “Romantic Babymouse…finds her confidence shaken by the impending Valentine’s Day dance…still indulges in plenty…pink-hued fantasies…finding a date proves less than fairy tale-like…waiting around…pathetic attempts to ingratiate…beauty magazines…valuable and never-too-early messages of self-respect and self-worth…good amount of humor…” (HB)

Luddy, Karon. Spelldown. S&S, $15.99 (978-1-4169-1610-9)

(gr. 5 and up) “…South Carolina…1968…heartrending and funny…deftly evokes place, time and character. Karlene…eighth-grader determined to win… Spelldown …Latin teacher…volunteers to be her spelling coach… spends time in their seemingly perfect household…Karlene’s…father…“trapped in a liquor bottle” … increasingly dispirited mother… private triumphs… resonant, applause-worthy…”(PW)

McKissack, Patricia. A Friendship for Today. Scholastic, $16.99 (978-0-439-66098-3)

(gr. 4-7) “…immediate and affecting novel…strong and smart Rosemary…enters sixth grade in 1954…school desegregation decision…only black child in her class at her new school…graceful narrative splices together several survival stories…Rosemary copes with her peers’ prejudice and her parents’ disintegrating marriage… insightful young heroine during a bittersweet era.” (PW)

Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. The Pull of the Ocean. Translated from the French by Y. Maudet. Delecorte, $15.95 (0-385-73348-8)

(gr. 5 and up) “A mute 10-year-old boy…inventive…play on Tom Thumb… Yann, the size of a toddler…youngest of seven sons…overhears his parents bickering… father plans to harm them…weaves together first-person accounts…brothers traverse the French countryside, heading west toward the ocean…enchantingly blends the harshly real and the make-believe…effectively haunting, fluidly translated…”(PW) (SLJ)

Peck, Richard. On the Wings of Heroes. Dial, $16.99 (978-0-8037-3081-6)

(gr. 5 and up) “…delicious mixture of humor, warmth and local color…America during WWII…Davy Bowman…search for scrap metal…leads him to mysterious Mr. Stonecypher… adroitly conveys how Davy’s boundaries and horizons gradually expand … vividly captures Davy’s sentiments about the war…eccentric characters and poignant moments…”(PW)

Picard, Barbara Leonie. One is One. Paul Dry Books (c. 1965), trade pb, $9.95 (978-1-58988-027-6)

(gr. 6-12) “…lyrical historical novel…first published in 1965…Stephen dreams of knighthood…runs away from the monastery and becomes the squire to a generous knight …grows into a courageous young man…Beautifully written… Boys interested in the trappings of knighthood will find few descriptions… here…” (VOYA 5Q2P)

Rylant, Cynthia. Ludie’s Life. Harcourt, $16 (978-0-15-205389-5)

(gr. 7-12) “…one woman’s life as the wife of a coal miner…raise six children…help to raise some of the grandchildren…makes the most of the hardscrabble life she is handed…told in verse…writing is exquisitely touching…audience will be limited…but those…who select …in for an exceptional surprise.” (VOYA 5Q3P)

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Scholastic, $22.99 (978-0-439-81378-5)

(gr. 4-7) “…true masterpiece…artful blending of narrative, illustration and cinematic technique…Twelve-year-old orphan Hugo lives…Paris train station at the turn of the 20^th century… obsessed with getting [an] automaton to function…plot grows as intricate as the robot’s gears and mechanisms…coincidences all feel carefully orchestrated…sumptuous, glorious end…meticulous charcoal drawings…expert use of such a visual style…standout achievement.” (PW)

Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society. Little, Brown/Tingley, $16.99 (978-0-316-05777-6)

(gr. 3-7) “…Gifted 11-year-old orphan Reynie Muldoon…an ad: ‘Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?’…series of … tests within tests, some mental, some ethical, some physical…three children pass the first test…Mr. Benedict describes why he has brought them together…has recruited them to foil an evil plan…to brainwash the population via secret messages…plot-driven…many adventures…readers will likely enjoy getting lost in this fully imagined realm.” (PW) (BL)

Whelan, Gloria. Summer of the War. HarperCollins, $15.99 (978-0-06-008072-3)

(gr. 6-9) “…Mirabelle recalls her fourteenth summer in 1942…meets frustrating and fascinating Caroline…cousin from France…Marabelle…summers at her grandparents’ summer home…Caroline loves city life…glamour and stubbornness divide the siblings…powerfully examines a strong girl’s coming of age…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Woodson, Jacqueline. Feathers. Putnam, $15.99 (978-0-399-23989-2)

(gr. 3 and up) “…after a white student joins Frannie’s all-black sixth-grade classroom…best friend, Samantha…starts to believe that the new boy truly could be Jesus…sense of calm and its effect on her classmates…climactic faceoff …brings the newcomer’s human flaws to light…set in 1971…skillfully weaves in the music and events surrounding the rising opposition to the Vietnam War…gentle, timeless story…important questions about God…segregation…light and thoughtful touch.” (PW)

Non-fiction

Adkins, Jan. What If You Met a Knight? Roaring Brook, $16.95 (978-1-59643-148-5)

(gr. 5-9) “…a skeptical look at the stereotypes surrounding the…medieval knights…highlighting scores of responsibilities…exaggerated exploits are examined along with the basic concept of feudalism, hierarchy…church, everyday life in a typical castle…highly entertaining yet educational…” (VOYA 5Q3P)

Belli, Mary Lou and Dinah Lenney. Acting for Young Actors: The Ultimate Teen Guide. Back Stage Books/Watson-Guptil, $16.95 trade pb (978-0-8230-4947-9)

(gr. 6-12) “…sound advice packaged with a conversational tone and grounded experience…offer a series of questions for character analysis, suggested readings and viewings…”Tips from the Pros”…lists of dos and don’ts…much of the book focuses on teens who truly want to launch careers…succeeds at communicating clearly without talking down…engaging prose…” (VOYA 5Q2P)

Brooks, Gwendolyn. Bronzeville Boys and Girls. Illus. by Faith Ringgold. Amistad/HarperCollins, $17.89 (978-0-06-029506-6)

(gr. 1-6) “…classic anthology…Each of the thirty-four poems is named for a child…acute observation and feeling…captures specific moments of childhood…wisely sets…pictures in the time (1956) and place…of the original writing…new life and energy …strong colors help to place to poems both in the real world…and the imaginary world of childhood…” (HB) (PW)

Burns, Loree Griffin. Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion. Houghton Mifflin, $18 (978-0-618-58131-3)

(gr. 6-12) “…explains the science of studying ocean motion through tracking plastic trash that has made it into the sea through cargo spills or storm drains…packed with full-color photos…some pretty disturbing facts…writing is light, but the facts are weighty…message of reduce, reuse, and recycle comes across loud and clear…complex science…is explained clearly, with excellent supporting graphics…” (VOYA 5Q5P)

Caney, Steven. Steven Caney’s Ultimate Building Book. Illustrated by Lauren House. 596 pages. Running Press, $29.95 (0-7624-0409-4)

(gr. 4-8) “…examines building in its broadest sense…skyscrapers and bridges to bird feeders …history and techniques of construction…clearly written explanations… wide-ranging examples… reinforces important concepts of design… more than 300 pages of creative and appealing projects... Instructions are clear enough for kids to follow…also open-ended to encourage creativity…Diagrams…photos… leads to true learning and a lot of fun.” (SLJ)

Cheney, Lynne. Our 50 States: A Family Adventure Across America. Illus. by Robin Preiss Glasser. S&S, 17.95 (0-689-36717-4)

(all ages) “…opening gatefold previews…route that five affable family members will take as they set off from their Massachusetts home…traverse…47 contiguous states (and Washington, DC) before making final stops in Alaska and Hawaii…creatively cluttered pages…pleasing potpourri of past and present…utilizes every spare inch of space…spirited, whistle-stop-celebration of America.”(PW)

Cook, Sally and James Charlton. Hey, Batta Batta Swing! The Wild Old Days of Baseball. Illus. by Ross MacDonald. S&S/McElderry, $17.99 (978-1-4169-1207-1)

(gr. 1-5) “…catchy, conversational style…potpourri of anecdotes and facts… ways baseball has changed over the years…Fans will lap up details…kid-pleasing bits of trivia…provides dates for events and incidents on a spotty basis…watercolor and pencil crayon illustrations pleasingly convey the text’s light-hearted tone…” (PW)

Curlee, Lynn. Skyscraper. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, $17.99 (0-689-84489-1)

(gr. 4-7) “…picture-book overview of skyscrapers…first skyscrapers, which rose in the aftermath of the Chicago fire…contemporary building scene…soaring towers planned for the future…introduces landmark buildings…engineering advances…how these buildings affect the ways society lives and works… dense, lengthy passages…may initially deter some readers…clear, organized…makes the architectural history thrilling…” (BL)

Faith and Doubt: An Anthology of Poems. Patrice Vecchione, Ed. Henry Holt, $16.95 (978-0-8050-8213-5)

(gr. 9-12) “…places the ongoing questions of faith and doubt in a variety of contexts…poems force readers to consider not only their own systems of belief but also to consider the systems that others turn to as well…eclectic choices…everyone from William Shakespeare to Linda Hogan…unassuming but powerful read” (VOYA 5Q4P)

FitzGerald, Dawn. Vinnie and Abraham. Illus. by Catherine Stock. Charlesbridge, $15.95 (978-15-709-16588)

(gr. 2-4) “…picture-book biography…Vinnie Ream…transcended the conventions of her time…during the Civil War, Vinnie, 14…spent her spare time modeling in clay…apprenticed herself to a renowned sculptor…at 18, she had daily sessions with President Lincoln while she worked to create his likeness…Congress commissioned her to sculpt a marble statue of the late president…clearly written narrative…watercolor paintings light up the pages…spirited introduction to a little-known artist.” (BL)

Lange, Karen E. 1607: A New Look at Jamestown. Photos by Ira Block. National Geographic, $27.90 (1-4263-0013-1)

(gr. 3-6) “In 1994, scientists unearthed important new evidence about the original Jamestown fort…has changed many established ideas bout the early settlers… incorporates these findings…fascinating look at archaeology in action…Varying perspectives of the period are represented…Attractive, engaging, and informative, this title should be in every collection.” (SLJ)

Layton, Neal. The Story of Everything: From the Big-Bang Until Now in Eleven Pop-Up Spreads. Paper engineering by Corina Fletcher. Barrons, $18.99 (978-0-7641-5985-5)

(gr. 1 and up) “…pithy…presentation of evolutionary history puts some whiz-bang into the Big Bang…lift flaps, pull tabs, and spin wheels…15 billion years…playful text and childlike cartoons…clever paper engineering…lighthearted sophistication… surprise and entertain…inventive pop-ups…wry humor…” (PW)

Lynch, Wayne. (Our Wild Ecosystems Series). NorthWord, $16.95, pap. $8.95.

Prairie Grasslands. (1-55971-946-X) (1-55971-947-8)

Rocky Mountains. (1-55971-946-X) (1-55971-949-4)

(gr. 6-9) “Combining personal incidents with expository writing and magnificent full-color photographs…show the interconnectedness of climate, soil, plants and animals, and the intricate adaptations of living things to their surroundings…fascinating facts about the adaptations of specific plans and animals…Excellent selections.” (SLJ)

Sanderson, Ruth. More Saints: Lives and Illuminations. Eerdmans, $20 (978-0-8028-5272-4)

(all ages) “…these holy figures intrigue as much as they inspire…strikes a truly compelling tone…brief biographies…34 saints and two blessed…each saint receives a full page of coverage…oil and pencil portrait…interesting read and a spiritual reference…index and glossary of terms…make it particularly user-friendly.” (PW)

Weatherford, Carole Boston. Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive. Illus. by Eric Velasquez. Waler, $16.95 (978-0-8027-9550-2)

(gr. 1-5) “…poetic tribute to Jesse Owens’s remarkable performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics…weave in subtle references…make readers feel like privileged insiders…Hitler’s presence casts a dark shadow over Owens’s brilliance on the track… endnote provides facts…pleasingly grainy pastels easily convey the movement and speed…” (PW)

YA Fiction

Bell, Hilari. Forging the Sword. Simon & Schuster, $17.99 (978-0-689-85416-3)

(gr. 6-12) “There are only four months left for the Farsalan resistance to hold their remaining stronghold…before the invading Hrum will be honor bound to…retreat….Three young leaders…harass, confront, spy on, and befriend elements of the Hrum army…Richly textured relationships…straightforward yet far-from-simple plot…riveting resolution to The Farsala Trilogy. (VOYA 5Q4P)

Berne, Suzanne. The Ghost at the Table. Algonquin, $23.95 (1-56512-334-2)

(gr. 9 to adult) “…Cynthia…older sister Frances…attempt to reconnect…with their estranged father…clarify a muddled past and restore peace. Cynthia believes that her elderly father…was responsible for her mother’s death…finely wrought psychological mystery…acute in its depictions of family dynamics…Wonderfully written…” (VOYA 5Q3P)

Brooks, Kevin. Being. Scholastic/Chicken House, $16.99 (978-0-439-89973-4)

(gr. 7 and up) “…high-speed, adrenaline-laced adventure…thought-provoking exploration of the very nature of identity and existence. A routine endoscopy goes terribly wrong for 16-year-old Robert … boy’s belly is filled with a network of… inhuman machinery… accused of murder…lands on the doorstep of Eddi Ray…specializes in producing thoroughly documented false identities…tantalizingly open-ended conclusion…readers…may initially be frustrated, they will likely be satisfied by an ending that feels true to his character…” (PW)

Collison, Linda. Star-Crossed. Knopf, $18.99 (978-0-375-93363-9)

(gr. 6-12) “…Patricia Kelley…sixteen disguises herself to journey aboard a military ship from England to the Caribbean in the 1760s…morphs gender several times to save herself and…others…surgeon’s mate on a hospital ship, searching for her father’s farm in Barbados…encounters challenge and adventure…wonderfully dynamic dialogue…” (VOYA 5Q3P)

Cook, Glen. Lord of the Silent Kingdom. Tor, $27.95 (978-0-765-30685-2)

(gr. 9 to adult) “…new glacial period…starving human bands move south…Instrumentalities of the Night move south…Piper Hecht…is made responsible for the Instrumentalities’ extermination…fast-moving plot…harsh, credible world of religious conflicts…threads of myth with ancient, medieval and Renaissance history… characters…beautifully realized…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Flint, Eric. 1635: The Cannon Law. Baen, $26 (978-1-4165-0938-7)

(gr. 9 to adult) “…This fourth novel in the Ring of Fire series is a must purchase for…libraries who own earlier installments…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Fogelin, Adrian. The Real Question. Peachtree, $15.95 (978-1-56145-383-2)

(gr. 7-12) “Fisher Brown is sixteen…Obsessed with an upcoming SAT… struggles to escape the shadow of his…father…When Lonny Traynol…convinces him to cut classes to help him re-roof a friend’s house…Fisher begins to unravel under the pressure that he feels to be perfect…much more than a coming-of-age tale…narration is dead-on…a perfect “guy book”…” (VOYA 5Q3P)

Knox, Elizabeth. Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet. Farrar/Frances Foster, $19 (0-374-31854-9)

(gr. 8-11) “…among youth fantasy’s most significant recent works…Southland’s turn-of-the-century reality…eases background into opening…15-year-old Laura Hame… novice dreamhunter’s misguided protest against governmental exploitation of dreams… close-knit extended family rallies to investigate…are dreams…tools for mind control… harmless…entertainments…larger coming-of-age themes…haunting, invigorating storytelling will leave readers eager to return to its puzzles…” (PW)

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future. Volume XXII. Algis Budrys, Ed. Galaxy Press, $7.99 pb (978-1-59212-345-2)

(gr. 9 to adult) “…twelve winning entries from the 2005 contest…illustrations by the winners in the Illustrations of the Future ® program…stories vary widely in subject matter but all exhibit consummate skill in crafting an imaginative and thought-provoking tale…hope for the future of…speculative fiction.” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Marillier, Juliet. Wildwood Dancing. Knopf, $19.99 (978-0-375-93364-6)

(gr. 7-12) “…Jena and her four sisters live at Piscul Dracului in Transylvania …Every month at Full Moon…pass through a portal to the Other Kingdom…dance with fairy folk, dwarves…father is ill…cousin Cezar…trying to take control over Piscul Dracului and the girls… striking sense of place, magical elements, beautifully portrayed characters, strong heroines, and an emotional core that touches the heart.” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Novik, Naomi. Throne of Jade. Del Ray, $7.50 pb (978-0-345-48129-0)

(gr. 7 to adult) “…continues the Napoleonic War era adventures of British Captain Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire…China…demand Temeraire’s return…The only way to save diplomatic relations is for Laurence and Temeraire to journey to China…long, perilous sea voyage…wonderful descriptions of China’s land, customs, and food…fully formed characters…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

O’Dell, Kathleen. Bad Tickets. Knopf, $17.99 (978-03-7593-8016)

(gr. 9-12) “Mary Margaret Hallinan is a good Catholic girl until she meets Jane…risk-taker…instructs Mary Margaret to say yes to life…partake of the hippie lifestyle…gives the good-girl-bad-girl story new depth…Everything is done well. The 1967 setting is freshly evoked… friendships twist and turn…take on romance…strong female characters…” (BL)

Pierce, Tamora. Terrier. Random House, $20.99 (978-0-375-91468-3)

(gr. 6-12) “…adventure set hundreds of years before the Song of the Lioness series. Beka Cooper has just joined the Provost’s Dogs…law enforcement…teachers… set her straight to work…uses her magical skills and sharp mind to tame the criminal elements…huge cast of characters and complex street slang make it necessary to use the appendix…”(VOYA 4Q5P)

Tracy, Kristen. Lost It. Simon Pulse, $6.99 (978-1-4169-3475-2)

(gr. 9 and up) “…hilarious and heartfelt…Tess Whistle…begins with an account of how she loses her virginity, then flashes back to the start of junior year…Tess has plenty of phobias…Benjamin Easter transfers…Tess falls intensely in love…best friend is building a bomb…parents run off to join a survival camp…laughing out loud at the eccentric characters and outrageous plotting…rich lesson about living a life without guarantees.” (PW)

Wilce, Ysabeau S. Flor Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog. Harcourt, $17 (978-0-15-205433-5)

(gr. 7-12) “…Flora’s mother has banished the magickal butler from Crackpot Hall…Flora’s responsibilities include caring for the dogs, cleaning house, and babysitting her batty father while her mother, the Warlord’s Commanding General, is away…fed up…decides to unbanish the butler and get a little help around the house…astonishing and well-developed world…delightful…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Yeahpau, Thomas M. X-Indian Chronicles: The Book of Mausape. Candlewick, $16.99 (978-0-7636-2706-5)

(gr. 9-12) “Mausape Onthaw is an X-Indian, one who has assimilated and left the traditional ways of the Kiowa…interrelated stories beginning in 1985 and continuing through 2002…Mausape and his friends…Pow-wows, fancy dancers, Spider Woman…amazing collection of imaginative stories that are stark, disturbing, poetic, and lyrical…Some stories contain sexual situations and street language…best suited to mature readers.” (VOYA 5Q3P)

Zarr, Sara. Story of a Girl. Little,Brown, $16.99 (0-316-01453-2)

(gr. 9-up) “When Deanna’s father catchers her having sex in a car when she is 13, her life is drastically changed. Two years later…branded as the school slut… learns to protect herself by becoming outwardly tough…feels her isolation acutely… journal …heartbreaking look at how a teenager can be defined by one mistake…realistic fiction at its best…storytelling is excellent… emotionally charged, with language appropriate to the intensity of the feelings…”(SLJ)

Recordings

All Together Now. Various Artists. Little Monster Records (exclusive to Barnes and Noble until May 2007; www.littlemonster-records.com), board book and CD, $13.98 (1-4243-1410-0)

(all ages) “…fun (yet faithfully covered) Beatles hits. A chorus of kids appears on nearly every track…perfect for family sing-alongs…star-studded line-up of vocalists and musicians…polished, bright and familiar, but not slick or over-produced…board book contains liner notes, poetry inspired by the tunes and Beatles facts…” (PW)

Behold the Bold Umbrella-phant and Other Poems. By Jack Prelutsky, performed by the author. HarperChildren’s Audio, unabridged, one CD, one hour, $14.95 (978-0-06-114046-4)

(PreS and up) “…combines his latest book of poetry with two other favorite anthologies…several original songs…Each poem spotlights an animal that shares characteristics of some inanimate object…confident reading conveys the witty, matter-of-fact silliness that is the hallmark of his work…” (PW)

Children Are the Sunshine. Asheba. COV Productions (www.asheba.net). CD, $15.

(all ages) “Trinidadian troubadour…Calypso flavor to another batch of children’s songs, both new and familiar…hard to resist swaying…Sunny-sounding vocals and the friendly, inviting musical arrangements are sure to be powerful hooks for those seeking upbeat family listening.” (PW)

Video

Knuffle Bunny. 10 minutes. Weston Woods, DVD, $59.95.

(PreS-gr.1) “…adaptation…is even more charming and funny than the…book itself. Narrated by author Mo Willems and his daughter, Trixie…capturing the humor in the mundane…sepia-tone photographs…provide the backdrop…animated figures…walk out of doorways…as if moving through pages of atmospheric photographs…Jazzy accompaniment…also available as a book and CD or cassette package.” (BL)

Books in Spanish

Cárdenas, Teresa. Cartas a mi mamá. (Letters to My Mom) Libros Tigrillo: Groundwood Books, $15.95 (978-0-8889-9722-7).
(Gr 7 and up) “… poignant story of racism and hope…A young orphan comes of age … letters written to her beloved dead mother… unburdens her heart and speaks of the loneliness of her existence. In the beginning, she is a powerless black …starts questioning her community’s popular belief that blacks should whiten their race…girl learns compassion not just for her race but also for her gender….Ideal for all libraries with Hispanic patrons.” (CR)