September 2006

The Indianhead Federated Library System presents

Starred Reviews

New and Notable Books for Young People

September 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), Hornbook (HB). 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
Graphic Novels
Audio

Picture Books

Barum, Maxie. I Have a Little Dreidel. Illus. by Julie Paschkis. Scholastic/Cartwheel, $9.99 (0-439-64997-8)

(PreS-K) “…embellishes the lyrics…adding words about a family visit…artwork…makes this oversize book…a standout…capture the busy fun of the holiday…bold, bright…tucks in a few surprises here and there…” (BL)

Brown, Peter. Chowder. Little, Brown, $15.99 (0-316-01180-0)

(PreS-gr.2) “…Chowder the bulldog doing his business on the toilet…though other dogs collect bones, he uses them in paleontology projects… carry him in a baby pack…longs for animal friends…everything works here…tongue-in-cheek humor… distinctive acrylic and pencil artwork…Inventive…design…winsome protagonist.” (BL)

Bunge, Daniela. The Scarves. Trans. from the German by Kathryn Bishop. Penguin/Minedition, $16.99 (0-698-40045-3)

(PreS-up) “…young narrator arrives at his grandparents’ house…finds Grandpa on the curb amongst his belongings…boy helps them set up their separate households …elders’…euphoria gives way to depression…knits a long, flowing…scarf for each grandparent…with an anonymous invitation in hopes of recreating their first date…paintings, at once austere and fanciful in icicle hues…keen, restrained observer of messy emotions…” (PW)

Child, Lauren. Snow Is My Favorite and My Best. Dial, $16.99 (0-8037-3174-4)

(PreS-K) “…predicts snowfall, Lola spends half the night looking out the window…Too soon…snow melts…brother Charlie…explain that snow is special… Antarctic…constant snow seems less appealing…Lola’s exuberance is made manifest on every page…Good book; great kids…” (BL)

DeFelice, Cynthia. One Potato, Two Potato. Illus. by Andrea U’Ren. Farrar, $16 (0-374-35640-8)

(PreS-gr.3) “Kindly old Mr. And Mrs. O’Grady subsist on the single potato… each day…no more than one of anything else, either…finds a huge pot, puts the potato in it—and takes out two…soon duplicating their other possessions, including their single gold coin…When Mrs. O’Grady accidentally doubles herself, Mr. O’Grady hops into the pot…comically succinct…unobtrusive undercurrent of desperate poverty…funny and energetic…enough is as good as a feast.” (HB)

Durant, Alan. Burger Boy. illus. by Mei Matsuoka. Clarion, $16 (0-618-71466-9)
(PreS-gr.2) “… Benny's mother warns, "If you don't watch out, you'll turn into a burger one day." Sure enough, Benny does... playful colored pencil, acrylics, and cut paper illustrations…it's not until he starts eating his veggies that his plump bun-faced body returns back to normal...text is suitably fast-paced and efficient without a hint of didacticism…” (PW)

Keller, Holly. Nosy Rosie. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $17.89 (0-06-078759-7)

(PreS-gr.2) “…Rose the fox uses her exceptional sense of smell to find things that others lose…dubbed Nosy Rosie…everyone thinks is funny except Rose…heartfelt dialogue poignantly conveys the little fox’s hurt feelings…reads aloud perfectly…reveals each character’s attitude through expressive body movement…large text…satisfying conclusion…” (SLJ)

Martin, David. All for Pie, Pie for All. Illus. by Valeri Gorbachev. Candlewick, $15.99 (0-7636-2393-8)

(PreS-K) “…just right for a family read-aloud…Cat family…apple pie…leave only one last slice…leftover piece becomes a whole meal for the mouse family, and their leftover crumbs…perfect fare for the Ant family…alluring repetition…more than a baker’s dozen appealing characters…illustrations brim with joy…” (PW)

McCarty, Peter. Moon Plane. Holt, $16.95 (0-8050-7946-2)

(PreS-K) “small boy…looking up at an airplane…imagines what it would be like on that flight…burst into space…stepping off the plane onto the surface of the moon… simple text…one brief line to a page…combine with …art…soars…undoubtedly child-friendly…catches…the way children’s imaginations work…” (BL) (SLJ)

McDonnell, Patrick. Just Like Heaven. Little, Brown, $14.99 (0-316-11493-6)

(PreS-gr. 3) “…Mooch wakes from a nap and mistakes a thick fog for Paradise… admiring all of its wonders…meets a growling bulldog…feline wonders, “What would you do in heaven?”…bulldog’s angry expression softens as he hugs Mooch back…wakes up in the real world…which turns out to be “just like heaven.”…delivers his message with maximum effectiveness.” (PW)

Schotter, Roni. Mama, I’ll Give You the World. Illus. by Susan Saelig Gallagher. Random/Schwartz & Wade Bks., $18.99 (0-375-93612-2)

(PreS-gr.3) “…Luisa’s…mother is a stylist, saving tips so she can give her daughter…college funds. While the woman works, Luisa…delightful mixed-media portraits of the customers…plans a surprise birthday…dynamic oils…Matter-of-fact about the realities of life with and as a single parent…benefits of participating in a larger community…” (SLJ)

Stringer, Lauren. Winter is the Warmest Season. Harcourt, $16 (0-15-204967-3)

(PreS-gr.2) “…boy proclaims that summer notwithstanding, his world is warmest in winter…Comparisons between summer and winter come in clever pairs…linguistic rhapsody…special art…accentuate the evocative words…fascinating perspectives… worthy of many readings…radiates warmth.” (BL)

Juvenile Fiction

Avi. Crispin: At the Edge of the World. Hyperion, $16.99 (0-7868-5152-X)

(gr. 5-8) “…engrossing…Crispin and his father figure, Bear…freedom…Bear… is shot with an arrow. Fleeing into the forest…meet Troth…shunned because of her cleft lip…Middle Ages…doesn’t romanticize the era…poverty, superstition and violence were commonplace…love connecting the three main characters…plenty of action and adventure…solid emotional base…” (BL)

Blume, Lesley M. M. Corneila and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters. Knopf, $17.99 (0-375-93523-1)

(gr. 5-7) “Cornelia Street Engelhart’s mother, a world-famous concert pianist, is always traveling…Cornelia…left with the housekeeper…11-year-old…enthralled by words… meets…a captivating woman named Virginia Somerset…stories of the four adventuresome Somerset sisters… fabulous read…will enchant…” (SLJ)

Dunmore, Helen. Ingo. HarperCollins, $16.99 (0-06-081852-2)

(gr. 5-8) “…one misty morning Dad vanishes…Sapphire and her brother Conor believe that the Mer people of Ingo have something to do with…legend…young man…fell in love with a mermaid…Drawn…to the sea…encounter Mer people…balance life on land with the secret delights and wonders offered in the water…thrilling adventures…ecological message…” (BL)

Haydon, Elizabeth. The Floating Island. Illus. by Brett Helquist. Tor/Starscape, $17.95 (0-765-30867-3)

(gr. 6-9) “Ven…has grown up in his family’s ship-building business…sent out to inspect…new ship…attacked by Fire Pirates…helped by a mermaid and by a kindly captain…captain’s wife has peculiar rules…safe from evil…inn is filled with interesting boarders…delightful epic fantasy…will attract a readership both older and younger than the target audience.” (BL)

Helgerson, Joseph. Horns and Wrinkles. Illus. by Nicoletta Ceccoli. Houghton, $16 (0-618-61679-9)

(gr. 4-7) “…12-year-old Claire watches with fascination as her mean cousin Duke grows a rhinoceros horn after throwing Claire…remarkable job of making the magical goings-on seem completely plausible…only way to reverse the spell is to perform a genuine act of kindness…or the afflicted will transform into a wrinkly rhinoceros…quick pace…quirky characters…thoroughly believable fantasy…” (PW) (SLJ)

Jenkins, Emily. Toys Go Out: Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Sting-ray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic. Illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky. Random/Schwartz & Wade Bks. $18.99 (0-375-93604-1)

(K-gr.3) “…delightful peek into the secret lives of toys…series of small adventures. StingRay is a plush stuffed animal…enjoys acting the know-it-all. Lumphy…touch little buffalo…Plastic…sensible bouncy ball…early chapter book with plenty of delightful insights…beautifully detailed black-and-white illustrations…” (SLJ)

Jones, Diana Wynne. The Pinhoe Egg. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $17.99 (0-06-113124-5)

(gr. 5-9) “…excellent addition to the Chrestomanci books…Marianne’s summer…unpromising…thanks to her grandmother…head of all Pinhoe family witchcraft…becomes errand-runner for her entire extended family…Cat Chant…meets Marianne…Wild magic ensues…terrifying challenges…Witty, wise, and wonderfully imaginative…” (PW)

Lawrence, Iain. Gemini Summer. Delacorte, $15.95 (0-385-73089-6)

(gr. 3-7) “…poignant family drama…summer of 1964…young Danny River… longs for a dog…older brother Beau…dies…Danny becomes convinced that a bedraggled stray dog that arrives at the Rivers’ door is his brother brought back to life…unsuccessfully tries to persuade…dramatic tension…some events…appear a bit strained…gratifying conclusion. (PW)

Nimmo, Jenny. The Snow Spider. Scholastic/Orchard, $9.99 (0-439-84675-7)

(gr. 3-7) “…launches Magician Trilogy…ninth birthday, Gwyn’s…eccentric grandmother gives him five gifts…instructs him to…discover if he is a magician…brooch turns into a glowing white spider…contains the image of a girl who strongly resembles his sister…Gwyn’s magic causes a rift between him and his best friend…Swiftly paced and cleverly plotted…fluidly fuses fantasy, suspense and drama.” (PW)

Reeve, Philip. Larklight. Illus. by David Wyatt. Bloomsbury, $16.95 (1-59990-020-3)

(gr. 5 and up) “…whimsical story of Victorian houses floating in space…Art and Myrtle…fleeing an attack from space spiders…find themselves on the moon, then aboard the ship of legendary pirate Jack Havock…humor is oh-so-British and utterly entertaining…spot illustrations enhance the sense of delight…” (PW)

Resau, Lara. What the Moon Saw. Delacorte, $17.99 (0-385-90360-X)

(gr. 5-9) “…14-year-old Clara…grandparents inviting her to spend the summer with them in Mexico…has never met…Wary of visiting people she doesn’t know…embarks on the two-day journey to the remote village…exquisitely crafted narrative…characters are well developed…atmosphere is mystical and dreamlike, yet energetic…” (SLJ)

Schwartz, Ellen. Stealing Home. Tundra, $8.95 (0-88776-765-6)

(gr. 4-7) “Joey, an orphaned, mixed-race 10-year-old….taken in by Jewish relatives he never knew he had…Brooklyn…warm welcome from Aunt Frieda…ally in…cousin …cold shoulder from his grandfather…has exchanged one set of racial prejudices…for another…fresh mouth, ready fists…scorn for the Brooklyn Dodgers…put hostility aside…Keenly felt internal conflicts…sparky banter…cut above the average.” (BL)

Juvenile Non-fiction

Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Holiday, $18.95 (0-8234-2031-0)

(gr. 4-7) “…clear prose…draws on the best…personal stories and historical accounts…dramatic overview of how…resistance to segregated buses spearheaded the civil rights movement…brings close the experience of what it was like to be there, on the bus and on the street…photo-essay design is attractive and spacious…” (BL) (HB)

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

(K-5) “…ten original trickster stories…child narrator in each one…Time and again the narrator either believes in the trickster when no one else does, or alone sees through him…humdingers…Grandly melodramatic black-and-white illustrations capture the mood of the stories and the flavor of the period.” (HB)

Moore, Clement C. The Night Before Christmas. Illus. by Richard Jesse Watson. HarperCollins, $17.89 (0-06-075742-6)

(PreS-gr.2) “…fanciful magic…almost photo-realistic paintings of Santa and his wild, mechanical sleigh…Full of wonder, whimsy, and cheer, this easily earns a place on the crowded holiday shelves…” (BL)

Prelutsky, Jack. Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant. illus. by Carin Berger. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $16.99 (0-06-054317-5)
(PreS-up) “…inventive, textured collages…first-rate collection of Prelutsky poems. … more than a dozen …amusing creatures …a cross between an actual animal and an inanimate object… clever rhymes do not miss a beat… collages brim with both unusual visual humor and irony…wonderful, fantastically silly book.” (PW)

Rex, Adam. Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich. Harcourt, $16 (0-15-205766-8)

(K-gr.5) “…monster spoofs…title poem sets the parodic tone…recurring joke features an aggravated Phantom of the Opera who cannot compose music except to the tunes of “Pop Goes the Weasel” and other standards…dizzying yet fitting variety of artistic styles, layouts, and lettering…gives readers the pleasure of discovering punch lines on their own…droll, ultra-detailed paintings....” (PW) (BL)

San Souci, Robert D., retell. Sister Tricksters: Rollicking Tales of Clever Females. Illus. by Daniel San Souci. August House/Little Folk, $19.95 (0-87483-791-X)

(gr. 3-6) “…eight stories…energetically retold from…long out-of-print At the Big House (1904)…amusing…hilarious…Delicious dialect and expressions convey a rural Southern flavor, yet the text is never hard to read or understand…Stunning, richly colored, detailed and playful paintings…warrants a place in all folklore collections.” (SLJ)

Sidman, Joyce. Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow. Illus. by Beth Krommes. Houghton, $16 (0-618-56313-X)

(K-gr.6) “…Eight pairs of ‘poetry riddles’…spittlebug…xylem sap it sucks…spread giving answers to the riddles and adding specific details…follows each pair of poems…verse is vivid, melodious, rich in variety…elegantly conceived, beautifully integrated volume.” (HB)

YA Fiction

Anderson, M.T. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, v. 1: The Pox Party. Candlewick, $17.99 (0-7636-2402-0)

(gr. 10-12) “…episodic, highly ambitious story…eighteenth-century literary traditions…pre-Revolutionary slavery in New England…Octavian…black boy…in a Boston household of scientists and philosophers…he and his mother are objects of…experiments to learn whether Africans are ‘a separate and distinct species.”…receives an education…financial strains shatter Octavian’s sheltered life…increasing horrors of what it means to be a slave…impressive historical research…satire and somber realism, gothic fantasy and factual history will jar and disturb readers…” (BL)

Going, K.L. Saint Iggy. Harcourt, $17 (0-15-205795-1)

(gr. 8-11) “…suspended from high school for an altercation with a teacher, Iggy feels completely misunderstood…vows to change everyone’s perception of him… Expecting no support from his drug-addicted mother and…father…shocking ending…religious imagery…martyrdom, class politics, and the many ways that children can slip away from help…memorable character in Iggy…voice is earnest, angry, sarcastic, and filled with small insights…” (BL) (SLJ)

Hale, Shannon. River Secrets. Bloomsbury, $17.95 (1-58234-901-0)
(gr. 7 and up) “… a confidante of Queen Isi, Razo was originally a simple forest boy …join a mission of peace between his own kingdom … and the enemy kingdom …selected to become a spy … mystery unfolds along with charming friendships among Razo and his comrades… special treat for readers of …two companion books…stands on its own…unique and tender coming-of-age story.” (BL, PW)

Klass, David. Firestorm. (The Caretaker Trilogy, Book #1). Farrar/Frances Foster Bks., $17 (0-374-32307-0)

(gr. 8 and up) “…sci-fi thriller. Seventeen-year-old Jack Danielson’s life…parents have encouraged him to blend in…learns…he has special powers and abilities…from the future and has been sent back to save the planet…writing is fluid and graceful…sobering events…leavened with engaging humor…characters are multidimensional…thrilling and memorable read…cliffhanger ending…” (SLJ)

Larson, Kirby. Hattie Big Sky. Delacorte, $17.99 (0-385-90332-4)

(gr. 7-10) “…engaging historical novel…1918, 16-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks…travels to a Montana homestead inherited from her uncle…less than a year to fence and cultivate the land in order to keep it. Neighbors…welcome Hattie…full of hope and anxiety…richly textured novel full of memorable characters.” (BL)

Leavitt, Martine. Keturah and Lord Death. Front Street, $16.95 (1-932425-29-2)

(gr. 8-11) “…romance is intense…writing is startling…story is spellbinding… Keturah must use her storytelling skills…encounters Lord Death, who is ready to take her…spins a story that she leaves unfinished…extracts…a promise that if she finds her true love in a day, she can go free…Lord Death is falling in love with her…villagers begin to sense her alliance with this horrifying figure…large cast of characters… personalizes them…plotting…finely tuned…” (BL)

Levithan, David. Wide Awake. Knopf, $18.99 (0-375-93466-9)

(gr. 8-11) “…future America—after the Reign of Fear…Greater Depression, the War to End All Wars…Duncan and his boyfriend Jimmy…rejoicing that Abe Stein, both gay and Jewish, has been elected president…governor of Kansas demands a recount… politically charged…nuanced teenagers…occasionally dips into heavy-handed moralizing, but politics are so well integrated and thought-provoking…As much about love as about politics…” (BL)

McCaughrean, Geraldine. Cyrano. Harcourt, $16 (0-15-205805-2)

(gr. 7-10) “…beautiful mix of swashbuckling action, witty insult, passionate love…retells the story of the classic French play about Cyrano de Bergerac…passionate letters are heartbreaking…timeless love story, tenderly told in plain poetry, will thrill teens…” (BL)

McCormick, Patricia. Sold. Hyperion, $15.99 (0-7868-5171-6)
(gr. 7 and up) “…hard-hitting …spare free verse poems exposes the plight of a 13-year-old Nepali girl sold into sexual slavery. Through Lakshmi's innocent first-person narrative…her profligate stepfather sells Lakshmi to an "auntie" bound for the city. …beautifully balances the harshness of brothel life with the poignant relationships among its residents; especially well-drawn characters…(PW)(BL)

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Life as We Knew It. Harcourt, $17 (0-15-205826-5)

(gr. 7-10) “A meteor is going to hit the moon…16-year-old Miranda…intends to watch it…event is not the benign impact predicted. The moon is knocked closer to Earth, setting off a chain of horrific occurrences: tsunamis, earthquakes… volcanoes … disquieting and involving…one family’s struggle to survive…life goes from bad to worse…Miranda…discovering strength in her family members…infused with honest emotions…brings cataclysmic tragedy very close.” (BL)

Pratchett, Terry. Wintersmith. HarperTempest, $17.89 (0-06-089032-0)

(gr. 7-10) “…third Discworld story for younger readers…Despite a stern warning from…witch from whom 13-year-old Tiffany…is learning her craft…danced with the wrong men…has attracted the amorous attentions of the Wintersmith. To express his ardor…Tiffany-shaped snowflakes burying the world…sundry veteran witches work with Tiffany to restrain…rollicking, clever…charming adventure…exuberant storytelling.” (BL) (SLJ)

Rees, Celia. The Wish House. Candlewick, $15.99 (0-7636-2951-0)

(gr. 9 and up) “…exploration of the nature of creativity and life on the fringes of society…Richard, now 21, enters a gallery where his image plays a starring role in the erotic exhibition on display…flashbacks to the summer of 1976 in Wales…when he first meets the artist…and his family…Clio…teenage daughter, fascinates and enthralls Richard…solid characterizations…top-notch look at first love, heartbreak, and the driving force of passion.” (PW)

Sanchez, Alex. Getting It. Simon & Schuster, $16.95 (1-4169-0896-X)

(gr. 9-12) “…15-year-old Carlos…still a virgin…wants…sexy Roxie as his girlfriend…hires smart Sal, who is gay, to give him a makeover…Sal wants him to help form a Gay-Straight Alliance…Sal doesn’t seem real…core of the story is Carlos’ growing friendship with Sal…fight against homophobia…message of tolerance is strong, but it is dramatized with humor and truth.” (BL)

Sonnenblick, Jordan. Notes from the Midnight Driver. Scholastic, $16.99 (0-439-75779-7)

(gr. 7 and up) “…Narrator Alex Gregory…maiden drinking episode…mother’s car in order to drive to his father’s house…unplanned detour into a neighbor’s yard…takes on darker implications…because of a drunk driver’s impact on Sol Lewis…to whom Alex is assigned…as part of his community service…bond…between Alex and Sol…” (PW) (HB)

Vaught, Susan. Trigger. Bloomsbury, $16.95 (1-58234-920-7)

(gr. 9-12) “…Jersey Hatch, seventeen, returns home…almost a year after his attempted suicide left him brain-damaged…lost motor control on the left side of his body …neurological tics and stutters…can’t remember the months leading up to his suicide attempt…struggles to repair relationships…never flinches away from the raw pain…finds moments of humor…that make it bearable…masterful… Poignantly affirming of life and love…haunting tragicomic drama of grief and renewal.” (HB)

Welsh, T.K. The Unresolved. Dutton, $15.99 (0-525-47731-4)

(gr. 7 and up) “…Mallory Meer, 15, dies in the General Slocum steamship disaster…killed more than 1000 people …Dustin Brauer, her Jewish boyfriend, had snuck aboard to be with her…he is accused of setting the fire…Mallory…sees everything and helps the truth to emerge…tells a remarkable story in a remarkable way…” (SLJ)

Graphic Novels

Lat. Kampung Boy. Roaring Brook, paper, $16.95 (1-59643-121-0)

(gr. 8-11) “Malaysian… childhood in a small village…birth...toddler…attends classes in the village…prestigious boarding school…warm, authentic, and wholly engaging…wonderfully detailed…crammed with heavily inked action scenes…simple but eloquent prose…Filled with humor and affection…story of boyhood that encompasses both universals and the specifics of a time and place.” (BL)

Myrick, Leland. Missouri Boy. Roaring Brook, $16.95 (1-59643-110-5)

(gr. 9-12) “…heartfelt glimpse of…youth…growing up in a small town…no terrible secrets or great revelations…tenderness and intimacy of the spare words and pictures…works on a gut level…” (BL)

Siegel, Siena Cherson. To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel. Illus. by Mark Siegel. Simon & Schuster/Richard Jackson, $17.95 (0-689-86747-6)

(gr. 5-8) “…insightful, accessible, and aesthetically engaging graphic novel…trace Siena Cherson Siegel’s involvement with ballet from…age six…School of American Ballet…leaving professional dance…and her return to it several years later… goes beyond the sacrifices and rewards… to other matters…in no way glamorized… honest about a ballerina’s life…a candid view…” (BL)

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. Roaring Brook/First Second, paper, $16.95 (1-59643-152-0)

(gr. 7 and up) “…well-crafted work that aptly explores issues of self-image, cultural identity, transformation, and self-acceptance…Jin Wang…meets with social isolation when his family moves…to an exclusively white suburb…Danny…social status is jeopardized …his goofy, embarrassing Chinese cousin…Monkey King…desperately longs to be elevated to the status of a god…stories converge…aptly blends traditional Chinese fables and legends with bathroom humor, action figures…effective combination of humor and drama.” (SLJ)

Audio

Baby Loves Jazz: Go Baby Go! The Baby Loves Jazz Band; Created by Andy Blackman Hurqitz. Verve Music Group (www.ververecords.com; www.babylovesmusic.com). CD, $12.98.

(all ages) “…compilation album…noted jazz performers…funks up “The Wheels on the Bus”…with distinctly jazzy elements…worthy of a listen by any jazz aficionado…powerful, versatile vocals…” (PW)