The Indianhead Federated Library System presents
Starred Reviews
New and Notable Books for Young People
February 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), Criticas (CR), Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA) and Booklist (BL). 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
Arnosky, Jim. Grandfather Buffalo. Putnam, $16.99 (0-399-24169-8)
(K-gr.3) “…older buffalo that is no longer able to keep up with the herd… comes across a buffalo cow about to give birth…protects and cares for the calf…perfect interplay of poetic text and strong art…” (SLJ)
Burke, Tina. Fly, Little Bird. Kane/Miller, $14.95 (1-933605-0202)
(age 2-6) “…tender tale of a girl who discovers a chick too young to fly and nurtures the bird to independence. The title serves as…only text… poignant… eloquent simplicity…especially well-suited to preschoolers just learning about letting go.” (PW)
de Dèu Prats, Joan. Sebastian’s Roller Skates. Illus. by Francesc Rovira. Kane/Miller, $15.95 (1-929132-81-6)
(K-gr. 4) “Sebastian…shyness stops him from saying all he wants to…A pair of roller skates he finds in a park fascinates him…finds the courage to say more…artist… rendering the story of Sebastian’s interior life…transformation emerges naturally…shy readers may well emerge with the feeling that change is indeed possible.” (PW)
Elya, Susan Middleton. Bebè Goes Shopping. Illus. by Steven Salerno. Harcourt, $16 (0-15-205426-X)
(K-gr. 2) “Introducing a young child to Spanish has never been as attractive… Mamà…grocery store…but bebè has to come along…heightens the fun…bebè follows his own agenda…carefully incorporates Spanish words into the rhyming text…Almost all the words can be understood from the context or from the pictures…evokes the hip, retro style of 1950s cartoon…master at getting motion into his pictures…” (BL) (PW)
Frazee, Marla. Walk On! A Guide for Babies of All Ages. Harcourt, $16 (0-15-205573-8)
(all ages) “… a pep talk for those ready to leave crawling behind (and for those who may need a refresher)…offers…tongue-in-cheek tips (a chair is good to pull up on; a potted cactus is not) …as handsome as it is funny…much of the humor will fly right by the nine- to 18-month-old crowd…bigger audience in mind: eager, anxious parents…and impatient older siblings…”
Freyman, Saxton and Elffers, Joost. Fast Food. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, $12.99 (0-439-11019-X)
(PreS-gr.2) “…exceptionally clear photos of ephemeral, sometimes whimsical sculptures created from fruits and vegetables…narrated by a little mushroom man who suggests different ways of getting about…playful text gallops along smoothly in rhymed couplets…uniquely entertaining…” (BL)
Henkes, Kevin. Lily’s Big Day. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $15.99 (0-06-074236-4)
(ages 4 and up) “When her teacher, Mr. Slinger, announces he’s going to marry…Lilly…assumes she will be the flower girl…mouse star in all her self-absorbed glory…readers…will have caught on long before Mr. Slinger sets Lilly straight…heroine will draw laughs in nearly every scene…” (PW)
Horacek, Petra. Silly Suzy Goose. Candlewick, $14.99 (0-7636-3040-3)
(PreS-gr.1) “…Suzy Goose looks around and realizes she’s just one of the gaggle…wondering…if she was a different animal…bat…penguin…kangaroo…lion… real-life lion…begins a chase…clever, clever, clever…uses words and pictures to tie every piece of the story together…art jumps off the pages…alive in every way.” (BL)
Konnecke, Ole. Anthony and the Girls. Trans. from the German by Nancy Seitz. FSG, $15 (0-374-30376-2)
(PreS-gr.1) “…age-old story of boy trying to impress girl takes place at the sandbox…wry humor…tongue-in-cheek captions will entertain adults as much as children…comic book-like drawings add spice to a playful story line…” (PW)
O’Connor, Crystal Ball. Jake y la migración de la monarca. (Jake and the Migration of the Monarch) tr. by Guillermo J. Brenes-Sotela & Gloria Martínez Quave. illus. by Valerie Bunch Hollinger. Monarch Pub., $16.95 ( 0-615-12659-6).
(gr 1-3) Jake… sees a bunch of butterflies fly by…mother…explains…autumn migration from Canada to Mexico…life cycle of monarchs …value of family… connections among generations…connections between butterflies and people…well written …paintings add radiance to the simple text. Highly recommended.” (CR)
Pericoli, Matteo. The True Story of Stellina. Knopf, $17.99 (0-375-93273-9)
(K-gr.3) “Stellina, a New York City finch, falls out of her nest…Holly finds ways to feed Stellina…precise linguistic lyricism is at play…art is sophisticated and spare…Small readers will be utterly won over and bigger ones will be enchanted.” (BL)
Segal, John. Carrot Soup. S&S/McElderry, $12.95 (0-689-87702-1)
(PreS-gr.1) “…Rabbit eagerly plows and plants…watering, weeding and waiting—expertly conveyed in a series of spot illustrations…empty carrot patch… buddies feign ignorance…real story, humorously playing out in the background… frazzled and disappointed Rabbit finally returns home to a tasty surprise—and a cozy house full of friends…fresh paintings…carrot soup recipe…included.” (PW)
Smith, Lane. John, Paul, George, & Ben. Hyperion, $16.99 (0-7868-4863-6)
(K and up) “…profiles the Founding Fathers as the nonconformist kids they might have been…Paul…tendency to yell… ‘It took many years and a midnight ride for people to finally appreciate his special talent.’ …imagines each child’s eccentric playground manners…rounds off the volume with familiar oil paintings of his subjects and short captions on their actual accomplishments…singular blend of parody and historically accurate events.” (PW)
Stiegmeyer, Julie. Cheep! Cheep! illus. by Carol Baicker-McKee. Bloomsbury, $9.95 (1-58234-682-8)
(ages 2-4) “… family of adorable, three-dimensional chickens…text made up entirely of words with a giggle-inducing "eep" sound… irresistible, inventive paper-over-board book… minimalist facial features and highly streamlined appendages…amazing array of expressions and comic poses…Young children will…be thoroughly enchanted…” (PW)
Varon, Sara. Chicken and Cat. Scholastic, $16.99 (0-439-63406-7)
(PreS-gr. 3) “…understated but poignant…only words appear on street signs and shops…cat comes to live with his friend, a New York City chicken…monochrome vista of buildings…Cat feels alienated in this concrete habitat…buy plant seeds…sweet details…equally kitschy and good-natured…” (PW)
Young, Ed. My Mei Mei. Philomel, $16.99 (00-399-24399-9)
(PreS-gr 2) “…traveling to China to adopt a child…relationship between the first adoptive daughter, Antonia and her Mei Mei, or younger sister…disillusionment with her less-than-perfect sibling…told gracefully…expressive, childlike voice…illustrations… are irresistibly beautiful and filled with feeling…a simple story of family bonds unerringly told.” (SLJ)
back to top
Juvenile Fiction
Colfer, Eoin. Half-Moon Investigations. Hyperion/Miramax, $16.95 (0-7868-4957-6)
(gr. 5 and up) “…hilarious exploits of brainiac Fletcher Moon…12 years old … graduate of an online detective course…April Devereux…hires him……large but distinctive supporting cast … tailors the details specifically to Ireland…” (PW)
Druitt, Tobia. Corydon and the Island of Monsters. Knopf, $15.95 (0-375-93382-4)
(gr. 5 and up) “…struggle between classic Greek monsters, who play on readers' sympathies here, and the less appealing heroes and gods. Corydon, a young shepherd… born with the foot of a goat…captured by pirates…put him on display in a freak show … Corydon helps the imprisoned creatures to escape and they become a kind of family… With all the elements of a true adventure story …this novel will have wide appeal. Ages 10-up. (Feb.)
Dunrea, Olivier. Hanne’s Quest. Philomel, $16.99 (0-399-24216-3)
(gr. 2-4) “…Mem Pockets lives with her faithful dog and her beloved speckled hens…bill for back taxes…will lose the farm…young Hanne will be able to lay golden eggs if she…complete a quest…proves her mettle…beautifully composed…paintings rival…those in the best picture books…sturdy, homespun fairy tale…” (BL)
Gutman, Dan. The Homework Machine. Simon & Schuster, $15.95 (0-689-87678-5)
(gr. 4-6) “…nontraditional narrative unfolds through the words of a large cast of characters…four very different students who are assigned to the same group in school…fast-paced, entertaining book has something for everyone: convincing characters…points of discussion on ethics…every child’s dream machine…” (BL)
Kidd, Ronald. Monkey Town: The Summer of the Scopes Trial. S&S, $15.95 (1-4169-0572-3)
(gr. 6 and up) “…summer of 1925…15-year-old Frances…her small town of Dayton, TN…teacher Johnny Scopes…who is also Frances’s friend and ‘secret crush’ is arrested and put on trial for teaching evolution…contrived trial is intended only to bring national attention and tourism to the town…send the teen’s world into a spin…fast-paced drama is reminiscent of … To Kill a Mockingbird…heartfelt story of a likable girl…” (SLJ)
Langrish, Katherine. Troll Mill. HarperCollins/Eos, $16.89 (0-06-058308-8)
(gr. 5-8) “Strands of selkie legend…likable orphan Peer…early Norse civilization…local woman disappears into the sea…half-selkie baby…volatile nonhuman neighbors…Peer haplessly stirs up further trouble…confrontation with the troll kingdom …irresistible cover: lush, fanciful, and creepy…” (BL)
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Roxie and the Hooligans. Illus. by Alexandra Boiger. Atheneum/Seo, $15.95 (1-4169-0243-0)
(gr. 2-5) “…Roxie Warbler and her parents receive a prestigious visitor: her uncle Dangerfoot…traveled the world with renowned adventurer and author…the thing that frightens her most: Public School #37…four classmates tease Roxie mercilessly… humorous caricatures of the bad guys…snappy writing, tongue-in-cheek humor and resourceful, endearingly earnest heroine will keep readers highly entertained.” (PW)
Nelson, Blake. Gender Blender. Delacorte, $15.95 (0-385-90937-3)
(gr. 5 and up) “…two sixth-graders magically change bodies after bumping their heads together…Tom and Emma…keen understanding of peer pressure and gender stereotyping…provides honest, humorous answers to questions youngsters are often too embarrassed to ask…” (PW)
Elliot, Patricia. Murkmere. Little, Brown, $16.99 (0-316-01365-X)
(gr. 6 and up) “…fantasy, absorbing coming-of-age tale…15-year-old narrator Agnes, an orphan…act as a companion to…Leah…moody and wild adolescent…delights in escaping…to go to the mere…to be with the swans……land bears a strong resemblance to Oliver Cromwell’s England…a gripping story.” (PW)
Parkinson, Siobhàn. Something Invisible. Roaring Brook, $16.95 (1-59643-123-7)
(gr. 5-9) “…insightful novel centering on Jake…11-year-old…buying nappies for his newborn sister…girl named Stella…offers him advice…friendship…grows between Jake and Stella…Jake…jockeys for position in his own changing family…Two life-changing moments occur for Jake…heartbreaking and uplifting…” (PW)
Stanley, Diane. Bella at Midnight. Illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline. HarperCollins, $16.89 (0-06-077574-2)
(gr. 5-8) “…twists strands of the Cinderella story until it’s something quite new and fine…raised among peasants…befriended by Julian…prince…recalled by her father…Bella learns about an invasion that will bring about Julian’s death…quality of writing, dotted with jeweled description and anchored by the strong values…” (BL)
back to top
Juvenile Non-fiction
Bausum, Ann. Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement. National Geographic, $28.90 (0-7922-4174-6)
(gr. 6-9) “…Eschewing a general overview of the 1961 Freedom Rides for specific, personal histories of real participants…Jim Zwerg, a white Wisconsin native… John Lewis, a black seminarian and student leader of the nonviolence movement… incisively illustrated with archival photos…moving…delivers a galvanizing call to action…useful end matter…” (BL)
Brown, Monica. My Name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/la vida de Gabriela Mistral. Illus. by John Parra. Luna Rising, $15.95 (0-87358-859-2)
(K-gr 2) “…lyrical homage to the Chilean Nobel Prize winner is a joy to read…simple text follows the life of the poet from her earliest days…to her internationally renowned career in literature…poignantly poetic text that reads equally well in English and in Spanish…depicts…poet’s lifelong love affair with words and stories…naïve-style illustrations…go well beyond complementing the text…exquisite addition to most collections.” (SLJ)
Carnival of the Animals: Poems Inspired by Saint-Saëns' Music. Edited by Judith Chernaik, illus. by Satoshi Kitamura. Candlewick, $16.99 (0-7636-2960-X)
(gr. 1-5) “…a dozen poets …respond to composer Saint-Saëns' 1886 "zoological fantasy" (a 55-minute CD…includes a reading of the 14 poems followed by the corresponding musical passages)...bold ink-and-watercolor full-bleed spreads…ably reflect the content of the poems and the mood of the music … Widely varied in structure and style…highly accessible …artwork… threads the spreads together…playfully exhilarating collection of poetry, art and music to a close. Ages 6-10. (Apr.)
Daly, Jude. To Everything There Is a Season. Eerdmans, $16 (0-8028-5286-6)
(all ages) “…sunny watercolors…delicate, almost-miniature scale…A small farm by the sea provides an evocative setting…As time passes and seasons change, so does the family change and grow with its surroundings…readers are whisked away to …the artist’s native South Africa…soothing and enormously appealing illustrations…full Biblical passage Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.” (PW)
Dooling, Michael. Young Thomas Edison. Holiday House, $16.95 (0-8234-1868-5)
(gr. 2-5) “…careful attention to visual detail and a readable text…story of a determined, focused young man…His questioning nature and creative genius were recognized early on by his mother…writing style is understated…illustrations…are extraordinarily beautiful…inspiring book honors a brilliant inventor and belongs in every library.” (SLJ)
Engle, Margarita. The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano. Illus. by Sean Qualls. Holt, $16.95 (0-8050-7706-5)
(gr. 7-10) “In plain, stirring free verse…dramatizes the boyhood of the nineteenth-century Cuban slave Juan Francisco Manzano, who secretly learned to read and write poetry…world of unspeakable brutality…Side-by-side with Juan’s anguished voice are the narratives of other characters…occasional black and white sketches express…suffering and strength…brief afterward fills in historical background…fast-moving poetry…” (BL)
Fisher, Valorie. How High Can a Dinosaur Count? And Other Math Mysteries. Random/Schwartz and Wade Bks, $18.99 (0-375-93608-X)
(gr. 1-4) “…15 problems…are clearly explained, but lots of alliteration and some unexpected vocabulary make for interesting reading…illustration…whimsical tableaux with a three-dimensional feel…characters are charming…Appropriate for group discussions and attractive to browsers…creative combination of text and art is a first purchase for most collections.” (SLJ)
Fradin, Dennis Brindell. With a Little Luck: Surprising Stories of Amazing Discovery. Dutton, $17.99 (0-525-47196-0)
(gr. 6-9) “…11 thrilling breakthroughs…collective biography…Each inventor-discoverer is concentrating on a problem when the unexpected leads to revelation… smoothly combines personal stories…with fascinating science, technology and history…book design is very attractive…” (BL)
Helfer, Ralph. The World’s Greatest Elephant. Illus. by Ted Lewin. Philomel, $16.99 (0-399-24190-6)
(gr. 1-3) “…astonishing account of an abused orphan who bonds with an elephant…The boy, Bram, and the elephant, Modoc…born at the same time in a circus in Germany…Modoc is sold to a cruel owner…come up with a daring plan…series of disasters…make their way to America…gorgeous watercolor…stunning…depictions of the bond between lifelong friends…” (BL)
Jenkins, Steve. Almost Gone: The World’s Rarest Animals. (Let’s Read and Find Out About Science Series). HarperCollins, $16.99 (0-06-053598-9)
(K-gr.3) “…informative as well as visually stunning…cut-paper collage illustrations…Each endangered animal is introduced in a single paragraph…range, behavior, diet…conditions that threaten its welfare…actual number remaining is poignantly noted…memorializes animals no longer on earth…hopeful third section…animals that are “coming back”…” (SLJ)
Langston Hughes. Ed. by David Roessel and Arnold Rampersad. Illus. by Benny Andrews. Sterling, $14.95 (1-4027-1845-4)
(gr. 7-10) “…illustrated collection of 26 poems…beautiful collage-and-watercolor illustrations extend the rhythm, exuberance and longing of the words…makes Hughes’ work accessible to some grade-school children…main audience will be older readers…insightful, detailed introduction and biography…” (BL)
Moses, Will. Hansel and Gretel. Philomel, $16.99 (0-399-24234-1)
(PreS-up) “Folk artist…refrains from adding new elements to or trying to set his own stamp on the text…unique contribution …comes through in innumerable subtle visual inventions in his oil paintings…spot illustrations…wordless full-bleed spreads… the whole edition beams optimism and the rewards of resourcefulness.” (PW)
Richards, Beah E. Keep Climbing, Girls. Illus. by R. Gregory Christie. S&S, $15.95 (1-4169-0264-3)
(K-gr.3) “…picture-book rendition of …1951 poem…girls are urged to ‘keep climbing’…bold gouache illustrations create a beguiling…landscape…irresistible tree and a determined little girl who climbs it higher and higher with every page turn…” (SLJ)
Rodrìguez, Rachel Victoria. Through Georgia’s Eyes. Illus. by Julie Paschkis. Holt, $16.95 (0-8050-7740-5)
(K-gr.3) “…O’Keefe’s story in third person but with great immediacy…short, direct, and poetic…invites readers to let the artist ‘show you the world as she sees it.’ …final page…more standard, detailed account of the artist’s life…Written and illustrated with directness and sensitivity…fresh, original portrait of the artist.” (BL)
Shore, Diane Z. and Jessica Alexander. This is the Dream. Illus. by James Ransome. HarperCollins/Amistad, $16.89 (0-06-055520-3)
(gr. 2-4) “…strong visual statement about equality in the U.S. …large dramatic scenes of segregated America…years of protest…justice and happiness of an inclusive America…rhythmic verse tells the story of the civil rights struggle with simplicity and power…images bring the concepts home in a way that children will see and feel…” (BL)
back to top
Juvenile Reference
Cooney, Robert P.J., Jr. Winning the Vote: The Triumph of the American Woman Suffrage Movement. American Graphic, $85 (0-9770095-0-5)
(gr. 8 and up) “…lavishly illustrated volume focuses on the years from 1848 to 1920…chapters move, at first, by decades…then…by year…vignettes, brief biographies, archival illustrations and other primary sources…descriptions of events and incidents… brief epilogue describes the political activism that the suffrage movement engendered… all history buffs will appreciate this splendid volume.” (SLJ)
Exploring the Middle Ages. 11 volumes. 880 p. Marshall Cavendish, $471.36 (0-7614-7613-X)
(gr. 6-10) “…exceptionally well-designed and thorough encyclopedia…500-1500 C.E…alphabetic entries on a broad range of topics related to law, literature, commerce, medicine, daily life, philosophy, religion, science and technology……concise and engaging…high-quality color manuscript images, photos of artifacts and sites, and maps…sidebar panels…occasional time lines…highlights the role of women in the merchant guilds…” (SLJ)
back to top
YA Fiction
Klause, Annette. Freaks! Alive on the Inside! Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry, $16.95 (0-689-87037-X)
(gr. 10-12) “Seventeen-year-old Abel has spent most of his life at Faeryland, a resort offering ‘displays of oddities…Abel feels ‘useless’ and ‘handicapped’ by his normality…runs away…journey through the seedy, terrifying world of traveling sideshows…wild historical fantasy…Abel’s romantic interludes read with the steaminess of a bodice-ripper…cliff-hanger chapter endings…vibrant, affectionately drawn cast of characters…” (BL)
Miller, Mary Beth. On the Head of a Pin. Dutton, $16.99 (0-525-47736-5)
(gr. 9-12) “…Andy is kidding around…when he points a rifle and it accidentally goes off, killing Helen…boys drug Helen’s boyfriend…bury Helen…carefully crafted, complex character study…delving into the psychological torment each teen endures… explores the enormous influence that adults have on teenagers’ lives…edgy novel that weaves together numerous strands…” (BL)
Russon, Penni. Undine. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $16.89 (0-06-079390-2)
(gr. 7 and up) “Undine…can cause storms to form out of thin air…tight-knit family that includes her mother, brother, and aunt…has always been told that her father died before she was born…whispering voice convinces her he is still alive…links the worlds that the voice is speaking with The Tempest…goes to meet her father…new and interesting magical twist as well as a surprise ending.” (SLJ)
Turner, Megan Whalen. The King of Attolia. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $17.89 (0-06-083578-8)
(gr. 7 and up) “…sequel to The Queen of Attolia and The Thief…Eugenides…is back and just as clever as ever. As King of Attolia…must convince the rest of her court…he deserves the title…attendants and guards mock him…political intrigue, espionage…less concerned with the fighting between kingdoms…explores the complex and very romantic relationship between the monarchs…best to read the titles in order.” (SLJ)
Twice Told: Original Stories Inspired by Original Artwork. Illus. by Scott Hunt. Dutton, $19.99 (0-525-46818-8)
(gr. 7-10) “…nine intriguing charcoal drawings by artist Scott Hunt. Pairs of popular YA authors were given an illustration for inspiration. Sandwiching the drawings, the stories showcase very different responses to the art…racism, homosexuality, pedophilia, college, and family relationships…” (BL)
Vizzini, Ned. It’s Kind of a Funny Story. Hyperion, $16.95 (0-7868-5196-1)
(gr. 9-12) “…Craig Gilner…unraveling…depressed Craig spending more time smoking dope and throwing up than studying…call to a suicide hotline gets him into a psychiatric hospital…Readers must suspend their disbelief big time for this to work… what’s terrific about the work is Craig’s voice—intimate, real, funny ironic…offers hope in a package that readers will find enticing…” (BL)
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Knopf, $16.95 (0-375-83100-2)
(gr. 7 and up) “…best suited to sophisticated older readers…narrator is Death himself…keeps plenty busy during the course of this WWII tale…focusing on the lives of ordinary Germans in a small town…Liesel Meminger, the book thief…Hans…helps Liesel overcome her nightmares by teaching her to read…threads together gem-like scenes of the fates of families…playfulness with language leavens the horror and makes the theme even more resonant—words can save your life…” (PW)
back to top
Recordings
Lionboy: The Truth. By Zizou Corder. Read by Simon Jones. 6 hrs. HighBridge. CS, $29.95 (1-59511-990-8); CD, $29.95 (1-56511-991-6).
(gr. 5-8) “…conclusion to the Lionboy trilogy, Charlie the Catspeaker…travel to an exclusive Caribbean island…whales, tigers, and lions… “Sweet Air”…renders all occupants…docile for experimentation purposes…Thanks to…vocal artistry…makes every lion an identifiable character…deep, resonant tones build suspense…expressive voice…compelling narrative skills…” (BL)
back to top