The Indianhead Federated Library System presents
Starred Reviews
New and Notable Books for Young People
September 2005 * 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), Criticas (CR) and Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA). 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: Discovered that the isbn (0345460782) given for Sign of the Raven is for
Another book titled "Greenstone grail" by Amanada Hemingway. Amazon lists the isbn for Sign of the Raven as 0689857349.
Picture Books
Juvenile Fiction
Juvenile Non-fiction
YA Fiction
YA Non-fiction
Picture Books
Day, Alexandra. Carl’s Sleepy Afternoon. FSG, $12.95 (0-374-31088-2)
(all ages) “…Madeline’s mother tells Carl that she and her daughter are going shopping so he ‘can have a nice nap.’…driver of a …van arrives…Carl helps him…then jumps into the back of the vehicle…canine hero arrives at home, just ahead of his owners…illustrations are as timeless and endearing as the plot…” (PW)
Duval, Kathy. The Three Bears’ Christmas. Illus. by Paul Meisel. Holiday, $16.95 (0-8234-1871-5)
(PreS-K) “…It’s Christmas Eve…Mama Bear has just made gingerbread, but it’s too hot to eat…walk outside…someone has been eating the gingerbread…sat in the chairs…tried out all the beds…left a red coat in baby bear’s bed. Someone also left presents under the tree…artwork is utterly childlike…magical scenes…enchantment of the outdoor spreads…juxtaposes neatly against the mysteries the bears find when they return home.” (BL)
Ford, Bernett. First Snow. Illus. by Sebastien Braun. Holiday House, $16.95 (0-8234-1937-1)
(PreS-gr.2) “…bunny and his siblings as they venture out during the first snowfall of winter…poetic rhythm that emphasizes the senses…reading aloud and as a story that beginning readers will be able to tackle…charming visual cues…illustrations …are particularly engaging…” (SLJ)
Hines, Anna Grossnickle. Winter Lights. Greenwillow, $17.89 (0-06-000818-0)
(gr. 1-3) “…thoughtful poems and pictures of gorgeous quilts full of bright, beautiful colors. Christmas…feast of Santa Lucia, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the Chinese New Year are spectacularly introduced…back matter….explains in words and photos how the quilts were made…”(BL)
Leedy, Loreen. The Great Graph Contest. Holiday House, $16.95 (0-8234-1710-7)
(gr. 1-3) “…Chester the snail sets up a contest between his friends…who can make the best graph…points will be given for ‘correct math, creativity, and neatness…data collection…graphic organizers…lively text…engaging and well supported by the vivid, cartoon illustrations…” (SLJ)
McGrory, Anik. Kidogo. Bloomsbury, $15.95 (1-58234-974-6)
(PreS-gr.1) “Kidogo is ‘small…for an elephant.’ …Determined to find someone as small as he, he searches…feels an itching and a tickling and discovers tiny ants… poetic text is perfectly matched with pencil-and-watercolor illustrations…sweet, enchanting story is just right.” (SLJ)
McMillan, Bruce. The Problem with Chickens. Illus by Gunnella. Houghton/Lorraine, $16 (0-618-58581-8)
(PreS-gr.3) “…juxtaposition of McMillan’s minimal deadpan text…and Icelandic artist Gunnella’s comically literal paintings…hilarity….relates the trials of a group of women as they try to secure a reliable supply of eggs… ‘The chickens…started acting like ladies…” …both the ladies and the birds grow stronger and more indomitable in the process…” (PW)(SLJ)
Ogburn, Jacqueline. The Bake Shop Ghost. Illus. by Marjorie Priceman. Houghton, $16 (0-618-44557-9)
(gr. 1-3) “Bakery proprietress Cora Lee Merriweather is a sour old spinster, and after death she haunts her shop…meets her match in Annie Washington, a pastry chef…illustrator…keeps things meringue-light, indicating Cora Lee’s ghost with a few fierce strokes and filling the rest of each spread with lines and colors that swirl like ribbons of icing…Mouths will water just as surely as hearts warm at the story’s touching conclusion.” (BL)
Pham, LeUyen. Big Sister, Little Sister. Hyperion, $15.99 (0-7868-5182-1)
(PreS-gr.3) “…fresh and funny perspective to the pros and cons of being second in the birth order… ‘I’m the Little Sister. I’m always catching up.’…text is… familiar… book comes alive…full-page and spot illustrations…make every vignette bristle and bounce with comic energy…scenes of sibling collaboration…are every bit as winning as those of sibling conflict…beautifully captured the touch-and-go affection that is a verity of sibling life.” (PW)
Piper, Watty. The Little Engine that Could. Illus. by Loren Long. Philomel, $17.99 (0-399-24467-0)
(ages 3 and up) “…pays respectful homage to George and Doris Hauman’s compositions in his visual interpretation of the classic tale…first published in 1930…adds a lushness to the spreads…larger format to play up the vistas… gives ‘the funniest little toy clown you ever saw’ a starring role…spacious spreads also allow for a more dramatic flow of the text…Both faithful fans and newcomers will enjoy…” (PW)
Reid, Barbara. The Subway Mouse. Scholastic, $15.95 (0-439-47827-4)
(PreS-gr. 3) “Subway mouse Nib has grown up listening to bedtime stories about Tunnels End, a ‘dangerous, roofless world,’ where the air is sublime, the food tasty , and the nests soft and green…feels increasingly more crowded and restless in his underground community…sets off on a perilous journey…charming, lively adventure…marvelous collage illustrations…bring…richly imagined world to life…” (BL)
Say, Allen. Kamishibai Man. Houghton/Lorraine, $17 (0-618-47954-6)
(PreS-gr.3) “…The kamishibai man of pre-war Japan brought…tales…paintings and homemade sweets…retired kamishibai man…decides…to return to his old route… When television arrived…his once-eager listeners disappeared, too…As he talks…a great crowd gathers around him…Say’s gift is to multiply themes without struggling under their weight…” (PW) (BL)
Stevens, Janet and Susan Stevens Crummel. The Great Fuzz Frenzy. Harcourt, $17 (0-15-204626-7)
(PreS-gr. 2) “…Violet the dog drops a fuzzy green tennis ball down a prairie-dog hole…dozens of little dogs are gazing at it with trepidation… “It’s fuzzy!”…all begin adorning themselves with pieces of lime-green fuzz…War breaks out…Big Bark steals all the fuzz…which makes him an easy target for an eagle…come to Big Bark’s aid…wonderful addition for storyhours…” (SLJ)
Lau Carling, Amelia. Alfombras de aserrìn (Sawdust Carpets). Libros Tigrillo: Groundwood Books, $16.95 (0-8899-624-1)
(Gr 4-6) “… transports readers to…Antigua, Guatemala… Holy Week… memories of growing up in Guatemala as the daughter of Chinese immigrants …exquisite descriptions… illustrations … present a kaleidoscope of color, scents, and native flora that immerse readers in the festivities and solemnity of the revered tradition. A glossary of both Guatemalan and Chinese terms supports the authenticity of the vernacular…” (CR)
Wormell, Christopher. Mice, Morals, & Monkey Business: Lively Lessons from Aesop’s Fables. Running Press, $18.95 (0-7624-2404-4)
(PreS- gr. 3) “…richly colored showcase of linocuts…Stripping down both fable and composition to the essentials…focuses on aphorisms and characters….If the epigrams and visual hints don’t suffice, the fables appear in an appendix, next to a thumbnail reproductions of the prints…” (PW)
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Juvenile Fiction
Couloumbis, Audrey. The Misadventures of Maude March, or, Trouble Rides a Fast Horse. Random, $17.99 (0-375-93245-3)
(gr. 5-8) “Sallie March, 11…rollicking Wild West adventure…sister Maude… living in Cedar Rapids with their stern Aunt Ruthie since their parents died…Reverend Peasley takes the girls in, but works them like servants…sisters take two horses and head to Independence, MO…Although the girls intentions are never bad, they end up in the midst of a bank robbery and committing murder…narration is delightful…laugh-out-loud hilarious…Hard to put down, and a fun read-aloud.” (SLJ)
Creech, Sharon. Replay. HarperCollins/Joanna Colter, $16.89 (0-06-054020-6)
(gr. 4-7) “Both uproarious and tender…Leo, 12….big, noisy, extended Italian family…pitch-perfect dialogue…Leo has wild, private fantasies of himself as a hero and a genius…thrilled to act in the school play…compelling drama is the family story…no easy resolutions, only haunting questions about growing up.” (BL)
Hobbs, Valerie. Defiance. Farrar/Frances Foster Books, $16 (--374-30847-0)
(gr. 5-7) “After finally finishing his painful cancer treatment, Toby Steiner, 11, is spending the summer in a rented cabin with his overprotective mother and weekender dad…hides from his parents the lump he’s discovered on his side. Exploring…on an old bike…encounters…almost-blind woman…94…She and Toby develop a friendship… Defiance turns to decision as each one helps the other face a difficult but hopeful future…triumphant conclusion…quiet, yet resonant story.” (SLJ)
Ketchum, Liza. Where the Great Hawk Flies. Clarion, $16 (0-618-40085-0)
(gr. 4-7) “…Inspired by an incident recorded by her own mixed-race ancestors …prose…sturdy and well-crafted…Seven years after Caughnawaga Indians fighting for the British ransacked his Vermont settlement, 13-year-old Daniel receives a visit from his Pequot grandfather… presence aggravates still-raw fears among Daniel’s new neighbors … faintly romanticized aura surrounding Daniel’s Pequot heritage…close study of individuals and their complicated relationships…” (BL)
Martin, Ann M. A Dog’s Life. Scholastic, $16.99 (0-439-71559-8)
(gr. 3-7) “…written from a canine’s point of view…traces the dog days of a stray named Squirrel from birth to old age…life becomes a battle of survival for Squirrel… After following Squirrel’s harrowing encounters with freezing temperatures, dangerous enemies and near starvation, readers will utter a sigh of relief when she finds a human…” (PW)
Sierra, Judy. The Gruesome Guide to World Monsters. Illus. by Henrik Drescher. Candlewick, $17.99 (0-7636-1727-X)
(gr. 5-8) “…exquisitely presented parody of a field guide…controlled text provides a counterweight to artwork that’s like graffiti…vital stats of more than 60 monsters…reveals a deliciously macabre side…while layering doses of deadpan humor among the chilling details…may wish for maps…as well as notes about specific cultural sources…this will delight junior-high readers…” (BL)
Sonnenblick, Jordan. Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. Scholastic, $16 (0-439-75519-0)
(gr. 5-8) “Steven Apler is a typical eighth-grader…five-year-old brother, Jeffrey…is diagnosed with leukemia. All hell breaks loose…Steven becomes the forgotten son…could have morphed into melodrama is saved by reality, rawness, and… wit…also about regrouping, solidarity, love, and hope…shows that life goes on…” (BL)
Woodson, Jacqueline. Show Way. Illus. by Hudson Talbott. Putnam, $16.99 (0-399-23749-6)
(gr. 3-5) “A Show Way is a quilt with secret meanings…history and haunting metaphor…exquisite picture book. Based on Woodson’s own history…African American women across generations, from slavery and the civil rights movement to the present…mixed-media artwork…beautiful collages…Growing up on a plantation… Soonie learns…about …how to sew quilts with signs that show the way to freedom… granddaughter…has twin girls who march for freedom in the 1960s… Jacqueline Woodson, laughing at home with her own beloved daughter…” (BL)
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Juvenile Non-fiction
Fleming, Candace. Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt’s Remarkable Life. Ann Schwartz Books/Atheneum/S&S, $19.95 (0-689-86554-9)
(gr. 7-12) “…Fashioned as a scrapbook…indulgently browsable…well-chosen photographs pulling the reader’s attention from one snippet of text to the next…candid quotes…astonishing research…good history…enticing bits of gossip…delicious variety of Eleanor anecdotes without the tedium of a narrative to string it all together…excellent resource for primary source materials.” (VOYA 5Q3P)
Grimes, Nikki. Danitra Brown, Class Clown. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. HarperCollins/Amistad, $16.89 (0-688-17291-1)
(gr. 3-5) “Best friends Danitra and Zuri…new school year and a new teacher…challenges arrive for Zuri…anxiety to her days. Confident Danitra…provides support, friendship…running sequence of title verses…detailed watercolor paintings create energy of their own…” (SLJ)
He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands. Illus. by Kadir Nelson. Score. Dial, $16.99 (0-8037-2850-6)
(preS-gr.2) “…vibrant…illustrations rendered in pencil, oil and watercolor breathe new meaning and life into this favorite Sunday school spiritual…lively images and inspiring scenes…excellent read-aloud choice as well as a sing-along favorite…moving, artistic celebration of our world…” (SLJ)
Hurston, Zora Neale. Lies and Other Tall Tales. Illus. by Christopher Myers. HarperCollins, $6.89 (0-06-000656-0)
(PreS-gr.2) “…Myers has adapted and illustrated some of the wild, very short, wicked stories collected by…Zora Neale Hurston…cites her sources as she quoted them, ordinary folk…quiltlike pictures in paper and fabric collage are minimalist and exaggerated…Perfect for sharing with many age groups…will be a winner at family and cultural celebrations.” (BL)
Kennedy, Caroline, ed. A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children. Illus. by Jon J. Muth. Hyperion, $19.95 (0-7868-5111-2)
(all ages) “Kennedy…gives this winsome collection a personal feel…introduces each of the book’s sections with relevant anecdotes from her childhood…organizes the 106 poems in to seven categories… “About Me,” “Animals”…expansive range of poets…stunning backdrops…richly textured watercolors…resonant volume deserves a permanent—and prominent—place…” (PW)
Krull, Kathleen. Leonardo da Vinci. Illus. by Boris Kulikov. Viking, $15.99 (0-670-05920-X)
(gr. 4 and up) “…illuminating biography…convincingly portrays…Renaissance man’s remarkably far-reaching accomplishments while also conveying his humanity and sense of humor…underscores the significance of a series of notebooks…inviting, conversational narrative…occasional atmospheric pen-and-inks…” (PW)
Poole, Josephine. Anne Frank. Illus. by Angela Barrett. Knopf. $19.99 (0-375-93242-9)
(gr.3-5) “…moving picture-book biography…simple poignancy and dignity… focus on Anne herself…particular care is given to creating a context for the circumstances of her confinement and tragic demise…text and illustrations quickly create a sense of foreboding…details of her life…not sentimentalized…” (SLJ)
Rosen, Michael. Dickens: His Work and His World. Illus. by Robert Ingpen. Candlewick, $19.99 (0-7636-2752-6)
(gr. 4-7) “The worlds of Charles Dickens…personal and the ones he created, come alive in this terrific book…dramatic introduction that depicts Dickens’ last performance…lengthy retelling of Dickens’ growing up, a tale as gripping as any of his stories…important influences on Dickens…concise retellings of some of Dickens’ works…personal writing style…art adds to the richness of a volume designed and written with care.
Spirin, Gennady. A Apple Pie. Philomel, $16.99 (0-399-23981-2)
(PreS-K) “Whimsically detailed watercolors revitalize an alphabet verse dating from the 1600s. Each painting tells its own story as the rhyme follows the apple pie from A to Z…Calligraphic letters…Busy details offer new discoveries with each reading… letters, text, and paintings are unified in style and become a single work of art…” (SLJ)
White, Linda Arms. I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote. Illus. by Nancy Carpenter. Farrar/Melanie Kroupa, $16 (0-374-33527-3)
(gr. 2-4) “Hatmaker, wife, mother, pioneer, and activist, Morris was instrumental in getting the vote for women in Wyoming…local judge resigned in outrage, Morris… [took] his job… carefully shaped text is amplified by…folksy oils…Children …will be quickly won over by a character so determined…” (BL) (SLJ)
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YA Fiction
Bajoria, Paul. The Printer’s Devil. Little, Brown, $16.99 (0-316-01090-1)
(gr. 7-12) “…exciting journey through London’s Cheapside in the 1800s… twelve-year-old orphan Mog Winter, a printer’s apprentice…historical fiction at its best…Mog finds himself in an opium den…learns of a plot to steal riches…become involved in a grand adventure…plenty of plot twists and surprises…suspenseful and mysterious read…” (VOYA)
Cloonan, Becky, et.al. Flight, vol. 2. Kazu Kibushi, ed. Image Comics, $24.95 trade pb (1-58240-477-1) GRAPHIC NOVEL
(gr. 6 to adult) “…outstanding, gorgeous, delightful. Thirty-three short stories…idea of flight…nary a slow spot…pure flight…figurative flight…flights of fancy…enchanting, touching, thought provoking, funny and scary…art is wonderfully varied…perfect for library and school media center collections. Some mature themes…nothing too explicit in the art…”(VOYA 5Q2P)
Cook, Glen. The Tyranny of the Night. Tor, $25.95 (0-765-30684-0)
(gr.9-adult) “The first book in The Instrumentalities of the Night series is a re-envisioning of the Crusades and the issues surrounding them…Holy Land is sacred because of the wells contained within…magic leaks into the world…weaves…threads of myth and medieval history…complex and compelling tapestry…characters…are beautifully realized…” (VOYA 5Q4P)
Cooney, Caroline B. Code Orange. Delacorte, $17.99 (0-385-90277-8)
(gr. 6-9) “In top, utterly terrifying form…gregarious New York City teenager to a century-old sample of smallpox scabs…dedicated to avoiding study…Mitty is oblivious to the danger…everyone…in the crowded city is in from his possible exposure to this hyper-contagious, utterly devastating disease…lays out the illness’s history and symptoms…Is the virus still active?…heart-stopping twist, Mitty is kidnapped by terrorists…profoundly disturbing premise…likeable, ultimately heroic slacker protagonist.” (BL)
Coy, John. Crackback. Scholastic, $16.99(0-439-69733-6)
(gr. 8-11) “Sophomore football star Miles…favorite coach resigns, and Miles chafes under the new coach…feels alienated from his teammates at school, who have turned to steroids…at home, with his angry father…moving, nuanced portrait…connects the story’s diverse elements…in a loose jumble…sharply authentic, open-ended…” (BL)
De La Peña, Matt. Ball Don’t Lie. Delacorte, $18.99 (0-385-90258-1)
(gr. 7-12) “…delivers a story of inner-city desperation, frustration, and ultimately respect. Placed with and then removed from four foster caretakers, sixteen-year-old Sticky only feels at home on the sweat-stained court of the Lincoln Rec…white-boy Sticky (his race makes him a minority)…Stunningly realistic, this book will hook older readers, especially urban teen males…” (VOYA)
Duane, Diane. Wizards at War. Harcourt, $17 (0-15-204772-7)
(gr.7-12) “…Nita and Kit come home to Nita’s sister Dairine…houseful of wizards on a cultural exchange…all senior wizards start losing their power, belief in magic, and knowledge of its existence…race to find the solution…Young Wizards series…deft touches of humor…never overwhelm the rising tension…magic system is intricate and logical but still wondrous…strong characterization…will appeal strongly…”(VOYA 5Q4P)
Duble, Kathleen Benner. The Sacrifice. S&S/Margaret K. McElderry, $15.95 (0-689-87650-5)
(gr. 6-9) “…Salem witch hunts in 1692…viewpoint of Abigail, 10, who is accused of working with the devil, imprisoned, and tried along with her older sister… social history is intensely dramatic…Abigail is always in trouble for not knowing her place as a woman… surprising climax of family sacrifice is heartrending…” (BL)
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Double Identity. Simon & Schuster, $15.95 (0-689-87374-3)
(gr. 6-9) “Bethany’s parents have smothered her with constant attention for all of her almost-thirteen years…drop her off with an aunt…drive off into the night with no explanation…she realizes that solving the mystery may be a matter of life and death… Bethany…handles her frightening situation with a wry humor…sure to appeal...twisty plot and spine-tingling creepiness make it a sizzling recommendation…” (VOYA 4Q5P)
Hearn, Julie. The Minister’s Daughter. Atheneum, $16.95 (0-689-87690-4)
(gr 6-8) “In a village in England in 1645, Christianity co-exists with the old beliefs…With child…the Puritan minister’s beautiful and selfish older daughter… end her pregnancy…Nell refuses to give her the necessary herbs. So begins Grace’s deceit… which will end with the cunning woman dead, Nell condemned to be hanged for witchcraft, the baby abandoned in a snow bank…Nell and the baby will survive and thrive…ending will be a less happy one for the minister’s daughters.” (HB)
Hearn, Julie. Sign of the Raven. Atheneum/S&S, $16.95 (0-345-46078-2)
(gr. 7-12) “…gripping, coming-of-age time travel, twelve-year-old Tom and his mother…visit…grandmother…Tom rediscovers the gate to an eighteenth-century world of freaks…Moving between worlds…novel has appeal for wider age group…” (VOYA 5Q4P)
Hemingway, Amanda. The Greenstone Grail. Del Rey, $16.95 (0-345-46078-2)
(gr. 6-12) “Magic and science fiction intertwine…modern Arthurian fantasy set in a small British village…Nathan Ward, conceived in another universe…salvation of his birth father’s world…When Nathan dreams, he astral travels…begins the Sangreal Trilogy…Offer…to teen readers who are beyond Harry Potter…no easy read and leaves as many questions asked as answered.” (VOYA 5Q4P)
Jubert, Herve. Dance of the Assassins. Eos/HarperCollins, $17.89 (0-06-077718-4)
(gr. 7-12) “…wildly imaginative story…future world…in historic London, Jack the Ripper is back at work…pairs Roberta Morgenstern, a middle-aged agent who is also a witch…with…recent police academy graduate…unique and often hilarious details… create an original world…genre-defying mix…fast-moving… marred occasionally with clunky translation from the French…”(VOYA 4Q5P)
Koertge, Ron. Boy Girl Boy. Harcourt, $16 (0-15-205325-5)
(gr. 8-11) “…Elliot, Teresa, and Larry have been friends ‘forever.’ As they approach graduation, they plan to run away to California…Yet each teen begins to doubt the wisdom of the plan…deftly balances the heavy issues with respectful humor… perceptive book about teenage friendship and the struggle for individual identity that will resonate with many readers. Buy several copies.” (BL)
Les Becquets, Daine. Love, Cajun Style. Bloomsbury, $16.95 (1-59234-674-7)
(gr. 8-11) “Like a spicy Cajun stew, this mixes together lots of ingredients, and the result is delicious…Lucy Beauregard…strangers come to town. Mr. Savoi, and artist …Lucy’s mom becomes interested in posing for him—nude…son, Dewey is causing some heat in Lucy, but what about the attention she is receiving from Mr. Banks, the new teacher who has cast Lucy as the lead in a community play…richly drawn characters …Religion and talk of God and morality also slide easily through the narrative.” (BL)
McGhee, Alison. All Rivers Flow to the Sea. Candlewick, $15.99 (0-7636-2591-4)
(gr. 9-12) “Sisters Rose and Ivy…rural community in the Adirondacks…Ivy… victim of a car crash that leaves her brain dead…Rose must face life alone…not able to let go…nighttime visits to the locally quarry…with a series of local boys gain her nothing but an ugly reputation until her friend…gives her a safe place to rest her overflowing heart…masterful first-person narrative…satisfying conclusion…” (VOYA 5Q4P)
Perkins, Lynne Rae. Criss Cross. Greenwillow, $16.89 (0-06-009273-4)
(gr. 6-12) “…fourteen-year-old Debbie…wonderfully contemplative and relaxed yet captivating…illustrated with…perfectly idiosyncratic spot art…collection of fleeting images and sensations…ensemble cast…those barely perceptible moments of missed communication between a boy and a girl, a parent and a child…such flubbed opportunities are viewed as unfortunate but not tragic…” (HB) (SLJ)(VOYA 5Q3P)
Pierce, Tamora. The Will of the Empress. Scholastic, $17.99 (0-439-44171-4)
(gr. 6-12) “Young mages and foster siblings…suffer a bumpy reunion after traveling independently…rediscover their affinities and learn how their unique powers complement one another…action-packed showdowns…full of journeys, adventure, and court life, but its strength lies in its complex characters…social issues…Fans…will enjoy … continuation…feminist tale…thought-provoking…” (VOYA 4Q5P)
Selvadurai, Shyam. Swimming in the Monsoon Sea. Tundra, $18.95 (0-88776-735-4)
(gr. 8-11) “As lush and languid as its Sri Lanka setting…13-year-old Amrith… appearance of his Canadian cousin, Niresh… mystery surrounding the death of his beloved mother and alcoholic father…realizes his feelings for Niresh go beyond friendship…aware of his sexual identity…situations arising organically from the characters…story rolls in waves…luxuriant language…” (BL)
Spinner, Stephanie. Quicksilver. Knopf, $15.95 (0-375-82638-6)
(gr. 6-12) “Greek mythology gets a contemporary spin…Hermes…narrates a compelling and amusing account of his experiences with some of the most well-known characters in Greek mythology…amusing anecdote…witty retelling…contemporary humor and a fast-paced plot…Even readers unfamiliar with these legends will savor…” (VOYA 4Q5P)
Tanner, Mike. Resurrection Blues. Annick Press/Firefly, $19.95 (1-55037-897-X) pb $9.95 (1-55037-896-1)
(gr 7-12) “…Flynn Robinson, an eighteen-year-old who is traveling…playing guitar…up-and-coming club band…awestruck groupies flinging themselves his way… petty jealousies and wilder lifestyles of older band mates…The book is a marvel… mistakes and disappointments….are heartbreakingly real and occasionally hilarious… resists…drawing things to a tidy resolution, which is a perfect fit for the story. (VOYA 5Q4P)
Thall, Lilli. Mimus. Tr. by John Brownjohn. Annick, $19.95 (1-55037-925-9); paper, $9.95 (1-55037-924-0)
(gr. 8-11) “The medieval kingdoms of Moltovia and Vinland have been engaged in a bitter and destructive war for years… Twelve-year-old Prince Florin of Moltovia… is forced to apprentice to Mimus…seemingly cruel and certainly repellent court jester. If Florin…fails to…amuse King Teodo, his father will be killed…outstanding translation from the German…exceptional attention to detail, character development, and theme.” (BL)
Tiffany, Grace. Ariel. HarperCollins/Laura Geringer, $17.89 (0-06-075328-5)
(gr. 9-12) “Born from the dreams of a shipwrecked sailor, Ariel, the spirit from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, sparks this…pretelling…Ariel…spends the following centuries shifting from one fantastical form to another…lush, lyrical, and elegantly expressive work…sensitive characterization…outstanding…for strong teen readers.” (BL)
Vande Velde, Vivian. The Book of Mordred. Houghton Mifflin, $18 (0-618-50754-X)
(gr. 7-12) “Is the enigmatic Mordred a heroic knight or a power-hungry villain?…emotionally intense adventure about the fall of Camelot…Fans of traditional Arthurian legend as well as readers unfamiliar with the classic tales should relish…compelling re-imagining…multidimensional characters…” (VOYA 5Q4P)
Volponi, Paul. Black and White. Viking, $15.99 (0-670-06006-2)
(gr. 9-12) “…Marcus, an African American senior whose best friend, Eddie, is white… basketball stars…risk everything for more spending money…armed stickups… shoot and wound their victim…disparate treatment each receives highlights their racial divide…echoed in the streets in harsh language full of hate…authentic voices that will draw in both strong and reluctant readers…deftly balances drama and passion on the basketball court with each boy’s private terror and anguish…” (BL)
Yancey, Rick. The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp. Bloomsbury, $16.95 (1-58234-693-3)
(gr. 7 and up) “After his single mother dies, the oversized, underachieving, totally endearing narrator, Alfred Kropp…live with his uncle…Uncle Farrell…$1 million offer to retrieve a sword…attempt ends disastrously…Everyone and everything has a secret identity…high-speed car chases, spectacularly gory deaths and Arthurian echoes….Alfred’s naivetè and basic good nature…make this page-turner stand out…” (PW)
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YA Non-fiction
Gonick, Larry and Craig Criddle. Cartoon Guide to Chemistry. HarperResource/HarperCollins, $16.95 trade pb (0-06-093677-0)
(gr. 9-12) “…introduction to chemistry…cartoon characters…humorous asides…packs an astonishing amount of basic science…Chemistry teachers will be charmed…interested students with some chemistry behind them will like it as well…a great deal of information in an engaging package.” (VOYA 5Q2P)
Partridge, Elizabeth. John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth. Viking, $24.99 (0-670-05954-4)
(gr. 7 and up) “…John Lennon’s life is almost melodramatic in its amalgamation of…defiant acts, creative angst, wild success, wealth, sex, drugs…Young adult readers will be riveted…fair and open with the facts…enough background information, both politically and musically, to illuminate the chaotic world behind the top ten charts…Paul, George and Ringo…while maintaining a steady focus on John…Yoko Ono’s powerful hold over John…comprehensive bibliography and an index…book design is luxurious…photographs…adds substantively to an accessible text…” (HB)
The Science of Health: Youth and Well-Being. Mason Crest.
Ford, Jean. Surviving the Roller Coaster: A Teen’s Guide to Coping with Moods. (1-59084-854-3)
Hovius, Christopher. The Best You Can Be: A Teen’s Guide to Fitness and Nutrition. (1-59084-848-9)
(gr. 7-12) “Lavishly illustrated…manageable length…excellent, thorough coverage…Internet sites for further information…well-organized, concise, and easy to understand…Nicely presented and chock-full of information…other series titles cover healthy skin, sexually transmitted diseases, teen suicide and dental care…” (VOYA 5Q2P)
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