Indianhead Federated Library System

The Indianhead Federated Library System presents

 

 

 

 

 

Bean, Jonathan.  At Night.  FSG, $15 (978-0-374-30446-1)
            (PreS-gr. 3)  "...almost magical rhythms in this pitch-perfect story...bedtime at the main character's urban house...lies "AWAKE," and the blank space surrounding the single, jarring word contains all the feeling in the close up of the girl's face...plot is..quiet ... brings pillows and bedding up to the roof...friendly, well-lit cityscape...story breathes reassurance and adventure at the same time..." (PW)

Blake, Robert J.  Swift.  Philomel, $16.99 (978-0-399-233-838)
            (K-gr.3)  "...passed a gun course, Johnnie can finally join Pa and their dog, Swift...hunting for the family's winter food:  bear...Alaskan wilderness...grizzly attacks them...breaking Pa's leg...Johnnie and Swift set out across the tundra...taut text that creates a palpable sense of danger and a series of impressive double page illustrations... heavily layered paints that create dramatic effects...riveting adventure story...fine read-aloud choice, for older children, too." (BL)

Broach, Elise.  When Dinosaurs Came With Everything.  Illus. by David Small.  S&S/Atheneum, $16.99 (978-0-689-86922-8)
            (PreS-gr.3)  "...deadpan delivery of a delectably over-the-top premise...tall-format picture book a virtually guaranteed crowd-pleaser...doughnut case:  'Buy a Dozen, Get a Dinosaur.'...expecting a toy, but the bakery lady trots out a triceratops...doctor's appointment...asks for a sticker...no stickers today, just dinosaurs...Beleagured by prehistoric pets...right dose of hyperbole...well-balanced romp..." (PW)

 

Cate, Annette LeBlanc. The Magic Rabbit. Candlewick, $15.99 (978-0-7636-2672-3)

Fleischman, Paul.  Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal:  A Worldwide Cinderella.  Illus. by Julie Paschkis.  Holt, $16.95 (978-0-8050-7953)
            (K and up)  "...inspired retelling blends many versions of Cinderella into a single, extraordinary tale...incorporates sometimes small details from different traditions, text and illustrations nimbly morph from one Cinderella story to the next,...folk art and textile patterns throughout the world...background...behind...vibrant panel illustrations ... unobtrusively labels the country...Even the last line of text is patched from several sources..."(PW) (SLJ)

Jay, Alison.  1 2 3:  A Child's First Counting Book.  Dutton, $15.99 (978-0-525-478362)
            (K-gr.2)  "...elegant but highly accessible...little girl falls asleep with a book of fairy tales...in her hands... appears in a series of fairy tale scenes.  Each illustration features a number...luminous paintings offer several challenges...count...find the girl... identify the fairy tale...paintings create their own magical world..." (BL)(PW)

Jenkins, Emily.  What Happens on Wednesdays.  Illus. by Lauren Castillo.  FSG/Foster, $16 (978-0-374-38303-9)
            (PreS-gr.1)  "Radiant mixed-media art...captures the warmth and candor... sparkling slice-of-life tale...much-loved child in Brooklyn.  From the moment she wakes up all the way to her bedtime, the unnamed girl describes everything that happens on Wednesdays...giving a sense of her personality...neighborhood...school...her joy in her routines...scale unusually friendly...rendered almost like the work of children...real skill with color...extremely effective." (PW)

Kirk, Daniel. Library Mouse. Abrams, $32 (0-8109-9346-5)

            (K-gr.3) “...Sam lives in a hole in the wall behind the children’s reference books...at night he reads all kinds of books...decides to write and illustrate his own...slips Squeak! A Mouse’s Life into the biography section...librarian...invites Sam to ‘Meet the Author Day’...will inspire kids to write their own stories...fun, fun, fun.” (BL)

 

McCourt, Frank.  Angela and the Baby Jesus.  Illus. by Raul Colon.  Simon & Schuster, $17.99 (1-4169-3789-7)
            (K-gr.3)  "unusual Christmas story that centers on a child's interpretation of doing what's right...six-year-old heroine...disturbed that Baby Jesus must be cold as he lies outside in a Nativity scene...steals the baby...to warm him in her bed...writes with the lilt of the Irish and the ability to get inside a child's mind...very long...and at several points obscure...beautiful and moving illustrations smooth those problems...showcases the warmth that a caring family radiates." (BL)

McKissack, Patricia.  The All-I'll Ever-Want Christmas Doll.  Illus. by Jerry Pinkney.  Random/Schwartz & Wade, $19.99 (0-375-93759-5)
            (K-gr.3)  "Growing up during the Depression, Nella and her two sisters have little expectation of gifts on Christmas morning...Nella writes to Santy Claus asking for a store-bought doll...father surprises the girls with a Baby Betty doll...to share...They fight over their gift...finally Nella's sisters agree that she can have it...misses her siblings...finds a way to make amends...first-person memoir that works well as a picture-book text..." (BL)

 

Mother Goose’s Little Treasures. Ed. by Iona Opie, Illus. by Rosemary Wells. Candlewick, $17.99 (0-7636-3655-X)

            (PreS-K) “...gem...22 tidbits from little-known nursery rhymes, shines with the charm of old-time rhymes and with Wells’ beloved animal and child characters...quirky nature of many of the rhymes provides a clean slate for Wells’ inspired playfulness...likely to become a staple in children’s collections.” (BL)

 

Graphic Novel O’Malley, Kevin and Patrick O’Brien. Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates. Walker, $17.85 (978-0-8027-9572-4)

            (K-gr.4) “...captain and his crew must track down the space pirates...invaded the Imperial Palace...comes alive with...watercolor and gouache illustrations...action moves quickly in small frames...Dramatic chase and battle scenes are depicted in full-page illustrations... Few readers...will be able to resist this clever mix of dinosaurs, pirates, and science fiction.” (SLJ)

 

Root, Phyllis. Aunt Nancy and the Bothersome Visitors. Illus. by David Parkins. Candlewick, $16.99 (978-0-7636-3074-4)

            (K-gr.5) “...trickster stories...beguiling collection...illustrated mainly with silhouettes...indomitable Aunt Nancy facing off first against Old Woeful...and Mister Death...folksy style shines in every sentence...droll silhouettes...nifty package...” (HB)

 

Rylant, Cynthia. Mr. Putter & Tabby See the Stars. Illus. by Aruthur Howard. Harcourt, $14 (978-0-15-206075-6)

 

Scieszka, Jon. Cowboy and Octopus. Illus. by Lane Smith. Viking, $16.99 (978-0-670-91058-8)

            (K-gr. 5) “...unlikely duo...seven vignettes that reveal the ins and outs of friendship...All have a message of sorts, though it’s never hammered home...simply told, surprisingly fresh, and genuinely funny...mixed-media...flat-out-hilarious...” (HB)

 

Steffensmeier, Alexander.  Millie Waits for the Mail.  Walker & Co.,$16.95 (978-0-8027-9662-2)
            (PreS-gr.2)  "...Like any self-respecting toddler who likes to say BOO, Millie lies in wait for the mailman every day for the pure, unadulterated pleasure of scaring him...droll visual humor...amusing details unrelated to the story thread..." (PW)

Stevens, April.  Waking Up Wendell.  Illus. by Tad Hills.  Random/Schwartz & Wade, $15.99 (978-0-375-83621-3)
            (PreS-gr.3) "...well-developed characters, plenty of noise, and enough humor to keep readers wanting more...sounds travel from one house to the next, awakening the porcine denizens of Fish Street in a domino effect...witty watercolors depict action and facial expressions with equal ease...punchy prose, unexpected plot turn and surprisingly sweet ending...read-aloud treat."(PW)

Taback, Simms.  I Miss You Every Day.  Viking, $16.99 (978-0-670-06192-1)
            (gr. 1 and up) "Inspired by a Woody Guthrie song...terrific and touching book... someone special...is far away...concocts a plan to ‘send myself your way’ courtesy of the U.S. Mail...naive exuberance...art... enables audiences to focus...on the girl’s yearning and determination...” (PW)

 

 

Clements, Andrew. No Talking. Illus. by Mark Elliott. S&S, $15.99 (978-1-4169-0983-5)

            (gr. 3-6) “Dave Packer’s fifth-grade classmates ...boisterous and difficult to quiet down...Dave...read about Mahatma Gandhi...practiced silence one day a week... determined to give the idea a try...boys and girls challenging each other to a no-talking contest for 48 hours...teachers are bewildered...interesting and thought-provoking...draws readers in...drawings add immediacy to the story...” (SLJ)

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Elijah of Buxton. Scholastic, $16.99 (0-439-02344-0)

            (gr. 6-8) “...11-year-old Elijah...Inexperienced and prone to mistakes, yet kind, courageous, and understanding...first child born in Buxton Settlement, which was founded in Ontario in 1849 as a haven for former slaves...episodic story that builds a broad picture...plunging into dramatic events...learn about the conditions of slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly apparent...show an emotional range and subtlety unusual in children’s fiction...humor...suspense...moved to tears...” (BL)

 

Jonell, Lynne.  Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat.  Illus. by Jonathan Bean.  Holt, $16.95 (978-0-8050-8150-3)
            (gr. 4 and up)  "...droll fantasy with an old-fashioned sweep and positively cinematic cast...class pet, a rat, mocks the protagonist for being too good...labyrinthine plot involving prodigally endowed rodents and nefarious schemers with entangled pasts...rat...accidentally shrinks her to his size...villains aren't too frightening to be good targets for jokes, and the rat serves as an excellent comic foil...margins with drawings that produce a flip-book effect..." (PW) (SLJ)

 

Oppel, Kenneth. Darkwing. Eos, $17.89 (0-06-085055-8)

            (gr. 6-9) “...turns the clock back 65 million years to imagine the world of the bats’ earliest ancestors... ‘chiropters’...flightless...Dusk...has made an evolutionary leap...others regard him as a mutant to be shunned...world is poised on the brink of remarkable change...keen insight and empathy about the condition of being ‘other’...richly plotted, fast-paced story...captivating from beginning to end.” (BL)

 

Pearce, Emily Smith. Isabel and the Miracle Baby. Front Street, $15.95 (978-1-932425-44-4)

            (gr. 3 and up) “...eight-year-old Isabel...temper...need for attention...father works around the clock...four-month-old sister, Rebekah, keeps their mother perpetually busy...baby is a huge disappointment...mother has had cancer...in remission...fear of its return is never far from Isabel’s mind...” (PW)

 

Wolf, Joan M.  Someone Named Eva.  Clarion, $16 (0-618-53579-9)
            (gr. 5-9)  "...Lebensborn program...'repatriated' non-German children who had Aryan features and placed them with German families.  Drawing on research with survivors of the small town of Lidice Czechoslovakia...fictionalized narrative of blonde, blue-eyed Milada...tries to hold on to who she is...adopted by a wealthy German family...outcome is...honest about lost family and culture..." (BL) (SLJ)

 

 

 

Bishop, Nic. Spiders. Scholastic Nonfiction, $16.99 (0-439-87756-3)

            (gr. 2-4) “...photo-rich...packed with astonishing facts...chatty text...spiders were around more than 350 million years ago...General facts...dramatic, brilliantly colored close-up of a spider in its natural habitat...details are riveting.” (BL)

 

Bober, Natalie. Thomas Jefferson: Draftsman of a Nation. University of Virginia Press, $22.95 (978-0-8139-2632-2)

            (gr. 9-12) “...chronological events of Thomas Jefferson’s life and times while tracing the evolution of Jefferson’s intellect...philosophical influences and personal habits...exemplary biography. Elegant and straightforward...” (VOYA 5Q2P)

 

Brown, Don. Dolley Madison Saves George Washington. Houghton, $16 (0-618-41199-2)

            (gr. 1-3) “...Dolley Madison...grew up as a simple farm girl, married James Madison, and later became a hostess for widower Thomas Jefferson...artwork captures the flair of the woman...shows her mettle in 1814, when the British attack the White House...refuses to leave until a valuable painting...is saved with the help of other citizens...sure-handed wedding of text and art that brings history to life...brief bibliography is appended.” (BL)

 

Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Young Pelè: Soccer’s First Star. Illus. by James Ransome. Random/Schwartz & Wade, $19.99 (0-375-93599-1)

            (K-gr.3) “...handsome oil paintings and a stirring story...will first grab children with its action...personal struggle...amazing rise from poverty to international soccer stardom...Pelè’s childhood in Bauru Brazil in the 1940s and early 1950s...afterword fills in the facts...” (BL)

 

Collard, Sneed B.  Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials.  Darby Creek, $18.95 (978-1-581-960-464)
            (gr. 4-7)  "...attractive introduction to marsupials around the world...traces the group's lineage from ancient times to the present...Related elements...fossil evidence, DNA...classification...explained with clarity...ongoing efforts to save the many gravely endangered marsupials...mounting importance of preserving their habitats...handsomely designed..." (BL)

Dillon, Leo and Diane.  Jazz on a Saturday Night.  Scholastic/Blue Sky, $15 (978-0-590-47893-1)
            (PreS-gr.3)  "...imaginary Saturday night concert featuring seven of the genre's greats, from Thelonius Monk to John Coltrane.  Rhythmic text...period setting... pop/abstract art feel...Brief biographies...bonus CD briefly explores jazz instruments..." (PW) (BL) (SLJ)

Giblin, James Cross. The Many Rides of Paul Revere. Scholastic, $17.99 (0-439-57290-8)

            (gr. 4-7) “...sets the record straight on Paul Revere’s life and his role in the American Revolution...well-organized biography...childhood...adult life...made...many rides to deliver important messages...intriguing details...well-rounded and credible image...” (BL)

 

Keller, Holly. Help! A Story of Friendship. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $17.89 (978-0-06-123914-4)

            (PreS-gr.3) “Because mouse has heard that snakes are dangerous, he hides from his friend Snake...falls into a hole...none of his other friends can help him...Snake...devises a way to rescue his friend without frightening him...Mouse is ashamed...simplicity of a fable...appealing art...Snake’s body...looks menacing, but Snake is a true friend...engaging tale...” (SLJ)

 

Lewin, Ted. At Gleason’s Gym. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter, $17.95 (1-59643-231-4)

 

McKellar, Danica. Math Doesn’t Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail. Hudson Street Press/Penguin, $23.95 (978-1-59463-039-2)

 

O’Conner, Patricia. Woe Is I, Jr.: The Younger Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English. Illus. by Tom Stiglich. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $16.99 (978-0-399-24331-8)

 

Siy, Alexandra. Sneeze! Photos by Dennis Kunkel. Charlesbridge,$16.95 (978-1-57091-653-3) 

 

Stauffacher, Sue.  Nothing but Trouble:  The Story of Althea Gibson.  Illus. by Greg Couch.  Knopf, $16.99 (978-0-375-83408-0)
            (K-gr.3)  "Fifty years ago...Althea Gibson became the first African-American to win at Wimbledon and Forest Hills...rhythmic, conversational prose and vibrantly impressionistic pictures...brilliantly capture Gibson's trajectory from feisty, undisciplined tomboy to poised champion...skillfully handles the many supporting players in Gibson's life...partnering...plain-spoken text with vivid visual lyricism...will find much inspiration..." (PW) (SLJ)

 

Thompson, Lauren. Ballerina Dreams: A True Story. Photos by James Estrin. Feiwel & Friends, $16.95 (978-0-312-37029-9)

 

Almond, David, et.al. Click. Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, $16.99 (978-0-739-41138-7)

            (gr. 7-12) “...Ruth Ozeki, Gregory Maguire, Eoin Colfer, and Linda Sue Park, among others...coming together... seamless whole...constant thread...character “Gee” Keane, a photojournalist whose adventures and the lives of those who knew him provide a wealth of experiences...Tender and beautiful but never saccharine, each chapter seems to affirm the beauty and goodness to be found in life, without denying the darkness that exists...” (VOYA 5Q4P)

 

Banghart, Tracy. What the Sea Wants. Illus. by Julia C. Blum. Lizstar Books, $16 (978-0-9779753-0-3)

            (gr. 6-12) “Victoria has always been drawn to the sea...spends most of her days and nights walking the shore...painting pictures...On the last day of summer...nearly drowns...saved by Sam...sea always exacts a price from those who would deny it what it wants...language...lush...quiet yet purposeful prose...rich atmosphere and vivid setting...” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Bloor, Edward.  Taken.  Knopf, $16.99 (978-0-375-83636-7)
            (gr. 7 and up)  "...gripping novel, set 30 years in the future...thriller and a commentary on the dangerously growing gap between America's rich and poor.  Thirteen-year-old Charity Meyers lives with her father... kidnapped... Pacing the narrative so readers can feel the clock ticking...back story...reins in the satire to concoct a plausible-enough scenario of the not-too-distant future, adding just the right measure of consciousness-raising in the dialogue between Charity and a teenage abductor...as riveting as it is thought-provoking."(PW)

Brooks, Martha. Mistik Lake. Kroupa/Farrar, $16 (978-0-374-34985-1)

            (gr. 9-12) “...Manitoba...secrets stalk three generations of women: teenage Odella...hide her mother’s drinking problem...mother Sally, drowning in secrets and lies since she alone survived a tragic accident...Odella’s great-aunt, Gloria, keeper of the family secrets, including her own (she’s a lesbian)...mother leaves the country...struggle with grief...Odella meets Jimmy and they fall deeply, hopelessly in love...expands its exceedingly well-told tale of teenage romance with equally absorbing stories of adults who have played the tricky game of love.” (HB)

 

Burgess, Melvin. Bloodsong. Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse, $7.99 paper (1-4169-3616-5)

            (gr. 10-12) “...stand-alone sequel to...Bloodtide...pushes the boundaries of YA literature...melding of sf and violent Viking myth...thirteenth-century Icelandic epic...15-year-old Sigurd...futuristic war-torn England...organic machines...Sigurd’s destiny to reclaim his royal lineage and unite the country...pulls no punches in his dark dystopian vision...as shocking as it is utterly captivating...relevant and accessible...first book was originally published for adults, this one is being marketed as YA.” (BL)

 

Cabot, Meg. Jinx. HarperCollins, $17.89 (978-0-06-083765-5)

            (gr. 6-12) “...Jinx...relocate to New York...aunt and uncle...develops a crush on hot neighbor Zach and clashes with her cousin Tory...saves Zach from a freak accident, Tory believes that Jinx is a next-generation witch...Jinx...full of endearing self-doubt and likeability...popular culture references...are absent...timeless read...easy for any reader to digest...” (VOYA 4Q5P)

 

Cameron, Peter. Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You. Farrar/Frances Foster, $16 (0-374-30989-2)

            (gr. 9-12) “Though he’s been accepted by Brown University, 18-year-old James isn’t sure he wants to go to college...attracted to...older man named John. In a clumsy attempt to capture John’s attention, James winds up accused of sexual harassment... beautifully conceived and written coming-of-age novel...funny, sad, tender, and sophisticated...memorable protagonist...both teen and adult readers will savor and remember.” (BL)

 

Cooney, Caroline B. Diamonds in the Shadow. Delacorte, $15.99 (978-0-385-73261-1)

            (gr. 7 and up) “deftly weaves events from the wider world...High school student Jared Finch...mother decides to host...family of four African refugees in their well-appointed Connecticut home...drama of the refugees’ acclimation to American suburbia... ever-changing blend of generosity and self-congratulation...many shades of gray lie between absolute good and evil...Crackling language and nailbiting cliffhangers... transforming topics that can often seem distant and abstract into a grippingly immediate reading experience.” (PW)

 

Davis, Deborah. Not Like You. Clarion, $16 (978-0-618-72093-4)

            (gr. 7 and up) “Kayla’s mother...unpredictable...moving...drunken binges...no money...Kayla is tired of being the adult...begins to make a life for herself...Thoughtful, touching, honest...hits all the right notes...mother is fully dimensional...relationship is truthfully portrayed...full of loneliness and yearning...” (SLJ)

 

De Lint, Charles. Little (Grrl) Lost. Viking, $17.99 (978-0-670-06144-0)

            (gr. 7-12) “...T.J. Moore, almost fifteen...unhappy...move from the country to the suburbs of Newford...had to leave behind her horse and her best friend...six-inch-tall girl, Elizabeth...lives in the walls...longs for excitement...rich, vivid, and descriptive...” (VOYA 4Q5P)

 

Downham, Jenny. Before I Die. Random/Fickling, $18.99 (978-0-385-75158-2)

            (gr. 9 and up) “...wrenching and exceptionally vibrant story about a 16-year-old girl with leukemia determined to do 10 things before her imminent death...rage feels palpable...decided to spend her remaining time living instead of dying...painful, honest first-person descriptions almost trap the audience inside Tessa’s head...friends and family ...shockingly straightforward...extraordinary range of emotions...” (PW)

 

Draper, Sharon M. November Blues. Atheneum/S & S, $16.99 (978-1-4169-0698-8)

            (gr. 6-12) “Eleventh grader November Nelson feels queasy and ill...pregnant ...grieving for her boyfriend...destroyed her mother’s dream of sending her to college... friends try to support her...born too early...might have developmental problems...teen characters are thoughtfully drawn...urban...will resonate with teens everywhere.” (VOYA 4Q5P)

 

Ephron, Delia. Frannie in Pieces. Laura Geringer Books/HarperTeen, $17.89 (978-0-06-07417-6)

            (gr. 6-12) “Frannie is horrified to discover her beloved...father dead on the bathroom floor...leaves...beautiful hand-carved box...1000 handmade puzzle pieces...as the puzzle takes place, Frannie is transported into it and reunites with her father...Frannie is a gem...humor...wonderful, multifaceted story weaves the best of science fiction, coming-of-age, family relationships, teenage angst, and mystery...” (VOYA 5Q4P)

 

Friesner, Esther. Nobody’s Princess. Random House, $16.99 (978-0-375-87528-1)

            (gr. 6-12) “Helen of Sparta’s mesmerizing beauty...also feisty and fiercely independent...meets powerful woman warrior Atalanta...inspires Helen...seductive cover...will go a long way toward selling this excellent book.” (VOYA 5Q4P).

 

Gaiman, Neil and Michael Reaves. InterWorld. Eos/HarperCollins, $17.89 (978-0-06-123897-0)

            (gr. 6-12) “Fourteen-year-old Joey Harker has become lost in his own house...can walk among realities. In every version of the universe, there is a Joey Harker who is as different from the real Joey as that universe is from his home...Altiverse is a bell curve with pure science worlds at one extreme and pure magic worlds at the other...evil organization HEX...is working to take over more universe...vocabulary and mind-stretching ride...” (VOYA 5Q4P)

 

Ha, Thu-Huong. Hail Caesar. PUSH/Scholastic, $7.99 trade pb (978-0-439-89026-7)

            (gr. 7-12) “...stunning...high school big-man-on-campus John ‘Caesar’ Miller, able to seduce just about any female...on the prowl...meets...Eva, who is not swept up by his sex appeal...lack of enchantment renders Caesar stunned...begins to see the impact that his life has upon his loved ones...avoids the predictable routes and does not bring everything to an easy finish...” (VOYA 5Q4P)

 

Hale, Shannon.  Book of a Thousand Days.  Illus. by James Noel Smith.  Bloomsbury, $17.95 (1-59990-051-3)
            (gr.7-10)  "...captivating fantasy filled with romance, magic, and strong female characters...based on a little-known fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm, takes place in an imagined ancient Central Asia.  Orphaned Dashti...finds work in the city with...Lady Saren...refuses an advantageous marriage...sentenced to seven years in a sealed tower...written in diary form in Dashti's voice...gripping tale...exotic, fully realized setting; thrilling, enchanted adventure; and heart-melting romance." (BL) (VOYA 5Q4P)

 

Hite, Sid. I’m Exploding Now. Hyperion, $16.99 (978-0-7868-3757-1)

            (gr. 5-9) “...inner workings of a disgruntled urban teen’s mind...journal of 16-year-old New Yorker Max Whooten...deadpan...ancient cat...dies...meets a girl...moves from morose to downright optimistic, winningly capturing the roller-coaster emotions typically felt by teens as they confront new situations or tire of old ones...Philosophical queries...” (PW)

 

LeGuin, Ursula. Powers. Maps. Harcourt, $17 (978-0-15-205770-1)

Lyga, Barry.  Boy Toy.  Houghton, $16.95 (978-0-616-72393-5)
            (gr. 10 and up)  "When Josh was a 12-year-old, he was sexually abused by his history teacher...Carefully crafting a narrative structure...flashes between that traumatic time and the present...Josh, now a senior...learns that Eve is being paroled...handles heavy material with honesty and sensitivity...Years later, he still struggles...cannot trust his physical instincts...may find the ending too neat...richness and credibility of the cast..." (PW) (VOYA 5Q4P)

Pixley, Marcella.  Freak.  Farrar/Melanie Kroupa, $16 (0-374-32453-0).
            (gr. 6-9)  "...gripping story of middle school bullying...Seventh-grader Miriam is decidedly different...perfectly comfortable...reads the OED for fun...best buddy and companion in awkwardness...sister Deborah, but Deborah has recently morphed into a stunning beauty...When Miriam is viciously persecuted by a classmate, she explodes... exceptionally riveting and believable..." (BL)

 

Prose, Francine. Bullyville. HarperTeen, $16.99 (978-0-06-057497-0)

Resau, Laura.  Red Glass.  Delacorte, $18.99 (978-0-385-904643)
            (gr. 7-10)  "Sixteen-year-old Sophie...Pablo...five-year-old Mexican orphan whose parents died during their illegal border crossing...fearful of everything...Sophie makes the momentous decision to take Pablo back to see his relatives...hopes that he will return with her to Tucson...compelling first-person narrative.  Full of longing and trepidation...Late in the novel, magical elements and coincidence demand suspension of disbelief...vivid characters, fine imagery...satisfying story arc..." (BL)

Sanderson, Brandon. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. Scholastic, $16.99 (978-0-439-92550-1)

 

Schmidt, C.A. Useful Fools. Dutton, $18.99 (978-0-525-478-140)

            (gr. 9-12) “...politics and savage brutality change its characters profoundly. Alonso, 15...citified Indian...lives in a shantytown on the edge of Lima, Peru... mother ...organizes the community clinic...where Rosa’s father volunteers as a pediatrician. Rosa helps out there, and she and Alonso fall in love...Alonso’s mother is killed...Shining Path...police are just as brutal as the guerillas...love story...haunting, intense issues of politics and justice...” (BL)

 

Sorrells, Walter.  First Shot.  Dutton, $16.99 (978-0-525-478010)
            (gr. 7-12)  "...teen narrator, David Crandall, is in the midst of a Dickensian drama...mother was murdered...father...abuses David emotionally and physically...Keeping the suspense taut is David's suspicion that his father murdered his mother...pulls readers into...torment...fast-paced, intriguing read for genre fans." (BL)

 

Taylor, G.P. The Shadowmancer Returns: The Curse of Salamander Street. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $17.99 (978-0-399-24346-2)

(gr. 9-12) “...sequel to the Shadowmancer...adventure story...intriguing... entertaining...good and innocence are never eradicated by the vicious and cunning forces...diviners and angels, werewolves and ghosts...world of faith and its inseparable relationship to evil...despite monstrous characters...flawed but reliable characters... although there is no end to evil...goodness and light prevail.” (VOYA 5Q2P)

Yolen, Jane and Robert Harris.  The Rogues.  Philomel, $18.99 (978-0-399-238987)
            (gr. 6-10)  "With swift brutality, wealthy lords in the Scottish highlands have cleared their estates of tenant farmers to turn the land over to grazing sheep...Roddy Macallan's family is one of the victims...embark on dramatic, often heartbreaking journeys to Glasgow or to distant American cities...turns back to search for a treasured jewel...risky journey almost kills the lad...suspense mounts and the plot races along flawlessly in this excellent historical adventure." (BL)

Zevin, Gabrielle. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac. Farrar, $17 (0-374-34946-0)

            (gr. 6-10) “...sensitive, joyful...slippery nature of human identity...After high-school junior Naomi conks her head she can’t remember anything that happened since sixth grade...by turns mystified and startled by evidence of her present life...birth control pills...parents’ astonishing, rancorous split...which of her two lives...represents her most authentic self...Pulled by the heart-bruising love story, readers will pause to contemplate irresistible questions...” (BL) (VOYA 5Q5P)

 

 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. By J.K. Rowling, read by Jim Dale. Listening Library, unabr., 17 CDs, 21 hours, $79.95 (978-0-7393-6038-5)

            (gr. 5 and up) “...undercurrent of excitement and mind-boggling roster of distinct character voices...less jocularity to work with here...but he does not disappoint in conveying both the heart-rending drama and sense of closure in Rowling’s final Potter outing...drawing listeners into the orbit of his comforting voice...CD packaging... extensive use of Mary GrandPre’s spot illustrations...treat...” (PW)

 

The White Giraffe. By Lauren St. John, read by Adjoa Andoh. Listening Library, unabr., 4 CDs, 5 hours, $28 (978-0-7393-5052-2)

            (gr. 3 and up) “...exotic setting, tragically orphaned protagonist, a mysterious and mystical legend, and heart-pounding action...British actress Andoh’s robust performance...will keep listeners entranced throughout the recording...moves effortlessly...wrings every ounce of intrigue and local color...full-throttle delivery of the breathlessly paced denouement is a standout in a consistently fine recording.” (PW)

back to top

 

Houdart, Emmanuelle. Los viajes maravillosos del hada Lilu. (The Amazing Journeys of Lilu the Fairy) tr. by Miguel Angel Mendo.   Spain: Kókinos, dist. by Lectorum, $NA (978-84-96629-14-1)

(K-gr 4) “Fairy Lilu travels through 20 fantastical worlds...thoroughly charming ...adventures will completely engross readers...odd characters and magical objects, many of which are hidden within the rich artwork...readers are asked to help Lilu find...missing items...” (CR)

back to top