November 2008

The Indianhead Federated Library System presents

Starred Reviews

New and Notable Books for Young People, Part 1

November 2008 * 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), Horn Book (HB), Voices for Youth Advocates (VOYA) and Criticas (CR). Library binding prices and ISBNs are noted. Quotations have been taken directly from the reviews. This selection tool has been created to assist IFLS library staff wade through the 5,000-5,500 children’s and young adult titles published each year. Librarians should consider which of the following books best fit their collection and clientele.

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

Contents:

Picture Books

Juvenile Fiction

Non-fiction

YA Fiction

Books in Spanish

Audio

Video

Picture Books

Aston, Dianna Hutts. The Moon Over Star. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. Dial, $17.99 (978-0-803-73107-3)

(gr. 1-3) “The 1969 moon landing…poetic story about the excitement it generates in an eight-year-old’s community….church…everyone prays for the astronauts…thinks … about her grandfather, a hardworking farmer who considers the space program a waste of money…quietly confided dream of going to moon…reminded Gramps of the wonder in his own childhood…characteristically affectionate, realistic portrayals of African-American families and lyrical views of the moon…” (PW)

Bergman, Mara. Yum Yum! What Fun! Greenwillow, $17.99 (978-0-06-168860-7)

(PreS-gr.2) “…deliciously scary…two kids and a dog making bread in their cozy London flat…four big visitors from the zoo who sneak in the window…huge bear with a mouthful of big teeth…nervous giggles. Enticing rhymes and onomatopoeia…lots of visual hints to assure event the smallest children that there’s no danger…” (PW)

Doyle, Roddy. Her Mother’s Face. Illus. by Freya Blackwood. Scholastic/Levine, $16.99 (978-0-439-81501-7)

(PreS-gr.3) “…draws on magical realism to leaven a story about grief… Siobhàn’s mother has died, and Siobhàn cannot remember her face…carries grief silently…meeting with a stranger in the park brings unexpected consolation and solid advice…many more years pass before Siobhàn realizes that the stranger was her mother…storytelling flows gracefully between the naturalistic details…and the magical encounter…limpid watercolor and charcoal art…focuses on moments of connection…” (PW)

Golson, Terry. Tillie Lays an Egg. Photos by Ben Fink. Scholastic, $16.99 (978-0-545-00537-1)

(PreS-gr.3) “…While the other six hens are content to use the henhouse, Tillie tries different spots…from the farmhouse porch…breakfast table… ‘Where has Tillie laid her egg?’ prompts the text…children will have little trouble accomplishing the implied task…crisp photography…full of charm.” (PW)

Grant, Judyann Ackerman. Chicken Said, “Cluck!” Illus. by Sue Truesdell (An I Can Read Book) HarperCollins, $16.99 (978-0-06-028724-5)

(K-gr.2) “When Earl and Pearl start a pumpkin patch, they often need to shoo Chicken out of the way…In the end, when grasshoppers begin to nibble on the growing pumpkins, Chicken’s refrain of “Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!” saves the day…short sentences, a variety of verb tenses, and vowel and consonant blends and digraphs…Difficult words…are repeated several times…funny, expressive…drawings support the reading with simple clarity…” (SLJ)

Lucas, David. The Robot and the Bluebird. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $16.95 (978-0-374-36330-7)

(PreS-up) “A Tin Man-like robot with a broken heart finds a purpose…In a depersonalized factory, working robots attempt to fix what remains of the central character’s heart…before sending him to the scrap heap…When snow falls, a bluebird lands on his shoulder, and the robot builds her a nest in the space where his heart used to be. Rejuvenated, the robot carries the bluebird south across industrial wastelands… elaborate, warmly lit illustrations…Even with a corny line or two, this book’s genuine sweetness will easily win over readers.” (PW)

Nakagawa, Chihiro. Who Made This Cake? Illus. by Junji Koyose. Front Street, $16.95 (978-1-59078-595-9)

(PreS) “After a little boy’s mother orders a cake over the phone, a horde of tiny people are shown running pell-mell…yellow construction vehicles…miniature workers using the dump trucks, front loaders…transport gigantic eggs…can be seen peering in through the window as the boy’s mother…carries the cake to the table…understated text is almost unnecessary…sound effects…just how loud the cracking of an egg might be to these wee folks…Kids will love searching for the one little guy who seems to trip himself up…truck fans will naturally pore over every busy, action-filled scene.” (HB)

Otoshi, Kathryn. One. Ko Kids, $16.95 (978-0-972-394-642)

(PreS-gr.1) “…Using round splashes of watercolors as their personas… Quiet Blue…other colors have their own characteristics…Red…is a hothead and likes to tease…Blue feels bad, and though the other colors comfort him, they’re afraid of Red. In a dramatic and effective spread, Red, feeling mean, grows into a bigger, ever-angrier ball. Enter One. The sturdy numeral wins over the other colors with laughter…One stands up to Red…other colors follow…rolling away when Blue gracefully offers him a chance to be counted…much-needed universality…offers a way to talk to very young children about the subject of bullying, even as she helps put their imaginations to work on solutions.” (BL)

Perkins, Lynne Rae. The Cardboard Piano. Greenwillow, $17.99 (978-0-06-154265-7)

(PreS-gr.2) “…Debbie…and Tina…playing dress up, making tents from bedspreads…Debbie wants to share her piano lessons, too…painstakingly crafts a keyboard from cardboard so they can both practice…sad when Tina loses interest…questioning their friendship…dialogue, shown in speech bubbles, is spot on…watercolors reveal a range of underlying emotions in everyday moments…animated DVD narrated by Perkins is also included.” (PW)

Schotter, Roni. Doo-Wop Pop. Illus. by Bryan Collier. HarperCollins/Amistad, $17.89 (978-0-06-057974-6)

(K-gr.5) “…cut-paper and painted collages and…words sing, snap and sashay… former doo-wop singer and his newfound protégés. Tale is told through the eyes of Elijah Earl…school where Doo-Wop Pop is the janitor…corrals…students after-hours… teaching them how to make music without instruments…discover unique strengths and the joy of community…Paragraphs that look like prose surprise and delight as the rhyme kicks in…scenes pulsate with pattern and pizzazz…” (SLJ)

Spiegelman, Art. Jack and the Box. RAW Jr./Toon, $12.95 (978-0-9799238-3-8)

(PreS-up) “…comic gem of a picture book…bunny hero, Jack, who receives a jack-in-the-box…can talk...appearance registers somewhere between goofy and clownlike sinister…With Jack’s parents out of the room, the toy performs Cat-in-the Hat/Marx Brothers-like slapstick tricks timed to perfection…exquisite understanding of climax and denouement…elegant use of panels…vocabulary and the match-up of dialogue balloons to the action are geared to beginning readers…” (PW)

Staake, Bob. The Donut Chef. Golden Books, $14.99 (978-0-375-84403-4)

(PreS-K) “Rival donut chefs compete for customers by concocting ever more exotic offerings…vintage feel…jubilant rhymed couplets…pays tribute to simple pleasures. As each chef innovates, his goods become less and less appealing…real fun here lies in the visuals…Everywhere readers look, there are delectable surprises.” (PW)

Willems, Mo. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. Hyperion, $16.99 (978-1-4231-1437-6)

(PreS and up) “…buoyant…naked mole rat…Wilbur…revels in a wardrobe that ranges from a turtleneck and beret to an astronaut suit—infuriating his brethren… leader…issues a proclamation…a call for tolerance…nudity=comic gold for this audience…Straightforward and engaging.” (PW)

Yum, Hyewon. Last Night. Farrar/Frances Foster, $15.95 (978-0-374-343-582)

(PreS-gr.1) “Small in design and wordless in execution…young Asian girl, unhappy with her dinner…Impressively combining her painting and printmaking skills…stuffed bear offers comfort…something magical happens: the bear becomes real and offers his paw…mysterious and intriguing…playtime ensues…girl subtly change mood…With so much depth and emotion, the art makes words superfluous. Their absence gives kids room to think.” (BL)

Juvenile Fiction

Aguiar, Nadia. The Lost Island of Tamarind. Feiwel and Friends, $17.95 (978-0-312-38029-8)

(gr. 5-9) “…cross between Peter Pan and Lost. Thirteen-year-old Maya Nelson is sick of living at sea…with her brother, Simon and baby sister, Penny, while her parents conduct research…sudden storm…parents fall overboard…landing on Tamarind, an island that has been the setting for ongoing stories told by her father…cut off from the outside world. Ruled by pirates…one peril after another…dynamic characters…each new character advances the plot logically and fluidly…All signs point to a sequel…” (PW)

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Place of Mirrors. Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (978-1-4169-3915-3)

(gr. 5-8) “Cecilia has always known the…secret that she is the true princess of Suala…sent away in the charge of Nanny Gratine and the knight Sir Stephen…now Cecilia chafes at…restrictions…When the appearance of nighttime attackers suggests that her secret is exposed…escapes to the capital…best friend Harper…must outwit the enemies of the crown…vivid descriptions and believable characters…incorporates many traditional elements…sure hit…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Ibbotson, Eva. The Dragonfly Pool. Illus. by Kevin Hawkes. Dutton, $17.99 (978-0-525-42064-4)

(gr. 5-8) “Tally, 11, attends…a progressive boarding school in the Devon countryside…1939…When Bergania, whose king has refused to let Hitler’s armies march through his (fictional) country, announces an international children’s folk-dancing festival, Tally convinces her school to attend. During their visit, the king is assassinated…rescue 12-year-old Prince Karil and smuggle him to England…Tally…is singularly compassionate and generous…worries and imperfections make her wisdom lovely rather than irritating…meticulous and fascinating character development…many others remain one-dimensional…Although the battle between good and evil is painted with a broad brush…treats most issues with a wise, subtle, and humorous touch…” (SLJ)

Mass, Wendy. Every Soul a Star. Little, Brown, $15.99 (978-0-316-00256-1)

(gr. 5-9) “…Homeschooled Ally has grown up at the remote Moon Shadow Campground…An eclipse, which can be viewed only from this site…Bree, an aspiring model obsessed with popularity…Jack, a reclusive artist...As they go their separate ways, all three approach the future with a newfound balance between their internal and external lives…quietly self-reflective…” (SLJ)

Napoli, Donna Jo. The Smile. Dutton, $17.99 (978—525-47999-4)

(gr. 5-8) “…young noble woman, coming of age in Florence at the end of the…fifteenth century…falling passionately in love with the third son of the powerful Medici family…death of her mother…father quickly remarries and pledges Betta to another suitor…has no doubt that Giulano will come to claim her…Guilano chooses loyalty to his exiled family over the passion that they share…Betta settles into an arranged marriage…finds contentment…This acquiescence is eventually captured on canvas by her childhood friend, Leonardo…Mona Lisa…freely admits the historical confusion…lively story a wonderful diversion from cold, hard facts.” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Pierce, Tamora. Melting Stones. Scholastic, $17.99 (978-0-545-05264)

(gr.5-8) “…Evvy…street urchin Briar rescured in Street Magic…Four years have passed, and Evvy is in training as a stone mage at Winding Circle Temple…fourteen… accompanies Rosethorn…and Myrrhtide…mission to Starns, an island where plants are dying and water is being poisoned…barely survives her meeting with volcano spirits… when times runs out, it is up to Evvy to save the day…Fans…are going to love Evvy’s adventures…whether or not they have read the other Circle books.” (VOYA 5Q5P)

Sheinmel, Courtney. My So-Called Family. Simon & Schuster, $15.99 (978-1-4169-5785-0)

(gr. 4-7) “When Leah Hoffman-Ross’s family moves shortly before the start of eighth grade…conceal that in place of a dad she has Donor 730 from a Maryland sperm bank…looks up the sperm bank on the Internet and discovers a link for a sibling registry…insightful and sympathetic…gets to know another daughter of Donor 730 and keeps it a secret…voice is right on key…Smart, original and full of vitality.” (PW)

Steer, Dugald A. Spyology: The Complete Book of Sypcraft. Illus by Ian Andrew, Anne Yvonne Gilbert, Tomislav Tomic and Helen Ward. Candlewick, $22.99 (978-0-7636-4048-4)

(gr. 3 and up) “…spectacular addition to the series…beloved interactive format…poses as a collection of items assembled in 1958 and stored in national archives…Agent K, a British spy, is tracking down the evil international Operation Codex…readers can match wits with Agent K as they pick up clues…Enticing extras include a red-tinted magnifying glass, a ‘secret compartment’ concealed in the spine…” (PW)

Vande Velde, Vivian. Stolen. Marshall Cavendish, $16.99 (978-0-7614-5515-8)

(gr. 5-8) “A 12-year-old girl is running through the woods with no memory of who she is…up for speculations throughout the book…old witch who escaped the village mob with a baby the same day the girl appeared in the woods…convinced that the girl is their missing Isabelle, taken from the village by the witch six years earlier…some… suspect that she is actually a creation of the old had who was sent for evil purposes… fantastic surprise…weaves a spell…” (SLJ)

Non-fiction

Chen Jiang Hong. Mao and Me. Enchanted Lion, $19.95 (978-1-59270-079-0)

(gr. 1-5) “…picture book memoir of growing up during the Cultural Revolution…not easy to read…epic sweep and unflinching honesty…ink and wash paintings document everything from the making of dumplings to the public humiliation of cherished neighbors…family lives surrounded by fear…beauty appears in unexpected places…excellence in representing political upheaval through the eyes of a child…” (PW)

Cheney, Lynne. We the People: The Story of Our Constitution. Illus. by Greg Harlin. 33 p. S&S/Paula Wiseman Bks, $17.99 (978-1-4169-5418-7)

(gr. 3-5) “…clear, cogent prose…tumultuous situation of the country at the end of the Revolutionary War…colorfully describes the various issues and arguments that had to be resolved before the constitution could be written…vocabulary is rich…fascinating details about the personalities…impressive artwork…realistic paintings…highlights the drama of each situation…” (SLJ)

Countries of the World series. National Geographic, $27.90.

McQuinn, Ann and Colm McQuinn. Ireleand. (978-1-4263-0299-2)

Young, Emma. Israel. (978-1-4263-0258-9)

(gr. 5-8) “…incredible attention to the facts and absolutely breathtaking photographs…slim volumes are full of useful and entertaining data…tips on Web sites to find further information…perfect for students not quite ready for Scholastic’s Enchantment of the World series.” (VOYA 5Q2P)

Ferris, Julie. Take Me Back. Dorling Kindersley, $24.99 (978-0-7566-4090-3)

(gr. 5-12) “…eye-popping illustrations…colorful trip through the annals of time…six sections, from How It All Started (4.5 million years ago) to Fast Forward (1900-today)…chronicling…major advancements, wars, leaders, trends, and political movement. A world map precedes each section…some-times irreverent …Every page is different…many use devices that are a big part of contemporary culture…audacious charms…will easily capture… history is fascinating and worthy of deeper study.” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Finkelstein, Norman H. Three Across: The Great Transatlantic Air Race of 1927. Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills, $17.95 (978-1-59078-462-4)

(gr. 5-8) “…For eight years, the coveted Orteig prize has yet to be claimed… sponsor…has offered $25,000 to the first pilot to fly nonstop between New York and Paris…world watches anxiously as three airplanes at Roosevelt Field in Long Island, NY…Two are seen as truly viable candidates…unknown challenger…Spirit of St. Louis…replete with original photographs and fascinating anecdotes…attention given to the other pilots…” (VOYA 5Q2P)

Freedman, Russell. Washington at Valley Forge. Holiday House, $24.95 (978-0-8234-2069-8)

(gr. 7-12) “…well-illustrated, user-friendly…Battered, sick, undersupplied, poorly trained…soldiers enter…Valley Forge and emerge a fighting force under the guidance of a general who initially bought books to teach himself military tactics and strategy…brief narratives and quotations from soldiers and officers…will resonate with young readers…well written and well documented…” (VOYA 5Q3P)

Hughes, Langston. The Negro Speaks of Rivers. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. Disney/Jump at the Sun, $16.99 (978-0-786-818-679)

(K-gr.3) “…Each spread pairs a line of poetry with soaring watercolor artwork… images celebrate African American strength through generations…each picture is both timeless and weighted with history…some scenes are literal…others are powerful visual metaphors…dramatic, expertly modulated fluctuations between light and dark evoke the poems dichotomies of celebration and sorrow…children…will easily connect with these luminous, soul-stirring pictures…” (BL)

Kamara, Mariatu, with Susan McClelland. The Bite of the Mango. Annick, dist. by Firefly, $24.95 (978-1-55451-159-4) pap., $12.95 (978-1-55451-158-7)

(gr. 9 and up) “Kamara’s account of the atrocities she suffered at the hands of rebel soldiers in Sierra Leone…harrowing and hopeful…had a typical childhood…until she came face to face with rebels bent on destroying everything in their path…chopped off both of her hands…and left her for dead…found her way to a nearby hospital where she was reunited with her surviving family members…12-year-old…pregnant…reduced to begging in the streets…being featured in…stories led to benefactors…Canada…home and surrogate family…honest, raw and powerful…sheds light on a plight of which many people are still unaware.” (SLJ)

Kaufman, Michael T. 1968. Roaring Brook/Flash Point, $22.95 (978-1-596-434-288)

(gr. 7-12) “…expertly draws young readers into the world-wide events of a single, watershed year: 1968…each chapter focuses on a different hot spot around the globe…Reproductions of corresponding front-page articles from The New York Times open each chapter…expanded introductory time line…insightful, clear-eyed, moving overview serves as a reminder of the fundamental importance of journalism…essential volume…” (BL)

Levine, Shar and Leslie Johnstone. The Ultimate Guide to Your Microscope. Sterling, pap., $9.95 (978-1-4027-4329-0)

(gr. 5-9) “…fun and inviting…basics…41 hands-on activities…manageable one-or two-page uniformly formatted modules…attention-grabbing title…divided into three sections covering “What You Need,” “What to Do,” and “What Do You See?”… informational sidebars and full-color visuals…” (SLJ)

Mann, Elizabeth. Taj Mahal. Illus. by Alan Witschonke. Mikaya, $22.95 (978-1-931-414-203)

(gr. 3-6) “…dramatic retelling of the construction of the Taj Mahal…relay the commonly told legend, but then proceeds to explode that legend with descriptive writing, colorful illustrations, ancient paintings, maps, and photographs…portraits introducing the major players…Startling details abound…photos of priceless relics bring the story alive…fold-out Taj Mahal diagram…” (BL)

Margulies, Phillip and Maxine Rosaler. The Devil on Trial: Witches, Anarchists, Atheists, Communists, and Terrorists in America’s Courtrooms. Houghton, $22 (978-0-618-717-170)

(gr. 8-12) “…well-researched and affecting…tie some of the most important trials in American history to the country’ frequent need to find a ‘devil: not just a threat to the community, but an incarnation of evil.’ Five cases are examined in depth…oversize format…illustration-filled design…not light reading…complete and sobering…Putting these trials into a historical context…particularly well…sometimes drop a few threads…”(BL)

McCarthy, Meghan. Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse. S&S/Paula Wiseman Bks., $15.99 (978-1-4169-3360-3)

(K-gr.3) “…stylized cartoon illustrations that convey the excitement of the track …many of the oil paintings are made to look like snapshots in a photograph album … easy-to-read text delivers facts about Seabiscuit’s ‘family’…big race…author’s note provides interesting anecdotes…dynamic book is ideal for social studies units on the Great Depression…will be enjoyed by a wide audience.” (SLJ)

McClafferty, Carla Killough. In Defiance of Hitler: The Secret Mission of Varian Fry. Farrar Straus Girous, $19.95 (978-0-374-38204-9)

(gr. 6-12) “…warts-and-all story of a man dedicated to helping citizens…sneak out of Nazi-occupied France…journalist Varian Fry…worked beneath the noses of the Gestapo…continued to work without the support of the American government…many nail-biter moments…most daring move…is to show enough of Fry’s personality that the reader is not entirely convinced that he was a likeable figure…” (VOYA 5Q2P)

McLaren, Chesley and Pamela Jaber. When Royals Wore Ruffles: A Funny & Fashionable Alphabet! Schwartz & Wade, $16.99 (978-0-375-35166-7)

(K-gr.4) “…both history…and the less tangible aspects of glamour (A is for “attitude”)…commentary is smart and accessible…illustrations are irresistible. Like the best fashion, the lines and colors feel effortlessly right. Genuine intelligence…” (PW)

Myers, Walter Dean. Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told. Illus. by Bonnie Christensen. Amistad/Collins, $17.89 (978-0-06-027706-2)

(gr. 3-6) “Wells was born into slavery in 1862…remarkable life…raising her siblings after the death of her parents…rise to national fame as a writer and speaker who worked tirelessly on behalf of African Americans and suffrage…against the horrors of lynching…her words…are highlighted in bold text and emphasize her strength of character and commitment to justice…detailed and historically accurate watercolor illustrations bring…to life…” (SLJ)

O’Brien, Tony and Mike Sullivan. Afghan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan. Walker, $18.99 (978-1-59990-287-6)

(gr. 6-9) “Hope and despair dance uneasily with each other…simple yet powerful book…makes the daily struggles of Afghan children seem real and personally compelling … photojournalist…portraits…children ages eight through fifteen…explores the lives of diverse youth including pickpockets, students…bakers…carpet-makers…Kabul and… countryside…youth seem significantly older than they actually are…photographs are accompanied by responses to interviews…asked youth about their dreams and wishes… what they would like to show children from another country…moving and insightful… will need help from teachers and librarians to discover this book…” (VOYA 5Q2P)

YA Fiction

Ayarbe, Heidi. Freeze Frame. HarperTeen, $17.89 (978-0-06-135174-7)

(gr. 7-12) “…Who pulled the trigger of the gun—Jason, who took the bullet, or Kyle, who cannot remember what happened? Kyle…keeps replaying the events… storage shed where his father had hidden…loaded pistol…scenes…come to a standstill …as he mentally scripts what happened that morning…turbulent year with Kyle… mysterious librarian…loner…help Kyle unfreeze that crucial instant…enable self-forgiveness…” (VOYA 4Q5P)

Booream, Ellen. The Unnameables. Harcourt, $16 (978-0-15-206368-9)

(gr. 7-12) “On the island, one’s name reflects what one does…Medford Runyuin is the only exception…victim of many taunts…nearing fifteen, the time for Transition, Medford worries about his future…will his useless carvings…seal his fate as an outsider, someone to be banished…creates a culture so tied to rules and the past that change is… viewed as evil…what happens in a culture where utility is the only measure of a person’s worth…combines magic with an almost puritanical culture.” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Brashares, Ann. 3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows. Delacorte, $18.99 (978-0-385-73676-3)

(gr. 7 and up) “…new group of BFFs…Ama, Polly and Jo have tried to share a pair of jeans and settled on a joint-property scarf…but their rituals are ‘lame’…all three disperse the summer before high school…each girl faces unexpected tribulations…Fans will like the tidiness in the controlling metaphor, willow tree cuttings planted after a third-grade project…for all the fidelity to formula…gets her character’s emotions and interactions just right.” (PW) (VOYA 4Q5P)

Buzbee, Lewis. Steinbeck’s Ghost. Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, $17.95 (978-0-312-37328-3)

(gr. 6-12) “Thirteen-year-old Travis feels most connected to the real world at the Steinbeck Library…devastated when he learns of plans to close the library…sees Steinbeck’s ghost. Travis…friend Hilario and Oster…follow these characters…works on several levels…ghost story, mystery…celebration of books and libraries…paints a word picture, creating a new world for the reader to enter…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Card, Orson Scott. Ender in Exile. Tor, $25.95 (978-0-7653-0496-4)

(gr. 6-12) “…goes back to the first book, Ender’s Game…takes the last chapter…and expands it to novel length…where does a thirteen-year-old hero go to live? Ender and his sister Valentine…go to a colony planet…Ender is obsessed with the formics…must deal with human concerns…dialogue and e-mails…keep the book moving along at a rapid clip…keeps the tension going…” (VOYA 5Q5P)

Funke, Cornelia. Inkdeath. Scholastic, $24.99 (978-0-439-86628-6)

(gr. 7-12) “Things are dire in Inkworld. Fenoglio has lost control of the story…now-immortal Adderhead sends his soldiers to spread terror and destruction…Mo has become the outlaw known as ‘The Bluejay’…must contend with death…literate prose and vivid descriptions…intricate plot…continues…examination of the relationship between author, reader, and characters…much to ponder after the volume is closed…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Herlong, M..H. The Great Wide Sea. Viking, $16.99 (978-0-670-063-307)

(gr. 6-10) “Soon after their mother’s death, 15-year-old Ben and his two younger brothers are stunned when their father sells their home, buys a sailboat, and announces that they will live on board and cruise the Bahamas for the next year…father sets a course for Bermuda and disappears overboard one night…struggling to stay afloat in a fierce Atlantic storm…find their way to an island…great survival story…fine portrayal of family relationships in a time of crisis…sympathetic protagonists…enough detail to make the settings real and a minimum of metaphor…page-turner…convincing…ultimately moving…” (BL)

Hickey, Caroline. Isabelle’s Boyfriend. Roaring Brook/Macmillan, $16.95 (978-1-59643-413-4)

(gr. 9-12) “…Taryn meets a handsome boy named Epp…unavailable—taken by a girl named Isabelle that she has known practically her whole life…scheme to steal Epp…But a series of…mishaps…farther from reach…great characterization…awesome plot…humor…” (VOYA 4Q5P)

Ives, David. Voss: How I Come to America and Am Hero, Mostly. Putnam, $17.99 (978-0-399-24722-4)

(gr. 7 and up) “…bighearted 15-year-old Vospop leaves behind his homeland, Slobovia, to chase the American dream…ends up being chased also—by a feared Slobovian black marketer…Writing a series of letters to a friend, in broken English and nonsensical Slobovian…recounts his ‘dipp, dipp trobbles’…tosses off his observations …language…nutty plotting…even nuttier sendups of classic stereotypes…are enough to make readers roar with laughter…delivers a pointed social commentary that not only steers clear of cynicism but preserves its narrator’s sturdy idealism.” (PW)

Jones, Carrie. Need. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (978-1-59990-338-5)

(gr. 7-12) “When Zara shuts down after the sudden death of her stepfather, her mother sends Zara to live in Bedford, Maine…begins to make friends…strange accidents…gold glitter on the ground…more strange and far creepier…woods…are populated by pixies…King…is no longer able to control his powerful need or his subjects…masterfully blends paranormal fantasy, suspense, and romance…likeable cast…engaging…characters…plot that grabs readers and refuses to let go…creepiness factor will keep them on the edges of their seats…” (VOYA 4Q5P)

Koja, Kathe. Headlong. FSG/Foster, $16.95 (978-0-374-32912-9)

(gr. 9 and up) “Class, identity and friendship are the intersecting subjects of this intelligent novel….sophomore and boarding on campus…Lily Noble wonders if she’s outgrown the Vaughn School…scholarship student Hazel Tobias…Lily finds both a new friend and a way to demonstrate her new subversiveness…dynamics of teen-girl friendship…insight…lightning-fast characterizations…fractured chronology…shades each early encounter with extra significance…” (PW)

Korman, Gordon. The Juvie Three. Hyperion, $15.99 (978-1-423-101-581)

(gr. 7-10) “…teenage gang-banger, a 15-year-old murderer and a 14-year-old who crashed a stolen car…keep it together when the saintly social worker who has given them a second chance…ends up comatose in the hospital? Terence, Arjay, and Gecko become unlikely co-conspirators…Arjay and Gecko…become model students and strong-arm Terence into extremely reluctant compliance…Doug awakens with amnesia, Terence annoys a gang leader…keeps lots of balls in the air…each boy’s distinct voice…increasingly absurd situation…humor and flashes of sadness…Readers will love the feel-good…ending, so be prepared for high demand.” (BL)

Levchuk, Lisa. Everything Beautiful in the World. Farrar, $16.95 (978-0-374-322-380)

(gr. 9-12) “Seventeen-year-old Edna is in the midst of having a fight with her mother when a telephone call forces her mother to say, ‘All fights postponed.’ She has been told she has cancer…In a flat tone that’s much more reportage than confessional, Edna relates how an affair begins with her art teacher, Mr. Howland, while her mother is in the hospital…Although this story has been done before, it is the way Levchuk writes it that is both startling and affecting…allows readers to get farther inside Edna’s head than she is herself…offers the facts on the pages; all the emotion is underneath.” (BL)

Mussi, Sarah. The Door of No Return. S&S/Margaret K. McElderry Bks, $17.99 (978-1-4169-1550-8)

(gr. 8 and up) “Lost gold treasure, African royal ancestors, and betrayal…family legends Zac Baxter has been told repeatedly by his beloved grandfather…skeptical…Sam Baxter’s brutal murder convinces him otherwise…regular British teen of African descent … likable, resourceful…terrified…characters he meets on his quest, both friends and villains, are unique and fully developed…exciting narrative…personal touch on the inhumanity of slavery…complex, masterful story for confident readers.” (SLJ)

GN Smith, Jeff. Bone #9: Crown of Thorns. Graphix/Scholastic, $19.99 (978-0-439-70631-5) $9.99 pb (978-0-439-70632-2)

(gr. 5-12) “…colorized reissue…previously self-published, critically acclaimed…full of high adventure, suspense, and great mythology…Fone Bone and Thorn in prison…war between the Locusts, Rat Creatures and people of the valley… illustrations are fabulous and tell the story well…funny moments…more intense and serious good-versus-evil focus…end of the series and the final battle…essential purchase for graphic novel collections…will be popular among high fantasy readers…adventure and humor…one of the best graphic novel series for readers of all ages.” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Strasser, Todd. If I Grow Up. Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (978-1-4169-2523-1)

(gr. 6-12) “…The Disciples rule Frederick Douglass, twelve-year-old DeShawn’s housing project. The Gentry Gangstas rule the Gentry projects. DeShawn’s mother died young…sister is pregnant…live with his grandmother…money is scarce…DeShawn, who is good at school, tries to avoid the gang…struggle to remain out of the Disciple’s grasp becomes increasingly difficult…desperation of inner-city life…each section covers a year…from twelve through seventeen…totally real characters…superlative…riveting.” (VOYA 5Q3P)

GN Tamaki, Mariko. Emiko Superstar. Illus. by Steve Rolston. Minx, pap., $9.99 (978-1-4012-1536-1)

(gr. 8 and up) “Readers first meet Emiko as a ‘glammed up’ Asian-Canadian teen returning home. Cinderella-like…missing one of her high heals…events that changed her from a teen geek to a superstar…’Freak Show’…try out for a performance... ‘borrow’ her act from the woman who employs her as a babysitter. Using a diary…Emiko…is a hit…enjoys her life in the spotlight…guilt at using…purloined and painful confessions for the entertainment of others…” (SLJ)

Tan, Shaun. Tales from Outer Suburbia. Scholastic/Levine, $19.99 (978-0-545-05587-1)

(gr. 7 and up) “…hypnotic collection of 15 short stories and meditations… emotional can be manifest physically…familiar is twisted unsettlingly…mixed-media art draws readers into the strange settings…Ideas and imagery both beautiful and disturbing will linger.”(PW)

Watson, Sasha. Vidalia in Paris. Viking, $16.99 (978-0-670-01094-3)

(gr. 7-12) “Vidalia Sloane…present-day Paris…spending six weeks of the summer before her high school senior year as a scholarship student at the American Institute…classes…social life…tremendously well-rounded character…complex relationship as caretaker of her agoraphobic mother (via telephone)…endearing naivetè…artfully crafted…supremely satisfying, wholly engaging…compelling…” (VOYA 5Q4P)

Wilson, Martin. What They Always Tell Us. Delacorte, $15.99 (978-0-385-905-008)

(gr. 9-12) “…alternating chapters…James is a popular, smart senior…brother… Alex…swallowed Pine-Sol at a party…still trying to find his way back from an impetuous, potentially deadly act…one of James’ buddies, Nathen, gets Alex involved in running…Alex…life he wants is with Nathen…increasingly layered…gradually and ever more movingly…admirable control of a complicated story…” (BL)

Books in Spanish

Hayes, Joe. Baila, Nana, Baila/Dance, Nana, Dance: Cuban Folktales in English and Spanish. Illus. by Mauricio Ternard Sayago. Cinco Puntos, $20.95 (978-1-933693-17-0)

(gr. 4-8) “…13 bilingual folktales…Cuban classics…entertaining…colorful characters…language is…expressive and descriptive in both languages…bold pastel illustration that beautifully celebrates Afro-Cuban culture accompanies each story…helpful notes to readers and storytellers…background information on the stories…” (CR)

Morris, Charles. El Principito y el bosque encantado. (The Little Prince and the Enchanted Forest). Illus. by Juan Carlos and Daniel Hidalgo. Spain: Editorial Sirio, $11.95 (978-84-7808-564-4)

(gr. 4-6) “…beloved classic character introduced to audiences by Antoine de Saint-Exupèry…summoned to help the Queen of the Fairies…enchanted forest… threatened by the encroaching human race…During the expedition, the prince and queen meet and are advised by…a wise man…spirit of fire…snake…owl…must find water and the last surviving dragon’s cave…supernatural and imaginative storytelling…exciting adventure story with an ecological message…full-page illustrations imitate the style of the original…” (CR)

Portnoy, Mindy Avra. Adonde van las personas cuando mueren? (Where Do People Go When They Die?). tr. by Lerner Publishing Group, illus. by Shelly O. Haas. Ediciones Learner, $15.95 (978-0-7613-3905-2)

(PreS-gr.2) “Each of the children who ask the question posed by the title of this book receives a different response…series of tales that treat a challenging topic with great sensitivity…full-spread watercolor illustrations…visually tell the stories and augment the text…Spanish translation is strong…” (CR)

Shannon, David. Demasiados juguetes (Too Many Toys). Trans. by Scholastic, Inc. Scholastic, $16.99 (978-0-545-07918-1)

(PreS-gr2) “…Spencer, a boy who not only owns too many toys, but whose collection continues to grow with gifts for every occasion…climatic scene filled with friends and family, and the unmanageable number of toys…ending is…clever…accurate translation stays true to the English language original…words in the art translated as well…” (CR)

Audio

Beethoven’s Wig 4: Dance Along Symphonies. CD. 43:17 min. with booklet. Rounder Records, $11.99 (1-57940-170-8)

(PreS-gr.5) “…12 outstanding classical compositions written especially for a dance…zany lyrics for each piece…excellent background music…Maple Leaf Rag… Carmen …Swan Lake…All of the compositions are then repeated as instrumentals… excellent introduction to classical music…” (SLJ)

The Story of Swan Lake (Stories in Music Series). CD. 54:02 min. with booklet. Prod. By Maestro Classics. Dist. by Big Kids Prods., $16.95 (#Q266-CD)

(gr. 1-5) “completely fulfills its goal of expanding the listening horizons of children, developing their listening skills, and encouraging parents and children to experience music together…presents the music of “Swan Lake” along with the story of this famous ballet expressively narrated…London Philharmonic Orchestra provides the dramatic and energetic music…The Joe Stump…plays a heavy metal arrangement… difference between major and minor keys…24-page booklet includes a number of activities…” (SLJ)

Video

Ballet Shoes. DVD. 84 minutes. Koch Vision. #KOC-DV-6545. $24.98

(gr. 4 and up) “Based on Noel Streatfield’s classic novel…three girls who were adopted in the 1930s into the very odd London household of Professor Matthew Brown…money that was left for the children’s care begins to run out, lodgers must be taken into the house…cast is an incredible group of excellent English actors…universal themes still relevant more than 70 years after the book’s original publication…” (SLJ)

Heroes of the Holocaust: Tales of Resistance and Survival. 2 DVDs. 5 hrs. History Channel, $29.95 (1-4229-1475-5)

(gr. 10 and up) “…remarkable anthology…five instances in which ordinary individuals and groups of people exhibited extraordinary bravery to help others…during World War II….individually-accessible segments contain some images of Nazi brutality … astonishing blend of recreated events, touching and insightful interviews…poignant vintage film clips…crisp graphics…outstanding compilation…” (SLJ)

History of American Indian Achievement (Series). 4 DVDs, 4 hours (closed captioned). With tchr guide. Prod. By Centre Communications, dist. by Ambrose Video, $129.99 set.

(gr. 7 and up) “…In eight half-hour segments, viewers are given a chronological look at tribes, their cultural complexities, leaders and achievements…Historical and contemporary footage, photos, tribal artwork…years before European contact…contact with European invaders…biographies of Indian leaders in the 1800s……contemporary military heroes, athletes, artists, and statesmen…a few mistakes in the depiction of one tribe’s events while showing another tribe’s regalia…but the overall accuracy is quite good…” (SLJ)

Jacques Prevert’s To Paint the Portrait of a Bird. DVD. 15 min. Loose Moon Prods., $10.00 (0-9645078-1-1).

(gr. 7 and up) “…adaptation of Jacques Prevert’s famous poem written in French…translated into English by poet…skillfully conveys the artist’s attempt to find meaning in his art…live-action footage, voice-over narration, and an original music score…to bring the poem to life…acting is superb, and the imagery of the film is a visual delight, lyrical and subtle…Simple yet sophisticated…” (SLJ)

Liberty’s Kids: The Complete Series. 6 DVDs. Approx. 15 hours. Shout! Factory, $59.99 set.

(gr. 3-6) “The years 1770 to 1789…American history…animated series…all-star voice cast…three fictional young people who work in Benjamin Franklin’s print shop… youngsters meet and interact with historical characters such as Benjamin Franklin (Walter Cronkinte), John and Abigail Adams (Billy Crystal and Annette Benning)…see these heroes…through the eyes of the children…Women and minorities, including Native people, are also represented…dialogue is fictional…historical events are accurate…Each event portrayed can stand on its own, but they flow smoothly…bonus features are very helpful…both entertaining and educational.” (SLJ)

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. DVD. 9 minutes. Weston Woods, $59.95 (978-0-545-09216-6)

(PreS-gr.3) “…true story, as told by Alexander T. Wolf to Scieszka…Mr. Wolf was framed…illustrations spring to life, with added animation and wonderful movement between scenes. Narrated mater-of-factly by Paul Giamatti, the tale is accompanied by Chris Thomas King’s jazzy musical score…interview with the author and illustrator… close relationship and unique brand of humor help them create imaginative books…” (SLJ)

When We Left the Earth: The NASA Missions (Series). 6 DVDs. 1 hr. each. Discovery Education, $69.95 ser. Includes: Ordinary Supermen (1-60288-521-4); Friends and Rivals (1-60288-522-2); Landing the Eagle (1-60288-523-0); The Explorers (1-60288-524-9); The Shuttle (1-60288-525-7); Home in Space (1-60288-526-5)

(gr. 6 and up) “…informative and compelling series…celebrate NASA’s 50 anniversary, documents the history of the space agency, the development of aerospace technology, …space race…modern scientific discoveries that have originated from space flight…dramatic pacing and nail-biting tension…Historical footing…Interviews with astronauts and mission control workers…fascinating…” (SLJ)