May, 2010 vol. 18 no. 8
BayViews
191
A different slant on children’s book reviews!
The Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California
Ratings
OUTSTANDING:
Outstanding in its presentation of the genre,
including style, consistency, design, accuracy,
and consideration of
audience. Books receiving this rating will be
considered for the annual Distinguished Book
List.
ADDITIONAL:
Competent, but may be
excelled in its field by
other books. A useful
addition to most library
collections. Reviewers
who wish to distinguish
books at the high or
low range of the broad
ADDITIONAL category
may use the terms HIGH
ADDITIONAL or LOW
ADDITIONAL to so
designate.
UNSATISFACTORY:
Contains so many
weaknesses in style,
content, and/or book
design that it is not recommended for general
library purchase.
Adams, Paul. Max Cassidy: Escape from Shadow Island
Fic.
Walden, 2010. 295p. $16.99 978-0-06-186323-3
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 3-8
Mentored by his escape artist father, 14-year-old Max Cassidy has been learning how to escape from
precarious situations his entire life. When his mother is convicted of murdering his father, however,
the boy finds himself in an entirely new predicament. Following tips from a mysterious man who
claims to know what happened to Max’s father, Max embarks on a mission to Central America where
he becomes trapped on Shadow Island, from which there appears to be no escape. Adams creates
a fast-paced adventure story that provides insight into an intriguing world, revealing techniques
mastered by escape artists such as Houdini. For the most part, the characters are well developed,
although Consuelo, the sexy former assistant to Max’s father, reads more as a device as her primary
role is to be rescued by the young boy hero. This is the first in a developing series of Max Cassidy
titles.
Rebekah Eppley, Oakland PL
Arato, Rona. Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium
Fic.
Tundra, 2010. 187p. PB $11.99 978-0-88776-967-2
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-7
The Kapustins (Shoshi, Moshe, and Mama) arrive in New York via Ellis Island from their early
1900s Russian village hoping to meet up with Papa, whom they haven’t heard from in five years. His
“classy” restaurant on Hester Street turns out to be a failing hole-in-the-wall establishment managed
by their uncle. In addition to Papa being missing, the family’s cash is stolen, and the restaurant has
been targeted for protection money. This title stands apart from the numerous other immigrant stories
due to Shoshi and Moshe having discovered and hung onto a rapidly growing baby dragon (named
Snigger). The dragon becomes both pet and protector while also being tracked by an unknown person.
Arato’s writing quickly develops the main characters, weaves in several on-going mysteries, and
aptly integrates a family’s realistic immigration struggles. While tragedies and triumphs do occur,
the writing is overall humorous and hopeful, mixed together with a bit of mostly believable dragon
fantasy. Good for both fantasy and historical fiction fans.
Joshua Rees, Daly City PL
Titles with ‡ are being considered for the annual Distinguished Book List.
191
192
Avasthi, Swaiti. Split
Fic.
Knopf, 2010. 240p. $16.99 978-0-375-86340-0,
PLB $19.99 978-0-375-96340-7
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 8-12
Reviewed from an Advanced Reader’s Copy: Jace Witherspoon,
suffering from a split lip and other cuts and bruises, arrives at his
brother Christian’s apartment in Albuquerque almost broke and
carrying a terrifying secret. Christian escaped from the family long
ago and changed his name so he wouldn’t be found. Why? Their
father, a very prominent judge in Chicago, is a violent abuser of
both the boys and their mother. The two brothers now try to work
out a new life together, hoping to get their mother away from the
father before he makes good on his threat to kill her. After his
father throws him out of the house, Jace realizes he must face up
to his former girlfriend, whom he has beaten. Split is an apt title.
There have been many splits in this family’s life. When will the
final split happen? Will the two brothers be able to mend the splits
and move on with their lives? This is a gripping and unsettling
novel.
Martha Shogren, Independent
Bauer, Marion Dane. The Very Little Princess
Elizabeth Sayles, Illus.
Fic.
Random, 2010. 122p. $12.99 978-0-375-85651-4,
PLB $15.99 978-0-375-95691-1
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 3-5
A tiny little China doll who considers herself a princess is the link
between a mother, a grandmother, and a 10-year-old girl named Zoey.
Zoey’s mother is a single parent who has never told her daughter
she has a grandmother, let alone taken the child to visit her. Now
Zoey meets her grandmother and is abandoned by her mother. Her
tears bring the little doll to life. It is through the sassy, bossy doll
May, 2010
who orders her around as a servant that Zoey comes to grips with
what happened to her before and what is happening now. Bauer
“talks” to the reader as the book evolves: when the first tears wake
the doll, she asks, “What would you do if a doll suddenly woke up?”
Also, she explains the background of the family so the reader can
understand what is happening and perhaps why. The big question
remains, “Is my mother ever coming back?” The answer is always,
“Not today, I think.” This is definitely for girls, doll lovers, and
lovers of pink. This slight story for moving-up readers may offer
comfort to children feeling lonely and abandoned.
Martha Shogren, Independent
Belanger, Jeff. The Mysteries of the
Bermuda Triangle
Stephen Marchesi, Illus.
Non-fic.
All Aboard Reading Series.
Grosset & Dunlap, 2010. PB $3.99 978-0-448-45227-2
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 1-2
The Bermuda Triangle is known for incidents of wind shear and
disappearing boats and planes. This reader will appeal to the nonfiction loving child ready for a challenge in reading. Starting with
Columbus and his becalmed ships and then moving on to famous
airplane disappearances, the story moves along smartly. It is a
good basic introduction to a perennially popular topic.
Odette Batis, Richmond PL
Berger, Carin. Forever Friends
Carin Berger, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Greenwillow, 2010. [36]p. $16.99 978-0-06-191528-4,
PLB $17.89 978-0-06-191529-1
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-2
A bunny and a bird are friends in this brief story depicting the four
seasons and migration. The text has a quiet feeling, in part due to
BayViews: A different slant on children’s book reviews is published eleven times a year by the Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California. © 2010. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
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1930s by a group of cooperating concerned school and public
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the brevity, but also in the language: “Snug in a log below slept
a little brown bunny.” The artwork tells a good deal of the story,
and has some clever elements including the use of lined or graph
paper for the background, and some collage elements. The dominant
chartreuse green and sparse setting are eye-catching. Very similar
in style to Berger’s The Little Yellow Leaf (Greenwillow, 2008),
this is not really a sequel but a companion book. Perfect for a
Spring-themed storytime. Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Berk, Josh. The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin
Fic.
Knopf, 2010. 250p. $16.99 978-0-375-85699-0,
PLB $19.99 978-0-375-95699-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 7-9
Will Halpin, deaf and overweight, is trying to mainstream into
Carbon High in coal country Pennsylvania. Naturally, he will face
a few challenges, including making friends and understanding the
teachers. Readers will be amused with what a lip-reading Will
observes and writes about the students, the school’s social order,
relationships, and other goings on. He is able to piece together
most of what the kids talk about, though plenty is garbled. His high
school experience quickly changes when the football quarterback
dies during a field trip to a defunct coal mine. The suspicious
circumstances morphs the story into an engaging Hardy Boys-like
mystery as Will decides to work with an odd classmate in some
amateur sleuthing. The combination of self discovery, quirky
personalities, and mystery makes for a very different read than the
typically teen angst type story first presented. Joshua Rees, Daly City PL
Berkeley, Jon. The Hidden Boy
Fic.
Bell Hoot Fables Series.
Katherine Tergen, 2010. [262]p. $16.99 978-0-06-168758-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-7
Upon winning a “Blue Moon Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventure
Holiday,” Bea Flint and her extended and eccentric family embark
upon an underwater cruise to the surreal region of Bell Hoot.
Unfortunately, they lose her younger brother, Theo, during the
passage. Upon landing, they learn that Bell Hoot harbors many
secrets, as well as exiles who have also “won” similar cruises.
As Bea’s family searches for Theo, they meet the Ledbetters, an
unpleasant clan that is also looking for Theo, claiming he is theirs
by an ancient rite. Bea and her friend, Phoebe, utilize the local
library to unlock they mysteries of Bell Hoot. Bea discovers her own
nascent powers in both locating Theo and banishing the Ledbetters
from haunting the dreams of local denizens. The atmosphere is
heavy with mysticism and elements of magical realism. Although
some plot devices appear to go nowhere and each character is
oversized and outlandish, this adds to the whimsical nature and is
a foundation for the continuing series, the Bell Hoot Fables.
Jono Jones, Independent
193
Bill Tannis. Pika: Life in the Rocks ‡
Jim Jacobson, Photographer. Non-fic.
Boyds Mills, 2010. 32p. $18.95 978-1-590-78803-5
OUTSTANDING
GRADES PRE-3
Bill’s debut book introduces young children to the little known pika,
a hamster-size relative of the rabbit, with stunning photographs and
simple text. The American pika or rock rabbit lives in masses of
broken rock in cool, moist climates high in the mountains of western
North America (including California). Readers will eagerly follow
the endearing pika as he gathers plants and leaves for his winter
storage pile, survives the winter by making tunnels in the snow to
his food cache, sings a song of love for his mate in the spring, and
has tiny pika pups, while expertly evading predators like the weasel
and the hawk. The back matter includes more facts about the pika,
its relatives, and its predators; a glossary and further information
including books and web resources. The large font, limited text per
page, wonderful photographs and simple vocabulary make this title
particularly suited for young readers. The pika, a recently failed
candidate for US endangered status, is fast losing its cool habitat as
an impact of climate change in the mountains. Introduce the pika
to your community by including this title in your school or public
library collection before it is too late for this personable animal. Armin Arethna, Berkeley PL
Blackaby, Susan. Nest, Nook, and Cranny
Jamie Hogan, Illus.
Non-fic.
Charlesbridge, 2010. 51p. $15.95 978-1-58089-350-3
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 5-8
Twenty-two untitled poems by Oregon writer Susan Blackaby
celebrate a variety of creatures, from skinks and snakes to hermit
crabs, herons, bears, and bees. Arranged “loosely” by habitat, each
is short and descriptive with vivid, imaginative language. A brief
overview of each habitat is appended, as is an introduction to the
various forms and techniques of poetry. Some terms, such as sonnet
and onomatopoeia, may be familiar, but others such as villanelle
and cinquain are unusual. Pastel, charcoal pencil illustrations
match the brevity and tone of the poetry. A solid choice for creative
writing and nature studies, this is best suited for larger collections
and classrooms.
Linda Perkins, Berkeley PL
Bolden, Tonya. FDR’s Alphabet Soup:
New Deal America, 1932-1939
Photos.
Non-fic.
Knopf, 2010. 136p. $19.99 978-0-375-85214-5,
PLB $22.99 978-0-375-95214-2
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 6-12
A quote from the book jacket, Bolden’s book “is a one-of-a-kind
resource on the New Deal,” is true because of the thorough look
at the agencies created to forge an economic comeback for the
country. The book does have some problems: the format and
writing style. Although only two type fonts are used, the one for
194
the captions, quotes, and sidebars is in various sizes, some bold
and others not. Along with this, the reader is distracted by photos
of memorabilia, people, etc. thrown together in a hodgepodge
fashion. Secondly, the author’s use of slang was annoying to this
reviewer, and younger readers may not have the background to
understand it. However, the information is sound, and the photos
are interesting. Both sides of the question about whether the New
Deal worked are covered. If it did, to what extent did it succeed?
If not, how did it fail? Very helpful is a postscript that gives the
fate of some of the Alphabet Soup agencies and other New Deal
actions. Bolden includes a glossary defining intialisms, acronyms,
and terms as used in the book; source notes; selected sources-books,
newspapers and magazines; and an index. Finally, she challenges
readers to watch how our current situation parallels FDR’s time to
see how our current president handles it.
Sherrill Kumler, Retired
Brett, Jan. The Easter Egg ‡
Jan Brett, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Putnam, 2010. 32p. $17.99 978-0-399-25238-9
OUTSTANDING
GRADES K-1
Spring has just begun when Hoppi, a young rabbit, declares his
intention to participate in the annual Easter Egg competition. He
visits a sequence of other rabbits, each decorating their own chicken
egg with etchings, shells, beads, weavings, portraiture, or even
tiny lights. When the small blue egg of a distressed mother robin
lands on the ground, the young rabbit assures her that he will take
care of it, and tenaciously protects the egg in sunshine or torrential
rain, throughout the day and spooky night. The realistic watercolor
illustrations in Brett’s characteristic style have a Victorian flair.
Young children will love picking out graphic details. The main
story takes place on each two-page spread while the drama of the
mother robin and her nest are depicted in a wreathed oval at the top
of the page—similar ovals on the sides further embellish the story.
A decorative border changes from bare twigs to blossoming pussy
willows by the book’s end—some blooms even resemble tiny white
bunnies. There is much for preschoolers to discover and enjoy in
this colorful and meticulously illustrated book. Katrina Bergen, Moraga PL
Byrnie, Faith Hickman. Do Animals
Work Together?
Photos.
Non-fic.
I Like Reading About Animals Series.
Enslow, 2010. 32p. PLB $16.95 978-0-7660-3328-3,
PB $6.95 978-0-7660-3749-6
ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-3
Wonderful color photos are the strong point of this book that
”supports the National Science Education Standards,” information
that parents and teachers are alerted to on the contents page. Next,
comes “Words to Know,” with definitions for both “fluent” and “new
readers,” but pronunciation only for the “new readers.” Type size
May, 2010
and vocabulary vary accordingly. The format is somewhat confusing
with the two different texts on one page and a quarter-sized photo
accompanying the fluent text versus a whole page photo for the
new readers. A “Learn More” section, including five books, three
websites, and an index complete the book. Useful but not exciting,
except for the photos, sums up the title.
Sherrill Kumler, Retired
Calkhoven, Laurie. Daniel and the
Siege of Boston 1776
Fic.
Boys of Wartime Series.
Dutton, 2010. 195p. PLB $16.99 978-0-525-42144-3
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 5-10
Laurie Calkhoven has written a very authentic story set in
Massachusetts during the Siege of Boston. The protagonist, Daniel,
spies for the Sons of Liberty while working in a Boston tavern
frequented by British soldiers. The author, who includes a glossary,
index, and bibliography also notes which characters are fictional and
which are based on real people. Recommended as an interesting
addition to a school library collection, the title depicts the economic
scarcity that accompanies war, along with the challenges of duty,
friendship, and loyalty, while downplaying the depressing details
and drudgery of the event.
Marya Kurwa, Richmond PL
Cervantes, Jennifer. Tortilla Sun
Fic.
Chronicle, 2010. 224p. $16.99 978-0-8118-7015-3
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-7
Twelve-year-old Izzy leaves California to stay with her abuela in
New Mexico while her mother is on an anthropological trip for the
summer. During her stay, she learns about her father, who died just
before she was born, and about her Latino roots. The characters
are warm and distinctive, but the story meanders somewhat, and
there are melodramatic elements such as the near drowning of
Izzy and a young neighbor girl Maggie. The plot doesn’t really
hold the reader, but those that stick with it will appreciate Izzy’s
adventure. The descriptions of the Sandia Mountains and parts of
the area seem very authentic, although at times the author uses too
much description of the colors, the weather, and other elements
that can bog down the story. The first-time novelist may want to
follow this with more books about Izzy, and especially the budding
romance with neighbor Mateo. A glossary of Spanish terms ends
the book.
Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Cheng, Andrea. Only One Year
Nicole Wong, Illus.
Fic.
Lee & Low, 2010. 97p. PLB $16.95 978-1-60060-252-8
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 1-4
Author Andrea Cheng, whose Shanghai Messenger was on the
Notable Books for a Global Society list, here presents serious topics
BayViews
in a touching and simple story. While presented from a 9-year-old
protagonist’s point of view, it makes a good learning experience
for all elementary school-age readers. In a scenario that affects
many families in America, a Chinese-American family sends their
toddler, DiDi, to China for a year to be taken care of by relatives
while the father works as an architect and the mother goes back
to work as an office assistant. The sadness the family feels gives
way to them being busy, but when DiDi returns midway through
the book, readers observe as their struggle to get reacquainted and
how the family bond endures. Nicole Wong’s finely drawn b/w
illustrations with cross-hatching suit the story well.
Marya Kurwa, Richmond PL
Connor, Leslie. Crunch ‡
Fic.
HarperCollins, 2010. 336p. $16.99 978-0-06-169229-1,
PLB $17.89 978-0-06-199233-8
OUTSTANDING
GRADES 4-7
Reviewed from an Advanced Reader’s Copy: Wow, talk about having
a difficult summer! Fourteen-year-old Dewey Mariss and his family
have quite the “school vacation” in a very possible near future when
his parents’ short trip lengthens into most of the summer due to a
gasoline outage. So, Dewey runs the Bike Barn family business,
with his younger brother doing the mechanical work and older sister
Lil looking after the 5-year-old twins. Dewey gets more and more
stressed out as he deals with rising prices, frustrated customers, the
skyrocketing demand for bicycle repairs, and growing suspicions
of a thief at work. Connor’s character development, plotlines, and
just the right details all flow together, keeping the plot and action
moving at such a brisk pace that the title can’t be put down. Things
end on a happy note (parents are back and trucks are fueled again),
which elementary readers will appreciate, although adults may find
a bit implausible.
Joshua Rees, Daly City PL
Cooney, Caroline B. They Never Came Back
Fic.
Delacorte, 2010. 200p. $16.99 978-0-385-73808-8,
PLB $19.99 978-0-385-90709-5
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 8-10
Cathy Ferris is confronted by a boy named Tommy who calls her
Murielle, his long-lost cousin. This triggers a series of flashbacks
within the chapters set at Cathy’s summer school. Tommy’s parents
are as sure as Tommy of the likeness, and the FBI moves in to use
Cathy as a lure to capture Murielle’s parents. They were major
embezzlers, à la Madoff, and have fled the country, unintentionally
leaving Murielle behind. When the aunt and uncle were accused
of aiding the parents, Murielle was put in foster care. Over and
over as the story unfolds, “they never came back” is repeated, said
in tones of disbelief—how could parents abandon a child? As the
story unravels, more and more implications from the whole affair
surface, and “they never came back” takes on a new meaning, a
new hurt. The whole story takes a long time to unravel even though
the action takes place over only a few days. Computers, Facebook,
195
and MySpace play important roles as the summer school students
work to solve the identity mystery, the mystery of location of the
parents and, for Murielle, the mystery of her real identity.
Martha Shogren, Independent
Corwin, Jeff. The Extraordinary Everglades
Photos.
Easy Read.
All Aboard Reading Series.
Grosset & Dunlap, 2010. PLB $12.23 978-0-329-75690-7,
PB $3.99 978-0-448-45176-3
ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-2
Animal Planet personality Jeff Corwin has a perky, conversational
tone, which allows him to pack a lot of information into this easy-todigest early reader. Starting with a brief overview of the Everglades,
Corwin then looks at five different habitats and the creatures that
live in them. Though the headings are color-coded with green for
habitat and red for animal, there is no other organizational scheme,
such as an index or list of contents, and there are no maps or other
visual aids to help with the context. The Extraordinary Everglades
does not include a reading list or further resources and there is no
glossary—though words like “habitat” are defined within the text.
Although the subject matter might be better served by a larger format
picture book, so it could include more and better photographs of
the animals and birds, the writing style and the contents make this
a decent informational alternative for beginning readers.
Hayley Beale, Calif Academy of Sciences
Corwin, Jeff. The Great Alaska Adventure
Guy Francis, Illus.
Easy Read.
Junior Explorer Series.
Puffin, 2010. 108p. PB $4.99 978-0-14-241409-5
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 1-3
Benjamin and Lucy’s parents take them to Alaska from Florida for
a week. Benjamin and Lucy record what they see, creating a report
on the flora and fauna of Alaska. Despite its depiction of perfect
children admirably engaged in ecology, wildlife, and scientific
observation, this is neither preachy nor overly didactic. It will give
city children a taste for the wildness of really being out in nature.
The carefully crafted illustrations are well integrated into the text.
If the first title in the series, Your Backyard Is Wild (Puffin, 2009),
circulates well for you, this would be a nice addition (not great—
nice). Odette Batis, Richmond PL
Dewdney, Anna. Roly Poly Pangolin
Anna Dewdney, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Viking, 2010. [40]p. $16.99 978-0-670-01160-5
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES TOD-3
As she did with Llama Llama Red Pajama (Viking, 2005), authorillustrator Anna Dewdney once again creates a story about an
unusual animal. “Roly Poly, very small, doesn’t like new things
at all.” Each spread about shy Roly Poly has brief rhyming text
196
and magnificent, rich colors with eye-catching highlights. Pictures,
created using oils, oil pastels, and colored pencils, are large and
clear. This story would be suitable for storytime. The illustrations
and text weave in interesting information about pangolins such as
how babies ride on their mothers’ tails and how they roll into a ball
when frightened. The shy child may best be able to relate to Roly
Poly’s curious, timid behavior. There aren’t many children’s books
about pangolins, perhaps because they are not found in the United
States, but in Africa or Asia. The back of the book contains more
brief information about pangolins.
Dayni Kuo, Oakland PL
Dionne, Erin. Total Tragedy of a Girl
Named Hamlet
Fic.
Dial, 2010. 290p. $16.99 978-0-8037-3298-8
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 6-8
Eighth grader Hamlet Kennedy wants to be normal, unlike her
Shakespeare-loving parents and her seven-year-old genius sister. But
it is increasingly difficult to pretend to be normal after her little sister
enrolls at Hamlet’s school to take music and art classes, her parents
come to school dressed in Renaissance Fair garb, and she discovers
an unusual gift for speaking blank verse. Hamlet’s struggle to be
normal is convincing, and her gradual realization that her family’s
unusual gifts are not embarrassing is believable. Unfortunately, the
set-up for the book is not. The plot threads involving her sister are
not very successful; Desdemona’s emotional and social maturity
are unrealistic for a seven-year-old, and her reasons for attending
middle school classes strain credulity. However, readers who can
see past the flawed premise will be rewarded with an engaging plot
and a believable main character. Allison Angell, Benicia PL
Draper, Sharon M. Out of My Mind ‡
Fic.
Atheneum, 2010. 288p. $16.99 978-1-4169-9982-9
OUTSTANDING
GRADES 4-7
Draper is best known as the Coretta Scott King Award recipient
for her teen novels Copper Sun (Atheneum, 2006), Forged by Fire
(Atheneum, 1997), and other books about the African-American
experience. Her latest is a page-turner about a fifth-grader with
cerebral palsy, and her ethnicity is never mentioned. The first half
of the book describes Melody’s condition, and in the second half
she finds her voice, with the help of a computer that “speaks” for
her. Her teachers and classmates realize she is intelligent. In fact,
she is able to make the team for an academic competition held for
middle schoolers. Melody’s first person voice is distinctive and
authentic, and the parents, teachers, and other adults also seem
more fleshed out than in some other novels for this age group.
There is action, tension, a dynamic story, interesting characters,
downfalls, and a realistic setting. Many young people like to learn
about those with challenges in books like Jean Little’s Mine for
Keeps (Little Brown, 1962) and Terry Trueman’s Stuck in Neutral
(HarperCollins, 2000), so this might be popular if booktalked. Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
May, 2010
Dutton, Sandra. Mary Mae and the Gospel Truth
Fic.
Houghton, 2010. 134p. $15.00 978-0-5472-4966-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-6
In her debut novel, Dutton examines a dilemma common for some:
how can a person believe in the Bible and also believe in science
and evolution? Ten-year-old Mary Mae does just that, in spite of her
mother’s negativity, with the help of her teacher, her grandmother,
and a visiting pastor. Set in Ohio near where there are actual fossil
beds and museums, the voices of the characters have a Southern
flare that may remind readers of books by Cynthia Rylant or
Deborah Wiles. The story is one a lot of readers can relate to, and
Dutton avoids easy answers, and avoids stereotyping “believers.”
The briskly told story is thoughtful and could start a discussion
between child and parent. One caveat: there is a slang expression
for a woman’s breasts that some might find vulgar, used to refer
to the anatomy on the Eve puppet used in the church’s Genesis
Sunday School lesson.
Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Ehrenhaft, Daniel. That’s Life, Samara Brooks
Fic.
Delacorte, 2010. 224p. $15.99 978-0-385-73434-9
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES 5-7
When the principal busts Samara Brooks’ lunch-time gambling ring,
she figures she’ll have to come clean to her parents, who already
think she isn’t living up to her potential. She is shocked when the
principal agrees to her “punishment,” an experiment to prove she
has the same DNA as one of the friendliest girls at school. Things
get weird when the DNA looks like a mysterious, undecipherable
code her friend Nathan’s been trying to crack. Sound confusing?
It is, though Samara is a funny character with a big personality.
Unfortunately, the book isn’t all about her. Instead, it is told in
alternating chapters through the eyes of Samara, cohort Nathan
Weiss, a science nerd lured in for his obsession with UFOs and
alien code, and Lily Frederick, class president and contributor of
the “friendly” DNA. So much is going on in the plot, including
giant electron microscopes, alien DNA, UFOs, evil scientists and
tracking down Samara’s genetic father, that the story is hard to
follow and uneven, making this a low additional purchase. Kelly Keefer, San Leandro PL
Ernst, Lisa. Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme
Lisa Ernst, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Dutton, 2010. [32]p. $16.99 978-0-525-47873-7
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-3
Overeager Pig Scout Sylvia Jean sets out to earn her Good Deed
badge by nursing unsuspecting neighbor Mrs. VanHooven back to
health in this second Sylvia Jean story (Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen,
Dutton, 2005). Her first day, “instead of using the doorbell, Sylvia
Jean blew her tuba just in case Mrs. VanHooven was hard of hearing.”
The initial visit is a disaster, and Sylvia Jean is soon under doctor’s
BayViews
orders to stay away from Mrs. VanHooven. She cleverly conceives
a plan to disguise herself and continue helping Mrs. VanHooven,
first as feeble Mrs. Pink who brings violets, then as dashing Señor
Via who brings Spanish rice and beans, a cowboy who brings the
newest best-seller, ballerina Miss Monique who brings chocolate
truffles, and finally Mr. Cool who brings a lovely painting. Children
will love Sylvia Jean’s creative and imaginative solutions in this
delightful story. In addition, with its large soft-hued illustrations
rendered in India ink, pencil, and pastel, this book is suitable for
storytime.
Dayni Kuo, Oakland PL
Fawcett, Katie Paickard. To Come and
Go Like Magic
Fic.
Knopf, 2010. 263p. $16.99 978-0-375-85846-8
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-7
To Come and Go Like Magic is a quiet coming of age novel depicting
life in rural Kentucky. Seventh grader Chili Sue knows she wants
more out of life than her town offers. She dreams of traveling,
meeting new people, moving away. Her momma just laughs and
tells her “people don’t leave Cherry Hill.” Her friends feel the same
way. When substitute teacher Ms. Matlock breezes back into town
after a long absence, she offers just what Chili Sue needs: tales of
world travel, stacks of old National Geographic magazines, and
actual proof that there is life outside of Cherry Hill. First-time author
Katie Pickard Fawcett draws upon her own childhood experience
to paint a vivid picture of life in 1970s Appalachia, creating the
perfect backdrop for Chili Sue’s innocent aspirations. The rich
secondary characters round out her colorful portrayal of this small
town community. This book may be too quiet for some readers, but
Chili Sue is a strong character in a well-realized setting, making
this a winning coming-of-age story.
Kelly Keefer, San Leandro PL
Geringer, Laura. Boom Boom Go Away!
Bagram Ibatoulline, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Atheneum, 2010. 40p. $15.99 978-0-689-85093-6
OUTSTANDING
GRADES TOD-PRE
This is way more fun than bedtime ought to be! A series of toys
ward off bedtime by playing musical instruments; each, in turn,
reprimands the parent who mentions bedtime is near with “hush!/
Don’t spoil the rhythm/of my drum.” The toys are lifelike,
brightly colored, and smiling. Scenes are rendered in watercolor,
ink, and gouache; they are realistic, but have a soft focus that
lends coziness and a sense of magic. The text will be long for the
smallest children, but even they will be captivated by the flowing
rhythm, the repetition, and the silly sounds the instruments make:
“blaaaaart, plong plong, clink clink, bong bong, neeee neeee, ding
ding, boom boom.” Rounding off each stanza is a chorus of “Go
away!,” which is a wonderful thing to shout. Librarians will want
this on hand for storytime and children for noisy fun.
Amy Martin, Oakland PL
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Gershator, Phillis and Mim Green. Who’s Awake
in Springtime?
Emilie Chollat, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
H. Holt, 2010. [32]p. $16.99 978-0-8050-6390-5
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES TOD-PRE
A pink, blond boy in a white, woolly lamb suit, having a picnic with
his mom, observes various animals on the springtime day, most of
whom are asleep, but in each scene, one small animal is awake.
“In a pond by the sea,/Ducks tuck their heads/Under their wings./
Who’s asleep?/‘Not I,’ says the duckling.” The slight text begins to
rhyme at the addition of the fifth animal, but the cumulative phrases
are so brief that the device doesn’t pull the reader forward through
the scenes. The acrylic illustrations by Chollat (Hey, Mama Goose,
Dutton, 2005) use bold and rich colors and emphasize shape and color
over depth. Each of the wakeful animals has round white eyeballs
with black dots. After noting the wakeful minnow, duckling, turtle,
bee, jay, kitten, caterpillar, and lamb, the boy falls asleep with the
sheep, momentarily, before popping back up again, to jump into
bed. The repeated contrast of awake and asleep animals, all of them
in broad daylight, is tripped over without emphasis, leaving nothing
substantial on which to focus. Erica Siskind, Oakland PL
Gottfried, Maya. Our Farm: By the Animals
of Farm Sanctuary
Non-fic.
Robert Rahway Zakanitch, Illus.
Knopf, 2010. [36]p. $17.99 978-0-375-86118-5,
PLB $20.99 978-0-375-96118-2
ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-3
Zakanitch’s delightful drawings—both pencil sketches and detailed
watercolors—and their layout on the page are almost worth the price
of the book. Furthermore, a portion of the author’s proceeds from
this book of poetry will support the Farm Sanctuary organization,
which rescues, educates, and advocates for neglected and abused
farm animals. Yet the poems may not interest young readers. From
the first arrogant cow, “Come here now, baby, let Grandmama Moo
teach you a wise old thing or two,” to the last soporific sheep, “Thank
you to the sunflowers that sway/ Thank you to the sky above/ Thank
you to the kind hearts and hands that brought me to my home,”
there is little rhyme nor reason to the words put into the mouths of
the animals. The vocabulary, cadence, and (in some cases) even
the content does not seem to be particular to the animal purporting
to speak the poem. There are some poems whose content seems
authentic, but, frankly, the author doesn’t establish sufficient trust to
speak in the voice of the animals. Erica Siskind, Oakland PL
Guiberson, Brenda Z. Earth: Feeling the Heat
Chad Wallace, Illus.
Non-fic.
H. Holt, 2010. [36]p. $16.99 978-0-8050-7719-3
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 2-5
All over the earth, animals’ habitats are changing due to global
198
warming. The refrain in this book asks “Who can help?” The answer
is given clearly: “We can.” Human beings created the situation,
and only human beings can rectify it. Vibrant, full-page color
illustrations of the animals in their habitats (some looking quite
sad or worried) raise the low additional text to additional purchase.
Although factually correct, the author seems to state that children
can help these particular animals directly by reducing, reusing,
and recycling, or by planting trees, which is just wrong. The back
matter includes a map of the world indicating where the animals
live, and a final page with nine suggestions of changes in behavior
that children are able to do. Laurie Willhalm, Oakland PL
Hall, Michael. My Heart Is Like a Zoo
Michael Hall, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Greenwillow, 2010. [32]p. $16.89 978-0-06-191510-9,
PLB $17.99 978-0-06-191511-6
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-1
In this debut picture book, large blocks of brightly colored, computer
generated heart shapes are combined into collages that examine the
emotions and different characteristics of 20 animals. The rhyming
text is short and direct but adds humorous touches. “My heart is
like a zoo—Cool as a penguin,/crafty as a fox/quiet as a caterpillar
wearing knitted socks.” The collages are set against differing solid,
brightly colored backgrounds that complement the white font of
the text well and are clearly reminiscent of the work of Lois Ehlert.
Hall cleverly ties together the premise of the book at its end, when
it is discovered that all of the animals are, in fact, toys in a child’s
bedroom.
Helen Bloch, Oakland PL
Henkes, Kevin. My Garden ‡
Kevin Henkes, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Greenwillow, 2010. [32]p. $17.99 978-0-06-17517-4,
PLB $18.89 978-0-06-171518-1
OUTSTANDING
GRADES PRE-1
The common picture book topic of growing a garden is rendered
afresh in this foray into the imagination of a girl helping her
mother garden. She imagines, and Henkes’ illustrations bring
to life, a magical setting where chocolate bunnies live ready to
be eaten, great big jelly bean bushes tempt passersby and, once
picked, flowers immediately regenerate. Page after page of these
imaginings is written in simple yet poetic language, e.g., “…the
air was humming with wings,” “…strawberries would glow like
lanterns.” Henkes’ large illustrations are filled with washes of
bright watercolors. Many of the objects on each layout pop due
to their outline in thick, dark blue, and the girl, simply drawn, has
mischief in her eyes. The book’s design is exemplary; the thick
white paper is used as blank space in the illustrations, and the
thick blue line used in the illustrations is repeated in the font color
of the text and the endpapers. The book’s size and large enticing
fanciful illustrations make this a good selection for storytimes and
also useful as a lead in to an “imaginary garden” craft project.
Helen Bloch, Oakland PL
May, 2010
Hodgkinson, Leigh. Smile!
Leigh Hodgkinson, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Balzer & Bray, 2009. [32]p. $16.99 978-0-06-185269-5,
PB $9.99 978-1-408-30182-1
OUTSTANDING
GRADES TOD-1
Sunny, a usually “chipper” and “chirpy” little girl, has a big problem:
“I have lost something very, very important. What I’ve lost is
my smile. I wish I could find it.” Sunny’s voice is colloquial,
believable, and amusing: “If I was a multi-eyed alien, finding lost
things would be super speedy. I’m not a multi-eyed alien, though.
I’m just me.” A mix of fonts and font sizes including puffy letters,
underlining, and handwriting could have been written by Sunny
herself. Hodgkinson’s mixed-media collage style on backgrounds of
vivid blues, greens, yellows, and pinks is reminiscent of the Charlie
and Lola series (Lauren Child, Candlewick). Her hand-drawn
characters mix with simple line sketches and doodles of motion
lines, labels, sound effect words, and humorous lists to reinforce
Sunny’s child-like perspective. Readers will enjoy being in on
the joke about the lost smile and poring over the details on each
spread as Sunny looks for her smile as if it were an object. This
quick-paced book will be a popular addition to your collection and
is a good read-aloud for storytime. Kimberly Lauer, Oakland PL
Hoobler, David. Zonk and the Secret Lagoon
Pic. Bk.
Zonk Galleries, 2005. [32]p. $16.95 978-0-9706-5371-0
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-2
The story follows Zonk (first met in Zonk the Dreaming Tortoise,
Zonk Galleries, 1999) after he has been washed out to sea by a flash
flood, fulfilling the Sonoran desert tortoise’s aspiration of becoming
a sea turtle. Dream achieved, Zach soon finds himself longing to
return home to the desert. As in the first book, it is the artwork
that steals the show. The vividly rendered watercolor illustrations
beautifully evoke art of the Southwest. These brightly colored
drawings pull the reader in, but unfortunately the text does not
quite keep pace. The story is too long for younger readers and the
text lacks flow and clarity. For example, what is the black smoker
and why are the bubbles bad? Perhaps in book three (hinted at in
the conclusion), this talented artist will more completely find his
voice as a storyteller. One hopes so, as Hoobler certainly knows this
part of the country well and brings a creative eye to its topography
and animal life. The map of the secret lagoon adds to the book’s
appeal, and the information about endangered animals of the Sea
of Cortez and Sonoran Desert provides a nice finishing touch. Jenny Andrus, Live Oak Sch
BayViews
Horvath, Polly. Northward to the Moon
Fic.
Random, 2010. 244p. $17.99 978-0-375-86110-9,
PLB $20.99 978-0-375-96110-6
OUTSTANDING
GRADES 4-8
When Jane’s step- (maybe real) father is fired from his job teaching
French in Saskatchewan Province because he cannot, after all, speak
French, the adventures she’s yearned for begin. In this sequel to
My One Hundred Adventures (Random, 2008) the family takes a
cross-continent road trip from Saskatchewan to British Columbia
to Nevada and then finally back to Massachusetts. They visit an
invisible Indian tribe, pick up a bag of maybe-hot money, and
drive through Reno and Las Vegas to find the owner and give it
back. Along the way Jane discovers, as did Dorothy, that there is
no place like home. Just being part of her quirky family provides
all the unpredictability and adventure in the world. Written in first
person, we join Jane as she observes the world around her. The
philosophical meanderings might seem a little mature for a girl her
age, but the pleasure of listening to this early teenage voice cannot
be denied. She is honest and funny and frustrated and scared and
reveals the wonderment and agonies of the pre-teen heart. Laurie Willhalm, Oakland PL
Huneck, Stephen. Sally’s Great Balloon Adventure
Stephen Huneck, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Abrams, 2010. [32]p. $16.95 978-0-8109-8331-1
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-3
The adventures of Sally the loyal black Lab continue as the family’s
trip to a balloon festival turns into a balloon ride for Sally. Huneck’s
signature simple woodcuts and text reveal the bliss of ignorance.
When the smell coming from a basket of fried chicken lures Sally
into an otherwise empty balloon, she tugs on a rope, and floats away,
totally thrilled with her bird’s eye view of the rapidly disappearing
ground. While all kinds of elaborate rescue plans are being hatched,
Sally is lucky enough to encounter a group of children who are
balloon savvy and can guide her safely back to earth. The large
clear shapes and colors of the illustrations are well suited to younger
preschoolers who will find the simple straightforward text equally
easy to follow, with just enough bursts of excitement to hold their
attention. An artist’s note at the end includes information on how
Huneck creates his woodcut prints. Elizabeth Overmyer, Independent
Hyde, Heidi Smith. Feivel’s Flying Horses
Johanna van der Sterre, Illus. Pic. Bk.
Kar-Ben, 2010. [32]p. PLB $17.95 978-0-7613-3957-1,
PB $7.95 978-0-7613-3959-5
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-2
This second collaboration of Hyde & Sterre (Mendel’s Accordion,
Kar-Ben, 2007) highlights another type of craftsman immigrating
from the “old world” to New York; Feivel, a wood-carver, arrives
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without his wife and four children, but keeps them always in
mind as he finds work carving first furniture and then carousel
horses. Watercolor and fine-line illustrations provide detailed but
flat illustrations of late 19th century New York, in which wood
grain and dress fabric are given specificity while cable cars and
architecture are merely summarized. The comforting story similarly
gives detail to certain aspects of Feivel’s immigration story, while
leaving out broad swathes of information. Cheerful, rosy faces on
chubby children and adults make it seem that only Feivel is poor
and missing his family, so their reunion at the close of the book
is a relief. A historical note at the end also provides one reference
source. Readers may find it difficult to connect to either the selfsacrifice or the creative life-work of this parent, while his own
children’s experience is barely hinted at once. Erica Siskind, Oakland PL
Ignatow, Amy. The Popularity Papers
Amy Ignatow, Illus.
Fic.
Amulet, 2010. 208p. $15.95 978-0-8`09-8421-9
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 3-7
Sure to be popular, this first-time author/illustrator has created
something equivalent to a girls’ version of Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a
Wimpy Kid (Amulet, 2004). In this journal, Lydia is the author and
her friend Julie is the illustrator, using full-color cartoon style pictures
that are charming but look like they were done by a middle schooler.
Lydia’s text is in cursive, and the combination has an authenticity
readers will appreciate. The friends are on a mission to be popular and
try lots of activities and get into sitcom-like predicaments. Although
this isn’t very original and is somewhat formulaic, readers will identify
with the characters and story. One nice plus is that Julie lives with
her two (gay) dads. Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Ingold, Jeanette. Paper Daughter
Fic.
Harcourt, 2010. 176p. $17.00 978-0-15-205507-3
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES 7-10
Reviewed from an Advanced Reader›s Copy: Devastated by the
freakish, sudden death of her journalist father, 16-year-old ChineseAmerican Maggie follows in his footsteps via a summer internship
at The Herald. Looking through his cryptic notes about a “family
project” she tries to piece clues together, but quickly discovers
her father had lied about his personal history. When a Herald
investigation could implicate her father in illegal activity, Maggie
knows she must delve deeper into family history for the truth
about her father and her own identity. Interspersed with Maggie›s
first person narration is the account by Fai-Yi Li who immigrated
to the U.S. as a “paper son” in the 1930s. Filled with historical
background, the two, interwoven, sometimes tangled, stories begin
and evolve slowly, but eventually connect. With many believable
elements, e.g. the Seattle setting, Chinese-American culture, and
urban journalism, Maggie›s story should be more absorbing, but
the convoluted structure requires a persistent reader. Linda Perkins, Berkeley PL
200
May, 2010
Jackson, Rob. Weekend Mischief
Jocelyn, Marthe. Which Way?
A collection of goofy poems targeted at boys and covering topics
such as boredom, getting a haircut, homework avoidance, and
turning the clock back so that your parents think you can stay up
later. Most poems are snicker-out-loud clever with an easy flow,
though others are a bit clunky, while Beech’s whimsically messy
illustrations call to mind Quentin Blake. Probably not one that most
boys would pick up, but it could be a great introduction to poetry
(poem form, rhyme scheme) with teacher read-aloud potential.
Eric Barbus, San Francisco PL
Marthe Jocelyn and Tom Slaughter, creators of concept picture books
such as Same, Same (Tundra, 2009) and One Some Many (Tundra,
2004), stick to their simple yet pleasing formula of providing a
narrow theme and delivering bold illustrations in primary colors
and using cut paper. The language introduces words that are simple
yet complex in their meaning. “Which way?” becomes more than
a query; it prompts the reader to examine direction, modes of
transportation, and exploration. This book would be appropriate
for reading aloud or as preparation for discussing sidewalk safety
with groups of toddlers. Jono Jones, Independent
Mark Beech, Illus.
Non-fic.
Boyds Mills, 2010. 32p. $17.95 978-1-59078-494-5
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 1-4
Janni, Rebecca. Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse
Lynne Avril, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Dutton, 2010. [32]p. $16.99 978-0-525-42164-1
ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-2
Nellie Sue is a cowgirl through and through, and everyone knows
a cowgirl has to have a horse. So she asks for one for her birthday.
When her birthday arrives, she sets off to do her chores while she
waits for the horse to arrive. The horse turns out to be a new bike.
Will she accept it? Will it be the fill-in for that horse she longs to
have? You betcha! The illustrations reflect Nellie’s dreams about
having and taking care of a horse plus her love of anything horseylike rodeos and round-ups.
Martha Shogren, Independent
Jeffers, Oliver. The Heart and the Bottle
Oliver Jeffers, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Philomel, 2010. [32]p. $17.99 978-0-399-25452-9
ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-ADULT
What happens when wonder and curiosity are lost to despair? Oliver
Jeffers explores this theme in his beautifully illustrated book which
tells the story of a young girl who tries to protect her heart in a
glass jar after the death of a loved one, most likely her grandfather.
Much of the story is implied with images created through a variety
of media and techniques including watercolor, gouache, and collage.
Most pages contain only a line of a text which reads like poetry
and will probably be lost on a preschool audience. However, the
rich, multilayered images will generate interest for young readers
while older readers and adults may find more meaning in the text
and what lies between the lines. This would be a good choice for
children, teens, and adults dealing with loss. Rebekah Eppley, Oakland PL
Tom Slaughter, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Tundra, 2010. [22]p. $15.95 978-0-8877-6970-2
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-K
Johnson, Dinah. Black Magic
R. Gregory Christie, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
H. Holt, 2010. [32]p. $15.99 978-0-8050-7833-6
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-1
A little girl, in this lyrical “poem”, describes all of the wonderful
things that come to mind when she thinks of the color black.
Though some are clunky and a stretch (“Black is shiny like my
brother’s new car”—especially here, since the car depicted in the
illustration is red…), most have a wonderful flow as Johnson has
chosen some dynamic adjectives such as majestic and silky, and
unique subjects, like a baobab tree and “the sparkle in my daddy’s
eye.” Christie’s unmistakable, Jazz Age inspired acrylic gouache
illustrations are always a delight and here depict a wide array of
diversity, even within the spectrum of browns. Eric Barbus, San Francisco PL
Jones, Diana Wynne. Enchanted Glass
Fic.
Greenwillow, 2010. 292p. $16.99 978-0-06-186684-5
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 5-7
Reviewed from an Advanced Reader›s Copy: When his magician
grandfather dies, university professor Andrew Hope inherits
Melstone House along with the eccentric household staff. Andrew
has fond memories of the house and is especially fond of the
colored glass in the back door. One day12-year-old Aiden arrives at
Melstone. Closely followed by some threatening force, Aiden was
sent to Melstone by his dying grandmother for protection. He senses
a mysterious power in the colored glass, and discovers a similar
glass pattern in a shed. Andrew and Aiden soon become acquainted
with their strange neighbor Mr. Brown, the elf-like Tarquin and his
attractive daughter Stashe, and a full array of doppelgangers. All
converge at the town fair in a suspenseful but slightly confusing
grand finale. Jones excels at establishing an ordinary, everyday
setting and then turning loose a little magic to make everything
intriguing. Andrew and Aiden’s investigations propel the story,
but the supporting characters, especially the stodgy caretakers,
BayViews
provide ongoing humor. An entertaining blend of magic, suspense,
and whimsy, this will satisfy Jones’ many fans as well as those of
Edward Eager and Eva Ibbotson.
Linda Perkins, Berkeley PL
King, Thomas. A Coyote Solstice Tale
Gary Clement, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Groundwood, 2009. $14.95 978-0-88899-929-0
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 2-6
First Nations author Thomas King (A Coyote Columbus Story,
Groundwood, 1992) uses rhymed text, humor, and a combination
of animals and people to bring us this story of anti-consumerism.
Coyote, Beaver, and Bear are preparing for their festive solstice gettogether when a young girl, dressed up as a reindeer comes along.
She leads them to their very first glimpse of the mall at the edge of
the woods, where “rough herds of humans rushed by/ Their arms
filled with brightly wrapped boxes/ And murderous looks in their
eyes.” Coyote gets carried away with the moment, until he realizes
that he doesn’t really need all those items. They return to his house
to share their meal and enjoy the evening together, sans presents.
Although the meter of the verse is sometimes uneven, the text is
deadpan humorous and stresses the important (non-commercial)
aspects of the season. Cartoon-style color illustrations in pen and
ink on every page are expressive and add to the feel of the text.
This book just received the American Indian Youth Literature Award
for 2010.
Armin Arethna, Berkeley PL
Knudson, Mike. Bases Loaded
Stacy Curtis, Illus.
Fic.
Raymond and Graham Series.
Viking, 2010. 155p. $14.99 978-0-670-01205-3,
PB $6.99 978-0-142-41751-5
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 3-5
This third title featuring best friends Raymond and Graham mixes
elementary baseball and school drama with a good dollop of humor.
The friends’ Little League team is facing their perennial rivals, whose
star is the classroom bully; their substitute teacher for a an entire
week turns out to be Graham’s own mother. Generous amounts of
white space and a larger-than-normal type size are a good match
for a story that will appeal to 3rd and 4th grade newly independent
readers. The story moves along at a fast clip and gentle lessons are
gracefully and credibly imparted. Elizabeth Overmyer, Independent
Konrad, Marla Stewart. Grand
Photos.
Pic. Bk.
Tundra, 2010. [24]p. PLB $12.95 978-0-88776-997-9
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-2
Series Review: Both Grand and I Like to Play are photographic
studies of children and adults around the world. Grand shows
what grandparents and grandchildren do together. I Like to Play
shows how children around the world play together. The sentences
201
accompanying each activity are all-inclusive. No matter where the
reader is in the world, the situations in the book have meaning. The
photographs are truly beautiful and clear. The series is reminiscent
of early Dorling Kindersley and would be useful when studying
communities and families.
Martha Shogren, Independent
Konrad, Marla Stewart. I Like to Play
Photos.
Pic. Bk.
Tundra, 2010. [24]p. PLB $12.95 978-0-88776-998-6
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-2
Please see series review for Grand by Marla Stewart Konrad above.
Krech, R. W. Love Puppies and Corner Kicks
Fic.
Dutton, 2010. 213p. $16.99 978-0-525-42197-9
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-6
Andrea is just about to start 7th grade in New Jersey when her
parents accept a year’s teaching assignment in Scotland. Her
biggest fear is that, without her close soccer friends to give her
comfort, her stuttering will return when she faces the new school.
The cover illustration, showing a cartoon-style soccer playing girl
and two kissing dogs, matches well the tone of the book—childish
and flippant. Several plot elements ring false, including an episode
where she accepts a lit cigarette from a senior citizen at a bus stop,
smokes it, sticks it in her raincoat pocket, and is surprised more than
one hour later when she puts a paper wrapper in the same pocket
and it lights on fire. Her immediate acceptance as a skilled soccer
player does not provide her with the surge of confidence she needs
to overcome her fear of embarrassment caused by actual or potential
stuttering, although it does provide the avenue for it to occur by
the ninth month of her stay in Scotland. Readers with stutters will
not be able to take heart in her adventure, since she overcomes it
only after she gains acceptance from new friends who declare that
it doesn’t matter to them. Readers without stutters will cringe at
the minutiae of self-consciousness that paralyzes her and wonder
why she tortures herself for so long. Pass; no goal. Erica Siskind, Oakland PL
Kuskin, Karla. A Boy Had a Mother Who
Bought Him a Hat ‡
Kevin Hawkes, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
HarperCollins, 2010. 32p. $16.99 978-0-06-075330-6
OUTSTANDING
GRADES PRE-2
“A boy had a mother who bought him a hat”—who knew it could
lead to such delightful chaos? This new presentation of Karla
Kuskin’s 1976 cumulative tale is a resounding success, thanks in
part to funny, detailed illustrations by Kevin Hawkes. The titular
hat is a tall, red, lumpy creation; the boy “loved it so much/ that
whatever he did/ or whatever he said/ he wore his new hat/ which
was woolly and red.” The gifts from his mother that follow—a
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mouse, skis, a monster mask, a cello, and an elephant—receive the
same devotion, with each successive scene showing the boy doing
various activities with increasing numbers of possessions. Nearly
every face in the book is a smiling one, and the deeply saturated
watercolors make every spread warm, full-bodied, and bright. The
text has both flawless rhythm and syncopated word sounds: “She
went out one day and she bought him a cello./ You know you don’t
blow it./ To play it you bow it.” The absence of a second parent
from the text and illustrations may earn this book a special place in
single-parent households. Sure to become a storytime favorite.
Amy Martin, Oakland PL
Lach, William. My Friends the Flowers
Doug Kennedy, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Abrams, 2010. 34p. $16.95 978-0-8109-8397-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-K
Many different flowers are introduced in this rhyming garden tale
with early Disney like artwork, reminiscent of the Silly Symphony
TV series. While the flowers are aptly named as part of the mostly
bouncy text (scary Marigold, smiling Sunflower, and prickly Rose);
the illustrations are uninspiring and distracting. The acrylic flower
illustrations feel dull and out of place when compared with the
brighter, computer created insects who are depicted interacting with
the flowers. The text, with its anthropomorphic depictions of the
flowers, attitudes, and actions, will draw the readers in. Ten pages
of back matter includes a photographic glossary of flowers, facts
on each flower, instructions for three garden projects, and general
gardening information. Some listeners may enjoy the colorful
artwork, but many may be uninterested in the flowers, and the
detailed back matter is too much for a picture book.
Joshua Rees, Daly City PL
Lainez, René Colato. My Shoes and I
Fabricio Vanden Broeck, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Boyds Mills, 2010. 32p. $16.95 978-1-59078-385-6
ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-3
A child-friendly description of a father and son’s journey across
the U.S. border from El Salvador satisfies through compelling
writing and colorful illustrations. The descriptions of how a new
pair of shoes becomes dirty, full of holes, and almost lost in a river
symbolize the long and hard journey through Mexico and Central
America. After overcoming each obstacle, the shoes show more
signs of wear and tear, to which the son sings the lullaby, Sana, sana,
colita de rana. Granted, the real-life journeys thousands of families
and migrants make each year are far more dangerous than what’s
depicted here. However, this story is still a useful introduction
and the messages of never giving up and losing something special
will spark emotions in all children. Derrick DeMay, Oakland PL
May, 2010
Lasky, Kathryn. Ashes ‡
Fic.
Viking, 2010. 318p. $16.99 978-0-670-01157-5
OUTSTANDING
GRADES 6-12
Thirteen-year-old Gabrielle Schramm is living a charmed life in
Berlin in 1932. Her father is a science professor at the university;
her mother a fine musician and teacher; her older sister Ulia is ready
to attend a music school; Albert Einstein is a dear family friend. All
is right with her world. As Hitler comes closer and closer to taking
over Germany and marching on from there, Gaby observes daily
life around her going very wrong. They are not Jews, but as a “Jew
lover,” her father loses his job when the Jews are banned from the
university. Many of her friends join the Hitler Youth, and her favorite
literature teacher is wearing a swastika pin. When books suddenly
disappear and there is a massive book burning, her world seems to
be crashing down around her. She valiantly tries to understand what
is going on and make proper decisions about her future. The book
portrays Hitler’s rise to power with great intensity, while Gabrielle
observes what is happening with clarity and thoughtfulness. At 13,
she vacillates between silly, young girl thoughts and the wisdom that
can often appear at the same age. Several actual historical figures
play a major role in the book. The period is accurately drawn as seen
through the eyes of a teenager who is very anti-Hitler. Each chapter
begins with a quotation from various authors: Einstein, Mark Twain,
Erich Kastner, and Jack London. Three of the fictional characters
are based on real people as well. Lasky has done a masterful job of
capturing the period through the eyes of a young, thoughtful girl.
Martha Shogren, Independent
Lasky, Kathryn. The Deadlies: Felix Takes
the Stage
Stephen Gilpin, Illus.
Fic.
The Deadlies Series.
Scholastic, 2010. 148p. PLB $15.99 978-0-545-11681-7
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES 2-4
Reviewed from an Advanced Reader’s Copy: The Deadlie family is
very nice, but (and it is a big but) they are also brown recluse spiders
and are very dangerous and perhaps deadly to humans. Although
the Deadlies originally live in the basement of the Philharmonic
Hall, they are soon on the run from exterminators. Their ensuing
adventures take them to a variety of historical sites around the globe.
The book has endnotes that do not go nearly far enough to explain
what this spider bite can do to human flesh. The illustrations are
not there yet; but based on the dearth of details in the endnotes, I
would be cautious in recommending the book to the intended age
group, lest some child be encouraged to make a pet of a dangerous
spider.
Odette Batis, Richmond PL
BayViews
Lee, Y. S. A Spy in the House
Fic.
The Agency Series.
Candlewick, 2010. 352p. $16.99 978-0-7636-4067-5
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 8-11
Reviewed from an Advanced Reader’s Copy: Mary Quinn, a 12-yearold orphan in Victorian London, is about to be sentenced to hanging.
She is saved by a stranger offering a place at Miss Scrimshaw’s
Academy for Girls. Mary is clever, fierce, and ambitious, and she
takes this chance to reinvent herself and gain a degree of education
and independence rare for Victorian women. When readers meet
Mary five years later, the headmistresses of Miss Scrimshaw’s
Academy invite her to join their elite all-female group of undercover
spies called The Agency. Mary’s first assignment places her as a
lady’s companion to a wealthy London merchant’s daughter to
help gather evidence about the merchant’s ships that continue to
mysteriously sink and disappear at sea. But Mary is not content to
simply observe and soon actively seeks out information. The first
in the Agency series, The Spy in the House provides an enjoyable
mystery with quick action, twists, and interesting historical details.
Readers will be intrigued by Mary’s hidden ethnic background,
an interesting fact that will likely surface again in subsequent
installments. While this mystery is clearly set in Victorian London,
Mary’s feistiness and Lee’s themes will appeal to modern readers
who have moved beyond Nancy Drew but are not yet ready for Jane
Austen or Charlotte Bronte. The second installment in the series,
The Body at the Tower, is due to be published in August, 2010.
Mary Ann Scheuer, Redwood Day Sch
Litwin, Eric. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
James Dean, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
HarperCollins, 2010. [32]p. $16.99 978-0-06-190622-0,
PLB $17.89 978-0-06-190623-7
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-1
Wearing four brand-new sneakers and a droll facial expression,
Pete the Cat struts down the street singing a catchy tune about how
much he loves his white shoes. But then—“Oh no! Pete stepped
in a large pile of…strawberries! What color did it turn his shoes?”
Young audiences will clamor to answer this question and respond
to the repetition, predictability, and musicality this title offers,
especially in a read-aloud scenario. Pete walks through blueberries,
mud, and a bucket of water, all the while keeping his chin up and
singing his song. Sketchily outlined, bright watercolor art suitably
accompanies the joyful text. Pete, the illustrator’s long-time
subject, plays guitar and stands atop fruit while maintaining a goofy,
somehow charismatic, stoicism. Readers can listen to Litwin, an
accomplished folksinger and storyteller, perform this story online
at the HarperCollins Children’s website.
Miriam Medow, Oakland PL
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Luciani, Brigitte. The Meeting
Eve Tharlet, Illus.
Graphic
Carol Klio Burrell, Translator.
Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox Series.
Lerner, 2010. 32p. PLB $25.26 978-0-7613-5625-7,
PB $6.95 978-0-7613-5631-8
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 1-4
Mr. Badger and his two children take in Mrs. Fox and her daughter
after they are displaced by hunters. When the adults seem to be
falling for each other the kids decide to throw a party with the
ultimate goal of showing their respective parents how wrong they
would truly be for each other. This graphic novel, translated from its
original French, boasts a hardly original storyline but is redeemed in
its depiction of the badger and fox children bickering and bullying
each other. The kids find themselves in situations readers will find
familiar, such as playing tag and helping their parents, and each
“side” believes that the way they do things is the right way. The
illustrations are soft without being sweet and the dialogue feels
authentic in this first in a series of graphic novels aimed at the early
elementary set.
Eric Barbus, San Francisco PL
Lunes, Natalie. Red Kangaroo:
The World’s Largest Marsupial
Photos.
Non-fic.
Super-sized! Series.
Bearport, 2010. 24p. PLB 978-0-936087-24-2
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 3-6
The life cycle of the red kangaroo is simply covered in excellent
photographs and in a variety of texts. In addition to the main
narrative, information appears in sidebars and in balloons on the
photographs. Putting it all together, there is a great deal to learn
about the red kangaroo, a very impressive mammal. The back
matter includes an index, a bibliography, and a website.
Martha Shogren, Independent
Lupica, Mike. The Batboy
Fic.
Philomel, 2010. 247p. $17.99 978-0-399-25000-2
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 5-8
Fourteen-year-old Brian, the son of a former major league pitcher
but raised by his divorced mother, works as a batboy for the Detroit
Tigers and plays the outfield for his “travel league” team, so his
summer and this novel are filled with baseball. When the Tigers
pick up his all-time favorite player Hank Bishop, Brian’s deepest
wish seems fulfilled, until he meets his hero. In the twilight of
his steroid-scarred career, the gruff, moody Bishop has no time
for Brian as he struggles to regain his past form. Brian, too, finds
himself mired in a deep batting slump until assisted by an unlikely
batting coach. References to Comerica Park, Barry Bonds, and
other steroid era players establish a contemporary setting. Brian’s
relationships with his father, friend Kenny, and mother are well-
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developed and believable. Highly unlikely story elements such as
Brian’s unique insight into Bishop’s batting flaw and his mother’s
attraction to Hank Bishop strain credibility, but will not hinder
readers who enjoy a well-paced story chock full of baseball. Linda Perkins, Berkeley PL
Markle, Sandra. Hip-Pocket Papa ‡
Alan Marks, Illus.
Non-fic.
Charlesbridge, 2010. [30]p. PLB $15.95 978-1-57091-708-0
OUTSTANDING
GRADES K-3
Assa darlingtoni is a thumbnail-sized frog from Australia’s
temperate rainforest. The pint-sized dad takes over after the
female lays eggs and leaves. His tadpoles, as many as 12, crawl
into pouches on his back legs where he cares for them until they
become froglets and hop away. Marks’ lush watercolor, pen, and
pencil illustrations provide an up-close look at the unique frog’s life.
The animals that hunt them, like currawongs, dusty antechinus,
and quoll will intrigue children. A glossary and section for further
information are appended. The facts, delivered with a fascinating
story and pictures, make a perfect package for school or home.
Sherrill Kumler, Retired
Malone, Marianne. The Sixty-eight Rooms
Fic.
Random, 2010. 274p. $16.99 978-0-375-85710-2,
PLB $19.99 978-0-375-95710-3
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-7
The Thorne Collection of miniature historically accurate rooms
in the Art Institute of Chicago is the setting for a gentle mystery
and time travel adventure featuring sixth graders Jack and Ruthie.
When the two visit the Thorne Rooms on a class field trip, they
pick up a strange key that allows them to shrink down to the size
of the rooms; their own ingenuity helps them figure out how to
enter the corridor behind the rooms not once, but several times.
Once in the rooms, they are able to exit into the time represented by
each room. This first novel is reminiscent of other favorite art and
history-based fantasies, such as Konigsberg’s From the Mixed Up
Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Atheneum, 1970) and Pauline
Clarke’s Return of the Twelves (Akadine, 2000). The author has
cleverly worked out the adaptations the miniaturized children must
make in order to enter the now out-of-reach rooms and navigate
the museum itself after hours. Adventures in different times allow
them to meet children of the past and also help them put together
the clues that result in the discovery of a missing photograph album
long sought by a friend of Jack’s mother. The novel moves fairly
slowly and the ending features some almost-too-neat wrapping up
of various historical and current situations. Characters are not as
distinctively drawn as one might like. For large collections.
Elizabeth Overmyer, Independent
May, 2010
McElroy, Lisa Tucker. Sonia Sotomayor:
First Hispanic U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Non-fic.
Gateway Biographies Series.
Lerner, 2010. 48p. PLB $26.60 978-0-7613-5861-9
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 3-6
Sonia Sotomayor’s inspirational story is the focus of this new
entry in the Gateway Biographies series. Written clearly and
with photographs appropriate to an early reading level, this is an
acceptable choice for report writing. This reviewer’s only quibble
is that the inspiration seems to ooze a little. That, combined with
the simple language, makes this an additional choice. Back matter
includes fun facts about her (she is a Yankees fan), a timeline of her
life, a glossary, source notes, a selected biography, further reading, a
webography, and an index.
Laurie Willhalm, Oakland PL
McGowan, Michael and Lou Fancher. Sunday Is
for God
Steve Johnson, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Schwarz & Wade, 2010. [36]p. $17.99 978-0-375-84188-0,
PLB $20.99 978-0-375-94591-5
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-2
“Weekdays are for school. Saturday’s for having fun. But Sunday
is the Lord’s day.” Thus begins this simple view into an AfricanAmerican family’s Sunday traditions. We follow the youngest son
from the time he wakes up with his brother, through breakfast,
getting ready for church, being at church, and the family dinner.
No one in the family has a name, just their place in the family. This
loving family portrait is saved from being too saccharine by the
boy’s wandering mind in church and the picture of his best friend
sticking out his tongue in church. The illustrations are done in acrylic
and collage on paper. Bible pages, music from songs, psalms, and
sermons are the collage over which the acrylic is painted, just like
the family’s faith is the foundation of their week. Although the
appeal may be limited, and circulation may be low, this celebration
of the family belongs in a large library.
Laurie Willhalm, Oakland PL
Melanson, Luc. Topsy-Turvy Town
Luc Melanson, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Tundra, 2010. 17.95 978-0-88776-920-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-1
A young boy describes the odd things that go on in his town—from
broccoli rain, edible cars made of chocolate and pineapple, and
walking buildings—and in the end reveals that even though this
topsy-turvy town exists only in his head his mother believes in it as
well. Translated from French (though the name of the translator is
not given) and originally published in Canada in 2004, this larger
format picture book has stylized, elongated, illustrations brimming
with the bizarre and random. Kids will delight in the illustrations’
odd details (a robot in a bathtub, King Kong poking his head in the
BayViews
window), while the text is concise and sometimes rhymes. Pair
this one with other fanciful tales like Cloudy With a Chance of
Meatballs (Atheneum, 1978) and June 29, 1999 (Sandpiper, 1995)
for a surreal storytime.
Eric Barbus, San Francisco PL
Mora, Pat. Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems About Love
Non-fic.
Knopf, 2010. 163p. $15.99 978-0-375-84375-4,
PLB $18.99 978-0-375-94565-6
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 8-12
Mora examines the many aspects of love as seen through teenage
eyes. Here are 50 poems covering family love, boy-girl love, love
of a pet or a sport, new love, self-love, love everlasting, or love lost.
Many reflect the customs of love in Latino families. Mora also
uses a vast number of poetic forms: sonnet, haiku, clerihew, tercet,
list poem, dialogue, blank verse, tanka, and more! It is a beautiful
collection. She challenges the readers, as she was challenged by
her editor, to write within the various forms. This should be very
useful for creative writing classes. Martha Shogren, Independent
Moss, Marissa. The Pharoah’s Secret
Fic.
Amulet, 2010. 320p. $15.95 978-0-8109-8378-6,
PB $6.95 978-0-8109-9664-9
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES 6-8
In a disappointing effort, Moss tells the story of a sister and brother
who travel to Egypt with their father (their mother has been deceased
for years) and become involved in a time-travel magical adventure
related to their lineage from Hatshepsut and Thutmose III. The
tale, which obviously was not edited, could stand to lose a hundred
pages—it pains this reviewer (who enjoys both this topic and
other works by the author) to say that it is overwritten, repetitive,
and melodramatic. Only larger libraries with fans of the Amelia’s
Notebook series by this author need purchase this. It won’t satisfy
them, but they will probably want to read it.
Kathy L. Haug, Richmond PL
Myers, Walter Dean. Lockdown
Fic.
Amistad, 2010. $16.99 978-0-06-121480-6,
PLB $17.89 978-0-06-121481-3
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 7-10
Reese Anderson, age 14, is growing up on the hard streets of the
Bronx when he makes a mistake, stealing some drug prescription
pads and selling them. The act lands him in a juvenile detention
center where challenges are enormous and danger prevalent. A
few people, however, do believe in Reese and, once again, Myers
presents readers with a compelling, gritty, urban story of a teenager
at a crossroads in his life. Reese’s story, narrated in a first-person
voice, is well developed and not sugar coated or overly optimistic.
His character’s struggles to control his temper, get along with
205
others, take responsibility for his actions, and live with intent and
determination will resonate with all readers.
Helen Bloch, Oakland PL
Numeroff, Laura and Nate Evans. The Jelly Beans
and the Big Book Bonanza
Lynn Munsinger, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Abrams, 2010. [32]p. $15.95 978-0-8109-8412-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-2
Readers were first introduced to the four Jellybean friends in
Numeroff’s and Evans’ The Jellybeans and the Big Dance (Abrams,
2008). The four animals (cat, dog, rabbit, and pig) return in this
latest collaboration, this time with a focus on Anna, the young bunny
whose passion is reading. Each member of the Jellybeans has a
unique passion, but they share a friendship despite their different
interests. Anna is thrilled when she learns the class is having a book
bonanza and takes her friends to the library with her. Although the
other Jellybeans don’t share Anna’s love of reading, with the help
of a competent and patient librarian, they are each matched with a
book that speaks to their individual interests. Lynn Munsinger’s
characteristic watercolor illustrations capture the essence of each
animal through their actions and facial expressions. However, the
glittery pink cover misrepresents the characters as princesses when
their interests are far more varied and include soccer, painting,
dancing, and reading. The book would work well for storytimes,
particularly those designed around class visits.
Rebekah Eppley, Oakland PL
Olson-Brown, Ellen. Ooh La La Polka-Dot Boots
Christiane Engel, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Tricycle, 2010. 36p. $14.99 978-1-5824-6287-5
OUTSTANDING
GRADES PRE-K
“Big skirts, small skirts, short skirts, long skirts/ Look spiffy with
polka-dot boots!” In fact, readers can judge for themselves if any
outfit looks better with polka-dot boots: half-page, overlaying
flaps show four children per page in varied skin tones and wearing
opposite outfits, first in socks or bare feet and then in the lovely,
colorful, fun boots. The children are shown engaged in a variety
of activities which the brief text does not describe. The acrylic cutpaper illustrations are colorful and energetic, perfectly depicting
the book’s silly and fun theme.
Katrina Bergen, Moraga PL
Paolini, Christopher. Eragon’s Guide to Alagaesia
Fred Gambino, Illus.
Non-fic.
Knopf, 2009. [28]p. $24.99 978-0-375-85823-9
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-12
Written as a guidebook for dragon riders, this imaginative pop-up
book is a companion to Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle series of novels
which began with Eragon (Knopf, 2003). Aimed at those who have
already read Eragon, this won’t make sense to those who haven’t
read it or lead new readers to it, but fans of the series will find it
206
interesting. There are plenty of little inserts in envelopes as well
as maps, mini-booklets, and other elements that may not hold up
to library circulation, making this more likely suitable as a gift
book. Libraries can either shelve this in J 813 or next to Paolini’s
novels. Libraries may want to purchase this if Dragonology (Drake,
Candlewick, 2003) is popular.
Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Paulsen, Gary. Woods Runner ‡
Fic.
Wendy Lamb, 2010. 165p. $15.99 978-0-385-73884-2,
PLB $18.99 978-0-385-90751-4
OUTSTANDING
GRADES 5-10
Thirteen-year-old Samuel, living in the British Colony of
Pennsylvania, returns home from a hunt to find his village burned,
most of the people killed, and his parents gone. An expert tracker
(the main meat provider for the village), he follows them and their
captors to New York, where he manages to free them from a British
prison. Several people help him along the way, and one family pays
with their lives. The strong characterization, nitty-gritty description,
and tension created by Paulsen make for a believable page-turner.
The character of Samuel is well delineated and one of the author’s
best. Tender as well as brutal, the book is a strong message for
peace. In the Afterword, the author states that he wanted to”clarify
aspects of the conflict” [the Revolutionary War] “that have often been
brushed over.” He includes numbers of deaths in combat and from
disease and unsanitary conditions amounting to over 100,000, half
of all who fought in the war. Woods Runner is a good companion
for study of the time period as well as a good read.
Sherrill Kumler, Retired
Pfeffer, Susan Beth. This World We Live In
Fic.
Harcourt, 2010. 239p. $17.00 978-0-547-24804-2
OUTSTANDING
GRADES 5-10
Reviewed from an Advanced Reader’s Copy: Third in Pfeffer’s saga
of life after a meteor collides with the moon, drastically changing the
Earth’s climate, this novel revolves around the Evans family, who
connects with Julie and Alex Morales, characters from the second
novel. With little knowledge of life anywhere else besides their
Pennsylvania town, teenager Miranda, the main character, and her
family struggle to survive. The novel focuses on the vividly real
interactions among her family members and the people they take
in. Pfeffer’s bleak setting is like another character and adds to the
overall drama that ensues. The tough questions and dilemmas they
face are intensified by the harsh conditions and hopeless feelings
that sweep over them. Telling the story through Miranda’s diary
entries personalizes the experiences she describes for the reader.
The story can stand alone, but reading the others rounds out the
author’s conception.
Sherrill Kumler, Retired
May, 2010
Plourde, Lynn. Field Trip Day
Thor Wickstrom, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Dutton, 2010. [32]p. $16.99 978-0-525-47994-9
ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-3
Plourde’s most recent book about Mrs. Shepherd’s class shares
field trip guidelines (e.g., “Be polite.” “Stay with the chaperones.”),
gives details about modern organic farming, reinforces ideas about
counting and grouping numbers, and introduces a hapless character
named Juan. Any one of these would have been enough for one
book; the combination of all four results in a crowded text that does
not devote enough time to any of the ideas. The environmentally
friendly farm setting (showcasing organic milk, natural dyes for
wool, and wind turbines to power the farm) will be of interest to
readers. Wickstrom’s cartoonish illustrations are colorful and
engaging. Fans of Plourde’s other books about Mrs. Shepherd or
those looking for more books about field trips will be pleased by
this title.
Allison Angell, Benicia PL
Raschka, Chris. Hip Hop Dog ‡
Vladimir Radunsky, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
HarperCollins, 2010. 32p. $16.99 978-0-06-123963-2
OUTSTANDING
GRADES K-2
Inspiring children toward thoughtful self-discovery of themselves,
Chris Raschka raps about a dog, whom no one needs, living on
the streets. But he’s not sad, in fact, our pooch enjoys every
moment of his day, making music with busy noises of the city and
pointing out other dogs along the way, “Now the Pit Bulls and the
Schnoodles/Know I’m not some lowly mutt./All the Afghans and
the Poodles/Like to stop and watch me strut.” At first, the joy is not
the meaning of what’s written, but the sounds. Looking closely, we
see positive messages about overcoming obstacles and self-esteem
boosts interspersed with humor, all blended together by rhythm and
rhyme. The illustrations are warm and fuzzy and cleverly depict
the hip hop dog as a tough, urban leader of the pack, yet with a
soft and playful side. Also challenging, yet with great payout, is
the circling text after each 8-line stanza. During storytime, watch
audiences’ faces as the clever librarian reads sideways, upside
down, and backwards, going faster and faster and slowing on the
refrain which everyone will want to repeat over and over, “Hip
Hop Dog.” Derrick DeMay, Oakland PL
Reingold, Adam. Leveled by an Earthquake!
Non-fic.
Disaster Survivors Series.
Bearport, 2010. 32p. PLB $25.27 978-1-9360-8753-2
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 2-6
Using the dramatic experience of 16-year-old Li Anning in the 2008
Beichuan earthquake as a framework, Leveled by an Earthquake! is
an excellent introduction to the causes and effects of earthquakes.
Anning was trapped with some schoolmates under “a great weight
of cracked concrete floors and broken walls” for more than two
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days before being dug out of the rubble. Following her story, there
is a series of two-page spreads that tackles different topics, such as
“Measuring Earthquakes” and the “Ring of Fire,” and illustrates
them with plenty of informatively labeled photographs and diagrams.
The final section of the book looks at how Beichuan is dealing with
the disaster two years later, though it would be more satisfactory
if this featured Anning. The book is organized well with a logical
flow, and the reader is aided by a list of contents and index. Back
matter includes an apparently random section on two famous
earthquakes as well as a useful glossary, bibliography, and online
and book resources. For the concerned Bay Area reader, there is a
list of safety tips from the Red Cross. Using a real-life survivor of
an earthquake gives this book immediacy and reader appeal, and
the information and scientific explanations are a good introduction
to this fascinating topic. Hayley Beale, Calif Academy of Sciences
Riddell, Chris. Wendel’s Workshop
Chris Riddell, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Katherine Tegen, 2010. [32]p. $16.99 978-0-06-144930-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-3
Recycling and fixing broken things, as an alternative to just tossing
them out is the message of this humorous story, which may remind
some of the animated feature film Wall-E. A little mouse makes
a robot designed to tidy up, but when the robot makes mistakes,
Wendel tosses him out until he realizes no one is perfect. The
detailed full-color cartoon illustrations, done in watercolor and ink
outlines on white backgrounds, are very similar to the artwork in
animated films and are more memorable than the story. The blueprint
endpapers are a nice touch. Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. The Wonder Book
Paul Schmid, Illus.
Non-fic.
HarperCollins, 2010. 80p. $17.99 978-0-06-142974-3,
PLB $18.89 978-0-06-142975-0
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES 2-5
Packaged to resemble Shel Silverstein’s popular poetry collections,
this collection of miscellaneous humor is playful but disappointing
on the whole. Some selections such as “The Less Famous Friends
of Mary Mack” depend on a child’s knowledge of the original.
Palindromes are defined, but the unexplained “R-U-S-T” section
may baffle children. Despite the lively pen and ink illustrations,
this hodge-podge of amusing lists, visual jokes, and awkwardly
rhymed poems falls far short of Silverstein, Lear, and Prelutsky.
Indexes to key words and images are appended. Linda Perkins, Berkeley PL
Rubalcaba, Jill. Every Bone Tells a Story:
Hominin Discoveries, Deductions, and Debates ‡
Photos.
Non-fic.
Charlesbridge, 2010. 185p. $18.95 978-1-58089-164-6
OUTSTANDING
GRADES 6-12
207
Every Bone Tells a Story is another fine book for a wide range of
ages interested in prehistoric remains. The authors examine four
discoveries—Turkana Boy (Kenya) 1,600,000 years ago; Lapedo
Child (Portugal) 24,000 years ago; Kennewick Man (Washington
State) 9,000 years ago; and Iceman, nickname Otzi (Italy) 5,300
years ago. For each, the discovery, deductions, and debates are
covered. The language is not technical, although scientific, and leads
the reader on with the astounding facts learned from these finds.
Excellent color photos enhance the book’s appeal. No punches are
pulled about the painstaking efforts needed to do required research.
The authors look forward to the next generation’s undreamed of
methods for understanding what the remains can tell us. At the
end are source notes, websites, further reading, timeline, glossary,
bibliography, index, and a section called “Hominins and Friends,”
which includes the organization, people, and other animals who are
part of the discoveries and research.
Sherrill Kumler, Retired
Russo, Marisabina. A Very Big Bunny
Marisabina Russo, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Schwarz & Wade, 2010. [36]p. $17.99 978-0-375-84463-8,
PLB $20.99 978-0-375-94463-5
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-2
When bibliotherapy is subtle, or tempered with humor as it is in A
Very Big Bunny, it can make for a successful story that will appeal
to children without talking down to them. In this true-to-life tale, a
bunny has trouble making friends at school because her classmates
feel she is too tall: “Your feet are too big for hopscotch…And the
seesaw was out of the question.” A new student, who happens to
be very short but very determined, is given the same treatment
until finally the two “outcasts” become friends. Bright gouache
illustrations depict bunnies in human clothing in a regular classroom.
Since more schools are trying to be proactive in dealing with bullying,
this would be a great choice for a primary grade read-aloud. Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Schoenherr, Ian. Don’t Spill the Beans!
Ian Schoenherr, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Greenwillow, 2010. [32]p. $16.99 978-0-06-172457-2,
PLB $17.89 978-0-06-172458-0
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-2
In large print and simple sentences that can be managed by early
chapter book readers, the cast of characters first introduced in
Schoenherr’s Read It, Don’t Eat It! (Greenwillow, 2009) barely
manage to keep a birthday present secret without alerting the
recipient. In an anti-climactic end, the birthday child is “you!”
(the reader) and the contents of the brightly wrapped package is a
fully lit birthday cake. Underwhelming. Elizabeth Overmyer, Independent
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Scrimger, Richard. Me and Death:
An Afterlife Adventure
Fic.
Tundra, 2010. 187p. PB $12.95 978-0-8877-6796-8
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-7
Fourteen-year-old Jim has a tough-guy mentality, disdain for those
around him, and yearns to be like the crime lords for whom he
steals cars. He is hit by a car and floats off with other ghosts to
relive key moments of his past. Similar to Scrooge’s experiences
in A Christmas Carol, Jim’s three ghosts show him where things
went wrong and provide him with a chance to change. This short
book spends just a few pages on each past event, while devoting
the rest to how Jim responds to his ghostly experience. Readers
will be left wondering what’s next, both for Jim and those around
him.
Joshua Rees, Daly City PL
May, 2010
possibilities. Shiga (Bookhunter, Sparkplug, 2007) is an Oakland
resident and has won three Eisner awards.
Sally Engelfried, San Jose State Univ Student
Simon, Seymour. Global Warming
Photos.
Non-fic.
Smithsonian, 2010. 32p. $17.99 978-0-06-114250-5,
PLB $18.89 978-0-06-114251-2
ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-4
In this British import, Bob finds a squirrel in a package of nuts.
Erroll the squirrel causes a big mess, and Bob’s mum insists Erroll
be taken to the woods. The full color cartoon style illustrations
are detailed and energetic and often use cinematic angles such as
an overhead shot of Bob up in a tree. The illustrations add humor,
with details such as a newspaper that explains why Erroll was in the
package, and there is a subtle surprise ending. Fun but not overly
memorable, the author’s earlier picture book is Sneaky Weasel
(Knopf, 2008). Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Sticking to the tried and trusted format of large, beautifully reproduced
photographs accompanied by simple text, Seymour Simon and the
Smithsonian Institute now tackle the more controversial topic of
global warming. Starting with an age appropriate explanation of
the symptoms and causes of global warming (it should be noted,
though, that this term has now been superseded in scientific circles
by “climate change”), Simon treads something of a middle ground:
These changes are largely, though not wholly, linked to human
activities. He then goes on to show how this unprecedentedly swift
climate change is already affecting the Earth and its population
and what the future consequences of this path could be. The book
concludes with an (overly?) optimistic note that we are “developing
the tools and the scientific know-how to meet these challenges”
and lists somewhat generic actions that governments, communities,
and families are taking to tackle the causes of our rapidly warming
planet. Though gorgeous to look at, some of the photographs seem
to be rather non-specific, and some are not captioned, giving a
coffee table feel to the book. However, there are few books on
global warming for this younger age group, and the text, combined
with the helpful glossary and further reading suggestions, make it
a worthwhile addition to most libraries.
Hayley Beale, Calif Academy of Sciences
Shiga, Jason. Meanwhile
Skeers, Linda. Tutus Aren’t My Style
This groundbreaking choose-your-own-adventure style graphic
novel has 3,856 story possibilities. The technique for exploring this
somewhat daunting premise is explained in the introduction, but
children will likely just dive right in along with the main character,
Jimmy, and make their first choice: chocolate or vanilla? Depending
on the ice cream flavor chosen, readers will follow the white or
brown tube, and from there follow the various other colored tubes
to the appropriate panel, each of which leads to several more
choices. Panels read up, down, left and right, which might take
some getting used to, but the artwork within each panel is clean
and crisp, with simple, round-faced characters set against solid
colored backgrounds on glossy paper. The stories themselves are
sometimes slight and don’t always make sense upon first reading,
but an exciting, cohesive plot is not really the point: this is the kind
of book readers will want to check out over and over to try all the
When Uncle Leo sends tomboy Emma a ballerina outfit, she tries
unsuccessfully several pieces of advice: to “float,” balance on “tippytoes” with “elegance and grace,” and dance to “flippy-fluttery music.”
Creating her own rough and tumble show, she charms her uncle.
He remarks that the order was mixed-up because he had actually
ordered her a safari outfit! Wilsdorf’s lively watercolor and ink
illustrations perfectly capture Emma’s clumsy attempts at ballet
and her spirit. While Emma wrestles with her dilemma, her cat is
in the background up to nonsense on nearly every page. This funfilled romp would work for storytime or sharing individually.
Sherrill Kumler, Retired
Shaw, Hannah. Erroll
Hannah Shaw, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Knopf, 2010. [28]p. $15.99 978-0-375-86105-5,
PLB $18.99 978-0-375-96105-2
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-3
Jason Shiga, Illus.
Graphic
Amulet, 2010. 80p. $15.95 978-0-81098-423-3
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 3-8
Anne Wilsdorf, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Dial, 2010. [26]p. $16.99 978-0-8037-3212-4
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-3
BayViews
Smith, Linda. The Inside Tree
David Parkins, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
HarperCollins, 2010. 32p. $16.99 978-0-06-028241-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-K
Mr. Potter lives in a cozy house on a cozy hill, a perfect place for
sipping his tea. His house is so cozy, in fact, that he feels bad that
everyone can’t be inside. He decides to invite the dog in, and then
the tree. That works well until the tree starts to grow, forcing Mr.
Potter to cut a hole in the roof. Then the rain begins and the birds
come in. Mr. Potter’s solution? Move into the barn. David Parkins
has lavished each page with rich illustrations, artfully capturing Mr.
Potter’s sensitive silliness and his patient dog’s weary eyes. The
large illustrations bleed off most pages, making this a good choice
for storytime, though their dark hues may make it hard to pick up
all the details. Not a priority purchase, but one that will age well
in any picture book collection. Author Linda Smith passed away
in 2000, and this book is published by her estate.
Kelly Keefer, San Leandro PL
Stamaty, Mark Alan. Shake, Rattle, and Turn That
Noise Down: How Elvis Shook Up Music, Me, and
Mom
Non-fic.
Knopf, 2010. [32]p. $17.99 978-0-375-84685-4,
PLB $20.99 978-0-375-94685-1
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 2-6
Unusually formatted as a picture book-sized comic, this
autobiographical snapshot recounts the author’s adoration and
emulation of Elvis Presley in the wake of “the King’s” 1950s
American radio debut. It also amusingly recalls the way that rock ‘n
roll’s wild new sound initially wracked the nerves of Mark’s mother.
Frequently outmoded language—“I was rockin’ that joint that
night!”—offers plenty for older generations to enjoy but ultimately
limits the book’s kid appeal. Thoughtfully detailed, mixed-media
illustrations, while lively, crowd into sequential panels with large,
handwritten, all-caps text for an overall effect that some readers
may find overwhelming. Filled with historically interesting visuals,
such as a pompadour how-to, and lovingly rendered depictions of
notable musicians from both before and after Elvis’ heyday, this title
is strongest when communicating the power of music to electrify
and horrify.
Miriam Medow, Oakland PL
Tafolla, Carmen. Fiesta Babies
Amy Córdova, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Tricycle, 2010. 20p. $12.99 978-1-58246-319-3,
PLB $15.99 978-1-58246-372-8
ADDITIONAL
GRADES TOD-K
The Tafolla-Córdova team from What Can You Do with a Rebozo?/
¿Qué puedes hacer con un rebozo? (Tricycle, 2009) returns with
toddler storytime in mind for libraries serving Spanish-speaking
communities. The sparse text end rhymes and describes typical
209
scenes such as eating salsa, listening to music, dancing and, of course,
napping. Eight Spanish terms are interspersed and defined in an
appended glossary. Important to note is that in either one-on-one
reading or storytime, the reader should take cues from the action
verbs and invite the audience to act out the described scene. The
illustrations are all paintings of toddlers and a few adults and use
a colorful palette. Additionally, the small size may prevent a readaloud to very large groups. However, that’s exactly the point.
Derrick DeMay, Oakland PL
Thompson, Ricki. City of Cannibals
Fic.
Front Street, 2010. 266p. $18.95 978-1-59078-623-9
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 8-12
Sixteen-year-old Dell lives in a cave on a mountain, an abnormally
tall girl constantly tormented by her drunken father and mean brother.
Below their cave lies the city of cannibals, her father warns her. But
Dell has seen the handsome young monk who leaves them supplies
and knows that not all are evil in the city. Desperate to be free of
her father’s cruelty, she runs away despite the danger, thinking
she will find the monk and ask him for assistance. Though it is not
immediately apparent that this is a historical novel, the city Dell
runs to turns out to be sixteenth-century London, where Henry the
VIII has recently married Anne Boleyn and is persecuting Catholics
who will not sign his Oath of Allegiance. In vivid description that
recalls Karen Cushman’s attention to unglamorous historical detail,
the first person Dell meets is a beggar woman with two “oozing
stumps” instead of legs. Disgusting sights and smells are everywhere
Dell turns, and her continual horror at them sometimes obscures
the story. Most readers will figure out right away that Dell’s father
has lied to her about the city, but Dell at first only notices that
everyone else is as tall as she—it turns out her father and brother
are dwarves. Though Dell is sometimes frustratingly slow to lose
her naïveté, she is a sympathetic character, and readers will feel
satisfied as she eventually unravels the mystery surrounding her
mother’s death, befriends the handsome monk, and discovers her
own talent for puppeteering. An author’s note at the end includes
details about the historical accuracy.
Sally Engelfried, San Jose State Univ Student
Towley, Roderick. The Blue Shoe: A Tale
of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery, and Shoes
Mary GrandPré, Illus.
Fic.
Knopf, 2009. 256p. $16.99 978-0-375-85600-6,
PLB $19.99 978-0-375-95600-3
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-8
Alpanalp is a fairy tale town, with cobbled streets, shoemakers,
cuckoo clocks, and a magical-seeming blue shoe that everyone
covets. It also has laws forbidding people to beg, no matter how
poor they are, a ferryman (think River Styx) who is not quite human,
villains fit for the best fairy tales, greed, plunder, and a secret that
needs to be discovered to save the world. There it departs from
210
traditional fairy tales; in this one it takes both male (boy really) and
female (girl) energy to solve the mystery and set the world right
again. Mary GrandPré’s charcoal illustrations and the text, both in
blue, try to transport us to another realm, but they fall short. Clearly
an ecological and social allegory, The Blue Shoe tries just a little
too hard to raise it to a great read. Laurie Willhalm, Oakland PL
Trapani, Iza. Rufus and Friends: School Days
Non-fic.
Rufus and Friends Series.
Charlesbridge, 2010. 36p. $16.95 978-1-58089-248-3,
PB $7.95 978-1-58089-249-0
LOW ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-1
Rufus and his puppy pals’ day in school is told through 14 traditional
poems and nursery rhymes enhanced and extended by the author.
Some of the poems and rhymes are inconsistent, changing their
flow in the middle, making them difficult to get through, while
others seem inconsequential, with little to do with a school day as
well as little appeal (“Intery, Mintery, Cutery Corn”?). Though
Trapani’s watercolor, ink, and colored pencil illustrations accurately
depict a kindergarten classroom that young ones will immediately
recognize, some pages seem overly colorful and busy. At the end
of it all the author points out hidden words, letters, and pictures to
go back and find on certain pages but that’s only if a child can get
through to the end.
Eric Barbus, San Francisco PL
Ullman, Barb Bentler. Whistle Bright Magic:
A Nutfolk Tale
Fic.
HarperCollins, 2010. 214p. $16.99 978-0-06-188286-9
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-7
Zelly’s grandmother just died, so she and her mother return to
Plunkit to settle affairs and run the bookshop for a few months.
Zelly starts seeing things that turn out to be fairies, which only she
and two new friends can see. She befriends the fairies, and they
help her discover the truth about her long gone father while she
helps them save their town. This sequel to The Fairies of Nutfolk
Wood (HarperCollins, 2006) stands on its own, primarily as a tale
about a daughter wanting to know about her father. Ullman easily
weaves the fairy and the lost-father threads into a simple first-person
narrative with a happy ending.
Joshua Rees, Daly City PL
Weiss, Ellen. Porky and Bess
Marsha Winborn, Illus.
Easy Read.
Random, 2010. 48p. $12.99 978-0-375-85458-3
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES K-2
This Step 4 easy reader shares five short chapters about Porky, a
rather rotund, messy pig and his feline friend Bess, who is much more
particular about order. Despite their differences, these two friends
are there for each other: Bess helps Porky whip up a moonlight
cake, Porky agrees to go ice skating, and ultimately he honors her
May, 2010
with a poem. Pastel-hued watercolor illustrations enhance the tone
of the story and provide wonderful character details, like Porky’s
rumpled clothes and less-than-tidy home. While stories with pigs
and cats abound, this gentle reader has a classic charm that makes
it a worthwhile purchase.
Kelly Keefer, San Leandro PL
Willems, Mo. Cat the Cat, Who Is That?
Mo Willems, Illus.
Easy Read.
Cat the Cat Series.
HarperCollins, 2010. [28]p. $10.99 978-0-06-172840-2,
PLB $14.89 978-0-06-172841-9
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-K
Series Review: Life is so much better for new readers since Dick
and Jane’s family have been replaced with books like these. Willems’
books include the same repetition, but there is an actual plot and
a surprise ending! Cat is exuberant with lots of friends. In Cat the
Cat, Who Is That? she identifies some of them: Mouse the mouse,
Duck the duck, and Fish the fish. When she meets an alien, she
pauses for a couple of spreads. Then she says “Maybe… It’s a NEW
friend.” In Let’s Say HI to Friends Who FLY, Cat the cat identifies
Bee the bee, Bird the bird, and Bat the bat as flying animals. When
the rhinoceros claims to be able to fly, all her friends look at him a
little askance. But on the next page he’s flying an airplane. Cat the
Cat books, in a slightly larger format, may be for earlier readers
than Willems’ Elephant and Piggie books. They have the same
child-friendly simple illustrations in flat colors, but the characters
are drawn with thicker black lines, and these books are a little more
colorful and shiny than the Elephant and Piggie series. Children
will love being able to read these books and will love how of Cat
the cat is open to new friends. Laurie Willhalm, Oakland PL
Willems, Mo. Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly
Mo Willems, Illus.
Easy Read.
Cat the Cat Series.
HarperCollins, 2010. [28]p. $10.99 978-0-06-172842-6,
PLB $14.89 978-0-06-172846-4
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-K
Please see series review for Cat the Cat, Who Is That? by Mo Willems.
Williams, Katie. The Space Between Trees
Fic.
Chronicle, 2010. 282p. $16.99 978-0-8118-7175-4
ADDITIONAL
GRADES 7-11
In this debut novel, Evie sees the police and EMTs remove the
dead body of her high school classmate Zabet from the woods,
and soon Evie befriends Zabet’s best friend Hadley to figure out
who the murderer is. Although this isn’t really a mystery, and the
denouement comes without the usual clues, it does convey the idea
that at times there are no clear explanations of why things happen.
The first-person voice sounds authentic, and Evie’s naiveté is
BayViews
211
balanced by the behavior of bad girl Hadley. At times, the plotting
is somewhat slow, but the last hundred pages make up for that with
a very compelling incident. Evie is a very sympathetic character
with whom many readers will identify, so the author might want
to continue Evie’s story in future books. Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Wilson, N. D. The Chestnut King
Williams, Laura E. The Can Man
Henry York Maccabee comes of age and acquires his full powers
in The Chestnut King, the last book of the 100 Cupboards saga.
In the two previous books, 100 Cupboards (Random, 2007) and
Dandelion Fire (Random, 2009), Henry released the power of
the witch Nimiane when he discovered and started to use the 100
doors in his attic room as gateways to other worlds. He knows
that as long as Nimiane is alive, the facial wound she gave him
will never heal, that he will eventually die from it. Luckily, there
is other magic besides the witch’s, and Henry must corral all of it
to survive. Through it, Henry discovers that he truly belong to two
worlds, one with aspects of a Celtic myth, the other with Kansas,
the plains, and baseball. Readers might be a little unsatisfied with
the too-pat ending which follows Henry through college in two
pages. But the journey up to that point is well worth the time.
Laurie Willhalm, Oakland PL
Craig Orback, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Lee & Low, 2010. [32]p. $18.95 978-1-60060-266-5
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 2-5
Tim longs to have a skateboard of his own but knows that his
parents cannot afford to buy him one. After seeing a former
neighbor, Mr. Peters, collecting cans from trash bins, Tim decides
to start gathering cans to earn money for his skateboard. When
Tim’s successful can collection causes the homeless Mr. Peters to
lose some of his livelihood, Tim makes the difficult—but ultimately
rewarding—decision to give the money he earns to Mr. Peters. As
Tim’s perception changes from thinking of “The Can Man” as a
fixture in the neighborhood to thanking “Mr. Peters” for a refurbished
skateboard, readers might be prompted to think about issues of
homelessness and privilege. Orback’s realistic oil illustrations
help to tell the story.
Allison Angell, Benicia PL
Williams, Maiya. The Fizzy Whiz Kid
Michael Koelsch, Illus.
Fic.
Abrams/Amulet, 2010. 273p. $16.95 978-0-8109-8347-2
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 5-8
“In the world of Hollywood and Cecil B. DeMille Elementary
School, Mitch is a freak—the only ordinary kid in a school full of
the powerful and famous” until he auditions and becomes “The
Fizzy Whiz Kid” in soda commercials. He marvels at the world he
enters at the studio. Soon he’s picked up by a pushy agent, driven
around in a limousine, and begins to be recognized everywhere by
the public. But Mitch seems to be losing his few friends and his
sense of direction. The kids at school are interesting characters,
probably exaggerated very little. The same is true with the adults.
Mitch’s parents are steady and supportive. It’s really Mitch who
is the star, though, as he finds his way back to being “ordinary.”
Williams brings 25 years of experience as a screenwriter and
research she’s done with all manner of movie folk to the book. The
behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood she reveals is fascinating;
hard work mixed with high-flown nonsense.
Sherrill Kumler, Retired
Fic.
100 Cupboards Series.
Random, 2010. 183p. $17.99 978-0-375-83885-9,
PLB $20.99 978-0-375-93885-6
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 4-9
Wormell, Chris. Ferocious Wild Beasts
Chris Wormell, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Knopf, 2009. 32p. $16.99 978-0-375-86091-1,
PLB $19.99 978-0-375-96091-8
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-2
A bear wanders the forest and encounters a lost boy who’s in terrible
trouble. Why? Because his mother said never go in the forest since
it’s full of ferocious wild beasts! The bear becomes frightened,
and together they march onward, joining up with an elephant, lion,
snake, and other animals terrified at the thought of encountering
one of these ferocious wild beasts. Sure enough, all the animals
frantically run away when they find the wildest beast of all: the
boy’s mother. The illustrations cutely depict the animals’ worried
faces, but are sadly lacking in other details of the forest, nature, or
any other memorable feature to entice re-readings. Derrick DeMay, Oakland PL
Yaccarino, Dan. Lawn to Lawn
Dan Yaccarino, Illus.
Pic. Bk.
Knopf, 2010. [36]p. $17.99 978-0-375-85574-0,
PLB $20.99 978-0-375-95574-7
ADDITIONAL
GRADES PRE-1
Four lawn ornaments, brought to life by the love of little Pearl, are
left standing when her family moves. Finding a map, they decide to
make the long trip to the new home on their own. The flamingo, deer,
gnome, and jockey have to be careful to avoid the ever-threatening
garbage truck, because “Some people didn’t love lawn ornaments
the way Pearl did.” They also have to be careful that no one else
sees them, because no one but their own Pearl knows that they are
212
alive. Buy this for the illustrations, which far outshine the plot.
Done in gouache on Arches watercolor paper, they include many
icons of cross-country road trips: Bob’s Big Boy, Paul Bunyan
and Babe the Blue Ox, and the New York Public Library Lions
are among other roadside American images. Their happy reunion
with Pearl will satisfy any child that develops an interest in these
characters.
Laurie Willhalm, Oakland PL
Yolen, Jane. All Star! Honus Wagner and the
Most Famous Baseball Card Ever
Jim Burke, Illus.
Non-fic.
Philomel, 2010. [36]p. $17.99 978-0-399-24661-6
HIGH ADDITIONAL
GRADES 2-5
The title may lead one to believe this is a story of a baseball card,
when it is actually an engaging picture book biography of Honus
Wagner, with only one page on his rare (and now multi-milliondollar) baseball card. Told in free unrhyming verse, Wagner’s life
was relatively dramatic, so the story is compelling without the verse
becoming sing-song-like: “In 1909 the Pirates made the World
Series against the Detroit Tigers and won seven games. Honus set
two records with his odd windmilling run and his strangely bowed
legs that looked like a large parenthesis.” The soft earth-tone oil
paintings have movement and make Wagner appear as if he was a
character from a tall tale. The artist’s note on his research, and the
endpapers with photos of memorabilia, add interest. Penny Peck, San Leandro PL
Index
All Star! Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball
Card Ever 212
Ashes ‡ 202
Bases Loaded 201
Batboy 203
Black Magic 200
Blue Shoe: A Tale of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery, and Shoes 209
Boom Boom Go Away! 197
Boy Had a Mother Who Bought Him a Hat ‡ 201
Cat the Cat, Who Is That? 210
City of Cannibals 209
Coyote Solstice Tale 201
Crunch ‡ 195
Daniel and the Siege of Boston 1776 194
Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin 193
Deadlies: Felix Takes the Stage 202
Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems About Love 205
Do Animals Work Together? 194
Don’t Spill the Beans! 207
Earth: Feeling the Heat 197
Easter Egg ‡ 194
Enchanted Glass 200
Eragon’s Guide to Alagaesia 205
May, 2010
Erroll 208
Every Bone Tells a Story: Hominin Discoveries, Deductions,
and Debates ‡ 207
Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse 200
Extraordinary Everglades 195
FDR’s Alphabet Soup: New Deal America, 1932-1939 193
Feivel’s Flying Horses 199
Ferocious Wild Beasts 211
Field Trip Day 206
Fiesta Babies 209
Forever Friends 192
Global Warming 208
Grand 201
Great Alaska Adventure 195
Heart and the Bottle 200
Hidden Boy 193
Hip Hop Dog ‡ 206
Hip-Pocket Papa ‡ 204
I Like to Play 201
Inside Tree 209
Jelly Beans and the Big Book Bonanza 205
Lawn to Lawn 211
Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly 210
Leveled by an Earthquake! 206
Lockdown 205
Love Puppies and Corner Kicks 201
Mary Mae and the Gospel Truth 196
Max Cassidy: Escape from Shadow Island 191
Me and Death: An Afterlife Adventure 208
Meanwhile 208
Meeting 203
Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium 191
My Friends the Flowers 202
My Garden ‡ 198
My Heart Is Like a Zoo 198
My Shoes and I 202
Mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle 192
Nest, Nook, and Cranny 193
Northward to the Moon 199
Only One Year 194
Ooh La La Polka-Dot Boots 205
Our Farm: By the Animals of Farm Sanctuary 197
Out of My Mind ‡ 196
Paper Daughter 199
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes 203
Pharoah’s Secret 205
Pika: Life in the Rocks ‡ 193
Popularity Papers 199
Porky and Bess 210
Red Kangaroo: The World’s Largest Marsupial 203
Roly Poly Pangolin 195
Rufus and Friends: School Days 210
Sally’s Great Balloon Adventure 199
Shake, Rattle, and Turn That Noise Down: How Elvis
Shook Up Music, Me, and Mom 209
BayViews
Sixty-eight Rooms 204
Smile! 198
Sonia Sotomayor: First Hispanic U.S. Supreme
Court Justice 204
Space Between Trees 210
Split 192
Spy in the House 203
Sunday Is for God 204
Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme 196
That’s Life, Samara Brooks 196
They Never Came Back 195
This World We Live In 206
To Come and Go Like Magic 197
Topsy-Turvy Town 204
Tortilla Sun 194
Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet 196
Tutus Aren’t My Style 208
Very Big Bunny 207
Very Little Princess 192
Weekend Mischief 200
Wendel’s Workshop 207
Which Way? 200
Whistle Bright Magic: A Nutfolk Tale 210
Who’s Awake in Springtime? 197
Wonder Book 207
Woods Runner ‡ 206
Zonk and the Secret Lagoon 198
BayViews
is published 11
times a year by the
Association
of Children’s
Librarians
of
Northern
California
P. O. Box 12471
Berkeley, CA 94712
for membership inquiries
call
Lucy Meinhardt
[email protected]
925-754-6008
Desktop Publishing
by
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510-547-0489
213
214
May, 2010
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BayNews
215
May, 2010 vol. 18 no. 8
BayViews
Articles and features of interest to children’s librarians
The Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California
NEWS & NOTES
Mark Your
Calendar
Annual Bay Area Storytelling Festival
May 22-23 are the dates of the 25th Annual Bay Area Storytelling Festival being held at Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area in El Sobrante, California. Aside from the featured
stage storytelling performances, there will be workshops, a kids’
concert, story swaps, and a variety of musical performances. Featured tellers include Willy Clafin, Ben Haggarty, Syd
Lieberman, Diane Ferlatte, Connie Regan-Blake, and Kealoha.
For more information, prices, and registration, go to www.bayareastorytelling.org or call 510-869-4946.
Newbery Medalist Sid Fleischman Dies
Author Sid Fleischman died March 17 in his home in Santa
Monica, California, at the age of 90. Fleischman won the Newbery Medal in 1987 for his novel The Whipping Boy and wrote
more than 50 books for children, as well as screenplays and adult
fiction and non-fiction. His first children’s book, Mr. Mysterious
and Company, was published in 1962, and his most recent was
The Dream Stealer (Greenwillow, 2009). Fleischman was a National Book Award finalist in 1979 for Humbug Mountain. He
also received a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and was a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Fleischman’s biographies for children—The Trouble Begins
at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West and Escape!
✍
Upcoming Events for Children’s Librarians
May 22-23, 2010
Bay Area Storytelling Fest
El Sobrante, CA 94803
www.bayareastorytelling.org
Fri., June 11, 2010
ACL Meeting
9 a.m.
Oakland Public Library
June 24-29, 2010
ALA Conference
Washington, D.C.
www.ala.org
Fri., July 9, 2010
ACL Meeting
9 a.m.
Oakland Public Library
The Story of the Great Houdini—also drew acclaim; a third, Sir
Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World, will be published by Greenwillow in June.
Fleischman is survived by three children (including his son,
Paul, also a National Book Award finalist and Newbery Award
Medalist) and four grandchildren.
215
216
Preschool
Storytime Ideas
by Penny Peck
San Leandro Public Library
Here are some great ideas for a cookie-themed storytime,
many ideas coming from the PUBYAC listserv. A simple craft
would be decorating paper circles that are “cookies,” adding paper chocolate chips or raisins. Another favorite craft is to pre-cut
Gingerbread Men out of sandpaper (from a hardware store). Use
markers to add eyes, mouth, buttons, etc. Finally, rub a cinnamon
stick on the sandpaper, and the Gingerbread Man will smell like
cinnamon. You can even hang him in the car as a car freshener!
Cousins, Lucy. Maisy Makes Gingerbread.
Maisy the little white mouse makes gingerbread.
Goodman, Susan. All in Just One Cookie.
A simple nonfiction book, describing where the ingredients
for cookies come from.
Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang.
A math lesson is included in this fun story. Every time the
doorbell rang, more visitors came in to try the delicious
chocolate chip cookies.
Lass, Bonnie. Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?
The popular song done as a picture book.
Lin, Grace. Fortune Cookie Fortunes.
Do the fortunes in the fortune cookies come true? A nice
Asian-American cookie story.
Lindgren, Barbro. Sam’s Cookie.
Who will get the cookie—Sam or the dog?
Numeroff, Laura. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
The popular circular story about a mouse who wants milk if
given a cookie.
Seymour, Jane. Yum! A Tale of Two Cookies.
Two kittens wake up to join their parents on the beach to
share cookies.
Shulman, Lisa. The Moon Might Be Milk.
A girl asks the animals what the moon is made of.
Various. The Gingerbread Man.
The classic story will have the audience calling out the
repeated phrase: “Run, run, as fast as you can!”
May, 2010
Wellington, Monica. Mr. Cookie Baker.
A very brief but engaging story about the man who bakes
the cookies.
Flannelboard
Five ginger cookies lying on a tray
One jumped up and flew away. (Take away the butterfly)
Four ginger cookies lying on a tray
One jumped up and hopped away. (Take away the frog)
Three ginger cookies lying on a tray
One jumped up and swam away. (Take away the fish)
Two ginger cookies lying on a tray
One jumped up and hopped away (Take away the rabbit)
One ginger cookie lying on a tray
He jumped up and flew away (Take away the bird)
No ginger cookies lying on a tray
I should have eaten them right away.
Fingerplay
Five little cookies, with frosting galore
Mother ate the purple one, then there were four.
Four little cookies, two and two, you see,
Father ate the green one, then there were three.
Three little cookies, but before I knew,
Sister at the blue one, then there were two.
Two little cookies, oh, what fun!
Brother ate the orange one, then there was one.
One little cookie, watch me run!
I ate the red one, then there were none.
Stripes
If you are looking for themes that are new, how about reading
books on stripes or spots? Both themes can relate to learning the
concept of shapes, an important kindergarten readiness skill. For
a Stripes craft, you can make paperbag puppets of striped animals,
such as skunks, zebras or tigers.
Baker, Keith. Who Is the Beast?
Tiger shows the other animals what they all have in common.
Bruchac, David. How Chipmunk Got His Stripes.
Bear and Squirrel argue over who can stop the sunrise, Bear
claws Squirrel, and he becomes a Chipmunk with stripes on
his back.
Henkes, Kevin. Sheila Rae’s Peppermint Stick.
Sheila Rae doesn’t want to share her candy.
Kasza, Keiko. The Rat and the Tiger.
Tiger is not very good at sharing until Rat shows him how.
BayViews
Shannon, David. A Bad Case of Stripes.
One day, Camilla wakes up with colored stripes all over!
Spots
For a spots theme, there are fewer animals than for the stripes
theme, but you could include leopards and cheetahs. For a craft,
you could make ladybugs out of red paper circles and round black
stickers.
Hill, Eric. Spot the Dog series.
Many children will know this bright yellow dog because the
books have inspired a television series.
Hoban, Tana. Dots, Spots, Speckles, and Stripes.
Photos depict the concepts mentioned in the title.
Knutson, Barbara. How the Guinea Fowl Got Her Spots.
A
SwahiliAND
folktale
explains how Guinea Fowl got her spots
NEWS
NOTES
so she can elude the lion.
25th Annual Bay Area Storytelling
Festival:
22
Lopshire,
Robert.
Put Me inMay
the Zoo.
&this
23,classic
2010 easy
are the
dates
of creature learns he has
In
reader,
a spotted
talent
for the
circus. Bay Area
the 25th
Annual
Storytelling Festival, being
Reidy, Jean. Too Purpley.
held at Kennedy Grove Re A little girl doesn’t like any of the clothes she tries on,
gional Recreation
El and “too dotty.”
including
some that areArea
“too in
stripey”
Sobrante, California. Aside
Tafuri,
Spots, Feathers,
and Curly Tails.
forNancy.
the featured
stage storytell
Guess the farm animals in this simple and fun story.
Contributions Welcome
Send all contributions for BayNews to Penny Peck, San
Leandro Public Library, 300 Estudillo Avenue, San Leandro,
CA 94577. If you have a suggestion, a letter to the editor, an
interesting article of interest to ACL members or children’s
librarians, contact Penny. Be a participant, earn a byline, read
about yourself and your colleagues right here each month.
217
Board Book
Highlights
Last issue we had our usual “Spring Board Book Round-up.”
Here are a few titles that came in after we went to press which you
might want to purchase:
Board Book Series
Stickland, Paul and Henrietta. Dinosaur board books series.
Sterling, 2009. $5.95 each:
Dinosaur Colors, ISBN 9781402764806.
Dinosaur Shapes, ISBN 978140276586.
The Sticklands have produced several popular dinosaur picture books, including Dinosaur Stomp! Ten Terrible Dinosaurs,
and Dinosaur Roar! They use several of their popular dinosaur
characters in these two colorful board books that teach shapes and
colors. The cartoon dinosaurs are not too scary for toddlers, and
the brief text often consists just of the word for a color or shape,
with a sentence at the end of each book. The artwork, set on white
backgrounds, makes it very easy to pick out the color or shape
being discussed, so these are very good learning tools and should
please dinosaur fans.
Lin, Chris. Mandy and Pandy series. Illus. by Ingrid Villalta.
Mandy and Pandy LLC 2007-2008. $12.95 each, with CD in
each book:
Mandy and Pandy Visit China, ISBN 9780980015621.
Mandy and Pandy Play “Let’s Count,” ISBN 9780980015614.
Mandy and Pandy Play Sports, ISBN 9780980015638.
Mandy and Pandy Say “Ni Hao Ma?” ISBN 9780980015607.
For those of us with Mandarin-speaking families, these board
books will serve both toddlers and preschoolers. The texts are in
English, Chinese, and Pin Yin (the English phonetic spelling of
the Mandarin words). The CD reads the story out loud in English
and in Chinese, which will help those learning either language
with the proper pronunciations. Each story features Mandy, a
Chinese-American preschooler and Pandy the Panda bear. The
cartoon illustrations are colorful and clear, depicting what the text
is describing. These can also serve as easy readers for those learning English or Mandarin.
Gunzi, Christiane. Who’s Hiding? series. Illus. by Paul Calver.
Barron’s, 2010. $5.99 each:
Who’s Hiding? At the Beach, ISBN 978076416316.
Who’s Hiding? On the Farm, ISBN 9780764163142.
Who’s Hiding? In the Garden, ISBN 9780764163159.
Who’s Hiding? In the House, ISBN 9780764163173.
218
In these colorful photo-collage board books, each opening
has a hinged page on the right that opens to reveal “Who’s Hiding.” Because the flap is also made of the cardboard, these should
be quite sturdy and hold up to library circulation. Each book asks
the reader to count the hidden items, such as five butterflies or
four kittens. Photos of common household items or animals are
set on brightly colored backgrounds to make it easy to count the
items. In each book, the final hidden item is a mylar mirror, so
the toddler can see himself. Sure to be popular, these are a great
combination of concept book and format for the toddler audience.
Pancakes
Board Books That Originated as Picture Books
Food is always a popular theme for storytime
whether
it is cookies,
pizza,
or ABC.
ice cream!
O’Keefe, Susan
H. Hungry
Monster
Illus. bySpecial
Lynn Munthanks
to
Katherine
Loeser
of
the
Glendale
Public
singer. Little Brown, 2009. $6.99. ISBN 9780316016674.
Library for many of these ideas on a Pancake-themed
storytime.
OriginallyLook
published
as a“Pancakes”
picture booksong
in 2007,
this alphafor the
at: http://
bet book features Lynn Munsinger’s delightful cartoon monsters.
www.kididdles.com/lyrics/p047.html
One distinguishing factor is the die-cut “bite” taken out of the
And
a craft
try:rhyming story, 10 monsters learn the
cornerfor
of the
book.idea,
In the
http://www.mousecookiebooks.com/activities/pdfs/
alphabet with common words like “apple” and “book.” The story
seems
better suited to preschoolers
andan
noteasy
toddlers,
so featuring
the picture
findpigspancake.pdf
which has
maze
book
version
is
preferable.
Also,
the
details
in
the
illustrations
the character from If You Give a Pig a Pancake. Or, are
quite small in the board book edition.
check out some of the craft ideas here: http://www.
activityvillage.co.uk/pancake_day.htm
MEDIA CONNECTIONS
Carle, Eric. Pancakes, Pancakes!
Kinney, Jeff. The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary: How Greg Heffley
Jack makes pancakes from scratch, including cutWent Hollywood. Amulet, 2010. $14.95.
ting
grinding the wheat into flour.
ISBNand
978-0-8109-9616-8.
Although this
is the Mama
same size
as one ofPancakes.
Kinney’s Wimpy Kid
Chamberlin,
Mary.
Panya’s
novels,
this
is
actually
a
non-fiction
account
of how
the books
Set in Kenya, Mama tries to stretch her
ingredients
were turned into a feature film. Filled with color photos of the acso she can make pancakes for everyone.
tors, on-set action, and stills from the film, the text is in the same
hand-lettered format as the novels, too. Libraries are most likely
DePaola,
Tomie.
Pancakes
for where
Breakfast.
to shelve this
in the J791.43
section,
the books on film are
kept,
readers
will tries
need to
led topancakes,
this.
Ansoold
woman
tobemake
but is short
The
book
begins
with
an
autobiographical
sketch
on ingredients, and her pets get in the way. of the main
character Greg Heffley and the actor who plays him. Then the
book describes how the director, main cast members, and other
Fearnley,
Pancakes.
participants Jan.
in the Mr.
film Wolf’s
were chosen.
Fans will get an idea of how
In this
of “Little
Red Hen,”
asks
a film
getsvariant
made without
too much
detail toMr.
turnWolf
off the
young
reader.
For example,
we hear
costumes
were After
chosenthey
to be
his
neighbors
to help
him how
make
pancakes.
true
to
the
characters
and
how
props
were
made
to
look
approprirefuse, will Mr. Wolf share the pancakes?
ate for a middle school setting. We even find out that the cheese
in the film version is not real cheese, but synthetic and “aged” for
Isaacs,
Anne.
Pancakes
the “cheese
touch”
moment infor
theSupper!
film.
thisnumber
variantofof
“Little
Black
Sambo,”
girl
trades
InThe
color
photos
and the
inclusiona of
many
cartoon drawings
really
addfrom
interest.
clothing
to get
away
wildUnfortunately,
animals. the film was
not a hit, so there may not be much interest in this “making of”
account, even though this book is well made.
Jacobs, Joseph. Johnny Cake.
In this variant of “The Gingerbread Man,” a Johnny
cake avoids being eaten until he meets a fox.
May, 2010
News & Notes con’t
Children’s Choice Book Awards
The Children’s Choice Book Awards, the only national award
chosen by children, were presented by the Children’s Book Council in a ceremony May 11 in New York City, hosted by Mo Willems. The winners were: for Kindergarten to Second Grade Book
of the Year, Lulu the Big Little Chick by Paulette Bogan (Bloomsbury); for Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year, Lunch
Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf);
for Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year, Dork Diaries:
Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell
(Aladdin); and for Teen Choice Book of the Year, Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press). Little, Brown won both
top honors at the ceremony: James Patterson was chosen Author
of the Year for Max (A Maximum Ride Novel), and Peter Brown
was named Illustrator of the Year for The Curious Garden.
Beezus and Ramona To Be Film
Libraries may want to stock extra copies of Beverly Cleary’s
Ramona books in anticipation of the film “Ramona and Beezus,”
out July 23. Although the movie title bills Ramona first, the book
series should be easy for kids to find who want to read it before
or after seeing the film. It stars teen actress Selena Gomez as
Beezus.
Linden Tree Has New Owners
Best wishes to Dianne Edmonds and Jill Curcio, the new
owners of independent children’s bookstore Linden Tree (www.
lindentreebooks.com). They took over the store, which is located
in Los Altos, in May. Special thanks and good luck to former
owners Dennis and Linda Ronberg who founded the shop 25
years ago. Dennis and Linda were ACL members and often were
our booksellers at the ACL Institute.
Hans Chrisian Andersen Award Announced
The International Board on Books for Young People has just
announced that author David Almond (UK) and illustrator Jutta
Bauer (Germany) are the winners of the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award!
Beatty Award Winner Presented
The California Library Association announces Operation
Redwood by S. Terrell French as the winner of the 2010 John and
Patricia Beatty Award. Since 1989, the Beatty Award annually
honors an author of a distinguished book for children or young
adults that best promotes an awareness of California and its people.
BayViews
pervisor at the Arcadia Public Library. “French vividly recreates
rural California and the redwoods while also providing plucky,
interesting, and memorable characters.”
Operation Redwood’s author, S. Terrell French, is an environmental lawyer who grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and
attended Harvard College as well as UC Berkeley Boalt Hall
School of Law. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and
three children, and this is her first novel.
This year’s Beatty Award winner was selected unanimously by
the CLA Beatty Award committee from a large list of submissions
published in 2009. For more information about this year’s winner,
please visit www.operationredwood.com.
Addams Children’s Book Awards Posted
On the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, the 2010 Jane Addams
Children’s Book Committee announces the following award winners and honor books. The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award
is given annually to books that engage children in thinking about
peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of all
sexes and races. For more information, go to the Jane Addams
Peace Association website, www.janeaddamspeace.org.
Winner, Books for Younger Children: Nasreen’s Secret
School: A True Story from Afghanistan, written and illustrated
by Jeanette Winter, Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon &
Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.
Winner, Books for Older Children: Marching for Freedom:
Walk Together, Children, and Don’t You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge, Viking, Penguin Young Readers Group.
Honor Books, Books for Younger Children: Sojourner Truth’s
Step, Stomp, Stride, by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney,
published by Disney/Jump at the Sun Books.
You and Me and Home Sweet Home by George Ella Lyon and
Stephanie Anderson, Richard Jackson Book/Atheneum Books for
Young Readers.
Honor Books, Books for Older Children: Almost Astronauts: 13
Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone, published by
Candlewick Press.
Claudette Colvin by Phillip Hoose, published by Melanie
Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan
Children’s Publishing Group.
Patricia Lauber Dies
Patricia Lauber, a well-known author of children’s books,
died at her home in New Canaan on March 12. She was 86 and
wife of the late Russell Frost III. She is survived by her sister
Nancy E. Lauber of Little Egg Harbor, N.J. She wrote more than
125 books for young readers, many of them in the field of science.
She was committed to the belief that non-scientists should be literate in science and tried in her books to make the ideas of science
accessible and interesting. Reviewers often cited her clarity and
219
s strong narrative drive. Her subjects ranged from earthworms
to earthquakes to Earth as seen from space, to ecological niches. Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens was
a Newbery Honor Book. Her work has also been honored by,
among others, The New York Academy of Sciences, The American Nature Society, The Washington Post Children’s Book Guild,
Central Missouri State University, the Kerlan Collection, the National Forum on Children’s Science Books at Carnegie Mellon,
the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She
was
the Treasury
recipient ofof
theClassic
Wellesley
College Alumnae
AchieveThealso
Toon
Children’s
Comics,
ment
Award.
edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly.
Abrams, 2009. $40. ISBN 9780810957305.
Children’s Book Illustrator Dies at 74
$40,Schoenherr,
this is probably
aimed
more at the
adult who
AtJohn
a Caldecott
Medal-winning
illustrator
for a half century
produced painterly,
detailed
images
audience
than children,
but bothexquisitely
groups will
enjoy
of
creatures
from
this
world
and
others,
died
on
April
8.
He
the collection of color comic book stories. Classic was
74
and lived such
in Delaware
Township,
NJ. His death,
a hospital
characters
as Dennis
the Menace,
LittleinLulu,
in Easton, PA, was from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
Donald
Duck,
his son, Ian,
said. and others may only be familiar to
Baby
Boomers,
but kids
appreciate
them just
as
A highly regarded
naturewill
artist,
Mr. Schoenherr
illustrated
more than
40 children’s titles. He won a Caldecott Medal in 1988
comic
books.
forThe
Owlintroduction
Moon (Philomel,
text by Janeauthor
Yolen),ofthe
story of
by 1987;
Jon Scieszka,
several
ahumorous
father and daughter
who
go
looking
for
owls
on
a
cold
winter’s
picture books, points out that these comnight. Presented annually by the American Library Association,
ics
are funny
nobest
superheroes
Hepeople.
was
the medal
honors–the
illustrationsare
in a included.
book for young
surprised
that
Scrooge
McDuck,
the
Disney
character,
Mr. Schoenherr had a parallel, equally prominent career as
a science-fiction
He washethe
first artist
depict the
turned
out to beillustrator.
the selection
enjoyed
thetomost.
world
of
Frank
Herbert’s
Dune
stories,
with
its
vast
windswept
The editors also present an introduction, pointing
deserts
and
huge menacing
sandworms.
Mr. Schoenherr
out that
comics
were often
banned.In 1965,
But they
also note
won a Hugo Award, presented by the World Science Fiction Sothat
some
the which
biggest
com-in
ciety,currently,
for his artwork
forof
Dune,
firstsupporters
appeared asof
a serial
ics
are
librarians,
who
stock
graphic
novels
and
other
Analog.
Mr.of
Schoenherr’s
first children’s book illustrations were for
forms
cartoon books.
Rascal:
A
Memoir
of
Better down
Era (Dutton,
1963), by groupSterling
The collection is abroken
into chapters,
North,
about
a
raccoon.
His
art
for
children
centered
often
on the
ing the comics by type: “Hey, Kids!” features charnatural world and in particular on mammals. Mr. Schoenherr was
acters
such
as Dennis
theallMenace
Little
Lulu,
especially
partial
to bears in
their darkand
brown
density.
“Funny
Animals”
includes
Pogo
and
Uncle
Wiggily,
His other children’s titles include Julie of the Wolves (Harper
& Row, 1972), which
won aseveral
Newberyfairy
Medal
for spoofs,
its author,
Jean
“Fantasyland”
includes
tale
“StoCraighead
George;
and
several
he
wrote
himself,
among
them
rytime” features the genius satire of Captain Marvel
The
Barn
(Little,
Brown, 1968)and
and Bear
(Philomel,
1991).
in the
land
of Surrealism,
“Weird
and Wacky,”
Besides his son Ian, who is also a well-known children’s
abook
wealth
of theMr.
unusual
which
concludes
with
Dr.
illustrator,
Schoenherr
is survived
by his
wife,
the forSeuss’s
“Gerald
McBoing
Boing.”
mer Judith Gray, whom he married in 1960; a daughter, Jennifer
Schoenherr
three cartoons
grandchildren;
andmid-1940’s,
two great-grandchilJust likeAiello;
animated
of the
there
dren.
are a few illustrations that seem stereotypical. For
example, in one of the Scrooge McDuck selections,
he is in China. Those ducks are a deep yellow, with
slanted eyes, but they don’t use a dialect so that is a
saving grace. Some of the adult characters are shown
smoking cigarettes, but many young people who read
old comics realize these outdated images are repre-
220
Patricia Wrightson Dies at 88
Patricia Wrightson, the internationally acclaimed Australian
children’s author who attracted praise—and then criticism—for
entwining Aboriginal mythology into her writing, has died at age
88.
In 1986, Wrightson was awarded the biennial Hans Christian
Andersen Medal, the highest accolade for a writer of children’s
fiction, given by the Swiss-based International Board on Books
for Young People for an author’s body of work.
Maurice Saxby, author of History of Australian Children’s
Literature, described Wrightson and Ivan Southall, who died in
2008, as the pioneers of modern Australian children’s literature.
“Her contribution was immense,” he said.
The four-time winner of Australia’s top award for children’s
literature was born on a farm near the New South Wales town of
Lismore in 1921. She moved to Sydney to work in a munitions
factory during WW II. She wrote the first of her 27 books, The
Crooked Snake, by watching her children’s reaction to pages read
by her father as soon as they were typed. That book was named
the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year in
1956. She first found large audiences in the United States and
Britain with her 1968 book A Racecourse for Andy, which was
published in Australia under the title I Own the Racecourse! Her
books have been published in 16 languages.
Program Ideas
Star Wars Program
Here are several ideas that were offered on the PUBYAC
Listserv from libraries that have held programs based on the popular Star Wars films.
See if you can schedule a visit from the local members of the
501st Legion (the bad guys) and the Rebel Legion (good guys) in
full costume! Check it out--members do not charge to visit libraries: http://www.501st.com/
http://www.rebellegion.com/
You could also publicize a costume contest, so most of the
attendees will dress as their favorite characters.
Craft Ideas: Try http://www.spacejr.com/star-wars-printablecrafts-and-coloring-pages/ or
www.starwars.com/kids/activity/crafts/f20041210/index.html
Light Sabers: They were made of a cardboard roll over a long balloon (the variety used for making balloon animals). The kids had
a wonderful time fighting each other and the stormtroopers. Since
they were using balloons, no one could get hurt.
Games: Pin the face on Yoda or another character.
May, 2010
Super Breath Contest: Kids blow paper airplanes they make
across a table.
Meteor Throwing Contest: Foil-covered balls.
Refreshments: Look at the Star Wars Party Book: Recipes and
Ideas for Galactic Occasions by Mikyla Bruder or The Star Wars
Cookbook: Wookiee cookies and other galactic recipes by Robin
Davis.
Star Wars Trivia: www.mcs.drexel.edu/~ucspear/esb_trivia.html
Free Play: Buy some Star Wars Legos and have a free play area,
monitored by teen volunteers so the Legos don’t disappear.
BayViews
221
ACL Minutes
14 May 2010
Oakland Public Library, Main Branch
The meeting was called to order by Penny Peck at 9:11 a.m. Celia Jackson and Michael Kwende are here for
the first time today. Book review started at 9:13 a.m. and went until 10:00 a.m.
Distinguished was chaired by Eric Barbus and Kathy Shepler from 10:28 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.
Break and book sale went from 10:45 a.m. until 11:03 a.m. The business meeting was convened at 11:03 a.m. MaryAnn moved to approve the minutes, and they were
approved.
Treasurer’s report - Sherry is in Ashland. Her report is as follows: “We have $7,142.27. The Dorothy
Helfeld Scholarship fund has $2,825.68. Next month I’ll be able to report on the Institute.” Also, Elizabeth
reported that we just got a $1,000 check for the Dorothy Helfeld fund.
Distinguished - Eric asked whether everyone got their Distinguished booklist in the mail. If anyone didn’t,
please contact Penny Peck.
Performers’ Showcase - Elizabeth suggested the following idea: returning performers are unable to perform,
but they want to come and meet us. In the past few years, Armin and Elizabeth have been discouraging them
from coming because there are so many returning performers. But Elizabeth and Armin thought we could get
a venue where the performers could come and mingle with us, if we charged performers $10.00 - $15.00 to
participate. Elizabeth would like to have a discussion about this next month. It would be a modest amount of
money for the performers, but they benefit financially by participation in the Showcase. On the other hand,
it would make the Showcase a bigger job for Elizabeth and Armin. Elizabeth will put this proposal on the
listserv. Elizabeth informed all of the performers from the past five years about the Big Box database (from the
Peninsula Library system - see http://www.bigboxprogram.org/ ). it would be helpful if ACL members who
have hired these performers would log on the database and post about them. The reviews cannot be seen by
performers.
Institute - Congratulations and thanks for Kathy Haug and everyone who helped her for a fabulous Institute!
Jetsons/Yahoo/Wiki/Web - None.
Membership - Lucy sent the following: “Here is a membership report: After today’s meeting the membership
database will be completely updated. Next month I shall report on our total membership numbers. It is
currently about 123, but there are 13 members who haven’t responded to reminders to renew.”
Editorial - Laurie had a question: are we supposed to send Nancy single-spaced or double-spaced reviews? Double-spaced, always.
222
May, 2010
Book Review Committee - Miriam has been helping Amy to assign, as well as doing the unpacking of ACL
books. Lots of extras, if anyone wants them to review. Amy has checklists, if any new members would like to
fill one in. New members can be connected with mentors for their first few books of reviewing. Here’s how to access the BWI database of ACL review books:
• Go to http://www.bwibooks.com At the top right, type in the login (aclreviewer) and the password
(book).
• Below that, there’s an option for “Your lists,” which allows you to select a list of books reviewed in any
given month.
Old Business: No new business.
New Business: We need to appoint a Nominating Committee, which would look for a Secretary, Treasurer, and
Vice-President/President-Elect. Martha, Amy and and Penny will do this, and present their findings in June.
Announcements: Hayley has the sequel to Incarceron, which she bought in London. Would anyone like to read
it?
Senior Librarian job recruitment for Oakland PL. Tamar Kirschner will be the Collection Development librarian in Oakland. Welcome!
Pat Toney is graduating next week.
Humbug Witch: Helen had one, but it got solved.
Job Openings: [crickets]
Book Review reconvened at 11:23 a.m., and ended at 12:01 p.m..
Distinguished convened again from 12:01 p.m. until 12:10 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 p.m.