node_id int64 0 76.9k | label int64 0 39 | text stringlengths 13 124k | neighbors listlengths 0 3.32k | mask stringclasses 4
values |
|---|---|---|---|---|
13,400 | 2 | This is KATY KELLY's third books in the Melonhead series.1THE G FOR LI slid down the banister, raced through the hall and around the dining room table, and hit the swinging kitchen door with both arms out. I go for maximum bounce-back.Whoops, sorry, Dad! I didnt know you were there, I said.My mom was bent over with her head in the fridge. So all I could see was her bottom half. All she could see of me was nothing.Go back upstairs and brush your teeth, she said.Im on vacation, I said.Personal grooming does not get summers off, she said.She is psychic about hygiene.Once I eat breakfast theyll be dirty all over again. The next thing you know, its lunch.And the next thing you know, youll have so many cavities your teeth will look like Swiss cheese, she said. Go brush.Sam and I are going to the FBI, I explained.My mom popped up. She forgot the freezer door was open. Thats hard on a head. Believe me. I know.Adam, she said. Come here.Shes practically the only one who calls me that. It beats her other name for me, which is Darling Boy. Im trying to get her to stop saying DB in front of people. Its not going well. Getting her to call me by my usual name of Melonhead is hopeless.She used the refrigerator sponge to wipe the dried-up crud off my navy blue Federal Bureau of Investigation Tshirt. It came from a street vendor.Dont wash my Junior Special Agent badge, I said.My badge came from the FBI. It is one hundred percent real.Teeth, she said.How about I brush twice tonight? I asked her.My dad was at the table, doodling with one hand and rubbing his head with the other. Get going, Sport.Dad, youre the one who said I should be a Man of My Word. My word to Sam was See you at eight-thirty a.m.He smiled.Mom, I said. Its rude to keep my best friend waiting. And youre the anti-rudest person in Washington, D.C.Her eyebrows jumped up. Bouncing eyebrows mean that she is fed up.Im going, I said.Brush until youve counted to one hundred in your head, my mom said.To save time I counted by twos.When I came back down my dad was burning his fingers getting my bagel, egg, and double ketchup sandwich out of the microwave.Ill eat it while I walk to the Alswangs, I said.We need to have a family conversation before I leave for the airport, my dad said.We have a talk every time he goes to Florida. We used to live there before we moved to Washington, D.C., for my dads job that keeps sending him on trips to Florida.He likes to discuss Things That Should Not Happen while hes away. My moms topic is usually Things That Have Gone Wrong in the Past. Then my dad says Ive learned from my mistakes. My mom says she hopes so.Sometimes its impossible to know if a thing is a mistake until Im in a situation, I explained. Sometimes I dont know Im in a situation until somebody tells Mom and she tells me. Sam has the same problem.The neighbors say that too, my mom said.Pop says Sam and I are proof of great minds thinking alike, I said.Pop is our good old friend. I mean old like between sixty and seventy and also old like a long time. We met when I moved here, two and a half years ago, which is one quarter of my life.Just check the RemindORama before you do anything, my mom said.She invented the RemindO to improve my judgment.It doesnt work, I told her.Which is why Im introducing the New and Improved, Easy-to-Master, Fun-to-Follow Melon Family Guidelines for Life, my dad said. Instead of telling you what not to do. He handed me his doodled-on napkin.Read out loud so I can hear, my mom said.1. Think About Cause and Effect. 2. Plan Ahead. 3. Consider Consequences. 4. When in Doubt, Ask an Adult. 5. If You Do Something Wrong, Make It Right. 6. Take Personal Responsibility. 7. Honesty Is the Only Policy. 8. Remember the Ways of Ladies. 9. Think of Others.My mom was so excited she swallowed a hunk of peach whole.I will create a Guidelines for Life poster for the kitchen, she said.Making posters about behavior is her hobby.Sport? my dad asked.Dont you worry, I said. These G for Ls are so simple a worm could do them.He smiled and stirred up my hair with his fingers.You can break a Guideline if its an emergency, right? I asked.An emergency? he said.Like if Sam and I have to rescue a baby, I said.It is rare that a baby needs rescuing, he said.But if a baby is dangling from a windowsill, I should reel it in, right, Dad?Right, he said. All rules are suspended for dangling babies.Or if a two-year-old is crawling on the Southwest Freeway, I should save it, I said.Absolutely, he said.Letting a baby crawl on a freeway is what I call careless parenting, my mom said.What if somebody is getting pecked in the head by wild pigeons? I asked. Do I ask an adult before I chase the birds away? What if its an adult getting pecked? Can that adult give permission?Sport, my dad said. Have you ever seen a flock of attack pigeons on Capitol Hill?Ive seen bats, I said.Attack bats? he asked.They could have been, I said.Wild pigeons pecking would be a case of act first, ask later, my dad said. The same goes for bat attacks.There was banging on the back-door window.Melonhead! You were supposed to come get me, Sam yelled.Leave your skateboard on the porch and come in, my mom said.Sam, my Junior Gman, my dad said. Im off to Pensacola for a few days. Im counting on you to help your pal follow the new Melon Family Guidelines for Life while Im gone.Count away, Sam said. We wont bring anything thats disgusting, muddy, or alive into the house.You are reading Mrs. Melons mind, my dad said.Part of my mind, she said. The other part is thinking about last months Superior Sound Machine experiment.Remember what Dad said, I told her. The guy who invented omelets had to break lots of eggs.I hope you dont have to break any more dryers, she said.I dont think we will, Sam told her.You have to admit spinning rocks sound like dinosaurs destroying New York, I said.To be safe, lets say no using appliances while Im gone, my dad said.Even my electric toothbrush? I asked.You can use that, he said. But only on teeth.Deal, Sam said.His teeth, my mom said.Mom, I said. You can relax like an old dog. Everything we are doing today is not troublesome.Terrific, my dad said. I hope your next tour of the FBI is as interesting as the first one.It will be, I said. Its the same tour every time.Youre loyal visitors, my mom said. They should promote you from Junior Specials to Honorary Agents.That would be like getting fired, I said. Honoraries dont get to do actual agent stuff, like ride in speeding cars and chase crooks.My mom sucked in her breath. They let Junior Agents go on crook-chasing car chases? she said. Because that is one permission slip I will never sign!Panic makes her voice squeak.My dad smiled and squeezed my moms shoulder. Junior Agents dont get to go on car chases, Betty.Thats true, Sam said. We asked.I could tell my dad was holding back a laugh.Dont tease me for believing, my mom said. People let kids do dangerous things these days. Remember when your brother asked Adam if he wanted to go parasailing? What if I hadnt been there to say Not in This Lifetime?I would have gotten to parasail, thats what.My dads phone buzzed.My cabs out front, he said. Betty, lets have a smooch.They kissed. Sam says thats embarrassing. I agree.Ill miss you, my dad said.Well miss you more, my mom told him.They say the same mush every time he leaves.I call rolling your suitcase down the steps! I yelled.Go fast for maximum wheel bumps, Sam said.Of course, Horse, I said.The next thing that happened was a shock.Who knew a suitcase wheel could split in half? Sam said.Dont worry, Dad, I said. It still rolls. Only now its like smooth-bump-twist, smooth-bump-twist.Great, my dad said. Ill enjoy bump-twisting my way through the airports.Youre a fun-loving kind of adult, Mr. Melon, Sam said.My dad carried his suitcase by the handle.You know, its heavier that way, I said.I do know, my dad said.Then he jumped in the Diamond Taxi. Then he yelled through the window. Back in a flash.Thats another thing he always says.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Melonhead and the Undercover Operation | [
8457,
8459,
8467,
10214,
13412,
18165
] | Validation |
13,401 | 1 | Steve Farley is the son of Walter Farley, the man who created the Black Stallion and wrote twenty stories about the best-loved literary horse of all time. A freelance writer based in Manhattan, Steve travels frequently, especially to places where he can enjoy riding, diving, and surfing.1The BeachThe Black Stallion raced along the beach at the waters edge, spray flying from his hooves. Alec Ramsay pressed himself flat against his horses neck. Riding bareback, he was crouching high and tight and perfectly balanced, guiding the stallion with soft pressure from his hands and legs. Slowly he eased the Black out of his gallop, to a trot, and then a walk.Tossing his head, Alec sat up and flicked his red hair out of his eyes. Gray predawn light shone over the sand dunes on one side of him and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Out to sea a distant line of fog blurred the horizon where the ocean met the sky.This was nice, Alec thought. He took in another deep breath of sea air and blinked his tired eyes. Hed been up late last night and barely slept an hour before he and the Black left New Yorks Belmont Park at four oclock this morning. After an hours drive, he arrived at his friend Pete Murrays riding academy, located next to this wildlife refuge on the coast of Long Island. The reason for coming here was to pick up a yearling colt Pete wanted moved up to Hopeful Farm. Alec was vanning the Black back to the farm today, so hed offered to bring the chestnut-colored colt along with them. But when Pete realized he had misplaced some of the yearlings medical records, he suggested Alec take the Black for a ride on the beach. It would give them something to do while he searched through his files for the missing papers.Alec looked out to sea, letting his sleepy gaze drift away into the distance. The fog on the horizon was moving closer now. The wind was still. Just offshore a fishing boat motored west toward New York Harbor, trailed by a flock of seagulls.The weather was cool for early summer, cool enough to send a chill up Alecs back. His shirt was damp with sweat. Seawater dripped from his bare feet and calves. His blue jeans were rolled up to his calves, his shoes back at Petes stable with the Blacks saddle and bridle. Alec slid his hands gently over his horses neck, warming his chilled fingers in the pocket of warmth under the stallions mane.How long had it been since hed gone for a ride with the Black on the beach like this? Alec asked himself. More than a year at least. Yet somehow it seemed like only yesterday, comfortable and familiar. Alec wondered about that and decided the reason must be because riding on the beach always brought back memories of his first days with the Black, when they were shipwrecked together on a deserted island off the coast of Spain. How could he ever forget that time, his first wary encounters with the Black and their struggle for survival there?Much had changed since those magical days on the island and his first wild rides on the Black. He had changed. The Black had changed. They were both older now. The Black was a mature stallion, well into his teens, a legend at the racetrack and a proven sire of stakes-winning colts and fillies. Alec was a breeder of horses and a professional jockey with hundreds of rides under his belt. Yet the bond between them remained. It was something unique and difficult to describe, a sense of oneness that Alec felt with no other horse. Long ago hed given up trying to explain it to people, especially those caught up in the hard-boiled, twenty-four-hour, seven-day-a-week world of professional horse racing.Putting his attention back on his horse, Alec gave the Black a pat on the neck and urged the stallion forward. Ahead of them was a bend in the shoreline. The Black tossed his head, eager to run another mile or so. Easy, fella, Alec said, holding the Black to a walk. Were going to have to turn back pretty soon. Lets just see whats around this bend.The stallion skipped into motion. Alec gave the Black his head and moved with him, burying his face in the streaming mane. The world sped by in a blur, everything fluid around them, everything in motion. Alec bent himself against his horse and the Black carried him faster and faster, carrying him far away, carrying him all the way back to those first days on the island once again. . . .When Alec pulled the stallion up finally and turned to look out to sea, the sky seemed darker suddenly, despite the early-dawn light. At first he thought perhaps a storm was blowing in from somewhere. Then he realized the fog hed seen offshore earlier was much closer now, already sweeping over the rocky point and swallowing up the beach around him. The birds, the fishing boat and everything else out to sea were gone. Ocean and sky blended together into one great field of smoky gray. In seconds the low-hanging mist was so thick that Alec could hear but not see the waves as they washed up on the sand only a few yards away.We should head back before we get totally lost in this soup, Alec said, angry with himself for not paying more attention to the changing weather. The Black gave a snort as Alec turned him around and started back toward the point.As they rode along, Alec noticed that the blanket of fog brought with it a strange quiet. It softened the rumbling surf and the squeaky-wheel crying of the sea?gulls hovering overhead. Even the blowing of the Blacks breath, the swish of his tail, sounded far away now. The misty cushion of fog surrounding them was making Alec feel sleepier than ever.The Black seemed fascinated by the fog as he moved cautiously along, his ears pricked, his head held high. Alec had sense enough to know that the smart thing to do now was to take it easy and trust the Black to lead the way back. Okay, big guy, Alec said. Its up to you now. You get us back to Petes and Ill do my best not to fall asleep along the way.They walked another minute through the fog when suddenly Alec could feel the Black tensing up. Instinctively he snapped to attention just as the stallion bounced to a stop. Alec took up a double helping of mane in his fists. The Black threw his head, then rocked back on his hind legs.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: The Black Stallion and the Shape-shifter | [
3608,
12550,
12553,
13175,
13270,
13477,
13960,
15140,
15152,
15153,
26180,
26185,
26491,
26532,
26541
] | Train |
13,402 | 2 | Naomi Kleinberg is a childrens book editor and the author of many childrens books. She lives in New York City in an apartment so filled with books that theres barely enough room for her family. By odd coincidence, her favorite foodsapples, avocados, and arugulaall begin with the letter A.Christopher Moroney has illustrated many Sesame Street books, including the popular Sesame Beginnings series.; Title: In Elmo's Easter Parade (Sesame Street) | [
1372,
2902,
3084,
3306,
3340,
3505,
3977,
8235,
8257,
8433,
8659,
8719,
8869,
9206,
9432,
9811,
11974,
12742,
12953,
13450,
13891,
14135,
14557,
15181,
16373,
16722,
18421,
19605,
19681,
21123,
21377,
21767,
26243,
27497,
28941,
31014,
35624,
... | Validation |
13,403 | 2 | Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, June 15, 2009:Naylor's deft storytelling effortlessly transports readers to her Kentucky settingsand into two unexpectedly similar lives.From the Hardcover edition.Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is the author of more than 100 books. She lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Faith, Hope, and Ivy June | [
1704,
6120,
6485,
6548,
6680,
10089,
10204,
13510,
17050,
20831,
21815,
24574,
45965,
48259
] | Test |
13,404 | 13 | In her tenth misadventure, the irrepressible Babymouse tries out for the school musical, encouraged by new transfer student Henry Higgins, a British hedgehog. Of course, the popular girl, Felicia, wins the title role, and Babymouse has to settle for being her understudy with practically no hope of ever really being onstage. Yes, Babymouse does have a couple of major problems as an actress: she cant keep the stage directions straight, and she trips over her own feet. As rehearsals go on, readers are treated to snippets of many great Broadway musicals (including My Fair Lady,Grease,The Phantom of the Opera,Annie, and more) as Babymouse daydreams during classes. Drawn with the usual black, white, and pink inks, this book will have readers laughing with, and wincing in sympathy for, Babymouse (particularly in PE, when she always gets hit during dodgeball). Another winning installment for the series fans. Grades 4-6. --Kat KanHere's what people are saying about Babymouse! The Chicago Sun-Times: "Move over, Superman, here comes Babymouse!" Starred Review, The Horn Book: "Nobody puts Babymouse in the corner!" Booklist: "Cute, smart, sassy Babymouse is fun and funny, and this book, like its predecessors, will draw reluctant readers as well as Babymouse fans."The Bulletin: "An almost absurdly likeable heroine."; Title: Babymouse #10: The Musical | [
4259,
4260,
8531,
8532,
8537,
8574,
8648,
8697,
8715,
8732,
11395,
13098,
13110,
13112,
13154,
13267,
13271,
13290,
13358,
13370,
13372,
13383,
13414,
13416,
13471,
13478,
13622,
13716,
13744,
13795,
13847,
13863,
13914,
13915,
13931,
13976,
14... | Train |
13,405 | 0 | Far from the usual generic stereotypes of poor children in Africa, this picture book, based on a true story, tells of one child, Kedi, in 1931 Cameroon, who hears from her white teacher about hungry people in New York City during the Great Depression. True to a local expression, Kedis heart stands up and will not sit down, and she inspires her village to send help across the great salt river. The brightly colored pictures, in watercolor with thick ink lines, root the story in daily village life: an uncle weaves baskets, women pound cassava, girls carry water from the river, and old men talk together in the palaver house. At first, everyone refuses to join Kedis cause; with life so hard, they cannot find money to send away. But Kedis heart will not sit down, and neither will the hearts of the others in her community, and, finally, everyone donates a coin for the hungry overseas. A long note fills in more about this title, which will make a terrific choice for cross-curricular sharing and discussion. Preschool-Grade 3. --Hazel RochmanMARA ROCKLIFF's recent books include The Busiest Street in Town (an IndieNext Pick); the Milo & Jazz Mysteries (an ALA Best New Books for the Classroom Pick); and Get Real: What Kind of World Are You Buying? She lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her family.ANN TANKSLEY is a fine artist who graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University). She is the illustrator of the picture book The Six Fools by Zora Neale Hurston, and the creator of a series of monoprints based on the writings of Hurston titled, "Images of Zora," which Maya Angelou described as "dazzling." She lives in Great Neck, New York.; Title: My Heart Will Not Sit Down | [
2729,
10308,
19538,
37140,
39173,
43598,
59815
] | Validation |
13,406 | 2 | Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 1This endearing tale traces the activities of a young turtle through a 24-hour period. His father reads a bedtime story about penguins, and Little Turtle takes it all in, the transformation beginning in his dreams. The next morning, he puts his grandfather's black jacket over his head and waddles off to school, book in tow. His friends are delighted. The teacher, who clearly understands the value of a teachable moment, encourages the class of critters to pass balls to each other using just their feet (as penguins do with their eggs) and to slip down the slide on their bellies (again imitating their role models). The fantasy continues through the youngster's evening routinesuntil his dad opens a volume on monkeys. Cheerful watercolors and expressive line art imbue the matter-of-fact narrative with personality. Gorbachev's compositions range from cameos isolated against expansive white backgrounds to detailed dream sequences bleeding off spreads. This nurturing tale celebrates the inspiration and information found in books, the invention bubbling up from a child who is read to, and the quality of learning that is possible when a teacher seizes the moment. From the cover art mimicking a tuxedo to the penguin facts at the conclusion, the design and content are one.Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.After hearing a bedtime story about penguins, Little Turtle decides to become one. The next day he dons red slippers and his grandfathers black jacket and sets off for school, where his teacher, Ms. Dog, and classmates are remarkably accommodating: all day they read penguin books, practice passing balls (the way penguins do with their eggs) and toboggan down the playground slide. That evening Father Turtle chose a new bedtime bookthis one all about monkeyssetting the theme for Little Turtles next adventure. Gorbachevs exuberant story and sunny, watercolor-and-ink illustrations present a safe and loving world where imagination is encouraged, teachers have the time (and the inclination) to follow the interests of their students, and bullies (or at the very least party poopers) have been banned. Children are sure to enjoy the spreads featuring Turtle and his classmates diving off the slide and waddling around the classroom wearing jackets over their heads. Appended with a list of penguin facts, this will be a popular read-aloud, especially for those who appreciate the educational value of play. Preschool-Grade 2. --Kay Weisman; Title: Turtle's Penguin Day | [
16372,
39602
] | Test |
13,407 | 2 | Review, Parents, January 2009:"Through his efforts to save an invisible creature who lives on a speck of dust, the elephant in this Dr. Seuss classic displays kindness and determinationand provides plenty of laughs."David A. Carter is the author of 75 pop-up books, including the best-selling Bugs in a Box series that has sold more than 6 million copies. He is also the creator of the magnificent pop-ups One Red Dot and Two Blue. David lives with his wife and two daughters in Auburn, California.Dr. Seuss was born Theodor Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 2, 1904.After attending Dartmouth College and Oxford University, he began a career in advertising.His advertising cartoons, featuring Quick, Henry, the Flit!,appeared in several leading American magazines.Dr. Seuss's first children's book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, hit the market in 1937, and the world of children's literature was changed forever!In 1957, Seuss's The Cat in the Hat became the prototype for one of Random House's best- selling series, Beginner Books.This popular series combined engaging stories with outrageous illustrations and playful sounds to teach basic reading skills.Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents.In the process, he helped kids learn to read.Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and three Academy Awards, Seuss was the author and illustrator of 44 children's books, some of which have been made into audiocassettes, animated television specials, and videos for children of all ages.Even after his death in 1991, Dr. Seuss continues to be the best-selling author of children's books in the world.; Title: Horton Hears a Who Pop-up! | [
13134,
13347,
13524,
13726,
14632,
15063,
15109,
22075,
23745,
23817,
23943,
27391,
27401,
28001,
28052,
28053,
28455,
29265,
32029,
32336,
32343,
32521,
32539,
32903,
33057,
33212,
33386,
34770,
47434,
47556,
47565,
47960,
47995,
52747,
68229,
7... | Validation |
13,408 | 2 | KIRSTEN BRAMSEN is a singer, author, and gardener. She received her B.A. in Theatre from DePaul University. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her wonderful park ranger husband, brilliant six-year-old daughter, a cat, and a turtle.CARIN BRAMSEN received her B.A. in Art History from Barnard College and has studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she illustrates, paints, and performs the occasional high-kick for the squirrels outside her window.; Title: The Yellow Tutu | [
4250,
5479,
5978,
6671,
6945,
6962,
9647,
10377,
10641,
11661,
12381,
14593,
14695,
15259,
16147,
16344,
16347,
17283,
17700,
18352,
21109,
21463,
22970,
24710,
31862,
32304,
32368,
36297,
38371,
38603,
39061,
41057,
46243,
48586,
52649,
54774,
... | Train |
13,409 | 2 | EDITH M. HEMINGWAY, like her character Annie Winters, grew up in Florida and spent part of every summer at her grandparents' home in the North Carolina mountains. Blackberry picking on nearby Tater Hill was one of her favorite activities. When she's not writing or teaching creative writing workshops, she enjoys kayaking with her family and learning to play the mountain dulcimer (or the hog fiddle, as Annie calls it). Road to Tater Hill is her first solo novel.Chapter OneFor months I had wished and wished the baby would be a girl, a little sister. Maybe I shouldn't have wished so hard. A boy might have lived.Weren't wishes kind of like prayers? Maybe my wishing really did make things worse. I knew that didn't make sense, but nothing in this whole terrible day made sense.Grandma closed the front door with a bang, as if announcing the end of a chapter in a book about our lives. "What a day," she said, dropping her purse to the floor. "I'm going to lie down. You should take a nap, too, Annie. None of us got much sleep last night." Grandma headed to her room, not waiting for an answer.A nap? I was almost eleven. I hadn't taken a nap for as long as I could remember. Besides, how could a nap change the way we all felt? We'd still wake up. It would all still be the same."She means well, Annie," Grandpa said. "We're all worn out." He looked like he wanted to say something more. I waited. Grandpa had grown older, just in this one day. His glasses were smudged, and his mouth and shoulders sagged. Gray stubble covered his chin."I thought . . ." Grandpa reached out to smooth my hair. "We all thought it would be okay this time." Another pause as he started down the basement stairs to his workshop. "She had red hair, you know. Very much like yours. A downy, reddish cap."My baby sister had red hair like mine. If only I could have seen her, just once.The house was silent. I walked from room to room with that heavy, tired feeling you have after you've cried for a long time. I looked out the windows. How could the sun still shine like it was just any normal day? The kitchen clock showed that it was only 2:45. Maybe I'd go down to the Millers'. If the Miller kids didn't know about the baby, I could pretend things were normal.The walk down the winding dirt road to the Millers' farm seemed longer than ever before. Maybe it was because I usually ran down and didn't even notice passing Loggers Hollow Church with its small fenced-in graveyard. But this time that little graveyard was all I could think about. I won't look, I won't look, I repeated over and over to myself, but it didn't keep the vision of gravestones out of my mind. Soon my little sister would have a gravestone of her own with her short, one-day life carved into it. Born July 13, 1963. Died July 14, 1963. Grandpa had buried her there earlier this morning--all by himself while Grandma and I stayed with Mama at the hospital."Aren't we having a funeral?" I had asked.Grandma was quick to shush me. "We're trying to make it easier for your mama. Less for her to go through," she whispered, while Mama lay in bed with her eyes closed, looking like she was asleep. But I could see tears slipping through the cracks and sliding over Mama's face, soaking the pillow beneath her head. Grandma patted her hand, and I tried squeezing Mama's other hand, but she didn't squeeze back.Easier? Nothing could make things easier right now--except if I were miles and miles across the ocean in Germany with Daddy, who didn't even know anything was wrong. This was probably something I should write down in the journal Daddy had given me before he left. Something I should tell him about my summer, but I didn't know if I could ever write this feeling down on paper.After another curve in the road, the Millers' brick farmhouse was in sight, and the yard was spilling over with grandchildren. They lived in their own houses nearby, but today was Sunday. I knew they were all there for the big Sunday dinner old Mrs. Miller always cooked with the help of the four younger Mrs. Millers. If it wasn't raining, they set up long tables in the yard under the shade tree and carried out platters of ham and biscuits, cole slaw, sliced tomatoes, corn on the cob--more food than even all those people could eat. And there would be a fluffy coconut cake that Bobby's mother, the young Mrs. Miller with black hair, liked to bake. After I scraped those tiny flakes of coconut off the frosting, it sure tasted good.Whichever Mrs. Miller was closest would always set one more plate for me if I was around. I slipped in like I belonged there, just another member of their overflowing family, from crawling babies all the way up to the three older teenagers, who weren't around so much now. The only not-so-good parts were old Mr. Miller spitting his brown tobacco juice on the ground--once right next to my foot--and all the buzzing flies that flew straight from the cows in the meadow to the food on our plates.By now their Sunday dinner would be over, but it looked like all the kids were playing dodgeball, including Bobby. He was twelve and only a year older than me--kind of like the big brother I never had. His curly black hair, just like his mama's, stood out above the heads of all his cousins and younger brothers and sister. Why couldn't I have all those brothers and sisters? At least a few cousins or . . . just one sister. Someone to have fun with, but also to have around during sad times like this. Someone to share this emptiness.By the time I reached them, I could tell the kids already knew about the baby by the way they didn't look me straight in the face--even Bobby. The same way I couldn't quite look into Mama's eyes when I first walked into the hospital room that morning. They had stopped playing ball and stood in the driveway, kicking stones around in the dirt.Finally Caroline, Bobby's nine-year-old cousin, asked, "Did you get to see the baby?"I shook my head, not trusting my voice.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Road to Tater Hill | [
5950
] | Validation |
13,410 | 2 | *Starred Review* This delightful tour of Paris begins, When in Paris, everybody bonjours. The refrain is repeated as a little girl and her family hear that welcome, From shores. In stores.On guided tours. The cheery ink-and-watercolor artwork is stylishly rendered. McMenemysometimes places her characters in spaces of white that highlight them against quintessentially French backgrounds. (An architectural key on the endpapers identifies sites from the Eiffel Tower to the Paris Zoo.) Throughout, the brief rhymes are tightly rendered but cleverly worded, and they work perfectly in tandem with the art, giving youngsters a solid idea of what treats await them in Paris, should they be lucky enough to visit. A clever ending shows what happens when the little girl and her teddy bear fly backto the States. Those who have been paying close attention will be delighted by the presence on the plane of thesmall mouse, who has followed the family in and around Paris, and has now managed to find its way to the U.S. Trs bien! Preschool-Grade 2. --Ilene CooperStarred Review, Publishers Weekly, March 24, 2008:"Kids may well demand to be taken to the nearest passport office after finishing this light-as-a-souffl salute to the City of Lights."Starred Review, Booklist, August 1, 2008:The brief rhymes are tightly rendered but cleverly worded, and they work perfectly in tandem with the art.; Title: Everybody Bonjours! | [
12392,
12430,
13037,
14418,
15058,
19679,
20268,
25671,
27608,
30566,
33510,
33637,
34189,
35085,
35093,
37663,
42277,
44808,
49387,
49391,
56584,
57740,
63265,
67835,
67840,
69947,
70347,
71102,
71355,
75498,
76147
] | Validation |
13,411 | 1 | Starred Review, The Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books, September 2009:"Kids in general will roar with laughter at this expectation-busting tale."Mini Grey is the brilliant young author-artist of Traction Man Is Here!, which won the Boston GlobeHorn Book Award; its sequel, Traction Man Meets TurboDog, which was the recipient of many starred reviews; and The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon, a Kate Greenaway Medal winner.; Title: Egg Drop | [
899,
5418,
10841,
23847,
27619,
28301,
45991,
47822,
51643,
59750,
68210,
72475
] | Test |
13,412 | 2 | About the AuthorKaty Kelly is also the author of the hilarious Lucy Rose chapter book series. She lives in Washington, D.C.About the IllustratorGillian Johnson is a UK-based author and illustrator. She lives in Oxford, England.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Melonhead and the Big Stink | [
7352,
8457,
8459,
8467,
13400,
14026,
18165,
18166
] | Validation |
13,413 | 2 | PreSchool-KA charming if improbable tale of a stray cat who finds a home in a kindergarten class. Lewis's four lines of verse on each page form an engaging rhyme: "So he brought her inside,/All shivery scared/As if nobody wanted her/And nobody cared." The cat, named Tinker Toy, fits right in and begins to participate in the classroom activities, even answering the teacher: "'Foot fits in a shoe,/Hat sits on a head./What else goes together?'/'ME-YOU,' Tinker said." Collage, acrylic, pencil, and colored-pen illustrations feature an adorable orange tabby and excited children in a cozy, toy-strewn classroom. An additional purchase.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.J. Patrick Lewis is the author of more than fifty celebrated picture books, including Please Bury Me in the Library, which was chosen as one of the New York Public Library's 100 Books for Reading and Sharing; Doodle Dandies; and First Dog. Learn more about him at www.jpatricklewis.com.Ailie Busby is the illustrator of more than twenty books, including Drat the Fat Cat by Pat Thomson and Lulu's Shoes by Camilla Reid.; Title: Kindergarten Cat | [
18438
] | Validation |
13,414 | 2 | New York Times: "An energetic, good-hearted escapade, one that young readers will enjoy." Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews: * "Hilarious. If ever a new series deserved to go viral, this one does."   The Bulletin: "A perfect mix of writing that is simple enough for early readers but still remarkably snarky, clever, and entertaining. Kids will soak up the humor, tidbits of science instruction, and adventure."Brother-and-sister team MATTHEW "InkBoy" HOLM and JENNIFER "WriterGirl" HOLM are the dashing duo behind the award-winning Babymouse series. In addition to fighting the forces of evil, Jennifer is the New York Times bestselling author of several acclaimed novels, including three Newbery Honor winners, Our Only May Amelia, Penny from Heaven and Turtle in Paradise. Matthew Holm is a graphic designer and freelance writer.; Title: Squish #1: Super Amoeba | [
2491,
4259,
4260,
6620,
8532,
8537,
8574,
8648,
8697,
8715,
8732,
13098,
13110,
13112,
13154,
13205,
13267,
13271,
13290,
13358,
13370,
13372,
13383,
13404,
13416,
13471,
13478,
13716,
13744,
13795,
13847,
13863,
13914,
13931,
13949,
13976,
140... | Train |
13,415 | 2 | "Bessica's voice is funny, goofy, anxious, and absolutely emotionally authentic . . . Readers negotiating their own middle-school minefields or soaking up all the preparatory information they can find will breathlessly follow Bessica's escapades." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred Review"Both family and school are believable, but, appropriately, this is all about Bessica, a character whose newfound bear persona schoolmates and readers alike can applaud." --Kirkus Reviews"Although it's not always easy to like Bessica, it is hard not to laugh with her as she loses her cool in the presence of her hunky teenage neighbor, jump ropes her way into the role of school mascot in furry pants, and tries to make nice with the school bullies. A supporting star of the story is Bessica's tech-savvy grandma, who, even while away on a spelunking trip with her latest man friend, reminds Bessica of the power of positive thinking. Grandma also illustrates the important moral of this story: "Look for happiness and you'll find it."" --Booklist"A fun and realistic story of a girl reinventing herself. . . . The reader cannot help but cheer her on--her voice is funny and true and very sympathetic. Many a middle school girl will find a piece of herself in Bessica Lefter." --VOYA"[Bessica] is an "everytween" with the typical myopia of the age, and as such many readers will relate to her struggle to find a place to belong and applaud her hard-won position in the middle-school hierarchy." --School Library Journal"This is a story about the perils of middle school, with a strong and irresistible protagonist. . . . Bessica’s determination is infectious, and courageous. Faced with one humiliation after another, she manages to triumph, and it makes the ending that much more of a payoff. Tracy uses just the right touch of humor to keep the story fun, yet still take seriously some painful side effects of growing up." --Parents' ChoiceKristen Tracy is the author of many popular novels, including the PROJECT (UN)POPULAR series and Too Cool for This School. She lives with her family in the popular state of California. Visit her online at kristentracy.com and on Twitter at @kristen_tracy (it will make her feel popular).; Title: The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter (Bessica Lefter Series) | [
462,
13476
] | Train |
13,416 | 22 | New York Times: "An energetic, good-hearted escapade, one that young readers will enjoy." Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews: * "Hilarious. If ever a new series deserved to go viral, this one does." The Bulletin: "A perfect mix of writing that is simple enough for early readers but still remarkably snarky, clever, and entertaining. Kids will soak up the humor, tidbits of science instruction, and adventure."Brother-and-sister team MATTHEW "InkBoy" HOLM and JENNIFER "WriterGirl" HOLM are the dashing duo behind the award-winning Babymouse series. In addition to fighting the forces of evil, Jennifer is the New York Times bestselling author of several acclaimed novels, including three Newbery Honor winners, Our Only May Amelia, Penny from Heaven and Turtle in Paradise. Matthew Holm is a graphic designer and freelance writer.; Title: Squish #4: Captain Disaster | [
4259,
6512,
6620,
6844,
6851,
8531,
8532,
8537,
8574,
8648,
8697,
8715,
8732,
13098,
13110,
13112,
13154,
13267,
13271,
13290,
13358,
13370,
13372,
13383,
13404,
13414,
13471,
13478,
13622,
13716,
13744,
13795,
13847,
13863,
13914,
13915,
13931... | Train |
13,417 | 2 | Starred Review. Grade 47This is Horvath's most luminescent, beautifully written novel yet. Jane Fielding lives what seems to be an idyllic life with her poet mother and three younger siblings in a house on the beach in coastal Massachusetts, where they gather mussels, pick berries to eat, and lay in the warm tidal pools. But at 12, Jane no longer wants every summer to be exactly the same. She prays for adventures, 100 of them, and gets 14, each of which gives her insights into understanding herself. She delivers Bibles from a hijacked hot-air balloon, is tricked into babysitting for the five messy Gourd children, is fleeced by a fortune-teller, and meets several men who could be her father. Horvath's latest offering certainly has some eccentric, unforgettable characters and some dark humor and irony. Yet the author has significantly mellowed in this quieter work, which will have wider kid-appeal. Indeed, it is Jane's honest, clear voicethat of a young girl on the natural cusp of separating from her familythat drives the story and engages readers. The author is a gifted writer, a word alchemist. She has an eye for exposing the miraculous in the mundane. The book is filled with pithy observations and memorable passages that invite immediate rereading and admiration. This is Horvath at the top of her game, and that's saying something.Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Jane, 12, longs for adventures, maybe a hundred of them.Not too much happensat the beach where she lives with her younger siblings and her mother, a poet with a fondness for putting up jam. Asthe summer slips by,adventures do find Janebut theycomewith people attached. Her newfound relationship withpreacher Nellie leads to a trip in a hot-air balloon and a foray into the world of healings and psychic revelations. Mrs. Parks thrombosis (or is it bursitis?)anda desire to get to California result inan all-nightautomobile ride that endsbecauseMrs. Parksbottom gets sore. And throughout the summer theres a procession ofpossiblefathers:the free spirit, the poet, theSanta look-alike, theman in a suit who gets tossedin the ocean by a whale.With writing asfoamy as waves, asgritty as sand, or as deep as the sea,thisbookmay startlereaderswith the freedom given the heroineindependence that allowsher to experience, think about,and come to some hard-won conclusions about life.SometimesJanes duped, sometimes shes played; butif hope fades, it returns, and adventure still beckons.Unconventionality is Horvaths stock in trade, but here the high quirkiness quotientrests easilyagainst Janes inner story with its honest, childlike core. Grades 4-6. --Ilene Cooper; Title: My One Hundred Adventures | [
8472,
8658,
9624,
9633,
12033,
12498,
13510,
13563,
13998
] | Validation |
13,418 | 2 | Sandra Boynton is the beloved author and illustrator of over 40 books, with 19 million of them in print. Since 1975, her well-known greeting cards have sold more than 100 million copies. "Mostly to family and friends," she says. Boynton is also a Grammy-nominated record producer and songwriter. Her books have won numerous awards, including the Parents Magazine Award. She lives and works and goofs off in the foothills of the Berkshires with her husband, whitewater racer/expeditionist Jamie McEwan, and their four perfect children.; Title: What's Wrong, Little Pookie? | [
7361,
8523,
9913,
10300,
11988,
13709,
14557,
16046,
19616,
21912,
25644,
25962,
25963,
25964,
25966,
25967,
25968,
25969,
25971,
27471,
27545,
27561,
27587,
27594,
27779,
27822,
27859,
28235,
28299,
31171,
31175,
31192,
31194,
31197,
31223,
3125... | Train |
13,419 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 2A girl demonstrates how to get results and have fun at the same time. Dusting can be done with a sock, dust bunnies can be hidden away in a dresser drawer with the candy wrappers ("You know, for crafts"), and unwanted and broken toys can be wrapped up and given to a younger sibling. The things that you love should be shoved into the closet with the door secured tightly. "Watch out. It might explode." The tongue-in-cheek humor in Koren's pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations and Huget's writing will be appreciated by children who are responsible for cleaning their own rooms. They may not have a pet cat and dog helping them as Ann Erica Kelly does, but her story lightens the burden of this most dreaded chore.Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.Huget and New Yorker cartoonist Koren combine their considerable talents in this amusing how-to that will be familiar to any parent. Welcome to my room, says the young narrator. It's clean at the moment, and she is about to show how to get your room in the same shape. First, mess it up. The next spread makes fine use of Koren's scratchy ink-and-watercolor art (with the emphasis on scratchy), as toys, clothes, pictures, and pets are tossed and tumbled through the room. The tongue-in-cheek tone of the text captures salient elements of cleanup, as when Mother suggests getting rid of old stuffed animals like that silly rabbit missing body parts. The narrator hugs the bunny tight, proclaiming it her favorite. When Mother's gone, toss it back onto the heap and forget about her. There's a bit of an audience problem here. It's older kids (and adults!) who'll find this the funniest, but get it in the right hands, and hilarity will ensue. Grades K-3. --Ilene Cooper; Title: How to Clean Your Room in 10 Easy Steps | [
1472,
5512,
13981,
14995,
16202,
27265,
32304,
37294,
39805,
43688,
50206,
52400
] | Train |
13,420 | 1 | Richard Scarry is one of the world's best-loved children's authors EVER! Generations of children all over the world have grown up spending hours poring over his books filled with all the colorful details of their daily lives. No other illustrator has shown such a lively interest in the words and concepts of early childhood. For himself, whenever he was asked how old he was, Scarry would always put up one hand and laugh, saying, "five!" Born in 1919, Richard Scarry was raised and educated in Boston, Massachusetts. After five years of drawing maps and designing graphics for the US Army, he moved to New York to pursue a career in commercial art. But after showing his portfolio to one of the original editors at Golden Books, he found the perfect home for his children's books. The assignments first given to Scarry tended to be Little Golden Books that featured popular characters of the day, such as Winky Dink, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Smokey the Bear. Eventually Scarry created many original characters, such as Lowly Worm and Huckle Cat. But first came Nicholas, a young rabbit clad in red overalls, for the now-iconic board bookI Am a Bunny. After Scarry married children's textbook writer Patricia Murphy, she wrote many stories for him as Patsy Scarry, including the bestselling Little Golden BooksGood Night, Little BearandThe Bunny Book. In his extraordinary career, Richard Scarry illustrated more than 150 books, many of which have never been out of print. His books have sold over 100 million copies around the world and are currently published in more than 20 languages. Richard Scarry Jr., also an illustrator, carries on his father's work today under the name of Huck Scarry. Richard Scarry passed away at his home in Gstaad, Switzerland, in 1994. He was posthumously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Illustrators in 2012.; Title: LGB FAVORITES RICHAR | [
8187,
8199,
8200,
8219,
8291,
8510,
8728,
13014,
13044,
13099,
13111,
13318,
13322,
13554,
13659,
13766,
14126,
14139,
14567,
14588,
15156,
15236,
16771,
16851,
23860,
23947,
23979,
29556,
45271,
58199
] | Train |
13,421 | 0 | Praise for the Nate the Great Series Kids will like Nate the Great. School Library Journal, Starred Review A consistently entertaining series. Booklist Loose, humorous chalk and watercolor spots help turn this beginning reader into a page-turner. Publishers Weekly Nate, Sludge, and all their friends have been delighting beginning readers for years. Kirkus Reviews They dont come any cooler than Nate the Great. The Huffington PostMarjorie Weinman Sharmat has written every Nate the Great book. Here she collaborates with her husband, Mitchell Sharmat. They live in Tucson, Arizona.Jody Wheeler previously illustrated Nate the Great Talks Turkey. She lives in New York City and Siesta Key, Florida.; Title: Nate the Great and the Hungry Book Club | [
1412,
5327,
5334,
5376,
5694,
5865,
5902,
6156,
6223,
6301,
6349,
12206,
12641,
12661,
12714,
12775,
13872,
17956,
17980,
17983,
17986,
18014,
18017,
18022,
18027,
18033,
18045,
18063,
18067,
18072,
18082,
18133,
18147,
18156,
18164,
18166,
181... | Train |
13,422 | 3 | David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim maintained a long-distance relationship by writing each other letters, in which David began drawing little monster-like creatures. Sun-Min surprised David by sewing a plush version of one of his characters as a Christmas gift, and the Uglydolls were born!; Title: Chilly Chilly Ice-Bat (Uglydolls) | [
13328,
13562,
13580,
48847,
48849,
48851,
48852
] | Test |
13,423 | 2 | GRAHAM SALISBURY is the author of four Calvin Coconut books: Trouble Magnet, The Zippy Fix, Dog Heaven, and Zoo Breath, as well as several novels for older readers, including the award-winning Lord of the Deep, Blue Skin of the Sea, Under the Blood-Red Sun, Eyes of the Emperor, House of the Red Fish, and Night of the Howling Dogs.1Manly StanleyEveryone in class held their breath as Mr. Purdy dangled a squirming cock-a-roach over the brand-new resort he'd made for Manly Stanley.Manly Stanley was our class pet, a centipede.A large centipede.Rubin could hardly stand it. "Drop it, Mr. Purdy, drop it."Manly Stanley's new home sat on Mr. Purdy's desk. It was an old, cleaned-up fish aquarium. Inside, a big craggy rock and a branch of twisty driftwood sat on a beach of white sand. There was even a marooned pirate ship for Manly to explore.I could see him looking at me through a cannon port. "Calvin, my man," he seemed to say. "S'up?"I'd captured Manly Stanley in my bedroom and brought him to school, and now look at him. What a setup."Centipedes are predators," Mr. Purdy said, looking down at Manly Stanley. "They use their claws to capture and paralyze their prey."Yow! I hoped that cock-a-roach could run fast.But it was hard to imagine Manly Stanley as a predator. I mean, all he did was hang out. He slept. He looked at you. He scurried into the pirate ship when he wanted some privacy.The crowd squeezed in around Mr. Purdy."Move," someone said. "Let me see!""Look how Manly's checking out that bug.""How come you're putting that poor little cock-a-roach in there, Mr. Purdy?" Shayla asked."Breakfast."Shayla's mouth fell open. "Eew, sick!""It's what centipedes eat, Shayla. Spiders, too, and earthworms.""Yuck."Julio scoffed. "Not yuck, Snoop. Yum. You don't remember when you ate that worm?"I spurted out a laugh. Julio called her Snoop right to her face. But Snoop fit, because she was nosy. And the story about her eating the worm was true, but she only ate the head. Back in kindergarten, some kid brought a soup can full of compost worms for show-and-tell. At lunch, he stuck one into her tuna sandwich when she wasn't looking. Shayla chomped it down. All us guys thought we were going to die from laughing so hard.Shayla squinted razor-slits at Julio.Mr. Purdy dropped the roach.It must have sensed danger, because it sprang toward the rock. "Dang," Rubin whispered. "Look at him run.""Okay," Mr. Purdy said. "Back to your seats. Time to get to work. Nothing's going to happen to that roach anytime soon.""Aw, man," Julio said. "I want to see Manly eat it."Mr. Purdy clapped his hands. "Let's go! Chop-chop!"I plopped down at my seat in the first row by the window. Manly Stanley's resort was right in front of me.I looked out the window, remembering a pet I once had, sort of. A dog named Chewy, a beagle who liked to shred rubber slippers. But Chewy was really my dad's dog, and when my dad moved to Las Vegas to be a famous singer, Chewy went with him.At least now I sort of had Manly Stanley as a pet. But he couldn't shake hands like Chewy, or run down a tennis ball, or curl up by my feet at night.Sometimes I really missed Chewy.And my dad.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Calvin Coconut: Dog Heaven | [
6058,
8501,
13428,
13432,
13452,
13815,
13826,
13827,
13842,
14631
] | Train |
13,424 | 6 | Timothy Young has had a long career doing all kinds of interesting and fun stuff. He's been an animator, puppet maker, toy designer, sculptor, art director and graphic designer. His career highlights include being a head model-maker forPee-Wee's Playhouse, designing and building Muppets for Jim Henson Productions and sculpting the first Simpsons toys.Tim is the author/illustrator of 8 picture books includingDo Not Open The Box,The Angry Little Puffinand the highly acclaimedI Hate Picture Books!.His latest books areI'm Going To Outer Space!, and the how-to-draw book,Creatures and Characters: Drawing Amazing Monsters, Aliens and Other Weird Things. He has also illustrated for other authors.His favorite part of being an author is traveling to schools and talking to kids about his books. If you'd like to find out how to have him visit your school, his website is easy to find by searching his name.; Title: I'm Looking for a Monster! | [
3336,
6735,
8191,
16928,
16975,
17105,
18401,
21537,
21706,
28877,
31329,
48265,
52151,
54757,
54814,
56460
] | Validation |
13,425 | 2 | Every time Cameron's infant sister cries, his parents seem to have an answer: she's wet, she's hungry, she's tired. And once Cameron knows the problem, he's eager to help out. But Cameron really earns his stripesand Sadie's first smilewhen he's able to soothe a mysterious crying jag after his parents have run out of ideas. Landolf's (Hog and Dog) simple, descriptive writing should go a long way in alleviatingat least momentarilythe anxieties of newly minted sibling rivalry. Johnson and Fancher (Amazing Peace) offer a stunning visual counterpoint with their most luxuriant work to date. It's not entirely successful; the highly wrought backgrounds, created from intricately layered patterns, words and tiny drawings, add little emotional depth. But the team's framing and characterizations are faultless, and their use of life-size-and-larger scale is riveting. If readers aren't distracted by what amounts to weird wallpaper, they'll feel immersed in the intimacy, stress and rewards of tending a newborn. Ages 36. (Jan.) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreSClearly intended for siblings who are adjusting to having a new baby in the house, this didactic story follows a simple pattern: big brother Cameron asks why baby Sophie is crying, Mom or Dad asks the boy's help in changing/feeding/calming her, and Cameron gets praised for being good to his sister. In the end, when his parents are baffled by Sadie's tears, only Cameron can quiet her, and he's rewarded with her first-ever smile. Johnson and Fancher's mixed-media collages shimmer with vivid colors and warm emotions. Close-up paintings of the family expressively convey loving relationships. Backdrops comprised of bright quiltlike swatches superimposed with tiny hands and feet, splotches of color, and random words and letters set off the action. This quiet story of a boy who loves his baby sister will work best shared one-on-one with a child in similar circumstances.Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: What a Good Big Brother! (Picture Book) | [
8270,
21035
] | Train |
13,426 | 18 | Starred Review, School Library Journal, January 2008:"From the eye-catching endpapers ... to the energetic city scenes, readers experience New Yorkers excitement about Pale Male ... and understand why his story has captured the interest of so many people."Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, January 28, 2008:"[T]his version stands out for its urbane, reportorial prose and stylish watercolors ... by the final page, even readers who live far from Manhattan will appreciate that Pale Male's significance and stature rise well beyond those of media darling."Starred Review, Booklist, February 15, 2008:" Beautiful contrasting views of the bird soaring above the wild park and the forest of the skyscrapers will ignite children's curiosity in both urban animals and the caring people who help protect them."Starred Review, Horn Book, March/April 2008:This third recent picture book about the red-tailed hawks that have nested on a posh building across from Central Park since the 1990s is the best so far.Review, New York Times Book Review, June 1, 2008:"[Schulman's] language is sophisticated and wry . . . [and] the watercolor illustrations, by Meilo So, are luminous."Janet Schulman is a renowned editor and publisher of childrens books. She lives in New York City.Meilo So has illustrated many acclaimed and award-winning books. She lives in the Shetland Islands, Scotland.; Title: Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City | [
7576,
32707,
47633,
52404
] | Train |
13,427 | 11 | Virginia Hamilton died in 2002 at age 66.Leo and Diane Dillon have won two Caldecott Medals.; Title: The People Could Fly Picture Book and CD | [
15237
] | Train |
13,428 | 2 | Graham Salisbury is the author of the Calvin Coconut books, as well as many exceptional novels for young readers. Among them are Blue Skin of the Sea, Lord of the Deep, Eyes of the Emperor, House of the Red Fish, Night of the Howling Dogs, and the perennial bestseller Under the Blood-Red Sun.Graham Salisbury grew up in Hawaii. Calvin Coconut and his friends attend the same school Graham didKailua Elementary School. Graham now lives in Portland, Oregon, with his family. You can visit him at www.grahamsalisbury.com.Jacqueline Rogers has illustrated more than ninety books for young readers over the past twenty years. She studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and lives in upstate New York. You can visit her at www.jacquelinerogers.com.Chapter 1Prob'ly an IdiotMaybe you know the feeling of how junk it is when summer ends. The good times are over. You start thinking about school, homework. Getting up early again.And there's nothing you can do about it.But I say, forget that. Get out there and squeeze the last drop of fun out of summer.Which is why I was down at the beach with my friends Julio Reyes and Maya Medeiros. We were watching a kiteboarder zip over the ocean. I couldn't believe how fast he was going. "Ho, man, look at that guy go!"Julio whistled. "Like a rocket."The hot sun sparkled on the blue-green bay. The kiteboarder topped a small wave and let his kite pull him high into the sky. He did a flip and came back down. Perfect."Holy moley," I whispered.All three of us lived a couple blocks from the beach on the same dead-end street, in a town called Kailua, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Across from our small one-story houses, patches of jungle blocked our neighborhood from a fancy golf course. High above the jungle, green mountains sat under hats of white clouds.Julio elbowed me. "That guy's a famous kiteboarder.""No joke? What's his name?"Julio pinched his chin. "I forget. Something."Maya laughed. She was cool, and really good at sports. Better than me and Julio. She had a skateboard and a brown belt in tae kwon do. She was born somewhere in China. The Medeiros family adopted her.We were sitting on a sandy rise under a stand of ironwood trees just above the beach. It was a breezy Thursday morning, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves.The kiteboarder swung around and raced toward shore. When he got as close as he could before hitting sand, he slowed and sank to his knees. His kite settled down onto the water like a small parachute. He stepped out of his wakeboard and pulled his kite in, then spread it out on the sand."Hey," he said. "You kids mind watching my gear? I need to run over to the pavilion.""Sure!" I sprang to my feet."Thanks. Be right back."The guy dropped his wakeboard, harness, and control bar and headed up over the rise.The wakeboard was black with red stripes. It had foot grips and looked new. Nice. I glanced over my shoulder to see if the guy was coming back. Nope. I waggled my eyebrows at Julio and Maya. "Watch this."I stepped into the foot straps. "Bring on the wind!""You better get off that, Calvin," Maya said.I picked up the control bar, which was attached by cables to the kite spread out on the beach. "Yee-hah!" I gave the cables a flip. The kite caught a puff of wind, rose a foot, and settled back down. Ho, man, this was so cool!I grinned at Maya and Julio.Just then a strong gust whooshed down the beach and caught the kite. The kite blossomed and snapped up off the sand."Calvin!" Maya pointed.I was still grinning at them when the wind grabbed the kite and whoomped it out like a sail. It shot down the beach, ripping the control bar right out of my hands."Grab it!" Julio shouted.I leaped off the wakeboard and stumbled after it, Maya yelling, "Get it! Get it! It's flying away!"The control bar bounced along the sand, just out of reach. It skipped out over the water, came back over the sand, and skipped out again. I dove for it and landed on my belly. But I managed to grab the bar and hang on.The wind was strong! I couldn't slow the escaping kite. It dragged me over the shallow water on my stomach. It fishtailed me up onto the sand, then back into the water again."Calvin!" Maya shouted, racing down the beach with Julio.I bounced and banged over the water, swallowing salty gulps of ocean."Calvin! Let go!" Julio called. "You'll drown!"But I would never let go.A quarter mile down the beach the wind finally let up. The kite sank onto the sand. I sank into the water, gripping the control bar with white knuckles.Julio grabbed the kite. Maya waded into the waves. "You all right?"I staggered up, coughing.Maya grinned when she saw that I was okay. Just soaked, bruised, scratched, and covered with sand. "You look like you fell into a cement mixer.""Uh-oh." Julio nodded toward the pavilion.The kiteboard guy was racing toward us, shouting, "Hey! What's going on?"He ran up, breathing hard."The wind grabbed your kite, mister." I handed him the control bar. "We, uh . . . we saved it."The guy looked at me, then at Julio with the kite bunched and overflowing in his arms. "I must have been careless. Hey, thanks for running it down for me.""Yeah, no problem."He laughed. "No problem? You look like roadkill."He gathered up his equipment and started back up the beach."Hey!" I called.The guy stopped and turned back."Are you a famous kiteboarder?""Pshh. I wish."I frowned at Julio. "You idiot."Julio shrugged.Maya pointed at my arms and chest. "Yikes! Blood."I looked down. Cuts and scratches ran across me like spiderwebs. "Cool."Maya stared at me. "I think you might be the idiot, Calvin.""And I think you're prob'ly right." I grinned.Julio slapped my back. "You sure know how to end summer with a bang, bro."From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet | [
2317,
2706,
3647,
5860,
6114,
6156,
6214,
6414,
6459,
6515,
6520,
6611,
6620,
6621,
6858,
8443,
8501,
10214,
12661,
13390,
13423,
13432,
13452,
13635,
13815,
13826,
13827,
13842,
14204,
14610,
14631,
16061,
16676,
17436,
18764,
18828,
18993,
... | Test |
13,429 | 2 | SHUTTA CRUM writes books for children and poetry for adults. She is also a storyteller, a lecturer, and a librarian. In 2005, she was honored by being one of eight authors invited to the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll. She was born in Paintsville, Kentucky, and now lives on a farm in Ann Arbor, Michigan.From the Hardcover edition.chapter 1Thomas staggered through the clearing gripping one of his arms. “Arrgh,” he moaned. Then he collapsed in the grass, kicking his feet in the air and pretending to wrestle with a sea monster. Around him eight of his brothers and sisters clapped their hands or complained, “That’s not how it happened!”Their da had told a particularly good tale last night about a wounded knight who had managed, with his dying breath, to kill a sea beast. The next day the little ones had begged Thomas to act out the story. He did not mind doing this, for it gave him a chance to think about what to do if he should ever really come face to face with a sea monster, or what to do if he had only one breath left to live. Furthermore, he’d used the request to get his brothers and sisters to promise that they’d follow him to the river afterward.It was now warm enough to bathe in the river, and Thomas, as the eldest, was in charge of their much-needed summer scrubbing-up. After shushing all arguments about his retelling of Da’s tale, he put baby Isabel on her bottom in the middle of the ankle-deep stream and then got busy chasing down several others to get them washed.From behind him he heard Isabel cry, “Horsey!”“We left your toy at home, Izzy,” he called over his shoulder as he made a grab for his dirtiest little brother, Peter.“Horsey!” The little girl giggled.It was a new word for Isabel, who’d just gotten a carved wooden horse from their father. Since she used the word often, Thomas did not bother to look when she laughed and said, “Horsey!” a third time.It was not until another sister pointed toward the stream and cried, “There’s a knight!” that Thomas turned and saw a great black warhorse coming quickly around the bend of the rocky riverbed. It was bearing down upon his baby sister. The knight on its back seemed to be looking down, not ahead of him where Isabel sat in the shallow water and clapped joyfully.“Is-a-bel!” screamed Thomas as he let Peter loose and raced toward the riverbed. “Stop!” Thomas shouted at the knight. He waved his arms frantically.The knight did not look up; instead, he lurched in his saddle and almost fell off.He can’t hear me! Thomas felt his heart tearing in two. He flew toward his sister—but there were boulders and tree roots in the way. He’d never make it in time. She’d be trampled. “Is-a-bel!”“Horsey!” She pointed. “Me want.” Her hands opened and closed as she leaned toward the oncoming animal.Thomas’s shin smacked against a boulder and he went tumbling headfirst over it. He scrambled back up. As he did, he grabbed a stone and hurled it with all his might at the horse, and missed. He was limping now, and he moaned as he grabbed another large stone. He saw his brother Albert and his sister Margaret racing toward Isabel as well. They would not make it in time. His arm arced back and the stone shot forward. It hit the horse on its muzzle.The horse reared—its big hooves almost above Isabel’s head, its mane, as black as midnight, whipping back—and a high-pitched eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee split the air.Isabel’s lower lip quivered. She screwed up her face and bellowed a cry of baby-temper that echoed the horse’s cry of panic. “Ah . . . eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”The knight slipped sideways into the stream, and the frightened animal bolted up the opposite bank—nostrils flaring and eyes rolling. Snorting and stamping, it got tangled in the brambles along the bank.Thomas bent forward and grabbed at his side. He tried to catch his breath and thought he was going to be sick. A second later, he raised his head and saw his baby sister safe, but bawling big disappointed tears as she turned on her bottom to watch the horse. Her little hands were still opening and closing—demanding, Give me. The knight, perhaps knocked to his senses by the fall, was struggling to rise.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Thomas and the Dragon Queen | [
6829,
13510,
19136,
24499,
45312
] | Test |
13,430 | 2 | Maxwell Eaton is a fine arts graduate of St. Lawrence University. In addition to Two Dumb Ducks, Max is the author/illustrator of Knopf's much-beloved Max and Pinky series.; Title: Two Dumb Ducks (Borzoi Books) | [
13435,
13812,
13949,
14993,
15008,
68209
] | Train |
13,431 | 2 | This enduring theme has a moral for young and adult alike, making it a perfect choice for parents to share with their children. BooklistThis brief, simple story works on a literal level as well as on a metaphoric one. It is illustrated with Lionnis usual handsome, colorful collages which project well for reading aloud to groups. School Library JournalLeo Lionni, an internationally known designer, illustrator, and graphic artist, was born in Holland and lived in Italy until he came to the United States in 1939. He was the recipient of the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was honored posthumously in 2007 with the Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award. His picture books are distinguished by their enduring moral themes, graphic simplicity and brilliant use of collage, and include four Caldecott Honor Books: Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Hailed as a master of the simple fable by the Chicago Tribune, he died in 1999 at the age of 89.; Title: Six Crows | [
3244,
7302,
7350,
7455,
8539,
8561,
8684,
10344,
10443,
10767,
12884,
12944,
13466,
13627,
14985,
14999,
15017,
15083,
15116,
15120,
15766,
15915,
16146,
21570,
22661,
24569,
26196,
26210,
26252,
26283,
26386,
26863,
33363,
33997,
34970,
38306,
... | Train |
13,432 | 2 | Graham Salisbury is the author of Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet, as well as several novels for older readers. He lives in Portland, Oregon.Jacqueline Rogers has illustrated more than 90 books for young readers. She lives in Chatham, New York.From the Hardcover edition.1 - Rodents of HawaiiManly Stanley the centipede, our class pet, looked out at us from inside a jar on our teacher Mr. Purdy's desk. He was frowning and pounding fifty of his one hundred legs on the glass. I knew what he was thinking: why were we _drawing pictures of things that would love to eat him?Hey! he seemed to shout. What's going on out there? Let me see!Julio, Rubin, Willy, and I were crowded around my desk working on a science poster. Our project was called Rodents of Hawaii.We'd drawn pictures of a mouse, a rat, a guinea pig, and a gerbil. We wanted to put a hamster and a mongoose in there, too, but Mr. Purdy said hamsters were illegal in the islands. They could bring in diseases. And a mongoose is a carnivore, not a rodent.We were stumped.Manly Stanley raced up onto his rock and stretched his neck for a better look. "Hey, Manly," I said. "You know of any more rodents we can draw?"Julio snorted. "He should. Rodents love centipedes."Manly Stanley cringed and scurried down into the shadows."Look, Julio. You scared him.""Pfff."I tapped on the glass. "Don't worry, Manly, I'll protect you.""Come on, guys," Rubin said. "We're wasting time."I poked my chin with my black Sharpie. "Are moles rodents?""Yeah, moles!" Julio said."You got moles here?" Willy asked. He was from California and knew lots of stuff we didn't. "I haven't seen any.""I got a mole in my armpit," Rubin said. "Want to see it?"Willy laughed.Me and Julio looked at Rubin like, Are you forreal? Rubin put up his hands. "I'm just saying."Mr. Purdy walked by and glanced down at our poster. "Great work, boys. Keep _going."We looked up and grinned. "We will, Mr. Purdy. But we can't think of any more rodents."Mr. Purdy pinched his jaw. "Well now. Let's see. Why don't you think of yourself as a cat? What rodents might you see if you were hunting in the weeds?""Yeah-yeah," Julio said. "Be a cat. That's good, Mr. Purdy, thanks."Mr. Purdy winked and moved on.Rubin bent close and mumbled, "Just don't be a black cat, or else we might get bad luck."Julio scoffed. "Then I'm a black one, _Rubin. Just for you.""Black, yellow, green, or purple," I said. "Mr. Purdy had a good idea. So pretend you're a cat. What do you see?"Rubin snapped his fingers. "A mouse.""We already have a mouse," I said."We can have two."Julio elbowed Rubin away from the table. "You're not helping, Rubin. Go breathe your dead squid breath on Shayla or something."Mr. Purdy was leaning over Maya's desk, helping her. He looked at us over his shoulder.Julio pointed at Rubin and started to say something.I grabbed his arm. "Don't, Julio, you're going to get us in trouble."Mr. Purdy gave us his raised-eyebrow look. He had been in the army and could really do that good, even better than Mrs. Leonard, the principal. "Is there a problem over there, boys?"I gave Mr. Purdy my best smile. "No, Mr. Purdy. No problem. Right, Julio?" I banged Julio's arm."Just kidding," Julio said, white teeth gleaming.Mr. Purdy nodded and turned back to Maya.Rubin leaned close and tapped the table with his finger. "See what I mean? You just mention black cats and you got trouble. You got to watch out. Believe it, or don't."And I didn't.Too bad...because Rubin was right.2 - ZippyAfter school I rode my bike home with Willy and Julio.Usually I had to walk with my little sister, Darci. But she had a cough that morning and was over at Mrs. Nakashima's house while Mom was at work.We rode straight up, with our arms hanging loose at our sides. It was so hot even the mynah birds were looking for shade.When we cruised around the corner onto our street, I slammed on my brakes.Julio nearly fell off his bike trying to keep from crashing into me.Willy swerved and sailed into somebody's hedge."Why'd you stop?" Julio spat."Look."I dipped my head toward Maya's cat, sprawled in the middle of the street.Julio looked at me like, Are you nuts? "You caused a wreck because of Maya's cat?"Willy yanked himself and his bike out of the hedge and studied the scratches on his arms."Sorry," I said.Willy waved it off. "I'm okay."Julio stared at me."What?" I said. "It's a black cat.""It was black yesterday, too. And last month and last year. So what?""Well, Rubin said-"Julio threw up his hands. "Not Rubin again.""No, but...it's...well."Willy held his front tire between his legs and straightened out his handlebars. "They must be bad luck. Look how we crashed.""That was Calvin," Julio spat. "Not the cat!"I chewed on my thumbnail and considered the furry black mass lying in the middle of the road. His name was Zippy, but zippy he wasn't. He was lazy as a slug. Not very smart, either, because any cat that lounges in the middle of the street is looking to get run over by a car."You're right," I said, trying to shake Rubin's warning out of my head. "It's just superstition."We got back on our bikes and coasted toward Zippy, circling him twice. Zippy stretched, his claws flashing out like knife blades.Julio stopped and studied Zippy. "You are the laziest cat I've ever seen in my life, no question."I got off my bike and kicked down the stand. "Come on, Zip." I scooped him up. "You stay out here in the street, some car's going to flatten you."Zippy purred in my arms. I bet he weighed like a hundred pounds. "You should be out in the jungle chasing down the rodents of Hawaii."Zippy gave me a lazy blink.I set him down in the shade of a plumeria tree in Maya's yard. The grass was warm and soft, way better than the street. "I just don't want to see you get squashed, okay?"Zippy gave me dirty looks.I laughed. "You're something, Zipster.""Laters!" Julio called from the street, heading home.Willy jumped on his bike. "Me too."I waved and turned back to Zippy. "Don't you give me bad luck, now. I did this for your own good. You listening to me, Zip?"I scratched under his chin and left when he started purring again. I had no idea what a bad listener Zippy was.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Calvin Coconut: The Zippy Fix | [
8501,
13423,
13428,
13452,
13815,
13826,
13827,
13842,
14631
] | Train |
13,433 | 2 | Alyssa Satin Capucilli is one of the most recognizable names in the easy-to-read field. Her super-successful Biscuit books for HarperCollins have sold hundreds of thousands of copies in multiple formats and have expanded beyond easy-to-reads into hardcover picture books and sticker books. Alyssa is also the author of Bear Hugs, a Step into Reading book (Step 1). She lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired picture clues help children decode the story.; Title: Panda Kisses (Step into Reading) | [
2843,
3443,
8340,
8345,
8346,
8361,
8547,
10906,
11931,
12575,
12738,
12795,
12846,
12850,
12896,
13094,
13537,
13597,
13884,
13986,
14070,
14076,
14462,
14656,
15191,
16720,
16755,
16819,
16823,
17283,
18731,
18848,
19274,
19277,
22674,
23720,
... | Train |
13,434 | 2 | PreS—This charming board book begins, "Mommy calls me Monkeypants…just why I do not know." The spread sports a picture of a little girl in overalls with a monkey and bananas on them. "Mommy calls me Shooting Star…'cause I can fly and glow!" follows, with a mamma and a baby firefly pictured. Through several spreads, each with a different bright background color, animals and insects say their nicknames as they swing, play, chirp, and bounce with their mothers, ending with the girl in bed saying "Mommy calls me Monkeypants…because she loves me so." The pictures capture the lighthearted mood of the couplets exactly and together they create a perfect foray into toddler territory.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.This buoyant board book looks at the silly, surprising, and sometimes even endearing terms that parents have for their babies and toddlers. In each line of the rhythmic, rhyming text, a little one introduces a mothers pet name for her offspring. While the mama and daughter at the beginning and end of the book are human, each of the other double-page spreads features an animal mother and her child. For instance, the first line in this couplet refers to kangaroos, butturn the page and thesecond is illustrated with rhinoceroses: Mommy calls me Peekaboo . . .her bouncing baby roo. / Mommy calls me Funny Face. . . and lookshe has one, too! Nakatas watercolor illustrations create a lighthearted tone that suits the playful text. A fine book for toddlers and their parents to share. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Carolyn Phelan; Title: Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants | [
13674,
13686,
14695,
23956,
38301
] | Test |
13,435 | 2 | PreSHamster races up the stairs to his parents' bedroom, where he yells, "Dad!" to two sleeping hamsters. Wide awake, Hamster uses various tactics to try to rouse his father. The groggy father is alarmed when Hamster shares that he's made pancakes and says, "We're out of paper towels." The following full-page wordless spread shows a wrecked kitchen, strewn with paper towels. Testing the doorbell over and over and warning that there are cats downstairs, Hamster manages to wake his beleaguered father just enough for Dad to get the upper hand, and everyone resumes sleeping, just as the sun comes up. The book's amusing conclusion will resonate with sleep-deprived parents everywhere. The colorful illustrations are comic-style with speech bubbles, while varying perspectives and text size convey the enthusiasm of the young hamster. VERDICT Preschoolers and parents alike will relate to this humorous story of an energetic little one trying to wake his sleepy father.Ramarie Beaver, Plano Public Library System, TXMaxwell Eaton III is an author and illustrator of books for children, including the highly acclaimed Flying Beaver Brothers graphic novel series. He lives with his wife, daughter, and two dogs in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Learn more about Max and his books at MaxwellEaton.com.; Title: I'm Awake! | [
6928,
13430,
22886,
23925,
23969,
45494,
57358,
67944,
68209,
68219,
74162,
74178,
75199
] | Train |
13,436 | 0 | MARGARET MCNAMARA is the author of How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?, called "illuminating" by FamilyFun Magazine and recommended as "a first-purchase consideration" by School Library Journal, and most recently of The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot, illustrated by Mark Fearing. She is also the author of the popular Robin Hill School early reader series which sold more than 1.5 million copies. She lives in New York City.BARRY BLITT's illustrations have appeared on the cover of the New Yorker and have also graced the pages of the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Child Magazine, and Entertainment Weekly. He is the illustrator of the children's books The 39 Apartments of Ludwig Van Beethoven by Jonah Winter, as well as Once Upon a Time, the End: Asleep in 60 Seconds by Geoffrey Kloske.; Title: George Washington's Birthday: A Mostly True Tale | [
22493,
26606,
26792,
27579,
28267,
39043,
51559,
65078,
67798
] | Train |
13,437 | 2 | Starred Review, Booklist, February 15, 2012:An engaging, graceful narrative. Sweets Asian style watercolor landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful.Starred Review, School Library Journal, February 1, 2012:This little gem will be perfect for one-on-one sharing and for those second-grade biography assignments. Its simply stunning.ALICIA POTTER is also the author of Fritz Danced the Fandango, which won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award. When not creating tales inspired by her travels and her hometown by the sea, Alicia works as a freelance journalist and children's book reviewer.MELISSA SWEET is the Caldecott Honor artist of A River of Words by Jen Bryant, The Boy Who Drew Birds by Jacqueline Davies, and The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra, amongst many others. Her work has received numerous honors, and reviewers have described her unique mixed-media illustrations as "exuberant," "outstanding," and "a creative delight."; Title: Mrs. Harkness and the Panda | [
3345,
4238,
10882,
11390,
11397,
11434,
13565,
13892,
14958,
15032,
15842,
15867,
15884,
20823,
21372,
21662,
23373,
23932,
24002,
33105,
34954,
36133,
36618,
48991,
55886,
55905,
58077,
58186
] | Test |
13,438 | 2 | EDWARD BLOOR is the author of several acclaimed novels including Taken, winner of the Florida Sunshine State Young Reader Award; London Calling, a Book Sense 76 Top Ten selection; and Tangerine, which was an ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, a Horn Book Fanfare Selection, and a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book.Monday, September 10, 2001I was staring through the window of Dads van when I saw the shopping cart, stranded like a lost dog at the corner of Sunbury Street and Lower Falls Road. The green plastic trim and the white Food Giant logo identified it as one of ours. Maybe a customer had wheeled it, illegally, to a house around the corner, unloaded it, and then wheeled it back to that spot in an effort to say, I didnt really steal this. I was just borrowing it. You can have it back now.Whatever. It wouldnt be there for long. Bobby Smalls would pass this way in ten minutes. He would spot the cart and then comment bitterly about the person who had left it there, since hed have to retrieve it as his first job of the day.Dad turned right and our van bumped across the dark expanse of blacktop in front of the supermarket. The Food Giant sign was still in its low-wattage setting, glowing like a rectangular night light for the town of Blackwater. Dad is the general manager of this Food Giant, and he spends most of his waking life there. Although it was still an hour before opening and the lot was empty, he backed our Dodge Caravan into an outer space--a requirement for all employees. He asked, Do you want me to leave it running, Tom?No. Ill just open a window.Okay. Ill leave the keys in case you change your mind. Ill be about fifteen minutes, provided the system is up.I yawned, Okay, and lowered the electric window before he could turn the key.Plan A was that Dad would drive me to school, which meant I would get there way early, before anybody, which meant that no one would see me being dropped off by a parent. This was infinitely better than plan B.In plan B, Mom would drop me off later, in front of everybody, which meant that I might as well be wearing a yellow patrol boy vest and carrying a Pokemon lunch box.But first wed had to stop at the Food Giant because the Centralized Reporting System had been down the night before, so Dad hadnt been able to input all his sales figures, reorders, et cetera, and send them to the corporate office. In theory, he would input those figures now, and we would be gone before the opening shift arrived at 6:45.I watched him walk across the large, rolling parking lot. The Food Giant was built, like much of Blackwater, on the uneven landscape of Pennsylvania coal country. If a shopping cart got away from you in this lot, it could roll for fifty yards, building up to a speed of twenty miles per hour before it crashed into a parked vehicle. That could do some serious damage, as any cart retriever would tell you.Dad disabled the alarm, unlocked the automatic doors, and slipped inside. I opened my PSAT prep book, hoping to get in a few minutes of study time.But that was not to be.First, I looked up and saw Bobbys mother drop him off, fifteen minutes early, as usual. He was wearing his green Food Giant slicker in case of rain. (Bobby was always prepared. The Boy Scouts just said it; Bobby lived it.) After listening impatiently to some final words from his mother, he pushed away from the Explorer and started walking back toward Sunbury Street and that abandoned cart. Mrs. Smalls drove on to her job at the Good Samaritan Hospital.Then, just as I had returned to my book, a louder engine sound disturbed me.A black tow truck, driving too fast, bounced across the parking lot and took a hard left at the ATM. Its high-mounted headlights flashed right into my eyes. Then the driver killed the lights and backed up to the front of the store.A man in a hooded sweatshirt and a black ski mask jumped out on the passenger side. He reached into the back of the truck and rolled out a metal hook so large that I could see it clearly from two hundred feet away. He wedged the hook into a slot in the ATM and gave the driver a hand signal. The truck lurched forward, creating a god-awful sound.I was now sitting bolt upright and staring at them. They were trying to rip the ATM out of the wall and make off with it--steal the whole thing and crack it open later for the cash inside.Suddenly, to my right, I saw a figure approaching. It was Bobby Smalls. He came running back clumsily in his green rain slicker, without the cart. He started waving his arms and shouting at the robbers.I thought, Oh no, Bobby. Not now! Keep away from them! I slid over into the drivers seat and grabbed the steering wheel, trying to think what to do. I started pounding on the horn, making as big a racket as I could.The driver, dressed in the same type of dark disguise, stepped out of the truck. He was holding a strange object. It took me a few seconds to realize what it was--a compound bow. He then produced a feathered arrow, nocked it, and aimed it right at Bobbys short, advancing body.The beeping horn got Dads attention. He appeared behind the glass in the entranceway, looking bewildered. He pulled the door open and stepped outside, holding out one hand toward Bobby like a traffic cop trying to get him to halt.The bowman changed his aim from Bobby to Dad and then back again. Was he going to shoot one of them? Or shoot one, reload, and get the other? Or was he just trying to scare them?I couldnt take the chance. I cranked the car key and hit the gas pedal. The old van roared like an angry lion. I yanked at the gearshift, still revving the engine, and dropped it into drive. The van took off with a squeal of spinning tires and rocketed across the parking lot.The bow-and-arrow guy turned toward me and froze like a deer caught in the headlights. Then he aimed the bow right at me. I thought, Can an arrow pierce the windshield? He must have asked himself that same question and decided it could not. He lowered his weapon, tossed it into the cab, and climbed back into the drivers seat.I continued to accelerate toward the truck, closing the gap quickly, like I was going to ram it. (Honestly, I had no idea what I was going to do.) By now, the other man had unhooked the cable and had scrambled inside the cab, too.The truck lurched forward and drove right at me, like in a deadly game of chicken. I hit the brakes and steered to the right, throwing the van into a wild skid, stopping just feet away from the frozen-in-place figure of Bobby Smalls.The tow truck continued across the parking lot and shot across Route 16, accelerating away into the darkness.I turned off the vans engine, threw open the door, and hopped out.Suddenly everything was quiet.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: A Plague Year | [] | Validation |
13,439 | 2 | It has been 20 years since the war between faeries and humans destroyed everything. Liza, a teenager living in what was once the Midwest, has always been taught that magic kills. When Lizas mother gives birth to a faerie baby with hair clear as glass, her father abandons the infant on a hillside to die; Lizas mother then runs away, and Liza begins to have magical visions of her own. Petrified that her powers might cause death, Liza flees into the woods with her friend Matthew, only to be attacked by deadly trees and rescued by a woman with magic. The plot quickens as Liza realizes that the woman is connected to her mothers past, knowledge that propels Liza into a dangerous journey into the land of Faerie, in search of her mother. Debut novelist Simners style is poetic (A land of steel and glass, of towers and sharp angles. A sky the color of dried blood), but she only vaguely describes Lizas world. Its hard to understand how, for example, a faerie differs from humans with magical powers, or what triggered the cataclysmic faerie war. Despite the murkiness, the plotting is strong, and readers will want to stay with Liza until her questions are resolved. Ages 1216. (Jan.) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Simners first novel for YAs is an attention-catching twist of two piping-hot speculative scenariosa postapocalyptic-wasteland journey layered upon a faerie-world-intruding-upon-our-own setup. A war between our world and a faerie world has left the planet a ruined and perilous wilderness. People huddle in the remains of towns, afraid to venture out at night, and swiftly put to death any child suspected of having been infected by the faerie fallout. When Liza discovers that she may have magical abilities, she flees town, and eventually seeks out answers in the equally ruined faerie realm. Simners world-building leans heavily on atmospherics in lieu of specifics, and the foggy descriptions of magic are even tougher to get a handle on. But the mood is strikingly dark, and questions regarding humankinds tendency toward suspicion and xenophobia will loom large in readers minds. Much information is frustratingly withheld from both Liza and the reader, and many questions are left unanswered, but this will still garner a share of fans for its unusual and unsettling vision of a magically dystopian future. Grades 7-10. --Ian Chipman; Title: Bones of Faerie: Book 1 (The Bones of Faerie Trilogy) | [
13845,
14053
] | Validation |
13,440 | 1 | Kathryn Jackson wrote hundreds of stories for Golden Books, many of which were co-authored with her husband, Byron, including The Saggy Baggy Elephant; Pirates, Ships, and Sailors; and Tawny Scrawny Lion.J. P. Miller (1913-2001) illustrated many Golden Book titles from the 1940s through the 1970s, some written by Margaret Wise Brown and Edith Kunhardt. Before becoming a children's book illustrator, Miller had worked in the Walt Disney Studio's elite character modeling department, creating characters (such as the dwarf Dopey) for Disney's firstfeature film, Snow White.He later designed the character of the toy maker Geppetto for Pinocchio.; Title: Puss in Boots (Little Golden Book) | [
8186,
8187,
8190,
8193,
8196,
8197,
8199,
8200,
8202,
8205,
8219,
8221,
8222,
8240,
8245,
8274,
8497,
8522,
8590,
8596,
8634,
8651,
8668,
8727,
12996,
13011,
13014,
13040,
13047,
13143,
13162,
13460,
13552,
13554,
13641,
13762,
13828,
13997,
... | Test |
13,441 | 0 | RON ROY has been writing books for children since 1974. He is the author of dozens of books, including the popular A to Z Mysteries, Capital Mysteries, and Calendar Mysteries. When not working on a new book in his Connecticut home, Ron likes to teach tricks to his dog Pal, play poker with friends, travel, and read thrilling mystery books. Visit him online at RonRoy.com.TIMOTHY BUSH is a writer-illustrator with many childrens projects to his credit, including the elaborate visual extravaganza James in the House of Aunt Prudence and Ferocious Girls, Steamroller Boys, and Other Poems in Between. He lives in New York, New York.; Title: Capital Mysteries #11: The Secret at Jefferson's Mansion | [
8353,
8357,
8360,
8562,
8619,
8632,
10686,
12572,
12574,
12575,
12581,
12586,
12756,
12769,
12771,
12785,
12889,
12893,
12911,
12916,
12938,
12974,
13164,
13261,
13266,
13309,
13489,
13507,
13551,
13592,
13606,
13711,
13715,
13737,
13747,
13791,
... | Validation |
13,442 | 0 | David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim met and fell in love while studying at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. When Sun-Min moved back to Korea, the couple maintained a long-distance relationship by writing each other letters, on which David began drawing little ugly creatures. Sun-Min surprised David by sewing a plush version of one of his characters as a Christmas gift, and the Uglydolls were born! Several years and many dolls later, they are happily married and live in Los Angeles.; Title: Ugly Guide to Things That Go and Things That Should Go But Don't (Uglydolls) | [
13328,
13630,
13801,
48847,
48849,
48851,
48852,
60266
] | Validation |
13,443 | 13 | Sandra Boynton is the beloved author and illustrator of over 40 books. Since 1975, her incomparable greeting cards have sold well over 200 million copies. She has a Grammy nomination, has written and produced three gold records, and her books for children and for adults have won numerous awards. She is the recipient of the 2008 Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Cartoonists Societys highest honor.; Title: Let's Dance, Little Pookie | [
661,
8526,
8701,
9913,
11988,
12380,
12922,
13709,
14557,
16294,
16741,
19597,
19616,
21500,
25625,
25962,
25963,
25964,
25966,
25967,
25968,
25969,
25971,
27471,
27545,
27561,
27587,
27594,
27779,
27822,
27859,
27954,
28235,
28959,
31171,
31175,... | Train |
13,444 | 2 | K-Gr 2Lulu is a contented thumb sucker, but in response to her family's and friends' concerns, she develops a 12-step program that helps her to kick the habit. She spends part of the story torn between those who want her to quit and her anthropomorphic thumb, which pleads with her to continue. She endures comments, snickering, and old peer pressure as she enjoys sucking her thumb. Lulu's turning point occurs after she awakes from a disturbing dream in which she has buckteeth and her s's come out as th's. By the end of the story, she has gained enough confidence to help other kids say good-bye to the habit as well. Colorful cartoon illustrations and occasional speech bubbles complement the amusing text. This humorous story is best suited for kids who have already moved beyond thumb sucking and are ready to laugh about it.Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.Dedicated to thumb suckers the world over, this story tells of Lulus addictive relationship with her thumb and how she gave it all up and invented a program with steps to keep her on track and to help others. Although Lulus habit brings tsk-tsking from adults and taunts from children, her thumb reassures her that thumb sucking is the best thing. After a bad dream in which she is bucktoothed and has impaired speech, Lulu begins to doubt that their intense relationship is such a good thing and so founds a 12-step-like program for thumb suckers. Lulu takes the audience through her humorous 12 steps, citing some comical consequences, such as smoke coming out of her ears when trying to follow step 5 (Before going to bed, dip the Thumb . . . in Tabasco sauce). Lightly colored cartoon-style illustrations flawlessly convey the action of the tongue-in-cheek text. Ilene Coopers Jakes Best Thumb (2008) is another sweet tale about a worried thumb sucker. Preschool-Grade 2. --Randall Enos; Title: Thumb Love | [
10200,
15218,
24689,
28668,
54278,
60917,
75450
] | Train |
13,445 | 18 | KATHLEEN WEIDNER ZOEHFELD is the award-winning author of more than seventy books for young readers, including several Stepping Stones nonfiction titles. Her book Dinosaur Parents, Dinosaur Young was voted an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K12 by the CBC and the NSTA and was an ALA Notable Book. When Kathleen is not at her desk writing, youll find her volunteering at her local natural history museum or dreaming of the stars. Meticulous in his research and with a discerning eye for historical detail, JIM NELSON is also the illustrator of The Curse of King Tuts Mummy.; Title: Finding the First T. Rex (Totally True Adventures): How a Giant Meat-Eater was Dug Up... | [
8623,
8717,
11395,
13213,
13602,
14339,
14535,
14605,
14666,
14675,
15219,
16685,
18888,
19391,
19404,
22118,
23730,
23845,
26415,
26520,
27752,
32368,
71784
] | Train |
13,446 | 2 | MARY POPE OSBORNE and NATALIE POPE BOYCE are sisters who grew up on army posts all over the world. They are working on more Magic Tree House Fact Tracker books to give Magic Tree House readers facts and information about places, time periods, and animals that Jack and Annie discover in the Magic Tree House adventures.Mary lives in Connecticut. Natalie makes her home nearby in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. Mary is the author of all the Magic Tree House fiction titles as well as many more books for kids.SAL MURDOCCA has illustrated more than 200 children's trade and text books. He is also a librettist for children'sopera, a video artist, an avid runner, hiker, and bicyclist, and a teacher of children's illustration at the Parsons School of Design. Sal lives and works in New York with his wife, Nancy.; Title: Sea Monsters: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #11: Dark Day in the Deep Sea | [
8358,
8691,
8726,
12577,
12582,
12624,
12645,
12655,
12661,
12745,
12750,
12775,
12789,
12860,
12866,
12875,
12900,
13037,
13048,
13064,
13075,
13079,
13082,
13103,
13138,
13219,
13451,
13464,
13467,
13612,
13613,
13676,
13719,
13731,
13769,
1378... | Train |
13,447 | 2 | Grade 58A well-told ghost story with plenty of twists and chills. Eleven-year-old Zack believes that his mother, who died from cancer, haunts his New York City apartment, continually disapproving of his behavior. He is immensely relieved when Dad marries Judy, a kind woman, and they move to Connecticut. Unfortunately, Zack cannot seem to escape the dead. Shortly after arriving in North Chester, they meet Gerda Spratling, the last survivor of the town's founding family. The abrasive woman mourns the loss of her fianc, making a weekly pilgrimage to the crossroads outside Zack's yard where a massive oak marks the spot where Clint died almost 50 years ago. When Zack sees this tree, he fears that something evil is trapped within, and after the oak is split open by lightning, it soon becomes apparent that a malevolent spirit has been set free. With the help of Judy and a new friend, Zack takes on the menace that is plaguing their town and riling up a plethora of ghosts. This riveting tale is written in short, easy-to-read chapters, making it a good choice for reluctant readers. Throughout the story, the main characters grow closer to one another and gain heroic traits while the "bad guys" reveal greater depths of wickedness and insanity. Readers will relate to Zack and enjoy the book's scare factor and adventure.Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* If Grabensteins first YA book were to receive a one-word review, the word would be Coooool, a term that applies in a variety of waysfrom the books cover image (a face peering out of the bark of a tree) and its hitchhiking, hot-rodding ghosts to its creepy atmosphere, believable story, and suspense that engulfs readers from the very first page. Even the characters are cool, including contemporary, doo-wop, and even Dickensian types. Grabenstein, who has won the Anthony Award for his adult mysteries and whose writing career encompassed writing for television and work for the Muppets, brings a great sense of timing to this mysterious fright ride. Zack Jennings, a kid uprooted after his mothers death and his fathers remarriage, sees a leering face in a gnarled tree in the park near New York Citys American Museum of Natural History. A move to Connecticut doesnt extricate Zack from evil apparently lodging in trees. Readers soon learn that at a crossroads just behind Zacks new home theres an oak tree capable of branching out into murderand a number of dissatisfied ghosts that prey on passing motorists. An absorbing psychological thriller (the ghost of Zacks malevolent mother plays a part), as well as a rip-roaring ghost story, this switches points of view among humans, trees, and ghosts with astonishing lan. Expect lots of requests. Grades 5-8. --Connie Fletcher; Title: The Crossroads: A Haunted Mystery | [
6205,
11397,
13458,
13867,
14177,
14696,
16676,
16906,
23940,
23958,
45731
] | Train |
13,448 | 2 | Amazon Best Books of the Month, March 2010: If ever there were a perfect picture book for those so-called "reluctant readers" this is it. Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't) tells the story of Missy, a little girl who rejects just about every story that comes her way. She complains that "They're too kissy. Too pink. And too silly." The tireless librarian Miss Brooks is not about to give up, nor is Missy's mom. When Missy realizes she'd like to read about warts, Mom comes through with an inspired choice that sets this picky reader on the path to book bliss. Leave it to the pros--author Barbara Bottner and illustrator Michael Emberley to hit the funny bone with this clever and quirky new read. --Lauren Nemroff(Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge)A scowling first-grader in spectacles, a knitted hat, and overalls cannot stand her bubbly librarian, who dresses up in costumes for reading circle, where she introduces books about dragons, Pilgrims, presidents, and Groundhogs, even! For Book Week, everyone in class has to bring a favorite story, and the young girl has only grouchy comebacks for the other kids, who enthusiastically share books about trains (too clickety), fairies (too flowery), cowboys (too yuppity), and dogs (too furry). When the librarian sends the little rebel home with a bagful of books, she does not like any of themuntil she finds a story about a stubborn, smelly, snorty ogre with warts, William Steigs Shrek, and that makes her grab more books about ogres, just like her. The cartoon-style illustrations extend the comedy in images of the expressive girl and her librarian, who dresses in wild miniskirts, boots, and flowers and is far from the usual stereotype. Lots of fun for avid and reluctant readers alike. Preschool-Grade 2. --Hazel Rochman; Title: Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't) | [
4187,
4204,
4250,
6175,
6273,
10106,
10344,
10440,
10890,
10920,
11382,
12939,
13342,
13694,
13708,
14079,
14121,
14539,
15364,
15838,
16202,
16344,
16347,
16370,
16454,
16726,
19506,
21109,
21463,
21537,
22984,
24005,
24710,
25050,
31561,
31569,... | Train |
13,449 | 0 | J. C. Greenburg is the author of many books for young people in the library and reference fields. She's a frequent visitor to schools and pays close attention to kid feedback. She's married to Dan Greenburg of the Zack Files and Weird Planet series, and lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.Jan Gerardi has illustrated many books for children. Her Teenie Greenies series, including The Little Recycler,The Little Composter,Eco People on the Go!, andThe Little Gardener,are the first books she has both written and illustrated. She lives in New Jersey with her daughter and three dogs.; Title: Andrew Lost #18: With the Frogs | [
3607,
5407,
7662,
12744,
12752,
12784,
12787,
12904,
12935,
13020,
13030,
13034,
13054,
13101,
13156,
13159,
13160,
13456,
17817,
19428,
26579,
36095,
37167,
39074,
41057,
48408,
49160,
49204,
64015,
69585
] | Validation |
13,450 | 6 | Sarah Albeewrites children's books for many age groups and under a number of pseudonyms. She has had three of her books appear on the New York Times Bestseller list. Before she began her career as a children's book writer and editor, Sarah was a newspaper cartoonist and a semiprofessional basketball player. These days she lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children.Tom Leighis a longtime author and illustrator of Muppets and Sesame Street books. He lives with his wife on Little Deer Isle off the coast of Maine.; Title: Elmo Says... (Sesame Street) (Big Bird's Favorites Board Books) | [
8191,
8455,
8546,
8659,
9676,
12567,
12841,
12847,
12903,
12922,
13280,
13397,
13614,
13655,
13754,
14557,
16682,
16722,
16741,
16848,
19456,
19518,
21123,
25966,
26243,
26362,
26430,
35540,
35554,
35599,
45388,
46380,
46381,
46387,
49271,
56405,... | Train |
13,451 | 13 | MARY POPE OSBORNE and NATALIE POPE BOYCE are sisters who grew up on army posts all over the world. They are working on more Magic Tree House Fact Tracker books to give Magic Tree House readers facts and information about places, time periods, and animals that Jack and Annie discover in the Magic Tree House adventures. Mary lives in Connecticut. Natalie makes her home nearby in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. Mary is the author of all the Magic Tree House fiction titles as well as many more books for kids. SAL MURDOCCA has illustrated more than 200 children's trade and text books. He is also a librettist for children's opera, a video artist, an avid runner, hiker, and bicyclist, and a teacher of children's illustration at the Parsons School of Design. Sal lives and works in New York with his wife, Nancy.; Title: Leonardo da Vinci: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #10: Monday with a Mad Genius | [
5227,
8660,
8691,
12577,
12582,
12624,
12655,
12663,
12715,
12745,
12750,
12775,
12789,
12860,
12866,
12875,
12900,
13037,
13048,
13064,
13075,
13079,
13082,
13103,
13138,
13219,
13446,
13464,
13467,
13612,
13613,
13719,
13731,
13769,
13780,
1378... | Train |
13,452 | 2 | GRAHAM SALISBURY is the author of three Calvin Coconut books: Trouble Magnet, The Zippy Fix, Dog Heaven, and Hero of Hawaii, as well as several novels for older readers, including the award-winning Lord of the Deep, Blue Skin of the Sea, Under the Blood-Red Sun, Eyes of the Emperor, House of the Red Fish, and Night of the Howling Dogs.JACQUELINE ROGERS has illustrated more than 90 books for young readers. She studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design.; Title: Calvin Coconut: Zoo Breath | [
8501,
12096,
13423,
13428,
13432,
13815,
13826,
13827,
13842,
13909,
24880,
26383,
59439
] | Train |
13,453 | 13 | Book DescriptionFor his eighth birthday, Mark Alan Stamaty's parents gave him his very own radio. Little did his mother realize that that innocent-looking plastic box would one day be the gateway for a new kind of sound that would "rock" her nearly out of her mind. . .Mark first heard the howling thunder of Elvis Presley singing "Hound Dog" on the radio one lazy day and his life was forever changed. Soon he was styling his hair like the King and practicing his dance moves with a tennis racket as his pretend guitar in front of the mirror. But his mother lived in constant fear that her son's new love of rock 'n' roll would turn him into a juvenile delinquent. Could Mark's performance at his Cub Scout talent show change her mind?Amazon.com: What was it like to discover Elvis and rock & roll in 1956? Do you think every generation makes the same kind of discovery, or was that moment one of a kind?I do believe that every generation has its own music and that there is a certain age range in younger years when the music a generation is exposed to plays a very formative role in people's emotional and maybe physiological infrastructure. And as we get older, the nature of our receptivity evolves and changes. As the saying goes, "things change and stay the same." Every generation finds some part of its unique identity in the music of its younger years. That said, I must declare that Elvis led something of a sea change in popular music that, I believe, was a bigger change than any I have witnessed since then. Elvis did not invent rock & roll, but he was the key figure in popularizing it to the mainstream and that impact continues to this day.Amazon.com: Would you have become the same artist you did without rock & roll?Stamaty: I think rock & roll unleashed something in me that I hadn't exactly known was in me. It focused and channeled a lot of my crazy, restless energy. It freed me in a way, in terms of self-expression. And I think that carried over into my art, in subject matter, style, and passion. So I'd have to say I probably would not be the same artist I am today without the impact that rock & roll had on me. I'd also add that I especially love the blues. And rock & roll led me to blues.Amazon.com: It's been great to see you return to kids' books. Could you tell me the story of Who Needs Donuts? I was (barely) old enough when it first came out in 1973, but I only discovered when it was reissued in 2003, when my kids and I completely fell in love with it.Stamaty: The story behind Who Needs Donuts? began in an all-night coffee shop in New York City in 1966. I was in art school (Cooper Union). That coffee shop was one of my favorite places to hang out and watch people, sketchbook always at the ready. So on that particular night, there was an old woman who seemed to be asleep, seated at and kind of draped over the counter near the entrance. After a while, a nicely dressed man in a suit and overcoat came in and asked the waitress for two cups of coffee to go. The waitress asked him if he'd like donuts with his coffee. "No, thank you," he replied. Then, suddenly, the old woman lifted her head, pointed at the ceiling, and said "That's right. Who needs donuts when you've got love?"As soon as I heard that, I wrote it in my sketchbook. When I got back to where I was living, I lettered it out on a piece of paper that I hung on my wall. About 5 years later, I was trying to think of something to write a story about and I looked up at that sign on my wall. I'd always wanted to immortalize that line and the old woman, and here was my chance. In addition to that, I made it a kind of autobiographical book, by having my character, Sam, leaving his home in the suburbs to come into the incredible immensity, complexity, and energy of the big city. I don't name the city, but, of course, it's New York. And Who Needs Donuts?depicts how the city looked and felt to me in all of its intensity and visual richness. And craziness. New York has always been a great place for artists, writers, musicians, etc., and the creative spirit in every form. I was trying to express my love of all of that with my pen. Amazon.com: You wrote other picture books in the '70s and '80s, which are just cover photos on Amazon to me, but which I would love to see in the flesh: Small in the Saddle, Minnie Maloney and Macaroni, and Where's My Hippopotamus? Any chance of having them reissued too?Stamaty: I would love to have my out-of-print books reissued if a publisher were to inquire about it. I think Small in the Saddle is considered somewhat in a similar vein as Who Needs Donuts? but not nearly as detailed. But probably as silly. Minnie Maloney & Macaroni and Where's My Hippopotamus? are quite different from Who Needs Donuts? I don't know what the chances are of those books being reissued. I did get one inquiry about Small in the Saddle a few years ago, but it didn't happen.Amazon.com: I may have missed Who Needs Donuts? the first time around, but I did get to know you a decade or so later through Washingtoon, your political cartoon that ran in the Washington Post and elsewhere in the '80s. Have you thought about what Congressman Bob Forehead would be doing now? Stamaty: What Congressman Bob Forehead would be doing now would be earnestly declaring that he is not afraid to make the hard choices regardless of political consequence. He would express disdain for politicians who decide their every move based on public opinion polls and short-term tactics focused on the next election regardless of what is truly in the best interests of the country. Then he would studiously avoid making any hard choices and viciously attack any opposing politicians who actually do make politically risky hard choices. Bob would decry the "politics of personal destruction" while, at the same time, practicing it with a vengeance. He would make every tactical and strategic decision based purely on his own self-interest, while carefully styling his rhetoric to project an image diametrically opposite to what he really is. And he would manage to fool too many of the people too much of the time and always get re-elected.Amazon.com: Finally: Elvis '54 or Elvis '68? (Do I even have to ask?)Stamaty: Elvis '54 to '57.His '68 special was good. I liked it. It was great to see him at that time coming away from all of those increasingly lousy movies. But the Elvis that really got to me can still be seen on YouTube in those old film clips from shows like Milton Berle, etc., back in the '50s.Also, though I'm mostly pre-jumpsuit, I do think he put on a great show in his jumpsuit years. The only time I ever saw him live was in his jumpsuit in Madison Square Garden in 1972. He was great.Grade 48Young fans of Elvisand especially their moms and dads and grandparentswill delight in this enthusiastic depiction of Presley's influence on the author's musical tastes. Given a radio in 1955 when he was eight, Stamaty was already listening to music when Elvis roared onto the scene. The beat, the rhythm, and the volume drove his mother to distraction but turned him into a lifelong fan. While the layout may be in sync with the animation that Stamaty is trying to portray, at times the combination of exaggerated facial expressions, cartoon panels, hand-lettered text of various sizes and colors, and musical notations sweeping across the pages overpower it. Interspersed bits of the history of rock 'n' roll and thumbnail portraits of some of the performers further crowd the page. Nevertheless, enthusiasts of the music are sure to linger over the mix of information and images that Stamaty energetically supplies. Appended are photos and commentary from "Elvis-related moments" in the illustrator/author's life.Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.; Title: Shake, Rattle & Turn That Noise Down!: How Elvis Shook Up Music, Me & Mom | [
11235,
12966,
13645
] | Train |
13,454 | 2 | P. J. PETERSEN has written many popular action-adventure books for children. He enjoys hiking, kayaking, bicycling, and swimming.; Title: Wild River | [
6051,
6301,
6459,
6680,
6706,
6830,
11041,
11397,
15099,
22304,
22443,
23002,
23676,
37447,
39645,
45843,
45979,
63501
] | Train |
13,455 | 2 | K-Gr 2-Mr. Tiffin and his class from How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? (Random, 2007) head out on a field trip. As the students tour Farmer Hills's orchard, they are introduced to many varieties of apples, get a chance to pick some, and watch how cider is made. Mr. Tiffin also gives them a special assignment: "Show me a little red house with no windows and no door, but with a star inside." The children offer many guesses, but it is Tara, the daydreamer among them, who solves the riddle while thoughtfully munching on an apple core. Karas's detailed pencil and acrylic illustrations show the youngsters engaged in lots of hands-on learning, from examining an old tractor to recording their observations in a notebook. A page of apple facts is included. This engaging story will spark fruitful curriculum discussion.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.While most of Mr. Tiffins students hurry out to the school bus for their field trip, Tara, daydreaming again, walks at her own pace. At the apple orchard, Mr. Tiffin asks his class to ponder this riddle during their tour: Show me a little red house with no windows and no door, but with a star inside. Farmer Hills leads the tour of her apple trees, storage barn, and cider press. As the children explore the farm, they think about the riddle. In the end, Tara discovers the answer. An appended page of apple orchard facts rounds out the presentation. Though the farmer offers plenty of information during the tour, the students natural-sounding comments and conversations keep the text from sounding too purposeful, and the riddles solution brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. Karas distinctive pencil, gouache, and acrylic pictures illustrate the story with their own quirky charm. This sequel to How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? (2007) is enjoyable as well as informative. Grades K-3. --Carolyn Phelan; Title: The Apple Orchard Riddle (Mr. Tiffin's Classroom Series) | [
1664,
2510,
2772,
3244,
4000,
4020,
4315,
4828,
4840,
5560,
5936,
6931,
6988,
7455,
7799,
8662,
11351,
11578,
12671,
13272,
13695,
15819,
16816,
24251,
24484,
25152,
26677,
26942,
31457,
31641,
31744,
37195,
37395,
37518,
37772,
37789,
37807,
... | Train |
13,456 | 0 | J. C. Greenburg is the author of many books for young people in the library and reference fields. Shes married to Dan Greenburg, author of the Zack Files and Weird Planet. She lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.Jan Gerardi is an art director and has illustrated several books for children. She lives in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.; Title: Andrew Lost #17: In the Desert | [
12744,
12752,
12784,
12787,
12904,
12935,
13020,
13030,
13034,
13054,
13101,
13156,
13159,
13160,
13449
] | Test |
13,457 | 0 | Lisa Findlay has written a number of children's books for Random House and Golden Books. TIM BOWERSstudied at the Columbus College of Art & Design and started his career in an advertising art studio before being recruited by Hallmark to design greeting cards. Since then, he has illustrated over thirty-five childrens books, includingPirate's LullabyandtheNew York TimesbestsellersDream Big, Little Pig!, written by Kristi Yamaguchi, andDinosaur Pet, written by Neil Sedaka and Marc Sedaka. His book illustrations have received many state and national awards. He and his wife live in Granville, Ohio. Learn more about Tim's work at timbowers.com.; Title: Puss in Boots (Step into Reading) | [
8608,
12561,
12641,
12675,
12680,
12698,
12714,
12805,
12848,
13016,
13055,
13058,
13083,
13108,
13133,
13512,
13704,
13759,
13866,
13920,
13951,
13971,
13999,
14023,
14429,
15105,
15198,
15204,
15231,
15255,
15260,
15269,
15270,
15291,
15292,
23... | Test |
13,458 | 2 | Grade 47The Hanging Hill Playhouse has a long, dark history as Zack soon discovers. The 11-year-old, who has the ability to see ghosts; his stepmother, Judy; and his dog arrive at the theater for rehearsals of Curiosity Cat, the musical Judy has written. They are unaware of anything sinister until a series of mysterious ghosts appears and strange things begin to happen. Zack and Meghan, a young actress, nose about while the "psycho" director loses himself in necromancy. An endearing element in the novel is the warm relationship between Zack and his stepmother. The plot is fast paced and there are numerous characters, especially toward the end, with frequent scene switches that demand a lot of readers' ability to visualize the goings-on. All in all, this successor to The Crossroads (Random, 2008) is a successful stand-alone. The story line is hauntingly delicious as the fully fleshed-out creepiness comes tempered with humor. It's a throwback to the kids' matinees of yore.Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Chris Grabenstein is the Anthony Awardwinning author of Tilt a Whirl, Mad Mouse, and Whack a Mole. He used to write TV and radio commercials and has written for the Muppets. Currently, Chris and his wife live in New York City with three cats and a dog named Fred. You can visit him (and Fred) at www.chrisgrabenstein.com.; Title: The Hanging Hill: A Haunted Mystery | [
13447,
13867,
14177
] | Train |
13,459 | 7 | Kindergarten-Grade 4Each holiday season seems to generate a new batch of picture-book versions of The Nutcracker. This edition adds little to the selections already in most collections. The relatively lengthy text tells the complete story of the ballet. Malone's exquisite watercolors depict a late-18th-century household in which a generous godfather presents his rather odd gifts of life-sized dolls and a small nutcracker figure that come alive in Clara's dream. An author's endnote gives the history of the ballet. A CD of the score performed by the Utah Symphony Orchestra is included.Virginia Walter, University of California, Los Angeles Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Stephanie Spinner is the author of many highly praised childrens books ranging from the picture books Alex the Parrot and Its a Miracle! A Hanukkah Storybook and the Step-Up Classic Dracula to the middle-grade novel Aliens for Breakfast, and Quiver and Quicksilver, young adult retellings of myths. Peter Malone has illustrated such classical works as Peter and the Wolf, The Magic Flute, At the Opera, The World of King Arthur and His Court, and The Adventures of Odysseus. His illustrations have appeared in the New Yorker and on British Royal Mail stamps.; Title: The Nutcracker | [
1006,
1746,
4600,
5494,
5591,
8982,
9238,
14412,
15259,
15358,
15364,
16150,
16299,
23291,
23657,
26200,
27026,
29000,
33742,
34239,
36141,
36400,
41683,
49426,
52319,
52336,
52609,
56745,
61992,
71082
] | Train |
13,460 | 2 | Barbara Shook Hazen was an editor and writer at Golden Books during the 1960s. She lives in New York, New York.Emilie Chollat has illustrated many childrens books. She lives in Marseille, France.; Title: The Please and Thank You Book (Little Golden Book) | [
8186,
8187,
8189,
8190,
8196,
8197,
8198,
8199,
8200,
8202,
8205,
8211,
8219,
8221,
8222,
8240,
8245,
8497,
8590,
8634,
8718,
8728,
8735,
8740,
8743,
12996,
13011,
13014,
13143,
13149,
13283,
13480,
13552,
13554,
13589,
13625,
13641,
13646,
... | Train |
13,461 | 21 | JOHN FEINSTEIN is the author of many bestselling books, including A Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled. His books for young readers offer a winning combination of sports, action, and intrigue, with Last Shot receiving the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best young adult mystery of the year. He lives in Potomac, Maryland, and Shelter Island, New York, with his family.1: SUDDEN VICTORY     Even though he was only fourteen years old, Stevie Thomas considered himself a veteran of sports victory celebrations. He had been to the Final Four, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, and the U.S. Open--in both tennis and golf. He had seen remarkable endings,miracle shots, and improbable last-second heroics.   But he hadn't seen anything quite like this. He was standing just outside the first-base dugout inside Nationals Park, the home stadium for the Washington Nationals, and even though the game had been over for several minutes, the noise was still so loud he couldn't hear anything Susan Carol Anderson was shouting in his ear.   "Mets . . . clubhouse . . . press box . . . ," he managed to make out over the din. Since she was starting to pick her way through the celebrating Nationals and the media swarm surrounding them, he guessed that she had told him that she was going to make her way to the clubhouse of the New York Mets and then meet him back in the press box. She was taking the harder job--talking to the players on a team that had just suffered a shocking defeat. His job was easier: talking to the winners.   The ending of the game had been stunning. With the National League Championship Series tied at three games all, both teams had sent their star pitchers out to pitch game seven: Johan Santana for the Mets, John Lannan for the Nationals. Both had pitched superbly, and the game had gone to the ninth inning tied at 1-1.   Nationals manager Manny Acta brought Joel Hanrahan, his closer, in to pitch the ninth, a bold move in a tie game. And it seemed to have backfired when Carlos Beltran hit a two-out, two-run home run to give the Mets a 3-1 lead. In came the Mets' closer, Francisco (K-Rod) Rodriguez, to get the last three outs needed to give the Mets the pennant.   He got two quick outs, and it wasn't looking good for the Nats when shortstop Cristian Guzman hit a weak ground ball. But somehow Mets all-star shortstop Jose Reyes booted it, allowing Guzman to make it safely to first base. Clearly upset and distracted by the error, Rodriguez then walked Ronnie Belliard, bringing Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals' best hitter, to the plate.   Guzman began dancing off second base, stretching his lead each time Rodriguez looked back at him. Second baseman Luis Castillo kept flashing toward the bag, as if expecting a pickoff throw from Rodriguez. Sitting in the auxiliary press box, Stevie was wearing headphones that allowed him to hear the Fox telecast.   "Rodriguez and Castillo need to forget about Guzman," he heard Tim McCarver say. "Right now K-Rod has one job, and that's to get Zimmerman out."   "But if the Nats double-steal, the tying runs would both be in scoring position," play-by-play man Joe Buck said.   "True," McCarver said. "But I'm telling you, there is no way Guzman is risking making the last out of the season trying to steal third. He's not that much of a base stealer to begin with."   Rodriguez finally focused on the plate and threw a 97-mph fastball that Zimmerman just watched go by for strike one. Again Guzman danced off second base. This time Rodriguez whirled and did make a pickoff throw as Castillo darted in to take it. Guzmandove back in safely.   "That tells me Guzman has gotten inside K-Rod's head," McCarver said. "You don't risk a pickoff throw in this situation. The only man in the ballpark he should care about right now is Zimmerman."   Rodriguez threw another fastball, and Zimmerman fouled it straight back to the screen.   "That one was ninety-seven too," Buck said. "He doesn't seem too distracted."   "Zimmerman was about two inches from crushing that ball," McCarver said. "You see a batter foul a fastball straight back like that, it means he just missed it."   Rodriguez came to his set position again. Guzman was off the bag once more and Rodriguez stepped off the rubber. Everyone relaxed for a moment.   "Zimmerman has to look for a fastball here, doesn't he?" Buck said.   "Absolutely."   Rodriguez set again, checked Guzman one more time, and threw. Stevie glanced at the spot on the scoreboard that showed pitch speed, and saw 98. Rodriguez had thrown a fastball, and Zimmerman had in fact been looking fastball. This time he didn't miss it. He got it. He got all of it. The ball rose majestically into the air and sailed in the direction of the left-field fence. Mets left fielder Daniel Murphy never moved. The ball sailed way over the fence, deep into the night, and complete bedlam broke out in every corner of the stadium. The Nationals had won the game 4-3 and the series 4-3. Shockingly, they were going to the World Series.; Title: Change-Up: Mystery at the World Series (The Sports Beat, 4) | [
3351,
3635,
3726,
4266,
4317,
6000,
6119,
6191,
6290,
6412,
6430,
6518,
6604,
6712,
6797,
6877,
6900,
6915,
10421,
10825,
10828,
13649,
14666,
15839,
16685,
16773,
16895,
21391,
21637,
21778,
23924,
45781,
51959,
52766,
54613,
54677,
55007,
5... | Test |
13,462 | 11 | Julie Cummins was coordinator of Childrens Services at New York Public Library.Roxie Munro has created 30 acclaimed childrens books.; Title: The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries | [
63957
] | Train |
13,463 | 4 | HIT Entertainment Ltd. is a British-American entertainment company, established in 1983 as the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions. Shows it distributes include Barney & Friends, Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam, and Angelina Ballerina.Tommy Stubbs is an illustrator. His works include The Birthday Express!, A Crack in the Track, and Blue Mountain Mystery. ; Title: Thomas the Tank Engine: Lost at Sea! Misty Island Rescue(Pictureback) | [
8469,
8622,
8627,
13362,
16677,
16778,
16796,
19490,
19500,
19528,
23682,
23948,
26167,
26558
] | Train |
13,464 | 2 | MARY POPE OSBORNE and NATALIE POPE BOYCE are sisters who grew up on army posts all over the world. They are working on more Magic Tree House Fact Tracker books to give Magic Tree House readers facts and information about places, time periods, and animals that Jack and Annie discover in the Magic Tree House adventures.Mary lives in Connecticut. Natalie makes her home nearby in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. Mary is the author of all the Magic Tree House fiction titles as well as many more books for kids.SAL MURDOCCA has illustrated more than 200 children's trade and text books. He is also a librettist for children'sopera, a video artist, an avid runner, hiker, and bicyclist, and a teacher of children's illustration at the Parsons School of Design. Sal lives and works in New York with his wife, Nancy.; Title: Penguins and Antarctica: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #12: Eve of the Emperor Penguin | [
2201,
8660,
8691,
8726,
12577,
12582,
12624,
12655,
12745,
12750,
12775,
12789,
12860,
12866,
12875,
12900,
13037,
13048,
13064,
13075,
13079,
13082,
13103,
13138,
13219,
13446,
13451,
13467,
13612,
13613,
13676,
13719,
13731,
13769,
13780,
13789... | Train |
13,465 | 1 | Beth Greiner Hoffman wrote Animal Gym for Little Golden Books in the mid-1950s. Tibor Gergely, who was born in Hungary in 1900 and emigrated to the US in 1939, was one of the most prolific of the early Little Golden Books illustrators. He brought to life many classic and beloved Little Golden Book characters, including Tootle,the Little Red Caboose,and Scuffy the Tugboat. He died in 1978.; Title: Animal Gym (Little Golden Book) | [
8187,
8190,
8191,
8193,
8196,
8197,
8199,
8200,
8201,
8202,
8219,
8221,
8222,
8240,
8245,
8377,
8497,
8588,
8590,
8591,
8593,
8596,
8634,
8651,
8718,
8727,
8728,
13014,
13047,
13111,
13125,
13128,
13143,
13149,
13162,
13283,
13460,
13552,
1... | Train |
13,466 | 2 | “A fresh and relevant fable about peer pressure, self-esteem, and the consequences of telling a whopper. The droll sponge-textured collage artwork, vocabulary-stretching language, and subtly expressed themes make this a great choice for more sophisticated picture book readers.” —School Library JournalLeo Lionni, an internationally known designer, illustrator, and graphic artist, was born in Holland and lived in Italy until he came to the United States in 1939. He was the recipient of the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was honored posthumously in 2007 with the Society of Illustrators’ Lifetime Achievement Award. His picture books are distinguished by their enduring moral themes, graphic simplicity and brilliant use of collage, and include four Caldecott Honor Books: Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Hailed as “a master of the simple fable” by the Chicago Tribune, he died in 1999 at the age of 89.; Title: Theodore and the Talking Mushroom | [
8539,
8561,
8684,
12944,
13431,
13627,
14966,
14968,
14985,
14999,
15017,
15083,
15116,
15120,
24569,
26210,
26252,
26283,
26386,
26863
] | Validation |
13,467 | 0 | MARY POPE OSBORNE and NATALIE POPE BOYCE are sisters who grew up on army posts all over the world. They are working on more Magic Tree House Fact Tracker books to give Magic Tree House readers facts and information about places, time periods, and animals that Jack and Annie discover in the Magic Tree House adventures.Mary lives in Connecticut. Natalie makes her home nearby in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. Mary is the author of all the Magic Tree House fiction titles as well as many more books for kids.SAL MURDOCCA has illustrated more than 200 children's trade and text books. He is also a librettist for children'sopera, a video artist, an avid runner, hiker, and bicyclist, and a teacher of children's illustration at the Parsons School of Design. Sal lives and works in New York with his wife, Nancy.; Title: Ghosts: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #14: A Good Night for Ghosts | [
8660,
8691,
8726,
12577,
12582,
12624,
12645,
12655,
12661,
12745,
12750,
12775,
12789,
12860,
12866,
12875,
12900,
13037,
13048,
13064,
13075,
13079,
13082,
13103,
13138,
13219,
13446,
13451,
13464,
13612,
13613,
13676,
13719,
13731,
13769,
1378... | Validation |
13,468 | 0 | Theodor Seuss Geiselaka Dr. Seussis one of the most beloved childrens book authors of all time. FromThe Cat in the HattoOh, the Places Youll Go!,his iconic characters, stories, and art style have been a lasting influence on generations of children and adults. The books he wrote and illustrated under the name Dr. Seuss (and others that he wrote but did not illustrate, including some under the pseudonyms Theo. LeSieg and Rosetta Stone) have been translated into 30 languages. Hundreds of millions of copies have found their way into homes and hearts around the world. Dr. Seusss long list of awards includes Caldecott Honors forMcElligots Pool, If I Ran the Zoo,andBartholomew and the Oobleck;the Pulitzer Prize; and eight honorary doctorates. Works based on his original stories have won three Oscars, three Emmys, three Grammys, and a Peabody.Jan Gerardi has illustrated many books for children. Her Teenie Greenies series, including The Little Recycler,The Little Composter,Eco People on the Go!, andThe Little Gardener,are the first books she has both written and illustrated. She lives in New Jersey with her daughter and three dogs.; Title: Dr. Seuss's Happy Birthday, Baby! (Dr. Seuss Nursery Collection) | [
8598,
8666,
9866,
10025,
11904,
13085,
13636,
14010,
14695,
23946,
27779,
28952,
38301,
48028,
56405,
58097,
60747,
62435,
69421
] | Test |
13,469 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2A child eagerly anticipates an event and uses simple sentences to express her excitement about what is going to happen. Heo relates two parallel stories here. One features the girl and her calendar countdown with text such as, "Daddy buys some new furniture. I have five days and four nights" and "I wash my old Teddy Bear. I have four days and three nights." Then readers learn what she is preparing for as the illustrations show the mother's journey to Korea to adopt a new baby and bring her home. Signs and labels in Korean appear throughout the book. The exquisite oil, pencil, and collage illustrations dovetail with the quiet, simple tone of the text. Heo's distinctive, uncluttered style is very effective as it reinforces the narrator's focus on the event. The pictures have fanciful angles and random details that will intrigue most children. For example, while Grandma "makes a little pink dress," spools of thread, a pincushion, buttons, and a tape measure, as well as a cat, seem to float about her. Most books about waiting for the arrival of an adoptive baby are aimed at older children and delve into negative feelings about a new sibling. This one is a worthwhile addition to most collections.Deborah Vose, Highlands Elementary School, Braintree, MA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.I mark a circle on the calendar. I have ten days and nine nights. The opening of this adoption story shows a young Asian girl marking May 10 on a calendar. As she waits for her mom to return, she counts down each day by doing something thats a clue: cutting a red paper heart, helping Grandpa redecorate her room, watching her dad buying new furniture, practicing holding a baby, and washing her old teddy bear. Then Grandma makes a little pink dress and Daddy closes his dry-cleaning store. Interspersed with the girls actions are wordless scenes of Mom signing papers and flying home with the new baby sister. Heos stylized artwork fills the pages with family warmth in this welcome and endearing addition to adoption books. The calendar device is exactly childlike, as is the girls first-person voice. An authors note refers to personal acquaintances who have adopted Korean babies. Preschool-Grade 2. --Julie Cummins; Title: Ten Days and Nine Nights: An Adoption Story (Rise and Shine) | [
10443,
37795,
42965,
73953
] | Train |
13,470 | 0 | Grade 6–8—Emery has dumped his two daughters at his family's ghostly, crumbling ancestral plantation home with his peculiar sister and brother-in-law who are most unhappy to host the girls while he searches for his wife, who has left the family. The house itself seems to respond to the needs and fears of the sisters and begins to slowly draw 11-year-old Tennyson into its legacy through dreams of its past grandeurs and sorrows. The story is set during the Great Depression when the South is still reeling from the economic devastation of the Civil War. Tennyson is desperate to find her mother and hatches a scheme to reach her by having articles published in her mother's favorite literary magazine. Blume has an impressive command of the English language, but the story is too contrived. The manuscripts Tennyson sends to the magazine are written on old sheet music, so it's highly unlikely that a distinguished literary magazine would even consider such work. The characters run the gamut of Southern stereotypes, from the cruel white master and the silver-stealing slaves who appear in Tennyson's dreams to the aunt and uncle who are trying to get restitution from the federal government for losses incurred during the Civil War and a faithful retainer who is a descendant of the family's slaves. It's unfortunate that the author's considerable writing talent lacks a stronger plot.Nancy Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, January 7, 2008:“The writing offers its own hypnotic montage of poetic images, turning stereotypes into archetypes.”Review, The New York Times Book Review, March 16, 2008:“Aigredoux itself, with its towering columns and ‘Spanish moss…looking like ghost clothes that had been flung up there to dry,’ comes to life beautifully.”; Title: Tennyson | [] | Validation |
13,471 | 2 | This tongue-in-cheek superheroine graphic novel will hit the spot for chapter-book readers. Lunch Lady and Betty, her assistant in both the cafeteria and her role of wrong-righting supersleuth, investigate the strange case of an absent teacher, his creepy substitute, and a plan to grab the Teacher of the Year Award by truly foul means. Three little kids join in the action as Lunch Lady, equipped with a variety of high-tech kitchen gadgets like a spatu-copter and a lunch-tray laptop, tracks a cleverly disguised robot to his makers lab, where a whole army of cyborgs require kicking, stomping, and the wielding of fish-stick nunchucks. Yellow-highlighted pen-and-ink cartoons are as energetic and smile-provoking as Lunch Ladys epithets of Cauliflower! and Bettys ultimate weapon, the hairnet. There is a nice twist in the surprise ending, and the kids ability to stand up to the school bully shows off their newfound confidence in a credible manner. Little details invite and reward repeat readings with visual as well as verbal punning. Grades 2-4. --Francisca GoldsmithJarrett J. Krosoczka is the author-illustrator of Punk Farm, Punk Farm on Tour, Max for President, and Baghead. He lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.; Title: Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute: Lunch Lady #1 | [
3090,
3107,
3118,
4259,
4260,
6620,
6810,
8648,
11395,
12403,
13098,
13154,
13370,
13414,
13478,
13744,
13795,
13914,
13931,
13976,
14026,
14056,
14063,
14430,
14610,
14967,
15010,
17856,
20821,
22229,
22446,
22534,
22696,
22883,
22885,
25659,
... | Train |
13,472 | 0 | Apple Jordan is the author of several books for children, including the Barbie Step 1 BooksSchool Days and On Your Toes.She lives in Buffalo, New York.Gabriella Matta is an illustrator. Her works include All Dressed Up, Christmas in the Castle, and Cinderellas Golden Locks.Francesco Legramandi is a childrens book artist andillustrator. He began working with Disney in the 1990s, and hasalso illustrated for Marvel and DC Comics. His works include All Dressed Up, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Ariels Wavy Curls.; Title: The Sweetest Spring (Disney Princess) (Step into Reading) | [
2630,
2760,
3124,
3306,
8490,
8499,
12757,
12846,
13104,
13833,
13895,
13986,
14554,
15229,
16814,
21767,
26524,
29502,
29519,
29534,
29567,
29568,
29573,
29587,
29588,
29590,
29596,
29598,
29599,
29604,
29615,
29622,
29634,
29662,
29712,
29716,
... | Validation |
13,473 | 1 | JANETTE SEBRING LOWREY (1892-1986), a Texan, wrote mostly teen fiction during the 1940s and 1950s. Her young adult novelMargaretwas adapted into a TV serial,Walt Disney Presents: Annette,which aired onThe Mickey Mouse Clubin 1958, starring Annette Funicello. But Lowrey is best known as the author ofThe Poky Little Puppy,which was one of the original twelve Little Golden Books that launched in 1942. It went on to become an icon, and the bestselling picture book of all time.GUSTAF TENGGREN(18961970) was a well-known illustrator in his native Sweden before immigrating to the United States in 1920. He illustrated many Golden Books, beginning withThe Poky Little Puppy.One of the original twelve Little Golden Bookspublished in 1942,The Poky Little Puppywent on to become the bestselling picture book of all time. Other iconic Little Golden Books illustrated by Tenggren includeThe Saggy Baggy Elephant,The Shy Little Kitten,andTawny Scrawny Lion.In the late 1930s, Tenggren worked for the Disney Studio, providing concept artwork (created to inspire and guide animators) for various characters and scenes inBambi, The Old Mill, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio,andFantasia.; Title: Where is the Poky Little Puppy? (Little Golden Book) | [
8186,
8187,
8196,
8197,
8199,
8200,
8202,
8205,
8219,
8221,
8222,
8245,
8590,
8596,
8634,
8728,
8731,
8735,
8740,
12996,
13014,
13111,
13162,
13172,
13283,
13460,
13480,
13552,
13554,
13762,
13766,
13828,
14109,
14527,
14558,
14665,
14691,
14... | Train |
13,474 | 2 | Jean Slaughter Doty wrote over a dozen novels about horses and ponies, including The Crumb and Can I Get There by Candlelight?. Her stories have been treasured by generations of riders.Ruth Sanderson has illustrated books for children of all ages, including the first paperback covers for the entire Black Stallion series. She lives with her family in Ware, Massachusetts, and her favorite hobby is horseback riding.; Title: Summer Pony (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)) | [
161,
1480,
2360,
2365,
2371,
2372,
2381,
3141,
3143,
3145,
3146,
3154,
3163,
3186,
10121,
10137,
13477,
13547,
13759,
13877,
13920,
14623,
15100,
15136,
15168,
15292,
17647,
18357,
18393,
19015,
19020,
21535,
21990,
24227,
25527,
26185,
27234,
... | Train |
13,475 | 2 | Bonny Becker lives in Seattle, Washington.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: The Magical Ms. Plum | [
2317,
2942,
3512,
3789,
3852,
3898,
4213,
4411,
5858,
6058,
6121,
6527,
6892,
7607,
9639,
10596,
11397,
12579,
13263,
13471,
14203,
14204,
14999,
17463,
17544,
18181,
18188,
18203,
19121,
23002,
24710,
26209,
32824,
32926,
33088,
33477,
38512,
... | Train |
13,476 | 2 | "The lively, first-person narrative moves readers through possibly banal or overly traumatic episodes with a gentleness and humor that has them rooting for Camille. This book about friendship and loss kindly teaches that life is pretty much what one is willing to make of it." --School Library Journal,starred review"Camille's a survivor, 'born with the power to bounce back,' which she does with surprising panache and hope in this touching debut." --Kirkus Reviews"Middle-grade readers will enjoy the insider's viewpoint, the blend of farce and sorrow, and the ending, which brings no neat resolution, just a yearning for a world that feels 'a little more fair.'" --Booklist"Readers will enjoy the many antics that occur throughout this story. . . . This is an excellent book that can be used to engage reluctant readers." --Children's LiteratureKristen Tracyis the author of many popular novels, including the PROJECT (UN)POPULAR series andToo Cool for This School. She lives with her family in the popular state of California. Visit her online at kristentracy.com and on Twitter at@kristen_tracy(it will make her feel popular).; Title: Camille McPhee Fell Under the Bus | [
13415
] | Validation |
13,477 | 2 | Catherine Hapka has written more than 150 books for children and young adultsmany about horses, including several in the Saddle Club and Pine Hollow series. A lifelong horse lover, she rides several times per week and appreciates horses of all breeds. She lives on a small farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania.Ruth Sanderson has illustrated books for children of all ages, including Summer Pony and Winter Pony. She lives with her family in Ware, Massachusetts, and her favorite hobby is horseback riding.Iceland, Circa AD 1000My name is Elska. That is what the people call me, though in the first months of my life I knew nothing of people.I was foaled in early summer, in a meadow dotted with flowers. My first memory was the feeling of the warm sun on my back. I did not know it then, but in summer in Iceland, the sun shines for more than twenty hours each day. My dam, Silfra, was on her feet within moments of my birth. She nudged at me with her soft muzzle. The scent of her surrounded me and made me feel safe.My long legs twitched. They felt new and strange. I moved them, trying to figure out how they worked. Finally I got my two front legs out in front and my back legs under me. I gave a push and staggered to my feet. I swayed back and forth and almost fell. Then I found my balance. I stood on my shaky legs. My brushy tail swished behind me, and my ears twitched at the sounds of my brand-new world. I opened my eyes wide, trying to understand the things I saw. Interesting smells drifted past my nostrils.My dam nudged me again with her nose, almost tipping me over. I realized I was hungry. I searched along her body until I found the right spot. Then I nursed, the warm milk filling my belly. Soon I was full, which made me very sleepy. I allowed my new legs to collapse under me, and was asleep almost before I hit the ground.When I awoke, I stood and nursed again. Energy coursed through my body, and I turned away from my dam. I noticed other creatures nearbyhorses like me.Curious, I tried to run to them. But my long legs tangled with each other and I went sprawling face-first on the ground.My dam was amused. Patience, little one, she told me. Soon you will be running like the wind.Wise Silfra was right. Within hours I was running and playing as if I had been doing so forever. The others welcomed me to the herd. I met Bergelmir, the herd stallion and my sire. I also met an older filly known as Leira; her patient old dam, Irpa; a sweet filly the humans would call Tyrta, who was only a few days older than I was; and a playful colt with a colorful pinto coat who would be called Tappi.It was Tappi who first showed me how to tlt. I already knew how to trot and gallop. I could walk, too, though I did it as little as possibleit was too slow when there was so much to do and see! When I first noticed Tappi, he was moving in a different way. His legs flashed beneath him, one-two-threefour, while his head and back stayed straight and proud. I galloped after him, curious. Why do your legs move like that? I wanted to know. He lifted his knees higher, showing off as he tlted around me. All the horses of this land can do it, he told me. It is called a tlt, and it is what makes us special among all the animals. How do you know so much about it? I wanted to know. You arent much older than me.My mother, Perta, told me, Tappi said. She is the oldest mare in the herd. She knows everything!I watched his legs carefully. Then I tried to make my own move in the same way. After a few tries, I got it. I was tlting! Before long it felt as easy as breathing. My hind legs stretched under my body, one at a time, pushing me forward. My front legs lifted and curled, helping to propel me along. Onetwo- three-four, one-two-three-four, faster and faster. Tlting was fun!A few days after my foaling, the rest of the herd left my birth meadow. I kept pace easily, sometimes walking or trotting and sometimes tlting with Tappi. We forded a fast, cold, shallow river that tumbled down from the mountains in a series of waterfalls. Then we climbed a steep, mossy hill and found ourselves overlooking a green valley. A herd of smaller creatures dotted the slopes of the valley and nibbled at the grass. They were white, gray, black, and brownalmost as many colors as there were in my herd. My mother told me that such creatures were known as sheep.They share our summer grazing lands, she told me. In autumn, the men come and round them up, along with us.I didnt understand all of what she told me. Summer, autumn, and men meant nothing to me. But I didnt let it worry me. Like the way my legs worked, I figured these things would become clear in time. The herd continued through the valley of the sheep. On the far side, we found ourselves in the shadow of a mountain. Its iron-gray slopes stretched up toward the blue sky. Near the top, veins of silvery white trickled down, like the strands of my friend Tyrtas creamy mane and tail against the dark golden palomino color of her body.The wise old mare Irpa saw me looking. That is ice and snow, little one, she told me. You will learn more of that soon enough.I wanted to know more now, but the herd was on the move again. We traveled through more valleys, across high meadows and lava fields, past hot springs and geysers, and over rocky foothills coated with moss. By late evening, when the sun set for the first time in many hours, we reached a broad, grassy plain with a river running through it. Most of the horses waded into the river, drinking deeply. I nursed from my mother, then collapsed onto the soft ground and slept. That was the first of many journeys I made with the herd. We moved around often in search of grazing. Several months passed and I grew bigger, faster, and stronger. I drank less of my dams milk and nibbled more grass with the older horses. I grew taller and stouter, and a layer of fat covered my ribs.Then one day in early autumn, something different happened. Tappi was the first to notice.New horses! He came running toward the herd, breathless. Come and see!Before we could move, horses crested the next hill. But what was that upon their backs?Ah, it is Hamur! My dam, Silfra, snorted with pleasure. Her ears were pricked forward and her gaze trained on a particular roan horse. See how big he has grown since winter!All around me, the other adult horses were expressing similar things. The other foals were just as confused as I was. What was happening?Still, watching the reaction of my elders, I knew it could be nothing frightening. The horses came closer, and I got a better look at the odd creatures that rode upon their backs. They sat upright like a bird does, or an arctic fox when it stands on its hind legs to scan the fields. But these creatures were much larger than a fox. They also made strange noises as they came, sharper than the soft snorts and nickers of a horse and louder than the calls of most birds. I cocked my head to listen to these cries.One was tall with a loud voice: Watch, Amma! You must stay close to us, or you will not be allowed on the rettir again until you are older. A smaller one responded, But I am old enough, Jarl! I am nearly eight.Yet anothers voice was like the low rumble of a geyser: Your brother speaks the truth, Amma. Keep your horse near mine.Yes, Father. Ooh! Look at the pretty silver dapple filly over there.I was trying to puzzle out what the sounds might mean. Then I noticed that the smallest of the odd new creatures was staring straight at me. I took a step closer, curious.Come, little one. Silfra walked toward me, moving her head to show me which way she wanted me to go. We are meant to go withthe humans now.Sure enough, the herd was already drifting ahead of the newcomers toward the nearest mountain pass. Silfras body blocked my view for a moment. But when I turned my head to look behind me, the small creaturea human, my dam had called itwas still gazing after me.; Title: Horse Diaries #1: Elska | [
91,
95,
161,
6278,
8603,
8639,
8674,
10121,
10196,
13175,
13474,
13530,
13547,
13557,
13669,
13715,
13797,
13882,
13923,
13960,
14040,
14454,
14474,
14623,
14692,
14718,
16698,
19015,
19553,
23928,
23974,
41705,
43043,
43047,
44799,
44802,
5018... | Train |
13,478 | 2 | Jarrett J. Krosoczka is the author-illustrator of Punk Farm, Punk Farm on Tour, Max for President, and Baghead. He lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.; Title: Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians: Lunch Lady #2 | [
3076,
3107,
3586,
4259,
4260,
6620,
6851,
8532,
8648,
8732,
11395,
13098,
13110,
13112,
13154,
13370,
13383,
13414,
13471,
13744,
13795,
13812,
13931,
13949,
13976,
14026,
14056,
14063,
14430,
14610,
14967,
22030,
22229,
22337,
22446,
22534,
22... | Train |
13,479 | 14 | In the early 1940s, a loving father crafted a small blue wooden engine for his son, Christopher. The stories that this father, Reverend W. Awdry, made up to accompany this wonderful toy were first published in 1945. He continued to create new adventures and characters until 1972, when he retired from writing. Reverend Awdry died in 1997 at the age of 85.; Title: Thomas in Town: Valentine's Day in Vicarstown (Thomas & Friends) | [
1431,
1569,
1713,
2475,
2722,
2896,
2917,
3306,
5809,
8238,
8544,
8627,
8719,
9206,
9336,
9777,
9779,
9868,
9968,
12569,
13140,
13918,
16796,
16833,
16859,
18027,
19604,
19605,
23682,
23879,
23891,
25703,
26167,
26462,
29615,
40307,
45276,
45... | Validation |
13,480 | 2 | Sharon Kanegrew up in Indiana. Her first published drawing was at age nine, when she sent a pen-and-ink drawing toHighlights. A cartoon she started in her high school paper,Buttons An Beaux, became nationally syndicated and financed her college education at the University of Wisconsin. After graduation she began a career illustrating childrens books for Little Golden Books, Rand McNally, and the Methodist Publishing House. Her best-known book for Little Golden Books isLittle Mommy.; Title: Little Mommy (Little Golden Book) | [
8187,
8198,
8200,
8203,
8205,
8211,
8221,
8590,
8634,
8668,
8728,
8740,
12601,
13040,
13044,
13149,
13283,
13460,
13552,
13554,
13762,
13766,
14527,
23665,
45324
] | Test |
13,481 | 7 | L. Frank Baum authored many books about the land of Oz.Peter Archer, who adapted Baums Road to Oz for the Little Golden Book, was the pen name of Kathryn and Byron Jackson, who wrote hundreds of stories for Golden Books.Harry McNaught had a long career as an illustrator of books for children. He did several titles for Random House.; Title: The Road to Oz (Little Golden Book) | [
16691,
19495,
29698
] | Validation |
13,482 | 2 | In what seems a natural extension of Hills uncluttered composition style and simple, toylike characters, the artistexpands hisDuck& Goose series of picture bookswith a board book. Helped by a new character, a bluebird, the three familiar feathered friends (Duck, Goose, and Thistle) demonstrate each of nine pairs of opposite words: front, back; near, far; high, low; and so forth. Very young children unacquainted with the characters may not find enough to engage their attention in the stripped-down scenes, which feature little more than birds, blue sky, and grass. The truth is, though, many toddlers will already know Duck & Goose (2006) and Duck, Duck, Goose (2007),both of which have ultrasimple texts perfectly accessible to young preschoolers, and for these children, a variation better able to stand up totheirrip-and-chew ministrations may be just the thing. Preschool. --Jennifer MattsonTad Hills is the author and illustrator of Duck & Goosecalled expressive and adorable in a starred review from Kirkus Reviewsand Duck, Duck, Goose, both New York Times bestsellers. He is also the illustrator of My Fuzzy Friends and Knock, Knock, Who s There? and a painter, an actor, and an obsessive Halloween costume-maker. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and children.; Title: What's Up, Duck?: A Book of Opposites (Duck & Goose) | [
6733,
8523,
8666,
8681,
8701,
10300,
11904,
13239,
13304,
13617,
13694,
14135,
14489,
14557,
14581,
15843,
16046,
16326,
18671,
19604,
19616,
19622,
21500,
21706,
21767,
23816,
23822,
25624,
25625,
25644,
25962,
25963,
25968,
25971,
28935,
31262,... | Train |
13,483 | 13 | Maryann Cocca-Leffler has doodled and painted ever since she was a young child. She later attended the Massachusetts College of Art, where she majored in illustration. Maryann has written and/or illustrated more than 40 childrens books and lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two daughters.; Title: My Dance Recital | [
19358,
23665,
34232
] | Validation |
13,484 | 2 | Rebecca Frazer is a childrens literature author who has written numerous Barbie books, including An Egg-cellent Easter!, Barbie Loves Pets, and Winter Wonderland.Jiyoung An is the illustrator of several Barbie books. Her titles includeBarbie, I Can BeA Pet Vet; Barbie, I Can BeA Horse Rider; Barbie Loves Pets; Little Lost Dolphin;and many more.; Title: Barbie Loves Pets (Barbie) (Pictureback(R)) | [
8704,
13767,
13895,
13982,
14134,
14147,
14155,
14622,
19578,
24015
] | Test |
13,485 | 2 | Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2009:Smiths elegantly cartoonish brush-and-ink character survives an exhilarating scare involving a kite, a rescue and a newly formed friendship. Heides prose takes off just when Hyacinth does.Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, August 17, 2009:"Heide possesses the ability to tell a moralistic tale without a hint of didacticism." Starred Review, School Library Journal, November 2009:Heides tale bubbles with effervescence, drawing readersinto the fantasy with a lively, conversational text.Florence Parry Heide is the award-winning author of more than fifty books, including the Treehorn titles, illustrated by Edward Gorey. Lane Smiths many accolades include two Caldecott Honors, two New York Times Best Illustrated Book Awards, several ALA-ALSC Notable Awards, and countless Best Book citations from School Library Journal, Booklist, The Bulletin, and others. He lives in Washington, Connecticut.; Title: Princess Hyacinth (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated) | [
4671,
5350,
5494,
5533,
6378,
7405,
10269,
10270,
10377,
10506,
10841,
11254,
14018,
15393,
15415,
16330,
17458,
17823,
21455,
21682,
22984,
24710,
27234,
28457,
31569,
31775,
37122,
37987,
39233,
42059,
45535,
46494,
48149,
48188,
48558,
48631,
... | Train |
13,486 | 2 | A young boy finds that there is always something sad about saying good-bye, from Aunties Toodle-oo, ta-ta, kiss-kiss to Uncles southern drawling Gbye, yall . . . Take it easy. Even slapping hands with cool Cousin Jazzy on a city street (Gotta split, gotta blow, / see ya man, I gotta go) gives the boy the blues. The ink-and-watercolor pictures show the boys warm greetings, as well as his melancholy partings. The most wrenching good-bye comes when a friend next door moves away, and the boy realizes that Dont be a stranger! is not just clich. Two big double-page spreads depict the boy left behind in empty space that reveals the meaning of so long. The simple rhyme and wordplay add dimension to the scenarios, which move in tone from casual to heartfelt, and will encourage kids to think about the feelings behind the familiar things that they hear and say. Preschool-Grade 2. --Hazel RochmanRebecca Doughty is the author and illustrator of Some Helpful Tips for a Better World and a Happier Life, You Are to Me, and Lost and Found, as well as the illustrator of One of Those Days by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. She lives in Massachusetts.; Title: Oh No! Time to Go!: A Book of Goodbyes | [
8676,
11522,
13368,
14695,
16261,
17836,
21596,
25784,
25898,
26926,
27227,
28790,
41057,
44620,
48908,
49417,
52479,
57333,
57466,
61641,
62241,
67710,
68074,
69014,
73291,
74738
] | Validation |
13,487 | 0 | Review, Parents, January 2009:"In this whimsical Golden Book ... kids will learn what to do when a stranger rings their doorbell ... or shows up in a host of other places."Irma Joyce wrote many Golden Books during the 1960s, including the classic Never Talk to Strangers, illustrated by George Buckett.George Buckett was a popular children's book illustrator during the 1960s. He illustrated Never Talk to Strangers written by Irma Joyce, first published by Golden Books in 1967.; Title: Never Talk to Strangers | [
1546,
1553,
5414,
6137,
6238,
6751,
8279,
8955,
9006,
9097,
9767,
15112,
15177,
15200,
15230,
17182,
18438,
18520,
19358,
24810,
26446,
28790,
31862,
32484,
34047,
34076,
34102,
41481,
42632,
44166,
44292,
44294,
44297,
44590,
44849,
45116,
469... | Train |
13,488 | 2 | Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2007:"A tale of exquisite sentimentality and storytelling gains new appeal in Barrett's magical hands . . . a lovely reworking for a whole new audience."; Title: The Snow Goose | [
133,
5966,
6356,
9626,
17740,
23155,
27512,
27872,
29007,
38042,
38685,
41891,
47925,
63900,
72006
] | Train |
13,489 | 0 | RON ROY has been writing books for children since 1974. He is the author of dozens of books, including the popular A to Z Mysteries, Capital Mysteries, and Calendar Mysteries. When not working on a new book in his Connecticut home, Ron likes to teach tricks to his dog Pal, play poker with friends, travel, and read thrilling mystery books. Visit him online at RonRoy.com. TIMOTHY BUSH is a writer-illustrator with many childrens projects to his credit, including the elaborate visual extravaganza James in the House of Aunt Prudence and the super-funny Grunt, the Primitive Cave Boy. He lives in New York, New York.; Title: Capital Mysteries #10: The Election-Day Disaster | [
1894,
3000,
3582,
6114,
8353,
8357,
8360,
8562,
8619,
8632,
9439,
12572,
12574,
12575,
12581,
12586,
12756,
12769,
12771,
12785,
12889,
12893,
12911,
12916,
12938,
12974,
13164,
13261,
13266,
13309,
13441,
13507,
13551,
13592,
13606,
13711,
137... | Train |
13,490 | 6 | Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2011: "This is a most joyful and clever whimsy, the kind that lightens the heart and puts a shine on the day. Go ahead, break a few dishes in the washing machine, see the humor and enjoy this fine poke at every science fair that ever was."JENNY OFFILL is the author of 17 Things Im Not Allowed to Do Anymore, a Parenting Magazine Best Book of the Year and a Bank Street College of Education Best Childrens Book of the Year, and 11 Experiments That Failed, also a Bank Street College of Education Best Childrens Book of the Year, which Kirkus Reviews, in a starred review, called the most joyful and clever whimsy.NANCY CARPENTER is the illustrator of 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore by Jenny Offill, called "picture-perfect" in a starred review by School Libary Journal; Imogene's Last Stand by Candace Fleming; Apples to Oregon, an ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book, and Fannie in the Kitchen, both by Deborah Hopkinson; Sitti's Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye, winner of the Jane Addams Picture Book Award; and Masai and I by Virginia Kroll. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.; Title: 11 Experiments That Failed | [
2819,
3995,
4274,
4383,
6228,
6380,
8687,
10055,
10870,
11661,
12364,
12408,
13171,
14084,
14339,
16344,
16347,
16464,
16768,
16905,
16915,
20467,
22984,
25148,
26527,
28478,
29290,
31592,
31862,
31931,
32304,
32368,
32627,
36342,
37512,
38190,
... | Train |
13,491 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 2In quick, quirky rhymed couplets, Sierra relates the story of Sam, who starts reading as soon as his eyes open and never, ever stopseven when he plays basketball. There's a book (or three) out there for all of his various interests, and those he chooses help him with everything from winning bike races to saving the town from a marauding baby giant. To befriend the latter, he pulls out an assortment of classics (including The Cat in the Hat and an Arthur title), some cake, and a cup of tea, all of which work like magic. "And while the giant ate his snack up,/Sam discreetly called for backup." Help arrives in the form of a big brown UPS cargo jet. As an adult, Sam makes the cover of Time when he's awarded a Pulitzer. Sierra's wry acknowledgment of recognizable brands and their value works out okay for grownupssure, it's obvious product placement and cross promotion. For kids, the familiar bindings depicted in miniature promise a happy "Hey, I know that book!" Brown's gouache illustrations are cheery, and each page pours into the next through the use of subtly repeated background motifs. Polka dots on wallpaper in Sam's nursery evolve into dapples and spots across a wide swath of lawn, reappear as large potato-print circles in a doctor's office, and then shrink into a dizzying spray of blue and purple spots in Sam's dazzled imagination. This is an easy, obvious choice for events with literacy and early learning as their themes.Catherine Threadgill, formerly at Charleston County Public Library, SC Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.The collaborators who produced thehugelypopular Wild about Books (2004) have created anotherbook that is a hooray for reading. Rhyming text introduces youngsters toa boy named Sam, whowas born to readand read he does. When he becomes interested in winning a bicycle race, he reads everything he can on the topic, including books on motivation, concentration, muscle action, getting traction,and against the odds, he wins. When a baby giant terrorizes the town, Sam, with a basket of books and snacks, charms thecritter and saves the day. This definitely lacks the allure and cleverness of Wild. It seems like two stories lumped into one, and it isnt really clear how Sam wins the bicycle race (the statement Readers win and winners read isnt enough). However, Browns bright, colorful illustrations and the message that reading can be the ticket towhat someone wants to accomplishgive the booka fair amount of appeal. Preschool-Grade 2. --Randall Enos; Title: Born to Read | [
865,
4605,
4621,
5385,
5631,
6001,
7250,
8536,
10344,
10890,
11661,
12939,
13448,
13694,
14079,
14121,
14440,
16347,
22948,
23833,
24005,
24710,
25650,
26995,
31862,
31931,
32368,
32772,
33223,
33981,
33997,
36342,
36352,
38196,
43904,
45991,
4... | Train |
13,492 | 1 | In 1942, the launch ofLittle Golden Booksrevolutionized childrens book publishing by making high-quality picture books available at affordable prices. More than 60 years later, many of the original Golden Book titles are still wildly popular, with The Poky Little Puppy topping the list of ten bestselling childrens books of all time.Golden Books backlist is teeming with classics such as Dorothy Kunhardts Pat the Bunny, and features the stories and artwork of childrens book legends Mary Blair, Margaret Wise Brown, Richard Scarry, Eloise Wilkins, Garth Williams, and many more.Today, the Golden Books imprint includes an array of storybooks, novelty books, and coloring and activity books featuring all of the most popular licenses, including Disney, Nickelodeon, Barbie, Thomas & Friends, The Cat in the Hat, Sesame Street, Marvel Super Heroes, and DC Super Friends. Golden Bookscontinues to reissue the best of its backlist in a variety of formats, including ebooks and apps, as well as bringing out brand-new books in these evolving new formats.; Title: CATCH A WAVE! - CHUN | [
8475,
8738,
13942,
14559,
14614,
19552,
19588,
23716,
53910
] | Train |
13,493 | 2 | In the opening scene, Asa and Rollo huddle in a cave, hiding from balloon-borne spies sent out by cruel Emperor Flood. Supposedly the last remaining children of the ruling family that the emperor deposed by swelling the sea and sinking their kingdom, Asa and Rollo take shelter with an aunt until a mysterious stranger offers them a magical ship and a message of hope: their baby sister still lives, and they can set sail to rescue her. Though the story refers to Asa and Rollo as children, the darkly atmospheric, stylized illustrations depict them as much older, in their mid-teens at least. The brevity of the story does not give much scope for character development, and the plot features astonishing reversals of fortunes at odds with stated facts, such as the revelation that baby Una is alive. Theres also a hint that other relatives may have survived as well. Sequels, anyone? For larger collections. Grades 3-5. --Carolyn PhelanAsa! Sky patrol!Asas heart jumped. She leapt to her feet and glanced up the muddy slope at her younger brother, Rollo, who waved madly and pointed at the sky.Im coming! she yelled, pocketing in her damp skirt the colored stones she had been collecting. She sped away from the mud, up the slope, and onto the grass. A gull swooped overhead, and the heavy salt smell of the sea stuck to her clothes. Breathless, she grabbed Rollos hand and kept running.Up there! he said, and now Asa could see it on the horizon. A black shape against the pale morning sky: one of Emperor Floods fleet of balloons. They patrolled the skies, looking for traitors, searching out supporters of the deposed royal family. Especially the two remaining children of the royal family: Asa and Rollo. They hurried up the hill, the grass scratchy under their bare feet.Its coming too fast, Asa said. Well never make it back to Two Hills Keep.The cave, then, Rollo said.The cave. How she hated it. It smelled like fish and seaweed, and reminded her of the night Emperor Floods evil magic had swollen the sea, sinking her parents kingdom, the Star Lands. That awful night, she and Rollo had hidden in the cave for hours. When they emerged, their parentsKing Sigurd and the Star Queenwere dead, along with their baby sister, Una.The cave had once been their favorite place to play, high up in a cliff overlooking the Great Sea, hidden under the branches of a huge sea willow. Now the water lapped at its entrance, and the branches of the sea willow soaked their drooping tips at high tide. Asa didnt want to go back to the cave. But the black shape loomed closer. She could hear the hiss of the balloon approaching.All right, she said, squeezing Rollos hand. The cave.They changed direction, scrambling across the slope and down, and the sea willow came into view, its long silvery branches catching the early-morning light.Hurry, she said, pushing Rollo ahead. He scurried farther down the slope, over rocks and loose ground. Asas blood pounded. She risked a look back.The black half-moon of the balloons top was rising behind the slope. She slid on the loose ground, caught herself on a rock. A hot pain. The jagged edge of the rock had split open her palm. She clutched it with her other hand and blood oozed between her fingers. Nursing the injury against her chest, she found her way to the cave.Asa, youre bleeding, Rollo said as she landed next to him.She tore a strip off the bottom of her skirt and wrapped her palm in it. Wincing, she tied the knot with her teeth. But this was no time for tears or complaining.Hush, now, she said, catching her breath. Quiet and still.For a few long moments, all she could hear was their ragged breathing, the pull of the sea, the distant cries of gulls. But then, the familiar hiss as the balloon filled with hot air.Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.The sound of giant, evil lungs drawing sickly breath. Asa and Rollo pressed themselves against the back wall of the cave. Asas heartbeat was loud in her ears.Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.It was coming closer. She drew up her feet so her knees were right against her chest. Rollo pressed his face into her side and his fair hair fell forward. She slid her arm around him, her eyes wide and watching the entrance. A black shape descended behind the twisted branches of the sea willow. It was the bottom edge of the spy-seat: the square basket that hung from the balloon. She knew that Floods spies would be sitting in the spy-seat, with their compasses and brass telescopes and gleaming knives. The balloon only had to descend another two feet and the spies would be staring straight into the cave. She pushed herself against the cave wall, but couldnt shrink back any farther. Her heart thundered in her ears. Please, please, she whispered, over and over, silently. Rollo pressed himself against her harder, his hot little hand clutching her injured palm. Sweat made the wound sting.The basket lifted again and disappeared from sight.Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.Up it went. Asa breathed. Rollo lifted his head. She put her finger to her lips to remind him to stay quiet a little longer.Then the hissing began once more. The balloon was withdrawing, taking off over the sunken kingdom, searching elsewhere for traitors and royalists.Rollo smiled. Its gone.Lets get home, Asa said, standing on shaky legs.I wasnt really afraid, Rollo said with a grin.Yes, you were.No, I wasnt.They emerged into the pale morning light and Asa led the way home. Asa and Rollo lived with their aunt Katla at Two Hills Keep. Although the Keep looked like a tiny cottage built of mud and grass, it was actually far larger and concealed an underground maze of secret rooms. The King and Queen had it built when Asa was born, just in case their children were ever in danger and needed to hide. It came into view above the rise. Wildflowers grew over the grassy walls and a drooping tree disguised it almost entirely. In the year since Emperor Flood had killed their family and taken over the land, he had never managed to find them here. "Whos that? Rollo said, pointing across the field.Asa noticed it at the same time: an old man with his left arm pinned to his chest paced near the front entrance of the Keep.I dont know, she said warily, slowing her pace.Rollo pulled up. What if hes a spy?Asa didnt know what to do. She had never seen the strange man before, but he looked like he was waiting for them.At that moment, Katla emerged and spotted them.She beckoned anxiously. Come quickly, children, she called. You have a special visitor.The children hurried over as the old man turned to watch them. Asa didnt like his steely eyes, his hooked nose, or the cruel set of his mouth. Something about him made her skin prickle. A cool gust of morning air shivered over her. The wound on her hand had begun to throb lightly.Asa, Rollo, Katla said stiffly, I want you to meet Egil Cripplehand. Katla glanced at him nervously, then back to the children. He has news of your sister. Una? Rollo said, puzzled.The stranger fixed him with a stony gaze. Shes alive, he said. Your sister is alive.; Title: The Sunken Kingdom #1: Ghost Ship | [
13546
] | Train |
13,494 | 2 | *Starred Review* The facts seem simple enough. While their mothers have coffee, Ted and his older sister, Kat, and their cousin, Salim,wait in aqueueto ridethe London Eye, an observation wheel that allows those locked in the glass-and-steel capsules to see 25 miles in every direction.A stranger from the front of the line offers one free ticket, and since Salim is the visitor, stopping in London before moving with hismum to New York, he takes it. Ted and Katsee himenter the capsule and follow his ride, but to their shock,he doesnt exit with his fellow riders. This book, verydifferent from Dowds searingA Swift Pure Cry(2007),is much more thana taut mystery. In Ted, Dowd offers a complex young hero, whose funny brain . . . runs on a different operating system (seemingly Aspergers Syndrome) and who is obsessed with shipping forecasts andwith hisinability to connect well with others.After several long days have passed with no sign of Salim,Ted must use the skills he has and overcome some of hispersonal challengesto find his cousin. Everything rings true here, the family relationships, the quirky connections of Teds mental circuitry, and, perhaps mostsurprisingly, the mystery. So often the mechanics of mystery dont bear close scrutiny, butthats notso here. A page turner with heft. Grades 5-8. --Ilene CooperStarred review, Publishers Weekly, December 3, 2007:"Grabs readers from the beginning and doesn't let go."Starred review, Booklist, January 1, 2008:Everything rings true here, the family relationships, the quirky connections of Teds mental circuitry, and, perhaps most surprisingly, the mystery.Starred review, Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2007:This is a well-constructed puzzle, and mystery lovers will delight in connecting the clues.Starred review, School Library Journal, February 2008:A dense mystery tied together with fully fleshed out characters and a unique narrator.Starred review, The Horn Book, May/June 2008:The best mysteries have at their centers gifted but very human sleuthstheir abilities balanced by equally significant flaws or idiosyncrasies. This one is no exception.; Title: The London Eye Mystery | [
2047,
6405,
6651,
6677,
6680,
6829,
6919,
10134,
13315,
13336,
13510,
13533,
14425,
16676,
21871,
26537,
42672,
45731,
47511,
54564,
54717,
74934
] | Validation |
13,495 | 15 | Starred Review. Grade 2–5—Endpapers featuring a photo collage of generations of televisions from the earliest oval-screened version to modern flat screens set the book's context. Then, readers are asked to imagine life when there was no TV, radio was only for the military, news was hard to come by, and people studied the Sears, Roebuck catalog to make their purchases. Juxtaposing the staid images of farm life with fanciful ones depicting Farnsworth's broadening vision, Couch draws, paints, and digitally enhances the story. To show the boy learning about inventors as he studies the stars, Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell appear among the constellations like ancient Greek heroes. While plowing a field, Farnsworth developed the idea for how television could work, inspired by those parallel furrows as a format to transmit an electronic signal. It is the inventor's passion and genius that come through in this picture-book biography that follows him from the three-year-old who drew schematics of train engines, to the teen who automated the clothes washer so he would have more time to read, to the young man who celebrated his invention. Krull's focus is on the boy genius becoming an inventor like his heroes, and only in a note does she mention his struggles with RCA and his bitterness later in life. The facts aren't new, but with Krull building the story and Couch's exceptional images, it's one to inspire young audiences with the vast possibilities that imagination and diligence can accomplish.—Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library ENDStarred Review, School Library Journal, September 2009:"One to inspire young audiences with the vast possibilities that imagination and diligence can accomplish."The New York Times Book Review, December 20, 2009:"Beautiful and beautifully told, the book tracks like the sort of graphic novel that breaks your heart, with its implied passage of time and slipping awawy of early dreams."; Title: The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth | [
3062,
6097,
6829,
6919,
7140,
9581,
9615,
10055,
12198,
12364,
13390,
14257,
16482,
17050,
17291,
17379,
20821,
22196,
23135,
23373,
32824,
33492,
34960,
45731,
47627,
48183,
50122,
55053,
59567,
62283,
67578,
75206
] | Train |
13,496 | 2 | Rich Wallace is the acclaimed author of many books for young readers, including Wrestling Sturbridge, an ALA-YALSA Best of the Best Book for Young Adults; Shots on Goal, a Booklist Top 10 Sports Book for Youth; Perpetual Check; and the Winning Season series. He coached soccer for several years, beginning when his older son joined a team in kindergarten.Rich Wallace lives in New Hampshire with his wife, author Sandra Neil Wallace. You can visit him on the Web at www.richwallacebooks.com.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Kickers #1: The Ball Hogs | [
1737,
5340,
6000,
6106,
6224,
6402,
6412,
6593,
8691,
10627,
10691,
10826,
13013,
13498,
13503,
13514,
13872,
14634,
15231,
18145,
19175,
20344,
21637,
22883,
23781,
23788,
23803,
23843,
26478,
30919,
30930,
35073,
45654,
49762,
50741,
50761,
5... | Test |
13,497 | 2 | In the early 1940s, a loving father crafted a small, blue, wooden engine for his son, Christopher. The stories that this father, the Reverend W. Awdry, made up to accompany this wonderful toy, were first published in 1945. He retired from writing in 1992. Reverend Awdry died in 1997 at age 85.; Title: Thomas and Friends: Trains, Cranes and Troublesome Trucks (Thomas & Friends) (Beginner Books(R)) | [
8627,
12730,
12758,
13007,
13072,
13122,
13170,
13339,
13362,
13621,
13751,
13987,
14491,
16778,
19512,
19528,
23660,
23682,
26167,
26238,
26280,
26558
] | Test |
13,498 | 2 | RICH WALLACE is the author of Sports Camp, Perpetual Check, One Good Punch, Shots on Goal, a Booklist Top Ten Youth Sports Book, and Wrestling Sturbridge, an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. Visit him on the Web at RichWallaceBooks.com.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Kickers #4: Game-Day Jitters | [
6593,
8691,
13496,
13503,
13514,
13872,
14000,
16773,
18819,
20344,
22883,
22905,
23781,
23803,
23843,
30919,
43947,
45654,
49762,
50041,
51008,
56776,
57767,
58780,
65470
] | Test |
13,499 | 11 | Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2011LELA NARGI is the author of numerous books about knitting and cooking. This is her first children's book.KYRSTEN BROOKER's wonderful books for children include Someday When My Cat Can Talk by Caroline Lazo; Precious and the Boo Hag by Patricia C. McKissack, an ALA Notable Book, a School Library Journal Book of the Year, and a Charlotte Zolotow Honor; and Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street by Roni Schotter, a National Council of Teachers Notable Trade Book.; Title: The Honeybee Man | [
1589,
1985,
5893,
6963,
7361,
8343,
8711,
9563,
10270,
11254,
13829,
13951,
15007,
15393,
16347,
21465,
25669,
28976,
30543,
32212,
33383,
33791,
33960,
36390,
37276,
37884,
41231,
46800,
47868,
48021,
48715,
49751,
49891,
49975,
50069,
51368,
... | Train |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.