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14,300 | 13 | Favorite athletes from sports such as baseball, basketball, football, tennis, skiing, gymnastics and track-and-field are presented here. An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, New York Public Library -- Books for the Teen Age.From the Trade Paperback edition.; Title: Draw 50 Athletes | [
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14,301 | 13 | Old English sheep dogs, German Shepherds and Malamutes are just a few of the fun-loving, furry breeds that anyone can create by following these sketches.An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.Old English sheep dogs, German Shepherds andMalamutes are just a few of the fun-loving, furrybreeds that anyone can create by following thesesketches. An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.; Title: Draw 50 Dogs: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Beagles, German Shepherds, Collies, Golden Retrievers, Yorkies, Pugs, Malamutes, and Many More... | [
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14,302 | 0 | Presented in easy-to-read language, We The People makes the Constitution fun and approachable for children. Spier gives the historical facts behind the writing of the document, while his colorful and realistic illustrations depict scenes of past and present American life. "...A joyful celebration of the people whose leaders created the Constitution..."--Booklist, starred review. Full-color throughout.; Title: We the People: The Constitution of the United States | [
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14,303 | 0 | Grade 4-8 Within this enticing collection is material enough to bring sighs of satisfaction from confirmed unicorn lovers and make converts of skeptical newcomers. The author of Sarah's Unicorn (Lippincott, 1979) pulls together a wide variety of stories and poems which deal in one way or another with unicorns, introducing them with his own concise history of unicorn lore. This history acknowledges the elusive nature of the myth as well as the beast, and the choices that Coville has made reflect a varied approach to the legend. In the creations of Madeleine L'Engle, C. S. Lewis, Jane Yolen, Myra Cohn Livingston, and others, readers meet unicorns who are old and feeble, sleek and arrogant, demanding or giving. Unlike Michael Green in his elegant De Historia et Veritate Unicornis (Running Pr, 1983), which is consistantly medieval, Hildebrandt has used a wide variety of media and unicorn images to evoke feelings consistent with the stories. This book does exactly what anthologies should do. It satisfies on its own while leading readers irresistably to the longer works of its writers. Reva Pitch Margolis, Norwood School, N.J.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Unicorn Treasury | [
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14,304 | 7 | From the author of The Indian in the Cupboard and its sequel comes a story of earthly enchantment. When Tiki, a fairy, is "earthed" on Jan's human foot, both are terrified. But because Jan, unlike most adults, believes in fairies, the two become friends. When Tiki learns that Jan is sad because she and her husband Charles can't have children, the flighty fairy performs a bit of forbidden magic. Her act provokes the wrath of the wicked Fairy Queen, but Jan's daughter Bindi grows up to be a healthy eight-year-old, receiving magic presents every year from Tiki. Then the Fairy Queen exacts her revenge on the family, and it is only through the combined powers of humans and fairies that the evil ruler is defeated forever. Told in the grand fashion of early 20th century fairy tales, Banks's story is a comfortable, old-fashioned read (with numerous witty asides) about a naughty but courageous fairy and her loving mortal friends. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 10-up. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-5 Jan and Charlie long for a child but are unable to have one. In the garden, Jan meets Tiki, an unusual, spirited fairy who prefers jeans to pink frills and converses with Jan in spite of the anti-person rules of the tyrannical Fairy Queen. Tiki decides to use her powers to help Jan. However, she mixes up the requests for brown hair and blue eyes and must appeal to the Queen for more power. The Queen punishes Tiki by locking her in a hornets' nest. Thus begins a tale of magic, suspense, and adventure. The baby, Bindi, is born with 20 magic blue hairs at the nape of her neck, but the Fairy Queen and her evil hornet henchmen are an ever-present threat. Banks has woven yet another successful fantasy. Her management of detail and character create a tense atmosphere. The magical elements are consistent throughout, and the descriptions of the Queen and the hornets are realistically frightening. As a result, the suspense builds to a tingling climax that resolves in a satisfying conclusion. A compelling fantasy that will appeal to children, whether read aloud or alone. Marion B. Hanes, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Fairy Rebel | [
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14,305 | 13 | This book brings to life Siamese, Persians, lions, tigers, panthers and such celebrity felines as Felix, Top Cat and Snaggle Puss.ings to life Siamese, Persians, lions, tigers, panthers and such celebrity felines as Felix, Top Cat and Snaggle Puss.; Title: Draw 50 Cats: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Domestic Breeds, Wild Cats, Cuddly Kittens, and Famous Felines | [
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14,306 | 13 | "Takes would-be artists from the first tentative pencil line to the completed drawing of such vehicles as a Corvette, a BMW motorcycle, and a Euclid dump truck." -- Booklist. An IRA-CBC Children's Choice, An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.would-be artists from the firsttentative pencil line to the completed drawing of suchvehicles as a Corvette, a BMW motorcycle, and aEuclid dump truck." -- Booklist. An IRA-CBC Children's Choice, An AmericanBookseller Pick of the Lists.; Title: Draw 50 Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles | [
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14,307 | 7 | "There are some delicious shivers here, with plenty of fodder for an active imagination." School Library Journal"Demons, vampires, skeletons, goblins, werewolves, witches, wizards, and ghosts aplenty inhabit these tales from various parts of the world." BooklistRobert D. San Souci, acclaimed for his retellings of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and other favorite works, brings his story-spinning skill to hair-raising tales from the Brothers Grimm, Nathaniel Hawthorne and many more."Wholesome and well-written."--Library Talk.; Title: Short and Shivery: Thirty Chilling Tales | [
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14,308 | 0 | Grade 6 Up Good news for the Blossom Culp cult! Peck's feisty 14-year-old psychic returns for a fourth adventure, set, as always, in Bluff City, sometime around 1914. As in earlier installments of Blossom's antic autobiography, . . .the Sleep of Death incorporates elements of both the topical and the occult (women's suffrage and the lively spirit of an ancient Egyptian princess, respectively). Complications abound and Blossom, as usual, is culpable. And, yes, her unwilling accomplice is once again the fatuous but good looking Alexander Armsworth. Also returning are Blossom's chief antagonist, the dreaded Letty Shambaugh and her coterie of lesser nemeses, the Sunny Thoughts and Busy Fingers Sisterhood. There is no sting in . . .Death, but it does seem more contrived in terms of plot and weaker in its setting and use of period than earlier titles in this series. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining and generally well-crafted diversion with moments of inspired humor (the hapless Alexander's fraternity initiation rights) and abundant examples of Peck's gift for turning the humorous phrase ("I was jumpier than turtle parts in a pan"). Michael Cart, Beverly Hills Public LibraryCopyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Blossom Culp and the Sleep of Death | [
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14,309 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2-- Since the fact of big buck best-sellerdom carries little weight in children's library selection circles, these jackets' front flaps cozily coax belief in Steel's expertise with the very young by sharing the information that she is the mother of nine. Rogers seems hopelessly indebted to the never-to-be remembered artist of that never-to-be forgotten primer series, Dick and Jane-- updated without a Spot. The messages in each book are the same--children should share their anxieties with their parents, and their parents will do what they please no matter what, with slightly more awareness of how their children are affected by it. Consider Max, who is four years old. He's afraid of babysitter Barbara's cat and is often quite cold at her place. After he tells his parents his troubles, they eventually find another babysitter who keeps a puppy and heats her house by baking cookies. (If Max thinks his mother is going to stay home with him, well, he's got another think coming.) Martha, five years old, seems made of sturdier stuff. She hopes against hope that her divorced parents will return to each other, but Daddy tells it like it is--it's out of the question because, after the divorce, "It took us a long time to get to be friends and I wouldn't do anything to spoil that." (That's certainly one of the more chaotic concepts of adult relations). So, Mommy re-marries, Martha goes along on the Hawaiian honeymoon and, little realist that she is, decides she now has three important people in her life--Mommy, Daddy and the new John. As cures for common causes of nervous wreckage among preschoolers, these are as effective as--sugar pills.- Lillian N. Gerhardt , "School Library Journal"Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.Max is four years old and lives in New York. His Mommy is a nurse, and his Daddy is a fireman, so he has to spend each day at his baby-sitter's. But her house is cold, and Max is afraid of her cat.Finally, one day, Max tells his parents how he feels. They don't want him to be unhappy, so they start looking for a new baby-sitter. And it isn't long before they find the perfect one. She even has a puppy.Mother of nine, Danielle Steel understands children's feelings, and with warmth and tenderness shows how parents can help children banish their fears.; Title: Max and the Baby-sitter | [
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14,310 | 20 | Grade 4-8-- Are we neglecting our Bible heritage? This retelling may help children value it anew. Among the 13 stories (taken from Genesis through Kings) are many once well-known to all (Eden, Noah, Babel) and a few less familar (Deborah, Jotham's Fable). Even the best-known Old Testament stories, however, take on new meaning in the light of sensitive translations and informative notes, both of which abound in this book. Patriarchal attitudes and assumptions are put into perspective; Bach and Exum actually avoid referring to the Deity as "He" (by the somewhat awkward sacrifice of all personal pronouns). This feat is less significant than their outstanding endnotes and the vigorous, colloquial, but dignified prose style of the narratives, which conveys much of the spirit of the ancient texts. This results in a version that is livelier than de la Mare's Stories from the Bible (Faber, 1985) and more accessible than Peter Dickinson's literarily stunning City of Gold (Gollancz, 1980; o.p.). The Dillons are such effective colorists that finding them confined to black and white here is initially dismaying--but only initially. The artists make the most of their grisaille by choosing night scenes or interior settings. These picture have detail, dignity, and drama, and their unusual design wizardry has a convincingly archaic flavor. The image of Moses dwarfed by towering walls of water is so powerful that scholars' objections (the crossing of the shallow sea was probably more a matter of weather than of wonder) might seem carping. --Patricia Dooley, University of Wash ington, SeattleCopyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.ALICE BACH is the author of more than twenty books for children and young adults, among them two ALA Notable books and two named Best Book of the Year by the New York Times.J. CHERYL EXUM is well known for her work on the biblical book of Judges and has published widely in the area of literary criticism of biblical texts.LEO AND DIANE DILLON have collaborated on a number of distinguished picture books. They were awarded the Caldecott Medal two times consecutively, in 1976 and 1977, and have received honors from the Society of Illustrators, the Art Directors Club, and the American Institute of Graphic Arts.; Title: Moses' Ark, Stories From the Bible | [
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14,311 | 2 | Max's Daddy is a fireman in New York. One day, while rescuing three children from a hotel fire, he has an accident. Four-year-old Max and his Mommy are worried when they hear that Daddy has been hurt.Luckily, Daddy is taken to the very same hospital where Max's Mommy works as a nurse. She tells Max that Daddy will get better, but Max is still worried. Just as soon as she can, Max's Mommy takes him to the hospital. Now he can see with his own eyes that Daddy will soon be well again.The mother of nine children herself, Danielle Steel has a special sympathy for children's concerns and shows here how parents can help a child overcome his worries with caring reassurance.is a fireman in New York. One day, while rescuing three children from a hotel fire, he has an accident. Four-year-old Max and his Mommy are worried when they hear that Daddy has been hurt.Luckily, Daddy is taken to the very same hospital where Max's Mommy works as a nurse. She tells Max that Daddy will get better, but Max is still worried. Just as soon as she can, Max's Mommy takes him to the hospital. Now he can see with his own eyes that Daddy will soon be well again.The mother of nine children herself, Danielle Steel has a special sympathy for children's concerns and shows here how parents can help a child overcome his worries with caring reassurance.; Title: Max's Daddy Goes to the Hospital | [
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14,312 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3-- The narrator shares her family album with readers, and highlights moments of passage from her infancy to adulthood. The first and last illustrations, similarly posed, complete a cycle. At first, the storyteller is herself a baby, looking up to her mother, father, two other children, and Uncle Tom. Finally, she takes her place with the giants as a new mother. This British import is rather unexciting and episodic, using the metaphor of giants rather than a plot to hold it together. However, Dale's watercolor and pencil illustrations embellish ordinary events delightfully in this chronicle of life in one relaxed, middle-class, contemporary family. --Anna Biagioni Hart, Sherwood Regional Lib . , Alexandria, VACopyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Once There Were Giants | [
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14,313 | 2 | Martha is five years old and lives in San Francisco with her Mommy. Her parents are divorced. Even though they don't live together anymore, Martha sees her Daddy every week. Martha loves him very much.Now mommy has some news: she is going to marry John. At first Martha is disappointed, even though she likes John. She wants her Mommy to marry her Daddy again.There's only one thing to do: tell Daddy the news and see how he feels. Can he help her at this important time?In this endearing portrait of a caring family, Danielle Steel, mother of nine, reassures young readers that continuity and love need not end when a parent remarries.; Title: Martha's New Daddy | [
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14,314 | 2 | Max is eagerly awaiting a visit from his Grandma and Grampa Winky. They now live in Arizona and he hardly ever gets to see them. But Grampa calls to say that Grandma is ill, and before long the terrible news comes that Grandma has died.Max and his family are very sad, but Max's Mommy helps him to understand that Grandma will always be with him in his heart. And when Grampa finally does come to visit, he reminds Max that Grandma loved him and would not want him to be sad.In this wise and understanding book, Danielle Steel helps parents to help children deal with sudden loss.ly awaiting a visit from his Grandma and Grampa Winky. They now live in Arizona and he hardly ever gets to see them. But Grampa calls to say that Grandma is ill, and before long the terrible news comes that Grandma has died.Max and his family are very sad, but Max's Mommy helps him to understand that Grandma will always be with him in his heart. And when Grampa finally does come to visit, he reminds Max that Grandma loved him and would not want him to be sad.In this wise and understanding book, Danielle Steel helps parents to help children deal with sudden loss.; Title: Max and Grandpa and Grandpa Winky | [
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14,315 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2-- Clifton's newly illustrated story of a young African-American girl who realizes the value of friendship is as fresh and vital today as it was when first published (Viking, 1976; o.p.). The pictures, done in blue, brown, and pink oils on double-page spreads, are luminous and soft-edged; they have a hint of dreaminess and magic that matches the tone of the text. On a New Year's Day walk with her friend Victor, Nobie finds a penny with her birth year on it, a sure sign that she'll have three wishes granted. After her first wish brings out the sun on the cold, gloomy day, she and Victor have a disagreement and her next angry wish that he leave is fulfilled. Her mother's wise words help Nobie think about all the wonderful things that she and the boy have shared. Her last wish for a good friend brings a smiling Victor's return. Clifton's mastery of small details, her use of dialect and dialogue, and her descriptions bring out a welcome warmth and hominess in this simple yet satisfying story. Useful with groups as well as for one-on-one sharing, it's a gentle lesson on friendship and caring that young children will appreciate. --Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WICopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.A reworking of the folk tale, originally part of the TV program ``Free to Be...You and Me'' and also published as a picture book in 1976, in an attractive third incarnation. Lightly flavored with the cadences of black speech, the story concerns Lena, who wastes the first two wishes of her New Year's good-luck penny on the weather and wishing her best friend to go away because she's annoyed with him; the third wish brings him back, confirming the strength of their friendship, if not of the penny. Hays's glowing realistic paintings of Lena and her friend Victor are set against gentle, more generalized backgrounds: a fine new setting for an appealing story from a favorite author. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright 1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: Three Wishes | [
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14,316 | 0 | Christmastime and the Newbery Medal seem an almost irresistable combination. For what better time than Christmas, that most family-oriented of holidays, to read stories written by authors honored as winners of the John Newbery Medal for their contribution for literature for children? This collection comprises stories by authors today's children know and love, from E.L. Kongsburg and Nancy Willard to Beverly Cleary. It also contain stories by writers familiar to their parents and, perhaps, to their grandparents, from Ruth Sawyer and Rachel Field to Lois Lenski, Eleanor Estes, and Madeleine L'Engle.Some of these stories are humorous. Childen will laugh at the antics of Ramona Quimby in "Ramona, the Sheep Suit, and the Three Wise Persons" and at Eliot Miles's Christmas wish in E.L. Kongsburg's "Eliot Miles Does Not Wish You a Merry Christmas Because..." Others of the collection recall the christmases of years past, as in "Once in the Year" by Elizabeth Yates and "The Hundred Dresses" by Eleanor Estes. And others, like Madeleine L'Engle's "A Full House," remind us again of the true meaning of Christmas.This is a collection to savor and to read aloud. It's a book that can be read by the fire, on the beach, in the car on the way to Grndmother's house, or on any available lap. Most of all, it's a book for sharing and for celebrating the joys of Christmas.A portion of the royalties from this book will be donated to the American Library Association, administrators of the John Newbery Medal.e and the Newbery Medal seem an almost irresistable combination. For what better time than Christmas, that most family-oriented of holidays, to read stories written by authors honored as winners of the John Newbery Medal for their contribution for literature for children? This collection comprises stories by authors today's children know and love, from E.L. Kongsburg and Nancy Willard to Beverly Cleary. It also contain stories by writers familiar to their parents and, perhaps, to their grandparents, from Ruth Sawyer and Rachel Field to Lois Lenski, Eleanor Estes, and Madeleine L'Engle.Some of these stories are humorous. Childen will laugh at the antics of Ramona Quimby in "Ramona, the Sheep Suit, and the Three Wise Persons" and at Eliot Miles's Christmas wish in E.L. Kongsburg's "Eliot Miles Does Not Wish You a Merry Christmas Because..." Others of the collection recall the christmases of years past, as in "Once in the Year" by Elizabeth Yates and "The; Title: A Newbery Christmas | [
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14,317 | 2 | It's Martha's Mommy's turn to pick Martha and her friends up after school and something happens to make her late. When that happens, the girls are supposed to wait inside.But Hilary dawdles on her way back into the school. Suddenly, there is a woman in a car who wants to take her away.How Hilary gets away and how the police find her and bring her back safely, is an absorbing story that underlines the need for child safety education.Once again, Danielle Steel, mother of nine, gently handles a subject of great concern to child and parent.; Title: Martha and Hilary and the Stranger | [
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14,318 | 13 | Miata is proud of her family's Mexican heritage. Lately, she has been practicing with her folklorico dance troupe for a performance, and she has even brought her costume to school to show her classmates. But on the Friday before the show Miata forgets her decorative skirt on the school bus. Afraid to tell her parents about her mistake, the girl enlists her friend Ana in a bit of derring-do to retrieve the garment. Soto's light tale offers a pleasant blend of family ties, friendship and ethnic pride. Readers will be introduced to a few words, foods and customs that may be new to them, but will also relate to Miata's true-to-life, universal experiences and relationships. Though her problems are far from grave, and her actions not so dangerous, some moralists may be concerned that Miata never tells her parents what she's done. However, she does express some guilt and comes across as a spunky and imaginative heroine who tries to take responsibility for her own actions. This short novel should find its most appreciative audience at the lower end of the intended age range. Illustrations not seen by PW . Ages 8-12. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-5-- Miata Ramirez has a problem that will strike a chord with many children: she forgets things. This particular Friday afternoon, she has left her folkl orico skirt on the school bus, and she is supposed to dance in it on Sunday. She sees no alternative but to break into the bus and retrieve it. So, dragging along her shy friend, Ana, that is exactly what she does. This is a light, engaging narrative that successfully combines information on Hispanic culture with familiar and recognizable childhood themes. The San Joaquin Valley, California, setting is realistically drawn, and the closeness of Miata's family is reassuring. A fine read-aloud and discussion starter, this story blends cultural differences with human similarities to create both interest and understanding. --Ann Welton, Thomas Academy, Kent,Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Skirt, The | [
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14,319 | 2 | Alda's breezy rhyming text and arresting photographs make this a most engaging bedtime read-aloud. The bottoms of two small feet lying in bed, surrounded by a bevy of cheerful stuffed animals, are all that is seen of the book's young narrator, who is unable to get to sleep. At mother's suggestion, the child closes his or her eyes in an attempt to find some sheep to count: "I closed my eyes the way she said. / I didn't see the sheep; instead . . . / I saw a very itchy cow / A cat too busy to meow / A hairy gorilla who tickled her toes / And piglets in mud, which they liked, I suppose." Youngsters are treated to close-up looks at these and several other animals before the wakeful child finally begins to see--and count--sheep. From this point on, each successive page features a fetching photo containing one more sheep. Also increasing by one (and offering another chance to practice counting) is the number of small, gold stars that appear in the margins. Ages 3-7. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 2-- In short, rhyming lines and high-quality pictures, this story investigates what happens when a restless child can't sleep. While trying to conjure up some sheep to count, images of hippos, gorillas, and other farm and wild animals take over his imagination. Finally, he rolls over and finds that first one, then two, then a flock of sheep come to mind, as sleep finally overtakes him. The centerpiece of the book is the photography, shot at the Windsor Safari Park and elsewhere in England. Yes, it is lovely, framed on each page by large white borders to concentrate attention on the sharp images and beautiful colors. Ultimately, however, this is a glorious photo album of animals with an insubstantial story line, and not a bedtime choice. --Ruth K. MacDonald, Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, INCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: SHEEP, SHEEP, SHEEP, Help Me Fall Asleep | [] | Train |
14,320 | 0 | A spine-tingling sense of foreboding saturates the pages of Naylor's ( Witch's Sister ; The Witch Herself ) latest installment of Lynn and Mouse's ongoing battle with the malevolent Mrs. Tuggle. Although the witch herself was killed in the fire that destroyed her house, her spirit seems to have taken up residence in the glass eye she wore. Insinuating itself into Lynn's family, the unwholesome orb forces Lynn to become its custodian. The girl doesn't dare leave it at home, yet when she carries it with her she feels bad and acts worse--almost as if she were possessed. Good does triumph over evil, but only after a great many creepy events have come to pass. This novel differs from introspective, multilayered chillers such as Joan Aiken's The Shadow Guests and Margaret Mahy's The Changeover in that the motivation behind Mrs. Tuggle's grudge against Lynn's family never becomes clear. Naylor's witchery never becomes a metaphor for a family's discontent--it is, instead, simply good spooky fun. Ages 9-12. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 5-7-- Mrs. Tuggle was presumably destroyed when her house burned down in the third of Naylor's "Witch" books, The Witch Herself (Dell, 1988), but Lynn's younger brother has found Mrs. Tuggle's glass eye. Since the eye seems to be altering Stevie's personality, Lynn takes it and starts to change herself. Efforts to counter the eye with magic only make things worse, and Lynn's best friend saves her only by throwing the object into the flooded creek. The two girls are still as interesting and believable as in the first books, but the eye provides a different sort of menace than the old witch. A Turn of the Screw quality hints that an overactive imagination rather than witchcraft may be responsible, but the end supports the occult interpretation. The quality of writing and characterization makes this a truly scary story, much more so than the many series that are attempting to exploit the popularity of horror. The personality changes of characters who come under the influence of the witch or her eye sustain a convincingly threatening atmosphere that exceeds even Bellairs' books. This story will be as popular as those that preceeded it, and its ending suggests there is still more to come. --Carolyn Caywood, Virginia Beach Pub . Lib .Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Witch's Eye | [
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14,321 | 5 | Sutcliff, who died last year, authored numerous retellings of canonical texts for younger readers. Here she brings into vivid focus the mythic story of the Trojan War, with all of its visually dramatic elements. While carefully tempering the bias towards the Greeks that exists in the original poem, Sutcliff's text leaves many of the epic's powerful metaphors intact: "The dark tide of warriors poured through and became a river of flame." Also preserved are a good many disturbing images ("Hector's body was dragged behind them, twisting and lurching over the rough ground, his dark hair flying and fouled with dust and all the filth of the battlefield"); and while there is no doubt that this authenticity maintains the saga's integrity and enhances its impact, younger or particularly sensitive readers may be disturbed by the violence. Accompanying the dense, earnestly told tale are Lee's cool-toned watercolors, which frequently take up the greater portion of the large format double-page spreads. Dreamy, yet highly detailed and filled with representational images, these illustrations are in keeping with the story's mythic grandeur. All ages. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 5 and up. "Achilles sat among his ships, nursing his anger as though it were a red rose in his breast." The late Rosemary Sutcliff always knew how to humanize the epic heroes without diminishing their power. Now, with the same kind of lyrical prose that distinguished her Arthurian trilogy, she takes on Homer's Iliad. People whose names we all know--Helen, Hector, Achilles, Odysseus, etc.--are all woven into one great story, with the jealous gods taking sides in the Greeks' 10-year siege of the city of Troy. Sutcliff's strong rhythms and Lee's misty watercolors in shades of brown, blue, and silvergray make this large-size volume great for reading aloud. There are dull patches about desultory battles, funeral games, and the weary machinations of gods and people, but you can skip those and get to the dramatic confrontations. Achilles sulks in his tent, then driven mad with grief and rage at the death of his friend Patroclus, he not only kills Hector, but also drags the body through the dust and filth of the battlefield. For all the rules of honor, this is a filthy battlefield, "clotted with blood," the soldiers drunk with fire and killing. Lee's illustrations show gateways choked with soldiers and chariots, men and women bent with sorrow. The climax, the story of the Wooden Horse, is amazingly told, taut with cunning and terror. Hazel Rochman; Title: Black Ships Before Troy | [
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14,322 | 17 | This fictionalized encounter between Emily Dickinson and a young neighbor is, like a Dickinson sonnet, a quiet gem: unassuming upon first glance, it is in fact deeply lustrous, with new facets becoming apparent the longer one looks. The narrator and protagonist is a child who has just moved into the house across the street from "the Myth." She accompanies her mother to Emily's house one day, where she makes her a gift of lily bulbs and receives a poem in return. Bedard's unnamed narrator speaks with the piercing clarity and insight particular to sensitive children. As she contemplates her fear of meeting the reclusive poet, she realizes that "perhaps the lady in the yellow house is also afraid"; she intuitively responds to the hidden life mysteriously contained in the dull, dead bulbs; and she makes a simple but profound connection--"Maybe people are a mystery, too"--that allows her to reach out to her strange, largely hidden neighbor. While, laudably, the story in no way depends upon familiarity with Dickinson's life or work, the fullness of Bedard's accomplishment is most clearly evident in relation to the latter. He uses diction and imagery that might have been the poet's own: strong, sure language whose force derives from its very economy; small but potent details from nature and domesticity. Judiciously employing alliteration, rhyme, assonance and echoes--"Like flakes of flowers the words fell to the sheets. I listened to them fall and fell asleep"--his prose moves with the rhythms and lyricism of poetry, yet retains a child's straightforward, unselfconscious voice throughout. Caldecott Medalist Cooney's oils richly capture the story's subtly shifting moods, from the utter stillness of a street bathed in moonlight and swaddled in snow to the vigor of a sun-flooded room full of growing plants. They visually extend the text's Dickinsonian personification of nature ("There was no one there but winter, all in white") and contain skillful echoes of their own: at different points in the story the child and poet are shown sitting alone on the landings of their respective houses, a visual reinforcing of their special kinship. And in their tranquil beauty these paintings testify to the mysteries and wonders of even the everyday. Ages 5-8. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-5-- A young girl whose family has just moved into the neighborhood describes her first encounter with the inhabitant of the yellow house across the road. Called ``the Myth'' by some, deemed crazy by others, she is, in fact, the reclusive poet Emily Dickinson. An air of mystery surrounds the woman as the child overhears her parents discussing their neighbor. When the girl's mother is invited to the yellow house to play the piano, curiosity deepens. The first meeting and special gifts exchanged between the girl and the poet are described in this imaginative and unusual picture book. In keeping with a story about a poet, the language of the text is lyrical. The effect, however, is to make the young narrator seem much older than Cooney's wonderful oil paintings suggest. The illustrations convey a sense of place and time long ago, from drawing rooms to clothing. This is a picture book to read aloud and share with older children, both because of the sophisticated language and the nature of the story. For what are youngsters who have never heard of Emily Dickinson to make of her eccentricities? Those who are beginning to encounter her poetry will find that Bedard's charming story demystifies the person and offers some understanding of her odd behavior. --Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, NYCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Emily | [
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14,323 | 13 | PreSchool-Grade 4?A short narrative highlighting Monet's painting is brought to life by Le Tord's impressionistlike illustrations of the artist and some of his most notable subjects. She comments that she was careful to use Monet's limited palette in her own pictures?not an easy accomplishment, since he claimed to use only eight colors. Le Tord portrays Monet as he was in his later, prosperous years?with a white beard and straw hat, sitting in his garden or in farmers' fields in front of his easel. In her brief, lyrical text, she describes the beauty of his paintings and his single-minded dedication to his art (while not mentioning his famous temper). His dazzling use of light is likened to a blue butterfly that he holds on his brush for just an instant. Le Tord's luminescent watercolors "paraphrase" some of Monet's well-known works, such as Rouen Cathedral and the waterlilies at Giverny, and place them, within this story-biography, in an accessible context for young children. A Blue Butterfly stands alone as a lovely first look at Monet and would also work well as a companion to Christina Bjork's Linnea in Monet's Garden (R&S, 1987), which gives many more details about the painter and his family.?Linda Wicher, Highland Park Public Library, ILCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 5^-8. Not so much a story about Monet (as the subtitle states) as a tribute to him, this picture book uses the colors of his palette and reflections on his work as the basis for a picture book. The often poetic text extends vertically down each page like free verse: "Monet / painted / as / a / bird / sings, / for / himself." The watercolor paintings, which sometimes include the figure of the artist, suggest Monet's paintings without slavishly copying them. Although the most enthusiastic audience for this book (like M. B. Goffstein's picture books about artists) may be adult, it would be an interesting choice to share with a child before visiting a Monet exhibit or to read to a school class as part of a "picture person" presentation. Carolyn Phelan; Title: A Blue Butterfly: A Story About Claude Monet | [
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14,324 | 0 | Here's a real knock 'em, sock 'em, ripsnorter guaranteed to keep any boy (and any girl who doesn't mind a dearth of female characters) enthralled from first page through last. In 1848, a 14-year-old boy is captured from an Oregon-bound wagon train by Pawnee Indians and saved by one-armed mountain man Mr. Grimes. Paulsen ( Hatchet ) throws in enough ridin', wrasslin' and shootin' (along with plenty of dead bodies, white and Indian) to satiate the most action-loving reader. But his book is more than an impeccably detailed homage to the Saturday-afternoon horse opera. Although Braid, a Pawnee warrior, is without question the bad guy here, Paulsen makes it clear that, by settling on the Indians' land, even the most peaceable white farmers--such as protagonist Francis Alphonse Tucket's family--disqualify themselves as good guys. And the author plants doubts as to whether Grimes, who trades ammunition with the Pawnee in exchange for trapping on their land, really does "ride right down the middle" between the white and Indian worlds, as he claims. Superb characterizations, splendidly evoked setting and thrill-a-minute plot make this book a joy to gallop through. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 6-9. Francis Tucket is 14 years old when he strays from his family's wagon on the Oregon Trail and is captured by the Pawnee. With the help of Mr. Grimes, a one-armed trapper who maintains an uneasy truce with the Pawnee by trading them guns and ammunition, Francis escapes and spends a winter learning to survive by living off the land. The boy's admiration and respect for Mr. Grimes causes him to question his role in "civilized" society and delays his return to his family. Francis' image of Mr. Grimes is altered forever, however, when Grimes takes revenge on an old enemy with what Francis sees as unnecessary savagery. Paulsen nods in the direction of responsibility in his depiction of Native American peoples, and he gives us a fast plot and sufficient character development. Unfortunately, he wraps everything up in the final two and one-half pages, resulting in an abrupt "surprise" ending that is ultimately unsatisfying. Janice Del Negro; Title: Mr. Tucket (Francis Tucket Books) | [
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14,325 | 2 | Grade 5-8-Baby refers to two characters in this beautifully written and moving novel-12-year-old Larkin's infant brother (who has died before the story begins) and Sophie, who is literally left in a basket in the driveway at Larkin's house. The girl's parents and Byrd, her grandmother, have been hiding their grief over their baby's death behind a wall of silence. Letting themselves love Sophie, even though they know her mother will eventually come back for her, helps them break through the barrier. When Sophie's mother does return, they are ready to mourn for the dead infant -and to give him a name. The final chapter, which takes place 10 years later, shows Sophie returning to the island for Byrd's funeral. A sense of peace and completion mark this occasion. With simple elegance, MacLachlan relates her tale about memory, love, loss, risk, and (most of all) about the power of language. Especially impressive is her ability to invest the simplest human actions and physical events with emotion and love. While the plot could never be called surefire in its appeal, and some of the happenings strain believability, the story is one that is deeply felt.Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, ILCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.In a spare novel with the resonance of myth, two troubled families are healed when their paths conjoin. Some years ago on a remote island resembling Nantucket, Larkin's parents are silently mourning the death of a baby they never named and never described to his sister. The day the summer people leave, they find year- old Sophie on their doorstep with a note: ``I will lose her forever if you don't do this, so pleese keep her. I will come back for her one day...'' Papa wants to tell the police, but- -after impassioned discussion--Mama dissuades him. Sophie stays until spring; and though Papa warns ``Don't love her,'' once they've cared for her, and shared her first words, the parting is hard indeed. Yet while Larkin fears this new bereavement-- especially for Mama--love (``That word with a life of its own...flying above all of us like the birds'') opens the door to sharing their grief about their own baby. Once Sophie is gone, their feelings find words--and also lead to the dead baby's being given a name. At the story's beginning, Larkin's parents have abandoned her emotionally (an intriguing contrast to Journey); but Sophie's subsequent memories of her sojourn--in lyrical vignettes plus a poignant last scene of her return visit ten years later--are not of separation but of love: faces, gestures, images. Some circumstances (not least Sophie's being left with strangers so that her mother can care for a desperately ill husband) border on fantasy, yet the almost surreal events convey emotional truths with a power that surpasses literal realism. A searching, beautifully written story. (Fiction. 9+) -- Copyright 1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: Baby | [
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14,326 | 0 | In a lucid text and characteristically vivid cut-paper collages, Roth tells the story of Buddha, from his mother's dream of "carrying a milky-white elephant in her swollen belly" to the day he casts off his finery to become a holy man. She chronicles his transition from sheltered prince to concerned young man as he ventures beyond the walls of his garden paradise. The sudden realities of old age, disease and death resonate against a backdrop of luscious nature and youthful servants, conveyed here in richly hued scenes dominated by scatterings of flowers. Roth's writing stresses the vitality of this tale from one of the world's great religions; she underscores its impact with a factual afterword. The collages here are especially beautiful, radiant in color and zestful in spirit. They hum with details of another culture, and yet retain a universal simplicity. Ages 5-9. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-5-Beginning with Siddhartha's birth and his father's forewarning about his future, Roth recounts her subject's protected childhood, marriage, and first excursions beyond the palace grounds where he learns of the existence of poverty, illness, and death. After meeting a holy man, he realizes his destiny. Leaving his family and worldly possessions, Siddhartha sets himself on the path to find truth and wisdom. The text ends here. An afterword summarizes the rest of his life, including how he became known as Buddha, and briefly discusses the growth, spread, and influence of Buddhism. It is unfortunate that this information is relegated to a single page in small type at the back of the text because it is essential to understand who Buddha was and why he is important. The handmade-paper collage illustrations feature the stylized figures, rich colors, and ornate decoration typical of Indian art. They are well done and suited to the subject, but the extensive use of symbolic images makes them often difficult to understand. Buddhism is a growing religion in the United States, and books on this level are needed. Even though it is a picture book, the art is sophisticated, and there is sufficient information to make it an adequate introduction to this world religion for older children.Jane Gardner Connor, South Carolina State Library, ColumbiaCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Buddha | [
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14,327 | 14 | Grade 3 Up-A collection of short stories and excerpts of novels by Newbery-winning authors. This anthology is similar in style to the editors' A Newbery Christmas (Delacorte, 1991). Here they present 12 enthralling tales that include delightfully humorous Halloween escapades from characters such as Beverly Cleary's Ramona and Eleanor Estes's Moffat family, side by side with eerie ghost stories from Paul Fleischman and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Not every selection has a strict Halloween theme. For example, Arthur Bowie Chrisman's "Ah Tcha the Sleeper" is actually a retelling of a Chinese tale explaining the origin of tea, and Madeleine L'Engle's "Poor Little Saturday" tells of strange goings-on in a deserted Georgia plantation house. However, they are united into a cohesive whole by their shared elements of mystery and supernatural activity. Perfect for reading aloud, the stories evoke a feeling of nostalgia and anticipation. An appendix includes biographical information about the authors and commentaries about their work; sources for the selections are also noted.Mary Jo Drungil, Niles Public Library, ILCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: A Newbery Halloween : A Dozen Scary Stories by Newbery Award-Winning Authors | [
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14,328 | 0 | Polacco's (Chicken Sunday) characteristically rich pencil and gouache artwork depict a neighborhood in her Oakland, Calif., hometown, showing how it weathered the devastating firestorms of 1992. Mr. Roth and his young neighbors Duane and Justine have built a Sukkah to celebrate Sukkoth, the Jewish festival of thanksgiving. But when the holiday begins, a hot wind breathes spreading brush fires into the Oakland hills. As flames engulf whole neighborhoods, hundreds of people must evacuate to nearby shelters. The Roths' pain is heightened when they cannot bring ther cat, Tikvah, to safety. When the families finally return home, they find only rubble. But the Sukkah, miraculously, stands unscathed. And, in another bit of good fortune, Tikvah also turns up. Polacco's ambitious story tries hard to accomplish many objectives. The combination of varied elements results in a rushed tone and uneven pacing, so that the religious or spiritual aspect seems particularly forced. Her drawings skillfully and emotionally convey the anguish of the suffering community, as well as its resilience and hopefulness. An author's note provides more factual information about the disaster. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 2-Polacco recalls a terrible firestorm in Oakland, California, that consumed its hills, and describes two miracles that took place there. On the day before Sukkoth, Mr. Roth begins to build a Sukkah, which he explains to the two non-Jewish neighbor children who have come to help, is an outdoor hut built for the holiday, with a roof of open branches to recall the time the Jews wandered in the desert and lived in similar huts. That night, the children sleep in it, joined by Tikvah, the Roths' cat. The next morning something is awry. The sun is fiery orange and a strong hot wind has sprung up. The hills are on fire! Panic and confusion prevail, and families are evacuated. The fire burns for two days. Incredibly, the Sukkah was spared and Tikvah is found alive. Polacco's illustrations are dramatically expressive. She contrasts homey scenes of one day with the confusion, despair, and eventual ash gray caused by the destruction. These are followed by a night of redemption, the Sukkah standing untouched among the ashes, the neighbors illuminated in the light of a holiday candle, gathered to give thanks and to eat in the one standing structure. Polacco has provided Sukkoth with its own miracle.Marcia Posner, Federation of New York and the Jewish Book Council, New York CityCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Tikvah Means Hope | [
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14,329 | 2 | With this whimsical animal story, Hinton serves up an entry as memorable in its genre as her classic The Outsiders is in YA literature. From the time they bring her home, the Davidsons treat narrator Aleasha, a lovable Australian shepherd, just as if she were young Nick's "puppy sister." When Aleasha finally realizes that she is destined to grow into a dog, not a person, she is horrified. Concentrating all her willpower, she begins to develop fingers and to speak. Her owners, who have always wanted a little girl in the family, are as pleased as they are shocked. Their attempts to hide Aleasha's transformation and to see her through her awkward "in-between" stage lead to much hilarity, while the reactions of a nosy neighbor and of the Davidsons' aloof cat, Miss Kitty, magnify the merriment. Offering a unique, consistently witty account of growing pains and family life, this irresistible fantasy can take its place alongside Stuart Little and Babe the Gallant Pig. Ages 7-11. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 2-3?A gifted author of books for YAs has written a story that is cautiously clever but painfully precious. Nick, from Big David, Little David (Doubleday, 1995), wants a little sister; his parents bring home a puppy instead. The story is told from the young dog's point of view as her desire to please her new family turns her into a little girl. Mom, Dad, and Nick take this in stride. They tell the neighbors they had to give up their puppy but are adopting a child instead. Aleasha is kept out of sight until the transformation is complete. There are a few close calls but not enough to create any real tension. Scientific tidbits about the difference between dogs and humans are interesting though not compelling. The effort to keep the text easy enough for beginning chapter book readers results in simplistic writing. The few black-and-white sketches are unremarkable. Too little conflict and character development result in a fantasy that falls flat.?Jody McCoy, Casady School, Oklahoma CityCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Puppy Sister | [
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14,330 | 0 | Among the most powerful of Paulsen's works ( Hatchet ; The Winter Room ; Dogsong ), this impeccably researched novel sheds light on cruel truths in American history as it traces the experiences of a 12-year-old slave girl in the 1850s. Narrator Sarny exposes the abuse (routine beatings, bondage, dog attacks, forced "breeding") suffered by her people on the Waller plantation. The punishment for learning to read and write, she knows, is a bloody one, but when new slave Nightjohn offers to teach her the alphabet, Sarny readily agrees. Her decision causes pain for others as well as for herself, yet, inspired by the bravery of Nightjohn, who has given up a chance for freedom in order to educate slaves, Sarny continues her studies. Convincingly written in dialect, this graphic depiction of slavery evokes shame for this country's forefathers and sorrow for the victims of their inhumanity. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.A searing picture of slavery, sometime in the 19th century at an unspecified place in the South. Sarny, young enough not to have experienced the rape that will come inexorably with child- bearing age, tells how she learned to read, and at what cost. Nightjohn has escaped more than once, but courageously returns to share his knowledge with those who have no way of knowing the world beyond their plantation. Caught, he arrives as a slave driven by the viciously cruel master, Clel Waller. Sarny has been warned of the dangers of learning to read, and knows the terrible punishments are not empty threats but realities; still, Nightjohn easily persuades her to learn--which seems more plausible than Sarny's careless writing of letters with her toe in the dirt, so that Waller catches her. Fiendishly, he chooses to punish her adopted ``mammy,'' thus impelling a confession from Nightjohn-- who survives his own brutal penalty to escape and return to teach again. The compelling events are ineradicably memorable. Paulsen begins by saying that, ``Except for variations in time and character identification and placement, [they] are true and actually happened.'' But like that last phrase, some of the violence here is redundant: it's not necessary to describe three different but equally terrible deaths suffered by runaways set upon by dogs to make the point. Still, the anguish is all too real in this brief, unbearably vivid book. (Fiction. YA) -- Copyright 1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: Nightjohn | [
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14,331 | 5 | Kindergarten-Grade 4-Sootface's mother is dead, her sisters beat her, and her father doesn't intervene. Her face is always smeared with soot, and her hair is horribly singed from the cookfire. In spite of all this, she remains resilient-she knows that one day she will escape her circumstances. A mighty warrior who has the power to make himself invisible decides to marry the woman who is kind enough of heart to see him. Several attractive maidens, including Sootface's sisters, try and fail. Now, Sootface is resourceful-no fairy personage shows up to magically bestow finery upon her or to fix up her hair. She prepares herself the best she can and goes off to meet him. She exclaims on the beauty of his bow-it's made of a rainbow and strung with stardust. He materializes, renames her Dawn-Light, and they are betrothed. The retelling is lively, flows well, and brings out the harshness of the heroine's situation, and yet it is not without humorous touches. The full-page watercolors dramatically convey the natural woodland setting, the jeers of Sootface's sisters and fellow villagers, and the serenity and kindness of the warrior and his sister. Sootface's dazed expression remains rather similar throughout-until the end, when she is transformed by love into a beautiful girl. Altogether a refreshing and rewarding "Cinderella" variant.Vanessa Elder, School Library JournalCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 5-9. In this Ojibwa tale, Sootface is a young woman who does all the cooking, mending, and fire tending for her father and her two mean and lazy older sisters. When the mysterious invisible warrior announces through his sister that he will take for his bride a woman with a kind and honest heart, only Sootface proves worthy. The tale has been told before, even in picture-book format, but the San Souci version reads aloud well, and the watercolor artwork illustrates the story with quiet grace. A satisfying picture book for reading aloud or alone, and a good choice for classes studying Native Americans or comparative folklore. Carolyn Phelan; Title: Sootface: An Ojibwas Cinderella Story | [
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14,332 | 13 | Eclipsed by his perfect cousin Herbert, Bernie languishes at family gatherings until Uncle Louie takes him under his wing, offering trumpet lessons. After a rocky start ("the notes squawked and screeched, and the pigeons flew off the windowsill"), Bernie perseveres, but he still can't play "the most beautiful song in the world" ("Moonlight Over Manhattan"), nor does he approach the virtuosity of Uncle Louie, who floats above his Brooklyn rooftop from the sheer glory of the song's sound. Eventually, it's Bernie who saves the day at Cousin Hannah's wedding when Herbert wreaks havoc at the head table. Bernie's command performance of "Moonlight Over Manhattan" at this crucial juncture levitates the entire wedding party, all of whom sail off happily into the night, circling the Chrysler and Empire State buildings before landing safely in Brooklyn. A thoroughly likable fantasy, Karlins's (Mendel's Ladder) tale hums merrily along to the accompaniment of first-time picture book artist Davis's sleekly stylized illustrations. Droll caricatures cavort against a glorious Big Band-era backdrop, the straight-out-of-central-casting wardrobe taking in stubby ties and two-tone shoes for men with toothy grins, and for the women cat's-eye glasses and swooping coiffures. Davis's interpretation of the night-flight sequence, with the relatives soaring through a star-spangled cobalt sky and the boy and his horn silhouetted against the moon, is particularly inspired. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 2?Bernie lives in the shadow of his all-too-perfect cousin Herbert. During a family gathering, the boy escapes to his Brooklyn roof with Uncle Louis, a world famous musician, who plays him the "most beautiful song in the world," "Moonlight Over Manhattan." From then on Bernie practices the trumpet, and a year later he's good enough to play with Louis's band at Cousin Hannah's wedding. Now it's Herbert's turn to be jealous. Magically, the rivalry is resolved and the music wins out. The joy of the song and the purity of sound cause the musicians, and then the whole wedding party, to rise high in the air and soar joyfully through the night sky. As the moon rises over Manhattan, so do they. It's a corny moment in an otherwise original tale that ends with them all dancing in the streets of Brooklyn as flowers, oranges, and bananas rain down from the sky. The story is overwhelmed by the broad, busy pastel illustrations. The cartoon characters all have cheesy, exaggerated facial features, especially large, elongated noses, and big pearly white smiles. Both Herbert and Bernie look like miniature adults in suits, making for an unsettling, rather than uplifting, experience. While readers may identify with the two boys' feelings of resentment, they'll be hard-pressed to garner much excitement over a book about a schmaltzy old song.?Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MICopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Music over Manhattan | [
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14,333 | 7 | Fourteen-year-old Cody Pierce, a.k.a. the White Fox, is on a mission. After 18 months in the evil CCR (Confederation of Consolidated Republics) prison camp, Cody makes an ingenious escape and embarks on a plan to carry out his revenge and liberate the children remaining in the camp. The year is 2057, and the USA has been overcome by the brutal tactics of the CCR. But pockets of Americans are building up their strength (and arsenals of weapons), waiting for their chance to fight back. With the White Fox's brilliant, ethical (except when it comes to settling certain scores with CCR's particularly heinous leaders), military mind, the downtrodden Americans may just have a chance.Intense, violent, and visual, Gary Paulsen's futuristic novel reads like a summertime blockbuster movie. There's even the slightest hint of future romance, with a girl named Rachel who Cody encounters in his escapades. The CCR is more than vaguely reminiscent of Americans' cold-war-era view of communist Russia's evil empire, with a bit of Nazism thrown in for good, wicked measure. Paulsen is the extremely prolific and distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books, including three Newbery Honor titles: Hatchet, Dog Song, and The Winter Room. As a movie, this one might be rated PG13. (Ages 10 to 14) --Emilie CoulterPlotted much like a shoot-'em-up computer game, this often violent adventure shows the Newbery Honor author at his least literary. It is 2057, and the Confederation of Consolidated Republics (CCR) has decimated the United States (America's downfall, readers learn, has been precipitated by military cutbacks and the elimination of the CIA). The eponymous White Fox is Cody Pierce, a 14-year-old whose intelligence, ability to master military skills and sheer endurance would make him the envy of even a comic-book superhero (a comparison underscored by the graphics-style cover treatment). Confined to a prison camp and supposedly being indoctrinated in CCR thinking, "in a cleansing experiment much like the one Hitler had tried with the youth of Germany," Cody has actually been hatching an escape plan. When a U.S. pilot from a well-organized resistance unit is captured and brought to the prison, Cody knows he must save her along with himself. The story line hurtles through hairbreadth rescues and encounters with loyal American fighters and bloodcurdlingly evil CCR soldiers as Cody shoots, punches and detonates his way out of the prison camp and back again, to even the score with his former captors. The dialogue is pure B-movie ("What is this foolish patriotism you Americans possess? Why would you be willing to be tortured?") and, as in a B-movie, readers can cheer on the good guys without ever fearing that they might not triumph in the end. Ages 9-14. (June) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The White Fox Chronicles: Escape, Return, Breakout | [
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14,334 | 7 | "The brief tales are scary enough to satisfy anyone attending a slumber party or sitting around a campfire; the source notes at the end of the volume add an educational element." --The Horn Book Magazineosties, and long-leggedy beasties inhabit these 30 chilling tales gathered from around the world. Creepy classic and contemporary stories from Australia, Germany, India, El Salvador, and elsewhere--including a healthy helping of American apparitions--will keep readers and listeners scared stiff. Do you dare walk down the lane where "Crooker Waits"? Or would you rather shake "The Hairy Hands"? Twenty eerie illustrations highlight this companion to Robert D. San Souci's earlier collections of scary stories, which School Library Journal called "an absolute delight. . . . Young readers will gobble up these thirty thrilling snacks and beg for more." Savor this supernatural treat for spine-tingling fun!; Title: A Terrifying Taste of Short & Shivery: Thirty Creepy Tales | [
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14,335 | 0 | Life is hard for poor Irish potato farmers, but 12-year-old Nory Ryan and her family have always scraped by... until one morning, Nory wakes to the foul, rotting smell of diseased potatoes dying in the fields. And just like that, all their hopes for the harvest--for this year and next--are dashed. Hunger sets in quickly. The beaches are stripped of edible seaweed, the shore is emptied of fish, desperate souls even chew on grass for the nourishment. As her community falls apart, Nory scrambles to find food for her family. Meanwhile, the specter of America lurks, where, the word is, no one is ever hungry, and horses carry milk in huge cans down cobblestone streets.As Patricia Reilly Giff writes in her note to the reader, the Great Hunger of 1845 to 1852 was a tragic time for the Irish. Enough food to feed double the population was sent out across the sea, while an indifferent government ignored the starving masses. More than one million of the eight million people in Ireland died. Nory Ryan's Song, a fictionalized account based on this terrible era in history, describes the heroic struggles of one girl who refuses to give in to hunger, exhaustion, and hopeless circumstances. Young readers may have heard of the Irish Potato Famine, but they won't truly understand it until they meet Nory. Giff is the author of many beloved books for children, including the Newbery Honor Book Lily's Crossing and the Polk Street School series. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie CoulterIn a novel inspired by her own heritage, Giff (Lily's Crossing) meticulously recreates An Gorta M?r, the Great Hunger, as she traces a 19th-century Irish girl's struggle to survive in her small village of Maidin Bay. As the story opens, 12-year-old Nory Ryan describes her neighbors being put out of their homes and her own family's oppression under English imperialists. Nory's widower father is in Galway earning money for rent while Nory, her two older sisters, Maggie and Celia, and her younger brother, Patch, stay with their grandfather. The celebration of Maggie's wedding and passage to America becomes overshadowed by the grim realities around them. Giff slowly builds the suspense as the potato blight begins to travel down the west coast from Sligo, and describes the rotting smell as the disaster strikes closer to Nory's home. Day-to-day worries about survival supplant the heroine's dreams of some day joining Maggie in New York. Allowing few glimmers of hope and numerous setbacks for Nory and her loved ones, this gritty slice of realism grows increasingly ominous as it progresses. At the same time, the hardships throw Nory together with her aging neighbor, Anna, a healer who initially frightens her, and their growing friendship is one of the novel's greatest strengths. Other characters, such as Celia, Maggie and Granda, are not as fully fleshed out. Still, vivid descriptions of the stench of failed crops and the foul-tasting food that keeps them alive will linger in readers' minds even after Nory's salvation is secured. Ages 8-12. (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Nory Ryan's Song | [
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14,336 | 7 | Thirty hair-raising stories from around the world fill this spooky collection with delicious shivers and spine-tingling chills. Sit down and meet "The Vampire Cat," "The Draug" and "The Rolling Head"; or take a stroll with "The Thing in the Woods." You'll find favorites such as "The Golden Arm" and startling new stories such as "Knock...Knock...Knock," vividly told with plenty of ghastly details and spooky endings. There's something here for everyone who likes a good shudder...but be prepared for goose bumps!Twenty delightfully creepy illustrations by Katherine Coville and Jacqueline Rogers highlight this companion to Robert San Souci's first collection of scary stories, Short & Shivery.Robert D. San Souci is the award-winning author of many popular books for young readers.; Title: More Short & Shivery: Thirty Terrifying Tales | [
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14,337 | 18 | From Wheaties to telephones, microwave ovens to yo-yos, here are the inspiring and often funny stories of 50 mistakes and misunderstandings that helped bring about life as we know it. With hilarious cartoons and wacky facts, this fascinating compendium illustrates the adage "If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's no sense making them."; Title: Accidents May Happen: Fifty Inventions Discovered By Mistake | [
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14,338 | 14 | Grade 2-4-After a long period of war, from which his father has never returned, Finder sets out to petition the king for food and aid for his starving family. He enters the forest and discovers a blind old hunter who tells him that he can barely hear or smell since he lost his son in the war. The boy unwillingly leads the man on his hunt and helps him find a white stag, the likes of which had not been seen in a hundred years. When the animal is wounded by the old man's spear, its blood heals the hunter, who turns out to be the king. The miraculously cured monarch is then able to resume his leadership role and take care of his subjects. Double-page illustrations done in colored pencil are reminiscent of the work of Jan Brett. They are realistically and gracefully rendered, vaguely medieval, and are adorned with side panels that contain additional art and text framed by Scandinavian patterns and motifs. There is a folkloric quality to this quixotic tale, but its many symbols and strands never come together in a cohesive way.Tracy Taylor, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.nter after the king's war, and Finder's father has never returned. On his way to the king's castle to seek food for his starving family, the boy enters a snow covered forest. He loses his way and becomes frightenedeven more so when he meets an old man who is madly hunting for a great white stag. The man is blind, haunted by the memories of war. Though Finder doubts that the white stag exists, he guides the hunter in his search. When they finally come upon the wonderous creature, Finder's awe and his traust in all that is good and pure heal the tormented hunter.Yvonne Gilbert's lyrical illustrations beautifully complement M.C.Helldorfer's magical tale of loss and the redemptive power of faith and love.; Title: Night of the White Stag | [
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14,339 | 12 | Droll cartoons illustrate the stories behind the invention of such everyday items as Silly Putty, trouser cuffs, popsicles and penicillin. Ages 8-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc."Jones gathers together in a splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining. Jones has great fun with facts, dredging up plenty in a lively, anecdotal account that recollects the oddball origins of a variety of foods, clothing, toys, and devices....A gem of a book."--Booklist, starred review.; Title: Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be | [
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14,340 | 0 | Gr. 4^-7. Fourteen short stories published in magazines during the early 1900s and two Christmas episodes from Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Windy Poplars make up this collection of Christmas tales. Although the sentimentality of the magazine stories can be a bit cloying, the best ones have a certain vigor as well. Not a necessary purchase, but a book that Anne fans may want to peruse during the Christmas season. Carolyn PhelanChristmas With Anne ($16.95; Sept. 1996; 214 pp.; 0-385-32288- 7): The title is a misnomer: There are two Christmas stories featuring Anne (the incident of Matthew and the puffed sleeves, and the surprise thawing of Miss Katherine Brooks); the other pieces have been assembled from magazine stories never published in the US. Readers will not feel cheated, however; Wilmshurst has selected tales as heartwarming as those set at Green Gables and beyond, and Montgomery's fans are always ready for any new story that can be mustered from this fabled author's pen. (Fiction. 10+) -- Copyright 1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: Christmas with Anne (L.M. Montgomery Books) | [
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14,341 | 0 | knight time Robert D. San Souci turns out the third book of his Arthurian cycle with Young Lancelot, illus. by Jamichael Henterly (see Young Guinevere, p. 78). The text is hampered by clicheed dialogue (Lancelot: "You yourself say this is my destiny. Yet you hold me back"; his guardian: "Oh, King's Son... it breaks my heart to part from you"), while the illustrations present expressionless, idealized figures in romantic, richly colored settings.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-5-San Souci continues his retellings of Arthurian legends. Lancelot is raised by the Lady of the Lake in her enchanted kingdom. Never revealing his true name or that he is the son of a king, she wants him to become an intelligent, caring warrior, but instead he becomes hardhearted and arrogant. When he hears of King Arthur's Round Table, he wants the chance to meet his destiny. His arrogance wins him no friends there, but Arthur allows him to tackle two difficult tasks to prove his worth. He conquers an evil knight and two giants easily, but falls short when battling black knights at Chapel Perilous. Lancelot feels sorry for himself at being defeated, but then has a soul-changing revelation. With his new attitude, he overcomes the black knights. His change comes too swiftly to ring true for someone with a heart that's "diamond-hard." Also, despite the use of vivid action verbs and strong descriptors, the two tasks are described too simplistically and without enough gritty conflict to make them interesting. The illustrations are colorful but do not reinforce the text: facial expressions are sometimes weak and unrepresentative of the action.Cheri Estes, Detroit Country Day School Middle School, Beverly Hills, MICopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Young Lancelot | [
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14,342 | 0 | "It's funny how ideas are, in a lot of ways they're just like seeds. Both of them start real, real small and then... woop, zoop, sloop... before you can say Jack Robinson, they've gone and grown a lot bigger than you ever thought they could." So figures scrappy 10-year-old philosopher Bud--"not Buddy"--Caldwell, an orphan on the run from abusive foster homes and Hoovervilles in 1930s Michigan. And the idea that's planted itself in his head is that Herman E. Calloway, standup-bass player for the Dusky Devastators of the Depression, is his father.Guided only by a flier for one of Calloway's shows--a small, blue poster that had mysteriously upset his mother shortly before she died--Bud sets off to track down his supposed dad, a man he's never laid eyes on. And, being 10, Bud-not-Buddy gets into all sorts of trouble along the way, barely escaping a monster-infested woodshed, stealing a vampire's car, and even getting tricked into "busting slob with a real live girl." Christopher Paul Curtis, author of The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, once again exhibits his skill for capturing the language and feel of an era and creates an authentic, touching, often hilarious voice in little Bud. (Ages 8 to 12) --Paul HughesAs in his Newbery Honor-winning debut, The Watsons Go to BirminghamA1963, Curtis draws on a remarkable and disarming mix of comedy and pathos, this time to describe the travails and adventures of a 10-year-old African-American orphan in Depression-era Michigan. Bud is fed up with the cruel treatment he has received at various foster homes, and after being locked up for the night in a shed with a swarm of angry hornets, he decides to run away. His goal: to reach the man heAon the flimsiest of evidenceAbelieves to be his father, jazz musician Herman E. Calloway. Relying on his own ingenuity and good luck, Bud makes it to Grand Rapids, where his "father" owns a club. Calloway, who is much older and grouchier than Bud imagined, is none too thrilled to meet a boy claiming to be his long-lost son. It is the other members of his bandASteady Eddie, Mr. Jimmy, Doug the Thug, Doo-Doo Bug Cross, Dirty Deed Breed and motherly Miss ThomasAwho make Bud feel like he has finally arrived home. While the grim conditions of the times and the harshness of Bud's circumstances are authentically depicted, Curtis shines on them an aura of hope and optimism. And even when he sets up a daunting scenario, he makes readers laughAfor example, mopping floors for the rejecting Calloway, Bud pretends the mop is "that underwater boat in the book Momma read to me, Twenty Thousand Leaks Under the Sea." Bud's journey, punctuated by Dickensian twists in plot and enlivened by a host of memorable personalities, will keep readers engrossed from first page to last. Ages 9-12. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Bud, Not Buddy | [
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14,343 | 2 | Grade 3-6-Valentine's Day is coming and love is in the air between Beth Malloy and Josh Hatford. When they are seen holding hands, Josh tells his brothers that he's simply spying on the girls to see what tricks they're plotting. Beth's younger sister Caroline wants to know what falling in love is like, and chooses Wally Hatford as the object of her affections. As for big sister Eddie, all she's interested in is her sixth-grade science project and reluctantly teams up with Josh and Jake. The result of their collaboration leads to confusion and mayhem, making for yet another entertaining and hilarious tale. Characters interact and converse on a level that young readers will appreciate. Plot development revolves around a series of misconceptions and misunderstandings about love and romance. A subplot involving a mysterious creature known as the "abaguchie" is the catalyst that tests the youngsters and brings them closer together as the brothers and sisters vow to watch out for one another. Misconceptions are resolved, apologies made, and the Hatfords and Malloys are ready for yet another adventure. This lighthearted, fast-paced story will delight fans of Naylor's earlier titles.Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library, NY Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 4-6. In the sixth book about the Malloy girls and their neighbors, the Hatford boys, nine-year-old Caroline Malloy decides to fall in love, to the great annoyance of her chosen victim, classmate Wally Hatford. In the meantime, Beth Malloy and Josh Hatford are in the throes of true puppy love, to the disgust of Josh's twin, Jake. Younger brother Peter enjoys the role of go-between, faithfully delivering to Beth a Valentine chocolate box--filled with candies left after a prolonged stop for a snack. Add to that a mysterious animal stalking the town, Eddie's spectacular science-experiment flop, and two police visits to the Malloy's house. Fans of the series will enjoy the controlled chaos that ensues when, once again, the Hatford and Malloy children find themselves involved in each others' plans and pranks, despite parental warnings to stay away from each other. Naylor delivers another page-turner in this humorous series, set in West Virginia. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: A Spy Among the Girls (Boy/Girl Battle) | [
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14,344 | 2 | Despite recent media attention, obsessive-compulsive disorder remains perplexing to those who haven't experienced the illness firsthand. In her compassionate debut novel, Terry Spencer Hesser skillfully and credibly explains exactly what OCD feels like, as well as the effects it has on surrounding friends and family. Tara Sullivan first encounters her compulsive behavior at age 11, when she hears of the sidewalk game "Step on a crack, break your mother's back." Most people have had the experience of toying with this rhyme, but for Tara, it becomes something worse: "I couldn't not think the thoughts. And I couldn't not count the cracks." In one of several compulsive rituals, she must count every sidewalk crack between her house and school. If she is ever interrupted or loses her place, she must run back to the beginning and start over, or her mother's spinal health will be endangered. She recognizes this as absurd behavior, and gets absolutely no pleasure from the exercise, yet nonetheless feels inexplicably compelled to perform it.Hesser traces the arc of Tara's illness through several misdiagnoses, the expansion of her compulsive behaviors (obsessive prayer rituals and the need to touch the doorknob then kiss her fingers 33 times before leaving the house), and the reactions of her loved ones. Tara's sister responds by beating up anyone who makes fun of the compulsions, her anguished mother's answer is increasing violence toward her daughter, and friends alternate between acceptance and frustration. Deftly illustrating the depth of Tara's strained relationships, Hesser also addresses anorexia, shoplifting, drug use, and unsafe sex, subtly reinforcing the idea that these behaviors--though perhaps compulsions as well--are different from OCD in that they inspire some measure of enjoyment for the participant. Nominated by the Young Adult Library Services Association as one of 1998's Best Books for Young Adults, Kissing Doorknobs addresses a cutting-edge issue with grace, humor, and insight. While the novel refuses to make false promises, it provides an inspiring message of hope. (Ages 12 and older) --Brangien DavisHesser's unusually polished debut novel brings a singularly compassionate wit to a singularly painful topic. Tara Sullivan does not know how or why she lost "possession" of her thoughts, but she can trace her terrible problem to her 11th year, when the rhyme "Step on a crack, break your mother's back!" begins to run insistently and ceaselessly through her head. Propelled by a series of irrational fears, Tara counts sidewalk cracks on her way to school and then enacts other equally bizarre rituals (among them, praying aloud when anyone swears; kissing her fingers after touching the doorknob). Her strange behavior puzzles neighbors, alienates her friends and drives her mother into nearly murderous rages. Through Tara's first-person narrative, Hesser compellingly expresses both the anguish and the dark humor of the heroine's obsessive-compulsive disorder (identified near the end of the book, when she begins therapy). At times descriptions of her entrapment are so vivid and intense that readers may need to come up for air. But the lively characterizations (especially of Tara's closest friends and pugilistic younger sister) prevent the protagonist's psychological confinement from becoming claustrophobic to readers. Hesser's thoroughly credible narrative ("I have experienced some of the obsessions and compulsions I have written about," Hesser states in her acknowledgments), and fascinating story promote both an intellectual and emotional understanding of a treatable disease. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Kissing Doorknobs | [
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14,345 | 1 | When second grader Gregory Sampson wakes up one morning to discover that he has become a giant beetle, his ensuing day is distinctly Kafka-esque, yet in a totally childlike way. For one blighted day, young hard-shelled Gregory faces an extreme version of the common outrage of the 6- to 8-year-old whose parents have ceased watching and admiring his every toddling move: No one notices him one bit. Not when his slippery beetle self falls down the stairs and he lies there wriggling all six legs in the air. Not when he waves a claw through the air at the breakfast table. Not even when he bellows across the kitchen, "Look at me. I'm a giant beetle."Lawrence David's deft and buoyant comprehension of family life enables him to relate this tale of childhood invisibility with both pathos and humor. To Gregory's pronouncement, the father replies: "And I'm a hippo." "You've always been our little bug-a-boo," says the mom, her eyes on the morning headlines. His sister merely takes his bacon, murmuring, "Do bugs like bacon?" Gregory's changes get noticed, finally, by his best friend Michael.Despite the frustrating oblivion of his family, the beetle boy's adaptive abilities keep the story brave and easygoing. Even when Gregory's at the height of his confusion, we see him cutting extra armholes in his shirt for his two new arms ("Or were they legs?"), whopping a soccer ball with his antenna to make a score, and generously offering to use his extra arms to carry his clueless sister's backpack. In equal measure, Delphine Durand's busy, vivacious illustrations convey that no matter the depth of a problem, life itself doesn't lose all its color.In this wonderfully told story, the parents don't remain distracted forever, and the child--forgiving of their trespasses--accepts, and is healed by, their tardy recognition of the huge changes they didn't see. It's a moving, beautifully rendered moment--and most certainly powerful enough to turn a six-legged bug back into a little boy. (Ages 6 and older) --Jean LenihanIn this tongue-in-cheek story inspired by Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis," a second grader copes with being a bug for a day. Durand (The Snoops) provides gouaches of a boy-size but not-too-gross brown bug clad in a plaid shirt, surrounded by puppetlike humans with elongated noses and normal kids' toys. David (The Good Little Girl) sets a breezy tone by mimicking Kafka's memorable opening line: "Gregory Sampson woke one morning to discover that he had become a giant beetle." Baffled by his odd predicament, Gregory cuts extra armholes in his shirt and finds that his extra legs help him count to six in math class. In his hurry to eat breakfast and catch the school bus, the ovoid fellow tumbles down the stairs and lands on his carapace; "after a few minutes of wriggling, he was able to grab hold of the banister and flip himself over." Yet readers may find it troubling that no one, with the exception of his best friend, notices his inexplicable transformation. The author renders the boy invisible to adults and fellow students and derives most of his humor from deadpan allusions to the classic story, which may get a chuckle from Kafka fans but will be unfamiliar to beginning readers. Durand strikes a delicate balance between real and surreal elements in his imaginative artwork, but the tale ends flatly, with a banal plea for good parenting: poor Gregory just needs loving attention, and the only way he can get it is by scuttling across the ceiling. Ages 6-up. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Beetle Boy | [
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14,346 | 11 | From the same team that produced Spirit Walker and Dancing Moons, Shaman's Circle by Nancy Wood, illus. by Frank Howell, takes its inspiration from the lives and cosmology of the Pueblo Indians to meditate upon our connections to nature. A typically wordy and didactic stanza reads, "Daylight is nighttime's other face, the one that preceded/ creation and formed a universal vision long before/ human eyes recognized the lessons of leaves and lions." Mystical paintings-e.g., of heads floating in cosmic space-complete the New Age-ish appeal.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 7 Up?The title poem of Wood's latest collection announces its theme: "...The shaman's circle is a fiery wheel/ Of opposites necessary for the world to keep on/turning..." The poems celebrate and commemorate sacred moments in life (birth, marriage, death, beginnings and endings) and the people?family, elders, and others?who give meaning to our existence. Opposites are named or implied: the old ways and the new, grief and love, summer and winter, wisdom and folly?from their tension comes the power of the turning wheel. Many selections have the feel of ritual prayer or recitation, or the quieter air of meditation. They are all serious, but not somber; even poems about aging or death focus on the gifts that endure, especially love. Howell's realistic, expressive style will be familiar to fans of Wood's Spirit Walker (1993), Dancing Moons (1995), and Many Winters (1974, all Doubleday). The artist's mystical portraits of Native Americans combine the timeless, mythic, and universal with the particular personality of each individual. In keeping with the wisdom revealed in the text, the subjects' fine wrinkles, white-threaded hair, and grave demeanor suggest that experience is their teacher. Wood's words are rooted in Taos Pueblo, but the pictures incorporate allusions to the Teton and Dakotas as well. This volume is well up to the standards of the collaborators' previous prize-winners.?Patricia (Dooley) Lothrop Green, St. George's School, Newport, Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Shaman's Circle | [
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14,347 | 0 | Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson, creators of the well-loved anthology Ready... Set... Read!, are back again to lure unsuspecting children into the world of words. They have gathered together stories, poems, and jokes, lavished with artwork by all-time favorite illustrators including James Marshall, Dr. Seuss, and Maurice Sendak. The stories, poems, and jokes in this learn-to-read anthology are guaranteed to tickle any young reader's funny bone. Who needs TV when such a mlange of side-splitting humor is available? The format is easy to read, with simple vocabulary, large type, and wonderfully fun and colorful illustrations. Children are introduced to the stories by authors and illustrators with whom they will soon become fast and lifelong friends. The Ready... Set... Read! books serve as a delicious appetizer to the full repast of children's literature. (Ages 5 and older) --Emilie CoulterKindergarten-Grade 2-This second collaboration by Cole and Calmenson is even better than Ready Set Read (Doubleday, 1990), as the selections are more in tune with young readers' sense of humor. Children will be amused and entertained by the 5 stories (including Nancy Shaw's Sheep in a Shop and an excerpt from James Marshall's Fox on the Job); 14 poems (by Karla Kuskin, Eve Merriam, Lee Bennett Hopkins, and others); and 7 assorted riddles, songs, and games. The illustrations are bright and cheerful; some are reproduced from their original sources, and some were done especially for this volume by Melissa Sweet and Chris Demarest. Adding to the volume's appeal to fledgling readers is the fact that it looks more like a chapter book than a typical beginning reader. Another bonus is the variety of literary forms included, which just might lead youngsters to other collections of poetry, rebuses, or riddles. A highly appealing anthology.Sue Norris, Rye Free Reading Room, NYCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Ready, Set, Read--And Laugh!: A Funny Treasury for Beginning Readers | [
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14,348 | 1 | Grade 4 Up?Paulsen reveals bits and pieces of his own life story through his experiences with eight of his dogs. After a heartfelt dedication to Cookie, the sled dog who saved his life, the author introduces readers first to Snowball, the puppy he acquired when he was seven years old and living in the Philippines, and then follows chronologically with profiles of other canine companions. He concludes with tales about Josh, the border collie with whom he currently shares a home. Paulsen is a master storyteller with a dry wit. His description of his dog Fred, whom he claimed was actually "nuclear in his capacity for destruction," and his account of his Great Dane Caesar, who was so petrified of trick-or-treaters that he would hide in the bedroom closet every Halloween with a housecoat over his eyes, are sure to elicit smiles. Paulsen can also make readers sigh when he relates how Snowball saved him from being bitten by a poisonous snake and how Cookie pulled him out of the water when he fell through the ice while trapping beaver. The statement, "Josh...is a person. I do not think in my heart that he is a dog," gives youngsters a real sense of how the man looks at these animals. An attractive pen-and-ink sketch of the profiled animal opens each chapter. This well-written, readable reminiscence serves as a tribute to the dogs in one person's life, written by someone who considers them his best friends.?Carol Kolb Phillips, The Library, East Brunswick, NJCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 5^-10. Paulsen's style has been smoother, but this honest, unpretentious celebration of dogs further entrenches his reputation as an author who is as successful at writing nonfiction as he is at writing novels. In roughly chronological chapters, he introduces eight memorable canines he has known and loved over the years. Some were pets, others he knew as trusted partners or protectors--from Snowball, the first, to Josh, who "if possible . . . is always with me." Although the chapters are linked by small details and references (often easy to recognize from his previous books), each can stand alone, with several, including a wildly funny one devoted to an adopted Great Dane named Caesar, promising good read-aloud material. Paulsen differentiates his canine friends beautifully, as only a keen observer and lover of dogs can. At the same time, he presents an intimate glimpse of himself, a lonely child of alcoholic parents, who drew strength and solace from his four-legged companions and a love of the great outdoors. Poignant but never saccharine, honest, and open, these engaging canine character studies are guaranteed to charm animal lovers and Paulsen's fans, especially those who know Woodsong (1990) or Father Water, Mother Woods (1994). There's something to please at every turn of the page. Stephanie Zvirin; Title: My Life in Dog Years | [
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14,349 | 14 | Kindergarten-Grade 2-Entertaining, easy-to-read books. Poploff combines humor with horror to create a suspenseful story. When Henry is invited to spend Halloween with his new friend Artie Doomsday, he is frightened. The Doomsdays live in an old house that is rumored to be haunted and both Artie's sister and grandmother are dressed in scary outfits that Henry isn't sure are costumes. But after a few Halloween jokes the boy relaxes and is able to enjoy his visit. The full-color cartoon drawings are fun rather than frightening. In Jake, the second grader finds his younger brother annoying. However, his feelings toward Pete soften when his cat gets stuck up in a tree and Pete comes up with a plan to rescue it. Children will enjoy the true-to-life interactions between these siblings. Line-and-watercolor drawings enhance the story line. Light selections for beginning readers.Barb Lawler, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc."Into this pleasant First Choice Chapter Book, Poploff deftly inserts a series of kid-pleasing Halloween jokes. . .Basso's funny cartoon illustrations are energetic and will have children snickering over the silliness."--Kirkus Reviews; Title: BAT BONES AND SPIDER STEW (First Choice Chapter Book) | [
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14,350 | 2 | Eighteen-year-old Francis Cassavant has returned from World War II an unwilling hero. Although he can still see and hear, a grenade has blown away his nose, his ears, his teeth, and his cheeks, leaving him faceless. Hiding his ghastly wounds with bandages and a white silk scarf, Francis welcomes the anonymity his mutilation brings him, for he has returned to his hometown with a secret mission--a plot for revenge (against his enemy Larry LaSalle) that he values more than his own life. Francis's eerily matter-of-fact acceptance of his hideous mien, along with his sweetness and selflessness, contrast sharply with his obsessive need for vengeance. No one recognizes him as the quiet kid who once loved Nicole Renard and hung out with fellow teens at the Wreck Center. LaSalle, formerly a charismatic youth leader, has also come back from the war a hero, and only Francis knows the dark side of this older man's concern for young people. But does LaSalle's one evil act wipe out all the good he has done? And is Francis just as guilty because he could have prevented it and didn't?Robert Cormier--winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award and many other honors--has once again crafted a riveting yarn of psychological suspense. Francis's story is revealed only gradually in hints that keep the reader guessing. Young teens will find it a quick and absorbing read, and older adolescents (and full-fledged adults, too) will relish pondering the many-sided ethical questions Cormier raises about heroism, guilt, and forgiveness. (Ages 13 to 16) --Patty CampbellThe irony of the title will haunt readers of this novel as they delve into the mind of a WWII veteran whose face has been blown off by a grenade. After winning a Silver Star for bravery, 18-year-old Francis Cassavant could return home a hero, but he keeps his identity secret in anticipation of murdering a personal enemy and wanders the streets of his hometown as a lone, grotesque figure ("People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming"). The man Francis seeks is Larry LaSalle, who was once his mentor and who has also earned a Silver Star. Cormier (Tenderness; In the Middle of the Night) offers two levels of suspense in this thriller. His audience will tensely await the inevitable confrontation between the two men while trying to extract Francis's motive for murder from flashbacks revolving around his high school sweetheart and the Wreck (Recreation) Center, where they spent many happy hours under the direction of LaSalle. Cormier is once again on top of his game, as he constructs intrigue, develops complex characters and creates an unexpected climax. His story, as dark as any he has written thus far, will hold fans from first page to last, and set them thinking about what really lurks behind the face of a hero. Ages 14-up. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Heroes | [
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14,351 | 15 | The prolific author of such titles as Hatchet and Soldier's Heart turns from adventure and high action to contemplative moments in this not particularly childlike mood piece. Describing a canoe trip around a lake, his prose poem homes in on quiet encounters with nature: "Sometimes when it is still," it begins, "so still you can hear the swish of a butterfly's wingAsometimes when it is that still I take the canoe out on the edge of the lake." The images pile up in long, leisurely sentences. The canoe "slides in green magic without a ripple"; the water "is a window into the skylake." Later, the narrator, a man, describes fish, ducks, fox, fawns and other wildlife. Unfortunately, Ruth Wright Paulsen (who previously collaborated with her husband on Dogteam) translates these idylls as static moments in her full-spread paintings. Her grainy oils are realistic but heavy, her fish and animals locked into place with none of the lightness or wonder of the text. The design features two unusual elements: a stylized typeface, imposed atop the paintings, is distracting, but the use of vertical borders in solid colors, alternately contrasting with or complementing the compositions, subtly draws attention to the artist's strong sense of color and helps to create a visual pacing. Even so, the pictures weigh down the text instead of advancing it. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 6-From the brilliant blue endpapers and lushly painted artwork to the lyrical words of the text, this book radiates the calmness of a summer day spent in a canoe. At first, the action seems slight-a man paddles around a lake-but as the words and pictures flow, the surrounding wildlife begins to reveal itself. Birds and insects skim the water, sunfish hover, and a pike shoots along, stopping all of the underwater action. Mallards swim by, foxes and raccoons come to the shoreline to drink, and a deer signals her fawn to come away. One of the qualities that moves this book beyond the ordinary nature description is the human figure, the observer, who sits with his paddle raised taking it all in. It is his thoughts that readers hear, and the rhythm of his language fluctuates as the scenes change. In the illustrations, the perspective is altered, looking from above, from a distance, or even under the water. Sometimes viewers see the man in the canoe, but at other times they seem to be looking through his eyes. The book is unified by glorious swathes of blue and green, and most of the paintings spread across double pages with bands of complementary colors running along the sides, both confining the pictures and adding a light touch. Full of sunlight and clear water, this book is for winter dreaming and summer doing.Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MACopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Canoe Days | [
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14,352 | 2 | In Cuneo's occasionally clever but often forced debut, a slip of the tongue means a loss of manners. "Pass the pancakes, poop," young Mary Louise demands, startling her parents and herself. "I've paid no attention to my manners, and now they've run away," the red-haired girl decides. She combs her neighborhood for them, rudely interrupting conversations, making too much noise and responding, "Boogers!" rather than "Bless you!" to sneezes. She describes her absent manners to a sidewalk caricaturist, who sketches as she talks; the manners wear a "neat and fancy party dress" and have "big ears for listening... a little mouth to keep naughty words from slipping out," etc. The resulting mug shot aids Mary Louise in her quest, but Davis (Music Over Manhattan) never shows readers this portrait. And although the other characters see the manners, they remain concealed from readers' view even after Mary Louise finds them. On the one hand, Cuneo and Davis suggest the thrill of nonconformity. The illustrations, rendered in a freewheeling, satirical cartoon style, show Mary Louise smiling sheepishly yet proudly after each faux pas. On the other hand, "Mary Louise wished she had exercised her manners more often," and her peers look horrified rather than amused when she breaks minor taboos. Unlike Babette Cole's Bad Habits (reviewed above), which leaves room for naughtiness, this work seems to pay only lip service to both the liberating effect of bad behavior and the virtues of politesse. Ages 4-8. (May) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.One morning at breakfast, Mary Louise shocks her family by making rude comments, demanding that her mother "pass the pancakes, poop," and replying, "Spank you very much." All conclude that she has lost her manners and send her away to find them. She commissions a picture of her lost courtesy from an artist friend and then searches everywhere for her manners--at a nearby restaurant, in a doctor's office, along the street, at a bus stop, and finally at the library. It's there she locates her elusive etiquette, sleeping soundly under a pile of newspapers. Young children who often fail to live up to the high conduct standards set for them by adults are sure to identify with Mary Louise's problem and delight in her absurd solution. Davis' full-color, exaggerated illustrations perfectly capture the humor of Cuneo's text, adding absurd details to the story. Pair this with Russell Hoban's Dinner at Alberta's (1975) or Sesyle Joslin's now out-of-print What Do You Do, Dear? for a lively read-aloud. Kay Weisman; Title: Mary Louise Loses Her Manners | [
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14,353 | 0 | Addressing the most fundamental themes of life and death, the versatile Paulsen produces a searing antiwar story. He bases his protagonist, Charley Goddard, on an actual Civil War soldier, a 15-year-old from Minnesota who lied about his age and ended up participating in most of the war's major battles. At first Paulsen's Charley is fired up by patriotic slogans and his own naive excitement; in a rare intrusion into the narrative, the author makes it clear that ending slavery was not the impetus: "Never did they speak of slavery. Just about the wrongheadedness of the Southern 'crackers' and how they had to teach Johnny Reb a lesson." But Charley's first battle?Bull Run?immediately disabuses him of his notions about honor and glory. A few sparely written passages describe the terror of the gunfire and the smoke from the cannons. Interwoven with these descriptions, a brilliant, fast-moving evocation of Charley's thoughts shows the boy's shocked realization of the price of war, his absolute certainty that he will die and his sudden understanding of the complex forces that prevent him from fleeing. Details from the historical record scorch the reader's memory: congressmen bring their families to picnic and watch the fighting that first day at Bull Run; soldiers pile the bodies of the dead into a five-foot-high wall to protect themselves from a winter wind. By the time Charley is finally struck down, at Gettysburg, he has seen it all: "At last he was right, at last he was done, at last he was dead." He is not in fact dead, but a victim of "soldier's heart," defined in an eloquent foreword as a contemporaneous term for what is now called post-traumatic stress disorder. Paulsen wages his own campaign for the audience's hearts and minds strategically and with great success. Elsewhere, as in The Rifle, he has told stories in service to a message; here the message follows from the story ineluctably. Charley comes across fully human, both his vulnerabilities and strengths becoming more pronounced as the novel progresses. Warfare, too, emerges complexly-while a lesser writer might attempt to teach readers to shun war by dint of the protagonist's profound disgust, Paulsen compounds the horrors of the battlefield by demonstrating how they trigger Charley's own bloodlust. Charley cannot recover from his years of war; in a smaller but more hopeful way, neither may the audience. Paulsen's storytelling is so psychologically true that readers will feel they have lived through Charley's experiences. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 7 Up-Charley Goddard, 15, leaves his Minnesota farm to enlist in the Union army in 1861. An almost festive train ride to the South soon gives way to the harrowing realities of war. Paulsen pulls no punches, rendering the young man's experiences in matter-of-fact prose that accentuates the horror. The third-person narrative sticks to Charley's point of view, relating his immediate sensations and the simple ways he tries to come to terms with the bloodshed. The boy soon faces the inevitability of his awful situation but never loses his fear and confusion. After four major battles, he is badly wounded at Gettysburg. A final chapter shows him at 21, joyless, hopeless, and contemplating suicide. Paulsen's introduction explains that having a "soldier's heart" is the Civil War equivalent of shell shock and post-traumatic stress disorder. Charley's experiences show the devastating effect of war in a touchingly personal way. There are unsensationalized descriptions of violence and chaotic battle scenes, but the most powerful images come from particular details. After one conflict, Charley tearfully positions a dying boy's rifle so that he can kill himself. On another occasion, Charley helps a doctor keep the wounded warm by building a windbreak out of dead bodies. The young man's quiet despair at the end of the book makes it clear that nothing good has come out of Charley's war. The grim violence and bleak resolution may put off some readers, but the novel succeeds as a fiery indictment of war and as a memorable depiction of an individual.Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, ORCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Soldier's Heart: Being the Story of the Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy Charley Goddard in the First Minnesota Volunteers | [
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14,354 | 11 | "An entertaining and informative presentation of all sorts of tidbits concerning the history and meaning of food-related words."--Kirkus Reviews"This is a great title for browsing, and youngsters will want to share these stories with their friends."--School Library Journal"An entertaining and informative presentation of all sorts of tidbits concerning the history and meaning of food-related words."--Kirkus Reviews"This is a great title for browsing, and youngsters will want to share these stories with their friends."--School Library Journal; Title: Eat Your Words: A Fascinating Look at the Language of Food | [
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14,355 | 11 | Grade 7 Up?Wood has organized her cycle of poems in homage to Native American philosophy around the Twelve Great Paths of the Moon of the Pueblo Indians. Each section is preceded by a meditation (January's Man Moon begins?"January's great path of the moon is solitude. Each day is part of an infinite puzzle, interlocked with all the preceding days and the ones that follow."). Within the section, each poem is accompanied by a stunning painting that is also inspired by Native American mythology. The book is visually gripping and gorgeous; its clean typeface and sharp white borders set off perfectly both paintings and text. Unfortunately, while Wood clearly has a deep devotion to and respect for Native American philosophy, as she so eloquently demonstrated in War Cry on a Prayer Feather (Doubleday, 1979; o.p.), her own words in this collection ring more of New Ageisms that seep into adult conversations than poetry. She writes in "Invitation to Life"?"I invite you to life/and you send regrets...I'll issue no more invitations/to you. The party's been/ cancelled, the guests won't arrive/in time to find me having/A dance all my own. You see,/I invited myself to my life/and finally accepted." This book, although written with noble intentions, should be declined.?Kathleen Whalin, Greenwich Country Day School, CTCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Woods' own poems accompany paintings by Frank Howell in this fine collection, based on Native American wisdom. It's difficult to assign an age level to this collection, but kids at the middle school level and many an adult will find it absorbing and varied. -- Midwest Book Review; Title: Dancing Moons | [
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14,356 | 7 | What if your Dad loved books, owned a bookstore, and even called his cherished volumes "my little bookies"? You would probably despise books--just like the young protagonist in Eric Sanvoisin and illustrator Martin Matje's deliciously bizarre story The Ink Drinker. One summer vacation, while the boy is working in the store and hoping shoplifters will ease his burden, he spots a weird, pale stranger drinking a book. With a straw. As soon as the ink drinker flees (at the sound of the boy's gasp), the young spy locates the customer's book and discovers that it is completely blank except for a letter or two! Like a real detective, he races out of the store on the heels of this tough customer... all the way to the cemetery... all the way into a vaulted monument shaped like an ink bottle... all the way to a pen-shaped casket where the man (or beast?) lies snoring. As the book-vampire's mysteries unfold like a good novel, we are no longer sure whether the boy is awake or asleep, or whether the boy could possibly have fallen prey to the strange fellow's powers. "As I sucked the first words of the second paragraph, the lights were suddenly turned on. Dad was there. I swallowed wrong, and the words got stuck." Young readers will adore this eccentric tale of the power of reading, which surprises and delights on many levels. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin SnelsonIn this mildly sinister chapter book from France, a strange breed of vampire sucks the black blood of literature. The narrator, who hates reading but observes customers in his father's bookshop, discovers the ghoul. From a shelf, the boy watches a "weird looking guy, with a gray complexion and bristly eyebrows" placing a drinking straw between the pages of a book. Afterward, the young spy inspects the volume: "I was struck by its incredible lightness.... There wasn't a single word left on the pages!" He confronts the vampire in an inkwell-shaped mausoleum, swoons and wakes up at Dad's bookshop with a mysterious craving for a literary fix. Sanvoisin plays upon the sensual experience of reading. The narrator's father, an insatiable reader, "devours [books] like an ogre"?metaphorically speaking. The vampire confesses, "Bottled ink is as bland as salt-free food. But ink that has aged on paper, well, it's the ultimate gourmet dish." And the boy, bitten by "Draculink," rationalizes his thirst like a stricken Victorian hero. Matje provides evocative images of the fiend, whose bruised skin and jet-black eyes are the product of his habit. This story asserts that books offer adventure to those who don't fancy themselves scholars, offering up a contrast between studious father and inkthirsty son. A slim but diverting tale. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Ink Drinker | [
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14,357 | 11 | This uneven first novel is narrated by Anna, the first-born daughter of the Emperor of Byzantium, poised to inherit the throne. Inspired by the real Anna Comnena (1083-1153) who chronicled her father's reign in The Alexiad, the story begins in a convent, where 17-year-old Anna lives in exile. Most of the book flashes back to the princess's upbringing and her attempt on her brother John's life that led to her monastic imprisonment. Although the author successfully evokes an aura of claustrophobia within the castle and convent, she provides few details to distinguish one setting from another. The scenes in the throne room involving visiting dignitaries or soldiers do little to illustrate the pageantry or politics of the age, and the main characters lack definitionAwith the exception of the Machiavellian grandmother. Anna herself, with her education in history, classics and science, may reverse any preconceived assumptions about the ignorance and lowly position of women in the Middle Ages, but her character as portrayed here is not likable until the book's conclusion. Readers may not stay around long enough to witness her humbling fall from power and transition to scholar. Ages 10-up. (June) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 6-10-The 11th-century Byzantine princess Anna Comnena was a remarkable woman. Designated as a child to inherit the throne, she was educated to be a ruler. She learned, from her mother and grandmother, to manipulate the intrigues and factions of the court, and when she was displaced as heir by her brother, she schemed, without success, to assassinate him and regain her position. In this novel, Anna tells her own story, looking back on her former life from the convent to which she has been banished. The first-person device serves well to focus the action on the princess and to build a plausible character study of a brilliant and tempestuous young woman frustrated and embittered by the loss of her expectations of achieving supreme power. However, the book exemplifies the difficulty of writing a historical novel about a real person. Anna's brother is depicted throughout as a spoiled monster who (in contrast to the brilliant Anna) refuses to learn to read. Yet historians characterize John's rule as one of personal virtue and administrative competence and tell that he forgave his sister for her many conspiracies against him. Barrett acknowledges in an afterword that she "changed some of the facts," but, unfortunately, it is the story she spins that will remain with young readers. Still, few books, with the notable exception of Peter Dickinson's The Dancing Bear (Little, Brown, 1972; o.p.), have as their backdrop the colorful and historically significant Byzantine Empire.Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Anna of Byzantium | [
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14,358 | 11 | Grade 7 Up-For the Pueblo people, the Sacred Fire is associated with wisdom, purification, potential, longevity, and hope, and it must be kept burning so that the they can "remember the ways of their ancestors." These themes are explored here in poems and poetic prose that discuss the Native American experience, including creation stories; relationships with nature in the forms of the elements, plants, animals, and spirits; and the immediate and lasting effects of the European incursion on the people and their traditions. Strength and beauty are evident but are often overwhelmed by sadness, despair, confusion, and rage. Simple language leads readers to complex thoughts, emotions, and images. Spectacular artwork accompanies the text. Many of these haunting paintings begin with a detailed and deeply textured face, then drift off from realism to a dreamlike spread of color and movement. Some of the stunning paintings and drawings bring to mind Georgia O'Keeffe, or the art-deco style. All of them are intriguing. A unique book that is both evocative and thought-provoking.Darcy Schild, Schwegler Elementary School, Lawrence, KSCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 7^-12. In poetry and prose, Wood meditates on the Pueblo Indians' world. Once "powerful and continuous," this season-village-ritual-centered life changed drastically after the Spanish conquistadors invaded New Mexico in 1540. Their society fractured, their very existence was threatened, and the Indian people turned to the old ways of legend and belief to find preservation. Using the traditional figure of the Old Man--a good spirit who brought fire to the pueblos--as a recurring symbolic presence, Wood writes affectingly about the interconnectedness of the people and the natural world, about the Sacred Fire that symbolizes their spirit, about the demon of progress, and about the need to strengthen the things that remain. Matching Wood's words in intensity and imagination are breathtakingly beautiful paintings by the late Frank Howell. As much lamentation as celebration, Sacred Fire is haunting in its evocation of the past and of memories that indict the poverty of the present in "the sacred land of our ancestors." Less formidable in length than The Serpent's Tongue, edited by Wood, a 1997 Booklist Youth Editors' Choice, Sacred Fire will be a wonderful lead-in to that volume. Michael Cart; Title: Sacred Fire | [
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14,359 | 0 | What do you do when you're being charged by a red-eyed furious wall of brown fur that is an insane moose? How do you make a weapon with your bare hands? How do you sneak up on a grouse or a rabbit, kill it with a well-aimed arrow, and cook it over a fire--without a pot? All this and lots more is essential learning for Brian Robeson, the young wilderness survivor in Gary Paulsen's classic novel Hatchet. In writing that book, Paulsen was determined that everything that happened to Brian--the survival techniques and the physical and emotional traumas--would be drawn closely from reality and his own experiences. In Guts he reveals the stories behind Hatchet, as he lived them. Linked to specific incidents from Brian's ordeal are the skills and insights Paulsen learned as a teenager passionately in love with hunting in the north woods of Minnesota, the extremes of exhaustion and cold he knew in running the Iditarod dog races in Alaska, the chilling close-up knowledge of heart attacks from his experiences as a volunteer ambulance driver, the silence and majesty of the wilderness. Some great stories are told here: the child killed by two kicks from the razor-sharp hooves of a small deer, the difficulties of sharing a rescue helicopter ride with a terrified dog team, and some spectacular gross-outs about the nutritional need to eat every part of an animal. Hatchet fans will be agog, and parents and teachers will be thrilled to see the enthusiastic reaction of even the most reluctant readers. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty CampbellGr 5 Up-Adding to his already considerable oeuvre, Paulsen offers this collection of wilderness survival/hunting essays that concentrates on drawing parallels between his own life and the fictional adventures and misadventures of Brian Robeson in Hatchet (Macmillan, 1986) and its sequels. The author's previous collection of hunting and fishing essays, Father Water, Mother Woods (Delacorte, 1994), was supposed to satisfy readers' need to know the stories behind the stories, but the flow of inquiries only increased. He wrote this collection, which focuses on specific events in the "Brian" books, to answer those fans' questions. Readers find out about moose attacks and plane crashes and attempts at eating raw turtle eggs. The writing is what we have come to expect from Paulsen-at times spare and at others lyrically descriptive of nature and life out of doors-but the repetition of ideas he wants to hammer home gets annoying in a couple of the essays. Every time he mentions money, he goes on to mention that he was working to pay for school supplies and clothes since his parents wouldn't. Guts is more meandering biographical musings than it is traditional essays. It does leave one wondering how he had time to pen his 100 plus books; he seems never to have been indoors since he discovered hunting as a teenager. This title is a must for libraries serving fans of the "Brian" adventures. It's also an excellent book to place in the hands of young readers interested in hunting since it imparts a responsible philosophy of hunting and gun usage.-Timothy Capehart, Leominster Public Library, MACopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Guts : The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books | [
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14,360 | 0 | Based on actual events, this latest offering from the accomplished Cooney (The Face on the Milk Carton; Driver's Ed) is a gripping and thought-provoking account of the 1704 Indian raid on the English settlement of Deerfield, Mass. After their village is burned and many of its residents killed, Mercy and more than 100 other settlers are taken prisoner by the Kahnawake Mohawk, who have been converted to Catholicism by the French. Some of the novel's most riveting chapters describe the difficult winter trek that takes them 300 miles north to Canada, where Mercy settles into life in a traditional Indian village near Montreal. Uncertain whether she will be adopted by the Mohawk who captured her or whether the English will pay the ransom that would allow her to return to Massachusetts, Mercy struggles to balance loyalty to her own family and traditions with a growing appreciation for the Kahnawake way of life. Just how much her perspective broadens can be measured by the fact that, in addition to adopting many Indian ways, Mercy can find something sacred and comforting in the Catholic mass a rite she was raised to believe led straight to eternal damnation. Portrayed mostly as rigid, angry and dogmatic, the Puritans contrast poorly with the generally kind and commonsensical Indians, and Mercy's final choice is thus compelling. Though at times this account reads like the MTV version of the events (e.g., glancing over such important events as the death of Mercy's Indian father), the immediacy of Mercy's dilemma comes through despite its historical distance. Cooney's trademark staccato delivery keeps the pages turning. Ages 12-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr 6-8-The drama of history unfolds in this gripping tale based on the actual destruction of Deerfield, MA, in February, 1704. In a surprise attack, Mohawk Indians entered the town, burned it, and took captives with them on a 300-mile march to Canada. This is 11-year-old Mercy Carter's story. Accustomed to caring for her younger siblings, she becomes the mother figure for several of the children on the long and harsh journey. Although she waits to be ransomed, when the opportunity arises more than a year after her capture, she refuses to go back. Cooney artfully combines the intense drama of the situation with historical details of the period and the Indian culture. The conflict between the English Puritans from Deerfield and the French Catholics is also well depicted. However, although Mercy is an intriguing, feisty girl, her maturity is often unrealistic. She never panics; she always thinks ahead and projects the outcome of her actions. Cooney carefully draws her other characters to show myriad reactions to the capture, including the rebellious Ruth and others who are too devastated by their losses to care about what happens to them. It is unfortunate that only cursory mention is made of the Indians' underlying plight against the invading white man that led to such horrifying attacks. Still, there is a great deal in this engrossing tale to recommend it.Renee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Ransom of Mercy Carter | [
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14,361 | 7 | Orphan Phoebe, along with an attractive prince, cares for the king's birds in a strange, extraordinary aviary. But at his father's death, the prince leaves to assume his kingly duties and leaves his uncle in charge of the aviary. The uncle forces Phoebe to capture an unusual river flute, and Phoebe rescues a hunter who joins her search. But when she captures the enchanting, elusive bird only to free it, she explains, "It is free now to return." Upon their arrival at court, the prince's sinister uncle chastises Phoebe, but the hunter reveals himself as the prince. When he proposes marriage, Phoebe, like the flute, chooses freedom, and the prince realizes, "Phoebe was free to return. And one day she might." In dreamlike watercolor illustrations, lush, sylvan outdoor settings contrast with nightmarish, surrealistic court interiors. With folklore elements but contemporary sensibilities, this original story may resonate more with women, but spunky girls (and boys) will also appreciate Phoebe's resolute independence. Linda Perkinslways cared for the captive birds of the royal garden. Her friend, the prince, often visits her there, and together they dream of exploring the world beyond the kingdom. But when the king dies, the prince leaves his uncle in charge, and sets off alone. As keeper of the birds, Phoebe must remain within the garden's high walls.Three years pass. A prize bird escapes, butanother, the rare River Flute, arrives in the land. Phoebe agrees to the uncle's bargain: if she captures the River Flute, she'll gain her freedom. If not, she'll be punished.Phoebe gladly sets out on her search, but the hardest part of her journey is just beginning.; Title: Phoebe and the River Flute | [
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14,362 | 2 | In this warmhearted story of a faithful toy, a girl acquires a menagerie of stuffed animals but declares the first her favorite. Blue Kangaroo, who belongs to Lily, is an aquamarine-hued plaything with a faint smile on his long, pointy face. "Every night, Lily said, 'I love you, Blue Kangaroo!' And Blue Kangaroo fell fast asleep in Lily's arms." This special, one-to-one relationship changes when family and friends begin to bring gifts for Lily, including Wild Brown Bear and Yellow Cotton Rabbit. Lily's good-night list expands to include each arrival, but readers will notice that Lily subtly distinguishes her blue pal from the rest. Even though he still hears the title phrase, Blue Kangaroo worries that he's been replaced. Clark (Little Miss Muffet's Count-Along Surprise) uses authoritative colored-pencil outlines and summertime-bright watercolors to evoke sympathy for the kangaroo in busy family scenes. As Lily cuddles her presents (none of which displays her kangaroo's attentiveness), her baby brother grabs for the lonely toy. In the end, though, Lily would rather donate all her other toys to her brother than part with Blue Kangaroo. Clark considers jealousy from several angles, exploring Blue Kangaroo's feelings and Lily's possessiveness. The reassuring message is that newcomers don't have to displace best friends, but sometimes even buddies need to be reminded that they matter. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-A heartwarming story of a little girl and her beloved stuffed animal. As Lily begins to accumulate an assortment of stuffed toys from relatives and friends, Blue Kangaroo begins to feel rejected. When at last the child's bed becomes too crowded, Blue Kangaroo rolls out and hops down the hall and into the baby's crib. When the baby delightedly claims him the next day, Lily offers her brother all of her other animals in return for Blue Kangaroo. A wholly satisfying story of the bond between a child and her favorite animal, enhanced by large, expressive watercolors.Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NYCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: I Love You, Blue Kangaroo | [
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14,363 | 14 | Each of the girls has a choice to make about the beautiful brooch.Meg's Christmas Dream: Meg would gladly exchange it for a gift for her father....Jo's Christmas Dream: Jo behaves like a total scrooge and must learn the true spirit of Christmas.Beth's Christmas Dream: Beth discovers what her sisters' and parents' lives would have been like without her.Amy's Christmas Dream: Always happy to receive presents, Amy surprises everyone when she bestows a gift to a poor little girl.This quartet of Christmas stories captures the joyful spirit of the holiday season.Award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, has written over sixty books for children and young adults. She began her career in 1970, with the publication of her first book, Just Morgan, which she wrote her last semester at New York University.Ms. Pfeffer's books include middle-grade novels (The Pizza Puzzle), historical fiction (Nobody's Daughter and its companion volume Justice for Emily), and young adult novels (Family of Strangers and Twice Taken). Her young adult novel About David was awarded the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award.Her young adult novel The Year Without Michael, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and winner of the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award, was named by the American Library Association as one of the hundred best books for teenagers written between 1968-1993.Susan Beth Pfeffer is also the author of the popular Portraits of Little Women series. Created for readers grades 3-6, each of the books in the series captures one of the beloved March sisters from Little Women--Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy--at age 10. These unforgettable heroines experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America.; Title: Christmas Dreams (Portraits of Little Women) | [
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14,364 | 2 | Donna Jo Napoli's fiction for teens often puts a contemporary twist on old fairy tales, offering new depth and psychological insight. In previous young adult novels she has retold "Hansel and Gretel" from the point of view of the witch (The Magic Circle) and the story of "Rapunzel" from a multitude of perspectives (Zel), and has turned the tale of "Rumpelstiltskin" inside out (Spinners). Here she follows the traditional story of "Jack and the Beanstalk" pretty closely--the cow traded for magic beans, the vast beanstalk reaching up a cliff, and the cannibalistic giant chanting "Fee, fi, fo, fum" are all present. But Napoli enriches the tale with a romance between Jack and a neighbor girl and the mysterious disappearance of Jack's father, all told in vibrant poetic language and studded with authentic details of country life in the 1500s. On another level, she adds resonance to the narrative by creating an oedipal dimension--a disturbing buried suggestion that the devouring giant is a dangerous aspect of Jack's otherwise loving father. In the same manner, the giant's wife, who feeds Jack luscious food and hides him from the giant, recalls his own mother in the aspect of temptress. All this is very subliminal, but even younger readers will feel the mythological power as they devour this exciting story. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty CampbellRevisiting Jack and the Beanstalk, Napoli (Spinners) makes the plot bleaker but the message inspirationalAan uneasy mix that reduces rather than expands the impact of the familiar story. Jack is nine when his father gambles away the family farm and later accidentally steps off a cliff to his death. The narrative then skips ahead seven years. Jack batters himself unconscious in a yearly attempt to climb that same cliff; it is to his madness that his mother attributes his famous exchange of their cow for magic beans. As in Beneduce and Spirin's version (see their Jack and the Beanstalk, reviewed above), this giant is complicit in Jack's father's death, but there are a number of innovations. Jack hopes to win back the love of his childhood sweetheart, Flora, whose purity stands in sharp contrast to the woman in the giant's castle, here a lascivious sort who cares more for riches than for freedom. Much is made of following one's dreams: e.g., the fairy who gives Jack the magic beans urges him to stay true to his love of farming. The stolen treasures lose their luxury once Jack comes back to earthAthe hen (no, not a goose) remains a prolific layer but of ordinary (not golden) eggs, the lyre becomes an instrument for Jack ("I play a freedom song for the woman of the castle"). It is no surprise when Flora leaves her materialistic suitor for Jack with his good values. Napoli has made an odd trade of her own, swapping the boundlessness of archetypal fantasy for a touch of piety. Ages 12-up. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Crazy Jack | [
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14,365 | 2 | Like David Almond's 1998 Whitbread-winning Skellig, this powerful, eerie, elegantly written novel celebrates the magic that is part of our existence--the magic that occurs when we dream at night, the magic that connects us to family long gone, the magic that connects humans to the land, and us all to each other. As Kit's grandfather puts it, "the tales and memories and dreams that keep the world alive."It seems fated that 13-year-old Christopher Watson, nicknamed Kit, would move to Stoneygate, an old English coal-mining village where his ancestors lived, worked, and died. Evidence of the ancient coal pit is everywhere--depressions in the gardens, jagged cracks in the roadways, in his grandfather's old mining songs. A monument in the St. Thomas graveyard bears the name of child workers killed in the Stoneygate pit disaster of 1821, including Kit's own name--Christopher Watson, aged 13--the name of a distant uncle. At the top of this high, narrow pyramid-shaped monument is the name John Askew, the same name of Kit's classmate who takes the connection between this monument and life--and death--very seriously.The drama unfolds as the haunted, hulking, dark-eyed John Askew draws Kit and other classmates into the game of Death, a spin-the-knife, pretend-to-die game that he hosts in a deep hole dug in the earth, with candles, bones, and carved pictures of the children of the old families of Stoneygate. Kit the writer and Askew the artist belong together, Askew keeps telling him. "Your stories is like my drawings, Kit. They take you back deep into the dark and show it lives within us still.... You see it, don't you? You're starting to see that you and me is just the same." Are they, though?Kit's Wilderness conjures a world where the past is alive in the present and creeps into the future--a world where ancestral ghosts and even the slow-changing geology of the landscape are as tangible as lunch. Powerful images of darkness exploding into "lovely lovely light" filter throughout the story, as Almond boldly explores the dark side and unearths a joyful message of redemption. (Ages 11 and much, much older) --Karin SnelsonRevisiting many of the themes from Skellig, Almond offers another tantalizing blend of human drama, surrealism and allegory. He opens the novel with a triumphant scene, in which Kit Watson, the 13-year-old narrator, and his classmates, John Askew and Allie Keenan reemerge from "ancient darkness into a shining valley," as if to reassure readers throughout the course of the cryptic tale that the game of "Death," so central to the book, is indeed just a game. Nevertheless, he takes readers on a thrilling and spine-tingling ride. When Kit moves with his mother and father to the mining town of Stoneygate to keep company with his newly widowed grandfather, he feels drawn to John Askew who, like Kit, comes from a long line of coal miners. Askew presses Kit to take part in a game of "Death," for which the participants spin a knife to determine whose turn it is to "die." The chosen one then remains alone in the darkness of Askew's den, to join spirits with boys killed in a coal mine accident in 1821. Some regular players consider the game to be make-believe, but Kit senses something far more profound and dangerous, and the connection he forges with the ancient past also circuitously seals a deeper bond with Askew. Allie acts as a bridge between the two worlds, much as Mina was for Michael in Skellig. The ability that Askew, Kit and his grandpa possess to pass between two seductive worlds, here and beyond, in many ways expands on the landscape Almond created in Skellig. The intricacy and complexity of the book's darker themes make it a more challenging read than his previous novel for children, but the structure is as awe-inspiring as the ancient mining tunnels that run beneath Stoneygate. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Kit's Wilderness | [
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14,366 | 2 | Giff (Lily s Crossing; All the Way Home) again introduces a carefully delineated and sympathetic heroine in this quiet contemporary novel. Artistically talented Hollis Woods, age 12, has made a habit of running away from foster homes, but she s found a place on Long Island where she wants to stay for a while. She immediately bonds with Josie, her new guardian, who is a slightly eccentric, retired art teacher. Yet Hollis is far from content. She worries about Josie s increasing forgetfulness, and she sorely misses her last foster family, the Regans, whom she left under tense circumstances that are only gradually made clear. Giff intersperses tender scenes demonstrating Hollis s growing affection for Josie with memories of the Regans, whose images Hollis preserves in her sketchbook. Pictures of motherly Izzy Regan, her architect husband and their mischievous yet compassionate son, Steven, sensitively express the young artist s conception of a perfect family. As readers become intimately acquainted with Hollis, they will come to understand her fears, regrets and longings, and will root for her as she pursues her dream of finding a home where she belongs. Ages 8-13.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 4-7-Abandoned at birth, Hollis Woods has lived in about a half dozen homes and has always wished for a family. A foster caretaker describes her as "a mountain of trouble." When Josie Cahill, a retired art teacher, takes the 12-year-old into her home on Long Island, NY, the two bond almost immediately. Hollis draws pictures with colored pencils and Josie carves branches into people. However, it soon becomes clear that Josie has trouble remembering things, and Hollis becomes the caregiver. When she stops attending school, a social worker comes by to investigate. Flashbacks slowly illuminate Hollis's life with one family who had hoped to adopt her and why this didn't happen. Giff masterfully weaves these two strands together in a surprising and satisfying ending. Strong characterization and a solid sense of place are the strengths of this heartfelt story that will appeal to fans of Sharon Creech's Ruby Holler (2002), Katherine Paterson's The Great Gilly Hopkins (1978, both HarperCollins), and Zilpha Keatley Snyder's Gib Rides Home (Delacorte, 1998).Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OHCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Pictures of Hollis Woods (Newbery Honor Book) | [
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14,367 | 8 | ould do just about anything to help someone in need. She's kind-hearted, loyal, and caring. So when she catches Sean O'Neill stealing apples from Aunt March's garden, Beth listens to the hungry boy's sad story. She's moved to hear that Sean's widowed mother and younger siblings are immigrants from poverty-stricken Ireland. But times are hard in Massachusetts too. Sean's mother has been ill and out of work, and with sisters and brothers to care for, Sean has had to scrape up food for them any way he can. Promising to help, Beth gives him whatever food and old clothes her family can spare. It's not enough. Beth's big plan: stealing from wealthy Aunt March. But Sean's own thieving forces Beth to question what being a true friend really means--and together they discover generosity in someone who seems the most cold-hearted.Award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, has written over sixty books for children and young adults. She began her career in 1970, with the publication of her first book, Just Morgan, which she wrote her last semester at New York University.Ms. Pfeffer's books include middle-grade novels (The Pizza Puzzle), historical fiction (Nobody's Daughter and its companion volume Justice for Emily), and young adult novels (Family of Strangers and Twice Taken). Her young adult novel About David was awarded the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award.Her young adult novel The Year Without Michael, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and winner of the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award, was named by the American Library Association as one of the hundred best books for teenagers written between 1968-1993.Susan Beth Pfeffer is also the author of the popular Portraits of Little Women series. Created for readers grades 3-6, each of the books in the series captures one of the beloved March sisters from Little Women--Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy--at age 10. These unforgettable heroines experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America.; Title: Beth Makes a Friend (Portraits of Little Women) | [
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14,368 | 2 | Each Christmas, Santa's son, Peter, has the unpleasant task of checking the lists twice to see who's been naughty or nice. Destined for his second stint on the naughty list, Peter questions the fairness of the system. Still, "I didn't make the rules," Santa says. "But you know what they are." Peter certainly does--but he doesn't have to like it. This year, he's taking matters (and the reindeer reins) into his own hands, and for the small group of perfectly nice Naughties around the world, this may just turn out to be a bountiful Christmas after all.This original tale from author Lawrence David and illustrator Delphine Durand, the imaginative creators of Beetle Boy, celebrates those brave rebels who won't stand for injustice. Peter is no rabble-rousing scoundrel, though. He's just a goodhearted boy who occasionally goes astray. But, as his wise old dad says, "All people do naughty things once in a while. It can't be helped. Saying you're sorry is what matters most." Durand's quirky, stylized illustrations feature sausage-shaped dogs, TV remote-control wielding reindeer, and chip-off-the-old-block-shaped-dad Peter Claus, with endearing sticky-outy ears and blond Beatles-style hairdo. (Ages 6 to 11) --Emilie CoulterSanta's son, Peter, devises a plan to spring himself and all the other misbehavers from the dreaded naughty list in this humorous picture book from the creators of Beetle Boy. The text skates close to moralistic in places ("Saying you're sorry is what matters most"), but the delightfully skewed sensibility of the illustrations saves the day. Equal parts cartoon and folk art, Durand infuses the artwork with a puckish wit. Ages 6-up.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Peter Claus and the Naughty List | [
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14,369 | 0 | Gr 3-6-A story based on the life of Maria Rind, who lived in Williamsburg during the 1770s. On the eve of the War for Independence, the child is mourning the death of her father, official printer to the House of Burgesses. Of necessity, her mother takes over the printing business, and the nine-year-old must take over the household tasks and the care of her three younger brothers. She is frustrated and jealous when her older and somewhat lazy brother becomes an apprentice to their mother, but her poor reading and writing skills, as well as her gender, prevent her from being elevated to more important work. During the months before the official printer is to be named, their mother holds the business together and even dares to print news of Colonial dissent. With the help of Thomas Jefferson and other men of power, she is awarded the position. The plot moves swiftly, and the characters are well developed. The story is much more realistic and personal than books in the "Dear America" series (Scholastic) since it is based on an actual person. A prologue in which modern-day children are visiting Colonial Williamsburg helps to set the scene. A concluding author's note briefly reviews Maria Rind's life, followed by information about Williamsburg, printing in the 18th century, and childhood during Colonial times. For young readers who enjoy historical fiction, this is an excellent choice as it offers information and insight and focuses on a memorable character.-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OHCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Gr. 3-6. Like the other books in the Young Americans Colonial Williamsburg series, this begins and ends with a modern framework story: children are gathered around a colonial Williamsburg interpreter to hear a story about Maria Rind, who lived in the town long ago. The fictional Rinds, based on a Williamsburg family, find themselves in a difficult position. Maria's recently widowed mother publishes The Virginia Gazette, an unbiased newspaper to be read by a populace increasingly divided by political tensions. When Maria overhears Loyalists criticizing the paper, she worries that her mother will lose the government contract for printing and with it their printing press and their home. Readers will find Maria a sympathetic heroine; they will learn about the issues and events of 1773, such as the Boston Tea Party. Back matter includes an excellent author's note about the people the characters represent and extensive, illustrated notes on Williamsburg, printing, and childhood in eighteenth-century Virginia. A rewarding addition to the series. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Maria's Story: 1773 (Colonial Williamsburg(R)) | [
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14,370 | 8 | Little girls, parents, and teachers will cherish these original stories, inspired by the timeless classic Little Women, which capture each of the March sisters at age 10, as they experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America. Written by award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, each hardcover book is packaged with a beautiful portrait cover , cloth bookmark, and black & white illustrations throughout. Each book also includes a section with crafts, recipes, and other activities that bring the stories to life.Little girls, parents, and teachers will cherish these original stories, inspired by the timeless classic Little Women, which capture each of the March sisters at age 10, as they experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America. Written by award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, each hardcover book is packaged with a beautiful portrait cover , cloth bookmark, and black & white illustrations throughout. Each book also includes a section with crafts, recipes, and other activities that bring the stories to life.; Title: Meg's Story (Portraits of Little Women) | [
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14,371 | 2 | Though worlds apart, city girl Mariel and Brick, a farmer's son from upstate New York, have a lot in common. They're both strong-willed, fiercely independent, and fervent Brooklyn Dodgers fans. Their divergent paths merge when Brick's family's orchard is destroyed by fire, and his parents send him to stay with Mariel and her adoptive mother in 1941 Brooklyn. Though excited by the chance to see his beloved baseball team play in person, Brick can think of little else but getting back to Windy Hill and saving what's left of the apple trees. Unexpected help comes in the form of Mariel, whose big heart cannot always overcome the weakness of her polio-stricken legs. Determined to help Brick and discover the identity of her birth mother, Mariel finds a way to get them both to Windy Hill--where Brick's trees and the hospital where Mariel was born await--one shaky step at a time. Author of the much lauded Lily's Crossing, Patricia Reilly Giff has written another lovely work of historical fiction that perfectly evokes a long-past time and place. Here, we can't help but smell Brick's apples and hear the cheers of hopeful Dodgers fans in Ebbets Field. A wonderful story of friendship and personal triumph for the preteen set. (Ages 9 to 12) --Jennifer HubertNewbery Honor novelist Giff (Lily's Crossing) brings together two appealing young characters in this story of friendship, family and finding where one belongs. When fire destroys the apple crop on his family's upstate New York farm in 1941, Brick's parents must find work elsewhere and send their son to live temporarily in Brooklyn with Loretta, an old friend. Loretta, a nurse, years before adopted a young polio victim, Mariel, whom she had cared for in a hospital located near Brick's family's farm. Though she loves Loretta, the girl is determined to find her birth mother, of whom she has faint memories. Mariel is drawn to the likable Brick, yet initially her embarrassment at her polio-scarred legs (which, in her mind, "curved like the pretzels in Jordan's candy store") prevents her from talking to him. But when he shares his resolve to return home to help a beloved elderly neighbor harvest his apple crop, Mariel encourages him to make the journey. Impulsively, she decides to accompany him and to visit the hospital where she was taken when stricken with polio, hoping to find clues to her mother's identity. The pieces of the plot snap together a bit too easily and snugly as Giff solves each youngster's dilemma. More credible is the emotion that runs high and affectingly throughout the narrative, as well as the many period details. Ages 8-12. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: All the Way Home | [
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14,372 | 2 | Grade 4-6Molly McGinty, a sixth-grader at Our Lady of Mercy Middle School, is panicked over the loss of her three-ring binder. In it she keeps everything she needs to be organized, such as homework assignments, addresses, and due dates of library books and her grandmother's bills. To make things worse, her extraverted and unconventional grandmother and guardian, Irene, comes to school on Senior Citizens' Day. The woman introduces the French class to vocabulary that sound like swear words, gets busted for smoking in the girls' room, initiates a poetry slam, and talks Father Connery into letting the social studies class listen to a baseball game as an example of democracy in action. Despite her embarrassment, Molly comes to appreciate the school's social misfits and also snags a boyfriend. And by the time she recovers her notebook, she's learned, thanks to Irene, "to go with the flow." Although the overexuberant woman is a little hard to believe, the character still works. This light, breezy romp is humorous and as unpredictable as Grandma Irene.Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 3-6. In his latest novel, Paulsen easily moves from wilderness and military adventures to farce about survival at home and at school. Molly is organized, you might say obsessive, so when she loses her multipocket three-ring binder, which contains lists of "Everything She Needed to Live," she is devastated--especially since it is Senior Citizens Day at her middle school, and her flamboyant, embarrassing grandmother, Irene, is attending. Clad in purple suede pants and glittering beads, Irene wants her dear Molly to forget "effective organizational techniques" and loosen up. Irene is a hit as she challenges silly grammar lessons, pals with the delinquents, and gets busted for smoking in the girls' bathroom. Some of the jokes may appeal more to adults than to children, but middle-graders will enjoy the wild schoolyard and classroom slapstick, even as they feel for the kid who has to watch over her unpredictable, loving caregiver. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day | [
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14,373 | 0 | First-time author De Young uses her own family history to create a Depression-era story about first-generation Italian-Americans living in Johnstown, Pa., in 1933. Eleven-year-old Margo Bandini, her parents and young brother, Charlie, face losing their house if they do not find a way to pay back the bank loan used to cover hospital expenses for Charlie's emergency leg operation. In a letter, Margo appeals to Eleanor "Everywhere" Roosevelt, the person she admires most, for help. Her teacher (who moonlights as a reporter and knows the First Lady) provides a swift, personal delivery of the letter and soon Margo receives a reply that restores her faith in miracles and resolves the crisis. Despite its rather contrived conclusion, this historic novel is successful in conveying the climate of the times: the "domino" effect of the steel mill cutting back workers' hours translating into failing businesses and the necessity of neighbors relying on one another for support during hard times. Margo emerges as an admirable heroine whose actions reveal a generous heart and determination to help her family hold on to their home. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-6-This Depression-era story is rich with the details of life in the small mining and steel town of Johnstown, PA. When her family is threatened with losing their home and business because they are unable to pay their bank loans, 11-year-old Margo Bandini writes a desperate letter to Mrs. Roosevelt as part of a class assignment. Margo has read about the First Lady's interest in children and her visits to people all over the world and hopes that the woman might find a way to save her home. With a little help from Margo's teacher, who is also a newspaper writer and a friend of Mrs. Roosevelt's, the letter gets the attention of the First Lady, who then arranges with the bank to refinance the family's loan as a part of the New Deal relief program. The outcome of this plot may seem outlandish, yet this novel is based on events that actually occurred in the author's family. The strong and believable female characters, the smooth integration of historical facts into the story, and the compelling first-person narrative make this a good choice for social-studies reading, historical-fiction assignments, or book discussion.Joan Zaleski, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NYCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: A Letter to Mrs. Roosevelt | [
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14,374 | 11 | This moving picture book offers a shining testament to the ability of human beings to find "something beautiful" in even the most unlikely places. An African American girl initially sees only the ugliness of her neighborhood. There is "trash in the courtyard and a broken bottle that looks like fallen stars." On her front door, someone has scrawled the word "DIE," and a homeless lady "sleeps on the sidewalk, wrapped in plastic." Searching for something beautiful?"something that when you have it, your heart is happy"?she polls various neighbors. For an old man it is the touch of a smooth stone; for Miss Delphine, it's the taste of the fried fish sandwich in her diner; for Aunt Carolyn, it's the sound of her baby's laugh. When the girl decides to create her own "something beautiful," she picks up the trash, scrubs her door clean and realizes, "I feel powerful." Wyeth's (Always My Dad) restrained text is thoughtful without being didactic. She creates a city landscape that is neither too dark nor too sweet; and her ending is just right, with the heroine's mother saying that her daughter is her "something beautiful." Soentpiet's (Peacebound Trains) paintings are luminously lifelike. Whether depicting the girl running past a chain-link fence in a dark alley or Miss Delphine's patrons sitting beneath the rows of glinting glasses, the paintings focus on a community with characters so real, readers can almost feel the sunlight on their faces. All ages. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 2-4-Looking at the trash and graffiti in the courtyard outside her inner-city apartment, a young African-American girl wishes for something beautiful. As she walks home from school, she asks friends and neighbors what their "something beautiful" is, and gets a delightful array of answers: Sybil's jump rope, old Mr. Sims's smooth stone, Aunt Carolyn's baby's laugh, the fried fish sandwiches Miss Delphine serves at her diner. Back home, the girl cleans up her trash-filled courtyard and resolves to help make her own neighborhood into something beautiful. Told in the child's voice, the text captures the curiosity and resilient spirit of childhood. The paintings, rich with realistic detail, begin with dark, sometimes spooky images of a world filled with broken bottles and chain-link fences, then move to brighter, happier scenes peopled with the friendly faces of the neighborhood. Inner-city children will appreciate this believable, upbeat depiction of a community and may be inspired to seek out something beautiful of their own. This engaging picture book could spark discussion about what "beautiful" means to children in any neighborhood.Dawn Amsberry, formerly at Oakland Public Library, CACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Something Beautiful | [
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14,375 | 7 | The teen queen of horror fiction Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is on the prowl again! Continuing in much the same vampire vein that established her reputation, the young writer's sophomore novel also includes a touch of autobiography. Jessica Allodola is a high school senior who pens vampire tales under the pseudonym Ash Night. (Hmmm, sound familiar?) Because of her funereal clothing and cynical demeanor, Jessica is shunned by her sunnier classmates. No matter, she prefers the company of the undead she creates on her laptop, anyway. But Jessica is shaken when a creature from her novel, the suave vampire Aubrey (who fans will remember from In the Forests of the Night) shows up as a new student at her school. Not knowing whether he plans to seduce or harm her, Jessica plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Aubrey as she tries to discover the secret of his existence. As she delves deeper into the midnight world of her own novels, she encounters other supernatural beings, like Fala, an evil Egyptian vampire, and Caryn Smoke, a teenaged good witch. When she finally unearths the shocking truth that explains the tangibility of her imaginary world, Jessica must decide if she loves that dark world enough to leave the light forever.Atwater-Rhode's writing, while still showing strong traces of Anne Rice and Stephen King, is maturing nicely as she cleverly constructs this story within a story. Her vampires, while thousands of years old, have adolescent mood swings and tempers, which will sit well with the under-16 crowd. Demon in My View will undoubtedly find its way into many backpacks and Trapper Keepers. (Ages 12 to 15) --Jennifer HubertTeenage author Atwater-Rhodes returns to the vampires and witches of In the Forests of the Night for this fast-moving sequel. This time, she focuses on Jessica, the high school student who put in a cameo in the previous installment and, under the pen name Ash Night, has since published her first book, a vampire story called Tiger, Tiger. What Jessica doesn't know is that the characters in her book actually exist, and they aren't too happy that she's spilled their secrets and unwittingly alerted vampire-hunting witches to the location of their undead village, New Mayhem. Out for revenge, the vampire Aubrey shows up at Jessica's high school in the guise of a new student. But Jessica's dark aura unexpectedly attracts him. He pursues her, unsure if he wants to kill her, protect her or change her into one of his own kind. Jessica feels equally drawn to him, and drawn to the idea of becoming stronger than human. The writing is often pat ("It had not hurt to die . Why did it hurt so much to live again?"), but the fantastic fights will keep readers turning pages quickly. Atwater-Rhodes exercises impressive control over the complex lineages she has imagined, and she comes up with creative solutions to advance her story. Readers will drain this book in one big gulp. Ages 12-up. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Demon in My View (Den of Shadows) | [
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14,376 | 18 | Grade 6 Up-Murphy boldly broaches the near-mythical battle of the Alamo, a Spanish mission in San Antonio whose name has become synonymous with Texas's independence. Acknowledging in his notes that "[m]ost of these questions [regarding "unresolved issues" of Alamo legend] will probably never be answered definitively," Murphy gives it his best shot and the result is an absorbing, interpretive, highly readable account of a two-week period in American history in which a couple of hundred independent Texans (Anglo Texians and Hispanic Tejanos) played a major role in U.S. expansionism. The siege of the Alamo is a well-told tale but lore, strongly abetted by Hollywood, has clouded the facts surrounding this suicidal stand. Murphy has done an admirable job of separating prejudicial speculation (by survivors on both sides) from documentation. He addresses the volatile issue of exemplary bravery, especially regarding the fate of David Crockett, diplomatically. Sidebars abound and the one-page biographical sketches, including photographs, of the major figures-especially the trinity of Jim Bowie, William Travis, and David Crockett-supplement archival photographs and illustrations, helping to set perspective, while "fast and loose" visual interpretations of the final battle show historical revisions. An extensive, annotated bibliography provides an excellent sampler of the plethora of articles and books on the Alamo.John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TXCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.*Starred Review* Gr. 4-8. Murphy's thorough research and solid narrative style combine to provide an in-depth account of this famous 1836 siege. Beginning with a description of the early Anglo settlement in Texas, the author explains how relations between ranchers and Santa Ana's government became strained, leading the Anglos to feel they had little choice except to defend their crumbling fortress to the death. He also discusses the strained leadership within the Alamo, why other Texans decided not to help, and Santa Ana's motives for wanting to annihilate the Anglos. Murphy's forte is his ability to tell a good story while retaining his integrity as a historian. Point by point he documents and identifies facts, rumors, myths, and conflicting testimony, allowing readers to judge where the truth may lie and giving them insight into how historical research works. Frequent inset articles highlight the important participants on both sides (including Santa Ana, Jim Bowie, David Crockett, and Jose de la Pena), providing military and personal details that add to the account, and a variety of period illustrations--maps, etchings, and artwork reproductions--complement the text. With an appended list of Alamo participants and an extensive, annotated bibliography, which features some primary sources, this resource is not only a valuable addition to American history units but also a great introduction to the historical writing method. Kay WeismanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Inside The Alamo | [
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14,377 | 0 | This first novel, set in 14th-century England, succeeds more as an extended fairy tale than a work of historical fiction. When 13-year-old Lady Judith meets her intended husband at her betrothal banquet, she is repulsed by his base behavior. She decides, at the prompting of one of the King's minstrels, who entertains at the banquet and notes the girl's musical talent, to disguise herself as a boy and escape to Kent to become a minstrel to King Edward, too. As "Jude," her ability to pass as a boy, survive in the woods and defend herself against attackers is sometimes convincing (as when she makes use of her stepfather's peregrine falcon) and sometimes forced (e.g., when a blacksmith robs her and fails to discover her identity). Her many detours on the journey from Nesscliff to London and finally to Kent provide some insight into the varied lives of nobility, serfs and abbots. But they also give rise to contrived events that sustain the narrative, such as landing at her friends' manor where a petty sister-in-law is bound to fall for the young musician. The third-person narration's frequent shifts from Jude to her many acquaintances (sometimes only for a paragraph or two) is often confusing. Judith lives happily ever after, but only after she finds it impossible to keep up her ruse does she compromise her goal, and settle for love. Those who enjoy a good once-upon-a-time tale may be willing to stick with this heroine through her fairly implausible escapades. Ages 12-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr 6-8-Thirteen-year-old Judith of Nesscliff is a talented musician in 13th-century England. She is distraught when her gluttonous stepfather announces her betrothal to the middle-aged and coarse Lord Walter. At her engagement dinner, Judith is entranced by Robin, a musician in the King's Minstrels, and decides to escape by disguising herself as a boy, "Jude," and begins a trek across England to audition for this prestigious group. Along the way, she encounters those who help and those who harm or hinder her, including a cruel thief and a beautiful lady who thinks "Jude" would make an ideal husband. While the book has its strengths, it is not consistently well written. Too often, the characters' thoughts rather than their actions provide details about themselves or other characters. Though plenty happens to Jude, the events do not tie together in a way that creates a true feeling of suspense, and the ending, in which Judith and Robin head off to his family manor together, seems to come too soon and too abruptly. Karen Cushman's The Midwife's Apprentice (1995) and Catherine, Called Birdy (1994, both Clarion) are more satisfying. However, even though this novel has some weaknesses, Haahr has created a strong and charming female character.-Toni D. Moore, Simon Kenton High School, Independence, KYCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Minstrel's Tale | [
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14,378 | 5 | PreSchool-Grade 3?Upon their father's death, three brothers inherit different gifts. The eldest receives the farm, workhorse, and plow; the second, a fine horse; and the youngest a dala horse?a hand-carved, brightly painted wooden toy. Although the older young men scoff at Per's gift, he maintains that it might be useful some day. Indeed, when trolls steal the gold communion cup from the priest's house, it is Per who, with the help of the wooden horse, outwits them. With his reward, he buys a farm and, later, gives the scratched toy to his youngest son. The vigorous text seamlessly incorporates elements of Swedish folklore. The colored-pencil illustrations are similar in style to Jan Brett's work, including borders and decorative detail, but with a pastel palette; a lighter, sketchier line; and more sense of movement. The blues, tans, and reds effectively evoke the setting, as do the details such as carved, decorated furniture; painted pottery; and embroidered and appliqued clothing. The borders extend the illustrations by depicting the farm, mountains, bewreathed horses, and trolls in pugnacious postures. Large white spaces frame the blocks of text, and the balanced composition effectively draws the eye to relevant characters or actions. Suitable for storytelling or independent reading.?Cynthia K. Richey, Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Pittsburgh, PACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4^-8. An original story based on elements of Swedish customs and folklore, this picture book tells of a father who dies, leaving his eldest son a strong farm horse, his middle son a fine riding horse, and his youngest son a small, painted wooden horse. When trolls steal the gold Communion cup from their church, each of the brothers ventures out to retrieve the treasure from the trolls, but only young Per brings it back, with the help of his magical wooden horse. Delicately shaded pencil drawings in full color illustrate the story with grace and dramatic flair. The beautifully costumed characters, rich patterns, and distinctive borders lend a decorative quality to the pages. An appealing adventure story for picture-book audiences. Carolyn Phelan; Title: Per and the Dala Horse | [
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14,379 | 0 | Grade 4-6-A well-researched story told from the point of view of a nine-year-old slave. Caesar misses his happy-go-lucky childhood when he could play freely with the plantation owner's son. He resents the separation of his family when his sister is sent to the big house, and his father is hired out to do carpentry work in Williamsburg. Even after his mother explains their status as slaves, Caesar has difficulty accepting his fate, and he rebels when he is chosen to train as a personal servant to his former playmate. His impulsive behavior is covered up by protective older slaves and by the young plantation heir himself. When the boy witnesses a slave auction and is totally disheartened, his father convinces him that no one can stifle his spirit, and it is that strength that will help him secure a better life. Caesar's musings occasionally seem overly insightful for someone his age but they do help impart historical information. Nixon includes a note describing her research, a history of Williamsburg, a section called "Slavery in Colonial Virginia," a recipe for bean hominy, and a map. Independent readers may get too bogged down by all of the supplementary material to develop empathy for Caesar and his family, but this title should prove useful for curriculum units.Betty Teague, Blythe Academy of Languages, Greenville, SC Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.In partnership with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation come authentic novels set in the 18th century about actual people, places, and events in this celebrated Virginia town.Caesars life as a slave consists of long hours of backbreaking work. Having his mother, father, and sisters around him is the one thing that makes it all bearable. But when the master chooses Caesar to be his personal servant and live in the big house far from his own home, Caesar has no choice but to obey. Why do things have to change?; Title: Caesar's Story: 1759 (Colonial Williamsburg(R)) | [
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14,380 | 0 | Grade 4-7-Cesa's story of life as a wealthy Californio takes place in the early days following the war ceding the territory from Mexico to the United States. At 13, the girl hangs onto her tomboy ways even as she moves into womanhood. Her first-person narrative details life with her five brothers, their relatives, and their Indian servants, and the coming of the Americans with their peculiar discourtesies and conflict, illustrating how quickly the world changed as gold fever spread. The privileges that belong to a landed aristocracy are sharply contrasted with the way the invading gold seekers see the inhabitants as lesser beings, and Wood shows the family as both assuming a superiority toward their servants and being offended at the actions of the new arrivals. A genuine love of the land and the time pervades the narrative along with an aura of authenticity that seems almost autobiographical, encouraged by a note from the author at the start. A vivid work of historical fiction, this is also a compelling story of a young girl making the change from child to adult in a world once comforting, but growing increasingly hostile.-Carol A. Edwards, Sonoma County Library, Santa Rosa, CAYOUNG, Karen Romano. Outside In. 208p. CIP. Greenwillow. May Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Gr. 7-10. Through a young girl's first-person narrative, Wood dramatizes crucial historical events that changed America forever. Mexican Cesa de Haro, 13, lives like a princess with her extended family on their 150,000-acre ranch in 1840s California, with hundreds of vaqueros to tend to their cattle and Indian servants ("our Indians") to tend to the family's every need. But everything changes when Mexico loses the war with the U.S and when the discovery of gold brings swarms of English-speaking newcomers. The first part of the book is slow as Wood describes Cesa's idyllic life on the beautiful ranch, and it's hard to feel for the privileged family when the changes come and many of those faceless Indians dare to leave for the goldfields. What the story does best is show the stereotypes. To the Mexican family, the newcomers are "trespassers"; to the new homesteaders, the elegant de Haros are just "shiftless, dirty greasers." In the end, the question is about what it means to be American. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Daughter of Madrugada | [
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14,381 | 0 | Little girls, parents, and teachers will cherish these original stories, inspired by the timeless classic Little Women, which capture each of the March sisters at age 10, as they experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America. Written by award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, each hardcover book is packaged with a beautiful portrait cover, cloth bookmark, and black & white illustrations throughout. Each book also includes a section with crafts, recipes, and other activities that bring the stories to life.Little girls, parents, and teachers will cherish these original stories, inspired by the timeless classic Little Women, which capture each of the March sisters at age 10, as they experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America. Written by award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, each hardcover book is packaged with a beautiful portrait cover, cloth bookmark, and black & white illustrations throughout. Each book also includes a section with crafts, recipes, and other activities that bring the stories to life.; Title: Beth's Story (Portraits of Little Women) | [
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14,382 | 8 | nts to be a great artist. She's got the talent; now all she needs is a way to afford art lessons. Her solution: befriend her rich and snobby classmate, Jenny Snow, who'll then invite Amy to sit in on her private art instructions. But Jenny can't be bothered with Amy's friendly overtures--until Diana Hughes, a new and extremely wealthy girl, chooses Amy as her friend. Now, Amy thinks Jenny will like her too. But the price of art lessons may be higher than Amy ever imagined....Award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, has written over sixty books for children and young adults. She began her career in 1970, with the publication of her first book, Just Morgan, which she wrote her last semester at New York University.Ms. Pfeffer's books include middle-grade novels (The Pizza Puzzle), historical fiction (Nobody's Daughter and its companion volume Justice for Emily), and young adult novels (Family of Strangers and Twice Taken). Her young adult novel About David was awarded the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award.Her young adult novel The Year Without Michael, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and winner of the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award, was named by the American Library Association as one of the hundred best books for teenagers written between 1968-1993.Susan Beth Pfeffer is also the author of the popular Portraits of Little Women series. Created for readers grades 3-6, each of the books in the series captures one of the beloved March sisters from Little Women--Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy--at age 10. These unforgettable heroines experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America.; Title: Amy Makes a Friend (Portraits of Little Women) | [
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14,383 | 0 | Grade 3-6-It has been over a year since 12-year-old Valentine Harper's father went to Colorado in 1885 hoping to strike silver, and she has grown tired of waiting for him to send for her. Though her aunt treats her nicely, her uncle is resentful of having an extra person in the house, and her nasty cousin plays increasingly mean pranks on her. After finding five gold coins hidden in a doll her father sent her, she decides to venture out West and find him. Disguised as a boy, she begins a journey that will test her courage and open her eyes to a whole new world. Vallie maintains her disguise upon arriving in Aspen, takes a job at a local caf?, and begins the arduous task of finding her father. The protagonist is a likable heroine who leaves the confines of a comfortable Victorian lifestyle and discovers the ruggedness and rough lifestyle of a Western boomtown. The carefully orchestrated chapters and the fast pace will hold children's attention throughout. Vallie's courageous journey of self-awareness and self-reliance is one readers will enjoy sharing.Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library, NY Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 4-8. Valentine Harper has lived with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh since her mother's death and her father's leaving to search for silver in Colorado. Tired of Cousin Harold's routine sabotage of her belongings, Valentine decides to run away and find her father. Disguised as a boy, she travels west by train and on foot, finally arriving in Aspen. Unfortunately, no one has heard of Daniel Harper, so she takes a job in a local cafe serving meals to the miners. Eventually, father and daughter are happily reunited, but not before Valentine experiences life on the run from a Pinkerton detective during the silver rush days of the 1880s. Ayres' strength is her attention to background details, especially those of the Colorado mining boomtowns. She also accurately depicts expectations of women and girls of the time, contrasting those of women living in the settled towns "back East" with those of their less-corseted, Wild West sisters. Valentine is a spunky heroine whose saga will appeal to history buffs and adventure fans. Kay WeismanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Silver Dollar Girl | [
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14,384 | 12 | Introducing each section of this memoir with an excerpt from one of her novels, the author "unfolds her history in a glorious arc, invisibly threading its parts into a unified whole. Her connection of the everyday details of her life to the larger scope of her work adds a new dimension to her novels," said PW in a boxed review. All ages. (Mar.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc."A rare album memoir for both children and adults."--The New York Times Book Review"A compelling and inspirational portrait of the author emerges from these vivid snapshots of life's joyful, sad and surprising moments."--Publishers Weekly, Starred"Much more intimate than many traditional memoirs."--School Library Journal; Title: Looking Back: A Book of Memories | [
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14,385 | 7 | Fourth grader Akiko continues her adventures on Planet Smoo after being selected as the one earthling suited for the job of rescuing Prince Froptoppit from the evil Alia Rellapor (read all about it in Akiko on the Planet Smoo). Akiko and the extraterrestrial crew of her flying boat--prim Mr. Beeba, gallant Spuckler, robot Gax, and eerie, levitating Poog--lose their way over the Moonguzzit Sea, crash-land into the waiting jaws of a giant sea snake, and make their way to the Sprubly Islands, where a tiny clairvoyant queen awaits them to offer guidance. But the other Sprubly Islanders are not so welcoming as Queen Pwip, and when Akiko's friends disappear into the sky, she must fend for herself in this strange, Lilliputian world, complete with brave, blustering soldiers and an exotic palace.Based on Mark Crilley's original comic strip, the Akiko series of illustrated novels is bursting with all the elements of a fast-paced adventure story. Akiko and her friends travel in air, underwater, and overland, where they meet unusual friends and enemies. Throughout, Akiko struggles with her role as heroine; starting as a shy fourth grader in Middleton, Earth, she's come a long way. Homesickness and bouts of uncertainty never get the best of her, though, and the reader will love watching Akiko's spunky nature bloom as she rises to every occasion. At novel's end, Prince Froptoppit is still unsaved--watch for future episodes from Crilley. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie CoulterGrade 3-5-In this sequel to Akiko on the Planet Smoo (Delacorte, 2000), an earth girl continues her mission to rescue Prince Froptoppit from the evil Alia Rellapor. Akiko is assisted by the adventure-loving Spuckler and his robot Gax; the bookish Mr. Beeba; and Poog, a small, spherical, floating alien. Unfortunately, the group's flying boat has no navigation system, and they become lost. Poog tells the others about Queen Pwip of the Sprubly Islands, a clairvoyant who may be able to help them get back on course. The friends go in search of the islands, encountering a "skugbit" storm, a large sea snake, and fruit that makes them float. When they finally find Queen Pwip, she gives Akiko enough information to help them continue on their journey. Akiko has the concerns and enthusiasm recognizable in most 10-year-olds, and the other characters play off her and one another nicely. Spuckler's charm contrasts with Mr. Beeba's caution, Gax's gadgets are interesting, and Poog remains just mysterious enough. Through short chapters, a quick pace, and lots of cliff-hangers, Crilley keeps readers wondering what will happen next. Black-and-white cartoons suit the mood of the text.Lisa Prolman, Greenfield Public Library, MA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Akiko in the Sprubly Islands | [
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14,386 | 2 | Gr. 3-6. At 11 Ruth Di Marco is the star baseball shortstop who can play better than any of the boys, and not just those in her small town on the coast of Maine. In fact, she's so good that a writer from Sports Illustrated comes to do a feature about her. The trouble is where can she go with her talent? When she overhears her widower dad say that it's all "wasted on a girl," she's devastated. The feminism and the family relationships are an integral part of the action. Ruth's mom fought to become a firefighter, but she died heroically in a blaze when Ruth was only three, and Ruth, her dad, and older brothers can barely voice their grief. What's best here, is the fast, furious, and competitive baseball play, which is a strong part of Ruth's lively, first-person narrative. The book will have a wide audience among middle-grade ballplayers and fans-boys as well as girls. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reservedNamed after the mighty Babe Ruth, Ruth DiMarco has some big shoes to fill. But shes already on her way to achieving her dream of becoming a major-league baseball player. Eleven-year-old Ruth is the star shortstop in her small Maine town, and now a reporter is coming to interview her for Sports Illustrated magazine. Shes at the top of her game. Then she overhears her father in the crowd: Real major-league talent. But I cant help thinking what a shame it is that its all wasted on a girl. Suddenly Ruth is doubting herself, her dream, and the game she loves. In search of answers, she looks to those closest to her: her best friend, Ellie, a self-proclaimed feminist; her father, a famous sportswriter; and her mother, a firefighter hero, who died eight years ago. But Ruth knows the truth lies within herself. The real question is: Without Sports Illustrated and Little League and Babe Ruth, who is Ruth DiMarco?; Title: Some Kind of Pride | [
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14,387 | 2 | Grade 3-6-In the ninth of this series, the Hatford boys and the Malloy girls spend more time cooperating than fighting. Eddie and Jake both play for the Buckman Badgers in the sixth-grade baseball championship; after she chokes in the first game, he decides to practice with her for the good of the team. Meanwhile the community yard sale Mrs. Hatford has volunteered to host falls on the same day as their playoff game. She enlists a reluctant Wally to take over until she returns, and Caroline sees helping him as an opportunity to talk him into acting with her in a play she's writing for their fourth-grade English class. When the girls find a photo album full of humiliating pictures of the boys, Caroline blackmails Wally to keep his word about being the husband in her play. A subplot about two relatives of Amelia Bloomer trying to steal a framed picture from Wally's house before the sale opens provides suspense but strains credulity. It turns out the frame hides her original bloomers. Still, this is a fast-paced read, and fans of the series will welcome it. It should also interest baseball fans, especially girls, since there is plenty of action on the field.Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 3-5. The Hatford brothers and the Malloy sisters, who have battled their way through several previous books, are at odds once again. The girls get the upper hand this time after discovering embarrassing pictures of the boys. It's left to the boys to retrieve the pictures before being totally humiliated. Wally devises a successful scheme to turn the tables, proving to the sisters that boys rule . . . at least for now. Reynolds adds some mild intrigue with a subplot in which the boys devise a scheme to get out of helping at Mrs. Hartford's yard sale. Like the other books in this series, Naylor crafts a briskly paced story with a plot full of laughs and pranks. Series fans will be pleased with this lighthearted escapade; readers unfamiliar with the series will enjoy it, too. Ed SullivanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Boys in Control (Boy/Girl Battle) | [
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14,388 | 8 | Little girls, parents, and teachers will cherish these original stories, inspired by the timeless classic Little Women, which capture each of the March sisters at age 10, as they experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America. Written by award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, each hardcover book is packaged with a beautiful portrait cover , cloth bookmark, and black & white illustrations throughout. Each book also includes a section with crafts, recipes, and other activities that bring the stories to life.Little girls, parents, and teachers will cherish these original stories, inspired by the timeless classic Little Women, which capture each of the March sisters at age 10, as they experience the joys and sorrows of sisterhood, family life, and a changing America. Written by award-winning author Susan Beth Pfeffer, each hardcover book is packaged with a beautiful portrait cover , cloth bookmark, and black & white illustrations throughout. Each book also includes a section with crafts, recipes, and other activities that bring the stories to life.; Title: Amy's Story (Portraits of Little Women) | [
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14,389 | 6 | It's not easy being a vampire-hunting witch, but Sarah Tigress Vida has learned from the best. The witches of the Vida family line have been successfully stalking and staking the undead for centuries, and Sarah is immensely proud of her ancestry. So, the last thing she would ever do is befriend one of the enemy. She has always faithfully followed the golden Vida rule of vampire hunting: "Knowing your prey can cause hesitation, and when one is a vampire hunter, hesitation ends in death." Then she meets artistic, sweet Christopher. A benign vampire, Christopher lives off of animal blood or the blood of willing human donors, and begins to gently woo Sarah with his poetry and drawings. Completely against her slayer instincts, Sarah reluctantly begins to care for Christopher... until she discovers that his twin is the vampire Nikolas, infamous for his habit of carving his name into the flesh of his victims. Sarah has always sworn to be the Vida to take Nikolas out, but her feelings for Christopher have allowed her to hesitate--a hesitation that may cost her not only her family's sterling reputation, but her mortal soul.With Shattered Mirror, wildly popular teen author Amelia Atwater-Rhodes continues to effectively tap the vein of universal adolescent fascination with all things brooding and blood-sucking. Ardent fans will be pleased to see the return of characters from the author's previous books, like healer witch Caryn Smoke. This complex dynasty of witches and vampires will no doubt enjoy long, imaginary lives as the young author continues to hone her witch... er, writing craft. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer HubertIn this third installment in the series that began with In the Forests of the Night, Atwater-Rhodes focuses on teen witch (and vampire killer) Sarah Vida, who "never asked for anything more complex than the simple good and evil definitions she had been raised on" but gets more than she bargained for when she befriends vampire siblings Nissa and Christopher. This is trouble: it's harder to kill when you know your prey, and her mother the most infamous witch of all will disown her if she finds out about the friendship. Her conflict intensifies when she discovers that Christopher's twin is Nikolas, the same vampire who long ago murdered a Vida witch. Atwater-Rhodes chooses an interesting theme (no one is purely good or evil), and she builds some creative elements around it. SingleEarth, an organization of all creatures, for instance, includes vampires and witches who work together for peace. Her description of Nikolas, whose home and clothing are completely black and white, plays into this well, and provides for some striking visual images. Some of her writing, though, as in Sarah's final faceoff with Nikolas and Christopher, is over the top ("I want it as much as humans want to breathe, but I have control," Christopher says of Sarah's blood). Still, fans of the teen goth writer will likely find plenty to feast on here. Ages 12-up.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Shattered Mirror (Den of Shadows) | [
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14,390 | 2 | "I thought he was dead. He was sitting with his legs stretched out and his head tipped back against the wall. He was covered with dust and webs like everything else and his face was thin and pale. Dead bluebottles were scattered on his hair and shoulders. I shined the flashlight on his white face and his black suit."This is Michael's introduction to Skellig, the man-owl-angel who lies motionless behind the tea chests in the abandoned garage in back of the boy's dilapidated new house. As disturbing as this discovery is, it is the least of Michael's worries. The new house is a mess, his parents are distracted, and his brand-new baby sister is seriously ill. Still, he can't get this mysterious creature out of his mind--even as he wonders if he has really seen him at all. What unfolds is a powerful, cosmic, dreamlike tale reminiscent of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. British novelist David Almond works magic as he examines the large issues of death, life, friendship, love, and the breathtaking connections between all things.Amidst the intensity and anxiety of his world, Michael is a normal kid. He goes to school, plays soccer, and has friends with nicknames like Leakey and Coot. It's at home where his life becomes extraordinary, with the help of Skellig and Mina, the quirky, strong-willed girl next door with "the kind of eyes you think can see right through you." Mina and her mother's motto is William Blake's "How can a bird that is born for joy / Sit in a cage and sing?" This question carries us through the book, as we see Michael's baby sister trapped in a hospital incubator; as we see the exquisite, winged Skellig crumpled in the garage; as we meet Mina's precious blackbird chicks and the tawny owls in her secret attic; and as we finally see a braver, bolder Michael spread his wings and fly. Skellig was the Whitbread Award's 1998 Children's Book of the Year, and this haunting novel is sure to resonate with readers young and old. (Ages 10 and older) --Karin SnelsonBritish novelist Almond makes a triumphant debut in the field of children's literature with prose that is at once eerie, magical and poignant. Broken down into 46 succinct, eloquent chapters, the story begins in medias res with narrator Michael recounting his discovery of a mysterious stranger living in an old shed on the rundown property the boy's family has just purchased: "He was lying there in the darkness behind the tea chests, in the dust and dirt. It was as if he'd been there forever.... I'd soon begin to see the truth about him, that there'd never been another creature like him in the world." With that first description of Skellig, the author creates a tantalizing tension between the dank and dusty here-and-now and an aura of other-worldliness that permeates the rest of the novel. The magnetism of Skellig's ethereal world grows markedly stronger when Michael, brushing his hand across Skellig's back, detects what appears to be a pair of wings. Soon after Michael's discovery in the shed, he meets his new neighbor, Mina, a home-schooled girl with a passion for William Blake's poetry and an imagination as large as her vast knowledge of birds. Unable to take his mind off Skellig, Michael is temporarily distracted from other pressing concerns about his new surroundings, his gravely ill baby sister and his parents. Determined to nurse Skellig back to health, Michael enlists Mina's help. Besides providing Skellig with more comfortable accommodations and nourishing food, the two children offer him companionship. In response, Skellig undergoes a remarkable metamorphosis that profoundly affects the narrator's (and audience members') first impression of the curious creature, and opens the way to an examination of the subtle line between life and death. The author adroitly interconnects the threads of the story?Michael's difficult adjustment to a new neighborhood, his growing friendship with Mina, the baby's decline?to Skellig, whose history and reason for being are open to readers' interpretations. Although some foreshadowing suggests that Skellig has been sent to Earth on a grim mission, the dark, almost gothic tone of the story brightens dramatically as Michael's loving, life-affirming spirit begins to work miracles. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Skellig (Printz Honor) | [
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14,391 | 14 | Is Hanukkah really all about dancing dreidels and high-flying latkes? Maybe not, but Eric Kimmel and Jon Goodell have put these devilish phenomena to good use in a lighthearted story that teaches Hanukkah traditions--from kazatzkas to gelt--along with a wise, timeless moral. The tale's decidedly unscary antagonists are a couple of bumbling devils determined to cause Hanukkah-night mischief in the village of Brisk. Goodell's clearly having fun as he sends five dreidels into a tight little jig, launches latkes around Hannah Leah's kitchen, and sets off some menorah pyrotechnics in Menachem Mendel's home. But Brisk's frightened villagers need not worry: they've got a clever rabbi who's not only unafraid of the devils' antics--he enjoys them! When dreidels sprout legs and dance on his table, "he laughed and clapped his hands. 'Delightful!' he exclaimed. 'Show me more.'" As with the misadventures of Fat Albert, kids reading Zigazak! should be careful--otherwise, they just might learn something. And that goes for both Hanukkah minutiae and the wise rabbi's moral: "Sparks of holiness exist in all things, even in devils' tricks. And if we look hard enough, we can find the good in all living creatures." (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul HughesIn the most imaginative Hanukkah book this season, Kimmel (Gershon's Monster) peoples an old-world town with mischievous demons, easily alarmed villagers and a wise and crafty rabbi. The brio of the storytelling doesn't shy from a moral: "Sparks of goodness exist in all things, even in devils' tricks." Goodell (Mice Are Nice) portrays the demons as ugly monsters, the goofy gleam in their eyes only partially dampening their scariness, and his humans are mildly grotesque. A dark palette adds to the shiver-inducing effect. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Zigazak! A Magical Hanukkah Night | [
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14,392 | 2 | British author David Almond is on a roll. His first book for young readers, Skellig, won a prestigious 2000 Michael L. Printz Honor award, and his second, Kit's Wilderness, won the Printz outright in 2001. Now comes a third, Heaven Eyes, which features a series of haunting, sepia-toned landscapes and a young narrator (an orphan) named Erin Law.One night, Erin and her friends January Carr and Mouse Gullane flee from the orphanage, sailing down the moonlit river on a makeshift raft. As they are dragged into the mighty current, January's eyes are wild with joy. "'Freedom,' he whispered. 'Freedom, Erin!'" Before they know it, however, the three adventurers run aground in sticky, oily, stinking, quicksand-like mud--the Black Middens. There they are greeted by a moon-eyed, diaphanous girl named Heaven Eyes, who speaks strangely and insists they are her long-lost sister and brothers, albeit "all filthy as filthy."She leads them back to her bizarre, broken world of abandoned printing works and warehouses full of tinned food and chocolates. Her sole companion is Grampa, who is straggly haired and just plain scary. Cocking a wary eye at the three visitors, he scribbles in his book: "Mebbe they're ghosts. Mebbe they're devils sent from hell or angels sent from heaven." Despite Grampa's frightening demeanor, however, Erin is completely taken by the guileless Heaven Eyes and the idea of being her "bestest friend." The sweet, simple Mouse soon relishes his role as Grampa's Little Helper, digging treasures out of the inky mud night after night. January, however, bitterly resents his o'er-hasty loss of freedom, sacrificed to a crazy world of "bloody freaks." Almond's choreography is masterful, and as the four children dance about each other we learn what, at the core, makes each of their young hearts beat faster.As always, Almond shows us a world where the joy and terror of being alive coexist. What is real, what is imagined, what is remembered, and what is dreamed, all fuse together--and however dark his tales, he manages to tell stories infused with both hope and persistent, persuasive love. (Ages 10 and older) --Karin SnelsonReaders spellbound by the intriguing characters and surrealistic flavor of Almond's previous works will be eager to dive into the murky waters of this third novel, set in a riverside orphanage. Erin Law, one of the "damaged" orphan children residing at Whitegates, eloquently recounts her earliest happy memories of her mother and the way the woman's voice and touch have remained with her. One day, Erin sets out on a remarkable adventure-cum-rescue mission, with fellow orphan friends January and Mouse on a homemade raft. ("Some people will tell you that none of these things happened. They'll say they were just a dream that the three of us shared.") Their vessel gets stuck in the mire on the Black Middens, a muddy sinkhole of a place every bit as haunting and surreal as the hideout in Skellig or the abandoned mines of Kit's Wilderness. The children discover two strangers who live alongside the Middens in a dilapidated settlement: Heaven Eyes, a ghostlike girl with webbed hands (so named because "her lovely eyes... saw through all the trouble in the world to the heaven that lies beneath"), and "Grampa," her ancient caretaker. Here the children slowly unravel mysteries about the crumbling town, its muddy banks holding many treasures and the tragic history of Heaven Eyes. Possessing a rare understanding of human frailties, impulses, desires and fears, the author boldly explores the gray area between reality and imagination, and the need to construct one's own legends in order to survive. His tantalizing settings and poetic narrative have a lingering effect, much like a prophetic dream. Ages 9-12.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Heaven Eyes | [
14113
] | Train |
14,393 | 0 | Purists may shudder, but Harriet the Spy is back--even though her original creator, Louise Fitzhugh, is long gone. Author Helen Ericson has developed an intriguing new episode in Harriet's life for her latest fans, many of whom were introduced to Harriet the Spy--the book--only after the movie. When Harriet's former nurse, Ole Golly (who went off to live in Montreal last year after getting married to Mr. George Waldenstein), temporarily returns to her old post in the Welsch household, Harriet is deliriously happy. Unfortunately, Ole Golly is not acting like her brisk, no-nonsense self at all, and Harriet has been instructed to "expunge" the husband from her memory. What's up? This looks like a job for our girl sleuth extraordinaire! Side plots involving Harriet's friend Sport's impending puberty and a mysterious new neighbor keep things moving along at a rapid pace, but there's no denying it: it's just not the same. Ericson captures much of Harriet's essence, but she seems to be trying too hard. And the denouement (fairly easy to figure out early on) is downright odd. Still, for those who are hungering for more Harriet, this taste serves as a nice little snack. (Ages 10 to 14) --Emilie CoulterWith the approval of Louise Fitzhugh's (author of Harriet the Spy) estate, Ericson revisits the life of Harriet M. Welsch and the executors' trust was well placed. An author's note reports that Ericson became a fan when this self-styled young spy first appeared in 1964, and her affection for the feisty character comes through in this new misadventure. Even the young detective's fascination with words and her inclination to write her notebook entries in CAPITAL LETTERS endures. When Harriet's parents leave Manhattan to spend three months in Paris, her former nanny, "Ole Golly," returns from Montreal (where she had moved with her new husband) to stay with the soon-to-turn 12-year-old. Though Harriet's mother warns her that Ole Golly has asked that no one mention her husband's name, the curious sleuth sets out to discover what transpired in Montreal. Harriet, while eavesdropping, believes she hears Ole Golly announce that she's innocent, which leads the girl to conclude that the nanny accidentally killed her husband. Meanwhile, another mystery percolates in the townhouse across the street, where husband-and-wife doctors appear to be keeping a girl captive. As Harriet doggedly attempts to crack these cases, her processing of misinformation makes for some comical scenarios. Although the novel does not plunge directly into the mystery (as Fitzhugh's works did) and a few sluggish subplots including Harriet's creation of a timeline of her life bog down the pace, overall Ericson has shaped a spirited tale and gives her follow-up to Fitzhugh's novels a fittingly timeless feel. Ages 10-up. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Harriet Spies Again (Companion to Harriet the Spy) | [
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14,394 | 8 | Meet Sport, Harriets best friend, in this hilarious companion to Harriet the Spynow available in paperback!From the Trade Paperback edition.old Sport Rocque is living a happy life, keeping his father?s absentmindedness under control, and managing the family budget. When Kate, Sport?s new?and nice?stepmother enters the picture, things couldn?t be better. Then comes the news: Sport?s wealthy grandfather has just died and Sport is a multimillionaire. But millions of dollars equals millions of problems, as Sport soon discovers when his mother returns and kidnaps him to double her share of the inheritance! Life at the Plaza Hotel is no fun when you?re a prisoner. Will Sport manage to return his life to normal?; Title: Sport (Harriet the Spy Adventures) | [
45355
] | Test |
14,395 | 2 | *Starred Review* Set in a coal-mining town, "long, long ago," this is the story of Claire, who lives with her father, a miner, and her mother, who knits for the town's richer residents. Claire learns the craft, and when her mother dies, she carries on. Two days before Christmas, a wealthy woman orders three pairs of stockings. With little light for warmth or seeing, Claire is unsure she can finish, but she does--only to give five of the stockings to a raggedy boy, who, like Claire, understands what it is like never to be warm. Her furious customer refuses the sixth stocking, which Claire hangs up; the next morning it is filled with gifts, including candles that don't go out. This sentimental story is wrapped in a handsome package--a tall, slim format that provides plenty of space for the dreamy, full-page colored-pencil pictures. It's never clear why the successful knitting business doesn't generate enough income for better indoor light, but such details won't deter children caught up in this Christmas miracle. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reservedElizabeth Winthrop is the author of more than fifty books for children, including The Castle in the Attic, The Battle for the Castle, as well as the acclaimed novel Counting on Grace (Wendy Lamb Books). The author lives in New York City and Williamstown, MA.; Title: The First Christmas Stocking | [
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14,396 | 7 | Akiko in the Castle of Alia Rellapor marks the final installment in Mark Crilley's interplanetary series. Fourth grader Akiko and her crew at long last make it to the castle where Prince Froptoppit is imprisoned. But unforeseen problems threaten the mission, including a meeting face to face with Alia Rellapor herself (and her secret identity is revealed). Crilley's b&w illustrations, reminiscent of Japanese anime, pepper the pages.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Gr 3-5-Akiko concludes her interplanetary search for the lost Prince Frogtoppit, begun in Akiko on the Planet Smoo (2000) and continued in Akiko in the Sprubly Islands (2000) and Akiko and the Great Wall of Trudd (2001, all Delacorte). This book begins right where Trudd concluded. The fourth grader and her eccentric companions-brainy but pompous Mr. Beeba, one-legged adventurer Spuckler, the robot Gax, and flying-disk creature Poog-arrive at the castle where the missing prince is held prisoner. The castle is filled with weird monsters and dangerous traps, which the group must overcome before they meet the mysterious Alia Rellapor, who turns out to be the prince's mother. Under the mindspell of the power-hungry villain Throck, the woman nearly has the companions executed, but, by combining their talents, they escape and rescue both mother and son. The episodic plot reflects the story's roots as a Japanese graphic-novel series. The bickering dialogue among the adventurers is amusing and Akiko herself shows strong leadership in helping them work as a cohesive team. Readers unfamiliar with the previous volumes will find the story confusing, but for those who have followed Akiko and her friends through their whole adventure, this is an acceptable conclusion to the saga.Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, ILCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Akiko in the Castle of Alia Rellapor | [
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14,397 | 0 | In this novel based on Susanna Hutchinson's true-life abduction in 1643, Kirkpatrick (Keeping the Good Light) presents a searing portrait of divided loyalties. Susanna fears trouble follows her as it did her mother, the infamous Anne Hutchinson, whom the Puritans persecuted for preaching lay sermons about her visions from God. After the Hutchinsons seek religious freedom in the Long Island wilderness, Lenape warriors massacre the family, sparing only nine-year-old Susanna. Initially, this sole survivor rages against her captors and resists the customs she considers cruel and savage. As Susanna gradually develops an understanding of their ways, she struggles to reconcile her growing affection for her adopted Lenape family with her love for the family they murdered. When the tribe's medicine woman Som-kay begins teaching her, Susanna also fights her own emerging visionary powers, which she fears will bring on pain and suffering like her mother's. Susanna finally does use her psychic gifts, and begins to understand what makes each person and culture unique. Kirkpatrick deftly weaves the Lenape language, rituals and values into the gripping plight of a girl caught in a cycle of violence between native and European peoples. The setting may be historical, but the author features a heroine grappling with universal issues. Through Susanna's complex coming-of-age, Kirkpatrick transforms tragedy into redemption and offers a message of peace and hope. Ages 10-14. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 7 Up-In this rich and engrossing fictional account of actual events, nine-year-old Susanna is captured by the Lenape after witnessing the massacre of her family and spends the next four years as a member of the tribe. Initially not wanting to "become an Indian," she holds the murder of her family close to her heart, attempts escape, and resists learning the Lenape language. She gains strength from her memories of her famous mother, Anne Hutchinson, the strong-willed and outspoken 17th-century heretic. Gradually, Susanna learns to communicate and partially accepts her new identity as Mee-pahk ("Pretty Leaf"). She finds a strength similar to her mother's in the wise medicine woman, Som-kway, and enjoys the friendship of her sister, Sa-kat. Susanna comes to recognize the inherent humanity of her new family, despite radical cultural differences, and discovers one day, somewhat to her dismay, that she "could no longer hate" them. When arrangements are made to trade her back to her white family, she does not wish to leave the Place of Stringing Beads. Susanna is a heroine after her mother's blood: strong and visionary. Readers will avidly follow her physical and spiritual development as she moves through incomprehension and anguish to self-discovery and an appreciation of Lenape life. The people and culture are warmly realized with a wealth of careful detail and sensitivity that make the characters and sense of place memorable. Top-notch historical fiction.Jennifer A. Fakolt, Denver Public LibraryCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Trouble's Daughter | [
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14,398 | 0 | Gr 4-6-Will Pelham, a real person in history, lives with his family in housing attached to the public gaol, where his father is the gaoler. The 12-year-old helps out by feeding the prisoners. He finds the family's circumstances unsettling, especially his nightly walk down a dark passageway past the prisoners' cells to his own room. Will's sense of fear is heightened when one prisoner rambles about the ghost of Blackbeard. Later, he becomes suspicious that the family's slave, Toby, may be plotting to help a runaway slave held in the gaol escape to freedom. Will is an especially well-drawn character, with his fears, thoughts, and doubts portrayed convincingly. Nixon also does a nice job of depicting a boy caught in that confusing time of life between wanting to be a grown-up and clinging to comfortable childhood roles. The period details are smoothly intertwined into the plot, with the protagonist even encountering George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Thirty pages of concluding notes and black-and-white photos include information about Williamsburg then and now and childhood and crime and punishment in 18th-century America. The only flaw may be that the plot is a little too slow in moving toward the action, with most of the prisoners' cases concluding in an epilogue and author's note at the end of the story. However, historical fiction fans will be intrigued by Will's unique experiences.Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OHCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Gr. 4-6. Will dislikes living and working at the public gaol (jail) in Williamsburg, where his father is employed. Not only is the boy sometimes frightened as he walks past the cell doors at night, he has a growing suspicion that someone intends to help a jailed runaway slave escape before his master comes to claim him. As the date for General Court approaches, tensions rise among the prisoners and those who care for them. Nixon does a good job of weaving information about colonial Virginia's institutions, customs, and attitudes into an involving narrative. Appended to the story are an author's note and lengthy sections on Williamsburg, childhood in eighteenth-century Virginia, and crime and punishment during the period, as well as a recipe for baked apples. An intriguing addition to the Young Americans Colonial Williamsburg series. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Will's Story: 1771 (Colonial Williamsburg(R)) | [
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24588,
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66286
] | Test |
14,399 | 7 | Losing your way in the woods. . . . Prowling a castle in the dead of night. . . . Finding a treasure in a dusty attic. . . . Finding a frightening force in your own home. . . . The March sisters--Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy--never imagined they'd encounter beings from the spirit world. But in each of these four new eerie stories, one of the March girls finds herself face-to-face with an inexplicable apparition. Could it be that ghosts really do exist?Susan Beth Pfeffer is the author of both middle-grade and young adult fiction.; Title: Ghostly Tales (Portraits of Little Women) | [
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