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14,900 | 2 | K-Gr 2Nate the Great and his dog Sludge have solved countless mysteries. They need a break from their detective work. With five seemingly uninteresting mysteries to solve, they decide to head off into the woods for some solitude. Their friends set out to solve a mystery of their own: Where have Nate the Great and Sludge gone? With logic, coincidence, and luck, all of the mysteries are solved and these main characters realize just how good it is to be Nate the Great and detective dog Sludge. Marjorie Weinman Sharmat has authored all of the books in this series since its inception in the late 1970s. For this volume, she is joined by her husband, Mitchell Sharmat. Wheeler's illustrations are based on Marc Simont's original drawings of Nate and his friends. Fans of the series should enjoy this new adventure.Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, TampaLongtime detective duo Nate the Great and his dog, Sludge, suddenly have more cases than they really want. Who could blame them for avoiding their demanding clients by hanging out in the woods? After their brief escape, they solve mysteries involving a missing turnip, a tube of dog toothpaste, and a beast with four tails. In the end, they sit together happily, forever Nate the Great and Sludge. The simply written, rather rambling narrative unfolds in Nates distinctive voice. Nicely illustrated in color in the style of Marc Simont (the series original artist), the story offers the unusual opportunity of hanging out with the boy and his dog as they stop to smell the roses before swinging into action once more. Nate and Sludge will always be at the heart of the Sharmats Nate the Great series, a perennial favorite of beginning readers since 1972. Grades K-3. --Carolyn Phelan; Title: Nate the Great, Where Are You? | [
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14,901 | 2 | Tyra Banks on ModellandFrom the moment the idea for Modelland came to me while driving down the FDR to the second my editor said, "Pencils down, Tyra," five long years passed, but Modelland finally made its way into the world. Once the novel hit the shelves, I began smizing from ear to ear and then embarked on a five-city tour to bring Modelland to my fam. (I call them fams not fans because they are family to me!) In between Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, and New York, I found one common theme between everyone that came to see me. In every city, young girls shared fears and questions on how to accept their appearances and how to deal with bullies who make self-love that much harder.When I was in elementary school, I was the mean girl; I was the bully. Then I turned 11, grew 3 inches, lost 30 pounds in three months, and suddenly found that I was the one being bullied. Perhaps this action was deserved? I got the chance to see how I made other girls feel when I was the leader of the mean pack. Nevertheless, Ive seen both spectrums and want children and adults all over to realize that bullying is not ok.On my book tour, I realized that Modelland would allow me to continue to reach young girls and push societys idea of beautiful, just like Americas Next Top Model. Anyone whos watched the show knows that I am passionate about atypical beauties, and Modelland is continuing that idea.The campy, fun, and adventurous world of Tookie De La Crme and Modelland works to share the message of celebrating individuality and unique beauty by transporting readers to my wacky, neon magical world of fantasy, sprinkled with glimpses of my personal life, experiences, and a larger message of beauty and acceptance.While I dreamt up Tookie, I put many of my own traits into her personality and appearance--from her forehead that goes on and on and on to her insecurity to the fact that she started modeling at 15. More importantly, I created Tookie to relate to everyone and serve as a platform for discussion regarding the fact that beauty should not be defined by clothing size, hair color, or body shape. I want my readers to connect with Tookie and her friends in Modelland--Shiraz, Dylan, and Piper--because they are different, because they are unique, and because they represent YOU.So now I give Modelland to you and encourage you to not only enter the thrilling world, but connect with Tookie and her journey while expanding your own definition of beauty."The combination of absurdity, social commentary, and familiar tropes makes it an enjoyable guilty pleasure." - Publishers Weekly; Title: Modelland | [
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14,902 | 2 | Gr 47The Terupt gang is back in the third installment of Buyea's memorable classroom drama series. On the eve of their entry into junior high, the students from Snow Hill School are gearing up for a new year without their beloved teacher. After brainstorming a way to work on a collaborative project in Mr. Terupt's current classroom, the group is able to spend quality time with one another as well as with "Teach." However, tensions flare for some of the friends after a harmless game of Spin the Bottle goes awry. Despite the threat to their friendship, unforeseen circumstances bring the kids back together when they discover that Mr. Terupt needs their help. As the group navigate the ups and downs of team sports, family illness, town budgets, and young love, they begin to realize that the only constant through life's storms is the bond of friendship. Buyea has a knack for making his character's voices distinct. This offering will resonate with tween audiences seeking realistic stories with multifaceted characters. VERDICT Fans of the "Terupt" novels (Random) will cheer as the Snow Hill crowd enters seventh grade, though this latest volume will also appeal to newcomers to the series.Claire Moore, Darien Library, CTPraise for the first two Mr. Terupt booksBecause of Mr. TeruptAn NPR Backseat Book Club SelectionAn E. B. White Read-Aloud Honor BookAn Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award WinnerAn Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award WinnerA Minnesota Maud Hart Lovelace Award WinnerA Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award WinnerA Nebraska Golden Sower Book Award WinnerAn Iowa Childrens Choice Book Award WinnerA Massachusetts Childrens Book Award WinnerNominated for 17 State Book AwardsEven the accident toward which this novel is inevitably headed is no accident; it is as masterfully set up and skillfully concealed as the rest of this riveting story. JOHN IRVING*The characters areauthenticand the short chapters are skillfully arranged to keep readers moving headlong toward the satisfying conclusion. School Library Journal,StarredThispowerfuland emotional story is likely to spur discussion. Publishers WeeklyNo one is perfect in thisfeel-goodstory, but everyone benefits, including sentimentally inclined readers. Kirkus ReviewsCompelling. . . . Readers will find much to ponder on the power of forgiveness. BooklistMr. Terupt Falls AgainA surprising andtotally satisfying sequel. The voices ring true. JOHN IRVINGThis sequel can be read on its own.Movingand real. Kirkus ReviewsAskillfulmeshing of characters and story lines makes for another great read. School Library Journal; Title: Saving Mr. Terupt | [
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14,903 | 2 | Praise for the Nightmares!  Series:Texas Bluebonnet Nominee"Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and...readers will want to accompany him again."—The New York Times Book Review"A touching comical saga...about facing things that go bump in the night."—US Weekly"Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller."—Publishers Weekly"Comical antics, cartoonish spot illustrations, and creepy villains make for quite an entertaining read."—Booklist"Succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure . . . Sweet, charming, and imaginative."—Kirkus Reviews "An engaging and creative story...woven with a generous amount [of] humor."—VOYA"There's humor and a fairly high ick-factor."—School Library Journal"Cleverly crafted...This novel presents just the right mix of 'scary and humorous.'"—ILA Literacy DailyJason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, he’s learned that the things we’re most afraid of are the things that can make us strong . . . if we’re brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets and Despicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. The New York Times bestseller Nightmares! is his first novel. Look for the other two books in the Nightmares! series, Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic and Nightmares! The Lost Lullaby, available from Delacorte Press. Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town just like Cypress Creek, minus the purple mansion. Now she lives and writes in New York City. Kirsten is the author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, the New York Times besteller The Eternal Ones, and How to Lead a Life of Crime. Nightmares! is the first novel she has written with Jason Segel. You can visit her at kirstenmillerbooks.com or follow @bankstirregular on Twitter.; Title: Nightmares! | [
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14,904 | 0 | Praise for the Dispossessed Trilogy:A deliciously satisfying mix of historical fiction, mystery, and supernatural romance.The BulletinMorgan combines fantasy with gothic romance in this well-crafted standout.Booklist Forbidden romance and hot kissing abound.Kirkus ReviewsMorgan keeps the plot moving with constant actiondark adventure and romance.School Library JournalMorgan's fluid descriptions, inventive otherworldly elements, and characters with convincing motivations result in an immersive first installment.Publishers WeeklyFrom the Hardcover edition.Page Morgan has been fascinated with les grotesques ever since she came across an old black-and-white photograph of a Notre Dame gargoyle keeping watch over the city of Paris. The gargoyle mythologies she went on to research fed her imagination, and she became inspired to piece together her own story and mythology for these remarkably complex stone figures. Page lives in New Hampshire with her husband and their three children. Visit her at pagemorganbooks.com and look for the sequel, The Lovely and the Lost, available from Delacorte Press in 2014.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: The Beautiful and the Cursed (The Dispossessed) | [
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14,905 | 2 | "If youre into swoony romances with a little bit of history thrown in, youll love Meant to Be. I love this book because its funny, it has a super-relatable heroine, and it features a ton of romantic tension...Lauren Morrill rules and this book is awesome." --HelloGiggles.com"The author has a good ear for comic dialogue." --Kirkus Reviews"Morrills debut is entertaining and quick-witted." --Publishers Weekly"The traveling details are part of the fun: her friends are into shopping, not Shakespeare, and there are raucous puns about Big Ben. The contemporary scene with consumer name-dropping will grab readers...The core drama is the romance, with all its turnarounds and timeless realism." --Booklist"This delightful debut explores the excitement and insecurities of an unexpected first love...A great choice for teens who enjoyed Jennifer E. Smiths The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, Gabrielle Zevins Elsewhere, or Rachel Cohn and David Levithans Dash & Lilys Book of Dares." --School Library JournalLauren Morrillis the author ofMEANT TO BE, BEING SLOANE JACOBS,THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY,andMY UNSCRIPTED LIFE. She grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, where she was a short-term Girl Scout, a (not-so) proud member of the marching band, and a troublemaking editor for the school newspaper. She lives in Macon, Georgia, with her family, and when shes not writing, she spends a lot of hours on the track getting knocked around playing roller derby.laurenmorrill.comFollow @LaurenEMorrill on Twitter and @laurenmorrill on Instagram.; Title: Meant to Be | [
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14,906 | 2 | Gr 4-7-Sofia Becker's parents are forcing (well, asking) her to go to Camp Krakatow for four dreaded weeks. Lacking technology to continue her Blogtastic blog, she makes sure to write down every juicy detail in her super-secret Pre-Blogging Notebook. As she says, if her parents knew they were sending her to a camp where there were "Bigfoots, rabid stray cats, flaming marshmallows, and food fights, they would've thought twice." She ends up in the cabin with the worst name (The Gray Hairstreaks) and the worst counselor-uptight Priscilla Jayne (nicknamed "Priss"). To make matters worse, Sofia convinced her best friend, Nona, to come along with her ("cutest boys ever" will be there!) only to discover that they are in different cabins. Despite her fears of creepy crawlies, bad food, and lack of friends, she soon makes the best of it and has one wacky adventure after another. Her delightful and irrepressible personality leads to a few embarrassments, too. She claims she's great at canoeing but ends up going the wrong way during a race. Everyone laughs when she unwittingly brings a humiliating Elmo towel to the beach. But Sofia redeems herself by creating some of the best pranks ever during the Prank War with the other cabins: putting baby powder in their blow dryers, eggs in their shoes, and jello in their sleeping bags. Cooper's writing captures the craziness and fun of summer camp. Humorous, captioned illustrations are sprinkled throughout.-Diane McCabe, Loyola Village Elementary School, Los Angeles(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted."Coopers writing captures the craziness and fun of summer camp. Humorous, captioned illustrations are sprinkled throughout." --School Library Journal"The format makes for a quick, appealing read . . . libraries where the first two books in the series circulate will want to add the third." --BooklistPraise forRumors from the Boys' Room:"The lightweight plot skips along steadily, and the black-and-white sketches on lined notebooklike paper add appeal. Coopers uncanny ability to think, illustrate, and blog like a middle schooler shines through in Sofias charming, comical voice. Fans of Jeff Kinneys Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (Abrams) as well as other diary-related books should find this one especially attractive, while the short, easy format will appeal to reluctant readers." --School Library JournalPraise forGossip from the Girls' Room:"Diary of a Wimpy KidmeetsHarriet the Spy."--Keeper of all Wisdom(blog)"Rose Cooper brings Sofia to life in her debut book...Through her witty words and sketches, Cooper is able to take a serious concept, bullying and name-calling, and show readers why its a bad idea." --GirlsLife.com"I really enjoyed reading this book...It's totally BLOGTASTIC!" --National Geographic Kids"Written as a journal with illustrations and asides, this humorous take on trying to fit in will find wide appeal. Hand this to female fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, and they'll soon start anticipating Sophia's next adventure." --Booklist"Cooper keely captures Sofia's quintessential preteen voice: spunky and full of a blustering bravado meant to mask her vulnerability. Sofia's experiences, recorded in faux-hand printing on lined paper, and the many hilarious sketches scattered throughout the journal will garner groans and laughs from readers." --Kirkus Reviews"The tone here is frothy and middle-school histrionic, making Sofia a wonderfully entertaining voice...Coopers black-and-white sketches add additional comic appeal; particularly amusing are the portraits, composed with big-eyed manga flair and a caricature-esque attention to defining details." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"What a very clever book! . . . Girls reading this book will truly understand what Sophia is going through. The writing is interesting, flows well, has humor and heartbreak, and is such a perfect book for a girl. . . . Perfect for a reluctant reader." --Children's Literature; Title: Secrets from the Sleeping Bag: A Blogtastic! Novel | [
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14,907 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2--A sweet story about the death of a beloved pet, this is bibliotherapy at its best. Daisy, a dog, and Arthur, a boy, are inseparable until the day the canine lies down in her basket never to rise again. Although she arrives in a lovely doggy nirvana, Daisy can't fully enjoy her newfound paradise because she is able to look down on her former home and see her family grieving. On the advice of fellow dogs in heaven, she sends the child dreams that both reassure him about her benign fate and encourage him to move forward by acquiring a new puppy. Clark's simple text and characteristically child-friendly illustrations make this book useful for sharing with even the youngest children. Recommend it along with Cynthia Rylant's Dog Heaven (Scholastic, 1995) to anyone seeking comfort when dealing with issues of grief and loss.--Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS. There's nothing religious in the view of heaven in this picture book about the loss of a beloved pet. Clark has simply created a joyful fantasy with an honest treatment of grief and comfort. Daisy, Arthur's dog, is devoted to him, but she can't keep up with him anymore. After she dies, she wakes up in dog heaven, a place she loves. The bright lively pictures show an idyllic place in the sky with sunshine and flower-filled green meadows, where Daisy runs with lots of old and new dog friends or curls up in a cozy armchair. Arthur doesn't know that Daisy is happy. He misses her and doesn't want another dog. But Daisy is watching over him, and she sends him dreams about her beautiful dog heaven and suggests that he get another puppy. The countryside Arthur sees when he drives with his parents to choose his new pet looks a lot like Daisy's heaven. Because Clark never denies the child's sorrow and loss, the hopeful, loving scenes will help preschoolers move on. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Up in Heaven | [
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14,908 | 2 | Praise for the Nightmares! Series: Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and . . . readers will want to accompany him again. The New York Times Book Review A touching comical saga . . . about facing things that go bump in the night. US Weekly Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller. Publishers Weekly"Succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure . . . Sweet, charming, and imaginative."Kirkus Reviews"Comical antics, cartoonish spot illustrations, and creepy villains make for quite an entertaining read."Booklist"An engaging and creative story...woven with a generous amount [of] humor."-VOYA"There's humor and a fairly high ick-factor."-SLJ"Cleverly crafted...This novel presents just the right mix of 'scary and humorous.'"ILA Literacy DailyJason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, hes learned that the things were most afraid of are the things that can make us strong . . . if were brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets and Despicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic is his second novel. Look for the other two books in the Nightmares! series, Nightmares! and Nightmares! The Lost Lullaby, available from Delacorte Press. Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town just like Cypress Creek, minus the purple mansion. She lives and writes in New York City. Kirsten is the author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, the New York Times bestseller The Eternal Ones, and How to Lead a Life of Crime. Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic is the second novel Kirsten has written with Jason Segel. You can visit her at kirstenmillerbooks.com or follow @bankstirregular on Twitter.; Title: Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic | [
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14,909 | 2 | Praise for the Reckoners series: #1 New York Times Bestselling Series Another win for Sanderson . . . hes simply a brilliant writer. Period. Patrick Rothfuss, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The Name of the Wind Action-packed. EW.com Compelling. . . . Sanderson uses plot twists that he teases enough for readers to pick up on to distract from the more dramatic reveals he has in store. The A.V. Club Snappy dialogue, bizarre plot twists, high-intensity action, and a touch of mystery and romance . . . leaves [readers] panting for the sequel. Booklist, StarredAn absolute page-turner."Publishers Weekly"A straight-up Marvel Comics-style action drama."Kirkus ReviewsBrandon Sanderson is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Reckoners series: Steelheart, Firefight, and Calamity, as well as the internationally bestselling books in the Stormlight Archive and the Mistborn trilogy. He was also chosen to complete Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series. His books have been published in more than twenty-five languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. He lives and writes in Utah. To learn more about Brandon and his books, visit him at brandonsanderson.com and follow @BrandSanderson on Twitter.; Title: Calamity (The Reckoners) | [
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14,910 | 7 | Gr 9 UpLeilani's epilepsy gave her the ability to communicate with the entity protecting the Earth in The Islands at the End of the World (Random, 2014); now she must face the consequences of her decision to keep it here. Humanity may be safe from its own folly, but it continues to struggle without its conveniences, especially in isolated places like Hawai'i. To survive, Lei's community returns to the old ways as opposed to the selfishness and turf wars of others. They are far from safe though. When real trouble surfaces, the tension increases three-fold, gripping teens straight to the end. Once again the tyrant sheriff appears, and this time he wants Lei. Yet, a greater threat comes from the mysterious voice that wants to send the Orchids away. While certain elements are sci-fi, this postapocalyptic novel is steeped in realism. The book devotes much of its time to the difficulties of this new life, and as various parties share their experiences, Lei questions whether she is doing the right thing. Not all is bleak though, for there are moments of happiness, especially when romance finally blooms. Lei is a remarkable character who carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she hardly does it alone. VERDICT An engaging and poignant follow-up with weighty and powerful themes of survival, cooperation, and human nature.Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ontario, Canada; Title: The Girl at the Center of the World | [
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14,911 | 7 | Kirkus starred review, May 15, 2014:“A suspenseful and engaging series opener made all the more distinctive through its careful realization of setting.”School Library Journal starred review, June 2014:“Aslan’s debut is a riveting tale of belonging, family, overcoming perceived limitations, and finding a home."Publishers Weekly starred review, August 15, 2014:“Debut author Aslan shows off his promise as a writer, delivering a fresh, of-the-moment take on apocalyptic fiction […] it's an exceptional adventure and survival story that's intimately tied to its setting.”From the Hardcover edition.Austin Aslan was inspired to write his debut novel, The Islands at the End of the World, while living on the Big Island of Hawaii. He earned a master’s degree in tropical conservation biology at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. His research on rare Hawaiian plants located on the high slopes of Mauna Loa won him a pair of destroyed hiking boots, a tattered rain jacket, and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. He lives outside Tucson, Arizona, deep in the Sonoran Desert, where he pets scorpions and hugs saguaro cacti with his high-school-sweetheart wife and their two young children. Austin is pursuing a PhD in geography at the University of Arizona and thinking up new stories while conducting ecosystem resilience research atop the Peruvian Andes. He continues to write fiction and looks forward to the publication of this novel’s sequel, The Girl at the Center of the World.; Title: The Islands at the End of the World (Islands at the End of the World Series) | [
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14,912 | 2 | Praise for the Nightmares! Series: Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and . . . readers will want to accompany him again. The New York Times Book Review A touching comical saga . . . about facing things that go bump in the night. US Weekly Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller. Publishers Weekly"Succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure . . . Sweet, charming, and imaginative."Kirkus Reviews"Comical antics, cartoonish spot illustrations, and creepy villains make for quite an entertaining read."Booklist"An engaging and creative story...woven with a generous amount [of] humor."-VOYA"There's humor and a fairly high ick-factor."-SLJ"Cleverly crafted...This novel presents just the right mix of 'scary and humorous.'"ILA Literacy DailyJason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, hes learned that the things were most afraid of are the things that can make us strong . . . if were brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets and Despicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Nightmares! The Lost Lullaby is his third book in the Nightmares! series. Look for the rest of the books in the series: Nightmares!, Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic, and Everything You Need to Know About NIGHTMARES! and How to Defeat Them, available from Delacorte Press. Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town just like Cypress Creek, minus the purple mansion. She lives and writes in New York City. Kirsten is the author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, the New York Times bestseller The Eternal Ones, and How to Lead a Life of Crime. Nightmares! The Lost Lullaby is the third novel Kirsten has written with Jason Segel. You can visit her at kirstenmillerbooks.com or follow @bankstirregular on Twitter.; Title: Nightmares! The Lost Lullaby | [
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14,913 | 2 | Grade 4-7 - This fast-paced story talks of far-fetched ideas in seemingly ordinary terms, giving somewhat rational explanations for using laptops to travel through time. Dorso, 12, finds himself the brunt of time-travel-related practical jokes - he discovers dead bodies in his school locker, has a strange encounter with Beethoven, and watches as a woolly mammoth appears out of nowhere and throws his pal Frank across the yard. The boys try to figure out what is going on, and soon realize that the incidents are related to Dorso's laptop. When they start unexpectedly jumping back into history, they encounter two time travelers who are playing games with the historical time line through the use of a special chip implanted in their computers. One man tries to change the past, while the other attempts to stop him. The boys theorize that the chip must have also been implanted in Dorso's computer; that's how they get pulled into the game. However, the mystery is not completely solved until they encounter the engineer who designed the chip. The main characters come across as believable individuals - one boy is serious and the other wants to use time travel for "anatomical studies" (viewing naked women). The story should appeal to fans of Paulsen's The Transall Saga (Delacorte, 1998), as well as computer-game fans and reluctant readers. - Diana Pierce, Running Brushy Middle School, Cedar Park, TX Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 5-8. Seventh-grader Dorso Clayman has a problem in his futurist world. Every time he opens his locker, he finds something from another time or place. He's determined to find out who is messing with the time continuum before a woolly mammoth tramples him, he's shot with an arrow at Wounded Knee, or, worse, the time fiddlers destroy the world. Luckily, his best friend, Frank (who uses conventional time-travel opportunities to spy out naked women from history), is on his side, and together they can set things right. Paulsen writes with his usual skill, creating believable characters and moving the action along at a fairly fast pace, but the spare story feels as if it should have been expanded into a longer novel, and explanations of the science concepts involved seem complicated for the target audience. Still, this has some fun moments. Try it with rowdy, adventure-loving readers and science-minded kids. It's hard to tell which audience will be the most receptive. Cindy WelchCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The Time Hackers | [
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14,914 | 2 | "A heart-wrenching account . . . Provides a human face, both beautiful and scarred, for the undocumented--a must read."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred"This powerfully written survival story personalizes the complicated, pervasive, and heart-wrenching debates about immigration and immigrants' rights and will certainly spark discussion."--Booklist"Nazario's straightforward . . . journalistic writing style largely serves the complex, sprawling story effectively . . . .A valuable addition to young adult collections."--School Library JournalSONIA NAZARIO was a projects reporter for theLos Angeles Times.She has spent more than two decades reporting and writing about social issues. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her work on theLos Angeles Timesseries that served as the basis for the adult edition ofEnrique's Journey.Sonia Nazario lives in Los Angeles with her husband.; Title: Enrique's Journey (The Young Adult Adaptation): The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother | [
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14,915 | 2 | Gr 8 Up-When you live in a town that was founded as a refuge for misunderstood redheads, well, you better be a ginger. Felicity St. John, popular junior at Scarletville High School and nominee for this year's Miss Scarlet pageant, lives in fear that her deepest secret will be revealed. Her copper locks are really a dye job-she's naturally strawberry blonde. With a mother who is a past Miss Scarlet, the truth is just unacceptable and so Felicity has been going to the top-secret Rouge-o-Rama salon to get her hair colored since she was two years old. As the pageant approaches, though, Felicity finds she doesn't really care about winning. Her devotion to her mother's obsession with having her daughter follow in her footsteps is truly tested when someone begins to blackmail Felicity, threatening to let everyone know she's a fake. Soon she finds herself acting completely out of character, doing things that could cost her her friends and boyfriend, all just to protect a secret that she's starting to be tired of keeping. At first Cherry's novel may seem to have a somewhat silly premise, but underneath the "ginger" focus, there is a really strong commentary on superficiality and social standing. Readers will find themselves questioning the distribution of power based on appearance and the lengths that people will go to in order to protect their deepest secrets. Inner strength and self-acceptance are also strong themes that run throughout the book. While readers may giggle their way through this fast-paced tale, they will also find themselves thinking about it.-Jessica Miller, West Springfield Public Library, MA(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.Whoever said blondes have more fun never lived in 17-year-old Felicity St. Johns hometown of Scarletville, Iowa. Here, redheads rule, while other hair colors, including strawberry blondes (or strawbies), are discriminated against. The town mayor is none other than Mr. Redding, the town radio station is KRED, and Felicitys mothers name is Ginger. Yes, theres a lot of punniness, which may elicit a few eye rolls. As Felicity gears up for the highly anticipated Scarletville Pageant, consisting of 12 girls (11 redheads and a token strawbie), someone threatens to reveal Felicitys secret: shes a fake (or artie), who dyes her strawbie locks copper at a hidden hair salon. Felicity must do the blackmailers bidding or risk exposure and unpopularity. Debut author Cherry (could she have a more perfect name?) infuses this satire of social hierarchy with plenty of wit, and Felicity is believable as a girl struggling between who she is and what societyand her pageant-loving motherexpects from her. This may challenge readers to reconsider how they define beautifyand perhaps give them the confidence to question a pecking order or two. Grades 7-10. --Ann Kelley; Title: Red | [
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14,916 | 2 | Enough with the kissing, already! Momo the monkey cannot fathom why everyone, everyone insists on doing so much kissing. Lions, wild boars, snakes, flamingos, even Momo's own family has to kiss hello, kiss goodbye, kiss to make it better... "I wish no one had invented kissing," poor Momo laments. He's positively dreading the smoochfest when his new baby brother is born. But little does he know what his own reaction will be to the wailing tot.Emma Chichester Clark, author and illustrator of numerous acclaimed books, including I Love You, Blue Kangaroo!, writes with a warm, fresh style, and drenches the pages of this irresistible jungle tale with tropical colors and droll details. There's an eminently recognizable Everyboy in Momo's furry body. When a girl relative tries to put the kissing in cousin, the determined look on Momo's face as he beats a hasty retreat is priceless. And when his adorable baby brother wins Momo's heart (and lips), every reader will cheer. (Ages 2 to 5) --Emilie CoulterDespite the title, there's plenty of kissing in Clark's (I Love You, Blue Kangaroo) cheery monkey tale. "Why does there have to be so much kissing?" asks Momo. "It goes on everywhere." From his vantage point high in a jungle tree, he can see that boars do it, butterflies do it, even airborne storks do it. Clark's sweet-tempered watercolors (her star looks vaguely reminiscent of H.A. Rey's famous chimp), offer a plethora of carefree families kissing goodnight, kissing to make up and, especially, kissing babies, who "get more kisses than anyone." Momo's first-person narration will resonate with any child who has had his or her fill of unwanted affection. The poker-faced text plays well against the illustrations, as in a spread in which the monkey declares, "And I wish no one would kiss me, especially... people I don't KNOW!" while being pursued by an aardvark, boar and rhino. In the end, Momo, too, falls prey to his irresistible new baby brother and, "by mistake I think, I kissed him." Clark's narrative never falters as Momo remains true to his nature to the very end ("It was lucky no one was looking," he says but of course, everyone was). Though it begins as an anti-Valentine, this volume will strike an affectionate chord with curmudgeons and romantics alike. Ages 2-5. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: No More Kissing | [
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14,917 | 0 | Gr 5-8Thirteen-year-old Siena moves from New York City to a Maine coastal town before the start of eighth grade. Unlike most teens, she doesn't mind the change. Her strange visions make it difficult to establish close friendships, and she's hoping a new school will allow her to shed her reputation as a weirdo. Like her parents, Siena also hopes the new environment will encourage her mute three-year-old brother to begin speaking again. Siena starts to uncover oddities about their new home: she sees and hears flashes from the past, and an old pen begins writing its own story. She becomes engrossed in discovering all she can about the house's former inhabitants, a family living there during World War II. Although her weirdness doesn't disappear, Siena is able to form friendships and even a budding romance as she continues to investigate the house's secrets. Her ability to see, interact with, and even alter the past eventually provides her with the insight to help her brother regain his desire to speak. Although Siena's propensity for strange visions has the potential to create a creepy, suspenseful mood, the plot, especially in the first half of the novel, is more deliberate than gripping. The introduction to World War II battlefield trauma lends an interesting historical aspect. Recommend this one to readers willing to stay with a slow beginning for a satisfying conclusion.Lindsay Cesari, Baldwinsville School District, NY(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.The sources of Sienas brother Luccas mutism are unknown, but her parents believe a move to Maine from Brooklyn will help the otherwise healthy preschooler. Siena is not so sure, and is worried not only about Lucca but about the strange visions of the past shes prone to. Her new seaside-cottage home sucks her into the life of a dead girl whose brother served in WWII, and whose own mutism seems to bode poorly for Lucca. Both Siena and the ghostly girl she channels feel guilty over secrets theyve kept. Can Siena change the past and, in doing so, the present? Meanwhile, the friendships she makes provide a warm framework for this story of change and possibility. The supernatural elements blend seamlessly with realism to appeal to thoughtful readers who like their spine-tingling paranormal moments to be grounded. The atmosphere of Sienas world is palpable, from the beaches and breezes to the chaos of a soldiers wartime experience. Mysterious and engaging, this is another wonderful outing from the author of Love, Aubrey (2009). Grades 5-8. --Karen Cruze; Title: Listening for Lucca | [
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14,918 | 2 | Conservative social critic and former Bush "drug czar" William J. Bennett collects here over 30 secular fables, prayers, Bible stories, and poems, all devoted to a central theme: "reinforcing the vital lessons all parents must teach" about home and family life.Some of the entries address intersibling relations (like "The Hill," adapted from Laura Richards, and Aesop's classic "The Bundle of Sticks"), while others focus on the love of husbands and wives for their children ("What Bradley Owed," adapted from Hugh T. Kerr) and for one another ("The Water of Youth," adapted from Rudolph Baumbach). Poems and prayers from Alfred, Lord Tennyson ("What Does Little Birdie Say?") and Robert Louis Stevenson ("Prayer for Home and Family") help class up the book, complementing Michael Hague's '50s-style, quasi-Rockwellian illustrations.While many of the lessons imparted here are inarguably "vital," parents should beware that the book still carries some not-so-subtle political freight, which you might or might not buy into: As Bennett makes clear in his grownup books (The Broken Hearth: Reversing the Moral Collapse of the American Family, etc.), references to "husband and wife" mean that and only that. Likewise, don't be surprised by antiquated takes on gender roles (as in "The Husband Who Was to Mind the House") and that the only black characters in the book have tribal names like Keen-Eyes, Sharp-Ears, and Strong-Arms. (The sole Hispanic family lucks out with some good Catholic names, but Hague's proto-Israelites in a King Solomon story still look pretty conventionally European.) (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul HughesWilliam Bennett (The Book of Virtues) brings together stories, poems, biographies and more in The Children's Book of Home and Family, illus. by Michael Hague. Among the offerings: "The Legend of the Hummingbird" a South American story about the value of hard work as well as a brief biography of Hull House founder Jane Addams, who created an oasis for poverty-stricken children. All ages.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Children's Book of Home and Family | [
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14,919 | 2 | In John Irving's ninth novel A Widow for One Year, a creepy children's book author named Ted Cole writes a bedtime story about things that go bump in the night. That odd, gently comical tale is brought to life here with Tatjana Hauptmann's shadowy, moonlit pencil illustrations. Young Tom wakes up in the middle of the night to an unusual sound, but his two-year-old brother Tim does not. When his fathers asks what it sounded like, Tom reveals a number of silly and scary options: "like a monster with no arms and no legs," or "a dog trying to open a door," or "a ghost dropping stolen peanuts"--"a sound like someone trying not to make a sound," in fact. The illustrations--with a smattering of wordless spreads--show the pajama-clad Tom wandering alone through a big empty house as bulges in the wall and long shadows hint at unseen horrors. In the end, the father tells his boys that the sound is just a mouse in the wall. Tom is immensely relieved, but baby Tim screams because he doesn't know what a mouse is, and stays up all night to ward off the furry, mysterious thing. Not too scary, nor too comforting, Irving's picture-book debut imaginatively captures that late-night world where everything looks and sounds a little like a monster. (Preschool to age 6) --Karin SnelsonPreSchool-Grade 2Tom wakes up frightened after hearing a noise in the middle of the night and navigates the dark house to find his father. The boy's remarkably descriptive imagination envisions "a monster with no arms and no legs" that "slides on its fur"and astute viewers will see occasional bulges in the walls and fluttering clothing that complement this description. When his father comes to his room, he has a simple explanation for the noise: there is a mouse in the wall. This answer soothes Tom, but disturbs his younger brother who lies awake imagining his own monster. Dark, atmospheric illustrations capture the unease a child may feel wandering around a sleeping house, as well as the shadows that transform everyday objects into scarier sights. However, the story the artwork tells seems to be a different one from that of the text, and literal-minded youngsters may not make the leap. The father is present throughout most of the narrative, but never appears in the pictures. The text itself is a bit too complex for the intended audience, and the emphasis on frightening details detracts from the comfort of the father's simple explanation. Originally published as a children's story within the author's adult novel, A Widow for One Year (Random, 1998), this offering doesn't stand on its own.Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make a Sound | [
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14,920 | 7 | This summer Max is going to Camp Snake Lakewhere he will have to swim in a lake filled with poisonous snakes . . . where a Headless Ghost roams the fields . . . where he and his mostly ghostly friends Nicky and Tara will continue the dangerous search for Nicky and Taras parents. But first Max will have to face the evil spirit Phears again. Can Max learn the secret that will destroy this most terrifying ghoul for good?R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling childrens author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented bestselling Goosebumps series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide media phenomenon.R.L. Stine has received numerous awards of recognition. He lives in New York, NY.; Title: Little Camp of Horrors (Mostly Ghostly) | [
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14,921 | 0 | Starred Review. Grade 5-8Inspired by Lewis Hines haunting photograph of a French Canadian girl in Vermont in 1910, Winthrops compelling story vividly captures the mill experience. Grace Forcier and her friend Arthur, both 12 and the best readers in the mill school, are forced to suspend their educations to doff bobbins for their mothers frames in the spinning room. While this is difficult for left-handed Grace, Arthur is desperate to escape the stuffy, sweaty, linty, noisy factory. Miss Lesley, their teacher, helps them write a letter to the National Child Labor Committee about underage kids, as young as eight, working in their mill. Grace understands the dilemma a response will cause. If the children dont work, the families wont have enough money to survive. Lewis Hine is the answer to the letter. He comes and photographs the mill rats, as the kids are called; no one will believe the conditions without pictures. Arthur, however, can wait no longer to carry out his escape plan. In a horrifying scene, he jams his right hand into the gearbox of the frame, painfully mangling it and losing two fingers. Miss Lesleys interference causes her to be fired, and she encourages Grace to be the substitute teacher, leaving readers with a sense that she will escape the mill and have a better life. Much information on early photography and the workings of the textile mills is conveyed, and history and fiction are woven seamlessly together in this beautifully written novel. Readers wont soon forget Grace.Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 6-9. Inspired by a Lewis Hine photo of a child at work in a Vermont cotton mill in the early twentieth century, Winthrop imagines the story of Grace, 12, torn from her one-room schoolhouse and forced to work long hours in the textile mill as a "doffer," turning cotton into thread, alongside her mother, in the spinning room. The child-labor story is gripping--the dangerous working conditions, the work of activists who sought to publicize the abuse--and although sometimes the research overwhelms the story, Grace's present-tense narrative makes the history heartbreaking. Grace is no sweet victim. Furious at having to leave school and distressed by her failure to satisfy her French Canadian immigrant family, she quarrels with her best friend and smart ex-classmate, who deliberately injures himself on the machines to get back in school. The fiction is framed by notes about Hine and a bibliography that will lead readers to such books as Russell Freedman's Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade against Child Labor (1994) as well as to accounts of abuse today. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Counting on Grace | [
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14,922 | 2 | Praise for the Nightmares! series: Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and . . . readers will want to accompany him again. The New York Times Book Review A touching comical saga . . . about facing things that go bump in the night. US Weekly Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller. Publishers WeeklyJason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, hes learned that the things were most afraid of are the things that can make us strong . . . if were brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets and Despicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Everything You Need to Know About NIGHTMARES! and How to Defeat Them is his fourth book for young readers. Look for the rest of the books in the Nightmares! series: Nightmares!, Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic, and Nightmares! The Lost Lullaby, all available from Delacorte Press. Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town just like Cypress Creek, minus the purple mansion. She lives and writes in New York City. Kirsten is the author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, the New York Times bestseller The Eternal Ones, and How to Lead a Life of Crime. Everything You Need to Know About NIGHTMARES! and How to Defeat Them is the fourth novel Kirsten has written with Jason Segel. You can visit her at kirstenmillerbooks.com or follow @bankstirregular on Twitter.; Title: Everything You Need to Know About NIGHTMARES! and How to Defeat Them: The Nightmares! Handbook | [
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14,923 | 2 | Gr 46Twelve-year-old cousins, sent away by their parents to the Jersey Shore during the summer of 1929, find themselves alone in their grandfather's huge, seemingly boring mansion. Though the novel's scenery, dress, and vocabulary are all historically accurate, the plot takes an adventurous and mysterious turn into the fantastical. With the ring of the doorbell and delivery of a message, boredom disappears for straitlaced Maxine ("M") and trouble-making Will as they are whisked away by their secretive grandfather Colonel Battersea to New York City, where he is suddenly kidnapped from the train station. They find themselves alone, again, this time in the streets of an unknown city following the instructions of an enigmatic telegram. Joining ranks with Nura, a Turkish girl tasked with delivering the powerful Eye of Midnight to Colonel Battersea (and, unbeknownst to them, their cousin), the children find themselves captured by gangsters and escaping to the literal underbelly of the city to face the evil Rafiq, a member of the Hashashin, an organization of killers who want to take over the world. In a desperate and brave attempt, the children must save their grandfather and the Eye of Midnight, though the consequences may be grave. The adventure is not complete by book's end, and the scene is set for another installment to take place across the sea. Reminiscent of "Indiana Jones" films, with the dapper Colonel Battersea being more than he seems and evil secret societies pursuing a powerful historical object, this danger-filled novel offers fast-paced action. In addition, M and Will grow as characters as they find out what they are capable of and the part they play in their family's history. Readers of R.L. LaFevers's "Theodosia Throckmorton" series (HMH) as well as lovers of the Rick Riordan books will enjoy this. VERDICT A well-crafted adventure with a dash of magic that gives a taste of 1920s New York.Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MAAndrew Brumbach grew up square in the hippie community of Eugene, Oregon, surrounded by artists and musicians and storytellers. He studied art in Texas, traded bond options in Chicago, and spent a few years lost in the neon neighborhoods of Tokyo. Somewhere along the way, he married the girl of his dreams and had four practically perfect kids, but he never overcame his weakness for the power and transport of story. Now he lives in suburban Illinois but secretly daydreams about chasing bandits across the desert with Lawrence of Arabia and Gertrude Bell under cloudless, starry skies. The Eye of Midnight is his first novel.Visit Andrew at AndrewBrumbach.com.; Title: The Eye of Midnight | [
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14,924 | 2 | Praise for the Reckoners Series:"The suspense is relentless and the climax explosive."James Dashner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series Another win for Sanderson . . . hes simply a brilliant writer. Period. Patrick Rothfuss, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The Name of the Wind [STAR] Snappy dialogue, bizarre plot twists, high-intensity action, and a touch of mystery and romance . . . leaves [readers] panting for the sequel. Booklist, Starred "Action-packed."EW.com Compelling. . . . Sanderson uses plot twists that he teases enough for readers to pick up on to distract from the more dramatic reveals he has in store. The A.V. ClubAn absolute page-turner."Publishers Weekly"A straight-up Marvel Comics-style action drama."Kirkus ReviewsFrom the Hardcover edition.Brandon Sanderson is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Reckoners series: Steelheart, Firefight, and Calamity, as well as the internationally bestselling books in the Stormlight Archive and the Mistborn trilogy. He was also chosen to complete Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series. His books have been published in more than twenty-five languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. He lives and writes in Utah. To learn more about Brandon and his books, visit him at brandonsanderson.com and follow @BrandSanderson on Twitter.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Firefight (The Reckoners) | [
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14,925 | 7 | Nicky and Tara still live in Maxs bedroom, and while theyve found some clues, they still dont know what happened to their parents. Meanwhile, Phears is still desperate to get his hands on Nicky and Tara, and to pressure Max into turning them over, Phears brings a Berserker Ghoul to inhabit Maxs bodyand make Max go berserk when he least expects it! But Max, Nicky, and Tara arent giving in to Phears. They have a few tricks up their sleevelike one very talkative ghost cat, whos taken residence inside the tunnel to the ghost world. . . .R.L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling childrens author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold. R.L. Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEAs Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.; Title: Have You Met My Ghoulfriend? (Mostly Ghostly) | [
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14,926 | 0 | Gr 710Miranda and Lander Allerdon have a deeply rooted sibling rivalry. Miranda, the youngest, is a dreamer who sleeps in late and choose new hobbies on a whim. Lander, on the other hand, is overachieving, on her way to medical school and, as a result, has a slight superiority complex. They are spending the summer with their parents at their small, rustic cabin on the Connecticut River. When Lander is unexpectedly arrested on homicide and drug possession charges, Miranda instantly suspects Lander's new boyfriend, who has conveniently disappeared after the arrest. While Lander sits in jail and Miranda agonizes from the cabin, they not only obsess over who the real murderer might be, but also meditate on their relationship. The story is told from both sisters' perspectives, allowing readers to piece together the murder mystery from each viewpoint. Although this juxtaposition is engaging, the characters ultimately act predictably and parts of the story do not hold water. However, the plot is full of twists and turns, making it a fun and quick pick, especially for reluctant readers. VERDICT Although this title follows the predictable formula commonly found in Cooney's thrillers, it also has all of the elements that keep young mystery lovers coming back for more.Jaclyn Anderson, Madison County Library System, MS"Jangling suspense juxtaposed with cozy details of family life keeps thriller master Cooneys latest zooming along." Publishers Weekly, Starred Review"Cleverly plotted . . . rooted in suspense . . . fully satisfying. Mystery fans will be delighted."Booklist"Full of twists and turns . . . has all the elements that keep young mystery lovers coming back for more."School Library Journal"No one writes suspense like Cooney.Haunting, harrowing . . .hard to put down."Kirkus Reviews"Cooney has hit it out of the ballpark yet again. A must read . . ."VOYA; Title: No Such Person | [
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14,927 | 13 | GARY PAULSEN is the distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books for young people. His most recent books are Flat Broke, Liar, Liar, Lawn Boy Returns, Woods Runner, Notes from the Dog, Mudshark, Lawn Boy, Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day, The Time Hackers, and The Amazing Life of Birds (The Twenty Day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leech). Visit him at GaryPaulsen.com.; Title: Paintings from the Cave: Three Novellas | [
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14,928 | 2 | Patricia Reilly Giff is the author of many beloved books for children, including the Kids of the Polk Street School books, the Friends and Amigos books, and the Polka Dot Private Eye books. Several of her novels for older readers have been chosen as ALA-ALSC Notable Childrens Books and ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. They include The Gift of the Pirate Queen; All the Way Home; Water Street; Nory Ryans Song, a Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Kite Honor Book for Fiction; and the Newbery Honor Books Lilys Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods. Lilys Crossing was also chosen as a Boston GlobeHorn Book Honor Book. Her most recent books are Until I Find Julian, Winter Sky, Gingersnap, R My Name Is Rachel, Storyteller, Wild Girl, and Eleven, as well as the Zigzag Kids series. She lives in Connecticut.Patricia Reilly Giff is available for select speaking engagements. To inquire about a possible appearance, please contact the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau at speakers@penguinrandomhouse.com.Chapter 1The last day of freedom. School tomorrow!I sat on the edge of the wharf, legs dangling, holding my pad and pencils.I drew a kid with red hair and green eyes, brows a little thick. I used quick lines for a pointy nose, and a squirrely nest of corkscrews for the hair.It was turning out to be a girl like me, Judith Ann Magennis.I tapped the pencil. What was missing?Of course, the mouth.My pencil hovered over the blank space. I tore the paper out of the pad, scrunched it up, and tossed it into the water.Maybe like a mother whod toss a kid away.I hid my pad and pencils under a rock and slid down under the wharf to cool off. Water swished in, and I spread my hands like starfish to capture bits of shells.Noise exploded above mepounding on the wooden planks.Im going to get you! a voice yelled.Me? I ducked under the water and came up dripping. I listened as feet barreled out to the deep end. Not me after all.Yeow! someone yelled, and there was a huge splash.I peered out from behind a splintery piling. What was going on?Serves you right, Mason! the voice shouted. Keep your hands off my books. Fingerprints all over them!Mason. I knew who he was. He was always a mess. Once Id seen him rolling down the hill with his brother. He was on the bottom, then winning, on top, grass stains and mud all over him.I glanced up through the spaces in the wharf and caught a glimpse of his brother, Jerry, who walked away, acting as if he owned the world.In the water, Mason was a perfect cartoon, mouth open, sputtering, hair plastered to his head.He swam around the side of the wharf and scrambled up onto the sand. Then he was gone.I climbed up to the wharf and shook my hair dry. I loved this island. In the distance I could see the coast of Maine, a misty purple blur. And across from me were wooden walls that creaked and groaned when the ferry edged into the slip.My mother had left on that ferry when I was a toddler, dropping me off at Aunt Coras as if I were a bundle of laundry.She sent presents at Christmas and cards on my birthday, postmarked Oakdale, or Vista, or even Apple Valley. She signed them Mom, or Mother, or her name, Amber. She didnt even know what to call herself.A small boat sped by, sending up a curved wake. A man at the tiller turned off the motor and shouted back at me. Hey, kid!I raised my hand to wave.Want a dog?Before I could move, hed picked up a dog and dropped him into the water. Cant keep him. He switched on the motor again and veered toward open water.The dog struggled, paddling against the boats wake.Poor dog.Without thinking, I raced along the wharf and dived into the water.There was a fierce riptide here. It made no difference to me. Gideon, the ferry boat captain, had taught me to swim by the time I was three.Swim with the tide, then around it, hed told me. Dont fight it.But the dog was fighting; I could see how tired he was. And soon hed pass the end of the island and be swept out to sea.I couldnt speak, but I could certainly swim! I took long, sure strokes and kicked hard and evenly.When I was close to him, I grabbed the narrow blue collar around his neck, but it came apart in my hand. I gripped a handful of his thick fur; then, with one arm around his neck, I swam back to shore.Chapter 2We lay there on the warm sand, Dogs great dark eyes on me. When his fur was dried and combed, it would be close to the color of my hair, only lighter. Now he was shivering and cold, but more than that, he was afraid. I rolled in close to him, hugging him to me, warming him.Did I want a dog? Oh, yes! And I was sure Aunt Cora would be glad to let me have him. I put my mouth against that matted fur and whispered, Youre home, Dog. Youll never have to see the terrible man on the boat again.He couldnt hear me. There was only one place I could speak loud enough to be heard, and it was all the way up the hill, deep inside Ivy Cottage. But I felt the syrup of happiness being with this dog. He was feeling it too.Then I remembered. Aunt Cora had sat next to me at breakfast this morning. In her slow, deliberate way, shed begun: Youll be in a new class this year, a regular fifth grader, with thirteen boys and girls.No more special class? No more Mrs. Leahy and four other kids?Why shouldnt you be in a regular class? Aunt Cora said. Because you dont speak? You do other things. She counted on her fingers. Youre a great reader. You do math problems faster than I can. Your cartoons are spectacular. She gave me a quick hug. And most of all, youll be with more kids. Youll make friends, Jubilee.Thats what she called me: Jubilee. Youre a celebration! she always said.Some celebration!Mrs. Leahy, my old teacher, called me Judy. Gideon, the ferry captain, called me Red because of my Pippi Longstocking hair. And Sophies five-year-old brother, Travis, called me No-Talk Girl.Sophie.Before first grade, Sophie and I were best friends. We dug tiny gardens together. We gathered stones and built houses that toppled into each other and made us laugh.But one day, Id heard Jenna ask, How can you be friends with a weirdo like Judith, who doesnt talk?So no more building, no more friend.I stood now and squeezed water out of my shorts. Dog stood next to me, shaking himself, drops of water flying.It was time to look at that fifth-grade classroom. I pulled my pad from under the rock, then started toward Shore Road.Dog didnt follow. His tail wagged uncertainly.I went back and ran my hands over his head, down his back. We belonged together. I wanted him to know that.I walked a few feet, and still he watched. Then, at last, he took a step toward me. A moment later, we loped along the road together.In back of the school, I raised myself on tiptoe to see inside my new room. Desks were scattered every which way, and the chalkboard was dusty.A new teacher danced across the front, her sandy hair in ringlets. She glanced toward the window, then went to the chalkboard and wrote her name: Ms. Quirk. Underneath she wrote WELCOME.Had she seen me? I raised my hand to wave, but a ball smashed into the windowsill, just missing me. It bounced back against the cement and rolled away across the yard.I turned. Mason! Why would he try to hit me? No wonder his brother was after him.I gave Dog a pat, and then we ran past the school and tore up the dirt road toward Windy Hill and Ivy Cottage.It really wasnt a cottage anymore. The roof had caved in and vines covered the whole thing, so no one else knew it was there. It was almost mine.Halfway there, Dog paused, nose twitching, tail high. What had he heard?Was Mason following us? Then I saw what Dog had spotted on the ground: old branches were piled together with a row of stones in front.Someones hiding spot.A very messy one.A face peered out at me: a mop of pale hair, blue eyes, and more freckles than I could count. It was Sophies little brother, Travis. He grinned, showing a missing front tooth. With a rustle of leaves, he disappeared again.Dog sat in front of the hiding spot, whining in a lets play voice, until Travis poked his head out again. His finger went to his lips. Shhh.I nodded. Hed escaped from Sophie. He did that all the time. Id hear her calling, her voice loud, then whistling shrilly. Sometimes Id hear him laughing.You can come in, No-Talk Girl, he said. Its my best place. But its a secret. Sophie will make me go home and wash my face and say my numbers. Shes a bossy girl, and Im not a baby, you know.Dog and I crawled inside. Next to Travis was a book with a torn cover, a bag of half-chewed orange slices, and a pencil and paper. You can draw me while I read, he said.I smoothed out the paper and drew a cartoona boy with a swirl of a hair, laughing eyes, and an upside-down bookwhile he made up a story about a girl who didnt speak.Dogs head went up again. Travis put his hand over his mouth.Mason walked by, his feet crunching on old leaves. If hed looked down hed have seen us, but he kept going.Why had Mason thrown the ball at me? Just mean, maybe. Id stay away from him.I signed the cartoon Judith Magennis, handed it to Travis, and went with Dog to hang out at Ivy Cottage.; Title: Jubilee | [
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14,929 | 2 | Grade 4–7—In this witty sequel to the much-beloved Lawn Boy (Random, 2007), six weeks have passed. In that time, the 12-year-old's business has expanded, his employees have quadrupled, his prizefighter has been asked by a gangster to throw a match, and his parents have gone on vacation. Lawn Boy is again confronted with very adult problems. He is hounded by the world, girls want his autograph, journalists want his picture. And still, all he wants is to play with the other kids, have a regular summer, and maybe mow a few lawns. LB uses his familiar charm and sarcasm, coupled with kidlike solutions, to solve his scary, grown-up problems. Not a lot is new in this slim book, but fans will be excited by the fresh twists and turns amid the same quirky characters: Grandma, Joey Pow, Arnold, et al. This is an extremely fast and funny story, good for struggling and reluctant readers.—Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix Public Library, AZ Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.In Lawn Boy (2007), Paulsens preteen lawn mower earned a bit of modest cash, then turned it into nearly a half a million dollars with help from a hippie-dippy stockbroker. In this follow-up, Paulsen takes the hilarious story of capitalism run amok a step further, and the lads deliriously lucrative lawn-mowing enterprise transforms into a massive and unwieldy corporation. Troubled by shady characters lurking about on the shakedown side and the IRS freezing assets on the legal side, he finds hed rather be fishing than in Forbes. Another focused bit of frivolity from the master of smart, funny stories about boys. --Ian Chipman; Title: Lawn Boy Returns | [
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14,930 | 1 | Grade 5-7This sequel to Varjak Paw (Random, 2003) continues the story of a cat with ninjalike powers taught to him by an ancestor while he dreams. Varjak is now living in the city with his feline friends, Holly and Tam, and canine friend, Cludge. Evil Sally Bones is starting to invade the neutral places in the city with her clan of cat warriors. She is more adept at using the Seven Skills than Varjak and can see into his mind at times. He wishes to lead a peaceful life, but he is drawn into the fight against Sally Bones when she takes a kitten hostage. Like the first book, this one continues with the wisdom and learning of Eastern philosophy. It is fast paced with vivid battle scenes that make it impossible to put down. The society that Said has created with his warrior cats is both realistic and fantastic. The unique combination of animal tale and martial arts is a winning one.Tasha Saecker, Caestecker Public Library, Green Lake, WI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 4-6. Varjak Paw, the feline martial arts marvel, returns in this action-packed, fast-paced sequel. Now a master of the Seven Skills of the Way of Jalal, which endowed Varjak with great powers, including the ability to walk unseen, he now lives as a free-roaming alley cat with feline companions Holly and Tam and a dog named Cludge. Freedom becomes a thing of the past for the cats in the city when one-eyed Sally Bones, more skilled in the Way than Varjak, uses her gang of thugs to bully others and demand mice, fish, and other payments. It is up to Varjak to battle the villains heroically and save the city. The cat-on-cat violence is bloody and vividly depicted in the stark drawings, although the descriptions of the martial-arts moves sound more human than feline. This exciting sequel will not disappoint fans and should win some new ones. Ed SullivanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The Outlaw Varjak Paw | [
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14,931 | 2 | A Whitney Award Nominee Anappealing ghost storywithout being creepy, this title would be a great read for any reader looking for a mix ofadventureandhumor.School Library JournalA fun, suspenseful read. . . . Cole's fast-paced fantasy can be enjoyed by the entire family.Deseret News"The adventure of a lifetime--or after-lifetime."--OBERT SKYE, author of the Leven Thumps series"A fast-paced and fun adventure that puts a new twist on the afterlife!"--PLATTE F. CLARK, author of Bad Unicorn Tons of fun and adventure with every turn of the page.. . . This is the perfect middle-grade book, and I loved it!LDSWBRFrank L. Cole lives with his wife and three children out west. Over the years, he has seen his share of wraiths and shades, but thankfully, he hasnt seen any banshees just yet. When hes not writing books or dodging demons, Frank enjoys going to the movies and traveling. The Afterlife Academy is Franks eighth published book. His Guardian Agents name is Rolph. You can learn more about his writing at frankcolewrites.com.; Title: The Afterlife Academy | [
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14,932 | 0 | Grade 5-8When Beniamino, a nine-year-old Jewish boy from Napoli, is smuggled aboard a cargo ship heading to America in 1892, he assumes his mother is onboard, too. Soon realizing that Mamma isn't with him, he makes the best of his plight, but his goal is to return home as soon as possible. Landing at Ellis Island, he evades good-hearted people who would send him to an orphanage and patrones who would put him to work begging on street corners. Assuming the name Dom Napoli, he sleeps in barrels and under bushes, and he quickly learns the lessons of the street: think fast, watch what's going on, and find friends who will help you. With the aid of two other streetwise urchins, he sets up a profitable sandwich business and eventually realizes that he likes New York and that his mother sent him there to make a better life for himself. The major characters are believable, and the minor onesespecially Mamma, landlady Signora Esposito, and grocer Grandinettiare also wonderfully drawn, adding liveliness to the book. Though Napoli is an expert at gripping readers' emotions, which she does with consummate skill in this tale, the story occasionally lags as the boys figure out how to be successful in their chosen enterprise. Still, this richly imagined tale, based loosely on the author's family history, paints a vivid picture of the struggle many children faced when they first came to America.Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 6-9. Drawing on her grandfather's experience, Napoli dramatizes a seldom-told bit of American history in this story of Italian Jewish young people in the 1890s. Beniamino, who lives in Napoli, is only nine years old when his beloved, poverty-stricken Mama bribes someone to hide him away on a cargo ship to America. His lively, immediate first-person narrative recalls the trauma of separation and the brutal struggle on the New York streets, where, renamed "Dom," he makes two Italian friends, and they start a business selling sandwiches. He keeps his Jewish identity secret, even as he tries to follow kosher rules. Always his dream is to return home. The characters are drawn with depth, especially the three kids, and the unsentimental story is honest about the grinding poverty and the prejudice among various immigrant groups. Most moving is the story of letting go, as Dom confronts the fact that Mama sent him away, and America is now his home. Connect this with Mary Auch's Ashes of Roses (2002), about Irish kids left alone in New York. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The King of Mulberry Street | [
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14,933 | 2 | Grade 36His reflexes honed chasing triplet toddler sisters, Lyle Williams, 12, earned the nickname Mudshark during an especially fierce game of Death Ball. He relishes reading and observing the world as much as he enjoys sports, and his memory for finding lost articles wins him the prestige of unofficial school detective. The inevitable trouble in paradise occurs when the librarian's psychic parrot threatens his reputation. Mudshark decides that he can simultaneously neutralize the bird and solve a missing-eraser problem with a little help from a wacky assortment of classmates. The principal's intercom announcements that introduce each chapter may cause teary-eyed chortles ("Please refrain from forming hunting parties to hunt the gerbil"). Paulsen presents readers with the unabashedly entertaining machinations of Mudshark, lone bastion of sanity in the midst of school chaos. Fresh and light with scads of humor, this is a tale that doesn't take itself too seriously. That said, the episodes of school-borne mischief hit their target audience just right. Themes of community, literacy, and determination find an oddly snug fit alongside radioactive faculty restrooms and crayfish population explosions. Use this as a classroom read-aloud or hand it to children who like quick reads with strong vocabulary. Fatten those lean humor sections with this slim charmer.Caitlin Augusta, The Darien Library, CT Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.In this very short grade-school mystery, Paulsen introduces readers to Mudshark (real name Lyle Williams), a student with astonishing powers of observation, an iron-clad memory, and an ice-cool demeanor. Whenever something goes missing, Mudsharks the guy to find it. So when all the erasers disappear from the classrooms, the principal enlists Mudshark to uncover the culprit. Paulsen weaves in a wide cast of humorous characters, including an art-aficionado custodian and a psychic parrot who seems to be muscling in on Mudsharks beat. Paulsens deft hand with detailing and sometimes-light, sometimes-heavy touches of humor draw the story along more than the mystery, as readers might arrive at the solution before they really realize what theyre supposed to be on the lookout for. But Paulsen makes it a fun, if slight, ride all the same, and its always refreshing to see a character that is legitimately cool because hes smart. Give this to readers who arent quite ready for the adventures of the like-minded Calder from Blue Ballietts novels. Grades 3-6. --Ian Chipman; Title: Mudshark | [
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14,934 | 2 | Grade 5-8In Fox's futuristic world, starvation and homelessness don't exist but the boundary between the haves and have-nots is vast. The best jobs and latest technological inventions go only to the economically elite technocrats and government leaders. Curfews are enforced because marauders often attack these wealthier citizens. LifeCorp, a huge conglomerate, controls much of the new technology. Even though Gavin Bell's parents are only middle-class professionals, they, like most people, have a family robot. Unfortunately, Grumps is an older model that's beginning to malfunction. They can't afford a BDC4, a sleek new robot that is almost unnaturally clever, so they take on Eager, an experimental model secretly produced by a former LifeCorp scientist. Although his older sister is embarrassed by Eager's unattractive appearance, Gavin is intrigued by the robot, which can learn, reason, and even lie. Before long, the siblings notice that there is something strange and frightening about the BDC4s. The machines begin rebelling against their owners, and when they take the head of LifeCorp hostage, it's up to Eager to save him. There is a lot of warmth and humor in this engaging, Jetsons-like novel (complete with talking houses and appliances). The characters are well developed and the action moves quickly. The author also raises thought-provoking questions about what it means to be human, the dangers of technology, and the concept of free will.Sharon Rawlins, Piscataway Public Library, NJ Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 7-9. It is late-twenty-first-century England, and the Bell family's robot butler, Grumps, is wearing out. The family decides to keep Grumps but to take on a new robot named Eager, who is programmed to learn about the world as a human would by making mistakes and searching for the answers to life's questions. Most of this entertaining novel centers on Eager's often funny efforts to come to grips with a multitude of problems, although he and the Bell children also uncover a rebellion by highly sophisticated, humanlike robots. In her debut, Fox creates a futuristic world that doesn't fit the usual sf mold. For example, some problems from the present day (such as a dependence on a nearly exhausted supply of oil) still persist, for example. Appropriately, Eager hasn't learned all life's answers by the story's end. In fact, the conclusion suggests that readers will be hearing from Eager and the Bell family again in a sequel, which will be welcome news to sf fans who will undoubtedly enjoy this effort. Todd MorningCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Eager | [
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14,935 | 2 | Praise for The Voice on the Radio:*"Cooney's outstanding command of emotional tension has taken this novel to extraordinary heights."--School Library Journal, starred review*"Readers of Cooney's addictive The Face on the Milk Carton and Whatever Happened to Janie? can start licking their chops."--Publishers Weekly, starred review*"A 'must purchase' ....The Voice on the Radio elicits a powerful response in readers and is a real page-turner, so plan to purchase multiple copies to satisfy the demands of your teen readers."--Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)Also by Caroline B.Cooney:The Face on the Milk Carton is an IRA-CBC Children's Choice book, and Whatever Happened to Janie? was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.From the Paperback edition.CAROLINE B. COONEY is the bestselling author of more than 30 young adult books, including the million-copy plus bestseller, The Face on the Milk Carton.; Title: The Voice on the Radio (The Face on the Milk Carton Series) | [
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14,936 | 2 | Gr 58When Anna moves to a new town, she hopes that the mansion her mom inherited from an uncle will make life in her snooty new school a bit easier. The hardest part, being phoneless, seems to be solved when she finds a phone on her way to school. Soon life gets a bit crazy with cliques causing trouble at school, a creepy guy following her around, the boy she likes dating someone else, and the dead people texting her to ask for help. With a fast-paced, plot-heavy style, this book careens between high school drama and ghostly intrigue. Cooper attempts to weave in suspense, horror, and quirky humor while creating relatable characters resulting in a fun but slightly scattered novel for tweens. Younger readers will appreciate a sanitized peek into high school relationships that focuses more on predictable relationship conflicts with unpredictable horror lines thrown in to keep the story interesting and fresh. VERDICT None of the novel's content would prevent it from sitting comfortably in an elementary school library where it is sure to attract fans looking for something scarybut not too scary.Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK"With a fast-paced, plot-heavy style, this book careens between high school drama and ghostly intrigue. . . . Scarybut not too scary." --School Library Journal"Cooper writes with a light style and demonstrates keen insight into the social anxieties of middle schoolers. She occasionally includes her own whimsical line drawings that add to the humorous tone of the book. A really nice plot twist at the end should please readers. Good, ghostly fun." --Kirkus Reviews"Afunny, unique premise . . . [Readers] will be glad to know that more adventures are planned for Cooper'sDead Seriousseries." --VOYAWill pull in readers . . . waiting for the outcome should keep them turning pages until the end." --Booklist; Title: I Text Dead People (Dead Serious) | [
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14,937 | 2 | Grade 3–5—In this third entry in the series, Harvi and Sarvi Runter-Tun-Tun, reindeer herders and cheese makers par excellence, discover a baby on the doorstep of their cabin in the Frozen North. When the child, Hugo Pepper, is 10, he discovers a sled, a gentleman's boot, and a lady's glove-all that remain from his parents, who have been devoured by polar bears. He takes off in an Aeronautical Snow Chariot to find out about his past and lands in Firefly Square. Rescued by a couple of eccentric mermaids, Hugo joins forces with the good people there to rid the town of evil Elliot de Mille, who has taken over the Firefly Quarterly to blackmail the citizenry and spread lies and gossip. The action is nonstop, with a wacky cast portrayed in cleverly detailed, spirited illustrations of various sizes, some in silhouette. Inventive touches include a moth-eating dog that lives in a carpet shop and cloud sheep so small and light that their shepherd carries a net to keep them from falling off the mountains. Their wool is used to produce magical flying carpets. The dizzying array of characters propels the story forward at a manic pace. This is just the kind of tongue-in-cheek humor to tickle the funny bones of Lemony Snicket and Philip Aardagh fans, and it is sure to delight readers of Stewart and Riddell's earlier books.—Quinby Frank, Green Acres School, Rockville, MD Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.In this installment of the Far-Flung Adventures series, 10-year-old Hugo, a foundling raised by reindeer herders, discovers that he is actually the child of ill-fated explorers. Hugo journeys to his parent's hometown in search of his true identity and learns that his grandfather has mysteriously disappeared, leaving his esteemed storytelling publication, the Firefly Gazette, in the hands of a unscrupulous gossip slinger. Aided by an eccentric collection of family friends and their inventive wares, Hugo pieces together the mystery of his grandfather's whereabouts, restores the Gazette to its former glory, and unearths pirate's booty in the bargain. Brief chapters that alternate between Hugo's story and tales of the town's many extraordinary residents underscore this homage to the storytelling tradition and offer creative twists on such familiar conventions as flying carpets and abominable snowmen. The delightful illustrations, which account for a good deal of the book's charm, detail the more fantastical elements of the story and are sure to please armchair adventurers. Kristen McKulskiCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Far-Flung Adventures: Hugo Pepper | [
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14,938 | 7 | R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children’s author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide media phenomenon.R.L. Stine has received numerous awards of recognition. He lives in New York, NY.11At dinner that night, Mom was very upset. She told Dad the whole story. “The principal called me this afternoon. Max told a teacher to shut up. And he tossed clay all over the art room.”Dad’s face turned even redder than usual. Steam started to pour from his ears. He gripped his fork and knife in his big, meaty fists. “In trouble again? Why did you do that, Max?”“Hard to explain,” I muttered.The dragon tattoo on Dad’s right bicep appeared to lower its fiery head and stare at me. “Why can’t you be more like Colin?” Dad growled. “Is that asking too much? Colin is perfect. Why can’t you be perfect?”“I don’t know,” I whispered, head down.Colin kicked me hard under the table. Then, grinning, he pulled out a sheet of paper. “Here is my new honor roll certificate,” he told Dad. “Would you like to get it framed like all the others?”I was grounded for a week. I didn’t see Nicky or Tara the whole time. I knew they were angry at me. Angry because I’d told them to stay away from my birthday party.But I didn’t expect them to totally disappear.A week after the pottery room incident, Quentin came over to practice magic tricks. My party was only a few days away. I wanted to rehearse and rehearse until our act was perfect.After all, Traci Wayne was coming. I wasn’t allowed to get near her. But this was my big chance to impress her.“Let me show you a hat trick that everyone loves,” Quentin said. “Do you have a real hat I could use?”I rubbed my chin, thinking hard. “No. I only have baseball caps,” I said. “Oh, wait. My dad has a really good hat he uses for weddings and funerals and things.”“Go get it,” Quentin said. “You’ll like this trick.”I hesitated. “But it’s my dad’s only hat, and it’s very expensive. You have to be very careful.”“No problem,” Quentin said. “The trick is perfectly safe. I’ve done it a thousand times.”I went down to my parents’ bedroom closet to borrow Dad’s hat. He and Mom were in the den, watching wrestling on TV. They were both shouting at the screen: “Kill him! Kill! Kill! Break him in two!”They both love wrestling. But sometimes they get carried away. Last week after a big match, Mom jumped on Dad and started slapping his bald head with both hands. He had to pick her up and carry her into the shower to snap her out of it.I pulled Dad’s hat down from the top shelf. And I also borrowed one of his neckties. He only has three, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him wear one. I had learned a nifty new necktie trick that I knew Quentin would love.“Kill! Kill! Ruin him!” My parents’ shouts rang out from the den.Back in my room, I handed Quentin the hat.“What’s the trick?” I asked. “Will it be good for the party?”He nodded. He pulled a few things from his magic kit. He held up two eggs. “I crack these two eggs into the hat,” he said. “Then I pour in this jar of honey. Then I turn the hat right side up, and it’s perfectly dry.”I gulped. “Are you sure about this?”“Of course I’m sure,” Quentin said. “It’s an easy trick. Watch.”He pushed his blond hair off his forehead. Then he cracked the two eggs and let them run into the hat. Then he opened the honey jar and turned it upside down, and the honey slowly oozed into the hat with the egg yolks.“Say the magic words!” Quentin cried. “Hat be good!” He turned the hat over–and honey and yellow egg yolk came dripping out.“You–you ruined my dad’s hat!” I wailed.Quentin squinted at the sticky mess inside the hat. “I don’t get it. That trick always works.”My heart started leaping in my chest. I shoved the hat under my bed. Later I’d have to figure out a good hiding place for it.“What’s up with the necktie?” Quentin asked, picking up the tie and pulling it through his fingers.“Here’s a good trick for the party,” I said. “And this one is totally safe.”I took the tie from him and picked up a pair of scissors. “See? I make it look like I cut the tie into four pieces. But I don’t really cut it. I cut this piece of cloth instead.”I pulled the cloth from my magic kit and tucked it under the tie. “Now watch,” I said. “It looks like I’ve cut the tie up. But when I tug on it, it’s all together again.” “Cool,” Quentin muttered.“Ladies and gentlemen,” I boomed, holding the tie in front of me. “The Amazing Indestructible Necktie!”I snipped it into four pieces. I balled the pieces up in my hand. And then I gave a hard tug. “Back together again!” I exclaimed.Wrong.I’d sliced my dad’s tie into four pieces.“Oh, wow.” I stared at the pieces of tie in my hand.Then I pictured my dad, as big as a truck, a bellowing bull when he was angry. When he saw what I’d done to his hat and tie, he’d . . . he’d . . .I couldn’t even think about it.Trembling, I shoved the pieces of necktie under my bed next to the hat.Quentin tried a few easy card tricks. The cards fell from his hands and scattered over the floor.He tried the trick where he waves his magic wand and it turns into a bouquet of flowers. It didn’t work. The wand broke in two.He shook his head. “Max, everything is messed up tonight. I can’t figure out why.”I could.I knew what was happening. Nicky and Tara were messing up our tricks.I gritted my teeth and balled my hands into fists. I felt so angry, I wanted to scream.But no way could I tell Quentin about them.Nicky and Tara were angry because they couldn’t come to my party. So they were doing their best to mess up our magic act.We tried a few more easy tricks, and they were ruined too. “It just isn’t our night,” Quentin said. “Maybe we should try again tomorrow night.”He left, shaking his head, very confused.As soon as he was out the door, my two ghost friends appeared. “How’s it going, Max?” Tara asked, grinning at me.“You know how it’s going,” I snapped. “Did you have a bad night?” Nicky asked, acting innocent.I realized I was grinding my teeth. I’d never been so angry at them. “You have no right to do that,” I shouted. “You have no right to ruin all our tricks.”“I’ll bet your tricks will go a lot better if you invite us to your party,” Tara said.“For sure,” Nicky chimed in. “Invite us to your birthday party, and we’ll be your best friends again.”“No way!” I cried. “You’re not my best friends. And stop begging me. No way are you coming to my party!”They both put on these really hurt faces. Tara pulled off her hat, tossed it on the floor, and started stomping on it.I turned away from them and walked to the window. I took deep breaths, trying to calm down. I didn’t like being angry at them. They were two poor young ghosts, after all. They probably wouldn’t have any more birthdays–because they were dead.But messing up our magic tricks like that was just plain mean.I gazed out the window, pressing my forehead against the cool glass. A few stars twinkled dimly in the night sky. I lowered my eyes–and gasped when I saw the boy in black staring up at me. He stood at the side of my yard, leaning against a tree trunk.I pulled up the window, stuck my head out, and shouted down at him. “Go away! I’m warning you! Go away!”He took a few steps closer to the house. Light from the kitchen downstairs washed over him, and I saw his face. An old man’s face, lined and wrinkled and sagging.He cupped his hands around his mouth and called up to me. “Be careful!”Gripping the windowsill, I stared down at his ancient face, at his pale, sunken eyes. “What do you want?” I screamed. “Why are you doing this?”“Be careful,” he repeated in a breathy rasp of a voice. “They are going to kill you. The ghosts are going to kill you!”A chill ran down my back. I stepped away from the window. Shivering, I turned to Nicky and Tara.“What did he mean?” I asked. “Why did he say that? Why did he say you are going to kill me?”I saw the shock on Nicky’s and Tara’s faces.And then they disappeared.; Title: Let's Get This Party Haunted! (Mostly Ghostly) | [
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14,939 | 7 | Grade 5-8 - A fine addition to a series that will find a home with fans of British fantasy. The first three volumes recount the escapades of young Twig in the Edge in a flat world with floating sky ships and a vast array of often deadly creatures. This fourth book goes back in time to tell the story of Twig's parents, Quint and Maris. Quint, the teenage son of a sky pirate, is apprenticed to Maris's father, Linius Pallitax, the High Academe of the floating city of Sanctaphrax. During the day, Quint endures tedious studies, but at night, he is sent on mysterious errands. As his master becomes increasingly distraught and distant, Quint realizes that the man is involved in something terrible that may put Sanctaphrax at risk. With the help of Maris, he learns the truth about Linius's secret endeavors and ensures the safety of the city. Unlike the previous titles, which involved adventurous journeys, this installment is a localized mystery. Another change is the addition of a major female character. The primary charm of this world remains the imaginative settings and creatures that are clearly depicted through detailed descriptions and delicate black-and-white illustrations. Although these passages may at times be slow going for less dedicated readers, series followers will devour this prequel. For newcomers, it is complete and satisfying on its own. - Jenna Miller, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PRAISE FOR THE EDGE CHRONICLES:"Sure to please the Potter fans." Detroit Free Press "The narrative will cast a spell over readers from the beginning with its utterly odd, off-kilter sense of logic and a vocabulary that is equal parts Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll." Publishers Weekly "Good fun." Kirkus ReviewsStunningly original.The Guardian (UK)A richly inventive fantasy . . . one of the most exciting collaborations between a writer and illustrator for a long time.The Literary Review (UK); Title: Edge Chronicles 4: The Curse of the Gloamglozer (The Edge Chronicles) | [
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14,940 | 7 | R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling childrens author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented bestselling Goosebumps series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide media phenomenon.R.L. Stine has received numerous awards of recognition. He lives in New York, NY.8Mom smiled at Colin and me. Thats why were having this lovely steak dinner. To celebrate the good news.Good news?Was it good news?Leave my friends? My school?Start over again in a whole new place?Thats not good news. Thats bad news.But whoa. Wait. Hold on a minute.No more ghosts! I could get away from those ghosts. Have a normal life.Goodbye, Nicky and Tara. Goodbye, pests! Im off to Texas and leaving you behind.No way could they ruin my life in Texas!Colin turned to Dad. Another car crash came on the TV news. Colin had to shake Dad by the shoulders to get his attention. You know Ive got to work out, Dad. Keep my body fit. Will there be room in the new house for my own gym?Dad nodded. Yeah. Plenty of room. Wow. That guy got rear-ended by three SUVs. His car looks like an accordion!Colin grinned at me. My own gym. Max, I wont have to use you as a punching bag anymore. His grin grew wider. Well . . . only sometimes.I wasnt thinking about Colins gym. I was thinking about my new life. A life without ghosts. A life where I wouldnt be embarrassed in front of the whole town!The car accident report was over. Dad turned to me. Texas will make a man out of you, Max, he said. Youll learn to ride horses.Horses? I said. My voice cracked. Horses make me sneeze. Even when I see them on TV!Youll get used to them, Mom said softly.Lets all have a lovely celebration dinner. Enjoy your steak, Maxie.Heywho let Buster in the house? Dad shouted.I didnt see the big dog in time. All I saw was a blur of dark fur.Buster leaped up and grabbed the whole steak off my plate. He gobbled it down in seconds without even chewing.My steak! I cried. I stared down at the dog, who was licking his chops.Dad tossed back his head and hee-hawed. That dog is crazy for meat!I gazed at my empty plate. My stomach growled. Or was that Buster?Mom turned to my brother. Colin, share your steak with Max, she said.I cant, Colin said. Coach says I need protein.He sawed off a big chunk of meat, shoved it into his mouth, and chewed it in my face.Mom let out a sigh. Sorry, Max. Theres no more steak. She stood up and walked to the food cabinet. She brought me a bowl and the box of Frosted Flakes. Here. You like these.So I ate Frosted Flakes while everyone else ate steak.Ive already put the house on the market, Dad said. Mr. Grimmus, my new boss, is coming all the way from Texas in a few days. He wants to meet you all. I guess he wants to check us out. Make sure Im right for the job.Mom patted Dads hand. Of course youre right for the job, she said.Dad let out a really loud burp.Sometimes he and Colin have burping contests. They go for loudness and for length of time. I tried to join in once, but I barfed up my entire dinner.We all turned back to the TV. On the news, they were showing the swimming pool accident again. There I was, holding up the mayors pantswhile he flopped and floundered in the pool.Dad shook his head. Its a really good thing were leaving town, he said. Ive met Mayor Stank. Hes not a nice man. Believe me. He holds a grudge.A chill gripped the back of my neck. A grudge?I climbed the stairs to my room. I felt strangeexcited and worried at the same time. I decided to practice my magic. That always calms me down.I picked up the milk bottles Id been working with. Im trying to teach myself to juggle full milk bottles. I think that will be a really exciting finish to my act.If I drop one, the bottle will shatter and milk will fly all over. It will be messy. But I dont plan to drop any.I started practicing with just two bottles. They were heavy and hard to toss and catch.How can you juggle at a time like this? a voice said. Tara appeared beside me. She grabbed one of the bottles. We heard everything, Max.Nicky appeared in front of me. Youre moving!What are we going to do? he asked.I shrugged. Beats me.You cant move. You cant! Tara cried. She was tossing a milk bottle from hand to hand. I took it away from her.We have to wait in this house for Mom and Dad to come back, Nicky said, pacing back and forth. Tara and I cant leave.Youll be safe here, I said. It wont be so bad. Someone else will move in and help you. Youll be okay.But we need you, Max, Tara said. Youre the only one who can see and hear us.You have to stop your dad, Nicky said. You cant let him move your family away.What can I do? I said. I cant stop him. Were moving as soon as he sells the house.Nicky and Tara grew silent. I could see they were thinking hard.Hey, you wouldnt try anythingwould you? I asked. You wouldnt try to stop us from moving!Tara smiled at me. Of course not, Maxie.; Title: Ghouls Gone Wild (Mostly Ghostly) | [
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14,941 | 7 | In this fourth Barnaby Grimes book, the starring character is a tick-tock lad who delivers messages illegally through rooftop runs that give him a unique perspective on a fantastical version of Victorian London. Barnaby is also something of a sleuth, and to absolve a client of her brothers mysterious murder, he must navigate a motley milieu of aristocrats, servants, police, scholars, and artists. The case ultimately hinges on a chemical mixture for developing photographs; the brews side effects include both invisibility and psychological transformations reminiscent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stewart and Riddells play on the predictable conventions of gothic melodrama will probably go over the heads of young readers, but that will not diminish their enjoyment of the story. Whimsical touches such as the introduction of a protoskateboard by Barnabys friend Will Farmer will add to the appeal. Barnaby Grimes fans will enjoy this latest adventure in the series. Grades 4-6. --Miriam AroninPaul Stewart is a highly regarded author of books for young readers, most notably the bestselling Edge Chronicles and the Far-Flung Adventures. He lives in Bristol, England.Chris Riddell, co-creator of the Edge Chronicles and the Far-Flung Adventures, is an award-winning illustrator and political cartoonist. He lives with his family in Bristol, England.; Title: Barnaby Grimes: Phantom of Blood Alley | [
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14,942 | 12 | Grade 47Learning the workings of the free-market economy has never been more fun than in this tall tale of entrepreneurship set in Eden Prairie, MN. When the narrator's grandmother gives him an old rider mower for his 12th birthday, his life changes; he senses "some kind of force behind it." Almost as soon as he figures out how to run it, the boy is in businessby the second day he has eight jobs. When he mows the lawn of Arnold Howell, an aging hippie e-trader, the cash-poor man offers a stock-market account in lieu of payment. Arnold not only invests the money; he also offers business advice. Soon lawn boy has a partner, 15 employees, a lot of money invested in the market, and a prizefighter. Chapter headings suggest business principles behind what is happening. Throughout the tale, the narrator is innocent of his success as he rises early each morning to begin each job, eats lunch on the mower, and longs for a less-hectic summer vacation. This rags-to-riches success story has colorful characters, a villain, and enough tongue-in-cheek humor to make it an enjoyable selection for the whole family.Kathryn Kosiorek, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* This short and hilarious tale pitches an ordinary preteen with an old riding lawn mower into a dizzying ascent up the financial ladder. His sights set no higher than a new inner tube for his bike, the young narrator is thrilled to make $60 in one day, mowing his neighbors' lawns. Just as demand for his services skyrockets, he meets Arnold, an honest, home-based stockbroker who becomes his business manager . . and less than a month later, the lad has a dozen migrant laborers in his employ. The legality of these workers is left vague, but their young employer treats them fairly, and the thousands of dollars he earns goes into some wildly successful investments--including sponsorship of a rising prizefighter whose help comes in handy when the burgeoning enterprise attracts a shakedown artist. Thanks to quick lessons in, to quote some of the chapter heads, "Capital Growth Coupled with the Principles of Product Expansion" and "Force of Arms and Its Application to Business," the young tycoon ends up smarter than when he started out, and worth half a million dollars. When it comes to telling funny stories about boys, no one surpasses Paulsen, and here he is in top form. John PetersCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Lawn Boy | [
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14,943 | 2 | Grade 2-4-In this upbeat sequel to The Quigleys (Knopf, 2002), Dad, Will, Mum, and Lucy are each featured in a separate chapter. Dad's elaborate trap to catch the family's pet budgie entangles him instead of the bird. Will gets locked inside the school when he goes back on the weekend to find his lost coat. Mum resists everyone's attempt to keep her inactive at a fete because of recent dental surgery, and she surprises them by helping Lucy win a skip-rope contest. Finally, Lucy breaks the language barrier in order to make a friend when the family goes camping in France. The Quigleys are much like the families in books by Johanna Hurwitz and Beverly Cleary, though the British setting sets this series apart. The inviting large print and Stephens's frequent line drawings will help attract children bridging into chapter books.Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OHCopyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 2-4. This follow-up to The Quigleys (2003) is even funnier than its predecessor. The hilarious opening chapter involves Dad trying to recover an escaped parakeet ("budgie") named Deathwing, Lord of the Skies. Slapstick comedy abounds as Dad employs all sorts of bizarre methods to capture the bird, including a homemade trap made with netting, twine, a hula-hoop, and a toasting fork. In subsequent chapters, Will gets himself locked up in his school while trying to deliver birthday party invitations; Mum's attempts to have some fun at a party are thwarted by her overprotective family; and Lucy manages to find friends for everyone but herself during the family holiday in France. Silly as the Quigleys can be, their interactions also sharply reflect family realities. Readers will find much to love in this warm, often hilarious family romp. Ed SullivanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The Quigleys at Large | [
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14,944 | 10 | Charlie Small is a keen amateur explorer. His interests include climbing trees, collecting things, playing computer games, and soccer. He also enjoys conversing in the secret language of the gorillas. His present whereabouts are unknown, but we understand that he’s hoping to be home in time for tea.; Title: Charlie Small 5: Charlie in the Underworld | [
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14,945 | 2 | Starred Review, School Library Journal, March 2011:"Contemporary Tagalong and British vernacular enhance the brother/sister narration and enliven the depiction of cultures. In her first young adult novel, Gourlay offers an appealing blend of diverse characters, emotional conflicts, well-paced action, and an upbeat finale. The challenges facing separated, immigrant families and the universal teen desire for acceptance and respect ring true."CANDY GOURLAY was born in Manila during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. After working as a journalist for some years, she moved to the U.K. in her twenties. Candy is now a full-time writer across a range of mediums: short stories, blogs, Web sites, journalistic features, and radio programs. Tall Story is Candy's first full-length published novel. Visit her on the Web at CandyGourlay.com.; Title: Tall Story | [
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14,946 | 7 | *Starred Review* Gr. 4-6. The second volume in the Edge Chronicles series, Stormchaser is a rousing adventure tale with a story that's more complex and satisfying than its predecessor, Beyond the Deepwoods [BKL Jl 2004]. Sanctophrax, a city of academics that floats in the air above Undertown, threatens to break from its mooring and drift away because the corrupt Most High Academe has been selling off the rare, valuable, and strangely heavy substance called stormphrax. Although forbidden to accompany his father on a mission to secure more stormphrax, Twig stows away aboard his father's sky pirate ship and takes a pivotal role in completing the mission. With a murderous villain who slices off his dead victims' toes, the story is not for the fainthearted, but many young readers who crave action and enjoy long books will find it a riveting tale. Stewart manages the many characters and the frequent shifts of scene well, driving the story at full throttle toward its inevitable climax. Reminiscent of the ink drawings of illustrators from Pauline Baynes to Robert Lawson to Dr. Seuss, Riddell's wonderfully detailed art appears throughout the book to help readers envision this inventive fantasy world and the many strange creatures that inhabit it. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reservedPRAISE FOR THE EDGE CHRONICLES:"Sure to please the Potter fans." Detroit Free Press "The narrative will cast a spell over readers from the beginning with its utterly odd, off-kilter sense of logic and a vocabulary that is equal parts Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll." Publishers Weekly "Good fun." Kirkus ReviewsStunningly original.The Guardian (UK)A richly inventive fantasy . . . one of the most exciting collaborations between a writer and illustrator for a long time.The Literary Review (UK); Title: Stormchaser (The Edge Chronicles, No. 2) | [
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14,947 | 2 | Gr 7-10Three young teens, trash-picker living in the city dump of an unnamed third-world country, discover a mysterious bag one morning, triggering a chain of events that will change their lives forever. Raphael, Gordo, and Rat take turns nar-rating the story of how they uncover a network of political corruption and abuse of the poor. Each puzzle the boys solve leads to yet a new riddle for them to work out. The chase leads them throughout the city, exposing the great disparity be-tween the haves and the have nots, and the huge injustice this represents. Several run-ins with the police make it clear that getting caught means death for the three boys. They face moral dilemmas throughout and, ultimately, make good deci-sions. Their intelligence and characters make the condition in which they live seem even more unfair. While on the surface the book reads like a fast-paced adventure title, it also makes a larger statement about the horrors of poverty and injustice in the world. Occasionally the alternating viewpoints of the book become confusing, particularly when they switch mid-chapter. In spite of this, Trash is a compelling read. The action is riveting and the secret codes throughout will appeal mys-tery fans. Readers will be drawn to this title, and hopefully learn a little about the world outside their own country. Teens who enjoyed the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008) will find much to enjoy here.Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.In an unnamed Third World city, Rat, Raphael, and Gardo live with thousands of other kids like them in a garbage dump, where they dig through the detritus looking for anything that could be profitable. When an important person loses something valuable in the refuse, the three boys embark on an engrossing, sobering mystery characterized by stealing, lying, and police brutality as well as generosity, trust, and ingenuity. Multiple characters describe the adventure, and although the switch between narrators may initially seem disorienting (a priest, housemother, and tombstone maker also provide their integral perspectives), the story flows more smoothly as it progresses, bolstered by the young characters well-articulated, authentic thoughts, feelings, and voices. Throughout, the boys significant sense of devotion and morality leads them from lives of desperation to miraculous possibilities. The culminating scenes contribute important elements of Day of the Dead celebrations and Robin Hood themes, further increasing the novels usefulness for discussion and study. Grades 6-9. --Andrew Medlar; Title: Trash | [
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14,948 | 13 | Wells third Pocket Cats offering finds ceramic cat Ollie coming to life to help Maddy solve a new problem. Assisted by feline magic, Maddy casts a spell enabling best friend Rachel to shine during ballet auditions; as a result, Rachel is given the role of Clara in The Nutcracker. But pride in her powers soon turns to jealousy, since Maddy had been counting on the part herself. Wells breezy style, an emphasis on friendship concerns, and Harrisons attractive black line illustrations will make this popular with newly independent readers, especially those who love cats and ballet. Three more titles are promised. Grades 2-4. --Kay WeismanKITTY WELLS (aka Lee Weatherly) was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. She moved to the UK in 1995, and now lives in Hampshire with her husband. She's written Breakfast at Sadie's, Kat Got Your Tongue, Missing Abby, and Child X, and is also the author of Bloomsbury UK's Glitterwings Academy series for younger children.; Title: Pocket Cats: Feline Charm | [
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14,949 | 0 | Grade 7-10A prequel to The Various (Random, 2004). Celandine is the odd student at her new boarding school, the one who doesn't fit in. World War I has just begun and her brother has enlisted, leaving her feeling even more alone. She hatches a plan to escape the institution's cruelty and ridiculous rules and regulations, returning to familiar ground and the friends she left behindthe Various, who inhabit Howard's Hill near her home. But all is not well with the little people, and a tribal war breaks out. The intrigue begins early in the story, but some readers might find that the flashback takes up too much of the novel; it travels back three years in time and doesn't return to 1915 until 200 pages later. However, those who stick with it will be rewarded, as, in the end, they find out why Celandine acted as she did and learn more about the Various.Dylan Thomarie, Johnstown High School, NY Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 7-10. This prequel to The Various (2003), which focuses on Midge's great-aunt Celandine, amplifies the little peoples' saga. Celandine's beloved brother is lost in the Great War, and boarding school is a horror; the set pieces about the war and about the cruelty of girls and female teachers are powerful and terrible. But on her parents' farm, Celandine has found a way to the Various--winged warriors, travelers, foragers, and others, who do not mingle or trust one another and call humans ogres and Gorji. They possess two great treasures, the touchstone and the orbis. The safety of and the relationship between these artifacts form the unresolved core of the story line. Both worlds are finely imagined, down to the details of a tiny Various child or the burdensome maintenance of Celandine's thick golden curls. This is a fast and compelling read despite its length, although it ends with the fate of the Various unknown and Celandine about to make a cliff-hanger of a choice. Celandine is a teen protagonist who doesn't fear her own darkness but hasn't yet mastered her gifts. GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Celandine (The Touchstone Trilogy) | [
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14,950 | 2 | Patricia Reilly Giff is the author of many beloved books for children, including the Kids of the Polk Street School books. Several of her novels for middle-grade readers have been chosen as ALA-ALSC Notable Books and ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. They include The Gift of the Pirate Queen; All the Way Home; Water Street; Nory Ryan's Song, a Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Kite Honor Book for Fiction; and the Newbery Honor Books Lily's Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods. Lily's Crossing was also chosen as a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book. Her most recent novels are Winter Sky, Gingersnap, R My Name Is Rachel, Storyteller, Eleven, and Wild Girl; her books for younger readers in the Zigzag Kids series include Number One Kid and Big Whopper.Chapter 1HomeIm in the worst trouble. How can I tell Mami and Abuelita what Ive done?I sneak along the alley and sit at the back of the house, leaning against the splintery boards, so angry with myself. I sweep up a pile of stones and toss them into the green creek, skipping them like frogs jumping from one slippery rock to another.Sometimes the stones miss the water. My friend Damian says my aim is terrible. And hes right. With the next stone I hit a tree branch almost over my head, just missing my brother Julians wooden birdhouses. Four or five finches fly up and scatter as a stray cat watches.Sorry, I whisper to the birds, and to the cat, who watches with great tawny eyes, ready to pounce on anything that moves.I turn my head. Between the uneven boards of the house, I see Mama and Abuelita at the kitchen table, their heads bent over squares of cloth. They never stop working; they make scarves and quilts to sell at the market. Sometimes they sew red and yellow pieces together, or sunny greens and blues, reminding me of the creek.They never stop talking either.How can I go in there without any money?Not one coin!I close my eyes. Today, instead of sweeping at the car factory after school, Damian and I played catch with motor bolts while the foreman, Miguel, was eating in his office.I missed, and the bolt flew over my head, denting a car door.Damian slapped his head. I should have known, Mateo.Miguel came from his office, his mouth still full, pointing with his fist. Out! he yelled.I couldnt stop laughing at first, thinking he was joking. But Miguel almost never joked or smiled. Go on, he said, red-faced and furious. He didnt even pay me for last weeks work.Twelve years old, and Ive been fired from my after-school job. A small job, but still ... Now I watch Mami and Abuelita stitching. Ill never be able to tell them!I listen to what theyre saying. Its the end of the month; my brother Julian will have sent money all the way from Arkansas. Therell be meat for dinner. Chicken, maybe, or small pieces of shredded beef mixed with rice and gravy.Which will I pick? It doesnt do any good to tell myself I dont deserve a good dinner; my mouth waters. Chicken! I almost smell it stewing in the pot, with a pinch of one of Abuelitas spices that grow tall on the windowsill, and a carrot or two, chopped and soft.Enough to give you a handout, I whisper to the cat, and rest my hand on her grimy head.The rap on the front door is loud. Someone is pounding hard; it must mean trouble. Mami stands up so suddenly the chair clatters and falls behind her.I peer through the open spaces in the wall, to hear a voice calling. A moment later, Julians old friend Tomas fills the kitchen doorway.Mami pushes a chair toward him. I can see the worry in her face. Why isnt Tomas with Julian in Arkansas? They crossed the border to work in America together. Whats brought him back here?Abuelita goes to the sink and pours a glass of water for Tomas. He sits at the table facing them, slowly shaking his head.I knot my fingers together, afraid to hear what hell say.When he speaks, his voice is low, his words slow and spaced apart. Julian, he begins. All of us. We worked on a building that would be the tallest one in town. Ten floors. Hard work. Satisfying.Please-- Mami says.Everyone knew we had no green cards. He looks up. No permission to work in America. No permission even to be in that country.Mamis hand covers her mouth as Tomas tells of la migra, the border patrolmen, surrounding the construction area where they worked. The illegal workers were loaded into the truck and sent to a detention center.Abuelita sits straight, almost as if her back is made of iron. And Julian?I hold my breath.We were on a scaffold, two flights up. Any minute theyd see us. I grabbed Julians shoulder. We have to run. Its the only way.I saw him peering over the edge. No, Julian! We cant jump.Tomas puts a small roll of bills on the table. Just before I backed off the scaffold, Julian reached into his pocket and asked me to bring this to you.He spreads his hands wide. The owner paid us good money. A generous boss. But now its over. I dont know what my family will do for food.Mami can hardly speak. But Julian? Is he all right?I dont know. I managed to climb down and run without being caught. But if he jumped, he may have been hurt. Maybe hes in prison. Or in hiding. I wish I could tell you more.And what will we do? I lost my job with Miguel. Mami and Abuelita will have to sew long into the night.I picture Julian just before he left: his hair was so dark it was almost black; his teeth were white and straight when he laughed. I looked up at his strong face. Dont go! Stay! Mami said its a dangerous trip. Thieves will take your money. And what about the desert, that huge river? What about the police on both sides of the border?He grinned and hugged me. Ive read so much about America--the mountains, the sea, the tall buildings. The prairie grass that waves in the wind. I could see the excitement in those dark eyes. I want to be part of it, to paint all of it. I cant forget the money either. Ill work at anything and someday Ill find a place where I can draw, sketch-- He broke off. In the meantime, Ill send money home. You know there are no jobs here.He rested his hands on my shoulders. This is the way Ill go. Ill walk miles to the train and climb on top ...You cant do that!He raised his hand. After the train, Ill find someone to take me across the north of Mexico and the river.You mean a coyote. I grabbed his collar. Mami says theyre desperate men. They rob the travelers, and sometimes they even kill.Ill be all right. Once I cross the border into Texas, Ill stop at our cousin Consuelos house. And then, at last, Arkansas.But why Arkansas? I ask.Tomas says theres work up there. And I read about it. It sounds like a beautiful place.Nothing I could say would stop him.The next day he and Tomas were on their way.At the table now, Tomas is still talking. I have a long way to go. Home first. Then miles of walking to find a job. Any job at all.Abuelita scrapes back her chair. I know shes going to pack what little food we have for his journey.After Tomas has gone, I still cant make myself go inside. I rest my hand on the cat, feeling the burning in my throat.Mami bends her head over the squares as colorful as macaws, her tears dripping onto the fabric. Abuelita picks up her needle and begins to run stitches through two red pieces. Her eyes are almost closed. She wont let herself cry.Julian has to be all right!What will we do without the money he sends to the bank for us each month? Even worse, how will we know where he is, or how much trouble hes in? Letters hardly ever reach our town.But we have to know.I have to know.I have to find him, save him, the way he saved me once.And I know the way.Chapter 2LeavingTonight theres no chicken stewing in the pot, no shredded meat in our bowls. Its been a long day. Abuelita tries to smile. Well have a little rice, a little bread instead.I tell them about losing my job, but they hardly listen. Mami swipes a cloth over the counter in great arcs, her eyes swollen. She isnt speaking, she isnt singing. Its strange with no music in the kitchen. Theres only the sound of the frogs croaking as they float on the water, their throats puffed into iridescent bubbles.Mami doesnt want to tell me about Julian, not yet. I know she cant talk about it.My little brother Lucas reaches out to me as if he knows something is wrong. I grab his hands and swing him around, just missing the table; he laughs, a smear of something across his cheek. The kitchen spins with us: the table with the bowls of rice, the wide window without glass, the green trees outdoors.I put him down and sit at the table. I cant eat the rice in front of me. Ill do what Julian did: walk that long way to the train, then somehow cross the north of Mexico to the Rio Bravo. Texas is just on the other side of that river. Once there, Ill find Consuelo. Im sure shell tell me the rest of the way.I take a forkful of rice. It has no taste; Im not hungry even though I havent had anything since breakfast.My eyes go to Abuelita, the lines in her forehead deeper, then to Mami, staring out the window. She looks the way she did that terrible day Papi died. Our neighbors carried him home from the fields where he was planting in heat that soared over one hundred degrees. His heart gave out, his friend Paulo told Mami. The heat was too much for him.Now, long after dinner, I go to bed and listen to the ripple of the creek and the faraway sound of a dog barking. I wait until the house is still.The money Ive saved to surprise Mami on her birthday goes into my pocket. I shrug into my old sweater and wrap a piece of cloth around my waist for a blanket.Abuelita has left a new notebook for me in the kitchen closet. I copy Consuelos and Julians addresses from her pad, even though Im sure Ill remember them.I rest my hand on the notebook. Ah, Abuelita!Once I told her, I might write a book someday.She nodded. I know you will, Mateo. Everyone has something, and you have a way with words, mi amor. In the kitchen, she cut paper into squares. With rough fingers, she stacked the pieces with a blue paper cover and stitched them together with string. She handed me the book, my first notebook. Write down your memories: good ones and bad ones. Someday theyll turn into stories.Now I slide two bottles of water and a few bits of food into my backpack. I tear a page out of the notebook and write quickly: Ive gone to find Julian. I put it under Mamis breakfast plate. They wont find it until morning. Then I tuck the little book and a pen into my pocket.Im ready. I climb out the window and glance back at the sleeping house. Rain patters on the tin roof, and a mist rises up from the creek.The cat is curled up under a tree. Shell have to hunt for every bit of her food from now on. I reach over and run my hands along her rough sides. Then I begin to walk.Behind me, theres a voice.I turn. Abuelita!Youre going north across the border, she says.I swallow. What can I say? You found my note. I wonder if shell tell me to go back inside.She surprises me, though. No, I havent seen a note. But I knew you would go. I saw you outside listening when Tomas was here. She touches my cheek. Its a very dangerous trip. But Id do the same thing if I were younger. We are alike, Mateo, you and I. We have great love for our family; it makes us strong.We sit on the ledge next to the creek. You must watch everyone and everything constantly. Her voice is stern. Think before you act. Move slowly, carefully. Be deliberate.Her eyes fill. Ive never seen her cry, not even when Papi died. You are everything to me. She slips a medal on a chain around my neck and money into my pocket. The medal matches the one she wears: Our Lady of Guadalupe.The lady, the Blessed Mother, appeared to a boy, Abuelita says. She left her image and a spray of roses on his cloak. You can still see that cloak in Mexico City. She puts her hand on my shoulder. She will protect you.I watch her go back to the house, her head up. My tough Abuelita!Ill come back when I find him, I call after her.And then Im on my way.Chapter 3The JourneyI reach up to touch Abuelitas medal around my neck. Its been so long since she put it there. More than a week? It seems forever. My eyes are closing as I listen to the sound of the motor and try to breathe inside the trucks close, dark air. Im almost asleep.Dreaming, Mateo. Thats what it is.Im lost in dreams. I see our house that tilts against the creek, covered with Julians paintings. Its miles behind me now. I hear Abuelitas husky voice as she reads to me.Behind her, Lucas dances around the kitchen waiting for the beans to simmer in the enamel pot on the stove; his eyes are the color of walnuts and his hair grows every which way, just like mine. He sings a song hes just made up.I feel Mamis floury hands on my cheeks.And Julian: long ago, as I sleep in bed, creek water plinks on my cheeks; more slides down my neck. Green water, with the smell of weeds and fish! I reach up and grab Julian so he drops the cup, still half filled. We wrestle over the bed, onto the floor, laughing. Hes eight years older than me, my best friend.Im in the back of a coyotes truck now; I concentrate on his red baseball hat, which stands out in this rusted heap as we try for the border.In the beginning, I promised him money. Ill pay you back someday.He was chewing on something, ready to walk away, when he saw the watch on my wrist. Julians watch. Too big for me, a little battered, but all I had left of him.A moment later, the watch was off my arm, onto his. And I was crowded inside that truck with six others, holding my bare wrist.Now the motor gives a dry cough. The truck heaves forward, then rattles to a stop. Well have to walk, the coyote says.; Title: Until I Find Julian | [
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14,951 | 7 | Lyn Gardner was born in London. A theater critic for The Guardian, she goes to the theater five or six nights a week, which should leave no time for writing books at all. She and her two daughters have one venerable goldfish (there were two, but one came to a tragic end) and a horsewho is the most demanding, temperamental, and expensive member of the family.From the Hardcover edition.Storm Eden was talking to her mother, even though Zella had been dead for almost two years. A wild tangle of unbrushed red curls fell across her face as she kneeled in front of her mothers grave, cleared away a small patch of snow to reveal the mossy green below, and laid a posy of snowdrops on the grassy mound.I love you, she whispered, hugging the small silver birch sapling which had sprung up almost overnight by Zellas grave following her burial. Storms green eyes filled as she thought of Zella, her beautiful, neglectful, lazy mother with her smile like warm sunlight, lying all alone in the cold earth.I love you and I miss you, repeated Storm, clinging to the slender tree as if it were Zella herself. Zella had been the most negligent of mothers when alive and had barely seemed to notice her middle daughter. It was only after her mothers death that Storm had discovered how much her mother had loved her, and it made the loss all the harder to bear. She had taken to coming to the grave every day, lying spread-eagled on the mound and talking to Zella as if she was really there. Sometimes in milder weather Storm would bring a picnic cheese and watercress sandwiches, a couple of the scrumptious madeleines made by her elder sister, Aurora and munch them on the grave while chatting away and telling Zella what was happening at Eden End. She told Zella how many times Aurora had tidied the linen cupboard that week and whether her new recipes for quaking pudding and giggle cake had turned out well, and how fast Any was growing up. These one-sided chats made Storm feel less lonely.It wasnt that her sisters didnt love her to bits, she knew that they did. But Aurora was always so busy, and Any had special privileges as the baby of thefamily, and sometimes Storm just felt like the one squashed in the middle who nobody really noticed, because she could look after herself. Even Netta, who Storm thought of as her own personal fairy godmother, seemed to have mysteriously given up coming to visit in recent weeks, making Storm feel more bereft than ever.When there was enough money to buy the ingredients, Storm would take some of the dark chocolate truffles that her mother used to savour so much, and leave them beneath the silver birch tree. The next day the truffles would be gone, and although Storm guessed that they were being eaten by wild animals, it brought a smile to her face to think of her mother sitting up in the night and nibbling on the chocolate with her perfect white teeth.Right, said Storm, pushing back her unruly curls and scrambling to her feet. There were several rips in her skirt caused by climbing trees. Ive got to go, Mother. I want to check that Auroras all right. Shes been worrying so much about money I think shes making herself ill. She ran across the park, occasionally reaching into her pockets andthrowing a few fi recrackers ahead of her that danced and shimmered with red and green sparks.A few minutes later, Storm ran into the kitchen at Eden End to find Aurora sitting at the table weeping. She was surrounded by a large number of brown envelopes and pieces of paper across which were written the words FINAL DEMAND in angry red writing. Auroras exquisite oval face was becomingly pink and the tears that ran down it were gathering in a dimple on her chin.Whats the matter, Aurora? cried Storm, hugging her sister and depositing a smear of mud on her pale, porcelain cheek.Shes trying really hard to make ends meet, explained Storms little sister Any, but the ends keep moving. Its most inconsiderate of them.Have you checked if theres any money down the back of the sofa? asked Storm.Of course, said Any scornfully. She screwed up her chocolate-button nose. All we found was lots of fluff, two hair grips and a half-sucked peppermint drop. It was still very pepperminty.You didnt eat it, Any? asked Aurora, who stopped crying and looked shocked. Thats disgusting and extremely unhygienic.Well, I did pick the fluff off first, said Any. It was still a bit furry, but I expect fur counts as extra protein.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Out of the Woods (Eden Sisters) | [
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14,952 | 2 | Dragged into a haunted house by his friend Aaron, Max finds some objects that he thinks might help his ghost friends Nicky and Tara. But when he takes them home for further research, he upsets a whole colony of evil ghostsand sends a crazy human-melting Heat Ghost after the girl of his dreams! When Max realizes what hes done, he embarks on a wild ride across town to keep the ghost from melting his classmates. Will he make it in timeor will his whole school melt into the ground, with all his friends inside?R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling childrens author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented bestselling Goosebumps series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide media phenomenon.R.L. Stine has received numerous awards of recognition. He lives in New York, NY.; Title: One Night in Doom House (Mostly Ghostly) | [
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14,953 | 7 | PRAISE FOR THE EDGE CHRONICLES:"Sure to please the Potter fans." Detroit Free Press "The narrative will cast a spell over readers from the beginning with its utterly odd, off-kilter sense of logic and a vocabulary that is equal parts Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll." Publishers Weekly "Good fun." Kirkus ReviewsStunningly original.The Guardian (UK)A richly inventive fantasy . . . one of the most exciting collaborations between a writer and illustrator for a long time.The Literary Review (UK)From the Hardcover edition.Young Twig lives in the Deepwoods, among the Woodtrolls, but he isnt one of them. In a brave attempt to find out where he belongs, Twig wanders into the mysterious, dangerous world beyond the Deepwoods. He meets a collection of odd companions, such as his wise guardian, the Caterbird; the Slaughterers, a peaceful race who butcher animals for their livelihood; and the vicious, bile-swilling Rotsucker. Always watching out for the horrible Gloamglozer, whose presence haunts the thoughts of all the inhabitants of The Edge, Twig steadfastly pursues his quest until he discovers his roots, not among the trees, but in the skies. . . .From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Edge Chronicles 1: Beyond the Deepwoods (The Edge Chronicles) | [
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14,954 | 1 | Grade 4-7-When danger, in the form of a strange man and his two deadly feline companions, intrudes upon the sheltered existence of a family of Mesopotamian Blue cats, Varjak must venture Outside for the first time to seek help. He meets a feral cat named Holly, who takes him to the city and helps him survive on the mean streets. His nights are filled with dreams of his fabled ancestor Jalal, who teaches him the Seven Skills of the Way of Jalal; they help him, in his waking hours, learn to fight and hunt. After run-ins with several cat gangs, the protagonist befriends a dog that helps him and Holly to rescue Varjak's family and hundreds of other cats from being turned into robotlike creatures to be sold as toys. The jumbled plot leaves many unanswered questions. Readers never learn why this evil man wants to turn cats into robots, and why he uses Varjak's owner's house as a base of operations. It's also not clear what the Way has to do with anything. In a story filled with so many holes, only the illustrations offer consistent pleasure. Warm yellow pictures drench the pages on which Jalal teaches Varjak the Way, which nicely evoke the Mesopotamian setting of the dreams; the rest of the drawings are edgy black-ink silhouettes of cats and other animals; they're energetic and expressive. Despite the compelling art, most libraries can skip this animal fantasy.Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public LibraryCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc."The author follows mythic archetypes in this densely plotted cat story, illustrated in chilling, sinuous pen-and-ink images by McKean." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred May 2003; Title: Varjak Paw | [
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14,955 | 7 | Grade 4-7The Edge is filled with icky monsters, profoundly rotten villains, and shiny striving heroes, all with silly names such as muglumps, Orbix Xaxis, and Rook Barkwater. There are dangers behind every tree, mysterious fogs, stones that fly, and trolls and talking bears. In this fifth volume of the "Chronicles," Rook is a young under-librarian who is sent into the creepy Deepwoods to gather knowledge that might help the noble community of Knight-Librarians battle the evil Guardians of Night for control of the Edge. Sometimes Rook and his allies defeat the gluttonous logworms that devour everything in their path; at other times, the Guardians of the Night throw them into chains. Even Twig, hero of Beyond the Deepwoods, the first volume in the series, reappears to join the fray. Who will win? Does it really matter? These adventures pull readers along, and the pages flip by in no time. Riddell's antique-style illustrations add to the fun, depicting the characters' intricate costumes and crazy modes of transport. There's not a lot of substance here, but fans of Lemony Snicket, the "The Spiderwick Chronicles," and "Harry Potter" will devour it.Walter Minkel, New York Public Library Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Paul Stewart is the cocreator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles series, with Chris Riddell. He is also the author of a number of previous titles for children includingThe Wakening.Chris Riddell is the cocreator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles series, with Paul Stewart. He has illustrated many children's books, including the award-winningPirate Diary. He is also the political cartoonist for theGuardianandObservernewspapers.; Title: Edge Chronicles 5: The Last of the Sky Pirates (The Edge Chronicles) | [
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14,956 | 7 | School Library Journal review, October 2014:"Dougs childlike enthusiasm for helping while attempting and accomplishing new tasks is delightful. Yaccarino makes an excellent point: learning by doing as well as by studying makes for a well-rounded robot." Kirkus review, May 2014:"A fine farm story that doubles nicely as a lesson about experiential learning."DAN YACCARINO is an internationally acclaimed author-illustrator with more than 30 books to his credit. Dan is also the creator of the animated TV series Oswald and Willa's Wild Life, and he designed the characters for The Backyardigans.; Title: Doug Unplugs on the Farm | [
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14,957 | 1 | Ted Dewan is an award-winning creator of children’s books, whose first book won the Mother Goose Award (UK) in 1992. He was shortlisted for the Kurt Maschler Award (UK) in 1997 for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and the Kate Greenaway Award in 2001 for Crispin, the Pig Who Had It All. He lives in Oxford, England.; Title: Bing: Swing | [
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14,958 | 2 | Alicia Potter is the author of several picture books, including Mrs. Harkness and the Panda, which was a Cybils Award winner and was named an NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People. She lives in Boston, where she is a freelance writer and childrens book reviewer. As a former animal shelter foster mom, she has coaxed many a kitten out from under the bed. Birgitta Sif was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, and lived in and around Scandinavia and the United States while growing up. She is the author and illustrator of Oliver, a finalist for the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal for picture books in the United Kingdom. She currently lives in Sweden with her family.; Title: Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats | [
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14,959 | 10 | Charlie Small is a keen amateur explorer. His interests include swinging through jungles, cooking for pirates, and puppet skills. He is also rather handy with a cutlass, and can swim underwater without oxygen. Charlies current whereabouts are a matter of some speculation; however, his mother assures us that he will be home in time for tea.; Title: Charlie Small 4:The Daredevil Desperados of Destiny | [
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14,960 | 0 | Gr 46Henry Shipley and his family are going home to meet his father, a ship captain returning from his latest journey at sea. While aboard the train, Henry meets Ellie Strasbourg, who disappears shortly thereafter. With the help of Clarence Nockwood, the head train conductor, and Lantern Sam, a talking cat touted as the world's greatest detective since Sherlock Holmes, Henry sets out to discover what has happened to Ellie. One thing is for certain, someone on the train is trying to deceive them and it is up to the trio to break the case. Set aboard the Lake Erie Shoreliner passenger train in 1939, this historical mystery primarily takes place over just two days. Woven together with the main story line are chapters containing autobiographical tidbits about Lantern Sam's life, giving readers details about his backstory. Reluctant readers and fans of humorous tales and mysteries will enjoy this book. Teachers should add this to their list of classroom read-alouds as well.Stephanie Charlefour, Wixom Public Library, MI*Starred Review* In 1938, 10-year-old Henry and his mother board the Shoreliner express train, bound from New York to Chicago. Henry soon befriends Ellie (the lively, observant, and talkative daughter of his fathers wealthy boss); Clarence (the trains dependable conductor); and Clarences companion, Sam (a talking cat with adventures in his past and the ever-present hope of sardines in his future). When Ellie is kidnapped, Henry, Clarence, and Sam join forces to rescue her and get entangled in a jewelry heist along the way. The express train serves as both an intriguing, unusual period setting and as a classic mystery device, confining the suspects in one place for a defined time. The dual first-person narrative shifts between Henrys riveting account of the mysteries aboard the train and Sams equally absorbing autobiography, which features many narrow escapes from near-certain death. The distinctive voices of the earnest lad and the sardonic cat add welcome contrast as the focus shifts from one to the other. Beil is best known for writing The Red Blazer Girls (2009) and its sequels. With its swift pacing, suspense, and humor, his latest mystery is a fine choice for reading aloud or reading alone. Pair it with Kenneth Oppels historical railway epic The Boundless (2014). Grades 4-6. --Carolyn Phelan; Title: Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits | [
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14,961 | 7 | The idea of a race of little people (fairies) living secretly among us has had a powerful hold on the imaginations of writers from Shakespeare to Terry Pratchett and Eoin Colfer. In The Various, Steve Augarde has used this fascination brilliantly to craft the first novel of a trilogy full of breathless action and wonder. When twelve-year-old Midge is sent by her concert-violinist mother to spend the summer at the farm of her sweet but bungling Uncle Brian, her initial resentment gives way to delight in the freedom of exploring the countryside. When she discovers a tiny winged horse lying wounded in an outbuilding, she is awestruck to find out that he comes from a civilization of five various tribes of little people living in a nearby wood-something readers will have already learned from alternate chapters set in the fairy world. Disaster threatens when Uncle Brian plans to sell the wood to a developer, and Midge and her cousins find (to their own peril), that some of the little people are not as helpless as they seem. Steve Augarde draws on his visual and auditory skills as a BBC animator and picture book author/illustrator for vividly realized detail-the dumpy and addled fairy queen, the smells and moods of the English summer, the sharply differentiated accents and personalities of each of the five tribes-in an entrancing debut fantasy. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty CampbellGrade 5-7--In this inventive and unusual fantasy, Midge, 11, is staying on her uncle's farm while her violinist mother is on tour. She is drawn into a disused barn by the "sound" of words inside her head--the voice of a small winged horse, one of the fairy folk, or "the Various," as they call themselves. She becomes involved in their dramas and adventures as she tries to ensure that their Forest, which her uncle plans to sell to a developer, remains safe for them to live in. Augarde's fairies are very much of this world: concrete and well realized in all of their physical details, down to their tattered clothes made from scraps of fabric. The climactic scene is exciting, and the one in which one of the Various shoots an arrow into the gigantic and fierce farmyard cat and kills it is powerfully visceral. There is an air of contrivance in the story's resolution, however, as it is through events in the adult world of Midge's family that the Forest is saved. This is somewhat anticlimactic, as the efforts of the Various to save themselves turn out to have been unnecessary. Midge's character is clearly delineated, but other human characters are less well developed. The strength of the novel lies in the sense of atmosphere, and the portrayal of the fairy characters, particularly Pegs, the winged horse. There are plot elements that do not come to fruition, which might indicate that a sequel is planned.--Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: The Various | [
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14,962 | 1 | PreS-Children are taken on an entertaining, duck-led tour in springtime and given insight into the first day in the lives of eight diverse animals. The babies highlighted have distinct differences right from the start. Some are "only children," while others have many siblings. Some can walk immediately, others cannot. On each beautifully colored spread, the parent of five new ducklings at the book's beginning shows readers the differing capabilities of the other newborn offspring. Na's signature, intriguing illustrations are a delight to peruse with their handmade painterly textures and digitally generated layers. Creatures from Africa, Australia, the Arctic, and the ocean commingle happily and share in the joy of new life.-Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journal. LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.In this vibrant picture book, spring brings the birth of baby animals, beginning with noisy ducklings. One of the parent ducks leaves its mate and their hatchlings in the nest and goes off to observe other animal families throughout the day. The text draws contrasts between the baby animals shown in the pictures. Some have many siblings, while others have none. Some can walk, but others are carried. Some ride in their mothers pouch, others in their fathers. Some are furry, while others are scaly. Its all a bit fanciful, as the animals observed include zebras, sea horses, and polar bears. With just one sentence or phrase on each double-page spread, children can spend as much time as they like absorbing the content, searching for the duck in each picture, and enjoying the colorful springtime scenes. Defined by sweeping black lines, the forms of animals, trees, and plants appear in pleasingly varied compositions, enhanced by digitally collaged painted paper elements that add color, texture, and decorative patterns. A pleasant spring read-aloud choice. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan; Title: A Book of Babies | [
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14,963 | 2 | Kirkus review, August 2014:"A cliffhanger of a football novel bristling with social, personal, familial and ethical issues to complement the gridiron action.... All the goods for the sports enthusiastand more." Publishers Weekly review, August 2014:"[With] lots of play-by-play action, sensational plot developments, and an attractive, whip-smart, sports-crazy romantic interest . . . Feinstein skillfully captures the mania that surrounds high school football."VOYA review, October 2014:"The action is lively and well paced, with increasing tension as the team advances to single-elimination play-off games."JOHN FEINSTEIN is the author of many bestselling books, including A Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled. His books for young readers offer a winning combination of sports, action, and intrigue, with Last Shot receiving the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best young adult mystery of the year. He lives in Potomac, Maryland, and on Shelter Island, New York, with his family.; Title: The Walk On (The Triple Threat, 1) | [
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14,964 | 2 | Grade 2-4-Each member of the Quigley family is highlighted in one of four short chapters, with a fifth story about a neighbor's cat. Dad's Big Toe chronicles a nail polish fiasco; Lucy's Big Day shows how even the worst birthday party can be memorable. In Will's Big Effort, Mum invites a sick friend's unpleasant son to spend the weekend. Finally, the family goes to a fair where the fast and wild rides are no fun for her. Young readers may have trouble getting past the heavy British vocabulary; not many kids opt to play pass the parcel, make moustaches from a goat-skin purse, have ever eaten a chessboard sandwich, or would vote for rock-pooling. The chapter on Lucy's birthday party is totally unbelievable and goes on for too long. A marginal purchase.-Cheryl Ashton, Amherst Public Library, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 3-5. Sometimes compared with Beverly Cleary's Quimby family novels, the episodic adventures of the Quigleys continue in the fourth book of this British series. From the lead-off tale in which Lucy paints her sleeping father's toenails "purple and sparkly" to the last story, in which the neighbors' cat outsmarts the Quigleys, the book offers a wry, comical look at the human condition. Stephens' lively line drawings amplify the fun. A treat for independent readers new to full-length chapter books, this amusing book is also a fine choice for reading aloud. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The Quigleys in a Spin | [
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14,965 | 2 | Gr 35Rosie has had a very difficult year. That's what her fifth grade teacher writes in the comment section of her report card, and it's true. Until now, Rosie has lived a charmed existence with her doughnut shopowning, book-loving father and her very bad (but very lovable) dog, Augustus. But then one terrible day, her father has a stroke and Rosie is forced to live with her tough-as-nails, anchovy-eating grandfather. Things become even more unbearable when her estranged mother makes a quick trip from California to get Rosie's life in orderand gives away Rosie's beloved Augustus and won't reveal where she sent him. As Rosie embarks on a relentless quest in search of her BFF, she encounters obstacles (her prickly grandpa, her rickety and dangerous bicycle, and the swirling grit that blows through the sandpit-ridden town where she lives), with little help from others. But Rosie won't quit, and her journey takes her to unexpected places. Readers' hearts will ache along with Rosie's as she struggles to find not only her dog but also love and belonging in her harsh surroundings. The slow pace may test readers' patience. But where the novel may lag in plot, it makes up for in character, with a fleet of unforgettable personalities who both guide and thwart Rosie. VERDICT This heartfelt tale with a rewarding ending will appeal to young fans of Kate DiCamillo, Holly Goldberg Sloan, and Jennifer Holm. Recommended for libraries serving middle grade readers.Laura Lintz, Henrietta Public Library, Rochester, NY"Magnificent."KirkusReviewsstarred reviewPraise for Kimberly Newton Fuscos Beholding Bee: Fans of Kate DiCamillo, Jennifer Holm, and Polly Horvath will find this an enjoyable and engrossing read. School Library Journal [A] really terrific, hopeful story. . . . This could be my favorite middle-grade novel of [the year]. The Christian Science Monitor A modern twist on fairy godmothers [with] strong, supportive women who dont need to provide a Prince Charming to make dreams come true. The Horn Book; Title: Chasing Augustus | [
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14,966 | 1 | LEO LIONNI wrote and illustrated more than 40 picture books, including four Caldecott Honor booksInch by Inch, Swimmy, Frederick, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. He died in 1999 at the age of 89.; Title: What? | [
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14,967 | 2 | Gr 25The crime-fighting Lunch Lady has been canned by the dastardly new superintendent, and a slew of thugs have united to take over the school in her absence. The Breakfast Bunch, Lunch Lady, and her cohort Betty must team up in this final volume to save Thompson Brook School for good. The only downside to this book is that it's the last in the series. Fans will eat it up and still be hungry for more from the heroic Lunch Lady and her pals.JARRETT J. KROSOCZKA is the author and illustrator of eight other Lunch Lady graphic novels, as well as numerous popular picture books, including Ollie the Purple Elephant, Punk Farm, Punk Farm on Tour, Max for President, and Baghead.; Title: Lunch Lady and the Schoolwide Scuffle | [
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14,968 | 1 | LEO LIONNI wrote and illustrated more than 40 picture books, including four Caldecott Honor books—Inch by Inch, Swimmy, Frederick, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. He died in 1999 at the age of 89.; Title: Where? | [
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14,969 | 2 | K-Gr 2A wee white mouse has reading and typing skills that allow him to locate and return a series of missing objects on Offley Street. Hermelin (named for the cheese box in which he arrived), secretly leaves notes for the human residents, divulging locations of their misplaced treasures. When his message saves Baby McMumbo from the garbage truck, the residents throw a party in honor of their unknown benefactor. Then his identity is revealed, and their screaming departure banishes him to pest status. Luckily, young detective Emily admires his skills and offers him a partnership. This tale is rich in detail and plot. The cartoon drawings burst with witty features such as Hermelin's backpack. The hero's savvy and sweetness, along with Emily's pioneering, would make for fun sequels.Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA*Starred Review* This winning picture book opens with a scene of a tiny community of attached houses on Offley Street, where the residents and their pets are engaged in all sorts of activities simultaneously. Next, the narrator introduces himself. Hermelin, a charming white mouse, lives in an attic and enjoys typing messages on an upright typewriter. After reading on a notice board that his neighbors have lost a number of items, he quickly solves each case and also saves a baby from an untimely end. The residents gather to thank their unknown benefactor, but when the mouse appears, panic ensues. Downcast, Hermelin prepares to leave Offley Street, but a friendly neighbor offers him a better option. In both the precisely written text and the richly detailed mixed-media illustrations, this title offers a treasure trove of narratives, large and small. The colorful artwork is full of drama and inventive details, and while the double-page spreads are sometimes crowded, they are also dynamic, well structured, and satisfying. Some children will enjoy the challenge of solving the mini-mysteries using clues found in the illustrations, while others will be content to follow the adventures of the amiable mouse as his tale unfolds. An absorbing picture book with a small but worthy hero. Preschool-Grade 3. --Carolyn Phelan; Title: Hermelin the Detective Mouse | [
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14,970 | 7 | In this stirring conclusion to The Various (2004) and Celandine (2006),Midge and her family are movingto Mill Farm, where Midge cherishes a photograph of her great-aunt Celandine and wisps of memory of the Various, little winged folk, engaged in fierce disagreement over an ancient pair of artifacts, the Orbis and Touchstone. Midge discovers Celandine still alive in a local nursing home,where sheskept the all-but-forgotten Orbis.As thewee folk deal with wild passion and difficult politics, Midge tries to find aconnection with them. A tender love story between members of two rival Variousgroups makes a powerful and occasionally grim subplot. Grades 7-10. --GraceAnne A. DeCandidoStarred Review, Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2009"A perfectly paced, beautifully crafted and moving end to a memorable fantasy."; Title: Winter Wood: Book 3 in the Touchstone Trilogy | [] | Train |
14,971 | 0 | Gr 24A horse chestnut tree in the courtyard next to Anne Frank's secret annex serves as the focal point in this beautifully subtle picture book. Beginning with a quote from Anne's famous diary describing "the bare chestnut tree glistening with dew," the spare text and delicate illustrations create a moving and powerful ode to the tree that gave Anne comfort and hope during the years she and her family hid from the Nazis. Bearing witness to Anne's life in the annex, the tree serves as a fitting surrogate for readers, watching as Anne's story unfolds yet having no power to affect the outcome. Simple phrasing keeps the narrative poignant without becoming overly dramatic or sentimental. Mild anthropomorphizing gives the tree heart. Monochromatic illustrations rendered in brown ink are exquisitely detailed in fine lines and shading, conveying a solemn beauty befitting the book's subject. Additionally, the narrative choice to tell Anne's story through a series of moments deftly captures its pathos and importance, distinguishing this work from similar titlesJane Kohuth's Anne Frank's Chestnut Tree and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso's Anne Frank and the Remembering Tree. Details of Anne's arrest and death are presented in a brief yet thorough afterword, as is a list of the American locations where saplings from the chestnut tree have been planted in her honor. VERDICT A noteworthy and highly recommended introduction to a difficult and significant topic.Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library"Haunting and deeply affecting, this take on Anne Franks iconic storywill be one readers wont easily forget."Bookliststarred review[T]he spare text and delicate illustrations create a moving and powerful ode to the tree that gave Anne comfort and hope during the years she and her family hid from the NazisA noteworthy and highly recommended introduction to a difficult and significant topic.School Library Journalstarred review; Title: The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window | [
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14,972 | 7 | "Nichols infuses the story with a smattering of science fiction and science fact, while making a welcome departure from the stereotype of the book-smart outcast trying to fit in. These geeks own their intelligence like a badge of honor, using science to help a friend and explore strange new worlds. Riveting in its own right, the story sets the stage for a mirror-image sequel, which will follow the other Danny and Eevee." -- Publishers Weekly, STARREDAmy K. Nichols has been crafting stories for as long as she can remember. She is the author of YA science fiction novel Now That You're Here, to be published by Knopf December 9, 2014. The follow-up, While You Were Gone, will be published in 2015. She is mentored by award-winning crime novelist James Sallis and lives on the edge of the Sonoran desert with her husband and children. Amy is a member of SCBWI and SFWA, as well as the Class of 2K14 debut authors. Visit her online at amyknichols.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKNichols.; Title: Now That You're Here (Duplexity, Part I) | [
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14,973 | 1 | LEO LIONNI wrote and illustrated more than 40 picture books, including four Caldecott Honor booksInch by Inch, Swimmy, Frederick, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. He died in 1999 at the age of 89.; Title: When? | [
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14,974 | 6 | REBECCA KAI DOTLICH is a poet and picture book author whose work has been featured in numerous magazines, anthologies, and textbooks. Her books have received a number of awards including the Golden Kite Honor and a Bank Street Children's Book of the Year. She has two grown children and four grandchildren and lives in Indiana with her husband. Visit her at RebeccaKaiDotlich.com.MIKE LOWERY's work has been seen in galleries and publications internationally, and he is Professor of Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta. He is the illustrator of The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School (written by Laura Murray), Ribbit Rabbit (by Candace Ryan) and Dr. Proctor's Fart Powder (by Jo Nesbo). Mike lives in Atlanta with a lovely German frau named Katrin and his super-genius daughter, Allister. Visit him at ArgyleAcademy.com.; Title: All Aboard! | [
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14,975 | 7 | Grade 5-9The young sky-pirate Captain Twig has been sent on a quest by his father Cloud Wolf. To save his world, he must sever the Anchor Chain of the floating city Sanctaphraxhome to academics and alchemistsbefore the Mother Storm arrives to reseed Riverrise with her rain. Unfortunately, Twig's memory of his father's instructions is gone, and his crew is scattered. Accompanied by Cowlquape, a Sanctaphrax apprentice, he scours the lands below for his crew and clues to the memories he has lost. Midnight is peopled with complex characters like woodelves, who can read minds; and wigwigs, fuzzy, Tribblelike creatures that happen to be carnivorous. Riddell's illustrations perfectly complement Stewart's text, but could mistakenly lead those perusing the book to assume it is for younger readers. It is not. Violence occurs, and characters die, some deservedly, others not. Stewart tackles issues of slavery and class structure while still maintaining a good adventure story with a very Hobbit-like feel to it. Readers unfamiliar with the series will have no trouble following this story, but expect a demand for Beyond the Deepwoods and Stormchaser (both Random, 2004).Lisa Prolman, Greenfield Public Library, MA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 4-6. Twig, the young sky pilot first introduced in Beyond the Deepwoods [BKL Jl 04]^B steers his ship into a storm, through a treacherous weather vortex and beyond, where he finds his father and discovers what he must do to save his world, the Edge. In the violent aftermath of this meeting, his ship is blown apart, and his crew is blasted away like shooting stars. Twig loses not only the ship but also his memory of how to save his homeland. On a quest to find his crew, he befriends a sympathetic young scholar who joins him on his journey. Though at some points the book requires a monumental suspension of disbelief and a hearty appetite for words such as gasped and juddered, the action-oriented plot and fantastic world of this third volume in Chronicles of Edge will delight fans and entice new readers. Riddell again contributes skillful ink drawings. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Edge Chronicles 3: Midnight Over Sanctaphrax (The Edge Chronicles) | [
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14,976 | 7 | MARK HADDON is an author, illustrator, and screenwriter who has written 15 books for children and won two BAFTAs. His bestselling novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time was published simultaneously by Jonathan Cape and David Fickling in 2003 in the U.K. It won 17 literary prizes, including the Whitbread Award, and is an international bestseller. Mark Haddon lives in Oxford, England.I was on the balcony eating a sandwich. Red Leicester and gooseberry jam. I took a mouthful and chewed. It was good but not a patch on strawberry jam and Cheddar. That was my best yet.I spent a lot of time on the balcony. The flat was tiny. Sometimes it felt like living in a submarine. But the balcony was amazing. The wind. The sky. The light. You could see the 747s circling slowly in the stack, waiting for a space on the runway at Heathrow. You could watch police cars weaving their way through the tiny streets like toys, their sirens whooping.You could see the park too. And on this particular morning you could see, in the middle of the huge expanse of grass, a solitary man holding a metal box in his hands. Buzzing high above his head you could just make out a model helicopter, banking and swerving like a dragonfly.Dad has always been crazy about models. Trains, planes, tanks, vintage cars. But after he lost his job at the car factory it became the biggest thing in his life. To be fair, he was brilliant. Give him a brick and a rubber band and hed have it looping the loop before you could say, Chocks away! But it didnt seem right somehow. It was a hobby for little boys and weird blokes who still lived with their mums.A flock of pigeons clattered past and I heard the sound of a familiar motorbike engine. I looked down and saw Craterfaces large black Moto Guzzi turn into the estate car park. My darling sister, Becky, was on the seat behind him, a grimy leather jacket over her school uniform.She was sixteen. I could remember the time, only a couple of years back, when she tied her hair in bunches and had pony posters on her bedroom wall. Then something went badly wrong in her brain. She started listening to death metal and stopped washing her armpits.She met Craterface at a gig six months ago. He was nineteen. He had long greasy hair and enormous sideburns with bits of breakfast stuck in them. When he was younger he had spots. Theyd gone now, but theyd left these holes behind. Hence the nickname. His face looked like the surface of the moon.He had the brain of a toilet brush. Mum, Dad and I were in complete agreement about this. Becky, however, thought he was Gods Gift to Women. Why she fancied him, I havent a clue. Perhaps he was the only person who could stand her armpits.The bike rumbled to a halt ten storeys below and I experienced a moment of utter madness. Without thinking, I peeled off half my sandwich, leaned out and let go. I realized almost immediately that I had done a very, very stupid thing. If it hit them I would be murdered.The slice wobbled and flipped and veered left and veered right. Craterface turned off the engine, got off the bike, removed his helmet and looked up towards the flat. I felt sick.The slice hit him in the face and stuck, jammy side down. For a couple of seconds Craterface just stood there, absolutely motionless, the slice of bread sitting there like a face pack. Becky was standing beside him, looking up at me. She was not a happy bunny.Now, normally you cant hear much from the balcony, on account of the traffic. But when Craterface tore the sandwich off and roared, I think they probably heard him in Japan.He stormed towards the doors but Becky grabbed his wrist and dragged him to a halt. She wasnt worried about me. Shed have quite liked him to kill me. Just not in the flat. Because that would get her into trouble.Craterface finally saw sense. He waved his fist and shouted, Youre dead, scum! climbed onto the Moto Guzzi and thundered away in a gust of dirty grey fumes.Becky turned and strode towards the door. I looked down at the rest of my sandwich and realized that I no longer felt very hungry. There was no one in the car park now so I dropped this half too, and watched it wobble and flip and veer and land neatly beside the first slice.At which point the balcony door was kicked open. I said, It was an accident, but Becky screamed, You little toad! and hit me really hard on the side of the head, which hurt quite a lot.For a couple of seconds everything went double. I could see two Beckys and two balconies and two rubber plants. I didnt cry, because if I cried Becky would call me a baby, which was worse than being hit. So I hung onto the rail until the pain died down and there was only one Becky again.What did you do that for? I asked. It didnt land on you. It landed on Craterface.She narrowed her eyes. You are so lucky he didnt come up here and hit you himself.She was right, really. Craterface had a black belt in kung fu. He could kill people with his ears.And another thing, she hissed. His name is Terry.Actually, Ive heard his name is Florian. He just pretends to be called Terry. I stepped backwards to avoid the second punch but it never came. Instead, Becky went very quiet, leaned against the railing and nodded slowly. That reminds me, she said, in a sinisterly pleasant way. Theres something Ive been meaning to tell you.What?Amy and I were in the staff room the other day, talking to Mrs Cottingham. Becky took a packet of cigarettes from the pocket of her leather jacket and lit one very slowly, as if she were in a black and white film.Smokings bad for you, I said.Shut your ugly mouth and listen. She sucked in a lungful of smoke. We overheard Mr Kidd talking about you.What was he saying?Bad things, Jimbo. Bad things. This had to be a wind-up. But she wasnt smiling. And it didnt sound like a wind-up.What bad things? I pulled nervously at the rubber plant and one of the leaves came off in my hand.That youre lazy. That youre a nuisance.Youre lying. I slid the leaf of the rubber plant down the back of the deckchair.According to Mr Kidd your work is rubbish. According to Mr Kidd and this is the really good bit theyre thinking of sending you to that school in Fenham. You know, that special place for kids with problems. She blew a smoke ring.Thats not true. I felt giddy. They cant do that.Apparently they can. She nodded. Jodies brother got sent there. She stubbed out her cigarette in one of the plant pots and flicked it over the railing. Jodie said its like a zoo. You know, bars on the windows, kids howling all the time.The glass door slid open and Mum stepped out onto the balcony holding one of her shoes in her hand.Hello, you two, she said, wiping the sole of the shoe with a wet cloth. Honestly, the mess on this estate. I just trod on a half-eaten sandwich, of all things.I turned round so that Mum couldnt see my face, and as I did so I saw, in the distance, Dads helicopter clip the top of a tree, burst into flames, spiral downwards and land in the gravel of the dog toilet, scaring the living daylights out of a large Dalmatian.Dad threw the control box to the ground and lay facedown on the grass, hammering it with his fists.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Boom! | [
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14,977 | 10 | In this sequel to Curse of the Night Wolf (2008), Barnaby the tick-tock lad (messenger) resumes his adventures as a highstacker (traveler by rooftops rather than roads) in an unnamed city resembling Victorian London. His new friend, Mei Ling, teaches him a seemingly magical martial art, which comes in handy when he challenges evil Catincatapetl, the feared and revered god of an ancient jungle civilization. Riddells full-page ink drawings and small silhouettes add great visual appeal. The second book in the Barnaby Grimes series, this will please readers with a taste for bloodthirsty adventures and a tolerance for unlikely story lines. Grades 4-6. --Carolyn PhelanPAUL STEWART is a highly regarded author of books for young readers and is most notably co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles and the Far-Flung Adventures. He lives in Bristol, England.About the IllustratorCHRIS RIDDELL, co-creator of the Edge Chronicles and the Far-Flung Adventures, is an award-winning illustrator and political cartoonist. He lives with his family in Bristol, England.From the Trade Paperback edition.; Title: Barnaby Grimes: Return of the Emerald Skull | [
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14,978 | 2 | Matthew Cody is the author of several popular books, including the Supers of Nobles Green trilogy: Powerless, Super, and Villainous. He is also the author of Will in Scarlet and The Dead Gentleman. Originally from the Midwest, he now lives with his wife and son in Manhattan. You can visit him on the Web at matthewcody.com.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Villainous (Supers of Noble's Green) | [
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14,979 | 2 | PreS-Gr 2Meet the Frog family: Mommy, Daddy, and Little Frog. It is just the three of them until Little Frog learns that he is about to become a big brother to nine tadpoles. When his siblings arrive, they can't jump, play the drums, or do much of anything except take up mom and dad's time and attention. His parents are too busy with the babies to read The Frog Prince at bedtime, or give goodnight kisses. Daddy reminds his son that one day soon the tadpoles will become frogs. Indeed, Little Frog discovers that as the tadpoles mature, they can be good playmates and do lots of fun things. Feeney uses whimsical line drawings with an ample amount of white space. The frogs' squarish features are amusing. Although the plot is not terribly strong, and the characters not as charming as the animals in Small Bunny's Blue Blanket (Knopf, 2012), parents will appreciate the positive message about welcoming new siblings into the family.Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CAA happy frog family of three lives together contentedlyand Little Frog likes it that way. One day Mommy and Daddy tell Little Frog that he is going to be a big brother to not one, not two, but to NINE baby tadpoles. The young amphibian is not impressed, especially since the siblings cant do anythingthey cant play the drums, or build a tower, or even jump. Furthermore, they take up all of Mommy and Daddys time, with bedtime stories, baths, and care giving. Soon enough the tadpoles grow into little frogs, and in a humorous sideways double-spread page, they prove to be quite adept at building tall towers. White backgrounds and simple line-and-wash drawings in greens and pinks showcase Feeneys charming square froggies, who are full of personality. Subtle distinctions between boy and girl frogs are the dots on their tummies three green ones for the boys and two green and one pink for the girls. A reassuring last page shows how Little Frog is the best big brother to them all. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Lolly Gepson; Title: Little Frog's Tadpole Trouble | [
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14,980 | 13 | Reviewed with Dewan's Bing: Get Dressed.PreS. It's hard to know what's more fun here, the computer-collage art or the satisfying way Dewan captures a child's world. The child is bunny-boy Bing. In Get Dressed, he and stuffed animal Flop awake, and Flop starts facilitating the dressing with comments every parent will recognize: take off the pajamas; can you put the shirt on by yourself? Bing gets a "good for you" as he completes each layer, but alas, when he's all dressed he wets himself and the process begins again. In Paint Day, a splash of each color helps Bing paint all sorts of nice pictures (with some parental advice from Flop), until a spill makes all the colors mush together. With eye-catching illustrations in neon-bright hues, these small books will easily attract children, and their easy-going message--messes sometimes happen--will reassure them. Each book ends with the phrase, "It's a Bing thing," but it's every kid's thing, too. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reservedFor all their simplicity, these easygoing books closely observe childrens everyday activities and let readers know that ordinary mishaps are bound to occur.Publishers Weekly, Starred; Title: Bing: Paint Day (Bing Bunny) | [
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14,981 | 2 | Toddler-PreSIn this book, Penfold humorously presents the demanding schedule of an infant. As the title suggests, this mostly consists of eating, sleeping, and pooping, although sometimes sleep is "cut back," leading to a few illustrations of a cranky baby. The book concludes by repeating the refrain, "Eat, Sleep, Poop," but adds at the end "Love," showcasing the baby's family lovingly embracing their young child. Told from the first-person perspective of the baby, this sweet, simple, and droll story will be especially appreciated by young readers with newborn siblings. The baby's gender is never explicitly identified, making it easier for readers to relate the tale to their own families. Massey's illustrations, which were created using pencil and gouache, are soft and detailed, capturing the warm tone of the text and the book's cute and cuddly narrator. Although "poop" is one of the main things baby does during the day, there isn't any potty humor, nor are there any illustrated depictions, as Massey subtly implies the occurrence, most often by drawing family members' reactions when they notice the smell of a stinky diaper; young readers, however, may still giggle at the word as it is repeated several times throughout. VERDICT While children with younger siblings and parents of newborns may get the most amusement from this book, other readers are still likely to enjoy this endearing offering and its gentle humor.Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NYAlexandra Penfold has been working in publishing for over a decade as a children’s book editor and as an agent. She’s the co-author of New York a la Cart: Recipes and Stories from the Big Apple’s Best Food Trucks, and makes her picture-book debut with Eat, Sleep, Poop. Alexandra lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.   Jane Massey studied graphic design at Kingston University and worked for design agencies in London and Hong Kong. She is also known for her illustration work on packaging, advertising, and greeting cards. She lives on the southern coast of England with her family.; Title: Eat, Sleep, Poop | [
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14,982 | 16 | PreSTwo toddlers play at the beach while their mothers lounge nearby reading. After unloading the car and setting up their chairs and umbrella, the moms allow the sun suit-clad girl and boy to take their pail and shovels to the shore. The first "Uh-oh!" happens when the girl's oversized spectacles slip off her face and into a puddle. The boy pushes his tippy cup into a mound of sand, and the children add the glasses and other embellishments to make a sand castle face. Small adventures involving a seagull, collecting shells, the wind blowing off the boy's hat, a wayward crab, a slide, and finally a big wave that splashes over the friends elicit more "Uh-ohs." This essentially wordless story is illustrated with smudgy looking pencil sketches colored digitally in soft pastel shades. Lots of white space surrounds the episodic drawings. Although nothing dramatic happens, this easy-to-follow story offers a pleasant recollection of a simple day at the beach.Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CTShutta Crums first nearly wordless picture book, Mine!, also illustrated by Patrice Barton and starring the same children, was called a delightful example of the drama and emotion that a nearly wordless book can convey by the New York Times. Her other books include Bravest of the Brave and Thomas and the Dragon Queen. Learn more about Shutta at shuttacrum.com. Patrice Barton has illustrated many picture books, including I Pledge Allegiance by Pat Mora and Libby Martinez, Rosie Sprouts Time to Shine by Allison Wortche, I Like Old Clothes by Mary Ann Hoberman, and, of course, Mine! You can find out more about Patrice at patricebarton.com.; Title: Uh-Oh! | [
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14,983 | 15 | Starred Review, School Library Journal, February 1, 2012:The book will raise readers awareness of backyard food chains and encourage some students to try gardening themselves.Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2011:"Zoehfelds latest is a wonderfully informative and enjoyable journey through one familys backyard garden, from spring planting to fall harvest. Covering a dazzling array of topics, the author still manages to hold onto a story line that will draw readers in and allow them to experience both the good and the bad right along with narrator Alice. Sure to become a standard go-to for elementary teachers and gardeners alike, this is bound to spark some backyard explorations."Booklist, March 15, 2012:"A natural for young gardeners, this picture book is also an appealingaddition to classroom units on food chains."Publishers Weekly, January 9, 2012:"Filled with humorous, cozy, and informative details. This intimate portrait of a single garden points to how all ecosystems are connected."KATHLEEN WEIDNER ZOEHFELD was a children's book editor for more than 10 years before becoming a full-time writer. She has published more than 60 books for children, most about animals and natural history.PRISCILLA LAMONT has illustrated dozens of books, including the Animal Rescue Team books by Sue Stauffacher, and Goose and Duck by Jean Craighead George. Whether drawing human or animal characters, Priscilla always likes to include some humor.; Title: Secrets of the Garden: Food Chains and the Food Web in Our Backyard | [
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14,984 | 2 | PreS-Gr 2-Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with superpowers or get bitten by a radioactive spider and develop abilities overnight. Fear not! Just use the Superhero Instruction Manual and you can be a superhero in seven easy steps. While the first six steps (pick a name, pick a sidekick, craft a super disguise, secure a secret hideout, choose a superpower, and store up super energy) might be really easy, step number seven (save the world) isn't as doable as the manual says. It turns out that sometimes even superheroes need help. Colorful illustrations and a playful layout make this book a fun experience. The illustrations are a good mix of cartoonish styles typically found in picture books. There's also a homage to actual comic books. Where it falls flat is the text. While the idea is appealing to children who love superheroes, the tips are a little bland and lack the necessary oomph to make them really super. The ending, too, is a little uninspired. After the main character ignores his little sister in favor of his dog and messes up his attempt at saving the world, she proves that she is super by setting everything right. VERDICT While this message is lovely, the theme of sibling relationships has been done better in other picture books. A supplemental purchase.-Paige Garrison, Augusta Richmond County Library System, GA(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted."This funny, spirited exploration of superhero culture sans violence and with an added dose of familial love is a powerful addition to any bookshelf." Kirkus Reviews"This romp should inspirewannabe superheroeswhile also making a case for little sisters." Booklist; Title: Superhero Instruction Manual | [
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14,985 | 15 | LEO LIONNI wrote and illustrated more than 40 picture books, including four Caldecott Honor booksInch by Inch, Swimmy, Frederick, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. He died in 1999 at the age of 89.; Title: Who? | [
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14,986 | 2 | K-Gr 2Duncan the dragon loves reading. At least, he thinks he does. He can never quite get to the end of the book because his imagination sets them on fireliterally. Filled with longing to reach "The End," Duncan asks numerous woodland critters to read to him, but no one will take up his offer. Finally, a mouse who loves stories reads to Duncan and he experiences a satisfying ending, which, as the book points out, is "only the beginning." The cartoonlike illustrations add humor (Duncan in an ice bath with melted soaps to cool his imagination flame) and action (sailing on the high seas, surrounded by aliens, etc.). VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries in need of more picture books about the joy of reading.Brittany Staszak, St. Charles Public Library, IL"The vivid colors, expressive faces, and comic details make this one likely to be a storytime hit.Like the last sip of a chocolate milkshake, its very satisfying."--Kirkus Reviews; Title: Duncan the Story Dragon | [
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14,987 | 1 | LEO LIONNI wrote and illustrated more than 40 picture books, including four Caldecott Honor booksInch by Inch, Swimmy, Frederick, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. He died in 1999 at the age of 89.; Title: Swimmy 50th Anniversary Edition | [
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14,988 | 2 | K-Gr 2Little Bunny has 10 rules about how to be a super awesome ninja with the most important one being that a super awesome ninja must work alone. But when a bear comes rumbling in and challenges Little Bunny, he learns a valuable lesson that all super awesome ninjas need to knowthe value of having super awesome friends. Complemented by ink and watercolor illustrations, the text consists of Ninja Bunny's various rules. Readers watch Little Bunny master the art of invisibility (by hiding behind a bush), create ninja weapons (out of carrots), and learn the art of flying (by falling out of a tree). Children will love reading about Little Bunny's adventures. VERDICT A fun addition, especially where ninjas are popular.Paige Garrison, Aurora Central Public Library, CO"Marvelous simplicity. . . Ninja Bunny is unique among books of its genre . . . in welcome and wonderful ways." --Examiner.com "Sweetly humorous fun for readers working on their own 'hi-yahs.'" --Publishers Weekly "Gorgeous illustrations add a level of humor and whimsy. . . . Ninja Bunny is sure to delight young warriors of all stripes." --New York Journal of Books; Title: Ninja Bunny | [
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14,989 | 7 | Gr 8 UpA sequel to Now That You're Here (Knopf, 2014) that reflects what happens in the parallel universe from which the original Danny dropped in. Danny is living his miserable life in the Phoenix desert when the unthinkable happens: he is dropped into a parallel universe where his parents are alive, he has friends, and girls are always after him. In this alternate universe, also known as Phoenix, there is no more desert, no California, and no privacy. The government surveillance system, known as Spectrum, keeps close tabs on the citizens yet rebellion still exists. To combat this, the government introduces Skylar, an even more intrusive personal-surveillance system. With the help of the governor's daughter Eevee, Danny and his friends attempt to break the system, but the other Danny keeps trying to break through and take his place back home. Told in alternating perspectives, Danny and Eevee learn more about each other and themselves as the government mystery unravels. Nichols is clever in reimagining characters in the alternate universe, keeping readers entertained throughout. A great modern-day science fiction novel for fans of time travel or the television show Fringe. VERDICT A fun great back-to-school series to introduce to students as they think about where else they could be and what their lives might be like elsewhere.Stephanie DeVincentis, Downers Grove North High School, IL"Tense and exciting . . . Danny and Eevee have off-the-charts chemistry." Kirkus Reviews"The sci-fi backstory adds a thought-provoking undercurrent to a sweet love story that revolves around larger societal issues." Booklist; Title: While You Were Gone (Duplexity, Part II) | [
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14,990 | 2 | Praise for The Peddlers Road: The Peddlers Road begins as a creepy fairy talemystery and then explodes into a wild fantasy adventure. . . . Cody has begun what promises to be an epic trilogy. Adam Gidwitz, New York Times bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm and The Inquisitors Tale Prepare to be enchanted. Like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Cody spins a wildly inventive, deeply heartfelt tale that whisks you off to a magical land where fairy tales live and breatheand frequently try to kill you. From the first page, I was a goner. John Stephens, New York Times bestselling author of The Emerald AtlasMATTHEW CODY is the author of Villainous, Powerless, Super, The Dead Gentleman, and Will in Scarlet. Originally from the Midwest, he now lives in New York City with his wife and young son. Besides novels, Matt has written for both DC Comics and Marvel, and is a regular moderator at the Thalia Book Club camp at Symphony Space. Find out more at matthewcody.com or @matthew_cody.; Title: The Secrets of the Pied Piper 3: The Piper's Apprentice | [
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14,991 | 2 | PreS-Gr 2When a family of ducks welcomes a bear into their home, they don't consider the size of his body. "Things were always a little crowded," especially at bedtime (he sleeps on the roof) and mealtimes (his feet hang out the front window when he eats). But both the large and the small animals in this story have big hearts, so they persevere through a few hardships and sacrifice a few comforts until they find a solution that suits one and all. Gavin's plump characters are an endearing bunch. The watercolor and pencil scenes include familiar furnishings and warm colors that will make readers feel right at home. The story also lends itself to discussions about family diversity.Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada"...[E]ndearing...the sweetly compact sentences move the story along at a rhythmic, readaloud-perfect pacing...Fans of Beckers Bear and Mouse books will find a new ursine friend (with bonus ducklings!) here."Bulletinstarred review; Title: Room for Bear | [
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14,992 | 0 | Grade 58Barnaby Grimes is a tick-tock lad-an all-purpose messenger whose "highstacking" route carries him rapidly over the city's rooftops. He is suspicious when retired coachman Old Benjamin tells him about a miraculous cure offered free by Doctor Cadwallader. Then Benjamin vanishes mysteriously, and that same full-moon night, Barnaby is attacked by a vicious, wolflike animal. After intercepting a tardy message to Benjamin about keeping a now-missed appointment, Barnaby visits the doctor, thinking the man might need a more reliable delivery service, especially since a missed treatment could result in "side effects of the most unfortunate kind." Sure enough, Cadwallader hires Barnaby to take similar notes to other patients, all poor, lonely people who disappear soon after. What is the sinister doctor up toand what is his relationship with the owner of a fashionable fur salon? The setting resembles Sherlock Holmes's London as seen in a shadowed, slightly warped mirror. There are hansom cabs, high-gabled row houses, and foul rat-infested slums, but mad scientists hold sway and fiendish creatures lurk in odd corners. Eerie, angular black-and-white drawings complement the atmospheric text. Fans of the macabre will enjoy this first entry in a series by the "The Edge Chronicles" (Random) creators.Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Stewart and Riddell, the team behind the popular Edge Chronicles, introduce a new series and hero in this shivery mystery-horror hybrid, the first in the Barnaby Grimes series. Barnaby is a tick-tock lad (a sort of messenger) who is happiest traipsing abouthis Londonesque city in a manner known as highstacking: leaping from gutter to gable, pillar to pedimentroof to roofwith the arrogant agility of a courting tomcat. During a jaunt about town on a full moon he runs afoul of a vicious wolflike creature, an encounter that leads him to a suspiciously benevolent doctor administering a special tonic to a select group of poor, infirm, and forgotten wretches. Moody, highly detailed pen-and-ink drawings provide ornamentation throughout, lending a classic Victorian feel to help punctuate the drama. Possessing an easy confidence and quick wit, outfitted with a swordstick and stovepipe hat, and nimble as the wind, Barnaby is an appealing character sure to draw readers back to the next installment, due next spring, of what promises to be a rousingseries. Grades 4-7. --Ian Chipman; Title: Barnaby Grimes: Curse of the Night Wolf | [
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14,993 | 15 | Maxwell Eaton III grew up in Vermont, where he spent his childhood climbing trees, damming streams, and spying on unsuspecting cows. He now creates childrens books in Tucson, Arizona, where the trees cant be climbed and the streams run dry, but the cows are still relatively unsuspecting. He is the author and illustrator of the Adventures of Max and Pinky series, Two Dumb Ducks, and the Flying Beaver Brothers series.; Title: The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Crazy Critter Race | [
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14,994 | 2 | Praise for Ninja Bunny: Sweetly humorous fun. Publishers Weekly Gorgeous illustrations add a level of humor and whimsy. . . . Ninja Bunny is sure to delight young warriors of all stripes. New York Journal of Books Marvelous simplicity. Examiner.com Funny and full of motion. Kirkus ReviewsJennifer Gray Olson is the creator of Ninja Bunny and Ninja Bunny: Sister vs. Brother. She is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where she earned her bachelor of arts degree in art education. Her love of creating funny and offbeat characters, and the worlds in which they live, led her to illustrating. She lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. To find out more, please visit her at JenniferGrayOlson.com or find her on Instagram or Twitter at @jgrayolson, or on Tumblr at JenniferGrayOlson.tumblr.com.; Title: Me and Mr. Fluffernutter | [
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14,995 | 2 | PreS-Gr 2In a companion to Reagan's How to Babysit a Grandpa (Knopf, 2012), a young girl heads over to her grandma's house for a sleepover babysitting session-with the child providing clear and humorous instructions to readers on how to care for a grandma. The to-do list contains many choices for Grandma to select from, including a walk to the park, reading, taking photos, playing dress-up, and adding sugary sprinkles to her meal items. The child wisely allows plenty of time for Grandma to look at the pages while reading a book, peek at the stars, and choose the best spot to sleep. Any grown-up who has calmly been the object of a child's flights of fancy will chuckle at the scenarios, as Grandma, never mugging or rolling her eyes, participates fully and patiently in all of her granddaughter's ideas. The full-color digital art is bright, and sharp-eyed children will delight in the details, including the silly antics of Grandma's dog. While this book breaks no new ground, the charm of its premise and the clear bond between the generations will have kids and grandparents giggling together.Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WIIn this companion to How to Babysit a Grandpa (2012), Reagan offers a fun, relatable story about the qualities of being a good babysitter, told from the perspective of a little girl who is spending quality time with her grandmother. From the illustrations, which resemble Polaroid snapshots of their visit together, to the many checklists that the little girl jots down, such as How to Keep Grandma Busy and How to Say Good-Bye to Grandma, the story celebrates family connectionsand successful babysitting experiences. The how-to format, which Reagan highlights in the narrators bubbly handwriting, creates a lively framework, but its the bright, energetic mixed-media illustrations that convey the action and create the sense of story and character. Particularly clear in an evening scene as the girl and her grandma observe the stars in the purplish night sky, the mood of kindness, love, and togetherness comes through on every page. Grades K-3. --Annie Miller; Title: How to Babysit a Grandma (How To...relationships) | [
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14,996 | 13 | Gr 13This series excels at giving advancing readers challenges while building on the vocabulary learned earlier, and this title about a young orphan from war-torn Sierra Leone who follows her dream of becoming a ballerina is no exception. Michaela dePrince describes how she was sent to an orphanage after her parents died. Later, she and the other girls at her orphanage left the country for the United States, where an American couple adopted both Michaela and her best friend, Mia. Michaela's adoptive mother (Elaine dePrince, the coauthor) arranged for the girl to take ballet lessons, and she was an eager student. After years of training, her dream came true, and she became a professional ballerina. This exciting, accessible tale includes large text, with a pronunciation guide for the ballet terms, such as barre or port de bras, and simple drawings to depict dance positions. A good balance between text and the painterly illustrations will draw readers in. Actual photos of Michaela and her family were included as well. An engaging story of triumph, ideal for novice readers.Janene Corbin, Rosebank Elementary School, Nashville, TN"An engaging story of triumph, ideal for novice readers." School Library Journal"A title sure to attract ballet aficionados, with added appeal for its depiction of an adoptive family and a ballerina who just happens to be black."--Kirkus Reviews; Title: Ballerina Dreams: From Orphan to Dancer (Step Into Reading, Step 4) | [
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14,997 | 0 | Gr 47As this lively, fast-paced novel attests, the streets of late 19th-century New York City were especially cruel to young immigrants trying to improve their chances of upward mobility. Eleven-year-old Rocco, newly arrived in New York after a misunderstanding caused by an obstinate donkey, is sold to a cruel and miserly padrone who sends "his" group of children to perform as street musicians. Anxious to fill his hungry belly and escape his wretched living conditions, Rocco joins a group of pickpockets, and although he's increasingly uncomfortable about taking people's money, he's able to justify his actions until he meets Meddlin' Mary, a young Irish girl who, with her father, is devoted to caring for the city's mistreated and overworked horses. Through his encounter with Mary and her father, Rocco is immersed in a new world, and he meets historical figures, including Jacob Riis, who were instrumental in social reform movements dedicated to improving the lives of children and animals. In a picaresque style, Rocco narrates his own journey from a street bandit to a prison escapee and ultimately to a young man dedicated to improving the lives of other immigrants. VERDICT A strong choice for fans of Rodman Philbrick's The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (Scholastic, 2009) and those who enjoy adventures about scrappy and resourceful kids who have to rely on their own smarts and the kindness of strangers to change their lives.Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA"A strong choice for fans of Rodman Philbricks The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (Scholastic, 2009) and those who enjoy adventures about scrappy and resourceful kids who have to rely on their own smarts and the kindness of strangers to change their lives."School Library Journalstarred review"A dynamic historical novel ideal for both classroom studies and pleasure reading."Publishers Weeklystarred review; Title: A Bandit's Tale: The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket | [
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14,998 | 13 | Starred review,Publishers Weekly, August 11, 2014:"A compelling narrative . . . The books strong thread is Michaelas lifelong passion for ballet and her candid depiction of the physical and emotional struggles of becoming a black classical ballerina. There is plenty of ballet detail for dance lovers to revel in, and the authors achieve a believable, distinctive teenage voice with a nice touch of lyrical description.""Readers will find her life story gripping whether or not they are dance fans...the heart of the journey resonates in this mother/daughter collaboration.A revealing and absorbing journey through dance classes and competitions to success."Kirkus ReviewsFrom her earliest days as an orphan in Sierra Leone to the stages of world-renowned theaters, Michaelas incredible determination to not only survive, but triumph in the face of unthinkable adversity is an inspiration to anyone who has fought for a dream. Her grace and strength bleed through in each of her breathtaking performances. This is a story of great courage that all womenyoung and oldshould read. Tina Brown Extraordinarily written. Hardship ads to the strength of the people and artists we become and Michaela is nothing short of a miracle, born to be a ballerina. For every young brown, yellow, and purple dancer, she is an inspiration! Misty Copeland, world-renowned ballet dancerFrom the Hardcover edition.Michaela DePrince graduated from the American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis school in New York, and is a dancer with the Dutch National Ballet. She travels between Amsterdam and New York City, where she lives with her family.From the Hardcover edition.; Title: Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina | [
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14,999 | 0 | "A delicate fantasy about friendship, illustrated with bold, sumptuous collages." The New York Times"Eye-catching, boldly colored collages illustrate this classic 'grass is always greener' story in which a live mouse is envious of his mechanical counterpart." BooklistLEO LIONNI wrote and illustrated more than 40 picture books, including four Caldecott Honor books: Inch by Inch, Swimmy, Frederick, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. He died in 1999 at the age of 89.; Title: Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse (Step Into Reading, Step 3) | [
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5611,
6722,
6740,
6989,
8539,
8561,
8608,
8684,
9563,
10059,
10139,
10269,
10807,
12690,
12714,
12805,
12884,
13055,
13475,
13512,
13627,
13704,
13723,
13759,
13866,
13890... | Train |
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