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16,100 | 2 | Grade 1-5Where's the angels? Where's the love? This is the haunting refrain underscoring this fictional account based on a newspaper story about an old man who found a newborn in a Los Angeles Dumpster. Johnston's lyrical, free-verse narrative describes how Joseph, an African American, hears a whimper frail as life and discovers a Mexican infant. Joseph seeks help from neighbors to unlock the mysteries of baby care and to learn Mexican songs and recipes while sharing the tales and flavors of his own heritage. The bond between him and Juan deepens over time and their traditions mingle. When the child is six, they plant corn in a vacant lot and he makes friends with another boy, Chucho. Then Chucho is shot and dies. While the love Joseph wonders about is recognized and felt, so is the loss. The comfort of his affection and the beauty of nature shine through Byard's impressionistic acrylics, helping to mitigate the challenging (and unfortunately, believable) circumstances. Father and infant son are bathed in lamplight, as Joseph's tender gaze and large brown arms cradle the lighter-skinned baby. The dawn glows with swirling peach strokes and soothing lavenders amid homelessness and bullet-marked walls. Those seeking stories depicting nontraditional families or realistic tales of urban life will find a poignant portrait within these pages.Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 2-4. In the broken streets of Los Angeles, elderly Joseph finds a baby in a dumpster and brings him home to raise--his "gift from God." In moving lines that read like free-verse poetry, Johnston describes how man and boy become a family. The survival struggle is clear and heartbreaking: "Will I get to grow up?" nine-year-old Juan asks after his best friend is killed by a stray bullet. The luxuriant field of corn that Juan and Joseph grow in a vacant lot is a symbol of hope, but children will be most reassured by the obvious, unwavering love between man and child. Johnston's language frequently invokes God and also includes one curse: "The old man has promised to raise that baby. / Damned if he won't." Byard's feathery acrylics extend the sense of fierce love and even religious symbolism in scenes of Joseph cradling the swaddled infant and, later, the growing boy. For more powerful views of growing up in urban violence, suggest Eve Bunting's Smoky Night (1994) and Barbara Joosse's Stars in the Darkness (2002). Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Angel City | [
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16,101 | 13 | Grade 1-4-Mirette and Bellini are stateside in this adventure. Readers meet the duo on deck of the SS Magnifique bound for New York, where the famous wire walkers intend to cross Niagara Falls. On board, they befriend a Polish orphan who is traveling in steerage. Upon their arrival at Ellis Island, Bellini and Mirette try to shepherd young Jakob through the complex, intimidating immigration process. When he is threatened with deportation because his uncle is not there to meet him, Bellini steps in and identifies the boy as his assistant. The three travel to Niagara Falls and are soon swept up in the carnival atmosphere surrounding another boastful performer named Patch who has issued a challenge to Mirette and Bellini. As the day of the wire-walking duel dawns, Jakob observes that Patch is intending to ride a bicycle across the falls, a feat that looks quite daring, but is not since the bicycle is actually attached to the wire. Just after the boy makes this discovery, he sees one of Patch's cohorts tampering with his friends' wire. McCully's luminous watercolor-and-pastel portraits dramatize the thrilling sequence of events masterfully. Historical details from turn-of-the-century America conveyed by both the text and illustrations make this title useful for social studies as well as literature curricula.Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4-8. McCully, whose Mirette on the High Wire was awarded the 1993 Caldecott Medal, is back in winning form with the third adventure showcasing Mirette in the heroic role of high-wire walker. This time, the young girl and her guardian, Bellini, journey to New York to fulfill the promise to cross Niagara Falls on a wire made at the end of Starring Mirette and Bellini (1997). McCully's depiction of the ocean crossing on an opulent liner, with Mirette practicing wire walking on a windswept deck surrounded by well-dressed passengers, is as intriguing as the daring Niagara Falls stunt. On the boat, Mirette befriends Jakob, a young Polish orphan from steerage, who is later instrumental in saving Mirette and Bellini. The dangers of the stunt are heightened by Mirette's determination to stand on Bellini's shoulders, and by the machinations of a rival wire walker who tampers with Bellini's wire. The climax is truly heart stopping. The story (based on an actual incident involving nineteenth-century daredevil Blondin, the model for Bellini) is gripping, the friendship theme is well developed, and the watercolor-and-pastel illustrations are breathtaking, whether depicting the luxury ship, the Great Hall at Ellis Island, the bustle in the town before the stunt, or the crossing itself. Connie FletcherCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Mirette and Bellini Cross Niagara Falls | [
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16,102 | 11 | Berger (Grandfather Twilight) offers a pretty but vacuous riff on the originally satirical question "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" by positing dreamy worlds within worlds of tiny, pin-dwelling angels. Her story opens with the question, "What if there was a city on a pin?"; the accompanying art shows a small-town street, with people and pets--all of them with wings, apparently angels. In the foreground, an elderly woman angel sees a pincushion in a dressmaker's window. The next pages home in on the pincushion, where the head of each pin is the site of a whole city of tiny angels. The plot is thin to the point of brittle: the angels on the pin-city think theirs is the only one in the world, then a child using a telescope spies another city on a pin, contact is made and a celebration begins. Berger's mixed-media paintings create a light and lively atmosphere where angels of all ages and nationalities boogie-woogie ("Shimmy shimmy hip hop, and cha-cha-cha") in mid-air, rejoicing, "Hey wow, look! We're not alone!" The framing story reprises this theme, returning to illustrations of the elderly woman, now joined by a dapper old gent in a top hat--and, suggesting the circularity of the premise, a child can be seen gazing through a telescope. Given that Berger makes no particular use of the angel motif (these could just as well be miniature people), the net effect is that of an extended daydream. Ages 4-8. (Feb.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 1-A story that ponders the nature of existence in an entire city atop the head of a pin. The winged inhabitants of the pin-top metropolis wonder if there are worlds beyond their own, until a resident spies another community on a neighboring pin. The din from the celebration of their mutual discovery is heard throughout the universe and even more civilizations respond from all over the pincushion and beyond. This revelation helps people to realize that, "Hey wow, look! We're not alone!" Fanciful acrylic, colored-pencil, and pastel illustrations depict a benign multiethnic cast living in pastel-shaded worlds offset by backdrops of deep blues and blacks. While the whimsical yet mysterious pictures will appeal to youngsters, the spare text may leave listeners wishing for more. Fairly deep philosophical concepts are touched upon in this light picture-book romp, creating a certain dissonance between topic and treatment. Children, however, may be oblivious to such considerations and enjoy the book as a light confection as suggested by the visual presentation.Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Angels on a Pin | [
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16,103 | 13 | Thriller-writer Duncan, whose picture book I Walk at Night described a cat's nocturnal prowlings, raises a few hairs (not too many) in this high-spirited circus romp. Cartwheeling along to a familiar rhythm, hyperbolic verses introduce a trapeze artist and strongman, a little clown named Bop and his petite friend Gisselda, "who learned to crawl On canvas tarps, and to toss a ball To a Fat Baboon, and who took her naps On tattooed shoulders and spangled laps. For she is a Child of the Circus." Suddenly, the narrative veers in a dangerous direction: "Now don't get scared, butyou see that cage?" A turn of the page reveals a grouchy tiger "so mean and wild That he dreams of eating a Circus Child!" When a flat tire sends the bicycle clowns flying into midair, they set off a wild chain of events that ends with an elephant shattering the tiger's cage. The big cat races straight for Gisselda, "exactly the child that he longed to eat!" Bop interferes, and he and Gisselda bravely avert the threat, earning wild cheers; the audience "didn't know That the act wasn't part of the normal show." In a style that recalls Marjorie Priceman's work, Cundiff (Stoneheart) paints in a wild carnival palette. Her extravagant costumes and distorted sizes and shapes intensify the larger-than-life proportions of this big-top tale. Ages 3-7. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.reschool-Grade 2--This is a high-energy story with a generous array of odd characters, a fierce tiger, and two kids raised within arena life. When the clowns' bicycle tire goes flat, a series of events ensues, resulting in the tiger's escape. Unhappy with circus food, all he wants is a tasty meal of child. Instead the kids, feisty and defiant, stare him down, causing him to slink off without satisfying his appetite. The crowd cheers, thinking that what they have witnessed is all just part of the show. The rhyming tale moves at a lilting pace. After several characters are introduced (some of them curiously superfluous), the action builds quickly to a heart-stopping crescendo, much like a live circus. The type changes in size and is not always square to the page, which adds to the animated nature of the tale. Cundiff's gouache illustrations are clever and fun. They have lots of bright color, and the backgrounds change in a rainbow flow. Characters are often only partially seen or they're upside down or flying about. They represent a child's roaming-eye vision of the Big Top, both wild and wacky. The children themselves are diminutive; they look like stuffed dolls. The tiger is loosely drawn, an elongated cat with a large head and fangs. However, with both the text and illustrations striving for the same over-the-top experience, the sum of the parts is a lyric if not quite a song.Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MICopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Song of the Circus | [
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16,104 | 18 | Chronicling the daring wartime activities of a Dutch friend and neighbor, Talbott (We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story) overcomes a mildly strained narrative by virtue of his freshly conceived and powerfully rendered paintings. The story itself commands attention. Jaap Penraat is barely out of his teens when the Nazis invade Holland, and almost as soon as the Nazi persecution of the Jews begins, Jaap begins counterfeiting identity cards and other documents for his Jewish friends. In 1942 he hatches and executes a stunning plan: he forges a series of papers so he can pass as an official of a German construction company, then applies for official travel permits to bring Dutch "workers" (in fact Jews) to a phony job site in France, from which point they can be smuggled to Spain and other safe harbors. In this way Jaap and a partner save more than 400 people before they halt their operation in May 1944. Talbott saddles this real-life drama with slightly didactic exposition, and his prose is uneven ("Books held a special place in the hearts of the people of Holland"). But his illustrations pack a wallop, incorporating Jaap's forgeries and other documents in full-spread compositions, generous spot art and occasional borders. Depicting throngs of Nazis and Nazi sympathizers, for example, Talbott uses indistinct gray tones to imply the crowd mentality and reserves color for resisters like Jaap. His art revitalizes the traditional images of the war to home in on the individuality and vulnerability of its heroes and its victims. Ages 7-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 4-7-Throughout his life, Jaap Penraat had Jewish friends. When the Germans occupied Holland in 1940, it seemed reasonable that he do whatever he could do to help them. Trained as an artist and architect, he began forging ID cards, moving quickly on to permits and exemption papers. Later he employed Jews in a small company making religious statues. Two months in jail reinforced the man's determination to work against the Nazi relocation campaign, and he concocted a plan to smuggle a group of people out of the country. He eventually helped 406 people escape. This compelling biography describes how the boy who, according to a neighbor, liked doing mitzvahs, became a man whose heroism was later honored by the Dutch government and by the Israeli Holocaust Heroes and Martyrs' Remembrance Authority. The author's personal connection to and affection for Penraat is evident in the warmth of his descriptions. Unfortunately, much of the story is told through unattributed or fictionalized dialogue, and while the imagined conversations have the ring of truth, they are not supported by any documentation. Competent watercolors and pictures of forged documents lend some authenticity, but today's young readers have come to expect explicit sources for factual accounts. General statements and information presented only on the jacket are insufficient.Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Forging Freedom: A True Story of Heroism During The Holocaust | [
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16,105 | 11 | Soto (Too Many Tamales; Baseball in April) sizes up the eponymous adage just right in this picture-book peek at a large Mexican-American family. As the youngest son in a household of growing kids, Rigo often gets stuck wearing frayed and ill-fitting hand-me-downs. So he's especially thrilled to receive a pair of brand-new penny loafers for his ninth birthday. But when a neighborhood tough makes fun of Rigo's fancy footwear, Rigo hides the loafers away. However, when Rigo needs to wear the shoes a few months later, they no longer fit him. The situation presents Rigo with an opportunity to see hand-me-downs with new eyes when he thoughtfully presents the almost-new loafers to his uncle, who can make good use of them. A realistic, consistently sensitive undercurrent of emotion runs throughout this swift-moving tale, so that it delivers its message with seeming spontaneity. Careful details help develop Rigo as a strong, intriguing character. Widener's (The Babe and I) highly stylized paintings combine creamy color tones and dynamic shapes. The buoyancy of the art, like the intimacy of the prose, enhances the story's liveliness. Ages 5-up.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Gr 1-3-Rigo lives in a crowded house with his four siblings, his parents, and his uncle. Accustomed to hand-me-downs, he is thrilled when he gets new shoes for his ninth birthday. He loves them until a neighborhood kid makes fun of them and takes the nickels from the slots in the loafers. The shoes are stashed away until Rigo needs them for a party but finds they no longer fit. Fortunately, he realizes that his uncle could use them for his new job as a waiter. This is a gentle and honest story about a close-knit Mexican-American family. The uncluttered illustrations use bold colors and clean lines, which make the images simple and strong. It is a supplemental addition with a positive message about sharing.Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CACopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: If the Shoe Fits | [
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16,106 | 0 | With her typically light touch, Fritz (You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton?) presents a brief and colorful biography of the aristocratic young Frenchman who played an integral role in the American Revolution. Bored with the leisurely life of a court nobleman and longing for glory, the 19-year-old marquis defied not only his father-in-law but his king to help the Americans in their fight for freedom. His fiery, passionate personality (as well as his much-needed money) earned him a place in the hearts of many colonists, particularly George Washington, and he won renown through several battles, including the decisive encounter at Yorktown. After the war, when Lafayette returned to France, he became embroiled in the revolutionary politics of the age, spending time in jail during the Reign of Terror despite his liberal leanings and standing up to Napoleon and, later, King Charles X when they ignored their promises to the people of France. Thanks to the dynamic portraits of military and political figures, readers with no background in French or American revolutionary history will easily make sense of the rush of battles and political wrangling described here. As usual, Fritz works in humanizing details: Washington's distaste for physical display was such that he once scolded Alexander Hamilton for playfully slapping him on the shoulder; near the end of her life, Lafayette's wife professed to be so in love with her husband that she often felt faint just looking at him. Lively, vigorous and just plain fun to read. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 5-8-In an informal yet informative narrative, Fritz presents the life of the French nobleman who came to espouse the democratic cause and worked toward achieving it. He not only fought successfully in the American Revolution, and proved himself as a leader of men, but also participated in advancing freedom in his own country and freed slaves in French territories. The author recounts the Marquis's full and honorable life, which spanned many important events in history including the French Revolution and the rise and fall of Napoleon. There is a lot of history contained in a little over 70 pages but despite its brevity, the book provides a great deal of information. A background knowledge of the time is useful to understanding some of the events fully. A well-executed, full-page pencil drawing appears in every chapter and serves to enliven the presentation. This competently written and documented title will not disappoint Fritz's many fans.Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Why Not, Lafayette? | [
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16,107 | 13 | "Trains are trips. And trips are adventures. And adventures are new ideas and romance and you can't ever know what in the world will happen which is exactly why you are going." This is precisely the species of serendipity that bounces and leaps through the pages of Maira Kalman's picture book Next Stop Grand Central, a charming tribute to New York's Grand Central Station by the artist whose murals currently spice up the historic terminal. Kalman--brilliant creator of Max the millionaire poet dog in Ooh-la-la (Max in Love)--not only reflects the vibrant nature of the busy hub, she paints comical portraits of the folks behind the scenes who make it all happen: ("Etha delivers the mail--a letter to Mr. Pickle cannot go to Mr. Schnikle.") We're also introduced to the people who "zip and zap and whiz" through Grand Central as passengers: ("The woman with the blue pancake hat is going to Chinatown to buy Poo Nik Tea.") Snapshots of "things you'll see" in the terminal include someone waiting patiently, someone waiting impatiently, and someone looking up. Things you won't see? Einstein sailing and the pyramids of Giza. Next Stop Grand Central is a compassionate, quirky view of a cross-section of humanity--and that, Kalman seems to be saying, is what Grand Central Station is all about. (Ages 5 and older) --Karin SnelsonKalman, whose Chicken Soup, Boots visited people (and dogs) at their jobs, salutes the unsung staffers and commuters who pass through New York City's Grand Central Terminal every day. Mention is made of the train station's "stupendous star-filled ceilings" (which also get a sidelong tribute in the endpapers) and the big clock over the information booth, but more attention is paid to the human-scale operations. People dash to and fro, kiss goodbye and hello, and brandish a bagel or a slice of pizza. Affectionate mini-biographies introduce workers (Wanda "hears 100 complaints a week. Could you hear that many complaints and always be polite? She is"), and in the concourse, adults and kids hurry to various destinations: "The woman with the blue pancake hat is going to Chinatown to buy Poo Nik Tea." Passengers board a train run by engineer Mary Donch, and wait for conductor Robert to punch their tickets. Kalman situates her cartoons on a white background, a la Andy Warhol's early illustrations. Nothing is to scale?a gate to a track is tiny next to a person's close-up face?suggesting sensory overload within the vast site. The caricatures are as glib as the tongue-in-cheek narrative voice, yet the author succeeds in recreating the station's frenetic pace and the blurred sense of passersby. Although it is impossible to tell which names and details are imaginary, Kalman's creative reportage conveys the importance of all the individuals whose lives intersect at Grand Central. After all, as the author exclaims, "It's not called grand for nothing!" Ages 5-up. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Next Stop Grand Central | [
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16,108 | 0 | In this retelling of a Tibetan parable, Berger (Grandfather Twilight) features two people on their way to the holy city of Lhasa. An old woman sitting alongside the road to Lhasa (dressed in burgundy and yellow, the holy colors) tells an impatient man on a speedy horse who asks how far it is to Lhasa, "Very far.... You'll never make it there before night." Meanwhile, in answer to the same question from a boy leading his "steady yak," the woman replies, "Very far... but you can make it there before night." Berger's mural-like, full-spread paintings, bordered in deep burgundy, chronicle the boy's treacherous mountain journey as he navigates switchbacks, coaxes his reluctant yak across a flimsy rope bridge and braves a blizzard. (He also passes fluttering prayer flags, mantra-carved stones and spired shrines, which, an afterword notes, simulate actual landmarks that Tibetans would encounter on the pilgrimage.) The wise woman has recognized in the boy a determination simply to keep putting "one foot in front of the other" (the book's refrain) and, sure enough, he is rewarded with a safe and timely arrival at the magnificent city (he passes the "fallen horse and rider" on his way). Placing her realistically rendered hero in a lyrically stylized landscape a world where clouds and waves curl like tendrils (often spilling beyond the paintings' borders), and magical figures materialize in the mountain air Berger subtly underscores both the mysticism of the journey and the universality of its down-to-earth, slow-and-steady-wins-the-race moral. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 4-The story here is a simple one, inspired by a Tibetan parable. An old woman sitting by the roadside is approached by a galloping horse and rider and asked, "How far is it to Lhasa?" The woman replies that he will never make it before nightfall. She is next approached by a young boy, slowly but persistently plodding along on foot with his yak. He poses the same question, but is told that he will be able to reach the holy city before dark. Predictably, the boy's stolid determination helps him reach his goal, passing the exhausted horse and rider who have frittered away their energy along the way. The tale is reminiscent of Uri Shulevitz's The Treasure (Farrar, 1979), not so much in terms of its message as in its ability to deliver a pearl of wisdom with grace and simplicity. Berger's illustrations, done in acrylic, colored pencil, and gouache, sweep across spreads and are laced with numerous symbols from Tibetan art and culture, all of which are explained in an extensive author's note. On her Web site, the author states: "A picture book is a journey for eye and ear, heart and mind." Berger's readers take such a journey here, and it is well worth the trip.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: All The Way to Lhasa: A Tale from Tibet | [
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16,109 | 2 | Gr 5-8-Eleven-year-old Jaynell Lambert often slips into the junkyard beside her house and sits behind the wheel of a salvaged car, "driving" herself wherever her imagination will take her. It is the summer of 1968 in a desolate Texas town, and her recently widowed grandfather has left his homestead to move into the Lambert house, where his increasingly bizarre behavior convinces Jaynell's parents that he is becoming senile. With Jaynell in tow, Grandpap makes daily treks to the cemetery to talk to the headstones of Moon's departed citizens, and he impulsively buys a gaudy emerald green Cadillac convertible that he allows his granddaughter to drive in open fields. Even though she empathizes with her grandfather's loneliness and his quirky methods of coping with it, the child is aghast when he gives away his own unoccupied homestead to the town's dirt-poor social outcasts. After his sudden death, her family contrives to reclaim the property that they feel is rightfully their own, and Jaynell learns sobering lessons about the dark side of human nature yet at the same time discovers honesty, courage, and kindness in unlikely places. This nostalgic parable about loss and redemption is at once gritty and poetic, stark and sentimental, howlingly funny and depressingly sad, but it is a solid page-turner. Holt once again displays her remarkable gift for creating endearingly eccentric characters as well as witty dialogue rich in dialect and idiom.-William McLoughlin, Brookside School, Worthington, OHCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Gr. 5-7. In Holt's National Book Award winner, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town (1999), and in My Louisiana Sky (1998), both Booklist Editors' Choices, the southern small-town settings were an integral part of the story, and the particulars were spare and telling. Here the authentic local color about Moon, Texas, in 1968 sometimes takes over the story, and there are just too many town characters to visit. At 11, Jaynell is a tomboy (Daddy calls her "boy"). Unlike her ultrafeminine sister, she loves to hunt, practice driving, and watch the preparations for the first trip to the moon. She watches over Grandpap as he visits his wife's grave, wanders around town, and buys a Cadillac for cash. Why does he help a "white-trash" family move into his old home? Jaynell's first-person narrative is strong and tender. It's her story and the discovery of a wounding family secret that keeps you reading. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Dancing in Cadillac Light | [
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16,110 | 5 | Spirin's (The Sea King's Daughter) breathtaking illustrations for this retelling are so engrossing that readers may notice the fluidity of the text almost as an afterthought. His watercolor and tempera paintings have a hazy yet magisterially detailed look that seems to jump straight out of fairyland. The style in places suggest the earthy qualities and village scenes of Brueghel, but Spirin maintains his characteristic delicacy of line. Lavish borders offer careful still lives of rich cheeses, crusty breads and roasted meats or show tidy curving vines of bean plants. In full-scale illustrations, Spirin emphasizes the giant's monstrous physicalityAhis bulbous nose and profusely curling whiskers make him seem grossly sensual and quite capable of eating Jack alive. Beneduce (The Tempest) models the text on an 1881 version that gives Jack motivation for tormenting the giant: he is avenging his father's death. Readers old enough to appreciate the complexities of the art will similarly enjoy this less familiar and more complicated rendition of a favorite tale. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 4-Beneduce and Spirin have previously paired their talents for Gulliver's Adventures in Lilliput (1996), The Tempest (1996), and Snow White and Rose Red (1997, all Philomel). Here they turn their hand to what is perhaps the most well known of the Jack tales. Beneduce has a fine command of the language, and the narrative flows smoothly. Spirin's watercolor-and-tempera paintings are nothing less than gorgeous, using dark, soft tones to create a misty fairy-tale world. Beneduce has, however, elected to use a version of the tale that supplies Jack with the moral prerogative to steal the giant's treasures. Partway up the beanstalk, Jack meets a fairy who informs him that it was this particular giant who killed Jack's father and stole the family fortune, and it is now his duty to avenge these wrongs. As a result, this Jack may hold less appeal for some readers. He is no longer a bold adventurer who uses wit and cunning to triumph over brainless brawn but is instead a good little boy who is only following orders. Those expecting the cheeky lad found in Joseph Jacobs's 1898 collection of English fairy tales will be disappointed. Those who are more comfortable with Jack possessed of righteous justification are in for a treat. Beneduce includes an expository note detailing the historical background of the Jack cycle as well as her own reasons for preferring this rather didactic version of the tale.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Jack and the Beanstalk | [
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16,111 | 14 | PreSchool-Grade 1-Kirk uses the familiar bouncy rhymes of "Humpty Dumpty" to spin out a tale of an unlikely friendship. When young Humpty's mother reluctantly agrees to let him go to King Moe's birthday parade ("but be careful, OK?/I don't want my egg getting/scrambled today!"), the excited little egg climbs up on his friends' backs, then a lamppost, and finally a brick wall to get a better view. This last climb leads to his famously disastrous fall. Fortunately, he topples directly into the young king's carriage. All the king's horses and all the king's men can't put Humpty together again-but fortunately the shy, puzzle-loving Moe can. He admires Humpty's bravery, Humpty admires the king's patience and intelligence, and a new friendship is born. Though the story itself is mediocre, Kirk's bouncing rhymes never falter. The real star, though, is the artwork: a combination of oils, magazine clippings, and computer printouts that gives the pictures a busy, textured look. Crowd scenes are made up of painted images, pictures from magazines, and faces from classic works of art. The hyperrealistic quality of Kirk's earlier books is apparent here, as is his offbeat sense of humor. A winsome, if simple, variation on a favorite rhyme.Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, Eldersburg, MD Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kirk's latest book gives a pessimistic nursery rhyme a new twist, adding a character who succeeds when all the king's horses and all the king's men fail. Young King Moe, "the most timid boy in the world," hides under his bed all day, piecing together puzzles. His royal path crosses that of Humpty Dumpty, a bored young boy who yearns for excitement, on the day of King Moe's birthday parade. Humpty, who climbs on top of a wall for a better view, falls and crashes through the roof of the young king's coach. The puzzle-mad king puts Humpty back together, and the boys, human and egg, become friends. Kirk's ingenious collages, a mix of contemporary and historical images, are intriguing, although some of the photographed faces staring out of the pictures may seem a bit disturbing to some little ones Connie FletcherCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Humpty Dumpty | [
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16,112 | 1 | Grade 24Johnnie tells of his first bear-hunting expedition in the Alaskan Wilderness with his dad and their "knowledgeable" dog, Swift. On the third day of their trip, a grizzly crashes out of the woods and attacks them. When Johnnie's father shoots and misses the bear and instead breaks his leg, he tells his son to take the dog and go for help. The dramatic oil paintings are a blend of realistic and impressionistic style created with a thickly layered palette whose texture helps convey the haunting grandeur and loneliness of various landscapes of forest, tundra, mountains, and river; the cold is palpable. The compressed text describes in staccato style some exciting events; but it lacks character development and context. Some of the elements are not fully credible. At one point, Johnnie falls into an "icy" beaver pond, and later, he cannot make a fire because his matches are wet; it seems somewhat unbelievable that he can survive the cold and snow despite his frozen feet and frozen clothing. An endpaper map suggests an immensity of space but does not convey a realistic sense of either the distance or the amount of time that the boy travels. Still, the art is spectacular, and worth sharing with children.Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Now that he has grown up a bit and passed a gun course, Johnnie can finally join Pa and their dog Swift on when they go hunting for the family's winter's food: bear. After a long trek though the Alaskan wilderness, a grizzly attacks them. Though Pa fires, the bear escapes, but not before breaking Pa's leg. To save his father, Johnnie and Swift set out across the tundra. When they reach Geezer's cabin, they must take his rowboat, cut a channel through the ice to running water, and float down the river to a settlement. Children will relate to Johnnie, who makes mistakes through inexperience and learns from them, but Swift is the title character for good reason. There are few hunting stories on library shelves, but this is a fine one, with a taut text that creates a palpable sense of danger and a series of dramatic double-page illustrations. Painted in oils with a palate knife, the pictures feature heavily layered paints that create dramatic effects, whether showing the golden tones of sunlight penetrating snowy forest, the movements of a bear battling a dog, or the impasto of snow building up on river ice. In the author's note, Blake tells of researching the book while living with homesteaders in Alaska. A riveting adventure story and a fine read-aloud choice, for older children, too. Booklist, starred review; Title: Swift | [
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16,113 | 0 | Hispanic holiday customs take center stage in this exquisitely wrought story. Lupe and Roberto are to play Mary and Joseph in the Christmas pageant in their village outside Santa Fe, but their truck gives out in a snowstorm. A mysterious couple steps in at the last minute to take their places. DePaola's talent for crafting folktales is honed to near-perfection, and his pages glow with the soft sun-washed hues of the Southwest. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 4-Another beautiful offering from dePaola, this one tells the story of a modern-day Las Posadas procession in Santa Fe, NM. An introduction explains the background and history of the old Spanish custom, and a glossary translates the few words of Spanish used in the text. Sister Angie, who recently celebrated her 50th anniversary as a nun, has always coordinated the preparations for her village's celebration. This year, she is especially proud as her niece, Lupe, and Lupe's new husband will portray Maria and Jose. The festivities are jeopardized when Sister Angie comes down with the flu and the young couple's car breaks down in a snowstorm. A miracle occurs when a beautiful carving of Mary and Joseph, given to Sister Angie to commemorate her Golden Jubilee, comes to life to lead the village's procession. The artist's distinctive acrylic artwork, done in the colors of the Southwest, illuminate the story and radiate its reverence and warmth. There are very few books for children about Las Posadas; this one is suitable both for reading aloud to groups and sharing one-on-one.-L.F. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Night of Las Posadas | [
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16,114 | 5 | Gr. 7-10. Barron brings his Lost Years of Merlin saga to a resounding, satisfying close with this fifth volume. Although Merlin's mastery of his powers continues to grow, he now faces a particularly daunting challenge: Fincayra and the Otherworld will soon come together and Rhita Gawr, warlord of the spirit world, and his evil forces will invade. Merlin's only hope is to get Fincayran creatures and races to put aside their distrust of one another and do battle together. This formidable task is complicated by the emergence of a masked warrior who is attacking children throughout the land in an effort to lure Merlin into a battle to the death. As the fast-paced story winds to a conclusion, Merlin faces his most difficult decision yet. A love of the natural world and sense of spirituality infuse the saga as a whole, and we see Merlin, who has come to understand his dark side as well as his strengths and ideals, finally ready to become the legendary magician and mentor to King Arthur. Sally EstesCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedT.A. Barron is the award-winning author of fantasy novels such as The Lost Years of Merlin epic—soon to be a major motion picture. He serves on a variety of environmental and educational boards including The Nature Conservancy and The Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, and is the founder of a national award for heroic children. Following a life-changing decision to leave a successful business career to write full-time in 1990, Barron has written seventeen books, but is happiest when on the mountain trails with his wife, Currie, and their five children.; Title: The Wings of Merlin (Lost Years Of Merlin, Bk. Five) | [
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16,115 | 13 | Moss's (Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin) occasionally strained yet spirited rhyming narrative introduces 10 youngsters, most with alliterative monikers (Belinda Blore, Calvin Crum, Mel Mackelroy, etc.), who aspire to play different instruments. Practicing at their open windows in neighboring houses, the kids create quite the cacophonous clamor: "Throughout the start, each person's part/ Just didn't sound too good;/ The girls and boys produced a noise/ That stunned the neighborhood." But practice makes nearly perfect, and the mayor proclaims them a "dandy band." The mayor's words, in fact, demonstrate the unevenness of Morse's verse, which intermittently scrambles tenses and stumbles rhythmically (e.g., "It's my intent they'll represent/ The town, and I will try/ To see they've played our big parade/ The next Fourth of July!"). Bluthenthal's (Molly's in a Mess) cheerful, detailed cartoon art conveys the spunk of the young musicians and the townsfolk's evolving reaction to their music-making, as dismay at the kids' beginning efforts turns to jubilation during their polished performance in the parade. Given the characters' energy and enthusiasm, young readers are likely to turn a deaf ear to any of the book's discordant notes. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.K-Gr 3-How do the young instrument-toting hopefuls who appear on the front endpapers of this musical story transform themselves into the energetic, smartly uniformed band racing across the back endpapers? "By never veering,/Persevering, early morn 'til late," from fall to spring. At first the efforts of Harry Horner, Shavaun O'Shea, Ralph Rosenstock, and their friends to learn to play their instruments disturb the neighbors, as, sobbing and tearing their hair they complain, "Confound that noise!/Those girls and boys are driving us insane!" But finally, their long hours of practice pay off and their melodious sounds so impress the mayor that she invites them to play in the Fourth of July parade. The silliness of the rhyming text, replete with alliteration and assonance, is echoed in Bluthenthal's zany cartoon watercolor illustrations. The pictures are large, many of them double-page spreads, and feature notes dancing across pages, exasperated neighbors covering their ears with their hands and even newspapers, and, in the end, an exuberant crowd proudly cheering its young people on. Observant readers will find many comical touches in these pictures, including a runaway drum that its player never does get under control. For more musical merriment, pair this title with Harriet Ziefert's Animal Music (Houghton, 1999).Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CTCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Our Marching Band | [
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16,116 | 0 | Verla Kay employs the format she used to such strong effect in Gold Fever and Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails to describe the journey to the New World in Tattered Sails. Dan Andreason's dimly lit illustrations depict the land they're leaving and the ship's hold, as well as the home awaiting them: "One room cabin,/ Rush beds, soft./ Greased cloth windows,/ Ladder, loft."Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.K-Gr 3-Taut, rhythmic text and absorbing illustrations perfectly capture the excitement, beauty, and hardships of one family's voyage from London to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635. The journey from "London crowded,/Choked with crime" to the "Freedom, fresh air" of the New World is portrayed in full-page illustrations using graphite drawings, textured oil paints, a computer, stencils, and carved erasers as stamps. With a palette rich in soft blues, greens, and browns, China-doll-like people are set into scenes that echo either the fury of a hurricane or the tranquility of a balmy day. The concise, carefully chosen rhyme is attractively boxed on one page of each spread. This handsome offering makes a fine read-aloud.Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VACopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Tattered Sails | [
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16,117 | 2 | Grade 4 Up?Carle shares a bit of himself in this collection of vignettes. In his words, "The stories...from various places and times...have three things in common: animals or insects, friends or relatives, and me." Nineteen short stories, each no more than three pages and sparsely illustrated by the author, allow readers glimpses into the artist's life. They meet his grandparents who argued about a hen that might have been a rooster. Carle reminisces about exploring the countryside with his father or making the horrible and painful discovery that a wasp is trapped in his trousers. These stories are gentle wanderings through his life rather than a biography in linear form. Some take place in Germany and some in the United States; they range in time from childhood during World War II to the present. The sketches are sometimes moving, sometimes funny, and sometimes uplifting. Flora and Tiger is an intimate portrait that provides a picture of this popular illustrator. A super addition to any study of Carle or his work.?Jane Claes, T. J. Lee Elementary School, Irving, TXCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 25 languages and sold over twelve million copies. Since the Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than sixty books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote.Born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929, Eric Carle moved with his parents to Germany when he was six years old; he was educated there, and graduated from the prestigious art school, the Akademie der bildenden Kunste, in Stuttgart. But his dream was always to return to America, the land of his happiest childhood memories. So, in 1952, with a fine portfolio in hand and forty dollars in his pocket, he arrived in New York. Soon he found a job as a graphic designer in the promotion department of The New York Times. Later, he was the art director of an advertising agency for many years.One day, respected educator and author, Bill Martin Jr, called to ask Carle to illustrate a story he had written. Martin's eye had been caught by a striking picture of a red lobster that Carle had created for an advertisement. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? was the result of their collaboration. It is still a favorite with children everywhere. This was the beginning of Eric Carle's true career. Soon Carle was writing his own stories, too. His first wholly original book was 1,2,3 to the Zoo, followed soon afterward by the celebrated classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.Eric Carle's art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His art work is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. Many of his books have an added dimension - die-cut pages, twinkling lights as in The Very Lonely Firefly, even the lifelike sound of a cricket's song as in The Very Quiet Cricket - giving them a playful quality: a toy that can be read, a book that can be touched. Children also enjoy working in collage and many send him pictures they have made themselves, inspired by his illustrations. He receives hundreds of letters each week from his young admirers. The secret of Eric Carle's books' appeal lies in his intuitive understanding of and respect for children, who sense in him instinctively someone who shares their most cherished thoughts and emotions.The themes of his stories are usually drawn from his extensive knowledge and love of nature - an interest shared by most small children. Besides being beautiful and entertaining, his books always offer the child the opportunity to learn something about the world around them. It is his concern for children, for their feelings and their inquisitiveness, for their creativity and their intellectual growth that, in addition to his beautiful artwork, makes the reading of his books such a stimulating and lasting experience.Carle says: "With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates - will they be friendly? I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun."copyright 2000 by Penguin Group (USA) Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.; Title: Flora and Tiger: 19 Very Short Stories from My Life | [
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16,118 | 1 | PreSchool-Grade 2--After a bath, "Scuba bunnies/Long to see/What's beneath/The deep blue sea." Donning wet suits and snorkels, the rabbits dive into a gentle, imaginative adventure. "Across the waves upon the tide," they encounter sharks, dolphins, whales, otters, and a sunken pirate ship. Upon their safe return home, their mamas welcome them back with hugs and tuck them into bed. As in Cowboy Bunnies (1997) and Astro Bunnies (2001, both Putnam), the story is told in rhyming couplets, perfect for reading aloud. Eitan's mixed-media illustrations include computer manipulation. The orange "fishy faces" blowing bubbles seem to leap off the page and, as the creatures backstroke home, the swirling background adds dramatic flair. Shared at bedtime, this title is sure to make a splash and to inspire many dreams.--Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS. Those intrepid rabbits who previously appeared in Cowboy Bunnies (1998) and Astro Bunnies (2001) are now underwater--or above the waves, riding dolphins, as the cover art shows. As always, the rhyme is exquisitely simple: "Scuba bunnies / long to see / what's beneath / the deep blue sea." But the artwork accents the whimsy and finds literal and figurative depth through the use of mixed media and computer techniques. The pictures featuring graphically designed fishes, pitted rocks, and gelatinous waves give the spreads dimension, but the use of colorings such as pale yellow and delft blues in the pre- and postwater scenes adds a vintage look that shows the affection between the little bunnies and the mother who lets her kids be explorers. A charmer that touches all the right buttons. Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Scuba Bunnies | [
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16,119 | 0 | First published in the U.S. in 1994, They Followed a Bright Star, based on a poem by Spanish poet Joan Alavedra, illus. by Ulises Wensell, returns to print. This lyrical, radiantly illustrated story tells of those like the fisherman and plowman who, less dramatically but no less powerfully than the shepherds, served Jesus on the night of his birth. Ages 5-up.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 5-8. This large-format picture book tells a version of the Christmas story from the shepherds' point of view. Instructed by an angel to follow the star, four shepherds make their way toward Bethlehem and stop to ask others to join them. Each person they meet has also seen a vision, but the angel has told the man at the well, the fisherman, the plowman, and the couple in the vineyard to carry on their work by the star's light because the Christ child will need their water, fish, bread, and wine some day. Reverent and occasionally radiant without stiffness or formality, the illustrations feature rounded forms in subtly shaded hues. A quiet, satisfying picture book for the season. Carolyn Phelan; Title: They Followed A Bright Star | [
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16,120 | 2 | PreSchool-KA stuffed penguin that has been a child's constant companion since infancy tells this cozy story. When new toys appear at Danny's birthday party and threaten Pangoo's status, he runs away to find a new home. First, he heads for the penguins at the Central Park Zoo. Once there, though, he sees that he doesn't fit in. He doesn't eat fish or like living in the cold like the real animals. Pangoo's realization of his proper place won't come as a surprise to adults, but the reassuring ending will be comforting to young children. The tale, smoothly and concisely written, is familiar, but Ichikawa's lovely watercolors are distinctive, making splendid use of line and color to convey character and atmosphere. The figures seem to have real depth and weight, and, especially in the pictures of Danny tumbling about as a baby, movement as well. The blue showing Pangoo alone and forgotten after Danny opens his gifts is an icy, isolating color, while the blue of the water where the zoo penguins swim is charged with green and full of life.Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Satomi Ichikawa lives in Paris, France.; Title: I Am Pangoo the Penguin | [
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16,121 | 2 | Grade 2-5–When Ming arrives in San Francisco from China, he is met at the dock by his older brother Shek, a character first introduced in Coolies (Philomel, 2001). Disappointed that Brother Wong isn't there as well, Ming discovers that times aren't good, and that Wong is again working for the railroad. Shek is running a general store, but not many customers come to buy. Expected to mind the shop while Shek does extra labor on a nearby farm, Ming works hard, but is lonely and begins to explore beyond the Chinatown border. He discovers a school where he longs to go, but Shek explains that Chinese aren't welcome there. One day, Ming meets a friendly Irish boy who teaches him English, and together they devise a way to get more customers to the store. The story is heartwarming, but, unlike Coolies, both the story and the art paint a somewhat idealized picture. It is unlikely that the fortunes of the store could be so easily turned around just by hanging a sign saying that English is spoken there. Soentpiet's illustrations glow with light, and the faces of his characters register authentic emotions, but the settings are a little too perfect–no dirt, little clutter, store shelves bursting with food and other merchandise. Still, the sense of determination that drives the brothers to succeed in this alien environment makes this book a good addition to stories of the immigrant experience.–Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 2-4. In this sequel to Coolies (2000), young Ming arrives in San Francisco from China, eager to reconnect with his older brothers. Wong has returned to work on the railroads, but Shek invites Ming to help in his struggling Chinatown grocery store. Life is lonely for Ming until he makes friends with Patrick, an Irish immigrant living in a nearby neighborhood. As the friendship progresses, Ming learns some English, which enables him to promote the store to customers outside of Chinatown, greatly improving business. Soentpiet's luminescent, photo-realistic paintings, which provide many vivid setting details, perfectly complement Yin's thoughtful text. An afterward clarifies that this story is fiction and offers further information about Irish and Chinese immigration in the mid-1800s and the development of San Francisco's Chinatown. Great for group sharing, this tale will be welcomed by classes learning about history, immigration, and multiculturalism, as well as how to be a friend. Sally EstesCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Brothers | [
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16,122 | 1 | The grass may be greener in the country, and the carpets softer in the city, but--as the two amiable mouse couples in Brett's rich interpretation of the timeless fable finally resolve--"There's no place like home." Brett's ( The Mitten ; Trouble with Trolls ) version of how they arrive at their wise conclusion serves up a sumptuous visual feast. The art on each double-page spread (alternately devoted to urban and rural settings) is brimming with droll details; exquisite patterns appear on clothing, china and rugs; and imaginative borders range from silk cord to pottery shards to dandelions. The text also conveys the culture gap between the city and the country mice with a good deal of humor. When she feels a raindrop on her head, the city-mouse wife asks, "Is the bathtub leaking?"; and her natty husband proudly dons a new jacket ("so colorful and eye-catching"), not realizing that it will indeed catch a creature's eye--that of a large owl whose greedy clutches he barely escapes. Bound to be a standout among the season's picture book offerings. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-A new spin on the familiar fable. A mouse couple living in a town are enchanted by the simple life of the country, and, while on a picnic, meet a pair of local mice who long for the luxury and convenience of the city. Homes are swapped, but they find that reality is different from their expectations. Both couples end up fleeing from unfamiliar, predators-a cat in town and an owl in the country-all the way home. The owl and cat collide, and in an original twist, negotiate a territorial swap of their own. Traditionally, the town resident is portrayed as a pompous snob who turns his nose up at the country dweller's simple fare, while the country mouse is a folksy bumpkin. In Brett's version, the town mice are as charming and naive as their country cousins. Furthermore, the original fable depicts country life as utterly tranquil, but the city mice find that it is anything but serene. Brett's narrative alternates the parallel mishaps of the two sets of mice with lively, smooth writing and a deft touch of humor. As with any of her books, the illustrations are rich with meticulous detail. The natural fibers of the clothes of the country mice are as realistic in texture as the fine beaded and bedecked clothing of the town mice. The text is neatly integrated into each double-page spread. Lozenges at either side portray the activities of the two predators and are bordered with natural objects such as buttons, stamps, coins, and safety pins. Because of the wealth of small details, the book is better suited for one-on-one sharing than as a group read aloud.Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Town Mouse, Country Mouse | [
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16,123 | 0 | The creators of Livingstone Mouse and Warthogs in the Kitchen travel back to 1773, when King George III's export tax on tea precipitated the Boston Tea Party. Ably targeting her audience, Edwards pares down the historical data. The narrative unspools in a singsong imitation of "The House That Jack Built," which plays up the irony of the king's tax on tea from India being sold to the colonies. The opening spread shows women in India picking tea leaves, followed soon after by a caricature of the king at teatime. Later, as outraged colonists read a notice of the new tax, the text incorporates the events thus far: "These are the colonists who cried, `No!' to the king on his English throne who declared, `Tax the tea!' that was made from the leaves that grew on a bush in a far-off land and became part of the Boston Tea Party." At the bottom of each spread, a bevy of chatty mice comment on the goings-on, offering supplementary information ("We're not going to take it! `No taxation without representation!' ") as well as light asides ("Make sure you don't dump any cheese by mistake!"). Rendered in acrylic paints and colored pencils, Cole's lifelike paintings effectively evoke the period setting on both sides of the Atlantic. This early history lesson goes down easily, and will likely lead readers to find out more about this pivotal event in the formation of America. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-3-This picture book opens in a far-off, long-ago land where sari-draped women pick tea leaves and ends with a modern-day July 4th celebration, complete with fireworks. In between, the history of the Boston Tea Party unfolds in cumulative, clumsy prose with cartoon Colonial mice explaining in asides, "Dressing up as Mohawks will fool the British," and reminding each other not to "dump any cheese by mistake." However, the double-page acrylic-and-colored-pencil illustrations help compensate for the awkwardness of the telling. George III is portrayed in all his removed-from-it-all pomposity while patriots are shown as down-to-business and capable. (British mice are appropriately attired in red coats.) A pictorial time line summarizes the whole shebang-from the end of the French and Indian War in 1763 to the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Steven Kroll's The Boston Tea Party (Holiday, 1998) is a finely illustrated alternative for slightly older kids. Despite mixed results, Edwards's title may have value as an introduction to this important historical event.Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Boston Tea Party | [
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16,124 | 11 | Henny doesn't know what to do. Every morning the irksome gnomelike Tomten steals her egg and takes it home to cook in his kettle and gobble up for breakfast. But when she sees Goosey-Goosey sailing by with a gaggle of goslings, Henny is suddenly galvanized to do something. Will she never have chicks of her own? She consults her wise friend Hedgie the Hedgehog, who comes up with a clever plan guaranteed to give the Tomten a sharp lesson in appropriate behavior.Jan Brett's trademark illustrations--detailed watercolors bordered by intricate needlepoint patterns---capture the charm and mischief of this Scandinavian-style folk tale set in Denmark. Each wide woven margin shows a hint in miniature of upcoming events: Hedgie crawling under Henny's brooding basket, or the enraged Tomten after being outwitted. Young readers will love guessing what Hedgie has up his proverbial sleeve, and will rejoice with Henny at the unusual hatching of her first brood of chicks. A warm, humorous, 100 percent satisfying story by the creator of many picture book favorites, such as The Hat and The Mitten. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie CoulterBrett's (The Mitten; The Hat) trademark, elaborately bordered paintings are once again the centerpiece of her latest tale set in timeless rural Scandinavia. And, as in her prior works, the author's endearingly expressive animal characters, depicted in meticulous detail, steal the show. After viewing Goosey-Goosey's brood of chicks, Henny the hen longs for her very own offspring. But each morning a greedy, elf-like "Tomten" steals her newly laid egg, insisting he needs "a little yummy for my hungry, hungry tummy." Henny awakens her friend, Hedgie the hedgehog, with a loud wail, "No eggs, no chicks, no peeping babies," and he offers to help Henny put a stop to the Tomten's thievery. On successive days, her pal plants in Henny's nest an acorn, a strawberry, a mushroom, a potato andAin the ultimate deceitAhides himself in the straw, rolled into a ball, which sends the rogue running after he picks up the prickly fellow. Thanks to Hedgie's cleverness, five eggs hatch into fluffy chicks, fulfilling Henny's wish for a family of her own. Youngsters will be happily diverted by the busy goings-on in both Brett's mainframe illustrations and elegant borders, which feature a red-and-white needlepoint background and egg-shaped spot art that tactically foreshadows the narrative. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Hedgie's Surprise | [
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16,125 | 15 | Kindergarten-Grade 2–All is peaceful in Cactus Canyon until a gang of coyotes brings trouble. "Ornery and full of mischief," the creatures terrorize the cottontail, cactus wren, quail, and antelope squirrel. When they're unsuccessful in capturing any of their prey, they turn on one another and start to brawl until they are surprised by a huge rattlesnake. The standoff ends with the coyotes fleeing the canyon and calm returning to it. Arnosky's high-quality, full-spread illustrations add substantially to this tale. With its vivid artwork painted in striking Southwestern hues, the book would supplement a desert biome unit nicely. While it's somewhat misleading to characterize the coyotes as rowdy bad boys instead of natural predators, kids will definitely get the idea, and, even though the little guys prevailed on this particular day, it's clear that the gang will be back again soon.–Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA; Title: Coyote Raid In Cactus Canyon | [
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16,126 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2-This prolific author and illustrator has once again produced a small treasure. A young armadillo digs his burrow in an orange grove, pleased that its entrance will be clearly marked by a big, bright fruit that has fallen to the ground. He goes out on grub-hunting forays every day, either ignoring his various animal neighbors, or shuffling impatiently when they impede his progress. When a gust of wind moves his orange, he wanders lost and alone until he realizes that it is the neighbors he has been ignoring who can lead him home again. The story is told in simple, clear prose that belies the larger message about what constitutes a constant in a world of continual flux. The sun-washed watercolor illustrations, done largely in greens, yellows, and oranges, depict a surprisingly endearing armadillo and sensitively capture his world. This comforting, emotionally satisfying book could be shared aloud or read independently by emergent readers.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreS-Gr. 2. A testimonial to the value of neighbors emerges in this charming story of a young armadillo that uses an orange next to his burrow as a landmark. Armadillo goes about his business without paying much attention to his animal neighbors until the wind pushes his orange away, and he discovers that the honeybees, the old tortoise, the scrub jay, and the snakes that live near him help mark his place as home. There's a lot of emotion in a deceptively simple text; children will feel for Armadillo, who finds everything "strange and wrong with the big, round orange gone." Arnosky uses appropriately sunny shades of yellow, bright orange, and grass-green watercolor to portray Armadillo's environment. The final image of Armadillo, curled snugly in his burrow, exemplifies the reassurance his story provides. Diane FooteCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Armadillo's Orange | [
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16,127 | 2 | Eric Carle first published The Very Hungry Caterpillar in 1969, fully intending to create a series of interactive creature books for children. The beloved busy spider, quiet cricket, and lonely firefly books followed, but the artist's quest was not truly complete until The Very Clumsy Click Beetle was born. Carle, who says he'd rather watch a bug attempt to climb over a pebble than join an expedition to Mount Everest, appreciates the small things in life: the Eyed Elator (Alaus oculatus), to be exact--unremarkable except for that when this beetle falls on its back, it can't roll over to get up. Instead, it will stretch and release a snap mechanism that clicks and flips the beetle through the air, and ideally, back onto its feet.The very clumsy click beetle has no trouble with the clicking and flipping part, but it does have trouble landing on its feet. The young beetle tries and tries again, encouraged by an ambling turtle, a slithering snail, and a scurrying mouse. Finally, when a curious boy approaches, the beetle takes coaching from a wise old click beetle ("QUICK, CLICK and FLIP!") and succeeds. Children will love the bright, bold, tissue-paper illustrations that tell this story of perseverance, as well as--of course--the unusual clicking sound (emanating from an electronic chip with built-in battery and light sensor) that accompanies this playful book. (Click to see a sample spread. Copyright 1999 by Eric Carle. Permission of Philomel Books.) (Preschool and older) --Karin SnelsonAt once stark and sophisticated, Carle's trademark collage art fills the pages of his latest Very volume (The Very Quiet Cricket; The Very Lonely Firefly). The author's opening note explains that the persevering click beetle often lands on its back and is unable to right itself. By stretching, it releases a snap mechanism that makes an audible click and flips the beetle into the air, after which it lands on its feetAsometimes. Coached by a wise old click beetle and encouraged by a string of supportive animals ("Better luck next time.... Keep on trying"), Carle's stylized little beetle repeatedly attempts to maneuver himself off his back and onto his feet. The book's never-give-up message registers loud and clear, unlike the "Click" sound that youngsters may well expect each time this word appears as the beetle hurls himself back into the air. Rather, the computer chip (which has a replaceable battery) activates only onceAto emit six clicks, during the beetle's climactic triple-somersault. (But if the reader flips the pages quickly, instead of turning them ceremoniously, unwanted clicks clack out.) Ultimately, the gimmick distracts from the story and does not enhance it. All ages. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Very Clumsy Click Beetle (Eric Carle's Very Series) | [
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16,128 | 11 | Tired of books about the presidency that present themselves as history books? Author Judith St. George--along with Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Small--has created a book about the presidency that's serious fun. The basic theme is that anyone can be president: a fat man (William Howard Taft) or a tiny man (James Madison), a relative youngster (Teddy Roosevelt at 42) or oldster (Ronald Reagan at 69). Presidential hobbies, sports, virtues, and vices all get a tongue-in-cheek airing, perfectly matched by Small's political-cartoon style of caricature painting. It's fun, but the underlying purpose is clearly serious: to remind kids that the American presidents have been a motley group of individuals, not a row of marble busts. Ironically, that message makes the presidency far more interesting (and appealing) than it seems in some of the more traditional books. There's a factual addendum at the back giving all the dates and names, with a one-line bio for each past-president. (Ages 8 and older) --Richard FarrHThis lighthearted, often humorous roundup of anecdotes and trivia is cast as a handbook of helpful hints to aspiring presidential candidates. St. George (Sacagawea; Crazy Horse) points out that it might boost your odds of being elected if your name is James (the moniker of six former presidents) or if your place of birth was a humble dwelling ("You probably weren't born in a log cabin. That's too bad. People are crazy about log-cabin Presidents. They elected eight"). She serves up diverse, occasionally tongue-in-cheek tidbits and spices the narrative with colorful quotes from her subjects. For instance, she notes that "Warren Harding was a handsome man, but he was one of our worst Presidents" due to his corrupt administration, and backs it up with one of his own quotes, "I am not fit for this office and never should have been here." Meanwhile, Small (The Gardener) shows Harding crowned king of a "Presidential Beauty Contest"; all the other presidents applaud him (except for a grimacing Nixon). The comical, caricatured artwork emphasizes some of the presidents' best known qualities and amplifies the playful tone of the text. For an illustration of family histories, Small depicts eight diminutive siblings crawling over a patient young George Washington; for another featuring pre-presidential occupations, Harry Truman stands at the cash register of his men's shop while Andrew Johnson (a former tailor) makes alterations on movie star Ronald Reagan's suit. The many clever, quirky asides may well send readers off on a presidential fact-finding missionDand spark many a discussion of additional anecdotes. A clever and engrossing approach to the men who have led America. Ages 7-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: So You Want to Be President? (CALDECOTT MEDAL BOOK) | [
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16,129 | 1 | Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 25 languages and sold over twelve million copies. Since the Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than sixty books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote.Born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929, Eric Carle moved with his parents to Germany when he was six years old; he was educated there, and graduated from the prestigious art school, the Akademie der bildenden Kunste, in Stuttgart. But his dream was always to return to America, the land of his happiest childhood memories. So, in 1952, with a fine portfolio in hand and forty dollars in his pocket, he arrived in New York. Soon he found a job as a graphic designer in the promotion department of The New York Times. Later, he was the art director of an advertising agency for many years.One day, respected educator and author, Bill Martin Jr, called to ask Carle to illustrate a story he had written. Martin's eye had been caught by a striking picture of a red lobster that Carle had created for an advertisement. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? was the result of their collaboration. It is still a favorite with children everywhere. This was the beginning of Eric Carle's true career. Soon Carle was writing his own stories, too. His first wholly original book was 1,2,3 to the Zoo, followed soon afterward by the celebrated classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.Eric Carle's art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His art work is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. Many of his books have an added dimension - die-cut pages, twinkling lights as in The Very Lonely Firefly, even the lifelike sound of a cricket's song as in The Very Quiet Cricket - giving them a playful quality: a toy that can be read, a book that can be touched. Children also enjoy working in collage and many send him pictures they have made themselves, inspired by his illustrations. He receives hundreds of letters each week from his young admirers. The secret of Eric Carle's books' appeal lies in his intuitive understanding of and respect for children, who sense in him instinctively someone who shares their most cherished thoughts and emotions.The themes of his stories are usually drawn from his extensive knowledge and love of nature - an interest shared by most small children. Besides being beautiful and entertaining, his books always offer the child the opportunity to learn something about the world around them. It is his concern for children, for their feelings and their inquisitiveness, for their creativity and their intellectual growth that, in addition to his beautiful artwork, makes the reading of his books such a stimulating and lasting experience.Carle says: "With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates - will they be friendly? I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun."copyright © 2000 by Penguin Group (USA) Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.; Title: The Very Lonely Firefly board book | [
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16,130 | 1 | Kindergarten-Grade 3--The African elephant, the blue-tongued skink, and the zebra butterfly are among the numerous creatures whose different traits are revealed by their popular names. This simple survey begins with the proposition that there's much to discover in an animal's name. Many possibilities are posed in single pages or double-spread views. Some creatures are named for how they move around, some for their habitat, some for their unique features. Informative color portraits group these beings on plain backgrounds or show them in their habitat. Concluding pages revisit each one with a quick set of facts about its size, behavior, and country of habitation. Finally, 18 additional animals with interesting names are introduced, accompanied by black-and-white sketches. The concept is simple and appealing, and children will marvel at the names and the variety.Margaret Bush, Simmons College, BostonCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Ages 5-9. There's nothing random about what we call animals, says DuQuette, author of Hotel Animal (1994) and The House Book (1999). In his latest, he invites children to learn something about a species just by paying attention to its names. DuQuette's handsome, realistically detailed illustrations pair with brief examples of names that give information about an animal's habitat ("polar bear"), how it moves ("grasshopper"), what it sounds like ("howler monkey"), and so on. Unusual species are included along with familiar ones, which will please animal fans eager to learn more, and a concluding section offers additional information on each species. Quirky and informative, this offers a satisfying combination of wordplay and breezy animal facts for zoologists in the making. Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: They Call Me Woolly | [
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16,131 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3–When José sees Rosita, he can hardly wait to ask her for una cita, but the bonita girl requires her vaquero to have mucho dinero. So, with the help of his horse, Feo, José enters the rodeo hoping to win the necessary funds. After a successful ride on a dangerous bronco, he is rico enough for Rosita; however, in a surprising twist, he chooses friendship over beauty and spends his money on dinner for Feo. Afterward, the two ride off into the sunset together. This story has something for everyone: friendship, greed, danger, and a happy ending. Elya's engaging text features snappy rhymes and plenty of contextual clues for the Spanish words that appear in bold type. The rhyming scheme helps non-Spanish speakers with pronunciation, and a glossary at the beginning of the book provides phonetic guides and definitions. Raglin's watercolor-and-colored-pencil artwork features bright south-of-the-border colors and characters in traditional dress to accentuate the story's Mexican setting. The illustrations, especially the facial expressions, add depth and humor to the story. This rollicking tale is ideal for storytime sharing.–Catherine Callegari, San Antonio Public Library, TX Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.K-Gr. 1. The plot of this story-in-verse may be insubstantial (a Mexican cowboy wants to impress a gold-digging senorita), but Elya's lazy, clippety-clopping rhythms are irresistible: "Caballo and cowboy--their friendship is strong. They ride 'cross the prairie and belt out a song. They sing canciones. Jose plays maracas. 'Get along, little dogies, get along, little vacas.'" Such self-consciously hokey lines pair seamlessly with Raglin's slick, comic artwork, which owes an obvious debt to Saturday morning cartoons. As in Elya's Oh No! Gotta Go (2003), the text shifts gracefully between English and Spanish, and a glossary, together with frequent visual and contextual clues, bring meanings to light for greenhorns. There is no pronunciation key to explain the glossary's phonetic formulations (BYEHN for bien, for example), but the beauty of bilingual poetry--in which bowl might be rhymed with the Spanish sol--is that the pronunciation lesson is implicit. This will pair nicely with Eric Kimmel's Cactus Soup [BKL S 15 04], perhaps for a Cinco de Mayo storytime. Jennifer MattsonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Cowboy Jose | [
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16,132 | 2 | Grade 1-3--Gracie has always had a special relationship with her Aunt Roo, who is mentally challenged, and the two spend endless hours playing together. However, as Gracie grows up, goes to school, and makes new friends, she is forced to recognize that her aunt is different from other grown-ups. When a new friend comes home with her for a visit, Gracie is at first embarrassed by her aunt's outlandish behavior. As she remembers all of the fun times she has shared with the woman, however, she eventually introduces Sarah to Roo, and invites her to participate in their games. Occasional changes of verb tense interrupt the story's flow, and muted, old-fashioned illustrations and language set this story in a nostalgic past that may seem distant to today's readers. Still, children may glean something positive from this honest depiction of Gracie's acceptance of her aunt.--Julie Roach, Malden Public Library, MA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.K-Gr. 2. Gracie and her aunt Roo are best friends. On the farm where Roo lives with Grandma and Grandpa, they climb trees and play school, with Gracie always the student. Eventually, however, Gracie becomes the teacher, having advanced beyond Roo's limited capabilities. When a school friend visits, Gracie is embarrassed to introduce her to her aunt, but as she shows the girl around, she realizes all Roo has done for her. Anyone who has grown up with an older developmentally challenged relative will know the odd sensation of growing mentally beyond someone who is chronologically older, and Glenn does a good job of portraying Gracie's push-pull feelings. The problem is that children might not immediately catch on to the situation. The flap copy explains that "Roo has the heart and mind of a child," but the book shows Roo as someone who calms Gracie as a baby and teaches her how to walk. Adreasen's graphite-and-oil art has a vintage feel that mitigates the problem somewhat, and the artwork's air of innocence, especially the expressions on Roo's face, is a clue to Roo's childlike nature. With some adult explanation, this will have many uses. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Keeping Up With Roo | [
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16,133 | 2 | In three breezy stories, Kasza (Don't Laugh, Joe!) captures the intermittent bickering, one-upmanship and affection integral to friendship. The title characters are two young hippos who are "best friends... well, most of the time." After a spat about who will save the other from the villains in a game of make-believe, Dorothy storms off and the two make futile attempts to have fun alone, until they agree to take turns "saving each other from the bad guys." In the subsequent tales, Dorothy teaches a bragging, teasing Mikey a lesson; her feelings are hurt when Mikey tells her he wants to be alone, but then she discovers he needed solitude to compose a poem for her. Though assuring happy conclusions to these episodes, the author wraps up each with a quirky twist, as when Dorothy surreptitiously edits a line in Mikey's ode to her, changing "She's sometimes a pest," to "She's always the best." Kasza's spare, jovial pictures feature comical, changeable expressions on the faces of these devoted pals. The brevity of the text, limited vocabulary and snappy dialogue of the stories makes this a solid choice for readers graduating from picture books. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 4-Dorothy and Mikey are best friends, but there are times when they do not get along. In the first chapter, the two young hippos argue over who gets to save the other in a game of Knight and Princess; they learn that playing together is much more fun than playing alone and that princesses are capable of saving knights. Next, Mikey brags that he is the more physically fit, but Dorothy gets the better of him. Finally, she doesn't understand his need to be alone until he gives her the friendship poem he has been working on. The text is set against a clean white background and the gentle, attractive watercolor cartoons perfectly capture the moods and emotions. The speedy narrative is ideal for beginning readers, who will recognize the ups and downs of early friendships and appreciate the humorous touches in both text and illustrations.Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Dorothy and Mikey | [
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16,134 | 2 | This season, several series get new additions. Younger brother Robbie comes up with a plan to improve his mother's mood and saves the rest of the unsuspecting family in When Mommy Was Mad by Lynne Jonell, illus. by Petra Mathers. Framed in white, Mathers's colored-pencil vignettes once again use a minimalist approach to convey an array of emotions. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.reSchool-K-Mom is in a bad mood, and her sons wonder if they are the cause of her prickly behavior. They call her "noisy" as she bangs pots and pans, and notice when she doesn't give Daddy a kiss good-bye as he leaves for work. Her behavior soon impacts the entire family and quickly puts Robbie in a cranky mood, too. In fact, the book seems written to prompt discussion on just this topic. Childlike crayon illustrations featuring stick figures complement the simple text. Endpaper drawings of black clouds and lightning bolts foreshadow the stormy interactions while one little black cloud hanging over the father's head captures his emotions that day. Fans of the other Christopher and Robbie books (Mommy Go Away! [1997]; I Need a Snake [1998]; It's My Birthday, Too! [1999]; and Mom Pie [2001, all Putnam]) will want to purchase Jonell and Mathers's latest offering.-Helen Foster James, University of California at San Dieg.--; It's My Birthday, Too! [1999]; and Mom Pie [2001, all Putnam]) will want to purchase Jonell and Mathers's latest offering.Helen Foster James, University of California at San DiegoCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: When Mommy Was Mad | [
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16,135 | 0 | A 5-year-old Tomie worries over the health of his baby sister, learns to read in one weekend (with a pilfered schoolbook), and helps his father pave the new driveway (to a too-fine polish!). In the spirit of his earlier memoirs, the Newbery Honor-winning 26 Fairmount Avenue and Here We All Are, author Tomie dePaola recounts the (mostly) serene days between the end of kindergarten and the beginning of first grade. DePaola's warm, humorous style appeals to readers of all ages. His recall of a boyhood summer is vivid enough to touch youngsters who may be experiencing similar thrills and spills and to bring back memories for those whose kindergarten days are long past. From the 1939 World's Fair to a neighborhood "Tiny Tot Wedding," in which the budding thespian Tomie plays the part of the bride, each episode glows with boyish bliss. DePaola's folksy black-and-white drawings and silhouettes capture the details of life at 26 Fairmount Avenue with charm and wit. A wonderful read-aloud. (Ages 7 to 11) --Emilie CoulterK-Gr 4-Tally another winner for dePaola with this new installment in the "26 Fairmount Avenue" series. He graces the chapters with black-and-white spot sketches for homey details of baby sister's pneumonia, the 1939 World's Fair, and beginning first grade, to name a few. A conversational tone offers great read-aloud possibilities for the younger set. Plenty of humor and lighthearted details, like a chewing-gum beard and eating popcorn to avoid carsickness, will appeal to a wide audience. Add in the pleasure of mentioning familiar characters like grandfather Tom and the Nanas, and readers will be delighted with the final line, "There's more coming!"-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VACopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: On My Way (A 26 Fairmount Avenue Book) | [
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16,136 | 2 | Lisle's (Afternoon of the Elves) blend of gentle fantasy and tough reality features two motherless children spending the summer with their dithering but well-meaning great-aunt. Nine-year-old Olivia and her five-year-old sister, Nellie, have just lost their mother. Their father, a traveling salesman, cannot cope with single parenthood, especially with Nellie's bizarre behavior (she insists on walking upstairs backward and is completely dependent on Olivia). At first, living with Aunt Minty provides little comfort for the girls, who refuse to make friends with the neighborhood children. Then Olivia finds an old book written by the previous owner of Aunt Minty's house with a story set in a horseshoe-shaped garden identical to Aunt Minty's. The tale describes a group of fairies who invade a tea party of children and transform them into flowers. It's up to the sisters to perform the counter-charm: they must recover and re-assemble the tea set, which is scattered and buried in the garden. Nellie's determination to break the spell gives her a sense of independence and frees Olivia to make new friends. Although Lisle's third-person account straddles perspectives (mostly offering an on-target kid's-eye account of feeling alone and overburdened but occasionally adopting an adult tone), she compellingly demonstrates the transforming power of love and responsibility. Olivia, Nellie and Aunt Minty all blossom in the midst of the overrun garden; once released, they are like the flower childrenAfreed from a long sleep and their isolation. Ages 8-11. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-6Starting with a conventional premisetwo children having to stay with an elderly aunt, to the dismay of both generationsLisle moves into a story set in her favorite area, the borderland between reality and fantasy. Her title is also the title of a story in Aunt Mintys childhood storybook, which becomes for nine-year-old Olivia and her very complicated little sister a sorely needed catalyst for change. In that story, angry fairies change some children into flowers and they can only regain their human form if every piece of china from their last ill-fated tea party is found hidden or buried in the garden. Adults will see what is happening as the search brings the girls new friends and interests, but for young readers, the results are magical. The three main characters are well drawn, particularly anxious, protective Olivia and her troubled little sister, who has retreated into ritual to keep scary reality at bay. In this short tale, Lisle has created a warmly satisfying story of lost things, and people, waiting to be found.Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Lost Flower Children (Novel) | [
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16,137 | 5 | Compared to their horror-laced Western cousins, these Japanese ghost tales "distill the essence of what is mysterious in life in order to remind us of the dreamlike-'ghostly,' if you will-reality of all things," writes Martin in his apt introduction. The 10 wonderfully, eerily told tales he shares here rely not on terror for impact, but on enigma, subtlety, moral implication and taut storytelling. For example, "Urashima Taro," identified in the source notes as perhaps the most popular Japanese folktale, takes as its hero a kind fisherman who stops boys from killing a sea turtle that is actually the Dragon King. Taro is rewarded with marriage to the King's beautiful daughter, on the Island Where Summer Never Dies; he thinks he has spent three years there, but in fact three centuries have elapsed before he tries to visit his home. Each story has a shivery ending, its resonance enhanced by Kiuchi's subtle oil paintings. Supplying one full-page illustration for each tale, Kiuchi eschews the supernatural elements in favor of depicting a seemingly ordinary moment in the narrative, in this way preserving its powerful ambiguities. Ages 8-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-8?A collection of traditional stories, many of which were first introduced to the West by Lafcadio Hearn. Martin, who acknowledges his debt to Hearn in his introduction, excellent source notes, and bibliography, has retold "Urashima Taro," "Ho-ichi the Earless," "The Boy Who Drew Cats, " and seven other well-chosen tales in the lively voice of a talented storyteller. In a style honed and polished by years of telling, he introduces salient incidents and descriptions to reveal character and drive the narratives. The verbal imagery is even more compelling than the evocative paintings. One story in this collection appears in Eric Quayle's The Shining Princess and other Japanese Legends (Arcade, 1989), and none repeat selections in Yoko Kawashima Watkins's Tales from the Bamboo Grove (Bradbury, 1992). Shivery, mysterious, and cool as moonlight, these retellings respect both their sources and their audience, while doing what stories do best?entertain.?Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Mysterious Tales of Japan | [
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16,138 | 16 | Another song worth singing, Eric Carle's Today Is Monday, begins with string beans on Monday and spaghetti on Tuesday. Different animals eat their way through the week, teaching the names of the days as they go.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 25 languages and sold over twelve million copies. Since the Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than sixty books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote.Born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929, Eric Carle moved with his parents to Germany when he was six years old; he was educated there, and graduated from the prestigious art school, the Akademie der bildenden Kunste, in Stuttgart. But his dream was always to return to America, the land of his happiest childhood memories. So, in 1952, with a fine portfolio in hand and forty dollars in his pocket, he arrived in New York. Soon he found a job as a graphic designer in the promotion department of The New York Times. Later, he was the art director of an advertising agency for many years.One day, respected educator and author, Bill Martin Jr, called to ask Carle to illustrate a story he had written. Martin's eye had been caught by a striking picture of a red lobster that Carle had created for an advertisement. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? was the result of their collaboration. It is still a favorite with children everywhere. This was the beginning of Eric Carle's true career. Soon Carle was writing his own stories, too. His first wholly original book was 1,2,3 to the Zoo, followed soon afterward by the celebrated classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.Eric Carle's art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His art work is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. Many of his books have an added dimension - die-cut pages, twinkling lights as in The Very Lonely Firefly, even the lifelike sound of a cricket's song as in The Very Quiet Cricket - giving them a playful quality: a toy that can be read, a book that can be touched. Children also enjoy working in collage and many send him pictures they have made themselves, inspired by his illustrations. He receives hundreds of letters each week from his young admirers. The secret of Eric Carle's books' appeal lies in his intuitive understanding of and respect for children, who sense in him instinctively someone who shares their most cherished thoughts and emotions.The themes of his stories are usually drawn from his extensive knowledge and love of nature - an interest shared by most small children. Besides being beautiful and entertaining, his books always offer the child the opportunity to learn something about the world around them. It is his concern for children, for their feelings and their inquisitiveness, for their creativity and their intellectual growth that, in addition to his beautiful artwork, makes the reading of his books such a stimulating and lasting experience.Carle says: "With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates - will they be friendly? I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun."Eric Carle has two grown-up children, a son and a daughter. With his wife Barbara, he lives in Northampton, Massachusetts. The Carles spend their summers in the nearby Berkshire hills.copyright 2000 by Penguin Group (USA) Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 25 languages and sold over twelve million copies. Since the Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than sixty books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote.Born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929, Eric Carle moved with his parents to Germany when he was six years old; he was educated there, and graduated from the prestigious art school, the Akademie der bildenden Kunste, in Stuttgart. But his dream was always to return to America, the land of his happiest childhood memories. So, in 1952, with a fine portfolio in hand and forty dollars in his pocket, he arrived in New York. Soon he found a job as a graphic designer in the promotion department of The New York Times. Later, he was the art director of an advertising agency for many years.One day, respected educator and author, Bill Martin Jr, called to ask Carle to illustrate a story he had written. Martin's eye had been caught by a striking picture of a red lobster that Carle had created for an advertisement. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? was the result of their collaboration. It is still a favorite with children everywhere. This was the beginning of Eric Carle's true career. Soon Carle was writing his own stories, too. His first wholly original book was 1,2,3 to the Zoo, followed soon afterward by the celebrated classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.Eric Carle's art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His art work is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. Many of his books have an added dimension - die-cut pages, twinkling lights as in The Very Lonely Firefly, even the lifelike sound of a cricket's song as in The Very Quiet Cricket - giving them a playful quality: a toy that can be read, a book that can be touched. Children also enjoy working in collage and many send him pictures they have made themselves, inspired by his illustrations. He receives hundreds of letters each week from his young admirers. The secret of Eric Carle's books' appeal lies in his intuitive understanding of and respect for children, who sense in him instinctively someone who shares their most cherished thoughts and emotions.The themes of his stories are usually drawn from his extensive knowledge and love of nature - an interest shared by most small children. Besides being beautiful and entertaining, his books always offer the child the opportunity to learn something about the world around them. It is his concern for children, for their feelings and their inquisitiveness, for their creativity and their intellectual growth that, in addition to his beautiful artwork, makes the reading of his books such a stimulating and lasting experience.Carle says: "With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates - will they be friendly? I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun."copyright 2000 by Penguin Group (USA) Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.; Title: Today Is Monday board book | [
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16,139 | 2 | The feisty series inaugurated in Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon is not just for middle graders any more--with these two volumes, Danziger and Ross introduce their winning heroine to beginning readers as well. Making Amber younger and showing the Brown family before divorce, Danziger simplifies her prose style without reducing her energy. She keeps several story lines moving, and she invigorates them with her characteristic love of puns and her kid-targeted sense of humor. In Justin Time, for example, which opens on the eve of Amber's birthday, she agitates for a watch ("I, Amber Brown, am one very excited six-year, 364-day-old kid"); she also tries to come to terms with her best friend's perpetual tardiness (the friend is Justin Daniels, who moves away in Crayon). In Trip, the Browns and the Daniels vacation together in the Poconos, during the course of which Justin hurts Amber's feelings, a business phone call during a dad-supervised outdoor sleepover annoys Amber, and Justin's left-out little brother finds a way to be included. The emotions are real and recognizable, and Amber's first-person narration makes even obvious jokes seem spontaneous (such as a riff on Poconos/"poke a nose"). Ross brings extra verve to his contributions. In Justin Time, for example, as Amber tells her stuffed-toy gorilla about the gift she wants, Ross shows her drawing a watch onto the gorilla's wrist. In aiming for a younger audience, Danziger and Ross have kept their standards just as high. Ages 5-8.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Gr 1-3-This easy-reader goes back to when Amber Brown is turning seven and time is of the essence. She has mastered telling time and wants nothing more than a watch for her birthday. Her best friend, Justin, on the other hand, has no regard for keeping time. He tells her that he'll be at her house "in three minutes" but doesn't appear for half an hour. Amber does get her birthday wish and realizes that friends can have differences and still get along. She sees that being on time works for her and "Justin Time" works for him. The illustrations capture the mood of the story, which is playful and spirited. Beginning readers will enjoy sharing Amber's pre-birthday anticipation and older readers may want to go back and see the early years of the characters they know and love. Either way, this title will be a welcome addition to most collections.-Genevieve Ceraldi, New York Public LibraryCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: It's Justin Time, Amber Brown | [
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16,140 | 2 | Grade 3-6A story set in Belgium during World War II. Professor Solomon is intrigued by a beautiful painting, The Lady, displayed in the window of the antique shop owned by Willys papa. Entering the store to make their purchase, the professor and his son, Max, meet Willy, and the two boys soon become inseparable companions. Sealing their bond with a photograph showing them in a friendship embrace, the youngsters promise to be friends forever. But the political climate in Antwerp becomes darker as the conquering Nazis approach and the Jewish professor and his son must escape. Before leaving, the painting is rolled up and brought back to the Christian shop owner, where Willy hides it in the basement. The effort is in vain, however, and the prized artwork is lost to the soldiers. Littlesugar and Low have created a moving story about stolen art during this period. Both Max and Willy eventually move to America, but are never reunited. A serendipitous discovery made by a museum curator results in The Lady being returned to Maxs family. Told by Willys grandson, this important aspect of the Holocaust is a facet that deserves discussion. Lows mixed-media paintings in deep, dark hues have a textured, rugged look, contrasting a neighborhood at peace with the frightening atmosphere of one under wartime occupation.Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 2-4. In a final author's note, Littlesugar discusses the Nazis' theft of art during World War II and the present efforts to return stolen artworks to their rightful Jewish owners. Unfortunately, Littlesugar's decision to tell the story of the theft and recovery of one special painting through the framework of the idyllic friendship of two Belgian boys--Max, who is Jewish, and Willy, who is a gentile--feels contrived. When the Nazis come and Max's family must flee, they leave a precious painting with Willy's family. Willy hides it, but the Nazis take it. After the war it is found, and 60 years later, with the help of a photo and note that Willy had pasted on its back, the painting is finally returned to Max's son in America. Despite the story's awkwardness, Low's beautiful, double-page paintings bring close the impact of art, at the same time showing the daily details of the kids' friendship in the historic city, the Nazi invasion, and, at last, the heartbreaking reunion. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Willy and Max: A Holocaust Story | [
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16,141 | 0 | Grade 2-4-During the late 1800s and early 1900s, thousands of children from East Coast cities were shipped by train to the Midwest and given to whomever would take them. This illustrated poem follows three siblings' journey from their parents' death to a city orphanage to their new homes. The poem is written in short, terse lines that echo the rhythm of the swaying train. Some of the rhymes are contrived, such as "Slowly learning,/Day by day./Lucy giggles./`Goat, don't play!'" but most are more natural, e.g., "Station nearing,/Whistle blows./Wiping faces, /Smoothing clothes." An author's note gives a few pertinent facts about the Orphan Trains. Stark's realistic oil paintings appear on full spreads, and earth tones predominate. The children have personality, but some of their expressions are slightly exaggerated. While this is a good introduction to the subject, Eve Bunting's Train to Somewhere (Clarion, 1996) is a longer, more involved story and is a better choice for children with sufficient attention spans.Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UTCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.K-Gr. 2. In titles such as Tattered Sails (2001), about a pilgrim family's journey from England, Kay uses short, rhyming text to describe complicated, sometimes painful historical events. In this offering, three children watch their parents die of typhoid fever before they are sent on an orphan train to the Midwest and adopted by farm families. The chanting rhythm of the rhymes is sometimes a jarring contrast to the frightening subject: "Parents coughing, / Shaking chill / stomachs aching / deathly ill." But with just a few words per page, Kay gives an admirable sense of the orphan-train experience, and Stark's vibrant acrylics, filled with historical detail, contrast the horror of the parents' sickroom with the brilliant green midwestern landscape. There are no neat conclusions here. Kay's short text conveys subtle emotions along with facts: the "twinge of guilt" that a girl feels after she finally settles into a cozy new home, for example. Teachers introducing this in an elementary social studies curriculum will enjoy the accessible author's note, which offers historical background. Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Orphan Train | [
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16,142 | 5 | Polacco (Rechenka's Eggs; Babushka Baba Yaga) again uses old-world Russia as the backdrop for a timeless, vigorously illustrated tale, this one a variation on The Fisherman and His Wife. Here it is a young girl who rescues an enchanted creature, a wren, which offers to grant her a wish. Content, she requests nothing, but her parents force her to bring the wren a series of rapidly escalating demands. The brilliant hues of Polacco's sprawling, full-spread paintings intensify as the parents' greed grows and they upgrade their station in life from dwelling in a humble dacha to reigning as "Emperor and Empress of all the world." Creating an effective contrast to these splendid surroundings, the artist depicts the wren's forest home as increasingly dark and foreboding. With the bird's burgeoning disgust at the parents' demands, the sky becomes blacker, the wind howls and storm clouds "rolled angrily in the sky." Youngsters may need some adult help to grasp why the wren's granting of the parents' final, "sacrilegious" wishA"to be as Gods"Afinds them back in their original dacha yet "happy, and very, very content indeed." But even if it's a bit subtle, the happy ending puts an agreeable spin on the standard version of this tale, teaching the same moral in a light and positive manner. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 2A variation of a traditional tale. Looking for mushrooms in the forest, a young girl saves a wren from a fowlers net and to show its gratitude, the bird grants her any wish. Luba realizes that she is content and when she declines the wish, the wren tells her, If ever you want for anything, come to the forest and call me. When the child tells her parents about the incident, they send her back to the wren five times, each time asking for a grander home and more riches until, after they have become Emperor and Empress of all the world, they ask to be as Gods. When the wish is granted, they are returned to their former peasant life, but are truly contented and realize that Luba is their greatest treasure. Polaccos signature illustrations are lush and vibrant. The regal colors of royal blue and crimson play against deep green, dappled brown, and ocher of the natural world. Rosy-cheeked Luba appears humble and honest in her babushka and Ukrainian peasant apparel throughout, while her parents, as they increasingly receive greater material wealth, don the clothing of royalty. Scrolled, intricate frames set the text apart from the lively folk-artlike illustrations. Like Rosemary Wellss The Fisherman and His Wife (Dial, 1998), this picture book examines true happiness and the snares of yearning for material things.Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Luba and the Wren (Picture Books) | [
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16,143 | 2 | Grade 1-3-Eight amigos return for their third book together. Each creature heads to the park, bringing along a different item-roller skates, a soccer ball, a kite, a football, and a baseball bat. Deciding that they want to play something together, the animals start a baseball game with Cat's bat. Trouble quickly ensues when Horse, Cat, and Pig become competitive and ruin the fun. A rainstorm forces the animals to quit their game, but it also provides the necessary distraction to end their bickering. This rhyming picture book blends English and Spanish text, making it a wonderful choice for bilingual storytimes, English speakers learning Spanish, or Spanish speakers learning English. The vibrant artwork, rendered in oil pastels, depicts the eight animales and their surroundings in a cartoon style. Colorful borders and vivid background colors frame each page. A glossary and pronunciation guide appear right up front to assist readers with unfamiliar words. A winner for collections needing Spanish-language materials, or materials for ESOL students.Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreS-Gr. 1. Another inventive offering from the team that brought readers Eight Animals Bake a Cake (2002). When eight animal buddies go to the park, they take various toys and equipment, such as Raton the mouse's roller skates and Pajaro the bird's kite. But they decide to play baseball because they can do that together. Umpire Vaca's call leads to a few hard feelings, but when it starts to rain, sharing coats and wings as shelter brings them all together again. Elya produces a bouncy, rhymed story that mixes English and Spanish words in a way that teaches both. Chapman's fiesta-colored cartoon-style art neatly portrays the characters and the fun. Each image sits in its brightly bordered frame, and each frame usually includes a direct word translation: strike! equals estrai! A merry way to teach a little English, a little Spanish, and lots of good cooperation. A glossary and pronunciation guides are included. GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Eight Animals Play Ball | [
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16,144 | 16 | A toddler greets the day with games of peekaboo in Isadora's (Nick Plays Baseball) ebullient offering. Rendered in thick, silky pastels, the opening spread introduces an African-American child snuggling in bed, looking straight out of the picture. In the background, the sun beams through the open window, softens the edges of the child's deep black hair and shines light on his or her face. "Peekaboo! I see..." reads the generously sized, toddler-friendly type. "My mommy" appears on the following page, where the child, on the mother's lap, exchanges adoring gazes with her. From this point, recto-page illustrations, set into wide blank borders, show the child initiating the game (e.g., the child, peering over the edge of a white surface, cries "Peekaboo! I see..."), and full-bleed pictures opposite complete the act (the child spies Daddy lying on his bed). Elsewhere, visual clues help children predict what happens next. Sitting in a high chair, for instance, the child sees a furry tail sticking out from behind an open door; a puppy appears on the next page. The lustrous organic palette and simple, repetitive text make a cozy combination. Ages 2-6. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-This pleasing picture book features a cheerful African-American toddler playing peekaboo with parents, grandparents, amiable animals, a friend, and even readers. Each sentence begins with "Peekaboo! I see-," and will have young listeners chiming along in no time. Clues in the pictures encourage children to guess just who is being peeked at on each following page. Isadora's rich pastel illustrations depict the child close-up in a colorful, attractive setting. Endpapers show a house on a big green lawn, while inside the book mommy hugs, daddy plays, grandma is busy in the garden, and grandpa relaxes in a deck chair. Whether children live in the city or the country, they'll be able to relate to this simple game and enjoy the narrator's obvious delight. Great for baby lap-sits and toddler storytimes.Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Peekaboo Morning | [
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16,145 | 11 | "Santa never comes here to this neighborhood," says Willy, a Hispanic boy who lives in a high rise. Nevertheless, Willy secretly e-mails Santa a request to visit his dejected best friend: "My pal Carlos is in a wheelchair now and could use a good surprise." Carlos, meanwhile, lobbies Santa on Willy's behalf. Santa indeed shows up on Christmas Eve bearing gifts-and hope. Yin's tale treads a bit heavily, but the urban setting is a welcome addition to the season's lineup. Soentpiet's brings high-wattage lighting and a high-contrast palette to his realistic watercolor scenes. Ages 5-8.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-3-Best friends Willy and Carlos live in a rundown apartment building in a rough urban neighborhood populated by winos as well as hardworking neighbors. Carlos, who has had a spinal-cord injury and is in a wheelchair, is angry and depressed, believing he will never be able to play basketball again, so Willy e-mails Santa with a special request on behalf of his friend. When he looks out his window on Christmas Eve, he sees Santa parallel park his sleigh across the street and rushes down to meet him. They find that the elevator is broken and climb the 19 floors, handing out gifts along the way, including a new basketball for Carlos, when they reach his apartment. This is a powerful, poignant book about dignity and hope in the midst of poverty and despair. Soentpiet's beautiful, realistic watercolor illustrations contrast starkly with the gritty setting, complementing the mood of the text. This is lengthy for a picture book, yet it is a successful combination of fantasy and realism with an important underlying message: the real gift is that of hope.-M. W. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Dear Santa, Please Come to the 19th Floor | [
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16,146 | 14 | This fresh-baked version of the traditional nursery story is brought to you from the creative and award-winning ovens of Jan Brett. Best known for such favorites as The Mitten and The Hat, she has illustrated many other familiar folktales. Her intricately detailed paintings, with their pretty, illuminated borders, are a perfect fit for the Swiss mountainside setting of this cozy old tale. And don't miss the Gingerbread Baby plush! (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie CoulterBrett (The Mitten; Comet's Nine Lives) presents a rather wordy and wandering version of "The Gingerbread Boy." Impatient for the gingerbread man to bake the full eight minutes that is specified in the cookbook, Matti opens the oven door prematurely and a doughy baby jumps out instead: "I am the Gingerbread Baby,/ Fresh from the pan./ If you want me,/ Catch me if you can." The cherubic child remains at home while his parents and a smattering of animals lead a cumulative chase through the Swiss countryside, depicted in minutely detailed pictures. Within the artist's characteristically intricate borders, windowlike cutouts shaped like gingerbread cookie cutters reveal Matti's activities at home: he bakes, constructs and decorates an elaborate gingerbread house, which he then places in a clearing in the woods. Well ahead of his pursuers, the fugitive cookie discovers the elaborate structure and happily takes refuge inside. The grand finale allows youngsters to lift a flap shaped like the gingerbread house to uncover its new resident, smiling and winking. Brett's fetching art offsets her rather facile narrative in a book likely to please her faithful fans and holiday gift shoppers. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Gingerbread Baby | [
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16,147 | 2 | Molly Lou Melon may be tiny, clumsy, buck-toothed, and with a voice "like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor," but she doesn't mind. Her grandmother has utmost confidence in her, and tells her at every turn to believe in herself. "Sing out clear and strong and the world will cry tears of joy," Grandma says. But Molly Lou's self-assurance is put to the test when she moves to a new town, away from her friends and beloved grandmother. During her first week of school, Ronald Durkin taunts Molly Lou Melon in the dull-witted but sharp-edged manner of career bullies, calling her "shrimpo" and "bucky-toothed beaver." Our heroine barely flinches as she systematically sets out to prove herself, and Ronald Durkin ends up feeling pretty foolish.First-time author Patty Lovell's message is clear and simple, and the theme is familiar enough to strike chords with every reader, young and old. David Catrow, illustrator of Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs, Rotten Teeth, and other popular picture books, depicts a very weird-looking, very appealing little girl with warmth and cartoonish humor. Any child who is less than perfect will cheer with joy to meet Molly Lou Melon, a girl who doesn't let anything--or anyone--shake her belief in herself. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie CoulterMeet Molly Lou Melon: she's "just taller than her dog," with "buck teeth that stuck out so far, she could stack pennies on them," and a voice that brings to mind "a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor." She also possesses huge insect-like eyes. In fact, young readers may actually gasp when they get a good look at the fearless first-grader in Catrow's (She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head) double spread, extreme close-up portrait. Thanks to her grandmother, the protagonist possesses seemingly indomitable self-esteem but will it survive a move to a new school and a bully named Ronald Durkin? Newcomer Lovell doesn't offer any real surprises in her fable there's never any doubt that Molly Lou Melon will charm her classmates with her eccentric talents (which include making a paper snowflake the size of a school room), or that even Ronald Durkin will capitulate and join her fan club. What keeps the storytelling fresh is the crisp prose and the heroine's full-speed-ahead determination; the story never dallies too long on the potentially saccharine message. Catrow's full-bleed pencil-and-watercolor illustrations, awash in ripe colors and animated by slapstick exaggeration, radiate a winningly eccentric elegance. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon | [
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16,148 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3 - Luke wants to join his older brother and his friends in their stickball game but they think he's too small. The boys live in the shadow of Ebbets Field, where the great Jackie Robinson plays for the Brooklyn Dodgers in this summer of 1951. When Luke finally gets a chance to substitute, he strikes out twice. Back home, his grandma encourages him, saying, "Not everyone plays like Jackie Robinson all the time. Not even Jackie Robinson." She takes Luke to a game where he watches his hero, two strikes down, deliver the tie-breaking run. Later, the boy has a vision of the slugger, who speaks to him: "Your grandma was right. You can't give up." In the imaginary scenes, Robinson and his teammates are dramatically set apart in shades of gray, white, and black, while Luke and his surroundings remain vibrantly hued. Isadora's lively watercolors with fluid lines and warm colors elevate this slight story. Luke is winsome and sympathetic, but the tale and its message are predictable and heavy-handed. The inclusion of Robinson will hold some interest for baseball fans, but Gavin Curtis's The Bat Boy & His Violin (S & S, 1998) and Peter Golenbock's Teammates (Harcourt, 1990) are better choices for young readers. - Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. Luke has longed to join the stickball games his older brother, Nicky, plays in the streets of their Brooklyn neighborhood, so he's delighted when Nicky and his team reluctantly let him fill in for a missing player. Unfortunately, on his one turn at bat, he strikes out. He feels defeated until Grandma takes him to see the great Jackie Robinson play. After Jackie strikes out twice before hitting a home run, Luke begins to understand that even the greatest players can't always be perfect. A final spread in which Luke imagines a conversation with Robinson may confuse children, and the messages about determination are blatant. Even so, children mastering new skills will easily relate to Luke's frustration when early attempts bring failure, and they'll be comforted, right along with Luke, by supportive Grandma. Isadora paints her African American characters in angled perspectives and shadows that extend the sports action and reassuring emotions. Suggest Angela Johnson's Just Like Josh Gibson (2004) for another nostalgic, bat-and-ball picture book about African American kids finding inspiration and pride in sports heroes. Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Luke Goes to Bat | [
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16,149 | 20 | Grade 1-5-Places sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, and Muslims are the focus of this striking tour of 28 religious sites around the world (omitting only the South American and Australian continents). After a two-page introduction to the five religions covered, the dual-level text begins. For younger readers, a few words in large type comment on the concept of the sacred and its association with specific places, accompanied by three-dimensional cut-paper illustrations. These necessarily general remarks climax in the observation that "some sacred places aren't made by people at all," and a picture of the night sky. On a second level, each picture has a caption that, although brief, captures specific practices of the religion that considers that site sacred. Simplification means that the differences across sects disappear. A positive emphasis means that cremation is not mentioned in the Ganges caption, and readers glean no hint of conflict around Jerusalem (where the Dome of the Rock "was built-as a symbol of the unity of the three religions that worship the God of Abraham"). Nevertheless, Sturges's open-minded view of religious aspirations is a worthy one. Laroche's rich and detailed art balances architectural impact with situation, use, and cultural context as a photograph could never do. Following Bridges Are to Cross (Putnam, 1998), these amazingly precise, subtly colored, and engagingly textured pictures and concise words show how places in the world can be bridges for the spirit.Patricia Lothrop-Green, St. George's School, Newport, RI Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 4-6, younger for reading aloud. The text is simple and stately: "People all over the world have made special places where they gather to worship, celebrate, meditate, and hope. These are sacred places." Giles Laroche's exquisite paper cuts of places of worship are stately as well, though they are anything but simple. Impeccably detailed and saturated with color, they bring places of worship excitingly to life. Information about the God of Abraham and five other religions, which begins the book, appears on a two-page spread, which means that not everything is explained as well as it might have been. For example, the sentence "Jesus was declared a heretic and was crucified on the cross" could be interpreted as cause and effect. Numerous sites of worship are introduced--pagodas, mosques, Hindu temples, synagogues, and churches. Some sites "aren't buildings at all": the most breathtaking spreads show the Ganges River, where Indians bathe, and an aerial view of the Kabba, in Mecca, where pilgrims come by the millions. The captions sometimes don't give much information; for instance, there is no explanation of the black stone kissed by people making the Haj. But despite some of these missteps, this evokes a feeling of awe--not just for the sacred places but also for the artistry of the book itself. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Sacred Places | [
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16,150 | 0 | As elegant as any imperial treasure, this sumptuously illustrated book showcases Spirin's (The Sea King's Daughter; Philipok) near-magical artistry. Here he adapts three Russian fairy tales to coin his own version of the story of the tsar's son and his quest for the dazzling firebird. This prince receives aid from a big gray wolf, who helps him through a number of trials, even though the prince doesn't always follow his instructions. Their adventures take them to far-off kingdoms, to Baba Yaga's chicken-footed cottage and to the battlefield of Koshchei the Immortal. Ultimately, Ivan-Tsarevitch not only finds the firebird but also rescues and wins the hand of princess Yelena the Beautiful. The cadences are stately ("In a moment, the wolf had transformed himself into a warrior's horse so great and strong that it cannot be described, either with words or with a brush"), and the artwork is some of Spirin's most exquisite. Some of his watercolors are shaped like triptychs or altarpieces, others stretch across both pages like tapestries. The central compositions twinkle and glow as if dusted with gold leaf; twining about the text, the borders are intricately detailed but wrought in an airier, more open style that recalls the folk origins of the story. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 2-5-Someone is stealing the Tsar's golden apples. When Ivan-Tsarevitch, the ruler's youngest son, is sent to watch, he discovers that the culprit is the magnificent firebird. Able to snatch only a single feather, he embarks on a quest to find the bird, accompanied by a faithful wolf with magical powers. In the course of the quest, he is also required to search for a horse with a golden mane, and battle Koshchei the Immortal to rescue Yelena the Beautiful. Spirin has blended versions of three different traditional Russian tales to create what the author's note refers to as an "original composition." While the writing generally flows smoothly, it sometimes veers away from the spirit of the core material, as when the evil witch Baba Yaga is interjected into the story and is inexplicably helpful to the hero, contrary to her usual persona. Spirin's illustrations are superior to the story he tells. Done in watercolor, the painterly pictures are elaborately detailed and exquisitely executed, capturing all of the magic and mystery of the long ago and far away. Of particular note are the elegant borders, which enhance the text they frame and invite readers into this magical realm. Larger libraries will probably want to purchase the book, but smaller collections already holding Demi's The Firebird (Holt, 1994; o.p.), Ruth Sanderson's The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring (Little, Brown, 2001), or Jane Yolen's The Firebird (HarperCollins, 2002) may consider this an additional acquisition.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Tale of the Firebird | [
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16,151 | 0 | Kindergarten-Grade 2-This sweet story follows a little girl and her parents as they drive around town on a Sunday looking for a bathroom. Elya uses the trip to introduce readers to a bit of Spanish vocabulary: "Pap checked the bakery-la panader'a,/ but it wasn't open because of the d'a." The book concludes with a glossary and pronunciation guide. Karas's trademark illustrations reflect the light mood of the text and will help children figure out the unfamiliar words. The bright colors and mix of pictures from small insets to full spreads provide visual interest and pacing for the story. This is a clever way to introduce a language to young children, but it suffers from being a tad too long. Children might not be able to hold on until the end.Tali Balas, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York CityCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreS-Gr.1 Here's an exuberantly illustrated charmer that combines a common childhood experience and a new language. The young narrator is in the car with her parents, when she says, "Where is un bano? Donde esta? I really do need one," I told mi mama." Thus begins a frantic chase through town, looking for a bathroom. Since it's Sunday, most places are closed, but the family is directed to a blue restaurant, where the girls and ladies in the long line gladly let the little girl go first. Elya does a fine job of making the poetic text work while incorporating the Spanish into the rhyme scheme. Not every word is made clear through context, but most are, and there's a glossary appended for the rest. Karas' pencil-and-watercolor artwork captures the sense of motion and urgency--the lines of the text swirl around the pictures in a go-go fashion. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Oh No, Gotta Go! | [
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16,152 | 11 | PreSchool-Grade 2 - On Thanksgiving Day, the firefighters at Station 1 are busy preparing a holiday dinner. While two of them are grocery shopping in the morning, a call comes in over their cell phone and they rush out, leaving behind a full shopping cart. After they've put out the fire, they go back to the store, help mop up the melted ice cream, and return to the station. Then another call comes in. In fact, every time they put out a fire and return to the firehouse, they inevitably get another call. In one of the later fires, Lou, who had volunteered to cook, is injured. This time, when the others return, they find a sumptuous holiday feast with a heartfelt thank-you note attached, and they take some of this food to Lou in the hospital. Vibrant, somewhat surreal illustrations vividly depict the firefighters walking through doorways ablaze in orange flames. Despite a tendency toward a crowded, sometimes confusing look to the spreads and some forced rhyming structure, firefighter fans should enjoy this story. - James K. Irwin, Nichols Library, Naperville, IL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. This rhymed, picture-book tribute follows firefighters through a Thanksgiving Day as they struggle to shop and prepare a special meal in between calls to duty: "They wash the trucks, hang hose to dry / Roll out crust for pumpkin pie." Eventually, after raging fires leave one of the team hospitalized, the company of firefighters abandons meal preparation altogether only to receive a delicious, ready-to-eat feast from the grateful community. A few lines of text seem out of step with the story and may confuse young children: "Pack up gear and fill the tank. / Plan the next big rookie prank. / The turkey's frozen. Is it too late?" But the actions and sacrifice shine through the confusion, particularly in the large, slightly stylized acrylic paintings of firefighters amid the flames. Young children curious about rescue-worker stories will enjoy the suspense and drama of the men (and one woman) at work. Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The Firefighters' Thanksgiving | [
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16,153 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2--In a rhythmic and rhyming text, a six-year-old expresses his feelings about his family's impending relocation. He likes his neighborhood, his school, and his friends, and has doubts about living in a place called Little Rock. As the movers carry out boxes, he feels powerless to stop them: "And I think (but I'm too scared to say),/Oh, why don't you just go away!/Take your truck and take your Trouble and/Move somebody else!" Finally, his mother senses his unhappiness and takes him on her lap and rocks and sings to him amid all of the chaos. He sheds his tears and is comforted but is still apprehensive. After the move takes place, he discovers that he likes his new environs, but will always keep fond memories of his old home. Harper presents an honest, comforting depiction of what can often be a traumatic event. The text clearly captures a child's view of a world in which the adults are in charge and the youngster feels lost in the shuffle. Karas's realistic and playful illustrations in colored pencil, gouache, and acrylic add depth to the story. The endpapers show cartons with labels such as "magic tricks," "spy stuff," and "comic books." A good choice to initiate a family discussion about moving.--Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. Rhyming text describes the traumas a six-year-old faces as his family gets ready for and then completes a move to a new house and town. The theme is familiar, but Karas adds sparkle with deceptively simple, funny pencil-and-watercolor pictures, which feature a baby sister dumping food on her head, a kitten who likes to crawl on boxes, and a pair of massive movers, one of whom sports impressive armloads of tattoos and nearly ends up with a flattened nose when trying to lift a dresser. The focus is on the traumas of the move, but things turn out fine once the family has arrived at the new house, with new friends made and the height charts established on the back of a closet door. Kids facing a move will find Harper's story a reassuring choice, and the humorous illustrations will atttract others as well. Todd MorningCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: I Like Where I Am | [
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16,154 | 0 | Jamie O'Rourke, the laziest man in all of Ireland, is back. Last time we saw him, he was confronting a giant leprechaun-charmed potato (Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato). Now, this indolent Irishman has been left in charge of the house while his hard-working, long-suffering wife Eileen goes to visit her sister for a week. In spite of his plan to stay in bed the entire time (thus not "dirtyin' a thing"), Jamie's cronies come by to keep him company and eat up the grub Eileen left behind. Jamie goes back to sleep amid the mess that night, only to awaken to a mysterious donkey-man cleaning the house. Pleased at his good fortune, Jamie continues his slovenly ways all week long, watching the Pooka (Irish animal spirit, as explained in the author's note) sweep and wash every night. But lazy Jamie's luck is just about to run out...Award-winning author and artist Tomie de Paola has created another lively folk tale based on traditional Irish lore. Young readers will delight in the slothful "hero's" comeuppance, as illustrated in de Paola's charming and inimitable style. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie CoulterLazy but lovable Jamie O'Rourke, last seen harvesting a spectacular spud in Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato, returns in this dandy original Irish folktale. When Jamie's wife goes to visit her sister for a few days, she leaves a well-stocked larder: "All you'll have to do," she tells him, "is the washin' up each night and give a quick swipe of the broom every now and then." Never one to do a lick of work, Jamie doesn't lift a finger, even when he and his cronies make a walloping mess. While Jamie sleeps, a mysterious donkey-like creature creeps in and quickly puts the place in tip-top shape. Jamie soon discovers the creature is a pooka, an animal spirit atoning for misdeeds in a past life. Thinking to spur on the pooka with an added incentive, Jamie gives him a present--but the pooka leaves the cottage forever, rewarded for its work. DePaola's jaunty storytelling pace and his snappy Irish phrases give this tale extra sparkle. A master of vibrant acrylics that brim with child appeal, dePaola evokes the rolling countryside and earthy settings of the Emerald Isle of yore. From cozy to rollicking to suspenseful, he changes mood and scene with ease. Jamie's high-spirited pals exhibit a liberal wearin' o' the green and an endless taste for cider, which may fall under stereotype in some minds, but is all in good fun here. Ages 4-8. (Feb.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka | [
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16,155 | 11 | In this winsome import from France, Ichikawa (Nora's Castle) tells how the very first bear came to Africa. When a family of tourists "from far, far away" visits his African village, Meto is fascinated by the teddy bear the young daughter holds and remarks, "I have never seen this kind of animal before--it is not from our savanna." The girl inadvertently leaves her teddy behind as the family drives off in their jeep; a dramatic illustration shows the boy's shadow cast across an entire spread as he gazes at her forgotten property. The boy becomes determined to return it. The author smoothly incorporates the reactions of the animals that are native to the savanna as the boy carries the strange creature in pursuit of its owner. Joined by a growing menagerie and riding on the back of a giraffe, Meto reaches the visitors just as they are about to board a small plane and hands the stuffed toy to the delighted girl. Picking up on her words ("My bear!"), the enlightened animals spread the word across the savanna that a bear has graced their presence, "The first bear in all of Africa." Drawing on a palette of soft, earth tones, Ichikawa's watercolor paintings bring the terrain, people and wildlife into clear focus and illuminate the story's subtle juxtaposition of two cultures. A light, appealing caper. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.PreS-Gr 1-Meto lives with his family and animals "in a very small village in the middle of the African savanna." One day, tourists appear in their motorcar and, as the boy puts it, "watch us all the time from behind their photographic machines." Among the group is a little girl holding a toy bear, and Meto notices that he has "never seen this kind of animal before." Shortly after the group departs, he spies the bear on the ground and takes off on foot to return it. Along the way, each animal Meto passes has a question or a comment. A hippopotamus wants the bear for his son; the lion wonders if a new animal has entered his kingdom; an elephant hears the little girl crying; and a giraffe provides the ride that allows Meto to reach the tourists' plane. The story ends as the creatures marvel over the appearance of the "first bear in all of Africa." Attractive watercolor illustrations capture Meto's exuberance and his innocent interactions with the animals of his savanna. A brief glossary of Swahili words provides the only specific connection to this generic African landscape. A sweet and idealized tale of universal fellowship.Alicia Eames, New York City Public SchoolsCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: The First Bear in Africa! | [
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16,156 | 11 | Having made a bilingual foray to the market in Eight Animals on the Town, Raton (Mouse), Gato (Cat) and friends now tackle the culinary arts and add 33 Spanish vocabulary words in Eight Animals Bake a Cake by Susan Middleton Elya, illus. by Lee Chapman. Each animal brings one ingredient to the cake-baking session (recipe appears at the end): "Dog brings the egg, one huevo to beat. `Hurry up,' Perro says. `I want to eat.' " Chapman's paintings glow with south-of-the-border colors and a Mexican folk-art spirit; whimsically patterned frames contain translation equations ("Dog = Perro," "Egg = Huevo" and so on). Ages 4-8.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-Following the same format as in Eight Animals on the Town (Putnam, 2000), with Spanish words carefully integrated into the text, endearing animals each bring an ingredient for the cake they hope to bake. "Dog brings the egg, one huevo to beat. `Hurry up,' Perro says. `I want to eat.'" Each neatly rhymed couplet is accompanied by a framed and bordered illustration that extends the humor of the text. Perro prances merrily down the path, balancing his huevo jauntily on his nose, to the amazement of some watching chickens. The English translations of the Spanish words appear in the borders so there is no interruption or confusion in the story line. The paintings are a richly colored combination of cartoon and Mexican folk art that perfectly captures the animals' eager anticipation. Most libraries will agree with these delightful characters when they say, "Ms, por favor."-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Eight Animals Bake A Cake (Ocho Animals) (Spanish Edition) | [
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16,157 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3This fable begins at the marketplace, when a young father chooses a new basket for his family. Told from the point of view of the basket, the story proceeds as the baby boy grows up, the man's wife dies, and the son marries and has a family of his own. Through the years, the basket carries infants, crops, and even the woman's body to her grave; it becomes part of the family in a very fundamental way. At last, the father is a disabled old man and his son proposes to leave him at the temple so the priests will have to take care of him. The basket is consigned to carry him there, until the grandson intervenes with a haunting question that offers the moral of this traditional tale from Nepal. A quote from Kung Fu Tze in the sixth century B.C. opens the book: "What one wishes not upon oneself, one burdens not upon another." The simple text offers a splendid backdrop for the beautiful illustrations. Done in gouache, pastel, and collage, the pictures have graceful lines, subtle textures, and magnificent colors. With gold endpapers and gold edgings around each page, there's a timeless quality suited to the story. Lovely.Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* K-Gr. 3. A doko, a Nepalese basket designed to tote heavy loads, narrates Young's newest folktale retelling. "My master, Yeh-yeh, picked me from among many baskets," begins Doko, going on to describe the many things it has held: Yeh-yeh's new baby; the dowry of Yeh-yeh's son's wife; and later, Yeh-yeh's grandchild, Wangal. Eventually, Yeh-yeh's son uses Doko to carry Yeh-yeh, grown old and feeble, to the temple, where he will remain to be tended by priests. Only after clever, loving Wangal requests that his father bring Doko home from the temple ("to be used again when you are old and it is time to leave you on the temple steps") do the awful ramifications of the plan leap into focus. Young emphasizes the story's parable-like qualities by combining simply stroked figures, flattened backgrounds, and gold embellishments that call forth Buddhist and Hindu sacred paintings. As increasing numbers of families anticipate in-home care for elderly relatives, parents will want to share this story's poignant message with their children. The book may also inspire students' recastings of familiar tales from unusual points of view. Jennifer MattsonCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: I, Doko: The Tale of a Basket | [
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16,158 | 0 | Thanks to jaunty typography and a slim vertical format, this book packs a visual wallop. Its basis is a cumulative series of adjectives, all in praise of a pet. "I've got a dog," announces a boy. "A red dog./ A big red dog..../ And he's slobbery!" Most every spread introduces and repeats a descriptive word and assigns it a particular color. "Red" is a fire-engine shade, "big" is baby blue and "slobbery" is turf green. The book also uses a variety of capital or lowercase, squeezed or separated characters (though always in a consistent typeface). Different font sizes within "bouncy" make that word jump, while spacious kerning and fine lettering make "sneaky" whisper on the page. Because the book is essentially a square folded in half, the narrow pages brim with multicolored terms, along with sleek airbrushed images of the narrator and his sidekick. High-wattage white backgrounds add oomph to the emphatic sentences, which are large enough to read from across the room. "He's my big red happy muddy smart bouncy slobbery sneaky stinky dog!" says the narrator, and his bubbly, unpunctuated statement packs the book from margin to margin. Walton and Gorton (who collaborated on My Two Hands/My Two Feet) show what design savvy can do for a run-of-the-mill word list. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.reS-Gr 2-From his initial "I've got a dog.-A big red dog" a child adds to the description of his Clifford-like pup, enhancing it with words such as "bouncy," "muddy," "slobbery," and "sneaky." His expressions of love and enthusiasm for his mischievous pet are heightened by the variety of font sizes and colors used throughout the book. Gorton's simple airbrushed acrylics work perfectly with the text, giving visual examples of the adjectives. The story can be used in the classroom with beginning readers or as an early lesson in descriptive language. It will also be enjoyed by younger children.Susan Marie Pitard, formerly at Weezie Library for Children, Nantucket Atheneum, MACopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: That's My Dog | [
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16,159 | 2 | With their subtle coloring and lush detail, Spirin's watercolors add luster to the old-world charm of one of the Russian-born artist's own boyhood favorites, a children's story by Tolstoy. Philipok longs to go to school with his older brother Peter but must stay at home with Grandma. When Grandma falls asleep, however, Philipok creeps out of the house and, after a run-in with some village dogs, goes to the schoolhouse, where he proves to the teacher that he's clever enough to begin his studies. Beneduce's (previously teamed with Spirin on Joy to the World, reviewed Sept. 25) retelling is fluid and clear, but the real draw is the artwork. Spirin brings a certain romanticism to his translation of Slavic sensibility, from the traditional peasant clothing of the characters to schoolbooks sporting the Cyrillic alphabet. Rendered in a wintry palette of understated browns and grays, the scenes are full of expression and life. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.K-Gr 2-Beneduce uses her considerable storytelling skill to retell Tolstoy's simply told tale as a charming read-aloud set in 19th-century Russia. Young Philipok wants nothing more than to go to school with his elder brother, Peter. He waits until his grandmother falls asleep, takes his hat and coat off the peg, and sets out through the snow to the schoolhouse on the other side of the village. Cold and frightened when he arrives, he earns the privilege of staying at school. Spirin's classic, old-world styled illustrations are rich in historical details. The artist combines contemporary Russian technique with traditions of the Renaissance to illuminate this gem.-Doris Gebel, Northport-East Northport Public Library, NYCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Philipok | [
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16,160 | 1 | Kindergarten-Grade 4-A rhyming romp that introduces readers to numbers and vocabulary in Spanish. Eight animals each go to the market and purchase critter-appropriate supper supplies. "First comes a mouse. He's a rat-n./N#mero uno, out on his own./Off to the market he hurries for cheese./'Since I'm a rat-n, I'd like queso, please.'" Together the animals enjoy their evening repast, go dancing, and then drive home. A glossary and pronunciation guide is provided for readers unfamiliar with the language. While the text has wit and whimsy, the illustrations are absolutely delectable. Bright oils on canvas capture qualities of Mexican folk art as tidy borders augment the text. Illustrative details are sure to tickle observant youngsters (the bird's high-tops, numbers and words tucked into the art, additional vocabulary here and there). It is not easy to blast a concept book out of the didactic, but this collaborative team has created a book that is more fun than function, with the learning deftly layered throughout. A rewarding choice for reading aloud or for poring over the pictures.Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 6-8. This bright, clever picture book, in which eight animals head into town for dinner, stands out because of its seamless instruction in Spanish and English, which is apparent in both the text and the illustrations. The opening picture shows signs announcing "Market" and "Mercado," both of which point in the direction the animales are walking. The text describes a mouse going for cheese, but when he gets to the shop he declares, "Since I'm a raton, I'd like queso please." The English and Spanish words for the animals, their food, and their numbers as they stand in line are given without sacrificing story line, and the vibrant, detailed illustrations combine Latino and comic book art traditions to create a surreal landscape that is both beautiful and humorous. This is an engaging choice for early readers, especially those who are already bilingual or just starting to learn a second language. A glossary and pronunciation guides are included. Marta SegalCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Eight Animals on the Town | [
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16,161 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 4–Two African-American siblings sit on the front stoop of their apartment building on a summer day wondering what to do for fun. After spying on their mother and the "blah blah ladies" and trying to cool off with swiftly melting snow cones, Mimi and Joe make their way through the sizzling streets to the sanctuary of the public library. They gratefully drop down into the "smooth and cool" chairs with their books, eager to escape from the heat into the imaginary worlds of princesses and dinosaurs. Eventually, the children reluctantly venture back outside, and as they head for home, Joe aptly sums up their afternoon by stating, "It's good we came. Isn't it." This eloquently told story is boldly illustrated with evocative acrylic paintings in shades of orange, red, and yellow. A few wordless spreads fluidly depict Mimi's imaginary adventure as a fairy-tale princess, as she rides a pink unicorn and foils a robbery. Pair Joosse's outstanding book with Pat Mora's Tomas and the Library Lady (Knopf, 1997), another tribute to the benefits of visiting the library and the joys of reading.–Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. The library is cool, and not just in temperature, when Mimi and her active little brother, Joe, seek refuge there from the "dragon hot" city streets. This time the team who created Stars in the Darkness (2002), about scary gang violence, tells an inner-city story that's affectionate and fun. First Mimi and Joe pour ice tea and pass cookies for Mama and the "blah blah ladies." Then the kids slip out, slow and easy, and find the "cooooool" library, where they open the books and travel through time and space. The simple words are physical and immediate, and the gorgeous double-page spreads in Christie's signature painted-collage style show the kids' fabulous fantasy adventures: Mimi is a princess on horseback; Joe rides dinosaurs; and for pages the world is theirs. The contrast between the red-hot city scenes and the excitement the kids find inside books makes a great library poster. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Hot City | [
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16,162 | 2 | Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 5Soonie's great-grandma was only seven when she was sold away from her parents in Virginia and sent to South Carolina. All she had was a piece of muslin from her mother, two needles, and bright red thread. She was raised by Big Mama, who cared for the plantation children and at night whispered stories of freedom. Big Mama taught great-grandma how to sew messages and directions into quilt patterns, a Show Way. The quilt-making tradition is passed down through successive generations of women in the family. Finally, readers meet the narrator, who grew up to become a writer and tell the stories of many people's Show Ways. A poignant trail at the end of the book shows eight generations of women and the author's baby painted against the background of quilt patterns. Show Way is a sophisticated book that introduces readers to the passage of time, family traditions, and the significance of quilts and their patterns in African-American history. The gorgeous, multimedia art includes chalk, watercolors, and muslin. An outstanding tribute, perfectly executed in terms of text, design, and illustration.Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Gr. 3-5. A Show Way is a quilt with secret meanings, and the image works as both history and haunting metaphor in this exquisite picture book. Based on Woodson's own history, the unforgettable story tells of African American women across generations, from slavery and the civil rights movement to the present. The cut-out jacket design is impressive, as is Talbott's mixed-media artwork inside, which extends Woodson's clear poetic narrative with beautiful collages that make use of big triangles, squares, and curves to emphasize portraits and landscapes and show connections and courage. The first double-page spread is of anguished separation when Soonie's great-grandmother is sold "without her ma or pa." Growing up on a plantation in South Carolina, Soonie learns from Big Mama about children "growing up and getting themselves free," and also how to sew quilts with signs that show the way to freedom. Time passes: Soonie's granddaughter, Georgiana, has twin girls who march for freedom in the 1960s. The final glorious spread shows Georgiana's granddaughter, Jacqueline Woodson, laughing at home with her own beloved daughter, Toshi Georgiana, whose picture is embedded in a quilt, connecting her with those who came before. A must for the classroom, this story will move many readers to explore their own family roots; link it to the Booklist interview with Woodson [BKL F 1 05], in which she talks about what she owes to those who came before her. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Show Way | [
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16,163 | 2 | Grade 2-5-Readers may recall from What Pete Ate from A-Z (Putnam, 2001) that this dog eats anything. That gets him into a pickle when he visits his owner at school. Poppy Wise narrates as Pete eats the math teacher's pants. Mr. Grompi Spitzer promptly sends them to the principal's office, where the pup eats an encyclopedia, rendering him superintelligent and able to speak. He returns to school the next day disguised as Poppy Wise's cousin, and eventually charms the charming principal Miss Honeybee into relenting on the "no pets in school" rule. Fortunately, or un-, once Pete digests all his information, he goes back to being plain-old "dear sweet Pete." Kalman's fans will frolic through her complex and wacky paintings, playful text, and somewhat strung-out and predictable story. This is not Kalman's strongest work, but it's lots of fun for those who get the joke.Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.*Starred Review* Gr. 2-4. Sometimes Kalman's books (and their outrageous humor) seem more aimed at adults than kids. But not this one. Pete, the shaggy dog introduced in What Pete Ate from A to Z (2001), is back--hungrier (and funnier) than ever. This time he goes to school with his owner, Poppy Wise, and her brother, Mookie (nicknamed Shmookie Scalandroopy by his sister), where he gobbles up, among other things, an encyclopedia. His literary indulgence becomes clear to his owners as they study at home that night: Pete not only speaks but also gives them answers to their homework. The next day, the excited Wise children bring Pete to school disguised as their brilliant cousin, Pearl Buttonweiser--but Pete's wagging tail eventually gives him away. The design and the artwork are signature Kalman: inventive, eye-catching, bold yet subtle. Some children may have trouble reading the hand-lettered text, but many will find it worth the effort to catch all the jokes. Readers will also find some interesting information. With so many witty asides and quirky artistic tangents, saying that this will be read more than once is an understatement. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Smartypants (Pete in School) | [
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16,164 | 14 | Celebrate the joy, beauty, and magic of Christmas with this giant treasury of Jan Brett's best-loved, bestselling books. Universally renowned for her exquisitely framed, highly detailed picture books, Brett captures the essence of winter wonderlands in her stories about hedgehogs, trolls, reindeer, and tow-headed children. The stunning natural settings and enchanting characters are based on the traditions and stories of the countries she has visited, especially Norway and Denmark. This glorious collection includes seven of Brett's snowy classics: The Mitten, The Wild Christmas Reindeer, Trouble with Trolls, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Hat, Christmas Trolls, and The Night Before Christmas. What a treat! (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie CoulterHer many fans will welcome Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury. This oversize gift edition gathers together seven complete, previously published stories, including The Mitten and The Hat as well as The Twelve Days of Christmas.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury | [
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16,165 | 3 | Kindergarten-Grade 2-This goofy spin on a classic nursery rhyme begins with two siblings in desperate need of some water for their fish tank. "Jack and Jill went up the hill;/it took them quite a while./Jack looked in the well and screamed,/'A giant crocodile!'" Their mother laughs at the notion of a talking croc and mentions that it is too bad that their dad disappeared a while ago when she sent him for water. The crocodile introduces himself as Magic Sam and agrees to let the youngsters fill their pail if they bring him a meal. They return with a ham, and Sam grants them a wish, but they still don't have any water. He then demands a side of beef and they take him their cow and earn another wish. Jack and Jill wish that their dad were there to help them. "Poof! The well shot clouds of smoke./As Jack and Jill looked on,/their long-lost dad appeared-./The crocodile was gone." They all return home and live happily ever after. The retro-style illustrations are quirky but somehow work with the rhyming story. It takes the children quite a while to get some water, but they finally break the spell and rescue their father and their fish. A fine purchase where nursery-rhyme variants are popular.Kristin de Lacoste, South Regional Public Library, Pembroke Pines, FLCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.K-Gr. 2. Life is never easy. First the sink isn't working, so Jack and Jill go up the hill to fetch a pail of water. When they get to the top, they find a hungry crocodile, who happens to be magic, living in the well. Heavens, what next? After the obligatory crown breaking and downhill tumbling, the penniless kids get a ham to swap to the croc for a wish ("Send a plumber down to fix our broken sink!"). Is it time for a happy ending? Not yet. Before that happens, Kirk puts a few more twists into this fractured, singsong version of a classic nursery rhyme. The candy-colored pictures, with their vaguely Tyrolean setting, contain some clever touches (look carefully at the clouds and domestic architecture), but they are really ugly in a retro way. As a result, their appeal for young children may be limited; however, high-school kids who peruse picture books for art ideas will think they're a hoot. Michael CartCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Jack and Jill | [
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16,166 | 1 | Kindergarten-Grade 3-This long-winded faux folktale concerns "a tribe of bears called the Brunov" who are "only the size of your thumb!" One year, four little bears set out in search of sunshine and warmth instead of staying safely at home and sleeping through the winter. So, Urso Brunov, the "Little Father of All Bears," has to rescue them. His trip takes him from snowy woods to high mountains and dry deserts. He meets other animals (normal sized) and tricks, bullies, or cajoles them into helping him. Urso discovers the bears and many other animals trapped in a zoo. He rescues them all and leaves the guards and their leader imprisoned in the cages. Jacques's plot has a traditional folktale pattern and his choice of language and the frequent use of repetition (particularly the protagonist's admonition that others should "Believe me, for I am Urso Brunov!") enhance this feel. Urso is a typical folktale hero, plucky, brave, self-confident, and successful. Unfortunately, the very predictability of the story, along with its length, may make it difficult for the book to find an appreciative audience. Children young enough to enjoy Natchev's richly colored and beautifully composed paintings may find it hard to sit through the lengthy text, while older fans of the author's work will likely be disappointed by the slim story.Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Urso, Little Father of All Brunov Bears, is the mightiest, wisest, and strongest of any living creature, even though he's no bigger than a thumb. He proves his mettle when he must retrieve four little bears who escape hibernation and are kidnapped and taken to a desert zoo by the Lord of All Sands. Jacques displays his usual flare for animal characters and clever details in this nicely packaged original folktale, with richly hued artwork that enlivens the story. Although several of the pictures don't quite match the accompanying text (Urso's "fine red coat" appears to be a yellow shirt on the opening spread), children may overlook the discrepancies in the face of Urso's delightful ingenuity, as when he uses a goose feather and a flute to make a sailboat. Adding to the charm is the small circle in the upper right corner of each spread, which becomes part of a flipbook of Urso dancing. A colorful initiation to Jacques' animal-fantasy magic. Julie CumminsCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The Tale of Urso Brunov: Little Father of All Bears | [
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16,167 | 2 | After hitting the big city for the first time in Spike in the City, the black-and-white pooch has his first overnight away from home in Spike in the Kennel. He realizes that the kennel is not so bad after all when he sneaks out at night to play Frisbee with the other dogs.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.PreS-Gr 2-Those who know the two earlier Spike books will welcome his new adventure. Spike must stay at the kennel overnight, and he is worried, lonely, and frightened. He misses his bed. He hates the food. He howls at night. Then he is invited by the other dogs to join a nighttime romp and becomes one of the group, until they are busted and sent back inside. In the morning, when it is time to leave, Spike wants to stay. Of course, this turn of events will be all too familiar to children. The cartoonlike watercolor illustrations depict Spike's emotions accurately and with humor. Children first see the apprehensive pooch being dragged into the kennel by his determined owner, with assorted canines lounging on the reception desk, the floor, and the counters. The closing illustration shows the same scene, but this time with a reluctant Spike being led out. Bright, bold colors capture all of the activities surrounding this pup's first night away from home. This is a story to be enjoyed by groups, by early readers, or one-on-one.Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FLCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Spike in the Kennel | [
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16,168 | 1 | PreSchool-Grade 3-In 1905, eight-year-old Harriet Peters became the youngest climber ever to reach the summit of Longs Peak in Colorado. Guided by Enos Mills, the man later responsible for the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park, spunky Harriet braved the elements to reach the top of the mountain, spurred on by the memory of her mother who died before realizing her dream of completing the climb. This poignant tale, based on a true story, is retold in lyrical language and accompanied by dazzling watercolors. Known for his realistic landscapes, Lewin does an excellent job of depicting the child's struggle against nature. The climb begins before dawn; the accompanying illustrations reveal a deep blue forest lit with touches of orange on the riders' faces and horses' manes, reflecting the rising sun. After daybreak, the paintings change from the warm, clear light of sun-dappled meadows to the cool, icy blue of a sudden snowstorm as the party ascends the mountain. Throughout, luminous highlights mold the characters' faces in a chiaroscuro reminiscent of the work of Caravaggio. To round out the tale, Barron's endnotes identify his primary sources and include a photo of Peters taken the day of the climb, revealing Lewin's faithful reproduction of her costume. With its dramatic artwork, this gripping saga is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.Laurie Edwards, West Shore School District, Camp Hill, PACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 1-4. This is a handsome book, no doubt about it, and at first the story seems amazing. In 1905, eight-year-old Harriet Logan climbed more than 14,000 feet to the summit of Colorado's Longs Peak. Guiding her was Enos Mills, an early advocate for making the area a national park. Also with her was her father, both of them endeavoring to honor Harriet's deceased mother, who dreamed of making the climb. Pa doesn't make it, but Harriet struggles to the top, and as Mills promises, sees many surprises along the way, capped by the view from the summit, where Harriet feels "high as a hawk." It's hard to imagine artwork more perfect than Lewin's to chronicle this remarkable journey. Sweeping vistas, tinted with just the right light, are juxtaposed against near-photographic depictions of Harriet and Mills forging their way up the mountain. The book concludes with an author's note, and suddenly, almost everything readers thought to be true is in question. Harriet and Mills did make the climb, but was it because of Harriet's mother? Was her father really along? Who took the photo of Harriet and Mills at the summit? Barron gives few clues, almost writing around the logical questions ("While I have used some poetic license, the story's historical basis in their successful climb is accurate"). Then he thanks Mills' and Harriet's descendants, but what they contributed, he doesn't say. This may be historical fiction, but a few more facts wouldn't have hurt. Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: High As A Hawk | [
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16,169 | 0 | Once again, Laroche (Bridges Are to Cross) uses minutely detailed cut-paper and paint to create three-dimensional pictures with remarkable depth and height, too, since his theme is lighthouses. Fearrington's (Christmas Lights) refrain gives the book its narrative structure: "Blink flash, flash. Swirl around, twirl around. Who sees the light?" The answer one sailor, two pilots, three gulls, etc. builds with each successive spread. The theme affords Laroche the opportunity to portray a panoply of American beacons from different vantage points, each one casting its light across the sea and sky (information about all 11 lighthouses pictured appears on the final page). Readers view the open latticework tower of the Sanibel Island Light, for example, from the edge of the shore, as four green turtles, their scales and shells exquisitely articulated, wriggle "onto land, Ready to lay eggs In the warm, damp sand." But several spreads break the predictability of the pattern: for the number five, Laroche zooms within inches of a Fresnel lens, where a quintet of fan-like luna moths alight on its surface; for the number nine, Fearrington fancies that even Martians can be entranced by the lighthouse's endless beams. A handsome salute to a seafaring institution and proof that even grownups take comfort in nightlights. All ages.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 1-This counting book has so much going for it that the inexplicable and jarring turn it takes at number seven is disappointing. Its most outstanding feature is Laroche's artwork-a mixture of drawing, painting, and paper-cutting on a variety of surfaces-that offers exquisite detail, from white-capped waves to feathery moth antennae to architectural features on the carefully rendered buildings. And there are more delights to this book: an afterword on the history of lighthouses; a key to the 11 found in the book; and handsome endpapers that list American lighthouses in continuous rows, state by state. The text starts out strongly, with a refrain about the flashing light and a question that repeats, "Who sees the light?" For the numbers one through six, the objects counted are nautical and/or real life: a sailor, airplane pilots, seagulls, turtles, luna moths, and whales. At this point, the sentence structure changes and the items to be counted are either non-nautical (kittens), non-real (ghost pirates), or both (Martians). This change in course seems problematic, but maybe those who are attracted to the striking art won't mind the choppy ride.Laurie von Mehren, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OHCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Who Sees the Lighthouse? | [
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16,170 | 2 | PreSchool-A superficial glimpse at a day in the life of two young siblings and their parents. The twins are introduced in the following manner: "One baby,/baby two./Baby. Baby./We love you!" Neither the text nor the artwork (except for a variation in clothing and hairstyle) creates any sense that these children are individuals. At times, the story seems disjointed. For example, after listing some of the children's possessions, the author describes how the twins play outdoors: "Two babies swinging. Up. Down. Up./Two brown bunnies. One white duck." Shown walking in front of the swings, these animals seem to appear out of the blue, without any visual or verbal explanation to clarify why they are there. Done in airbrushed acrylic paints, the illustrations are a bit flat. Collage elements, such as knitted textures and a paisley material, highlight the family's clothing and add a bit of interest. At times, a character or an object is shown in white silhouette, a choice that seems a bit stark in comparison to the warm colors used for the rest of the artwork. For a slightly older audience, Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly's About Twins (DK Ink, 1999) has an accessible text and irresistible photos to present a much more intriguing look at the family life of multiples.Joy Fleishhacker, formerly at School Library JournalCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreS-K. This upbeat picture book, with sturdier than usual cardboard pages, reveals the adventure of living with twins. A rhyming text takes children through a day with identical toddler twin girls. Their parents appear to revel in a chaotic, baby-filled life, and the twins easily adjust to the joys and disappointments of childhood times two. One illustration shows the girls fighting over a teddy bear. Another pictures them in the bathtub happily washing the same teddy bear ("One yellow bathtub / two splash, splash. / Two little babies / having a bath"). There's no sentimentality in Gorton's retro-style illustrations, which she created using airbrushed acrylic paint and collage. Kathy BroderickCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Twins! | [
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16,171 | 11 | Spare collage work and Sufi wisdom tell the tale of a boy in search of knowledge. Three-time Caldecott winner Ed Young (Lon Po Po) returns here with a simple, cyclical story about giving, receiving, and unexpected rewards.The boy (in a red, marbled robe and cute blue construction-paper shoes) hopes to gain knowledge from the wispy-bearded Grand Master, who appears to almost float as he assumes a sort of yogic Baked Potato Pose. But the master needs a carpet first, so the boy goes in search of the carpetmaker. The carpetmaker barks at the boy, "What about me? I need thread for weaving my carpets." Of course, the spinner woman needs goat hair to make thread, and the goatkeeper needs a pen for his goats in exchange for the hair. Naturally, the carpenter who makes pens for goats needs a wife... and so on and so on, until the boy finally finds a way to meet everyone's needs--including his own.The flecked, stationery-style backgrounds look unnecessarily static here, but fortunately Young's energetic figures compensate with vibrant momentum. And What About Me? gets especially fun as the boy races to reach his final goal, and each colorful cut-out appears to jump onto the next page. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul HughesYoung's (Lon Po Po) adaptation of a Sufi wisdom tale has ragged edges, but his collage illustrations frequently achieve a nearly transcendent lightness and simplicity. A boy seeks knowledge from a Grand Master, who tells the boy he needs to bring him a carpet. The boy runs to a carpetmaker, who scoffs, "He has needs! What about me? I need thread for weaving my carpets." The thread-spinner needs goat hair, and so on down the line. Once the boy completes the string of transactions, he returns to the Grand Master with his carpet and his original request for knowledge. "You already have it," the Grand Master announces. The story's two morals are spelled out on the final page: "Some of the most precious gifts that we receive are those we receive when we are giving" and "Often, knowledge comes to us when we least expect it"; these seem unlikely to illuminate either the story or the titular question clearly enough for young readers. Young's visual sense, though, never falters, despite occasional lapses in the continuity of pictorial details. Restrained use of patterned and textured papers give the collages a wonderful airiness; as the boy runs to the carpetmaker, for example, his huge skein of lilac thread streams skyward behind him. The figure of the boy, in elegant robes and turban, is almost always seen against the backdrop of vast, empty fields of speckled gray-brown, which suggest landscapes simultaneously physical and metaphysical. Ages 4-8. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: What About Me? | [
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16,172 | 0 | Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 3–A beautifully written and illustrated story from the creators of The Other Side (Putnam, 2001), set during World War II. Ada Ruth waits for the return of her mother, who left home in search of a job. "They're hiring colored women in Chicago since all the men are off fighting in the war." Perfectly matched words and illustrations masterfully bring to life all the emotions that the girl is experiencing as she, her grandmother, and a stray kitten that has come to stay all try to comfort and console one another. As snow continues to fall, the large watercolor pages are filled with scenes of wistful longing–looking out the window, bringing in firewood, giving the kitten some milk, knitting, listening to news on the radio, and capturing the disappointment when the postman passes without stopping. Finally, a letter arrives and, with it, some much-needed money. The first line of the letter reads, "Tell Ada Ruth I'll be coming on home soon." Now, images convey a warm sense of anticipation. The final painting shows a woman with her back to readers approaching a house… home. A tender, heartfelt story that will touch readers.–Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* K-Gr. 3. As in their award-winning picture book The Other Side (2001), Woodson and Lewis tell a moving historical story of longing and separation. The setting here is the home front during World War II, and Ada Ruth's mama leaves to find work in the city ("They're hiring colored women in Chicago since all the men are off fighting in the war"). At home with Grandma, Ada Ruth holds on to memories of Mama's love and writes to her. Times are hard, and for a long time "no letter or money coming." Ada Ruth takes in a stray kitten, and even though Grandma says they can't keep it, Ada Ruth does, and its purring softness is big and warm on her lap. The race, class, and gender struggle is part of the larger drama ("A colored woman working on the railroad!"), but for Ada Ruth, it's the waiting, quietly expressed in her simple, poetic first-person narrative. Lewis' beautiful watercolors establish the setting, not the South this time, but a spacious rural landscape with snow and icy storms, and inside, the loving portrayals of the women in warm, neat rooms with an empty chair. Period and place are wonderfully specific; the yearning is timeless. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Coming on Home Soon (Caldecott Honor Book) | [
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16,173 | 11 | PreSchool-Grade 2-When Spike, a charming black-and-white dog, takes his first trip to the city, he stays close to his owner, Shannon, not at all sure he likes it there. He howls when someone steps on his tail in the elevator, steps in gum, and is snubbed by a dog sporting a Mohawk haircut and spiked collar. Then he catches a Frisbee in the park and meets friendly dogs that introduce him to different aspects of city life. After a brief episode in which he thinks he is lost, the pup finds Shannon and covers her with doggie kisses. The lively, engaging cartoonlike illustrations perfectly capture Spike's emotions, and observant readers and listeners will discover that Shannon is almost always nearby. The art and narrative flow neatly from one page to the next. Pair this humorous book with Debra and Sal Barracca's The Adventures of Taxi Dog (Dial, 1990) for a storytime that will appeal to both city and country dog lovers.Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Spike in the City | [
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16,174 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 1In the attic, beloved Christmas tree ornaments, some of which Grandma Lily has had since childhood, wonder why the woman doesn't take them down and hang them on the tree, as she always has. When it becomes clear that Lily is gone, the ornaments hold their own celebration in a dollhouse, but it just isn't the same. Luckily, Lily's son arrives with his own children, and the ornaments are part of a family once again. The oil paintings, which depict each ornament in careful and loving detail, are the strength and heart of this book. Despite some flaws (Jack seems to grow from a little boy to a man with kids of his own in just one year, and the tenses switch from past to present and back again), the simple story has quiet, old-fashioned charm.E. M. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: The Attic Christmas | [
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16,175 | 1 | Grade 1–3—Urso Brunov, the "Little Father of All Bears," is "mighty in battle/strong as an elephant/fierce as a lion/and wise as the wisest old owl of the forests." Tiny in stature but formidable in spirit, he and his bugle are called by the Silvery Moon Lady and led by Old Uncle Wind to aid two missing polar bears, threatened by ravenous wolves. Using his instrument to separate these attackers, Brunov promises to protect the royal bear siblings by guiding them home to the Land of Rainbow Lights. Relying on his friends, the boars, the deer, and the king of the whales, the lost bears safely return to their magical ice palace. Meeting their leader, the White Emperor Balanco, Brunov is rewarded with festivities. This fanciful sequel to The Tale of Urso Brunov (Philomel, 2003) features nondescript watercolor illustrations, though they are enhanced by cool colors, capturing the icy setting. Descriptive language develops Brunov's character; however, the lengthy narrative, featuring numerous brief appearances by minor characters, may prevent this selection from reaching a wide audience.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Brian Jacques lives in Liverpool, England.Alexi Natchev lives in Newark, Delaware.; Title: Urso Brunov and the White Emperor | [
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16,176 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2Young Nell celebrates her August birthday and that night, she asks, "When'll my birthday come back?" "The holidays," said Mom," will help you keep track." Thus begins a year's worth of days that the child and her family celebrate. Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc., are accompanied by rhyming couplets that describe how the holiday is observed. A multicultural cast of characters in Nell's community takes part in the festivities, helping to make them joyful celebrations. Though Nell's family doesn't observe every holidayfor example, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and Passover aren't includedthe months bring other special days that will pertain to all readers, such as Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and the 4th of July. Cheerful, bright-hued colored-pencil illustrations add much to this pleasing and lively book about happy, memory-making occasions. What's not to like?Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Susan Middleton Elya lives in Danville, California.Diana Cain Bluthenthal lives in Washington State.; Title: A Year Full of Holidays | [
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16,177 | 6 | Brian Jacques's The Tribes of Redwall Badgers, illus. by Peter Standley, reveals the animals' secret societies. A pullout poster and badger quiz is also included in this tidy booklet. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Tribes of Redwall: Badgers | [
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16,178 | 1 | Title: Mice Squeak We Speak <>Binding: Board Books <>Author: TomieDePaola <>Publisher: PutnamPublishingGroup; Title: Mice Squeak, We Speak Board Book | [
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16,179 | 1 | There might be more noticeable peace dividends from the close of the cold war, but surely none cuter. The whole world can count itself lucky to have Valeri Gorbachev, veteran Soviet illustrator, who here brings back the cast of Where Is the Apple Pie? for a smart, playful, and memorable numbers book."What happened to you, friend Pig?" asks friend Goat as the bedraggled porker shows up soaked one afternoon on Goat's front porch. This sets off Pig's wild tale, as he explains how he tried to dodge a rainstorm under a tree, only to find himself beset by other animals hoping to keep dry, too: a mouse, then two porcupines, then three buffaloes, four leopards, five lions, etc., all the way up to 10, in a glorious fold-out in the middle.Gorbachev's silly spreads in pen and ink and watercolor would be ample entertainment for any counting book, but his gift for tall-tale cadence makes One Rainy Day that much more remarkable.Valeri Gorbachev reassembles the winsome cast of Where Is the Apple Pie? in One Rainy Day, a romp of a counting book. "Why didn't you hide under a tree?" Goat asks when Pig, sopping wet, turns up on his porch. "I did," Pig replies, then launches into a list of the unlikely creatures who took shelter with him, from a mouse and two hedgehogs to a trio of water buffaloes, etc.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: One Rainy Day | [
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16,180 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3It's early evening in a quiet suburban neighborhood. After staying at a friend's house an hour longer than she was supposed to, young Sarah decides to walk home quickly and sneak into bed so that Dad does not find out. On the way, she encounters a huge multi-eyed spider, an enormous flying bat, an odoriferous skunk, a ferocious bear, a chest-beating ape, and a roaring lion. Frightened, she runs into the arms of her father, who has come to look for her, and apologizes for staying out so late. The rhyming text keeps the action moving quickly. Done in pen and ink and watercolor, the exaggerated and humorous illustrations will send tingles down readers' spines. Sarah's large round eyes and stiff body postures reveal her nervousness. Children who look closely at the shadow-filled pictures will see that the "hairy scary" beasts are actually everyday objects transformed by an overactive imagination. A fun-filled look at nighttime fears.Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Rick lives in Provo, Utah, with his wife, Ann, the brains of the household, who also writes for kids, programs computers, masters Rick's website, and does all the home repair that Rick never learned how to do. It was Ann, who grew up in a computer family and who has eight siblings and a father in the computer industry, who dragged Rick kicking and screaming into the computer age. Now Rick doesn't understand how anyone can survive without word-processing programs, e-mail, and their own website.They have four children, all of whom are learning to love reading, writing, and computers.; Title: A Very Hairy Scary Story | [
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16,181 | 2 | Grade 1-4-When an eight-year-old boy receives a skateboard as a birthday present, he also gets a big surprise. A gleam appears in his mother's eye and before he knows what's happening, she puts on a helmet and skips out the door to take a spin on his new set of wheels. As his friends look on aghast, Mom zips down the sidewalk and performs ollies and spins. When her son asks her to return his gift, she is so "skateboard crazed" that she does not reply. He tries to bargain with her but to no avail. At this point Dad explains that Mom is a skateboard champion: she even glided down the aisle at their wedding. The boy immediately knows what to do. He grabs his piggy bank, buys a skateboard for her, and asks her to teach him how to ride. They begin to roll away when Granny yells, "Stop!" and takes the youngster's board with a gleam in her eye. Done in gouache, watercolor, and colored pencils, the dynamic, quirky illustrations capture the energy and humor of this rhyming tale.Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OHCopyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved."When the narrator gets a skateboard for his eighth birthday, he discovers his mother's dark secret: she's a former skateboard queen. Co-opting his skateboard as soon as the wrapping paper is off, Mom executes ollies and spins like a pro, seemingly deaf to her son's requests that she return the gift to its rightful owner. Dad counsels patience and understanding: "She used to be a champion, your dear ol' mom./ She even rode her skateboard to our Senior Prom." The boy realizes there's only one way to get his skateboard back: buy Mom one of her own, then ask, "Would you, could you, teach me to skate?" Debut author Odanaka--who is founder of the International Society of Skateboarding Moms--hits a few bumps in her rhyming, but she makes Mom's goofy greatness worth cheering. Adinolfi (My Teacher's Secret Life), working in fluorescent hues and a genially raw mixed-media style, leaves no doubt that the title character is a woman possessed: Mom has bright, half-moon eyes perpetually focused on the horizon, electrified hair and a grin worthy of the Cheshire cat. But she's more than willing to share--after all, isn't that what moms do? Ages 4-up." --Publishers Weekly; Title: Skateboard Mom | [
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16,182 | 0 | The ABCs explode in a creative flurry of color and cadence in this stimulating mix of contemporary abstract images and playful jazz lingo. Shahan's (Feeding Time at the Zoo) alliterative text incorporates music jargon in each dynamic spread. Saxophone S is swingin,' so scuff your shiny shoes. Shimmy and shake to the scat man blues! For each letter, debut artist Thelen cleverly incorporates items ranging from the expected (zebra) to the unexpected (zither) on each purposefully busy spread. The focus letter, in a distinct bright color, stands out within black text that routinely dances up and down the page. Thelen orchestrates vivid hues and geometric shapes, often employing a scribbled backdrop for scintillating collage scenes; one spare scene of a fat cat shuffl[ing] to a fine funky beat as an elephant plays horn on Ellington Street, gives a nod to Matisse's jazz collages in its palette and mood. An African-American boy on harmonica and a blue cat make frequent appearances throughout the pages, taking time out to jam with the animal musicians (including a beret-wearing bear strumming a B-shaped bass). The rhymes may be uneven (e.g., for the letter U: U do, I do, upbeat u do. Utmost jam host!), but the tempo swings. New and whimsical discoveries await each toe-tapping visit to this book, though the very young may have trouble finding the alphabet hidden under all the jazzy dressing. A sassy improvisation on the abecedarian theme. Ages 2-5. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-"Bim-bam blues!" "Razzmatazz!" Shahan presents an alphabet book with lively language and a jazzy rhythm that will inspire a read-aloud with a snappy beat. The text boogies and sings, be-bopping through the alphabet from "Abazaba alley cat" to "zoot suit." Instruments and jazz terms and phrases capture the fun. "[W]iggle-waggle-wibble-wabble woo woo wee!" and other alliterative phrases make the book perfect for phonemic awareness and for use as a model for studying the literary device. Featured letters are usually identified with a different color to set them apart from the rest of the text. Brilliant collage illustrations harmonize with the vibrant spirit of the text. The illustrator has added additional alphabet interest by including pictures that begin with each letter. The first page lists a few examples, serving as an invitation for readers to find the many items that begin with each letter. Rockin' and tappin' fun, this title is an energetic addition to any alphabet-book collection.Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Jazzy Alphabet | [
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16,183 | 2 | Everyone thinks Eugene "Mean Gene" Esterhause, the school bully, is trouble "with a capital T." Everyone but Mr. Lincoln, that is, "the coolest principal in the whole world," who is determined to reach the boy after he's caught calling an African-American first-grader a racist name. Mr. Lincoln enlists Eugene's help in attracting birds to the school's new atrium, a project the fourth grader embraces with enthusiasm. Nevertheless, he again makes racist remarks and lands in the principal's office ("My old man calls you real bad names, Mr. Lincoln. He's got an ugly name for just about everybody that's different from us," the boy says to the African-American principal). Mr. Lincoln points out a heavy-handed parallel the diversity of the birds that Eugene loves. Mr. Lincoln helps free the boy from intolerance, just as Eugene finds a way to free the baby ducklings and their parents from the atrium so they can reach the pond outside. Polacco's (Thank You, Mr. Falker) artwork is assured, from the carefully delineated birds to the expressive faces of her characters, but the intertwining themes result in a thumping message and a too-tidy solution. Ages 6-9.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Gr 1-4-In her many books, Polacco has dealt sensitively with a broad spectrum of circumstances and issues. Here she tackles both intolerance and bullying. Mr. Lincoln is the "coolest" principal: he is Santa at Christmas, lights the menorah at Chanukah, and wears a dashiki for Kwanza and a burnoose for Ramadan. The author chronicles his attempt to reclaim "Mean Gene," a child who sasses his teachers, picks on other children, and makes ethnic slurs. "`He's not a bad boy, really,' Mr. Lincoln said. `Only troubled.'" However, the distinction is not clarified. When the principal discovers that the boy is fond of birds, he capitalizes on this interest. He involves him in attracting the creatures to the school atrium while at the same time showing him that just as the differences in the birds render them beautiful, so do the differences in people. While the theme is an important and timely one, Polacco has allowed her message to overwhelm both plot and character development. The story emerges as didactic, laden with heavy-handed metaphor, and too simplistic a solution to a deep-rooted problem. The book may be useful to schools in need of a springboard for discussion of the topic and is graced with impressive watercolors, but it is not up to the author's usual literary standards.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Mr. Lincoln's Way | [
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16,184 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2In this dynamic picture book, personified foods fight a battle over good nutrition. Following the wisdom of the Great Food Guide tacked on the wall, the various edibles that form the pyramid have always tried to remain in balance. Then, dangerous interlopers overrun them and take over the top level ("They had strange names like Hot Dog, Candy Bar and Donut, and they liked to cause trouble"). The healthy foods almost give up trying to make things right again, but the problem is resolved when the pyramid is destroyed by its own excess; with all of that fattening stuff on top, it collapses "under its own weight." The foods then rebuild the structure, a process shown in a literal and amusing way, with sturdy starches supporting bright fruits and vegetables, and finally, way up on top, a few sweets and fats, which are allowed to return. The message is up front, but the humorous tone keeps the story from becoming overwhelmingly didactic. The pictures are great, with vivid colors and lots of drama and personality. Barron's light touch and child-friendly approach make this offering more enjoyable than most of the books available on nutrition.Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Rex Barron has been bringing food to life ever since his first book, the classic Eggbert the Slightly Cracked Egg by Tom Ross. With nutrition being such an important topic for todays young readers, it seemed natural for Rex to illustrate the food pyramid and show how important balance is for healthy eating. A former film animator in Los Angeles, Rex Barron lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.; Title: Showdown At the Food Pyramid | [
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16,185 | 0 | Grade 7 Up - An exciting novel set in 10th-century England. In this sequel to The Edge on the Sword (Putnam, 2001), which ended as King Alfred's daughter, Æthelflæd, was about to marry Ethelred of Mercia, Tingle moves a few years forward to tell of Æthelflæd's 16-year-old daughter, Ælfwyn. A scholarly girl with no interest in the riding, swordplay, or politics that absorb her widowed mother, Wyn is surprised to learn that her uncle, the West Saxon King Edward, has arranged her marriage to a much older earl in order to solidify a political alliance. Then her mother's unexpected death throws Mercia's future into a state of uncertainty. With King Wilfrid of Northumbria eager for an alliance with Mercia, Wyn's uncle insists that her marriage take place immediately or that she enter a convent. Knowing that either choice will mean the downfall of her country, Wyn decides instead to flee. Disguised as a boy, she passes herself off as a scop (itinerant bard) and adopts the name Widsith ("Far Traveler"). By chance, she joins King Wilfrid and his men and soon finds herself falling in love with him. When she unwittingly becomes embroiled in Wil's attempts to regain power from her uncle, she must decide where her loyalties lie. This compelling novel is filled with well-researched details, an action-packed plot, and well-drawn and sympathetic characters. Tingle is a worthy successor to Rosemary Sutcliff, sharing her ability to make British history come to life for modern readers. - Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 7-10. In The Edge on the Sword (2001) Tingle wrote about 15-year-old Aethelflaed, daughter of Alfred the Great, who became a powerful ruler in her own right. Little is known about her daughter Aelfwyn, who disappeared from historical record and literature following Aethelflaed's death in 919. Intrigued by the girl's disappearance, Tingle has created an immensely satisfying back story for Aelfwyn (Wyn), which mixes fact and fiction as it vividly depicts the political turmoil of the time. Wyn's life is probably more romantic than that of the historic Aelfwyn. At 16, Wyn seems shy and scholarly, but when her uncle commands her to marry or enter a convent, she disguises herself as a traveling bard and flees. Wilfrid, a Northumbrian king beleaguered by Norse invaders, offers the bard protection, friendship, and trust----a trust that may be shattered by a plan that can endanger England and force Wyn to choose between her own people and heritage and her friend Wilfrid. An introductory note provides a few facts about the real Wyn. Chris ShermanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Far Traveler | [] | Train |
16,186 | 18 | Starred Review. St. George (So, You Want to Be President?) offers readers another engaging foray into U.S. history as she chronicles the journey of one of the nation's most hallowed documents. "The Declaration of Independence has had more homes than a traveling circus." Though lengthy and far-reaching in scope, the account moves swiftly, thanks to a conversational style and a sprinkling of interesting, little-known facts. Readers follow the document from its creation ("Every S looked like an F, but since that was the way people wrote back then, nobody minded") to the many times it was spirited off to secret locales during wartime (e.g., Fort Knox during WWII) to the argument over its ultimate home in Washington D.C. An often tongue-in-cheek tone (a running joke reiterates that "parchment should never be folded") and humorous, parenthetical asides ensure the story's accessibility. Hillenbrand's (Down on the Farm) mixed-media artwork fluidly captures a variety of moods, from innocent-looking children to important historical figures, contributing mightily to this entertaining history lesson. One spread depicts elder statesmentheir monogrammed britches denote which of the original 13 states they representcomically duking it out to highlight the nascent nation's infighting. But the artist also does not shy away from grave moments: a Civil War scene depicts a soldier reeling from a wound to the chest, near a heap of abstractly outlined bodies. History buffs or not, all readers will come away better informed about this honored 2'21/2' sheet of parchment. Ages 5-up. (May) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Starred Review. Grade 3-6Few Americans are aware that "the Declaration of Independence has had more homes than a traveling circus." St. George reveals its interesting, sometimes perilous journey across time since Thomas Jefferson penned the words in 1776. Each leg of the trip is described in bouncy, interactive prose leading to a logical conclusion and a question for readers. For example: "Wow, the official, one-and-only Declaration of Independence was set forever in Philadelphia's handsome brick Pennsylvania State House on Chestnut Street. Right? WRONG!" Readers will learn fascinating details: the original Declaration was "engrossedthat is, written in large, clear letters on parchment"by Timothy Matlack onto a two-foot-wide by two-and-a-half-foot-long parchment. The Declaration was shuffled from place to place during the war and for five years after because the quarreling 13 states acted "like thirteen spoiled children." Hillenbrand's lively mixed-media illustrations are a perfect match for the text, filling the pages with visual energy and humor. Stylized paintings feature creative depictions of major events in American history, such as doctors holding a stethoscope and running tests on an ailing Declaration in desperate need of repair. Children will enjoy finding the eagle on every spread actively engaged in the scene. This well-researched, readable, and well-illustrated book belongs on the shelves of all public and school libraries. It's a wonderful way to learn history.Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence | [
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16,187 | 0 | Knock knock. Who's there? More trolls to add to Brett's (Christmas Trolls; Trouble with Trolls) canon. Apparently, the trouble with trolls is that they're always making trouble. Luckily, they never get any smarter. In this Arctic story, a shy Finnmark girl fends off lurking trolls with help from a traveling boy and his pet polar bear. An icy landscape shimmers under the northern lights while bright Scandinavian frocks and household items give the scenery a kicky dash of color. Brett simultaneously reveals another angle of her tale via intricately designed side panels that frame the main event. The lifelike polar bear, both hulking and docile, is a scene-stealer. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 2-In this story based on a traditional Norwegian folktale, a boy traveling from Finnmark to Oslo with his pet polar bear stops by Kyri's hut on Christmas Eve. The guests help to frighten away the trolls who come to wreak havoc and steal all of the holiday treats. The pleasure here lies mostly in the lush, richly textured illustrations, with Brett's distinctive borders that incorporate Norwegian folk motifs and trolls romping through skies lit by the Northern lights. Scenery aside, the children are rather one-dimensional, but the bear is handsome and heroic and the trolls satisfyingly ugly and naughty.-V. W. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve? | [
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16,188 | 1 | PreSchool-In a simple, circular text with colorful pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations, Gorbachev tells the rather complicated story of what happens to an apple pie. After a goat buys it, robbers steal it, and so begins the saga in which a wary pig asks a cumulative series of "where" questions prompted by his friend's responses. Finally, the two end up back on Main Street where it all began, and the pig again asks, "So where is the apple pie?" Children will delight in spying the thieves flying away in a balloon waving the last piece of pastry. The goat and pig appear on the left side of each spread, while an illustration of the answer to the question is found on the right. The artwork is bright and inviting, and has a number of characters that youngsters will enjoy following throughout the adventure. The many little details scattered throughout will keep everyone flipping back pages to catch what they have missed. The story is simple enough to allow the pre-reading set to predict the upcoming text based upon the pictures, and the pig's repeated questions will strike a chord both with children and the adults worn out with their continuous "why's." A pleasant addition to a storyhour collection, this one is unlikely to sit on the shelf after the first reading.Amy Lilien-Harper, Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.The simple title question by a friendly pig to his neighbor the goat, sets off a tale of absurd events. Goat has bought an apple pie at the bakery. "Where's the pie?" Pig asks. "Robbers took it." As the probing questions continue, children learn that the robbers ran into the forest, which was burned down by a fire; water drenched the fire, then turned into a lake, which a camel drank up. The camel went into the desert, into a fog, which the wind blew away. Now the wind is blowing down Main Street, right by the bakery, where Goat bought the pie. But there's no answer to Pig's final question, "Where's the pie?" The frenetic events are delightfully depicted in watercolor-and-ink pictures that are full of humor. Each double-page spread features one page picturing the unusual goings-on facing a more staid picture of Pig and Goat sitting on the porch. Kids will have fun looking closely at the adventures and noting how one blends into another. Ilene Cooper; Title: Where Is the Apple Pie? | [
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16,189 | 15 | Grade 6-10-In this ecological comedy, Michael, 16, is spending the summer in Vermont with his grandparents' old friends from the 1960s and working as an intern for their magazine, The Earth's Wife. Walt and Nora are famous for their pro-environmental beliefs. They don't eat meat or use air-conditioning, they ride bikes to work, are obsessed with composting toilets, and try to reuse old junk. Michael is a bit freaked by all this. However, his alternative is to stay at home chauffeuring his brilliant little brother to science camp every day, so he decides to stick it out. He becomes privy to secrets at the magazine and finds that he has some talent for the business, enabling him to prevent a hostile takeover by the backstabbing managing editor. He also exposes the man's refusal to run an important story about a well-known company knowingly producing defective materials. Michael, the classic underachiever, is a breath of fresh air at the magazine as he shakes up Walt and Nora's radical views and their somewhat staid and outdated publication. This is a funny look at what it's like being an intern at a small business where office politics are rife and everyone knows everyone else's business. Michael even has a bit of a romance. The frequent references to pop culture, mass consumerism, and ecological issues will have lots of teen appeal.Sharon Rawlins, Piscataway Public Library, NJCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 8-10. When 16-year-old Michael's summer job plans fizzle, he leaps at the next offer that comes along: helping in the office of a well-established environmental magazine while living with its founders, Walt and Nora, who are friends of his grandparents. Michael begins to think he's made a big mistake even before spending his first night in a spare bedroom packed with not-yet-recycled styrofoam, paper and plastic bags, boxes, and the like. During the next few weeks, though, he gets to know Walt and Nora and is drawn into the office politics that threaten the magazine's mission. A keen observer with a wry wit, Michael is a sympathetic character, always sure his friends are having a better summer than he is. His sometimes sardonic responses to the casual environmental lectures by Walt and Nora will make the information in them more palatable to readers. A new slant on ecological fiction. Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Saving The Planet & Stuff | [
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16,190 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2-Another enjoyable installment in a series of books about a lovable pet. When Spike's family discovers a steak missing from the barbecue, Dad's favorite boots chewed up, overturned trash cans, and a dug-up flowerbed, the dog is blamed and sent off to obedience school in disgrace. However, after he graduates with honors, the annoyances begin again, and Spike comes up with a plan to uncover the truth. Patiently, he hides and watches, and eventually finds out the identity of the troublemaker. Playful cartoon illustrations in bold colors capture the personality of the maligned but spunky canine. Children who search the pictures carefully will find clues to the culprit's identity.Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Spike In Trouble | [
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16,191 | 2 | Jonell (Mommy, Go Away!) here reenacts the events of September 11 through the eyes of an animal who perhaps can help young readers to shoulder their fears. Mole wears a hard-hat, carries a lunch pail and lives in a burrow with his molewife and babymole. Softly shaded pastels portray their warm haven filled with comfy chairs and braided rugs. When Mole tells Babymole a bedtime story about dragons, Babymole asks, "Will a dragon come to get me, Daddy?" "No, Son." Mole says. "Dragons are far away from my little babymole." But the very next day, two terrifying dragons destroy the tallest molehills in the city. From a sheltered spot amidst the wreckage, Mole feels called to return and help others. Jonell plants a spiritual undercurrent with references to Mole's prayers to an Overmole. She draws a contrast between Mole (as an "ordinary mole") and the "Bigmoles" and "Smartmoles" that emphasizes the importance of everyday heroes, yet youngsters may not understand the social distinction or the idea of working-class firefighters, police officers and others rescuing elite stockbrokers. The stronger theme underscores the tenuous reassurance between father and son: upon Mole's return home that night, Babymole asks, "Will I get to go fight the dragons, Daddy?" "No," replies Mole. "We grown-ups will fight them for you." Images of the moles fleeing the fire and the dragons' attack may make this best suited for reading with an adult, as well as for children who already know about the events of that day. Ages 5-up.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-Jonell's modern-day fable features a community of moles whose molehills, "had been built so tall, they were called the Mountains," are attacked by two cruel dragons. The story follows an ordinary fellow who once dreamed of being exceptional. When the dragons strike, he and his peers become "Moles Afraid," but he conquers his fear and helps in the rescue and recovery efforts. The last page shows the hero standing tall with his fellow moles: "There was a city of them. A country of them. A whole world of them. Bravemoles." Although the concept may be a noble one, the book doesn't quite find its audience. The illustrations, rendered in water-soluble crayons, will appeal to young audiences, but the picture of the two dragons may be too frightening for them. The text is too lengthy for preschoolers or even kindergartners, while elementary-aged children may find the art puerile. The author works hard to transpose the events of September 11 into an explicable universe for children, but the book does not ultimately provide the kind of comfort that youngsters need-perhaps, given the subject, an unachievable goal.Shelley B. Sutherland, Niles Public Library District, ILCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Bravemole | [
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16,192 | 16 | PreSchool-Grade 1-At night, mice wearing numbers emerge one by one from the kitchen clock. Ready to play, they prepare for a rollicking party with birthday cake served on the good china, but they have to be wary of Max the cat. Predictably, the feline awakens, with readers becoming aware of this fact before the rodents do. It is not clear why, but they must return to the clock by midnight, because "Tomorrow can't begin/Till every hour is home/And every number's tucked in," thus providing an element of suspense to the tale. The rollicking refrain-"Boom Chicka Rock, Chicka Rock, Chicka Boom!"-will have children moving to the rhythm, but at times the rhymes seem forced. Unfortunately, too many details clutter the text-the mice refer to Max by name and also as Lion. The numerous references to dances are fun-the Electric Slide, the Bunny Hop, Tango, Fandango-but again, complicate the verses. Chitwood's patterned collage illustrations are set against neutral backgrounds. They have an appealing textural quality and successfully convey the movement and drama of the story. There are echoes of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (S & S, 1989) here-with numbers instead of the alphabet, but this book lacks the earlier work's elegant simplicity.Robin L. Gibson, formerly at Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OHCopyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.John Archambault is a poet, a former journalist, a story-teller, a songwriter and a prolific author of children's books. Born in Pasadena, California, Mr. Archambault attended the University of California, Riverside, as well as Columbia Teachers College in New York City. He travels all over the country, speaking to children and teachers about the joys of reading, and has created six musical CD compilations with Youngheart Music. He has also written over a dozen books for children, often collaboarting with Bill Martin, Jr., as in the popular Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, for which he is best known. Mr. Archambault lives in Yorba Linda, California.Suzanne Tanner Chitwood has had a passion for art ever since she was a little girl. A former elemenarty art teacher, she made her debut in children's books in 2002 with her picture book Wake Up, Big Barn!, which was praised for its unique torn-paper illustrations. Ms. Chitwood lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.; Title: Boom Chicka Rock | [
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16,193 | 0 | Grade 6 Up–Duncan is eager to rise to the call of the fiery cross when the men of clan MacDonald follow their chieftain and Bonnie Prince Charlie into war. His father goes, but permits the 13-year-old and his grandfather to accompany them only as far as the meeting place. They return to the farm bursting with tales of the brave Scottish clansmen and their reverence for the prince. When his cousin Ewan learns of his father's death, he insists on revenge and convinces Duncan to run away with him to war. A bloodbath ensues, Ewan is killed, and Duncan follows the prince into a terrifying battle against the British. Just as families gathered around the hearth when elders shared their tales of war and heroism, Yolen and Harris reward readers with a gripping journey into the Scottish Highlands. The brutality, slaughter, and destruction of war are evident throughout, but some of the history might be difficult for readers to follow unless they read the concluding author's note first. Also, some of the dialect can be a bit daunting. The ending relies heavily on coincidence–prone to fits, Duncan has one that actually saves his life, the spirit of his dead sister is there to help him, and he finds the slain Keppoch's valuable brooch. Still, through authentic voices and vivid description, the Battle of Culloden comes alive in this boy's journey into manhood.–Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, IL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Gr. 6-10. Yolen and Harris, who cowrote Queen's Own Fool: A Novel of Mary Queen of Scots (2000) and Girl in a Cage (2002), now tell the story of a young highlander who fights for Bonnie Prince Charlie at Culloden. Just 13 and prone to seizures, Duncan is disappointed when he is not allowed to join his father and the other men of the village in answering their clan chief's call to war. But before the year is out, he has shouldered his father's work, suffered the loss of loved ones, fought in a bloody battle, and helped his prince in an unexpected way. The convincing depictions of people and relationships earlier in the story deepen the sense of despair during the battle, which is realistically depicted as cruel, violent, and gory. Structured in three sections, the novel creates a strong sense of life in the Scottish Highlands in 1745-1746, of the carnage at the battle of Culloden, and of Duncan's growing awareness of the world and his place in it. Combining a sensitive portrayal with dramatic tension, Trina Schart Hyman's sensitive jacket art promises exactly what this novel delivers: a spirited historical adventure and a sympathetic hero. Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Prince Across the Water (Stuart Quartet) | [
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16,194 | 1 | Kindergarten-Grade 2Spirin tells the story of his wife and young son bringing home a crow with a broken wing. The full-page watercolor paintings of the artist's studio and his Moscow neighbors and cityscape are modern but have an old-fashioned feel that suggests a tale of long ago and far away. Martha is nurtured by her human family and given free reign in their home. Readers will cheer their decision to care for her when the veterinarian advises them to put her to sleep. "This bird will never fly again." Poor bedraggled Martha, wrapped in a bandage tied round with string and laid in a basket, soon becomes a saucy companion on the artist's table and even atop his head. Her gray wings and torso set her apart from the more familiar all-black American crows, and her friendly relationship with humans is intriguing. Many pages include an appealing framing device with a small image of Martha in varied poses. The recovered bird does eventually fly, and is set free. Adept at attractive page design and at shaping his story, Spirin weaves a satisfying conclusion to a tale that will be enjoyed equally as a read-aloud and for independent reading.Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-K. Russian artist Spirin's latest is based on a family story. Some years ago when Spirin and his family were still living in Moscow, his then five-year-old son, Ilya, found a crow with a broken wing and brought it home. A veterinarian, who is consulted the next day, says that the bird will never fly again and should be put to sleep. Ilya steadfastly refuses, and so the bird, which he quickly names Martha, is brought into the family. Taking up residence in a basket next to the artist's work desk, Martha becomes a fixture of the domestic landscape and, to Ilya's delight, gradually recovers her ability to fly. Though true, the story is slight. But that hardly matters: the watercolor pictures--in a variety of shapes and sizes, from full-page to spot art--are beautifully rendered, affectionate, and executed in colors as warm as toast. Even better, the world they depict is just foreign enough to excite the curiosity and questions of young viewers. Michael CartCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Martha | [
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16,195 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2--Gorbachev's amiable animal characters return, this time to discuss the perils of traveling. When Pig reveals his desire to take a big trip far away, Goat asks how he will get there. Unfortunately, for every wonderful mode of transportation that Pig suggests, Goat imagines some dire consequence. Pig could fall off a bike, get thrown by a jumpy horse, or be stuck in a dark railroad tunnel. Cars break down, plane engines fail, and ships encounter all sorts of dangers. Goat's musings reach a crescendo when he describes how Pig could end up on a deserted island and be forced to face a pirate invasion all alone. Poor Pig concludes that he should not go anywhere. Finally, Goat reveals his desire to be included by suggesting that big trips are less scary when you go with a friend. An upbeat ending and the charming pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations relieve some of the negative tension generated by the text; still, after such an overwhelming litany of potential disasters, it seems likely that Pig and Goat will just stay home.--Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. When Pig tells his friend Goat that he's planning a trip, Goat asks, "How will you go?" Each time Pig proposes a different means of transportation, Goat suggests a new misadventure that might befall him: cars can break down, horses can be jumpy, donkeys are stubborn, and ships can fall prey to fog, storm, collision, sharks, pirates. When Pig becomes too scared to go anywhere, Goat tells him that the only way to go is with a friend. There's something of a fable in this little tale. Children will enjoy imagining the catalog of calamities, for even the grave outcomes are handled lightly, with a comic touch in both story and artwork. The reassuring conclusion will strike a chord with them as well. The illustrations, breezy ink drawings glowing with watercolor washes, add greatly to the fun. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The Big Trip | [
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16,196 | 15 | Kindergarten-Grade 2–In this jovial introduction to the field of robotics, a brief, rhymed text describing robot maneuvers is paired with fast facts touting current and proposed uses for their services. From robofish that count their living counterparts to microrobots that may someday travel the bloodstream to repair cells, readers meet different mechanicals. An author's note provides historical facts, lists five Web addresses, and cites numerous technical sources including NASA. Done in airbrushed acrylic and collage, Gorton's illustrations amplify interest with imaginative cartoon scenes of human-robot interaction, and realistic sidebar drawings provide proper contrast to the more lighthearted scenes. This inviting book will encourage further reading about the topic.–Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: Robots Slither | [
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16,197 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3The poignancy of two boys who can be friends only at night is revealed brilliantly in both text and rich watercolor art. Willie's dad, a starter in the Negro leagues, expects that his son will pitch in the majors. Abe's Jewish grandfather, a violinist in the old country before World War II, is sure that his grandson will be the next Jascha Heifetz. What neither man knows is that the boys have been sharing their talents across the alley at night. When Abe's grandfather discovers that it's Willie's beautiful music he has been hearing, he invites him to perform at the temple. As Willie's dad, Abe's grandfather, and the two boys walk there, people stare at them, and Willie's dad says, Ignorance comes in as many colors as talent. Nobody wants to sit by Willie and his father in the temple, but the boy is as victorious at the recital as Abe is at the baseball game later that afternoon. Best of all, supported by their loving families, the expectation is that they now can be friends in the light. With lovely art that captures the joy both boys feel about their respective talents, this endearing picture book offers a compelling message about overcoming prejudice.Alexa Sandmann, Kent State University, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Racial differences keep Abe and Willie apart during the day, but at night they lean out of their bedroom windows and talk together. Willie shows Abe how to pitch a slider, and he proves himself adept at the violin that Abe hands across the alley. Lewis fills out his urban setting with indistinct figures and details for a timeless feel, though text references to Sandy Koufax and Satchel Paige give the background a general fix. Abe turns out to be better at baseball than Willie, and when the lads' secret comes out, it's Willie who gives a recital at the temple, and Abe who takes the sandlot mound. Willie's father makes the point explicit: "Let people stare . . . Ignorance comes in as many colors as talent." Despite some careless detailing (the alley looks too wide for passing a violin, and Willie holds the slider incorrectly), this purposeful tale works well as a similarly themed companion to Jacqueline Woodson's Other Side (2001), also illustrated by Lewis. John PetersCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Across the Alley | [
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16,198 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 1-A traditional street chant has been given an expanded lyric and music in this picture book. Each page has one line of rhyme that dances and stretches across the page. Children will have lots of fun as they sing, chant, and clap along with the rhythmic text. "Miss Polly has a dolly who is sick, sick, sick/She calls for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick!" Music and lyrics appear on the front and back endpapers, along with finger-play motions. Paint, collage, and computer graphics create simple figures and lots of patterns, all in a palette of light blues, yellows, and greens with splashes of primary color. The text swirls and curves over the page with lines and small drawings that suggest a small child's doodling. Perfect for storytime, this title can be read aloud as a story, sung or chanted with a group, or simply shared between adult and child.Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Miss Polly Has A Dolly | [
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16,199 | 0 | In 1863, as the Civil War rages, Anna Sunday, a motherless 12-year-old disguised as a boy, bravely sets out with her younger brother from her Pennsylvania home into Rebel territory to find their father, a Union soldier who has been shot. They travel with only their cousin's old horse, Samson, who responds to commands given in Biblical verse (to get the horse to move, they shout, "Love thy neighbor"). Along the way they meet and are helped by a traveling sutler and the son of a freed slave; at last, they reach the Virginia house where a feisty older woman is lovingly tending to their Pa, even though she is a Rebel (Anna and Jed expect her to be a "she-devil"). Anna and Jed begin to help nurse their father back to health but are whisked away as Lee's army approaches, and they experience life in a Union fort and a Confederate prison before finally returning home. As in her previous novels (I Am Regina; Moon of Two Dark Horses), Keehn draws on historical episodes to shape an involved tale that is at least plausible if not always fully believable (such as when Anna physically attacks thieves and guards). She does not flinch from descriptions of dying soldiers and the fetid conditions of prison life. Frequent twists and turns in the plot, along with the camouflaged heroine's coming of age, will likely hold readers' interest. Ages 10-14.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Grade 5-8-When they receive word that their father, a Union soldier, has been wounded in battle more than 100 miles away, 12-year-old Anna Sunday and her younger brother, Jed, leave their homestead near Gettysburg, PA, and make a dangerous journey through Rebel territory to find him. Motherless for three years, the two children have no other adults to help them, save simpleminded Cousin Ezekiel, who stays behind to safeguard the farm. Disguised as a boy, "Adam" and Jed set off with Samson, the family horse, almost immediately falling into the company of the grandiose Mister Eli, a conniving rascal who peddles contraband goods to both sides. With his help, the children cross through Maryland and Virginia and eventually find their father, a comatose amputee in a farmhouse owned by Confederate widow Katherine McDowell, who has lovingly nursed him along. Learning that her house lies in the path of the advancing Confederate army, Abraham orders his children to flee to a nearby Union fort. When it is abandoned, Anna and Jed, along with other women, children, and wounded are then transferred to Castle Thunder, a Confederate prison; once released, they again try to reunite with their father. Anna's lively, first-person narrative and the novel's girl-in-disguise intrigue create not only an absorbing perspective of the Civil War's impact on the home front but also an understanding of 19th-century gender roles. While Keehn is a bit heavy-handed with Anna's "Look what I can do now that I'm in trousers!" moralizing, she offers a well-paced coming-of-age story in which love and courage transcend war and politics.William McLoughlin, Brookside School, Worthington, OHCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Anna Sunday (Sevens) | [
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