node_id int64 0 76.9k | label int64 0 39 | text stringlengths 13 124k | neighbors listlengths 0 3.32k | mask stringclasses 4
values |
|---|---|---|---|---|
28,200 | 18 | Grade 35The stories of 22 "Revolutionary Grandmothers" take center stage in this well-illustrated volume. A few of the names are familiarPhillis Wheatley, Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Deborah Sampsonbut as the author establishes, there are many women and girls whose large and small contributions to the cause of independence have been largely ignored. Prudence Wright and Sarah Shattuck guarded their village when the men were fighting at Concord and Lexington, and they captured a British spy. After her husband was killed in battle, Margaret Corbin fired his cannon until she was shot, making her the first American woman to receive a military pension. Whether the women were disguising themselves as men in order to be soldiers, raising money for suffering soldiers, sewing and knitting for the troops, or participating in protests or a boycott of British goods, their actions were significant. Faulkner's ink-and-watercolor illustrations are exuberant, often amusing, and filled with crosshatching and dialogue balloons. The spreads are busy and information-packed, and readers will be both engaged by and educated about this critical period.Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved."A stirring portrait of the women who made America possible. Beginning with the scene of a school play about the Founding Fathers, Anderson declares that if we look only at them we are missing half of the story. Then she begins with small vignettes of some of our heroines. Sybil Ludington rode longer than Paul Revere and didnt get caught! The Daughters of Liberty make an appearance, along with nine-year-old Susan Boudinot who protested at a tea party of the Royal Governor. Writers (Phyllis Wheatley), soldiers (Deborah Sampson), spies, scouts, nurses, and the wives of the patriots all get their due via a small fact and portrait.... [Anderson] keeps the text lively and encourages young readers to find out more. At the bottom of each picture Anderson includes a timeline of events and defines some of the terms, making the book even more information rich. At the end of the forty-page book, she adds material on other women and a great bibliography. This short text lends itself to all kinds of activities or acts simply as a supplement for more traditional texts. Andersons research is thorough and her understanding of young readers, as always, is profound. When I conducted an informal poll of school librarians and teachers, Independent Dames emerged as their favorite book for Womens History Month. Writing with passion and humor, Laurie Halse Anderson is on a mission to set the record straight. And she does!" (Anita Silvey Anita Silvey's Children's Book-A-Day Almanac); Title: Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution | [
1832,
4250,
5472,
6014,
6301,
6491,
6804,
6850,
7111,
7678,
9613,
11214,
12816,
12860,
13909,
13925,
14018,
16061,
16347,
17700,
18499,
19029,
19331,
21068,
21109,
22984,
23401,
24320,
26777,
27402,
28027,
28065,
30808,
31583,
33169,
33680,
353... | Train |
28,201 | 2 | Grade 2-4Franny K. Stein likes to project a menacing image, so she is mortified when her classmates learn that her middle name is Kissypie. Embarrassed by all the teasing, she invents a time-warp device to travel back and change her birth certificate to read Kaboom. While she is in the past, she tells her infant self, There is nothing worse than being laughed at. Unfortunately, Baby Franny takes the lesson too much to heart. When she decides to take a peek at her future self before returning to her own time, she discovers that Teen Franny is out of control. Determined that no one will ever laugh at her again, the adolescent super villain is out to conquer the world. Can Franny save civilization from herself? The short, deadpan text is just spooky enough for transition readers and the black-and-white cartoon illustrations add to the mock-gothic atmosphere. There is even a subtle message about courage and self-confidence. A great choice for younger readers who demand a scary one.Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Jim Benton is the New York Times bestselling writer of the Dear Dumb Diary series and a cartoonist whose unique brand of humor has been seen on toys, television, T-shirts, greeting cards, and even underwear. Franny K. Stein is the first character hes created especially for young children. A husband and father of two, he lives in Michigan, where he works in a studio that really and truly does have creepy stuff in it.; Title: The Fran That Time Forgot (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist) | [
28203,
28247,
38512,
47350,
47377,
47696,
51828
] | Train |
28,202 | 13 | Great for toilet training, thispicture book provides adults with a different way to sing and talk about that crucial time when toddlers move from diapers to underwear, potty chair, and toilet: If you gotta go do poopy / Please dont wait / If you gotta go do poopy / Pottys great. On each double-page spread, words are set to familiar tunesfrom Row, Row, Row Your Boat (Scrub / Scrub / Scrub with soap / Each time that you poop) to Take Me Out to the Ball Game (Go do poop in the toilet)so adults can sing the lines and point to the hilarious watercolorillustrations of bathroomscenarios. Of course, older siblings will snicker at the rhymes and puns they hear being read aloud.There maybe a few objections to thehumorous treatment of thesubject, butlots of youngstersand theircaregiverswill have fun with this. --Hazel RochmanAlan Katz has been a print and television comedy writer for more than twenty years. In addition to being a multiple Emmy nominee for his work on The Rosie ODonnell Show and Disneys Raw Toonage, he has written for childrens programming on Nickelodeon, ABC Television, Warner Brothers Animations Taz-Mania, and many others. Alan is the author of several adult humor books; he has written humorous essays for The New York Times and other publications. Alan lives in Weston, Connecticut, with his journalist wife, Rose, and their children Simone, Andrew, Nathan, and David. Visit him online at AlanKatzBooks.com.; Title: On Top of the Potty | [
6245,
7294,
7296,
14695,
16147,
16464,
24978,
28212,
28338,
45991,
47344,
47404,
47539,
47676,
47789,
47942,
67509,
75638
] | Train |
28,203 | 2 | National Enquirer Smart, confident, and totally PUNK!Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books This has the glib, kid-appealing insouciance of Captain Underpants with an intelligence all its own.Jim Benton is the New York Times bestselling writer of the Dear Dumb Diary series and a cartoonist whose unique brand of humor has been seen on toys, television, T-shirts, greeting cards, and even underwear. Franny K. Stein is the first character hes created especially for young children. A husband and father of two, he lives in Michigan, where he works in a studio that really and truly does have creepy stuff in it.; Title: Attack of the 50-Ft. Cupid (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist) | [
2245,
2256,
2274,
2709,
3780,
12911,
12938,
13098,
13154,
13290,
13358,
13421,
13471,
13478,
14063,
14967,
15326,
18498,
18502,
18841,
18993,
18995,
19373,
22506,
22515,
22883,
22885,
22905,
22927,
26487,
26533,
28247,
28790,
29297,
45846,
45922,... | Validation |
28,204 | 11 | Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3Through vivid, descriptive text that highlights the Kenyan countryside and culture, this story about one day in the life of a Kalenjin boy unfolds. Roosters crow, and you wake one morning in the green hills of Africa, sun lemon bright over eucalyptus trees full of doves. The boy's primary chore is to take his grandfather's cows to the pasture and watch them carefully. However, once he gets them there, he slips away to see who else is awake. From then on, he keeps getting distracted by one thing or another. When he finally looks to where the cows should be, they are not there. His expression is forlorn as he ponders, Why did you wander? Why didn't you stay and do the job Mama gave you today? When he meets his grandfather leading the cows on the path homesomething he should have been doingthe youngster is contrite. Grandfather simply hands him back his cow switch and says, Twende nyumbani sasaLet's go home now. The brilliant, colorful, and humorous illustrations stand out against the white backgrounds and are large enough for group viewing. A gentle story about family, responsibility, and a curious little boy.Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-K. "Roosters crow and you wake up in the green hills of Africa." Short, poetic phrases, filled with sensory images, describe a young boy's day in a Kenyan village. He spends a "windy morning" herding his cattle, but his attention gradually wanders to his neighbors at the tea stand, to the village chief's wood shop, and so on, until he forgets his herd altogether. Luckily, the boy's grandfather comes to the rescue. The rhythmic, repetitive language winds the day's activity to a graceful, bedtime close and roots the simple story in Kiswahili phrases and cultural details--from the boy's breakfast of maize porridge to the chief's ceremonial stick. Juan's color-saturated, slightly stylized paintings bring the lush landscape and friendly community to life and expand the sense of a child's freedom and belonging. More specifics about the child's tribe appear in a brief author's note. Suggest this as a story hour choice for kindergarten units about neighborhoods and homes. Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: For You Are a Kenyan Child (Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award) | [
1242,
4728,
4782,
5409,
5415,
5428,
5449,
5533,
5622,
6852,
7075,
7169,
7654,
10269,
12043,
12357,
12406,
13774,
13879,
13894,
15842,
16537,
17761,
19538,
21372,
23038,
25679,
26910,
27308,
28078,
28792,
33014,
33656,
38071,
38359,
38370,
39027... | Train |
28,205 | 17 | Grade 1-4The creators of Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy (S & S, 2002) again turn a nostalgic eye toward baseball's past. Here, an unnamed narrator looks back on the summer of 1951 when his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers appear headed for the World Series. Then, the New York Giants go on a winning streak, forcing a playoff with the Dodgers to determine who will face the Yankees. This reminiscence combines baseball lore with a fond glimpse of a time when a big game could cause shops to close and fans to huddle by their radios. The folksy storytelling, strongly supplemented by the mixed-media artwork, conveys a warmly sentimental picture of that era. The painterly illustrations do a nice job of depicting both the action and the setting. Unfortunately, the plot doesn't fare as well. Slowed by the shifts from ballpark to Brooklyn neighborhoods, the story fails to engage readers as it moves to a predictable climax. Though Bildner slips in authentic phrases and details, the tone is sometimes forced and annoying in phrases such as "down at Lundy's in Sheepshead Bay, the fussy old ladies, forever complainin' about their flounder and snapper, put a fork in their whinin'." This book will hold its greatest appeal for fans looking to relive the events of an earlier time.Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 2--4, younger for reading aloud. Baseball in New York in the 1950s was the sport's golden age, but does it have much appeal for today's picture-book set? Perhaps only with the help of a baby boomer turned grandpa. The story of Bobby Thomson's home run in the Polo Grounds on October 2, 1951--the deciding blow in a three-game National League Championship playoff between the victorious New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers--has been retold thousands of times. Like Doris Kearns Goodwin in Wait till Next Year (1997), Bildner reprises the tale from the perspective of the losing team's young fans. The account progresses from the Dodgers' seemingly insurmountable midsummer lead through the Giants' comeback to Thomson's fateful homer, with the text showing how baseball in the pretelevision era was a community passion, shared on front stoops and around radios. Payne's painterly mixed-media illustrations are bathed in attractive autumnal colors, suggesting the October setting as well as the melancholy of the Dodgers' defeat. A chestnut of a story supported by evocative pictures. A winning combination, if only young readers cared as much about Bobby Thomson as they do Bobby Bonds. Bill OttCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The Shot Heard 'Round the World | [
16384,
16533,
28457,
47597,
54725
] | Train |
28,206 | 18 | Grade 3-6–Rankin was born in Montana in 1880 and attended the newly formed University of Montana. After leading a successful campaign for womens suffrage in her home state, she was elected to Congress in 1916. In 1919 she was the only woman who voted for the bill that became the 19th Amendment. A stanch advocate of peace, she voted against Americas entry into both World Wars. At times Marx waxes lyrical in admiration for her subjects commitment to peace, but acknowledges that Rankins antiwar sentiments were controversial. The writing is clear and interesting but sources are not cited and there is no bibliography. The muted colors of Andreasens sensitive oil paintings and skillful graphite sketches reinforce the peaceful tone of the narrative. Each sentence starts on a new line, which makes the type look ragged and might disrupt the flow of the prose for some readers. Still, the writing and the illustrations make this a good choice for young readers who enjoy biographies. Report writers might prefer Mary Barmeyer OBriens Jeannette Rankin: Bright Star in the Big Sky (Falcon, 2001).–Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 3-5. Rankin is someone children should know: the first woman to sit in the House of Representatives, and the only female to vote for woman suffrage in Congress. Marx does an excellent job introducing her, in occasionally lyrical prose: "Jeanette Rankin was born in Montana--/ Big Sky Country. / The sky was as blue as the feathers on a blue jay's back." The use of short sentences, almost free verse, keeps explanations short and simple, but sometimes the technique works against providing added information, especially in the later chapters when Rankin, as an advocate of nonviolence, votes against the U.S. entry into World War II. Still, this is a full biography that traces Rankin's life from the Montana wilds and her work for social causes to her terms as congressional representative from Montana. Andreasen's art raises this above many picture-book biographies. Handsome watercolors alternate with drawings that resemble the work of George Dana Gibson. These pencil sketches, on buff-colored paper, evoke a time past. The disconcerting lack of source notes or even a bibliography is surprising, but this offers much to report writers and browsers alike. Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Jeannette Rankin: First Lady of Congress | [
64006
] | Train |
28,207 | 18 | George Stanley was a Professor of African and Middle-Eastern Languages and Linguistics at Cameron University. In between prepping class lectures and grading papers, he found the time to write for children. He was also the author of Night Fires and the Third-Grade Detectives series.; Title: Andrew Jackson | [
183,
184,
185,
187,
189,
190,
191,
192,
193,
197,
16596,
21068,
27200,
27217,
27237,
27281,
27327,
27337,
27441,
27681,
27685,
27719,
27812,
27833,
27941,
27962,
28008,
28039,
28117,
28127,
28260,
28378,
28565,
47532,
47732,
47961,
68047
] | Train |
28,208 | 2 | Sandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, childrens author, and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults, as well as more than four thousand greeting cards and four music albums. She has designedfor various companiescalendars, wallpaper, bedding, stationery, paper goods, clothing, jewelry, and plush toys.; Title: Perritos: Un libro para contar y ladrar (Doggies -- Spanish version) | [
540,
854,
3954,
4628,
4695,
5400,
5483,
5539,
6901,
9724,
9727,
9731,
9732,
9758,
9850,
10755,
10924,
11990,
12820,
12867,
15166,
15796,
16264,
16538,
21002,
21365,
21493,
21633,
22544,
23078,
23167,
23203,
23355,
23727,
25962,
25963,
25966,
... | Train |
28,209 | 2 | Starred Review. Grade 5-9Napoli takes the elements of the traditional Chinese version of "Cinderella" and creates a powerful and moving story. Xing Xing is left to the mercy of her stepmother after the death of her father. Focusing on a good marriage for her own big-footed daughter, the woman binds the poor girl's feet even though she is past the usual age for this painful procedure. Xing Xing's only pleasure is her daily contact with a beautiful white carp in the pond where she draws water. To her, the fish seems to be the spirit of her mother helping her endure her difficult life. When the stepmother kills it, the girl is devastated, but she retrieves the bones from the garbage heap and, in the process of hiding them, discovers a green silk gown and gold slippers that belonged to her mother. Dressed in this rich garb, Xing Xing goes to the festival where she loses one slipper in her effort to escape detection. The slipper is eventually bought by an unconventional prince; when he finally finds its owner, Xing Xing considers her options and decides to marry him. Napoli retains the pattern of the traditional Chinese tale with only a few minor changes: she sets the story in the northern province of Shaanxi during the Ming dynasty rather than in a minority community in southern China. She fleshes out and enriches the story with well-rounded characters and with accurate information about a specific time and place in Chinese history; the result is a dramatic and masterful retelling.Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Gr. 7-12. Drawing from traditional Chinese Cinderella stories, Napoli sets this tale in a small village during China's Ming period. Since her beloved father's death, Xing Xing has become "hardly more than a slave," serving her acrimonious stepmother and pitiable stepsister, Wei Ping, whose botched, bloody foot binding has left her perilously unwell. A dangerous trip in search of medicine for Wei Ping brings Xing Xing into the wider world, but she returns to find home more treacherous than before. Napoli creates strong, unforgettable characters--particularly talented, sympathetic Xing Xing--and her haunting, sometimes violent tale amplifies themes from well-known Western Cinderella stories, making them fascinating questions: Could ancestors serve as "fairy godmothers"? In a society that so grossly undervalues females, what does "happily ever after" really mean? Teens and teachers will want to discuss the layered themes of freedom, captivity, love, human rights, and creative endeavor within this powerful survival story, which, like the yin and yang forces Xing Xing thinks about, balances between terror and tenderness, and is both subversive and rooted in tradition. Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Bound | [
6120,
6127,
14025,
18042,
30862,
36729,
37921,
52943
] | Validation |
28,210 | 2 | Grade 2-4This first title in this series introduces the club's three members: Conor (The Condor), Jack (Chase William), and Timmy (Jimbo). The Condor documents their adventures and seems to know all about the club and its rules, although he shares them in a pretty piecemeal manner. When Jimbo's bike is stolen, the boys set off to solve their first mystery. Although this book couldn't be called a literary gem, the three friends are distinct personalities who pal around in a believable way. The satellite characters of Conor's mom, dog, little sister, and neighborhood security guard provide excellent foils for their exploits. The Condor observes that the adults are caring if sometimes inept. Although the concluding letter to readers from the author is a tad coy, it's hard to argue with advice to drink milk and read a lot of books.Pat Leach, Lincoln City Libraries, NE Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.John Manders uses an old master's technique of layering colored glazes over a monochromatic underpainting and does extensive research for many of his projects. He and his wife, Lisa, live with two dogs and a parrot in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.; Title: The Mystery of the Swimming Gorilla: Secret File #1 (The Freaky Joe Club) | [
28199
] | Test |
28,211 | 1 | Little ghouls and boys will love looking behind each door in pop-up artist David A. Carter's Halloween Bugs. "Whos behind the rusty iron door?" "Whos behind the enchanted door?" Wouldn't you like to know? Aficionados of Carters other buggy books (The Twelve Bugs of Christmas, Easter Bugs, etc.) might have some inkling... six- and eight-legged critters will undoubtedly feature heavily. Behind creepy creaky (or whimsical) doors, readers will find bugs to rival the spookiest Halloween goblins and witches. Beware the "very hairy Scary Bug!" Dont turn your back on the "one-eyed, one-horned, Spotted People Eater Bug." And think twice before accepting sweets from the "luscious little Lollipop Bug."Carter's bug books specialize in the spectacular grand finale--he does not disappoint in Halloween Bugs, either! This clever little novelty pop-up is just the thing for every little trick-or-treater--even those of the two-legged variety. (Ages 2 to 6) --Emilie CoulterDavid A. Carter is a master paper engineer and creator of the Bugs series, which has sold more than 6 million copies. Also the author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed Color series, featuring One Red Dot, Blue 2, 600 Black Spots, Yellow Square, and White Noise, he lives in Auburn, California, with his wife and two daughters.; Title: Halloween Bugs (David Carter's Bugs) | [
3336,
6530,
6735,
8681,
9976,
13367,
17105,
19597,
22077,
23903,
26042,
26057,
27251,
27255,
27469,
27481,
27482,
27483,
27497,
27932,
28455,
31329,
33023,
45422,
46523,
47368,
47464,
47535,
47777,
47779,
47781,
47833,
47859,
47865,
47899,
48406,... | Train |
28,212 | 13 | Alan Katz has been a print and television comedy writer for more than twenty years. In addition to being a multiple Emmy nominee for his work on The Rosie ODonnell Show and Disneys Raw Toonage, he has written for childrens programming on Nickelodeon, ABC Television, Warner Brothers Animations Taz-Mania, and many others. Alan is the author of several adult humor books; he has written humorous essays for The New York Times and other publications. Alan lives in Weston, Connecticut, with his journalist wife, Rose, and their children Simone, Andrew, Nathan, and David. Visit him online at AlanKatzBooks.com.; Title: Where Did They Hide My Presents? | [
5494,
9006,
14412,
15843,
17495,
21290,
21500,
23181,
28202,
28338,
30146,
40616,
44463,
47344,
47404,
47539,
47789,
47942,
56433,
66436
] | Validation |
28,213 | 2 | Grade 3-5–The versatile Fleming has written a refreshingly light novel about a boy from Bombay who moves to a small town in Illinois at the beginning of summer vacation, so he's faced with no friends and nothing to do. Before long, though, he persuades his grouchy landlady to adopt a succession of animals (first a cat, then a dog, and finally a goat), rescues a pet pig that belongs to a very sweet tough guy, and wistfully watches a mysterious girl on a blue bicycle pass by his apartment. Told in first person in Lowji's slightly formal yet engaging voice, the story has a simple charm that glides over some well-worn comic territory (how often has a goat munched on a ruffled shirt stolen from a clothes line?). Interspersed throughout are letters to the boy's best friend in India, which show his gradual transition into his new world. Similar in tone to a classic like Henry Huggins, this book is nevertheless firmly set in the 21st century and opens a window to what may be an unfamiliar culture to many readers. The episodic structure lends itself to classroom or family read-alouds.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 3-5. "To be honest, I am more than a little sad," says nine-year-old Lowji after he moves with his parents from Bombay to an apartment in tiny Hamlet, Illinois. It's summer, the local kids are hard to meet, and Lowji longs for a pet to keep him company. Then he cleverly persuades crotchety, overworked landlady Crisp that animals could help with the chores. Soon the building is home to a cat that keeps mice under control, a dog that substitutes for a burglar alarm, and goats that keep the grass short. Delighted, Lowji helps care for the menagerie of pets and, in the process, begins to form new neighborhood friendships. Details about Indian culture (an appended glossary defines terms) and Lowji's Zoroastrian religion are purposefully inserted, as are a few moments when Lowji finds common ground with his new neighbors. But, through Lowji's mostly age-appropriate voice, Fleming tells a gentle, effective story about the loneliness and bewilderment that come with moving, and her brisk, lively sentences make this a good choice for readers gaining confidence with chapter books. Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Lowji Discovers America | [
2997,
4393,
6223,
6388,
6515,
7111,
7423,
10226,
11061,
11397,
11661,
12043,
12560,
12837,
13577,
13705,
15424,
16347,
16760,
17050,
17700,
17831,
18453,
19136,
19156,
19163,
19678,
20791,
21676,
22276,
22279,
22727,
22750,
22839,
24247,
24626,
... | Train |
28,214 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2–Spinelli provides some great entertainment in this rhyming story that showcases the famous headgear of individuals such as Igor Stravinsky, Carmen Miranda, Abraham Lincoln, Nat Love, and Johnny Appleseed. For example, "Francisco de Goya had a hat,/a hat with candles on the brim–/a clever hat that suited him–/that made a chandelier of light/for painting far into the night." From its opening lines ("Do YOU have a hat?/Something fuzzy, warm, and red,/to keep the snowflakes off your head?") to its closing ones naming different toppers ("A magic hat? A cap? A crown?/A country hat? A hat for town?"), children will be enchanted and engaged. They will certainly join in on the title refrain on each page. Valério's illustrations are done in acrylics primarily with bright shades of orange, blue, green, and red. His stylized figures are humorous, with exaggerated facial features. The endpapers offer brief tidbits about the people who are represented here. Overall, this original and amusing book is a great marriage of text and artwork. It will make a terrific storytime addition, either by itself or combined with other clothing-related selections such as Jonathan London's Froggy Gets Dressed (Viking, 1992) or Joan Nodset's classic Who Took the Farmer's Hat? (HarperCollins, 1963).–Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.K-Gr. 3. What initially appears to be a charming, if unexceptional, picture book about hats turns out to be a fun introduction to historical figures. The opening pages show children in seasonally appropriate headgear playing in snow and on a beach. Then a conversational text introduces a variety of well-known hat wearers, including Abraham Lincoln, who wore a stovepipe hat; Carmen Miranda, who wore a topper of fruit; and John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed), who was said to wear a cooking pot. More obscure people are also included--among them, magician Louis Comte, out of whose hat a rabbit appears. Whimsical caricatures in bright colors, with hats prominently featured, energize the litany of characters, and the endpapers provide brief details on the individuals mentioned and put them into context. A book that will encourage kids to think about hats' various uses and spark interest in researching those who wore them. Diane FooteCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Do You Have a Hat? | [
2840,
3600,
3913,
7350,
9607,
10570,
31869,
33047,
33099,
36063,
36342,
39450,
41057,
42022,
44463,
49412,
74407
] | Train |
28,215 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 1Frog and his friends do everything together, including sniffling, snuffling, and wiping their noses on their arms (to the disgust of their teachers). At the dinner table, Frog's runny nose prompts his grossed-out parents to present him with a box of tissues, which works like magic. Now a tissue aficionado, Frog artfully uses the handy paper hankies in the midst of the school recital, so impressing his friends that they too blow their noses and wave the tissues as they leap and pirouette across the stage. The full-color acrylic art features multiple perspectives and angles that enliven the story. Kopelke's familiar frogs, looking like plump, lumpy pickles with spindly appendages, are loaded with personality. Readers first introduced to Frog in his first gross-out caper, Excuse Me (S & S, 2003), will miss some of the riper moments of the original in this more laid-back, slight sequel on manners, but the humor is still enough to elicit giggles. For those libraries (and parents) hoping for a little less "snerrrfle," this title might blow them away.Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha's Public Library, WI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Lisa Kopelke is the author and illustrator of Excuse Me!; Tissue, Please!; and The Younger Brother's Survival Guide. She lives with her family in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit her at www.lisakopelke.com.; Title: Tissue, Please! | [
28011,
31862
] | Test |
28,216 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2In this cheerful takeoff on "The House That Jack Built," Dad cleans the van and then takes his three children to pick up some fast food. By the time they get home, of course, the van is completely covered in fries, ketchup, and last year's Halloween candy. Have no fear, though; the kids clean it all up the next morning. Done in pastel, ink, and pencil, the cartoon artwork is broadly humorous, with the action growing ever more frantic until the wordless punch line when Dad finally turns around and notices the mess. The layout is ingenious, with the illustrations framed as if they were mounted in a family photo album. There are one or two awkward rhymes, but for the most part the text rolls merrily off the tongue. In fact, it begs to be read aloud. This book will resonate with many families. Pair it with Jules Feiffer's The Daddy Mountain (Hyperion, 2004) for a fabulous Father's Day storytime.Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. The nursery rhyme "This Is the House That Jack Built" is shifted to the suburbs. It starts with a father carefully cleaning his van before his three children pile in. A stop by the drive-up window of a fast-food place starts the troubles. It doesn't take long before scattered french fries, airborne ketchup packets, and spilled candy corn is all over the car. Closing double-page spreads show the kids diligently recleaning the van. Young readers or listeners are sure to enjoy the rhyming, cumulative text that ends with the refrain "the van that Dad cleaned." And they'll get plenty of laughs out of Ernst's simple, humorous, pastel, ink, and pencil illustrations. The baby's toy, a stuffed moose with one antler, stoically takes the brunt of the flying food and manages to be the funniest character, despite its deadpan features. Todd MorningCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: This Is the Van That Dad Cleaned | [
603,
1572,
1823,
2255,
2622,
5358,
7124,
11619,
32972,
36913,
39425,
41823,
51695,
52524,
59344,
59390,
61754,
67999,
71841
] | Train |
28,217 | 0 | Grade 6 Up-In June, 1942, Japanese forces attacked the Aleutian Islands. Within days of the attack, the U.S. military removed the Native people of these islands to relocation centers in Alaska's southwest, supposedly for their own protection. Conditions in these camps were deplorable. The Aleuts were held for approximately three years, and many of them died. In a series of short, unrhymed verses, Hesse tells this moving story through the eyes and voice of a girl of Aleut and Caucasian heritage. The novel begins at a happy time for Vera, in May, 1942, and ends with her return home in April, 1945. During the course of the story, readers see all that the Aleut people endure during these years-bewilderment, prejudice, despair, illness, death, and everyday living that does include moments of humor and even a budding romance for Vera. Hesse's verses are short and flow seamlessly, one into another. Her use of similes is a powerful tool in describing people, scenes, events, and emotions. Some less sophisticated readers, however, may not catch the nuances of phrases such as, "-where blossoms framed the steaming pools like masses of perfumed hair" or "-where the old ways steep like tea in a cup of hours." Ending on a hopeful note, Aleutian Sparrow brings to light an important time in American history, and in the process introduces readers to Aleut culture.Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OHCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 7-12. Through the eyes of teenager Vera, Hesse dramatizes a little-known part of World War II history, the U.S. government's forced relocation of the Aleutian Islanders from their homes in Alaska to rough resettlement camps more than 1,000 miles away. But, unlike Hesse's Newbery winner Out of the Dust (1997), the prose poems constituting the narrative are jerky, disconnected, and distancing. A more direct personal narrative (with a map) might have been more accessible and more eloquent than these short, scattered vignettes. It's the dark history of what Americans did to their own citizens that will hold readers: after the Japanese bombed Unalaska Island in 1942, the U.S. evacuated most of the Aleut people to alien, crowded camps, where one out of four died. As Vera talks about her life in the camps, she also weaves in her people's past history and culture, ensuring that readers will want to know more. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Aleutian Sparrow | [
3062,
6120,
6829,
6905,
6919,
14257,
16482,
17050,
17399,
20821,
23135,
24556,
27835,
45731,
46191,
47627,
55053
] | Test |
28,218 | 14 | David Lewman has written more than sixty-five books starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy Neutron, the Fairly OddParents, G.I. Joe, the Wild Thornberrys, and other popular characters. He has also written scripts for many acclaimed television shows. David lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Donna, and their dog, Pirkle.; Title: SpongeBob's Secret Valentine (SpongeBob SquarePants) | [
19492,
28157,
48347
] | Train |
28,219 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2An enchanting story of familial love. These relatives gather around and take turns comforting, cajoling, and keeping one child happy and out of harms way. Mom and Dad joyfully wait on her hand and foot when she is sick, sisters and brothers make silly faces to make the grumps go away, and her grandmother knits her a blanket from leftover sun should she ever be cold. When she gets lost, her grandfather breaks out an old-fashioned helicopter complete with swarming searchlights held by siblings and the family cat. The lyrical text, in short prose verse, invites loved ones to snuggle down together to share it over and over again, and the springtime repartee, I will outleap the frog,/outbuzz the bee,/outwink the firefly, will delight read-aloud groups. Valrios acrylic childlike illustrations sparkle with so much color, expression, and engaging design that kids will hardly know where to look first. At times the whimsical characters look too similar to tell them apart, but that doesnt diminish the fun or the sentiment that familial love is unconditional. Great for springtime programs or family-tree units.Wanda Meyers-Hines, Ridgecrest Elementary School, Huntsville, AL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. Spinelli offers an unusual approach to helping children understand their fears and feelings. Using a comforting refrain ("When you are . . ."), each member of the young girl's family reassures her when she is cold, sick, lonely, tired, grumpy, lost, and happy: "When you are afraid, / I will take your hand / and not let go-- / except once to borrow one hundred tiny stars / to spell out the words: YOU ARE SAFE." Appealingly offbeat, whimsical illustrations characterize the girl's emotions: when she's afraid, she's depicted in a Little Red Riding Hood outfit. Like a Technicolor dream, the art is full of movement and bright color, with smiling, happy people wafting across every spread. This will be great for lap sharing; children will feel warmed by the sense of close family ties. Julie CumminsCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: When You Are Happy | [
8745,
9434,
9520,
13102,
16347,
19623,
24003,
36118,
36342,
47643,
49085,
49259,
68204
] | Test |
28,220 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2-Baby Hippo forgets to kiss his mama good-bye before he goes off to play. As he walks through the jungle, he sees other animal babies kissing their mothers, so he returns home and makes amends. The large, lushly detailed paintings feature bright backgrounds and a cast of appealing creatures, including lions, elephants, and zebras, which will be easily identified by young listeners. With a rounded body, a slight curl to his stubby tail, perky cartoon-style eyes, and a pink blush on his cheeks, Baby Hippo is endearing. The brief, repetitive text and artwork are well suited to a crowd, making this a natural for lap-sit programs. While there are many books about parent-child love and separation, the accessibility of this one to the very young, ESL families, and even beginning readers should earn Kiss Kiss! a place on library shelves.Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, ILCopyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS. When Baby Hippo wakes up, he is in such a hurry to go and play that he forgets to give his mama a kiss. As he waddles through the squelchy mud, he hears "Kiss, kiss!" and he sees a mama elephant kissing her baby. Around the bumpy, lumpy rocks, he hears "Kiss, kiss!" again, and he sees a rhino and its baby. In the long, long grass, a papa lion and his cub are kissing; then he sees a zebra and a chimp and their babies. Sure enough, Baby Hippo retraces his steps to do what he has forgotten to do, "Kiss, kiss!" his mama. Like Wild's Our Granny (1993), this is a story filled with movement and physical affection. The lap-sit audience will love the squishy, lumpy sounds and the repetition of the text as they point to the animals in the clear, bright pictures. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Kiss Kiss! | [
1713,
5980,
16046,
17602,
23347,
32562,
38301,
38350,
46274,
47643,
48239
] | Validation |
28,221 | 2 | Franklin W. Dixon is the author of the ever-popular Hardy Boys books.; Title: The Dangerous Transmission (The Hardy Boys #184) | [
25954,
28095,
28145,
28162,
28172,
28240,
28286,
28290,
28387,
30185,
54688,
55504
] | Train |
28,222 | 0 | Grade 7 UpJason is a smart 15-year-old, an agnostic-leaning-toward-atheism, who resists following in the footsteps of his devoutly Catholic father. Getting clocked under the water tower by the nasty and unpredictable Henry leads Jason and his friend Shin to combine their talents to posit a new religion. "Chutengodianism" sanctifies water, the source of all life, as manifested by the Ten-Legged God, aka that same million-gallon water tower. Creating the creed on the fly, Jason soon gathers a handful of acolytes, including his former nemesis. Their midnight pilgrimage to the top of the tower for worship transmutes into an impromptu baptism when Henry hacksaws through the padlock. Their swim rouses sexy thoughts about Magda, stripped to her panties and bra, balanced soon after by panic when it seems they might be trapped. Regaining the top of the tank, Henry slips and sustains severe injuries crashing onto a catwalk below. Fortunately for him, the authorities have already arrived. The Church is busted and the faithful face new trials and temptations. These are fun, wacky, interesting characters. While chuckling aloud may be common in the early chapters, serious issues dominate the latter stages of the book. The rivalry between Jason and Henry for the attentions of Magda, Jason's unrepentant certainty that doing what he sees as right is more important than following his parents' rules, and Shin's apparent continued belief in the tenets he helped create are thought-provoking and disturbing. Jason is left to ponder the meaning of a religion that has only himself as a member.Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Gr. 7-10. Hautman knows how to project a voice. In Sweetblood, (2003), the voice was that of a diabetic who felt a kinship with vampires. Here, the voice belongs to a disaffected 16-year-old, Jason Block, who decides to invent a new religion with a new god--the town's water tower. Finding converts is surprisingly easy. His small group includes his twitchy friend Shin, a self-styled scribe who is writing the new testament (snippets enticingly appear at the beginning of each chapter), and Henry, a bully who undergoes changes when he is named high priest of the "Chutengodians." In a smartly structured narrative that is by turns funny, worried, and questioning, Jason watches as his once-cohesive little congregation starts wanting to "worship" in its own ways, some of them deadly. Not everything works here. Shin's meltdown doesn't seem real, even though it has been thoroughly foreshadowed. But most scenes are honest and true to the bone, such as the one in which Jason and Harry agree that their dangerous stunts are worth their weight in memories. Anyone who has questioned his or her religion, especially as a teenager, will respond to Jason's struggles with belief. Many individuals, upon reading this, will consider their own questions once more. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Godless (National Book Award for Young People's Literature (Awards)) | [
6191,
6485,
11397,
12064,
13036,
14183,
21391,
21637,
21778,
22074,
33852,
45637,
51847,
54800,
67283
] | Validation |
28,223 | 20 | Grade 2-5 - This informative and eloquent biography highlights the key moments in the life of the diminutive but determined nun and the ongoing quest to have her canonized. In clear, readable prose and richly colored paint-and-ink illustrations adorned with decorative gold-leaf borders, Demi conveys Mother Teresa's innate goodness and religious devotion while recounting the story of her inspiring accomplishments on behalf of the "poorest of the poor." The narrative focuses on Mother Teresa's experiences coming to the aid of countless unfortunate, diseased, orphaned, and forgotten citizens around the world; describes the far-reaching work of her order, the Missionaries of Charity; and concludes with the many humanitarian honors and awards bestowed upon her. Every element of this lovely book reflects Mother Teresa's simple message of service, including the endpapers, which feature her words of wisdom enclosed in frames of kneeling Missionaries of Charity in their trademark white-and-blue saris. An elegantly executed title. - Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 3-5. Demi has done several picture-book biographies of religious figures, but this one seems to have a special fervor. Perhaps it's because of the reverence Demi feels for her subject. Or maybe it's the Apostolic Blessing from Pope John Paul II reproduced on the back cover. In any case, Demi artistically captures the nun's mission, especially in her use of Christian and Indian decorative motifs to enhance the gritty reality of India and its poor. However, Demi seems so enamored of her subject that she piles on the facts, leading to a text that is slowed by its weight. There are dramatic moments, as when young Agnes hears the call to religious life or awakens to the disease and misery around her. But gospel quotes aren't always well integrated, and there's too much about financial donations and what they bought. The square, framed pictures, with touches of illumination, demand several looks to appreciate the tragedies and glories that are displayed. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Mother Teresa | [
1761,
5553,
11356,
11704,
12196,
12242,
23220,
24825,
27721,
27865,
27898,
27937,
28310,
28440,
28565,
31415,
31826,
31956,
31963,
35921,
36062,
36097,
36729,
36800,
36810,
37245,
38679,
38695,
38787,
38789,
39052,
39119,
41957,
42250,
43244,
474... | Validation |
28,224 | 11 | Sandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, childrens author, and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults, as well as more than four thousand greeting cards and four music albums. She has designedfor various companiescalendars, wallpaper, bedding, stationery, paper goods, clothing, jewelry, and plush toys.; Title: Azul el sombrero, verde el sombrero (Blue Hat, Green Hat -- Spanish version) | [
854,
3954,
4628,
4695,
5402,
5483,
5539,
6901,
9724,
9727,
9731,
9732,
9758,
9850,
10587,
10755,
10924,
12820,
12867,
15166,
15796,
16264,
16538,
21002,
21365,
21633,
22544,
23078,
23167,
23313,
23355,
23727,
25962,
25963,
25964,
25966,
25969,
... | Validation |
28,225 | 1 | Betsy Hearneis the author of several books for children, includingWishes, Kisses, and Pigs(aChildmagazine Best Book of 2001),Eliza's Dog,andListening for Leroy(a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young Children). She was formerly the editor of theBulletin of the Center for Children's Books,and she now teaches literature and storytelling at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Ms. Hearne lives with her family in Urbana, Illinois.; Title: Wishes, Kisses, and Pigs | [
18667
] | Test |
28,226 | 11 | Sandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, childrens author, and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults, as well as more than four thousand greeting cards and four music albums. She has designedfor various companiescalendars, wallpaper, bedding, stationery, paper goods, clothing, jewelry, and plush toys.; Title: Muu. Beee. As fue! / Moo, Baa, La La La, Spanish Edition | [
540,
854,
3954,
4628,
4695,
5400,
5402,
5423,
5483,
5539,
9724,
9727,
9731,
9732,
9758,
9850,
10031,
10755,
10924,
11990,
12820,
12867,
15166,
15796,
16264,
16538,
21002,
21365,
21493,
21633,
22544,
23078,
23313,
23355,
23727,
25962,
25963,
2... | Train |
28,227 | 2 | Four sixth-graders sign up for a book club, in which they'll read Little Women with their moms. In alternating chapters, each of the four girls describes a meeting. There is aspiring poet Emma, whose librarian mother started the group; Jess, Emma's best friend, who lives on an organic farm; hockey-playing Cassidy, daughter of a former supermodel; and popular Megan. Despite their initial resistance to the club, the girls experience joys and sorrows and develop a closer bond, just like the characters that they grow to love. Plenty of detail and musing about Little Women will entice readers to pick up the book if they have not yet read it, but familiarity with Alcott's classic isn't required to enjoy this story. The girls' relationships and feelings are complex; unfortunately, their typecast mothers are much less so, and a fairy-tale ending caps the story. Still, readers will be easily pulled along to find out how the four girls resolve their differences. A book discussion guide is included. Booth, HeatherHeather Vogel Frederick is the award-winning author of the Mother-Daughter Book Club series, Absolutely Truly, the Patience Goodspeed books, the Spy Mice series, and Once Upon a Toad. An avid fan of all things maple, Heather and her husband have recently been transplanted from Portland, Oregon, back to New England, close to where Heather grew up. You can learn more about the author and her books at HeatherVogelFrederick.com.; Title: The Mother-Daughter Book Club | [
4347,
6370,
6548,
6581,
6584,
8552,
8657,
9243,
12837,
13510,
23676,
28105,
45355,
45965,
47298,
51305,
51439,
51481,
51834,
52023,
54569,
58204,
58528,
67940,
75772
] | Train |
28,228 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 1Worrier Jessica reappears in an anxiety-filled story about learning to read. As in Stop, Drop, and Roll (2001) and 100th Day Worries (2000, both S & S), the first grader is filled with dread because of an upcoming Reading Theater day at school. She elicits the help of her busy family members in practicing and is even more alarmed when she finds out that parental attendance and costume wearing are part of the event. This third title in the series does a serviceable job of portraying a young student struggling with the trials of being a beginning reader. The message of "practice makes perfect" and the encouragement of her teacher and family can serve to motivate children. Howard's cartoon illustrations add to the humor and exaggerate Jessica's expressions of angst, anguish, and ultimate achievement.Lynne Mattern, Robert Seaman School, Jericho, NY Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.In this volume from the Jessica Worries series, Jessica tackles the difficult task of learning to read. Even more difficult is reading aloud in class, where other children sometimes laugh at her mistakes. But most difficult of all is the prospect of Reading Day, when each child will don a costume and read a short line aloud in front of classmates and families. Cuyler acknowledges Jessicas insecurity and shows a practical solution while offering bits of humor along the way. Amusing cartoon-style ink drawings with colorful washes help create the right tone for this encouraging picture book. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan; Title: Hooray for Reading Day! (Jessica Worries) | [
4250,
6392,
13694,
13865,
16347,
17236,
24710,
27652,
32304,
35932,
43988,
46243,
48049,
59750
] | Train |
28,229 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 1K and her Woolyman, a faceless, roughly sewn stuffed toy that spouts reassuring phrases (You're my best friend) whenever she pulls his string, do everything together. Even though all of his utterances now include the words sweet potato (the result of a turn in the washing machine), she still knows that he loves her. When K leaves him outside alone, a weaverbird named Mac happens by, befriends Woolyman, and takes him home. Bereft after discovering that her companion is missing, the girl searches everywhere. Mac eventually spies a crying K putting up a missing poster and flies Woolyman back to her for a loving reunion. While the story is sweet, the surreal colored-pencil and watercolor-wash illustrations are creepy and strange. The faded palette, with its extremely muted hues, makes for odd color choicesa tree has pale-pink, cottonlike leaves, and K's wispy hair, peeking out from under her cap, is gray. Unusual visual elements abound, such as Mac's strangely shaped nests and K's bedspread, decorated with gnarled-looking sweet potatoes. These bizarre and eerie images in cool tones become jarring when paired with the warm mood of the text, resulting in a book that children are likely to find strange rather than enjoyable.Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Rainy Dohaney lives in California with a polyurethane fox, a rubber chicken, a tin reindeer, a mechanical cat, a plastic crow in a gorilla mask, and her husband, Rob.; Title: My Best Sweet Potato | [
28032
] | Train |
28,230 | 2 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.The Octopus ; Title: The Octopus (Lighthouse Family) | [
148,
4437,
5479,
6810,
6995,
7047,
7078,
7607,
9349,
9631,
21739,
27449,
27451,
27461,
27503,
27726,
27731,
27971,
27979,
45204,
52485,
54730,
54975,
54996,
55137,
55230,
55284,
55370,
56063,
58486,
58515
] | Test |
28,231 | 2 | PreS-Gr. 1. This "Level 1" book from the Ready-to-Read series puts a bit of a spin on a classroom election. Becky walks into her new class just as the students are about to vote on class president. One child promises a candy machine, another no homework, a third that summer vacation will last six months. When the teacher asks if anyone else wants to speak, she looks right at Becky. Brand-new Becky hesitates. Finally, she does make a speech, which acknowledges that she can't guarantee candy machines or long vacations, but she promises to do her best. New readers will probably instinctively get the gently made point that politicians should pledge honestly rather than promise the moon. Along with the message, there's a suitably repetitive vocabulary and jaunty ink-and-watercolor artwork to help motivate kids. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reservedMargaret McNamara is the author of the Robin Hill School series, and she gets many ideas from her daughters own school experiences. She lives in New York City.; Title: Election Day (Robin Hill School) | [
6305,
7966,
16146,
16740,
20593,
21026,
26263,
28091,
28108,
28148,
28232,
37647,
37888,
46624,
47372,
47376,
47523,
47538,
47661,
47665,
47679,
47910,
48308,
48342,
49566,
51517,
55221,
59755
] | Test |
28,232 | 2 | Margaret McNamara is the author of the Robin Hill School series, and she gets many ideas from her daughters own school experiences. She lives in New York City.; Title: First-Grade Bunny (Robin Hill School) | [
541,
12671,
13591,
15181,
18390,
18583,
24230,
28091,
28096,
28108,
28148,
28231,
47372,
47376,
47378,
47523,
47538,
47549,
47661,
47665,
47679,
47910,
47918,
47939,
48308,
48342,
49776,
51517,
55221
] | Validation |
28,233 | 18 | Stephen Krensky is the author of more than a hundred books for children, including How Santa Got His Job (an ALA Notable Book) and Big Bad Wolves at School. He and his wife, Joan, live in Lexington, Massachusetts. You can visit him at StephenKrensky.com.; Title: George Washington's First Victory (Ready-to-read COFA) | [
2363,
4633,
4640,
4685,
4731,
4740,
12641,
13999,
18317,
27885,
27968,
28097,
28106,
28177,
28255,
28327,
28341,
54984,
55551
] | Train |
28,234 | 3 | K-4With Moore's classic poem on one side of each spread and humorous rhyming commentary from a modern young boy on the other, Goodrich gives a delightful new twist to this holiday chestnut. The colored-pencil and watercolor pictures, done in a cartoon style, are visually delicious. The artist's use of moonlight hues and soft textures makes objects seem to glow from within. His dynamic, cinematic compositions lend suspense to the scenes and reflect his extensive work in film illustration. A first-rate adaptation that will enhance the enjoyment for all who love the original.Maureen Wade, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.This Christmas charmer extends the familiar poem beginning "'Twas the night before Christmas" with a series of couplets that alternate with the stanzas in Moore's original verse. A little boy confesses that, despite what everyone thinks, he was the only creature stirring in the house that Christmas Eve. He tries to sleep, frets about Santa catching him awake, notices the slippery sleigh sliding down the sloping roof, and creeps out his bedroom window to park it at a more stable point. Then he slips back inside, hoping that he wasn't noticed. Santa acts out his part in the original rhymes on the left-hand pages while the boy's adventures take place on the facing pages. The cool blues, purples, and grays of the evening scenes are warmed here and there with blushes of rosier hues, while the rounded forms, soft-textured shading, and expressive characters create an appealing visual interpretation of the verses. This child-centered reinvention of the Christmas classic is fun for reading aloud. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: A Creature Was Stirring | [
1367,
4600,
5494,
9238,
10064,
14057,
14412,
14540,
15843,
16401,
20788,
22984,
23181,
23657,
27622,
33680,
33851,
33977,
34982,
36043,
36572,
37578,
42907,
47766,
51787,
52560,
52604,
52605,
54838,
55468,
56433,
63066,
63408,
70385,
70422
] | Validation |
28,235 | 16 | Sandra Boynton knows her farm animals. This simple board book, "a touch, skritch, & tickle book," will delight babies and toddlers (and probably moms and dads too) with its multi-sensory presentation of whimsical barnyard creatures. Each bright, colorful illustration features a tactile component and some fun words to accompany it. The cow's nose is made of a soft pink material and the text on the opposite page declares, quite correctly, "Fuzzy fuzzy fuzzy." A dog with a rough paw, a pig with a smooth nose, a turkey with a "little bit bumpy" wattle, and a soft-bellied duck round out the ensemble. The final page features two chicks inside lift-the-flap eggs who disagree about whether to start over at the beginning of the book. "Touch and feel" children's books are no new innovation but too often the different textures end up feeling more or less the same. But Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy! features quality construction and is large enough for very young children to hold and manipulate. (Baby to preschool) --John MoeSandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, childrens author, and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults, as well as more than four thousand greeting cards and four music albums. She has designedfor various companiescalendars, wallpaper, bedding, stationery, paper goods, clothing, jewelry, and plush toys.; Title: Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy! (Boynton Board Books) | [
7748,
7771,
8264,
9754,
9782,
25307,
25962,
25963,
25964,
25966,
25967,
25968,
25969,
25971,
27471,
27488,
27545,
27561,
27587,
27594,
27779,
27822,
27830,
27954,
29235,
30976,
31171,
31175,
31192,
31197,
31223,
33340,
38301,
47368,
47783,
47959,... | Train |
28,236 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 5This is simply a glorious book. Basing her text on a familiar African-American spiritual, Durango adds her own verses to the refrain: All night, all day/angels watching over me. Kleven interprets these words by depicting joyous celestial beings of every description (a lion, an elephant, boys and girls of different cultures, small animals, birds), all circling together holding hands against a bright blue sky and looking down at the colorful world. The narrative and artwork burst with life, color, and happiness, as a young boy greets a new day (Day begins, dawn breaks anew./Sun wakes up, I wake up too) and spends it outdoors enjoying nature with the creatures of the Earth, while occasionally floating into the sky to soar with the angels for the song's refrain. In the evening (Grass says rest, I curl up snug./Dusk surrounds me like a hug), one of his new friends gently carries him home to sleep. The breathtaking folk-style illustrations are fashioned with watercolor, ink, colored pencil, and collage. Text and pictures radiate a sense of peace, security, and oneness with all living things. The words my Lord have been omitted from the refrain, and there are no references to specific religious beliefs, making the book a beautiful nondenominational paean to creation and the Earth's many blessings.Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Julia Durango resides in Ottawa, Illinois, where she wrote a weekly book review column for children. She is the mother of two sons and is the author of Dream Hop, illustrated by Jared Lee, as well as Pest Fest, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus. Her work also includes Go-Go Gorillas, a sequel to Cha-Cha Chimps, both illustrated by EleanorTaylor and Dream Away, illustrated by Robert Goldstrom.Her first novel The Walls of Cartagena was a Junior Library Guild Selection.Her most recent novel is entitledSea of the Dead. She is a contributor the Three Silly Chicks blog and lives in Ottawa, Illinois.; Title: Angels Watching Over Me | [
28266,
28355,
47708,
61362,
62451
] | Train |
28,237 | 18 | Sally Wern Comport has illustrated numerous picture books and novels, including Love Will See You Through: Martin Luther King Jr.s Six Guiding Beliefs;Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure; Hanging Off Jeffersons Nose: Growing Up on Mt. Rushmore; and the Spy Mice series. She has also translated her picture making skills to various large scale public, private, and institutional artworks. Sally lives with her husband and two daughters in Annapolis, Maryland, where she operates Art at Large Inc. Learn more at ArtAtLargeInc.com.; Title: Louisiana Purchase (Ready-for-Chapters) | [
11138,
12698,
12848,
18453,
18499,
18588,
18734,
18768,
18847,
18978,
19026,
19029,
19059,
19082,
19101,
19125,
19156,
19331,
30209,
39250,
39790,
59932
] | Validation |
28,238 | 14 | "Booklist"Toddlers will relish the bouncy, rhyming stanzas and the silly wordplay....A great nonspooky Halloween storytime choice."Booklist" Toddlers will relish the bouncy, rhyming stanzas and the silly wordplay....A great nonspooky Halloween storytime choice.Mary Serfozo is the author of several picture books, including Who Said Red? and What's What? A Guessing Game, both illustrated by Keiko Narahashi. She and her husband have two children and three grandchildren, and live in a solar home in Paso Robles, California.; Title: Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin (Classic Board Books) | [
667,
2604,
2802,
3244,
3347,
4000,
7799,
8681,
9782,
9785,
9913,
10935,
11988,
13272,
13367,
16046,
17454,
19597,
22077,
26430,
28877,
28914,
31329,
37807,
39131,
39254,
39325,
40261,
47464,
47738,
48173,
49573,
51616,
53323,
54480,
55267,
5669... | Validation |
28,239 | 2 | "The episodic chapters are fast paced and the narrative creates a real sense of time and place....Dog lovers, and readers yearning for a cozy tale will enjoy curling up with this story." (School Library Journal)"Nonstop adventure for dog lovers." (Booklist)Joan Hiatt Harlow is the author of several popular historical novels includingSecret of the Night Ponies,Shadows on the Sea,Midnight Rider,Star in the Storm,Joshuas Song, Thunder from the Sea, and Breaker Boy. Ms. Harlow lives in Venice, Florida. For more information, visit her at JoanHiattHarlow.com.; Title: Thunder from the Sea | [
6829,
6923,
14203,
14236,
15956,
55214
] | Validation |
28,240 | 2 | Franklin W. Dixon is the author of the ever-popular Hardy Boys books.; Title: Warehouse Rumble (The Hardy Boys #183) | [
25941,
25949,
25954,
28095,
28145,
28162,
28172,
28221,
28286,
28290,
28387,
30185,
54688
] | Validation |
28,241 | 7 | Kindergarten-Grade 3–The talented and prolific Cazet scores again. It's Halloween night, and when Mrs. Wilkerson tells her grouchy husband that there won't be any pie in the afterlife, he declares, Then I ain't goin'! Then he keels over face down in the pie pan, dead with a fork in his hand. His wife buries him in the pumpkin patch, moves away, and that's that. Or is it? Of course not. A boy and his grandmother move into the house and are visited on the next Halloween by a wonderfully earthy ghost (with a fork sticking out of his brain and a removable eyeball) who is in search of the perfect pumpkin pie. This tale makes a great read-aloud, complete with the catchy refrain: Pumpkins, pumpkins,/pumpkin pie!/I must have one/before I die./It must be round/and brown as toast,/or I'll haunt this house/a hungry ghost. The watercolor cartoons are dynamic and funny, bursting with details that kids will love (the ghost makes his exits in a swirl of chaotic lines filled with baking utensils). Even if your holiday shelves are crowded, make room for this one.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. Just in time for Halloween story hours comes this tingly yarn about a cantankerous ghost in search of the perfect pie. On Halloween night, mean Old Man Wilkerson collapses into his plate while taking a bite of pumpkin pie. His wife buries him in the pumpkin patch and moves away, and young Jack and his grandmother move into the house. Their Halloween baking raises Wilkerson's ghost, which appears with "an icy wind" and demands the perfect pie: "It must be round and brown as toast, or I'll haunt this house a hungry ghost." On their third attempt, Jack and Grandmother finally appease their finicky specter. Swirling, chaotic, splattered watercolors, reminiscent of Stephen Gammel's work, create a humorous and also abhorrent ghost in Wilkerson, complete with grisly details (a detached eyeball coolly appraises finished pies), all nicely balanced with images of bossy, unflappable Grandma. A few sensitive kids may find Wilkerson's abrupt death upsetting, but most will delight in this rollicking, sometimes gruesome Halloween ghost story. For readers wanting a book about another haunted kitchen, suggest Jacqueline Ogburn's The Bake Shop Ghost (2005). Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Perfect Pumpkin Pie | [
498,
888,
3244,
3347,
4000,
4250,
4833,
4840,
5205,
5560,
6195,
6292,
6735,
6931,
8681,
13010,
13272,
15543,
16420,
16975,
17105,
21438,
22984,
25320,
28914,
31931,
35944,
37807,
39061,
39131,
39325,
45422,
46000,
46612,
48173,
49566,
49573,
... | Train |
28,242 | 2 | Grade 2-4--Siblings Sukie, Reed, and Brian (ages six, seven, and nine) are horrified and a little frightened when their parents respond inappropriately to their misbehavior. Mom and Dad's robotic admonitions are completely unrelated to the misdeeds: Dad tells Sukie not to pick her nose when she drops glitter on the carpet, Mom tells Brian to shut the door when he spills orange juice in the kitchen. Discovering the reason for this weirdness (the adults are following the advice in a magazine article about how to encourage kids to listen to their parents), the siblings get mad and declare war. This breezy sitcom of a story is an easy read with lightly developed characters, funny situations, and brisk pacing. The large font and energetic black-and-white illustrations will be inviting to readers transitioning to chapter books.--Susan Patron, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 2-4. Six-year-old Sukie is worried about her parents. They are saying typical parent things, but at the wrong times. When Sukie is caught scooping peas with her fingers at the dinner table, she expected to hear, "Don't eat with your fingers!" Instead her mom says, "You'll put an eye out with that thing!" Sukie's older brothers don't notice the weird comments; they stopped listening to their parents long ago. That's precisely what Sukie's folks are trying to change by implementing a behavior plan they read about in New Ways of Parenting. After the kids discover the plan, they decide to match their parents' nonsense talk with some of their own. It all makes for some very funny exchanges before everyone calls it quits and the kids draft a peace treaty. Lighthearted and humorous, this easy chapter book is made all the more appealing by Bernardin's comical black-and-white illustrations. Lauren PetersonCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Say What? (Ready-for-Chapters) | [
27837,
28350,
48257,
54602
] | Train |
28,243 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2In bouncy, rhyming text, a young reindeer tells of the yearly visit from her seven uncles. Eccentric and unique, they range from her speedy Uncle Uno to her literary Uncle Sven, and each one says that she is his favorite niece. It turns out that they all gather together in order to pull Santa's sleigh, a surprise ending that is a fine climax to this vigorous tale. Adding to the energy are the madcap cartoons depicting brave Uncle Sy showing off the six scars caused by his six crashed-up racing cars and strong Uncle Four-eyes twirling four lassos at once (yes, this is also a counting book). This saga of a wild and crazy reindeer family is guaranteed to fly off the holiday shelves.E. M. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 1. With a peppy rhyme and zoom-zoom illustrations, this introduces a whole new crew of Santa's reindeer. A young reindeer has seven uncles, each one unique: "Uncle Dunce from Cameroon / bellows out an Elvis tune." Crazy Uncle Sy is "a fearless sort of guy" who gives "most any stunt a try." Each uncle has a signature characteristic--strong, cool, brave--but the narrator notes they all have one thing in common: she is their favorite niece. When all gather in one place, they are ready for their yearly job: pulling Santa's sleigh. A dynamic read-aloud, this also crackles with humor, especially in the line-and-watercolor illustrations, which feature appropriately clad reindeer, with goofy expressions, skiing, dancing, and driving across the pages. Kids may wonder what happened to Donner and Blitzen et al., but they'll welcome these interlopers. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Uncles and Antlers (Richard Jackson Books) (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover)) | [
3917,
13981,
14412,
14995,
15740,
23683,
27841,
28006,
35944,
36588,
44271,
45952,
47982,
48147,
50463,
51962,
52560,
54495,
55262,
56433,
57240,
58662,
58687,
70338,
70385
] | Train |
28,244 | 0 | George Stanley was a Professor of African and Middle-Eastern Languages and Linguistics at Cameron University. In between prepping class lectures and grading papers, he found the time to write for children. He was also the author of Night Fires and the Third-Grade Detectives series.; Title: The Mystery of the Stolen Statue (Third-Grade Detectives) | [
541,
3186,
3579,
3582,
3585,
4685,
4722,
5334,
5340,
5643,
5671,
5970,
6000,
6214,
6858,
6886,
12532,
12877,
13055,
13164,
13263,
13860,
13864,
13872,
13890,
13962,
14515,
15100,
15168,
15198,
15250,
15292,
16773,
16819,
17669,
17693,
18136,
... | Train |
28,245 | 1 | Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 4–Beginning with pages that open vertically instead of horizontally, this tongue-in-cheek tale takes a typical love story and sets it squarely–and amusingly–on end. Ross's vibrantly hued pen-and-ink and watercolor cartoons depict the edge of a pond where a caterpillar and a tadpole meet and fall in love: "She was his beautiful rainbow, and he was her shiny black pearl." Perched on a leaf above the water, she smiles down at her sweetheart and asks him to "Promise you'll never change." Although he agrees, some vows are difficult to keep, and when they next meet, he has sprouted two legs. She forgives him, but after he breaks his promise twice more and now looks more like a frog than her "shiny black pearl," the lovelorn larva ends the affair and cries herself to sleep (sequestered in a cocoon). Meanwhile, the melancholy frog sulks around the pond, making heart-shaped air bubbles that rise to the surface and burst. When the caterpillar awakens, now a butterfly, she decides to forgive her beloved and flies above the water to find him. Without a thought, the frog swallows her whole, and then returns to wondering about whatever happened to his "beautiful rainbow." Willis strikes the perfect balance between the deadpan telling and the humorously overblown dialogue shared by the star-crossed pair, while the artwork masterfully enhances each and every nuance. Enjoy this funny story on its own merits or try using it to lighten up a science lesson.–Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Jeanne Willis is the author of many books for children, including Tadpole's Promise, I Hate School, I Want to Be a Cowgirl, and the popular Professor Xargle series, all illustrated by Tony Ross. Ms. Willis lives with her husband and children in London, England.; Title: Tadpole's Promise (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards)) | [
3205,
3350,
14695,
16344,
17535,
26034,
29448,
33047,
36048,
36050,
37116,
38306,
45866,
45991,
52429,
52599,
62255
] | Validation |
28,246 | 6 | Grade 3 UpThis exciting alphabetic compendium began with a dictionary. Following years of study and work as a realistic painter, Johnson found himself wanting to explore abstract art. He started by collecting words for each letter of the alphabet. Then, he created a piece based on their meanings. For example, the caption for Dotty Diptych reads "Densely distributed dominoes, divided by dark and light dots on dual panels, disappear under drips of dramatically dashed paint dribbling downwards." Inside the white border of the page is the vivid reproduction of two wooden panels covered in dominoes. As with each of the 26 works of art, there is more to be discovered. Here, yellow and white paint covers some of the dominoes, transforming everyday game pieces into dimpled bricks. Also, Johnson has hidden a letter of the alphabet in most of his creations. The works vary from paintings and collages to sculptures to installations, and an index reveals the locations of the hidden letters as well as dimensions and materials for the pieces. Children will enjoy seeing everyday objects like candy used in his creations, and will no doubt be inspired to come up with some abstract art of their own. This book may easily spark discussions about what can be used to make art and who decides what it is. In an author's note, Johnson shares his thoughts on this matter. For more inspiration, see Joyce Raimondo's What's the Big Idea? Activities and Adventures in Abstract Art (Watson-Guptill, 2008).Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved."The artist creates a marvelously complex alphabet book that doubles as a trip to an art museum and a stint at a coffeee house poetry reading. Readers and listeners of all ages will enjoy seeing the original art and hearing the wordplay of each letter...An index provides details of the artist's works and shows us where the hidden letters are."-- Connie Goldsmith, CALIFORNIA KIDS! Family Fun Guide; Title: A Is for Art | [
5507,
21013,
29058,
33818,
47585,
70339
] | Train |
28,247 | 2 | "National Enquirer" Smart, confident, and totally PUNK!Jim Benton is the New York Times bestselling writer of the Dear Dumb Diary series and a cartoonist whose unique brand of humor has been seen on toys, television, T-shirts, greeting cards, and even underwear. Franny K. Stein is the first character hes created especially for young children. A husband and father of two, he lives in Michigan, where he works in a studio that really and truly does have creepy stuff in it.; Title: The Invisible Fran (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist) | [
2245,
2256,
2274,
2709,
3852,
8632,
10270,
11556,
12850,
13547,
16713,
18841,
18902,
18993,
19291,
22506,
22534,
22732,
22736,
22877,
22883,
22885,
22886,
22905,
22927,
26485,
26487,
28203,
38512,
39061,
45859,
45922,
45975,
47350,
47377,
47610,
... | Train |
28,248 | 2 | PreSchool-KIn this companion to Where Is Home, Little Pip? (S & S, 2008), readers are reacquainted with the small penguin on the day she is supposed to learn to swim. She is a frightened and unwilling participant in the lesson. Pip asks the Snow Petrel and the Giant Albatross if they would show her how to fly, but because they are different types of birds, their suggestions are not helpful. Finally, she soldiers on toward a successful conclusion. Deliciously cool watercolor endpapers in shades of aqua carry over into the large acrylic illustrations enhancing the text. The font is an effective sizelarge for Pip's announcement, "I want to fly," yet tiny when she whispers back to her parents, "I still just want to fly." Rhyming couplets vary the narrative by presenting occasional four-line poems as a song. Children will be reassured that their fear of trying something new is universal and can have a happy ending.Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA ENDKarma Wilson is the bestselling author of several picture books, including the Bear Books series,Where Is Home, Little Pip?, andA Dog Named Doug.Karma lives in Montana.; Title: Don't Be Afraid, Little Pip | [
1572,
2201,
5454,
11767,
15381,
27781,
28166,
45946,
47828,
47855,
51587,
51617,
54756,
55192
] | Test |
28,249 | 18 | Grade 4-8Bobrick does an admirable job of describing the American Revolution in fewer than 100 pages, half of which are pictures. Each spread covers a separate topic, with a page of text and sidebar of "Quick Facts" facing a full-page illustration. Topics include origins of the conflict, individual battles, profiles of generals from both sides, the Continental Congresses, Loyalists, and the role of women. The illustrations, primarily reproductions of period prints or later paintings of the events described, include maps of two battles and a map of the Colonies showing the locations of all the battles mentioned in the text. This title compares favorably with Lisa Frederiksen Bohannon's The American Revolution (Lerner, 2003) and Susan Provost Beller's The Revolutionary War (Benchmark, 2001). Two minor quibbles: the caption for a painting identifies the recipient of John Burgoyne's surrender as George Washington, rather than Horatio Gates (though it is easy to see how that error was made given the rendering) and a sidebar that states that the Liberty Bell was last rung in 1846. It was last tolled then, but has been sounded many times since. In all, this title is an excellent choice for both general readers and report writers.Elaine Fort Weischedel, Millbury Public Library, MA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 5-8. Bobrick, author of Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the American Revolution (1997), now addresses a younger audience. In a series of double-page spreads, this large-format volume profiles significant individuals and discusses the progress of the Revolutionary War. Typically, the left-hand page carries several paragraphs of text, a sidebar of "Quick Facts," and a small illustration. On the facing page is a large picture related to the subject. Printed in color, most of the illustrations are period paintings and prints, though from a variety of periods. Students will find the book's presentations of battles useful, particularly those accompanied by large-scale maps showing terrain and troop movements. Though the book does not include notes, even for quotes, it has a glossary, a bibliography, and an annotated list of suggested Web sites as well as a time line on the endpapers. The highly illustrated format leaves little room for detailed discussion, but students will find the book a well-organized and clearly written introduction to the war. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Fight for Freedom: The American Revolutionary War | [
27872,
42873
] | Validation |
28,250 | 0 | George Stanley was a Professor of African and Middle-Eastern Languages and Linguistics at Cameron University. In between prepping class lectures and grading papers, he found the time to write for children. He was also the author of Night Fires and the Third-Grade Detectives series.; Title: The Secret of the Wooden Witness (Third-Grade Detectives) | [
5671,
6214,
13263,
17693,
18145,
27520,
27537,
28088,
28244,
28288,
42672,
55401
] | Test |
28,251 | 13 | David A. Carter is a master paper engineer and creator of the Bugs series, which has sold more than 6 million copies. Also the author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed Color series, featuring One Red Dot, Blue 2, 600 Black Spots, Yellow Square, and White Noise, he lives in Auburn, California, with his wife and two daughters.; Title: Let's Make It Pop-Up | [
33371,
38471,
47565,
52747,
62057
] | Train |
28,252 | 13 | PreSchool-Grade 3-Clorinda is happy with her bovine life on the farm until the fateful November day that she goes into town to vote, and ends up watching a ballet. Deciding to become a dancer, she puts on a tutu and practices in the barn on a stage that a farmhand builds for her. Although the other animals are not supportive ("No, no. That won't do./You're only a cow, and what they do is MOO!"), the farmhand is more encouraging, and Clorinda heads for New York City. She takes a job waiting tables to pay the bills and continues going on auditions. She finally gets her big break in Giselle, but soon comes to realize that dancing is not the best occupation for a cow. She heads home only to realize that she can still perform there. The colorful and zany illustrations are classic Kellogg. The pictures are filled with motion, and Clorinda manages to achieve a certain grace, despite her lumbering appearance. The spread where she flattens the dance partner who is trying to catch her is laugh-out-loud funny. This story told in rhyme is sure to produce many chuckles from youngsters who will delight in Clorinda's dreams of stardom.Kristin de Lacoste, South Regional Public Library, Pembroke Pines, FLCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreS-Gr. 2. Clorinda is just a farm cow until she goes to the ballet. There, a dream is born. A clever rhyming text (which successfully scans!) follows Clorinda to New York, where she waits tables as she hopes for the chance to show the world she can really dance. Rejection? Of course: "We simply aren't hiring cows now, my dear." But she perseveres, and is finally able to phone Farmer Len with the news that she's going to dance Giselle. Still, there are problems. She warns fellow dancer Lou that he may not be able to catch her, and, sure enough, in a marvelous two-page spread, the worst happens: Lou is flattened. But the crowd cheers anyway, applauding the dancers' willingness to do their best. Clorinda's debut is also her closing night, but her return to the farm is triumphant; she's enlisted to teach ballet to a delighted array of pigs, chicks, cats, and ducks. As fine a mix of story and message as this is, it's the irrepressible art that makes this book shine. Kellogg is at the top of his game, finding the humor in every line, whipping his scenes into a design so varied that children will never be bored, and offering a bovine so divine that it's hard to take your eyes off her. Much applause for Clorinda. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Clorinda | [
7782,
16147,
23002,
28103,
28301,
41036,
48183,
48586,
74410
] | Test |
28,253 | 6 | PreSchool-KReady to go to sleep, a multi-legged, long-tailed monster heads upstairs and into a bedroom only to hurt itself on toy blocks left on the floor. Grossed out by stinky socks and shoes, a juice-stained sheet, and general untidiness, the creature decides to "Clean, clean,/I'll make the room so neat," while the room's young occupant snoozes in the bed. In the morning, the child awakens ("Ring,/ring,/it's time to start the day") and happily discovers his visitor ("Giggle,/giggle!/'A monster's come to stay./Let's play!'"). The watercolor illustrations at times show only part of the creature as its head or other body parts extend off the page. Its numerous arms allow it to accomplish many tasks at once, an enviable feature. The font varies, emphasizing action words in larger boldface letters ("Stuff,/stuff") and the rest of the line is a smaller size ("the/clothes/into/the/drawers"). Rhyming, repetitive text and whimsical images whirl on the pages, making this a fun read-aloud.Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Computer graphicshelp createa great monster in this rhyming nightmare scenario of a creepy presence in the dark. Schindlers glowingart shows the grotesque creature in intricate detail, complete with multiple popping eyes, tip-toeing feet, and sucking tentacle arms doing all kinds of tasks. Some children may havetrouble making sense of the crowded pages, but theywill stillrecognize the scary nightmare(Shhh, shhh, / along the floor I crawl / Zzzz zzzz / Theres someone down the hall) as the monster creeps around the house, stomps up the kitchen stairs, crawls into the boys room, and peeks under the bed. Listeners need not worry, however. The climaxturns the fear intofun when the boy wakes up in the morning. Kids will want to go back to the beginning to hear and see the shivery stuff again. --Hazel Rochman; Title: Monster Mess! | [
593,
3253,
3600,
7731,
8268,
10831,
10935,
11622,
17568,
22077,
22139,
23956,
26710,
33101,
34970,
45422,
47852,
54911,
56460,
74407,
74413
] | Train |
28,254 | 2 | Tossing his hat in the ring of celebrity children's book authors, Ray Romano of the popular TV show Everybody Loves Raymond pens an affectionate tribute to his own boyhood with help from his two brothers Richard (Dickie) and Robert (the Bean). The good news is most everyone will still love Raymond after reading his children's book debut, a nostalgic vignette of sibling rivalry and revelry.The story begins when the narrator (his family calls him Raymie) is 10 years old and the boys' parents are taking them to the amusement park: "Finally, after what seems like four hundred hours, they get in the car and we are on our way. Dickie is so excited that he gives me some noogies. I hate that, but he and Bean think it's hilarious." Kids with younger siblings will relate to having to ride on Chuckie the Choo-Choo before cool rides like the Vomitizer and thinking that the youngest is faking being asleep so he doesn't have to help unload the car. Because this is a book about three young boys, farting is inevitable (complete with green wafting gas), as are bathroom antics, good-natured insults, and rampant silliness. Gary Locke's skillful oil painting caricatures of the slightly (disturbingly) adult-headed boys are expressive, comical, and varied by interesting perspectives. If you can't get enough of Ray Romano, listen to the audio CD of the story included in the back of the book. (Ages 6-8) --Karin SnelsonKindergarten-Grade 4Romano recounts a mildly amusing story of a childhood visit to an amusement park. The middle child of three brothers in a loving family, 10-year-old Raymie is looking forward to his favorite ride, the Vomitizer, but first must endure Chuckie the Choo-Choo with his younger brother, Bean. Typical sibling interactions, usually insults and rivalry but occasionally a sympathetic moment, provide the substance of the tale. Instances of bawdy humor (wedgies, farting, etc.) appear throughout. Done in oil paints, the caricaturelike illustrations are dynamic and expressive. Although the subject is inherently appealing to children, the tone of the narrative, with its adult perspective and tongue-in-cheek humor, seems targeted more to adult fans of Romano's television show. Accompanied by an audio CD, read by the author. Robin L. Gibson, formerly at Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: Raymie, Dickie, and the Bean: Why I Love and Hate My Brothers (Book and CD) | [
10332,
28289
] | Train |
28,255 | 0 | Patricia Lakin, a former elementary school teacher and an award-winning author, has written more than fifty published works. Her books, both fiction and nonfiction, span multiple age groupsfrom toddlers to middle graders. Patricia lives in New York City with her husband, Lee Koenigsberg. They have two grown sons, Aaron and Benjahmin. When not reading, writing, or researching, she can be found traveling with Lee to far-off places in the world.; Title: Clara Barton: Spirit of the American Red Cross (Ready-to-read SOFA) | [
183,
1576,
1596,
1606,
4685,
5331,
5694,
12561,
12641,
12675,
12698,
12714,
12805,
12848,
13063,
13083,
13909,
13999,
15095,
15105,
15249,
15260,
15292,
17432,
18318,
18453,
18499,
18919,
19339,
20642,
20799,
20820,
22261,
23671,
23945,
24227,
... | Validation |
28,256 | 15 | Grade 2-4Long has taken a portion of Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" and used it as a text for a picture-book story. His lush, realistic, single- and double-page paintings illuminate the tale of a boy who is taken to an academic lecture, becomes bored, and walks out alone to look at the night sky. Line drawings by Long's two sons accompany the text of the poem: "When I heard the learn'd astronomer;/When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;/When I was shown the charts and the diagrams,/to add, divide, and measure themHow soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;/Till rising and gliding out, I wander'd off by myself,/In the mystical moist night-air,/and from time to time,/Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars." Whitman's words, like the pictured astronomy lecture, are not well suited to young readers. A far better introduction to the poet, designed for children old enough to begin to understand his work, is Jonathan Levin's wonderful Poetry for Young People: Walt Whitman (Sterling, 1997).Kathleen Whalin, York Public Library, ME Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* K-Gr. 3. When last we saw Long's gorgeous acrylic paintings, they were singing backup for Madonna in Mr. Peabody's Apples (2003). Now the artist turns his attention to another era's brash individualist. Unlike this season's biography of Walt Whitman by Barbara Kerley, reviewed on p.577, Long's story-in-images makes a fine introduction for very young children. His interpretation of Whitman's eight-line rebuke of stuffy pragmatism tells a familiar story: A little boy obsessed with outer space has been dragged to an astronomy lecture. Unable to make sense of the speaker's pontifications, the fidgety youngster takes his toy rocket ship outside, where he marvels at the "perfect silence of the stars, casting a decisive vote for creative speculation over chilly analysis." The painterly artwork, as controlled as the logical, grown-up world it portrays, gets its own injection of childlike wonder through playful doodles contributed by Long's two children, and it's so convincingly reproduced that many scribble-wary librarians will do a double take. Although the brooding tone of both the poem and the art makes this a less carefree entree to transcendentalism than D. B. Johnson's Henry Hikes to Fitchburg (1999), children will easily relate to the boy's crushing boredom, while adults will smile at the parents' overzealous efforts to nourish his passions. Jennifer MattsonCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer (Golden Kite Honors) | [
4030,
4775,
4797,
4812,
4826,
6150,
7640,
8117,
10055,
11291,
14548,
15613,
15771,
15807,
16418,
16526,
17996,
25341,
26411,
27109,
27112,
27113,
27583,
27985,
32044,
35391,
35969,
36300,
36791,
36814,
39113,
42811,
46641,
48043,
58171,
59899,
... | Validation |
28,257 | 2 | Gr 26Ehrlich pieces together the life story of Willa Cather in this short illustrated biography. The narrative is divided into segments that follow the travels of Cather and her family, beginning in 1877, in her childhood home in Virginia. Brief chapters cover her family's move west to Nebraska and a bit of her adult life in New York City. Cather is shown to be inquisitive and thoughtful; she spent time with pioneer women and read adventure tales. The author stresses Cather's circumstances, her desire to escape her community's shortsighted expectations of girls, and the importance of writing as a passion and an outlet. Ehrlich assumes a familiarity with the subject matter as she describes Cather's life "on the Divide" but does not go into detail about where or what the "Divide" was. Back matter includes a time line of Cather's life and work, as well as short profiles of 15 other women writers who were her contemporaries. Minor's watercolor paintings and drawings give readers an idyllic rendering of the American West and postCivil War life. VERDICT An accessible biography for elementary students learning about late 19th- and early 20th-century U.S. history.Annette Herbert, F. E. Smith Elementary School, Cortland, NY Willa Cathers work is seminal in describing the American experience, and her life story is emblematic of the turbulent time in which she lived and worked. This biography touches on myriad issues that were formative in the U.S. in the nineteenth century, including slavery, the rise of industry, womens struggle for equality, and westward expansion. Cather encountered many of these conflicts firsthand, and the anecdotes that Ehrlich conveys about her life lend a personal bent to the time period, such as when Cather witnessed a slave mother reuniting with her free daughter, or the loneliness that she felt on the wide expanse of the Great Plains. Minors flair for nature illustrations lends itself well to Cathers love of the prairie, while also contextualizing the narrative. Short capsule biographies of other women during Cathers lifetime are included in the end matter and offer ideas for further reading. This biography is a captivating look at a celebrated artist and a slice of life from a time period marked by change and progress. Erin Anderson (Booklist June 1, 2016)In this concise biography of Willa Cather (18731947), Ehrlich (With a Mighty Hand) focuses on the profound impact the authors youth had on her writing. Portrayed as idyllic and ever-changing, Cathers early life in Virginia contrasted sharply to the barren Nebraska prairie where she moved, at age nine, and initially thought shed come to the end of everything. Fortunately, Cather quickly came to revere her fellow settlers and later incorporated their experiences and her love of the open space into her best-known novels. Throughout, Ehrlich makes good use of engaging details (children built campfires on the beach and told stories and watched the flickering stars) and imagery (it was as if her personality and the world she had known were being erased). Occasionally abrupt changes of time and place result from Ehrlichs telescopic narrative of the half century Cather lived in East Coast cities, but she concludes with a satisfying assessment of the authors literary achievement. Minors sepia and color paintings bring a warm sense of place to the urban and rural settings, and a timeline and appendix of female writers of Cathers time are included. Ages 710. (Publishers Weekly June 20, 2016)Ehrlich pieces together the life story of Willa Cather in this short illustrated biography. The narrative is divided into segments that follow the travels of Cather and her family, beginning in 1877, in her childhood home in Virginia. Brief chapters cover her familys move west to Nebraska and a bit of her adult life in New York City. Cather is shown to be inquisitive and thoughtful; she spent time with pioneer women and read adventure tales. The author stresses Cathers circumstances, her desire to escape her communitys shortsighted expectations of girls, and the importance of writing as a passion and an outlet. Ehrlich assumes a familiarity with the subject matter as she describes Cathers life ... Back matter includes a time line of Cathers life and work, as well as short profiles of 15 other women writers who were her contemporaries. Minors watercolor paintings and drawings give readers an idyllic rendering of the American West and postCivil War life. VERDICT An accessible biography for elementary students learning about late 19th- and early 20th-century U.S. history. (School Library Journal August 2016)In this chapter-book biography of Willa Cather, elementary-grade readers may be lured by a story initially reminiscent of Laura Ingalls Wilder; Cather was trans- planted from the East (in this case, Virginia) to the Midwestern plains (for Cather, Nebraska), and later notably chronicled the experiences of pioneers during white settlement. Wilders writing is accessible to younger children, though, while Cathers work leans toward an older audience, and its unlikely that Ehrlichs intended reader will have encountered Cathers work. Perceptive kids will glean the basics herethat Cathers Western sojourn and acquaintances formed the basis of many of her novels, even though her own education and experiences were broader than this interest might suggest. Minors illustrations, some color, some monochromatic sepia-toned, offer stiff, literal images drawn from the text, a timeline extends the list of people Cather met, a bibliography is directed to adult readers, and fifteen thumbnail bios of noted American women writers. (Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books July/August 2016); Title: Willa: The Story of Willa Cather, an American Writer (American Women Writers) | [
37096,
45993
] | Train |
28,258 | 11 | Grade 3-5Wilson serves up a celebration of our country, its founders, and the immigrants who built it with this rhyming recipe. With frequent references to America the Beautiful, the tribute includes tangible geographic ingredients such as fruited plains, fields/of amber grains, and purple mountain majesties. Less-tangible fixings include meekness, might, courage, liberty, justice, freedom, dreams, forgiveness, and customs/from faraway lands. As the bakers add these essentials, the larger-than-life pie rises in its cast-iron melting pot. While the rhymes are clever, they are also saccharine: The secret ingredients/cannot be bought,/so borrow/from Heaven above./The key to it all/is to pour in the pot/plenty of/faith, hope, and love. Coln's signature cross-hatched ink-and-watercolor illustrations, both sunny and whimsical, are the key ingredient in this otherwise syrupy dish. An amiable cat and dog sporting chefs' hats first preheat the worlda giant globe over a campfireand then consult a cookbook, roasting wieners while they wait. A huge rolling pin flattens fields where giant apples, pears, and berries dwarf two grazing cows. Immigrants in period costume, suitcases and American flags in hand, free fall into a safety net guarded by the furry bakers. Observant readers will spy the strategically placed American symbols including the bald eagle, Statue of Liberty, White House, Mount Rushmore, and Columbus's ships. Kelly DiPucchio's Liberty's Journey (Hyperion, 2004), which features striking art by Richard Egielski, covers similar ground with less sentimentality. Use this title to introduce immigration units.Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Fans of Colon's elegant artwork will be surprised and delighted to find that he has taken his pictures to a place of whimsy that will have immediate appeal for the youngest children. The vehicle for the art is a highly original one: a recipe for America, beginning with "Preheat the world until fiery hot with a hunger and thirst to be free." Wilson's instructions then include "pat out a crust of fruited plains," "measure out meekness and might," "spice with ideas seasoned with dreams," and "place in God's grace and allow to rise." Some artists might have chosen a more reverential approach, but Colon goes a different way. His cooks are a cat and a dog, and in these watercolor-and-ink paintings, the action rolls across the spreads in all sorts of fantastical ways. Purple mountain majesties grow out of teacups, and the cooks pull rainbows out of a sky studded with stars and stripes. In one delightfully evocative picture, immigrants of many countries (including a Pilgrim) fall from the sky, suitcases in hand. They land in a safety net held by the cat and dog. Kudos to the book's designer, whose use of white space and typeface enhance every aspect of the book. Pair this wild, wonderful celebration with The Glorious American Songbook (2005), a tribute to the U.S. in song, and Robert Sabuda's America the Beautiful (2004), a pop-up book for a slightly older crowd. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: How to Bake an American Pie | [
6014,
36459
] | Train |
28,259 | 3 | David Lewman has written more than sixty-five books starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy Neutron, the Fairly OddParents, G.I. Joe, the Wild Thornberrys, and other popular characters. He has also written scripts for many acclaimed television shows. David lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Donna, and their dog, Pirkle.; Title: SpongeBob and the Princess (SpongeBob SquarePants) | [
28333
] | Train |
28,260 | 18 | George Stanley was a Professor of African and Middle-Eastern Languages and Linguistics at Cameron University. In between prepping class lectures and grading papers, he found the time to write for children. He was also the author of Night Fires and the Third-Grade Detectives series.; Title: Harry S. Truman: Thirty-Third President of the United States (Childhood of Famous Americans) | [
183,
185,
186,
18734,
18833,
19331,
27200,
27441,
28008,
28117,
28127,
28207,
28378,
47532,
58269
] | Validation |
28,261 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 2On Shakeeta's first day at a new school, most of the girls are eager to show her around, but Mia hangs back shyly. The next day, the fickle girls blithely desert Shakeeta to play soccer with a popular boy who refuses to include her. Left by themselves, Shakeeta and Mia gradually strike up a conversation and a friendship is born. While no unfamiliar territory is explored here, the characters are realistically and sympathetically portrayed, and the conversations and actions of the children are natural. Phelan's cartoon-style watercolors depict a realistic-looking classroom with a mix of children from a variety of backgrounds. The pale hues are nicely set off by crisp white backgrounds, and the characters' facial expressions are filled with personality and convey a wide range of emotion.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 2. When the new girl, Shakeeta, introduces herself by telling the class, "I have an iguana," Mia is intrigued. Even so, her shyness holds her back from making overtures; later, though, when a bully bars both Shakeeta and Mia from playing soccer, the pair strike up a conversation about iguanas and the girls become fast friends. Phelan's artwork breathes energy into fellow first-timer Robbins' somewhat deliberately paced first-person narrative, populating the multicultural classroom with children who are masterpieces of button noses, play-rumpled grooming, and spot-on body language. Decisive design choices communicate emotional substance: in the climactic playground scene, Mia and Shakeeta appear on opposite sides of a double-page spread, a physical distance that makes their subsequent, cozy proximity all the more satisfying. Though it's not the point of the book, the girls' interracial friendship (Mia is white; Shakeeta, African American) is a plus. Hand this to teachers anticipating mid-year arrivals, perhaps along with Eve Bunting's One Green Apple (2006), which focuses on students new to the country as well as the classroom. Jennifer MattsonCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: The New Girl and Me | [
524,
4324,
5462,
6722,
10443,
11039,
13180,
16042,
16147,
16344,
16347,
16406,
16558,
21400,
24144,
26990,
27077,
36509,
36639,
37757,
38046,
38275,
38306,
43127,
47567,
51810,
52649,
54831,
66467,
68204,
73906
] | Validation |
28,262 | 0 | James Carville is the best-known and most-loved political consultant in American history. He is also a speaker, talk-show host, actor, and author withsix New York Times bestsellers to his credit. Part of a large Southern family, he grew up without a television and loved to listen to the stories his mama told. Mr. Carville lives with his wife, Mary Matalin, and their two daughters in New Orleans.; Title: Lu and the Swamp Ghost | [
1933,
7294,
12091
] | Validation |
28,263 | 14 | PreSIn this board book, a family plays dreidel while a simple rhyming text explains the meaning of each letter in turn"nun," "gimel," "hey," and "shin." Each letter is shown on the four corners of the spread on which it is featured, along with the Hebrew word it stands for, although the meaning of "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham" is never explained. A paragraph at the end provides a simplified version of the Chanukah story. A section of the book's spine has been cut away, allowing room for an unremovable plastic dreidel, which children will have fun spinning as they read the book. The charming, warmly colored illustrations make this an appealing, if additional, selection.E. M. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: Spin the Dreidel! | [
644,
11906,
14131,
17571,
17858,
18723,
19226,
22308,
22797,
23270,
27483,
28436,
28880,
31506,
31707,
32507,
37873,
40503,
40532,
42312,
45491,
47712,
53682,
58445
] | Validation |
28,264 | 2 | Grade 8 UpThis final installment in the series is a warning of the dangers of overconsumption and conformity. Set some time in the future, after a human-made bacteria destroyed the modern world, the trilogy tells of new cities established and tightly controlled through brainwashing and a series of operations leading to a compliant society. Tally Youngblood, the 16-year-old protagonist, learns in the first two books that free will and truth are more important than a false sense of security. In Specials, she has become an elite fighting machine, fully enhanced with nanotechnology and super-fast reflexes, and made to work as a Special Circumstances agent for the nameless city that she fled. As in the first two books, much of the story takes place with characters whizzing through the air on hoverboards, but Tally and her friends are in for some harsh realities here. Readers who enjoyed Uglies and Pretties (both S & S, 2005) will not want to miss Specials, but those who have not read those books will not understand much of what is happening. Westerfeld's themes include vanity, environmental conservation, Utopian idealism, fascism, violence, and love. In this trilogy, the author calls for a revolution in our hearts and mindsthink The Matrix.Corinda J. Humphrey, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Scott Westerfelds first book in the Leviathan trilogy was the winner of the 2010 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Fiction. His other novels include the New York Times bestselling Uglies series, The Last Days, Peeps, So Yesterday, and the Midnighters trilogy. Scotts newest book, Uglies: Shays Story, is a graphic novel told from Tallys friend Shays perspective. Scott was born in Texas, andalternates summers between New York and Sydney, Australia. Visit him on the Web at scottwesterfeld.com or follow him on Twitter at @ScottWesterfeld.; Title: Specials (Uglies Trilogy, Book 3) | [
22865,
48060,
55067
] | Train |
28,265 | 2 | Grade 4-6In this final installment in the series, Polo tells his brother, Marco, that he longs to find their mother. The siblings head for the garage where they are accustomed to gathering with Texas Jake and the rest of the pack that makes up the Club of Mysteries. Lo and behold, mother Geraldine turns up, and Jake fears that he will lose control of the gang to this streetwise feline. He gives Polo, Marco, and Geraldine mysteries to solve, such as finding out whether the light in a refrigerator turns off when the door closes, that put the cats in danger as they move from adventure to adventure. A loyal mouse, dangerous rats, and singing felines add to the zesty humor. Naylor has a knack for giving characters both human and animal traits, so readers have no trouble following a story line with cats performing outrageous stunts or the fact that Marco learns to read from the newspaper in his litter box. Daniel's occasional sketches capture the personality of the characters as they go about trying to solve the mysteries of life. Fans will not be disappointed, except to see that this stand-alone novel concludes the series.Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 4-6. Naylor's charming conclusion to her Cat Pack series mingles mysteries, cats, and sly humor as the felines from the three previous stories tangle in a fur-raising, caterwauling finish. Young Polo yearns for the loving comfort of his long-absent mother, but when Geraldine surprisingly appears at the Club of Mysteries, she's not the soothing, gentle presence he remembers. But as it turns out, it's Geraldine's toughness and gruff spirit that helps Polo and Marco solve the mysteries that mean Texas Jake has assigned them: What's at the top of a steeple? What makes a car purr? Does the light inside a refrigerator go off when the door is shut? The feline traits of the character are true to nature, and the cleverly renamed cat-themed songs may inspire some laughs (She's a Grand Ole Cat) as will the feline perspectives on those odd two-leggeds called "humans." Series fans (this is billed as the last in the group) will certainly want this, but the story can easily stand alone. Black-and-white illustrations interspersed through the tale are dramatic as well as delightful. Julie CumminsCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Polo's Mother (The Cat Pack) | [
27684
] | Train |
28,266 | 1 | PreSchool-Grade 2In this rollicking counting book, 10 little chimps sneak out of their tree house to go dancing at Mambo Jambas, where a pig band plays music all night long. One by one, each monkey jives with a different jungle animal, and a rhythmic verse describes that particular creatures style (Rhino hustles in/just to prove hes got the groove./Shake it, Rhino! Shake it, boy!/Lets see that body move). Meanwhile, the remaining siblings boogie to the repeated refrain (ee-ee-/oo-oo-/ah-ah-ah!/9 little chimps do the/cha-cha-cha). The rhymes roll easily off the tongue, making the text fun to read aloud. However, there is no indicationeither verbal or visualof where each chimp goes as the book counts down from 10 to 1, but they all reappear at the end when Mama Chimp arrives to take them home. Once they are tucked in bed, she calls a babysitter so that she can put on her own dancing shoes. Done in watercolor and pencil, the illustrations are bright and lively, and each chimp is clothed in a unique and colorful outfit. The jungle animals are also fabulously costumed. All in all, the cha-cha-cha chant and upbeat artwork make this book a good storytime addition.Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-K. "Deep in the forest in the dim moonlight, / ten little chimps sneak out for the night. / Wearing shiny shoes and their boogie-woogie pants, / they go to Mambo Jamba's where they dance, dance, dance." With wild abandon, the 10 chimps cha-cha-cha to the music of the three-pigs band while other forest animals join in a lively chimp countdown from 10 to 1. Hippo "starts to hokey-poke"; "Giraffe does the tango"; and the meerkat "macarenas to a funky Latin beat." Then Mama Chimp sends her babes home for the night, making way for a clever surprise ending that keeps them toe-tappin' happy. Taylor's cartoonlike watercolor-and-pencil illustrations display the same sprightly spirit, bright colors, and energy as the pictures in Eileen Christelow's Five Little Monkeys books. Don't expect kids to sit still for this; they'll be groovin' to the catchy rhyme and movin' to their own cheerful beat. Julie CumminsCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Cha-Cha Chimps | [
1245,
28236,
47708,
47972,
62451
] | Validation |
28,267 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 2Here's a fresh approach to fractured fairy tales: take one small child's insatiable demand for Just one more story and add a sleepy parent's wish to get the bedtime ritual over with as quickly as possible. The result is this collection of eight condensed folktales. For example, Goldilocks and the Bears begins, There were some bears;/It doesn't really matter how many./There was a bunch./Let's get to the point: and ends, When the bears came back,/They found her asleep./She woke up, screamed, and ran home/So she could sleep in her own bed./Just like you. A few nursery rhymes (Hickory, dickory, dock,/A mouse ran up the clock./The clock struck eight./Oh, my, it's late!/So the mouse went straight to bed) and jokes round out the book. Blitt's ink-and-watercolor illustrations are amusing, with fine lines and soothing colors underscoring the comedy in the characters and situations. The cover shows an intensely alert toddler on the lap of a sleeping father, surrounded by several dozing characters (Goliath sucking his thumb, for example, and Red Riding Hood conked out next to the wolf dressed as Grandma). The sometimes sly, sometimes outrageous, sometimes simply silly humor will go over the heads of most preschoolers, but it's right on target for their older siblings (and tired parents, of course).Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* K-Gr. 3. "Is there a pea under your bed? / Then what's your excuse? / Go to bed." Reading at bedtime to his kid, who refuses to fall asleep, a desperate dad shortens the old stories, twists the nursery rhymes, and adds his own messages (" Why are you still awake?") in hilarious, short, fractured fairy tales and verse. On each spacious double-page spread, Blitt's cartoon-style, line-and-watercolor pictures are both beautiful and funny, whether depicting the mayhem of the "Two Little Pigs" or the cozy view of Dad surrounded by books, desperate to get his sweet kid to sleep so that "everyone could live happily ever after." As the parent gets more exhausted, the stories get shorter, angrier, and wilder (when all those kids in the shoe won't go to bed, the old lady sells them to the zoo). The triumph of the child who refuses to bow to authority will appeal to preschoolers, and so will the loving bedtime scenes. Older elementary-school children who know the stories and can appreciate the parody will probably like this, too. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds) | [
4149,
8516,
10270,
13168,
13436,
13901,
27257,
28107,
28276,
36339,
50041,
51559,
57272,
67764,
70512
] | Test |
28,268 | 2 | Karen Katz has written and illustrated more than fifty picture books and novelty books including the bestselling Where Is Babys Belly Button? After graduating from the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, she attended the Yale Graduate School of Art and Architecture where she became interested in folk art, Indian miniatures, Shaker art, and Mexican art. Her book, Counting Kisses, was named one of the 100 Greatest Books for Kids by Scholastic Parent & Child and was a Childrens Book-of-the-Month Club Main Selection. Karen, her husband Gary Richards, and their daughter Lena divide their time between New York City and Saugerties, New York. Learn more about Karen Katz at KarenKatz.com.; Title: Grandpa and Me (Lift-The-Flap Book (Little Simon)) | [
1378,
1415,
1806,
5580,
5581,
8271,
8278,
13981,
14995,
15756,
15837,
18624,
20746,
20993,
24025,
25643,
27124,
27754,
27779,
27954,
27988,
27998,
28305,
28390,
29137,
29160,
39763,
42815,
45324,
47464,
47702,
47717,
47846,
47857,
48028,
48057,
... | Validation |
28,269 | 2 | Eggs and zucchini may sound like a special Sunday omelet to most, but for Nancy Drew, it means it's time to roll up her sleeves and start solving mysteries. In this first book of the "modernized" series featuring the whip-smart girl detective, Nancy is called upon to solve not one but two whodunits, simultaneously. Someone has been smashing the neighborhood zucchini patches and the disgruntled gardeners are starting to point fingers at one another. Meanwhile, a new resident in Nancy's Midwestern town is frantic when she discovers that her old and precious Faberge egg has been stolen. Can our favorite not-so-hard-boiled detective unscramble both these cases before it's too late?Fans of Carolyn Keene's classic Nancy Drew series will be pleased to note that, although Nancy has been brought up to date with computers and cell phones, she's still the same sweet girl who volunteers in her spare time. All her old buddies are alive and well: George is still a tomboy, but now spends her time surfing the Web; Bess continues to be a bit of a femme fatale, but only in the nicest way; Nancy's boyfriend Ned remains ever faithful and ever patient; and housekeeper Hannah Gruen is as gruffly, bustlingly loving as always. New readers will love to sink their teeth into a "new" series, and may even be inspired to dig out their mothers' old Nancy Drews (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie CoulterGr. 4-7. Nancy Drew gets an update--sort of. True, she's now using computers instead of driving a roadster, and the text is now written in the first person, but neither the writing nor the plotting screams twenty-first century. In Trace, there are two mysteries. The first--Who is stealing or bashing the neighborhood's zucchini crop?--will hardly have kids on the edge of their seats. The second, about a stolen Faberge egg, has slightly more bang for its buck because several teenage boys from France come with it, but it still has lines like "I thought American detectives were old gruff men, like Humphrey Bogart." Bogie isn't exactly a middle-grade icon. In Race, Nancy, the captain of the Biking for Bucks charity road race, has to find the stolen bucks. Kids love mysteries, and there is a shortage of them, so these offerings, for slightly younger kids than the last Nancy series, will find fans, but as with so many series titles, the writing here is stilted and the characters generic. Try Wendelin Van Draanen's Sammy Keyes books for mysteries with more substance as well as better style. Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Without a Trace (Nancy Drew: All New Girl Detective #1) | [
27130,
28271,
28273,
28275,
28300,
28308,
28309,
28334,
28373,
47486,
51984
] | Train |
28,270 | 2 | Grade 5-8The endearing and eccentric Casson family, introduced in Saffy's Angel (McElderry, 2002), is back. Recovered from mononucleosis, 12-year-old Indigo dreads his return to school where his sensitive, peace-loving nature makes him a target for bullies. Enter Tom, a classmate from America who is living with his English grandmother to avoid dealing with his divorced parents. His arrogance stymies the gang and deflects some of the mistreatment away from Indigo, who sees through Tom's mask and reaches out in friendship. Meanwhile, eight-year-old Rose cannot adjust to her new glasses or accept her father's apparently permanent move to London. She expresses her distress in her poignant, yet funny, letters to him and by painting family members and friends in and out of a mural on the kitchen wall. Rose, too, forms a bond with Tom, particularly appreciating his guitar playing and his desire to acquire a special instrument. In an incident in which he mistakenly believes the bullies are hurting Rose, Indigo finally fights back, giving the gang leader his comeuppance and setting the "rabble" on the road to good behavior. As the book ends, Rose and Tom each begin to come to terms with the changes in their families, and Tom starts his journey home, with the coveted new guitar. While the story may be somewhat short on plot and a bit facile in its treatment of the issue of bullying, McKay's sly humor, deft characterization, and brisk pacing more than compensate. Readers will love revisiting the chaotic but loving Casson household.Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Gr. 5-8. McKay continues the story of the exuberant, artistic Casson family whom readers first met in Saffy's Angel, a Booklist 2002 Editor's Choice selection. This time the focus is on Saffy's younger siblings: Indigo, who is bullied by a gang of his schoolmates, and eight-year-old Rose, already an accomplished artist and a keen observer of each family member's private struggles. As in Saffy, McKay introduces a likable outsider into the mix: Tom, a young, lonely American who confronts the bullies with Indigo, forms a fierce friendship with Rose, and, after being wholly absorbed into the "complete Casson comfort machine," finally accepts his parents' divorce. McKay's portrayal of absent-minded mother Eve occasionally veers into a caricature of daffiness, and some references, particularly those that foreshadow the Casson parents' marital strains, may fly over the heads of young readers. But the author unerringly dissects the politics of bullying and a family's complicated layers of love and anger in an often laugh-out-loud narrative that's as chaotic and lovable as the Casson household itself. Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Indigo's Star | [
27978,
47645,
51522
] | Train |
28,271 | 2 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.; Title: Lights, Camera... (Nancy Drew: All New Girl Detective #5) | [
27130,
28269,
28273,
28275,
28300,
28308,
28309,
28334,
28373,
28432,
28467,
28475,
47673,
47695,
47699,
47725,
47867,
47909,
47919,
47926,
48024,
48125
] | Train |
28,272 | 2 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novel Missing May received the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Puppy Mudge Takes a Bath | [
639,
1373,
1470,
1612,
1925,
2282,
2665,
2836,
3134,
3230,
3443,
3446,
3666,
3926,
3990,
4072,
4361,
4369,
4673,
4674,
4714,
4735,
4746,
4829,
4862,
7387,
7406,
7410,
7474,
8345,
8346,
8361,
12795,
13537,
15191,
15224,
15229,
16819,
16987,
... | Validation |
28,273 | 2 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.; Title: False Notes (Nancy Drew: All New Girl Detective #3) | [
28269,
28271,
28275,
28300,
28308,
28309,
28334,
28373,
54843
] | Test |
28,274 | 1 | PreSThere's not a lot of story here, but there is plenty of fun as a playful, rump-shaking pup leads toddlers through some of the many ways to move around: "Do you wake up with a wiggle?/Do you wiggle out of bed?/If you wiggle with your breakfast,/it might wind up on your head." The dog goes on to jiggle and dance with various objects and creatures before falling asleep beneath the moon. Menchin's lively, digitally rendered art incorporates elements of realityphotographic bits and piecesthat are well integrated into broad, bright cartoon illustrations. Cronin's nonsensical text is rhythmic and buoyant. Pair this sunny, silly book with Jonathan London's Wiggle Waggle (1999) or Katie Davis's Who Hops? (1998, both Harcourt) for an active storytime about animals in motion. Kathy Krasniewicz, Perrot Library, Old Greenwich, CT Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Pres-K. It will be hard to stop a group of little ones or even a lone child from wiggling through this one; the text is that infectious. A spotted dog on the cover, vigorously working a hula hoop, leads children through a wiggling world: "Do you wake up with a wiggle? / Do you wiggle out of bed? / If you wiggle with your breakfast, / it may wind up on your head." The delightful cartoon-style, ink-and-watercolor artwork is highlighted by tidbits of collage. In the case of the above quote, the picture shows the droopy canine with a photograph of a pancake planted squarely on its head. Every candy-colored page features the funny, frenetic dog involved in some furious activity, and the sense of motion and movement is palpable each time. The text is occasionally labored: "Wiggle slowly when with polar bears. They're very wiggle shy." But the artwork picks up the slack so well that kids won't know what to do first: wiggle or giggle. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Wiggle (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards)) | [
758,
2772,
3061,
3544,
4587,
6284,
6733,
8191,
8487,
8543,
11622,
14695,
16077,
16347,
16486,
20685,
21030,
21066,
25971,
27069,
28454,
28790,
31253,
31320,
37001,
38371,
38523,
45827,
47543,
47545,
47885,
48111,
48229,
51224,
51730,
51962,
525... | Train |
28,275 | 2 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.; Title: High Risk (Nancy Drew: All New Girl Detective #4) | [
28269,
28271,
28273,
28300,
28308,
28309,
28334,
28373
] | Train |
28,276 | 6 | Grade 1-3In this nonsensical tale, a gluttonous king imprisons his stepdaughter in a tower so that she can bake pies only for him. Although many knights try to rescue her, none are able to accomplish the three difficult tasks set by the monarch. As Sir Wilburthe most famous knight aroundappears on the scene, the action is interrupted. Ned, the book's supposed illustrator, is introduced. A tiny man sitting on a board suspended by ropes, he rushes to finish painting the larger-than-life spread. Meanwhile, another man, the narrator, begs readers to slow down so that the work can be completed. While the fairy tale is illustrated with fluid watercolor-and-gouache cartoons, the two men are depicted in a simpler, more angular style, and the narrator's numerous comments are presented in a more workmanlike font. Unable to keep up, the story's creators improvise with what they have on hand, resulting in a hero who wears a tutu, an army of pickles, and a princess who saves her man while riding a snail and brandishing a banana. Although the approach is unique, the joke soon wears thin, as the narrator continually admonishes readers (Why do you keep turning the page? or Look, we're trying to tell a good story, but you're reading too fast). Not only is the plot less than successful, but the ending is also abrupt.Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.K-Gr. 3. Lendler's first children's book is a fractured fairy tale of the silliest order. Things begin traditionally: a princess is locked in a tower, where she makes pies around the clock for a gluttonous king. Handsome knight Sir Wilbur arrives but must perform three tasks before he can rescue the princess. Then, the story's split occurs: a narrator wearing a bow tie explains that Ned, the man in charge of pictures, hasn't finished this page's illustration and has hastily substituted a doughnut for the king's crown. More problems ensue: Ned can't gather the knights' horses on time, so Sir Wilbur must use the props that the department has available--giant fish. The farce continues to the end as the text and images flip between the increasingly ridiculous fairy tale and the problems creating images behind the scenes. Two fonts distinguish between the story lines, and the wild, clever cartoons make the most of the gleeful absurdity. Suggest Kevin O'Malley's Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude (2005) and David Wiesner's Caldecott Medal book The Three Pigs (2001) for more fractured fun. Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: An Undone Fairy Tale | [
7296,
19598,
22658,
28267,
41043,
45991,
48682,
55854,
65178,
65181,
68111,
74013,
75033
] | Train |
28,277 | 2 | Grade 8 Up–Gwen, 17, has returned to a small beach community seven years after the scandal that forced her family to flee. Now she's spending the summer working at her grandmother's inn and hoping to put the past behind her. The very first morning she's there, however, she meets Jesse, a boy who claims he already knows her, and knows what happened all those years ago. Overcome by her attraction to him, Gwen spends more and more time with him and realizes that he has secrets he isn't telling her. Her grandmother's tales of selkies foreshadow what is to come, and readers will probably guess the outcome long before Gwen does. If they can get past the sentimental title that belies the real story, the romance and mystery will keep them reading until the very end. Expect this to be popular where retold myths and fairy tales are in demand.–Ginny Collier, Dekalb County Public Library, Chamblee, GA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 7-10. Unlike Farley's middle-grade Phantom Stallion series, her first YA novel is not equestrian in theme. Her focus, however, is still on a transcendent bond between a girl and an animal--in this case, a sea lion selkie. When Gwen and her parents abruptly move away from their coastal family seat, her clairvoyant grandmother predicts that forces "no mortal can imagine and no female can resist" will draw her back. Sure enough, when Gwen, 17, returns for a summer job, she falls for exotic wanderer Jesse and finds herself immersed in a modern, California version of a Scottish selkie myth. It takes time for her to acknowledge Jesse's sea lion nature (perhaps too long, considering his taste for raw bait); eventually, though, Gwen accepts his alien qualities along with the tragic knowledge that their time together is fleeting. Farley's numerous supporting characters and subplots lend more complication than meaningful depth, but Gwen's convincing, contemporary voice, by turns resolutely practical and head-over-heels for a guy who "kisses like an ocean god," will draw many teens into one of folklore's lesser-known beauty-and-the-beast romances. Jennifer MattsonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Seven Tears into the Sea | [
17897,
21568
] | Train |
28,278 | 18 | Grade 6-10–Although this book's title and cover art suggest that its sole focus is the post-Civil War movement into the West, McPherson discusses events that happened during the conflict as well as after. The book is divided into 39 chapters, most consisting of a single-page essay about a topic, paired with an attractive, full-page period illustration or photo, some of which are in color. Each page of text also has a related Quick Facts sidebar. Many early sections discuss the upheavals and difficulties of Reconstruction, including the debate over presidential versus congressional reconstruction, the Ku Klux Klan, and the impeachment of Andrew Johnson. Later chapters cover the Homestead Act, cattle drives, outlaws, and the forced removal of Native American tribes. McPherson writes objectively and well, and students will find the heavily illustrated format attractive. However, the book covers so many topics that there is little room for general background or detailed analysis. Liz Sonneborn's The American West (Scholastic, 2002) covers much of the same material in more depth in a more heavily illustrated format. A supplemental purchase for most collections.–Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.In this companion to Fields of Fury: The American Civil War (2002), the Pulitzer Prize-winning author devotes nearly as much attention to the civil war's political aftermath in Washington and the South as he does to westward expansion. As in his previous book, he divides his narrative into dozens of one- or two-page chapters, each covering a specific topic ("Congressional Reconstruction," "The Wyoming Territory and Women's Suffrage," "The Buffalo Soldiers," etc.). Each chapter is accompanied by a full-page photo, a smaller illustration, and boxed side comments labeled "Quick Facts." Although the author delivers occasional valuable insights--noting, for instance, that most carpetbaggers and scalawags were actually well-intentioned civil servants--he is light on primary source material and offers information that is, by and large, readily available elsewhere. Students of the Reconstruction may find this a useful additional resource, but the frontier's turbulent tale is better told in Liz Sonneborn's The American West: An Illustrated History (2002). A bibliography and a list of Web sites are appended. John PetersCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Into the West: From Reconstruction to the Final Days of the American Frontier | [
59856
] | Train |
28,279 | 2 | "[One of] Spring's Best Kid's Books." People magazine"A thing of strange beauty." New York Times Book Review"Literate, funny, and inspiring." Washington Post"Elegant, absorbing...a veritable feast." Publishers Weekly, starred review"Konigsburg at her masterful best." School Library Journal, starred reviewE.L. Konigsburg is the only author to have won the Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor in the same year. In 1968,From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweilerwon the Newbery Medal andJennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabethwas named a Newbery Honor Book. Almost thirty years later she won the Newbery Medal once again forThe View from Saturday. Among her other acclaimed books areSilent to the Bone,The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place, andThe Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World.; Title: The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place | [
1259,
4989,
5986,
6000,
6051,
6536,
6551,
7601,
10129,
10191,
13036,
13510,
14354,
17050,
17212,
27509,
27575,
47840,
47925,
54564,
55968,
63874
] | Validation |
28,280 | 2 | Grade 9 UpThe final installment of this trilogy is a true winner. Even though coming out publicly resulted in Virginia high school basketball star Jason Carrillo's losing his college athletic scholarship, it turned him into an important role model for gay and lesbian teens. And so, when a new GLBT high school in Los Angeles is searching for a keynote speaker for its opening ceremony, it is not surprising that Jason is given an all-expenses-paid invitation. His boyfriend, Kyle, definitely wants to be there, too. And Kyle's best friendpink-haired, boy-hungry Nelsonhas a car and thinks that this would be the perfect opportunity for a post-senior-year road trip. Virginia to L.A. by car: 3000 miles and plenty of time to gain an understanding of what being gay in America is all about. These boys are distinct personalities and genuine teens, searching for clarity and identity and acceptance, trying to make sense of themselves and a world that can be equally bright and dark. Sanchez writes with humor and compassion. Some mature romance scenes, occasional frank language, and an inclusion of transgender/transsexual/bisexual story lines translate into a tender book that will likely be appreciated and embraced by young adult readers.Jeff Katz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 9-12. The third and final novel about gay teen friends Jason, Kyle, and Nelson finds the boys on a road trip, driving across country from their D.C. homes to Los Angeles, where Jason has been invited to speak at the opening of an alternative high school. Along the way, the young men encounter a variety of people and situations that occasionally seem clearly designed to educate the reader--for example, a transgender boy who looks like Britney Spears; an enclave of Radical Faeries who live off the land in rural Tennessee; a devoted gay couple who have been partners for 20 years; and, of course, the usual homophobes. In short, there's plenty of expected stuff. About halfway through the cross-country journey, however, Kyle begins questioning his relationship with bisexual Jason, and the story becomes more involving as characterization finally takes the driver's seat. Flamboyant Nelson remains annoyingly predictable, alas, but the other two boys are sympathetic charmers, and fans of Sanchez's first two Rainbow novels will certainly want to read this one. Michael CartCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Rainbow Road | [
47453
] | Train |
28,281 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2Over five pages of front matter, a boy playing with blocks is transformed into "American Eagle," shown in full superhero glory on a colorful two-page illustration. From there, alternating spreads switch back and forth between realistic scenes of the boy, his friend, and his little brotherall dressed in superhero costumesand their imaginary world. When "Bug Lady" asks "American Eagle" for help, the children are shown playing in his house. However, a page turn reveals the larger-than-life duo flying across town as full-grown action stars. Things go too far when the children knock over a bookcase, then hear the ominous "thoom thoom thoom" of Mom's approaching footsteps. In the end, an honest apology and a promise to clean up proves to be a satisfyingly heroic conclusion. Dialogue bubbles work with the cartoon illustrations to add light bits of humor to the action. The youngsters make dramatic statements ("With one mighty blow the wall tumbles like toy blocks"), but also slip out of character ("Mom says no hitting!") just as real kids would. The shifts between real life and fantasy are effective. The regular scenes are neatly framed within single white-bordered pages, while the contrasting superhero pictures fill spreads to their edges with motion and bold color. The result is an appealing splash of adventure, neatly placed within the recognizable world of children's daily lives.Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: Kapow! | [
1755,
33177,
33202,
37296,
64968,
64995
] | Train |
28,282 | 2 | Grade 1-5NFL stars Tiki and Ronde Barber present sports fans with a sun-drenched childhood anecdote about perseverance. Although the twins were "born smaller than most babies," they grew up to be a rowdy pair. The boys never left one another's side until the summer when Tiki took a bad spill from his bike and broke his leg, forcing him to miss the entire baseball season. The narrative follows the siblings' agony during their summer-long separation and their eventual joy at being teammates again. Despite its lengthy, lackluster text and a somewhat anticlimactic ending, the authors' role-model status will attract an audience, and Root's soft, watercolor-and-gouache illustrations will capture readers' imaginations. Vibrant oranges and yellows suffuse the pages, creating a sense of nostalgia. Similar to Deloris and Roslyn M. Jordan's Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream (S & S, 2000), the Barbers' tale will be a popular addition to sports collections.Ann M. Holcomb, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 1-3. There's not much of a story in this picture book written by the Barber twins, who both currently play in the NFL. On a summer afternoon, young Tiki breaks his leg in a bicycle accident and spends the next few months laid up, watching Ronde's baseball games and occasionally sneaking out of the house himself to get in some illicit playing time. He gradually recovers, and is ready for football in the fall. Along the way, he listens to plenty of pat phrases about keeping a good attitude. Root's watercolor-and-gouache double-page spreads nicely capture young players in action in a variety of sports. His image of the two brothers sitting by a football field among the orange hues of a waning autumn afternoon is particularly striking. Young fans of the Barber brothers will enjoy this book. Others may wish for a plot with more action and substance. Todd MorningCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: By My Brother's Side | [
3351,
8359,
11397,
17700,
18250,
22034,
22276,
22534,
27752,
30030,
31566,
36342,
45727,
47352,
47604,
47716,
47908,
48319,
50731,
50741,
50986,
51308,
51661,
51741,
54870,
58616,
58704,
62709
] | Train |
28,283 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3--When Jackie Mitchell was a pitcher for the Chattanooga Lookouts, she made baseball history on April 2, 1931, by striking out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Moss begins this brief chronicle of the young woman's moment in the sun by setting the scene at the stadium that day, quoting the skepticism expressed by sports reporters. She then moves back to Mitchell's childhood and describes her early interest in the game and the support and encouragement offered by her father. When the scene returns to the big day, the author indulges in some minor fictionalizing as she imagines the teen's thoughts and feelings when she faced the baseball giants. The narrative captures the tension and excitement, and has the air of an experience remembered. Payne's mixed-media illustrations with their judicious use of sepia increase the nostalgic feel. Pair this title with Shana Corey's Players in Pigtails (Scholastic, 2003) or Doreen Rappaport and Lyndall Callan's Dirt on Their Skirts (Dial, 2000) for a close look at a previously neglected piece of history.--Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gr. 1-3. On April 2, 1931, in Tennessee, the New York Yankees played an exhibition game against the Chattanooga Lookouts. Their pitcher was a 17-year-old young woman named Jackie Mitchell, and that day she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. In cadenced prose, Moss tells the story of the girl who was taught to play--and to win--by her father and Dazzy Vance, the Brooklyn Dodger. Moss sketches Jackie's background so that when she's on the mound, we know the talent and determination that go into each pitch. Payne has well and truly captured the tone with his wonderful pictures. Slightly exaggerated forms and vintage colors echo Thomas Hart Benton and 1930s newspaper photography. This is a powerful read-aloud. Use it alongside Deborah Hopkinson's Girl Wonder (2003), about the real pitcher Alta Weiss, and Shana Corey's Players in Pigtails (2003), about the fictional Katie Casey, the girl in "Take Me out to the Ball Game." It's another book that makes you wonder, "How come we didn't know about her?" GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Mighty Jackie: The Strike-Out Queen | [
7316,
13925,
17127,
17432,
17700,
19464,
21654,
22118,
27752,
28628,
31931,
36250,
39355,
45535,
47424,
58162,
61524,
62700,
62709,
62760,
74882,
75207
] | Validation |
28,284 | 13 | Grade 3-5 - Bustard describes Holly's early life, his family's fascination with music, and his path to becoming a recording star. Information on his musical influences, his early bands, and the creation of the Crickets and their success is included. This lively work is written in a folksy vernacular, with plenty of yeehaws, whoo-de-doos, and yeeee-doggies thrown in with colloquial expressions like "knee-high to an armadillo" and "Buddy stuck to that guitar like white on rice." While the enthusiastic text is very casual, a factual afterword presents more details about Holly's life and career. Attractive watercolors contribute to the down-home atmosphere. Well done, but of limited interest to most kids. - Jeffrey A. French, Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.K-Gr. 3. Few kids know Buddy Holly; grandparents, more than parents, may be familiar with his music. So does this biography stand up without the benefit of his music being played in the background? Well, Bustard gives it a game go in a raucous, upbeat homage, which uses the cadence and rhythms of the South to capture the feel of the music and the excitement it generated in Holly. Raised in a family where toe-tappin' music was a regular feature, Holly "lassoed first prize" at a talent show by playing the fiddle when he was five. As a teen, he devoted his full attention to music that was "faster than greased lightning, louder than a thunderstorm, more powerful than a Texas twister." The artwork gets in the groove, as well. Handsomely realistic pictures of kids dancing or Buddy playing rock-and-roll are mixed with more surreal moments, such as 45s floating in the sky. Only one sentence in the afterword speaks to Holly's tragic death in a plane crash. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly | [
14971,
21651,
39355,
41060,
51368,
62424,
66484,
67634,
68113
] | Train |
28,285 | 2 | Andrew Clements is the author of the enormously popular Frindle. More than 10 million copies of his books have been sold, and he has been nominated for a multitude of state awards,including two Christopher Awards and an Edgar Award. His popular works include About Average, Troublemaker, Extra Credit, Lost and Found, No Talking, Room One, Lunch Money, and more. He is also the author of the Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School series. He lives with his wife in Maine and has four grown children. Visit him at AndrewClements.com.; Title: Room One: A Mystery or Two | [
1427,
2274,
2401,
3625,
3991,
4401,
6115,
6186,
6191,
6310,
6405,
6435,
6651,
6680,
6905,
7283,
10089,
10343,
11575,
13510,
13533,
14203,
14237,
16676,
16799,
16970,
17831,
21333,
23002,
26537,
27473,
27903,
31355,
47387,
47754,
47847,
48382,
... | Train |
28,286 | 2 | Franklin W. Dixon is the author of the ever-popular Hardy Boys books.; Title: No Way Out (The Hardy Boys #187) | [
25941,
25954,
28095,
28145,
28162,
28172,
28221,
28240,
28290,
28387,
30185,
47492,
47849,
54688
] | Test |
28,287 | 2 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.; Title: The Dollhouse Mystery (Nancy Drew Notebooks #58) | [
25920,
25955,
25986,
25990,
26011,
26078,
26105,
26107,
26108,
26109,
26111,
26113,
26114,
26115,
28424,
28443,
47396,
47429
] | Train |
28,288 | 0 | Grade 2-4-In this series entry, mystery lovers are invited to discover and unravel clues along with Noelle and the other Third-Grade Detectives. When Misty's new bike is run over by a car, the sleuths launch into action. They gather the facts and then ask for help from their teacher, who provides clues through secret messages that must be decoded. After examining the evidence and doing a bit of legwork, they solve the crime. Full-page, black-and-white sketches appear throughout. With believable characters and a fast-paced plot, this book is a good choice for students who are ready to leave easy-readers behind, but are not quite prepared for longer books.Andrea Tarr, Corona Public Library, CACopyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.George Stanley was a Professor of African and Middle-Eastern Languages and Linguistics at Cameron University. In between prepping class lectures and grading papers, he found the time to write for children. He was also the author of Night Fires and the Third-Grade Detectives series.; Title: The Case of the Dirty Clue (Third-Grade Detectives) | [
541,
2317,
3582,
4722,
5340,
5671,
5970,
6000,
6214,
8619,
8632,
12575,
12769,
12771,
12805,
12850,
12889,
13164,
13263,
13507,
13890,
13962,
14209,
14542,
14666,
15198,
15231,
15250,
16685,
16750,
16773,
17693,
18136,
18145,
18198,
18768,
1924... | Train |
28,289 | 2 | Tonight Show host and bona fide household name Jay Leno tries his hand at writing children's books with this fun embellishment from his own childhood--a story of an effusive Italian father, a stingy Scottish mother, and a rotisseried roast beef gone airborne.Many celebrities--and even some fellow comedians, like Jerry Seinfeld--have tried to write childrens books in recent years, all with varying degrees of success. Thankfully for Leno, his readily recognizable and affable voice keeps this effort above average, with plenty of help from S.B. Whitehead's playfully busy illustrations. Not unlike a Tonight Show monologue, though, If Roast Beef Could Fly relies more on delivery than substance: Lenos trademark comedic style comes through clearly (right down to an asterisked aside to the audience: "Kids, dont try this at home!"), but the story sometimes seems to sputter--albeit in that ingratiating Jay way--from one gag to the next.Tonight Show fans (and hopefully their kids, too) will surely enjoy this personal glimpse into the late-night kings early years, especially as Leno reads along with the included audio CD. Plus, If Roast Beef Could Fly also appears to clear up a long-standing question among serious Leno scholars: Yes, even as a child, his chin was just that big. (All Ages) --Paul HughesKindergarten-Grade 3In this meager offering, a young narrator (a Jay Leno look-alike with short legs) describes his father, who likes to do things in a big way. Dad decides to build a patio complete with rotisserie, and the boy gleefully rides the wave of his enthusiasm. The narrative jumps from buying supplies to the advice of neighbors to the finished project and a final summer picnic. As a huge roast beef spins on the spit and everyone else goes inside, the boy is left alone with the "amazing spectacle." Touching the meat with his plastic comb, he licks the juices off it until it gets caught in the string around the beef and begins to melt. At the table, Dad tries to cut the roast, discovers the plastic, and throws the whole thing out the window, whereby it's caught in a flying leap by the dog. Fortunately, Dad's Italian relatives have brought "several different tons of food" and Dad, undefeated, is already dreaming up his next project. This book is mired in excess. The disjointed text relies on exaggeration to hook readers. Every scene is so over the top both visually and verbally that there's no subtlety of characterization or meaningful introspection. The garishness of the narrative is matched by the full-color, Mad Magazine-like illustrations where people appear as larger-than-life caricatures. Some youngsters may be carried along on the crest of this wave. More insightful readers will recognize the ensuing emptiness. A CD of Leno reading the story is included.Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: Jay Leno: If Roast Beef Could Fly | [
28254,
47379
] | Train |
28,290 | 2 | Franklin W. Dixon is the author of the ever-popular Hardy Boys books.; Title: Wreck and Roll (The Hardy Boys #185) | [
25954,
25975,
28095,
28145,
28162,
28172,
28221,
28240,
28286,
28387,
30185
] | Train |
28,291 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3In the Grimm folktale, little Two-Eyes is despised by her family because she is common and sees as ordinary humans do. In Shepard's retelling, sisters One-Eye and Three-Eyes mistreat their youngest sibling because, having seen no one else, they believe her to be "different." Two-Eyes goes off to tend the goat, weeping because she's hungry. A fairy appears and tells her a magic spell that makes the goat provide food. In Grimm, as in Eric Kimmel's One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes (Holiday House, 1996), the goat is butchered after the sisters discover Two-Eyes's good fortune, whereas Shepard has them simply chasing the animal away. Instead of the fairy telling the girl to plant the goat's entrails, Shepard has her planting an ordinary seed. A tree with golden apples grows, and, because only Two-Eyes can pluck the fruit, she eventually marries the prince who asks for an apple. The alterations to the story are consistent with the lighthearted watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, which feature Two-Eyes microwaving her meager leftovers and One-Eye reading "Eye Claudius" while Three-Eyes peruses one book with one eye and a different volume with the other two. Children will enjoy the humor in this reincarnation, and it will make excellent fodder for reader's theater, with a script available on the author's Web site.Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.An old tale gets a facelift in this lively version. Two-Eyes is treated badly by her sisters, One-Eye and Three-Eyes, who don't give her enough to eat. One day, she meets another two-eyed lady, who offers her an incantation that will provide plenty of food. The sisters become suspicious, but more charms ensue, leading Two-Eyes to a (literal) knight in shining armor. If the parameters of the story remain the same, the delightful line-and-watercolor artwork bubbles with sly, new details. Although the sisters' wardrobe suggests an earlier time, particulars such as a microwave and a TV add an amusing modernity. Some details will amuse adult readers most--for instance, One-Eye is shown reading Eye Claudius. On a more child-friendly level, one page is divided into six squares that show Two-Eyes up a tree, in every sense of the phrase, trying to sing her sisters to sleep. On the way to happily-ever-after, a good time will be had by all. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: One-Eye! Two-Eyes! Three-Eyes!: A Very Grimm Fairy Tale | [
58544
] | Train |
28,292 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 2 - Radunsky strings together descriptive similes and metaphors to describe the essence of the word "peace." "What does Peace smell like? Like a bouquet of flowers in a happy family's living roomlike fresh and new furniturelike pizza with onions and sausage." To the side of each question, the author indicates the names of children from the Ambrit International School in Rome who contributed their sentiments to the text. Other spreads attempt to explain how peace looks, sounds, tastes, and feels. Colorful gouache illustrations, primitive in design, supplement the concept. The only unique feature is the extensive list of words for peace in over 150 languages that appears at the end. While the book might be useful for a unit on peacekeeping, there is nothing original here. - Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 3. As much a celebration of the five senses as an antiwar message, this bright picture book combines Radunsky's playful gouache double-page scenarios with quotes from grade-schoolers at an international school in Rome. What does Peace look like? "Like something beautiful that goes away but will come back," reads the text, which is accompanied by illustrations showing a cat and a dog curled up together in a big basket. Peace sounds like "raindrops falling . . . like voices singing." Peace tastes like ice cream, in many flavors. A great last page shows the word for peace in nearly 200 languages, from Abenaki and Afrikaans to Zapotec and Zulu. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: What Does Peace Feel Like? | [
3660,
4363,
4587,
7654,
7724,
8523,
10270,
10300,
10308,
10337,
10339,
10362,
10767,
10917,
11039,
11896,
16325,
16347,
16558,
19538,
20835,
21040,
21109,
21372,
27578,
27730,
28435,
31862,
32071,
32569,
35845,
36633,
37009,
37140,
37786,
37841,
... | Train |
28,293 | 0 | Starred Review. Grade 2-6This handsome, well-researched biography is as dignified as its subject. Using a spare, readable style, the author captures Roosevelts spirit and determination. Frequent childhood illness and a fascination with animals and the natural world made Roosevelt an avid reader. Nevertheless, he traversed the globe with his family: By age fifteenI had hunted jackals on horseback, climbed the Great Pyramid, and peered into a volcano. Beginning with the diary he kept at age 10, he wrote 35 books in his lifetime. He was also a rancher, hunter, soldier, father of six, governor of New York, and the nations youngest president. Though Keating takes the liberty of narrating the text in the first person, the liberal use of quotations lends authority and authenticity to the account. Readers will note that although the subject suffered from asthma and poor eyesight, he was able to prevail through hard work and integrity. Each page of italicized text is printed on what appears to be aged parchment; it faces one of Wimmers luminous oil-on-canvas illustrations. The accomplished paintings further reveal the subject and his worldbe it reading in his sickbed, examining a nest of baby birds, riding a camel, playing with his children, or giving a speech. Libraries that own Judith St. Georges Youre on Your Way, Teddy Roosevelt (Philomel, 2004) will still want to purchase Keatings book as it covers more of the mans life and is more eloquent, concise, and attractive.Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Winner of the Internatinoal Reading Association Children's Book Award for Primary Nonfiction; Title: Theodore (Mount Rushmore Presidential Series) | [
7280,
22987,
39415,
47907
] | Train |
28,294 | 2 | Race: a noun or a verb? To race...To compete. White Black Yellow Red Brown: A race. Human beings: the race made from all races no matter how we compete for prestige...power...raw materials...resources. Marc Aronson in his intelligent easy to ready exploration of Race is asking questions that we all need to ponder for in reality there is only one race: against time to save ourselves from the foolishness of race hatred...race baiting...race pride. This is a book to read with your whole family to discover which side of the race you are on. -- Nikki GiovanniMarc Aronson is the acclaimed author of Trapped: How the World Rescued 33 Miners from 2,000 Feet Below the Chilean Desert, which earned four starred reviews. He is also the author of Sir Walter Raleigh and the Quest for El Dorado, winner of the ALA's first Robert L. Sibert Award for nonfiction and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. He has won the LMP award for editing and has a PhD in American history from NYU. Marc lives in Maplewood, New Jersey, with his wife and son. You can visit him online at MarcAronson.com.; Title: Race: A History Beyond Black and White | [
6485,
16938
] | Train |
28,295 | 13 | In this story within a ballet within an orchestral suite, Lithgow (The Remarkable Farkle McBride) adapts to picture-book form a rhyming narration of composer Camille Saint-Sans's 1886 composition Carnival of the Animals, which the author originated for the New York City Ballet last year (a music recording along with the author's ebullient narration accompanies the book). The resulting read-aloud takes a flight of fancy as well as a few leaps of logic. During a field trip to a natural history museum, Oliver Pendleton Percy the Third sneaks away from his class and hides among the taxidermic beasts in an exhibit labeled "under repairs." After closing, as Oliver sleeps with the fishesand antelopes, bears and beaversthe boy dreams that the various people in his life take on the guise of the museum animals. His classmates morph into a pack of rule-breaking hyenas, his teacher a lion and his mother a tearful cuckoo searching for her chick. A kindly night watchman eventually facilitates Oliver's safe return home. Lithgow gleefully tackles the challenge of inventing a child-friendly story around the music's imagery. His penchant for employing often sophisticated and fun-to-pronounce words remains intact. However, as a stand-alone text, the dreamlike quality of the poem makes for some disjointed, stream-of-consciousness vignettes that may leave some readers scratching their heads. In addition, the author occasionally bends the story line to fit the rhyme scheme, with mixed success. Kulikov's (Morris the Artist) artwork acts as the glue here. He gamely stays in step, providing a fanciful plumed and furry menagerie of wild animal-human hybrids. His sophisticated yet playful treatment of size and perspectivealong with copious humorous detailswill have readers poring over many of the compositions. Ages 5-10. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Kindergarten-Grade 2This absurdist fantasy at first explodes off the page like a well-shaken bottle of champagne, but fizzles into a sappy mess by the end. Drawing on Camille Saint-Sans's suite, Lithgow has concocted a story in which young Oliver, left behind in the Natural History Museum after a class trip, is visited by dreams of his classmates, teachers, and extended family members transformed into the animals they most closely resemble. Lithgow's stanzas, at their best, recall the giddy hilarity of Edward Lear, as when he describes "The ferrets and badgers and weasels and rats/Were sticky-faced toddlers and snotty-nosed brats,/A species that always drove Oliver bats:/The Greater New York younger sibling." The moments of humor, slapstick, and charm clash with the darker onesOliver's terrifyingly toothy music teacher looming over him at the piano, the image of the bird-woman weeping over her empty nest, for examplewithout ever jelling into something coherent: a story. It's a shame that the text doesn't live up to Kulikov's splendidly rich and vibrant watercolor-and-gouache illustrations, which are uniformly excellent. At the book's end, of course, Oliver is delivered safely into the arms of his relieved parents, but due to the lack of plot, it's a strangely unsatisfying conclusion. Lithgow's narration, included on a CD at the back of the book, is as zany and inspired as always.Sophie R. Brookover, Camden County Library, Voorhees, NJ Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Title: Carnival of the Animals | [
7455,
8645,
12917,
13848,
21030,
21372,
23981,
25154,
27705,
27720,
27899,
28066,
28445,
28790,
32635,
32740,
38130,
47636,
47950,
51730,
55381,
55886,
61987,
62078,
63196,
69159,
72609
] | Train |
28,296 | 1 | Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.; Title: Goosed! | [
6058,
18499,
25924,
25933,
25951,
25979,
26006,
26047,
26075,
26132,
28026,
30183,
47401,
47584,
47829
] | Train |
28,297 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 2A friendly young witch describes what she likes most about Halloween. She explains that although most of her kind are afraid of humans, she has done research and concluded that people are not that bad. She plans to visit them this Halloween night as they trick a tree. After boarding her broom, she zooms in a circle, becomes dizzy, and crashes near some trick-or-treaters. She soon discovers that a brave witch and a brave human girl dressed as a witch are not so very different. As the book ends, the two new friends share a moonlit broomstick ride. The chatty text appears in dialogue balloons. Done in black ink and watercolor, the cartoon artwork captures the holiday's spirit with crisp fall colors and amusing details. Busy witches decorate their creepy-looking mansion by hanging skeletons, un-caging bats, and sprinkling spiders out the windows. In the Sub-Basement Costume Unit, a seamstress is hard at work sewing a monster paw; costumes line the walls (Frankenstein, a space creature, etc.); and politician masks share space with a jar full of eyeballs. Both childrenone green and one notare appealing, and the witch's orange cat, with its expressive features, adds to the fun. A humorous, not-scary-at-all read-aloud.Wanda Meyers-Hines, Ridgecrest Elementary School, Huntsville, AL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Alison McGhee is theNew York Timesbestselling author ofSomeday, as well as Dear Sister,Maybe a Fox,Firefly Hollow,Little Boy,So Many Days,Star Bright,A Very Brave Witch, and the Bink and Gollie books. Her other childrens books includeAll Rivers Flow to the Sea,Countdown to Kindergarten, andSnap. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Laguna Beach, California. You can visit her at AlisonMcGhee.com.; Title: A Very Brave Witch | [
2897,
3336,
3416,
3507,
6262,
6292,
6735,
7565,
10935,
12798,
13367,
13536,
16975,
17105,
18401,
21682,
21706,
22077,
23937,
26031,
33150,
45422,
45665,
49189,
51263,
51727,
51824,
52595,
54480,
55272,
56460,
56698,
64788,
74702
] | Train |
28,298 | 13 | Grade 2-4This story of a young Mexican boy with dreams works better as a picture book than a true biography. Brief anecdotes, presented like a slide show, take readers from Limn's birth through a happy childhood, the Mexican civil war, immigration and adaptation to the United States, and his struggle to become a painter, and then a dancer, in New York City. Coln's watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations on textured paper give a sense of movement and life. Colors are muted, backgrounds are somewhat impressionistic, and there is more energy in the art than in the very simple text. Short sentences, Spanish words scattered about (defined both in context and in a brief glossary on the copyright page), and some rhythm and sound effects make this a good read-aloud, though the lack of emotion at such pivotal moments as the outbreak of war, a mother's death, and Limn's leaving his elderly father for New York, is a weakness. The book gives little sense of the importance of Limn's life as a dancer and choreographer, and his transition from struggling painter to successful dancer is oddly abrupt. A historical note addresses his adult life and impact on dance history. Use this as a story or to pique the interest of children in this artist, but not as a biography.Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.*Starred Review* Gr. 2-4. This picture-book biography tells the story of Jose Limon, who became a legendary figure in the history of American dance. Reich punctuates the scenes of Limon's childhood in Mexico with sensory details, especially sounds: the "TRILLIA-WEET! TRILLIA-WEET!" of his grandmother's canary singing; the clicking heels of flamenco dancers; the cries of "Ole! Ole! Ole!" at the bullfight; and his mama's bedtime lullaby: "SORA-SORA-SO, SORA-SO." Later, Reich shows how the rhythmic sounds from Limon's childhood became inspirations for movements expressed in his dance. When civil war in Mexico leads to fighting in the streets of their town, Linon's family flees to the U.S. In elementary school, laughter at his poor English fires his determination to succeed. As an adult, he moves to New York City, discovers his passion for dance, and works hard to become a dancer and choreographer. Sensitively written and beautifully illustrated, this picture book offers a soaring portrayal of achievement. Colon's distinctive watercolor-and-colored-pencil artwork includes many strong compositions that are fundamentally narrative yet emotionally resonate and often memorable. An expressive, stately tribute. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Jose! Born to Dance: The Story of Jose Limon (Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children's Book Award (Awards)) | [
5880,
6216,
6743,
7140,
7477,
12199,
14996,
15259,
15792,
16407,
16442,
21372,
21546,
23341,
24409,
25779,
27717,
29295,
29451,
31074,
31756,
33765,
34710,
34728,
34847,
36038,
36279,
36358,
38220,
41663,
41666,
41963,
41988,
45116,
46185,
47984,... | Train |
28,299 | 2 | Sandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, childrens author, and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults, as well as more than four thousand greeting cards and four music albums. She has designedfor various companiescalendars, wallpaper, bedding, stationery, paper goods, clothing, jewelry, and plush toys.; Title: Buenas noches a todos / The Going to Bed Book (Spanish edition) | [
1344,
3954,
4628,
4695,
5400,
5402,
5483,
5539,
6901,
9724,
9727,
9731,
9732,
9758,
9850,
10587,
10924,
11990,
12820,
12867,
15166,
15796,
16264,
16538,
16695,
21002,
21365,
21633,
22544,
23078,
23167,
23203,
23355,
23727,
25962,
25963,
28208,
... | Train |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.