December 2008

73 new reviews

Entries this month: Picturebooks - Fiction | Picturebooks – Non-fiction, Alphabet, Counting, Pop-ups | Chapter Books—Upper Elementary Grades—Fiction | Chapter Books—Upper Elementary Grades - Non-Fiction | Middle Grade—Fiction | Middle-Grade/YA Non-Fiction |YA—Fiction/Poetry | Graphic Novels | Parent/Teacher Resources

 

AGE GUIDES: these are approximate recommendations:

• Picturebooks, 3-6 years old (though often enjoyed by older children, too)
• Chapter Books, Beginning Readers-5-8 years old
• Middle Grade Books-7-11 years old
• Young Adult-11-18 years old

REVIEWERS: Alida Allison, Naomi Lesley, Ellen Nef, Carolyn Richey, Marie Soriano, John Whitt

* denotes San Diego writer and/or illustrator
** Age levels, when provided by the publishers, are included in the bibliographical information. Otherwise, category placements are our best approximations.

Picturebooks - Fiction

• Curlee, Lynn. Mythological Creatures: A Classical Bestiary. New York: Atheneum, 2008. ISBN 1416914536. $17.99. Ages 8 and up.
• Dog Artist Collection, The. The Dog: Princess Fairy Tails. New York: Harpercollins, 2008. $16.99. ISBN ISBN 0-06-078310-5/.
• Duvoisin, Veronica on Petunia’s Farm. NY: Knopf, 1992 (re-issued 2008). ISBN 0- 375-85211-4. #16.99
• Gorbachev, Valeri. Turtle’s Penguin Day. New York: Knopf, 2008. ISBN 0-375-84374-7. $16.99.
• LeBlanc Cate, Annette. The Magic Rabbit. Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2007. ISBN 9780763626723 $15.99. Ages 4-8
• Meddaugh, Susan. Martha and Skits. Boston: HoughtonMifflin, 2007. $15. ISBN 0-618- 05776-5.
• (Peretz, I.L.) Richard Ungar, adapter and illus. Even Higher. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2007. ISBN 0-88776-758-6. $18.95
• Pinkwater, Daniel. Bear’s Picture. Illus. D.B. Johnson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. ISBN 0-618-75923-9. $16.
• Recorvits, Helen. Yoon and the Jade Bracelet. Illus. Gabi Swiatkowska. New York: Frances Foster Books Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008. ISBN 978-0-374-38689-4. $16.95.www.fsgkidsbooks.com
• Willard, Nancy. The Flying Bed: A Magical Adventure. Illus. John Thompson. 2006. Hamilton King Award Winner (for illustration). New York: Blue Sky Press (Scholastic), 2007. 0-590-25610-6.

Picturebooks - Non-Fiction

• Baer, Edith. Words Are Like Faces. Illus. Kyra Teis. New York: Star Bright Books, 2007. ISBN 978-1-59572-108-2. $15. 95. Ages 4 and up. www.kyrateis.com
• Brown, Don. Dolley Madison Saves George Washington. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007. ISBN 0-618-41199-2. $16.99 Ages 5-8.
• Zemlicka, Shannon. Colors of China. Ilus. Janice Lee Porter. Minneapolis: Carolrhada Books, 2002. ISBN 1-57505-563-5. $5.95 U.S./ $8.95 CAN. Ages 6 and up. www.lernerbooks.com
  

Alphabet Books

• Chester, Jonathan. A for Antarctica. Berkeley CA: Tricycle Press, 1995. ISBN 1-833672- 73-2. $8.95.
• Johnson, Stephen T. A Is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008. $16.99. Ages 5-9. ISBN 0-689-86301-2.
• Mayer, Bill. All Aboard. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008. ISBN 0-689-85249-5. $17.99
• Robb, Don. Ox, House, Stick: The History of Our Alphabet. Illus. Anne Smith. Watertown: MA: Charlesbridge, 2007. $7.95. Junior Library Guild Selection. ISBN 1-57091-610-6.
• Shoulders, Michael. The ABC Book of American Homes. Illus. Sarah S. Brannen. Watertown:MA: Charlesbridge, 2008. $7.95. ISBN 1-57091-566-6.

Board Books

• Rubin, Susan Goldman. Matisse: Dance for Joy. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2008. ISBN 978-0-8118-6288-2. $6.99 U.S. Ages 2 and up. www.chroniclekids.com
  

Counting Books

• Singer, Marilyn. City Lullaby. Illus. Carll Cneut. New York: Clarion Books, 2007. ISBN 061860703. $16.00. Ages 3 and up.

Pop-Ups

• Ceran, Milivoj, Keith Mosley, and Skip Skwarek. Dragon World: A Pop-Up Guide to These Scaled Beasts. New York: Harry Abrams, 2007. $15.95. ISBN 0-8109-
  5456-9.
• Harpur, James. Warriors: All the Truth, Tactics, and Triumphs of History’s Greatest Fighters. New York: Atheneum, 2007. $21.99. ISBN 1-4169-3951-2.
• Jenkins, Martin and Brian Sanders. Titanic. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2007. $29.99. ISBN 0-7636-3468-1.

Beginning Readers/Chapter Books - Upper Elementary Grades - Fiction

• Jarrell, Randall. The Bat Poet. Illus. Maurice Sendak. New York: HarperCollins, 1997. ISBN: 9780062050847. $17.95 U.S. Ages 6 –9.
• Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi in the South Seas. New York: Penguin Books, 1997. ISBN: 978-0140309584. $4.99 U.S. Ages 8-10.
  

Beginning Readers/Chapter Books - Upper Elementary Grades - Non-Fiction

• Tillage, Leon Walter. Leon’s Story. Illus. Susan L. Roth. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2000. ISBN: 978-0374443306. $5.95 U.S. Ages 7 – 12.

Middle Grade Fiction

• Carmody, Isobelle. Little Fur: A Mystery of Wolves. New York: Random House, 2007. ISBN 978-0-375-83858-3. $12.99 U.S./ $16.99 CAN. Ages 8 and up.
• Chalifour, Francis. Call Me Mimi. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2008. ISBN 978-0-88776-823-1. $12.95 U.S./ $14.99 Can. Ages 11 and up.
• Cox, Judy. The Mystery of the Burmese Bandicoot. Illus. Omar Rayyan. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2007. ISBN 978-0-7614-5376-5. Ages 8-12.
• Cummings, John Michael. The Night I Freed John Brown. New York: Philomel, 2008. ISBN 978-0-399-25054-5. $17.99 U.S./ $20.00 CAN. Ages 8 and up. www.johnmichaelcummings.com
• Curtis, Christopher Paul. Mr. Chickee’s Messy Mission. New York: WendyLamb, 2007. ISBN 978-0-440-22922-3. $6.50. Ages 8-12.
• Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming: Book II of the Brotherhood of the Conch. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2005. ISBN 978-1-4169-1768-7. US $5.99/CAN $6.99. Ages 8-12.
• DuPrau, Jeanne. The Diamond of Darkhold, the Fourth Book of Ember. New York: Random House, 2008. ISBN 978-0-375-85571-9. $16.99 U.S./ $19.99 CAN. Ages 8-14. www.booksofember.com
• Farmer, Nancy. A Girl Named Disaster. 1996. New York: Puffin Books, 1998. ISBN 0-14-038635-1. U.S. $6.99/ $9.99 CAN. Ages 10 and up. Newbery Honor Book 1997.
• Farmer, Nancy. The Sea of Trolls. 2004. New York: Simon Pulse, 2006. ISBN 978-0-689-86746-0. U.S. $8.99/ $12.50 CAN. Ages 10 and up.
• Hirahara, Naomi. 1001 Cranes. New York: Delacorte Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-385-73556. $15.99 US/$19.99 CAN. Ages 10-12. www.naomihirahara.com
• Hoban, Russell. The Mouse and His Child. Illus. David Small. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2001. ISBN: 978-0439098267. $16.99 U.S. Ages 9 – 12. Shearer, Alex. Canned. New York: Scholastic, 2006. $16.99 U.S. ISBN 978-0-439-920309-7. Ages 9-13.
• Jarrell, Randall. The Animal Family. Illus. Maurice Sendak. New York: HarperTrophy, 1996. ISBN: 978-0062059048. $8.95 U.S. Ages 9 – 12.
• Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2003. ISBN: 978-0439554893. $24.95 U.S. Ages 8+.
• Sage, Angie. Flyte (Septimus Heap Book Two.) Illus. Mark Zug. New York: Katherine Tegen Books- Harper Collins Publishers, 2006. ISBN 978-0-06-057734-6.
  $17.99 U.S. / $21.99 CAN. Ages 9 and up.
• Sage, Angie. Magyk (Septimus Heap Book One.) Illus. Mark Zug. New York: Katherine Tegen Books-Harper Collins Publishers, 2005. ISBN 978-0-06-057731-5.
  $17.99 U.S. / $22.50 CAN. Ages 9 and up.
• Sage, Angie. Physik (Septimus Heap Book Three.) Illus. Mark Zug. New York: Katherine Tegen Books-Harper Collins Publishers, 2007. ISBN 978-0-06-057737-7.
  $17.99 U.S. / $21.99 CAN. Ages 9 and up.
• Service, Pamela F. Tomorrow’s Magic. New York, Random House Children’s Books, 2007. ISBN 978-0-375-84087-6, $15.99 U.S./$21.00 CAN. Ages 9-12
• Service, Pamela F. Yesterday's Magic. New York, Random House Children’s Books, 2008. ISBN 978-0-375-85577-1, $16.99 U.S./$20.99 CAN. Ages 9-12
• Shearer, Alex. Canned. New York: Scholastic, 2006. $16.99 U.S. ISBN 978-0-439-920309-7. Ages 9-13.
• Skelton, Matthew. Endymion Spring. New York: Delacorte, 2006. ISBN 0-385-73380-1. $17.95 U.S. Ages 8-12.
• Smith, Betty. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. ISBN: 978-0061120077. $16.95 U.S. Ages 9+
• Stead, Rebecca. First Light. New York: WendyLamb, 2007. ISBN 978-375-84017-3. $15.99 U.S./ $21.00 CAN. Ages 8-12.
• White, E.B. Charlotte’s Web. Illus. Garth Williams. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. ISBN: 978-0064410939. $8.99 U.S. Ages 9 – 12.
• Wilkins, Kim. The Sunken Kingdom 1: Ghost Ship. Illus. D.M. Cornish. New York: Random House, 2006. ISBN 978-0-375-84806-3. $ 5.99 U.S./ CAN. $ 7.50. Ages 8-12.
• Yep, Lawrence and Dr. Kathleen S. Yep. The Dragon’s Child: A Story of Angel Island. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2008. ISBN 978-0-06-027692-8. US $15.99/$18.99 CAN. Ages 8-12.
  
  

Middle Grade/YA Non-Fiction, Cookbooks

• Adams, Simon. The Kingfisher Atlas of the Modern World: A Pictorial Guide to the Peoples and Events of Modern Times—from 1800 to the Present. Illus. Kevin Maddison. Boston:
  Kingfisher, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-7534-6034-4. $15.95. Ages 8+ to adult.
• Miller, Ron. Digital Art: Painting with Pixels. Minneapolis: Twenty-first Century, 2008. $31.95. ISBN 0-8225-7516-0. 8x10. 128 pp. Reinforced Library Binding.

• Harrison, Supenn and Judy Monroe. Cooking the Thai Way. Revised and expanded ed. Minneapolis: First Avenue, 2003. ISBN 0-8225-0608-4. $7.95 U.S./ $11.95 CAN. Ages 13 +. www.lernerbooks.com

YA—Fiction/Poetry

• Friesner, Esther. Nobody’s Prize. New York: Random House, 2008. ISBN 978-0-375-87531-1. U.S. $16.99/ $21.99 CAN. Ages 12 and up.
• Grandits, John. Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems. New York: Clarion, 2007. ISBN 978-0-618-56860-4. $15.00 U.S./ $19.95 CAN. Ages 14-18.
• Hoffman, Kerry Cohen. The Good Girl. New York: Random House, Inc., 2008. ISBN 978-0-385-73644-2. $15.99 US/$18.99 CAN. Ages 12 and up. www.kerrycohenhoffman.com.
• Matthews, L.S. The Outcasts. New York: Delacorte, 2007. ISBN 0385733674. $15.99.
• Meltzer, Milton. Tough Times. New York: Clarion Books, 2007. ISBN 978-0-618-87445-3. $16.00 US/$21.95 CAN. Ages 12 and up.
• Myers, Walter Dean. Fallen Angels. Anv. Ed. New York: Scholastic Paperbacks, 2008. ISBN: 978-0545055765. $6.99 U.S. Ages 12+.
• Myers, Walter Dean. Shooter. New York: HarperTempest, 2004. ISBN 0-06-029519-8. $15.99US/$23.99 CAN. Ages 12 and up.
• Pullman, Philip. The Ruby in the Smoke: A Sally Lockhart Mystery. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1985. ISBN 978-0-375-84516-1. $7.99. Ages 13 and up.
• Pullman, Philip. The Shadow in the North: A Sally Lockhart Mystery. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986. ISBN 978-0-375-84515-4. $7.99. Ages 13 and up.
• Schumacher, Julie. Black Box. New York: Delacorte Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-385-73542-1. $15.99 US/$18.99 CAN. Ages 12 and up. www.randomhouse.com/teens
• Zusak, Markus. I Am the Messenger. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2006. ISBN-10: 0375836675. Ages 12 and up. (Originally published as Messenger in Australia, 2002.)
  
  

Graphic Novels

• Appignanesi, Richard. Manga Shakespeare: Hamlet. Illus. Emma Vieceli. 1st ed. New York: Abrams Books, 2007. ISBN: 978-0810993242. $9.95 U.S. Ages 12+. Picturebooks – Fiction.
• Appignanesi, Richard. Manga Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet. Illus. Sonia Leong. 1st ed. New York: Abrams Books, 2007. ISBN: 978-0810993259. $9.95 U.S. Ages 12+.
• Horvath, David, and Sun-Min Kim. The Ugly Guide to the Uglyverse. 1st ed. New York: Random House, 2008. ISBN 978-0375842757. $5.99 U.S. / $7.50 CAN. Ages 4-8.
• Jolley, Dan. Pigling: A Cinderella Story (A Korean Tale). Illus. Anne Timmons. 1st ed. New York: Graphic Universe, 2008. ISBN: 978-0822571742. $27.93 U.S. Ages 9-12.
• Schrag, Ariel, ed. Stuck in the Middle: 17 Comics from an Unpleasant Age. 1st ed. New York: Viking Juvenile, 2007. ISBN: 978-0670062218. $18.99 U.S. Ages 9-12.

Parent/Teacher Resources

• Irish Children’s Writers and Illustrators 1986-2006: A Selection of Essays. Edited by Valerie Coghlan and Siobhán Parkinson. Published by Church of Ireland College of Education Publications and Children’s Books Ireland. 168 pp.
• Rasmussen, R. Kent. Bloom’s How to Write about Mark Twain. New York: Bloom’s Literary Criticism, 2008. ISBN 978-0-7910-9487-7.
• Ross, Kathy. The Storytime Craft Book. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press, 1997 rtp. ISBN 0-7613-1843-7.