Grades 5 & Up, May 2012

In this Article

CHAMBERS, Aidan. Dying to Know You.276p. Abrams/Amulet. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0165-8.
Gr 9 Up–Quiet, good-looking, and sensitive, 18-year-old Karl Williamson has a secret. He’s dyslexic and much better with his hands than with words. When Fiorella, his new love interest, insists he open up to her in writing, he seeks help from a prominent local author. There are shades of Cyrano de Bergerac, but this is not a retelling of the classic. Karl’s ghostwriter isn’t a rival for Fiorella’s affection. Rather, he’s a 75-year-old unnamed novelist dealing with his own heartache. A friendship develops that benefits both the teen and the author. (“I knew he was helping me as much as I hoped I could help him, though he didn’t know how, and I still wasn’t certain myself.”) As the story progresses, Karl’s problems are revealed to be more damaging and difficult than at first they seemed, giving the novel depth and complexity. Told from the perspective of the older man, this book explores the realities of love versus attraction, the joys and challenges of writing, depression and moving on after a loss, finding a purpose, and seizing life’s opportunities. Readers are hooked with snappy dialogue and keen insights; Karl is a multifaceted and likable character who will keep them engaged and rooting for him to find his way in love and in life. This is a great title to recommend to introspective teens who enjoy character development and coming-of-age drama.–Patricia N McClune, Conestoga Valley High School, Lancaster, PA

COATS, J. Anderson. The Wicked and the Just. 342p. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-68837-4; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-68883-1.
Gr 6-9–Set in 13th-century North Wales 10 years after the English takeover, this is an instantly gripping story of injustice spawned by subjugation. Cecily, an English girl, tells readers from the outset that her life has been ruined now that she has been uprooted to live among “savages,” as she calls the Welsh. Gwenhwyfar is a servant to Cecily, who assumes that she is to be the lady of the house and demands to be treated accordingly. Gwinny resents Cecily, referring to her throughout her narrative as “the Brat.” Fleshed-out, multidimensional characters breathe life into this little-known period. Coats’s cinematic prose immerses readers in medieval life as she vividly depicts the animosity between the Welsh and the English. Though both young teens are strong and opinionated, they feel victimized, and their determination and will to survive are clearly voiced. While Cecily is cruel to Gwinny at times, she also expresses occasional compassion for her and intercedes anonymously to help her and her family. Even in her haughtiness, Cecily disdains her father’s fawning to impress those in power and is disapproving when he reduces promised wages to Welshmen by half. Gwinny also shows some compassion for Cecily when she saves her from a potentially bad match with a scoundrel. This debut novel reverberates with detail, drama, and compassion. The appended historical note is helpful; it’s unfortunate that there is no glossary of unusual terms. Fans of Karen Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice (1995) and Catherine, Called Birdy (1994, both Clarion) will surely be drawn to this unique story.–Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ

HICKAM, Homer. Crater. Bk. 1. 288p. (A Helium-3 Novel). Thomas Nelson. 2012. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-1-595-54664-7.
Gr 6 Up–Best known for Rocket Boys (Delacorte, 1998), which has been published in a dozen different languages and then made into both a movie and a musical, Hickam has written another hit, Crater, his first novel for teens. Sixteen-year-old Crater Trueblood is a scragline picker, a menial worker responsible for keeping rocks and debris out of the machinery used for harvesting helium-3 from the surface of the Moon. When he makes a daring decision to save a fellow miner and averts a potentially fatal disaster, the enterprising orphan comes to the attention of the Colonel, who sends him on a secret and, most likely, deadly mission to retrieve a mysterious object. In the company of the Colonel’s granddaughter and an amorphous blob of semi-intelligent jelly known as a gillie, the teen finds himself caught up in a web of intrigue and danger where he faces doom at every turn both from subhuman creatures and the inhospitable lunar surface itself. Classic science-fiction storytelling in the style of early Heinlein, humor, and grand adventure permeate every page of this first book in a trilogy. Boys in particular may be inspired to bring back the time-honored tradition of reading by flashlight under the covers.–Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

MCCORMICK, Patricia. Never Fall Down.224p. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. May 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-173093-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211442-6; PLB $18.89. ISBN 978-0-06-173094-8.
Gr 8 Up–With unflinching candor, an authentic voice, and an indomitable will to survive, Cambodian human-rights activist Arn Chorn Pond narrates the remarkable story of his survival during the Khmer Rouge reign of terror and genocide. McCormick has blended his personal recollections with extensive interviews, historical research, and her own imagination to create a powerful, intimate novel. In 1975, 11-year-old Arn lives an impoverished but inventive life with his aunt and siblings. His father has died and his mother can no longer run the family-owned opera house. After the Khmer Rouge soldiers arrive in his town, everyone is ordered to agricultural labor camps. Separated from his family, Arn witnesses the brutality and sadism of the “black pajama” soldiers, the exhaustion and starvation of his companions, and the horrific Killing Fields massacres. When the soldiers ask for musicians, Arn volunteers. Although he has never played, his natural talent quickly emerges and he becomes a popular khim player, ensuring his survival. With the 1979 Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia, the Khmer soldiers abandon his camp and he flees with thousands across the border into Thailand. Rescued by peace activist Peter L. Pond, Arn and other orphans come to America where Arn eventually channels his traumatic past into helping other refugees and preserving traditional Cambodian arts and music. Once again, McCormick has delivered a heartrending exposé of human tragedy. The natural syntax and grammar of Arn’s narration imbues his story with a stunning simplicity and clarity against a backdrop of political chaos, terror, and death. This compelling story will awaken compassion and activism in secondary readers.–Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, Durham, NC

PENNYPACKER, Sara. Summer of the Gypsy Moths.274p. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. May 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-06-196420-6; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211451-8.
Gr 4-6–Ever since the death of her beloved grandmother, 11-year-old Stella has battled to maintain a sense of stability, to “clutch hold” to the spinning Earth. She explains that an unknown father and a terminally irresponsible mother have made her “personal gravity” “a little weak” and left her feeling rootless. Her anxiety is just beginning to lessen now that she shares a Cape Cod home with her taciturn Great-Aunt Louise and a foster girl named Angel whom Stella considers like “a cactus…all spines.” Pennypacker beautifully illuminates Stella’s physical experience with vivid, unfussy prose, allowing readers to feel her nervousness and longing and her vigorous commitment to cleanliness and order (she even identifies a folder of hints from Heloise as her most precious possession). When Louise dies suddenly, Stella and Angel secretly bury the body in order to stay in her house, managing the vacation cottage colony next door and surviving on tourists’ leftovers, in hopes of buying time for each girl’s desired caregiver to provide a suitable home. The book effectively evokes the gritty, sun-bleached textures and salt breezes of its seaside setting, a vacationlike contrast to the strenuous, desperate independence of the two girls. The understanding and emotional bond that grows between them develops with believable fluctuations and a light touch, as does the suspense of how long two kids can continue alone without being caught or getting a ride to the grocery store. Pennypacker’s marvelously tactile writing animates Stella’s narration and brings both engaging, resilient, and resourceful characters to life.–Robbin E. Friedman, Chappaqua, NY

POTTER, Ellen. The Humming Room. 184p. CIP. Feiwel & Friends. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-312-64438-3. LC 2011033583.
Gr 4-6–Roo, 12, witnesses her parents’ murder and survives by hiding beneath the family’s trailer home. A rather unlikable child, she’s a thief and she bites. She is put in foster care, where she is teased mercilessly by the other children, until a relative can be found. Then a previously unknown uncle turns up. He is wealthy and reclusive and lives on an island. He travels a great deal, so he sends his assistant to fetch Roo. On the train ride to Maine, Ms. Valentine lays down the rules about Roo’s new house, and the child immediately sets about breaking every one of them. She discovers a secret box underneath some floorboards. She hears a mysterious humming noise. She notices that a good portion of the home, which used to be a sanatorium for children, is boarded up. And, she wonders about a mysterious, homeless boy she notices on a nearby island. Soon, she’s noticing other mysteries and inconsistencies and makes a big discovery, which she keeps a secret. Sound vaguely familiar? The cover states that the book was inspired by The Secret Garden. It so parallels its predecessor that it’s really a modernized retelling that works on many levels–but not on others. It’s shorter and more streamlined and quite suspenseful. Yet, could a child be so easily hidden away nowadays? Fans of the classic will delight in the similarities and differences. Readers who might be intimidated by the original will find Potter’s telling more accessible.–Brenda Kahn, Tenakill Middle School, Closer, NJ

PULLMAN, Philip. Two Crafty Criminals!: And How They Were Captured by the Daring Detectives of the New Cut Gang. illus. by Martin Brown. 274p. Knopf. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-87029-3; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97029-0; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98868-4.
Gr 3-6–The New Cut Gang, a group of young mischief-makers, rules the streets of late-19^th-century London and solves mysteries. In the first case, Thunderbolt Dobney and the rest of the gang investigate a coin counterfeiting resurgence. Things get more serious when Thunderbolt’s father is arrested, and it is up to the kids to clear his name and find the real criminal. The second story has them finding the crook who stole the gas-fitter’s silver. This case intersects at many points with some of the more impish members’ attempts to win a bet by setting up two of their neighbors. These two stories, written and published in the 1990s as individual short novels, are charming, fun, and well written. The character development is minimal, but the stories are wholesome. Simple illustrations adorn some of the pages and are reminiscent of Quentin Blake’s work in Roald Dahl’s books. Advanced younger readers who may not be ready for the length of Trenton Lee Stewart’s The Mysterious Benedict Society (Little, Brown, 2007) will find great joy in this Victorian detective novel with a sophisticated writing style.–Devin Burritt, Wells Public Library, ME

VOORHOEVE, Anne C. My Family for the War. tr. from German by Tammi Reichel. 400p. Dial. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3360-2; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-1-1015-7521-5.
Gr 7 Up–In 1938 Berlin, 10-year-old Ziska and her best friend run from classmates-turned-bullies who torment them for being Jewish, even though Ziska’s family converted in the last century and she knows nothing of the Jewish religion or culture. When her father is beaten during a brutal midnight raid on their apartment and imprisoned, Ziska earns a position on the kindertransport to England, where she begins a new life as Frances, foster daughter to an Orthodox London “family for the war.” In an engaging, honest voice, she relates her fears, triumphs, and revelations as she learns English and the rituals of Judaism, adapts to a new life, and copes with guilt about her growing love for her new family. She tries in vain to acquire permits for her parents to join her while they keep up a soon spotty, strained correspondence that brings increasingly heartbreaking news of those left behind. By war’s end, Frances, now 17, has experienced evacuation to the English countryside and another foster home, air raids, bomb shelters, and first love with page-turning immediacy despite the sense that the story is told by a much older, reflective Frances looking back. Events and facts are expertly woven into the girl’s emotional growth, and changing relationships–especially those with her complex, fading mother and differently complex foster mother–provide a rich exploration of identity and self. Like Frances, the mostly Jewish cast of secondary characters is varied, multidimensional, and sometimes unlikable. With a compelling main character and taut and insightful story line, this novel is sure to find no shortage of readers, and it adds a valuable perspective to collections of World War II fiction.–Riva Pollard, Prospect Sierra Middle School, El Cerrito, CA

FREEDMAN, Russell. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship. 114p. photos. reprods. bibliog. index. notes. Clarion. June 2012. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-547-38562-4.
Gr 5-10–Freedman tells the story of a friendship between two men who shared many characteristics. Lincoln and Douglass were both self-educated, born into poverty, and, through relentless effort and hard work, reached great success. Both men fought for freedom and equality for all Americans, both black and white, as promised in the Declaration of Independence. Divided into 10 chapters, the book offers biographical details for each man, an overview of the Civil War, Lincoln’s changing attitude toward African Americans, Douglass’s endeavors to create black regiments within the Union army, and descriptions of the men’s face-to-face meetings. Captioned black-and-white photographs and reproductions are found on almost every page. An appendix, a selected bibliography, notes, and a list of historic sites complete the volume. Douglass’s quotes are largely taken from his three autobiographies, and the Lincoln quotes, while taken from secondary sources, are from definitive and modern standard sources. A first-rate volume for classroom study and general reading.–Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges

LEVINSON, Cynthia. We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March. 176p. map. photos. bibliog. chron. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Peachtree. 2012. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-1-56145-627-7. LC 2011031738.
Gr 7 Up–This photo-essay stands out for its engrossing content, excellent composition, and riveting use of primary-source material. Covering the history of the Birmingham Children’s March from inception to full impact, Levinson traces the stories of four young people between the ages of 9 and 15 in 1963. Audrey Hendricks, Washington Booker III, Arnetta Streeter, and James Stewart came from very different segments of the city’s black community, but all risked their lives and spent time in jail to fight for their freedom. Tracing their different routes to activism and melding it beautifully into the larger history of race relations in Birmingham and in the American South, the author creates a multidimensional picture of the times and the forces at work. Interviews with the four principals, one of whom died in 2009, give the narrative power and immediacy. Reproductions of period photos, notices, and documents provide additional insight. The map of downtown Birmingham, with locations mentioned in the text delineated, is a great help in placing both photos and text in a landscape. With a helpful list of abbreviations, excellent source notes, photo credits, a fine bibliography, and a comprehensive index, this a great research source, but it’s also just plain thought-provoking reading about a time that was both sobering and stirring. Recommended for middle and high school library collections to stand together with Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s To the Mountaintop (Roaring Brook, 2012), Ann Bausum’s Marching to the Mountaintop (National Geographic, 2012), and Larry Dane Brimner’s Black & White: The Confrontation Between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Connor (Boyds Mills, 2011).–Ann Welton, Helen B. Stafford Elementary, Tacoma, WA

PATENT, Dorothy Hinshaw. The Horse and the Plains Indians: A Powerful Partnership. photos by William Muñoz. 96p. reprods. further reading. index. Clarion. July 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-547-12551-0.
Gr 4-8–In this companion to The Buffalo and the Indians (Clarion, 2006), Patent and Muñoz show how the introduction of horses to North America transformed the lives of the Native American tribes living on or near the Great Plains. The book opens with a chapter on the “dog days” before horses, when Plains Indians used dogs for hunting buffalo and as pack animals. Subsequent chapters discuss how they “acquired” Spanish horses and rapidly developed an equine culture that revolutionized their buffalo-based existence and changed economic, social, and inter-tribal relationships throughout the region. Patent also examines how tribes incorporated the horse into their cultural and spiritual beliefs and rituals and warfare. She concludes with a discussion of how white expansion and confinement to reservations threatened the relationship between horses and Native people and describes the modern resurgence of Plains Indians horse culture, including tribal fairs and riding events that highlight their traditions and rituals. This book shares the same format as the previous title, and it features a well-written and readable narrative, appealing and informative full-color photographs, and reproductions of period illustrations. Although the two titles complement each other and give readers a comprehensive look at Plains Indian culture, this book can also stand alone and is certain to draw readers who are interested in Native American history or horses, making it a good choice for middle level collections.–Mary Mueller, formerly at Rolla Junior High School, MO

LOSURE, Mary. The Fairy Ring: Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World (A True Story). 184p. photos. bibliog. index. notes. Candlewick. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5670-6; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5965-3.
Gr 4-8–Fairy Ring recounts the story of cousins Elsie Wright, 15, and Frances Griffiths, 9, who lived in Cottingley, Yorkshire, England, during World War I. The girls, using Elsie’s dad’s camera and painted paper cutouts, staged photographs of fairies that they claimed to see near the stream behind their house. The book does a lovely job of portraying the youngsters in a well-rounded way; Losure does not shy away from clearly stating that they lied, but also takes time to demonstrate their motivations behind creating (and sustaining) the hoax. The characters of Mr. Edward Gardner, a member of the Theosophical Society, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle provide an interesting glimpse into the mystical ideas that were de rigueur in the 1900s, and the role that intense desire for something to be true can have in swaying our beliefs. The inclusion of the actual photographs and correspondences between the two girls and the two men who wished to prove to the world that fairies exist add depth and reality to the story. This is well-written nonfiction that reads like a novel; former fans and secret believers of fairy stories will thoroughly enjoy this account of how two girls fooled the world.–Nicole Waskie-Laura, Chenango Forks Elementary, Binghamton, NY

Reviewcenter beta transparent Grades 5 & Up, May 2012

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The following titles are reviewed in the May 1 print issue. Visit our Reviews Center (Beta) for the full reviews.

Fiction

ADAMS, John Joseph, ed. Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom. 352p. illus. appendix. CIP. S & S. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2029-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2031-1. LC 2011034391.

ANTHONY, Joëlle. The Right & the Real. 282p. CIP. Putnam. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25525-0. LC 2011013312.

ARMSTRONG, Kelley. The Calling. Bk. 2. 326p. (Darkness Rising Series). HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-179705-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211386-3.

ASHLEY-HOLLINGER, Mika. Precious Bones. 344p. Delacorte. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74219-1; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99046-5; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97421-1.

ASHTON, Brodi. Everneath. 370p. CIP. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-207113-2; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-207115-6. LC 2011022892.

BACIGALUPI, Paolo. The Drowned Cities.438p. Little, Brown. May 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780316056243.

BARNHOUSE, Rebecca. Peaceweaver. 326p. CIP. Random. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86766-8; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96766-5; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89848-8. LC 2010045284.

BELL, Juliet. Kepler’s Dream.244p. Putnam. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-3992-5645-5.

BOBET, Leah. Above. 358p. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Bks. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-29670-0; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-39220-4.

BONK, John J. Madhattan Mystery.292p. Walker. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-2349-9.

BURNS, T. R. The Bad Apple.Bk. 1. 340p. (Merits of Mischief Series). S & S/Aladdin. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4029-6; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4031-9.

BUZBEE, Lewis. Bridge of Time.290p. Feiwel & Friends. May 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-3123-8257-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4668-0435-7.

CARMAN, Patrick.Eve of Destruction. 276p. (Dark Eden Series). HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. May 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210182-2; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210185-3.

CASSIDY, Anne. Dead Time.344p. Bloomsbury. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-2351-2.

CASTAN, Mike. Fighting for Dontae. 150p. Holiday House. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2348-4.

CHENG, Andrea. The Year of the Book. illus. by Abigail Halpin. 144p. Houghton Harcourt. May 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-547-68463-5; ebook $15.99. ISBN 978-0-547-68457-4.

CLIFTON, Lutricia. Freaky Fast Frankie Joe. 248p. CIP. Holiday House. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2367-5. LC 2011019976.

CROSS, Sarah. Kill Me Softly. 314p. Egmont USA. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-60684-323-9; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-1-60684-324-6.

DASWANI, Kavita. Lovetorn. 250p. glossary. CIP. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-167311-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209936-5. LC 2011019361.

DAVIS, Tanita S. Happy Families.226p. glossary. Knopf. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86966-2; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96966-9; ebook $10.99; ISBN 978-0-375-98457-0. LC 2011026546.

DE GRAAF, Anne. Son of a Gun. tr. from Dutch. 126p. illus. map. photos. reprods. CIP. Eerdmans. 2012. pap. $8. ISBN 978-0-8028-5406-3. LC 2011032932.

DERTING, Kimberly. The Last Echo. Bk. 3. 362p. (A Body Finder Novel). HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-208219-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-208221-3.

EDWARDS, Eve. The Queen’s Lady. Bk. 2. 314p. (The Lacey Chronicles). Delacorte. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74091-3; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98975-9; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98338-2.

ELLIOTT, Zetta. Ship of Souls. 124p. Amazon. 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-61218-268-1.

ELLIS, Deborah. True Blue. 230p. CIP. Pajama. 2012. RTE $19.95. ISBN 978-0-9869495-3-1.

EVANS, Lissa. Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms: Magic, Mystery, & a Very Strange Adventure. 272p. Sterling. 2012. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-1-4027-9806-1; ebook $7.99. ISBN 978-1-4027-9845-0.

FEIFFER, Kate. Signed by Zelda.232p. S & S/Paula Wiseman Bks. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3331-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3333-5.

FORWARD, Toby. Dragonborn. 344p. CIP. Bloomsbury. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59990-724-6. LC 2010051029.

FREDERICK, Heather Vogel. Once Upon a Toad. 262p. S & S. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8478-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8707-9.

FREDERICKS, Mariah. The Girl in the Park. 216p. Random/Schwartz & Wade Bks. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86843-6; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96843-3; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89907-2.

GILL, David Macinnis. Invisible Sun. 384p. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-207332-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-20733-4.

GRANT, Vicki. Hold the Pickles. 104p. ISBN 978-1-55469-921-6; ISBN 978-1-55469-920-9.

GREER, Daphne. Maxed Out. 114p. ISBN 978-1-55469-982-7; ISBN 978-1-55469-981-0.
ea vol: (Orca Currents). Orca. 2012. PLB $16.95; pap. $9.95.

GROSSO, Alissa. Ferocity Summer. 280p. Flux. May 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7387-3070-7.

GURAN, Paula, ed. Brave New Love: 13 Dystopian Tales of Desire. 392p. Running Pr. 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7624-4220-1. LC 2011937815.

HALE, Nick. Sudden Death. Bk. 1. 232p. (Striker Series). Egmont UK, dist. by IPG. May 2012. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-1-4052-4950-8.

HALLIDAY, Gemma. Social Suicide. 278p. (A Deadly Cool Novel). HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2012. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-200332-4; ebook $7.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211450-1.

HAND, Elizabeth. Radiant Days. 272p. Viking. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-670-01135-3; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-1-101-56704-3.

HEALY, Christopher. The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. illus. by Todd Harris. 424p. HarperCollins/Walden Pond. May 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211743-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211744-1.

HEMPHILL, Stephanie. Sisters of Glass. 150p. Knopf. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86109-3; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96109-0; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89701-6.

HERBSTEIN, Manu. Brave Music of a Distant Drum. 178p. glossary. Red Deer. 2012. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-0-88995-470-0.

KEATON, Kelly. A Beautiful Evil. Bk. 2. 288p. CIP. S & S/Pulse. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0927-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0929-3.

KESSLER, Jackie Morse. Loss. Bk. 3. 252p. (Riders of the Apocalypse Series). Houghton/Graphia. 2012. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-547-71215-4; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-547-82239-6.

KIRBY, Jessi. In Honor.240p. S & S. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-1697-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-1699-4.

KITANIDIS, Phoebe. Glimmer. 344p. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-179928-0; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-06-179929-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209928-0.

KNOWLES, Jo. See You at Harry’s.310p. Candlewick. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5407-8.

KORMAN, Gordon. Showoff. Bk.4. 248p. (Griffin & Co. Adventures Series). Scholastic. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-32059-7; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-39312-6.

LEBOX, Annette. Circle of Cranes. 342p. CIP. Dial. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3443-2. LC 2011017583.

LEKICH, John. The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls.280p. CIP. Orca. 2012. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-554-69978-0. LC 2011942581.

LEVEEN, Tom. Zero. 296p. Random. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86921-1; RTE $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96921-8; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98932-2.

LONDON, Kelli. Cali Boys. 242p. (A Boyfriend Season Novel). Dafina. 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7582-6129-8.

LUNDQUIST, Jenny. Seeing Cinderella. 224p. S & S/Aladdin. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4550-5; pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2926-0; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2927-7.

LYNCH, Janet Nichols. Racing California. 182p. CIP. Holiday House. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2363-7. LC 2011025952.

MCCLINTOCK, Norah. Last Chance. Bk. 1. 226p. (Robyn Hunter Mysteries Series). Darby Creek, dist. by Lerner. 2012. PLB $27.93. ISBN 978-0-7613-8311-6; pap. $8.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8529-5; ebook $20.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-9071-8. LC 2011018832.

MCCLINTOCK, Norah. You Can Run. Bk. 2. 210p. (Robyn Hunter Mysteries Series). CIP. Darby Creek, dist. by Lerner. 2012. PLB $27.93. ISBN 978-0-7613-8312-3; pap. $8.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8530-1; ebook $20.95. ISBN 98-0-7613-9072-5. LC 2011018833.

MARCHETTA, Melina. Froi of the Exiles. Bk. 2. 594p. (The Lumatere Chronicles). Candlewick. 2012. RTE $18.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-4759-9; ebook $18.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5966-0.

MOCEANU, Dominique & Alicia Thompson. Winning the Team. Bk. 1. 234p. (The Go-for-Gold Gymnasts Series). Hyperion/Disney. 2012. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-3633-0.

MOORE, Bryce. Vodník. 358p. further reading. Lee & Low/Tu Bks. 2012. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-1-60060-852-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-60060-881-0.

MYERS, Walter Dean. All the Right Stuff.214p. HarperCollins/Amistad. May 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-196087-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211428-0.

NELSON, Peter. The Rise and Fall of El Solo Libre. Bk. 2. illus. by Rohitash Rao. 314p. (Herbert’s Wormhole Series). HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-06-201218-0; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209930-3.

NESBET, Anne. The Cabinet of Earths. 260p. CIP. HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-196313-1. LC 2011019392.

OCKLER, Sarah. Bittersweet. 378p. CIP. S & S/Pulse. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3035-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3037-2. LC 2011024193.

PARATORE, Coleen Murtagh. Dreamsleeves. 274p. CIP. Scholastic. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-31020-8; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-39245-7. LC 2011003769.

PEARCE, Jackson. Purity. 224p. Little, Brown. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-18246-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-20198-8.

PRINEAS, Sarah. Winterling. 256p. CIP. HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-192103-2; PLB $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-192104-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210217-1. LC 2011019974.

REEVES, Amy Carol. Ripper. 340p. Flux. 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7387-3072-1.

RICHTER, William Harlan. Dark Eyes. 384p. Penguin/Razorbill. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59514-457-7; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-1-10156-096-9.

RILEY, James. Twice Upon a Time. Bk. 2. 340p. (Half Upon a Time Series). S & S/Aladdin. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9596-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9598-2.

SAMPSON, Jeff. Havoc. Bk. 2. 342p. (Deviants Series). CIP. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-199278-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210194-5. LC 2011022898.

SANCHEZ, Jenny Torres. The Downside of Being Charlie. 268p. Running Pr. Teens. June 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7624-4401-4; ebook $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7624-4532-5. LC 2011933870.

SANDERS, Shelly. Rachel’s Secret. 246p. glossary. Second Story, dist. by Orca. 2012. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-926920-37-5.

SCOTT, Inara. The Marked. Bk. 2. 312p. (A Talents Novel). CIP. Hyperion/Disney. 2012. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-1637-0. LC 2010036293.

SERLE, Rebecca. When You Were Mine.332p. S & S/Pulse. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3313-7; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3315-1.

SHANK, Marilyn Shue. Child of the Mountains. 260p. map. CIP. Delacorte. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74079-1; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98969-8; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98929-2. LC 2011026174.

SIMMONS, Kristen. Article 5. 368p. Tor. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7653-2958-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4299-8773-8.

SINGLETON, Linda Joy. Buried. Bk. 1. 258p. (A Goth Girl Mystery). Flux. 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7387-1958-0.

SKYE, Lucy. The Adventure of Maisie Voyager. 240p. Jessica Kingsley. 2012. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-84905-287-0.

SPEER, Scott. Immortal City. 368p. Penguin/Razorbill. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59514-506-2.

SPRINGER, Nancy. My Sister’s Stalker. 92p. Holiday House. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2358-3.

STAMPLER, Ann Redisch. Where It Began. 370p. S & S/Pulse. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2321-3; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2323-7.

STEVENSON, Robin. Hummingbird Heart.280p. Orca. 2012. Tr $12.95. ISBN 978-1-554-69390-0. LC 2011942576.

STROHM, Stephanie Kate. Pilgrims Don’t Wear Pink. 208p.CIP. Houghton Harcourt. May 2012. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-547-56459-3. LC 2010045549.

SWAIN, Gwenyth. Hope and Tears.115p. bibliog. index. map. notes. photos. reprods. Web sites. Boyds Mills/Calkins Creek. 2012. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-765-6. LC 2011940466.

TASH, Sarvenaz. The Mapmaker and the Ghost. 246p. Walker. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-2340-6.

THOMAS, Valerie & Stacy Kramer. From What I Remember….462p. Hyperion/Disney. May 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-5508-9; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-5948-3.

THOMPSON, Holly, ed. Tomo: Friendship Through Fiction–An Anthology of Japan Teen Stories. 386p. illus. Stone Bridge. 2012. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-61172-006-8.

TURNER, Amber Mcree. Sway.312p. Hyperion/Disney. May 2012. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-3477-0.

WALSH, Pat. The Crowfield Demon. 360p. glossary. CIP. Scholastic/Chicken House. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-31769-6; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-39229-7. LC 2011029246.

WARD, Rachel. Infinity. Bk. 3.272p. (Numbers Series). CIP. Scholastic/Chicken House. May 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-35092-1; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-44302-9.

WILKINS, Faith. Wacko Academy. Bk. 1. 190p. (Wacko Academy Series). Arundel. 2012. pap. $10.95. ISBN 978-1-933608-80-8.

WOLVERTON, Barry. Neversink. illus. by Sam Nielson. 288p. CIP. HarperCollins/Walden Pond. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-202791-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-202794-8. LC 2011016550.

YEE, Paul. The Secret Keepers. 134p. Tradewind, dist. by Orca. 2012. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-896580-968.

Nonfiction

ABRAMS, Dennis. H. G. Wells. 128p. ISBN 978-1-60413-770-5. LC 2010030588.

BANKSTON, John. Ray Bradbury. 140p. ISBN 978-1-60413-778-1. LC 2010029477.
ea vol: (Who Wrote That? Series). illus. map. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Chelsea House. 2011. PLB $35.

ALEXANDER, Carol. How to Tell a Folktale. ISBN 978-0-7787-1631-0; ISBN 978-0-7787-1636-5.

ROSEN, Suri. How to Tell a Fable. ISBN 978-0-7787-1630-3; ISBN 978-0-7787-1635-8.

STONE, Janet. How to Tell a Legend. ISBN 978-0-7787-1632-7; ISBN 978-0-7787-1637-2.

WALKER, Robert. How to Tell a Myth. ISBN 978-0-7787-1633-4; ISBN 978-0-7787-1638-9.
ea vol: 32p. (Text Styles Series). illus. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. Crabtree. 2012. PLB $26.60; pap. $8.95.

APELQVIST, Eva. Getting Ready to Drive: A How-to Guide. ISBN 978-0-7660-3443-3; ISBN 978-1-5984-5314-0. LC 2010016945.

STREISSGUTH, Tom. Getting the Hang of Fashion and Dress Codes: A How-to Guide. ISBN 978-0-7660-3444-0; ISBN 978-1-5984-5313-3. LC 2010033037.

WROBLE, Lisa A. Dealing with Stress: A How-to Guide. ISBN 978-0-7660-3439-6; ISBN 978-1-5984-5309-6. LC 2011019282.
ea vol: 128p. (Life–A How-to Guide Series). charts. diags. illus. photos. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Enslow. 2011. PLB $31.93; pap. $9.95.

BAILEY, Diane. How Markets Work. ISBN 978-1-4488-5564-3; ISBN 978-1-4488-7296-1. LC 2011017462.

BREZINA, Corona. Understanding the Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy. ISBN 978-1-4488-5567-4; ISBN 978-1-4488-7299-2. LC 2011013332.
––––. Understanding the Gross Domestic Product and the Gross National Product. ISBN 978-1-4488-5569-8; ISBN 978-1-4488-7301-2. LC 2011014677.
ea vol: 80p. (Real World Economics). map. photos. reprods. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rosen. 2012. PLB $31.95; ebook $31.95.

BORTZ, Fred. Meltdown!: The Nuclear Disaster in Japan and Our Energy Future. 64p. diags. photos. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Lerner. 2012. RTE $31.93. ISBN 978-0-7613-8660-5; ebook $23.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8919-4. LC 2011029692.

CAMACHO,Ann, ed.Bookmarked: Teen Essays on Life and Literature from Tolkien to Twilight.216p. index. Free Spirit. 2012. pap. $15.99. ISBN 978-1-5754-2396-8. LC 2011043942.

CERULLO, Mary M. & Clyde F. E. Roper. Giant Squid: Searching for a Sea Monster. 48p. (Smithsonian Series). chart. diag. illus. map. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2012. PLB $26.86. ISBN 978-1-4296-7541-3; pap. $8.95. ISBN 978-1-4296-8023-3. LC 2011029181.

CERVONE, Barbara, ed. In Our Village: Boto, Ethiopia Through the Eyes of Its Youth. 90p. illus. maps. photos. Next Generation. 2011. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-0-9815595-6-8.

COLLARD, Sneed B., III. Sneed B. Collard III’s Most Fun Book About Lizards. 48p. photos. glossary. index. CIP. Charlesbridge. 2012. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-58089-324-4; pap. $7.95. ISBN 978-1-58089-325-1; ebook $6.99. ISBN 978-1-60734-084-3. LC 2011000809.

DAVENPORT, John C. The French Revolution and the Rise of Napoleon. 126p. (Milestones in Modern World History Series). maps. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Chelsea House. 2011. PLB $35. ISBN 978-1-60413-919-8; ebook $35. ISBN 978-1-4381-3968-5. LC 2011011610.

DWYER, Helen & D. L. Birchfield. Apache History and Culture. ISBN 978-1-4339-6661-3. LC 2011026310.
––––. Cheyenne History and Culture. ISBN 978-1-4339-6664-4. LC 2011026008.
––––. Sioux History and Culture. ISBN 978-1-4339-6680-4. LC 2011026307.
ea vol: 48p. (Native American Library Series). illus. maps. photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2012. PLB $31.95.

FISHER, Jennifer Engel & Janet Price. Take Control of Dyslexia and Other Reading Difficulties: The Ultimate Guide for Kids. 126p. charts. bibliog. further reading. Web sites. Prufrock. 2011. pap. $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59363-748-4.

HANCOCK, Claire. The Titanic Notebook.8p. photos. reprods. Insight Editions. 2012. Tr $24.99. ISBN 978-1-60887-072-1.

HARMS, Julia. Recipe and Craft Guide to Italy. ISBN 978-1-612-28083-7; ISBN 978-1-612-28169-8. LC 2011030761.

KOOSMANN, Melissa. Recipe and Craft Guide to South Africa. ISBN 978-1-612-28080-6; ISBN 978-1-612-28167-4. LC 2011031007.

SAUL, Laya. Recipe and Craft Guide to Israel. ISBN 978-1-612-28081-3; ISBN 978-1-612-28168-1. LC 2011031008.
ea vol: 64p. (World Crafts and Recipes Series). illus. map. photos. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Mitchell Lane. 2011. PLB $33.95; ebook $33.95.

HARRISON, David L. Cowboys.48p. Boyds Mills/Wordsong. 2012. RTE $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-877-6. LC 2011939946.

JONES, Becky & Clare Lewis. The Bumper Book of London. illus. by authors. 280p. (An Adventure Walks Book). charts. maps. further reading. index. Frances Lincoln. 2012. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-0-7112-3145-0.

LARIMORE, Walt. The Ultimate Guys’ Body Book: Not-So-Stupid Questions About Your Body. illus. by Guy Francis. 182p. appendix. Zonderkidz. 2012. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-310-72323-3; ebook $6.99. ISBN 978-0-310-72325-7.

MERCER, Bobby. The Flying Machine Book: Build and Launch 35 Rockets, Gliders, Helicopters, Boomerangs, and More. 224p. diags. illus. photos. index. CIP. Chicago Review. May 2012. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-61374-086-6. LC 2011041174.

Moon, Sarah & James Lecesne, eds. The Letter Q: Queer Writers’ Notes to Their Younger Selves.230p. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Bks. May 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-39932-6.

PRENTZAS, G. S. Roanoke. 102p. ISBN 978-1-60413-970-9;. LC 2011011619.

REIS, Ronald A. Easter Island. 116p. ISBN 978-1-60413-972-3;. LC 2011011611.
ea vol: (Lost Worlds and Mysterious Civilizations Series). illus. maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Chelsea House. 2011. PLB $35; ebook $35. ISBN 978-1-4381-3911-1.

READ, Nicholas. City Critters: Wildlife in the Urban Jungle. 136p. photos. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Orca. 2012. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-1-55469-394-8. LC 2011942577.

RUBIN, Susan Goldman. Jean Laffite: The Pirate Who Saved America. illus. by Jeff Himmelman. 48p. bibliog. further reading. index. CIP. Abrams. 2012. RTE $18.95. ISBN 978-0-8109-9733-2. LC 2010037693.

SAWYER, Kem Knapp. Nelson Mandela. 176p. (Champion of Freedom Series). map. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Morgan Reynolds. 2012. PLB $28.95. ISBN 978-1-59935-167-4; ebook $28.95. ISBN 978-1-59935-312-8. LC 2010054478.

SCOTT, Elaine. Buried Alive!: How 33 Miners Survived 69 Days Deep Under the Chilean Desert.80p. diag. further reading. glossary. index. map. notes. photos. Web sites. CIP. Clarion. 2012. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-547-70778-5; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-547-69178-7. LC 2011025945.

STOUT, Glenn. Able to Play: Overcoming Physical Challenges. 112p. (Good Sports Series). charts. appendix. further reading. Web sites. CIP. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-547-41733-2; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-0-547-82283-9. LC 2011020502.

VERDICK, Elizabeth & Elizabeth Reeve. The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (and Their Parents). illus. by Nick Kobyluch. 234p. chart. photos. further reading. index. notes. Web sites. Free Spirit. 2012. pap. $16.99. ISBN 978-1-57542-385-2; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-1-57542-674-7.