September 2012 Reviews: Grades 5 & Up

BRAY , Libba. The Diviners. Bk. 1. 578p. Little, Brown. Sept. 2012. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-0-316-12611-3; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-21464-3.
Gr 10 Up–Set in 1920s New York City, this literary tour-de-force from Printz Award-winner Bray offers grand themes, complex characters, and suspense. After her secret gift for divining information from objects lands her in trouble, 17-year-old Evangeline O’Neill is sent from Ohio to live with her uncle, who runs a museum specializing in folklore and the occult in Manhattan. Evie is a quintessential flapper: not really bad, but rebellious and yearning to fly free of her Babbitt-like existence. Although she starts out her new life like the party girl she was back home, her pursuits become more serious when her uncle is asked to help solve a series of strange murders. She crosses paths with Memphis Campbell, a black numbers runner in Harlem, whose power to heal by laying on hands failed him when he tried to save his mother. Other characters include a homosexual composer who meets people in dreams, a Ziegfeld girl with a past, a pickpocket searching for his family, and a young research assistant with his own secrets. Bray develops each of these characters and their gifts, gradually bringing them together in a chilling and thrilling battle with Naughty John, a paranormal serial killer. Over the course of the novel, people (mainly good) smoke, drink, and use other illegal substances. These peccadilloes are contrasted with the values of the hellfire-and-brimstone cult that spawned Naughty John. The compelling and dramatic supernatural plot explores self-actualization, predestination, the secrets everyone hides, and, of course, good versus evil. An absolutely terrific read and, thankfully, the first in a planned series.–Nina Sachs, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME

ERDRICH , Louise. Chickadee. Bk. 4. illus. by author. 196p. (Birchbark House Series). glossary. maps. HarperCollins/Harper. Sept. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-057790-2; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219007-9.
Gr 4-8–Effortlessly and beautifully, Erdrich continues her story about an Ojibwe family in northern Minnesota in the mid 1800s. The series began with Omakayas’s girlhood and now shifts to the lives of her sons. In 1866, quiet Chickadee and mischievous Makoons are inseparable eight-year-old twins, cherished by their extended family. When they gather with other Ojibwe to make maple sugar, a cruel older man mocks Chickadee for his small size and namesake. Makoons defends his brother’s honor by playing a revengeful prank on the man, which humiliates and incenses him. His thick-headed, muscle-bound sons vow revenge and kidnap Chickadee, carrying him away and forcing him to serve their bewildering oafish demands. His family is heartbroken and pursues the captors while Makoons becomes listless and ill. Chickadee eventually escapes, in time reuniting with a traveling uncle, who leads the way back to his family. Through many harrowing adventures, the child is aided and encouraged by his avian namesake, who teaches him that small things have great power. Erdrich’s storytelling is masterful. All of the characters, even minor ones, are believable and well developed, and small pencil drawings add to the story’s charm. The northern Minnesota setting is vividly described, and information about Ojibwe life and culture is seamlessly woven into every page. Readers will be more than happy to welcome little Chickadee into their hearts.–Lisa Crandall, Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI

FARISH , Terry. The Good Braider. 222p. maps. Amazon. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7614-6267-5; ebook $7.99. ISBN 978-0-7614-6268-2. LC 2011033659.
Gr 9 Up–The Good Braider follows Viola on a journey from her home in ravaged Sudan to Cairo and finally to the folds of a Sudanese community in Maine. Viola’s story, told in free verse, is difficult to read without a constant lurking sense of both dread and hope. In the opening scene she gazes at the curve of the back of a boy walking the street in front of her, only to view his senseless execution moments later. This tension never completely dissipates, though it takes on different forms throughout her story; by the end it is replaced not by the fear of execution or of the lecherous soldier who forces her to trade herself for her family’s safety, but by the tension of walking the line between her mother’s cultural expectations and the realities of her new country. Yet while Farish so lyrically and poignantly captures Viola’s wrenching experience leaving her home, navigating the waiting game of refugee life, and acculturating into the United States, she’s equally successful in teasing out sweet moments of friendship and universal teenage experiences. Viola’s memorable, affecting voice will go far to help students step outside of their own experience and walk a mile in another’s shoes.–Jill Heritage Maza, Montclair Kimberley Academy, Montclair, NJ

HARTMAN , Brett. Cadillac Chronicles. 248p. Cinco Puntos. Oct. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-935955-41-2.
Gr 10 Up–Alex Riley is friendless and spends most of his time drawing, ogling girls’ breasts, or imagining his absent father’s reentrance or metaphysical guidance in his life. His mother’s sole focus is climbing the political ladder in Albany, New York. Thus, she allows an elderly African American man, Lester Bray, to live in their home, but this inauthentic gesture of goodwill is short-lived. After Alex’s 16th birthday and a few unsavory comments by Lester, she tells him that he must find another place to stay. Having enough of his mother’s antics, Alex convinces him that they should skip town and drive to Fort Lauderdale in Lester’s pristine Cadillac Deville so that Alex can see his father and then go on to Alabama, where Lester can visit his sister. During the trip Alex learns to drive, reconnects with his father, somewhat graphically loses his virginity, and pledges to become a stronger person. While the story of a teen meeting and learning from an elderly adult of a different ethnicity has been done before, Hartman’s effort is fresh and gritty. There are some odd moments in the plot, such as Alex stumbling upon a homeless woman with a cell phone and calling his mother to ask if his father is gay, but overall it is well woven. The mix of humor, gravity, and angst will keep readers engaged, and this debut novel has enough of all three elements to appeal to reluctant and eager male readers alike.– Adrienne L. Strock, Maricopa County Library District, AZ

LEEDS , Constance. The Unfortunate Son. 302p. Viking. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-670-01398-2; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-1-101-57237-5. LC 2011027530.
Gr 5-9–Readers are effortlessly transported back to 15th-century France in this beautiful tale of misfortune turned salvation. Born with only one ear, Luc was never the favored son. His father despises him and doesn’t care when Luc apprentices himself to Pons, an elderly fisherman. The fishing village is richly detailed, romanticized yet realistic. Luc’s fortune seems to change while he lives under the care of Pons, his sister Mattie, and 14-year-old Beatrice, daughter of a disgraced knight. The fully drawn characters banter back and forth, creating a warm surrogate family. The dialogue sparkles; the rapport between Luc and Beatrice is outstanding. When Pons and Luc are attacked by Saracen pirates, Luc’s misfortune seems to return. Enslaved and purchased for a pittance because of his missing ear, his highly educated master realizes Luc’s intelligence and begins to teach his new slave–an excellent illustration of education bridging barriers. Luc’s world expands dramatically but he still longs for freedom. In France, Beatrice refuses to give up hope regarding his fate, even though her family has been cleared. She returns to nobility, taking Pons and Mattie with her. She believes rumors that Luc is not a simple country lad. But who is he? Freed upon his master’s death, Luc returns to France to find his family, and Beatrice must choose between him and a nobleman. This fine historical novel is set in a place and time that is not commonly explored.-Lisa Crandall, Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI

LIN , Grace. Starry River of the Sky. illus. by author. 288p. Little, Brown. Oct. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-12595-6; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-21553-4.
Gr 3-6–The moon is missing from the sky, and its absence causes unrelenting heat and drought. At night, Rendi can hear the sky moan and whimper for the missing moon, a sound that has plagued him since running away from home and ending up as a chore boy at an isolated inn. When a mysterious and glamorous guest arrives, she bring stories and asks Rendi to tell her tales in return. These stories weave the characters and plotlines together while revealing the backstory of Rendi’s flight from home, the village’s geography, and the missing moon, and how they tie together. This follow-up to Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little, Brown, 2009), takes place centuries earlier, when Magistrate Tiger’s son was still young, and missing. The stories the characters tell are based on traditional Chinese folktales, but Lin adds her own elements and layers and mixes them with original tales to form a larger narrative that provides the background and the answers for the frame story. This tight and cyclical plotting, combined with Lin’s vibrant, full-color paintings and chapter decorations, creates a work that is nothing short of enchanting. Like the restored moon, Starry River outshines the previous work.–Jennifer Rothschild, Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, Oxon Hill, MD

LOWRY , Lois. Son. 400p. Houghton Harcourt. Oct. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-547-88720-3; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-547-92851-7.
Gr 6 Up–This final volume in the sequence of books that began with The Giver (Houghton Mifflin, 1993) returns for the first time to the regimented community of that book. Lowry recounts the events through the eyes of a new character, Claire, a Birthmother. When her first “Production” goes wrong, she endures a cesarean delivery and is summarily reassigned to the fish hatchery. But she can never let go of the idea of the son to whom she has given birth (Product #36) and manages to track him down in visits to the Nurturing Center. The baby turns out to be Gabe, the infant taken in by Jonas’s family in The Giver. Claire meets Jonas’s father and is able to maintain a tenuous relationship with her child. When Gabe is set to be “released” rather than permanently assigned to a family, things look dire indeed. Claire manages to escape the community on a supply boat headed “Elsewhere.” Washed up on a beach after a storm, she has no memory of who she is or from whence she came. With the help of the villagers who have taken her in, she slowly regains some bits of her past and sets out to find her son. A harrowing encounter with the Trademaster leads her finally to Gabe, whom she finds in the village introduced in Messenger, along with Jonas, who is now appropriately the scholar/librarian of the community. Infinitely more satisfying than the previous installment, Son is a tender conclusion to this memorable story, and definitely the best of the books in this sequence since The Giver itself.–Tim Wadham, Children’s Literature Consultant, Fenton, MO

OLIVER , Lauren. The Spindlers. illus. by Iacopo Bruno. 246p. HarperCollins/Harper. Oct. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-197808-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219025-3.
Gr 4-6–Patrick has always been a sweet, lovable child, but one morning Liza notices that her younger brother seems remote and somehow empty. Their parents are too preoccupied to notice, but Liza remembers eerie stories her beloved babysitter used to tell. She realizes that this not-Patrick is a changeling. Her real brother has been taken by the spindlers–spiderlike creatures that haunt the world below. These evil beings gather their power from the souls of those they steal, while the counterfeits they leave behind spawn more spindlers to prey on the human sphere. When Liza resolves to brave the danger and retrieve Patrick’s soul, she meets Mirabella, a talking rat who claims to know the way to the spindler queen’s nesting place. Together, they set off on their quest. The underground realm is filled with unusual residents–some amusing, some quietly beautiful, and some truly terrifying. Mirabella seems friendly and helpful, but the rat’s cheerful demeanor hides a shocking secret. Ultimately, Liza and Mirabella must face their own tests of courage and sacrifice with not only Patrick’s fate, but all of Below at stake. This imaginative fantasy emphasizes individual initiative and the power of hope and friendship. Below is a fully realized alternate world with echoes of both classic literature and mythology. This is particularly notable in its variety of inhabitants. Although the creatures are Oliver’s own creations, such beings as the winged, dream-bearing nocturni and the shape-shifting, cannibalistic scawgs have the feel of true folklore. With strong, self-reliant female characters and well-defined action, this is a strong addition to fantasy collections.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

STEAD , Rebecca. Liar & Spy. 180p. CIP. Random/Wendy Lamb. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-385-73743-2; PLB $18.99. ISBN 978-0-385-90665-4; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89953-9. LC 2011042674.
Gr 5-8–Georges’s life is turned upside down when his father loses his job, forcing his mother to take on extra nursing shifts and prompting the family to move from their house into an unfamiliar Brooklyn apartment. At school, Georges is a bit of an outcast, having been abandoned by his one and only friend and often the subject of bullies’ taunts. Then he sees a sign advertising a Spy Club and meets Safer, a homeschooled loner who lives in his building, and Safer’s warm, welcoming, and quirky family offers him respite from the stress at home. Together the boys track a mysterious building resident who Safer is sure is hiding a sinister secret. As the investigation progresses, Georges grows increasingly uncomfortable with Safer’s actions. Stead has written a lovely, quiet, and layered novel that explores friendship in all its facets. She particularly examines truths, secrets, deceptions, and imagination and whether these can destroy or ultimately strengthen a friendship. The ending twists readers’ entire perception of the events and creates a brilliant conclusion to an insightful novel.-Naphtali L. Faris, Missouri State Library, Jefferson City

MURPHY , Jim. The Giant and How He Humbugged America. 112p. bibliog. further reading. illus. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. CIP. Scholastic. Oct. 2012. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-0-439-69184-0. LC 2011036798.
Gr 5 Up–Murphy investigates a clever and successful scheme during the 1800s, sharing with readers how several men in upstate New York were able to fool the public and make thousands of dollars. When William Newell decided to have a well dug on his farm, the men hired to do the digging became quite excited when a 10-foot giant was uncovered in the field. Experts called in to determine the origins–whether a statue or petrified giant–couldn’t agree. There were those who believed it was possibly a giant from the local Onondaga Indian tribe or a giant like Goliath from the Bible. Crowds gathered, and, in a matter of days, thousands came to see for themselves the amazing giant upon hearing about it by word of mouth and newspaper reports. Readers will question the origins of the giant until about halfway through the book, when hints of the truth slowly expose the actual origin of the Cardiff giant, keeping them enthralled with the strange turn of events. As this was also the time in history of other questionable events, doubters and naysayers did exist. So did other men wanting to cash in on the opportunity, creating an even greater exhibition. Photos, a cast of characters, additional information on other famous hoaxes, research on the topic, and extensive source notes complete this fun, exciting, and lively account.-Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE

RUMFORD , James. From the Good Mountain: How Gutenberg Changed the World. illus. by author. 40p. CIP. Roaring Brook/Flash Point/Neal Porter. Sept. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-542-1. LC 2011033796.
Gr 5-8–While technically a biography, this beautifully illustrated title is also a history of the early printed book. Through a series of riddles, Rumford explains and illustrates the materials and process Gutenberg used to create the first printed book. By describing the creation of each material used (paper, ink, colored pigments, leather, metal type, etc.), he shows just how difficult it was. The author packs in a great deal of information regarding bookmaking, illuminated manuscripts, and paper craft, but the detail is not overwhelming. The meticulous pen-and-ink drawings are colored with watercolor and gouache and clearly demonstrate (sometimes humorously) the processes described in the text. After describing the materials, Rumford walks readers through the (then) revolutionary process of using a printing press. The author’s passion for early bookmaking shines through in the writing. In the epilogue, he explains how little is known of Gutenberg’s life and quickly summarizes the printing process since the 1450s. He also poses a question about what future books will look like. A nontraditional keyword list invites readers to do Internet searches to find out more information. This book truly is a labor of love–it took the author more than two years to write and illustrate. For public library collections, this will take some (very worthwhile) hand-selling. It would be a beautiful addition to social-studies units about medieval Europe, inventions, and even literacy.-Lisa Crandall, Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI

SANDLER , Martin W. The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure. 176p. bibliog. chron. index. maps. notes. photos. CIP. Candlewick. Sept. 2012. RTE $22.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5080-3. LC 2011018618.
Gr 5 Up–Endurance. Fortitude. Bravery. Any of these words could easily describe the people involved in this amazing, but little-known rescue-adventure. The year was 1897 and whaling was big business in America. Whaleship captains hunting in the Arctic Circle, pushing for more whales and the profits they meant, ended up stranded by the ice pack, affecting eight ships and their crews. One ship managed to escape the danger and alert the U.S. government to the predicament, thus setting in motion a nearly “impossible rescue.” A few daring men with the experience and willingness to tackle such a mission quickly gathered their supplies and courage and headed north to bring food in the form of herded reindeer and help to some 300 sailors stuck in the Arctic winter. Using extensive primary sources in the form of journals, reports, letters, and photographs, Sandler has pieced together a stirring and evocative retelling of this historical adventure. The writing draws readers into both the suspense of reaching the struggling whalers in time as well as the dire, life-threatening conditions that the rescuers themselves faced. Archival black-and-white photographs taken during the journey help pull the whole story together and prove an excellent visual accompaniment to the unfolding drama. An epilogue answers many of the “what happened after…” questions, and extensive source notes round out the back matter. For readers who prefer their drama to be true, suggest this title along with Jennifer Armstrong’s Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World (Crown, 1998), Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air (Villard, 1997), and Dolores Johnson’s Onward: a Photobiography of African-American Polar Explorer Matthew Henson (National Geographic, 2005).-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

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The following titles are reviewed in the September 1 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

Fiction

AIRGOOD, Ellen. Prairie Evers . 216p. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Bks. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25691-2; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-1-101-57531-4.

BACH , Shelby. Of Giants and Ice. 344p. (The Ever Afters Series). S & S. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3146-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3148-5.

BARNHOLDT , Lauren. The Thing About the Truth. 285p. S & S/Pulse. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3460-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3462-2.

BODEEN , S. A. The Raft. 230p. Feiwel & Friends. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-312-65010-0.

BRODY , Jessica. 52 Reasons to Hate My Father. 352p. Farrar. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-374-32303-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-429-95523-2. LC 2011012931.

BUNTING , Eve. The Voyage of the Sea Wolf. 192p. CIP. Sleeping Bear. 2012. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-58536-789-4; pap. $8.95. ISBN 978-1-58536-790-0. LC 2011032089.

BURTENSHAW , Jenna. Blackwatch. Bk. 2. 310p. (The Secrets of Wintercraft Series). HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-202644-6; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-213668-8.

CARSON , Rae. The Crown of Embers. 416p. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. Sept. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-202651-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219008-6.

COLFER , Chris. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. illus. by Brandon Dorman. 438p. CIP. Little, Brown. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-20157-5. LC 2012007258.

CORRIVEAU, Art. 13 Hangmen . 342p. Abrams/Amulet. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0159-7.

COVILLE , Bruce. Always October. 368p. CIP. HarperCollins/Harper. Sept. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-06-089095-7; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219005-5. LC 2011044622.

DELANEY , Rachelle. The Ship of Lost Souls. Bk. 1. 256p. glossary. maps. Grosset & Dunlap. 2012. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-44-845776-5; pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-44-845777-2; ebook $7.99. ISBN 978-1-10-157789-9.

DENNARD , Susan. Something Strange and Deadly. 388p. CIP. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-208326-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-208328-9. LC 2011042114.

DOLLER , Trish. Something Like Normal. 216p. Bloomsbury. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59990-844-1.

DOMINY , Amy Fellner. Audition & Subtraction. 262p. Walker. Sept. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-2374-1. LC2011050973.

DOYLE, Marissa. Courtship and Curses. 344p. Holt. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9187-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9632-3.

FAMA , Elizabeth. Monstrous Beauty. 296p. Farrar. Sept. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-374-37366-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-429-95546-1.

FLAKE , Sharon G. Pinned. 228p. CIP. Scholastic. Oct. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-05718-9; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-05733-2. LC 2012009239.

FOWLER , Elle & Blair Fowler . Beneath the Glitter. 277p. St. Martin’s Griffin. Sept. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-250-00618-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-250-01633-1.

GIBSON , Marley. Radiate. 404p. CIP. Houghton/Graphia. 2012. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-547-61728-2; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-547-61729-9. LC 2011020501.

GRABENSTEIN , Chris. Riley Mack and the Other Known Troublemakers. 306p. HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-202620-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210204-1. LC 2011016616.

GROSSMAN , Nancy. A World Away. 396p. Hyperion/Disney. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-5153-1.

HARRISON , Troon. The Horse Road. 374p. Bloomsbury. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59990-846-5.

HAYLES , Marsha. Breathing Room. 244p. notes. photos. Holt/Christy Ottaviano. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-8961-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4668-1603-9.

HICKS , Deron R. Secrets of Shakespeare’s Grave. Bk. 1. illus. by Mark Geyer. 274p. (The Letterford Mysteries Series). appendix. Houghton Harcourt. Sept. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-84034-5; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-92846-3.

HOBAN , Russell. Soonchild. illus. by Alexis Deacon. 132p. Candlewick. 2012. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5920-2.

HOLMES , Elizabeth. The Normal Kid. 242p. CIP. Carolrhoda. Oct. 2012. RTE $17.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8085-6; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0261-4. LC 2011046589.

JADEN , Denise. Never Enough. 372p. S & S/Pulse. 2012. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2907-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2908-6.

KELLEY , Ann. Lost Girls. 319p. CIP. Little, Brown. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-09062-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-20178-0. LC 2011026952.

KEMMERER , Brigid. Storm. Bk. 1. 408p. (The Elemental Series). Kensington/KTeen. 2012. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7582-7281-2.

KIMMEL , Elizabeth Cody. ParaNorman: A Novel. illus. by Ross Stewart. 242p. Little, Brown. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-316-20986-1.

KLEIN , Alina. Rape Girl. 125p. Namelos. Sept. 2012. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-1-60898-123-6; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-60898-124-3; ebook $8.95. ISBN 978-1-60898-125-0.

LANAGAN , Margo. The Brides of Rollrock Island. 306p. Knopf. Sept. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86919-8; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96919-5; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98930-8.

LASCARSO, Laura. Counting Backwards. 288p. S & S/Atheneum. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0690-2; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0692-6.

LEBBON , Tim. London Eye. Bk. 1. 230p. (Toxic City Series). PYR. Oct. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-61614-680-1.

LEVITHAN , David. Every Day. 322p. Knopf. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-307-93188-7; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97111-2; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97563-8.

LO , Malinda. Adaptation. 385p. Little, Brown. Sept. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-19796-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-21446-9.

MADONIA , Kristen-Paige. Fingerprints of You. 272p. CIP. S & S. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2920-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2922-2. LC 2011018447.

MAGOON , Kekla. Fire in the Streets. 322p. S & S/Aladdin. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2230-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2232-2.

MASS , Wendy. Beauty and the Beast: The Only One Who Didn’t Run Away. Bk. 3. 288p. (Twice Upon a Time Series). Scholastic. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-31018-5.

MCGARRY , Katie. Pushing the Limits. 403p. Harlequin Teen. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-3732-1049-7.

MCGEE , Krista. Starring Me. 336p. Thomas Nelson. 2012. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4016-8489-1.

MELLOM , Robin. The Classroom: The Epic Documentary of a Not-Yet-Epic Kid. illus. by Stephen Gilpin. 280p. CIP. Hyperion/Disney. 2012. RTE $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-5063-3; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-6587-3. LC 2011027768.

PEARSALL , Shelley. Jump into the Sky. 344p. CIP. Knopf. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-83699-2; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-93699-9; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89548-7. LC 2011024935.

PREBLE , Joy. Anastasia Forever. Bk. 3. 312p. (Dreaming Anastasia Trilogy). Sourcebooks/Fire. 2012. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-6875-5.

RITTER, John H. Fenway Fever! 230p. CIP. Philomel. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-399-24665-4; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-1-101-57198-9. LC 2011037113.

RUBIN , Sarah. Someday Dancer. 246p. CIP. Scholastic/Chicken House. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-39378-2; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-49194-5. LC 2012008617.

RUPP , Rebecca. After Eli. 245p. Candlewick. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5810-6; ebook $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6194-6.

SCHMIDT , Gary D. What Came from the Stars. 294p. glossary. CIP. Clarion. Sept. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-61213-3; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-86868-4. LC 2011045439.

SELFORS , Suzanne. The Sweetest Spell. 416p. Walker. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-2376-5.

SHELLEY , Mary. Steampunk: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein . Bk. 2. illus. by Zdenko Basic. 384p. (Steampunk Classics Series). CIP. Running Press. 2012. RTE $18.95. ISBN 978-0-7624-4427-4; ebook $18.95. ISBN 978-0-7624-4514-1. LC 2011933869.

SHUSTERMAN , Neal. UnWholly. Bk. 2. 402p. (Unwind Trilogy). CIP. S & S. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2366-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2368-8. LC 2012002729.

SMILEY , Jane. Pie in the Sky. illus. by Elaine Clayton. 258p. CIP. Knopf. Sept. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86968-6; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96968-3; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98532-4. LC 2011044104.

SMITH , Sherwood. The Spy Princess. 396p. Viking. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-670-06341-3.

STEWART , Elizabeth. The Lynching of Louie Sam. 280p. CIP. Annick. Sept. 2012. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-55451-438-0; Tr $21.95. ISBN 978-1-55451-439-7.

STIEFVATER , Maggie, Tessa Gratton , & Brenna Yovanoff . The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories. 292p. CIP. Carolrhoda Lab. Oct. 2012. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-7527-2; pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0007-8. LC 2011051335.

TEMPLEMAN , McCormick. The Little Woods. 324p. CIP. Random/Schwartz & Wade Bks. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86943-3; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96943-0; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98349-8. LC 2011047345.

VALENTE , Catherynne M. The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There. illus. by Ana Juan. 258p. Feiwel & Friends. Oct. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-312-64962-3.

WARMAN , Jessica. Beautiful Lies. 422p. CIP. Walker. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-2338-3. LC 2011052330.

WEYN , Suzanne. Invisible World: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials. 228p. Scholastic. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-33486-0.

WILEY , Melissa. The Prairie Thief. illus. by Erwin Madrid. 216p. CIP. S & S/McElderry. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4056-2; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4058-6. LC 2011047642.

ZADOFF , Allen. Since You Left Me. 320p. Egmont USA. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-60684-296-6; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-1-60684-297-3.

ZEVIN , Gabrielle. Because It Is My Blood. Bk. 2. 350p. (Birthright Series). CIP. Farrar. Sept. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-374-38074-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-374-30674-8. LC 2011036991.

ZHANG , Kat. What’s Left of Me. Bk. 1. 346p. (The Hybrid Chronicles). HarperCollins/Harper. Sept. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211487-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-211489-1.

Nonfiction

ALI-KARAMALI , Sumbul. Growing Up Muslim: Understanding the Beliefs and Practices of Islam. 212p. bibliog. diags. index. notes. websites. CIP. Delacorte. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74095-1; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98977-3; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98340-5. LC 2011045056.

ATHANS , Sandra K. Tales from the Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest with Pete Athans. 64p. bibliog. charts. chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. photos. websites. CIP. Millbrook. Sept. 2012. RTE $31.93. ISBN 978-0-7613-6506-8; ebook $23.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0126-6. LC 2011045834.

BANY-WINTERS , Lisa. On Stage: Theater Games and Activities for Kids. rev. ed. illus. by Jim Spence. 228p. bibliog. further reading. glossary. Chicago Review Press. Sept. 2012. pap. $16.95. ISBN 978-1-61374-073-6.

Calcutt, David, adapt. Robin Hood. illus. by Grahame Baker-Smith. 176p. bibliog. Barefoot. Oct. 2012. pap. $12.99. ISBN 978-1-84686-799-6.

DARCY, Dame. Handbook for Hot Witches: Dame Darcy’s Illustrated Guide to Magic, Love, & Creativity. illus. by author. 200p. CIP. Holt. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9379-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4668-2192-7. LC 2011041297.

DECARUFEL , Laura. Learn to Speak Fashion: A Guide to Creating, Showcasing, and Promoting Your Style. illus. by Jeff Kulak. 96p. index. CIP. Owlkids. Sept. 2012. Tr $22.95. ISBN 978-1-926973-37-1; pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-926973-42-5; ebook $14.95. ISBN 978-1-926973-44-9. LC 2011941966.

DWYER, Helen & Sierra Adare. Mohawk History and Culture. ISBN 978-1-4339-6668-2; ISBN 978-1-4339-6670-5. LC 2011026007.
–––– . Navajo History and Culture. ISBN 978-1-4339-6672-9; ISBN 978-1-4339-6674-3. LC 2011026006.
–––– . Nez Perce History and Culture. ISBN 978-1-4339-6676-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-6678-1. LC 2011026004.
ea vol: 48p. (Native American Library Series). illus. maps. photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2012. PLB $31.95; pap. $14.05.

FRADIN, Dennis Brindell & Judith Bloom Fradin. Zora!: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston. 180p. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. glossary. index. notes. CIP. Clarion. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-547-00695-6.

GAY, Kathlyn. Food: The New Gold. 96p. bibliog. further reading. glossary. illus. index. notes. photos. websites. CIP. Twenty-First Century Books. Oct. 2012. RTE $31.93. ISBN 978-0-7613-4607-4; ebook $23.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0145-7. LC 2011045486.

GLENN , Joshua & Elizabeth Foy Larsen . Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun. 352p. diags. further reading. illus. index. photos. websites. Bloomsbury. Oct. 2012. Tr $25.00. ISBN 978-1-60819-641-8.

GREITENS , Eric. The Warrior’s Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage. 266p. notes. photos. websites. Houghton Harcourt. Oct. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-86852-3; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-92781-7.

HOLLIHAN , Kerrie Logan. Rightfully Ours: How Women Won the Vote. 130p. chron. diags. further reading. illus. index. photos. reprods. websites. Chicago Review Press. 2012. pap. $16.95. ISBN 978-1-883052-89-8.

LAOUÉNAN , Christine. Stand Up!: How to Stay True to Yourself. tr. from French by Nicholas Elliott. illus. by Cécile Bertrand. 80p. (Sunscreen Series). further reading. index. websites. CIP. Abrams/Amulet. 2012. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0198-6. LC 2011039522.

LARSEN, Laurel. One Night in the Everglades. illus. by Joyce Mihran Turley. 32p. maps. Taylor Trade. 2012. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-0-9817700-4-8.

PATENT , Dorothy Hinshaw. Dogs on Duty: Soldiers’ Best Friends on the Battlefield and Beyond. 48p. chron. further reading. glossary. index. photos. Walker. Sept. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-80272-845-6; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-80272-846-3.

POWERS , J. L., ed. That Mad Game: Growing Up in a Warzone: An Anthology of Essays from Around the Globe. 230p. further reading. CIP. Cinco Puntos. Oct. 2012. pap. $16.95. ISBN 978-1-935955-22-1. LC 2012004315.

REEF, Catherine. The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. 224p. bibliog. CIP. further reading. illus. index. notes. photos. reprods. Clarion. Oct. 2012. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-547-57966-5. LC 2011043559.

ROTH , Susan L. & Karen Leggett Abouraya . Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt’s Treasured Books. illus. by Susan L. Roth. 40p. further reading. glossary. photos. CIP. Dial. 2012. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3747-1. LC 2011038198.

ST. JOHN , Warren. Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town. 226p. websites. Delacorte. Sept. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74194-1; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99033-5; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98880-6.

SCANDIFFIO , Laura. People Who Said No: Courage Against Oppression. 168p. illus. index. notes. photos. Annick. Sept. 2012. RTE $24.95. ISBN 978-1-55451-383-3; pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-55451-382-6.

SPILSBURY, Louise. Dams and Hydropower. ISBN 978-1-4488-6990-9; ISBN 978-1-4488-6994-7. LC 2011037052.

SPILSBURY, Richard. Deforestation. ISBN 978-1-4488-6989-3; ISBN 978-1-4488-6996-1. LC 2011036744.
–––– . Travel and Tourism. ISBN 978-1-4488-6988-6; ISBN 978-1-4488-6992-3. LC 2011037525.

SPILSBURY, Richard & Louise Spilsbury. The Oil Industry. ISBN 978-1-4488-6991-6; ISBN 978-1-4488-6998-5. LC 2011033317.
ea vol: 48p. (Development or Destruction? Series). charts. maps. photos. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Rosen Central. 2012. PLB $27.95; pap. $11.75.

UPJOHN, Rebecca. The Secret of the Village Fool. illus. by Renné Benoit. 32p. further reading. photos. Second Story. Oct. 2012. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-1-926920-75-7.

VRY , Silke. Paul Klee for Children. tr. from German by Jane Michael. 96p. diags. photos. reprods. Prestel. Oct. 2012. RTE $14.95. ISBN 9783791370774.