HEST, Amy. Charley’s First Night. illus. by Helen Oxenbury. Candlewick. 2012. ISBN 9780763640552. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK–K).

Sometimes a character’s voice, is so strong it transcends the page and pulls at a reader’s heartstrings. Henry has that kind of voice. The little boy finds a stray puppy on a cold snowy day. “We were new together and I was very, very careful not to slip in the snow and I thought about his name. Charley. Charley Korn. My name is Henry. Henry Korn.” Later he brings the puppy home to his parents, and we hear that voice again, “I would be in charge of walking Charley, they said, and I couldn’t wait to walk Charley forever.” Henry wants his new friend to sleep in his room, but his folks have another idea―probably a good one, as the illustration shows the boy should have taken his pet for a quick walk. As the family makes a bed for their recent addition in the kitchen, Henry fits the nook with his own beloved bear and a tick-tock clock, which provides “another little heartbeat in the night.” Night falls and Charley howls when he wakes. Henry tries to follow his parent’s rules, but the puppy wants to sleep on the bed. When both friends get sleepy, the reader can predict the outcome. Oxenbury’s gorgeous illustrations are framed by a border, helping to pace the gentle tale that warms your heart, even in the cold of winter.

MARKLE, Sandra. Snow School. illus. by Alan Marks. Charlesbridge. 2013. ISBN 9781580894104. JLG Level: NEK : Nonfiction Early Elementary (Grades K–2).

Markle’s latest informational picture book focuses on weeks-old snow leopard siblings. Mother has left them unattended when the inquisitive male cub is nearly captured by a hawk. Lesson learned: “Outside the den, it’s a dangerous world.” The two cubs follow their mother over the course of a year as they witness survival lessons in their snow school. One day they will catch food for themselves, so they learn to be quick on their feet, guard their prey, and quiet while hunting. Told in simple narrative vignettes, Markles’s text is illustrated by watercolor scenes that vary from rough-housing between the cubs to the mother’s kill.

PRINGLE, Laurence. Ice!: The Amazing History of the Ice Business. Calkins Creek. 2012. ISBN 9781590788011. JLG Level: NE: Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2–6).

Heavily sprinkled with primary sources, Pringle’s latest nonfiction work centers on the history of the ice business. Even in Caesar’s time, ice was brought from cold regions to cool a beverage. In 1805 Frederic Tudor lived on a pond in New York when he decided he could profit from shipping ice to the West Indies. Tudor hired Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth who invented a horse-drawn ice cutter, making ice easier to harvest and transport. Icehouses sprang up along Rockland Lake to store the product for shipping. To lessen the chance of the ice melting, railroads were built to quickly get it to New York City. The ice business soon became an integral part of everyday life. With the invention of the icebox and ice delivery wagons, ice became more affordable for everyone. As an unexpected result, the invention of refrigeration hearkened the end of the ice harvesting industry. It took time to get electrical service across the country, so even until the 1950s, the ice man came. Today, ice festivals celebrate the carving of ice, but the giant icehouses that began it all stand empty or in ruins.

Pringle’s fascinating narrative is as clear as the ice he writes about. Readers will be amazed at the effort it took to bring the frozen commodity to their homes. Photographs, painted postcards, and vintage ice card signs bring a century-old industry to life.

WRIGHT, Johanna. Bunnies on Ice. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2013. ISBN 9781596434042. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK–K).

Time passes slowly when a champion ice-skater waits for winter to arrive. With a Christmas Eve-like feeling, an excited bunny runs with skates-in-hand to wake her parents for the first big circle around the ice. With scores of fans watching, bunny practices figure eights, leaps in the air, and pirouettes. Wright uses simple sentences to slow the pace of a beautifully illustrated family story. Heavily-textured oils on canvas flow across double-page spreads, allowing the reader time to examine the family’s activities. Humor is scattered throughout the story. The family “eats a balanced diet” while they roast marshmallows in the fire. Muscles are kept loose while playing in a bubble bath. A ballerina-skirted scarecrow looms over the family tending the garden. A perfect combination of art, humor, warmth, and text create a Caldecott-worthy read aloud.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

SÁENZ , Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. S & S. 2012. ISBN 9781442408920. JLG Level: YM : Mature Young Adults (Grades 11 & up).

Winner of three Youth Media Awards (a Printz Honor, a Stonewall, and a Pura Belpré), Saenz’s coming-of-age novel is about two very different 15-year-old boys with contrasting lives―Aristotle, who seems angry at the world, and Dante, who takes life for what it is. Aristotle talks to his mother, but his father, who’s a Vietnam War veteran, rarely has anything to say. On the other hand, Dante’s family talks about everything. When the two become friends at the community pool, their worlds collide, causing both the boys and their families to change. A car accident that injures Aristotle draws Dante even closer to him, but only causes Ari to feel more anger. A sudden move to Chicago allows Dante to write about his romantic feelings for his friend. Ari, like his father, closes off his emotions, even refusing to write back. In the dramatic end, a gay-bashing attack puts Dante in the hospital and forces Ari to realize his true feelings. Slow-paced and poignant, the story addresses issues of homosexuality, identity, war, family responsibility, and friendship. This multifaceted award-winner is sure to withstand the test of time.

BLUMENTHAL, Karen. Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different. Feiwel & Friends. 2012. ISBN 9781250015570. JLG Level: C : Advanced Readers (Grades 6-9).

Against all the odds, a man who was given away at birth, dropped out of college, and fired from the company that he created became the man who transformed the computer, music, and movie industries. In 2005, Steve Jobs delivered a commencement speech at Stanford University. It would be a tale told in three parts. Blumenthal uses that thread to weave her story for teen readers. “The journey is the reward,” says Jobs. Adopted as an infant, Jobs’s new parents had to sign an agreement that they would send him to college. Frequently in trouble at school, Jobs dropped out of college after one year. He was reclusive, picky about eating, and had poor hygiene habits. In spite of that, he and his friend, Steve Wosniak, created the first Apple computer in his parents’ garage. The Cinderella story builds from there―and includes fascinating information about Jobs’s involvement with Pixar, Macintosh, and iProducts. In spite of (or maybe because of) Jobs’s tantrums, lack of social graces, and empathy for others, his products made millions and continue to do so. Informative sidebars, copious footnotes, and black-and-white photographs support this unauthorized biography. Finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.

HOPKINSON, Deborah. Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. Scholastic. 2012. ISBN 9780545116749. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6).

Though interest in the Titanic disaster never seems to fade, its 100th anniversary has brought several new amazing titles to our shelves. Hopkinson examines primary source documents and presents surviving characters from each social class on the ship, as well as the crew. From the construction of the ship to the harrowing rescue of its passengers, readers will find fascinating new details in their never-ceasing hunger for information about the tragedy. Complete with photographs, artwork, and maps, this oft-told story will have teens riveted to the pages. Sibert Honor and Finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.

LEVINSON, Cynthia. We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March. Peachtree. 2012. ISBN 9781561456277. JLG Level: NM : Nonfiction Middle & HS (Grades 7-11).

Based on interviews with children who marched in Birmingham, AL, in 1963, Levinson delivers a narrative that chronicles a momentous event in the history of civil rights. Told through the eyes of four young people, history comes to life in a painful and sobering retelling of children willing to stand up to adults for their freedom. Nine-year-old Audrey Hendricks saw an elderly black couple walking in the park. When a police officer allowed a dog to attack them, she decided she had to do more than just attend meetings. Afraid he would fight back, James Stewart chose to march instead of sit. Washington Booker III thought the marches were crazy; he spent his time playing with friends. Arnetta Streeter joined the Peace Ponies and signed a pledge of nonviolence. These four young people were among the thousands who participated in the Birmingham’s Children’s March. Meticulously footnoted with bibliographical information and index, this volume will certainly meet research needs. Finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.

TURNAGE, Shelia. Three Times Lucky. Dial. 2012. ISBN 9780803736702. JLG Level: C : Advanced Readers (Grades 6-9).

“Trouble cruised into Tupelo Landing at exactly seven minutes past noon on Wednesday, the third of June, flashing a gold badge and driving a Chevy Impala the color of dirt. Almost before the dust had settled, Mr. Jesse turned up dead and life in Tupelo Landing turned upside down.” Full of quick wit and humor, mystery and mayhem, this novel for young teens will have readers turning pages. Plenty of trouble awaits Mo(ses) and Dale (Earnhardt Johnson III) and there are lots of red herrings to steer them astray. Mo is an orphan who washed up in a storm 11 years ago and was found by “The Colonel,” who has lost his memory. When Mr. Jesse is found dead, Mo and Dale decide to solve the murder themselves. After Dale becomes a suspect and The Colonel goes missing, things just get complicated. Mo will steal your heart and give you a laugh along the way. Newbery Honor Winner.

For these and other fabulous books for teens, search Junior Library Guild.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. You can visit them at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

CLINE-RANSOME, Lesa. Light in the Darkness: A Story About How Slaves Learned in Secret. illus. by James E. Ransome. Disney/Jump at the Sun. 2013. ISBN 9781423134954. JLG Level: I+ : Independent Readers (Grades 2–4).

In an age when some kids drop out of school because they’re bored, it seems ironic that just over 100 years ago people of all ages risked their lives to learn to read. Rosa goes with her mother in the dark of night to learn her letters in a pit school. Pit schools were large holes covered in branches where slaves could hide while learning the alphabet. They could be whipped for every letter learned. Based on historical facts, the Ransomes weave an enlightening story about the thirst for knowledge.

DAVIDSON, Tish. African-American Scientists and Inventors. Mason Crest. 2013. ISBN 9781422223758. JLG Level: H35 : Series Nonfiction: History 3–5 (Grades 3–5).

Thomas Jennings received the first patent given to an African American for his dry cleaning process in 1821. When car traffic became a problem in the early 1920s, Garrett Morgan invented a crossing pole to regulate the vehicles. Mae Jemison was the first African American female astronaut to fly in space in 1992. In five short chapters, Davidson introduces African American scientists and inventors who made a difference in agriculture, industry, transportation, medicine, and aerospace. When George W. Carter’s crop rotation plan resulted in an excess harvest of peanuts, he invented 270 uses for them. Edison’s light bulb was short-lasting and expensive. Lewis Latimer succeeded in making a less expensive, longer-lasting carbon filament. In spite of racism, lack of education, and resources, these African Americans made important contributions to our history. Chapter notes, chronology, glossary, and resources support this informational text.

FRADIN, Judith Bloom and Dennis Brindell Fradin. The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up to Slavery. illus. by Eric Velasquez. Walker. 2013. ISBN 9780802721679. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2–6).

Husband and wife team up in an edge-of-your-seat picture book about a town that stands together to save one of their own. In spite of Ohio’s free state status, the Fugitive Slave Act allows slave hunters to capture runaways and return them to slavery for the reward money. Runaway and teacher John Price is in Oberlin, Ohio when Anderson Jennings and his team catch up with him. Thirteen-year-old Shake Boynton accepts $20 to help capture the fugitive. As the slave hunters take Price to nearby Wellington, they pass college student, Ansel Lyman, who runs to town for help. Hundreds of community members join in the fight to rescue Price. The narrative gets stronger when the Oberlin residents are arrested; a lone girl stands up for her teacher, “There is more goodness in his little finger than in your whole carcass!” The price of freedom in this town is three months in jail, but their release binds them together in a pledge, “No fugitive slave shall ever be taken from Oberlin either with or without a warrant, if we have power to prevent it.” Powerful illustrations accompany this amazing tale.

ORR, Tamra. Louis Armstrong. Mitchell Lane. 2013. ISBN 9781612282640. JLG Level: S68 : Series Nonfiction: Social Studies 6–8 (Grades 6–8).

Footnotes and short chapters combine for a brief introduction to a legend in America’s music history. From a night in jail to posthumous honors, jazz performer Louis Armstrong is portrayed as a man who blazed his own trail, never losing sight of his path. “Pleasing the people” was his way of life. He lived to make music, whether it was on the beat-up cornet he found for five dollars, or his last concert at the Waldorf Hotel.

Orr blends research with dialogue to make Armstrong’s story more accessible to readers of. “My belief and satisfaction is that, as long as a person breathes, they still have a chance to exercise the talents they were born with.” While the author doesn’t omit the hardships Louis faced (multiple marriages, poverty, lack of education and musical training), she paints a vivid picture of a man who was born to bring music to everyone around him. Chapter notes, selected works, and other back matter supplement the short chapters.

WINTER, Jonah. You Never Heard of Willie Mays?! illus. by Terry Widener. Random/Schwartz & Wade. 2013. ISBN 9780375968440. JLG Level: SE : Sports Elementary (Grades 2-6).

The award-winning baseball-loving team, Winter and Widener, is back with another grand slam. Willie Mays, the “Say-Hey Kid,” wanted to be the next Joe DiMaggio. Trouble was he lived in a time when major league baseball teams didn’t allow black men to play with white guys. Then in 1951, Mays got his chance. In his first bat at the Polo Grounds he hit a homerun. In 1954, the Hall of Fame-bound sportsman made a play that even today we still call “the Catch.” Fact-filled side bars add even more details about Willie and the records he broke. Beautiful acrylic illustrations allow readers to feel the tension in the game and the determination of a man who made a difference in the baseball’s history.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

ARNOLD, Caroline. Too Hot? Too Cold?: Keeping Body Temperature Just Right. illus. by Annie Patterson.  Charlesbridge. 2013. ISBN 9781580892766. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6).

Written in a voice that speaks directly to the reader, Arnold’s text presents facts about body temperature. “You have a layer of fat under your skin. It is like a built-in blanket that helps protect your body and keep it warm.” The author introduces various behaviors that influence natural temperature, such as weather, clothing, and location. Glossary and author’s note provide supplemental nonfiction text features.

MARKLE, Sandra. The Long, Long Journey: The Godwit’s Amazing Migration.

illus. by Mia Posada. Millbrook. 2013. ISBN 9780761356233. JLG Level: NEK : Nonfiction Early Elementary (Grades K-2).

In picture book format, Markle and Posada tell a story about the 7,200 mile migration of a godwit. Hatching in an Alaskan summer, the bird learns to fly, catch its food, and develop its defenses. In October, it will make a long, nonstop journey to New Zealand. Young readers will enjoy the narrative lilt of the text, while older children will appreciate the numerous facts. Appended information, including an author’s note, round out the nonfiction features. Beautiful collage and watercolor illustrations communicate one bird’s lifecycle in migration.

MARTIN JR., Bill. I Love Our Earth / Amo nuestra tierra. illus. by Dan Lipow. Charlesbridge. 2013. ISBN 9781580895569. JLG Level: PS : Primary Spanish (Grades K-3).

Full-color photographs illustrate a poetic tribute to the seasons of the earth and times of the day. This bilingual picture book uses simple language to convey an introduction to nature. Panoramic views depict mountains and seas. Kids of all ages and cultures illustrate the meaning of each line. This simple overview of a child’s world makes it a good selection for even preschool storytimes.

NELSON, Kadir. Nelson Mandela.  HarperCollins/Katherine Tegan. 2013. ISBN 9780061783760. JLG Level: BE : Biography Elementary (Grades 2-6).

Much-loved and respected author/illustrator Kadir Nelson gives children an up-close-and-personal look at Nelson Mandela. From the tight shot of Mandela on the cover to the final shot of the world leader’s fist in the air, powerful images punctuate this introduction to the life of the first black president of South Africa. Expressive verse allows the author to convey a young boy who saw injustice and vowed to make a difference. A must-have for your picture book biography collection.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

BARNETT, Mac. Chloe and the Lion. illus. by Adam Rex. Disney/Hyperion. 2012. ISBN 9781423113348. JLG Level: HE : Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6).

Mac, the author, and Adam, the illustrator, argue over which character is better for scaring poor little Chloe―a lion or a dragon. A war over the story line ensues. Which is more important―the art or the text? When Mac fires Adam for not following directions, “my-friend-Hank” is hired. The former artist is quickly eaten by Hank’s lion. Little Chloe saves the day by setting them all straight, telling the author, “You’re the writer. Adam is the illustrator. We all add something to the story.”

Barnett’s humorous tongue-in-cheek tale is charmingly illustrated with clay figures of the picture book’s creators, and cartoon-type characters for the remaining players. Using a stage as the story’s backdrop, and balloons for its text, sets the artwork apart from similar books this year. It’s a tale of friendship and teamwork in an unusual mixed-format effort that is a pleasure to read.

BARNETT, Mac. Extra Yarn. illus. by Jon Klassen. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. 2012. ISBN 9780061953385. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

“In a cold little town, where everywhere you looked was either the white of snow or the black soot from chimneys, Annabelle found a box filled with yarn of every color.” So begins the tale of one little girl who made a difference. She knit a sweater for herself; she still had yarn left. She knit a sweater for her dog, and still had some left. Annabelle knit sweaters for everyone and everything she met, except for Mr. Crabtree. She made him a hat. “Things began to change in that little town.” When the archduke tried to buy the never-ending yarn from the little girl, she refused to sell. So he stole it.

Klassen’s artwork brings Annabelle’s black and white world to life. With pops of color punctuating the simple digital-and-ink shapes, the meaning of the magical yarn materializes. Use of darkness when the archduke steals the box shows the meanness of the act without being too scary for its intended audience. Though the story is moralistic, the charm of the illustrations and the happy ending produce a picture book that is sure to be a classic, regardless of whether it wins the gold.

BUZZEO, Toni. One Cool Friend. illus. by David Small. Dial. 2012. ISBN 9780803734135. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K-1).

“Elliot was a very proper young man,” so it’s no surprise that he liked penguins. “In their tidy black feather tuxedos with their proper posture, they reminded Elliot of himself.” During a visit to the zoo, he slips a live penguin into his backpack. (He asked permission, of course.) Unbeknownst to his preoccupied father, Elliot’s new pet skates on a pond in his room, eats anchovy pizza, and swims in the family bathtub.

From turtle-patterned pajamas and footstools, to boxes of caramel candy and diagrams in the father’s office, the illustrations complement the text while hinting at the surprising outcome. Small adds a smattering of color to his simply sketched ink drawings, which along with the use of bubble captions lighten the serious tone of the dialogue between father and child. s. A perfect blend of the visual and text make it an excellent choice for story time. Readers will laugh at the tuxedoed duo’s adventures and shout “read it again” at its conclusion.

COLE, Henry. Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad. Scholastic. 2012. ISBN 9780545399975. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K-1).

While doing her chores, a young girl discovers someone hiding in the family’s barn. Without saying a word, each person takes food to the uninvited guest. After a slave-hunting party arrives, the visitor disappears, leaving behind a cornhusk doll dressed in the napkin material as a sign of thanks.

Cole uses charcoal and pen line drawings to illustrate this wordless picture book. In a style reminiscent of Brian Selznick, character close-ups reveal the tension in the story. Readers will feel the family’s fear when the hunting party arrives. They will worry when the runaway peeks through a knot hole. Seeing the Big Dipper through the bedroom window will fill them with hope that the slave will find a safe place to rest. An author’s note shares family stories and background history about the details included in the illustrations.

FOGLIANO, Julie. And Then It’s Spring. illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2012. ISBN 9781596436244. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

A dedicated young boy and the animals that live around him diligently wait for seeds to sprout. In well-planned phases, readers feel the slow-moving track of time as the season of brown lingers on. He plants his seeds. He waters them. A silent chorus of anxious planters stares at the dark earth waiting for green to break through. A rainy day brings a sunny one, and with it, green. “All around you have green.”

Stead’s woodblock printing techniques brilliantly tone down the anxious wait for spring. Kids will linger over the details. A turtle uses a magnifying glass to better see the emergence of a sprout. Rabbit watches for the carrot seeds to push through the soil. Even the dog waits for his buried bones to grow. Spring bursts into view on the last double page spread, just like the seeds that were sown. Another winner for Stead and a first-winning book for Fogliano.

STEAD, Philip C.. Bear Has a Story to Tell. illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2012. ISBN  9781596437456. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

Winter is swiftly approaching, and bear is getting sleepy, but first he has a story he wants to tell. Mouse doesn’t have time for a story; he has seeds to gather. So Bear helps his friend instead. Duck has to get ready to fly south, so Bear checks the wind’s direction. Frog needs to find a warm place to sleep for the winter, so Bear digs a frog-sized hole. The first snowflake falls, but Bear still hasn’t told his tale. When spring arrives and his friends return, Bear is delighted to remember that now he has time to tell his story. Sadly, he can no longer recall what he wanted to say. In cyclical fashion, his friends prompt him, and the story ends as it began.

Gold medal team of Stead and Stead pair up again in this star-studded effort (2 stars and a Kirkus Editors’ Choice Award). The camaraderie of the characters is skillfully painted in their faces and mannerisms. The gentleness of the big bear is believable in his efforts to help his friends, while putting his needs last. The lesson of the story (shall we say, Golden Rule?) is gently woven between the text and illustrations, allowing the reader to absorb the message with little effort.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

HARTMAN, Rachel. Seraphina. Random, 2012. ISBN 9780375966569. JLG Level: FH: Fantasy/Science Fiction. High (Grades 9-12).

Newcomer Rachel Hartman brings an exciting dragon adventure to the list of possible contenders. Already a winner on numerous best lists, Seraphina is a fantasy novel about a half-dragon heroine who lives in a land where a treaty was made with the dragons 40 years ago. When the prince is found beheaded, villagers are quick to blame the powerful creatures. Seraphina must risk revealing her own identity in order to save the kingdom from those who wish the peaceable agreement to end. Romance, political thriller, mystery, and coming-of-age genres combine in this high fantasy.

Leaving the ending open for a sequel, readers of all kinds will devour this new addition to the star-studded year.

KELLY, Jacqueline. Return to the Willows. illus. by Clint G. Young. Holt. 2012. ISBN 9780805094138. JLG Level: A+ : Intermediate Readers (Grades 3-5).

Over a hundred years after its original publication, Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows (Methuen, 1908) gets a sequel. Written in an amazingly-similar style, Kelly brings back some of our favorite characters in one hilarious adventure after the other. Supplemented by footnotes to translate the English language into American, readers will cheer when Toad is saved once again, and worry as his friends encounter trouble after trouble. New characters enter the Willows (Toad’s nephew) and a once-enemy (Sammy the weasel). The whole story leads to a rousing and satisfying conclusion. Young’s gorgeous illustrations complement the tale.

Kelly begins with an admonishment to read the original before you start. Check your shelves to be sure you have it for your students who will certainly want to read it after they read Kelly’s homage―if not before.

LIN, Grace. Starry River of the Sky. Little, Brown. 2012. ISBN 9780316125956. JLG Level: A+ : Intermediate Readers (Grades 3-5).

A companion to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little, Brown, 2009), Starry River of the Sky begins with a runaway boy who finds work in a village inn. Rendi is harboring secret troubles, but he seems to be the only one who notices that the moon is missing from the village’s sky. He begins to piece things together―missing moon, and also missing sons. When a mysterious guest visits, Rendi joins in her nightly storytelling, and he finds a way to make peace and restore the things that are lost.

Beautiful illustrations, stories-within-stories, and a flowing narrative make Starry River a standout. Though fans of the first work may jump at the chance to read Lin’s latest, newcomers will want to read this one too. Perfect for reading aloud.

MACLACHLAN, Patricia. Kindred Souls. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Bks. 2012. ISBN 9780060522988. JLG Level: A : Intermediate Readers (Grades 3-5).

Long known for her heart-wrenching stories, MacLachlan doesn’t disappoint with her newest prairie story. Eighty-eight-year-old Billy has a special bond with his ten-year-old grandson, Jake. Every day they walk the farm where Billy grew up. “Kindred souls, we are,” he says. One day a stray dog makes himself at home with Billy―just about the time that he gets sick. Before he goes to the hospital, Jake promises to rebuild his grandfather’s sod house. The whole family joins in the project, binding them together and granting Billy’s request.

Though the sad ending is inevitable, the magic of the dog’s appearance and the joy found in rebuilding the sod house keep the story from being too painful for young readers. MacLachlan gives the reader hope.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

BURNS, Loree Griffin. Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard. photos by Ellen Harasimowicz. Holt. 2012. ISBN 9780805090628. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Just as not every scientist works in a lab, not every scientist is a science professional. Contributions to science often come from ordinary people―citizen scientists. Even children participate in these studies, such as tagging monarch butterflies, counting frogs, and recording the number of birds in an area. In 2008 more than 60,000 ordinary citizens participated in the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count. The Lost Ladybug Project, with input from citizen scientists, recorded 96 different species of ladybugs, including three species previously thought extinct.

Divided into four chapters, readers will learn about specific ways in which to participate in these projects. From the fascinating story of migrating butterflies to how to count frogs from the sounds they make, Burns writes a fascinating, narrative nonfiction account of how science works in our everyday lives. Kids will identify with the children highlighted in the story. Resources, a glossary, and an index for each type of creature complete this “must-have” selection.

FRYDENBORG, Kay. Wild Horse Scientists. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547518312. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Already a Booklist Editors’ Choice Book for Youth, it’s no surprise that another book in the “Scientist in the Field” series makes the list of science notables. Known for introducing older elementary readers to real scientists and their work, this series continues to win awards. This title tells the story of scientists who study wild horses in their natural habitats and learn how to manage the population without disturbing their environment.

Dr. Ron Keiper, an ethologist, and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick, a wildlife reproductive physiologist, spent their entire careers studying the wild horses of Wyoming and those that live on Assateague Island. Their challenge was to find a way to control the horse population through birth control. Assisting in the balance of nature without relocating, their success continues today. In both places, an annual injection maintains a reasonable number of horses who are able to live in their natural environment. An extensive glossary, resource list, and index give readers additional support and information they might need in using this work as a reference material.

LOURIE, Peter. The Polar Bear Scientists. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547283050. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

On the North Slope of Alaska, polar bear scientists gather data to aid in the search to save the polar bear which was listed as endangered in 2008. A team of scientists and researchers annually hunt, sedate, and collect data for each bear. Tracking collars placed on the animals assist the team in following their movement long after they are released and alert.

Scientists believe that global warming is impacting the ice that allows the polar bear to hunt. If there is less ice, it will not be able to eat enough to survive. Collecting data and recapturing bears allows them to compile and compare information. Lourie takes the reader through the process of the hunt to gather the information on each bear. Great care is taken not to harm them, including staying close by as the animals recover from sedation.

Lourie includes a generous number of photographs to punctuate the narrative. An enormous amount of thought and work goes into this research project. Samples must be processed daily. Equipment must be cleaned and dried. Weather and environment conditions must be taken into account. An extensive appendix completes another fascinating book in the “Scientist in the Field” series.

NIVOLA, Claire A. Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle. Farrar/Frances Foster Bks. 2012. ISBN 9780374380687. JLG Level: BE : Biography Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Sylvia Earle loved the world around her even at an early age. When her family moved from a farm where she filled pages with her observations to her new Florida home, the girl “lost her heart to the water.” She found life in every “spoonful” of water and read everything she could find about sea life. At sixteen, Sylvia used diving gear for the first time and dove thirty feet to the bottom of a river. She joined a research expedition in the Indian Ocean and was the only woman among seventy men. Earle designed a spherical bubble that dove 3,000 feet to the ocean floor. She spent two weeks under water in a deep-sea station learning about its environment. That project changed her life forever and inspired her mantra. “Learn everything I can…do everything I can…You can’t care if you don’t know.”

Through the beautiful illustrations of the picture book format, readers become immersed in the life of this important oceanographer. A concluding author’s note includes her testimony before Congress regarding the impact of oil spills on ocean life. A selected bibliography rounds out this informative biography.

Person, Stephen. Saving Animals from Oil Spills. Bearport, 2012. ISBN  9781617722882. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Part of the “Rescuing Animals from Danger” series, Person tells how animals are impacted by oil spills. Using large font in text boxes, readers will learn about the scientists and everyday heroes who work to save the innocent victims’ lives. In the recent spill in the Gulf of Mexico, veterinarians used 300 gallons of water on each pelican covered in oil. The damaging substance causes a bird’s feathers to stick together, allowing cold water and air to reach its skin, which can result in hypothermia. Other animals ingest the oil from the water and become sick. Predators eat sick prey also fall ill. In the Gulf disaster, sea turtle eggs were dug up and relocated. More than 360 adult sea turtles were cleaned and later released back to the water.

Scientists have learned with each disaster how to help the animals, but research continues as effects take years to be seen.

Providing numerous facts in a magazine-type format, Oil Spills will work well with older readers who are reading below grade level. Features such as sidebars, large photographs with captions, and supportive back matter complete this short nonfiction book that provides more information than you would expect in just 32 pages.

RUSCH, Elizabeth. The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity.  Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547478814. JLG Level: B : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Another “Scientist in the Field” book, The Mighty Mars Rovers’ content leans to the engineering side of science. Perfect for STEM curriculum, readers will learn about the Mars Rovers’ stories―from conception to development, and to the final mission. In 1976 Steve Squyres was a junior at Cornell University when he had the opportunity to talk to members of the Viking science team. “Suddenly, I was talking to people who actually did space exploration, Steve said. “ I thought, Wait a minute, maybe this is something I can do.” And do it, he did. For the next thirty years, Steve worked on his dream to explore Mars.

In 2000, NASA contacted him about building not one, but two Mars Exploration Rovers. (They had been turning down his proposals for years.) However, he’d have less than three years to design, build, and test them. With a team of 179 scientists and hundreds of engineers, they were able to complete their mission.

Rusch tells the story of the team’s setbacks, determination to solve problems that arose, and even the members’ sense of humor. When Spirit began rebooting herself, the team was forced to do a hard shutdown of her system. “The command, SHUTDOWN_DAMMIT” had never failed them before. It’s a story not just about the successes of the mission―finding evidence of water on Mars and the incredible longevity of the robots, for example. It’s a story of teamwork and hard work. It’s the story of people who asked questions and found ways to answer them. It’s the story of how every person’s job is important and leads to the success of the big picture. A lesson our students can all benefit from learning.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

ARNOLD, Caroline. A Warmer World: From Polar Bears to Butterflies, How Climate Change Affects Wildlife. illus. by Jamie Hogan. Charlesbridge. 2012. ISBN 9781580892667. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

The average annual temperature is warmer by just over one degree. Though it sounds very small, just a small rise in the temperature impacts the way nature adapts and survives. Arnold informs readers that with rising temperatures, ice melts. If it melts, then polar bears have less time to build up fat that helps them survive the winter, resulting in fewer cubs being born. Higher temperatures mean lower male loggerhead turtle eggs, making it more difficult for females to find a mate.

Using a color palette in collage and facts on note paper, Hogan and Arnold provide interesting details on important ecological factors without being alarmists. This nonfiction text also includes a glossary and bibliography of books and websites for further research.

FERN, Tracey. Barnum’s Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World. illus. by Boris Kulikov. Farrar. 2012. ISBN 9780374305161. JLG Level: I+ : Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)

From his early years on his family’s farm, Barnum had a knack for fossil finding. His training as a paleontologist and his work for the American Museum of Natural History (along with great determination) lead to the most exciting dinosaur discovery of our time―the tyrannosaurus rex. Often clothed in a beaverskin coat, Barnum’s archaeological digs take him into Montana where his team finds a partial skeleton. It will be years later before the full specimen is completed. Fern’s narrative brings this dedicated, eccentric scientist to life while Kulikov’s illustrations provide an excellent backdrop and support for the storytelling of this informative, entertaining picture book biography.

There can never be enough dinosaur books in an elementary school library, and this must-have title won’t remain on the shelf for long.

KAMKWAMBA, William and Bryan Mealer. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. illus. by Elizabeth Zunon. Dial. 2012. ISBN 9780803735118. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

In 2001, Malawi experienced a drought, which resulted in a famine. With fewer crops to sell, children dropped out instead of paying fees to attend high school. To conserve their food, families ate once a day. Just as they began to despair, one teen boy went to the library and read about an invention that could solve his town’s problems: a windmill. Using junk from the scrapyard, William and his friends built a windmill that would bring water to his mother’s garden, allowing it to grow all year. Another windmill brought well water for his father’s crops. “Magesti a mphepo―electric wind―can feed my country, William thought. And that’s the strongest magic of all.”

William Kamkwamba’s powerful picture book biography is beautifully told through collage illustrations and lyrical text. African phrases punctuate the story. An inspiring author’s note shares further details on “this boy who harnessed the wind,” and saved his village.

JENKINS, Steve. The Beetle Book. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547680842. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

“Line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth and one of every four will be a beetle.” Jenkins produces another winner in his latest solo science book about beetles of all shapes, and sizes. Cut-paper collage illustrations are often enlarged to allow readers the opportunity to see the details in their structure. Though beetles come in many different forms, they all have the same basic structure―two antennae, six legs, and three main body parts. Jenkins shares amazing facts: the fire beetle has heat-sensing spots that can feel a fire from more than 20 miles away, the six-spotted green tiger beetle hunts down its prey and tears it to pieces; the Fijian long-horn beetle is seven inches long, and squeezes air from beneath its wings to make a hissing noise.

Readers will pore over the gorgeous illustrations and spout facts just like an entomologist.

JENKINS, Steve and Robin Page. My First Day: What Animals Do on Day One. Houghton Harcourt. Jan. 2013. ISBN 9780547738512. JLG Level: NEK : Nonfiction Early Elementary (Grades K-2)

From the team that brought us What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? (Houghton Harcourt, 2003) comes another award-winning science title. Lifelike collage illustrations and a large font create a beautiful book that’s accessible to younger readers. Told in the voice of the babies themselves, readers will learn about the variety of ways newly born creatures adapt to their environment. Golden snub-nosed monkeys and sifakas cling to their mothers for safety. Leatherback turtles are on their own from the day they are born. They race to the water for safety upon birth. Darwin’s frog babies hop out of their father’s mouth, as they are raised in a special pouch from the tadpole stage. Covering a variety of animals, the text expands in an author’s note at the back of the book.

Educators might use this book as a starting place for research. After reading the brief information, kids will surely be interested in knowing more. With 22 different creatures, they can work alone or in pairs to complete their research.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

ROSE, Caroline Starr. May B.: A Novel. Random/Schwartz & Wade. 2012. ISBN 9781582463933. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Life on the prairie is never easy, but hiring May as a servant for his newlywed bride is not enough to keep a pioneer’s wife from running away. In tense verse, May’s story unfolds as she attempts to survive alone on a neighbor’s homestead while the husband goes off in search of his love. May’s struggles with reading strengthen her characterization, as readers begin to understand her crippling inner fears. Told she was incapable and stupid, May learns how strong she really is after learning to live on her own over a period of months. As memorable as a tale from the “Little House” series, May B. just may be a new long-standing favorite.

OLDER, Jules. Snowmobile: Bombardier’s Dream Machine. illus. by. Michael Lauritano. Charlesbridge. 2012. ISBN 9781580893343. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Imagine a world that stops when it snows. Imagine having a sick child in the dead of winter and no way to get across the snow to take him to the doctor. Imagine that your father wants you to be a priest when you grow up, but all you can think about is building and inventing things—and motors. Such is the world of Joseph-Armand Bombadier who grew up in a little Quebec village in the early 1900s. Joseph’s dream is to become a mechanic, so at age 17 he leaves home for Montreal. His genius, coupled with hard work and determination, make him an excellent student and mechanic. He returns home to face his family. His father has a change of heart and builds him a garage where he goes on to invent a vehicle that will travel across snow.

Older writes a hi-interest story about an inventor that will capture reluctant readers. Short chapters and realistic dialogue add to the facts of this biographical retelling of the origins of the snowmobile and of a man who lived his dream.

OBED, Ellen Bryan. Twelve Kinds of Ice. illus. by Barbara McClintock. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780618891290. JLG Level: I : Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)

One family lives through a season of twelve kinds of ice, giving readers an opportunity to experience the passing of time with the beauty of winter. The first ice forms a thin skin over the water in a bucket that leads to the last ice―the melting ice that reveals the lost puck or skate guard. Ice in all its forms and the activities that bring everyone together make Twelve Kinds of Ice a new seasonal classic. Seamlessly complemented by McClintock’s gorgeous pen-and ink-illustrations, Obed’s text describes a family that plays and celebrates together. It’s a tale of winter, a tale of families, and a tale not to be missed.

MATTESON, George and Adele Ursone. The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Came to New York City. illus. by James E. Ransome. Clarion. 2012. ISBN 9780618992157. JLG Level:  P : Primary (Grades K-1)

George Matteson was a tugboat captain who was chosen to transport the Christmas tree to Rockefeller Center. Ransome’s paintings bring his family’s story to life, based on the night he took his wife and daughter to tow the barge laden with the gigantic tree. Even in the dark of night, the family seems warm and cozy. The joy of the event is punctuated by the bright colors of tour boat’s balloons and the giant Christmas tree balls on the barge. Husband and wife team share a wonderful moment in their family history that also belongs to all who love the Rockefeller tree.

FRIEDMAN, Lise and Mary Dowdle. Becoming a Ballerina: A Nutcracker Story.  Viking. 2012. ISBN 9780670013920. JLG Level: CE : City Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Fiona’s life is full of ballet. This year she will dance the role of Clara in the Boston Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Her sisters will also dance in the ballet. Becoming a Ballerina tells the story from audition to opening night of Fiona’s family’s participation in this dream of all ballerinas. From the stress of callbacks to the surprises of things that don’t go quite right during the performance, readers get an inside look at the hard work and dedication that goes into the creation of a production. Documented by many behind-the-scenes photographs, Fiona and her family also make a great introduction for newcomers to the classic ballet.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

CHANTLER, Scott. The Captive Prince: Three Thieves. Bk. 3. Kids Can. 2012. ISBN 9781554537761. JLG Level: GM : Graphic Novels Middle (Grades 5-8)

Dessa’s experiences on the farm and on the circus have given her the skills she needs to rescue a captured prince, who quickly falls in love with her. A group of kidnappers with an agenda of their own, combined with Dessa and her companions’ secrets, offers a gripping tale of action and adventure. The third entry in this captivating series will keep readers salivating until its conclusion in the next book.

COLFER, Eoin. The Supernaturalist: The Graphic Novel. illus. by Giovanni Rigano. Disney/Hyperion. 2012. ISBN 9780786848799. JLG Level: GM : Graphic Novels Middle (Grades 5-8)

Based on the novel of the same name, Colfer teamed up with Andrew Donkin to adapt it for the graphic novel format. With art by Giovanni Rigano and color by Paolo Lamanna, Cosmo’s story is brought to life. After a childhood of being the object of horrible experiments, an accident allows Cosmo to escape a no-sponsor orphanage. He joins ranks with the Supernaturalists who have been saving the world from the attacks by parasites. Nothing, however, is quite what it seems.

Just as riveting as the original, The Supernaturalist is one life-saving mission after another―right up to the surprising conclusion.

GOWNLEY, Jimmy. Her Permanent Record. Vol. 8. (Amelia Rules! Series). S &S. 2012. ISBN 9781416986157. JLG Level: GM : Graphic Novels Middle (Grades 5-8)

Middle school comes with a multitude of problems and emotions, even for a superheroine. Amelia feels pressure from the cheerleading squad and the younger kids who want to be her protégés. And, of course, boys. When her Aunt Tanner disappears. Amelia and Rhonda decide to save the adult who has so often taken care of them.

Gownley has another hit with this title in the series. Not only will readers laugh, but they may need a tissue too.

HALE, Nathan. Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Big Bad Ironclad! Bk. 2. Amulet. 2012. ISBN 9781419703959. JLG Level: GM : Graphic Novels Middle (Grades 5-8)

In the second volume of Hale’s Hazardous Tales, American patriot Nathan Hale stalls his hanging by telling one more history tale. Our hero settles in to tell the tale of the Monitor and the Merrimack. Using humorous interjections, the graphic novel delivers Civil War history with a sense of mystery and action. Back matter includes short biographies of historical figures and notes on the author’s poetic license while writing the story. History delivered with wit and action makes this a wonderful package to use in any classroom.

HATKE, Ben. Legends of Zita the Spacegirl. First Second. 2012. ISBN 9781596438064. JLG Level: GE : Graphic Novels Elementary (Grades 2-6)

With fame comes responsibility. Zita’s past precedes her and fans flock for her autograph―and her help. Her quick decision to trade places with a robot look-alike leaves her stranded on a planet with no way back. Unexpected tickets to a circus introduce readers to a character who will mean more to Zita than entertainment. Zita’s journey to save Pizzicato leads her to face the Star Hearts and put on her hero suit once more. A journey all in itself, readers will cheer once again for this easily-liked team of galactic stars.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

ABIRACHED, Zeina. A Game for Swallows. Graphic Universe, 2012. ISBN 9780761385684. JLG Level: GH : Graphic Novels High

Gr 9 Up—Based on her grandmother’s story, Abirached tells the tale of one long night in Beirut, when the parents of two children cross the line between East and West and get caught in a bombing. Told with simple black-and-white illustrations, in the tone of Persepolis, the children are comforted by their neighbors in their building’s foyer while the world is crashing down all around them. This beautiful story illustrates Florian’s words: To die to leave to return / It’s a game for swallows.

ANTHONY, Jessica and Rodrigo Corral. Chopsticks: A Novel. Razorbill, 2012. ISBN 9781595144355. JLG Level: GH : Graphic Novels High

Gr 9 Up—If there was ever a book that didn’t fit into any particular mold, it’s Chopsticks. More of a mixed-media novel, the story is told through photographs, ticket stubs, postcards, and other ephemera, with a little text in-between. Glory is a child prodigy―a pianist of amazing talent. Her teacher and father books a European tour after she becomes romantically involved with Franco, the new boy next door. As Franco begins to fail out of school, Glory begins to descend into what appears to be madness as she interrupts her playing with “Chopsticks.” In a hauntingly ambiguous ending, readers will have to decide for themselves what really happened in the disappearance of Glory. What is reality? What is madness?

MCCLINTOCK, Norah and Mike Deas. I, Witness. Orca, 2012. ISBN 9781554697892. JLG Level: GH : Graphic Novels High

Gr 9 Up—Being a teenager is hard enough, but when you witness a murder and the next thing you know your best friend is killed in a drive-by shooting, life gets really complicated. Boone’s friends begin to drop like leaves as the dead bodies pile up around him. Thinking that it’s better to keep his mouth shut, he walks into another situation that makes him think twice about not getting involved.

Blood-red ink is used to highlight the mostly black-and-white graphic novel, and with all of those deaths, there’s a fair amount of red. Canadian novelist McClintock enters the teenage world and mixes it with violence and conscience-driven actions. Teens will wonder what they would do if they knew more than they wanted to know.

PETTY, J.T. and Hilary Florido. Bloody Chester. First Second, 2012. ISBN 9781596431003. JLG Level: GH : Graphic Novels High

Gr 9 Up—Petty’s young adult graphic novel debut is a mix of horror, mystery, and the Wild West. Filled with coarse language (and racial slurs), the story tells the tale of a teenage boy who grasps at the chance to start over. Called Bloody Chester (because he constantly gets a beating), Chester must burn down a plague-ridden ghost town in order to earn his salary. It seems, though, that it’s much more complicated than that. He falls for a girl who’s still in town because her crazy, holed-up, treasure-hoarding father won’t leave. Then there are the ghosts or zombies or plague-ridden souls that haunt the town. Chester is determined to do his job and discovers that no one seems to be telling the truth.

From humor to horror, Petty and Florido create an interesting tale with full-color illustrations. A few sketches of the work in progress are also included. There’s even a bit of reflection in the story’s secrets that will cause the reader to ponder.

PHAM, Thien. Sumo. First Second, 2012. ISBN 9781596435810. JLG Level: GH : Graphic Novels High

Gr 9 Up—When his chance for a career in pro football is eliminated and a long-term romance ends, Scott chooses to start over in Japan as a sumo wrestler. Though it’s harder than he expects, his past experiences help him give it his best shot.

Using color to indicate the time and setting, Pham tells a powerful three-part story that builds until the final wordless conclusion. Readers may be able to read it quickly, but will want to reread to absorb the brilliance of the telling.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild (JLG) is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, JLG’s book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit them at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

BARNETT, Mac. Brixton Brothers: Danger Goes Berserk. illus. by Matthew Myers. S & S. 2012. ISBN 9781442439771. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Twelve-year-old detective Steve Brixton has a new case. The problem is that he will have to learn how to surf in order to go undercover to solve it. He and partner Dana suit up to solve the mystery of a stolen surfboard. In the midst of one case, two more evolve, leading readers to wonder how or if they are connected. From laugh-out-loud moments to nail-biting adventures, old and new fans will root for the middle schoolers as they encounter chaotic dangers.

FARREY, Brian. The Vengekeep Prophecies. illus. by Brett Helquist. HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. ISBN 9780062049285. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Born into a family of thieves, Jaxter’s time has come to join in. Yet in the midst of his first heist, his clumsiness causes building to get on fire and lands his clan in the gaol. A prophecy found on the town’s tapestry names his kin as the saviors of Vengekeep. Jaxter and Callie leave town to find a way to stop the prophecies from coming true, otherwise they’re in for lots more trouble.

This standalone fantasy novel is filled with mystery and adventure. Fantastical creatures, non-magic spells, and period-type exclamations (zoc, bangers!) blend easily into a world where magic is believable. Readers will hope that Farrey has further adventures to offer us and that the Grimjinxes will return.

SCHLITZ, Laura Amy. Splendors and Glooms. Candlewick. 2012. ISBN 9780763653804. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Highly discussed as a Newbery contender, Schlitz offers a mystery filled with magic, adventure, and suspense. Clara is the only child in her family and is treated with kid gloves. Loving the thrill of a puppet show, she invites danger into her life when it is brought to her party. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall work for the master puppeteer, Grisini, and have a very difficult life. When Clara disappears and Grisini does as well, it’s up to the remaining two children to solve the mystery. What they find out puts them in greater danger than they’ve ever been in before.

Set in Victorian London, Schlitz creates a  Dickens-like world where magic is entirely possible. From witch and magician to drunken landlady, the characters are so well-developed, you’d recognize them in a crowded room. It’s a tale that lingers long after the pages close.

SNICKET, Lemony. Who Could That Be at This Hour? Little, Brown. 2012. ISBN 9780316123082. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Chalk up another winner for Lemony Snicket. A boy is mysteriously whisked away after climbing out of a bathroom window while his adult companions sleep off a potion that was in their tea. Off to solve a mystery with a less-than-competent sponsor, Lemony seems to know more about getting the answers, even if he does ask the wrong questions. The first in a series of four, readers who clamor for more Snicket will be thrilled to begin the journey with him once again.

STEPHENS, John. The Fire Chronicle. Knopf. 2012. ISBN 9780375968716. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

After the children are discovered by their enemies, Kate is separated from her brother and sister. Michael and Emma are left on their own in Antarctica to find the legendary book of fire. Kate fights fires of her own in 1899 New York. Rafe seems to know her, but the adults are doing everything they can to separate the two. As the dangers for all three siblings grow stronger, their intertwining fates bring the three closer together. How long will they stay together?

The second of The Books of Beginning series will keep readers in suspense with alternating chapters between the separated siblings. New monsters, dangers, and magic wait around every corner. Stephens brings back characters and introduces new ones. Readers will have to wait for all their answers to their gripping questions, as The Fire Chronicle ends in a tremendous cliff-hanger.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

GREY-WILBURN, Renee. Volcanoes! Capstone. 2012. ISBN 9781429676069. JLG Level: CK2 : Series Nonfiction: Science K-2 (Grades K-2)

In chapter book format, this volume in Capstone’s “First Graphics” series brings science to our youngest readers. Beginning with an explanation of volcanoes and moving into how scientists study eruptions, readers will learn basic facts in a controlled vocabulary. The text also features nonfiction support including an index, bibliography, and a glossary.

HAYES, Geoffrey. Benny and Penny in Lights Out!  Toon Bks. 2012. ISBN 9781935179207. JLG Level: GE : Graphic Novels Elementary (Grades 2-6)

It’s time for bed, but Benny is not ready to go to sleep. His sister, Penny, is rattled by his attempts to stall bedtime. When Benny slips out to look for his pirate hat, Penny tries to be brave and look for him. They have an adventure that is just scary enough for the intended reader.

With additional support material on the publisher website, teachers can easily use their document cameras or interactive whiteboards to share award winning graphic novels for their emerging readers.

LAMBERT, Joseph. Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller. Disney/Hyperion. 2012. ISBN 9781423113362. JLG Level: GM : Graphic Novels Middle (Grades 5-8)

Already a Booklist Top 10 Biography Book for Youth 2012, Lambert’s graphic novel format does more than retell an already familiar story. Alternating the past and present, readers learn more about Annie Sullivan’s background. Readers will also learn about a controversial story that Helen wrote. Authorities questioned whether Helen really wrote the story, as it was very similar to a published story. Through this retelling, readers will discover even more about the powerful bond between a teacher and her student.

L’ENGLE, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel. Adapted and illustrated by Hope Larson. Farrar/Margaret Ferguson Bks. 2012. ISBN 9780374386153. JLG Level: FM : Fantasy/Science Fiction Middle (Grades 5-8)

For fifty years, readers have worn out copies of Newbery-winning A Wrinkle in Time. Larson’s graphic novel version stays true to the original. Using black and white with blue accents, L’Engle’s voice comes through, so readers will not be disappointed. The tome is nearly 400 pages long, allowing Larson the freedom to use plenty of text, but also giving an opportunity for action to happen in the illustrations. Though readers may want to read the book in one gulp, chapters provide good stopping places. Teachers and librarians may want to use this version as an introduction to the classic and lovers of the classic will need no introduction.

NYTRA, David. The Secret of the Stone Frog. Toon Bks. 2012. ISBN 9781935179184. JLG Level: GE : Graphic Novels Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Nytra’s crowquill pen-and-india-ink drawings lend a mysterious tone to this Alice in Wonderland-themed graphic novel for middle elementary grade readers. Leah and Alan wake one morning to find themselves in an enchanted forest. Brother and sister learn to depend on each other when their adventures take them farther and farther from the path that leads to home.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

HOLM, Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm. Babymouse for President. Random. 2012. ISBN 9780375967801. JLG Level: GE : Graphic Novels Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Babymouse is a work of fiction, but it fits perfectly with this week’s theme. It’s time for student council elections and Babymouse has decided to run for president. While trying to find a platform, she struggles to define her beliefs. During the debate Babymouse learns something about herself and what she stands for. Fans of the graphic novel series will laugh at her almost impossible promises and elect to re-read it.

TOWNSEND, Michael. Where Do Presidents Come From? And Other Presidential Stuff of Super-Great Importance. Dial. 2012. ISBN 9780803737488. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Written in graphic novel-style, Townsend uses humor to tell the history of presidential elections. Interrupting the narrative are various comic relief characters―clowns, bunnies, and even talking numbers. He explains the electoral college, the White House going-ons, and what presidents do. Older students will enjoy the jokes, while simultaneously learning about presidential facts. Includes a bibliography and websites for further research.

ROSENSTOCK, Barb. illus. by Mordicai Gerstein. The Camping Trip that Changed America: Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, and our National Parks. Dial. 2012.

Long before there were national parks, Theodore Roosevelt asked John Muir to take him on a camping trip in the Sierras. He wanted to know if the wilderness was truly endangered. So in 1903, Roosevelt sent his men ahead and spent one night under the shelter of the redwoods with his guide. The pair rode into Yosemite Valley and on their last night together, Muir explained how the development of new cities and the search for gold were clearing away the forests. He asked the politician to protect the wilderness. When the future President returned home, he pushed Congress to pass laws in favor of that cause. He then went on to establish national parks and forests. Rosenstock tells a powerful story about a camping trip that truly changed America.

KATZ, Susan. illus. by Robert Neubecker. The President’s Stuck in the Bathtub: Poems About the Presidents. Clarion. 2012. ISBN  9780547182216. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Finally, with a good dose of humor, in classic form, Katz shares a poem about each president, starting with Washington and ending with Obama. In very few words, readers get a glimpse of a Commander-in-Chief who was so small he was referred to as “The Great Little Madison.” John Quincy Adams was fond of swimming naked. Taft got stuck in the bathtub. Buchanan had a habit of tilting his head to one side while he tried to focus his eyes. Arthur changed the presidential song. Theodore Roosevelt was one of the boys and participated in pillow fights with his sons. Filled with facts of all kinds, this presidential poetry book is not to be missed―whether it’s an election year or not.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

DOYLE, Roddy. Greyhound of a Girl. Amulet, 2012. ISBN 9781419701689. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Twelve-year-old Mary meets a new, mysterious woman one day after school. Mary’s head is full of worries at the time, so she doesn’t think much of it. Her best friend has moved away. Her mom ends every sentence in an exclamation point! Her beloved Granny is very ill in the hospital. Oddly enough, no one new has moved into her neighborhood. What’s even odder is that sometimes when she looks at the old woman, it’s as though she can see through her. Then the old woman gives Mary a message to take to her Granny. She seems to know her well, and she should, for she is Granny’s mother. She’s been dead since Granny was a little girl.

In a story that blends the past with the present, four separate Irish voices weave an adventure that is part family story and part ghost story. Like most ghost stories, Tansey has a purpose for remaining with the living. She needs the help of Mary and her mother to complete that task. Their final adventure plays out like a scene from The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (Harper, 2004).

FLEMING, Candice. On the Day I Died: Stories from the Grave. Schwartz & Wade Books, 2012. ISBN 9780375967818. JLG Level: C : Advanced Readers (Grades 6-9)

Author of many award winning nonfiction books, Fleming believes that sometimes the scariest stories begin with a bit of the truth. Beginning with a version of the traditional pick-up-the-dead-girl story, readers are treated to ten stories about how these young people died too soon. Mike has picked up a girl who, as it turns out, actually died years ago. When he tries to return the shoes she left, he is directed to the cemetery where teenagers are dying to tell their stories. One by one, the dead reveal the truth―about the day they died.

Using voices from different time periods, Fleming’s new book takes her love of Chicago history and blends it with her fondness of ghost stories. Concluding author notes give source information about the stories. Lovers of history and hauntings alike will shudder.

MCNAMEE, Graham. Beyond: A Ghost Story. Wendy Lamb Books, 2012. ISBN 9780385906876. JLG Level: HI : High-Interest High School (Grades 10 & up)

If a person ever needed nine lives, it would be Jane. When the story begins, she has a nail (from a nail gun) in her head. It’s not the first time Jane has encountered near death experiences. She grabbed a live power line. She stood on a rail as a train approached. Folks say she’s suicidal, but Jane has a witness. Her best friend, Lexi, saw the shadow hold her to the tracks. What they don’t understand is what her shadow wants and why it keeps trying to kill her.

Both ghost story and mystery, McNamee’s tale holds the reader in an unrelenting grip. Readers will puzzle over the clues and read faster and faster to come to its thrilling conclusion. What are these dreams that Jane has? What does the skull of the dead boy have to do with her shadow? Who killed these missing boys? How does Jane save herself while fighting her shadow? It’s a ghost story with a frightening secret.

PAULS, Chris and Matt Solomon. Deck Z: The Titanic. Chronicle Books, 2012. IBSN 9781452108032. JLG Level: PBH : Paperbacks High School (Grades 10 & up)

It doesn’t really matter that this is the 100^th year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, as the subject is always hugely popular. Deck Z, however, is no retelling of the research on the building or sinking of the ocean liner. The brilliant premise is this: take a biological weapon and run away with it on an ocean liner sailing to America. Dr. Weiss is a German scientist who discovers a plague that turns its victims into zombies. Though he wants to use his findings to create a cure for other diseases, the German army has other ideas. Planning to use the Toxic to start a zombie army, they anticipate that Russia will use all its funds to stop them and Germany can win the war.

When Dr. Weiss learns of the plot, he does the only possible thing―run for America. The problem is that he took the vial with him and left a trail for the Germans to follow. Once on board, the Toxic is released and zombies take over the E Deck, turning it into Deck Z.

Using known research and inserting fantastic events from the zombie plague, Pauls and Solomon create a riveting mystery. The band plays on to distract the zombies from boarding the lifeboats. More people die on Deck E than any other. The architect goes down with the ship. Who is after the Toxic? Can the passengers defeat the zombies? What happens to Dr. Weiss? Does he invent a cure? You’ll have to read it for yourself―you’ll never believe it until you do.

POBLOCKI, Dan. The Ghost of Graylock. Scholastic Press, 2012. ISBN 9780545402682. JLG Level: C : Advanced Readers (Grades 6-9)

Neil and Bree are spending the summer with their aunts. The tale of how Nurse Janet killed three children from the town’s psychiatric hospital sends them to visit Graylock Hospital themselves. After a traumatic visit, Neil and Bree find that something may have followed them home. There is lake weed in the tub and toilet and pools of water by their beds. They begin to have the same horrifying dreams. Determined to solve the mystery, they take their new friends into danger until the ghost world and reality collide.

Did Nurse Janet really kill those children? Why is her son so angry at the teenagers? When dreams begin to feel real, how can they prevent the ghost of Graylock from drowning them? Can they reveal the murderer before they lose their own lives? Poblocki’s ghost mystery that is sure to haunt your readers.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

BAR-EL, Dan. Illustrated by David Huyck. That One Spooky Night. Kids Can Press, 2012. ISBN 9781554537518. JLG Level: GE : Graphic Novels Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Big yellow eyes are featured on the front cover of this Halloween graphic novel, presented in three short stories. Youngsters go trick-or-treating with real witches and vampires. Mermaids and sea monsters lead two brothers on an underwater adventure. It all happened that one spooky night. Or did it?

GOODRICH, Carter. Zorro Gets an Outfit. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012. ISBN 9781442435353. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K)

Maybe you want a Halloween tale, but your students prefer tamer titles. Enter a dog named Zorro. Zorro and his friend Mister Bud have an average kind of life. They eat. They sleep. They go for a walk. They eat dog biscuits. Today is different. Zorro gets an outfit―a fitted mask with attached cloak. “Zorro was embarrassed. He didn’t want to go for a walk.” All the other dogs make fun of him until a new dog comes running through the park―in his own get-up. No longer outsiders, Zorro and Mister Bud run and play with the new guy. Spending time with his new friend makes him realize that maybe wearing a costume isn’t such a strange idea after all.

JENKINS, Emily. Illustrated by Harry Bliss. Invisible Inkling: Dangerous Pumpkins. Balzer + Bray, 2012. ISBN 9780061802232. JLG Level: HE : Humor Elementary (grades 2-6)

Sometimes a book’s fear factor is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder. Jenkins delivers just the right mix of laughter and terror in the second book about Hank and the invisible bandapat. Hank is having a hard time in school. His friends are far and few between. His big sister thinks he is a bother. And most importantly, he lies all the time in order to protect Inkling, his bandapat. When Inkling gets Hank into trouble after trouble, a Halloween ghost delivers a surprise that does more than scare everyone.

MCELLIGOTT, Matthew. Even Aliens Needs Snacks. Walker & Company, 2012. ISBN 9780802723994. JLG Level: P+ : Primary (Grades K-1)

“My mom says I’m a good cook…[My sister] says that no one in the whole universe would eat the things I cook.”  A young boy who wants to become a chef has a strange experience one night. His first customer is from out of town― way out of town. Arriving by spaceship, the alien seems to like his mushroom iced tea. Every night the boy creates new dishes for hungry aliens. Filled with great illustrations and a good dose of humor, McElligott’s new tale is a great read aloud for your primary readers.

JONES, Diane Wynne. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. Earwig and the Witch. Greenwillow Books, 2012. ISBN 9780062075116. JLG Level: I : Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)

For your independent readers, Diane Wynne Jones has a new “orphan” book. Earwig leaves the orphanage to become a foster child at the house of a witch. Not willing to be bullied, she devises a foolproof plan and learns some magic along the way. Graduating fans of Clementine and Lucy Rose will love her. Zelinsky’s illustrations evoke Quentin Blake and enhance the hilarious tone.

REYNOLDS, Aaron. Illustrations by Peter Brown. Creepy Carrots.  Simon & Schuster, 2012. ISBN 9781442402973. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K-1)

Sometimes a guilty conscience may make you see things. So after you steal carrots, you may see the orange vegetables following you after school. You may see them watching you from under the bed or in the closet. You may see them hiding in the tool shed and bathroom. Guilt can also drive you to action. Building a fence with a moat seems to be the best solution for keeping the creepy carrots at bay in this cautionary tale. Use of orange as a highlight against a dark and scary background adds to the “creep” factor. Your young readers will delight in being scared and laugh out loud at the surprising conclusion.

SPECK, Katie. Illustrated by Paul Ratz de Tagyos. Maybelle and the Haunted Cupcake. Henry Holt and Company, 2012. ISBN 9780805094688. JLG Level: I : Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)

Maybelle the cockroach and Henry the flea team up in this comic story. No bugs are allowed at Mrs. Peabody’s residence at Number 10 Grand Street, but Bernice the ant is oblivious to any danger. When the miniature cupcakes are too much for Maybelle to resist, Mrs. Peabody is sure that the moving cupcakes are haunted. Will Bernice get the cupcake? Can her new friends save her from the cat and extinction? How does Maybelle like being the Queen? Find out in this mini-mystery for your independent readers.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. These new informational texts are scary, bizarre, but grossly enlightening.

ALBRIGHT, Rosie. Detection Rats. PowerKids Pr. 2012. ISBN 9781448861491. JLG Level: CK2: Series Nonfiction: Science K-2 (Grades K-2)

Detection Rats introduces primary readers to African pouched rats in this volume of the Animal Detectives series. With a large font and controlled vocabulary, kids learn that these large rats can be trained to use their sense of smell to locate land mines. They are also taught to decipher diseases. Includes an index, words to know, and links to websites.

FRANCHINO, Vicky. Tarantulas. Scholastic. 2012. ISBN 9780531209080. JLG Level: C35: Series Nonfiction: Science 3-5 (Grades 3-5)

Fondly known in elementary school libraries as “those blue animal books,” Tarantulas is part of the “Nature’s Children” series, and is filled with full-page photographs that will have your students quoting facts as if they were the scientists who discovered them. Some of those tidbits include: Tarantulas have eight eyes but their vision isn’t very good; they don’t have teeth, so they liquefy their victims in order to digest them; their stomach muscle acts like a straw and draws the liquid in. From fun facts to vanishing habitats, this “blue book” is sure pique interest and fly off the shelf.

JENKINS, Steve. The Beetle Book. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547680842. JLG Level: SCE: Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

“Line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth…and one of every four will be a beetle.” With gorgeous torn paper illustrations, Jenkins again delivers fascinating research about more than 75 beetles. The poison in an iron cross blister beetle can kill a horse. When a deathwatch beetle bores into the walls of a house, its taps are loud enough for a person to hear. A female firefly may use her light to attract a mate and then eat him. Full size illustrations and highlighted enlargements strengthen the text.

Consider using the concluding list of beetles for your students to use in their research. What other amazing facts can your students discover?

JOHNSON, Rebecca L. Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature’s Undead. Millbrook Pr. 2012. ISBN 9780761386339. JLG Level: SCE: Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Easily the most memorable, information-rich, and intriguing book in this list, Zombie Makers will send shivers up your spine. A jewel wasp locates a particular place in the brain of a cockroach and causes it to become a zombie. It lays its eggs in the body where they remain until they hatch and eat the roach (which is still alive). Scientists learned about zombie ants and the fungus that claimed them when they discovered that the ants were nearly all found in cool places about 10 feet from the ground. They observed zombie crickets drowning themselves in a pool. When they pulled them away from the water, the crickets walked right back into it. Nearly all of the crickets had the same fungus.

Horrific and amazing, these gross facts will have you reading aloud―and leaving the light on at night. You may never look at flies, roaches, wasps, and worms the same way―ever again.

WOOLF, Alex. Killer Crocodiles. Arcturus. 2012. ISBN 9781848379473. JLG Level: C35: Series Nonfiction: Science 3-5 (Grades 3-5 )

Magazinelike in layout, this volume from the “Animal Attack” series, explores the world of the crocodilian. It is the family of aquatic reptiles that includes alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gharials. Punctuated by sidebars, the two-page spread highlights a topic with facts while drawing in reluctant readers with “Snack on This!” American crocodiles regurgitate their food to use as bait to attract their next meal. Crocodilians cannot chew, so they bite their food into pieces and throw their heads back to help it go down their throats. Full glossary and index complete the text and make it an excellent choice for your nonfiction fans.

And the shape of wombat poop? Unusual Creatures by Michael Hearst spills the facts― wombat’s feces is a six-sided cube. Why? You’ll have to read it to find out.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Coming back to well-known characters and settings is also helpful to youngsters. Since they already know the backstory, struggling readers can concentrate on the new problem. Revisiting the familiar can also give fans a comforting feeling. How many times have you snatched a book off the shelf when you realized it was the next title in a favorite series? Get ready for long lines and pre-orders for these new entries in popular series.

This fall brings familiar characters back into our lives. Interestingly enough, several of these returns are not just the annual next-book-in-the-series. Many of these favorites-to-be are long-awaited sequels, prequels, or companions written by award-winning authors.

BERLIN, Eric. The Puzzler’s Mansion. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2012. ISBN 9780399256974. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Winston Breen returns in Book Two of The Puzzling World of Winston Breen series. During a weekend at a famous pianist’s mansion, Winston and his friends intend to solve the puzzles. When the prizes are stolen, the boys want to solve the mystery as well. Full of word games and other conundrums, this fast-paced mystery keeps readers guessing. Unique characters with their own agendas add to the entertainment value of the story. Who is stealing the prizes? Why would a famous musician give away his prized possessions? And how can a tiny toy piano be a clue?

Readers will want to go to the author’s website to print out the puzzles sprinkled throughout the book.

ERDRICH, Louise. Chickadee. Harper, 2012. ISBN 9780060577919. JLG Level: A : Intermediate Readers (Grades 3-5)

This latest installment in the Birchbark House series picks up four years after Book Three. Time has passed, as Omakayas is now a young mother with eight-year-old twins. In 1866, Chickadee is picked on by an older man from their extended tribe. Makoons defends his brother’s honor by playing a prank. The bully’s sons retaliate by kidnapping Chickadee. In a story that takes the family from Minnesota to the Great Plains, readers will learn about the culture and history of the Ojibwe while rooting for the family to be reunited. An assortment of multigenerational characters and periodic spots of pencil sketches add to this painless lesson in history.

HORVATH, Polly. One Year in Coal Harbor. Schwartz & Wade Books, 2012. ISBN 9780375969706. JLG Level: B : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

In this companion book to the Newbery Honor book Everything on a Waffle (Farrar, 2001), Primrose Sharp returns for another year of adventure. “It is a terrible thing to have pockets of emptiness where something or someone should be.” Filling those holes is just what Primrose wants to do. She thinks Uncle Jack has a hole that should be filled with Miss Bowzer. Zed, the new foster boy, comes along and fills a hole that Primrose didn’t even know she had. After all, everyone needs a best friend. And then there is the big question: Should Primrose allow herself to be arrested?

Horvath’s wit and wisdom continue and each chapter concludes with recipes.

MCKAY, Hilary. Caddy’s World. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2012. ISBN 9781442441057. JLG Level: B : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Already a JLG selection and three starred reviews, Caddy’s World continues the story of the Casson family which started with the award-winning, Saffy’s Angels (S&S/McElderry, 2002). In this prequel, Caddy is a mere 12, taking center stage in the coming of age story. Moving, changing schools, new siblings, and boys all figure into the plot with classic McKay-humor and poignancy. With the premature birth of baby sister, Rose, Caddy’s father becomes the stay-at-home-dad he has seldom been. For the four friends, “AlisonRubyanBethanme,” life is a struggle, with each problem driving them further apart.

Those who have read the other five books will be glad to see the return of the chaotic Casson family. Newcomers will be first in line to read the series.

SPINELLI, Jerry. Third Grade Angels. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2012. ISBN 9780545387729. JLG Level: I+ : Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)  

In 1991, Spinelli published Fourth Grade Rats (Scholastic), introducing George “Suds” Morton to his readers. Third Grade Angels backs Suds up to third grade in this long-awaited prequel. His teacher will give a monthly prize to the best behaved student in her class. Suds wants to earn the halo, but being good all the time is not so easy. Does it count when I’m kind at home? What if the new boy gets me in trouble? Suds tries hard, but will it be enough?

Spinelli’s book is a great read aloud with enormous potential for class discussion. Don’t we all want to win the prize?

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

These picture-book gems not only tell a story, but they also provide nonfiction text features, including  glossaries, bibliographies, websites, primary source documentation, and author notes. The bonus for librarians and teachers is that many of the titles mentioned below are geared toward older readers but are also great read alouds.

As you may have recently heard at The Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards and Colloquium at Simmons College, picture books are not dead. In fact, they are constantly changing. At the event, award-winning illustrators Erin E. Stead and Jon Klassen concur that they have just begun to experiment with the form, and  the “Picture Book Proclamation” penned by author Mac Barnett, states that “we believe that a picture book should fresh, honest, piquant, and beautiful.”

The following are some of 2012’s best biographies.

FERRIS, Jeri Chase. Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch. Noah Webster & His Words. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012. ISBN 9780547390550. JLG Level: BE : Biography Elementary (Grades 2-6)
Noah came from a long line of farmers. “But Noah did not want to be in that long line. Not at all.” When Noah was found studying instead of working on the farm, his father went to his teacher who “CON-VINCED [verb: overcame by argument] him that Noah should be in school. So Noah went to Yale College at age 15. In 1781, Noah wrote his first book, an American speller that would unite the new country by spelling words “the same way, every time, everywhere.” His blue-backed speller became the first American schoolbook and cost 14 cents. In 1807, Noah decided he needed to show where words came from and what they meant. With this decision, he began the writing and research of a book that would come to be the second best-selling book ever printed in English: Webster’s Dictionary.

HOPKINSON, Deborah. Illustrated by Raul Colon. Annie and Helen. Schwartz & Wade Books, 2012. ISBN 9780375957062. JLG Level: BE : Biography Elementary (Grades 2-6)
For her first teaching assignment, Annie Sullivan boarded a train in Boston and traveled thousands of miles to Alabama. Her first student was Helen Keller. Being partially blind herself, Annie knew Helen’s temper tantrums stemmed from her inability to communicate. Punctuated with excerpts from Annie’s letters, Hopkinson tells the story of two people who overcame physical disabilities and forged new frontiers. Beautiful watercolor illustrations complement the text and contribute to the time and setting of the story. The account ends with a photograph of Helen’s first handwritten letter home, just four months after her training with Annie began.

MARKLE, Michelle. Illustrated by Amanda Hall. The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau.  Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2012. ISBN 9780802853646. JLG Level: BE : Biography Elementary (Grades 2-6)
Henri Rousseau was 40 years old when he decided he wanted to paint. He loved nature and wanted to capture his feelings on canvas. Year after year, critics ridiculed his work. “If you want to have a good laugh, go see the paintings of Henri Rousseau.” Yet, Rousseau never gave up. He observed, painted, and continued to enter his works in exhibits. When he was 61 years old, he painted The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope. For the first time, not everyone was critical, and he developed a following. Today he is known as a great artist, inspiring many. Rousseau’s life and work are brought to life through an amazing story and illustrations.

NOBLEMAN, Marc Tyler. Illustrated by Ty Templeton. Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret of Co-Creator of Batman. Charlesbridge, 2012. ISBN  9781580892896. JLG Level: BE : Biography Elementary (Grades 2-6)
Nobleman reveals that Bob Kane was not the writer of the long-lasting Batman comics; in fact, Bill Finger, using secret identities, not only anonymously wrote the comics, he also came up with the original look and concept of the famous character. Iron-clad contracts kept Finger, who died in 1974, from getting credit. In the author’s notes, readers learn that Nobleman conducted diligent research, uncovering not only primary source documents, but also more pictures than had ever been found before.  And, perhaps most importantly, he found Finger’s last living heir. Not just for comic book fans, readers will be caught up in the life of a creative genius and the secret he kept so soundly.

RAY, Deborah Kogan. Paiute Princess: The Story of Sarah Winnemucca. Frances Foster Books, 2012. ISBN  9780374398972. JLG Level: BE : Biography Elementary (Grades 2-6)
Ray tells the tragic story of the Paiute tribe in the 1800s when white settlers continued to take over their land. As a young girl, Thocmetony believed what her grandfather told her about the settlers: “You must not be afraid. They are very good [people].” Sarah Winnemucca, as Thocmetony became known, was sent to live with a white family and went to school. As she grew older, she became a champion for her tribe. She fought for education, staging dramatic events to raise money to help her people. She fought against corruption and abuses within the Bureau of Indian Affairs , and became an interpreter for the Army. The “Paiute Princess” spent her life trying to bring peace. Ray tells a story of prejudice, unfair policies, the mistreatment of women and children, and of a strong woman who lived in two worlds and fought to gain respect and dignity for her people.

STANBRIDGE, Joanne. The Extraordinary Music of Mr. Ives: The True Story of a Famous American Composer.. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012. ISBN  9780547238661. JLG Level: E+ : Easy Reading (Grades 1-3)
“Even the most ordinary sounds are like songs to Mr. Ives. He writes music as busy as a city street.” Sadly, no one wanted to listen. Mr. Ives wrote his music anyway. In 1915 the ocean liner, Lusitania, was hit by an enemy torpedo. It took the lives of a thousand innocent passengers. The horrors of war struck the people of New York. Mr. Ives could not write, but one day he heard a man playing a hymn at a train station and was inspired to create a song. More than 50 years passed before anyone heard this masterpiece. Finally, composers listened to his music and liked  and understood it. Stanbridge’s wordless account of the sinking of the ocean liner makes the story all the more poignant. The scene at the train station will fill readers’ hearts, and strains of “Gather at the River” will echo in their ears.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

BARNETT, MAC. Chloe and the Lion. illus. by Adam Rex. Disney/Hyperion. 2012. ISBN 9781423113348. JLG Level: HE: Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6)

What begins as a tale about a little girl who meets a lion, ends in a power struggle for artistic control. Author and illustrator meet in a pen-to-brush battle each trying to prove who has the most important role in telling a story. When Chloe gets lost in the forest, the author wants her to meet a lion. The illustrator thinks that a dragon would be cooler. With interrupting Claymation panels and bubble speech, the hilarious debate continues until Chloe sees her chance to save the day.

BLACK, Michael Ian. I’m Bored. illus. by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. S & S. 2012. ISBN 9781442414037. JLG Level: P: Primary (Grades K-1)

Kids have great imaginations. Sometimes, though, they get bored. In a moment of frustration, this story’s protagonist has no intention of allowing a potato, of all things, to get away with thinking that kids are not fun. After all, they can turn cartwheels. They can play games. “Kids can do ANYTHING!!!” Ohi’s simple drawings and creative placement of text create a story with visual impact that’s anything but boring.

KLASSEN, Jon. This Is Not My Hat. Candlewick. 2012. ISBN 9780763655990. JLG Level P: Primary (Grades K-1)

In the long-awaited sequel-of-sorts to I Want My Hat Back (Candlewick, 2011), two things remain the same. There is a hat. It is taken. In a different setting under different circumstances, a hat is missing. The story begins: “This hat is not mine. I just stole it.” He stole it from a big fish. He has lots of excuses: “It was too small for him anyway. It fits me just right.” He expects to get away with it―probably. With plenty of room for suspense, Klassen delivers another solid humorous story for your storytimes. And you don’t have to read the previous title to enjoy this one.

LEVINE, Gail Carson. Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems. illus. by Matthew Cordell. HarperCollins. 2012. ISBN 9780061787263. JLG Level: HE: Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Anyone who has ever taken a poetry class knows William Carlos Williams’ poem, “This is Just to Say.” It’s the classic insincere apology. Levine takes characters from fairy tales and childhood rhymes and uses their voices to falsely apologize. “You fell and cracked your skull on the hill/ where I had carefully placed a banana peel/ Forgive me/Jill is now my girlfriend.” She breaks tradition and slips in the introduction about six poems into the book. As if she can read our minds, there is even a poem about the consequences of skipping around to read the poems. Brilliant and marvelously funny!

VIORST, Judith. Lulu Walks the Dogs. illus. by Lane Smith. S & S/Atheneum. 2012. ISBN 9781442435797. JLG Level: I+: Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)

In this sequel to Lulu and the Brontosaurus (S & S, 2010), Lulu wants something that she will have to “EARN THE MONEY TO GET.” She decides she will walk dogs. Complicating the plot (other than she knows little about her new job) is Fleischman, an overly helpful neighbor boy who seems to know everything about dog walking. Complimenting Viorst’s text are wonderful illustrations by Lane Smith. How could you not laugh? It’s a partnership bound for success.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

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