School Library Journal» Knopf http://www.slj.com The world's largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:52:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 Pick of the Day: Toys in Space http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/pick-of-the-day-toys-in-space/ http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/pick-of-the-day-toys-in-space/#comments Wed, 26 Jun 2013 09:00:33 +0000 SLJ http://www.slj.com/?p=49711 toys in space Pick of the Day: Toys in Spacestar Pick of the Day: Toys in SpaceGREY, Mini. Toys in Space. illus. by author. 32p. Knopf. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97812-7; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97815-8.
K-Gr 2–In this wonderfully offbeat story-within-a-story, a little boy forgets his toys in the garden. Afraid of spending the night outside, the toys ask WonderDoll, leader of the bunch, to tell them a tale as a distraction. WonderDoll spins an exciting yarn about the Hoctopize, an alien who collects abandoned toys aboard his ship while searching for his own lost Cuddles. When the alien beams up WonderDoll and company, captivating adventures commence. The toys help the Hoctopize realize that his captives should be returned home and throw him a party to cheer him up, which lasts until dawn. Clever layouts of the cartoonish but highly expressive illustrations divide the action of WonderDoll’s story from the toys’ reactions. While WonderDoll’s narrative occupies the larger part of the spreads, the toys’ hilarious speech-balloon commentary is relegated to a smaller sidebar. This picture book is for fans of Grey’s previous quirky stories or other animate toy adventures such as the longer Emily Jenkins’s Toys Go Out (Random, 2006) or Michael Rosen’s Red Ted and the Lost Things (Candlewick, 2009).–Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

]]> http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/pick-of-the-day-toys-in-space/feed/ 0 Pick of the Day: Far Far Away http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-far-far-away/ http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-far-far-away/#comments Wed, 05 Jun 2013 09:00:55 +0000 SLJ http://www.slj.com/?p=46552 star Pick of the Day: Far Far Awayfar far away Pick of the Day: Far Far AwayMCNEAL, Tom. Far Far Away. 370p. Knopf. June 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-84972-5; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-94972-2; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89698-9. LC 2012020603.
Gr 6 Up–McNeal spins a tale fluctuating from whimsy to macabre in such a beguiling voice that–like Hansel and Gretel–readers won’t realize they’re enmeshed in his dangerous seduction until it’s too late. The book is narrated by the ghost of Jacob Grimm (yes, that one), unhappily caught in the Zwischenraum (a plane of existence between life and death). For now, he is the nearly constant companion of Jeremy Johnson Johnson, who can hear Grimm’s voice when he presses a finger to his right temple. He’s also heard the voices of his dying mother and grandfather. This ability has made him an object of derision for many in his little town, though–thrillingly–not to the electrifyingly vibrant Ginger Boultinghouse, who is more than happy to lure Jeremy into more trouble than he’s ever encountered. Grimm tries to be the voice of reason–to keep Jeremy safe–but few things are as they initially seem in the town of Never Better and it’s difficult to know the difference between hazard and opportunity. It’s also hard to know the good folk from the bad and that’s because so many of McNeal’s characters are complex and have conflicted motivations. When is a bully not so bad? Where’s the line between justifiable grief and parental neglect? Can an older man love a teenager in a way that’s not creepy? How do stories nourish us? At what point do they stifle us? All these questions, and many more, are raised in this folklore-inflected, adventurous, romantic fantasy. Whether readers connect more deeply with the suspense, the magical elements, or the gloriously improbable love story, they will come away with a lingering taste of enchantment.–Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Library, NY

Read an interview with Tom McNeal on Far Far Away.

]]> http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-far-far-away/feed/ 0 Pick of the Day: Out of Nowhere http://www.slj.com/2013/04/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-out-of-nowhere/ http://www.slj.com/2013/04/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-out-of-nowhere/#comments Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:00:19 +0000 SLJ http://www.slj.com/?p=37770 out of nowhere Pick of the Day: Out of Nowherestar Pick of the Day: Out of NowherePADIAN, Maria. Out of Nowhere. 338p. Knopf. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86580-0; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96580-7; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89610-1. LC 2012005653.
Gr 9 Up–Tom Bouchard’s small Maine hometown has become a key secondary migration location for Somali immigrants, and the local high school is overwhelmed with helping these students adjust to their new surroundings. As captain of the soccer team, Tom follows his instincts and recruits a Somali player, cashing in on Saeed’s talents and unique playing style. In the wake of a racially charged incident on their home turf, the team goes on to beat their crosstown rival, sparking racist reactions both from the opposition and local authorities. To classify Out of Nowhere as a sports story sells it short. Soccer is certainly an element, with a fair amount of play-by-play action (and standard locker-room language), but the novel is rich and multidimensional, addressing the Muslim experience in America, addiction, and romance. Tom is an authentic narrator who deals out life-changing empathy.–Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL

]]> http://www.slj.com/2013/04/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-out-of-nowhere/feed/ 0 Pictures of the Week: Bankstreet Students Debate Diversity; Elizabeth Eulberg at TEDxTeen 2013 http://www.slj.com/2013/03/events/pictures-of-the-week-bankstreet-students-debate-diversity-elizabeth-eulberg-at-tedxteen-2013/ http://www.slj.com/2013/03/events/pictures-of-the-week-bankstreet-students-debate-diversity-elizabeth-eulberg-at-tedxteen-2013/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:52:31 +0000 SLJ http://www.slj.com/?p=36551 Please send your pictures of the week to mdar@mediasourceinc.com.

 

editorsknopf Pictures of the Week: Bankstreet Students Debate Diversity; Elizabeth Eulberg at TEDxTeen 2013

Knopf editors Erin Clarke and Michelle Frey discuss diversity, race, gender, and the portrayal of characters on book covers with students at the Bankstreet School for Children in New York City.

Studentsreadingbooks1 Pictures of the Week: Bankstreet Students Debate Diversity; Elizabeth Eulberg at TEDxTeen 2013

Bankstreet School students examine various book covers.

Author Pictures of the Week: Bankstreet Students Debate Diversity; Elizabeth Eulberg at TEDxTeen 2013

Author Elizabeth Eulberg with student Macallan Durkin at TEDXTeen in New York City. Eulberg met Macallan at last year’s TEDXTeen and was so taken by her name, she decided to use it in an upcoming novel. Though the author never had the chance to tell the teen, she was reunited with her this year. Photo by Rocco Staino.

]]> http://www.slj.com/2013/03/events/pictures-of-the-week-bankstreet-students-debate-diversity-elizabeth-eulberg-at-tedxteen-2013/feed/ 0 Pick of the Day: The Fire Chronicle http://www.slj.com/2012/10/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-the-fire-chronicle/ http://www.slj.com/2012/10/books-media/reviews/pick-of-the-day/pick-of-the-day-the-fire-chronicle/#comments Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:16:18 +0000 SLJ http://www.slj.com/?p=17800 STEPHENS, John. The Fire Chronicle. Bk. 2. 436p. (The Books of Beginning Series). Knopf. Oct. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86871-9; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96871-6; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89956-0. Gr 4-7–Fifteen-year-old Kate, almost 13-year-old Michael, and 12-year-old Emma don’t know why Dr. Pym sent them back to the dreadful orphanage at the end of The Emerald Atlas (Knopf, 2011), but Kate, who learned to control the power of the Atlas to travel through time, knows they need to leave as soon as [...]]]> star Pick of the Day: The Fire ChronicleSTEPHENS, John. The Fire Chronicle. Bk. 2. 436p. (the fire chronicle bk 2 Pick of the Day: The Fire ChronicleThe Books of Beginning Series). Knopf. Oct. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86871-9; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96871-6; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89956-0.
Gr 4-7–Fifteen-year-old Kate, almost 13-year-old Michael, and 12-year-old Emma don’t know why Dr. Pym sent them back to the dreadful orphanage at the end of The Emerald Atlas (Knopf, 2011), but Kate, who learned to control the power of the Atlas to travel through time, knows they need to leave as soon as possible. In the first chapter of Chronicle, a monstrous Screecher attacks, and Kate lures it into the past at the exact moment Dr. Pym appears to retrieve Michael and Emma. While Kate deals with the Dickensian world of 1899 New York on the eve of Separation, when the magical and mundane worlds will split for good, Michael, Emma, and Pym search for information about the other two books in a variety of unlikely places. This is a roller-coaster ride of a story, which includes old friends and new, a visit to Antarctica, the rescue of an Elf Princess (who is sometimes a dragon), a touch of doomed romance, a generous leavening of humor, life, death, betrayal, and (just a warning) a nasty little cliff-hanger of an ending. It is really Michael’s story–he deals with unimaginable challenges with humor, courage, and insight. Knowledge of the first book is suggested; readers who start with this one will definitely want to backtrack. Fans of the first book won’t be disappointed, and will eagerly anticipate the next one. The Emerald Atlas was very good. This one is even better.–Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

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