I’m the manager of a small branch of a large library system. I don’t have a children’s librarian on staff, but the children’s librarians at the main library choose the books for the collection. A parent has filed a formal complaint that my staff allowed her nine-year-old daughter to check out Deenie by Judy Blume. How should I handle this?

It sounds as if there are two issues: (1) A problem with your staff (2) A complaint against the book. Make sure that the mother understands that it’s never the role of the librarian to monitor what children read. Then invite the mother to file a book reconsideration form, which I assume is part of your library system’s policy. Deenie is appropriate for most nine-year-olds. The mother needs to tell her daughter if she doesn’t want her to read it. I do think it wise to ask the children’s librarians at the main library to conduct a workshop in children’s services for your staff. They may need reassurance about their roles.

A seventh-grade student brought his mother’s ereader to class on the last day of school. He passed it around so that students could read passages from Fifty Shades of Grey. It created an uproar and the teacher came to the library to ask my help. I really didn’t know what to do.

This is no different from my generation passing around dog-eared copies of Peyton Place. Don’t make a big deal out of the situation. In the future, advise the teacher to simply ask the student to focus on class work and continue reading the book when he gets home.

My friend’s son (an advanced eighth-grade student in the middle school where I’m a librarian) may take ninth-grade English for credit. The summer reading selection for ninth-graders in the school district is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. He is registered for freshman English in the fall, but she doesn’t want him to read the novel. I was her easiest target because she doesn’t know the English teacher. I didn’t know how to handle this.

Do you know for a fact that students weren’t given a reading choice? Many school districts allow students to make a summer reading selection from a list of books provided by English teachers. This accommodates various interests and maturity levels. If this isn’t the case, then the mother has a choice. She can elect to take her son out of the class and put him in regular eighth-grade English. If she insists that he stay in the class, then he needs to complete the requirement. It sounds as if she will listen to you.

I’m taking an online course in children’s services from a university that is located in another part of the country. I have an issue with some of the theories about public library services to children. In my public library system, children are welcome to use the entire library collection. The professor defines children as birth to 11 years old. This makes me feel that I have to defend the policy of my library system.

Children should have free and open access to books and materials. Most children will reject what they aren’t ready for, especially if they don’t feel the materials are forbidden. What about 12- and 14-year-olds who simply want to continue using the children’s room? Does this professor think that they should be banned because they grew up? Your library is on the right track.

Another elementary school in my district had several challenges last year. Since my school library has a number of parent volunteers, I thought it wise to provide them training in hopes of avoiding challenges in my school. What should I tell them?

Two main points: (1) Student privacy is a requirement (2) Leave reader guidance to you. I personally recommend that parent volunteers be used for more clerical types of jobs. If parents want to read aloud to students, then make the reading choice together. Never ask a parent to read aloud something they aren’t comfortable reading.

Though R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike may be our quickest associations with teen screams, horror encompasses a wide array of books. As Susan Chang, senior editor of the children’s and young adult division at Tom Doherty Associates (Tor), says, “I think what we define as ‘horror’ has changed since the heyday of the 1980s and 1990s. Boundaries are more blurred and fluid and so it is more difficult to define.” At the Horror Writers Association site, author Jonathan Maberry has developed a YA-specific blog, It’s Scary Out There, to show how horror isn’t just one type of story.

Maberry explains, “The blog is built around exploring the nature of horror and of fear, how that’s different for teens and adults, and why so many of today’s writers tackle that subject matter. The answers are always surprising. What we’re showing is that horror is different for each person.”

The blog offers interviews with authors Kendare Blake, Darren Shan, Barry Lyga, and Holly Black, with more to come.

Categorizing horror

What is horror if the boundaries are difficult to define? It’s any work where the emotions of fear, dread, and/or disgust drive the narrative. Readers either love or hate horror because it forces them to experience reading in a visceral way. Because it’s defined by how individual readers interpret a story, what one sees as horror may not resonate that way to another.

Horror isn’t comprised solely of monsters. It also consists of the everyday darkness YA readers experience. “Horror isn’t always necessarily supernatural,” Maberry notes. “[In a forthcoming blog interview] Ellen Hopkins will discuss peer pressure as horror.” Dark realistic fiction, serial killer stories, and psychological thrillers may not be “traditional” horror, but they can elicit equally strong responses of fear or dread.

Chang suggests that the decline of mass market publishing, common in the 1980s and 1990s, means readers see horror in a new way. “With the change in format to hardcover and trade paperback, horror now seems to be considered more ‘literary’ and ‘upscale,’ and perhaps taken more seriously.”

Defining the horror reader can be challenging. As Brian Farrey-Lutz, acquisitions editor at Flux, says, “I think the true horror fans can be hard to pin down. There are definitely hardcore horror fans who can’t get enough of it. But I think the people who enjoy horror occasionally and don’t seek it out on a regular basis are a larger group.”

Is there a horror trend?

Maybe because we’ve become used to trends and “the next big thing” in YA, we can overlook staples like horror that don’t fall neatly into one genre. Yet, it continues to command shelf space and endear readers.

“If we’re seeing a spike in horror, it’s because there’s a need for something different,” says Farrey-Lutz. “I think horror is sticking its toes in the YA waters to test the temperature and see if there’s enough interest to merit a wave.”

The surge of dystopian and postapocalyptic YA novels in recent years taps directly into the interest in horror, Mayberry says. “[Teens] don’t read it to indulge in downbeat nihilism. Rather the reverse. My generation thought we were going to fix the world and solve all of society’s problems. We tried, we did some good, but let’s face it: the world is a mess. We may have lost some of our optimism about the future, but the teens expect to live in the future. They’re taking the broken fall and they’re going to fix it and run with it.”

Horror captures the attention of teens of all reading abilities–advanced and reluctant readers find it compelling because it’s something to which they relate. Sure, they may not be fighting zombies or ending decades-long curses, but those stories serve as metaphors for the challenges they face every day. In many ways, the ability to slip into fictional horrors offers an escape from their own sometimes-scary realities.

Ripper tales and serial killers

Perhaps due in part to TV shows like Dexter—which stars a Miami Police Department employee who moonlights as a serial killer—there’s been a rise in stories about murder. Starting with The Name of the Star (Putnam, 2012), Maureen Johnson’s “Shades of London” trilogy follows Rory at her boarding school in modern-day London, where a rash of killings echoing those of Jack the Ripper throws everyone into panic.

Stefan Petrucha’s Ripper (Philomel, 2012) is set in New York City, 1895, during a series of Ripper-like murders. When the Pinkerton Agency gives 14-year-old Carver an apprenticeship, the cases multiply. Does Carver have a tie to the killer?

How about having a dad who kills for a living? That’s 17-year-old Jazz’s story in Barry Lyga’s trilogy, which begins with I Hunt Killers (Little, Brown, 2012). Jazz helps police hunt for a new killer in town in an effort to keep his own name clear.

Peter Adam Salomon’s Henry Franks (Flux, 2012)—a modernization of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein—begins when Henry questions the accident that took his mother’s life. Things become stranger when a serial killer emerges in town.

In Kate Brian’s Shadowlands (2012), even the Witness Protection Program can’t shield Rory Miller from a serial killer. In her old hometown, she barely escaped the hand of Steven Nell, and her new town may not be a safe haven, either. The story continues in Hereafter (2013, both Hyperion).

If murder wasn’t complicated enough, it becomes even murkier in two novels that explore the land between the living and the dead. Daniel Marks’s Velveteen (Delacorte, 2012) follows a 16-year-old slain by a serial killer named Bonesaw. Rather than landing in a happy afterlife, Velveteen’s stuck in a space more like purgatory. In Brenna Yovanoff’s Paper Valentine (Penguin, 2013), all Hannah wants to do is grieve best friend Lillian’s death. But then Lillian’s ghost begs Hannah to investigate a string of teen-girl murders in their small town.

Of sanity and spirits

Psychological horror leaves one question in the minds of both characters and readers: Was what happened real, or the work of something supernatural? At times it’s plausible (and even obvious) that there’s a ghost in charge; at others, it’s possible the horror may be internally constructed.

There’s not a question about the existence of ghosts in Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood (2011) and Girl of Nightmares (2012, both Tor). Cas hunts and kills ghosts. When the teen comes upon a ghost who has vanquished every hunter who dared set sights on her, Cas discovers that she has chosen to spare him.

Spirits and sanity rub against one another quite literally in Carly Anne West’s The Murmurings (S & S, 2013). Sophie’s sister, Nell, was institutionalized for hearing voices—the same voices Sophie finds herself hearing now. As she investigates further, she learns that there just might be something out to get them.

Nova Ren Suma delves into what it means to be haunted in two stirring novels. In Imaginary Girls (2011), Chloe admires her big sister, Ruby, who is beautiful and mysterious. But when a classmate’s body shows up in the reservoir, Chloe questions what parts of her relationship with Ruby are imagined. 17 & Gone (2013, both Dutton) is an even sharper exploration of madness. Lauren sees girls who have gone missing, and what ties them together is their age when they disappeared. But who are they to her? As her 17th birthday inches closer, Lauren worries she’s destined to disappear, too. Think Shirley Jackson, YA style.

The undead

What’s more horrifying than the thought of the dead rising and coming after those still alive? Maybe having to face undead loved ones and deliver the final blow. Chang notes that while the zombie trend may be over—having hit its peak between 2007 and 2009—it has become more “evergreen,” much like vampires. Maberry agrees, “They’re tidal. They may recede from popularity for a while but they always come back.” Zombies have also been kept fresh and fascinating in the media, with TV’s The Walking Dead and the recent film Warm Bodies.

Sloane Price is determined to kill herself, thanks to an abusive home life and a sister who abandoned her, but things fall apart with the appearance of the undead in Courtney Summers’s This Is Not a Test (St. Martin’s, 2012). She’s saved by five teens who bring her to the local high school to endure the outbreak. Will Sloane find any hope for a future?

It begins as any other game in T. Michael Martin’s The End Games (HarperCollins, 2013). Michael and little brother Patrick follow the rules from The Game Master in order to stay alive while the real world around them crumbles. But as rules are changed on them, the boys may be heading nowhere good. For readers who prefer their undead with laughter, there’s Sean Beaudoin’s The Infects (Candlewick, 2012), and those seeking a Gothic flair should try Susan Dennard’s Something Strange and Deadly (HarperCollins, 2012). For an epic-scale tome, suggest Alexander Gordon Smith’s The Fury (Farrar, 2013).

Readers who like their undead unending will enjoy multivolume works such as Jonathan Maberry’s “Benny Imura” series (S & S), Ilsa Bick’s “Ashes” trilogy (Egmont USA), and Darren Shan’s 12-book “Zom-B” series (Little, Brown).

Going Gothic

An interesting trend in recent Gothic horror is the use of visual “found artifacts” to enhance storytelling, which hit big with Ransom Riggs’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Quirk, 2011). Cat Winters’s In the Shadow of Blackbirds (Abrams, 2013) melds a ghost tale with the occult, as Mary watches those around her panicking due to the 1918 influenza outbreak and war overseas. While fellow citizens seek comfort in spirit photographers and séances, Mary eschews them…until the day she is confronted with the ghost of her former boyfriend.

In Madeleine Roux’s Asylum (HarperCollins, 2013), which features eerie photographs, Dan discovers that his new summer dorm used to be a sanatorium for the criminally insane, and he and his new friends begin unlocking the asylum’s dark secrets.

Sarah Rees Brennan’s humorous Unspoken (2012) follows 17-year-old Kami as she falls in love with a boy who only exists in her head. And who is that murderer on the loose? The story continues in Untold (2013, both Random).

In Lindsey Barraclough’s Long Lankin (Candlewick, 2012), Cora and Mimi are sent to live with their aunt in a remote English town, but they’re not greeted with kindness. Besides Aunt Ida’s eccentricities, the girls find the town is full of eerie secrets, all connected to the last time Ida hosted two sisters.

The occult

A horror staple, stories about the occult fascinate not only because they’re taboo, but also because they’re often tied to history.

These two elements mingle effectively in Libba Bray’s The Diviners (Little, Brown, 2012). Evie’s confronted with a grisly killer in 1920s NYC, and her ability to tap into magical powers might be the key to catching the criminal. Readers taken with the spiritualism craze running through Bray’s novel will want to check out Sonia Gensler’s The Dark Between (Knopf, 2013).

The occult also seeps into modern-day tales. In Claudia Gray’s Spellcaster (HarperCollins, 2013), Nadia knows that something isn’t right after she and her family move to Captive’s Sound, and she detects dark spirits with her witch sensibilities. She and local boy Mateo will need to work together to unlock a curse threatening the entire town.

What happens when you start falling head over heels for the devil? Violet finds out in April Genevieve Tucholke’s Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Dial, 2013) when the devil takes the form of a new guy in town. She knows she shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help herself.

For a solid occult-driven series, try Tessa Gratton’s Blood Magic (2011) and The Blood Keeper (2012, both Random), where practicing blood spells puts two teens in grave danger.

Frightening realities

Sometimes, the most horrific stories happen in the real world, where the monsters and demons reside in and beside us all.

Stephanie Kuehn tackles the beast within in Charm & Strange (St. Martin’s, 2013). When Win is sent to a remote boarding school because of a terrible incident, he comes to terms with his inevitable future: with the full moon, he will transform from boy to deranged wolf, just like his father. This dark contemporary novel explores the haunting effects of abuse and mental illness.

Few fathers are as terrifying as Ry Burke’s in Daniel Kraus’s Scowler (Delacorte, 2013). The maximum security prison inmates, including Marvin Burke, are on the loose, and he’s returning to the Iowa farm where once he reigned supreme—and where his brutal attack on Ry’s mom led to his lifetime sentence. Ry pulls from the power of his childhood toys to conjure enough anger to give his dad a true showdown.

Marianna Baer takes her horror in an unexpected direction with Frost (HarperCollins, 2011), wherein main character Leena falls from pulled-together, top-of-the-class girl to one who can’t get out of bed without serious medication. What could cause such a quick shift in someone who seemed to have it all?

Classics, remodeled

Remixed classics continue to serve YA horror readers well. They also offer possibilities for classroom connections to their original literary works.

Reimagining Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Gretchen McNeil sets her slasher Ten (2012) on a quiet island over a weekend meant to be a nonstop party, but it also includes a killer and a trail of blood. Megan Shepherd’s trilogy takes on H. G. Wells’s The Island of Dr. Moreau, beginning with The Madman’s Daughter (2013, both HarperCollins), a twisted story that focuses instead on Dr. Moreau’s progeny.

Dangerous Boy (Penguin, 2012) by Mandy Hubbard looks to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde while Kenneth Oppel’s This Dark Endeavor (S & S, 2011) is the first in a series that revisits Frankenstein. Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw inspired both Adele Griffin’s Tighter (Knopf, 2011) and Francine Prose’s The Turning (HarperCollins, 2012). For readers seeking a weird tale à la Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, try Mary G. Thompson’s Wuftoom (Clarion, 2012).

Scares ahead

Want more tales of horror? It’s worth checking out Johan Harstad’s 172 Hours on the Moon (Little, Brown, 2012), which blends sci-fi with the supernatural; Gwenda Bond’s Blackwood (Angry Robot, 2012), about the lost colony of Roanoke; J. R. Johansson’s Insomnia (Flux, 2013), following a boy who can enter into other people’s dreams; and Katie Williams’s Absent (Chronicle, 2013), in which a ghost is sentenced to afterlife in the high school where she died.

Classic teen horror writers are publishing new thrills, too. R.L. Stine’s A Midsummer Night’s Scream (Feiwel & Friends, 2013) and Christopher Pike’s Witch World (S & S, 2012) are good introductions for new readers and solid additions for already-devoted fans.

Those eager for what’s to come through the end of the year should find scares courtesy of Gretchen McNeil’s 3:59 (HarperCollins), Jason Vanhee’s Engines of the Broken World (Holt), Barbara Stewart’s The In-Between (St. Martin’s Griffin), and Robin Wasserman’s The Waking Dark (Knopf) satisfying.

So why horror?

“I write about people confronting monsters or fear or darkness because I want to explore how those things can be defeated,” Maberry says. “Humans may be by nature a predatory species, but we are also a survivor species with aspirations toward genuine civility.”

Horror is a perennially popular shelf staple because its variety of shapes and styles make it a favorite for many readers, a gateway for reluctant readers, and a crossover sell to older and younger YA readers.

It isn’t “the next big thing,” but an essential. And not because of the scares—but because of how much these books reach teens on a frighteningly human level.

Kelly Jensen is a teen librarian at Beloit Public Library (WI). She blogs about YA books at Stacked (stackedbooks.org) and Book Riot (bookriot.com).

This winter, I wrote about working with administrators (and becoming one) in “The Same Difference” (SLJ, Feb. 2013, p. 20–23). After a full year in my new role, I continue to reflect on the ways teacher librarians can better connect and work with building and district leaders. This theme will be part of the SLJ Leadership Summit in Austin, September 28–29. Call it convergence or detente, librarians and administrators will be engaged in some exciting conversations in the coming year. In preparation, here are two useful ways to think and work like an admin.

The pivot: an administrator’s view

I miss the relative simplicity of the library. While a library includes many moving parts, it is not always necessary to know how or why things work so long as they do work. Teacher librarians are often better connected to various school and district systems than classroom teachers, but their understanding may still be limited. They are likely to know which textbooks are used by different departments or grade levels and how to order them, and may have some responsibility for their management. But at the district level, a complex machinery of processes, policies, and departments must work together in order to ensure students and teachers get materials. Seeing things from that perspective can help improve library service and the library’s place in an institution.

The points

More moving parts. As an administrator, I have learned that almost nothing is simple, even in a well-aligned district such as ours. There are always more moving parts than meet the eye. Understanding those parts and what it takes to keep them moving has become essential to my work. Teacher librarians stand to benefit by developing similar institutional knowledge. By learning the complexity of their organizations, they can become better informed, connected, and placed to advocate for their programs. This learning can come from developing authentic relationships with administrators. And because principals often see things differently from administrators, teacher librarians should seek to develop relationships at both building and district levels, ideally with the curriculum and IT departments that often intersect with library programs.

It’s important not to start the relationship with an “ask.” Offer to sit on a committee or offer support of a building or district initiative. Build a trusting professional friendship over time. Eventually, you will better understand the complexity of your district, and your new administrative friends may gain a better knowledge of your library and program.

Leading as a team. Administrators rarely make decisions alone. Despite their job titles, few administrators act unilaterally, and the best rely on others to provide advice and guidance in forming policies and solutions. By contrast, as a teacher librarian, I made many—if not most—decisions with little input from others. Since few outsiders understand what happens in school libraries, many teacher librarians have more autonomy than principals. This opacity and insularity can be a problem. Connecting with other stakeholders adds valuable input, information, and ideas. Almost everything I did this year involved a team to help envision, plan, and implement projects and programs. Likewise, teacher librarians can benefit by forming teams with other stakeholders. While it will probably complicate and slow decision making, it will also expose their library programs to wider audiences.

Teacher librarians should also build professional learning communities with others in their districts and beyond. At the building level, consider forming a steering committee to better understand the needs of parents, teachers, and students. This can provide insight and inform decisions while building bridges with stakeholders.

Teacher librarians have much in common with administrators. Find ways to build relationships with them. Listen and learn how decisions are made. In doing so, you can better understand the complex machinery of educational organizations and what makes administrators tick.

Mark Ray (Mark.Ray@vansd.org), a former teacher librarian, is the director of instructional technology and library services for Vancouver (WA) Public Schools.

Illustration by Regan Dunnick

In his video “Tumblr: The Musical,” Youtube celebrity Hank Green mocks how Tumblr aficionados get lost in a loop of scrolling, liking, and reblogging to the point of neglecting everything else in their lives, including sleep. The addictive Tumblr scroll has indeed become the preferred Internet rabbit hole, as Green, brother of the author John Green, hilariously shows.

Should libraries and librarians use Tumblr? Is it wise to wade into this alluring sea of wacky photos, pop-culture commentary, and gifs—snippets of moving images—in order to virtually chat about best book lists, library events, title recommendations, and our favorite quotes?

Yes, and here’s why. The key to a useful social network is to strategically use communication tools, understand each network’s reach, and guarantee ease of use for all involved. Tumblr can be a successful way to connect to new and diverse audiences, provided you understand who you’ll be attracting to your site and how to use Tumblr to your advantage.

Why Tumblr works

In my job as a teen librarian, I’ve been running social networks since 2006. As anyone using social media knows, it’s vital to meet your patrons where they are, rather than try to get them to visit a new, unknown site. My colleagues in the reference section maintain lively accounts representing the library as a whole on both Facebook and Twitter. But the Twitter account I maintained for my teens fell dormant, since none of them seemed to be using that platform. So I decided to concentrate my efforts on where I thought my teens were: Facebook.

In the past year, though, it became clear that my teens were no longer on Facebook—or if they were, they weren’t using it to connect with the library. During that time, I searched for ways to invigorate the teen section of our library’s website—to post more content daily and engage more readers. I sought a streamlined, visually exciting site. But the traditional blogging options were hampered by clunky interfaces and an outdated look; I knew that the posts weren’t reaching many patrons, let alone teens.

Enter Tumblr. I had been using a personal Tumblr account for a few months and found its mix of art, photos, gifs, quotes, and videos to be far more engaging than my library’s traditional text-dominated website. Hank Green was on to something.

Tumblr’s interface is easy to use, and each post looks professional the instant it uploads. There’s no need to know code, wrangle with images, or get complicated with fonts. The site can easily take the place of a traditional website or blog.

Depending on the theme you choose for your Tumblr, you can include static information—like phone numbers or hours of operation—in a sidebar, while keeping the main part of your page fresh and visually exciting with an ever-changing stream of posts. Updating is incredibly easy, and you can save drafts and schedule posts to appear at future dates and times—useful for event reminders and time-sensitive content.

As with Twitter, your goals while using Tumblr are to engage with your public and gather followers. The more you post, the more users will find you through your content, especially by searching your tags. As on Facebook, people can “like” your posts. They can also reblog them on their own Tumblrs—similar to retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Liking and reblogging are how your Tumblr audience shows its appreciation and where they may add their own notes. While the flow of information is mostly one-way, you can track your followers as well as the number of times an individual post has been liked and reblogged to gauge your impact.

Most important for youth librarians, though, is that young people are active on Tumblr. When I checked with my teens, many said they were Tumblr users and were excited by the idea of connecting to the library this way. That’s why I made the leap to Tumblr for our teen site.

Eight tips for successful tumbling

If you’re considering starting a Tumblr, either as a supplement to your established Web presence or as a replacement for a blog, it’s important to think through your needs and those of your patrons before making the switch. Below, some pointers.

1. Think visually. The most popular Tumblr posts tend to be images, photos, or gifs. In the past, there was no easy way to quote a TV show, film, or video game without posting a video. But with Tumblr’s magic combination of gifs and blogging, media quotes are now everywhere. Take advantage of this. If you’re recommending books, don’t just post a list: Include images of all of the covers. Promoting an event? “Tumbl” your poster and a selection of photos.

2. Tag your posts. Tagging is incredibly important on Tumblr because searching tags is how users discover content and people to follow. Remember, though, that only the first five tags on any post are searchable, so choose your tags wisely. After those five, people use tags to add commentary to their posts in the same way that savvy Twitter users deploy hashtags as asides or jokes. So these additional tags can be humorous reading.

3. Be professional but playful. Be mindful of what you post. It should be in keeping with what you would highlight on any part of your library website. At the same time, be aware that your Tumblr should be fun to follow. Share favorite quotes; topical, pop culture images; and favorite artists.

4. And…be mindful of mature language. One of the truths of Tumblr is that there is no oversight regarding mature content or language. When you first sign up, your Tumblr will be automatically set in safe mode, meaning that you will not see any content deemed “not safe for work” (NSFW) on your dashboard. The Tumblr community counts on users to flag their own blogs and posts as NSFW in order to keep safe mode working properly. There’s definitely 18+ material out there, and you won’t necessarily be forewarned by tagging or a user’s customary posting habits. Many Tumblr names are variations on the appreciative phrase f**kyeah___ (example: “f**kyeahbooks”). While you may be inclined to like or reblog those items, you should consider the profanity in the source site before doing so.

5. Schedule your posts. It’s especially enjoyable to schedule themed posts, perhaps once a week, that highlight a particular topic or service. For example, the New York Public Library celebrates “Caturday” every week on their Tumblr by posting cat-related images and items from their collections. School Library Journal runs a regular feature, “Where I Work?” with photos, sharing a glimpse or two of authors’ writing spaces. Who doesn’t want to see where their favorite novels are created?

6. Check your sources. A lot of unsourced images gets passed around Tumblr, especially when it comes to art and photography. If you’re not certain of a work’s provenance, use Google’s image source search by clicking on the camera icon that allows you to search via an image URL and see if you can locate the source reliably. Artists and image makers will thank you, and you’ll set a strong example of giving creators credit for their work.

7. Remember, it’s (basically) one-way. Tumblr is not the place to gather comments, start discussions, or debate favorite books. People can send in questions, or “asks,” through the Tumblr interface. You can also pose a question and invite your followers to answer it. That’s about it for the platform’s capacity for discussion.

Tumblr is built to be used through its dashboard, the main control panel where you scroll through posts and investigate whatever keyword searches you like. On your dashboard, there’s no easy way to comment. You can reblog a post and add a comment, but replying gets increasingly cumbersome. Unless Tumblr revamps its question system, at this point you’ll be announcing or sharing information, but only occasionally responding to a question.

8. Make it easy and fun to maintain. Check in daily and take advantage of Tumblr’s tools. Use the J, K, and L keys to navigate your dashboard quickly. Hitting the L key “likes” a post, and typing shift+R (on a PC) reblogs that post instantly. Remember the current limits: You can send 10 “asks” an hour and “friend” up to 250 people per day. For more Tumblr tricks and tips, check out this helpful list over at the Daily Dot: http://ow.ly/nVTvc.

Checking in on my Tumblr account has become the most relaxing and enjoyable part of my daily routine, keeping me abreast of new books, targeted book lists, library news, and the grand world of art and images from various media. One of my teens recently proclaimed how much she enjoyed my Tumblr—a gratifying signal that I’m heading in the right direction. As long as that enjoyment continues, and my own messages are getting out, I’ll keep on tumbling.

A few of my favorite Tumblrs:

General Tumblrs 

Book Riot
LIFE
National Public Radio
The New York Times’s The Lively Morgue 
PBS’s This Day in History
WYNC’s Radiolab

Library Tumblrs

Public Library of Brookline (MA) Teen Services (my Tumblr)
Cape May County (NJ) Library Teen Zone
Grand Rapids (MI) Public Library Tumblr for Teens
Library Advocates
Library Journal
The Lifeguard Librarian
Librarian Wardrobe
New York Public Library
School Library Journal
Teenlandia: Lewis & Clark (Helena, MT) Library Teen Services Department

Tumblarians list from

The Lifeguard Librarian
Young Adults and Teens at Oak Lawn (IL) Public Library

Teen Lit Tumblrs

Public Library of Brookline teen title recommendations (mine again)
Diversity in YA
The YA Cover
YA! Flash
YA Highway

Teen Authors who Tumble

Cassandra Clare
John Green
Shannon Hale
Karen Healey
Malinda Lo
Maureen Johnson
Rainbow Rowell

Robin Brenner is the reference and teen librarian at the Public Library of Brookline (MA). She is also the editor-in-chief of the graphic novel review website No Flying No Tights and know all too well the allure of the late-night Tumblr scroll.

Combining an industry and educational standard in the field of aerospace with a recognized leader in the world of science and arts, the Air & Space and Smithsonian Magazine Archive Database is seamless in action and an excellent source for both papers and projects.

Ebook providers offer different selections of titles with varying terms. Which ones will best meet your school’s needs and budget? School Library Journal’s snapshot of 19 ebook vendors outlines the suppliers’ range of offerings, terms of use, and pricing options.

Do you want to buy your ebooks outright, or lease them? What kinds of discounts are available? Can students download e-content onto their personal devices or read offline?

This guide is intended to help librarians choose the vendors that are right for their schools. [This guide was updated on September 6 to correct an error in the entry for Rosen Publishing, and again on September 9 to add an entry from EBSCO.]

]]> http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/09/ebooks/e-its-complicated-how-two-schools-are-riding-the-transition-to-ebooks/feed/ 0 http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/09/k-12/a-minecraft-library-scores-big-a-virtual-version-of-the-mattituck-ny-branch-is-a-hit-with-young-patrons/ http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/09/k-12/a-minecraft-library-scores-big-a-virtual-version-of-the-mattituck-ny-branch-is-a-hit-with-young-patrons/#comments Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:19:15 +0000 Lauren Barack http://www.thedigitalshift.com/?p=17616

“Nothing’s impossible in Minecraft,” says Elizabeth Grohoski. She would know. Grohoski recently spent three months using the online game to create a virtual replica of the Mattituck-Laurel Library in Mattituck, NY, complete with a model of the working piano in the library basement (http://ow.ly/nQwCN).

Why? Because Karen Letteriello, comanager of the parents’ and children’s department at Mattituck-Laurel, where Grohoski works as a technical processor, thought the virtual Minecraft library would help attract young patrons. It has.

The project started when Letteriello read a School Library Journal feature story by librarian Sarah Ludwig about a highly successful Minecraft library club at the Connecticut school where she worked. Letteriello wanted a similar program in her library and asked Grohoski, a gamer since the age of six, to create it.

An immensely popular game launched widely in 2011, Minecraft allows users to build in a 3-D virtual world with cubes similar to Legos—but without any of the proscriptive kits and manuals. There are few limits to what a user can create in Minecraft. It’s all about gamers using their imaginations.

After creating a beta version of the project, Letteriello launched the finished site on June 20. The reaction has been a “tornado,” she says, with children clamoring to sign up and play.

Letteriello and Grohoski’s vision of the game features an appealing library-centric scavenger hunt. Each room of the Minecraft library offers a clue inside treasure chests tucked into the virtual shelves. Clues provide students with a summary of the plot, title, author, and call letters—so children can locate the books inside the physical library.

There are other activities as well—a maze, mini-games in which children can locate objects like sheep wool in multiple colors, and eventually a racetrack, which Grohoski hopes to build. Children can play a few notes on the virtual piano or ride up and down the virtual elevator—just like the one inside the real branch. And for those looking to explore outside the building, Grohoski shifted existing Minecraft destinations closer to the virtual library. These include a desert temple, village, ravine, and stronghold.

Students with their own Minecraft accounts can log on from home, or they can play at the library free of charge. The library offers five laptops with video cards, which play the full version of the online game, plus six iPads loaded with Minecraft’s pocket edition.

Letteriello is planning future educational projects using Minecraft and other digital tools. One possibility: a virtual opportunity to explore Ancient Greece and Rome. Her goal is that students will find their library experience as seamless as exercising their curiosity.

“I want them to use [the library presence in Minecraft] the same as they would the actual library, take a book home and teleport into another world,” she says. “I want them to feel the gaming world is just another part of the library.”

Mattituck resident Pam Kaminsky’s 13-year-old son, Collin, is “obsessed” with the Minecraft library, she says. He and his 16-year-old brother, Owen, are also impressed with Grohoski’s expertise with the game. “[Collin] says, ‘The librarian is talking to me about my program? Wow,’” says Kaminsky. “It’s like he has a new connection with the librarians.”

“Now the kids walk in and ask if Elizabeth is here,” says Letteriello. “She has a cult following.”

Children sign up to play on Fridays, when they can interact with others in the virtual branch. “We have waiting lists that you can’t imagine,” says Letteriello. “And Elizabeth continues to build. It’s taking on a life of its own.”

It’s called “school reform” with a focus on “student achievement,” but I shudder to think where we have come as a nation that many public schools don’t have a library, and won’t ever get one unless someone can beg a grant from a foundation or corporation.

I saw this firsthand at the middle school/high school where I taught English in New York’s South Bronx. Touting itself as a model of school reform, this self-proclaimed “institute” was presented as a showcase of high standards and a passion for learning. Though set in the congressional district with the lowest per-capita income in the nation, the school was—the administration incessantly assured parents—the fast track to success.

The problem was, for its 350 students this school had little more than classrooms on the third floor of a former elementary school set between a hospital and a jail.

Dressed in uniforms resembling the old Catholic school outfit, the students looked the part of “scholars,” as the administration referred to them. But from what I could see, the kids really were just bit players in a tragedy entitled, “They Stole the American Public School Experience from Us and Called It Reform.”

A public school is supposed to have a music program. We only had a boom box and a bunch of drums and African gourds. A public school is supposed to have art. We had none. A public school is supposed to have a library. We didn’t.

We did, however, have a librarian. Ms. Page had been “thrust” upon our school when, after decades as the librarian in a large public high school, she was pushed out as it closed to make way for several new, smaller, reform-oriented “academies,” “institutes,” and “centers.” As a librarian without a library, she prepared a library-oriented bulletin board and was used as an administration utility player.

Sports? They were limited to baseball in a nearby park and basketball in the gym we shared with another school in the building. That is, until a teacher got a grant for an archery program that enabled a dozen ninth graders to spread out in the cafeteria after school to shoot at targets.

The power of grants became especially clear when the principal of the other small school in our building secured funding for a library. A hard-charging young fellow who knew his way around charities and foundations, he generated $500,000 a year from outside sources. He outdid himself with his school’s library.

Set on the second floor behind glass windows, it was a brand-new, high-tech oasis. It was gorgeous. Stack after stack of books, a line of brand-new computers. Carpet. Tables. Comfortable chairs.

Not that our students were permitted to use it while I taught there. I nonetheless led my eighth graders through for a tour, and they were dumbstruck. Even the most outrageous of them walked gently and touched nothing, knowing that this was a very special place.

Indeed it was. A school without its own library is now all too common. A crowd-sourced Google map, “A Nation Without School Libraries,” is dense with pins noting hundreds of schools—and school districts—without libraries or librarians.

Today, so much of what Americans have long taken for granted as the typical public-school experience is being eliminated—especially in schools opened under the banner of “school reform” and “student achievement.” Each year, as budgets shrink and test scores guide decisions, more and more school districts nationwide trim the “fat,” programs that enrich students’ lives culturally and help them grow and develop as people, but aren’t specifically academic. As a result, basics—even a school library—have become “extras” that are not taxpayer supported.

Once, students held bake sales and car washes to fund some activities. Now, principals, teachers, and parents have been forced to assume that role on a grand scale to pay for books, athletic equipment, after-school activities. Instead of cupcakes and soapsuds, they use today’s equivalent of the hat in hand—the grant application—to beg foundations and corporations to underwrite what, until recently, most Americans would have considered the birthright of students in our public schools.

John Owens is a former teacher and author of Confessions of a Bad Teacher, published by Sourcebooks.

Nelson Mandela (Weston Woods) ©2012 by Kadir Nelson

Constitution USA with Peter Sagal. 2 DVDs. 4 hrs. Prod. by TPT National Prods. and Insignia Films. Dist. by PBS Dist. 2013. ISBN 978-1-60883-901-8. $29.99.

Gr 9 Up–Sagal, the find-humor-in-our-everyday-lives NPR host, broadly examines our Constitution in both historical and contemporary contexts in a manner that will transfix viewers. Metaphorically traversing the country on a red, white, and blue Harley-Davidson, his goal is to recount the perspective of the document’s development as well as to examine it in terms of today’s critical issues. “A More Perfect Union,” the first segment, describes the intriguing manner in which our federal system of government was determined and issues facing us today as a result of federal, state, and local control questions. “It’s a Free Country” studies the Bill of Rights, and the controversies surrounding those individual freedoms in today’s society are detailed. The Fourteenth Amendment, passed after the Civil War to guarantee equal protection for individuals and groups, and its subsequent landmark impact is the focus of “Created Equal.” Finally, Sagal leads a discussion about the vitality of this remarkable document from the perspective of the 21st-century social and political milieu in “Built to Last.” The nicely paced presentation uses a variety of presentation techniques, such as graphics and humor, to connect with today’s students. There’s also an effective balance of commentary from constitutional scholars as well as ordinary citizens impacted by this document. Several bonus sections add to its usefulness, particularly commentary by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Each chapter includes the scene selection option. English language subtitles and a Spanish language audio are optional. Both classroom teachers and media professionals will find this a popular addition to every school’s collection.–Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL

Nelson Mandela. DVD. 10 min. Weston Woods. 2013. ISBN 978-0-545-60947-0. $59.95; CD, ISBN 978-0-545-60948-7: $12.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-545-60949-4: $29.95.

Gr 1–4–Kadir Nelson’s evocative biography (HarperCollins, 2013) of Nelson Mandela receives stellar treatment in this exceptional DVD presentation. The author provides just enough information to introduce apartheid and Mandela’s role in changing the political landscape of South Africa, while involving, but not overwhelming, children. Viewers feel the loss of Mandela’s father and his sorrow as he leaves home to attend school. His rise as a political activist, the 27 years he spent in prison, and his eventual election to the leadership of his nation are all told clearly in crisp and expressive text. Throughout, Mandela is presented as a figure both heroic and human. This, too, is emphasized in Kadir Nelson’s exceptional paintings that glow with an inner warmth. The iconographic presentation allows the audience to truly appreciate both the careful details and the subtle power of the illustrations as actor Forest Whitaker’s rich voice reads the story with background music and crowd sound effects that draw viewers in. The DVD includes an interview with the author in which he talks about his artwork and relates his boyhood experience of attending a speech given by Mandela. This excellent presentation about an extraordinary world leader merits a place in all libraries serving children.–Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA

Hero on a Bicycle. By Shirley Hughes. 3 CDs. 3:35 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-7493-5. $54.97.

Gr 5–8–The first novel (Candlewick, 2013) by octogenarian Shirley Hughes, the award-winning picture book author and illustrator, is set in Italy in 1944. The story follows 13-year-old Paolo, his 16-year-old sister Costanza, and their mother. The family lives in the outskirts of Nazi-occupied Florence. Their father, an anti-Fascist, fled when the Nazi’s took control, leaving the family in a politically precarious position. Paolo’s nighttime forays into the city on his bicycle have brought his family into contact with the Partisans, the Italian resistance, who ask them “in a convincing manner, made more convincing because of the gun” to help them. Told in third-person narration, the story builds in tension, skillfully shifting between the perspectives of each main character as well as the many well-developed secondary characters who add depth and understanding to an age-old question this story seeks to answer: What motivates people’s actions in times of war? Simon Vance’s incomparable vocal style is a perfect fit for this intense and suspenseful work of historical fiction. With his strong and consistently paced narration, as well as subtle and skillful character voices, Vance’s performance is both nuanced and captivating. A website (www.heroonabicycle.co.uk) offers additional material to supplement lesson plans or deepen book discussions. For those interested in offering students more in-depth information about the time period, other supplemental sources would be required. Highly recommended for students who enjoyed John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (David Fickling Bks., 2007) and historical or WWII fiction.–Chani Craig. Converse Middle School. Palmer, MA 

Oblivion: The Gatekeepers, Book 5. By Anthony Horowitz. 17 cassettes or 17 CDs. 20:15 hrs. Recorded Books. 2013. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4703-5787-0, CD: ISBN 978-1-4703-5783-2. $108.75.

Gr 9 Up–The final book (2013) in Horowitz’s seriHes finds the fate of the world in the hands of five teenagers: Matt, Pedro, Scott, Jamie, and Scarlet. They are the Gatekeepers. At the end of Necropolis (2009, both Scholastic), after entering a special door, the teens are flung to different parts of the world. They emerge into a dangerous and horrific world 10 years in the future that is beset by evil, torture, murder, death, plagues, famine, and other catastrophes, and on the verge of destruction orchestrated by the evil Old Ones headed by Chaos. To defeat the Old Ones, the five Gatekeepers must be together for the final battle. Much of the story revolves around each Gatekeeper’s struggle to overcome obstacles and challenges to make their way to Oblivion, a frozen, desolate area of Antarctica where Chaos and the Old Ones are waiting. Horowitz’s story is fast-moving, intense, and unflinchingly graphic. Listeners new to the series will be able to follow this volume because past details are included. However, to fully grasp this tale’s scope and complexity, listeners should be familiar with the first four titles. Simon Prebbles’s reading masterfully conveys the terror of this dangerous dystopian world. His consistent portrayal of multiple characters and accents is excellent. This intense, suspense-filled conclusion will keep listeners riveted right up to the end.–Mary Olounye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

Out of This Place. By Emma Cameron. 3 CDs. 3:19 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-7497-3. $54.97.

Gr 9 Up–Three friends who want to leave high school and move on describe their anguish in Cameron’s novel written in verse (Candlewick, 2013). Luke, who tries to stay out of trouble at school, spends his time playing cricket, works at the local supermarket, and hangs out at the beach. While trying to figure out where he fits in, he applies for a scholarship and traineeship to get out of school. Bongo spends his time getting wasted to block the memories of his younger brother, Dylan, who was placed in a foster home due to their alcoholic and abusive stepdad and drug addict mother. He’s tired of being around addicts and misses his sibling, so he runs away from home. Casey has a very controlling father, and she’s not allowed to participate in any school activities or have a job. She wants to get away and have some freedom, so she leaves home without saying goodbye. Desperate to leave their lives behind, they all choose to get “out of this place.” They learn lessons along the way and go in directions they never imagined. The story is told from alternating points of view by narrators Candice Moll, Leonardo Nam, and David Atlas. Their expert Australian accents capture the emotions of the three Aussie teens desperately wanting to live life on their own terms.–Janet Weber, Tigard Public Library, OR

Shadow and Bone: Grisha Trilogy, Book 1. By Leigh Bardugo. 8 CDs. 8:55 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4805-2826-0. $49.97.

Gr 7 Up–Orphaned from the Border Wars, Alina was raised by strangers with her only friend, Mal. Drafted into the army of war-torn Rafka, the pair joins their regiment on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a place where darkness reigns and nobody survives the attacks of its native, nightmarish creatures. When the two friends are attacked, Alina inadvertently summons her dormant magical powers to save her regiment. She is ripped from everything she knows and sent to be trained as a Grisha in the court of the Darkling, the most powerful magic wielder. Cut off from contact with Mal, Alina has a hard time learning to use her power. When she discovers the Darkling’s plan to enslave her in order to destroy all who oppose him, she must figure out a way to stop him and find her way back to Mal. Will she learn to wield her power and save Rafka before it’s too late? Narrator Amanda Dolan masterfully brings Alina’s world of magic and monsters to life. Bardugo’s well-developed characters in this debut novel (Holt, 2012) are enhanced by the narrator’s unique voices and intonations. The transitions between action and suspense are incredible, and listeners will be totally engrossed. The twists throughout this unique plot are expertly handled by both author and narrator and keep listeners guessing. For fans of dark fantasy, adventure, suspense, and magic.–Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT

Twelve Kinds of Ice. By Ellen Bryan Obed. cassette or CD. 26 min. Recorded Books. 2013. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4703-6387-1, CD: ISBN 978-1-4703-6386-4. $25.75.

Gr 2-5–How many kinds of ice are there during the winter? It starts with that faint crinkly sheen that breaks at a touch. Gradually, however, ice spreads over fields and ponds. It grows thicker as the cold seeps deep. Finally, it’s time for the family to set the boundaries, stomp the snow, spray the water, and create the ice rink that will be their entertainment center for hockey and skating until the same progression that began the ice reverses, and the world warms again. While the ice goes from a thin sheet to a frozen stream, the house becomes a warming area, a locker room, and a sports center. All activities revolve around the ice. Obed’s book (Houghton Harcourt, 2012) contains 20 very short chapters that skim beautifully over each type of ice and the activities that follow. The author evokes all the senses with carefully chosen spare text. Jessica Almasy reads the story in a youthful voice, drawing listeners in until they, too, are skimming smoothly across this annual magic of the winter season. An evocative, joyful celebration of winter.–Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA

Recess. Performed by Justin Roberts. CD. 44:25 min. Prod. by Carpet Square Records. Dist. by Justinroberts.org. 2013. ISBN unavail. $15.

PreS–Gr 3–Classic rock, power pop, ska, and country musical styles are evident in these 12 original songs by Roberts. The Not Ready for Naptime Players join him in giving outstanding instrumental performances on guitar, bass, piano, strings, keyboards, trumpet, drums, and percussion. They also weave beautiful and intricate vocal harmonies, with some tracks sounding like the early Beatles or the Beach Boys. Winner of multiple Parents’ Choice Gold and NAPPA Gold awards, Roberts has created wonderful, catchy tunes. The students are anxious for “Recess” time. Listeners get the dog’s point of view in “Every Little Step.” In a faraway kingdom, everyone wears drab beige, sandalwood, and sage colors until “The Princess Wore Pink” and changed everything. One child anticipates with eagerness his weekly visit to “Otis” the elevator. And in “Check Me Out, I’m at the Checkout,” a kid pushes his own cart and makes messes throughout the grocery store. Among the other terrific numbers are “I’ll Be an Alien” (the extra-terrestrial kind), “Hopscotch,” “My Secret Robot,” “Looking for Trains,” “We Got Two” (twins), “School’s Out (Tall Buildings),” and “Red Bird” (a lovely lullaby with beautiful, poetic lyrics). This album stands head and shoulders above other recent pop albums for children.–Beverly Wrigglesworth, San Antonio Public Library, TX

For all the latest reviews in this subject area and more, check out our new Book Verdict site! Book Verdict is fully accessible to all users, though certain content and functionality are only available to subscribers.To log in to your account, click here. To view the new subscription options, Get Started With Book Verdict ProToday.Don’t know if you have an account with us? It’s easy to check and verify your email, or create a new account.

The following titles are reviewed in the September 2013 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

DVD

Art Instruction

Learn and Draw with Mike Artell: Outer Space. DVD. 1:12 hrs. Video Specialties. 2013. ISBN unavail. $24.95.

Dance

Ally Cat the Ballet Cat. DVD. 60 min. Prod. by Arzura/Ytinifni Pictures. Dist. by Arzura. 2013. ISBN unavail. $16.75.

Early Childhood

Barney: Imagine with Barney. DVD. 76 min. Prod. by HIT Entertainment. Dist. by Lionsgate. 2013. ISBN unavail. $14.98.

David, the Gnome Collection. 4 DVDs. approx. 10:25 hrs. Prod. by BRB Internacional. Dist. by Oasis DVDs. 2013. ISBN unavail. $19.99.

Dogtanian and the Three Muskethounds. 4 DVDs. approx.. 10:25 hrs. Prod. by BRB Internacional. Dist. by Oasis DVDs. 2013. ISBN unavail. $19.99.

Sukey’s Circle! Vol. 3: Mini Shows. DVD. 33 min. Sukeymolloy.com. 2013. ISBN unavail. $15.99.

In-Service

Book SmARTS & Crafts: Crafts & Activities for Kids. DVD. approx. 3 hrs. Page Turner Adventures. 2013. ISBN unavail. $175.

Science

Meteor Strike (NOVA Series). DVD. 60 min. Prod. by Pioneer Films & TV Prods. and WGBH Educational Foundation. Dist. by PBS Dist. 2013. ISBN 978-1-60883-904-9. $24.99.

Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives. DVD. 17:22 min. Spoken Arts. 2013. ISBN 0-8045-8140-1. $50; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 0-8045-4239-2: $29.95.

Social Studies

Brooklyn Castle. DVD. 1:42 hrs. with curriculum and resource guides. Prod. by Rescued Media. Dist. by First Run Features. 2012, 2013 release. ISBN unavail. $60.

Secrets of the Dead: Death on the Railroad. DVD. 60 min. Prod. by Tile Films Ltd. Dist. by PBS Dist. 2013. ISBN 978-1-60883-910-0. $24.99.

 Audio

Many of these titles are available for download and/or in Playaway format. Check distributors’ websites, playaway.com, and audio download retailers for availability and price.

Language Arts

Aces Wild. By Erica S. Perl. 5 CDs. 5:21 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2013. ISBN 978-0-384-39330-0. $30.

Accidental Love. By Gary Soto. 3 CDs. 3:30 hrs. AudioGO. 2013. ISBN 978-1-62450-506-0. $49.95.

Aliens in Disguise: The Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast. By Clete Barrett Smith. 5 CDs. 3:58 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-1915-8. $54.97.

The Beautiful and the Cursed: The Dispossessed, Book 1. By Page Morgan. 10 CDs. 12:33 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2013. ISBN 978-0-385-36392-1. $55.

Below. By Meg McKinlay. 4 CDs. 4:10 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-7487-4. $54.97.

Black Helicopters. By Blythe Woolston. 3 CDs. 3:25 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-7488-1. $54.97.

Born to Fly. By Michael Ferrari. 4 CDs. 5 hrs. AudioGO. 2013. ISBN 978-1-62460-220-7. $49.95.

A Break with Charity: A Story about the Salem Witch Trials. By Ann Rinaldi. 6 CDs. 7:06 hrs. AudioGO. 2013. ISBN 978-1-62460-153-8. $69.95.

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Summer Vacation. By Tommy Greenwald. 4 CDs. 3:56 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4805-0492-9. $54.97.

Crescent: A Helium-3 Novel, Book 2. By Homer Hickam. 7 CDs.  8:41 hrs. Oasis Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-61375534-1.  $27.99.

The Cydonian Pyramid: The Klaatu Diskos, Book 2. By Pete Hautman. 8 CDs. 8:50 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-7489-8. $49.97.

The Darkest Minds. By Alexandra Bracken. 12 CDs. 14:06 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-9156-7. $59.97.

Deep and Dark and Dangerous. By Mary Downing Hahn. 5 CDs. 6 hrs. AudioGO. 2013. ISBN 978-1-62460-218-4. $49.95.

Discovering Wes Moore. By Wes Moore. 4 CDs. 4:01 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2013. ISBN 978-0-8041-2193-4. $30.

The Edge of Nowhere. By Elizabeth George. 10 CDs. 11:36 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4805-0530-8. $59.97.

Fairy Tales: Poems and Music for Children. Performed by Clive Owen, Kenneth Branagh, and others. CD. 50:27 min. Prod. by Orchid Classics. Dist. by Naxos. 2013. ISBN unavail. $17.99.

Far Far Away. By Tom McNeal. 9 CDs. 10:55 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2012. ISBN 978-0-8041-8041-2154-5. $65.

Garden Princess. By Kristin Kladstrup. 5 CDs. 5:04 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-7492-8. $54.97.

Ghost Time. By Courtney Eldridge. 11 CDs. 13:24 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-8300-5. $49.97.

Girl, Stolen. By April Henry. 5 CDs. 5:08 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-7837-7. $69.97

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. By April Henry. 5 CDs. 5:28 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-7784-4. $59.97.

The Glass Cafe: Or the Stripper and the State, How My Mother Started a War with the System that Made us Kind of Rich and a Little Bit Famous. By Gary Paulsen.CD. 1:02 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4588-1082-6. $39.97.

Imposter: A Variants Novel. By Susanne Winnacker. 7 CDs. 8:04 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2013. ISBN 978-0-8041-2384-6. $50.

The Lives We Lost: Fallen World, Book 2. By Megan Crewe. 7 cassettes or 7 CDs. 7:45 hrs. Recorded Books. 2013. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4498-5385-3, CD: ISBN 978-1-4498-5386-0. $51.75.

Loki’s Wolves: The Blackwell Pages, Book 1. By K.L. Armstrong and M. A. Marr. 7 CDs. 7:30 hrs. Hachette Audio for AudioGO. 213. ISBN 978-1-4789-2585-X. $64.99.

A Matter of Days. By Amber Kizer. 7 CDs. 8:14 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2013. ISBN 978-0-385-36820-9. $50.

Monument 14: Sky on Fire. By Emmy Laybourne. 5 CDs. 5:26 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-5562-0. $54.97.

Paper Valentine. By Brenda Yovanoff. 7 CDs. 9 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2013. ISBN 978-0-8041-2197-2. $60.

Sentries. By Gary Paulsen. 3 CDs. 3:17 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4692-4125-8. $39.97.

Shadow Chaser: Son of Angels, Book 3. By Jerel Law. 5 CDs. 5:47 hrs. Oasis Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-61375-531-0. $22.99.

Silent Harmony: Fairmont Riding Academy—A Vivienne Taylor Horse Lover’s Mystery, Book 1. By Michele Scott. 5 CDs. 6:10 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4805-1977-0. $49.97.

Storm: Swipe, Book 3. By Evan Angler. 7 CDs. 8:35 hrs. hrs. Oasis Audio. 2013. ISBN: 978-1-61375-630-3. $27.99.

Theodore Boone: The Activist. By John Grisham. 5 CDs. 5:56 hrs. Penguin Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-61176-158-0. $19.95.

The Time Hackers. By Gary Paulsen. 2 CDs. 2:08 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4558-1072-7. $39.97.

Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences of an Intelligent Stingray, Brave Buffalo, and a Brand-New Someone Called Plastic. By Emily Jenkins.2 cassettes or 2 CDs. 2:15 hrs. Recorded Books. 2013. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4640-2134-3, CD: ISBN 978-1-4640-2133-6. $25.75.

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. By Bob Shea. cassette or CD. 15 min. Recorded Books. 2013. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4703-7193-7. CD: ISBN 978-1-4703-7192-0. $15.75; hardcover book: ISBN 978-1-4231-5952-9: $15.99.

Vote. By Gary Paulsen. 3 CDs. 2:42 hrs. Brilliance Audio. ISBN 978-1-4692-7842-1. $39.97.

Wreck-It Ralph Read-Along Storybook and CD. By Disney Book Group. CD. 10:21 min. with paperback book. Disney. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4231-6061-8. $6.99.

You Know What You Have to Do. By Bonnie Shimko. 5CDs. 5:12 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4805-1978-7. $49.97.

Music

American Playground. CD. 25:28 min. Putumayo Kids. 2013. ISBN unavail. $14.98.

Braver to Be Kind. Performed by Terry A La Berry. CD. 30:06 min. CDBaby.com. 2013. ISBN unavail. $11.98.

A Creepy Crawly Song Book. By Ny Hiawyn Oram. CD. 60 min. with hardcover book. Prod. by Threefold Records. Dist. by AV Café. 2012, 2013 release. ISBN 978-0-95715-970-9. $12.97.

Love, Cake & Monsters. Performed by Princess Katie & Racer Steve. CD. 42:45 min. CDBaby.com. 2013. ISBN unavail. $15.

Once Upon a Tune. Performed by Liz Buchanan. CD. 45 min. Prod. by Antelope Dance. Dist. by CDBaby.com. 2013. ISBN unavail. $15.99.

Roller Coaster Ride with Miss Dylan. Performed by Dylan Glanzer. CD. 28 min. CDBaby.com. ISBN unavail. $15.

Social Studies

Kennedy’s Last Days. By Bill O’Reilly. 4 CDs: 4:30 hrs. Macmillan Audio. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4272-3516-9. $19.99.

Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War. By Thomas B. Allen and Roger MacBride Allen. 4 CDs. 4 hrs. AudioGO. 2013. ISBN 978-1-62460-216-0. $29.95.

Wild Boy: The Real Life of the Savage of Aveyron. By Mary Losure. 2 CDs. 2:05 hrs. Brilliance Audio. ISBN 978-1-4692-7501-7. $59.97.

National Geographic Birds: Field Guide to North America. National Geographic/IXONOS. 2012. iOS, requires 5.0 or later. Version 3.3. $9.99.

Gr 4 Up-No longer must fledgling birders juggle a field guide, a journal, and a pen—all they need is this app, and voilà, they’re ready to go. The app, like the print version of the guide (2006; Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer, eds.), offers an overview of avian species on our continent, their appearance and behavior, as well as labeled color images and habitat and range maps. Giving each animal a voice is one of the features listeners are sure to sing about. On the trail, users can sort the creatures by name, family, taxonomy, color, size, habitat, month, region, and abundance. Once a bird is spotted and identified, the journal feature allows users to document the sighting, automatically identifying the location, time, date, and weather. Users also have the option to add notes and/or a photo and share the event. There are quizzes of various levels to take, more than two dozen up-to-date news articles to read, a toolkit that includes a glossary, and 16 short videos. Whether visiting a park, forest, meadow, the shore, or just sitting in their own backyards watching winged wildlife, viewers are sure to appreciate this extraordinary guide.–Elizabeth Kahn, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, Jefferson, LA

Poems by Heart. Inkle/Penguin Group USA. 2013. iOS, requires 4.3 or later. Version 1.1. Free. $.99 per additional add-on bundle.

Gr 7 Up-The stickiness of this app isn’t in the modest selection of well-known poems, or the serviceable narrators who will read them aloud to you. It’s not the pleasant design or the intuitive navigation. It’s the surprising realization that you want to memorize poetry! Tap the tempting blinking triangle labeled “Learn this” and you find yourself choosing words from a box to fill in the missing words of the poem, line by line. Your mistakes will be instantly corrected and you’ll get a score for your progress stanza by stanza. Want to try again? You can, you’ll do better, and you’ll get a higher score. Soon, you’ll know the poem by heart, and you can record yourself reciting the verses you memorized. The free app comes with two poems, and additional thematic four-poem “bundles” are available for purchase. Each poem is labeled for level of difficulty. Selections range from Edward Lear’s “The Owl and the Pussy-Cat” to Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” The game of poetry is unexpectedly satisfying.–Chris Gustafson, Whitman Middle School Library Teacher, Seattle School District, WA

A Word’s A Bird: Spring Flies By in Rhymes. Orel Protopopescu. illus. by Jeanne B. de Sainte Marie. Syntonie & Actialuna. 2013. iOS, requires 5.0 or later. Version 1.0.1. $2.99.

PreS-Gr 4-Have you ever lamented that insightful yet accessible poems for children are hard to come by? If yes, then this may be the app for you. Written by award-winning author/poet Protopopescu, this four-poem collection introduces children to the power of language by encouraging them to explore metaphors through sight, sound, and touch.The first selection illuminates the collection’s title. The three poems that follow offer unusual, and playful, glimpses into the natural world during the spring months. “May,” for example, opens with a text scroll descending toward a cardinal pecking in a meadow. The words, “A bloom’s a room/you seek/when you want/to sneak a peek/at nectar sippers,” are highlighted, one by one, as they are read aloud. A tap to a scroll and the verse replays, while a touch to an underlined word brings forth a definition. For “May,” readers and listeners learn that “nectar sippers” refers to insects and “a bloom” is “another way to say a flower.” Clearing the scroll from the screen brings the scene to life through animation and interactivity. In this case, the cardinal flies to a garden of closed peonies, an inchworm creeps out from under a leaf, and the “blooms” open to “rooms” and reveal “nectar sipper” bees hiding inside. So clever! The hand-painted watercolor illustrations created by Jeanne B. de Sainte Marie portray a bright and idyllic world of duck ponds, lily pads, and weeping willows. Realistic sounds and hidden surprises abound in this delightful production.–Kathleen S. Wilson, NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, New York, NY

BĂDESCU, Ramona. Pomelo’s Opposites. tr. from French by Claudia Zoe Bedrick. illus. by Benjamin Chaud. 120p. (Pomelo the Garden Elephant Series). Enchanted Lion. 2013. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-59270-132-2.

K-Gr 3–Filled with whimsy, surprise, and pure fun, this French import extends the idea of opposites far beyond the basics. More than 100 pages are packed neatly into the small, square-shaped frame, with contrasting words and images facing on each spread. Many, but not all, feature Pomelo, a big-eyed, long-trunked pink elephant demonstrating each example. The book begins with fairly standard word pairs, but the art is anything but predictable. For example, “morning/evening” features identical scenes with the skies reversed. Further page turns lead to even more imaginative interpretations. The words stray from direct opposites in playful ways, such as “something”/“whatever” and “handsome”/“weird.” The cartoon drawings are often funny: one shows a red piece of food going “in” the elephant’s mouth, then coming out his opposite end, having turned brown after digestion. Some are thought-provoking: a flower losing its petals represents “fleeting,” then the same flower is captured in a painting for “permanent.” When the word pairs require an extra bit of stretching to fit as opposites, such as “on snailback”/“by turtle,” it’s in keeping with the creative, carefree tone that permeates the book. Rich vocabulary (“stalagmite,” “concave,” and “gastropod,” for example) and deceptively subtle visual interpretations make this a great choice for parent-child sharing and discussion, but solo children will have no problem immersing themselves in the clever, playful, and deftly imagined illustrations.–Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR

BEST, Cari. Beatrice Spells Some Lulus and Learns to Write a Letter. illus. by Giselle Potter. 40p. Farrar/Margaret Ferguson. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-374-39904-7. LC 2012015337.

Gr 1-3–Once Beatrice figures out how to spell, she doesn’t want to stop. With the support of her grandma, she spells everywhere and anywhere. Around town she spends her time correcting the myriad spelling errors she finds. At school she tries to start a spelling club, but her friends aren’t interested. A disheartened Beatrice stops spelling for a whole week, until she comes up with a clever plan. She turns the class Show and Tell into Show and Spell, and then tells the class about her pet T-A-R-A-N-T-U-L-A Rose. Show and Spell takes the school by storm and soon Beatrice and her friends are spelling anywhere, at any time, and correcting errors together. Beatrice then writes a letter to Nanny Hannah, thanking her for giving her the spelling bug. This wordy picture book will introduce children not only to the joys of spelling but also to words like “lulu” and “crackerjack.” Potter’s folk-arty illustrations depict the story’s action and emotion well, but feel a little dated. This book will find a ready audience among the spelling crowd and might encourage others to join them.–Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

GRAHAM, Bob. The Silver Button. illus. by author. 32p. Candlewick. Oct. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6437-4. LC 2012947825.

PreS-Gr 2–In his inimitable, deceptively simple style, Graham celebrates what can happen in a single moment and reminds readers to pause and observe. The text begins before the title page: “At 9:59 on Thursday morning, Jodie drew a duck.” Next her baby brother takes his first step. As he does so, Graham cinematically pulls back farther and farther, showing other things happening at that instant: a jogger puffs by, a soldier hugs his mother, a blackbird finds a worm, a baby is born, and so on, until the story comes full circle. Jonathan falls down, Jodie tells her mother about his first step, and the clock strikes 10:00. Graham’s detail-filled ink and watercolor illustrations are in full force here. Initially, Jonathan fills the page, but rapidly the view pulls back, expanding the point of view: the jogger is seen through a window, the block from above, then a bird’s-eye view of the city, with the block, the hospital, and the beach visible, and finally a close-up of Mom hugging her baby boy. While the story is minimal, there is a lot to see and absorb. The detailed pictures bear repeated inspection, the characters are appealing, and the story is very child-oriented. This unusual offering will enhance collections and work equally well in classrooms or one-on-one. A worthwhile addition.–Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

HOLUB, Joan. Little Red Writing. illus. by Melissa Sweet. 36p. Chronicle. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8118-7869-2.

K-Gr 2–Written with wit, humor, and puns galore, this fractured fairy tale features Little Red, a pencil in search of a story. Given a writing assignment by her teacher Ms. 2, Little Red travels down the story path with a basket of red nouns looking for the kind of tale that will allow her to display bravery and fight evil, “because red is the color of courage. But what would a brave pencil do?” As she journeys around the school, she encounters action words at the gym, descriptive words at the library, etc., until she comes across a long tangly tail that is up to no good. Brave Little Red follows it into Principal Granny’s office where she comes upon the Wolf 3000, “the grumpiest, growliest, grindingest pencil sharpener ever made!” This is a book so rich in words and wry humor–written and visual–that one reading just isn’t enough. Imagine kids running to the dictionary to look up “bosky” and “tenebrous” after getting bogged down in the dark, descriptive forest (the school library) or poring over Sweet’s characteristically engaging watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations for delicious details, such as the pencil school newspaper with the motto “We get to the point.” These pictures don’t merely enhance Holub’s clever text, they become a part of it through the use of layered papers upon which the dialogue is literally written in pencil. Little Red’s classmates run the gamut of childhood types, each distinguished by its individualized eraser. Creative and fun, this book works equally well for storytime or story writing. Pair it with Janet Stevens’s The Little Red Pen (Houghton, 2011) for the full gamut of school-supplies silliness.–Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

LUDWIG, Trudy. The Invisible Boy. illus. by Patrice Barton. 40p. further reading. Knopf. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-582-46450-3.

K-Gr 2–Brian feels invisible. His teacher hardly notices him, the other kids never invite him to play, and he eats lunch alone. But he loves to draw, so at recess, he creates comics about greedy pirates, battling space aliens, and superheroes with the power to make friends everywhere. One day, a new boy, Justin, joins the class. The other children make fun of him for eating Bulgogi, a Korean dish, but Brian slips him a friendly note. When it is time to find partners for a class project, Justin asks Brian to join him and another boy. Brian’s artistic talents come in handy, and finally he is no longer invisible. This is a simple yet heartfelt story about a boy who has been excluded for no apparent reason but finds a way to cope and eventually gains acceptance. Barton’s scribbly illustrations look like something Brian may have made. Pencil sketches painted digitally are set against lots of white space, and sometimes atop a background of Brian’s drawings on lined notebook paper. At the start of this picture book, Brian is shown in shades of gray while the rest of the world is in color, a visual reminder of his isolation. Color starts to creep in as he is noticed by Justin. Once he becomes part of the group, he is revealed in full color. The thought-provoking story includes questions for discussion and suggested reading lists for adults and children in the back matter. Pair this highly recommended book with Jacqueline Woodson’s Each Kindness (Penguin, 2012) for units on friendship or feelings.–Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

MACLACHLAN, Patricia. Snowflakes Fall. illus. by Steven Kellogg. 32p. Random. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-385-37693-8; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97328-4; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98219-4. LC 2013008622.

PreS-Gr 3–A gentle picture book created as tribute to the victims of the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. In his dedication, Kellogg expresses his hope that this book “celebrates the laughter, the playful high spirits, and the uniqueness of the children of Sandy Hook and of children everywhere.” And indeed, the image of falling snowflakes–“Flake/After flake/After flake/Each one a pattern/All its own–/No two the same–/All beautiful”–makes an affecting metaphor. MacLachlan’s lyrical and understated poem describes snowflakes swirling “together/Like the voices of children” to blanket backyards and sleeping gardens, rolling countryside, and the town’s familiar sites. Though a nighttime storm may bring shadows that “darken dreams,” morning always comes again, revealing a shining world and the opportunity to play outdoors. In springtime, “when the flowers bloom/The children remember the snowflakes/And we remember the children–/No two the same–/All beautiful.” Throughout, Kellogg’s paintings dazzle with brightly clad kids joyfully romping through winter scenes. As flowers bloom, some of the youngsters dance into a still-snowy sky, and the back endpaper shows a row of 20 snow angels taking flight from a moonlit hillside and soaring into the heavens. Accentuating the rebirth found in nature’s cycle, text and images depict the process of healing and renewal, the comfort of memory, and the power of hope. Adults can share this book to address tragic events, discuss grief and the recovery process, and remind children of the precious beauty of life.–Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

NAKAWAKI, Hatsue. Wait! Wait! tr. from Japanese by Yuki Kaneko. illus. by Komako Sakai. 24p. Enchanted Lion. 2013. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-1-59270-138-4.

PreS–The nearly incidental minimalistic text (the titular refrain) serves as an outline for Sakai’s inspired illustrations, which capture tiny moments of a toddler’s exploration of the world. On the first page, the youngster chases a butterfly, to the words, “Wait! Wait!” On the next, the butterfly flies away, “fluttering up in the air.” And so it goes as the child discovers a lizard, some pigeons, and two cats, and finally is swung up onto Daddy’s shoulders, to the words, “Here we go!” The spare text gives the illustrations room to shine and a child’s imagination room to roam. The acrylic and oil pencil illustrations use simple lines and colors to capture both motion and emotion. The backgrounds are mostly white, with only the most important details sketched in, but the black of the pencil manages to give the earth and rocks and grass both texture and immediacy. The small details ground the illustrations in reality, and the blurred wings of the pigeons capture the movement in almost photographic reality. Sakai is a wizard with the medium, capturing the child’s emotions with simple lines and bringing the animals fully to life. The limited use of color and paint emphasizes the texture of the cats’ fur, the birds’ wings, and the flowers’ petals. Parents and toddlers will see themselves in these pages and delight in Sakai’s ability to bring them to life. A quiet gem.–Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

RASCHKA, Chris. Daisy Gets Lost. illus. by author. 32p. Random/Schwartz & Wade. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81741-4; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81742-1; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81743-8.

PreS-Gr 2–The lovable pup from A Ball for Daisy (Random, 2011) is back. Nearly wordless like its predecessor, this evocative story depicts another misadventure in the park. While playing fetch with her human and her new blue ball, Daisy sees a squirrel. In typical doggie fashion, she merrily chases the critter into the woods and gets lost. Frantic, she howls and looks for the child while the youngster searches for her. The two find each other in the end, though Daisy is still eyeing that pesky squirrel. A clever mix of layouts–mostly full spreads, occasionally changing to two to eight panels across two pages–propels the action. As in his previous work, Raschka masterfully imbues his ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations with a stunning range of emotions. With a few brushstrokes, he captures the excitement in the lolling canine tongue, the alarm and anguish of being lost, the relief and joy of the cozy reunion. Whether a cautionary tale or one familiar to any pet owner, this book is a must for Daisy fans everywhere.–Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

WIESNER, David. Mr. Wuffles! illus. by author. 32p. Clarion. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-618-75661-2.

K-Gr 4–Mr. Wuffles ignores all his fancy cat toys. Still sporting price tags, they line the hallway as he strolls by. But resting quietly among the feathers, balls, and mice is a tiny metal spaceship, and this catches his attention. His playful batting knocks around the alien explorers inside, causing bumps but no injuries. The ship’s flying disks do not survive, however, and the aliens set out to explore the house and repair their craft. Barely escaping Mr. Wuffles’s claws, they dash behind the radiator and discover primitive art of the cat’s previous battles and make friends with the house’s insects. The bugs help the aliens repair the spaceship, avoid capture, and fly away. Nearly wordless, the story is told through pictures and the languages of the ants and aliens, depicted by dashes and symbols. The book is fairly complex, best suited for elementary students, who will enjoy decoding the aliens’ cryptographic alphabet. Wiesner humorously captures the curiosity and confusion of Mr. Wuffles and his human, who remains oblivious to the drama underfoot. The idea of a separate, tiny world next to ours makes a great premise, and Wiesner’s engaging art and lively pacing carry the day. Visual storytelling at its best.–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR

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The following titles are reviewed in the September 2013 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

Preschool to Grade 4

ALBOROUGH, Jez. Nat the Cat’s Sunny Smile. illus. by author. 32p. websites. Kane Miller. Sept. 2013. RTE $12.99. ISBN 978-1-61067-177-4. LC 2012955332.

ANDERSEN, Hans Christian. The Snow Queen: A Retelling of the Fairy Tale. illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline. 40p. HarperCollins/Harper. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-220950-4. LC 2012011533.

ANDREWS, Julie & Emma Walton Hamilton. The Very Fairy Princess Sparkles in the Snow. illus. by Christine Davenier. 32p. (The Very Fairy Princess Series). Little, Brown. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-21963-1. LC 2012042576.

ARANT, Bruce. Simpson’s Sheep Won’t Go to Sleep! illus. by author. 32p. Peter Pauper Press. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4413-1359-1. LC 2013010074.

BARCLAY, Eric. Hiding Phil. illus. by author. 32p. Scholastic. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-46477-2. LC 2012049321.

BARCLAY, Eric. I Can See Just Fine. illus. by author. 32p. Abrams/Appleseed. 2013. RTE $14.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0801-5. LC 2012048270.

BARRETT, Judi. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 3: Planet of the Pies. illus. by Isidre Monés. 32p. S & S/Atheneum. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-9027-7; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-9028-4. LC 2012051345.

BEAN, Jonathan. Big Snow. illus. by author. 32p. Farrar. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-374-30696-0.

BEATY, Andrea. Rosie Revere, Engineer. illus. by David Roberts. 32p. Abrams. Sept. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0845-9.

BERNHEIMER, Kate. The Girl Who Wouldn’t Brush Her Hair. illus. by Jake Parker. 40p. Random/Schwartz & Wade. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86878-8; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96878-5.ebook available. LC 2012006440.

BLACKABY, Susan. Brownie Groundhog and the Wintry Surprise. illus. by Carmen Segovia. 32p. Sterling. Oct. 2013. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-1-4027-9836-8.

BOBER, Natalie S. Papa Is a Poet: A Story About Robert Frost. illus. by Rebecca Gibbon. 40p. bibliog. photos. Holt/Christy Ottaviano. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9407-7.

BROWN, Marc. Marc Brown’s Playtime Rhymes: A Treasury for Families to Learn and Play Together. illus. by author. 48p. Little, Brown. Oct. 2013. Tr $18. ISBN 978-0-316-20735-5.

CARLE, Eric. Friends. illus. by author. 32p. photos. Philomel. Nov. 2013. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-399-16533-7. LC 2012048850.

CASANOVA, Mary. One-Dog Sleigh. illus. by Ard Hoyt. 32p. Farrar. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-374-35639-2. LC 2012007581.

CATALANOTTO, Peter. Monkey & Robot. illus. by author. 64p. S & S/Atheneum/Richard Jackson Bks. 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2978-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3060-0. LC 2012003044.

CHAPMAN, Lynne. Baby Can…Bounce! ISBN 978-1-4052-5831-9.

––––.Baby Goes…Baaaaa! ISBN 978-1-4052-5830-2.

ea vol: illus. by author. 24p. websites. Egmont USA. 2013. pap. $7.99.

CHAUD, Benjamin. The Bear’s Song. tr. from French. illus. by author. 32p. Chronicle. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4521-1424-8.

CHERNESKY, Felicia Sanzari. Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Shapes. illus. by Susan Swan. 32p. Albert Whitman. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-6538-4. LC 2013005186.

CHILD, Lauren. Maude: The Not-So-Noticeable Shrimpton. illus. by Trisha Krauss. 32p. Candlewick. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6515-9.

CLANTON, Ben. The Table Sets Itself. illus. by author. 40p. Walker. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-3447-1; lib. ed. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-3448-8. ebook available.

COCCA-LEFFLER, Maryann. Theo’s Mood. illus. by author. 24p. Albert Whitman. Sept. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-7778-3. LC 2012049834.

CORDIER, Séverine & Cynthia Lacroix. A Day at the Farm. tr. from French by Sarah Quinn. illus. by authors. 48p. Owlkids. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-926973-76-0. LC 2012948721.

DODD, Emma. Cinderelephant. illus. by author. 32p. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-53285-3. LC 2012028907.

ESCOFFIER, Michaël. Me First! tr. from French by Claudia Zoe Bedrick. illus. by Kris Di Giacomo. 24p. Enchanted Lion. 2013. Tr $14. ISBN 978-1-59270-136-0.

FINCH, Mary. The Little Red Hen. illus. by Kate Slater. 32p. w/CD. Barefoot Books. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-84686-575-6; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-84686-751-4.

FRASIER, Debra. Spike: Ugliest Dog in the Universe. illus. by author. 40p. S & S/Beach Lane. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-1452-5; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8988-2. LC 2012025585.

GAY, Marie-Louise. Read Me a Story, Stella. illus. by author. 32p. (A Stella and Sam Book). Groundwood/House of Anansi. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-55498-216-5.

GOLDMAN, Marcia. Lola Goes to Work: A Nine-to-Five Therapy Dog. 32p. Creston Books. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-939547-00-2.

HABER, Tiffany Strelitz. Ollie and Claire. illus. by Matthew Cordell. 40p. Philomel. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25603-5. LC 2011049771.

HAMBURG, Jennifer. A Moose That Says Moo. illus. by Sue Truesdell. 32p. Farrar. Oct. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-374-35058-1.

HARLEY, Bill. Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year. illus. by Adam Gustavson. 160p. Peachtree. Sept. 2013. Tr $13.95. ISBN 978-1-56145-732-8. LC 2013004850.

HARRIS, Robie H. When Lions Roar. illus. by Chris Raschka. 32p. Scholastic/Orchard. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-11283-3. LC 2012005622.

HEIDBREDER, Robert. Black and Bittern Was Night. illus. by John Martz. 32p. Kids Can. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-55453-302-2.

HILLENBRAND, Will. Off We Go!: A Bear and Mole Story. illus. by author. 32p. Holiday House. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2520-4. LC 2012045823.

HORÁČEK, Petr. Animal Opposites: A Pop-Up Book. illus. by author. 20p. Candlewick. 2013. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6776-4. LC 2012950554.

KINGSBURY, Karen & Alex Smith. Go Ahead and Dream. illus. by Greg Banning. 32p. HarperCollins/Harper. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-168625-2. LC 2010015907.

KLEVEN, Elisa. Cozy Light, Cozy Night. illus. by author. 32p. Creston Books. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-939547-02-6.

LATIMER, Alex. Lion vs. Rabbit. illus. by author. 32p. Peachtree. 2013. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-56145-709-0. LC 2012044982.

LEPP, Bil. The King of Little Things. illus. by David T. Wenzel. 32p. Peachtree. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-56145-708-3. LC 2012032584.

LEWIN, Betsy. Thumpy Feet. illus. by author. 32p. Holiday House. Sept. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2901-1. ebook available. LC 2012045826.

LONDON, Jonathan. Here Comes Firefighter Hippo. illus. by Gilles Eduar. 32p. (A Little Hippo Story). Boyds Mills. Sept. 2013. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-968-1. LC 2013931089.

MACBETH, Janine. Oh, Oh, Baby Boy! illus. by author. 32p. Blood Orange Press. 2013. RTE $15.95. ISBN 978-0-9853514-0-3.

MCBRATNEY, Sam. There, There. illus. by Ivan Bates. 40p. Candlewick/Templar. Sept. 2013. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6702-3. LC 2012954336.

MACCARONE, Grace. Princess Tales: Once Upon a Time in Rhyme with Seek-and-Find Pictures. illus. by Gail de Marcken. 32p. notes. Feiwel & Friends. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-312-67958-3.

MCDONALD, Megan. Ant and Honey Bee: A Pair of Friends in Winter. illus. by G. Brian Karas. 64p. Candlewick. Oct. 2013. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5712-3. LC 2012947754.

MACDONALD, Ross. Henry’s Hand. illus. by author. 48p. Abrams. Oct. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0527-4. LC 2012039257.

MCKISSACK, Patricia C. Ol’ Clip-Clop: A Ghost Story. illus. by Eric Velasquez. 32p. Holiday House. Oct. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2265-4. LC 2010029448.

MACLACHLAN, Patricia. You Were the First. illus. by Stephanie Graegin. 40p. Little, Brown. Sept. 2013. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-316-18533-2. LC 2012039910.

MARCIANO, John Bemelmans. Madeline and the Old House in Paris. illus. by author. 48p. Viking. Oct. 2013. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-670-78485-1. LC 2012048417.

MAYER, Pamela. Don’t Sneeze at the Wedding. illus. by Martha Avilés. 32p. Kar-Ben. Sept. 2013. RTE $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0428-1; pap. $7.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0429-8; ebook $6.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1641-3. LC 2012029188.

MEYER, Joyce. Wonderfully Made. illus. by Mary Sullivan. 40p. (Everyday Zoo Series). Zonderkidz. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-310-72353-0.

MILGRIM, David. Some Monsters Are Different. illus. by author. 40p. Holt. 2013. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9519-7. LC 2012016355.

NEEMAN, Sylvie. Something Big. tr. from French by Claudia Zoe Bedrick. illus. by Ingrid Godon. 32p. Enchanted Lion. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59270-140-7.

NEUBECKER, Robert. Winter Is for Snow. illus. by author. 32p. Hyperion/Disney. Oct. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-7831-6.

PEARSON, Tracey Campbell. Elephant’s Story. illus. by author. 40p. Farrar/Margaret Ferguson. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-374-39913-9.

POTTER, Ellen. Strange but True. illus. by David Heatley. 227p. (Otis Dooda Series). Feiwel & Friends. 2013. Tr $13.99. ISBN 978-1-250-01176-3.

RAY, J. Hamilton. Squirrels on Skis. illus. by Pascal Lemaitre. 64p. (Beginner Books Series). Random. Sept. 2013. Tr $8.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81081-1; lib. ed. $12.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97152-5; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98141-8. LC 2012044919.

REDLICH, Ben. Who Flung Dung? illus. by author. 28p. Sky Pony. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-62087-543-8.

REYNOLDS, Aaron. Carnivores. illus. by Dan Santat. 40p. Chronicle. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8118-6690-3.

ROUSS, Sylvia A. & Shannan Rouss. A Watermelon in the Sukkah. illus. by Ann Iosa. 24p. Kar-Ben. 2013. RTE $17.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8118-1; pap. $7.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8119-8; ebook $6.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1642-0. LC 2012028984.

SCHACHNER, Judy. Bits & Pieces. illus. by author. 32p. Dial. Nov. 2013. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3788-4. LC 2012042083.

SEIBOLD, J. Otto. Lost Sloth. illus. by author. 32p. McSweeney’s McMullens. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-938073-35-9.

SHULEVITZ, Uri. Dusk. illus. by author. 32p. Farrar/Margaret Ferguson. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-374-31903-8.

SHULMAN, Mark. Ann and Nan Are Anagrams: A Mixed-Up Word Dilemma. illus. by Adam McCauley. 36p. Chronicle. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4521-0914-5.

SLACK, Michael. Elecopter. illus. by author. 32p. Holt/Christy Ottaviano. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9304-9.

SOMAN, David & Jacky Davis. Ladybug Girl and the Big Snow. illus. by David Soman. 40p. (Ladybug Girl Series). Dial. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3583-5. LC 2012033451.

STAVANS, Ilan. Golemito. illus. by Teresa Villegas. 32p. NewSouth Books. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-58838-292-4.

STEAD, Philip C. Hello, My Name Is Ruby. illus. by author. 40p. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-809-5.

STEIN, David Ezra. Dinosaur Kisses. illus. by author. 32p. Candlewick. 2013. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6104-5. LC 2012954335.

STEIN, Peter. Toys Galore. illus. by Bob Staake. 32p. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6254-7. LC 2012947733.

STOOP, Naoko. Red Knit Cap Girl to the Rescue. illus. by author. 40p. Little, Brown/Megan Tingley. Nov. 2013. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-316-22885-5. LC 2012041465.

SULLIVAN, Kate. On Linden Square. illus. by author. 40p. Sleeping Bear. Sept. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-58536-832-7. LC 2013004097.

SUNEBY, Elizabeth. Razia’s Ray of Hope: One Girl’s Dream of an Education. illus. by Suana Verelst. 36p. (CitizenKid Series). glossary. photos. websites. Kids Can. Sept. 2013. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-1-55453-816-4.

SUROVEC, Yasmine. I See Kitty. illus. by author. 40p. Roaring Brook. Sept. 2013. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-862-0. LC 2012050306.

TIMMERS, Leo. Bang. tr. from Dutch. illus. by author. 48p. Gecko Press. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-877579-18-9.

VILLENEUVE, Anne. Loula Is Leaving for Africa. illus. by author. 32p. Kids Can. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-55453-941-3.

VIVA, Frank. Young Frank, Architect. illus. by author. 40p. websites. Museum of Modern Art. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-87070-893-0. LC 2013935903.

WARD, Lindsay. Please Bring Balloons. illus. by author. 32p. Dial. Oct. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3878-2. LC 2012033588.

WELLS, Rosemary. Yoko Finds Her Way. illus. by author. 32p. Hyperion/Disney. Oct. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-6512-5.

WESTON, Carrie. What Noise Does a Rabbit Make? illus. by Richard Byrne. 32p. Andersen. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-2032-8; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-2038-0.

WOLF, Gita & Andrea Anastasio. Alone in the Forest. illus. by Bhajju Shyam. 40p. Tara Bks. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-81-923171-5-1.

YATES, Louise. Dog Loves Counting. illus. by author. 32p. Knopf. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81342-3; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81343-0.

YOUNG, Cybèle. Ten Birds Meet a Monster. illus. by author. 32p. Kids Can. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-55453-955-0.

ZUCKER, Jonny. Game On: Mission 1. ISBN 978-1-4677-1207-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-1465-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-2051-9.

––––.Grave Danger: Mission 4. ISBN 978-1-4677-1210-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-1466-2; ISBN 978-1-4677-2054-0.

––––.In Deep: Mission 3. ISBN 978-1-4677-1209-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-1473-0; ISBN 978-1-4677-2053-3.

––––.Supersonic: Mission 2. ISBN 978-1-4677-1208-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-1482-2; ISBN 978-1-4677-2052-6.

ea vol: illus. by Ned Woodman. 144p. (Max Flash Series). Darby Creek. Nov. 2013. lib. ed. $27.93; pap. $7.95; ebook $20.95.

LAFLEUR, Suzanne. Listening for Lucca. 240p. Random/Wendy Lamb. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74299-3; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99088-5; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-307-98031-1. LC 2012030911.

Gr 5-8–Thirteen-year-old Siena moves from New York City to a Maine coastal town before the start of eighth grade. Unlike most teens, she doesn’t mind the change. Her strange visions make it difficult to establish close friendships, and she’s hoping a new school will allow her to shed her reputation as a weirdo. Like her parents, Siena also hopes the new environment will encourage her mute three-year-old brother to begin speaking again. Siena starts to uncover oddities about their new home: she sees and hears flashes from the past, and an old pen begins writing its own story. She becomes engrossed in discovering all she can about the house’s former inhabitants, a family living there during World War II. Although her weirdness doesn’t disappear, Siena is able to form friendships and even a budding romance as she continues to investigate the house’s secrets. Her ability to see, interact with, and even alter the past eventually provides her with the insight to help her brother regain his desire to speak. Although Siena’s propensity for strange visions has the potential to create a creepy, suspenseful mood, the plot, especially in the first half of the novel, is more deliberate than gripping. The introduction to World War II battlefield trauma lends an interesting historical aspect. Recommend this one to readers willing to stay with a slow beginning for a satisfying conclusion.–Lindsay Cesari, Baldwinsville School District, NY

O’BRIEN, Annemarie. Lara’s Gift. 208p. bibliog. glossary. Knopf. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-307-93174-0; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97105-1; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97548-5. LC 2012034070.

Gr 5-8–Lara Ivanova Bogdanova loves the borzoi, the dogs her father breeds on the Count’s estate in imperial Russia. Training and caring for the animals alongside her father, she dreams of following him as kennel steward. Then her baby brother is born, and she is devastated when her father determines that she will marry instead. But visions regarding the dogs still come to her despite her father’s demand that she stop them. She knows that Zar, the runt she saved from death despite her father’s disapproval, has an important part to play in hunting the wolves that plague the estate if only her father would give him a chance. The story develops beautifully from Lara’s saving Zar and moves swiftly through the conflicts between Lara and her father as well as the confrontations between Zar and the wolves. Lara bravely steps forward to fight for her dreams in an era in which women were seen as fit only to be wives and mothers, seamstresses and midwives. Birth and fight scenes are handled realistically and factually. The imagery creates a vivid sense of time and place. Compelling historical fiction, this is also a powerful story about the bond between dogs and humans, fathers and daughters. The author’s note explains how the story came to be written and which minor aspects of the time and place were adapted to fit it.–Heidi Grange, Summit Elementary School, Smithfield, UT

SLOAN, Holly Goldberg. Counting by 7s. 384p. Dial. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3855-3. LC 2012004994.

Gr 5-8–Twelve-year-old Willow Chase lived with her adoptive parents in Bakersfield, California. There in the midst of the high desert, she grew a garden in her backyard, her sanctuary. She was excited about starting a new school, hoping this time she might fit in, might find a friend. Willow had been identified in preschool as highly gifted, most of the time causing confusion and feelings of ineptness in her teachers. Now at her new school she is accused of cheating because no one has ever finished the state proficiency test in just 17 minutes, let alone gotten a perfect score. Her reward is behavioral counseling with Dell Duke, an ineffectual counselor with organizational and social issues of his own. She does make a friend when Mai Nguyen brings her brother, Quang-ha, to his appointment, and their lives begin to intertwine when Willow’s parents are killed in an auto accident. For the second time in her life she is an orphan, forced to find a “new normal.” She is taken in temporarily by Mai’s mother, who must stay ahead of Social Services. While Willow sees herself as just an observer, trying to figure out the social norms of regular family life, she is actually a catalyst for change, bringing together unsuspecting people and changing their lives forever. The narration cleverly shifts among characters as the story evolves. Willow’s philosophical and intellectual observations contrast with Quang-ha’s typical teenage boy obsessions and the struggles of a Vietnamese family fighting to live above the poverty level. Willow’s story is one of renewal, and her journey of rebuilding the ties that unite people as a family will stay in readers’ hearts long after the last page.–Cheryl Ashton, Amherst Public Library, OH

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The following titles are reviewed in the September 2013 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

Grades 5-8

ABDUL-JABBAR, Kareem & Raymond Obstfeld. Sasquatch in the Paint. Bk. 1. 265p. (Streetball Crew Series). Hyperion/Disney. Sept. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-7870-5. ebook available.

BRAUNER, Barbara & James Iver Mattson. The Glitter Trap. illus. by Abigail Halpin. 240p. (Oh My Godmother Series). Hyperion/Disney. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-6373-2. LC 2013930976.

BRENDLER, Carol. Radio Girl. 208p. Holiday House. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2861-8. ebook available. LC 2012045937.

CARLSON, Caroline. Magic Marks the Spot. Bk. 1. illus. by Dave Phillips. 344p. (The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates Series). HarperCollins/Harper. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219434-3; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219433-6.

CARLTON, Kat. Two Lies and a Spy. 256p. S & S. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8172-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8174-9.

CARTER, Rachel. This Strange and Familiar Place. Bk. 2. 264p. (So Close to You Series). HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-208108-7. ebook available. LC 2012031814.

CATANEO, D. M. Eggplant Alley. 352p. Bunker Hill. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59373-146-5. LC 2013934778.

COOPER, Susan. Ghost Hawk. 328p. map. S & S/McElderry. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8141-1; ebook $11.76. ISBN 978-1-4424-8143-5. LC 2012039892.

ENGLE, Margarita. Mountain Dog. illus. by Olga Ivanov. 224p. Holt. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9516-6.

GANSWORTH, Eric. If I Ever Get Out of Here. 368p. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-41730-3. LC 201202030553.

GEORGE, Jessica Day. Wednesdays in the Tower. 240p. Bloomsbury. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59990-645-4; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-051-2. LC 2013000262.

GIFF, Patricia Reilly. Hunter Moran Hangs Out. 144p. Holiday House. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2859-5. ebook available.

GORMLEY, Beatrice. Friends of Liberty. 197p. Eerdmans. 2013. pap. $8. ISBN 978-0-8028-5418-6. LC 2012048444.

HARPER, Suzanne. A Mischief of Mermaids. Bk. 3. 288p. (The Unseen World of Poppy Malone Series). HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-199613-9. ebook available. LC 2012046725.

HELDRING, Thatcher. The League. 240p. Delacorte. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74181-1; lib. ed. $18.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99025-0; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98713-7. LC 2012035296.

JARVIS, Robin. Dark Waters of Hagwood. Bk. 2. 314p. (The Hagwood Trilogy). illus. Open Road. 2013. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-1-4532-9920-3. ebook available.

KELLEY, Jane. The Desperate Adventures of Zeno and Alya. 208p. Feiwel & Friends. Oct. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-250-02348-3.

KERRIN, Jessica Scott. A Narrow Escape. Bk. 2. illus. by Shelagh Armstrong. 136p. (Lobster Chronicles). Kids Can. 2013. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-55453-642-9.

KORMAN, Gordon. The Hypnotists. Bk. 1. 232p. (The Hypnotists Series). Scholastic. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-50322-8. LC 2012040458.

KRISHNASWAMI, Uma. The Problem with Being Slightly Heroic. illus. by Abigail Halpin. 288p. S & S/Atheneum. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2328-2; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9591-3.

KURTZ, Jane. Anna Was Here. 288p. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-056493-3. ebook available. LC 2010017857.

LENNON, Maria T. Confessions of a So-called Middle Child. 288p. HarperCollins/Harper. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-212690-0. ebook available.

MCCAFFERTY, Megan. The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection. Bk. 1. 228p. (Jessica Darling’s It List Series). Little, Brown/Poppy. Sept. 2013. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-316-24499-2; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-24497-8.

MARTIN, Lisa & Valerie Martin. Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea. illus. by Kelly Murphy. 256p. Algonquin. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-61620-246-0.

PIERPOINT, Eric. The Last Ride of Caleb O’Toole. 288p. Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky. Sept. 2013. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-8171-6.

SACKETT, Frances. The Misadventures of the Magician’s Dog. 192p. Holiday House. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2869-4. ebook available. LC 2012041540.

SIMON, Seymour. The Impossible Shrinking Machine: And Other Cases. Bk. 1. 102p. ISBN 978-1-936503-05-6.

––––.Lightning Never Lies: And Other Cases. Bk. 2. 116p. ISBN 978-1-936503-10-0.

ea vol: illus. by Kevin O’Malley. (Einstein Anderson: Science Geek Series). diag. websites. StarWalk. 2013. pap. $6.99.

SNICKET, Lemony. “When Did You See Her Last?” Bk. 2. illus. by Seth. 277p. (All the Wrong Questions Series). Little, Brown. Oct. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-316-12305-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-316-22503-8. LC 2012955921.

SONNENBLICK, Jordan. Are You Experienced? 304p. Feiwel & Friends. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-250-02564-7.

STRASSER, Todd. Fallout. 272p. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5534-1. ebook available. LC 2012955123.

STROUD, Jonathan. The Screaming Staircase. Bk. 1. 384p. (Lockwood & Co. Series). Hyperion/Disney. Sept. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-6491-3. LC 2013000352.

THOMPSON, Mary G. Escape from the Pipe Men! 352p. Clarion. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-85905-7. LC 2012022615.

TRACY, Kristen. Too Cool for This School. 288p. Delacorte. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74070-8; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98962-9; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89984-3.

VERNICK, Shirley Reva. Remember Dippy. 162p. Cinco Puntos. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-935955-48-1; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-935955-58-0. ebook available. LC 2012043174.

VOORHEES, Coert. In Too Deep. 336p. Hyperion/Disney. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-4035-1; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-8109-5. LC 2013002329.

WALLACE, Rich. Wicked Cruel. 208p. Knopf. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86748-4; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96748-1; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89800-6.

WHITNEY, Daisy. Starry Nights. 272p. Bloomsbury. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-133-5.

WOLF, Elisabeth. Lulu in La La Land. 272p. illus. Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky. 2013. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-8504-2. ebook available.

ZAHLER, Diane. Sleeping Beauty’s Daughters. 224p. HarperCollins/Harper. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-200496-3.

BLAKE, Tamara. Slumber. 172p. Diversion. 2013. $3.99. ISBN 978-1-62-681102-7.

Gr 10 Up–When Ruby’s single mom becomes ill, the 17-year-old has to fill in at Happy Housekeepers in order to keep money coming in. She enters the house that she is assigned to clean in New York’s tony Hamptons and finds it trashed from a wild party. While cleaning, she meets handsome and flirtatious Tam and a host of other young people who are engaged in sexual exploits and indulging in alcohol and drugs. Violet, an ex-girlfriend of Tam’s, is jealous of Ruby and demands that she clean her room. Ruby, desperate for money, reluctantly does so, and in the process steals a necklace. She later confesses her crime to Tam, who has some bad news for her: the necklace will not come off and will only get tighter and tighter. Violet and the others in the house, including Tam, are fae or fairies. They are bored with their lives and enjoy watching humans suffer. The only way for Ruby to end the curse that Violet puts on her family is to perform a series of tasks. In the same vein as Nancy Werlin’s Extraordinary (Dial, 2010), this modern-day fairy tale’s accessible vocabulary and dialogue make it easy to read. The fairy characters are faintly reminiscent of the group of vampires in Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” books, but they use four letter words and seem less mature. Teen girls who are reluctant readers and enjoy watching shows such as True Blood will pick up this title.–Kathy Lyday, South Caldwell High School, NC

KNOWLES, Jo. Living with Jackie Chan. 384p. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6280-6; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6716-0.

Gr 9 Up–Seventeen-year-old Josh expected to be hanging out with his friends and going to parties during his senior year, but all that changed after a one-night stand ended in an unexpected pregnancy. Afraid to face the girl whose life he believes he ruined, Josh moves in with his Jackie Chan-loving Uncle Larry and begins a new life at a new school. Yet no matter how hard he tries, he can’t escape his past. Overcome with guilt and regret, Josh concentrates on helping his uncle with his karate class. His growing friendship with his neighbor, Stella, forces Josh to face his past in an attempt to find forgiveness, especially from his own worst enemy: himself. In this companion to Jumping Off Swings (Candlewick, 2009), Knowles provides readers with an intimate look at Josh a year after the events of the first book. Tormented by his past actions, Josh is constantly at war with his feelings, denying himself any happiness as penance. As the emotional core of the book, Josh is a complex yet incredibly likable character with whom readers will empathize. Similarly, both Larry and Stella possess dynamic, well-developed personalities, making it easy to believe how crucial a role they play in Josh’s recovery. Divided into four parts, the compelling narrative offers an honest and frank look at teen pregnancy from the male’s perspective, and while the book could have been a depressing read in another author’s hands, Knowles succeeds in writing a character-driven story that is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking.–Audrey Sumser, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Mayfield, OH

LAKE, Nick. Hostage Three. 368p. map. Bloomsbury. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-123-6; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-149-6.

Gr 8 Up–Amy Fields walks out of her A Level exams required for entrance into the Royal Academy; she is still grieving over her mother’s death and cares little about the future. Her rich father and new stepmother hope that sailing around the world will allow much-needed family bonding, but the idyllic trip ends when Somalian pirates seize their yacht and hold them for ransom. Tension is palpable as the frightened family and crew become pawns in the businesslike negotiations. Although carefully guarded with machine guns, the British teen observes a pecking order among her captors and befriends Farouz, the pirates’ handsome translator. They share memories of personal pain that include Amy’s mother’s suicide, the execution of Farouz’s parents, and the political imprisonment of his brother. Their stories are vivid and poignant, adding layers to a rich characterization, especially details of Somalian culture and mythology. Amy falls in love, understanding Farouz’s vow to use ransom money to free his brother, but is startled back to reality when he agrees to follow orders to shoot her on command. Circumstances become dire when she learns secrets about her father’s business that jeopardize their release, and rival pirates and the navy get involved. The author playfully tells Amy’s account of the rescue the way she hoped it would play out, and then again, as it actually happened. The narrative twist is brilliant, taking readers on an emotional ride to the very last page.–Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY

SALERNI, Dianne K. The Caged Graves. 336p. Clarion. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-86853-0. LC 2012021008.

Gr 8 Up–It’s 1867, and 17-year-old Verity Boone is moving back to Pennsylvania after spending 15 years with relatives in Massachusetts. She’s anxious to reunite with her father and meet her fiancé, Nathaniel McClure, for the first time. Unfortunately, life in rural Catawissa isn’t what Verity expected and her homecoming is beginning to feel anything but welcoming. Her father is distant, and Verity and Nathaniel’s first meeting is awkward and uncomfortable. He doesn’t come across as romantic in person as he did in his letters. To make matters worse, he takes Verity on an impromptu walk that leads her to an unsettling sight–her mother’s grave enclosed in an ugly, iron cage. Disturbed and heartbroken, Verity is determined to find out why it was placed in unconsecrated grounds. Unfortunately, her father, Nathaniel, and the townsfolk (while quick to gossip about the Boones) aren’t talking. The only way to unravel the mystery is to read her mother’s diaries, which exposes Verity to unsettling truths about Catawissa and her family. Verity is a likable, feisty, and outspoken heroine. She often infuriates Nathaniel, whom she quickly discovers is worthy of her attentions. Salerni is a masterful storyteller who uses eloquent prose to craft a suspenseful historical mystery that is absolutely impossible to put down.–Kimberly Garnick Giarratano, Rockaway Township Public Library, NJ

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The following titles are reviewed in the September 2013 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

Grades 9 & Up

BLAKE, Kendare. Antigoddess. Bk. 1. 336p. (The Goddess War Series). ebook available. Tor Teen. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7653-3443-5.

BLOUNT, Patty. TMI. 336p. Sourcebooks/Fire. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-7340-7.

CASELLA, Jody. Thin Space. 256p. S & S/Simon Pulse. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-58270-435-7; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-58270-392-3.

COTUGNO, Katie. How to Love. 400p. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-221635-9. ebook available.

COUTTS, Alexandra. Tumble & Fall. 384p. Farrar. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-374-37861-5.

CRANE, Caprice. Confessions of a Hater. 288p. Feiwel & Friends. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-250-00846-6.

CUSICK, John M. Cherry Money Baby. 400p. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5557-0. ebook available. LC 2013931460.

DASHNER, James. The Eye of Minds. 304p. Delacorte. Oct. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74139-2; lib. ed. $21.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99001-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98463-1.

DOLLER, Trish. Where the Stars Still Shine. 256p. Bloomsbury. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-144-1; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61963-145-8.

EMERSON, Kevin. The Dark Shore. Bk. 2. 470p. (The Atlanteans Series). HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-206282-6. LC 2012029923.

FARMER, Nancy. The Lord of Opium. 432p. S & S/Atheneum/Richard Jackson Bks. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8254-8; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8256-2. LC 2012030418.

FRANKEL, Jordana. The Ward. 465p. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209534-3; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209536-7. LC 2012051733.

FREDERICKS, Mariah. Season of the Witch. 256p. Random/Schwartz & Wade. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81277-8; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81278-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81279-2. LC 2012040028.

GLEASON, Colleen. The Clockwork Scarab. Bk. 1. 356p. (Stoker & Holmes Series). Chronicle. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4521-1070-7.

GREEN, Risa. Projection. 288p. SohoTeen. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-61695-200-6.

HALBROOK, Kristin. Nobody but Us. 288p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-212126-4; ebook $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-212127-1. LC 2012011526.

HEMPHILL, Stephanie. Hideous Love: The Story of the Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein. 320p. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-185331-9.

HOPKINS, Ellen. Smoke. 560p. S & S/McElderry. Sept. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8328-6; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2358-9. LC 2012038452.

HUTCHINSON, Shaun David. FML. 276p. S & S/Simon Pulse. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8318-7; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3287-1; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3288-8. LC 2012016007.

HUTCHISON, Dot. A Wounded Name. 320p. Carolrhoda Lab. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0887-6; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1618-5. LC 2012043424.

KLEIN, Lisa. Love Disguised. 320p. further reading. Bloomsbury. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59990-968-4.

KRUGER, Mark H. Overpowered. 432p. S & S. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3128-7. ebook available. LC 2012043190.

LAYBOURNE, Emmy. Sky on Fire. Bk. 2. 217p. (Monument 14 Series). Feiwel & Friends. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-312-56904-4. ebook available.

LEVITHAN, David. Two Boys Kissing. 200p. Knopf. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-307-93190-0; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97112-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97564-5. LC 2012047089.

LEVY, Debbie. Imperfect Spiral. 339p. Walker. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-3441-9; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8027-3442-6. LC 2012027329.

MACHALE, D. J. SYLO. 416p. (The SYLO Chronicles Series). Penguin/Razorbill. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59514-665-6.

MANCUSI, Mari. Scorched. 352p. Sourcebooks/Fire. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4022-8458-8.

MESROBIAN, Carrie. Sex & Violence. 304p. Carolrhoda Lab. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0597-4; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1619-2. LC 2012047181.

MILLER, Leah Rae. The Summer I Became a Nerd. 258p. Entangled Teen. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-62061-238-5; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-62061-239-2.

MOSER, Elise. Lily and Taylor. 192p. Groundwood/House of Anansi. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-55498-334-6; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-55498-335-3; ebook $9.95. ISBN 978-1-55498-336-0.

NORTH, Phoebe. Starglass. 448p. S & S. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5953-3. ebook available. LC 2012021171.

OSTROVSKI, Emil. The Paradox of Vertical Flight. 272p. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-223852-8; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-223854-2.

PATEL, Sam A. Data Runner. 232p. Diversion. 2013. ebook $2.99. ISBN 978-1-62-681060-0.

POLSKY, Sara. This Is How I Find Her. 261p. Albert Whitman. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-7877-3.

SHARAFEDDINE, Fatima. The Servant. 160p. Groundwood/House of Anansi. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-55498-307-0; ebook $9.95. ISBN 978-1-55498-309-4.

SMITH, Alexander Gordon. The Fury. 681p. Farrar. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-374-32495-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-374-32497-1. LC 2012032621.

SNOW, Carol. Bubble World. 352p. Holt. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9571-5.

STINE, R. L. A Midsummer Night’s Scream. 256p. Feiwel & Friends. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-250-02434-3.

TERRY, Teri. Fractured. Bk. 2. 336p. (Slated Trilogy). Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Bks. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-399-16173-5. LC 2012044317.

THOMAS, Sherry. The Burning Sky. Bk. 1. 464p. (The Elemental Trilogy). HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. Sept. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-220729-6. ebook available.

WENDIG, Chuck. Under the Empyrean Sky. Bk. 1. 368p. (The Heartland Trilogy). Skyscape. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4778-1720-9; ebook $7.99. ISBN 978-1-4778-6720-4.

WHITE, Kiersten. The Chaos of Stars. 288p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-213592-6. ebook available.

LEWIS, John & Andrew Aydin. March. Bk. 1. illus. by Nate Powell. 128p. (March Series). Top Shelf. 2013. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-60309-300-2.

Gr 8 Up–Beginning with a dream sequence that depicts the police crackdown on the 1965 Selma-Montgomery March, this memoir then cuts to Congressman John Lewis’s preparations on the day of President Obama’s inauguration. Lewis provides perspective on the occasion, explaining and describing his own religious and desegregationalist origins in Alabama, his early meeting with Dr. King, and his training as a nonviolent protester. The bulk of the narrative centers around the lunch counter sit-ins in 1959 and 1960 and ends on the hopeful note of a public statement by Nashville Mayor West. The narration feels very much like a fascinating firsthand anecdote and, despite a plethora of personal details and unfamiliar names, it never drags. Even with the contemporary perspective, the events never feel like a foregone conclusion, making the stakes significant and the work important. The narration particularly emphasizes the nonviolent aspect of the movement and the labor involved in maintaining that ideal. The artwork is full of lush blacks and liquid brushstrokes and features both small period details and vast, sweeping vistas that evoke both the reality of the setting and the importance of the events. This is superb visual storytelling that establishes a convincing, definitive record of a key eyewitness to significant social change, and that leaves readers demanding the second volume.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

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The following titles are reviewed in the September 2013 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

Elementary and Middle School

ALLISON, John. The Case of the Team Spirit. vol. 1. illus. by author. 136p. (Bad Machinery Series). glossary. Oni Press. 2013. pap. $19.99. ISBN 978-1-62010-084-4. LC 2012953355.

BARKS, Carl. Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: The Old Castle’s Secret. illus. by author. 232p. Fantagraphics. 2013. Tr $28.99. ISBN 978-1-60699-653-9.

BOLTON, Chris A. SMASH: Trial by Fire. Bk. 1. illus. by Kyle Bolton. 160p. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5596-9. LC 2012947720.

BROWN, Don. The Great American Dust Bowl. illus. by author. 80p. bibliog. notes. photos. Houghton Harcourt. Oct. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-547-81550-3.

DUFFY, Chris, ed. Fairy Tale Comics. illus. by Bobby London, Emily Carroll, Gilbert Hernandez, et al. 128p. First Second. Sept. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-823-1.

GIARRUSSO, Chris. Coming Home. Vol. 3. illus. by author. 128p. (G-Man Series). Image. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-60706-571-5.

GOULD, Jane. Henry Hudson. ISBN 978-1-4777-0071-6; ISBN 978-1-4777-0127-0. LC 2012018693.

PELLESCHI, Andrea. Juan Ponce de Léon. ISBN 978-1-4777-0073-0; ISBN 978-1-4777-0131-7. LC 2012019804.

ROBERTS, Steven. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado. ISBN 978-1-4777-0070-9; ISBN 978-1-4777-0125-6. LC 2012018692.

ea vol: 24p. (Jr. Graphic Famous Explorers Series). chron. glossary. illus. index. map. websites. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2013. lib. ed. $25.25; pap. $10.60.

HARPER, Charise Mericle. The Cookie. illus. by author. 48p. (Bean Dog and Nugget Series). Knopf. 2013. lib. ed. $12.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97711-3; pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97710-6; ebook $4.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97712-0. LC 2012029374.

HAYES, Geoffrey. Patrick Eats His Peas and Other Stories. 00-2013. ISBN 978-1-9351-7934-4. LC 2013931436.

LINIERS, Ricardo. The Big Wet Balloon. Sept. 2013. ISBN 978-1-9351-7932-0. LC 2012047662.

ea vol: illus by author. 32p. Toon Bks. RTE $12.95.

JOFFO, Joseph. A Bag of Marbles: The Graphic Novel. tr. from French by Edward Gauvin. illus. by Vincent Bailly. 128p. Lerner/Graphic Universe. Oct. 2013. lib. ed. $29.27. ISBN 978-1-4677-0700-8; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1516-4; ebook $21.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1651-2. LC 2013002284.

JOHNSON, Crockett. Barnaby. Vol. 1. illus. by author. 320p. notes. Fantagraphics. 2013. Tr $35. ISBN 978-1-60699-522-8.

LIEBERMAN, AJ. The Silver Six. illus. by Darren Rawlings. 192p. Scholastic/Graphix. 2013. Tr $22.99. ISBN 978-0-545-37097-4; pap. $10.99. ISBN 978-0-545-37098-1. LC 2012945144.

MERCADO, Yehudi. Pantalones, TX: Don’t Chicken Out. illus. by author. 120p. Archaia. 2013. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-1-936393-90-9.

NORDLING, Lee. The Bramble. illus. by Bruce Zick. 32p. Carolrhoda. Sept. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-5856-5; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0952-1.

PASTIS, Stephan T. Beginning Pearls. illus. by author. 224p. (Amp! Comics for Kids). Andrews McMeel. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4494-2303-2. LC 2012954161.

THOMPSON, Richard. Mighty Alice Goes Round and Round: A Cul de Sac Book. illus. by author. 224p. (Amp! Comics for Kids). Andrews McMeel. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4494-3721-3. LC 2012954162.

High School

FINK, Jess. We Can Fix It!: A Time Travel Memoir. illus. by author. 112p. Top Shelf. 2013. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-60309-065-0.

POPE, Paul. Battling Boy. illus. by author. 208p. First Second. Oct. 2013. Tr $24.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-805-7; pap. $15.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-145-4.

PYLE, Kevin C. with Scott Cuningham. Bad for You. illus. by author. 164p. chart. chron. further reading. glossary. notes. websites. Holt. Oct. 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9289-9.

TAKAKO, Shimura. Wandering Son. Vol. 4. tr. from Japanese by Matt Thorn. illus. by author. 224p. Fantagraphics. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-60699-605-8.

BUTTERWORTH, Chris. See What a Seal Can Do. illus. by Kate Nelms. 32p. index. websites. Candlewick. 2013. RTE $14.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6574-6. LC 2012947729.

K-Gr 2–A curious gray seal peers out from the cover, seeming to invite readers into its underwater world. Once inside, the book begins and ends with seals napping on the rocks. This sedentary behavior, the only one visible to earth-bound humans, gives these sea mammals a “lazy” reputation. In fact, as the illustrations go on to show, the seal is anything but. Once below the ocean’s surface, the creature’s streamlined body and adaptive features (which are described and explained) make it a master predator. The poetic text is full of alliteration, onomatopoeia, and vocabulary that will delight readers. (“A flump is a flop and a jump both together.”) Sentences in smaller type act as captions and add further detail, as do the illustrations on the endpapers and the information on the verso of the title page. The beautifully colored, full-spread illustrations portray the seal’s transformation from awkward land dweller to sinuous and powerful denizen of the deep. The below-water scenes masterfully evoke the murky ocean habitat and the singular seal’s steep descent to the bottom. From the irresistible cover to the closing “super-swimming underwater wonder,” the book will encourage readers to dive right in and see what a seal can do.–Carol S. Surges, formerly at Longfellow Middle School, Wauwatosa, WI

GUIBERSON, Brenda Z. The Greatest Dinosaur Ever. illus. by Gennady Spirin. 32p. bibliog. websites. Holt. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9625-5.

Gr 1-4–This book poses the question, “Who was the greatest dinosaur that ever lived?” Each beautifully illustrated page declares “I, —-, was the greatest of them all!” The succinct text describes the superlative characteristic (biggest herbivore, stongest teeth, fastest runner) of the species and offers the gross, interesting, and informative facts that dinosaur-obsessed readers want to know. Each name includes a pronunciation guide (exactly what adult readers want). The text includes a mix of familiar and obscure species including “the first dinosaur to say I was a bird,” the best parent, and the longest spikes. Every full-spread illustration, in oil paint on paper, shows the dinosaur in its richly depicted habitat. Observant children will learn as much from the detailed, painterly images of groups of animals moving together, hunting prey, and adapting to new environments as they will from the text. The dreamy quality of the art keeps these giant predators from being too scary. Whether read aloud or pored over individually, this book is sure to please anyone who has ever wondered about dinosaurs.–Leila Sterman, Chappaqua Library, NY

PINKNEY, Jerry. The Tortoise & the Hare. illus. by author. 40p. Little, Brown. Oct. 2013. Tr $18. ISBN 978-0-316-18356-7. LC 2012048426.

PreS-Gr 3–Following up on his superb rendition of The Lion & the Mouse (Little, Brown, 2009), Pinkney has created yet another stunning interpretation of a classic tale in this virtually wordless picture book. Endpapers establish the desert setting with a map of the course through the cacti and rocky region of the American Southwest. Tortoise and Hare, each sporting a bandana, are joined by their animal friends at the starting line for the famous race. Fox in his broad-brimmed hat gives them their marks, gets them set, and off they go as Hare bounds away, leaving Tortoise behind in a trail of dust. Pinkney uses watercolor, colored pencil, and pastel paintings to create vibrant characters that are in colorful contrast to the tans and natural browns of the desert. Long horizontal lines and Hare leaping off the page propel the story–and the race–ever forward. The limited text, used sparingly but extremely effectively, reinforces the theme of the story–that the journey is as important as the ultimate goal–and builds one word at a time: “slow,” “slow and,” “slow and steady” until finally the race is won to the cheers and high-fives of the supportive spectators. Pinkney takes care to show Tortoise overcoming challenges and Hare demonstrating good sportsmanship and healthy competition. An artist’s note explains the creative process and motivation for retelling the well-known tale. This spectacular success is certain to become a classic in its own right.–Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY

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The following titles are reviewed in the September 2013 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

Preschool to Grade 4

ALOIAN, Molly. What Is Hearing? ISBN 978-0-7787-0970-1; ISBN 978-0-7787-0997-8. LC 2013004906.

––––.What Is Sight? ISBN 978-0-7787-0969-5; ISBN 978-0-7787-0996-1. LC 2013009067.

––––.What Is Smell? ISBN 978-0-7787-0971-8; ISBN 978-0-7787-0999-2. LC 2013009066.

––––.What Is Taste? ISBN 978-0-7787-0967-1; ISBN 978-0-7787-0972-5. LC 2013007631.

––––.What Is Touch? ISBN 978-0-7787-0968-8; ISBN 978-0-7787-0991-6.

ea vol: 24p. (Senses Close-Up Series). diag. further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. websites. Crabtree. 2013. lib. ed. $22.60; pap. $7.95.

BARRETT, Judi. Grandpa’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Cookbook. illus. by Ron Barrett. 64p. ebook available. index. photos. S & S/Atheneum. 2013. Spiral $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4475-1. LC 2012045731.

BARRY, Holly M. Helen Keller’s Best Friend Belle. illus. by Jennifer Thermes. 32p. Albert Whitman. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-3198-3.

BROCKET, Jane. 1 Cookie, 2 Chairs, 3 Pears: Numbers Everywhere. 32p. (Jane Brocket’s Clever Concepts Series). Millbrook. Oct. 2013. lib. ed. $26.60. ISBN 978-1-4677-0232-4; ebook $19.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1702-1. LC 2012049689.

BROOKS, Susie. Get Into Art People: Discover Great Art and Create Your Own! illus. by author. 32p. diag. glossary. index. photos. reprods. Kingfisher. 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-7534-7059-6.

DEMI. The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna. illus. by author. 44p. Wisdom Tales. 2013. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-1-937786-05-2.

FRANCINE, Gabriella with Solara Vayanian. Let’s Make a Difference: We Can Help Orangutans. (Save Coins for Causes).32p. photos. websites. Big Blue Marble. Oct. 2013. Tr $15. ISBN 978-1-938504-00-6. LC 2013930091.

GILANI, Fawzia. Snow White: An Islamic Tale. illus. by Shireen Adams. 44p. (Islamic Fairy Tales Series). glossary. The Islamic Foundation. 2013. Tr $14. ISBN 978-0-86037-526-5.

HARRIS, Robie H. What’s in There?: All About Before You Were Born. illus. by Nadine Bernard Westcott. 40p. (Let’s Talk About You and Me Series). Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-3630-2. LC 2008025455.

HUBER, Raymond. Flight of the Honey Bee. illus. by Brian Lovelock. 32p. index. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6760-3. LC 2013931462.

KOHUTH, Jane. Anne Frank’s Chestnut Tree. illus. by Elizabeth Sayles. 48p. (Step into Reading Series). photos. websites. Random. Sept. 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-449-81255-6; lib. ed. $14.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97115-0; pap. $3.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97579-9; ebook $3.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98113-5. LC 2012034585.

KULLING, Monica. Making Contact!: Marconi Goes Wireless. illus. by Richard Rudnicki. 32p. (Great Idea Series). Tundra. 2013. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-77049-378-0. ebook available. LC 2012947610.

LEVINE, Sara. Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons. illus. by T.S Spookytooth. 32p. further reading. glossary. websites. Millbrook. Oct. 2013. lib. ed. $26.60. ISBN 978-0-7613-8464-9. ebook available. LC 2012048894.

LUNDE, Darrin. Hello, Mama Wallaroo. illus. by Patricia J. Wynne. 28p. Charlesbridge. 2013. RTE $15.95. ISBN 978-1-57091-796-7; pap. $6.95. ISBN 978-1-57091-797-4; ebook $6.99. ISBN 978-1-60734-605-0. LC 2012024436.

O’CONNELL, Jennifer. The Eye of the Whale: A Rescue Story. illus. by author. 32p. Tilbury. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-88448-335-9. LC 2012031165.

PRELUTSKY, Jack. The Silver Moon: Lullabies and Cradle Songs. illus. by Jui Ishida. 48p. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-201467-2. LC 2012038097.

QUATTLEBAUM, Mary. Jo MacDonald Hiked in the Woods. illus. by Laura J. Bryant. 32p. further reading. websites. Dawn. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-58469-334-5; pap. $8.95. ISBN 978-1-58469-335-2. LC 2013009249.

ROCKWELL, Anne. Hey, Charleston!: The True Story of the Jenkins Orphanage Band. illus. by Colin Bootman. 32p. bibliog. Carolrhoda. Nov. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-5565-6; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8843-2. LC 2010001525.

RUSCH, Elizabeth. Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World. illus. by Oliver Dominguez. 40p. bibliog. diag. further reading. notes. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5855-7. LC 2012954334.

RUSCH, Elizabeth. Volcano Rising. illus. by Susan Swan. 32p. bibliog. diag. further reading. glossary. websites. Charlesbridge. 2013. RTE $17.95. ISBN 978-1-58089-408-1; pap. $7.95. ISBN 978-1-58089-409-8; ebook $6.99. ISBN 978-1-60734-616-6. LC 2012000793.

THOMSON, Sarah L. Ancient Animals: Terror Bird. illus. by Andrew Plant. 32p. further reading. websites. Charlesbridge. 2013. RTE $12.95. ISBN 978-1-58089-398-5; pap. $5.95. ISBN 978-1-58089-399-2; ebook $6.99. ISBN 978-1-60734-610-4. LC 2012029366.

TONER, Jacqueline B. with Claire A. B. Freeland. What to Do When It’s Not Fair: A Kid’s Guide to Handling Envy and Jealousy. illus. by David Thompson. 96p. diag. Magination. Sept. 2013. pap. $15.95. ISBN 978-1-4338-1341-2. LC 2013005781.

WINTER, Jonah. JFK. illus. by AG Ford. 32p. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. Nov. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-176807-1.

FREEDMAN, Russell. Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain. 96p. bibliog. index. notes. photos. reprods. Clarion. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-547-90378-1.

Gr 5-8–For the 30 years it was in operation, from 1910-1940, Angel Island Immigration Station served as the first step for hundreds of thousands of people seeking a new home and a new life in the United States. It was a bleak, unwelcoming introduction to the new land, and for many immigrants, primarily those from China, it was also a detention center. Many Chinese were held there for weeks or months at a time while they endured lengthy interviews and invasive medical exams in order to prove that they could enter the U.S. Freedman’s inimitable style and approach to nonfiction writing shines in this accessible, thoughtful history of Angel Island and its legacy in the American immigration narrative. Detailed descriptions of the island, the actual building, the events that took place there, and the people who passed through its doors are sprinkled with the emotional poems, quotes, and other writings that were discovered covering the walls of the areas where the detainees were housed. These words provide not only a unique perspective of the immigrants, but also a context for what was happening in the broader world, specifically the racist, xenophobic attitudes encountered by many new arrivals. Complemented by photographs, artwork, and primary sources, Freedman’s writing offers up a strong, engaging introduction to the subject of a more diverse immigrant population and the obstacles that were put in its way. Equally evocative and informative, this is an excellent choice for middle school libraries.–Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

GREENBERG, Jan & Sandra Jordan. The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius. 56p. bibliog. notes. photos. reprods. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. Oct. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-810-1. LC 2012047601.

Gr 5-8–Ohr was a homegrown genius and the greatest artist potter on Earth, or so he claimed, and while dismissed by many as a self-promoting eccentric (he was that), much of what he declared about himself is recognized as true today. His pottery, notably inventive in its shapes, textures, and glazes, became more experimental and free-flowing in form after 1894, when fire destroyed his kiln. While clearly distinct, Ohr’s art was not outsider; he subscribed to the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement, and for a short time worked with Joseph Meyer furnishing pottery for the women of The Ladies’ Decorative Arts League in New Orleans. But Ohr was quirky, flamboyant, and a Biloxi, Mississippi, tourist attraction; he had a bushy handlebar mustache that he could wrap around his ears, and he was often difficult. The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or “mud babies” as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his work–and several children–about, that open and close the book. A one-page guide on “How to Look at a Pot” examines a decorative piece with reference to texture, color, form, line, and expression. Extensive source notes round out this nicely designed, fascinating introduction to the master craftsman and art pottery.–Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal

LEWIS, Catherine. Thrice Told Tales: Three Mice Full of Writing Advice. illus. by Joost Swarte. 144p. appendix. diag. glossary. index. S & S/Atheneum. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-5784-3. ebook available. LC 2012010644.

Gr 8 Up–Lewis offers a witty and whimsical guide for burgeoning scribes that includes definitions of common literary terms as well as writing advice. With a page or two devoted to each, elements such as intertextuality, farce, foreshadowing, and leitmotif are explained using the nursery rhyme about three blind mice. The author has created a background story for the mice and developed distinct personalities for each one as she uses their tale to define the selected literary elements. Concepts are succinctly summarized at the end of each page. Playful black-and-white illustrations of the mice in action add visual interest. Other writing advice includes topics such as how to build suspense, how and when to incorporate sentimentality, and how to effectively include potentially distracting content such as sex or expletives. Explanations are interesting and clever, turning formerly lackluster definitions of literary terms into entertainment. Useful for readers who want to hone their writing skills as well as creative-writing classes.–Ragan O’Malley, Saint Ann’s School, Brooklyn, NY

MARKLE, Sandra. The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees: A Scientific Mystery. 48p. diag. further reading. glossary. index. map. photos. websites. Millbrook. Oct. 2013. RTE $29.27. ISBN 978-1-4677-0592-9; ebook $21.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1700-7. LC 2012046913.

Gr 4-8–The worker bee and its vital role in the life cycle of the honeybee are interwoven with the threat that Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) poses to bees, plants, and humans in straightforward language on honey-colored paper, illustrated with full-color photographs on every page. Commercial colonies of bees are trucked around the country to pollinate almonds, blueberries, apples, citrus fruit, and pumpkins in a yearly cycle that does not include the winter rest that wild bees take. But because these honeybees can mix with wild populations, the threat of CCD is not confined to commercial bee colonies. The work of scientists examining such possible causes as virus, fungus, mites, and pesticides and possible remedies is described. The glossary and index provide good definitions of terms relating to both honeybees and CCD. The author has included a half page of interesting factoids about honeybees as well as suggestions for how to help them locally and organizations involved in “Global Rescue Efforts.” An excellent first purchase for reports as well as for general interest.–Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA

MONTGOMERY, Sy. The Tapir Scientist. photos by Nic Bishop. 80p. (Scientists in the Field Series). bibliog. chart. index. map. websites. Houghton Harcourt. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-547-81548-0. LC 2012018678.

Gr 5-10–In this addition to the series, readers join Pati Medici and her team in their quest to study tapirs in the world’s largest wetland, the Pantanal Wetlands of Brazil. Although its appearance may lead some to suppose that the tapir falls somewhere near elephants or hippopotami in the family tree, this flexible-snouted, hoof-toed tropical creature is most closely related to rhinoceroses and horses. Medici has dubbed the tapir “the gardener of the forest” for its critical role in maintaining foliage by ingesting fruits and excreting the seeds elsewhere, but little else is known about this vanishing species. By observing and trapping the animals to outfit them with radio collars or microchips and collect samples including blood and ticks from infestations, Medici’s team hopes to better understand their lifestyles to enhance conservation efforts. Although in-text pronunciation guides are included for some Portuguese names and select scientific terminology is explained, no glossary is provided, and many of the exotic birds discussed are not shown. Following each chapter are several pages of related information with text and photographs placed on top of a marbled background with shadows that can make the text difficult to read in some places. A list of several websites and YouTube videos is included, and the index differentiates between text and photographic references. Bishop’s captivating photographs, paired with Montgomery’s narrative, not only call attention to a lesser-known endangered species, but also expose readers to the working conditions, obstacles, and emotions experienced by passionate scientists in the field.–Meaghan Darling, Plainsboro Public Library, NJ

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The following titles are reviewed in the September 2013 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

Grade 5 & Up

BEDELL, J. M. So, You Want to Be a Chef?: How to Get Started in the World of Culinary Arts. 224p. (Be What You Want Series). bibliog. chron. glossary. illus. websites. S & S/Aladdin/Beyond Words. Oct. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-1-58270-437-1; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-58270-436-4.

CAWTHORNE, Nigel. Notorious Tyrants. 128p. (Great People in History Series). chron. further reading. glossary. index. photos. reprods. websites. Rosen. 2013. lib. ed. $34.60. ISBN 978-1-4777-0406-6. ebook available. LC 2012032497.

CLIFFORD, Mary Louise. Drummer Boy of Company C: Coming of Age in the Civil War. 158p. bibliog. chron. index. map. notes. photos. reprods. Cypress Communications. Sept. 2013. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-0-9636412-8-1. LC 2013938235.

DINGLE, Adrian. How to Make a Universe with 92 Ingredients: An Electrifying Guide to the Elements. 96p. chart. further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. websites. Owlkids. Oct. 2013. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-1-77147-008-7. LC 2013930988.

FRENZ, Florida. How to Be Human: Diary of an Autistic Girl. illus. by author. 40p. Creston Books. Sept. 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-1-939547-01-9.

GLASSBOURG, Michael. Learn to Speak Film: A Guide to Creating, Promoting & Screening Your Movies. illus. by Jeff Kulak. 96p. index. Owlkids. 2013. Tr $22.95. ISBN 978-1-926973-84-5; pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-926973-85-2. LC 2012954724.

GOLDMAN, Judy. Whiskers, Tails & Wings: Animal Folktales from Mexico. illus. by Fabricio VandenBroeck. 64p. bibliog. glossary. index. map. notes. websites. Charlesbridge. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-58089-372-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-60734-617-3. LC 2012024636.

GUTMAN, Dan. My Weird Writing Tips. illus. by Jim Paillot. 160p. HarperCollins/Harper. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209107-9; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-06-209106-2. LC 2012029985.

HUEY, Lois Miner. Ick! Yuck! Eew!: Our Gross American History. 48p. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. Millbrook. Oct. 2013. lib. ed. $29.27. ISBN 978-0-7613-9091-6; ebook $21.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1710-6. LC 2013004386.

KUIPER,Kathleen, ed. The Life and Times of William Shakespeare. 108p. ISBN 978-1-61530-926-9. LC 2012019293.

––––.The Tragedies of William Shakespeare. 88p. ISBN 978-1-61530-927-6. LC 2012021217.

ea vol: (Shakespeare: His Work and World Series). bibliog. chron. glossary. index. map. photos. reprods. Britannica. 2013. lib. ed. $32.90.

MCCLAFFERTY, Carla Killough. Fourth Down and Inches: Concussions and Football’s Make-or-Break Moment. 96p. bibliog. diag. further reading. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. Carolrhoda. Sept. 2013. lib. ed. $20.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1067-1; ebook $15.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1665-9. LC 2013004192.

MACLEOD, Elizabeth & Frieda Wishinsky. A History of Just About Everything: 180 Events, People and Inventions That Changed the World. illus. by Qin Leng. 124p. chron. index. map. Kids Can. 2013. Tr $21.95. ISBN 978-1-55453-775-4.

MARTIN, Lesley Schwartz. Make the Grade: Everything You Need to Study Better, Stress Less, and Succeed in School. 144p. chart. diag. index. Zest. 2013. pap. $14.99. ISBN 978-1-936976-38-6. LC 2012943317.

MEYER, Terry Teague. How Inflation Affects You. ISBN 978-1-4488-8341-7. LC 2012018537.

PORTERFIELD, Jason. How a Recession Affects You. ISBN 978-1-4488-8345-5. LC 2012018784.

STRAZZABOSCO, John. How Spending and Saving Affect You. ISBN 978-1-4488-8344-8. LC 2012017552.

ea vol: 80p. (Your Economic Future Series). bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Rosen. 2013. lib. ed. $33.25. ebook available.

MILLER, Ron. Recentering the Universe: The Radical Theories of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton. 88p. bibliog. diag. further reading. glossary. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. Twenty-First Century. Oct. 2013. lib. ed. $31.93. ISBN 978-0-7613-5885-5; ebook $23.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1662-8. LC 2012047665.

MORPURGO, Michael & Clare Morpurgo. Where My Wellies Take Me…: A Childhood Scrapbook with Poems and Pictures. illus. by Olivia Lomenech Gill. 97p. index. Candlewick/Templar. 2013. RTE $29.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6629-3. LC 2012954328.

NAZARIO, Sonia. Enrique’s Journey: The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother. 288p. map. Delacorte. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74327-3; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99104-2; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-307-98315-2. LC 2012038328.

O’KANE, Bernard. The Civilization of the Islamic World. 232p. (The Illustrated History of the Ancient World Series). bibliog. diag. further reading. glossary. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. Rosen. 2013. lib. ed. $53.25. ISBN 978-1-4488-8503-9. LC 2012032340.

PERKINS, Mitali, ed. Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices. 144p. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5866-3. ebook available. LC 2012955218.

PRINGLE, Laurence. Scorpions! illus. by Meryl Henderson. 32p. (Strange and Wonderful Series). diag. further reading. map. websites. Boyds Mills. Oct. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-473-0. LC 2013931088.

REYNOLDS, Luke, ed. Break These Rules: 35 YA Authors On Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Being Yourself. 212p. Chicago Review Press. Sept. 2013. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-61374-784-1.

RHATIGAN, Joe. Ouch!: The Weird & Wild Ways Your Body Deals with Agonizing Aches, Ferocious Fevers, Lousy Lumps, Crummy Colds, Bothersome Bites, Breaks, Bruises & Burns & Makes Them Feel Better! illus. by Anthony Owsley. 80p. chart. diag. glossary. index. photos. reprods. Charlesbridge/Imagine! 2013. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-1-62354-005-0. LC 2012048462.

SHECTER, Vicky Alvear. Anubis Speaks! illus. by Antoine Revoy. 128p. (Secrets of the Ancient Gods Series). bibliog. glossary. index. Boyds Mills. Oct. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-995-7.

STEWART, Melissa & Allen Young. No Monkeys, No Chocolate. illus. by Nicole Wong. 32p. Charlesbridge. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-58089-287-2. LC 2012000789.

SWANSON, James L. “The President Has Been Shot!”: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy. 288p. bibliog. diag. further reading. index. map. notes. photos. reprods. Scholastic. Oct. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-545-49007-8; ebook $18.99. ISBN 978-0-545-49654-4. LC 2012041167.

WALKER, Niki. Why Do We Fight?: Conflict, War, and Peace. 80p. chron. index. map. notes. Owlkids. Sept. 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-926973-86-9. LC 2013930981.

WITTENSTEIN, Vicki Oransky. For the Good of Mankind?: The Shameful History of Human Medical Experimentation. 96p. bibliog. further reading. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. Twenty-First Century. Oct. 2013. lib. ed. $35.93. ISBN 978-1-4677-0659-9; ebook $26.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1661-1. LC 2012043413.

Fiction

BĂDESCU, Ramona. Pomelo’s Opposites. tr. from French by Claudia Zoe Bedrick. illus. by Benjamin Chaud. (Pomelo the Garden Elephant Series). Enchanted Lion. p. 112.

BEST, Cari. Beatrice Spells Some Lulus and Learns to Write a Letter. illus. by Giselle Potter. Farrar/Margaret Ferguson. p. 114.

GRAHAM, Bob. The Silver Button. illus. by author. Candlewick. Oct. p. 120.

HOLUB, Joan. Little Red Writing. illus. by Melissa Sweet. Chronicle. Oct. p. 122.

KNOWLES, Jo. Living with Jackie Chan. Candlewick. Sept. p. 160.

LAFLEUR, Suzanne. Listening for Lucca. Random/Wendy Lamb. p. 146.

LAKE, Nick. Hostage Three. Bloomsbury. Oct. p. 160.

LUDWIG, Trudy. The Invisible Boy. illus. by Patrice Barton. Knopf. Oct. p. 125.

MACLACHLAN, Patricia. Snowflakes Fall. illus. by Steven Kellogg. Random. Oct. p. 126.

NAKAWAKI, Hatsue. Wait! Wait! tr. from Japanese by Yuki Kaneko. illus. by Komako Sakai. Enchanted Lion. p. 128.

O’BRIEN, Annemarie. Lara’s Gift. Knopf. p. 147.

RASCHKA, Chris. Daisy Gets Lost. illus. by author. Random/Schwartz & Wade. Oct. p. 129.

SALERNI, Dianne K. The Caged Graves. Clarion. p. 164.

SLOAN, Holly Goldberg. Counting by 7s. Dial. p. 148.

WIESNER, David. Mr. Wuffles! illus. by author. Clarion. Oct. p. 135.

Graphic Novels

LEWIS, John & Andrew Aydin. March. Bk. 1. illus. by Nate Powell. (March Series). Top Shelf. p. 171.

Nonfiction

BUTTERWORTH, Chris. See What a Seal Can Do. illus. by Kate Nelms. Candlewick. p. 174.

FREEDMAN, Russell. Angel Island. Clarion. Oct. p. 182.

GREENBERG, Jan & Sandra Jordan. The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. Oct. p. 184.

GUIBERSON, Brenda Z. The Greatest Dinosaur Ever. illus. by Gennady Spirin. Holt. Oct. p. 176.

LEWIS, Catherine. Thrice Told Tales: Three Mice Full of Writing Advice. illus. by Joost Swarte. S & S/Atheneum. p. 185.

MARKLE, Sandra. The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees. Millbrook. Oct. p. 186.

MONTGOMERY, Sy. The Tapir Scientist. photos by Nic Bishop. (Scientists in the Field Series). Houghton Harcourt. p. 188.

PINKNEY, Jerry. The Tortoise & the Hare. illus. by author. Little, Brown. Oct. p. 178.

From the Adult Books 4 Teens blog

LBARRY, Max. Lexicon. Penguin. (July 17 post)

FAGAN, Jenni. The Panopticon. Hogarth/Crown. (July 25 post)

ZAMBRANO, Mario Alberto. Lotería. HarperCollins. (July 25 post)

DVD

Constitution USA with Peter Sagal. PBS Dist. p. 63.

Nelson Mandela. Weston Woods. p. 63.

Audio

Hero on a Bicycle. By Shirley Hughes. Brilliance Audio. p. 69.

Oblivion. By Anthony Horowitz. Recorded Books. p. 71.

Out of This Place. By Emma Cameron. Brilliance Audio. p. 71.

Recess. Performed by Justin Roberts. Justinroberts.org. p. 76.

Shadow and Bone. By Leigh Bardugo. Brilliance Audio. p. 72.

Twelve Kinds of Ice. By Ellen Bryan Obed. Recorded Books. p. 74.

As students around the country return to school, those in New York City are facing a future without certified school librarians, as the NYC Department of Education (DOE) has asked to be excused from a decades-old state mandate on minimum staffing requirements. The request for a “variance” from the law (Commissioner’s Regulation §91.2), filed August 9 with the New York State Education Department (see SLJ’s coverage, “Educators, Parents Fight NYC Bid to Bypass State Mandate for School Librarians,”), proclaims a sad lack of vision concerning the contribution librarians make to this great city. Mayor Bloomberg, surely this is not the kind of legacy you wish for? This is how we wisely invest in our future?

The Wall Street Journal reports that there are a meager 333 certified librarians serving the city’s 1,700 schools, after steady declines for years. We have reached a new, perhaps critical, low.

The timing couldn’t be worse for our schools. It’s been shown that kids in schools with librarians do better than those in schools without—a pretty simple and sufficient case. By whatever name (teacher librarian, media specialist, or librarian), these professionals deliver on basic literacy, digital literacy, research skills, college readiness, and much more. And, now, when all too many teachers lack training on the new Common Core standards, the city continues to defund this key human capital investment. This, just as the reaction to the first scores truly tests the implementation of the standards. We need the skills that media specialists bring to our schools.

The DOE should be positioning librarians to provide on-the-ground support for the implementation of the most significant educational initiative of our generation. School librarians are a natural source of professional development on materials—print or digital—and they can be a vital link to parents in explaining what to expect in the transition. Librarians, including those directly confronted by the NYC DOE’s move, are out front on the Common Core nationally. We’ve published several of them here.

The fact is there has been an ongoing disregard for the mandate itself. This law, in place for decades, articulates the will of the public for the public good. It is an expression of thoughtful process. Undermining it via a series of one-off executive decisions made by principals under immediate budgetary pressure is not how our social contract works best. Perhaps it is not such a bad thing that this penny-wise, pound-foolish cost-savings tactic has been brought out in the open—and back into the political process.

We don’t need what the DOE calls “equivalent service” in its August 9 letter. We don’t need vague assurances of “arrangements” and “steps” that will be taken to cope with this disinvestment. The NYC DOE’s request presents an opportunity for those of us who know what librarians do to challenge what’s been happening and to demand that the department take the lead in producing better educational results by supporting the deployment of the Common Core and those who are key to its success.

Will the DOE provide a vision of how to improve our children’s education? Or will it continue to cut costs in ways that at best seem small-minded?

Welcome back to school, people.

Rebecca T. Miller
Editor-in-Chief
rmiller@mediasourceinc.com

Congressman John Lewis, his comics-obsessed staffer Andrew Aydin, and veteran graphic novelist Nate Powell have collaborated on a powerful new graphic novel memoir, March (Top Shelf Productions), that may well take its place among the greatest examples of that genre.

Elected to the House of Representatives in 1977 serving Georgia’s fifth district, Lewis is an icon of the American civil rights movement. As chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), he had a direct hand in the March on Washington in 1963; the voter registration drives of Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964, and the integrated interstate bus rides through the South known as the Freedom Rides starting in 1961. Lewis was there on Bloody Sunday in 1965, the violent confrontation between marchers and Alabama state troopers on the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma—and has the scars to prove it. His is a remarkable story, ripe for retelling to inspire a new generation.

With the March trilogy, Lewis is doing exactly that. But it might not have happened without Aydin, who met Lewis while working on his 2008 re-election campaign. Growing up the son of a single mother in Atlanta (incidentally, Lewis’s district), Aydin had a natural affinity for underdogs, hence his love of comics—and politics. On the campaign trail, the team would share their personal stories, and Lewis, a gifted storyteller, contributed his own. When talk turned to what the staff members would do after the campaign, Aydin said that he planned to attend Comic Con, the annual comics conference. Teasing ensued. But Lewis came to Aydin’s defense, recalling that he and his friends drew inspiration from a 1956 comic, Martin Luther and the Montgomery Story.

Writing Lewis’s story

Aydin then approached Lewis and proposed that he adapt his life story as a graphic novel. Lewis agreed, on the condition that they work on the project together. Aydin joined Lewis’s staff and began developing the manuscript. He studied Lewis’s memoir Walking with the Wind (S & S, 1998) and interviewed the congressman whenever they could grab an opportunity. Lewis and Aydin submitted the finished manuscript to Top Shelf Productions. Now they had to find the right artist to bring it to life.

Enter Nate Powell, a recipient of the Eisner Award—the Oscars of the comics industry—who had just completed work on another graphic novel with a civil rights theme, The Silence of Our Friends (First Second, 2012). With a visual style that complemented Lewis’s story, Powell also demonstrated a capacity for period research. And he was eager to illustrate Lewis’s memoir.

It didn’t take long for Powell to win over Lewis and Aydin and gain their confidence. “Congressman Lewis and I spent a lot of time talking about what to include,” says Aydin. “But ultimately we had to trust Nate to do what he does best. He is so talented, with such a deep understanding of the comics medium, that at a certain point we had to just step back and let his work bring this story to life.”

Once Powell began breaking down the script, the trio realized that March would be much longer than they’d envisioned—about 500 pages. Aydin suggested a trilogy—a perfect fix, since the story was already neatly divided into three chapters.

Aydin’s narrative also had to be refined for it to shine in graphic novel form. “The most fundamental challenge is finding the line between an accurate representation of real people and their lives and a personal, emotionally expressive way of approaching the narrative visually,” says Powell. That “often requires ‘moving past’ the script entirely, seeing what else might be in the scene that’s not necessarily included in the script.”

This sensibility is evident throughout the book—perhaps nowhere more than in the prologue. In a preview of the Bloody Sunday conflict, the marchers, led by Lewis and Reverend Hosea Williams, apprehensively head over the bridge toward an ominous mob of policemen. A trooper with a bullhorn yells at the crowd to turn back—and moments later, orders an attack. All hell breaks loose. Multiple graphic strategies heighten the tension in the scene: the shifting perspectives; the size, shape, and placement of the panels; the lettering and speech balloons; and the stark black-and-white illustrations.

The chronology

March opens on the morning of President Barack Obama’s first inauguration. As Lewis prepares to attend the historic occasion, he has the opportunity to reminisce about the road that has led to this moment. Flashbacks take readers back to the congressman’s childhood, providing formative glimpses into the life of this Alabama sharecropper’s son. Memories of raising chickens quickly give way to images of racial injustice, early landmarks in the movement—Brown v. Board of Education, the murder of Emmett Till, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Lewis entered discussion with Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King, Jr. about integrating Troy State College in Alabama as an incoming freshman. But his parents objected and Lewis eventually entered a Baptist theological seminary in Nashville, TN, where the movement came to another critical juncture. “I have thought about that often. Not being admitted to Troy State, my parents not supporting the decision to try and enroll there, that was a blessing,” says Lewis. “If I had gone to Troy State, I would not have met individuals who injected into my heart, into my blood, into my DNA, the very spirit of nonviolence.”

Having embraced the ideals of nonviolence, a group of college students, including Lewis, instigate a 1960 sit-in. It leads to a confrontation on the steps of Nashville City Hall where the story closes. The second volume of March, anticipated for 2014, will carry the story to the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Early response

Meanwhile, the first volume—which bears an unprecedented jacket quote from former President Bill Clinton—had earned several starred reviews leading up to its publication on August 13. When Lewis, Aydin, and Powell made appearances at conferences including Book Expo America, the American Library Association Annual Conference, and Comic Con, it was abundantly clear that March’s message was resonating in the way that Lewis had hoped.

“I want young readers to understand that another generation of young people, who tasted the bitter fruits of segregation and discrimination, came to that point where they said, ‘We won’t take it anymore,’” Lewis says. “I would love readers to recognize that it was just ordinary people who believed so deeply that they were moved to act. And I hope they see what it took to be willing to speak up and speak out. They had raw courage, enough courage—literally—to put their bodies on the line. People were prepared to die for what they believed in.”

“I think, today, it is more important than ever for young people—and those not so young—to take a long hard look at some of the things going on around them and ask themselves, ‘What can I do?’” he continues. “Sometimes I feel like many of the things we fought for in the ’50s and the ’60s are being attacked again, and it is up to all of us to work together and keep fighting. We can’t go back. The only place for us to go is forward and each and every one of us has a contribution to make.”

Jonathan Hunt (hunt_yellow@yahoo.com) is a school librarian in Modesto (CA) City Schools. He reviews for Horn Book Magazine and blogs for SLJ at Heavy Medal.