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Children's Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
One Small Garden
Barbara Nichol
Tundra Books
Box 1030, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
0-88776-475-4 $17.95 tundrabooks.com
Good reading skills are recommended for this lush title which blends botany and memories of
plants
and people. A variety of gardens are profiled, adventures in them are detailed, and young
gardeners
receive inspirational insights on gardens and beauty. A lovely picturebook.
In Search Of A Homeland
Penelope Lively
Delacorte Press
1540 Broadway, New York Ny 10036
0-385-72937-5 $29.95 1-800-726-0600
Ian Andrew illustrates In Search Of A Homeland, a story of the Aneid and a tale of war which will
appeal to any student of Greek mythology and history. Chapters present the story with plenty of
illustration and color: it's hard to peg the readers and age group of this title, which will reach from
grades 5-8.
Get Crafty: 60 Cool Holiday Crafts
Nancy Jo King
Lunchbox Press
Media Masters (publicity)
214 East College Street, Suite 201, Grapevine, TX 76051
0967828538 $7.95 lunchboxpress.com
In Get Crafty: 60 Cool Holiday Crafts, Nancy Jo King shows young do-it-yourselfers how to
make
sixty different holiday craft projects for all the seasonal holidays including Christmas, Halloween,
Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, and the Fourth of July. Ranging from unique jewelry and
ornaments to homemade gift wrap and stationary, the crafts are fun, creative, and easy to make.
Whether working individually or as a group project, Get Crafty: 60 Cool Holiday Crafts will offer
hours and hours of safe, inexpensive, and creative entertainment.
Cowboy In The Making
Will James
Mountain Press Publishing Company
Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
0878424393 $15.00 1-800-234-5308
It's difficult to peg the age range of Will James' Cowboy In The Making: as kindergarten and first
grade picturebook readers will find it too hard, but parents may find it just fine for assisted
reading.
Young readers and those in grades 2-5 will appreciate this story of an orphan boy who develops
some unusual friendships in his travels. James' pen and ink drawings and four color paintings
enhance this slim book's appeal.
Spiderman: The Ultimate Guide
Tom DeFalco
DK Publishing
95 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016
0-7894-7946-X $19.95 www.dk.com
Young fans of Spiderman comics and art will relish this lavish oversized coverage of the cartoon
wall-crawler: Spiderman: The Ultimate Guide is the first comprehensive overview of the character
in
his 40-year history and it features all the writers and artists involved, from the earlier creators to
modern times. Color photos throughout make for a wonderful keepsake collector's edition.
The Biography Shelf
Mitchell Lane Publishers
Box 619, Bear, DE 19701
1-800-814-5484
This set will provide outstanding biography material for grades 4-7, with each book offering
almost
fifty pages of facts and detail. Ann Gaines' Wallace Carothers (1-58415-097-1, $17.95) tells of the
man who invented nylon, Kathleen Tracy's Barbara Mcclintock (111-0, $17.95) tells of the
pioneering female geneticists work in science, her Marc Andreessen (092-0, $17.95) tells of the
achiever who developed the web browser, and John Bankston has a host of handy biographies to
his
name: Frederick Banting (094-7, $17.95) reveals the efforts of the man who discovered insulin,
Jonas Salk (093-9, $17.95) reveals the man who developed the polio vaccine, Robert Goddard
(107-2, $17.95) surveys the life of the man who worked on the liquid rocket engine, Edward
Teller
(108-0, $17.95) reveals a scientist key to the development of the hydrogen bomb, and Alexander
Fleming (106-4, $17.95) surveys the discoverer of penicillin. Each blends biography with insight
on
the science or medical discovery involved.
Scholastic Press
555 Broadway, NY NY 10012
1-800-242-7737
Barry Denenberg's All Shook Up (0-439-09504-2, $16.95) is certain to appeal beyond the young
adult age range it's intended for: this history of Elvis' life and death is lively, with black and white
photos supplementing text appropriate for grades 6 and older. Any with a prior affection for
Presley
will find this a fine, approachable biography of his life. Clinton Cox's Houdini (0590949608,
$16.95)
provides the same age group with an excellent biography of Houdini's magic. Chapters are filled
with insights on how he developed his skills. Both are excellent.
Franklin Watts/Grolier Publishing
90 Sherman Turnpike
Danbury, CT 06813-0001
1-800-371-3908
These 100-page "Book Report Biographies" are suitable for, and will appeal to, students who
want
to read about contemporary figures and those different individuals who made a difference. Josh
Wilker's Confucius (0-531-11436-8) covers the philosopher and teacher who changed China;
Melissa McDaniel's Spike Lee (11460-0) covers the black filmmaker whose productions
addressed
race issues and helped the civil rights movement; Leslie Gourse's Wynton Marsalis (11673-5)
reveals
the jazz trumpet artist's powerful impact on jazz music history, and Elisa Marston's Muhammad
Of
Mecca (20386-7) tells of the life of a man best known for his faith teachings. All are excellent
report
sources for students assigned biographies.
The Fiction Shelf
Witch Hill
Marcus Sedgwick
Delacorte Press
1540 Broadway, New York Ny 10036
0-385-32802-8 $15.95 1-800-726-0600
Ages 10-14 will relish this story of witchcraft and legends as Jamie goes to life with an aunt and
cousin and finds his nightmares turning into reality. An old chalk drawing on a hill and increasing
confusion of town members involves Jamie in a well-hidden secret in this story of witchcraft and
danger.
Beyond The Enchanted Bridge
Andrew Oliver
Adams-Pomeroy Press
PO Box 189, Albany, WI 53502
096610093X $14.95 1-877-862-3645
Set in southern Wisconsin, Andrew Oliver's novel, Beyond The Enchanted Bridge: A Visit To
Scarecrow Land is the story of ten year old Martha who searches for her brother who disappears
on
a rocking horse when it turns into a real horse! Martha journeys into Scarecrow Land, a place
where
the past blends with the present, strange and memorable characters are encountered, and courage
is
needed to overcome obstacles. The text is superbly crafted and told in verse. Black and white
photographs enhance the reading experience. Beyond The Enchanted Bridge is very highly
recommended reading for middle school boys and girls and would make a highly popular addition
to
any school or public library collection.
Of Mice And Aliens
Kathy Hoopmann
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
c/o Pigtail Public Relations
32 Hazelton St., Ridgefield Park NJ 07660
184310007X $11.95 1-201-329-9636
Asperger Syndrome is a milder variant of Autism. It is characterized by social isolation and
eccentric
behavior in childhood. Common symptoms include peculiar speech; clumsiness; and difficulty in
understanding other people's meanings, intentions, and feelings. In Kathy Hoopman's unique novel
for young readers, Of Mice And Aliens, we are introduced to Ben, who enjoys working with
computers, and his Asperger friend Lucy is fascinated by mice. When an alien named Zeke from
the
planet Celesstis4 lands in Ben's backyard adventure ensues as the alien knows nothing about
Earth's
rules and norms -- to which been can clearly relate! With Ben trying to manage his Asperger
Syndrome and Zeke trying to learn about life on earth, things can and do get complicated! Of
Mice
And Aliens is an entertaining way for kids to learn about this unusual disability in a
non-threatening
story and is highly recommended for both school and community library collections.
The Bat Mitzvah Club: Debbie's Story
Sgayna Meiseles & Esther Frimerman
Merkos Publications
291 Kingston Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213
0-8266-0029-8 $14.00 1-877-4MERKOS
Debbie is excited about her upcoming Bat Mitzvah, but views it as primarily a party opportunity
until her parents sign her up for a Bat-Mitzvah Club for instruction and preparation. Debbie
resents
the club at first - but soon discovers renewed meaning in her Jewish roots in this story of coming
of
age and cultural awakening.
Love, Sara
Mary Beth Lundgren
Henry Holt
115 W. 18th St., New York NY 10011
0-8050-6797-3 $16.95 1-888-330-8477
Two teen best friends who come from foster homes form an uncertain, often stormy friendship
supported by email communications in this unusual story, told in the form of emails exchanged by
the two. One finds romance, pregnancy, and rejection and the other friend lands in a good foster
home and tries to help her pal in this story of changes.
Save The Colors
Joanne A. Reisberg
White Mane Publishing Company
PO Box 152, Shippenburg PA 17257
1572492473 $5.95 1-888-948-6263
It's 1861 and America is plunged into Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln calls upon the nation
for volunteers to join the Union Army. That's when twelve year old Charley Olson, in defiance of
his
family's wishes, enlists with the First Minnesota Regiment as a drummer boy. His new friend
Gunnar's job is to protect the regimental flag as their regiment commits to combat at the Battle of
Bull run. With only their courage to defend them, Charley and Gunnar must march into the first
major battle of the Civil War bearing only a drum and a flag. Save The Colors is a riveting, highly
recommended novel of war time battlefield courage that provides young readers with a kind of
"window in time" through which to learn and feel what it was like for boys their own age on the
front lines of the American Civil War.
Falcon Of Abydos: Oracle Of The Nile
Richard Trout
Langmarc Publishing
P.O. Box 90488, Austin, TX 78709
1880292734 $11.95 1-800-864-1648
Falcon Of Abydos: Oracle Of The Nile by Richard Trout is the third book in the MacGregor
Family
Adventures. Written for all ages, Falcon of Abydos is a thrilling adventure story in which the
MacGregor family becomes entangled in an ancient Egyptian mystery stretching from the heat of
the
Sahara to beneath the surface of the Red Sea. Falcon Of Abydos: Oracle Of The Nile is an
engaging,
action-packed, and memorable techno/thriller for young readers.
Scholastic Press
Two fine titles will appeal to elementary through middle school readers. Dav Pilkey's Captain
Underpants And The Wrath Of The Wicked Wedgie Woman (0-439-04999-7, $16.95) tells of the
monster George and Herold have created - an evil woman who aims to take over the world with
horrible robots. It's up to Captain Underpants to save the day in this hilarious story. Karen Hesse's
Witness (27199-1, $16.95) tells of a small town changed by the arrival of the Klu Klux Klan in
1924.
The tale takes the form of poems which relate the experiences of different witnesses in this
unusual
presentation.
Lorenzo's Secret Mission
Lila Guzman & Rick Guzman
Pinata Books/Art Publico Press
University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-2090
1558853413 $9.95 www.arte.uh.edu
When the colonies revolt against England to establish what would become the United States of
America, fifteen year old Lorenzo Bannister joins a secret flatboat operation delivering
desperately
needed medicine and gunpowder to George Washington's army in Lorenzo's Secret Mission.
From
the docks of New Orleans to the battlefields of the American Revolution, young readers will
become
deeply engrossed in this story of wartime travel up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, the horrors of
slavery and of combat. An action packed historical novel, Lorenzo's Secret Mission is
enthusiastically recommended reading for children -- especially those with an interest in learning
about the contributions of the Spanish to the success of the Americans against the British in an
epic
struggle for emancipation and the founding of a new nation.
Stones Of Mourning Creek
Diane Les Becquets
Winslow Press
115 E. 23rd St., 10th Floor, NY NY 10010
1-58837-004-6 $16.95 winslowpress.com
A small town divided by racial strife hides a secret from the past: a secret discovered by Francie,
whose mother has just died. Her newfound friendship with black neighbor Ruthie increases town
tensions and leads to some dangerous encounters with prejudice in this complex story with its
surprise conclusion. Highly recommended for advanced YA readers.
A Ballplayer's Choice
Reed Lengel
Kichita Productions
c/o Books To Market
10002 Hilltop Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34654
0967253322 $14.95 1-877-741-0755
Mike is a kid who enjoys playing baseball. He plays to win. But in A Ballplayer's Choice, Mike
must
make a moral decision as to how winning should take place. There is an unscrupulous coach to
whom winning means everything -- even if Mike's birth certificate must be altered to make him
eligible to pitch on a championship team. Will Mike's strong sense of competition and desire to
win
overcome the temptations to break the rules? Or will Mike make the right choice and regain not
only
his own self respect, but that of his father as well. A Ballplayer's Choice is a superbly written,
highly
recommended novel that will hold strong interest and appeal to young boys faced with similar
ethical
considerations both on the ball field and off.
Farrar Straus Giroux
19 Union Square West, NY, NY 10003
1-888-330-8477
Nancy Hope Wilson's Mountain Pose (0-374-35078-7, $17.00) tells of Ellie, who receives an
unexpected inheritance of family records when her estranged grandmother dies. Ellie finds the
family
farm and diaries a powerful connection to a veiled past: despite her father's warning she reads
them
and begins to understand the tensions which have divided their lives. Realistic and riveting. Jane
Buchanan's Hank's Story (32836-6, $16.00) explores the life of a boy who rides the orphan train
to a
life of hardship. Hank discovers new hope when he befriends a recluse and earns the friendship of
a
fellow orphan in this moving story of the past. Tim Wynne-Jones' Boy In The Burning House
(30930-2, $16.00) tells of a boy who is still struggling with his father's disappearance when a
schoolmate reveals that the local pastor has murdered him. A dangerous investigation begins
which
draws him into mental illness and possible realities: recommended for older readers.
How I Wonder What You Are
L.M. Lynch
Knopf
1540 Broadway, New York NY 10036
0-375-80663-6 $15.95 1-800-726-0600
The largest, best-loved climbing tree in town has been cut down by the new family to own its
property, and Laurel and her friends can't understand why. Her uncertain friendship with the new
owner's daughter results in a growing certainty about the son in the family: is he human, or is he a
computer clone? Fantasy skirts with reality in this story of change.
Night Is For Hunting
John Marsden
Houghton Mifflin
215 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10003
0-618-07026-5 $16.00
Ellie and her crew are still battling the forces which have overtaken their homeland: here their
rescue
of a band of near-feral children almost exposes their cover and endangers all their lives. Ellie faces
some hard truths about her changing personality in the face of constant war and conflict and
Marsden remains true to his riveting action and fast-paced style in this ongoing story, which is
hard
to put down and accessible to newcomers to the plot.
The Poetry Shelf
Nothing Beats A Pizza
Loris Lesynski
Annick Press/Firefly Books Ltd.
4 Daybreak Lane, Westport, CT 06880
1550377000 $6.95 1-800-387-5085
Wonderfully written and illustrated by Loris Lesynski, Nothing Beats A Pizza is a delightful
collection of 32 rhythmic poems showcasing "kid friendly" topics ranging from eating a pizza to
snowflakes. Ruby: Ruby wakes up full of pounce/and instantly begins to bounce:/playing catching
growling chasing/darting jumping running racing,/skittering up and down the halls,/chewing shoes
and bones and balls,/pretending a hat is an enemy rat,/shaking it, making it ragged and flat./Then
suddenly--down on the floor she'll plop,/no pause at all between GO and STOP,/and right in the
middle of a yap-yap-yap/she's sound asleep in an instant nap:/that's what puppies do. Highly
recommended for family, school, and community library poetry collections for young readers,
Nothing Beats A Pizza is also available in hardcover (1550377019, $18.95).
The Picturebook Shelf
The Tower
Richard Paul Evans
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, NY, NY 10020
0-689-83467-5 $17.00 1-800-223-2336
Jonathan Linton provides the illustrations for this story of a young man who wants to be
well-known
in his village. He constructs a tower which reaches into the sky so all will look up to him - but
finds
his position a lonely one until fate intervenes. Good reading skills or parental assistance
required.
Little Bunny's Pacifier Plan
Maribeth Boelts & Kathy Parkinson
Albert Whitman & Company
6340 Oakton Street, Morton Grove, IL 60053-2723
0807545791 $6.95 1-800-255-7675
Little Bunny learned to crawl, walk, dance, and even talk with his pacifier in his mouth. Little
Bunny
loves his pacifier, but when he visits the dentist, Dr. Hopper explains that it is time to put it away.
Little Bunny wants to be a big bunny, but can he give up his favorite thing? Kathy Parkinson's
colorfully charming, full color illustrations wonderfully enhance Maribeth Boelts' entertaining
story
for very young readers about the need to eventually outgrow comfortable and comforting habits
like
the use of pacifiers, security blankets, or nightlights.
Turtles Into Butterflies
Dane Jorento
Laughing Peaches Publications
PO Box 28458, St. Paul, MN 55128
0964300419 $15.95 1-651-702-9399
Turtles Into Butterflies is a delightful child's picturebook written and illustrated by Dane Jorento
about a turtle who wants to become a butterfly so much, he climbs out of his protective shell in
order to learn how to fly. The other turtles laugh at him, the butterflies encourage him, but the
wolf
and the hungry, carnivorous fish consider a shell-free turtle to be a delicacy! Yet, to save a
drowning
butterfly, the turtle must come to understand the true strength and beauty of his aquatic nature.
Simple, charming color illustrations bring the lyrical words bring this wonderful and highly
recommended story to life.
Giraffes Can't Dance
Giles Andrede & Guy Parker-Rees
Orchard Books
555 Broadway, New York NY 10012
0-439-28719-7 $15.95 1-800-242-7737
Gerald the Giraffe wants to be a dancer, but his neck's too long and his legs too skinny. He's ready
to give up his dream until a little cricket teaches him how to adapt his goals to reality without
losing
them. Rollicking rhymes and whimsical drawings make for an inviting tale.
Score One For The Sloths
Helen Lester
Houghton Mifflin
215 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10003
0-618-10857-2 $15.00 1-800-225-3362
Lynn Munsinger's whimsical and fun drawings enhance this story of sloths who are content to be
lazy, until a new sloth arrives - a go-getter which drives them all crazy. When a school director
comes to investigate the sloths' low scores, it's up to the new arrival to save the day. Highly
recommended: a different, fun pick.
Quack, Quack!
Philippe Dupasquier
Anderson Press/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
1-84270-015-4 $16.95 1-800-423-4525
When neighbor Mrs. Spikes gets a duck, the family next door is intrigued at first - but the duck
won't settle down and its quacking is driving them nuts. The neighbors become alienated and
finally
the perfect act of revenge is imagined: the family gets a duck of their own - and peace returns
unexpectedly. A whimsical, realistic and fun story of how differences are solved.
Spaghetti And Peas
Gary Gautier
All About Kids Publishing
6280 San Ignacio Ave., Ste. C, San Jose, CA 95119
0970086369 $16.95 1-408-578-4026
Spaghetti And Peas is a marvelous children's picturebook a young girl who befriends a mother
snake
and helps her search for her snake babies. Meanwhile, the young girl's father cooks up a storm of
spaghetti and peas. The charming text by Gary Gautier is written entirely in rhyme, and the
vibrant,
colorful, slightly cartoony artwork by Sheila Bailey brings this whimsical and cheery story to life.
Spaghetti And Peas is an enjoyable, entertaining book that is excellent for reading aloud to young
children.
Sally Goes To The Mountains
Stephen Huneck
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
100 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10011
0810944855 $17.95 1-800-759-0190
In Sally Goes To The Mountains, author/illustrator Stephen Huneck draws upon his
award-winning
expertise to take young readers on a romp with a fun-loving black Labrador named Sally. Sally
goes
for a ride to the mountains where she encounters bears, moose, rabbits, and skunks! There are
berries
to pick, sticks to fetch, and a lake to swim in. Huneck's bright, superbly crafted woodcut prints
perfectly capture the joy of a dog's outing in the mountains for young readers. Also highly
recommended is the earlier volume of Sally's adventures, Sally Goes To The Beach (0810941864,
$17.95).
Once Upon A Time
Draizy Zelcer & Vitaliy Romanenko
Hachai Publishing
156 Chester Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11218
1929628005 $11.95 www.hachai.com
Draizy Zelcer's Once Upon A Time about telling time whether on an analog clock face or one
with
digital numbers. Every five-minute increase is demonstrated, and common expressions like "a
quarter to 8", and "half past 7" are explained. The colorful and lively illustrations by Vitaliy
Romanenko perfectly showcase Zelcer's informative and engaging text. As educational as it is
entertaining, Once Upon A Time is enthusiastically recommended, not only for children who are
learning to tell time, but for those who enjoy a lively picturebook featuring unusual characters and
catchy rhymes.
Lee & Low Books
95 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016
Rick Noguchi and Deneen Jenks' Flowers From Mariko (1-58430-032-9, $16.95) is set in
post-World War II America, when Mariko and her family are finally allowed to leave Camp. How
can they return to society with no money and no business? This creates a realistic, moving portrait
of
the plight of displaced Japanese Americans as it follow the family's struggles and newfound hopes.
William Miller's Rent Party Jazz (025-6, $16.95) is set in New Orleans of the 1930s, where Sonny
has to work before school to help his mother. When his mother loses her job, rent day looms and
Sonny must devise a unique plan to save the day. Charlotte Riley-Webb's drawings are lively
embellishments.
You Don't Look Like Your Mother
Aileen Fisher
Mondo Publishing
980 Avenue of Americas, NY, NY 10018
1-58653-856-X $15.95 1-888-886-6636
Lilith Jones' beautiful, warm drawings are realistic and fine accompaniments to this simple story of
various baby animals who don't resemble their parents. Animal mothers and babies are profiled in
You Don't Look Like Your Mother, a very fine survey of differences.
Wally Waddlesnout And The Peppermint Race!
Donna L. Hull & Geoffrey P. Smith
TDH Books
8153 Garnet Drive, Dayton, OH 45458
0971001707 $13.95 tdhbooks.com
Written for young readers ages 3 through 10, Donna Hull's Wally Waddlesnout And The
Peppermint
Race! is an engaging and lively picturebook story featuring an unusual moth with webbed feet, a
cricket, a beetle, and a caterpillar. Brightly illustrated by Geoffrey Smith, this charming and very
highly recommended children's story deftly addresses such issues as self-respect, self-confidence,
respect for others, compassion, tolerance, and the value of positive relations. Wally Waddlesnout
And The Peppermint Race! will make a popular and much loved addition to any family, day-care
center, preschool, grade school, or community library picturebook collection.
Scholastic Press/Blue Sky
New releases from this publisher provide a host of wonderful picture book enjoyment
opportunities
for kids. Liliana Stafford's Snow Bear (0-439-26977-6, $15.95) receives Lambert Davis' warm
and
realistic illustrations as it tells of an unlikely friendship between an Eskimo boy and a hungry polar
bear. Audrey & Bruce Wood's Alphabet Adventure (08069-X, $15.95) tells of little a-z letters
who
go to school and lose their defining characteristics. Kids are invited to solve their missing pieces in
this whimsical alphabet/puzzle story. Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen's Ms. Frizzle's Adventures
Ancient Egypt (44680-0, $15.95) tells of Ms. Frizzle's adventure in the past when she and her
group
parachute into Egypt, where they help build a pyramid and witness a mummy in progress.
Cartoon-style illustrations and action-packed pages provide an element of adventure in this
coverage. Nancy Tafuri's Where Did Bunny Go? (16959-3, $15.95) provides a bunny and bird
sequel to Will You Be My Friend? Here a hide and seek game turns too real and evolves into a
question of uncertainty and friendship. Diane Goode's Tiger Trouble! (20866-1, $15.95) tells of a
boy and his tiger who are great friends until a grumpy cat-hating man interferes. Can Lily prove
her
loyalty to a cat-hater? Liza Baker's I Love You Because You're You (20638-3, $9.95) receives
David McPhail's warm drawings of a mother fox as it tells of a mother's love for her child through
thick and thin. David Kirk's Little Pig Biddle Pig (30575-6, $9.95) comes from the creator of Miss
Spider and presents the same brightly colored art to display the antics of a pig. Cynthia Rylant's
Poppleton In Winter (84837-2, $15.95) receives Mark Teague's drawings as it presents a series of
Poppleton winter adventures and encounters. Emily McCully's Orphan Singer (19274-9, $16.95)
tells of a dilemma faced by a poor child who finds a place for her singing talents, only to face
rejecting her family for success. Good reading skills required, or parental assistance. Barbara
Kerley's Dinosaurs Of Waerhouse Hawkins (11494-2, $16.95) receives lively embellishment by
Brian Selznick as it relates the story of a 19th century Victorian artist who brought the dinosaur
to
life with his art. Good reading skills will lend enjoyment to this detailed survey of his life. All are
highly recommended picks.
The Library Computer
Shelf
JumpStart Artist
Knowledge Adventure
6060 Center Drive, L.A., CA 90045
$49.95 www.knowledgeadventure.com
Featuring art curriculum based on the National Standards for Arts Education, JumpStart Artist
introduces students in kindergarten through third grade to the elements and principles of art, art
history, the cultural significance of art, art production and display. Featuring drawing, painting,
quilting, puppets, and collage activities, students are drawn into the diverse world of art as they
develop understandings of basic art concepts using a collection of more than one hundred famous
artworks, folk art, and cultural crafts drawn from around the world. There are fun activities
introducing students to such fundamental concepts as line, shape, form, texture, value, space,
color,
symmetry, pattern, focal point, contrast, mood, symbols, and style. A True Color, 32-bit palette
enables students to experiment with blending tools for achieving realistic color-mixing effects for
their own creations. There are three levels of complexity that provide students with progressively
challenging experiences. JumpStart Artist is ideal for homeschooling, and strongly recommended
for
traditional classroom art appreciation curriculum supplementation.
Scooby-Doo Jinx Of The Sphinx
The Learning Company
6401 Kaiser Drive, Fremont, CA 94555
CD-ROM $24.99 www.learningco.com
Another outstanding learning software for youngsters ages 5 to 10 that is as much fun to play as it
is
instructive and skill building, Scooby-Doo Jinx Of The Sphinx takes the player on a trip to Egypt
with Scooby and the gang as they visit the pyramids in Giza and find that Velma's Egyptologist
Cousin Thelma is missing -- and a mysterious mummy is frightening all the tourists away! Players
direct Scooby-Doo and his friends by telling them what to do and with whom to talk. Along the
way
there will be ghosts, puzzles, and thrilling adventures! Featured are ten different puzzles and
mystery
solving activities that build critical thinking and research skills. The game can be played
independently and offers three levels of difficulty. The mystery changes each time the game is
played
including new clues, different villains, and alternative outcomes. Scooby-Doo Jinx Of The Sphinx
is
strongly recommended for both family and classroom learning software collections.
The Library Video Shelf
Mini Maestro's America The Beautiful
The Little Fiddle Company, Inc.
Andrea Blain (publicity)
660 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ 07649
VHS $14.95 www.minimaestro.com
Mini Maestro's America The Beautiful is an full color, 30 minute video blending animation with
live
action to showcase traditional American music for children ages 3 through 7. The Mini Maestro is
a
rainbow-haired music conductor who guides young viewers through an educational musical
journey
to learn about freedom and opportunity complete with an exciting parade, drums, and fireworks.
This musical video adventure explores such basic concepts as our American democracy as
expressed
through such classics as "America the Beautiful", "Yankee Doodle", and live action scenes of
children learning about the principles that make American great. Mini Maestro's America The
Beautiful is an enthusiastically recommended acquisition for any school or community library
video
shelf, and would make a superb addition to any family's music video collection.
In Search Of The Great White Tiger
Sheila Walsh
Tommy Nelson
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
157856333X $14.99 1-800-251-4000
Part of the outstanding Tommy Nelson "Gnoo Zoo" series, and based on the popular book by
Sheila
Walsh, In Search Of The Great White Tiger: A Story About Following God is a wonderfully
produced and presented 42-minute video showcasing the story of Big Billy the panda, his animal
friends, and the night an evil dragon attempted to take over Gnoo Zoo to rob the gentle creatures
of
their music, lights, and joy. To save the zoo our heroes go in search of the Great White Tiger in
an
imaginative, exciting, totally entertaining animated, "child friendly" adventure. In Search Of The
Great White Tiger is very highly recommended, especially for young viewers ages 5 through
8.
The Theatre Shelf
Audition Monologs For Student Actors II
Roger Ellis, Editor
Meriwether Publishing
Box 7710, Colorado Springs, CO 80933
1-56608-073-8 $15.95 1-800-937-5297
Audition Monologs For Student Actors II has recently produced modern plays and will
appeal to student actors from grades 7-10. Many scripts and scenes are for women and minority
actors, outlining social issues and insights which will reach a wide age range from 10 to into one's
twenties. Recommended for schools with strong drama departments.
The Music Shelf
Easy Songs For Little Guitar Pickers
Larry McCabe
Santorella Publications, Ltd.
13 Pleasant Avenue, Danvers, MA 01923
TS252 $7.95 1-877-600-0049
Guitarist and music historian Larry McCabe draws upon his experience and expertise to create
Easy
Songs For Little Guitar Pickers, an ideal introductory songbook for children who are learning to
play the guitar. Beginning with informative and "reader friendly" chapters on "How to use this
Books"; "How to Read Tablature"; and "Chords Used in this Book", this ideal combination of
"how
to" and song book includes sheet music for classic tunes including Aunt Rhody; Down in the
Valley;
Shady Grove; Aura Lea; Salty Dog; Handsome Molly; Billy Boy; When the Saints Go Marching
In;
Skip to My Lou; Sweet Betsy from Pike; Spanish Fandango; Old Joe Clark; Yankee Doodle; The
Yellow Rose of Texas; America; Cripple Creek; and Where, Oh Where is Dear Little Susie?. Easy
Songs For Little Guitar Pickers is a very highly recommended addition to school music class
reference collections in general, and for aspiring young guitar players in particular.
The Science Shelf
Science Fair Success Using Household Products
Salvatore Tocci
Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Box 398, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
0766016269 $20.95 1-800-398-2504
Science Fair Success Using Household Products is perfect for students ages 11 and older who are
seeking for interesting projects to use in a school science fair -- or just for fun at home. Author
Salvatore Tocci shows young readers how everyday items in the home used for cleaning and
personal hygiene can be used in experimentation to learn about and demonstrate principles of
science
including the workings of microorganisms, solvents and solutes, acids and bases, surfacants,
principles of surface tension, chemical bonding, and more. A wealth of fun and informative
do-it-yourself science projects make Science Fair Success Using Household Products an
invaluable
addition to any personal, school, or community library collection!
The American History
Shelf
The Rourke Guide To State Symbols
David Armentrout & Patricia Armentrout
Rourke Publishing Group
Box 3328, Vero Beach, FL 32964
158952084X $11.72 1-800-394-7055
The Rourke Guide To State Symbols is a superbly presented four volume social science series of
informative, illustrated examinations that explore why state seals look the way they do. The
volumes
include Historic And Famous Cities; Historic Sites And Monuments; Important And Famous
People;
and State Seals. Strongly recommended for students in grades 3 through 8, each volume is
carefully
laid out with a "reader friendly" alphabetized form and clearly written text (at a fourth grade
reading
level) enhanced with illustrations and vibrant, full-color photography. Although each volume is
available separately ($27.93 each) the recommendation for both school and community libraries is
to
acquire the entire series for their social science and American history reference collections.
Morgan Reynolds Inc.
620 S. Elm St. #223, Greensboro, NC 27406
1-800-535-1504
Three fine biographies and one history provide middle grade levels with excellent report material.
Tim McNeese's Attack On Pearl Harbor (1-883846-78-1, $20.95) provides a little over a hundred
pages of information on the event which involved America in World War II. Black and white
photos
accompany chapters which capture the sequence of events. McNeese's George W. Bush (85-4,
$20.95) provides a biography of the President from his childhood in Connecticut to his entry into
the
Presidency. Jeff Young's Dwight D. Eisenhower (76-5, $20.95) tells of the first Republication
president in two decades. The civil rights issues and other events which began during his time in
office are discussed in detail. Lisa Bohannon's Failure Is Impossible (77-3, $20.95) surveys the life
and times of 1800s women's rights advocate Susan B. Anthony. Chapters tell of the social
conditions
of her times and her work in righting wrongs. All will prove excellent for reports.
Exploring History Through Simple Recipes
Mary Gunderson
Blue Earth Books
c/o History Cooks Publishing
PO Box 709, Yankton, SD 57078
$22.00 each www.historycooks.com
Mary Gunderson's "Exploring History Through Simple Recipes" is a unique, six volume approach
to
American history through distinctive historical American cuisines. Designed specifically for third
grade level students and older, each volume showcases distinctive recipes augmented by an
historically informative text and full color photography. The outstanding and very highly
recommended titles composing this unique and memorable series includes American Indian
Cooking
Before 1500 (0736806059); Cooking On The Lewis And Clark Expedition (0736803548);
Pioneer
Farm Cooking (0736803564); Southern Plantation Cooking (0736803572); Oregon Trail
Cooking
(073680353X); and Cowboy Cooking (0736803556). A superlative addition to any family, school
or
community library children's cookbook collection, the individual titles are available separately, but
the preferred recommendation is to aquire the entire series intact ($120.00).
The Folktale/Fairytale Shelf
Once Upon A Fairy Tale
Various Writers
Viking Press
345 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0-670-03500-9 $30.00 1-800-847-5515
Over twenty well-known celebrities and an equally powerful group of illustrators step into the
shoes
of well-known fairy tale characters to recreate the stories from a different perspective. An audio
cd
accompanies Once Upon A Fairy Tale, adding performances by the celebrities to these whimsical
retellings which take different approaches, such as how it feels to be kissed by a princess, and the
perspective of Papa Bear who feels called on to defend his home. Good reading skills
required.
Friends Again?
H. J. Arrington & JoAnn E. Kitchel
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053
1565548345 $14.95 1-800-843-1724
An original folktale based on Kenyan fable characters, H.J. Arrington's retelling of how Baku the
crocodile ruined his friendship with Taki the monkey by trying to steal his heart, and then losing
the
approval of his crocodile village for not returning with it, is wonderfully enhanced with the superb
artwork of JoAnn Kitchel. Baku needs Taki's help to cure the Might One, leader of all the
crocodiles. Only together can Baku and Taki find a cure for the Mighty One's illness so that
Baku's village will accept him again. Friends Again? is a magnificently presented, highly
recommended picturebook tale of friendship, loyalty, honesty, and trust.
Piecing Earth & Sky Together
Nancy Raines Day & Genna Pazarella
Shen's Books
8625 Hubbard Road, Auburn, CA 95602
1885008198 $17.95 www.shens.com
Nancy Raines Day adapts and retells a Laotian creation story in Piecing Earth & Sky Together.
Beautifully illustrated throughout with full color artwork by Genna Panzarella, the story told by a
Mein Grandmother is of a very competitive pair who use the dinstinctive embroidery of the Mein
tribe to creat the arth and the sky. Because both siblings want to make their part of the world the
most beautiful, they work in secret until it is finally time to reveal their handiwork -- only to
discover
that their two pieces don't fit together! Faam Toh solves the problem by stiching the favric into
mountains, rivers, gorges, and valleys. Only then do the earth and sky fit perfectly, allowing all the
plants and naimals to thrive. Piecing Earth & Sky Together is a magnificently presented story that
would grace any school or community folklore collection for young readers.
The Little Spider
Sigmund Brouwer
Tyndale House Publishers
PO Box 80, Wheaton, IL 60189
0842339183 $14.99 1-800-323-9400
Sigmund Brouwer's The Little Spider is a wonderful picturebook retelling the classic Christian
folktale about the animals who lived in the stable when the baby Jesus was born on a cold winter's
night. Here youngsters will encounter a fickle mouse, an easily distracted cat, a fearful dog, and a
loyal donkey. But it is with the lowly spider that they learn that even the smallest gift, given in
love,
will never be forgotten. The accompanying CD offers a multi-cast dramatization of the story,
enhanced with "What Can I Give?" an original song written and performed by Cindy Morgan. The
Little Spider is a story for the season, with a message that will be enjoyed and appreciated the
whole
year round.
The Pot Of Wisdom
Adwoa Badoe & Baba Wague Diakite
Groundwood/Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.
720 Bethurst Street, Suite 500, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 2R4
088899429X $19.95 1-800-788-3123
In The Pot Of Wisdom: Ananse Stories, Ghanaian author Adwoa Badoe draws upon the African
Ananse folktale tradition to retell ten lively, witty, and entertaining stories about a trickster spider.
Enhanced with the wonderfully illustrations of Malian artist Baba Wague Diakite, these Ananse
folktales deal with issues of justice, money, food, marriage, vanity, and self-respect. Very highly
recommended for young readers ages 7 and older, The Pot Of Wisdom will quickly become a
favorite addition to any school or community library folklore/folktale collection!
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
The Animals Of Grandfather Mountain
Laurie Mitchell Jakobsen
Parkway Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 3678, Boone, NC 28607
1887905480 $14.95 1-800-821-9155
In The Animals Of Grandfather Mountain, wildlife biologist and animal habitat manager Laurie
Jakobsen showcases a wonderfully illustrated collection of engaging and informative stories about
the boisterous bear cubs, inquisitive deer, secretive cougars, playful otters, chattering eagles, and
others who live in the Grandfather Mountain wildlife habitats of North Carolina. The Animals Of
Grandfather Mountain is wonderful reading for children of all ages and an enthusiastically
recommended addition to school and community library wildlife reference collections and reading
lists.
Daphne: A Trumpeter Swan
Bonnie Highsmith Taylor
Perfection Learning Corporation
10520 New York Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50322
0789151561 $8.95 1-303-333-3003
Written specifically for students in grades 2 to 6 who are reading on a second grade level, Bonnie
Taylor's Daphne: A Trumpeter Swan is the story of a beautiful bird and her mate who find the
perfect spot for their nest on an eight-food-wide island in a pond. After six weeks they become
the
parents of four baby swans called cygnets. As spring turns into summer this family of trumpeter
swans encounter both the joys and tragedies of life. The latest high interest/low vocabulary entry
in
Perfection Learning's Cover-to-Cover Chapter Book "Animal Adventure" series, the easy to read
text is enhanced with full-color photographs as it both educates and entertains the reader. Also
available in hardcover (0790793129, $15.95), Daphne: A Trumpeter Swan is a highly
recommended
addition for school library collections and classroom reading lists.
Crabtree Publishing
PMB 16A, 350 - 5th Ave., NY, NY 10118
1-800-387-7650
A new series titles will appeal to library acquisitions at the elementary grade level. Kalman's "Life
Cycle" series ($15.45 each) each contain a little over thirty basic, elementary pages on life cycles
of
selected creatures. Included in the set are Whale (0-7787-0653-2), Koala (0655-9), Frog
(0651-6),
Bird (0654-0), Sea Turtle (0652-4), and Butterfly (0650-8). Photos and realistic drawings blend in
a
clear set of presentations suitable for the younger grade levels.
Gareth Stevens
330 W. Olive Street #100, Milwaukee, WI 53212
1-800-542-2595
Two sets of titles promise lasting appeal. Another new dinosaur series? This one is different: each
book presents 36 pages of color illustrations and photos, including a glossary, bibliography, and
detailed information about individual species for kids in grades 4 and older. Carnivores
(0-8368-2915-8), Herbivores (2916-6), In The Sea (2917-4) and In The Sky (2918-2, $17.95
Each)
uses lively text and pictures to attract. Helene Leroux-Hugon's "I Can Draw" series has
step-by-step
instructions for drawing Country Animals (2838-0), Wild Animals (2841-0), Forest Animals
(2839-9) and Polar Animals (2840-2). Each book contains animal facts to supplement the drawing
instructions.
The Audiobook Shelf
Tell Me A Story!
Jim Weiss
Greathall Productions, Inc.
PO Box 5061, Charlottesville VA 22905-5061
1882513770 $TBA 1-800-477-6234
In Tell Me A Story!: A Treasury Of Classics, professional storyteller Jim Weiss sings and
dramatically narrates seven classic children's fairytales including Tell Me A Story; The Bremen
Town Musicians; Goldilocks and the Three Bears; Things could Always Be Worse;
Rumpelstiltskin;
The Little Red Hen; The Hare and the Hedgehog. Tell Me A Story!: A Treasury Of Classics is an
impressive, enthusiastically recommended CD which is flawlessly produced and has a total
running
time of 60 minutes.
Books in Series
Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavandish
99 White Plains Rd. Tarrytown NY 10591
1-800-831-9881
Two excellent series titles additions promise lasting value to libraries considering them for
purchase.
Raymond Bial's "Building America" series ($17.95 each) grows with the addition of five new
titles:
The Canals (0-7614-1336-7), Houses (1335-9), Forts (1334-0), Mills (1333-2) and Farms
(1332-4).
Each hold a little over fifty pages of color photos paired with information on changing and
evolving
building styles as culture and society changed. Important historical links are provided in relation
to
changing structures in these titles. Cultures Of The Past (19.95 Each) grows with the addition of
four new books: Kathryn Hinds' Medieval England (0308-6), Elsa Marston's Phoenicians
(0309-4),
Hinds' Venice And Its Merchant Empire (0305-1) and Virginia Schomp's Japan In Days Of The
Samurai (0304-3). Each packs in around 80 pages of information and color photos, timelines and
charts, and plenty of information on the society and religion of each of the eras. These promise to
be
lasting references.
Millbrook Press
2 Old New Milford Road, Brookfield CT 06804
1-800-462-4703
It may be difficult to fit these titles into some curriculums but as a library reference they will
provide lasting value. Karen Zeinert's Extraordinary Women Of World War I (0-7613-1913-1,
$27.40) tells of women who took an active role in the war, serving as nurses, telephone operators,
journalists and other working capacities. They involvement not only aided the war effort, it paved
the way for women's rights and changing roles. Edward Dolan's Spanish-American War (1453-9,
$29.90) is slated for grades 5-8 but actually will prove more useful for middle school readers
studying this war: it holds larger, easier print but plenty of detail on the foundations of the war
and its battles.
Chelsea House
1974 Sproul Rd. #400, Broomall, PA 19008
1-800-848-2665
Ages 12 and older will find these excellent resources for study and reports. New to the
Exploration
of Africa series ($29.95 each) is Bruce and Becky Fish's Angola (0-7910-6197-3), Daniel
Harmon's
Egypt (5744-5), and his West Africa (5748-8). Each holds almost 150 pages of information on
each
emerging nation, presenting a historical and cultural overview along with black and white photos.
New to the excelllent 'Black Americans of Achievement' series is Jim McAvoy's Aretha Franklin
(5808-5, $21.95), presenting over a hundred pages of detail on the life of Aretha, paired with
black
and white photos covering the range of her career & life. Charles Shields' Mohandas Gandhi
(6301-1, $21.95) will reach ages 10 and older with its survey of Gandhi's life and civil rights
struggles, which extended beyond the border of India. A fine coverage of both his life and
philosophy. Darren Rhym's NAACP (5812-3) and Cookie Lommel's Black Filmmakers (5816-6,
$21.95 Each) also contribute to the 'American Achievers' series: NAACP provides a history of the
organization and its many contributions to civil rights efforts and Black Filmmakers surveys the
evolving film industry in general and the contributions of black artists in particular. All are
excellent
titles.
Raintree Steck-Vaughn Company
15 East 26th Street, 15th floor, New York, NY 10010
each 1-888-363-4266
Scientists, through their discoveries of how nature works, and their inventions based on those
insights, have quite literally changed the course of human history and civilization. Now four
volumes
from Raintree Steck-Vaughn showcase four outstanding scientists in their "Scientists Who Made
History" series that features Thomas A. Edison (0739844148, $18.98); Marie Curie
(073984413X,
$18.98); Alexander Graham Bell (0739844156, $18.98); and Galileo Galilei 0739844164,
$18.98).
The informative text is enhanced with photography and illustrations, a timeline, glossary, a
bibliography (including websites), and an index. Although the separate volumes are available
individually, the recommendation for school and community libraries is to acquire the complete
set
(0739844172), $75.92) for their young readers.
Crabtree Publishing
PMB 16A, 350 - 5th Ave., NY, NY 10118
1-800-387-7650
What Is Hibernation? (987-X) examines why - and how - animals sleep. A variety of examples
display different forms of hibernation. The 'Megatech' series ($15.45 each) will hold special
interest
for kids who want the latest, brightest technology introductions. Super Subs (0053-4) surveys
undersea frontiers, Biotech (0051-8) examines medicine's discoveries, Internet (0052-6) tells how
the Net is changing science, research and society, and Into Infinity (0060-X) surveys human
efforts
in space. All offer notably striking covers and color photos throughout. All are recommended
picks.
Blackbirch Press Inc.
2360 Amity Rd.. Woodbridge, CT 06525
1-800-831-9183
These are attractive, unusual titles which libraries will want to consider. Those with collections on
games and hobbies or business will welcome Pogo Sticks From Start To Finish by Samuel Woods
(1-56711-482-2): a little over thirty pages explores marketing, construction and use. Mindi
Englart's
Music Cds From Start To Finish (485-7) examines how cds are made. Chapters take a
step-by-step
approach in examining how a studio puts together a music cd. Similar approaches are taken for
Kid's
Clothes (483-0) And Newspapers (484-9), with each book focussing on behind-the-scenes
manufacturing and marketing challenges. The 'Living in a World Of' series links survival methods
to
color in nature. Blue (581-0), White (580-2), Green (583-7), and Brown (682-9) each examine
how
animals adapt to the colors in their environment, using colors as camouflage.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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