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Children's Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Mr. Basset Plays
Dominic Catalano
Boyds Mills Press
815 Church, Honesdale PA 18431
1590780078 $15.95 1-877-512-8366
The rich Reginald Basset faces daily routines of financial accounting and purchases but despite
his wealth, he feels something missing in his life. He notes children playing seem to be having a
better time then he and he begins to understand there's more to life than money. Mr. Basset
Plays is an involving, fine written, and very highly recommended story.
Kid's Travel Fun Book
Loris Bree & Marlin Bree
Marlor Press, Inc.
4304 Brigadoon Dr, St. Paul, MN 55126
1892147017 $6.95 1-800-669-4908
Collaboratively compiled by Loris & Marlin Bree for children ages 6 to 12, the Kid's Travel Fun
Book is a collection of travel games, puzzles, pictures, and other "car trip appropriate" activities
to help while away the hours and the miles. Kids will learn to read road maps and create
attention-engaging paper "gizmos". Whether traveling in the family car or simply staying at home
on a rainy day with nothing to do, the Kid's Travel Fun Book is an inexpensive sources for hours
of "kid friendly" amusement!
Workman Publishing
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
1-800-722-7202 www.amazon.com
Two new titles for kids and families are recommended picks for choices for the entire family's
enjoyment. Nature's Box by Laura Martin (1580174906, $16.95) tells how to use materials from
nature to create art. There are over sixty projects accompanied by step-by-step directions; but
what sets this apart from other kids' craft titles is its focus on choosing resources which don't
damage the environment. Sara Stein's Great Pets! (1580174892, $16.95) is a wonderful pet
encyclopedia the entire family can enjoy. The focus here is on unusual pets, from a jar of fireflies
to lizards and mice. From skinks to moths, this discusses the pros and cons and the needs of each
possible pet.
Mathematickles!
Betsy Franco & Steven Salerno
McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster
1230 Ave of the Americas, NY NY 10020
0689843577 $17.95 1-800-223-2336
Combining humorous poetry by Betsy Franco with the lively and colorful artwork of Steven
Salerno, Mathematickles! is a collection of fun, season and math-oriented poems and equations.
Vibrant illustrations enhance the equations of words to make Mathematickles! a quite unique
picture book, and especially recommended for those who love math as an art form.
Mathematickles! is a wondrously fun as in: "rocks x waves = sand"; "sneeze x 3 - winter sniffles";
"lightningbugs x jar = summer lantern".
Scholastic Press
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
1-800-242-7737 www.amazon.com
Baba Wague Diakite's Magic Gourd (04-39439604, $16.95) provides a warm folk story of a
rabbit who rescues a chameleon from a thorny bush, and who is gifted with a magic gourd which
fills itself with anything its owner desires. Rabbit feels gifted until a greedy king finds out and
decides to benefit from the magic. Tony Mitton's Plum (0439364094, $17.95) provides a host of
warm and original poems for kids, with plenty of cultural zany fun underlying them. From Mrs.
Bhattacharya's Chapati Zap Machine to a giant feline flea, this is loaded with fun. Fold-out pages
may not lend to rigorous library lending but parents will want this for their kids. Lynne Cherry's
How Groundhogs Garden Grew (0439323711, $15.95) may require parental assistance but kids
with some prior picturebook skills will relish this story of a little groundhog who loves to eat the
vegetables in his neighbor's garden. The cycle of a gardening year is told within the structure of a
warm picturebook tale of animal friends, and the drawings are especially engaging.
Popcorn!
Elaine Landau & Brian Lies
Charlesbridge Publishing
85 Main Street , Watertown, MA 02172
1-57091-442-7 $16.95 1-800-225-3214
Popcorn is one of America's favorite foods and collectively, we eat as much as 1,124,000 pounds
of popcorn every year. Popcorn! by Elaine Landau examines the history, lore, science, and
cultural significance of this popular treat which can be traced back to about 5,600 years ago
accordingly to an archaeological excavation in New Mexico. Very nicely illustrated by Brian Lies,
Popcorn! will prove to be as informative as it is fun for young readers ages 6 to 10.
Ice Age Sabertooth
Barbara Hehner & Mark Hallett
The Crown Publishing Group
299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171
0375821937 $8.99 1-800-726-0600
Superbly written and presented by Barbara Hehner, Ice Age Sabertooth is a brief but engaging
and vividly presented look at these ferocious prehistoric great cats. Young adults will thrill to the
full-color illustrations by Mark Hallett enhancing the scientifically accurate text which offers an
informative look into the distant past and the ecology of a more primal world. Ice Age Sabertooth
is enthusiastically recommended as an absorbing educational resource which is certain to stir
interest in these great feline creatures that flourished for an age, and then went extinct along with
the other large mammals of the last Ice Age.
Houghton Mifflin
222 Berkeley Street, Boston MA 02116
1-800-225-3362 www.amazon.com
Jacqueline Briggs Martin's Water Gift And The Pig Of The Pig (0618074368, $15.00) provides a
complex story of a beloved pig, a divining rod, and a girl named Isabel. Kids with rudimentary
reading skills will find this a warm and inviting story of many different talents, with an unusual
plot. Sharleen Collicott's Toestomper And The Bad Butterflies (0618140-921, $15.00) tells of a
keeper of caterpillars who soon becomes a concerned butterfly owner but his butterflies won't
stay safe, and soon attract the terrible Big Tooth, the town bully. How can Toestomper protect
his brood? A unique, engaging story of an unusual friendship: very highly recommended.
Disney Scary Storybook Collection
Disney Press
114 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10011-5690
0786833793 $15.99 disneybooks.com
Disney Scary Storybook Collection offers fifteen easy-to-read spooky stories based on classic
Walt Disney animated feature films. Characters from Toy Story 2, Alladin, Peter Pan, The Little
Mermaid, Monsters Inc., and more appear in this excellent and economically priced anthology.
The Disney Scary Storybook Collection will prove an enduringly popular addition to family,
school, and community library collections for young readers.
Thirty-One Cakes
Loren Hodes & Harvey Klineman
Hachai Publishing
156 Chester Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11218
1929628137 $9.95 www.hachai.com
Thirty-One Cakes: A Hashavas Aveidah Story is a whimsical picture book written in rhyming
verse by Loren Hodes, about Estie, a young Jewish girl whose ring falls into a cake. Yet she trusts
in Hashavas Aveida, the code for returning lost things, and waits for the one who finds her ring to
do the right thing and return it. A superb storybook with illustrations by Harvey Klineman,
Thirty-One Cakes provides children age 2 to 5 with an important virtue and principle for people
everywhere to follow.
Ten Classic Jewish Children's Stories
Peninnah Schram & Jeffrey Allon
Pitspopany Press
40 East 78th St, Suite 16D, NY NY 10021
0943706882 $9.95 pitspopany.com
Compiled and retold by Peninnah Schram, Ten Classic Jewish Children's Stories presents ten
classic stories of Jewish and Biblical history. Each tale is presented in a few pages and enhanced
with brilliant and powerful color illustrations by Jeffrey Allon. Each individual story is also
marked with points to consider, such as "How does this story show us that Miriam gave the
Jewish people the strength to go on?" for the tale of Miriam the Wise. An inspirational anthology,
deeply respectful of the holy scriptures from which it presents its tales, Ten Classic Jewish
Children's Stories is enthusiastically recommended for young readers.
Who Said What?
Dale Carlson & Carol Nicklaus
Bick Publishing House
307 Neck Road, Madison, CT 06443
1884158285 $14.95 1-203-245-0073
Compiled and arranged by Dale Carson, Who Said What?: Philosophy Quotes For Teens
showcases famous and insightful quotations from wise men around the world for young readers to
ponder. Enhanced with illustrations by Carol Nicklaus, and deftly organized so that the wisdom of
the ages concerning many insightful topics can be compared and contrasted against one's own
reasoning. From "Women need men like fish need bicycles" (Gloria Steinem) to "An eye for an
eye, and soon the whole world will be blind." (Mahatma Gandhi), Who Said What? Philosophy
Quotes For Teens is an evocative, thought-provoking compilation and very highly recommended
reading for teens and young adults.
The Video/DVD Shelf
Families Of Egypt
Master Communications, Inc.
Andrea Blain Public Relations (publicity)
4480 Lake Forest Drive, Suite 302, Cincinnati, OH 45242
www.familiesoftheworld.com
1888194413 $29.95 1-800-765-5885
Families Of Egypt is an engaging installment in the outstanding and throughly "kid friendly"
"Families of the World" video series. Looking at the daily life, beliefs, traditions, foods, schools,
family interaction and more in the proud and ancient African nation of Egypt, Families Of Egypt is
an unforgettable and highly recommended 3-minute viewing experience to share among all ages.
Also very highly recommended for school and community library collections are the other
volumes of this extended award-winning series from Master Communications, including Families
Of France (1888194405, $29.95).
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Disney Educational Productions
500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521-6307
1-800-295-5010 Edustation.Disney.com
Winner of 16 Emmy awards, and perhaps the most popular of all of the all of the science shows
for kids on television today, Disney Educational Productions has now made available to family,
school, and community library systems twenty of the best "Bill Nye The Science Guy" shows in a
"classroom ready", value-added DVD format (including bonus footage of never-before-seen
segments, interviews, and demos). The episodes in this outstanding DVD series cover
Archaeology, Atoms; Balance; Blood and Circulation; Bones and Muscles; Chemical Reactions;
Digestion; Earth's Crust; Electrical Current; Flight; Germs; Insects; Magnetism; The Moon; Ocean
Life; The Planets; Rocks and Soil; Simple Machines; and Water Cycle. Perfect as a traditional
classroom curriculum supplement, as well as ideal for homeschooling use, each individual DVD is
available separately ($49.95); while the 20-volume complete set is $749.00.
Happy B-I-R-T-H Day Around the World
Worldkids Press
5900 Sussex, Troy, MI 48098
www.worldkidspress.com
1880449226 $16.95 1-248-641-8115
Happy B-I-R-T-H Day Around the World is a thoroughly delightful, 30-minute, "sing-along"
video for preschool through second grade kids which introduces children to birthday celebrations
around the world ranging from ancient times down to the modern day. Included is the "Happy
Birthday" song as sung in Hebrew, Russian, German, Spanish, Hungarian, Swedish, Japanese,
English, and two other languages. Enhanced with cheerful characters and upbeat music, Happy
B-I-R-T-H Day Around the World is an excellent celebration video which is especially
recommended for children's birthday party celebrations.
Biotrackers
Max Orbit
Big Kid Productions
c/o Thinkeroo, LLC
P.O. Box 1831, Bristol, CT 06011
1929944330 $14.95 www.thinkeroo.com
Part of the "Way Cool Sicence For Curious Kids!" series for young viewers ages 8 and older,
Biotrackers is an exciting 30-minute full color video for curious kids, which offers a fascinating
introduction into the fun realm of environmental studies. Science enthusiast Max Orbit shows
what it is like to be an official biotracker, and includes tips for building an animal-friendly habitat
in one's own backyard. Biotrackers is a informative and engaging video for developing young
minds. Also very highly recommended "Way Cool Science For Curious Kids" series are the
"science-enthusiast" videos Rockfinders (1929944322, $14.95) and Stormchasers (1929944357,
$14.95).
The Picturebook Shelf
Worthwhile
Taylor Kirkpatrick & Jason Lynch
Chapman Press
c/o Caitlin Hamilton Marketing
4862 East Kentucky Avenue, #B, Denver, CO 80246
0972542000 $15.95 chapmanpress.com
Packed from cover to cover with full-color illustrations drawn in an exotic and aggressively
imaginative style by Jason Lynch, Worthwhile is a children's picture book written by Taylor
Kirkpatrick about how the virtues of friendship, humor, and optimism can truly make activities
"worthwhile" and the world a better place. Worthwhile is especially commended to school and
community children's library collections as a quite cheerful and entertainingly upbeat picture book
story.
My New Town
D. R. Thompson
This New World Publishing, LLC
13500 S. W. Pacific Hwy., Suite 129, Tigard, OR 97223
www.ThisNewWorld.com
0972325204 $14.95 1-503-670-1153
Volume 1 of the "Flying Naptime Adventure" series from This New World Publishing, My New
Town is a joyful rhyming picture book featuring bold color illustrations and a cheery story by D.
R. Thompson, about Sally-Ann, a young girl who, along with her mother, grow wings during
dreamtime and use them to fly freely. A playful story that teaches young folks that naptime and
dreams can be fun, My New Town is an original, cleverly executed, and highly recommended
picture book story for children ages 3 to 8.
Orchard Books/Scholastic
557 Broadway, New York NY 10012
1-800-242-7737 www.amazon.com
Tony Mitton's Dinosaurumpus! (043939-5143, $15.95) receives Guy Parker-Rees' zany cartoon
drawings as it tell of a group of rollicking, dancing dinosaurs having a swamp hoedown. The
drawings are whimsical and fun in this fine tale. Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken's Miss
Hunnicutt's Hat (0439318955, $16.95 ) tells of a woman who creates a sensation with her new
hat from Paris which features a chicken. Plucky Miss Hunnicutt doesn't care what anyone thinks
of her zany hat even the visiting Queen, whom the small town wants to impress with
unexpected results. Debi Fliori's Flora's Surprise! (0439455901, $15.95) tells of a rabbit family
busy planting seeds except for Flora, who plants a brick in hopes of growing a house. Her
choice seems silly, until some unexpected benefits arise from her efforts.
The Squeaky, Creaky Bed
Pat Thomson
Doubleday & Company
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
038574630X $15.95 1-800-726-0600
A little boy loves to visit his grandparents but their house is old and his bed is old too it
squeaks and creaks at night. A loving grandfather's efforts to introduce some animals as comfort
brings a zany result in this appealing story, with Niki Daly's cartoon-like drawings spicing the
tale.
R. G.'s On Vacation
Lisa L. Dwyer & Joanne Ferrante
Window Seat Publishing, Inc.
82 Marlborough Rd., Suite 108, West Hempstead, NY 11552
www.windowseatpublishing.com
0972194916 $15.95 www.amazon.com
R. G.'s On Vacation is a counting picture book by Lisa L. Dwyer about a young fellow on
vacation at the beach with his family. Each two-page spread features rhyming verse and a number
of animals or exotic objects visible at the beach, enhanced with the sketchy yet inviting color
illustrations by Joanne Ferrante adding a warm and homey touch to an original and entertaining
story.
It's Not Fair
Carl Sommer & Greg Budwine
Advance Publishing, Inc.
6950 Fulton St., Houston, TX 77022
1575370212 $9.95 1-713-695-0600
Part of the award-winning "Another Sommer-Time Story" series, It's Not Fair - Virtues:
Citizenship/Teamwork/Responsi-bilty is a full-color picture book illustrated by Greg Budwine,
written by Carl Sommer, and specifically intended for young readers in grades 1-4. A group of
boisterous rebel bees who don't want to follow the Queen Bee. They leave and start their own
hive, but their bickering causes their new home to fall apart. They learn that they have to work
together under coherent direction to get things done, and return to follow the Queen Bee. It's Not
Fair! is a confidently recommended character building book for children that emphasizes the
values of citizenship, teamwork, and responsibility. Also very highly recommended in the
"Another Sommer-Time Story" series is Noise! Noise! Noise! Virtues:
Tolerance/Friendship/Appreciation (1575370204, $9.95)
Dandylion
Terry Bremer & M. Deborah Price
Beaver's Pond Press, Inc.
7104 Ohms Lane, Edina, MN 55439
www.BeaversPondPress.com
1931646902 $15.00 1-952-829-8818
Terry Bremer's Dandylion: The Most Misunderstood Flower is a thoroughly delightful children's
picturebook about the dandelion - a common plant often scorned or sprayed as a weed, yet which
is also a flower with an inviting smell and a unique albeit ephermeral beauty. A lovely rhyming
poem enhanced with bold color illustrations by M. Deborah Pierce distinguishing this charming
and recommended picturebook story about learning to appreciate this common yet special
plant.
Sweet Dreams Douglas
Regan Dunnick
The Junior League of Houston, Inc.
1811 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston TX 77027
www.juniorleaguehouston.org
096324213X $16.95 1-800-432-2665
A Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book award winner, Sweet Dreams Douglas by
Reagan Dunnick (and the Junior League of Houston) is a warm and playful children's picture
book about Douglas, a little dog is who is reluctant to go to sleep. Yet when Douglas' mother
gently explains to him what wondrous and fun worlds of the imagination await him in his dreams,
he is eager to experience the adventure firsthand. Simple yet cheerful color illustrations by the
author distinguish this excellent bedtime storybook as a truly excellent choice, especially for
parental bedtime reading with preschoolers.
Horace The Horrible
Jackie French Koller & Jackie Urbanovic
Marshall Cavendish
99 White Plains Rd, Tarrytown NY 10591
0761451501 $16.95 1-800-831-9881
Horace The Horrible: A Knight Meets His Match is an upbeat story and original story by Jackie
French Koller of a sick king who must send away his daughter the princess to the care of her
uncle Horace. Horace knows how to slay dragons, crush armies, and rescue damsels in distress,
but how is he to look after a little girl who misses her daddy? A powerful allegory, brought to life
with eye-catching color illustrations by Jackie Urbanovic, and written with an overlay of whimsy
yet at its core dealing with a serious issue, Horace The Horrible is a welcome and recommended
addition to family, school, and community library picture book collections for young readers ages
4 to 7.
What Do You Remember?
Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell
Anderson Press
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, North Pomfret, VT 05053
1842700804 $16.95 1-800-423-4525
In What Do You Remember?, Hedgehog and rabbit play the 'remembering' game, only to find
their friendship threatened by quite different memories of events in this simple, different
picturebook story of memories and challenges. Kids will find the different topic and approach
intriguing.
Johnny Jingle
Thomas Zarraonandia
Anne Zarraonandia, Publisher
PO Box 151435, San Rafael, CA 94915
097410700X $15.00 1-877-892-6974
Written and illustrated by Thomas Zarraonandia, Johnny Jingle is a large softcover picture book
which is recommended for kids ages two to twelve. Johnny Jingle is a young boy who loses his
shadow and searches for it all over, even amid his friends in Mother Goose land. Rhyming verse
and simple yet colorful pictures enhance this silly, friendly, entertainingly original tale.
Little Tiger's Big Surprise!
Julie Sykes & Tim Warnes
Tiger Tales
PO Box 70, Iron Ridge, WI 53035
1589250028 $14.95 1-920-387-2333
The collaborative effort of author Julie Sykes and illustrator Tim Warnes, Little Tiger's Big
Surprise! is a brightly colored picture book for young children about the troubles that Little Tiger
has when he learns he is going to have a new baby brother or sister. He visits his jungle friends
and learns that baby siblings tend to cry and make messes. But worry can be one's worst enemy,
and having a sibling is not necessarily as bad as Little Tiger thinks, in this warm-hearted and
charming story about adjusting to real-life changes.
Corduroy Goes To The Fire Station
B. G. Hennessy & Lisa McCue
Viking Press
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0670036005 $11.99 1-800-847-5515
Written by B.G. Hennessy and illustrated by Lisa McCue, Corduroy Goes To The Fire Station is a
lift-the-flap interactive picture book which is based on the loveable bear character created by Don
Freeman. Featuring an exciting tour of the resources used by emergency workers to protect and
save lives, Corduroy Goes To The Fire Station is confidently recommended as informative and
fun reading for curious young people.
Fairy Flight
Tracy Kane
Light-Beams Publishing
10 Toon Lane, Lee, NH 03824
www.light-beams.com
0970810423 $15.95 1-603-659-1300
Deftly written and superbly illustrated by Tracy Kane, Fairy Flight is a simply joyous fantasy
picture book for young readers ages 4 to 9 about Sarah and Kinsey, two cousins who delight in
summer days pondering the miraculous ability of monarch butterflies to migrate, while raising
these majestic insects from caterpillars to Monarch butterflies. A thoroughly cheery tale, Fairy
Flight is imbued with a genuine awe at the wondrous, fairy-like complexities within these tiny,
intrinsically beautiful insects.
In Every Moon There Is A Face
Charles Mathes & Arlene Graston
Illumination Arts Publishing Company
PO Box 1865, Bellevue, WA 98009
www.illumin.com
0970190743 $15.95 1-888-210-8216
The text for In Every Moon There Is A Face is a very simple poem by Charles Mathes that
combines dream-like pondering with raptly beautiful imagery by Arlene Graston. An easy reader
picture book that embraces peace and the joy of the heart, In Every Moon There Is A Face is an
invitingly presented treasure to share with young ones - and enthusiastically recommended for
appreciative readers ages 4 to 104.
The Most Beautiful Kite In The World
Andrea Spalding & Leslie Watts
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
121 Harvard Avenue, Suite 2, Allston, Massachusetts 02134
1550417169 $14.95 www.fitzhenry.ca
The Most Beautiful Kite In The World is an enchantingly written story by Andrea Spalding of
Jenny, a little girl who makes her own homemade kite. It doesn't seem to fly very well, and at first
Jenny is disappointed -- but with a little advice from her father, Jenny learns that her creation has
far more potential than she ever dreamed. Beautifully illustrated with the realistic artwork of
Leslie Watts, The Most Beautiful Kite In The World is a heartwarming tale and a welcome
addition to family, school, and community library picture book collections.
Armadillo's Orange
Jim Arnosky
G. P. Putnam's Sons
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0399234128 $15.99 penguinputnam.com
Showcasing the undeniable story telling and self-evident artistic talents of Jim Arnosky,
Armadillo's Orange is a thoughtful children's picture book about an independent armadillo who
keeps to himself, and relies on a big, bright orange to mark the entrance to his burrow home. The
one windy day, the orange rolls away and Armadillo is faced with a challenge to find a new way at
home - and learns the value of paying attention to one's neighbors. An inviting story about
learning to see more of the world around one, Armadillo's Orange is perfect for children preschool
through first grade.
I Only Like What I Like
Julie Baer
Bollix Books
1609 W. Callender Ave., Peoria, IL 61606
www.bollixbooks.com
1932188002 $15.99 1-309-4534903
Written and illustrated by Julie Baer for children ages 3 to 8, I Only Like What I Like is the story
of Dewey Jackson Braintree-Berg, a young boy who is strict and severe in his personal
preferences. Dewey only likes apples that are red, one certain black-and-white cat, noodles shaped
like letters on Monday, and so forth. But sometimes Dewey is faced with new foods, new things,
and new challenges that he has never seen before - what is a boy to do? A distinctive style of
slightly discordant color illustrations enhances this entertaining and very strongly recommended
parable about learning to adapt to change.
A Peddler's Dream
Janice Shefelman & Tom Shefelman
Eakin Press
PO Box 90159, Austin, TX 78709
1571682945 $14.95 eakinpress.com
A "Reading Rainbow Books", Janice Shefelman's A Peddler's Dream is an impressively written
children's color picture book steeped in the journey and legacy of those who came from other
countries to make America their home. Set at the turn of the century, A Peddler's Dream tells the
story of Solomon Joseph Azar, a man who follows his dream of a better life to share with his
beloved across the ocean and applies his industry and intelligence to the task. Classically
illustrated by tom Shefelman, A Peddler's Dream is very highly recommended, especially for
young readers grades 2 through 5.
Monster Toddler
John Wallace
Hyperion Books
114 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10011
0786819960 $15.99 1-800-759-0190
Monster Toddler is a charming picturebook for children ages 2 to 5 and is about Timothy, a
delightful toddler boy with a "monstrous" alter ego. When Timothy puts on a monster suit and
becomes Monster Toddler, he lands himself into a monster-sized mess of trouble! Gentle color
illustrations by John Wallace add a very special touch to his warmly presented story about
learning to clean up after one's mistakes and tantrums.
I Love The Night
Dar Hosta
Brown Dog Books
PO Box 2196, Flemington, NJ 08822
www.browndogbooks.com
0972196706 $16.95 1-908-237-1740
I Love The Night by author/illustrator Dar Hosta is a delightful and original children's picture
book remarkably enhanced with unique paper collage creations, which depict the various
creatures and plants that are active throughout the evening hours in the heart of a swampy rain
forest. A gentle story perfectly suited for reading aloud to young ones before bedtime, I Love The
Night is especially commended for children ages 3 to 8.
I Can Fly
Ruth Krauss & Mary Blair
Golden Books/Random House
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
0307105482 $12.95 1-800-726-0600
Winner of a Picture Book Honor at the 1951 Spring Book Festival, I Can Fly by Ruth Krauss is a
happy and upbeat easy reader story about a little girl who is simply full of energy and imagination.
The impressive full-color illustrations by Mary Blair depict the little girl imitating her animal
friends ranging from cats to rabbits. I Can Fly is a simply delightful work that has lasted through
the test of time and is now available to a whole new generation of children ages 2-5.
You've Got Dragons
Kathryn Cave & Nick Maland
Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
1700 Chattahoochee Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30318-2112
156145284X $16.95 1-800-241-0113
The collaborative effort of author Kathryn Cave and illustrator Nick Maland, You've Got Dragons
is a gentle and lighthearted picture book about dragons as metaphors for one's daily worries -
turning up in ordinary lives and places where they are least expected! Charming caricatures and
gentle advice for facing one's fears make You've Got Dragons a most enjoyable and recommended
read to share with young folks ages 6 to 10.
Oh, Crumps!/Ay, Caramba!
Lee Bock & Morgan Midgett
Raven Tree Press
200 S. Washington St., Suite 306, Green Bay, WI 54301
0972019243 $16.95 raventreepress.com
Oh, Crumps!/Ay, Caramba! by Lee Bock is a thoroughly "kid friendly", English/Spanish bilingual
picture book, about a tired farmer with an endless list of chores to do - and who becomes sleeper
and sleeper as he works into the night. A friendly story illustrated by Morgan Midgett in
whimsical color, Oh, Crumps!/Ay, Caramba! is ideal for sharing with young ones right before
bedtime and a very strongly recommended addition to school and community bilingual picture
book collections for young readers ages 4 to 8.
One Fine Day
Elizabeth Van Steenwyk, author
Bill Farnsworth, illustrator
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
255 Jefferson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
0802852343 $16.00 1-800-253-7521
The collaborative effort of author Elizabeth Van Steenwyk and illustrator/artist Bill Farnsworth,
One Fine Day: A Radio Play is a distinctive and unusual picture book that presents a radio play of
how the Wright Brothers changed the world at the beginning of the twentieth century, with their
historic first flight. A powerful narrative and mood-filled color artworks combine to showcase
One Fine Day as a distinctive and memorable accounting which is enthusiastically recommended
for all young readers of all ages.
Harvey Green The Eating Machine
Gene Perret & Gary Bennett
Witworks/Arizona Highways Magazine
2039 West Lewis Av, Phoenix, AZ 85009
www.witworksbooks.com
1893860787 $12.95 1-602-712-2200
Harvey Green The Eating Machine is a whimsical (bordering on ludicrous) picture book by Gene
Perret, about Harvey Green, a young boy who likes to eat -- perhaps too much! Wild color
illustrations by Gary Bennett wonderfully enhance this fanciful tale, and a brief segment at the end
teaches young folks about proper table manners. Certain to be popular reading for children K-3,
Harvey Green The Eating Machine is a good choice for school and community library picture
book collections.
The Fairytale/Folktale Shelf
Flower Fairies Of The Summer
Cicely Mary Barker
Frederick Warne/Penguin
375 Hudson Street, NY, NY 10014
0723246289 $16.00 1-800-847-5515
First published in 1925, Flower Fairies Of The Summer: A Celebration reprints a true children's
classic written and illustrated by Cicley Mary Barker. Featuring the gorgeous full-color flower
fairy illustrations from both past and present editions of this lovely and enduringly popular work,
Flower Fairies Of The Summer showcases fanciful poems and a few botanical notes concerning
each flower, adding variety add to the timeless illustrations which combine to make for an
enthralling visual cornucopia of wonder.
Bluebonnet Girl
Michael Lind & Kate Kiesler
Henry Holt & Company
115 West 18th Street, NY, NY 10011
0805065733 $16.95 1-888-330-8477
Bluebonnet Girl by Michael Lind retells a legend of the Comanche Native Americans about how a
young girl's sacrifice of her greatest treasure saves her land and her people from terrible drought
and suffering. Featuring the artwork of Kate Kiesler, Bluebonnet Girl is a beautifully illustrated
and highly recommended tale of courage and sacrifice which is narrated for young readers ages 4
to 9 in rhyming verse.
The Three Little Javelinas
Susan Lowell & Jim Harris
Rising Moon
PO Box 1389, Flagstaff, AZ 86002-1389
0873585429 $15.95 www.northland.pub
The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell offers a twist on the classic children's story of the
three little pigs. The three little javelinas (a wild, hairy southwestern cousin of pigs) live in a house
of tumbleweeds, a house of saguaro ribs (from fallen giant cacti), and a house of bricks - but when
a hungry coyote comes calling, only the house of bricks is strong enough to seek shelter in! An
engaging fable, with unique anthropomorphic color illustrations by Jim Harris, The Three Little
Javelinas is an entertaining and transplanted storybook retelling of a classic children's fairytale
favorite.
The History Shelf
Lost City
Ted Lewin
Philomel Books/Penguin
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0399233024 $16.99 penguinputnam.com
Accessibly written and very beautifully by Caldecott Honor Winner Ted Lewin, Lost City: The
Discovery Of Machu Picchu is a picturebook history presentation about a 1911 journey into Peru
in search of Vilcapampa, the lost city of the Incas. What was actually discovered was the
forgotten city of Machu Picchu, resulting in an extraordinary testimony to archaeological history
and a Native American legacy, in this wonderfully illustrated, deftly told, and strongly
recommended story.
Stars And Stripes
Sarah L. Thomson, author
Bob Dacey & Debra Bandelin, illustrators
HarperCollins
1350 Ave of the Americas, NY NY 10019
0060504161 $15.99 1-800-242-7737
Stars And Stripes: The Story Of The American Flag is a picture book by Sarah L. Thomson
retelling of American history and symbolism in terms of the role that the star-and-stripes banner
which has played throughout more than two centuries in rallying hopes, ranging from the tale of
the flag's creation in the Revolutionary War, down to its message of endurance after the
September 11th attacks. Superbly enhanced with the artwork of Bob Dacey and Debra Bandelin,
Stars And Strips is a patriotic, high-spirited presentation which should have a prominent place
within the young reader collections of every elementary school and community library collection
in the country.
The Fiction Shelf
The Long, Sticky Walk
Edel Wignell
Cygnet Books/ISBS, dist.
5824 N.E. Hassalo Street, Portland, OR 97213-3644
www.uwapress.uwa.edu.au
1876268816 $11.95 1-800-944-6190
Set on a New South Wales farm in 1886, after a terrible flood, The Long, Sticky Walk by Edel
Wignell is an engaging and thoughtfully written novel for young readers about a family who,
having
lost their farm and nearly all they own, must pack up the last scraps of food and embark on a long
hike to town through sticky black mud. The necessity to bond together for survival permeates this
deeply mature and serious story. Enhanced with black/white illustrations by Dee Huxley, The
Long, Sticky Walk is a welcome addition to personal, school, and community library fiction
collections for young readers.
Saviors Of The Bugle
Barbara Elmore
Mud Pie Press
4201 Morrow Ave., Waco, TX 76710
097149410X $6.99 mudpiepress.com
Saviors Of The Bugle by Barbara Elmore is an enthusiastically written novel for young readers
and features Wendy Wright, a 14 year old girl and her two best friends who decide to work
together to save their town's local newspaper from bankruptcy. Yet hidden obstacles make the
fight to save the Bugle complicated, in this charming story about giving one's all for something as
precious as the community newspaper.
The Little Yokozuna
Wayne Shorey
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
0804834792 $7.95 tuttlepublishing.com
The Little Yokozuna by Wayne Shorey is a unique and rousing novel written imaginative children
and young adults, and which features a group of children who are magically transported from a
museum garden into an amazing world where the spirits of Japanese myth and legend have come
to life. The children find that they must work together in order to rescue their youngest sister, and
then find the courage within themselves to stand up and confront both external and internal
demons. The Little Yokozuna is very highly recommended as an imaginative, superbly written,
high-spirited, adventure story.
Jasper
Michelle Groce
Novello Festival Press
310 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202
097089726X $17.95 1-704-432-0153
Jasper is a debut novel by Michelle Groce and written for young adults. Jasper is an extraordinary
cat with the ability to see glimpses of the future. This quirky feline searches for a good home, a
warm bed, tasty food, and a family to love him - yet he senses dreadful events to come, and
trapped as an indoor pet, there is nothing he can do about it. Jasper is a very highly recommended
story of coming to grips with tough choices, moral dilemmas, -- from the perspective of a cat with
a conscience!
Varjak Paw
SF Said
David Fickling Books/Random House
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
0385750196 $16.95 1-800-726-0600
Varjak Paw is a kitten who lives in an old house contentedly until his grandfather tells him about a
secret martial art for cats. Now Varjak's journey away from his secure home depends on the Way
for survival in a city filled with cat gangs and mysterious Vanishings. Varjak Paw is finely written,
cat-based fantasy recommended for young adult enthusiasts of such imaginative fantasies as
Watership Down.
Missing
Catherine MacPhail
Bloomsbury Publishing
175 5th Ave., New York NY 10010
1582347735 $14.95 bloomsbury.com
Maxine's older brother has disappeared and after months of agony a body confirms his death but
her mother turns to psychics for solace and the family seems to be drifting apart. When she begins
getting phone calls from someone who claims to be her brother, Maxine finds herself alone in
searching for the truth. A realistic, absorbing story.
The Fairies' Quest
Louis Dorfman
1st Books Library
Gulotta Communications (publicisty)
2595 West Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404-2782
1410709663 $12.50 1-800-839-8640
The Fairies' Quest is a highly original and superbly written novel about Penelope and Bucky, two
fairies who were once animals on Earth. Penelope and Bucky strive to convince a family that it is
wrong to hunt for sport. Author Louis Dorman has personally dedicated his life to raising,
training, and rehabilitating wild animals such as tigers, lions, and cougars. The Fairies' Quest is
commended to teens and young adults as a powerful and involving read that embraces a love of
the wild and respect for all living things.
Simon & Schuster
1230 Ave of Americas, NY, NY 10020
1-800-223-2336 www.amazon.com
Margaret Peterson Haddix's Among The Barons (0689839065, $16.95) presents a winner: Luke
is a third child in a society which allows only two per family: in hiding most of his life, he is
granted a fake identity which allows him to live in society until a younger brother of his fake
identity shows up. Suddenly Luke is caught in lies and must trust a grieving brother to keep his
most dangerous secret. Riviting. Neal Shusterman's novel Full Tilt (0689803755, $16.95) tells of
a responsible child in a dysfunctional family who finds himself fighting for his very soul in a
phantom carnival. Seven dangerous rides reflect his deepest fears in this absorbing fantasy: highly
recommended; especially for fans of Langton's Diamond In The Window.
Haunting Of Captain Snow
Rachel Nickerson Luna
Emma Howard Books
PO Box 385, Planetarium Station, New York NY 10024
1886551081 $11.95 www.amazon.com
Haunting Of Captain Snow is second in the Eel Grass Girls mystery series; but no prior familiarity
is required in order to enjoy and appreciate this latest. Four yacht club girls face a haunted house,
a coven of witches, and a whole summer packed with supernatural overtones in the process of
tackling a sea captain's secret, and his strange family's responses. Older YA readers
recommended: the story is quite complex and involving; not your usual shallow mystery!
Blizzard's Wake
Phyllis Reynolsd Naylor
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster
1230 Ave. of Americas, NY, NY 10020
0689852207 $16.95 www.amazon.com
Teen Kate's mother died four years ago as the victim of a drunk driver, and her family has never
been the same. The driver has been in jail; now he's released with a new start on life until a
blizzard brings them all together and forces them all to interact. Can Kate ever overcome her
intense anger to heal? The author does an exceptional job of presenting perspectives of events
from all sides in Blizzard's Wake.
Cuba 15
Nancy Osa
Delacorte/Random House
1745 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
0385730217 $15.95 www.amazon.com
Violet has just turned 15, the age when a young Cuban woman traditionally celebrates with a
party. But Violet is only half Cuban: she's also half Polish and feels all-American. Her rejection of
her Cuban culture changes when she grudgingly accepts the idea for a Cuban celebration of her
age and she begins to learn about the politics and sadness in her background in this revealing
and original "coming of age" story.
Alligator Crossing
Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Milkweed Editions
1011 Washington Avenue South, #300, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1246
157131640X $17.95 milkweed.org
The only sanctuary Henry Bunks has from his crowded apartment building, his uncaring family,
and the neighborhood street gangs is a spot along the canal near his Miami home which is known
only to him. Henry soon meets an outlaw alligator trapper and stows away on the trapper's boat.
This begins Henry's journey away from the city and its problems into the heart of the Everglades
where he soon comes to realize that some of the people who have made their lives in the watery
landscape of these swamps and marshlands are in conflict with others (including a roving biologist
and a girl who lives on a yacht) who feel the Everglades is a national environmental treasure.
Caught between these two opposing views, it all comes down to a final race to save a life and
come to a clear understanding of it all. First published in 1959, Marjory Stoneman Douglas'
"coming of age" novel is as compelling and timely today as it was more than forty years ago. A
very strongly recommended addition to any school or library collection, Alligator Crossing is also
available in a paperback format (1571316442, $6.95).
The Biography Shelf
William Grant Still
Catherine Reef
Morgan Reynolds
620 S Elm St. #223 Greensboro NC 27406
1931798117 $21.95 1-800-535-1504
William Grant Still grew up the grandson of slaves in the segregated South: he knew he wanted to
be a classical musician, but his mother wanted him to become a doctor and doubted his ability to
achieve in the white-dominated classical music world. This biograhy for young readers tells of
William's determination and of his many achievements, with a little over 100 pages including black
and white photos throguhout.
Chelsea House
1974 Sproul Road, Suite 400, Broomall, PA 19008-0914
1-800-848-2665 chelseahouse.com
For biographies which choose notable achievers, choose the new 'Women in Science' series for
grades 5-7: each book holds about 120 pages of biographical background and examines the
unique worlds of women who work on scientific studies. Lois Nicholson examines Dian Fossey
(0791069079), Lisa Kozieski'' Jane Goodall (0791069052) considers the life of an inexperienced
British woman sent to Africa to study chimps, Dale Anderson's Maria Mitchell (0791072495)
reveals an astronomer's life, Joseph Ferry's Maria Goeppert Mayer (0791072479) surveys a
groundbreaking mathematician and physics teacher who struggled against prejudice; J. Heather
Cullen's Barbara Mcclintock (0791072487) surveys a genetic investigator whose research
contributed to revolutionary new concepts; and E.A. Tremblay's Rachel Carson (079107-2444)
reveals the life and achievements of a woman dedicated to environmental preservation. Chelsea
House has other biography collections equally impressive: the Famous Flyers series enlarges with
the addition of Colleen Madonna Flood Williams' Chuck Yeager (0791072169), which tells of the
pilot's first achievement breaking the sound barrier; and Heather Wagner's Amelia Earhart
(07910723134) chronicles the life and elusive death of the renowed pilot.
The Music Shelf
I Hear America Singing!
Kathleen Krull
Knopf/Random House
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
0375825274 $24.95 1-800-726-0600
I Hear America Singing! was originally published as 'Gonna Sing My Head off!' and packs in a
treasury of folk songs with a revised difference: a CD containing recordings of 23 songs. From
Oh, Susanna to On Top of Old Smokey and Yankee Doodle, I Hear America Singing! will delight
the entire family with the music and lyrics to classic American songs and the cd music is
outstanding for newcomers to any song.
Bon Appetit!
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
Rounder Records Corporation
One Camp Street, Cambridge, MA 02140
1579400876 $17.98 www.rounder.com
Bon Appetit! Musical Food Fun is a fine music CD suitable for all ages and one which teaches
young listeners about healthy eating habits with swing, rock, samba, Caribbean-style music, rap,
and more. Sixteen catchy, original, "kid friendly", and thoroughly enjoyable tunes combine and
reflect solid lessons in good nutrition making Bon Appetit! Musical Food Fun especially
recommended, especially to parents of children who need a lively musical support for getting the
kids to eat right!
Come Join The Circle
Paulette Meier
LessonSongs Music
Beth Blenz-Clucas (publicity)
PO Box 23171, Cincinnati, OH 45223
CD $TBA www.lessonsongs.com
A Parents' Choice 2002 Approved Award Winner, Come Join The Circle: Lessons For
Peacemaking is a joyous audio CD composed and performed by peace educator Paulette Meier to
especially impart positive values in today's youth. The fourteen selections range in theme from
learning to listen; to handling one's feeling; to what it takes to be a true friend. A variety of lively
songs ranging from country to reggae to blues and hip-hop, enhance these important, educational,
and entertaining lessons in becoming a better person inside.
The Easy Reader Shelf
So You Think You Know Harry Potter
Clive Gifford
Hodder/Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
034087337X $4.99 1-800-423-4525
So You Think You Know Harry Potter is a a wonderfully written and presented quiz book with
over a thousand questions about Harry Potter and invites elementary-level readers who are
enthusiastic about the Harry Potter books to test their memories and knowledge of Harry's
exploits. These very specific questions pertain to episodes in the book and require the avid
enthusiast of the titles, but the results will be worth it. Highly recommended!
Emma's Pet
David McPhail
Dutton/Penguin
345 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0525470476 $6.99 www.amazon.com
Emma wants a pet, but is having a hard time finding the right one: the mouse is too small, the frog
is too wet. Eventually she finds the perfect pet in a surprise place in a warm story which
celebrates family relationships as much as it understands a young child's search for love. This
board book will appeal to the young beginner who has some reading skills.
Books in Series
The Story Of Flight
Crabtree Publishing Company
350 Fifth Avenue, #3308, NY, NY 10118
1-800-387-7650 www.crabtree-pub.com
Three outstanding titles focus on the history of aviation in "The Story Of Flight" series by Ole
Steen Hansen. The Wright Brothers And Other Pioneers Of Flight (0778712168, $8.95) covers
the evolution of flight from antiquity; to the first heavier-than-air flight by the Wright Brothers at
Kittyhawk; to the contributions of other significant aviation pioneers including Cayley, Adler, and
Lilienthal. Military Aircraft Of World War One (0778712-176, $8.95) focuses on the sky
machines of the First World War where aircraft were used for the first time as weapons. Of
special note is a plane identification guide and detailed illustrations. Amazing Flights -- The
Golden Age (0778712184, $8.95) is about the post war barnstormers, daredevils, as well as the
pilots and planes that kept setting non-stop, solo flights around the country and around the world.
Ideal for young readers grades 2 to 9, "The Story Of Flight" is a series of wonderfully produced,
highly recommended, 32-page histories with a fourth grade reader competence level.
Enslow Publishers
Box 398 Berkeley Heights NJ 07922-0398
$125.70 www.enslow.com
"The Holocaust Remembered" series is comprised of six outstanding titles that taken together
provide students in grades 6 to 12 with a complete and comprehensive overview of one of the
twentieth century's most horrific examples of race-based genocides. The individual titles include
The Holocaust Camps (894909959); The Holocaust Ghettos (0894909940); The Holocaust
Heroes (0766010465); The Holocaust Overview (0766010627); The Holocaust Survivors
(0894909932); and The Holocaust, Hitler, And Nazi Germany (0766012301). Each book is
enhanced with chapter notes, a bibliography for further readings, a chronology, a glossary, a map,
and an index. "The Holocaust Remembered" series should be a core addition to every public
school and community library in the country.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Close To Shore
Michael Capuzzo
Random House
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0375822313 $16.95 1-800-726-0600
Close To Shore re-creates the summer of 1916, when a rogue Great White shark attacked
swimmers along the New Jersey shore and triggered the most extensive shark hunt in history.
Maps, diagrams, and details on shark behavior and physiology accompany a lively history of
events.
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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