PlanetEsme.com's
RECOMMENDATIONS ARCHIVE

The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins
by Bea Uusma Schyffert
published by Chronicle

This book has been out a little while, but I missed it…now I want to make sure you don't! This beautifully packaged little rocket of a book allows readers to travel along with Michael Collins, who went with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, but had to stay in the ship while the others made footprints on the moon in 1969. Unique and eclectic scrapbook-style photographs and notes give this book a very intimate feel ("When you stand on the moon, you can cover the entire earth with your hand"), and includes forms, charts, lots and lots of drawings of buttons, really bringing readers along for every step of this interstellar ride. This little foil-wrapped volume contains all the excitement of space travel, as the Apollo did so many years ago . (7 and up)

Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq
by Mark Alan Stamaty
published by Knopf

When Basra falls under seige, Alia Muhammad Baker, the chief librarian of the Central Library, pleads with the government to help her save the irreplacable treasures in her library. When her requests fall on deaf ears, she begins the rescue effort herself, with the help of the restauranteur next door and willing neighbors. Hard work and foresight allowed 30,000 volumes to be saved. With an anthropomorphized book as narrator and unusual black-and-white cartoon artwork in the spirit of Speigelman's Maus, this book has an immediacy and great storytelling impact. (8 and up) Also of interest is the more simplified story told traditional picture book format, The Librarian of Basra: A True Story of Iraq by Jeanette Winter (Harcourt), with folksy block illustrations that are still explosive and powerful. By the same author, pick September Roses, in which twin South African sisters on their way to a flower convention are laid over in New York after 9/11, and make a moving contribution. The artwork here goes from black-and-white during times of sorrow and back to color when hope is retored. All of these books explore the meaning of hero, and what bravery it takes to make signs of peace in a time of war.

Rattlesnake Mesa: Stories from a Native American Childhood
by Ednah New Rider Weber, photographs by Richela Renkun
published by Lee and Low

Almost as soon as Ednah adjusts to life at the Navajo reservation, she is sent to a strict government-run school where the authoritaian teachers try like gangbusters to get these kids wise to the ways of white folks. Luckily, the pulse of her own culture beats too hard within her own veins to be shanghaied. In her first book, Ednah New Rider Weber has what so many authors dream of: an authentic and original voice, and it's put to good use here, sharing a recollection of childhood that is hilarious and chilling in turn, and always honest. This book puts into first person perspective a dark chapter of American history in a way that both chilren and adults can appreciate. I savored her beautiful language, realistic and lively dialogue and knack for pulling together her chapters like the last threads of a perfectly woven cloth. Wether sharing the haunting descriptions of watching boys get punished or the fond reminicences of a little girl named "Old Thunder" passing gas as a form of rebellion, you'll look forward to reading this book aloud to children. Subtle descriptions of children bonding together to preserve a thing that they can't name but deeply value tell so much about the human condition, and is hard to find outtside these pages. It is highly recommended as a must-read for anyone interested in Native American history or memoir-writing. (7 and up)

Train of States
by Peter Sis
published by Greenwillow

All aboooard! Children can watch the train chug by, each car representing one of our fifty states and appearing in chronological order of statehood. Each car carries salient report-worthy cargo, such as capitol, state bird, motto, flag, fun facts and a seek-and-find factor for those who want to look for more than meets the eye. Sis's watercolor artwork is detail-rich as always, andconveys the affection that the Czech author has for his adopted country. Besides being a fresh informational book, it will surely inspire children to travel this great country for themselves. Nice when paired with Laurie Keller's Scrambled States of America. (7 and up)

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird
by Phillip Hoose
published by Farrar Straus and Giroux

When I first got this book, I rifled through all the pages and the black-and-white photos and groaned a little, expecting that this was one of those text-heavy tomes that was a nice endeavor but not the sort of thing a child could "get through." Boy, was I wrong! This is a page-turner, as we follow the well-documented decline of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, the first modern endangered species. When I read a book like this, I think, why are there textbooks in schools? Here is the story of America, here is geography, here is science, and best of all, here is a story about how our environment connects all things, a story every child in modern times needs to hear. (Remember Holling's The Tree in the Trail?) Written with the immediacy of a great storyteller, this ecological timeline is drawn forth with a sense of great drama and suspense as "progress" takes its toll on the natural world. Every reader of this book will find themselves chewing on their fingernails and rooting with all their might for the bird's survival, and with every word a sense of reverence and responsibility within themselves is nurtured. Let's hope this book never goes extinct! (10 and up) Also of interest:The Future of the Earth : An Introduction to Sustainable Development for Young, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand (Abrams), an attractive resource derived from his popular photography book Earth from Above, is great fodder for discussion and reflection and, like The Race to Save Lord God Bird, will likewise have children looking at the world and its riches in a new way. (11 and up)

The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon
by Jacqueline Davies, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
published by Houghton Mifflin

Living at a time when some scientists thought birds transformed from one kind into another every winter, or that birds lay in a great tangle underwater until spring returned, a young ornithologist has his work cut out for him. Questions like "Where do the small birds go in winter? Do the same birds come back to the nests each spring?" spurred Audobon's pursuit of scientific inquiry, and helped him to be inventive enough to find the answersto his questions. Perfectionist, observant, artistic, the strengths and weaknesses of the naturalist at the dawn of his brilliant career are lovingly placed within the pages like treasures in a scrapbook. The eclectic mix of detailed collage and watercolors delicate as eggshells perfectly decorate the pages. What a treat to find such a peaceful, intelligent mentor for boys in this book, with a subtler story of a father lending support throughout. All in all, as lovely as the song of the lark. (7 and up)

Just a few years back, a girl asked me for some "really good bird books," and I was hard-pressed to make a recent recommendation. Now, here's a flurry of fine feathered picks:
Between Heaven and Earth : Bird Tales from Around the World by Howard Norman, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems by Kristine O'Connell George, illustrated by Barry Moser
Welcome, Brown Bird by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Peter Sylvada

Sequoyah : The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing
by James Rumford
published by Houghton Mifflin

The mighty trees that bear the name Sequoyah are tall and strong, but the Cherokee man, a crippled metalworker in the early 19th century, dreamed of standing with equal authority among his people. He tried to contribute to his tribe by developing a language so that their words of would not disappear with the coming of the white man. He drew hundreds of signs to create a language, but superstitious people were afraid of his symbols, and burned his cabin down with all his work inside. This only inspired Sequoyah to create a shortcut: an alphabet. Look inside this book to see the language that he created, as well as bold and beautiful woodcuts. The writing comes around in full circle like the seed to a tree to a seed again. Well-researched and compelling, this is an outstanding contribution to the genre of childrenŐs picture book biography, as well as an inspiring tribute to both the power of the word and the genius of a man. (7 and up)

Unwitting Wisdom: An Anthology of Aesop's Fables
retold and illustrated by Helen Ward
published by Chronicle

Gorgeous, oversized renderings from one of children's illustration's best naturalist painters brings to life the foolishness, pride and trickery of Aesop's Fables to new life in the drooping tails of foxes, the adorned feathers of crows and the mottled shells of tortoises. A dozen fables are featured, both well-known and obscure, eloquently phrased from start to finish. Looking through this book is like having an animal's eye view of the world, with a wise man's insight. Big and beautiful, this belongs on a coffee table as much as a shelf, and will make a treasured gift. (4 and up)

Gargoyles, Girders & Glass Houses
by Bo Zaunders, illustrated by Roxie Munro
published by Dutton

The world of architecture is explored through some of its most inspiring innovators: Antoni Gaudi ("the architect who didn't like straighht lines"), Mimar Koca Sinan ("great architect of the Ottoman Empire"), the Robelings ("the family behind the building of the Brooklyn Bridge") and several others take us on a dazzling trip in and out of buildings and structures around the world. Well-researched history and well-written descriptions make the reader indeed feel as if on a detailed tour, and the well-constructed paintings mixed with pen and ink offer a variety of perspectives. There has not been a ton out about architecture for children since Philip Isaacson's Round Buildings, Square Buildings, and Buildings that Wiggle Like a Fish, and so thsi infomative contribution is especially welcomed, even more so because it focuses on the imaginative people behind these amazing structures. Sure to inspire the next Frank Lloyd Wright or Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel. (8 and up)

Wonders and Miracles: A Passover Companion
by Eric A. Kimmel
published by Scholastic

What makes this book different from all other books? Stories, songs, poems, prayers and commentary combine with art spanning the past three thousand years to make this one of the most comprehensive and beautiful books about the holiday of Passover, when the Jewish people were lead out of slavery from Egypt. Following the chronology of a Passover service, we explore the history of the holiday through Abraham's family tree, recipes that make up the Seder plate, and a mix of old and new (such as an explanation of Miriam's Cup, a new tradition in the spirit of Elijiah's Cup). The Medieval art is especially intruiging and evocative, but the book also contains contemporary, folksy pieces like that of Anita Lobel's portarit of a woman at Ellis Island. This National Jewish Book Award winner belongs at any Passover table where children are seated, right along with the Hagaddah. You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this book (but it doesn't hurt). (8 and up)

Walt Whitman: Words for America
by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Brian Selznick
published by Scholastic

"Walt Whitman loved words," the story begins, and it is on this vehicle of a passion for language that we are carried on Whitman's journey, through the tiny notebooks he filed with poetry in his youth, to the bloody, conflicted Civil War days he spent as a nurse, all the while writing the verses that would immortalize him as the Voice of America. Though his poems sing on through the ages, the strength of this book is that it does portray him as a real man who used poetry for his own healing as much as for anybody else's. Selznick's up-close portraits and visual vignettes does much to make us feel as if we knew him personally. As was the case with their earlier collaboration, The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, the result is fittingly transcendental, but it is a special joy to see an American poet given such a loving tribute in the form of a children's book. (8 and up) Also of interest: when I heard the learn'd astronomer by Walt Whitman, illustrated by Loren Long (Simon and Schuster), Taken from Whitman's great poem, acrylic paintings tell the story of a child taken to a starchy lecture about astronomy, only to flee in search of the chance to experience and appreciate things on his own terms. (6 and up)

Dollmakers and Their Stories: Women Who Changed the World of Play
by Krystyna Poray Goddu
published by Holt

A love of dolls is the vehicle to explore the lives of courageous women who changed industry one little girl at a time. this is an excellent, readable collection of short biographies written by the editor of Dolls magazine. Included are the creator of Barbie (Ruth Handler), Madame Alexander (Beatrice Alexander), modern doll designers like Pleasant Rowland (American Girls) and multicultural doll designers like Lorna Miller Sands and Yue-Sai Kan. Mother-daughter book clubs would do well to take a foray into non-fiction here, and reap inspiration from these real-world women who struggled and schemed to bring their personal best to the marketplace. Though some more photographs would have helped us to picture the doll parade of the past century, you'll just have to take a supplementary trip to the toy store to round out the whole reading experience. (9 and up)

Special Section: Women in Politics
A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhill
by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Jane Dyer
published by Walker

"Law, medicine, business, education religion, politics and even fashion all reined women in. It would take someone wild to break free. A woman named Victoria Woodhull tried." The Woodhill sisters traveled from town to town as fortune-tellers, and strike it rich when they offer the wealthiest man in America a hot stock tip while reading his palm. Woodhill uses her new-found fortune to embark on a presidential campaign at a time when women were not even allowed to vote. The truth is stranger than fiction in this story of a woman whose determination and resilience deserves to be remembered in every classroom in America, and in this astonishing biography, she finally gets her due. (7 and up) Speaking of school, who better to run for executive office than the one who runs the classroom? That is the premise in My Teacher for President by Kay Winters, illustrated by Denise Brunkus (Dutton). As the class learns about the job at the White House, it becomes increasingly clear that a pedagogue is a perfect pick for the presidency. "My teacher deals with the media every day," reads the text under a picture of a teacher tangled in video tape ejected from a misbehaving VCR. "She finds jobs for people. "She is a good listener." "She believes in peace." Visually witty illustrations and clever insights into the many duties of educators make this a cute and cunning tribute. By the last page, this book certainly had our vote! (5 and up)

Madam President : The Extraordinary, True (and Evolving) Story of Women in Politics
by Catherine Thimmesh
published by Houghton Mifflin

It's only a matter of time until a woman sits behind the desk at the oval office, and here is a wonderful book to help us bide our time. In the framework of a little girl who insists she wants to grow up to be president (and not just marry one), we meet over twenty formidable figures: Abigail Adams, Rosalynn Carter, Sandra Day O'Connor , and yes, Hilary and Condaleeza are there as well! This book explores past our borders to introduce children to more mentors, from Sirimavo Bandaranaiketo (Sri Lanka), to Margaret Thatcher (England), to Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan) to Vigdis Finnbogadottir (Iceland). Besides being an outstanding reference for women's history (timeline and source included), this enlightening and inspiring collection of non-partisan portraits is bound to offer mentors to our future movers and shakers. (8 and up)
Also of interest for young office-seekers: What Presidents Are Made Of by Hanoch Piven (Atheneum) (6 and up)
Max for President by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf) (5 and up)
Crown Me! by Kathryn Lay (Holiday House) (9 and up)
Election Connection: The Official Nick Guide to Electing the President by (Chronicle) (8 and up)

Bottle Houses: The Creative World of Grandma Prisbrey
by Melissa Eskridge Slaymaker,
illustrated by Julie Paschkis
published by Henry Holt

Grandma Prisbey needed a place to keep her pencil collection, her doll collection, and herself! So she drove down to the dump to find materials for a house, and what she found was bottles of all shapes and sizes. Using these materials, she built a little spot of heaven, complete with wishing well, singing tree, and pyramid. Colorful and folksy illustrations accentuate this inspiring true story of a woman who was able to build a wonderful world using what was available to her, and photographs at the end will leave readers with eyes as big as bottle-bottoms. The spirit of independence shines through every page like colored glass, and the text is full of gems from Grandma Prisbey herself: "What some people throw away I believe I could wear to church," and "They call me an artist even though I can't draw a car that looks like one. But I guess there are different kinds of art." I guess so, Grandma…and this book qualifies! (6 and up)

Spy Hops and Belly Flops: Curious Behaviors of Woodland Animals
by Brian Lies
published by Houghton Mifflin

Moving from morning into night, this book cleverly explores the behaviors of animals in two ways; first, in lilting verse that makes for a straightforward storytime read, and then again through more detailed footnotes describing the animals in action using more detail. Gentle, realistic paintings captures all the fur, feather and foliage of the woods. A lovely blend of story and science, primary children are sure to come away with information (I really didn't know a fox hops up on his hind legs to look around, did you?) and appreciation for the natural world. The last lines, "Thump, thump, whoosh, splash--wheeeeeee!/ Which of these animals would you most like to be?" will keep the discussion going long after the covers are closed. (4 and up)

Look at My Book: How Kids Can Write & Illustrate Terrific Books
by Loreen Leedy
published by Holiday House

Leedy is the master of taking elements of school curriculum and turning them into books that kids actually want to read. This season, she has turned her attention to her own craft with outstanding results. Readers can explore the bookmaking process from brainstorm to binding. There are plenty of tips and details that will empower and inspire future talents, and comical commentary from the boy, girl and dog characters that guide her readers through the process. Her busy and whimsical style may be tricky for read-aloud, but teachers will find this book is a great tool for large groups if you turn favorite pages into overhead transparencies. This title is an absolute must for all classroom publishing centers, and as reference before embarking on any Young Authors project. (7 and up) Also, be sure to consider Let's Make It Pop-Up by David Carter and James Diaz, which will teach anyone who has an interest in the "movable book" the tricks of the trade. (7 and up)

Remember: The Journey to School Integration
by Toni Morrison
published by Houghton Mifflin

With the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision upon us, there has been a rush of material available to children and classrooms regarding desegregation. This is one of the best. Powerful black and white photographs from the period focusing mostly on children are captioned with rambling, stream of consciousness captions that mirror the way a child might have felt (actual events depicted are described in notes at the back of the book). This unusual approach is impressively effective. This is a book that raises so many questions that will connect children to this chapter in our history. How did if feel in those days? How would I have felt in that situation? How did the problem get solved? How can we keep the problem from ever happening again? Children will remember their own power to do the right thing after walking this pictoral timeline. (All ages)

The Busy Body Book
by Lizzy Rockwell
published by Crown

The pogo sticks on the cover of this book don't lie-- this title is as energetic as a jumping jack! Exuberant illustrations of children at play are juxtaposed with full-page illustrations of the lungs, the skeletal system, muscles, the brain and nerves, lungs, the heart and blood vessels, and the stomach and intestines. This book serves as a perfect simple exploration of the human body in a way that a primary-aged audience can understand, and it also posesses the rare quality of being a fine non-fiction read-aloud. "There are lots of ways to be a busy body!" The text proclaims, and children will enjoy choosing their favorite ways from the quilt-like spead depicting forty figures in action that serves as the book's grand finale. This book is physically attractive! (5 and up)

Pocket Poems
edited by Bobbi Katz, illustrated by Marilyn Hafner
published by Dutton

A little bit goes a long way in this enchanting collection of poems just the right size to tuck into a pocket or to recite like music along a short walk to school. Katz keeps her position on the throne as queen anthologist by including titles with off-the -charts kid-appeal like "Banananananananana" by William Cole, "Mary Had Some Bubble Gum" (an anonymous ode to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb,") "Brush Dance" By Robert Bernard (perfect for artists!) and Monica Kulling's "Call Me Polar Bear," all chosen with the hopes that children will be inspired to commit these merry words to memory. The mixed media illustrations are bold, and full of colorful detail. This is engaging assortment has a bit of verse for every day of National Poetry Month in April; tuck a poem into your child's lunchbox, or teachers, make a "Pocket Poems" bulletin board with pockets filled with your student's favorite poems. Use Beatrice Schenk de Regniers' "Keep a Poem in Your Pocket" (included in this collection) as a centerpiece! Visit the author's website at www.bobbikatz.com. (5 and up)

Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America
by Sharon Robinson
published by Scholastic

The daughter of the man who intregrated Major League Baseball has given America a beautiful gift in the form of an annotated scrapbook. From his early days as a WWII soldier who was arrested for refusing to ride at the back of an army bus to his rise as a to his leadership as an community businessman, raising money for the Civil Rights Movement by sponsoring jazz concerts, this book has many surprising and always impressive details about this man who was a champion on and off the field. Sharon Robinson's conversational, unassuming tone takes on a family confidence, culminating in her own personal wish for a global society. This book will, as her father's life did, contribute to that goal. A home run of a biography. (9 and up)

Another barrier breaker gets some of her due in The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights by Russell Freedman (Clarion). Children who were inspired by Pam Munoz Ryan's soaring picture book When Marian Sang will find a detailed play-by-playbill of her rise from a little girl in a Philadelphia gospel choir to standing beside Eleanor Roosevelt in front of the Lincoln Memorial, defying the bigotry of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The photographs are absolute trasures, and while the book may be a little text-heavy for some younger readers, older children will benefit from having the story of our first American Idol available to them. (12 and up)

On This Spot: Back Through Time
by Susan Goodman, illustrated by Lee Christiansen
published by Greenwillow

Visit a bustling corner in New York City and look around at all the skyscrapers reaching toward the clouds, crowds passing in front of rows of cars, airplanes painting their lines across the sky. Familiar sights. Now imagine, the very same spot, 400 years ago. 20,000 years ago, 190 million years ago, 540 years ago? Wow! This time travel in a book with its big double-page spreads will take children back, back, back, and also get them thinking forward as well: what will their own little spot in the universe look like hundreds, thousands, millions of years from now? Your children's heads will spin in the smartest way after taking the time to read this book. (6 and up)

My Light
by Molly Bang
published by Scholastic, Blue Sky Press

A lot of attention is given in elementary school science to the water cycle. How about the light cycle? Perhaps that's what set a bulb glowing over this Caldecott-winner's head! Here is the story of solar power told from the point of view of the sun. Follow light's energy through clouds and dams, into wires and windmills, through turbines and generators and into our own walls. Molly Bang's stylized illustrations make the journey easy to follow, providing a unique and artistic window into some pretty serious science. This story stresses the interconnectedness of systems, and touches on the potential of an energy source that future generations will learn to harness better than our own. Use this book to help children understand and prepare for the power! (7 and up)

Go Fly a Bike! The Ultimate Book of Bicycle Fun, Freedom, and Science
by Bill Haduch, illustrated by Chris Murphy
published by Dutton

According to research in Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook , a child with a bicycle is likely to read more! So get your reading rider a copy of this wheelie comprehensive guide that covers such topics as the invention of the bike (what did the Wright brothers have to do with it?) the science behind your bike (why it stays up, what it does for your body), the different kinds of bikes (Yeah, BMX!), basics like bike maintenance and safety, parts of a bike, how to hold your own bike rodeo and other fun and funky events, and a miniature "Guinness Book" of bike records titled "The Biggest, Tallest, Smallest, Longest, and Kookiest." Sidelines, bold face-headings and jaunty spot illustrations break up all the information and keep it interesting from handlebars to rear brake. A lot of love and enthusiasm clearly went into this book, and it's contagious. (9 and up)

Knockin' on Wood, Starring Peg Leg Bates
by Lynne Barasch
published by Lee and Low

Sharecropping at the turn of the century was nothing but tedium and toil, and Clayton Bates manages to escape it by dancing up a storm. When he was twelve years old, he gained permission from his reticent mother to work at the cottonseed mill in order to get away from the fieldwork, but on the third day, his left leg was crushed in a machine and had to be amputated. Such a catastophic misfortune would have crushed many a man's dreams, but for "Peg Leg" Bates, it was his opportunity to step up in the world. This terrific, toe-tapping biography doesn't sugarcoat the bigotry of the times, but uses it as a backdrop to make this man's rise to center stage all the more impressive. Watercolor illustrations capture the fluidity of the dancer's movements (great double-page spread of Peg-Leg practicing his time-step) and the photograph of the real Peg-Leg on the last page will garner applause, and fill your eyes with tears. What an inspiration! (7 and up)

Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales
selected by Neil Philip, illustrated by Jacqueline Mair
published by Clarion

Finally! A fine folkloric compilation of stories from the Mexican tradition that begs to be read aloud! From the funny to the fairy-tale-like comes a parade of devils, tricksters, wizards and fools, brave widows and presumtuous priests, colorful characters all and depicted with equally colorful folk illustrations. Plenty of porquoi tales ("The Tailor Who Sold His Soul to the Devil") and universally recognizable romantic stories ("Cinder Juan" and "The Two Marias") take on a colloquial tone and do not exceed a few pages each, showing that brevity is the soul of a great tellable folktale. This is a collection that will go far to carry these wonderful stories far north of the border. (8 and up)

Sleeping Beauty
retold by Adele Geras,
illustrated by Christian Birmingham
published by Orchard

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous is this opulent treatment of one of the most beloved fairy tales. The story of the princess who slept for a hundred years waiting for true love's kiss is given its due in this unhurried version derived from Perrault, dressed royally with descriptive and figurative language and enough text to last for several bedtime read-aloud sessions with your own sleeping beauties. The black and white illustrations are evocative, but it is the colored plates that are nothing short of luminous. Truly, it will take your breath away! Each scene glows through a gauze of light like floating cottonwood or diamonds, and the princess herself has a smile befitting of her name, Aurora, and a beauty that make readers fall in love with her right along with her subjects. This volume will be a jewel in any fairy-tale collection. (7 and up)

Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island and the Journey to America
by Martin W. Sandler
published by Scholastic

What was it like to step off of the gangplanks of a boat and lay a boot on to the land of the free, home of the brave? "Going to America was like going to the moon," was the way Golda Meir described it. Step by step, this well-researched accounting of the overwhelming processing of immigrants on Ellis Island will allow children to imagine what it was like to be the new kid in the country, and then takes readers a few steps further, describing what newcomers faced in the tenements and in the countryside. There is a great deal of material available to children about the immigrant experience, but it makes sense for children to begin on the island, as the immigrants did. Rich with anecdotes and photographs of people who came with little but contributed much. (9 and up)

Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the U.S.S. Indianapolis
by Pete Nelson
published by Delacorte

After the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine resulting in over 800 lives lost, the captain was court-martialed in order to set an example, but instead set off more tragic events. Half a century later, eleven year old Hunter Scott watching Jaws hears about the event, and this becomes the first milestone in his long road of research and ultimately successful efforts to organize the veterans and clear the name of the scapegoated captain. Though graphic in parts in which the disaster is recounted by the survivors, this is an amazing accounting of one boy's navigation through a system that was so much bigger and seemingly more powerful than himself. The veterans are not the only heroes in this book; Hunter Scott really knew the meaning of "support our troops." There is a lot of inspiration to be gleaned from this tear-jerking true story for young and old. (12 and up)

The Flag Maker
by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
published by Houghton Mifflin

At a recent classroom visit, I heard children sing "The Star Spangled Banner" and asked them if they knew what the song was about. One hand went up, and the person attached to the hand answered doubtfully, "the war in Iraq?" Apparently, the time is right for this simple, pleasing, and poetic story of the young woman from Baltimore who sewed the large flag that it could be seen from Fort McHenry, and would ultimately inspire Francis Scott Key to write his hit song. (7 and up) Children interested in this period might also enjoy A Revolutionary Field Trip: Poems of Colonial America by Susan Katz, illustrated by R.W. Alley (HarperCollins) which allows children to vicariously walk on cobblestones, sign the Declaration of Independence, and blow through the bellows at a blacksmith's shop. Cheerful cartoons of multicultural kids in today's garb give the nineteen poems in this book lots of modern appeal. Aren't we lucky to live in a time when children can explore history using such creative books!

The Beach Patrol
by John O'Brien and Max Bilkins
published by Henry Holt

Who knew this talented and prolific illustrator O'Brien is also a lietenant lifeguard who has dedicated himself to beach safety for the past thirty-five years? He brings all of his experience to this information-rich depiction of an action-packed day at the beach. Sidelines pop up like sandcastles, full of interesting tidbits like tide facts, lifeguard slang, clean-up vehicles, whistle signals and pictures to help children identify common ocean life. Lost kids, thunderstorms and water rescues are all in a day's work, and Baywatch has got nothing on this hot mix of fact and fiction. This book is a terrific tribute to brave people who keep the beach a fun place to be. I loved it, and I don't even know how to swim! (7 and up)

Wonderful Words: Poems about Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Karen Barbour
published by Simon and Schuster

"A word is dead/When it is said,/Some say./ I say it just/Begins to live/That day," suggests Emily Dickinson in her poem "1212." Words may begin this day in the lives of your listeners when shared through this well-chosen anthology that will be dogeared by librarians, language arts teachers and bibliophiles. It's actually difficult to give a single reason to include this on your shelf, everything in the poetry store of Lee Bennett Hopkins is so bewitching , it's like going into Tiffany's and trying on all the rings; they are all brilliant, but one is sure to suit you. Size the snappy "I am the Book" by Tom Robert Shields, and compare Nikki Grimes' "The Dream" and Heidi Roemer's haiku "Night Dance," each about the reverie behind writing. One of my favorites is Lee Bennett Hopkin's own poem, "Listen," which takes on all the a moody rumblings of an impending thunderstorm, but instead references all the world that will meet the child who is open enough to receive it. Flamboyant gouche paintings are almost juicy with color, and add to the feeling of reading as an exotic getaway. (7 and up)

Zoo Ology
by Joelle Jolivet
published by Millbrook

Every year there appears a book that takes care of all of my holiday shopping, one I want to give to positively everybody. Last year it was Sabuda's pop-up commemorative edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and this year, here we go again, we have a winner! At 18 inches tall, this oversized book is big enough to fit an entire menagerie that would have been impressed even Noah. Handsome woodcut specimens are fixed and posed upon each double-page spread, and classified in unexpected, thoughtful ways: in the trees, underground, on the seabed, at night, spots and stripes, black and white, on and on! A little chameleon is hiding in each of the pictures, to help children who are overwhelmed by the grandeur of the book to focus in the face of such variety. This super safari in a book will be cherished, astounding generations of children with the variety of all of the creatures that walk the earth. A must for future biologists and environmentalists, and present animal lovers. (6 and up)

Mathematickles!
by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Steven Salerno
published by McElderberry/Simon and Schuster

Words + math + seasons = mathematickles! Not sure what that means? Try this one: pumpkin-seeds+face=jack-'o-lantern! Or how about tadpole=2/3 frog? Cold air Ö breath = tiny cloud? Easily one of the most inventive books of the year, children will enjoy creating their own poetic "mathematickles," ingenious little poems that combine narrative with number games. Some poems read like problems, others like concrete verse, but all of these marvelous mixes give new meaning to the term number line! The artwork is splayed and jubilant, perfectly captuing the energy and palette of each season that provides the context of the poem. This book puts the sum in summer and factor in fall, and this clever format makes it a winner for classroom integration all year round. Well organized+ well executed+well done = a book that belongs in every classroom.

Also check out Mathterpieces: The Art of Problem Solving by Greg Tang (Scholastic). This latest from the New York Times Best-selling author of the problem-solving series that started withThe Grapes of Math is possibly his most inspired, offering visual cues to problem solving by taking items from great works of art. Children can group lily pads from Monet's graden, or arrange Matisse's fish! A perfect integration of math and the fine arts, oh la la! If they had taught math this way when I was a kid, I might have passed! (6 and up)

Strange Mr. Satie
by M.T. Anderson, illustrated by Petra Mathers
published by Viking

I asked my husband, an artist, what he thought of this book, and he said, "If I had read this book as a kid, it would have changed the way I thought life could be." Composer Erik Satie did indeed put the en garde in the avante garde, hanging out with Picasso, tossing his girlfriend out of a window (luckily, she was a circus performer and landed safely), wearing seven identical grey velvet suits, playing jazz on typewriters, producing ballets that required live camels and cannons firing, and fathering the movement known as surrealism. This is a man who, instead of writing instructions in his music like fast, loud or slowly, gave directions like "from the end of the eyes" and "I want a hat of solid mahogany." I don't know if everyone would want Mr. Satie as a friend after reading this book, but he sure was a colorful character, and this comes through very clearly thanks to the affectionate and sympathetic treatment by both author and illustrator. This is a very accessible children's book about a complicated eccentric, in part because of the understated, imaginative artwork that arranges the chaos (look at the drawing of Satie's ideas playing out, quite literally, across stanzas of music) and gorgeous, succinct writing that reads like musical notes; the last page of this book may be the best I have ever read in children's biography. A book that deserves the rave reviews and acceptance that eluded Satie in his lifetime. (6 and up)

Thumbelina
adapted and illustrated by Brian Pinkney
published by Greenwillow

The illustrations make this adaptation of Andersen's classic refreshing, featuring an African-American Thumbelina and broad strokes that seem to be painted on the clayboard with a flower petal. Though this retelling does not elicit the panic I remember as a child upon hearing that a girl would actually be expected to marry a mole, it still proved to be a plucky introduction to the diminutive diva for younger children. Thumbs up! (4 and up)

Old is new again with these newly illustrated classics:
Goldilocks and the Three Bears retold by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock (Scholastic) (4 and up)
Aesop's Fables retold and illustrated by Brad Sneed (Dial) (5 and up)

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
by Mordicai Gerstein
published by Millbrook

So many children have questions about 9/11 and other current events that are so tragic and distressing. This book is an excellent example of how you can use literature to answer questions and address issues that are of interest and concern to children. Here is the true story of Frenchman Phillipe Petit who, in 1974, walked a tightrope between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. The story is compelling and the line illustrations dramatic and humane, making this a children's book that would stand on it's own even without recent events. But in view of the tragedy, the story is all the more potent. This book is a great adventure, but also a reminder that even when terrible things happen, there is something beyond the bad day; look at the whole history of a thing, and you may find hope and inspiration yet. Gerstein has made yet another unique and important contribution to children's literature with this latest endeavor, and like Phillipe Petit, takes a precarious walk with seeming ease. (6 and up)

The Daring Nelly Bly: America's Star Reporter
by Bonnie Christensen
published by Knopf

Even as a child, Elizabeth Cochran was different, styling in pink frocks that made her a stand-out. After her mother's divorce, Nellie's brothers found white color jobs, but the only opportunities she had were in sweatshops. After reading an article in the Pittsburgh Dispatch claiming that any woman who had a job was a "monstrosity," she wrote such a firey and well-spoken retort that she landed a job as a journalist for the paper. Taking the pen name Nelly Bly, she gained fame as a "stunt journalist," trashing the corrupt Mexican government and their treatment of workers until she had to flee, posing as a madwoman to create an exposé of a lunatic asylum, and breaking the fictional record of Jules Verne's character Phineas Fogg who traveled around the world in eighty days; Nelly made it in seventy-two. Upon her arrival to the home port, the mayor of Jersey City declared, "The American girl will no longer be misunderstood…she will be recognized as pushing and determined, independent, able to take care of herself wherever she may go." Without being overbearing, the author touches on the motivations of Bly and why she was able to defy the conventions of late 19th century society to such an amazing degree and depend on herself. Inky illustrations and maps accentuate Nelly's vocation. A stirring story of an American woman who broke ground while she was breaking stories, this book belongs in the home of any child who has a working mother or who dreams of a life of great adventure and accomplishment. (7 and up)

Rhyolite: The True Story of a Ghost Town
by Diane Siebert,
illustrated by David Frampton
published by Clarion

Rhyolite is a boom town, a veritable city rising from the sand, buzzing with prosperity and growth. Ice cream parlor! Churches! The symphony, the pools, the tennis courts, the drunken brawls on Friday nights…this town was alive! But the coyotes look on, and know what only the coyotes know: Rhyolite is about to go bust. A legend told in lilting couplets reminiscent of Casey at the Bat this is another ode that would be very fine to have older children memorize and present, or just listen and wonder at the fickleness of fortune. Raw period woodcuts and a dusty palette help to set the Nevada desert scenes, and capture the rise and fall of a Gold Rush dream. (7 and up)

The idea that history presents us with as many questions as answers is also evident in Roanoke: The Lost Colony by Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple, illustrated by Roger Roth (Simon and Schuster). The book is subtitled "An Unsolved Mystery from History," and this is indeed history mysterious enough to create a whole new breed of detectives! 1n 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh led a party to start a new colony in in the New World, off of the Atlantic coast. After going to fetch more supplies, he returned to find that all of the colonists had disappeared, and the only clue were the letters "cro" carved into one tree, and "Croatian" carved into a fort post. What happened? Where did they go? What was their fate? Your child's guess is as good as any, and this book will provide enough clues to make it an educated one. (7 and up)

The Essential Worldwide Monster Guide
by Linda Ashman, illustrated by David Small
published by Simon and Schuster

"Guaranteed--some day, some place--/You'll meet a monster face to face./Don't destroy a great vacation--/Arm yourself with information!/With this handy monster guide,/You can take these beasts in stride./Save yourself the stress and stife!/Save your spirit! Save your life!" Now do you see why this title is an absolute necessity? So begins the voyage via hot air balloon to thirteen countries, each page luckily illustrated by a Caldecott artist in top form and unluckily plagued by lengendary creatures such as the nefarious Russian Domovik, the terrible Japanese Tengu, or the not-so-hot Hotots of Armenia. Anyone who reads this book is likely to learn something new in this international monster who's who, and the frontspiece is an attractive world map to help you locate the monsters (and steer clear of them). Let each child in a classroom make up their own monster description using the format in the book, and bind them together for your own homemade Essential Monster Guide! (7 and up)

Ellsworth's Extraordinary Electric Ears and Other Amazing Alphabet Anecdotes
by Valorie Fisher
published by Atheneum

What child doesn't like a toybox full of toys? Well, here is a book full of toys, all cunningly arranged into photographic dioramas depicting alphabetic and alliterative phrases like "Ruby was rather remarkable at refrigerator rocket repairs," and "Trust Trevor to tell you, typing on a trapeze was terribly tricky." Each page is an overload of whimsy, and the retro chotchkes lend the book a hokey, tongue-in-cheek nostalgia, as if Dick and Jane finally got a clue. With the spirit of Walter Wick's I Spy series and a dash of Joan Steiner's Look Alikes , this is one dish of eye candy that children will want to sample from. (5 and up)

Another appealing alphabet book out this season is Lynne Cheney's A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing Women (Simon and Schuster), which will inspire any child who has to do a report for women's history month. An absolute bevy of history-making belles are arranged creatively, as in the "P is for performers" page, a red velvet curtain that parts to reveal artists like Imogene Coca, Lena Horne, Chita Rivera Myrna Loy and Mary Martin, to name a few, or "T is for Trailblazers," celebrating contributions of women like Antoinette Blackwell, who helped open the ministry to women, and Elizabeth Peabody, who started the kindergarten movement in our country. Q is for Quiltmakers, R is for Rosie the Riveter…this book honors the huge and the humble, and reads like a real women's studies class for kids! A medal of honor should go to the illustrator Glasser, who arranged an astounding amount of information so gracefully and with a creative touch that adds so much to the book; the depiction of first ladies on china, for instance, or fine artists in beautiful frames. Creating caricatures for such an expansive cast could not have been an easy feat. The collaborators' effusive enthusiasm for their subject is evident on every page. Despite the author's leanings (in husbands if not in politics) and celebrity status, this education-in-a-book takes a non-partisan leadership role in supporting learning and can be unequivocally recommended. (6 and up)

And then there's Achoo! Bang! Crash! The Noisy Alphabet by Ross MacDonald (Roaring Brook), a very slapstick treatment of the alphabet with all sorts of exclamations rendered in retro form. Ross's illustrations have the vintage appeal and bouncy energy of a Max Fleishman cartoon. Using 19th century wooden typefaces from his own collection, this is the art that turns other artists green with envy. Children hollered with glee at letter "R," in which "Roar! Rip! Run!" is the text that explains the lion ripping the pants off of an unfortunate man on safari, letter "C" makes for all sorts of crispy crunchy cracklings from a cereal bow, and a capital "I" for "Ick!" sums up the feelings of an unwilling valentine. Prepare for a very noisy and very enjoyable alphabet storytime. Y is for Yaaaaay! (4 and up)

Other amiable ABC books released this season:
A Cow's Alflalfa-Bet by Woody Jackson (Houghton Mifflin) (From the man who draws the cows for Ben and Jerry's ice cream comes this very evocative love letter to Vermont!) (4 and up)
The Artful Alphabet by Martina Jirankova-Limbrick (Candlewick) (4 and up)
The Hidden Alphabet by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook) (4 and up)
The Racecar Alphabet by Brian Floca (Atheneum) (3 and up)
The Queen's Progress: An Elizabethan Alphabet by Celeste Davidson Mannis, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (Viking) (7 and up)

Mack Made Movies
by Don Brown
published by Roaring Brook Press

The man who started out playing a horse's rear end rises to becoming a studio head in this true story of the turn of the century filmmaking legend Mack Sennett, who brought us Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, the Keystone Cops and the very first pie in the face. Mack worked so hard that his hair turned white, and sometimes oversaw his slapstick crew from a bathtub in a tower in the middle of the movie lot. Understated sepia-toned watercolors capture the tone of a simpler time. With this tribute to a man who had "reel" faith in the funny, Brown has made yet another exceptional contribution to the shelves of children's biography. Be sure to follow with a showing of a silent movie like The Gold Rush (try to get one without narration and with piano accompaniment featuring Chaplin's score to get an authentic old-time feel). (7 and up)

Great Pets! An Extraordinary Guide to Usual and Unusual Family Pets
by Sara Stein
published by Storey for Kids

When I worked in a library, I can't begin to tell you how many children asked me for books about pets, and it was always slim pickings. How I wish I had this book for them! This is an incredibly inclusive compendium, just browse the contents and you'll find sections like "pets in the wild" (pigeons, earthworms and ants, to name a few), "overnight pets" (creatures like fireflies and crayfish need care and feeding, too), plus plenty of information to answer questions about aquariums, birds, rodents and domesticated animals, and a whole section about constructing homes for all your creatures. An attractive modern format, full of bold headings and subheadings, sidelines and fun facts, make this book both easy and interesting to navigate. Any child considering pet ownership in the future or currently taking care of one will be grateful to have this resource at their fingertips. (8 and up)

Creation
by Gerald McDermott
published by Dutton

"These words and images grew out of my desire to cast in a new light the often-told and much beloved story of creation and to welcome everyone, regardless of the direction from which they come, to enter into this ancient mystery with an open heart," says McDermott in an author's note. Based on the story of Genesis from the Hebrew Bible, this story moves from moody dark organic burblings into swirling explosions of light and life. With all the swelling orchestration of Ravel's Bolero , the illustrations fill and fill the oversized pages. The words were concieved in Chile, and handmade Japanese papers inspired the painting; all in all, the world seems to rise up to meet McDermott in his endeavor to share the wonder of it, and the special charge we have in it. An inspired creation. (4 and up)

And if you are looking for a little more Old Testament given a new world treatment, climb On Noah's Ark, by Jan Brett (Putnam). From the point of view of Noah's granddaughter, a more secular adventure ensues at high tide. For this project, Brett, so well known for her Scandinavian influenced artwork, traveled to Africa and found inspiration in the animal life and ancient papyrus there. You can cross these borders right along with her by looking within the borders and frames she so meticulously has drawn for us. (5 and up)

Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons
by Wayne Anderson and Ernest Drake,
illustrated by Helen Ward, Douglas Carrel et al
published by Candlewick

"No doubt but there is none other beeste comparable to the mightie dragon…and few so worthy of the diligent studies of wise men," says Gildas Magnus in Ars Draconis, written in 1465. Well, here if you're looking for diligent studies, here you go! What are the species of dragons? Where are they located? What do they look like in different embryonic stages? How can you track a dragon? How can you tame one? Who were some prominent dragonslayers in history? Everything you could ever want to know about dragons but were afraid to ask is nested in this book, this book, oh, this magical book, the kind of book that you can only imagine uncovering after blowing away the dust in the quiet cave of some hoary, haggard wizard waiting to pass the best of his knowledge unto you. It's hard to get past running your hands over red foil embossed cover, but it's worth it to get inside those pages and view the meticulous drawings, the actual samples of "real" dragon scales and dragon dust, and actual jewels embedded within the pages. Somebody must have really loved dragons a lot to put this book together with this level of attention and care into it's production, and believe me, you will love and know dragons too once this stunning book casts its spell. (8 and up) The only gift more perfect than this to give an intermediate boy might be a real dragon, which is what Eragon by Christopher Paolini, (Knopf) receives in this epic nod to Tolkien. Dungeons and Dragon-ers and Magick card collectors will get a kick out of this first of this fantasy triolgy by wunderkind Paolini, a homeschooled hero who started writing the saga when he was fifteen. (11 and up)

The Blood-Hungry Spleen and Other Poems About Our Parts
by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Greg Clarke
published by Candlewick

More funky poems than you can count on your fingers comprise this collection of poems with such full-bodied flavor as "Thirteen Ways of Looking at Your Knees and Elbows," "Your Navel is No Mystery," "This Poem Has Been Brought to You by Your Five Senses," and "Kidney Trouble (Poem for Two Voices)." Some poems like "Shy Silent Rivers" flow as easily as a clean bloodstream, while others ask us consider the plight of a boneless boy, or compare a brain to a Jell-o mold. With a backbone built with strong vocabulary and sound information, this is a book that passes the classroom use physical with flying colors. (7 and up)

Abracadabra to Zombie
by Don and Pam Wulffson, illustrated by Jared Lee
published by Dutton

Where did the word "mayonnaise" come from? What are you saying inFrench when you say "tennis?" Was Turtle Wax really inspired by a turtle? Here is enough fodder for many cocktail party conversations, or, more age appropriately, chats over chocolate milk. More than three hundred etymological origins are explored, with a special focus on brand names that is sure to get the creative juices of young entrpreneurs percolating. For a less corporate take on word origins, try the straightforward Where Words Come From by Jack Umstatter, which has a quirky, informative writing style that is sure to garner a lot of interest from readers and other word-lovers. (8 and up)

How Sweet It Is (and Was): The History of Candy
by Ruth Freeman Swain, illustrated by John O'Brien
published by Holiday House

"The word candy comes from the Arabic quandi, which came all the way from the Indian Saskrit word khanda, meaning a piece of sugar." In fact, the treats that we take for granted have made remarkable journeys through time and travel, exploits that are expanded upon for sugar ("kissing comfits," or hard candies, were so enjoyed by Queen Elizabeth that they turned her teeth black), chocolate (Mayans mixed it with chili peppers and flowers and was called "food of the gods"), fudge (invented by Vassar college girls, recipe included), and gum (invented by a former military leader who fought at the Alamo, who when penniless figured out what to do with the bits of rubbery chicle that was all he had to his name). The average American consumes twelve pounds of candy a year, so readers should have no trouble eating up the fascinating facts that abound throughout these true stories. O'Brien's illustrations are as colorful as a gumball machine, and there are good and plenty of pictures throughout. Candy time line is included, but candies and subsequent cavities are not. Classrooms can use this title as a springboard to graph and chart their own favorite sweets! (8 and up)

Shutting Out the Sky: Life in the Tenements of New York 1880-1924
by Deborah Hopkinson
published by Orchard

How do you humanize the experience of 23 million immigrants? Hopkinson takes an original approach to writing about the experience by using the points of view of five who really made their passage through Ellis Island. Every detail from living conditions, friendship, food and work comes vividly into focus thanks to these voices (though the back and forth between characters may take getting used to for some children). Evocative photographs are plentiful, with youngsters central to many of them. Break out the tape recorder and start collecting oral histories, as this book not only draws the reader into the world of the turn-of-the century immigrant but sheds light on the power of the personal anecdote. (11 and up)

For more stories about the coming to this country, We Are Americans: Voices of the Immigrant Experience by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler (Scholastic) offers an even more ethnically diverse and national view, and covers a larger expanse of time, covering prehistoric (yes, prehistoric!) migration to recent influx of Muslim Arab immigrants, families who fled the fighting in Yugoslavia, and East Indian contributions to a Texas community. In scrapbook form, children can read first-person accounts of a child's escape from Hungary during the 1956 revolution, a Polish immgrant remembering days at parochial school, recollections of a Japanese woman who knew nothing about western cooking but was expected to prepare food for ten railroad men, Christmas mumming by a Norwegian family in the prairie Dakotas, a Filipino boy frightened by a vaccuum cleaner as well as many more stories that celebrate what great experience and perspective all cultures bring to our melting pot. Full of sidelines and photos, this is an upbeat, engaging and comprehensive exploration of the immigrant experience that beats any textbook treatment of the subject. (10 and up)

Victory or Death: Stories of the American Revolution
by Doreen Rappaport and Joan Verniero,
illustrated by Greg Callpublished by HarperCollins

A bracing mix of heroes loudly lauded and yet unsung transport children to the time of the war against England. Generals making decisions that will make or break men, wives held for treason supporting their British husbands, spies and peacemakers, a teenage daughter who rides for miles through enemy territory to rally troops, families relocating to avoid the horrors of battle; these were some of the real-life participants of this turnpoint in time, and thanks to great and immediate storytelling, your child doesn't have to be a Minuteman to feel every minute of it. If your child's knowledge of the American Revolution begins and ends with Paul Revere's wild ride shouting "the British are coming," you need this book! (8 and up) Also of interest: Heroes of the Revolution by David Adler, illustrated by Donald A. Smith; short descriptions of key players come in handy for review or reports.

There's a Frog in My Throat: 440 Animal Sayings a Little Bird Told Me
by Loreen Leedy and Pat Street
published by Holiday House

Hot dog! Here's the latest from Loreen Leedy, who has made such engaging contributions to children's nonfiction likeFraction Action , Postcards from Pluto: A Tour of the Solar System and The Furry News: How to Make a Newspaper , but this latest collaboration with Pat Street is really a feather in the author's cap. The goose-chase is over; here are hundreds of idioms inspired by animals all gathered together in one place, and she must have worked like a dog to create so many wonderful and wild collage illustrations that explain each and every one of them. Pragmatically arranged under headings like "In the Wild," "On the Wing," ""Under the Waves and "Around the House," and an index to boot, this title is full of the information that kids need and the energy that kids want. This well-designed dog-and-pony show belongs in absolutely every ESL classroom, but is sure to be considered the cat's pajamas by any child who likes to laugh while they learn. (7 and up)

Flick a Switch: How Electricity Gets To Your Home
by Barbara Seuling, illustrated by Nancy Tobin
published by Holiday House

It really is quite mysterious, why when we flick a switch a light goes on. In extremely accessible language and a few cartoon balloons, a girl and her dog trace the path from power plant to personal space. A few simple science experiments top off this rare informational science read-aloud, insuring that more than a few light bulbs go on when all is said and done. (7 and up)

It's Back to School We Go!: First Day Stories from Around the World
by Ellen Jackson
published by Millbrook

What is the of school like in Kazakhstan? In India? In Kenya? In Canada? So much is similar! So much is different! The excitement of the first day in a new grade is the axis of universality upon which this cheerful book rotates, each child's experience relayed as if it were being shared over the dinner table. Opposite each first-person description of the day is more factual information about schools in each of the eleven countries. Web resources, including where to find international classroom community exchanges, recipes and games, invite teachers to use this book as a springboard into a world geography unit. (7 and up)

The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story
by Neil Waldman
published by Millbrook

As this author points out, the water you use may have tumbled obver Niagara Falls, or lay frozen for centuries in a glacier on the North Pole, sipped by your great-grandmother in her afternoon tea, or guzzled by T. Rex in a swamp millions of years ago. The water we have is all the water we have had or will have, and this transformation of water over time and place is a hard concept to grasp. Here we can follow a bit of water through each month of the year, as a snowflake melts into a droplet and over due course travels from deep inside a mountain to high inside a cloud, floating down once again as a snowflake. The journey gets poetic treatment here,with sparse, well-chosen language, and the smooth watercolors are so creamy-dreamy that they seem almost painted with milk. The glitter on the cover that makes the snowflake sparkle is a nice touch! A gentle language arts tie-in when using water cycle kits, available at science supply stores, or when catching snowflakes on your tongue. Also of interest: Walter Wick's A Drop of Water . (7 and up)

Scholastic Book of Outstanding Americans
by Sheila Keenan
published by Scholastic

Every now and then, you may observe a child tapping a pencil on his or her chin, contemplating the age old question: who should I write about for this report? Never again will children be at a loss! Here are profiles and quotations from over 450 Americans, from actor Marlon Brando to Mohawk leader Molly Brant, from architect I.M. Pei to Puppeteer Jim Henson, computer bigshot Bill Gates to actress Judy Garland, folks from nearly every field are presented in paragraph form with accompanying photo. It's like having a Google search for great Americans at your fingertips. (7 and up)

Dangerous Planet: Natural Disasters That Changed History
by Bryn Barnard
published by Crown

This season brings us two titles that go out of their way to prove Murphy's Law: everything that can go wrong, will. Dangerous Planet is an intruiging study of Mother Nature's role in cause and effect, as a tsunami decides the destiny of the west around thirty-six centuries ago, Japan is saved from a crushing blow from Mongolian meshuggie Genghis Khan thanks to a couple of well-timed storms, and a blizzard to end all blizzards inspired the building of the subway. Told in a slightly snarky voice ("Location, Location, Location" is the heading for a section about the Ethiopian Plateau being central to a trading empire A.D. 750, and "Mr. Congeniality" describes King Edward III, whose coronation was catalyst to the Hundred Years' War), this book offers a very rare look at world history that integrates the natural sciences. Barnard's accomplished paintings have been commissioned by the National Geographic Society, though they do sometimes seem at odds with the writing which seems more modern. Still, they are dramatic and overall this book is an unusual and thoughtful contribution. For more evidence that nature's still in charge, check out America's Great Disasters by Martin W. Sandler (HarperCollins). By "great" I assume the author means "large,"using a newspaper-style delivery of facts about different and more recent paths of destruction, such as the influenza epidemic of 1918, fires in circus tents, shirtwaist factories and forests, a variety of volcano eruptions, howling hurricanes and a tornado or two…you'll be thankful if your day passes uneventfully after reading this testament to the furies. The author does throw in a bright side, such as advances in technology and medicine, whenever possible; a much appreciated touch for worrywarts. Like me. (11 and up)

Follow thise shake, rattle and roll version of the earth with the stylings of Earthshake: Poems from the Ground Up by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Cathy Felstead (Greenwillow), where you can crack this book open and find twenty two free verse poems glittering like the insides of a geode. Clever perspectives bring these poems down to earth, exemplified by "Earth Charged in Meteor's Firey Death," "Recipe for Granite," "Instructions for the Earth's Dishwasher," "Pumice Stone Seeks Work," "Obituary for a Clam," and the scolding tone of "Crumble!" in which a boy wonders at sandstone's response to life. Endnotes include all sorts of support for the rich earth-science vocabulary, and make this a rock-solid pick for classroom subject integration. (8 and up)

Theodore Roosevelt : Champion of the American Spirit
by Betsy Harvey Kraft
published by Clarion

Teddy Roosevelt is often remembered in history books as the wild "Rough Rider" of the Spanish-American War, and that is why this book is so necessary; this is one president that was so much more, the one that exclaimed "No one has ever enjoyed life more than I have." This book suggests that there may be some truth to that statement! In his lifetime, Roosevelt bravely busted trusts, introduced reforms to the meat-packing and railway industries, was outspoken about the equality of women, led the building of the Panama Canal and was an impressive preservationist introduced legislation that still protects our natural resources today. During a speech while seeking presidential election, he was shot, and with the bullet in his body insisted on speaking for an hour and a half before being taken to the hospital. Well into his fifties, he decided to take advantage of "my last chance to be a boy" and plunged into an adventure exploring the Brazilian River of Doubt, kept company by the likes of Vampire bats, pirhanas and flesh-eating ants. His efforts in cartography led the river to be renamed the Rio Roosevelt. Despite his well-earned reputation as a rather raunchy and hard-boiled figure, was the first president to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. Children will especially revel in his accomplishments as he rises from a shy, asthmatic boy to popular president and adventurer. Excerpts from letters, archival photographs, a timeline and bibliography including websites and videos round out this fully realized portrait of a real American hero. It is safe to say there has never been anyone before or since quite like Teddy Roosevelt, though this book will surely inspire admiration and emulation of some of his spirited qualities in readers. I can't help but imagine that if he came across this handsome tribute today, he'd think it was very bully indeed. (10 and up) Interested children may also enjoy reading illustrated excerpts from his boyhood diary, found in My Tour of Europe by Teddy Roosevelt, Age 10 edited by Ellen Jackson and illustrated by Catherine Brighton (Millbrook). (8 and up)

The White House: An Illustrated History
by Catherine O'Neill Grace
published by Scholastic

Can't make it to D.C.? Here is a field trip in a book! Besides taking a virtual stroll through each room of this celebrated landmark, this book offers insights into how it was built, how holidays are celebrated, voices from the people who work there such as the pastry chef, florist, presidential pet handler, photographers and security guards, and what makes this house a home for the privileged few who get to live here! All sorts of unusual material like a spread of presidential Christmas ornaments, an album of every presidential tenant and what they contributed to the place and pictures of the dollhouse model of the White House will capture children's interest and attention. Over two hundred sharp photographs capture every glint of crystal and hair of carpet, and the double page spreads that fold open into quadruple page spreads are truly magnificent. Elegant, varied fonts, a gold-embossed cover and multi-colored pages will also attract otherwise unlikely readers. By mixing the history of the past and the logistics of the present, this strong informational book is a homey homage that really does capture the majesty and history of this symbol of our executive branch. A must for patriotic families and classrooms. Introduction by Mrs. Laura Bush. (9 and up)

Ten Little Mummies
by Philip Yates, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
published by Viking

It's hard to find a good book on Egypt for really young archeologists, but here's a counting books even your primary Pharaoh can appreciate. All sorts of interesting vocabulary like "sphinx," "Nile" and "chariot" are wrapped up in this story of mummies who are surreptitiously subtracted as they play in the desert, only to be reunited at the end, safe and cozy in their pyramid tomb. The stones on the end papers contain lots of solid information and fun facts, presented with a mix of Cairo and the Catskills ("Crocodiles in Egypt were worshiped as gods and mummified wearing golden earrings and bracelets…what snappy dressers!"). (6 and up) If youngsters who read this still want their "mummy," read aloud The Mummy's Mother by Tony Johnston (Scholastic), a jocular adventure by an award winning storyteller about ten-year-old Ramose who is trying to rescue his mummy mommy from graverobbers with the help of a talking camel. (8 and up)

Older children who would like to know more about Egypt have an offering this season as well in Voices of Ancient Egypt by Kay Winters and illustrated by Barry Moser (National Geographic), which uses free verse to explore many of the jobs in Egypt-of-old, and is a helpful addition to any ancient history curriculum. Classrooms can extend their reading by creating "help wanted" ads and answering them. (8 and up)

Ask Me
by Antje Damm
published by Roaring Brook

Kids are so good at getting questions, but us grown-ups, well, sometimes we get a little rusty. This book will get those family conversation wheels oiled and turning! What do you like to collect? Have you ever found a dead animal? What will you save for your own child? What rules have you made? Did you ever see the moon rise? Page after page in this snappy little book features a simple inquiry and an attractive, modern adornment, either photographed or illustrated. The baby on the cover belies what a wonderful resource this is for anyone of any age who wants to have a converation with a child. Children who share this with an adult will find their experiences and thoughts valued, but it is also great fun for children to share between themselves, or for use by any kid who needs some material to use in making new friends! (5 and up)

< Raising a Reader: A Mother's Tale of Desperation and Delight
by Jennie Nash
published by St. Martin's Press

There are very few parenting books I have read that I could shout, "I didn't want it to end!" but that is the case with this candid tell-all of a mother who is is passionate about books, and is eager to pass her enthusiasm on to her daughters. The author faces challenges as she realizes that there are all different kinds of readers in the world, and a variety pack happens to exist within her own household. An extemely brave parenting confessional, many scenes will ring familiar as Nash struggles with the tensions of parent-teacher conferences and the competition she feels as one child lags in the great reading race, and shares those shining moments when street signs begin to make sense and the world of words begins to crack open like a treasure chest. Besides offering all sorts of pragmatic suggestions and ideas at the end of each anecdotal chapter (such as "The Birthday Journal," "Soak up the Pleasures of the Bookstore," "The Three Chapter Rule," "One Dad's Storytime Secret," "What You Get When You Turn Off the TV"), there are several specific book recommendations and lots of good family dialogue that rings true. In all of its honesty, this book offers the great gift of perspective, and invites us to celebrate our children wherever they are on their reading journey. "I glanced around the little cabin, now dark with the night and lit by the fire. My whole family was there and it felt like we were in a state of grace. I realized that it wasn't really about anybody's ability to read, and it wasn't about any of the books that were being read. It was about just being able to be together in a quiet room, at peace in each other's presence." Sigh! (parenting)

Fight On! : Mary Church Terrell's Battle for Integration
by Dennis Brindell Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin
published by Clarion

A civil rights leader whose career spanned sixty years, the headlines read on the day of her death: "Mrs. Terrell Died Fighting." But this is the story of a life well-lived. Born the daughter of slaves, Terrell grew up graduate from Oberlin College, joined Ida B. Wells' crusade against lynching, Susan B. Anthony's crusade for women's sufferage, was the first African American woman to be appointed to our capitol's Board of Education and helped to form the NAACP. At age nintey, she began the biggest battle of her life, andher efforts to integrate theaters and restaurants sparked the protests that contributed to the end of segregationist laws. After such an illustrious career she would be ready to retire, but no, fighting for justic was more than a job, it was a lifestyle for Ms. Terrell! A generous share of very moving archival photography such as a boy drinking from a "colored" drinking fountain and reprinted leaflets and advertisements help to capture the gravity of the situation and the bravery it must have taken to stand up to such overpowering and frightening ignorance. Letters and anecdotes make this force of nature real flesh and blood that readers will root for, and a clear narrative line makes her rich life easy to follow. This book is demonstrative of outstanding research in children's biography, and is a nonfiction piece that is hard to read without crying. So much of what we take for granted today was hard won for us by this woman and many courageous spirits like her; include this book in any study of civil rights. (10 and up) Also of interest: Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone: The Brown V. Board of Education Decision edited by Joyce Carol Thomas, a collection of recollections by famous authors such as Lois Lowry, Jerry Spinelli, Eloise Greenfield and Katherine Paterson about desegregation, and In Defense of Liberty: The Story of America's Bill of Rights by nonfiction master Russell Freedman, in which the landmark document meant to defend the liberties of all is deconstructed piece by piece, each chapter given an amendment and thoughtful treatment in historical context. Freedman's text also helps children consider the implications of civil rights in current real world situations, like the use of explicit song lyrics or privacy on the internet. This well-organized and well-researched book contains information prerequisite to good citizenship, and shows that are rights are still evolving and we have a role to play in defining them. ( 10 and up)

All Aboard! A True Train Story
by Susan Kuklin
published by Orchard

Woo-woooo! All aboard for a train-lover's delight! The locomotive is celebrated in these gorgeous photographs of five Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge steam engines (in case you want to know) en route across the shining Colorado Rocky Mountains. Bold primary colors and puh-lenty of onomatopoeia make this one that will leave your whistle worn! Stop in your tracks and enjoy this bit of heavy metal with your favorite primary-aged engineer. (3 and up)

Tooth and Claw: Animal Adventures in the Wild
by Ted Lewin
published by HarperCollins

Now, here's some run-ins that even Gary Paulsen might be proud of! When illustrator Ted Lewin is not busy collecting a Caldecott honor for Peppe the Lamlighter, he is a nature photography enthusiast whose travels have led him to encounters with hungry sharks, angry bears, venomous snakes, and, as the cover suggests, a tiger or two. This is a very personal piece that reads part adventure story, part personal journal, and is filled with sketches and handwritten notes ("I'm outta here!" "ROAR!" "World's biggest rats!"). The author's descriptive ability is strong but not overwhelming for young readers, and his love of nature comes shining through in all the highs and lows of outdoor living. Give to your most rugged reader, or present as a prize when your scout earns that camping badge. (8 and up)

All the World's a Stage
by Rebecca Piatt Davidson, illustrated by Anita Lobel
published by Greenwillow

"This is young William,/His mind all ablaze,/ Who stays up all night,/Writing poems and plays." So begins the clever cumulative tale (a la "the House that Jack Built") that provides cameos for many of the characters and plays of the Bard of Avon. It is a workable introduction for young children but also plays well for reluctant older children who need their appetite whetted for a taste of many of these classic plays. Composites of dramatic moments from each play are portrayed with the illustrator's dramatic flair, so upper grade and high school teachers may want to create overheads from the pictures and use them to introduce characters. All the world's a stage in this inventive book, smiled upon by the muse that hangs over the shoulder of Shakespeare throughout. (8 and up)

Theater lovers should also be sure to get a ticket to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet edited by Michael Rosen and illustrated by one of my my very favorites, Jane Ray (published by Candlewick). The romance shines through like light breaking through yonder window thanks to Ray's delicate marionette-like figures and starlit scenes. Sensible abridgment integrating lines from the script and contemporary narration, making it read like a well-paced radio play, and the helpful and unobtrusive sidelines defining difficult vocabulary obviously aspire to bring the greatest love story of all time to a younger audience. In fact this is still also one of the greatest tragedies ever written with a bit of blood spilled, so consider it best appreciated by older children. What a lovely reprieve for audiences of some of the gunky young adult mush-fests out there! A gorgeous and affecting work that makes an excellent gift for your favorite thespian. (10 and up)

Ten Little Mummies
by Philip Yates, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
published by Viking

It's hard to find a good book on Egypt for really young archeologists, but here's a counting books even your primary Pharaoh can appreciate. All sorts of interesting vocabulary like "sphinx," "Nile" and "chariot" are wrapped up in this story of mummies who are surreptitiously subtracted as they play in the desert, only to be reunited at the end, safe and cozy in their pyramid tomb. The stones on the end papers contain lots of solid information and fun facts, presented with a mix of Cairo and the Catskills ("Crocodiles in Egypt were worshiped as gods and mummified wearing golden earrings and bracelets…what snappy dressers!"). (6 and up) If youngsters who read this still want their "mummy," read aloud The Mummy's Mother by Tony Johnston (Scholastic), a jocular adventure by an award winning storyteller about ten-year-old Ramose who is trying to rescue his mummy mommy from graverobbers with the help of a talking camel. (8 and up)

Older children who would like to know more about Egypt have an offering this season as well in Voices of Ancient Egypt by Kay Winters and illustrated by Barry Moser (National Geographic), which uses free verse to explore many of the jobs in Egypt-of-old, and is a helpful addition to any ancient history curriculum. Classrooms can extend their reading by creating "help wanted" ads and answering them. (8 and up)

Ask Me
by Antje Damm
published by Roaring Brook

Kids are so good at getting questions, but us grown-ups, well, sometimes we get a little rusty. This book will get those family conversation wheels oiled and turning! What do you like to collect? Have you ever found a dead animal? What will you save for your own child? What rules have you made? Did you ever see the moon rise? Page after page in this snappy little book features a simple inquiry and an attractive, modern adornment, either photographed or illustrated. The baby on the cover belies what a wonderful resource this is for anyone of any age who wants to have a converation with a child. Children who share this with an adult will find their experiences and thoughts valued, but it is also great fun for children to share between themselves, or for use by any kid who needs some material to use in making new friends! (5 and up)

First to Fly: How Wilbur and Orville Wright Invented the Airplane
by Peter Busby,
illustrated by David Craig
published by Crown

2003 marks the centennial anniversary of the historic flight at Kitty Hawk, and teachers who want to celebrate, this is the book for you! This attractive volume has a nice big wingspan and covers a lot of ground: from biographical insights like the rubber-band helicopter toy the brothers shared as boys, to terrific science sidelines, like the box "How Does Wing-Warping Work?" to small sections like the interesting story of the German "Flying Man" Ollie Lilienthal and how he inspired Orville and Wilbur. Rich realistic paintings and a generous smattering of archival photographs decorate the book, and it also includesa timeline, glossary and selected bibliography. Still, this marriage of science and social studies manages not to carry too much as to overwhelm the reader; rather, is a first class ticket on the flight that people dreamed of taking since the dawn of time, and two persistent siblings managed to pull off. This book won the James Madison Award for nonfiction that focuses on American history. Congratulations, Peter Busby!
For more great literary tributes to Orville and Wilbur, check out:
The Wright Sister: Katharine Wright and Her Famous Brothers by Richard Maurer (yes, the Wright Brothers had a sibling! Don't forget to include her in any Wright brothers study; she ran the household and got little credit.)
My Brother's Flying Machine by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jim Burke
The Wondrous Whirligig by Andrew Glass
Race for the Sky: The Kitty Hawk Diaries of Johnny Moore by Dan Gutman
Touching the Sky: The Flying Adventures of Wilbur and Orville Wright by Louise Borden and Trish Marx, illustrated by Peter Fiore
The Flyers by Allan Drummond
Joe-Joe's First Flight by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (includes some history of African-American aviation)
Rider in the Sky: How an American Cowboy Built England's First Airplane by John R. Hulls, David Weitzman
Wings and Rockets: The Story of Women in Air and Space by Jeannine Atkins, illustrated by Dusan Petricic
and I still love last year's book about Aviator Bessie Coleman, Talkin' About Bessie by Nikki Grimes.

Raising a Reader: A Mother's Tale of Desperation and Delight
by Jennie Nash
published by St. Martin's Press

There are very few parenting books I have read that I could shout, "I didn't want it to end!" but that is the case with this candid tell-all of a mother who is is passionate about books, and is eager to pass her enthusiasm on to her daughters. The author faces challenges as she realizes that there are all different kinds of readers in the world, and a variety pack happens to exist within her own household. An extemely brave parenting confessional, many scenes will ring familiar as Nash struggles with the tensions of parent-teacher conferences and the competition she feels as one child lags in the great reading race, and shares those shining moments when street signs begin to make sense and the world of words begins to crack open like a treasure chest. Besides offering all sorts of pragmatic suggestions and ideas at the end of each anecdotal chapter (such as "The Birthday Journal," "Soak up the Pleasures of the Bookstore," "The Three Chapter Rule," "One Dad's Storytime Secret," "What You Get When You Turn Off the TV"), there are several specific book recommendations and lots of good family dialogue that rings true. In all of its honesty, this book offers the great gift of perspective, and invites us to celebrate our children wherever they are on their reading journey. "I glanced around the little cabin, now dark with the night and lit by the fire. My whole family was there and it felt like we were in a state of grace. I realized that it wasn't really about anybody's ability to read, and it wasn't about any of the books that were being read. It was about just being able to be together in a quiet room, at peace in each other's presence." Sigh! (parenting)

Sparrow Jack
by Mordicai Gerstein
published by Farrar Straus Giroux

"Not all the immigrants that came to America in the early days were people," the book begins, and this story starts with the boy destined to provide the passport for many fine feathered friends. In England in 1838, sparrows were considered tasty snacks when roasted, but John Bardsley enjoyed the flock without frying them. John missed the sparrows when he emigrated to Philadelphia, but was glad to find work as a housepainter. Based on observations made as a boy, does John have the answer to the worm infestation that plagues his new city? This true story is also the answer to your bookworm problem of what to read next, combining biography, science, history, and a gentleness that is refreshing in a story featuring a male protagonist. (6 and up)

Ice Cream Cones for Sale!
by Elaine Greenstein
published by Scholastic

Who invented the ice cream cone? Was it Ernest Hamwi, a waffle-maker from Syria? Did the muse visit Charles Menches when he handed a bouquet to his lady-love? Was it Italo Marchiony, who pushed the pushcart all day in the hot summer sun? There are seven contenders for the credit cone at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, but only one is the true inventor. Children will have fun trying to guess which one it is, and also be introduced to the idea that there are many claims on history; use this book to sprinboard into an investigation into the story behind inventions. The pastel scratchboard technique is as cheerful as a strawberry sundae, but this book is better than a banana split for my money: it won't melt! Use this summery reading treat to turn any primary ice cream social into a storytime, too. (5 and up)

Ah, Music!
by Aliki
published by HarperCollins

This well-orchestrated compendium of musical informationexamines the likes of harmony, melody, rhythm, pitch and tone, introduces all of the instruments in the orchestra, celebrates diversity of music throughout world cultures and offers a wealth of timelines such as "the flowering of classical music" and "the birth of jazz." Sound ambitious? Desecribing music in words could be a dirge, but thanks to Aliki's obvious enthusiasm for her subject and brightly illustrated vignettes, every page hits a high note. Though this book will inspire any child studying music, primary teachers can also use this book in concert with arts education by treating each page as a lesson plan and accompanying it with favorite tunes from a personal CD collection. Join children in being introduced to musical talents from ancient times to techno-pop. Ah, Aliki! Nobody does nonfiction like you do! (7 and up)

Music lover's hearts will also skip a beat when they readM is for Music by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Stacy Innerst (Harcourt), a thoughtful and exciting alphabet book that is as eclectic and entrancing as your old collection of LP's. Within the pages of these books, P is for "piano and practice practice practice," K is for Klezmer, B is for the Beatles and L is for LOUD enough to see the little girl's tonsils. The vocabulary is surprising and the painted illustrations that cross boardaries of folk, jazz and funk are absolutely inspired, such as the "V is for voice and vibration" accompanied by a drawing of a virtuoso in full Wagner garb shattering a wine glass with her va-va-voom vocals, and the "Z" that is for zydeco is dressed with a dancing alligator and a worried washboard player. Doesn't that beat "Z is for Zebra" any day? This book deserves a full scholarship to Julliard and a place in your collection. (all ages)

Tippintown: A Guided Tour
by Calef Brown
published by Houghton Mifflin

If your wildest dreams could have dreams, they would be set in Tippintown.Told in rhyme, readers are treated to a tour starting at the statue of Amelia Tippen "invented the folding chair./Then she became an astronaut,/now she's a millionaire." From there, readers can venture on to the Tippin Museum of Art, or hike up Tippinoggin mountain to find the more attractive cousins of the statues on Easter Island, then drop off a canoe to witness a porpoise graduation, climbing on to the island of the stunning Assortment Tree. Of course, what tour would be complete without a little lunch (chocolate enchiladas, anyone?) and just wait until you see the souvenir shop! Brown's poetry would have made Edward Lear lift an eyebrow and go "wow," and I think this book is his best to date. The illustrations are of the same wonky school as Maira Kalman, with faces in fuschia and comely periwinkles, and elephant trunks are not out of the question for the tour guides. This book will emancipate the imaginations of all who read it, and will have children pulling at the bit to write their own descriptions of fantasy towns. (6 and up)

Camp Granada: Sing-Along Camp Songs
illustrated by Frané Lessac
published by Henry Holt

Break out the s'mores and the bug spray, it is officially summer every time this binding is broken! From "Kum Ba Yah" to "John Jacob Jingelheimer Schmidt," from "Found a Peanut" to "Do Your Ears Hang Low," this is exactly the book every kid needs to tune up for camp. The lyrics to over thirty rousing sounds is included here, and bunk beside naive and nifty artwork that brims with figures of multicultural children experiencing every aspect of the great outdoors: climbing trees, swimming, hiking, as well as the occasional rainy day and trip to the infirmary. This generous care package is one that will be opened again and again. (7 and up)

Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile
by Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert,
illustrated by Julie Paschkis published by Henry Holt

When Mrs. Chicken walks down to the river to admire her reflection, she becomes crocodile bait! Dragged to a reptilian lair to be gobbled upon, she cunningly convinces her foe that they are actually sisters, and feasting on family is of course in bad form. Crocodile decides to let her prove their familial ties, figuring it will give her time to fatten up her future dinner. As both bird and beast lay their eggs, Mrs. Chicken does a bit of quick change and clever thinking to save the day. No wonder why chickens always take their baths in puddles! Folksy, engaging art in bold tones and patterns is a perfect accent for this suspensful Liberian folktale. (4 and up) A Chapman Award Winner!

Uncle Andy's: A Faabbbulous Visit with Andy Warhol
by James Warhola
published by Putnam

Young readers can hop in a car and join in a reading road trip based on the author's real-life recollections of a childhood visit from rural Pennsylvania to his uncle's avante-garde art world in New York City. Uncle Andy, though clearly not expecting them, welcomes them into his playland of cats, wigs and boxes of Campbell's soup. Uncle Andy's appreciation in the junk his father brings him from the junkyard teaches his nephew that "art is something that is all around us, all the time." Uncle Andy's understated cries of "ooooohs!" and "faaaabulous!" merit imitation and the clean, detailed illustrations are delightful. Ultimately, though, the charm of this book is not so much the voyeuristic insider's view into the artsy-farsty world of Andy Warhol (granted, it is mighty fun), but the underlying excitement of visiting a relative far away, and the impact that a "black sheep" can make on a family. Surprisingly touching, honest and inspiring, this book deserves a lot more than fifteen minutes of fame. A significant contribution to both picture book biography and arts education collections. (6 and up)

Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books
by Kay Winters,
illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
published by Simon and Schuster

They thought he was lazy, this boy who would take a book out of his back pocket to read at the end of each row he'd plow. In fact, bigger things were in store for this young dreamer who was destined to become out 16th president. Readers are treated to a homey glimpse of this hero's boyhood, leaning on his father's lap by the fireside as yarns were spun, splitting wood, shivering with his sister in a drafty log loft. It chronicles both the dark days (like when Abe's mother dies of "milk sickness" when he is nine) and exciting adventures (such as the great wrestling match between him and Jack Armstrong, which was met with cries of "Body slam! Body slam!" by my second grade listeners). The story stops where most others begin, as Lincoln takes his seat at the White House. The unpretentious illustrations are evocative of the period and contain many details that are springboards to discussion, such as what schools were like in pioneer times, and why Lincoln campaigned from a train. To be honest, this is one of the best biographical selections to come along for young booklovers in a long time. (6 and up)

A Library for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Inéz
by Pat Mora,
illustrated by Beatriz Vidal
published by Knopf

This exquisite volume pays homage to the great poet of the seventeenth century and one of the greatest booklovers of all time. While children today still recite her poetry throughout the Spanish-speaking world and her face appears on Mexican currency, many North American girls will find a new and worthy heroine between these bindings. Juana Inéez is a child prodigy, her thirst for knowledge so great that she follows her sister to school when she is three years old and learns to read. So begins an unusual childhood for her time; though girls were not permitted at university, at ten years old she went to Mexico City where she was privately tutored, ultimately becoming a lady-in-waiting at the viceroy's palace and wowing the court and an assemblage of forty scholars. She ultimately left the palace and became a nun so that she could concentrate on her pursuit of knowledge and create one of the largest libraries in all of the Ame