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RECOMMENDATIONS ARCHIVE

Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask (A Bilingual Cuento) by Xavier Garza
published by Cinco Puntos Press

Readers get a ringside seat alongside Carlitos, who has been taken to the lucha libre wrestling match by his papa Lupe and Tio Vincente. But where is Tio Vincente? He is missing all of the action: the entrance of the villainous rudos, and the heroic tecnicos who will battle them, all of the characters wearing colorful and dramatic masks and costumes. Best of all is Carlitos' hero, the mysterious Man in the Silver Mask, and it turns out that Tio Vincente might have been closer to the action than Carlitos could ever guess. Garcia does an impressive job of capturing the excitement of a sporting event, but even more so, there is a lot of affection and respect for this high drama of the wrestling match lucha libre, emblematic of the battle between good and evil and containing a history as colorful as the masks. The narrative is told in English on one page with the Spanish translation on the other. The life of Salvador Lutteroth Gonzalez, the book's inspiration, is shared briefly in an author's note at the end, and will have you believing in superheroes. Check out the photographs of real lucha libre stars on the endpapers! Even folks who are not fans of professional wrestling will be drawn into this mysterious world. Believe me, you will have a hard time wrestling this picture book out of the hands of an active little boy. (6 and up)

Sunny Boy: The Life and Times of a Tortoise
by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
published by Farrar Straus Giroux

When you live as long as a tortoise lives, you can expect a few owners. Sunny Boy lived as the pet of several agreeable, docile domesticators: a horticulturalist, a philatelist and a scholar, but ultimately falls into the hands of a daredevil bent on taking Sunny Boy with him on a descent over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Will he ever survive to live out his days in the lap of the little girl in the museum library to whom he feels more suitably matched? Based on actual, if unfortunate events (articulated beautifully in "The Truth Behind the Tale," an author's note at the story's finale), this genial and surprising story demonstrates a love of life, even with all its unexpected twists, turns, losses and leaks. (7 and up) Also out this season by the same author is Our Eleanor : A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life (Atheneum). This attractive volume brings into focus one of the most influential, powerful and inspiring women of this or any time in American history through a rich collection of photographs, anecdotes and well-reserached history. Like her earlier biography Ben Franklin's Almanac : Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life, the information-packed text is hard to read-aloud from start to finish, but since you can pretty much thow a dart on any page and come up with something interesting, it is perfect for pulling out in pieces. The author's ability to translate her own fascination into such detailed and deep-digging tomes really sets her apart as an author of biography, creating portraits that are pleasures for both young and old and offer up historical figures as mentors for a new generation. (11 and up)

Sholom's Treasure: How Sholom Aleichem Became a Writer
by Erica Silverman, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein
published by Farrar Straus Giroux

Little Sholom's life is no picnic, shivering while he studies in the crowded, icy kheyder, abandoning plans of lucrative treasure-hunting when his best friend moves away, and the slings and arrows of a short-tempered, sharp-tongued stepmother are almost more than the unfortunate fellow can bear. Luckily, his ability to notice and imitate the idiosynchrocies of those around him is a source of laughter and light, and allows Sholom to stand out first in his home, and then for the whole wide world to see. This realistic and compelling story of the boyhood of the author of the short stories that would someday inspire Fiddler on the Roof does a dandy job of recreating the life and struggles of the shtetl, and GersteinÕs busy frames further bring the vignettes into focus. Literary legacy aside, though, this biography successfully brings to life a very real little boy who likes to make people laugh and maybe gets into a little bit of trouble here and there. Know any little boys like that? (7 and up)

Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin
published by Candlewick

Oh, to be a child again and pore over the pages in the mystical series of Egyptology, Dragonology, and now, the latest, Wizardology. Those who fear and loathe the occultism of Harry Potter would do well to be wary of this book, but for most, it is like leafing through the crisp and yellowing pages of a real magic tome. Merlin has been most generous with his information: spells, familiars, a chapter on magical flight, on potions and healing transformations, amulets and divination, astrology, and a history of wizardry are just a few of the choice bits of wizard wisdom shared within. A "real" fairy flag, phoenix feather, "beast locator" pendant and tiny set of tarot cards are included. Any aspiring wizard will be glad to be apprised of how to make a wand, what items are necessary for a master wizard's workshop, and what headwear for wizards is in fashion. Bejeweled, bordered and beautiful, this is overall a worthy vessel of the secrets of history's most celebrated wizard, and, as the back cover suggests, is the next best thing to an apprenticeship. It will grant its young recipient with great and onerous powers…of reading, if nothing else. (10 and up)

Strong Stuff: Herakles And His Labors
by John Harris, illustrated by Gary Baseman
published by the J. Paul Getty Museum

The Augean Stables. Assignment: Clean them out. Ick. The Girdle of the Amazons. Assignment: Bring it back. The Nemean Lion. Assignment: Kill it. Herakles' twelve "super-difficult jobs" (or labors, as they are more comnmonly known) have never received such hilarious, colloquial and accessible treatment. Difficult or unfamiliar vocabulary are addressed in a "how's that again?" sideline at the bottom of each page. The celebrated cartoonist/animator of "Teacher's Pet" fame brings to life his blow-up-toy muscular version of our hero in a way that will appeal to fans of action figures as well as mythology. Even the most reluctant by reader will revel in literary allusion after delving into these brief and gorey accounts. (7 and up)

Alone in the World : Orphans and Orphanages in America
by Catherine Reef
published by Clarion

With the abundance of popular fiction focusing on the plight of the "orphan," it is a welcome addition to have this comprehensive non-fictional history of real children available to the readers of such romanticized books. Stirring photographs and archival prints deliver us from the filthy almshouses of the early nineteenth century to the conflicted care in the childrenÕs homes formed after the Civil War to the efforts to rescue children suffering from neglect and abuse in our present day. This meticulously researched account will have many readers counting their blessings. (11 and up)

One Red Dot
by David A. Carter
published by Simon and Schuster

Children themselves are often wonderful abstract artists, but it is hard to find books that help children explore abstract art. What could be a more fun way to explore than through a pop-up book? One of the great paper engineers of the book world has created sculptures within these pages, three dimensional pieces and moving parts that helps the imagination spring forth as readily as the folded cardboard. Looking for the red dot on every page is just a bonus bit of fun in this amazing, exuberant book. (4 and up)

And for another fine art book, its two trunks up for Elephants Can Paint, Too by Katya Arnold (Atheneum). From the fascinating point of view of a teacher who teaches sometimes in the city and sometimes in the jungle, we meet a new breed of artist: Asian elephants! Photographs and straightforward text tell the story of how they hold a brush using a trunk ("if an elephant throws the brush away or eats it, he probably won't become an artist") , paint using their own style and even clean up. The results are phenomenal and surprising, and have to be seen to be believed! Additional facts are offset in frames. Anyone who reads this book will come away with a new connection to the animal world, and an appreciation of the plight of the modern-day pachyderm. A rare informational read-aloud, this book also succeeds as a powerful segue into classroom discussions of endangered species. Portions of the profits of this book will go towards conservation projects. (6 and up)

Other Great New Art Books:
Look! by Kyra Teis (This unique and vibrant board book for the youngest reader uses bold multimedia collages and fun, exploratory questions to get babies tuned in to line, color and space. )(birth and up)
I Spy Shapes in Art by Lucy Micklethwait (Children will become familiar with the styles of masters like Magritte, Escher and Kandinsky as they search for geometric shapes in their paintings. ) (4 and up)
Cave Paintings to Picasso: The Inside Scoop on 50 Art Masterpeices by Henry Sayre (Comprehensive art history introduction for middle schoolers). (11 and up)
Can You Find It, Too? : Search and Discover More Than 150 Details in 20 Works of Art by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (A "Where's Waldo" approach encourages looking in detail at some sophisticated paintings.) (9 and up)

Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable
by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Neal Layton
published by Candlewick

There has been a growing pile of complaints regarding the unwarranted toilet talk that has permeated children's literature of late, and so it is with great delight to discover a book that does the subject justice. Every page flows over with absolutely fascinating fecal facts, from the double-dose of digesting power that pellets afford to rabbits or the tell-tale dumps of sloths, otters and hippos that speak (or stink) louder than words. The necessity of the dung beetle in the cycle is honored here in a sculpture in South Australia and within these pages, as is the ski-worthy mountains of guano built by bats in Bracken Cave. Earthy, unpretentious illustrations accentuate the vocabulary- and fertilizer-rich content. Overall, a remarkably engaging and informative science book that rises far above its genre's foul beginnings, and will make a novice scientist out of your favorite fart-joke-teller. A must for any bathroom bookshelf, this winner of the BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award also makes for a poop-ular classroom read-aloud. (7 and up)

I Could Do That! : Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote
by Linda Arms White, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
published by Farrar Straus Giroux

From an early age, independent and confident Esther McQuigg has been saying "I can do that." When her mother dies and the family is left to take care of one another, she says "I can do that." When she turns nineteen and it occurs to her to run her own millinery shop, she thinks, "I can do that." She can attend an abolitionist church, she can try to claim land in Illinois, she can raise her son Archy on her own, and she can move to the wild, wild western Wyoming territory. And finally, when it is time to vote in the first territorial elections, why, Esther takes out her trusty teapot and uses her influence to finagle a way she can do that, too. This picture book biography voices tells the true story of a spunky suffragette who became the first female judge, and the first woman in the United States to hold a political office, and the woman who influenced legislature that allowed women in her territory to be able to vote. Homey, wry colored-chalk illustrations are a perfect match to the text; the montage of women receiving the news of their hard-won right springs off of the page. This book is a jubilant celebration of what a can-do attitude can achieve. Tea-pot endpapers also serve as a timeline of the achievement of women's rights throughout the frontier territories. "There are still some countries where womenÕs voices are not heard," the author's note points out. Can this be fixed? I have a feeling some little girl will read those words and think, "I can do that." (7 and up)
Also of interest:
Mama Went to Jail for the Vote by Kathleen Karr, illustrated by Malene Laugesen (Hyperion)
With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman's Right to Vote byAnn Bausum (National Geographic)

The Greatest Potatoes
by Penelope Stowell, illustrated by Sharon Watts
published by Hyperion

Understandably, fry cook George Crum gets frazzled when a famous food critic keeps sending back his potatoes. As a practical joke, he prepares a potato in a way that is unprecendented, cut paper-thin and fried to a crisp, then salted until they sparkle, and serves it up to his nemesis. Is this the death of Crum's carreer, or the birth of the potato chip? Besides being a tasty read-aloud treat, this slice of American culinary historical fiction offers up a side of African-American accomplishment as well. Recipe included, but be very careful when frying food around children; you may just want to by a big bag and pig out in Crum's honor. (6 and up)

Saint Francis Sings to Brother Sun : A Celebration of His Kinship with Nature
byKaren Pandell, illustrated by Bijou Le Tord
published by Candlewick

The life of Saint Francis of Assisi is celebrated using phrasing from his joyful Canticles, and descriptions of the delight and inspiration he found in everyday things. Whether rescuing a village from a ravenous wolf, enlisting the musical aid of a cicada or preaching to a flock of birds, these stories stand on their own in the canon of legend. Named Patron Saint of Ecology by Pope John Paul II, such a life of peace and gratitude deserves to be celebrated by people of all faiths. Well researched, clearly organized, this book also has the secret ingredient of real affection for the subject; this gorgeous, illuminated volume brimming with cheerful, naive art will lift your spirit up and up. (6 and up)
Also of interest:
The Song Of Francis And The Animals byPat Mora, illustrated by David Frampton (Eerdmans) (4 and up)
Saint Francis of Assisi : A Life of Joy byRobert F. Kennedy, illustrated by Dennis Nolan (Hyperion) (8 and up)

Children of the Great Depression
by Russell Freedman
published by Clarion

This Newberywinning author presents a well-organized and moving account of the desperate period in American history, using interviews and other accounts by real people. Black-and-white photographs by great talents of the time such as Dorthea Lange and Russell Evans bring the period into even clearer and more poignant focus. Though at first children may be intimidated by the length of the text, it covers a lot of territory reads in a manner that will prove very accessible and interesting to intermediate readers. (10 and up)

Where Willy Went: The Big Story of a Little Sperm
by Nicholas Allan
published by Knopf

At school, Willy isn't very good at math. But he's very good at swimming, and he hopes to beat his nemesis Butch in the race for the big prize, a beautiful egg that lives inside of Mrs. Browne. Go, Willy, go! Nine months later, a girl is born…she isn't very good at math, but she's very good at swimming. This down-to-earth, hilarious book features honest but understated cartoon illustrations, and is a perfect way for even the most skittish parent to start the buzz about the birds and the bees with a child. (5 and up)

Beyond the Great Mountains
by Ed Eoung
published by Chronicle

Textured paper collage illustrations highlighted with Chinese characters are used to create this spare visual poem. The idea that symbols may convey more wisdom than particular instances is at the root of this esoteric book. An unusual vertical formatting of pages works well to evoke both high mountains and deep sleeping seeds. A simple but breathtaking bookmaking model, children can use it as a springboard to creating their own visual poem about a place they love. (7 and up)

Another affectionate Asian perspective may be found in the latest from the "Magic School Bus" posse, Imperial China by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen (Scholastic). this latest addition to the "Miss Frizzle Adventures" series, like the others, is consistently rich in detail, history, and field-trip fun. This book uses a lively combination of comic book narrative and scintillating sidelines to follow along as an inspired teacher time-travels in order to fully celebrate the contributions of a great and powerful culture with her class. A rough read-aloud, this book works better for small groups or independent armchair travel. Any child who reads from this series comes away with a surprising amount of knowledge! (7 and up)

Kid Blink Beats the World
by Don Brown
published by Roaring Brook

In 1899, it was not uncommon for boys to work as "newsies," peddling the consignment copies of newspapers published by millionaires Hearst and Pulitzer. When those magnates decided to charge an extra penny against their workers' wages, this was more than the little boys could bear. "I'm trying to figure how ten cents on a hundred papers can mean more to a millionaire than it does to newsboys," Kid Blink tried to figure. "If they can't spare it, how can we?" So begins the war between the newsies and the moguls, and a war it is, complete with protests, battles, leaders and ploys, many led by surprisingly articulate and earnest children. Peppery dialects and sobering history help to bring this early union battle to life in sepia tones. You wouldn't go wrong to share every one of Don Brown's wonderful picture book biographies with children, always affecting, but this one packs a special punch. Youths of our day will surely be inspired by Kid Blink's righteous indignation and awed by his bravery…can you imagine a child speaking his heart to a mob of five thousand? It was done. (6 and up)

From Rags to Riches: A History of Girls' Clothing in America
by Leslie Sills
published by Holiday House

So many times I have asked girls what they like to do in their spare time, looking for a clue to what they might like to read. "Shop for clothes" is a common answer. At last, here is a book to recommend to these aspiring fashionistas! This snazzy, full-color book explains what chic chiquitas from colonial times to the present day did to stay in vogue, whether it was sporting buckskins, Bishop sleeves or crinkly crinolines. Plenty of period paintings and photographs help to accessorize this nifty bit of non-fiction that introduces history much less painfully than being stuck with a whalebone stay. A note from the author encourages readers to become aware and involved in fair labor practices within the garment industry, and a glossary puts fashion vocabulary at the fingertips of aspiring designers. No loose threads here. (9 and up)

Fooled You! Fakes and Hoaxes through the Years
by Elaine Pascoe, illustrated by Laurie Keller
published by Holt

Inspired by the urban legends and various bogus bric-a-brac received via e-mail, the author has collected a wonderful assortment of "fast ones" from history, from fairies in the garden, mysterious ape-men in the woods, to aliens in the wheat field. Not only does the author do a compelling job of describing the hoaxes, each section puts the tricks in historical context, explaining why they were able to go over so successfully. My favorites were the babbling Princess Caraboo, a character invented by clever 19th Century housemaid Mary Willcocks who fooled the English aristocracy into thinking she was real royalty, and the somewhat gory "Fejee Mermaid," an odd surgical concoction by P.T. Barnum. Several of these unusual stories bring forth the idea that sometimes practical jokes can spin out of control, and are also great for discussion about advertising. Pair with a reading of the John Fitzgerald's classic novel The Great Brain for plenty of humbug fun. (8 and up)

The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela : Through Three Continents in the Twelfth Century
by Uri Shulevitz
published by Farrar Straus Giroux

Before there was Marco Polo, there was Benjamin of Tudela, who in the year 1159 left his home in Spain and embarked upon a dangerous, difficult and truly adventurous fourteen year journey through what is modern-day France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Egypt. His Book of Travels, written in Hebrew, inspired this jeweled first-person picture book diary of the world's greatest Jewish traveler of medieval times. This Caldecott-winning artist is at the top of his form, and the story is such that it reminds children of the truth we always hope they gather from books: anything is possible. Historical sidelines abound, and a comprehensive author's note and bibliography are also included. (8 and up)

The Great Brain Book : An Inside Look At The Inside Of Your Head
by HP Newquist, Keith Kasnot and Eric Brace
published by Scholastic

The brain will find a new place in your heart, thanks to this slick reference book that includes some heavy-duty but surprisingly accessible science. From the history of the brain, the way it works, how to train it (falling under the heading "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain"), topics like dreaming and fears and memory, and the future of our brain, there is plenty here to interest readers and to get those neurons a-chugging. Ouststanding for research, this book is also just plain cool, even if you're no brain surgeon…though after you read the whole thing, you may be well on your way. (9 and up) Also of interest: You Can't Use Your Brain If you're a Jellyfish: A Book About Animal Brains by Fred Ehrlich, illustrated by Amanded Haley (Blue Apple) (8 and up).

Mice, Morals and Monkey Business: Life's Lessons from Aesop's Fables
by Chris Wormell
published by Running Press Kids

Bold, handsome woodcuts give this scrapbook of twenty-one of Aesop's conclusions new clout. For those classrooms familiar with the fables, this makes a great addition for discussion and wow, is it beautiful! Hold up each of the plates for an ooh-ahhh from your crowd. (7 and up) Also of interest and for the complete fables in a very fine read-aloud format, try: The McElderry Book of Aesop's Fables by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark (McElderry) (7 and up).

The Journey That Saved Curious George : The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey
by Louise Borden, illustrated by Allan Drummond
published by Houghton Mifflin

Many people are familiar of the adventures of that "naughty little monkey," but far fewer know the real-life adventure that brought mischievous George and his creators, to the shores of the United States. It was only fitting that the team of Hans Augusto Reyersbach and Margarete Waldstein should first find love in Brazil, where monkeys swung in the trees. But life was not so merry when the couple returned to Paris, soon to be occupied by the Nazis. The Reys had to flee by bicycle, carrying with them few precious possessions, among them a manuscript about a prankish primate "Fifi," an early incarnation of our picture-book hero. This play-by-play will likely still necessitate some historical footing for young readers, but children's book aficionados will go bananas to discover the fruits of the author's meticulous research. (8 and up)

One of the bravest books of the year is Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti (Scholastic). Bartoletti goes where few authors have dared, looking through the eyes of some of the seven million boys and girls who joined the Nazi party and presenting this view appropriately for young people of today. Her narrative line is completely compelling, sensitively examining the historical motives of their compliance by using their real voices to capture the spirit of these lost souls. Unusual documentation is included about how the recruitment was organized, the components of a Nazi education, the role of the children in the war machine and the young people who became disillusioned, some even daring to resist. Chilling photographs, descriptions and a wealth of oral histories and diary entries help young readers vicariously witness the impact of some very terrible choices and broaden their awareness of how a dictatorship can manipulate a people. Important work, and a must-have for any upper-grade study and discussion of the Second World War. (12 and up)

Also of interest:

The Doll With the Yellow Star by Yona Zeldis McDonough, illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken Root (Holt) (A girl separated from loved ones in time of war gets an unexpected reunion.) (8 and up)
Anne Frank by Josephine Poole, illustrated by Angela Barrett (Knopf) (Gorgeous picture book biography of the famous wartime diarist. ) (8 and up)
A Friend Called Anne by Jacqueline Van Maarsen, retold for children by Carol Ann Lee (Viking) (Reminiscences of friendship and the war by Anne Frank's best friend, whose Jewish-Catholic family endured their own series of horrors. ) (11 and up)

Children's Miscellany: Useless Information That's Essential To Know
by Matthew Morgan, et al
published by Chronicle

What are the ten deadliest snakes? How do you read a palm? How do you make a paper airplane? How do you say "can you help me" in seven languages? How do you arrange an orchestra? Need an excuse for being late for school? Looking for a career in circus performance? On and on it goes, a compulsively readable treasure trove of trivia that will nicely prepare future comics, test-takers and game-show contestants. This petite hodge-podge is perfect size for packing in a purse for your Pee-Wee to peruse while waiting for food at a restaurant or sitting in traffic. (8 and up)

Special Section: Poetry!
Days to Celebrate : A Full Year of Poetry, People, Holidays, History, Fascinating Facts, and More
by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
published by Greenwillow

One of the greatest children's poetry anthologist has gifted us with a year's worth of fantastic poetry. Part calendar, part almanac, part celebration, this book makes every day a special day, and a day to fit in some poetry! A sensational end or beginning of school gift for your favorite padagogue. Pair it with Paul Janeczko's clever A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms (illustrated by Chris Raschka, Candlewick) which introduces the poetically curious to everything from tankas to limericks, double-dactyls, acrostics and triolets, and then some! Astonishing in its breadth and its energy, this book will make everyone more expert than they were, and might be just the kick to get some children loving poetry for life. And if you know a child who would like to try their hand (or pen) at writing their own verse, they could do a lot worse than Jack Prelutsky's Read A Rhyme, Write a Rhyme (gorgeously illustrated by Meilo So, published by Knopf), in which a poems are paired with "poemstarts," helpful little springboards into writing exercises.

If you have one shelf of children's books in your home, let it be poetry! Every single one of these books deserve a place on your shelf:

A Maze Me: Poems for Girls by Naomi Shihab Nye (Greenwillow) (Award-winning poet lends her eye to the life of girls.)
Omnibeasts by Douglas Florian (Harcourt) (The best of this poet's many poetry collections about the animal kingdom in one marvelous volume.)
Fold Me a Poem by Kristine O'Connell George, illustrated by Lauren Stringer (Harcourt) (Fun mix of poetry and origami, a great teacher gift! Also, be sure to check out the author's lovely poetry website!)
Sketches from a Spy Tree by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, illustrated by Andrew Glass (Clarion) (A personal favorite…this very rich collection allows the reader to spend a summer looking out from the boughs of a tree with a reflective friend. This volume will inspire journaling as well as poetry writing! An ambitious and effective departure for the artist as well.)
Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Kyle M. Stone (Harcourt) (A must-have for bibliophiles!)
Oh, No! Where Are My Pants? and Other Disaster Poems by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Wolf Elbruch(HarperCollins) (Hilarious!)
Poems to Dream Together: Poemas Para Sonar Juntos by Francisco X. Alarcon, illustrated by Paula Barragan (Lee and Low) (Strikingly illustrated, offers free verse in both English and Spanish)
The Animal Rescue Store by Anne Wilson, illustrated by Elizabeth Swados (Scholastic) (The author has a poem and a home for every pet in the store in this collection with extra kid-appeal.)
Mural on Second Avenue and Other City Poems by Lilian Moore, illustrated by Roma Karas (Candlewick) (Take a tour of the city streets with every line!) (11 and up)
Hotel Deep: Light Verse from Dark Water by Kurt Cyrus (Harcourt) (Mysterious poems and illustrations take us into the depths.)
Looking for Jaguar and Other Rain Forest Poems by Susan Katz, illustrated by Lee Christiansen (Greenwillow) (Great for school units!)
Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Becky Prange (Houghton Mifflin)
(Gorgeous wildlife woodcuts accent poems that glide on water.)
Mary Middling and Other Silly Folk by Rose Fyleman, illustrated by Katja Bandlow (Clarion) (A refreshing departure from Mother Goose.)
Science Verse by Jon Scieszka (Viking) (This zany and irreverent team never disappoints! Be sure to check out the poem about how dinosaurs are overdone in the classroom.)
A Family of Poems by Caroline Kennedy, illustrated by John Muth (Hyperion) (John Kennedy's daughter anthologizes her family's favorite classic poems for other families to enjoy.)
My House is Singing by Betsy R. Rosenthal, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt) (Look at everyday things in a whole new way! Great for journaling.)

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)

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-love