July 2007 Archives

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Shells! Shells! Shells! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace. 

So many children are fascinated by shells that this book is an easy sell to kids.  In her signature paper art style, Wallace has created a book that allows children to see real shells through the eyes of her paper bears.  It is the perfect combination of whimsy and welcome with reality, allowing curious children to take a close look at actual shells.   The text tells the story of Buddy who goes to the seashore with his mother.  They find shell after shell and learn about how they are made, what the different parts of shells are called, and the names of the various types.  The book is more scientific information that story at times, but it still works well. 

A perfect book for hot summer days, share this one while sipping lemonade at the shore or dabbling your toes in a pool.  It is also a welcome science picture book that really looks at the details of shells in a friendly package.  A nice addition to science classes for early elementary students.

Shells! Shells! Shells! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace. 

So many children are fascinated by shells that this book is an easy sell to kids.  In her signature paper art style, Wallace has created a book that allows children to see real shells through the eyes of her paper bears.  It is the perfect combination of whimsy and welcome with reality, allowing curious children to take a close look at actual shells.   The text tells the story of Buddy who goes to the seashore with his mother.  They find shell after shell and learn about how they are made, what the different parts of shells are called, and the names of the various types.  The book is more scientific information that story at times, but it still works well. 

A perfect book for hot summer days, share this one while sipping lemonade at the shore or dabbling your toes in a pool.  It is also a welcome science picture book that really looks at the details of shells in a friendly package.  A nice addition to science classes for early elementary students.

Shells! Shells! Shells! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace. 

So many children are fascinated by shells that this book is an easy sell to kids.  In her signature paper art style, Wallace has created a book that allows children to see real shells through the eyes of her paper bears.  It is the perfect combination of whimsy and welcome with reality, allowing curious children to take a close look at actual shells.   The text tells the story of Buddy who goes to the seashore with his mother.  They find shell after shell and learn about how they are made, what the different parts of shells are called, and the names of the various types.  The book is more scientific information that story at times, but it still works well. 

A perfect book for hot summer days, share this one while sipping lemonade at the shore or dabbling your toes in a pool.  It is also a welcome science picture book that really looks at the details of shells in a friendly package.  A nice addition to science classes for early elementary students.

Shells! Shells! Shells! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace. 

So many children are fascinated by shells that this book is an easy sell to kids.  In her signature paper art style, Wallace has created a book that allows children to see real shells through the eyes of her paper bears.  It is the perfect combination of whimsy and welcome with reality, allowing curious children to take a close look at actual shells.   The text tells the story of Buddy who goes to the seashore with his mother.  They find shell after shell and learn about how they are made, what the different parts of shells are called, and the names of the various types.  The book is more scientific information that story at times, but it still works well. 

A perfect book for hot summer days, share this one while sipping lemonade at the shore or dabbling your toes in a pool.  It is also a welcome science picture book that really looks at the details of shells in a friendly package.  A nice addition to science classes for early elementary students.

DC Comics will be publishing a collection of graphic novels based on NBC's hit Heroes TV show.  The stories were originally created for the official website for the show.  Look for a hardcover release of the graphic novels this fall. 

BBC News reports that JK Rowling is back at work writing already. 

"I'm sort of writing two things at the moment," she said. "One is for children and the other is not for children."

Rowling, 41, said she expected to drop one of her two
new books, which is what happened when she started writing Harry Potter
and the Philospher's Stone in the 1990s.

"The weird thing is that this is exactly the way I started writing Harry," she said.

"I was writing two things simultaneously for a year
before Harry took over. So one will oust the other in due course, and
I'll know that's my next thing."

As a reader of children's fiction, can I just put in my fervent wish that the one for children wins out!  C'mon Jo, think of the kids!

Shape Me a Rhyme: Nature's Forms in Poetry by Jane Yolen, photographs by Jason Stemple.

Following in the tradition of their first two books of poetry and photos (Color Me a Rhyme and Count Me a Rhyme), Jane Yolen and her son focus this time on shapes.  Each poem focuses on a specific shape with the corresponding photograph.  As always, Yolen's poetry manages to be both simple and deep.  Her words are accessible, but each poem will have children thinking more deeply than they may have expected.  What a testimony to her gift as a poet.  Stemple's photographs offer a real visual treat.  From the fiery ball of the sun with grassy silhouettes before it to the arch of a sand dollar half hidden in the sand, his photographs add another dimension to the poems. 

My favorite poem is that of the rectangle where readers will find rectangles reflected in the strands of a spider web.  Made me want to immediately head outdoors and find shapes in my local spider webs.  Just lovely.

Recommended to add a little poetry to a mathematics class looking at shapes.  It will also be a welcome addition to kindergarten classrooms where it may inspire an outdoor expedition for shapes in nature. 

Oni Press is working with author Karin Slaughter to create an imprint of graphic novels written by prose writers.  I love her take on graphic novels:

"Graphic novels let you take risks that just
wouldn't fly in the conventional book form," Slaughter said. "Visual
story telling is at once immediate and subversive."

It will be interesting to see what sorts of crossover this creates.  Will it be readers of prose moving to graphic novels or graphic novel readers seeking out the prose of the authors?  Definitely an exciting new approach that we will all have to keep an eye on.

Sophie's Big Bed by Tina Burke.

This book in the Toddler Tales series is a warm look at a toddler moving into her own large bed.  Sophie loves her crib.  It has her banana blankie and stuffed star.  But now it is time for her to move to her big bed where she doesn't feel cozy at all.  Sophie tries night after night but finds herself only able to sleep back in her crib.  It isn't until all of her favorite items move to the big bed with her that she can fall asleep there.

This book is a winner with its bright illustrations that show Sophie's worry and joy so clearly.  The text is perfect for toddlers.  It is clear and brief.  I enjoyed the fact that Sophie does not burst into tears about it and there are no parents forcing her to stay in a bed she doesn't want to sleep in.  Instead it is a gentle tale of patient but unseen parents who work with Sophie so that she can be happy at night.  Lovely.

This is a lap book, which should be read curled together in either a big or small bed.

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

Prepare yourself for a wild lawnmower ride!  Our 12-year-old protagonist is flat broke, until his grandmother gives him his grandfather's old rider lawnmower.  He uses it to start a very small lawnmowing business, but demand is high and the business grows faster than anyone can understand.  Soon he finds himself with employees, a financial manager, and his summer has become far more busy and profitable than he could ever imagine. 

Paulsen does a wonderful job of fusing humor, great eccentric characters and finance into a perfectly short story.  The writing is tight, funny and a joy to read. 

This book is a quick and short 88 pages.  It is ideal for reluctant readers who will enjoy the pacing, the topic and the length.  Also recommended for willing readers who will enjoy it as well. 

Where Is the Cake? by T. T. Khing.

This very clever wordless book is fun from the cover pages filled with cake all the way to the end.  In the book, you follow several different story lines from page to page.  Each group of characters has its own story that impact each other in various ways throughout.  On the first page, the rats steal the cake from the dogs, a soccer ball bounces down the road, a weasel leaves its hole with a green bag, a slow turtle starts on his walk, and it goes on and on.  By the end of the book, each story has resolved itself in some way and all of the characters end up interacting together.

This is not a group book.  The highly detailed art will have children crowing with delight when they discover something and pages will have to be rapidly turned backwards to find out how this happened and where that character first appeared.  It is a book to pore over, explore and adore. 

Recommended for everyone from kindergarteners through about 4th grade.  There is a strong sense of adventure and discovery when reading this book.  Enjoy!

JK Rowling is going to appear on the Today Show on Thursday and Friday.  Other portions of her interview with Meredith Viera will be on Dateline NBC on Sunday.  The article online tells us who the character was that JK Rowling decided not to kill:

“Mr. Weasley, he was the person who got a reprieve,” Rowling said.
“When I sketched out the books, Mr. Weasley was due to die in Book 5.”

Boy am I glad she spared him!

Rowling also talks about her plans to write a Harry Potter Encyclopedia which will reveal details of characters that were left out of the books.  So prepare your libraries and book stores for another round of Harry Mania!

I found this article on the great diversity of teen literature right now.  I completely agree, it's about time that we see books about teens of all colors, sexualities and faiths.  This allows all of the teens to see themselves in books in some way.  But I think the article understates the importance of this:

Seeing their faces on lead characters who overcome some of their
same issues is a bonus. Billingsley added that teens' desire to see
themselves in print is no different from their wanting the same from
movies or TV shows.

Billy Tartle in Say Cheese! by Michael Townsend.

Very modern, graphically interesting and lots of fun, this picture book offers a lot of humor in a slim volume.  Billy is going to have his picture taken at school, but worries that all of his pictures have been boring.  So he designs a hairstyle for himself based on Supermonkey.  He has lots of ideas about how this new hairstyle will make him impressive and give him powers.  But he turns out looking exactly the same as before.  When he is given a lollipop after his haircut, he gets an idea that is certain to make sure that this class picture is far, far from dull.

The text is lovely to read aloud to a small group of kids, but this is really a book for elementary kids to read on their own or for a very small group of children to enjoy together.  The illustrations are such a large part of the story, and they have to be seen closely to be enjoyed to the fullest. 

Highly recommended for all boys.  Boys who don't enjoy traditional books will like the comic book feel of this one.  Boys who read often and will will love the humor of the story.  A wonderful look at how comics can be mashed up with picture books and be super!

The Three Cabritos by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin.


This version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff has touches of Texas throughout.  This combined with the fact that the goats are trying to get to a gig for their band at a fiesta adds a lot of flavor to the story.  Reynaldo the smallest goat, gets to the bridge first and children will be astounded to see the huge Chupacabra waiting there for him in all of its blue and prickly glory.  The Chupacabra only allows Reynaldo to pass after he plays some music.  The same pattern follows with each brother until Augustin, the biggest goat, who is able to control the Chupacabra with his catchy music.   The monster meets his end at the end of the story.

The illustrations are stylish and have a modern animated feel to them.  The Chupacabra alone is worth reading the book for!  The text is catchy, fun and has just the right amount of Spanish words incorporated in the text.  Nicely, there is a glossary and pronunciation guide at the end of the book. 

If you are looking for a fun and different version of the billy goats tale, this one will be a winner read aloud to children.  It has lots of funny touches throughout that children, especially those in elementary school, will enjoy. 

Tee hee!

The "Gossip Girl" panel on Friday afternoon at the Beverly Hilton got a
little surly when television critics asked the executive producers to
justify the underaged drinking and (attempted) date-raping in its pilot.

I love that they got pissy.  And how do they defend it?

After the morality question was asked in several different ways,
Schwartz said, “I don’t want to be hitting the same point, but I do
feel as if we’re not presenting this as a perfect world." He added, “As
long as we continue to portray this world responsibly but
realistically, we think the show should have a teen-aged audience.”

As a librarian, I am very used to defending books in the face of critical parents.  The answer is that this book (or show) may not be right for your family and may not reflect your family's morals.  And it is your right, as always, not to read/view it.  But it is not your right to stop others from doing that.

That is even more true for a TV show based on a series of books for teens that has garnered a lot of real criticism for the world they portray.  Hasn't everyone been warned enough about this?  And frankly, the plot lines don't seem that very different from so many other teen series on TV in the last few decades.  Beverly Hills 90210 anyone?

Heat Wave by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Betsy Lewin.

A heat wave hit Lumberville and day after day the town's residents swelter, finding different ways to try to stay cool.  Set in a small town in the early to mid 20th century, no one huddles by their air conditioner.  Instead readers get to see more creative solutions like cooking in the basement, taking long cool baths, and not sleeping indoors.  I enjoyed how many of the solutions build community closeness rather than in today where we all go into our homes and shut ourselves in. 

This is a great summery book to share with kindergarteners and early elementary age children.  The illustrations are friendly and funny with small touches like the policeman bathing with his hat still on.  The text is wonderful, filled with everyone's exact name, it is like visiting a small town in person.

So pour some cold lemonade, sit out on your porch, and share this.  It will be just as nice in an air conditioned school or library where you can talk about the differences between the way we stay cool today and how they do in the book.  In schools without air conditioned classrooms, this just may inspire some creative ways for the class to feel cooler.

Now that Harry Potter fans have their hot hands on the latest book and the excitement is still tangible in the air, what should they read next?  NPR has a nice piece on exactly this where two children's lit experts offer their lists of likely hits with the Potter crowd.  It does my heart good to see so many great fantasy series listed.  I was going to list my favorites included on the lists, but my list got far too long.  Let's just say that any reader whether they are a Harry Potter fan or not can't go wrong with the books here.

Oh yes, I did spend a blissful weekend devouring the new Harry Potter.  I am not commenting here because people have to really read it for themselves and I don't want any spoilers.  Feel free to add comments about your own favorite after-Harry reads, but I won't publish any comments with spoilers. 

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff is being made into a TV movie by Hallmark.  Sissy Spacek is going to star as Josie.  No premiere date yet.

YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association) announced a new award for first-time authors writing for teens called the William C. Morris YA Debut Award.  The award can be given to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, short stories or graphic novels, but the author must not have published in any format before.  Sweet!  A whole new award to speculate about, and even better, this one will get everyone reading new authors.

Slate has recycled an article about how professional reviewers can review books so very quickly.  The article has a new intro on Harry Potter but is really about Bill Clinton's My Life.  Part of what I love about blog reviews is that we post about books that we feel merit the mention.  I know that when I start reading glowing reviews they are being written because that blogger feels passionately about the book.  Not because it was assigned.

There is a sort of natural quality control that happens.  While I do accept free books from publishers, I only review a fraction of them on the blog.  Only the ones I love.  Or in the case of one special book about a stuffed rabbit, the ones that others love but I don't.

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara, illustrated by G. Brian Karas.

Charlie is the smallest kid in his class, always the last in line when they line up by size.  One fall day, his teacher, Mr. Tiffin brings three pumpkins to class and asks how many seeds are in a pumpkin.  The pumpkins are three different sizes and the children guess how many are in them.  Then they break into groups to count the seeds in each pumpkin.  Charlie is the only one who thinks that the smallest one may have the most seeds and is willing to count them on his own.  Each group counts the seeds in different way, by twos, fives or tens.  Charlie as the person counting by tens looks like he has the fewest seeds, but actually the littlest pumpkin has the most!

This book offers both a story of being the smallest and a math lesson in counting by units.  The two elements work very well together and in the story itself.  There is also some information on pumpkins worked into the book.  I always enjoy Karas' illustrations which are child friendly and somehow remind me of the Peanuts strips.  McNamara has done an admirable job of uniting a story and a math lesson, making both of them interesting.

Share this with older elementary children who are at least in first grade so that the mathematics make sense to them.  It is also a good picture book for children who tend to enjoy nonfiction picture books, because it is full of information.  This is a nice autumnal title free of any witches or Halloween references.

Kirkus Reviews has its new Science Fiction and Fantasy list out for summer/fall.  Scroll down to page 9 for the children's section.  I haven't read any of the books yet, though I do have some in my reading pile and I even have Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks on CD riding around in my car, waiting for me to finish some others first.

Note:  This is a pdf file, so expect slow loading times.

Eco-Libris, a wonderful program where you can balance out the books you read by planting a tree, is offering a way to offset your purchase of the new Harry Potter.  Send them a picture of you posing with a copy of any of the HP books, and you will get a chance to have trees planted in your name.  The first fifty entries will get trees planted in their name:  seven trees, one for each book.  Then the best picture will get a free copy of the newest Harry Potter printed on 100% recycled paper. 

Whooo's There? by Mary Serfozo, illustrated by Jeffrey Scherer.

A rather grumpy owl patrols the night woods, asking "Whooo!" to every noise and creature it encounters.  The deep blue of the cover continues through the book as the dark sky that frames each picture.  The sense of darkness is given through the depth of the colors rather than any smudging or dark washes.  This makes it very welcoming for small listeners.  Children will get to see all sorts of creatures, including raccoons, skunks, bats, and a howling coyote.  They are all presented as friendly, wide-eyed cartoons.

This book doesn't have the same magic and mystery of Brian Lies' Bats at the Beach, but it does offer a very friendly, basic look at night animals.  I would recommend using this with toddler and young preschool audiences.  It has a nice sense of humor, the rhythm of the text will make it accessible to even the youngest children, and there is the awe of being out in the dark.  Even better would be to read it at an evening or pajama storytime.  Then they can head home and see what critters may be out in their own backyards.

 


Warner Brothers is going to make the magical Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage into a series of films.  Her books are Magyk, Flyte and Physik.  I read the first and really enjoyed it.  I loved its charm and quirks.

Does anyone know if the second and third were just as good?

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt.

Holling Hoodhood starts 7th grade in 1967 and quickly realizes that his teacher, Mrs. Baker doesn't like him at all.  Because he is the only Presbyterian in his class, he finds himself alone with her on Wednesday afternoons.  At first, Mrs. Baker has him doing menial classroom tasks, but after a mishap, they move on to Shakespeare.  Breaking thoroughly with the strong tradition of teens disliking the Bard, Holling enjoys the great stories, learns new curses, and becomes a fan.  He even manages to turn his knowledge of Shakespeare into a way to get enough creampuffs for his class.  Though it will mean appearing on stage in tights and feathers. 

This book offers hysterically funny scenes filled with mishaps, embarrassment, great costumes, and lots of wonderful cursing.  But it also offers a look at a young man who discovers that being the odd one out doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with him.  I really enjoyed this smart-mouthed, intelligent teen protagonist and equally loved the character of Mrs. Baker who is anything but cardboard.

There is a depth to this novel, that really takes it a step beyond other teen novels.  It may be the Shakespeare, but I believe it is also the fact that a complicated time and relationship is portrayed in such a vibrant way.  Holling's reactions to situations ring completely true as do those of other characters.  There is no need to suspend belief here, just enjoy the romp.

Right now this is my vote for the Newbery or Printz Awards.  I think that Gary D. Schmidt has created a real winner of a novel that will be welcomed by not only teens but also by middle school English teachers.  Recommend this one to any smart-mouthed, intelligent teens or tweens you know.  They will relate immediately.

Get in on the first discussion at Sharon's Mock Newbery blog.  Post your thoughts on what the best books to consider for the Mock Newbery would be.  Wednesday Wars is one of my favorites of the year, but Richie already suggested that.  Which makes a certain amount of sense, because I read it thanks to his recommendation.  Anyone else happily making a list of the nominated titles?

Sigh.  The Washington Post has quite a bitter article about Harry Potter and adults reading children's fiction.  Here are some of the worst of Ron Charles' piece:

Speaking of adults reading Harry Potter, he says, "I'd like to think that this is a romantic return to youth, but it looks like a bad case of cultural infantilism." 

He does go on to talk about the fact that over half of the adults in the US don't read any books at all, but why the venom about reading children's books?  It seems to me, as an adult who enjoyed children's literature, that it offers not a simplified and infantile look at the world, but a purity of language, clarity of voice and a vision that relies on good storytelling rather than violence and sexuality to sell itself to readers.

He goes on to write about the fact that Harry Potter has not created more young readers after all:  "Unfortunately, the evidence doesn't encourage much optimism. Data from
the NEA point to a dramatic and accelerating decline in the number of
young people reading fiction. Despite their enthusiasm for books in
grade school, by high school, most kids are not reading for pleasure at
all."

But isn't the question WHY?!  Why aren't adults reading?  Why aren't teens reading?  I think it is simplistic to place all of the blame on the Internet, where frankly there is a lot of reading happening.  Could it be that they can't find books that they enjoy?  Isn't that where librarians should step in and recommend great reads that suit that particular reader?  One of my favorite things to do is to connect the right person with the right book and watch the magic happen.  I love people who are able to voice their likes, and especially their dislikes.  So many people though see not only reading but intellectualism as something foreign and offputting.  Where do we go from here?  How do we inspire reading?  How do we make it hip? 

These are questions that keep librarians like me up at night.  How do I encourage people to take a risk on a new author?  To invest the time and energy even with it being free of actual cost?  How do we offer access to that Long Tail of libraries where the Harry Potter books bring them in the door but we are ready and waiting with other books they will enjoy?

Let us not despair yet!  We still do have readers in this country.  We will inspire more.  And we can do it with great books, whether classics or new releases, for children or adults. 

Caught this Morning Edition piece on NPR this morning.  It is a very interesting segment on the copyright pirates in China creating not only Harry Potter books in violation of copyright, but also making their own new Harry Potter stories and selling them.  Some of the titles and concepts are shocking, but being the strange person I am, I wish that I could just read one...

The Tale of Pip & Squeak by Kate Duke. 

Pip and Squeak are brother mice who simply do not get along.  Squeak's singing hurts Pip's ears and Pip's paint fumes give Squeak a headache.   The live together in the same house, but each in a different tower.  Once a year, the two brothers give a party where Squeak sings in his tower and Pip displays his paintings in his.  Now the party is approaching, but Squeak has written a very long song to sing and decides to build a large stage in the middle of the main floor of the house.  Pip responds by painting huge pictures that will be displayed there as well.  A huge fight breaks out between them, and everything is destroyed.  Can they put aside their differences in time to have a party tomorrow?

This book is filled with charming details in both the writing and the illustrations.  Duke's writing is clear and simple, but not babyish.  She feels free to use longer words that really work in the story.  It is a joy to see words that stretch vocabulary as a part of a picture book.  Her illustrations are equally deft.  At the opening of the book, the reader sees an entire village of mice living in an attic.  Far in the back of the attic is an amazing home built from a shoebox that attaches two towers, one made of play-doh buckets and the other from a Tinkertoy box.  Just charming.

Recommended for mice or sibling storytimes, or just when you need a great book to read to kindergarteners or first graders.  They will enjoy the conflict, the humor, the charm and the resolution.  I enjoy that the story has a beginning, middle and end, all tied neatly together with clarity and grace.

The Wonderful Thing about Hiccups by Cece Meng, illustrated by Janet Pederson.

If you want a wonderfully silly book about libraries, you have found it.  The story starts with very loud hiccups in the middle of a quiet library.  Of course you have to hand upside down and drink water to get rid of them, so you go hang in a tree outside.  But when you find a big surprise, a hippo, in the tree you get so surprised that your hiccups vanish.  Each new part of the story starts with "The wonderful thing about..." and goes ahead from there.  The book usually has a negative part of the wonderful thing, making the story full of giggles. 

This would make a great book to read for elementary class visits to the library, whether public or school.  The humor is filled with slapstick falls, messes, and pure silliness.  The illustrations are equally as silly as the story, especially make sure you read aloud the Library Book Rules to Remember as well as the title of the book the librarian is reading at the end of the story. 

The wonderful thing about this book is that it pairs hilarity and libraries, and as anyone who works in a library can tell you, that happens quite often in real life.

Big Bad Wolves at School by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Brad Sneed. 

Rufus is a wild wolf who loves to run and howl at the moon.  His parents worry that he won't be able to survive in the real world, so he is sent off to school to learn how to be a "big bad wolf."  But Rufus doesn't take to school life.  He would much rather blow on dandelions than practice blowing down houses.  He doesn't want to learn to speak sheep.  And his howling bothers his classmates when they are trying to sleep.  Then hunters come to the school looking to kill some wolves.  The well-trained wolves head out, but their blowing and disguises don't work well against the hunters.  Rufus' howling on the other hand, works quite well.

The cover is so classic and will entice children to pick the book up and take it home.  The story is funny, the illustrations add to the humor, and the everyone can relate to a story of school life where they just are not in the same mode as everyone else. 

Recommended as a read aloud for elementary age classrooms where children will understand the school setting better.  The humor and sight gags will also be appreciated more by slightly older children than preschoolers. 

Un-brella by Scott E. Franson.

This wordless picture book is pure imagination.  It features a little girl who has a magical umbrella that changes the season.  So when she sees it is snowing out, she puts on her sunglasses, swimsuit and flippers.  She heads into the snow, opens her umbrella and suddenly grass is green, flowers are blooming and the sun is bright in a small area around her.  The book then shows her in the hot summer sun wearing all of her winter clothing and holding her umbrella, creating winter all around her.

The appeal of this book is in both the content and the illustrations.  The concept of being able to create your own season will be appealing to children and to have it connected to an umbrella is marvelous, because that is what umbrellas do to a smaller extent.  The illustrations feature sharp, computer graphics.  My favorite spreads are the pictures from above showing the path she has taken carving green grass out of the snow or snow out of the green grass. 

This is a charming book.  Being wordless, I would recommend it as a lap read rather than one to use with a group.  It's friendly cover will get it snatched off of library shelves.

Buried by Robin Merrow MacCready.

Claudine has been her alcoholic mother's support and keeper since she was a small child.   Her mother had been clean for almost a year when she left Claudine.  Claudine builds a story around her mother going to rehab in one of the most prestigious clinics in the area, making it seem as if everything is fine and under control.  But they aren't.  Claudine begins to forget things, agonizing over stains in the carpet and clean cupboards.  Her school work suffers, and she keeps waking up covered in dirt.  The novel is a grippingly slow look at a girl trapped in a situation where she cannot admit the truth.

The author has created a novel of suspense and mystery wrapped in the guise of a teen situational novel.  Teen readers of both genres will appreciate the skillful storytelling, detailed and complete characterizations, and Claudine as the perfect flawed lens through which to view her own life. 

I don't want to give many details here because the book has such an intense and agonizing story.  No spoilers here!  Just know that it will keep you reading almost straight through just so you can know how it all turns out.  What more could you ask for in a novel?

Bounce by Natasha Friend.

Published September 2007.

I really enjoyed Friend's Lush, a story of an alcoholic teen, and this book is another winner. 

Evyn's father is marrying a woman that she has never met and dragging her and her brother to another city to live with the woman and her five children!  Evyn, who just wants to be back in her normal life with her best friend, finds herself in a room with twin teen sisters and her best friend seems to be building a life without her.  Evyn's stepbrother is considered one of the hottest boys their age, and she is drawn into a strained friendship with the most popular girls in her new school.  It isn't until Evyn is true to herself and discovers who she really is that she learns how to bounce back.

Friend's writing is just so crystal clear and clean.  It makes reading a real joy and will appeal to girls who read lighter fiction, even though there is plenty here to dig into.  Her characters are equally well rendered with personalities that grow and change but in the most believable ways possible.  I particularly enjoyed this large step family of teenagers who are all so very different and uniquely drawn.  That alone speaks to the skill of Friend's writing.

Recommended for girls who read books like Gossip Girl, or The Clique.  This could serve as a great gateway to better literature with its friendly subject matter but also depth.

The amazing Richie Partington (who not only writes incredible book reviews, has impeccable taste, but also seems to read faster than any other human) has created a wiki for Censorship Resources.  The wiki is a work in progress but already has fascinating links to organized censorship efforts, ALA resources, recent challenges and articles. 

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford, photographs by Valorie Fisher. 

This goes down as one of my favorite books for elementary school readers this year. 

Let's first talk about the glory of the cover.  There is Moxy with her tattered copy of Stuart Little, held upside down.  And the look on her face is priceless.  It is a treat to see a cover that so wonderfully speaks to the content of the book itself.  To love this cover is to love this book.

A perfect summertime read, we follow Moxy as she wrestles with having to read Stuart Little over the summer.  Moxy has now procrastinated until it is the final day of summer vacation and she has yet to even start reading the book.  She has carried it with her all summer long, but seems to continue to find reasons that she cannot start it quite yet.  The book features her final day of the summer which she spends in a variety of ways that do not get her book read. 

This is a laugh-out-loud type of book.  Just the chapter titles will get you grinning and then the prose itself will work its magic.  The chapters are short, very short in some cases, and they make the book even more pleasurable for young readers.  Moxy is a true character who will speak to all children who have had to do anything by a deadline.  Her parents are real people as are her siblings.  The entire family is a joy to read about. 

Moxy's overall love of reading is one feature that demonstrates how skillfully crafted this small book is.  It would have been much easier and obvious to have Moxy hate reading altogether, but Moxy just doesn't like being told what to do.  This small detail speaks volumes about her character and adds depth to the book.  So often Gifford chooses her characters over the obvious, much to her credit.

With its friendly print size, short chapters and plenty of photographs, this book is a great summer read for children in elementary school.  If you have a child participating in summer reading program, this book should be handed to them.  Tiptoe quietly away and wait for the giggles of glee to start.

I also see that a sequel will be coming out in 2008!  Something to definitely look forward to.