Curriculum LaboratoryBest Read-Aloud Books Gr. 4-5

For further assistance in using any of the resources in the Lab, please ask at the Curriculum Lab Information Services Desk

In 2013, the browsing collection of these titles will be found at the beginning of our Fiction Collection. The lists and the collection make an excellent place to start, if you are looking for well reviewed titles to share with your students. Read-aloud books are also great for independent reading choices, as can be seen from the reviews. As these titles are ordered and received into the collection, you will also be able to browse these titles in the catalogue by searching for “read aloud books” or “bestread.” You can also add your favourite subject to your search to find great read-alouds for the classroom curriculum. The grade level recommendations are to be considered an approximation. You be the judge if your students would like a title in your particular grade. Note: “EC” level on any of the titles indicates it as a read aloud suitable for preschool children. The read-aloud level is usually lower than the independent reading level, so also pay attention to the reading level in the reviews, if the title is to be read independently by children.. Many of these titles are also found in the main Curriculum Laboratory collection, so check the library catalogue.

These Read Aloud Lists were consulted:

• Read Aloud America, found at: http://www.readaloudamerica.org/• Great Books To Read Aloud, found at: http://www.randomhousesites.co.uk/childrens/GreatBookstoReadAloud/Great%20Books.pdf• The Treasury of Read-Alouds by Jim Trelease, found at: http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/rah-treasury-intro.html• E.B. White Read Aloud Awards• The Alberta Read Aloud Registry• EPL Books To Read Aloud, Good Read Alouds For The Family, NYPL Great Books For PreK To Read Aloud, from Lethbridge Public Library’s Bibliocommons lists.

The reviews are quoted from Books In Print Online, used under the Fair Dealing clause for research and reviewing purposes.

Helpful brochures: (found at http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/brochures.html)

• Why Read Aloud to Children?• Thirty DO's to Remember When Reading Aloud• A Dozen DON'Ts to Remember When Reading Aloud

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Angleberger, TomThe strange case of Origami Yoda2010

School Library Journal: Gr 3-6-For Tommy, the only question is whether or not Origami Yoda is real. Of course he's real as a small puppet on Dwight's finger. But does the oracle possess magic power? In order to find out, he decides to compile scientific evidence from the experiences of those who asked Origami Yoda for help. His friend Harvey is invited to comment on each story because he thinks Yoda is nothing but a "green paper wad." Tommy also comments because he's supposedly trying to solve the puzzle. In actuality, the story is about boys and girls in sixth grade trying to figure out how being social works. In fact, Tommy says, " it's about this really cool girl, Sara, and whether or not I should risk making a fool of myself for her." The situations that Yoda has a hand in are pretty authentic, and the setting is broad enough to be any school. The plot is age-old but with the twist of being presented on crumpled pages with cartoon sketches, supposed hand printing, and varying typefaces. Kids should love it.-Sheila Fiscus, Our Lady of Peace School, Erie, PA

AviThe seer of shadows2008

Publishers Weekly: Newbery Medalist Avi (Crispin: The Cross of Lead) sets this intriguing ghost story in 19th-century New York City, where a photographer's apprentice has a horrifying run-in with a spirit bent on revenge. In the fall of 1872, 14-year-old narrator Horace Carpetine reluctantly becomes involved in his employer's scheme to dupe a superstitious client, wealthy Mrs. Von Macht. The plan is to make a tidy profit by producing a double exposure and offering her an unusual portrait, one incorporating a superimposed image of her dead daughter, Eleanora. Events depart from the expected when the ghost of Eleanora literally enters the picture, and Horace discovers his ability to capture departed souls on film. Suspense builds as the Von Machts' servant, Pegg, reveals secrets about the Von Macht family and explains that Eleanor's angry spirit, brought back into the world through the camera lens, may want revenge on both Mrs. Von Macht and her husband. Mirroring both the style and themes of gothic novels of the period, the story takes ghastly and ghostly turns that challenge Horace's belief in reason. Details about photographic processes add authenticity, while the book's somber ending will leave spines tingling. Ages 8-12.

Bell, WilliamFive days of the ghost1992

School Library Journal: Gr 6-9-It's the beginning of summer vacation, and Karen's older brother, John, wants to visit a nearby burial site for Chippewa chiefs at night. Karen reluctantly accompanies him. There they encounter a ghost who later tells Karen that she's got "big problems." Why is he there? How does he know what Karen is trying to hide from everyone else? When another ghost starts making trouble at Karen's house, she and John engage the help of Noah, who is a known expert about all things supernatural. The book seems to cover too much ground in five days and lacks a resolution that makes sense. At the beginning of the novel, Karen is still grieving the death of her twin brother, killed in a skateboarding accident two years earlier. She is about to start high school but isn't ready to grow up and get on with her life. The ghost encounter seems to precipitate her ability to let go of her brother. Readers will be left wondering why Karen, John, and Noah are able to find the ghosts so easily, even having an encounter in full daylight at one point. The author spends too much time describing the clothing of the young people and what they are eating, and not enough on their unresolved issues, such as Noah's troubled relationship with his father and his pain over his mother's abandonment. John, in contrast, seems to have no issues at all, and, aside from his weird clothing and food choices, readers never really get to know him.-Kathy Kirchoefer, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, New Carrollton, MD

Byars, BetsyKeeper of the doves2001

Booklist: Gr. 5-8. In this spare story young Amen McBee confronts birth and death and tries to reconcile the enigmatic behavior of human beings and the shifting realities that comprise life. Her father wants a son, but Amie is the youngest of five daughters who include «the Bellas,» the inseparable, identical twins, Arabella and Annabella. In the quiet world of the late 1800s, unusual things demand attention, and one of those is a Kodak camera. Amie takes a picture of Mr. Tomanski, a reclusive Polish immigrant who lives on the family estate. The mysterious old man once saved Amie's father from death, but he can be strange and frightening. The Bellas use him as a bogey man, but Amie has seen him with his doves and knows he has a gentler side. When the family dog is killed, the Bellas have good reason to believe Mr. Tomanski is to blame. For Amen, the issue is more poignant, more complex. The events of the story, which occasionally seem abruptly handled, are secondary to the mood Byars creates in short, short chapters in which every word is important. Amie's own love of words is central to the story, and the word pictures, both Byars' and Amie's, are so light they almost float--like the doves Mr. Tomanski lets loose in the air. Ilene Cooper.

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Campbell, Nicola I.Kim Lafave (Illustrator)Shi-Shi-Etko2005

Quill & Quire: This story spans three idyllic days before a truck arrives to take Shi-shi-etko (whose name means she who loves to play in the water) to residential school. As depicted, Shi-shi-etko is, at most, six or seven years old. Like most youngsters, Shi-shi-etko counts the number of sleeps before a major event. She's a cherished native child living in a comfortable home with her parents. Aunties, uncles, cousins, and her Yayah live close enough to visit. In the days leading up to Shi-shi-etko's departure, her mother, father, and Yayah share wisdom with her about the importance of remembering the culture, knowledge, and world of her people. This gentle, cadenced telling is a first book by Nicola Campbell, a welcome new native voice. Although she follows closely in the footsteps of Larry Loyie and his award-winning As Long as the Rivers Flow, Campbell (whose ancestry is Interior Salish and Métis) targets younger children. Like Loyie, Campbell concludes her tale as the truck drives into the unknown. Although adults - and older children who read Campbell's preface - will have a sense of what the future holds for Shi-shi-etko, children being read to won't, at least not without explanation. Kim LaFave - Governor General's illustration award recipient (for Amos's Sweater) and illustrator of a plethora of other popular picture books - revels in an autumn palette of reds, oranges, and browns. Using digital illustration and mostly double-page spreads, he celebrates the natural minutiae (leaves, seeds, roots, berries, meadow flowers, creek life, and hills) of the Canadian west. His portrayal of Shi-shi-etko and her family has an interesting timelessness to it. The setting could be either 50 years ago or today. Like Loyie's book, Shi-shi-etko is a must-buy for libraries committed to documenting Canada's residential school experience. Its greatest value will be as a resource for related curriculum.

Campbell, Nicola I.Kim Lafave (Illustrator)Shin-Chi’s canoe2008

School Library Journal: Gr 2-5-This realistic, tender story recounts the experiences of Native siblings sent to a government-mandated, church-run boarding school such as those that were common in Canada and the United States from the late 1800s until the 1970s. Hauled away with the other reservation children in a cattle truck, six-year-old Shin-chi and his older sister, Shi-shi-etko, try to memorize life at home from the "trees, mountains, and river below." Shin-chi clutches a tiny carved canoe, a forbidden memento homemade by her father. During the school year (until the sockeye salmon return), Shin-chi and Shi-shi-etko are not allowed to speak to one another and must endure the cruel treatment and restrictions forced upon Native children as they work and go to mass and to school. Hungry and lonely, young Shin-chi tries desperately to hold on to his Native traditions, sneaking out to sing his grandfather's prayer song and release his canoe in the river. LaFave's striking yet soft digital illustrations are appropriately somber and deftly capture the mood with subtle earth tones on each page. An author's introduction details the practice of sending Native children to residential schools. An accessible and important contribution to Native literature.-Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library

Chen, PaulinePeiling and the chicken-fried Christmas2007

Booklist: The holiday brings disappointment first, then triumph and a new friend to a young Taiwanese immigrant in this multistranded, feel-good tale. When her mother finally persuades reluctant Baba (father) to allow an American-style Christmas celebration, Peiling is delighted until the food doesn't taste the way she expects, the relatives prefer Chinese music to carols, and her Jewish teacher shows up, invited for dinner. Things turn around in January, though, when Peiling not only lands one of the twin leads in the school's production of Prince and the Pauper but also connects with her bossy, tactless, and (as it turns out) insecure co-star, Laura. Peiling makes an appealingly levelheaded protagonist, and though Chen skips over religious issues (look to Ilene Cooper's 2004 book Sam I Am for a thoughtful treatment of those), she doesn't miss much in this often-amusing picture of the Wang family working at fitting its new and old cultures together.--Peters, John

Clements, AndrewA week in the woods2002

Horn Book Magazine: New student Mark Chelmsley is branded a slacker by his science teacher, Mr. Maxwell. On the school's annual Week in the Woods camping trip, the two adversaries--rather predictably--become separated from the group and must spend the night alone in the woods. Though the plot and prose may be trite, Mark's transformation from slacker to outdoorsman is convincingly portrayed.

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Conly, Jane LeslieLeonard Lubin (Illustrator)Racso and the rats of NIMH1999

Publishers Weekly: Taking up the tale where her father Robert C. O'Brien ended Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Conly does full justice to his Newbery-winning novel. So does Lubin, depicting the endearing company that now includes a cheeky little rat named Rasco. Growing up in the city, Rasco has heard about the intelligent NIMH escapees from his father, Jenner. Leaving home, the boy is looking for the legendary rats who, he hopes, will help him to become educated and valorous. Rasco meets the gentle field mouse Timothy Frisby, on his way to the rats' school in the valley. The long journey cements their friendship as they rescue each other from perils before arriving at the peaceful colony. As time passes, the members get news of the worst possible danger, when Mrs. Frisby flies in on the wings of the crow Jeremy. Human beings, the widow warns, are about to flood the river, wiping out the rats' settlement. Rasco's learning is interrupted by the need to prove his heroism. He does that, rejoined by his father, who lends a self-sacrificing hand to his old comrades. The story is tense, funny and poignant in the classic tradition. (9-12)

Coville BruceMy teacher is an alien1999

Sixth grade is just out of this world! Susan Simmons can tell that her new substitute teacher is really weird. But she doesn't know how weird until she catches him peeling off his face -- and realizes that "Mr. Smith" is really an alien! At first no one will believe her except Peter Thompson, the class brain. When Peter and Susan discover Mr. Smith's horrible plans for their classmates, they know they have to act fast. Only they can get rid of their extraterrestrial visitor -- and save the rest of the sixth-grade class from a fate worse than math tests!

Cumyn, AlanThe secret life of Owen Skye2002

School Library Journal: Gr 3-6-With a zany style and deep insight into the secret lives of boys, Cumyn tells a series of connected stories about young Owen Skye and his two brothers, Andy and Leonard. Their adventures are, by turns, funny, frightening, and genuinely dangerous. All are fully engaging, although at times readers might wonder where reality stops and fantasy begins. Are there really aliens that can be contacted by radio from Dead Man's Hill? Does the Bog Man really suck out the juice from cattle? Is their archenemy the giant squid doing more evil deeds? But beyond the supernatural, Owen is bewildered by ordinary things, including his sudden attraction to Sylvia, which leads to a Valentine's Day fiasco and a visit to the dreaded principal. The boys have hilarious conversations about many subjects, including God: "Well, if God is everywhere, then he must be in toilet paper too! And cheese broccoli soup." Cumyn's prose is lively and liberally sprinkled with sparkling turns of phrase: "On that march home the cold slipped inside the boys' snowsuits and drained away all their heat like a plug had been pulled from the bathtub." The characters are fresh and genuinely fascinating, from Owen's clueless parents and his strange but wise Uncle Lorne, who lives in the dank basement, to kindly Nurse Debbie and others who enter the lives of these unruly siblings. This book is very funny, and it would be a splendid read-aloud or read-alone choice.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI

Dahl, RoaldThe witches1991

"A true genius . . . Roald Dahl is my hero" - David Walliams Phizz-whizzing new branding for the world's No.1 storyteller, Roald Dahl!Exciting, bold and instantly recognisable with Quentin Blake's inimitable artwork.Witches really are a detestable breed. They disguise themselves as lovely ladies, when secretly they want to squish and squelch all the wretched children they despise. Luckily one boy and his grandmother know how to recognize these vile creatures, but can they get rid of them for good?Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. After school in England he went to work for Shell in Africa. He began writing after "a monumental bash on the head", sustained as an RAF pilot in World War II.Roald Dahl died in 1990.Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

Deedy, Carmen Agra14 cows for America2009

School Library Journal: Gr 2-5-Kimeli Naiyomah returned home to his Maasai village from New York City with news of 9/11 terrorist attacks. His story prompted the villagers to give a heartfelt gift to help America heal. Deedy and Gonzalez bring Naiyomah's story to life with pithy prose and vibrant illustrations. Each block of text consists of a few short, elegant sentences: "A child asks if he has brought any stories. Kimeli nods. He has brought with him one story. It has burned a hole in his heart." The suspenseful pace is especially striking when surrounded by Gonzalez's exquisite colored pencil and pastel illustrations. The colors of Kenya explode off the page: rich blues, flaming oranges, fire-engine reds, and chocolate browns. Full-page spreads depict the Maasai people and their land so realistically as to be nearly lifelike. Gonzalez manages to break the fourth wall and draw readers in as real-time observers. The book's only flaw is the less-than-concrete ending: ".there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort" is an important message, but not a particularly satisfying one for children. Fortunately, their questions will be answered by Naiyomah's endnote, and it provides a fitting conclusion to this breathtaking chronicle.-Rebecca Dash, New York Public Library

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DiCamillo, KateBecause of Winn-Dixie

The best-selling Newbery Honor Book in a beautiful slip-cased edition sure to be shared with generations to come. It's not often that an author's first novel becomes a runaway NEW YORK TIMES bestseller, a Newbery Honor winner, and a beloved classic that touches the hearts of readers of all ages. Recalling the fiction of Harper Lee and Carson McCullers, Kate DiCamillo's debut novel, like Winn-Dixie himself, is unquestionably a keeper. Now Candlewick Press is proud to present BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE in a gorgeous keepsake edition, complete with bookplate, that does justice to this most treasured of tales.

Duey, KathleenKatie and the Mustang2004

Booklist: Reviewed with Kathleen Duey's Katie and the Mustang: Book One . Gr. 3-5. These titles in the new Hoofbeats series introduce nine-year-old orphan Katie Rose, who has been taken in by an unhappy, childless couple, the Stevenses. Katie's life is one of drudgery, with her only solace being her growing bond with a mustang that is being mistreated by Mr. Stevens. Katie is hopeful when the Stevenses decide to follow the Oregon Trail--until she learns that Mr. Stevens plans to shoot his horse and abandon her in an orphanage. Desperate to go West, the girl and her horse, accompanied by Hiram Weiss, the Stevenses' hired hand, set out on their own. The second volume follows the travelers across Iowa, where Katie and her horse leave Hiram behind. Duey's strengths lie in attention to setting details and effective characterizations. Katie and Hiram are especially well drawn; both have been badly hurt and are relearning how to trust. Though italicized comments heading each chapter represent the mustang's viewpoint, the main story is realistic in both tone and subject. A good start to a series that will be popular with both young equestrians and history buffs.

DuPrau, JeanneThe city of ember2003

Publishers Weekly: In her electric debut, DuPrau imagines a post-apocalyptic underground world where resources are running out. The city of Ember, "the only light in the dark world," began as a survival experiment created by the "Builders" who wanted their children to "grow up with no knowledge of a world outside, so that they feel no sorrow for what they have lost." An opening prologue describes the Builders' intentions-that Ember's citizens leave the city after 220 years. They tuck "The Instructions" to a way out within a locked box programmed to open at the right time. But the box has gone astray. The story opens on Assignment Day in the year 241, when 12-year-olds Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow draw lots for their jobs from the mayor's bag. Lina gets "pipeworks laborer," a job that Doon wants, while Doon draws "messenger," the job that Lina covets, and they trade. Through their perspectives, DuPrau reveals the fascinating details of this subterranean community: as Doon repairs leaks deep down among the Pipeworks, he also learns just how dire the situation is with their malfunctioning generator. Meanwhile, the messages Lina carries point to other sorts of subterfuge. Together, the pair become detectives in search of the truth-part of which may be buried in some strange words that were hidden in Lina's grandmother's closet. Thanks to full-blooded characters every bit as compelling as the plot, Lina and Doon's search parallels the universal adolescent quest for answers. Readers will sit on the edge of their seats as each new truth comes to light. Ages 10-13. (May)

Farris, Christine King Chris K. Soentpiet (Illustrator)My brother Martin: A sister remembers growing up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.2003

Booklist: K-Gr. 3. In this picture-book biography, Martin Lunter King's older sister adds a personal stamp to King's childhood experiences that other books have lacked. When Martin asks his mother why the white boys across the street have been forbidden to play with the King children, she explains about prejudice, prompting Martin to say, "Mother Dear, one day I'm going to turn the world upside down." The richly detailed illustrations capture the times and are striking portrayals of the individuals, with Soentpiet including a note describing his use of King family members and friends as models. The respectful tone of the text is augmented by the large, handsome design, with metallic-blue endpapers and halftone photographs used to accentuate front and back matter. A one-page poem by Mildred D. Johnson, "You Can Be Like Martin: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," follows the short text, and an afterword adds context and personalizes the book. A testament to one person making a difference, the book is intended to be inspirational--and, in both art and text, it is. --Julie Cummins

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Fuqua, Jonathan ScottDarby2002

Publishers Weekly: In Fuqua's (The Reappearance of Sam Webber) thoughtful debut novel for young readers, a white girl living in South Carolina in the '20s sparks a controversy with her article supporting racial equality. Darby wants to be a "newspaper girl" after her best friend, Evette, the daughter of an African-American tenant farmer on her father's land, says that's what she plans to do. The publisher of the town newspaper agrees to print Darby's article about toads, and another about her blind great-uncle before her obligation to "tell the truth" leads Darby to tackle the issue of race (her consciousness is heightened after a black boy is beaten to death by a neighboring white landowner). She notices other inequalities, such as how her friends treat Evette at her ninth birthday party. Her article prompts the KKK to burn a cross on her property, but Darby finds allies, too, especially in her father. Some of Darby's discussions seem too mature for her age, but Fuqua's careful details fill in this complicated period in history and culture from descriptions of the games she plays with her friends to realistic interactions with her family. Darby's parents are kind, but their tenant farmers and servants live in poverty, and her mother reprimands Darby when she asks, "For setting slaves free, was the Civil War kinda a good thing?" These subtle conflicts add depth and realism: Darby and her family's small acts of kindness take on heroic proportions. Ages 10-up.

George, Jean CraigheadMy side of the mountain2001

Almost everyone dreams of running away from home, but young Sam does much more than dream! Off he goes to the Catskill Mountains to set up home in a hollowed out tree and live off the land. Join Sam and his animal companions as they struggle with storms, hunters and loneliness. Awards: Newbery Honor Book, An ALA Notable Children's Book Award.

Haworth-Attard, BarbaraHome child1996

The year is 1914. Thirteen-year-old Arthur is a "home child, " an English orphan forced to work on a Canadian farm. Will he ever be truly accepted there?

HIll, KirkpatrickPeter Knorr (Illustrator)The year of Miss Agnes2000

Booklist:  Gr.  4-­‐6.  From  the  author  of  Winter  Camp  (1993)  comes  another  moving  novel  about  Athabascan  life.  But  instead  of  a  wilderness  survival  tale,  this  story  is  an  uplifting  portrait  of  a  dedicated  teacher,  set  mostly  in  a  cozy  village  classroom  in  1948.  Fred,  a  ten-­‐year-­‐old  girl,  describes  the  year  Miss  Agnes  takes  over  the  one-­‐room  school.  Unlike  the  school's  other  teachers,  none  of  whom  have  lasted,  Miss  Agnes  encourages  the  children  to  explore  art,  literature,  and  their  own  potential.  She  also  teaches  basic  subjects  in  relevant  ways  and  shows  sensitivity  to  the  rhythms  of  village  life  and  to  each  child.  The  students  are  devastated  when  it's  time  for  Miss  Agnes  to  leave,  but  the  story  ends  with  a  happy  surprise.  Readers  longing  for  action  may  resist  the  simple,  subdued  story.  But  Fred's  plain,  direct  voice,  sprinkled  with  regionalisms,  will  connect  readers  with  the  well-­‐integrated  cultural  particulars,  the  poignant  scenes  of  home  life,  and  the  joy  Fred  feels  learning  in  the  snug  classroom,  the  snow  falling  outside.  -­‐-­‐Gillian  Engberg

Ibbotson, EvaThe star of Kazan2004

Horn Book Magazine: (Intermediate) A foundling, a pretender, a trunk of jewels -- Ibbotson's latest has all the eventfulness of a Victorian orphan adventure. In addition, it's shot through with good-humored matter-of-factness, and especially with Ibbotson's affection for her setting -- 1908 Vienna. Golden-haired, peasant-faced orphan Annika has been raised by cook Ellie and housekeeper Sigrid to be ""the best-trained child in Vienna,"" not to mention an imaginative chef, and she's won the hearts of the professors Ellie and Sigrid work for. But despite her love for her adoptive family and her friends, including ""La Rondine,"" the unwanted, formerly glamorous great-aunt of snobbish neighbors, Annika is thrilled when an aristocratic woman shows up to claim her as her daughter. Off she goes to a forbidding estate in Germany, there to learn where her money-grubbing ""mother's"" affections really lie -- something the reader never doubts. Ibbotson's writing is becoming increasingly deep and deft: her delineations of characters and place are precise and telling; emotion, information, and entertainment are always at play. She explores the psyches of each of her characters, contrasts the cultures of Vienna under elderly Franz Joseph and Germany under power-building Wilhelm II, and provides a rainy-day, curl-up-and-lose-yourself story.

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Kadohata, CynthiaKira-Kira2004

Booklist: Gr. 6-12.atie Takeshima worships her older sister, Lynn, who knows everything and takes care ofatie while their parents are working long hours in their small Georgia town in the late 1950s. It's Lynn who showsatie the glittering beauty (kira-kira) of the stars and who preparesatie for the prejudice she will encounter as one of the fewapanese American kids in their school. But whenatie is 10, Lynn, 14, falls ill, and everything changes. Slowly the roles are reversed;atie becomes caregiver and does what Lynn has taught her. There's no surprise. It's clear that Lynn will die, andatie goes through all the stages of grief. The real story is in the small details, never self-consciously poetic but tense with family drama. In her first novel for young people,adohata stays true to the child's viewpoint in plain, beautiful prose that can barely contain the passionate feelings.ust as heart wrenching as the sisters' story is whatatie knows of her father's struggle, whether it's his backbreaking work in the factory or his love for his family. The quiet words will speak to readers who have lost someone they love--or fear that they could. --Hazel Rochman

Korman, GordonSwindle2008

Voice of Youth Advocates: Eleven-year-old Griffin Bing enlists sixth grade friends who have computer, climbing, acting, animal handling, and swindling skills to retrieve a possible million-dollar Babe Ruth baseball card from a shop owner who scammed it from Griffin for only $125. Griffin hopes that selling the card will solve his parents' financial problems brought on by his father quitting his engineering job to focus on his invention, the SmartPick, which picks fruit without bruising it. The crew sends the shop owner tickets to a hockey game and break into his house while he is gone. With the help of the SmartPick, they overcome hostile guard dogs, security systems, neighbor surveillance, and betrayal to secure the card, but Griffin must return it to its rightful owner. Eventually the card funds the building of a town museum that includes a skate park, which is dedicated to Griffin and his team, and the caper brings attention and investors to the SmartPick so that Griffin's family is financially secure. Korman's fast moving, feel-good suspense novel will have middle schoolers, especially boys, turning the pages. Griffin, The Man With a Plan, is resourceful but believable and likeable. He needs his friends, learns from them, and makes some poor choices for good causes. He out thinks the bad guys, supports his father (the good guy), and commits a crime with which even the police sympathize. The dog cover, large print, and ample white space make it reluctant reader material.--Lucy Schall.

Korman, GordonThis can’t be happening at MacDonald Hall!2003

The book that started it all, written when Gordon Korman was only 12!Best friends Bruno Walton and Melvin "Boots" O'Neal love sharing a dorm room at Macdonald Hall. But their practical jokes get out of hand, and Headmaster Sturgeon -- they call him The Fish-- separates the buddies. How will Bruno and Boots get back together?

Lawson, JulieThe dragon’s pearl1992

School Library Journal: Gr 2-5-- A well-crafted story with many folkloric qualities that successfully presents Chinese tradition and culture in a manner that is both enlightening and entertaining. The tale is of a poor but optimistic boy who cuts and sells grass for fuel or fodder in order to buy food for himself and his mother. When a drought ruins the land, killing the livestock and leaving the people poor and hungry, Xiao Sheng discovers a magic pearl that keeps his mother's food jars and money box full. She returns her neighbors' earlier kindness by sharing her wealth with them, while the pearl changes the boy's life and the fortune of the village in a most dramatic way. Lawson has appended a page of notes about Chinese dragons (water-gods) that sheds light on the unusual aspects of the story. Many of Morin's oil paintings on canvas show clothing, foliage, and grass that are carefully textured with sawdust and fibers. His skillful portraits are an indication of his great artistic talent. However, several panoramas--two of them featuring an ochre/yellow heat-parched land--lack the depth that gives similar scenes in Morin's exquisitely rendered book, The Orphan Boy (Clarion, 1991), a photographic quality. Xiao Sheng seems flat and unrealistic as well. Photographed swatches of painted fibre and realia (coin, fishhook, pearl) adorn white pages of text, with the whole encased in a neat, geometric border on fiber background. Despite its few artistic imperfections, the book as a whole is a lovely package of writing and visuals that will be enjoyed as read-aloud, cultural lesson, and folk fantasy. --Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

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Levine, KarenHana’s suitcase: A true story2003

Quill & Quire: Adults have trouble understanding how people could do the things we know were done during the Holocaust. How then can we explain what went on 60 years ago to children? Fortunately, there are books like this one by CBC radio producer Karen Levine. As a CBC radio documentary, Hana's Suitcase won the gold medal at the New York International Radio Festival. It's now available as a CD packaged with the book. Paradoxically, Hana's story gains in power over other Holocaust chronicles because it is only half of Karen Levine's book. The other half is how Fumiko Ishioka, the curator of a small Holocaust education centre in Japan, uncovers the history behind an empty suitcase sent as an exhibit for her museum. Fumiko's dedication to discovering Hana's story illustrates the fascination of history as much as it does the Holocaust, and the reader eagerly jumps between chapters about Fumiko's enquiries and Hana's brief and tragic life. Levine's spare yet vigorous prose, the short, punchy chapters, and the episodic nature of the storytelling move the events along rapidly. Hana was gassed in Auschwitz in 1944, but Fumiko's search ends in hope as she uses Hana's story to create Holocaust awareness amongst Japanese children. The two endings are tied together by the discovery that Hana's brother, George, survived the camps and lives in Toronto. George Brady managed to preserve a large number of photographs of Hana's childhood. These photographs constitute an almost unbearably poignant record of a happy, yet doomed, life. Combined with the drawings Hana did in the concentration camp at Theresienstadt and the pictures of Fumiko and her children in present-day Japan, they enrich the book and increase its accessibility for younger readers. Hana's story is, tragically, one of millions; Fumiko's is unique. Together, they will captivate children, reduce them to tears, and teach them invaluable lessons. Hana's Suitcase should be required reading. John Wilson

Lewis, C.S.The magician’s nephew2009

Surround your children in the magic of Narnia by reading aloud the magical prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - The Magician's Nephew. Now available as a read aloud storybook, this is ideal for bedtime, storytime or any time! · A classic story retold for younger readers. · Perfect for introducing younger children to the magic of Narnia. · The ever-green Narnia property has been revitialised since the 2005 film with renewed interest from all ages. · The 2007 film release of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is generating wider awareness and excitement around all Narnia titles The Movie oBreathtaking fantasy action-adventure film from Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media releasing in the UK on 8th December 2005 oDirected by Academy Award winner, Andrew Adamson, director of Shrek and Shrek 2, which grossed over $450 million worldwide oCreatures brought to life by WETA, the Academy Award winning special effects team responsible for The Lord of the Rings oThe biggest integrated marketing campaign ever initiated by The Walt Disney company will support the release oBased on the beloved children's series by C.S. Lewis which has sold over 85m copies worldwide

Lin, GraceWhere the mountain meets the moon2009

Booklist: *Starred Review* In this enchanted and enchanting adventure, Minli, whose name means quick thinking, lives with her desperately poor parents at the confluence of Fruitless Mountain and the Jade River. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. One day, after a goldfish salesman promises that his wares will bring good luck, Minli spends one of her only two coins in an effort to help her family. After her mother ridicules what she believes to be a foolish purchase, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, who, it is told, may impart the true secret to good fortune. Along the way, she finds excitement, danger, humor, magic, and wisdom, and she befriends a flightless dragon, a talking fish, and other companions and helpmates in her quest. With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. Lin's own full-color drawings open each chapter.--Medlar, Andrew

Lowry, LoisThe Willoughbys2008

Horn Book Magazine: (Intermediate) This lollipop of witty metafiction ... la Edward Gorey or Lemony Snicket features a family of four well-read and (self-described) old-fashioned children. Noticing their resemblance to various children's book characters, our heroes both accept and rebel against their destined literary fates. Eldest brother Tim suggests to his little sister: "I think you must develop a lingering disease and waste away, eventually dying a slow and painless death. We will all gather around your deathbed and you can murmur your last words. Like Beth in Little Women.'" Chief among the children's goals is to become orphans, a goal they achieve when their evil, feckless parents end up freeze-dried on a Swiss Alp. The supporting cast includes the no-nonsense nanny, the bereaved benevolent benefactor, and the foundling baby. All is cunningly crocheted into a hilarious doily of drollery. Lowry extends the joke into two appendices -- a quirkily annotated reading list of classics (from The Bobbsey Twins to Jane Eyre) and a glossary that reveals Lowry's opinions on lawyers, the Red Sox, and irascible third-grade teachers.

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MacKay, Claire (Editor)Funny stories1997

School Library Journal: Gr 5-8A collection of humorous stories and poems by Canadian writers. Some of the better-known selections include "The Sitter and the Butter and the Better Batter Fritter" by Dennis Lee, a chapter from Little by Little by Jean Little, a chapter from L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, and a chapter from Tim Wynne-Jones's The Book of Changes. Some of the funny selections are from less well-known authors. In Richard Scrimger's "Introducing Norbert," Alan tells how his life has changed since Norbert, an alien from Jupiter, came to live in his nose. This gets the boy into quite a bit of trouble, with hilarious results. In Ken Roberts's "Gross," Albert can only get attention by being disgusting. "Soothing the Savage Beast" by Bill Richardson is an entertaining poem about Curtis, who hates to practice the piano. One day, he is captured by a sewer beast and taken into the depths to be eaten. While the demon is waiting for the water to boil, Curtis puts him to sleep by playing Brahms' lullaby, and he sees the value of his practice. A high-quality selection by top-notch writers for the paperback rack.Anne Parker, Milton Public Library, MA

Morpurgo, MichaelKensuke’s kingdom2004

Michael's parents buy a yacht, and take him off to sail round the world. Washed overboard in a fierce storm, Michael finds himself on the shore of a remote island - and soon discovers he's not alone. Kensuke, a former Japanese soldier, survived the war and the bombing of Hiroshima, but his family perished. As an extraordinary bond forms between the two, Kensuke faces a heart-breaking choice: can he give up the secluded life he's built for himself to help reunite Michael with his parents? Knowing the pain of losing his own family, Kensuke knows which way he has to decide . . .

Nimmo, JennyMidnight for Charlie Bone2008

Booklist: Gr. 4-6. These days stories about schools for budding magicians are inevitably compared to the Harry Potter books. Indeed, British author Nimmo's creation, Bloor's Academy "for gifted children," bears some resemblance to Hogwart's School, but the story itself is quite different. Seemingly ordinary Charlie Bone suddenly discovers that he can hear the thoughts of people in photographs, a talent that dour Grandma Bone and her three baleful sisters work to bend to their own ends by sending him to Bloor's and to its sinister headmaster. It's not an easy year for Charlie despite the friends he makes. Too many people have it in for him as he's swept into an age-old battle being waged by descendants of a powerful king of long ago. A mysterious box, a missing girl, a strange man who flits in and out in the company of three brightly colored cats, and various villains all figure into Charlie's exciting, fast-paced adventure tale, which happily is the first book in planned quintet called Children of the Red King. Harry Potter's myriad fans will be well pleased. --Sally Estes

Pinkney, JerryGoin’ someplace special2001

Booklist: Ages 5-8. Tricia Ann excitedly gets her grandmother's permission to go out by herself to "Someplace Special" --a place far enough away to take the bus and to have to walk a bit. But this isn't just any trip. Tricia's trip takes place in the segregated South of the 1950s. That means Tricia faces sitting at the back of the bus, not being allowed to sit on a whites-only park bench, and being escorted out of a hotel lobby. She almost gives up, but a local woman who some say is "addled," but whom Tricia Ann knows to be gentle and wise, shows her how to listen to the voice inside herself that allows her to go on. She arrives at her special destination--the public library, whose sign reads "All Are Welcome." Pinkney's watercolor paintings are lush and sprawling as they evoke southern city streets and sidewalks as well as Tricia Ann's inner glow. In an author's note, McKissack lays out the autobiographical roots of the story and what she faced as a child growing up in Nashville. This book carries a strong message of pride and self-confidence as well as a pointed history lesson. It is also a beautiful tribute to the libraries that were ahead of their time.--Denise Wilms

Pinkwater, Daniel M.Jill Pinkwater (Illustrator)The artsy smartsy club2005

Publishers Weekly: Followers of the six-foot, 266-pound Henrietta, the famous Hoboken chicken, will welcome her back heartily in The Artsy Smartsy Club, by Daniel Pinkwater, illus. by Jill Pinkwater. Once the property of Arthur Bobowicz, the feathered friend is now in the care of Nick (from Looking for Bobowicz), who leaves Hoboken with his two pals to take art classes in New York City-and of course, they bring their beaked buddy along.

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Riordon, RickThe maze of bones

School Library Journal: Gr 4-7-When their beloved Aunt Grace dies, Dan, 11, and Amy, 14-along with other Cahill descendants-are faced with an unusual choice: inherit one million dollars or participate in a perilous treasure hunt. Cahills have determined the course of history for centuries, and this quest's outcome will bring the victors untoward power and affect all of humankind. Against the wishes of nasty Aunt Beatrice, their reluctant guardian since their parents' deaths, Dan and Amy accept the challenge, convincing their college-age au pair to serve as designated adult. Pitted against other Cahill teams, who will stop at nothing to win, the siblings decipher the first of 39 clues and are soon hot on the historical trail of family member Ben Franklin to unearth the next secret. Adeptly incorporating a genuine kids' perspective, the narrative unfolds like a boulder rolling downhill and keeps readers glued to the pages. As the siblings work together to solve puzzles and survive dangers, they develop into well-drawn individuals with their own strengths and personalities. Supporting Cahill cast members come across as intentionally exaggerated caricatures, adding to the tale's breathless fun. The book dazzles with suspense, plot twists, and snappy humor, but the real treasure may very well be the historical tidbits buried in the story. Part of a multimedia launch including a Web site, collectable game cards, and a 10-title series (penned by different authors), this novel stands solidly on its own feet and will satisfy while whetting appetites for more.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

Rodda, EmilyDeltora quest2008

For centuries, the evil Shadow Lord has been plotting to invade Deltora and enslave its people. All that stands in his way is the magic Belt of Deltora with its seven gems of great and mysterious power. Now, Leif, Barda, and Jasmine must unite to find the seven gems and save Deltora from an eternity of darkness. For the first time, all eight books of this epic series are presented in a single deluxe hardcover volume.

Rodda, EmilyRowan of Rin2005

Booklist: Gr. 3-6. Rodda's new fantasy-adventure series (three other titles are to follow within a year) introduces the people of Rin, who live in the shadow of the Mountain ruled by a fierce but unseen dragon. When the community's water source suddenly dries up, and the dragon ceases his daily roars, some of the bravest villagers prepare to travel up the Mountain to investigate the problem. Young Rowan, a herder who fears he will never be as brave as his late father, must accompany the group because only he can make the magical map reveal its necessary clues. One by one, each strong adventurer confronts his own greatest fears and turns back, leaving only Rowan to deal with the fire-breathing dragon on the summit. Readers would have been satisfied had they simply been given an exciting adventure story. But this talented Australian writer has also given them a fully conceived fantasy world complete with its own flora and fauna, a well-developed back story, and fascinating characters. This tightly plotted mystery sprinkled with clever rhyming clues is somewhat reminiscent of Tom McGowen's the Magician's Apprentice series (1987), and it should be popular with young readers everywhere. --Kay Weisman

Ruckman, IvyNight of the twister1984

Booklist: Dan, his baby brother, and his best friend become separated from their families when a Nebraska twister raises havoc with all communication devices.

Rumford, JamesBeowulf: A hero’s tale retold2007

Publishers Weekly: What you have heard before is nothing." So begins this strikingly illustrated adaptation of Beowulf. Restricting his vocabulary almost exclusively to words with Anglo-Saxon origins, Rumford (Seeker of Knowledge) fashions a type of epic language: "It was then that Wiglaf showed his true heart-strength. Shieldless, with seared hands, he stuck his gleaming sword into the dragon. This freed Beowulf, who drew a knife from his belt and buried it deep inside the fire-snake." Rumford's own "heart-strength" comes through in his art, pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations that convey the ninth-century action with 21st-century immediacy. Large panels offer detailed views of pivotal scenes, and Rumford's expert use of line generates an almost visible degree of motion; when Grendel's mother menaces Beowulf, he seems virtually to fall as she advances with her ominously curved knife. Behind the art and text panels in the first two sections lurks the dragon that is to prove so crucial in the end; in the concluding section, increasing numbers of crows foreshadow Beowulf's death. A very skillful presentation. Ages 9-12.

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Scrimger, RichardA nose for adventure2011

Voice of Youth Advocates: Norbert is back, and for fans of Scrimger's hilarious fantasy, The Nose from Jupiter (Tundra, 1998), that is very good news indeed. For the uninitiated, Norbert is the diminutive alien from Jupiter who arrived on a fact-finding mission to Earth and lived in the nose of young Alan Dingwall. It sounds an absurd premise, but the first book was a resounding success, winning many awards and attracting fans to Scrimger's quirky imagination. In his latest novel, hapless Alan, now thirteen and still struggling to be "not uncool," is in New York City to spend a week with his father. The problem is that his father, rather predictably, fails to meet him at the airport, and Alan finds himself alone in New York, pursued by bad guys. His only companion is Frieda, a fellow unaccompanied minor from the same flight, who might be smuggling ancient Egyptian artifacts into the United States. The situation looks bleak when Alan is reunited miraculously with Norbert, and together they devise a plan to survive in the dangerous streets of New York. Who are their pursuers? Who can be trusted? How will Alan ever find his unreliable father? Like its predecessor, this wonderful story is filled with memorable characters, irreverent wit, exciting plot twists, and some touching moments as well. In the background, there is always Norbert's squeaky voice, barking instructions, offering advice, or simply reminiscing about other noses he has known. Any teen reader with a taste for the absurd will love the latest adventures of Alan Dingwall and his alter ego, Norbert.Vivian Howard.

Scrimger, RichardNoses are red2002

Voice of Youth Advocates: Thirteen-year-old Alan Dingwall is back along with Norbert, his wise-cracking sidekick from Planet Jupiter who just happens to reside in Alan's nose. In the third Nose adventure from this Canadian author, readers meet many of the same characters they first encountered in The Nose from Jupiter (Tundra, 1998), winner of the Mr. Christie's Book Award and the Kids' Pick of the List from the American Booksellers Association, and A Nose for Adventure (2000/VOYA April 2001). Hapless Alan, his mother, his best friend Victor, and of course, alien Norbert encounter a new problem. Alan's mother has a boyfriend, burly Christopher Leech, and he and Alan just do not get along-at all. She comes up with a brilliant solution: Christopher, an experienced outdoorsman, will take Alan on a camping expedition, where they can bond as they tough it out in the wilderness. Alan is horrified, but his mother is determined that he and Christopher get to know each other, so off they go into the wilds of northern Ontario, taking Alan's friend Victor along for the expedition. In no time at all, Victor and Alan, two of the most inept adventurers ever to paddle a canoe, become separated from Christopher and are soon hopelessly lost in the forest. As with its predecessors, this book is hilarious, with a wonderful blend of slapstick humor and dry wit. It will appeal to anyone who hates summer camp or who enjoys a refreshingly comic look at everyday life.-Vivian Howard.

Scrimger, RichardThe nose from Jupiter1998

Booklist: Gr. 5-8. Alan Dingwall doesn't really mind that Norbert, a tiny alien from Jupiter, has taken up residence inside his nose. In fact, Alan quite likes Norbert. The problem is Norbert speaks his mind, giving everyone the idea that Alan is a master ventriloquist. When Norbert mouths off to school bullies and helps beat them at soccer, Alan sees big trouble on the way. The premise may seem far-fetched, but Scrimger pulls it off. Alan's perspective on life is hilarious (even in the face of his parents' divorce), making this a delightfully funny, fast-paced story that will turn readers into instant fans. Alan's comical insights and outlook on life even help him win the heart of his favorite girl. A surefire hit, especially among reluctant readers, including some who are older than the target audience. --Helen Rosenberg

Scrimger, RichardThe way to Schenectady1998

Booklist: Gr. 4-6. Traveling from Ontario to Massachusetts with her father, her ill-tempered grandmother, and two brothers (one not quite toilet trained), Jane meets up with Marty, a homeless man who needs a ride to his brother's memorial service in Schenectady. Acting on impulse, she hides him in the back of the family van and hopes for the best. Her plans go awry, but all ends happily. Jane's first-person narrative flows along at a brisk pace, punctuated with humor. Although the jokes are sometimes coyly ingenuous or above kids' heads, most often the humor will amuse young readers. An entertaining story with some original characters and a satisfying conclusion. --Carolyn Phelan

Selden, GeorgeGarth Williams (Illustrator)The cricket in Times Square1970

Tucker is a streetwise city mouse. He thought he had seen it all. But he has never met a cricket before, which really is not surprising, because, along with his friend Harry Cat, Tucker lives in the very heart of New York City in the Times Square subway station. Chester Cricket never intended to leave his Connecticut meadow. He would be there still if he had not followed the entrancing aroma of liverwurst right into someones picnic basket. Now, like any tourist in the city, he wants to look around. And he could not have found two better guides and friends

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Sperry, ArmstrongCall it courage2008

Maftu was afraid of the sea. It had taken his mother when he was a baby, and it seemed to him that the sea gods sought vengeance at having been cheated of Mafatu. So, though he was the son of the Great Chief of Hikueru, a race of Polynesians who worshipped courage, and he was named Stout Heart, he feared and avoided tha sea, till everyone branded him a coward. When he could no longer bear their taunts and jibes, he determined to conquer that fear or be conquered-- so he went off in his canoe, alone except for his little dog and pet albatross. A storm gave him his first challenge. Then days on a desert island found him resourceful beyond his own expectation. This is the story of how his courage grew and how he finally returned home. This is a legend. It happened many years ago, but even today the people of Hikueru sing this story and tell it over their evening fires.

Spinelli, JerryEggs

School Library Journal: Gr 4-7-Primrose and David seem to have little in common other than living in the same small town. She is a sarcastic 13-year-old who has moved into a van in her yard to avoid living with her flamboyant psychic mother. He is an angry and sad nine-year-old who recently lost his mother in an accident and lives with his grandmother. After becoming friends, the pair start secretly sneaking out at night to scavenge items to sell at the flea market or to hang out with a reclusive handyman named Refrigerator John. Their evolving love/hate relationship is the focus of Jerry Spinelli's novel (Little, Brow, 2007) as listeners slowly find out about each character's problems. The serious issues are balanced by humorous episodes such as looking for night crawlers and trying to run away to the city. Although they would hardly admit it, Primrose and David begin to look to each other for unconditional support like siblings.

Springer, NancyRowan Hood: Outlaw of Sherwood Forest2002

Voice of Youth Advocates: The stories of Robin Hood and his chivalrous band of outlaws have been told many times. Until now, few have been written about his family life. Springer extends the Robin Hood tale to another generation in this story of Robin's unclaimed thirteen-year-old daughter, who must search for him after the death of her mother. Disguised as a boy for her safety while on her way to find Robin, Rowan comes across many enemies and a few friends and learns about her infamous father and herself. Rowan's story is a fine quick read for someone interested in the Robin Hood legend. Robin is seen only through Rowan's eyes and it is clear that this is her tale, not his. For serious fantasy readers, this technique will only whet their appetite and leave them wanting more. There is a hint at the end of the story that there might be more to come, that there are certainly more tales to tell from the daughter's viewpoint. The characters are interesting and fit well together, calling for more in-depth stories about them. Rowan Hood reads like the first in a series, and teens are sure to hope that it will be just that, leading to many more. Jennifer Rice.

Thiele, ColinStorm boy2006

Storm Boy is one of the classics of Australian writing for children. This edition is illustrated with paintings by artist Robert Ingpen that capture the wave-beaten shore and windswept sandhills of the Coorong in South Australia, home of Storm boy and the pelican Mr Percival. Storm Boy saves the life of Mr Percival, and in return the pelican helps Storm boy¿s father with his fishing and joins in the rescue of a shipwrecked crew. The boy and the pelican prove friends to the end.

Tingle, TimJeanne Rorex Bridges (Illustrator)Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw tale of friendship and freedom2006

School Library Journal: Gr 4 Up-A master storyteller sets down 10 tales told in New Mexico. In the title story, a clever wife diverts some thieves who are after her dim-witted husband, thus assuring the couple's prosperity. In a cumulative tale, a little ant escapes being stuck forever in the cold under a large snowflake by enlisting help from tiny cousin flea. The stories are well told, rhythmic, and spellbinding, both in English and in the colloquial Spanish. Hayes is a fine translator, and these stories are a testament to his expert execution of this exacting art. The format indicates that the book is designed more for the storyteller than for the reader. A paragraph of English text alternates with the same paragraph in Spanish. This makes for choppy reading, but is a natural and helpful division if the tale is being memorized. Each story begins with a full-page pencil drawing. Photographic in detail, Castro L.'s art extends the stories a bit. Notes to the stories give history as well as the Arne-Thompson numbers for the tale type. Similar in content to Carmen Diana Dearden's Little Book of Latin American Folktales (Groundwood, 2003), Hayes's work is the better told of the two. It could be used alongside Mary-Joan Gerson's excellent Fiesta Femenina (Barefoot, 2001) for a storytime that points out similarities and differences in Mexican and New Mexican folktales. An excellent purchase for storytelling librarians or for schools with storytelling clubs.

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Venuti, Kristin ClarkLeaving the Bellweathers2009

Grade Level: 4-6 Age Level: 9-11 Listening Level: Grades 4-6 Meet the Bellweather family: Spider, a 14-year-old boy who surrounds himself and his family with dangerous--very dangerous--endangered animals; Ninda, a 13-year-old self-righteous do-gooder whose good deeds somehow always end in disaster; the 9-year-old triplets Spike, Brick, and Sassy, who speak to one another in Loud and Strong Voices; their hapless parents who only contribute to the chaos; and their wonderful, buttoned-up, and organized butler, Tristan Benway, who tells the tale of his attempted escape from the endangered alligators, scientific experiments run amok, smuggled-in circus performers, and general mayhem of the Bellweather family.

Waugh, SylviaEarthborn2003

School Library Journal: Gr 4-7-When 12-year-old Nesta, who thinks her mother and father come from Boston, finds out that they are really from the planet Ormingat, she is horrified. Even worse, her parents must leave Earth in just a few days, which means that she must go, too, to a planet that she has never seen and into an alien body. If they are not on the spaceship by the deadline, they must stay on Earth forever, so Nesta runs away, gambling that her parents will not depart without her. Set in England, this independent sequel to Space Race (Delacorte, 2000) is science fiction, but it is first and foremost a complex and absorbing look at three people struggling with a difficult and highly secret situation. Nesta is masterfully drawn, full of resolve even when terrified. Her mother and father, who have a dilemma every bit as anguishing as hers, are fascinating people in their own right, as is the girl's friend Amy. Every moment is magical in this enthralling book about the meaning of home.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

Waugh, SylviaSpace race2001

School Library Journal: Gr 4-7-Thomas Derwent and his father have lived in the small English town of Belthorp for the last five years. Now 11, Thomas has a good friend and substitute mother in Stella Dalrymple, the kindly neighbor who helps care for him, and a best friend at school. Then his father announces that it is time to return home-to the planet Ormingat. En route to a spaceship buried in Glasgow, a speeding brewery tanker cuts their journey short. The boy lands in the hospital and his father can't be found. Waugh provides an interesting background for this story, with brief descriptions of the varieties of Ormingat science, the workings of the spaceship, and the aliens' intentions for their continuing study of Earth's inhabitants. However, much of the focus of this novel is on Thomas's relationship with his father and his friends, and how they illuminate basic truths about human interactions. In her books about the "Mennyms" (Greenwillow), a family of sentient and sensitive rag dolls, the author created an absorbing fantasy that explores the many meanings of family, friendship, and even life itself. In the same way, Space Race is a thoughtful examination of friendship, loyalty, and love. Readers will enjoy the exciting plot and fast-moving action, and the sympathetic characters will stay with them long after the book is closed.-Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA

Waugh, SylviaWho goes home?2003

School Library Journal: Gr 5-8-A sequel to Space Race (2000) and Earthborn (2002, both Delacorte), all set in present-day England. On his 13th birthday, Jacob Bradwell discovers that his father is an alien from the planet Ormingat. Though Jacob's mother is an earthling, the boy was entwined as an infant with the Ormingats when his father, Steven, administered a lifesaving Ormingat medication. Jacob has always felt different from others, including his own sisters, and now he knows why. Steven's job is to view his fellow aliens through a monitor and provide fencing, a kind of invisibility, which protects them while they perform their work until their return to Ormingat. Jacob and Steven become involved in cases where earthlings begin to suspect alien presence and one Ormingat child runs away to avoid leaving Earth. As the time draws near for Jacob and his father to return home, neither one wants to leave his Earth family, though the command module demands complete obedience. Hidden spaceships, invasive gadgets, morphing bodies, and all-powerful command modules give the story a classic sci-fi feeling. Both mystery and adventure drive a plot that centers on Jacob coming to terms with his dual identity. This story stands on its own and satisfies the demand for quality science fiction of which there never seems to be enough.-Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OH

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Weston, Robert PaulZorgamazoo2008

Booklist: *Starred Review* Told entirely in rhyming couplets that are nearly impossible not to read aloud, this lively tale follows young Katrina Katrell on a fantastical journey from her home, through secret underground tunnels, into a hidden city, and even to the moon. Along for the adventure is a zorgle named Morty, a timid creature who has been tasked to discover the whereabouts of his missing brethren. The zorgles, along with the rest of earth's most fantastical beasties, have been kidnapped in a diabolical plan that is much too complicated to get into but rather ingeniously involves ridding the world of everything magical and interesting, leaving it ripe for those dullards who have no time for the whimsical things, / for pirates and gadgets and creatures and kings. This scuffle between enchantment and tedium is the very stuff of childhood, where the greatest menace isn't scary creatures and such but listless imaginations and a lack of wonder. In that way, this book is a natural descendant of the works of Dr. Seuss and Roald Dahl while hewing close to the droll atmospherics of Edward Gorey and Lemony Snicket. Ready your most nefarious whisper and spectacular boom, and read these bouncing, fanciful rhymes aloud to those who can't go it alone.--Chipman, Ian

Whelan, GloriaListening for lions2005

Booklist: Gr. 6-9. In 1919, in British East Africa, 13-year-old Rachel loses her missionary parents during an influenza epidemic. When she turns to her English neighbors for help, the Pritchards ensnare her in a shocking, ill-intentioned scheme. Disowned by their rich family, they had planned to send their daughter, Valerie, to her grandfather's estate in England, where they hoped she would help to reinstate them in his will. But after Valerie dies of flu, the Pritchards conspire to send Rachel, whose red hair matches their daughter's. Whelan creates deliciously odious villains in the Pritchard parents, who, with shameless cunning, manipulate Rachel into agreeing to the deceit. Once in England, Rachel and the perilously ill grandfather develop a surprisingly strong, affectionate bond, although she continues the ruse, believing that "one more disappointment would be the end of the old man." In a straightforward, sympathetic voice, Rachel tells an involving, episodic story that follows her across continents and through life stages as she grapples with her dishonesty, grief for her lost parents and life in Africa, and looming questions about how to prepare for grown-up life at a time when few choices were allowed to women. Gentle, nostalgic, and fueled with old-fashioned girl power, this involving orphan story will please fans of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic The Secret Garden 0 (1912) and Eva Ibbotson's The Star of Kazan 0 (2004). --Gillian Engberg

Wiles, DeborahEach little bird that sings2005

Horn Book Magazine: Read by Kim Mai Guest. (Intermediate)Comfort Snowberger is ten years old and already well acquainted with death; her family, after all, owns and runs Snowberger's Funeral Home. Narrator Guest reaches deep into the heart of Dixie and comes up with voices steeped both in the accents and the cadences of Southern speech: from cousin Peach's "tinny, puny, scrawny" whine to the primly brittle syllables of Comfort's ex-best friend, Declaration. Subtly shifting gears, she delineates the adults (especially Comfort's gentle mother) who act as foils for the youthful cast of characters. Best of all, her dramatic range covers the whole spectrum: rib-tickling humor and raw pain; love and loss -- and all that lies between.

Yolen, JaneRaul Colon (Illustrator)Mightier than the sword: world folktales for strong boys2003

Publishers Weekly: In a companion to her Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls, Jane Yolen collects and retells 14 folktales focused on boys in Mightier than the Sword: World Folktales for Strong Boys, illus. by Raul Col"n, from Afghanistan, Ireland, China, Russia and around the world. These heroes win with their wits and hearts, not with weapons. Col"n's b&w pen-and-inks, in his signature crosshatch style, enliven each entry.

Prepared by: Bill Glaister and Beth Cormier December 2012.

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