New Children's Books

Dear Benjamin Banneker - Andrea David Pinkney
Story of the correspondence between Benjamin Banneker, a free black man, who wrote to Thomas Jefferson to tell him how he felt about Jefferson owning slaves.

The Huckabuck Family and How They Raised Popcorn in Nebraska and Quit and Came Back - Carl Sandburg
After the popcorn the Huckabucks had raised explodes in a fire and Pony Pony Huckabuck finds a silver buckle inside a squash, the family decides it is time for a change.

Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen - Howard Binkow
Howard B. Wigglebottom has a great deal of difficulty listening, which gets him into a great deal of trouble.

Footwork: The Story of Fred and Adele Astaire - Roxanne Orgill
Illustrations and easy-to-follow text describe Fred Astaire's humble dancing beginnings and the years he spent dancing with his sister, Adele.

At Night - Jonathan Bean
A sleepless city girl imagines what it would be like to get away from snoring family members and curl up alone with one's thoughts in the cool night air under wide-open skies.

Emma in Charge - David McPhail
Emma pretends that she and her dolls spend a day at school.

New YA Books

The Lion Hunter - Elizabeth E. Wein
Still recovering from his ordeal as a government spy, twelve-year-old Telemakos, the half-Ethiopian grandson of King Artos of Britain, is sent with his sister to live with Abreha, the ruler of Himyar. His Aunt Goewin warns him that Abreha is a dangerous man, but just how dangerous remains to be seen.

No Talking - Andrew Clements
The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest.

Frindle - Andrew Clements
When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.

Aunt Nancy and the Bothersome Visitors - Phyllis Root
Clever Aunt Nancy manages to foil all those who try to get the better of her. Come on in and stay a spell! Aunt Nancy outwits four unwelcome guests in these trickster tales from a masterful storyteller. It would take a real pesky visitor to make himself unwelcome to Aunt Nancy. But just her luck -- not one but four bothersome folks come knocking at her door! From Cousin Lazybones to Old Man Trouble, from doleful Old Woeful to sly, slick Mister Death, Aunt Nancy's visitors nearly try her patience. But Aunt Nancy's head isn't there just to keep her ears from fighting, and see if she doesn't get the best of all her guests!

A Darkling Plain - Philip Reeve
While dealing with people from their past and treachery from unexpected sources, Tom, Hester, and Wren return to save the world.

New Children's Books

Gallop! A Scanimation Picture Book - Rufus Butler Seder
Rhyming text asks if the reader can move like a variety of animals. Striped acetate overlays on board pages give illustrations the illusion of movement.



Apples - Jacqueline Farmer
Describes the cultivation and uses of apples.

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella - Paul Fleischman
The author draws from a variety of folk traditions to put together this version of Cinderella, including elements from Mexico, Iran, Korea, Russia, Appalachia, and more.

At Gleason's Gym - Ted Lewin
Describes the visitors and activities which go on at Gleason's gym in Brooklyn, where famous boxers such as Muhammed Ali trained.

Golden Legacy - Leonard S. Marcus
Presents a history of Golden Books, discussing how it was founded in the midst of World War II, provided quality books at inexpensive prices, and used innovative writers and marketing techniques to establish itself as a highly successful publishing firm.

Ballerina Dreams - Lauren Thompson
True story of five little girls with cerebral palsy or other physical disabilities who were determined to become ballerinas.

New Series Books

From The Missing Link trilogy by Kate Thompson:

Fourth World
Fifteen-year-old Christie and his older stepbrother, Danny, travel to the home and mysterious laboratory of the elder boy's scientist mother, where they learn a shocking truth about the nature of her experiments.

Only Human
A search for the elusive Yeti in the faraway Himalayas leads Christie and his stepbrother Danny to question their own humanity.

Origins
Christy 's souvenir stone from the yeti's cave proves to be fatal for many of the inhabitants of Fourth World leaving among the survivors a pair of genetically-altered twins whose eventual descendants face an uncertain future in a stone age world of nuclear devastation and disease.


From Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief
After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.

The Sea of Monsters
Demi-god Percy Jackson and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first Percy will discover a secret that makes him wonder whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or a cruel joke.

The Titan's Curse
When the goddess Artemis disappears while hunting a rare, ancient monster, a group of her followers joins Percy and his friends in an attempt to find and rescue her before the winter solstice, when her influence is needed to sway the Olympian Council regarding the war with the Titans

New Award Book

The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is given to the outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and published in the United States. The award actually is given to the publisher, rather than the author. One of the honor books this year is:

Nicholas and the Gang - Rene Goscinny
Nicholas is invited to a birthday party by the girl next door, plays a very messy game of chess, and learns that walking on your hands is much harder than turning somersaults.

New Nonfiction Books

Coretta Scott King - Laura Hamilton Waxman
A brief biography of Coretta Scott King, wife of slain civil right's leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.

From Sea to Shining Sea: Americans Move West 1846-1860 - Sheila Nelson
Examines the westward expansion and Manifest Destiny, and discusses the Mexican War, Oregon Trail, Transcontinental Railroad, and conflicts with Native Americans.

Lebanon's Hezbollah - Ann Byers
Recounts the historical origins, philosophy, and most notorious attacks of the Hezbollah terrorist group, including information on their present activities, possible future course of action, and counter-terrorism efforts directed against them.

New Award Book

The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is given to the outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and published in the United States. The award actually is given to the publisher, rather than the author. One of the honor books this year is:

The Cat, or, How I Lost Eternity - Jutta Richter
Eight-year-old Christine is late for school every day because a talking alley cat demands her attention, giving her much to think about as he tries to teach her to be spiteful and pitiless.

New Children's Books

I, Vivaldi - Janice Shefelman
A picture book biography, told as if by Vivaldi himself, shows the famous musician's energetic personality and steadfast dedication to music.

Annie and the Wild Animals - Jan Brett
When Annie's cat disappears, she attempts friendship with a variety of unsuitable woodland animals, but with the emergence of Spring, everything comes right.

Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to find the real John Henry - Scott Reynolds Nelson
Nelson explores old railroad tunners, hunts through handwritten ledgers, and finds a clue hidden in a postcard. On the way he uncovers truths that lead him to the real John Henry and to hear the voices of the 40,000 African Americans who helped rebuild train tracks through the South.

Abracadabra! Magic with Mouse and Mole - Wong Herbert Yee
Mole is mad about magic until he takes his friend Mouse to a show that turns out to be all tricks, but then Mouse conjures up a special night program to show him the enchantment found in nature.

Cottonball Colin - Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
Afraid that her smallest child, Colin, will be hurt if he goes outside or plays, a mother mouse insists that he sit quietly indoors until his grandmother suggests wrapping him in cotton wool, which proves to be effective, but in a most unexpected way.

New YA Books

Angel Isle - Peter Dickinson
While seeking the Ropemaker to restore the ancient magic that will protect their valley, Saranja, Maja, and Ribek must outwit twenty-four of the empire's most powerful and evil magicians.

Among the Free - Margaret Peter Haddix
When thirteen-year-old Luke Garner unwittingly sets off a rebellion which sweeps the country and ousts the Population Police from power, he quickly realizes that the new regime is corrupt and he may hold the only key to true freedom.

Among the Brave - Margaret Peter Haddix
In a society that allows families to have only two children, a group of third-borns tries to save itself and others like them.

Among the Hidden - Margaret Peter Haddix
In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong.

Al Qaeda: Osama bin Laden's Army of Terrorists - Phillip Margulies
Discusses the Islamic organization known as Al-Qaeda, focusing on its presumed role in the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

New Award Books

Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath - Stephanie Hemphill
The author interprets the people, events, influences and art that made up the brief life of author Sylvia Plath. Michael L. Printz Honor book

There Is a Bird on Your Head! - Mo Willems
Gerald the elephant discovers that there is something worse than a bird on your head-- two birds on your head! Piggie will try to help her best friend. Theodor Seuss Geisel Award book

First the Egg - Laura Vaccaro Seeger
A picture book about transformations. Caldecott Honor book

Lightship - Brian Floca
Lightships once served where lighthouses could not be built. They helped to guide sailors safely through the fog. Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Honor book

Jazz Baby - Lisa Wheeler
Baby and his family make some jazzy music. Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book

Hello, Bumblebee Bat - Darrin Lunde
Simple text and illustrations introduce the endangered bumblebee bat of Thailand. Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book

Vulture View - April Pulley Sayre
Turkey vultures soar on the balmy air, looking for their next stinky feast. These birds don't hunt--they like their food to be already dead. Vultures are part of nature's cleanup crew. Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book

Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad - Ellen Levine
A fictionalized account of how in 1849 a Virginia slave, Henry "Box" Brown, escapes to freedom by shipping himself in a wooden crate from Richmond to Philadelphia. Caldecott Honor book

Pura Belpre Award Books

The following new books were recently announced as winners of the Pura Belpre Awards honoring "Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children's books".

Award book for illustration:

Los Gatos Black on Halloween - illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Easy to read, rhyming text about Halloween night incorporates Spanish words, from las brujas riding their broomsticks to los monstruos whose monstrous ball is interrupted by a true horror.




Honor books for illustration:

My Name Is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez - illustrated by Raul Colon
As a boy, Gabito had the ability to imagine many things. He lived in a small house with a large family. He would grow up to become a writer known as Gabriel García Márquez.

My Colors, My World - Maya Christina Gonzales
Maya, who lives in the dusty desert, opens her eyes wide to find the colors in her world, from Papi's black hair and Mami's orange and purple flowers to Maya's red swing set and the fiery pink sunset.




Honor Author Books (we already had the award book, The Poet Slave of Cuba):

Frida: Viva la Vida! - Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Biographical poems about the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Martina, the Beautiful Cockroach - Carmen Agra Deedy
In this humorous retelling of a Cuban folktale, a cockroach interviews her suitors in order to decide whom to marry.

Los Gatos Black on Halloween (see above)

Schneider Family Book Awards

The following books were recently awarded the Schneider Family Book Award, given for books that "embody the artistic expression of the disability experience for child abd adolescent audiences".

Kami and the Yaks - Andrea Stenn
In the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal, a deaf Sherpa boy proves himself to his father by rescuing his family's yaks from a dangerous storm.

Hurt Go Happy - Ginny Rorby
When thirteen-year-old Joey Willis, deaf since the age of six, meets Dr. Charles Mansell and his chimpanzee Sukari, who use sign language, her world blooms with possibilities but that of the chimp begins to narrow.

Reaching for Sun - Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
Josie, who lives with her mother and grandmother and has cerebral palsy, befriends a boy who moves into one of the rich houses behind her old farmhouse.

New Literature Guides

A Guide for Using...in the Classroom

Dear Mr. Henshaw - Beverly Cleary

Bud, Not Buddy - Christopher Paul Curtis

The Tale of Desperaux - Kate DiCamillo

Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo

The Giver - Lois Lowry

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? - Bill Martin, Jr.