“Children's Book Reviews - Publishers Weekly” plus 1 more

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Children's Book Reviews - Publishers Weekly

Posted: 13 Dec 2009 11:06 PM PST

Picture Books

So Many Days Alison McGhee, illus. by Taeeun Yoo. S&S/Atheneum, $15.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4169-5857-4

Yoo and McGhee (who recently collaborated on Only a Witch Can Fly) reunite, as meditative linocuts ground abstract poetry. A repeated refrain ("So many doors in all your days,/ so much to wonder about./ Who will you be and where will you go?/ And how will you know?") addresses readers directly, as McGhee foresees what lies ahead and underlines the gifts and strengths the child already has. "You are a star trailing fire at night./ You are a bird urgent for flight./ You are braver than you know." The words offer encouragement, but from on high: the speaker is an adult, powerful and all-knowing. Yoo counters with images of a girl in a raincoat and boots and her dog, who run, sail, fly, and tumble from one landscape into the next. To accompany the line "You are hope that wants to take wing," the girl blows a handful of leaves into the air, which, as they rise, become a flock of birds and fly away. It's these earnest depictions of small miracles that emphasize the magic and adventure that life offers. All ages. (Jan.)

Who Loves the Little Lamb? Lezlie Evans, illus. by David McPhail. Disney-Hyperion, $15.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4231-1659-2

Evans's (The Bunnies' Trip) rhymed text presents a series of naughty animals whose mothers say they love them despite their faults, from a "fussy lamb" to a "bumbling boar." Although the book may reassure some toddler offenders, the overly sentimental ending is at odds with the modern depiction of a human boy and his mother it accompanies. The boy asks formally, "Tell me, Mama, is it true—/ do you care the whole day through?" The mother's answer recalls a Victorian children's book that is more intent on rhyming than sounding like real dialogue: "Yes, my precious child, it's true—/ no matter what you say or do.... Mama loves her little one." McPhail (No!) portrays each of the disobedient or otherwise unhappy children in a tight oval, focusing attention on their emotional states; a page turn reveals a broader context of home or neighborhood, along with the animals' mothers, who offer comfort or encouragement. The formal tone is occasionally jarred ("Who loves the prickly porcupine? 'Don't worry, hon, you look divine!' "), and the saccharine ending lesson mars an otherwise innocuous text. Ages 2–5. (Jan.)

Smile! Leigh Hodgkinson. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-06-185269-5

À la Clarice Bean, this account of a bad mood is distinguished by the vivid, emphatic voice of Sunny, whose mother says she can't have any more cookies until dinner. "I have lost something very, very important. What I've lost is my smile." Sunny's crayoned face has brown bangs, two little pigtail puffs, and big, quizzical eyes. Her domestic surroundings—aquarium, dachshund, kitchen table with a toy railroad encircling it—appear in quirky, childlike perspective. Is her smile on the floor of her room? "If there is a floor under all this stuff! I don't think I have ever seen it," she admits. Hodgkinson (Boris and the Snoozebox) draws Sunny's floor dissolving into a fuchsia ocean, as jellyfish swim by and playthings become underwater plants. Soon enough Sunny is playing cards with her dog and the spat with Mom is resolved, delivering a low-key message about distraction being the best remedy for the sulks. The text highlights Sunny's engaging chatter with a variety of sizes and fonts. It's a polished performance, and Sunny is a character that children will look forward to seeing again. Ages 2–6. (Jan.)

Bunny Days Tao Nyeu. Dial, $16.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-8037-3330-5

As in Wonder Bear, a large white bear looms large in Nyeu's latest, but this sophomore effort is a world apart. In three short and endearingly silly stories, six adorable bunnies prove to be the very definition of "victims of circumstance," thanks to their industrious but clueless neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Goat. The good news is that the Zen-like Bear puts things right; the comically ambivalent news is that the cure often seems as bad as the disease. Thus, when Mrs. Goat unknowingly extracts the napping bunnies out of their hole with her vacuum cleaner, Bear decides the best way to rid them of grime is to hang them from a flagpole and blast them with "the big fan." Nyeu's winkingly demure writing, fluidly schematic line drawings, and limited palette (each chapter is keyed to a single dominant color) make knowingly naïf foils for the outrageous acts and outlandish solutions that the bunnies endure. Whereas Wonder Bear was sentimental and loosely (at best) plotted, this sardonic, tightly constructed satire offers spot-on fun for the age group, even as it gleefully sends the primly narrated animal story up the river. Ages 3–5. (Jan.)

Shake, Rattle and Turn That Noise Down! How Elvis Shook Up Music, Me and Mom Mark Alan Stamaty. Knopf, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-375-84685-4

In this comic book–style trip down memory lane, circa 1955–1957, Stamaty (Who Needs Donuts?) recalls his conversion to rock 'n' roll. For a while, "my favorite songs were often gentle melodies that put a sweet smile on Mom's face," he recalls. As times change, a panel presents a pantheon of rock and blues musicians from Bill Haley to Bo Diddley. Stamaty pictures integration without naming it, and a delirious spread, crowded with the oversize lyrics to "Hound Dog" ("Youainnuthinbuttahounddogcrockinallatime"), pictures him physically bowled over by Elvis Presley. His distraught mother reluctantly allows him to buy the 45-rpm single for "Love Me Tender," never reckoning on the raucous B-side. When Stamaty gives his classmates pompadours and performs as Elvis for a talent show, today's High School Musical fans may see common ground. Stamaty doesn't say what he sang or explain his title reference, but an amazing afterword (with photos) verifies his childhood hairstyle and impersonation, plus a 1990s reprise for President Clinton. The energetic color comics present Stamaty's nostalgic memories in an engaging, albeit quaint way: grandparents can share this with the MP3 generation. Ages 5–8. (Jan.)

The Little Piano Girl: The Story of Mary Lou Williams, Jazz Legend Ann Ingalls and Maryann Macdonald, illus. by Giselle Potter. Houghton Mifflin, $16 (32p) ISBN 978-0-618-95974-7

In this biography of jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams, sisters Ingalls (a newcomer) and Macdonald (Copycat Costume) record the trials of an African-American child who migrates from Atlanta to Pittsburgh, and the joy music offers her. Life in Pittsburgh is hard: neighbors throw bricks through their windows, and Mary has to borrow her mother's too-small shoes for the first day of school. "Ugly names and cruel words... Mary called them 'bad sounds,' and she taught herself to play them out." Her family and friends recognize and appreciate her gifts, though, and Mary soon witnesses the effects of her music. "When Mary cut loose, people couldn't stay still.... Her blue notes made people want to cry at just how hard life can be. Her crazy chords made people shimmy their shoulders and shake their heads." Potter's (The Boy Who Loved Words) folk art–style gouache paintings provide a vivid portrait of industrial Pittsburgh at the beginning of the 20th century, yet have an iconic quality, too. Ingalls and Macdonald provide a touching memorial to a jazz great who is not a household name—a valuable contribution. Ages 6–9. (Jan.)

Fly Free! Roseanne Thong, illus. by Eujin Kim Neilan. Boyds Mills, $17.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-59078-550-8

"Fly free, fly free, in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you!" sing the Vietnamese characters in Thong's (Wish) story, as each does something to help the next. Mai wants to release a cageful of birds at the birdseller's—a traditional Buddhist good deed—but she doesn't have the money. She leaves water for the oxcart driver, who gives a stranger a ride, who repays the driver with a cake, and so on, until Mai's birds are freed by another good deed. Neilan (Imagine a Dragon) applies luminous colors to wood with a heavy horizontal grain, creating cloud-streaked skies, rice fields, and mist-shrouded lakes. The tranquil landscapes give appropriate calm to a story about karma, the idea that good deeds accumulate and affect one's rebirth in the next life. Neilan's characters look best in profile; in head-on views, their features sometimes appear squashed or lopsided. Still, it's a useful introduction to Southeast Asia, an explanation of the Buddhist concept of karma (an explanatory note appears in back), and a neat moral tale about paying it forward. Ages 7–9. (Jan.)

The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) Barbara Kerley, illus. by Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic Press, $17.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-545-12508-6

Kerley and Fotheringham (What to Do About Alice?) pair up again to offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse of another famous family. Wanting to present a portrait of her papa beyond that of just humorist and author, Mark Twain's 13-year-old daughter Susy spent a year chronicling her observations and reflections. While her entire work was published in 1985 (Papa: An Intimate Biography of Mark Twain), Kerley contextualizes the teenager's admiring musings with vivid familial backdrops. So when Kerley notes that Twain's wife often would "clean up any questionable passages" in his writing, Susy's biography states that this meant "some delightfully dreadful part must be scratched out." Minibooklets titled "Journal" appear in the fold of many spreads, containing excerpts from Susy's notebook (some may find the flowery typeface of the inserts hard to read). Adding dynamic flair to the limited palettes of each digitally created scene are curlicues representing words, which emanate wildly from pen tips, pages, and mouths. Author notes about Susy and her father, a time line of Twain's life, and tips for writing an "extraordinary biography" complete this accessible and inventive vision of an American legend. Ages 7–11. (Jan.)

Fiction

Cosmic Frank Cottrell Boyce. HarperCollins/Walden Pond, $16.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-06-183683-1

The hero of Boyce's enchanting third novel has grown a bit over the summer. "Seven inches is not a spurt," his father says. "Seven inches is a mutation." Having facial hair and the height of an adult is a nuisance for 12-year-old Liam, until he realizes he can pass for a grownup. The charade escalates into danger when Liam passes himself off as his own father and wins a trip to a new theme park in China with his friend Florida, where they will be the first to experience an out-of-this-world new thrill ride. "The Rocket" turns out to be a real rocket, and the novel opens with Liam and four other kids literally lost in space. What follows is a hilarious and heartfelt examination of "dadliness" in all its forms, including idiotic competitiveness and sports chatter, but also genuine care and concern. Luckily for the errant space cadets, Liam possesses skills honed playing World of Warcraft online—yes, here is a novel, finally, that confirms that playing computer games can be good for you. A can't-miss offering from an author whose latest novel may be his best yet. Ages 8–12. (Jan.)

Eighth-Grade Superzero Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich. Scholastic/Levine, $16.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-545-09676-8

Rhuday-Perkovich delivers a masterful debut, telling a layered middle-school tale filled with characters who are delightfully flawed and, more importantly, striving to overcome those flaws. Reggie McKnight has been saddled with the nickname "Pukey" thanks to a disastrous incident on the first day of school. Attempting to get through the rest of the year unnoticed, he spends his time with his best friends, political activist Ruthie (who shares Reggie's Jamaican background) and aspiring rapper Joe C. While working on a project at a homeless shelter with his church's youth group, he becomes increasingly interested and involved in the community, leading to his participation in his school's presidential race, first as an adviser to a classmate, eventually as a candidate. Rhuday-Perkovich doesn't take shortcuts, forcing Reggie to deal with a world in which he doesn't always get the answers or successes he wants, and the book shines as a result. Messages of social justice—whether through church projects, parental discussions, or recognition of racial biases among his friends—complement the story and characters, rather than upstage them. Ages 10–14. (Jan.)

A Million Shades of Gray Cynthia Kadohata. S&S/Atheneum, $16.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-4169-1883-7

Newbery Medalist Kadohata (Kira-Kira) shows that truth has as many shades of gray as an elephant in this emotionally taut survival story, set in war-torn South Vietnam. After American troops leave his village, Y'Tin, his family, and his neighbors are left to fend off their enemies themselves. But Y'Tin's mind isn't on war. It's on his pet elephant, Lady, and his dreams of opening an elephant-training school. His hopes vanish when North Vietnamese soldiers devastate his small village (Y'Tin helps dig a mass grave at one point). Y'Tin manages to escape into the jungle with a friend, where he reunites with Lady, but separated from family and friends, his thoughts grow dark. As the days go by, he becomes angrier and less trusting, wondering "if he would ever feel safe again or if safety was gone from his life forever." Illustrating the wisdom of Y'Tin's father's words—"The jungle changes a man"—Kadohata delves deep into the soul of her protagonist while making a faraway place and the stark consequences of war seem very near. Y'Tin's inner conflicts and changing perception of the world will haunt readers. Ages 10–up. (Jan.)

The Vinyl Princess Yvonne Prinz. HarperTeen, $16.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-06-171583-9

Prinz (the Clare series) is the cofounder of the independent music store chain Amoeba Music, and her latest novel has all the props of the trade. School's out and 16-year-old Allie, aka the Vinyl Princess, is working at Bob & Bob's Records in Berkeley, Calif., for the summer—a quintessentially dingy haven for music geeks, anti-downloaders, and street freaks. Over the span of three months, she attracts the attention of a roguish mystery boy she calls "M," witnesses a robbery, shepherds her divorced mom through the perils of online dating, finds her soul mate, and starts a vinyl listeners–only blog/fanzine ("Corporate rock still sucks; downloading is harmful to music and other living organisms. Music is love"). While Allie's personal dramas are entertaining, what makes the book stand out is her encyclopedic, cross-genre knowledge of bands, songs, and albums, beyond the usual suspects. References to the old-fashioned but still cherished mix-giving ritual will be appreciated by music connoisseurs and novices alike. Allie's song lists are an education in themselves—they're worth a listen and this is worth a read. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

The Secret Year Jennifer R. Hubbard. Viking, $16.99 (208p) ISBN 978-0-670-01153-7

Julia is from the rich crowd on Black Mountain while Colt lives "in a house with [his] father's junked cars all over the yard." For a year they meet secretly for sex and intense conversation by the river between them, until Julia is killed in a car crash. Colt navigates his grief privately until Julia's brother, Michael, gives him Julia's journal. Debut author Hubbard effectively intermingles Colt's memories, Julia's secret letters to Colt, and the present, as Colt falls into a relationship with a friend, deals with the aftermath of his brother's coming out, and falls in love again. The journal, as well as hints of the fight Colt and Julia had their last night together, create hooks that draw in the reader, but it's the smooth pacing and well-drawn characters that elevate the book. The community's class animosity is realistic and stark but, as in life, is never fully resolved. When Michael gives Julia's poems about Colt to the student literary journal, Colt and Julia's secret is finally revealed. It's a moving portrait of grief and the sharp societal lines that divide. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

Some Girls Are Courtney Summers. St. Martin's Griffin, $9.99 paper (256p) ISBN 978-0-312-57380-5

Backstabbing, rumor mills, and freeze-outs by the in crowd are familiar territory, but Summers (Cracked Up to Be) takes these traumatic experiences to a new level of nasty. Regina Afton, once a member of the elite Fearsome Fivesome, is dumped after word gets out that she slept with her queen bee best friend's boyfriend at a party. What no one knows—or doesn't believe—is that it wasn't consensual: Regina was nearly raped. In a series of pranks that go beyond the usual cold stares (the word "whore" painted on her locker, books thrown in the pool, a vicious "IH8RA" Web page, a four-on-one beating), her ex-friends exact a revenge meant to inflict permanent damage. Regina's only salvation is her nascent friendship with a loner she bullied back in her heyday, but even his forgiveness is hard won. Parents and teachers are suspiciously absent (and oblivious to Regina's suffering), but it's Regina's lack of recourse that makes this very real story all the more frightening and effective. Regina's every emotion is palpable, and it's impossible not to feel every punch—physical or emotional—she takes. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

Dragons of Darkness Antonia Michaelis, trans. from the German by Anthea Bell. Abrams/Amulet, $18.95 (568p) ISBN 978-0-8109-4074-1

Michaelis (Tiger Moon) recasts modern-day Nepal as a dragon-infested fantasy kingdom, divided between a cruel and cynical military and idealistic but equally cruel Maoist guerrillas. Nepal's king is too wrapped up in his own problems to provide the necessary leadership, and neither of the armed factions is able to do anything about the plague of dragons drinking the color from the countryside and turning its peasants into bronze statues. Nepal's salvation falls to three 14-year-olds: Christopher, a German teenager transported through mysterious means to Nepal; Jumar, Nepal's (literally) invisible crown prince; and brave Niya, who is in the service of the Maoists. The trio strives to unravel the occult mysteries behind Jumar's curse, find Christopher's missing brother, and rescue the country from the dragons and a bloody civil war. Although the fast-paced and well-constructed story is marred somewhat by mustache-twirling villains and the author's decision to imbue real-world conflicts with a layer of fantasy, Michaelis's characters are engaging (despite Jumar's truly remarkable ability to walk into traps) and the romance between Niya and Christopher is touching and bittersweet. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

Magic Under Glass Jaclyn Dolamore. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-59990-430-6

Back home, 17-year-old Nimira was the daughter of an honored artist, but in Lorinar she's just an exotic singer in a music hall, hating the smoky, cutthroat city. When the sorcerer Hollin Parry offers her a luxurious life in return for singing with his piano-playing automaton, she accepts immediately. Hollin's country estate is splendid but unwelcoming, and Hollin, though attractive, is a man with secrets. Having heard rumors, Nimira is not entirely surprised when the automaton begins to stare at her and make noises that have nothing to do with the piano. She learns that the automaton is actually Erris, a lost fairy prince, and Nimira faces both personal and political challenges as she attempts to release Erris from his clockwork enchantment. Debut author Dolamore draws heavily on Jane Eyre and its themes of sexual and class prejudice for her plot, reshaping the source material with skill. Nimira is not as high-minded as Jane, and her apotheosis is not as sweet, but hints of a sequel indicate that readers may learn more about Nimira in the future. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

Flightsend Linda Newbery. Random/Fickling, $15.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-385-75203-9

Set in an English village, this novel has the feel of an earlier time (it was first published in the U.K. in 1999). Charlie has just moved with her mother, Kathy, to a neglected 150-year-old country cottage, Flightsend, where they hope for a new start after Kathy's miscarriage. Descriptive passages of riotous plant life permeate many scenes ("and now here were the aconites, floating like golden lilies on the dark soil"). Kathy's newfound optimism, apparently partly fueled by medication, is juxtaposed with Charlie's anxieties about her social life, though, for 16, she is remarkably supportive and nurturing, so little tension is created. Instead, Newbery's (At the Firefly Gate) story wanders through a series of benign events, such as the arrival of a handsome German pilot who gives meaning to the name of the cottage and eventually becomes Kathy's beau. Charlie finds herself drawn to and attracting attention from her lecherous art teacher, and she longs for another man as well—her mother's ex-boyfriend. Yet these potentially dangerous entanglements are, like the vegetation, eventually tamed. The result is a pleasing, quiet coming-of-age story. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

Freefall Ariela Anhalt. Harcourt, $17 (256p) ISBN 978-0-15-206567-6

Anhalt's debut is a plainly written, thoroughly suspenseful tragedy set at the elite Briar Academy in California. Seniors Luke and Hayden are best friends, roommates, opposites (Luke is insecure, Hayden self-assured), and members of the varsity fencing team ("If you got caught doing something you shouldn't be doing, Luke figured, Hayden was the guy you wanted with you"). When self-important Russell joins the school, shows up the fencing team, and (eventually) steals Hayden's girlfriend, Hayden's anger takes over and his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Russell's initiation for the fencing team—jumping off a cliff into Briar Lake—ends in his death on the rocks below, and Hayden winds up on trial for premeditated murder. Luke is the only eyewitness and, struggling under pressure from Hayden, his friends, lawyers, the police, and the aftereffects of a past trauma in his own life, he attempts to answer one impossible question: was it a murder or an accident? The plot is straightforward, but the high stakes, complex character development, and realistic dialogue and interactions will keep readers riveted—and likely have them imagining themselves in Luke's position. Ages 14–up. (Jan.)

All Unquiet Things Anna Jarzab. Delacorte, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-385-73835-4

Jarzab's strong debut tracks teenage Neily and Audrey's investigation of the murder of 16-year-old Carly—Audrey's cousin and Neily's ex—in an affluent San Francisco suburb one year after Audrey's father is convicted of the crime. Neily is a bright, cynical senior at Brighton Day School; bitter after being dumped by Carly, he didn't return her calls on the night of her death and still blames himself. Audrey, who has returned to Brighton after "a self-imposed exile," badgers Neily into helping clear her father's name ("I can tell that behind that weak Holden Caulfield affectation is a spongy, leaking heart desperate for some sort of closure"). The story shifts between Neily and Audrey's points of view, but only a few times, letting readers sink into each character's mindset—painful, unhealed wounds are evident underneath both Neily's clinical, sarcastic exterior and Audrey's more open, confident manner. It's a slow-building, slow-burning mystery—Jarzab is as interested in probing Neily and Audrey's emotional states and the ramifications of Carly's murder as she is in solving it—but the author's confident, literary prose makes for a tense and immersive thriller. Ages 14–up. (Jan.)

The Mission Jason Myers. Simon Pulse, $9.99 paper (384p) ISBN 978-1-4169-8455-9

Fifteen-year-old Kaden's beloved older brother is killed in Iraq; his dying wish is for Kaden to see Chuck Palahniuk read in San Francisco. Kaden travels there from Iowa to stay with his wild 30-something cousin James. Immediately, Kaden is willingly drawn into a world of apathy, drugs, and outrageousness ("I'm already in complete awe of the city. All this beauty in one single dump pad. All this coolness. This radical debauchery.... Getting wasted all day. Listening to records in rooms with beautiful girls"). James spends most of his time neglecting Kaden, cheating on his gorgeous girlfriend, Caralie (whom Kaden falls for), and getting wasted himself, resulting in Kaden's navigating the city and its inhabitants alone. But when family truths surface, Kaden is forced into adulthood (getting beat up, trying coke, and repeatedly cheating on his girlfriend back in Iowa contribute, too). As explicit and visceral as Myers's Exit Here, if not as hopeless, this intense coming-of-age novel illuminates some of the pain surrounding death and loss of innocence, but personal revelations mostly fade amid the story's grittier details. Ages 14–up. (Jan.)

Flights of Fantasy

Here are some high-style guidebooks to vampires, dragons, and more.

Lost Worlds John Howe. Kingfisher, $16.99 (96p) ISBN 978-0-7534-6107-5

Comprehensive context complements effulgent illustrations in this survey of 24 legendary worlds. Some, like Thebes and Pompeii, existed, while others, such as Shambhala or Asgard, are speculative. Historical details ("In 539 B.C., the Persian king Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon") and occasional photographs of ruins and ancient art objects help place the locales in history or in the imagination. Howe, who was a conceptual artist for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies, often strikes a pensive tone: "Atlantis is beyond our reach, beyond our most wishful thinking... under the restless waves of myth and legend." Reflective readers and those with an interest in ancient civilizations will appreciate this exciting and carefully crafted book. Ages 9–12. (Nov.)

Eragon's Guide to Alagaësia Christopher Paolini, illus. by Fred Gambino, Larry McDougal, et al. Knopf, $24.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-375-85823-9

This eye-catching interactive companion book to Paolini's Inheritance Cycle is designed to provide newly elected Dragon Riders with background about the world of Alagaësia. A map and drawings of the natural terrain provide mise en scène, while flaps reveal mininarratives, and envelopes contain personal notes written by Eragon Shadeslayer. A time line of formative events, like the beginning of the Dragon War, and a taxonomy of Alagaësia inhabitants—humans, elves, dragons, and numerous species of animals—will intrigue enthusiasts. Ages 9–up. (Nov.)

Versus: Warriors Catherine Brereton, Philip Steele, and Hannah Wilson, illus. by Steve Stone. Kingfisher, $19.99 (64p) ISBN 978-0-7534-1916-8

Who would win in a fight, a knight or a Zulu warrior? This action-filled book—a sort of historical version of Mortal Kombat—aims to find out. Ten warriors, including a Spartan, a male and a female gladiator, and a samurai, are pitted against each other in one-on-one battles. Gatefolds open, revealing digital images of each of the contests. Readers can take part by "choosing" the warriors' moves and weapons, and can consult sidebars, which advise about food and fighting tactics; additional historical background on the combatants follows, after one is declared the winner. The flashy cyber-inspired graphics and fun premise will likely charge readers' imaginations. Ages 10–up. (Nov.)

How to Be a Vampire: A Fangs-on Guide for the Newly Undead Amy Gray. Candlewick, $14.99 (144p) ISBN 978-0-7636-4915-9

This lighthearted but informative handbook for the fledgling bloodsucker explores the romance and the pitfalls of vampiredom. Glossy digital images of teens in gothic attire are featured throughout three sections: "Leaving the Mortal Realm," "Living the Undead Lifestyle," and "The Armchair Vampire." There's abundant humor (paleness is one warning sign that you could be dating a vampire—"What's he afraid of? Premature aging or premature bursting into flames?"), pop culture references from Buffy to Bella, quizzes, as well as roundups of vampire types and vampiric reading, viewing, and listening. Ages 12–up. (Nov.)

Beyond the Books

For reference or casual enjoyment, these volumes offer extensive looks at children's books and theircreators.

Virginia Hamilton: Speeches, Essays, and Conversations Edited by Arnold Adoff and Kacy Cook. Scholastic/Blue Sky, $29.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-439-27193-6

This chronological collection of materials written by and about the acclaimed children's book author forms an engaging portrait of an important figure. Her essays, speeches, and dialogues address such issues as racial identity in America, the role of a writer, and the influence of children's literature ("I want to change the perception about young people," she said in a 1993 lecture, "that generally they are not capable of enjoying complex stories"). Fans and scholars alike will value her intimate discussion of her craft in such beloved works as The Planet of Junior Brown and M.C. Higgins, the Great. Ages 10–up. (Feb.)

Imagination and Innovation: The Story of Weston Woods John Cech. Scholastic Press, $50 (176p) ISBN 978-0-545-08922-7

This expansive book gives laurels to the children's film studio (now owned by Scholastic) that has adapted works by Tomi Ungerer, Simms Taback, and Mo Willems, among many other writers/artists. Cech's text documents Morton Schindel's development of the studio, beginning with its establishment in the 1950s with such early films as Make Way for Ducklings and Stone Soup. Classic picture book images, photographs of work on early productions, and stills are featured throughout. Goodies like early storyboards for the first film version of Where the Wild Things Are will fascinate those intrigued by the page-to-screen process, while reflections on Schindel and his collaborators offer a unique glimpse at a bygone era in children's literature and film. Ages 12–up. (Dec.)

1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up Edited by Julia Eccleshare. Rizzoli/Universe, $36.95 (960p) ISBN 978-0-7893-1876-3

This British import, a survey of influential children's books (part of the 1001 series and edited by the Guardian's children's books editor), offers a comprehensive and diverse compendium of more than a century's worth of essential reads. The compact and encyclopedia-thick format is divided into five age ranges. A review of each book is accompanied by original publication information (readers will have to research current availability, especially as some titles differ in the U.S. market) and themes, with cover and interior art interspersed throughout. Favorites like Bridge to Terabithia will satisfy traditionalists, while crossover books like Italo Calvino's The Baron in the Trees and international selections (for example, Swedish author Pernilla Stalfelt's The Death Book) will broaden the canon. An asset for all those who've caught—or never lost—the bug. (Nov.)

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book: Life Lessons from Notable People from All Walks of Life Edited by Anita Silvey. Roaring Brook, $29.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-59643-395-3

Over 100 noteworthy figures, from Ursula K. Le Guin to Jay Leno, convey lessons learned from specific children's books in this affirming collaboration, which is divided into six thematic sections and features full-color images. For each selection, a contributor provides a brief essay about how the book influenced him or her, accompanied by an excerpt. The divergent articulations on the impact of such stories as The Secret Garden ("What was the gift of this magical book?" muses Katherine Paterson. "Then I realize that it was wonder") and Little House in the Big Woods ("[T]he romance of the family's wanderlust and their almost unflagging good spirits... shone from the pages," writes Emily Bazelon of Slate.com) create a moving patchwork message about the transformative powers of reading. (Oct.)

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

Book Reviews - Deccan Herald

Posted: 13 Dec 2009 08:36 PM PST