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Children's Book Reviews - Publishers Weekly

Posted: 22 Feb 2010 03:27 AM PST

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-- Publishers Weekly, 2/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

Picture Books

The Cutest Critter Marion Dane Bauer, photos by Stan Tekiela. Adventure (www.adventurepublications.net), $14.95 (44p) ISBN 978-1-59193-253-6

The creators of Some Babies Are Wild set out to answer the question, "Who's the cutest critter in the land?" Crisp, endearing photos of baby animals, most at close range, prove that there is keen competition for that title. A fawn stands on wobbly legs, a pair of raccoons tussle in a garbage can, two lynx kittens curl up together, and a wolf pup stands on its hind legs, seeming to plant a kiss on its parent's face. Bauer's simple, rhymed text ratchets up the cuteness; unfortunately, the lightening of the woodland backgrounds behind the text (presumably for enhanced legibility) is distracting, and the clumsy digital addition of certain plants and animals detracts from an otherwise appealing offering. The story concludes with a photo of a human mother and child, face-to-face: "of all the young critters I ever knew/ not a single one is cuter than you!" A roundup of the 11 species spotlighted includes informational tidbits about each. The reader-directed text is a natural for reading aloud, but it is Tekiela's photos that will be most enticing at story time. Up to age 6. (Mar.)

Topsy-Turvy Town Luc Melanson. Tundra, $17.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-88776-920-7

Some children have imaginary friends; Melanson's (My Great Big Mamma) hero takes readers through an imaginary town where it rains broccoli (which "bounces off umbrellas and makes an awful crunch"), juggling wildcats is an accepted bedtime ritual (" 'Don't drop him!' cry the others. I never do"), and dogs play the tuba instead of barking when they want to go to the park. There are a number of striking pictures in these pages—in one spread, a building with toy soldier–like legs and two clown faces marches along while the boy walks with his aunt, and a scene in which the narrator bathes with an enthusiastic and elaborately appendaged robot is particularly wonderful. But readers may feel kept at arms' length by the highly stylized, almost mechanized aesthetic; the book is like an esoteric toy that's too intimidating to play with. Melanson may also be ill-served by his unnamed translator (the original French version was published in 2004). There's not a lot of text, but what's here has little sense of a child's imaginative mischievousness or pride of authorship. Ages 2–5. (Mar.)

Jump! Scott M. Fischer. S&S, $14.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4169-7884-8

Comic strip animals with googly eyes populate Fischer's (Twinkle) verse sequence, which has the kinetic energy of a jump-rope rhyme. "Well, I'm a bug. I'm a bug./ I'm a snug little bug,/ and I'm sleeping on a jug./ Until I see a frog, and I... [page turn for suspense] JUMP!" The frog's tongue lashes across the spread, while the purple and red ladybug makes a run for it. Next it's the frog's turn; its slumber is startled by a Disneyesque Persian cat, who is in turn disturbed by a hound dog, and so on. Fischer's action sequences recall the Sunday funnies, and the unvarnished paper accentuates the feeling. With each iteration, his watercolors feel brasher and more playful (a shark looks like he's more interested in wrassling with a croc than devouring it). By the time Fischer gets to a whale, the double-page spread flips from landscape to portrait as the animals are blasted into the air with a "sploosh!" from the whale's blowhole. Read-aloud takes no more than a couple of minutes, but it's a rousing couple of minutes. Ages 2–6. (Mar.)

Roly Poly Pangolin Anna Dewdney. Viking, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-670-01160-5

As in her Llama Llama books, Dewdney again taps into common toddler insecurities. This story stars Roly Poly, a young pangolin (a scaly, endangered mammal) who is very timid when it comes to the outside world ("Roly Poly, very small,/ doesn't like new things at all"). After running away from a furry animal who wants to play, he is frightened by a "teeny tiny" voice calling to him, and accidentally discovers pangolins' trademark defense mechanism. He trips and rolls himself into a ball for protection as he careens down a hill ("The world's outside/ but he's within—/ Roly Poly Pangolin"). Peeking out, however, he spies another small pangolin, and suddenly he's "not so frightened, after all," as he frolics with his new friend and the friendly monkeylike creature who appeared earlier. Dewdney's artwork, rendered on rough-textured canvas, feels less polished than her earlier books, but it readily transmits her protagonist's emotions. The story retains Dewdney's familiar rhyming couplets, and while this hero—perhaps by nature of his timidity—lacks some of Llama Llama's zip, his nervousness will be widely recognizable to readers. Ages 2–up. (Mar.)

Born Yesterday: The Diary of a Young Journalist James Solheim, illus. by Simon James. Philomel, $15.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-399-25155-9

As fake memoirs go, this one is a hoot, with Solheim (It's Disgusting—and We Ate It!) and James (Baby Brains) adopting the voice of a precocious infant diarist observing his newly discovered world. The narrator is a kinder, gentler version of The Family Guy's Stewie Griffin: "If I'd known I was going to be born in public, I'd at least have put on a tank top," he writes. Eight months later, he confidently notes, "Finally—I have it figured out. Some things are noses, some are taxicabs, and some are Belgians." But most important (both for the story and for the battered egos of readers with new brothers or sisters) the narrator has figured out who's the big Kahuna in the house—and it's not Mom or Dad. Describing his kindergarten-age sister as "some kind of monkey-bar superstar or something," he also scribbles: "Note to myself: Imitate that girl. Just imitate her." James's reportorial watercolor-and-ink cartoons make terrific visual punctuation; he never overplays the jokes, and he may well convince readers that there actually are deep, incisive thoughts lurking behind their new sibling's pudgy, pacifier-sucking face. Ages 3–5. (Mar.)

The Mud Fairy Amy Young. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-59990-104-6

Tomboys can take heart: they have a fairy counterpart in Young's (the Belinda the Ballerina books) feisty heroine. Emmalina has a dilemma: she should be winning her wings, but she just doesn't do dainty. She'd much rather play leapfrog—with real frogs in a real bog—than flit among the flowers, make rainbows, and be like all the other fairies who "sit up straight, sip dewdrops, and nibble pollen pie—no slurping, no gulping, no burping." But even though Emmalina's early attempts at getting her wings prove disastrous (manhandling a spiderweb instead of delicately stringing it with dew, for instance), by doing what comes naturally—being a true friend to her amphibious pals—she earns them on her own terms. Although children have a high Irreverence Quotient these days, Young prefers not to take advantage of it. By keeping her comedy gentle, audiences get to have their fantasies both ways: they can appreciate the gossamer prettiness of the fairy landscape and the ballerina bearings of its inhabitants, and still enjoy the scrappy voice and pastimes of a bona fide rebel. Ages 3–6. (Mar.)

Hugo and the Really, Really, Really Long String Bob Boyle. Random, $15.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-375-83423-3

Boyle—creator of the animated TV show Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!—sets his first book for children in a landscape that looks like an old eight-bit video game; everything is rendered in flat, squarish shapes with rough edges. The story feels pretty old school, too: Hugo, a purple hippopotamus in a neat tie, roams through town following a red string. He collects friends as he goes, singing in lumpy verse, "There must be something special at the end!/ I'll share it with you, my newfound friend." The red string, a clever device, leads the group through diverting city spaces—classrooms, railway tunnels, a noodle shop—until the group arrives at Hugo's house to discover it leads to a pair of Hugo's underwear that has been unraveled by his dog. Hugo's humiliation is short-lived, as "everyone began to sing—'We were eight strangers who followed the string! It really was a wonderful thing!' " Boyle's pacing is able, and he scatters his artwork with amusing details; despite the somewhat sterile feel of the story, readers should appreciate its cheer—and the gag ending. Ages 3–6. (Mar.)

Flying Lessons Gilbert Ford. Disney-Hyperion, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4231-1997-5

In this misfire, five doves learn "a new way to fly" from a friendly passenger jet. At first the doves look askance at the noisy, "strange bird.... covered in hard metal," behaving as they do. Not content with mere flying, the plane tries to perch on a power line, use a birdbath, and hatch eggs, with predictably absurd results. The offended doves send the teary-eyed airliner away, but when an early winter strikes, they change their tune and climb aboard the jet for their southerly migration. Ford (The Name of This Book Is Secret) employs the hues and kitschy design of 1950s children's books and animation, completing the retro look with postatomic snowflake sparkles and wavering outlines that resemble stitchery. While some readers may enjoy watching the plane contort itself while trying to mimic the doves, the visual jokes fall flat, and the message about keeping an open mind is heavy-handed. After being sent away, the meek jet returns, no questions asked, as a generous savior, and the doves' acceptance feels motivated by self-preservation rather than a real change of heart. Ages 3–7. (Mar.)

Crash Bang Donkey! Jill Newton. Albert Whitman, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8075-1330-9

Children who are always being told to quiet down will appreciate the story of a noisy donkey whose racket turns out to have real value. Farmer Gruff spends his days defending his crop from marauding crows, and he's short of sleep. When Crash Bang Donkey shows up with his musical instruments—"PLINK PLONK PLONK PLINK! 'Come on, Pigster, feel the groove!' " he brays—the farm animals try in vain to keep him from waking the farmer. But after sending the donkey away, Farmer Gruff changes his mind when he discovers that Crash Bang Donkey's music making is good for keeping the crows away. Newton's (Larry and Rita) fluffy, pastel animals and landscapes work well with the pastoral setting, though they don't exactly play up Crash Bang Donkey's raucous obliviousness as he bangs on his drums and blares his trumpet with groovester abandon. The best spreads are the closeups that pit the donkey against a single adversary: a shocked chicken or an irritated Farmer Gruff. The ample onomatopoetic words encourage reading aloud at the maximum decibel level permitted. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Oprah: The Little Speaker Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. by London Ladd. Marshall Cavendish, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7614-5632-2

Written in punchy, fragmentary sentences, Weatherford's (Racing Against the Odds) profile of Oprah Winfrey's preschool years underscores the values and ambition that fueled her success. Living with her grandparents in a rundown Mississippi house without indoor plumbing, Oprah performs her chores shoeless, "Her only shoes, for Sundays. Weekdays, barefoot." Tutored by her grandmother, depicted as both disciplinarian and softhearted matriarch, Oprah was reading at age three and soon began reciting biblical passages in churches. Frequent references to God's presence in her life are used to almost beatific effect ("God guiding her every step"). The inspirational message comes through clearly, and Weatherford shows both the good and the bad sides of Oprah's upbringing, though the story closes on an oddly smug note, as Oprah's grandmother calls her over as she washes laundry. " 'Come watch, child; you'll need to know how to do this someday.' And Oprah said to herself, 'No I won't.' " The girl's drive and her grandmother's strength emanate from Ladd's (March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World) bold acrylic paintings, which feature closeup, lifelike portraits. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

The Incredible Voyage of Ulysses Bimba Landmann. Getty Publications (Oxford Univ., dist.), $19.95 (60p) ISBN 978-1-60606-012-4

With narrative restraint and illustrative power, Landmann's (I Am Marc Chagall) retelling of Homer's Odyssey follows Ulysses as he battles frightening creatures and endures the treachery of the gods while sailing home to Ithaca, where his wife, Penelope, fends off suitors. Even when the nymph Calypso offers Ulysses the chance to live forever—"Penelope will soon be old/ And you, at her side, just a weak man"—he refuses to abandon his journey. "Immortality. To live forever./ Life is dear to man because death exists./ No." Landmann's large-format spreads are divided into multiple panels, condensing the events of the sprawling epic into successive stage sets of action, the reader's eye guided across the pages by tiny arrows. At moments of heightened tension—the loosing of the winds of Aeolus, the bloody defeat of the suitors—the action breaks out to fill a double-page spread. The paintings, worked with swift, bold strokes, combine the solemn stiffness of Greek statuary with the prophetic sweep of William Blake's imaginings. It's a book that should be in every young adventurer's library. Ages 9–12. (Mar.)

Fiction

The Pickle King Rebecca Promitzer. Scholastic/Chicken House, $17.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-545-17087-1

Promitzer's debut doesn't quite live up to its lofty aspirations, but has plenty of hooks to grab readers. Eleven-year-old Bea, whose father is dead and whose mother is in an asylum, lives in the town of Elbow, where it rains "from May through September," and the few kids not lucky enough to escape during the summer are forced by the school to hang out together. When Bea's friend Sam shows her a house with a dead body in it, it leads to a chain of events revolving around ghosts, underground trash-dwellers, a bag of stolen intestines, and a conspiracy involving local businesses. Bea, Sam and his dog, and three other kids deal with their share of scares, while (naturally) forming friendships that could transcend their different social statuses. Promitzer never quite manages to meld the wackiness of the town, the horror of the ghost and killings, and the realistic effects the assorted parental deaths and broken homes have on the children. Still, there are enough adventure elements—especially for readers with an appetite for grisly details—to make for an entertaining read. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)

The Fizzywhiz Kid Maiya Williams. Abrams/Amulet, $16.95 (288p) ISBN 978-0-8109-8347-2

This effervescent comedy offers a behind-the-scenes peek at the entertainment industry through the eyes of a likable outsider, 12-year-old Mitch Mathis. Accustomed to being the new kid, Mitch violates his own cardinal rule—"DON'T STAND OUT"—when he moves to Hollywood with his parents, attends a cattle-call audition for a soda commercial, and catapults to stardom with the signature line, "You like bubbles?" Mitch, who never watches TV, hasn't seen Star Wars, and can "juggle, ride a unicycle, play piano and guitar, and [knows] sign language," gleans industry knowledge from new, larger-than-life friends who boast actor, agent, and screenwriter parents. Mitch's recurring lists keep the pace quick and offer insight into his character ("No cockroach costumes" is at the top of his list of "Rules for Parent Presentations," after his entomologist father makes a cringe-inducing appearance in his classroom) as well as information about the industry. Williams (The Hour of the Outlaw) spotlights the unglamorous side of show business, too, as Mitch becomes believably self-involved, comes to his senses, and directs an ingenious escape to normalcy. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)

Never Blame the Umpire Gene Fehler. Zondervan, $12.99 (192p) ISBN 978-0-310-71941-0

A summer baseball league and creative writing class, combined with a church community and family traditions like Friday night movies and popcorn, provide middle-school narrator Kate with supportive mentors, friends, and rituals while she faces devastating loss. Present-tense narration offers a sense of immediacy as Kate learns of her mother's cancer and, later, prepares for her death. Kate's poems, inspired by a variety of "starter activities," give voice to her rage, confusion, and doubt. They also chronicle her changing perspective on what's important: while an early poem documents her disappointment that her parents missed her game-winning hit, a later one asks: "Why? It isn't fair. Isn't there/ a way to stop death?" In describing her faith in God's love and the peace she's attained as she faces death, Kate's mother equates acceptance of God's plan with a baseball player's acceptance of an umpire's call. While this analogy may feel simplistic and spark readers to ask more questions about why bad things happen to good people, the overarching message that love is stronger than death prevails in Fehler's (Beanball) tender, engaging story. Ages 9–12. (Mar.)

Noodle Pie Ruth Starke. EDC/Kane Miller, $15.99 (200p) ISBN 978-1-935279-25-9

Eleven-year-old Andy's first trip to Vietnam with his father, a "Viet Kieu" (someone born in Vietnam who now lives overseas), exposes him to internalized prejudices about his heritage and provides insight into the different yet "same-same" struggles of his nuclear and extended families. Initially, Andy distinguishes himself from his pushy relatives by emphasizing his Australian citizenship and criticizing customs that seem unfair (such as his cousin Minh's low status as the child of a divorcée). And the visit soon gives rise to questions: why does his hardworking, penny-pinching father bestow gifts Andy knows they can't afford? Why does the "famous" family restaurant look like a ramshackle shop? Excitement builds when Andy and Minh entice tourists to the restaurant with an English menu, resulting in some lighthearted mayhem (when Andy is unsure about Minh's idea to put a fake blurb from Nicole Kidman on the menu, she replies, "Maybe she been here and nobody notice"). But this episode in stretching the truth leads to greater honesty and compassion all around. This humorous, touching novel is a delicious cross-cultural treat, and includes an appendix of Vietnamese recipes. Ages 9–13. (Mar.)

Willowood Cecilia Galante. S&S/Aladdin, $16.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-4169-8022-3

Galante (The Patron Saint of Butterflies) writes a heartfelt story of friendship and change. When Lily's single-parent mother gets a new job, the fifth-grader isn't happy about moving to a bigger city ("Their lives had been so perfect back home in Glenview, where everything was quiet and green"). Lily sorely misses her best friend, Bailey, and their secret place under a willow tree. With her mother working long hours and Bailey too busy to talk on the phone, Lily's closest confidante might be Weemis, her pet gecko. Although some people—her babysitter, Mrs. Hiller; Gina, the class nerd; and a pet shop owner who offers Lily a part-time job—make kind overtures, Lily doesn't recognize the value of their friendships until actions she takes result in hurt feelings and misunderstandings. Galante has a knack for small details (like Lily contemplating that neither she nor her mother know how to braid hair) and fully formed characters that make the story inviting and authentic. Lily emerges as a likable, realistically flawed heroine; her courage and integrity, illustrated in her determination to make things right, will win readers' respect. Ages 9–13. (Mar.)

Missing in Action Dean Hughes. S&S/Atheneum, $16.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-4169-1502-7

Set in Utah during WWII, Hughes's (Search and Destroy) emotionally honest coming-of-age story follows the conflicted thoughts of 12-year-old Jay, who moves from Salt Lake City to a small town and contends with the casual racism prevalent among his new friends ("lazy Indian" stereotypes are common, and the boys nickname Jay "Chief" after learning his father is half Navajo). Jay's abusive father has been missing for months after his ship was torpedoed in the Pacific, and introspective, sensitive Jay awaits his improbable return with the hope that everything will improve once his family is reunited. When Jay's grandfather gives him a farm job alongside 17-year-old Ken, a fun-loving Japanese-American from California who has been relocated with his family to an internment camp, they become friends, and Jay has to confront his own prejudices (before meeting Ken, his knowledge of Japanese people was limited to unsympathetic portrayals in the movies and war posters of "ugly little yellow guys with glasses"). Hughes pens a candid and dynamic tale that illuminates the complexities of discrimination and the power of friendship. Ages 10–14. (Mar.)

Enchanted Glass Diana Wynne Jones. Greenwillow, $16.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-06-186684-5

One of the foremost living children's fantasy writers, Jones serves up a quirky comedy of magicians dealing with an incursion of troublesome fairies in contemporary England. Andrew Hope, an absentminded academic with magical abilities he barely recognizes, has inherited the property and responsibilities of his wizard grandfather. Melstone House comes complete with two bossy and irate servants, Mr. Stock and Mrs. Stock (no relation), as well as a number of supernatural beings, including an elusive giant. Andrew wants to write a book, but he's soon distracted by 12-year-old Aidan, who is on the run from supernatural enemies; Stashe, a pretty young woman intent on becoming his secretary; and the wealthy, powerful, and mysterious Mr. Brown. The pacing is leisurely, but Jones writes with the utmost respect for readers' intelligence. One very funny gag has Stashe using horse racing results for divination ("The two-oh-five at Kempton: first, Dark Menace; second, Runaway; third, Sanctuary. That seems to outline the situation pretty well, doesn't it?"), just one of several unusual talents that Melstone residents exhibit. Although the book contains a few tense moments, whimsy is the dominant mood and there's little doubt that virtue and romance will triumph. Ages 10–up. (Apr.)

Take Me with You Carolyn Marsden. Candlewick, $14.99 (176p) ISBN 978-0-7636-3739-2

Marsden (The Gold-Threaded Dress) again deftly weaves a multicultural thread into her fiction. A decade after the end of WWII, best friends Susanna and Pina are being raised by nuns in a Naples home for girls who were abandoned as babies. Convinced that their parents must be dead since they haven't come for them, the girls long to be adopted, but prospective parents haven't selected either of them. Golden-haired Pina thinks her mischievous behavior is the problem, while Susanna believes her dark skin is to blame. Though each discovers she has a birth parent alive, the author realistically steers clear of a pat, feel-good resolution. After a letter arrives from her father, an American sailor who's on a tour of duty, Susanna plaintively wonders, "Why would a father not drop everything to hurry to his daughter?" Pina holds out hope when she learns that her mother lives nearby yet can't care for her and has withheld permission for her daughter to be adopted ("I belong to someone. Someday my mother will come"). It's a poignant novel, enriched by expressive writing and credible characters. Ages 10–up. (Mar.)

Is It Night or Day? Fern Schumer Chapman. Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, $16.99 (192p) ISBN 978-0-374-17744-7

Chapman, who wrote about her family's Holocaust ordeal in the adult book Motherland: Beyond the Holocaust, assumes the voice of her mother, Edith, who at age 12 is sent by her Jewish parents from increasingly anti-Semitic Germany to live in America with relatives. Edith's plaintive narration describes her father's mounting fear of the Nazis ("suddenly, we were filth, Jews polluting the village,") and her mother's increasing detachment. The story of Edith's ocean voyage to America provides some light moments; without her parents around, Edith's fears and anxiety are always evident, but her interactions with other young Jewish emigrants are touchingly childlike, such as when they play hide-and-seek onboard. In Chicago, Edith is met by a disdainful aunt who treats her like a servant and classmates who keep their distance. Though her story reads more like a memoir than a novel, Chapman captures a plucky determination in Edith that readers will find endearing. There is no Cinderella ending for Edith, but the hope she finds in Jewish ballplayer Hank Greenberg and the honesty in her story make this historical fiction well worth reading. Ages 10–up. (Mar.)

Voices of Dragons Carrie Vaughn. HarperTeen, $16.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-06-179894-8

Ancient myths come into conflict with modern technology in Vaughn's (the Kitty Norville series) first YA novel. Although she's always lived in Silver River, Mont., on the border between human territory and the mountains ceded to the dragons after the last war, Kay has never seen a dragon up close. And for good reason: treaties forbid all contact. That changes when Kay meets Artegal, a dragon as curious about humans as Kay is about his species. Mutual interest blossoms into genuine friendship, in defiance of decades of border patrols and saber-rattling. Soon, they go from secret talks to secret flights, reviving long-lost traditions from when dragons and humans were friends, but while Kay and Artegal are bonding, others only want war between the species. Vaughn's story is charming and fast paced with a strong, likable heroine, although the narrative can hopscotch from moment to moment, focusing on Kay and Artegal to the detriment of the supporting characters; the abrupt ending blatantly sets up a sequel. Despite those drawbacks, there's plenty to enjoy in this girl-and-her-dragon twist on the forbidden friendship theme. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)

Poisoned Honey: A Story of Mary Magdalene Beatrice Gormley. Knopf, $16.99 (272p) ISBN 978-0-375-85207-7

As she did in Salome (2007), Gormley crafts a gripping reimagining of a biblical figure, this time Jesus' disciple, Mary Magdalene. The author brings to life the culture of first-century Palestine, skillfully exploring the impact of family obligations, gender roles, business practices, and Jewish/Gentile religious customs on a young woman's decisions. After the prophet Miryam tells 13-year old Mari in a vision, "you are consecrated to a higher purpose," Mari convinces herself she can obey her spiritual calling by submitting to an arranged marriage. But when fever takes the lives of her father and her fiancé, Mari becomes dependent on less benevolent men and is faced with bitter choices. Gormley's portrayal of Mari's gradual possession by evil spirits proves both convincing and terrifying, as demons force her to alienate herself from family and friends, setting the stage for a climactic miracle of deliverance. Gormley creates a memorable portrait of this famous but often misunderstood character, along with compelling characterizations of Matthew the tax collector and Jesus, making this book an important contribution to the genre of biblically based fiction. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)

Green Witch Alice Hoffman. Scholastic Press, $17.99 (144p) ISBN 978-0-545-14195-6

Green, whose lyrical narration was the hallmark of Hoffman's survival story Green Angel (2003), returns in an equally spellbinding tale that emphasizes themes of rebirth. A year after Green lost her family in the fiery destruction of an unnamed city, those living in a nearby village struggle to reinvent their lives. Some, rumored witches, choose to isolate themselves. Green, now almost 17, feels compelled to record their losses, but is also determined to discover the fates of two friends: Heather, a former schoolmate, and Diamond, the mute boy who stole her heart. Her quest takes her to an island of prisoners, where she discovers old acquaintances and strangers who have suffered as much as she. Banded together, they have the power to change the course of the future. Hoffman's sparse prose encapsulates the pain of grief and the resiliency of the human spirit, and suggests that love is a stronger force than tyranny. Haunting, philosophical, and filled with poetic imagery ("my beloved city is still in pieces, the buildings like silver stars—some fallen, some rising, some constant in the sky") this book will leave an indelible mark. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)

The Six Rules of Maybe Deb Caletti. S&S/Simon Pulse, $16.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-4169-7969-2

When 17-year-old Scarlett's older sister, Juliet, moves back home pregnant, she brings with her a romantic new husband "she'd never before even mentioned." While Scarlett's feelings for Hayden grow—she secretly reads the love notes he writes to Juliet and sneaks out to join him for late-night chats—he remains devoted to her pretty sister, who in turn seems fixated on her loser high school boyfriend. Caletti's (The Secret Life of Prince Charming) main characters are well drawn and complex, especially mature Scarlett, who, to her own detriment, is constantly looking after everyone else in her life. Readers may find some of Scarlett's neighbors over the top, such as an elderly couple whose belief in Internet scams leads them to Africa. Scarlett's devotion to them also seems extreme, but it clarifies both why "being needed sometimes made me feel good" and why she feels connected to kind Hayden. In the end, readers will be willing to overlook some of the more outlandish characters to focus on the moving story involving Scarlett and her family. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)

The Sky Is Everywhere Jandy Nelson. Dial, $17.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-8037-3495-1

When Lennie's older sister dies suddenly, she is devastated, but she also starts realizing she no longer has to be the "companion pony" to the "thoroughbred" that was her dazzling sister. Living her own life proves difficult, however, both because it "doesn't seem right that anything good should come out of Bailey's death" and because of complications that arise when she falls in love with a talented musician in the school band. This honest, complex debut is distinguished by a dreamy California setting and poetic images that will draw readers into Lennie's world, particularly in the notes Lennie writes about life with her sister on bits of paper and even trees ("I button one of her frilly shirts/ over my own T-shirt./ ....I always feel better then,/ like she's holding me"). The author perhaps creates a few too many vibrant characters and plot points (Lennie also searches for her missing mom and discovers secrets Bailey was hiding). Even so, readers will be moved by Lennie's ability to admit to even some of her most unpleasant feelings and motivations, and her growing willingness to live "full blast." Ages 14–up. (Mar.)

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8...

Two picture books explore one of the most famous sequences of numbers. (No, not the ones on Lost.)

Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature Sarah C. Campbell, photos by Sarah C. and Richard P. Campbell. Boyds Mills, $17.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-59078-752-6

This husband-and-wife team, who collaborated on Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator, turn their attention to the Fibonacci sequence of numbers, employing photographs from nature, basic addition, and reader-directed text to explain it. Beginning with an image of a seed, Campbell moves through the first numbers, adding images of flowers with petals that match Fibonacci numbers (the flowers are set within boxes sized to correspond to the numbers as well). By the time readers reach a yellow cosmos, with eight petals, the flowers take up an entire page, laying visual groundwork for a later representation of the numbers as a spiral. The Campbells also explore more complex appearances of the sequence in nature and note that while Fibonacci popularized these numbers, they had already been known to Indian scholars. Besides being eye-catching, the photographs ought to prove invaluable for visual learners (spiral patterns in a pinecone are darkened for visibility). Kids should be left with a clear understanding of the pattern and curious about its remarkable prevalence in nature. Ages 5–11. (Mar.)

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci Joseph D'Agnese, illus. by John O'Brien. Holt, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-8050-6305-9

Math lover or not, readers should succumb to the charms of this highly entertaining biography of medieval mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci. "You can call me Blockhead. Everyone else does," opens the lighthearted narrative. As an adult, he works out a math problem that involves reproducing rabbits and discovers a pattern that repeats itself in nature, which becomes the sequence of numbers that now bears his name. Hence, his obsession is vindicated: "All my life people had called me Blockhead because I daydreamed about numbers. But how could that be bad? Mother Nature loved numbers too!" D'Agnese's colloquial tone (King Frederick II calls Fibonacci a "smart cookie") lures readers into the story and even invites them to ferret out patterns in the illustrations. Atop dappled backgrounds, O'Brien's delicate swirls and hatch marks echo the mathematical patterns—another graceful connection between math and the real world in which children live. Ages 6–9. (Apr.)

Hello, Again!

Some familiar friends are back, along with fresh takes on favorite songs and nursery rhymes.

The Special Blankie M. Christina Butler, illus. by Tina Macnaughton. Good Books, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-56148-682-3

Previously seen in One Winter's Day and One Snowy Night, Little Hedgehog looks after his baby cousin, at his mother's request, in this fair-weather outing. Little Hedgehog takes Baby Hedgehog—who carries a red blankie with a velveteen texture—to hunt for bluebells in the airy green fields. The blanket is the cause of some unexpected commotion, but in the end, it saves the day. Though readers might wish for more resolution (Little Hedgehog's mother never reappears) the lighthearted conundrums are engaging. Ages 2–6. (Apr.)

Over at the Castle Boni Ashburn, illus. by Kelly Murphy. Abrams, $15.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8109-8414-1

The dragons from Hush, Little Dragon are back with a new twist on a familiar rhyme. Instead of "Over in the Meadow," the scene is set in a castle, and readers are encouraged to count servants, guards, weavers, and even a prisoner in the dungeon. Ashburn twice interrupts the counting with a couplet about a waiting baby dragon (" 'Now?' begs little dragon. 'Not yet!' says his mother"). At the end of the day, the dragons present a surprise display of flames and fireworks. Murphy's sun-drenched illustrations, featuring gentle humor and child-oriented characters, beget a fanciful medieval world. Ages 3–6. (Mar.)

Little Rabbit and the Meanest Mother on Earth Kate Klise, illus. by M. Sarah Klise. Harcourt, $16 (32p) ISBN 978-0-15-206201-9

Chimerical details abound in this strong follow-up to Little Rabbit and the Night Mare. Even though he wants to see the circus, Little Rabbit's mother directs him to first clean his out-of-control playroom, shown complete with framed bug specimens, assorted toys, and other creations. Sneaking out of his window, Little Rabbit decides to join the circus. His claim to fame: he has the "Meanest Mother on Earth." Selling tickets, he promises: "She has two heads. And green teeth!" But when the audience is less-than-wowed by his mean mother, she has the last laugh (and he has a change of heart). Charmingly off-kilter, with emotions that are spot on. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)

Pigs to the Rescue John Himmelman. Holt, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8050-8683-6

In this follow-up to Chickens to the Rescue, this time it's the pigs who "help" the Greenstalk family with a week's worth of problems. Wearing swimsuits and expressions of fierce determination, they water Mrs. Greenstalk's flowers (a kiddie pool is involved). When the rooster has a sore throat, they snort and squeal with abandon, and they inadvertently tear Jeffrey's treed kite to pieces following a particularly acrobatic rescue. In a twist ending, the Greenstalks find that a new crew of animals has caught the rescue bug. It's a one-joke book, yes, but Himmelman's expressively comedic illustrations keep it as funny as ever. Ages 4–8. (May.)

Sally's Great Balloon Adventure Stephen Huneck. Abrams, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8109-8331-1

This black Lab's family takes her to a balloon festival in the late Huneck's final Sally adventure. There, she follows the scent of fried chicken right into a balloon gondola, and up and away she goes. Though "Sally feels lucky to be alone with such delicious-smelling chicken," a media frenzy erupts on the ground. Finally, when kids call out the name of her favorite game—"Tug-of-war"—she pulls on the rope and the balloon safely lands. Huneck's stately woodcut prints, featuring self-assured Sally's black and white–flecked silhouette against bold tableaus, lends the book a steadfast charm. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)

Chester's Masterpiece Mélanie Watt. Kids Can, $18.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-55453-566-8

In troublemaking Chester's third outing, he again hijacks the narrative, blithely wielding a red marker as he creates his own story (at the expense of Watt and a much-abused mouse). The usurped author converses with Chester via sticky notes, attempting to coax him into relinquishing control ("C'mon! You can't copy bits and pieces of another story! REAL authors come up with their own ideas!!"). But sassy Chester is determined to do things his way. The clever concept still works, and the warring banter will have readers eagerly flipping the pages, up to the laugh-out-loud conclusion. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

The Jellybeans and the Big Book Bonanza Laura Numeroff and Nate Evans, illus. by Lynn Munsinger. Abrams, $15.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8109-8412-7

In the second Jellybeans book, Anna and her friends Emily, Nicole, and Bitsy remain, like the candies, "different flavors [that] go well together." When their class has a Book Bonanza, book-loving Anna is excited, but her friends' expressions suggest they would rather be doing other things. Luckily, the librarian helps each Jellybean find the perfect book. And when Anna gets stage fright reading her report to the class, her friends give her support. Though the story line feels thin, the characters sweetly express friendship dynamics in a group setting. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme Lisa Campbell Ernst. Dutton, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-525-47873-7

The spirited star of Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen returns, determined to earn a Good-Deed Badge. She vows she'll take care of an ailing neighbor, but her calamitous goodwill visit so upsets the invalid that her doctor orders Sylvia Jean to stay away. Living by the motto on her scout pin—"A Pig Scout Never Gives Up"—she visits her neighbor in various disguises, including a dashing Spanish gentleman and a French ballerina. The story's good-natured exaggeration renders it badge-worthy, as do pastel pictures of Sylvia Jean, a diva with panache. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)

There Was an Old Monkey Who Swallowed a Frog Jennifer Ward, illus. by Steve Gray. Marshall Cavendish, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7614-5580-6

Migrating to a rainforest setting, the creators of There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea present another wacky take on this tune. After swallowing his first victim ("I don't know why he swallowed the frog. What a hog!"), the googly-eyed monkey downs three animated cocoa beans "to sweeten the frog," followed by a sequence of outlandish items and animals. Gray's digitally rendered illustrations alternately reveal the feasting monkey and the (remarkably) cheerful captives inside his stomach. Text and art deliver equal measures of over-the-top zaniness. Ages 4–9. (Mar.)

Princesses Are Not Perfect Kate Lum, illus. by Sue Hellard. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-59990-432-0

Industrious princesses Libby, Allie, and Mellie return for another go-round in their florid seaside palace in this companion to Princesses Are Not Quitters! This time, Princess Mellie announces she's tired of always working in the garden, so the princesses switch it up: Allie will build things, Mellie will bake, and Libby will garden. But even though "Princesses are good at everything," they realize it might be best to stick with what they love. Their DIY attitudes leave prissier princess stories in the dust; an excess of tremendously ruffled gowns, dramatic hairdos, and other princessy accoutrements ensure capricious flair. Ages 5–8. (Mar.)

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WHERE TO GO WHEN: GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND

DK, £19.99

This is a glossy, large-format book masquerading as a guidebook, with plenty of pretty pictures, but precious little information. A glorified list of ideas for days out and weeks or weekends away, it is divided by season, and then by theme (Cities, Towns and Villages, Outdoor activities, Family Getaways…), with two pages per idea and a short patch of prose extolling, in often bland or cliched terms, the reasons to indulge a place or activity (Canal Cruising, for example, provides "the perfect relaxation fix… an unbeatable way of sharing the sheer pleasure of travel"). Some information is good – directories and a few contacts, hotels and places to eat per entry – but it's brief. This is a thin idea dressed up: research online instead – and save yourself £20.

Extract: "In 1665, the bubonic plague that was sweeping the country arrived in the village of Eyam, in a bundle of cloth that had been sent from a tailor in London. In a noble act, the inhabitants of Eyam voluntarily quarantined themselves for 16 months to prevent the plague spreading further. They were thankful for the fresh water provided by the village well, and the [August] well-dressing ceremony, as it known today, was born."

VIVA SOUTH AMERICA!

By Oliver Balch (Faber £9.99)

South America is a land adored by backpackers looking for adventure but one whose often troubled past still has a grim bearing on its present. Balch, who works as an independent journalist in Buenos Aires, undertakes the daunting task of guiding his reader across South America in a journey that took a year. He is a fantastic writer, mixing serious reportage with a real sense of the people and places he encounters. His starts in Bolivia, snaking his way across the country with an impressive energy and enthusiasm for his subject, but conveying it all with quiet lyricism. Each country is given a different theme, which he examines via his experiences, and the only disappointment of this otherwise admirable book is that these themes are a little predictable. For example, his focus in Argentina is on politics, in Brazil it's on race and in Colombia, inevitably, on violence. But this is a minor quibble in an otherwise absorbing and ambitious book that makes for a highly engaging read, whether you are planning a trip there or not.

Extract: "A patient line of visitors waits in the sun outside the bolted main gate of Tacumbu prison. All, without exception, are women: long-suffering wives, girlfriends, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, mothers. Most have a grocery bag in hand. Few speak. We park on a side street one block away. The smell of fresh vegetables and cooking fat wafts from the food stalls leading down to the prison's entrance."

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'The Wife's Tale'

Lori Lansens

(LB, $24.99)

Lansens revisits the Ontario town of Leaford, setting of her novels "Rush Home Road" and "The Girls." There we meet 43-year-old Mary Gooch, who has fought a lifelong battle with her weight (she slimmed down once, when she was 17 and had a bout with intestinal parasites). Now she has topped out at 302 pounds and would go higher if she wasn't shaken out of her food-driven malaise when her husband, Jimmy, disappears the night before their 25th wedding anniversary. A good and decent man, he leaves a brief but vague note and $25,000 in their bank account. Mary uses the money to search for him, first in Toronto and then in Los Angeles, where the kindness of strangers opens the door to a new life. Mary is an engaging character, but her misery and self-abuse can become as depressing for a reader as it is for her. And while I won't tell you whether Mary ever finds Jimmy Gooch, the bigger mystery is why he stayed for so long, trying to coax her out of her self-loathing. In this book, the wife's tale isn't complete without a bigger glimpse of the husband's.

'A Thousand Cuts'

Simon Lelic

(Viking, $24.95)

In this first novel, due out next week, a gunman walks into an assembly at a British school and opens fire, killing three students, a teacher and himself. The shooter was a new teacher at the school, a smart but odd and vulnerable man. It would be easy to blame the crime on his unknown demons, but Detective Lucia May suspects more. We follow her investigation in chapters that alternate with first-person accounts of what led up to that day, told to May by students, parents and staff. This doesn't ring true - they're all too chatty and forthcoming - but what emerges is a story of brutal and relentless bullying, of children and of the shooter, by a few teenage students. The headmaster and other staff did nothing to stop it, which weakens the story (it's difficult to believe that so many people would tolerate repulsive cruelty without objecting to it). What's more, the bullying is mirrored by harassment that May endures, too meekly, at the police station. But even if the plot isn't convincing, Lelic's writing is strong and atmospheric. He's a writer to watch.

'The Lost Books of the Odyssey'

Zachary Mason

(FSG, $24)

In his playful, provocative "novel," (it's really a collection of small stories), Mason has his way with Homer's "The Odyssey," reinventing its tales with cleverness, concision and no small amount of nerve. In a story called "The Myrmidon Golem," Agamemnon orders Odysseus to fetch Achilles, but when Odysseus learns that Achilles is dead ("bitten on the heel by an adder"), he makes a clay figure of him to fight in the dead one's place ("Second thoughts swarmed in Odysseus's mind - the hair did not look real, the skin tone was wrong for a Mycenaean . . . "). The humor is fun, but there are many things in this book to relish: the pathos (as when the Cyclops awakens in agony to find that he has been blinded by Odysseus), the twists, the imaginative leaps and turns. Mason reminds us that before "The Odyssey" solidified into the epic we know, "Homeric material was formless, fluid, its elements shuffled into new narratives like cards in a deck." Now he spreads the cards again, in the cleverest of ways.

'Nemesis'

Jo Nesbo

(Harper, $14.99)

If this is the first Harry Hole novel you read, you probably won't miss another. New in paperback, it begins as the Oslo detective investigates a chilling bank heist in which a masked man threatened to shoot a teller if the bank manager took more than 25 seconds to gather a bag of cash. When the nervous manager took six extra seconds, the robber calmly executed the teller before walking out with the money. This is the simple version. There's much more to this crime, to this novel and to Harry Hole, an alcoholic who loves one woman but in her absence will buy himself some trouble when he revisits an insistent former girlfriend. Harry's partner in the bank investigation is an odd but gifted girl named Beate Lonn, whose past plays a part in unfolding events. It's complex but so well written (and perfectly translated by Don Bartlett, who did previous Nesbo novels, including "The Redbreast" and "The Devil's Star") that fatigue never sets in despite the book's nearly 500 pages.

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Book Reviews

Monday, February 22, 2010