January's Sparrow by Patricia Polacco. Philomel Books, 2009, 95 pages.

Patricia Polacco doing what she does best--a fabulous new picture book for older readers--the narrative drawn from real life--in this case, the memoirs of the Michigan based Crosswhite family. A master storyteller, Polacco tells the story of the Crosswhite family's escape from slavery in Kentucky to Michigan on the underground railroad--narrated by January, it is told from young Sadie's point of view. I'm a huge Polacco fan--(can you tell?) and January's Sparrow is Polacco at her best; a warm, personal story of individuals and families dealing with issues of universal importance, full of humor and symbolism, truth and hope. The illustrations are classic Polacco-warm pencil sketches with an emphasis on people, she uses color to great effect. Even the unusual square shape of the book itself enhances the story. the publisher offers a curriculum guide as well. I have already promised it to a 5th grade teacher who cannot wait to get it for her class. Another winner from Polacco--5 of 5--no question.

American Born Chinese by Gene Yang.2006, First Second/Roaring Book. 233 pages

I love graphic memoirs, and American Born Chinese reads like a graphic memoir, even thought it is considered fiction. I don't doubt that Yang put a lot of himself into it. Yang weaves together three seemingly separate and unrelated tales--a contemporary chinese american high schooler, an ugly asian stereotype and a famouse chinese legend, The Monkey King together with universal YA issues of identity and teen angst and comes up with one great graphic novel. Award winner and quick, quirky read-- i loved it and recommend it to all.

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli. Atheneum Books, 2004. 186 pages

Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons. Vintage Books/Random House. 1987, 126 pages.

11 year old Ellen tells her own story of abuse and neglect in mid-20th century North Carolina. Her mother commits suicide to escape her abusive father, and young Ellen learns to take care of herself-- literally putting food on her table and paying bills so she doesn't lose the house and hiding from her Daddy and his drunken friends. Strong implication of sexual abuse--no detailed abuse scenes (this is not A CHILD CALLED IT). Ellen bounces back and forth-past to present-- which is comforting because she is in a new foster home-- a good home-- at the end of the story-- the abuse is significant. Ellen grows through out the story-- sub plot of her only friend, a poor black girl names Starletta- lots of growth there too. A quiet, compelling book, sometimes funny--you really like Ellen-- a strong survivor. Has one of the best opening lines i ever read: "When I was little I would think of ways to kill my daddy."
Good book. Quick Read.

Highway Cats by Janet Taylor Lisle. Philomel Books, 2008, 118 pages.

Feral cats, embittered by their hard life living around a trash strewn highway, learn to work together to stop a cynical politician from building a shopping center over this last piece of open space that they call home. A quick read, great mix of plot and character development dealing with the subject of overdevelopment, trash, abandoned animals and dirty politics while remaining light, and age appropriate. I loved it and am recommending it to good readers, upper elementary, early middle school who are looking for more but not a 500 page epic.

Opuestos: Mexican Folk Art Opposites in English and Spanish by Cynthia Weill. Cinco Puntos, 2009. 34 pages.

Bilingual spanish/english concept book-- beautifully done. Whimsical Oaxacan folk art animal figurines --striking in both color and simplicity-- convey the concept of opposites-- big/tall, large/small, together/apart, etc. Weill has a great eye, not just for art, but for color, and her vibrant color wash backgrounds for the concept figures add punch without adding clutter. Beautifully detailed endpages and borders continue the Mexican folk art motif. Opuestos can also be used for colors, animals, and auditory awareness--an added plus I always look for in concept books. Another winner from Cinco Puntos-- I loved this book. 5 out of 5.

Little Bunny Kung Fu by Regan Johnson. Blooming Tree Press, 2005. 32 pages

Little Bunny Kung Fu has all the elements of a good fractured fairy tale---Where little bunny foo foo was picking up the field mice and bopping them on the head, Little Bunny Kung Fu uses all his martial arts moves and props to destroy the bamboo forest-- no matter how many animals come out to explain how the destruction of the environment hurts them. It isn't until the Dragon comes down to explain in great detail --and with a clear threat to Little Bunny Kung Fu himself-- that our martial arts rabbit learns-- reluctantly-- to respect mother nature. The clean and straightforward charcoal drawings enhance the text and support the asian setting. The deceptively simple verse mirrors the nursery rhyme of old but tells a powerful tale that has even young children roaring with laughter-- Every one loves to watch a bad bunny get his in the end.

**This one was a sleeper that i had overlooked in the picture book section--Thanks to Margaret for recommending it. I love it too!!!

Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli. Scholastic, 1993. 96 pages.

Blubber by Judy Blume.

In a fifth grade class that could be anywhere in the western world, Wendy, the class alpha-female, uses her power to make life miserable for Linda---aka Blubber. All the girls allow it and encourage her, either actively or passively. Jill learns the hard way that wrong is wrong-- it doesn't matter who the players are, and before she knows it, the shoe is on the other foot.
Judy Blume is amazing-- everyone knows that. Written in the voice of Jill, it is hard to believe a 10 year old did not write this herself--the language and characters and the situations are so authentic. Blume never preaches, but lets Jill tell a story as it occurs-- as the days pass we see her grow and start to question what is happening-- she moves from discounting the victim to feeling compassion for her and begins to challenge the Alpha's hold on their 5th grade world, only to find herself-- as so many other girls have-- the new victim. It happens so easily. This kind of first person growth is always a style i enjoy. It reminded me of the LOUD SILENCE OF FRANCIE GREEN by Karen Cushman-- which i also recommend,.
Loved it, loved it, loved it. Highley recommend.

Stuck in the Mud by Jane Clarke. Walker Books for Young Readers (2008), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 32 pages

Similar to The Enormous Turnip---a cumulative tale where all the barnyard animals come out one at a time to help the hen whose chick is stuck in the mud. The ending is funny and cute and surprising-- and both kids and adults love it. Fun to read. A storytime crowd pleaser!

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook Eleanor Davis Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (2009), Paperback, 160 pages

A great graphic for kids-- a great story of 3 friends who are secret science freaks -- a nerd who is desperate to fit in, a jock who feels dumb and a wild child who even the teachers fear. i liked the plot, i enjoyed the story, i loved the diverse characters and the good messages that tweenish kids are always interested in--identity (will i fit in) and confidence (am i stupid...no, you just don't take tests well). I also loved the graphics-- bright and page full of things to look at. (I actually liked the "fussy" graphics-- some frames are really crammed full of stuff. i think it was intentional) I am handing it over to a 5th grader to get a kids reaction. I'll let you know.

A Second Is A Hiccup Hazel Hutchins Arthur A. Levine Books (2007), Hardcover, 40 pages

Clever and child friendly explanation of measuring time--second, minute, month, year --easy to read and very well done--picture book -ish nonfiction makes a difficult subject very accessible to even young children

Strength in what remains Tracy Kidder New York : Random House, 2009.

Truly a great book. So well written that the lovely words flow and you are lulled into forgetting the truly horrific history of the events that took place in Burundi and Rwanda. Until Deo (through Kidder) reminds us. The narrative flips back and forth between Burundi and Rwanda and New York and while primarily documenting events in the 1990s, includes Deo's personal memories from the 1970s nad 80s, as well as some historical background to the genocide of the 90s. i had forgotten what a great writer Kidder is. A strong and powerful work-- a memoir, an urban tale, africana , world affairs and social justice all in one book. great literature-- i highly recommend it to eveyone who has an interest. A total stranger was thrilled to see me with it and then disappointed that it was not really out in soft cover yet-- Not to be missed

Joey Pigza Loses Control Jack Gantos Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2000, Hardcover, 208 pages

The second in the Joey Pigza series, please read JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED A KEY first. Joey is now on good meds that control his adhd and he is receiving support services to understand his illness and help with coping strategies. His dad has reentered his life and a court has granted him summer visitation-- so Joey is going to visit the dad he has not seen for many years-- a man who is clean and sober, has a job and a new girlfriend, and desperately wants to make up for lost time. But Joey's dad (and his grandma) have the same ADHD issues that joey does, but they remain untreated and it is not long before the dad becomes unglued and convinces joey to stop taking the meds that have given him back his normal life. joey wants a relationship with his dad-- what boy doesn't? But he can see feel himself losing control and he is so far from his mom. what to do?
Another great chapter from Gantos in the Joey Pigza story. Gantos tells the story through Joey's voice and we draw our own conclusions-- i love that. No preaching or heavy handed morality. Subtle and funny and endearing and frightening. Very imperfect characters that are at once unlikeable, mean, funny, endearing and sympathetic. All of them. Even grandma.
I love this series. Highly recommended.

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar. Random House Children's Books, 1987, 195 pages.

A very well written book-- funny but much more serious than i had anticipated. Bradley Chalkers is the oldest kid in the 5th grade- a well known and always avoided "serious behavior problem" that no one (not even the teachers) likes. Every one is afraid of him and they avoid him at all costs. Enter Jeff, the new kid who has to sit next to him in class, who has no friends yet, does not know Bradley is a social pariah and befriends him. But this is realistic fiction, and Bradley does not know how to be a friend, Jeff makes friends quickly and doesn't want to become a social outcast and a new young school psychologist shakes things up in more ways than one. Winner of 19 children's choice awards, There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom is funny and moving and with the notable exception of the the corny ---basketball -let's all be friends now --scene--very realistic portrayal of upper elementary and early middle school social horror show that most kids will relate too. Not fluffy at all-- a good solid read. Highly recommended.

A Frog in the Bog by Karma Wilson. McElderry, 2007. 32 pages

Karma Wilson with another winner-- Frog in the Bog has everything a storytime favorite needs-rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, numbers, repetition humor and a surprising (to kids) ending. "There's a small hungry frog sitting on a log in the middle of the bog". As frog eats 1 tick, 2 fleas, etc., he gets bigger and bigger until he realizes the log is an alligator. When frog opens his mouth to yell, all the insects jump out in reverse order. Joan Rankin's illustrations lend a muted, watery feel that works very well. Cute and fun-- flows better than some of Wilson's work. Reminiscent of Root's One Duck Stuck.

Life Sucks by Jessica Abel. First Second, 2008. 192 pages

Fun and quirky new graphic. Think of a vampire CLERKS. Dave is a young, depressed emo vampire boy-- a vegetarian vampire who refuses to kill- he lives on past date blood bank blood. Unlike the Anne Rice world of wealthy, educated, sophisticated vampires, the real vamp world is a lot like our own--Dave works the night shift at a quicky mart-- the owner is his vampire master who has en-wage-slaved him for eternity-- an eternity of sweeping the parking lot and pouring plastic cheese on nachos. Dave falls for a goth human girl named Rosa but so has his rival-- a jerky surfer boy vampire who is very strong. Who will Rosa choose.
Clever and witty-- the book is very clerks--i loved it and the subtle humor and dead end job focus will appeal to older more irreverent teens. An award winning graphic.

Shock Doctrine; the rise of disaster capitalism by Naomi Klein. Metropolitan Books, 2008.

Hole In My Life by Jack Gantos. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002. 200 pages

How many children's book authors would write a memoir about serving time in federal prison for drug running during their young adult years? Jack Gantos would-- and did so brilliantly with this Prinze and Siebert award winning book. Written in a style that is very reminiscent of the Joey Pigza series, Gantos gives an honest and frank account of his late teen life and the actions and choices he made that led to his being convicted of drug running at age 19 and sentenced to federal prison for several years. The story is well told and compelling; funny and horrifying and sad and uplifting. We like Gantos and we care what happens to him, even as we cringe for him as he makes what we all know are terrible decisions that will have terrible consequences. And prison is tough-- Gantos is quite skillful in his ability to portray prison as a very violent and scary place-- full of sex and drugs-- and he does so honestly (important for all of us, yes, but especially so for young adults) but without sensationalizing it. No easy feat. And it was the constant violence and fear and hopelessness of prison life that forced Gantos to soul search and, finally, to make a decision to get serious about what he had always wanted to do--to write, to become a writer...a decision that not only carried him through the rest of his sentance, but one that Gantos credits with carrying him through the rest of his life. YES, YES, YES

Greetings From Somewhere Else A Novel by Monica McInerney. Ballentine Books, 2009. 448 pages

A very light weight, chick lit novel about Lainey Byrne, type A career girl with lots of family problems and responsibilities who suddenly finds herself forced to leave everything behind to run a bed and breakfast in Ireland in order to meet the terms of a dead aunt's will so her father can inherit the land and sell it to pay for his much needed medical treatments. How's that for a family guilt trip? Lainey-- dutiful daughter that she is-- is totally selfless and, being the only one the family can count on, gives up everything, her career, her home, her love, in order to make this thing work.
The story is weak and predicable and , as noted by a previous LT early reviewer, the supporting characters are undeveloped types more than well thought out characters in their own right. I did not care for Lainey nor for her ridiculous predicament and i doubt anyone else will either. Sorry-- this one is not for me and I would not recommend it to anyone.

Pitch Black by Youme Landowne and Anthony Horton. Cinco Punto Press, 2008.

Stunning vignette/memoir of Landowne's chance encounter with a homeless artist on the NYC subway that led to her learning his story and publishing it. Details the story of how his troubled youth led him through the system-- social services to shelters to living in the subway tunnels under NYC. Powerful, raw, frightening, moving and even hopeful--the work is full of detail and simplicity. The artist is also the subject. The black and white illustrations really complement the story, while the endpapers leading us into the dark tunnels are stunning. The 11 by 6 size of the work is reminiscent of a subway car. A dark, true tale, Pitch Black is sure to spark classroom and book club conversations. Well, well done and highly recommended.

Sammy's Mommy Has Cancer by Sherry Kohlenberg. Magination Press, NY. 1993,

A simple but straight-forward account of daily life for Sammy and his family after his mom is diagnosed with breast cancer-- the fear and sadness of the diagnosis, the age-appropriate explanation of cancer and chemotherapy, the reality of hair loss and other side effects, the joys of shrinking tumors and of maintaining family life while living with the disease. Kohlenberg, a breast cancer survivor, states her goal was to write a book to help parents help their children and she succeeds brilliantly with this realistic but positive and very well crafted work. Crow's illustrations enhance the text, lending a warm and comforting feel. Includes a (now dated) list of cancer related resources, as well as additional questions and activities to help children deal with a cancer diagnosis. Bibliotherapy at its best.

Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew by Ursula Vernon. Harcourt Children's Books (2008), Edition: 1, Hardcover, 144 p

Poor Nurk-- a small, cautious shrew who aches to live up to the legend of his fearless, warrior grandmother, Surka, and yearns for an adventure of his own, first needs to overcome his timid and practical nature. An mysterious letter for help-- along with the discovery of his grandmother's rather cryptic journal, start Nurk off on his first adventure where he meets creatures real (if you call talking dragonfly kings real) and fantastical. A wonderfully clever and engaging first work by Vernon--who is also the illustrator-- i initially thought it was a British import-- a gentle (sort of) old fashioned feel, reminding me of Le Guinn's Catwings and Dahl and Avi and Jacques. Nurk himself is familiar and sympathetic-- both nervous and brave, and while the adventure concludes as we would (hope) expect, the story is clever and endearing and very well written. Vernon pulls us in and we really care what happens to our hero. Watch for a sequel. This is great high quality fiction for middle elementary kids - so sure to please that i chose it to be the first intallment in our summer BookWorms ReadALoud Book Club. I'll let you know how the kids react. Highly Recommended.

The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander by Barbara Coloroso. Collins/Harper Collins, 2004. 218 pages.

Uncle Bobby's Wedding by Sarah S Brannen. Putnam Juvenile (2008), Hardcover, 32 pages

Little Chloe adores her Uncle Bobby, but when Uncle Bobby falls in love with Jaime and begins to plan the wedding, Chloe is angry and jealous and very afraid that Uncle Bobby will no longer love her. In the end, Chloe is reassured that Uncle Bobby will always love her and in Jaime, she will now have TWO loving uncles. Plus, she gets to be flower girl! A gentle and loving yet realistic look at the complex feelings and emotions children may experience when a loved one gets married. The guinea pig characters are sweetly gentle and appealing, and while it is clear that Uncles Bobby and Jaime are gay, this is not the issue, making this an especially good choice for school units on feelings and families and celebrations. Highly Recommended.

The Rough Guide to Men's Health 1 (Rough Guide Reference) by Lloyd Bradley. DK Rough Guides, 2008. 384 pages..

The Rough Guide to Men's Health is great for what it is--an easy to read, quick read reference-ish guide to men's health issues for men who may not read about their health in general. it is stylish with a pleasant and easy to read lay out-- it is clever and fun, with some humorous photos and captions, and it is filled with good, general health education and advice for men who are young or young at heart. WARNING: I did find an error right away-- spaghetti bolognaise is listed as high calorie and fettucine alfredo as low-er? This-- from my vast experience -- is NOT TRUE-- an editing error i am certain--and while there may be other errors-- nothing else jumped out at me. A good DK type guide, it is filled with references for additional information-- books, websites, magazines and organizations. it should be popular with young men and the women who love them. i ordered a copy for our adult collection.

Million Dollar Shot by Dan Gutman. Hyperion, 2006. 128 pages.

Rogue State, 3rd edition: A Guide To The World's Only Superpower by William Blum. Common Courage Press, 2005. 306 Pages.

Teacher Man: A Memoir, by Frank McCourt. Scribner, 2005. 272 pages

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2008. 219 pages

People's History of Sports in the United States by Dave Zirin, Howard Zinn, Editor. New Press, 2008. 270 pages.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: a novel in cartoons, by Jeff Kinney. Amulet Books, NY, 2007. 217 pages

Wildly popular with 6th through 8th graders, the pages of Jeff Kinney's book actually looks like a diary-- albeit a very neat one with extraordinary cartoon doodles throughout. Greg Heffley is in middle school--surrounded by morons, bullies, teachers, parents and friends-- his journal is laugh out loud funny because Heffley acts on every kids fantasy--tricking friend and foe alike without any hint of guilt. Kinney definitely understands how kids think. We cannot keep it on the shelf-- or the sequals. Always a winner.

Mudshark by Gary Paulsen. Wendy Lamb Books, 2009. 96 pages.

Mudshark, aka Lyle Williams, is the coolest kid in middle school-- He is the go-to guy for all manner of problems-- where did i leave my homework? how do i get out of band practice, my cat is lost, can you find him, etc. He's not really a genius, he just has very good powers of observation, and in order to keep his position of importance, he starts the Mudshark Detective Agency and everyone-- even the principal, come to Mudshark for help. In this book ( the first of several, i am sure) Mudshark helps the principal straighten out some problems involving a class mascot, some missing erasers, the custodian's job and the library parrot who talks too much. Light hearted and clever-- lots of funny observations about school culture-- Paulsen's new series should find lots of popularity, especially among boys.

The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Scribner (1995), Paperback, 128 pages

The old man, Santiago, is at the end of his life. He is a fisherman--- a hard life, and now he is old and poor and unable to catch the fish he could in his heyday. Thinking to change his luck, he sets out --too far and all alone-- to richer but more dangerous fishing grounds and has the battle of his life with an enormous marlin-- 3 days and 3 nights. A short and thrilling and absorbing read-- truely-- i am not making this up. Full of symbolism and irony -- and so well written-- a sparseness to the text--in few, well chosen words-- this is Hemenway at his best. I will not spoil the story by saying more. A great book for all readers...especially good for book groups and guided reading because there is so much to talk about. A Classic.

Baseball Crazy; Ten short stories that cover all the bases, Nancy Mercado, editor. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2008. 191 pages.

I love short stories and Mercado's collection is a winner. Ten baseball themed short stories by wonderful authors for young people--Jerry Spinelli, Joseph Bruhac,