Summer Reading 2013

"Austin's cockroach dwelling is a desirable piece of real estate, with its stairs made of gum wrappers, its wrought-plastic comb railing, and its exclusive mid-Havana address (it's a lamppost). A friendly sprinkling of Spanish words, warmly drawn relationships and a lot of puns all widen the audience for this spirited story."

The Legend of the Bluebonnet [Tomie dePaola] on Amazon.com. FREE super saver shipping on qualifying offers. When a killing drought threatens the existence of the tribe, a courageous little Comanche girl sacrifices her most beloved possession--and the Great Spirit's answer results not only in much needed rain but a very special gift in return.

Olivia would be Eloise, if Eloise were a pig. She is good at singing 40 very loud songs and is very good at wearing people out. And scaring the living daylights out of her little brother, Ian, particularly when he copies her every move.

Where the Wild Things Are is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. If you disagree, then it's been too long since you've attended a wild rumpus. Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper.

Starred Review. Grade 3-6-This appealing collection based on fairy tales is a marvel to read. It is particularly noteworthy because the poems are read in two ways: up and down. They are reverse images of themselves and work equally well in both directions.

Once upon a time three pigs built three houses, out of straw, sticks, and bricks. Along came a wolf, who huffed and puffed... So, you think you know the rest? Think again. With David Wiesner at the helm, it's never safe to assume too much.

Amazon Exclusive: The Pigeon: A Life in Pictures(Click on images to enlarge) Back in 1993, I was cartooning for a 'zine. Due to a lack of other material, we decided to make the December issue a sketchbook with just my cartoons. I have been producing small cartoon and story sketchbooks for clients and pals every year since then.

Product Description Playful and lighthearted with a subversive twist that is signature Lane Smith, It's a Book is a delightful manifesto on behalf of print in the digital age. This satisfying, perfectly executed picture book has something to say to readers of all stripes and all ages.

Elizabeth, a beautiful princess, lives in a castle and wears fancy clothes. Just when she is about to marry Prince Ronald, a dragon smashes her castle, burns her clothes with his fiery breath, and prince-naps her dear Ronald. Undaunted and presumably unclad, she dons a large paper bag and sets off to find the dragon and her cherished prince.

Starred Review* Much different from the usual sweet spider story, this photo-rich picture book is packed with astonishing facts about these highly successful predators. The chatty text explains that spiders were around more than 350 million years ago, long before lions and tigers; and that today more than 38,000 types still exist and are doing just fine.

The creators of It's Perfectly Normal, targeted to middle-schoolers, here reach out to a slightly younger audience with candor and humor, neatly distilling various aspects of sex, reproduction and love. An inquisitive, loquacious bird and an embarrassed bee act as comic and straight man and serve as diverting foils to Harris's conversational narrative; kids will both identify with and chuckle at the two characters' reactions and asides.

Starred Review. Grade 4-7-Siegel was born to dance. At age six, she began to take lessons in Puerto Rico. When her family moved to Boston, she continued to study ballet and was totally inspired when she saw a performance by Maya Plisetskaya of the Bolshoi Ballet.

Amazon.com's Significant SevenNikki Giovanni graciously agreed to answer the questions we like to ask every author: the Amazon.com Significant Seven. Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?A: No single book.

Sketches from the Author (Click on Images to Enlarge) Sometimes I have to play with pictures to find the words, so I'll make a collage to get warmed up. My writing looks like lists and doodles until the very end when I write it out on the computer.

Starred Review* From George �Little Mouth of Horrors� Washington to Marie �You Glow, Girl� Curie, Bragg chronicles with ghoulish glee the chronic or fatal maladies that afflicted 19 historical figures.

A 2012 Caldecott Honor BookA Charlotte Zolotow Award WinnerA Horn Book Fanfare BookA New York Times Best Illustrated Children's BookA New York Times Notable Children's BookA Booklist Editor's Choice BookA Kirkus Reviews Best BookA Kids' Indie Next List BookA 2011 Bank Street College Children's Book Committee Outstanding BookA University of Wisconsin-Madison CCBC 2012 Children's Choices BookA Parents' Choice Silver Honor BookA National Parenting Publications Awards Gold WinnerA Booklinks Lasting Connections Book"This remarkable picture book is one of the few that speaks, in a meaningful way, to all ages."

Praise for Feynman:"Splendid." -The Miami Herald"Entertaining and informative." -Science"Lovely." -Newsday"Captures the jazzy flow of Feynman's life in its spare lines." -USA Today"These images capture with remarkable sensitivity the essence of Feynman's character. The comic-book picture somehow comes to life and speaks with the voice of the real Feynman."

When, in second grade, Leigh writes to an author to tell him how much he "licked" his book, he never suspects that he'll still be writing to him four years later. And he never imagines the kinds of things he'll be writing about: Dear Mr. Henshaw, I am sorry I was rude in my last letter...

Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there's no delete button. She's the smartest kid in her whole school-but no one knows it.

Grade 4-7-Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel, Catherine creates rules for him (It's okay to hug Mom but not the clerk at the video store).

"We can only hope that this amusing and touching title will soon have a sequel so that we can once again share in Dodo Doodlebug's world."

Grade 4-6-An impressive and poignant debut novel. Eleven-year-old Zoe dreams of giving piano recitals at Carnegie Hall. When her father purchases a Perfectone D-60, though, she must settle for the sounds of the organ rather than the distinguished sounds of a baby grand.

Grade 3-6-For Tommy, the only question is whether or not Origami Yoda is real. Of course he's real as a small puppet on Dwight's finger. But does the oracle possess magic power? In order to find out, he decides to compile scientific evidence from the experiences of those who asked Origami Yoda for help.

The year is 1963, and self-important Byron Watson is the bane of his younger brother Kenny's existence. Constantly in trouble for one thing or another, from straightening his hair into a "conk" to lighting fires to freezing his lips to the mirror of the new family car, Byron finally pushes his family too far.

Starred Review. Grade 3 Up-A lost piece of American history comes to life in Kadir Nelson's elegant and eloquent history (Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2008) of the Negro Leagues and its gifted baseball players. The history of the Leagues echoes the social and political struggles of black America during the first half of the 20th century.