Reviews
Marvelous Muffins, Breads, and Pancakes
“The You’re the Chef series cover images are so bright, bold, and, well, mouthwatering, readers are gonna want to cram on their chef’s hat, roll up their sleeves, and dive right in.” —Booklist View →
Dino-Wrestling
“Many a little reader will do a victory dance in the stacks for this combination of dinosaurs and hand-to-hand combat.” —Booklist Online View →
“This reader-friendly nonfiction may inspire further inquiry into the life of an important figure in American history and may encourage kids to be mindful of King’s ideals of fairness and equality, not only on the third Monday of each January but all year round.”… View →
Map My Neighborhood
“The subject heading for these books is cartography, and these map-making directions are indeed simple enough for a new reader…. These work best read together to reinforce the concepts and give children ideas for things they can map themselves.” —Booklist View →
The Alliance
“A smoothly written, accessible story of two brave and sympathetic teens who struggle to overcome odds. This volume in the Surviving Southside series is an excellent title for reluctant readers and is sure to spark discussion in GSA groups and in the… View →
David Karp: The Mastermind behind Tumblr
“This slim, trim biography will have real appeal for readers. Not only does it chronicle the life of a young man with whom they can identify but it also provides insight into the social media world that they’re smack in the middle of.” —Booklist View →
The Whispering Lake Ghosts: A Mystery about Sound
“While readers might pick up this entry in the Summer Camp Science Mysteries series for the fun story and Torres’ appealing artwork, they’ll also learn quite a bit about sound and might be inspired to try some of the easy experiments at the back of the book.”… View →
My Happy Life
“This simply written chapter book tenderly portrays the happiness of a child whose life is in balance, as well as the colossal, unremitting, inconsolable sorrow of one who is suffering loss. . . . The clarity and simplicity of the writing are balanced by the verve and finesse of… View →
Perfect Pizza Recipes
“The You’re the Chef series invites readers to get behind the stove and start whipping up recipes they and their family will enjoy…. A colorful, easy-to-read design and illustrations of the process combined with a photo of the finished dish top off these tasty… View →
Two Shy Pandas
“The illustrations provide just the right amount of bashful cuteness to make the reader empathize with the pandas and cheer for their success. Readers who are shy themselves will appreciate the pace at which the story unfolds, and will take heart that mustering up the courage to… View →
William and the Lost Spirit
“[T]he art is intricate and gorgeously lit. The realism lends weight to the time period and the fantasy elements….For readers willing to let go of preconceptions, this will provide an engaging journey.” —Booklist View →
Your Pajamas Are Showing!: Book 1
“The episodic stories, translated from the original French, employ universal humor relating to family and school. The colorful, cartoony art adds to the laughs, while the simple panels and word balloons help young, novice readers negotiate the comic-book pages….Young readers… View →
A Marked Man: The Assassination of Malcolm X
“®eadable, well-designed…. Back matter is robust and should lead interested readers in further pursuit of the truth.”—Booklist View →
Something to Prove: The Great Satchel Paige vs. Rookie Joe DiMaggio
“[T]his centers on a fascinating event, one that points up the racial injustice at the time; at the same time, it makes readers care about both players, and may leave kids wanting to learn more about Paige, DiMaggio, the Negro Leagues, and the integration of baseball.”… View →
Raining Cats and Detectives: Book 5
“Young mystery readers will enjoy the story, fans of the series will love the animals’ antics and the story’s ending, and adults reading to younger kids will enjoy the humor.” —Booklist View →
Down in the Dumps: Book 3
“Middle-grade readers will relate to the angst of changing relationships that comes with adolescence.” —Booklist Online View →
“For their part, young readers will enjoy the episodic nature of the stories while relishing the vicarious thrills of a helter-skelter family who favor fun over fastidiousness.” —Booklist Online View →
Shadow of Doubt
“Readers who prefer their mysteries spun around affairs of the heart and finished off with a neat package of confessions and explications will enjoy this latest episode and look forward to the next.” —Booklist View →
Let's Make a Circle Graph
“Each title logically ends with questions that ask the reader to draw information from the very graph being discussed, making these great kickoff points to classroom discussion.” --Booklist View →
Guitar Notes
“Lyla and Tripp’s chaste relationship makes this accessible for younger tweens, much in the style of Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries books. Amato is able to produce both silly fiction for the juvenile crowd and poignant, realistic fiction for older readers without… View →
Power Hitter
“Just the ticket for readers who prefer their sports fiction distraction-free.” —Booklist View →
Conflict Resolution Smarts: How to Communicate, Negotiate, Compromise, and More
“This accessible, interactive title in the USA Today Teen Wise Guides series will draw readers with its close look at conflicts. An excellent choice for group discussion, this will also appeal to individual readers, who will recognize themselves, whether… View →
The Girl Who Owned a City: The Graphic Novel
“The questions of leadership and might over right will resonate with contemporary teen readers as strongly as they did in the original 1975 novel.” —Booklist View →