Reviews
The Girl Who Owned a City: The Graphic Novel
“The strong-willed, resourceful main character sets an excellent example for girls of all ages and the ingenuity of the children shows the virtues of perseverance and resiliency in the face of disaster. Overall, this is an entertaining read with great artwork that is sure to… View →
Out of Control
“The Roadrunners travel baseball team encounters daunting opponents on the field while tensions off the field threaten the team’s solidarity. Dustin’s father blackmails the coach; Sammy loses his power hitting when forced to switch from aluminum to wood bats; Trip alienates his… View →
The White Zone
“Cousins Nouri, a Shiite, and Talib, half Sunni, describe life in Baghdad amid the second Iraq War, during which Iraqis also fought amongst themselves over religious differences. But in winter 2008, snow covered the city for the ‘first time in anyone’s memory,’ sparking View →
“Escaping evil Lady Gall, Jasper’s family flees by ship, mistakenly leaving him behind. Boarding an odd vessel called the Traveling Restaurant, Jasper learns more about his family’s role in the Great Accident that removed magic from Fontania and his own potential role in restoring… View →
Sparrow, Eagle, Penguin, and Seagull: What Is a Bird?
“Youngsters are sure to enjoy the book and so will their parents, older siblings and teachers….This book should be on the shelves of any library frequented by young readers.” —Science Books & Films View →
Elmer and Super El
“Super El’s costume tore on a thornbush, so Elmer the patchwork elephant helps him reach Aunt Zelda, who can mend the costume. But to get there, Elmer must devise ways to sneak Super El past all the other animals so they won’t laugh at him. The bright gouache illustrations… View →
Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World
“Walker and Owsley… build the narrative clue by clue, first in determination of the find’s importance, then through a richly detailed portrait of the practice of anthropology.” —The Horn Book Magazine View →
Catch & Release
“Polly, a self-described ‘monster,’ is disfigured following a staph infection that killed several others in her town. She and Odd, another teen who survived the infection, embark on a road trip that takes them through the Pacific Northwest—and into honest discussions… View →
The Count's Hanukkah Countdown
“Sesame Street mainstays Grover and the Count star, with new Israeli friends Avigail and Brosh, in this Shalom Sesame celebration of Hanukkah. Eight friends and family members—’the perfect Hanukkah number,’ by the Count’s refrain—come together to light the menorah,… View →
A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return
“Stark, dramatic illustrations (mostly black backgrounds with white-outlined characters and features) include repeated motifs (flowers, dragons) that effectively capture elements of the culture and lend nuance to the high emotions through small changes in expression or detail. A… View →
Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves
“The breadth of emotion and experience the entries cover guarantee that almost any reader will identify with some of the situations and anxieties expressed.”—Publishers Weekly View →
“For his first children’s book, ’Waga’s Big Scare,’ Minneapolis writer/artist Samuel Hiti has delivered something monstrous just in time for Halloween. Known for populating his graphic novels, including ‘Death-Day’ and ‘Tiempos… View →
The Future We Left Behind
“Lancaster effortlessly incorporates into his whiz-bang plot big ideas of science versus religion….Fans of Human.4 didn’t see this giant leap forward coming—and that more than anything is the hallmark of great sf.” —starred, Booklist View →
Sparrow, Eagle, Penguin, and Seagull: What Is a Bird?
“Funny, factual, and at times even a little edgy, this offers the unconventional for younger children trying to understand the animal world.”—Booklist View →
The Mysterious Manuscript: Book 1
“Jakobsen’s art is cartoonish but mature enough in drawing and color to keep it from becoming babyish. Tame action sequences and historical notes at the end of the book mean the series will most likely find a good home in elementary-school libraries.”… View →
Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature's Undead
“Disgustingly good.” —Booklist Online View →
Four Secrets
“[A] meticulously detailed and psychologically astute story with the feel of a procedural drama.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Regine's Book: A Teen Girl's Last Words
“[A] rare, valuable window into life with a terminal illness.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Being a Stunt Performer
“…it should draw browsers with its high-impact visuals and easily digestible blocks of high-energy prose.” —Booklist View →
Friend Me!: 600 Years of Social Networking in America
“This is a thought-provoking book on how human beings have connected over the centuries… If students read this book, they will learn significant facts about the history of society in America.” —Library Media Connection View →
A Leaf Can Be . . .
“This creative book is applicable to a wide variety of lessons, but will also be in demand by readers for sheer enjoyment. It pairs an imaginative rhyming text with captivating and dreamlike illustrations that will be an effective discussion starter for the primary classroom… View →
Alien Investigation: Searching for the Truth about UFOs and Aliens
“[T]his attractive, balanced view will update collections.” —School Library Journal View →
The Haunting of Apartment 101
“This first book in a new series offers much for readers who enjoy fast-paced, easy-to-read stories…. most readers will be hankering for more, especially with the cliff-hanger ending.” —School Library Journal View →
Meltdown!: The Nuclear Disaster in Japan and Our Energy Future
“Bortz is meticulous in his detailing of the events, using spectacular photography, charts, and diagrams to aid the reader in understanding the magnitude of this disaster.” —Library Media Connection View →