Reviews
American R & B: Gospel Grooves, Funky Drummers, and Soul Power
“…a truly inviting format that’s sophisticated, yet accessible.” —starred, Booklist View →
Guitar Notes
“[A] sweet story of two different loners finding their counterpoint.” —School Library Journal 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 →
Little White Duck: A Childhood in China
“Liu and Martínez find the universal moments in the details of an exotic land, inviting readers to see themselves in Da Qin’s experiences of friendship, family and country. An extraordinary graphic novel-memoir by a husband-and-wife team offering a rare view of 1970s… View →
H.O.R.S.E.
“This wonderfully inventive, mordant duel of words offers both an advanced discussion of a particular sport (basketball) and flights of big-talking fancy….An excellent readaloud for kids who scorn fluffy-bunny books and want to play like the big kids.” —starred,… View →
Infinity and Me
“Hosford’s (Big Bouffant) story is as much a look into the interior life of a sensitive girl as it is a meditation on a mathematical concept—a task for which Swiatkowska’s (This Baby) idiosyncratic portraits are perfectly suited.”… 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 →
Jeremy's Dreidel
“When Jeremy joins in a dreidel-making workshop at the Jewish Community Center, he uses clay to make a Braille dreidel for his blind father. He tells the curious onlookers about visual impairment, and his friends prove that they’ve taken the lesson to heart when they plan an… View →
Maccabee Meals: Food and Fun for Hanukkah
“With the whimsically illustrated cookbook, ‘Maccabee Meals: Food and Fun for Hanukkah’ (Kar-Ben Publishing), children can take part in holiday preparations. Recipes, rated for difficulty, range from simple (egg cream, menorah sandwich) to sufganiyot (‘An adult… View →
Jeremy's Dreidel
“Endearing illustrations highlight this sweet Hanukkah story about a boy who creates a special dreidel for his father. As the children gather at the Jewish Community Center for dreidel making, Jeremy meets some friends who have come with innovative plans to craft the traditional… View →
The Count's Hanukkah Countdown
“Some of Sesame Street’s favorite characters and their Israeli friends join together for a Hanukkah party in this delightful number story, the first of four books in the Shalom Sesame series. As Grover prepares for and participates in a holiday party, the Count joins in the… View →
Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue
“In this beautifully illustrated and evocative tale set in the 18th century, Emanuel is a Jewish boy living in the whaling town of New Bedford, Mass. Emanuel’s father, a merchant near the sea who lived as a secret Jew in Portugal until he immigrated to America, still suffers from… View →
The Normal Kid
“This well-told story captures a pivotal life experience: What we’ve assumed was permanent, bedrock reality can shift beneath us without warning. ‘Normal’ changes. If it’s a tough lesson, it’s also liberating…. Pre-adolescent angst—funny,… View →
The Haunting of Apartment 101
“This easy-to-read ghost story will grab reluctant readers with its intriguing plot, its quirky main character and her more straight-laced best friend.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Infinity and Me
“A stellar artistic vision of the infinite power of intergenerational love.” —starred, Kirkus Reviews View →
Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World
“An attractive volume digs deeply into stories of ancient American skeletons….A special treat for archaeology buffs.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories
“For those with dark hearts looking for the edgier side of paranormal fiction, this will be something to stay up with at night.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
H.O.R.S.E.
“An exciting bragging-rights adventure on the basketball court, around and beyond planet Earth and back again.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
“There may be children in the world who don’t wish they were monkeys. This book will change their minds.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Little White Duck: A Childhood in China
“With this intimate look at her childhood memories, Liu skillfully weaves factual tidbits into the rich tapestry of her life…Beautifully drawn and quietly evocative.” —starred, Kirkus Reviews View →
The Planet of Wind: Book 1
“Clever, funny, and beautifully translated, this story is worth the price of admission.” —Booklist View →
Food: The New Gold
“A sobering, thought-provoking discussion that provides, yes, much food for thought.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Fly, Chick, Fly!
“There are lively, eloquent touches in the text, and the softly rendered, evocative pastel illustrations are appealing.” —Booklist Online View →
The Apple Tree's Discovery
“Well-known author and storyteller Peninnah Schram reminds us in her afterword to this charming fable: ‘To find the star in the apple, you must turn it on its side and cut it in half. We must look hard to find the beautiful star in each of us, and sometimes it just takes a… View →