Reviews
The Day Louis Got Eaten
“Things could be said here about the importance of persistence and the glories of sisters, all being true, but it might be best to see this book as a clever eye-catcher with a nicely tied-up story—there’s nothing at all wrong with that…. A very merry, lighthearted… View →
The Wizards of Wyrd World
“A firmly tongue-in-cheek series hits its stride as Josh cuts out his earlier foot-dragging and shows signs of becoming an adrenalin junkie like his sister.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
The Mysterious Manuscript: Book 1
" …readers will be carried along by both [Mortensen’s] élan and by the charged-up pace of his misadventures. Jakobsen’s cartoon panels are small but discrete, and he keeps the dialogue pithy, his figures clearly drawn and the action easy to follow. A bonbon for… View →
Tales from the Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest with Pete Athans
“A solid introduction to the world’s highest mountain has a you-are-there feel….A smart, inclusive and evocative account of a mountain, its character and its past.” —Kirkus Reviews 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 →
The King Who Wouldn't Sleep
“Singleton’s humorous story elegantly combines a fractured fairy tale with counting and weekday timekeeping.” —Booklist View →
Secret Diary: Book 1
“Readers, especially girls, will enjoy these strong, funny charactersand the true-to-life dilemmas that they face and overcome.”—School Library Journal View →
“An attractive package bolstered with anecdotes from real-life teen sitters, this is a solid, useful choice for all libraries.”—Booklist View →
Talia and the Rude Vegetables
“Talia’s grandmother is busy in the kitchen making a stew to welcome the Jewish New Year. She sends the little girl to the garden for seven root vegetables. Talia hears the word ‘rude’ rather than root and has fun wondering what kind of misdeeds were done by the… View →
Lights Out Shabbat
“A young boy is visiting his grandparents for a weekend in Georgia when they are all surprised by a freak snow storm. It begins after they light the Shabbat candles. The electricity in the house goes out but they continue with the meal. As the candles flicker, Grandfather tells… View →
Grandma Rose's Magic
“Grandma Rose loves to sew and has over the years brought joy into the lives of many people in her community. With a needle, some thread, and a piece of cloth she makes magic in the form of dresses for girls, slacks for boys, curtains and quilts, dolls for grandchildren,… View →
Hippospotamus
“Look for uproarious responses from young audiences, especially at the final page turn. Eeeew. But in a good way.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Hannah's Way
“Hannah has just relocated from Minneapolis to rural Minnesota because her father lost his job during the Depression. She is new at school and trying to fit in. The teacher announces that the fall picnic is Saturday, and she is trying to make carpool arrangements. Suddenly, Hannah… View →
Hannah's Way
" It is the Depression and Hannah’s father has lost his job. They are forced to move from Minneapolis to northern Minnesota where she is the only Jew in her class at school. Her parents are rigorous believers in following the rules and regulations governing the Sabbath. Hannah View →
Little White Duck: A Childhood in China
“Liu is a calm storyteller whose words are enlivened by Martinez’s enthusiastic and energetic art, and their respective tones complement each other fluidly. Martinez’s work is a loving depiction of his wife in childhood, providing atmosphere through not only his period… View →
Steve Jobs: Technology Innovator and Apple Genius
“Insertion of documented photographs adds interest to the text, which includes at the end a satisfying time line. Part of the Gateway Biographies series, this is a good addition to middle grade library collections.” —Booklist View →
Rashad's Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr
“The brightly colored, uncluttered illustrations are true to the boy’s viewpoint, at the mosque and at home, and colored boxed inserts explain more about the holiday observance and its meaning… Young children of all faiths will find lots to talk about.”… View →
Queen Latifah: From Jersey Girl to Superstar
“This very readable biography is a good starting place for curious fans.” --Booklist View →
Death of a Dreamer: The Assassination of John Lennon
“This study offers not only a detailed account of the events surrounding Lennon’s murder but also a lucid—if, as it must be, puzzling and inconclusive—picture of his killer’s life and conflicting, enigmatic motives… Equally useful for its particular focus and as an updated… View →
Beep and Bah
“BEEP AND BAH is 32 pages long, ideal as a short read for kids. It manages to pack a lot of humor into those pages, giving multiple laugh-out-loud moments… [T]his is a good book for teachers,… View →
A Leaf Can Be . . .
“This book is sure to open a child’s eyes to the wonder of the natural world.” —Washington Parent View →
Popular Clone
“This fun novel is for kids who like Anthony Horowitz’s ‘Alex Rider’ series (Philomel) and can handle the challenging scientific vocabulary.” —School Library Journal View →
Izzy the Whiz and Passover McClean
“In this playful and appealing picture book, young Izzy is busy inventing a machine that will rid the house of hametz, primarily foods such as bread and grains that are forbidden during Passover. Seeking out all the nibbles and crumbs that have accumulated throughout the… View →