Reviews
H.O.R.S.E.
“The freewheeling format and broadly popular topic makes this eminently saleable as either a readalone or readaloud.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Guitar Notes
“Amato brings these characters to life with pitch-perfect detail and wrenching anxieties that will resonate strongly with readers.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
The White Zone
“Marsden’s knack for getting deeply into a culture and creating realistic, believable characters proves effective once again; this is an accessible and engaging window into a specific time and place that will have current relevance to many young readers and units of… View →
Drowning Instinct
“A compelling study of brokenness that persists across generations and of salvation by unconventional means.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
The Great Sheep Shenanigans
“Big-nosed, pale gray Lou is endearing even if he is the antihero. Kids will be diverted by Bently’s skillful and risible rhymes and by Matsuoka’s droll depictions of Lou’s antics, and they’ll wolf this one down.” —The Bulletin of the Center… View →
“Hand this to aspiring sailors and chefs alike—but advise them to take a snack along for the journey, as the focus on food is sure to inspire a few rumbling bellies.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
A Leaf Can Be . . .
“Each spread is bursting with natural wonder, and while the animals are cute rather than realistic, the art creatively and effectively supports the text’s evocation of the leafy world. This is an ideal curricular introduction to a unit on leaves, but it will also find plenty… View →
Beep and Bah
“Burks’ digitally created illustrations are appealingly cartoonish, with exaggeratedly angular animals and bright, candy colors (a few landscapes call Dr. Seuss to mind)…. This will be a perfect fit for kids drawn to graphic novels but not quite ready for a full-length… View →
Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkala-Ša, Native American Author, Musician, and Activist
“Zitkala-Sa is…an interesting figure…and one who rarely turns up in collective or individual biographies; this account offers insight not just into her achievements but into the complexity of identity.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s… View →
Popular Clone
“Gadget geeks will thrill at the wildly imaginative inventions that populate the Bas household….®eaders will likely end up fantasizing about what they could get away with if only they too had a Two.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Literature View →
Brooklyn, Burning
“This will appeal to readers who enjoyed David Levithan’s Love Is the Higher Law.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
“As teenage vampires go, Will himself has a world-weary practicality that, while making him far less romantic than some of his more angsty counterparts, feels incredibly authentic for a protagonist who has suffered through plagues, wars, and famine without the relief of death. Fans View →
The Secret of the Skeleton Key
“The villains are deeply villainous, the heroes remarkably heroic, and the plot, while a bit of a stretch, is a whole lot of fun. The final pages point to a second installment set on Alcatraz Island; expect requests upon return of this volume.” —The Bulletin of the Center View →
Ultraviolet
“The realism here is very real indeed, and the plot turn to sci-fi will either delight or distract readers, according to their tastes. Everyone, though will stay on track with her bittersweet romance with Faraday and its promise that true love can break barriers and transcend even… View →
Made for Each Other: Book 2
“This series, with the flashy titles (each extended with a sequence of several funny subtitles), eye-catching covers, and popular themes, will easily attract readers; happily, they will be rewarded with sturdy plots and clever takes on human/monster love.” —The… View →
The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon
“The problem: people who see George Washington’s inaccurate image on their currency perceive him as stuffy and boring. The mission: remedy this misconception with three accurate, life-size models of G.W. as a nineteen-year-old surveyor, a forty-five-year-old general, and a… View →
The False Princess
“Debut author O’Neal offers up an appealing blend of political intrigue, emotional drama, magical elements, and just a touch of romance.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
What Can't Wait
“A timely, realistic and unflinching portrayal of an unfortunately pressing problem for many immigrant teens.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Six Sheep Sip Thick Shakes: And Other Tricky Tongue Twisters
“Tongue twisters constitute one of the few challenges in which failure is as much fun as accomplishment, and here Cleary offers two dozen originals that should reduce the most eloquent youngster to a state of giggling babble. . . Surely there’s a phonics lesson in here… View →
Draw the Dark
“The breathtaking conclusion ties up most of the loose ends but leaves just enough unanswered questions to make the reader still vaguely suspicious of Winter and its residents.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Ruth and the Green Book
“Cooper’s soft, stippled illustrations capture both the pathos of the bigotry and the warmth of the support the family encounters, and a substantial closing note on the Green Book itself invites the audience to explore it further online. This will be a fascinating addition to View →