Icefall
Author: Mathew J Kirby
Pages: 325
Age Range: 10+
Published: 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: *****
Rating: PG
Princess Solveig and her siblings have been taken to a hidden fortress at the top of a fjord to wait out the winter while her father battles the neighboring king. When their livestock begins to die and their guards poisoned it's clear a traitor is in their midst. And it's up to Solveig to uncover the truth. As she studies to become a skald (storyteller) the Norse myths and stories she tells lead her to understand who she is and give her strength to stand up and be brave when her older sister and brother fail to do so. Full of adventure, mystery, rich culture and self-discovery, this is a beautifully written little story. I loved it!
Author and Illustrator: Melissa Sweet
Pages: 32
Age Range: 5+
Published: 2011
Genre: Biography
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G
Tony Sarg loved tinkering with and creating things. After leaving his home in London for New York City he finds a job creating puppets and animatronics for the window displays at Macy's but he wants to do more. When Macy's decides to sponsor a holiday parade Sarg is enlisted to bring his creations to life on a grand scale, eventually creating the large character balloons we know and love today. This is a great 'unsung hero' sort of biography of the creative genius who has had a lasting effect on kids today (one of his protegees worked on the puppets for The Lonely Goatherd scene in The Sound of Music and then acted as teacher for Jim Henson!) The story is smoothly told and the illustrations are perfect, using a mixture of mediums including sketches from Sarg's idea books and clips from the newspaper showing the original puppets.
Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom
Author and Illustrator: Shane Evans
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4+
Published: 2010
Genre: Historical Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG
A minimalist approach to the Underground railroad. The text is sparse, each page containing just a short sentence, sometime as few as 2 words and the illustrations are a perfect match. Each dark page focuses on the crudely angular faces of the slaves as they escape through the darkness. You see their fear and hope and anxiety as they crouch beneath bushes and run from the slave catchers. And finally the last spread has them all reaching freedom, their faces exultant, the sun high above illuminating everything around them. It's simple yet powerful, basic enough for the youngest of readers but with plenty of opportunity for discussion and elaboration with older readers.
For a great lesson on the evolution of civil rights, pair this with Evans' We March, published this year which uses the same approach to telling the story of the march on Washington.
Author: Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrator: Heather Ross
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4+
Published: 2012
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G
Chloe is crafty. She loves to make things and she's very good at it. But when she's invited to a birthday party she struggles to find the perfect gift, especially when she runs into one of the popular girls who brags about the doll she's just bought. But Chloe sticks with her talents and creates something wonderful. When the party day arrives and the mean girl's gift is ruined Chloe has a chance to return the rudeness but instead steps in to help save the doll and the day. Another cute story about being yourself and taking the high road of kindness.
Everneath
Author: Brodi Ashton
Pages: 370
Age Range: 13+
Published: 2012
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG -13
Nikki makes a fateful decision to return from the underworld after having spent six months there with Cole, the immortal who is hoping to rule as its king. Back with her family, and her boyfriend Jack, Nikki is trying to forget what happened and find a way to remain in the human world, knowing full well that it's only a matter of time before the power of the immortals and the everneath force her to return. Based loosely on the Persephone myth, this was a surprisingly fun paranormal romance with well-developed characters and the bonus of being set in Park City, Utah (it's always fun when you recognize places in the story!)
Extra Yarn
Author: Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3+
Published: 2011
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G
A young girl in a drab, frozen village finds a box full of colorful yarn and proceeds to make sweaters for all of her friends, the woodland creatures, and even the barns and buildings! Word spreads and soon people are traveling to see this miraculous girl and all she's done. When a greedy archduke arrives on the scene he offers to buy the box and when the girl refuses to sell it he sneaks in the middle of the night and steals it. But when he gets home he finds the box empty and angrily throws it out to sea...I'll let you read it to find out what happens next! Creativity, ingenuity and the power of one person to change the world are all celebrated in this softly illustrated, quirky masterpiece. Love it!
One Cool Friend
Author: Tony Buzzeo
Illustrator: David Small
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4+
Published: 2012
Genre: Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG
Elliot, a most-proper child who dresses in suits and ties, takes a shine to the penguins when his father takes him on a trip to the aquarium. While his father is buried in a newspaper, Elliot asks if he can bring a penguin home. The dad, assuming a stuffed toy is the topic of conversation, agrees and hilarity ensues as Elliot and the penguin have adventures together under the not-so-observant nose of dear old dad. A twist at the end of the story makes it all the better! The illustrations are smart black-and-white affairs and kids will relate to the half-permissions and misunderstandings of a parent who isn't giving 100 percent of their attention to the child. And, it has penguins! :)
Otto the Book Bear
Author and Illustrator: Katie Cleminson
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3+
Published: 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Cover Score: ***
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G
Otto is a character in a book who loves it when his story is read! But when his owners move away and his book is forgotten he ventures out in search of a new home. The tiny bear is practically invisible on the busy city streets but finds his way unscathed to a building full of books and other characters just like him. The illustrations are darling and the story, simple, but one that will have kids peeking into the pages of books to see if the characters are living different lives when their books aren't being read. A literary precursor of sorts to tales like The Velveteen Rabbit and Toy Story.
Baby Bear Sees Blue
Author and Illustrator: Ashley Wolff
Pages: 32
Age Range: 2+
Published: 2012
Genre: Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G
When baby bear awakes from his winter's sleep to find a world full of colors just outside his cave. He wanders about asking mama bear all about the things he sees. There are green leaves and the blue sky and even a rainbow! After the busy day the two bears curl up in their cave just as the black darkness settles in. This is a simple concept and one that has been done a million times before (and will be done at least a million times after!) but this version is standout. The relationship between parent and child, the inquisitive nature of children everywhere, and the beauties of nature are all deftly addressed. And the richly colored woodcut illustrations are gorgeous. Perfect for those little ones who are ready for a bit of story with their basic concepts.
Author: Laini Taylor
Pages: 418
Age Range: 13+
Published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: *****
Rating: PG-13
Karou lives a strange life shuttling back and forth between her art classes in Prague and the world of the chimera, the only family she has ever known. Brimstone, a devil, has taught and protected her and given her all she needs, all but the answers to who she really is. One night the portals all across the city go up in flames and she is left in the mortal world with no way back and no answers. Soon a seraph, the chimeras enemy, makes himself known to her and the two find themselves strangely drawn to each other despite their deep-seated animosity. It seems Akiva just might hold the key to her past...and her future. Beautifully written and intriguing with fleshed out and curious characters this is an exceptional addition to the glut of paranormal romance on the market.
A little lacking in the novel department which shows you how my attention span has been working (not so well). I have several grownup books in the works but none of them are really doing it for me right now so it's really slow going. Any recommendations? What have you read lately that has captured your attention and kept you thinking about it long after you've closed the covers?
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