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Book News
Welcome to the newest edition of Kids Only. There have been some fun and interesting activity books released lately and I thought I'd highlight some of the best:
A welcome new addition to the paper airplane library is STAR WARS FOLDED FLYERS (9780545396349, Klutz, $19.99, TP). Kids can make an entire fleet [...]
Read More »Beginning Readers
Penny And Her Song
Kevin Henkes
(Greenwillow Books, $12.99, HC, 9780062081957)
In his first book for beginning readers, Caldecott winner Kevin Henkes introduces a new mouse character to his already impressive line-up (Owen, Lilly). In Penny and her Song, a young mouse girl comes home from school with a song to sing to her parents, but both are afraid she'll wake up the baby mice, so she's forced to wait. Penny tries singing to herself, to the mirror, and to her collection of glass animals, but it's just not the same as a real live audience. Finally, after dinner she gets her chance and eventually everyone joins in. Henkes infuses Penny with a shining personality that is sure to win new readers over, and his watercolor and ink illustrations are, as always, cheerful and bright and do what they're supposed to do: extend the story beyond the written word itself. Surely a contender for next year's Theodore Seuss Geisel award. FICTION/Family-General/Social Issues-Emotions & Feelings.
Also New in Beginning Readers:
Graphic Novels
Annie Sullivan And The Trials of Helen Keller
Joseph Lambert
(Disney Hyperion Books, $17.99, HC, 9781423113362)
If you haven't taken a look at any of the graphic novel biographies from The Center for Cartoon Studies, you should. Each work about an important historical figure (Harry Houdini, Satchel Page, Henry David Thoreau, and Amelia Earhart) is a great introduction for younger readers, and the newest, Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller is no different. Here Joseph Lambert manages to visually convey Keller's struggle and understanding while giving equal attention to Annie Sullivan's past and childhood. It's a brilliant new take on a familiar subject. You can see some of the panels here. FICTION/Biographical-General/Social Issues-Special Needs. Rated E MIDDLE READERS
Also New in Graphic Novels:
Middle Readers
The Legend of Diamond Lil
Doreen Cronin, Illustrated by Kevin Cornell
(Balzer + Bray, $14.99, HC, 9780061779961)
Bestselling author Doreen Cronin (Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type) is back with her second chapter book featuring canine sleuth J.J. Tully, The Legend of Diamond Lil. This time out, J.J.'s much needed R & R is interrupted by a possum who keeps attacking the chicken coop and the appearance of Diamond Lil, a purebred who's just moved in next door and may have motives she's not entirely up front about. Once again, J.J.'s first-person narrative is lightly patterned after hard-boiled detective novels and film noir of the 1940s and 1950s and it's a blast to read. This is a series parents will get a big kick out of reading to their children. Kevin Cornell's many black-and-white illustrations add to the fun. FICTION/Mysteries & Detective Stories/Humorous Stories.
Also New in Middle Readers:
Picture Books
Leo Geo And His Miraculous Journey Through The Center Of The Earth
Jon Chad
(Roaring Brook Press, $15.99, HC, 9781596436619)
One of the most unique books I've come across lately is Leo Geo And His Miraculous Journey Through The Center Of The Earth, a fun, interesting and exciting story of scientist/explorer Leonid and his quest to reach Earth's core. Uniquely sized and meant to be read vertically, readers are treated to amazingly detailed black-and-white illustrations of his harrowing journey through the Earth's crust, encountering many wonders, including enormous fossils, subterranean monsters, forests of crystals, beautiful caverns, molten lava, water-filled chambers, and new, technologically advanced species of underground dwellers. Creator Jon Chad peppers the fictional tale with lots of geologic and scientific facts that never bog the story down. And, the interactive nature of the book's design is a blast - once Leo reaches the center, the reader is instructed to rotate the book 180 degrees and follow his quest upward, reading from the bottom to the top as Leo makes his way back up to the surface. It's a crazy combination of science fiction, science fact, graphic novel, and adventure. Don't miss it! FICTION/Science Fiction/Science & Technology/Comics & Graphic Novels-General.
Also New in Picture Books:
- House Held Up By Trees... Ted Kooser, Illustrated by Jon Klassen
- Bugs Galore... Peter Stein, illustrated by Bob Staake
- Silly Doggy... Adam Stower
- The Hero of Little Street... Gregory Rogers
- The Beetle Book... Steve Jenkins
- Faces... Zoe Miller & David Goodman
- Forget-Me-Nots: Poems To Learn By Heart... Mary Ann Hoberman - Editor, Illustrated by Michael Emberley
- Green... Laura Vaccaro Seeger
- Creep and Flutter... Jim Arnosky
Pre School
I Spy Under the Sea
Edward Gibbs
(Templar Books, $14.99, HC, 9780763659523)
An engaging new book perfect for preschool age kids (and a good choice for coastal stores) is I Spy Under The Sea, a follow-up to last year's I Spy With My Little Eye. Children learn numbers and counting, underwater animals, and animal names in a unique way with this interactive book that counts down from seven to one. The spare text presents a few simple hints as to what animal awaits on the next page, along with a clever, die-cut spy hole that allows the reader to peek through, getting a small glimpse of the animal before turning the page to reveal the entire illustration. Kids encounter clown fish, sea horses, crabs, and so forth, as they make their way through seven different underwater animals. Kids should really enjoy this one. NONFICTION/Animals-Marine Life/Concepts-Counting & Numbers/Activity Books.
Also New in Pre School:
Young Adult
Partials
Dan Wells
(Balzer + Bray, $17.99, HC, 9780062071040)
Readers a bit tired of all the dystopia out there may find Partials a refreshing change of pace. In the not-too-distant future, the war between humans and Partials (engineered cyborgs identical to humans) came to an end when the Partials released an airborne, weaponized virus that decimated mankind. With only a fraction of humans immune, they are left battling a devastating after-effect of the virus: no baby has been born immune to the virus in the 11 years since it was released. Kira Walker is a 16-year-old medic in training who, after the mandatory pregnancy laws get pushed to an even lower age and her best friend, Madison, becomes pregnant, sets out to hunt down and capture a Partial to discover where the secret to immunity lies. It's a fast-paced, post-apocalyptic, sci fi tale that includes elements of dystopia without it being the main focus. FICTION/Science Fiction/Action & Adventure.
