The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

by Jane Birdsall

Grades 4-7

The first book in this series was a first novel for this author, and what a way to start. Birdsall won the National Book Award for her first Penderwicks book. In this strong sequel, the four Penderwick sisters, all unforgettable characters, are trying to prevent the tragedy of acquiring a bad stepmother. Their dad has started dating again, unwillingly, and they are determined not to let him find love. These books are funny and fast paced and full of the everyday dramas of family and life, as well as the deeper themes of grief and love.

Battle of the Labryinth

by Rick Riordan

Grades4-8

This fourth book in the Percy Jackson series (Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, and The Titan’s Curse) really delivers. Percy and his friends are on another quest, this time trying to keep the Titan army from invading camp half-blood. To do this they must navigate Daedalus’ Labryinth and keep the other side from discovering it’s secrets. Lots of adventure, lots of inside jokes for readers who know Greek mythology, and lots of human (or half-human in this case) drama.

Final Warning

by James Patterson

Graders 5-8

This is the fourth in the Maximum Ride, Angel Experiment series by popular author James Patterson. The series narrator, Max, is a fiercely independent teenage girl who is in charge of a group of other homeless kids who are on the run from some heavy duty bad guys. The catch: they are the products of experiments that joined human and bird DNA. They have wings. Max is a funny, sarcastic storyteller with a heart of gold and a true desire to do what’s right. In this fourth book, Max and the flock have been recruited to help with a global issue and find themselves flying to all parts of the world. Reviews have been mixed on this one, but readers who have enjoyed the other Maximum Ride books will want to pick this one up too.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

by Trenton Lee Stewart

Grades 4-7

This is the sequel to the very popular mystery The Mysterious Benedict Society. Kids who love quirky characters, humor, mystery, and powerful kids, will love these stories about a misfit band of gifted kids who are brought together by the mysterious Mr. Benedict. He asks them to help him do battle against the plans of his evil twin, Mr. Curtain. In this installment, Mr. Benedict himself is captured and the kids only have a week to figure out a way to get him back. A great summer read!

The Calder Game

by Blue Balliett

Grades 4-8

These smart, artist-based mysteries include great learning about famous artists, real puzzles for readers to solve, and just a fun read for mystery lovers. The first two (Chasing Vermeer and The Wright 3) were big hits with readers, and this third mystery, set in England and based on the work of artist Alexander Calder, will also please.

Outcast

by Michelle Paver

Grades 5-8

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this novel a few months ago, and I really enjoyed it. This is the fourth in the Wolf Brother series, which is part historical fiction and part fantasy/mystery. Set in a time of prehistoric tribal clans, Torak is an outsider, an orphaned boy who can speak to wolves and has other gifts as well. The Soul Eaters want those gifts for themselves. This fourth book gets pretty dark, with the evil Soul Eaters finally getting ahold of Torak and his friend Renn, and the two learning what these people are really capable of. Good adventure

Here are some of the new books I’ve enjoyed…

The Cow That Laid an Egg

by Andy Cutbill

Grades K-2

This is a surprisingly simple story about a cow who doesn’t feel special, and the chickens who help her. The playful, collage style illustrations really add interest and humor to a fairly simple text. Love the surprise ending!

When Harriet Met Sojourner

by Catherine Clinton

Grades 3-7

I am a big fan of the picture book biography format, and this one is quality. The author goes back and forth between the lives of Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, comparing and contrasting their journeys. Finally, they meet, an event that actually occured, but nobody knows exactly what happened and what they talked about. The illustrations are powerful additions to the informative text, and the intriguing question of what actually happened when they met is a wonderful premise for the book.

Woolbur

by Leslie Helakoski

Grades 1-3

This is a very entertaining story about a lamb who does not fit in. Every time his worried parents suggest that what he’s doing and the way he’s doing it is “different,” he says, “I know! Isn’t it great?” When they finally put their feet down and insist he do things like the other lambs, Woolbur brings the others over to his way of doing things instead of conforming himself. Great illustrations, great message, and wonderful writing.

The Boy Who Dared

by Susan Campbell Baroletti

Grades 5-10

Bartoletti won a Newbery Honor a couple years ago for her non-fiction book Hitler Youth. That title told the stories of 13 real kids who grew up in Hitler’s Germany. some became devoted Nazis, others resisted Hitler’s regime. In this novel, she fictionalizes the story of one of those 13. Helmuth is a teen who works against Hitler by secretly writing and distributing pamphlets that denounce Hitler’s propoganda. He is eventually caught and executed at the age of 17. Bertoletti does a convincing job of describing what the real life Helmuth might have thought, felt, and experienced in his short life. The book is not particularly violent, but the fact of his execution overshadows the whole story. An interesting, but also strangely hopeful read.

Replay

by Sharon Creech

Grades 5-8

Sharon Creech is a wonderfully consistent and effective author for this age group. Some of her other novels (Walk Two Moons, Chasing Redbird, Heartbeat) are perennial favorites. Replay is the story of a large, chaotic family who has all the inevitable troubles and successes such a family brings. Leo, one of the kids, wants to be a star, and Creech structures the book and the story around Leo’s passion. His favorite trick is when things go wrong, he replays them in his mind and has everything come out right. This is a charming story about family, finding your way, and being the best you can at what you love.

Airborn

by Kenneth Oppel

Grades 5-10

This is a wonderful novel set in a time and place like ours, but slightly different. Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on an airship that carries passengers across the Pacificus Ocean from Lionsgate City to Australia. Things go well until pirates attack and the airship is stranded on a deserted island. Matt and a passenger, Kate, discover a mysterious creature on the island, and the discovery could be either save or destroy them. There are some wonderful characters here, as well as a believable world for them to inhabit. Perhaps too long for a good read aloud, but a nice recommendation for strong readers who like adventure.

A couple others for the “grown ups”…

I am going to Austria and the Czech Republic next month, so much of my reading has been about that, and there are a couple of historical novels I think will have wide appeal:

The Book of Splendor

by Frances Sherwood

Adult

This historical novel, set in Prague at the turn of the 17th century, concerns the court of the Emporer Rudolph, and his obsession with eternal life. He has gathered the best minds in Europe around him to help him discover how to live forever. Meanwhile, the long protected Jewish community in Prague is feeling threatened by their increasingly intolerant neighbors. The Jewish Rabbi creates a Golem to protect the Jewish neighborhood, but the Golem is more than just the mindless servant he thought he would be. When the emporer discovers the Rabbi’s ability to create life, he demands the secret. The story sounds convoluted here, but Sherwood weaves the seemingly disparate story into a cohesive and compelling novel.

A Song for Summer

by Eva Ibbotson

Adult

This historical novel, set in rural Austria at the beginning of World War II, really captivated me. A young English woman, Ellen, takes a job at an avant garde boarding school and begins to transform the school and its inhabitants with her gentle ways. Meanwhile, Hitler’s Germany is looming and the characters are one by one caught up in it’s horrors and transformed by the griefs war brings. In spite of all this, it is also a wonderfully romantic and hopeful story. I had known about, but never read, Ibbotson’s children’s novels. I will be reading them now! I love the way she writes!

Rabbit’s Gift: A Fable from China

by George Shannon

Grades K-2

This is a sort of Pay it Forward for the younger set. It’s late winter, and Rabbit is low on food. Suddenly, turnips start showing up on his doorstep, and he decides to share his good fortune with others.

Wolf’s Coming

by Joe Kulka

Grades K-2

The forest animals scurry around and hide as soon as they hear the wolf is coming, but they are actually hiding to give the wolf a surprise party.

The Shy Creatures

by David Mack

Grades 1-4

A shy young girl dreams of being a doctor for other shy creatures like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, who she wants to help if they are hurt or sick.

Tuck Everlasting

by Natalie Babbitt

Grades 4-8

This is a classic, but sometimes we forget about the books that have been around awhile. The novel tells the story of a family who has discovered the fountain of youth and why they wish they hadn’t. When a young girl thinks she wants to partake, they have to help her understand what the cost of such a gift is. A really compelling story with lots of big questions about life and how we live it.

Shiloh

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Grades 4-7

When a compassionate young boy is followed home by an abused dog, he tries to give it a new home. However, the abusive owner doesn’t want to give the dog up. Great read aloud that raises good questions for discussion.

Ruby Holler

by Sharon Creech

Grades 5-8

13 year-old twins Dallas and Florida have been in tons of horrible foster homes, but they start to believe that can change when an older couple adopts them and takes them on a variety of unique adventures. Creech’s books are full of rich, colorful language. This one has some darker moments, especially when they talk about the various foster homes, but the brother-sister team are unforgettable characters.

Stargirl

by Jerry Spinelli

Grades 5-12

The narrator, Leo, is a high school student in Arizona. When a new girl comes to town, the whole school is at a loss of what to make of her. However, her generous spirit infects the school and changes their corner of the world, for awhile at least. I love the independent title character as well as the realistic arc of the school’s reactions to her.

Leaves

by David Ezra Stein

Grades K-2

A young bear isn’t sure what’s happening when the leaves start falling in the fall. But as he gives in to the cycle of hibernation, he discovers he is part of that cycle. Wonderful illustrations, simple text, a great read.

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity

by Mo Willems

Grades K-3

Those who loved the first Knuffle Bunny will enjoy this evolving story about Trixie and her special bunny friend. This time, Trixie and Knuffle Bunny go to school, but another girl has a very similar bunny. When they get home from school, they find that the beloved bunnies have been switched accidentally. Lots of humor, Mo Willem’s fabulous illustrations, and a heartwarming story where Daddy saves the day, again!

This Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown

by Cressida Cowell

Grades K-2

Like Trixie in Knuffle Bunny, Emily has a special bunny who goes everywhere with her. However, when the Queen wants her bunny for herself, Emily has to work hard to convince her where Stanley really belongs. Very funny language, a light pattern to follow, and some very fun illustrations.

Cherry and Olive

by Benjamin Lacombe

Grades 1-4

This is a touching story about a plump, bookish girl who is an outcast at school. However, she finds her voice and a friend with the help of an odd stray dog named Olive. Lovely stylized illustrations and tender language will ring true with readers.

Also, once in awhile I like to throw in some recommendations that are not for kids. It’s been a great winter for reading with all the snow, so here are a few things I’d like to recommend..

The Zookeeper’s Wife

by Diane Ackerman

This is an amazing non-fiction read about the zookeeper of the Warsaw Zoo at the time the Nazis invaded Poland. The zoo and most of its animals were destroyed, but the zoo enclosures were covertly used to hide Jews trying to escape the Warsaw Ghetto. This book is a fantastic blend of narrative, natural history, and amazing heroism. I loved it!

Mercy Seller

by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

I just finished this interesting historical fiction novel about the early 1400s in both Prague and England. It centers on the conflict between the Catholic church, the Lollards (followers of John Wycliff and Jan Hus), and the role of the monarchy in enforcing church doctrine. I thought I had a good understanding of the Reformation, but this book gave me a different understanding of the conflict. It’s also a good story about finding love and standing up for what you believe.

I also want to recommend a wonderful movie that my whole family is in love with. Once is an Irish film about two musicians, a man from Ireland and a woman from Eastern Europe, who meet and make music in Dublin for a week. The story is unexpected, and tender and beautiful, as is the music in the film.

Goose Girl Enna Burning, River Secrets

by Shannon Hale

Grades 5-8

Hales’ Princess Academy was a big hit (and a Newbery Honor Book last year). She has a wonderful knack for taking classic tales and remaking them as something completely new and fresh. In the Bayern books, she has created a world that has all the elements we look for in stories: rich characters, suspense, danger, friendship, discovery; the list goes on. And while the first two seem to appeal more to girls, Razo, the main character in River Secrets, is an unlikely hero many boys would identify with as well.

Book of a Thousand Days

by Shannon Hale

Grades 5-8

This is Hale’s newest book. She has taken an obscure tale from Grimm, and set it on the Mongolian steppes. This story, told by a lady’s maid who is sentenced to be imprisoned in a tower with her lady for seven years, is surprising in both its joyful turns and in its darker elements. I am definitely a fan of the work Shannon Hale is doing. For something a little more “grown-up,” see an earlier review of her novel Austenland.

Hattie Big Sky

by Kirby Larson

Grades 5-8

I’ve been hearing about this book since last year, and I am so glad I finally got around to reading it. This is a homesteading tale, based on the author’s family. However, 16 year-old Hattie’s claim is filed in the 20th century, at the start of World War I. This novel mixes the classic hard life on the prairie we are accustomed to, with a world where there are also automobiles, and telephones, and rationing due to the war. Because of the war, some of Hattie’s neighbors face some dark predjudice and violence. The heart of the story is really the choices Hattie makes about friendship and what kind of person she is in the face of those challenges. A great read or read aloud.

Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly

by Alan Madison

Grades 1-3

This story, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, one of my favorites, is about Velma, a misfit first grader who is following in the footsteps of some very accomplished older siblings. However, Velma finds her own unique gifts in a passion for butterflies. When a butterfly “follows her home” from a class trip, people start to appreciate Velma for who she is, not for who her siblings are. Great fun!

Akimbo and the Lions, Akimbo and the Snakes, Akimbo and the Elephants

by Alexander McCall Smith

Grades 2-4

Akimbo lives on a game preserve in Africa, where his father is the head warden. In each story, Akimbo discovers that the animals are in trouble and need his help. McCall Smith (famous for his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books) has created some wonderful mysteries for emerging readers here. They would be great for those kids in transition to longer chapter books or fun, exciting read alouds in the classroom.

Travel Team

by Mike Lupica

Grades 5-9

This is a great story of family, adversity, and sports. Danny is a very short, but very talented basketball player who doesn’t make his town’s travel team because he is too short. Some great stuff in here about picking yourself up by your bootstraps, about families navigating the difficulties of divorce and alcoholism, and about kids growing and changing in those years between childhood and adulthood. Fun read!

Summer Ball

by Mike Lupica

Grades 5-9

This is the sequel to Travel Team, and it delivers on the sports drama and the learning to deal with failures, although the family drama is no longer an issue. This time Danny is at a camp where all the best kids in the country come to play ball, and he wonders if he’s really as good as everyone tells him. Lot’s of great messages about being true to yourself and not giving up on what matters to you.

Poppy

by Avi

Grades 3-6

This is a wonderful drama-filled story about a community of animals ruled by an imperious owl. When two mice who dance to their own drummers threaten that rule, events unfold in powerful ways. Great read-aloud with unforgettable characters.

Sitting Bull Remembers

by Ann Turner

Grades 4-6

This is a beautifully written fictionalized biography of Sitting Bull. He is telling his own story from captivity at the end of his life. The language and the illustrations are powerful and ring true. A great addition to a unit on Native Americans. Pair with A Boy Called Slow

Chowder

by Peter Brown

Grades 1-3

 Chowder is not your typical dog, and therefore does not really fit in with the other dogs.  (Check out his version of “digging for bones.”)  But that can be lonely.  A great lesson about being yourself and trusting that others will appreciate you for that.

Ain’t Gonna Paint No More

by Karen Baumont

Grades K-4

 This play on the old song “Ain’t Gonna Rain No More”  is a playful romp through the world of a creative and uninhibited young person.  Fun, energetic language and hilarious illustrations by David Catrow.

Frederick

by Leo Lionni

Grades K-2

This classic story still has its charm, and is a wonderful antidote for the wintertime blues.  Simple text and wonderful illustrations.

Winter Poems

Selected by Barbara Rogaski

Grades 3-up

This is a nice collection of poems by some of the world’s great poets.  All of them have the theme of winter.  Trina Schart Hymen does the lovely illustrations.  Use one or two, or read one a day all month!

Wild Christmas Reindeer

by Jan Brett

Grades 2-4

So many of Brett’s Scandinavian stories have a winter or holiday theme.  This is among the best of the stories.  The memorable heroine is inspiring, and the lessons about responsibility and caring are great.

Lady In The Box

Ann McGovern

Grades 4-6

This gentle picture book confronts some difficult ideas about homelessness and helping, especially around the holidays.

Tree Of Cranes

Alan Say

Grades 3-6

This beautiful story looks at the conflict of culture between traditional Christmas celebrations, and the traditions of a Japanese family trying not to lose their own traditions.  How they marry the two makes for a nice discussion on diversity.

Too Many Tamales

Gary Soto

Grades 3-5

A lighthearted story about an hispanic family holiday  celebration that goes slightly wrong when a young girl looses her mother’s ring while making the traditional tamales. A nice lesson about fixing your mistakes and telling the truth, as well.

Tacky the Penguin

Helen Lester

Grades 1-4

Tacky is a misfit who wears hawaiian shirts and longs for the tropics.  He is an outsider until his non-conformity end up saving the day.  There are a whole series of Tacky books now, and kids love them!

Book fair is first on my mind right now, so I think I will talk about a few books that should be showing up there.

Peak

by Roland Smith

Grades 5-12

Roland Smith, a very entertaining author who visited some of the schools in our district last year, has a couple new books out right now. Peak is the story of a 15 year-old boy who gets in some trouble and has to go live with his father. Unfortunately, his father is a mountain guide who leads expeditions on Mt. Everest. The plan is to have Peak be the youngest person to ever summit Everest, but that sounds easier than it is. Great adventure, wonderful first-person narrative, and some neat lessons about friendship and integrity.

Becoming Naomi Leon                                                                                                                                    

by Pam Munoz Ryan 

Grades 5-8

This is a powerful story about family and place.  Naomi and her brother have been raised by their grandmother because their mother took off and their father is somewhere in Mexico.  When the mom comes back to claim Naomi but not her brother, the two travel to Mexico to find their father, hoping he will claim them and keep them together.  This story has good suspense, rich characters, and some great lessons about strength and loyalty.  Munoz Ryan has a new book out, too. Paint the Wind will also be in the bookfair.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane     

by Kate diCamillo 

Grades 3-6

Those of you who have read diCamillo (Because of Winn Dixie, Tale of Despereaux) know she is a great storyteller.  This book is a sort of reverse Veleveteen Rabbit.  Edward is a well-loved toy who believes the love he has is well-deserved.  However, when he gets lost and has to find his way back to his owner, he realizes the value of being loved, and of loving others in return.  A beautiful read-aloud.

Clementine   

by Sara Pennypacker

Grades 1-4

This is one of the best young heroines to come out since Ramona Quimby.  Clementine is funny, and honest, and imperfect in the most charming way.  Pennypacker has filled her story with humor and grace and a character kids will love.  Wonderful read-aloud!  There’s a sequel, too, The Talented Clementine.

Diary of a Fly

by Doreen Cronin

Grades K-4

I would love to have this author’s prolific imagination. This is the third in her diaries, and this one has the fly as would-be superhero.  Funny, a great model for writing, and just a great book to share.

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?

by Bill Martin Jr.

Grades K-2

These pattern books with the wonderful Eric Carle illustrations have not varied much, but this one stands out for me because of the wonderful active verbs he chose for the various animals: “strutting”, “gliding”, “slipping”, and “sliding”.  A fun read-aloud or a great pattern book for early readers.

 Enjoy!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by Suzanne Harper
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohota
Varjak Paw by SF Said
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry
Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer
The Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan
Saint of Dragons by Jason Hightman
Mr. Monday by Garth Nix
Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Firegirl by Tony Abbott

I read a few “grown up books” too…

Austenland by Shannon Hale
Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician by Daniel Wallace
Reason for Hope by Jane Goodall
Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris
Leonardo’s Swans by Karen Essex
Pint Sized Ireland by Evan McHugh